After reaching an understanding with the Captain-Commander in the Dangai, Setsuna received a gift from him.
Complete access to all Kido training methods and related texts that the Gotei 13 had collected, organized, improved, and even created over the past thousand years.
When that vast, systematic, and rigorous material, ranging from basic Kido to high-level forbidden arts, even including many lost techniques and unique applications, was presented before him, even Setsuna couldn't help but feel moved:
'In just a thousand years, the Gotei 13's accumulation in systematizing and practicalizing combat skills and power systems has actually surpassed the heritage of most so-called noble families spanning tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of years.'
'Indeed, the efficiency and focus of an organization are far beyond what loose family bloodlines can compare to.'
This further solidified Setsuna's understanding of the decay and inefficiency of the old noble system.
Setsuna immersed himself in the ocean of knowledge for three months. His Kido proficiency deepened and expanded at an astonishing rate.
At this moment, he was in a training ground specially designated by the 11th Division, reinforced with multiple barriers.
He was attempting to understand and simulate the legendary forbidden art said to possess the ultimate destructive power… Hadp #99, Goryutenmetsu.
Although he had not yet fully grasped its essence, the terrifying Reiatsu Fluctuations, held in check yet seemingly capable of tearing apart the very fabric of space, already made the soldiers on guard duty outside tremble in their souls.
Just then, the emergency assembly bell rang throughout the Seireitei.
All Captains, regardless of what they were doing, had to immediately proceed to the 1st Division's meeting hall.
Setsuna halted his training and couldn't help but smile. It seemed that since he became a Captain, the Captain-Commander had been convening Captain Meetings far more frequently.
Inside the meeting hall, the atmosphere was heavy.
Yamamoto sat erect in the main seat, his expression solemn. The other Captains arrived one after another.
"I have summoned you all due to an urgent matter." Yamamoto got straight to the point, his voice grave.
"Kuchiki Koga, Third Seat of the 6th Division, was accused of murdering a fellow division member one week ago."
"In the face of the evidence, he did not resist initially and was detained in the 6th Division's designated confinement room."
"However, last night, he killed the two Shinigami guarding him, retrieved his Zanpakuto, and has now fled from the Seireitei. His whereabouts are unknown!"
'Kuchiki Koga has fled?' Low gasps of surprise rippled through the meeting hall.
Kuchiki Koga was not an unfamiliar name within the Gotei 13.
The adopted son-in-law of the Kuchiki Clan, exceptionally talented, possessing formidable strength. Despite his youth, he already held the position of Third Seat in the 6th Division and was hailed as the future of the Kuchiki Clan.
Yamamoto's gaze swept across the assembly, emphasizing, "The Central 46 has issued an official order. The entire Gotei 13 is to mobilize and, spare no effort, capture Kuchiki Koga and bring him to justice. Regardless of whether he is alive or dead!"
He paused, his tone intensifying: "Special reminder: Kuchiki Koga's Zanpakuto, Muramasa, possesses an extremely special and highly dangerous ability. It has been classified as 'ultra-hazardous level'!"
"All soldiers, upon discovering his traces, are absolutely forbidden from acting on their own. They must report immediately, and the matter is to be handled personally by a Captain! Violators will be court-martialed!"
Everyone's gaze involuntarily turned to Ginrei. Even they had not heard about Koga's arrest… this was undoubtedly the head of the Kuchiki Clan suppressing the spread of information.
However, Ginrei merely lowered his head slightly, his hands clenched into fists resting on his knees, his face filled with pain, self-reproach, and powerlessness.
Amidst the oppressive silence, Setsuna's voice rang out clearly, carrying his usual directness and skepticism: "Captain-Commander, regarding the capture of Kuchiki Koga, I have a question."
Setsuna looked at Yamamoto, then glanced at Ginrei, and said, "I roughly understand the ability of Kuchiki Koga's Zanpakuto, Muramasa."
"To be blunt, if he was unwilling to be captured, the forces under the Central 46, the Corps of Punishment, even regular Shinigami units, would be fundamentally incapable of catching him. They might even be manipulated by him in turn, causing even greater chaos. So here's the question—"
"Since he chose not to resist when facing the accusations and obediently went into confinement, why did he suddenly erupt, kill, and flee after being imprisoned?"
"What exactly happened in between? Captain Kuchiki, as his direct superior and family elder, you should know something, shouldn't you?"
This question was direct, even somewhat aggressive, but it voiced the doubt in everyone's minds.
Given Koga's strength, if he truly wanted to resist, he wouldn't have been captured in the first place.
Called out by Setsuna, Ginrei's body trembled slightly.
He raised his head, his eyes filled with complicated emotions, finally transforming into a long sigh full of remorse: "Koga was framed. He became entangled in the filthy factional struggles among the nobles."
"Some people feared his potential, envied his status, and were even more terrified of Muramasa's ability. So they set a trap to frame him, wanting to completely destroy him."
"I knew from the very beginning that he was innocent. These past few days, I have also been secretly investigating, actively seeking evidence, hoping to rescue him without causing greater turmoil."
"I believed that as long as I found the key evidence, I could clear his name..."
At this point, his voice was filled with remorse and self-blame: "But I made a fatal mistake! I thought that although Koga was talented, his character was too arrogant and impatient, easily exploited by others."
"Being framed this time, though he was innocent, it also exposed his weakness. I wanted to use this opportunity to temper his temperament, let him suffer a bit, calm down, and see the treachery of the world."
"So, I did not tell him these inside details or the efforts I was making. I thought that, given his intelligence, he would understand my well-intentioned efforts and be patient for a while..."
"Ha." A clear, scornful laugh interrupted Ginrei's confession.
Setsuna sneered, "Temper his temperament? Captain Kuchiki, do you old folks, who think you control everything, all particularly enjoy playing these 'riddler' games?"
"Laying your cards on the table, being clear, telling him 'I know you're innocent, I'm trying to save you, but it takes time, just be patient for now'… is that so difficult?"
"He already knew he was innocent, his heart filled with injustice and anger. Locked in a dark, sunless cell, his future uncertain, at any moment facing conviction and execution!"
"At that time, what he needed most was trust and support, a clear hope! But you didn't do that. So of course, he could suspect that you, for the sake of family interests or compromise with other nobles, had already abandoned him, even betrayed him!"
"Under this kind of extreme pressure, suspicion, and despair, a proud young man with immense power taking extreme actions… wasn't that personally forced by you 'riddlers'?"
Kyoraku was inwardly stunned. He felt Setsuna's words were incredibly blunt.
Ginrei was the head of the Kuchiki Clan, one of the Five Great Nobles, a man of exalted status.
However, he deeply agreed with Setsuna's words. Among family, what couldn't be said directly and clearly?
Ginrei's face was pale, left speechless.
His well-intentioned efforts had indeed become the last straw that broke Koga.
"Saying all this now is too late." Ginrei said dejectedly.
"Koga has already committed irreversible mistakes… murdering colleagues, killing guards, fleeing... these charges, regardless of the initial cause, are now firmly established."
"Understood. I'll go bring him back." Setsuna stood up directly and left the meeting without waiting for Yamamoto to adjourn it.