Chapter 165 - Chains.

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Goals and rewards of the week.

TOP 1 = Three double releases.

TOP 2 = Two double releases.

TOP 3 = One double release.

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[Third Person POV.]

[Tenrou Island.]

Above the serene Tenrou Island, a giant portal tore open the sky, releasing dark, metallic chains that snaked downwards, their fiery tips shining malevolently. As they descended, the humming noise intensified, creating a sense of impending doom.

Mavis Vermillion's ghostly figure floated above Adam's weakening body, her expression etched with terror and desperation. His breaths were shallow, the life fading from him, and now this ominous force sought to claim him before his time was truly over.

"Protect Adam!" Mavis's ethereal voice echoed, piercing the air with its urgency. And despite no one knowing at the moment who she was, they all reacted to her orders accordingly.

The guild didn't need a second call. Natsu roared, flames encircling him, as he lunged towards the descending chains. Lucy summoned her celestial spirits, Loke and Taurus leaping into the fray. Gray's hands became sheathed in ice as he struck at the chains, hoping to freeze them in their tracks.

Erza, in her Heaven's Wheel Armor, summoned a flurry of swords, each blade slicing through the air to sever the chains. Juvia's eyes were a storm, water spiraling around her, aiming to ensnare and pull the chains away.

Yet, the chains were unyielding. For every one they managed to halt, another would surge forward. Wendy's attempts to push them back with gusts of wind proved futile, the chains' momentum overpowering her magic.

As the chains neared, Mavis tried to form a protective barrier around Adam's fading form, using the only spell she could right now, one of the Fairy Tail's three great magics. "Fairy Sphere!" 

A spell made to protect the Guild from any evil and, an absolute defense Magic, powerful enough to defend against even time. 

For a brief moment, her barrier shimmered, reflecting the chains' fiery glow. But it wavered under the chains' force, finally shattering into a myriad of sparkling fragments.

"What..." Mavis gasped.

"Adam!" Erza shouted.

The chains wrapped around Adam's body, pulling him up towards the portal. His friends reached out, trying to grasp him, but it was too late. The chains retracted with Adam in their grip, disappearing into the ominous portal which then snapped shut, leaving nothing but the clear blue sky.

Silence gripped Tenrou Island, as Fairy Sphere began to seal them in time. 

Mavis, her transparent form quivering, floated down to the spot where Adam had lain. "We...we will bring him back," she whispered, her voice trembling but determined, and just like that, the entire island was sealed in time.

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[Third Person. POV.]

[Soul Society.]

[12th Division.]

For most of the Soul Society, the 12th Division's laboratory was an eerie labyrinth of dimly lit passages guarded by strange contraptions and murky alcoves. The walls, lined with beakers bubbling over with mysterious concoctions and specimen jars housing creatures of unearthly origins, seemed to whisper secrets that their creator wished to keep hidden. 

At the very center of this chaotic environment, stood Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi, eyes gleaming maliciously as he observed his grandest experiment in progress. Surrounded by towering machines that emitted a ghostly glow, and adorned in his usual eccentric garb, he meticulously adjusted a series of knobs and dials. 

The room's centerpiece was a vast machine, humming with an eerie energy. Within its metallic framework was a portal, a swirling vortex of colors, each hue more unnatural than the last.

Lieutenant Nemu Kurotsuchi, stood a few steps behind, carefully noting down the fluctuating readings from a panel of screens. Her voice, steady and calm, broke the room's electrified silence. "The energy readings are consistent with our calculations, Captain. We are approaching the extraction phase."

A glint of anticipation flashed in Mayuri's eyes. "Finally, after all these tedious calculations and recalibrations, I will be able to extract that strange soul from its realm into mine."

"Captain, are you sure that the portal is stable?" Nemu inquired, tilting her head.

Mayuri, irked by the doubt in her voice: "Of course, Nemu! I've accounted for every possible variable."

As the moments ticked away, the room's atmosphere grew palpably tense. The portal's colors became more erratic, like a storm brewing at its center. Shadows within began to coalesce, gradually taking on a recognizable shape—a soul, albeit one that seemed to dance and flicker as if resisting its inevitable extraction.

Yet, just as the silhouette began to sharpen, a cacophony erupted. Alarms blared, machines sparked, and screens displayed frantic error messages. Nemu's eyes widened in alarm. "Energy fluctuations detected! The portal's alignment is deviating!"

"What?!" Mayuri 's voice boomed, his eyes widening as he frantically scanned the readings on the screens. "That's impossible! It should be stable!"

Attempting to override the system, Mayuri's fingers danced over a touch panel. But to his horror, nothing he did worked, and the soul, instead of materializing within the confines of his lab as planned, was violently thrust in a different direction. The vibrant whirlpool of colors within the portal transitioned to the mundane hues that mirrored the aura of the human world.

As the last machine powered down, the room was plunged into an eerie quiet, disrupted only by the rhythmic dripping of a leaky pipe somewhere in the distance.

Mayuri, usually a paragon of confidence and arrogance, was momentarily at a loss. His voice, though laced with frustration, bore an edge of incredulity. "That was NOT part of the plan. My calculations were perfect!"

Rapidly processing the unfolding situation, Nemu presented her findings. "Preliminary analysis suggests the soul has been displaced into the human world, Captain."

Mayuri's face contorted with a mixture of rage and intrigue. He began to pace, his every step echoing with deliberation. "A soul capable of defying my state-of-the-art technology? Even for me, this is an unprecedented anomaly."

Nemu nodded. "Captain, the portal's energy surge was off the charts."

Stopping mid-step, Mayuri turned, his face mere inches from Nemu's. "The human world you say? Hmm. It seems further research is needed."

Pausing to consider the implications, Nemu finally nodded. "Yes, Captain. What's our next move?"

A sly smile crept onto Mayuri's lips, his momentary lapse in composure now fully recovered. "For the moment, we will wait and monitor the situation. It will be interesting to see what happens to the soul in the human world. Perhaps it will provide us with some valuable data." 

"Shall we inform the Captain Commander?" Nemu asked.

Mayuri shook his head. "No need. This is simply a minor deviation from the original plan. We will handle it on our own, besides, they would only get in the way of my research, and that is something I can't allow."

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[Third Person POV]

[Soul Society.]

[5th Division.]

Inside the grandeur of the 5th Division's Captain's chambers, Sosuke Aizen sat poised, his fingers lightly tapping the hilt of Kyoka Suigetsu. His quarters, unlike the cryptic chaos of Mayuri's laboratory, were pristine and orderly—a reflection of his meticulous nature.

The dim light from the solitary lantern in the room cast dancing shadows upon the walls, but Aizen's eyes gleamed brightly with mischief. The soft rustle of papers from his desk was the only sound, but his thoughts were far louder, resonating with the thrill of the game he'd just initiated.

He replayed the sequence in his mind. The intricate kido spell he'd woven into Mayuri's portal apparatus, ensuring it wouldn't function as intended. To many, it would've seemed a simple malfunction, a miscalculation. But Aizen knew better. It was an expertly laid trap, and Mayuri had walked right into it.

A slow, self-assured smile curled Aizen's lips. "Always so certain of your own brilliance, Mayuri," he mused aloud, relishing in the momentary triumph. "So, predictable."

He leaned back, the wooden chair creaking softly under his weight, and looked at the ceiling. From the intricate patterns, he could faintly see the spiritual energy threads of the Seireitei, each representing a flow of power and influence. And now, one of those threads—a wild, erratic one belonging to Mayuri—was entangled, just as he had planned.

Aizen had no interest in the unique soul that Mayuri sought, or rather no interest in the soul being within the grasp of the soul society. His intrigue lay in the consequences of its displacement. Disruptions like these would sow seeds of doubt, create divisions, and distract from his larger machinations. And a distracted enemy was always easier to maneuver.

There was also the added benefit of observing Mayuri's actions in the human world. The eccentric scientist was unpredictable, and while Aizen was confident in his control over the situation, he was also pragmatic enough to know the importance of information.

Gin Ichimaru, Aizen's close confidante and fellow conspirator, slid the door open, his ever-present smirk in place. "So, the puppet show has begun?"

Aizen, without looking at him, replied, "Every puppet believes it dances on its own, Gin. But the strings, they are always there, waiting to be pulled."

Gin chuckled, tilting his head in a playful manner. "And you've just given Mayuri a tune he can't resist dancing to. What's the endgame?"

Aizen finally turned to face him, his smile ever so enigmatic. "Chaos, Gin. From chaos comes opportunity. And opportunity is what we seek."