- 10 years before the story -

"Absolutely not!" Yamamoto yelled

"But sir, this would give our people a better place to stay in the world of the living. If we make our presence known to the government and make it top secret we can easily –"

"I would not allow the risk of our existence to be leaked to the humans and we do not need them to assist us in our jobs! That is final!"

". . . Yes sir," he exits the office in disappointment. It didn't really bother him that much. He knew that the head captain was a staunch traditionalist, but this was just depressing. As much as it frustrated him, there was nothing he can do. Yamamoto was truly a disappointment as a leader. Sure his leadership was needed during the Quincy War but at these times of peace and with the advancement of the living, he had little understanding of what is going on. It was only because of his strength and the respect of his authority by one of the strongest people in Soul Society that he was able to keep the position at all. He flash stepped to the Squad 7 barracks reporting to Captain Komamura on the bad news.

"I see. Well, that was expected. The head captain is not one to accept things so easily. Soul Society has stood the test of time with barely any change in its system. Nonetheless, your ideas are good and you should be proud of yourself for even trying. Why not take the rest of the day off Ethan?"

"Thank you, sir," Ethan Maxwell only got the courage to confront the Head Captain thanks to Captain Komamura's input on his idea. While he was not the first person to think of it, he was the first to gain even the courage to bring it to the head captain.

Ethan heads to squad eleven barracks to get the stress out. He knocks on the door; opened by Ikkaku, "Hey Ethan! I suppose you're here for another bout?"

"I wanna take the stress of being rejected by the head captain again. Is Captain Zaraki here?"

"Is that Ethan I hear?" He can recognize that devil's voice.

"Good Afternoon Captain Zaraki. Shall we head to the usual place?"

In the special training grounds where sparring matches between captains and their subordinates take place. It's a wide and open field. You can even hear several people placing their bets on who would win this time. You can even hear Ikakku making a bet with Yachiru on the very thing he may regret should he lose.

"If I win I get to draw hair on your head and you don't wash it for a week."

"If I win you don't pull pranks on me for a month."

The two combatants ready their blades in a stand-off. There is an ominous silence between the two only for a few moments. Then their duel begins. With every attack Kenpachi attempts, it's successfully blocked and swiftly countered. What Kenpachi lacks in skill, he has raw power. Kenpachi swings his sword down while Ethan blocks it. It is a very heavy blow, but somehow he barely parried it. He sees an opening and slashes the left side of his stomach. Kenpachi just keeps coming with that relentless assault while Ethan cuts his chest twice while maintaining his guard. "Nice one Ethan! Nice one!" He then slices Ethan's chest and kicks him to the wall. Ethan flash steps and cuts Kenpachi's neck and Kenpachi stabs his stomach.

"Why don't we call this a draw Captain Zaraki? We're both heavily wounded and I doubt this fight would have one of us alive if we continue."

"Sure. I wouldn't want to kill you anyway."

"Thank you, sir," Ethan proceeds to use healing kido throughout his body while simultaneously healing Kenpachi. The Squad 11 members can clearly see the glow on his body, meaning kido is being used for healing

Ethan can hear the crowd talking. They are really showering him with praise seeing how strong he is.

"Is this guy really a 3rd seat from Squad 7?"

"Man I wanna be as strong as him"

"Thank you Captain Zaraki for having me"

"Sure kid. Come back at any time," Ethan went to his barracks and called it a day.

Ethan was summoned by Captain Kommamura to his office the next day. "Ethan, I would like you to meet Chiyo, 4th seat of Squad 5. You will be having an assignment together."

"Greetings, My name is Chiyo Watanabe. I have heard so much about you. It is an honor to meet you."

"The pleasure's all mine," Ethan said

"We had reports on strange hollow activity taking place in Meiji Jingu, Tokyo. We already sent a team to investigate but none of them return, which is why you two will be sent on this mission. You will be leaving immediately. The senkaimon has already been prepared."

"Yes sir!" They both said

Arriving at a safe distance, Ethan made the mission clear, " Alright let's find the summoner and bring them to Squad 2."

"Huh? You figure it out already?" This surprised Chiyo. The case was closed already?

"It's a 50/50. Either a human was powerful enough and knew how to summon hollows or there's a traitor in the soul society."

"How can you be sure?"

"Hollows who can even think and speak are few in numbers. For them to organize and beat a group of soul reapers is not likely. Let's see what's really going on," he stretched out his hand and performed some kind of kido Chiyo doesn't seem to be aware off. A wave of spirit energy, invisible to the eye like a sonar, engulfs them. Ethan smiles and seems to have found what he is looking for. "Found it. To the left."

"Hey wait! And he's gone," she is stunned by how he manages to solve the case this early and this well. She follows him.

Adjuchas and Vasto Lorde with massive spirit energies appeared above them. "Definitely a traitor."

"What the hell?! These guys have as much power as a captain. How did we not sense them?"

She was suddenly surrounded by a sphere of energy. "Stand back. Release! Elysium!" A simple stick with an orb on top replaced the zanpaktou. Ethan released a wave of white energy in all directions killing the hollows and creating a massive shockwave in strange directions. "Whoever this guy is, he's not messing around. Stay here." He enforced the shield and left.

"He left me again."

The hooded ran as soon as they saw Ethan leave. They knew Ethan was on to them but never expected them to be this fast. As they ran for cover, they didn't expect Ethan to be so fast. Ethan blasts one of them with a chantless Soren Sokatsui and cuts down one of them. Not expecting Ethan to be this fast, they hurriedly prepare to fight As soon as their leader reaches for his zanpaktou, he gets kicked to the floor and Ethan's foot on top of his chest. His men tries to assist him but only to be stopped by a chantless rikujokoro. Ethan smiles playfully as he talks to the leader. "Hello there Aizen."

AN: I would like to thank Reddit user u/Stock_Marsupial_6472 for giving me some clarity with Yamamoto's character in the post made by u/red_000 "Personal theory the senior leadership never believed Kisuke was responsible the experiments that made the Visored."

March 10, 2024: Slight changes.