Shadow and Steel
The Soul Society was changing.
For the first time in history, Visoreds were no longer outcasts. They had a place—a squad of their own, recognized within the Gotei 13.
But not everyone welcomed the change.
As the Shadow Guard prepared for their first mission, tensions within the Seireitei were already beginning to boil over.
Clash of Captains
The sun hung high over the First Division Headquarters, where all Captains and Lieutenants had been summoned.
Squad 0X had officially been assigned their first mission—but before they could depart, Yamamoto wanted a word.
Harry stood at the center of the great hall, his black and silver haori draped over his shoulders. Behind him, Shinji, Kensei, Lisa, Hachigen, and Raiden stood silently, their expressions unreadable.
Across from them, the other Captains watched in tense silence.
Some, like Shunsui Kyōraku and Jūshirō Ukitake, seemed neutral—perhaps even supportive.
But others…
Byakuya Kuchiki regarded him with cold indifference.
Soi Fon was visibly tense, her sharp eyes narrowed in suspicion.
Mayuri Kurotsuchi smirked, clearly still thinking about dissecting him.
And then there was Kommamura and Hitsugaya, who stood with their arms crossed, clearly unconvinced that this was a good idea.
Yamamoto’s staff hit the ground.
“The Shadow Guard has been assigned a critical mission,” he announced. “You will deploy to Hueco Mundo, where a new Hollow force has emerged.”
Murmurs rippled through the room.
“Hueco Mundo?” Hitsugaya frowned. “Since when does the Soul Society send Captains into enemy territory so openly?”
Harry smirked. “Since now, apparently.”
Soi Fon scoffed. “Tch. Convenient. We hand the Hollow-tainted squad a mission in the Hollow realm. A perfect excuse to let them run wild.”
Harry turned his gaze to her. “If you’re worried about me losing control, we can always spar before I leave.”
The room tensed.
Soi Fon’s expression darkened, her hand twitching toward her zanpakutō.
“Enough,” Yamamoto said sternly.
Harry didn’t break eye contact.
He wanted them to know—he wasn’t afraid of any of them.
“Your mission begins immediately,” Yamamoto continued. “You will locate and eliminate the Hollow threat. Do not fail.”
Harry smirked. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
Mission: Hueco Mundo
The black skies of Hueco Mundo stretched endlessly above them as Squad 0X emerged from the Garganta.
Harry stepped forward, feeling the heavy, suffocating reiatsu in the air. The sands beneath his feet were cold, stretching out in every direction.
Behind him, his squad scanned the area.
Kensei rested a hand on his blade. “Feels like a damn trap.”
Shinji nodded. “Of course it’s a trap. Wouldn’t be fun if it wasn’t.”
Lisa adjusted her glasses. “Multiple signatures. Whatever’s out here… it’s strong.”
Harry’s Hollow mask flashed into existence for a brief moment before vanishing. His control had gotten flawless.
“No running,” he said simply. “We finish this.”
His squad smirked.
And then—
The sand erupted.
The Phantom Hollows
A horrifying screech split the air as dozens of masked figures emerged from the ground.
But these weren’t ordinary Hollows.
Their bodies shimmered like shadows, flickering in and out of existence. Their reiatsu was strange—unstable, twisted.
Lisa’s eyes narrowed. “These aren’t normal Hollows.”
“They’re experiments,” Hachigen said grimly. “Someone’s been modifying them.”
Harry’s grip tightened on his twin swords. “Then let’s tear them apart and find out who’s responsible.”
The battle erupted in an instant.
Kensei’s fist shattered a Hollow’s skull.
Shinji blurred through the battlefield, his blade carving through three at once.
Hachigen summoned glowing kido barriers, sealing off enemy movement.
And Harry—
Harry was everywhere.
His Bankai activated, his twin swords howling with spectral energy. He vanished in a flash of shunpo, reappearing behind a Hollow and decapitating it instantly.
Another lunged at him—he barely turned before Raiden Kurogane cut through it with a single electric-charged slash.
“These things are too coordinated,” Raiden muttered. “They’re not acting on instinct.”
Then—
A deep, echoing voice rumbled across the desert.
“Very perceptive.”
The Hollows froze.
And from the shadows, a figure emerged.
The Enemy Revealed
A tall, armored figure stepped forward, his reiatsu pulsing with both Hollow and Shinigami energy.
His mask was cracked, revealing piercing red eyes beneath it.
Shinji’s face darkened. “Oh, hell no…”
Lisa’s expression turned grim. “Another one?”
Harry narrowed his eyes. “Who are you?”
The figure smirked. “I am Vael Vortigen. A perfected Visored.”
The air grew heavy with his presence.
“Unlike you,” Vael continued, his voice smooth, “I am no accident. I was created to be what you fear most.”
Harry felt it. The twisting, unstable reiatsu pouring from the man. It was unnatural. Wrong.
“And now,” Vael said, unsheathing a black, pulsating blade, “you will understand what it means to face true evolution.”
Lightning cracked through the air.
The battle for Squad 0X’s survival had just begun.
To be continued…