Above, the clear blue sky slowly shattered that streak of crimson cloud amid the cheers of the people.
A group of black-clad squad members emerged from the shadows. After efficiently binding him, they tied Yamada Unko to a cross.
Then, as though carrying a wild boar, they took Yamada Unko to a spot below Sōkyoku Hill.
That was the place specifically reserved for execution by stoning.
However, just as they were about to set off, Asano Kiyoshi suddenly stopped them and said to Kuchiki Ginrei:
"May the executioners for Yamada Unko's stoning be entrusted to those members of the public?"
Kuchiki Ginrei said nothing upon hearing Asano Kiyoshi's request. It violated the rules, but as he looked at the hundreds of witnesses, he hesitated before finally nodding and agreeing.
Seeing his grandfather break the rules, Byakuya said nothing. He merely looked at Asano Kiyoshi, a faintly complicated emotion surfacing in his eyes.
However, Asano Kiyoshi had no mind for such things at the moment. He slightly raised an arm, and Reishi emerged behind him, taking the shape of countless arms. Asano Kiyoshi softly chanted:
"Reverse Kido Number Six—Mathematical Hand."
As his words fell, the arms formed from Reishi replaced the squad members, carrying Yamada Unko, still bound to the cross, toward the plaza below Sōkyoku Hill.
Seeing this, the people below the platform became excited beyond measure!
Until they saw Yamada Unko die with their own eyes, they had always harbored some doubts.
After all, in quite a few cases, nobles who had clearly been executed had inexplicably reappeared several years later under different names, continuing to commit evil deeds. Such things were far from rare in Soul Society!
They feared that Yamada Unko, brought to the execution ground, would likewise be secretly switched out in this manner, so they