Chapter 153: A Simple Person

11th Division Barracks—Night

"Letting me take your place? What are you up to this time?"

Upon receiving Masatsuki Aozaki's message, Gin Ichimaru furrowed his brows in confusion.

The 11th Division barracks were buzzing with noise—the stern shouts of Ittora Yamazaki, the amused chuckles of Mashiro Kuna, and the hurried movements of squad members rushing about.

Everything pointed to something big on the horizon—something bad.

Before he even reached the captain's quarters, Gin Ichimaru was surprised to see a crowd of fully armed and ready Shinigami gathered at the entrance. Their faces radiated excitement and fervor.

What kind of expressions are those? Don't tell me Masatsuki is staging a coup and expects me to lead these guys in storming the 1st Division's barracks?

Feeling uneasy, Gin Ichimaru stepped forward to face Ittora Yamazaki.

As soon as the 11th Division members recognized him, they all bowed.

"Captain!"

Inside the barracks, the courtyard was packed.

From the Lieutenant down to the lowest-ranked Shinigami, every Seated Officer and squad member had assembled.

"What's going on?"

The sheer scale of the gathering felt eerily similar to a war mobilization, deepening Gin Ichimaru's unease. He had a sinking feeling that something major had happened.

"The Inner Court Troop has relayed an order from the Central 46 Compound. The Tsunayashiro Clan has been attacked by an unknown assailant, and we've been ordered to provide support."

Gin Ichimaru froze, his mind going blank for a moment before he came to an abrupt stop.

Masatsuki Aozaki, what the hell have you done? The Tsunayashiro Clan is the last enemy you should be picking a fight with right now. Couldn't you have just waited a few more decades? Then I could've gone with you!

You're absolutely reckless!

Frustrated, Gin Ichimaru snapped, "Lieutenant Yamazaki, get everyone together. I'll take the first unit to the Tsunayashiro Clan. You bring the rest and follow after!"

Ittora Yamazaki hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Understood."

Wait… didn't the Captain hate the Tsunayashiro Clan more than anyone? Why does he seem so urgent now that they've been attacked?

Ah, I see. The Captain truly is an exemplary Shinigami, worthy of the Captain-Commander's recognition. He's able to separate personal grudges from duty. A model of professionalism!

...

Tsunayashiro Clan Estate

Masatsuki Aozaki stood amidst the falling snow, admiring the masterpiece he had painted with blood.

More than twenty bodies lay scattered across the white landscape, staining the pristine snow with crimson.

"Alright, time to check out my prize."

With that, Masatsuki Aozaki pushed open the door to the hidden chamber.

The sight that greeted him was an array of mechanical equipment. At the center of the room stood a two-meter-tall cylindrical glass container—like something straight out of a sci-fi film used for preserving human specimens.

Masatsuki Aozaki frowned. So the Tsunayashiro Clan was conducting inhumane human experiments.

Suspended in the pale yellow liquid inside the tank was a woman with delicate features. Her limbs and spine were slightly curled, and her long, dark hair drifted slowly in the fluid. With her eyes closed, she looked as peaceful as a sleeping child.

If not for the research documents scattered on the nearby table, Masatsuki Aozaki might have believed she was still alive.

"So this is the corpse that Kaname Tōsen has been obsessing over… It's been preserved so well it almost looks like she's still breathing. They started their experiments while she was still alive, huh? The Tsunayashiro Clan really are monsters."

Flipping through the documents, Masatsuki Aozaki clicked his tongue, though he wasn't particularly moved by the tragedy. After all, his own hands were far from clean.

"Still, I didn't expect to find Kakyō here after all these years. Keeping her body intact for this long… I guess the Tsunayashiro Clan had some worthwhile technology after all. I'll be taking it."

Without hesitation, he activated the control panel.

The yellowish liquid drained from the glass chamber in an instant. The moment the casing opened, Kakyō's body collapsed forward.

Masatsuki Aozaki stepped forward, catching her in his arms. He gazed at her lifeless form, pausing briefly before letting out a quiet chuckle.

"Tōsen, don't hold this against me…"

Green light flickered in his palm as he thrust his hand into Kakyō's chest.

...

Tokinada Tsunayashiro, a member of the Tsunayashiro Clan's branch family, had married Kakyō for one reason—because she carried a fragment of the Soul King within her.

After she became his wife, the Tsunayashiro Clan treated her as nothing more than an experiment.

In some ways, Kakyō and Tokinada were similar.

One was pure kindness.

The other was pure evil.

...

The Tsunayashiro Clan was on the other side.

Blades flashed through the air, tracing silvery arcs as they slashed toward the Tsunayashiro Clan members with astonishing speed.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Snowflakes were effortlessly swept up by the sword's wind, drifting down onto the crowd, only to melt in the warmth of their blood. Thick clouds of crimson mist burst into the air as deep wounds split open, spraying blood in every direction.

"Damn Tsunayashiro Clan! Don't run! Die, all of you!"

Amid the blood-soaked snow, Kōga Kuchiki stood, his Zanpakutō in hand. He let out a manic laugh, his face twisted in a vicious snarl as he swung his blade with relentless fury, as if he would never tire.

"Who the hell are you?! This is the Tsunayashiro Clan! You bastard, do you even know what you're doing?!"

Angry voices rang out from the distant courtyard, but the guards behind them trembled, swallowing hard as sweat poured down their faces. They were at a loss.

Scrambling, they drew their Zanpakutō, forming a defensive line under the furious shouts of their captain.

"Hurry! Protect Inukai-sama! Kill the intruder! If Inukai-sama is harmed in the slightest, I'll hold you all responsible!"

The guard captain, his Zanpakutō at his waist and an armband emblazoned with the Tsunayashiro Clan crest on his arm, barked out his orders. For those with common surnames, serving in this role was the highest honor.

His face was tense with urgency as he shielded the fat, middle-aged man—Inukai Tsunayashiro—behind him.

"But… he's too strong. None of us can match him. Shouldn't we retreat and wait for the Gotei 13's support?"

A young guard blurted out, his voice laced with hesitation. They were merely private soldiers, not the kind of death warriors willing to throw their lives away for the clan.

The moment the words left his mouth, the other guards shot him looks of utter disbelief.

Realization struck him instantly—this wasn't just any enemy. He had chased them down from the outer perimeter to this very spot. There was nowhere left to run.

"There's only one enemy! Call in reinforcements from the other guard posts! We need to buy time for the Gotei 13 to arrive!"

The guard captain shook his head and issued orders to his adjutant.

His gaze locked onto the distant battlefield, where the invader continued his blood-soaked massacre. The power gap between them was immense, and he knew it. His mind raced.

The enemy was suppressing them without even needing to release his Zanpakutō. He possessed at least Captain-class Reiatsu. A warrior of that caliber couldn't simply be overwhelmed by sheer numbers.

The captain's eyes shifted toward the heart of the Tsunayashiro estate.

Naturally, the clan would never rely on mere guards—who weren't even at the level of a Lieutenant—for their real protection. The true strength of the Tsunayashiro Clan lay deeper within their stronghold.

But those people were far more important than the lord he was currently protecting. There was no way they would send anyone to save them.

Not that it mattered anymore—because the enemy had already reached them!

...

(60 Chapters Ahead)

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