Komamura shook his head and said solemnly, "Captain Hitsugaya, you are mistaken."
He looked around at everyone, recounting that period of history to the young Captains and Lieutenants.
"Back then, the Captain-Commander was unable to defeat Captain Setsuna. In fact, even when the Captain-Commander joined forces with many strong members of the Zero Division, they still could not defeat Captain Setsuna!"
"What?"
"The Captain-Commander and the Zero Division joined forces and still couldn't win?"
The meeting room erupted in an uproar.
Although Yamamoto had fallen in battle, that battle had also allowed them to witness Yamamoto's strength firsthand.
That power, which transcended limits, was worthy of the title [Strongest Shinigami].
As for the Zero Division, the mere fact that it selected its members from among successive Captains was enough to attest to its power.
Even these two great forces joining forces couldn't defeat that taboo of Soul Society?
Komamura continued, "Perhaps you don't know, but beyond the 1st-Class Reiryoku, there is an even stronger level. It is an existence that transcends the limits of a Shinigami."
"Transcending the limits of a Shinigami?" Ichigo said in surprise. "I think I've heard Aizen mention something like that."
Komamura nodded. "Aizen is indeed a transcendent being. Captain Setsuna, Captain-Commander, and the leader of the Zero Division are also existences at this level."
The assembled Shinigami couldn't help but gasp. Just listening to Komamura's narration, they didn't feel much. But now, using Aizen as a reference, they finally understood the significance of that battle.
Komamura said seriously, "Reiatsu surpassing limits was not Captain Setsuna's strongest point. What truly left the Captain-Commander and the Zero Division helpless was Captain Setsuna's Bankai."
"What is that senior's Bankai?" Everyone immediately became interested.
"Immortality!" Komamura said solemnly. "No matter how many times Captain Setsuna is killed, he instantly restores to perfect condition!"
Toshiro felt his scalp tingle, 'A Zanpakuto ability this perverse actually existed?'
Ichigo also twitched his mouth slightly. If it were Aizen who had such a perverse ability, he couldn't imagine how desperate he would have been back then.
"Now do you understand?" Komamura's voice was hushed with admiration. "The entire Soul Society could do nothing to Captain Setsuna, and ultimately could only exile him into Hell."
"As long as Captain Setsuna returns from Hell, the mere Wandenreich will be nothing to fear!"
Hearing Komamura's account, many of the young Captains felt their emotions stirred.
If this was truly the case, releasing that senior might indeed make it possible to defeat the Wandenreich.
Just then, the meeting room door opened, and a figure walked in slowly.
The visitor wore a Captain's Haori with a pattern on it, and a bamboo hat on his head. It was the Captain of the 8th Division, Kyoraku Shunsui, who had been absent from this meeting.
He sighed. "Everyone, I have just been appointed by the Central 96 as the new Captain-Commander. I then made the same proposal to them."
Unohana narrowed her eyes. "It seems the outcome was not as hoped."
Kyoraku nodded. "They rejected it outright, without any room for negotiation."
Komamura could hardly contain his anger. "Can't they see the Seireitei's current situation? Or would they rather watch Soul Society be destroyed than face Captain Setsuna?"
Kyoraku slightly shook his head. "Perhaps they still harbor the delusion that even if the Wandenreich rules Soul Society, they will still need 'professionals' like themselves to govern."
"After all, in a sense, Captain Setsuna's purification might be even more thorough than the Wandenreich's!"
"This is really troublesome." Ukitake sighed. "Without the consent of the Central 96, the Zero Division will never open the gates of Hell."
Hope seemed to be blocked off again.
"So what do we do now?" Renji couldn't help but ask. "Just sit back and wait for death, wait for Yhwach's next attack to kill us all?"
Kyoraku was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke, "Everyone, please be patient. Although the proposal to release Captain Setsuna was rejected, I have just received the latest news from the Soul King Palace."
He looked up towards the direction of the Soul King Palace, suspended high above Soul Society. "The Zero Division is about to mobilize."
…
On the outskirts of the Seireitei, an open field left empty by the fighting.
The members of the Gotei 13, who had been notified, had long been waiting here.
Suddenly, a giant pillar descended from the sky.
The door at the bottom of the pillar opened, and five oddly shaped figures appeared.
Some were playing music, some were dancing and waving their arms.
Everyone couldn't help but be dumbfounded, 'Was this the Zero Division?'
After all, they were completely lacking the composure one would imagine, instead giving off an inexplicable feeling.
After this 'spectacular' debut, Kirinji Tenjiro said with a rogue-like air, "Looks like quite a few people died this time. Even the Captain-Commander is dead. What have you been doing?"
Kyoraku's expression was calm. "All of you descending from the Soul King Palace surely isn't just to criticize us, is it?"
Hyosube Ichibe'e did not answer directly. Instead, he looked at Ichigo. "Are you Kurosaki Ichigo?"
Ichigo was somewhat puzzled, but still nodded. "That's me."
Hyosube continued, "We have descended by order of the Soul King to rebuild the Gotei 13. But before rebuilding the Gotei 13, there is something even more important to do, and that is to take you to the Soul King Palace."
While Ichigo was still bewildered, Sui-Feng was already furious. "You're talking about rebuilding the Gotei 13 now? What were you doing before?"
"Were you just hiding safely in the Soul King Palace, watching the Seireitei be attacked, watching the Captain-Commander die in battle?"
"Now you show up leisurely, talking about rebuilding the Gotei 13? There should be a limit to your jokes!"
The expressions of the Zero Division's members remained unchanged.
Kirinji even picked his ear, as if finding it a bit noisy.
The next moment, his figure appeared behind Sui-Feng as if by teleportation.
'So fast!' Sui-Feng's pupils contracted sharply. As the Commander-in-Chief of the Onmitsukido, she had completely failed to capture his movement trajectory!
"Little girl, don't be so hot-headed." Kirinji's voice sounded by Sui-Feng's ear, as he pinned her arms behind her back from behind.
"The Zero Division's mission is to protect the Soul King and maintain the foundation of the Three Worlds." Kirinji's voice carried a trace of laziness. "While your Gotei 13's mission is to protect the Seireitei and maintain order in Soul Society."
"Because you can't protect the Seireitei yourselves, you come begging for help from us who protect the Soul King. Even the word 'protector' would weep, wouldn't it?"
"You..." Sui-Feng struggled vigorously, but felt the power restraining her was like a mountain, not moving at all.
She gritted her teeth and snapped, "Wasn't the person capable of protecting the Seireitei already exiled to Hell by you long ago? That 11th Division's Captain, Chiaki Setsuna!"
In an instant, the air in the area where the Zero Division stood seemed to freeze.
Kirinji, who was restraining Sui-Feng, also noticeably stiffened.
He slowly released his hold on Sui-Feng and stepped back half a step. The cynical expression on his face disappeared for the first time, replaced by an unprecedented solemnity.
"Little girl, do you know what you're talking about? That man is an existence even more dangerous than the currently invading Yhwach."
"Even we, the Zero Division, would never dare to release him from Hell."