Two vast and majestic Spiritual Pressures, condensed and refined to the extreme, erupted with a boom! It was as if an invisible volcano had erupted within the narrow room! A wild wind whipped up from nowhere, and the surrounding paper sliding doors vibrated violently, letting out groans of being overburdened. The calligraphy and paintings on the walls swayed wildly! The teacups placed on the low table shattered with a sharp crack! Caught off guard, the five Clan Elders were hit head-on by these two pure, ice-cold, and sharply oppressive Spiritual Pressures!
"Hiss—Captain-level!" the Great Elder cried out in shock, real astonishment and horror appearing on his wrinkled face for the first time! He immediately mobilized his own spiritual power to resist, yet he still felt as if he had been struck head-on by an invisible boulder, his blood and energy churning. If he was in such a state, the other elders, who were slightly weaker or more aged, were struck even harder. The Second and Fourth Elders turned pale from the aftershocks of the Spiritual Pressure, nearly unable to sit steadily as they hurriedly activated their own Spiritual Pressures to resist. The Third Elder even let out a startled cry, his body leaning back uncontrollably, only managing to maintain his balance by bracing his hands behind him, his face filled with unbelievable terror.
These two Spiritual Pressures were not just 'Third-class (Captain-level)' in terms of quantity; they also contained a coldness, sharpness, and... a murderous intent they had never felt before! That was a terrifying will tempered in a sea of blood and a mountain of corpses!
Hiroki sat steadily in the main seat, as if the gale of Spiritual Pressure, which was enough to tear apart low-ranking Seat Officers, was merely a gentle breeze on his face. He even slowly picked up the only surviving half-cup of tea from the side and took an elegant sip.
After several breaths, just as the Clan Elders were being pressed to the point of suffocation, Hiroki finally acted as if he had just remembered, waving his hand casually: "Alright, Fugaku, Shisui. Put it away. Don't frighten the elders."
"Yes, My Lord!" The two terrifying Spiritual Pressures instantly receded like a tide, vanishing without a trace as if they had never existed. Had it not been for the mess in the room, the flickering lamplight, and the lingering gasps of the Clan Elders, everything that just happened would have seemed like a dream.
"This... this..." The Third Elder pointed at the two Ninjas, who had returned to their submissive stance with lowered eyes and hands at their sides beside Hiroki, his voice trembling, "Who exactly are they?!"
Although the various elders had heard a bit about the Uchiha Clan's name over the past few years, they had assumed it was just a small clan newly recruited by Yoruichi. They never expected that the Uchiha Clan would actually possess two Captain-level powerhouses.
Hiroki put down his teacup, his gaze sweeping over the shaken old faces, and said calmly, "Elders, allow me to introduce them. This is Uchiha Fugaku, the head of the Uchiha Clan, and this is the clan's elite, Uchiha Shisui."
"These two are the contemporary leader and elite of the 'Uchiha Clan,' who have served for generations and hidden in the shadows to protect the Shihōin Clan! Entrusted to me by Lord Seigen Shihoin on his deathbed, they have answered the call in this time of family crisis. I have personally ushered them back to the Seireitei!" He emphasized the words "Seigen's entrustment" and "time of crisis" with particular clarity.
"The Uchiha Clan?! Serving for generations?!" The Great Elder repeated blankly; he had never heard of this name. What was even more unbelievable was, "Why did Lord Seigen Shihoin never mention this?! And... and if this is a secret that only the head of the house should know, why was it passed to you instead of Lady Yoruichi?!"
"Sigh..." That sigh was long and winding, as if lamenting for Seigen, "Then you can only ask Lord Seigen Shihoin yourself."
He paused, his gaze slowly sweeping over every suddenly tensed old face. "Perhaps, in Lord Seigen Shihoin's far-sighted calculations, he had already seen through Yoruichi's 'unreliability'? He felt she was too flighty in her actions to shoulder such a great responsibility? Therefore..." He spread his hands, his movement as casual as brushing off non-existent dust from his robes, "he placed these 'hidden cards' into my hands."
He leaned forward slightly, bracing his hands on the edge of the low table, his eyes burning as he stared down the Clan Elders. His tone shifted abruptly, filled with unquestionable certainty: "Look at the current situation! Lord Seigen Shihoin truly had foresight! It was simply a divine calculation!" These words were both a declaration and a mockery—mocking Yoruichi's defection and even more so the elders' previous attempt to force his hand.
In any case, the long-dead Seigen Shihoin had long since rotted into a skeleton, lying in a coffin for decades; could he possibly crawl out to refute him? If you have the guts, go dig him up to confront him. A blatant light of provocation flashed in Hiroki's eyes, and the faint, cold smile at the corner of his mouth was like an invisible needle, pricking the elders' hearts with anger they couldn't vent.
The Great Elder's furrowed face twitched violently, as if he had swallowed a large gulp of boiling wax. His cloudy old eyes scraped over Fugaku and Shisui, those two "legacies of Seigen" who stood silent as mountains, while the residual power of their Captain-level Spiritual Pressure seemed to still weigh heavily in the air.
His Adam's apple bobbed up and down, his shriveled lips moved several times, and finally, as if he had exhausted all his strength, he slumped. His shoulders collapsed a few inches, and he let out an extremely stifled dry laugh, his voice as coarse as rubbing sandpaper:
"Heh... Heh..." His gaze swept over the other elders, who were equally pale-faced, with a complex look. "Lord Seigen Shihoin's vision... was truly... sharp..." These words were practically squeezed through his teeth, every syllable carrying the scent of a rotting coffin board. "I didn't expect... that he had prepared so many... deep-hidden 'hidden cards'..."
He bit down hard on the words "hidden cards," his eyes fixed on the two people behind Hiroki, filled with disbelief and the frustration of being caught off guard. After a long pause, as if finally holding his nose to accept a cup of sour wine, he stiffly lowered his once-proud head and squeezed out the latter half of the sentence through his teeth: "Then... let us proceed according to Lord Hiroki's wishes." The words "Lord Hiroki" seemed to burn his mouth, spoken slowly and heavily.
There was no choice but to believe it; could the Kuroki Clan behind Hiroki possibly produce two Captain-level powerhouses? It could only be the work of Seigen Shihoin.
Soi Fon, who had been standing beside Hiroki, clearly caught the entire process of the Great Elder's change of face out of the corner of her eye. One moment he was calling him "Hiroki, Hiroki" with a condescending scrutiny, and the next, suppressed by thunderous means, he immediately changed it to "Lord." Hah! What a face of being haughty at first and submissive later! She couldn't help but sneer silently in her heart, turning her head slightly to let out a clear, sharp spit with a tiny breath only she could hear: "Tch!"
Hiroki took all of this in, his face still maintaining the calm and composed look of a family head, while he sneered inwardly. He nodded slightly, accepting the Great Elder's "submission," and then began to assign tasks methodically:
"Well, in that case," Hiroki's gaze was like lightning, piercing straight at the First Elder who was forcing himself to stay calm, "Great Elder." His voice returned to its usual steadiness, but with an unquestionable sense of command, "The negative impact caused by Yoruichi's forced entry into the Central 46 Chambers must be calmed and appeased by someone." He tilted his chin slightly toward Fugaku and Shisui. "You will personally take these two Uchihas to have a 'good talk' with those old fellows in the Central 46 Chambers and the power players in the Noble Assembly." He deliberately emphasized the word "talk," and the elders present all knew exactly what kind of heavyweight deterrence that contained. "By the way," a cold arc curled at the corner of Hiroki's mouth, "officially introduce the loyal and powerful Uchiha Clan to them. Make sure everyone understands that the Shihōin Clan's foundation has never diminished!"
The Great Elder felt his throat go dry; Hiroki was pushing him out to be the one to reveal this "new card," while also using the opportunity to announce the update of the family's strength to all quarters. His lips moved, but in the end, he didn't dare ask more. Taking a deep breath, he cupped his hands and said in a deep voice, "...As you command, My Lord. I... understand."
Hiroki's gaze immediately turned to the Second Elder, whose face was ashen and who had been the most vocal earlier: "Second Elder," his voice was neither fast nor slow, but it felt like a small hammer striking the other's heart, "your task is both urgent and... requires a certain touch. You will be responsible for the clerical and procedural work for the Uchiha Clan's promotion to High Nobles." The Second Elder's shoulders shook, and he was about to look up. "However," Hiroki's tone shifted to one of seriousness, "due to certain ancient reasons that must be temporarily 'hidden,' the past achievements of the Uchiha Clan are not yet suitable for public disclosure. Therefore, you must find a way to 'perfect' their resume and contribution statements. I believe you... will be able to handle the scale of this 'perfection' well." Hiroki's eyes seemed to say: you are best at making something out of nothing, so put that to use.
The promotion process for nobles was no simple matter. Even with the status of the Shihōin Clan, promoting a subordinate family was a long-term project. Hiroki simply wanted to give the Council of Elders something to do.
The muscles on the Second Elder's face twitched again. This task certainly had no profit, but the risk of being a scapegoat was not small. He lowered his head, trying hard to hide the helplessness in his eyes, and replied dryly, "Yes, Lord Hiroki." This time, he couldn't even bring himself to show surface-level respect.
Hiroki didn't care. His gaze passed over the Third Elder, who was dripping with cold sweat, and finally settled on him: "Third Elder," he drawled, carrying a deliberate sense of "heavy responsibility," "your task is the most important."
The Third Elder's body jolted, and he reflexively straightened his back. The panic on his face was almost overflowing. He hurriedly wiped the non-existent sweat from his brow with his sleeve and squeezed out a flattering smile: "Yes... Yes! Lord Hiroki, please give your instructions! I... will certainly do my utmost!" Internally, however, his heart was pounding like a drum, fearing he would be sent to do something that would bring the heavens down.
Hiroki stared at him and said slowly, "I want you to completely rewrite the incident of Yoruichi's defection!" A flash of ruthlessness crossed his eyes. "Set the tone—Shihōin Yoruichi did not defect of her own accord! Rather, her mind was controlled by that treacherous criminal Urahara Kisuke using some extremely bizarre and powerful mental-type forbidden technique, leading her to commit such rebellious acts!" He stared intently at the Third Elder's suddenly widened eyes. "Remember, this is the only official version! Also, the blame for the Captain Hollowfication Incident—that was an evil experiment premeditated by Urahara. Find a way to 'reasonably' guide all the clues and 'evidence' you can find onto Urahara Kisuke's head! Nail him completely to the pillar of shame as a criminal!" Hiroki leaned forward slightly, an invisible pressure enveloping the Third Elder. "I believe that in terms of manipulating public opinion and weaving 'truth,' you, Third Elder, are the most skilled master. This task should be no problem for you, right? Hmm?"
The Third Elder's back was instantly drenched, his lips trembling. This job... was practically dyeing white into black and painting black even blacker! It required framing a most brilliant schemer; the difficulty and risk were... But seeing the unquestionable cold light in Hiroki's eyes and the two "Captain-level" bodyguards standing silent in his peripheral vision, his last bit of resistance died out. He swallowed hard and replied with a raspy voice that carried a desperate resolve: "No... No problem! Please rest assured, Lord Hiroki! I... will handle it perfectly!" He knew that if he didn't do it, he would die, but if he did, he might become a "confidant," or at least be safe for the time being.
"Very good." Hiroki nodded with satisfaction, as if he had just handled a minor matter, then added, "Oh, right, while you're at it, officially issue a warrant for Urahara Kisuke's arrest in the name of the family to the entire Soul Society."
"A warrant?" The Third Elder was taken aback, though this wasn't surprising.
"A bounty," Hiroki held up a finger and shook it slowly, "one billion Kan." He announced an astronomical figure enough to drive the entire Seireitei mad. "Post the reward outside the Onmitsukidō Headquarters. And," his voice suddenly became bone-chillingly cold, "an additional requirement: only the corpse, no survivors."
"Hiss..." Several sounds of sharp intakes of breath rang out in the room simultaneously. One billion Kan?! And only the corpse?! This was not just a sky-high bounty; it was a declaration of a death feud with no possibility of reconciliation!
The Third Elder was so scared his face turned green, and he stammered, "My... My Lord! Isn't... isn't this bounty too high? And this requirement..." He was worried about provoking the Thirteen Court Guard Squads; after all, nominally, issuing a warrant should be the business of the Central 46 Chambers.
Hiroki interrupted him coldly, his tone leaving no room for doubt: "Whether it's high or not is for me to decide. I only want Urahara Kisuke dead. Do as I say! Is there a problem?"
Seeing the undisguised cruel killing intent in Hiroki's eyes, the Third Elder shuddered and quickly shook his head like a rattle: "No... No problem! I will see to it immediately! It's just that after it's released... the storm it will cause..." He was still somewhat worried.
Hiroki merely sneered at this, knowing full well what he was doing: this was just to spite that bastard Urahara. One billion Kan sounded terrifying, but in reality? Urahara had the Flash God Yoruichi by his side, as well as Tessai, the Grand Kido Master—two protectors who were at least senior Captain-level—plus Urahara Kisuke's own methods. Unless Yamamoto Genryusai or Aizen personally took action, this bounty was a joke that no one could collect! He simply wanted to label Urahara as a "public enemy of the Soul Society," making him and his little shop like rats in a gutter, never knowing a moment's peace!
"Fourth Elder." Hiroki stopped paying attention to the Third Elder's worries and looked at the last old man, whose task was relatively "gentle."
The Fourth Elder immediately responded respectfully: "Present, Lord Hiroki."
"From the rich lands directly under the Shihōin Clan," Hiroki's voice carried the authority of someone in control of the family's resources, "select a complete piece of land equivalent in scale to that of a 'High Noble.'" He paused deliberately, emphasizing "High Noble scale" and "complete." "Grant it to the brave and loyal Uchiha Clan, who have served with merit! It shall serve as their new foundation and place of rest. See to it personally, and do not be negligent! Be quick!"
This was a golden opportunity to openly carve out property from the Shihōin Clan; it must not be wasted!
"Yes! I accept your command!" The Fourth Elder hurriedly bowed. Although this task was not light, involving the division of the family's core real estate, compared to the tasks of the others, it was already the easiest.
Hiroki's gaze slowly swept over the Clan Elders below, who had various expressions but had all submitted, like a monarch surveying his domain. He nodded with satisfaction, leaned back into the main seat that symbolized power, and waved his hand, his voice carrying the finality of a settled matter:
"Alright! Today's Elder Council meeting ends here! All of you... withdraw!"
"Yes! Lord Hiroki!" The five Clan Elders bowed in unison. The Great Elder's face remained as dark as iron, the Second Elder was indignant and aggrieved but didn't dare show it, the Third Elder's face was a complex mix of flattery and exhaustion, the Fourth Elder was secretly relieved, and the Fifth Elder shrank his neck to minimize his presence. They walked with heavy steps, carrying their own schemes, dissatisfaction, and a hint of relief as they left the secret room that had instantly changed its master. Only Hiroki, the loyal Suì-Fēng by his side, and the two "door gods" behind him who brought a new order, remained at the center of power.