After having perfected the teleportation spell, he no longer needed an incantation or other prerequisites. With a simple flick of his wrist, a rent could tear through the fabric of the world.
Night fell upon district thirty of East Rukongai. Silas stalked its shadowy streets in search of prey, one that wouldn't be missed like the others. His cloak billowed around him as his gaze swept the entire district.
Souls slept all over the streets and in homes. Both well-built and torn-down ones. Through this pool of lost Souls, Silas managed to find one walking alone by her lonesome self. Her huge eyes darted around the land, revealing how afraid she was of the dark.
As innocent as she looked, Silas was not a weak-hearted individual. The child was his prey—a pawn for another one of his experiments. And her test? To verify the accuracy of his Soul Tracker as well as the stability of his portal.
He approached soundlessly. The Soul flinched, a whimper escaping her lips after being frightened by insects scurrying across the ground. Silas ignored it, reaching into his cloak to retrieve the Soul Tracker. If it worked as it should, then he would be able to access Hueco Mundo.
He kneeled, coming into full view. The Soul shrank back as his shadow engulfed her. With a practiced flick of his wrist, he simultaneously opened a portal while pressing the device on her chest. She shivered, then went still, the rapid rise and fall of her chest the only sign of her panic.
"Frightened, little thing? How amusing."
There were no emotions in his words. With one push, the child was propelled backward. She tumbled into the portal, her scream cutting off abruptly as the ragged hole closed behind her. He remained immobile, his senses fixed on the device's location. Its faint presence persisted.
Success.
Neither the Soul nor the Soul Tracker had been obliterated inside the Gargantua. In the voidless depths of the other dimension, she was falling and disoriented due to the spiritual density weighing on her fragile form. Perhaps she would be fortunate to land safely and be transported elsewhere. Or perhaps not, and a Menos Grande finds her.
Either way, it didn't matter. Silas had more important things to consider.
The Soul Tracker was now lost, and his experiment was worth it. His gaze lingered on the spot where the portal had been, a blank sense of contentment showing on his face. He had torn open a reliable pathway that would successfully lead him to Hueco Mundo.
Suddenly, a prickle of unease rippled through a portion of his senses. It wasn't anything akin to fear, but a heightened awareness. His senses, sharpened by constant vigilance, flared as he closed his eyes.
Unseeable spirit particles flowed miles out past the neighbouring districts. Silas was right to have ventured to the higher districts.
Two distinct signatures shone brightly against the muted backdrop. They were both captain-level spiritual pressures, unmistakable even at this distance. They moved deliberately, not in search of him but on some other errand.
Their closeness was pure happenstance, a threat he hadn't anticipated.
Why? Because both of them were vaguely familiar. Retsu Unohana and Tōshirō Hitsugaya—both captains—were accompanied by a squadron of six more Soul Reapers each.
The last time Silas had seen either of those two was before he traveled to the past. This wouldn't occur for a few more years from today. But what piqued his interest was why these two captains were chosen to scout the Rukongai at night.
For Yamamato to send Tōshirō was understandable. Perhaps try out the new captain and see how he performs. But to have him accompanied by Retsu, the renown healer of the Soul Society? That didn't make sense.
An idea sparked in Silas's mind. He had forgotten about her last meeting with him. During that time, she spoke as if the two had conversed before his true motives were revealed.
Who's to say that his past self didn't have something to do with it? The only way to find out was to cross paths with her again!
• • •
On the outskirts connecting districts thirty and thirty-one, two Soul Reapers and their respective groups began passing through.
The land was empty—a sea of untrimmed grass stretching for miles. Their footsteps crushed the blades of grass as they matched forward.
Retsu had a serene face, asking, "How did you feel about the scouting mission, captain Hitsugaya?"
The young captain tilted his head, ready to answer, until he was hugged from behind by his lieutenant, Rangiku. In a joyous tone, she answered, "I think he'd rather spend more time with you."
Tōshirō didn't hesitate to correct her. "Knock it off, Rangiku!"
Alongside Retsu was her lieutenant, Isane Kotetsu. She laughed at the idea that the young prodigy, Tōshirō, would ever be infatuated with Retsu. The two's ages were past one thousand.
"I think you did great for your first mission outside the Seireitei, captain Hitsugaya," she complimented.
Just then, Retsu came to a complete halt. Her serene face was filled with suspicion. Isane questioned what was wrong, but she replied, "It's nothing," returning to her usual façade.
They continued on their route, unaware of a predator stalking them from above.
How could they sense Silas? His spiritual pressure was too high for anyone here to sense him. Even without the need for a cloak, a being who became powerful enough could not be sensed by lesser characters. It was like a lion stalking through a field of unsuspecting gazelles.
Would he attack them here? If so, he would need a plan for the aftermath.
Surely, no one in that group—not even Retsu Unohana, the first Kenpachi—could outclass him anything. Whether it be in a sword fight, a battle of kidō spells, or even healing techniques—the thing she specialized in.
At that brief instance, a complicated strategy formed in Silas's mind. He had planned to test his power on others.
So he was going to approach them!