Garaku Kairo

"Hmm?"

Hyakume-ki Seikyo, who was wandering around the World of the Living with Kaien that morning, suddenly wore a very unsightly expression.

"What's wrong?"

Kaien rarely saw this look on Seikyo's face and was curious about what he had seen.

"That guy Blue Oni, he summoned the Great Oni Head!" Seikyo clutched his forehead, completely defeated by Blue Oni's antics. "He really took the act too far!"

"The Great Oni Head?" Kaien's expression shifted. "Isn't that your..."

Seikyo nodded. "It is my Bankai!"

What is Garaku Kairo?

The answer is the name of a Zanpakuto.

It belonged to the seventh Kenpachi from two hundred years ago—Kuruyashiki Kenpachi.

In the countless years since the Seireitei was established, if there was any Shinigami who could rival Captain-Commander Yamamoto in direct combat, it was this Kuruyashiki Kenpachi!

After the Shikai of his Zanpakuto, it could release about thirty white spheres, each the size of a brown bear. These spheres possessed no organs other than a gaping maw filled with giant teeth, and they could follow their master's commands to defend or tear enemies apart.

And if this Zanpakuto were to achieve Bankai, it would devour, tear, and crush everything within a radius of several ri, save for the master himself.

Whether living or non-living, enemy or ally, it made no distinction.

"Therefore, the Central 46 of that time strictly forbade Kuruyashiki Kenpachi from using his Bankai within the Seireitei for any reason!"

"Two hundred years ago, when Kuruyashiki Kenpachi fell in the battle for the eighth Kenpachi title, Hyakume-ki Seikyo had just graduated from the Shino Academy and joined the 11th Division. He had not yet attained his own Shikai, so Garaku Kairo, which did not vanish along with Kuruyashiki Kenpachi, entered his body and became his Zanpakuto."

"Hyakume-ki Seikyo kept the true name of his Zanpakuto hidden until he suddenly unleashed his Bankai while fighting in the World of the Living a hundred years ago!"

Soi Fon recalled the records of the Stealth Force, staring fixedly at the massive sphere in the distance.

Although it was not the size of the sphere described in the records—which could cover the entire Seireitei—it was certainly not the same existence as the Shikai manifestations Seikyo usually conjured to deceive others.

If something with that level of spiritual pressure were to erupt within the Seireitei, every Shinigami would vanish, save for the few captains with equal or greater spiritual power, or those like her who possessed extreme Shunpo.

Hearing Soi Fon reveal such a secret, it wasn't just the lieutenants—even most of the captains turned pale.

In the current Soul Society, there was essentially nothing capable of claiming the lives of captains.

Yet, they had almost all been unaware that a ticking time bomb had been right beside them all along...

"To think that guy Hyakume-ki was hiding such power; I really want to fight him right now!"

The one who could say such a thing was, naturally, Zaraki Kenpachi!

The other captains subconsciously moved a little further away from him.

However, just as they were thinking this, the giant sphere suddenly vanished... judging by the spiritual pressure trajectory, it had returned into the Zanpakuto.

Back at Seikyo's home, Blue Oni, having "woken up," looked at the Great Oni Head as it returned to the blade after glaring at him, feeling that he had truly overplayed his hand this time!

He could hear Seikyo's cursing echoing in his mind.

But Blue Oni felt aggrieved... You were the one who told me to let the Great Oni Head out for some fresh air, so why are you the one cursing me now?

I might even get disciplined by the Great Oni Head later; who did I offend to deserve this?

But even through his grievances, Blue Oni had to keep up the act.

Feigning that he had just woken up, Blue Oni waited until he had retracted the Great Oni Head before tapping the trembling Toshiro, finally allowing him to relax.

"Sorry, Shiro." Blue Oni knocked on his own forehead. "It seems drinking really does ruin things! Go help me open the door! The captains are coming."

Toshiro looked at his master's state, not knowing what to say, but followed his instructions to open the door.

Just as Toshiro opened the door, three captains appeared before them.

Ukitake Jushiro, Kyoraku Shunsui, and Unohana Retsu...

All of them were veteran captains who had been in office for over a millennium.

Although all three captains were relieved that Garaku Kairo had been retracted, they each had different reactions.

Unohana Retsu's reaction was the most ordinary; she was merely curious as to how Seikyo could lose his composure like that.

She did not believe that Seikyo would release Garaku Kairo so casually.

If he could not maintain the trust of the Central 46, Hyakume-ki Seikyo would have likely been imprisoned and his Zanpakuto sealed long ago.

Kyoraku Shunsui felt a sense of nostalgia, as he had been present when Kuruyashiki Kenpachi was defeated.

He was currently mourning that old friend.

Ukitake Jushiro, however, felt a sense of sorrow... He assumed that because Kaien had not been saved, Seikyo had inadvertently lost control, causing his Zanpakuto to go berserk!

But seeing that it was Toshiro who came to open the door, and smelling the strong scent of alcohol the moment they entered, all three understood.

It was a case of drinking ruining things!

Toshiro did not know what that giant sphere represented, but as he led the captains inside, he told them everything he had seen since arriving that morning.

This allowed the three captains to understand the situation.

So, after Aoto passed out from drunkenness, his Zanpakuto manifested on its own to stand guard over him!

Although it was quite hair-raising, it was perfectly in line with the relationship between a Shinigami and their Zanpakuto.

However, thinking about it this way, Garaku Kairo might not be as mindless as the records suggested.

Especially when he heard Toshiro mention that there was an eye on the giant meatball, Kyoraku Shunsui knew that Aoto's Garaku Kairo had already become vastly different from that of Kuruyashiki Kenpachi.

Unlike Kuruyashiki, Aoto had tamed Garaku Kairo!

He felt that when he returned to the First Division later, he could put in a good word for him!

Ukitake Jushiro, on the other hand, had a different thought, and he decided to discuss it with Kyoraku and Captain Unohana in a moment.

By the time they met Aoto, they also saw the courtyard that had already been cleaned up thoroughly by him.

It was just that the smell of alcohol hadn't fully dissipated, revealing a slip-up.

"Welcome, three Captains, to my humble abode; your presence truly brings light to this lowly place!" Putting on a show of literary flair, Blue Oni cupped his hands and greeted the three Captains.

Seeing him play the fool like this, Unohana Retsu couldn't help but chuckle.

"Come with us," Kyoraku Shunsui said. "The Head Captain surely wants to see you right now!"

Blue Oni's expression was extremely unnatural, and he complained inwardly about Aoto making him act out such a farce... What if he were found out in front of the Head Captain? Wouldn't centuries of planning be ruined in an instant?

But Blue Oni still nodded, told Toshiro not to forget to lock the door when he left, and followed the three Captains toward the First Division.

Toshiro watched his master's departing back, feeling a sense of doubt as to whether what awaited his master was a blessing or a curse.