Inside the Eighth Division barracks, Kyōraku Shunsui looked utterly exhausted.
His hair was messily tied back, and the floral haori hanging over his shoulders had slipped halfway down without him noticing.
Recently, Kyōraku had been extremely busy.
Whether it was the establishment of new organizations or the transfer of documents and personnel between the divisions, everything was currently under his supervision.
He could already feel Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto gradually handing over the affairs of the Gotei 13 to him.
On top of that, Kyōraku was also responsible for investigating the noble families.
Among them, the investigation of the Tsunayashiro Clan was the most delicate task. It had to be conducted carefully to avoid alerting them.
"Captain, Sawada Tsunayoshi has arrived," Nanao Ise said as she approached Kyōraku's desk with a stack of documents.
"Tsunayoshi-kun? What's he here for?" Kyōraku muttered lazily, his eyelids drooping.
He slapped his cheeks lightly to wake himself up.
"Please show him in."
Tsunayoshi followed Nanao into the office.
After scanning the room several times, he finally spotted Kyōraku's head buried within a jungle of paperwork.
"Tsunayoshi-kun, you're here? Have a seat," Kyōraku said weakly.
Nanao moved efficiently. In no time, she cleared a small table and placed tea on it.
Kyōraku half-slumped against the table. After taking a sip of tea, he let out a heavy sigh.
"I really miss the days when all I had to do was drink sake every day!"
"Captain!" Nanao protested sharply.
His current appearance was embarrassing in front of a guest.
"The future Captain-Commander working hard is only natural," Tsunayoshi joked with a grin.
"Serving the ideals of the Gotei 13, after all."
"Tsunayoshi-kun, even you are teasing me now!" Kyōraku complained.
"How about you take the position of Captain-Commander instead? You clearly have the strength for it!"
Nanao's face twitched slightly.
The man from the Human World had only been in Soul Society for a short time, yet her captain was already joking about letting him replace the entire leadership.
"Not happening," Tsunayoshi replied immediately.
"Once the Quincy problem is over, I might not even come back to Soul Society."
Kyōraku smiled bitterly and drank his tea.
A glint of sharpness flashed deep within his eyes.
He knew exactly what Yamamoto was planning.
But there was no rush.
Kyōraku had already planned his own future—after a hundred years, he would dump all responsibilities and retire to a quiet mountain in Rukongai with little Nanao.
That was the thought currently keeping him motivated.
"So," Kyōraku asked, "what brings you to the Eighth Division today, Tsunayoshi-kun?"
He had already asked Tsunayoshi about his Zanpakutō during the Captain's Meeting.
Since Tsunayoshi had no suggestions for him, Kyōraku had been focusing entirely on administrative work.
"It just so happens both people involved are here," Tsunayoshi said.
"Lieutenant Ise, please sit as well."
Nanao sat down.
Kyōraku immediately connected the dots.
"You're here for Nanao? Is this about lieutenant training? She doesn't even have a Zanpakutō."
"Doesn't she, Captain Kyōraku?"
Seeing Tsunayoshi's knowing smile, Kyōraku immediately realized that Tsunayoshi already knew something.
His usual carefree demeanor disappeared.
"As her family member, I understand Nanao's situation," Kyōraku said carefully.
Seeing him still trying to circle the topic, Tsunayoshi waved his hand.
"Alright, let's skip the riddles."
"I'm here to suggest that Lieutenant Ise start practicing Zanjutsu."
"She doesn't necessarily need a Zanpakutō—just a wooden sword is fine."
"At the very least, she should learn how to fight with a blade."
"And Captain Kyōraku, when you have time, you can act as her instructor."
"That's all I came to say."
Tsunayoshi drained his tea and stood up as if preparing to leave.
Kyōraku lowered his head and stared silently at his cup.
But Nanao couldn't stay silent.
"Mr. Sawada, please wait."
"I've never been able to resonate with an Asauchi since childhood. Why make the trip just to suggest something impossible?"
Tsunayoshi glanced at her, then at Kyōraku, who remained silent.
He lightly kicked Kyōraku under the table.
"Your lieutenant has already guessed something. She's grown up now—shouldn't she be allowed to decide for herself?"
Nanao blushed slightly and adjusted her glasses awkwardly.
Over the years, she had sensed that Kyōraku was hiding something from her.
She had deliberately provoked Tsunayoshi earlier, hoping it would spark an argument between them.
Instead, she had been completely seen through.
"Sigh…"
Kyōraku let out a deep breath.
His expression became complicated as he looked at Tsunayoshi.
"Sawada Tsunayoshi … what do you think about curses?"
Nanao looked back and forth between them, completely confused.
"Enough with the cryptic talk," Tsunayoshi said bluntly.
"Are you going to explain it, or should I?"
Kyōraku closed his eyes briefly.
"You go ahead…"
The topic touched on the deaths of his beloved elder brother and sister-in-law—the most painful part of his past.
"Lieutenant Ise, listen carefully," Tsunayoshi began.
"The curse Captain Kyōraku mentioned belongs to the Ise Clan."
"And the source of that curse is the sacred sword your family enshrines—Shinken Hakkyōken."
"The Ise Clan is a priestly family responsible for ritual ceremonies."
"For generations, only daughters are born."
"But any man who marries into the family is cursed to die young."
"Your father… and Captain Kyōraku's brother."
Tsunayoshi pointed toward Kyōraku.
"To protect you from the curse, your mother entrusted the sacred sword to Captain Kyōraku."
"She was later executed by the Central 46 for the crime of losing the clan's sacred treasure."
"This is the truth Captain Kyōraku has hidden all these years."
"To conceal that divine weapon, Katen gave birth to Kyōkotsu."
"That's why Captain Kyōraku wields two Zanpakutō spirits."
Kyōraku let out a soft laugh.
"Tsunayoshi-kun… is there anything you don't know?"
Now that the truth had surfaced, he seemed much lighter.
He looked toward Nanao.
"I'm sorry, little Nanao. I couldn't protect your mother."
"It's not your fault, Captain," Nanao said softly, tears glimmering in her eyes.
"You've carried this burden for so long…"
Tsunayoshi didn't interrupt their emotional moment.
Instead, he quietly poured himself another cup of tea and waited.
After a while, Kyōraku wiped his face and returned to his usual composed demeanor.
"Tsunayoshi-kun… you want Nanao to wield the Shinken Hakkyōken, don't you?"
Kyōraku had already guessed when Tsunayoshi suggested sword training.
"Exactly."
"Although Hakkyōken is a ceremonial sword without a sharpened edge, it's extremely effective against highly evolved Quincy."
"How so?" Kyōraku asked immediately.
Without a convincing explanation, he would never allow Nanao to touch that blade.
"Most Quincy Vollständig forms are named in the format of 'The God of ___.'"
"When fighting enemies who claim divinity, Hakkyōken becomes especially useful."
"After all, it's a blade that once cut the Soul King."
"Using it to slay a few false gods should be easy."
"What?!" ×2
"Hakkyōken can cut the Soul King?!"
If that was true, its importance would rise to an entirely different level.
Tsunayoshi rolled his eyes.
"Watch your wording."
"I said cut, not kill."
"More like dismember."
"The Soul King isn't something you can just kill casually."
In Tsunayoshi's view, the only way the Soul King could die was if he wanted to.
Otherwise, who could possibly kill him?
"That's still incredible…" Kyōraku muttered.
Then he suddenly froze.
"Wait."
"The curse on the Ise Clan… could it be related to the Soul King?"
"Probably," Tsunayoshi replied vaguely.
Based on the Soul King's current state—reduced to a limbless existence—it was very likely that Hakkyōken had been one of the sacred blades used by the Five Great Noble Clans to dismantle him long ago.
"So that's the reason…"
Kyōraku finally understood.
If the Ise Clan had been guarding a weapon used to dismember the Soul King—
The fact that their entire clan hadn't been wiped out was already mercy.
"Tsunayoshi-kun… I can't make this decision alone."
"Captain," Nanao said firmly.
"I want to try."
"If the day ever comes when I must fight… then whether there's a curse or not won't matter anymore."
"Little Nanao…"
Kyōraku looked at her with complicated emotions.
This was the most precious person his sister-in-law had left behind.
Now she had grown up.
There was even a hint of his sister-in-law's courage in her expression.
"No matter what happens in the future," Kyōraku said quietly,
"we'll face it together."
Nanao nodded heavily.
At that moment, the emotional barrier that had existed between them for years quietly disappeared.
"Alright, you two," Tsunayoshi suddenly interrupted.
"Why are you acting like this is a life-and-death farewell?"
"I'm just suggesting Lieutenant Ise learn how to fight with a sword."
"I never said she has to pick up Hakkyōken right now."
"What if we defeat the Quincy before that ever becomes necessary?"
"She might never even need to step onto the battlefield."
"…That's true," Kyōraku admitted, blinking.
Then he looked at Tsunayoshi with renewed determination.
"I'm counting on you, Tsunayoshi-kun!"
"Don't put that kind of pressure on me," Tsunayoshi groaned.
"Even if Lieutenant Ise really inherits that curse someday… we could always visit the Soul King and ask him to lift it."
"Maybe he'd agree."
"Visit the Soul King?" Kyōraku shook his head helplessly.
"In the last thousand years, only three Shinigami have ascended to Squad Zero."
"As for actually meeting the Soul King in the Royal Palace… that's even more unlikely."
"Reaching the Royal Palace isn't impossible," Tsunayoshi said casually.
He didn't elaborate further.
But as the future unfolded, the Royal Palace wouldn't remain isolated in the heavens forever.
Kyōraku looked at Tsunayoshi deeply.
As Yamamoto's chosen successor, he understood something very clearly.
Tsunayoshi had already begun including Squad Zero in his calculations.
And Yamamoto himself had shown no intention of stopping him.
In fact, the Captain-Commander seemed curious—
Just how powerful that so-called Royal Guard truly was.
◇ BONUS & SUPPORT ◇
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 10 reviews — drop a comment!
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 70 + chapters ahead on P@treon → patreon.com/Sagamaster789