Chapter 52: Super strong panel, hope of destroying the holy body

Chapter 52: Super strong panel, hope of destroying the holy body

Uehara Shiroha raised an eyebrow. "Didn't the drug you just used to trap the Hollows also target me?"

He had been on guard from the very beginning.

Working with a madman like Kurotsuchi Mayuri was akin to dancing with death—one misstep, and he would find himself strapped to a laboratory table, dissected like an experiment waiting to happen.

But Uehara Shiroha was far from defenseless.

Mayuri's arsenal of highly specialized and inescapable poisons was terrifying, but against the power of the Horse Talisman, they were nothing more than cheap tricks.

Mayuri's face darkened, his expression twisted with irritation. "A mere third seat officer dares speak to a captain like this?"

With his temperament, he would have gladly turned Uehara Shiroha into an experiment, just to study what made him tick.

But something gnawed at him.

The drug he had carefully formulated—one that should have immobilized anything within its radius—had done nothing to Uehara Shiroha.

To Mayuri, that was unacceptable.

It was an insult to his genius.

Uehara Shiroha smirked, completely unfazed. "I wouldn't mind testing the strength of the 12th Division Captain. Oh, but I should say… 'acting captain,' shouldn't I?"

His words were sharp, his tone casual, but the mockery was unmistakable.

After all, in the original timeline, the first Shinigami to reveal his Bankai was none other than Kurotsuchi Mayuri.

And what happened next?

He was utterly annihilated by a fresh-out-of-the-Novice-Village Ishida Uryū.

If that was the level of power Mayuri could bring, then honestly—what was there to fear?

Mayuri's face twisted further, his long, painted nails tapping irritably against his forearm.

"Tch. You sure know how to talk big," he muttered, but he didn't pursue the matter further.

Instead, he turned his attention back to the frozen Hollows in front of him, beginning his work without another word.

For all his madness, Mayuri was at least a man of business—he would do what he was paid for.

And more than that…

Despite his annoyance, he wasn't willing to cut ties with Uehara Shiroha just yet.

Because if there was one thing Mayuri valued more than anything—it was opportunity.

And Hueco Mundo, the desolate wasteland that most nobles and captains ignored, was overflowing with valuable resources.

No one had seen it.

No one had exploited it.

Until now.

And Mayuri had no intention of letting this chance slip away.

Night had fallen.

Inside the grand estate of the Tsunayashiro family, a tense silence hung in the air.

At the center of the room, Tsunayashiro Tokikawa, a man exuding majesty and arrogance, sat with an expression of cold suspicion.

His eyes locked onto the masked intruder standing before him.

"How did you get past the Sekkiseki Barrier?"

The Sekkiseki was not only one of the hardest substances in Soul Society—it emitted invisible waves that formed a spiritual power-blocking barrier.

It was the very foundation of the Soul Society's protective membranes.

As the head of the Tsunayashiro family, one of the Five Great Noble Houses, Tokikawa prided himself on absolute security.

And yet—

This masked man had walked in unopposed.

Behind him, his elite guards lay motionless, their bodies sprawled across the floor like discarded dolls.

The intruder stood tall, his presence unshaken.

A tiger-striped mask, reminiscent of an Obito-style visage, concealed his face.

Then, with a voice that carried neither hostility nor urgency, he spoke.

"Head of the Tsunayashiro family, rest assured. I am not here to assassinate you."

His words were calm, his tone measured.

"I am merely here as an envoy… to negotiate peace."

Tokikawa's sharp eyes narrowed.

His mind instantly recalled an incident from not long ago—a clan member, one of his own blood, had died under mysterious circumstances.

And now, a masked intruder dares to speak of peace?

"Shihōin…" he muttered, suspicion lacing his tone.

The Shihōin family, another of the Five Great Noble Houses.

"Are you with them?" Tokikawa scoffed, his lips curling in disdain.

"You killed one of my people and still have the audacity to appear before me?"

His voice hardened.

"Our Tsunayashiro family is the leader of the Five Great Noble Houses. We represent the very history of Soul Society."

The masked man let out a low chuckle.

"If that's what you believe… then sure," he said, his voice laced with indifference.

"However, internal strife among ancient noble houses is nothing but a joke to outsiders. If you continue this pointless power struggle, others will laugh at you."

He took a step closer, his presence unwavering.

"So why not change the game? Why not… work together?"

Tokikawa's eyes flickered with something dangerous.

The masked man continued.

"You and the Shihōin family—two of the oldest noble houses. Why not cooperate? Instead of fighting amongst yourselves, why not eliminate the lesser families and take their seats in the Central 46?"

A beat of silence.

"In the end," the masked man said smoothly, "those who contribute the most will take the biggest prize."

Tokikawa's expression remained impassive, but his thoughts raced.

This man… His words were insidious—dripping with manipulation, temptation, and a hint of undeniable logic. It was a gamble.

And yet…

There were too many nobles in Soul Society.

Far too many.

All of them corrupt parasites, basking in their titles while contributing nothing.

Perhaps—perhaps there was merit in this proposal.

Tokikawa let out a short, arrogant chuckle.

"The Central 46 are nothing but a bureaucratic tool for managing the Gotei 13," he sneered.

"What would I possibly gain from a seat in that cesspool?"

Whether it is the Shinigami or those small and medium nobles, the Tsunayashiro family will not take them seriously.

Uehara Shiroha let out a light chuckle. "Really? If the Tsunayashiro family truly didn't care, then why did they allow their family members to join the Gotei 13? Why did they actively absorb female Shinigami from Rukongai?"

The original Gotei 13 had never included any members of the Tsunayashiro family.

But as the years passed and the military strength of the Gotei 13 grew, the Tsunayashiro family had no choice but to start making their moves.

Otherwise, these so-called nobles of pure blood would have never allowed Tsunayashiro Tokinada to enter the Shin'ō Academy and cooperate in experiments that blended noble lineage with commoner bloodlines.

And what had those experiments led to?

Kakyō, a lesser noble from Rukongai, marrying Tsunayashiro Tokinada.

Tokinada murdering his wife in cold blood.

Tōsen Kaname losing his dearest friend and spiraling into hatred.

The consequences had rippled throughout Soul Society.

Tsunayashiro Tokikawa's expression twisted, his pride visibly wounded. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain composed.

He was the head of the Tsunayashiro family, one of the Five Great Noble Houses—he refused to lose his composure before a nobody.

Sensing his reaction, Uehara Shiroha shifted the topic with an air of casual dominance.

"Right now, the Jigoku family is busy guarding Hell, the Shiba family is in self-exile, and the Kuchiki family is too focused on maintaining their grip on the Sixth Division.

As for the Shihōin family… they have no interest in political struggles.

But me? I'm giving you a golden opportunity.

If you, as the head of the Tsunayashiro family, fail to seize this moment, then you would be nothing more than a disgrace to your ancestors."

Tokikawa's eyes darkened, his fingers tightening around the ornate armrest of his chair.

The Tsunayashiro family had always been filled with ambition—willing to do anything to achieve absolute power.

And now, Uehara Shiroha was handing them the perfect excuse to act on that ambition.

To men like Tokikawa, a world of chaos was not a threat—it was an opportunity.

After a brief moment of deliberation, Tokikawa nodded in agreement.

But Uehara Shiroha wasn't fooled.

He could see it clearly—Tokikawa's agreement was superficial. His true intentions were hidden behind layers of calculated schemes.

But it didn't matter.

Because once the train started moving, it couldn't be stopped.

And it would only travel along the tracks that had already been laid.

After wrapping up his deal with Tokikawa, Uehara Shiroha moved on to his next target—Shihōin Yoruichi.

Convincing her was… simple.

After a pleasant "hair wash" session, the former Captain of the Second Division was successfully fooled.

Armed with the Shihōin family token she provided, Uehara Shiroha quickly sought out Shihōin Yūshirō—the timid and hesitant heir of the family.

And unlike his cunning elder sister, Yūshirō was far too naive.

With just a few well-placed words of encouragement, he eagerly placed his trust in Uehara Shiroha.

Just like that—the groundwork was set.

Everything was falling into place.

Late Night – The Secret Base Beneath Sōkyoku Hill

Steam rose lazily from the hot springs, curling into the cool night air.

Sitting in the warm water, Uehara Shiroha sighed in satisfaction.

Behind him, Shihōin Yoruichi, her signature cat-ear earrings glinting under the light, was rubbing his back with a disgruntled expression.

Her golden eyes burned with frustration, and after a long silence, she finally snapped.

"Alright, enough of this," she growled. "Now tell me—why the hell did you support the Tsunayashiro family in seizing seats in the Central 46?!"

She had fallen for his smooth talk earlier.

But the more she thought about it, the more ridiculous it seemed.

Now, she wanted answers.

Uehara Shiroha barely spared her a glance, leaning back comfortably.

Instead of answering immediately, he clicked his tongue and muttered,

"Hmm… your service attitude could use some improvement."

Yoruichi's eyebrow twitched dangerously.

Ignoring the rising killing intent behind him, Uehara Shiroha finally spoke.

"You lack a sense of the bigger picture," he stated bluntly.

She crossed her arms. "Oh? And enlighten me, then."

"The Tsunayashiro family's dominance is inevitable.

It doesn't matter whether they hold fifteen seats or thirty in the Central 46.

Even if you ally with the Kuchiki family, you'll never truly stop the Tsunayashiro family from making moves in the shadows."

He smirked.

"So instead of fighting a losing battle, why not give up some power voluntarily? Let them target the middle and lower nobles. Let them sacrifice themselves as pawns. And use the opportunity to gather a group of capable allies for yourself."

He turned slightly, shooting Yoruichi a pointed look.

"Wouldn't that be a much smarter approach than your current turtle strategy?"

Silence.

"Understand?" he added. "If you do, then—applause!"

Yoruichi deadpanned, resisting the urge to punch him in the face.

She knew this guy never did anything without personal gain.

And yet…

"Really?" she muttered skeptically. "You expect me to believe you're doing this for us?"

She had known Uehara Shiroha for long enough.

He was a bastard through and through—one who never acted without some deeper scheme in play.

She could smell the trap, but she just couldn't see where it was yet.

Uehara Shiroha let out a chuckle, clearly entertained by her suspicions.

"Relax," he said, voice filled with mock reassurance.

"I have zero intention of working with either the Tsunayashiro family or Aizen. One of them is bold enough to stab the Soul King in the back. The other is too smart to be easily manipulated."

He shrugged.

"You're already on my ship, Yoruichi. Even if you realize the dangers, it's too late to jump off now."

Yoruichi scowled. "Then I should really thank you, huh?"

She could read between the lines—he was calling her an idiot for falling into his scheme so easily.

But at this point…

She had no choice but to keep moving forward.

Whether she liked it or not, the Shihōin family was now tied to him.

And somewhere, deep down, she couldn't help but wonder—

Had this been his plan all along?

Uehara Shiroha, on the other hand, paid no mind to her growing realization.

He simply leaned back, eyes closing in satisfaction.

The chessboard was set.

Now, he just had to watch the pieces move.

All that was left for Uehara Shiroha was to develop silently—to build his foundation in the shadows while the world moved as he had foreseen.

And sure enough, everything unfolded exactly as expected.

The noble infighting intensified.

The Tsunayashiro family, once cautious, began taking the initiative, moving to eliminate dissidents and competing for more seats in the Central 46.

With the Shihōin family weakened, the Kuchiki family could no longer stand alone. They were forced to watch as the Tsunayashiro family's influence expanded unchecked.

And then, as if their arrogance knew no bounds, the Tsunayashiro family began slaughtering Fullbringers in the human world, seeking Soul King fragments to augment their power.

To cover their tracks, they framed Ginjo Kūgo, an innocent Substitute Shinigami, for the massacre.

At the same time, Tsunayashiro Tokinada, who had been under house arrest, started making his own moves, secretly gathering forces from the shadows.

Throughout all of this, Uehara Shiroha moved between both sides, using two different identities to play them against each other.

Openly and secretly, he extracted the greatest benefits from the upper and lower houses, accumulating resources without revealing his true intentions.

At the same time that Aizen had taken control of Hueco Mundo's Inner Circle, Uehara Shiroha had built something of his own—

A "Court Army" outside of Hueco Mundo.

It was an independent, semi-autonomous armed force, powerful enough to operate outside the restrictions of Seireitei.

And naturally, Uehara Shiroha was its first-ever Commander-in-Chief.

With the support of Kyoraku Shunsui's connections and the favor of Captain-Commander Yamamoto, he secured absolute control over both the Hueco Mundo Base and the Court Army.

But to him, these were just stepping stones.

Everything he did was for one reason only—

To enjoy life while growing stronger in the shadows.

After all, in the world of Bleach, fame and political power were nothing more than illusions.

Only strength mattered.

And Uehara Shiroha had not forgotten—

Aizen's Espada were nearly complete.

The Squad Zero monks were secretly making their moves.

The Wandenreich had been silently gathering its army in the shadows.

So while he indulged in pleasure, he never stopped growing stronger.

Fifty years passed in the blink of an eye.

Inside the luxurious private chamber of the Commander-in-Chief of the Court Army, Uehara Shiroha leaned back, swirling a glass of premium sake in his hand.

Suddenly, a familiar system prompt rang in his mind.

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing Special Mission (12) – Awakening the True Name of Zanpakutō, developing the Second-Stage Bankai, and being rewarded with the Mind Gem (SR-Level Item)!]

Uehara Shiroha's eyes widened in surprise.

After years of mediocre rewards, his luck had finally turned.

Though it wasn't an SR-tier ability, it was still his first SR-level item reward.

Without hesitation, he activated Universal Barrier, enveloping his entire body in a protective field, ensuring that no one could spy on his actions.

Then, he raised his right hand.

An oval-shaped yellow gem materialized in his palm.

[Mind Gem]

Level: SR

Type: Infinity Gem

Ability: Grants the user the power to read, dominate, invade, modify, and create all mental consciousness, while also enhancing one's own mental power.

Introduction:

One of the six Infinity Stones, among the most ancient and powerful treasures in the Marvel Universe.

Obtained as a reward for completing Special Mission 12 – Zanpakutō True Name Awakening & Second-Stage Bankai Development.

Warning: Please do not target individuals with "Hearts of Steel."

A faint, mystical yellow light radiated from the pigeon-egg-sized gem, exuding a presence that felt both boundless and oppressive.

This tiny stone—

A single universe-level treasure.

Uehara Shiroha let out a low chuckle.

Then, with extreme caution, he stored the Mind Gem inside a fractured space, keeping it completely hidden from outside detection.

Feeling satisfied, Uehara Shiroha opened his character panel to take a better look at his progress.

[Character Panel]

Name: Uehara Shiroha

Position: Third Seat of the First Division, Commander-in-Chief of the Court Army

Spiritual Pressure: Second-Class Spiritual Power

Zanpakutō: Shunkyō [Fleeting Void]

Combat Abilities:

Zanjutsu: Advanced Captain Level

Hakuda: Advanced Captain Level

Kidō: Thousand-Year Captain Level

Shunpo: Thousand-Year Captain Level

[Abilities]

Shadow Clone Technique (B-Rank, Perfect)

Stand – White Album (S-Rank, Perfect)

Breathing Technique – Sun Breathing (B-Rank, Perfect)

Angel Power – Universal Barrier (S-Rank, Perfect)

Magic – Seven Flashes (A-Rank, Great Success)

[Items]

Disguise Glasses (B-Rank, Kryptonian Creation)

Death Gloves (A-Rank, Extraordinary Creation)

Horse Talisman (A-Rank, Magical Creation)

Three-Dimensional Maneuvering Device (D-Rank, Technological Creation)

Black Battle Suit (B-Rank, Technological Creation)

Mind Gem (SR, Infinity Gem)

Looking at the character panel, Uehara Shiroha's lips curled into a smirk.

This… this was true invincibility.

With his current arsenal—a stacked panel full of top-tier abilities—he could easily rival Aizen himself.

And now…

He could finally do whatever he wanted.

Fifty years of patience—eating, drinking, enjoying life, all while steadily grinding tasks—had paid off.

In the world of Bleach, true power was divided into several tiers:

Captain-Level – The standard for any Gotei 13 Captain. (Example: Kensei Muguruma)

Senior Captain-Level – Captains who had hundreds of years of experience but lacked the talent to go further. (Example: Byakuya Kuchiki, Chojiro Sasakibe)

Thousand-Year Captain-Level – The absolute limit of a Shinigami's potential. Generally required a thousand years of accumulation to reach.

Transcendent-Level – Those who surpassed the Shinigami race itself. (Example: Aizen after merging with the Hōgyoku)

Pseudo-Spirit King-Level – Those who approached the realm of gods. (Example: Squad Zero Monks)

Spirit King-Level – The true peak, occupied only by the Soul King himself.

With the perfect proficiency of White Album, Uehara Shiroha had firmly reached the Senior Captain Level—

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