Bleach: The Template System Chose Me, The Forgotten Kuchiki

Outside a dimly lit house, Shiraha slid both his spirit-forged blade and burial staff back into their respective sheaths, the purified soul he had just released fading quietly into the spiritual breeze of the Human World as silence returned to the street.

"Already started converging, have they?" he murmured, catching a subtle fluctuation in the spiritual atmosphere, then gave a slight shake of his head, dismissing the thought as unnecessary. "Forget it—six soul burials should be enough."

He considered continuing, his hand brushing lightly over the edge of his coat as he activated Observation Haki to search the surrounding area for more wandering souls, but the sudden glow from the badge pinned to his chest made him pause mid-step.

The conditions were simple. Three soul burials were enough to pass the Spiritual Arts Academy's training requirements, and six was already more than sufficient, a deliberate buffer but not so excessive as to draw attention. He didn't need to prove anything by staying out longer.

But even as he deactivated his search, his senses flared.

Directly ahead, something shifted in the current of the world, a source of Reiatsu surging into his perception—Reiatsu completely foreign to that of a Shinigami, brimming with chaos, corruption, and a primal malice that twisted through the air like smoke.

It bore resemblance to the scattered Hollows he had encountered and eliminated earlier, yet this one pulsed with power on a scale far above them—undeniably vice-captain class or stronger.

Focusing his Haki to locate the exact origin, Shiraha's expression sharpened as the signal resolved and aligned with the gathering point for the Soul Burial cadets.

His voice dropped into a whisper, more instinct than thought. "You again… Aizen?"

There was no other explanation. Hollows of this caliber didn't simply appear by accident, not in Karakura Town, not during training operations carefully overseen by Seireitei, not without someone manipulating events from the shadows. Only one person had both the ambition and precision to orchestrate such a subtle, yet catastrophic insertion.

Without hesitation, Shiraha vanished into Shunpo, his body flickering through the static air as he raced toward the source of the disturbance at full speed.

---

Outside an abandoned factory wrapped in ivy and the melancholy of time, twenty-four cadets stood in loose groups beneath the overcast sky, waiting for their next orders. At the front stood Abarai Renji, Kira Izuru, and Hinamori Momo, chatting amid the hum of idle conversation.

"How many did you do this time, Ono?" a student asked, resting his hand on his Zanpakutō while trying not to sound too competitive.

"Eight soul burials," Ono replied with a grin as he puffed out his chest, voice dripping with pride. "Not bad, huh?"

Laughter and murmurs followed as the students began comparing their own tallies, boasting about their routes and efficiency, their tone light and unaware that the balance was already beginning to tip.

"Renji," Kira said, flashing a grin and clapping a hand on his friend's shoulder, "you lost this round, so that means one month of meals is on you, and I'm not letting you off the hook."

Renji groaned but didn't argue. "Yeah, yeah. I said I'd pay and I will, but don't get cocky. Next time, I'm taking the win."

Hinamori, quiet and restless, scanned the horizon with searching eyes, her smile absent. "Brother Shiraha… he should've been back by now. He finished way ahead of everyone last time."

Kira noticed the shift in her voice and tried to reassure her, offering a smile. "Don't worry. He's strong, probably got sidetracked helping someone or ran into an unusual case."

Renji folded his arms and added confidently, "Honestly, if anyone here ran into trouble, it wouldn't be him. He's more likely saving someone else than needing help."

Then Renji sighed with mild frustration. "Still… not seeing a single Hollow all day? I wanted to put my skills to the test for once."

Kira gave him a sideways look. "With your level? Don't push your luck."

Before Renji could reply, a voice broke across the clearing like sunlight through cloud cover.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, everyone!"

Matsumoto Rangiku, vice-captain of the Tenth Division, strode casually into the clearing, her long hair rippling in the breeze and her smile warm but knowing.

"Matsumoto-sensei!" the students called out together, their posture straightening in unison as they bowed in greeting.

She looked around, pleased with the energy, and chuckled softly. "Judging by your smiles, I'm guessing things went well today. That's good to hear. Hm? Where's Shiraha?"

She scanned the gathering with a light frown. For someone with Shiraha's abilities and precision, he should've been the first one back, not the last.

"Matsumoto-sensei," Renji said quickly, "he's probably just delayed. He'll be here any minute."

"Alright then. Once Shiraha returns, we'll begin the return sequence and open the gate back to Soul Society."

But before she could finish her thought, a sudden cry from a cadet shattered the calm.

"Look! In the sky!"

High above, the air tore open in a jagged rift—a Garganta. Darkness rippled from its edges, and from within stepped a vast figure. With a screech and a thunderclap of wings, a towering Hollow emerged, easily six or seven meters tall. Its owl-like form twisted with unnatural symmetry, sharp talons glinting, the hollow hole yawning like a second mouth in the right side of its chest.

The Garganta sealed shut behind it with a final groan of displaced energy, and the moment it landed atop a building, its spiritual pressure exploded outward like a tidal wave, crashing down on the cadets.

Many dropped to their knees, gasping, their bodies frozen under the crushing weight.

"What… what is that?" a student choked out, eyes wide with panic. "I can't breathe…"

"I haven't even graduated… I don't want to die like this!"

Despite the suffocating fear, some cadets still drew their blades, hands trembling as instinct fought to keep them standing.

The owl-shaped Hollow laughed, voice shrill and distorted. "So it's true. With this spiritual pressure, you must be Shinigami…"

Matsumoto's stance shifted in an instant, her expression hardening as she stepped forward and drew her Zanpakutō. "That's no ordinary Hollow," she said flatly, voice tight. "With this level of Reiatsu and cognitive awareness… it's Adjuchas."

The Menos Grande were classified into three tiers: Gillian, Adjuchas, and Vasto Lorde. This one, though newly formed, was intelligent, focused, and brimming with enough power to decimate everything in its path.

Even the lowest Adjuchas could command Gillian, unleash Bala and Cero, and eventually evolve into Vasto Lorde. Fully matured, they rivaled captains. This one had just completed its transformation, but that made it no less lethal.

"Matsumoto Rangiku, vice-captain of Squad Ten," she said into her communicator without breaking eye contact with the Hollow, "requesting immediate removal of spirit seals—applying for limit release."

All captain- and vice-captain-level Shinigami in the Human World were subjected to a power restriction—an 80% suppression of their Reiatsu to avoid destabilizing the world of the living. With clearance, that restriction could be lifted, multiplying their spiritual power fivefold.

But before the confirmation came, the Adjuchas vanished.

Swish.

In less than a blink, it reappeared directly in front of Matsumoto.

"Bala."

A crimson spiritual projectile erupted from its beak, slamming against her defense.

Boom!

She blocked with her blade but was blasted backward, sent flying across the concrete, rolling through dust and shattered debris as blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.

While she was airborne, the Hollow pivoted and tore into three students with its talons, skewering them in a heartbeat before any could scream.

But as it moved for a fourth, Rangiku reappeared in a burst of flash step, intercepting the killing strike with a resounding clash of metal.

Clang!

Zanpakutō and claw met, sparks showering the air. Rangiku growled and drove her blade forward, forcing the Hollow back ten meters with a decisive counterstrike.

"Everyone, fall back!" she ordered without looking away from the enemy. "This is an Adjuchas-class Menos! You're not equipped to handle this!"

Snapped from their fear, the students obeyed at last, scattering in every direction with rapid steps and anxious yells.

But the Adjuchas didn't follow them.

"I'll deal with you first," it snarled, eyes locked on Matsumoto as its tongue flicked across razor-like teeth. "Your soul is far more appetizing than theirs."

Focused now solely on her, the owl Hollow gathered force and lunged again, hunger and instinct sharpening every movement.