It Won't Take Much of Your Time

"Muramasa?"

Hibiki Hoshino called out again, but Muramasa still did not appear.

By then, the two Soul Reapers were already close to Hibiki Hoshino.

Hibiki Hoshino's expression darkened. In the past, he would not even have needed to act against such minor opponents. Muramasa would have automatically controlled their Zanpakuto and made them kill themselves.

But now, even after calling for Muramasa twice, there was still no sign of him. As Hibiki Hoshino cursed Muramasa inwardly, he also let out a thunderous shout.

"Bakudo #32—Golden Cannon!"

Blazing crimson light gathered between Hibiki Hoshino's hands, eventually forming an enormous fireball that blasted toward the two Soul Reapers.

"Boom!"

"Argh..."

The violent explosion and the dying screams of the Soul Reapers left the noble lords of Central 46 terrified.

This man truly dared to attack here.

When Hibiki Hoshino turned his gaze toward them, they all began hiding beneath the tables, avoiding his eyes as they crawled on their knees toward the exit.

If they waited any longer, who knew whether this man would kill them too?

"Lord Hoshino..."

Just as Hibiki Hoshino was about to kill those nobles, the doors to the Judgment Chamber were cleaved open with a single slash. Muramasa's somewhat exhausted figure appeared before him.

Yet upon seeing Muramasa, Hibiki Hoshino was not pleased at all. Instead, he coldly snorted.

"Hmph!"

"Muramasa, have even you decided to betray me? You did not respond in the slightest when I called for you."

"Lord Hoshino called for me?"

Muramasa's pupils contracted.

He had come here because a strange Soul Reaper had been watching him constantly over the past two days. Since Muramasa had not received Hibiki Hoshino's summons for two days, he had materialized before that Soul Reaper.

That Soul Reaper had been powerful. Muramasa had only managed to escape after using Bankai to materialize that man's Zanpakuto.

It was also through his Bankai's power, by searching that Soul Reaper's memories, that Muramasa learned Hibiki Hoshino was to stand trial today. He had hurried here at once.

But he had not heard Lord Hoshino's call.

Could it be that he could no longer hear Lord Hoshino's voice again?

"My apologies, Lord Hoshino. I encountered an extremely troublesome opponent, so it took some time..."

However, this was clearly not the time to discuss that matter with Lord Hoshino.

"By the way, Lord Hoshino, on my way here, I sensed many people rushing in this direction."

"Hmph? They moved quickly enough."

Hibiki Hoshino swept a disdainful glance over the Central 46 nobles, who were making complete fools of themselves.

"However, before me, the number of Soul Reapers is utterly meaningless!"

Taking Muramasa's physical blade from Muramasa's hand, Hibiki Hoshino stepped out of Central 46's Judgment Chamber.

Outside, more than fifty Soul Reaper squad members led by Kensei Muguruma of the Ninth Division had already tightly surrounded the entrance to the Judgment Chamber.

"Hibiki Hoshino, drop your weapon and surrender immediately. I do not want to waste too much time on you!"

Kensei Muguruma rested his hand on the Zanpakuto at his waist. He had decided that if Hibiki Hoshino refused to surrender, he would immediately use Bankai and capture him in the shortest possible time.

"Indeed, I won't waste your time."

Hibiki Hoshino raised his head and looked at the Soul Reapers surrounding him, a smile appearing on his lips.

These Soul Reapers would all become the force supporting his rule over Soul Society!

"Bankai—Hookless Punishment Muramasa!"

"Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang..."

At the Kuchiki Clan estate, Sōjun Kuchiki's Squad Funeral had only just ended when the emergency alarm of the Seireitei rang in everyone's ears.

The next instant, a wave of spiritual pressure rapidly spread out from the many Soul Reapers present.

"This is Bakudo #57, Grasping Cicada?"

Having acquired Urahara Kisuke's Kidō experience, Ailin quickly recognized the nature of that spiritual pressure.

This Bakudo was used to sense and track spiritual pressure.

Generally speaking, it was used when pursuing criminals.

Of course, it could also be used together with Bakudo #77.

Judging from the Seireitei's emergency alarm and the marked spiritual pressure left on everyone, one could guess what Kidō would come next.

Sure enough, in the next instant, the spiritual pressure that had spread throughout the Seireitei linked all the Soul Reapers present.

Bakudo #77—Tenteikūra!

"Attention, all divisions. Hibiki Hoshino, Third Seat of the First Division, has refused the judgment of Central 46 and has openly rebelled against Soul Society. He has currently defeated the Captain of the Ninth Division and his squad members."

"Hibiki Hoshino is currently leading a group of Zanpakuto toward the Seventh Division..."

"The Captain-Commander has declared the Seireitei to be on alert and has temporarily lifted the prohibition against captains releasing their Zanpakuto."

"Additionally, Hibiki Hoshino's Zanpakuto possesses the ability to control Soul Reapers' Zanpakuto. All Soul Reapers are advised to avoid confronting him head-on whenever possible."

"Captains of the Gotei 13 are to proceed immediately to the First Division for a Captain's Meeting."

After the voice in their ears fell silent, the Soul Reapers still at the Kuchiki Clan estate were all utterly shocked.

Ginrei Kuchiki in particular.

Hibiki Hoshino had once been the junior he thought most highly of. Otherwise, he would not have considered marrying his daughter to him, having him marry into the Kuchiki Clan, and making him the head of the Kuchiki Clan and Captain of the Sixth Division after his own death.

Yet Ginrei Kuchiki had never imagined that in just a few short days, Hibiki Hoshino would give him such an enormous "surprise."

First, he had killed Ginrei's son, Sōjun Kuchiki, because he suspected Ginrei of vetoing him.

And now, he had launched a rebellion, even controlling the Soul Reapers' Zanpakuto to attack Soul Society.

What outrageous arrogance!

However...

Ginrei Kuchiki recalled Hibiki Hoshino's Zanpakuto ability.

Yamamoto had summoned the captains to the First Division for a meeting, firstly to discuss how to deal with Hibiki Hoshino, and secondly, likely because he feared the captains' Zanpakuto would be controlled by Hibiki Hoshino.

The only certainty now was that he had definitely controlled Kensei Muguruma, the Captain of the Ninth Division's Zanpakuto. Including Hibiki Hoshino himself, that made only two Captain-level enemies, still within manageable limits.

But if the Zanpakuto of other, stronger people were controlled—for example, Hirako Shinji's Sakashimo, or Captain-Commander Yamamoto's Flowing Blade-like Fire...

Then even if they ultimately defeated Hibiki Hoshino, the Seireitei, and perhaps even Soul Society, would likely be almost completely destroyed.

At that thought, Ginrei Kuchiki glanced at Ailin beside his daughter and said, "Ailin, come with me."

"For this campaign against Hibiki Hoshino, we may need your strength as well."

Hibiki Hoshino had fought Ailin before. Aside from the initial stages of that battle, Hibiki Hoshino's ability had seemingly been useless against Ailin.