Chapter 362: New Soul King?

Tsunayashiro Family, Branch House.

This branch house is located at a high point on a mountain behind the noble district, where one can see the massive canyon carved out of the landscape.

"What happened here?"

Tsunayashiro Tokinada raised his head, a strange smile on his face as he looked at the dark sphere suspended in the sky. Deep inside, he felt a primal urge to flee upon seeing the sphere, but he suppressed it.

"It seems something bizarre occurred during the time I've forgotten."

He lowered his gaze, his smile growing more satisfied.

"But during that forgotten period, all the main Tsunayashiro family members were gathered at the main house and wiped out. It's exactly the kind of thing I would do.

Forgetting what happened doesn't matter. What's important is that I am now the head of the Tsunayashiro family."

Tokinada's smile widened with satisfaction as he lightly touched his remaining arm, feeling the emptiness where the other should have been.

Trading an arm for the position of head of the Tsunayashiro family was a bargain.

The lost memories of those times, the history, no longer concerned him. As for why he lost an arm or why he feels a deep urge to flee upon seeing the dark sphere in the sky—it all mattered little now.

Attaining the headship of the family was more satisfying than anything that came before. As for those lost memories and what happened, he would uncover them eventually.

As the head of the Tsunayashiro family, he had nothing to fear.

"Master, the ceremony is ready," two servants announced, kneeling respectfully behind him.

Tokinada nodded with a smile, casting one last glance at the dark sphere in the sky before turning and walking into the building.

Fifth Division.

With the Fifth Division Captain, Hirako Shinji, severely injured and recovering in the Fourth Division, all current affairs of the Fifth Division were managed by the Vice-Captain, Aizen Sosuke.

In the courtyard of the Fifth Division barracks, Aizen looked up, his black-rimmed glasses reflecting the dark sphere in the sky. An emotion of deep loneliness welled up within him.

Alone, without a single companion or rival he deemed worthy. This isolation filled Aizen with a sense of solitude.

"It seems… I've lost someone worth pursuing, surpassing, and eventually killing."

Aizen stared at the dark sphere, almost wishing that someone would emerge from it who could end his loneliness.

But clearly, that was just wishful thinking.

"It seems that the mysterious entity from the 'void'—along with its memory and the person—has disappeared in an odd way," Aizen mused, narrowing his eyes and contemplating the strange disappearance of this mysterious entity.

"Is the captain of the Fifth Division daydreaming again?" Ichimaru Gin teased, sipping tea as he sat on a viewing platform.

Like he was watching the moon, Gin gazed at the dark sphere in the sky, and a question arose in his heart.

'Why… why did I come to Aizen's side in the first place?' He couldn't find an answer. He vaguely felt he had come to solve a certain puzzle related to Kyouka Suigetsu by staying close to Aizen.

But now… it all seemed meaningless.

Gin felt like a wandering venomous snake with no clear purpose.

"Let's go, Gin. Now is the best time. Unohana Retsu is out gathering herbs, and the fluctuating spirit energy from the reconstruction is disorienting the captains. They're powerless to resist," Aizen said with a smile, his glasses gleaming as he strolled out of the courtyard.

Gin, squinting as always, followed closely behind.

First Division.

In the First Division office, almost embedded in the mountain rocks.

*Cough, cough…*

Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni leaned heavily on his wooden staff, his haori draped over his shoulders. He gazed at the dark sphere in the sky with half-closed eyes, coughing slightly due to the lingering injury to his lungs.

H'el had pierced his lungs, leaving them damaged even after healing. Now, he wheezed like an old man, frail and weary.

"Has he disappeared?" Yamamoto asked, recalling the battle scenes in his mind.

The way H'el learned and adapted, how he took Yamamoto's Zanpakuto abilities and made them his own—only stronger, ultimately defeating him.

It was a reminder that age had caught up to him.

Every time Yamamoto recalled that fight, a sense of desolation and powerlessness overwhelmed him.

If H'el were to return, Yamamoto doubted he could inflict any significant damage, even at the cost of his own life.

At Yamamoto's side, Ichibe Hyosube stroked his thick beard, his large eyes also fixed on the dark sphere. He spoke:

"The effect has taken hold. All traces, memories, and experiences related to him have been erased from the three realms. He no longer exists in anyone's memory. As long as he remains a black ant, there's no need to worry."

Yamamoto fell silent, staring at the dark sphere. Suddenly, he asked in a grave tone:

"Will he… come back?"

Ichibe noticed the deep concern in Yamamoto's voice and let out a hearty laugh:

"Well, there's no need to worry. Maybe he'll go to Hell and never come back. Or maybe, after some 'training' in Hell, I'll be the one protecting him… haha!"

Ichibe laughed loudly, showing no fear of H'el's potential return.

What Ichibe implied was that if H'el came back too powerful, he would become the new Soul King, a living Soul King to rule the three realms.

Ichibe Hyosube wasn't bothered by who became the Soul King, so long as they stayed inactive. After all, a living and conscious Soul King would be a bother.

But if he couldn't defeat H'el, he would simply guard him as the new Soul King.

Hearing Ichibe's words, Yamamoto's heart trembled slightly, and he fell into silence once more. After a long pause, he finally spoke with a hint of resignation:

"The nobles… won't like that."

"There's nothing we can do about that, haha!" Nimaiya chuckled, scratching his bald head. "I'll leave things here to you."

With that, Hyosube turned and strode away.

Yamamoto remained, staring at the dark sphere in the sky in silence.

After a long time, he was jolted back to reality by a sudden surge of energy from the Fourth Division—a mixture of Hollow and Shinigami spiritual pressure.

"Captain-Commander! The captains recovering in the Fourth Division have suddenly turned into Hollows!" First Division Lieutenant Choujirou Sasakibe reported urgently as he appeared in the office.

°°°

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