Las Noches.
"Captain, what should we do now?" Isane asked Unohana with a grave expression.
Toshiro was trapped somewhere unknown, and those who had come as reinforcements, including herself, were unable to leave Hueco Mundo because the Senkaimon had been sealed, let alone go to the Living World to participate in the decisive battle.
So, the situation seemed very unfavorable for Soul Society.
"Don't worry, Isane. Captain-Commander and the others are responsible for the decisive battle in the Living World. What we need to do now is to continue advancing deeper into Las Noches, head to the Fifth Tower, and rescue the Shinigami of the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force. Moreover... although the Senkaimon we used to come here has been sealed by Aizen, if we can successfully rescue the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force... we may still find a way to leave Hueco Mundo..." Unohana said calmly.
"Eh? We can find a way to leave Hueco Mundo!?" Isane said in surprise.
"It's just a possibility." Unohana said with a smile.
"What method is it exactly?" Isane asked quickly.
Regardless of the success rate, as long as there was hope!
"Isane, you should know, right? Actually, Captain Hitsugaya's unauthorized trip to Hueco Mundo this time wasn't just to rescue the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force." Unohana asked.
"Regarding that... I remember that Captain Hitsugaya wanted to rescue not only the Shinigami of the Hueco Mundo expeditionary force, but also the companions of one of his Arrancar friends. And Captain Hitsugaya only learned about what happened in Hueco Mundo through that Arrancar friend..." Isane said after thinking for a moment.
"Correct. I think that since Captain Hitsugaya's Arrancar friend's companions were also used as hostages, they should be imprisoned together with the Shinigami of the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force. That means, as long as we find the Shinigami of the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force, we will also find Captain Hitsugaya's Arrancar friend's companions. And if we find them..."
"...then we will also find a way to leave Hueco Mundo!" Unohana said.
"Captain, what do you mean by that... Hmm!?" Isane was about to continue asking when she suddenly thought of something.
"It seems you've figured it out too, Isane." Unohana said slowly. "The reason we are now trapped in Hueco Mundo is mainly because the Senkaimon we used to come here cannot be used, and we, unlike Hollows, do not know how to use Garganta. However... although we cannot use Garganta, Arrancars can, right? Although Arrancars are enemies and would not help us, I think Captain Hitsugaya's Arrancar friend's companions should be very willing to help us..."
"So... what we need to do now is to head to the Fifth Tower, rescue the Shinigami of the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force and Captain Hitsugaya's Arrancar friend's companions..."
Meanwhile, in another part of Las Noches, Zaraki made the same decision. However, Zaraki, whose mind only contained the word 'battle', naturally wouldn't think as far ahead as Unohana. But Rangiku and the others with him had also come to the same conclusion as Unohana.
…
Las Noches, inside the palace of the Novena Espada, Aaroniero.
"Can you walk, Rukia?" Byakuya asked Rukia.
"Yes, Nii-sama." Rukia answered, her face pale.
Earlier, Rukia had been severely wounded and near death. However, after treatment from Yamada Hanataro, who arrived shortly after, although not fully recovered, she could barely walk.
Byakuya said in a deep voice: "If you can walk, then continue... head to the Fifth Tower..."
As for the other group, Mayuri, unlike Unohana and the others, did not head to the Fifth Tower. Instead, he remained in place. Of course, this time Mayuri was staying put to analyze Garganta...
…
The Living World.
"Earlier, the leader said that the Jureichi beneath our feet is fake, seems to have been swapped with a replica built by Soul Society. Although the leader said that to attack Soul Society, we need to capture the Jureichi first... but is that really necessary?"
"From what we've seen, the Shinigami erected pillars in four directions of this area, using the power of these pillars to replace the entire area with Soul Society's replica. So then..."
"If we destroy these pillars... what will happen?" Baraggan, seated on his Bone Throne, looked down at the replica of Karakura Town below and analyzed methodically.
Earlier, Lilynette had made a fuss at Starrk again and again, but Starrk still did not step forward to fight Baraggan for leadership. So ultimately, Baraggan seized the power to give orders.
After analyzing in a self-important manner, without waiting for Starrk or Harribel to say anything, Baraggan instructed his subordinate: "Findorr..."
"Yes!"
An Arrancar named Findorr responded, then waved his hand and opened four Garganta.
"Roar! Roar! Roar! Roar!"
Four giant Menos Grande roared as they crawled out of the Garganta.
Then Baraggan continued: "The positions of the pillars have been determined. Generally, such things are erected in the four corners of the east, south, west, and north..."
Upon hearing Baraggan's words, the four giant Menos Grande lunged directly at the pillars in the four corners of Karakura Town's east, south, west, and north.
"Ahhh—!!!"
Before Baraggan could finish, Omaeda in the Shinigami camp saw this and screamed in panic: "Oh no! They've found out! If the pillars are destroyed... Karakura Town, which was with great difficulty transferred to Soul Society, will become a battlefield again!!"
"Fool!" Even Yamamoto couldn't stand Omaeda's stupidity and directly scolded him.
Seeing this, Omaeda couldn't help but retort: "But..."
Slash—!
Slash—!
Slash—!
Slash—!
Before Omaeda could finish, four flashes of sword light passed, and the Menos Grande that had lunged at the four pillars in the east, south, west, and north were directly slain.
Omaeda looked dumbfounded: "Huh?"
"Hmph! Do you think I wouldn't make any preparations for such an important place? I have already... dispatched a group of elite personnel to guard there." Yamamoto said in a deep voice.
Then, the figures of 3rd Division's Lieutenant, Kira Izuru, 9th Division's Lieutenant, Hisagi Shuhei, 11th Division's Third Seat Madarame Ikkaku, and 11th Division's Fifth Seat Ayasegawa Yumichika appeared from behind the four pillars respectively.
"Ah... ah... how can this be?!" Omaeda shouted in disbelief: "Ikkaku! Yumichika! Izuru! Shuhei! Aren't they supposed to be staying behind in Soul Society? I thought that since I didn't see them at the assembly point, it meant I had won! That I was more valued than them!"
Then Omaeda looked around and saw that no one else was as surprised as he was, so he couldn't help complaining: "Really, what's the big idea? You all knew they were coming, and I was the only one left in the dark!"
"Haha, of course..." Kyoraku said with a teasing expression.
"Hey hey, please don't compare us to you, Omaeda." The 7th Division's Lieutenant, Iba Tetsuzaemon, said with a disgusted look.
And Sui-Feng, as the Captain of the 2nd Division, also looked ashamed and said: "I told you all this a long time ago. You just didn't hear it because you were too busy eating."
"Eh? Is that... so?" Omaeda scratched his head, looking uncertain.
"Of course it is! Idiot Omaeda!" Sui-Feng said with great certainty.
'However... it seems... I might have... indeed forgotten to tell him...' After fooling Omaeda, Sui-Feng muttered to herself.
To better coordinate the battle, both the matter of the [Tenkai Ketchu] and the matter of Ikkaku and the others guarding the [Tenkai Ketchu] were decided in the Gotei 13 Captains' meeting to be told to the Lieutenants and some elite seated officers participating in the battle before departing for the Living World.
So Sui-Feng had indeed forgotten to tell Omaeda. But this was mainly because Omaeda was too unreliable, so Sui-Feng subconsciously ignored him.
In the Espada camp.
"Hmph, there are guards. But... so what? The ones protecting the pillars are just four ants. Then let's use four elephants to crush them..."
Baraggan glanced contemptuously at Ikkaku Madarame and the other four guarding the Tenkai Ketchu, then instructed his subordinates again: "Choe, Charlotte, Abirama, Findorr, go kill them!"
"Yes! As you wish, Your Majesty!!" The four acknowledged respectfully, then each chose a direction and charged towards the Shinigami guarding the Tenkai Ketchu.
"Oh? The rookies are here? They look quite tall... I wonder if they can take a hit?" Ikkaku, shouldering his Zanpakuto, looked at the Arrancar who had come before him.