Chapter 185
At this moment, in front of Barragan.
According to the events in the original timeline, when the captains of the Gotei 13 first faced the Espada, they encountered numerous difficulties, and the Visored stepped in to assist them. This established the first steps toward easing the tension between the Gotei 13 and the Visored, their joint effort beginning to break the ice between the two sides.
After the battle,Hirako Shinji returned to Soul Society and resumed his post as captain of the 5th Division. However, once back in the Gotei 13, he and the other Visored refrained from using their Hollowfication abilities whenever possible.
In the original battle, Barragan was defeated using his own power against him. When Hachigen Ushōda was afflicted by Respira, he transferred the ability directly into Barragan's body, forcing him to succumb to his own aging ability and die.
From that point, one could speculate: if Respira constantly surrounds Barragan, then why does he not decay himself? This suggests that a kind of barrier exists along the surface of his body that prevents his own power from consuming him. If a way could be found to push the aging ability into him directly, Barragan would also fall victim to the weakness he inflicts on others.
For Yuta, this was possible through a technique such as Kidō transmission. But killing Barragan outright felt wasteful.
This was an opportunity to study the nature of time and aging itself.
Even so, a contingency plan was necessary first.
"How about it? Have you thought of a countermeasure?" Barragan asked with calm arrogance, watching Yuta without concern. This youth had stepped forward declaring that he would face the three of them alone. Such pride was laughable to him. "Don't even mention fighting the three of us together. I alone can kill you with ease. Hmphahaha!"
Yuta pressed his teeth into his hand and drew blood, letting it fall onto the ground in several drops.
Barragan tilted his skull-like head and scoffed. "Oh? What is this? Hurting yourself before the fight has even begun? Even if you are afraid, you don't need to resort to theatrics. Hmphahaha!"
The blood marked the ground in small pools, and Yuta glanced at it once before focusing forward again. With this, even if Respira touched him, his essence could reconstitute if necessary.
His eyes fixed on Barragan with the sharpness of a predator before he lunged forward.
"Huh?" Barragan faltered for the first time. Why does he not flee? Why rush toward me? Never in all his long existence had he seen someone so brazen. Was this man carrying an ability equal to his own Respira?
He gave ground, stepping back to observe.
From the distance, it appeared as though the former King of Hueco Mundo was retreating as Yuta advanced.
Those who watched could hardly believe it. Omaeda Marechiyo scrubbed his eyes over and over before staring again.
Impossible. Was he truly seeing Barragan running? The Espada he had just seen reduce everything to dust mere moments ago?
He knew from experience how terrifying Respira was. Had he not intercepted Barragan's attack earlier, Captain Sui-Fēng would no longer be standing beside him.
And yet Yuta was pursuing Barragan directly.
Was it recklessness, delusion, madness? Or was there some unseen power cloaking Yuta that forced Barragan to hesitate?
Omaeda's breath caught in his throat as possibilities raced through his mind.
At the same time, Sui-Fēng was watching intently. She knew more than most how absolute Barragan's ability was. He had declared it invincible with full confidence, and for good reason-no one had ever resisted it. The throbbing pain in her bandaged left arm was a constant reminder.
Yet here was Yuta pressing forward without hesitation, and Barragan retreating before him.
Her experience with Yuta was limited to a single encounter, but she remembered clearly that his power carried elements she could not fully understand.
Coyote Starrk, watching from nearby, narrowed his eyes. As Yuta closed in on Barragan, Starrk pulled Lilynette back by her arm. If Barragan was shifting away from Yuta so quickly, then there was danger approaching that even he avoided. The King of Hueco Mundo would not yield ground without reason. Starrk decided that keeping distance was the wisest choice.
Unfortunately for Lilynette, just as she had managed to squirm her way toward her weapon, Starrk pulled her away again before she could reach it. "My sword!" she cried in frustration.
Yuta called ahead clearly. "Barragan, why are you running?"
Barragan turned his skull-like head sharply. "Why are you chasing me? Do you not fear me? My ability is invincible!"
"Fine," Yuta said, halting his steps. "I won't chase you, and you won't run, either."
Barragan slowed and stopped in the air as well. He had seen nothing unusual in Yuta's trail as he moved. Perhaps he had been too cautious.
"Heh... Yuta, prepare yourself to die."
The darkness gathered quickly across Barragan's aged frame as the weight of Respira swelled outward again.
...
"Long time no see, Captain Tōsen."
Hisagi Shūhei bowed his head with grave formality. "If we draw our blades from here, then please do not blame me. This is courtesy before battle, something you once taught me."
Tōsen Kaname angled his head slightly in response and said, "Are you mocking me?"
"This is thanks for all the lessons you gave me before," Hisagi answered firmly. "I will use everything you taught me to bring you back to Soul Society."
Even wounded and straining for breath, Shūhei's stance did not falter as he raised his weapon across from his former captain.
What he needed to do was clear.
Tōsen's expression did not shift as he replied, "Bring me back? You still do not understand."
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