"Ginpaku! Kinpaku! Raise it up!"
At Shiba Kūkaku's command, the ground began to quake.
The grinding of gears and the rattle of chains echoed beneath their feet, and the ceiling split apart above them. A massive circular platform rose steadily from the depths, revealing itself at ground level.
Though the Shiba residence had only recently been relocated here, the construction was already no different from its former grandeur—thanks to the assistance of Kidō. For someone like Kūkaku, a genius of Kidō and pyrotechnics, such feats were child's play.
As the Ryoka group stared, still bewildered, Kūkaku grabbed a handful of small metallic spheres from the launch dais and tossed them at them.
Ichigo caught one, confused. "What's this?"
"Spirit Pearl Core," Kūkaku explained.
"Channel your spiritual energy into them."
Ichigo blinked. "Channel… how, exactly?"
Kūkaku's brows twitched. "Don't tell me you can't even use basic Kidō?"
From Shimo's shoulder, the black cat sighed. "That boy doesn't have a trace of Kidō talent."
Kūkaku slapped her forehead, exasperated. "Ganju! Demonstrate."
Her younger brother picked up a core orb and infused his spiritual energy into it. Instantly, a glowing energy barrier surrounded him—a protective layer of hardened spirit particles.
Kūkaku pointed proudly. "Since you'll be passing through the Soul Shield Membrane, this layer will act as a buffer. Once you have it up, you'll be fired from this Flower Crane Cannon straight into Seireitei from the sky!
"I call it—the Special Reishi Hardening Partitioning Generation Device!"
She knocked on the glowing barrier, producing a loud thud, thud. "Got it?"
Her fiery personality burst forth completely now. The Ryoka could only nod blankly, their faces pale.
"Kinpaku! Ginpaku! Take them to the underground training hall and teach them how to form a proper barrier! Anyone who can't learn," she said, her grin turning devilish, "gets fired out of the cannon immediately!"
The two giant brothers appeared behind the group without a sound. Before Ichigo could react, they grabbed him and the others in bear-like arms and charged off toward the underground training area.
Once the group was gone, Kūkaku sighed softly, her confident facade fading. "Shimo-kun… that boy, is he truly of Shiba blood?"
Shimo took a slow sip from his flask of sake and raised an eyebrow. "Why would you ask that?"
Kūkaku frowned, crossing her arms. "The Shiba clan is one of the Five Great Noble Houses. We're known for our exceptional Kidō mastery and abundant spiritual power. Whether from the main branch or the side families, every one of us has strong Kidō talent—far beyond the average Shinigami."
Her gaze dimmed slightly. "But that boy—he has none. So tell me, is it possible my poor uncle was… cheated on?"
"Cough!" Shimo nearly choked on his drink.
"You come up with the most ridiculous things."
Kūkaku smiled teasingly. "I'm just kidding."
Putting away the sake, Shimo said lightly, "He may lack Kidō, but his other talents are remarkable. Give him a day, and he'll learn what he needs."
Kūkaku raised an eyebrow. "From zero to mastery in one day? You seem oddly confident in him."
Shimo only smiled. He didn't need to explain that Ichigo Kurosaki was the greatest anomaly across all three realms.
---
That evening, everyone gathered for the Shiba family's traditional banquet, while Ichigo remained in the underground hall, struggling with the reishi barrier.
Midway through his meal, Shimo suddenly set down his cup, his senses tingling. "Looks like he did it."
An instant later, a burst of overwhelming reiatsu rippled through the Shiba estate, shaking the entire building.
"Lady Kūkaku! The cannon's about to collapse!" cried Kinpaku and Ginpaku as furniture rattled and dishes clattered to the floor.
"What's going on? This reiatsu—" Kūkaku's eyes widened. "That brat—!"
Before she could finish, Shimo's own spiritual pressure burst forth like a tidal wave, pressing down on the surge and suppressing it within seconds. The quake ceased, calm returning as if nothing had happened.
Kūkaku stared at him. "Shimo-kun… what was that?"
He emptied his cup and replied casually, "He's learned to form the barrier, but can't control his power yet. That outburst was just backlash."
Moments later, Ichigo stumbled into the hall, his face pale but triumphant. Despite his exhaustion, his eyes gleamed with pride.
"I… I did it! I finished the training!"
Avoiding Shimo's gaze, he collapsed into a seat.
Kūkaku smiled faintly. "Good. Then after dinner, you're leaving."
---
Later that night...
The massive Flower Crane Cannon stood ready, its surface glowing with spiritual lines. Ichigo, Ishida, Orihime, and Chad climbed inside, holding their core orbs tightly.
"Wait," Ichigo turned toward the black cat on Shimo's shoulder. "Yoruichi-san, what about you?"
"I'll take a different route," she said with a sly grin. "Once you make your entrance, the chaos will draw attention. I'll slip in another way."
"There's another way?" Ichigo asked, curious.
"Find a Shinigami and have them bring you in," she replied matter-of-factly.
Ichigo could only sigh. "Yeah, that's not happening."
"Enough chatter!" Kūkaku slammed her fist against the cannon, activating the intricate spiraling Kidō patterns engraved on its surface. "Dawn's coming—we launch now!"
The four Ryoka focused their spiritual energy, feeding it into the orbs. Spirit particle barriers enveloped them like shimmering cocoons as the cannon roared to life.
"Kinpaku! Ginpaku! Prepare for the Second Flower Crane Firing Formation!"
The two giants tensed, their veins bulging as Kidō incantations flared across the ropes linking the cannon.
"O distant sky! The copper of desire seeks thirty-six degrees of control! Seventy-two illusions, thirteen horns! The monkey's right hand grasps the stars! Embrace the twenty-fivefold sun—let the cradle of sand bleed!"
Kūkaku drew her blade and plunged it into the ground. Spiritual light burst forth, and the wrappings around her arm ignited into roaring flame.
"Restrain—ignite!"
BOOM!
Thunder cracked as the cannon erupted, firing a brilliant column of light skyward. The reishi projectile—containing Ichigo and his friends—soared into the heavens before vanishing beyond sight.
Watching it fade, Shimo's lips curved.
Seireitei, things are about to get lively.
Kūkaku lowered her arm, smoke curling from the bandages. "You're really not going to tell them about the landing chant?"
Shimo chuckled. "No need. As long as they make a mess, that's all we need. The first chant will get them inside."
She smiled, stepping close and looping an arm around his. "Then what about us?"
Shimo sighed. "Time for me to return to Seireitei. Will you come?"
Kūkaku hesitated, then shook her head. "No. That useless brother of mine still needs discipline. I'm going to give him hellish training while I can."
He smiled faintly. "Suit yourself. Seireitei's about to descend into chaos anyway. Staying here's safer."
With Yoruichi nestled in his arms, Shimo vanished in a blur of Shunpo, crossing the distance back to Seireitei in mere minutes.
---
Seireitei
"Emergency alert! Intruders detected in Seireitei!"
"Repeat—emergency alert!"
The alarms wailed across the sky. Above, the Shakonmaku (Shield Barrier Membrane) rippled violently as four figures pierced through it, scattering in three directions.
Seireitei was in chaos.
From Shimo's arms, the black cat peeked out. "Shimo-kun, should we go after them, nya?"
He shook his head. "Split up. You keep an eye on Ichigo. Don't let the idiot get himself killed."
His gaze shifted toward the distant Senzaikyū. "I have something more important to handle."
A surge of spiritual pressure pulsed from that direction—troublesome, undisciplined. Someone had started a fight.
"Then I'll go ahead," Yoruichi said, leaping from his arms to his shoulder before vanishing in a flicker of movement.
"Time for me to move too," Shimo murmured, his form fading like a mirage.
---
Senzaikyū — South of the Gotei 13
Unlike the original timeline, Hinamori Momo had been confined directly to the Repentance Cell after her sentencing.
The enormous white tower loomed over the highlands, its suspended bridges connecting the prison cells.
Beyond it stretched the rope bridge leading toward the Sōkyoku Hill—the execution grounds.
Guards clad in pure white uniforms stood at every gate, their spiritual pressure sealed by design, making it impossible to gauge their strength.
"Captain Hitsugaya!" one of them saluted sharply.
"I've come to visit the prisoner Hinamori Momo," Hitsugaya said calmly. "Take me to the Repentance Cell."
Within the Sekkiseki-built Senzaikyū, spiritual pressure was muted—no sensing, no detection. The only way to reach her… was through the front.
"Understood! Please follow me!" the guard replied.
None of them knew this visit would mark the first-ever breakout in Senzaikyū's history.
As they descended deeper, the air grew heavier. The cells were sparse, vast, eerily quiet. Hitsugaya memorized every passage and turn—just as he had on his first visit.
Moments later, he stood again before the cell that held his childhood friend.
Hinamori Momo sat motionless in the corner, her expression hollow. Though the day of execution was still distant, she had already lost all hope.
"Hinamori!"
Her head snapped up. "…Shirō?"
"You—why are you here?" she asked weakly.
Hitsugaya's eyes hardened. From within his sleeve, he crushed a small object in his palm.
"I'm here to take you out of this place!"
BOOOOM!
The Repentance Cell of the Senzaikyū—was breached.
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