Gosuke, how are you doing these days?"
"Jūshirō, aren't you supposed to be recovering from your illness? You're here too."
"Captain Hikifune is getting more and more radiant."
"Long time no see, Captain Shihōin!"
"…"
Before the captain's meeting began, the captains of the Gotei 13 were naturally not going to stand around in complete silence. After all, despite differing personalities and duties, they were colleagues—bound together by their mission to protect the Seireitei, maintain the balance of souls, and uphold the order of the Soul Society and the three worlds.
Whenever all captains assembled, pleasantries were inevitable.
Although everyone worked within Seireitei, it wasn't often that all thirteen captains convened at once—making these meetings as much reunions as briefings.
Among them, Kyōraku Shunsui—always the sociable type—was chatting away with anyone in earshot.
He was not only a long-serving captain, but also of noble lineage. His noble status allowed him to converse freely with captains of the Four Great Noble Houses such as Shihōin and Kuchiki, while his laid-back nature made him equally well-liked among the captains from common origins.
Casual conversation filled the corridors.
As they walked down the long hallway…
They finally arrived at the expansive Captain's Assembly Hall.
This was the formal chamber where important meetings were held.
Since Gosuke Shigure became captain of the 11th Division, this was his first time participating in a full captains' assembly. Naturally, everything felt somewhat new and unfamiliar.
Once inside…
The twelve captains stood in formation, with their respective vice-captains behind them.
Only Gosuke stood alone—his 11th Division still lacking a vice-captain.
After a short pause…
Captain-Commander Yamamoto entered with deliberate, heavy steps, the end of his cane tapping sharply against the wooden floor.
Boom.
A single, firm sound echoed.
The air shifted immediately. Everyone straightened up.
Given the Commander's earlier words, it was clear that this was not a routine briefing. The gravity of the situation loomed.
"Captain Hikifune, explain."
With his cane still resting firmly against the floor, Yamamoto turned his piercing gaze toward Hikifune Kirio, signaling her to speak.
Kirio stepped forward. Her presence was as bold as ever—confident, animated, and impossible to ignore. More than a few captains instinctively stole a glance at her—though few would admit it aloud.
Gosuke Shigure did too, though his thoughts drifted to the Kirio Hikifune who, a century later in the canon, had transformed after joining the Royal Guard.
By then, she'd sacrificed her physical form—once slim and striking—for her role in the Ōken ritual, gaining tremendous bulk to store spiritual ingredients within her own body. A living culinary cauldron of Reiatsu.
It was said she entered "Tank Mode" as needed.
Regardless of appearance, her dedication to Soul Society's balance and spiritual alchemy was something Gosuke deeply respected.
Unaware of Gosuke's inner thoughts, Kirio addressed the room in a serious tone:
"Through the Twelfth Division's monitoring of Hueco Mundo, the Human World, and Soul Society, we've observed a troubling anomaly. Recently, the number of newly-formed Hollows has been steadily declining. Not just in the Human World, but even in Hueco Mundo."
Her words struck a chord.
Several veteran captains narrowed their eyes. They grasped the implications at once.
Some of the younger captains, however, were visibly confused.
Hirako Shinji, the newly appointed captain of the 5th Division, scratched his head and asked with a puzzled tone, "Wait, isn't that a good thing? Less Hollows means less destruction, right?"
He continued, "Hollows devour souls and upset the balance. Our job is to exterminate them, after all."
Behind him, Vice-Captain Aizen Sōsuke remained silent—but alert.
While still young and untested compared to the monster he would become, Aizen's sharp intellect was already stirring. Hikifune's statement had caught his attention.
Kirio sighed and gently corrected him, "Shinji, let me clarify. The duty of a Shinigami is not simply to eliminate Hollows. Our task is to purify them."
"A Hollow is a corrupted soul. When slain by a Zanpakutō, the soul is purified. Weak Hollows return to the Soul Society as normal souls—often to Rukongai. Powerful Hollows, depending on their sins, may be sent to… Hell."
At this, several captains grew uneasy. Hell was a subject rarely mentioned—even within the Gotei 13.
Kirio continued, her voice steady.
"The relationship between Soul Society and Hueco Mundo is one of opposition, yes—but also of balance. Hueco Mundo is a natural realm, not an aberration. If we were to destroy all Hollows entirely, the cycle of souls would collapse."
"Balance?" Hirako echoed, raising an eyebrow.
Behind him, Aizen's eyes glinted faintly.
There it was—that word again. Balance. A term loaded with deeper meaning. Aizen knew it meant something critical.
If he could understand the nature of this so-called balance, perhaps he could unravel the laws that governed the three realms.
"I don't get it, Miss Kirio. What exactly do you mean by 'balance'?" Shinji asked again, more intently.
Kirio opened her mouth to explain further—
Boom.
The resounding tap of Yamamoto's cane cut through the air once more.
"Captain Hikifune."
It was a reminder. A warning.
She immediately understood.
Any explanation about the fundamental balance of the universe would inevitably touch on the existence of the Soul King, and that subject was strictly taboo—especially with so many vice-captains present.
The Royal Family, the Ōken, the Soul King's role as the linchpin of the worlds—these were secrets even some captains were never meant to fully know.
Kirio fell silent at once.
Yamamoto picked up where she left off:
"As Captain Hikifune said, slaying a Hollow purifies it. Some souls return to Rukongai. Some go elsewhere. That is enough for you to know."
"We, the Gotei 13, are the stewards of equilibrium. We do not disrupt the flow—we preserve it."
His eyes scanned the room.
"However, through the monitoring systems of the Twelfth Division, we've detected unnatural forces at work."
"There are elements—rogue remnants—seeking to disrupt this balance."
A heavy silence followed.
The implications were clear: something was tampering with the very structure of the afterlife.
And no one in that room, not even the captains, truly understood the storm that was about to begin.