NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3: Chapter 3
Standing in front of the Eighth Division Barracks, Uehara Shiroha let out a leisurely yawn.
Although it was still early, he had already begun contemplating where to start his exciting nightlife.
However, before he could make a decision, he noticed a familiar sight—a shinigami from the Eighth Division hurriedly reporting something to a female Shinigami he knew quite well.
The slender girl with glasses, a book tucked under her arm, was none other than Ise Nanao, the Tenth Seat of the Eighth Division.
She was Kyoraku Shunsui's niece and, over time, had become a good friend of Uehara Shiroha.
Like Lisa Yadōmaru, they had met through their shared love of reading.
The soldier quickly finished his report and left, leaving Nanao alone.
Curious about her serious expression, Uehara Shiroha stepped forward to greet her.
"Yo, Nanao-chan. What's with that look? Something happen?"
Hearing his voice, Ise Nanao turned to him, her brows slightly furrowed.
"Uehara Shiroha, something serious happened in Rukongai."
Her voice was calm but carried a weight of concern.
"The Twelfth Division has just detected an abnormality—a large number of civilians in Rukongai have gone missing over the past month."
"The Twelfth Division has already reported this information to the Captain-Commander.
Just now, an advance investigation team of ten Shinigami was dispatched to look into it."
"Now, all divisions have been notified."
Her tone was professional, but the situation was anything but ordinary.
Even though the civilians of Rukongai were often seen as disposable in the grand scheme of things, mass disappearances still raised alarms.
This was because the balance of the spiritual world had to be maintained.
The number and strength of souls in Soul Society, the Human World, Hueco Mundo, and even Hell had to remain in equilibrium.
If one realm became overpopulated or depleted, it could cause a catastrophic collapse of the entire spiritual cycle.
This was why the Captain-Commander had immediately sent an investigation squad.
Upon hearing Ise Nanao's report, Uehara Shiroha's mind clicked.
It's happening.
Coincidentally, at that very moment, his system sent a new prompt:
[System Notification]
[Special Mission 7: Witness the Birth of the Visored]
[On a full-moon night, something sinister is unfolding in the depths of Rukongai. A secret experiment is taking place. You decide to investigate and witness the birth of the Masked Army with your own eyes.]
[Reward: Random Ability or Item]
Special missions were what truly accelerated his growth.
Daily missions were steady, long-term investments.
Special missions, on the other hand, were the jackpot—the kind of rewards that could make him absurdly powerful overnight.
If luck was on his side, he could even obtain EX-ranked abilities and become unstoppable.
However, special missions weren't guaranteed—they had to be triggered.
Based on Uehara Shiroha's own observations, the highest chance of triggering a special mission was when he was involved in key events of the plot.
That's why…
Until he became truly invincible, he had no plans to drastically alter the original storyline.
Smiling lightly, he patted Ise Nanao's shoulder in a reassuring manner.
"Don't worry, Nanao-chan."
"With the wise leadership of the Captain-Commander and the Central 46, Soul Society will continue to be prosperous, peaceful, and harmonious."
Ise Nanao narrowed her eyes at him.
There was something off about the way he said that.
The words themselves were perfectly fine—official, even—but coming from Uehara Shiroha's mouth…
They somehow sounded sarcastic.
But why?
She couldn't quite put her finger on it.
Before she could question him further, Uehara Shiroha simply waved and walked away.
After a leisurely stroll, humming a tune, Uehara Shiroha returned to his residence.
As a seated officer of the First Division, his living conditions were exceptional.
His house even had a private courtyard—not as extravagant as those belonging to captains, but spacious enough for training.
Not that he trained outside.
No.
All of his training took place indoors.
And for good reason.
His entire house was layered with powerful Kido barriers—not just one, but multiple layers.
Though these barriers weren't as powerful as the Soul King's Soul-Blocking Membrane, they were still more than enough to block all forms of surveillance.
After all, the Technology Development Bureau was still in its infancy.
And Aizen's grand "scientific project" had only just reached a critical turning point.
At this stage, there weren't as many black-tech surveillance tools in use.
Still, Uehara Shiroha preferred to be cautious.
He wasn't just guarding against Aizen's ambition…
He was also wary of the Invisible Empire.
Yhwach's method of stealing Bankai was something worth preparing for.
During the Thousand-Year Blood War, Yamamoto Genryūsai had unleashed the strongest Bankai in history—Zanka no Tachi.
Yet, in the very next moment, Yhwach stole it.
In the blink of an eye, the strongest Captain-Commander in history was reduced to ashes.
A tragic and absurd end.
Uehara Shiroha wasn't going to let that happen to himself.
Upon reaching his bedroom, Uehara Shiroha channeled his Reiatsu.
Immediately, his Zanpakutō, Shunkyō, emitted a faint white glow.
In an instant, his entire room became shrouded in an invisible force, sealing it from outside interference.
Now, it was completely secure.
Seating himself cross-legged, he placed Shunkyō across his lap and began his daily blade meditation practice.
In Soul Society, a Shinigami's Zanpakutō was their core—comparable to an immortal cultivator's lifebound treasure.
A powerful Zanpakutō could define a Shinigami's entire combat style.
Take Aizen, for example.
Without Kyoka Suigetsu, he would have never been able to toy with Soul Society the way he did.
Of course, his absurd Reiatsu and intellect played a role, too.
After all, even when Tsunayashiro Tokinada recreated Kyoka Suigetsu using the Enrakyōten, it wasn't nearly as powerful.
The true strength of a Zanpakutō wasn't just in its abilities.
It was also tied to the user's mastery, will, and soul resonance.
That's why mastering Blade Meditation was essential.
It had been a respected technique in Soul Society for thousands of years.
Reaching a high level of Blade Meditation allowed a Shinigami to directly communicate with their Zanpakutō, greatly enhancing their control over Shikai and Bankai.
And thanks to his Shadow Clones…
Uehara Shiroha was making absurd progress.
As he closed his eyes and synchronized with Shunkyō, the Zanpakutō's cold white glow intensified.
Their connection deepened.
Satisfied, Uehara Shiroha studied his blade.
Shunkyō resembled an ancient longsword, exuding a majestic, restrained aura.
Compared to other Zanpakutō with exotic transformations, Shunkyō's form was simple yet powerful.
But its ability…
Its ability was absolutely broken.