Thud…
Thud…
Under Kyoya's overwhelming rage, his Conqueror's Haki enveloped the entire Kasumioji Clan's estate.
Although Kyoya's current Observation Haki is not yet at the level of reading minds, checking memories, and [Hearing The Voices of All Things], it was capable of sensing a person's basic emotions.
With the guidance of his Observation Haki, those whose emotions fluctuated due to the death of Kumoi were undoubtedly involved in the incident of the Bakkoto.
For the others, Kyoya controlled the intensity of his Conqueror's Haki, merely knocking them unconscious.
But for these conspirators, Kyoya cranked the intensity to its limit, shattering their very souls.
Their spiritual bodies emitted a white glow before dispersing into Reishi.
These individuals, though possessing Reiatsu, had never trained or absorbed Reishi. Despite living in the Seireitei, where Reishi was abundant, their bodies were no different from ordinary humans. Once their souls perished, their spiritual bodies naturally dissolved into Reishi.
For those at Captain-level or higher, even if their souls died, their bodies would remain intact due to the density of their Reishi, preventing natural dispersion. To ensure the Reishi of Captain-level and above Shinigami could participate in the cycle of the world's Reishi, the Soul Society had a specialized [Soul Burial Ceremony Ritual].
However, no one knew that the so-called Soul Burial Ceremony Ritual, where the bodies of Captain-level and higher Shinigami were cremated, did not actually return their Reishi to the world's cycle.
Instead, it was sent to Hell.
In the Bleach World, before the three worlds were established, there were only two worlds.
One was the Living World, where all life and souls coexisted in the same space, with the boundaries between life and death blurred.
After all, when people died, their souls could linger for a time. Even without the first Hollow appearing, such a world was inherently unstable.
Beyond the Living World, there was another mysterious world dedicated to imprisoning the souls of the wicked… Hell.
What defined a wicked person?
That was difficult to determine.
In the Living World, there were those who killed for pleasure, and after death, they would fall into Hell.
The nobles of the Seireitei treated ordinary people as less than human, slaughtering them at will, yet there were no rumors of nobles descending into Hell after death.
After all, the Gates of Hell, which appeared when Hell claimed souls, were impossible to miss.
If the Gates of Hell manifested within the Seireitei, it would undoubtedly be a scandal for the self-proclaimed righteous Seireitei, shaking its very foundation.
After all, from its inception, the Seireitei had been established under the pretense of maintaining the world's stability. If its nobles fell into Hell after death, wouldn't that prove the nobility themselves were irredeemably evil?
Thus, Kyoya suspected that after the Five Great Noble Houses used the Soul King's power to create the three worlds, they also employed the Soul King's omnipotent abilities to impose certain restrictions on the Soul Society, rules that prevented the Gates of Hell from appearing, ensuring their continued legitimacy.
"How… is this possible?"
The head of the Kasumioji Clan, who was deliberately spared by Kyoya, watched as his entire clan collapsed in an instant.
Seeing some clan's members and servants began dissolving into Reishi, his eyes nearly bulging out of his skull in shock.
As Kyoya approached him, the Kasumioji Clan's head staggered backward, his words incoherent-
"You killed them?"
"I'm a high-ranking noble of the Seireitei! How dare you do this?"
"Don't you fear the Central 46 sentencing you to death?"
"Oh?"
Kyoya raised an eyebrow. "Then tell me, if the Central 46 sentences me to death, who would dare carry out the execution?"
The head of the Kasumioji Clan was stunned.
That's right. Even if the Central 46 declared Kyoya guilty, the execution would ultimately fall to the Gotei 13.
But given the overwhelming pressure Kyoya was radiating now, were the Captains of the Gotei 13 even a match for him?
The Kasumioji Clan's head had seen Captain-level Shinigami before.
The Shinigami who infiltrated the Kasumioji Clan's estate the night before last was also someone at Captain-level strength.
If not for that, the Kasumioji family wouldn't have been forced to resort to using a Bakkoto passed down through generations to deal with him.
Yet even that Captain-level Shinigami, controlled by the Bakkoto, wasn't as terrifying as Kyoya was now.
'Perhaps the only one in the entire Seireitei who could match this aura was Captain-Commander Yamamoto!'
'Ah, Captain-Commander Yamamoto…'
At the thought of that man, the Kasumioji Clan's head's eyes lit up.
'Yes, that man who single-handedly carved his way through the Seireitei a thousand years ago and defended it during the Quincy invasion… he was undoubtedly stronger than this brat!'
"Captain-Commander Yamamoto is the strongest Shinigami in the Seireitei! He will definitely kill you!"
"Oh?"
"What a shame, then. Even if Captain-Commander Yamamoto kills me in the end, you won't live to see it."
With that, Kyoya raised his Zanpakuto.
"No! If you spare me, I'll plead with the Central 46 to stop Captain-Commander Yamamoto from acting against you-"
"Tch, what a pathetic sight…"
Kyoya shook his head. "Head of the Kasumioji Clan, your behavior now truly shames the entire 'nobility'…"
"However, I think you've misunderstood something."
"I'm killing you simply because I want to."
"As for the consequences after your death… that's none of your concern."
"Besides, even if Captain-Commander Yamamoto takes action, that doesn't necessarily mean he can kill me!"
Swoosh-
Blood splattered as Kyoya slowly sheathed his Zanpakuto.
"Kyoya, your way of thinking is dangerous, you know…"
At this moment, Yoruichi and Ginrei finally turned around.
With their Reikaku, though they hadn't witnessed it directly, they could still perceive what had happened through the sudden disappearance of Reiatsu.
Yoruichi slung an arm around Kyoya's neck, "Though I also think the Kasumioji Clan got what they deserved…"
"Just sensing old man Yamamoto's Reiatsu is enough to scare me stiff, yet you dare say even he might not be able to kill you?"
"Come on, tell me—how exactly did you get so strong?"
"Teach me too~"
"Ugh-"
Kyoya shuddered and quickly shook off Yoruichi's embrace.
"Please, Captain Yoruichi, you're not the type to act cute. You're making my skin crawl!"
He didn't believe a word of what Yoruichi said.
True, those familiar with Yamamoto would indeed be intimidated by his overwhelming Reiatsu. Lieutenant-level Shinigami couldn't even stand in his presence when he unleashed his full power.
But what about Yoruichi?
At this point in time, even if she hadn't yet reached the 2nd-class Reiryoku, she was just a step away, ready to cross that threshold at any moment.
Though, due to her role as the wielder of the [Heavenly Gifted Armaments], she didn't possess a Zanpakuto.
But her Shunpo was the fastest in the Seireitei, earning her the title [Goddess of Flash, Yoruichi].
Frankly, aside from a select few Captains, even those who had achieved Bankai would only be toyed with by her.
Moreover, Yoruichi herself was a lawless individual, unbound by so-called rules.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have stormed into the trial of Kisuke and Tessai, helping them escape the Soul Society.
For someone like her to claim she was 'too scared to move' under Yamamoto's Reiatsu? Kyoya didn't buy it for a second.
"Tch, so cold…"
Seeing that Kyoya wasn't swayed by her charm, Yoruichi pouted.
However, Kyoya's attention wasn't on Yoruichi's antics… it was focused on a small, slender figure clad entirely in black ninja attire.
From this little one, his Observation Haki had previously sensed an immense resentment.
'Is it Sui-Feng?'
'Probably only Sui-Feng would feel such bitterness when Yoruichi showed affection toward someone else… wondering why she wasn't the one close to her Yoruichi-sama.'
'Last time Yoruichi brought Sui-Feng to the 11th Division, she clearly hadn't been wearing a Shinigami's Shihakusho.'
But now, since she's dressed in the stealth force's ninja garb, it seemed she had officially been recruited into the 2nd Division.'
"Yoruichi-sama, Ginrei-sama."
"Since the battle is over, I'll leave the rest to you."
Yamamoto had sent Kyoya here specifically to deal with the Kasumioji Clan.
Now that everyone in the Kasumioji Clan connected to the Bakkoto had been eliminated, Kyoya had no reason to stay.
As for the Central 46, Kyoya trusted that Yamamoto, Ginrei, and Yoruichi would handle the explanations.
Of course, if those so-called 'noble council' lords refused to let it go…
Kyoya wouldn't mind taking a page from Aizen Sosuke's book and slaughtering the entire Central 46.
"Mm, Captain Kyoya, you may return first. We'll take care of things here."
Ginrei nodded in agreement.
Unlike Yoruichi, who was still young, Ginrei clearly felt somewhat uneasy about Kyoya's massacre of the Kasumioji Clan.
He didn't know how much turmoil Kyoya's actions would cause among the Seireitei's noble class.
But he did know one thing… based on the 'power' Kyoya had just displayed, if Kyoya ever decided to act out, the only one in the entire Seireitei who could stop him would be Yamamoto.
Now, the real concern was the unrest among the nobles, who had always done as they pleased.
Other Captains, no matter how strong, still held a degree of reverence for the 'nobility'.
Combined with Yamamoto's authority, the Gotei 13 and the noble families had always existed like parallel lines… never intersecting, never interfering.
But Kyoya's emergence had shattered that balance.
From his way of handling things, Kyoya clearly favored 'meeting violence with violence'.
And the problem was… he had the strength to back it up.
As for whether Yamamoto would be willing to oppose Kyoya for the sake of a few rotten nobles-
Ginrei couldn't be sure.
After all, in Yamamoto's heart, the stability of the Seireitei came before all else.