Ch95- Visiting Her
Gin's grip on his Zanpakuto tightened further. "You have no right…"
"No right?" Kai cut him off, his voice laced with faint amusement. He shifted, leaning back on his hands. His posture was relaxed, his tone casual, as if he was discussing the weather instead of a matter of the heart. "Does she not have the right to move on? Live her life? Fall in love? Being loved like she deserves?"
Gin was taken aback, his scowl deepening. The mention of Rangiku's right to move on, to love, to be loved properly, hit him where it hurt the most. His plan, his sacrifices, his pain... they were all for her. But Rangiku was not a prize to be won. She was a woman, capable of making her own decisions, including whom to love.
"Rangiku has her own life, her own choices," Kai continued, his voice still as calm as ever. "She chose me, Gin. I didn't take her from you. You were the one who left her behind."
"I healed whatever Aizen did to her," Kai announced. Gin's normally impassive face jerked in surprise, his gaze hardened with suspicion.
"You healed her? Impossible." He challenged, his grip on his Zanpakuto instinctively tightening. He studied Kai for any sign of deception, his icy eyes narrowing dangerously. "Do you have a Hogyoku too?"
Kai let out a scoff, shaking his head in denial. "I don't have such a foul item," he said, his tone laced with revulsion. His eyes met Gin's, their depths void of any falseness.
A silence stretched between them, heavy and tense. Kai broke it first, his curiosity getting the better of him. "What did Aizen steal from her? And why her?" He asked, his voice void of any playful undertone this time.
Gin was silent for a long moment, his gaze drifting away. When he finally answered, his voice was a low whisper, just loud enough for Kai to hear. "The Nail of the Soul King."
Kai's eyes widened at the revelation, his posture stiffening. "Was it merged with Rangiku?" He asked, already knowing the answer.
Gin merely nodded, his gaze never leaving Kai's. The silent acknowledgment was all Kai needed. "Aizen stole it to feed Hogyoku." Kai mused, more to himself than Gin. Another nod from the silver-haired man confirmed his suspicion.
The revelation changed nothing for Kai, it only fueled his desire to bring down Aizen. He returned his gaze to Gin, an unspoken question lingering in his eyes. "Since you want to kill Aizen, we are on the same side. What are you going to do now? Will you turn back now that you learned Rangiku is moving on? Or will you stick to your plan?"
Gin looked at him, an offended gleam in his eyes. His fingers curled tighter around the hilt of his sword, his posture defensive. "I spent years for this, do you think just because of you I will change my way?"
Kai nodded, a faint grin stretching across his face. "Good. I will kill Aizen, but with you, things should be easier." The words left his lips with an air of nonchalance that contradicted the gravity of the situation. He then asked, his tone serious, "Has he done anything to Karin and Yuzu?"
Gin shook his head. "They are here to keep Ichigo Kurosaki away from Earth. Aizen has plans for him." He informed, his gaze guarded.
Kai processed this, his expression contemplative. He then directed another question at Gin. "What are his plans for me?"
For a fleeting moment, Gin seemed to hesitate, as if debating whether to answer. Kai watched him silently, his gaze unflinching. At last, Gin said, "He thinks either you have Hogyoku or another piece of the Soul King."
Gin's words hung in the air, a silent challenge. Kai didn't respond immediately, instead, he simply tilted his head and studied the other man, an unreadable expression in his eyes. His lips curled up into a small, almost amused smile.
"What a smart man Aizen is," Kai muttered, more to himself than to Gin. He leaned back on his hands, seemingly unbothered by the gravity of the situation. His eyes flickered with amusement, a stark contrast to the serious air that surrounded them.
"Then let's work together, Gin. For your revenge and mine." Kai said, his gaze steady on the silver-haired man in front of him. Gin glared back, his icy eyes full of disdain and deep-seated animosity. Kai, for his part, remained unfazed, his hands tucked casually in his pockets. He wasn't looking for Gin's approval, he was merely stating a fact. Their goals aligned, whether Gin liked it or not.
"Do whatever you want and I will do what I want." Gin retorted, his voice low and cold. The tension between them was palpable, a taut string ready to snap at any moment. Yet, Kai didn't waver, his relaxed demeanor contradicting the hostile atmosphere.
Kai nodded, accepting Gin's terms with an untroubled grin. He wasn't there to make friends. "Just remember, Gin. Don't come after me or those close to me once again. I can only be civil for so long." The threat hung in the air, a clear warning to Gin. The promise of retaliation was there, hidden under Kai's casual words.
With those words, Kai vanished, leaving Gin behind in the endless white desert of Hueco Mundo.
He reappeared in a cave-like structure, distant from the others. The interior of the cave was expansive and primitive, its walls echoing with an ancient silence. Kai moved to the heart of the chamber, settling down on a throne-like stone seat. His posture was relaxed, but his eyes held a certain expectancy. He didn't have to wait long.
Four figures soon emerged from the shadows of the cave, their footsteps echoing in the hollow space. The first was Harribel Tier, the only female Espada among Aizen's Arrancars. Her appearance was striking, her teal eyes full of an icy determination that was enhanced by the sharp features of her face. Her hair was a light shade of blonde, styled into a bob cut that framed her face, with a longer section falling down one side.
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