Chapter 101: Who Is Behind This?

An elder in charge of the situation immediately replied with contempt in his voice, "It must be that troublemaker Tsunayashiro Tokinada. The child has chosen a disobedient chess piece. Although he claimed everything was under control, the situation is obviously deteriorating rapidly."

Another elder added disdainfully, his wrinkled face contorting with disgust, "It is truly outrageous for a mere Court Army to attempt to take over the defense of our noble Tsunayashiro family. I have said before that we should not be too polite to those beneath us. Otherwise, they will forget their place and fail to distinguish between master and servant."

Tsunayashiro Tokikawa nodded sagely, his silver hair catching the light as he spoke with the authority befitting the head of one of Soul Society's greatest noble houses. "Whether it is Tsunayashiro Tokinada or Uehara Shiroha, they are merely minor inconveniences. Since they refuse to show proper obedience, we shall teach them a lesson." His eyes narrowed dangerously. "Especially this damn Shiroha—he must be disciplined severely. To covet the power of the Tsunayashiro family... he is truly courting death!"

"Hehe, you are right about one thing—someone is indeed courting death. Unfortunately for you, it's not Uehara."

With a shallow, mocking laugh, Tsunayashiro Tokinada suddenly appeared in the grand hall, materializing as if from thin air. In his hand, he held a weapon that exuded strange, pulsating power—an ancient artifact that seemed to bend the very spiritual energy around it.

An elder slammed his fist against the ornate table, the sound echoing through the chamber as he shouted, "Tsunayashiro Tokinada, you are not qualified to attend this meeting! Who allowed you in? Get out at once!"

None of them harbored any positive feelings toward Tokinada. The man had consistently refused to cooperate with their plans, and his numerous crimes had been exposed, bringing nothing but shame to the family name. Now he was collaborating with outsiders to seize power within the Tsunayashiro family—a disgrace beyond measure!

"The Enrakyōten?! Where did you obtain our family artifact?" When Tokikawa saw the weapon in Tokinada's hand, his pupils contracted in shock and his voice turned grave. "So it's all true. You really do harbor ambitions beyond your limit. You are nothing but a traitor! You deserve to die!"

Tokikawa had long suspected that the Enrakyōten had fallen into the hands of the elusive Otsutsuki Naruto. Only someone with such unpredictable abilities could have stolen their family artifact without detection. Yet now the sacred weapon appeared in Tokinada's possession, which could only mean one thing—Tokinada had likely allied himself with that dangerous outsider. Colluding with strangers to obtain the family artifact... had Tokinada truly lost his mind?

"I may deserve to die," Tokinada conceded with a casual shrug, his eyes gleaming with malicious intent, "but before I do, I'll send you and the entire Tsunayashiro family to the afterlife first."

With a casual wave of his hand, a group of black-clad shadows rushed into the hall. The assassins moved with deadly precision, slashing through the unprepared elders as screams erupted throughout the chamber.

At the same time, Uehara Shiroha approached the heavily guarded and extraordinarily luxurious Tsunayashiro mansion with surprising ease. For him, the residences of the four noble families held no secrets—coming here was like returning to his own home.

Yet this time, as soon as he crossed the threshold, the unmistakable metallic scent of blood filled his nostrils. The guards who should have been vigilantly patrolling the perimeter had all fallen, their bodies sprawled lifelessly across the ground. Even the elite sentries hidden in the shadows had been dispatched with efficiency—they hadn't even had time to sound an alarm.

Whoever the attackers were, they clearly possessed intimate knowledge of the estate's defensive arrangements.

Uehara glanced at the spiritual barrier surrounding the mansion. Through his perception of reishi, he detected obvious damage in the protective field. Although this barrier would have posed no challenge to someone of his caliber, it was still formidable by most standards. The Tsunayashiro family's ancient legacy had allowed them to establish defenses that even Uehara considered respectable—high praise coming from someone of his abilities.

Such protections would have deterred most intruders. Furthermore, stone barriers were strategically placed throughout the mansion's grounds—even captain-level Shinigami would struggle to overcome them quickly.

But now, with the main barrier compromised, the mansion stood virtually defenseless. As expected, Uehara mused, even the most vigilant guards cannot prevent betrayal from within.

He clearly heard bursts of agonized screams emanating from deep within the mansion. He knew immediately that Tsunayashiro Tokinada had made his move.

The plan was simple but effective. Within Soul Society, nobles with sufficient resources maintained private armies of mercenaries—the Onmitsukidō serving as both training ground and headquarters for these hired killers. These mercenaries were loyal only to those who paid them; with enough incentive, they would not hesitate to assassinate even members of the four great noble houses.

Tokinada had evidently placed all the influential figures of the Tsunayashiro family on his assassination list. Uehara estimated that he had used the power of Kyōka Suigetsu to hire so many killers simultaneously.

Of course, these assassins were merely a diversionary tactic. Tokinada's true weapon was the Enrakyōten. He intended to eliminate all clan members gathered in the conference hall along with the hired killers, who would serve as convenient scapegoats. With no surviving witnesses, the matter would be closed without evidence.

Those assembled in the hall represented the Tsunayashiro family's power structure. Once they perished, no one would remain qualified to inherit leadership except Tokinada himself, who had only recently regained his freedom. As the sole surviving heir, he would naturally become the family head.

Uehara had to admit that the plan, while simple and brutally direct, reflected the characteristic madness of what he privately thought of as the "Red Eye Disease Family" from Naruto. The Tsunayashiro clan truly was filled with lunatics.

Under these circumstances, Uehara reluctantly decided he would need to play the role of Obito and send "Itachi" on his way. With this thought, he donned his Obito mask and flash-stepped toward the now ominously quiet conference hall.

The once luxurious chamber that had represented the majesty and status of the Tsunayashiro family had transformed into a vision of hell. Severed limbs and debris littered the floor, while splattered blood painted the walls and ceiling crimson.

Among the carnage, standing triumphant over countless corpses, Tsunayashiro Tokinada held the Enrakyōten aloft, laughing with arrogant satisfaction.

"Hehe, you're all dead," he crowed, eyes wild with delight. "The Tsunayashiro family belongs to me now. Sure enough, only the wicked get the last laugh."

He had regained his confidence by slaughtering these arrogant, incompetent clan members. In this moment, Tokinada believed himself in control of everything—convinced he could accomplish anything.

It's getting better! Everything is getting better! This feeling is truly exquisite! Next, he would kill that man, wash away his shame, and begin anew!

At that moment, Uehara Shiroha emerged from the shadows. He slowly clapped his hands and spoke in a light, almost conversational tone: "Although I knew you were unhinged, I didn't expect this level of madness. You actually killed all your own family! To this, I can only say... well done!"

"I've been waiting for you!" Tokinada grinned maniacally and pointed the Enrakyōten at Uehara. "I've anticipated this moment for so long. While it was satisfying to slaughter those old fools, I'm far more eager to tear your throat to pieces!"

The members of his clan had been too weak to withstand the power of the Enrakyōten. Now it was time to eliminate the only remaining insider and avenge his previous humiliation!

"It seems you have no intention of keeping your promise," Uehara observed, regarding Tokinada with an amused expression. This lunatic had been rampaging long enough—it was time to end this farce.

Tokinada responded indignantly, "Stop your pretense! From the beginning, you never intended to let me live. Your talk of cooperation was nothing but deception from start to finish!"

Having been manipulated so many times before, Tokinada had gained enough experience to glimpse Uehara's true intentions. Of course, this was largely because Uehara hadn't bothered to conceal his thoughts—there had been no need. Even with knowledge of the plan, Tokinada had no alternative but to follow Uehara's design. From the beginning, he had been merely a puppet, helpless to act outside the rules Uehara had established.

Uehara spoke calmly, his voice devoid of emotion: "You're correct. From the moment I found you, your fate was sealed. Although you've served your purpose admirably, I cannot allow you to continue existing. Believe me, your death will benefit everyone—myself, the world, and even you. So accept your fate with dignity and cease your struggling."

"Why?" Tokinada demanded, fury evident in his voice. "I don't understand! I'm more valuable to you alive than dead—why must you kill me? Is it because of some ridiculous sense of justice? Are you no different from those other fools after all?"

Of course, even if Uehara had spared him, Tokinada would have eventually turned against him. He would never permit this insider to survive. Most importantly, Uehara needed to pay for everything Tokinada had sacrificed.

Uehara shook his head dismissively. "This has nothing to do with justice. I simply don't want to see you causing further trouble. That's all there is to it."

"Kill me?!" Tokinada clutched the Enrakyōten tightly, his knuckles whitening. "As a mere civilian, how could you possibly comprehend the nobility and extraordinary power of the Tsunayashiro family? You have no conception of the Enrakyōten's true capabilities! Before our family artifact, you are as vulnerable as an ant! It is you who will perish here today!"

Uehara Shiroha surveyed the carnage around him. The hired assassins and elite guards of the Tsunayashiro family had died tragically, each dispatched with a single, devastating blow. Their bodies lay strewn across the once-pristine floor, testament to the brutality of their killer.

Tsunayashiro Tokinada himself possessed the strength of a senior captain, and with the artifact Enrakyōten in his grasp, his power had increased to rival at least thirty times that of Kensei Muguruma. Such combat prowess made him a formidable fighter even among captain-level Shinigami with a thousand years of experience.

No wonder Tokinada was brimming with confidence.

Facing the aggressive noble, Uehara Shiroha spoke with undisguised contempt, "Although you've always claimed that this world and the Tsunayashiro family were born from sin, deep down, you're still unwilling to relinquish the power and resources of your family." His eyes narrowed behind his mask. "Tsunayashiro Tokinada, as a villain, you are truly despicable... but as a clown, you are absolutely excellent!"

The Soul Society and the Three Realms were all built upon the sacrifice of the Soul King—but the key truth was that the Soul King had not sacrificed willingly. He had been "forced to sacrifice voluntarily." The first person to launch a treacherous attack on the Soul King had been the ancestor of the Tsunayashiro family. With the help of the Soul King's dismembered body, the world gained its foundation, and the Three Realms were born.

This was the original sin of both Soul Society and the Tsunayashiro family—a truth completely different from the sanitized history the five noble families presented to the world.

Tsunayashiro Tokinada, who had accidentally discovered these secrets, had his entire worldview shattered, driving him to the brink of madness. Yet instead of exposing these secrets, he had chosen to embrace the darkness. His twisted logic dictated that if the world was fundamentally corrupt, then he would revel in that corruption, taking it to its ultimate conclusion.

It was the behavior of a true clown.

"Shut up!" Tokinada roared, waving the Enrakyōten furiously. "Shatter, Kyōka Suigetsu!"

Silently, a strange spiritual pressure enveloped the entire chamber. Using the power of the Enrakyōten, he activated Aizen's hypnotic Zanpakutō, Kyōka Suigetsu, creating an illusion that replaced his body with one of the corpses on the floor.

The Enrakyōten possessed the terrifying ability to copy the Shikai release of any Zanpakutō its wielder had witnessed, and could maintain multiple Shikai abilities simultaneously. The only limitations were that using this power consumed the wielder's life force and permanently reduced their spiritual strength, and only members of the Tsunayashiro family could utilize this artifact.

Since the Tsunayashiro family controlled the Great Spirit Book Archive and the Video Hall before it fall into Shiroha hand, Tokinada had observed most Shinigami Shikai releases. In his hands, the power of the Enrakyōten became truly horrifying.

The reason he had immediately employed Kyōka Suigetsu's hypnotic abilities was his fear of Uehara's spatial manipulation powers. If he allowed his opponent to leverage those mysterious spatial abilities, he would stand no chance of victory, even with access to multiple Zanpakutō Shikai releases.

After activating Kyōka Suigetsu, Tokinada felt more secure. Without hesitation, he waved the Enrakyōten again, his voice reverberating through the hall:

"Slaughter the auspicious, revere the shadows, and cast off the rot of time! Gagaku Kairō!"

Black light and powerful spiritual pressure flooded the chamber. When the light faded, thirty monstrous entities had materialized around him. Each creature resembled a white sphere the size of a brown bear, lacking eyes, nose, ears, or limbs—possessing only a bloody maw filled with enormous, razor-sharp teeth.

These monsters could defend or attack according to their master's commands, and their lethality was extraordinary. Their teeth gleamed like crystal jade, and their bodies exuded an ominous aura reminiscent of the Menos Grande. However, while the presence of a Hollow reflected blasphemy and hunger for life, these creatures emanated pure annihilation and destruction—a fatal threat that would make even the most hardened Gotei 13 captain shudder.

This was the [Gagaku Kairoū], the Zanpakutō Shikai of Kenpachi Kuruyashiki.

After summoning the Gagaku Kairoū, Tokinada breathed a sigh of relief, the smile on his face growing more ferocious. With Kyōka Suigetsu concealing his true location and the Gagaku Kairoū providing both offense and defense on a massive scale, he believed himself invincible. Even against spatial abilities, this combination offered substantial protection, allowing him to relax somewhat.

"Gagaku Kairoū," Tokinada commanded in a cold, shallow voice, "devour him for me!"

At his command, thirty horrific monsters surrounded Uehara Shiroha, their gaping maws dripping with anticipation.

Witnessing this display, Uehara raised his eyebrows. Far from feeling fear, he experienced a flicker of excitement. Your Zanpakutō's power is impressive, but it will be mine in the next second! He maintained a keen interest in the Gagaku Kairoū's abilities, already formulating plans to replicate them.

The Gagaku Kairoū was a biological Zanpakutō capable of full-range attacks. Its most distinctive feature was its overwhelming power—so great that even its owner couldn't fully control it. Its ability to summon creatures to devour enemies made it formidable even in its restrained Shikai state, where the thirty summoned monsters remained under reasonable control.

Its Bankai, however, was truly terrifying. Once activated, a giant maw with a radius of several miles would materialize on the ground, covering an area several times the size of Karakura Town. Within this range, everything except the Zanpakutō's wielder—whether living or non-living, friend or foe—would be devoured, bitten, and torn apart.

This Bankai could only be described as a natural disaster, its destructive potential second only to Yamamoto's Zanka no Tachi. The power was so overwhelming that even Kenpachi Kuruyashiki himself couldn't fully control it. After using Bankai, he would be unable to release his Zanpakutō again for half a year, not even to its Shikai state.

It was precisely because of this indiscriminate lethality that Central 46 had strictly forbidden Kenpachi Kuruyashiki from performing Bankai within Soul Society under any circumstances.

In truth, Kenpachi Kuruyashiki's strength was formidable by any standard. Two hundred years ago, he had easily defeated a Vasto Lorde-level Hollow while using only his Shikai. His spiritual pressure defense was so robust that even someone as powerful as Zaraki Kenpachi would struggle to penetrate it. Indeed, Kuruyashiki remained the only Shinigami ever recruited to join Squad Zero primarily for his combat prowess rather than any special creation or invention.

As the monsters closed in, Uehara's lips curved into a subtle smile beneath his mask.

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