Chapter 104: The Ryoka Incident

Aizen and Gin were speaking directly in front of 10th Division Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya. The "genius prodigy" heard their conversation clearly, his pupils contracting in response.

From Uehara Shiroha's perspective, this was transparently deliberate—a case of two adults exploiting the young captain's inexperience and underdeveloped judgment. Hearing their cryptic exchange, Hitsugaya felt drawn into something significant, unaware that he was witnessing a performance staged specifically for his benefit.

The young captain merely concluded that the "good guy" Aizen appeared genuinely concerned, which meant something must be wrong with Gin Ichimaru. After all, the perpetually squinting captain didn't look trustworthy, and there remained suspicion regarding his allowing the Ryoka intruders to escape. Previously, Gin had disobeyed orders by choosing to attack alone, and after encountering the Ryoka, he had inexplicably permitted their escape.

For a captain, this represented a serious dereliction of duty. Considering the supposed threat of the intruders, his actions seemed highly irregular. Consequently, the Captain-Commander and other captains had confronted Gin, demanding an explanation.

It was at precisely that moment that the alarm had sounded, announcing that 6th Division Vice Captain Renji Abarai had been defeated by the Ryoka. When the captains received this news, their expressions remained largely unchanged. Each maintained their characteristic demeanor, apparently unconcerned by the Ryoka incident. Defeating a Vice Captain was merely a minor problem.

For ordinary Shinigami, a Vice Captain represented a formidable figure. For captains, Vice Captain-level fighters were unremarkable.

Only Captain-Commander Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni's expression had darkened. He opened his normally narrowed eyes and spoke in a grave tone:

"We have already lost a Vice Captain, and we cannot allow this situation to continue. This mission is no longer suitable for lower-ranked shinigami to handle. Now, in my capacity as Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, I hereby issue a special wartime order. Throughout Soul Society, all Shinigami must carry their Zanpakutō and are permitted to release them at any time. Given the urgency of our circumstances, I will not hold the 3rd Division Captain, Gin Ichimaru, accountable for his unauthorized attack."

"Thank you very much!" Gin responded with apparent relief, as though he had narrowly escaped punishment.

However, the more Hitsugaya observed him, the more convinced he became that Gin's expression seemed artificial. Something was definitely wrong with Ichimaru, though Hitsugaya had no idea he was being deliberately manipulated by Aizen's machinations.

"A wartime special order?" Aizen exclaimed with well-feigned shock. "Has the situation truly escalated to such a degree?" As he spoke, his gaze toward Gin Ichimaru grew increasingly suspicious.

"Carry our Zanpakutō and release them at any time? Excellent!" Kenpachi Zaraki grinned savagely. "In that case, the strongest prey belongs to me alone. None of you will snatch it from me!"

Shunsui Kyōraku appeared deep in thought, sensing something amiss in the proceedings. The other thousand-year-old captain, Retsu Unohana, maintained her gentle and generous demeanor, her expression serene and her eyes warm. Yet none could perceive that beneath her composed exterior, her warrior's blood stirred with growing anticipation.

At this moment, Captain-Commander Yamamoto opened his eyes once more and declared with unwavering resolve: "Let us begin the war, everyone!"

"War?" Uehara Shiroha retracted his observation Haki and shook his head disapprovingly.

Regardless of the other captains' private thoughts, the old man clearly underestimated their enemy this time. Against Aizen, the Gotei 13 would suffer repeated setbacks, constantly manipulated according to the traitor's design. Ultimately, without Ichigo Kurosaki and Kisuke Urahara's intervention, the outcome would have been catastrophic.

The Thousand-Year Blood War proved even more devastating. Not only did they lose several captains in succession, but even the Captain-Commander himself fell in battle. The Soul Society nearly fell to enemy forces, suffering tremendous casualties. The entire Three Realms had teetered on the brink of collapse.

And now, with the Tsunayashiro family eliminated...

Uehara contemplated what exactly the Gotei 13 was protecting. He had long understood that they couldn't be relied upon, which actually benefited his plans. He could operate more freely while causing disruption.

What the situation truly required was a hardworking tool—someone capable of fighting and resisting!

With this thought, Uehara shifted his attention to Ichigo Kurosaki.

At that moment, Ichigo Kurosaki's eyes fluttered open. He felt profound weakness throughout his body, with sharp pain radiating from his chest. His torso and right arm were heavily bandaged.

Though he had successfully defeated Renji Abarai, Ichigo had sustained serious injuries in the battle, remaining unconscious for some time.

"You're awake, Mr. Ichigo?" Hanatarō Yamada's anxious expression brightened with relief upon seeing Ichigo regain consciousness.

Noticing the substitute Shinigami struggling to rise, Hanatarō quickly objected: "Mr. Ichigo, you mustn't move! You were severely injured fighting Vice Captain Abarai. You're not ready to stand yet."

"Renji Abarai!" The fierce-faced Vice Captain with his serpentine Zanpakutō flashed through Ichigo's mind. He shook his head and continued his attempt to rise. "How long have I been unconscious? I need to know what happened to Chad and the others—I have to find them."

Renji Abarai was undeniably powerful, but he was merely a Vice Captain. Although Ichigo had defeated him, it had been a pyrrhic victory at best. In Soul Society, eleven more individuals existed at Renji's level of power. More concerning were the thirteen captains who surpassed even Vice Captain-class fighters.

These captains possessed tremendous strength. Nevertheless, Kurosaki would not retreat—his friends were somewhere in this hostile realm. He had nowhere to withdraw.

Despite Hanatarō's repeated entreaties, Ichigo continued struggling to leave. His determination ended abruptly when Ganju Shiba, unable to tolerate the display any longer, knocked him back down.

"Mr. Ganju, what are you doing? That's too harsh!" Hanatarō cried out in alarm, seeing Ichigo sprawled on the ground.

Ganju responded matter-of-factly: "Can't you see that if I didn't do this, he'd keep pushing himself? He can barely stand—going outside now would guarantee his death. I knocked him out to save him."

"But... your method was excessively rough!" Hanatarō protested dejectedly. "Now there are more wounds to treat."

After additional treatment, Ichigo's condition finally stabilized. Observing the substitute Shinigami now in deep sleep, Ganju offered begrudging praise:

"Good work, kid! Treating such serious injuries... you're more capable than I expected."

"It's largely due to Mr. Ichigo's unique physiology," Hanatarō replied, studying the bandages covering Ichigo's chest with puzzlement. "Actually, I was quite surprised myself. When Vice Captain Abarai slashed open Mr. Ichigo's shoulder and chest, I thought such wounds would prove fatal. However, Mr. Ichigo's injuries were significantly shallower than anticipated."

While speaking, his gaze drifted to the white bone mask lying on the ground nearby. The mask was elongated and narrow, adorned with golden patterns around the eye sockets, giving it a mysterious appearance. A strange aura emanated from it, causing Hanatarō to feel uneasy and somewhat anxious in its presence.

Hanatarō pondered the mysterious object: "This mask just fell out of Mr. Ichigo's robes. Could it have somehow protected him? But what kind of mask could possibly block Vice Captain Abarai's Zanpakutō? And why does it so closely resemble a Hollow's mask?"

"This guy is really strange," Ganju muttered, oblivious to the peculiar mask on the ground. "When they came asking my sister for help, I thought it was odd. Invading Soul Society and challenging captains just to save a friend? Such an unusual Shinigami is rare. That's why I followed him here—I wanted to understand his thinking."

Of course, Ganju's journey had another purpose. More than twenty years ago, his beloved elder brother Kaien Shiba had died at the hands of a Soul Society Shinigami. Yet until his final breath, Kaien had maintained pride in his identity as a Shinigami, harboring no resentment toward the organization. Ganju needed to understand why—to discover what had truly happened that fateful year. This quest for answers had led him to accompany Ichigo to Soul Society.

"I think I'm beginning to understand Mr. Ichigo's choices," Hanatarō said, his expression sympathetic. "I've never had many friends and have always been ridiculed. Miss Rukia, despite being a member of the Four Noble Families, spoke to me kindly and never looked down on me. She became my only friend." His voice grew firmer. "I would risk everything for my friends too. That's why I chose to help Ichigo Kurosaki—to rescue Rukia Kuchiki."

"Though you appear timid, you're surprisingly dependable!" Ganju sighed. Simultaneously, he began to understand his brother's lifelong devotion to the Shinigami. Perhaps they weren't all the cold-blooded, selfish individuals he had believed them to be.

"Such passion," Uehara Shiroha remarked, shaking his head in his luxurious quarters.

He didn't dislike friendship and passion—on the contrary, he somewhat admired these qualities. However, friendship and passion without strength were ultimately meaningless. In the original timeline, although Ichigo had successfully rescued Rukia, Aizen had nearly destroyed him. Even with various advantages, Ichigo had been overwhelmed by both superior strength and intellect.

The reason Uehara could maintain his position wasn't due to passion, but rather his formidable power and knowledge of future events. Compared to passion and friendship, he placed greater faith in his task system and the sword at his side.

Why exhaust himself with emotional fervor? With sufficient ability, wouldn't it be more satisfying to raise the enemy's blood pressure instead? There was something uniquely gratifying about watching an opponent's face flush with rage yet remain powerless to act against you.

Sweeping away all opposition and enjoying life—these were his true pursuits.

His thoughts were interrupted by a familiar spiritual pressure approaching. "Right on schedule," he murmured to himself.

A gentle knock sounded at his door, accompanied by a soft voice: "Teacher Uehara, may I trouble you for a moment?"

Outside, Momo Hinamori shifted anxiously. She had visited this mansion numerous times before, even entering the master bedroom on several occasions. Nevertheless, disturbing her teacher at this hour seemed inappropriate. Had the maid not informed her that the teacher was expecting her, and had her concerns not been so pressing, Momo would never have intruded. Only in her teacher's presence could she find genuine peace of mind.

"It's Momo—come in!" Uehara rose and opened the door, gazing at the innocent "little white rabbit" before him.

Under the ambient light, the young woman appeared pure and lovely, like a naturally formed plum blossom. Her delicate round face, full of youthful collagen, looked so tender that it seemed water could be squeezed from it. Youth truly was the finest cosmetic. Although Hinamori lacked the voluptuous figure of Rangiku Matsumoto, her youthful charm carried its own allure. Now she gazed at him with sparkling, hopeful eyes—the picture of innocence.

Uehara silently cursed in his thoughts: "Aizen is truly monstrous to harm such an adorable girl. Unlike me—I would only cherish her!"

"Teacher Uehara," Momo pleaded, "I know you're incredibly busy, but I promise not to disturb you. I'll remain quiet and well-behaved—just allow me to stay by your side."

Recent days had placed tremendous pressure on Hinamori. Soul Society had suddenly issued the special wartime order, Renji Abarai had been wounded, and Rukia faced execution. Captain Aizen appeared troubled by some unknown difficulty, his expression constantly worried. Moreover, Tōshirō had warned her to be cautious around 3rd Division Captain Gin Ichimaru, suggesting he might pose a threat to Captain Aizen.

Her mind was in complete disarray. Throughout Soul Society, Uehara Shiroha remained the only person she could fully trust.

"Don't worry, I'll manage everything. It's going to be fine," Uehara reassured with a warm smile, embracing the panic-stricken Hinamori. Her body felt soft and comforting against his—an exquisitely proportioned figure that fit perfectly in his arms, leaving no space between them.

Compared to the talented courtesans he had known, Shinigami women possessed a distinctive refinement, their bodies well-balanced and powerful. This sensation remained indescribable to ordinary individuals.

In the original timeline, Hinamori had sought Aizen's help. This time, she had come to him instead. The reason was obvious—he presented a more appealing figure than the bespectacled Aizen who had yet to reveal his true appearance. In truth, even Aizen's complete form couldn't compare to Uehara's current magnificence.

Uehara wasn't merely handsome—he radiated extraordinary charisma and displayed exceptional talents. From physique to appearance, from temperament to identity and strength, he exhibited no flaws. He embodied the ideal of masculine perfection.

"Teacher..." Momo whispered after sinking into his embrace.

Facing this "delivered-to-his-door" innocent, Uehara responded with calculated tenderness: "I understand. You don't wish to witness conflict and bloodshed. You hope for peace to prevail. Don't worry—this will conclude soon, and everything will return to normal."

The wartime special order represented sacrifice and bloodshed—it signaled impending war. Whether from naivety or kindness, even though the Ryoka had injured her friends, Hinamori remained reluctant to fight them. Rukia, Harribel, and others shared this reluctance.

These individuals failed to comprehend a fundamental truth: without power, peace remained unattainable. In the Naruto universe, where upon Hashirama's death the "Five Great Villages" resumed their conflicts, instantly reducing peace to a mere illusion—everything stemmed from insufficient power.

It hardly mattered now. After tonight, none of this would concern them anyway.

Uehara's words resonated deeply within Hinamori's heart, profoundly moving her. And so, the metaphorical wolf devoured the innocent rabbit.

Meanwhile, Aizen had already staged his death, suspending himself from the wall. With time to spare, he indulged his flair for the dramatic while ensuring maximum attention. To enhance the theatrical effect, he had deliberately increased the bloodshed.

Captain of the 5th Division, Sōsuke Aizen, appeared crucified against the wall. The expressions of the Shinigami who would discover this scene would surely prove fascinating. He anticipated the captains' reactions with considerable enthusiasm.

Shortly thereafter, vice-captains preparing for battle discovered the shocking tableau. Captain Aizen of the 5th Division had been pinned to the sacred East Wall! The murder weapon was none other than Aizen's own Zanpakutō, Kyōka Suigetsu!

The vice-captains who encountered this horrific scene stood frozen in terror!

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