An abnormal event was gradually eating away at the world.
Tragedy struck the noble district of Seireitei.
That may be just the beginning.
Strangely, it started from the day Hisagi Shūhei learned that Tsunayashiro Tokinada was to be inaugurated as clan head —-
A budding malice that spreads like leaves and branches, extending its fingertips to the Soul Society, the Human World, and Hueco Mundo.
Seireitei - 4th Division - Squad Barracks.
"..."
In front of the 4th division barracks, there is a timid looking shinigami.
He kept glancing over his shoulder, looking intently in the direction of the main street that merged together with the paths leading to the other squad barracks.
"What's the matter, 3rd seat Yamada?"
That timid young man who was referred to as "3rd seat Yamada" – Yamada Hanatarō , turns to the members of the 4th division who had just emerged from the squad barracks.
"Huh? Ah…sorry. I'm okay!… probably."
"Well, on the contrary, there is nothing but anxiety in that answer."
In response to the voice of seated member Ogidō who had spoken with a calm visage, Hanatarō awkwardly replies.
"A short while ago, vice captain Hisagi was heading towards the 9th division barracks with an awfully grim look on his face, I wonder what happened…"
He replied as if he had become somewhat frightened, the likes of which would only be seen in faint-hearted fresh recruits.
Nevertheless, amidst the 4th division, he is one of the most prominent users of 'Kaido' – the healing spiritual arts, despite his timid disposition, his gentle character makes him trustworthy and he was assigned to the position of 3rd seat of squad 4.
However, the person himself thinks he was able to become 3rd seat because of the fact that Iemura Yasochika, who was originally the 3rd seat, had transferred to another squad, he confronts his personal duties whilst struggling with the pressure of thinking "by all rights, I am not well positioned."
It was a squad 4 member whose large build contrasted with Hanatarō's own, that reacted to the name of squad 9's vice captain.
"Hisagi...?"
"Ah, Aoga san was classmates with vice captain Hisagi right?"
At Ogidō's query the shinigami called Aoga answered.
"That's right…we seldom meet these days. But around six months ago we met on a visit to our friend's grave, and the last time I saw him was in a hospital room after the war."
Although from outward appearances Aoga looks more seasoned than Ogidō, since Ogidō is a seated member, Aoga uses honorific speech when addressing him. Hearing those words, the 4th division members around them begin to stir.
"Aoga san was Hisagi san's classmate..."
"That's so awesome, that was a season when many elites were produced right?"
"Yeah, during the several decades since lieutenant Hisagi's time there, it was a generation were many captain class Shinigami were produced, such as lieutenant Abarai, Lieutenant Hinamori, Lieutenant Kira and above all, captain Hitsugaya. The exceptional speed of their advancement through the ranks was also a topic of conversation even at the Shinō Academy."
"While we're on the topic of advancing quickly through the ranks, it's the same with 3rd seat Yamada right?"
In response to the subject that was suddenly brought up, Hanatarō, despite being 3rd seat, bows his head to the squad members.
"err, umm...I'm sorry."
"Why are you apologising?"
"Well, compared to Hisagi san and the others, I'm nothing special and I only end up annoying everyone at squad 4…"
Remaining expressionless Ogidō then addresses Hanatarō who had spoken of himself with pessimism in spite of being praised.
"What are you saying, 3rd seat Yamada? You are also an elite amongst the elites which goes hand in hand with your lineage and raw talent, aren't I right? Isn't it the case that even Urahara Kisuke san took his hat off to your kaido?"
"I realise that seems awe-inspiring but… what I mean is, saying that I don't feel like I'm going through a bad experience every time Urahara san is involved, wouldn't be entirely accurate…"
"By the way, a visitor came by a while ago for 3rd seat Yamada, he's been waiting more than an hour in the guest room already."
"Ehhh!? C-can you please tell me about these things earlier!?"
After watching Hanatarō hurriedly dash into the squad barracks until he was out of sight, Ogidō whispered with a nonchalant face.
"My apologies, that was a mistake. He arrived just a moment ago so he hasn't been waiting around that long."
One of the soldiers who heard those words then chided Ogidō with an astonished expression.
"You should've just said that beforehand no matter what… Your personality is as bad as ever, Ogidō san."
"Come now, if it's the case that we must not keep visitors waiting, then I spoke shrewdly didn't I?… Also, if I have a 'bad personality', then I think that guest is considerably worse."
" ? "
When Ogidō shrugged his shoulders as he spoke, the soldiers around him tilted their heads in puzzlement.
Meanwhile, Aoga alone gazed in the direction of the main street where Hisagi had traveled down a while ago, with a complex expression he spoke to himself.
"Making a grim face, huh…?"
He remembers the time after the war, when Hisagi was carried into the 4th division, in a serious condition.
Although he was still alive his injuries were inconceivable.
With the help of Inoue Orihime's powers, he managed to escape death, however it took a considerable amount of time to recover his reiatsu afterwards.
After Hisagi had regained his consciousness, Aoga evasively posed a question to him.
"You still intend to continue the fight?"
That time they reunited in front of the grave of their former classmate Kanisawa, Aoga remarked to Hisagi, who continued to fight whilst often on the verge of death, that "you have pushed aside your fear."
However, seeing him on the verge of death again, Aoga understood.
No matter how many times one pushes it aside, when Shinigami do battle on the front lines they cannot escape from fear.
He thinks Hisagi's strength exists in his resolution to continue with his life whilst being at odds with that endless fear.
Therefore, although he had perceived his companion's reply, he couldn't help but ask
He only said a few brief words and laughed "Even though they say the war is over, you're making such a face. Kanisawa would have your hide."
The next day, he forcibly left the hospital saying he would be witness to Aizen's imprisonment.
Concerned about the fact that Hisagi hurried off with a grim face, and not being able to do anything about it, Aoga whispered with a voice that seemed regretful of his own helplessness.
"For at least a little longer… until Seireitei is revived, I hope it doesn't come to something like fighting at the risk of his own life."
He would confront that battle if something does happen regardless of whatever the state of affairs around him may be.
That's because Aoga knew Hisagi's character well.
However, the fate surrounding Hisagi had already crushed Aoga's hopes.
Squad 4 Barracks - Guest Room
Inside the 4th division barracks, which placed importance on its functionality for the purpose of performing Kaido, there is a room built there which adds just a little emphasis on splendour.
It is a guest room used when the captain commander or noble envoys are invited in.
Nonetheless, the 4th division, whose number one priority was the lives of the soldiers attached to the Gotei 13, opened up that guest room during wartime to serve as a temporary first aid station, even now the faint smell of medicinal odours were still left in the room.
Yamada Hanatarō rushes into that room with footsteps that sound equally as hurried.
As he stumbles over himself into the threshold of that room, with the same momentum, he bowed his head and spoke words of apology.
"Awawa...uh…uhmm…I'm sorry…for keeping you waiting."
Before even seeing his host's face, a disheveled looking figure met his eyes, however the visitor couldn't even blame him for it, he let his witty voice resound within the room.
"As usual, you have a lifeless voice to go with your lifeless appearance. Did you plant a lesion in your heart whilst trying to understand the feelings of your patients? Hanatarō."
Feeling a sense of nostalgia, he realised it was a voice and manner of speaking he was used to hearing, with eyes wide open Hanatarō lifted his face.
"Eh…ah…S-Seinosuke nii-san!?"
"Oh my, lifeless even up to your face. It's worrying, whether patients taken care of by you wouldn't come to hang themselves from the anxiety."
Yamada Seinosuke.
He is the older brother of Hanatarō and the man that served as vice captain of squad 4 till a few decades ago.
Currently he is retired from the Gotei 13 with his name withdrawn from the official roster, and even his Zanpakutō is left in the care of the squad barracks.
However, though he is retired from his vice captain's seat, it's not the case that he is without an occupation, in fact he was headhunted to a new workplace which is a special case within a special case. In the Gotei 13, where "military discharge" basically meant being thrown into a special prison called 'Nest of Maggots', it was necessary to officially retire in order for him to leave his post.
And because he knows about the new workplace that recruited his brother, Hanatarō inclined his head.
"W…what happened? Is it your day off today from your work over there? I heard that you are kept busy these days."
"Hn. I guess so. But it's a job worth doing. After all, In spite of being Shinigami noblemen, the old people who are unwilling to die come to me all the time. It is a pleasant feeling whenever I see a powerful, influential person frightened by old age, the unflattering sight of them struggling to cling on to something."
"U-uhh… Is that really okay, nii-san? To say such things about the noble people…"
"Of course not. That sort of treachery will probably be punishable by death. Does Hanatarō intend to inform on me, to tell someone what I've said? If Hanatarō wants me dead, then that is the request of my precious little brother. I have no choice but to graciously give up my life."
"Eehh…? I…I would never do such a thing, Seinosuke nii-san…"
After frantically waving his hands, Hanatarō clumsily refuted his brother.
"I-it's true nii-san is mean, and everyone dislikes that bad personality, but…if we look, there are also good points…probably…besides, I think a person who wants another person dead should not be in the 4th division to begin with!"
"It would be rather hurtful if you had seriously considered that."
Contrary to his words, a beaming smile was expressed on Seinosuke's face as he shrugged his shoulders and came clean.
"Well, I'm on a break from work, but I had things to do here, so I thought I'd just come by and take the opportunity to give Hanatarō a little advice."
"Advice…?"
Then Seinosuke narrows his eyes ever so slightly and the smile disappears from his face as he touches on the real issue at hand.
"Hanatarō. Wouldn't you like to take time off from squad 4 for a little while?"
"Ehh?"
"Various rumours have reached my ears, relating to my work."
The representative of the Seireitei's Shinō Seyakuin* (*central pharmaceutical/medical institution) —- or in other words, Seinosuke, who is the chief executive of a specialised relief station for upper class nobility with a focus on the four great noble clans, chuckled as he spoke in response to Hanatarō tilting his head at the sudden proposal.
"With the Quincy threat now gone, there probably won't be any big wars occurring for some time. However, the Seireitei seems to have fallen into slight crisis instead. This is not such a small course of events that will stop just because someone tries to stop it."
"If you don't want to get dragged into this, then separate yourself from a position of responsibility for a while, and cover your eyes and ears."
Human World - Karakura Town
"Whoaaaaaa! Got dragged into thiiiis! We got dragged into this!"
Evening in Karakura Town.
As he ran through a deserted back alley, Asano Keigo who was fully enjoying his break until just a few minutes ago, was now making his tearful voice ring throughout the surroundings.
Running alongside him was a boy with a solid pokerface – Kojima Mizuiro, who then spoke up.
"Be quiet Keigo. Your stamina will become just as useless as your yelling you know?"
"I've thought this for a long time but, why are you always, always so calm in situations like this!?"
"I can't help whether I'm calm or not."
Reducing his running speed, Mizuiro shifted his attention, glancing over his shoulder.
"It's the first time I've seen a monster that looks like that, but at least it's better than that cheating Aizen guy…"
Before his line of sight, there was an enormous and grotesque figure shaped like a crab – a huge Hollow was drawing near, it let out an unpleasant shriek whilst raising its pincers overhead.
Kojima Mizuiro was once pursued by Aizen Sōsuke along with Keigo and Arisawa Tatsuki.
Although this situation isn't as bad as that time, the fact that their lives were in danger remained unchanged.
However, currently it's not Mizuiro or Keigo the monster was directly aiming at.
It was the figure of a young boy in a Shihakushō who was running slightly behind the other two that the Hollow was trying to crush with its pincers.
"Uwaaaaaaahh!! D-Danger! It's dangerous, so leave this up to me now, please escape quickly! But then who will save meeee!? Whoooo!?"
The young Shinigami who appeared to yell with almost the same tearful voice as Keigo, continued to run away from the huge hollow without being given even a bit of leeway to perform Shikai.
Yuki Ryūnosuke - a shinigami in charge of Karakura Town - casually happened to encounter a Hollow that was much stronger than himself, and in the midst of escaping in a panic, he ended up getting Keigo and Mizuiro, who were walking through a back alley, caught up in this situation too.
Keigo and the others have been involved in various events concerning their friend Kurosaki Ichigo, on top of that receiving something called 'soul tickets' from the eyepatch wearing Shinigami also seems to have been a trigger for them to become considerably susceptible to sensing spiritual phenomenon.
They've caught glimpses of Yuki's presence every now and then, and they've heard his name from Orihime and the others, but Keigo and Mizuiro didn't concern themselves with such matters by giving him a level of recognition thinking "they have chosen a successor, that probably means he is much stronger than Af-san".
It turned out now, that this young Shinigami who showed up in place of Kurumadani Zennosuke – the Shinigami who is his predecessor, referred to as "Af-san*" (*short for Afro-san) by Keigo and "Imoyama san" by Ichigo – is far more unreliable than Keigo and Mizuiro could have imagined.
Watching Ryūnosuke escape whilst drawing out his Zanpakutō in a shaky manner, Keigo screamed loudly, Mizuiro on the other hand calmly thought "at this pace, I wonder if we can escape to Urahara san's shop…"
Mizuiro had also implicitly asked Ichigo about Urahara Shōten, he was told that he would be safe if he escaped there first of all if they were ever attacked by a Hollow in the event that Ichigo himself was not present.
In the course of handling the aftermath of the Aizen incident, Mizuiro was gathering a certain degree of intelligence, so he understood that the shopkeeper of that Urahara Shōten was on par with the captain ranks, and moreover, he understood that Urahara is a man of great importance.
—- "I think he will try to sell you various items afterwards. But I guess you may as well give in and think of it as a 'thank you' for receiving his help."
Since Ichigo said that, Mizuiro has entered the shop a few times, of course there was a variety of suspicious goods stacked alongside each other such as "Anti-spirit serum Katakoran Alpha" and "Spirit Repellent Spray Sekirei X" which were clearly not brand-name goods.
"Oh, that reminds me."
Remembering something, Mizuiro dexterously began fishing inside his bag whilst running.
"W-w-w-what are you doing, Mizuiro!? Don't tell me you're trying to take out some stun gun like thing again!?"
Mizuiro then produced a ball with a strange face drawn on it before the shouting Keigo.
'Electromagnetic Capture Sphere - Zeta-ball tan'.
It was the name of that product that Mizuiro had recalled.
When he asked the young girl tending to the store - who looked to be a junior high school student - about how to use the product, the explanation she gave was "uh let's see…if it is the case that you are being chased by something that defies human understanding, then after twisting this knob, please throw it at the Holl... at the monster."
"Well, I might as well give this a try since I have nothing to lose."
As he muttered that, Mizuiro threw the item he was carrying at the huge crab monster in the way he was instructed to do so.
Then in the next instant – an intense noise along with lightening devoured the surroundings, the monster's movements were slowed down as its whole body convulsed.
"Wow…how amazing. If I had thrown that at a person I wonder if it would have been fatal…?"
Next to Mizuiro who said that with calmness, Keigo slowed down to walking speed in blank amazement.
"What now!? Stun guns!? Eh?…huh? What do we do now!? stun guns!?"
As soon as he gave up trying to think, Keigo repeats the same line twice in bewilderment.
With a sidelong glance, he expected the boy clothed in black to now move on the offensive, however – the 'key player' Yuki Ryūnosuke was unable to stay standing due to the surprise of the lightning and thunderous roar from just a moment ago.
"...lets resuming this marathon course again shall we?"
Although its movements were slowed down, it didn't mean that the Hollow was completely defeated. Because of this situation, Keigo began to consider the idea that he would have to flee whilst carrying Yuki underarm.
However, he was brought to a standstill midway through that thought –
– By the loud voice of an assertive young woman which echoed through the back alley.
"What are you doing!? Ryūnosukeee!"
Watching the silhouette of the young woman – the owner of that voice –jump down from the rooftop of a multi-storey building, Mizuiro confirmed that she was one of the Shinigami that had come to their town together with Yuki.
—- If I remember correctly, it was Madarame Shino san.
As her Shihakushō fluttered matching the force of her drop, with all her might, Shino swung down her Zanpakutō which had transformed into a Naginata*. (*A pole like weapon with a curved single edged blade on its end - same weapon type as Ikkaku's Shikai).
The violent impact made the area around the alleyway tremble like an earthquake.
The giant crab shaped Hollow is crushed and dissolved into tiny pieces, its Reishi purified by the power of her Zanpakutō.
Keigo's facial expression was one of amazement towards the Shinigami who had defeated that huge monster with a single strike, Mizuiro took in the situation with a cool composure thinking "ah, at least there is also a competent Shinigami."
Meanwhile Ryūnosuke who realised that the Hollow had been purified, looked at Shino and spoke words of relief.
"That's good…you were safe Shino san."
"That's my line, this idiot!"
Shino who landed on the ground with her back turned towards Ryūnosuke, jumps behind him and collides with the top of his shoulder.
Whether by chance or intentional, after she had sent Ryūnosuke tumbling to the ground with a luchador's 'tope de reversa' move, she attacked her defeated partner further by using a joint lock technique on his body.
"Pathetic! Why is it that this is a chance in a million and still you are too intimidated to even stay standing yourself!"
"Ai-tatatata! Let go, let go Shino chan! Please let go of my arms neck and back!"
Watching that sort of comedy exchange between the other two, Keigo was finally able to exhale a heavy breath realising they had overcome their predicament.
"Phew… we're saved. Shino chan was it? Somehow, I feel like I've seen you before."
"…oh? It's you? So you're the guy Ikkaku-nii took on as an underling in this place…"
"Ikkaku-nii!? And is that the way I'm supposed to be treated!? As an 'underling'? That baldy was nothing like a leader to me at all you know!?"
Asano Keigo was once threatened by Madarame Ikkaku who had come to the Human World, he ended up being half forced to accommodate Ikkaku. However the fact that Keigo's sister was so eager was also a major reason why he lent the accommodation.
"Baldy you say… I'll pretend I didn't hear that but, if word reaches Ikkaku-nii's ears, he would kill you."
Listening to the conversation in a setting that has calmed down, Shino appeared to be either Madarame Ikkaku's sister or cousin. It seems the family of both her and Ikkaku were being repeatedly involved in violence everyday in Rukongai, before the both of them were old enough to understand the world around them, their parents had died one after the other and they were passed onto their relatives who kept giving them the runaround, as a consequence they also didn't have have a clear understanding of exactly how they were related.
After Ikkaku had suddenly become a Shinigami, she herself followed by entering the Shinō Academy, however that brother told her directly from his mouth "I think squad 11 is too intense for Shino", top management also concluded as such, and to this day, she is attached to the 13th division where she was eventually assigned to.
"Good grief, even though you've been training continuously all that time since that war with the Quincies ended, you still can't help but essentially be a good for nothing loser!"
"Oof, I'm sorry, Shino san…"
At Shino's telling off, Ryūnosuke dropped his shoulders despondently.
Unable to just watch without doing anything, Keigo interrupted the lecture in order to divert the conversation.
"I mean, it wasn't a matter of concern because of Ichigo's safe return. But even though the battle ended it didn't exactly mean that those white monsters decreased too did it…?"
Releasing a small sigh, Shino responded to Keigo's question seeing as how he was a victim who was dragged into this.
"It's not that we Shinigami and Kurosaki san were waging war with Hollows or something. This region is prone to hollows from the start…"
Listening to Shino's words, Mizuiro nodded in understanding.
"Ah, it was about that special sacred place wasn't it? The one that Aizen was aiming for right?"
"…You're a human, and yet you are well informed huh. I see. For that reason, anything could happen in this locality, so we can't be off our guard."
Then, Ryūnosuke opens his mouth to speak with a serious look in his eye.
"But, I think I'm pretty unprepared whenever I'm dispatched!"
"Don't say that to yourself!"
Ryūnosuke's scream echoed across the alleyways of Karakura Town as he was subjected to the joint lock technique again.
However, as if drowning out that scream, a voice on a loudspeaker resounded from the direction of the main street.
["...therefore, it is unacceptable for the world to remain in its present condition, however people do not wish to return to the past, what the Dōshi* seeks is an escape to a new world——" ] (* An officiating monk/priest/guru)
"What's that?"
When Shino knit her eyebrows together in discomfort at the voice that was streaming out from the propaganda vehicle like thing, Mizuiro answered that question.
"It's an emerging religious cult that was recently born. Because of the lengthy earthquake we had half a year ago, it sparked a considerable amount of disorder around the world."
The lengthy earthquake.
This had occurred because of the fact that during the course of the war between the Shinigami and the Quincies, the Soul King had perished and as a result the boundaries between Soul Society, the Human World and Hueco Mundo began to collapse.
It was completely different from the geological system so far, due to the extraordinarily long earthquake that occurred for reasons that cannot be explained by science, the world was gradually being wrapped in deep anxiety to no ends.
Many people had premonitions.
One could say they smelled danger.
They wondered if this meant that some mighty force had encircled this world, defying science and conventional common knowledge.
It was dealt with publicly as "a large scale deformation of the Earth's crust that was not present in our previous data, at present the cause is under investigation", however that alone was not enough to eliminate the anxiety that was born in people's minds.
As a result, religious people who sought answers themselves, or those who tried to take advantage of people's anxieties, founded new religions one after another, good and evil was jumbled together and chaos had slowly spread throughout the world.
Currently, amongst those religious faiths, there is a particularly influential one, it is the same group that was distributing its doctrine with a propaganda vehicle just a moment ago.
Trying to supplement the subject Mizuiro had brought up, Keigo talks about the information he himself knows with serious eyes.
"They say, the founder of that religious sect can truly make things like miracles happen. And most importantly, it was rumoured that the founder is a sister with a nice body and a considerably beautiful woman! That founding sister came to encourage me directly about how a truly ideal world should be!"
Listening to that, Shino's eyes became half closed as she asked Mizuiro a question.
"Hey, can I beat this guy up?"
"I think that's fine."
Watching as Mizuiro nods, Ryūnosuke also poses a question feeling some doubts himself.
"All that out of the way, what is the name? The name of that new religious group?"
"Right. If I remember correctly, the name of that group was..."
Human World - Inside a certain multi-floor company building - President's office.
"Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to talk with you this time. President Vorarlberna."
The woman who is ushered into the simple black themed room respectfully bows her head to the young boy who was seated on a sofa playing on his handheld gaming device.
The woman was wearing a style of suit that gave off a flirtatious impression, and although it had nothing to do with her actual attire, it was her very being that would somehow make any observer sense the mystical seductiveness about her.
However, without even turning his eyes to such a woman, the young boy that was referred to as Vorarlberna, continued to play around with his gaming device whilst crafting his words in an uninterested manner.
"…Enough of your barefaced greetings. What are your objectives?"
Addressing the boy - Yukio Hans Vorarlberna - who had asked that question, the woman answered courteously.
"Dear me. My one and only purpose here is to meet with president Vorarlberna representative of 'Y. Hans Enterprise', who is promised to be a victor of the future by fate. Young, talented people like yourself have the power to lead everybody into the future. As a guide that will pave the way to a righteous world, I would like to have your allegiance to our creed."
'Y. Hans Enterprise'.
It is a corporation owned by Yukio and a large company that is currently expanding its business with enough force to knock down birds in flight.
He obtained the company by seizing control of it from his father and thought it was not worth worrying about, but after going through conflict with Kurosaki Ichigo and the Shinigami, it was now one of his objectives in life is to expand that company. In the future, it is his aim to construct fertile grounds that accepts stray people who are fellow 'Fullbringers' like himself. Actually, even at this stage, Dokugamine Riruka was part of the company as a cooperative worker, and although it was earlier than planned, it was through her that he was also able to call out to Jackie Tristan.
That young company president that had a hidden identity as a 'Fullbringer', in a cold manner and for the second time, questioned the woman who was enticed into his multi-floor company building.
"Do I look like the type that would keep company with someone who gives such a farcical response?"
"Would it be better for me to outright tell you that I want a donation as a collateral in exchange for slaving away to expand your business?"
"That is also a farce. That is not your, no, that is not your people's intention now is it?"
Unfazed, and as if reading her like a book, Yukio continued to talk in a manner that was not dissimilar to muttering to himself.
He then parted one hand away from his gaming device, taking his business card out of his pocket and placing it on the the tabletop.
Looking somewhat ill-humoured he opened his mouth to speak to the woman.
"Although it has been on my mind for a while, by you coming here today I was assured…from this point, you will not be given a chance to retry, I think it's better you answer me honestly."
Taking it as an opportunity to make an appointment, a single business card was handed over to Yukio. As he glared at the name of the organisation that was written there, Yukio asked her again.
"You people, what are your objectives?"
On that business card, the name of the woman is also written down with monotone characters.
For Yukio, both names could by no means be overlooked.
[Religious corporation - XCUTION representative - Michibane Aura]