The anomaly in the Noble District quickly reached Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni.
The Noble District was one of the central zones of the Seireitei, so the sudden appearance of the Gate of Hell here immediately triggered an emergency alert.
The entire Gotei 13 sprang into action.
Within ten minutes, the captains and lieutenants of each division had arrived in front of the Tsunayashiro family estate with their squads.
The Tsunayashiro manor was shrouded in dense black-red Hell Reishi.
Even faint flames could be seen glowing within.
"What intense Hell aura! The Hell Reishi here is so dense it's visible to the naked eye!" Kyōraku Shunsui exclaimed.
Everyone could sense there was no longer any Reiatsu activity within the estate, so they didn't rush in.
Genhara, vice-captain of the 5th Division, was confirming the intel with Obana Jirō and Ōmaeda Kishinosuke.
Some of the servants who had escaped from the estate were also reporting to the 5th Division Shinigami.
Hikifune Kirio and Urahara Kisuke were using spiritual measuring devices to analyze the dispersed Hell Reishi.
"We really saw Tsunayashiro Tokinada!" Ōmaeda Kishinosuke insisted, confident in what he saw — and he wasn't the only one.
"But Tokinada died some time ago… Only Captain-class beings go to Hell after death!" Genhara frowned.
The Nobutsuna Shigyō incident from years ago had already revealed some information about Hell to captains and vice-captains.
It was now confirmed that Shinigami above a certain threshold wouldn't reincarnate in the World of the Living, but instead be reborn in Hell.
But Tsunayashiro Tokinada was, at most, vice-captain level. Under normal circumstances, he didn't meet the criteria for rebirth in Hell.
"Maybe… it was the Lord of Hell's doing?" Ōmaeda Kishinosuke offered, recalling something he had overheard.
"I remember Tokinada saying it was the Lord of Hell who gave him a chance to return."
"The Lord of Hell... you mean that legendary Will of Hell?" Genhara's expression darkened.
"That persistent bastard…" Kyōraku Shunsui muttered grimly. "You're sure you saw Tsunayashiro Tokinada leave through the Gate of Hell?"
"Yes, we were watching from that building. It was very close."
The two nodded.
"Even the servants who escaped saw him enter the Gate," added Shihoin Yoruichi.
"I already asked them and nearby witnesses to verify the reports."
She had been the first to arrive and had immediately begun confirming testimonies.
"He actually managed to open a Gate of Hell within the Seireitei…" Ukitake Jūshirō's expression turned grave.
This was very bad news for the Soul Society.
The Seireitei had stable space-time — if Tokinada could open the Gate here, it meant he could open one anywhere in Soul Society.
"The last time the Gate of Hell was opened in Rukongai, it required sacrificing sinful souls who had illegally entered the Soul Society…" Unohana Retsu recalled.
"But this time, what method did he use…?"
"From what I've gathered, the gate didn't open fully," Yoruichi added.
"Tsunayashiro Tokinada probably can't open the Gate freely yet. Otherwise, Hell's forces would've already invaded Soul Society," Ukitake theorized.
Based on the Nobutsuna Shigyō case, it was likely that the Will of Hell had been observing the souls of Soul Society.
"He didn't cause destruction elsewhere in the Noble District… That means he had a very specific goal," Kyōraku reasoned.
According to Kishinosuke and Obana's intel, Tokinada had taken the Enrakyōden, the ancestral Zanpakutō of the Tsunayashiro clan, saying that was the reason for his return.
"Enrakyōden?" Kyōraku's pupils contracted. He suddenly turned toward Ukitake Jūshirō.
He found Ukitake already looking back at him.
From Ukitake's eyes, he saw the same realization.
"The Soul King is their target?!" they exclaimed simultaneously.
As captains, they already knew certain ancient secrets — especially Ukitake, who carried part of the Soul King within him.
They quickly deduced Tokinada's motive for stealing Enrakyōden.
That blade had been passed down since the time of the Tsunayashiro ancestors — the ones who had helped dismember the Soul King.
It was a blade tainted by divine blood.
The Will of Hell, through Tokinada, might very well intend to use it for something related to the Soul King.
"The Will of Hell got its hands on Enrakyōden through Tokinada?" Yamamoto's face turned grim as he looked to the sky.
"Could it be… they're trying to destroy that thing…?"
He suspected they might be planning to destroy the Three Realms Pact.
If that were broken, Soul Society, the World of the Living, and Hueco Mundo would all collapse.
At that point, the Lord of Hell could harvest the souls and Reishi from all three realms.
"Tch..." Yoruichi sucked in a breath. "Are they really planning something that massive? The Will of Hell is truly the greatest threat to the three realms!"
She played along enthusiastically.
After receiving Kishinosuke's message, she had also received a transmission from a shadow.
Her teacher had instructed her to quickly gather people, verify testimonies from the servants and witnesses nearby.
Yoruichi had already known this was her teacher's trap — a scheme to eliminate the Tsunayashiro threat.
Though she didn't understand how he pulled it off, she was thrilled that he had trusted her with the secret.
Now, she was doing her best to steer everyone's suspicions toward the Will of Hell.
"Captain, the average Hell Reishi density here is 98.5. In the core area, it's even as high as 128.2. There's barely any normal Reishi left inside," Urahara Kisuke reported, operating his detector.
"Based on previous samples, Hell Reishi density reaches around 51.6 when a Gate of Hell opens in the World of the Living. This place is almost double that!"
"The concentration is so high it's already harming spiritual bodies. No Shinigami below vice-captain level should enter," Hikifune Kirio warned.
"Captain-Commander Yamamoto, this Hell Reishi won't dissipate on its own anytime soon. I recommend summoning the Kidō Corps to purify it."
"Chōjirō, notify the Kidō Corps. Have them come cleanse this area."
"Yes, sir!"
Sasakibe Chōjirō responded and vanished with Shunpo.
"All division captains and vice-captains, follow me inside. Everyone else, remain on standby!"
The officers followed him into the manor.
Upon reaching the central area, they felt the full weight of the Hell Reishi.
They were struck by a strange suffocation — not physical, but a spiritual disconnect from ambient Reishi.
In the air floated visible black Hell Miasma.
This was the substance responsible for turning ambient Reishi into Hell Reishi.
Unohana Retsu reached out and touched it.
Zzzz! Her fingertip hissed, as if it had touched hot oil.
"Do not touch the Hell Miasma in the air. It drains Reishi from spiritual bodies," she warned.
"This is too dense… We can't even form proper footholds with Reishi. Is Hell like this too?"
Kyōraku Shunsui gave up any thought of chasing Tokinada into Hell.
This kind of environment might empower Hell's inhabitants, but for Shinigami, it was toxic — like the powers of Hollows, it clashed with their essence.
If Hell was truly like this, Shinigami would be at a huge disadvantage.
"He really used Ryūjin Jakka's power! Enrakyōden can even copy old man Yamamoto's Zanpakutō?!"
Kyōraku's eyes narrowed.
The scorch marks and sword gouges around the estate were unmistakable signs of a fire-type Zanpakutō.
"Hmph."
Yamamoto scowled.
Using his Ryūjin Jakka like some child's toy — how dare they!
The blocking flames parted on their own like curtains, revealing a charred corridor.
Following the path, they arrived at the council hall.
According to Obana Jirō and Kishinosuke's reports, this was where Tokinada had taken Enrakyōden and slaughtered the clan.
Inside the hall, they found charred corpses.
Though burned to ash, the blade wounds were still recognizable.
"All slain with blades and flames… So many killed without even using Kidō. Tokinada's strength has grown tremendously.
Is it the power of Enrakyōden… or something the Lord of Hell granted him?" Kyōraku murmured.
He knew Tokinada well — the man had never been this powerful.
"Could be both… I heard Enrakyōden exacts a cost when used. But in Hell, where one can resurrect, Tokinada can use it recklessly!" Yoruichi analyzed seriously.
Urahara Kisuke continued scanning with his device.
After a while, he sighed.
"Captain, the Reishi here has all turned into Hell Reishi. We can't even match it to our database anymore."
"No need to compare. With this much Hell Reishi, our equipment can't even identify the bodies — but based on the witnesses, these are clearly Tsunayashiro clan members," said Hikifune Kirio.
This area was the most saturated with Hell Miasma. Even the Reishi in the corpses had been corrupted.
There was no way to confirm their identities through normal spiritual comparison.
"There are no living Tsunayashiro left… Captain-Commander Yamamoto, how should we handle this?"
Ukitake Jūshirō was concerned about what came next.
Such an event in the Noble District would certainly lead to pressure from the Central 46 and the other noble houses.
Even if it was unforeseen, the fall of one of the Five Great Noble Houses would demand accountability.
"I will take full responsibility."
Suddenly, Kuchiki Ginrei, who had remained silent until now, spoke up.
"Father!" Kuchiki Sōjun exclaimed in shock.
This had clearly been an accident. Why was his father volunteering to take the blame?
"The Noble District is under the 6th Division's jurisdiction. Since this happened here, the 6th Division cannot escape responsibility.
I shall bear it alone."
Ginrei had his reasons.
He had already been planning to step aside for Sōjun — and it was better for him to carry the burden than the others.
This way, the 6th Division would remember the Kuchiki clan's honor, and Sōjun's future succession would go more smoothly.
Sōjun was still young and new to the division, with little reputation.
Leading a division required more than skill — it required respect.
By taking the fall, Ginrei hoped to win support for his son.
Those who knew Ginrei quickly understood his motives.
'Clever old fox… Using even this to his advantage,' Kyōraku thought privately.
"Father, you can't shoulder this alone!" Sōjun protested. "I'm the vice-captain of the 6th Division — I share responsibility too!"
But Sōjun hadn't yet realized the nuance.
"Say no more. This is a captain's duty. Sōjun, remember this — as a captain, you must bear the burden for your men!"
Ginrei quickly silenced him.
With Nanatsuki and Aizen's machinations — and Shihoin Yoruichi's guidance —
everyone was now fully convinced that Tsunayashiro Tokinada was behind the massacre.
Soon after, the Grand Kidō Chief arrived with the Kidō Corps.
Even he was astonished by the density of Hell Reishi — he'd never seen anything like it.
"This is too dense to dissipate. We'll have to seal it," he said.
"Do you really have to seal it all? Can't I keep a little?" Urahara Kisuke pleaded, eager to study the Hell Reishi and Miasma.
"We'll start the sealing ritual in thirty minutes. Collect what you can before then," the Grand Kidō Chief said.
Kisuke immediately fetched his containers. Like Katori Nanatsuki, he had the idea of using Sakkise to store Hell Miasma.
Half an hour later, the Kidō Corps began their sealing ritual to contain the Hell Reishi and Hell Miasma.