Through My Chest Was...

Whoosh!

Cold water cascaded over his head, jolting his pained, exhausted nerves awake.

Uchiha Yato slowly opened his eyes and saw two people, one old and one young.

They wore exquisite kimono and carried swords at their waists. Their faces bore a strong resemblance, clearly marking them as father and son.

Yato slowly turned his head and surveyed his surroundings.

This was clearly underground. The walls of stacked gray stone exuded a chill, and an inescapable scent of blood hung in the air. Torture devices of every kind lined the walls, radiating grim killing intent beneath the torchlight.

He had been fixed to a wooden stake in the shape of a cross. Short swords stained with rust and fitted with barbs had pierced his skin, flesh, and bones, pinning him firmly in place.

At the end of the road.

"I just treated you with healing Kidō and gave you medicine. You won't die for the time being."

Horiuchi Yosuke tossed the bucket aside.

"But boy, you should know that if you still refuse to tell us where that thing is, what awaits you will be far more terrifying than death."

Yato answered with silence. He did not beg for mercy.

"You've got guts." Horiuchi Yosuke nodded. Rather than rushing to torture him, he shifted one step to the left, revealing Horiuchi Yuma behind him.

It was only proper to let the future head of the family see some blood.

"Boy, we have plenty of time. Let's take this nice and slow."

Horiuchi Yuma whistled as he stepped forward, speaking in a flippant tone while leisurely selecting a torture device.

These were all treasures of the Horiuchi family, uniquely designed and highly specialized. Some were meant to sever tendons in the hands and feet, while others were for gouging out eyes.

Yato's attention settled on him.

Even without his flashy clothes, Yato could still smell the faint scent of alcohol and face powder on him.

Yato's gaze traveled downward, lingering for a brief instant at Horiuchi Yuma's waist.

The pause was fleeting. Even someone as seasoned as Horiuchi Yosuke failed to catch it.

"You should feel lucky, boy." Horiuchi Yuma picked up a sharp boning knife and drew it across Yato's ribs. "Dying here means you'll bear witness to the history of our Horiuchi family in your own way."

Blood splattered. Yato could feel the cold blade slowly scraping against his bones.

His gaze focused on Horiuchi Yuma's face. A faint, barely noticeable flame seemed to ignite in his pitch-black eyes. "A little more to the left. It's a bit... itchy there."

Horiuchi Yuma raised a brow with a cold smile, tossed aside the boning knife, and reached for a bowl-shaped device to dig out the bastard's eyes.

But then Uchiha Yato continued, "I have a question."

"Oh?" Horiuchi Yuma stopped what he was doing.

If he was willing to talk, then there was an opening in his mind. Breaking through his psychological defenses alongside physical torture was the best method of interrogation.

Horiuchi Yuma was not a completely ignorant rich brat. He understood that much.

"To go this far for a Shin'ō Academy acceptance letter." Yato lowered his head and looked at the wound in his abdomen. "Hiring even a bottom-ranking officer of the Gotei 13 to act must have cost you quite a bit, right?"

"What do you know, boy?" Horiuchi Yuma sneered disdainfully. "Hiring Koizumi Kentaro was nothing! The truly expensive part was altering that acceptance letter after killing you! Even our Horiuchi Family had to spend a full century of savings!"

The acceptance letter had Kidō attached to it and could not be forged. After it was issued, Shin'ō Academy would submit the list to the Great Spirit Library for backup and verification.

Thus, while altering the information on the acceptance letter, they also had to keep the Great Spirit Library silent.

The Tsunayashiro Clan, one of the Four Great Noble Clans, had controlled that institution for generations. It recorded every secret and history of Soul Society.

The Horiuchi family did not dare confront the imposing authority of a higher noble clan head-on, so they could only humble themselves and pay a heavy price.

As for why they were willing to pay such a tremendous price, desperately forcing Horiuchi Yuma into the academy this year...

"Boy, I'll tell you." Horiuchi Yuma cleared his throat, his expression turning somewhat respectful. "This year, a certain important figure will be enrolling. The kind of important figure you wouldn't even dare imagine!"

Yato tilted his head, pretending to ponder for a moment before naming someone. "Kuchiki... Byakuya?"

The instant those words left his mouth, the Horiuchi patriarch, who had been standing nearby with his arms crossed and his eyes closed, suddenly furrowed his brow. He carefully studied this boy from Rukongai, unable to understand where he had learned such information.

"You're rather well-informed." Horiuchi Yuma was not as meticulous as his father and replied openly, "That's right. Being in the same class as the young master of the Kuchiki Clan, one of the Four Great Noble Clans—that is what we Horiuchi want."

"Six years as classmates, serving him faithfully, forming a small circle, forging unbreakable bonds... Hmph. You wouldn't understand the affairs of nobles even if I explained them."

"So that's how it is." With the doubt in his heart resolved, Yato let out a long breath. "But even if you kill me and take my place at the academy, you're still a..." He smiled as he dragged out the last word. "Piece of trash who couldn't get into Shin'ō Academy."

A vein seemed to throb at Horiuchi Yuma's temple.

But he quickly realized it was a provocation from the other side, so he deliberately burst into laughter. "You think that can anger me and earn you a quick death? Wrong!"

"Let me tell you, what we nobles pursue has never been temporary gains or losses!"

"When I was young, my family hired experts to spar with me and teach me swordsmanship and Kidō. Some were students of Shin'ō Academy, and some were even full-fledged Soul Reapers!"

"We even have channels to buy the [Asauchi] left behind by dead academy students!"

"By getting started early and adapting to their weight and characteristics beforehand, once I enroll in Shin'ō Academy and am officially granted an [Asauchi], I'll be able to train quickly and achieve Shikai!"

"So that's how it is." Yato's hands were nailed to the stake, preventing him from applauding, but he repeatedly clicked his teeth together, producing a grating sound of mockery. "After your family put in so much effort, you still couldn't get in normally. Looks like I was right—you're just someone who couldn't get into Shin'ō Academy..."

He dragged out the words again, enunciating each one. "Piece. Of. Trash."

Horiuchi Yuma's smile froze on his face.

Why had he worn flashy clothes and gone to a place like the Red-light District, trying to establish a connection with Shunsui Kyōraku?

Why had he personally conducted the interrogation, staining his hands with blood and covering his face in filth?

In the end, he only wanted his father to think more highly of him.

In the end, he only wanted the family's efforts to be repaid.

Some chose to hide their weaknesses, while others displayed them as though they did not care.

But ultimately, this was what he cared about most. It was also the crack in his heart.

"Boy... you talk too much."

Horiuchi Yuma's voice turned hoarse. His arm trembled with fury as he swiftly drew the sword at his waist and drove it into Uchiha Yato's chest!

Horiuchi Yosuke hesitated for a moment, but ultimately did not stop his son from venting.

The blade had gone in from the right side. It would not kill him immediately; healing Kidō could keep him alive for further interrogation.

Squelch!

The sword pierced straight through Uchiha Yato's chest.

The boy felt every inch of his skin, every nerve, every cell screaming.

But—

This was not pain.

It was joy!

Because at this very moment, his spiritual pressure, will, and soul had finally found a place to reside, allowing them to manifest in this world in some form.

...I bet right.

Just as I thought!

Just as I thought, this wasn't an ordinary accessory!

This was a blade... an Asauchi!

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