Far to the north of Seireitei, in Zaraki District, a massive triangular formation consisting of nearly a thousand Soul Reapers and over a hundred members of the Kido Corps was racing north under the cover of night.
The force had begun assembling after the captains' emergency meeting. First, the captains of each division had screened out problematic members according to a list, then appointed the rest directly, one by one. To prevent word from leaking out of Seireitei, most of the force's members were stationed in the four Plains of Slaughter and throughout Rukongai.
Once these Gotei 13 members had assembled and it was confirmed that no information had leaked from Seireitei, the force led by Ao—who was actually Hongjiang in disguise—finally began arriving in Zaraki District in separate groups three days ago. It consisted of four captains, nearly a hundred members of the 2nd Division's Stealth Force, and over a hundred members of the Kido Corps. Only then was the force truly complete.
Hongjiang, his face hidden behind a mask, was the sole figure at the very front of the force. He was also its commander and the highest-ranking decision-maker of the unit known as the Star-Extermination Force!
Their mission was, naturally, to destroy the Sternritter Fortress. It was one part of the Extermination Operation, known as the Star-Extermination Siege.
Their mission had yet to begin, but Hongjiang's face was already grave. Though the Extermination Operation had three parts, the Star-Extermination Siege under his command was the most crucial. It was no exaggeration to say that its success would directly determine whether the entire operation succeeded or failed.
The Extermination Operation was divided into three parts. They would take place almost simultaneously, but in practice, one would follow another. The first part, Pruning the Eyes and Branches, was already complete. Hongjiang's Star-Extermination Siege had yet to begin, while the third part was currently underway, bringing the entire operation to its final stage.
After Pruning the Eyes and Branches ended, the nine remaining captains in Seireitei would divide into three groups and undertake different missions.
The 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th Divisions, led by Head Captain Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, would coordinate and provide support from the center. While defending Seireitei, now left with a depleted force, they would do their best to locate the Quincy groups in the World of the Living.
At the same time, the four powerful captains Shihoin Dozo, Kuchiki Ginrei, Hikifune Kirio, and Kuruyashiki Kenpachi would lead their divisions in a feint attack on Hueco Mundo. This would ensure that, while Hongjiang was carrying out his mission, Menos Grande above Gillian level could not interfere and leave him caught between two fronts.
As for the remaining four captains—Unohana Retsu, Kyoraku Shunsui, Shiba Isshin, and Ukitake Jushiro—they would first lead their divisions into Rukongai from four directions, roughly sweep up the scattered Quincies there, and stabilize the situation.
Afterward, two of the four captains, Unohana Retsu and Shiba Isshin, would lead their forces into Zaraki District. The latter would clear out the Hollows and Quincies roaming the district, while the former would rush to the Sternritter Fortress to reinforce the Star-Extermination Force.
Meanwhile, Kyoraku Shunsui and Ukitake Jushiro would hold their position in Rukongai, maintaining contact with Seireitei behind them and coordinating with the Plains of Slaughter beyond, ready to act as the situation demanded.
Weaving the Net was the name of this part of the operation: cut away the scattered minor branches, while weaving a net in the World of the Living and waiting for the final moment to close it, capturing every Quincy in one fell swoop! That moment would naturally have to wait until Hongjiang had taken the Sternritter Fortress.
It was easy to see that both Pruning the Eyes and Branches and Weaving the Net existed to support Hongjiang's mission. The cost of the latter, unlike that of the former, was considerable.
From the moment the four captains led their forces into Hueco Mundo as bait, Soul Reapers had already begun giving their lives in this war. The pressure this placed on Hongjiang was easy to imagine.
But he was not the sort to retreat in the face of danger. Ever since he had taken charge of drawing up the Star-Extermination Siege plan, he had been prepared. This operation could only succeed; failure was not an option. Seireitei could not bear the cost of failure, and neither could the World of the Living—or the Soul Society!
First came the timing. The others would be fine, but the four captains in Hueco Mundo could not leave all the people they had taken there behind. Two days! That was the longest the four captains could remain in Hueco Mundo within the limits Seireitei could accept, and also the absolute deadline for Hongjiang to take the Sternritter Fortress.
Second, not a single Quincy could be allowed to escape the Sternritter Fortress. They were to be captured alive whenever possible, provided it did not endanger the force. Killing them all was also acceptable, but that was the absolute bottom line.
As Hongjiang mentally rehearsed every detail of the plan, two figures rapidly approached from behind and soon came up alongside him.
"Lord Ao?"
Hongjiang turned toward the voice. Her skin made her difficult to make out clearly in the night, but he could still recognize Yoruichi's familiar face. Beside her, Urahara wore an unusually rare expression: no smile at all.
"What is it? Something wrong?!" Hongjiang asked in a gruff voice, putting on an air of authority.
"I just..." Yoruichi hesitated, then gritted her teeth and continued, "I wanted to ask where Hongjiang Diezuka is now, Lord Ao?!"
Before coming, Yoruichi had learned that Hongjiang had been framed, and that over the past hundred and fifty years, he had worked alongside Ao to prepare for this Extermination Operation. She had asked her father where Hongjiang was now, but Dozo wasn't sure either. He only knew that Hongjiang was in Zaraki District and would most likely join the Star-Extermination Force when the time came.
Since she and Urahara were also members of the Star-Extermination Force, she had expected to see Hongjiang when they arrived and carry out the mission together. But Hongjiang was nowhere to be found in the force. After worrying for so long, the two had no choice but to gather their courage and ask Lord Ao, whom they had never met before.
Yoruichi had no idea that the Hongjiang she had been longing to see was right in front of her. Of course, Hongjiang hadn't arranged things this way on purpose. Although he had drawn up the Star-Extermination Force's roster himself, the division captains had made the final decisions about who would actually join.
In fact, Hongjiang had initially excluded the two of them for one reason and one reason only: this mission was far too dangerous.
But Yoruichi was an indispensable part of the operation, and her father, Shihoin Dozo, had recommended her. It was hard to believe there were fathers in this world who would push their daughters into a fire pit, but Shihoin Dozo was a real madman!
There wasn't much to say about Urahara. He didn't trust Yoruichi to go alone, so he had insisted on coming along. In the end, Hikifune Kirio had arranged for him to join as well.
There was nothing Hongjiang could do. He couldn't kick two members out of the force without any reason. So the three childhood friends had ended up on the same battlefield. Perhaps it was fate; perhaps some unseen hand was guiding them.
"Lord Ao?" Urahara prompted when the other man still hadn't answered.
"That kid!" Hongjiang came back to himself, then changed tack and said irritably, "Why do you care about him? He has nothing to do with this operation!"
"We just wanted to know how he's doing. We're worried he might be in danger."
Do I really seem that useless to you? Hongjiang grumbled to himself, then continued aloud, "Of all the people who might run into trouble, that kid won't be one of them! Instead of worrying about him, you'd better think about yourselves! Especially you, Shihoin Yoruichi!"
Yoruichi was about to press him further, but Hongjiang raised a hand to stop her. He came to a halt and lifted his right hand over his head. The Star-Extermination Force, which had been marching just moments earlier, stopped and waited for his next order.
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