Bleach: From the moment I was invited by Squad Zero

Outside, the afternoon sun, with a touch of languor, shone lazily on the empty and solemn square.

However, this languid mood was completely shattered by several figures quietly waiting at the corner of the corridor.

When they saw the captains walking out one after another, Hinamori Momo, Renji and the others' hearts jumped into their throats.

They held their breath, their eyes rapidly searching among those imposing figures.

Then they saw it.

After the captains' slightly hurried or thoughtful steps, a tall, slender figure with steady steps stepped out of the threshold at a leisurely pace.

The sunlight fell on him, and the first thing that caught the eye was his pure white haori.

Beneath the haori was the familiar black shihaka uniform, and below that was a calm face that they both knew well, yet now seemed somewhat unfamiliar.

Yanagawa.

A white... haori?

How could Yanagawa possibly wear the captain's haori?!

The first person to recover even a little bit of voice from this huge shock was Renji Abarai.

He pointed at Liuchuan and finally managed to squeeze out what he thought was a reasonable explanation:

"That Liuchuan guy! So he's getting a promotion! I sensed something was off when I met him yesterday! This...this is the Great Demon Master's robe? This guy actually became the Great Demon Master without saying a word?!"

His voice sounded particularly abrupt at the edge of the empty square. Even the captains who had not yet completely left and were talking in hushed tones in the distance (such as Kyoraku Shunsui and Ukitake Jushiro) couldn't help but glance at him, then revealed a subtle smile, shook their heads, and did not linger.

"Renji! No way!" Hisagi Shuhei was also quite startled by the white haori, but his composure as a vice-captain made him calm down more quickly and subconsciously refute Renji's outrageous guess.

"You have some common sense! Although the Great Demon Master is the leader of the Demon Path Clan, his uniform is different from the Captain's haori, and it's not this style or color! This...this looks more like..."

He paused, his voice filled with uncertainty and deeper surprise: "Could it be... that Yanagawa has taken over the vacant captaincy of a squad? But..."

He quickly went through the names of the thirteen captains and recent rumors in his mind, becoming even more confused.

"I haven't heard of any captain stepping down or a vacancy arising... Besides, even for a new captain, the conferment of the haori should have been done with a formal ceremony and announcement. How could it be so sudden, right after the captains' meeting..."

His analysis was reasonable, but it also highlighted the strangeness and incredulity of the scene before him.

If he's neither a powerful Taoist priest nor an ordinary captain, then what exactly does this white haori represent?

Just then, a clear, slightly trembling voice rang out, interrupting Hisagi Shuhei's contemplation. It was like a bucket of ice water poured over the heads of the crowd, who had just come to their senses after Renji's outrageous guess, but were now even more bewildered.

It was Rukia Kuchiki who spoke.

She had taken a half-step forward without anyone noticing, her eyes fixed on the pattern on the back of Yanagawa Haori, a pattern that was neither any known team emblem nor family crest of Seireitei.

Rukia Kuchiki's pupils shrank to pinpoints, and she held her breath for a moment. She couldn't be mistaken. Absolutely not.

In the old library of the Kuchiki family, she had seen rubbings or descriptions of this pattern before.

That is a mark closely linked to the Soul King Palace and to the legends that surpass the Gotei 13.

"Zero...Zero Squad..."

Rukia Kuchiki's voice was very soft, filled with disbelief, as she squeezed out those few words that weighed a ton of weight from her throat.

"That pattern... is the emblem of Squad Zero."

Zero Squad.

These three words struck the hearts of everyone present like the final hammer of judgment.

Kira Izuru stumbled and almost lost his balance.

Zero Squad.

The Palace of the Spirit King.

That being that circulates only among the highest levels of society and is like a myth to the vast majority of Grim Reapers.

That supreme realm, which transcends the Gotei 13 and protects the foundation of the world, is comprised of individuals who possess the merit of "irreplaceable creation."

Yanagawa... their classmate, the one who chose the Kido sect and seemed to be living a carefree life, actually became a member of the Zero Squad?!

Liu Chuan stopped in his tracks, and he naturally saw the people waiting in the corridor.

"Hey! Yanagawa! What the hell is going on?! Zero Squad?! When did you become a member of Zero Squad?! Such a big thing, and you didn't tell me a single word?! Don't you even consider me a friend anymore?!"

His questioning was direct, rude, and undisguised in his emotions, but strangely, there wasn't much awe or estrangement towards the Zero Squad's identity; rather, it was more of an anger and surprise at his friend for concealing something important.

This familiar, unceremonious attitude acted like a key, slightly loosening the frozen atmosphere.

Yanagawa looked at the familiar faces before him, and at Renji's undisguised "interrogation".

He sighed softly to himself, knowing he had to give an explanation, even though it was destined to be unable to fully satisfy their curiosity.

He raised his hand and gently brushed the unusual fabric of his white haori, his movements calm, as if he were simply tidying up an ordinary garment.

"This matter is a long story, and involves some reasons that are inconvenient to elaborate on."

When Liu Chuan spoke, his voice remained the same steady and clear tone that everyone was familiar with, showing no arrogance or aloofness despite his sudden change in status.

"What I can tell you is that for certain special reasons, which I cannot disclose, the Spirit King Palace has taken notice of me and given me this opportunity to be promoted to the Zero Division. It is not that I intend to hide it, but this matter was not fully confirmed before today's meeting, so it needs to be kept secret."

His explanation downplayed the seriousness of the matter, attributing the cause to "the will of the Spirit King Palace" and "secrecy requirements," which was reasonable and prevented further questioning.

After all, the Zero Division and the Soul King Palace contain too many secrets that cannot be told to outsiders.

He paused, then turned his gaze to Hinamori Momo: "As for the matter of 'Twin Hyōrinmaru,' the Captain-Commander has officially ordered in the meeting that it be handed over to me for full handling."

"Hitsugaya is your childhood friend. For both personal and professional reasons, I will do my best to ensure his safety. You can rest assured about that."

"Yanagawa-kun..." Hinamori Momo nodded vigorously, her voice trembling with tears.

"Thank you, Yanagawa-kun! I...I believe you! I'm counting on you for Shiro!"

Trust in Yanagawa's abilities, coupled with the inexplicable confidence that came with her "Zero Squad" status, finally eased some of the anxiety she had been feeling.