Miyazaki Sakai Masato said a lot.
About how he discovered the story of Zaraki, and how he judged that Northern Rukongai had abnormalities.
Higashino Shuuichi listened carefully.
Most of it was information he already knew—except for this:
"So in the end, I sacrificed ninety percent of the Rukongai civilians… and finally, I found the source of the anomaly!"
"What was it?"
"You'll never guess!"
Miyazaki Sakai Masato showed Higashino Shuuichi a radiant smile.
"It was the Soul King's left leg!"
Higashino Shuuichi fell silent.
He couldn't say the answer was completely beyond his expectations—only that it was, in a way, exactly as expected.
Because if this world hadn't produced another transmigrator like himself, if there was no outside force intervening—
Then a power that special and that immense could almost always be traced back to the Soul King in the end.
"If I had to guess," Higashino Shuuichi said, "I'd guess the Soul King's left leg represents the power of support."
"It was under the influence of that power that the boy named Zaraki possessed that seemingly endless potential."
"And it was because of that power that you were able to create such special Reishi constructs."
"And it was also because you found a way to fuse the Soul King's left leg into yourself… that power rooted at the soul level could maintain your current body. Right?"
Higashino Shuuichi combined his past analysis with what he had just learned and arrived at his conclusion.
"Hehehe…"
"You really are smart."
Miyazaki Sakai Masato practically acknowledged it.
"Should I say thank you?"
Higashino Shuuichi shot back.
"Thanks? Heh, no need."
"At this point, there's basically no secret left of me to you."
"You already understand my situation."
"Kyōkakafūmetsu (Capital Fire Rack Seal Extermination)—unless the caster removes it themselves, anyone else attempting to destroy it will annihilate both the seal and the sealed target together."
"Because the moment Kyōkakafūmetsu forms, it becomes one with the one being sealed."
"So… would it be too much to ask you to find Urahara Kisuke and have him解除 my seal?"
Miyazaki Sakai Masato suddenly asked that.
"You tell me—does that possibility even exist?"
Higashino Shuuichi replied calmly.
"Heh… exactly."
"So right now, I'm basically no different from a cripple…"
"If I wanted to, I could live for a very long time—but there'd be no meaning in it."
"If I can't do the research I love anymore… then death might be a kind of release."
His voice was filled with despair.
Higashino Shuuichi had never imagined that when he truly faced Miyazaki Sakai Masato, it would look like this.
It should have been a heaven-shaking battle—he'd already prepared for it.
"What do you want me to do?"
Higashino Shuuichi said.
Miyazaki Sakai Masato clearly had an intention—otherwise he wouldn't have waited here for his arrival.
"I like talking to smart people~"
Miyazaki Sakai Masato's expression twisted into something feral.
"Kill that man for me—the man who ruined everything I had!"
"And I'll give you everything I have left: the Soul King's left leg, and the three Reishi constructs that man didn't manage to take from me!"
So it really was that.
Even someone like Miyazaki Sakai Masato—a former Twelfth Division captain—still couldn't escape a "cliché" plotline when cornered like this.
But it was also only human.
Higashino Shuuichi felt that if it were him, he'd probably be even more aggressive.
"Let me confirm," Higashino Shuuichi said evenly. "The man you're talking about… is Urahara Kisuke, right?"
Miyazaki Sakai Masato laughed happily.
Because he didn't see fear or worry in Higashino Shuuichi's eyes.
That hidden cold indifference and calm within his gaze—those were the reassurance Miyazaki Sakai Masato needed most.
"Heh…"
"Huff…"
Higashino Shuuichi let out a long breath, then said, "I don't often make promises to others… but this time, I can."
"Hahahahahahaha!"
The understanding between men often came in one or two sentences like this.
Miyazaki Sakai Masato finally set down the last weight on his heart.
He would make the man who stole everything from him pay a price!
Of course.
It had to be.
It would be.
Miyazaki Sakai Masato's body began to crumble, and a map quietly fell into Higashino Shuuichi's hand.
Without opening it, Higashino Shuuichi already knew what it contained.
He only stared, a little dimly, at the Miyazaki Sakai Masato who chose death of his own will.
Since the day Higashino Shuuichi transmigrated, only Miyazaki Sakai Masato's death felt this "special."
Miyazaki Sakai Masato began sacrificing everything he had left. The original recipient should have been Higashino Shuuichi—
But Higashino Shuuichi silently stepped back half a pace and yielded the position to his Quincy clone, Kabuno Takuya.
If nothing unexpected happened, this would be the final puzzle piece of his Quincy power.
Just as he had once predicted.
A vast reiatsu began roaring between heaven and earth.
Higashino Shuuichi watched Kabuno Takuya's face twist as he fused with the Soul King's left leg.
It had to hurt.
At least it was only a clone without a true ego.
Otherwise, he'd be leaping up to fight Higashino Shuuichi out of sheer resentment.
Nearby, the Thirteenth Division shinigami tried to approach and check what was happening—
Only to be driven back by a single slash from Higashino Shuuichi.
He didn't want to cause extra casualties, and there was no need to.
Half a day later, when the storm finally ceased, the Thirteenth Division shinigami rushed in immediately to investigate.
But the place was already empty.
All that remained were four wooden sticks buried under snow, and scattered fragments of red sugar coating—glinting harshly under the sunlight.
Three days later, in Seireitei's Central 46 chambers, the trial regarding Kuchiki Kōga resumed.
"Kuchiki Kōga, do you have anything else to say?
Right now, there is no one who can prove what you're saying is true!
But the fact remains—you personally caused the deaths of many nobles!"
The presiding judge shouted down at the sealed Kuchiki Kōga.
"I was framed. It was all Higashino Shuuichi controlling my body—forcing me to do those things!"
Kōga stubbornly maintained the same claim.
"Ridiculous!"
"Does the entire Soul Society not know that the shinigami Higashino Shuuichi is fiercely loyal to the Tsunayashiro clan?!"
"He would control your body to do something harmful to Tsunayashiro nobles?"
"Kuchiki Kōga—before you look for excuses, use your brain!"
The judge felt Kuchiki Kōga was beyond saving.
Kuchiki Kōga could have named ten thousand scapegoats—but he insisted on choosing the one person who was least likely to be a scapegoat.
Wasn't that just asking to die?
Meanwhile, Kyōraku Shunsui and Kuchiki Byakuya both vaguely knew some of the truth.
Kuchiki Byakuya was even somewhat moved.
Just what kind of noble shinigami was Higashino Shuuichi—willing to save Kuchiki Kōga and even shoulder such a layer of infamy?
Unfortunately, Higashino Shuuichi wasn't in Soul Society right now, so Kuchiki Kōga's testimony carried no credibility.
But Kyōraku Shunsui and Kuchiki Byakuya both knew—
According to their plan, Higashino Shuuichi wouldn't be far from returning. As long as they could stall until he came back, Soul Society's "sky" would change.
The Tsunayashiro clan's rampant arrogance would cease to exist!
Even if the price might have to be borne by Higashino Shuuichi—a mere commoner shinigami.
A trace of guilt rose in Kuchiki Byakuya's chest.
As the head of one of the Five Great Noble Clans… he didn't even know what he could do to repay Higashino Shuuichi's selfless sacrifice.
Of course, what he and Kyōraku Shunsui needed to do now was stall this trial as much as possible.
"I believe, Presiding Judge, that there are indeed suspicious points in the matters Kuchiki Kōga committed."
"For example, how did Kuchiki Kōga escape that day while facing three captains working together?"
"Captain Soi Fon and Captain Komamura Sajin can both testify that on that day, Kuchiki Kōga indeed used many techniques that only Higashino Shuuichi would use!"
Kuchiki Byakuya stepped forward to defend Kuchiki Kōga.
This was the only possible breakthrough he and Kyōraku Shunsui could come up with.
"Hasn't that matter already reached a conclusion?
It was all caused by Kuchiki Kōga's Zanpakutō ability!"
The judge frowned.
"But we still cannot rule out the possibility that he was being controlled by Higashino Shuuichi, can we?"
Kuchiki Byakuya naturally knew it had been Kuchiki Kōga's own actions—Kōga had admitted it to him and Kyōraku Shunsui.
But at this point, they could only steer things in this direction.
"Hm… even so…"
For a moment, the judge didn't know how to refute it.
But right then, the doors to Central 46's courtroom suddenly burst open, and a First Division seated officer rushed in, panicked—
"Head-Captain, this is terrible!
The former Grand Blade-Hunting Chief, Higashino Shuuichi, has returned to Soul Society!"
"He's brought several First Generation captains' Reigai, and former Katana-gari-shū members like Kisaragi Shūsuke and Matsumoto Rangiku—he's stormed back into Soul Society!"
"What?!"
Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni roared in fury!
That damned Higashino Shuuichi—he actually dared to come back?!
Was he trying to turn the heavens upside down?!
At the same time, the captains present in Central 46 all wore different expressions.
Some were furious like Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni—such as the Seventh Division Captain Komamura Sajin.
Some were unusually excited—such as the Eleventh Division Captain Zaraki Kenpachi.
Some were remarkably calm—such as the Third Division Captain Ichimaru Gin, the Ninth Division Captain Tōsen Kaname, and the Twelfth Division Captain Kurotsuchi Mayuri.
Some were shocked—such as the Second Division Captain Soi Fon and the Tenth Division's Shiba Isshin.
Some found it amusing—such as the Fourth Division Captain Unohana Retsu and the Fifth Division Captain Aizen Sōsuke.
And finally, the ones who felt genuine joy were the Eighth Division Captain Kyōraku Shunsui and the Sixth Division Captain Kuchiki Byakuya.
As for the one whose expression was uniquely complicated—no one could read what he was thinking—that was the Thirteenth Division Captain Ukitake Jūshirō.
He had learned part of the truth from Kyōraku Shunsui, but by instinct, he still felt Higashino Shuuichi wouldn't act so simply.
At the same time, Tsunayashiro Kamihara—resting with eyes closed in the Tsunayashiro estate—also received the report from his subordinates.
A hearty laugh immediately echoed through the entire room.
"Good, good, good! Very good!"
"From today on, my Tsunayashiro clan will be the absolute ruler of Soul Society!"
"The era of the Five Great Noble Clans co-governing is over!"
"Next… comes the age where only my Tsunayashiro stand supreme!"
Tsunayashiro Kamihara had waited for this day for a very long time.
Even if it was far earlier than the original plan—maybe Miyazaki Sakai Masato still hadn't fully "tamed" some First Generation captains' souls—none of that mattered.
In Tsunayashiro Kamihara's vision, he would hold nearly ten First Generation captains, each with seemingly endless stamina and spiritual power.
And he would also have late-rising talents like Higashino Shuuichi and Miyazaki Sakai Masato.
On top of that, within the Ninth Division, he still had his own internal agent—Kobe Shiya, who carried the power of a young Head-Captain.
This war of overturning everything—
Tsunayashiro Kamihara could not possibly lose!
"Notify all clan heads. Have them come with me."
"Together, we shall witness this glorious age!"
Tsunayashiro Kamihara was triumphant, glowing with springtime pride, as though the throne of Soul Society's ruler was already within reach.
Elsewhere—still within the Tsunayashiro estate—Tokinada Tsunayashiro curled his lips into a savage grin.
"Tsunayashiro Kamihara… you're probably ecstatic right now, aren't you?"
"You think everything is in your grasp?"
"What a pity—what a pity!"
"I really want to go stand in front of you right now and see that stunned look you'll make later."
"It'll be hilarious."
The tolling of death had already begun to ring over Soul Society's skies.
But at this moment, most shinigami and civilians in Soul Society had no idea—
For whom that bell was ringing.
It could be for anyone.
Because the man who had marched into Soul Society with blood and steel…
Was named Higashino Shuuichi.
In Southern Rukongai, at the special traversal device Tsunayashiro Kamihara had prepared in advance—
"Higashino Shuuichi-sama, we're sorry! We truly had no idea something like this would happen!"
Several shinigami assigned by Tsunayashiro Kamihara to guard the place trembled on their knees, staring at Higashino Shuuichi's group after they were ambushed by dozens of Hadō above the nineties.
"So this is the result of your guarding?"
"Useless trash."
Before the words even finished, Higashino Shuuichi lifted his blade.
Green light leapt forward, flashed once across the air, and those shinigami's lives were snuffed out.
But in truth, it was only an excuse—
Because Higashino Shuuichi knew exactly where that ambush had come from.
This was likely the "modification" Aizen had secretly made to those devices.
Before those Kidō struck, a special antimembrane had already covered their entire group.
By Aizen's intent, he probably meant to send those uninvited guests straight to Hueco Mundo, then personally deal with part of them.
But with Higashino Shuuichi here, that special antimembrane used for spatial transfer was split open by a single slash.
Looking out at the Rukongai—where he had already notified Shiba Kūka and had her evacuate part of the civilians first—
Higashino Shuuichi raised his hand and released the seals on the two Reigai he had bound behind him, and along with the Reigai that carried Sakahone Saizō's power…
"Wreak havoc to your heart's content!"
The command was given.
Four abnormally immense reiatsu erupted at once, roaring their fury across all of Soul Society!
It was landslides.
It was earth-rending collapse.
It was a living hell.
Four silhouettes shot out—four directions—
And everywhere they went would be drowning in blood.
"Milord!"
Kisaragi Shūsuke spoke to Higashino Shuuichi.
"Mm. Go."
"Go stop them."
Higashino Shuuichi nodded.
Any great success always came with sacrifice.
If he wanted what he did next to be painted as "justice," then some civilians of Rukongai had to die.
Mercy…
Was what Higashino Shuuichi had already given Shiba Kūka.
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