Chapter 654: I Predicted Your Prediction of My Prediction
Chapter 654: I Predicted Your Prediction of My Prediction
Night had fallen.
Kisuke Urahara stood on the rooftop of his home, gazing up at the starry sky. He weighed a small wooden plaque in his hand before suddenly clenching his fist around it, infusing it with his spiritual energy.
The plaque erupted in a dazzling white light, piercing through the darkness in front of him and tearing open a portal that seemed blurry and indistinct.
Whoosh!
Without hesitation, Kisuke stepped through the portal.
Beyond the portal lay a pitch-black and empty space—the boundary between the human world and the Soul Society. Strange, turbulent currents swirled all around.
As the former captain of the 10th Division, Kisuke was intimately familiar with this place, even when entering it in such an unconventional manner. He swiftly navigated his way forward with ease.
However.
After flying a short distance, his speed gradually slowed to a halt, and he finally came to a stop in mid-air.
Up ahead, three figures stood as if they had been waiting there for quite some time.
The one in front wore glasses and regarded Kisuke with a calm demeanor. "Captain Shiba... or should I say, former captain, where are you headed at this late hour?"
Kisuke paused, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the figures before him. He enunciated each syllable with deliberate emphasis. "So... it's you... Sosuke Aizen."
Aizen!
The figure at the forefront was none other than the captain of the 5th Division, Sosuke Aizen, and standing behind him were Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tosen.
Kisuke's expression darkened as he glared at Aizen. "What are you doing here, Aizen!"
"Oh?"
Aizen drew his Zanpakuto casually and replied, "The Hogyoku researched by Kisuke Urahara cannot cure the Hollowfication of Hirako and the others. And he certainly wouldn't want to keep something so dangerous. After all, I've deliberately put quite a bit of pressure on him lately."
"Under my pressure, what would he do? He'd either hide the Hogyoku or send it to an absolutely safe place."
"If he chose the latter, I don't think he'd act alone. Instead, he'd consider the most foolproof method, and since I predicted that your power might have recovered by now, I made an assumption... which is why I'm here now."
Aizen explained with an air of tranquility, then turned to Kisuke with a faint smile. "So, will you hand over what Kisuke Urahara asked you to bring to the Soul Society?"
"In your dreams!"
Kisuke glared at Aizen and drew his Zanpakuto with a fierce expression.
Ichimaru, standing behind Aizen, narrowed his eyes at Kisuke's action and chuckled. "Now, now, Captain Shiba, don't be so hasty. We outnumber you three to one. There's no way you can win, so you might as well hand it over."
As he spoke, Ichimaru placed his hand on the hilt of his Zanpakuto, and Tosen beside him did the same.
With Aizen and his two companions present, Kisuke found himself at a clear disadvantage. It seemed only a matter of moments before he would be overwhelmed.
But.
Just then, a voice abruptly rang out from behind Kisuke.
"It's not a three-on-one situation."
It was the voice of Kisuke Urahara.
Kisuke turned, startled, and saw a multitude of figures stepping out of the darkness behind him. Leading them was none other than Kisuke Urahara himself! By his side were Shinji Hirako and Tessai Tsukabishi.
Kisuke Urahara walked up beside Kisuke and offered him an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry for keeping this from you, but how could I possibly let you undertake such a dangerous task alone?"
Tosen, sensing the spiritual pressure of Kisuke Urahara and the others, frowned and demanded, "Kisuke Urahara... what are you doing here?"
Kisuke Urahara turned to face Tosen and replied calmly, "You've been deliberately pressuring me, and I knew you wanted me to make a move. I guessed that you'd predict I'd send the Hogyoku to the Soul Society in secret, so I played along. Just as I thought, you took the bait."
"Interesting."
Aizen regarded Kisuke Urahara with a serene expression. "So, this is a trap, using the Hogyoku as bait to lure me in?"
Kisuke Urahara responded nonchalantly, "Indeed. Since you've always been so meticulous in your plans, the only way to truly defeat you is to make you reveal your true intentions and strike a fatal blow at that moment. So, it's not three against one, but... three against eleven!"
Hearing Kisuke Urahara's words,
Aizen laughed.
Seeing Aizen's laughter, Shinji Hirako, standing beside Kisuke Urahara, glared at him coldly. "You find your own stupidity amusing, Aizen? The 'care' you showed us in the past is now coming back to you."
"No.
Urahara Kisuke's brows furrowed slightly as he asked, "What do you mean by that?"
"Just what I said," Aizen replied peacefully.
As his words trailed off, strange ripples emanated from the distance, and several figures stepped forward from behind Aizen.
Some held the Seeker Jade Scepters and wore the Six Paths' outer garments, while others were enveloped in pale golden flames, their eyes bearing marks of reincarnation.
There were seven in total!
"The Outsiders?!"
Urahara's expression shifted as he exclaimed, "When did you get involved with them?!"
Aizen nonchalantly answered, "That was a long time ago. They believe that the Soul Society should not be ruled by the Shinigami but by them instead. I agree; after all, they are closer to the Hollow King in terms of origin. So... now it's ten against eleven."
Urahara's face twitched as he lowered his head slightly, then raised it again, his features composed. "So this was your backup plan, Aizen. But how could I not anticipate that you would foresee my collaboration with Hirako and the others to lure you into a trap? Your thinking is too shallow."
Silence fell.
Behind the seven Outsiders, a spatial portal opened, and several figures stepped through. Leading them was none other than the Fourth Division Captain, Yuki Four Seasons!
In addition, there were Soifon, Byakuya Kuchiki, Jushiro Ukitake, and other captains close to Yuki, totaling six people!
"Aizen..."
"I never thought it would be you..."
Jushiro, gripping his zanpakuto, looked at Aizen with a hint of sigh in his eyes.
When Yuki had told him about this, he had found it hard to believe, but now it seemed that everything was true. Aizen was the mastermind behind the turmoil of the past century!
"I see," Aizen murmured, scanning Jushiro and the others before turning to Urahara. "As expected of you; you indeed thought one step ahead of me... But did you really think I wouldn't have foreseen the current situation?"
A faint smile played on Aizen's lips as he continued, "Do you truly believe that gathering all these people here will stop me? I had anticipated that your wisdom would lead you to think one step ahead of me, but I saw no need to go one step further because it would be meaningless."
Indeed.
Gin Ichimaru, standing behind Aizen, whispered to himself.
Although it seemed that Urahara had the upper hand with the presence of Yuki from the Zero Division, along with six other captains, the problem was that... most of them were under the influence of Aizen's Kyoka Suigetsu!
Under the interference of Kyoka Suigetsu, numbers held no significance!
Whoosh!
In the next moment, Aizen made his move. His figure flickered as he lunged towards Ichigo, simultaneously issuing a calm command. "Gin, block Urahara and Tsukabishi. King of the Outsiders, you only need to stop that woman."
"Yes, Captain Aizen," Gin acknowledged, narrowing his eyes at Urahara. "Captain Aizen has ordered me to stop you, so please step aside."
To Senbonzakura, who turned to face Tsukabishi, his zanpakuto drawn, his voice deep and solemn. "Your opponent is me."
Strangely, apart from Gin and Tosen, as well as Aizen and the Outsiders, Hirako and the other Visoreds, along with Byakuya and the other captains, remained frozen in place as if they hadn't noticed anything!
Only Yuki, Urahara, Tsukabishi, and Ichigo were in motion!
"What's going on... What have you done?!"
Ichigo blocked Aizen's attack and glared at Hirako and the others, who seemed dazed and stagnant, directing his question at Aizen.
Aizen calmly replied, "What I've done is simple. I've merely made them believe that they have already taken action."
"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked, his voice low. "Is that the ability of your zanpakuto? I thought it was a water-type?"
"No," Aizen calmly explained. "My zanpakuto's ability is absolute hypnosis—complete control over the five senses. Even if one realizes they've fallen under the influence of Kyoka Suigetsu, there is absolutely no escape."
"So, the reinforcements you've gathered are pointless, and I had anticipated this."
Clang!
As Aizen finished speaking, he swung his sword forward, unleashing a surging spiritual pressure towards Ichigo, clearly at the level of a captain!
Even without the Hogyoku, Aizen was undoubtedly a captain-level powerhouse, which was why he could coerce the Outsiders!
Kido, swordsmanship, hand-to-hand combat, and swordsmanship...
He excelled in every aspect, a true apex existence!
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
