The long river of time flowed quietly, and the light and shadows of the Soul Society slipped silently through Hiroki's fingertips.
Since returning from the Sanctuary, everything had been properly settled.
Isayama Yomi had already set off, carrying her Spiritual Pressure—suppressed to the sixth-class level—as she stepped onto the starting point of Rukongai. Following the script Hiroki had planned for her, she walked step by step toward the Central Spirit Arts Academy.
As for Hiroki himself, after his return, he once again threw himself into the leisurely life of the Acting Head of the Shihōin Clan, a life entirely insulated from business—reviewing a few clan reports that required no deep thought, enjoying tea and snacks meticulously prepared by his little maid, and occasionally supervising that silly boy Yushiro as he practiced basic skills.
On this day, the cherry blossoms in the courtyard were in full bloom, and sunlight filtered through the layered petals, casting dappled shadows on the floor.
Hiroki leaned lazily against the railing of the long corridor, watching Yushiro practice the basics of Shunpo clumsily but with utmost seriousness under the watchful eyes of several strict instructors.
Yushiro's small face was flushed, and fine beads of sweat seeped from his forehead. From time to time, he would steal a glance in Hiroki's direction, his eyes filled with total trust and... well, the carefree nature of someone who had been thoroughly spoiled.
The corner of Hiroki's mouth curled into a satisfied arc. This kid had been raised so well by him; he was lively and grounded, without a hint of the precocious melancholy seen in the original story.
The current stability and strength of the Shihōin Clan, and the fact that Yoruichi's world-shaking crime of 'raiding the execution grounds + slapping the Central 46 Chambers' was ultimately dismissed with only a hundred-year exile, were all inseparable from Hiroki's presence at the center as the Acting Head—a man of inscrutable strength and shrewd cunning, in addition to Yoruichi's own status.
After weighing the pros and cons, those old fogies of the Central 46 eventually chose to compromise, tacitly accepting Yoruichi's 'exile' and even turning a blind eye to her possible'sneaking back.'
Just then, a slight sound of breaking air rang out. A figure in a black maid's uniform appeared at the entrance of the corridor via Shunpo; it was Chizuru, the little maid by Hiroki's side who was low-profile and submissive but extremely efficient in her work.
Her face lacked its usual deference, replaced instead by a solemn gravity.
"Lord Hiroki," Chizuru's voice was low but reached Hiroki's ears clearly, "the Kuchiki Clan has sent someone to announce a death."
Hiroki's lazy posture stiffened slightly, and his eyelids lifted. A sense of calm replaced the leisure in his eyes.
"Speak."
"The former Head of the Kuchiki Clan, Lord Ginrei Kuchiki... passed away peacefully last night."
Chizuru held up a black obituary letter with both hands; it was ancient in style and carried a heavy aura. The air seemed to freeze instantly. The cry of pain from Yushiro tripping in the courtyard and the scolding of the instructors were all isolated by this sudden news.
Hiroki's gaze fell upon the obituary. The white inverted-mountain crest, the symbol of the Kuchiki Clan, looked particularly jarring against the pitch-black background. He remained silent for a full dozen breaths before slowly reaching out his hand to pick up that heavy piece of paper, which seemed to carry the end of an era.
"Passed away peacefully..." Hiroki repeated these four words. His tone didn't betray much emotion, but those who knew him could catch an extremely subtle, almost inaudible sigh.
As a fellow head of one of the Four Great Noble Clans, Ginrei Kuchiki's status went without saying.
Even though Hiroki now held the reins of the Shihōin Clan and avoided such pure noble social gatherings and condolences whenever possible—leaving them to the old fogies of the clan—he had to attend a funeral of this caliber in person as the Acting Head of the Shihōin Clan.
Unfolding the obituary, the text was concise and solemn, announcing the end of an ancient and noble life. Hiroki's gaze drifted through the words, his thoughts flying toward the Kuchiki residence, which symbolized ultimate authority and tradition in the Soul Society.
"The Kuchiki Clan... It looks like Byakuya's hard times have arrived."
This thought emerged unexpectedly from his heart, carrying a cold scrutiny of a bystander, yet also mixed with a trace of hard-to-detect regret.
The former head, Ginrei Kuchiki, this powerful noble patriarch who had weathered many storms, had passed away peacefully.
But look at the mess he left behind:
His son, Sōjun Kuchiki, a brilliant genius and the future Captain of the 6th Division, unfortunately had poor health. He had sacrificed himself early during a mission, dying young and becoming an eternal pain for the Kuchiki Clan.
His son-in-law, Kōga Kuchiki, was originally a genius who entered the family through marriage, carrying high hopes to fill Sōjun's vacancy with a boundless future.
And the result? Arrogant and prideful, coupled with a disdain for the Kuchiki family rules, he eventually took the path of rebellion. Now he was imprisoned, his life or death unknown, becoming an indelible stain on the Kuchiki Clan.
Such a massive family estate and such a glorious foundation now fell entirely onto the small shoulders of Kuchiki Byakuya, who was probably still just a half-grown child.
Hiroki recalled the youth he had occasionally caught a glimpse of from afar during noble meetings.
The future Byakuya turned into that poker-faced iceberg... It seems that during those years, this brat's life was truly difficult.
Hiroki was not surprised by this at all.
Where did the image of the cold and aloof Kuchiki Clan head from the original story come from? It was clearly a self-protective wall forced to be built upon a ruin and under internal and external pressure.
The dilemma Byakuya faced was multifaceted.
Would those old fogies in the internal vassal group, who had been dependent for generations and had deeply entrenched relationships, truly obey a 'green boy' with sincere conviction?
When Ginrei was alive, he could still suppress them with his prestige. Once Ginrei was gone, how much tact and ruthlessness would Byakuya need to control the situation? Hiroki could imagine the scenes of feigned compliance even with his toes.
Would other external nobles, especially those with ill intentions who coveted the Kuchiki Clan's power or interests, let go of this opportunity to kick them while they were down? Probing, erosion, and even blatant harassment would likely not be scarce.
What was the most powerful proof?
Even the main Kuchiki residence, which symbolized the highest dignity, was... or more accurately, was forced to be tacitly allowed by Byakuya... to be lent to the 'Women's Shinigami Association' as an office!
This detail might have seemed a bit funny in the original story, but placed within Hiroki's current analytical framework, it was simply a bloody reality! The main residence of the head of the Four Great Noble Clans reduced to a base for a civil association? Even if the Lady Kuchiki was a member, this operation was extreme to the point of being ridiculous.
The only reasonable explanation was: Byakuya needed to use this external, special force to stand up for him!
Who was the core of the 'Women's Shinigami Association'? The Fourth Division Captain, Unohana Retsu! Although she seemed unconventional, her status, influence, and especially her potential deterrent power as the First Kenpachi in the Soul Society were unfathomable.
The history books of the high-ranking nobles had no gaps; they knew exactly what kind of person Captain Unohana was and what kind of strength she possessed.
Her presence in the Kuchiki main residence, even if nominally just an association office, was in itself an invisible protective charm, warning those who were eyeing the Kuchiki Clan like tigers—this young head was not isolated and without help.
This was more like a disguised signal seeking protection from the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. Byakuya was using this method to win a breathing space and allies for the precarious Kuchiki Clan.
Looking further into the future... that adopted sister, Kuchiki Rukia, who was personally taken in by Byakuya but also deeply hurt by the decaying rules, was easily sentenced to death by the Central 46 because of Aizen's plot!
Such an absurd and humiliating judgment targeting the Kuchiki Clan, yet when it was announced, the entire noble class of Seireitei and even the vast majority of the captains of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads... actually felt it was 'normal,' at most showing the indifference of 'feeling sad for one's own kind'!
What did this show? It showed that the Kuchiki Clan's influence and deterrent power at that time had weakened to such a pathetic degree!
The Central 46 didn't take the Kuchiki Clan's face seriously at all; they would step on you if they wanted to.
At that time, the only ones who stood up to publicly question and try to block it were Jūshirō Ukitake and Kyōraku Shunsui.
Why were they so'stubborn'?
The fundamental reason was that they were the direct disciples of Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto!
They dared to stand up not entirely because of personal loyalty, but to a larger extent because the prestige of the Captain Commander behind them supported their voice!
Without the Captain Commander's tacit consent or invisible protection, given the situation where the Kuchiki Clan was being pushed down by everyone at that time, even these two nice guys might not have chosen to resist to the end.
Looking back at his own mess... what did Yoruichi do? She raided the Central 46's execution grounds and took away the sentenced Urahara Kisuke and his group right in front of all the nobles and captains (including the Captain Commander!)!
This was equivalent to a harsh slap to the face of the entire highest judiciary and ruling class of the Soul Society; the consequences should have been a monstrous crime!
And the result?
The Central 46: Sentenced Yoruichi to a hundred-year exile!
A hundred-year exile! It's a lifetime for an ordinary human, but in the Soul Reaper World where lifespans easily reach a thousand years, and especially for a powerhouse of Yoruichi's level, a hundred years meant nothing!
It was even lighter than the punishment of 'temporary reflection behind closed doors' for Shihōin Yūshirō in the original story! (In the original, the Shihōin Clan was asked to temporarily avoid suspicion.)
More importantly, after a series of unknown but extremely powerful operations by him, the Acting Head, in the background (including but not limited to displaying strength, exchanging interests, and borrowing prestige), this hundred-year exile eventually became truly 'in name only'!
Does Yoruichi want to come back? If she were to appear strolling on the streets of Seireitei now, Hiroki could guarantee that those old bastards in the Central 46 would absolutely choose collective blindness!
They would just pretend they didn't see her at all!
At most, they would gnash their teeth in private and curse 'the Shihōin Clan is arrogant and overbearing,' and then go about their business.
Would they dare to arrest her? Would they dare to bring up old matters to execute the exile order?
As if they had the guts! Hadn't they experienced Hiroki Shihōin's methods and strength deeply enough over these years? Was it worth biting a hard bone for this bit of 'face'?
Before Suì-Fēng had grown up, Hiroki had sent two Captain-level fighters, Fugaku and Shisui, to hold the fort. Not to mention that now Suì-Fēng had officially become the Captain of the Second Division, the Shihōin Clan, on the surface, had three Captain-level fighters sitting in power.
As for those former captains who had been Hollowfied (Hirako Shinji and the others)... who would really care about their life or death?
The Central 46 only regarded them as 'failed experimental products' that needed to be cleared. The Thirteen Court Guard Squads were busy with the new order, and Hiroki and the others tacitly maintained their silence.
These former powerhouses had already become abandoned pieces. This was the cold and cruel reality under the intertwining of strength and power.
Whoever is strong has the greater voice.
Thinking of this, Hiroki's gaze fell back onto the obituary.
"That kid Kuchiki Byakuya... has he mastered 'Bankai' now?" he muttered to himself.
This was a big question.
'Bankai' was the true watershed of a Shinigami's strength.
If Byakuya hadn't mastered it yet, even if he held the title of the Kuchiki Clan head, his position as the Captain of the 6th Division would be extremely dangerous and unstable. The nobles would question him, and there would be voices of dissatisfaction within the Thirteen Court Guard Squads.
But Hiroki then shook his head again.
The position of Captain of the 6th Division could not be taken away by others.
The reason was simple—Old Man Yama would not agree to it!
Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto's rule in the Soul Society emphasized 'order' and'stability.'
The inheritance of the Four Great Noble Clans was an important part of that order.
Even if the Kuchiki Clan weakened further, its status as the head of the nobles was the result of a thousand years of accumulation, and its symbolic significance was immense.
Supporting Kuchiki Byakuya, the direct heir, to take the position and maintaining the 'Kuchiki' surname's hold on the Captaincy of the 6th Division (the 6th Division being a noble-exclusive squad) was a necessity for maintaining the stability of the entire upper structure.
Old Man Yama needed the Kuchiki brand to stand at the front; he would never allow other noble forces to seize the opportunity to get their hands on the 6th Division and break this delicate balance.
He would tolerate Byakuya's initial immaturity and would tacitly, or even secretly, support him in securing his position until Byakuya grew up.
The Thirteen Court Guard Squads were Byakuya's strongest backing.
At this moment, from the other end of the courtyard came a cheerful cry from Yushiro, "Brother-in-law! Look at this step, how is it?" interrupting Hiroki's contemplation.
Hiroki looked up and saw that Yushiro had accidentally knocked over a training wooden post again and fell on his butt, but he didn't care and climbed up, patted off the dust, and smiled radiantly in Hiroki's direction, his eyes filled only with dependence and trust, without a shred of gloom or burden.
The maids nearby, who were cleaning up the mess, all had expressions of accustomed helplessness, and the atmosphere was relaxed.
Looking at his brother-in-law's heartless and carefree appearance, and then at the heavy obituary from the Kuchiki Clan in his hand...
"Heh..."
Hiroki let out an ambiguous chuckle, carrying three parts sentiment and seven parts relief.
He once again recalled that scene from the original story: when the young head Shihōin Yūshirō was forced by a group of vassals to marry into the high-ranking noble Kasumiōji family, his small face was covered with gloom, misery, and the humiliation of being unable to control his own destiny.
How did that Yushiro have any of the vigor of a youth? He was more like an old man who had entered his desperate twilight years prematurely.
Looking at this silly boy in front of him... Hiroki sincerely and from the bottom of his heart gave himself another thumbs up: this is the use of a good son-in-law!
He had saved more than just Yoruichi alone; he had preserved the vitality and future of the entire Shihōin Clan, allowing Yushiro to grow up in a relatively simple environment instead of being crushed by the family's burden.
However... putting down the obituary, the old, rigid, and serious face of Ginrei Kuchiki surfaced in Hiroki's mind again.
Ultimately, it's all because that old fellow Ginrei Kuchiki wasn't capable enough! He couldn't beat that old bastard Shihōin Kiyomasa!
That bit of schadenfreude in his heart bubbled up again.
What if that old fellow Seigen hadn't beaten Ginrei Kuchiki back then?
What if Hiroki had been forced to marry into the Kuchiki Clan back then?
Although he had never met the eldest daughter of the Kuchiki Clan, Hiroki was now supremely confident in concluding: "No matter how she is, she must be ten thousand times better than that crazy woman Yoruichi, right???"
Look at Yoruichi! Look at this woman who is his official wife in name!
"Sigh..."
He picked up the tea that Izumi had served again, which had already turned slightly cool, and took a gentle sip.
The taste was not bad.
It was time to consider what gifts to bring to Ginrei Kuchiki's funeral.
After all, with his status as it was, he had to go through the motions for this occasion.
It was just that the oppressive atmosphere of the Kuchiki residence and the weight in the young head's eyes would likely stain this bright afternoon with a layer of lingering gloom.
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