Who could have imagined…
Aizen Sousuke had already slipped into the prison cell!
When everyone present saw the man who appeared there, a trace of uncontrollable panic surfaced on every face—that man who had once single-handedly plunged the Soul Society into chaos!
When Uehara Naraku forced Aizen Sousuke to reveal himself, his face was solemn as well, his voice unconsciously gaining a few shades of gravity, and there was a faint complexity in his eyes: "Long time no see, Captain Aizen."
For the two of them, this truly was a reunion after a long separation.
Everyone here knew very well that Aizen Sousuke had once been the person Uehara Naraku respected the most, and that Uehara had been the one most pained by Aizen Sousuke's defection.
At least Hinamori Momo, who had always stood guard outside the cell, knew that much.
The girl Shinigami's face instantly tensed up; she looked toward the clashing Aizen Sousuke and Uehara Naraku inside the cell and muttered under her breath, "Captain Aizen… Captain Uehara… don't…"
Unfortunately, the two of them were not going to stop just because of a single sentence from her.
A playful smile hung at the corner of Aizen Sousuke's mouth as he spread his hand toward Uehara Naraku, chuckling lightly as he spoke: "Naraku, this time… will you leave with me?"
"Impossible… Captain."
Uehara Naraku slowly clenched his fist, shook his head hard, and said in a deep voice, "This time… I'm going to keep you here… absolutely… absolutely will not let you escape again!"
"You've become much more confident… Naraku."
The smile at the corner of Aizen Sousuke's lips grew wider; he praised softly, "Ever since you became Captain of Squad 5, I've been keeping an eye on everything about you. Compared to the you of the past, the you right now is getting more and more outstanding.
Whether it's your Spiritual Pressure or your temperament, after just this short time apart, Naraku has already become a qualified captain. That really is surprising."
After he finished, Aizen Sousuke's fingers moved slightly, space rippled like water, and the smile on his lips lingered as he continued, "But some gaps can't be filled by talent alone. Just as no matter how hard I try, I can't leap across time to surpass Mr. Madara.
Even now, you're still not my opponent, Naraku…
The Mr. Itachi and Mr. Obito who have always protected you have run into their old nemeses again; this time, it seems there's no one left to protect you. Are you feeling fear in your heart right now?"
"Hm?"
Uehara Naraku's brows furrowed slightly.
At this moment he indeed should have wondered why Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Obito still hadn't appeared—after all, whenever he ran into danger, Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Obito ought to show up immediately.
"Don't you remember?"
Aizen walked forward step by step, smiling as he explained, "Back when I plotted that assassination incident, I sent two of my subordinates to keep them busy…"
And now…
He was simply using the same trick again.
Only, with that being the case, worry couldn't help but show on everyone's face. Having personally witnessed the vast Spiritual Pressure on Aizen Sousuke, none of them believed that even if everyone here joined forces, they would stand a chance of defeating Aizen Sousuke!
"Naraku…"
Aizen Sousuke took a look around, then smiled at the crowd as he said, "Right now, you're the only one here who can protect Rukia… Do you think you can protect her?"
"…"
Uehara Naraku grit his teeth.
Abarai Renji, looking thoroughly displeased, drew his Zanpakuto and glared at Aizen Sousuke as he shouted, "Hey, bastard, don't act like nobody else here exists!"
"A-and… there's me too…"
Hinamori Momo also slowly tightened her grip on her Zanpakuto.
However, Aizen Sousuke merely gave a slight shake of his head in the face of their resistance, and in the next instant his figure suddenly appeared right beside Abarai Renji!
"Watch out!"
Uehara Naraku shouted a warning, his face full of alarm.
But unfortunately, Aizen Sousuke's speed was terrifying!
By the time Uehara Naraku's warning came out, Abarai Renji's eyes had already widened beyond his control; he slowly lowered his head to look at the tip of a blade protruding from his abdomen…
That was…
The Kyoka Suigetsu Zanpakuto!
With a single stroke, Aizen Sousuke gravely wounded Abarai Renji, then slapped a palm toward Hinamori Momo, a surge of overwhelming Spiritual Pressure instantly leaving Hinamori heavily injured!
In an instant…
The only one left standing in the entire cell was Uehara Naraku… to face Aizen Sousuke, the mastermind who had once stirred up the winds and clouds of the Soul Society!
"Don't underestimate people so much… Captain."
Uehara Naraku clenched his teeth and raised his right hand!
In the next moment, eleven gleaming Zanpakuto of different shapes suddenly appeared before Uehara Naraku, and his hand grasped fiercely toward one of them!
"Eleven Zanpakuto?"
A flash of surprise swept across Aizen Sousuke's face, as if he couldn't quite believe it; then it slowly turned back into a smile as he said, "What an astonishing talent. Although Mr. Orochimaru did warn me long ago that this might be possible…"
Orochimaru had been giving Aizen Sousuke mental preparation all along.
When the two of them chatted idly, Orochimaru would often praise Uehara Naraku's talent, claiming that Uehara Naraku might be the most gifted Patriarch in the history of the Uehara Race.
According to Orochimaru's speculation, of the thirteen Zanpakuto in Uehara Naraku's possession, he might already have mastered ten—or even eleven—which would mean that Uehara Naraku would master all of his Zanpakuto before the age of one hundred…
Or rather…
Possibly even earlier.
Based on the intel Aizen Sousuke had analyzed, Uehara Naraku had mastered two Zanpakuto at the age of fifteen; now, in less than sixty years, Uehara Naraku had mastered nine more. This guy's talent really was terrifyingly strong…