Before long, the blazing sun sank in the west and night gradually fell. In the distant east, a bright full moon rose, casting its pure white light over the silent land…
"Everyone, pay attention! The training exercise is about to begin—reinforce the surrounding barriers!!"
The patrol unit leader, Ryōmiya Jō, shouted a warning:
"Being attacked by real Hollows during training is nothing unusual. Stay on high alert and make sure the first-year students are protected!!"
"Got it, got it," Matsuda Tora replied halfheartedly. He lifted his gaze to the pitch-black night sky and muttered under his breath, "Tatashi, tell me—what kind of danger could there be in a place this safe?"
Tatashi, an Asauchi slung over his shoulder, stretched lazily and replied quietly, "This is training for us too. Better not let our guard down."
"Okay!" Matsuda Tora nodded, leaped to the other side of the barrier to relay the captain's orders, then joined his fellow classmates in putting on a show of vigilance.
Whoosh—
A Senkaimon suddenly opened within the barrier. Hisagi Shūhei, Ueshaku, and Sōhō appeared, leading over eighty academy freshmen with them.
The first-years then split into groups of three and scattered to begin their Konso (Soul Burial) practice, slaying low-level Hollows provided by the 12th Division's Research and Development Institute.
"Taichi, this is all your fault for running so slowly! All the Hollows nearby have already been killed—what are we supposed to do now?!"
Kasumioji Hoko planted her hands on her hips, clearly dissatisfied.
Hah! You're complaining that there are too few Hollows?
You won't be saying that in a few minutes!!
Fūjin Taichi thought to himself darkly.
"If we want to complete the exercise, we'll probably have to head somewhere more remote," Tsunayashiro Tokio said as he surveyed their surroundings. Everywhere he looked, he could see other trainees—red uniforms, blue uniforms, all over the place.
"No! If you want to stay alive, stick with the main group! No—hurry up and find those people!"
Fūjin Taichi stared warily into the pitch-black sky, constantly suspecting that a man-eating Gillian-class Hollow was lurking somewhere above. He gripped his Asauchi tightly, his hands trembling nonstop.
"Find who?" Kasumioji Hoko and Tsunayashiro Tokio asked in unison.
"A red-haired delinquent, a sickly-looking guy who seems totally useless, and a really short girl who looks kind of cute!" Fūjin Taichi rattled off rapidly.
"Huh? A really short and cute girl? Aren't you talking about me?" Kasumioji Hoko puffed out her cheeks and grinned.
"If you want to live, stop acting cute and start looking for people!" Fūjin Taichi snapped angrily.
"Hey—wait a second," Tsunayashiro Tokio scratched his head of red hair and shot Fūjin Taichi a sideways glance. "Isn't the red-haired delinquent me?!"
"And besides, Taichi, you look like the sickly, useless one right now!"
"…!"
Fūjin Taichi felt like his lungs were about to explode from anger. They were about to lose their lives, and these two weird teammates were still wasting time like this!
But very quickly, he realized his mistake.
He was a transmigrator—of course he knew what was about to happen next.
But Kasumioji Hoko and Tsunayashiro Tokio were natives of the Bleach world. There was no way they could know the future!
So Fūjin Taichi forced himself to calm down and said to his two companions:
"Do you know Abarai Renji, Hinamori Momo, and Kira Izuru from our class?!"
"I do," Tsunayashiro Tokio nodded. "Renji and Kira are pretty eccentric at the academy. I don't really interact with them."
"I'm closer with Momo, but what does that have to do with our training?"
Fūjin Taichi scanned rapidly for Hisagi Shūhei's figure as he continued:
"Forget the training! Survival comes first—follow me!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, he sprinted toward the direction of the water tower he remembered. He didn't even stop to pick up his dropped Asauchi—he just ran forward at full speed.
"…."
Kasumioji Hoko and Tsunayashiro Tokio exchanged a look, completely baffled by their companion's behavior. Seeing Fūjin Taichi about to disappear into the distance, they had no choice but to chase after him…
At the same time, Matsuda Tora, who was standing guard atop the water tower at the edge of the barrier, suddenly let out a sigh.
"Yare yare… this is way too boring! At least let a Hollow show up so I can cut something down!"
"Shut up, Matsuda Tora. Isn't it better to finish the patrol safely?" Tatashi replied.
"Yeah… maybe," Matsuda Tora answered halfheartedly, then asked, "Tatashi, after graduation, which division do you want to join the most?"
"The Fourth Division," Tatashi replied without hesitation.
"Huh? Why there? Why not join the Ninth Division with your fellow countryman Hisagi Shūhei?" Matsuda Tora asked in confusion.
"Hmph. How could someone like you, who doesn't understand a maiden's heart at all, ever comprehend my ambition?"
Tatashi shook his head and sighed. Just as he was about to explain why he wanted to join the Fourth Division, he suddenly caught the scent of fresh, thick blood.
His expression changed instantly.
"This is bad—something's happened!"
"Could it be a Menos Grande attack? But why isn't the barrier reacting?!"
Matsuda Tora had also caught the scent of blood. Just as confusion filled his mind, the surroundings suddenly darkened.
Instinctively, he turned his head—only to be horrified as a terrifying, gigantic cat-faced Hollow appeared behind him out of nowhere. It raised one massive claw and, with a sickening squelch, pierced straight through Tatashi's chest—
"TATASHI!!"
Matsuda Tora screamed, drawing his Asauchi and charging toward the Hollow. At the same time, he shouted at the top of his lungs:
"Captain Ryōmiya! A giant Hollow has appeared inside the barrier! Attention—attention—"
"Damn it! This giant Hollow seems able to hide its spiritual pressure! Everyone, be extremely caref—"
Before Ryōmiya Jō could finish the word "careful," he was smashed into a pile of flesh by another gigantic octopus-shaped Hollow!
"Damn it! Another giant Hollow has appeared!! Everyone who hears this, retreat immediately—aaah—!"
Matsuda Tora's scream was cut short as the two giant Hollows tore him in half and devoured him…
"Ah!"
"Ah!"
"Ah!"
Screams echoed one after another around the barrier. The three responsible for gathering the first-year students—Hisagi Shūhei, Sōhō, and Ueshaku—immediately sensed that something was terribly wrong.
But before they could react, Ueshaku was struck by a white Hollow Cero, blasting away half her body and stealing her life in an instant…
"Ueshaku!!"
Seeing the woman he loved die before his eyes, Sōhō let out a furious roar, grabbed his Asauchi, and lunged at the giant tiger-faced Hollow—
"Sōhō, stop! Don't be reckless—!" Hisagi Shūhei shouted, realizing at once that this giant tiger-faced Hollow was no ordinary foe.
But Sōhō had completely lost his reason. He rushed straight up to the Hollow, raised his Asauchi, and slashed at its lower leg—
Before the blade could even touch it, a razor-sharp claw skewered him like a shish kebab. Fresh red blood sprayed out, staining the ground…
"Roooar—!"
Another giant donkey-faced Hollow, accompanied by several low-level Hollows, appeared. After letting out a few howls, the low-level Hollows rushed forward first and attacked Hisagi Shūhei—
"First-years, leave this place immediately! Run as far away as you can!!"
Hisagi Shūhei roared at the remaining first-year students, then swung his Asauchi and charged forward, desperately cutting down several low-level Hollows.
"Hiss—!"
A rat-faced Hollow suddenly ambushed Hisagi Shūhei from the side, leaving a bloody gash across his right cheek—
"Ah!!"
Crying out in pain, Hisagi Shūhei clutched his injured right eye and collapsed to the ground. His Asauchi flew several meters away.
"ROAR!"
The rat-faced Hollow bellowed, jaws wide open as it lunged toward Hisagi Shūhei. Just as death seemed imminent—
Three Asauchi appeared at once, blocking the Hollow's attack in perfect unison—
"Y-you…?!"
Hisagi Shūhei stared in shock.
Because the three standing before him were none other than the first-year students—
Abarai Renji, Hinamori Momo, and Kira Izuru!!