"Time doesn't heal anything, it just teaches us how to live with pain." — Itachi Uchiha.
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Aizen watched fascinated as Itachi released what looked like his Shikai's true form. He was watching it through an autonomous device because he knew he couldn't take any chances.
If anything from Itachi's fight with Kenpachi revealed anything then it was that no one knew the limits or nature of his abilities.
"Honshin – Truth-seeker. How ironic…" He didn't know how Itachi did it but he knew someone had managed to subvert his illusions. Even Kyōka Suigetsu said as much.
"Show it to me, Itachi. Show me the limit of a genius." He smiled to himself. These Hollows were the bait, the real tests were on their way.
…..
[World of the Living]
'How do you feel?' Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu's voices seemed to overlap as they spoke to him but he could still hear each one clearly.
"Like I'm not about to faint. And I don't have to worry about holding back." He looked at the incoming swarm of Hollows and held the shortened dual blade lazily to the side. "I wonder, what truth will this battle show me?"
He was never one to rely on expressive displays of power, but it was time for that to change.
Itachi of the Sharingan might have been a moniker he gained mainly for his expert use of the Sharingan and illusions, but that was about to change.
His robe blew with the wind and from its spluttering edges rose small wicks of black flames that flew and divided themselves until there were dozens of them surrounding him.
He could already see the offset of charging Ceros from the horde of Hollows but he disregarded it and focused only on what he was doing.
'Power and control. I've never lacked those but this is new territory.' Controlling Amaterasu was something he had never been able to do.
The flames trembled and started taking shape. With Truth-seeker, he could always subvert his control of Tsukuyomi for Amaterasu's flames than doing it himself and likewise he could use Amaterasu's raw power for Tsukuyomi.
'So that's why he said I should've used Truth-seeker instead.'
The flames cawed and crowed, turning into crows with red glowing eyes.
The tall Menos Grande released their Ceros and right at the same time Itachi released his crows of flames.
"Enton: Kagutsuchi." (Inferno Style: Flame Control.)
Along with his crows, Itachi's form scattered about and rushed at the Hollows who were suddenly confused at the surprising turn of events but not for long as they started screeching when the crows hit them on their face and set their bony mask on fire.
"I had no idea controlling Amaterasu could be this dangerous." Itachi muttered as his body slowly came together as he watched the black cloud that was slowly consuming all the Hollows.
'I could have done it with less power without this seal.' Amaterasu scoffed in extreme displeasure.
"We're not done yet. It seems our watchers are a lot more subtle than I thought." The bludgeoning spiritual pressure he could feel coming from below was slowly rising. "And still no notification from the Soul Society. I'm slowly doubting the capabilities of the Shinigami Divisions, especially the Twelfth and Kidō Division."
The ground below them crumbled and formed a small valley from which five strange Hollows appeared. Strange because he could sense both Hollow and Shinigami Reiatsu from them.
Seeing these chaotic amalgamations reminded him of a certain serpentine man whom he loathed more than anyone.
Twirling Truth-seeker around his fingers, Itachi analyzed the Hollows and frowned when he saw that the chaotic and neutral energy inside them were eating themselves up; burning it to an intense blaze as it were.
'You seem… triggered.' Amaterasu pointed out.
'We're finding out whoever is doing this and stopping them. Irrespective of the Shinigami rules.'
One of the crazed Hollows that felt even above the normal Adjuchas rushed at him, followed closely by the others, but Itachi kept staring at how their Reiatsu basically devoured itself. It felt wrong even looking at it.
The Hollow was moments before hitting him when the clouds on Itachi's robes seemed to move and all the Hollows stopped.
With no sensation of what direction to move in, the crazed Hollows who lacked simple rationality just stopped and presented themselves for Itachi to slice through their masks and watch them combust into flames.
'Knowing when to switch between power and control; even I can't say anything against it.' Amaterasu praised in an impressed tone.
...
Aizen watched with a serious expression on his face as he watched Itachi easily deal with the horde of Hollows and even the base experiments he had to set loose.
"Those flames. What are they?" This was no longer just passing interest, he really had to know.
Isshin Shiba and Head Captain Yamamoto were already dangerous in their own rights as Shinigami with flame-type Zanpakutō but there was a very stark difference between their flames and Itachi's.
Isshin's flames burned; Head Captain Yamamoto's was power itself, all-encompassing and all-consuming like the sun, a blade without equal.
Itachi's however wasn't as intense or consuming like Isshin's or Yamamoto's; instead it looked as if it swallowed and ate them. No flare, no conflagration – just erasing everything it wants.
"I see. You're not like the others then. Maybe the 1%, but that wouldn't mean anything in time."
…..
He waited for an hour in the World of the Living before he could contact the Soul Society and before he could even do that, he saw a Senkaimon open and out of it came Yoruichi and Soi Fon with a few Shinigami behind them.
"Itach–"
CLANG!
Everyone gasped as Itachi attacked Yoruichi out of nowhere and immediately went on their guard and surrounded the both of them.
"Explain Yoruichi." He said and pushed his blade against hers when she tried saying something with a smile on her face. "And choose your words carefully. My patience for your frivolities are currently non-existent."
"Would you believe me if I said I had no idea about that mission?"
BOOM!
Yoruichi was shot away as a silent Kidō was released through Itachi's blade and exploded in her face.
"3rd Seat Itachi. Cease your attack immediately. You're under arrest!" Soi Fon said with a grim look on her face but Itachi simply ignored her as his form shimmered away and appeared where Yoruichi was crawling out of the rubble she created.
"That bad huh?" She said but this time there was no smile on her face. She threw away her cloak and held her blade in front of her in case Itachi persisted in attacking.
"I didn't send anything. Not a mission or even an order for you, especially not one for rogues–" She gritted her teeth as Itachi's blade came down on hers and cracked the ground beneath them. This was a difference he never had!
She cursed as she saw another Senkaimon open up and out came Shinji and his Lieutenant, Aizen.
"Itachi listen; don't escalate this and just listen, please. I never sent that mission–"
"It came with your seal, Yoruichi." Itachi pressed on.
"Oya? How ya doing, Yoruichi? And 3rd Seat Itachi, mind stepping back? And reseal your Shikai while at it." Shinji greeted and ordered with a low smile.
Behind him, Aizen had already drawn his sword while looking reluctant and resolute.
"Itachi, please explain what is going on." He begged.
While all this happened around them, Yoruichi and Itachi's eyes never left the other.
"This is the second time."
"I know. It could have been someone from the Division." Yoruichi's eyes were both serious and furious at the statement she was forced to make and accept.
"That has access to your seal and the secrecy between you and Soi Fon? You shouldn't let me point out your incompetence again, Yoruichi."
By this time, all the Shinigami were surrounding them but Shinji stopped them from taking any action as a closer look showed that Yoruichi knew what was happening and was accepting of the altercation happening. Hell, he'd even go and say she looked a bit guilty and hellishly furious.
This was a look he hadn't seen in her since the last war.
"You're going overboard with your words, Itachi." She said with more bite in her tone that she would've liked, but she couldn't as he just put her competency in question.
And for the first time since meeting Itachi, Yoruichi and Soi Fon saw genuine anger in his eyes.
Raw genuine anger that seemed no different from pure hatred, buried deep within his soul.
Lightning came alive in his other hand but soon turned black as Amaterasu responded to his feelings and surged even higher.
Yoruichi's eyes focused keenly on the black lightning on Itachi's hands, her instincts warning her against the attack.
"Someone from the Gotei 13 is changing Shinigami to Hollows and you think my words are harsh?" Another Itachi said as he brought over a body and threw it at Shinji's feet.
"We'll have to take this back to examine it to verify your words and you'll have to come with us." Shinji said seriously as he stared at the half-destroyed corpse.
The two people at odds said nothing in reply to Shinji and just looked at the other to see who would budge.
"Get Unohana here, Shinji." Yoruichi said, surprising not only Shinji but the other Shinigami around.
"Yoruichi what are you–"
"Get Unohana here, and if possible get Tessai too." Not just the best healer in Soul Society but also the Kidō Corps' Grand Chief, Shinji understood immediately.
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