Tsunayashiro Kitsune was laughing wildly at the success of his plan, his twisted expression made his aged face even uglier.
However, the next moment, he suddenly felt his body lurch. The world tilted as if he had been lifted into the air, and then spun around 180 degrees.
In that moment of inversion, he saw his own body standing below-without its head.
Whose body was that? It looked familiar...
Wait-that... that was his own body!
His gaze then shifted to the bloodstained blade held by one of the secret guards.
What had just happened?
As one of the elders of the Tsunayashiro family, and someone who stood at the top of Soul Society's power structure, how could he be killed this easily?
Why had the secret guard turned on him?
In that instant, the truth was clear. Against Yuta, his strength had been meaningless. Yuta had ended his life with as little effort as swatting aside pests.
It was unfortunate he realized this only after his death.
Yuta looked down at the remains of Tsunayashiro Kitsune.
With his hands in his pockets and no trace of panic on his face-not even while imprisoned-he spoke calmly.
"It's a pity... it really is..."
"Your plan wasn't bad, and everything was proceeding just the way you intended. If it had been someone ordinary, they probably would've fallen right into the Tsunayashiro family's hands."
"But I'm not that kind of person. When faced with overwhelming power, your planning falls apart."
Using Kyōka Suigetsu, Yuta had hypnotized the secret guards and eliminated the elder without resistance.
At that moment, footsteps echoed from the corridor outside the cell.
All of the secret guards faded into the shadows and vanished without leaving any trace.
Someone approached-a figure dressed head to toe in white fabric, with only their eyes visible. They opened the cell door wordlessly.
"Oh?" Yuta glanced at them. Seeing these individuals piqued his interest, and he allowed the corner of his mouth to lift slightly in amusement.
It was unexpected that someone would come open the door so soon after his imprisonment.
One of them stepped forward and lifted his cloak slightly. "Master Tsunayashiro invites you for a conversation. To conspire together," he said.
Yuta recognized Arasuka Suma immediately-one of Tsunayashiro Tokinada's followers.
There was no confusion about what was happening. Yuta understood right away.
He nodded once. "Let's go. I want to see what kind of person he is."
"It's the world's honor," Arasuka replied. He then guided Yuta through the facility, turning left and right until they arrived at the entrance of another holding area.
Creeeak- With that heavy, dragging sound, the door opened. Sunlight edged its way into the room like the limbs of some cautious creature.
In the shadowed corner of the room sat a young man reclining on a lounge chair. He opened his eyes slowly, revealing pupils filled with snake-like coldness.
"Lord Tokinada, I've returned. I brought Yuta with me," Arasuka announced.
Tsunayashiro Tokinada smiled. Though possibly casual, that smile carried with it features that were undeniably unsettling.
"Step back. I want to speak to Yuta alone," Tokinada ordered.
"Yes, sir."
After Arasuka exited the room, Tokinada rose from the lounge chair and gestured for Yuta to enter further inside. However, Yuta remained standing beneath the sunlight, the dust rising around him in dim shafts of light.
Tokinada remained in the shadows, only his eyes catching the faint illumination.
"Let's get to the point. What do you want from me?" Yuta said while looking up slightly to meet Tokinada's gaze.
Tokinada's tone was harsh and raspy, but carried clear intent. "Yuta... how about you and I work together? Let's kill them. All of the Yayoi family elders."
"If we do that, I'll take the position of elder in the Tsunayashiro family. With it, I'll acquire the power to control the nobles."
"Oh?" Yuta walked slowly back and forth near the threshold of the room, his fingers trailing along the metal edge of the doorway. "You're part of the Tsunayashiro family. Why would you want to kill your own people?"
Tokinada went silent for several seconds. It was clear the next words he spoke would carry weight.
"It's... not simple. Let me start with a woman."
"Her name was Kakyo Tsunayashiro."
"Funny, isn't it? A surname like 'Tsunayashiro,' full of corruption and malice... paired with the kindness carried in the name 'Kakyo.'"
"The truth is-I didn't even marry her of my own will."
"I was just another pawn in the Tsunayashiro family's games-used in one of their experiments..."
...
Hundreds of years ago-
Wind swept gently across the hillside meadow, lifting strands of hair in the breeze. A young woman sat next to a blindfolded young man whose eyes were glazed with colorless white. He held tightly to his walking cane, his blindness evident from his demeanor.
She brushed away her long black hair and placed her hands on her hips, looking toward the night sky above.
Stars glittered through scattered dark clouds. Some light made it through. Some did not.
"I love the night sky," she had said.
"Darkness is everywhere-but even in it, there are flickers of light. I want to be someone who clears away the dark clouds. Just so those lights have the chance to shine longer..."
Kakyo had made her vow here-before she left that hillside, and left Kaname Tōsen behind with her ideals.
Back in the cell, Tsunayashiro Tokinada spoke again, his tone altered by the memory. "It was that day... the day I killed Kakyo. In some sense-it was mercy."
When Kakyo found out who Tokinada truly was, the pain had been clear in her expression.
Even so, she hadn't given up. She tried, again and again, to reach him-to guide him back with the same gentle and sincere words she gave to everyone else.
To Tokinada, who had grown up among Soul Society's corrupt elite, her approach became increasingly unbearable.
He was one of the high nobles. He would not tolerate being lectured by someone born in Rukongai-especially not his own wife.
And he hadn't loved her either. The marriage had been arranged by the family as part of their experiment.
At the time, the Tsunayashiro family had been exploring whether strong spiritual lineage could be passed on through offspring. They identified several candidates and matched them with potent bloodlines to analyze the results.
Kakyo had recently graduated from the Shino Academy-and she had shown immense potential. Tokinada had been ordered to draw her in.
He used every tool at his disposal-including false kindness and the unshakable status of nobility-to successfully win her trust and bring her into the family.
She had believed her place in the noble world was secure-until the night of their wedding.
Tsunayashiro Tokinada had revealed everything to her that night.
He told her he had deceived her-everything about their life together had been built on lies.
And he had smiled when he said it.
"If you regret marrying me," he had also said, "then your friends in Rukongai-all those people you keep talking about-they'll face punishment too."
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