Chapter 101 - A Snake and A Crow I

"I'm a snake. With cold skin, no emotions, that slithers around searching for prey with its tongue, swallowing down whatever looks tasty." — Gin Ichimaru.

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"Can't really ask you to turn a blind eye to this, ain't it?" Gin said in a low voice with his perpetually closed eyes now opened in a cold squint at Itachi.

Itachi Uchiha, a recently appointed Lieutenant but also the most dangerous and obscure of the Lieutenants – was Gin's impression of the man standing calmly in front of him.

As a touted genius even among the echelons of the best Shinigami talents, setting a never seen before record of graduating the Shin'ō Academy in one year with one of the best records ever seen – a genius even among geniuses –, there was something about Itachi that always made Gin cranky in his presence, and he knew why.

Excellence recognizing excellence.

"Would you believe me if I said they were traitors and I was only doing my just duty as a Shinigami?"

The humor in his tone was dry, grating even, as Itachi remained silent while glancing at the dead bodies lying around.

'How is he here? Both he an' I confirmed that his real body was in the Seireitei. There's no way his body double woulda been able to sneak up on me this close.'

They both stared at each other in silence, Gin in wariness while Itachi with a cold indifference. It was almost impossible to get a read on him when he looked like this.

'Killing him will interfere with the Boss' plans, but ain't like I got any other choice than to kill him.'

"Be smart. Resisting is futile."

Gin's eyes widened the tiniest bit at the words that were now sounding behind him, along with both of his wrists held behind his back.

"Don't you even want to know how this came to be?" There was still a hint of a smile tugging his lips as he said that, even as his hands were sealed behind his back. "I won't tell if you don't ask politely."

"Don't worry. I have my ways." Itachi simply replied.

Gin chuckled with a shake of his head. "These binds are kinda tight, mhm. Ya sure they'll hold, 'cause I can be very slippery every now and then."

It came from their earliest interactions and since then both have been aware of the mutual dislike between them. A natural enemy.

The cunning snake slithered his tongue at the aloof crow.

"You were distracted for a moment there, dear Lieutenant." His eyes smiled while his free hand held his Zanpakutō, a short blade that was now directly pointing at Itachi.

"Shoot to kill, Shinsō."

The blade turned to white light and pierced through Itachi in the same instant for an extra 50 meters before stopping.

Gin moved his blade upwards and the extended light going through Itachi sliced him up from his chest to his head.

"Shinsō huh. It's almost impossible to dodge in such a short distance. Words of it being the fastest Zanpakutō weren't exaggerating."

Gin hastily retreated to a safe distance with a grave expression on his face washing away the shock that had been there.

The reason for the lack of feedback he got from his attack was the answer now standing in front of him, except that he wasn't amused with the way the answer presented itself.

"When did you activate your Shikai?" Inwardly cursing the complex nature of illusion-type Zanpakutō, Gin carefully asked with a shrill throb in his voice.

Itachi, who was standing unscathed mere centimeters from the path Gin's blade had traveled, answered cryptically. "Why are you so sure it's my Shikai?"

"Only a fool ignores a sound advice. Do you think it unfortunate that I came across you today? Take heart, such is life."

Gin shifted to the side and grabbed the hand that came from behind and vaulted himself over it to stand behind Itachi, all for his eyes to narrow dangerously, if it was even possible at this point, as the only thing held in his hands were plumes of black feathers.

"Tell me: who's behind this? Or if you're alone in this, as unlikely as that is, what is your motivation for doing this?"

"You're awfully chatty, Lieutenant Itachi. Makes me think you're using it to compensate for something else. Hmm? Me right or yes?"

"Proficiently skilled in avoiding questions—"

"What can I say? I'm a snake."

The moment Itachi made to reply, Gin's finger flicked and a Kidō barrier surrounded them as he swung his sword in six different directions, his sword piercing the barrier with unimpeded ease.

The air shimmered as Gin cast a disillusioning spell to reveal Itachi's position and it worked because Itachi was now right in front of him—

*PIERCE*

Itachi's blade went in and out of his thighs in an instant before he could react with someone kicking his head from the side.

It had hurt a little but Gin was stronger than that as he immediately released his blade the moment his legs touched the ground.

"Bakudō #81: Dankū."

"Hadō #57: Daichi Ten'yō."

"Hadō #73: Sōren Sōkatsui."

Gin Ichimaru, though presently a 3rd Seat, was a genius Shinigami that was stronger than all the current Lieutenants, except for a certain few.

Three chantless Kidō rolled off simultaneously; first was the #80 tier barrier which was followed immediately by uprooting of rocks that flew towards Itachi, with the third being an enhanced version of the #33: Sōkatsui that was blasted through a hole Gin opened up in his barrier, razing everything in the vicinity to dust and smoke.

But—

"Bakudō #81: Dankū."

"Hadō #57: Daichi Ten'yō."

"Hadō #73: Sōren Sōkatsui."

Itachi released his own Kidō spells at the same moment that Gin released his, and with an ungodly level of precision, both Hadō spells equally canceled each other out.

'I see. No wonder he's interested in you.'

The dust was far from settling when Gin appeared in front of Itachi with a skillful use of Shunpo and released his blade.

Shoot to kill, Shinsō.

Very few could withstand the tremendous force the blade carried with its light speed. All it needed was one hit for it to pierce through and kill any enemy stupid enough to stand in its path.

Itachi easily predicted the trajectory of the blade before his release and placed his sword in a way that deflected the blade the instant it extended.

Gin retracted the blade and fired a red blast – Hadō #31: Shakkahō – at Itachi who cut it in two and used the Body Flicker to appear above Gin who narrowly blocked the downward slash, only for feathers to fall off Itachi's robe and turn into another Itachi that aimed to disembowel him.

Gin was good, better than all the current Lieutenants sans Chōjirō and Kaien, Itachi could admit that, but unfortunately he wasn't fighting somebody on the level of a seasoned Lieutenant. Even among Captains and with Shikai alone, Itachi could hold his own against over a good half of them.

Gin could see that now. They have been clashing for over ten minutes now and yet… and yet…. AND YET Itachi still hadn't released his Shikai.

That was a bitter realization for Gin, because not only did it bring back haunting memories, it also waved in front of his face just how far he was from reaching his goal.

'Ah. From the beginning… has it all been useless?' Gin's thoughts were sporadic as he tried his best to survive against Itachi while trying to escape as soon as he could… but this man, Lieutenant Itachi, was like a damn phantom.

The effects of his illusions were affecting Gin's thoughts that he could hardly recognize what was fake and real. And not only that, the resurfacing memories from his past were making it hard for him to focus on his predicament.

Amidst all this, a particular face was very vivid in his head and with every surfacing memory relating to the face made his heart clench even tighter.

'Am I a joke to you?' He held his bleeding head while gritting his teeth at the seated figure of Itachi on a tree branch staring at him with those red eyes of his.

The unfeeling gaze of those eyes told him exactly to what height Itachi held him to: a helpless snake crawling on his stomach in a desperate act to survive.

He pushed himself to stand straight on his feet and stirred his Reiatsu to go again at Itachi since the man had made it abundantly clear that the only way he'd escape was to kill him.

"Heh…" He let out a weak chuckle, one void of amusement of any kind.

Itachi stood in front of him with his blade under Gin's armpit, the warning all too clear:

– Move it and I'll take your arm off. –

"The very fact that you refuse to speak at all tells me everything I've wanted to confirm. You are under someone's command, Gin Ichimaru. Who is it?"

"Hehe… I have no idea what you're talking about."

Itachi didn't reply to that, instead looking at something invisible that his eyes allowed him to see and understand.

"Your Reiatsu."

"What of it, dear Lieutenant?"

"It's overflowing with regret, fond regret. Who did you forsake, Gin Ichimaru?"

It was a familiar feeling to Itachi, something he knew very well, and given their soul nature it was easier to read someone's true feelings based on their Reiatsu, especially in the midst of a clash between two Zanpakutō.

"Is it her… Lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto?"

Gin stared in shock at Itachi, unable to find any words to speak. But one feeling that was clear to him was that this was the second most killing intent he's ever felt towards someone.

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