"You beat me to it, Gin," Aizen smiled as he slid his Zanpakutō—already drawn three inches—back into its sheath, his gaze never leaving White.
"Tsk tsk. That eyesore should have exited the stage long ago." Gin Ichimaru cast his eyes toward the distance, smiling with narrowed eyes.
"Because… that guy has already arrived, you know! The real finale is just about to begin!"
"Hmm." Aizen adjusted his black-framed glasses and smiled faintly.
"To be honest, I'm rather disappointed in it now."
"Why is that?" Tōsen Kaname, completely wrapped in a black Reiatsu-concealing cloak, spoke up.
"A mere Shinigami in Shikai was able to push it to such an extent, let alone a 10th Division Captain in peak condition," Aizen remarked casually.
"Then… shall we still watch White's battle with Captain Shiba?" Gin opened his eyes slightly as he looked at Aizen.
"Of course." Aizen replied gently.
"It's rare to encounter a suitable subject for observation. Perhaps this battle will provide us with new inspiration for our modification experiments."
"Indeed."
Gin squinted his eyes once more, his gaze drifting toward Fūjin Taichi, who lay unconscious in the distance. A faint, barely perceptible glimmer flashed through his eyes.
Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh
Shiba Isshin rushed toward Yasutama Cemetery. Seeing Fūjin Taichi collapsed on the ground, his life and death unknown, he frowned inwardly.
"Damn it… am I too late again?"
But the moment he noticed White hovering in midair, his heart jolted. He immediately used Shunpo, scooped Taichi up in one swift motion, and—
Whoosh!
—darted more than a hundred meters away.
BOOM!!
A dark crimson Cero blasted straight through Yasutama , a massive pillar of fire erupting skyward and pulverizing everything within a radius of over ten meters!
A Cero…?
Isshin's expression turned grim.
So the rumored 'killer' really is a Hollow. But it's different from ordinary Hollows—fully formed limbs like a Shinigami, and the Hollow hole on its chest is sealed by something…
If it weren't for the unmistakable Hollow spiritual pressure it gives off… I'd almost think it was a masked Shinigami!"
Gurgle—
Sensing yet another Shinigami with immense spiritual power, White let out an excited growl. Like a savage beast that had spotted fresh prey, it lunged forward at full speed.
"Hmph. A monster like you couldn't possibly go on a killing spree without leaving some trace in Soul Society…"
Isshin drew his Zanpakutō and charged straight at White.
"Looks like someone must be pulling the strings behind you!"
The two clashed fiercely in midair, and without realizing it, their battle drifted away from Naruki City and into Karakura Town.
Its true nature is unknown... but with that black body and that mask, it's definitely a Hollow. Yet it just used a Cero, a move unique to Menos Grandes!
After more than a hundred exchanges, Isshin's heart grew heavy. And its combat style... it's using the Zanjutsu of a Shinigami. Just what the hell is this thing?!
Gurgle—
White swung its two black blades—sharp as Zanpakutō—relentlessly, making the fight increasingly difficult for Isshin.
"Hmph. Even with my spiritual power restricted to one-fifth by the limiter seal…"
Isshin's eyes hardened.
"Dealing with a monster like you is still more than enough!
Then let me end all your sins right here—Burn, Engetsu!"
As he spoke, crimson flames surged along the blade of his Zanpakutō. With a single forward swing, the searing heat forced White back dozens of meters.
"Hmph. This ends now!"
Isshin tightened his grip on his Zanpakutō and prepared to pursue, but before he could activate Shunpo—
A blade struck his back.
SPLURT!
Blood sprayed into the air.
Isshin endured the agony, quickly flashing aside before turning around and shouting:
"Who's there?!"
But the surroundings were deathly silent.
There wasn't a single figure in sight—as if that strike had come out of thin air…
That's impossible… That strike just now was clearly a Zanpakutō technique—so that's it. This whole thing is the work of a traitor from Soul Society!!
Shiba Isshin suddenly understood. Staring at the empty sky, he shouted:
"Who's hiding there?! Come out and face me!!"
"Oh my, looks like he's realized that the attack just now wasn't from a Hollow." Gin Ichimaru said with a cheerful grin.
Because they were wearing Reiatsu-concealing cloak and reinforced by Kidō, their bodies blended perfectly into the night sky—it was utterly impossible for Shiba Isshin to see them.
"Perhaps." Aizen sheathed his Zanpakutō, then turned to Tōsen Kaname. "Let's go back, Tōsen."
"Huh? Is that really okay?" Gin asked curiously. "You're just going to leave him here? Aren't you worried that White might get taken down?"
"The 10th Division captain's Bankai places an enormous burden on the body."
Aizen replied calmly.
"With the injuries he's sustained, activating Bankai is impossible."
"And besides—if it can't defeat a Shinigami in this condition…"
"Then it can only be considered a complete failure."
"…."
Tōsen Kaname was displeased with Aizen's reasoning, but he remained silent. Just as he turned to open a Senkaimon, Gin suddenly called out:
"Oh? Captain Aizen, it seems another interesting fellow has arrived."
"Hm… a Quincy?" Aizen's eyes lit up as he looked toward the approaching figure.
It was a school-uniformed girl with short orange hair parted to the side, sprinting forward using the Quincy-exclusive Hirenkyaku.
"An uncontrollable variable outside the plan has appeared. It should be eliminated."
Tōsen turned back, slowly drawing his Zanpakutō.
"Wait."
Aizen stopped him.
"Let's observe for now."
His gaze burned as he stared at the girl, a strange gleam flickering in his eyes.
Meanwhile, unable to use Bankai, Shiba Isshin could only maintain Shikai while fighting White despite his injuries. After fifty exchanges, he was gradually forced completely onto the defensive.
"Damn it—don't underestimate me!"
Isshin wiped the blood from his lips, then used it as fuel, transforming it into flames that wrapped around his Zanpakutō. He swung straight at White.
BOOM!
The raging flames formed a crescent-shaped wall of fire over ten meters long, slamming into White's body. Isshin then leapt down, seizing the opening and severing White's left arm!
"GURR!"
White kicked Isshin away in midair, then opened its gaping maw and lunged toward him, as if to tear him apart.
Whoosh!
At that moment, a bolt of light streaked through the air like lightning, forcibly driving White back and saving the wounded Isshin.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Several more light arrows followed, but White dodged them all at astonishing speed. It then let out a low growl toward the girl on the ground:
"Grrr…"
So fast!
Seeing her Heilig Pfeil narrowly avoided one after another, the girl couldn't help but gasp in shock.
"Grrr—"
Angered by the interference, White bent forward and charged straight at the orange-haired girl.
"If I can't read your movements…"
"Then try this!"
As White lunged toward her, the girl surprisingly put away her bow and extended her left hand toward it—as if welcoming a returning friend.
"You idiot! What are you doing?!" Isshin shouted urgently, enduring the pain from his wounds.
CHOMP!
White bit down on the girl's left hand.
At that very instant, the Quincy girl smiled faintly and raised her right index finger—
A short bow of condensed spiritual energy instantly formed in her hand. She aimed a spiritual arrow straight at White's forehead and whispered:
"Got you~. Piu~"