"—Hmm, Quincy, huh..."
Szayelaporro's palace, one of Las Noches' inner palaces. While viewing Cirucci Sanderwicci's opponent displayed on the surveillance room screen, the palace's master—Szayelaporro Grantz—deepened his smile delightfully.
He's a scientist specializing in spiritual weapon development. He dreams of reaching perfect life by surpassing all species and abilities with reason called technique.
Before such a man, the rare species [Quincy] that had rolled in showed new evolutionary possibilities.
"Spirit particle manipulation—no, enslavement? To seal it, just create a spirit particle vacuum to deplete spirit particles themselves, but... that'd be boring."
Receiving and analyzing the Quincy's spiritual information from the recording worm parasitizing Cirucci's soul. Especially that tool called Seele Schneider was intriguing. The concept of forcibly collapsing spirit particle bonds of slashed spiritual power through high-speed vibration into a state easily absorbed by Quincy—truly primitive wisdom befitting them.
Of course, Ishida Uryu is a companion of Kurosaki Ichigo, whom that Legion Commander Hinamori Momo obsesses over. As an extension of the White experiment, sometimes supporting, sometimes throwing strong enemies to enjoy his growth. The reason she won't kill the other four—no, five including Inoue Orihime—must be concern about adverse effects on Kurosaki Ichigo.
Then limiting himself to experimenting several new techniques in real combat without killing is optimal. Szayelaporro smoothly avoids his superior's displeasure with his human-era worldly wisdom.
The female Shinigami Hinamori Momo is an extremely convenient person for Szayelaporro. Not foolish like the alchemy association monkeys who often interfered in his previous life, yet not a demon lord with demonic wisdom like Aizen Sosuke either. A rare patron with mighty military power who pleasantly supports research. Research advanced in fifty years under Hinamori's patronage is countless.
Of course, he understands why Aizen Sosuke dotes on her. But even if that lovely girl is an evil god toying with everyone's lives, it's trivial before Szayelaporro's intelligence.
Watching on the surveillance screen the female superior praising the dying Cirucci who fulfilled her destiny, he secretly smirks.
Aizen Sosuke sees no value in any Arrancar, thus Szayelaporro cannot prosper under him. And Hinamori Momo loves all Números. If living and dying according to the future she knows—
—Szayelaporro will be defeated by Mayuri Kurotsuchi's faction.
That fate he derived from Hinamori Momo's words and actions. To deflect that worthless future, Szayelaporro proposed that research to that evil goddess.
(If fate is inevitable, just be reborn as new life.)
Soul revival through spiritual particle reconstruction. A concept only he could conceive, having become perfect life and made life and death reversible through Gabriel's power.
"...Well then. I should work soon or the lovely Legion Commander will scold me."
Kurosaki Ichigo is Dordoni, Kuchiki Rukia is Aaroniero, Sado Yasutora is Gantenbainne, Ishida Uryu is Cirucci. Then his assignment must be the last one, Abarai Renji. Probably that Ilfort fighting him was also fate for this time. And coincidentally, Szayelaporro himself still lacked research specimens for direct-attack zanpakuto and their Bankai.
Shaking off the welling awe toward his superior, Szayelaporro input that Shinigami's spiritual data into the spirit particle decomposition device.
***
Wind touches her cheek.
Grass scent, sunlight sparkle, bird calls...
This is West Rukongai District 3 North End, Koifushi Mountain. A deeply memorable place where Shinigami—Kuchiki Rukia—once received training from her master and superior Shiba Kaien.
Daydream or life flashing before eyes? Countless memories flow through and vanish from Rukia's body.
Though from Rukongai, suddenly welcomed as adopted daughter by the Kuchiki family, assigned to Gotei after just one year at the Spiritual Arts Academy. During academy days, swordsmanship was hopeless. Even highly-rated kido was below average among squad members. Surroundings scoffed at the connection-entry noble's hobby, envied her, avoided her like something taboo—lonely days.
Why am I here? What meaning does my existence hold?
Having become a Shinigami, Rukia suffered daily from anguish unable to find her own worth.
—If the heart you must protect is here, that's your reason for being here.
What saved her was the words of Shiba Kaien, then serving as vice-captain. To Rukia tilting her head at the vague answer, he asked back "Where do you think the heart is?"
The heart's location. It's not inside a person's body—when thinking about something, when caring for someone, when people touch each other, a heart is born between them. That was Kaien's personal theory.
...Ah, yes.
Rukia remembers. This scenery. Each tree. This bouncing feeling mixing anxiety, excitement, and warmth.
That other resolve Shinigami living in battle should hold, taught by him at this place.
—At the end, entrust your heart to comrades.
Shinigami as souls eventually scatter as spirit particles into Soul Society when dying. Therefore, entrust the heart nurtured with comrades. Then one's own heart lives on within them.
...Those were the words left to her by Kuchiki Rukia's mentor, Shiba Kaien.
***
"—Kaien-dono's heart... was entrusted to me...!"
A light shattering sound echoing through the dark palace became the anticlimactic curtain close on both their battle. The enemy's massive body with head pierced bursts like a water balloon, washing Rukia away in a bodily fluid tsunami.
Mixed with water sounds, Aaroniero's shrill scream was heard.
"Gyaaaaaaaaaah!! It hurts! I can't breathe! I can't breeeeathe! Help me, Lady Hinamori! Lady Hinaaaamori!!"
"...!"
Her fading ears catch that name. Surrounding Rukia—another tragedy's name sealed in the corner of her mind.
"This is worse than common soldier treatment! Liar! Liaaaar! Why did you match us with such a devil?!"
'Damn... it...'
"Shouldn't have trusted! You'll be abandoned too eventually! Run away! Run away, Lady Hinamori! Let me escape...! Like that time again, help... me... please..."
'I absolutely... won't accept... this defeat...'
Hair down, clad in white shihakusho—Rukia's old friend. Now an enemy, the kind-hearted Shinigami girl who became their Arrancar superior.
That was the salvation the arrogant, insolent Noveno Espada Aaroniero Arruruerie clung to at death's edge.
"...Gu...!"
Crawling on the floor with her grievously wounded body. Nejibana piercing her torso dissolves into spirit particles as Rukia vaguely feels heat flowing out like a muddy stream from the hole in her stomach.
"...Don't worry, Inoue... I'm coming... now."
She knows loneliness. The loneliness of the imprisoned.
She knows joy. The joy when comrades come to rescue.
And she knows the terror of comrades being hurt and falling.
—Don't die alone, Kuchiki.
Kaien's voice is heard. The mindset Shinigami who fight to protect hearts should hold, taught long ago.
...Ah, but. When that time actually comes, how difficult it is.
Blood won't stop. No spiritual power remains. Having exhausted her strength, that single phrase is everything binding Rukia's life to her cooling body.
There.
"———"
In fading consciousness, faintly felt warm pink spiritual power becomes another force binding the dying Shinigami to this world...
***
—Aaroniero, dead.
Recognition synchronization at death's moment and Legion Commander Hinamori Momo's notification. That dire news raced through Las Noches in an instant.
"Aaroniero... what do we do, Lady Harribel?!"
"..."
Hot-blooded Fracción seeking instructions from their revered superior Arrancar.
"Brat died a worthless death."
"Your Majesty..."
The most ancient Hollow lamenting his still-immature comrade's defeat.
"Aaroniero... got killed. Is that okay?"
"...What am I supposed to do about it?"
A man and child girl lying on a bed piled with pillows, hanging their heads sorrowfully.
"Ah... your comrade died, apparently?"
"?!"
Sharp-eyed giant mocking the pathetically dying human.
Others showing slight reactions, continuing instructed normal daily life. Those mourning dead colleague comrades.
And one showing a delighted smile at the superior's notification.
"—Mutual defeat, apparently, Shinigami-kun."
Szayelaporro, receiving the Aaroniero death in battle report from his Fracción, provokes the Shinigami before him—Abarai Renji—gasping roughly.
"Oh, better stop the optimism. Your dead comrade's name arrived too... 'Kuchiki,' they said?"
"?!"
Effect immediate—predictable reaction. The impulsive attacks of the Shinigami's zanpakuto Zabimaru assault the Arrancar but are easily blocked by innate Hierro.
"How many times must I say? Shikai level can't possibly injure an Espada—"
But Renji's spiritual pressure, surging in response to fury, exceeded the opponent's defense on the second attack.
"Quit your... damn rambling... Get out of my way!!"
"Heh..."
Blood flowing down his forehead. Szayelaporro grins at it.
Before an intriguing specimen still highly worth researching.
And at Tres Cifras' exit, the grand staircase leading to the main palace canopy.
"—You're... Ulquiorra!"
Kurosaki Ichigo, carrying trash, speaks his name—never told.
"Kuchiki Rukia is dead."
"What... did you say..."
"Precisely, mutual defeat with Noveno Espada. Pierced through the stomach with a spear."
Thrusting cruel facts to see the opponent's agitation, "heart's" change. Aaroniero's Recognition Synchronization is the Legion Commander's notification. No mistake.
But Kurosaki Ichigo, who claimed to "believe in comrades," won't challenge to battle even before him, an Espada.
"You're the enemy, but you yourself haven't hurt any of my comrades yet."
"...I see."
Asking why returns such a worthless answer. If reasons are needed, he'll give one.
"—Even knowing I'm the one who brought Inoue Orihime to Hueco Mundo?"
That instant, Kurosaki Ichigo's figure vanishes. Then the approaching blade and right arm's Hierro produce clashing metallic sounds.
"I knew it—Inoue didn't go to Hueco Mundo of her own will!"
"Found your reason to fight me?"
And the Shinigami-imitation, suppressing fury and seeking a way to rescue comrades, released all his power.
"...Sorry, but I'm in a hurry too... I'm going all out!"
—Bankai: Tensa Zangetsu—
Thus, around the human Inoue Orihime at Las Noches, an even greater storm rages.
***
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[10 Advanced Chs] [7 Chapters/week]