"Te... Teacher, he knows everything?"
Naraku Sora was momentarily horrified, even forgetting to pull back his lowered fist.
Kyōraku Shunsui looked at him blankly. 'What's going on? I haven't even asked anything yet, and you're already about to confess everything?'
"You really can't blame me for that matter, Senior Kyōraku. You're the best at distinguishing right from wrong," Naraku Sora hurriedly began to defend himself. "The business with the Maggots' Nest was completely legal and followed all regulations. Even the Central 46 couldn't find a single fault with it."
"Who knew Yoruichi would take the easy way out and directly arrange for the retired personnel to be sent to Shino Prison? I don't know whose suggestion she listened to, but later she turned the Maggots' Nest into a research institution."
"The original Detention Unit was directly turned into a research team."
Kyōraku Shunsui remained silent. He had only heard from one of his seated officers a few days ago that a certain talent in Shino Prison had emptied out the Maggots' Nest in one go, giving those retired personnel a place to be useful again.
In the blink of an eye, an institution that represented a certain "noble" necessity of the Gotei 13 had been effectively abolished? If you do that, where are you leaving the dignity of those high-and-mighty lords of the Central 46?
"Is it not that?" Naraku Sora frowned in deep thought. "Could it be that my stealing and eating the old man's sweet potatoes was discovered? A grand Head Captain shouldn't be that petty, right?"
"Or perhaps..."
"Ahem."
Before the boy could list any more crimes, Kyōraku Shunsui interrupted him just in time. He then put on a stern face and seriously explained the details of the attack on Takeda Itsuki, the Captain of Squad 9.
"But that's a good thing!"
As the "victim" of the previous incident, Naraku Sora made no attempt to hide his distaste for Takeda Itsuki.
"Relying on his status as the Squad 9 Captain, he dared to attack a colleague without even trying to distinguish right from wrong. If a few more years pass, he'll probably even dare to try and cut down the Head Captain."
Kyōraku Shunsui sighed helplessly. "I don't know if he'd dare to make a move on Old Man Yama, but I do know that Old Man Yama is about to make a move on you. He told me to bring you to Squad 1."
Naraku Sora's expression froze instantly. He racked his brain trying to remember if he had offended that petty old man recently. But after searching his memories several times, he found nothing.
Lately, he had been staying inside Shino Prison to train, even visiting Squad 4 less frequently. Where would he have found the opportunity to commit any crimes? If he really had to think of something, would accidentally beating a few nobles to death during their punishment count?
But Shino Prison had a fixed death quota every year. It was perfectly normal for a few frail criminals to die. Even if the Central 46 came to inspect, they wouldn't be able to find a single flaw.
Thinking of this, Naraku Sora puffed out his chest and said with an air of righteousness:
"Hah! I have a clear conscience. Senior Kyōraku, lead the way."
Kyōraku Shunsui was stunned for a moment. For a second, he couldn't distinguish if this kid truly hadn't done anything or if he was simply exceptionally brave.
---
Squad 1 Barracks, Tea Room.
At the tea table, an old man and a young man stared at each other, their eyes wide as their auras continued to climb higher and higher.
Kyōraku Shunsui sipped his tea nonchalantly, occasionally taking a moment to admire the calligraphy hanging on the wall. Although he didn't know this newly met "Junior Brother" very well, no one understood Yamamoto better than he did.
The fact that Yamamoto hadn't immediately taken Naraku Sora down the moment they walked through the door proved that the old man simply wanted to question him. He didn't have the slightest intention of getting serious.
'Heh, how boring. I thought I'd get to see blood flow like a river.'
"Confess and be treated with leniency; resist and be treated with severity."
A hint of the Head Captain's majesty leaked from Yamamoto's partially closed eyes, and an invisible pressure immediately fell upon Naraku Sora like a mountain.
"Hand over your accomplices, and this old man will fight for a chance to reduce your sentence."
Upon hearing this, Naraku Sora's eyes widened. "Teacher, how can you frame an innocent man out of thin air?"
"Where would I get any accomplices? I didn't even have time to buy the celebratory fireworks, okay?"
Yamamoto took a deep breath, a trace of anger appearing on his aged face. "This old man has already commissioned the Onmitsukidō to investigate. Recently, Takeda Itsuki hasn't had a conflict with anyone except you!"
Naraku Sora refused to back down, shouting back in anger, "Teacher, if you want to convict me, you might as well have the Central 46 issue a secret arrest warrant directly!"
"Or you can strike me yourself. Using such fabricated nonsense to fool me... are you trying to stifle the voices of the entire Soul Society?!"
Seeing the two of them looking like they were about to spark a real fire, Kyōraku Shunsui's interest piqued. He hurriedly poured himself another cup of fragrant tea, waiting for the next development.
As of now, everything was still under control. Old Man Yama rarely got angry, but once he did, it usually involved something concerning the Soul Society, the Gotei 13, or other matters affecting the big picture.
The attack on Takeda Itsuki undoubtedly touched Old Man Yama's taboo, so it was normal for him to be angry. On the other hand, this Genryū Junior Brother he had just met, though a bit eccentric at first contact, revealed a fierce side to his personality. Being slandered so unclearly, it was only natural for him to be upset.
Now it was just a matter of seeing who would lose their temper first.
'It's a pity. If Ukitake were here, I could even place a bet with him on who would back down first. Speaking of which, Ukitake's Hagoromo tea is truly top-tier...'
"Heh, you really think this old man doesn't dare to act?" Yamamoto narrowed his eyes.
Naraku Sora showed no fear. He looked straight at the old man, slammed the table as he stood up, and shouted, "Ha! Do you think I'm afraid of you?!"
As the anger continued to climb, the two escalated from arguing to the point of a physical confrontation. Naraku Sora was the first to storm out of the room, heading straight for Yamamoto's private dojo.
As he walked, he grumbled about how this wasn't about the goal, it was about the principle, and that he would definitely make that old geezer—who used his status to frame others—pay a bloody price today.
Veins popped on Yamamoto's forehead. Strands of scorching Reiatsu lingered around his body, and the surrounding air seemed to warp.
"If I don't teach you a lesson today, you'll become completely lawless!"
With that, he also rose from his seat and walked toward the dojo, carrying a heavy pressure.
Seeing this, Kyōraku Shunsui hurriedly got up, preparing to follow them and watch the fun. However, just as he reached the door, a sudden wave of heat rolled back, and Yamamoto's expressionless face suddenly appeared before him.
Looking into those calm eyes, a premonition of disaster suddenly rose in Kyōraku Shunsui's heart.
"Captain Kyōraku, this old man has urgent business to handle. The scrolls on the table are temporarily entrusted to you. When the time comes, do not forget to coordinate with the Central 46."
"?"
After saying that, Yamamoto turned and walked toward the dojo.
Watching his receding back, Kyōraku Shunsui opened his mouth but said nothing. He wanted to speak, but hesitated. Finally, based on a strong survival instinct, he swallowed his words back down.
'Sigh, Old Man Yama has changed...'