Sumari's Comeback (4K)

But now he is one of the thirteen captains, a high-ranking member of Seireitei, whose status is no less than that of a high-ranking noble. So it doesn't matter if he knows some secrets.

Unfortunately, neither Shunsui nor Yoruichi themselves knew the details. It wasn't that they weren't of high enough status, but rather that the initial point of conflict stemmed from a gathering of the heads of the Five Noble Clans, and only a few people knew the specifics of what was discussed.

The only certainty is that that conversation made [Shiba Clan] an outcast among the major families—even though they hadn't gotten along before.

The root of the conflict between the two sides should lie in the "Soul King". Based on limited intelligence, it is speculated that [Shiba Clan] has been researching a forbidden secret technique related to the "Soul King". Once exposed, it will violate the bottom line that the other major families cannot tolerate.

During the last great war in the World of the Living, the Quincy, namely the "Song of the Holy Emperor," the contents of which secretly worried the Five Noble Families:

They possess far more intelligence than ordinary Grim Reapers, so they certainly don't think this is just a simple poem... In fact, they vaguely know what will happen, but they are unsure of the specific form and timing.

At this point, Shiba Clan felt he had encountered a good opportunity, so he used the "Song of the Holy Emperor" as a starting point to express his views on the "Soul King," hoping to gain the support of the other factions on certain matters...

Then the talks broke down!

There was no room for compromise. The other party's attitude was far more intense than the Shiba clan had imagined, and they were almost about to say things like "Heaven will punish the traitors of the country!"

Shiba Clan, true to his principles, refused to back down, adopting an attitude of "honoring the emperor and punishing the traitors," and rejected all compromise solutions.

Then there's not much more to say. Shiba Clan stuck to his own opinion, and since he had no allies among the Five Noble Clans, he was naturally ostracized and even lost his noble title.

"... That's what they say, but the Shiba clan probably doesn't care about the title of noble."

In the barracks of the Third Division, in Iori's room, a middle-aged man was playing chess with a handsome young man, each holding black and white pieces and fiercely battling it out on the crisscrossing chessboard.

Shunsui had barely finished speaking when he said, "Their family stopped mingling in aristocratic circles a long time ago, and they even specially set up a separate residence in Rukongai... Perhaps they were planning ahead and thought of this day."

"How many years have I lived? I've already witnessed the Vastolorde, who is said to appear only once every few hundred years, the descendants of the Quincy from eight hundred years ago, and the downfall of the Five Noble Clans who ruled the Three Worlds for tens or hundreds of thousands of years..."

Iori grinned, seemingly speaking from the heart rather than in self-deprecation, "I hope things will be just as wonderful in the future."

"Then forget it!"

Shunsui looked miserable. "Coming here too often will shorten my lifespan!"

"The meaning of life is not in its length. If we could have new and exciting experiences Tenten, then the Grim Reaper's long and almost boring life could be shortened a little."

"I'm actually afraid of living too short, since there are so many wonderful things in this world that we should cherish, like fine wine."

"There are still people."

Iori added, looking at Shunsui with a slight smile, "What do you think?"

"...Yes." Shunsui lowered her eyelids, then quickly smiled freely, "Since you became the captain, your sharpness of words has increased by more than one level."

"There's nothing I can do. My colleagues and subordinates are all a bunch of people with distinct personalities. If I don't quickly establish my own unique image, I'll soon become just another Background Character in a novel!"

Even in erotic novels, Background Character have no human rights!

Iori rubbed her chin and said, "I'm tentatively developing in the direction of 'sharp tongue' for now."

"You've really worked hard~" Shunsui shook her head, both amused and exasperated.

There's really nothing wrong with what they said, because that's just how Thirteenth Division is. Every captain has their own unique side, Iori is actually the least noticeable one among them—just as approachable as Jushiro, but Jushiro has the added characteristic of being sickly.

Even Shunsui, whose character seems like a typical playboy and lecher at first glance, is actually a person who cherishes things deep down. He is loyal and righteous, and a great man who is responsible and dependable at crucial moments!

Iori just pointed out is actually what this person is hiding beneath his flamboyant appearance.

"What happened just now."

"Um?"

"The Shiba clan's matter... is it really resolved like this?" Iori with some doubt. "One of the Five Noble Clans, just expelled like that, is it really that simple?"

"After all, the Shiba clan didn't put up much resistance; perhaps they had already given up." Kyōraku Shunsui frowned.

Although the Kyōraku family is not on the same level as the Five Noble Clans, they are still upper-class noble families. Moreover, Shunsui himself has served as captain for hundreds of years, and his seniority is second only to the First. With these two factors combined, Shunsui's status is quite high.

Based on the information he had, the Shiba clan was not without the ability to resist, but they chose to accept their fate. Rather than being ostracized, it was more accurate to say they exiled themselves...

Throughout this incident, the Shiba clan's behavior was permeated with a sense of eeriness, almost like a religious act of atonement or sacrifice.

"As far as I know, the Five Noble Clans have Captain-level successor in almost every generation, right?" Iori continued to ask.

Shunsui nodded. "Although there are exceptions, that's generally the case."

The so-called "Five Noble Clans" include one family that doesn't actually live in Soul Society and doesn't care about Seireitei at all. They are solely focused on guarding Hell. In many cases, it's just a name, and it wouldn't make much difference if they removed the fact that they are called the "Four Great Noble Clans".

Then, even if the remaining four families experience occasional breaks in their lineage, they can quickly produce Bankai-level masters to inherit their businesses, making them incredibly stable.

Specifically, these four companies also have different characteristics:

[Kuchiki] is hailed as "the model of all death gods" because of his exemplary words and deeds, and is revered by all nobles. He has a great influence among the nobles and is outwardly the most prestigious of the Five Noble Clans.

The Sixth Division is almost entirely composed of noble children, and is known as the "Noble Division". The captain has been a member of the Kuchiki clan for generations (except for the First), which shows the status of this family.

However, it's worth noting that influence doesn't equate to strength. Although Kuchiki holds a high position, his family's strength is inferior to the other two families.

[Shihoin] and [Tsunayashiro!]

These two entities, one possessing the methods for crafting numerous magical artifacts and the other supposedly knowing all the secrets of the Soul Society since ancient times, are both deeply entrenched in resources.

Compared to the Sixth Division, the Second Division is more like Shihoin's private army. Strictly speaking, since the First, the Second Division has simply been an official branch of the Shihoin Clan's power!

The reason why Tsunayashiro can be compared with Shihoin, or even surpass him, is because they control the "Central Great Spirit Library Corridor", which stores the oldest and most secret inheritance in the Three Worlds.

In addition, the Tsunayashiro family is large and has many branches. Coupled with their superb skills, they have a great deal of influence in the "Central 46" - simply put, they are a family that is very good at political maneuvering.

Compared to the three companies mentioned above, [Shiba Clan] is actually quite weak.

The most obvious point is that the Shiba clan has very few members and little interest in having more children; they simply marry naturally and start their own families.

Secondly, compared to the Great Noble... or even ordinary nobles, this family's economic situation was average. Although they were not in dire financial straits, they certainly could not be described as living a life of luxury.

Even so, no one dared to underestimate this family.

"A naturally High Reiatsu?"

"Yes."

Kyōraku Shunsui said seriously, "The Shiba clan is not large, but there has been almost no shortage of Captain-level powerhouses. Their family is very likely to produce children with strong spiritual pressure from birth. In terms of quality, they are the highest among all noble families. This is probably the reason why they have the confidence to withdraw from the noble circle."

"I see..." Iori nodded thoughtfully.

Seireitei is, after all, a society where the strong rule. Even if they are no longer nobles, as long as Bankai master appears, Shiba Clan will definitely be able to secure a place in Seireitei. No wonder they seem indifferent.

After all, judging from the original work, if Shiba Kaien had grown up normally, he would almost certainly have reached the Captain-level, while Shiba Isshin is not very old, has strength comparable to a captain who has been around for hundreds of years, and is also a standard genius.

Kūkaku Shiba seems like a character who keeps his true abilities hidden.

Aside from the comical Shiba Ganju, this family is indeed quite extraordinary.

Don't forget, although Ichigo is a natural-born bug, "Getsuga Tensho" is a secret technique Shiba clan... In terms of pure combat power, he is indeed not afraid of anyone.

"How will things eventually turn out?" Iori frowned slightly as she looked at the increasingly unfavorable white pieces on the chessboard.

Shunsui looked relaxed. "Nothing serious will happen. Shiba Clan said he gave up his noble status, but his essence as one of the Five Noble Clans will not change... Moreover, with a teacher in charge, there will be no trouble in Seireitei."

"That makes sense." Iori placed another piece, shaking his head and sighing, ready to concede defeat.

Just then, Tenkai Shūsuke's voice came from outside the door. "Captain, Kyōraku- sama, there's some official communication. May I be so sorry to bother you?"

"It's alright, come in." Iori readily agreed. "It seems my little break from work is coming to an end... Let's just call it a draw."

Shunsui glanced at Iori.

Tenkai walked in, sat down respectfully, and handed the official document to Iori.

Iori opened it with some curiosity and took a look. Her expression changed slightly, and after reading it from beginning to end, she relaxed and put on a playful expression.

"Interesting... Shunsui, it seems you've lost."

"What?"

Kyōraku Shunsui took the document with a puzzled look. When he saw the key information, his eyes widened involuntarily, and then he gave a dejected, bitter smile.

"I admit I lost... How come someone actually dares to jump out at this time?"

The document read:

The upper-class noble family "Sumori" hopes to inherit the Shiba Clan family's position, recommended by several noble families including the Tsunayashiro branch families and Kasumiōji family.

In order to have enough merit to live up to the title of "Five Noble Clans," they specially offered up their family's treasured secret techniques—

[Mo Yao Knife]!

Chapter 234: Sumori's Counterattack (4K)

The Sumori family is quite rare among the upper-class nobles. It does not belong to the Five Noble Clans families, but rather is a family that rose to this level by accumulating merits from its Tsunayashiro vassals.

Becoming a higher-ranking noble family nominally severed ties with Tsunayashiro and established them as an independent lineage, but in reality, they remained subordinate to the Tsunayashiro family. This attempt to rise to the ranks of the "Five Noble Clans" was orchestrated behind the scenes by Tsunayashiro, though she didn't intervene personally but instead used the pretext of a branch family.

It is worth mentioning that the branch family of Tsunayashiro is also very powerful, and Tousen Kaname Tsunayashiro Tokinada, is a nobleman from the branch family.

In fact, one can see Tsunayashiro's style of doing things to some extent from Shitan. After all, if the crimes he committed had been committed by the Kuchiki clan, Ginrei would definitely have personally taken action to clean up the house. The same would not have happened to the Shiba Clan or Shihoin families. Although these families have great differences in their stance on "righteousness", they are not corrupt and degenerate families.

Shitan was able to continue committing evil deeds under the protection of Tsunayashiro. If Shunsui hadn't been able to stand it and forcibly convicted him, he probably would have gotten away with it (in reality, the so-called punishment was just staying at home to reflect on his mistakes).

Although it was Shitan's personal behavior, no one would believe that the Tsunayashiro family integrity and uprightness.

When Tsunayashiro pushed Sumori to the forefront, almost everyone who knew the inside story, like Shunsui, thought it was a simple power struggle. They believed that Tsunayashiro wanted to use this to test something or seize more power, rather than to really support a new "Five Noble Clans".

Ultimately, the term "Five Noble Clans" stems from the fact that these five families possess Bankai combat power and profound heritage. It is their strength that allows them to stand at the pinnacle, rather than just having an empty title.

Even if Shiba Clan leaves Seireitei, they can still train Captain-level powerhouses who can still hold high positions in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads.

Without such a foundation, even if Sumori were to obtain the title of one of the Five Noble Clans, he would not have the same status as Shiba Clan.

—This is obvious.

Perhaps taking this into consideration, Sumori took out a peculiar weapon called "Bakyō Blade" in order to increase his standing in the eyes of the nobility and the Central 46.

Iori had heard of this name in her previous life, but she only remembered it as a special kind of Zanpakuto. Only after seeing the real thing with her own eyes did she realize that it was a completely different thing.

——

The generational change among the "Five Noble Clans" was an internal conflict among the nobles and should not have involved the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. However, the "Bakyō Blade" that Sumori offered was said to directly enhance the Shinigami's combat power, which has drawn this largest armed group into the fray.

To avoid escalating the situation, the Captain-General did not pass the news on to internal staff; only people within the circle, such as Shunsui, knew about it.

Shunsui told Iori that the Central 46 needed to test the weapon's performance and reliability before considering Sumori's request. If the weapon was just a showpiece, then there was nothing more to say. But if it could truly significantly improve the combat effectiveness of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads...

It's just an empty title. Shiba Clan doesn't have any real benefits for anyone to inherit, so it doesn't matter if it's given to Sumori.

Time passed quietly, and about a month later, when Iori had managed the Third Division very well, gradually turning Kyoraku, Tenkai, Tousen into her tools and secretaries, the test results for the "Bakyō Blade" came out, Sumori's request—

It was completely rejected!

There was absolutely no possibility left; their delusions were completely shattered!

It is said that this kind of sword has huge side effects. Although it can rapidly increase strength, it will bring irreversible negative effects to the wielder and is judged as a "forbidden technology".

The Central 46 not only rejected Sumori's desire to rise to power, but also forcefully ordered him to seal away the technology. Under the supervision of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, all data and finished products were destroyed, leaving only a backup in the basement of the Central 46 (the Central Tower).

The Sumori were naturally very dissatisfied, but they had no choice but to accept the order because the situation was beyond their control.

However, the Sumori family was, after all, a high-ranking noble family, and even the Grim Reaper could not arbitrarily enter their residence to search. The Central 46 gave them the dignity befitting their status, only having the Thirteenth Division supervise them, while they themselves collected and destroyed the items.

About a week later, on the appointed day, Sumori should have made all the necessary preparations, and Yamamoto sent First Division squad led by Sengoku Kyōka to the mansion for inspection.

Everything went smoothly. Sumori cooperated fully and did not cause Koga any trouble. He decisively burned the clan's hundreds of years of hard work to ashes...

The technique of the "Bakyō Blade" was not Sumori's original creation, but since it was handed over to them, each generation has worked hard to improve and enhance the performance of the Bakyō Blade. Today, it has reached a considerable level of strength, and in their eyes, it is even better than a real Zanpakuto!

Therefore, it's no wonder they had the confidence to compete for this title... and their decisive abandonment of it now fully demonstrates their courage.

And so, a major event that could have impacted the entire power structure of the Seireitei was aborted due to a mere "failed prenatal checkup," and life returned to normal once more.

If only that could be true.

A month and a half after the Shiba Clan was removed from the roster, Captain Hikifune Kirio of the 12th Division reported to Yamamoto that the number of souls in Rukongai was fluctuating abnormally, with the rate of decline far exceeding the average. In a week of detailed observation, approximately 1,500 additional souls had been lost.

This is a fairly large number, and before the 12th Division noticed the anomaly, there may have been even more souls that had "disappeared." Since most of these incidents occurred in the lower-ranked Rukongai, namely the slums and Lawless Zone, it is difficult to keep a detailed count.

This has already affected the Soul Balance. Both of Hikifune Kirio's suggestions were adopted by the Captain-General:

One method is to send members from each team to the World of the Living to guide World of the Living souls to the Soul Society.

Secondly, we must investigate this incident of the spirit disappearing and resolve the source of the chaos as soon as possible!

Needless to say, the former required all the squads that received the order to send additional personnel to the World of the Living, while the latter was a technical task that was investigated by the Second Division, Tenth Division, and 12th Division together.

At first, no one took this matter too seriously. After all, this was Soul Society, not Hueco Mundo World of the Living the Human World Thirteen Court Guard Squads's dominance in Soul Society was overwhelming, and no one could stop the three divisions from investigating together.

Even if the culprit is a Vastolorde-class Menos Grande, they can forget about making any waves in the Shinigami's stronghold!