Yamamoto stood at the head of the room, his authoritative gaze sweeping over the captains who had arrived on time—and also over a certain delinquent student loafing in the corner.
His aged face immediately darkened.
"Just now, Ninth Division's vice-captain, Muguruma Kensei, reported to me an alarming matter."
The moment Yamamoto opened his mouth, he hooked everyone's curiosity. More than a dozen eyes turned toward the old man at the head.
Naraku's heart sank.
Crap—so it is that.
"Three days ago, Ninth Division Captain Takeda Satoru went missing. No clues were found in his barracks or residence. After Onmitsukidō investigation and analysis, it was confirmed he left of his own volition."
At that, strange expressions spread across the captains' faces.
As colleagues, many had dealt with Takeda before and knew him to some extent.
Reliable, steady, calm under pressure—strict with subordinates, but his overall reputation wasn't bad.
Not the strongest captain, but firmly mid-tier among them.
And yet this kind of strong man had been taking loss after loss lately.
First, he was "overthrown" by Naraku despite Naraku being only a seated officer. Then he was ambushed in Seireitei and lost an arm. Now he had vanished completely.
One incident after another—hard not to think.
Had he offended someone he shouldn't have?
More than a few captains glanced toward the boy in the corner, only to find him looking like his mind was wandering in outer space, giving Yamamoto absolutely no face at all.
Yamamoto's expression darkened further.
He knew this probably had nothing to do with that brat—but seeing him act like it was none of his business still made Yamamoto's blood boil.
Come to think of it, the boy hadn't come to First Division for training in days.
After this meeting, Yamamoto would absolutely "teach" him some Genryū core doctrine.
"Whether it's the earlier attack on Captain Takeda, or his disappearance now—both concern the honor of the Gotei 13."
"This must be investigated, no matter what."
"Captain Shihōin."
"Yes!"
Yoruichi stepped forward, chest out, scanning the room—her eyes lingering longest on Naraku.
Their gazes met. She grinned.
She was genuinely grateful to Naraku.
He'd cut through the Shihōin internal struggle quickly, eliminating the elders before they could react.
Then he'd also solved the Maggot's Nest problem at the root.
And since their personalities were similar, Yoruichi enjoyed being around him.
The only thing that puzzled her was that whenever the engagement came up, he always found excuses to dodge it.
Was it like Ōmaeda said—did he want to back out?
Their eye contact didn't escape the other captains. Everyone inevitably remembered the recent major incidents in Seireitei.
From Araki, to Shihōin, to the Yokota estate—within a short time, Naraku had already racked up more noble deaths than any captain present.
What was he, a "noble killer"?
The thought made expressions… complicated.
Other Shinigami earned merit by killing traitors or Hollows invading Soul Society.
This kid?
From start to finish, he killed nobles.
Normally, that was outright treason—something the Central 46 would unite to judge.
Yet no one could find evidence that he had violated Soul Society law.
He was constantly dancing on the edge of the rules, but never stepping fully over the line.
If nothing else, his control of "procedure" was terrifyingly perfect.
"You will be responsible for this investigation. No mistakes."
"Yes, Captain-Commander."
Disappearance investigations were usually Onmitsukidō work. As Second Division captain and Commander-in-Chief of the Onmitsukidō, Yoruichi had no right to refuse.
A captain disappearing was a major matter; she would have to investigate personally.
"In addition, Captain Kyōraku Shunsui of the Eighth Division and Vice-Captain Muguruma Kensei of the Ninth will assist. This must be resolved in the shortest time possible!"
Yamamoto's eyelids lowered, his voice carrying a weight that allowed no refusal.
Kyōraku Shunsui nodded with a helpless look.
As the person who understood Yamamoto best, he could tell at a glance that Yamamoto looked furious—but in reality, it was largely a formality.
Takeda's allegiance to Tsunayashiro might have been a "secret" to others, but Kyōraku had known for a long time as one of Yamamoto's trusted people.
Yamamoto—who hated those who acted lawlessly—had also been displeased with Takeda's behavior.
But since Takeda hadn't technically committed an offense, Yamamoto hadn't made a move.
Thud.
The cane striking the floor snapped everyone back, like a bell at dawn. Captains still in thought looked up at Yamamoto's stern face.
"Any objections?"
The captains all shook their heads.
"Then we proceed to the second item."
"Takeda Satoru's disappearance leaves Ninth Division's captain's seat vacant."
"Each captain bears heavy responsibility. Missing even one increases Seireitei's risk."
"So—do any of you have suitable recommendations?"
The moment those words landed, surprise spread through the room.
Wait—what?
They hadn't even found the truth yet, and they were already fast-forwarding to picking a replacement?
Kyōraku tucked his hands into his sleeves and grinned.
"How about letting Third Seat Naraku try?"
Yamamoto shot him a look, then glanced at the drowsy brat in the corner and snorted.
"Impulsive temperament. Too little seniority. Not fit for such duty!"
"Teacher," Ukitake Jūshirō spoke next, "I believe Ninth Division's vice-captain Muguruma Kensei is steady in conduct and strong in ability. Perhaps he could serve as captain."
Yamamoto's eyes flickered with thought. He looked around.
"Muguruma Kensei does meet captain standards. But his strength must still be verified."
"In that case, we follow procedure: conduct a captain's examination. If he passes, he will assume the Ninth Division captaincy."
"Any objections?"
The captains shook their heads again.
"Then I announce the captain's examination will be held in ten days."
With the major decisions settled, Yamamoto struck his cane hard and declared the meeting adjourned.
As soon as he finished, Naraku walked toward Yoruichi, intending to ask about the investigation process—specifically whether anything from earlier had been exposed.
He hadn't even opened his mouth when a heavy gaze pinned him.
Yamamoto's low voice sounded again:
"Naraku Sora stays."
Naraku: "?"
...
In a freshly prepared dōjō.
Yamamoto's eyelids lowered. His stern gaze settled on Naraku.
The brat looked openly innocent, but for some reason Yamamoto couldn't shake the feeling he was hiding something.
"What is your view on Takeda Satoru's disappearance?"
Naraku froze, then carefully tested the water:
"Good riddance?"
"…?"
Even with preparation, Yamamoto still got irritated by that dog mouth that never produced anything decent.
Yamamoto took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his rising blood pressure, glared at Naraku, and barked:
"Watch your words!"
"Captain Takeda is only missing."
Naraku nodded earnestly.
"Teacher is right."
Yamamoto looked at him oddly, not sure why Naraku was being so obedient today.
"As analyzed before," Yamamoto continued, "Takeda is not reckless. He is meticulous and never acts without certainty."
"So I suspect his disappearance is not accidental. Someone is pushing events from behind."
"If we can find Takeda, it may become a breakthrough point to restrain Tsunayashiro."
Naraku's lips twitched.
You're not taking the man back, but you can take the man apart.
Ever since Takeda had been killed a few days ago, he'd been thoroughly "processed."
Because Aizen wanted to explore Hell's secrets, he'd stripped out the 'gas' inside Takeda and begun studying its nature.
Naraku remembered Aizen's warning and asked:
"By the way, Teacher… have you ever heard of Hell?"
Yamamoto leaned on his cane, brows tight.
After a long silence, he suddenly asked:
"Naraku—do you know the duties of the Five Great Noble Houses?"
Before Naraku could answer, Yamamoto continued.
"The Kuchiki clan's duty is to uphold and enforce Soul Society's laws. They are the model for all Shinigami—best regarded, most respected."
"The Shihōin, whom you're connected to, are known as the 'Defender of the Realm,' inheriting many divine weapons independent of the Zanpakutō system."
"The Shiba inherit secret arts independent of Kidō, and their members are born with exceptional spiritual power, often holding key posts in the Gotei 13."
"Tsunayashiro are the most mysterious of the Five, responsible for managing the Great Archive—keepers of Soul Society's history and intelligence."
"And the last house—the most secretive of all—never participates in power struggles or politics."
"They don't care about noble profit division or even the changing of Gotei 13 personnel."
"They don't even hold a seat in the Central 46."
Yamamoto narrowed his eyes.
"So quiet they don't even feel like one of the Five Great Houses."
"And yet their importance cannot be replaced."
"Because the Kutsumi clan's duty is—"
"To watch Hell."
Naraku's eyes widened with realization.
So among the Five Great Houses, there was one that wasn't obsessed with power at all—and instead devoted itself to watching Hell.
Compared to the others, Kutsumi really was a "clean stream" among nobles.
"All information related to Hell comes from the Kutsumi clan."
"And across long ages, their reports have proven accurate."
Yamamoto paused, then looked curious.
"Why are you asking?"
"Don't tell me you've come into contact with something related to Hell?"
Naraku went silent.
He hesitated over whether to tell the truth.
To be honest, Yamamoto was hot-tempered and had taken him in for somewhat impure reasons at first…
But after spending time together, Naraku realized Yamamoto truly cared about his students.
Whether teaching, or discussing noble secrets, Yamamoto's first concern was always Naraku's safety.
In other words, Yamamoto trusted him almost completely.
Seeing Naraku's expression, Yamamoto's heart sank.
As Captain-Commander, no one understood Hell's danger better than he did.
If this brat was truly entangled with Hell, things would get ugly.
While Yamamoto was thinking, Naraku finally spoke, visibly conflicted:
"Teacher… I have a friend. While on a mission, he accidentally killed an evil man, and the gate to Hell appeared without warning."
"The strange part is… no one else could see the gate. Only he could."
Yamamoto immediately knew who that "friend" was.
"Those who were monstrously evil in life can summon the gate to Hell when their soul dies. Chains emerge, bind them, and drag them into Hell."
"And actually, not just you—other Shinigami in the Gotei 13 have seen the gate appear during missions."
"But…"
Yamamoto frowned.
"The case you described—where only he can see the gate while others see nothing—this is the first I've heard of it."
"When there's time, I'll visit the Kutsumi clan personally and ask about the cause."
Naraku grinned. "Thank you, Teacher."
Yamamoto let out a short chuckle, saying nothing more.
This brat really hadn't betrayed his trust.
To share something this secret—rare, and valuable.
Not like a certain stubborn idiot who carried everything alone and buried pain in his heart.
Seemed mature, but was actually foolish to the extreme.
A stubborn face surfaced in Yamamoto's mind, and regret flickered briefly in his eyes.
"This matter, involving the gate to Hell, is not ordinary."
"Except for me, do not tell anyone else—lest you invite unnecessary calamity."
"Soul Society is in a turbulent season. Be careful. Don't let pride or competitiveness drag you into danger."
That last line was clearly a hint: if something is tough, come to me—don't go solve it alone like an idiot.
Naraku inhaled and nodded seriously.
Seeing that he understood the unspoken meaning, Yamamoto nodded with satisfaction.
"You haven't come to First Division for training in some time. Conveniently, I'm free today—I'll guide you in advanced One Bone techniques."
"And I'll check your progress."
Naraku suddenly remembered the Black Flash he'd just gained from Takeda. The corner of his mouth lifted.
"I actually just grasped a new move recently. I was hoping to ask you about it."
~~~
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