"He's the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13. You can't kill him!"
The man who appeared out of nowhere spoke to Higashino Shuuichi.
He was like a sudden manifestation—so sudden that Higashino Shuuichi hadn't sensed the slightest thing beforehand.
But Higashino Shuuichi did recognize him.
Azashiro Kenpachi—real name Azashiro Sōya.
The man who personally killed the Kenpachi Kuruyashiki—the one once considered the most likely to replace Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni and become Soul Society's next strongest Shinigami—and then took his place as the new Kenpachi.
Later, he tried to use the lives of Rukongai civilians as bait to wipe out every Hollow in Hueco Mundo in one sweep.
For that, the Gotei 13 arrested him and imprisoned him here in Muken.
The Zanpakutō Urozakuro, which Higashino Shuuichi had cooperated with many times before, belonged to this man.
"Azashiro Kenpachi… you're really going to show yourself openly in front of Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni like this? You sure that's wise?"
Higashino Shuuichi knew that with this man present, he probably couldn't kill Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni in Muken anymore.
Partly because he didn't truly know Azashiro Kenpachi's real strength—and his current Bankai ability likely wouldn't do much against him.
And partly because Azashiro Kenpachi had always been on Higashino Shuuichi's recruitment list. Becoming enemies with him would go against Higashino Shuuichi's own intentions.
"Azashiro… Sōya?"
Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni, drained and collapsed on the ground, stared wide-eyed at the elegant man in noble attire who had suddenly appeared before him—saving his life.
"Aren't you supposed to be sealed in the deepest part of Muken?"
Azashiro Sōya—Azashiro Kenpachi—turned to Yamamoto and bowed.
"Sōtaichō-dono, it's a long story. But please believe me: Shinigami Higashino Shuuichi cannot kill you here."
"So you're protecting him?"
Higashino Shuuichi's reiatsu surged outward without restraint—yet Azashiro Sōya needed only a glance to halt that pressure in midair.
Clearly, not only Seireitei, but even Muken—this hell that had confined Azashiro Sōya for centuries—had, without anyone noticing, already become "part of him" in many places.
"I've heard about you from Urozakuro. It said you're a very interesting Shinigami—and that you're highly principled.
You believe in fair exchange.
So I won't just ask you to let Sōtaichō-dono go for nothing.
Let's make a deal."
Compared to the Kenpachi who came after him, the noble-born Azashiro was far more refined.
And compared to slaughter, Azashiro Kenpachi respected rules more deeply.
Otherwise, back when everything was ready, he wouldn't have abandoned his plan—even knowing the consequences—simply because he sensed the Soul King's will would not permit it.
And even after his entire clan fell into ruin, after the innocent were thrown by nobles into a Hollow arena for entertainment, after even his own older sister died protecting him…
he still chose to forgive those nobles.
He even felt guilty over the fact that on the day his sister died, his Zanpakutō ran wild and he slaughtered every noble present.
If it were anyone else, Higashino Shuuichi would've called it incomprehensible.
But on Azashiro Sōya…
All Higashino Shuuichi could say was: this guy's brain wiring is just that absurd. Beyond saving.
"Let Sōtaichō-dono go, and I'll lend you Urozakuro unconditionally for a hundred years."
Azashiro Sōya said it with full confidence.
Higashino Shuuichi fell silent for a moment.
He didn't know where that confidence came from, but he suspected Urozakuro—after returning to Azashiro's side—had embellished quite a few "details."
"You really think I care about your Zanpakutō's 'usage rights'?"
Higashino Shuuichi shot back.
"Do you not?"
Azashiro Sōya looked genuinely confused.
That wasn't how Urozakuro had described it.
By Urozakuro's telling, Higashino Shuuichi had been drooling over it across Soul Society and the Human World—squeezing it dry so hard that even a Zanpakutō without a physical body had been "worked until it couldn't walk."
If Higashino Shuuichi had heard that, he would've dragged Urozakuro out on the spot and had a serious talk about what the hell "couldn't walk" was supposed to mean.
It was obviously Urozakuro itself that got addicted to watching the drama, refused to move, and kept making it all about itself.
"No."
Higashino Shuuichi denied it flatly. Whatever Urozakuro had said, he wasn't taking that blame.
"But… I can spare Sōtaichō-dono."
"Higashino Shuuichi—since when does this old man need the pity of a Soul Society traitor?
I don't need your 'deal'!"
Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni dragged his left foot forward. Flames ignited around him again; that crushing reiatsu, that horrifying heat, returned.
"Hadō 96: Ittō Kasō (One Blade Cremation)!"
Even hollowed out like this, Yamamoto was still that stubborn old man.
As the strongest Shinigami in Soul Society for a thousand years, he would never accept a life bought through a transaction.
That sky-devouring fire filled Higashino Shuuichi's vision.
Yamamoto's presence was fierce—yet there was one thing Yamamoto had to acknowledge.
His first half of life might have been that of a protagonist.
But this weathered second half was not.
All-in courage only becomes "hope" under a protagonist's halo.
Under a supporting character's fate, it's nothing but a moth flying into flame.
Higashino Shuuichi even felt he didn't need to rely on his Bankai's countermeasures at all—just Zanjutsu (swordsmanship) with properly tuned reiatsu should be enough to crush Yamamoto's final counterattack.
But someone moved faster than Higashino Shuuichi.
Azashiro Sōya raised his right hand to the sky, then clenched it—
"Bakudō 99: Kin (Seal)!"
In an instant, the flames filling the heavens went out.
Behind Azashiro Sōya, Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni dropped to his knees.
His body—still not recovered—couldn't withstand the backlash of forcing out Ittō Kasō again.
Yet the right arm that should've been burned away by that recoil remained, preserved by Azashiro Sōya's Kidō.
Higashino Shuuichi didn't consider that "luck."
He considered it Azashiro Sōya's mercy.
"Sōtaichō-dono, you should leave this place.
Please… leave the rest to me. I'll negotiate with Higashino Shuuichi."
Azashiro Sōya turned and bowed again, earnest as ever.
But Yamamoto was a mule of a man. He'd rather die here than flee in disgrace.
As long as he had even one breath left to fight, he would not yield.
"This old man—"
Yamamoto gripped his Zanpakutō with his still-functional left arm, trying to force himself upright—
only to see Higashino Shuuichi had already withdrawn his reiatsu and flown over Yamamoto's head.
"Forget it, Azashiro Sōya. For your sake, I'll spare Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni today. But remember this—
you owe me a deal."
Higashino Shuuichi said it like he was swallowing nails, but inside he was practically laughing.
Because this meant Azashiro Sōya had to hand him a blank check.
And what got written on that check…
would be entirely up to Higashino Shuuichi.
That was exactly what he wanted.
If things had followed Higashino Shuuichi's original plan—being imprisoned in Muken as a sinner—
the only card he would've had to persuade Azashiro Sōya into sincere cooperation, even into becoming an unconditional supporter like Kisaragi Shūsuke and Yushima Ōko…
was Kuruyashiki Kenpachi.
But thanks to Yamamoto's "perfect performance," Higashino Shuuichi now held another sure-profit blank check.
Which meant, in the future, the odds of making Azashiro Sōya truly "his" would rise dramatically.
After all, Azashiro Sōya was a walking contradiction—someone who could break rules, yet also cling to rules with obsessive fidelity.
"Higashino Shuuichi!"
Watching Higashino Shuuichi exit through Muken's gate, Yamamoto repeated his name.
He knew exactly what Higashino Shuuichi would do once outside.
And now, in all of Soul Society, besides Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni… who could stop him?
No—worse.
Even Yamamoto had already lost.
Out there in Soul Society, there was no longer a single Shinigami who could stop Higashino Shuuichi.
"Sōya…"
Yamamoto's voice sounded worn to the bone.
"Sōtaichō-dono, I'm here."
Azashiro Sōya answered while continuing to treat Yamamoto's wounds with Kaidō (healing Kidō).
"…"
"…"
Yamamoto wanted to say that perhaps Azashiro Sōya still had a chance to stop Higashino Shuuichi.
Otherwise, Higashino Shuuichi wouldn't have bothered making that deal.
As for that nonsense about "borrowing a Zanpakutō" as the bargaining chip—
Yamamoto didn't believe a single word of it.
Yet again and again, the words reached Yamamoto's lips—
and again and again, he couldn't bring himself to speak.
Because it was Yamamoto who had ordered the Gotei 13 to arrest Azashiro Sōya.
It was Yamamoto who personally locked him in Muken.
And even after all that, Azashiro Sōya didn't hate him.
He even traded with Higashino Shuuichi to save Yamamoto's life.
Yamamoto knew—by any standard, that already meant Azashiro Sōya had an exceptionally gentle temperament.
But the Tsunayashiro clan in Soul Society…
Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni knew Higashino Shuuichi was a Shinigami who did what he said.
If he declared before so many Shinigami that he would become Soul Society's eternal sinner—personally erasing the Tsunayashiro clan from Soul Society—
then Higashino Shuuichi really would do it.
So in the end of ends, Yamamoto still lifted his head, looked at the man healing him, and asked—
"Sōya… could I ask you… to stop Higashino Shuuichi?"
Azashiro Sōya's hands paused only slightly, then continued the Kaidō.
"No, Sōtaichō-dono.
First, I am not Higashino Shuuichi's enemy.
Second, I want to protect you because of my personal feelings—but I can't bind my feelings to yours.
And finally… I'm no longer Azashiro Kenpachi.
I am simply Azashiro Sōya."
Every word came from the heart.
In truth, through the information Urozakuro had sent back, Azashiro Sōya already knew what Higashino Shuuichi intended to do.
But the "noble heart" Azashiro once had died on the afternoon his sister died protecting him.
Now, Azashiro Sōya wanted only one thing:
to eradicate every Hollow in Hueco Mundo and bring peace to the world.
So that the tragedy of his clan—and of his sister—
would never repeat again.
As for whether the Tsunayashiro clan lived or died…
what did that have to do with Azashiro Sōya?
Even if every noble in Soul Society died, it would have nothing to do with him.
The Azashiro clan was already gone.
Only he remained.
"I understand…"
Yamamoto wasn't surprised by the answer.
But as Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, he had to make the request.
If there had been other Shinigami around—other prisoners Yamamoto himself had once condemned to Muken—
he would've asked them too.
For one reason only:
duty.
In that moment, Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni seemed to age hundreds of years.
He closed his eyes gently. The crushing weight on his chest made it hard to breathe.
And outside Muken—
was Central 46.
Kurotsuchi Mayuri had anticipated that Higashino Shuuichi might break through the captains' encirclement and charge straight into Seireitei, so he temporarily modified Seireitei's four gates.
But what Mayuri didn't anticipate…
was that the one who emerged from Muken would still be Higashino Shuuichi.
Because Mayuri had modified the four gates, Seireitei's inside and outside had effectively become two separate worlds.
So even though Higashino Shuuichi had already laid his intentions bare over in Rukongai…
inside Seireitei, it was still a festival of the Tsunayashiro nobles.
"Higashino Shuuichi! Higashino Shuuichi is back!"
When Higashino Shuuichi appeared outside Central 46—with not a single captain at his side—
a minor Tsunayashiro noble who saw him practically bounced with excitement.
Because that meant the thing Tsunayashiro Kamihara-sama had promised them…
Higashino Shuuichi had already accomplished it!
The future Soul Society would belong to the Tsunayashiro clan!
And they—those nobles who had steadfastly followed Tsunayashiro Kamihara-sama from the very start—
would all be meritorious retainers of the "rising dragon"!
"Ahhh… the future's going to be good!"
The young noble danced in place, celebrating wildly.
Higashino Shuuichi only walked up to him with cold indifference.
"Yeah. You don't have to worry about the future anymore~"
"Of course—"
The noble's smile was still at its peak of bliss—
but his consciousness scattered, his pupils losing focus.
His body was erased by the faint reiatsu Higashino Shuuichi released.
"Because you won't have a future anymore."
//Check out my P@tre0n for 20 extra chapters on all my fanfics //[email protected]/Razeil0810.