Tsunayashiro Tokida found it highly amusing. A child with such low spiritual pressure dared to challenge someone from the Tsunayashiro family.
Even if Kyōraku Shunsui had brought him here, Kyōraku Shunsui was just a high-ranking noble. In the eyes of the Tsunayashiro family, even a high-ranking noble was replaceable.
To the Tsunayashiro family, there was little difference between high-ranking nobles and other nobles.
Who in the Soul Society could compare to the five great noble families who had shaped and created the Three Realms? Kyōraku Shunsui, a high-ranking noble, was insignificant to Tsunayashiro Tokida. No matter how noble the child might be, he could never surpass the stature of the Tsunayashiro family.
Moreover, the Tsunayashiro family had the hereditary duty of overseeing the Soul Society, and they had never heard of a child who deserved the respect of Kyōraku Shunsui, a high-ranking noble.
To Tsunayashiro Tokida, this child was merely a plaything, especially in front of Kyōraku Shunsui.
Tsunayashiro Tokida's sneering smile grew more pronounced as he watched H'el's palm slowly curl into a fist.
In the bottomless depths of the Great Spirit Library Corridor, as H'el clenched his fist, a dark sphere appeared silently behind Tsunayashiro Tokida, rotating and closing in on his position.
A sudden chill ran down Tsunayashiro Tokida's spine as an overwhelming sense of danger engulfed him, causing his scalp to tingle and his pores to sting. His mocking expression vanished instantly.
He swiftly executed a Shunpo to his left.
His reaction was quick; as a former student of Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto and a classmate of Kyōraku Shunsui, he was on par with Kyōraku in strength.
"Ah——"
The dark sphere instantly covered the spot where Tsunayashiro Tokida had stood. Despite his quick Shunpo, he couldn't entirely escape its grasp. He screamed as his left arm was torn off, blood splattering across the area.
It was like watching a silent film. Tsunayashiro Tokida's scream echoed through the Great Spirit Library Corridor.
Thud!
Boom!
Tsunayashiro Tokida's body crashed heavily into a bookshelf, shaking it and sending books flying. White pages fluttered in the air, and blood droplets splattered on the ground, creating a ghastly sight.
Amidst the falling pages, Tsunayashiro Tokida lay against the bookshelf, his eyes filled with pain, disbelief, and shock as he looked towards the dark sphere.
This kid... dared to attack him!
Ignoring noble status was not unheard of, especially for someone like Tsunayashiro Tokida, who despised yet exploited his noble status. He knew better than anyone how detestable nobility could be.
Status aside, it was power that truly mattered, allowing one to manipulate and control everything.
Tsunayashiro Tokida was not weak; he was more experienced and powerful than any Gotei 13 captain. Even Kyōraku Shunsui would struggle to defeat him.
What shocked him most was the nature of the attack. He couldn't sense any spiritual pressure from it. If not for his own strength and sharp instincts, he would have been reduced to dust by that dark sphere.
He saw his severed arm disintegrate into tiny spirit particles, not because the dark sphere targeted it specifically, but because it indiscriminately shredded anything in its path.
His heart pounded with fear, his eyes wide with shock.
Kyōraku Shunsui's face grew stern, his eyes showing surprise. He hadn't expected H'el to act so quickly. Despite Tsunayashiro Tokida's fast Shunpo, he couldn't avoid H'el's dark sphere, losing an arm to its relentless shredding.
The air in the dim Great Spirit Library Corridor was tinged with the scent of blood.
"Hmm? You managed to escape quickly."
H'el looked down at Tsunayashiro Tokida, expressionless.
Tsunayashiro Tokida clutched his bleeding left shoulder, his face pale. He felt a surge of anger and pain as he met H'el's unfeeling gaze through the fluttering white pages.
To H'el, Tsunayashiro Tokida was just another noble abusing his power. He felt no particular emotion towards him.
The threat to cut off H'el's arm had not moved him. It was typical of those in power to exploit their authority to intimidate others.
But Tsunayashiro Tokida had made a mistake—H'el was not like everyone else.
Tsunayashiro Tokida wasn't worth enough to affect H'el's emotions. He didn't even provide enough emotional value.
"Doesn't matter."
H'el relaxed his fist, spreading his fingers and casually moving his hand towards Tsunayashiro Tokida.
'Clang——'
The clear sound of a blade being drawn echoed as Kyōraku Shunsui appeared before H'el. His tall figure loomed, pink haori fluttering, hands extended with his palms facing H'el. His Zanpakuto pointed towards Tsunayashiro Tokida. He turned his head towards H'el, his eyes serious and stern as he said:
"H'el, why don't you let me handle this? You can read in peace here in the Great Spirit Library Corridor. Leave the rest to me."
Kyōraku Shunsui suggested, not wanting H'el to kill Tsunayashiro Tokida right then.
Killing Tsunayashiro Tokida wasn't a good idea.
Anything involving the Tsunayashiro family was never simple.
If they could secretly kill him without anyone finding out, Kyōraku Shunsui might consider it.
But that was clearly impossible.
This was the Great Spirit Library Corridor, under the Tsunayashiro family's control. If they killed Tsunayashiro Tokida, there might be a book appearing the next moment recording how H'el and Kyōraku Shunsui killed him.
Being implicated like that would be disastrous.
°°°
Hungry for more chaps? Then check out our pătreon!
Link: Påtreon.com/BaphometFiction
I post 20 advanced chapters of this fanfic there.