Central 46.
Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni submitted the proposal from Sora and the others to Central 46.
Imprisoning Saitō Furōfushi in Muken was a sentence passed by Central 46 in the past.
Now, wanting to pardon Saitō Furōfushi's crimes also required the consent of Central 46.
"Release Saitō Furōfushi?"
"Absolutely not!"
"She killed the head of a high-ranking noble family in the street. How can we just let her out so easily!"
After reading the documents submitted by Yamamoto, the noble members of Central 46 immediately started arguing.
Most of the members expressed their opposition directly, rejecting the proposal.
Many even believed that Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni was testing them. They thought he wanted to suppress their authority by overturning their previous rulings.
In recent decades, most of the newly appointed Captains of the Gotei 13 came from the Rukongai. Meanwhile, high-ranking nobles holding seats in Central 46, like the Tsunayashiro and Kasumiōji clans, had suffered accidents one after another.
They believed that Yamamoto was clearly targeting the noble factions!
This made them feel a serious threat, so their decision-making became increasingly conservative.
"We must eliminate Yhwach's threat. But the Gotei 13 lacks manpower. We shouldn't waste a combatant like Saitō Furōfushi."
Yamamoto frowned. He had thought this matter would go smoothly. After all, the Tsunayashiro clan, whom Saitō Furōfushi had offended, had no one left.
"Didn't you guys wipe out the Quincy easily? Yhwach alone is nothing to fear!"
"That's right. You defeated Yhwach hundreds of years ago. Even if he really revives, so what!"
The members of Central 46 had not participated in the recent Quincy war. They didn't think the Quincy of the Wandenreich were that powerful.
They even felt that the recent battle reports were Yamamoto exaggerating his achievements.
"Yanagi, do you think so too? You experienced that war hundreds of years ago and saw Yhwach's power. You shouldn't be as short-sighted as them!"
Yamamoto ignored the chattering members and looked at the middle-aged man in the center, whose right eye and right arm were wrapped in bandages.
He was the Chief of the Sages and the Chief Judge of Central 46, Yanagi Danzō.
He also had another identity in the past—the 2nd Kenpachi, Yanagi Danzō!
For some reason, Retsu Unohana gave up the title of Kenpachi, and Yanagi Danzō was the one who took it over.
After losing an eye and an arm in a certain war, Yanagi Danzō was defeated by a rising star. He lost the title of Kenpachi and the position of Captain of the 11th Division.
However, the Yanagi clan was a member of the Golden Seal Nobles. With the clan's help, Yanagi Danzō successfully entered Central 46.
Relying on his seniority and past battle records, he eventually reached the position of Chief of the Sages and Chief Judge.
Theoretically, the Chief Judge of Central 46 was equal to the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13. Neither position was higher than the other; they were the highest representatives of their respective systems.
So, if Yanagi Danzō agreed to this proposal, the resistance would be much smaller.
Yanagi Danzō spoke slowly:
"The threat of Yhwach indeed cannot be ignored. But..."
"How can you guarantee that after releasing Saitō Furōfushi, she won't take the chance to defect?"
"I have read your proposal for forming the Hell Expeditionary Force."
"The Hell Expeditionary Force needs to stay in Hell for a long time. If Saitō Furōfushi intends to defect, given her strength as an original Captain, I'm afraid you won't be able to stop her."
Yamamoto frowned. The situation Yanagi Danzō mentioned really needed to be considered in advance.
"I can guarantee it! If she takes the chance to defect, I will personally catch her and bring her back!"
Yanagi Danzō shook his head. "You should understand that Hell is a dangerous place."
"If Saitō Furōfushi defects when the Hell Expeditionary Force encounters a strong enemy, it will likely cause irreversible losses to the force!"
"Unless..." Yanagi Danzō paused and said slowly, "You serve as the Captain of the Hell Expeditionary Force, Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni!"
"With you watching, even if Saitō Furōfushi has thoughts of defecting, she wouldn't dare to act on them!"
Before Yamamoto could respond, Yanagi Danzō continued, "Also, Yhwach is powerful. According to you, his strength will increase further after going to Hell."
"If someone else leads the Hell Expeditionary Force, how can you ensure this team can hold out until support from the Soul Society arrives?"
"We plan to select five Captain-class combatants to form the Hell Expeditionary Force. Such strength is enough to hold out until support arrives."
Yamamoto explained, "The Department of Research and Development has cracked the Quincy shadow transport technology."
"As long as the Hell Expeditionary Force holds a beacon, we can open a shadow passage and quickly support them."
"Five Captain-class combatants... that includes Saitō Furōfushi. If she defects or even turns against you when the force encounters Yhwach, how will you handle it?"
Yanagi Danzō kept attacking the issue of Saitō Furōfushi's loyalty.
His actual intention was to force Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni to join the Hell Expeditionary Force!
This wasn't just a whim.
Last time, during the preparation phase before the Shinigami attacked the Wandenreich, Yamamoto prepared in the name of reinforcing the Hueco Mundo Expeditionary Force to prevent leaks.
Even Central 46 only found out about it after the war ended. This made Central 46 feel a huge threat.
If Yamamoto could wipe out the Quincy of the Wandenreich silently, he could naturally wipe them out in the same way.
When Yanagi Danzō saw the proposal for the Hell Expeditionary Force, he immediately thought of pushing Yamamoto to go to Hell for the mission.
As long as Yamamoto wasn't in the Soul Society, Central 46 could gradually erode the Gotei 13 and bring it under their control!
"If it were hundreds of years ago, I would also believe that Saitō Furōfushi wouldn't betray the Gotei 13."
Yanagi Danzō sighed softly. "But times have changed. After being locked in a place like Muken for hundreds of years..."
"Can you really guarantee she has no resentment towards the Gotei 13?"
Yamamoto fell silent. Based on his past understanding of Saitō Furōfushi, she would definitely not betray the Gotei 13.
But having her Spiritual Pressure sealed and being locked in a place like Muken was torture every single day. It was hard to say if her personality had become twisted.
After a moment of silence, Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni spoke:
"I will personally lead the Hell Expeditionary Force to find Yhwach!"
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