Ito Fourth Seat, I've heard much about you!
The white-haired woman looked at Ito Makoto, her light purple pupils seeming to ripple like water.
"To think that a commoner Shinigami from Rukongai like myself would be remembered by the esteemed Kasumioji Clan Head, it truly fills me with trepidation!"
Although Ito Makoto's tone was exaggerated, his facial expression remained calm, as if he were stating something inconsequential.
With Ito Makoto's current strength at the Vice-Captain level, and with the aid of thirty percent of his main body's spiritual pressure, his power could soar to that of a Squad Captain. In Seireitei, apart from the top Squad Captains and Aizen's faction, he truly feared no one.
In other words, with his current strength, as long as he didn't court death by provoking those he shouldn't, he could walk freely in Soul Society. Clearly, the Kasumioji Family was not among them!
Squad Captains without a great noble background, who also had families to support in Soul Society, might be wary of the Kasumioji Family's influence, but none of this mattered to Ito Makoto, a lone wolf.
If the Kasumioji Family truly intended to harm him, he could simply kill the woman, rebel against Soul Society, and go to the Human World to join Kisuke Urahara. He could still improve the strength of this clone.
If all else failed, he could just let his main body recall this clone early and create another Shinigami clone. By then, who would even remember who Ito Makoto was?
Seeing Ito Makoto's unapproachable expression, the noble woman did not get angry.
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kazumichi Asayuki, the current Kasumioji Clan Head. My father also came from Rukongai and was also named Ito…"
Upon hearing this, Ito Makoto remained expressionless, but a surge of turbulent waves rose in his heart.
"Could it be that this woman is the daughter of Ito Kai and Kasumioji Yunchuan? But he found no trace of her in Ito Kai's memories!"
Despite hearing this somewhat shocking news, Ito Makoto outwardly remained calm.
"Kasumioji Clan Head, you don't think there's some connection between me and your esteemed father, do you?"
After hearing Ito Makoto's words, Kazumichi Asayuki smiled sweetly:
"Ito Fourth Seat, you misunderstand. My father passed away several centuries ago. It's just that you share the same surname, Ito, also came from Rukongai, also joined the Eleventh Division, and are both prodigies. There are simply too many coincidences, which is why I was excited to meet you. I hope Ito Fourth Seat doesn't mind!"
"So that's how it is. Kasumioji Clan Head, you overstate it!"
Hearing Kazumichi Asayuki's words, Ito Makoto was now 100% certain that Kazumichi Asayuki was Ito Kai's daughter.
At the same time, his hanging heart settled. It turned out he hadn't been exposed. Ito Makoto had thought that his actions of colluding with his main body to ambush the expeditionary force in Hueco Mundo and seizing the Bakuyoto had been revealed!
The two then exchanged pleasantries for a while longer.
"Ito Fourth Seat, the Hunting Tournament is about to begin. Would you like to watch it with me?"
Facing Kazumichi Asayuki's invitation, Ito Makoto shook his head.
"Thank you for the Kasumioji Clan Head's kindness, but there's no need!"
He then flashed out of the carriage and returned to the Shinigami responsible for escorting them.
Soon after, the two men leading the Kasumioji Family's procession stepped forward and unfurled the screens in their hands. The pavilions and courtyards depicted on the screens instantly flew out from them.
"Rumble"
With a series of violent rumbling sounds.
The previously empty area was instantly filled with courtyards. Many nobles chose their respective courtyards and took their seats, while the Kasumioji Family naturally entered the pavilion located in the very center.
Standing aside, Ito Makoto was somewhat surprised by the scene before him.
Clearly, those two screens must be some kind of Kido treasure.
Once all the nobles were seated, Yunoi, a retainer of the Kasumioji Family, walked to the highest point of the pavilion and slowly began to speak:
"This old man is Yunoi, a retainer of the Kasumioji Family. This Hunting Tournament…"
The old man Yunoi's voice was clearly not loud, yet it spread throughout the vast hunting ground, evidently amplified by Kido spells.
As Yunoi announced the start of the Hunting Tournament, several figures in white robes appeared, pushing a giant scroll.
When the scroll was thrown into the air, it immediately transformed into a stream of light that landed on this vast wasteland, turning into hundreds of iron gates of similar size and shape, resembling prison doors.
Through the gates, Ito Makoto discovered that they contained Hollows, but only powerful Hollows and Giant Hollows, none reaching the level of a Menos Grande like a Gillian.
Furthermore, the masks of these Hollows all bore black chain marks, similar to those on the beast-type Hollows used as mounts, and the spiritual pressure of these Hollows with chain marks on their masks was suppressed to less than one-third of their original strength.
"The Hunting Tournament is about killing Hollows?"
Seeing this scene, Ito Makoto was somewhat speechless.
"If you like killing Hollows so much, why don't you join the expeditionary force? What's with this Hunting Tournament?"
In Ito Makoto's opinion, these foolish nobles were simply bored.
As the arena setup was completed, the young noble scions who had been sitting in various courtyards eagerly rubbed their hands together and gathered before the iron gates.
Among them, many were even wearing soul reaper uniform, clearly these individuals were active Squad Members of the Gotei 13, belonging to the 'Celestial Dragons' of the Gotei 13.
As the various participants began to gather, a giant purple semi-oval barrier rose above the previously empty ground, resembling a miniature Barrier of Souls.
"Clang clang clang"
At the same time, the iron gates resembling prison doors slowly opened. Before the Hollows imprisoned within could emerge, the participants charged directly inside, beginning to hunt the Hollows in the isolated spaces.
Normally, Hollows killed by Shinigami power would directly dissipate into spiritual particles, but the Hollows appearing in this Hunting Tournament, although their bodies dissipated, their masks, marked with the black chain imprint, remained.
The noble scions hung these slain Hollow masks at their waists, as if flaunting their trophies.
In the viewing courtyards, many nobles constantly monitored the battle results of their juniors in the arena, seemingly competing to see whose junior hunted more masks.
The constant clamor from the decaying nobles in the courtyards and the hunting battles of the noble scions in the arena made Ito Makoto feel somewhat drowsy.
This level of chaotic battle was no different to Ito Makoto than watching two children argue about the sun.
Just as Ito Makoto was idle, a huge rift suddenly appeared in the sky above the hunting ground. This rift was nearly a thousand meters long, and a massive Hueco Mundo opened up.
From it emerged a Menos Grande resembling a giant worm. It had no other organs on its face, only a single large mouthpart from which it spewed numerous viscous fluids, accompanied by hundreds of Gillians.
"Is this Fleur?"
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