Today was the day that would decide the fate of the Azashiro clan.
Nanatsuki, Kyōraku Shunsui, and Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto arrived at the Central 46 courtroom.
It was a tiered room—structured like a funnel with eight sides. Forty-six seats encircled the central platform, arranged across three levels of steps. It resembled a Roman coliseum of old.
The seat arrangement was also quite deliberate. The first row, closest to the center, was reserved for the highest-ranking nobles.
The higher up you went, the more seats there were, and the farther from the center they became.
The main members of the Azashiro clan stood on the central platform, awaiting judgment.
Azashiro Kana, Azashiro Sōya, and their parents were all present.
Their parents held them tightly in their arms. They had been separated until now, and based on what they understood of the situation, this might be their final moment together.
Apart from them, representatives of the Kasumioji clan were also present.
With the family records stolen, they knew exactly what that implied—and had no choice but to prepare a rapid response.
The presiding judge declared, "Azashiro Akihiko, all the evidence points toward the Azashiro clan harboring treasonous intent. Do you plead guilty?"
Azashiro Akihiko responded coldly, "The Azashiro clan never planned to rebel, nor did we make any preparations to. All of that so-called evidence is nothing but slander!"
"Lies!" the judge snapped, ordering the presentation of the evidence. "These 'Bakkōtō' were seized from the Azashiro estate. Some of your guards were already equipped with them! And the letters found in your bedroom, exchanged with vassals, are clear proof of rebellion!"
"The evidence is irrefutable. There's no room for denial!"
"Hold on!" Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto suddenly interjected. "I have evidence that suggests there's more to this case."
Yamamoto retrieved the family records and submitted them.
The judge quickly reviewed the records before passing them around to the other 46 members.
"These were found in the Kasumioji clan's archive room. The details within clearly prove that the 'Bakkōtō' were forged by the Kasumioji clan," Yamamoto stated calmly.
A representative of the Kasumioji clan spoke up, "Honorable judge, it's true that the 'Bakkōtō' were forged by our clan."
"However, our original intent was to empower Shinigami in their battles against Hollows."
"The blades and forging base found in the Azashiro estate were purchased from us."
"We had no idea they were plotting rebellion when we sold the blades to them!"
After the records were stolen, the Kasumioji clan shifted strategies. Since they could no longer deny their connection to the Bakkōtō, they opted to sever ties and survive.
As long as the Azashiro clan was convicted of treason, the Kasumioji wouldn't be accused of falsely implicating them.
Because being guilty of framing another noble clan for treason could land them on the execution ground.
If the only crime was forging Bakkōtō using commoners from Rukongai, the Kasumioji clan might still survive—at worst, by offering up scapegoats.
For high-ranking nobles, such sins could often be covered up with the right sacrifices.
"Captain-Commander Yamamoto," the Kasumioji representative turned toward Kyōraku Shunsui and Katori Nanatsuki, "those two had no authorization to enter our archives, correct? That was theft!"
"The suspicions around the Azashiro clan warranted investigation. I was the one who sent them," Yamamoto responded firmly, taking full responsibility for the forced entry.
"As for the matter of the Bakkōtō," the judge said, knocking the table, "we will set that aside for now. However, the blades and letters found in the Azashiro estate are solid proof of their conspiracy."
The Kasumioji representative submitted more evidence. "These are procurement records from the Azashiro clan. We have retained all of them."
Yamamoto, already anticipating this, replied slowly, "What I know... is not what you claim."
"According to our investigation, you repeatedly altered the Tenth Division's patrol records. But you didn't realize that Vice-Captain Amamimon had backed them up!"
"With these backups, your tampering is plain as day."
The Kasumioji representative broke out in cold sweat. They never imagined that Vice-Captain Amamimon had covered his tracks so thoroughly!
As the Kasumioji clan's son-in-law, Amamimon knew everything they'd done and had helped them on many occasions.
But to protect himself from becoming a scapegoat, he had prepared a countermeasure—secretly backing up the altered records.
Ironically, after the incident, he was the first to be detained. The fail-safe he'd prepared ended up becoming the Kasumioji clan's death sentence.
After yesterday's meeting, Kuchiki Ginrei and Ukitake Jūshirō led a team to Amamimon's residence and uncovered the backups of the Tenth Division patrol logs.
The logs revealed frequent interactions between the Kasumioji clan and several of the Azashiro clan's guards.
That alone was enough to cast serious suspicion on the Kasumioji.
Yamamoto continued, "And there's one more crucial piece of evidence about the forging of the Bakkōtō."
"The sacrifices used by the Kasumioji weren't just commoners from Rukongai—they also used students from the Spiritual Arts Academy!"
"Nonsense!" the Kasumioji representative shouted. "We absolutely did not use academy students as sacrifices!"
Nanatsuki stepped forward and pulled out a vial of blood. "This was extracted from my student, Kan no Ki Homura. It contains the Reiatsu of a Bakkōtō."
"Before being devoured by the blade, Homura asked me to uncover the truth. That's why I preserved his blood."
After Kan no Ki Homura was corrupted by the blade, his entire body reeked of its Reiatsu. While treating him, Nanatsuki had taken several samples—just in case.
And today, that precaution proved invaluable. The evidence was enough to shake many Central 46 members who had originally stood with the Kasumioji.
The Central 46 could ignore the use of Rukongai souls, but using academy students—especially since the Kan no Ki family was among the 46—was another matter entirely.
The judge immediately ordered an investigation into the Kasumioji clan. The judgment of the Azashiro clan would be postponed. The decision passed with majority support.
"Detain all members of the Kasumioji clan. The Azashiro treason case will be revisited after the investigation is complete!"
...
Two weeks later, Azashiro Kana returned to the dojo.
Follow-up investigations confirmed that the Azashiro clan had indeed been framed. Its members were released.
The Kasumioji clan, however, was sent to the execution grounds for charges including framing the Azashiro clan, using academy students and Rukongai citizens as forging sacrifices for Bakkōtō.
This execution ground was specially prepared for clan-level punishment.
It was filled with captured Hollows from Seireitei. The prisoners were forced to fight the horde.
Those who survived the battle would be exiled into the Dangai without the guidance of a Hell Butterfly.
If the Azashiro clan had been convicted, they would've faced this same fate.
And given how weak the current generation of the Azashiro were—unable to even achieve Shikai—they likely wouldn't have survived.
"I'm back!" Azashiro Kana ran up and threw herself into Katori Nanatsuki's arms. "I thought... I thought I'd never get to eat... never see you again!"
"It's okay now," Nanatsuki said gently, feeling his robe dampen at the chest. He patted her head softly. "What do you want to eat? Let's celebrate your return."
"Nine-Turn Intestines!" Azashiro Kana's tears turned into laughter as she recalled the delicious dish she first tasted here.
"That needs some advance prep... most Shinigami don't eat intestines, so they're hard to find..." Nanatsuki hesitated.
"Then... how about braised pig's trotters with soybeans?"
"That works!"