Bleach: Watch Closely, This Is How You Use a Zanpakutō novel Chapter 51

Chapter 51 - 51: Central 46 Chambers

A few days later...

An ancient Japanese-style estate, lavish beyond measure, stood with towering black-roofed pavilions that seemed to pierce the sky.

The Tsunayashiro Clan residence.

Clusters of tall, timeworn buildings stood together, their unpainted pillars, beams, and walls exuding an air of antiquity. This was the home of the noble, one of the great rulers of Soul Society—one of the Four Great Noble Clans—the Tsunayashiro Clan.

Elderly men, draped in opulent robes, sat in elevated seats. The towering walls were engraved with depictions of ancient trees and vast mountains, radiating an aura of absolute authority.

"Sinners, tell us what happened."

At the center of the council chamber, two men knelt—both reduced to barely recognizable figures after brutal torture.

They were missing limbs, their faces smeared with blood, their breaths faint and shallow.

One of them spat out a broken tooth and weakly murmured,

"Lady Asaka... is dead..."

The elders exchanged cold glances before closing their eyes and shaking their heads.

The death of Asaka Tsunayashiro meant little in itself—what mattered was that she bore the Tsunayashiro name, and her fate reflected upon the honor of the clan.

"How did she die?!"

"A witness saw a Hollow attack Lady Asaka."

The man trembled violently. Forcing himself to stay upright despite his failing body, he swallowed the blood pooling in his mouth and continued,

"You were her guards, yet you had to hear of your master's death from an outsider. What use do you have left? Go prove your loyalty."

"Thank you, my lords! Thank you, my lords!"

The two guards kowtowed frantically, slamming their foreheads against the floor until blood seeped from their wounds.

At this moment, living was far more painful than dying.

As the family guards dragged the two men out of the chamber, one of the elders frowned at the bloodstains on the floor and asked,

"What should we do next?"

"Have Central 46 issue an order. This matter must be investigated thoroughly!"

Another elder slammed the table, his voice thundering with rage.

And so, the news spread swiftly.

The Tsunayashiro Clan was thrust into an atmosphere of tense unrest. Loyal death guards, clad in black, moved like specters through the estate, while members from various branches were urgently recalled from afar.

Household servants cast anxious glances toward the central pavilion, their hearts filled with dread.

A ruler of Soul Society—one of the noble Five Great Noble Clans—had perished.

This was the first unnatural death of a Five Great Noble in Soul Society in over a million years—since the war a thousand years ago, when the Quincy invaded.

...

Late that night...

Yamamoto was abruptly woken from his sleep by his deputy. Though irritated by the disruption, he suppressed his displeasure and made his way to the Central 46 Compound's grand conference hall without delay.

Moving swiftly, he passed by the barracks of the various Divisions, walked through the "Bamboo Grove" formed by white towers, and crossed multiple gates before arriving at a massive stone wall.

The wall was stark white, its stone doors marked with a bold red and black octagonal pattern.

"Captain-Commander Yamamoto."

Two Shinigami from the Seventh Division, stationed as guards, bowed respectfully.

Yamamoto gave them a brief nod.

The guards opened the doors, revealing a familiar wooden bridge. Beneath it lay a crystal-clear pool of water, and at its center stood a structure built from Sekkiseki (Spirit Reducing Stone).

Yamamoto stepped inside, pushing open the great doors of the underground central chamber.

The conference room's interior mirrored its exterior—a perfect octagon. The pitch-black floor stretched endlessly, like a bottomless abyss, creating an unsettling sensation of groundlessness.

Long tables, arranged in tiered rows, encircled the chamber. Atop each table stood screens marked with numbers, obscuring the occupants behind them. Seated beyond the screens were 46 individuals—nobles and elders of the Soul Society.

At the highest position sat the six Judges, and below them, forty wise men of the council.

These forty-six individuals represented the pinnacle of power in Soul Society—its highest judicial authority...

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