EPIC: Path of Demons and Dragons-Chapter 241: Stance

"Mmn...likewise..." responded Vahn, offering a curt nod before shifting his gaze to Byakuya as the Noble-looking Shinigami, utilizing his smooth and exceptionally deep voice, expressed, "I am Kuchiki Byakuya, 28th Head of the Kuchiki Clan and Captain of the 6th Division. When opportunity allows, the Kuchiki Clan would be honored to host a delegation from the Dragon's Pavilion to express its gratitude regarding recent matters."

"I'm certain that can be arranged," affirmed Vahn, offering a second nod before turning his attention to Komamura, preempting the inordinately tall man's introduction by stating, "Komamura Sajin, Great Grandson of Ōgami, Son of Gekirin, and Captain of the 7th Division...though I understand your reasons, how do you intend to formally introduce yourself to me wearing a mask?"

Stunned by Vahn casually divulging his lineage, Komamura stared at him with his mouth, hidden behind his komuso mask, hanging open. His face and heritage had been exposed during the failed attempt to detain Aizen, but since only a select few Captains had witnessed it, he elected to don a new helmet.

Exhaling from his nose, Vahn assured, "It's fine. If you want to keep your face hidden, that's your choice. I just happen to believe that true power and growth stem from acceptance and overcoming oneself. Realizing your potential while masking who and what you are will be difficult."

"There is great wisdom in Vahn-sama's words..." conceded Komamura, his voice solemn as he swept his gaze across his fellow Captains, stopping when he met Yamamoto's. It was after the latter offered an affirming nod that he reached up, loosening the clasps keeping his mask in place before removing it entirely, revealing his wolf-like features as he stated, "Though it is clear Vahn-sama is aware of my identity, allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Komamura Sajin, Captain of the 7th Division. Please excuse my previous rudeness."

"Excellent...a Captain of a venerated organization like the Gotei shouldn't conceal their face but take pride in the efforts that led to their holding the position..." asserted Vahn, causing Yamamoto to close his eyes and nod in consensus. He had informed Sajin numerous times that he did not need to conceal his identity, so he greatly appreciated Vahn's words.

"I guess it's my turn...?" asked Kyoraku, rubbing the back of his head with his right hand and smiling lazily as he appended, "It's a little long, but my name is Kyōraku no Jirō Sakuranosuke Shunsui. I'm presently the Captain of the 8th Division, but my real interests include drinking sake, teasing my cute subordinates, long, unbroken naps, and admiring beautiful women as they dance or play the shamisen."

"Then we have much in common," affirmed Vahn, narrowing his eyes and smiling before turning his attention to the youngest-looking and shortest of the Captain's present.

Seeing Vahn set his gaze on him, Toshiro closed his eyes and exhaled a faint sigh before opening them, forcing himself to sound deeper and more mature than he was as he stated, "I am Hitsugaya Toshiro, Captain of the 10th Division. I have never encountered or interacted with a Dragon God, so if I say or do anything that inadvertantly offends you, know it is not my intention to antagonize you or the Dragon's Pavilion..."

Though he waited for Toshiro to finish speaking, Zaraki made his priorities clear by asking, "I'm curious, just how strong is a Dragon God...?" in place of an introduction. This earned him a withering stare from Yamamoto, but Vahn took it in stride, shrugging casually before admitting, "To be honest, I'm weaker than everyone here. However, even if you were to team up and take me on as one, you wouldn't be able to defeat or seal me away. You're welcome to try, though."

"Oh? How curious. Are you suggesting that, regardless of the measures we take against you and the Dragon's Pavilion, they are bound to fail from the outset...?" asked Mayuri, his voice raspy as he unblinkingly eyed Vahn with his amber-hued eyes and a disconcerting smile.

"Your world merits a fairly high classification, but it's far from the highest across the multiverse," responded Vahn. "But discussing such things isn't why we're here. Also, you, Captain Mayuri, would be wise to remain silent in my presence. I'm not fond of overlooking monsters, so if you give me a reason, I will remove you from my sight permanently..."

Narrowing his biomechanical eyes, Mayuri briefly considered challenging Vahn's assertion but ultimately decided against it. They still knew little about what he was capable of, but one of the few things they did was that he could enter and leave their world as he pleased. Presuming his claims of representing a transdimensional organization were legitimate, it wasn't difficult to imagine him displacing those he didn't like to locations where they could no longer threaten or disturb him...

"Ahem...allow me to continue..." interjected Ukitake, gesturing to Zaraki and Mayuri as he said, "These gentlemen are Kenpachi Zaraki, Captain of the 11th Division, and Kurotsuchi Mayuri, Captain of the 12th. The title of Kenpachi is traditionally granted to the strongest Shinigami, so if the two of you battle at some point, please conduct it someplace where collateral damage can be kept to a minimum. As for me, my name is Ukitake Jushiro, Captain of the 13th. And while I cannot speak for the entirety of the Soul Society, I personally hope we can establish a mutualistic relationship with Dragon's Pavilion."

"As do I," affirmed Vahn. "But that ultimately depends on what the Soul Society desires from the Dragon's Pavilion and your willingness to work alongside the person recognized as your world's representative."

"Our world's representative...?" repeated Yamamoto, his beady crimson eyes narrowing as he asked, "Though it may not be proper, I feel I must inquire as to the identity of this representative. If nothing else, we owe them our gratitude for your intervention in the previous matter..."

"You owe them for quite a bit more than that..." affirmed Vahn, nodding sagely before revealing, "As for their identity, everyone here should be at least tangentially familiar with the name Shiba Kukaku."

"Shiba Kukaku..." repeated Ukitake, recognizing the name alongside Yamamoto, Sui-Feng, Unohana, Kyoraku, Komamura, and Mayuri. Even Zaraki recognized the name Shiba, but as he had no interest in matters related to politics, he stared absently into space and picked his left ear with his pinky finger.

Nodding, Vahn revealed, "Kukaku-san managed to come into contact with the Dragon's Pavilion and the broader cosmos after receiving an invitation to a place called the Tower of Ascension. She initially had little interaction with us, but after learning of Kuchiki Rukia's imprisonment and correlating it with the untimely demise of her elder brother, she could not remain idle as Aizen led a second Great Noble House to its downfall."

"So the younger sister of Kaien is still alive..." muttered Ukitake, a look of regret flashing across his face. He was one of the few who attempted to defend the Shiba Clan, but as the descendent of a lower noble house, he had limited sway outside his Division and the Gotei.

Electing to reveal herself at that moment, causing several of the Captains present to tense and become alert, Shutara, appearing to materialize out of thin air, asked, "What does it mean for one to be the representative of a world in the broader cosmos?"

"So much for keeping things hush-hush..." sighed Kyoraku, exhaling from his nose and shaking his head in mock exasperation.

"Those who receive invitations from the Tower are typically figures whose actions significantly influence or shape the fate of their world as a whole," answered Vahn. "Becoming a representative doesn't necessarily make you the most important person in your world. Rather, it indicates that you have entered into an agreement with the Dragon's Pavilion, gaining our support and the right to request our assistance. In the simplest of terms, it means that Kukaku-san's voice and opinion have priority over the other denizens of your world. We can enter into agreements with other parties, but only if they don't conflict with our agreement with her."

"And what agreement is that...?" asked Shutara, narrowing her eyes as if attempting to peer through Vahn's words and ascertain concealed truths or hidden meanings.

"Nothing that would be considered contentious by a reasonable person or group..." responded Vahn, shaking his head before revealing, "She simply requested that the Dragon's Pavilion protects the surviving and collateral descendants of the Shiba Clan. There's more to it, but it's not my place to disclose the specifics of a private contract or agreement."

"In other words, if our agreement with the Dragon's Pavilion jeopardizes the Shiba Clan's continued existence, we can't move forward...effectively granting Kukaku-san the exclusive right to veto..." concluded Kyoraku, his sole visible, usually unfocused brown eye exuding a glimmer of solemnity as he carefully gauged Vahn's reaction.

"More or less," confirmed Vahn, nodding before explaining, "But, as I explained to Ukitake-taichou previously, the Dragon's Pavilion doesn't specifically require anything from the Soul Society. If not for the matter regarding Rukia-san, we would not have revealed ourselves. Now, if you decide there is nothing you want or need from us, we will revert to being observers—only intervening in your world when the life or general well-being of a Shiba Clan descendent is jeopardized."

"That said..." started Vahn, shifting his gaze to Shutara and adopting a narrow-eyed smile as expressed, "Please give my regards to the Monk Who Calls the Real Name. And tell him that if he wishes to maintain the status quo, it would behoove him not to try what he's currently planning. I don't mind people targetting me, but targetting those under my protection is a line that shouldn't be toed—much less crossed..."

Though she was tempted to retort that she wasn't a messenger, Shutara silently held Vahn's gaze for several seconds before grabbing space using her artificial hands and pulling it around her like a blanket. A split-second later, she was gone, her presence completely vanishing as she effectively stepped outside space-time via the Garganta, a space between spaces in the same vein as the Dimensional Gap of DxD...

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