"Another Vasto Lorde again?!"
Naraku Sora bellowed, "And one that self-Arrancar'd?!"
He'd just fought Yamamoto to the death on the Seireitei border—nearly "becoming" the Captain-Commander—and the moment he blinked, Aizen had somehow produced a self-made Arrancar Vasto Lorde on his side.
Arturo Plateado.
Just hearing the name made him sound absurdly strong.
"According to the dossier," Aizen explained, "about two thousand years ago—back when the Gotei 13 hadn't even been established—Arturo completed his domination of Hueco Mundo, then came alone to Soul Society, trying to realize his ambition of unifying the Three Realms."
"To protect Soul Society, Captain-Commander Yamamoto led many powerful Shinigami to resist him. After a brutal blood war, Arturo was sealed beneath Sōkyoku Hill for various reasons."
"Even though two thousand years have passed and Arturo's strength may have declined, we can't underestimate him."
"One mistake, and we'll end up capsizing in a ditch."
Aizen laid out the stakes in detail, then emphasized Arturo's ability.
As a former ruler of Hueco Mundo, he possessed a grotesquely unfair trait: he could absorb a defeated opponent's Reiatsu to strengthen himself.
A classic "the more he fights, the stronger he gets" type.
Given the current state of Soul Society and Hueco Mundo, if he hid and farmed power for a while, he might genuinely become a monster capable of shifting the entire balance of power.
Not to mention whatever support Tsunayashiro and the others might provide.
"The information in a two-thousand-year-old dossier is too sparse. We can't yet judge Arturo's conversion efficiency when absorbing Reiatsu," Aizen said. "But if he's a self-Arrancar Vasto Lorde, it likely won't be low."
Naraku's eyes cleared—he understood immediately.
"Then it's an emergency. Let's go kill Arturo first."
Aizen nodded. For once, he didn't object.
After a long time, the two finally aligned.
"Because he's a Hollow—and because of Yamamoto—Arturo won't remain in Soul Society for long even if he cooperates with Tsunayashiro."
"His true home field will be Hueco Mundo."
"Gosuke was cautious and erased most of Arturo's lingering reishi traces, but he overlooked residue on the seal. I captured a small amount with Kidō."
As he spoke, Aizen produced a device that looked like a Dragon Ball radar, covered in dense lines.
"An instrument developed from Bakudō #58, Kakushitsuijaku."
"It can detect Arturo's Reiatsu within a certain radius."
"I'll handle tracking Arturo. The moment I locate him, I'll contact you."
"As for you—"
Naraku grinned, then laid out in detail the quick-witted plan he'd come up with earlier.
"That's the gist of it, Sōsuke. Anything you think needs adding?"
Aizen looked at him with mild surprise. He hadn't expected Naraku—who usually fought like a charging bull—to actually use his head at a critical moment.
He'd assumed this guy would just keep swinging at Yamamoto until one of them died.
Maybe he still didn't understand Naraku well enough.
Thinking back, Naraku did always charge first in battle… but when it came to decisions, he somehow always pulled out some new stunt.
The key was: those "new stunts" often produced unexpected results.
And most importantly, actions that seemed reckless at first often hid a strange kind of logic if you replayed them carefully.
Was it coincidence, or intentional?
Maybe his friend wasn't as simple as he looked.
Aizen shook his head. "Execute as-is. The more detailed a plan is, the easier it is to break. Adapting on the fly is a valid strategy."
"Sora—don't ever underestimate the Tsunayashiro."
"Err on the side of caution."
Seeing Aizen's solemn expression, Naraku's smile faded. He nodded seriously.
…
Rukongai, South District 13, Outer Ring.
In a hidden lowland pocket, moonlight spilled through scattered branches. Thin shadows dotted the woods.
Kuchiki Kōga leaned back against a rock wall, eyes half-closed, taking a brief rest. Muramasa stood on a nearby branch, alertly scanning the surroundings.
When they escaped Naraku and Yamamoto's battlefield, Kōga hadn't dared stop. He'd followed a route with almost no footprints until he reached this place.
He'd found it during a prior campaign against rebel Shinigami—low terrain, tall trees encircling it, misty and dim. A perfect hideout.
But just as he finally closed his eyes, trying to loosen the knot in his nerves, Muramasa warned him:
Someone was approaching—fast.
Kōga's eyes snapped open. A chill murderous intent surfaced. Reishi curled around his blade, condensing into a dazzling glow.
Yet before he could unleash the Diamond Blast he'd been gathering, a familiar figure burst into view.
"Hah… it's you, Sora."
Kōga dispersed his Kidō Reiatsu, joy flashing in his eyes.
"Are you hurt?"
To buy him time to escape, Naraku had fought the strongest Shinigami in Soul Society alone.
That kind of loyalty was genuinely moving.
To have a friend like that—no regrets in this life.
Naraku waved it off and grinned.
"Old man Yamamoto—Teacher's ancient and worn out. Nothing to worry about."
Kōga relaxed. If his friend had been injured again because of him, the guilt would've eaten him alive.
"By the way—how did you find me?"
"I searched for ages before I confirmed this was the best place to hide. I was going to wait until the storm passed, then come find you—"
Naraku blinked, then forced two dry words out through clenched teeth.
"Instinct."
"…?"
He couldn't exactly say: I failed to find you at first, went back for help, and Aizen analyzed your past campaign routes and narrowed down your most likely hiding spots.
Being mentally crushed by his "godson's" analysis had killed Naraku's enthusiasm; he didn't want to talk about it.
Kōga didn't press. He straightened, expression serious.
"Sora—the Zanpakutō uprising wasn't me. There has to be—"
"Yeah. I know."
Naraku cut him off. "If I didn't trust you, I wouldn't have taken that risk and hard-stopped Teacher."
Kōga drew a deep breath and buried the emotion in his chest.
Compared to the father-in-law who kept making things difficult, Naraku shone like a saint.
From a Rukongai commoner to a member of the Five Great Noble Houses—this was the first time Kōga had ever felt such fierce, real trust.
Muramasa, listening from a distance, let out a quiet sigh.
No saving him. The kid was basically being hook-and-lined into becoming a "turned-mouth" fish.
Still, as a Zanpakutō that could touch a Shinigami's inner world, Muramasa could also feel that Naraku's sincerity wasn't an act.
"Kōga—you've been a 'married-in' noble for a while. You've dealt with the Tsunayashiro, right?"
Kōga frowned, a hint of disgust. "I don't like the Kuchiki style, but compared to Tsunayashiro… the Kuchiki look like moral paragons and the Gotei's gold standard."
"Unlike the Kuchiki, Tsunayashiro believe nobles should stand above all. Their main house has never joined the Gotei 13."
"Only branch members, under main house orders, become Gotei members."
"Sora—why bring them up?"
Naraku grinned. "To see how you feel about them first—because the next step of our plan involves Tsunayashiro."
"And you're the main piece."
Kōga looked surprised. He didn't understand what plan could possibly involve him.
He'd broken out of First Division's jail; he was probably wanted. If he showed up in Seireitei, he'd get mobbed by Shinigami on sight.
Naraku spoke calmly.
"I started investigating as soon as you were set up."
"After some effort, I learned Tsunayashiro have an ancestral Zanpakutō called Enrakyōten."
"It can copy other people's Zanpakutō."
Kōga's eyes widened; his breathing quickened. In a split second, a storm of thoughts flooded his mind.
"We don't know their exact goal," Naraku continued, "but you being stripped and hunted already benefits Tsunayashiro."
"Yoruichi told me the Kuchiki lost influence in the Gold Seal Council because of your 'case.' Even Central 46 has a few sages leaning toward Tsunayashiro now."
"Right now, the Kuchiki have to ally with the Shihōin and Shiba just to stand toe-to-toe with Tsunayashiro."
Kōga wasn't stupid—he was smart. His problem was that he was emotionally extreme and could stop thinking when he got pushed.
After a short pause, he opened his eyes, gaze bright and locked on Naraku.
"Sora—I believe you."
"Tell me. What's step one?"
Naraku's mouth curled.
"Step one is simple."
"We make your 'crime' even more airtight."
…
Dawn broke, parting the thin fog between the barracks.
Gosuke slowly opened his eyes, a sharp edge flashing in his pupils.
Ever since he answered "that lord's" question, he'd received Tsunayashiro's "gift."
His once-lacking power had transformed overnight.
He raised his right hand, spread his fingers, then clenched.
A deafening air-burst popped in his palm as a shockwave swept outward.
This abnormal strength was intoxicating.
Only power like this truly deserved the title of Kenpachi.
Kuruyashiki-sama—I haven't failed your legacy!
A thread of black radiance flickered in Gosuke's eyes.
And as he reveled in his power swelling severalfold, he suddenly sensed an unfamiliar Reiatsu inside the room.
Before he could react, a hollow emptiness erupted from the depths of his soul—like a chunk had been ripped away.
Gosuke spun up and saw a scene that made his scalp crawl.
The Zanpakutō mounted on the wall flared with intense light. A figure—strange yet faintly familiar—stepped out, red eyes locking onto him.
A hulking body covered in scars. A twisted face radiating pure agony. A serrated longsword clenched in its hand.
Gosuke's pupils shrank. A nameless dread spread through him.
"Kutai…"
A Zanpakutō had rebelled again.
A new wave of unrest swept through Seireitei, chaotic Reiatsu detonating again and again in the district streets.
This time, fewer ordinary squad members' Zanpakutō rebelled.
Most of the rebellions were captains' and lieutenants' blades.
Shinigami who had only just forced their Zanpakutō back into submission had to drag their exhausted bodies into battle again.
And notably—outside the Gotei 13—
The noble district erupted too.
The blades of nobles' retainers rebelled almost simultaneously. Brilliant flashes tore apart the morning hush across estate gardens.
The "traitor" Kuchiki Kōga seemed to have gone fully mad from being hunted. His "Whisper" supposedly blanketed Seireitei.
Stacks of dossiers poured into First Division like rain.
In the office, Yamamoto stared at the mountain of paperwork, face black as a pot bottom.
Every page was another accusation and demand, aimed at the Gotei 13 and him.
Why hadn't the criminal Kuchiki Kōga been captured yet?
Why was the Zanpakutō upheaval happening again—now even affecting the noble district?
Yamamoto narrowed his eyes and shut the file.
Sasakibe Chōjirō understood immediately, swept the pile away, then returned quietly.
"Should I go warn Naraku-dono?"
Yamamoto lifted his gaze and looked at his old comrade calmly, shaking his head.
"No need. That brat has more restraint than I expected."
"He didn't touch the high-risk Zanpakutō. As for the nobles…"
"That was part of the goal."
Right then, an enormous Reiatsu burst from Central Underground Prison.
Through the window, Sasakibe saw a gigantic baby-shaped creature rampaging through the street—crushing buildings and kicking up clouds of dust.
A tide-scale cloud of poison spewed out, mixing with the dust and rolling toward the distance.
Yamamoto: …Damn it. I take back what I said.
…
Meanwhile, deep in the noble district, inside an estate that loomed like a sleeping beast—
At the highest point—
Naraku stood at the edge, calmly watching the courtyard's stillness. Beside him, Kōga sensed the subtle Reiatsu fluctuations.
After a moment of silence, a low voice sounded.
"Begin, Kōga."
A strange purple ripple spread outward, instantly covering the entire estate.
At the same time, in the study where an old man had been napping, his eyes snapped open. His gaze fell on the Zanpakutō resting on the desk as a faint glow quietly blossomed.
"Enrakyōten…"
~~~
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