Death and the Bird

I can not be reconciled!

Why am I still so weak after trying so hard for so long?

That's not enough, I can still fight!

Fragments of memory flooded into the bird's brain like a tidal wave, tearing open his scars with sharp edges—

The pungent smell of chemicals and blood filled the air, and as far as the eye could see, there were rows of transparent glass tanks filled with unidentified liquids.

Inside the chamber, there were adults, children, wandering spirits, and... a Shinigami dressed in a black Shinigami uniform.

The Grim Reaper is the guardian of Soul Society, the maintainer of order who guides the souls of the dead, and an existence that even a wandering spirit like Asuka dares not provoke.

But he never expected that even the Grim Reaper would be imprisoned in this dark and sunless place, just like him.

"Having consumed so much, is it still not enough...?"

In front of the glass capsule, Asuka vaguely saw two tall figures, one of whom was Aizen, dressed in black.

"...Lord Aizen, we've already secretly collected over a hundred souls. If this continues..."

A Shinigami swordsman knelt respectfully before Aizen's retreating figure, his voice tinged with unease.

Aizen turned around and looked at him, giving him a gentle smile.

"Thanks for your hard work."

Pfft—!

A glint of cold light flashed.

The black-clad swordsman looked at him in disbelief before collapsing to the ground, lifeless.

"Well then, let's see what's going on with you..."

Aizen approached slowly, stepping into Asuka's line of sight.

The bird tried to resist, but the cold metal restraints dug deep into the flesh of his small body. He wanted to scream, but a respirator was stuffed into his mouth, which led directly to his throat, preventing him from making a sound.

Aizen adjusted his glasses, fixing his gaze intently on Asuka: "Why did the Central 46 go to such lengths to search Rukongai...? Could the answer be you? Number 78?"

Then, he pressed several buttons in front of the glass compartment...

An unbearable, excruciating pain instantly engulfed Asuka's entire body!

Needles extending in all directions pierced his skin, like countless streams of molten lava flowing through his veins!

The cold iron claws gripped his head, tearing his soul apart and then brutally stitching it back together!

The bird convulsed, struggled, and twisted in its restraints.

His skin was torn open by his resistance, and his eyes were so bloodshot that crimson liquid seeped from the clear fluid.

But he could neither escape nor resist, and could only let the man opposite him do as he pleased.

The man's gaze was calm and focused, as if he were observing the growth of bacteria in a petri dish, filled with pure interest and inquiry.

"Hang in there, number 78... Let me see where your limit is..."

"Robbery—!!"

Asuka suddenly snapped out of her reverie, wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, and flipped herself up with a somersault, unleashing an unprecedented pressure from her Zanpakuto.

"Barking!!"

He roared and swung out his weapon, unleashing a massive spiritual pressure slash composed of countless gray-black roaring beast shadows that tore through space and flew out of the blade!

Wherever it passed, the darkness was torn apart, revealing the deep moonlight, as if one were in a vast courtyard.

Aizen clapped his hands again: "This is your Shikai ability? I didn't expect that you could still release Asauchi on your own even when your spiritual pressure was suppressed..."

"Binding Spell No. 39: Round Gate Fan".

Faced with this scene, Aizen calmly raised his left hand, and a rapidly spinning golden spiritual light shield appeared in front of him.

Click click click!

The dark gray barking slash slammed heavily onto the light shield! A deafening explosion resounded throughout the entire consciousness space. The bird's slash and the pure light shield collided violently, forming an energy storm of flying light fragments!

Hmm? Aizen, who thought he would easily block the slash, had a slight change in his expression.

The circular sluice gate was shattered... no, swallowed up?

Those dark gray spiritual pressures, truly like living beings, actively gnawed at the light shield in Aizen's hand, causing it to rapidly disintegrate and shatter...

He withdrew the demonic energy from his hand, took a step back for the first time, and spoke again:

"Binding Path No. 81: Severing Emptiness".

Om-!

A huge, square wall of light, crystal clear and seemingly constructed from the purest crystal, instantly appeared in front of Aizen.

This is an absolute barrier specifically designed to isolate attacks from the demonic path!

boom! !

The barking slashes, which had not yet completely dissipated, crashed into the broken wall and turned into ashes.

A Zanpakuto that can devour spirit particles... How interesting.

Aizen was about to speak when he noticed that Asuka was gone.

Whoosh—!

A swift and powerful slash swept across his side!

"First Fierce Wind Slash!!"

"Good tactics."

Using the commotion created by the barking, Asuka immediately made a decision and charged towards Aizen's side.

His eyes were bloodshot, with bright red blood swirling in their sockets.

Asuka had pushed his spiritual pressure perception to its limit. At this moment, he could even see the air currents and the direction of the spiritual particles breaking apart!

In his vision, Aizen's dazzling spiritual pressure, as bright as the sun, seemed to become clearer!

He could see the vast river of spiritual energy flowing within the other person's body, and he could sense the faint premonition of the next movement that was about to take shape at the other person's fingertips!

It will definitely work! Read his movements! We'll definitely hit this guy!

clang--!!

Aizen drew his Asakasa from his waist and effortlessly blocked Asuka's slash.

"It's not over yet!! Land Form: Black Wind and Smoke!!!"

Asuka swung her sword, unleashing a domineering slash from bottom to top, attacking Aizen relentlessly with one strike after another! Yet, he easily deflected them all.

"To achieve this with only mortal swordsmanship and intuitive insight is quite impressive."

"However, the clarity that mortals can reach is ultimately limited by its barriers."

"Binding Path No. 61: The Six-Staff Light Prison"

The golden spiritual particles transformed into six enormous wedges of light, carrying a powerful binding force, instantly piercing through the space surrounding the bird!

call out!call out!call out!

The light wedge pierced through the darkness and nailed directly into the bird, completely interrupting all his movements and breathing!

This is not just a physical confinement, but a lockdown on the spiritual pressure level!

They were like living chains, deeply embedded in his body, suppressing the flow of power within him.

"Pfft!!"

The intense restraint caused him to feel short of breath, and he spat out another mouthful of blood.

He tried to struggle, but every muscle contraction was violently bounced back by the powerful recoil from the light source!

Completely powerless to fight back!

"That's enough for now, number seventy-eight," Aizen said calmly.

As he finished speaking, his figure seemed to become somewhat blurred, and the edges slowly dissipated like sand, emitting faint specks of light.

This was not Aizen himself descending, but rather a projection that Aizen had stored deep within Asuka's soul before Asuka broke through the dimensional barrier and came to this world.

As Asuka began to release his restricted spiritual pressure, Aizen's projection, which he used to observe him, emerged, allowing him to witness everything.

"Live on, and return to Soul Society."

"Your wish shouldn't be limited to this; I'd love to see your future..."

The bird gasped for breath, constantly trying to break free of the Six-Staff Light Prison.

He stared intently at Aizen's gradually dissipating body, his eyes surging with hatred.

"I will not give up, Aizen!"

"Whether it's Soul Society or Hell, I will go back! I will find you!"

"You just wait!!"

With his roar, the leopard began to tremble violently, its entire spiritual world collapsing, as if something was about to break through the barriers and descend upon this world.

However, this declaration of war only caused Aizen's lips to curl upwards in a smile:

"I'm really looking forward to number 78..."

Suddenly, Aizen's hand, which had become almost completely transparent, casually reached out and grabbed at the dark corner—

"Ugh!!"

A short, sharp scream suddenly rang out!

A figure in a train conductor's uniform, with a gaunt face, was abruptly pulled out of the shadows!

He was none other than the Lower Moon One's accomplice who came to find the boundary of Asuka's dream world and intended to eliminate Asuka's existence!

Aizen didn't even glance at him; his translucent fingers simply clenched slightly.

Click!

The sound of bones cracking rang out, and the flight attendant immediately fell silent, carelessly tossed aside.

Like crushing an ant.