Death: Starting as the Guardian of Avici Hell

Naraku Sora's eyes widened, a look of astonishment appearing on his face.

Just as you expected.

Aizen raised his head, his calm gaze fixed on the fiery clouds on the horizon. The last rays of sunlight were blocked by his thin glasses, and the gradually fading orange-red clouds mirrored his thoughts at that moment:

"The maggot nest is usually the responsibility of the second division of the second squad, the Kanri Squad, and the captain of the second squad is usually the head of the Shihōin family."

"I know this sounds unbelievable, but if I'm not mistaken, the mastermind behind the Araki family is one of the five great noble families—"

"Shifuin!"

Despite the suspicion of exploiting his friend, based on the information gathered so far, Aizen has not concealed anything in this regard.

Behind the series of events involving the Araki family, Shihouin's shadow is indeed present.

The ghostly barrier that covered the entire mansion alone was something that other nobles couldn't handle.

Naraku Sora left the Fifth Division with a heavy heart, not even responding to the greetings from the gatekeeper, the Shinigami.

Although he still had some doubts, he believed that Aizen would not lie to him.

The five noble families must be able to manipulate the upper-class nobles, so why couldn't it be the Shihouin family?

Could it be because Yoruichi Shihouin extended an olive branch to him?

Judging from her appearance, Yoruichi doesn't seem like the kind of person who secretly plots big things.

wrong.

Her ambition was already obvious from the moment she wanted to overthrow Yamamoto and dominate the Soul Society.

Naraku Sora hardened his gaze and decided to think about it from a different perspective.

……

……

"Did you summarize all of this through your investigation?"

Shutara Senjumaru looked at the boy in front of him with surprise, then a look of doubt appeared on his face.

"Hmph, you mean, someone who either spends all day in the spirit training room, gets beaten up in the First Division, or gets whipped by Retsu with a bamboo sword, can still find time to investigate clues, right?"

Naraku Sora showed no sign of guilt, and nodded vigorously with his head held high.

Whether it was orchestrating or planning this matter, it was all done by him. In addition, he and Aizen were father and son, so there was no need to distinguish between them.

Therefore, everything he painstakingly investigated was absolutely correct.

Shutara Senjumaru thought about it for a moment, but didn't delve any further into it. It's normal for children to have their own little secrets as they grow up.

"Well, since you've asked so sincerely, then I'll be merciful and answer you."

"First, you need to understand the structure of the nobility, especially the so-called five noble families. They are not a monolithic entity, but are divided into many factions."

Shutara Senjumaru produced a cup of tea from who-knows-where, took a sip, and revealed a contented expression:

"It is perfectly normal for people to fight each other for their own interests."

"If the current leader is incompetent, it may also induce others to have inappropriate thoughts."

"You don't actually think that dark-skinned girl came here out of boredom to assassinate you and then extend an invitation, do you?"

Naraku Sora suddenly realized: "Her status in the Shihōin family is not as glamorous as it seems on the surface."

"No, it should be said that it's very bad." Shutara Senjumaru sneered, "The first female head of the Shihouin family is not someone who can be easily convinced by the masses."

"She needs to demonstrate abilities and strength that surpass those of all previous leaders, but based on her current performance, it will take a little more time."

"so."

Shutara Senjumaru's tone became meaningful:

"Now is the best time to invest. If you can help Sayoichi successfully take control of the Shihōin family, the future will be bright."

"Silly boy, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Chapter 31: A Little Shock to the Mind

A dojo within the Shin-o Prison.

The boy sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, his Zanpakuto resting between his legs, a faint aura of spiritual pressure swirling around him, as if he were in deep meditation.

Yuanliu·Daochan.

The advanced version of the sword Zen that Yamamoto specially taught, compared to the basic sword Zen of the Spirit Arts Academy, can help the Grim Reaper calm down more quickly and enter a state of perfect tranquility.

Communicating with one's Zanpakuto is also a form of training.

Naraku Ku usually uses sword meditation to pass the time during his leisure time. After he has rested enough, he will continue to devote himself to the training of swordsmanship or hand-to-hand combat.

Since the Araki family disaster, he has been completely out of work.

Just as Nishikawa-senpai said, crimes don't happen in Soul Society every day.

As if they had all received some kind of message, the rebels suddenly disappeared into the depths of Rukongai, leaving no trace.

Meanwhile, the street urchin Naraku became particularly lost because he couldn't find the culprit.

Therefore, I have to stay in the Shin-o Prison dojo for the past few days to practice.

As for Shutara Senjumaru's suggestion to invest in Yoruichi Shihouin, it would be a lie to say he wasn't tempted.

But then he thought again that the conflict between the five noble families was not something he could get involved in at the moment.

Given his current small stature, he might be able to handle encounters with higher-ranking nobles, but if he were to come into contact with the five great noble families, he would likely end up in a similar situation to the Araki family.

If you're not careful, you could be completely crushed.

"To forge iron, one must be strong oneself"—this is an eternal truth.

Otherwise, if we encounter some troublesome criminals one day, and we can't defeat them, what's the point of talking about suppression, let alone the benefits of "justice"?

Having finished his sword-wielding training, Naraku Sora turned to try out the power he had previously discovered in his inner world.

A perfect fusion of demonic arts and swordsmanship.

To be precise, it was Retsu Unohana's guidance that provided him with entirely new inspiration.

Kendo is not simply about slashing.

Instead, they infuse their self-awareness and will into their spiritual pressure, and through extreme control, they guide the spiritual pressure to unleash ten or even a hundred times more destructive power.

The same applies to the realm of ghosts.

However, its control method is significantly different from that of Kendo.

But none of this matters.

Although Naraku Sora's mastery of Kido is far less than Aizen's, and even less than some veteran Seats, his proficiency is ridiculously high.

after all.

Others' paths to the ghost realm are all achieved through their own hard work and cultivation, and are therefore superficial and weak.

But my Ghost Path was infused by the system, and its foundation is perfectly solid.

This clearly demonstrates the difference in quality.

He started with lightning again, and leaping arcs of electricity appeared on the blade, crackling loudly.

Naraku Sora carefully sensed the changes in the spiritual particles within, and then tried to use his own understanding to release what Unohana Retsu had taught him—

kendo!

Countless spiritual particles resonated at this moment, overlapping and converging like a giant net, and then...

It shattered into pieces.

The boy's grades were not ideal.

At least that's how it was the first time.

In his inner world, Naraku Sora's fighting style was simply a different way of releasing Kido.

At the moment of slashing, the destructive power of the Kido is unleashed through the Zanpakuto.

It's equivalent to turning the pre-cast animation of a demonic incantation into a sword swing.

This is similar to how a certain high priest cancels the Metall Ray's wind-up by swinging his shield; not only does it not reduce the attack's power, but it also allows for faster release.

The drawback of this fighting style is that its strength is still limited by the upper limit of the Kido (Demon Path).

To break through the limits, we must find another way.

Naraku Sora was not discouraged by this; instead, he continued to try with high spirits.

After all, failure is the mother of success.

As long as I fail enough times, I will eventually succeed.

Once, twice, three times...

Naraku Sora seemed tireless in his attempts, summarizing the root cause of each failure.

If it were during his time at the Spiritual Arts Academy, he might have given up long ago.

However, the growth potential brings about an all-round improvement, including comprehension.

The fact that he graduated from the Spirit Arts Academy with excellent grades is enough to prove that Naraku Sora is an absolute genius.

After further improvement on the original basis, his talent is no less than that of those who have made a name for themselves in the history of Soul Society.

In the midst of countless failures, Naraku Sora seemed to catch a fleeting glimpse of inspiration.

As his understanding of the two fundamental fighting methods, swordsmanship and demonic arts, deepened, he gradually came to comprehend everything.

The spiritual particles within his body were absorbed, controlled, and pulled by an invisible force, constantly gathering in Naraku Sora's arms and even his palms.

Visible to the naked eye.

On his hands, streaks of crimson light, resembling circuit circuits on a circuit board, faintly glowed.

When his five fingers clenched, Naraku Sora clearly sensed that the Kido Reiatsu and the Kendo Reiatsu had formed a subtle yet inseparable fusion.

In a fleeting moment, countless failed attempts flashed through my soul, and a sudden, intense dizziness struck.