CHAPTER 470: CHAPTER 470: A GREAT MAN

Dozens of Reigai captains, along with lieutenant-level Reigai possessing captain-class strength, launched a full-force assault.

Yet in the face of Masatsuki Aozaki’s pure, overwhelming power, they were like weeds flattened by the wind—crushed beneath the feet of an unstoppable giant.

Even against Reigai captains unleashing Shikai or Bankai, Masatsuki Aozaki didn’t so much as draw his Zanpakutō. Relying solely on his body and Reiatsu, he ended the battle in a matter of moments.

The Reigai never even had a chance to surrender. With just a touch, they would instantly erupt into a mist of blood.

When Masatsuki Aozaki reappeared, it marked the definitive end of the war.

From there, it was simply a matter of Aizen resolving the political aftermath. Once that was settled, everything would be complete.

During the incident, a large number of nobles were branded as Reigai and secretly executed by the Gotei 13.

Even the last surviving descendants of the Tsunayashiro Clan, which had persisted for decades, were completely wiped out—erasing the family line entirely.

Nearly half of the wise men within the Central 46 Compound were eliminated.

As victims of the Reigai plot, their names would be inscribed on memorial stones.

With no heirs to inherit their estates, the family assets were seized and returned to the national treasury.

As for the private militias maintained by the nobility:

All deathsworn troops were executed. Family warriors who chose to return home were allowed to, while others were absorbed into the various divisions.

And that wasn’t the end of it.

What followed next would send shockwaves through Seireitei—and leave a lasting mark in Soul Society’s history.

At the proposal of Sōsuke Aizen, Lieutenant of the 1st Division, the remaining wise men and judges unanimously agreed to restructure the Central 46 Compound.

Although the total number of seats would remain the same, from now on, every Gotei 13 captain would automatically receive a wise men seat, along with one lieutenant from the 1st Division.

The Captain-Commander would be granted a judge’s seat directly.

Furthermore, both the judges and the wise men would each elect a leader from among themselves—titled the Chief Judge and the Grand Wise Man, respectively.

These two roles would carry significant power and responsibility.

The Chief Judge would be tasked with overseeing the daily affairs of all Seireitei, proposing new legislation, calling for re-elections of the Central 46 Compound, and serving as a representative in communication with the Soul King.

The Grand Wise Man would act as their advisor and assistant, supporting them in their duties.

Unsurprisingly, this heavy responsibility ultimately fell upon the two heroes of this crisis—Captain-Commander Masatsuki Aozaki and Lieutenant Aizen.

Through their strength and accomplishments, they had earned the trust and respect of the entire realm.

Whether that was the whole truth remained unclear.

But at the very least, that was what the Central 46 Compound had officially announced to all of Seireitei.

...

In the 1st Division captain’s office, Masatsuki Aozaki stroked his chin, a self-satisfied smile playing on his lips.

He looked at Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto and said,

"So, old man—how’d we do? Not bad this time, right?"

Yamamoto narrowed his eyes slightly, clearly displeased with Masatsuki Aozaki’s flippant attitude.

Captain-Commander or not, he still hadn’t learned to carry himself with a bit more composure.

He sighed inwardly and didn’t respond to Masatsuki’s question. Instead, he continued reading through the long list of directives issued by the Seireitei Central Government following the Reigai incident.

These orders covered a wide array of reforms: nationalizing noble estates, improving living conditions in Rukongai, reducing taxes on commoners, cracking down on monopolies, revising harsh laws—and even meddling with noble inheritance rights.

Without question, these measures would trigger sweeping changes within Seireitei. But they also carried the risk of igniting fresh conflicts.

They even planned to revise inheritance laws, moving from single-heir succession to equal inheritance among all children.

What’s more, unless the heir designated by the family head achieved significant merit, the noble titles of other children would be stripped away generation by generation.

Over the years, Yamamoto had cultivated discipline and restraint—no longer the bloodthirsty warrior of a thousand years ago, but a well-read killer.

How could he not recognize such a classic political scheme, one born of ancient Western empires?

The details may differ, but the goal was the same: to weaken the power of the aristocracy.

Initially, Yamamoto had harbored doubts about whether Masatsuki Aozaki had what it took to govern Seireitei effectively.

But now, in terms of both raw strength and political cunning, there was no doubt—the man was more than capable.

And yet... this brat, along with his many wives in the Aozaki family, were nobles themselves. Some even ranked among the Five Great Noble Houses.

This was like cutting into his own flesh with a blade.

So ruthless even toward his own class—what was he really after?

Among the nobility, it was hardly rare for siblings to turn on each other over inheritance.

The Tsunayashiro Clan was the perfect example. Even the elders encouraged infighting among the younger generation for power.

With noble privilege so intoxicating, was Masatsuki really immune to it?

For a long moment, Yamamoto stared at Masatsuki, his emotions tangled.

It felt like watching the mischievous child who used to tug on his beard suddenly turn into some paragon of virtue—it was hard to process.

If this had been a thousand years ago, and he’d learned someone was trying to overthrow the noble order in the midst of wartime, he would’ve unleashed his Bankai and gone after them without hesitation.

But now, faced with this new reality, he genuinely didn’t know how to respond.

Masatsuki had openly killed the wise men and judges, seizing control of the Central 46 Compound.

Yet to everyone else, it was seen as a necessary sacrifice to protect the world.

And from a practical standpoint, none of these policies brought any personal benefit to Masatsuki. On the contrary, as a noble himself, he was among the biggest victims.

If word got out that Masatsuki had done all this to seize power or for personal gain...

No one would believe it. Even Yamamoto would find it laughable.

In fact, from the perspective of the majority in Soul Society, Masatsuki might even be hailed as a "great man."

But... was this young disciple of his really such a noble figure?

Yamamoto’s thoughts swirled like a tangled knot.

Suddenly, he realized he could no longer understand this young man’s thoughts or motives.

He sank into deep reflection.

After a long, careful deliberation, Yamamoto finally seemed to reach a decision. A sense of relief washed over him.

He spoke slowly.

"These orders have only just gone into effect. How could you expect immediate results?"

"I’ve still got another hundred years or so in me. Whether you’re right or wrong—time will be the judge."

Then, he added sternly,

"But if your decisions backfire outside of that timeframe, don’t expect me to be around to clean up the mess!"

Hearing that, Masatsuki Aozaki curled his lip in disdain, clearly unimpressed.

"A hundred years? That’s nowhere near enough. What, people think we’ve got short lifespans or something?"

He clearly disagreed with Yamamoto’s final warning.

Come on!

With his own strength—and Aizen’s intellect—what could possibly go wrong?

The thought made him chuckle smugly.

Hmph... So the old man’s still worried about my health? Guess he has some conscience after all.

Yamamoto watched Masatsuki brush off his words and snorted, but said nothing more.

He drained the hot tea his disciple had served, tugged at the plain haori draped over his shoulders, and slowly walked out of the room with his cane.