The Tenchūren let out a deafening roar, its violent tremors gradually subsiding into silence.
As the pillar door slowly opened, an overwhelming surge of Reishi flooded in, even denser than the air in Seireitei—crashing forward like a powerful tide.
For an ordinary Lieutenant-level Shinigami, the sheer concentration of spiritual particles would be suffocating.
However, for Masatsuki Aozaki, it was the opposite—he felt an unprecedented sense of refreshment and exhilaration, as if every cell in his body was celebrating.
He took a deep breath, relishing the invigorating sensation of this mysterious world.
Looking up, the first thing that caught his eye was a massive cylindrical structure floating in the sky.
Like an immense "pillar that holds up the heavens," it radiated an imposing presence that was impossible to ignore.
The sheer scale of the structure was breathtaking, evoking awe and wonder. Even from a distance, Masatsuki could sense the weight of history embedded in its walls—silent testimony to the countless ages it had witnessed.
Surrounding this towering pillar were five equally massive floating platforms, each just as astonishing in size.
By his estimation, the diameter of these platforms was roughly 200 kilometers—comparable to any of the world's largest metropolitan areas.
At the base of this vast domain, an intricate network of streets and buildings sprawled across the landscape, forming a grand and majestic cityscape.
...
"Spectacular, isn't it?"
Kirio Hikifune smiled as she admired the scene alongside Masatsuki Aozaki.
"I remember feeling the same way when I first saw it."
She gestured towards the imposing central palace.
"In the middle, you'll find the residence of His Majesty, the Soul King's Inner Palace."
"And those five surrounding structures? Those are our Zero Division Ridens—our 'cities'."
She pointed toward the magnificent palaces and the surrounding architecture.
"The buildings within the cities, as well as the streets below, serve as the residential quarters for the Divine Soldier Unit."
Masatsuki Aozaki followed the direction of her finger, observing everything in detail.
Then, Kirio Hikifune suddenly threw an arm around his shoulders and grinned.
"Every member of Zero Division has their own Zero Division Riden. If you manage to join us one day, you'll get one too."
Together, the two stepped out of the Tenchūren, setting foot on the ground of the Soul King Palace.
...
"Finally! So this little brat is the one His Majesty personally summoned?"
A booming voice rang out from nowhere.
Masatsuki Aozaki instinctively turned his head.
What he saw first—was a massive, bald head.
The man strode forward with his arms crossed, exuding confidence with every step.
Trailing behind him were two other men.
One had a pompadour hairstyle, a long wooden paddle slung over his shoulder, and a massive flag embroidered with camellia flowers—the emblem of Zero Division.
The other had black, punk-styled curls that reached just past his neck. He wore oversized sunglasses, and his skin was noticeably dark.
Masatsuki instantly recognized them.
They were none other than the remaining members of Zero Division:
Hyōsube Ichibē, the Monk Who Calls the Real Name, and the leader of Zero Division.
Kirinji Tenjirō, the Hot Spring Demon, known as the Divine General of the East in Zero Division.
Ōetsu Nimaiya, the God of the Sword, the Divine General of the West in Zero Division.
And at some point—Senjumaru Shutara had casually joined this bizarre gathering as well.
Even more absurdly, she had pulled out a few musical instruments with the skeletal arms on her back and had begun playing a tune.
Masatsuki Aozaki stared at the four of them, his expression practically screaming—
"Are you guys serious right now?"
The very next second—
Kirinji Tenjirō's figure blurred into an afterimage.
Before Masatsuki could react, Tenjirō had already appeared behind him in the blink of an eye.
Leaning forward with an unnaturally long neck, he brought his face close to Masatsuki's, scrutinizing him with a wicked grin.
"Yo… kid, you're Yamamoto's new disciple, huh?"
"I heard you've got a pretty good relationship with Unohana too."
"But that's no excuse to be disrespectful to your seniors."
"What, you don't like the grand welcome ceremony we rehearsed just for you?"
Before he could finish speaking, the man with the pompadour suddenly froze. His vision blurred for a brief moment—
Masatsuki Aozaki, who had been standing right in front of him, had vanished without a trace, as if he had never been there to begin with.
Just as he frowned in confusion, Masatsuki's voice sounded from behind him.
"Sorry, but I don't really like having strange men standing behind me. Makes me uncomfortable."
Hearing the unfamiliar voice so close, Kirinji Tenjirō grinned, baring his teeth in a sharp, wolfish smile.
"Oh? So you can actually keep up with me?"
"You really do have some skill. No wonder that woman took an interest in you. Interesting."
With that, his figure flickered again, vanishing from sight as he shot toward Masatsuki's back at an even more astonishing speed.
However—
When he stopped, he once again found nothing but empty space before him.
Masatsuki was already gone from his field of vision.
Kirinji Tenjirō's heart tensed slightly, his expression shifting.
Before he had even joined Zero Division, he had already earned the title Lightning-Fast Tenjirō—a testament to his unrivaled speed.
Back then, in all of Seireitei, there wasn't a single person who could match him in pure footwork.
And now, after becoming one of the royal agents of Zero Division, his Reiatsu had been enhanced by the Soul King's power, allowing him to surpass the limits of a Shinigami.
Even if his footwork hadn't improved over the past thousand years, his speed was still leagues beyond what it once was.
Yet this brat—this kid had actually kept up with him.
That alone was enough to catch him off guard.
And what's more, Masatsuki's movements weren't ordinary Shunpo.
His technique bore a resemblance to the Shihōin Clan's Utsusemi, possibly mixed with Hirenkyaku or other speed techniques.
This brat… he's really something.
Masatsuki Aozaki smirked slightly, the corner of his mouth curling up.
He hadn't forgotten old man Yamamoto's warning.
But since it was the Soul King himself who had summoned him, there was no point in hiding his strength.
After all, what in this world could escape the Soul King's gaze?
Still, just to be safe, he held back a little—choosing not to use his Light Form movement technique and instead relying on his own self-developed Shinsoku.
Seeing this, Kirinji Tenjirō's grin widened, his eyes flashing with excitement.
Lowering his stance slightly, his muscles tensed—he was clearly preparing to continue the match.
It had been a long time since he had encountered something this interesting.
However—
Before he could make a move, a large, powerful hand clamped down on his shoulder.
Kirinji glanced to the side in confusion.
Beside him stood a bald man with thick eyebrows and large, piercing eyes.
The bald man let out a loud, hearty laugh before bellowing,
"Come on now, don't get all worked up over a kid."
"It's been a long time since we've had a newcomer in the Soul King Palace—this is a moment worth celebrating."
As if remembering something, he continued,
"You must've heard about me from Yamamoto already, right? That's right, I'm the Monk Who Calls the Real Name."
"Though, whatever he told you probably wasn't anything flattering."
"You know, it really bugs me when people call me by that name, and he still went and told you. What, does he not trust me?"
"Seriously, that's just outright intimidation."
"Well… I've got plenty to say, but let's save the talking for the banquet."
Saying this, he turned to look at Masatsuki Aozaki.
Masatsuki, sensing the man's gaze, met his eyes without hesitation.
The bald man grinned widely, flashing a row of perfectly white teeth, then burst into booming laughter.
"Come along, guest of the Soul King! We've been preparing for this for a long time—you're gonna love it, hahahaha!"
His voice was bold and full of energy, carrying an irresistible enthusiasm.
Though his presence radiated an overwhelming sense of pressure, there was not a hint of hostility in his expression or tone.
In fact, his friendly demeanor almost made it seem like he held genuine goodwill toward his new guest.
But Masatsuki Aozaki knew better.
It's all just an act.
This bald-headed monk wasn't nearly as harmless as he looked.
If anything, he was probably even more cunning than Masatsuki's own seniors.