"Nanao, is what Captain Kyoraku said true?" Ailin asked, setting his sake cup down and fixing a serious gaze upon the young woman.

Nanao pursed her lips and lowered her head, remaining silent.

"Sigh..." Ailin knew the answer from her reaction.

"Nanao, you must understand that the individual who attacked your father within the heavily guarded noble district possesses both strength and influence far beyond your current capabilities," he explained.

"Even if you discover their identity, what can you do with your current level of power?"

A hint of disappointment laced his words.

"Nanao, this is a world where strength reigns supreme," Ailin continued. "Once you possess the power to disregard all rules, a single word from you would be enough to mobilize the entire Soul Society to search for your father's killer. Threaten to destroy Soul Society if they refuse, and within three days, all information about that person, including those behind the scenes, would be laid before you."

"Hold on, Captain Ailin, that's a bit much," Kyoraku coughed, raising his hand to interrupt.

"See, Nanao, just like Captain Kyoraku," Ailin ignored Kyoraku and addressed Nanao directly. "Do you know why he's nervous about what I just said?

It's because he knows I have the power to do those things. But what about you? If you were to say such things, others would simply laugh at you. You have the time to gather information. Why not use it to train and become stronger? Let me ask you this, what will you do if you find the culprit today?"

"If the killer is a servant of a Great Noble House, what then? Will you secretly kill the servant and let the noble go free? Would that truly be considered revenge? And if you decide to target the noble, do you possess the necessary strength? You'd likely be captured or killed by their guards before even reaching them."

Perhaps due to his frustration, Ailin's words to Nanao were harsh and unrelenting. It was only when he saw Nanao's tears that he realized his words had been too heavy a burden for her to bear.

Strength... who in this world didn't desire it? If training could guarantee a swift increase in power, Nanao wouldn't have wasted so much time on information gathering.

"Sigh..."

"I apologize, Nanao. Uncle Ailin was a bit emotional today," he said, feeling a rare pang of guilt as he looked at the crying girl.

"No, Uncle Ailin is right. I've wasted too much time on useless information gathering..." Nanao wiped her tears and said with determination, "But please rest assured, Uncle Ailin."

"From now on, I'll delegate my intelligence work and focus on improving my strength."

"That's good to hear," Ailin smiled, pleased by her change of heart. "In that case, once you've finished handling your current tasks, request some time off from Captain Kyoraku. Then come find me at the Kuchiki Manor, and I'll personally train you for a while."

"Really, Uncle Ailin?" Nanao's eyes lit up with joy and disbelief.

Within Soul Society, Ailin's status and power subtly surpassed that of the other captains. On the one hand, it was due to his immense strength.

The captains who knew of Ailin's rejection of the Royal Guard's invitation held him in almost the same regard as Captain-Commander Yamamoto.

On the other hand, it was Ailin's exceptional ability to guide others in their development.

Strength commanded respect, but the ability to cultivate even more powerful individuals earned something beyond mere respect.

Byakuya Kuchiki, Gin Ichimaru, Soi Fon... these captains had all achieved their positions thanks to Ailin's guidance.

There was a widespread belief, albeit mistaken, that anyone trained by Captain Ailin was destined to become a captain-level powerhouse.

"Of course it's true," Ailin chuckled, ruffling Nanao's hair.

"Go back now and finish your work as soon as possible. The sooner you're done, the sooner you can come find me."

"Alright." Nanao nodded and left the izakaya without even acknowledging Kyoraku.

"Thank you, Captain Ailin," Kyoraku raised his sake cup in a toast to Ailin and downed its contents.

"Don't mention it. Helping Nanao has little to do with you," Ailin replied. "However..."

He paused, his gaze turning thoughtful. "Kyoraku, as you know, the Zanpakuto of the Ise clan is the 'Eight Mirror Sword,' a legendary heirloom passed down through generations. Due to its disappearance, Nanao hasn't practiced swordsmanship all these years.

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Should I focus solely on her Kidō training, or should I also teach her some swordsmanship?" Ailin inquired. "After all, we never know when the unexpected might occur. What if the Eight Mirror Sword is found, and Nanao needs to use it under dire circumstances... Would she be able to unleash its true power without any prior sword training?"

Ailin's final words were barely a whisper. If Kyoraku hadn't been sitting so close, he might not have heard them.

Clang!

Kyoraku crushed the sake cup in his hand, his eyes wide with shock as countless thoughts raced through his mind.

‘He knows?

No, only my sister-in-law and I know about it. I haven't told anyone else, not even Ukitake. And my sister-in-law wouldn't have revealed it either... So, is Captain Ailin simply speculating that I have it? Should I tell him?’

From a logical standpoint, the Eight Mirror Sword was the Ise clan's ancestral heirloom. Without it, Nanao's combat abilities were severely limited.

After all, other Shinigami experienced a boost in reiatsu through interacting with and merging with the "spirit" of their Zanpakuto.

In battle, releasing their Zanpakuto further amplified their spiritual pressure.

To protect Nanao, Kyoraku had never allowed her to participate in combat.

Therefore, her battle experience remained limited to what she had learned at the Shin'ō Academy.

After a moment of contemplation, Kyoraku sighed.

"I'll leave it to you, Captain Ailin," he said. "After all, you're the one who will be training Nanao." "However, I believe it's always beneficial to learn as much as possible."

With this last sentence, Kyoraku subtly confirmed that he knew the location of the Ise clan's heirloom.

"Indeed, Kyoraku, it's no wonder we're such good friends despite the age difference," Ailin smiled and patted Kyoraku's shoulder, his tone meaningful. "Kyoraku, you should know that there are some things we may not use, but we must possess.

Having and not using is different from not having and being unable to use. When others claim you possess a powerful threat, the best approach is not to prove them wrong, but to show them that you truly have that power..."

With that, Ailin left the izakaya with his half-empty bottle of sake, heading back towards the Kuchiki Manor.

Kyoraku remained alone at the table, filling a new sake cup.

"Heh, who would have thought that after living for over six hundred years, I'd be lectured by a child... Indeed, having and not using is different from not having and being unable to use..."

...

"Welcome home, Ailin," Haruko greeted him with a smile as he returned to the Kuchiki Manor.

"I'm back, Haruko," Ailin replied, embracing her gently. They sat side by side in the small pavilion in the front yard.

Haruko excitedly shared the events of her day, while Ailin listened attentively, occasionally adding his own comments.

"By the way, Ailin, Byakuya brought Hisana to see me today..."

"Ah, they came early this morning, but you were having a banquet with the members of the Women's Shinigami Association, so I didn't let them disturb you," Ailin explained. “I simply asked them to visit you when you returned."

"So, you've already met Hisana this morning, Ailin? What do you think of Byakuya and Hisana as a couple?" Haruko inquired, trying to appear casual.

"Heh..." Ailin chuckled, seeing through her pretense. "What's wrong? Do you have any objections to Hisana?"

"Not at all. I think Hisana is wonderful and a perfect match for Byakuya," Haruko replied.

"Is that so?"

"Yes, yes."

"Oh? It seems you're quite fond of Hisana."

"Hehe..." Haruko chuckled sheepishly. "I think it's remarkable that Hisana managed to survive in such a harsh environment like the Rukongai on her own. And Byakuya loves her very much."

"That's true," Ailin nodded. Byakuya's decision to bring Hisana back to the Kuchiki Manor was a clear indication of his affection for her.

"So, Ailin, will you approve of Byakuya and Hisana's marriage?"

Bam!

"Ow!" Haruko clutched her head and glared at Ailin. "Why did you hit me?"

"Haruko, why would Byakuya need my approval for his marriage?" Ailin questioned. "He's a grown man and can take responsibility for his own decisions.

As a man, when he chose to bring Hisana back to the Kuchiki clan, he should have been prepared to defend her against the world. If he can't even do that, I'll lose all respect for him. Therefore, the only obstacles between Byakuya and Hisana are themselves."

"Right, right..." Haruko breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that Ailin wouldn't oppose their marriage.

Ailin couldn't help but admire Hisana. She truly was a woman who had risen from the Rukongai, her ability to read people and her endearing personality had completely captivated both Byakuya and Haruko.

Thinking of Hisana reminded Ailin of Rukia. Should he go to the Rukongai and bring Rukia back to the Kuchiki Manor ahead of time?

But would that shatter Byakuya's perfect image of Hisana and create discord in their marriage?

"Forget it," Ailin decided. "It's only a few years. I'll take Rukia as my disciple when she enters the Shin'ō Academy. Then, after Hisana's passing, I'll bring Rukia back to the Kuchiki clan openly and have Byakuya train her for me... With prolonged contact, I refuse to believe Byakuya won't develop feelings for her."

With his plan in place, Ailin stopped concerning himself with Byakuya and Hisana.

Victory wasn't guaranteed at the start. It was the long-term companionship that determined the true winner.

Without any external interference, Ailin was confident that the "Hakuro" pairing was destined for greatness.

...

Ailin's daily routine changed slightly in the days that followed. Hisana's appearance signaled the arrival of many familiar characters.

Besides his training and spending time with Haruko, Ailin also wandered through the Rukongai, searching for promising "children" to take under his wing.

However, to his surprise, he stumbled upon the Shiba clan's main residence before finding any suitable candidates.

The sight of the enormous cannon barrel confirmed that this was the current home of the Shiba clan, a once-powerful noble house that had been expelled from the Seireitei.

After the founders of the five Great Noble Houses betrayed the Soul King and used him as a "wedge" to stabilize the world, each clan gained control over a specific, irreplaceable aspect of Soul Society.

The Shiba clan held the key to the path leading directly from Soul Society to the Soul King Palace.

It was a massive "fireworks cannon" and "reishi shells" capable of withstanding the pressure of the seventy-two barriers surrounding the palace.

Using the cannon, the reishi shells could be launched directly into the Soul King Palace.

Besides the "Royal Key," it was the only known method of entering the Soul King Palace from Soul Society.

When the Shiba clan refused to align with the other four Great Houses on the matter of the Soul King, they were ostracized and eventually declined in power within the Seireitei, leaving with their "fireworks cannon" in tow.

Ailin cautiously approached the Shiba residence, passing by two enormous, arm-shaped structures before entering the courtyard.