Chapter 177: The Struggle (III)

Chapter 177: The Struggle (III)

Toshiro unwillingly released his Shikai and pointed his katana at Loly. An immense Reiatsu overflowed from his Zanpakutō as three chains of ice spiraled out of the base of the blade, condensing into a thick chain. The ice chain moved through the air, absorbing moisture from the environment to grow into a massive dragon with blazing crimson eyes. The frost dragon roared at the heavens before flying down towards Loly.

“Fuck.” Loly hurriedly released Rangiku and slapped the ice dragon. Of course, with her higher Reiatsu, she easily shattered the ice dragon, but not without consequences. Her poison began to crystalize, the frost creeping along her limbs.

The ice forced her to expend Reiatsu in shattering the ice crystals. “A little brat has Shikai.”

“I’m not a brat,” he growled. “Rangiku-sensei, let’s fight her together.”

Rangiku’s Shihakusho was half-melted and her skin singed by the poison. It was pure agony. But she didn’t let her injuries slow her down. She had joined the Gotei 13 with the intention to get her childhood friend back, but she ended up becoming a responsible Shinigami.

Giving her life to duty wasn’t something she frowned at.Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com

“Okay, let’s end this pathetic worm.”

...

Nanao, meanwhile, aimed an arm at Loly, whispering a chant under her breath.

“It’s getting boring for you, isn’t it?” Ggio asked, yawning. “I’ll join too. Miss Vice-Captain, I apologize for killing you.”

Cold shiver went down Nanao’s spine — Ggio was already behind her, his left leg raised over her head. In a fit of panic, Nanao raised her hand and whispered a chant under her breath.

“Seki.”

Ggio smirked and brought his leg down, unbothered by the tiny orb of energy floating above Nanao’s back of hand. As soon as his leg touched the orb, the counterforce of the spell sent him reeling back into a wall.

“Hahaha, impressive. You’re very impressive.”

“I don’t feel happy with your praise...” Nanao whispered, feeling sweat cover her face. “What do Arrancars want from attacking students?”

“You’ll know soon. In the meantime, enjoy your death at the hands of Ggio Vega, the #8 Espada.”

Momo giggled and made a beeline for Sung-Sun’s flower shop, unaware of the true purpose behind her actions.

Ulquiorra trailed Momo with his gaze but didn’t intervene. His objective was Kazuya, not Momo. “I do hope you put up a fight comparable to your confidence.”

“I absolutely will, my Arrancar friend.” Kazuya chuckled and drew his Zanpakutō. “Weave, Shinku-no-Tsubasa.”

...

In a dimly lit room, Aizen sat before a bank of screens, each one displaying a different scene of the unfolding chaos.

“He wasn’t lying about seizing Zanpakutō Spirits,” Gin said. “A frightening Zanpakutō indeed.”

“Hmmm.” Aizen’s gaze, however, was drawn not to the high-stakes duel between Kazuya and Ulquiorra, but to a more subtle, yet equally compelling confrontation. On one of the screens, a black cat tinkered with the barrier around the power plant zone as if she was a human. It reminded Aizen of a certain amusing fact about the Shihōin Clan’s bloodline, which sounded rubbish at the time he read it.

“Shihōin’s descendants can assume the form of an animal. It has only happened two times in the past.” [1]

Gin pointed at the black cat on the screen. “Yoruichi Shihōin.”

“Interesting...”

After a few moments, Yoruichi brought down the barrier setup by Tosen.

Aizen threw one leg over the other and smirked. “The final spectacle will start.”

...

[#1: Kubo confirmed it in a Q&A.

Q: I want to know why Yoruichi can take the form of a black cat. One way of interpreting things is that it is some sort of binding that changes her from her humanoid form to that of a black cat, but it seems to be fundamentally different from Hado and Bakudo. Is it a power not related to Kido? Or does it have to do with Kisuke's technology?

A: It's due to the Shihouin bloodline. Sometimes the Shihouin clan breeds people that can assume the form of an animal.]