The moment he saw Unohana, Yamamoto Genryusai's grip on his sword tightened sharply.
But he did not act. He only shot her a cold glance, then let out a low snort.
"Hmph! This old man will stick to his own judgment."
With that, he gave Kyoraku Shunsui a look that said "keep up." He did not even want to spare the scene another glance. Turning around, he prepared to leave with his disciple.
That right hand of his, mottled with age spots, never left the hilt of Ryujin Jakka.
His attitude was already crystal clear.
This old man is taking his people and I do not plan to explain a thing. Whoever dares to stop me dies.
This completely indiscriminate, openly biased show of power, helping his own regardless of right or wrong, made every captain present frown deeply.
This was no longer just protecting his own. This was blind tyranny.
However, that alone was still not enough.
To push this farce to its climax, to completely shatter Yamamoto Genryusai's credibility, the one who had been standing at the very front the whole time, Tosen Kaname, moved again.
"Captain-Commander Yamamoto! I respect you greatly!"
Tosen Kaname suddenly spoke in a cold voice, taking a swift step forward and once again using his body to block Yamamoto Genryusai's path.
In his sightless eyes, it was as if something called resolve was flowing. His voice rang with tragic determination.
"But I cannot obey! Justice must not be stained! Today, Kyoraku Shunsui must explain himself clearly. What exactly is his relationship with that woman? If he cannot explain it clearly, then even you cannot take him away!"
To the other captains, this sounded like persistence in seeking the truth, a reasonable demand.
And that woman could only be referring to Kurosaki Masaki.
But in Yamamoto Genryusai's eyes, this was utterly incomprehensible provocation.
Because he had been trapped inside the Minazuki space, he had no idea what had happened outside. And because Rosse had been maintaining Kyoka Suigetsu's interference the whole time, his understanding of the scene was badly distorted.
In his eyes, that woman referred to Inoue Orihime.
Kyoraku Shunsui had not explained the plan to him in detail, but she was just an ordinary human woman. Even setting aside the fact that she had treated him, even if Kyoraku Shunsui truly had a problem, it was not Tosen Kaname's place to question him.
According to the rules, that should have been reported to him as Captain-Commander or submitted to Central 46, and only then would an investigation and arrest of the Eighth Division take place.
Yet today, neither of those steps had happened. A group of captains had simply charged into the Eighth Division and turned the place into a complete mess.
This was no longer about giving Kyoraku Shunsui trouble.
This was about not putting him in their eyes at all.
"Bastard! Get out of my way at once!"
The Captain-Commander's last shred of patience was finally exhausted. His roar exploded like thunder.
Clang!
Ryujin Jakka was drawn in an instant.
In this strike fueled by rage, he held back almost nothing in terms of power.
This slash carried scorching flames, along with pure force enough to split mountains. It was absolutely not something an ordinary captain-class fighter could withstand.
But this slash was not fast.
If one wanted to dodge, with Tosen Kaname's footwork, he could have avoided it easily.
This was also the Captain-Commander's mercy. He did not want to kill anyone. He only wanted to leave this place.
'Today, this ends here.'
But unfortunately, Tosen Kaname could not see this mercy at all.
He did not dodge.
For the grand cause in his heart, to completely cement Yamamoto Genryusai's image as a tyrant, he chose the most tragic method.
To take it head-on.
"Bankai! Suzumushi Tsuishiki. Enma Korogi!"
A black curtain of light erupted instantly.
That black Bankai domain, which had just been violently torn apart by Horned Hollow Ichigo, appeared once more before everyone's eyes, carrying the tragic resolve of a moth flying into a flame, trying to envelop the unrivaled strongest Shinigami within.
But the outcome was already decided.
Even Horned Hollow Ichigo could not contend with Yamamoto Genryusai in his Shikai state, let alone someone like Tosen Kaname.
BOOM!
Almost the instant the black light curtain took shape, a pillar of explosive flame shot skyward and tore it completely apart.
It was pure power crushing everything.
There was no suspense at all. Amid flames blazing like the sun itself, Tosen Kaname's tiny figure was swallowed in an instant.
"AAAAAAH!"
In the next moment, under everyone's horrified gaze, Tosen Kaname turned into a burning human torch. Merciless flames licked at his flesh, scorching his Shihakusho to nothing.
Yet he did not retreat.
Even as the flames consumed him, even as his voice twisted in agony, he still stood firmly in place without stepping back even half a step, letting out his final hoarse roar toward that departing figure.
"Captain-Commander Yamamoto! Please uphold justice!"
That scene slammed into everyone's hearts like a heavy hammer.
Hitsugaya Toshiro stared in disbelief, his eyes wide open. Kuchiki Byakuya's pupils shook violently.
And farther away, the Eighth Division members cleaning up the aftermath, as well as the Ninth Division members who had just arrived as reinforcements, looked at their own captain burning for "justice" in that sea of fire. Many of their eyes had already turned red, their fists clenched tight.
That was their captain.
Just for seeking the truth, was he really treated this cruelly by the Captain-Commander?
Back when Rosse served as Captain-Commander, they would never have encountered something like this.
No, if not for Rosse, most of the people present would not even have been able to join the Gotei 13. They would still be wild dogs scrounging for food out in the wastelands.
"This old man does not believe my foolish disciple has violated justice. This is merely a minor punishment for one who does not understand the rules. If you have any thoughts, feel free to take them to Central 46 or the First Division. Taking action in private, I hope this is the last time!"
Yamamoto Genryusai did not even turn his head, not even to glance at the blind man struggling in the flames.
He sheathed his sword, tossed out those words flatly, and kept walking forward without slowing his steps in the slightest.
In his view, this was perfectly normal.
In Soul Society, challenging authority always came at a price.
Strength and prestige had been his pass for a thousand years.
He was certain that he had always been walking the right path.
Yet Kyoraku Shunsui, following behind him, truly felt as if his heart had turned to ash, unable to voice his bitterness.
Looking at the gazes around him, some even tinged with hatred and contempt, Kyoraku Shunsui knew he had to say something. Otherwise, this filthy stain would truly never wash away.
"Old man! Wait! What they're talking about isn't what you think it is!"
He opened his mouth and shouted with all his strength, even reaching out to try to grab the Captain-Commander.
But something that made his skin crawl happened.
He had clearly shouted. His voice was clearly loud enough to shake eardrums.
Yet the Captain-Commander ahead acted as if he were deaf, showing no reaction at all, still walking forward with steady steps.
The surrounding captains only looked at him coldly, their eyes filled with the kind of disgust reserved for a jumping clown.
It was as if he had not made a sound at all.
In that instant, Kyoraku Shunsui felt a bone-chilling cold rush from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.
He finally understood what was happening.
'Kyoka Suigetsu.'
Either his voice had been controlled, or everyone else's hearing had been controlled.
The reality was that no matter how hoarse he screamed to explain, no matter what truth he shouted out, in this artificially manipulated illusion, no one would hear his real words.
In everyone else's eyes, he must look like a child hiding behind a domineering parent, not only refusing to apologize but even acting smug and mocking the victim.
'It is over.'
Whether he was nailed down as a spy of Hueco Mundo, or seen as a privileged noble bullying others under the Captain-Commander's protection, after this battle, Soul Society's hearts would probably never accept this master and disciple pair again.
Looking at Yamamoto Genryusai's still-straight yet unbearably lonely back, Kyoraku Shunsui closed his eyes in despair.
'Aizen, is this your real killing move?'
'Truly ruthless.'
[T/N: Subarashi!]
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