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Hearing Aizen's voice, the expression on Shukaku's face grew even more ferocious. It stared intently at Aizen, drool dripping from its gaping maw, as if it couldn't wait to tear him apart and devour him.
"I won't forget your scent, you bastard. The humiliation you inflicted on me back then... Today, you'll pay for it with your life!"
Shukaku glared at Aizen, its voice a low, furious growl.
Without waiting for Aizen to respond, Shukaku acted immediately. Its rage consumed every part of its being; it couldn't wait any longer.
Whoosh!
With a fierce gust of wind, Shukaku brought its massive hand crashing down with a piercing roar!
Faced with this sudden assault, the members of Las Noches tensed up, their hands moving into action. Yet, Aizen's face remained calm, a faint smile never leaving his lips, showing not the slightest hint of panic.
"Eight Trigrams. Disordered Wave Palm!"
"Mokuton. Adamantine Wood!"
"Art of the Puppet Master: Performance of a Hundred Puppets!!"
Boom!
With a deafening explosion, Shukaku's dust-covered arm was abruptly halted in mid-air, as if blocked by something.
From a distance, the Konoha shinobi hiding in the shadows widened their eyes at the scene unfolding before them, muttering under their breath.
"Is that..."
In the air, a giant wooden trunk, as thick as Shukaku's arm, emerged from the ground, rapidly growing in size and blocking Shukaku's blow. Next to the massive tree, countless floating puppets hovered silently in the sky, casting a dark shadow over the scene, the sight utterly shocking and beneath Shukaku's arm, Aizen stood calmly, a faint smile gracing his face.
Crack! Crack!
Nawaki's expression grew tense as his fingers clenched tightly together.
The giant tree, which had been holding Shukaku's arm at bay, suddenly surged upwards in growth. Shukaku's expression darkened as it struggled to suppress the tree's expansion.
At that moment, a magnetic voice echoed through the battlefield.
"Saki, Nawaki, Sasori—stand down. There's no need to waste more energy on this creature."
Hearing Aizen's command, the three respectfully lowered their arms, ceasing their attacks. The puppets floating in the air slowly dissipated, and the thick wooden trunk, deprived of Nawaki's power, was quickly crushed by Shukaku.
Shukaku's face, which had been grim moments earlier, now showed excitement as it roared.
"You bastard, die!"
Without hesitation, Shukaku swung its massive claw, coated in swirling sand, down toward Aizen once more.
Boom!
The massive beast's paw slammed into the ground with an earth-shaking impact, sending shockwaves and clouds of dust billowing in all directions.
Seeing that its attack had hit its mark, a cruel grin spread across Shukaku's beastly face as it sneered.
"Haha, so this little bug finally got what was coming to him. I bet there's not even a trace of him left!"
Finished with its taunts, Shukaku's needle-thin, yellow eyes shifted toward the rest of the Las Noches group, its tone mocking.
"Since that pest is gone, I guess it's your turn next! You're with that little bug, aren't you?"
Despite Shukaku's words, the members of Las Noches remained calm, their expressions showing no concern whatsoever.
Baraggan, with the demeanor of a powerful elder, glanced dismissively at the massive Shukaku and scoffed.
"So this is the tailed beast our leader is so concerned about? This brainless creature probably isn't even as smart as a Gillian. Is it really that important?"
Hearing Baraggan's words, Ulquiorra's emerald eyes calmly rose to meet Shukaku's, his voice emotionless.
"Don't underestimate it. Even if its intelligence seems low, that only emphasizes the immense power it wields."
He studied Shukaku for a moment before adding in a calm tone.
"The body we see before us is merely a construct of its abilities. Most tailed beasts are now sealed inside their Jinchūriki."
"The one in front of us has only managed to escape with a portion of its power."
Baraggan's eyes narrowed at Ulquiorra's explanation, and he looked at Shukaku once more, this time with a glimmer of excitement in his gaze.
Just as Shukaku was about to launch another attack on the Las Noches members, a soft laugh echoed in its ear.
"You're still the same, no sign of improvement at all."
Hearing the voice, Shukaku's expression changed abruptly. It whipped its head around, staring fiercely at the source of the voice.
Behind its head, Aizen stood calmly in midair, his hands in his pockets, his expression relaxed and unconcerned.
"You little bug, how did you avoid that strike?!"
Aizen's smile widened slightly, his eyes flashing as he looked at Shukaku.
"Shukaku, is this how you thank the one who freed you?"
Shukaku froze, its beastly voice growling.
"What does my escape have to do with you, you worm!?"
Aizen waved his hand dismissively, laughing softly.
"Your release was part of a plan I arranged with the Sand Village. While the Sand and Stone villages kept Konoha's main forces occupied, you were supposed to wreak havoc on Konoha."
Hearing Aizen's words, Shukaku's beastly eyes narrowed. Its face twisted with rage, not joy, as it roared.
"So I was just a tool for you, you worm?!"
"Damn you!"
With that, Shukaku puffed up its chest and slammed a paw down on its rear.
"Wind Release: Drilling Air Bullet!"
Before Aizen could respond, a barrage of powerful wind spheres hurtled toward his position.
The wind bullets tore through the air and passed through Aizen's body, slamming into nearby buildings and causing another wave of destruction.
As a cruel, human-like smile appeared on Shukaku's face once more, the magnetic voice echoed again.
"What a stubborn beast. No matter how many times I explain it, it seems you're incapable of listening."
This time, the voice was noticeably colder.
Seeing Aizen reappear behind its head, Shukaku's eyes widened in disbelief.
"How could you avoid my attacks again?!"
Aizen, uninterested in responding, formed a hand seal and calmly lifted one of his pale fingers, pointing it toward Shukaku.
"Boil Release: Boiling Amber."
As his words fell, a greenish liquid droplet began to form at the tip of his finger.
Whoosh!
In the next moment, the droplet shot toward Shukaku with incredible speed.
Aizen's gaze remained calm, unaffected by the unfolding events.