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Seireitei — the shopping district.
At night, the street was even livelier than during the day.
For Shinigami, drinking in an izakaya was one of the few forms of entertainment.
Lately, the hottest topic in every izakaya was the Spiritual Arts Academy's True Blade Trial.
"Tomorrow's the showdown between Komamura and Aizen—can't wait!"
Ōmaeda Kishinosuke, face flushed red, gulped down a huge swig of sake.
"Gulp."
Sitting across from him, Obana Jirō was also tipsy, but his mood was far from cheerful.
Before the Komamura vs. Lisa match, he had considered asking Hirako Shinji who was stronger.
Turned out even Hirako didn't know.
On his way to place a bet, Jirō had bumped into his friend Kishinosuke, and ended up betting on Lisa's victory with him.
The result? No need to say it out loud.
"Still sighing about it, huh?"
Kishinosuke refilled their cups. "If you're in a bad mood, drink more!"
"There goes a whole year's earnings!" Jirō downed his cup and sighed. "These youngsters are monsters... Both Komamura and Aizen could easily qualify as vice-captains."
"No kidding. If only I'd been in Katori-sensei's class back then... maybe I'd have gotten a shot at becoming his disciple."
Kishinosuke also couldn't help lamenting.
Katori-ryu's sword techniques were just too envy-inducing.
The two kept drinking, cups clinking, until it was deep into the night.
Their vision blurred from intoxication.
Jirō noticed that there weren't many customers left in the izakaya.
He didn't mind—they didn't plan to go home tonight anyway.
They were going to drink until dawn and then head straight to the Live Blade Tournament finals at the Academy.
But then, he spotted another guest in the izakaya—and his drunken eyes sharpened at once.
"Hey... look over there..."
Jirō suddenly grabbed Kishinosuke's pouring hand.
"What the hell?!"
Startled, Kishinosuke spilled the sake.
"Over there—" Jirō hiccupped and gestured toward a table near the wall. "Look at that guy!"
"What, you've got your eye on another lady again?"
Kishinosuke was all too familiar with his friend, known as Seireitei's so-called "Romance God"—with zero successful pursuits. He assumed this was yet another crush.
Kishinosuke followed Jirō's gaze.
The next moment, his pupils contracted.
"Tsunayashiro... Tokinada?!"
The alcohol-induced haze lifted in an instant.
They were staring at none other than Tsunayashiro Tokinada—the man who had supposedly died in the Dangai not long ago.
"See?! It's him, right?!"
Jirō tugged on Kishinosuke's sleeve, whispering urgently.
"Maybe... it's just a brother who looks like him? The Tsunayashiro clan does have a lot of descendants..."
Kishinosuke hesitated.
"That's not 'just looks like,' that's dead-on!"
Jirō rubbed his eyes, confirming he wasn't seeing things.
That man looked exactly like Tsunayashiro Tokinada!
Kishinosuke knew he was just spouting nonsense.
Only identical twins could resemble each other that closely.
Back at the Spiritual Arts Academy, Tokinada had once been his homeroom instructor—he knew for a fact that Tokinada had no twin.
But how else could you explain why Tokinada was here?
"Wasn't he already dead?"
Kishinosuke started to doubt reality. Maybe he really was drunk… maybe this was all a dream.
At that moment, someone entered the izakaya.
The newcomer wore the crest of the Tsunayashiro clan on the cuff of his robe.
"Lord Tokinada, the clan head awaits you. Please come with me."
"Very well, let's go."
'Tokinada' rose and left the izakaya with the man.
Kishinosuke and Jirō sat frozen for a moment, then said in unison:
"That really was Tsunayashiro Tokinada!"
The man who'd entered was clearly from the Tsunayashiro family—his appearance confirmed Tokinada's identity.
"Wasn't he dead?!"
Kishinosuke scratched his head. His scalp tingled, as if he were about to sprout a new brain.
"Could it be... he faked his death?!"
Jirō stroked his chin, letting his imagination run wild.
"Let's follow them!"
Kishinosuke grabbed Jirō and rushed out.
The izakaya owner didn't stop them—he silently wrote the tab down under the Ōmaeda family account.
On the other side.
"Tokinada" followed the "clan member" to the gates of the Tsunayashiro estate.
"Teacher, we're being followed," the follower murmured.
"Ignore them. In fact, it's better—we could use a few extra spectators for our little performance, right, Sosuke?"
The two standing before the Tsunayashiro estate gates were none other than Nanatsuki Katori and Aizen Sōsuke.
During the semifinals of the Live Blade Tournament, Aizen had activated Kyōka Suigetsu, hypnotizing almost everyone in the noble district.
Even those who hadn't become Shinigami but lived in the noble or commercial districts were invited to the tournament, which made it easy for Nanatsuki to identify who didn't attend.
Yesterday, he had worked with Aizen's shadow ability to hypnotize the few who were missed.
Tonight, they would eliminate the Tsunayashiro clan's hidden threat.
Nanatsuki had already removed Tsunayashiro Yōtō and Tsunayashiro Tokinada. There was no turning back—the feud could no longer be reconciled.
The Tsunayashiro clan wouldn't let it go. They were like a venomous snake lurking in the dark, waiting for the right moment to strike.
Nanatsuki wasn't afraid of them—but many of his disciples still lived in the Soul Society, and the Tsunayashiro clan had considerable influence. One day, they could frame or endanger the people close to him.
If the clan wasn't removed early, they might target the Katori-ryu Dojo when he least expected it.
Just recently, Kakyō had been harassed at the Kidō Corps, and that too was the Tsunayashiro clan's doing.
If it hadn't been for Nanatsuki's connections with Ushada Hakugen and help from Shihoin Yoruichi, Kakyō might've been reassigned to Hueco Mundo.
A rookie Shinigami sent to Hueco Mundo—she wouldn't even need sabotage to get killed.
Nanatsuki and Aizen stepped into the mansion.
Several guards watched "Tsunayashiro Tokinada" warily.
Even though they'd received prior notice, seeing a man who was supposed to be dead standing before them gave them chills.
Some of them had even seen Tokinada's corpse with their own eyes.
Granted, it had only been half a charred body at the time…
"Lord Tokinada, the clan head awaits you in the main hall," one guard said.
"I told them already—Tsunayashiro Tokinada has returned from Hell," Nanatsuki said softly.
"They must be wondering how he came back to the Three Realms."
"And they probably still don't believe you're really Tokinada. The clan head has already sent someone to fetch the blade. I'll go retrieve it now."
The guards remained oblivious to the conversation between Nanatsuki and Aizen.
Nanatsuki followed the escort toward the main hall.
Aizen slipped off in another direction—he had something to fetch.
Meanwhile, on the rooftop of the main hall…
Kishinosuke and Jirō lay prone above the ceiling beams.
Kishinosuke, a member of the Onmitsukidō, had a spare Reiatsu-cloaking cloak in his Reishi Pocket. He'd lent it to Jirō.
"This cloak's huge…" Jirō grumbled, shifting uncomfortably inside the oversized gear.
"Shut up! If we get caught, it's over," Kishinosuke hissed.
He had a feeling they'd stumbled onto something massive.
Inside the hall, the Tsunayashiro clan head and several leading elders were already present.
In their eyes, Nanatsuki (in disguise) appeared exactly like Tsunayashiro Tokinada—though now he bore chain-like tattoos across his body and a bone-like halo behind his head.
"Tokinada… why did you end up in Hell? And how did you come back?" one elder asked.
They didn't immediately believe him.
Normally, when someone from Soul Society dies, their Reishi returns to the cycle and reincarnates in the World of the Living.
Only those with captain-class Reiatsu can break that rule. Their souls are pulled into Hell instead.
But in their memories, Tokinada never had captain-class power.
He shouldn't have been able to enter Hell to begin with.
"All thanks to the Lord of Hell—he gave me the chance to return."
Nanatsuki smiled lightly.
"The Lord of Hell?!"
The clan head's face stiffened.
As the Tsunayashiro family patriarch, he was familiar with some of the ancient histories of the Soul Society.
His mind raced, quickly filling in the blanks.
"He let you return—but there must've been a price, right?" the clan head asked calmly.
The Lord of Hell wouldn't offer such favors for nothing.
"Naturally. But that's none of your concern. From the looks of it, you don't seem to trust me," Nanatsuki chuckled. "That's fine. You'll have your proof soon enough."
"Of course. If you're not really Tokinada, you won't be able to fool us anyway," the clan head said coldly.
He had already sent someone to retrieve the item that would confirm Tokinada's identity.
At that moment, Aizen Sōsuke returned.
"Lord Tokinada, please confirm your identity."
He handed over a Zanpakutō—none other than the Tsunayashiro family's sacred blade, Enrakyōden.
It was a weapon of immense power.
But it also came with a dreadful curse.
Enrakyōden devoured the soul of its wielder.
Anyone without Tsunayashiro blood would be consumed almost instantly.
Even with Tsunayashiro blood, the process could only be delayed, not stopped.
Because of that, even Tsunayashiro clan members rarely used the blade. The soul damage it inflicted could not be undone—not even by Kaido or healing-type Zanpakutō.
All eyes were on "Tsunayashiro Tokinada" as he drew Enrakyōden.
"Sip from the four seas, the heavenly shores entwine. Equally duplicate ten thousands, and sharpen, Enrakyōden."
He spoke the Zanpakutō's release command.
Everyone in the hall, including the two on the rooftop, watched his expression closely.
Moments passed.
No sign of pain appeared on his face.
"It really is Lord Tokinada!" Aizen exclaimed in shock.
To the others, he appeared to be a clan member sent to retrieve the blade.
In truth, Enrakyōden was still in his possession the entire time.
He had simply read the release command from the Tsunayashiro clan's records the day before.
"You really are Tokinada!" the clan head's expression became conflicted.
He didn't know how to face this man who had seemingly returned from death.
If it had just been a staged escape, he could have understood.
But the current Tokinada… wasn't right.
He might already be under the Lord of Hell's control.
That made him a threat—even to the Tsunayashiro clan itself.
He wasn't ready to lead the family into unknown waters.
"I am Tsunayashiro Tokinada," Nanatsuki said with a soft laugh.
"What have you returned for?" the clan head asked.
"This journey wasn't easy. But I've already achieved what I came here for."
Everyone turned toward the center of the hall.
'Tokinada' ran his hand across Enrakyōden, a faint smile forming on his lips.
"Your goal was Enrakyōden?!"
The clan head's face darkened.
He quickly realized that the true target had been the blade itself.
More precisely—the Lord of Hell must have wanted it.
"Did the Lord of Hell send you to take Enrakyōden?" he demanded. "What does he want it for?"