Inside the Tenth Division Captain's office, Ikkaku Madarame was squatting on the wooden floor, tapping his bald head with his knuckles out of boredom. Beside him, Yumichika Ayasegawa leaned against the wall, holding a small mirror in his hand as he carefully adjusted his eyeliner with an expression far too serious for the situation.
On the other side, Matsumoto Rangiku was chatting endlessly beside her young Captain, Tōshirō Hitsugaya. Rukia Kuchiki and Amamiya Miyako stood a little further back, whispering between themselves.
Hitsugaya sat behind his desk, arms folded and eyes closed, but the throbbing vein on his forehead betrayed how close he was to snapping.
"Yare yare…" Miyako muttered under his breath, catching the icy Captain's growing frustration. Clearing his throat, he raised his voice. "Ahem. Next, I'll explain the true purpose of this operation."
The idle chatter stopped immediately. Every pair of eyes turned to him.
"Concerning Aizen…" Miyako began, his voice steady. "He has been in Hueco Mundo for some time now. We still don't know what exactly he's doing there, but what we do know is this: Aizen knows far more about us than we know about him. That puts Soul Society at a serious disadvantage."
The atmosphere grew heavier.
"Recently," Miyako continued, "after exchanging information with Urahara-san in the Human World, we finally learned more about the kind of power Aizen now wields. That power… is the Arrancar."
"Arrancar?" Hitsugaya's eyes snapped open. "Hollow… Visored… Could it be Hollows that have broken their masks?"
Miyako nodded. "Captain Hitsugaya guessed correctly. Arrancar, as the name suggests, are Hollows who have broken their masks. But it's not as simple as that. The real problem is Aizen. Using the Hōgyoku—though incomplete—he gave Hollows the ability to evolve by breaking their masks."
"The Hōgyoku…" Hitsugaya frowned. "I wasn't present during the incident at Sōkyoku Hill, so I only know the basics. Aizen wanted Urahara's Hōgyoku, but you stopped him, right? What exactly does it do? What's the point of forcing Hollows to break their masks?"
Miyako's gaze sharpened. "The Hōgyoku was created using countless Shinigami souls as its foundation. Its initial purpose was to trigger Hollowfication in Shinigami… but it can also cause the reverse: it allows Hollows to gain Shinigami-like powers. That's what Arrancar are."
Hitsugaya's eyes widened. "Tch… You mean to tell me Hollows can actually become like Shinigami?! That's insane!"
"Insane, but real," Miyako replied gravely. "And not only possible—Aizen has already succeeded. According to Urahara-san's information, Hollows who have broken their masks are appearing in the Human World. Their power is several times greater than normal Hollows. And the most alarming trait…"
He let the silence hang for a moment. Everyone leaned forward slightly.
"…They all possess something resembling a Zanpakutō."
The words landed like a hammer. The room tensed immediately.
Ikkaku, however, broke into a wide grin. "Heh. Hollows with Zanpakutō? Now that sounds interesting. Miyako, you really know how to get me fired up. Thanks for letting me in on this one!"
Miyako shook his head. "Don't celebrate too soon. If they were just low-level Hollows, it wouldn't be a problem. But if Menos Grande, or worse, Adjuchas—or even the highest-ranked Vasto Lorde—were to break their masks and gain Zanpakutō…"
"…Then Soul Society would be facing a nightmare," Hitsugaya finished grimly, his mind racing.
"Then what is the true purpose of the Gotei 13 sending us to Karakura Town?" Hitsugaya Tōshirō asked, his brows drawn together in frustration. His icy gaze swept across the room. "If Aizen's forces really have so many Arrancar born from Menos Grande, shouldn't we be reinforcing our defenses in Soul Society instead?"
"That's exactly the issue, Captain Hitsugaya," Amamiya Miyako said calmly, folding his arms. "Aizen's real target isn't Seireitei. It's Karakura Town."
"Karakura Town?" Hitsugaya's frown deepened. "What could be so special about that city? Is it because Kurosaki Ichigo and his friends are there? Don't tell me Aizen is after Kurosaki."
"That might play a part," Miyako admitted, "but it isn't the main reason. The truth is… Karakura Town lies on an extremely important spiritual ground. Aizen plans to sacrifice the 100,000 souls living there and in the surrounding areas to forge the Ōken. With that, he intends to open the path to the Soul King's Palace… and replace the Soul King himself."
The room fell into heavy silence. The others stared at Miyako, eyes wide, their shock hanging in the air like a blade.
"The Soul King…?" Ikkaku Madarame muttered, scratching his bald head. "I don't pay attention to that kinda thing… remind me again, what's he supposed to be?"
"The Soul King is the supreme ruler of Soul Society," Hitsugaya explained firmly. "He created the Three Realms and keeps them balanced. Without him, the worlds would collapse."
"If Aizen succeeds…" Miyako's expression darkened. "The balance of the Three Realms will crumble. Everything—Soul Society, the Human World, Hueco Mundo—will vanish into nothingness."
Even Ikkaku's excitement faltered at those words.
Miyako sighed softly, shaking his head. "The Soul King's existence is tragic… but essential. Aizen must already know the truth about the King's current condition. That's why he believes he can replace him."
"So that's why Soul Society sent us to Karakura," Hitsugaya said at last, piecing it together.
Miyako nodded. "Exactly. Our mission is twofold. First, we are to aid Kurosaki Ichigo and his friends in defending the town. Second, we're to intercept the probes Aizen keeps sending. Until the Hōgyoku is perfected, he won't attack outright, but he will test the defenses again and again. That's where we come in—learning his tactics, eliminating his scouts."
Hitsugaya finally understood. "So that's why they needed me to lead this assignment… and why they pulled in officers beyond just the Thirteenth Division."
"Right," Miyako agreed. "A Captain is required to command this scale of operation. Two Vice-Captains and several seated officers with Shikai are also necessary."
"Heh. Sounds like there'll be no shortage of fights in the Human World," Ikkaku laughed, his blood boiling at the thought. "Now that's my kinda mission!"
Matsumoto Rangiku smirked, resting her chin in her hand. "It's fine. With our Captain around, Karakura Town will be just fine. As long as Aizen doesn't come himself, those Hollows and Arrancar don't stand a chance."
Hitsugaya glanced at her sharply. "Matsumoto… were you even listening to Amamiya just now? If we run into a Vasto Lorde-class Arrancar… even I might not be able to handle it."
"Captain Hitsugaya," Miyako cut in, his voice steady. "Don't worry too much. Those Vasto Lorde-class Arrancar are Aizen's hidden cards. He won't waste them lightly. For now, the majority of his forces will be Adjuchas-level or lower. And remember—Ichigo already possesses power on par with a Captain."
"…Kurosaki Ichigo," Hitsugaya murmured, conflicted. A human, gaining power like that in such a short time… unbelievable. Still, as a Captain of the Gotei 13, I can't allow myself to fall behind him. Nor can I afford to sound weak before my subordinates.
"Yare yare," Miyako chuckled under his breath. "You captains really are stubborn."
Hitsugaya exhaled, then straightened. "Alright. The Senkaimon should be opening soon. Everyone, get what you need for deployment to the Human World. Don't forget the essentials: Gikongan, Gokon Tekkō… everything."
At the mention of Gokon Tekkō, Rukia, who had been quiet until now, suddenly perked up. Her violet eyes sparkled with sudden urgency.
"Miyako, are you done talking?" she blurted, rushing up to him. "If you're finished, let's go already! I've got something important to take care of, and if we're late, it'll be gone!"
"Eh? Important matter? I was just about to—" Before Miyako could finish, Rukia grabbed his sleeve and tugged hard.
"Good, then we're done here! Come on!" She pulled him toward the door with surprising force.
"Oi, oi, Rukia-chan, wait! At least let me—" Miyako's protest trailed off as she dragged him outside, his voice echoing down the corridor.
Hitsugaya watched the two vanish from sight. He raised a hand as if to stop them but let it fall with a quiet sigh. "…I still had something to ask him."
Matsumoto tilted her head. "Captain?"
Hitsugaya's gaze drifted toward the window, his expression tightening. I wanted to ask how he stopped Aizen that time… he thought bitterly. Back then, even though I saw through Aizen's plan, I couldn't do a thing. He cut me down without hesitation, and by the time I recovered, it was already over.
His hand clenched into a fist at his side. Amamiya Miyako… what exactly did you do?
***
Gikongan (義魂丸)
A type of Artificial Soul (Mod Soul) that allows a Soul Reaper to separate from their Gigai (artificial body)
Gokon Tekkō (魂魂鉄甲)
A glove or tool used to force souls out of artificial bodies or Gigai.