Haruki sat cross-legged, his Asauchi resting across his p. Despite the alcohol he'd ed earlier, his mind was now utterly clear.

  He closed his eyes, fog inward. Somewhere in the depths of his soul, he heard a voice—soft, faint, but unmistakable.

  "…My name is…"

  The voice wavered, sometimes loud and near, other times distant and indistinct, as though eg from a mountaintop. Haruki tried to grasp it, to pin it down, but it always slipped away.

  "My name is…"

  A deafening rumble followed, like thunder crag through the heavens, drowning out the final sylbles.

  Haruki slowly opened his eyes.

  Though it felt brief, nearly an hour and a half had passed iside world. He could sehat he had moved oep closer to Shikai, yet it still wasn't enough. Full liberation of his bde would require more time.

  In theory, a life-or-death battle would accelerate the process. But in the sereability of Seireitei, such situations were rare. After all, before Ichigo Kurosaki's arrival, the Gotei 13 had gouries—perhaps millennia—without much upheaval.

  Once Kurosaki appeared, however, the wheels of flict began to turn, and the captains and lieutenants of the Gotei 13 grew expoially strohrough stant battles. It wasn't strarue growth often required fag death itself. The soul's innate energy surged when threatened with obliteration.

  If I want to grow quickly, Haruki mused, I'll he kind of intetles that push me to my limits.

  ...

  He also realized that such opportunities would eventually e. After all, Aizen was already watg him.

  The ret promotion to Ninth Seat was firmation enough. Though the rank wasn't high, it sighat Aizen had taken an i in him. Haruki suspected the Metastacia attack had been orchestrated by Aizen, and his swift elimination of the Hollow had only heightehat i.

  Being under Aizen's scruti his future wouldn't be smooth sailing. It was only a matter of time before arial came his way.

  ...

  In the months following his promotion, however, things remained oddly quiet. Aizen gave no further instrus, allowing Haruki to focus on strengthening his es and training. He deepened his ties with the Squad Five members, the academy's "Four Little Stars," as well as Rangiku and Shuhei Hisagi.

  He even tried f a retionship with Shunsui Kyoraku, though the Squad Eight captain's goodwill grew at a snail's pace. After several drinking sessions, Kyoraku's affe barely reached 30. Haruki decided not to waste too much effort on the inscrutable veteran captain.

  Still, progress was made elsewhere. Shuhei's affe reached 79, just shy of the crucial 80 threshold. Unfortunately, raising affe levels became expoially harder as they climbed. Hitsugaya's meteoric leap to 80 was clearly an exception.

  ...

  One quiet winter day, Haruki arrived at the Squad Five barracks to find a mission waiting for him.

  "East Rukongai, District 62—Withered Flower. Reports of a rge-scale soul disappeara's suspected to be a resurgence of the Soul Vanishing I from seventy years ago."

  "Ninth Squad is already on-site," expined Sixth Seat Tani Motooru, g Haruki on the shoulder. "But the ander-General wants us to send reinforts, just in case. This will be your first mission as a seated officer. Don't worry; with Vice-Captain Ichimaru leading us, nothing g."

  Nothing g? Haruki thought wryly, gng at Ichimaru Gin's ever-smiling face. That's exactly why I'm worried.

  The mission reeked of Aizen's maations. The Soul Vanishing I was Aizen's doing, a District 62 was her than Gin and Rangiku's birthpce—the same pce where Aizen had gathered souls in the past.

  But Haruki didn't feel fear—only grim determination. So, the games begin agai's see how far this will go.

  ...

  The Squad Five reinfort team included Vice-Captain Gin Ichimaru, four seated officers (Fourth through Ninth Seats, including Haruki), and over sixty squad members. It was a formidable force, refleg the seriousness of the potential threat.

  This was no ordinary mission. The Soul Vanishing I decades prior had led to the Hollowfication of several captains and lieutenants. Even the fai possibility of such danger warranted a robust response.

  ...

  "Are we leaving immediately?" Haruki asked, feigning nervousness.

  "Yes," Tani Motooru firmed. "Vice-Captain Ichimaru is already waiting for us. Let's go."

  Haruki followed Tani to the assembly point, where Gin sat casually on a step, greeting the arriving Shinigami with a rexed wave.

  "Don't worry, everyone," Gin said with his signature grin. "As long as I'm here, you'll all be safe."

  The words seemed to reassure the gathered Shinigami. Tani raised his voice, rallying the troops. "With Vice-Captain Ichimaru leading us, even if the infamous Kisuke Urahara himself showed up, we'd have nothing to fear!"

  "Exactly! I heard the Vice-Captain has already mastered Bankai. He's just waiting for a captain's seat to open up!"

  "Not to mention he graduated from the Shin'o Academy in just one year! Truly a genius!"

  The squad buzzed with admiration, their faith in Gin unwavering. Haruki joihe chatter, the se through half-lidded eyes.

  ...

  And theiced it—Ichimaru Gin, still smiling, was watg him ily.