[Soul Society Arc] Part 66: Intruders

# Seireitei - 1st Division Barracks | Captains Assembly Hall #

The captains remained in silence, perhaps waiting for an excuse from Gin Ichimaru for his apparent failure to deal with the Ryoka. However, Gin's words were quite the opposite.

Gin: "An explanation? I haven't got one." - He replied, still wearing his wide smile.

Yamamoto: "What?"

Gin: "I was careless. I have no excuse," - he said, running his fingers through his white hair. - "I will accept any punishment."

Aizen: "Wait, Ichimaru–"

Before the captain could say anything else, emergency alarms blared throughout Seireitei, capturing the attention of all the captains.

[Emergency!! Emergency!! Intruders in Seireitei!! All guards, return to your positions!!!]

Zaraki: "Intruders?! The Ryoka?!" - Captain Zaraki rushed out of the Assembly Hall without hesitation.

Aizen: "Wait, Kenpachi!"

Yamamoto: "I guess It can't be helped… This meeting is adjourned…for now! You will be informed of Captain Ichimaru's punishment. Return to your posts!"

Receiving their orders, the captains left one by one, and Gin remained standing there until Captain Aizen approached him briefly.

Aizen: "The alarm sounded at quite a convenient time…" - He whispered to Gin.

Gin: "I'm not sure I understand exactly what you mean by that…" - He replied with his trademark wide smile.

Aizen: "Do you really think you can get away with it? You'd be wise not to underestimate me."

**

Zaraki was running as fast as he could, eager to reach the location where the Ryoka were possibly located. Suddenly, a figure jumped in his path.

Yachiru: "Ken-chan!!!"

Zaraki: "Yachiru!" - He glanced briefly at the child with pink hair who had leaped onto his back.

Yachiru: "Is It an enemy? Are you gonna slay him?" - The child with the 11th Division insignia asked in a cheerful voice, still perched on the captain's back as he continued to run without stopping.

Zaraki: "Yes! A Ryoka! I don't know how, but he fought Ichimaru and survived!" - He said with an insane smile. - "And I saw Ichimaru's hand during their conversation... Somehow, the Ryoka injured Ichimaru!! I can't wait to cross swords with him!!"

- Meanwhile -

After the group was launched into the air with Kukaku's cannon, they continued channeling their spiritual energies into the orb.

Ichigo: "I expected a bigger jolt." - He commented when he noticed that, aside from going straight up, the cannonball didn't seem to be moving very fast.

Ganju: "Idiot... It's coming!!" - He said with a nervous smile.

Suddenly, the cannonball changed direction abruptly, accelerating at an insane speed, startling the teenagers in the process.

Among the group, the only ones not screaming were Yato and Chad, but it didn't mean they weren't anxious as well.

Yato: "You just had to open your mouth..." - He grumbled, looking at Ichigo.

Meanwhile, Ganju pulled out an orihon from his robes with some writings.

Ichigo: "What are you doing?!"

Ganju: "Part two!! Flower-Crane Cannon Launch Method Two is a two-part incantation! Part one launches and controls the direction, but acceleration and trajectory are controlled by part two!! If you want to land in one piece, don't bother me!!" - He said nervously.

While Ganju explained more about how the group needed to sync their spiritual energies with his as he focused on the next part of the incantation, Yato, although looking at Ganju, was more absorbed in his own thoughts than the Shiba's words.

Yato: 'Well... I guess it's from here that I'll need to make some changes...' - He thought as he quickly glanced at Chad. - 'If he falls too early, his fate will be the same... he'll run into Shunsui and have a bad time... but if I alter his course, maybe he'll run into something worse... better not leave him alone...'

Thinking this, Yato quickly glanced at Tatsuki.

Yato: 'I won't change Ichigo and Ganju's path... each one of them does a good job of drawing attention away from the others...'

Amid his thoughts, Yato heard Ganju begin reciting the second part of the incantation and, to maintain his act, he continued synchronizing his spiritual energy with the others.

Ganju: "Flower-Crane Cannon Launch Method Two!! The fate of the three sparrows, the fate of the four dragons, enclosed on five sides, unable to return six ri! Winds of heaven, orangutan, spoon, cane of elm-"

Orihime: "Kurosaki-kun... could you lower it a bit...?"

Ichigo: "M-my bad..." - He took a deep breath, trying to focus.

Uryu: "Kurosaki! Lower it more!"

Ichigo: "I'm trying! I've already lowered it quite a bit!"

Ganju: "...a thousand ashes and a thousand wisdoms, the plan of the white clouds... close to the moon, not stepping on the shadow of scarlet–"

Tatsuki: "Then lower it some more, idiot!" - She shouted, annoyed.

Ichigo: "Get off my back!!"

Chad: "Ichigo..."

Ichigo: "Yeah... I know!!!"

Ironically, Yato wasn't feeling as bothered by Ichigo's spiritual energy, but he decided to make a comment just to further unsettle his friend.

Yato: "Can you lower your energy a bit more...?"

Ichigo: "I'm trying!!!"

Ganju: "...a thousand ashes and a thousand wisdoms....Ah!!" - Shiba started to curse. - "You idiots!!! I read the same line twice because of you!!!"

Tatsuki: "Look what you guys did, you morons!!" - She shouted at Ichigo and Ganju.

Ichigo: "How is this my fault!?"

Ganju: "I lost my concentration because you all wouldn't stop shouting!!!"

Orihime: "Stop it, you three!" - She tried to get their attention.

Uryu: "This isn't the time for this!"

Yato: "....I love this team." - He sighed.

Amidst the argument, Chad looked in another direction and became more apprehensive.

Chad: "Hey... look over there."

Everyone looked even more astonished as they realized they could already see Seireitei in the distance.

Ganju: "Ah!! The Seireitei!!!"

# Seireitei #

The Shinigami had gathered at their respective posts. Captains and lieutenants had scoured the area all night, searching for any signs of possible intruders.

As dawn broke, they all noticed that the sky was growing brighter than usual, as if something radiant was approaching ever closer.

Captain Aizen and Lieutenant Hinamori were stationed in the 5th Division area when the captain spotted the shining object in the sky.

Aizen: "I'm finding it rather improbable that that thing could breach the Soul-Warding Membrane..."

Momo: "We should instruct everyone to fall back as a precaution!"

# Meanwhile #

Uryu: "We're gonna crash!"

Tatsuki: "What do we do?!"

Yoruichi: "We don't have a choice! Focus as much spiritual energy as you can!"

As Yato concentrated his spiritual energy along with the others, he couldn't help but think that this time it might be a bit easier to pass through the Soul-Warding Membrane. After all, if Ichigo's group had managed it before, adding Tatsuki and Yato himself should generate enough energy to make the crossing smoother. However, he was mistaken, as the result was nearly the same.

The cannonball managed to breach the Soul-Warding Membrane with some difficulty, and immediately afterward, it became highly unstable.

Ichigo: "What's happening?! We passed through the shield, but why aren't we falling?!"

Yoruichi: "Stay close! The cannonball was dissolved when it hit the shield and is holding us temporarily! It'll create a vortex, explode, and then vanish soon!"

Yato: 'Sorry, but my plan doesn't involve sticking with the others for now...' - He thought upon hearing Yoruichi.

Yoruichi: "If we're separated when this happens, the vortex will hurl us in different directions!"

The whirlwind began, and Yato attempted to use Bringer Light to move, but the vortex made this simple task quite complicated. Slowly but surely, everyone was being pulled in different directions.

Tatsuki instinctively tried to reach Orihime but ended up getting further away, caught by some threads Yato had used to pull her closer to him. Unlike his Bringer Light, Yato was handling his red threads perfectly but pretended to be struggling with the effort.

As in the original story, Ganju clung to Ichigo, and Chad held onto Orihime while Uryu was distancing himself from everyone. The moment Chad tried to reach Uryu, Yato saw an opportunity to change Chad's trajectory. He attached a red thread to Chad just as he leaped to reach the Quincy and throw him towards Inoue, but in that instant, Yato tried to pull him back.

Yato: 'Geez... this guy is heavy...' - He thought as he struggled to pull Chad back.

Yato knew that the vortex would disappear soon, and he needed to act fast. So, he concentrated all his efforts on using Bringer Light backward, letting go of Tatsuki in the process and pulling Chad closer to her.

Tatsuki: "What the hell are you doing!?" - She shouted as she saw Yato practically throwing himself out of the vortex. - "Yato!!" - She screamed when she tried to reach him in vain.

Orihime: "Yasakani-kun!"

Uryu: "Yasakani!"

Chad: "Yato…" - He exclaimed with a worried tone.

Ichigo: "Yato!!!"

Yoruichi: "Don't worry! He'll survive! If you want to look for him down there, you need to survive first!" - The black cat spoke with a hint of apprehension, leaning on Ichigo's shoulder for support.

Ichigo: "Damn it!!!"

Tatsuki was gripping Chad tightly while attempting to reach Orihime and Ichigo. In that exact moment, as their screams echoed through the air, the vortex dissipated, sending each of them tumbling in different directions as they descended toward the Seireitei.

Meanwhile, inside the Seireitei, the captain of the 11th Division, Kenpachi Zaraki, observed the collision of the object with the Soul-Warding Membrane. Unlike the rest of the shinigami who were apprehensive about the situation, Zaraki had a wide grin on his face.

Zaraki: "Damn it! That thing exploded and now it's splitting into five directions!!" - He complained while looking at each of the five beams of light that were about to crash into the Seireitei.

Zaraki: "Which one is it...?" - He opened a sadistic smile. - "Which one is the strongest?!"