{🥳Joining keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please support me.🥰 You can access upto 70+ advance chapter through by using the link: "Ah, Yushiro, let's have a drink first. Nanao has already gone to find Shiraha, so he should be here shortly." Kyoraku Shunsui lifted the sake bottle with a relaxed grin, pouring the amber liquid into the glass before Shihouin Yushiro Sakimune. "Thank you, Captain Kyoraku." Yushiro took the glass, nodded respectfully, and drained it in one motion. The burning heat rushed down his throat, and he coughed sharply. "Ahem… so spicy… so strong." Shunsui chuckled, eyes hidden beneath the brim of his straw hat. "Now, now, Yushiro. You're the current head of the Shihouin family. If word spreads that you can't even hold your liquor, the other noble houses will laugh themselves to tears." He reached to refill the glass, but Ukitake raised a hand, shaking his head. "Enough teasing, Shunsui. Let him catch his breath," Ukitake said gently. Just then, space warped at the center of the room, and Shiraha appeared with Nanao Ise beside him. "Shiraha. And Nanao too?" Shunsui's expression flickered with genuine surprise. For someone of his level to not sense their arrival until they stood before him was almost unthinkable. "Shiraha, you've come," Ukitake said warmly. "The leader of the Eighth Division and the Captain of the Thirteenth… and this must be—" Shiraha smiled, bowing slightly as his eyes shifted to the unfamiliar face across the room. His Observation Haki had already told him what he suspected. The man resembled Yoruichi. "Captain Shiraha, please release me." Nanao's cheeks had flushed crimson. She kept her tone polite but soft. It was the first time she had ever been held so directly by a man, and though she knew there was no ill intent in Shiraha's gesture, it unsettled her. "My apologies, Vice-Captain Ise." Shiraha let go of her hand, smiling faintly. Nanao stepped aside, book clutched tightly, and avoided his gaze. "Shiraha, please, sit." Ukitake gestured toward a waiting futon. Shiraha lowered himself into place without hesitation. "Allow me to introduce him properly. This is Shihouin Yushiro Sakimune, current head of the Shihouin family," Ukitake said. "An honor to meet you, Patriarch Shihouin. I am Kuchiki Shiraha, Captain of the Seventh Division." Shiraha inclined his head politely. "Please, Captain Shiraha, call me Yushiro." The young noble stood quickly and bowed in return. "Shiraha," Shunsui leaned forward with a questioning smile, "the ability you used just now to bring Nanao—surely that wasn't Shunpo?" Shiraha's lips curved faintly. "Captain Kyoraku is as sharp as ever. No, it wasn't Shunpo, but my Zanpakutō's ability." "A spatial ability… remarkable." Shunsui's tone carried admiration, though Shiraha merely smiled and let silence answer for him. "Come now, Nanao. What are you doing just standing there? Pour Shiraha a drink." Shunsui teased. Nanao moved wordlessly, setting a glass before Shiraha and pouring carefully. "Kyoraku, Ukitake, and Vice-Captain Ise mentioned you called me here for something important. What matter requires my presence?" Shiraha asked calmly, sipping the drink. He suspected it concerned Rukia, but Yushiro's presence puzzled him. "Ask him yourself," Ukitake replied with a smile. Yushiro leaned forward urgently. "Captain Shiraha, I was told by Captain Hachibee that you know of my sister, Shihouin Yoruichi. Is it true? Where is she? Is she well? Has she been hurt?" The flood of questions betrayed his long-held worry. Ever since the Hollowfication incident a century ago, when Yoruichi fled with Urahara Kisuke and Tessai Tsukabishi, he had not seen her again. Upon learning Shiraha might know, he had dropped everything to come. "Yushiro, slow down. You'll overwhelm him if you ask all at once," Shunsui said lightly. This update ıs available on novel·fiɾe·net "It's alright." Shiraha waved a hand, his tone even. "Yushiro, I can assure you of this: Lady Yoruichi is alive and well. You needn't worry for her safety. And soon, very soon, you may have the chance to meet her again." Relief swept across Yushiro's face. The heavy stone on his chest lifted at once. "That is… wonderful news." His voice cracked slightly, but his joy was genuine. He rose and bowed deeply. "Thank you, Captain Shiraha, for telling me." "There's no need for thanks. Lady Yoruichi and I are on good terms," Shiraha replied casually. In Karakura Town, he had often crossed paths with Yoruichi in her feline guise. Shiraha set his cup down, his tone shifting. "Still, Captains, you didn't summon me only for Yushiro's concerns. This is also about Rukia, isn't it?" Shunsui's smile thinned. "Correct. The judgment passed by Central Forty-Six feels… strange. Rukia's crime of transferring her powers to a human warrants imprisonment at worst. Execution, and by Sōkyoku no less, is excessive." Ukitake nodded gravely. "Exactly. Which is why we intend to save her when the day of execution comes. But to do so, we'll need help. To counter the power of the liberated Sōkyoku, I asked Yushiro to lend us something." From within the room, Ukitake retrieved a crimson shield, ornate and etched with the Shihouin crest. "This," he explained, "is one of the Shihouin family's sacred treasures—an armed force bestowed by the gods themselves. It possesses the ability to seal the destructive might of the released Sōkyoku, which manifests as the King of Destruction." The red shield gleamed under the dim lamplight, carrying with it the weight of ancient nobility and divine power. { Enjoying the chapters? Please Support me on and unlock 70+ advanced chapters, with 3 new chapters released every two days! The fanfic is also available for one-time purchase on – unlock lifetime access to the full collection, no membership needed! 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