Deep within the vast, empty cavern, several figures stood tall. At the very center of the group stood a triangular barrier, within which flames churned endlessly!
At the heart of those flames sat an old man in meditation. It was none other than the long-missing Captain-Commander Yamamoto!
"Heh, those Shinigami have arrived," said a purple-haired woman clad in an elegant robe.
"They're here!"
"They're here!"
Two identical children chimed in one after the other in cheerful voices.
"They're preparing for a final battle with us!" Muramasa wore a cold smile. Though his tone was somewhat heavy, a gleam shone in his narrowed eyes, as though he had been waiting for this moment for a very long time!
Aside from those maintaining the barrier, a large group of people of all different appearances had gathered around the outskirts.
"They're really slow. This time, I'm definitely killing that bastard who keeps shouting my name!!"
"That old hag—I'm definitely going to scratch up her face this time!"
"Oh? I wonder who was the one in such a sorry state last time, locked inside a prison cart!"
"Weren't you there too?" The catlike girl shot a vicious glare at the kimono-clad girl. "Besides, if you hadn't caused trouble, I would've killed that old hag long ago!"
"Enough. Stop arguing!"
Muramasa slowly walked over. He raised his head toward a certain direction, and the sneer at his lips deepened. "Since our guests have arrived, as the hosts, it would only be polite for us to give them a proper 'welcome'!"
The crowd sneered at those words, then exchanged glances before vanishing from where they stood!
Outside the cavern lay a forest. More than a dozen Shinigami had split into two groups, each stationed outside one of the cavern's two entrances!
"This is indeed Teacher