Urahara Kisuke turned his head, looking at the Thirteen Division Captain for support.
But Ukitake Jūshirō merely smiled and shook his head.
He agreed with the Captain-Commander's order.
Naruto's strength was outstanding, with considerable healing abilities, and his Kido had also improved significantly in a short time. He was a rare all-around talent.
Captain Unohana Retsu was stronger, capable of stepping up to replace him.
However, as the Captain of the 4th Division, she bore heavy responsibilities and could not leave easily.
At this time, there was no more suitable candidate than Naruto.
As Captain.
He trusted his subordinates, trusted Naruto.
What worried him was something else.
In his teacher's mind, had he already judged the Captain of the 9th Division as "killed in action"?
That would explain the rush to promote Naruto.
Captain-Commander Yamamoto continued his arrangements.
For the last two candidates for the "Special Task Force" handling the soul disappearance incident, he initially planned to send the Chief and Vice Chief of the Kido Corps, but Kyōraku Shunsui suggested having 8th Division Lieutenant Lisa Yadōmaru replace the Chief.
The final six members for frontline support were confirmed.
Other squads prepared for the escalation of events, ready to defend Seireitei.
In the 13th Division barracks.
Naruto had just returned when Shiba Kaien pulled him aside to arrange internal affairs.
Suddenly, a dark figure descended.
Clad in a tight-fitting black outfit unique to the 2nd Division's "Stealth Force."
"Third Seat of the 13th Division, Uzumaki Naruto," he said upon landing, "The Captain-Commander orders you to immediately go to the location where the 9th Division Captain's spiritual pressure disappeared and provide support."
Naruto was stunned: "Me?"
"Understood, I'll leave right away."
He turned to look at Shiba Kaien.
The black-haired man looked serious, ruffling Naruto's hair: "You too, huh? Naruto, it's time for you to stand on your own. Be careful and stay safe."
Naruto grinned and used flash steps to depart.
Rukongai, District Six of the outskirts.
The moonlight was gloomy, casting shadows over the sparse forest.
Chaotic spiritual pressure invaded.
Oppressive and deadly silent.
Hiyori's heavy breathing sounded particularly harsh.
She had exerted all her strength.
Dragging her severely injured body, her current speed was already at its limit.
Her pursuers...
Had arrived.
Spiritual pressure flashed, and a massive figure crashed down.
Hiyori twisted desperately to evade.
A deep pit was blasted out, dust swirling like waves.
In the pit, a tall figure was blurry, its eyes glowing like lamps, emitting a terrifyingly violent light. The light beams revealed a "colloid" substance, two solid beams falling on Hiyori.
It was the "hunter" watching its "prey."
It moved again, disappearing silently.
Hiyori gritted her teeth.
She tried to move, but the earlier impact seemed to have twisted her body, and the foreign spiritual pressure was overwhelmingly heavy.
It seemed... she couldn't move.
At the last moment.
A flash of a blade deflected the attack.
Hiyori looked up, seeing a white figure protecting her.
A sense of safety surged within her.
But as soon as the person turned around, that exhilarating feeling vanished instantly.
Shinji Hirako, with a sour expression: "Are you crazy? Why didn't you draw your sword?"
Hiyori glared ahead: "You're the crazy one."
"Look closely, how could I draw my sword?"
"That's..."
Shinji looked ahead.
The dust slowly settled, the residual moonlight casting a desolate glow on the "creature" before them.
Its face was obscured by a mask, and its back was covered with several cylindrical bone spurs.
It looked like a "Hollow."
But it wore a Captain's haori over a Shihakushō.
On its ribs and abdomen were the numbers "69."
Every detail pointed to...
Shinji was momentarily dazed, muttering a name: "Kensei?"
Sent to investigate the soul disappearance incident in Rukongai.
The 9th Division Captain, Kensei Muguruma.
He could hardly believe it.
His former comrade had turned into such a monstrous form.
The other two Captains, along with the Vice-Captain and Vice Chief of the Kido Corps, also landed.
They were equally shocked.
But there was no time for them to dwell on it.
They battled with the berserk Kensei Muguruma and the equally berserk Lieutenant Mashiro Kuna of the 9th Division.
But...
During the confrontation, white viscous liquid suddenly emerged on Hiyori's face. Gravely injured and unable to resist, the liquid swiftly solidified into a mask, causing her to lose her senses like Kensei Muguruma, and she slashed Shinji Hirako with her blade.
The blade seemed to carry some kind of deadly infectious "virus."
Infecting others with "bone masks."
Not far away in the woods.
Standing openly nearby, three individuals watched the battle, yet none of the combatants noticed them.
"Aizen-sama, they've all Hollowfied. Will you not reveal yourself now?" The silver-haired youth, Ichimaru Gin, who had recently joined the 5th Division, asked with narrowed eyes.
He turned his head and looked up at the man standing in the middle.
Sosuke Aizen smiled, his tone tinged with anticipation: "They're just the appetizers."
"The main course hasn't been served yet."
"We're not in a hurry to dine."
Ichimaru Gin whispered, "The main course? Uzumaki Naruto?"
"Are you reluctant?" Sosuke Aizen looked down, his eyes obscured by darkness, and asked ambiguously.
Ichimaru Gin immediately denied, "No."
"I just find it surprising, considering Aizen-sama and he have a good relationship."
Sosuke Aizen raised his head, smiling: "Sometimes, getting close isn't because of affection."
"A hunter always wants to get closer to the prey."
In his eyes.
A spiritual pressure was approaching rapidly.
The "main course" he had been expecting.
Naruto landed.
Looking at the scene in disbelief.
Kensei Muguruma, the 9th Division Captain he had met a few times but wasn't very familiar with, had turned into a "monster," much like Naruto in his "Tailed Beast Mode," losing his senses and attacking others.
Shinji Hirako was supporting himself on the ground, extremely battered, with bone-white viscous liquid seeping from his face, which he was desperately suppressing.
The 7th Division Captain Love Aikawa, the 3rd Division Captain Rojuro Otoribashi, and Lisa Yadomaru, the 8th Division Lieutenant who always followed Kyōraku Shunsui, were all in a similar state to Shinji Hirako, though... their strength was slightly weaker, and they were nearing their limit, unable to suppress the invading bone liquid on their faces.
"What is happening?" he asked.
"Leave quickly!" Shinji Hirako, hearing the familiar voice, raised his head, "Be careful, don't get hit by any attacks!"
"Go inform the Captain-Commander."
"This is a Hollow's..."
He couldn't finish his sentence.
Just a brief distraction, and the bone liquid found a gap, boiling and becoming increasingly aggressive.
"Captain Hirako, I'll take you back." Naruto gritted his teeth, "Captain Urahara will surely have a way."
Leave?
With Captain Kensei Muguruma already like this, was he supposed to just stand by and let these people, these friends... also fall into "monsters"?
He formed seals with his hands, channeling his spiritual energy.
"Adamantine Sealing Chains!"
Dozens of golden chains emerged from his back, flying to bind the charging Kensei Muguruma.
Limbs, torso, waist.
Firmly pinning him to the ground.
The Vice Chief of Kido Corps, Hachigen Ushoda, who had fortunately not been hit, warned, "Be careful! Their power is very strong."
"Even Bakudo #63 couldn't bind him!"
Naruto gritted his teeth, struggling to hold on.
Kensei Muguruma's raging spiritual pressure twisted and writhed, pushing the adamantine chains to their limits, emitting creaking sounds of strain.
Without releasing his power, Naruto's "Rank 4 Spiritual Pressure" was still inferior to these captains, who were at least "Class 3."
But...
That wasn't the worst problem.
Amidst the chaotic spiritual pressure.
A masked figure with long, narrow horns on its head suddenly appeared above, slashing down with a blade.
Judging by the height, it was Hiyori.
Shinji Hirako's words echoed in his mind.
"Can't be hit by any attacks"!
Although he didn't finish, it wasn't hard to understand.
Getting hit might turn him... into one of them.
Naruto released his grip and dodged with a flash step.
Speed was his strong suit.
Hiyori's blade missed.
But Kensei Muguruma also took the opportunity to break free, charging mindlessly.