Chapter 327: Tsunayashiro Tokinada

H'el and Shunsui Kyoraku never expected it.

There was someone in the Great Spirit Book Gallery.

This ancient, solemn, and mysterious gallery, documenting significant events and secrets of the Soul Society throughout history, was always under the Tsunayashiro Clan's control and heavily guarded, with no one able to force their way in.

Even getting approval from the Central 46 was difficult, and it required the Tsunayashiro Clan's permission. It was one of the most secure places in the Soul Society, impossible for anyone to break into, even secretly.

No one had the ability to bypass detection barriers and multiple protective walls to infiltrate.

Legitimate methods were not an option.

H'el didn't know how many times Aizen used Kyōka Suigetsu to confuse the Tsunayashiro Clan and the Central 46 to place that ancient book, which he had given to Gin Ichimaru, into the Great Spirit Book Gallery.

That ancient book contained a small world, one of the three thousand worlds H'el had placed within. This small world created a spatial pathway into the Great Spirit Book Gallery.

This was not a conventional method of invasion or smuggling into the gallery. All its defenses were rendered ineffective before H'el, with no one able to detect his arrival at the destination.

Of course, H'el wasn't afraid of the Tsunayashiro Clan and the Shinigami; this method was simply the easiest.

H'el had hinted to the Shinigami that he wanted to enter the Great Spirit Book Gallery. That would have been a simple method; if they permitted, he could freely enter. If not, it didn't matter. With Aizen's book already inside, H'el could enter on his own.

'What kind of conspiracy is Aizen plotting?'

Hearing the sounds within the Great Spirit Book Gallery, H'el's first thought was that Aizen was scheming something against him.

But H'el immediately dismissed this. Aizen wouldn't cause him trouble.

Aizen saw H'el as a rival, searching for materials like the fragments of the Soul King's fingers in Rangiku's soul to enhance his Hōgyoku, hoping to eventually challenge H'el. It was unlikely he would deliberately create trouble for H'el.

Aizen also knew H'el was indifferent to him. If he exposed Aizen's deeds, it would render him a criminal in the Seireitei, unable to survive in the Soul Society.

Since their battle, H'el and Aizen had not met.

Aizen believed H'el maintained a certain tacit understanding with him.

H'el was simply too lazy to bother with him.

For various reasons, it couldn't be a deliberate conspiracy by Aizen.

Then... coincidence?

That would be too unlucky, encountering the Tsunayashiro Clan as soon as he entered.

If necessary, he might have to annihilate the clan.

H'el thought indifferently. The Tsunayashiro Clan was unfortunate to encounter him in the Great Spirit Book Gallery.

Given their noble temperament, they would surely be angry, feeling their dignity violated, and unwilling to tolerate anyone invading their gallery. Ultimately, they would try to judge him, causing great trouble.

To prevent them from acting foolishly before him, H'el thought it might be best to annihilate the clan.

If the Shinigami sought revenge, he would continue to kill. If the Shinigami were wiped out and the Zero Division of the Soul King's Royal Guard intervened, he would continue to kill.

Eventually, he might have to apologize to the Soul King and see the experiences of creating the three realms.

The result would be the same for H'el, obtaining the experiences of creating the three realms, though it would be troublesome and waste effort.

Thus, encountering the Tsunayashiro Clan in the Great Spirit Book Gallery was a major hassle.

In a brief moment, the worst outcomes in the Shinigami world appeared in H'el's mind, assuming they obstructed his will.

H'el and Shunsui Kyoraku turned around to see a slender figure in gray clothing and a haori, lacking the usual noble accessories. Compared to other nobles, he appeared simple and plain.

But he gave off a bad feeling, an eerie, sinister aura. His smiling face was not like Gin Ichimaru's, which felt like a cunning fox or snake, but more like a malicious, mocking smile, as if watching a drowning dog without helping, just enjoying the spectacle.

As if everything in the world, including himself, existed to entertain him.

Seeing this person, Kyoraku's lazy, troubled expression became slightly serious, his eyes narrowing as he spoke coldly:

"Oh, it's you, Tsunayashiro Tokinada. If I'm not mistaken, your family has you confined, right?"

Kyoraku's face clearly showed his disdain for Tsunayashiro Tokinada.

Tsunayashiro Tokinada, the last member of the Tsunayashiro Clan, was a former classmate of Kyoraku and Ukitake at the Shin'o Academy, under Yamamoto's tutelage. He was the most inconspicuous student, silent and reserved.

Witnessing the ancestral records of the Soul Society's history left by his family, Tokinada learned the truth about the Soul King and the five noble families, causing him to despise his noble status. Yet, he used his noble status to commit various atrocities.

He was ordered by his family to marry Kakyou, a woman from Rukongai, but showed her nothing but disdain. After killing her and his colleagues, Tokinada wove lies to escape severe punishment due to his noble status. His deceit and manipulation of Kakyou's friend, Kaname Tosen, fueled Tosen's hatred for the Soul Society and led him to follow Aizen.

Tokinada was insidious, manipulative, cruel, and took pleasure in tormenting others.

The last interaction Kyoraku had with him was when he exposed Tokinada's lie about killing his wife, leading to Tokinada's confinement by his family despite escaping severe punishment due to his noble status.

Seeing Tokinada here now felt disastrous to Kyoraku.

It wasn't that the Tsunayashiro family hadn't confined him; they had indeed kept him away from outsiders.

Where he was confined was up to the Tsunayashiro Clan, but it certainly wasn't the Great Spirit Book Gallery.

The likely conclusion was that Tokinada had also snuck into the gallery.

Encountering him here was terrible.

Both having infiltrated the gallery, the outcomes would differ.

The Great Spirit Book Gallery was under the Tsunayashiro Clan's jurisdiction.

If Tokinada claimed Kyoraku had been acting suspiciously and followed him and H'el into the gallery, spotting their intrusion, it would be a great achievement for the Tsunayashiro Clan.

Tokinada would not only gain his freedom but also earn significant merit.

Realizing this, Kyoraku felt a headache.

This was real trouble.

"Oh, Shunsui Kyoraku, if I'm not mistaken, the Tsunayashiro Clan didn't grant you permission to bring someone into the Great Spirit Book Gallery, did they?" Tokinada sneered maliciously.

°°°

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