Chapter 48: Call Me the Villain
Ichimaru Gin shrugged.
"You're the boss, so it's your call."
"Let's wait and see, Gin."
A cold gleam flashed across Aizen's glasses.
"Time will tell us everything — including what this so-called messenger's real purpose is."
---
In short — infiltration is a craft.
When you're sneaking around outnumbered, there's an art to it: planning your route, using blind spots, making sure no one notices when you take someone down... a hundred little details stacked together to create one perfect strike.
And even then, it's often less efficient than just kicking down the front door and cutting everyone in sight. Honestly, it's a pain.
And as for the Stealth Force — the supposed assassination division of Soul Society — well… they're not exactly subtle.
This organization, "famous for assassinations," has been sketchy since day one.
The first commander, Shihōin Chihiro, was basically a swaggering hitman who believed in killing "honorably."
The current one, Shihōin Yoruichi, runs faster than lightning — and literally summons lightning. Not exactly stealth material.
As for her successor, Soi Fon...
If firing an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) counts as "assassination," then Yamamoto incinerating an entire field while standing still must just be "large-scale assasination," huh?
[TL: I think field just means entire enemies and stuff like that.]
With leaders like that, no wonder the entire unit's style is so messed up.
Once, Mizuma went to observe the Second Division out of curiosity, hoping to learn a few assassination techniques… only to find a bunch of bald guys in ninja suits practicing hand-to-hand combat all day.
In the end, he had to develop his own technique.
The result? The "Old Rukongai Assassination Method."
No fancy tricks — just pure, down-to-earth practicality. Literally.
It had three simple steps:
1. Use a modified Hadō #1: Shō Technique to dig underground.
2. Sneak right below your target.
3. Yank them down and stab them straight through the heart.
Crude? Maybe.
Effective? Absolutely.
Way better than all that Stealth Force nonsense.
The only drawback: it's tricky in hard soil.
And so, Mizuma patiently waited underground.
When Kensei had already sent out most of his men, leaving just a few to set up camp and patrol, Mizuma finally began his assault.
By then, the sky was already dark.
As for Aizen waiting impatiently somewhere above…
Mizuma couldn't care less. Annoying him was part of the fun.
Cooperating with Aizen didn't mean obeying Aizen. If Aizen thought Mizuma would dance to his tune and rack up results for him—he was dreaming.
Like a mole, Mizuma crawled silently beneath a Ninth Division soldier.
Then he reached up — a hand wrapped in Hadō #11: Tsuzuri Raiden shot out of the dirt, grabbing the man's ankle.
The electric current paralyzed him before he could cry out.
A sharp chop to the neck followed, giving him a sleep as peaceful as a baby's.
And then he repeated it. Again and again.
In a few seconds, nearly everyone from the Ninth Division was down.
Thanks to his pre-dug tunnels, the entire operation took barely ten seconds.
Tōsen, who was supposed to handle this mission, had already withdrawn after receiving Aizen's signal.
Which made sense — in the original timeline, that guy had it easy: with Kyōka Suigetsu, he could just walk in and start slicing, stylishly and effortlessly.
Meanwhile, Mizuma had to dig through the dirt like a miserable mole.
Really, Kyōka Suigetsu had to be the best assassination tool in the whole Seireitei.
Soon, only Kensei, Mashiro Kuna, and four squad members were left.
Mizuma mentally simulated the fight once, then jumped up out of the ground — openly, boldly — with his sword on his shoulder.
Hearing unfamiliar footsteps, one of the Ninth Division soldiers, named Tōdō, immediately went on alert.
He drew his sword and shouted—
"Who— gk!!"
Before he could finish, Mizuma flash-stepped in front of him, parried his strike, and punched him square in the stomach.
Perfectly measured — strong enough to knock him out cold, but not send him flying.
Then, before the others could react, Mizuma fired two Hadō #31: Shakkahō — directly to the head.
Two more down.
The entire skirmish lasted barely two seconds, but the noise was enough to wake Kensei.
Mizuma crossed his arms and stood under the moonlight, waiting as the tent flap was thrown open.
"What's going on!?"
Kensei burst out, sword in hand, a bald squadmate right behind him.
They saw the fallen men — and then the stranger standing there, practically radiating 'Yeah, I did that.'
"Draw your sword, Kasajirō! Enemy attack!"
Kensei drew Tachikaze in a flash, shouting back toward the tent.
"White! White! Wake up!"
"Pleased to meet you, Captain Muguruma."
Mizuma didn't attack immediately.
He gave a slight bow instead — and raised three fingers glowing red, yellow, and blue.
"Here's my greeting gift."
Shakkahō.
Haien.
Sōkatsui.
Three spells launched in quick succession — but not at Kensei.
Their target was the squadmate beside him.
Kensei's reflexes were top-class. In an instant, he released Tachikaze, expertly deflecting all three shots.
The clash of kidō fire and condensed reiryoku burst into dazzling light — engulfing him in the glow.
Kensei's instincts screamed trap!
But it was already too late.
A scream rang out.
The squadmate, Kasajirō, convulsed and collapsed — electricity still crackling around his body.
Standing nearby, Mizuma raised a fourth finger.
Byakurai — modified to reduce penetration and increase paralysis.
Seeing his subordinate fall, Kensei roared in fury — but didn't charge in recklessly.
Instead, he barked out a question.
"Who are you!? Why attack us!?"
No such woman existed in the Gotei 13.
But she held a Zanpakutō. She used kidō. She had to be a Shinigami.
Someone who could silently take out the outer guards and fire kidō without incantations…
This wasn't a random intruder.
Whoever she was — she was dangerous.