"Be serious. No laughing."
Inside the underground assembly hall, Yamamoto glared at his rebellious disciple beside him and scolded him in a low voice.
"Teacher, Central 46 hasn't even said anything. Why do you care so much?"
Naraku Sora grinned, glancing at the sages and judges sitting in their respective seats.
*'...'*
Was it really that they hadn't said anything, or were they simply too terrified to speak?
Old man Asano in the first seat was practically having a seizure from fear; even the wooden board obscuring his face was shaking like a leaf.
If this incident hadn't been so extraordinary, these high and mighty members of Central 46 absolutely would not have wanted to deal with this kid, even if it killed them.
Previously, Naraku Sora had led a squad to the World of the Living to resolve the Quincy problem.
Although there had been a few hiccups along the way, overall, the outcome was positive.
Originally, Yamamoto had worried that his disciple might be too soft-hearted and unable to bear striking down people who hadn't done anything explicitly wrong.
He never expected that this kid would single-handedly come close to slaughtering a massive gathering of hundreds of people.
The leaders in charge of the Quincy clan in the World of the Living had been swiftly dispatched by him with just a few strikes of his blade.
Even Yamamoto had to sigh in realization—this kid might actually be a bit too extreme.
But to be fair, his achievements this time were truly monumental. Not only did he force the Quincies into collective submission, but he also made them sign numerous unequal treaties.
According to the Soul Reapers who had accompanied him to the World of the Living, if it weren't for concerns about the political fallout and practical implementation, Lord Naraku would have even wanted to conscript these Quincies into the Soul Society.
With such immense merit, even if Central 46 had many grievances against him, they couldn't choose to ignore it.
Thinking of this, he subconsciously looked at Naraku Sora.
He ended up seeing a certain someone looking completely spaced out, seemingly not caring about rewards at all.
In truth, long before coming to the underground assembly hall, Naraku Sora had already caught wind of some news.
Following Kurotsuchi Mayuri's resignation, Shutara Senjumaru had also chosen to step behind the scenes, resigning from her position as Prison Warden.
In her words, her Silly Boy was already a powerhouse capable of standing on his own, fully equipped to take over the duties of Shino Prison.
Moreover, taking advantage of the time she had left before being promoted to the Zero Division, she could focus entirely on wrapping up some of her research.
Ideally, she wanted to completely optimize the Shishakushō and refine its details.
If she could bind the concept of the Shishakushō entirely to a Soul Reaper, much like a Zanpakutō, the overall strength of the Soul Society would instantly elevate to a whole new level.
Although in Naraku Sora's eyes, the current Shishakushō was already perfect.
Not only had its defensive strength been optimized, but it also had added functions for automatic cleaning and self-repair. If she kept going, was she planning to modify it into an external suit of armor?
But Senjumaru didn't care about that. For her, the joy of life was nothing more than researching scientific unknowns and observing the growth and changes of the people she cared about.
While it might seem a bit dull to outsiders, in her eyes, it was more than enough.
Thinking of this, the corners of Naraku Sora's mouth couldn't help but curl up.
"Na... Naraku Gokuyu."
A slightly trembling voice suddenly came from the seats. The speaker was none other than Judge Asano, sitting behind the first seat.
In terms of position, he was considered to be in the highest echelon of Central 46.
"This time, leading the squad to the World of the Living, you perfectly handled the hidden threat of the Quincy clan, firmly bringing them under the control of the Soul Society. While curbing their development, you nipped the danger in the bud."
After his initial panic, Asano sped up his speech, wishing he could read the entire contents of the paper in a single breath.
"Given that Shutara Senjumaru has resigned from the position of Prison Warden, Naraku Sora will now take over, assuming full responsibility for Shino Prison. There must be no... *cough*, no mistakes."
When saying the last sentence, Asano was terrified that accidentally emphasizing his tone might offend Naraku Sora once again.
As a remnant who had once supported the Tsunayashiro family, he now lived entirely in panic, deeply afraid of being purged one day.
The person he feared the most was the main force behind the annihilation of the Tsunayashiro family—Naraku Sora.
Don't be fooled by the fact that he was only a Gokuyu of Shino Prison; his actual power was no less than that of a Captain of the Gotei 13.
And his strength was utterly terrifying.
Strictly speaking, based on when he joined the squad, he was still just a rookie.
Yet he could already easily defeat some Captains, and even the head of the Tsunayashiro family had died a miserable death at his hands.
This trip to the World of the Living had only deepened Asano's fear of Naraku Sora.
Fighting hundreds of Quincies alone—he was practically inhuman.
If a monster like that decided to turn against him, probably only Head Captain Yamamoto could stand in his way.
Having quickly finished reading the contents of the paper, Asano took a few deep breaths and said slowly:
"I wonder if Prison Warden Naraku has any questions?"
Hearing this gentle tone laced with a hint of flattery, Yamamoto froze for a moment.
As the Head Captain of the Gotei 13 and the strongest Soul Reaper in the Soul Society, even he had never heard Central 46 speak to him in such a tone.
If it weren't for Naraku Sora, he wouldn't have even known that Central 46 was capable of lowering their posture.
These people really were bullies who feared the strong, completely devoid of backbone.
It seemed his previous thoughts had indeed been biased.
Entrusting the future of the Soul Society to such a group of people was truly a moment of foolishness.
Under the gaze of dozens of pairs of eyes, Naraku Sora shook his head.
Seeing this, Asano breathed a sigh of relief, hurriedly stamped the appointment document, and then had a Soul Reaper nearby deliver it to him.
He didn't want to stay in the same room as such a dangerous guy for even a second longer.
Yamamoto took the document, briefly looked it over, and finding no issues, shoved it into Naraku Sora's hands.
"Kid, you head back first."
"I still have some matters to discuss with Central 46. If you're here, they won't be able to think straight."
Naraku Sora nodded and left the assembly hall with the document in hand.
Yamamoto raised his gaze, a hint of golden-red flashing through his pupils. Even though he didn't release a single trace of Reiatsu, there was still a suffocating sense of intimidation.
It was like a sun radiating endless light and heat.
Making it impossible for anyone to look directly at him.
"Judges and Sages, although I do not wish to interfere with the existing rules and order, your recent performance has been truly unsatisfactory..."
Yamamoto's deep voice echoed through the silent assembly hall, as if announcing new rules, carrying an undeniable tone of absolute authority.
"So, let's have a chat about replacing some seats."
As his words fell, a dead silence filled the assembly hall, pairs of eyes staring fixedly at the old man standing below.
As if he had just said something incredibly treasonous.
After leaving the assembly hall, Naraku Sora went straight back to Shino Prison and read the appointment document aloud in the barracks.
At the strong request of everyone, a grand inauguration ceremony was held.
Naraku Sora changed into a white haori hand-sewn by Senjumaru.
Although it was slightly different from those of the Soul Reaper Captains, the simple yet elegant patterns elevated his aura by several levels.
The expressions of the invited friends varied when they saw Naraku Sora wearing the haori.
Someone like Yoruichi, who was very close to him, didn't hold back her praise at all, even declaring that they should fulfill their marriage engagement today.
Fortunately, Ōmaeda Marechinmoshin stepped in to talk her down in time.
Unohana Retsu was as gentle as ever, a faint smile playing on her curved eyebrows, though her gaze was a bit peculiar.
It subconsciously reminded Naraku Sora of that black-hearted woman, Senjumaru.
Speaking of which, those two were actually good friends, the kind who had known each other for a very long time.
Previously, when helping Senjumaru with some simple steps in her experiments, he had heard the two communicating using Tenteikūra.
Just from how they addressed each other, one could sense their unusual relationship.
One called the other "Retsu," and the other replied with "Senjumaru."
Besides them, Kyōraku Shunsui and Ukitake Jūshirō also came.
They looked at their completely transformed junior martial brother and clicked their tongues in wonder, completely unable to imagine that Naraku Sora, who usually acted like a reckless brute, could present himself so properly.
Aizen stood in the crowd, watching the highly praised Naraku Sora, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.
The expressions of Kensei Muguruma and Aikawa Love, however, were a bit complicated.
Just a short while ago, he was only at the seated officer level, but in the blink of an eye, he had achieved a double jump in rank, being promoted to an existence on the same level as them.
However, they were absolutely convinced of Naraku Sora's qualifications to take on the role of Prison Warden.
Setting everything else aside, looking solely at this mission to the World of the Living, one would be hard-pressed to find more than a few people in the entire Soul Society who could have done a better job than Naraku Sora.
Unlike a Captain's inauguration ceremony, because this was held privately, there were no strict rules, and everyone appeared very relaxed.
It was just like a joyous banquet with free-flowing drinks.
As night fell and the guests were seen off, the barracks completely quieted down.
Naraku Sora sat alone in the courtyard, quietly looking at the cold crescent moon among the stars.
The moonlight was beautiful, washing away all the clutter in his mind and bringing him complete tranquility.
Ever since joining the squad, he had been as busy as a spinning top, constantly on the move.
Although he enjoyed it, taking a long-overdue moment to relax seemed to steady his state of mind even more.
Recalling the crazy, hyper-competitive days of his academy period, and his shameless behavior of clinging to powerful figures, Naraku Sora's eyes glazed over slightly.
Just then, a figure leaped down from the courtyard wall, landing lightly under the eaves, and sat cross-legged beside Naraku Sora, joining him in admiring the serene moonlight.
"Hey, what are you thinking about?"
Ultimately, it was the dark-skinned girl who broke the silence.
Naraku Sora placed his hands behind his head and replied somewhat lazily.
"The past, the present, and the future."
Yoruichi froze for a moment, seemingly not expecting such an answer.
Naraku Sora had always presented a carefree and heartless demeanor in front of her. This sudden shift to philosophy made her feel a bit unaccustomed.
"So, did you figure it out?"
Naraku Sora scratched his head:
"To quote a certain master: 'Yesterday is a piece of history, tomorrow is still a mystery, and today is a heaven-sent gift; cherish today just as you would cherish a gift.'"
Yoruichi's mouth curled up: "That master wouldn't happen to be Head Captain Yamamoto, would it?"
"My teacher's brain is completely filled with muscles. How could he say something so philosophical?"
Naraku Sora curled his lip: "He only knows how to use his fists to teach me what Genryū is."
Seeing his unconvinced expression, Yoruichi laughed out loud.
Sure enough, she was always at her happiest when she was hanging out with this guy.