The First Mission

That night, Ye Yang lay in bed, thinking about what Silver Rend had just said: "My abilities go far beyond that." Ye Yang was puzzled. Did Silver Rend have other abilities? Forget it. There's plenty of time to discover what Silver Rend can do later. With that thought, Ye Yang went to sleep.

The next day, Ye Yang went to report to the Second Division on his own. Yoruichi and Kisuke Urahara were already waiting for him. When Kisuke Urahara saw Ye Yang, he greeted him first. "Morning, Ye Yang."

"Morning. It's our first day working in the division, so we'd better do our best," Ye Yang said.

The three entered the Second Division. The Second Division was a very special division within the Gotei 13. It was responsible for executions and assassinations, arresting criminals under warrants issued by Central 46, and assassinating certain dangerous individuals.

When the three entered the barracks, two rows of people were already waiting. They were all dressed as ninja, with only their eyes visible. Standing between the two rows was their grandfather, the commander-in-chief of the Stealth Force, Shihoin Tōno.

The three called out loudly, "Second Division members Yoruichi Shihōin, Ye Yang Shihoin, and Kisuke Urahara reporting for duty! Please give us your orders, Commander-in-chief!"

Shihoin Tōno's imposing voice rang out. "First, as commander-in-chief of the Stealth Force, I welcome you to the Second Division. Second, as your elder, I must tell you that strength comes first in the Second Division. Don't think you'll receive special treatment just because you're members of the Shihoin Clan. If you're not up to the task, someone else will take your place all the same. Understood?"

The three answered in ringing voices, "Understood!"

Shihoin Tōno continued, "Then you must choose a unit. The First Division is the Punishment Force, an execution unit primarily responsible for executions and assassinations. The Second Unit is the Patrol Corps, whose main duties are patrolling the Seireitei and monitoring the movements of Soul Reapers. The Third Division is the Correction Corps, mainly responsible for guarding the detention tower—the Nest of Maggots. The Fourth Division is the Logistics Corps, mainly responsible for managing the unit's internal affairs, large and small. The Fifth Division is the Inner Court Troop, a messenger unit tasked with swiftly delivering orders to each unit. Its method is faster and more accurate than using Hell Butterflies, and the orders it delivers are all top-priority directives. Now, tell me your choices."

The three exchanged glances and already knew what the others were thinking. They said in unison, "Commander-in-chief, I choose the First Division."

Shihoin Tōno looked unsurprised, as though he had known what they would choose. "Good. Number One, take them to learn about the work first. They'll officially join the Punishment Force tomorrow."

A masked man to Shihoin Tōno's right stepped forward and answered, "Yes." Then he said to the three, "Come along, you three new recruits. I'll arrange your rooms first and explain the Punishment Force's specific duties along the way."

The three followed the so-called Number One. On the way, he explained a great deal about their work and shared some of his experience. By the time he was done, the three had gained some understanding of the Punishment Force.

When they reached the barracks, Number One said, "All right, we're here. This is the men's dormitory. You two, come with me. Miss Yoruichi, please wait a moment."

Ye Yang and Kisuke Urahara were assigned to the same room. Number One told them, "All right, you can rest here for now. Gather at the place we were just at this afternoon. We'll be carrying out a mission, and you can come along and see how it's done."

"All right, got it," Ye Yang said.

After Number One left, Ye Yang flopped straight onto his bed and sighed. "Kisuke, I guess we've joined the division now. It doesn't seem as strict as I imagined."

Kisuke Urahara smiled. "Yeah, but we're going to watch them carry out a mission this afternoon. I wonder what the Punishment Force's work is really like?" As he spoke, Kisuke Urahara's eyes gleamed.

"Forget it. There's no point talking about it now. We'll find out this afternoon. Let's sleep." After saying that, Ye Yang lay down and soon fell asleep, his breathing steady.

Kisuke Urahara smiled wryly at his side and murmured, "Only you could still fall asleep."

The morning passed while Ye Yang slept. Kisuke Urahara woke him, and the two went to the gathering place, where Yoruichi was already waiting. The three saw more than a dozen people in black ninja outfits talking among themselves. Soon, Number One came over and said to them, "Our mission is to capture several escaped criminals. Don't make a sound when the time comes. Just watch. Understood?"

"Understood," the three said.

Before long, the three followed the Punishment Force to the capture site, a stretch of wasteland with a dilapidated house in the middle. Number One said, "The criminals are inside. They're very likely to resist, so be ready to fight. You three new recruits, stay put so you don't get hurt." In their minds, Ye Yang and the others had only just graduated from Shin'ō. Although they had graduated early, their strength couldn't be all that great.

Ye Yang nodded without objecting. More than a dozen Punishment Force members followed Number One inside, but then something unexpected happened. A tremendous explosion erupted within, and the dilapidated house vanished.

When the thick smoke cleared, only three people were left standing in the middle. One of them was Number One. His shoulder was injured, and his left arm was practically useless. He said, "You dare resist arrest? Are you defying Soul Society?"

A slightly overweight Soul Reaper facing him said, "What a joke. Wouldn't the outcome be the same if you took us back? Would Central 46 let escapees like us go? We might as well fight to the bitter end!" His attitude was resolute, with no room for compromise.

"You won't come to a good end defying Soul Society. You know that. Even if you have the strength of Seated Officers, you still don't stand a chance," Number One said.

The other Soul Reaper said impatiently, "Nishimura, why waste so many words on him? Finish this quickly, or none of us will get away when their reinforcements arrive."

"Attack!" The two charged at Number One's injured body like lightning. He had already given up resisting. Caught between two high-ranking Seated Officers, he didn't stand a chance, so he closed his eyes as though resigned to his fate. Yet he waited and waited without feeling a Zanpakuto pierce his body. Finding it very strange, he opened his eyes and saw the three new recruits from earlier blocking the attack for him with their Zanpakuto.

"Don't move. You're badly hurt, so lie down first," Ye Yang told Number One.

Number One was shocked. "Didn't I tell you not to come out? Get away quickly. I'll hold them off. Hurry and notify the commander-in-chief. I might still have a chance of survival."

The Soul Reaper called Nishimura looked at Ye Yang and the other two, who had suddenly appeared. "None of you three are getting away. Burn—Flame Soul!"

His Zanpakuto instantly turned red, and the distortion of the air around its blade showed how hot it was. Number One was shocked. "You've learned Shikai? Get away, quickly! I'll stay and hold them off."

The other Soul Reaper sneered. "I know you can use Shikai too, but do you think you can hold both of us off with injuries that severe? Hmph, I'll let you know what killed you. Freeze him—Ice Flower!" As he spoke, his Zanpakuto became an ice spear.

Seeing that both of them had released their Shikai, Number One's eyes filled with despair. If only one had used Shikai, he might still have been able to use his own Shikai and stake his life to ensure Ye Yang and the others got away. As long as they escaped safely, Number One would have been satisfied. But now that both could use Shikai, one could easily keep him occupied while the other killed Ye Yang and the others. If the Shihoin Clan's young lady and young master were killed, the consequences would be unthinkable!

Just as Number One was despairing, he suddenly heard two unbelievable phrases.

"Hum softly—Mongoose!"

"Awaken—Benihime!"

Yoruichi and Kisuke Urahara had already been unable to hold back from releasing their Shikai. The sight left Number One's mind blank. He had never imagined that these three geniuses had already learned Shikai, something only high-ranking Seated Officers could master. They had learned Shikai right after graduating.

Number One wasn't the only one surprised. The two facing them were astonished as well. Who could have imagined that two seemingly inexperienced Soul Reapers could use Shikai? Learning Shikai at their age made them peerless geniuses, and now two had appeared at once. What was more, Ye Yang, who seemed to be the mainstay of the three, hadn't made a move. The two guessed that Ye Yang could probably use Shikai as well. Three geniuses had appeared at once. Since when had geniuses become so common? The two couldn't help grumbling inwardly.

The Soul Reaper named Nishimura said, "Don't be afraid. They must have only just learned Shikai. We've known it for more than twenty years. Are we really going to be afraid of two brats? Go! You take the one on the left; I'll fight the one on the right."

As soon as he finished speaking, the two engaged Yoruichi and Urahara. Yoruichi faced the Soul Reaper with the ice spear. His Zanpakuto's ability seemed to be freezing people, but Yoruichi gave him no chance to use it. Yoruichi had been the fastest of the three to begin with, and with her Zanpakuto released, she was as fast as an arrow loosed from a bow. She struck and withdrew every time, giving him no chance to counterattack. Before long, he was covered in wounds, while Yoruichi still didn't have a scratch. A few more minutes and she could wear him down to death.

Kisuke Urahara wasn't having such a smooth time. His Zanpakuto was Kidō-type, while his opponent's fire-type Zanpakuto was suited to close combat. His opponent repeatedly closed in and attacked Urahara, leaving him in a sorry state several times.

Just as Ye Yang was about to help Urahara, he suddenly shouted, "Burst forth—Benihime!" Kisuke Urahara called out a Shikai release phrase different from his usual one, and the Blood Mist Shield appeared in front of him. Then countless red arrows of light shot from the shield's surface, forcing his opponent back. Immediately afterward, he recited, "Bakudō #30—Beak-Piercing Triple Flash!" Three yellow triangular beams of light pinned his opponent down. But he wasn't finished. Knowing that wouldn't be enough to hold his opponent, he recited again, "Carriage of thunder, gaps of the spinning wheel, this thing has light that gathers and divides into six, Bakudō #61—Six Rods Prison of Light!" Six rods of light clamped around his opponent's waist. A number 61 binding spell cast with its incantation wasn't something he could break free of.