Central Seireitei.
Before the ruins of the temporary meeting venue had been fully cleared, the captains had already followed Yamamoto to an open area.
It was some distance from every division's barracks, with nothing around it but broken walls and scorched ground.
Ichigo Kurosaki stood behind the captains, his gaze constantly sweeping his surroundings.
"Will Zero Division really come?"
"They certainly will."
Yoriichi stood beside him and answered calmly.
"With Seireitei so badly damaged, there's no way the Soul King Palace hasn't noticed."
Ichigo nodded.
He had already heard of Zero Division.
It was a special unit that guarded the Soul King Palace. It had only five members, yet held a position above the Gotei 13.
But he had no idea just how strong those people were.
As he was thinking, a thunderous sound suddenly came from the sky.
Boom!
An enormous black pillar descended from the sky and slammed into the ground before them.
The ground instantly caved in, sending rubble flying in every direction.
Several captains gripped their Zanpakuto at once.
The black pillar slowly opened.
A foot clad in a wooden sandal stepped out.
Then a tall monk emerged from the pillar.
His head was bald, his face covered by a thick beard. He wore loose black monk's robes, with a string of prayer beads hanging at his waist.
The monk was so burly that he almost blocked out the light behind him as he stood there.
He rested one hand on a monk's staff and stroked his beard with the other, slowly looking over everyone present.
"It's been a long time, Shigekuni Yamamoto."
"Ichibē Hyōsube."
Yamamoto leaned on his cane, his expression unchanged.
The monk grinned, revealing a row of even teeth.
"It seems you suffered a crushing defeat this time."
Shunsui Kyōraku looked at him