world-shaking destructive power, Shisui snapped out of his initial joy. His expression tightened, then relaxed again.
Beside him, Toji's muscles tensed, ready to dodge at any moment.
Shisui reassured him, "Don't worry, my lord knows his limits."
"I hope so..."
After a brief charge, Kenma had accumulated immense power, waiting only to unleash it.
Just as he was about to swing his fist, Aizen laughed.
"Senior, I advise you to hold off on that attack."
"You've sensed it too, haven't you? A mass of spiritual pressure, like the sun, has already arrived nearby."
Kenma's descending arm gradually stopped, and the white sphere on his fist dissipated.
Aizen was right.
In his perception, a spiritual pressure so vast it was almost terrifying, so hot it was like a purgatory, had just violently and unscrupulously inserted itself into the vicinity like a sharp blade, announcing its enormous presence.
In this Seireitei, there was only one person who could make him feel this way.
The Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, the strongest Shinigami in a thousand years, Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni!
"This old man... his timing is impeccable!"
Kenma had expected Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni's arrival.
The spiritual pressure erupting from the fight with Kuchiki Kōga and the confrontation with Aizen... it was impossible it wouldn't attract the attention of other Shinigami.
Considering the time, Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni had actually been slow to get here from the 1st Division.
Kenma looked at Aizen, raising an eyebrow slightly.
"It looks like we're about to be discovered by the Captain-Commander."
"It's you who will be discovered, Senior. I will not." Aizen's expression didn't change, his voice still soft.
Kenma looked like he understood. "It's your Kyōka Suigetsu, isn't it?"
"Don't you already know my Zanpakutō's ability, Senior?" Aizen said with a smile.
At this moment, Shisui and Toji's figures flashed and appeared behind Kenma.
Muramasa was still tucked into Shisui's waist, its hilt and handguard concealed by his robes.
Tōsen Kaname and Ichimaru Gin also appeared beside Aizen via Shunpo.
"Lord Kenma, an immense spiritual pressure is approaching."
"Should we retreat, Lord Aizen?"
Looking at Shisui's blood-streaked face, Kenma frowned and shook his head.
"No need. We'll wait for him right here."
After speaking, he looked at Aizen. Seeing Aizen hadn't left, he asked, "Sousuke, you're not running?"
"You haven't left, Senior. How could I, a junior, leave first? That would be too rude," Aizen said.
In truth, he also wanted to leave; he didn't want to expose himself so early in front of all the Shinigami.
Even with Kyōka Suigetsu's complete hypnosis, the spiritual pressure residue he'd left from his recent moves was still present. It was impossible to clear it in a short time.
It was better to stay here, wait for the Shinigami to find them, and monitor the scene to prevent any unexpected situations from developing.
Kenma tucked the Soul-Releasing Sword into his waist, concealing it, and sneered at Aizen. "I never knew you were someone who understood etiquette."
"You flatter me, Senior."
While the two were talking, the distant spiritual pressure drew closer.
In almost the blink of an eye, that spiritual pressure descended upon the area.
Thud!
A heavy sound. Right in front of Kenma and Aizen, an old man had appeared.
The old man wore a Shinigami uniform, covered by a white haori with a purple lining.
His face was ancient, his head bald, revealing a '十' shaped scar on his head. His eyebrows and beard were pure white, his beard long enough to hang to his abdomen, tied with a purple ribbon. His entire being was wreathed in a steady, heavy aura.
Kenma looked at this person, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Merely looking at him was like staring into a raging inferno. The thick spiritual pressure filling the air gave him a slight sensation of his skin burning.
It was, unmistakably, Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni.
However, this peerless powerhouse, who had suppressed Soul Society for a thousand years, was not carrying his oldest and strongest fire-type Zanpakutō. He had come empty-handed.
Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni first looked at the surrounding environment, which had been reduced to ruins. His squinted eyes slowly opened, revealing ancient pupils that held a subdued glow.
He then looked at the six living people in this place.
His gaze swept over the battered forms of Shisui, Gin, Toji, and Tōsen, finally landing on Kenma and Aizen, who were unharmed.
"What exactly happened here?"
"All of you will speak. One by one, and in full. No concealment will be tolerated."
Seeing that the old man hadn't brought his Zanpakutō, Kenma's mind stirred. He immediately guessed the original purpose of his visit.
'He must have sensed the spiritual pressure Kuchiki Kōga erupted with earlier and hurried over.'
'Not bringing his Zanpakutō was a precaution against Kuchiki Kōga's Muramasa ability.'
Kenma glanced at Aizen out of the corner of his eye.
Aizen's eyes were hidden by his glasses, but Kenma had a feeling he was also looking at him.
"Captain-Commander..."
Kenma's voice paused. Just as he was about to continue, Aizen's gentle voice cut in.
"As you can see, Captain-Commander, a battle took place here."
"If you sense the spiritual pressure residue, you'll know that the spiritual pressure of the Kuchiki family's son-in-law, Kuchiki Kōga, is among them."
"We... encountered that Kuchiki Kōga here."
At this, Aizen's voice stopped.
Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni nodded lightly, having already deduced the gist of what had just happened.
"I see."
'Kuchiki Kōga's spiritual pressure residue is indeed nearby, but there's more of these people's spiritual pressure.'
'One doesn't need to think to know what happened. These six must have encountered Kuchiki Kōga, who then activated Muramasa's ability, inciting a conflict between them and their Zanpakutō.'
'A great battle erupted between Shinigami and their Zanpakutō. That's why this place has such chaotic spiritual pressure traces.'
Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni asked again, "This is near the Seijōtōkyorin. It is strictly forbidden for ordinary people to enter. Why are you all here?"
Kenma said, "I received a message from the Onmitsukidō, informing me that Kuchiki Kōga had escaped the 6th Division prison and was heading this way."
"I was worried Kuchiki Kōga would make a terrible mistake, so I hurried here, hoping to stop him. But the result..."
Aizen continued, "I also sensed the spiritual pressure and followed."
Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni nodded and asked his third question. "Kuchiki Kōga... which direction did he go?"
"That way."
Kenma and Aizen simultaneously pointed in the opposite direction from where Kuchiki Kōga had actually gone.
Before their voices had even faded, Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni's figure had vanished.
Along with him, that suffocating, immense spiritual pressure was also gone.
Just after Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni left, Kuchiki Ginrei appeared, carrying a wooden box.
"I am grateful for your concern for Kōga. Thank you."
After appearing, Kuchiki Ginrei nodded lightly to the group, then used Shunpo to chase after Yamamoto's spiritual pressure.
Watching the two of them leave, one after the other, Kenma sighed inwardly.
'Kuchiki Kōga... is in trouble.'
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