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Several days later.
Within an ancient Japanese-style building of extreme luxury, stood towering black-roofed pavilions that seemed to pierce the sky.
The Tsunayashiro Family residence.
Tall, ancient buildings were gathered together, their pillars, beams, and wall panels unpainted, exuding an antique charm.
This was the dwelling of the esteemed, one of the Four Great Noble Clans, the great rulers of the Soul Society—
The Tsunayashiro Family's abode.
Elders in lavish robes sat on high seats, and the tall walls were engraved with patterns of ancient trees and mountains, signifying supreme power.
"Sinners, tell us what happened."
In the center of the council chamber, two men, tortured beyond recognition, knelt.
They were missing hands and legs, covered in blood, and barely clinging to life.
One of the men spat out his broken teeth and said weakly:
"Tsunayashiro Asaho… is dead…"
The elders exchanged cold glances, then closed their eyes and shook their heads.
Tsunayashiro Asaho's death itself was not important; what mattered was that she was a member of the Tsunayashiro Family, representing the Tsunayashiro Family's prestige.
"How did she die??"
"Someone saw a Hollow attack Tsunayashiro Asaho."
The man shivered violently, propped up his weak body, swallowed the blood in his mouth, and said.
"You were her guards, yet you have to learn how your own master died through outsiders. What use are you? Go fulfill your loyalty to her!"
"Thank you, sirs! Thank you, sirs!"
The two guards knelt on the ground, repeatedly kowtowing in gratitude, their heads bleeding.
For them at this moment, living was the true suffering.
Seeing the two dragged out of the meeting room by family retainers, an elder of the family frowned, looking at the bloodstains on the ground, and asked:
"What should we do next?"
"Have the Central 46 issue an order; this matter must be investigated thoroughly!"
Another elder slapped the table, roaring.
So, the news quickly spread.
The Tsunayashiro Family was plunged into a tense atmosphere; assassins in night clothes moved like phantoms through the clan grounds, and members of various branches who were outside were urgently recalled.
The servants looked fearfully towards the central pavilion, their hearts churning with turbulent waves.
A ruler of the Soul Society, a bloodline of the esteemed Five Great Noble Houses, had actually died.
This was the first time in a million years in the Soul Society, since the Quincy invasion of the Soul Society a millennium ago, that a member of the Five Great Noble Houses had died an unnatural death.
.........
Late that night.
Yamamoto was woken from his sleep by his subordinate. Although his peaceful slumber was disturbed, which annoyed him, he suppressed his displeasure and rushed to the Central 46 Grand Meeting Room that very night.
Soon, he passed through the Squad Barracks, walked through the "bamboo forest" formed by white towers, crossed several large gates, and arrived before a massive stone wall.
The outer wall of the stone wall was entirely white, and the stone door had red and black octagonal patterns.
"Captain-Commander Yamamoto."
Two Shinigami of the Seventh Division, responsible for guarding, stood outside the door and bowed to Yamamoto.
Yamamoto nodded to them.
The two Shinigami opened the door, revealing a familiar wooden bridge. Beneath the bridge was a clear, bottomless pond, and in the center of the pond was a building constructed from Reishi-absorbing stone.
Yamamoto pushed open the large door and entered the central underground meeting room.
The interior structure of the meeting room was also octagonal, with a pitch-black floor, like a bottomless abyss, giving a sense of being unable to find footing.
Rows and layers of long tables surrounded the entire room. On the tables stood screens with numbers, and behind the screens were long benches, on which sat forty-six nobles and elders.
Sitting at the highest position were six Judges, and below them were forty deliberating elders known as Sages.
These forty-six individuals represented the pinnacle of power in the entire Soul Society; they were the Soul Society's highest judicial body... the Central 46.
"Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto, Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, greets all Sages and Judges."
Yamamoto advanced with steady steps, square white lights illuminating his path, and spoke calmly.
The six Judges and forty Sages seated above showed no dissatisfaction; they even raised their lips into smiles to ease the atmosphere, even though Yamamoto could not see their faces.
There were no fools among those who could sit here.
Their extraordinary foresight allowed them to better recognize reality.
This old man was not someone they could manipulate at will.
Even if he was willing to obey obediently now, it did not mean he would always obey.
If one day he grew tired and weary, and no longer wished to play childish games with them, those present would not be able to withstand the blade that could incinerate the world.
The Judge seated on the far left, Shihōin Kaiba, waved his hand and chuckled softly:
"Our blade, Captain-Commander Yamamoto Genryusai, congratulations on gaining a new disciple."
Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto said in a deep voice:
"There's no need for such pleasantries, Judge."
"I am well aware of why you summoned me here this time."
"But before that, I have a question for all of you..."
He paused, his gaze suddenly sharpening, sweeping like a knife over the high-seated individuals.
"Why did you bypass the Gotei 13, the Onmitsukidō, and the Kidō Corps, and have family retainers surround the Shiba family?"
"The Shiba family was once one of the Five Great Noble Houses; even if they left the Seireitei, that fact will not change!"
The green-haired Judge in the middle retorted with displeasure:
"According to regulations, any act that harms a noble should be severely punished."
"Tsunayashiro Asaho died during a Soul Burial Internship in the Human World. We have not yet pursued your Gotei 13's responsibility for dereliction of duty."
"Or do you believe that a noble's life is less important than a mere commoner from Rukongai?"
At these words, the other Sages and Judges became tense.
Even with the screens concealing them, his arrogance and anger could be heard in his voice.
Facing the highest authority of the Seireitei, Yamamoto remained composed, his tone calm as he said:
"A noble's life is indeed important, but this is not a reason to overstep the law."
"No matter the offense, it should be investigated by our Gotei 13. Interfering privately is in itself a violation of the law."
"Furthermore, there is no evidence whatsoever to suggest that Aozaki Reiji was at fault in this incident!"
Shihōin Kaiba echoed:
"I agree with the Captain-Commander."
"Do you remember twenty years ago, a member of the Tsunayashiro Family, who graduated from the Genji Academy, committed a grave crime that warranted the death penalty?"
"Yet, all of you Judges and Sages, considering his mentor-student relationship with the Captain-Commander, commuted his sentence to three hundred years of house arrest."
"Since you could be lenient with that student, why be so harsh with the Captain-Commander's new disciple?"
Listening to the aggressive questioning from Yamamoto Genryusai and Shihōin Kaiba, the Sages and Judges of the Tsunayashiro Family opened their mouths, but ultimately fell silent, their hearts filled with bitterness.
Originally, they had merely wanted to protect a talented clan member and simultaneously assert the Tsunayashiro Family's authority, but who would have thought that this very incident would now silence them.
It was all those elders; for a branch family member, they caused them to lose face in front of everyone today.
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