88 Surrender  

"Ah la la, there really have been many events this season..."

Upon hearing this alarm, Kyōraku of the 8th Division could not help but sigh.

"Lisa, get ready and come with me to the captain's meeting."

"This alarm is even more severe than the one from over ten years ago when Kōga Hoshino raised his rebellion..."

"I hope that in the battles to come, more people will be able to survive."

Among the captains of the 13 Divisions heading to the 1st Division captain's meeting with their vice captains, only the 11th Division had Vice Captain Gosuke alone heading to the 1st Division.

The captains moved very quickly. In less than five minutes after the alarm sounded, they had all arrived at the captain's meeting room in the 1st Division.

As for their vice captains, they waited in another room in the 1st Division, ready to receive new orders at any time.

***

Bang!

Inside the captain's meeting room, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto heavily struck the ground with his cane, the sound of the cane striking the floor causing the captains' expressions to become solemn.

At this time, apart from the eleven captains standing on either side of Commander Yamamoto, there was one more captain standing right in the center of the captain's meeting room. It seemed he had the aura of one facing off against twelve.

The 11th Division Captain of the Gotei 13, Kenpachi Sōya Azashiro!

"Alright, now that all captains are in position, Captain Azashiro, you may now confess the crimes you have committed."

"What?"

"The crimes Captain Sōya Kenpachi has committed?"

Hearing Commander Yamamoto's words, everyone who knew Sōya lifted their heads to look at him.

Kenpachi signified the strongest Shinigami in Soul Society. At the same time, it was also the title of every generation's 11th Division Captain.

Sōya Azashiro became the eighth Kenpachi after battling the previous Kenpachi, Kuruyashiki Kenpachi, with over two hundred Shinigami witnessing.

Although everyone knew Kuruyashiki did not use his full strength in that battle, given the circumstances then, even if Kuruyashiki used Bankai, it would likely still end in mutual destruction for both parties.

To all who knew Sōya Azashiro, his strength was unquestionable. However, what they did not understand was exactly what crimes Sōya Kenpachi had committed for Commander Yamamoto to summon everyone here to listen.

Were they supposed to take this as a warning?

Under the gazes of the captains, Sōya Azashiro slowly said, "Ah, actually I don't feel like I have committed any crime. We are Shinigami, and our duty is to purify the Hollows that result from human souls falling in the World of the Living.

So I thought, why don't I modify the souls of all the souls in the Rukongai into my personal invincible army, sending my entire army into Hueco Mundo to completely annihilate all the Hollows there..."

"Hiss..." Hearing Sōya Azashiro's words, the captains present could not help but sharply inhale.

The captains who knew of Sōya Azashiro's abilities knew he had the power to accomplish this.

As for the other captains unaware of Sōya Azashiro's abilities, his tone also shocked them.

They didn't expect this effeminate looking Sōya Azashiro to actually harbor such frightening thoughts?

Purifying the entirety of Hueco Mundo? What kind of ruthless man would think this way?

Moreover, his troops to purify Hueco Mundo were actually composed of all the souls in Rukongai? The number of Hollows in Hueco Mundo was no less than the number of souls in Soul Society.

No wonder Commander Yamamoto publicly summoned them here to set an example with Sōya Kenpachi's crimes.

Although the Shinigami lived in Soul Society, they knew Rukongai was the true foundation of Soul Society.

Because compared to the Hollows in Hueco Mundo, the residents of Rukongai as well as the Hollows were all existences used by Shinigami to maintain the stability of the world.

Whether it was the mass annihilation of Hollows or souls, it would prompt investigation from the 12th Division, then decisions would be made according to the results about whether to send more Shinigami troops to attack Hueco Mundo and kill more Hollows, or decide how many Rukongai residents to kill in order to restore the world's balance.

Sōya Azashiro actually wanted to turn all of Rukongai's residents into his personal army. This was truly frightening.

If he really did so but failed to completely annihilate Hueco Mundo's Hollows before the destruction of the world losing its balance, then the consequences would be unimaginable...

Thinking thus, several captains looked at Sōya Azashiro without the slightest friendliness.

"So in the end, why did you not carry this out?" Hearing the Commander say this, everyone also became extremely curious.

Sōya Azashiro had such ambitions, so why did he not continue?

Not only did he not do it, he instead confessed everything to the Commander. Just what was he trying to do?

They believed that if Sōya Azashiro did not confess, then absolutely no one would have imagined he harbored such thoughts.

If that were the case, then Sōya Azashiro would still be the 11th Division Captain instead of a criminal plotting grievous sins.

"Because of the Soul King's will." Speaking to here, Sōya Azashiro paused for a moment. "When I was about to modify the souls of Rukongai's residents, I sensed the Soul King's will. He did not agree with me doing this. Therefore, I came to confess everything to Commander Yamamoto."

"I see. So it was the Soul King's will..." The 8th Division Captain, Shunsui Kyōraku, let out a sigh and lowered the rim of his hat.

At the same time, captains with strong enough spiritual pressure to sense the Soul King like Captain Retsu Unohana of 4th Division and Captain Kirio Hikifune of 12th Division also had subtle reactions internally.

Jūshirō Ukitake touched the area over his chest, lost in some unknown thoughts.

As for the other captains, firstly, they didn't have the noble background, and secondly, their spiritual pressure had yet to reach the degree capable of sensing the Soul King's existence. To them, all of Soul Society revered the Soul King.

Perhaps only the Soul King could have made Sōya Azashiro expose his own crimes.

Bang!

The sound of Commander Yamamoto's cane once more drew back the captains' attention.

"Alright. With the testimonies of all the captains present as well as the Soul King Himself, Sōya Azashiro has willingly confessed to his intended crimes of modifying all of Rukongai's residents into his personal army."

"Captain Yoruichi Shihōin of 2nd Division, Captain Kensei Muguruma of 9th Division."

"Here, Commander."

Hearing Commander Yamamoto's summons, Yoruichi Shihōin and Kensei Muguruma instantly stepped forth from the rows of captains to stand in the middle of the meeting room.

"I order you to escort the felon Sōya Azashiro to the Central 46 Compound's Trial Room to accept the judgment of Central 46."

"Yes, Commander."

After Yoruichi Shihōin and Kensei Muguruma escorted Sōya Azashiro away, silence filled the meeting room.

Being able to make the Soul King personally intervene, one could say Sōya Azashiro was unprecedented in this.

However, Sōya Azashiro's respect towards the Soul King was also truthful and genuine. Otherwise, after the Soul King disapproved of his actions, he would not have directly confessed and surrendered. Instead, he would have concealed everything.

This was an act of supreme arrogance.

"Alright. Next, we shall proceed to the next matter of this meeting."

"Hmm?"

"There's still more?"

The captains present were extremely surprised.

Although the crisis Sōya Azashiro triggered this time had the potential to reach an "apocalyptic" degree, with the Soul King disagreeing with his actions, he also stopped his plot, did he not?

"Do not think randomly. The next captain's meeting still relates to Sōya Azashiro but is not an ill matter.

The 11th Division is a combat division, ready to receive battle orders at any time. Especially during this period, great disturbances have occurred within Rukongai, leading to a sharp increase of Hollows entering Soul Society after death."

The eyes of 6th Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki fluttered slightly. He only went to Rukongai to vent his feelings, occasionally acting to practice his Shinigami skills. He did nothing major.

Therefore, the increased appearances of Hollows in Rukongai should be unrelated to him. At this moment, Byakuya completely forgot that Hollows was a creature relying purely on instinct to hunt.

They would frequently descend wherever spiritual pressure appeared to devour souls containing spiritual power.

With Byakuya's current level of spiritual pressure, even just lingering in Rukongai for a period of time could lure Hollows from Hueco Mundo over based on instinct alone. Not to mention he went out wandering almost every day.

"Under such circumstances, the 11th Division cannot be without a captain to lead them to Rukongai to fight."

Hearing this, the various captains understood. So Commander Yamamoto wanted to select a new 11th Division Captain.

"Does anyone have any recommendations?"

The captains present looked at one another before first considering if there were any captain-level powerhouses in their own divisions, then thinking over who they knew that possessed the power to take on an 11th Division Captain position.

Unfortunately, after pondering for a long time, no one could think of a suitable candidate.

"Oh my. Since everyone has no recommendations, why don't we directly promote 11th Division Vice Captain Gosuke to the ninth generation Kenpachi?" At this time, 8th Division Captain Shunsui Kyōraku suddenly proposed.

As Shunsui Kyōraku's good friend, Jūshirō Ukitake also echoed in agreement.

"Gosuke, the Vice Captain? If I remember correctly, he is the nephew whom previous Kenpachi Kuruyashiki entrusted to Captain Azashiro after Kuruyashiki died, correct?"

"Since he is previous Captain Kuruyashiki's nephew, I believe he should be qualified for the position of Captain."

Hearing the name Kuruyashiki Kenpachi, the captains who had been in office over a hundred years instantly quieted in recollection.

That man's power could be said to be the strongest they personally witnessed apart from Commander Yamamoto.

His power was even so great that Central 46 forbade him from releasing his Bankai within Seireitei.