Chapter 187: The Victim


    <span>Kisuke had run countless experiments in an attempt to counter Aizen’s Shikai ability, but every idea met a dead end. No device or technique could help him when his senses were fed false information on all fronts. However, he knew the sight before him was no illusion.


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">“Yoruichi-san…”


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">She sat unconscious within a transparent barrier shaped like a cube, her body bound by a thick ropemonly used by the Onmitsukidō to subdue criminals and suppress their Reiatsu.


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">He had sent off Yoruichi half a minute before he faced Aizen. The thought of Aizen defeating her in thirty seconds was outrageous, disrespectful even. After all, Yoruichi was one of the strongest Captains, having mastered Shunkō and a multitude of assassination techniques.


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">He couldn’t help but feel a dissonance with facts and illusion.


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">“How long do you think passed while you stood here… waiting for me to unravel my concealment Kidō?” Aizen held up one finger, then slowly raised each one until his hand was open. “Five minutes. More than enough time to approach Yoruichi in disguise. Shepletely let her guard down around me because I looked, smelled, and acted just like her childhood friend to an extent…”


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">Kisuke’s grip on his Shikai weapon shook as the realization hit him like a tidal wave — Aizen’s Kyōka Suigetsu wasn’t just an instrument for creating illusions; it also had the power to manipte one’s perception of time.


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">Aizen unsheathed his Zanpakutō and admired the katana gleaming under the moonlight. “A fascinating night to conduct—”


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">“Rikujōkōrō (Six-Rod Light Restraint),” Kisuke whispered the name of Bakudō #61 as he snuck up behind the distracted Aizen and touched his back. Six bright beams of energy shot towards Aizen’s waist, enough to restrain a regr Vice-Captain. But Kisuke knew it would take more than one binding spell to hold Aizen.


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">Not wasting a second, Kisuke pointed his finger at Aizen, invoking another kidō. “Sajō Sabaku (Ethereal Binding Chain).”


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">A burst of yellow energy obeyed hismand and split into multiple thick ropes that wrapped around Aizen’s torso.


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">Despite rapidly casting two high-level Kidō back-to-back, Kisuke wasn’t done. He joined his index fingers before tracing an inverted triangle in the air. “Tōzanshō (Inverted Mountain Crystal).”


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">A brilliant blue energy responded to hismand, shooting forth and expanding into four points above Aizen. The points of light coalesced into an inverted pyramid, solidifying into a translucent barrier that encapsted Aizen within.


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">Aizen stared wide-eyed, as if surprised by Kisuke’s ability to quick-cast kidō spells with no chant. “Such highprehension of spiritual energy…”


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">Kisuke ignored Aizen’s whispers and punched the barrier around Yoruichi, shattering it into countless pieces. With Yoruichi in his arms, he turned to escape, nning his next move while retreating toward the safety of his shop.


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">“Shouldn’t you at least check on Yoruichi-san’s well-being first, Kisuke?”


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">Kisuke nced down at his arms, only to witness her body shattering into thousands of shimmering shards. Whipping around, he saw Aizen floating unscathed with a smug smile stered across his face. Yoruichi was still trapped by his side, enclosed in a perfect barrier that seemed to mock Kisuke’s every effort to free her.


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">Aizen unsheathed his katana again, its de coated with the same substance that induced the Hollowification state in Shinigami. He slid the de gently through the barrier and positioned it beneath Yoruichi’s chin, threateningly close to her throat. “You wouldn’t have made so many errors in the past. The simple conception of Yoruichi getting hurt — it took away yourposure. You’re freaking out. You’re losing grip on your strengths.”


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">Aizen poured salt on Kisuke’s wounds, relishing every moment of triumphing over the brilliant mind that precariously came close to his level.


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">Kisuke lowered his hat, his eyes darting in the direction of battle between Espada and Kazuya. The battle had concluded, yet he couldn’t feel the Reiatsu of hisst hope.


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">‘He’lle. I just have to stall for time.’


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">Aizen let out a soft chuckle. “The entire section of the town is under a Kidō barrier. Even a Hado in the nies won’t break the force field.”


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">Kisuke looked up, his sharp, disdainful gaze boring a hole through Aizen. “Proiming victory so cockily when you’re holding my childhood friend hostage… Aizen-san, you’re quite shameless.”


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">“I didn’t hold anyone hostage. This…” Aizen replied calmly and deliberately lowered his sword to the center of Yoruichi’s chest. “Is an experiment to test the limitations of mutated Shihōin bloodline.”


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">“Aizen, stop! I’ll give you the Hōgyoku.”


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">Kisuke desperately cast another Rikujōkōrō spell, but once again, Aizen shattered into shards and revealed himself as an illusion. As the illusion faded away, Aizen reappeared in a different spot and slowly drove the infected de into Yoruichi’s chest.


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">As he pulled back the blood-covered sword, Yoruichi’s eyes snapped open. She started coughing and struggling against the thick rope. “Aiz… Aizen. You bastard…”


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">Her blood boiled with rage, visible on her contorted face. She recalled being in Kisuke’s home, conversing with Toshiro, before Aizen — disguised as Kisuke — lured her away under the pretense of an ‘important’ talk. She had let her guard down in her friend’s home, allowing Aizen to trap her with a swift cast of Rikujōkōrō spell. She barely got the chance to utter a word as Aizen cast a series of chantless mid-level kidō spells to incapacitate her.


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">“The hatred in those eyes…” Aizen said with a gentle smile. “You seek to destroy me over prioritizing your survival… the former leader of Onmitsukidō hasn’t lost her touch.”


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">“As if this can kill me,” Yoruichi growled before letting loose a fierce smirk. With the same unyielding spirit, she looked at Kisuke, who stared at her with wide eyes. “Kisuke, stop being a dramatic pussy. I’ll smash this bastard once I be a Hollow.”


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">Her time spent with Kazuya and all the friendlydies around him had changed her perception of Hollows. Bing a Hollow was a far better alternative to letting Aizen manipte Kisuke into revealing Hōgyoku and achieving his ambitious goals.


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">Just then, Yoruichi’s spiritual pressure perception registered a familiar Reiatsu, prompting her to turn her head.


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">‘Huh? Isn’t that…’


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">A tide of crimson petals cascaded from the sky, swirling and coalescing into a tempest fiery. The tempest slowed down, the person who emerged wasn’t her friend, but… a woman. Long, silver hair drifted around her, each strand gently waving to the rhythm of her Reiatsu. She even wore the same blindfold Kazuya wore in the first form of his Resurrión.


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">Yoruichi’s mind reeled. The oppressive Reiatsu, the crimson mes, and even the familiar features — all the logic pointed towards the mysterious woman being herpanion. Having grown close to Kazuya, she refused to believe in a reality where he existed as a woman. It was simply ridiculous that she flirted with a woman all this time.


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">‘Could he have gained the ability to switch genders? No, that’s crazier than him switching races at will.’


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">Yoruichi’s pupils suddenly dted as a burning sensation welled up in her throat, a visceral urge to vomit overtaking her. She bashed her head against the barrier, fighting the barrier with every ounce of her will. As courageous as she was, shecked the strength to defy the naturalws.


    <span style="vertical-align:baseline">A/N: So… uh… Kazuya finally used his syatem to be a hot girl…