The Ultimate Red Dragon Emperor DXD

"Who's there?!" Rukia drew her Zanpakuto, spinning to face the sound.

"Calm down. I'm not your enemy," said a man in white robes, with golden hair and blue eyes, approaching.

"First meeting, Rukia Kuchiki. I'm Jugram Haschwalth, a Quincy."

"Quincy?" Rukia frowned.

As an honor student, she'd studied Quincies.

Textbooks claimed Soul Reapers had wiped them out.

Where'd this guy come from?

Eyeing Haschwalth warily, she pressed, "Why's a Quincy in Central 46? Where's everyone? Did you bring me here?"

"I'm here because Aizen and his allies persecuted me," Haschwalth said.

"The Central 46 members? Push open the door behind you."

"Your presence here isn't my doing. Likely, Aizen tampered with us both."

Haschwalth patiently answered her questions.

But his replies only deepened Rukia's confusion. "Persecuted by Aizen? What does that mean?"

"I was a Quincy hiding in the human world until Aizen found me," Haschwalth said, lifting his shirt to reveal blood-soaked bandages on his abdomen.

The spreading stains suggested unhealed wounds.

"…Doesn't look fake," Rukia said, her hostility easing, though she stayed cautious.

"Last two questions: How'd you escape Aizen? And why do you know me?"

"I hid my strength and abilities, leading Aizen to misjudge me," Haschwalth said, drawing a dagger and tossing it.

Swish.

The blade flew past Rukia, embedding in the courtroom door.

"All-Severing: I can cut through anything, ignoring defenses," he said. "I used it to break my shackles and escape the lab, only to end up here, stuck in a loop."

"As for knowing you, Aizen discussed you in the lab. They said you had the Hogyoku, and their next goal was capturing you to take it."

"They didn't hide it since I was as good as dead to them."

"That makes sense," Rukia said, realization dawning.

She sheathed her Zanpakuto, dropping her guard.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend," she said. "First meeting, but with Aizen as a common foe, let's ally."

"Agreed," Haschwalth nodded. "By the way, you asked about Central 46 being behind the door?"

Rukia glanced at the courtroom door. "Yeah, what'd you mean?"

"Exactly what I said. Open it and see," Haschwalth replied.

"Alright, here goes," Rukia said, pressing her hand to the door.

No time to worry about offending Central 46 now.

With a slight push, the doors creaked open.

A thick stench of blood hit her.

"This… impossible! How?!" Rukia gasped, staring at the corpses strewn across the courtroom, frozen in terror.

"Central 46… wiped out?!"

"It was like this when I arrived," Haschwalth said, stepping up, pointing to a wall. "The blood suggests they died a day ago."

"As for the killer… you already know who."

Rukia fell silent.

The answer was obvious.

Central 46 was Seireitei's heart.

Bypassing Soul Reaper patrols to slaughter them required someone like Aizen, wielding Kyoka Suigetsu.

"I can't believe Aizen targeted Central 46. What's his gain?" Rukia asked.

"No clue, but…" Haschwalth trailed off, glancing at a corner.

Rukia sensed it too—a presence.

Before she could act, a calm voice rang out. "Shoot to Kill, Shinso!"

A faint spiritual pressure flared. A flash pierced Haschwalth's chest, pinning him to the wall with a groan.

"Haschwalth!" Rukia shouted, turning to the source.

"Gin Ichimaru, why are you here?!"

"Why am I here? That's my question," Gin said, retracting Shinso, stepping from the shadows with a sly grin.

"Didn't expect the Kuchiki heiress to team up with a Quincy to slaughter Central 46."

"If your brother knew, he'd be heartbroken."

"You're spouting nonsense! You killed Central 46!" Rukia snapped, activating Shikai, summoning an ice pillar to attack.

Gin dodged with Shunpo, appearing across the courtroom.

Shinso extended rapidly, its short blade stretching toward Rukia.

She sidestepped, raising her hand. "Hado 31: Shakkaho!"

"Huh?" Gin's eyes flickered with surprise.

He hadn't expected Rukia to dodge Shinso's burst.

Countering Shakkaho with his own Kido, Gin chuckled. "You've grown stronger since leaving Soul Society."

"You think I'd return unprepared?" Rukia retorted, attacking again.

Clashes echoed as they traded blows in seconds.

After another exchange, Gin retreated outside.

"No escape!" Rukia pursued.

But Gin's spiritual pressure surged. "Bankai—Kamishini no Yari!"

Boom!

A blinding flash shot toward Rukia.

"So fast!" Rukia's pupils shrank, dodging instinctively.

Still, the attack grazed her arm, leaving a gash.

"Pity. I hoped to end it there," Gin said.

"…I underestimated you," Rukia said, her expression hardening.

Her rapid growth had made her overconfident.

But Gin, a prodigy from the Spiritual Arts Academy, outclassed her.

Facing his terrifying Bankai pressure, Rukia took a deep breath, her own pressure spiking.

"Well, this is unexpected," Gin said, his squinted eyes opening.

As a captain, he recognized Bankai's signs.

"No holding back," he said, aiming Kamishini no Yari, his pressure peaking.

As they braced for a clash, a terrifying presence appeared between them.

"Damn fools! Stand down!" roared a figure radiating dread.

"Head Captain?" Rukia gasped.

"Oh my, what brings you here?" Gin said.

Recognizing the newcomer, both halted, choosing truce.

"Been a while since the old man was this pissed," a voice remarked.

"That's… Rukia Kuchiki?" another said.

"Things just got messy," a third added.

Three captain-haori-clad figures appeared nearby.

"Captain Kyouraku, Captain Hitsugaya… and Aizen?!" Rukia's expression darkened, spotting Aizen.

Her grip on her Zanpakuto tightened, alert.

"I told you to stop! Are you deaf?!" Yamamoto bellowed, his spiritual pressure crushing Rukia.

Realizing the situation, Rukia sheathed her blade. "Head Captain! I have a report!"

"Gin Ichimaru and Aizen are colluding with Hueco Mundo to disrupt Seireitei!"

Her bombshell echoed over Central 46.

But, to her shock, Yamamoto and the others showed no reaction, as if deaf.

Once Rukia stood down, Yamamoto turned to Gin. "Ichimaru, three minutes! Explain why you're fighting Kuchiki in Central 46!"

"Head Captain, I got word a Quincy infiltrated Central 46 and rushed to help," Gin said. "But when I arrived, Central 46 was dead, and I found the Quincy chatting with the Kuchiki heiress."

"Central 46, annihilated?" Yamamoto flashed to the courtroom doors, peering inside.

His face twisted at the hellish scene.

"Kuchiki Rukia, explain!" he demanded.

"Head Captain, Gin did this! I'm uninvolved!" Rukia protested.

"Speak! Silence won't erase this!" Yamamoto roared.

"…Kyoka Suigetsu?" Rukia realized, turning to Aizen.

"Too slow, Rukia Kuchiki," Aizen said, adjusting his glasses, unfazed by his ability's exposure.

"You should've known from the start—you're under Kyoka Suigetsu's sway."

"Damn it! No choice but to fight!" Rukia gripped her Zanpakuto.

But a murderous aura enveloped her.

She froze, meeting Yamamoto's furious glare.

"Kuchiki Rukia! One more move, and even your family name won't save you!"

"…Yes, sir," Rukia said.

"What do you have to say about you and the Quincy?!" Yamamoto pressed.

"…Nothing," Rukia said.

"Stubborn!" Yamamoto snorted, calling Kyouraku. "Take her to Squad 2. Let Soi Fon interrogate her!"

"Uh, is that wise?" Kyouraku hesitated.

"Don't make me repeat myself," Yamamoto growled, a vein bulging.

Central 46's slaughter by a Quincy crossed his line.

He needed Quincy intel more than he cared about Rukia's status.

"After delivering her, tell Ukitake to stay in Squad 13. Clear?"

"Understood," Kyouraku sighed.

As Yamamoto's early disciple, he knew what Quincies meant to him.

But Ukitake's intel suggested more complexity.

Glancing at Gin, Kyouraku turned to Rukia. "Come to Squad 2. Don't resist."

"…I'll cooperate," Rukia said.

"Good," Kyouraku said, vanishing with her via Shunpo.

Yamamoto addressed the others. "Squad 5 Captain Aizen, stay and guard the scene. No one approaches!"

"Yes, sir!" Aizen said.

"Squad 10 Captain Hitsugaya, fetch Captain Unohana from Squad 4 to examine the bodies!"

"Yes, sir!" Hitsugaya said.

"Squad 3 Captain Ichimaru, you're with me at Squad 1. Don't move without my order!"

"Huh? No need for that, right? You suspect me, Head Captain?" Gin said.

"Shut it! Move!" Yamamoto snapped, grabbing Gin and vanishing.

Hitsugaya left for Squad 4.

Aizen, alone, adjusted his glasses and entered the courtroom. "They're gone. Come out."

"I need an explanation, Aizen," Haschwalth said, emerging from a shadow.

"Why not kill Rukia Kuchiki to maximize the conflict?"

"Killing her isn't optimal. Alive, she's bait to draw Roy and Ichigo Kurosaki to Soul Society," Aizen said. "It also lowers risk, avoiding her failsafe."

"Failsafe?" Haschwalth asked.

Aizen nodded. "Akatsuki members' ID tags have teleportation arrays. In mortal danger, they summon the Red Dragon Emperor."

"Rukia lived with Roy. Returning alone, she likely carries one."

"Fair," Haschwalth said. "Plan's success rate?"

"100%. Once Roy arrives, Yamamoto's doom is certain," Aizen said.

"Hope you're right," Haschwalth said, opening the Invisible Empire's gate.

As he stepped through, Aizen's voice followed. "Worry less about Yamamoto and more about Roy."

"What do you mean?" Haschwalth asked.

"Roy might not just stalemate Yamamoto—he could dominate," Aizen said. "To clean up, plant pieces near him."

"…I'll relay that to His Majesty," Haschwalth said, vanishing into the shadows.

Aizen exited the courtroom, gazing skyward.

All was set.

Now, he waited.

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