She is My Woman

As the group moved closer towards the palace, a massive hollow emerged from the sand beneath their feet. The towering creature, known as the Guardian of the Sand, was constructed entirely of shimmering white sand. Its manifestation prompted a scream of terror from Nel, who instinctively pressed herself closer to Kai.

Even as the others took defensive stances, Kai remained unfazed. He raised a hand, and with an unceremonious wave, the hollow vanished as if it had never existed. The abrupt dismissal of the threat stunned everyone into silence.

"Woaw! What was that, Big Brother?" Nel's wide eyes were filled with a mixture of fear and awe. The spectacle had caught her off guard, but the wonder in her voice was evident.

"They are not worthy to scare Nel. So don't be afraid, okay?" Kai's voice was gentle, meant to comfort the small Arrancar who clung to him. Nel nodded, her gaze filled with newfound respect and understanding.

Suddenly, Kai halted in his tracks. His companions, sensing the shift in his demeanor, stopped as well and turned to him in confusion.

"What happened, Kai? We need to hurry," Ichigo said, his voice slightly strained. However, Kai didn't respond. Instead, his sword materialized in his hand in an instant. With a swift movement, he parried an attack that seemed to come from thin air.

The sound of steel against steel echoed around them. Ichigo and the others followed the path of the sword with their eyes, only to find it stretching impossibly long, the tip disappearing into the horizon.

"Ichimaru Gin, now this is sneaky. Why don't you come out so we can play?" Kai's voice was laced with amusement as he deflected the attack with ease.

At the mention of the name, a figure appeared, his silver hair gleaming under the desert sun. It was indeed Ichimaru Gin. His trademark grin widened as he studied Kai.

"Well, if it isn't the mysterious Kai," Gin's tone was playful, his grin never wavering. "Ya got me there, didn't ya?"

Gin moved swiftly, the dust rising from where he was standing just a moment ago. He reappeared a few steps away from Kai and the rest of the group, a glint of amusement in his eyes.

Kai looked down at Nel, who was still holding onto him tightly. He smiled gently, reaching out to gently pat her head. "I will send you to another place where Big Sisters are having fun. Stay with them okay?"

Nel's eyes flickered between Kai and her companions, Dondochakka and Pesche, worry furrowing her little brows. Seeing her concern, Kai sought to reassure her. "Don't worry about them, they will be fine," he said softly.

Nodding trustingly, Nel disappeared in a flash of light as Kai opened a portal to the Mirror Dimension. He quickly sent a message to Orihime and the others about Nel's arrival, emphasizing her friendly nature despite being an Arrancar.

Once Nel was safely away, Kai turned to face Ichigo and the others. His eyes were firm and resolute. "You go ahead without me. I will have a talk with Gin here."

Ichigo's face twisted with concern, his grip tightening on the hilt of his zanpakuto. Sado, on the other hand, refused to budge. His eyes were hard, his imposing physique a wall of resistance. But Kai's unwavering gaze made him relent.

"Be careful, Kai-san," Sado said, his deep voice resonating in the silence of the desert. "We met in Soul Society. He is strong."

Kai simply nodded, watching as the group dispersed, leaving him alone with Gin. The silver-haired man observed them with a placid smile on his face, not uttering a word.

Once the group was out of sight, Kai made himself comfortable on the ground, an action that surprised Gin. Kai then waved his hand, and a mirror shimmered before them before disappearing.

Gin looked around, his eyes narrowing slightly. "You isolated us," he said, a note of curiosity in his voice.

"I know you are not a bad man, Gin Ichimaru," Kai began, leaning back on his hands. "You want to kill Aizen."

Gin's expression altered to one of profound shock. His grip on the hilt of his Zanpakuto tightened, his knuckles paling under the pressure. The revelation of his hidden intention had rattled him to the core. It was a secret he had been guarding with his life, a secret for which he had made unthinkable sacrifices. His resolve, to kill Aizen, had even made him turn his back on Rangiku.

"Rangiku is my woman," Kai stated, his voice void of any pride or malice. It was merely a declaration, a simple fact. His gaze was locked onto Gin, studying the sudden change in his demeanor. The stoic mask that Gin wore slipped, replaced by a raw, unfiltered rage that Kai had expected.

"What?" Gin's voice was low, dangerous, his eyes open revealing an icy blue gaze that was as striking as it was hostile.

He had said it all to let Gin know that Rangiku was his now. No matter what his intentions were, no matter what sacrifices he had made for her, Gin had turned his back on Rangiku. He might have had noble intentions, and his heart might have been in the right place, but Kai didn't care for any of them. He loved Rangiku, and Rangiku loved him back. That was all that mattered.

The moment these words escaped Kai's lips, Gin's rage morphed into something more potent, something wild and untamed. His eyes, usually narrowed to thin slits, flung open, revealing an icy blue gaze that was as breathtaking as it was formidable. The pointed end of his Zanpakuto found its target, leveled squarely at Kai's heart.

Gin was no longer the laid-back, grinning man from before. The mask of amusement and nonchalance had been stripped away, replaced by an uncharacteristic display of raw emotion. His grin had warped into a scowl, his features hardened and sharp like the edge of his sword.

"You…" His voice was a growl, each word simmering with pent-up anger. The atmosphere between them crackled with tension, charged with the undercurrent of hostility that had bloomed in an instant.

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