"When the time comes, although we'll be fighting in the World of the Living, the destruction will occur in the Rukongai district. Karakura Town will be swapped with the replica, protected within the Soul Society. Unless Aizen defeats us all, he won't be able to create the Ōken!"
"Now, return to your divisions and prepare."
"Yes, Captain-Commander."
…
"Well, well. Long time no see, Captain Urahara."
Ailin greeted Kisuke Urahara, who wore his trademark bucket hat, as he stepped through the Senkaimon.
"And Lady Yoruichi, Grand Kidō Chief Tessai. It's good to see you all looking so well."
Compared to Ailin's casual demeanor, the Shinigami behind him were much more reserved. Rangiku Matsumoto, Momo Hinamori, Ikkaku Madarame, and Yumichika Ayasegawa stood respectfully before Urahara, Yoruichi, and Tessai. Even Toshiro Hitsugaya wore a serious expression as he nodded to them.
Urahara and Yoruichi were former Gotei 13 captains, and Tessai, though not a captain, held a similar position of authority as Grand Kidō Chief. They commanded respect.
"Ailin, you're the last person I wanted to see."
Urahara grumbled. He considered himself the most intelligent man in the Soul Society. Few could impress him. But every encounter with Ailin had resulted in either threats or imprisonment. He couldn't bring himself to like the man.
"Don't be like that, Urahara."
Ailin patted him on the shoulder. "We got along quite well in the Seireitei, didn't we? Why are you acting like a stranger now that you've left?"
"Even if I did send you to the Central 46, look at Tessai. He's taking it like a man."
Tessai remained silent. While he possessed a certain… eccentricity, he wasn't one for theatrics. Even if he appreciated Ailin's compliment, he wouldn't show it.
"Captain Ailin, welcome to the World of the Living. Captain-Commander Yamamoto informed us of your arrival. Mr. Urahara has prepared specialized Gigai for you. Please follow me."
"Oh? Really? I'm curious to see if his skills have improved. It's been over a century since I last used a Gigai created by Urahara. I wonder what's changed…"
Urahara smacked himself on the forehead as he watched Tessai lead Ailin and the others away.
Bringing Tessai to greet them had been a mistake. Still, with Ailin stationed in the World of the Living, he could finally relax. While he had suffered several defeats at Ailin's hands, he couldn't deny his power. With Ailin here, even Aizen wouldn't dare set foot in this world.
However, once Aizen completed the Hōgyoku's fusion, the outcome of their confrontation was uncertain. It wasn't that Urahara underestimated Ailin. It was that anything related to the Soul King defied logic. Furthermore, he had created half of the Hōgyoku himself. He knew its potential, the power it could unleash. Even the aspects he didn't fully understand were enough to awaken incredible strength, as Shinji Hirako and the others had demonstrated over a century ago.
With a sigh, he followed Tessai, Yoruichi at his side. He had mentally prepared for several scenarios regarding Aizen and the Hōgyoku. He had countermeasures for each of them.
"Tsk, Urahara. Your skills have deteriorated."
When Urahara and Yoruichi returned to the shop, Ailin and the other five Shinigami had already entered their Gigai. Ailin stretched, testing his new body.
"This Gigai feels… inferior to the one I used two centuries ago. I can sense a… disconnect between my soul and this body."
Urahara's heart skipped a beat. As the creator of the Gigai, he knew them intimately. And because Ailin was among the group, he had used his latest technology, ensuring even Head-Captain Yamamoto would find them comfortable.
Sensing a disconnect meant Ailin's spiritual pressure was so immense that it was overwhelming the Gigai, creating a sense of… sluggishness.
This implied that Ailin's reiatsu had surpassed the limits of a Shinigami, reaching a higher plane. He hadn't possessed this level of power two centuries ago. Had he broken through in the intervening years? But how? He hadn't sensed any Hollow reiatsu from Ailin, ruling out Hollowfication.
The Ōken?
The thought crossed his mind, but he quickly dismissed it. Creating the Ōken required sacrificing over one hundred thousand souls in a spiritually dense location. There hadn't been any such incidents in the past two centuries. The current designated location was Karakura Town. He lived here. He would have known. Furthermore, creating the Ōken meant being bound to the Soul King Palace, with limited time in the Soul Society.
Despite the flurry of thoughts, Urahara hid his surprise behind his fan. "Captain Ailin, you misunderstand. The Gigai you and Lady Kuchiki used before were custom-made, perfectly tailored to your needs. These, however, are mass-produced. Some differences are to be expected. But such nuances are imperceptible to most Shinigami. Only someone with your level of power could detect them."
"I see."
Ailin nodded, accepting the explanation. He hadn't considered that.
The previous Gigai had been specifically designed to nurture Haruko's soul, allowing her to recover from the strain of being exposed to his immense reiatsu. It had been a custom creation, while these were standard issue.
However, both Yoruichi and Tessai exchanged surprised glances. They had watched Urahara meticulously craft each Gigai. They were hardly "mass-produced." But they remained silent. Urahara had his reasons. The issue, they suspected, lay with Ailin's "disconnect." They would ask him later.
…
Pah! Pah! Pah!
"Alright, everyone."
Ailin clapped his hands, gathering the others. As the senior member of the group, he naturally assumed leadership. No one objected.
"I'm sure you've all noticed the… limitations of these Gigai. They effectively conceal our reiatsu. As long as we don't transform into our Shinigami forms, we'll remain undetected."
"I have faith in your abilities. No matter how strong the enemy, I believe you can all achieve victory. Therefore, to maximize our effectiveness, we'll divide into three teams, patrolling different sectors of Karakura Town."
He unfurled a map. "This is Karakura Town. Here is Ichigo's house, and here is Urahara's shop. We'll leave these areas to them. They can handle any Hollows that appear."
"As for the remaining sectors…"
"Ikkaku, Yumichika, you'll be responsible for the southern district."
"Mashiro, Rangiku, you'll take the school district."
"And…" He pointed to the center of the map. "Hinamori and I will cover the area around Mashiba Middle School, Kasen Park, and Tsubaki Park. If either of your teams encounter an overwhelming enemy, I'll be able to provide support quickly."
"Any questions?"
"No, Captain Ailin."
"Don't worry, Captain. We'll bring you victory, no matter the enemy."
Yumichika's response was more reserved, while Ikkaku was practically itching to draw his sword, eager to demonstrate his progress.
"No problem here," Toshiro Hitsugaya confirmed. While Rangiku was a… liability, he was confident in his ability to protect her, even with his reiatsu suppressed.
"Excellent. Let's go."
Ailin paused, as if remembering something. "You're all unfamiliar with the World of the Living. Be careful not to… cause a scene. You can ask Captain Urahara for advice. If you break any laws, the local police might arrest you. It would be… embarrassing to be imprisoned when an enemy attacks."
With that, he waved and left the shop and Hinamori hurried after him.
"Captain Ailin, wait! I've never lived in the World of the Living either. What if I get arrested?"
"Don't worry, Hinamori. I've lived here for decades. I know the ropes. Follow me, and I'll make sure you're well-fed and out of jail."
…
Ailin hadn't been lying.
In times of peace, antiques were a valuable commodity. And the World of the Living was currently experiencing a period of relative peace. Even Urahara's shop was filled with antiques. Otherwise, how could he afford to support Yoruichi and Tessai with his small, out-of-the-way business? He supplemented his income by occasionally selling an antique.
Of course, with Urahara's skills, his "antiques" were indistinguishable from genuine artifacts. Even if he had just created them, they would pass any test, appearing centuries old.
Before leaving, Ailin had discreetly taken a jade ornament from Urahara's collection. He doubted Urahara would mind.
He took Hinamori to an antique shop and sold the jade for a substantial sum. He didn't haggle. The ornament wasn't his, after all.
"Ah, this is the life…" That evening, Ailin lay in a five-star hotel, enjoying the soft bed. The only thing missing was Haruko.
…
Stationed in the World of the Living with no immediate threats, Ailin and the others found themselves with unexpected free time. While he couldn't speak for the others, Ailin had been taking Hinamori on a tour of Karakura Town, enjoying the local cuisine and entertainment, giving her a taste of the good life.
However, this came with a price. The money from the jade ornament was dwindling. He planned to… acquire more antiques from Urahara in a few days. He would take more this time, enough to cover their expenses and save some for future trips with Haruko.
"A-Ailin?" One day, while visiting an amusement park with Hinamori, he heard a familiar voice.