Ch 357 : Heartbeat
Beneath the Solarity Tower, within the Reincarnation Temple.
The grand iron doors slowly creaked open, emitting a deep and heavy sound.
A group of individuals clad in white haori over black kimono, with swords at their waists, emerged from behind the doors.
Leading them was none other than the captain of the 8th Division of the Gotei 13, Kyoraku Shunsui.
A total of eleven figures donned the white haori—excluding the Head-Captain, every single captain of the Gotei 13 had gathered here.
Behind them stood their lieutenants, both men and women.
Welcoming them was Hyuga Hakumen, as Hatake Kakashi was away on a mission.
Beside Hakumen stood Uchiha Shisui.
"By the decree of His Majesty, we welcome our esteemed guests from Soul Society to Konoha," Homon said.
With his usual easygoing demeanor, Kyoraku stepped forward and exchanged pleasantries with Hakumen before proceeding to introduce the captains behind him.
The petite yet cold and proud-looking captain of the 2nd Division, Soi Fon—an individual who was clearly not easy to approach.
The ever-smiling, seemingly harmless yet enigmatic captain of the 3rd Division, Ichimaru Gin.
With neatly braided black hair and a gentle, kind expression, stood the dignified woman—Captain of the 4th Division, Unohana Retsu.
Following her were the previously introduced 5th Division Captain, Aizen Sosuke, and the 6th Division Captain, Kuchiki Byakuya.
Then came the 7th Division Captain, Komamura Sajin; the 9th Division Captain, Tosen Kaname; the 10th Division Captain, Hitsugaya Toshirō; the 11th Division Captain, Zaraki Kenpachi; and the 12th Division Captain, Kurotsuchi Mayuri.
As for the lieutenants, Kyoraku did not introduce them, but among them was Kuchiki Rukia.
Though she was only a seated officer, she had been the first to arrive and discover this place, so she had been brought along as well.
After the formal introductions, a sudden beam of light shot forth from the direction of the Solarity Tower, enveloping everyone.
"This is the Transfer Light. Please do not be alarmed or resist," Hyuga Hakumen explained.
The next moment, before they could react, their vision blurred.
When they regained their senses, they found themselves inside a room.
This method of instantly transporting so many people at once left all the Shinigami stunned.
They couldn't help but reevaluate their understanding of these ninja and their abilities.
Even those who had previously harbored disdain now withdrew their arrogance.
One side of the room had only a railing, allowing the Shinigami to see outside—a massive circular arena.
Surrounding it were tiered spectator seats arranged in a ring, now completely packed with people.
Above, numerous private viewing rooms overlooked the event, offering prime spots for VIP guests.
They were in one of these exclusive rooms.
Suspended in the air at the center of the arena were three giant screens, forming a cone shape that faced the audience.
A countdown timer displayed on them, showing only a few minutes remaining.
"The final round of the Martial Tournament is about to begin. I won't disturb you further. If you need anything, simply summon the attendants at the door. Once the tournament concludes, you will have an audience with His Majesty," Hakumen informed them.
Inside the room, luxurious individual seats were arranged, and the tables were already set with tea, fruits, exquisite delicacies, and even a well-stocked liquor cabinet.
The sight of these refreshments immediately tempted several people.
A small pink-haired girl eagerly grabbed a packaged fruit from the table, unwrapped it, and took a bite.
Her face lit up with joy as she exclaimed, "Ken-chan, this is really delicious!"
Kenpachi cast a glance over. "If it's good, eat as much as you want."
Then, he turned his gaze back toward the arena below, impatiently wondering when the fighting would begin.
A man with a topknot, a broad face, and a sturdy, muscular build also reached out for some food, only to be met with a fierce glare from his captain, immediately withdrawing his hand.
Meanwhile, a voluptuous woman with long, wavy orange hair eyed the liquor greedily.
Her ample chest was impossible to ignore—likely on par with Samui's in sheer presence.
Kyoraku chuckled warmly. "Everyone, just sit and relax. The old man isn't here, after all. We're here to watch a tournament and unwind—no need to be so restrained."
With his words, the atmosphere in the room eased considerably.
The captains maintained their composure, refraining from any excessive indulgence, while the vice-captains eagerly began sampling the exquisite delicacies laid out before them.
Rukia sat properly in front of her elder brother, maintaining a disciplined posture, while Renji, unable to resist the allure of the delicious food, joined the other vice-captains.
He couldn't help but think it was a pity that Ikkaku and Yumichika weren't here.
"If you want to eat, go ahead." Byakuya sipped his tea with elegant composure, speaking to Rukia in a calm tone.
Kyoraku reached for a bottle from the liquor cabinet, only to be stopped by his vice-captain, Ise Nanao. "You still have to meet the Emperor of the living world later. You are not allowed to drink."
Hearing this, the tenth division captain, Hitsugaya Toshiro, also issued the same prohibition to his orange-haired, well-endowed vice-captain, Matsumoto Rangiku.
Both women looked utterly dejected.
Just then, the arena outside suddenly erupted in thunderous cheers, soaring into the sky.
Everyone turned their attention outward, only to see a young and handsome man appearing on the giant screen.
He was dressed in a luxurious black formal suit, seated with an air of composed authority.
Some in the arena below couldn't help but kneel in reverence, while others stood and cheered loudly.
"Is this the emperor of the living world?" Unohana Retsu asked with a gentle smile.
"The people of this world only have a lifespan of about a hundred years, right? This emperor is truly young," she continued.
"Compared to us, he is indeed very young," Kyoraku nodded in agreement.
"To be precise, he is the emperor of the empire. The entire living world is not under his rule," Aizen Sousuke remarked, his glasses reflecting a subtle gleam as he gazed at the man on the screen.
"Recently, there have been many souls appearing in the seas."
Hitsugaya added, "The reports say that he founded the Sun Empire and unified the world. He shouldn't be underestimated."
Kyoraku sighed, "As long as he's not an enemy, it's fine."
Currently, the Soul Society and the Sun Empire had reached a peace agreement—an arrangement that the Seireitei deemed the fastest way to establish their foothold in this world.
But what the future held, no one could say for certain.
A treaty on paper only held weight as long as both sides upheld it.
This emperor of the living world—when he reached the end of his hundred-year lifespan, his soul would inevitably enter the Soul Society.
What kind of situation would arise then?
"This emperor is actually quite good-looking," Rangiku remarked while munching on some food.
"He is rather handsome," Kotetsu Isane, a nearly 1.9-meter-tall silver-haired beauty, instinctively agreed.
Hinamori Momo glanced at the image of Hyuga Makoto on the screen, then at her own captain, Aizen Sosuke, silently making comparisons in her heart.
This guy is only slightly good-looking… He's nowhere near as handsome as Captain Aizen!
Meanwhile, many others in the arena, seeing the emperor for the first time, were forming their own impressions.
Among them was Mei, standing among the tournament participants.
She had heard many rumors about him, but now that she was seeing the emperor of the empire—the man standing at the very pinnacle of the world—for the first time, her heart couldn't help but skip a beat.
Young, handsome, and undoubtedly powerful.
Most importantly, he was the same age as her!
Even if it was just a brief glimpse, she had to admit—she was a little bit smitten.
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