"No wonder."
"The Reiatsu at the scene and the traces of battle."
"Also, the order we just received from Central 46 — forbidding all Shinigami from leaving their team buildings."
"Only one person has the power to do all this—Captain Kuchiki Ginrei."
"Silencing a witness? Now that's truly unexpected!"
After hearing Unohana Retsu lay out the full scope of Aiyan's plan, the Gotei captains finally understood, and a chill ran down their spines.
None of them had thought that behind the Zanpakutō rebellion—which they believed had been resolved a month ago—was actually an even more explosive scandal involving Hollowfication experiments.
And not just that.
This time, not only did it involve a former Gotei captain—but even a current Division Captain.
That person being the head of one of the Four Great Noble Clans.
No wonder it was so well hidden.
"Wait a second, Captain Unohana! There's still something I don't understand."
"What exactly was Hirako Shinji's role in all this?"
"Was it prison-breaking? Preventing the prison break? Or… something else?"
Shiba Isshin's words raised the same doubts that Muguruma Kensei, Ōtoribashi Rōjūrō, and the others were all grappling with.
"Captain Isshin, in your opinion, what do Hirako Shinji and the prisoner Kōga have in common?"
Unohana Retsu's smile was gentle, but her words carried weight.
"Common ground?"
"There is one."
"Hirako Shinji, Kōga. Both of them have had… tension with Captain Aiyan and Lieutenant Aizen."
Shiba Isshin paused, and then his eyes lit up with sudden realization.
"Captain Unohana, you mean—Hirako lost to Captain Aiyan in the captain selection duel… so he tried to use Kōga and Hollowfication to gain power? To defeat Captain Aiyan?"
"That's what you're saying?"
Muguruma Kensei asked, tense and uncertain.
"What role did he play in this?"
"Was it as Isshin said—to try and surpass Aiyan using Hollowfication? Or… is there something deeper?"
"The truth behind everything will become clear as soon as we locate the space transfer site."
Unohana paused, then turned toward one individual.
"Isn't that right—"
"Chief of Kidō."
All eyes turned to Tsukabishi Tomioka.
Rather than speak, he simply turned his back on everyone, facing Seireitei.
His eyes locked in one direction.
The Kuchiki Manor.
Even in the dead of night, as the seat of the Four Noble Houses, the Kuchiki clan residence remained brightly lit and heavily guarded. The wide wooden halls, the stream-framed gardens, the rooms scattered throughout—each had sentries patrolling.
Every five steps, a post. Every ten steps, a watch.
But that tranquility was about to be broken.
Suddenly, in a small garden of the Kuchiki manor, a surge of emerald light erupted.
"What is that!?"
"It's Kidō!"
"Alert!"
"Enemy attack!"
"Someone's invaded the Kuchiki estate!"
The sudden change threw the guards into chaos. No one had expected that anyone would dare to strike at one of the Four Great Houses under cover of night.
After their brief shock passed, all nearby guards unsheathed their Zanpakutō and rushed toward the garden.
At the same time, the sharp and urgent ring of alarm bells echoed throughout the entire Kuchiki estate, waking the noble family from their slumber.
Boom.
Just as dozens of Shinigami surrounded the area, the blue Kidō pattern faded slowly into the air.
What appeared next, however, shook them all to the core.
The figure standing at the center of the courtyard was both unfamiliar… and terribly familiar.
Even Kuchiki Sōjun, who had rushed there after hearing the alarm, froze on the spot.
"Fa…Father?"
"That's impossible..."
"What… happened to you…?"
The man standing in the courtyard was no longer human.
His body was clad in white steel-like skin, a grotesque Hollow mask over his face, his limbs almost lizard-like—but in his hand still rested a Zanpakutō.
It was Kuchiki Ginrei.
The unmistakable Reiatsu told the story.
"He's really… the head of the Kuchiki Clan!"
"But… what happened to him!?"
"That's Hollowfication!"
"That's taboo within Seireitei!"
As soon as they realized what they were looking at, the crowd of Kuchiki servants began to panic.
"Roar—!!"
Kuchiki Ginrei, dazed for a brief moment, let out a thunderous roar that shook the heavens.
His Reiatsu exploded outward, turning into a raging storm.
The guards closest to him were thrown into the air before they could even react, flung like rag dolls by the shockwave.
Those further away?
Not so lucky.
Because after his roar, Kuchiki Ginrei slashed his blade horizontally.
Boom!
The sword strike alone sent dozens of guards flying, vomiting blood, crashing into walls.
The entire garden was leveled.
"Aaaahhh!"
"He's Hollowfied!"
"He's lost all control!"
The rest of the household finally arrived—but they stood paralyzed.
What were they to do?
He was their clan head. Their patriarch.
How could they lift a blade against him?
"Father…"
Kuchiki Sōjun's face twisted—shock, disbelief, rage… then clarity.
No matter how it had happened—this was no longer a man.
It was a monster in his father's skin.
If they didn't act—
The Kuchiki Clan would fall just like the disgraced Shiba.
"Everyone, listen up!"
"Prepare Bakudō!"
"Use Number 99!"
His command snapped the panicked servants to attention.
Although most were incapable of using such high-level Kidō individually, the Kuchiki clan possessed one unique technique passed down by nobles:
Combined Chant.
With this technique, even a dozen or more Shinigami could pool their strength together and perform a Kidō far beyond their individual limits.
With fifty servants chanting in unison, a Kidō that no one could cast alone began to form—its power rivaling even the true spell of Bakudō #99.