Those spatial bubbles expanding and spreading throughout the Dangai were likely the collective form of the Blanks—known as the Valley of Screams.
Though it had been ages ago, Masatsuki Aozaki couldn't recall every exact detail, but that was more or less how the story went.
Faced with the current situation, he fell into thoughtful silence.
Compared to the somewhat formulaic plotline of that era, what had left a stronger impression on him was the girl's final act—her decision to sacrifice herself and quietly fade away.
He furrowed his brow, puzzled.
Wasn't this storyline supposed to take place after Ichigo had become a Shinigami?
Could it be that, with all the major incidents and mounting casualties over the years, the overwhelming number of souls awaiting reincarnation had caused a surge in Blanks—thus triggering the story's events earlier than expected?
Then why had the Reigai shown up so soon?
Masatsuki thought back to the brief moment he'd glimpsed earlier. In his mind surfaced the image of that green-haired girl—standing with such composed confidence.
Unless he was mistaken, that girl was Nozomi Kujō from the anime's original arc—the heroine of the Shinigami Invasion Arc.
Scientific research demands precision and patience—it's a highly technical field with countless limitations.
So how had Ōko Yushima caused such a massive disruption decades ahead of schedule? It made no sense.
Maybe something had forced him to accelerate his research... but what?
According to Aizen, Ōko Yushima had specifically sent someone to find him this time.
Could there be some connection between the two?
Was Aizen involved?
Could they be plotting together to seize his position?
As the thought crossed his mind, Masatsuki unconsciously wore the pained expression of a man betrayed—just like a tragic protagonist in a drama.
He was a natural-born actor. Even Aizen would've praised him: "Top-tier performance."
But the next moment, he shook off that ridiculous idea.
If Aizen truly meant to overthrow his reign of terror, he wouldn't have shared any of this information.
Clearly, Aizen's actions showed he was still loyal!
Masatsuki felt a little touched.
He immediately decided—he'd give his Lieutenant a raise the moment he got back.
...
Not far away, the young girl holding her Zanpakutō also looked toward Masatsuki Aozaki with curiosity.
She'd noticed that he and the others had been standing there watching the whole time. They hadn't helped deal with the Blanks, nor did they seem hostile toward her.
It left her deeply confused.
In her mind, she tried to assess their intentions, wondering what exactly they were planning.
Just as she was about to take action, she suddenly realized—
Masatsuki Aozaki had vanished from sight.
Eyes widening, she glanced around quickly, unable to locate him anywhere.
The sudden disappearance left her uneasy. Where had he gone? Was he planning to attack?
That speed...!
Frantically, she looked in every direction, trying to spot him—
And then she felt a weight settle on her head.
It was a hand. A large one—resting gently atop her hair.
At the same time, a gentle voice came from above her head:
"Young lady, peeking isn't a good habit. If you're curious about me, you're welcome to take a proper look."
"!!?"
Startled, the girl instantly vanished from where she stood and turned to look behind her.
He had appeared behind her in a blink—touched her head—and she hadn't noticed at all.
If he could touch her head that easily, couldn't he just as easily cut it off?
That thought alone made her tense up.
"Who the hell are you?"
She glared at Masatsuki Aozaki. Though he wore a polite smile, his eyes radiated an intense pressure as he stared directly at her.
Masatsuki, like a refined nobleman, gently shook his head and gave a breezy, charming smile.
"Me? Just a passing Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13. You'd best remember that."
"What the hell kind of nonsense is that!? Why should I remember something like that!?"
With just that one sentence, she already knew—this man was trouble.
The farther away from him, the better.
"Because I came to save your life, young lady."
Masatsuki spoke with the casual tone of an older brother coaxing a little girl with candy.
The girl scowled.
"You talk like I'm dying or something. I don't need saving!"
"But I've seen it," Masatsuki replied, nodding.
He wasn't lying. He really had seen it—just not in this world.
"You've seen it? What, you think you're some kind of god? Sounds more like a delusional teenager to me."
Before she could finish, Masatsuki waved his hand to cut her off.
"Maybe calling me a god isn't entirely wrong. Though, to be honest, I'm not totally sure myself."
"What a load of crap," she muttered under her breath, clearly not buying a word of it.
But Masatsuki didn't mind. He just smiled and continued.
"Your name is Senna, isn't it?"
Her expression froze.
She looked genuinely surprised, unable to figure out how he knew that.
Masatsuki went on.
"Feels like there's a mess of memories in your head, doesn't it? Like a tangled ball of threads—you can't tell what's real anymore."
This time, Senna's jaw practically dropped.
Her eyes went wide with disbelief.
Masatsuki nodded in satisfaction and added,
"You have no past. You don't know why you're here."
"You try to remember, but no matter how hard you think, you just can't recall what really happened."
"H-How do you know that...?"
Senna's voice trembled slightly. She'd never told anyone about any of this.
For him to know what was going on in her mind—what else could he be but a god?
Masatsuki chuckled softly.
"I told you, didn't I? I saw it. Maybe I really am a god."
With that, he opened his arms toward the two girls.
Senna hesitated.
The green-haired girl in her arms was still fast asleep—not stirring in the slightest.
Masatsuki's gaze softened.
Beneath the moonlight, he seemed to glow with a gentle radiance, eyes full of warmth and compassion.
"Come on now... Big Brother will help you."
"!!!"
Senna blinked.
She had to admit, the Captain-Commander's smile was really warm—like a kind older brother from next door.
But for some reason, something about him still felt a little... off.
"How exactly are you planning to help us?"
Masatsuki raised a finger and pointed to the sleeping girl in her arms.
"First things first—let's get her some proper clothes."
"Don't worry, I've got plenty of experience dressing girls up. I could practically call myself an expert."
"And with how cute she already is, you've got nothing to worry about. I'll make sure she looks absolutely stunning."
Senna's eyes widened in alarm.
This guy... he couldn't be some creepy old perv, could he!?
"No way! Don't even think about it!"
Masatsuki nodded as if accepting her refusal—but his expression stayed relaxed, not a hint of disappointment.
"Oh? So that's a no."
"But letting you two just wander around out here… yeah, that's not something I can overlook."
"And as Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, I can't exactly ignore a matter that could affect the safety of all three worlds."
"So... I'm afraid I'll have to ask you both to cooperate."