Chapter 58

Before Genryūsai came to Seireitei and founded the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, the nobles monopolized all the 'resources', 'knowledge', 'reputation', and 'power' of Soul Society……

After Genryūsai arrived, he demanded that the nobles hand over those resources; he wanted to integrate the resources, knowledge, reputation, and power under noble control, and on these four foundations build a great academy!

Actually, to the lesser nobles who had not received much of those 'resources', this was a good thing—after all, starting today they too could study the knowledge that only the great nobles could learn!

But Genryūsai's establishment of the academy came with a demand that struck at the interests of all the nobles: he required that they allow gifted commoners from Rukongai to enroll and study the same things as they did……

Of course, this was not yet the most unacceptable demand for the nobles; Genryūsai went further, proposing that those civilians who completed their studies at the academy and passed the graduation exams could, of their own volition, optionally join the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, becoming Soul Society's shinigami, rather than becoming retainers loyal to the various great nobles!

To the nobles this was nothing short of heinous and outrageous! Utterly insolent! Genryūsai actually wanted to use the knowledge they controlled to train a group of independent-thinking 'people', not become their loyal 'dogs'—this damn well is just asking for death! He actually gave a bunch of 'country bumpkins' a chance to change their fate, and even dared to talk about so-called fairness with 'country bumpkins'?!

Heinous and outrageous, heinous and outrageous!

Had Genryūsai not been the Captain-Commander of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, had his strength not been so overwhelming as to leave them feeling utterly helpless, they would have long ago schemed to kill him!

Fortunately, they recently heard some good news: Genryūsai's talented disciple, known as 'Kenpachi', Araki, had just returned from the Zero Division, and the first thing he did upon returning was to fight Genryūsai; according to intelligence from their informants in the First Division, Genryūsai gained no advantage in that bout—his face was half swollen! Evidently, this disciple of Genryūsai now possesses the strength to rival him.

When the nobles heard this news, they felt a burning 'hatred'! The power they had long dreamed of obtaining was easily acquired by those 'country bumpkins' from Rukongai! Not only did they acquire it, but these two individuals belong to the same school and are in a master-disciple relationship……

Fortunately, according to their intelligence, there is a 'deep' rift between this master and disciple; their bond is not solid! Not being solid is good for them—it presents an opportunity.

Even their intelligence shows that Genryūsai, hundreds of years ago, had a quarrel with that very disciple, and they fought just as fiercely as they do now—of course, the victor was naturally Genryūsai!

After Genryūsai's victory, to humiliate that disciple, he 'forced' him to sell noodles—a trade he had plied for over a century in Junrin'an District—to that group of 'foolish', 'lowly', 'humble' wandering souls!

Therefore, when Araki returned, he openly cut down the entire Eleventh Squad, expressing his dissatisfaction with Yamamoto!

Upon seeing this intelligence, the nobles immediately laughed; this time they would certainly make Genryūsai and Araki, those two 'mad dogs', put on a 'dog-eat-dog' show for them! Then, without expending a single soldier, they could directly take over the entire Thirteen Court Guard Squads.

The nobles' fantasies were plump, but reality was skinny.

Eleventh Squad Captain's Chamber.

Inside the captain's chamber, Araki sat, continuing to drink tea; before him sat a teapot that was 'one pot after another', and after his bout with the old man Yamamoto his mouth was parched terribly, while Momo and Saito frowned tightly, evidently still not recovered from the shock of Araki's words.

"Someone's coming~"

Not long after Araki finished his third pot of tea, his keen perception, infused with the 'Color of Observation', detected the situation outside the barracks.

"Huh?!"

Upon hearing Araki's words, Momo and Saito immediately sprang to their feet.

"Come on! Let's go meet those nobles' 'dogs' together."

Araki said this, taking Momo and Saito with him, and headed toward the outside of the Eleventh Squad barracks.

At this moment, the area outside the Eleventh Squad barracks was extremely 'bustling'.

All that could be seen were a crowd of nobles' retainers in white haori facing off against Eleventh Squad members wielding Zanpakutō.

"What's going on?!"

Seeing this, Araki stepped out of the barracks and asked the Eleventh Squad members and the crowd of nobles' retainers in white haori.

"Captain! These 'nobles' retainers' want to forcibly break into our Eleventh Squad barracks."

When the squad members saw their Eleventh Squad Captain Araki emerge from the barracks, they immediately responded respectfully.

"Forcibly break in? That word doesn't seem fitting—clearly you are blocking our entry into the Eleventh Squad; do you know who this esteemed person behind us is?!"

Before the Eleventh Squad members could say more, the nobles' retainers in white haori first glared at them with clenched teeth and spoke sarcastically.

"Whoever you are! Dare to trespass our Eleventh Squad barracks without permission—even if I cut you down, you'd deserve it!"

A hot-headed Eleventh Squad member, hearing this, roared at the nobles' retainers.

"Hehe..."

As that Eleventh Squad member's words trailed off, the nobles' retainers suddenly revealed a strange smile—their goal had been achieved.

"Who said they wanted to cut me down?"

At that moment, accompanied by a question, the man who had been seated in a carriage not far from the nobles' retainers, whose identity had never been revealed to the squad members, finally stepped out of the carriage.

"Judge, sir!"

Upon seeing the person emerge from the carriage, the nobles' retainers immediately dropped to one knee and announced his identity.

Yes, this man in splendid haori is indeed one of the six Great Judges of Soul Society's highest judicial organ, the Central 46 Chamber—a truly high-ranking authority.

"A Judge?!"

For a moment, all the Eleventh Squad members were dumbfounded.

"Was it you just now who said you wanted to kill me?"

The Judge from the Central 46 Chamber walked slowly and deliberately up to the Eleventh Squad member who had misspoken in his anger, and inquired.

"I, I..."

This member, who had shouted that even cutting down everyone would be deserved, now had sweat pouring down his forehead and a panicked expression.

"Tell him, what crime is it to openly threaten to slay a 'Judge' of the Central 46?"

The Judge ignored the trembling squad member and turned to his own retainer.

"Death penalty!"

The retainer lifted his head and replied calmly.

"Sorry! I didn't mean it; please give me another chance!"

The squad member, terrified, dropped straight to his knees and begged the Judge for mercy.

"You want me to give you a chance? It's not that I won't give you one—it's just that you just broke the law! As a 'noble' I could pretend not to hear, but as a Judge of the Central 46 Chamber I bear the duty to uphold Soul Society's laws! So I'm sorry, brave Eleventh Squad member! It's not that I don't want to save you; it's my duty, so I cannot help!"

The Judge smiled thinly as he looked at the Eleventh Squad member trembling before him from his words; he relished using 'law' and 'rules' to make others look at him with fearful eyes.

"So… Araki-kun, faced with this scene, how will you respond?"

The Judge no longer paid attention to the squad member beneath him, but instead smiled thinly as he looked toward Araki.

Indeed, the person he came to target this time was never that squad member whose name he couldn't recall; his purpose in coming was to bind Araki to the nobles' war chariot.

He intends to use this opportunity to tell Araki that in Soul Society, mere strength is useless; even if Araki possessed the power to rival that 'monster' Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni, he still could not save a lowly squad member—simply because that member had broken the 'law'. And rescuing him would be easy, if only the superior above would consent; then everything would be readily settled, simple as pie! Yes, this Judge's mission is to make Araki understand what the power of authority truly is!

"Slap~"

Just as the Judge was pondering how Araki should resolve this matter, a soft sound rang out, and the Judge froze in place. He first reached out and gently touched his own swollen cheek, then pointed a trembling finger at Araki's nose and said in a shaking voice: "You hit me? You dare to hit me? Do you know what crime it is to strike a 'Judge' in Soul Society? Do you?! This is a grave disrespect to our Central 46! I sentence you to death! Ah, no, I'll lock you in Avici Hell for 1,200 years! Exactly 1,200 years!!" (This sentencing of 1,200 years is a little Easter egg corresponding to Aizen being given an extra 1,200-year term for insulting Central 46.)

The Judge, being a noble, naturally knew the so-called spiritual pressure theory; for someone with such immense spiritual pressure like Araki, the death penalty was meaningless, and imprisoning him in Avici Hell was the harshest punishment.

Smack~

Upon hearing that, Araki swung hard at the Judge's right cheek.

After all, the Soul King once said, if someone strikes your right cheek, you must strike their left cheek!

You! Rebel! Rebel! Do you think having power lets you look down on everything?! I tell you, the authority of Central 46 comes from the Soul King's Majesty! Even if you are a captain of the Gotei 13, you cannot violate it!

While the Judge seethed with anger, his heart secretly rejoiced—Araki had chosen the worst path, daring to lay hands on him directly; now, how would the self-proclaimed 'law' defender, protector of Soul Society, and Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni, possibly respond?

For Genryusai right now, one side is the 'law', the other is his own 'disciple'! No matter how he chooses, he'll end up inhumane and unjust! Thinking this, the Judge felt a little excited!

Who said I'm the captain of the Gotei 13?!

Araki nodded lightly upon hearing that; he of course knew that Central 46 had been established long ago, otherwise there wouldn't be this rule that when the heads of the Five Great Noble Houses gather and receive the Soul King's approval, they can gain authority surpassing Central 46. (From the official novel CFYOW)

But none of that concerns him~

Araki said, taking off his 11th Division captain's haori and handing it to the nearby Retsu Unohana.

What are you doing? Are you planning to defect?!

At this moment, the Judge finally panicked. If Araki intended to defect, then Soul Society's law would naturally be ineffective against him, and the only one in Soul Society who could oppose Araki was Genryusai alone; as Captain-Commander, Genryusai certainly couldn't leave Seireitei, so Araki could cut him down with a single stroke and then stroll out of Seireitei.

Defect?! Who told you that?

Araki didn't give the Judge a chance to speak, pulling a brand-new captain's haori from his cloth bag and draping it over himself; the only difference between this haori and those of the Gotei 13 was that its back bore no numbers, only four camellias.

I ask you! Do the rules of Soul Society even apply to my Zero Division?

As Araki's words faded, the entire venue gradually fell into silence.

Araki chuckled lightly, laid his cards on the table, and said, "I'm from the Zero Division—are you scared or not?"

I...

The Judge fell silent.

Soul King Palace

The fake monk stared at his missing wardrobe of haori, lost in thought.

Sorry, everyone! I had something come up, so the update is late—two chapters, seven thousand words! Also, lastly, I'm asking for votes~

(End of chapter)