Chapter 211: Don't Leave Me!
"Huh?"
Mid-air, Satoru looked down at the Ceros fired by the Adjuchas.
Senzaemon sneered.
The combined power of so many Adjuchas firing Ceros simultaneously was enough to instantly kill a Vice-Captain level Shinigami.
No matter how strong you are, Satoru, you can only retreat from this onslaught for now, right?
This was the perfect time for him to release his... Huh?
Under Senzaemon's shocked gaze, Satoru, faced with over twenty incoming Ceros, didn't dodge or evade.
Instead, the guy spread his arms wide and charged straight towards him for a hug!
Although, by Shinigami standards, Satoru was only in his teens, around high school age, his physique was already no less than an adult's.
His arms spread out, creating an inescapable feeling.
Thwump!
Satoru wrapped Senzaemon in a bear hug.
"?!"
This bewildering move left the old Shinigami utterly stunned.
He instinctively tried to erupt his Reiatsu to break free from Satoru's bear hug.
"No! Don't leave me!"
Satoru roared, suddenly tightening his grip with immense force.
His arms, like iron bands, crushed Senzaemon's tall, gaunt, elderly frame against his own chest, as if trying to merge the old man into his very body.
Senzaemon: "???"
The old man's eyes widened, nearly popping out of their sockets.
The intense pressure made his aged bones creak alarmingly.
The next moment, over a dozen terrifying Ceros, each as thick as a water vat, swallowed both of them.
Aizen: "..."
This absurd scene left him with mixed feelings.
Even Szayelaporro, who was battling Baraggan, couldn't help but glance up at the sky.
This new boss's fighting style was certainly... spirited.
On the ground, Harribel stared wide-eyed in Satoru's direction.
Had that Shinigami called Satoru just perished together with his enemy?
Under everyone's watchful eyes, the Ceros thinned from thick beams and finally dissipated into the air.
Two figures reappeared.
Senzaemon's once dashing long white hair was mostly burnt away.
His Shinigami Uniform was reduced to tattered rags.
Large patches of charred black marks covered his tall, withered body.
Although not seriously injured, his once immortal-like, dignified aura was completely gone.
In contrast, Satoru had already taken off his upper garments earlier, so any burning wasn't visible.
His muscles remained full and robust, gleaming with the sheen of his Reiatsu.
"GGRRAAAAAHHHHH!!!!"
Senzaemon, still held in Satoru's embrace, finally lost his composure completely, roaring in sheer fury.
"What, are you trying to bite me?!"
Satoru's expression changed, and he leaped back in one swift motion, adopting a guarded stance.
"Satoru! I will kill you! I must kill you!"
Senzaemon, his hair disheveled, bellowed in rage.
Then, he suddenly realized.
Right now, at this very moment, was the perfect opportunity to release his Zanpakutō!
Seizing the chance before Satoru could attack, he hurriedly raised his Zanpakutō: "Fla—"
"Kidō 90, Kurohitsugi."
Under Senzaemon's utterly dumbfounded, 'what the hell is this shit' gaze, Aizen's figure materialized from behind Satoru.
Dark energy streams transformed into layered barriers, rising from beneath his feet and sealing him inside in an instant.
"Satoru, don't give him a chance to act!"
Aizen flashed to Satoru's side.
"Senzaemon used his authority over the Great Spirit Book Repository to delete all records of his Zanpakutō's abilities."
"His Zanpakutō's power must be extremely unique."
"If possible, don't let him release it."
"Got it!"
Satoru nodded.
As they spoke, the Kurohitsugi gradually dissipated, revealing Senzaemon's figure within.
No new wounds had appeared on his body.
A thick, overwhelming Reiatsu completely enveloped him.
The technique appeared similar to Satoru's Reiatsu membrane.
But Aizen could tell at a glance that the two were unrelated.
Satoru's Reiatsu membrane fused Gigai power with Reiatsu, forming a powerful defense that shifted instinctively and could change form at will.
In battle, that guy could instantly spread the defense across his entire body or concentrate it on a specific area as needed.
Though he disliked admitting it, this was an extremely advanced Reiatsu application technique.
Senzaemon was different.
The old man simply erupted his Reiatsu outward, forming an impact defense layer around his body.
Just like Kenpachi Zaraki when he first removed his eyepatch.
The problem was, normal people needed to accumulate Reiatsu through some means beforehand to use this technique.
Who could erupt it so effortlessly like this old man, seemingly without much strain?
Satoru clicked his tongue.
"This old bastard truly deserves the saying 'the old not dying makes them thieves'!"
"Such insane Reiatsu is rare even across the entire Soul Society!"
"Hmm... but he's still far inferior to my old man."
"When it comes to old thieves, my teacher takes the crown!"
Aizen fell silent.
By now, the pillar of Reiatsu around Senzaemon had drawn everyone's attention.
Some Hollows who originally held prejudices against these defecting Shinigami showed expressions of shock and awe.
Baraggan stroked his chin.
To be honest, he had previously considered double-crossing them.
Especially after Satoru and Aizen joined forces to suppress Senzaemon, this intention had peaked.
If he killed Senzaemon and absorbed his Reiatsu, his power might surge dramatically.
But now, seeing Senzaemon's true strength, he reined in his ambitions slightly.
It seemed this ally, though old, wasn't a toothless tiger yet...
Sensing the surrounding gazes, Senzaemon felt pleased while secretly sighing in relief.
He couldn't delay any longer.
Though these two juniors were powerful, genuine captain-class fighters, to prove his strength and deter his restless ally, he needed to win this battle quickly!
Within the violent Reiatsu pillar, Senzaemon raised his Zanpakutō.
"Flash, Reverse Tide!!"
Satoru threw Risō Jakumetsu.
Aizen fired Raikōhō.
However, faced with the powerful Reiatsu released by Senzaemon, neither attack succeeded in interrupting his incantation.
Satoru pulled his hand back, retracting the long chain.
Senzaemon's Reiatsu impact, though defensive in nature, possessed such profound foundations and continuously generated new power that it temporarily proved difficult to breach.
Under the gaze of both men, Senzaemon sneered coldly and swung his blade once.
Aizen, expressionless, flashed in front of Satoru.
Compared to Satoru, his analytical abilities were superior—facing Senzaemon directly would allow him to discern the opponent's Zanpakutō ability more quickly.
But the moment he moved forward, Satoru grabbed him by the back of his collar and flung him backward.
Aizen: "..."