Chapitre 169: Aizen's Scheme (1)

"It seems the Hōgyoku in my possession is incomplete..." Aizen thought, tucking away the blue, luminescent crystal. He turned, and Tōsen, anticipating his leader's next move, drew his Zanpakutō, poised to strike down the recently Hollowfied Shinigami who had lost all reason.

"Hadō #4: Byakurai!"

A cold, sharp voice echoed from above, followed by a bolt of lightning that struck Tōsen's Zanpakutō with pinpoint accuracy.

Boom!

The force of the Byakurai sent Tōsen's Zanpakutō flying, sparing the Hollowfied Shinigami from an untimely demise.

"Roar..."

The Hollow, now devoid of reason, seemed to sense its brush with death. It let out a ferocious howl and lunged at Tōsen, its hands transformed into razor-sharp claws by the Hollowfication process.

"Shhh!"

Despite the significant power boost granted by Hollowfication, it was still no match for a captain-class Shinigami. Tōsen effortlessly dodged the Hollow's attack with a Shunpo, retrieving his fallen Zanpakutō.

Aizen and Gin looked up to see Ailin hovering in the air above them.

"Oh dear, Captain Aizen, it seems we've been discovered again," Gin remarked playfully.

"What an unexpected guest, Captain Ailin of the Eleventh Division," Aizen greeted with a composed smile.

"Aizen, Tōsen, Gin, and..." Ailin's gaze swept over the three figures before settling on the Hollowfied Shinigami. "...a Hollowfied Shinigami."

"It appears what Kisuke Urahara claimed during his trial before the Central 46 was true after all. You've been conducting Hollowfication experiments, haven't you, Captain Aizen?"

"Oh my, Captain Ailin, whatever do you mean?" Aizen countered, unfazed by the accusation. "I merely came out for a stroll and happened upon this Hollowfied Shinigami. Naturally, I intended to apprehend it for investigation.

As for you, Captain Ailin, I thought you preferred to remain at the Kuchiki Manor. Why are you here at this hour? And why would you interfere with our attempt to capture this Hollowfied Shinigami?"

Caught red-handed, Aizen remained composed, even audaciously turning the tables on Ailin. "Could it be, Captain Ailin, that you've been the one conducting Hollowfication experiments all these years?"

"Oh? Aizen, are you trying to pull the same trick you used on Kisuke Urahara decades ago?" Ailin chuckled, raising an eyebrow. "I think you've misunderstood something. The reason you managed to frame Kisuke Urahara was because he lacked the strength to detain you. But do you believe you can escape me as easily as you did him?"

With those words, Ailin extended his left hand, red reiatsu gathering in his palm.

"Hadō #31: Shakkahō!"

Boom!

A crimson fireball shot from Ailin's hand, striking Tōsen, who had attempted a sneak attack to eliminate the Hollowfied Shinigami.

"Bakudō #63: Sajō Sabaku!" Ailin chanted, and golden chains materialized from thin air, binding the Hollowfied Shinigami to prevent its escape to Hueco Mundo during the ensuing chaos.

Boom!

Tōsen, his reiatsu flaring, burst forth from the Shakkahō's impact, his body bearing the scorch marks of the attack.

Even a simple Hadō #31, when unleashed by Ailin, possessed far greater power than usual. Tōsen escaping with only minor burns was a testament to his own strength.

"Forgive me, Lord Aizen. I failed," Tōsen bowed his head, returning to Aizen's side.

"No, Tōsen, Captain Ailin is known as the strongest Shinigami, 'Kenpachi.' Your inability to eliminate that Hollow is hardly surprising. However, this confirms that the Hollowfied Shinigami is Captain Ailin's creation. Otherwise, he wouldn't have gone to such lengths to protect it."

"Heh..." Ailin chuckled at Aizen's words.

"Aizen, even now, you continue to play your charade before me. However, as it happens, I'm not in the best of moods. So, let's play along for a while..."

Golden ripples of spatial distortion appeared behind Ailin, thirty-two in total, each revealing the tip of a sword.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh...

In an instant, the thirty-two Zanpakutō transformed into streaks of golden lightning, hurtling towards Aizen and his companions.

Five aimed for Tōsen, seven for Gin, and the remaining twenty locked onto Aizen.

Gin reacted the quickest. As Ailin's former student, he had experienced countless assaults from Ailin's Gate of Babylon during his training.

Boom, boom, boom...

Gin's figure flickered with Shunpo, narrowly evading each golden streak as it struck the ground where he had just stood, leaving behind craters and echoing booms.

Meanwhile, Tōsen chanted softly, calling upon his Zanpakutō.

"Cry, Suzumushi!"

Buzz!

A sonic wave emanated from Tōsen's released Zanpakutō. However, the five golden streaks tore through the sound waves effortlessly, continuing their relentless advance towards Tōsen.

"Suzumushi Nishiki: Benihikō!"

Tōsen swiftly drew a circle with his Zanpakutō. Countless Suzumushi blades materialized along the path he traced, forming a torrent of white as he swung his blade, sending the blades towards the five incoming streaks.

Clang, clang, clang...

Sparks flew as the white torrent clashed with the golden streaks. However, to Tōsen's dismay, his Shikai attack barely hindered their progress.

The golden streaks pierced through the torrent of blades like a force of nature, leaving Tōsen staring in horror as they pierced through his body.

Boom!

Five deafening explosions erupted from the mountain behind Tōsen, obliterating a small peak. Tōsen, his body riddled with five gaping holes, collapsed to the ground.

"Bakudō #81: Dankū!" Aizen chanted, facing the onslaught of golden streaks.

A golden barrier materialized before him, acting as the first line of defense against the incoming Zanpakutō.

The golden streaks bombarded the Dankū, their power causing Aizen's expression to shift slightly. Each impact created cracks in the barrier.

At this rate, his Dankū wouldn't hold against the relentless assault. Aizen swiftly drew his own Zanpakutō.

Boom!

The Dankū finally shattered, and the Zanpakutō, with their golden streaks, descended upon Aizen.

Clang, clang, clang...

Aizen parried each Zanpakutō with his own blade, deflecting them into the ground around him.

Explosions rocked the mountainside, flames erupting from the impact sites. The side of the mountain where Aizen and his companions had stood was now reduced to rubble.

Aizen glanced at the fallen Tōsen and then at Gin, who had drawn his Zanpakutō but remained unharmed. His expression remained unreadable.

"Shoot to Kill – Shinsō!"

Swoosh!

With a whisper, Gin's Zanpakutō extended rapidly, its tip aimed at Ailin.

Clang!

Ailin raised his left hand, catching the elongated Shinsō between his index and middle fingers.

Screech...

Ailin remained unmoving, but Gin was forced back by the force of his extending Zanpakutō, his feet digging deep furrows into the ground until he finally stopped the blade's extension.

"Gin, it seems you've grown complacent since leaving my side," Ailin commented, sensing the restraint in Gin's attack.

However, he wasn't here to play the role of Gin's understanding teacher.

"And what gave you the illusion that the extension speed of your Shikai, Shinsō, could even scratch me?"

Blue lightning crackled around Ailin's fingers, which still held Shinsō's blade.

"Hadō #11: Tsuzuri Raiden!"

Crackle! Boom!

The blue lightning surged along Shinsō's blade, racing towards Gin. Gin's reiatsu flared as he placed his left hand on the blade of his Zanpakutō.

Pop!

The blue lightning reached Gin's hand, colliding with his reiatsu and instantly dissipating like a burst bubble.

"Oh? Hanten Sōkō..."

"I take back what I said earlier, Gin. To be able to counter my Kidō with Hanten Sōkō, you've grown considerably."

"Not at all. It's simply because I spent so much time with you, Teacher, that I'm familiar with your Kidō habits," Gin replied, retracting his Zanpakutō to its normal form.

"Whether it's due to your understanding of me or your own improved Kidō skills, the fact that you dared to use Hanten Sōkō against my Kidō is commendable," Ailin acknowledged. "However, Gin, I recall telling you on the very first day of your training... When you point your blade at an enemy, you must be prepared to kill them, and be prepared to be killed!"