“Dear Sora.” Aizen's voice resonated, filled with a touch of amusement. “Did you truly believe that you could oppose me now that you have grasped your full potential?”

“Shatter, Kyoka no Suigetsu!”

I couldn’t help but tilt my head backwards. Before me, the world shifted, and what appeared like a bustling battlefield revealed itself to be an almost empty blue sky.

To my astonishment, Harribel and Starrk stood leisurely looking at me. The puppets that had surrounded them were nowhere to be seen.

A bit to the left, stepping in the air, was a dirty and beaten Nnoitra Gilga. His clothes were tattered, and he was lacking one of his arms, but again no puppets were within sight.

Down on the white sands, a struggling Yammy was stomping one of my last puppets, his enraged face a testament to the battle he had fought.

“When…”

I couldn’t contain my disbelief from showing in my face.

A realization struck me, I had been played by Aizen.. He must have released Kyoka no Suigetsu from the moment he felt me yearning for the Hogyoku to hear me.

Yet, I had to pay attention to the situation around me, I had no time to ponder. Above me, Aizen had appeared, flanked byGin and Kaname.

“I did it from the beginning.” Aizen interjected, his voice laced with calculated confidence. “I needed to gauge your newfound strength, hence I allowed you to overcome some of my Espadas. Everything was in order for you to ease up and make you fall into my trap.”

Aizen's smile stretched across his face, his eyes gleaming, full of satisfaction. “And let me tell you, you didn’t disappoint me. Your use of the Hogyoku, your evolution, it was nothing short of marvelous.”

Raising his free hand, he gestured subtly to the others, a silent command with the use of his fingers. “It is a lamentable circumstance that you have chosen not to use those wondrous powers in service of my cause.”

Aware of his signal, I frantically scanned the battlefield, my gaze darting from Harribel to Starrk, Gin to Kaname as they closed in, trying to surround me in a cross-shaped formation.

Choosing speed over adaptability, I released the control of my last puppets. I needed my full attention to deal with Aizen’s scheme.

Without hesitation, my four adversaries lunged forward, their closed fists emanating a bright and annoying pink light

Yet, I was faster than them. In a blink I had bypassed their pincer attack, my blade slicing through the air, finding its mark on Gin Ichimaru's right shoulder. Blood erupted from his right beside his head like a fountain.

“Did you believe I had forgotten what you did to Piggy!” I bellowed, surprising the annoying serpent-like bastard, known as Gin Ichimaru.

His eyes widened, his usually hidden blue eyes showing. “Mmm, still holding a grudge, huh?” He mocked. “Not that it matters anymore. It is already over.”

“Shit!”

It took me a second for me to comprehend his words. I had momentarily forgotten that the true enemy was Aizen.

Once again, the atmosphere around me shifted, hues of pink illuminating the surroundings. My other enemies had encircled me while my senses were under an illusion.

It hit me like a bucket of cold water. Aizen had sacrificed Gin to get hold over me.

“I’m sorry, Acidwire. But this is a necessary sacrifice for Lord Aizen’s plan.” Harribel explained calmly, but not meeting my glare.

Desperately, I fought against their hold. It was a strong trap derived from Kisuke Urahara’s stolen research, but it wasn't strong enough to restrain me for long. The problem lay in the smug looking shinigami who slowly approached me with deliberate steps.

“Can’t you see it? This monster will be the doom of us all! You are going to die just for his fantasies.”

I screamed, my lungs hurt from the exertion, burning as the air entered them. But, they didn’t want to hear me.

“Silence!” Kaname's command echoed through the air, his brow furrowing even further.

In front of me, Aizen finally reached me. In his hand, he clutched a card-like device.

“Dear Sora, your jealousy toward me has always been evident. You have coveted my power, my subordinates and my position.” Aizen declared.

I couldn’t deny it, that was the way I was. it was normal for me to want to get what I didn’t have.

That didn’t mean I would allow him the last laugh…

“Until now, I indulged in your pet projects, finding you stumbling around funny.” At this, his smug smile turned serious. “However, to dare touch the Hogyoku, to dare reach for a power that does not rightfully belong to you. That’s unacceptable.”

I stared at his face incredulously. “That is just a flimsy excuse. You've been provoking me from the beginning, manipulating events around me with the hope of leading to this very outcome.”

His serious face turned somber, and with a detached smile, Aizen raised his hand, revealing the device he held. Without hesitation, he pressed a button on it

“Don’t be exaggerated. I would never allow a lowly existence like yours to become my equal.”

Suddenly, the air around me started to shift, tilting me backwards. A pink glow enveloped my surroundings with its evil color.

“Damn it!”

The realization hit me like a thunderbolt. This guy was attempting to trap me within a dimensional trap, knowing I would run otherwise.

“Unfortunately, I have more pressing matters to address, so I cannot afford to waste time chasing after a fast little snake like yourself.”

He was truly full of superiority and indifference.

The bastard was going to imprison me just to stop me from interfering with his perfect plan.

However, as I was being sucked in by the strong suction force, I summoned the remnants of my strength to gather a last acid spit.

“Ignite.”

A blinding, radiant gold light engulfed us all, temporarily blinding me as Aizen’s figure was burnt by the attack.

The sheer force sent me backwards faster than before, making my imprisonment faster.

“You fools are going to die!”

That was the last thing I could scream to my former comrades as I was sucked into a world of darkness.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Omake: Mayuri

Nemu fanned herself, worried about her father as he hurried along.

“This way Nemu.” Mayuri Kurotsuchi complained. “Why are you so slow? The specimens will run away if you don’t hurry!”

Nemu pulled along the big cage behind her, the blasted thing scraping against rocks.

“We should have gotten a floating carriage, Mayuri-sama.”

Mayuri gave her a side glance before spinning his index finger.

“Excuses Nemu. Maybe you need a new adjustment, we will see to it later.”

Nemu shuddered, hoping her father would forget about it when he got new ‘toys’.

“Now hurry. There are two arrancars that way beside what seems to be a crack in the space.”

“Yes, Mayuri-sama!”

Nemu continued pulling the cage, stumbling with a dead half-arrancar that Mayuri had ignored.