Harry's lungs burned when he landed. The ground was white again, smooth stone, but this time it wasn't a quiet street. It was a courtyard. Wide, open, lined with towers that cut sharp into the blue sky.
And filled with them.
Dozens of men and women in black robes, blades at their sides. Their eyes all turned at once. Pressure slammed down on Harry like the weight of the sea. He gasped, knees almost giving.
Naruto swore. "What the hell is this place?"
Spider-Man staggered too, clutching his head. "Okay, okay, nope, this feels like a boss raid and we skipped the tutorial."
Flash's jaw clenched. "They're strong. All of them."
Kakashi didn't flinch. But his hand was tight on his knife.
Harry forced himself up, gripping his wand. The dagger in his other hand hummed louder, silver glow faint but steady. His scar itched under his skin.
A ripple went through the crowd. They stepped aside as one.
Another figure walked forward. Taller, heavier presence than all the rest. His cloak was longer, white trailing behind him. His hair was spiked, bells tied in it, an eyepatch covering one side.
Harry didn't know him. But the second he moved, the whole air changed.
Naruto whispered, "Who's this guy?"
Spider-Man muttered, "Bad news."
The man grinned, sharp and wide. His voice rumbled with excitement. "You smell like a fight." His blade gleamed as he drew it. "Good. I was bored."
The others didn't stop him. They watched. Like they wanted to see what would happen.
Jinwoo stepped forward, shadows spilling like water around his feet. "He's coming for us."
"No kidding," Harry muttered, throat dry.
The man charged. Fast. Too fast. Harry barely saw the blade before it was there. He raised his wand without thinking. "Protego!"
The shield cracked instantly, shattering like glass. The force threw him back across the courtyard. His shoulder slammed the stone. He screamed.
"Harry!" Naruto leapt in, clones bursting into the air. They swarmed, kunai flashing, but the man cut them down like paper. Smoke burst everywhere, clones vanishing in seconds.
Spider-Man swung in, webs shooting, catching the man's arm. "Okay, big guy, chill out!"
The man just laughed, yanking so hard Spider-Man flew across the courtyard and crashed into a wall.
Flash blurred in, striking a dozen times at his sides. Sparks lit the air, but the man barely flinched, swinging his blade in a wide arc. Flash dodged barely, the edge slicing his suit.
Jinwoo's shadow wolf leapt, slamming into the man's chest. The stone cracked under the force, but the man shoved it back with one arm, laughing harder.
"You're good! Stronger than the others. But not strong enough!"
Kakashi appeared behind him, knife aimed at his neck. The man turned at the last second, steel crashing against steel. The clash echoed like thunder.
Harry pushed himself up, chest burning. His wand shook in his hand. The dagger throbbed.
"No," he whispered. "Not again. Not here."
The whispers crawled in his head. "Open."
He shook his head, teeth gritted. "Shut up."
The man's blade came down again. Jinwoo caught it with a wall of shadow, straining, his eyes glowing brighter. Naruto screamed and charged again. Flash blurred past, landing hits where he could. Spider-Man swung back into the fight, webbing the blade to slow it down.
Harry's chest felt like it would split. He lifted his wand, scar burning. "Expelliarmus!"
The red light slammed into the blade. It wavered. Just for a second. Enough for Kakashi to strike, knife cutting a line across the man's arm.
The man laughed even louder. "Finally! A fight worth having!"
The courtyard shook with his roar.
The dagger pulsed again. Silver cracks spread along the white stone under Harry's feet. The air rippled. The others all felt it.
Spider-Man groaned. "Not again, kid—"
"I'm not doing it on purpose!" Harry shouted back, voice breaking.
The man's grin widened. "That blade… it's calling something. Don't stop. Let it out!"
Harry's scar burned like fire. The whispers screamed louder. His knees gave out.
Naruto grabbed him by the arm. "You're not alone!"
Flash steadied him on the other side. "We've got you, Harry!"
Jinwoo's shadows wrapped tighter around them. Dokja's voice cut calm through the chaos. "Stay together. That's the only way."
The dagger flared silver-white. Light burst, splitting the air. The courtyard cracked, walls splitting, sky tearing open.
The captain just laughed, swinging his blade down into the light. "Show me more!"
Harry screamed as the world ripped apart again—Soul Society breaking into pieces around them.