Bleach: Awakened — Chapter 100 - The Decisive Battle Begins
"Mm-hmm, yes, yes." Lisa Yadomaru pushed up her glasses and said dismissively, "That's right, that's right."
"Hey! Lisa, you're being way too dismissive!"
"Heh."
"Tch!"
"Aizen..."
After the Visored made their entrance, every one of them turned toward Aizen, especially Hiyori, who ground out that name through clenched teeth, spiritual pressure surging and rolling like it might boil over at any second.
"Stay calm, Hiyori." Shinji pressed down on those wild blond locks, leaning forward slightly. "Aizen isn't someone you can just rush and cut down. We go together."
"I know..." Hiyori forced the rage back down, and the tension in that body gradually eased. "I'm going to slaughter this bastard. For certain!"
"Speaking of which..." Shinji stared at the three figures across the gap. "Why didn't you bring your arrancar along? Hmm? Aizen."
"Could it be they're busy dealing with a far more frightening opponent—say, an orange-haired boy who carries the power of a Soul Reaper?"
The Hogyoku held the ability to Hollowfy Soul Reapers, so it surely held the reverse power as well: the ability to turn Hollows into Soul Reapers. Such Hollows were not without precedent in history. They were collectively known as arrancar.
Without external interference, nearly every Arrancar had evolved from the highest-class Hollow, the Vasto Lorde. According to historical records, arrancar of that kind held power surpassing an ordinary captain.
Strictly speaking, Aizen only had half a Hogyoku. But no one knew how many years he had been operating in Hueco Mundo, and no one knew how many arrancar were under his command. They might not be as powerful as naturally evolved arrancar, but they were still a force that could not be ignored.
Only silence answered Shinji. Aizen's expression had grown somewhat dark.
"Ha... Silence means I hit the mark." Shinji grinned, showing a row of even teeth. "In that case, all we have to do is stall you and wait for Ichigo to come back."
"No matter how strong the Hogyoku can make you—can it make you strong enough to defeat Ichigo?"
"Of course." Aizen composed himself in an instant, smiling with contempt. "You should know it well enough, the power of the Hogyoku."
"No matter what kind of opponent stands before me, once the Hogyoku submits to me, victory is only a matter of time."
"Ha... Then why bother coming to the World of the Living at all? Why not just go pick a fight with Ichigo directly?" Shinji raised both hands. "If you could actually beat that guy, I'd surrender on the spot, hands up and everything."
"I said, it is only a matter of time." Aizen slowly drew the sword at his hip. "And you are part of that time."
"Talking this much, and still you can't manage it, Sosuke." Shinji spoke that name from a hundred years past, and those eyes turned cold and sharp. "Then, that's enough reminiscing."
"Come then, Aizen. Old debts and new grudges, we settle them all today."
"Settle? I will bury you all once more."
WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH,
Figures flickered into motion. Without any prior arrangement, Sajin Komamura and Ikkaku moved together against Kaname Tosen. On the Soul Reaper side, the former was Kaname Tosen's closest friend, while the latter despised fights that relied on surrounding an enemy in numbers, the two of them taking on one opponent together was very nearly the limit of what could be accepted.
On the other side, Rangiku Matsumoto faced Gin Ichimaru. As if agreed upon in advance, it was only those two, staring at one another. Rangiku drew a Zanpakuto. Gin only smiled lightly, the same as always.
Finally, the Visored alongside Kisuke Urahara, Isshin Kurosaki, Yoruichi Shihoin, Sui-Feng, and the others, twelve in total, faced Sosuke Aizen.
"Lady Yoruichi..."
Sui-Feng called out and moved to step forward, only to be stopped by Yoruichi's stern gaze. Sui-Feng turned instead to look at the Visored.
"All familiar faces..." Sui-Feng tightened the grip on the sword. "Can I trust you?"
"Trust or no trust doesn't matter here." Shinji scratched the back of that head and stepped forward. "Right now we simply share the same enemy. That's all it amounts to. Let's talk after we're done fighting."
"Speaking of which—where did Orihime and Yasutora Sado go?"
"I sent them to Soul Society." Sui-Feng answered. "The Zanpakuto of many Soul Reapers suddenly materialized and staged a revolt, captains and lieutenants included."
"Karakura Town has many humans living in it. With the exception of Ichigo Kurosaki, the other members of the World of the Living Special Operations Squad all wield powers different from those of Soul Reapers. With them providing protection, the humans will at least not get caught up in the battle between Soul Reapers and their Zanpakuto."
"I see... What about our Captain-Commander? Ryujin Jakka hasn't revolted too, has it?"
"No need to worry. According to the reports, the Captain-Commander has sealed off his own heart. It's rendered him unable to act, but it also renders the enemy's abilities ineffective against him."
"I see... Understood."
"Are you done talking?" The corners of Aizen's mouth curved up. "Then, shall we begin?"
"This one-sided slaughter."
WHOOSH,
"Cut him down! Kubikiri Orochi!"
A flash of black-red spiritual pressure, at some point Hiyori's face had already been covered by a Hollow mask. Gripping the now-released great blade, Hiyori slashed straight down at Aizen.
CLANG,
Sparks scattered. A slender blade intercepted the great sword's strike. Aizen held his sword in the right hand, and the spiritual pressure across that body erupted with sudden violence.
"Ugh!"
A muffled grunt. The crushing weight of it enveloped every inch of the body, the shadow of death creeping into the mind. In that moment, Hiyori felt Aizen's terror with absolute clarity, this spiritual pressure, while not quite matching Ichigo's or Captain-Commander Yamamoto's, was not far off at all.
"Hollowfication has boosted your strength considerably."
"Well obviously, you bastard!"
The Hollow mask set across the face, Kensei Muguruma gripped the released short daggers and drove them toward Aizen's abdomen.
The right hand holding Kyoka Suigetsu surged with force, shoving Hiyori back. Aizen used Shunpo to break away.
Soul Reapers, unlike Hollows and Quincy, possessed no additional defensive capability beyond the protection of their own spiritual pressure. Even Aizen, standing at the near-pinnacle of all Soul Reapers, could not simply let attacks from captain-class opponents land freely.
"AAAAAAAAAHHHH!"
A massive black spiked club came crashing down from above. Love Aikawa had put on the mask as well, gripping that cactus-like weapon in both hands and bringing an enormously powerful blow down straight onto the crown of Aizen's head.
CLANG,
"Not bad."
The right hand trembled, just slightly. That was all. Aizen looked up at Love Aikawa's expression of disbelief, a thin contemptuous smile resting on those lips.
"But that is all you amount to."
"?!"
Spiritual pressure erupted. Faint hairline cracks spread across the spiked club, and Love Aikawa's body was sent flying backward, unable to stop.
WHOOSH,
A spear appeared. Lisa Yadomaru wore the cross-slit mask, cradling the long shaft, and that enormous paste-like spear head lunged forward, seizing the opening in Aizen's guard and driving in hard.
"A fine combination."
Aizen extended a left hand. Terrifying spiritual pressure surged behind it, and bare-handed, Aizen caught that enormous spear head, nearly half the size of Aizen's own body, and stopped it dead.
➤ Next: The Mighty Sosuke Aizen