CHAPTER 88: Dangai

Within the next hour, Kazuya found himself back in Kisuke's well-lit underground chamber, facing Kisuke with Yoruichi on his side.

Kisuke raised the tip of his hat. "Ready to take a step back in time and explore your dark past? What I mean is." Without awaiting a reply, Kisuke whipped out a ludicrously large megaphone from the depths of his robe and roared into it, "ARE YOU READY?"

Kazuya snatched the megaphone and tossed it aside. "Just bring out the Senkaimon."

"Aye aye, Captain." Kisuke complied, a quick snap of his fingers breaking the very fabric of reality, revealing four eerily rifts. Huge blocks of weathered gray stone emerged from each rift and formed a hollow rectangular block. The entire block looked as if it was put together by gluing a bunch of paper. "The Senkaimon, the Tunnel World Gate. You might already know this, but let me refresh your memories on the dangers of entering a Senkaimon."

"Huh?" Apacci's voice echoed, a note of confusion tingeing her tone. "I thought Senkaimon is Shinigami's version of Garganta… and safe to transverse."

"It is relatively simple if you have Jigokuchō, but us expelled Shinigami don't have access to them. Kazuya-san and Yoruichi-san need to take the much more difficult route."

"Explain why it's hard," Apacci urged.

"The Senkaimon will close in four minutes. If you don't reach the Soul Society in four minutes, you will be trapped in the Dangai—the precipice realm between the Living World and the Soul Society —forever."

As the words seeped in, Apacci reached out, her fingers desperately clutching the fabric of Kazuya's shirt. "Kazuya can fly. Four minutes should be enough for him."

"The travel in Dangai…" Yoruichi said, looking at Kazuya with a soul-piercing gaze. "It isn't dictated by speed but willpower. The will to go forward is our guide. Have no doubt. Have no fear. Do not stop. Do not look back. Do not think of those you are leaving behind. Just… go forward."

She was obviously addressing his relationship with his lovers, which might become a problem within the realm of Dangai. If his heart lingered in the Living World, he might not make it out of the Dangai.

"Shihōin-san," he said with a confident voice. "I can handle the willpower part. I'm more worried about the currents that flow in the Dangai."

"Kōryū? We need to avoid it at any cost. Once you're stuck in its grasp, crossing to the Soul Society in time will become impossible."

Harribel clenched her fists. "That's… absurd. Why can't he go through Garganta?"

With a shake of his head, Kisuke explained, "The S.R.D.I. are monitoring the Hollow activities all day all year. They will be alerted as soon as Garganta opens. We can't take that risk. This Senkaimon is our only choice in giving him entry to the Soul Society."

Compared to the reality-bending distortions caused by Garganta, the subtler ripples of Senkaimon often flew under the investigative radar.

Harribel bit her lip, anger flashing in her eyes. "Why does he—"

"Relax, Tier," intertwining his fingers with hers and applying a gentle, comforting pressure. She was openly showing concern about him, which warmed his heart. "Shihōin-san will be there with me. There is no obstacle in this world we can't pass together. Even Baraggan got destroyed, remember?"

Yoruichi nodded with a chuckle. "It's a walk in the park for Shinigami with our resolve."

"What they said," Kisuke added, lazily waving a fan in front of his face. "I have prototype communication devices to exchange words between us and the Soul Society. We'll know when he makes it to the other side."

Mila Rose gave Harribel's shoulder an encouraging pat. "Harribel-sama, Skull is a bit perverted but he always lives up to his promise. Let's trust him."

Sung-Sun wrapped her arms around Harribel from the side. "Husband is a god. Nothing can harm him."

"That's going too far," Apacci retorted, though a smile played on her lips. "I guess it's true in a sense. He is the King of Hollows for a reason."

Everyone except Cirucci came together to reassure the worried mother of the Inverse, who showed genuine compassion and affection for Kazuya. Their collective encouragement had a splendid effect, lifting her spirits.

Kazuya took his turn embracing each of them, his lips sneaking in a quick, affectionate kiss. There were no complaints or rejections when faced with the idea of living without him for a month at the very least.

Witnessing the sweet relationship between Kazuya and his companions stirred a pang of guilt in both Kisuke and Yoruichi. They recognized the importance of stopping Aizen and maintaining the balance but the emotional toll felt burdensome nonetheless.

After warm farewells, he stepped into the Senkaimon, followed by Yoruichi. His physical body remained behind, entrusted to the loving care of his lovers. It was actually of no importance since he could create a new physical body every time he changed from Soul to Human race.

…

The Dangai unveiled itself as a seemingly endless tunnel swallowed in darkness. Surrounded by looming violet walls that exhaled a smoky aura—the dangerous Kōryū currents—the narrow path felt oppressive and eerie. Suddenly, as if provoked, the walls lunged forward, attempting to capture them in their shadowy grasp.

"Run!" Yoruichi said. "Don't look back. Just run!"

He threw her onto his head and sprinted, fueling each stride with a desperate urgency. His peak physical condition kept him just beyond the snatching grasp of the violet, time-altering currents of Kōryū. He wasn't risking using his spiritual power.

"There." Yoruichi pointed towards a glimmering golden door, shining like a beacon of hope in the dark corridors. "Keep running, Champ. The only way lies ahead of us. To the Soul Society, we go!"

Fuelled by her rallying cry, he slashed through the remaining distance and charged headlong into the glimmering door. They emerged under a clear blue sky over a Rukongai District. In the distance stretched a panorama of traditional Japanese buildings, a stark contrast to the humble cottages beneath him. The Rukongai was a glimpse of a time before stonework, while the Seireitei represented the serene beauty of Kyoto's historical architecture.

He took a deep breath, letting the air of the Soul Society fill his lungs.

'I'm finally here.'

{Let's fucking go and murder Aizen.}

'Nami, go back to sleep.'

...

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