Bleach: No cheat codes, he joined Aizen's side.

Chapter 272, page 270: This family has quite a lot of resources.

Aizen knew that Kisuke Urahara was in the present world, but he did not provide any further information.

This should also be Aizen's limit.

Kisuke Urahara will not reveal any more information.

However, both of them actually knew that finding Kisuke Urahara would not be difficult.

It's just that Aizen didn't need to do that before.

"So you did eventually come back."

In the Seireitei, the Shiba family, one of the four noble clans, Shiba Kukaku looked at the man before him and said...

The Shiba family is in a better situation now than in the original story, but only slightly better.

After losing their two pillars, Kaien Shiba and Isshin Shiba, they, who already had little say, are still in a precarious position under the new circumstances.

Therefore, it wasn't as difficult for Higashino Shuichi to find a space to be alone with Shiba Kukaku.

"I thought things would be much better for your Shiba family after we dealt with the Tsuna-Yayo family."

Although Higashino Shuichi came with a purpose, he couldn't be too heartless; he certainly couldn't jump straight to the point right away.

"It's better than the Kabuto family, where Sayako-san lives, right?"

Shiba Kukaku forced a smile as he spoke.

"No, it's because of Haiyan's death and Yixin's disappearance?"

Higashino Shuichi asked a question he already knew the answer to.

"You know it all?"

Shiba Kukaku countered with a question.

Shuichi Higashino shook his head.

No, it's just a guess.

Kuchiki Byakuya and Shihouin Yuushirou Sakimune, both of them are considered moderate clan heads...
But precisely because of this, given their personalities, they would certainly not be the kind of powerful patriarchs within their families.

In handling many matters, they still take into account the voices of some clansmen, especially those known as clan elders.

For those people, the original approach taken by the Tsunayo family was the one that best served their interests.

They were simply suppressed by the more assertive style of the Tsunayo family and never had a stage to showcase their abilities.

Higashino Shuichi could guess the reason: it was the inherent flaws of these nobles.

Aristocrats like the Shiba family are truly outliers.

Including the Kabuto family, where Sayako Kabuto lives, Shuichi Higashino believes that...

If their initial mission hadn't been to guard Hell, the Kabuto family wouldn't be performing much better than the Kuchiki and Shihouin families.

"Hehe. So you can understand my current situation, right?"
The current situation in Seireitei is that the Kuchiki and Shihouin families are vying for power. Although on the surface the Kuchiki family, with Byakuya Kuchiki as the current captain of the Sixth Division, seems to have the upper hand,
but"

Shiba Kukaku smiled wryly, but was interrupted by Higashino Shuichi.

"However, Shihouin Yushiro Sakimune of the Shihouin family has amazing potential. At such a young age, he has already shown great potential."

Furthermore, the previous head of the Shihouin family, Yoruichi Shihouin, is still alive. In fact, Yoruichi Shihouin's name is not on the wanted list issued by Soul Society for Kisuke Urahara and his group of rogue Shinigami.

Many nobles still have expectations and hopes for the Shihouin family, right?
After all, if Yoruichi were to make a strong comeback, the Kuchiki family, with only the young Byakuya Kuchiki backing them, wouldn't stand a chance against the Shihōin family, which has a veteran captain like Yoruichi Shihōin at its helm.

Nobles are pragmatic and opportunistic, especially after the incident involving the Tsunayo family. The remaining nobles have become even more cautious about choosing sides.

They were terrified that another "madman" like Shuichi Higashino would emerge in Soul Society.

Shiba Kukaku spread his hands, and the little expression on his face seemed to say, "Why don't you tell me?"

Higashino Shuichi shook his head with a smile, and reached out to rub Shiba Kukaku's head, but this tried-and-true move was slapped away by Shiba Kukaku.

"Is that all you saw?"

When Shiba Kukaku said this, her lips were visibly pouting, clearly indicating that she was a little upset.

"besides?"

This puzzled Higashino Shuichi.

Isn't this the current situation within Seireitei?

This was entirely within his expectations.

"Of course!"

Shiba Kukaku said irritably,

"Don't be fooled by the current situation in Seireitei. It's all based on the premise that your Sayako has not shown any intention of vying for power with the Kuchiki and Shihōin families."

Shuichi, you probably don't know why so many nobles are maintaining a neutral stance now, even if they have some bias, it's still limited.

Isn't that because your daughter, Sayako, is putting too much pressure on them?

"Is Sayako putting too much pressure on them?"

Higashino Shuichi almost laughed when he heard this. How could that be?

He knew very well what kind of person Masayako Kabuto was.

This girl, who has suffered from the power of hell since childhood, has the greatest wish that the entire Soul Society can continue to exist in peace.

No one will have to suffer because of the potential threat of hell anymore.

Therefore, no matter what Shuichi Higashino does, Sayaka Kabuto unconditionally supports him.

Because Kabuto Sayaka knew that Higashino Shuichi had the ability and would definitely be able to resolve the threat from hell.

That was a promise that Higashino Shuichi made to her, and Shuichi would never lie to her!

Therefore, compared to the level of threat posed by the imbalance of Hell, which could directly destroy the Soul Society, Hueco Mundo, and the Human World,
Everything that happens in Soul Society is just a minor incident.

Kabuto Sayaka would never be interested in interfering in the petty squabbles among the nobles within the Seireitei.

They would not actively put pressure on those ignorant nobles.

Higashino Shuichi was absolutely certain of this.

"Judging from your expression, you seem to really disbelieve this?"

Shiba Kukaku looked at Higashino Shuichi and saw through the latter's thoughts.

"It's not that I don't believe you, but I'm absolutely certain that Sayako would never do that!"

This is trust.

Just as Sayako had complete trust in Higashino Shuichi, Higashino Shuichi always reciprocated with sincerity.

Hearing Higashino Shuichi's incredibly confident answer, Shiba Kukaku felt a mix of emotions. What exactly did he have to do to gain Higashino Shuichi's trust like this?
She had always envied the relationship between Asayako Kabuto and Shuichi Higashino, and now she felt even more so.

"Yes, she wouldn't do that, but Shuichi, have you thought about what you've left her with?"

"That's what Shiba Kukaku said softly," he said, his words waking the man from his reverie.

Higashino Shuichi understood in an instant.

When he initially planned to use the Avici Hell to achieve a similar effect to "faking death and escaping,"

To prevent Aizen from causing trouble for his people after he left, he specifically made his request to Sōya Mochijō in the Avici Hell before departing.

That was the empty promise that Shizuka Souya made to Higashino Shuichi in order to save Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni's life.

The condition set by Higashino Hideichi was that Azashiro Sou would also help Higashino Hideichi stay at the Kabuto family home and protect Higashino Hideichi's side of death during the next five hundred years of Higashino Hideichi's "punishment" in the Avici Hell.

To be honest, in Higashino Shuichi’s opinion, trading Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni’s life for Azashiro Sōya’s protection for five hundred years was an absolute loss for Azashiro Sōya.

Because now, in just over three hundred years, Souya Mochijo has already completed the fusion of most of Seireitei and a small portion of Avici Hell.

Give him a few hundred more years, and who knows how far he'll grow?
That truly means living as long as heaven and earth!

However, Sora Azashiro is also a Shinigami in a very traditional martial arts style.

He has no intention of going back on the promises he has made.

Even in the mind of Mochishiro Sōya, the fact that he could exchange five hundred years of his life for the immortality of Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni was a huge gain for him.

After all, the lifespan of a Grim Reaper is what it is. Time is just a number to Soya Azajo, but life is not, especially the life of Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto.

This man, who holds extraordinary significance for the entire Gotei 13 and even the entire Soul Society, is someone that Sou Azashiro does not want to die, at least not in front of him.

So after Higashino Shuichi left, Soya Azashiro quietly escaped from the depths of hell and settled in the Kabuto family home, becoming Kabuto Sayako's personal butler.

Having been a nobleman himself, Mochishiro Sōya adapted quickly to the role of butler.

However, the other older nobles who still remembered Souya Mochijo were finding it difficult to adapt to his new identity.

Isn't it said that the Kabuto family is in charge of guarding hell?
So it turns out there's not just that hell, there's also the Avici Hell!
This isn't some kind of butler that Nima Sayoko hired!

Did they summon a killing god?

A man capable of killing Kenpachi Kuruyashiki, a man who once prepared to destroy the entire Hueco Mundo single-handedly.

The reason he failed was not because he couldn't do it, but because he gave up.

But at the time, everyone in Soul Society believed that he could do it.

This is a death god who is almost legendary, a death god who, like Shuichi Higashino, will be imprisoned in the deepest hell until the end of the world.

And so, he became Masayako Kabuto's butler without any apparent reason.

Could it be that sending Higashino Shuichi to the Avici Hell was just to make a deal with Mochishiro Souya, who was imprisoned there?

As the news spread, such a terrifying idea took shape in the minds of almost all the nobles who were in the know.

Thus, the image of a cunning and ruthless family head who could even use emotions to deceive a powerful death god like Higashino Shuichi, making him willingly "die" for him, was established.

Once this image was formed in the minds of these nobles, they were so afraid of Masayako Kabuto that they dared not look her in the eye when they encountered her again.

Even when Masayoko Kabuto smiled gently as always, in their eyes it was the devil's whisper.

But if that were all, it wouldn't be enough to terrify those young nobles.

Because they did not experience the era of Kenpachi Kuruyashiki, they could not possibly know the level of Souya Azumashiro, who was able to kill Kenpachi Kuruyashiki.

Moreover, the Soul Society still has a complete Gotei 13.

What truly terrified those young nobles was...
"Is it Kisaragi Shusuke, Matsumoto Rangiku, Yushima Osho, Rokusha Kensei, and Ootori Ryojuro?"

Higashino Shuichi slowly uttered a series of names.

Shiba Kukaku nodded in agreement, indicating that everything was correct.

"Five years after you left, Rangiku-san also successfully mastered the Bankai of her Zanpakuto."

So that makes a total of five captain-level Shinigami. If we add the former Kenpachi, Souya Azashiro, who served as the butler at Sayako's house, then that makes six.
Shuichi, throughout the entire history of Soul Society, which of the five noble families could simultaneously have more than two captain-level Shinigami loyal to them?
And now, beside Miss Sayako.

Shiba Kukaku didn't want to repeat herself anymore.

The word "envy" had been on her mind countless times.

And there's one more thing she didn't say.

That is without including Higashino Shuichi himself.

If those Shinigami who experienced the massacre of the Tsunayo family knew that Shuichi Higashino could now move freely in Soul Society...

It seems there's no need to wait for Masayako Kabuto to speak; those nobles will undoubtedly raise their hands in surrender and declare...
"Big brother, please spare our lives! We are all loyal to the Kabuto family!"
We swear to support Sayaka Kabuto as the new leader of Soul Society!

"Well, okay, it seems that's actually true."

Higashino Shuichi actually wanted to say that Kensei Muguruma and Rojuro Otorihashi shouldn't be considered his own people.

They are still not recognized by Soul Society simply because of their Hollowfied Shinigami identities, and they have been officially abandoned by Kisuke Urahara.

The two unfortunate individuals had no choice but to join forces under Kabuto Sayaka's command.

Furthermore, Higashino Shuichi believes that in his lifetime, before any earth-shattering changes occur in the entire Soul Society, these two people will most likely never be able to return to the normal ranks of the Gotei 13.

Even if Kyoraku Shunsui were to become the captain-general and vindicate them, it wouldn't work.

Because there is such a vivid example as Shuichi Higashino, how can those nobles believe that Kensei Muguruma and Rojuro Otori, who are also Hollowfied Shinigami?

That will probably only truly happen when Kabuto Sayaka becomes the head of Soul Society.

For this reason, Higashino Shuichi felt there was no need to sever ties with Kensei Rokusha and Rojuro Ootori.

These two poor kids really had no choice.

"So, judging from your tone, you haven't gone to see Sayako since you came back?"

Suddenly, Shiba Kukaku changed the subject, as if she had realized something.

"No, not yet. I came to see you first."

Higashino Shuichi was still in a state of surprise at how he had unknowingly amassed such a large fortune, and he answered subconsciously.

Then he felt the soft jade enter his arms, its solid weight slamming hard into his chest.

"Long time no see, I missed you, Shuichi."

A change in mood can happen in an instant.

Seeing Shiba Kukaku suddenly hug him tightly, Higashino Shuichi understood a lot in an instant.

Given this complex situation and pressure, how much pressure has Shiba Kukaku, as the current head of the Shiba family and a woman, borne all by herself over the years?

That far exceeded the burden she was supposed to bear in the original storyline, after she had already been expelled from the ranks of the five noble families.

"Hmm, long time no see~"

Higashino Shuichi reached out and hugged Shiba Kukaku, his eyes filled with tenderness.

(End of this chapter)