The Will of the Soul King  

When Captain Ailin married into the Kuchiki family, he also took on the "Kuchiki" name. And everyone knew that if not for Captain Ailin's support over the past years, the Kuchiki family, which was facing a generational gap, would have surely encountered the biggest crisis in its history.

Back then, everyone thought that Captain Ailin would become the next Head of the Kuchiki family. But who would have thought...

Why was Byakuya Kuchiki's strength so powerful?

Everyone who knew the inside story also knew that the main reason was that Captain Ailin had used Bankai to assist Byakuya Kuchiki in his cultivation for three months in the Kuchiki family, allowing Byakuya Kuchiki to undergo a magnificent transformation. Upon entering the 6th Division, he already possessed strength not inferior to Vice Captain Ginjirō Shirogane, becoming the new 3rd seat of the 6th Division.

But who knew that afterwards, the Kuchiki family sold out Captain Ailin for violating Commander-General Yamamoto's ban through long-term assistance. This led to Ailin being stripped of his post and banished from Seireitei.

Six years later, which was now, when Lord Ginrei Kuchiki's end was nearing, Captain Ailin still came to visit him.

According to informed sources, Captain Ailin brought Young Master Byakuya Kuchiki away for three days. When Byakuya returned three days later, he had successfully attained Bankai.

One could say that Captain Ailin had given everything for the Kuchiki family. But what did he obtain in the end? He obtained nothing.

The 28th Head of the Kuchiki family was Byakuya Kuchiki.

The new Captain of 6th Division was still Byakuya Kuchiki.

The members of 6th Division felt extremely indignant for Captain Ailin.

Unfortunately, their status was low and strength lacking. They were also not nobles. Regarding this extremely unfair treatment of Captain Ailin, they could do nothing.

Just when everyone was sympathizing with Captain Ailin, a sharp-eyed member saw Captain haori-clad Byakuya Kuchiki arriving. He quickly signaled to everyone with his eyes.

Instantly, the members tidied themselves into a line and stood at attention. When Byakuya arrived, they bowed neatly in unison.

"Captain Kuchiki!"

Only after Byakuya Kuchiki and Ginjirō Shirogane had walked far away did they return to their previous casual state and continue speaking up for Captain Ailin.

"Captain Kuchiki, those members were ignorantly spouting nonsense just now. I will strictly punish them later and forbid them from continuing to spread rumors."

Following behind Byakuya Kuchiki, Ginjirō Shirogane felt his back drenched in cold sweat beneath his death-god attire.

Those members were usually so astute. How did they become idiots these days?

Did they not know that the stronger one's strength, the stronger their perception?

At the distance between them and those Shinigami, even Ginjirō Shirogane could hear the members' words clearly. Someone of strength surpassing his like Captain Kuchiki would definitely be able to hear them even clearer.

Could they not sense that Kuchiki 3rd Seat, no, he was Captain Kuchiki now, had become different from the past?

Captain Kuchiki was no longer the 6th Division's 3rd seat from before.

As a veteran member of the 6th Division whose seniority exceeded even Byakuya's father Sōjun Kuchiki, Ginjirō Shirogane saw things very clearly.

He understood early on that no matter if it was the Captain or Vice Captain of the 6th Division, it could only be someone from the Kuchiki family holding those positions. However, this thinking changed after Captain Ailin assumed office.

After becoming the 6th Division Captain, Ailin did not leave the Vice Captain position vacant for future young master Byakuya Kuchiki. Instead, he directly appointed Ginjirō Shirogane as the 6th Division Vice Captain.

One could say that Ginjirō Shirogane sensed a kind of "fairness" within the 6th Division under Captain Ailin that had never existed before.

The reason why Ginjirō retained his Vice Captain position after Captain Ailin's departure was because Ginrei Kuchiki didn't have long left. After his death and Byakuya taking over the 6th Division Captain position, there would be no need to nominate someone else again.

This point was very clear to Ginjirō. And so, even when Byakuya held the 3rd seat position in the 6th Division, Ginjirō had already taken the initiative to guide Byakuya in all of the division's affairs.

Back then, Ginjirō felt Young Master Byakuya was rather amiable to get along with. But ever since Byakuya became the 6th Division Captain, Ginjirō felt Byakuya Kuchiki was like a different person, his entire being seemingly even colder than before.

At the same time, no matter what he did he always put "duty" first. Apart from that, there were practically no fluctuations in his expression.

Just now when those people were talking about Captain Ailin, Ginjirō sensed changes in Captain Kuchiki's expression. Fearing he would vent his anger on those members, he swiftly spoke up first, wanting to protect the members a bit. However, Byakuya's response exceeded Ginjirō Shirogane's expectations.

"No need. Since they wish to speak, let them speak. The 6th Division does not have any precedents of speech crimes."

Because he didn't know the truth of the matter, Byakuya also knew that what the members said was likely the view most in Seireitei held towards the Kuchiki family.

Allowing such talk to spread would damage the Kuchiki family's prestige. But in Byakuya Kuchiki's heart, what his grandfather did was much more serious than what those members said.

After all, no one expected that just to keep Uncle Ailin in Soul Society, his grandfather actually thought of killing his aunt in the human world!

This was undoubtedly a betrayal towards Uncle Ailin's sincere feelings. Furthermore, thinking back to their ancestors who also became one of the Five Great Noble Families because of betraying the Soul King, it couldn't help but leave Byakuya confused.

Could it be that for the Kuchiki family to rise, betrayal was a must?

Their ancestor succeeded through betraying the Soul King, so the Kuchiki family became one of the Five Great Noble Families.

His grandfather failed in betraying Uncle Ailin. Would that cause the Kuchiki family to decline until they reached the Shiba and Tsunayashiro families' level?

Regarding this point, Byakuya Kuchiki had already prepared himself.

These were sins belonging to the Kuchikis. No matter what the Kuchiki family's future became, he would face it. Even if the Kuchiki family eventually declined, he would have no regrets.

"I see."

After seriously and meticulously handling the 6th Division's affairs, Byakuya Kuchiki returned to the Kuchiki residence and stood under the cherry blossom tree in the yard.

It felt as if traces of the time when his grandfather guided him in cultivation here still remained.

Of course, what left the deepest impression of this place to Byakuya was Uncle Ailin's Bankai space containing thousands of Zanpakutō.

With Uncle Ailin's ability to materialize Zanpakutō combined with that space, anyone brought inside by him would face an one against thousands or even tens of thousands predicament.

In Byakuya's thoughts, even Commander Yamamoto hailed as the strongest Shinigami in a thousand years would only have the outcome of tragic defeat if dragged into his uncle's Bankai space!

Thinking of Uncle Ailin made Byakuya Kuchiki recall the first time over ten years ago when Uncle Ailin let him witness the power of a Shinigami's four disciplines.

Thus, Byakuya Kuchiki shunpoed out of Seireitei, chasing the memories from the past towards the edges of the Rukongai commoner district...

In the days after, Rukongai seemed to have become the harbor for Byakuya Kuchiki's soul.

After dealing with all 6th Division and Kuchiki family matters, as long as he still had time, Byakuya Kuchiki would head to Rukongai whether it was to cultivate, take walks, or simply stare blankly at somewhere...

...

The 13 Court Guard Squads, 11th Division.

Sōya Azashiro was the Captain of the current 11th Division generation. At the same time, he was also known as "Sword Eight" Sōya Kenpachi.

"Sword Eight" was an extremely special title.

In Soul Society, only the strongest Shinigami would be bestowed the title "Sword Eight".

Although bearing the title of strongest, Sōya's appearance did not resemble a muscular male overflowing with power at first glance. On the contrary, his exterior seemed more like a delicate scholar.

"Soul King, just what are you thinking?" Sōya raised his head to gaze at the skies above Seireitei.

The Soul King's existence was the wedge holding the stability of the three realms. Upon reaching a certain level of spiritual pressure, one could perceive the "truth" of this world.

Over a hundred years ago already, after Sōya attained Bankai for his Zanpakutō, he had never resealed his Bankai.

Because to a certain degree, his Bankai would gradually become more powerful as time passed.

After Sōya's Zanpakutō completely fused the entirety of Seireitei's space, for the first time he made contact with the "Soul King" from the perspective of spiritrons.

No one knew just how greatly Sōya's psyche was shocked after personally witnessing the "Soul King's" true form.

Afterwards, Sōya challenged the previous generation's Sword Eight Kuruyashiki.

Although Sōya won that match relying on his Zanpakutō's ability, he knew his victory was through foul means. Because until Kuruyashiki's defeat, he did not release his Bankai at all throughout the battle.

Kuruyashiki's Bankai was something the Central 46 strictly forbade him from releasing within Seireitei.

Because Kuruyashiki's Bankai was far too powerful. Once released, it could instantly annihilate the entirety of Seireitei in an instant.

In over this past hundred years, Sōya Zanpakutō had already completely fused the space of the entirety of Soul Society. One could say that as long as he wished, nothing in Soul Society could escape his knowledge.

Naturally, Ailin's entanglement with the Kuchiki family did not evade Sōya's eyes.

At the same time, he also sensed the Soul King's will influencing Ginrei Kuchiki, leading to Ailin finally falling out with him in the end.

This was the first time he sensed the "Soul King's will".

"Just what kind of person is that guy called Ailin that even the Soul King's will would banish him from Soul Society? Could his existence affect certain arrangements the Soul King made?"

After pondering fruitlessly for a long time, Sōya cast his gaze towards Rukongai.

After his Zanpakutō's power completely fused the entirety of Soul Society's space, Sōya understood the truth of the world.

The main purpose behind establishing the three realms was to restrict Hell's expansion.

The most fundamental existence in this world were souls. With sufficient souls circulating in this world, only then could this world advance. The total number of souls in this world would not change. It would not increase or decrease.

However, there was a place in this world specifically for detaining egregiously evil souls. That place was Hell. 

All souls dragged into Hell would vanish from the world's circulation. Every soul Hell snatched meant its domain expanding while the world's domain shrinking by that much.

To restrict Hell and allow the world a longer existence, Hueco Mundo was created. Hueco Mundo was actually the battlefield where Soul Society and Hell contested for souls.

With the existence of Hueco Mundo, evil men after death would first fall into Hueco Mundo and transform into Hollows instead of their souls instantly being seized by Hell after perishing.

Like so, Shinigami could purify the Hollows' souls through slaying them, allowing the Hollows' souls to reenter the world's circulation. This maintained the balance and operation of the world.

"In order to allow the world to continue existing for a longer time, one cannot allow Hell to snatch away more souls."

This was the "path" Sōya realized he should take to protect the world over the past hundred-plus years.

"If I utilize my ability to modify the souls of all Rukongai residents into my personal undefeatable army, then purify all the Hollows in Hueco Mundo, Hell would no longer be able to snatch another soul from this side of the world."

"Let me give it a try. If I succeed, even the Soul King would be greatly alleviated..."

***

The human world, inside Ailin's dojo. Haruko Kuchiki focused her concentration, mobilizing the spiritual power in her body and gathering it in the palm of her hand.

White motes converged in Haruko Kuchiki's palm until they eventually formed a pingpong ball-sized white sphere.

"Ah, success!"

"Ailin-kun, quick look, I did it!"

Haruko Kuchiki carefully cradled the white sphere in her palm as she ran to Ailin and held it up to him like she was presenting a treasure.

"Not bad, not bad. Haruko did the best." Smiling as he stroked Haruko's head, Ailin expressed approval at Haruko's learning progress.

It had been a month since Haruko started cultivating. Haruko Kuchiki also successfully sensed the external spiritrons and initially refined them into spiritual power of her own.

Even in Spiritual Arts Academy, such results would likely anger teachers to death.

Ailin remembered that the slowest in their batch only took a week to complete spiritual power condensation.

But upon considering the difference in spiritron density between the human world and Soul Society, it was understandable.

As for estimating Haruko's current strength after condensing spiritual power, Ailin racked his brains before finally recalling a basis for comparison.

Don Kanonji!

Yes, that star was very popular for hosting supernatural shows over two hundred years in the future.

Haruko's current strength was a little weaker than Don Kanonji's.

Although the quality and quantity of their spiritual power was about the same, Don was a man after all. His physique exceeded Haruko's by several fold.

If both sides released all their spiritual power until exhaustion, then fought barehanded, Haruko would not stand a chance at all.

"Alright, now that Haruko has completed spiritual power condensation, we'll start learning Kidō today!"

"Mm!"

"So-called Kidō means using spiritrons as construction components to arrange them in certain structures, transforming the spiritrons into other substances to achieve effects like attacking, binding, obstruction and such on the enemy."

"For now, let's start learning the first Kidō."

"Hado No.1, Thrust."