A year was neither long nor short, and it soon passed.
Soul Society was a place made up of Seireitei and Rukongai, inhabited by Soul Reapers and ordinary souls alike.
Just as Soul Reapers occasionally ventured into Hueco Mundo, Hollows would occasionally appear in Soul Society and cause trouble.
The division responsible for dealing with Hollows that might appear in Soul Society, as well as routinely patrolling and guarding Rukongai-in other words, performing police duties-was the Tenth Division.
"Reporting, Captain! Signs of Hollow activity have been discovered in Kusajishi District."
Inside the Tenth Division barracks, a Seated Officer respectfully reported to his captain.
"Signs of Hollow activity in Kusajishi District?"
"Have you notified the 11th Division about this?"
The Tenth Division captain questioned his subordinate. Their duties were patrolling and maintaining security, but once Hollows were discovered, strictly speaking, fighting them was the 11th Division's job.
"No report has been sent. Judging by the Spiritual Pressure, they seem to be only a few minor Hollows that accidentally wandered over from Hueco Mundo. There's nothing worth particular attention."
The Seated Officer reported truthfully to the Tenth Division captain.
"Is that so?!"
"In that case, notify the entire division. We'll use today's extermination mission to teach you all a proper lesson and show you what kinds of monsters the 11th Division has been fighting, so you'll stop calling them a bunch of thugs and hooligans whenever you've had too much to drink."
The Tenth Division captain nodded lightly after hearing the Seated Officer's report. He intended to lead the team himself and give everyone a field lesson. Ever since Kuruyashiki Kenpachi became captain of the 11th Division, the other divisions had had a much easier time, but that had also caused quite a few problems. Many newcomers no longer understood how dangerous fighting Hollows was. Some even openly disparaged the 11th Division, calling them savage and uncultured. That was not something he, as a captain, wanted to see.
"Yes, sir!"
With that, the Seated Officer left the captain's quarters and soon assembled the members of the Tenth Division.
"Everyone, today I will lead you in actual combat against Hollows. I hope you'll come to understand that fighting Hollows is dangerous." The Tenth Division captain briefly addressed the assembled members, then said to his lieutenant, "Form ranks. Move out!"
"Everyone, assemble! Form ranks. Move out!"
The lieutenant immediately arranged the Tenth Division members into orderly ranks, and the group marched toward Kusajishi District in force.
"Hey, little brother! Need a hand? Our 11th Division has nothing to do right now!"
On the way, Kuruyashiki Kenpachi, who was returning from drinking with his division members, happened to encounter the Tenth Division. He cheerfully called out to their captain.
"They're only a few ordinary Hollows. There aren't any Menos Grande among them. Leave it to me!"
The Tenth Division captain gave Kuruyashiki Kenpachi a slight smile.
"Is that so? Then I'll leave it to you. Let's have a drink when you get back!"
Kuruyashiki Kenpachi patted the Tenth Division captain on the shoulder and smiled easily. Since the other man said he did not need help, he said no more. Besides, they were only a few minor Hollows. Wouldn't a division captain who had mastered Bankai handle them with ease?!
"We'll have a drink when I get back!"
The Tenth Division captain smiled lightly at Kuruyashiki Kenpachi, clearly not taking the matter to heart either. It was not just those two captains. None of the captains in Seireitei who received the news took it seriously. They all regarded it as nothing more than a thoroughly ordinary extermination mission.
Then...
"Hahaha... Can the gap between captains really be this large?"
"I thought all captains were like that big fellow, able to slaughter Adjuchas without even releasing their Zanpakuto~"
"So there are captains like you, too, who reach their limit fighting just five Adjuchas~"
Szayelaporro spoke with a smile, one hand clamped around the Tenth Division captain's neck.
"You... bastard..."
The Captain's Haori on the Tenth Division captain's back was in tatters, and the Zanpakuto in his hand had already snapped. As soon as the Tenth Division members entered Kusajishi District, they discovered that their Spiritual Pressure had been isolated by some kind of device. Immediately afterward, the humanoid Menos Grande before him had appeared in front of them with more than a dozen Adjuchas-class Menos Grande. What followed became a massacre. With their strength, they were like small fry before this humanoid Menos Grande. Even after using Bankai, he was still no match for him. That overwhelming combat power was just like that of the legendary Vasto Lorde-class Menos Grande.
"Oh?"
"The bait's been killed. Looks like a monster has arrived!"
"Everyone, we're retreating!"
Just as Szayelaporro was about to toy with the Tenth Division captain before him some more, he suddenly sensed that the two Adjuchas he had sent out as bait had been killed in an instant. Cautious by nature, he moved to leave, opening the Garganta behind him that he had prepared long beforehand.
"Take all these precious research materials with us... Soul Society, once I run out of research materials, I'll be back~"
Szayelaporro lightly licked the corner of his mouth and leaped into the Garganta with the Tenth Division captain still in his hand.
"Take them! Take them!"
The Adjuchas grabbed the nearby Soul Reaper corpses or dying Soul Reapers and entered the Garganta behind them, following Szayelaporro back toward Hueco Mundo.
Whoosh!
Just after Szayelaporro left, a sharp slash cut open the barrier he had set up outside.
Kuruyashiki Kenpachi arrived alone, sword in hand.
"Now we're in trouble!"
As Kuruyashiki Kenpachi looked at the corpses strewn across the ground and the half of a broken Zanpakuto lying there that was all too familiar to him, beads of sweat broke out on his forehead.
Seireitei had suffered an attack by an unknown enemy. Apart from those who had remained at the Tenth Division barracks, the Tenth Division had been wiped out! The entire Tenth Division, including its captain, lieutenant, and Seated Officers, had died heroically!
In terms of its impact, the entire incident could almost be called the most devastating event Soul Society had suffered in the past hundred years.
In the end, not only was Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto alerted, but even the lofty Squad Zero was stirred, specially dispatching Tenjirō Kirinji to descend from Squad Zero and investigate.
"Hahaha... With these Soul Reaper corpses and a living division captain, I'll definitely be able to evolve perfectly and find a way to help Lord Sōgo suppress his Spiritual Pressure based on the characteristics of Soul Reapers' Spiritual Pressure~"
Inside Szayelaporro's research base, countless enormous jars and containers were filled with Soul Reaper corpses. Yet his greatest gain among them was still the Tenth Division captain, who remained alive and could speak and move.
"Slurp~"
Szayelaporro gently licked the corners of his mouth, his eyes full of anticipation. He could already see the day he would become an Arrancar.
What this fills in is the part in the original story where the Tenth Division was inexplicably wiped out and Tenjirō descended to investigate, laying the groundwork for what comes later.
The story will return to the protagonist's perspective after this.
(End of chapter)