Shiba Kaien had not expected that answer.
I just want to live.
Hearing it, he let out a slow, quiet breath.
The sigh carried layers of emotion—weariness, helplessness, and acceptance.
Rising from his seat, Kaien walked toward the ebony shrine positioned at the side of the hall, where the Shiba Clan's legacy had been enshrined for generations.
With both hands, his posture solemn and reverent, he reached deep into the shrine and retrieved a scroll.
The scroll was jade-white, warm to the touch, faint spiritual light rippling across its surface like flowing water.
It was the Shiba Clan Genealogy.
The moment she saw it, Shiba Kūkaku's expression changed dramatically.
"Big brother…!"
Her voice rose in disbelief.
"You wouldn't actually agree to that arrogant brat, would you?!"
Kaien did not respond.
Holding the heavy genealogy scroll, he returned to the center of the hall and faced Senya. Regret flickered briefly in his eyes—only to be replaced by something far broader and calmer.
"The name Shiba," Kaien said.
His voice echoed clearly through the silent hall.
"It is as heavy as a mountain, as resilient as silk. It bears glory, honor, and centuries of burden."
He paused.
Then, his gaze sharpened, his voice growing resolute.
"But it has never bound an unwilling soul."
"And it has never restrained a will that seeks a different path."
As his words fell, Kaien infused the genealogy with powerful spiritual energy and abruptly unfurled it.
His fingers moved swiftly across the scroll—precise, decisive, merciless.
Like the stroke of a final judgment.
A Soul-imprint character, faintly stained red by Senya's bloodline aura, was forcibly torn free.
Puff.
The sound was barely audible—yet it felt as if something fundamental had been severed.
The bloodline mark shattered into fine red motes, scattering like dying embers before vanishing completely.
"Go, Senya."
Kaien's voice returned to its familiar gentleness, though an emptiness lingered beneath it.
He set the genealogy scroll down carefully.
"From this moment on, the name Shiba Senya no longer exists within the Shiba Clan's bloodline."
"The road ahead is long. Whether it brings fortune or calamity—you will bear it alone."
He looked at Senya one final time.
Then added calmly, "Don't forget to visit the Noble Affairs Office. There are still procedures to complete."
"As a noble of Seireitei, the formalities must be observed."
Senya bowed deeply.
This time, the gesture was flawless—yet it carried no bloodline ties.
Only respect.
Turning around, the hem of his black Shinigami uniform traced a lonely arc as he walked toward the open doors.
Sunlight poured in.
With every step, he moved farther away from the name Shiba.
Behind him, Shiba Kūkaku stared at his retreating figure, fury and grief churning in her chest.
She nearly lunged forward—only to be stopped by Kaien's hand.
In the end, all that remained was a heavy, suppressed snort.
And Senya stepped beyond the threshold of the Shiba Main Family residence, standing beneath the dazzling morning light.
Deep within Seireitei — Noble Affairs Office
An ancient building stood before him.
Grey-green brick walls bore the marks of time, moss creeping through countless cracks. Heavy dark tiles crowned the roof, their edges curled to reveal the clay beneath.
Most striking of all was the massive wooden door—dark brown, scarred with age, its iron knocker polished smooth by countless hands.
Senya pushed it open.
The door shut soundlessly behind him, cutting off the outside world.
Inside, everything was orderly and silent.
Sunlight filtered through high paper windows, casting pale beams across the polished bluestone floor.
Long shadows stretched quietly.
At the end of the hall sat a wide ebony desk.
Behind it, a clerk with thick crystal spectacles slept soundly.
Senya stopped before the desk and tapped it lightly.
The clerk jolted awake.
"Name. Original noble lineage. Reason for request."
His tone was flat and mechanical, as though reciting a memorized spell.
"Shiba Senya," Senya replied calmly.
"Formerly of one of the Five Great Noble Houses—Branch Family of the Shiba Clan."
"I request to leave the Shiba Clan and establish a new clan."
The clerk froze.
He lifted his head, drowsiness vanishing as his gaze lingered on Senya with thinly veiled disbelief.
Voluntarily abandoning a Great Noble House?
For a brief moment, that was the only thought in his mind.
"Oh."
He recovered quickly, tapping the desk idly.
"Leaving Shiba… Looks like the Shiba Clan has stirred up trouble again."
"What is the name of the new clan?"
"Uchiha," Senya answered.
"Ushiba…"
The clerk muttered it absentmindedly, brows furrowing as he scribbled the characters "宇智波" phonetically wrong onto the record.
"No," Senya corrected evenly. "Not the 'Zhi' of ambition—"
"It's the 'Zhi' of wisdom."
"Is there really a difference?"
The clerk yawned lazily. "It's just paperwork."
In his eyes, this was merely an arrogant fool destined to vanish into obscurity.
Even the captains of the Gotei Thirteen had never dared such a move.
Still, he crossed out the character and rewrote it carelessly.
"Please process it properly," Senya said calmly.
"This is my right."
The clerk shrugged and finished the entry with visible disinterest.
Senya said nothing more.
He simply curled his lips into a faint, dismissive smile.
Because no matter how hard the clerk tried, he could never imagine—
That not long from now,
The name Uchiha would shake the Soul Society like thunder.
This insignificant clan name would become synonymous with fear and reverence.
And when people spoke of the Uchiha,
They would no longer think of a minor family—
But of a towering power that stood above even the Four Great Noble Houses.
The absolute ruling presence of the Soul Society.