Wei Wan's eyes widened as he stammered, " Th-Third Division Captain? "
Staring at the figure before him—Ichimaru Gin—his entire body began to tremble uncontrollably.
" I didn't ask you to open the door! "
Ichimaru Gin narrowed his eyes, a cold smirk curling at the corner of his lips as he slowly said, " I left you here to guard the gate. That doesn't mean they're allowed through the Seireitei Gate!
"
Wei Wan felt immense pressure under his gaze and nervously replied, " But they've already defeated me. According to the rules, they're permitted entry—"
Before he could finish his sentence, a flash of sword light streaked past, instantly slashing across his arm. Blood sprayed forth in a sudden burst.
" That won't do," Ichimaru Gin said lazily.
" We haven't verified the origins of these people yet. What if they're spies from the Rukon District?
How would we explain that? "
His face maintained a faint, perpetual smile, yet it offered no warmth—only making Wei Wan feel increasingly uneasy.
At that moment, Ichimaru Gin's gaze shifted toward Lin Xuan. His smile remained unchanged, but he said nothing.
Lin Xuan frowned at the sight of Ichimaru Gin.
*Strange. Why would I run into Ichimaru Gin here?* Lin Xuan thought to himself.
Even he hadn't expected to encounter the Third Division Captain, the one known as the " Rangiku's Snake," so soon.
And why did this scene look so familiar?
It didn't take long for him to realize—wasn't this exactly what happened in the original story when Ichigo broke into the Soul Society to rescue someone?
At the same time, Lin Xuan felt a flicker of doubt. Had Ichimaru Gin come here deliberately, or was he simply passing by the East Gate?
Comparing the two possibilities, Lin Xuan felt the former was far more likely.
Still, he wasn't overly concerned about it. After all, he had never been one to dwell on things that didn't matter.
But he was somewhat surprised. He had only just arrived in the Soul Society, and already Ichimaru Gin had taken notice of him?
He knew that Ichimaru Gin was currently one of Aizen's trusted subordinates. If Ichimaru Gin had his eyes on their group, did that mean Aizen had also taken notice of them?
But why?
In the original story, Ichigo and his group were targeted because they had broken into the Soul Society to save Rukia Kuchiki from execution.
Yet here they were, barely having set foot in the Soul Society, and already Ichimaru Gin had singled them out. This left Lin Xuan feeling a deep sense of confusion and unease.
With that thought, Lin Xuan was about to speak and demand an explanation.
But Ichimaru Gin clearly had other plans. Before Lin Xuan could even open his mouth, Ichimaru Gin had already made his move—once again slashing his blade toward Wei Wan.
However, a figure suddenly appeared beside him. A massive skeletal giant materialized, completely enveloping the newcomer, and threw a heavy punch straight at Ichimaru Gin.
*BOOM!*
Ichimaru Gin quickly retreated to his original position, looking at the man before him with a newfound hint of surprise.
Soon, his smile returned as he said, " How interesting. Truly worthy of someone that person values so highly.
"
Standing before Ichimaru Gin was none other than Uchiha Itachi.
Itachi didn't respond to Ichimaru Gin's words. Instead, he calmly dispersed his Susanoo. But if one looked closely, they could see several cracks running across the giant's arm.
Itachi paid it no mind, dismissing the Susanoo entirely while the Mangekyō Sharingan in his eyes continued to spin.
" You mysterious intruders—I can't just let you waltz through the Seireitei Gate," Ichimaru Gin said with a grin.
The moment his words faded, his body was already in motion.
His speed surged instantly, and in the blink of an eye, he had closed the distance between himself and Itachi. His Zanpakutō lashed out, aimed directly at Itachi's vital points.
But Itachi's reaction was equally swift. As Ichimaru Gin's attack descended, he dodged with practiced ease while simultaneously exhaling a scorching torrent of flames.
" Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique! "
Ichimaru Gin's blade cut through the flames, but his Zanpakutō struck nothing.
At that moment, Itachi's Mangekyō Sharingan spun rapidly, and a wave of black flames surged toward Ichimaru Gin.
*BOOM!*
Ichimaru Gin's expression shifted slightly. His body erupted with power as he dodged with incredible speed.
He could sense a dangerous aura emanating from those black flames. He even had the feeling that if he hadn't evaded in time, he would have been consumed by them.
Ichimaru Gin still had his own goals to pursue, so he had no intention of risking his life here.
Soon, both sides clashed again with renewed ferocity.
In an instant, a battle far more intense than before erupted.
Watching the two fight, Wei Wan clicked his tongue and muttered, " Ichimaru Gin's strength really is something else... "
He sighed and added, " That bastard wasn't even going all out when he fought me earlier! "
The battle raged on, and as both combatants unleashed a barrage of techniques, the fight grew increasingly fierce.
Watching them, Wei Wan couldn't help but feel how weak he truly was. A battle like this was far beyond anything he could participate in.
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T/N:
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