Among the Shinigami assigned to the mission by Kyoraku and Yamamoto, only Kyoya and Hiyori emerged unharmed.
Kyoraku conducted another thorough investigation into Kyoya's intelligence.
During this process, Kyoraku noticed some ambiguous evidence pointing toward Kyoya.
And it was precisely this evidence that made Kyoraku realize that this matter was far from over!
Too much of a coincidence!
As for Kyoya's suspicion...
If not for the recent revelation that Kyoya was planning to reform the 11th Division, adding new functions to its duties, Kyoraku would have long dismissed Kyoya as a suspect.
"Let's set this matter aside for now."
Yamamoto spoke.
As the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, Yamamoto understood that to maintain the 'stability' of the Seireitei, 'rules' were indispensable.
Moreover, they had to be rules that even he himself abided by.
Otherwise, if he relied solely on his overwhelming power and authority to act arbitrarily, the so-called stability of the Seireitei would ultimately be nothing more than a facade upheld by sheer force.
Only by adhering to the rules he himself established could other Shinigami internalize and uphold them, ensuring their continuation.
For this reason, the Central 46, within the framework of these rules, stood as an entity equal to the Gotei 13, one governing politics, the other military affairs, separate yet interdependent.
"The duty of the Gotei 13 is the cornerstone of maintaining the Seireitei's stability. It must not be recklessly altered!"
Yamamoto's eyes were cold.
Each division of the Gotei 13 had its own responsibilities.
Of course, the vast Seireitei could not have all its authority concentrated within the Gotei 13.
The noble families would never willingly cede all their power.
At its core, the Gotei 13 was a military organization founded under the banner of 'protection'.
Over the past nine hundred years, under the leadership of the Gotei 13 and the Central 46, the Seireitei had enjoyed far greater peace and stability than it had a thousand years ago.
This reaffirmed Yamamoto's belief that the Gotei 13 he had established was correct.
Now, Kyoya sought to redefine the duties of the 11th Division. If Yamamoto did not react, what was to stop future Captains from similarly expanding or reducing their divisions' functions as they saw fit?
Change bred instability.
This was something Yamamoto could not tolerate.
"Kyoya's desire to expand the 11th Division's duties is a destabilizing factor."
"I want you to speak with Kyoya and persuade him to abandon this idea."
"If he still insists..."
At this point, a cold glint flashed in Yamamoto's eyes.
"Old man!"
Kyoraku naturally understood what Yamamoto was implying, but he doubted he could sway Kyoya. Moreover...
"Old man, don't forget… Captain Kyoya is the current generation's Kenpachi!"
Yamamoto glared at Kyoraku.
Did he not know that Kyoya was the [Kenpachi]?
Precisely because Kyoya was the Kenpachi, Yamamoto had wanted his disciple to attempt persuasion first.
Kenpachi… this was a title established by the first Captain of the 11th Division, Unohana Yachiru.
It signified the Strongest Shinigami.
The Captains of the Gotei 13 held status equal to that of high-ranking nobles.
But the [Kenpachi] stood on par with the Four Great Noble Houses.
Possessing the title of Kenpachi granted special privileges… even the Central 46's interrogations could be disregarded.
Even if a Kenpachi committed a grave crime, as long as they refused to admit guilt, no one could punish them.
This was the privilege of the [Kenpachi].
The Eighth Kenpachi, Azashiro, sought to transform the souls of the Rukongai into his weapons and invade Hueco Mundo to eradicate all Hollows.
After turning himself in, neither Yamamoto nor the Central 46 could force him to answer their questions, so they could only seal him away in the Muken.
The tenth Kenpachi before Kyoya, Kiganjo, was an utter monster.
When in a good mood, Kiganjo would kill.
When in a bad mood, Kiganjo would also kill.
During that time, the 11th Division was practically despised by everyone.
Yet, despite this, neither the Central 46 nor Captain-Commander Yamamoto ever held Kiganjo accountable.
Such was the privilege of the Kenpachi.
Now, Kyoya sought to expand the duties of the 11th Division, but neither the nobles of the Central 46 nor Yamamoto wanted him to succeed.
However, due to the Kenpachi's privilege, they couldn't outright order Kyoya to abandon his plans, so they could only try to influence him through others.
"Forget it, just do your best."
…
"Yo, Captain Kyoya."
"Getting to see you really isn't an easy task, huh?"
Inside the 11th Division's barracks, Kyoya watched as Kyoraku, acting as if they were old friends, casually seated himself across from him and poured tea. A flicker of surprise crossed Kyoya's eyes.
"Captain Kyoraku, you actually have time to visit me at a moment like this?"
Kyoya's skepticism wasn't unfounded.
The Gotei 13 had lost six Captains, and the Kido Corps had lost both their Great Kido Chief and Vice Kido Chief. Without a doubt, this was a major incident that could destabilize the Seireitei.
As the Captain of the intelligence division, Kyoraku's workload was undoubtedly the heaviest.
Not only did he have to wrap up the aftermath of the incident, but he also had to gather information on potential Captain Candidates…
In other words, while other Captains might have some free time right now, Kyoraku, the Captain of the 8th Division, should have been swamped.
Yet here he was, sitting across from Kyoya…
"Captain Kyoraku, if you have something to say, just say it directly."
Kyoya glanced up at Kyoraku and asked, "Are you suspecting me of being involved in the Hollowfication incident from a few days ago? Or is this about what I plan to do in the coming days?"
In Kyoya's view, only these two matters would warrant Kyoraku personally coming to his office to confront him.
"Maa, maa… Captain Kyoya, you're surprisingly sharp. It's almost intimidating…"
Kyoraku chuckled lightly.
What an unexpected twist.
He had initially believed that Kyoya had little to do with the Hollowfication incident.
But judging from Kyoya's words now, that might not be the case.
Hollowfication among Shinigami was one of the most closely guarded secrets in the Seireitei.
Especially since even Captains had been turned into test subjects and transformed into Hollows.
If such information were to spread, it would undoubtedly incite fear among the Shinigami ranks.
After all, from the moment they vowed to become Shinigami, they knew their lives would be dedicated to fighting Hollows and protecting the living world.
If they learned that they could become mere lab rats for certain individuals, the Seireitei would be thrown into chaos.
In other words, aside from a handful of Captains, no one else knew about the Hollowfication of Aizen's victims, Shinji and the others.
Kyoya had been in seclusion in his quarters during those days and hadn't interacted with any other Captains afterward. Logically, he shouldn't have known the term [Hollowfication].
"So, Captain Kyoya, is there something you'd like to tell me?"
Though Kyoraku's expression remained relaxed, his Reiatsu instantly expanded, enveloping Kyoya.
If Kyoya's response raised any red flags, Kyoraku wouldn't hesitate to subdue him on the spot.
As for whether he could actually defeat Kyoya…
Well, Kyoraku had to admit that Kyoya's talent was terrifying, surpassing even his own expectations.
But at the same time, Kyoya had a glaring weakness.
He was too young.
From the time Kyoya entered the Shin'o Academy to now, only about twenty years had passed.
Even if Kyoya had accomplished in two decades what took other Shinigami a century, Kyoraku himself was no slouch.
For Kyoya to surpass him, he'd need at least another fifty years.
At the very least, as long as his Reiatsu surpassed Kyoya's, Kyoraku was confident in his victory.
In Kyoraku's perception, Kyoya's Reiatsu was at 2nd-class Reiryoku, which is much stronger than that of an ordinary Captain.
But what about Kyoraku?
He was just a step away from 1st-class Reiryoku.
Among all the current Gotei 13's Captains, aside from Yamamoto and Unohana, there was truly no one Kyoraku needed to fear.
"Oh?"
Kyoya raised an eyebrow.
Kyoraku's actions, though subtle, didn't escape his notice.
And judging from Kyoraku's reaction, this wasn't a joke.
"Captain Kyoraku, are you planning to fight me?"
"Well, I don't have much of a choice."
"Who made your words feel unsettling..."
"So, tell me, Captain Kyoya."
"Where did you hear about Hollowfication?"
"Ah, I see."
Kyoya suddenly understood.
He had been wondering why Kyoraku would suddenly consider attacking him… now it made sense.
Indeed, this was Kyoya's oversight.
Between his own memories and the enhanced perception from his fused abilities, Kyoya had assumed Hollowfication was common knowledge.
But in reality, even when Shinji and the others later returned to the Seireitei and resumed their positions as Captains, Hollowfication remained a closely guarded secret from the average Shinigami.
After all, during the Karakura Town War, only Lieutenants and Captains participated, while ordinary Shinigami were left stationed in the Seireitei.
"That was my mistake."
"So... are you saying you're the mastermind behind all this?"
Hearing Kyoya's words, Kyoraku's smile faded.
"Hah, Captain Kyoraku, you overestimate me."
Kyoya waved his hand dismissively, "I admit, when it comes to combat training, I do have some talent."
"But that doesn't mean I have the same level of genius in scientific research."
"Completing Hollowfication experiments, even just turning ordinary souls into Hollows, is no simple feat, let alone Hollowfying Shinigami..."
Kyoraku remained silent, but his wariness toward Kyoya deepened.
Kyoya claimed he had no talent for research, yet he knew that Hollowfication experiments began with ordinary souls...
Considering Kyoya's past interactions with former captains like Kirio and Kisuke, it was hard to say whether he had gained deeper insights into the secrets of the soul from them.
After all, Kirio was a scientific prodigy who ascended to the Zero Division through her invention of artificial souls, Gikon.
And Kisuke was no slouch either… during his tenure as captain of the 12th Division, he produced numerous revolutionary inventions that reshaped the Seireitei.
Who could say that Kyoya's friendship with Kirio and Kisuke wasn't due to his own extraordinary scientific aptitude?
"I genuinely have no interest in research."
Seeing Kyoraku's continued suspicion, Kyoya shook his head with a wry smile.
This wasn't a lie.
Indeed, in the Bleach World, scientific geniuses were monsters in their own right.
Whether it was Szayelaporro Granz in Hueco Mundo, the members of the Zero Division, or prodigies like Kisuke and Mayuri, they all pushed the boundaries of Reishi manipulation to create incredible inventions.
Even Zanpakuto, at their core, were 'scientific inventions'.
The same went for Shinigami's Shihakusho.
The Sword God, Nimaiya Oetsu, and the Great Weave Guard, Senjumaru Shutara, ascended to the Zero Division precisely because they created Zanpakuto and Shihakusho.
In the end, science was the ultimate driving force.
If Kyoya hadn't obtained the One Piece Achievement System, he might have considered joining the 12th Division to enhance his strength.
But now that he had a shortcut to power, wasting time on other pursuits would be foolish.
Why walk when you can ride?
"The reason I know about Hollowfication is simply because my abilities have advanced further."
With that, Kyoya flicked his wrist, and a translucent screen materialized between him and Kyoraku.
Within this screen, Kyoraku could see various parts of the Seireitei.
As the image zoomed in, he could clearly make out patrolling Shinigami, chatting merchants, passing pedestrians, and even a green-haired Shinigami being bullied in a corner.
"Captain Kyoraku, you know my Zanpakuto is the strongest light-type."
"A few days ago, I had an epiphany… a breakthrough in my mastery over light."
"This is just me projecting light from one part of the Seireitei right in front of us."
"If I wanted to, there's very little in the Seireitei that could hide from me."
Seeing this, Kyoraku let out a sigh and withdrew his Reiatsu.
"Captain Kyoya, with abilities like these, it's a waste for you not to lead the 8th Division."
Though Kyoraku still harbored doubts, Kyoya had demonstrated that even without leaving his office, he could uncover the Seireitei's secrets.
Kyoraku couldn't act against Kyoya based on mere suspicion… especially without evidence.
And above all, Kyoya was the [Kenpachi].
"Hah, spare me."
"Using this ability to kill time is one thing, but if I had to actually gather intelligence with it, I'd die of boredom."