Chapter 59: The Seireitei Goes on Alert
Narrator POV
The shrill sound of the Seireitei's alarm echoed through every corner of the place, shaking even the very foundations of the Soul Society's buildings.
—"Attention all captains and shinigami! Intruders detected within the perimeter! All units, report to your battle stations immediately!"
Shinigami who had been patrolling the streets or resting within their divisions looked up at the sky in shock as a beam of light crashed into the barrier surrounding the Seireitei—made of solid Sekki-Seki. But the most astonishing part… was that it pierced straight through it.
A dull explosion marked the exact point of forced entry, and a brilliant flash spread outward like an echo, illuminating the white walls of the fortified city.
From the Fifth Division Headquarters, Sōsuke Aizen lifted his gaze, his expression calm, though deep within his eyes flickered a spark of genuine interest.
—"Impressive… they managed to breach the barrier," he murmured softly, as if speaking to himself. "One of them must possess an extraordinary level of Reiryoku."
Beside him, his lieutenant, Hinamori Momo, stared at the scene with wide eyes. Short in stature, with dark hair tied into a bun adorned with a light-blue ribbon and side-swept bangs, she looked visibly uneasy.
—"Captain Aizen… what is that?" she asked nervously, pointing at the glowing trail still lingering in the air after the impact.
Aizen did not avert his gaze. His tone remained gentle, almost instructional, as always.
—"They must be… the Ryoka, Momo," he replied with a faint smile as the glow slowly faded.
His eyes reflected a calculating gleam, as if he already knew that this event would mark the beginning of something far greater.
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BOOM!
The explosion thundered throughout the Seireitei, rattling rooftops and making walls tremble. A brilliant light surged into the night sky, spreading like a divine signal over the spiritual city.
Zaraki Kenpachi, wandering aimlessly through one of the streets of District 11, stopped instantly. He lifted his head, and his grin widened like that of a predator finally catching the scent of prey. That explosion… that energy… that rupture.
—"Heh… perfect," he muttered, his single visible eye gleaming with excitement. "I searched all night for nothing, but it doesn't matter… they're here now."
He frowned slightly, a mix of curiosity and anticipation, as the light in the sky fragmented into five different directions, like shattered pieces of crystal.
—"Which one will be Akira?" Zaraki said to himself, savoring the name like the promise of a sword strike.
At that moment, a high-pitched, cheerful voice interrupted him from his shoulder.
Yachiru Kusajishi: "Kenny! Are we going to find them!? It's gonna be super fun!" she exclaimed with a radiant smile, bouncing with childlike excitement.
Yachiru, with her messy pink hair and permanent blush on her cheeks, looked anything but a lieutenant. But Zaraki knew that beneath that appearance lurked a little beast.
—"Of course we are, Yachiru. We just need to figure out which of those fireworks is Akira…" Zaraki laughed as he started running enthusiastically, his footsteps pounding against the pavement like the drums of an approaching war.
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Meanwhile, on the other side of the Seireitei, Byakuya Kuchiki observed everything from his office, standing by the window with an unchanging expression. His eyes narrowed slightly as he watched the impact light split apart and fall in different directions.
—"They scattered," he murmured, never taking his eyes off the sky.
A few steps behind him, Renji Abarai also watched the phenomenon, fists clenched and heart racing.
—(This is it… Akira and Ichigo are here. I have to do it. I have to get rid of this feeling in my chest that's been there since the last time I saw Rukia.)
Part of him trembled with nerves, but another—stronger—burned fiercely.
He wanted to find them.
He wanted to face them.
He wanted to defeat them.
He had an unsettled score with Ichigo for taking Rukia's powers… and with Akira for reasons far more emotional. And he was determined to settle it.
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Fourth Division Central Headquarters
Peace reigned within the medical division. The corridors were quiet, filled with the faint scent of healing herbs and the gentle murmur of running water from interior fountains.
Retsu Unohana sat serenely, carefully finishing bandaging the arm of a young shinigami who had overexerted himself during training. Her expression, as always, was calm and maternal. She did not even blink when the distant roar of the Sekki-Seki barrier breaking shook the air.
The sky had roared. The Seireitei's protective barrier had been breached. And yet, she continued her precise movements as if she had foreseen it all.
???: "Captain Unohana!"
The clinic door burst open, and a tall, elegant figure rushed in with an alarmed expression. It was her lieutenant, Isane Kotetsu. Her long silver hair fell in thin braids over her right shoulder, red earrings glinting as she moved quickly. She was slightly out of breath from the urgency.
Unohana lifted her gaze calmly, her voice as serene as still water.
—"I know, Isane."
She rose slowly, never losing her composed demeanor or gentle tone. Adjusting the upper part of her haori, she looked toward the open windows, where a cool night breeze was beginning to slip in.
—"Prepare the division. I have a feeling that… we'll have a lot of work from now on."
Isane nodded immediately, though she sensed the subtle gravity in her captain's words.
Unohana spoke as a healer—but also as a warrior. Her instincts told her many would be wounded this day. And that all of them, or at least most, would share a single origin: the Ryoka named Akira.
That young man had already faced—and survived—the power of two captains and a lieutenant. That alone placed him far above any ordinary shinigami. If he chose to cut loose… it would be a massacre.
Before Isane could leave to organize the staff, Unohana's voice stopped her.
—"Isane…" The lieutenant turned, urgency still etched on her face. "If, at any point, you happen to cross paths with the Ryoka Akira…" There was a brief pause. Unohana looked at her intently, dangerous tenderness in her eyes. "Please… do not fight him."
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Rangiku, holding an elegant cup with her lips just about to touch the rim, was about to enjoy an expensive liquor she had allowed herself as a small luxury… when a thunderous boom echoed throughout the Seireitei. The ground trembled, and the violent sound shook the walls.
Startled, she jumped slightly, spilling the drink all over her uniform with an expression of pure tragedy.
—"Nooo! That was the expensive one!" she wailed, half angry and half devastated, watching the liquid seep between the floorboards.
—"This is no time to get drunk," Tōshirō scolded, frowning, his tone sharp as ice. "The barrier surrounding the Seireitei has been breached. We've been ordered to take our combat positions." He spoke firmly, turning to leave without hesitation.
Rangiku sighed, setting the empty cup aside in resignation. She knew perfectly well when it was appropriate to joke or flirt—and this was definitely not one of those times. Still, she couldn't help feeling intrigued by the mysterious Ryoka who had caused so much chaos in such a short time.
Rumors were everywhere: that he defeated a lieutenant, that he held off two captains, that his energy wasn't like a shinigami's… nor a Hollow's.
She already had a mental image of him… though something told her seeing him in person would be even more interesting. Maybe even… far more than she imagined.
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Elsewhere in the Seireitei…
Suì-Fēng stood atop a rooftop, eyes narrowed and brow furrowed. She had clearly felt the moment the spiritual barrier was shattered. The scattered lights marking the breaches made it obvious—the Ryoka had split up.
Perfect.
That would make it easier to hunt them down, one by one. Especially the one who, according to reports, could directly damage the soul. That one, she thought, will fall first.
She said nothing, but behind her, the forces of the Onmitsukidō waited. Like silent shadows, her subordinates stood ready to move the instant she gave the order. They needed no detailed instructions—one glance from their captain was enough.
Suì-Fēng took a step forward.
And the hunt was about to begin.
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Thus, every captain and lieutenant of the Gotei 13 began to mobilize, each according to their own character and priorities. Some already had perfectly structured plans; others simply waited, trusting their power and experience to improvise when necessary. A few maintained an unsettling calm, as if they knew more than they let on… and then there was him.
In the Eighth Division, the sound of snoring still filled the room—until a furious Nanao lifted a bucket filled with icy water, her fingers trembling more from indignation than from the weight.
—"Captain Kyōraku! Wake up right now, or I swear this time I'll use Captain Unohana's holy water!"
Reluctantly, even the most laid-back began to move, while others rushed toward the battlefield, preparing to face the Ryoka threat. Medical divisions readied themselves to treat the wounded, and the most strategic waited patiently for the perfect moment to act.
Everyone reacted in their own way.
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End of the Chapter.