Episode 124: Thunder

"Proceed."

Aizen uttered these two words with absolute calm, yet they carried a weight that allowed for no refusal.

"Clang."

As if intentionally defying Aizen, the sound of a blade leaving its scabbard rang out the moment he finished speaking. Immediately after, a figure cloaked in a plain white haori appeared high above the crowd.

"Oh my, oh my. He really is as impatient as ever."

Knowing Chojiro’s temperament well, Kyoraku, watching the man charge out with his sword already drawn, could only pull his straw hat low and offer a wry smile. His temper had been like this from the very beginning; not a single thing had changed in over a thousand years.

"Teacher Sasakibe..."

Ukitake, who had been taught by Chojiro alongside Kyoraku since childhood, also looked up at the figure in the sky—a figure already deeply etched into his mind. He had mentored them with a casual, unpretentious air, yet in the heat of battle, he could strike down enemies in an instant. It was by watching that very back that Ukitake had walked his own path to becoming a captain capable of standing on his own.

"Pierce, Gonryomaru!"

The tip of the silver western-style rapier crackled with blinding lightning. With a swing of Chojiro's arm, the electricity shot directly toward the Arrancar below, led by the three Espada.

"Ridiculous."

Barragan glanced at the bolt of lightning rushing toward them, not even bothering to move. He stood there with an air of supreme arrogance. "Do you truly think an attack like that could hit me?"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than another white figure darted from behind him, placing itself directly in front of Barragan, prepared to intercept Chojiro’s strike.

"If that’s what you believe, I’ll be quite troubled..."

Chojiro’s lips curled into a faint, mischievous smile as he stared down at Barragan and the others, as if amused by the sight of them falling into his trap. "I never said I was aiming at you."

"Crackle!"

"!!!"

The moment the lightning touched the subordinate officer’s hand, it abruptly split in two, bypassing the officer and Barragan alike, and shot directly toward Aizen, who hovered above.

"Oh..."

Aizen watched quietly as the lightning surged toward him, beginning to twist and expand just before reaching him. It finally formed a cage of electricity that sealed both him and Tosen inside, the air hissing with the intermittent crackle of electric arcs.

Aizen watched it all in silence, showing no intention of intervening, as if the one trapped inside were someone else entirely.

"Lord Aizen..."

"No need for concern, Kaname."

Aizen’s lips curled into a playful smile; he signaled that his capable aide need not take any action. "Let us stay here quietly. I want to see just how far they can go."

...

"...Troublesome."

Glancing at the lightning cage looming behind and above him, Barragan narrowed his eyes. He gestured to his rear, and his subordinate officers immediately unwrapped a massive white bundle. From it spilled a pile of bone-like objects, which gathered beneath Barragan to form a throne of skulls.

"Since the boss is in that state, I shall take command. None of you are to object."

Sitting upon his chair, he cast a cold, sharp glance at the other two Espada, declaring his decision with arrogant finality.

"Not bad at all."

Chojiro, descending from the sky, wore a mocking smirk as he looked at the aged old man before him. "Though, you don’t look much like the Number One to me. State your name, old man."

"...Insolent."

Ignoring the provocation, the centuries-old Barragan would naturally not fall for such a childish trap. In his eyes, this mere lieutenant was nothing more than an ant he could crush at will—not worth fearing. He simply beckoned for one of his subordinates to engage Chojiro.

"For your blasphemy against His Majesty, are you prepared to wash away your sins with your own blood?"

Abirama glared at the Shinigami with a grim expression. His devotion to the King filled him with murderous intent toward the man who dared speak so disrespectfully to Barragan, and he had no intention of holding back.

"Sever his head, Aguila!"

If there was one thing about the Arrancar that surprised Chojiro, it was the grotesque forms they took upon releasing their zanpakuto. Before him, Abirama had transformed into a hawk-headed humanoid with a pair of massive wings sprouting from his back.

*Man-beast hybrids, is it...*

Unable to voice his thoughts aloud, Chojiro could only offer a helpless, silent retort.

"Die!"

The hawk-man lunged directly at Chojiro. In his eyes, a lieutenant was not even as stimulating as an Adjuchas-class Hollow; such a lowly existence could be finished with a single blow.

"Clang!"

"!"

Yet this time, he had kicked a steel plate.

Chojiro appeared behind him, his blade already drawn. Without giving Abirama a single chance, he split him cleanly in two with one stroke.

"What?"

The other subordinates under Barragan could hardly believe their eyes. Although Abirama was not the strongest among them, his strength should not have been at a level to be dispatched in an instant. They hadn't even seen when this man called Chojiro had drawn his blade or swung it.

"..."

Barragan, who had been resting his head on his hand, expecting to watch a good show, narrowed one eye. His breathing grew slightly heavy. It seemed things were exceeding his expectations; the man before him was not so easy to deal with after all.

"You’ve become silent."

"I was merely recalling something more interesting." Barragan lifted his head slightly, scanning his surroundings and making a point to note the four cardinal directions. He looked at Chojiro with a meaningful gaze and said calmly, "I heard this is a fake Karakura Town. That means this isn't the final objective. Our boss seems to want to finish you all off here before heading to the Soul Society to find the real town, but that is far too tedious..."

Barragan pointed a finger at the fake city beneath his feet, his eyes flickering with a dangerous light. "Wouldn't it be better to simply swap this place back?"

"...A fine idea, but do you truly think you will succeed?"

"It couldn't be simpler."

Barragan raised his hand, signaling one of his subordinates to step forward. "Something like this must have a mechanism, and it must be located at the four cardinal points. Findor, go."

"Yes."

The subordinate named Findor let out a sharp whistle. Suddenly, four Garganta opened above the four distant pillars, and four massive Arrancar emerged from within.

"You have no moves left, Shinigami."