Chapter 169: Former Companions
Rewinding to ten minutes earlier, Ichimaru Gin and Tōsen Kaname, who had come to intercept Kurosaki Ichigo according to Aizen's orders, left the barrier range covered by the spirit land and began sensing for Reiatsu existing in the Human World as they rushed toward their target.
After Kurosaki Ichigo had just returned from Hueco Mundo, Aizen and his group noticed his Reiatsu. But he'd been trapped in the firewall at that time, and Aizen hadn't bothered to concern himself with such trivial matters.
It wasn't until Fiander officially joined the battle later that Aizen ordered Ichimaru Gin to intercept and kill Kurosaki Ichigo.
However, after the two of them left the barrier, they couldn't sense Kurosaki Ichigo's Reiatsu in the Human World—as if it were deliberately hidden.
But thinking about it carefully, this was also normal. Currently, Soul Society had already mastered the technology of hiding a person's Reiatsu and preventing it from leaking out.
With no other option, the two could only search around.
Finally, after scanning the air, Tōsen Kaname found a faint spiritual response in an abandoned factory tens of kilometers away. Obviously, that spiritual presence belonged to a Shinigami.
After rushing to the area, the two didn't sense any fluctuations in Reiatsu.
After some investigation, he found something unusual. Tōsen Kaname, who had been about to leave, suddenly stopped on a whim.
Something's wrong. Something's definitely wrong. The more normal this place appeared, the more suspicious it seemed to Tōsen Kaname.
Tōsen Kaname, who had lived in darkness for many years, couldn't see. But this also allowed him to develop hearing that was difficult for ordinary people to achieve.
His sharp hearing could even detect weak breathing and heartbeats from hundreds of meters away.
Well, if Karakura Town clearly showed no spiritual presence, then why were there more than a dozen faint breathing sounds?
Thinking of this, Tōsen Kaname said to Ichimaru Gin, "Ichimaru, something's wrong with this place!"
Hearing what Tōsen Kaname said, Ichimaru Gin also stopped his departure. He knew Tōsen Kaname's character—he would never speak rashly without being certain. This was the cautious nature he'd developed over countless years beside Aizen.
So the two stopped above the abandoned open space, looking down at the buildings on the ground.
"It seems there's no fluctuation of any spiritual particles in this area, as if something has separated it."
Ichimaru Gin rubbed his chin, showing that trademark fox smile and said, "The Anti-Spirit Membrane..."
"When we just left Soul Society, you should remember a conceptual technology proposed by the Technology Development Bureau, Captain Tōsen. At that time, you patiently asked Captain Kurotsuchi Mayuri for guidance but were impatiently driven away by him."
Hearing Ichimaru Gin mention this matter, Tōsen Kaname seemed to recall it, then nodded and said, "That's right, there was such a thing."
"Before the arrest and return of Rukia Kuchiki to Soul Society, the 12th Division Captain Kurotsuchi Mayuri made an application to the 1st Division at the captains' meeting."
"He requested Captain Yamamoto allocate research funding for this project."
"It was supposedly technology to cover soldiers going to the Human World and Hueco Mundo, hiding their Reiatsu and integrating them with the surrounding environment."
"However, I heard from Lord Aizen that Urahara Kisuke, who left Soul Society, had researched similar devices long before—over 100 years ago. Kurotsuchi Mayuri only made further developments based on the former's research data."
"Is that so?"
Ichimaru Gin glanced at Tōsen Kaname suspiciously, then descended to the ground, extending his hand to sense everything around him.
Sure enough, as Ichimaru Gin kept approaching the abandoned building, his fingertips soon touched a transparent invisible barrier.
After Ichimaru Gin pushed his hand through with continuous force, colorful ripples suddenly appeared around the barrier, flashing briefly.
"So they really did develop it. Truly worthy of the Technology Development Bureau!"
After saying that, Ichimaru Gin and Tōsen Kaname exchanged glances, then stepped into the range covered by the barrier.
Just after the two of them entered the barrier, a familiar sinister laugh suddenly sounded. "Oh my! Who did I think it was?"
"Isn't this Captain Ichimaru and Captain Tōsen? It's been quite a while!" Kurotsuchi Mayuri smiled, the five slender fingers on his right hand shaking wantonly.
"Captain Kurotsuchi? So you're here, which proves that troublesome boy is with you?"
"Kurosaki Ichigo? I see. So you're here to find him?"
"That's correct. We have no intention of fighting you. Hand over Kurosaki Ichigo to us and we'll leave. Otherwise, you may not be able to stop us with your current unstable Reiatsu."
Tōsen Kaname stepped forward and said in a cold voice.
"How... unpleasant. What do you mean 'hand over Kurosaki Ichigo,' what do you mean 'no intention of fighting with me'?"
"Who do you think you are? Why do you think we went to Hueco Mundo? How arrogant!"
Kurotsuchi Mayuri's face darkened as he cracked his knuckles. "Not to mention that Kurosaki Ichigo is our savior at the moment. And you, traitors of Soul Society, you still think you can leave here safely?"
After his voice fell, several footsteps surrounded them from all directions, trapping the two in the middle.
The two leaders were the Captain of the Sixth Division, Byakuya Kuchiki, and the Captain of the Eleventh Division, Zaraki Kenpachi.
The others were vice-captains from various divisions: Abarai Renji, Kotetsu Isane, Rukia Kuchiki, and others.
"Ah, the situation doesn't look good, Captain Tōsen. It seems we're surrounded."
At this time, Byakuya Kuchiki and the others, who had just recovered from their frozen state with injuries not yet stable, were pale and their breathing very irregular. Obviously, after receiving the deadly cold from Fiander, their bodies hadn't fully recovered.
Aware of all this, Tōsen Kaname didn't retreat. He knew that if these people were in complete condition, there'd be no need to create an Anti-Spirit Membrane to hide their whereabouts. The reason they did so must be because their injuries hadn't healed and were very serious.
After quickly judging the situation of both parties, Tōsen Kaname had no intention of greeting these former companions. He directly released his Zanpakuto.
"Cry: Suzumushi!"
With the completion of Suzumushi's Shikai, Tōsen Kaname leaped into the air. Dozens of sound waves transformed into rings fell directly from all directions, attacking the enemies present.
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