The next day.
The morning passed peacefully. Kisuke Urahara brought Kurotsuchi Mayuri to report to the Staff Department, and Yamabuki Chidori greeted Mayuri with a broad smile when they met for the first time.
Mayuri, however, looked cold as ice, as though someone owed him money.
The peace lasted until nightfall. No one knew that Seireitei's calm would be shattered that very night.
The moon shone brightly when an alarm suddenly sounded from the 12th Division.
"Level-four alert! A Menos Grande has invaded Soul Society! Prepare for battle immediately!"
Every Soul Reaper went on guard at once and readied themselves to deploy.
The captains of the Visored Army knew that what came next was their moment onstage.
Yamabuki Chidori immediately issued an order. "Fifth Division Captain Shinji Hirako, 9th Division Captain Kensei Muguruma, and 9th Division Lieutenant Kuna Shiro—prepare to deploy. Be careful out there."
The three officers set off at once.
Aizen had not expected his plan to go so smoothly. He had been wondering how to get Yamabuki Chidori to send more people, only for Chidori to dispatch two captains and a lieutenant outright.
The Captain Commander immediately called a meeting, and every captain and lieutenant headed for the First Division Barracks.
It was Kisuke Urahara's first time seeing such a scene. He brought Hiyori, who had only just been promoted to lieutenant, to the meeting.
Since Shinji Hirako had already gone to the battlefield, Fifth Division Lieutenant Aizen attended the meeting in his captain's place.
"What's the situation?" the Captain Commander asked gravely.
The task of reporting fell, of course, to Kisuke Urahara, the newly appointed captain of the 12th Division.
"For some reason, we've lost contact with the captains at the front," Urahara said, his expression grave.
Sending reinforcements was the safest course, but Urahara could