The clearing in the forest was silent. Birds had scattered due to the sudden presence of several people. Dappled sunlight streamed through the gaps in the leaves, illuminating the floating dust.
The wind kept blowing gently.
It rustled Aizen's brown hair, and his gaze, through black-framed glasses, scrutinized H'el, whom he couldn't sense behind Masaki Seino.
H'el was the most unique person Aizen had encountered in the Soul Society.
Not particularly strong.
But particularly weak.
Yet, this weakness was limited to his spiritual pressure alone, allowing him to exert an incredibly fine control over his limited spirit particles, surpassing even the molecular level.
This meticulous control over spirit particles, surpassing the molecular level, resulted in overwhelming strength.
Without a substantial amount of knowledge, it would be impossible to turn such surpassing molecular-level control into power. This power was so overwhelming that even Ichiro Unahara, with sixty times his strength, could only flee in fear, being relentlessly hunted down.
At this moment, Aizen realized that the child before him might be a monster originating from the Soul Society, possessing vast knowledge that supported him. Even with such thin spiritual pressure, he could fearlessly appear before him.
Aizen's curiosity was piqued.
"I do not allow you to look directly at Aizen-sama," Masaki Seino said solemnly, like a palace guard.
H'el's arrival had embarrassed Masaki Seino in front of Aizen.
Just when he was about to redeem himself, he made another careless mistake, displeasing Aizen-sama.
Yet, H'el remained so indifferent, as if looking at a passerby.
His gaze seemed to pierce through Masaki, meeting Aizen-sama behind him.
His presence felt nonexistent.
It wasn't just that H'el considered him nonexistent; even Aizen-sama seemed to regard him as nonexistent.
This was something Masaki Seino could not tolerate.
Aizen-sama's gaze should be on him.
Masaki Seino's handsome face flashed with displeasure, his eyes clouded, chin slightly raised, and fingers extended as he coldly said, "I am not a useless person like Ichiro Urahara."
"Hado #4: Byakurai!"
From his extended fingers, a flash of Hado #4: Byakurai shot out, a silver bolt of lightning rapidly streaking toward H'el.
H'el glanced slightly at Rangiku on the ground. Seeing she was unharmed, he breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed he had arrived just in time, as Aizen had not yet extracted her soul.
Tilting his head slightly, the Byakurai lightning bolt streaked past his right ear, leaving residual sparks dissipating by his ear.
'It's no big deal. Aizen just wants to see how much strength I can bring out.'
Seeing that Aizen wasn't in a hurry to extract Rangiku's soul but stood in place watching him fight Masaki Seino, H'el also took his time.
In his eyes, Masaki Seino and Ichiro Urahara were not much different.
"This is exactly the meaning of my existence!" Masayuki Seino's handsome face lifted proudly, feeling honored to be Aizen's sword.
With a clang, he drew his Zanpakuto, combining it with Shunpo. The blade gleamed silver under the dappled sunlight, slashing toward H'el.
"Bakudo #4! Hainawa!"
Masayuki Seino chanted a binding spell. A yellow, rope-like beam of light slithered from the hand gripping his Asauchi's hilt, winding like a snake, faster than the blade, aiming to bind H'el.
"Hado #1: Sho - Wave Amplitude!"
H'el chanted softly. The sword he held began to vibrate with the force of Hado #1: Sho, a white, concentrated surge of energy spreading along the beautiful blood-red patterns of the blade, enveloping the tip and forming a focused shockwave.
Hado #1: Sho was the weakest and required the least spirit energy.
His spirit energy reserves were meager, with little to waste.
He had already expended 13% while dealing with Ichiro Urahara.
Facing Aizen next, even though he could deduce the technique behind Bakudo #4: Hainawa, he didn't bother to mimic it to undermine Masaki Seino's confidence.
From all he observed, deducing the principles of Kido, once H'el used a standard amount of spirit energy for the first use, he immediately improved the spell. It became a fully customized version, the most suitable for his body, spirit energy, and the most economical in terms of quantum efficiency, evolving into various forms for different environments and better suited to his combat style.
Hado #1: Sho - Wave Amplitude! was a product of H'el's instant innovation.
Effortlessly controlling the power of Hado #1: Sho on his blade, it enabled continuous melee combat.
H'el casually swung the Asauchi, imbued with Hado #1: Sho - Wave Amplitude, toward the approaching Hainawa.
'Bang!'
Hado #1: Sho - Wave Amplitude collided with Hainawa, releasing a burst of impact energy. The entire rope was knocked askew, twisting and shooting towards the ground.
Seeing this, Masaki's Seino's lips curved into a smile. This was his specialty, controlling the rhythm of close combat while simultaneously manipulating Hainawa for binding and attacking.
He maintained the energy flow controlling the yellow rope, which twisted back like a nimble snake just as it was about to hit the ground, continuing its path towards H'el. Meanwhile, his sword slashed down, nearing H'el's position.
Most people couldn't handle this dual attack.
If they ignored the rope, it would bind their body. If they focused on the rope, Masayuki Seino's sword would already be upon them.
Ordinary Shinigami couldn't manage both threats and would be easily overpowered.
So far, the only person Masaki Seino had encountered who could counter this was Aizen, who would simply disperse the rope with his spiritual pressure, disrupting the attack.
H'el raised his arm towards Masaki Seino, the tip of his Asauchi pointing at him, the concentrated force of Hado #1: Sho steady under his control.
In an instant.
H'el used Shunpo, charging straight forward like a fencer. The tip of his sword pierced through seven or eight sound barriers, creating rings of sonic booms as it seemed to tear through the heavens.
His figure loomed larger in Masaki Seino's vision.
Masaki Seino's eyes narrowed as H'el appeared before him, the tip of his Asauchi aiming at his guard.
The force of Hado #1: Sho erupted from the sword tip, precisely detonating on Masaki Seino's guard.
"Ah!"
The immense impact force exploded on Masaki Seino's hand, which was casting Hainawa. He cried out in pain, his face contorted as he was blasted backward, the flesh of his hand gripping the sword split open, blood dripping down.
With just one move, H'el had injured him.
H'el stood his ground, his expression calm, his sword quickly gathering the force of Hado #1: Sho again.
He was insignificant.
"Seino-kun, let me see your Shikai," Aizen said, his gentle face showing a slight smile, but his words left no room for refusal.
°°°
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