It Had Begun

At those words, the head of the Tsunayashiro Clan, seated at the head of the table, gave a disdainful sneer.

He extended a withered finger and tapped the tabletop lightly, making no attempt to hide the contempt in his voice:

"The Shiba Clan? Those people who spend all day consorting with the drifters of Rukongai stopped living up to their status as one of the Four Great Noble Clans long ago. Why should we wait for them?"

Ginrei Kuchiki fell silent for a moment at the merciless disparagement, and ultimately said nothing more.

He knew perfectly well that, unpleasant as the Tsunayashiro Clan head's words were, they were true to some extent.

Although the Shiba Clan was also one of the Five Great Noble Clans, their clan clearly had aims different from those of the other three, and in recent years had gone so far as to deliberately marginalize itself.

"Since none of you have any objections, let the conference officially begin." Clearly disdaining to play these tedious games of political maneuvering here with the nobles of the other three clans.

The Tsunayashiro Clan head shook out his wide sleeves and leaned forward slightly. "I invited you clan heads here because there is a matter of great importance concerning the foundations our clans will rely on for the next century, and we need to discuss it together."

He paused, and his tone became meaningful:

"Soul Society has seen frequent upheaval lately. One could call these troubled times. First came the changes in captains, followed by the expedition against the Quincy. And behind the scenes... there have even been some deplorable incidents involving unauthorized, illegal modifications to wandering souls."

When he said "illegal modifications," the Tsunayashiro Clan head's gaze drifted, seemingly by chance, toward Xuanxin and Yoruichi, who sat opposite him. There was a hint of scrutiny in his eyes.

Xuanxin naturally knew what the old fox was insinuating. After all, although only his two senior brothers had been involved in the Sōya Azashiro incident on the surface, the other two people involved in that incident were actually sitting right here as well.

Evidently, that fact had not escaped the Tsunayashiro Clan, hence the look just now.

Xuanxin, however, acted as if he had not understood the implication at all. Like an unruffled iceberg, he sat upright beside Yoruichi, his face expressionless, without so much as an extra blink.

Yoruichi was even more brazen. She yawned outright and even dug in her ear.

Seeing that his probe had produced no result, the Tsunayashiro Clan head stopped beating around the bush and presented the proposal he had long prepared:

"To eliminate these hidden dangers once and for all, my Tsunayashiro Clan proposes that we join forces with Central 46 to lead a thorough 'identity registration' of every wandering soul in all eighty districts of Rukongai, leaving no one out!"

Over the next half hour, the Tsunayashiro Clan head used what could only be described as flawless rhetoric to paint everyone a grand and noble-sounding vision.

Under the proposal, not only could the threat of riots in Rukongai be eliminated, but every noble present could also make a fortune.

The Kuchiki Clan would gain more prestige and money, while the Shihoin Clan would hold absolute authority over security and receive double its military funding.

The Tsunayashiro Clan head even "generously" declared that a very substantial sum would be allocated from the special fund to help the Shiba Clan, absent today, improve their clan's cherished "fireworks technology."

The entire plan sounded so perfect that there was not a flaw in it, as if the Tsunayashiro Clan had truly become a selfless saint.

Yoruichi, however, had been watching coldly all along, and in her heart she mocked and ridiculed the old fox and eighteen generations of his ancestors.

What a way to pull the wool over everyone's eyes and kill with a borrowed knife.

Xuanxin's mind raced. He knew perfectly well that the real purpose of this so-called "Reiatsu registration" had nothing to do with maintaining order. It was certainly meant to serve some ulterior purpose.

And in this proposal, which appeared to distribute the benefits evenly, the only one who might truly reap the core benefits in the end was the Tsunayashiro Clan, which controlled everything. The little the Kuchiki and Shihoin Clans stood to gain was merely hush money to keep them quiet.

And the Shiba Clan, who would have a huge sum of research funding forced upon them? They were probably the ideal scapegoats in the Tsunayashiro Clan's plan.

When the time came, if the Zero Division really conducted a thorough investigation, the Kuchiki and Shihoin Clans, having already accepted the benefits, would probably be unable to escape implication either.

It was a deadly, venomous scheme.

Ginrei Kuchiki had evidently noticed the lethal poison hidden behind this enormous prize as well. The mature and levelheaded clan head gave the Tsunayashiro Clan head a long look, but did not immediately agree.

Ginrei Kuchiki spoke calmly. "Your proposal is indeed grand. But this matter has far-reaching implications and would require enormous resources. The Kuchiki Clan needs more time to consider it."

On the other side, Xuanxin lowered his voice at just the right moment and said something to Yoruichi.

Yoruichi then put aside her careless attitude and stated coldly, "The Shihoin Clan agrees. This matter cannot be handled rashly. We need to return and give it some thought for the time being."

Faced with the two great clans' joint delaying tactics, a barely perceptible shadow passed through the Tsunayashiro Clan head's eyes, but he showed no impatience and did not press them.

"Of course. This is, after all, a matter of great importance to Soul Society's future. You are right to be cautious."

The old fox smiled with a show of generosity, then rose and straightened the hem of his robe.

"In that case, let us agree to meet here again in one month. I hope to hear both clans' final answers then."

The conference ended on an unhappy note, and everyone went their separate ways.

An hour later, deep within the Tsunayashiro Clan's vast, labyrinthine estate.

The Tsunayashiro Clan head removed his elaborate finery, changed into comfortable everyday clothes, and knelt in a dim tea room. He picked up a cup of freshly brewed hot tea and took a small sip, a cold sneer curling his thin lips.

"It seems the newly appointed head of the Shihoin Clan and that biting 'mad dog' at her side do have some ability after all. And that old undying Ginrei Kuchiki is as impossible to sway as ever."

At that moment, a trusted subordinate kneeling in the shadows raised his head slightly and asked in an icy voice:

"My lord, what if... a month from now, the Kuchiki and Shihoin Clans still refuse to agree to the proposal, or even join forces to put pressure on Central 46? What should we do? We're nearly out of material for our experiments."

"Hmph? Refuse?"

The Tsunayashiro Clan head snorted, boundless cruelty bursting from his shadowed eyes. "If they won't shed tears until they see the coffin, then find a way to force them to agree!"

He turned and fixed his subordinate with an unwavering stare, a savage smile appearing on the old fox's face.

"As long as the commoners fall into a panic, as long as public opinion starts to boil over, for the sake of so-called 'overall stability,' the Kuchiki and Shihoin Clans will have no choice but to obediently jump into the fire pit, even if they know it's there!"

Chapter 45: It Had Begun

After the conference ended, heavy dark clouds continued to hang over Seireitei.

Xuanxin and Yoruichi returned side by side to the Shihoin Clan's main residence.

They crossed the courtyard and sat facing each other in an inner room.

Although the conference had made no substantive progress thanks to the Kuchiki and Shihoin Clans' joint delaying tactics, all they had done was buy a single month.

Moreover, both Xuanxin and Yoruichi understood that the Tsunayashiro Clan head was definitely no easy opponent.

Xuanxin poured a cup of tea for himself and another for Yoruichi. Watching the ripples spread across the surface, his gaze grew deep as he said,

"Since that old fox dared to put such a huge prize on the table at the Golden Seal Conference, he definitely won't let our two clans simply leave the proposal hanging.

"In the space of a month, he'll certainly make some major moves behind the scenes to force us to compromise."

Yoruichi nodded heavily. She set aside her usual casual manner, and a cold gleam flashed in her golden eyes.

"I'll deploy the Shihoin Clan's intelligence network immediately. I'll have the Stealth Force keep a close eye on movements in Rukongai. As soon as the Tsunayashiro Clan dares to reach out its claws, I'll grab that fox by the tail."

For the first few days afterward, everything seemed perfectly calm, as though the incident had never happened.

Seireitei remained as rigid as ever, and life in the various districts of Rukongai continued in its usual poor but orderly fashion.

But Xuanxin and Yoruichi did not dare relax in the slightest.

Not only did the Second Division step up its search efforts in secret, but the Sixth Division under Ginrei Kuchiki also began patrolling Seireitei and the earlier districts of Rukongai with unusual frequency.

The three divisions were like an invisible net, standing ready against a plot that could come at any moment.

But as the saying went, a thief could steal for a thousand days, while no one could guard against a thief for that long.

After everyone's nerves had been stretched taut under sustained pressure, the moment a little fatigue and relaxation set in, it inevitably happened.

It was a gloomy dusk.

A low-ranking Soul Reaper stationed in a remote part of Rukongai entered the gates of the 11th Division barracks.

"Lord Kenpachi!"

The Soul Reaper knelt on one knee at the edge of the training ground, gasping for breath as he spoke:

"Another large number of wandering souls have gone missing in the sixty-eighth district of Rukongai! And this time, there are clear traces of Hollow Reiatsu around the site of the disappearances!"

Xuanxin, who was sitting on the steps wiping his sword's sheath, abruptly stopped what he was doing at the report.

They couldn't hold back after all. Have they started making their move? Xuanxin sneered inwardly.

To be safe, and to guard against the possibility that this was a ploy to lure him away, Xuanxin did not bring out his entire force.

He selected only a small number of elite 11th Division members and hurried with them to the sixty-eighth district, where the incident had occurred.

When Xuanxin arrived at the scene with his men, the sight before him struck him as unspeakably strange.

Trees had been snapped in swaths by tremendous force, the ground was covered in jumbled footprints and signs of a struggle, and the air was thick with the sickening, turbid Reiatsu of Hollows.

"Spread out and search! Stay safe. Report immediately if you find any trace of a Hollow, and try to leave one alive!"

Xuanxin carefully surveyed the surroundings as he issued the order to his subordinates in a low voice.

"Yes, sir!" The 11th Division members charged excitedly into the depths of the woods like wild horses freed from their reins.

The fighting that followed, however, was far less fierce than anyone had imagined.

After a few brief roars, the battle was over. Several division members returned, dragging the bodies of several Hollows, their faces full of frustration.

"Captain, there's... something a little off about these Hollows." A Seated Officer scratched his head and reported to Xuanxin, looking thoroughly puzzled.

"They're huge, but their movements are ridiculously sluggish. A few of us had only just rushed them and barely put any strength into it before they collapsed on their own, gasping for breath. It felt like they were about to die."

Hearing this, Xuanxin walked over, lifted a Hollow's thigh with his sheath, and moved it back and forth a few times. As he looked at the listless Hollow, a thought flashed through his mind.

This was definitely not an ordinary attack by a group of Hollows. Someone was deliberately manipulating events from behind the scenes.

No, something isn't right.

Xuanxin stood up and spoke to someone behind him. "Go tell Yoruichi to bring Kisuke Urahara here with her. Something's wrong here."

"Yes, Lord Xuanxin!"

As soon as the reply came, a figure in black sped away into the distance.

In just the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Yoruichi and Kisuke Urahara arrived.

Swish—!

With a faint rush of air, Yoruichi Shihōin's agile figure appeared above the woods. She landed firmly on a thick tree trunk, with another person following behind her, still panting.

"Oh, come on... Lady Yoruichi, no matter how worried you are about your Xuanxin, you have to spare a thought for a researcher like me. I was helping Lady Kirio with her research. What is this about, anyway? I'm busy too, you know."

Kisuke Urahara rubbed his tired cheeks and patted down his wrinkled Soul Reaper uniform as he complained, his face full of resentment.

Xuanxin looked at Kisuke Urahara standing to one side and could not help raising an eyebrow.

Sure enough, thanks to Xuanxin and Yoruichi looking after him, Kisuke Urahara had noticeably filled out. The two dark circles under his eyes, however, had not improved in the slightest.

"You're finally here. Hurry and take a look. Something's very wrong with these Hollows. I suspect someone used that drug from before." Xuanxin ignored Urahara's complaints and got straight to the point.

At the word "drug," the resentment in Kisuke Urahara's eyes vanished instantly, replaced by a serious gleam.

He immediately pulled a pile of strange instruments from inside his robes, crouched beside a Hollow, and began examining it carefully.

Meanwhile, Xuanxin had the 11th Division members continue their blanket search of the surrounding area.

"Captain! We found something else over here!"

Soon, a sharp-eyed division member called out loudly from a patch of bushes not far from the scene.

Everyone quickly gathered around and saw the division member carefully retrieve a transparent glass medicine vial from the grass.

The vial was completely empty, but the familiar fishy stench still lingered inside.

With things having reached this point, it seemed the truth had come to light.

Taken together with the conflict at the Golden Seal Conference, this was clearly the Tsunayashiro Clan's attempt to create panic in Rukongai.