"Captain Kurotsuchi..."
"You're too noisy!"
With his train of thought interrupted by Rangiku, Mayuri growled at her dissatisfied.
"Didn't I already have Nemu go prepare the Senkaimon?"
"If you're truly worried about Captain Shiba's safety, you should be preparing to traverse the Dangai with Nemu right now, not shouting here."
Rangiku choked up.
Indeed, Mayuri had already sent Nemu to prepare the Senkaimon. Presumably, the researchers of the 12th Division had already locked onto the location in the living world where the Garganta descended.
It was just that, at the time, Rangiku thought they would open the Senkaimon here, so she stayed waiting.
Now, hearing Mayuri's words, it seemed their Senkaimon wasn't going to be opened here, but within the 12th Division.
"My apologies, I was rude."
Rangiku quickly apologized to Mayuri and prepared to head to the 12th Division.
However, at that moment, Gin arrived with members of the 3rd Division.
"Captain Gin!"
Although privately, Gin and Rangiku were family, and even more, as Gin was the one Rangiku loved…
In front of others, however, neither Gin nor Rangiku acted particularly familiar.
Of course, asking them to act like strangers was impossible.
After all, both of them came from Kyoya's 11th Division. No one would believe they didn't know each other.
"Lieutenant Matsumoto, where are you planning to go?"
"Captain Gin, Lieutenant Kurotsuchi is preparing to open a Senkaimon in the 12th Division, so I'm preparing to go to the 12th Division to head to the living world and support Captain Shiba."
"Lieutenant Matsumoto, with Captain Shiba currently missing, as the Lieutenant, you are the pillar of the 10th Division's members' hearts."
"If even you go to the living world, I'm afraid the 10th Division will fall into chaos."
"What Lieutenant Matsumoto should do now is stabilize the 10th Division's morale, ensuring they don't fail in their division duties due to panic."
Hearing Gin's words, Rangiku's heart shook, and her gaze towards Gin held a trace of panic.
If it were an ordinary person, they might not understand the meaning hidden within Gin's words.
But Rangiku was different.
She knew what Gin was doing.
From Gin's words, Rangiku could discern two hidden pieces of information.
First, as she suspected, Gin was indeed connected to the deepest hidden mastermind in the Seireitei that Kyoya spoke of.
Second, this incident was targeting Isshin.
Including luring Isshin to the living world was part of their plan.
Gin saying this to her now was, on one hand, probably protecting her, not wanting her to take risks and end up like Isshin.
On the other hand, it meant Gin was certain Isshin wouldn't be returning.
Clearly, for this targeting of Isshin, the mastermind behind the scenes likely took action personally.
Moreover, Gin might also be one of those taking action.
It was only because he received the message she sent earlier that Gin, worried she would chase after them, stayed behind to stop her.
But-
Although Rangiku felt warmth in her heart from Gin's concern for her, she couldn't just stand by and watch Isshin be killed like this.
Taking a deep breath, Rangiku said, "Thank you for the reminder, Captain Gin. However, as the Lieutenant of the 10th Division, I cannot stand by and do nothing while Captain Shiba falls into a trap."
Gin narrowed his eyes.
Although he long knew Rangiku had a soft heart, not to mention her Captain she'd worked with for decades, even if a stranger was in danger, she would lend a helping hand within her capabilities.
But, from what Gin knew, to test White's abilities and see how much the Shiba Clan still had, both Aizen and Tosen had followed to the living world.
Admittedly, Rangiku's strength had improved greatly over the years.
However, not to mention Aizen, even Tosen wasn't someone the current Rangiku could match.
If Aizen hadn't finished testing White by the time Rangiku arrived in the living world, there was a chance Rangiku herself would be in danger!
'Should I turn against Aizen at this moment?'
Finally, Gin sighed.
"Very well, in that case, let the 3rd Division provide support to the 10th Division."
"As for the living world, I will accompany Lieutenant Matsumoto."
Having made his decision, Gin naturally had no further reservations.
Of course, before heading to the living world, he absolutely had to send a message to Kyoya.
If things were exposed, he could die, but Rangiku must not suffer the slightest harm!
...
"Oh? A Hell Butterfly with Rangiku's Reiatsu?"
When Rangiku's Hell Butterfly flew out of the Seireitei and entered the Rukongai, it was immediately detected by Kyoya through his [Light Perception].
In fact, if Kyoya wanted to, he could completely envelop the entire Seireitei within his perception through the Sekkiseki Wall.
However, in recent years, Kyoya had been preoccupied by another person, keeping his attention tied to the Rukongai.
He simply didn't have the extra mental energy to focus on the Seireitei.
A few years ago, through his [Light Perception] and the fused ability of Observation Haki, Kyoya discovered a force was modifying the souls of the Rukongai's residents.
Moreover, through his Observation Haki's perception, Kyoya also sensed that this force could control these souls after completing their modification.
From this alone, Kyoya could determine that the one modifying the Rukongai's residents' souls was undoubtedly the 8th Kenpachi, who had fused with the Soul Society's space, Azashiro Kenpachi!
Only Azashiro's Zanpakuto, Urozakuro, possessed the ability to modify and control matter its Reiatsu came into contact with.
However, modifying souls wasn't something that could be completed overnight.
Clearly, Azashiro turning himself in and being imprisoned in Muken didn't mean he completely abandoned his plans.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have emerged from Muken after Aizen's defeat carrying hundreds of souls under his control.
Relying on these modified souls, Azashiro could release [Sacrificial Kido] by consuming these souls, even capable of releasing Hado #96, Itto Kaso, without incantation by sacrificing them!
Of course, since the sacrifices were originally just ordinary souls, even after modification by Azashiro's Zanpakuto, allowing Urozakuro's ability to control them, the Kido released by sacrificing these souls still had a significant gap in power compared to Kido released by Shinigami with sufficient Reiatsu.
In the future, during Azashiro's battle with Zaraki, Azashiro used these souls to release nearly a hundred Itto Kaso at Zaraki, yet failed to kill him.
This showed that the higher the Kido's number released using these souls, the more severe the reduction in power.
Of course, now that the Rukongai was protected by Kyoya's Revolutionary Army, he naturally wouldn't allow the souls of the residents under his protection to be modified and controlled by Azashiro.
Therefore, over the years, Kyoya had been using his own abilities to counter Azashiro's abilities, and using the power of Conqueror's Haki Infused Observation Haki to erase the Reiatsu Azashiro left in these residents' souls, fundamentally cutting off the possibility of Azashiro controlling the Rukongai's residents' souls.
With a thought, the information carried by this Hell Butterfly was quickly read by Kyoya.
"White has appeared? Shiba Isshin was lured to the living world by White?"
Kyoya's fingers lightly tapped on the desk.
At that moment, countless thoughts raced through his mind.
'If nothing went wrong, this was the origin of Bleach's protagonist, Kurosaki Ichigo.'
'Which meant there were less than twenty years until the main plot began!'
For a moment, Kyoya felt that what filled his heart was mostly anticipation.
'The Bleach Grand Stage, come if you dare!'
The next thirty years would undoubtedly be the most exciting thirty years in the Bleach World.
He just wondered, 'Since the future 10th Division's Captain, Hitsugaya, had already become the commander of the 7th Division of his Revolutionary Army, who would succeed as the 10th Division's Captain?'
Suddenly, another Hell Butterfly flew out of the Seireitei, detected by Kyoya.
The Reiatsu in this Hell Butterfly belonged to Gin.
"If I remember correctly, shouldn't Gin be accompanying Aizen to the living world with Tosen at this time?"
"Why is he sending me a message now?"
Although puzzled, Kyoya continued reading the message Gin left for him.
After all, under normal circumstances, Gin wouldn't contact him.
Once he did, it was inevitably a major event related to Aizen.
This was the first time Gin had contacted Kyoya in decades since leaving the 11th Division for the 3rd Division, so Kyoya was somewhat expectant.
But...
"Sigh… I should have known..."
When Kyoya finished reading the message Gin left in the Hell Butterfly, he shook his head.
He found it strange. During this period, the only significant action on Aizen's side was against Isshin, and Gin was a witness involved in the incident.
What made Kyoya speechless was that the message Gin left for him wasn't asking him to save Isshin, but saying he would go to the living world with Rangiku, might be exposed because of Rangiku, and asking Kyoya to save Rangiku at the critical moment.
"That guy Gin is hopeless!"
Kyoya shook his head.
Kyoya had no standing to comment on Gin's feelings for Rangiku or what he wanted to do.
In fact, as a man, Kyoya could naturally guess the feelings in Gin's heart.
When Rangiku was used as an experimental subject by Aizen, Gin hid and watched it happen personally.
Although, for Gin at that time, such an approach was undoubtedly the most correct choice.
But for Gin himself, the so-called 'correct' wasn't truly 'correct'.
He should have stepped out and stood in front of Rangiku!
No matter who wanted to harm Rangiku, they would have to step over his corpse!
That was Gin's vow.
And that day, Gin broke that vow.
So, in Gin's view, he could only be absolved by taking back what Aizen took from Rangiku and returning it to her, allowing him to stand before Rangiku again with a clear heart and no attachments.
If he didn't resolve this inner conflict, Gin simply had no face to stand beside Rangiku.
Otherwise, the question of why he didn't rush out to protect Rangiku would constantly haunt him.
With such guilt, he and Rangiku couldn't go far.
It was precisely because he knew this that Kyoya didn't stop Gin from wanting to infiltrate back to Aizen's side.
He only gave Gin a guarantee!
Do everything he wanted to do, leave the rest to him!
That was the agreement between Kyoya and Gin.
Clearly, now, because of the danger Rangiku might face, Gin was staking even his own life.
Shaking his head, Kyoya's body dispersed into golden light.
Since it was Gin and Rangiku's request, he would make a trip!
...
12th Division. Gin and Rangiku now stood before the Senkaimon, waiting only for the 12th Division's personnel to lock onto the Garganta's landing location in the living world to open the Senkaimon directly.
Suddenly, golden light gathered, forming a human shape under everyone's astonished gazes.
"This is... Captain Kyoya?"
The Shinigami in the 12th Division who remembered this golden light immediately changed their expressions.
It must be said that when Kyoya was the Captain of the 11th Division, the relationship between the 11th and 12th Divisions was relatively close.
Especially since the weighted clothing often used by the 11th Division's Shinigami for training were all manufactured by the 12th Division, making the 11th Division's Shinigami very polite to the 12th Division's researchers.
There was no other way. Kyoya only had one requirement for the weighted clothing-
That was, the weight must be sufficient!
As for the Shinigami wearing the weighted clothing for training, they had more considerations.
Comfort, even weight distribution, how to focus training on their weaknesses, etc.
These personal needs required the 11th Division's members to personally discuss with the 12th Division's researchers.
Otherwise, without custom orders, just wearing the standard version would likely require a trip to the 4th Division for treatment after each day's training to continue practicing the next day.
Of course, for these members of the 12th Division, Kyoya had caused them to lose a lot of dignity.
Even the current Captain, Mayuri had his arm severed by Kyoya.
He was a truly ruthless person!
"Yo, Gin, Rangiku, long time no see."
After exiting his Logia state, Kyoya greeted Gin and Rangiku with a smile.
"And this must be Captain Kurotsuchi's daughter, Nemu, right?"