Chapter 107: Chapter 107 ⥤ Toying, Mercilessly Toying!
"Who's there?!" Okama spun around, his gaze frantically searching for the voice's source.
"How interesting. You break into my home and ask who I am — didn't you do your research before committing your crimes?"
The creaking of rolling wheels echoed clearly through the empty room.
Under his gaze, an immaculate white figure emerged from the darkness. Her simple research uniform accentuated her otherworldly beauty as she glided into the room's center, a playful smile gracing her pale face.
"I wonder what day it is today, to have so many little rats sneaking into our quarters."
"Senjumaru Shutara..." Okama recognized her instantly, sneering, "I advise you to mind your own business. This isn't something a mere researcher should interfere with!"
Facing Senjumaru, soon to be promoted to the Zero Division, he showed not a hint of fear. Instead, he spoke with brazen boldness, completely dismissing her presence.
If Akira were to witness this scene, he would surely praise this man's courage profusely — it had been long since he'd seen such a brave warrior.
How many lives did this fool have, daring to speak to the mad woman like that?
In Okama's mind, Senjumaru was merely a researcher from the 12th Division who hadn't even served as Captain. She had simply gotten lucky by developing the Shihakushō, an invention that influenced Soul Society, earning her qualification for the Zero Division.
But in terms of strength? Even a hundred of her wouldn't be worthy of tying his shoes!
Such was the confidence of the strong!
"Being looked down upon like this — Nimaiya will surely mock me when he returns." Senjumaru covered her mouth with a delicate laugh, "For my dignity's sake, your resistance must be more intense! Otherwise, I'll be quite troubled..."
As her words fell, Okama's hair stood on end. An indescribable chill attacked from all directions, instantly blocking every escape route.
In the darkness, vibrant colors filled the space, painting an impossibly brilliant world of silk.
With no time to dodge, determination flashed across his face. His left hand crossed before him as he began the Kidō incantation.
⤫ Hadō #58: Tenran ⥤ Vigorous Tempest! ⤬
Fierce winds erupted from his palm, sweeping through the room with overwhelming force. Like countless razor-sharp blades crossing, the air itself rang with the sound of clashing metal.
Fabric fell and was devoured by the tempest, torn to shreds. Brilliant strips of cloth poured down like heavy rain, filling the entire room as if in a fairy tale.
"Is this all you've got?" Having destroyed his opponent's attack with a single Hadō, Okama's confidence swelled.
In his view, a researcher would always be just a researcher — never a match for a combat specialist.
"How troublesome, it seems I've been underestimated..."
Senjumaru furrowed her brow slightly as the golden arms behind her made crackling sounds. Slender needles appeared at her fingertips, which she twirled with delicate grace.
"I must show some real strength now."
Her words were met with only Okama's contemptuous laugh.
As Captain of the 7th Division, his duty was to guard Seireitei's most important inner court, and his strength surpassed that of ordinary Shinigami Captains.
Let alone a mere researcher — even other Captains wouldn't dare claim easy victory over him.
His foot stomped heavily, cracking the solid ground. His body became like an arrow loosed from its bow as he closed in on Senjumaru.
"Die, you interfering woman!"
He raised his Zanpakutō high, intense Reiatsu blazing on the blade as it tore through the air toward her smooth forehead — a sudden attack that should have been impossible to counter.
Yet as the blade fell, Okama was shocked to find the beautiful woman before him showing not the slightest panic. Instead, she wore a contemptuous smile at the corner of her mouth, expressing pure disdain for everything before her.
He flew into a rage, his Reiatsu increasing several fold. The materialized light blazed exceptionally bright as violent malice erupted from the blade, making the air groan under unbearable strain.
Clang!!
The reverberating sound of clashing metal echoed through the empty room. Okama startled, his eyes revealing incomprehension as he stared in disbelief at the weapon blocking his blade.
A single slender needle!
"What is this?!" He roared, his Reiatsu surging forth like burning green flames, casting an eerie light throughout the room.
"Why, it's my Zanpakutō of course." Senjumaru let out a delighted laugh, "How is it? Quite distinctive, isn't it?"
"Such a tiny thing is a Zanpakutō?" Okama couldn't comprehend it, yet his assault continued with even greater ferocity.
Countless strikes merged into a storm of slashes, engulfing Senjumaru in a deadly barrage.
There was no turning back now — she had to die.
Before beginning his search, he had erected a Kidō barrier around the area, temporarily masking all Reiatsu and sound from within. If he could eliminate this meddlesome woman before the barrier fell, his position would remain secure.
He would remain the mighty Captain of the 7th Division.
Yet to Okama's shock, his attacks — no matter how fierce or numerous — couldn't touch her at all.
Even as he unleashed his full Reiatsu, Senjumaru stood before him utterly serene, as if touched by nothing more than a gentle breeze.
This woman's strength was terrifying!
With no time to waste, he let out a roar as his burning green Reiatsu erupted into a massive pillar of light that pierced the heavens.
Sparks scattered from clashing metal, and a piercing screech shattered the research lab's silence.
"AAH!"
Okama's bloodshot eyes blazed with savage fury.
⤫ Bankai: Zōuo no Mori ⥤ Final Release: Forest of Hatred! ⤬
Ink-green energy spread from beneath his feet, spiritual pressure manifesting as countless seeds that took root and sprouted in the air, filling the spaces between scattered fabric.
In an instant, thorned vines writhed outward, consuming the entire building. Under Senjumaru's surprised gaze, they cracked and tore through the research lab's walls.
A forest domain stretched as far as the eye could see.
Massive trees formed from intertwining vines cast endless shadows in the moonlight, their overwhelming pressure creating an inescapable sense of suffocation.
Standing atop the vines, Enbouotoko breathed deeply, savoring the familiar environment of his forest domain with intoxicated satisfaction.
"To force me to use Bankai — not bad. Indeed, someone worthy of Zero Division isn't as weak as they seem. But unfortunately, your fate ends here."
⤫ Kōsaku ⥤ Strangle! ⤬
Okama thrust his right hand forward, his five fingers snapping shut.
In that instant, countless thorned vines erupted from the ground, ensnaring the seemingly unprepared Senjumaru. As the thorns pierced her body, their power violently erupted.
The beautiful figure was instantly torn to shreds!
Colorful scraps of fabric scattered through the air like silk rain, creating a dazzling spectacle.
Okama stared in bewilderment, unable to comprehend the scene before him.
"Have I been discovered?" A gentle, elegant voice emerged from the nearby darkness.
Okama turned toward the sound and saw an elegant woman with pale skin walking slowly toward him under the moonlight, holding a red umbrella.
"Shutara..."
Senjumaru's lips curled into a slight smile, her playful expression unchanged — as if she were watching an entertaining drama.
"That was a doll I painstakingly sewed. It took quite a long time to make. Lord Shinji, you should feel honored."
Upon realizing he'd been thoroughly toyed with, Okama's anger exploded. His violent nature burst forth as he shouted threats at her.
"Fall into the domain of the Forest of Hatred! Death shall be your final destination! I'll tear you to pieces, making you experience the most painful death!"
Faced with these threats, the playful smile on Senjumaru's pale face only grew more pronounced, her crimson lips curving into a beautiful arc as her gentle voice rose among the writhing vines.
"Aren't you curious... Why after releasing your Bankai, there's still no commotion from the Twelfth Division? A mere Kidō barrier cannot conceal such a disturbance, you know..."
As the words fell, Okama's expression froze as realization struck.
When he saw beyond the Forest of Hatred, his pupils contracted and his face filled with disbelief. In his shock, he even forgot to breathe.
At the edge of his vision, beyond the forest of interwoven vines, the air distorted mysteriously, forming layers of ripples — like stones dropped into a calm lake, creating ring after ring of disturbance.
Light, flowing silk descended from above, its vivid colors tracing patterns that depicted lifelike scenes.
"What is this..." His throat was dry, his voice hoarse.
Though Okama had guessed the truth, he refused to believe it.
As reality dawned on him, his previous arrogance and anger shattered like a shell. Among the floating silk fabrics, he felt an overwhelming suffocation.
His anxiety reached a fever pitch.
No matter how much Reiatsu Okama released — even as his body burned with flame-like Reiryoku — the panic in his heart only grew stronger.
Seeing her opponent's pathetic state, Senjumaru's interest waned considerably.
Compared to that young man from before who had resisted desperately until the end, this so-called Captain of the 7th Division was utterly disappointing.
When terror overwhelmed him, something snapped inside Okama's heart. With blood-red eyes, he commanded the Forest of Hatred to strangle and tear the white figure before him to shreds.
Yet his attacks couldn't touch her — not even enough to make her clothes flutter in the wind.
His mighty Bankai, in her presence, proved as harmless as a child's plaything.
Silk fabrics cascaded from above, transforming into an overwhelming torrent that shattered the Forest of Hatred and engulfed him completely.
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Meanwhile...
In the Soul Extraction Room, two figures were engaged in fierce combat.
Sparks flew between their blades, dispelling the darkness as the clear sound of clashing metal shattered the silence like rolling thunder.
"Too weak, too weak!" Someone laughed madly with utmost mockery, "Is this all you've got, Sōsuke! You've grown lazy! The current you won't waste much of my time!"
Veins bulged on Aizen's forehead as he considered unleashing all his Reiatsu to give the bastard before him a few good slashes.
Though it was just an act, this guy wasn't holding back at all. His blade fell with tremendous force and weight, his attacks fierce and overwhelming — like a berserk dump truck.
Even though Aizen prided himself on his talent, compared to someone like Akira who had made combat his instinct, he was struggling.
Or rather, his genius didn't lie in this area.
⤫ Bakudō #4: Hainawa ⥤ Crawling Rope! ⤬
In the darkness, ropes of light shot forth like poisonous snakes discovering prey, instantly wrapping around Akira's body.
But the next moment.
Bang!
He gave a fierce laugh, his powerful Reiryoku exploding forth, shattering the Bakudō's light ropes into pieces.
Seeing this, Aizen's eye twitched. With his rich imagination, he didn't dare think what Akira would be like in a few years or even decades from now.
A young version of Genryūsai Yamamoto?
However, at that moment, he suddenly looked toward the window, sensing the Reiatsu disturbance outside and the chaotic sounds.
The others had been exposed.
"Akira, destroy this place."
"No problem." Akira gave him an OK gesture.
⤫ Bakudō #21: Sekienton ⥤ Red Smoke Escape! ⤬
Crimson smoke instantly filled the Soul Extraction Room. From the first floor to the second, everything became a vast sea of red.
Aizen flash-stepped to the window's edge as his Reiatsu defense expanded.
Crackling electrical arcs surged through the crimson smoke while red and azure flames ignited within.
⤫ Hadō #?: Akaden Shiraiko ⥤ Red Smoke White Lightning Cannon! ⤬
BOOM!!
The scorching flames erupted with devastating force. The heavy roof shot skyward, walls crumbled, and swirling dust particles rose in the intense heat to form a massive mushroom cloud.
The deafening roar stopped the approaching 12th Division members in their tracks. They watched fearfully from a distance, swallowing hard at the awesome display.
In that moment, they witnessed the sun itself blazing in the dead of night.
As the flames exploded outward, a black shadow burst through them and vanished into the darkness.
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