The Seireitei was shrouded in stormy winds and rain.
The squad dispatched to eliminate the Shadow Killer had recently returned to the Seireitei.
However, the squad leader, 11th Division Captain Kenpachi Kiganjō, did not return with them.
Yamamoto imdiately summoned them to the 1st Division for direct questioning.
Facing Yamamoto, the surviving Shinigami dared not withhold anything and quickly recounted the entire incident.
Upon arriving in Rukongai, they followed the planned strategy to draw out the Shadow Killer.
Soon after, the assassin appeared, and Kenpachi Kiganjō engaged in battle with them.
The two fought fiercely, using Shunpo to move rapidly, soon disappearing from sight.
The squad desperately pursued them and finally reached the final battlefield before the fight concluded.
Under everyone's gaze, Kenpachi Kiganjō pinned a Shinigami beneath his foot, raised his Zanpakutō high, and decapitated them with a single strike.
Witnessing this, the Shinigami erupted in exhilaration.
"We won!"
"As expected of Captain Kiganjō!"
"Captain Kiganjō, shall we return to the Seireitei to report now?"
Yet, amidst the excited stares of his subordinates, Kenpachi Kiganjō remained silent.
He bent down, picked up the severed head, wrapped it in white cloth, fashioned it into a small bundle, and carried it in his hand.
Then, he turned to face the group.
With a twisted grin, he uttered eerily:
"Bunch of fools."
"Do you really think I'd go back after finally breaking free?"
"Returning now ans never getting out again."
Without waiting for their reaction, Kenpachi Kiganjō used Shunpo and vanished into the distance.
The squad searched the area extensively but found no trace of him, forcing them to return first.
After hearing the report, Yamamoto's expression darkened.
He summoned the Onmitsukidō to interrogate each squad mber separately.
The conclusion was unanimous—everyone's account matched, with no signs of collusion or fabrication.
Soon, the Onmitsukidō investigators sent to the scene returned.
Their findings indicated extensive spatial fractures at the site, confirming the use of Kenpachi Kiganjō's Bankai.
No corpse was found, likely because the opponent's spiritual power wasn't strong enough to leave a lasting remnant, having already dispersed into reishi.
All evidence pointed to Kenpachi Kiganjō's deliberate departure.
After delivering their report, the Onmitsukidō mbers bowed deeply to Yamamoto and vanished from the room with Shunpo.
Yamamoto remained silent for a long ti.
In truth, he had recently begun suspecting Kenpachi Kiganjō's loyalty.
Combined with the investigation results, he was now certain.
Kenpachi Kiganjō was also part of the rebellion.
If his guess was correct, the traitors had likely lured him with promises of power.
After all, as a captain who rose through opportunistic ans, Kenpachi Kiganjō valued strength above all else.
"Foolish."
Yamamoto delivered his final verdict on Kenpachi Kiganjō.
The more ignorant one is, the bolder they beco.
He hadn't exerted his full power in so long that few in the Soul Society had witnessed his true might.
As for the Zero Division, they haven't been involved in Seireitei's affairs for over a thousand years.
Precisely because of this, all sorts of petty upstarts with unwarranted confidence in themselves have grown increasingly arrogant.
He raised his cane and lightly tapped it on the ground.
A few seconds later, a mber of the inner court guard appeared before him using shunpo.
Yamamoto spoke slowly:
"Relay my orders: Kōga Kuchiki, Yoruichi Shihōin, and Shunsui Kyōraku."
"These three will each lead a squad to attack all confird rebel strongholds."
"Annihilate them all—leave none alive!"
Upon hearing this, the inner court guard imdiately departed.
Not far away, standing in the corner, Chōjirō Sasakibe spoke up:
"Genryūsai-dono, please calm your anger."
"Hmm, I understand."
Yamamoto nodded.
He turned his head and gazed quietly out the window.
"Chōjirō, what do you think of Kōga Kuchiki?"
Hearing this, Chōjirō fell silent for a few seconds.
Then he shook his head lightly. "His abilities are strong, but his temperant is lacking. Unless he can successfully change his mindset, he won't be of much use."
Yamamoto wasn't surprised by Chōjirō's assessnt.
Back when the rebels first beca active, he had already conceived an idea.
The Soul Society needed a tactical deterrent.
As the Captain-Commander, he himself was a strategic deterrent—one who couldn't act recklessly.
At first, he had considered Shunsui Kyōraku.
But he quickly dismissed the thought.
Expecting Shunsui to serve as a deterrent was even more hopeless than expecting Jūshirō Ukitake's illness to miraculously heal.
After that, he had considered Kenpachi Kiganjō.
But after so observation, he realized that with Kenpachi Kiganjō's strength, he simply couldn't serve as an effective deterrent.
In the end, he set his sights on Ginrei Kuchiki's son-in-law—Kōga Kuchiki.
This young man was powerful, with bizarre abilities.
Most importantly, he was bold and aggressive—perfect material for a blade.
However, it didn't take long for Yamamoto to realize that Kōga Kuchiki had serious issues.
The problem wasn't solely with Kōga Kuchiki himself.
Ginrei Kuchiki was also part of the issue.
Perhaps because he was born in Rukongai but married into one of the Four Great Noble Houses, Kōga carried a strange sense of dissonance within him.
On one hand, he took pride in the Kuchiki na and his own strength.
On the other, he was extrely sensitive and insecure about his origins.
These conflicting emotions intertwined, making Kōga desperate to prove himself, desperate for recognition.
When Ginrei realized this, he was furious.
As the son-in-law of the Kuchiki family, how could he be so emotionally fragile, like a child?
Arrogant in victory, despondent in defeat—if this continued, he would inevitably beco a plaything in the hands of other nobles!
From then on, no matter what achievents Kōga made, Ginrei never praised him again.
His intentions were good—he wanted Kōga to beco more composed and mature.
But in Kōga's eyes, this was nothing but exclusion and alienation.
As ti passed, Kōga didn't mature. Instead, he grew increasingly impatient.
On several occasions during battles against rebel forces, he lost himself in bloodlust and nearly cut down his own allies.
Yamamoto watched, feeling deeply frustrated.
He spoke to Ginrei about it, offering earnest advice.
However, Ginrei insisted that this was a Kuchiki family matter and that he would handle it himself.
Seeing Kōga grow more volatile by the day, Yamamoto had no choice but to abandon his plans for nurturing him.
Along with that, the tactical deterrence plan was also shelved.
Now, with Kenpachi Kiganjō's defection, Yamamoto suddenly recalled this plan.
If he needed soone for tactical deterrence, he actually had a candidate in mind.
Thinking of a certain troublemaker who had challenged two captain-level opponents before even graduating, a glimr of anticipation flashed in Yamamoto's eyes…
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