Bleach Roman - Can't Fear Your Own World - Tome 01

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Later, in a top-secret, sacred meeting place for the Noble Families, Yoruichi, Byakuya, and Tokinada meet around a conference table. After some tense banter, Yoruichi gets to the point and asks why Tokinada summoned them here, a meeting place that has not been used for two generations. Tokinada says that, due to the recent Quincy war, he feels the Royal Guard and especially the Soul King have become too isolated and complacent, and that such things need to change. When Byakuya criticizes his controversial opinion, Tokinada counters by taunting Byakuya about his actions during Rukia's execution. He goes further by insulting Hisana, but when Yoruichi get angry at him for it, Byakuya interjects. [12] Finally, Hisagi finds a window leading outside and, upon looking out of it, sees the Arrancar, Quincy, and Shinigami fighting against a single, hostile Shinigami far below him. Wasting no time, Hisagi immediately jumps out of the window to assist his allies, unaware that this battle will uncover the darkness of Soul Society to him. [7] Chapter 22 [ ]

Powered by a Forsaken Child: Had Yhwach not absorbed all the power of the Soul King, Ichibei was going to make Ichigo into the new Soul King, something Shunsui was aware of. Uruhara and Isshin were also aware of this, and the latter was against Ichigo regaining his powers following Aizen's defeat for this reason.When Liltotto tries to use the poison of Escolopendra on Loly and Menoly, they are interrupted by the arrival of Harribel, Nelliel, and Grimmjow. Before the fighting can escalate further, however, a small Garganta opens up nearby as everyone present feels a massive, unidentified Reiatsu. Grimmjow notes the Reiatsu feels similar to Shinji Hirako, a mix between Shinigami and Hollow. To their surprise, a young, androgynous child emerges from it, but is confused to find Quincy there. [9] In the Soul King Palace, shortly after Yhwach's final defeat at the hands of Ichigo Kurosaki, Ichibē Hyōsube is silently staring at the former Soul King's shrine when he is approached by Captain-Commander Shunsui Kyōraku. The two Shinigami have a cryptic conversation about the state of the current Soul King, and Shunsui confronts Ichibē about the latter's decision to potentially sacrifice Ichigo to become the new Soul King. While Shunsui makes it clear that such a decision would have weighed heavily on him, as well as Ichigo's companions, Ichibē nonchalantly says that he would merely have missed talking to the young boy. [5] Eventually, their conversation shifts towards the culprit. The Shinigami confirms to Tōsen that Kakyō's husband was the one who murdered her. When Tōsen asks why she had to die, the Shinigami guesses that her strong belief in justice and peace must have angered the wrong person. Tōsen mentions his anger at the injustice of her murderer not being punished, and the Shinigami realizes that this must be why he wanted an audience and shifts the topic towards the Five Noble Families. The man reveals that the murderer was a member of one of the families, and that the only reason the murder was even brought to light, rather than ignored, was because the culprit was not a high-ranking noble. [7] Before Hisagi can confront him further, Captain Suì-Fēng forcibly subdues him and chastises him for acting like he's the only one hurt by Aizen. She further says that a desire for revenge is pointless as Aizen will pay regardless. As the renegade Shinigami is about to be escorted away, he quotes Tōshirō Hitsugaya and says "Wielding one's blade out of duty alone is what it means to be a captain. Wielding one's blade out of hatred is nothing more than petty violence." Shunsui interrupts them and tells Aizen to relax his Reiatsu on his retainers. He does so and as they carry him away, Aizen simply dares Hisagi and the rest to sacrifice their own blood, flesh, and soul to pursue the truth, as Tōsen once did, leaving Hisagi shaken and the remaining Shinigami wondering what Aizen meant. [6] Chapter 1 [ ] Before they can do more, Seinosuke arrives and begins to treat the child, convincing it that since it is merely the property of Tokinada Tsunayashiro, it is not allowed to choose its own death. This perks up the child, and it rapidly starts recovering once it realizes that dying will only make Tokinada more disappointed. [11]

Byakuya makes it clear he takes all the blame for the execution on himself and will not tolerate Hisana being blamed for his mistakes. Before things escalate, Tokinada drops the subject and reveals his reasons for being here; he wants to reinstate the Shiba family as the fifth Noble Family, so the five Houses can be reunited again. When Byakuya and Yoruichi explain that Isshin Shiba chose exile, and Ichigo, Kūkaku, and Ganju are not interested in the status, Tokinada suggests having Yuzu and Karin Kurosaki be made acting heads instead. [12]

At the Tsunayashiro residence, Tokinada is about to leave for an important meeting, when he is approached by several assassins. Noting that the assassins came for him as Hikone was incapacitated, Tokinada reminisces about his own Zanpakutō, which has been confiscated since his initial incarceration. Regardless, he reveals that he has been using his family's ancestral Zanpakutō without permission for some time now, and decides to release it. As he faces the assassins, he releases his Shikai, Kuten-kyōkoku. [12] Empire with a Dark Secret: The first chapter states outright that the Soul King is Soul Society's "original sin", and those who see the process of Yhwach's corpse being made into the Soul King understand Aizen's motivations for turning against Soul Society. Before Tokinada can recover, Kensei Muguruma activates his Bankai, Tekken Tachikaze and punches him with his full might, gravely injuring Tokinada. However, as Yoruichi approaches Tokinada, he slashes her legs with his Zanpakutō, and though the injuries are minor, Yoruichi suddenly finds her legs becoming heavier. Standing up with his injuries fully healed, Tokinada proclaims that he will not die easily and turns his Zanpakutō, leading Shunsui to barely manage to pull Nanao away as a vicious, spherical beast emerges from the ground. [7]