Kyouraku almost couldn't keep up and he had no choice but to respond when he met the gaze of the red-haired young woman, "Oh, it's the flashy guy."
"...It's you?"
Naturally, Soifon reacted to him and asked, "You know her?"
Mayuri was also curious about the girl who looked like the infamous twins of the 2nd Division, 'Their older sister? But something is weird.' Though, despite this curiosity, he wanted to know more about how she introduced herself, "You're the one who's going to bust down their gate?" Mayuri found that unbelievable since even someone like Yhwach and Aizen couldn't do it without relying on the Oken.
"What tricks are you going to use?"
The black-haired woman, Benihime, looked at Flanna and the latter also looked at her.
A second later, Benihime grinned and crossed her arms, "Tricks? She's the last person who'd have tricks up her sleeves. She's too stupid to pull off anything complicated."
"Beni!? What are you saying!?" Flanna immediately complained while jumping down from the wooden railings, "That's rude! I can be tricky if I want to be!"
Benihime's smile disappeared and she sharply stared at Flanna, "Oh? Why didn't you help out with the planning? Everytime I hear about you, you're just lazing around. Even Ophis and Lilith are working hard to acquire more skills and friends."
Flanna immediately became nervous and avoided her gaze, "Well, you know... I've been busy in the west! Yes! The boss asked me to do something as insurance! On the planning part, Boss can do all of that by himself well enough. No need for me to interfere."
"Hmmm..." But Benihime just stared at her with suspicion.
"Really! I promi--"
"Enough!", however, Flanna's voice was drowned out by the impatient Mayuri, "Benihime, are you just going to bicker with her instead of presenting a valid method?"
Kyouraku, Nanao, Soifon, and Shinji all muttered to themselves, "Benihime?"
But Benihime just ignored them and replied, "That's a valid method, though? As she has said, she's the battering ram."
With a fed-up expression, Mayuri said back, "You're still not yet done with this joke?"
Flanna, on the other hand, walked towards the center of the room while saying, "It's all just flimsy films. I'm enough to tear that down."
Mayuri turned to her, "Those flimsy films have protected the Royal Palace for countless years. Unless you're capable of destructive power several times stronger than Sosuke Aizen, then stop talking nonsense."
The nervous Flanna has already disappeared and was replaced by a confident one with a fearless smile, "I don't know how strong that guy is, but I can confidently say that I'm fucking strong."
Mayuri turned to Benihime with doubt but he only saw the latter already smiling back, "Ah, that I can guarantee. She wasn't called the Apocalypse Dragon for nothing. She's indeed fucking strong."
"Huh?" Mayuri questioned her sanity but at the same time, the air around them suddenly became almost solid and it took incredible effort just to breathe in and out.
Mayuri and everyone else's hearts started palpitating as a genuine fear for their lives took hold of their minds.
Not knowing what happened, their eyes landed on the most likely culprit. Without them noticing, there's already a pair of red reptilian wings and a red tail sticking out of her back. And on his forehead is a singular long sharp red horn.
"It's been a while since I've properly stretched my limbs," Flanna muttered to herself as the Draconic Aura inside her exploded out, immediately placing the whole Seireitei under her influence.
"T-this feeling..." Nanao clutched her chest which was in pain but she, like the others, was very familiar with this feeling, although this time it was much stronger and closer. It's something they wouldn't be able to forget even if they wanted to, "...It's that strange pressure more than a year ago."
Mayuri instantly retreated to Kyoraku, Nanao, Soifon, and Shinji's side while the first one deployed a defensive Kidou that was embedded in the barracks itself.
"Beni, barriers, please. I can't adjust my power as I wanted."
Without saying anything, Benihime waved her arm and multiple Magic Circles appeared and surrounded Flanna in a cylindrical manner.
"Thanks." Flanna spread her legs and placed her tail on the floor to have a better balance. She then took a deep breath and looked up. A second later, a red glittering light fanned out of her before a red shining pillar pierced through the roofs of the 1st Division Barracks, lighting up the whole Seireitei and a portion of the surrounding Rukongai district with distinct red tints.
The Captains and Nanao could only stare at the giant pillar of light that was ejected from the young lady's mouth and they only had one thought as it transpired, 'If that was directed at the Seireitei, nothing of it would be left behind.'
.
.
.
"Hmmm... Dear me… You just had to make it harder for all of us." Ichibei remarked while stroking his beard, "I really do wonder how you pulled them to your side, especially Nimaiya. I still couldn't imagine any reason why he would help you."
"Really? No idea at all? I overestimated you then." Kisuke replied with a deriding smirk.
Of course, Ichibei and Kisuke knew that the former was lying. Ichibei knew Ouetsu's personality and was the only person who knew how he really sees the world. After all, Ouetsu was the very first member of the Zero Division outside of Ichibei and the one who forged his brush.
"And? What else do you have in store?" Ichibei suddenly changed the topic, "You better show it now if you still want to struggle. Though the outcome would be the same."
Kisuke sighed and closed his eyes, 'As expected... He was forced to make a move.'
[Is it our turn?] Ophis' voice suddenly appeared in his head.
"..." Kisuke didn't immediately reply and when he did, he could only say, 'I'm sorry.'
[There's nothing for you to apologize for. We're just doing our part.]
'I didn't really want to take advantage of you, but I still brought you guys as insurance.'
[We'll take a year's supply of banana cakes as payment.]
Kisuke could only smile wryly, 'Alright. I'll throw in some banana chips, banana juice, and banana candy as a bonus too.'
[We're looking forward to it. I'll also tell Red to get things ready.]
'Thanks.' Kisuke opened his eyes back up and looked at Ichibei who immediately said, "Done talking?"
"Oh. You noticed?"
"There are hardly any things that could hide from me now that I'm here in person."
Kisuke smirked and pointed beside him, "Then they must be two of those things. Good to know."
Ichibei didn't even have time to turn around when a black mass hit him from the side and immediately pulverized his arm and leg as he was sent flying a few kilometers away.
Kisuke turned to the two 'Shinigami' that attacked Ichibei and said, "I'll leave it to you guys. Be careful."
Ophis and Lilith, in response, just gave him a peace sign.
Forcefully opening up the space, Kisuke left Hell.