"Senior, that's really too much."
"To actually use a divine treasure like that against a cute junior like me... you're truly heartless."
Hearing Aizen's words, feigning innocence, Kenma was simultaneously angry and amused. He said bluntly:
"Where do you get the nerve to say that to me?"
"Your killing intent just now... your attack, it showed me no mercy."
Aizen chuckled lightly: "What are you saying, Senior? If you died from just that level of attack, it would only prove that's all you amounted to."
As he spoke, he nodded lightly at Kenma.
"Senior, it wasn't until today that I felt the title 'Three Greats' bestowed upon us three by the Shinigami is no longer so undeserved."
"First, there's Kuchiki Kōga, who could ruthlessly strike down the Central 46, the highest authority in Soul Society."
"And then, there is you, Shihoin Kenma-senpai, right in front of me."
"To think you hid yourself so perfectly, disguised yourself so completely."
"Whether it was during our time studying at the Academy or in all the years of work since joining the Gotei, I never saw through this cover of yours."
"If not for this chance encounter today, I might have remained in the dark."
"To do such a terrible thing... what a devious and sinister senior."
"This is truly... interesting!"
"Sousuke, are you secretly badmouthing me in your head?"
For some reason, Kenma looked at Aizen and got the feeling he was brimming with bad intentions.
Aizen smiled: "You must be joking, Senior. I have great respect for you."
"Ha, that's not what you meant just now."
Kenma sneered, directly voicing his thoughts.
"What do you mean, 'the Three Greats is undeserved'? Does this mean that in your heart, you've always felt that being named alongside me and Kōga was a shameful thing?"
"How could that be?"
Aizen's voice paused. Just as he was about to speak, he was interrupted by Kenma.
"See? You're still lying."
Aizen's expression froze. He immediately thought of what Kenma had said about his lying habit and realized he had just displayed that bad habit again.
'That won't do. I must pay more attention to this next time.'
Thinking of this, Aizen shook his head lightly.
"Senior, why must you say it so directly?"
"If I said it out loud, wouldn't it be too damaging to your pride and Senior Kuchiki Kōga's?"
"Sousuke, you really think that!"
Kenma's eye twitched.
He was only just now discovering that Aizen had such a twisted sense of humor. 'How did I never notice before?'
"Haha, Senior, don't get hung up on such trivial matters."
"Otherwise, it will make you seem very petty, Senior."
Aizen chuckled twice, glossing over it ambiguously.
He lifted Kyōka Suigetsu, looked at Kenma, and put on a troubled expression.
"As you can see, my sword is about to break. I can't fight at all."
"How about you just stand there obediently, Senior, and let me cut off your head?"
"In any case, with your strength, Senior, you won't last long against me."
Hearing this, Kenma frowned, his gaze toward Aizen turning somewhat strange.
"Sousuke, you should really change this strange personality of yours sometimes."
'Stand there and let him cut me? How thick-skinned do you have to be to say something like that!'
Kenma was certain Aizen was just using that twisted sense of humor to mess with him.
'He's just a little stronger than me, and he dares to spout such nonsense.'
It was truly infuriating.
"Also, don't talk so arrogantly. It just makes you look like you're all bark and no bite."
"I don't think so, Senior."
Aizen pushed up his glasses, a trace of amusement on his face.
His gaze fell on Kenma, as if seeing right through him.
"Who exactly is all bark and no bite?"
"Look, I've been this arrogant toward you so many times, Senior, yet you haven't attacked me once. Isn't that strange?"
"I know it. Senior, you are clearly so proud. After hearing my provocations, you were obviously very annoyed, but you've been suppressing this emotion, not letting it erupt."
"It seems you also know the gap in strength between us, Senior. That's why you fear me, and why you haven't attacked. That is your true feeling, isn't it?"
At these words from Aizen, Kenma's eyes darkened. His brows furrowed unconsciously, forming a high ridge.
'He's right!'
'Aizen was completely correct. He was wary of Aizen's strength, which is why he endured listening to him ramble on.'
'Otherwise, how could he possibly listen to such an arrogant prick tease him so mockingly?'
'His personality would have been to strike him down long ago, silencing him completely. But he couldn't win, could he?'
'That's why he held back, cautiously taking a conservative stance to make it easier to defend.'
'And at the same time, observe Aizen, looking for an opportunity to win.'
'But after observing for so long, Kenma found that Aizen had no openings whatsoever.'
Seeing the difficulty on Kenma's face, Aizen chuckled, having seen through it all.
He sheathed his Zanpakutō, Kyōka Suigetsu, raised his arm, and pointed his index finger to the sky.
"I see. In that case, I won't use my Zanpakutō. I will only use Kidō to attack you, Senior."
"So, the question is: will you wait for me to finish the full incantation, Senior?"
"Sousuke, what crap are you spouting!"
Kenma immediately used Shunpo. His figure flashed, vanishing from the spot and dashing into the distance.
Aizen also used Shunpo, instantly following him.
Swoosh! A sound like tearing air exploded, and Aizen's figure was already blocking Kenma's path.
The smile on his gentle face lessened, and a trace of pity appeared in his expression.
"How regrettable. It seems I won't get my wish. In that case..."
"Hadō #90, Kurohitsugi!"
Aizen's spiritual pressure was cold and decisive. His gentle, deep voice fell crisply.
Sensing that surging spiritual pressure, Kenma's expression couldn't help but darken.
'A high-level Hadō #90, cast without an incantation at this point in time?'
'Aizen Sousuke... is a monster.'
From all sides—front, back, left, and right—walls of black reishi rose. In the blink of an eye, they shot up dozens of meters and began to rapidly seal at the top.
As the four walls of the Black Coffin formed, the light from the outside diminished rapidly.
The pressure inside the still-forming Black Coffin surged. Seeing this, Kenma immediately used Shunpo to land on the ground, clenching his right fist tightly.
In front of the massive Kidō coffin, a trace of anticipation flickered in Aizen's expression.
'Senior, show me... how exactly will you break through my Kidō?'
The first to sense a Kidō of this magnitude were the two groups fighting nearby.
Shisui and Toji; Tōsen Kaname and Ichimaru Gin.
The moment the Black Coffin was released, the four of them felt that majestic, surging spiritual pressure spread out. Seeing it about to engulf them, all four of their expressions changed.
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]