"Cousin? Uncle Isshin's son? Uncle isn't dead?"
Ganju's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief.
His three rapid-fire questions perfectly expressed just how confused he was at that moment.
Kūkaku, however, casually pulled Orihime into her arms and smiled at Ganju.
"And that's not all. My severed arm was healed by this friend of Ichigo's."
As she spoke, she gently stroked Orihime's hair.
Hearing this, Ganju's mouth fell open.
"Huh???"
He felt as if his head was about to explode. These things had completely exceeded the limits of his understanding.
However, that was still not the most shocking part.
Next, Kūkaku told Ganju something even more terrifying: Ichigo and the others were planning to break out Rukia Kuchiki, who was about to be executed.
"Y-You're joking, right?"
Ganju's eyes widened in disbelief. His gaze slowly swept over everyone present, trying to find even the slightest trace of a joke on their faces.
But he was disappointed.
Ichigo nodded with a serious expression.
"This isn't a joke. Rukia is our friend! No matter what, we have to save her."
Fine.
Apparently, this wildly ridiculous thing was real and not a joke.
Seeing that even his own sister had not objected, Ganju obediently shut his mouth.
Kūkaku decided to go all in.
"Cousin, just based on your identity and the fact that your friend healed my arm, tell me what you need us to do."
Ichigo's eyes lit up when he heard that, and he hurriedly said, "The gate into the Seireitei has been closed, and the area is blocked off by the spirit wall. Cousin, do you have any way to send us inside?"
Kūkaku had thought it would be something much more troublesome.
"That's it? Leave it to me!"
"Ganju, you'll go with your cousin and his friends to the Seireitei. No one from the Shiba Clan is allowed to be a coward."
While she was at it, Kūkaku also ordered Ganju to assist Ichigo and the others.
"Ooooh!"
Hearing his sister name him directly, Ganju was a little reluctant, but he knew it was his sister's order, so he agreed.
When Ichigo heard Kūkaku say this was a small matter, he was a little puzzled.
"Kukaku-san, do you have connections that can get us in?"
Kūkaku smiled and shook her head.
"I don't have connections, but I'm confident I can send you in."
Ichigo became curious.
"Then how do we get in?"
Kūkaku pointed at the huge structure outside the house and said proudly, "You'll ride my Flower Crane Cannon! And I'll just fire you in."
"Cannon? Fire?"
Ichigo's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief.
"You're not planning to make us the cannonballs, are you?"
Kūkaku laughed loudly and patted Ichigo on the shoulder.
"Relax. The Flower Crane Cannon can break through the Shakonmaku and enter the Seireitei."
Ichigo, Orihime, and the others exchanged glances, all of them feeling somewhat uneasy.
They really could not imagine what it would be like to be fired out like cannonballs.
Seeing their concern, Kūkaku comforted them.
"Don't worry. I tested it myself. It's absolutely safe and reliable."
As she spoke, she led Ichigo and the others to the Flower Crane Cannon.
The cannon towered into the sky, resembling a massive iron chimney.
Ichigo swallowed and still could not help asking, "Are we really going in with this thing?"
Without another word, Kūkaku stuffed Ichigo and the others into the cannon barrel before they could refuse.
"Ready? We're taking off!"
At Kūkaku's command, the Flower Crane Cannon let out a tremendous roar.
Ichigo and the others felt the world spin around them as they were launched toward the Seireitei by an overwhelming force.
"Ahhhhhh!"
Their screams echoed into the sky.
Fortunately, they successfully broke through the Shakonmaku and entered the Seireitei.
The only flaw was that they did not land in the same place.
That's right.
They had been separated.
The moment Ichigo and the others broke through the Shakonmaku, a piercing alarm rang throughout the Seireitei.
The alarm echoed across the entire area, instantly putting everyone on alert.
The Tenth Division members who were on patrol immediately moved out after hearing the alarm, quickly rushing toward the invasion point.
At the same time, the Seventh Division members also mobilized to guard the inner court.
They spread throughout every corner of the inner court, watching their surroundings vigilantly.
Meanwhile, the lieutenants from each division, who had long been waiting in the First Division's resting room, grew flustered.
The alarm meant that Ryoka had broken into the Seireitei. At any moment, they might need to move out and respond to the threat.
However, unlike the tense atmosphere in the resting room, the captains inside the meeting hall remained perfectly calm.
They stood leisurely in their respective positions, seeming completely unconcerned about the intruding Ryoka.
"They're just a few Ryoka. What's the big deal?"
Tōshirō Hitsugaya's tone carried a trace of disdain.
"Oh my, oh my. Something this minor isn't enough to make us panic. I'd rather go back and drink."
Shunsui Kyōraku echoed him.
Among the captains, Ukitake was absent from the meeting due to illness.
His absence did not attract much concern. Instead, it became a topic for the other captains to tease.
"Ukitake always drops the ball at critical moments. What a headache."
Shunsui complained, though he was already used to it. After all, Ukitake's health had always been poor.
At that moment, Gin Ichimaru entered the meeting hall from outside.
He had privately gone to deal with Ichigo and the others earlier, but had failed to stop them from entering the Seireitei.
The moment he stepped into the meeting hall, Kenpachi Zaraki immediately mocked him without mercy.
"Well, if it isn't the Third Division Captain. You couldn't even handle a few Ryoka? How embarrassing."
Kenpachi's words triggered a burst of laughter, and the others also joined in mocking Gin Ichimaru.
Facing everyone's ridicule, Gin only smiled faintly.
"That Ryoka survived after taking one of my attacks. How frightening."
Kenpachi did not give Gin the slightest face.
"Hmph. If you really killed him, then what's with the alarm ringing now?"
"All right, everyone, quiet down."
The Captain-Commander tapped his cane against the floor.
His words carried great authority, instantly suppressing the noise in the meeting hall.
Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto looked around at the captains present, then spoke solemnly.
"Although these Ryoka may appear insignificant, we cannot underestimate them. After all, they were able to break through the Shakonmaku and enter the Seireitei, which proves they possess some ability."
Hearing the Captain-Commander's words, the captains nodded in agreement.
Although they appeared dismissive of the Ryoka on the surface, deep down, they understood that no enemy should be underestimated.
"Now, we must remain vigilant and prepare for all possible situations," Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto continued.
"At the same time, I hope each captain will quickly determine these Ryoka's background and purpose so that we can formulate a better response."
As Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto finished speaking, the atmosphere in the meeting hall grew solemn.
However, before the Captain-Commander could make the next arrangement, Kenpachi Zaraki was the first to rush out of the meeting hall.
He truly did not want to keep listening to these sleep-inducing words.
Right now, there was only one thing he wanted to do.
Find the Ryoka who had broken in, then cut them down.