Kaelith Yurei sat cross-legged on his dormitory bed, lost in thought.

  Despite his powerful Spirit Pressure and advanced fsh step skills, which allowed him to return in record time, his search had yielded nothing.

  He had scoured the academy, asked cssmates, and even inquired with Kinoshita, but no one had seen Aizen today.

  Reluctantly, Kaelith admitted to himself that the most likely pce Aizen could be was *there*—his boratory in West Rukongai, District 74.

  Kaelith leapt off the bed, crouched on the floor, and began drawing symbols. As his hands moved, he chanted softly:

  "Heart of the south, eye of the north. Fingertip of the west, toe of the east. Gather with the wind... scatter with the rain! Bakudō #58: Kakushitsuijaku!"

  Threads of Reishi shot out from the floor, moving at an imperceptible speed through the walls and into the sky.

  Moments ter, the spell provided feedback.

  Sure enough, Aizen's location was confirmed: West Rukongai, District 74. That was where his boratory was.

  Kaelith sighed, exasperated.

  "That idiot. I practically spelled it out for him, and he still went there?"

  After a few seconds of contemption, Kaelith stood up, donned a Spirit Pressure-concealing uniform, and headed toward Rukongai.

  Aizen had killed the Seventh Division Vice-Captain, and Yamamoto would never dispatch anyone of the same rank to deal with him. Judging by the Commander's confidence earlier, they were undoubtedly sending captains—possibly more than one.

  Kaelith didn't know what experiments Aizen was conducting, but based on his ongoing assassination of rogue Shinigami, it was undoubtedly something that couldn't withstand scrutiny.

  If captains caught Aizen in the act and obtained concrete evidence, the best-case scenario would be eternal imprisonment in Muken. Execution on the spot wasn't out of the question either.

  Even if it meant risking exposure, Kaelith had to intervene. Ideally, he could reach Aizen before the search team did, drag him back, and avoid a disaster.

  With this thought in mind, Kaelith accelerated his pace.

  ---

  Meanwhile, over twenty Shinigami sprinted through Rukongai.

  Each wore pin Shihakushō with no embellishments, resembling an ordinary squad led by a seated officer.

  However, had Kaelith been present, he would have recognized one of them immediately.

  Short in stature, with weathered skin and several scars across his face—this was none other than the Eleventh Division Captain, Kenpachi Gojosuke.

  Despite his rank, Kenpachi blended into the group seamlessly. His attire and even his running pace matched the unassuming Shinigami, creating an oddly unsettling effect.

  This was precisely Yamamoto's pn: disguise the search team as ordinary Shinigami to create chaos in Rukongai and lure the Shadow Killer into action. Once the target appeared, Kenpachi, hidden among the group, would strike decisively to capture or eliminate the killer.

  While Kenpachi's rise to captaincy had been unconventional, he was still a captain. Handling a rogue in Rukongai shouldn't pose a problem.

  As night fell, the team finally reached West Rukongai's District 70.

  For many of them, this was their first time in such a remote and desote area.

  Staring at the endless wastend and scattered, weathered bones, the Shinigami couldn't hide their discomfort.

  Kenpachi, however, remained unfazed.

  Having grown up in Rukongai and served in the Eleventh Division his entire career, he had seen far worse.

  "Spread out and release your Spirit Pressure. Create the illusion of a battle with the rebels!" commanded Goken Kenpachi, his tone sharp and resolute.

  "Yes, sir!"

  The Shinigami swiftly drew their bdes and paired off, engaging in mock combat on the spot.

  As seasoned warriors, they were no strangers to simuted battles. Injuries were common in live training, and on actual missions, injuries were even less of a concern.

  Though the group consisted of only about twenty individuals, their performance resembled a small-scale war.

  Goken Kenpachi blended into the chaos, half-heartedly participating while carefully observing the surroundings.

  After ten minutes of fighting, there was still no sign of anyone approaching. His heart sank.

  "Have we been exposed?"

  No, impossible. Their actions had been carefully concealed. There was no way the enemy could have known about the pn in advance.

  "Perhaps they just haven't noticed the commotion yet. Keep trying, and we're bound to lure them out!"

  Resolving to persist, he began directing his squad to fight while subtly repositioning. Periodically, they released bursts of Spirit Pressure to ensure their presence was felt across several blocks.

  For nearly half an hour, the group kept up the act.

  Just as Goken Kenpachi began doubting whether the Shadow Killer was even in the area, a figure appeared at the edge of the battlefield.

  The thick veil of Kidō shadows enshrouded the figure, obscuring their entire body. Neither their appearance nor their gender could be discerned—not even their height was clear.

  Upon seeing the figure, Goken Kenpachi's eyes lit up.

  "They're here!"

  That masterful use of shadow cloaking—no ordinary Shinigami could achieve such a feat. There was no doubt this was the Shadow Killer.

  From within the shadows, Aizen observed the chaos before him. A mixture of emotions flickered in his eyes: a hint of mockery, a trace of pity, and a touch of helplessness.

  Then, without warning, he vanished, reappearing in the midst of the melee.

  Goken Kenpachi watched in surprise as Aizen swung his bde.

  With a single strike, one Shinigami colpsed, blood gushing from their chest. In a fluid motion, Aizen struck again, cutting down the fallen Shinigami's opponent as well.

  The speed and power dispyed left Goken Kenpachi astonished.

  "So, this is the one who killed the Seventh Division Vice-Captain… impressive."

  Thinking of power, Goken Kenpachi couldn't help but picture Kaelith Yurei in his mind. Despite his youth, Kaelith's strength was already on par with a captain's.

  In comparison, Goken Kenpachi—after all his years of life—had only managed to cim a captain's position due to his predecessor's imprisonment. The gap was undeniable.

  But soon, he thought, that gap would be erased.

  Once the pn succeeded, he would become a true powerhouse.

  The thought filled him with anticipation, heating his blood. Fixing his gaze on the Shadow Killer, Goken Kenpachi let out a cold snort.

  In the next instant, his figure blurred as he appeared beside Aizen.

  With a fsh of steel, his bde swung down viciously at the Shadow Killer!

  Wrapped in shadows, Aizen seemed genuinely caught off guard. He had not expected such a formidable opponent to be hidden among what appeared to be a group of ordinary Shinigami.

  Quickly, he raised his Zanpakutō to block Goken Kenpachi's attack.

  *Boom!*

  The force of Goken Kenpachi's strike smmed into Aizen's bde, sending him flying. Aizen tumbled across the ground, only stopping after several rolls.

  Springing to his feet, Aizen wasted no time. He turned and fled.

  Seeing this, Goken Kenpachi's lips curled into a cruel smile.

  "Running, are we?"

  With a stomp, the ground beneath Goken Kenpachi cracked, and his body erupted forward, a shockwave propelling him as he pursued Aizen relentlessly.