Only a day prior, Gin Ichimaru might have staked everything on Ulquiorra’s victory against a Shin’o Academy novice like Kazuya. Aizen had put extra effort into enhancing Ulquiorra with Hōgyoku. As the strongest Vasto Lorde and a key figure in the Arrancar Project, Ulquiorra, the last Original Hollow, enjoyed privileges that set him apart.

Yet, today unfolded with startling revelations: Kazuya Ishihara toyed with Ulquiorra, baiting the Vasto Lorde into an explosive blast. Without his extreme regeneration ability, Ulquiorra would have died right there.

The Arrancar project’s crowning achievement faced an unexpected humiliation, and unless he released his Resurrección, he’d have certainly lost at a student’s hands. It was a bummer that Gin didn’t get to see the finish. Tier Harribel unexpectedly showed up and altered the course of the battle.

His gaze then shifted to the Shinigami’s side of the equation. Rangiku Matsumoto was struggling, her body succumbing to toxins that rendered her a sluggish mess. She’d have long died if not for Toshiro’s Shikai contending against Loly.

However, the stalemate wouldn’t last long.

Toshiro was visibly strained, running out of Reiryoku using his newly developed Shikai. Their situation was growing increasingly dire.

‘I can trust him to send away the Espada.’

Of course, Gin’s face betrayed none of his internal urgency. “Kazuya-san is brimming with raw potential like an uncut diamond. It’s strange he decided to be part of the 4th and 10th squad. This battle maniac could easily fit in with the 11th Squad.”

Gin sensed deeper undercurrents influencing Kazuya’s decisions beyond his ties with Isshin Shiba and Vice-Captain Isane Kotetsu. However, their limited intel provided no solid footing for these speculations.

“His Zanpakutō is a Support-Type and quite suited for the 4th Squad.” Aizen’s eyes gleamed behind his specs. “It can be restructured into an offensive form. It’s a sign of his extraordinary adaptability.”

With a hand on his chin, Gin grinned. Extraordinary was the highest praise Aizen ever gave to anyone. Even Ulquiorra, one of the Original Hollows born from the ashes of Hueco Mundo, received an ‘adequate for our mission’ remark.

‘Is there a chance he has a monstrous talent like Aizen?’

It’d be quite a miraculous twist if Kazuya ended up becoming a bigger threat to Aizen’s plan than Captain Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto. A twist Gin would wholeheartedly welcome with open arms.

“Captain, what do we do with Harribel?” Gin asked to keep the conversation flowing. “She is in Hueco Mundo as we speak. Capturing her would be easy.”

“Leave her be.”

Gin already predicted Aizen’s answer. Recruiting someone against their will went against Aizen’s philosophy as far as Gin knew. The alternative was killing Harribel, which wouldn’t provide any benefits to them.

The silver-haired snake rose from his seat. “I’ll tell Szayel to monitor her power level.”

…

Meanwhile, at the power plant zone.

The Vice-Captain of the 8th Squad was beaten, bruised, and drained of Reiatsu. Yet Ggio didn’t believe Nanao had given up. On the contrary, her near-death state made her resentment more intense.

Crouching before Nanao, he grasped her hair, lifting her head. “You look so… hopeful, Miss Vice-Captain. What’s the secret of your undying resilience?”

Nanao clenched her jaw defiantly. The thought of dying in such a place haunted her, yet the idea of begging for mercy was even more abhorrent. Her eyes drifted towards Rangiku and Toshiro, both locked in their own desperate battles.

Defeat was not just imminent; it was already upon them. Their only saving grace lay in the safety of the students, owing to Renji sneaking off earlier.

“You… will never…” Nanao’s words trailed off into silence, her consciousness succumbing to the overwhelming blood loss and fatigue.

“Win.” Suddenly, Ggio felt an unnerving whisper brush against his neck, sending chills down his spine — someone had snuck up on him, a feat he had thought impossible given his heightened Arrancar senses.

Grabbing his katana’s handle, he whirled around with a furious slash. When no sensation came from the blade, he fluidly transitioned into a side flip to dodge any counterattack. Nothing happened even then — the person made a mockery out of him yet again.

‘Fuck.’

Frustrated and alert, Ggio spun around and glared at his adversary — a girl casually standing behind him, wielding a katana. Her diamond-shaped mask was reminiscent of a Hollow’s, but without any animalistic signs.

She hoisted Nanao onto her shoulder and leaped towards a nearby tower. The turquoise pupils peeking through the horizontal slit of her mask held a chilling resentment. “Wait for your punishment, you sick pervert.”

“Wait—”

She ignored his call and flash-stepped to the perimeter of the power zone. Her Shunpo was so fast that it seemed like teleportation — her speed was on par with his own.

Ggio attempted to pursue, but Zommari Leroux abruptly blocked his path. “Zommari, what are you doing?”

“Your hubris led to her escape.”

“Then don’t block—”

“Your mission is here. You cannot leave until it is fulfilled,” Zommari said indifferently before he glanced at the Shinigami whose aura was a mix of Hollow and Shinigami but very distinct from an Arrancar’s Reiatsu. “Fascinating. I must tell Aizen-sama about it.”

Ggio didn’t argue against Zommari, who was higher ranked and more powerful than him. Instead, he redirected his fury towards another target — Vice-Captain Rangiku Matsumoto, who seemed momentarily distracted, possibly by the mysterious figure who had whisked Nanao away. “You’ll do.”

Closing the gap with a burst of Sonído, Ggio unleashed a ferocious kick into Rangiku’s abdomen. The impact sent her flying, her body crashing against a nearby wall with an echoing thud. Struggling to regain her bearings, she reached for her katana, her eyes lifting to meet Ggio’s.

“You should’ve dodged to your right,” Ggio taunted, a twisted smile playing on his lips as he approached her with a slow, deliberate motion. “Or to the left.”

His sarcastic criticism made Loly burst into laughter. “You’re amazing, Ggio. Keep beating the shit out of her.”

Rangiku pushed herself off the ground but struggled to maintain a steady stance. Blood trickled down her face, which she wiped away with her sleeve and then glared at Ggio. “Where is Nanao?”

“Oh, her. Unfortunately, I have no idea. Some mysterious girl kidnapped her. Besides, Miss Vice-Captain. You should worry about immediate threats such as me~.”

His figure flickered, the explosive sound of Sonído following his disappearance. Showing up before her, he drove his knee into her already battered abdomen. The brutal strike knocked the wind out of her. She dropped to her knees, the pain carving a silent scream on her face.

To escape the excruciating pain, her consciousness plunged into distant, sweeter memories of her childhood.

“You should have crossed your arms to block the knee,” he instructed, making a mockery out of his opponent. “Well, she passed—”

His gloating was cut short. A sudden surge of instincts flared within him, signaling an immediate danger. He had barely a moment to react before someone grabbed the back of his head and dragged him violently through the air.

Ggio’s eyes caught a brief glimpse of his attacker — gleaming blue eyes, silver hair — a figure he recognized as a significant threat to their mission. A fleeting thought crossed his mind, ‘Wasn’t he fighting with Ulquiorra?’ That question remained unanswered as his face brutally smashed into the wall.

“You should have chosen different enemies or stayed in Hueco Mundo.”