Drip—!
Piercing sirens blared continuously, and the instruments representing each monitoring area flashed madly with red light.
"Warning, Warning—"
Emergency alarms echoed throughout the Shinigami Research and Development Institute.
"What exactly happened?"
"Large numbers of Hollows are dying in multiple locations in the Human World, and it's the same in Hueco Mundo!!"
"Where's the Captain? Has the Captain been notified?"
"…"
Chaotic shouts were incessant. The Shinigami Research and Development Institute, usually so leisurely and orderly, was in complete disarray at this moment, with researchers in white coats running everywhere.
Drip—!
The elevator's protective door slowly opened, and two figures emerged.
"What is the Shutara level?"
Kurotsuchi Mayuri, whose appearance had become even more bizarre, asked.
Upon Kurotsuchi Mayuri's arrival, the Shinigami Research and Development Institute, which had been in chaos, immediately returned to calm. Everyone turned their gaze towards Kurotsuchi Mayuri.
"Level two."
Akon, who was following behind Kurotsuchi Mayuri, replied, "Although it is still under control, it is somewhat unusual compared to before."
"Your report is really unhurried."
"There have been similar situations before; they were resolved with just a slight adjustment."
Akon finished speaking, hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Do we need to report it immediately?"
"Report?"
Kurotsuchi Mayuri let out a strange laugh upon hearing this, looking up at the screen on the large display, and said coldly, "It's too late to report now. Discussing such matters in a meeting is just a meaningless delay, postponing the timing for balance adjustment."
Moreover…
Kurotsuchi Mayuri looked at the map on the large screen, a strange glint flashing in his eyes.
If 'human intervention' is truly needed for balance, it absolutely cannot be discussed in a meeting.
"What is the current deviation of the erosion correction degree?"
Kurotsuchi Mayuri turned to the operator beside him and asked.
"Only 0.13."
The operator replied, then added, "But the growth rate is unusually fast. If it continues to grow at this speed, the boundary between Soul Society and the Human World will make contact in a few days. Remedial measures must be taken as soon as possible."
"You don't need to remind me!"
Kurotsuchi Mayuri's eyeballs rolled, and he turned to walk outside. However, after only two steps, he paused, a strange smile suddenly appearing on his face: "Spread the news of the anomaly."
"Huh?"
Akon was stunned upon hearing this, not understanding why the Captain, who had just said to temporarily conceal it, would suddenly change his mind.
"Don't convey it to the Central 46 and the Gotei 13, but to Ishikawa of the Everything Store. Also, inform him of the measures we might take if the situation continues to worsen."
…
West 38th District · Everything Store.
Bang—
Ishikawa tossed the two-person-tall tool bag into the backyard warehouse, then his Reiatsu vibrated, and the dust on his black work clothes spread out in a circle.
"Tsk tsk, no matter how many times I see it, this level of control over Reiatsu always feels pleasing to the eye."
A figure leaned against the tavern, looking at Ishikawa in the backyard and laughing, "However, with your Reiatsu intensity, you could completely create a barrier to block the dust, so why bother getting yourself covered in dust?"
"When you work, you should look like you're working."
Ishikawa glanced at the speaker: "Using Reiatsu in Rukongai makes employers feel uneasy and distant. Plus, most employers are ordinary people, and improper control could easily harm them. So, during work, if you can avoid using Reiatsu, don't use it casually."
"Since you're working here with me, there are some rules you must obey."
Madman!
Ginjo Kūgo, leaning by the door, looked at Ishikawa with a strange expression. Although he had been here for several months, he still completely failed to understand Ishikawa.
He had seen many approachable people.
But when the gap between people is too great, even if someone is approachable, a disparity like that between an elephant and an ant will still create a sense of estrangement.
Yet, the residents of Rukongai only felt respect for Ishikawa, not fear.
Although they were aware of the difference, these ordinary people treated Ishikawa like the Shinigami of Seireitei, and when facing Ishikawa, they didn't see themselves as commoners, unlike when they faced other Shinigami.
When he first arrived here, he thought Ishikawa was just playing a similar role, as Ishikawa had left a deep impression on him and Tsukishima back in the Human World.
However…
After spending this time together, he found that in the other party's eyes, there was no difference between Rukongai residents, Seireitei residents, Gotei 13 Shinigami, or even those high-ranking nobles.
Equal, but not absolutely equal.
Because this guy's favoritism towards women was completely undisguised; that level of favoritism could even be called discrimination against men…
"Speaking of which, aren't you a bit too useless?"
Ishikawa looked at Ginjo Kūgo, annoyed, "Kutsuzawa Giriko helps Utsuki mix drinks at the tavern bar every day, and gets up at dawn to help prepare snacks. Tsukishima also uses his literary sensitivity to help me teach things at the orphanage."
"What about you? You're either fighting people in the backyard every day or just standing there posing. When I ask you to be a waiter, you get into fights with customers. When I ask you to go out and work with me, you complain about this and that…"
Ginjo Kūgo, leaning against the door, stiffened his smile and his eye twitched slightly at Ishikawa's words.
Ishikawa looked at Ginjo Kūgo with disdain. For Kukaku's sake, Ishikawa had not made things difficult for the three of them, even though two of them had a past grievance with him.
Moreover, Kutsuzawa Giriko's bartending skills were truly surprising.
Even those inferior wines, after his treatment, tasted quite good, which made the tavern's customers extremely friendly towards his arrival.
Most importantly…
Ever since tasting Utsuki's cooking, Kutsuzawa Giriko took over the Everything Store's food preparation, with breakfast, lunch, and dinner being prepared by him daily. For him, who had always taken care of the organization members in 'Xcution', it was like finding his original job again.
As for Tsukishima, sometimes he helped Unagiya with documents at the Everything Store, sometimes he acted as a waiter at the tavern, and sometimes he taught the children at the orphanages Ishikawa built. He also played a good role for the Everything Store.
Only this guy in front of him…
He had no culture, couldn't be a good waiter, and wasn't good at manual work. He could only barely snatch Oyama's job, acting as a security guard in the tavern.
He perfectly embodied the essence of the words 'freeloader'.
"You… you…"
Ginjo Kūgo understood the meaning in Ishikawa's gaze, and his face immediately darkened, but in the end, he gritted his teeth… giving up the idea of pulling out his great sword and having a showdown with this bastard.
Because, he really couldn't win!!
Although this guy was an oddball, his strength was unbelievably powerful.
Perhaps that's why the three of them, wanted criminals in Seireitei, were able to live here peacefully, undisturbed.
After his usual disdainful look at Ginjo Kūgo, Ishikawa pushed open the door and entered the tavern.
Although it was already late at night, the tavern was still bustling with people, with groups of two or three fierce-looking individuals gathered together, chatting and bragging.
Ishikawa, already familiar with the scene, went straight to the bar.
"Are all the tasks done?"
At the bar, Ishida Soken was having dinner with Unagiya. Seeing Ishikawa approach, both of them moved aside.
"You came back quite early today."
Utsuki saw Ishikawa, pulled out a stack of request forms from under the table, and pushed them in front of Ishikawa: "These are the northern requests Unagiya picked out. Most of them are in the North 1 to North 3 districts, close to Black Ridge Gate."
"Ishikawa."
Unagiya, beside him, looked at Ishikawa with some confusion and asked, "Why have you been working in the north so much recently?"
Before Ginjo Kūgo and the other two arrived, Ishikawa's work scope covered the entire Soul Society, but ever since the three arrived, Ishikawa suddenly confined his work to the north, specifically requesting locations as close to Black Ridge Gate as possible.
Work in other areas was mostly handed over to other people in the Everything Store.
"I just want to see if I can meet some people there."
Ishikawa replied casually, but sighed in his heart. The reason he kept choosing to work in the north was because, in his memory, the Wandenreich first appeared at Black Ridge Gate.
Of course, he wasn't trying to stop the Wandenreich's invasion.
Because by the time the Wandenreich invaded, it would already be too late.
After all, according to his memories, before the Wandenreich's initial invasion of Soul Society, it had already taken control of Hueco Mundo, enslaved the Arrancar, and used Hueco Mundo as a forward base for invading Soul Society.
In other words…
When the Wandenreich invaded Soul Society, Hueco Mundo had already fallen!
The reason Ishikawa wanted to work in the north was simply to see if any Wandenreich scouts would appear.
Kan, Kan~
Just then, a ringing sound suddenly came from the pocket of Ishikawa's black work uniform.
This is…
Ishikawa took out the Denreishinki he carried with him, and a strange look flashed in his eyes as he looked at the notes on it.
Without any hesitation, Ishikawa directly answered the call.
A rather calm voice came from the receiver. Ishikawa patiently listened to him finish, then nodded:
"Thanks. Tell Captain Kurotsuchi Mayuri not to act yet. I'll figure out a way to resolve this."
Hanging up the phone, Ishikawa actually wanted to show a smile to the gazes of the crowd and tell them that nothing was wrong, but in the end, he couldn't manage to smile.
Because…
In more than a year, even though he had been thinking about how to resist the Wandenreich, he still had no confidence at all that he could defeat the Wandenreich's emperor.
After a moment of contemplation, Ishikawa looked at Utsuki behind the bar: "Utsuki, take Unagiya to Big Sister Kukaku's place for a few days. Don't come back until I tell you to." With that, he didn't wait for Utsuki to ask questions and looked at Ishida Soken beside him:
"Have Nishijin Ori and the others gather and wait for me to return."
Ishikawa paused, then continued: "If I don't return within a day, then have everyone transfer to the Shiba family. You must protect Big Sister Kukaku no matter what."
"I'll explain the specific situation when I return."
According to the situation monitored by the Shinigami Research and Development Institute, the Wandenreich had clearly begun its work of disrupting the balance and had invaded Hueco Mundo.
He didn't have much time left!
So, after entrusting everyone, Ishikawa directly reached out and grabbed into the void. A Black Portal, wide enough for one person, immediately appeared beside Ishikawa, and he directly entered it.
Seeing this, the pub immediately fell silent.
Less than a minute passed from the moment Ishikawa answered the phone to his departure, which left everyone's faces filled with confusion.
But the solemnity in Ishikawa's eyes made them realize that something very terrifying must have happened, otherwise Ishikawa wouldn't have left Soul Society so hastily after such a brief instruction.
After exchanging glances, the crowd did not discuss but chose to trust Ishikawa and began to act as he had instructed.
…
At the same time, Human World · Naruki City!
Under the night sky, a pitch-black maw, integrated with the darkness, slowly opened, and a figure emerged from it.
This figure was dressed in a black work uniform, wearing high boots, and his eyes under his messy black hair lit up the moment he appeared. Invisible ripples spread out from him as the center, instantly enveloping the entire Naruki City and continuously spreading beyond Naruki City.
1, 2… 10… 30… 50…
The situation in each area was basically consistent with the Shinigami Research and Development Institute's report.
In the cities outside Karakura Town, there were many Reiatsu signatures different from Shinigami, and the spiritual pressures of Hollows were continuously disappearing.
Perhaps feeling threatened, as the Hollows in these cities rapidly disappeared, many Hollows also fled to Karakura Town, the only place not affected.
After confirming the basic situation, a sapphire blue light flashed in Ishikawa's eyes, and then he took a step forward.
Buzz~
Without any warning, Ishikawa, who was above Naruki City, vanished in the blink of an eye.
When he reappeared, he was already above a department store.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh~
Beneath his feet, sapphire blue Reishi arrows continuously shot out. Several figures stood on top of the department store building. These people all held Reishi bows of various shapes, and their clothing was mainly pure white, similar to military uniforms.
Quincy!
All the people standing on the department store were Quincies, a race that was almost extinct in the Human World.
"What boring work."
One of the middle-aged men yawned boredly after killing a Hollow with an arrow, and looked at his companion beside him: "How much longer will this work last?"
"Of course, until we receive the order to stop—" replied the blond young man beside him.
"Ah, I also want to follow His Majesty and join the hunting squad in Hueco Mundo."
"I advise you not to think about it. That's not a place we can go."
The young man shook his head, a strange look flashing in his eyes: "It is said that those so-called Espada in Hueco Mundo are no weaker than the adults of the Knight Order, otherwise His Majesty would not have gone to Hueco Mundo himself. The Human World hunting squad is clearly safer… Hmm?"
"What's wrong?"
The middle-aged man asked in confusion.
The young man didn't speak but looked into the night, frowning slightly.
The Reishi signatures that were rampant in Naruki City had disappeared. Although the Human World hunting squad was distributed throughout various areas of Naruki City, their actions in the night were not concealed at all. The dense arrows were as conspicuous as fireworks.
But at some point…
Except for their location, the entire Naruki City became incredibly quiet, and even the Reishi that had been chaotic due to their manipulation had stabilized at some unknown point.
"Something's not right."
The young man said to the middle-aged man beside him, and then was about to notify his companions.
However…
Pfft~
A trace of blood slowly appeared from the center of the middle-aged man's face. Almost at the same time the young man looked, the entire person split into two, his severed body falling to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust, and that half-face still maintained a look of confusion.
How is this possible~
Seeing this, the young man's expression changed drastically. He hurriedly turned his head to look around, and the scene that met his eyes…
Made the young man stumble, take two steps back, and fall onto the ground.
Splat~!
A splashing sound was heard as dark red liquid splattered when the young man fell.
Looking around, one could see that the Quincies who had originally gathered on the roof of the department store had, at some unknown point, turned into corpses. Blood gathered into streams, flowing down the building's drainpipes.
And in the middle of those corpses stood a figure holding a blade, dressed in a pitch-black work uniform.
The moment he saw this figure, a strange shiver suddenly rose from the depths of the young man's soul.
Run!
He must run!!
This person… no, this monster was absolutely not someone he could deal with.
His instincts were screaming wildly. Even if his companions hadn't died, the moment he saw the other party, he had already realized…
This was a monster!!
"Get lost."
A cold voice entered the young man's ears, making him stunned for a moment, then a look of joy appeared on his face.
That deadly oppressive feeling also disappeared. Although he didn't know why the other party let him go, the young man reacted extremely quickly. A black mist, like a shadow, immediately appeared around him, gradually enveloping him.
However, just then…
"Bankai!!"
A soft shout suddenly came out, making the young man's pupils constrict.
Bankai!?
He really couldn't understand why the other party would use Bankai at such a moment, because with the other party's strength, which instantly wiped out the entire Naruki City hunting squad without him even realizing it, there was no need to use Bankai to deal with them.
And…
Didn't you let me go?
Ishikawa didn't know or care about the young man's thoughts.
In fact, it was very simple to determine the time of the Wandenreich's invasion of Hueco Mundo; Ishikawa only needed to stay in Hueco Mundo.
But he couldn't do that!
Because even if he stayed in Hueco Mundo, he wouldn't be able to protect Cirucci and the others from Yhwach's attack; he would only die with them in Hueco Mundo or be captured!
The only way to protect Hueco Mundo was to invade the Wandenreich's base camp while Yhwach was away and destroy the Shadow Realm.
Thus…
Force Yhwach to return for reinforcement!
But the premise was…
Cirucci and the others must be able to hold on!!
"—Analyze!"