Kugo Ginjo held the potential to become a "Soul King candidate." If anything were to happen to the current Soul King, certain measures could be taken to install Ginjo as the new "Soul King."

However, these matters were beyond Ailin's current knowledge.

Therefore, he directly questioned Ukitake, "Captain Ukitake, since you've discovered that Ginjo was framed, why do you still want me to kill him? Wouldn't it be better to keep him alive and gradually expose the person behind all this?"

"Well..." Ukitake hesitated before slowly explaining, "Captain Ailin, while we've uncovered evidence of Ginjo being framed, his lack of trust in Soul Society is another reason why I seek his execution.

After Ginjo killed those Shinigami, despite my suspicions, I didn't access his records at the Research and Development Institute. Instead, I dispatched a Shinigami stationed in the World of the Living to inquire about the situation.

However, Ginjo didn't offer any explanation and directly attacked and killed our member. This is a violation of Soul Society's laws, and Ginjo must face punishment.

Furthermore, considering they didn't kill Ginjo, there might be something about him that they covet. By eliminating Ginjo, we can eradicate any potential threats to Soul Society.

Of course, we could also place him under surveillance and protection. However, the individuals targeting Ginjo might not be ordinary captain-level opponents. Soul Society cannot afford to assign multiple captains to protect a Substitute Shinigami."

"I see." Ailin understood Ukitake's reasoning. It was indeed a valid concern. "I understand. I'll bring Ginjo's body back when the time comes."

"Thank you, Captain Ailin."

After ending the call, Ailin headed towards Yukio's mansion without hesitation.

***

Ailin didn't conceal his reiatsu. Sensing his approach, Yukio used her ability to transport Tsukishima and Giriko into her game space, leaving Ginjo alone in the mansion to await Ailin's arrival.

Swoosh!

The sound of wind breaking announced Ailin's arrival in the mansion's garden.

"Teacher Ailin." Ginjo, with one hand in his pocket and the other waving towards Ailin, greeted him.

"Ginjo. I've received a response from Soul Society."

"Oh? And what did they say, Teacher Ailin?"

Although Ginjo maintained a smile, his left hand, tucked into his pocket, discreetly grasped the Substitute Shinigami Badge.

"Captain Ukitake and Captain Kurotsuchi of the 12th Division confirmed that your monitoring data has always been kept within the Research and Development Institute and hasn't been accessed by anyone else."

"Oh? So, the Shinigami of Soul Society believe I'm lying?"

The smile on Ginjo's face faded. As expected, it would come to this in the end.

"No." Ailin shook his head. "While we didn't find any evidence of your monitoring records being accessed, we did identify the Shinigami who attacked you. Through them, we discovered another faction has been monitoring you, seemingly with ulterior motives."

"Oh?" Ginjo raised an eyebrow, only half-believing Ailin's words. "So, does that mean I'm innocent?"

"No." Ailin's expression turned serious. "Ginjo, while killing those Shinigami who were part of another faction hidden within Soul Society could be considered self-defense, and Soul Society won't pursue the matter... The death of the Shinigami who came to investigate the truth cannot be excused. Ginjo, will you resist or accept arrest and return with me to Soul Society to face judgment?"

"Hahaha, Teacher Ailin, so it comes down to a fight after all?" Ginjo laughed after hearing Ailin's words. He took out the Substitute Shinigami Badge and pressed it against his chest.

Boom!

With a soft sound, Ginjo transformed, wearing a shihakushō. As his body slowly fell, he drew his Zanpakuto and pointed it towards Ailin.

"Teacher Ailin, I won't go back with you. Regardless of which faction those Shinigami belonged to, the fact that they sent a group to attack me proves they're also Shinigami, right?

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

I don't know how many factions exist within Soul Society, but... I refuse to pay for your mistakes!"

"Bankai – Cross of Scaffold!"

Boom!

Immense reiatsu erupted from Ginjo as his Zanpakuto transformed into a massive double-edged sword.

"Let's fight, Teacher Ailin! Having achieved Bankai, I should be on the same level as the captains of the Gotei 13, right?"

"Let's see who's stronger – a wild Shinigami like me or a genuine Shinigami like you!" With that, Ginjo dashed towards Ailin, leaving an afterimage in his wake.

Boom!

Ailin leaped back as Ginjo's sword slammed into the ground where he had been standing, leaving a deep gash in the earth.

"Ginjo, are you certain you want to resist?" Ailin asked from midair, his voice grave. "You should know that drawing your sword against me requires the resolve to die."

"I don't care about such things, Teacher Ailin. All I want now is to defeat you, tear off your Shinigami mask of arrogance, and trample your pride underfoot."

Ginjo's sword glowed with white reiryoku as he swung it towards Ailin.

"Getsuga – Tenshō!"

Boom!

A crescent-shaped blast of white energy, over three meters wide, flew towards Ailin, tearing through the air with a howling wind.

"Getsuga Tenshō?" Ailin scoffed. "Ginjo, have you forgotten that I was the one who taught you that technique? Using what I taught you against me, who's the arrogant one now?"

With a casual gesture, Ailin extended his left hand towards the oncoming Getsuga Tenshō.

Boom!

Ailin caught the energy blast with his bare hand, the impact creating a deafening roar as it clashed with the air. Despite the force, Ailin didn't budge an inch. Then, before Ginjo's astonished eyes, Ailin clenched his fist.

Crack!

Bang!

The white crescent-shaped energy shattered under Ailin's grip, its fragments dispersing into reishi.

"Ginjo, do you know? I've taken three disciples in Soul Society.

The first became the Captain of the 6th Division.

The second became the Captain of the 3rd Division.

The third became the Captain of the 2nd Division.

Among my disciples, mastering Bankai is nothing special. You received half a month of Zanpakuto training from me, and achieving Bankai was within my expectations.

In fact, if you couldn't achieve Bankai after my guidance, your potential would have been limited to the level of a vice-captain at best."

Ailin flicked his hand, scattering the remaining white reishi from Ginjo's Getsuga Tenshō. He then fixed his gaze upon Ginjo and said, "What gave you the idea that achieving Bankai would make you my equal?"

Whoosh!

In the blink of an eye, Ailin appeared before Ginjo and drove his knee into his abdomen.

Boom!

"Ugh..."

The immense force bent Ginjo's body like a bow, the shockwave tearing through his shihakushō, leaving a gaping hole.

Boom, boom, boom...

Ginjo was sent flying, crashing through several walls within the mansion before landing in a room that crumbled under the impact, burying him beneath the debris.

Ginjo emerged from the wreckage, his shihakushō tattered and his body bloodied. He stared at Ailin with a mix of fear and disbelief.

Too strong! How could Teacher Ailin be this powerful?

Just one kick had nearly killed him. It seemed Teacher Ailin was among the strongest Shinigami.

It made sense. He had mentioned training three Shinigami captains. Ginjo wouldn't believe it if such a person were considered weak among Shinigami.

"What's wrong?" Ailin reappeared ten meters away from Ginjo and chuckled. "Ginjo, this is how you planned to tear off my mask of arrogance and trample my pride underfoot? With such insignificant strength, you thought you could remove my mask?"

"Damn it!"

Ailin's sudden appearance startled Ginjo, and he instinctively leaped back several meters.

"Oh?"

Seeing Ginjo retreat, a classic phrase popped into Ailin's mind. He smirked and said, "Ginjo, what gave you the illusion that retreating this distance would allow you to escape my attack?"

Ailin vanished and reappeared before Ginjo, extending his right index finger and placing it against Ginjo's forehead.

"See, the distance between us is meaningless. A flick of my finger is all it takes to shatter your skull."

"Like this—"

Ailin retracted his finger, pressed his thumb against its tip, and flicked it forward.

Boom!

Ginjo was propelled through the air like a ragdoll, crashing into the ground and creating a massive crater.

Ailin descended slowly, landing at the edge of the crater.

Ginjo lay sprawled at the bottom, his hair disheveled, his forehead swollen, his shihakushō in tatters, and his exposed skin covered in wounds.

Seeing Ginjo had lost the ability to resist, Ailin pointed his hand towards him and chanted, "Bakudō #30: Shitotsu Sansen!"

He traced a triangle in the air, golden light connecting the points. Sharp fangs protruded from each corner.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh...

The three fangs shot towards Ginjo at the bottom of the crater, aiming for his arms and abdomen.

Just as the Bakudō was about to bind Ginjo, black pixels spread across his body, engulfing him completely.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh...

The golden fangs pierced through empty space and dissipated into reishi under Ailin's control.

"A spatial ability?"

Ailin's heart skipped a beat. Following the trail of fear, he moved through the mansion.

...

Within Yukio's game space, Tsukishima and Giriko were tending to Ginjo's wounds.

"Ginjo, Ginjo..."

To their relief, although Ginjo's injuries appeared severe, the most significant damage was from Ailin's knee strike to his abdomen.

The head injury wasn't as serious. However, under Ailin's flick, Ginjo had been knocked unconscious.

This outcome brought some comfort to Tsukishima and Giriko.

Tsukishima, having practically raised Ginjo, held paternal feelings towards him. He would do anything Ginjo desired. Giriko followed Ginjo in pursuit of greater power.

Ginjo's Zanpakuto could absorb the Fullbring abilities of others and share them with his fellow Fullbringers.

Giriko's goal was to enhance his own strength, which was why he chose to follow Ginjo.

However, he never imagined that within days of finding Ginjo, the powerful Fullbringer would be rendered helpless before that Shinigami.

"How is this possible?"

Tsukishima and Giriko suddenly heard Yukio's surprised voice. They turned to see him frantically pressing buttons on his game console.

"What's wrong, Yukio?"

"That Shinigami has discovered my game space and is attempting to invade it."

"Quickly wake Ginjo! I can't hold him off for long."

Hearing Yukio's words, Tsukishima fell silent for a moment. Then, he opened the book in his hand and retrieved a bookmark from within its pages.

"Hum..."

Under a blue aura of reiatsu, the bookmark transformed into a long sword. Tsukishima then plunged the blade into Ginjo's left arm.

"Argh!"