Chapter 160 – Unexpected Delight

Chapter 160 – Unexpected Delight

Ailin abandoned the use of his other abilities and instead focused on honing the single sword strike, following the path laid out by his "past self." It was a promise he had made, to refine this technique into his ultimate weapon.

Closing his eyes, Ailin relaxed his body. In a single moment, his entire being unified, strength flowing from the soles of his feet, through his body, and converging into his right hand. Then, with a flash of white light, his blade emerged from its sheath.

Shhh!

Under a large tree at the edge of the training grounds, Tsukishima looked up abruptly, staring in shock. The young man before him had already sheathed his blade, leaving behind a cleanly bisected wooden post as proof of his strike's power.

"How is this possible?" Tsukishima thought, bewildered. "Just a while ago, he needed my guidance to improve his technique. How did he master it so quickly?"

He hurriedly examined the "Book of the End" in his hand, a record of Ailin's life spanning over a century. To gain a deeper understanding of Ailin, Tsukishima had reviewed his life countless times after inserting his consciousness into the book. He had meticulously planned every step, marking the pages with notes on when to reveal his presence, where to gain Ailin's trust, and when to secure his unwavering loyalty.

But now, Tsukishima discovered that the records of Ailin's life trajectory in the "Book of the End" had faded, leaving only the past four years since their initial encounter.

"Flutter, flutter, flutter..." Tsukishima flipped through the pages, but no matter how many times he tried, everything after the entry "After four years of dedicated training, Ailin finally created his own ultimate technique – The Cut!" was blank.

This was the first time Tsukishima had encountered such a phenomenon.

Simultaneously, his memories of Ailin's life began to blur and eventually vanished completely.

Ailin, observing Tsukishima's frustration from under the tree, smiled faintly.

"Hmph, not everyone is worthy of witnessing my life," he thought. "Besides..."

In Tsukishima's "Book of the End," the protagonist was his "past self." Ailin had used the book to replace his "past self" with his own consciousness. However, he was also bound to fulfill the wishes of his "past self."

From that day forward, Ailin's performance at the Shin'ō Academy took a dramatic turn. With his exceptional swordsmanship, he defeated opponent after opponent. His classmates, who once mocked him, now avoided him, fearing his potential resentment.

However, they soon realized their worries were unfounded. Ailin remained unchanged despite his achievements, his focus solely on training.

When it came time for the fifth-year students to receive their Asauchi, Ailin chose not to participate, continuing to practice with his wooden training sword. He intended to imbue this blade with his perfected strike over the next hundred years, transforming it into a "Noble Phantasm" – a shining example of his "past self's" efforts to protect his "present self."

...

Within the black, grid-like space of Yukio's game, Tsukishima opened his eyes, a flicker of fear momentarily crossing his gaze before giving way to confusion.

"Should we go back and check if that man is still there? We can retrieve Ginjo's body while we're at it," he suggested.

Tsukishima and Giriko remained silent. They had no desire to face Ailin again. However, if Ginjo wished it...

"Forget it," Ginjo shook his head, "I remember placing my body in front of Ailin. When I attacked him earlier, that entire area was caught in the blast."

"Even if we retrieve my body now, it's probably useless. Besides, in my current state, having a body or not doesn't make much difference... It's not worth the risk."

"Right," the others agreed, relieved that Ginjo had decided against returning for his body. Avoiding another encounter with Ailin was a blessing.

...

"What an unexpected delight," Ailin chuckled, standing amidst the ruins of Yukio's mansion.

After carefully examining himself and confirming that Tsukishima's reiatsu was no longer present, Ailin opened his eyes. He hadn't anticipated such a pleasant surprise during his trip to the World of the Living.

Rising from the debris, Ailin brushed the dust off his clothes, drew his Zanpakuto, and thrust it towards the space before him.

Rumble...

A white light flashed, and two wooden doors materialized in the air, swinging open to reveal the Senkaimon, the passage back to Soul Society.

Stepping through the gate, Ailin vanished from the World of the Living...

"Welcome back, Captain Ailin."

Upon his return to Soul Society, Ailin found himself in the courtyard of the 13th Division. To his surprise, Jushiro Ukitake was waiting for him, despite the late hour.

"Eh? Captain Ukitake, you're still awake?" Ailin asked, surprised.

Ukitake, having sacrificed his lungs to the "God of the One Eye" during a childhood illness, often remained in a weakened state. As the host of the God's power, he typically spent this time of night resting in bed.

"Hahaha..." Ukitake chuckled, "My health has improved slightly these past few days, so I no longer need to be bedridden as often as before."

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