Chapter 14: Art Is... (Explosion)
"Ah, being asked so earnestly—how could I possibly say no?"
Ryugetsu laughed twice, exaggerated and theatrical, like a child pretending to cry just to get a toy. The elegant melancholy she'd displayed moments ago shattered instantly—her sudden shift in attitude was honestly terrifying.
"You... you totally played me."
"No, no, no. That's called 'efficient use of personal charm to achieve objectives.'"
Still humming, Ryugetsu stood, then sat beside Mizuma, slinging an arm around his shoulders like an old drinking buddy. "Everything I said was basically true, you know, Master. Think of it this way—if the bond between a Shinigami and their Zanpakutō were like wooing a girl, don't you think your... approach was a little problematic?"
His approach, of course, had been nothing but exploiting system shortcuts and skipping all the normal steps.
"The proper process should be—get to know each other, deepen your understanding, exchange gifts, and then—finally—become lovers. But you? You locked the poor girl in a dark room and beat her into submission with a stick until she fell for you! From the victim's perspective, don't you think I have the right to be angry?"
...She had a point. A disturbingly valid one.
Under the piercing gaze of Ryugetsu's bright, unblinking eyes, Mizuma had absolutely nothing to refute. He awkwardly turned his head and coughed twice to diffuse the tension.
"Of course, it's just a metaphor."
Ryugetsu chuckled and shook him by the shoulders, resting her head lightly against his arm. "Being angry is one thing; loyalty is another. I was born for you, after all. Think of me as your childhood sweetheart who came preloaded with max affection. Even if I'm mad, I'll always forgive you."
"Don't make it sound like I'm some kind of scumbag..."
Waving a hand, Mizuma sighed. "Save the banter for later—let's get to the main point."
"Fine, fine, business mode."
Ryugetsu paused thoughtfully. "Let's see... making your Shikai easier to use, unlocking your Bankai faster... wait—huh? You can already handle most of that yourself? Damn, I guess I'm really kind of useless now, huh?"
"Wow, way to drop your dramatic setup halfway through."
"Ah, well, I am kind of a hopeless case..." She waved lazily, pretending to sulk. "Alright then, guess I'll just have to bare the most private secrets of a beautiful maiden—"
"Can you not ruin the tone every time we talk seriously? You're tanking the atmosphere."
"Oh, so comic-relief characters don't deserve dignity now?" she snapped back, dramatically flopping onto the bed. "Anyway... my Shikai actually has four abilities. Even if you didn't talk to me, you'd eventually figure them all out yourself. But since you're here, I might as well tell you, right?"
"Go on, go on." Mizuma immediately perked up. "Those first three were all support-based. Surely the last one's something... flashier? I'm tired of relying solely on Kidō for damage."
"Heh. Men."
He bowed his head in mock gratitude, but Ryugetsu only waved him off, expression flat. "When you need me, it's 'Ryugetsu-sama'; when you don't, I'm your test subject. Ugh. Fine, take your ability and scram—I've got a ranked match to win."
----
Leaving Ryugetsu's world, Mizuma gave his head a quick shake, refocusing his mind on Hueco Mundo.
That version of him was now strapped to a table—arms, neck, and waist all bound in iron restraints—inside what could only be described as... an R18-grade laboratory.
The same glass cylinders from Szayelaporro's research center were lined up here too, but this time they were filled with a strange blue-green fluid—and living Hollows floated inside. Dozens of bizarre tools and surgical instruments gleamed under harsh light, while grotesque severed limbs dangled neatly from the ceiling like trophies.
Truly, the décor screamed mad scientist chic.
On the far side, Szayelaporro was whistling cheerfully while choosing between knives, saws, and scalpels.
Yeah, no—Mizuma had a trauma response to whistling now.
He mustered up a believable mix of panic and anger. "W-Where... where is this?! What are you planning to do!?"
"Shh. Don't shout," Szayelaporro said smoothly, picking up a hacksaw and a scalpel. "You're not the only test subject here, so please—don't disturb the others. Still... since you're the rarest specimen in my lab, I could forgive a little noise. After all—"
He raised both hands dramatically, tools glinting under the light. "The screams are the best music to accompany my research!"
"You..."
"Relax. I'll dissect you piece by piece, leaving no tissue unused, until I've uncovered every mystery of your powers. And after that... I'll preserve what's left of you—an exquisite, respectful specimen for my collection."
"..."
Mizuma sighed. The urge to banter had died somewhere between Ryugetsu's teasing and Szayelaporro's monologue. He closed his eyes, completely unamused.
This reaction clearly wasn't what Szayelaporro expected.
"What's this? Cat got your tongue?"
"No." Mizuma cracked an eye open and smirked. "You ever heard this phrase?"
The Arrancar frowned, sensing something off. "What phrase?"
"Art... is explosion, you idiot!"
With a thunderous shout, the preloaded Kidō—prepared hours ago in the Living World—was instantly transferred into this body.
Without the ability to control reiryoku flow, Mizuma couldn't regulate the volatile energy.
A searing white glow erupted from his chest—
and the unstable Kidō detonated in the most primal, chaotic brilliance imaginable.
A moment later, Szayelaporro's pristine laboratory was consumed by blinding light.
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〔TL〕
Every 100 powerstones = 1 bonus ch.
Every 2 review after 100 ps = 1 bonus ch.7