Crash!!
A priceless antique teacup was smashed fiercely onto the floor, splashing tea and porcelain shards everywhere.
Deep within the Kasumioji Family estate, inside a hidden Japanese-style room wrapped in heavy barriers.
Gyokaku Kumoi paced back and forth irritably, like an enraged old lion.
"They are all a bunch of useless trash who can't do anything right!" he roared, his single eye bulging outward from extreme anger, looking as if it might pop out of its socket at any moment.
The failure of the mission in the World of the Living left him completely unable to calm down.
When Tokinada Tsunayashiro had revealed Rurichiyo's location, Kumoi had wanted to strike with full force to capture her.
He even planned to lead the team personally, or at least send two trusted subordinates armed with high-grade Bakkoto to ensure absolute success.
But he had been stopped by the other man...
"Mobilizing the entire Kasumioji Family just to deal with a few stray dogs wandering the World of the Living would draw too much attention. Those guys in the Gotei 13 aren't blind."
"Rest assured, my subordinates can handle this as easily as crushing a few ants. You just need to sit back and wait for Rurichiyo's head to be delivered to your door."
Crash!!
With another muffled thud, Kumoi angrily kicked the tea table over. "Handle it easily? They suffered a crushing defeat!!"
"That arrogant bastard Tokinada! If it weren't for the fact that his last name is Tsunayashiro, I would kill him myself!"
Now look what had happened. The assassination had failed, and they had alerted the enemy.
That little brat Rurichiyo wasn't dead, and he had even exposed his own trump card!
"Someone come here!" Kumoi barked sharply.
From the shadows, several masked assassins emerged like ghosts, dropping to one knee.
"Lock down all entrances and exits to the Kasumioji Family estate immediately! Activate the highest-level defensive barriers!"
Kumoi's eye gleamed with unease. "That Soul King's Substitute will definitely not let this go. Stay on high alert!"
However, in stark contrast to Gyokaku Kumoi's exasperated and highly defensive posture...
Far away in the inner ring of the Seireitei, the Tsunayashiro Family estate was a scene of tranquility and peace.
Tokinada Tsunayashiro sat comfortably on the veranda of a side hall, toying with a white jade wine cup in his hand.
He tilted his head back slightly, looking at the ever-blooming cherry blossom tree in the courtyard, an enigmatic smile playing on his lips.
The life or death of those subordinates in the World of the Living, as well as Gyokaku Kumoi's current furious rampage, were nothing more than a tedious play to him.
He had already obtained some of the information he wanted.
"Lord Tokinada, the family head summons you," a servant reported in a low voice, kneeling respectfully at the edge of the corridor.
An imperceptible mockery flickered in the depths of Tokinada's eyes, but his face maintained a submissive and proper expression.
He set down the wine cup, straightened his luxurious haori embroidered with the Tsunayashiro family crest, and walked slowly toward the deep main hall.
Inside the main hall, the lighting was dim, and the smoke of agarwood lingered in the air.
The head of the Tsunayashiro Family sat upright in the highest seat behind heavy curtains, flanked by several haggard-looking elders who held the family's true power.
"Tokinada, you have arrived."
The family head's voice was old and majestic, carrying a kind of arrogance unique to the Tsunayashiro Family.
Tokinada bowed respectfully. "Yes. May I ask what orders the family head has for me?"
"How is the progress on the Bakkoto project?" an elder asked impatiently. "Can that thing really mass-produce a fighting force capable of rivaling the Gotei 13, as Gyokaku Kumoi boasted?"
Tokinada straightened up, maintaining a gentle smile on his face as he reported, "To answer the family head and the esteemed elders."
"After this period of testing and data collection, the characteristics of the Bakkoto have been basically figured out."
"If used by ordinary guards or low-ranking Soul Reapers, the Bakkoto can indeed forcibly raise their combat power to the level of mid-to-high Seated Officers in a short time by devouring the user's Spiritual Energy."
At this point, Tokinada paused. "However, that is its limit."
"The essence of the Bakkoto is exploitation. There is still an insurmountable gap if one wishes to rely on such shoddily made toys to contend with Captain-level Soul Reapers who have mastered Bankai."
"Compared to a true Zanpakuto, the difference is vast."
Hearing this, the family head behind the screen did not show any disappointment; instead, he nodded in satisfaction.
"That is enough."
The family head's voice echoed in the spacious main hall. "We do not need some divine weapon capable of overturning the Seireitei. We only need a tool that can disrupt the situation and weaken other factions."
"As long as these Bakkoto can create enough chaos to allow us to reap more benefits, their value has been realized..."
The elders nodded in agreement, and one of them spoke up, "Then, family head, what should we do next?"
"The main branch of the Tsunayashiro Family must absolutely not step forward in this matter," another elder chimed in. "No matter how this ends, it cannot be traced back to us."
The family head's gaze pierced through the curtains and landed on Tokinada. "Tokinada, as a member of the branch family, this matter will continue to be entrusted to you to execute."
"Please give your orders, family head."
"Go and contact those five scions of fallen noble houses we secretly recruited earlier," the family head said slowly. "They are all powerful swordsmen who are at odds with the Gotei 13 for various reasons. They possess considerable strength and harbor resentment toward the Seireitei."
"Give them the five newly developed, specially made Bakkoto."
The family head sneered. "Let those five go to the Kasumioji Family and act in the name of Gyokaku Kumoi..."
"Even if things fall short in the end and the Gotei 13 investigates, they will only trace it back to Kumoi and those fallen nobles. It will have absolutely nothing to do with the Tsunayashiro Family."
"Understood. The family head is wise..."
Tokinada kowtowed deeply, pressing his forehead against the cold tatami mat.
However, in the shadows where no one could see...
Tokinada's eyes, which were always curved into crescent moons, were now brimming with a chilling, sinister malice.
Meanwhile, at the Kasumioji Family estate.
Accompanied by the unique Reishi light flashing from the Senkaimon, Asuka and his group slowly materialized on the street.
This was Rurichiyo's exclusive Senkaimon as the family head, which could be used without needing to report to the Seireitei.
This was also the reason why Kumoi could not accurately pinpoint her location.
Asuka walked at the forefront, sizing up the massive keep in front of him.
It was too quiet.
Today, the Kasumioji Family estate was terrifyingly gloomy.
Thick dark clouds had gathered in the sky at some point, completely blocking out the sunlight.
The front gate, which should have had servants and guards patrolling, was completely deserted. There was only the rustling sound of the wind blowing through the leaves.
"Grandpa Kumoi..." Rurichiyo looked at the towering white walls of her home, her eyes full of sorrow.
Although the young Rurichiyo still found it somewhat hard to accept Kumoi's conspiracy, there was no time left for her to slowly process the betrayal.
As the head of the Kasumioji Family, her Spiritual Energy fluctuations could directly shut down all the weapon workshops from within the keep.
As long as they curbed the possibility of the Bakkoto continuing to be manufactured, everything would still be under control.
"Princess, please be careful," Kenryu said, gripping his Zanpakuto tightly.
"That old thief Gyokaku Kumoi will definitely not just sit and wait for death. The Kasumioji Family estate is probably a deadly trap by now."