Tilt

"Ah? Is the time already up?"

Haruko Kuchiki covered her little mouth, her face full of disbelief.

An hour had always seemed like such a long time before. Why did it feel as though she had only just arrived today?

A trace of reluctance flashed through her eyes as Haruko Kuchiki bowed to Ailin once more. "Ailin, please take care of yourself. I will ask Father to pay attention to this incident."

"When the day of the Trial comes, I will attend with Father. If necessary, I will testify in court for you, Ailin."

With that, Haruko Kuchiki left the Ninth Division's prison under the guidance of a Ninth Division Shinigami.

"Father? Brother? Why are you here?"

After leaving the prison, Haruko Kuchiki was surprised to find that her father, Ginrei Kuchiki, and her elder brother, Sōjun Kuchiki, were waiting outside.

"Cough, cough..."

Sōjun Kuchiki wanted to say something, but his condition made him cover his mouth and cough.

Bright red blood dripped through the gaps between Sōjun Kuchiki's fingers.

"Brother, are you all right?"

"I'm fine. It's an old problem."

Sōjun Kuchiki waved at Haruko Kuchiki, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and asked with a smile, "Little sister, how did your conversation with Vice-Captain Ailin go?"

He knew his own body best.

Even Sōjun Kuchiki himself did not know whether he had more time left than his father.

Therefore, Sōjun Kuchiki understood that the next generation of the Kuchiki Clan had to be supported by his little sister's husband.

Before this, Ginrei Kuchiki had chosen Hibiki Hoshino, the Third Seat of the First Division.

However, after yesterday's battle and learning of the connection between his sister and Ailin, the Vice-Captain of the Second Division, Sōjun Kuchiki suggested to his father that the man to marry his sister be changed to Ailin.

After what happened last night, Ginrei Kuchiki's impression of Hibiki Hoshino had suffered a setback.

It was not enough for him to reject Hibiki Hoshino outright, but with another option now available, Ginrei Kuchiki would naturally be more cautious.

After a night of investigation, Ailin's information was quickly delivered before the Kuchiki father and son.

Compared to Hibiki Hoshino, Ailin was younger.

At the same time, he was more well-rounded.

Yesterday's battle had made it clear that in Zan, Ken, So, Ki, Ailin surpassed Hibiki Hoshino by a considerable margin.

Otherwise, he could not have suppressed Hibiki Hoshino despite such a vast gap in spiritual pressure.

Even with equal spiritual pressure, Ginrei Kuchiki felt that he might not necessarily be able to defeat Ailin through Zan, Ken, So, Ki.

That alone showed how solid Vice-Captain Ailin's foundations were.

As for his Zanpakuto, even Ginrei Kuchiki could not make out what Ailin's Zanpakuto ability was.

The first blade had seemed to be a wind-type Zanpakuto, capable of unleashing powerful wind slashes.

But what exactly were those hundreds of Zanpakuto that appeared afterward? Even Ginrei Kuchiki did not know.

Of course, what shocked Ginrei Kuchiki even more was Ailin's final move last night.

If he had not seen wrong, the Zanpakuto in Ailin's hand had transformed into a blade of flame and unleashed a slash that fused wind and fire.

If Ginrei Kuchiki remembered correctly, in the thousands of years since Zanpakuto first came into being, not a single Zanpakuto had ever possessed the power of two elements at once.

Ailin's Zanpakuto might very well be the first Zanpakuto in Soul Society's history to command two elements.

Perhaps in terms of function, Hibiki Hoshino's Zanpakuto ability was far stronger than Ailin's.

But at the same time, it was precisely because of that Zanpakuto ability that Hibiki Hoshino would face far greater restrictions.

Especially after marrying into the Kuchiki Clan, the enemies standing against the Kuchiki Clan would never allow an enemy with such a terrifying ability to exist. The schemes and plots directed at him would be far more intense than they had been in the First Division.

After all, Ginrei Kuchiki was not Captain-Commander Yamamoto. He did not possess that sort of "invincible" deterrence.

Ailin's ability, meanwhile, was powerful, but not yet powerful enough to inspire fear.

Moreover, Ginrei Kuchiki knew that the Shinigami's true enemies were not other Shinigami, but the Hollows of Hueco Mundo and those Quincy of the Light Empire...

When facing those enemies, Ailin could play a far greater role than Hibiki Hoshino.

Comparing Hibiki Hoshino's and Ailin's Zanpakuto abilities caused the scales in Ginrei Kuchiki's heart to tilt slightly.

Having Haruko Kuchiki visit Ailin today was a test of Ailin by the father and son.

Haruko Kuchiki naturally did not know this, but without question, judging from the expression on his daughter's face and the content of their conversation, Ginrei Kuchiki nodded faintly to himself.

What the three members of the Kuchiki family failed to notice, however, was that Muramasa, radiating a gloomy aura from a nearby patch of shadow, had taken in everything.

"The Kuchiki Clan has gone too far!"

Inside the prison, Hibiki Hoshino gritted his teeth.

Muramasa stood beside him with his head bowed.

When Ailin and Hibiki Hoshino had been thrown into the Ninth Division's prison, their Zanpakuto had both been confiscated by Ninth Division members.

Without their Zanpakuto, a Shinigami's strength was reduced by seventy or eighty percent, making them much easier for the guards to manage.

What no one knew, however, was that Hibiki Hoshino's Zanpakuto, Muramasa, was unlike ordinary Zanpakuto.

As long as Hibiki Hoshino called Muramasa's name, Muramasa would instantly appear at his side.

Furthermore, so long as Hibiki Hoshino provided spiritual power, Muramasa could materialize and act in the outside world on his own. This made it even more convenient for Hibiki Hoshino to obtain outside information through Muramasa.

Yet what Hibiki Hoshino could never have imagined was that Ginrei Kuchiki was actually preparing to abandon him?

"Ginrei Kuchiki, Ailin... every last one of you is hypocritical and despicable..."

"You dare toy with me like this? Everyone will pay the price!"

Vast spiritual pressure surged from Hibiki Hoshino's body and flowed into Muramasa.

Yesterday, Muramasa had taken Ailin's Flame - Wind Scar head-on and suffered severe injuries.

Under Hibiki Hoshino's powerful spiritual pressure, those injuries slowly began to heal.

After a long while, Hibiki Hoshino withdrew his spiritual pressure.

"Muramasa."

"Master, please give your command."

Having recovered more than half his injuries, Muramasa no longer gave off the impression of someone who had not slept for a long time and might suddenly drop dead at any moment.

He respectfully bowed to Hibiki Hoshino.

Yet a hint of confusion arose in Muramasa's heart as well.

What had happened just now?

Why had he felt as though his master's voice had been so faint that he could barely hear it?

Fortunately, it had only lasted for that moment. Afterward, it returned to normal.

Muramasa assumed it had merely been his imagination and did not think much of it, focusing instead on listening to his master's command.

"Go. I want you to infiltrate the Kuchiki Clan and kill that old man's son."

"Then..."