Am I The Captain?  

Boom!

Outside the lord's main hall, Junichi Fujiwara, hearing the sounds of battle from within, couldn't help but marvel, "The legendary witch is indeed different."

The monk who previously resided in Fujiwara Castle was directly blasted out after entering. Yet this miko, looking frail and delicate, could fight so brilliantly against the evil spirit inside. Just hearing the crashing sounds of chairs from outside told how intense the battle was.

However...

Boom!

"Lightning? This legendary miko can actually control lightning?"

When Junichi Fujiwara saw the flashes of lightning seeping out from the lord's main hall, his eyes widened, and his mouth opened involuntarily.

No wonder this miko was called the "legendary miko."

No wonder they weren't afraid of the evil spirit transforming into a more powerful form.

After a few breaths, Haruko emerged from the lord's main hall.

"Lord Fujiwara, the evil spirit here has been purified by me. However, the ominous aura here hasn't completely dissipated. I will stay here for three days to purify the ominous aura. During this time, you all must not approach this place. Is that okay?"

"Yes, yes, miko-sama, no problem at all."

Having witnessed a glimpse of Haruko's extraordinary power, Junichi Fujiwara now revered Haruko like a deity and dared not go against her words.

Regarding Haruko saying the evil spirit was purified, not only did Junichi Fujiwara not doubt it, even the attendants following behind him didn't doubt it.

Not only did they witness the legendary miko unleash lightning, after the evil spirit was struck down by Haruko, its gloomy spiritual pressure that had brought a bone-chilling sensation to the lord's main hall had begun to dissipate. Everyone could clearly sense this.

After Lord Fujiwara and the attendants left, Ailin approached Haruko's side, "What's wrong, Haruko? The evil spirit has been eliminated, so why do we still need to stay here for three days?"

Ailin was also surprised by this decision made by Haruko. However, in front of outsiders, Ailin was merely Haruko's bodyguard and shouldn't question the miko's decision.

On the other hand, Ailin didn't feel that all of Haruko's decisions required his arrangement.

After all, Haruko was a person, not a puppet. She had her own behavioral preferences and thoughts. Ailin only needed to support her when she needed it.

"Ailin-kun, it seems your brain has gone numb from exorcising evil spirits with me recently."

Haruko gave Ailin a sideways glance. "This evil spirit was about to completely transform. Its spiritual pressure would definitely attract some Hollows to come here and feed. So, before the spirit particles of this evil spirit completely dissipate, we need to stand guard here to prevent any crisis from happening to the people here again."

"Oh, indeed." Ailin realized.

That's right, souls with spiritual pressure would attract Hollows from Hueco Mundo to come to the living world and prey upon them.

That evil spirit was about to fall into becoming a Hollow with spiritual pressure. Although it had been purified by Haruko, the residual spiritual pressure here hadn't completely dissipated.

If Ailin and Haruko left at this time and Hollows entered from Hueco Mundo without finding any suitable food, the residents of Fujiwara Castle might become fodder for the Hollows.

Ailin had been frequently exorcising spirits with Haruko these days. After those spirits were purified, there was basically no residual spiritual pressure, so he didn't notice this point.

"Then let's stay here for a few days and wait for the residual spiritual pressure of this evil spirit to dissipate, at most two or three days."

"Mm."

***

Night, above Fujiwara Castle, a white light flashed in the sky, and a large amount of spiritual power condensed into two wooden doors.

This was the Senkaimon connecting Soul Society and Hueco Mundo!

Moreover, it wasn't the defective Senkaimon created by Kisuke Urahara's analysis of Hueco Mundo, but rather the safe Senkaimon controlled by the Gotei 13 without risk of "spatial disruption."

"Huh?"

Sensing the spatial disturbance, Ailin glanced at Haruko sitting cross-legged in the hall, about to go out and check if it was a Hollow opening a Garganta from Hueco Mundo to enter the living world.

"Hmm? Is a Hollow coming?"

Sensing Ailin's movement, Haruko woke up from her meditation and followed behind Ailin.

Haruko was quite confident in her current strength.

If it was an evil spirit, it would be a piece of cake for her. But if it was a Hollow that had already fallen into depravity...

Until now, Haruko had never truly battled a Hollow. Although Haruko wanted to find a Hollow to test her current strength, it had to be under safe conditions.

Following Ailin out of the lord's main hall, Haruko looked up and a hint of disappointment flashed in her eyes.

The spatial disturbance in the sky wasn't a Hollow opening a Garganta, but rather a Shinigami opening the Senkaimon from Soul Society to the living world!

"Yo, long time no see, Captain Ailin."

A slightly lazy voice came from the Senkaimon, and after the two wooden doors opened outward, Kisuke Urahara's figure appeared before Ailin and Haruko's eyes.

"Huh? It's Urahara."

Seeing Kisuke Urahara, Ailin was also puzzled. "Urahara, why have you come to the living world? And you're even using the Gotei 13's Senkaimon. Also, I'm no longer a captain. You should just call me by my name from now on."

Ailin knew that Kisuke Urahara frequently came to the living world. After all, Seireitei was the Shinigami's headquarters, and some of Kisuke Urahara's research definitely violated certain prohibitions in Soul Society. If discovered in Soul Society, not only would he be punished, but Yoruichi Shihōin would also be implicated. Hence, many places in the living world had traces of Kisuke Urahara's presence.

However, after completing his research, Kisuke Urahara would use his Zanpakutō's ability to erase all traces.

Just like the house Ailin and Haruko lived in at Sakura Village, and that large underground facility, were once Kisuke Urahara's laboratories that Ailin had taken over.

"Ah, it seems Captain Ailin hasn't received the news yet."

"What news?" Ailin asked curiously.

Since leaving Seireitei, he had lost all contact with Soul Society and wasn't aware of what had happened in Seireitei recently.

Seeing Ailin's reaction, a slight smile appeared on Kisuke Urahara's lips.

"A year ago, the 11th Division Captain, Sōya Kenpachi, turned himself in to the Commander-General, stating that he wanted to modify all the residents of the Rukongai in Soul Society into combat weapons and lead a full-scale invasion of Hueco Mundo to purify all the Hollows.

However, because he sensed the Soul King's will disagreed with his plan, he turned himself in to the Commander-General. After being judged by the Central 46 Chambers, Sōya Kenpachi was sentenced to be imprisoned in the deepest level of the underground prison - the Muken."

"Oh?" Ailin raised his eyebrows.

So Sōya Kenpachi had already turned himself in at this time? It seemed earlier than Ailin's memory.

As for Sōya punishment of being imprisoned in the deepest level of Muken, for others it might be the most terrifying punishment. But for Sōya, who had already fused with all of Soul Society, it didn't matter where in Soul Society he was confined.

The Muken, or even the 11th Division, if he wanted, he could control the surrounding objects at any time to form a grand mansion.

Now that Sōya had entered the Muken, it was only because he still didn't understand why the Soul King disagreed with his plan to purify all the Hollows in Hueco Mundo, reducing the Soul King's burden.

So he removed himself from Seireitei and used his Zanpakutō's ability to observe the progression of the world, to see who could gain the Soul King's favor more than himself.

That's right, in Sōya's view, the Soul King disagreeing with his plan must mean there was someone who could do better than him. And according to Sōya's observations over the past two hundred years, that person was Sōsuke Aizen.

After all, Sōya's Bankai ability was the absolute counter to Sōsuke Aizen's Zanpakutō ability. Although Aizen manipulated all the Shinigami in Seireitei through his ability, it was all under Sōya's observation.

Rather, it could be said that with Sōya's presence in Seireitei, Aizen would never have a chance to rise.

It was precisely because Sōya turned himself in and banished himself to the Muken that Aizen was able to slowly implement his plan to research the Hōgyoku and hypnotize all the Shinigami in Seireitei.

Regarding Aizen wanting to make himself the new "Soul King" to rule the world and liberate the Soul King, Sōya felt that his own plan to only reduce the Soul King's burden was too low. It was precisely for this reason that Sōya reactivated his plan after Aizen failed.

Unfortunately, he ultimately failed as well. However, he did follow Kuruyashiki Kenpachi's will and fought with all his might against the current Kenpachi, living up to the name "Kenpachi."

"Now, the position of 11th Division Captain is vacant. With recommendations from twelve captains including Commander-General Yamamoto, six captains recommending, one abstaining, and five captains approving, congratulations, Captain Ailin, you have become the new 11th Division Captain. In other words, Ailin-sama has become Captain Ailin Kenpachi."

"Huh?"

Hearing Kisuke Urahara's words, Ailin was the first to not believe it. "Stop joking, Urahara."

Ailin shook his head. "Apart from being familiar with Yoruichi, I don't have much friendship with the other captains. Why would they recommend me?"

Indeed, after becoming the 6th Division Captain, Ailin spent more time replicating the Zanpakutō he had copied and increasing his strength.

Even the time he spent with Haruko was squeezed out, let alone developing relationships with the other captains.