At the corner of the Eighth Division's walls, in the shadows—
"That bastard Kuchiki Byakuya. Just looking at him, you can tell he's no good!"
Kurosaki Ichigo shouted angrily. If it weren't for the concealment cloak provided by Urahara Kisuke covering him, he would have been discovered by the captains not far away long ago.
It was also because those captains' attention was all focused on each other. Otherwise, they might have noticed the commotion on his side as well.
"Alright, alright, calm down a bit. This isn't the time for you to show yourself. Even if you want to save people, you still have to wait until they disperse," Shihoin Yoruichi hurriedly spoke up, signaling Kurosaki Ichigo to quiet down.
You had to know, over there were a ridiculous seven captains present.
Even if she showed her face, the outcome would be getting instantly killed.
Although Rosse was in contact with her, and Kyoraku Shunsui should also be connected to Urahara Kisuke, the others weren't. They would only treat her as a wanted criminal and deal with her accordingly.
"I really can't hold it in," Kurosaki Ichigo said in frustration.
But in reality, he was just saying it for Shihoin Yoruichi to see.
At this moment, he was calmer than anyone else.
Inoue Orihime was his classmate. He had to save her.
But what he bore on his shoulders was definitely not just himself.
He still had Rukia to save, and he also carried the responsibility of helping Aizen achieve his goal.
So he had to be calm and cautious.
When facing Kuchiki Byakuya, he already needed to use his full strength just to hold his own.
Now before him were seven existences on par with or even stronger than Kuchiki Byakuya, including Rosse, whose strength he still couldn't see through at all.
If he dared to appear, it wouldn't be him saving people. It would be Teacher Aizen having to save him instead.
There was only one thing he could do, and that was to wait until the captains dispersed, find the right opportunity, and rescue Inoue Orihime.
In his view, these captains' focus should be on Ise Nanao. Inoue Orihime was just the fuse.
As for that Ise Nanao, since she dragged Inoue Orihime into this, she could only pray for her own luck.
For now, he still needed to wait.
"Captain Kyoraku, more than half of the captains have already agreed," Kuchiki Byakuya looked at Kyoraku Shunsui calmly, as if delivering the final verdict.
Because of the oath he had sworn within the Kuchiki clan, he couldn't openly help Rukia.
But this time, Kyoraku Shunsui and Central 46's actions were completely slapping the Kuchiki clan in the face, and the Kuchiki clan was more than happy to step forward and use Kyoraku Shunsui as the blade.
The Kuchiki clan had existed for millions of years. They weren't some random nobodies that anyone could play dirty tricks on.
When they were dividing up the Soul King, Captain-Commander Yamamoto hadn't even been born yet.
"I oppose this proposal!", Kyoraku Shunsui narrowed his eyes, looking at Ise Nanao who was locked onto by multiple captains, and in the end, he still couldn't bring himself to let go.
Ise Nanao was his elder brother's daughter, essentially his niece, and also his only junior.
He still couldn't bring himself to watch her being taken away while wearing an indifferent expression.
"Captain Kyoraku, are you trying to defy Soul Society's laws? Are you trying to betray Soul Society?", Kuchiki Byakuya stepped forward two paces, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
His strength truly was inferior to Kyoraku Shunsui's. Even he himself admitted that. But he lacked no courage to draw his blade against Kyoraku Shunsui.
"Hey! Hey! I just don't want to watch my vice-captain get taken away. That has nothing to do with betraying Soul Society," Kyoraku Shunsui frowned as he retorted, but in his heart, he felt something was off.
Although in the plan, Inoue Orihime was to be used as a chess piece to make Soul Society even more chaotic, even if it became chaotic, it shouldn't be today.
Today's unexpected variable, the Kuchiki clan suddenly showing up at his door, meant that Captain-Commander Yamamoto should have already received the news and be rushing over by now.
At this moment, only Captain-Commander Yamamoto could resolve the situation at hand.
'But why hasn't Captain-Commander Yamamoto come?"
'Old man, what exactly are you doing right now?'
———
At this time, in front of the First Division barracks.
Captain-Commander Yamamoto stood silently at the main gate, both hands resting on the cane before him. Wrapped within it was his Ryujin Jakka, already in a stance ready to unleash at any moment.
Standing before him was the Fourth Division captain, Unohana Retsu. Her slender, delicate figure stood under the cover of the night, looking as if a gust of wind could knock her over.
Yet it was precisely this slender figure that blocked Captain-Commander Yamamoto's path, preventing him from moving even half a step forward.
"Unohana, are you stepping in as well?", Captain-Commander Yamamoto said in a deep voice.
"Today Central 46 judged Kuchiki Rukia. Tomorrow will Central 46 judge Isane? And the day after, will they judge me?", Unohana's voice was very soft, yet carried a sharpness rarely heard, completely unlike her usual gentle image.
"Why bring up questions today that you never worried about before?", Captain-Commander Yamamoto said calmly.
The length of time Unohana had served as a captain was exactly the same as his.
At the founding of the Gotei 13, she was already a captain.
If one were to judge her, Soul Society's greatest criminal, that judgment should have happened a thousand years ago. Why wait until now?
"It's different. During the years you were absent, he showed the captains of Soul Society a different kind of world. Back then, your strength was enough to burn Seireitei to the ground, yet you still chose to co-govern with the nobles. Aside from Kirinji and the two of us, all those people from back then are dead. But how many of them died a natural death?", Unohana lifted her eyes slightly, her gaze meeting Captain-Commander Yamamoto's directly.
"Over these thousand years, how many captains have died a natural death? A normal third-rank spiritual might should have a lifespan of over a thousand years. If not for your so-called order, how would we have ended up where we are today?"
"Are you questioning this old man's order, Unohana?"
Captain-Commander Yamamoto's fierce eyes widened slightly, his sharp gaze falling upon Unohana.
He could tolerate others questioning him, but he could not tolerate someone who had only held control over Soul Society for a few short years denying his thousand years of effort.
In his eyes, Soul Society needed order, and thus Soul Society had order.
Perhaps the order Rosse enforced was more suitable for the Gotei 13, but in his view, it was no different from the original order at all.
'Whether it is the nobles on top or the Gotei 13 on top, in essence it is all a form of order. What difference does it make?'
It was only because Unohana was a captain, and those blocking Kyoraku Shunsui were captains, that they felt the current order was better.
In essence, they were no different from those nobles, all people who lusted after power.
"Unohana, let me see it. After a thousand years without drawing your sword, have you grown dull?", Captain-Commander Yamamoto spoke indifferently as the wooden cane in his hand began to burn, revealing the Zanpakuto wrapped within.
Since words were useless, then block him with strength.
"Exactly what I was hoping for. Let me see it. Just how much strength have you recovered now that your spiritual pressure has only just returned?"
A trace of madness flashed through Unohana's eyes. She suddenly drew her Zanpakuto, her left hand sliding across the blade as she softly chanted:
"BANKAI! MINAZUKI!"
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