Outside the Forty-Six Chambers, Yamamoto Genryusai had just stepped out when he ran into Chōjirō Sasakibe.
Chōjirō Sasakibe was standing by a pillar, having waited for a long time.
At this moment, seeing that Yamamoto Genryusai's expression was still calm, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
"Yamamoto-sama, you were too impulsive this time!"
Chōjirō Sasakibe hurriedly stepped forward, deliberately lowering his voice, with a hint of unnoticeable lingering fear in his tone.
"How could you just barge into the Forty-Six Chambers without a word? Did those sages make things difficult for you?"
As Yamamoto Genryusai's subordinate, Chōjirō Sasakibe knew the seriousness of this incident.
The moment he learned that Yamamoto Genryusai had single-handedly broken into the Forty-Six Chambers, his composure almost shattered.
Although he knew that these sages were no match for Yamamoto Genryusai, they unfortunately held power and influence, occupying high positions.
It wasn't impossible for them to impulsively issue an order to execute Yamamoto Genryusai, after all, their intelligence shouldn't be overestimated.
Chōjirō Sasakibe was filled with worry but couldn't approach the Forty-Six Chambers, so he could only pace anxiously outside, silently waiting.
After waiting for more than ten minutes, he finally came out.
Yamamoto Genryusai paused slightly upon hearing Chōjirō Sasakibe's concerned words.
But very quickly, he resumed his normal pace, walking forward unhurriedly, his voice steady and powerful:
"Who do you think I am? They're too busy worrying and being afraid to make things difficult for me."
"Did you finish what I asked you to do earlier?"
"It's done, mostly completed."
Chōjirō Sasakibe replied respectfully. After speaking, he looked up, with a hint of probing in his eyes, and asked cautiously,
"May I ask, Yamamoto-sama , what is the purpose of your actions?"
"To reveal the existence of the Hōgyoku, the existence of artificial Shinigami, and the existence of... Hollowfication."
"The first two are understandable; I've also heard a little about the Hōgyoku and artificial Shinigami."
"But Hollowfication... are you sure that revealing it at this time won't cause panic among the Shinigami?"
"While the current Hueco Mundo is ruled by a group of peace-loving Menos Grande, Menos Grande are Menos Grande, and Hollows are Hollows; these two cannot be confused."
"Hollows have always been a symbol of degradation, and I'm worried..."
"Worried about what?" Yamamoto Genryusai glanced at him, his gaze containing an undeniable authority, and interrupted,
"Worried they'll accuse me? Worried they'll curse me for betraying the Shinigami? For being unorthodox?"
"What's there to worry about? In the face of global justice, any personal honor or disgrace can be disregarded."
"I didn't say I'd make them all Hollowfy; I'm just giving them another option. Whether they choose it or not is their business."
"Furthermore, so-called Hollowfication doesn't turn Shinigami into Hollows; it's merely the integration of some Hollow power into their souls."
"Below Third-Class Spiritual Power, after death, the soul and body will turn into nothingness, and no matter how complex the power, it will be completely purified."
"Above Third-Class Spiritual Power, after death, one will fall into Hell, and at that time, the soul will be mixed with the power of Hell."
Can you say Hell is more sacred than Hollows?"
Yamamoto Genryusai gently shook his head; the answer was obvious.
After his recent re-contact with some of the First Generation Captains, he had come to terms with some things:
"The purity of the soul doesn't mean anything. As long as they uphold justice, Shinigami are still Shinigami."
"Chojiro, do you think those First Generation Captains who fell into Hell have lost their sense of justice?"
That's hard to say, and it shouldn't be said. Chojiro wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
In a sense, Yamamoto Genryusai was right; what determined a Shinigami's identity was not their soul, but their actions.
Judge by deeds, not by heart.
No one is perfect if judged by heart.
If, after Hollowfication, they can still be Shinigami and still serve the Seireitei, then some Shinigami should willingly accept this outcome.
After all... it can make them stronger and better uphold justice.
Of course, the scorn of another group of Shinigami will be unavoidable, but when those Hollowfied Shinigami save them from crises time and again, their views will gradually change.
One year, ten years, a hundred years—over time, it might truly eliminate the gap between Hollowfied Shinigami and Shinigami.
It's just...
The Forty-Six Chambers...
Chōjirō Sasakibe was worried about suppression from the Forty-Six Chambers. He spoke with a slight hesitation:
"I understand, Yamamoto-sama. I feel your determination, but the Forty-Six Chambers... can they really tolerate such a thing happening?"
"Currently, I've only revealed the matter of Hollowfication to a small number of Captains; it won't reach their ears for now."
"But over time..."
"That's why I asked you to do this."
Yamamoto Genryusai saw Chōjirō Sasakibe's concern. He quietly looked at him, his tone still calm, and slowly articulated his thoughts,
"After this incident, even if I don't actively reveal Hollowfication, I won't be able to stay in the Captain-Commander position for long."
"They won't tolerate a Shinigami whose power surpasses theirs, but whose status is far below theirs, suppressing them."
"Especially now that there's already a replacement."
He sighed slightly and continued:
"That kid, Yoriichi Tsugikuni, is easier to talk to than I am, and his actions are far less extreme than mine. His strength is even above mine."
"Not to mention, his identity represents the nobility, and he has good relations with the Shihouin, Kucihki, and Shiba Family noble families."
"For those nobles, no one is more suitable to succeed me as Captain-Commander than him."
"Chojiro, I'll be relying on you from now on."
Chojiro felt a little sad, as if Yamamoto Genryusai was making his final arrangements.
Although he knew this was just his imagination, hearing that the Captain-Commander was retiring suddenly still made him feel a bit reluctant.
He truly worked hard; for the Seireitei, he even had to bear the final infamy.
He could already imagine the expressions on those nobles' faces when they tried to find trouble with Yamamoto Genryusai but discovered he had already retired.
At that time, they would certainly be extremely enraged, then list various charges, but ultimately they would be stopped by Yoriichi Tsugikuni...
"Yamamoto-sama, you..."
Thinking of this, Chōjirō Sasakibe slightly raised his eyes, a hesitant expression appearing on his face.
His lips trembled slightly, as if he had a thousand words to say but didn't know where to begin.
Yamamoto Genryusai merely shook his head, saying nothing more.
He gently patted Chojiro's shoulder, signaling him to stop, and then, under Chojiro's gaze, slowly walked towards the distance.
The sunlight spilled onto his shoulders, casting a long shadow that appeared somewhat thin on the ground.
Anyone who saw it could detect the unmistakable sense of loneliness within it.
Seeing this, Chojiro could only sigh, secretly vowing not to disappoint Yamamoto's high hopes.
Even if Yamamoto-sama retired, he would definitely do his job well.
Assisting two Captain-Commanders—if this news got out, it could become a good story...
...
At the same time, inside the Forty-Six Chambers.
Soft light streamed down from the skylight above, illuminating the floor.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni listened to Nemu Kurotsuchi's request, frowning slightly, seemingly deep in thought.
But in the very next second, he gently nodded, his gentle voice continuing:
"Didn't you just call me that? It's okay, Nemu, as long as you're happy, after all, I'm the one who made you lose your father."
Nemu Kurotsuchi's previously downcast eyes instantly lifted, a look of joy first appearing on her face.
However, when she heard Yoriichi Tsugikuni's subsequent reply, her expression froze slightly, then she gently shook her head in denial, her voice soft yet firm:
"Please don't say that; this wasn't your fault. Even without you, someone else would have exposed his crimes."
"Godfather... no, Father, your actions indirectly saved tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of civilians..."
"Among them are other people's children, other people's fathers. I should be thanking you instead."
At this point, she unconsciously bit her lip, seemingly hesitating about something,
"Besides, Kisuke Urahara was also involved. I..."
Nemu Kurotsuchi's words suddenly broke off. A flash of realization crossed her eyes, as if she had suddenly remembered something important.
If she remembered correctly, the evidence seemed to have been provided by Kisuke Urahara to Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
She had temporarily forgotten it earlier due to her urgency, but now that her mood had calmed down... was all of this Captain Urahara's doing?
Her brows furrowed slightly, her mood quite complex. Nemu Kurotsuchi sighed.
Mayuri had already been taken away; dwelling on these matters now was useless.
She looked up at Yoriichi Tsugikuni, her eyes serious, and said:
"Father, can we stop talking about these things?"
"I don't want to discuss him anymore."
Seeing that Nemu Kurotsuchi had a rather complex attitude towards Mayuri's existence, Yoriichi nodded, going along with her wishes, and comforted her:
"Alright, if you don't want to talk about it, then we won't. Let's go, let's leave here first."
He gently took Nemu Kurotsuchi's hand, turned his gaze, and asked in a gentle tone:
"Are you going to the Twelfth Division next, or somewhere else?"
Nemu Kurotsuchi slightly lowered her head, her slender fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes, and thought seriously for a moment.
Then, she gave an unexpected answer:
"I want to go to your home, Father. I know this might be a bit abrupt, but I want to meet your family."
Her voice grew softer and softer, finally becoming almost like a mosquito's buzz, "Of course, if it's inconvenient, that's fine; I understand."
"Because you suddenly have a daughter, your wife probably won't be able to accept it."
This question... Yoriichi hadn't thought about it, but it seemed he had mentioned it to Uta before?
He couldn't quite remember; it had been more than ten years ago, after all.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, trying hard to recall, then smiled nonchalantly:
"It's fine, go to my house. Uta should be very welcoming of your arrival."
"It's just Ai who might be a bit of trouble, but you just need to remain silent and not speak."
Although Ai was older than Nemu Kurotsuchi, she was still a child, and as a child, she naturally had the common characteristics of children.
—Extremely possessive.
Once she knew her father's love was being shared with someone else, who knows what absurd things she might do.
Yoriichi shook his head gently at this thought. He also found it difficult to handle such situations; he couldn't just suppress children's natural instincts.
Now, he could only hope that these two could get along harmoniously.
However, to be safe, he should still ask Rangiku to come back; perhaps she could help ease the atmosphere.
...
Outside the Tsugikuni residence.
Matsumoto Rangiku returned just as the sun was slowly setting in the west.
As soon as she appeared, she saw Nemu Kurotsuchi sitting quietly beside Yoriichi Tsugikuni, carefully listening to Uta, who was directly opposite her.
Nemu Kurotsuchi occasionally added a few soft words, and the atmosphere was far less tense than Matsumoto Rangiku had anticipated.
Not far away, Tsugikuni Ai also sat quietly, seemingly calm, but her slightly pouting cheeks were full of displeasure.
Rangiku looked at this scene, vaguely feeling a sense of déjà vu.
Upon careful recollection, it was probably the time she accidentally ate Tsugikuni Ai's cherished snacks.
Tsugikuni Ai's expression at that time was exactly the same as her current appearance.
Fortunately, Tsugikuni Ai managed to endure this time and did not show her unreasonable side.
—It's truly wonderful that things can be so harmonious.
Matsumoto Rangiku pressed her chest and let out a long sigh.
"Sister Rangiku, you're finally back!"
At this moment, Tsugikuni Ai caught a glimpse of Matsumoto Rangiku, a hint of surprise and grievance flashing in her eyes, and she immediately ran over, seeking comfort.
Heaven knew how shocked she was when she saw her father bring a girl home and say she was his daughter.
At that moment, she felt as if her whole world had turned upside down, almost believing her father had betrayed her mother.
Fortunately, it turned out to be just a misunderstanding, but even so, her heart was still extremely unsettled.
It was as if a large piece of her favorite cake had been taken by someone else without her knowledge.
That feeling of loss and unwillingness made it difficult for her to calm down for a long time.
"There, there," Matsumoto Rangiku gently rubbed Tsugikuni Ai's head, indicating that she understood everything and that Tsugikuni Ai should not rush.
Her gaze, like water, fell forward, then she lowered her head and softly comforted Tsugikuni Ai:
"Come with me first. I completely understand what you're feeling right now."
"When Gin followed Aizen back then, I had a similar experience, but later I understood that he had no choice but to do that."
"Perhaps the current situation is similar. It's better to think about these things carefully and let both sides calm down."
Matsumoto Rangiku was currently unaware of Mayuri Kurotsuchi's imprisonment, so she naturally didn't know that Nemu Kurotsuchi had lost her support.
As a Shinigami, she was unaware, let alone Tsugikuni Ai.
Therefore, in Tsugikuni Ai's eyes, Nemu Kurotsuchi suddenly appeared, wanting to snatch her father away from her.
It was already quite difficult for Tsugikuni Ai's emotions not to spiral out of control in this situation.
Although Tsugikuni Ai found it difficult to understand what a similar experience was like,
but since Sister Rangiku said so, she couldn't act recklessly and could only obediently follow Matsumoto Rangiku out of the courtyard.
...
At this moment, in the living room near the courtyard, Yoriichi Tsugikuni noticed the two disappearing and sighed slightly:
"As expected, Rangiku is reliable. I apologize, Nemu, for having you encounter something like this as soon as you arrived."
"It's alright, Father," Nemu Kurotsuchi gently shook her head, her calm tone showing clear indifference, as if she was accustomed to all of this.
"As long as Ms. Tsugikuni Ai is happy, I personally have no objections. After all, she hasn't grown up yet."
"You haven't grown up either. In terms of age, you are much younger than Tsugikuni Ai."
Nemu Kurotsuchi immediately responded, her voice clear and firm:
"But I am an artificial human. Although I am only seventeen years old this year, my physiological age is already close to one hundred years old for a Shinigami."
"In a sense, I am also a mature adult, so naturally, I cannot fuss over a child."
"You certainly have a positive outlook," Yoriichi sighed helplessly, unsure how to respond to Nemu Kurotsuchi's mature remarks.
If only Tsugikuni Ai could be half as easy to manage as her.
Just then, Uta suddenly spoke, breaking the short silence:
"Let's not talk about that for now, Nemu, where do you plan to stay tonight?"
"Do you have any dietary restrictions? What do you like to eat? If you plan to stay here, I'll have the chef make more of what you like."
"Your biological father is imprisoned, so you must be feeling very sad. It's all Yoriichi's fault for being too impulsive."
Of course, these were just words of comfort.
In reality, in Uta's eyes, the sooner a bad person like Nemu Kurotsuchi was caught, the better, but it was not appropriate to say so directly in front of Nemu Kurotsuchi.
Nemu Kurotsuchi's expression was calm, and she shook her head again:
"There's nothing to be sad about. What's done is done and cannot be undone... I only hope that Father will not leave me now."
"I like saury, and I avoid green onions, Uta. Please take care of me from now on."
"You're not calling me Mother?" Uta smiled slightly, seemingly quite interested in Nemu Kurotsuchi's answer.
Nemu Kurotsuchi paused, then hesitated:
"Mother... Is that really alright? Isn't it a bit too sudden? I don't think Ms. Tsugikuni Ai would accept it..."
She thought for a moment and finally rejected the suggestion: "I can't do that."
She was here to join someone else's family, not to break it apart.
If she really called her that... then Matsumoto Rangiku's probably wouldn't be able to hold back one Tsugikuni Ai.
Although Uta felt it was a pity, she could only go along with Nemu Kurotsuchi's wishes.
Time passed bit by bit, and the two continued to chat for a while, confirming some of their mutual interests.
By the time the sun had completely set and the night sky, like a black silk cloth, gently covered the earth, dinner officially began...
At this point, the conversation quickly drew to a close in a quiet environment.
Mayuri Kurotsuchi found a new sense of purpose, slightly mending her heart, which had been riddled with holes due to Mayuri Kurotsuchi's imprisonment.
...
...
At the same time.
Within the originally empty, peaceful Forty-Six Chambers, some intermittent voices suddenly echoed.
"Has everyone arrived? Except for those few from the Gotei 13..."
"Everyone's here, right? Good, let's begin the temporary Sage Council now."
One person coughed twice and said solemnly:
"The topic of this meeting is—whether to strip Yamamoto Genryusai of his Captain-Commander position."
"He's too reckless."
"Although he saved us this time, his act of holding a sword to our necks was simply too presumptuous. I cannot tolerate it."
Someone retorted:
"What can you do if you can't tolerate it? Are we his match?"
"And even if he's stripped of his position, who can perfectly take over?"
"Kyōraku Shunsui or Yoriichi Tsugikuni, or Jūshirō Ukitake?"
"I think Jūshirō Ukitake can be excluded..."
The voices of the crowd came and went, and gradually, everyone began to argue, as their opinions differed.
The Sages who supported Kyōraku Shunsui as the next Captain-Commander believed that if Yamamoto Genryusai was disobedient, they should replace him with someone who was obedient.
Kyōraku Shunsui was very suitable; although he came from an upper-class noble family, he lacked connections, and without connections, he would struggle among the nobility.
Therefore, he would be very easy to control, unlike the latter two.
One was too strong; if he became Captain-Commander, it would be hard to say who would be commanding whom.
The other was too weak; while stronger than ordinary Captains, he wouldn't be able to protect them against the impending Quincy threat.
The Sages who supported Yoriichi Tsugikuni as suitable for Captain-Commander believed that the past relationship with the Gotei 13 was no longer suitable for the rapidly changing situation in the Seireitei.
Cooperation was better than obedience, to avoid a backlash and another incident like Yamamoto Genryusai breaking into the Forty-Six Chambers.
Everything could be discussed properly, and moreover, Yoriichi Tsugikuni was an upper-class noble with connections.
There would be no problem at all in entrusting him with handling certain matters that were difficult for nobles to deal with.
If that didn't work, there were also the heads of the Kucihki, Shihouin, and Shiba Family to help.
Wasn't this more competitive than Kyōraku Shunsui? Not to mention his unparalleled strength.
As for Jūshirō Ukitake... well, it seemed there were no Sages who chose him.
Therefore, the key to this meeting was, which was more important: obedience or cooperation?
The Sages argued for a long time without reaching a conclusion. With flushed faces, they ultimately had to decide by drawing lots...
...
The next day, when a letter appeared before Yamamoto Genryusai, his expression was calm, as if he had long expected it.
He casually reached out and opened it, merely glancing at it to understand its contents.
Then, he unhurriedly summoned Chōjirō Sasakibe and ordered:
"Go and call Kyōraku Shunsui, Yoriichi Tsugikuni, and Jūshirō Ukitake. I have important matters to instruct them on."
Although Jūshirō Ukitake was not mentioned in the letter, he had the right to know about this matter.
Thus, when the three rushed over, they saw Yamamoto Genryusai sitting solemnly in the main seat, uttering the words he had already prepared.
He nodded gently, tapping his cane on the ground: "You have arrived. Good."
"Kyōraku, Ukitake, you two have been my disciples for, by my reckoning, over seven hundred years now, haven't you?"
"Though Tsugikuni has only been with me for a mere few decades, he has undoubtedly become the most outstanding student since the founding of Genryu school."
Saying this, Yamamoto Genryusai slowly rose and walked step by step to stand before the three, his gaze fixed on Yoriichi Tsugikuni, his tone deep,
"The student surpasses the master. Your current strength and insight have long surpassed mine."
"Logically speaking, decades ago, I should have trained you to be the next Captain-Commander."
"Unfortunately, you felt your qualifications were insufficient, so you refused me."
"Now... if I give you another chance to choose, will you still refuse?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the surrounding atmosphere seemed to solidify, subtly undergoing a slight change.
Even a child, however naive, would clearly understand the meaning behind Yamamoto Genryusai's words.
The three frowned slightly, then watched as Yamamoto Genryusai returned to his chair.
He reached out and slowly took off his haori.
Then, he motioned for Chōjirō Sasakibe to hand the letter to the three.
After they had each read it, their faces all showed complex expressions.
At this moment, Yamamoto Genryusai looked up, his gaze sweeping over each of their faces, and continued:
"That's how it is. I was stripped of my Captain-Commander position for trespassing into the Forty-Six Chambers."
"A country cannot be without a ruler for a single day."
"Yoriichi Tsugikuni, are you willing to take over my position and become the Second Captain-Commander?"