Chapter 269
"Good."
Haruto nodded very solemnly.
"If needed, I will do my best."
Even if there were considerations of exchanging benefits, it still cannot change the fact that Haruto received a great deal of favor from the Kuchiki Clan.
The existence of the Kuchiki Clan was crucial to his success.
Now...
It's time for him to give back.
The side hall of the Kuchiki Clan residence.
The Japanese-style tea room was quite spacious, not crowded, but enough to represent the Kuchiki Clan and the Sixth Division.
Ginrei Kuchiki.
Kuchiki Sōjun and his wife.
And then there's Byakuya, who brought Haruto in.
"!"
Haruto had just stepped across the threshold of the tea room.
Then I saw the deep, bone-revealing knife wounds on Kuchiki Sōjun's body.
Although his health had improved considerably after taking the Heavenly Bedding Pill, he wasn't exactly a master of hand-to-hand Hakuda, and this kind of injury definitely required him to rest in bed. Logically speaking, Haruto should have met Kuchiki Sōjun in the Fourth Division Barracks, not here... The Kuchiki Clan's unspeakable secrets are almost self-evident.
"Shihoin."
Sitting at the head of the table Ginrei Kuchiki was the first to speak.
When he gets serious, his voice and tone really do have a bit of Captain-Commander Yamamoto's style.
"No, no, no."
Haruto quickly waved his hand and said:
"The old man still calls me Haruto, just like before."
Addressing him by his Shihoin surname would not only distance them from each other but also drag the Shihoin Clan into the matter— Haruto could sense this probing, so he immediately refused.
"..."
Upon hearing Haruto's reply, a barely perceptible hint of relief appeared in Ginrei Kuchiki's eyes.
His grandson is basically a good-for-nothing except for his cultivation, but Haruto is a friend whom no one but Sōjun respects...
Looking at it now, it really wasn't a mistake.
Thank you for your help.
"Of course."
Ginrei Kuchiki directly labeled it "assistance," and Haruto didn't show any intention of refusing: when he saw Byakuya at the main gate, he had already made the decision to help... Isn't that all a friend is good for?
"Then I'll get straight to the point."
After Haruto and Byakuya were seated, Ginrei Kuchiki spoke solemnly.
"If you have any questions, feel free to ask me anytime."
As the head of the Kuchiki Clan and the current leader of the Four Great Noble Clans, Ginrei Kuchiki is a man of his word.
The fact that Haruto is allowed to ask questions at any time shows that he places Haruto in a very important position, rather than simply regarding him as Byakuya's friend in the past.
"Please."
"Hine died from murder."
"!!"
Haruto's pupils dilated for a moment.
Kuchiki Hine.
The daughter of the head of the Kuchiki Clan, and the wife of Kōga Kuchiki.
Even disregarding her own (Vice-Captain-level) strength, her noble status alone is enough to instill fear in any petty person.
Moreover, unlike her brother Kuchiki Sōjun, Kuchiki Hine was very healthy from a young age, and Haruto never imagined that she would die of illness.
Now we hear that Ginrei Kuchiki has confirmed this guess--
"Who ordered it?"
"No one instructed me to do this."
"?"
Haruto's expression froze at Ginrei Kuchiki's words.
"The one who took action..."
"It is the first in line of the Tsunayashiro Clan, Tsunayashiro Getsuritsu."
Previous volume: 161, Muramasa
First in line?
Haruto frowned.
According to the Tsunayashiro Clan, after the death of the current head of the family, this Tsunayashiro Getsuritsu will become the current head of the Tsunayashiro Clan; this period will not exceed a hundred years, which is not a long time considering that the average lifespan of Soul Reaper is several hundred years.
Seventy years as crown prince is nothing compared to this.
Given his status Tsunayashiro Getsuritsu, there was indeed no one who could command him.
Even the main family of the Tsunayashiro Clan wouldn't sacrifice someone like that to attack the Kuchiki Clan... No, Tsunayashiro Getsuritsu's status is already higher than many of the family elders, so it's hard to say who is qualified to sacrifice whom.
"What's the reason?"
"Have no idea."
The most incomprehensible part is that the Kuchiki Clan failed to understand the other party's murderous impulse, which was the cause of the entire incident.
"Such a significant incident, why didn't the Golden Seal Noble Assembly arrest the perpetrator?"
The Kōga has returned to its source.
The Kuchiki Clan, already more powerful than the Tsunayashiro Clan, is now even more influential, and the Golden Seal Noble Assembly's inclination is obvious.
Everyone knows that the Kuchiki Clan's actions this time will be anything but small.
"No."
Ginrei Kuchiki shook his head with a solemn expression.
"Kōga stormed directly into the Tsunayashiro Clan and killed Tsunayashiro Getsuritsu."
"He also took down nineteen elders of the Tsunayashiro Clan who stood in his way... Including Tsunayashiro Getsuritsu, a total of four Captain-level died at his hands."
"!!!"
What is that?
Kōga Kuchiki went straight to the Tsunayashiro Clan?
Not only did they kill the heir of the opposing side, but they also scattered a large number of Old Deng's ashes?
This is truly gratifying...
No.
What a terrible situation this is—the noble family that suffered the greatest loss in Seireitei has suddenly changed from the Kuchiki Clan to the Tsunayashiro Clan; the Kuchiki Clan, which originally occupied the moral and legal high ground, has instantly lost their greatest advantage and may even be labeled as butchers.
This is not good news.
Certainly.
Haruto didn't think this was the Tsunayashiro Clan's initial plan, but rather a desperate measure taken out of necessity.
There's no other reason than the sacrifices are too great.
Of the Captain-level in the Tsunayashiro Clan, the only one left who can fight is probably the head of the family.
Where are the people of Kōga?
Haruto continued to ask.
Kōga's bravery was truly beyond expectations. Compared to Kōga, Haruto felt that the few he had killed were nothing at all.
"Arrested by the Central 46 Chambers?"
At Hine's funeral, Haruto didn't find any trace of Kōga... No matter how impulsive he was, he shouldn't have missed attending his wife's funeral.
"No."
"Kōga has been placed under house arrest by the Golden Seal Noble Assembly."
"Ginrei Kuchiki replied."
"Confinement?"
Haruto wondered if there was something wrong with his hearing.
Kōga Kuchiki killed so many Tsunayashiro Clan, yet he was only confined by the Golden Seal Noble Assembly?
Just look at the treatment Kaien received after being confined for dereliction of duty... Can confinement even be considered a punishment in Kōga?
"They were probably terrified by Kitahara Kenshin's massacre of the Central 46 Chambers."
Hearing Haruto's question, Ginrei Kuchiki sighed.
"They probably wanted to avoid a harsher punishment, Kōga also made an appearance at the Golden Seal Noble Assembly: after all, Kōga's reputation is far greater than Kitahara Kenshin's, and the one who escorted him there... was someone from our Kuchiki Clan."
"..."
This is not as simple as worrying about "coming for a bit".
The Golden Seal Noble Assembly was probably worried that the Kuchiki Clan would slaughter them all to protect their own people!
After all, the Kuchiki Clan was currently firmly at the top of the Four Great Noble Clans; and Kōga Kuchiki's combat prowess was unmatched by anyone in the Kuchiki Clan... No Zanpakuto Soul Reaper.
If the Kuchiki Clan has any ideas, the number of high-ranking nobles will probably have to be reduced, not to mention the higher-ranking nobles who are vassals.
At times like these...
Who would dare to provoke the Kuchiki Clan?
I imagine that even the decision to put him in solitary confinement was made with trepidation.
Haruto actually wanted to suggest Ginrei Kuchiki.
We could have taken this opportunity to wipe out the Tsunayashiro Clan, and then the Soul Society would never have another one like them.
So many ridiculous and absurd things have happened.
Old Man Yamamoto won't get involved; staying on the sidelines is definitely beneficial.
Pity.
This plan is unacceptable.
The Kuchiki Clan was a model of nobility, and behind them stood countless other nobles.
Furthermore, without the Tsunayashiro Clan as a clear antagonist and target, it would be detrimental to Haruto's future plans.
"That..."
Haruto shifted his gaze to the injured Sōjun.
"Sōjun was injured by his own Zanpakuto."
"... Muramasa?"
Kōga Kuchiki's Zanpakuto, Muramasa, has a Shikai ability that allows him to control the opponent's Zanpakuto, including his arm, to kill himself or his comrades.