A massive portal had fully opened.
Blue and white light filled the portal frame, obscuring the interior from view and revealing only turbulent currents of spiritual energy.
Kisuke Urahara lowered his hat brim, unusually abandoning his carefree demeanor.
“Gentlemen, the path inside this portal is not an ordinary road.” “You must reach the Seireitei before the portal closes, or you may be forever lost in the Dangai.” Ichigo Kurosaki, carrying Zangetsu, said impatiently, “I know, you’ve said it three times already.” “Mr.
Kurosaki, I’m doing this for your lives.” Kisuke Urahara opened his paper fan, adding with a smile, “After all, dying on the road isn’t exactly an honorable death.” Uryu Ishida adjusted his glasses.
“Can you please not say things like that before we even set off?” Orihime Inoue clenched her fists, while Chad stood beside her, silently nodding.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni remained silent, simply watching the flowing spiritual energy within the portal.
In his vision, the Reishi within the rift were unstable.
Countless tiny particles collided, then were forcibly pulled deeper by some immense force.
There was something there.
“Let’s go.” Yoruichi rushed into the rift gate first, the others following closely behind.
As soon as they stepped into the rift, an intense sense of oppression surged from all around.
The path beneath their feet stretched forward, flanked by churning black matter.
“Don’t touch either side!” Yoruichi shouted back, “If you get entangled by the binding currents, you’ll be trapped here!” Ichigo gritted his teeth and quickened his pace.
“Why didn’t you say this sooner?” “It’s not too late to say it now.” “Not too late?” Not long after, a heavy rumble suddenly came from behind them.
The path began to shake.
A massive object enveloped in purple light crushed down from the depths of the rift.
Wherever it passed, the surrounding binding currents were violently pushed aside.
Yoruichi’s expression changed.
“It’s a Kotsurugi!
Run!” Orihime instinctively glanced back, her face turning pale with fright at the creature’s size.
“Yoruichi-san, what is it?” “A cleaner from the Dangai.
Anyone who touches it will be thrown out of their original timeline.” Yoruichi landed on all fours, her speed increasing again.
“Simply put, if you get hit by it, you might fall out of the Soul Society several decades in the future.” Ichigo’s eyes widened.
“How is that simple?!” Yoriichi stopped.
Uryu Ishida noticed his movement and quickly called out, “Tsugikuni, what are you doing?” Yoriichi looked at the approaching Kotsurugi and calmly asked, “Can it be hurt?” Yoruichi hesitated.
“It can, but there’s no need to get entangled with it.
It will just revive again…” “It’s good that it can be hurt.
We just need it to be unable to disturb us for the time being.” Yoriichi gripped the hilt of his sword, the dark gray blade of Kakuyō slowly unsheathing itself.
A crimson spiritual pressure rose along the blade, instantly illuminating the surrounding darkness.
The intense heat spread, causing the surging energy within the Dangai to retreat.
He flicked his wrist, sending his Zanpakutō flying.
“Sun Breathing, Eighth Form: Sunflower Dance.” The crimson longsword spun rapidly, instantly transforming into a dazzling wheel of light.
Just as the guillotine-like maw of the Kotsurugi approached, the halo pierced through its very center.
A burst of golden-orange spiritual pressure erupted, shattering the massive body.
BOOM!
The swirling radiance circled once and landed steadily back in Yoriichi’s hand.
Ichigo’s steps faltered slightly.
“This thing can actually be cut?” Yoruichi was silent for a moment.
“It can revive.” “Oh.” “But this time, it definitely won’t catch up.” “Isn’t that the same as being cut off?” “Run!” A white light appeared ahead.
The group rushed out of the Dangai, landing one after another on a desolate piece of land.
The houses here were dilapidated and low, and there were hardly any pedestrians on either side of the road.
In the distance stood a tall white stone wall, completely isolating the inner area.
Rukongai, East 80th District.
Yoriichi looked up at the Seireitei.
Upon entering the Soul Society, he sensed a faint, yet palpable, presence.
The spiritual energy here was completely different from the Human World; even the Reiatsu scattered in the air seemed to be under some kind of restraint.
The group had landed in the relatively peripheral East 80th District, quite a distance from the Seireitei.
They headed towards the center, and by the time they reached the outskirts of the Seireitei, it was already dark.
Yoruichi suggested resting for the night and setting off again the next day, to which everyone agreed.
The next day, they arrived at the dividing line between the Rukongai and the Seireitei.
Yoriichi sensed over a dozen heavy spiritual pressures inside.
One of them was not far from their location and was heading their way.
Yoriichi knew this was Gin Ichimaru, but since they weren’t in immediate danger, he didn’t intend to warn the others yet.
“Rukia’s in there, right?” Ichigo pointed to the Seireitei and asked Yoruichi.
Yoruichi nodded.
“That’s right, but getting in through the main gate won’t be easy.” Ichigo didn’t wait for further explanation and rushed inside.
A sudden, violent tremor erupted.
A circular stone wall appeared in the sky and rapidly descended, crashing down toward Ichigo.
Ichigo quickly retreated, dodging the falling structure.
BOOM!
BOOM!
BOOM!
The sound of the falling stone was deafening, kicking up clouds of dust.
When the dust settled, everyone looked ahead.
Before them stood a massive door, inscribed with the words ‘White Way Gate’.
The stone door rose, and two giant axes swung out, slamming into the ground.
A giant lifted the stone door out, quickly set it down, and walked over to pick up the giant axes.
Jidanbo stood up, looking down at the crowd.
“Those who intend to force their way into the Seireitei!” “I guard the White Way Gate.
If you want to enter, you’ll have to defeat me first!” Ichigo slung Zangetsu over his shoulder.
“Just what I wanted.” Jidanbo grinned.
“I’ve guarded this place for three hundred years, and no one has ever been able to break through the White Way Gate.” Yoriichi stepped aside, showing no intention of intervening.
During this time, Ichigo had been training relentlessly at the Urahara Shop.
Jidanbo’s spiritual pressure wasn’t overwhelmingly strong, making it a good opportunity to test his training progress.
Yoruichi glanced at Yoriichi.
“Aren’t you going to help him?” “He can win.” And indeed, that was the case.
The battle ended quickly.
Jidanbo’s giant axe was shattered by Zangetsu, and his massive body was crushed head-on by Ichigo’s overwhelming force.
“I lost.” Jidanbo didn’t cheat; instead, he walked to the White Way Gate and lifted the heavy stone door with his bare hands.
“The victor is entitled to pass.
Go in!” Ichigo was the first to step through the door.
But after only a few steps, he was suddenly sent flying backward, crashing heavily to the ground.
“Ichigo!” Orihime rushed over.
Yoriichi looked up and saw a silver-haired man standing inside.
The man’s eyes were narrowed into slits, wearing a smile that was impossible to decipher.
Captain of the Third Division, Gin Ichimaru.
When Jidanbo saw him, the color drained from his face instantly.
“Captain Ichimaru…” “Letting a wandering ghost in is a grave offense for a gatekeeper.” Gin Ichimaru drew his Zanpakutō, the tip pointing directly at the door.
“Shoot, Shinso!” The blade suddenly extended with terrifying speed.
A silver light pierced through the White Way Gate, not only knocking Ichigo, who had just gotten up, back down, but also severing Jidanbo’s arm.
Blood spurted out.
The White Way Gate, now without support, crashed down.
Before the final crack closed, Gin Ichimaru raised his hand and waved to the crowd.
“See you next time.” With a deafening roar, the gate slammed shut.
Now everyone was completely shut out and had to find another way in.
Yoriichi walked to the stone wall and placed his palm against it.
The solar spiritual pressure slowly seeped into his palm.
The wall, made of Sekkiseki stone which normally nullified spiritual power, began to crack softly under the sheer intensity of his Reiatsu.
It could be destroyed.
With just a little more spiritual pressure, he could cut an entrance right here.
Yoruichi approached from behind.
“No need to tear down the wall.
I know another way to enter the Seireitei.” Yoriichi withdrew his hand, and the cracks in the stone wall stopped spreading.
He might have to work with the Gotei 13 in the future.
Tearing down someone else’s wall on his first visit was indeed inappropriate.