The anomaly in the noble district was quickly reported to Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto.
The noble district is one of the core areas of the Seireitei. The sudden appearance of the Gates of Hell there immediately put the Seireitei on high alert.
The entire Gotei 13 was swiftly mobilized.
Within ten minutes, the captains and lieutenants of each division had led their squads to the front of the Tsunayashiro clan's residence.
The Tsunayashiro family estate was shrouded in black and red Hell Reishi.
A glow of fire could be seen from within.
"What a dense Hell aura! The Hell Reishi here is visible to the naked eye!"
Kyōraku Shunsui exclaimed.
Everyone could sense that there were no Reiatsu fluctuations inside the mansion, so they didn't rush in.
Lieutenant Genbara of the 5th Division was confirming information with Jirō Obana and Marenoshin Ōmaeda.
Some servants who had escaped from the Tsunayashiro home were also reporting the situation to the Shinigami of the 5th Division.
Kirio Hikifune and Kisuke Urahara were using Reishi instruments to analyze the Hell Reishi emanating from inside.
"We really saw Tokinada Tsunayashiro!"
Nozomishin Ōmaeda was certain of what he saw, and he wasn't the only one who saw Tokinada.
"Tokinada Tsunayashiro died some time ago... But only those at the captain level or higher can go to Hell after death!"
Lieutenant Genbara frowned.
The Gyōkaku Kumoi incident from a few years ago had given the captains and lieutenants some information about Hell.
It was now confirmed that powerhouses at the captain level or above do not reincarnate in the World of the Living after death, but can only be reborn in Hell.
But Tokinada Tsunayashiro was only at the lieutenant level. Normally, he didn't meet the conditions to be reborn in Hell.
"Is that so... Could it be the intervention of that 'Lord of Hell'?"
Marenoshin Ōmaeda shared the information he had overheard, "I remember Tokinada Tsunayashiro saying—it was the Lord of Hell who gave him the chance to return here."
"The Lord of Hell... The legendary Will of Hell?"
Lieutenant Genbara felt the matter was becoming very tricky.
"That persistent bastard..." Kyōraku Shunsui's face darkened slightly. "Did you personally see Tokinada Tsunayashiro leave this place through the Gates of Hell?"
"Yes, we were on that building over there, very close to here."
The two of them nodded.
"The servants who escaped also saw Tokinada Tsunayashiro leave through the Gates of Hell," Yoruichi Shihōin said. "I just asked around, and the people nearby also saw those Gates of Hell."
Yoruichi was the first to arrive. Upon her arrival, she first sought out servants and nearby people to confirm the information.
"To think he has a way to open the Gates of Hell within the Seireitei..."
Jūshirō Ukitake's expression was grave.
This was very bad news for the Soul Society.
The space within the Seireitei is stable. If the Gates of Hell could be opened inside the Seireitei, it meant Tokinada Tsunayashiro could open them anywhere in the Soul Society.
"Last time, the Reigai opened the Gates of Hell in the Rukongai by using the sinful souls who smuggled themselves into the Soul Society as a sacrifice..." Retsu Unohana mused. "What method did he use this time..."
"According to the information I've gathered, it seems the Gates of Hell didn't fully open..."
Yoruichi Shihōin added.
"It shouldn't be that easy for Tokinada Tsunayashiro to open the Gates of Hell in the Soul Society, otherwise, the denizens of Hell would have already come to plunder souls."
Jūshirō Ukitake speculated.
Judging from the Gyōkaku Kumoi incident a few years ago, that Will of Hell must be coveting the souls of the Soul Society.
"Tokinada Tsunayashiro returned here without causing destruction to other parts of the noble district... He must have a very important objective..."
Kyōraku Shunsui knew Tokinada well. If he didn't go on a killing spree in the noble district, he must have had a more important goal.
"According to Marenoshin Ōmaeda and Jirō Obana, Tokinada Tsunayashiro took the Tsunayashiro clan's ancestral Zanpakutō, 'Enrakyōten'. He said that's what he came for!"
Yoruichi Shihōin frowned.
"Enrakyōten?"
Kyōraku Shunsui's pupils shrank, as if he had thought of something.
He turned to look at Jūshirō Ukitake and found that he was also looking at him.
Kyōraku read the same thought in his eyes.
"Is their target the Soul King?!"
They both said in unison.
As captains, they were already aware of some secrets from the ancient era.
Furthermore, Jūshirō Ukitake himself had a piece of the Soul King within him.
They quickly figured out Tokinada's intention for taking 'Enrakyōten'.
'Enrakyōten' was a blade passed down from the ancestors of the Tsunayashiro clan.
The ancestors of the Tsunayashiro clan were the main participants in the dismemberment of the Soul King.
This blade was one that had been stained with the blood of a god!
The Will of Hell behind Tokinada Tsunayashiro most likely took 'Enrakyōten' for a purpose related to the Soul King.
"The Will of Hell obtained 'Enrakyōten' through Tokinada Tsunayashiro?"
Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto's face fell, and he looked up at the sky.
"Could it be... they are going to destroy that thing..."
Perhaps they were preparing to destroy the 'Pact of the Three Realms'!
If the 'Pact of the Three Realms' were destroyed, the Soul Society, the World of the Living, and Hueco Mundo would all collapse.
At that time, the Lord of Hell would be able to sweep up all the souls and Reishi of the three realms.
"Hiss—" Yoruichi Shihōin gasped. "Such a grand scheme! The Will of Hell is truly the great enemy of the three realms!"
Yoruichi was putting on a great performance.
After receiving the message from Nozomishin Ōmaeda, she had received a message from a shadow.
The Professor told her to bring people over quickly and verify the information with the escaped servants and surrounding witnesses.
Therefore, Yoruichi already knew this matter was related to the Professor—
This was a setup by the Professor to deal with the threat of the Tsunayashiro family!
Although Yoruichi didn't know how the Professor did it, she was overjoyed that he was willing to share his secrets with her.
She was now trying her best to lead everyone to brainstorm in the direction of the Will of Hell.
"Captain, the average concentration of Hell Reishi has reached 98.5, with the value in the core area reaching as high as 128.2. It's almost impossible to find normal Reishi in there..."
Kisuke Urahara manipulated the Reishi detection device in his hand. "According to past data records, when the 'Gates of Hell' appear in the World of the Living, the average Hell Reishi concentration reaches over 51.6. The average concentration here is nearly double that!"
"The Hell Reishi here is too dense. It has reached a level that can affect spiritual bodies. Shinigami below the rank of lieutenant should not enter." Kirio Hikifune turned to Yamamoto. "Captain-Commander Yamamoto, this Hell Reishi won't dissipate anytime soon. I suggest we have the Kidō Corps come and purify it."
"Chōjirō, go inform the Kidō Corps. Tell them to come and purify the Hell Reishi."
"Yes!"
Chōjirō Sasakibe acknowledged and vanished with Shunpo.
"Captains and lieutenants of all squads, follow me into the courtyard. Everyone else, stand guard here!"
The captains and lieutenants entered the courtyard.
When they reached the central area, the feeling of the Hell Reishi became even more profound.
They felt an inexplicable 'sense of suffocation'.
It wasn't a respiratory suffocation, but rather their spiritual bodies being unable to connect with the external Reishi.
Not only that, but there were also some black 'Hell' (gaseous energy) floating in the air.
This 'Hell' was the culprit that dyed the Reishi into Hell Reishi.
Retsu Unohana reached out to touch the 'Hell'.
Sizzle—
As if her skin touched hot oil, her fingertips made a sizzling sound.
"Do not touch the 'Hell' in the air. It will suck the Reishi from your spiritual body."
Retsu Unohana warned everyone.
"Such dense Hell Reishi... It's impossible to even create a Reishi foothold. Is it like this in Hell too?"
Kyōraku Shunsui dismissed the idea of going to Hell to capture Tokinada Tsunayashiro.
Hell Reishi might have a positive effect on the denizens of Hell, but for Shinigami, it was like the power of a Hollow, something that repelled the power of a Shinigami.
If the environment in Hell was like this, a Shinigami's abilities would be greatly affected.
"He really used the ability of 'Ryūjin Jakka'! To think 'Enrakyōten' can even copy old man Yama's 'Ryūjin Jakka'!"
Kyōraku Shunsui's eyes narrowed.
The courtyard was filled with firelight and sword marks, clearly the traces left by a fire-type Zanpakutō.
"Hmph!"
Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto's expression was grim.
To use the ability of 'Ryūjin Jakka' to show off here!
The obstructing flames parted on their own without any wind, like a curtain, revealing a charred path.
The group followed the path to the assembly hall.
According to the information from Jirō Obana and Marenoshin Ōmaeda, this was where Tokinada Tsunayashiro had obtained 'Enrakyōten' and killed the Tsunayashiro family head and others.
Upon entering the assembly hall, they saw the corpses inside.
The corpses were already carbonized, but the sword wounds on them were still distinguishable.
"All sword wounds and burns. To kill so many people without using Kidō... Tokinada Tsunayashiro's strength has increased significantly. I don't know if it's the power of 'Enrakyōten' or the power given to him by that 'Lord of Hell'..."
Kyōraku Shunsui said gravely.
He was very familiar with Tokinada's strength. In the past, Tokinada Tsunayashiro definitely did not possess such power.
"Perhaps it's both... It is said that there is a price for using 'Enrakyōten', and can't the people of Hell be reborn in Hell? That way, Tokinada Tsunayashiro can use 'Enrakyōten' without any reservations!"
Yoruichi Shihōin analyzed seriously.
Kisuke Urahara continued to use the Reishi detection device to analyze the Reishi here.
After a moment, Kisuke Urahara sighed, "Captain, the Reishi here has also been converted into Hell Reishi. It's impossible to compare it with the Reishi information in the database."
"There's no need to compare. The Hell Reishi is so dense here that our instruments can't even verify the identities of these corpses. However, with two eyewitnesses, these people should be from the Tsunayashiro family."
Kirio Hikifune said.
This area was where the 'Hell' was most dense. Even the Reishi on the corpses had been converted into Hell Reishi.
It was impossible to confirm their identities by comparing the Reishi information from the corpses.
"There are no living Tsunayashiro left... Captain-Commander Yamamoto, how should this matter be handled?"
Jūshirō Ukitake was somewhat worried about the aftermath.
It was easy to imagine that with such an event happening in the noble district, the Central 46 and the nobles would surely use this as an opportunity to find fault and demand accountability.
Although this incident was an unforeseen accident, the fact that one of the five great noble families, the Tsunayashiro, was wiped out required some form of explanation.
"I will take full responsibility for this matter."
Ginrei Kuchiki, who had been silent since arriving, suddenly spoke.
"Father!"
Sōjun Kuchiki exclaimed in shock.
This matter was clearly an accident; he didn't understand why his father would take the blame.
"The noble district is under the jurisdiction of the 6th Division. For something like this to happen here, the 6th Division is inescapably responsible. It is only right that I bear this responsibility."
Ginrei Kuchiki had his own considerations.
He was already planning to make way for Sōjun Kuchiki. It was better for him to take the responsibility than for others in the 6th Division.
This way, the 6th Division would remember the Kuchiki family's favor, and Sōjun Kuchiki's succession as the captain of the 6th Division would be smoother in the future.
Sōjun Kuchiki was still young and had not been in the 6th Division for long; he lacked prestige.
It would take some effort for him to lead the 6th Division.
After understanding the situation, Ginrei Kuchiki had already made up his mind. He would use what he was already planning to do in exchange for others' support for Sōjun.
The other captains who knew Ginrei Kuchiki quickly understood his intentions.
"That cunning old fox... He can even use something like this."
Kyōraku Shunsui thought to himself.
"Father, how can you bear this responsibility alone!" Sōjun Kuchiki said seriously. "I am the lieutenant of the 6th Division; I should also bear my share of the responsibility!"
The young Sōjun Kuchiki had not yet seen the key point.
"Say no more. This is the captain's responsibility. Sōjun, you must also remember that as a captain, you should bear the responsibility for everyone!"
Ginrei Kuchiki immediately stopped Sōjun Kuchiki's dangerous statement.
Under the design of Katori Sora and Sōsuke Aizen, and with the guidance of Yoruichi Shihōin.
Everyone was now completely convinced that this was Tokinada Tsunayashiro's doing.
A while later, the Grand Kidō Chief also arrived with the Shinigami of the Kidō Corps.
The situation here amazed even the Grand Kidō Chief; it was the first time he had seen such a dense concentration of Hell Reishi.
"The Hell Reishi here is too dense. It cannot dissipate on its own. It can only be sealed," the Grand Kidō Chief said.
"Do you have to seal all of it? Can't you leave a little for me!" Kisuke Urahara still wanted to study the Hell Reishi and Hell's Gaseous Energy.
"We will have the sealing formation ready in half an hour. If you want to collect Hell Reishi and Hell's Gaseous Energy, do it quickly," the Grand Kidō Chief estimated a time.
Kisuke Urahara hurriedly went to get a container. Like Katori Sora, he thought of using a Sassengan stone to contain the Hell's Gaseous Energy.
Half an hour later, the Shinigami of the Kidō Corps performed a sealing Kidō to seal the Hell Reishi and Hell's Gaseous Energy.
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Alright guys, here come the regular chapters! A big thank you to everyone for your support and to Monester for the kind words. Don't forget, we're just 2 people away on Patreon for the story to take a big leap in chapters. There are already 100 and counting, and more will be uploaded once those 2 spots are filled.
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