"What a joke? This is clearly your job. Why are you pushing it onto me?"
Ichigo's expression twisted in frustration. He could still recall how powerful that Hollow had been. Sure, it hadn't taken much effort to defeat it once he received his powers, but that didn't mean he had signed up to be a full-time Shinigami.
"You have to go," Rukia said firmly, her face turning serious. "If you don't, the consequences could be severe."
"Consequences? What kind of consequences?" Ichigo asked, noticing the shift in her demeanor and feeling a little uneasy.
"Remember how you absorbed my power yesterday? Originally, I only meant to give you half, but perhaps because of your unusually high spiritual pressure, you took everything." Rukia crossed her arms. "Now I'm powerless. If a Hollow appears, I can't stop it."
Ichigo blinked. He had taken her power—he couldn't deny that. But what he didn't know was that Rukia had already traveled to another world, regained her abilities, and become far stronger in the process.
"So what does that have to do with me?" Ichigo asked, still reluctant.
"It has everything to do with you," Rukia replied. "Transferring a Shinigami's power to a human is a serious crime. If the Soul Society finds out, I will be punished, and you'll be implicated too."
This wasn't a bluff. There had been past cases—Shinigami who gave power to humans were prosecuted and tried. The humans, in turn, had their powers forcibly removed by targeting key soul points: the Soul Sleep and Soul Chain. Destruction of either usually resulted in death—or, at best, a complete loss of spiritual power.
"The Soul Society doesn't play fair," Rukia continued. "They're corrupt and unforgiving. So until I'm fully recovered, you'll have to act in my place."
Ichigo's face darkened. He didn't like being manipulated, but he also understood the stakes. If he didn't step up, the Hollow threat in Karakura Town would go unchecked—and worse, other Shinigami might come looking.
After some thought, he nodded begrudgingly. "Fine. I'll do it."
"A wise decision," Rukia said with a rare smile. "Now, listen carefully. You need to learn how to perform Soul Burials properly. And here's where you'll find Urahara Kisuke. He'll help if something goes wrong."
After briefing Ichigo, Rukia left him behind.
By the time Rukia regrouped with Zed and the others, Erina and her group had already awakened their soul powers. Although still in their infancy, their spiritual energy had started to give them a distinct edge over ordinary humans. And as they trained, that power would only grow.
"All taken care of?" Zed asked, raising an eyebrow.
Rukia nodded. "Yes—"
"Not quite," Zed interrupted, narrowing his eyes. A pulse of soul energy radiated from him, expanding in all directions before quickly receding. The aura was deliberately restrained to avoid drawing Soul Society's attention.
"There. Now it's dealt with."
He gestured toward the destroyed spirit monitors scattered nearby. Rukia stared in disbelief. "What were those?"
"Surveillance monitors made of spirit particles," Zed explained. "Most likely Aizen's. You didn't notice anything following you?"
Rukia frowned. "No… but I had a strange feeling."
"They're difficult to detect without precise observation," Zed said. "There were two types—one scattered throughout the city, and a rarer one that was tailing you directly."
"Then… someone was watching me?"
"Not the Soul Society," Zed replied. "Their tech is inferior. These are Aizen's. Much more sophisticated."
Rukia paled. "That… could be trouble."
"If he's paying attention, he might've noticed the anomaly with Ichigo. But that's his problem now," Zed said flatly. "We've finished our work here. Time to leave."
He opened a spatial rift, and they stepped through, leaving Karakura Town behind.
Back in the Soul Society, things were less peaceful.
"Captain Aizen, one of our surveillance feeds has been destroyed. It seems your plan has hit a snag."
Ichimaru Gin leaned lazily against the doorway, his ever-present smile curling in amusement. The screen in front of them blinked out.
Aizen stared at the blank display, intrigued. "Fascinating. So… someone interfered with Rukia—and they're strong enough to erase my monitors."
Ichimaru tilted his head. "Shall I keep watching?"
"No. I'll go myself," Aizen said. "I want to see what kind of individuals have entangled themselves in this game."
With Kyōka Suigetsu in hand, Aizen feared no exposure. His illusions would protect him.
Meanwhile, Zed and the others had moved on. Even if Aizen traced the scene, there would be nothing left to find—he lacked the power to cross worlds the way they did.
"Well," Zed said, stretching as they emerged from the portal. "Time for that vacation we talked about."
Their destination: the world of Shokugeki no Soma.
Although they'd briefly visited to assure loved ones of their safety, the last trip had been too short. This time, they would stay longer—part family visit, part rest.
Of course, calling it a "vacation" might be a stretch. Compared to the Gourmet World, the Food Wars universe was rather mundane.
Still, Zed had asked Erina about the differences, and the reality was far more grounded than the exaggerated reactions shown in the anime. The infamous "clothes-ripping" technique? Pure embellishment.
As they arrived, Zed made arrangements to collect full data on the world's scientific and culinary development. He would study the world properly before leaving.
For Erina's family, especially Senzaemon and Hisako's Parent, this trip was nothing short of unbelievable. Magic? Cross-dimensional travel? It was the stuff of fiction, now unfolding before their eyes. Sadly, neither of them possessed mana—and without it, they couldn't practice magic.
As for gourmet cells, those were nearly impossible to acquire without Zed's help. Erina and the others had only succeeded thanks to system-based intervention.
"Erina, don't forget to inform your mother," Senzaemon reminded. "She mobilized the entire WGO to search for you after you vanished."
Despite her past coldness, Mana Nakiri had never stopped caring. Her cruel behavior had been a side effect of the God Tongue, a sensory ability so extreme it rendered even the finest cuisine intolerable. At its worst, food tasted worse than feces.
Zed had seen similar cases before. Irene Belserion of Fairy Tail suffered from a related affliction. Like Mana, she had been driven to madness by her condition.
"Don't worry, Grandfather," Erina said. "I already asked Zed to develop a cure—and he did."
Senzaemon's eyes widened. "A… cure for the God Tongue?"
The excitement in his voice was unmistakable. He had spent years researching ways to resolve its side effects, even initiating the "Jade Age Plan" to find successors who might overcome it.
Zed, without fanfare, handed Senzaemon a vial.
"There you go," he said. "It's based on Erina's physiology. It won't remove the God Tongue, just its side effects."
Senzaemon clutched it like a sacred artifact. "Thank you, Mr. Zed. Truly."
"No thanks needed," Zed replied with a smile. "Erina's important to me. Helping her family is the least I can do."