"So it's finally come?"
Standing before the Sōkyoku, having released his Zanpakuto and used the countless scattered Senbonzakura petals to block Yushima Ōko's attack, Kuchiki Byakuya narrowed his eyes.
Yushima Ōko's appearance proved that ignoring the Quincy who had suddenly entered Soul Society had been the correct decision.
Looking up at Yushima Ōko in the sky, Kuchiki Byakuya felt a faint sense of regret.
Once upon a time, he truly had the chance to become close friends with Higashino Shuuichi.
He simply failed to seize it.
And now, he could only meet these Shinigami—those deeply connected to Higashino Shuuichi—blade to blade.
This outcome was inevitable.
Kuchiki Byakuya still remembered the secret meeting held a few days ago between the Kuchiki clan and the Shihōin clan.
Everyone who mattered attended—besides the Kuchiki clan head, Kuchiki Byakuya himself, there was the current Shihōin clan head, Shihōin Yūshirō Sakimune, along with high-ranking members of both families.
Byakuya only learned the details afterward.
The core question was simple: was Central 46's verdict reasonable—and did they need to intervene?
The conclusion: it was unreasonable, but there was no need to interfere.
Because those people believed that if the outcome was just the quiet death of a seated officer of Squad 12 and nothing else happened, then it didn't matter—the impact on other Shinigami could be ignored entirely.
But if it could stir up the Kabuma clan, and the Shinigami close to the Kabuma clan, and push them into doing something they shouldn't…
Then it would be a very good decision.
Those people had long been secretly wary of the Kabuma clan's existence.
If they could use this incident as a breakthrough point—drag the Gotei 13 into it and force them into open conflict with the Kabuma-aligned Shinigami—then even if Kabuma Sayako, as one of the Four Great Noble Houses, wouldn't be executed…
The Shinigami loyal to Kabuma Sayako would definitely be killed or imprisoned by the Gotei 13.
In short, after this incident, the Kabuma clan would never be able to rise again.
Unless the Kabuma clan produced another Shinigami like Higashino Shuuichi.
After hearing his family's report, Kuchiki Byakuya had been silent for a long time.
Of course he understood what it would mean—what consequences would follow—if the Kuchiki and Shihōin elders jointly turned a blind eye to Central 46's verdict.
But as the head of the Kuchiki clan, with the Tsunayashiro clan already completely fallen…
Byakuya admitted he had selfishness in him.
He wanted to see the Kuchiki clan flourish in his hands.
He couldn't bring himself to actively provoke such a matter.
But if all he had to do was close one eye and leave the existing result untouched…
That, he could do.
Now, with Yushima Ōko's appearance, everything was proving to unfold exactly as they had planned.
So next, as long as the Gotei 13 could stop Yushima Ōko and the others here at Sōkyoku Hill—stop them from saving Nemu—
No. Even whether they saved Nemu or not was no longer the point.
The reason had already been secured.
All that remained was—
Slaughter.
Kuchiki Byakuya gently closed his eyes, as though mourning the days he once worked with Higashino Shuuichi—brief, yet genuinely pleasant.
Because Higashino Shuuichi had always thought everything through for him.
Unlike now, when Byakuya had to dirty his own hands.
But it didn't matter anymore. Byakuya opened his eyes again.
"Yushima Ōko, Fukutaichō of the Twelfth Division."
"I hope you understand what you've just done."
"Your actions are regarded as treason against all of Soul Society."
"Come down and await judgment. That is your best choice."
As befit the cultivation of a Four Great Noble House head, Kuchiki Byakuya didn't immediately counterattack.
He merely offered a symbolic "persuasion," telling Yushima Ōko to lay down his weapon and surrender.
But everyone knew it was meaningless.
"Kuchiki Byakuya, right?" Yushima Ōko sneered. "You actually think you can stop me by yourself?"
With no retreat left, Yushima Ōko wasn't even pretending to be respectful anymore.
Which was fine—he had despised these lofty captains for a long time.
One after another, sitting in their captain's seats while having no real strength to justify it.
What a rotten system.
He, Yushima Ōko, had been sick of it for ages.
Byakuya's reply was only four words.
"Are you strong?"
And then darkness swallowed the world in an instant—a phenomenon caused by reiatsu of extreme density sinking into the ground.
Kuchiki Byakuya unfurled his Bankai.
Unlike other captains who treated fights like swatting flies with a cleaver, Byakuya always went all out.
No matter who the opponent was, Shikai was just a token opening.
If it was a real fight, he greeted it with Bankai.
Gigantic blades rose in sheets. When they reached their highest point, the blades shattered on their own, becoming countless petal-like fragments that danced through the air.
It resembled Senbonzakura's Shikai, except the number was dozens of times greater.
So many that even if Yushima Ōko stood perfectly still, his body was continuously being sliced open by the "petals" formed by Senbonzakura.
"Captain Kuchiki… got stronger again," Soi Fon murmured from below.
The last time she saw Byakuya use Bankai had been decades ago—during the battle when Higashino Shuuichi returned to Soul Society.
She remembered clearly: back then, the number of petals in Byakuya's Bankai was nowhere near what it was today.
"Even so, he still won't be Yushima Ōko's match."
Beside Soi Fon, Shihōin Yoruichi stepped into view openly.
"Kuchiki Byakuya probably doesn't even realize what kind of monster he's facing."
"Yoruichi-sama, you—" Soi Fon froze. "Standing beside me like this… aren't you worried the other Shinigami will notice?"
In theory, all the captains of the Gotei 13 should have been gathered at Sōkyoku Hill right now.
Well—excluding two that Yoruichi-sama had sent ahead to Central 46: Kyōraku Shunsui of Squad 8 and Ukitake Jūshirō of Squad 13.
And excluding the one already beaten to death: Tōsen Kaname of Squad 9.
"It's fine. They're busy~" Yoruichi shook her head, signaling it didn't matter.
At first, Soi Fon didn't understand.
Then she immediately did.
Because within this small Sōkyoku Hill, multiple battlefields had erupted almost at the same time.
Komamura Sajin, the Seventh Division Taichō who had been lying in ambush, intercepted the former Ninth Division Taichō Muguruma Kensei, who tried to charge inward.
Kurotsuchi Mayuri, the Twelfth Division Taichō who had only planned to find a corner and coast through the chaos, ran into the former Third Division Taichō Ōtoribashi Rōjūrō—who was also not particularly passionate about this matter. The two of them put on a show of fighting while subtly drifting toward the outer edge of Sōkyoku Hill.
And the Quincy who had suddenly barged into Soul Society—somehow not intercepted at all—arrived at this noisy Sōkyoku Hill under the "guidance" of Matsumoto Rangiku, the Tenth Division Fukutaichō.
Meanwhile, Unohana Retsu, the Fourth Division Taichō—the only one who seemed truly free—looked thoroughly uninterested in stopping Matsumoto Rangiku.
Wait.
Why did she say "the only one"?
Soi Fon caught the key point.
Aside from Kyōraku Shunsui, Ukitake Jūshirō, and Tōsen Kaname…
Where were the other captains?
They were supposed to be guarding Sōkyoku Hill together, yet the ones who arrived on time were only her, Kuchiki Byakuya of Squad 6, and Komamura Sajin of Squad 7?
No.
If it was Shinigami internal conflict, Soi Fon could choose to observe with Yoruichi-sama's involvement.
But a Quincy was different.
If no other captains came to support—
Soi Fon didn't hesitate any longer. She used Shunpo and flashed directly in front of Matsumoto Rangiku and Higashino Shuuichi.
"Stop!"
"This isn't a place for you to come!"
Soi Fon barked.
Because she hadn't seen the Quincy "Kabuno Takuya" fight, Soi Fon's impression of him was still the most basic stereotype of a Quincy—
A role that Shinigami could casually trample.
So her attention stayed mostly on Matsumoto Rangiku. Even her words were aimed primarily at Rangiku.
Sōkyoku Hill was chaotic enough already. Soi Fon didn't want Matsumoto Rangiku adding more fuel.
But obviously, Rangiku wasn't going to cooperate.
"You want us to stop? Then you stop the execution of Nemu first, and hand her over to us."
Matsumoto Rangiku spoke with a smile.
She knew Soi Fon didn't recognize that "Kabuno Takuya" was actually Higashino Shuuichi, so she deliberately said it like that—trying to provoke Soi Fon into attacking them, and see how Shuuichi-sama would treat Soi Fon.
Soi Fon took the bait.
She assumed Rangiku's "us" referred to Yushima Ōko's side, when in fact Rangiku's "us" meant herself and Higashino Shuuichi.
Soi Fon missed the one and only flaw in Rangiku's wording and instead doubled down on her conclusion:
Rangiku and her side were here today to rescue Nemu.
Soi Fon didn't want to see Nemu publicly executed either.
But the only way she could accept was reporting Yoruichi-sama's discovery to Captain-Commander Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni and receiving an official order to suspend the execution.
Not storming the execution grounds with violence like Rangiku's side.
As the Second Division Taichō, that was unacceptable.
"I've already reported the situation here to the Captain-Commander via Hell Butterfly. The method of handling it depends on his reply."
"Until then, I won't allow any of you to approach the execution platform."
Soi Fon drew her Zanpakuto and completed Shikai right in front of Rangiku.
Powerful reiatsu swirled around her body, showing her resolve.
"Then if—" Rangiku was enjoying herself. She knew that if it was Soi Fon, Shuuichi-sama would definitely step in personally.
But before she could toss more fuel onto the fire, Higashino Shuuichi stepped forward, blocking her with his body, and said in a low voice:
"From the way you're dressed, you look like a captain."
"If you want me to stop, it's simple—beat me, and I'll leave."
"If you lose, you step aside."
"A Quincy… and you've got a big mouth," Soi Fon snapped.
At last, she sensed something slightly off.
This Quincy's movements and presence… why did he look like he outranked Matsumoto Rangiku?
Otherwise, why would Rangiku so willingly let him cut her off?
But what was Rangiku's status?
She was someone who dared to scold Kisaragi Shūsuke to his face, and grab Yushima Ōko by the ear in public.
Still, now wasn't the time for Soi Fon to think too deeply.
Her mind noticing this much was already its limit.
Because the moment Higashino Shuuichi fired a Hairihi Pufairu (Holy Arrow) at her without warning, all of Soi Fon's thoughts snapped fully into battle.
But the longer she fought, the more her heart sank.
Because the Quincy before her was far beyond what she had imagined.
Her Shikai—Nigeki Kessatsu (Two Strikes, Certain Kill), her Bankai—Jakuhō Raikōben (One Strike, Certain Kill), Kidō (Demon Arts), Shunpo, hakuda—
Everything was effortlessly countered.
It was as if the Quincy had seen through all her techniques and combat habits completely. No matter what angle she attacked from, he blocked her at exactly the right moment.
Those Holy Arrows moved like ghosts, always appearing precisely where they needed to appear.
Soi Fon even began to feel a terrifying illusion—
That the Quincy was playing with her.
Otherwise, why did his Holy Arrows always vanish right after perfectly stopping her attacks—no more, no less?
"…Do I have to use that?" Soi Fon gritted her teeth.
Shunkō, the secret technique she learned from Yoruichi-sama.
Since mastering it, she had never displayed it publicly before outsiders—only once, in a past match against Shihōin Yoruichi herself.
Originally, Soi Fon intended to save her second use for Higashino Shuuichi.
She should have used it the last time he returned to Soul Society.
But she hesitated, because deep down she had wanted Higashino Shuuichi to succeed.
Now, Soi Fon used a scouting Bakudō technique—Kakushi Tsume Chōjaku—to probe the surroundings.
And sure enough, still no other captains came to support her.
Unohana Retsu was still watching leisurely from where she stood.
Soi Fon understood.
She could only rely on herself.
"Shunkō: Retsufū (Gale Rend)!"
For the first time, in front of others, Soi Fon unleashed Shunkō!
Powerful Kidō clung to her limbs, and green wind roared around her body.
In that instant, even her reiatsu surged explosively.
She would teach this Quincy a lesson.
She believed it completely.
And then—
There was no "then."
Their battle was forcibly halted.
Because on the execution platform, Nemu—before the public execution's appointed time—was pierced straight through.
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