"Found you, Kuchiki Koga…"
Koga's expression froze for a moment. His body instinctively used Shunpo, widening the distance between himself and the voice. His eyes darted behind him.
The figure wore a modest smile beneath black-rimmed glasses, clad in the standard, unremarkable Shinigami uniform. The only distinctive feature was the armband on his shoulder, denoting him as the Vice-captain of the Fifth Division.
Aizen, calm and composed, made no move to stop Koga's retreat. Instead, he adjusted his glasses and remarked,
"Feeling threatened, you retreat instinctively. A proud exterior, masking a cowardly heart. What a pitiful man."
"Fifth Division Vice-captain, Aizen Sosuke!"
Upon recognizing his pursuer, the initial shock on Koga's face eased significantly.
"Just a Vice-captain?"
However, his gaze soon shifted to another figure who appeared a moment later, slightly behind Aizen. A familiar grin played on the newcomer's lips.
"Oh, and a so-called genius Third Seat as well?"
Gin spoke with his eyes half-closed, his tone as light as a breeze.
"Ah, Kuchiki Koga. Compliments like that won't do you any good. Shouldn't you be thinking about running away instead?"
Gin's words, tinged with mischief, seemed both like a taunt to Koga and a veiled hint—a subtle suggestion to cause greater chaos that might draw the attention of the Seireitei.
Aizen only smiled faintly, his demeanor unaffected.
As Muramasa returned to Koga's side, Koga's expression grew haughty. With a sneer, he declared,
"Run away? Against a mere Vice-captain and a Third Seat? Don't make me laugh."
Aizen's response to the mockery was a gentle smile as he murmured,
"A frog in a well can never comprehend the vastness of the ocean, forever mistaking the sky above for its limits…"
Before Koga could fully grasp the meaning of Aizen's words, his vision blurred. A gust of wind seemed to pass by, followed by a sudden, sharp pain in his chest.
"Splurt!"
Blood spattered from Koga's chest. A calm, measured voice echoed behind him,
"Don't you agree, Kuchiki Koga?"
What?!
Koga clutched his chest in disbelief, his gaze shifting with difficulty towards the figure standing behind him—a figure still appearing as plain and unassuming as ever.
A mere Vice-captain?
How could his Shunpo be this fast?!
Agonizing pain surged through his body, draining Koga of most of his strength. His once-proud stance faltered, and he collapsed to one knee, gasping for air.
Muramasa, a Zanpakuto spirit possessing Captain-level strength, stood frozen in shock. He stared at the kneeling Koga and at Aizen, who hadn't even unsheathed his sword.
No—he hadn't drawn his blade at all!
Muramasa's gaze fell on Aizen's hand, where a single finger dripped with steaming blood.
A finger strike… He had pierced Koga's chest with just a finger.
The sheer physical power and control of his spiritual energy required to execute such a technique left Muramasa stunned, wary, and… afraid.
Aizen's calm demeanor remained unchanged as he spoke,
"As a Zanpakuto not wielded directly by its master, this hesitation is a wise choice."
Without sparing Muramasa a glance, Aizen turned his focus back to Koga, who was half-kneeling before him. His tone was gentle but firm,
"Now that your self-deluded world has been shattered, I expect you'll answer my questions more seriously."
Watching Aizen's complete command of the situation, Gin's grin faltered ever so slightly. A shadow of unease crept into his expression.
Despite Koga's evident inability to resist Aizen, Gin was keenly aware of the dangerous potential of Koga's Zanpakuto ability, which posed a unique threat to Shinigami.
I can't let Aizen achieve his goal…
Gin's narrowed eyes flicked toward a nearby Gillian, its towering figure looming close to Aizen.
"Shoot to kill, Shinso!"
A flash of white light streaked through the air, Gin's Zanpakuto extending at incredible speed to pierce the Gillian's mask. In the next instant, his blade sliced cleanly, splitting the massive creature in two.
Aizen glanced at Gin, his expression mildly curious.
"Ah, I couldn't let a mere Gillian interfere with you, Vice-captain Aizen," Gin said with his usual grin.
Aizen nodded, his tone light.
"Commendable, Gin."
Then, turning his attention back to Koga, Aizen posed a question that took even Gin by surprise.
"So, Kuchiki Koga, where is Vice-captain Senju?"
What?!
Gin's mind reeled. Shouldn't Aizen's priority be uncovering Muramasa's abilities or coercing the Zanpakuto spirit into research for its materialization techniques?
But his first question was about Makoto's whereabouts?
Koga's expression shifted. The panic faded, replaced by a calm resolve. Slowly rising, clutching his chest wound, he answered,
"Senju Makoto? That man… I've sealed him away. If anything happens to me, no one will ever uncover his location."
Aizen adjusted his glasses with a faint smile,
"After interacting with you briefly… I must say, it's disappointing yet expected. A man of your caliber lacks the ability to coerce or seal someone like Makoto."
"Perhaps Makoto saw something intriguing in you, enough to indulge a passing whim. Or perhaps he had some unknown purpose in mind. Either way, Kuchiki Koga, your name holds no weight when it comes to threatening Makoto."
Aizen's factual tone stung deeper than any insult, and Koga's face twisted with humiliation.
"You're just a Vice-captain—faster Shunpo is all you've got! How dare you act so arrogantly!"
After a moment, Koga's voice grew darker.
"It seems the Seireitei has ignored my warnings. Very well. Prepare for my retribution—and for Senju Makoto's corpse to be your reward!"
*(TL/N - Mc's Bankai will appear in 50 chapters)
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