Chapter 112 - Aftermath (2/2)

The others were curious as to the reason but didn't indulge in it and just left for their duties. The four that were called out appeared in Yamamoto's office to which the latter was already sitting in one chair. The four captains stood there waiting for the man to speak when he bought out pieces of a black material. The four captains kept quiet but were curious as to where the captain commander was going with this.

”These were Aizen's bindings…”

The four captains were shocked but held it in, being the most easy going, Shunsui was the one that voiced out everyone' questions.

”Old man, how did you get these?”

”I was able to sneak a bit of it out…”

”Then why did you call us?”

Yamamoto grabbed the piece and unceremoniously threw it at them. Shunsui caught it and looked at it, carefully analysing the material before passing it around.

”Anything suspicious?”

Yamamoto had a mysterious air around as he took a sip of tea with a satisfied smile. Shunsui didn't care where he got the tea from as he frowned at Yamamoto. He could see the jolly atmosphere that was carefully hidden by the mysterious one, but he didn't call out to it. All of the captains were stumped until it reached Byakuya's hands,

”This… these cuts, they bring a familiar feeling?”

Byakuya was someone who knew the sword of Itsuki the most, due to the numerous times they had sparred. Being Yamamoto's student, it also meant that it felt familiar to him. But that wasn't the only reason,

”I'm pretty sure you looked over it, there is no Reiatsu within them…”

Along with Yamamoto's voice, the captains took a careful look at the material,

”What?”

Everyone was confused, but a look of realisation hit Shunsui's eyes.

”Old man, you don't mean?”

”Yes, if you can remember Aizen talked about Itsuki's eyes, while it was frighteningly close, it wasn't the truth. Itsuki's eyes had the ability to kill anything, even inanimate objects.”

”You mean to say is…”

”I can only think of Itsuki having the abilities to pull such a thing, only I know of it and now you four.”

Everyone was shocked, but the most affected was Soi Fon. Her eyes widened and she couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her thoughts were pulled into disarray and her surrounding muffled.

”Fon…Soi Fon.”

Yamamoto's voice pulled her back as she collected herself. Seeing that Soi Fon was mostly back but her mind was still elsewhere.

”Did Itsuki say anything during all those years?”

Soi Fon just shook her head. She always felt a certain distance from the man. She had spent the most time with him, yet he was always covered by a fog. At that time, she didn't care, she was happy. But now she didn't know what she felt…

- Hell Realm -

A gigantic skeleton like being peered down at the ant in front of him. Its mind couldn't comprehend what it was witnessing. For as long as it could remember they had been tasked in hunting down the souls within the realm and none were able to fight back. Given the name Kushanada, they only had one duty, hunt. Yet today it seemed the role had become the opposite, the ants they killed continuously were now fighting back. Not the ones they usually annihilated but this one was different, it didn't have the chain like the others nor did it seem the ant belonged here, however, looking at the being's eyes it had felt an emotion that it hadn't ever felt before. Fear.

The being's steps were small, one step of its own were like the opposites twenty yet it just knew, that it couldn't run away. He felt his siblings attack the said figure yet what they were expecting never occurred, their touch had no effect on the being. Looking at two of its sibling swing at the intruder, their humongous hands completely enveloping the figure. However, they couldn't even slightly budge the figure as a flash appeared and their colossal bodies were separated, both of them cut in a completely different angle. It didn't end there, the chopped bodies seemed to evaporate into a yellow mist and be absorbed into said figure.

This shouldn't have happened, even if they were killed, they should've been able to come back yet nothing of the sort happened. The skeleton could feel it. Its siblings no longer existed. The being disappeared once the mist was absorbed completely, and it appeared in front of it. The being felt the fear magnify thousands of times as it stumbled back, and another new feeling welled up within him. Despair.

Itsuki looked at the four legged being he just slaughtered. Walking on all fours, reminiscence of gorillas, the Kushanada had elongated skulls with a skeletal body and a large piece of shoulder armour on its right shoulder. Its grey arms and legs were the only non-skeletal part of the so-called guardian of hell, yet it was packed with muscle. He could see various souls of sinners looking at him with wonder, vigilance and hope as Itsuki just ignored them.

”They seem to think of you as their saviour…”

A slight laugh was heard behind in which Aizen walked out from seemingly nowhere. Itsuki didn't turn around but kept looking at all the Kushanada congregating at their location. They were surrounded by many floating white blocks, but it seemed that the Kushanada can just ignore them and walk straight through. The blue pathway seemed to go on for ages, but Itsuki didn't stop.

Behind Aizen were the Dark Ones, Ichinose Maki, Baishin, the four arrancar. Seikyo was flying high in the sky while Noel was, well she was currently the fourth arrancar. Back to the a.d.u.l.t version of herself, she seemed depressed with a pout, no longer able to hitch a ride on Itsuki's back.

”The reiatsu here…”

Baishin's gruff voice was heard as Ichinose replied,

”Yeah, any weak person will just go insane by how chaotic it is…”

”Still…those two seem to think of it as a walk in the park…”

The leader of the dark ones, Ganryu looked at Itsuki and Aizen who were having a small conversation. Although they weren't that close to them, they still weren't able to hear what the two were saying despite being at a distance where even a normal human could hear them.

”Rangiku Matsumoto was an anomaly, it was through sheer luck that I was able to find her. Who would've expected her to have a small portion of the soul king's power within her? Although I waited it out, it seemed that it was placed into her rather than something that she herself created. It was one of the main components to create the king's key…”

Itsuki silently listened as a sigh left his mouth.

”Is it finished?”

Aizen knew what he was talking about as his smile never left his face,

”I was close.”

”Close?”

”The last part was the human Ryoka, Kurosaki Ichigo. Someone who was Hollow, Shinigami and Quincy. His soul was the last part, the more powerful it was, the better the chances, yet it seems it was not to be. His last attack allowed me to complete my fusion with the Hogyoku but the Hogyoku rejected its existence and completely annihilated it.”