Chapter 316: Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto

First Division.

Head Captain's Office.

This place seemed embedded into the mountainside, providing a bird's-eye view of most of the Seireitei. Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto's face was old and heavily wrinkled, with a cross-shaped scar on the right side of his bald head. His long silver beard was tied with a purple band, and he wore a large haori. Leaning on a wooden staff, his eyes seemed to be half-closed as if he was about to doze off, yet he exuded a sense of dignity and calm as he faced the Seireitei.

Kyōraku Shunsui entered from outside with a lazy smile, addressing him unceremoniously as "Old Man Yama."

"I should have sent all the information about H'el and the Gates of Hell, right? Have you not made a decision yet?" Kyōraku Shunsui asked lazily, half-closing his eyes, always looking like he dreaded any trouble. His right hand was casually tucked into his uniform, adding to his nonchalant demeanor.

The crux of the matter was whether to charge H'el with crimes, have the Central 46 Chambers judge him for killing Unahara Ichirō, and address the issue of his Zanpakutō's Shikai causing the Gates of Hell to appear.

If the Central 46 Chambers were to judge him, the charge of killing a Soul Reaper alone would be enough to sentence H'el to death.

Soul Reapers are the administrators of the Soul Society, and in this highly feudal society, they are a superior existence. There is absolutely no tolerance for commoners killing a Soul Reaper. Such an act would be a challenge to their authority and would have to be punished by death as a warning to others.

Moreover, H'el's Shikai could cause the Gates of Hell to appear, disrupting the balance of the three worlds, which would make all the nobility in the Soul Society uneasy.

The balance of the Soul Society affects all life in the three worlds.

Just as Yamamoto's Bankai cannot remain in the Soul Society for long due to its extreme heat potentially evaporating the entire realm, H'el's Shikai also cannot be allowed to appear frequently.

If the Central 46 Chambers were to judge, H'el's fate would undoubtedly be death.

"Old Man Yama, I must remind you, H'el is not the kind to sit and wait for death or surrender without a fight. Although I haven't fought H'el myself nor seen his Shikai's power, I believe what he says. His Shikai has the power to cause the Gates of Hell to appear, disrupting the balance of the three worlds," Kyōraku Shunsui said leisurely.

If possible, he didn't want to fight H'el. Not because he was afraid of H'el, but because it would be troublesome.

He believed what H'el said.

This kid is no saint. To fight him, you must be prepared for one of you to die.

It's either you or him.

So, Kyōraku Shunsui gave a warning. If they were to capture H'el, they would need several captains prepared for his resistance and ready to deal with the aftermath of the Gates of Hell.

Thinking about someone like H'el gave Kyōraku Shunsui a headache.

H'el's audacity in following him back to the Seireitei only gave him more of a headache.

Kyōraku Shunsui almost wished that H'el would have fought him right away upon their meeting, causing the Gates of Hell to appear, so they could definitively mark him as a threat that needed to be eliminated, thus removing a lot of troublesome decisions.

"Let him enter the Shin'ō Academy and become a student," Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni declared, leaning on his staff, his eyelids drooping, his voice calm and authoritative.

"Oh?" Kyōraku Shunsui was a bit surprised, removing his hand from the inside of his uniform and scratching his chin stubble.

The once dominant and fierce Old Man Yama, showing such tranquility at this moment, was indeed strange to him.

Who was Old Man Yama?

He was the Head Captain of the First Division of the Gotei 13, the founder of the "Genryū", and the founder of the Shin'ō Academy.

He was known as the "Strongest Shinigami in the Soul Society" and the highest commander of the Gotei 13. A thousand years ago, he led the original Gotei 13 against the Quincy led by Yhwach and personally defeated Yhwach, who possessed the Almighty ability.

He was a man willing to use any means necessary to defeat his enemies, even considering his subordinates as expendable dust, earning him the moniker "demon" from Yhwach.

He was very strict about the discipline and rules within his ranks, with a motto that declared, "I will not forgive those who neglect justice."

He was very committed to the laws of the Soul Society and loyal to the royal family. Anyone daring to challenge the discipline of the Soul Society, even his prized pupils, would face his blade without hesitation.

Now, this man, faced with someone like H'el who had killed a Soul Reaper (even if that Soul Reaper deserved it, it was not H'el's place to kill him) and whose Shikai could disrupt the balance of the three worlds, causing the Gates of Hell to appear in the Soul Society—seemingly violating everything Old Man Yama stood for—was not gathering the captains to surround and eliminate H'el?

Kyōraku Shunsui couldn't quite understand. He had been ready to draw his sword against H'el.

"Hmm, do you have any other questions?" Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni grunted heavily, seeing Kyōraku Shunsui deep in thought, rubbing his chin. He lifted his staff and struck the ground, releasing a powerful shockwave that displayed the immense authority of the Head Captain.

Kyōraku Shunsui had sent back all the information regarding H'el, and Yamamoto had read it all, including Shunsui's speculations about H'el's temperament.

Yamamoto believed that if H'el's Shikai truly caused the Gates of Hell to appear in the Soul Society, disrupting the balance of the three worlds, he had to be dealt with. There would be no room for sentiment.

He was prepared to act accordingly.

However, information suddenly came from above.

H'el could not be touched.

If they didn't want the three worlds to be torn open with an irreparable hole, they needed to stabilize him. They didn't need to treat him like a deity, but they had to avoid provoking him.

In essence, H'el held the Shikai that controlled the death of the entire three worlds.

When he unleashed it without restraint, not caring about the Gates of Hell, and absorbed all matter and spirit particles at full power, the first thing to be absorbed would be Hell itself, followed by the complete collapse of the three worlds. A new universe would then be created within the realm of his Shikai.

Since he activated his Shikai, he had been at a level comparable to the Soul King, but he maintained the minimum energy consumption to stay in this world, which is why the Gates of Hell didn't perceive him as a threat.

Currently, he only wanted to study the essence of spirit particles and some techniques, without destroying the three worlds.

Unless they could instantly kill him and annihilate every spirit particle that belonged to him before he could fully unleash his Shikai, they couldn't completely stop him.

Yamamoto wasn't sure if even he could accomplish such a feat.

Thus, it was best not to provoke him.

Just let him finish his research and leave.

"No, this is for the best," Kyōraku Shunsui said, lowering his hand from his chin and smiling. "Looks like I can still enjoy cherry blossoms with young H'el."

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