Chapter 149: Hollow Fame

Seireitei, 2nd Division Barracks.

Kōga Kuchiki sat alone in his cell, his face dark and grim.

Betrayed by those he trusted, he was filled with grief and indignation, struggling to suppress the turmoil within him. But he hadn't lost hope. He firmly believed that his revered father-in-law would not be swayed by mere rumors!

For the sake of his son-in-law and the honor of the Kuchiki Clan, he would uncover the truth.

Kōga glanced at the tightly shut prison door, a flicker of expectation in his eyes.

Would his esteemed father-in-law walk in at any moment, telling him that the investigation was complete and he had been proven innocent?

Suddenly, he furrowed his brows, catching the conversation of the Shinigami guards outside.

"It's the first time I've seen a prisoner living more comfortably than the guards."

"Keep your voice down. He's still the son-in-law of the Kuchiki Clan, and Captain ordered us to take good care of him."

"Captain!?"

"Yeah, Captain! They say it's because of Aozaki-sama that we're treating him well. Otherwise, do you think he'd be getting this kind of treatment in prison?"

Hearing their exchange, Kōga sat on his soft cushion, feeling warmth spread through his heart.

He hadn't seen his friend in days, yet even now, he was looking out for him. He had truly made the right friend.

...

Kuchiki Clan Estate.

Seated in the main hall, Ginrei Kuchiki looked exhausted.

It wasn't just the investigation into Kōga Kuchiki's case that wore him down—it was the pressure from the other noble factions.

The Tsunayashiro Clan and its allies had been relentless, demanding Kōga's expulsion from the Kuchiki Clan or even his execution.

On the other hand, the members of the Kuchiki Clan and their allied nobles insisted on protecting him. They had spent years by Kōga's side and knew his character well.

He could be impulsive at times, but using his comrades' lives as a display of strength? That was simply not something he would do.

The claim that Kōga had murdered his teammates felt off to Ginrei.

The Tsunayashiro Clan's sudden involvement was too suspicious. More than that, he knew Kōga's nature. Arrogant? Yes. Conceited? Perhaps. But bloodthirsty? That was utter nonsense.

Because of this, Ginrei had no intention of abandoning him.

If the other squad members had truly tried to take Kōga's life first, then it wasn't unthinkable that he would have retaliated and killed them all.

"No matter how you look at it, this was a setup. When will that boy finally learn?"

Ginrei sighed inwardly.

"Should I really do as Masatsuki Aozaki suggested and speak with him directly?"

A lifetime of stubbornness had left him hesitant, but for the first time, his resolve wavered.

Allowing Kōga to marry into the Kuchiki Clan had been his way of acknowledging him. He truly didn't want to see the boy's life destroyed.

"Clan Head, the Tsunayashiro Clan has gone too far! They dared to frame Kōga-sama—this is a direct challenge to the Kuchiki Clan!"

"We all know Kōga-sama's character. He would never do something like this!"

"Exactly! This is clearly a scheme by the Tsunayashiro Clan. We cannot let them get away with it!"

"For decades, we've tolerated their arrogance—are we supposed to keep backing down?"

"We are the model of nobility, yet we allow the Tsunayashiro Clan to recklessly disrupt the order of Seireitei. If we continue to turn a blind eye, isn't that a betrayal of the Soul King?"

In the Kuchiki Clan's meeting hall, the normally composed nobles—who always maintained aristocratic decorum—were uncharacteristically agitated and vocal.

Ginrei Kuchiki, seated at the head of the gathering, remained as poised and dignified as ever. His expression was just as serious as usual, his presence alone commanding authority. With a simple wave of his hand, the heated discussions ceased immediately.

He understood his clan members.

The Kuchiki Clan prided itself on being the epitome of nobility, but at the end of the day, they were still human. The Tsunayashiro Clan's provocations had gone unchecked for too long, and resentment had been festering beneath the surface. Now, with Kōga Kuchiki's imprisonment, that resentment had finally erupted into full-blown outrage.

Ginrei cast a glance at Sōjun Kuchiki, who sat beside him, and asked, "What does the Captain-Commander say?"

Sōjun sighed and shook his head. "The Captain-Commander has ordered the 2nd, 8th, and 10th Divisions to investigate, but so far, there's no progress."

Ginrei closed his eyes in thought.

Anyone with a keen eye could see what was really going on—but seeing the truth and proving it were two very different things.

This was precisely why the Central 46 existed, and why, despite centuries of political maneuvering, Seireitei's order had yet to collapse. Even nobles, no matter what they did in the shadows, had to abide by the rules on the surface.

Kōga Kuchiki's alleged massacre of his comrades had been "witnessed" by multiple Shinigami from the Tsunayashiro Clan.

Even the victims, in their final moments, supposedly claimed that Kōga had killed them just to flaunt his strength.

Right now, their only hope was that the Captain-Commander's investigation would uncover the truth.

If that failed, then as one of the Five Noble Houses, the Kuchiki Clan would have to act. The so-called "paragon of nobility" was just a title—no matter how prestigious, it was not worth letting one of their own suffer an unjust fate.

Looking at his impassioned clan members, Ginrei let out a silent sigh. It seemed he had already made up his mind.

...

First Division Captain's Office.

While the Kuchiki Clan convened their council meeting, Yamamoto, Yoruichi Shihōin, Shunsui Kyōraku, and Isshin Shiba gathered in the Captain-Commander's office, discussing Kōga Kuchiki's alleged crime.

Shunsui, usually laid-back, wore a rare expression of solemnity. In a low voice, he said,

"Based on the evidence we have so far, it appears that Kōga Kuchiki killed members of the Special Forces Unit to show off his strength."

Isshin let out a heavy sigh. "That just doesn't sit right. I've been on missions with Kōga—I can't imagine him doing something like that."

Yoruichi, after summarizing the findings of the Onmitsukidō's investigation, added,

"The Tsunayashiro Clan has been holding secret meetings lately, and every discussion revolves around Kōga Kuchiki. I strongly suspect they orchestrated this themselves."

Shunsui instinctively wanted to tease her about daring to criticize the Five Noble Houses—but then he remembered the weight of the name "Shihōin" and wisely kept his mouth shut.

Among the Five Great Noble Houses, speaking ill of another family wouldn't get you executed, but it certainly wasn't a casual matter either.

Yamamoto's deep voice broke the silence. "Do you have any evidence?"

"No, but they have a clear motive," Yoruichi replied seriously. "During the war, the rebels lost five captain-level combatants."

Yamamoto understood immediately.

This was a classic case of eliminating a rising power to gain an advantage.

Kōga Kuchiki was a captain-level Shinigami from the Kuchiki Clan—his growing influence had naturally put him on the Tsunayashiro Clan's radar.

If the Kuchiki Clan lost a captain-level fighter, their strength would diminish. Conversely, their rival, the Tsunayashiro Clan, would benefit from their downfall.

"The Central 46 is convening tonight. Be prepared." Yamamoto exhaled slowly, his voice carrying the weight of the coming storm.

...

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