Bleach: From the moment I was invited by Squad Zero.

Jushiro Ukitake suddenly sat up straight, which triggered another violent coughing fit.

Kyoraku Shunsui instantly abandoned all his nonchalance, his eyes flashing with a sharp light. He grabbed the envelope and tore it open without hesitation.

Inside were several neatly folded sheets of paper and several clear photographs.

Kyoraku Shunsui quickly unfolded the letter, and Ukitake Jushiro, despite his discomfort, leaned closer to read it.

The handwriting on the letter was standard printed, utterly devoid of any individuality, but the content struck them like a thunderbolt, each sentence hitting their hearts like a bombshell:

"...Captain-Commander Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni is currently located in an area outside the Seireitei." Coordinates were even thoughtfully included.

"...Sixth Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki recently made secret contact with Muramasa, seemingly reaching a cooperation agreement. The following are photos as evidence..."

Their eyes quickly turned to the photos.

The photos were clearly taken in dim lighting conditions, but the image quality is extremely high. The first photo is a profile of Byakuya Kuchiki.

Standing in what was clearly an underground cave, facing him was Muramasa!

The two seemed to be talking, and the atmosphere was not tense at all, but rather had an eerie "calmness".

The second photo, taken from a slightly farther angle, shows a figure shrouded in a barrier deeper into the cave. Although blurry, Kyoraku and Ukitake immediately recognized the unique posture as Captain-Commander Yamamoto!

Kuchiki Byakuya and Muramasa were standing not far in front of the barrier.

The third and fourth photos captured other blurry figures inside the cave. Judging from their spiritual pressure aura and shapes, they were clearly other materialized Zanpakuto, scattered around like guards.

Kuchiki Byakuya was among them, and there was no sign that he was being restrained or surrounded.

“This…how is this possible…” Jushiro Ukitake’s fingers trembled slightly.

He had worked with Byakuya Kuchiki for many years and knew him well. He was cold and rigid, yet he valued rules and honor more than life itself, and thus betrayed the Seireitei.

Collaborating with Muramasa? This completely overturned his entire understanding of Byakuya Kuchiki!

Kyoraku Shunsui stared intently at the photo. He was a disciple of Captain-Commander Yamamoto and was also quite familiar with Kuchiki Byakuya. He too found it difficult to accept this fact.

But with the photos right in front of him, he had no choice but to believe it.

In particular, the coordinates of Captain-Commander Yamamoto's location could not have been marked so precisely without firsthand observation or an extremely reliable source of information! This increased the credibility of the rest of the anonymous letter.

"Who sent the letter? When?" Kyoraku Shunsui's voice was terrifyingly low.

"I have absolutely no idea." Nana shook her head, her face also looking very pale.

“I checked around the door, and there was no residual spiritual pressure or trace of spatial fluctuations. This letter seems to have appeared out of thin air.”

"Anonymous letter...photo...Captain-Commander's coordinates...Byakuya..."

Kyoraku Shunsui slowly sat back in his chair, his fingers unconsciously tapping the armrest as he fell into rapid thought.

This intelligence came too strangely and too timely, as if someone had deliberately packaged and sent the most crucial information.

Is it a trap? Is it sowing discord? Or... is it some hidden "third party" with its own agenda, manipulating them?

However, regardless of anything else, Captain-Commander Yamamoto's position is a solid clue! And Byakuya Kuchiki's "betrayal" photos are equally shocking, requiring immediate verification and response!

“Nanao,” Kyoraku Shunsui suddenly looked up, his eyes no longer showing any laziness, but only the decisiveness of a seasoned captain.

"Immediately notify all squads of the Gotei 13 to go and rescue the Captain-Commander!"

"Yes!" Nana realized the seriousness of the situation and immediately turned around to prepare for action.

The news spread throughout Seireitei at an astonishing speed.

Meanwhile, in the shadows somewhere in Soul Society, Aizen Sousuke quietly sent out anonymous letters and "evidence," and secretly pushed the news to spread.

He pushed up his glasses, and a knowing smile flashed in his eyes behind the lenses.

Chapter 144 The Thousand Cherry Blossoms Blocking the Way

As the news spread throughout the Seireitei, many of the Shinigami began to act, with each division gathering its strongest Shinigami and quickly heading towards the Captain-Commander's location.

The most ferocious and the most eager to fight are the Eleventh Division!

"Faster! Faster! Don't let the weaklings from the other squads get there first!"

"The captain is just ahead! Follow the captain's spiritual pressure!"

"Slay those traitorous Zanpakuto! Rescue the Captain-Commander!"

Rough shouts and excited roars echoed through the ranks.

The Eleventh Division, the Gotei 13, is recognized as a "combat-exclusive unit," and its members are all battle maniacs who have experienced bloody battles and advocate direct combat.

With the commander-in-chief in danger and facing a formidable enemy, this is the perfect stage for them to prove their worth and enjoy the thrill of battle!

The entire squad was almost entirely deployed, leaving only essential personnel for defense.

Leading the charge was a burly figure, like a ferocious humanoid beast—Kenpachi Zaraki.

He ran at an astonishing speed, each step causing the ground to tremble slightly, his eyes burning with pure and ferocious fighting spirit.

On his broad shoulders sat Yachiru Kusashi, her pink hair fluttering in the wind. She gripped Kenpachi's shoulder with one hand, her other hand pointing forward, her face filled with excitement and eagerness.

"Over here! Little Sword! Over here! I smell a lot of powerful guys!"

"Hey! Vice Captain! The direction you're pointing seems a bit off! It's over there!"

Madarame Ikkaku, who was right behind him, ran wildly while loudly correcting him, and a vein was faintly throbbing on his forehead.

The Eleventh Division was already used to their vice-captain's infamous terrible sense of direction, but they still had to keep an eye on him in crucial moments.

"Stop talking nonsense! Follow the captain! The enemy might be nearby!"

With his red hair standing on end, Renji Abarai gripped the snake tail tightly, his face filled with intense fighting spirit.

The Eleventh Division, a fierce team representing the pinnacle of frontal assault power in Soul Society, is now like a blood-stained dagger drawn from its sheath, charging towards its target coordinates with the momentum to crush everything in its path!

They occasionally encountered physical Zanpakuto along the way, but they were instantly defeated by Madarame Ikkaku, Ayasegawa Yumichika, and others with lightning speed, without even the captain having to take action!

Their advance speed far exceeded that of the other squads.

However, just as they were about to step into the wasteland area where the coordinates were located—

"Om..."

Immediately afterwards, an immense spiritual pressure descended upon the path of the Eleventh Division's charge!

The Eleventh Division members abruptly halted their sprint! Kenpachi Zaraki's eyes flashed with a fierce light, while Yachiru on his shoulder also showed a curious expression.

Madarame Ikkaku, Ayasegawa Yumichika, Abarai Renji, and the others instantly assumed fighting stances, warily looking towards the source of the spiritual pressure.

Then, a figure wearing a huge cherry blossom headdress and whose face was completely covered by a ferocious demon mask blocked the middle of the road.

He held an elegantly designed and slender Zanpakuto in his hand. Although his face was covered by a mask, his unique spiritual pressure and signature cherry blossom headdress unmistakably proclaimed his identity.

The materialized Zanpakuto, Senbonzakura! Byakuya Kuchiki's Zanpakuto!

“It’s…Senbonzakura!” Renji Abarai’s pupils shrank.

"Hey... here comes a decent one." Kenpachi Zaraki licked his lips, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit.

He could clearly sense that the spiritual pressure of the masked samurai in front of him far exceeded that of the materialized Zanpakuto he had encountered before. It was indeed Byakuya Kuchiki's Zanpakuto.

"Senbonzakura" didn't say much, as if he were just a puppet carrying out orders. He slowly raised the Zanpakuto in his hand.

The blade was pointed at the Eleventh Division members, and the "gaze" behind the fierce mask seemed to be especially locked on Kenpachi Zaraki, whose aura was the most violent.

A cold voice came from behind the mask:

"Scatter, Senbonzakura."

A crisp clang of a blade! The Zanpakuto in his hand instantly disintegrated and shattered, transforming into countless thin blades!

These fine blades are not scattered randomly, but under some exquisite control, they spin and dance at high speed in the air, forming a beautiful pink sea of ​​blades!

"call--!"

In the next instant, countless cherry blossom blades, like a swarm of bees receiving a command, shot towards the area where the Eleventh Division members were located!

Each of the fine blades contained sharp spiritual pressure; such a vast number of them was enough to overwhelm an ordinary Shinigami squad in an instant!

"coming!"

"careful!"

However, Senbonzakura's blades were too numerous, too fast, and too tricky! Many team members' shihaka armors were slashed, and bloody marks instantly appeared on their bodies, accompanied by screams of agony.

Madarame Ikkaku and his men also seemed somewhat powerless under such a dense offensive.

At this critical moment—

"Get out of my way! Don't get in my way!"

A deafening roar drowned out all the noise! ​​Kenpachi Zaraki took a step forward, and a savage, violent golden spiritual pressure exploded like a volcanic eruption!

He used the jagged, nicked asahi sword in his hand to slash horizontally at the cherry blossom blade tide in the simplest and most brutal way!

"boom--!!!"

Golden spiritual pressure clashed fiercely with the pink tide of blades!

Senbonzakura's attack was neutralized by Kenpachi's strike.

Kenpachi remained in his sword-wielding stance, his body enveloped in surging golden spiritual pressure. His single eye, burning with intense fighting spirit, was fixed on the still-standing Senbonzakura before him, and he grinned, revealing an excited smile.

"Hey, you wearing the mask... you're mine now."

He cracked his neck, making a crisp snap, and said rudely to Madarame Ikkaku and the others behind him who were struggling to fend off the remaining blades:

"Leave this to me, you all, keep moving forward!"

Without any hesitation, Ikkaku Madarame nodded emphatically: "Yes, Captain!"

He knew Kenpachi Zaraki too well. This level of opponent was exactly the kind of opponent the captain dreamed of. Anyone who dared to interfere would be the first to suffer.

"Go, Kenpachi!" Kusajishi Yachiru had already jumped off Kenpachi's shoulder and nimbly hid to the side, waving her little fist to cheer him on. Her little face was full of excitement, and she seemed to have full confidence in Kenpachi.

Ayasegawa Yumichika pursed his lips but didn't say anything. He exchanged a glance with Abarai Renji, and the three of them nodded. They then led the other members of the Eleventh Division and rushed towards the wasteland ahead.

They trusted the captain's abilities and understood their mission—to rescue the overall commander and clear away other obstacles!

Only the two people standing opposite each other and Yachiru watching the battle remained nearby.

Kenpachi Zaraki walked step by step toward "Senbonzakura," and with each step, his spiritual pressure intensified and his fighting spirit soared.