Chapter 193
Nearly half of the Seireitei fell into silence.
All eyes turned toward the direction of the Second Division, where the Head Captain’s reiatsu surged like an overwhelming tsunami, rolling through the air. That scorching, oppressive spiritual pressure swept across everyone’s senses.
Within that turbulent wave of spirit energy, another presence demanded attention: Kaelith, the Third Seat of the Second Division. Just like Yamamoto, Kaelith’s reiatsu emanated from that sa area—wave after wave, not as mighty as the Head Captain’s, but every bit as fierce and unyielding. The intensity of that cutting-edge reiatsu left so of the weaker Shinigami nearly gasping for breath.
Even from more than ten kiloters away, they could sense Yamamoto’s unrestrained killing intent. This was no spar, no training exercise—this was a life-and-death struggle, a genuine battle to the bitter end.
And yet, aside from Yamamoto, Kaelith, and the occasional hint of Captain Kyōraku’s reiatsu, no other spiritual signatures were apparent at the scene. Where was the enemy?
A conflict of such ferocity, with lethal intent so palpable, left them puzzling over the situation. Ruling out all impossibilities, only one conclusion remained: the Head Captain… was fighting Kaelith!
This implied that their duel had already escalated to such intensity that even soone like Kyōraku could only hover at the periphery, unable to intervene. How had things co to this? Why would the Head Captain and his disciple cross blades in earnest?
Speculation ran rampant. Those who revered raw strength and power concluded that the cunning disciple, after mastering all he could from his teacher, had turned traitor. Conspiracy theorists—keyboard warriors of a sort—whispered that Kaelith, allied with the Shihōin family, sought to overthrow Yamamoto and seize control of the Gotei 13.
At the Sixth Division barracks:
Kuchiki Sōjun hurried to the captain’s office door. “Captain! What’s going on? Even though Kaelith has his quirks, he’d never do sothing to betray the Head Captain! There must be so misunderstanding! Please, you must step in and stop this! If that’s not possible, at least save him! With the Kuchiki family’s influence, we can protect Kaelith!”
Inside, Kuchiki Ginrei listened silently, feeling his blood pressure rise. Without knowing the cause, his son was already siding with Kaelith. Ginrei suspected that even if Kaelith truly rebelled, Sōjun would still stand up for him.
“Father!” Sōjun tried again, switching to a more personal plea.
Ginrei stood up. “I’ll go take a look. You stay here and don’t move.”
Seeing Sōjun nod obediently, Ginrei vanished with Shunpo.
At the Fourth Division, Yamada Seinosuke approached Captain Unohana’s office, making a similar request. Unohana sat quietly, shaking her head slightly. “No need to worry,” she said.
Seinosuke’s eyes lit up—did the captain know sothing?
But Unohana calmly continued, “If they were truly fighting, even if I rushed there now, I couldn’t save Kaelith.” (t/N: haha)
That was… painfully logical. Seinosuke could find no argunt.
…
Ginrei Kuchiki flashed through the Seireitei, heading toward the Second Division. The closer he drew, the more stunned he beca. Yamamoto’s reiatsu raged, filled with unimaginable anger. Ginrei had worked with Yamamoto for many years and had never seen him so furious, not even during previous rebellions. What could have happened? Had he really ended up battling Kaelith?
That seed unbelievable, but the evidence was hard to ignore.
Carrying these doubts, Ginrei landed beside Jūshirō Ukitake.
“Captain Kuchiki,” Ukitake greeted him with a nod. Ginrei lowered his voice and asked about the situation. Ukitake let out a wry smile—he was curious too.
“I don’t have the details either,” Ukitake confessed. “But think about it: would Yamamoto-sensei really fight Kaelith without cause? There must be an enemy with so special ability that conceals their reiatsu. That would explain why we only feel Yamamoto-sensei and Kaelith’s reiatsu. I imagine once this is over, they’ll have bodies to clear away.”
Ukitake had said “bodies,” not “captives.” Seeing Yamamoto’s wrath, it was hard to imagine anyone surviving on the enemy’s side.
Suddenly, Kirio Hikifune spoke up. “They’re coming out!”
Ukitake and Ginrei turned imdiately. Yoruichi and Soifon, along with the Stealth Corps, also approached.
Under everyone’s watchful eyes, the first to erge was Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto. His face was stern, forbidding. Shirtless, his muscular torso bore the marks of battle—burned, charred fragnts of cloth hung at his sides.
Yamamoto gripped his Zanpakutō and stepped forward. Everyone’s gazes slid behind him.
Kaelith followed next. Unlike the unscathed Head Captain, Kaelith’s arms were riddled with bloody cracks, red with fresh wounds. His upper attire was in tatters, even more shredded than Yamamoto’s, revealing soot-stained, well-defined muscles. Behind Kaelith ca Shunsui Kyōraku, smudged with ash and sporting scorch marks on his pink haori, though otherwise not severely hard.
No one else erged.
Ukitake hurried forward. “Yamamoto-sensei! Kaelith! Kyōraku—are you all alright?”
Kyōraku responded with a weary smile and a wave, signaling he was fine.
Yamamoto and Kaelith both appeared lost in thought, neither answering imdiately.
Ukitake, growing more puzzled, ventured, “Sensei, should we go in and recover the enemy’s corpses?”
Yamamoto looked at him. The old man seed about to speak, then paused, reconsidering. After a mont’s silence, he shook his head.
“There are no enemies. Disperse,” Yamamoto ordered curtly.
Hikifune blinked. “No enemies? Then was all that reiatsu from fighting…” She glanced toward Kaelith. “Your master…?”
Yamamoto furrowed his brow, taking a mont to realize Hikifune was referring to Kaelith when she said “master.” What kind of nonsense titles were these?
Then, as if struck by inspiration, Yamamoto stroked his beard and nodded. “Yes. I fought with this brat,” he said, indicating Kaelith.
Hikifune: “?”
Ukitake: “?”
Kaelith: “?”
“I’m tired. I’ll be heading back to rest. Kaelith, you handle the aftermath here,” Yamamoto commanded, narrowing his eyes at Kaelith in a warning gesture before walking away, sword in hand.
He left behind a crowd of astonished Shinigami, their eyes bulging with disbelief as they turned toward Kaelith.
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