After the two of them stepped into a new world, Masatsuki Aozaki took a moment to rest, shifting back into his human form before dressing and leaving the 2nd Division.
As the 3rd Seat, he could come and go from the barracks freely without anyone stopping him. However, to maintain the dignified image of a responsible officer, he decided it wouldn't be wise to let his subordinates catch him slacking off. Instead, he chose the more discreet route—scaling the walls and heading straight for West Rukongai.
...
A light drizzle fell.
After weaving through a dense cluster of grand mansions, Shingū Tsunayashiro finally caught sight of the towering council chamber.
Pushing open the doors, he stepped inside to find that the elders had been waiting for quite some time.
"What's going on? Why has Takasugi Hirofumi been imprisoned in the Nest of Maggots?" His voice was sharp with accusation.
Tamaba Tsunayashiro's lips curled slightly in a mocking smile.
"Your Excellency Shingū, this is the Tsunayashiro Clan's elder council. Is there a need for such outbursts?"
"Don't forget your position—you're an elder yourself, representing the dignity of this family."
Shingū Tsunayashiro's expression darkened. He had no retort to Tamaba's ridicule, knowing that the latter's influence within the main family far exceeded his own.
His power primarily lay within the branch families, and despite his frustration, Tamaba's words weren't wrong. He had no valid counterargument.
"But Takasugi Hirofumi has a Third-Class Reiatsu, and the Nest of Maggots is under the jurisdiction of the Shihōin Clan."
Shingū Tsunayashiro took his seat among the elders, his voice heavy.
Tamaba Tsunayashiro cast him a glance before Tokuyasu Tsunayashiro raised a hand, prompting a subtle shift in the elders' expressions.
"Your Excellency Shingū, it's not that we don't want to save Takasugi Hirofumi—it's that we simply can't."
"Yes, the Tsunayashiro Clan is the most powerful noble house at present, but if the Kuchiki and Shihōin Clans join forces, even we would struggle to hold our ground."
"I suggest you recognize the reality of the situation. The Tsunayashiro Clan is not omnipotent. If we were, there would be no need for the rebels to exist, don't you agree?"
The elders nodded in agreement.
The purpose of the rebel faction was to weaken rival noble houses and expand the Tsunayashiro Clan's influence. If they truly had absolute control, there'd be no need for such tactics—they could simply command their enemies to submit or disband outright.
"So we're just going to let Takasugi Hirofumi die in the Nest of Maggots?" Shingū Tsunayashiro clenched his fists, his voice laced with cold laughter.
"The Central 46 sentenced him to imprisonment, not execution."
"A three-thousand-year sentence might as well be a death sentence. And with Masatsuki Aozaki overseeing the Nest of Maggots now, who knows how long he'll last?"
"That's not for us to decide."
Tokuyasu Tsunayashiro waved a hand dismissively.
"We did everything we could to preserve his life, and even our family's reputation has taken a hit because of it."
He narrowed his eyes.
"Perhaps the branch families should start looking for other solutions."
Tokuyasu knew full well that while Shingū Tsunayashiro had some intelligence, it wasn't quite enough.
That was precisely why the branch families had chosen him as their representative—someone too clever would be difficult to control, while someone too foolish wouldn't be able to rise to an elder's position even with support.
The best candidate was someone with just enough cunning, but not too much.
Shingū Tsunayashiro's expression remained cold as he reluctantly nodded.
As he sat there, listening with his eyes closed, the sound of rain outside the window seemed to grow heavier—pounding down with increasing intensity.
...
Meanwhile, thanks to his exceptional Shunpo skills, Masatsuki Aozaki easily slipped out of Seireitei.
He greeted the Hakutōmon gatekeeper,Jidanbō Ikkanzaka, before once again stepping onto the soil of Junrinan, the first district of Rukongai.
Upon reaching the outskirts of the Shiba residence, Masatsuki Aozaki carefully concealed himself at a distance, peering toward the main gate.
Two towering, muscle-bound men stood guard, but the one person who viewed him as a sworn enemy was nowhere to be seen.
"Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko, is your Aniki not home?"
"Masatsuki-sama…?" The two burly men looked slightly surprised before answering, "Yes, the head of the household is not at home."
They were the Shiba family's servants and had also been Kūkaku and Kaien's teachers, raising them since childhood.
One look at their sturdy physiques made it clear they were both masters of hand-to-hand combat.
"Is Kūkaku home?"
"Lady Kūkaku is in the tea room."
Hearing the answer he wanted, Masatsuki Aozaki crossed his arms and strode inside.
If his elder brother-in-law wasn't around, then wasn't Kūkaku in charge of the household?
Considering their relationship, he could be considered half the master of this house.
Declining Koganehiko's offer to accompany him, Masatsuki Aozaki entered alone.
He made his way down the stairs, through a long corridor, and stopped in front of a paper door.
"Koganehiko? Do we have a guest?"
Perhaps hearing movement, a voice laced with amusement came from inside.
Masatsuki Aozaki didn't answer and instead asked, "Do I count as a guest?"
A flicker of joy flashed in Kūkaku Shiba's eyes.
"Masatsuki, come in."
At those words, Masatsuki Aozaki pushed the door open and stepped inside.
"What brings you here? Did Yoruichi actually let you come back?" Kūkaku Shiba teased.
"What kind of question is that? You make it sound like Yoruichi has me under house arrest," Masatsuki Aozaki scoffed, waving a hand dismissively.
"She probably would if she could!" Kūkaku Shiba smirked.
She knew her childhood friend too well.
Coming to her in the middle of the night to ask about some strange secret technique—it was obviously for the man standing before her.
Too bad for Yoruichi, though. The Shiba family had passed down plenty of techniques, but none that could alter one's body shape.
What did Yoruichi take her for? Everything about her was one hundred percent natural!
Her figure wasn't the result of any modifications—it was pure natural talent.
Thinking of this, Kūkaku Shiba rolled her eyes.
Seriously, why did Yoruichi think she had some secret art to change her body?
If she had time to chase after that nonsense, she might as well put more effort into studying the Cat Transformation Technique.
If turning into a cat was possible, then refining it further to alter a spirit body shouldn't be too far off.
"Let's not talk about Yoruichi for now. I came to give you this." Masatsuki Aozaki pulled out a set of clothing.
"Protective gear?" Kūkaku Shiba asked.
Masatsuki Aozaki nodded.
"This is ugly!" Kūkaku Shiba spread out the outfit with a look of distaste.
The entire suit was black from head to toe, including the mask, shoes, and gloves. It somewhat resembled the 2nd Division's stealth uniforms but was bulkier, making it even less appealing.
Masatsuki Aozaki sighed. "Who cares about looks? You're wearing it for experiments, not a fashion show."
Thinking about Kūkaku's future and the arm she would eventually lose, Masatsuki still found her beautiful—but he didn't want things to turn out that way.
So he gave a firm reminder. "Make sure you wear this during experiments. Got it?"
"Yes, yes…" Kūkaku Shiba waved a hand lazily, brushing off the concern.
Still, seeing how seriously Masatsuki was worrying over her brought a smile to her lips.
"How should I thank you for such a thoughtful gift?"
She suddenly grabbed Masatsuki Aozaki's collar, leaned in, and took a deep breath against his neck.
"You smell like Yoruichi."
You can tell from that?!
Masatsuki Aozaki was stunned. They had been in cat form at the time—how could she still pick up the scent?
He was about to come up with an excuse but hesitated. "Well…"
Kūkaku didn't wait for him to finish—before he could say another word, she had already pinned him down, eyes burning with emotion.
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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