Bleach: From the moment I was invited by Squad Zero

Deep within the Tsunayo family mansion lies a place far more secluded than the rooms used for entertaining guests and displaying glory.

In a dimly lit room, a person sits alone on a soft couch in the shadows.

He had slightly messy dark green hair, a pale face, and actually quite handsome features, even with a touch of scholarly elegance.

But in those eyes was a weariness and malice that was out of character for someone of his age, as if he had seen through all the beauty in the world and found it all to be an illusion.

He was dressed in the Tsunayoshi family's attire, with the family's ancient crest embroidered on the cuffs and hem, yet he wore it with an air of nonchalant decadence and gloom.

He was Tsunayoshiro Tokinada, a name that was originally at the very end of the Tsunayoshiro family lineage and was inconspicuous.

Once upon a time, he was also a student at the Shinigami Academy, in the same class as Kyoraku Shunsui, Ukitake Jushiro, and others, and even studied under Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni.

At that time, he was taciturn and the most easily forgotten figure among his peers, a son of a branch family who seemed destined for mediocrity.

However, that's just the surface.

As a child, deep within his family's territory, he witnessed the "historical monument" left by his ancestors, which recorded the true origin and dark past of Soul Society.

The inscription reveals the cruel truth behind the dismemberment and sealing of the Spirit King, and the betrayal and greed of the five noble ancestors...

These accounts, powerful enough to overturn all beliefs, were like the most potent poison, injected into the immature mind of the young Tan.

He did not develop a lofty sense of mission or atonement from this; instead, he felt extreme disgust and self-hatred for the bloodline of the Gangmi dynasty flowing through his veins and for the aristocratic identity built on lies and corpses.

And this hatred eventually twisted into another form—

Since the world is inherently an evil creation, and since nobility is nothing but a thief's disguise, then what is the meaning of so-called morality, order, and emotion?

Instead of exploiting this disgusting aristocratic status, we should indulge in games and trampling, dragging those fools still immersed in false beauty into the abyss of despair.

He became cold-blooded, vicious, and extremely twisted in his beliefs, finding pleasure solely in the suffering of others.

The family's orders were nothing more than tools to him.

Ordered to marry Uta, a woman from Rukongai, he saw not fate or responsibility, but a perfect "toy".

In the end, he cruelly killed his wife and severely injured his friend Tosen Kaname, who came to denounce the injustice. He himself was confined to his home because his family tried to cover up the scandal.

At this moment, a series of news from the outside world about Gang Mi's replacement of Su Shi and his execution, the plummeting reputation of his family, and the forced massive compensation to Liu Chuan, reached this room through various secret channels.

As Shi Tan listened to the reports, his pale and gloomy face showed no resentment at the humiliation of his family. Instead, he slowly and silently smiled.

That smile held no warmth whatsoever, only schadenfreude and an almost morbid pleasure.

"Heh...heh...a bunch of rotten fools," he muttered to himself, his voice soft yet filled with malice.

He picked up a cup of tea that had long since gone cold, his eyes growing increasingly deep.

"Yanagawa... Zero Squad." Tokina murmured the name with amusement, as if savoring a candy coated with poison.

"To be able to push those old fogies to this point, and to repeatedly tear open the boring Seireitei rules... you are much more interesting than I imagined."

He developed a strong interest in Yanagawa.

There was no admiration, no desire to befriend, but rather a predator's morbid curiosity about rare prey, or a plaything's curiosity about a novel toy.

He despised all existing order in Soul Society, but Yanagawa's existence was like a ferocious and unruly shark in this stagnant pool, stirring up the chessboard he had long been tired of.

"Afterwards... after I have completely taken control of this filthy Tsunayo family,"

Shi Tan spoke softly, his eyes flashing with a cold light of ambition and madness, as if he were stating a future that was bound to come true.

"I will trample those old fogies under my feet, and turn the family's resources and 'truth' into my pawns... I will definitely pay you a proper 'visit,' Mr. Yanagawa."

The word "visit" carried a chilling malice when uttered by him.

That was by no means a friendly exchange, but rather a prelude to some carefully woven conspiracy, a cruel game, or a test that used the fate of others as a bargaining chip and took pleasure in it.

Tsunayoshi Tokinada, a nobleman confined to the depths of darkness, whose heart was already rotten, etched Yanagawa's image onto his twisted chessboard.

Meanwhile, the Ghost Path Sect's encampment, a cluster of buildings that used to exude a somewhat cold and old-fashioned atmosphere, was now replaced by a bustling and vibrant scene.

After Yanagawa and the head of the Tsunayo family reached an agreement, the huge "donation" promised by the Tsunayo family was delivered in batches with great efficiency.

Funds, materials, and a team of professional craftsmen coordinated by the Tsunayo family quickly moved into this area that had always been considered a "small, insignificant part of Seireitei".

At this time, a sign reading "Under Repair, No Unauthorized Personnel Allowed" was hanging at the entrance of the Ghost Path Sect, but inside, people were coming and going, creating a busy scene.

The original low and damaged brick and stone walls were carefully reinforced and repaired, and new sturdy materials began to be embedded at key points.

The uneven training ground inside the courtyard was temporarily separated by a spiritual barrier, and several craftsmen were operating earth-type ghost-path auxiliary equipment.

The ground is leveled and the spiritual energy is channeled to prepare for the installation of more advanced equipment.

Further away, scaffolding was erected outside several old buildings used as research labs and dormitories, where craftsmen climbed to replace old tiles and decaying beams and pillars.

The clanging and banging of hammers, along with the artisans' booming shouts, filled the air, mingling with the unique aromas of fresh wood, stone powder, and spiritual materials.

All members of the Ghost Path Clan were mobilized.

They were scattered across various construction sites, acting as temporary supervisors and coordinators.

They were familiar with every subtle point of spiritual energy flow in the base, knowing which places could not be easily altered and which areas contained sensitive detection devices or traces of historical techniques buried underground.

They directed the craftsmen to avoid vital points, ensuring that the repairs would not damage the very foundation upon which the demons depend for their existence.

"Push the earth-elemental ghost path down another half a foot, yes, watch out for that old spirit channel!"

"This place cannot be moved! It's one of the central hubs of the Western District's barrier; we need to drive new stakes around it!"

"Empty the materials warehouse and move them to backup storage area number three!"

Shouts and commands mingled within the construction site-like camp.