Gathered at the Gates

An hour later, Noble District, before the gates of the Shihoin Clan estate.

Although Shinigami had long lifespans and were never known for moving quickly,

the Sixth Division barracks were not far from the Shihoin Clan estate. An hour was enough for them to assemble and completely surround the Shihoin Clan.

After Ross's reforms, the Gotei 13 had expanded dramatically. Every division now commanded more than ten thousand members.

Even the lowest-ranked Twentieth Seats had to possess the strength to initially master Shikai.

While the Rukon District had no top-tier fighters, its enormous population was there for all to see. Even sifting through sand for gold would yield countless seedlings with the talent for Shikai.

These mass-produced minor experts, rated only D-rank to B-rank by the system, had now gathered into a sea. They were a force not to be underestimated.

For this operation, more than half of the Sixth Division still needed to guard the Rukon District's territory, so they had not deployed in full force.

Yet the several thousand elite Shinigami assembled here, their grim black uniforms stretching as far as the eye could see like a suffocating dark cloud, were enough to make the normally pampered Noble District feel as though it could barely breathe.

What was more, this overwhelming force had been brought to bear against only one increasingly declining Shihoin Clan.

"Captain, are we charging in?"

Renji Abarai casually rested his Zanpakuto on his shoulder, his eyes gleaming with beastlike excitement and bloodlust.

His fiery red hair stood out sharply amid the crowd in black, like a blaze of burning fury.

If not for the fact that the two Captains behind him had yet to speak, he would have already charged in and torn this rotten estate apart.

He had already heard the full story.