The area around the Sixth Division barracks, west of the Seireitei.
A large group of Soul Reapers had sealed off the surrounding streets. Although Rukongai in the Soul Society was somewhat chaotic, the Seireitei maintained strict order and was rarely invaded by outsiders. But today, that peace had been shattered.
Publicly assassinating an important researcher from the Fourth Division at the Sixth Division barracks was no longer merely an assassination attempt. It was a provocation against the Gotei 13—and against Yamamoto Genryūsai, its Captain-Commander.
For that reason, a large number of Soul Reapers had gathered inside the Sixth Division barracks and begun a thorough search of the surrounding area. Strangely, the Sixth Division Captain, Kuchiki Byakuya, had not shown himself.
It was not that Kuchiki Byakuya was timid or afraid of trouble. He had been busy with other matters recently, and with the Seireitei relatively peaceful, it was perfectly understandable that he was not at the barracks. It was outside the scope of his duties.
In any case, Kuchiki Byakuya would inevitably be given a thorough dressing-down by old man Yamamoto Genryūsai afterward. As for what Kuchiki Byakuya had been busy with, he was investigating the result of Kuchiki Rukia's Judgment.
Kuchiki Rukia was more than merely Kuchiki Byakuya's adopted younger sister. What outsiders did not know was that Kuchiki Rukia was actually Kuchiki Byakuya's sister-in-law. The surname Kuchiki was not her original surname, either.
Of course, the Bleach World had no term for "sister-in-law" in this sense, but in terms of seniority, that was indeed what she was. With his sister-in-law in trouble, Kuchiki Byakuya naturally would not stand by and do nothing.
On one of the streets near the Sixth Division barracks, Yamamoto Genryūsai stood facing Su Xiao. The atmosphere around them was somewhat strange.
"Where is the