Old Friend

Soul Society, Nara Dan's group emerged slowly from the Garganta, dragging a tightly bound Tōsen Kaname.

What greeted their eyes was Genryūsai Yamamoto's stern expression.

Surrounding him were a host of Captains, clearly assembled to receive Nara Dan and his companions.

Nara Dan frowned at the sight, spotting someone he absolutely should not have seen.

Kisuke Urahara.

And this Urahara bore none of the disheveled appearance he'd had in the Human World; instead, he was dressed in his shopkeeper's attire, smiling and waving at Nara Dan.

'This guy.'

Nara Dan's expression tightened, a different thought stirring in his mind.

'No sooner did he leave the Wandenreich than he reported straight to Head Captain Yamamoto.'

'So he realizes how troublesome the Wandenreich are, Kisuke Urahara.'

With that, Nara Dan's group walked directly up to Genryūsai Yamamoto and dumped Tōsen Kaname on the ground.

The Head Captain stomped his cane, and in an instant, several members of the Stealth Force in black appeared, carrying Tōsen Kaname off to some unknown location.

Head Captain Yamamoto fixed Nara Dan with a deep, unreadable gaze that betrayed neither anger nor pleasure.

Nara Dan met his stare with equal calm, his own expression placid.

As this silent exchange stretched on, and the onlookers braced for something to happen, Head Captain Yamamoto spoke.

"You've worked hard."

"Everyone..."

"Now go and rest well."

"I'll handle the remaining tasks."

Unexpectedly, Head Captain Yamamoto did not rebuke Nara Dan for his audacious incursion into the Wandenreich, acting as if he knew nothing of it.

He simply offered a few words to steady morale, then asked Retsu Unohana for a rough account of the Hueco Mundo operation.

When Unohana mentioned the instability of the Garganta during their trip to Hueco Mundo, Head Captain Yamamoto remained unusually calm.

Then Genryūsai Yamamoto turned