The world didn't spit them out this time. It slammed them down. Harry rolled across stone so bright it almost blinded him. He coughed, ribs aching, eyes watering.
When he pushed himself up, the ground under his palms was white. Not snow. Not ash. Pure white stone, stretching in perfect lines. Walls rose tall around them, clean and sharp, gates carved with strange sigils.
The sky overhead was endless blue, but the air carried tension, heavy like before a duel.
Spider-Man groaned. "Okay… where are we now? This looks way too clean. I don't trust clean."
Naruto jumped to his feet, wide-eyed. "Whoa. This place is huge!"
Flash spun in a blur, stopped again. "Not empty this time. A lot of people here. Strong ones."
Kakashi's eye narrowed. "We're being watched."
Harry felt it too. His scar gave a faint throb. The dagger pulsed like it was excited.
And then they came.
Figures in black robes appeared on the walls, on rooftops, blades at their sides. Long swords, some glowing faint. Their eyes sharp, movements steady. Soldiers, but not like any Harry had seen.
One dropped down in front of them. Tall, white captain's cloak trailing, blade at his hip. His eyes cold, measuring.
"Who are you?" he asked, voice quiet but carrying.
Harry opened his mouth but Naruto beat him to it. "We're… uh… travelers! Kind of lost, honestly."
The man's gaze didn't shift. "You don't belong in Soul Society."
Harry muttered, "That makes two of us."
More appeared. A whole line of black robes, closing them in. Spider-Man shifted, whispering, "Okay, this feels like the part where we get arrested."
The captain's hand brushed his sword. "You're carrying something dangerous." His eyes went to the dagger. "That blade doesn't belong in any realm."
Harry's stomach knotted. "I can't let go of it!"
The man didn't blink. "Then we'll take it from your corpse."
The soldiers drew blades. Steel hissed.
Naruto cracked his knuckles. "Guess we're fighting, huh?"
Flash muttered, "We don't even know what these guys can do."
Jinwoo stepped forward, shadows flickering at his feet. His voice was steady. "Doesn't matter. First time or not… we fight together."
Harry's chest twisted. Why did it feel so right when they'd only just met?
The soldiers rushed.
Naruto leapt first, clones bursting into the square. The enemy cut them down in flashes of steel, but more appeared, swarming, confusing the line.
Spider-Man swung on a web, kicking two in the face. "Man, these guys are fast!"
Flash blurred, knocking blades aside, striking too quick for them to see. "They're organized. Careful!"
Kakashi slipped through them like smoke, knife catching wrists, deflecting blades. Calm, efficient.
Harry raised his wand. "Expelliarmus!" The red light ripped a blade out of one's hand, clattering to the stone. He followed with "Stupefy!" but the soldier just staggered, still standing. Stronger than normal men.
The dagger pulsed. His scar burned hotter. He felt power crawling up his arm, silver veins glowing. His gut screamed not to use it—but what choice did he have?
The captain's blade flashed free. Faster than Harry's eyes could follow, the sword was at his throat.
Jinwoo's shadow leapt. A massive black wolf rose from the ground, intercepting the strike with jaws of smoke. Steel clanged against shadow. Jinwoo's eyes glowed brighter.
The captain stepped back, calm but sharp. "What… are you?"
Jinwoo didn't answer. His shadows spread wider, wrapping around Harry like a shield.
Harry gasped, chest pounding. "Why are you—"
"Because I know you," Jinwoo said, voice low. "Even if I don't."
Harry's breath caught.
Dokja's voice cut in, calm and steady even in chaos. "Focus. This isn't the world that ends us. Hold together."
The dagger screamed light. Silver burst from Harry's palm, cracking the ground. Soldiers stumbled back. Naruto shouted, "Whoa!" as the glow pushed even his clones away.
The captain's eyes narrowed. "That power—if it stays, Soul Society will break."
Harry's scar burned like fire. His knees gave. He tried to hold it back but the whispers roared again.
"Open."
"No!" he shouted. "Not here!"
The cracks spread anyway. Silver lines tore across the perfect white stone, climbing the walls, splitting the sky.
Naruto grabbed his shoulder. "We've got you!"
Spider-Man's voice came through the roar. "First time or not, we're not leaving you alone, kid!"
Flash's hand steadied his other arm. Kakashi's voice was sharp. "Breathe. Trust us."
Jinwoo's shadows closed tighter around them. Dokja's voice cut clear through the chaos: "We'll stand together. Always, even now."
Harry's vision blurred. His chest heaved. It didn't make sense. First time meeting them, yet he knew he could trust them. His heart screamed that they'd always been here.
The dagger flared one last time. The white city shattered.
And they fell again.