Chapter 271: The Horror Of The Menos Grande.

The establishment of the Expeditionary Force was rapidly taking shape, orchestrated with careful coordination to ensure that each squad's responsibilities remained unaffected despite the transfer of elite Shinigami.

During this period, Makoto found himself repeatedly hosting friends who came to bid him farewell before his deployment.

Among them, one regret stood out—he wouldn't be able to attend the upcoming wedding of Byakuya and Hisana.

However, during their conversation, Byakuya confided in him that, to make things easier for Hisana in caring for her younger sister, he had already decided to formally adopt Rukia as his sworn sister before the wedding.

With this arrangement, Rukia would officially become a member of the Kuchiki family, granting her the rightful status to reside in the household permanently.

Kuchiki... Rukia?

As Makoto and Byakuya shared a quiet drink, he was about to impart some "marital wisdom" when their conversation was abruptly interrupted.

A Kuchiki household servant hurried in, bowing deeply before reporting with urgency,

"Master, an emergency report has arrived from the Shin'ō Academy. Lady Rukia's first Konsō training exercise has encountered an unforeseen crisis. A suspected Menos Grande attack has resulted in multiple casualties among the students."

"What?!"

Byakuya's face instantly darkened, his expression shifting to one of barely restrained fury.

Whether it was his growing affection for Rukia or his general inability to resist doting on her, his concern was evident as he snapped,

"What were the assigned squads assisting the Academy doing? How could they allow such a catastrophic failure?!"

The servant hesitated, noting Byakuya's uncharacteristically agitated state, before carefully explaining,

"Master, it seems that due to the recent drafting of elite Shinigami into the Expeditionary Force, there were lapses in security and vigilance..."

Byakuya's expression grew even more severe. His body tensed, about to move immediately to the Academy to verify the situation firsthand.

At that moment, Makoto rose to his feet and spoke calmly,

"Byakuya, wait. I'll go with you. If there are injured students, I can provide immediate medical aid."

Byakuya didn't bother with formalities, nodding sharply before the two Shinigami vanished in a flash toward Shin'ō Academy.

Upon arrival, they found the situation even worse than expected.

The Senkaimon leading to the designated training grounds had been destroyed by the Hollows, severing all communication between the Academy and the stranded students.

The only silver lining was that Captain Sōsuke Aizen of the Fifth Division had already mobilized a rescue team, using an alternative Senkaimon to reach the Human World.

Hearing this, Makoto couldn't help but twitch slightly at the corner of his mouth.

Especially when he glanced at the list of students participating in the training exercise.

Rukia Kuchiki, Renji Abarai, Izuru Kira, Momo Hinamori…

---

Meanwhile, in a long-abandoned industrial warehouse in the Human World, the air was filled with chilling screams and grotesque sounds of flesh being torn apart.

Hollows…

Inside the shadows of the steel framework, a group of first-year students from Shin'ō Academy huddled together, trembling uncontrollably.

Unlike the original course of events—where they had at least had Hisagi Shūhei, a capable sixth-year student, to hold off the Hollow's assault—this time, things were different.

Due to Makoto's "Spiritual Body Overlap" experiment, Shuhei's potential had skyrocketed, and he had graduated early to join the Gotei 13.

The senior students meant to supervise the training were the first to be devoured, reduced to nothing more than scattered remains inside the Menos Grande's gaping maw.

To the terrified first-years, the gruesome sight was nothing short of pure horror.

Not everyone was a prodigy like Gin Ichimaru, capable of graduating within a single year.

For most first-years, their knowledge of the Shinigami arts was still rudimentary at best. This Konsō training was their first real experience confronting Hollows as combatants.

And yet, what should have been a routine exercise involving weak, modified Hollows had turned into a nightmare—an encounter with a Menos Grande possessing the rare ability to conceal its spiritual pressure.

A deep metallic groan echoed as the creature's massive foot crushed the rusted steel beneath it, the sound reminiscent of a scythe dragging across bone.

Fear.

Dread.

None of the students dared to move, praying desperately for the Seireitei's rescue, terrified that the slightest motion might expose them to the monster.

Yet, to a Menos Grande, which could effortlessly sense spiritual pressure, these trembling first-years were nothing more than a buffet of tantalizing prey.

"Crunch… crunch…"

In the suffocating darkness of the factory, the sickening sound of bones splintering under jagged teeth filled the air.

Peering from a high vantage point, Renji Abarai—his wild red hair spiked like a delinquent's—watched in horror as one classmate after another was dragged screaming into the creature's maw. His fists clenched in helpless fury.

"Why…? Why is that Menos able to find each student with such terrifying precision?!"

Beside him, Rukia, who bore a striking resemblance to Hisana, Izuru Kira, whose face was as despondent as ever, and the soft-spoken Momo Hinamori, all shared the same look of rising panic.

Recognizing the danger early on, they had stuck together and sought a higher vantage point, hoping that staying hidden would buy them time until rescue arrived.

Kira, after a moment of thought, muttered grimly,

"Spiritual pressure. That Menos is likely an Adjuchas-level Hollow with a high degree of intelligence. It can sense every ounce of uncontrolled spiritual pressure we're releasing."

Renji's expression twisted in frustration.

"So what you're saying is, just sitting here is no different from waiting to die? Dammit, I refuse to be killed by some Hollow!"

His blunt declaration did nothing to lift their spirits. Instead, it only made the suffocating atmosphere even heavier.

The shadow of death loomed over them.

At that moment, Rukia tightened her grip on the Asauchi in her hands.

Two figures flickered through her mind— Makoto's gentle, scholarly demeanor and Byakuya's cold, unyielding gaze.

Steeling herself, she spoke with forced composure.

"Don't worry. The Seireitei will notice something's wrong soon. Reinforcements will definitely arrive—"

Before she could finish, the metal plating concealing their hiding place was violently torn away.

A massive, white-masked face loomed over them, hollow eyes glowing with insatiable hunger.

"How delightful. All my food gathered in one place."

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