Two years had passed since Rojuro Otoribashi, the former Lieutenant of the Third Division, had been promoted to Captain. The Soul Society had settled into a semblance of normalcy, the undercurrent of unease regarding Hollow activity a constant hum beneath the surface. For Kisaragi, the routine of missions, training in the Void Corridors with Yoruichi, and the occasional quiet moments with his family continued.
He was in the midst of meticulously reviewing mission reports in his private office within the Second Division barracks when the urgent summons arrived. The door to his office burst open, revealing a haggard-looking Shinigami, his uniform torn and stained, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
"Shiba-sama! It's… it's an emergency!" the man stammered, his eyes wide with exhaustion and terror. "Our patrol… on the outskirts… near an unnamed village in the Rukongai… we were attacked!"
Kisaragi's head snapped up, his senses immediately picking up the man's frantic spiritual energy. "Report," he commanded, his voice calm but carrying an undercurrent of authority that cut through the man's panic.
"A… a white Hollow, Shiba-sama," the Shinigami gasped, clutching his chest. "Humanoid… but… its Reiatsu… unbelievably immense! We… we were overwhelmed. I barely managed to escape to report…" The man's voice trailed off, his body trembling. "I was on my way to Captain Shihōin… but she and Lieutenant Marenoshin are on a separate urgent mission. Third Seat Urahara and Fourth Seat Katagiri are also deployed…" The realization dawned on him, his eyes locking onto Kisaragi. "You're the highest-ranking officer here, Shiba-sama. We need help… now!"
A cold dread coiled in Kisaragi's gut. A white, humanoid Hollow with immense Reiatsu… the description sent alarm bells ringing in his mind. Without a moment's hesitation, he rose from his desk.
"Report this immediately to the First Division barracks," Kisaragi ordered, his voice sharp and decisive. "Inform Captain-Commander Yamamoto personally. Tell him we have a potential Vasto Lorde-level Hollow on the outskirts of the Rukongai." He didn't wait for confirmation, already moving towards the exit with a burst of Shunpo that left a faint gust of wind in his wake. Time was of the essence.
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He arrived at the ravaged village within moments, the scene confirming his worst fears. The air was thick with the cloying stench of death and corrupted spiritual energy. The ground was littered with the mangled remains of civilians, their lifeless eyes staring blankly at the dawning sky. Of the ten Shinigami who had been on patrol, six lay dead, their spiritual energy extinguished. Three remained, barely standing amidst the carnage, their bodies bearing grievous wounds. One individual saw Kisaragi, his face etched with relief and shock as he saw Kisaragi's arrival.
"Fifth Seat Kisaragi!" the injured Shinigami exclaimed, his voice hoarse with pain and relief. The other two standing Shinigami also showed visible signs of relief washing over their bloodied faces.
Kisaragi's gaze swept over the horrific scene, his expression hardening. "Fall back," he commanded, his voice cold and firm. "I have already ordered your comrade to inform the First Division and Captain-Commander Yamamoto of the situation. Reinforcements will arrive." He then turned his attention to the source of the devastation.
Standing amidst the carnage was the white Hollow. It was indeed humanoid, its form bulky and unnaturally muscular. Its mask was smooth and featureless, save for two large, empty eye sockets that seemed to pierce the very soul. An oppressive aura of immense Reiatsu radiated from it, a tangible pressure that made the air itself feel heavy.
Just as Kisaragi's attention focused on the Hollow, the creature moved with surprising speed, its arm, tipped with razor-sharp claws, lashing out towards one of the injured Shinigami. Without hesitation, Kisaragi Shunpoed forward, drawing his unreleased Zanpakuto in a swift, fluid motion, the polished steel intercepting the Hollow's deadly strike with a resounding clang.
The injured Shinigami gasped, relief flooding his pain-stricken face. "Shiba-sama…"
The other two standing Shinigami echoed his relief, their eyes wide with gratitude.
"Fall back now," Kisaragi reiterated, his voice carrying an undeniable weight of command. "Wait for reinforcements. You will only hinder me in this fight." The three Shinigami, though reluctant to leave their comrade to face such a terrifying foe alone, recognized the truth in his words. They nodded weakly and began to slowly retreat, supporting each other.
With the three injured Shinigami at a relatively safe distance, Kisaragi finally focused all his attention on the white Hollow. The creature hadn't even flinched from their initial clash, its empty gaze fixed on Kisaragi. He could feel the raw, untamed power emanating from it, a monstrous pressure that spoke of a being far beyond the typical Gillian or even Adjuchas class.
Without warning, the Hollow moved again, a burst of incredible speed propelling its bulky frame towards Kisaragi. Kisaragi sidestepped the attack with practiced ease, his Shunpo a mere flicker in the air. He reappeared behind the Hollow, his unreleased Zanpakuto slashing horizontally towards its back.
Instinctively sensing the attack, the white Hollow reacted with surprising agility. Sharp, bone-like spikes erupted from its back, grating against Kisaragi's blade and halting his strike with a jarring screech. A flicker of surprise crossed Kisaragi's mind as he noted this unexpected ability.
The Hollow didn't pause. It whirled around, its arm-like appendages, now elongated and sharpened into sword-like blades, lashing down towards Kisaragi with immense force. Kisaragi, a fraction of a second too late to fully evade, raised his Zanpakuto to block. The impact was staggering, a brutal force that sent him flying backwards a considerable distance. He felt the shock reverberate through his arms, noting the sheer, raw power behind the Hollow's blow.
While hurtling through the air, Kisaragi's mind worked with lightning speed. He immediately channeled his Reiatsu, forming the incantation for a low-level Bakudo. "Bakudo No. 37. Tsuriboshi." A translucent, cushion-like barrier materialized behind him just as he slammed into a ruined wall, the Bakudo absorbing the brunt of the impact and allowing him to land safely on his feet. The battle had truly begun, and Kisaragi knew this was a foe unlike any he had faced before.
The Hollow immediately lunged with incredible speed, its blade-like arm appendages slashing towards Kisaragi. Fully focused, Kisaragi engaged the creature in a furious sword fight, the clang of their weapons echoing through the ravaged village as blow after blow was blocked. The three injured Shinigami, huddled behind a shattered building, watched with wide, fearful eyes. A chill ran down their spines as they realized the sheer power of the Hollow they had faced and the terrifying reality that they would have undoubtedly perished had Fifth Seat Kisaragi not arrived when he did. They were awestruck by his fighting prowess, his ability to meet the monstrous Hollow's attacks head-on, blow for brutal blow. Whispers of disbelief passed between them. Was this truly just a Fifth Seat? He moved and fought with the power they could only imagine a Captain possessing.
During a brief exchange, Kisaragi dodged a sweeping attack from the Hollow, leaping high into the air to gain some distance. Seeing this, the Hollow's mask contorted slightly, and it began to charge a brilliant white Cero, energy coalescing at its open mouth. Kisaragi, realizing his mistake in seeking aerial advantage against such a powerful foe, was left with no choice but to deploy a defensive Kido. "Bakudo No. 81. Danku!" A large, rectangular barrier of spiritual energy materialized before him, just in time to fully intercept the searing white Cero. The explosion rocked the area, a cloud of smoke obscuring their vision.
Immediately after the blast, the Hollow, with an unnerving burst of speed, appeared suddenly in the sky above the smoke, its blade-like arms lunging downwards towards Kisaragi.
Anticipating this move, Kisaragi blocked the attack with his Zanpakuto, using the force of the blow to propel himself back towards the ground, where the faint shimmer of his previous Bakudo No. 37, Tsuriboshi, still lingered. He landed squarely on the resilient energy cushion, using it like a trampoline to add immense force to his counter-attack. The Hollow, seemingly caught off guard by this unexpected maneuver, was only able to partially block Kisaragi's downward strike, the impact sending it hurtling backwards, crashing through a line of trees with a deafening crack.
Without a moment's hesitation upon landing, Kisaragi channeled his Reiatsu, unleashing a powerful offensive Kido towards the area where the Hollow had crashed. "Hado No. 33. Sokatsui!" A torrent of brilliant blue, flame-like energy erupted from his hand, streaking through the air and engulfing the trees in a massive explosion.
As the smoke began to clear, Kisaragi's keen senses immediately located the Hollow. It was still standing, though visibly injured and scorched by the Kido. It was about to unleash another attack when a flash of golden light erupted from the side, a whip-like weapon lashing out and ensnaring the Hollow, constricting its movements as it struggled violently against its restraints.
"Well, now, looks like I arrived just in time for the grand finale!" a familiar, melodic voice called out. Captain Rojuro Otoribashi of the Third Division landed gracefully nearby, his golden whip-like Zanpakuto, Kinshara, still tightly coiled around the struggling Hollow.
Then, another powerful surge of spiritual energy descended from above. Blades of compressed wind, shimmering with raw power, rained down upon the ensnared Hollow, exploding upon impact with devastating force. Captain Kensei Muguruma of the Ninth Division landed beside Kisaragi, his expression grim.
The three hiding Shinigami, witnessing the arrival of two Captain-level reinforcements, gasped in relief and shouted, "The reinforcements are here!"
Kensei turned to Kisaragi, a hint of respect in his gruff voice. "Good job holding it off, Fifth Seat Shiba. That thing reeked of trouble."
Rojuro, his flamboyant smile in place, appeared beside them, Kinshara still binding the thrashing Hollow. "Holding it off? Kensei, my friend, it looked to me like our Fifth Seat here was about to win the whole show by himself!"
Kisaragi, ever the pragmatist, immediately began reporting the situation with concise efficiency. "Captain Otoribashi, Captain Muguruma, we encountered a humanoid Hollow with an exceptionally high level of Reiatsu. It possesses unusual abilities, including bone-like protrusions and bladed arms. I have already dispatched a message to Captain-Commander Yamamoto, suspecting a potential Vasto Lorde."
Kensei nodded grimly. "Good call, Fifth Seat. Your Captain was also informed and should be arriving shortly."
As if summoned by his words, a familiar surge of immense spiritual pressure descended upon the ravaged village. Captain Yoruichi Shihōin landed gracefully beside Kisaragi, Lieutenant Marenoshin Ōmaeda, following closely behind with a contingent of Second Division Shinigami.
Yoruichi's golden eyes scanned the scene, taking in the downed Shinigami, the restrained Hollow, and finally settling on Kisaragi. "Kisaragi! Are you alright?" Her voice, though usually playful, held a note of genuine concern. Marenoshin's gaze also held a similar worry as he looked at the Fifth Seat.
Kisaragi, dusting off his Shihakusho with a nonchalant air, replied in his usual dry tone, "It was… within acceptable parameters."
Yoruichi's lips twitched, a chuckle escaping her. Marenoshin, standing slightly behind her, couldn't help but crack a small smile at Kisaragi's typical response. The tension in the air eased slightly, replaced by the reassuring presence of the Captains and reinforcements. The immediate danger had passed, but the unsettling encounter with the powerful white Hollow left a lingering sense of unease, a stark reminder of the escalating threats lurking in the shadows.
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The three Captains, now fully present, assessed the situation with grim determination. Rojuro, with a flourish of Kinshara, kept the white Hollow tightly bound, its struggles becoming increasingly desperate. Without a word, the three Captains launched a coordinated assault. Rojuro's Kinshara pulsed with golden energy, constricting the Hollow further. Kensei unleashed a barrage of compressed air blades, each one tearing into the Hollow's flesh with explosive force. Yoruichi, her movements a blur of black and purple, delivered swift, powerful strikes with her bare hands, each blow carrying the force of a small explosion.
Under the combined onslaught, the white Hollow, which had moments before seemed invincible, finally succumbed. Its monstrous Reiatsu flickered and died, its bulky form collapsing into a heap on the blood-soaked ground. A collective sigh of relief swept through the assembled Shinigami.
"Well, that was… unsettling," Rojuro said, retracting Kinshara with a flourish. "Definitely not your average stray."
"Agreed," Kensei grunted, crossing his arms. "That Reiatsu… it was bordering on Captain-level."
The decision was made quickly. The unusual nature of the Hollow warranted further investigation. They agreed to transport the remains back to the Seireitei for research and analysis. But just as they were preparing to move the body, a sudden, overwhelming burst of energy erupted from the Hollow's corpse. In an instant, the white form disintegrated into nothingness, leaving behind only scorched earth.
All of them were caught completely off guard, even Kisaragi, whose senses usually perceived even the slightest fluctuations in spiritual energy. This attack had been swift, silent, and utterly unexpected at the very last moment.
"Who's there?!" Kensei roared, his hand instinctively reaching for his Zanpakuto. Their gazes snapped upwards, scanning the surrounding area. Atop the branches of a tall, gnarled tree at the edge of the ravaged village, two hooded figures stood silhouetted against the pre-dawn sky. Their forms were cloaked in shadow, their faces obscured by deep cowls.
Yoruichi's voice, usually playful, now held a dangerous edge. "Who are you? Show yourselves!"
The two figures remained silent, offering no response. Then, with an unnerving lack of any discernible spiritual pressure, they moved, melting into the darkness of the surrounding forest as if they had never been there at all. A stunned silence descended upon the clearing. Even Kisaragi was taken aback by their ability to completely mask their presence.
"That… that reiatsu concealment…" Kensei muttered, his brow furrowed in deep thought. "It reminds me… of the incident with the Third Seat of the Seventh Division years ago. They vanished without a trace, no spiritual signature left behind."
Kisaragi's mind raced, connecting the dots. The unusual power of the white Hollow, the sudden, silent disintegration, the complete absence of Reiatsu from the retreating figures… a chilling realization dawned upon him. Aizen, he thought grimly. And the other figure… the complete suppression of Reiatsu… it had to be Tōsen Kaname. Gin Ichimaru was still a relatively new recruit in the Fifth Division at this time, unlikely to be involved in such clandestine activities.
A heavy silence hung in the air, filled with unanswered questions and a growing sense of unease. The seemingly straightforward emergency had taken a dark and unexpected turn.
"We need to report this to the Captain-Commander immediately," Yoruichi stated, her voice firm. "This is beyond a simple Hollow attack."
Kensei and Rojuro nodded in agreement, their initial relief replaced by a grim understanding that something far more sinister was at play.
As they prepared to depart, Rojuro clapped Kisaragi on the shoulder, a genuine smile on his face. "You handled yourself admirably, Fifth Seat Shiba. Facing a Hollow of that caliber alone… impressive."
Kensei offered a rare nod of approval. "Indeed. You bought us valuable time. The Second Division has a capable member in you."
Yoruichi's golden eyes met Kisaragi's, a mixture of pride and concern in their depths. "You did well, Kisaragi. I knew I could count on you."
Kisaragi, ever stoic, simply offered a curt nod. "It was my duty."
Despite his nonchalant response, a flicker of something akin to a small satisfaction registered within him at their praise. But the unsettling encounter with the hooded figures and the lingering sense of a hidden hand at work overshadowed any personal gratification. The day had ended with more questions than answers, leaving a palpable tension in the air as the three Captains and Kisaragi prepared to deliver their report to Captain-Commander Yamamoto, the weight of the unknown pressing heavily upon them.