Time passed bit by bit, and it had been some time since Ren and Yueyue's spring outing. The new issue of the manga was officially released.
Nighttime
A new chapter of Bleach:
After Ishida and Chad defeated the Arrancar who came to stop them, the underground passage began to collapse. The three of them finally saw Aizen's palace, Las Noches.
Aizen and his men could see the three approaching intruders on a screen. However, Aizen remained calm. After punishing Grimmjow for disobeying orders, he slowly stood up and addressed everyone with a serene demeanor: "Espada, as you can see, the enemy has three people. We can't be careless, but there's no need to panic. Go back to your rooms and act as usual. Don't be arrogant, don't be impatient. Just sit on your chairs and wait. Don't be afraid. No matter what happens, as long as you advance with me, then…"
"Before us, there are no enemies!"
"Wow, that was intense!"
Daniel put down the manga, exhaling slowly.
His mind kept replaying Aizen's words during the Espada meeting: "Before us, there are no enemies."
He had to admit, he initially misjudged this work. When he first started reading Bleach, he thought it was just another typical action manga. But since Aizen appeared as the main antagonist, Daniel found himself reading for Aizen.
Unlike the villains in Fullmetal Alchemist, whom readers liked because of their well-rounded character development and eventual redemption, Aizen was different. Readers liked Aizen for his overwhelming power and sharp tongue. His ability to remain calm and confident made him a captivating character.
In Hueco Mundo, his line "Sitting upon the heavens" seemed like the peak of his character, but his kingly demeanor and depth were further developed. His speech during the Espada meeting had become another iconic line.
"Ren truly is a master of crafting impressive characters," Daniel sighed.
This wasn't just true for Bleach. Naruto had also become more exciting. The story had reached the Chunin Exams, where the battles were masterfully depicted, reminiscent of the fights in Fullmetal Alchemist.
These battles weren't about sheer power differences but involved luck, skill, strategy, and conviction.
Take the Chunin Exams, for example. The match between Naruto and Neji stood out. After what Neji did to Hinata, Naruto was determined to defeat him. Despite being labeled as the class's dead last and having Jiraiya's guidance, Naruto still struggled. Neji even sealed Naruto's chakra points, making him temporarily unable to use chakra.
But then, Naruto had an unexpected outburst of strange chakra, giving him strength. In a typical shonen manga, this might lead to Naruto overpowering Neji. However, Ren didn't follow that trope. Though Naruto initially gained the upper hand, Ren made the journey more complex.
Especially when Naruto used shadow clones to trick Neji and emerged from the ground to land an uppercut, the feeling was exhilarating.
Daniel couldn't help but cheer. "Finally, that arrogant Neji got what he deserved!"
"The caged bird... if it's smart enough, it can peck the cage open... because it dreams of flying freely again."
This battle wasn't just about Naruto's newfound power. It also involved his tactics and unwavering determination.
While many initially disliked Ren's depiction of ninjas from Sakura Country, they couldn't deny the manga was getting more thrilling.
But that wasn't all for this issue of Ren's work!
"Next up is this one, right?"
Daniel, savoring the manga he had just read, picked up the new issue of Attack on Titan.
In this chapter:
Annie wakes from her slumber and, along with other members of the Military Police, receives orders to escort the Survey Corps back to the capital. The corrupt higher-ups of the Military Police hand the task over to the new recruits.
While carrying out the mission, Armin secretly approaches Annie, asking for her help in aiding Eren's escape during the escort.
Armin claims that the higher-ups want to kill Eren, which is why he sought Annie's help.
Reading this, Daniel felt something was off. He suspected either Armin or Annie might be the Female Titan. If Eren had suspected Annie, wouldn't he have told the others?
Curious, Daniel read on.
Annie, though doubtful, agrees. But as they reach the narrow, dark underground tunnel, she stops, seeing through Armin's plan.
When confronted by Eren and Armin, she crosses her arms and smiles eerily:
"I can't go down there. I... I couldn't become a warrior. Armin, it seems I'm a good person to you, which is nice. You win this time. But what I'm betting on is what happens next!"
At this moment, many readers began to comment.
"Wow, Mikasa was so cool! Especially that sword-drawing scene. No wonder she's my wife!"
"Hah, you wish! If Mikasa wasn't lying here with me, I might believe you."
"Upstairs, your wife is awesome."
"Whoa, Daniel was right! Annie really is the Female Titan!"
"But I feel like Annie has a secret. Considering she spared Armin before, she doesn't seem like the type who enjoys killing people."
"I agree. Ren must have more to reveal. I'm really looking forward to the next chapters now."
At this moment, many readers sided with Annie. People are visual creatures, and Annie's cold, elegant appearance won her many fans, making her one of the few female characters readers liked besides Mikasa.
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