[Reflections of Corrosion]
[The Battle Begins]
The battlefield was alive with the hum of spiritual pressure, crackling like an untamed storm. Shadows danced wildly across the uneven terrain as Aarowan faced the Soul Reapers with his usual air of controlled chaos. His eyes gleamed with sharp amusement, his smirk unyielding as Ichigo stepped forward, gripping Zangetsu tightly.
"You will see your maker," Ichigo growled, his voice a tempest of rage.
Without hesitation, the battle began. Suì-Fēng and Ichigo lunged simultaneously, their movements synchronized in a barrage of strikes aimed at Aarowan. Kokutō hesitated, his chains trembling slightly as if mirroring the conflict within him.
Aarowan's pupils shifted, locking onto Kokutō even as he parried the incoming blades with precision. "Cur non discis? Why waste the opportunity to learn?" he asked, his tone playful yet edged with menace.
Kokutō's response was immediate, laced with anger. "You know as well as I do," he snapped, his voice shaking.
Aarowan's smirk deepened. "Ah, but you agreed to follow through with this, discipulus. Have you forgotten? I promised to leave Kurosaki's family untouched, not him. Besides, I'm exercising the summum care for his life. His participation aids in your education—even if unknowingly."
"Shut up!" Ichigo bellowed, releasing a powerful Getsuga Tenshō that surged toward Aarowan with ferocious energy.
[The Dome of Reflection]
Just as the attack neared, Aarowan's voice cut through the chaos, steady and commanding: "Let us corrode, Han'ei no Jigoku, 'Kyōzō Shihai.'"
In an instant, a mirrored dome rose around Aarowan, Ichigo, and Suì-Fēng, its surface shimmering like liquid glass. Ichigo's Getsuga Tenshō collided with a mirrored counterpart of itself, the explosion scattering light and energy but leaving all three combatants unharmed—merely repositioned.
"What is this?" Suì-Fēng demanded, her voice tight with frustration.
Aarowan launched himself forward, his movements impossibly fluid. Ichigo's eyes widened as Aarowan used a technique resembling Bringer Light. The flicker of green beneath his feet was eerily similar to Fullbringer abilities, yet there was something more—an unmistakable flash of Sonído.
"He's mixing techniques," Ichigo muttered, adjusting his stance. "This isn't just Fullbringer power. What is he?"
Before Ichigo could react further, Aarowan appeared above him, his glass blade striking down. The clash was sudden, violent—but instead of the usual sparks and resistance, Aarowan's Zanpakutō shattered on contact.
As shards of glass spiraled in midair, each fragment displayed a different reflection. Some showed monstrous creatures, others human figures. But one shard caught Ichigo's attention—a swirling black cloud that seemed alive, its presence radiating a foreboding energy.
Aarowan stepped back, his smirk faltering for the first time. "Did you see it?" he asked, his voice quieter, almost introspective.
[Kokutō's Conflict]
While the battle raged, Kokutō's chains clinked with each hesitant movement. His gaze darted between Aarowan and the Soul Reapers, uncertainty clouding his expression.
Shūhei Hisagi's voice rang out, cutting through the tension. "Answer me, sinner. What's going on here?"
Yumichika Ayasegawa added, his tone sharp, "And that Zanpakutō—how does your friend have one? We've never seen or heard of him before. Speak!"
Kokutō raised his hands defensively, his chains trembling more intensely now. "Hey, hey, hey! Hold up!" he stammered. "I know him as well as you do. It's only been a few days since he freed me from my prison."
"What?" Yumichika's voice dripped with suspicion. "He released you? What does that even mean?"
"I'm not lying!" Kokutō protested, his voice cracking under the weight of their scrutiny. "The guy picked me up, started mumbling these odd numbers—something about time. I don't understand it, okay? I have no idea what he's planning!"
Akon, who had remained silent until now, stepped forward, his Reishi analyzer humming faintly. "Speak now, sinner. There's more of us than you can handle. Don't test your luck."
"I'm telling you the truth!" Kokutō snapped, his voice tinged with desperation. "He's the one who freed me, but that's all I know. I swear!"
[Aarowan's Strategy]
As the fragmented glass of Aarowan's Zanpakutō reformed into its original state, he turned to Kokutō, his expression unreadable. "Discipulus meus, do you feel it yet?"
Kokutō shook his head, frustration etched across his face. "Feel what?"
"The weight of their hatred," Aarowan replied, his voice soft yet cutting. "Each attack, each glare—they carry the weight of judgment. Vestrae catenae, your chains, they thrive on it. Embrace it, and perhaps you'll awaken."
Kokutō's chains rattled violently, as if responding to Aarowan's words. The Reapers exchanged uneasy glances, their weapons still drawn.
Suì-Fēng stepped forward, her eyes blazing. "Enough. If you intend to harm the World of the Living, we'll end this now."
Aarowan chuckled, his smirk returning. "Tenta me, Capitane Suì-Fēng. Try me. But know this: any attack on me is an attack on my discipulus. Are you prepared for that consequence?"
The Reapers hesitated, the tension thick enough to cut with a blade. Kokutō's grip on the ordinary sword Aarowan had given him tightened, the chains around his arms rattling like a warning bell.
"Let us continue," Aarowan said, raising his Zanpakutō once more. "Show me what you're truly capable of, Reapers."
==========
The battlefield descended into chaos once again, the clash of blades and the roar of spiritual energy reverberating through the First Circle. The mirrored dome shimmered, reflecting not just the combatants but their fears and doubts—a battlefield where the stakes extended far beyond victory or defeat.