"Could it be that because if the Kuchiki family had Ailin, our future direction would not align with what you envisioned?"

"Just what do you want from my Kuchiki family..."

"Soul King..."

Ginrei Kuchiki looked up at the sky with his hands behind his back. Unfortunately, the gloomy, dark sky did not provide any answers to his doubts.

Three days later, Ginrei Kuchiki passed away. The 28th Head of the Kuchiki family became Byakuya Kuchiki.

At the same time, with the captains as witnesses, Byakuya Kuchiki who had achieved Bankai also inherited the position of 6th Division Captain.

The captains had varying thoughts about this. Three days ago, Ailin's enraged roar brimming with killing intent had practically spread through half of Seireitei.

Everyone knew that thirteen years ago, Koga was punished by the Central 46 for violating the ban on marriage with a noble family after failing to successfully marry into the Kuchiki family. Unresigned to this, he immediately rebelled with the intention of overthrowing the 13 Court Guard Squads' rule and crowning himself King of Soul Society.

That year was when Ailin first stepped onto Seireitei's stage. With his powerful strength, he swiftly killed Koga, preventing even greater damage to Seireitei.

Afterwards, due to the Kuchiki family's lack of successor, Ginrei offered Ailin the positions of Kuchiki family head and 6th Division Captain to have him marry into the family. The next year, Ailin successfully became the 6th Division Lieutenant.

Five years later, to nurture his third generation grandson Byakuya Kuchiki, Ginrei had Ailin as Captain violate Commander-General Yamamoto's ban and help Byakuya achieve Bankai, leading to Ailin being stripped of his position and expelled.

Everyone didn't know what exactly happened three days ago that made Ailin seem to hate Ginrei Kuchiki to death. But from the current situation, they could guess that the Kuchiki family had made use of Ailin, then kicked him aside after he lost his value.

When the Kuchiki family held Ginrei Kuchiki's funeral, Ailin did not attend, seemingly proving that he had completely cut ties with them.

Regarding this, the current Kuchiki family head Byakuya Kuchiki gave no explanation.

***

"What's wrong, Ailin-kun?"

On the night of the third day after Ailin returned from Soul Society, he hugged Haruko while sitting in the yard facing the sunset's direction for the entire night. Based on Ailin's observations while healing Ginrei Kuchiki, his time limit should be tonight.

"Are you blaming me, Haruko?"

"Why would I blame you?"

"Because I made the decision for you, saying you're my wife and no longer a Kuchiki. You can't go back to send off your father one last time."

"It should be me. I spoke of no longer being the Kuchiki young miss without your agreement, making it so you can't return to Soul Society to continue being a Captain... The one who should be asking for forgiveness is me."

After she spoke, their eyes met. After a long moment, joyous laughter rang out from them both.

"Hehe..."

"Hahaha..."

Their laughter brought them back to the tacit understanding they shared in that tavern in Seireitei.

Holding Haruko in his embrace, Ailin couldn't help but call himself out for being too wary.

If he hadn't left the Golden Osmanthus Sword and Heaven Piercer behind, Haruko would have definitely faced danger.

If it came to that, what use would it be even if he overturned all of Soul Society?

Thinking so, Ailin felt he should try producing Tenseiga with his current accumulation. That was a blade that could "revive" the dead.

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If he successfully created Tenseiga, the anxiety in Ailin's heart would lessen quite a bit. After all, that represented an extra chance.

"Hey Ailin-kun, teach me how to cultivate from now on."

"Alright. But Haruko, why do you suddenly want to cultivate?"

"Because I can feel you've always been worried about me!"

Haruko raised her head and smiled at Ailin. "Although I don't know why you've always been worried about dangers befalling me, I know that if I become stronger, you won't have to be so worried."

"You... Alright, your father should have passed on already. Let's go rest."

"Starting tomorrow, Student Haruko will have to start cultivating under me!"

"Yes, Teacher Ailin!"

"Hahahaha..."

"Hahahaha..."

***

The next day after Ailin taught some swordsmanship to the children, he dismissed them instead of letting them disturb his time with Haruko.

Naturally, he also didn't want them around for what he planned to teach Haruko. After Haruko arrived at the dojo, Ailin waved a hand. Ripples appeared in the space before him as he drew out an Zanpakutō from within and handed it to Haruko.

"Here, Haruko."

"Oh? This is an Zanpakutō?" Taking the Zanpakutō, Haruko Kuchiki eagerly unsheathed it and swung it around a few times.

Seeing this, Ailin smiled.

The Haruko who dared to pursue "freedom" before her engagement also hid a little violent demon in her heart.

"Alright Haruko, this Zanpakutō isn't for you to play with." After letting Haruko play for a bit, Ailin stopped her from continuing.

"You don't have a strong constitution, Haruko. No matter if it's Hakuda, Zanjutsu, or Hohō, none of them are suitable for you to cultivate. The only thing most suitable is Kidō. And the main purpose of this Zanpakutō is to materialize and protect you when you face danger."

"Eek!"

Hearing Ailin say this, Haruko cried out in fright. She hurriedly sheathed the Zanpakutō. "S-Sorry, I'm sorry!"

Haruko had seen the materialized form of the Zanpakutō Ailin left her. She knew that during times of crisis, they would protect her life. Naturally, she wouldn't truly treat the Zanpakutō in her hand as an inanimate object.

"Her name is Alice Synthesis Thirty. Just call her Alice."

"Ah, apologies Miss Alice."

The Zanpakutō in Haruko's hand vibrated a few times in response.

"Ailin, is Miss Alice here the same one who saved me last time?"

"Mm, it's her."

After Haruko voiced the desire to cultivate, Ailin decided to give her an Zanpakutō to protect her safety.

After all, Haruko didn't have strong spiritual pressure. It was at most an 18th seat's level. Even if she cultivated Kidō, her accomplishments wouldn't be great.

By Ailin's estimates, she would at most be on par with those discarded by the 13 Court Guard Squads from the Spiritual Arts Academy and conscripted into the Expeditionary Force.

Since she was starting cultivation, future battles would be inevitable. Ailin was prepared to give her a Zanpakutō with the strongest defenses to protect Haruko. Golden Osmanthus Sword was not in his considerations.

However, upon knowing Ailin's intention to choose a Zanpakutō guard for their mistress, Alice voluntarily stood out to request protecting Mistress Haruko.

Previously, thinking her opponent was only at Morikawa's level, Alice was careless and left an opening for him to trap her.

Although after Alice released her Golden Osmanthus Sword, she instantly blocked Morikawa's attack on Haruko, letting Haruko get frightened was already dereliction of duties to Alice.

Thus, Alice promised Ailin that if he allowed her to protect Mistress Haruko, she could atone for her earlier mistakes. She guaranteed no repeat of last time.

Ailin considered that Alice's strength was about the same as when she fought Bankai Ichigo Kurosaki two hundred years in the future.

For Alice who was but a Zanpakutō to possess such strength without a wielder was already not bad.

Furthermore, like Senbonzakura, the Golden Osmanthus Sword excelled in both offense and defense. As Haruko's guard, she was about enough.

After Haruko stuck the Zanpakutō at her waist, Ailin began guiding her in Kidō.

"Haruko, you possess spiritual pressure. What you need to do now is sense the spiritrons in the air and absorb them into your body to congeal into spiritual power."

Under Ailin's guidance, Haruko began her bumpy journey cultivating Kidō.

The living world's spiritron density was a few times lower than in Soul Society. Naturally, the difficulty Haruko faced in learning Kidō also increased exponentially.

But Ailin was not rushed at all.

At the very least, no one could threaten him before Aizen fully merged with the Hōgyoku.

***

Soul Society, Seireitei, 6th Division

The unseated Shinigami of 6th Division recently felt the atmosphere within the division had become rather bizarre.

Generally, the atmosphere tended to be rather cheerful in the division. Everyone would chat and joke around, helping strengthen relationships between division members.

Especially when Captain Ailin led them. Relations with the members then were almost familial, receiving immense respect from everyone.

However, not long ago, practically everyone sensed Captain Ailin's spiritual pressure and furious roar brimming with grief and killing intent.

Back then, they still didn't know why. But when the new 6th Division Captain took office, they understood the reason for Ailin's earlier actions.

"Sigh, the methods of the Kuchiki family are simply chilling..." One Shinigami shook his head with a sigh. "What a pity for Captain Ailin."

"That's right." Beside this 6th Division member, a few other members echoed his sentiments.

Soul Society was where human souls went after death. Few were born here through marriage.

Most cases involved groups of souls who had lost their living memories forming families based on relative ages to determine familial rights and obligations.

For the denizens of Soul Society, as long as they shared the same surname, adopted children had the same status as blood-related children.

Even for nobles, if they adopted a child and gave them the family name, those children would have the same rights to inherit the family.