The Palace Front Hall Pavilion.
Shisui stood before Makoto, reporting on his mission.
"The investigation of the Soul Society has reached the present world. The Shinigami responsible for the investigation has already been dealt with."
"So soon?" Makoto said with slight surprise.
Shisui explained, "Head Captain Kyoraku has been personally overseeing this matter, making it difficult for our people to interfere, so the process has been relatively swift."
The issue Shisui referred to was the previous Soul Society upheaval, which stemmed from Makoto's agents introducing artificial Devil Fruits into the Soul Society.
Now, with many Devil Fruit users in this world, the Soul Society's Shinigami, if they conducted a thorough investigation, could trace those creatures back to their connection with the living world.
And the living world was entirely under the control of the Sun Empire.
Sooner or later, the Soul Society would suspect the empire's involvement.
Makoto pondered for a moment and said, "If that's the case, proceed with the second phase. Go find Big Mom and send her there this time."
Shisui voiced some concerns, "The Soul Society has significantly strengthened its security. Will this operation succeed as smoothly as the last?"
Makoto replied calmly, "No matter how strong their security is, it can only guard against external threats. How will they defend against an enemy from within?"
The Solarity Tower stood tall above all of Seireitei.
If Makoto wished, he could launch an all-out assault to obliterate Seireitei entirely.
However, this world still required some forces to maintain the balance of reincarnation.
As long as he controlled Seireitei from the shadows, that would be enough.
...............
First Division Barracks, Seireitei, Soul Society.
"They've lost contact?" As the newly appointed Head Captain, Kyoraku Shunsui looked surprised upon hearing Ise Nanao's report.
"The three squad members who went to the Living World lost contact at the exact same time," Ise Nanao stated.
Kyoraku was stunned for a moment before asking, "Was there any Hollow reiatsu detected at the scene?"
"…No."
"…"
Three Shinigami had suddenly disappeared in the Living World, yet it wasn't the work of Hollows.
So, who was behind this?
The current world was no longer the same as before.
Everything in the Living World was under the control of one person—the Emperor of the Sun Empire.
Evidently, Nanao was also aware of this.
Her expression was grave as she answered Kyoraku's question.
Kyoraku found his own thoughts dangerously unsettling.
In fact, a chill ran down his spine.
There was no solid evidence to confirm his suspicions—something he was secretly relieved about.
But if the previous upheaval had truly been orchestrated by the empire…
The image of the Sun Empire's Emperor flashed through Kyoraku's mind.
Under the weight of his own thoughts, that young face suddenly seemed far more terrifying.
Taking a deep breath, he wrestled with his swirling thoughts before saying, "We can't let the trail go cold… Send Captain Hitsugaya and Captain Komamura to investigate together."
Just then, hurried footsteps approached from outside.
A squad member knelt at the entrance.
"Head Captain, the Tsunayashiro Clan has sent an invitation."
Nanao handed the invitation to Kyoraku, who glanced over its contents.
The Tsunayashiro Clan, one of the four great noble families of Soul Society and overseers of the Grand Spirit Book Gallery, had invited him to a banquet at their estate.
The invitation also listed the other guests who had been invited.
Each name belonged to a noble of Soul Society, including a significant number of Central 46 members.
"Captain?" Ise Nanao noticed that Kyoraku's grip on the letter was so tight that the veins on his hand were bulging.
Kyoraku's gaze turned ice-cold as he slowly uttered a command: "Pass the order—form ranks!"
During the previous upheaval, every individual in Seireitei who had transformed into a monster had one thing in common—they had all attended a banquet hosted by the Kuchiki Clan shortly before the incident.
Something had definitely happened at that banquet.
But in the wake of that disaster, aside from Kuchiki Byakuya—who had been imprisoned after turning into a monster—and Kuchiki Rukia, who was under house arrest, the rest of the Kuchiki Clan had been completely massacred.
The Emperor of the Living World had slaughtered every last one of the monsters and erased all traces of what had occurred.
And now, just as they had begun investigating the Living World, the Tsunayashiro Clan was pulling the same trick once again.
How could Kyoraku not be furious?
He had to find out what was truly happening behind the scenes.
At the Head Captain's command, the First Division swiftly assembled.
Kyoraku chose to set off at the precise time when the banquet was about to begin, heading toward the Tsunayashiro estate.
Since the Tsunayashiro Clan was part of Soul Society's aristocracy and Seireitei itself was ultimately governed from the shadows by these noble families, Kyoraku couldn't act too overtly.
He refrained from issuing direct orders but instructed the Shinigami to conduct frequent patrols around the Tsunayashiro estate under the guise of a training exercise.
As for himself, he entered the estate accompanied by Ise Nanao.
Neither of them had changed their attire—his white captain's haori was draped over his signature pink kimono, while Ise Nanao wore her usual black shihakushō.
By the time they arrived, all the guests had already gathered.
They were all nobles of Seireitei, most of them familiar faces to the two Shinigami.
Kyoraku's gaze swept over the attendees.
The number of guests was nearly identical to that of the Kuchiki Clan's banquet, with seating arranged in both the outer and inner courtyards.
He proceeded deeper into the estate until he reached the innermost courtyard.
Only the Tsunayashiro Clan, the Shihoin Clan, and members of Central 46 had the privilege of being seated here.
But what shocked him the most was that the one seated in the position of honor was not Tsunayashiro Tokinada, the current head of the Tsunayashiro Clan.
"Your… Your Majesty, the Emperor!" he couldn't help but exclaim.
The man seated at the head of the table had eyes as radiant as white-hole stars.
With a gentle smile, he looked at Kyoraku and said, "I trust you've been well, Head Captain Kyoraku."
Kyoraku immediately steadied himself, casting a subtle glance around the room.
He confirmed that everyone present was a member of Central 46, and the Emperor had brought only one escort.
Uchiha Shisui—one of the Ten Imperial Guards.
He recognized him.
"Why is Your Majesty here?" Kyoraku couldn't help but ask.
"Oh? Am I not allowed to be?" The Emperor of the Living World, Hyuga Makoto, responded with a lighthearted smile.
Kyoraku had too many questions, and an instinctive unease gnawed at his mind.
"If Your Majesty was planning to visit, a prior notice would have been appreciated so that we could properly prepare to welcome you," Kyoraku said.
The Shinigami maintained a liaison office in Konoha that handled communications between the two realms and kept records of those traveling between them.
For the Emperor to appear in Soul Society unannounced could technically be considered an unauthorized intrusion.
However, Kyoraku couldn't possibly use that as a justification to question the Emperor.
At that moment, Tsunayashiro Tokinada, head of the Tsunayashiro Clan, stepped forward and addressed Kyoraku Shunsui.
"His Majesty is also my guest. Please, Head Captain, take your seat."
Suppressing his unease, Kyoraku Shunsui complied, seating himself to the right of the head position.
As the host, Tsunayashiro Tokinada sat to the Emperor's left.
Kyoraku glanced at Shisui, who remained standing beside the Emperor without taking a seat.
The growing sense of dread within him deepened.
He subtly signaled to Ise Nanao, who immediately understood and rose to leave the hall.
Makoto paid no attention to Kyoraku's little maneuver, but Shisui watched as Ise Nanao departed.
His dark pupils suddenly revealed the distinct pattern of three tomoe.
"I imagine Head Captain Kyoraku must have had quite a few concerns before coming here," Makoto said.
Kyoraku Shunsui's thoughts raced.
He countered, "And does Your Majesty know what I am thinking?"
Makoto smiled. "Before coming here, you were probably thinking that this banquet was suspicious. Otherwise, you wouldn't have stationed so many Shinigami around the Tsunayashiro estate."
Kyoraku's expression darkened slightly.
And then he suddenly realized something—the entire gathering, these nobles of Seireitei, the members of Central 46, the so-called 'great figures' who governed the city—every single one of them was looking at him.
His heart skipped a beat as an unsettling realization dawned upon him.
At that moment, Makoto suddenly spoke again.
"In truth, Head Captain Yamamoto is not dead."
"What did you say?!" Kyoraku's eyes widened in shock.
Startled, he nearly leaped from his seat.
Makoto gazed at him with deep, quiet eyes. "Would you like to see your teacher?"
"..."
Kyraku did not respond.
He averted his gaze from the Emperor, his mind both alert and wary, then turned toward Tsunayashiro Tokinada.
"Lord Tokinada, this banquet—"
Before he could finish, Tokinada cut him off. "Head Captain, His Majesty is a benefactor and honored guest of Soul Society."
Tokinada stared at him expressionlessly. "How could you show such disrespect to His Majesty?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Kyoraku was struck by shock.
Right before his eyes, Tsunayashiro Tokinada's entire body began to distort.
Something beneath his flesh and skin writhed violently, and in moments, his elegant robes were torn apart as his form expanded—transforming into a towering, three-meter-tall black-furred beast!
In that instant, an image flashed through Kyoraku's mind—Kuchiki Byakuya, twisted into a monster.
With the beast's thunderous roar, all the guests around them also began to change, one by one, turning into grotesque creatures!
There was no time to react.
Kyoraku turned toward the entrance, only to hear more furious roars and howls echoing from outside.
Nanao…
"Head Captain Kyoraku." The Emperor's voice suddenly rang out beside him.
"Shall I send you to see Head Captain Yamamoto?"
Kyoraku's hand gripped the hilt of his sword, his expression dark and grim.
He gritted his teeth and growled, "You were the mastermind all along, weren't you?!"
Makoto sat cross-legged at the head of the table, resting his chin on one hand.
"Before coming here, hadn't you already guessed as much?"
Kyoraku clenched his grip on his sword.
He thought of the horrors of the last Soul Society uprising, of his revered teacher—Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni.
Everything—every tragedy—had been orchestrated by this man.
And yet, he had once regarded him as Soul Society's benefactor!
Overwhelmed by grief and hatred, yet drowning in helplessness, Kyoraku couldn't help but ask, "Why?"
"All of Soul Society, every Shinigami, now sees you as their benefactor. The ninja and the Shinigami could have coexisted in peace…"
Makoto remained indifferent as he looked at Kyōraku. "You've lived for over a thousand years and still don't understand?"
"Why? Because I am stronger than you."
As he finished speaking, Makoto casually lifted one hand.
In an instant, countless swirling voids erupted in all directions around Kyoraku—torn rifts of chaotic space, ready to consume everything.
Kyoraku was utterly shocked.
He dared not hesitate for even a moment and instantly drew his sword.
"Bankai!"
"Heaven—"
Before he could finish, the spatial rifts contracted at an incredible speed, leaving him no room to react.
There was no escape, no way to evade.
In an instant, he was swallowed whole.
Within the inner courtyard of the Tsunayashiro estate, countless monstrous figures stood in eerie silence, awaiting the Emperor's command.
Makoto glanced toward the distant sky, where the towering Solarity Tower loomed high above.
With a slow, deliberate tone, he murmured, "Let the banquet… begin."
.............
Darkness...
Endless and boundless.
Kyoraku suddenly realized that he was trapped in an unfamiliar space.
There was nothing here—no sense of direction, no passage of time.
He gathered his spiritual pressure and released a beam of light.
But as his gaze followed its path into the distance, it illuminated nothing.
Am I... imprisoned?
Kyoraku recalled the Emperor's words.
Could it be that his teacher… suffered the same fate?
He was still perplexed—how had the monsterfied Kuchiki Byakuya managed to kill his teacher?
He had personally tested that creature's strength, and it was nowhere near powerful enough to threaten Old man Yamamoto.
Now that he himself was imprisoned… what was happening in Seireitei?
He finally grasped the Emperor's scheme—eliminate Yamamoto first, and now take him out as well.
Just like before, the Emperor was likely planning to stage another grand act, portraying himself as Soul Society's great hero, all while tightening his grip on the Shinigami.
At this point, there might be no one left in the Gotei 13 capable of stopping him.
The Emperor's power was unfathomable.
Even if Kyoraku somehow managed to escape, he knew he stood no chance of defeating him.
But that didn't mean he would simply give up!
He was still the Head Captain of the Gotei 13—he had to find a way out.
Taking a deep breath, he pushed his power to its peak.
His Reiatsu might not compare to Yamamoto's, but it was still a force to be reckoned with.
When one's Reiryoku reached an overwhelming level, it affected everything around them—one of the very reasons why reiatsu had to be suppressed in Seireitei.
Choosing a direction at random, he launched himself forward at high speed through the endless void.
He had no idea how long he had been flying—time barely seemed to exist in this place, and his patience was wearing thin.
Then, all of a sudden, a flicker of firelight appeared in the distance.
Kyoraku's heart tensed at first, but soon, he felt a familiar reiatsu—and his expression lit up with joy.
Because this Reiatsu… belonged to his teacher, Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni!
"Is that you, Shunsui?" A voice called out from the distance.
Kyoraku rushed forward even faster.
As he approached the firelight, he realized that his teacher wasn't alone—there were many others, some with vaguely familiar faces.
At the forefront stood a figure holding a flame in his palm—the very source of the firelight.
"Hide your Reiatsu, now."
This was the first thing Yamamoto said upon seeing Kyoraku.
Kyoraku didn't understand why, but he instinctively obeyed and suppressed his reiatsu.
It was only then that he noticed—none of the people here were emitting any Reiatsu.
By the dim firelight, he scanned the gathering—and what he saw shocked him even further.
Urahara Kisuke, Shihoin Yoruichi, Hirako Shinji—all branded as criminals over a century ago.
Ichibie Hyosube, Kirinji Tenjiro—members of the Royal Guard.
And even Kurosaki Isshin, the long-missing former captain.
Just as Kyoraku was still trying to process all this, a sudden piercing shriek echoed through the endless darkness.
The expressions of Yamamoto and the others instantly changed.
"We were still too slow… It's found us." Ichibe's voice was heavy.
"It…?" Kyoraku looked at his teacher and the others, unable to contain his question.
Yamamoto cast him a grave look, his eyes filled with an unprecedented weight.
"It calls itself… a Shinigami."
"The God of Death."
--------------
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