CHAPTER 469: CHAPTER 469: IN THE NAME OF THE SOUL KING

Masatsuki Aozaki, meanwhile, gave a hearty smile.

The corner of his mouth lifted slightly, his eyes gleaming with confidence and a hint of mockery.

"What’s wrong? Scared? Want to live? If you do, then it just so happens—I’ve got a deal to offer you."

His voice carried an undeniable authority, as if everything was already in his hands.

"What kind of deal?"

Kagerōza Inaba snapped back to his senses, eyes wide with panic as he asked urgently.

His voice trembled with fear, but beneath it burned a stronger desire to survive. He knew that if he didn’t accept, this might be his only chance gone forever.

"Hand over the Reigai technology, and I might consider sparing your life. How about it?" Masatsuki Aozaki said.

His tone was unnervingly flat, as if he were discussing something completely mundane—but it was that very calmness that sent chills down the spine.

Masatsuki Aozaki carried himself like some ordinary street vendor haggling over goods.

But for Kagerōza Inaba, this was a deadly wager that could cost him everything.

Still, hearing that he might survive brought a flicker of surprise to his face, and a spark of hope lit in his chest.

Yet moments later, his brow furrowed. He asked cautiously, "And why should I believe you?"

His eyes were wary. Trusting this man wouldn’t come easy—especially after barely surviving their brutal fight. There was no way he could let his guard down.

Masatsuki Aozaki raised one hand, pointed to the sky, and held up four fingers. His voice turned solemn.

"I can swear in the name of the Soul King."

The weight of those words struck Kagerōza Inaba hard. For a Shinigami, an oath in the name of the Soul King was as sacred as it got.

Hearing that, Kagerōza Inaba was nearly convinced.

No Shinigami would dare joke about the Soul King.

And truthfully, he didn’t have the luxury of doubt—his life was in the other man’s hands.

If he had the strength, he wouldn’t even be in this position.

In that moment, Kagerōza Inaba felt like he’d reverted to the cowardly Ōko Yushima of the old 9th Division.

Once again, he was painfully reminded of one thing:

Powerless people are powerless in everything they do.

He had no choice. The deal Masatsuki Aozaki offered—he had to accept it.

Masatsuki Aozaki got exactly what he wanted.

But the moment he confirmed the research data was authentic, a hand pierced through Kagerōza Inaba’s heart...

He stared at Masatsuki Aozaki in disbelief, his body trembling.

"You said... you wouldn’t kill me."

"I said I’d consider it. Do you even understand what ’consider’ means?"

Masatsuki Aozaki looked at him and shook his head.

"So after thinking it over, I’ve decided—you’re better off dead."

His gaze was cold and indifferent, as if he were commenting on something utterly trivial.

Kagerōza Inaba’s eyes widened in shock. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. His voice cracked with despair and fury.

"Why...?! I want a reason!"

Masatsuki Aozaki gave a slight smile, laced with cruelty.

"Because a world without you... is important to that girl."

His voice was chilling and merciless, sending shivers down the spine.

Kagerōza Inaba’s face went pale. He knew his fate was sealed.

Masatsuki Aozaki glanced at him with disinterest, his eyes void of any emotion.

The man’s techniques were already in hand—he had no further value, and therefore, no reason to live.

Kagerōza Inaba tried to resist, but his strength was completely drained.

In the end, he collapsed to the ground, his breath fading away.

Masatsuki Aozaki looked down at the corpse, feeling no pity or regret.

Ōko Yushima’s success in developing the Reigai was undeniable proof of his remarkable talent and skill.

But unfortunately, Masatsuki Aozaki had never lacked people of exceptional ability at his side.

After all, the top three intellectuals in the entire Soul Society were all under his command.

His gaze slowly swept across the lifeless, dust-filled air. He bent down, picked up the Gikon lying on the ground, and casually crushed it in his hand.

Then he turned and walked away.

All that remained was a field of devastation and a deathly silence.

...

A formless barrier rose from outside, sealing the area off from any external interference.

Time passed quietly—half a day slipped by in the blink of an eye.

By now, nearly all of the Shinigami had heard the news.

A major incident had taken place today in the Shin’ō District.

The Reigai launched a massive invasion, and Captain-Commander Aozaki personally led the captains in a heroic defense.

The immense Reiatsu released by the Captain-Commander was like a towering sky, firmly shielding Seireitei.

At the same time, multiple spiritual pressures appeared—each one nearly identical to the captains of the Gotei 13.

At first, those Reiatsu were fierce and overwhelming, powerful enough to rival the actual captains. Some even began to suppress them.

But the moment the Captain-Commander’s Reiatsu was unleashed...

The Reiatsu of ordinary squad members, Lieutenants, and even Captains instantly became as faint and insignificant as fireflies beneath the full moon.

Within less than three minutes, those overwhelming spiritual pressures began to weaken one by one—until they vanished completely from perception.

Though most hadn’t seen the Captain-Commander in action with their own eyes, hadn’t witnessed him saving Seireitei in its darkest hour—

The sheer number of captain-class Reiatsu present—even discounting the dozen or so real Gotei 13 captains—meant the enemy’s scale was still massive.

It was easy to imagine how intense the battle must have been.

Even if it couldn’t quite match the hellish battle of legend, it was sure to become a saga passed down for generations.

Compared to the squad members whispering behind the scenes, the captains who had been there in person were far more shaken.

Their battle had, in fact, ended slightly after Masatsuki Aozaki’s.

But because his Reiatsu had completely suppressed the Reigai captains, relocating during the fight became effortless for them.

The moment they sensed his presence, they rushed toward his location without hesitation.

What they saw left them stunned—

Masatsuki Aozaki crushed a Reigai captain with a single slap.

Watching a face identical to their own get destroyed so easily—it was a feeling too complex for words.

Each strike was a reminder: these Reigai captains weren’t really them.

And yet, the uncanny resemblance was impossible to ignore.

That inner conflict stirred something deep within them.

They had always known Masatsuki Aozaki was powerful.

But today... they finally understood it.

Until now, their impression of him had been limited to things like his Reiatsu suppressing captains, slicing through Kuruyashiki Kenpachi—fresh from the Gates of Hell—with a single strike, or sealing the Gagaku Kairō.

But today, against Reigai captains whose Reiatsu surpassed their originals, whose abilities were no different from the real thing...

This man didn’t rely on any flashy or clever techniques—he simply crushed everything with overwhelming force!