By the time Akira returned Rukia to Soul Society, the sirens had already echoed through the Seireitei.
"Captain, please proceed to the temporary First Division station. The Captain-Commander has convened an emergency meeting."
Sensing Akira's reiatsu, Abarai Renji immediately used Shunpo to reach him.
Akira nodded and handed Rukia over to Renji.
"Aki, I'm sorry… I couldn't protect Senna," Rukia admitted, his grip tightening around her shoulder.
Beside him, Rukia hesitated before speaking.
"It's alright. Don't worry about it."
Akira waved dismissively, then vanished with a swift Shunpo, heading straight for the First Division's station.
Inside the temporary conference hall, six captains were already present—Soi Foni, Zaraki Kenpachi, Hitsugaya Tōshirō, Unohana Retsu, Kurotsuchi Mayuri, and Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni. These captains were among the first to resume operations following recent chaos.
As for other captains, some, like Jūshirō Ukitake, were in no condition to attend—Akira had beaten him so badly that he was still bedridden.
"Captain Akira, you are finally here."
Yamamoto opened his eyes and turned to him before gesturing toward Kurotsuchi Mayuri.
"Begin your report."
Kurotsuchi nodded, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.
"Thanks to the insight provided by Captain Akira, I was able to swiftly analyze the situation."
He adjusted his hat before continuing.
"At present, an anomaly—an immense space known as the Valley of Souls, composed of a vast number of lost spirits—has become trapped in the Dangai. It is exerting an influence on both the World of the Living and Soul Society simultaneously."
At this revelation, most of the captains—except for Soi Fon—turned to Akira in surprise.
Had he really contributed to Kurotsuchi's research?
However, given the urgency of the situation, there was no time to dwell on it.
"This isn't a naturally occurring phenomenon, is it?" Hitsugaya asked, sharp eyes locked on Kurotsuchi.
"Indeed, it is not," Kurotsuchi confirmed. "Captain Akira himself suggested to me that this is most likely… man-made."
"Man-made?" Soi Fon's voice was sharp with disbelief. "Who would dare?"
"I have an idea," Akira interjected, raising a hand.
Once again, all eyes were on him.
"How do you know again?" was the unspoken question reflected in their expressions.
"Tell me, do any of you remember the noble family known as the Ryūdōji Clan?" Akira asked.
There was a brief silence before Unohana Retsu spoke.
"A clan exiled a thousand years ago…" she murmured.
Akira nodded.
"I recently fought the current head, Ryūdōji Ganryū, in the World of the Living. It's clear he's seeking revenge against Soul Society for their banishment all those years ago."
"Oh?" Unohana's tone was intrigued. "Are you saying that even you couldn't detain him?"
The atmosphere grew heavy.
Everyone knew how powerful Akira was. If even he couldn't stop this enemy, that meant the situation was far more dangerous than they had initially thought.
"I told you," Hitsugaya muttered under his breath, crossing his arms. "He's fishing again, isn't he? Otherwise, how could someone possibly escape from him?"
Tōshirō had long since acknowledged Akira's strength.
While recovering from his own injuries, he had heard about the countless absurd feats Akira had pulled off. In his opinion, only powerhouses like Unohana Retsu or Yamamoto Genryūsai himself could hope to escape his pursuit.
That, or…
Hitsugaya narrowed his eyes.
"Honestly, why do we have another slacker like Matsumoto…?"
Thinking about this, Tōshirō felt a headache coming on.
On the other hand, Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni remained composed. "It is not surprising that Ryūdōji Ganryū managed to escape. No matter what, the Ryūdōji family was once among the highest-ranking noble houses in Soul Society. They must possess some secret technique or artifact."
Hearing this, Kurotsuchi Mayuri's eyes glowed with intrigue. "Ah, I see. That explains it."
"Just now, I detected a sudden fluctuation in spiritual energy, likely triggered by the appearance of a specific artifact—perhaps a rosary. This disturbance activated a unique Kidō phenomenon, causing the dimensional boundary between Soul Society and the Human World to destabilize!
"There must be some ancient method passed down within the Ryūdōji family, capable of forcing the two realms to draw closer. If left unchecked, this could trigger a catastrophic collision—potentially fulfilling their revenge!"
"What did you say?!" Tōshirō's eyes widened in shock. "Why didn't you mention something this critical earlier?!"
Kurotsuchi Mayuri smirked. "It is precisely for this reason that I sounded the alarms of Seireitei."
Yamamoto's expression darkened. "If this is true, what would be the consequences?"
"At best, either Soul Society or the Human World would be obliterated. At worst… everything could be destroyed."
Mayuri's blunt words sent a wave of silence through the room.
"What a disaster…" Unohana Retsu muttered, her usually calm voice laced with concern.
"Oi." Zaraki Kenpachi tilted his head. "How long do we have?"
Mayuri shrugged. "With the limited data available, I cannot make a precise calculation. However… I would estimate less than an hour."
"In less than an hour?!" Tōshirō and Soi Fon gasped simultaneously.
Would that mean the end of the world was imminent?!
"This matter is urgent!" Yamamoto struck the floor with his staff and ordered, "Immediately prepare the Kidō Cannon! We will obliterate the Valley of Screams, along with everything within it!"
"Wait… Captain-Commander, please reconsider!" Unohana spoke firmly. "Are you certain about this? The Kidō Cannon's destructive force could cause massive damage to both Soul Society and the Human World!
"The power of that weapon is capable of obliterating even the Dangai Precipice World. If we fire it recklessly, the collateral damage will be catastrophic—especially considering the current instability of Seireitei's barriers after the recent battle."
Soi Fon clenched her fists. "Captain-Commander, I also believe we should reconsider our approach! Allow me to lead the Onmitsukidō into the Valley and neutralize Ryūdōji Ganryū directly!"
"That would be pointless," Mayuri interjected. "We do not know where the entrance is. There is no way to enter the Valley from Soul Society."
"Ah, about that…"
A new voice interrupted the discussion.
Akira raised his hand nonchalantly. "I know where the entrance to the Valley is."
The room fell into stunned silence.
The captains turned to him in disbelief.
"...What?!"
"How do you know that?!"
"Just how much do you know?!"
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