Chapter 187: Desperate Counterattack, Urahara Kisuke's Strategic Brilliance
"Espada? They're merely disposable tools!"
Aizen's voice carried no emotion whatsoever, as if in his heart, the so-called subordinates were nothing more than instruments to be utilized at will—though different tools naturally served different functions.
"Such an answer is truly chilling!"
Urahara Kisuke's expression darkened as he spoke with genuine disgust.
"Chilling? Why would you say that? From the moment they willingly became my test subjects, I never forced them to do anything. Everything was done of their own volition. Feeling indignation on behalf of your enemies? That doesn't sound like the Urahara Kisuke I know!"
Aizen paused, then continued with genuine curiosity in his tone. "But... what was that method you used just now? When you grabbed my arm earlier—did you give some kind of instruction to the Hōgyoku within my body at that moment?"
Aizen lowered his head, extending his hand to caress the position where the Hōgyoku was embedded. "At that instant, the Hōgyoku seemed to resist my will. It didn't stop your Kidō from affecting my body as it normally would have."
"I see now. You realized that the Hōgyoku couldn't be killed after merging with me, so you planned to ignite my internal organs from within and burn me to death from the inside out? And that peculiar Kidō—it doesn't seem like something a righteous character would employ!"
Aizen's gaze fixed on Urahara Kisuke's withered arm as he continued his analysis.
"That's none of your concern!"
Without hesitation, Urahara Kisuke retrieved a vial and injected its contents into his desiccated right arm. Within mere seconds, the hand that had shriveled like a dead branch instantly regained its vitality, returning to its previous appearance.
"Technology Development Bureau?"
The instant Aizen spoke, a black figure materialized behind him, swinging down with a lethal blade.
CLANG!
After escorting Kurosaki Ichigo to a distant location, Kurosaki Isshin had returned to the battlefield and continued observing the situation. He'd intended to seize the moment when Aizen was injured to launch a surprise attack, but he hadn't anticipated his opponent's perception being so acute. The moment Isshin appeared, the Zanpakutō in Aizen's hand rose defensively, as though his body moved of its own accord.
After parrying Kurosaki Isshin's assault, Aizen glanced sideways at him. "It seems you moved quite swiftly. Have you sent Kurosaki Ichigo to a location you consider safe?"
"Is it inside the barrier pillars? That really isn't a wise decision!"
Hearing Aizen's words, Kurosaki Isshin's heart lurched. After their blades clashed, he immediately retreated to create distance. "How is it possible for you to sense that from tens of kilometers away?"
"Do you think I'm unaware of your plan? You want Kurosaki Ichigo to reach Captain Yamamoto's location, don't you?"
"But... it's quite unfortunate. The pride you hold so dear has failed."
Hearing Aizen's contemptuous laughter, Urahara Kisuke showed no concern. Instead, he took several steps forward and spoke calmly. "Of course I know. I noticed the moment the Captain-Commander's Reiatsu disappeared from this world."
"But the one who failed to realize the truth was you. The Arrancar who defeated the Captain-Commander... has also vanished from this world at this very moment!"
Urahara Kisuke's words caused Aizen's expression beneath the chrysalis shell to shift. His entire demeanor became uncertain, though he quickly regained his composure and addressed Urahara Kisuke.
"Fiander?"
"It seems you've done something again, Urahara Kisuke!"
"The moment I sensed that unusual Reiatsu, I had already made a certain decision. If Captain Yamamoto couldn't defeat that Arrancar, then I would make everything within the barrier pillars disappear from the Three Realms entirely!"
Urahara Kisuke's eyes were profound, his grim and furious expression unmistakable. It was obvious this decision had been extraordinarily difficult for him to make.
"What?!"
"Are you insane, Urahara Kisuke?!"
After hearing those words, Aizen attempted to use his Reiatsu to perceive the area inside the barrier pillars. But the moment he turned his head, Yoruichi's figure suddenly materialized beside him.
"You're far too easy to read!"
BOOM!
Yoruichi's hands were already locked around Aizen's wrists, and Kurosaki Isshin followed immediately behind, executing the same maneuver as Shihōin Yoruichi.
"Kurosaki Isshin! Shihōin Yoruichi!"
A hint of emotional turbulence entered Aizen's voice. Clearly, Urahara Kisuke's previous statement had affected Aizen's mental state.
"Urahara Kisuke, there are other severely injured captains within the barrier pillars! If you erase everything inside, are you planning to become a criminal in Soul Society's eyes?"
Aizen turned his head and roared at Urahara Kisuke.
He'd never imagined that Urahara Kisuke, who had always maintained such a gentle and refined demeanor in his memory, would actually commit such an audacious act. There wasn't only Fiander alone within the barrier pillars—there were also three captains who'd been seriously wounded by him, several vice-captains, and all the members of the Visored.
To erase all these people simultaneously—even if Urahara Kisuke successfully eliminated Fiander, the blame would still fall squarely on his shoulders.
"Because of my mistake, I created a monster that should never have existed. If those captains wish to assign blame, they can blame me. But I absolutely cannot allow that monster to reach Soul Society!"
A trace of steely determination flashed in Urahara Kisuke's eyes as he spoke with a hardened expression.
"So what if you kill Fiander? I am still invincible!"
"From the moment your final attack failed, I could sense that the Hōgyoku's will had completely submitted to me, granting me far greater power than I possessed in Soul Society!"
"Even if you unleash Kidō Number Ninety against me again, it means nothing to me now!"
Aizen smiled lightly. The white shell that had covered his face shattered instantly, revealing half of his transformed visage. With a casual wave of both hands, he simultaneously launched Shihōin Yoruichi and Kurosaki Isshin through the air.
Looking at Aizen's triumphant smile, Urahara Kisuke suddenly extended his hand and said softly, "That's not quite right."
"You've grown careless, Aizen. If you were the person you were before obtaining the Hōgyoku, you never would have allowed an enemy to approach you twice so easily!"
"What! This is—"
Aizen's expression changed dramatically as a pair of white halos suddenly materialized around both his wrists, locking them in place.
At this moment, Urahara Kisuke raised his hand and adjusted the brim of his hat. "This is a seal!"
"From the first time I approached you, to when Kurosaki Isshin and Yoruichi drew near—it was all simply to successfully activate the seal within your body."
"The previous Kidō was merely to test the seal's capabilities. After confirming that your body could be rapidly repaired by the Hōgyoku, I theorized that external Reiatsu might trigger the Hōgyoku's protective response."
"Therefore, I sealed the Reiatsu outlets that all Shinigami possess in both hands. Now you'll be consumed by the rampaging Reiatsu within your own body!"
Urahara Kisuke gazed at Aizen with emotionless eyes, his voice devoid of any sympathy whatsoever.
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