Seireitei, civilian residential district.
Kōga Kuchiki cut down an enemy, sheathing his Zanpakutō with a sigh. "That was the last of the rebel remnants. The war is finally over."
His adjutant chuckled. "Yeah, this war dragged on for decades and brought immense suffering to Soul Society, but it's finally come to an end."
He had noticed how much his captain had changed lately—ever since befriending the young captain of the 11th Division, he had become noticeably more cheerful.
Kōga Kuchiki, basking in the praise of his subordinates, didn't respond immediately. To maintain his composed captainly image, he simply shook his head and examined the bodies of the fallen rebels. Only then did he speak.
"According to the intelligence from the 2nd and 8th Divisions, all the rebels who escaped during the siege have been accounted for. We can finally take it easy for a while."
The adjutant frowned slightly. "But with the rebels eradicated, our Special Forces Unit will likely be disbanded. I wonder where we'll be reassigned?"
For a moment, the atmosphere in the unit grew heavy.
They had been a temporary force, assembled during the war with the sole purpose of fighting the rebels under Kōga Kuchiki's command. Now that the war was over, their dissolution was inevitable.
Kōga Kuchiki's expression darkened.
For a man who had long failed to earn his father-in-law's approval, his status as the Special Forces Unit captain was the last thing preserving his dignity.
Without that title, would he even be able to hold his head high in the Kuchiki Clan?
The adjutant scowled. "With your strength, Captain, you should have been made a proper captain of the Gotei 13. But now, you don't even have a squad to lead. Does the Captain-Commander not care at all about your contributions?"
Feeling his pride wounded, Kōga Kuchiki snapped, "That's enough. Stay out of my business."
The adjutant shrugged.
Truthfully, he wasn't all that concerned about Kōga Kuchiki's future. But after serving under him for so many years, if his captain secured a good position, he'd benefit from it too.
...
Seireitei, Noble District, Tsunayashiro estate.
Tokuyasu Tsunayashiro sat at the head of the room, gazing down at the black-clad death squad below.
Sitting upright beside him, Tamaba Tsunayashiro spoke. "Everything has been prepared according to your instructions."
Tokuyasu's tone was cold. "Then proceed."
Tamaba glanced in the direction of the civilian district, her expression somewhat peculiar. "Will this really work? Would the Kuchiki Clan willingly abandon one of their captains?"
Tokuyasu let out a quiet chuckle, casting her a sidelong glance.
"The Kuchiki Clan prides itself on being the model of nobility. But how many lesser nobles have gathered under their banner?"
"Once this is over, whether they choose to protect that man or not, they will suffer a heavy blow."
If they save him, they'll tarnish their reputation as the noble ideal.
If they don't, they'll lose not only a captain but also the trust of their clan members.
No matter what they decide, the Kuchiki Clan will take the fall.
And their weakness will be our strength.
Tsunayashiro Tamaba forced a smile. "I'll have someone take care of it right away."
...
Kōga Kuchiki stood silently as his lieutenant pursed his lips, then helped him check the corpses. Only after confirming that the bodies had fully dissolved into Reishi did he finally let out a breath of relief.
Kōga Kuchiki opened his mouth slightly—after all, they had been comrades for years, and he wanted to say something to ease the tension. But in the end, his pride held him back, and he merely lowered his head with a quiet sigh.
Shhk!
Suddenly, the lieutenant's body stiffened mid-step. His movements halted, and his Zanpakutō slipped from his grip, clattering onto the ground.
As a seasoned warrior, he immediately realized he had been attacked. But how? They were surrounded by allies—how had an enemy managed to land a blow?
The Reiatsu in this blade... it feels so familiar...
"How... could this happen!?"
Blood gushed from his mouth as his knees gave out, and he collapsed to the ground.
He turned his head, pupils contracting in shock as he stared into the familiar face of someone he had fought alongside for years.
...
In a hidden chamber far away, Sōsuke Aizen watched the scene unfold with great interest.
Feeling the clash of two Reiatsu and sensing one rapidly weakening, Kaname Tōsen—though blind—could easily grasp what was happening.
"Just as you predicted, Aizen-sama. These noble tricks are utterly repulsive."
In Aizen's presence, Tōsen made no effort to hide his contempt for the nobility.
After all, Aizen shared the same disdain—he too loathed the corrupt noble houses that ruled over Seireitei.
Yet, Tōsen understood that he was no better than them. His only desire was revenge, whereas Aizen's ambitions were far greater.
"Nobles?" Aizen chuckled, the disdain in his voice unmistakable. "Don't you think this man's abilities could be quite useful?"
...
Shing! Shing! Shing!
A series of Zanpakutō were drawn in unison.
"What the hell are you doing?"
Kōga Kuchiki snapped as he watched his own squad members brandish their swords against him.
The leader of the mutineers sneered. "Kōga Kuchiki, you will die in this civil war. That is our plan."
"I see... but—"
Now that their intentions were clear, Kōga Kuchiki discarded any lingering sense of camaraderie. In his mind, these traitors were already dead.
"Kill him!"
"We got him now!"
With frenzied shouts, the squad members lunged forward, their eyes gleaming with anticipation.
"Numbers mean nothing to me."
Kōga Kuchiki unsheathed his Zanpakutō, cutting them down with a single, sweeping strike.
He scanned the attackers before raising his blade toward the sky.
"Mukōjōchū Muramasa!"
With a thunderous roar, a massive surge of Reiatsu erupted from him like a tidal wave, blasting his would-be assassins backward.
As the white mist cleared, a sinister-looking man with grotesquely long nails emerged beside him.
"Aaaghhh!!"
Screams filled the air, and from a distance, Aizen smirked.
"His Reiatsu isn't bad."
Tōsen was silent for a moment before speaking.
"But he's far too reckless. He should have immediately recognized this as a trap and taken control of the situation with minimal effort. Instead, he chose to slaughter them all."
As he spoke, Tōsen found himself lost in memories—memories of Tokinada Tsunayashiro. That man had been the same. He hadn't needed to kill, yet he still did.
Nobles are all the same...
Aizen's eyes flickered, as if he didn't entirely agree.
"Kōga Kuchiki is different from that man. He doesn't kill for pleasure. He's just someone who cannot accept betrayal."
He might not be the most calculating, but for a man who once commanded the Special Forces Unit, he was far from simple.
Everyone has weaknesses.
Kōga Kuchiki was no exception.
...
As the last cries of agony faded, Muramasa's materialized form slowly vanished. Kōga Kuchiki stood triumphant over a field of corpses, a smug expression on his face.
But in the distance, a sharp voice called out in reprimand.
Hiding nearby, Kaname Tōsen frowned. "What now?"
"No need to rush," Aizen said with a smile. "Everything is proceeding as expected. Let's offer him just a sliver of hope... before taking it all away."
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / PinkSnake