Journey to the Real World
"Omaeda, thank you for your hard work." "Well done, Omaeda."
These words were imagined by Omaeda Marechiyo himself. In reality, the response he received was far colder:
"You can go now."
Soi Fon's expression remained impassive, offering no praise for such a trivial task. Her thoughts were already elsewhere—on the question that weighed on her more than anything else.
How could she become stronger?
Ever since she had become a captain, she felt she had struck a wall. Both her Shunpo and Zanpakutō techniques had reached their current limits, and the crushing weight of her duties left little time for deeper training.
But the day Shiraishi had saved her, her pride was shaken. The humiliation gnawed at her, pushing her to set aside formal responsibilities and pursue growth at any cost.
Her plan was bold—merging Hakuda and Kidō to forge a new technique never before attempted. But how was the question.
She haunted the Second Division's archives, pouring over old texts, and even ventured into the Great Spirit Book Gallery of the First Division, occasionally keeping tabs on Shiraishi's movements.
Her subordinates brought no leads. Neither the Eighth, Eleventh, nor Twelfth Divisions reported progress. It was as if Shiraishi had vanished into Rukongai itself.
On May 7th, her request for a mission to the Human World finally received approval from the First Division. Captains did not easily receive such permissions, but Soi Fon had presented a reason no one could deny—Shiraishi might be hiding there. She had to investigate personally.
As dusk fell, she slipped out of Soul Society with a case containing two Gigai. Before departing, she gave her lieutenant clear orders:
"Omaeda, go to the Monitoring Room and keep the Twelfth Division from tracking me. Do not let them notice my movements. Understand?"
"Captain Soi Fon… do we really need to go this far?" Omaeda asked hesitantly, before quickly adding, "Not that I doubt your judgment—but it doesn't feel right."
"I have my reasons," she said curtly, concealing the truth. She could not admit that her decision came from pride and a life-debt.
Omaeda, the type who would never repay such a debt himself, simply nodded. "Alright then." He prepared to distract the Twelfth Division with food, confident that their researchers would gladly accept a taste of noble cuisine.
Meanwhile, Soi Fon shouldered the heavy case and vanished through the Senkaimon. Her footsteps blurred against the sinking sun as she sped across the landscape.
---
The Mountainside Meeting
By nightfall, she arrived at the West 26th District. Moonlight bathed the mountainside, where a lone figure lay sprawled across a bluestone.
With a somersault, he stood. "You're finally here."
"Yeah," Soi Fon replied curtly, setting down the case. "How long have you been waiting?"
"Since yesterday morning." Shiraishi patted his satchel smugly. "Good thing I brought snacks, or I'd have starved."
"You weren't worried I wouldn't come?"
"If you were the kind of person to break your word, you wouldn't have agreed in the first place. You came because you had to."
"Tch…" Soi Fon frowned. She hated that he could read her so clearly.
"Remember," she warned, "after tonight, we're done. Once this 'date' ends, I'll do my duty—and arrest you."
"You haven't exactly gone easy on me already," Shiraishi muttered. Thanks to Head Captain Yamamoto's edict, the cost of bribing the Twelfth Division had jumped from five thousand kan a year to one hundred thousand per month. It was financial extortion.
Still, he understood the risk. To keep his cover intact, he paid. He borrowed funds from the Kawakami family and immersed himself in the laws of Seireitei, determined to find loopholes. After all, in Soul Society, true wealth required bending rules—and the strength to protect what you gained.
---
Into the Gigai
"Hmph. If I had used my full strength before, I'd have caught you already," Soi Fon muttered. Realizing she had said too much, she quickly turned to the case, unpacking the two Gigai—perfect replicas in appearance and build.
"I said this was a date, but you're dressed like a schoolkid in uniform," Shiraishi teased.
Unfamiliar with the reference, she only replied flatly, "You never specified what to wear."
Shiraishi sighed. "Fair enough. How do you get into these things?"
"Lie down." She demonstrated, merging into the Gigai until its eyelids fluttered open and she moved naturally within it.
Shiraishi followed her lead. He flexed his hands, marveling. "Incredible… it feels just like my real body."
"The Twelfth Division may be eccentric, but they're not incompetent," Soi Fon said, tossing him a Gikongan pill. "If you encounter a Hollow, use this to disengage from the Gigai."
She then unsheathed her Zanpakutō and slashed the air. A Senkaimon gate materialized, its sliding doors glowing faintly as Hell Butterflies streamed forth.
"Stay close. If you get lost in the Dangai, you'll never return," she warned.
"Got it."
They stepped into the Dangai Precipice World—a grotesque tunnel of flowing reishi, with walls that seemed like living flesh and streams of white current drifting along its edges. The atmosphere was oppressive, alien.
After a long sprint, a light appeared ahead. The Hell Butterfly flew into it, guiding their way.
And then, sunlight broke across them.
Towering skyscrapers rose into the sky.
They had arrived—in the Human World.