As Uehara Shiroha stepped outside the White Road Gate, he immediately noticed a group of Shinigami moving in the same direction—toward Rukongai.
Each of them had imposing physiques, some sporting cocky, streetwise hairstyles, giving them the look of either seasoned fighters or biker gang members.
On the back of their Shihakushō, four bold characters stood out:
"Ninth Division Combat Unit."
At the front of the group stood none other than Muguruma Kensei, the Captain of the Ninth Division.
Aside from Kensei, Uehara Shiroha also recognized two other familiar faces.
One was Kuna Mashiro, the green-haired, carefree Vice-Captain, known for her overwhelming Hakuda skills and seemingly boundless energy.
The other figure lurked in the shadows, as if he had faded from existence itself—Tōsen Kaname, the Fifth Seat of the Ninth Division.
At this time, Tōsen looked very different from his later years.
Instead of his signature sunglasses and dreadlocks, he sported an afro, similar to the Seventh Division Captain, Love Aikawa.
Most of his face was obscured by a white mask, revealing only his closed eyes.
Of course, this wasn't a Hollow mask—just an ordinary one.
Uehara Shiroha glanced at them briefly before continuing on his way, acting as if he hadn't noticed anything.
He knew exactly why Muguruma Kensei was headed to Rukongai.
The disappearances of Rukongai civilians had finally drawn the attention of the higher-ups.
And this was the beginning of the Hollowfication Incident.
Silently, Aizen had already set his plans into motion, spinning a web of deception over Soul Society.
The captains of the Gotei 13 had no idea what was coming.
But this time, Uehara Shiroha intended to give Aizen a little surprise—while reaping the benefits for himself.
As Uehara Shiroha leisurely strolled through the streets near the White Road Gate, he suddenly felt a presence.
His gaze shifted toward the shadows.
As if in response, a silver-haired figure stepped forward.
The boy wore a Shinigami uniform, with a Fifth Division armband on his right arm.
With a sly smile, he greeted him:
"Uehara-kun, long time no see."
Though his tone was lighthearted, there was something about him—something unnervingly cold, like the venomous stare of a snake.
Uehara Shiroha let out a sigh, smirking.
"Gin Ichimaru. After all these years, you still haven't changed. Still walking around with your eyes closed all the time… That must be a genius thing, huh?"
The smirk on Ichimaru Gin's fox-like face grew wider.
"Uehara-kun, you're still as amusing as ever."
Though their time as classmates had been brief—only about a year—Gin had always been somewhat intrigued by Uehara Shiroha.
The reason?
Unlike the other Shinigami-in-training, who worked tirelessly to improve their skills, Uehara Shiroha had always done things differently.
One day, he'd skip training to go fishing.
The next day, he'd wander off to the market.
On other days, he'd sneak out for drinks.
To outsiders, he seemed lazy, unmotivated, and wasting his potential.
But Gin wasn't convinced.
There was something strange about Uehara Shiroha.
A kind of undeniable confidence, as if he already knew everything would work out for him.
It was vague, but it was enough for Gin to pay attention.
Testing the waters, Gin continued:
"I heard that Vice-Captain Aizen thinks very highly of you. Promoted you to a seated officer, didn't he?"
Uehara Shiroha let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head.
"Well, Gin-san… Vice-Captain Aizen is one of the few honest men in Soul Society."
"You should work hard and never disappoint an honest man's expectations."
There was something off about how he said that.
Something subtly mocking, yet perfectly polite.
Gin's expression didn't change, but his mind sharpened.
Uehara Shiroha wasn't supposed to know anything.
So why did it feel like he did?
After a moment of silence, Gin simply nodded and smiled, showing gratitude toward Aizen—as expected.
But inside, his thoughts were churning.
Was Uehara Shiroha really as simple as he seemed?
Not wanting to overextend his probing, Gin simply waved and took his leave.
For now.
Meanwhile, in Rukongai, Muguruma Kensei and his Squad 9 Shinigami stood in stunned silence.
They had just saved a young boy—Hisagi Shūhei—from a Hollow attack.
But something wasn't right.
There had been no signs of a Kūmon (Black Cavity) opening nearby.
Where had this Hollow come from?
Then they found it.
Ten fallen Shinigami.
All completely intact, yet…
Completely empty.
Their bodies were fully preserved, but they were nothing more than shells.
Their uniforms were still fastened, as if they had simply disappeared inside them.
Their straw sandals still contained traces of their feet, as if their limbs had suddenly vanished.
It was exactly the same as the disappearing civilians before.
When souls perished in Soul Society, their bodies typically disintegrated into Reiatsu.
Yet these corpses remained intact.
It wasn't death.
It was erasure.
And the disappearances had spread to the advance team itself.
A cold chill crept down Kensei's spine.
Without hesitation, he barked out urgent orders:
"Tosen! Report to the Central 46 immediately—tell them all ten advance team Shinigami are missing under the same circumstances as the civilians!"
"Tōdō! Get in touch with Squad 12—have them send in their technicians immediately to seal off the scene and investigate!"
"Mashiro! Get everyone ready. We're staying here tonight."
As Kensei finished giving orders, his eyes hardened.
Whoever was behind this…
They wouldn't get past the Ninth Division.
The Squad 9 members nodded in determination.
Even Mashiro Kuna, despite her usual carefree nature, was fully prepared for battle.
Shortly after, Tōdō returned with news.
The Vice-Captain of the Twelfth Division, Sarugaki Hiyori, was already on her way.
As for Captain Urahara Kisuke…
He was currently occupied with his own secret research and unable to respond.
Hearing this, Kensei finally felt a little relief.
As night fell, Kensei patrolled the perimeter once more.
Returning to his tent, he noticed Mashiro Kuna already fast asleep.
Shaking his head, he sighed.
Only someone as carefree as her could sleep so soundly right now.
And then…
A piercing scream shattered the silence outside.
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