"Head of the Kasumioji Clan, you know exactly what you've done."
Yoruichi crossed her arms, speaking to the head of the Kasumioji Clan without any room for negotiation.
"You've violated the Seireitei's ban by restarting the production of the Bakkoto. Evidence of your family's crimes has already been sent to the Central 46."
"If you surrender now, I might still spare your family some dignity out of respect for your noble status."
The head of the Kasumioji Clan paled instantly.
"Shihoin-sama, don't you dare falsely accuse us!"
"All records related to the Bakkoto in our family have already been destroyed."
"If Shihoin-sama and Kuchiki-sama think you can annihilate our Kasumioji Clan based on baseless accusations, then I'll have to take this matter to the Central 46 and ask… what else wouldn't you dare to do?"
"After all, our Kasumioji Clan is one of the twelve great noble houses!"
The Central 46 of the Seireitei was composed of elders from the four great noble families, the twelve higher noble families, and thirty lower noble families.
Among them, the great noble families held the most seats and wielded the greatest authority.
The higher noble families ranked just below the great nobles, above the lower nobles.
The downfall of a higher noble family would undoubtedly cause a significant uproar within the inner district of the Seireitei.
At the same time, two great noble families jointly targeting a higher noble family would also make the other higher noble families feel threatened, prompting them to unite in self-defense.
However, what unsettled the head of the Kasumioji Clan was that neither Yoruichi nor Kuchiki showed any signs of backing down in response to his words.
'Could it be that they had truly obtained concrete evidence?'
'But how is this possible?'
Suddenly, the head of the Kasumioji family seemed to remember something. He turned to the steward behind him and asked in a low voice, "Gyokaku, have the servants we sent to silence the witnesses returned yet?"
'If there was any possibility of exposure, it would likely be through these people.'
"Master, I'll go and ask right away..."
Hearing Kumoi Gyokaku's response, the head of the Kasumioji Clan realized that if he didn't act now, the Kasumioji Clan might be doomed. With a deep glance at his steward, he patted Kumoi on the shoulder.
"Steward Gyokaku, go in peace. I'll take good care of your child."
Hearing this, Kumoi's expression changed drastically.
But before he could react, he felt something cold pressed into his hand… a short sword.
"Th-This is...?"
As the steward of the Kasumioji Clan, Kumoi was no stranger to the Bakkoto.
In fact, when it came to the revival of Bakkoto's production, there were even some processes that the head of the Kasumioji Clan himself wasn't as familiar with as Kumoi was.
The blade now in his hand was one that Kumoi had personally delivered to the head of the Kasumioji Clan earlier that evening.
Because, as of now, it was the most 'perfect' Bakkoto the Kasumioji Clan had produced.
Of course, no matter how perfect it is, the Bakkoto couldn't escape their inherent nature… the instinct to devour a Shinigami's Reiatsu.
Especially once a Bakkoto's ability was activated, the blade would greedily consume even more Reiatsu to amplify its power.
If the Shinigami wasn't strong enough to suppress the blade's devouring instinct, they would be completely consumed by it.
Unfortunately, when the head of the Kasumioji Clan handed this Bakkoto to Kumoi, he had already activated its ability with his own Reiatsu.
Thus, the moment the blade touched Kumoi's hand, several tendrils shot out and pierced into his arm, voraciously draining his Reiatsu.
"Ah, ahhhhhhh…"
Kumoi screamed in terror, frantically shaking his right arm as if trying to fling the blade away.
But how could he?
Kumoi was just an ordinary man with no combat training. Though he possessed a 17th-class Reiryoku, he had no mastery of Zanjutsu, Shunpo, Hoho, or Kido.
A man like him, who would normally never even qualify as nourishment for a Bakkoto, now found himself parasitized by it, so how could he possibly break free?
As Kumoi flailed, streaks of sword light erupted from the Bakkoto, one even slashing across the abdomen of the Kasumioji Clan's head, leaving him bloodied.
"Quick, quick! Steward Kumoi has violated the Seireitei's ban by secretly researching Bakkoto… he's gone mad now that his crimes have been exposed!"
"Everyone, seize him! Don't let him escape and tarnish the Kasumioji Clan's millennia-old reputation!"
Though wounded and collapsed on the ground, the Kasumioji Clan's head showed no fear. Instead, he shouted toward the Shinigami surrounding the estate.
At this moment, Kyoya and the others were stunned by the Kasumioji Clan's head's brazenness.
'Was this guy really trying to pin the entire blame on his own steward so openly?'
Admittedly, Kumoi did look like a desperate man with nothing left to lose after his schemes were exposed.
'But did the Kasumioji Clan's head really think we were blind?'
'Or did he believe that just by offering up a scapegoat, the Kasumioji Clan could safely escape consequences, even with three divisions of the Gotei 13 mobilized against them?'
Kyoya glanced at Yoruichi and Ginrei, noticing the hesitation on their faces.
Clearly, from their perspective, as a higher noble, the Kasumioji Clan's head sacrificing a mere steward to take the fall seemed… plausible.
What troubled them now was whether to follow the unspoken rules among nobles and let the Kasumioji Clan off, or to obey the Captain-Commander's orders and wait for the Central 46's judgment.
'This is what nobility is…'
Kyoya shook his head.
Every world seemed to operate the same way.
Those in power, to ensure their own safety and that of their families, would inevitably establish unwritten rules with others of their kind.
'The river flows thirty years east and thirty years west, no one could guarantee they would always remain at the top.'
So, when mutual interests weren't at stake, they were all willing to lend a hand.
That way, when they themselves fell from grace, others would extend the same courtesy.
Rise and fall, rise and fall… yet those at the very top remained the same.
Offering a scapegoat, admitting fault, and sweeping crimes under the rug… this was the most common tactic among nobles.
For example, decades ago, a bastard son of the Tsunayashiro Clan, one of the Four Great Noble Houses, brutally murdered his fiancée.
Even with irrefutable evidence, when the Tsunayashiro Clan produced a servant to take the blame, didn't the Central 46 still accept it?
Even the victim's family, which is a minor clan, had raised no objections.
Or rather… they dared not object.
Because they were not nobles.
With that thought, Kyoya drew his Zanpakuto.
"Ah, go to hell!"
"Die, die, die!"
In just a few seconds, Kumoi had been reduced to skin and bones by the Bakkoto's devouring.
Realizing he was beyond saving, Kumoi turned the blade toward the Kasumioji Clan's head, determined to drag him down to hell with him.
Watching this, Kyoya couldn't help but find it bitterly amusing.
Right now, the Kasumioji Clan's head was forcing Kumoi to take the blame to absolve the family.
Yet in Kyoya's memories, over a hundred years in the future, it would be this Kumoi who masterminded the Bakkoto Project, using the Kasumioji Clan as his shield while manipulating its heir.
If not for Ichigo's interference, Kumoi might have actually succeeded in usurping the entire Kasumioji Clan's legacy.
Whoosh!
Kyoya's figure flashed, appearing instantly behind Kumoi.
"Guh… ugh…"
Dozens of bloody gashes erupted across Kumoi's body before he collapsed to the ground.
After death, Kumoi's corpse was completely devoured by the Bakkoto, leaving behind only a few high-quality garments.
"Hahaha! Thank you, Captain Kyoya!"
The head of the Kasumioji staggered to his feet, ignoring his own injuries as he smiled at Kyoya, "If not for you, our Kasumioji Clan might have been ruined by this traitorous wretch."
"To express my gratitude, I've prepared a generous gift for you-"
"No need, Kasumioji-dono."
Kyoya took a step back, avoiding the Kasumioji Clan's head's outstretched hand, and then said coldly: "Captain-Commander Yamamoto's orders are clear."
"If the Kasumioji Clan surrenders peacefully, you will be granted the dignity befitting nobles."
"But if you resist… the 11th Division is authorized to use force to apprehend every last one of you."
"Those who dare fight back will be executed on the spot."
"Unfortunately, your steward just resisted."
"And before that… were you attempting to attack me?"
"Out of respect for the head of the Kasumioji Clan, I'll give this my all."
"What?!"
"Captain Kyoya, what are you-?"
At this moment, even the densest person would understand Kyoya's intent.
Seeing Kyoya's Zanpakuto pointed at him, the Kasumioji Clan's head whirled around, desperately seeking help from Yoruichi and Ginrei.
"Captain Kyoya…"
Ginrei began, but before he could finish, Yoruichi grabbed his arm.
"Ahahaha! Captain Kuchiki, don't you think the sun is blindingly bright today?"
Ginrei blinked, glancing up at the sky.
'There wasn't even a moon… how could the sun be blinding?'
But then, he sighed.
'Fine.'
'I am old now, and the future belongs to these young people, so let them handle it!'
"Indeed… In my thousand years of life, I've never seen such a dazzling sun…"
Yoruichi and Ginrei's words drained the color from the Kasumioji Clan's head's face.
"Kuchiki-sama..."
Boom!
Before the head of the Kasumioji Clan could finish his words, he felt a powerful pressure erupting from Kyoya.
Crimson lightning crackled through the air.
In that moment, the Kasumioji Clan's head felt as if he had been thrust back a thousand years… into the presence of that demon wreathed in flames…