Chapter 180: Chapter 180: Shocking Ritual

The appearance of theHigh Priestand the senior priests sent a wave of excitement through the crowd.

"High Priest!"

The faithful raised their arms and shouted with fervor.

All of the priests, including the High Priest, wore masks. Each mask had the design of a skull—very fitting for the theme of theGreat Deity of the Netherworld.

Although... they did look uncomfortably similar to the masks worn byHollows.

Once the High Priest stepped onto the ceremonial platform, he raised a hand to signal for silence, and the crowd quieted quickly.

He proclaimed in a loud voice:

"Beloved followers, we gather here today to offer our deepest reverence and gratitude to theGreat Deity of the Netherworld, who showers us with blessings!"

"Thanks to His protection, we are able to walk the path to happiness."

"Now, please join me in offering our sacred gifts to our god."

As he spoke, a procession of shrine maidens emerged from the shrine.

These young women, dressed in ceremonial miko attire, carried offerings—fresh fruit, roasted pig, lamb, beef, rice, sake, and flower garlands.

"They sure came prepared. Doesn’t feel like the impoverishedFuwai Districtat all,"Kyōrakumuttered.

"With this many worshipers, getting offerings isn’t hard,"Ukitakecommented.

In addition to the maidens carrying traditional offerings, over a dozen people pushedfour prison cartsbehind them.

Each cart contained a person—hooded, dressed in white, faces obscured.

Nanatsukiextended his spiritual sense, but he couldn’t detect any significant Reiatsu from them.

Beyond theReishi Barrier, he could still hear the murmurs of the surrounding crowd.

"Only four this time?"

"That’s way fewer than before..."

"Are there really fewer evildoers now?"

"No way. You’ll never run out of scum. Go toKusajishiorZaraki District, and you’ll find tons!"

The carts were brought to the altar. The people inside showed no resistance—either unconscious or sedated.

The shrine maidens carefully and solemnly placed their offerings upon the altar.

Then the High Priest began chanting in a low voice while the maidens performed a ritualistic dance.

The seated worshipers all clasped their hands, closed their eyes in prayer, and chanted the god’s name with expressions full of devotion and gratitude.

"This is... intense," Kyōraku commented, frowning at the crowd’s frenzied expressions.

"That kind of emotion spreads easily—it’s infectious," Nanatsuki replied softly.

Moments later—

Shing!Inside the carts, spikes suddenly sprang forth—piercing the bodies of the four captives.

Awakened by the pain, they screamed briefly—then fell silent.

"Wait, weren’t they supposed to judge their sins first?!" Kyōraku scowled. "Why jump straight to execution?"

That wasn’t how it had been described earlier.

The white-robed priest they’d questioned began to sweat under their sharp stares. "I-I don’t know either! They always held a judgment first before offering them to the Great Deity!"

"Should we stop this?" Kyōraku asked, looking toward Yamamoto.

"They’re already dead. There’s no point stopping it now," Yamamoto said grimly, eyes locked on the High Priest’s ritual dagger. "Let’s see what they’re really up to."

The ritual dagger the High Priest held had no hilt bell and was adorned with a tiny skull ornament. The blade looked more like carved bone than metal.

He plunged the dagger into the hearts of each slain sacrifice, staining it with fresh blood.

Then he raised the dagger high above his head.

"These four were among the most wicked in all ofSoul Society!"

"O Great Deity of the Netherworld, we offer these sacrifices with pure hearts!"

"May You accept our devotion and bless our lives with harmony and peace!"

"May Your divine power protect us and banish all misfortune!"

"May Your radiant glory forever illuminate our hearts!"

From the altar, arectangular shadowbegan to form.

As the phantom grew, the crowd gasped—shocked and elated. Even the High Priest and his senior priests appeared surprised.

"We did it! The previous sacrifices weren’t wicked enough to summon it, but this time—" one of the white-robed senior priests murmured.

"We actually summoned theGate of Hellin Soul Society..." another said, voice trembling with excitement.

The floating shadow became more solid with each passing moment.

"That’s... the Gate of Hell?!" Kyōraku exclaimed.

Shinigami weren’t unfamiliar with it.

Souls who had committed grave sins in life could not pass into Soul Society. The Gate of Hell would open for them instead.

But that only happened in theWorld of the Living—never in Soul Society itself.

This shouldn’t be possible.

And yet—before their eyes—the Gate of Hell openedwithin Soul Society.

The gate was composed of two massive, dark panels. On each side stood enormous skeletal statues.

The doors parted slightly, and black mist poured from within.

Giant bony hands reached from behind the gate, trying to push it open further.

But something was resisting. The gate opened at a snail’s pace, even as the skeletal claws pushed.

Then—

BOOM.

A terrifying pressure erupted beside Nanatsuki.

Yamamoto had made his move.

Apillar of fireerupted toward the sky from where the Gate of Hell had emerged.

BOOOOM!!

The dark clouds overhead were instantly blasted apart, revealing blue skies above.

The overwhelming Reiatsu surge knocked every regular soul into unconsciousness.

Yamamoto quickly retracted his Reiatsu, lest it crush the crowd gathered below.

"Man... old man Yamamoto’s spiritual pressure is terrifying," Kyōraku muttered. "Did he... destroy the gate?"

They all looked up. The Gate of Hell had vanished.

"No," Yamamoto’s voice came from beside them. He now stood with hisZanpakutōdrawn—but otherwise unchanged.

"The Gate of Hell cannot be destroyed. I merely forced it out of Soul Society."

"But... before I expelled it,somethingcame out," he added darkly, staring toward the altar.

"So that was their goal all along..." Nanatsuki’s eyes narrowed.

He was now certain—

These people were Reishi Shells.

No ordinary souls could have orchestrated this with such precision and timing.

The figure standing atop the altar... was none other thanNobutsuna Shigyō, the former captain of Squad 7, who had disappeared years ago!

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