Members of the Gyokuzai family arrived punctually, dressed in light black aristocratic attire with luxurious white inner garments. Their hair was styled neatly, held by a celestial comb on both sides.
Leading the group was Gyokuzai Kiyoshi, and unlike their last meeting, he was holding a scroll wrapped in a swirling black mist in his hands.
The scroll emanated a violent and savage aura as if it contained a Vasto Lorde inside.
"I thank you all on behalf of the head of the house for lending your assistance," Gyokuzai Kiyoshi bowed respectfully. His demeanor was exceedingly sincere, with not a single flaw in his etiquette.
Following his guidance, several members unleashed their powerful spiritual pressure, sealing it around the scroll.
As the scroll was opened, black mist surged forth, cascading like a waterfall that suspended itself above the heavens.
A massive gate gradually emerged from within the mist, towering like a mountain, and an overwhelming sense of pressure began to envelop the group.
This wasn't just a spiritual pressure; it felt as though the entire world was bearing down on them with malice.
More precisely, it was malice directed at life itself!
On either side of the gate stood enormous skeletal figures resembling guards.
Above them flowed a dark-colored veil of light reminiscent of congealed blood.
This was the Gate of Hell.
The noble family members were stunned by the sight before them, unable to react for a long while.
It wasn't until Gyokuzai Kiyoshi reminded them that they proceeded according to plan, stepping forward one by one to channel their spiritual pressure into the gate.
Those who had unlocked their Shikai even thrust their Zanpakutō into the Gate of Hell.
As the ritual continued, the previously trembling gate gradually steadied. The world beyond the gate seemed to calm, leaving no trace of disturbance.
When it was Tokikaze's turn, he simply infused his spiritual pressure and then stepped back, distancing himself from the Gate of Hell.
He explained, "I'm at a crucial juncture and cannot use my Zanpakutō right now."
The members of the Gyokuzai family didn't seem to mind and, after a brief nod, shifted their focus elsewhere.
With the spiritual pressure contributions from the five great noble families, the disturbance in the Gate of Hell was completely pacified, returning everything to its original state.
After the ceremony concluded, the Gate of Hell was sealed back into the scroll. The black mist that had once been so violent and brutal was now entirely contained.
Gyokuzai Kiyoshi thanked everyone once again before departing with his family members, heading back to Seireitei.
Shiba Isshin pointed at the group gathered and said to Shiba Kaien, "See that? Those are just a fraction of the other noble families."
"If you want to restore the Shiba clan, the first thing you need to do is give Shiba Toushirou ten or eight kids…"
Before he could finish his sentence, a red-faced Shiba Kaien clamped his hand over his mouth.
"Old man, can't you choose your words more carefully?!"
Shiba Isshin pried his hand away, gasping for breath. "I'm still your elder! Show some respect!"
"We're a branch family!"
"Even a branch elder is still an elder!" Shiba Isshin barked. "The future of the Shiba family rests on your shoulders. If you don't hurry up, the Shiba name will be erased from the Five Great Noble Houses!"
"Kaien, you better start taking this seriously!"
…
Watching the uncle-nephew duo clown around, the others fell into an awkward silence.
For some reason, being part of the Five Great Noble Families suddenly felt a bit shameful.
Kuchiki Byakuya wore a troubled expression, gave a quiet command, and then used a flash step to vanish from sight.
As someone who upheld noble traditions, the members of the Kuchiki family couldn't bear to witness such behavior.
In the depths of the Muken Prison.
Muken, the Eternal Hell, was a prison designed to hold the most heinous of criminals. It lacked any sense of space, as all directions were consumed by endless darkness.
Kenpachi Zaraki was imprisoned here, his body entirely bound by kido spells, rendering him unable to sense anything from the outside world, not even the passage of time.
For him, it was absolute torment.
Unlike other criminals locked away in Muken, Kenpachi Zaraki's sentence wouldn't last for thousands or tens of thousands of years.
After all, the Eleventh Division had no suitable replacement for a captain right now.
Though Zaraki reveled in combat and often caused trouble in Soul Society, he was still an invaluable force.
The Eleventh Division simply wasn't the same without him.
When war inevitably broke out, Kenpachi Zaraki would still be sent to the frontlines.
For now, this was merely a light punishment to keep him in check for a while, as well as to maintain some order for Tokikaze.
This was the logic of Central 46.
Jichō Tsumuya stood before the heavily bound Kenpachi Zaraki, faint lights flickering around him.
Though dim, they were enough to illuminate his path.
"Ha ha ha, don't you hate that guy?"
A woman dressed in white appeared beside Jichō Tsumuya, chattering incessantly.
"All you need to do is condense a blade from spiritual particles, stab it into his head, and twist it a few times. That'll be the end of him!"
"If you don't want to do it, I can handle it. Just give me the nod!"
Jichō Tsumuya didn't respond, simply staring at the towering figure in front of him as the lights around them began to dim.
"Let's go. It's time to fulfill the final, great ambition…"
Her maniacal laughter echoed through Muken, reverberating endlessly in the dark void.
As the sound gradually faded, the two figures vanished into the shadows, leaving Muken in eternal silence once more.
Back at the Sixth Division Headquarters, in the captain's office.
Three figures were busy at work.
Though Kuchiki Byakuya hadn't yet thoroughly washed away the disgrace from the past, he was still on track to inherit the role of Sixth Division captain.
Kuchiki Ginrei gave instructions while advising his grandson not to let a single defeat shake his resolve.
For once, Kuchiki Byakuya remained silent as his elder spoke. He didn't understand why Ginrei placed such emphasis on this matter, but there was no doubt that his shame had already spread within the family.
Nearby, Ginjin Jirō sorted through documents, occasionally glancing at the two as they exchanged knowledge.
To assist two generations of Kuchiki family heads was an honor he planned to record in his family's history.
Just then, a figure entered the room quietly, scanning the scene before fixing its gaze on Ginjin Jirō.