ICE HEART
xviii. not
❝THAT'S JUST THE TYPE OF MAN HE IS.❞

Ayame's footsteps pounded repeatedly against the concrete floor as Toshiro and her rushed towards the large amount of spiritual pressure that they felt.

"We have a confirmed Arrancar presence in Karakura Town. I repeat, we have a confirmed Arrancar presence in Karakura Town! We have confirmed the Arrancar's presence at coordinate 3800."

"We know. I'm requesting a Gentei Kaijo." Toshiro spoke into his Soul Pager.

"Don't worry. We've already simplified the procedures to receive permission, you should be granted permission immediately." The person replied.

"Understood. Sure has gotten convenient." Toshiro sighed. "Rangiku, Renji, Ikkaku, Yumichika, acknowledge!"

"Yes, I have a confirmation sir." Ayame heard Rangiku reply.

"Looks like things will be fun again!" Ikkaku cheered happily.

"I hope this one's stronger than the last one!" Yumichika grinned as the blonde mentally face palmed.

"This is Renji. I'm the furthest one away, you guys just go on ahead of me." Renji informed the group.

They started to flash step on top of houses and signs and soon enough met up with Rangiku as they continued to flash step along the houses of Karakura Town.

"What now, Captains?" Rangiku asked.

"Keep a look out. They're very close." Toshiro told her as the three of them landed on a roof and a few seconds later, Yumichika and Ikkaku flash stepped next to them.

"Captains!" Ikkaku shouted.

"They're coming." Ayame stated simply as she gazed at the space in front of her and she placed her hand on the hilt of her zanpakutō, ready for anything.

Two Arrancars suddenly appeared and Ayame's blue orbs narrowed as they smirked lightly.

"How cocky of them. Well they're going down. Now, Stab Eligo!" The red-haired Arrancar yelled as spiritual pressure surrounded her and she transformed into a much larger beast.

Ayame saw the others struggling to withstand her large spiritual pressure and gritted her teeth as the other Arrancar chuckled.

"The difference in our power is obvious! There's no need to take you seriously. Unfortunately, we don't have time. We need you to die here! Freeze, Abare!" The other Arrancar yelled as it also began to transform.

Ikkaku and Yumichika chased the brown-haired Arrancar as Toshiro, Rangiku and Ayame were left with the red-haired Arrancar.

"I see, so that's your released zanpakutō, is it?" Toshiro asked.

"That's right. This is my true form! I'll end this with one shot!" The Arrancar declared as she shot a tentacle towards Toshiro but Toshiro easily dodged it by jumping over it.

"Reign over the frosted heavens, Hyōrinmaru!"

An ice dragon flew out of Toshiro's sword and charged towards the Arrancar as tentacles began to fly at the group. The tentacles broke through the dragon and they were approaching them at a fast speed - a speed that we couldn't dodge. It was about to hit them until Rangiku appeared and blocked the attack, much to our relief. She proceeded to charge at the Arrancar but the Arrancar sent another tentacle at her.

"It's useless!" The Arrancar yelled as they threw more tentacles at Toshiro and Rangiku, completely ignoring Ayame as she smirked lightly.

Toshiro kept on dodging the attacks, but the Arrancar's speed was something to be worried about. The attacks were continuous, one after the other, and Ayame's eyes narrowed as she saw Toshiro panting heavily after dodging hundreds of attacks while the Arrancar hadn't even broke a sweat.

"You're already out of breath?" The Arrancar chuckled.

"Shut up." Toshiro snapped.

"Honestly, you guys defeated five Arrancars? Boy, how PATHETIC!" The Arrancar hissed as his tentacle slapped Rangiku to the ground.

"RANGIKU!" Toshiro and Ayame cried.

The blonde noticed a tentacle aiming towards Toshiro so she quickly flash stepped in front of him and blocked the attack with her zanpakutō, then proceeded to slice the tentacle off. The Arrancar paid no attention and continued the attacks. After about eight attempts of attacking them, Toshiro shouted his zanpakutō release once more.

"Reign over the frosted heavens, Hyōrinmaru!" As he shouted those six words, ice began to cover the Arrancar's arms."I can't waste anymore time on an Arrancar that's not even an Espada!"

"Don't get too cocky with your weak attack!" The Arrancar yelled as the ice broke off.

"Let me deal with this, Toshiro." Ayame told him, her spiritual pressure increasing tremendously, making Toshiro and the Arrancar kneel to the ground.

The blonde placed her zanpakutō in front of her, directing it towards the Arrancar, and smirked slightly as she spoke, "Freeze the lands and surround your opponents in ice, Kōri no Joō." and watched as her sword transformed into a pearly white sword that glistened beautifully in the light.

It was complete and utter silence as Ayame's blue eyes met with the Arrancar's eyes. The blonde flash stepped towards the Arrancar with tremendous speed and placed her blade at their neck, threatening to cut off their head. She gently tapped the blade against the Arrancar's neck as it gulped in fear.

"Act Three, Kaze De Horobiru Reitō Bōnzu."

The Arrancar's entire body froze and crumbled into bones before turning into dust, floating away gracefully along with the wind. The petite female sheathed her zanpakutō as she watched Rangiku and Toshiro approach her.

"Let's go to Renji." Toshiro spoke before they flash stepped towards Urahara's shop.

"Renji, are you alright?" Toshiro asked as they - along with Ikkaku and Yumichika - flash stepped inside the underground basement.

"Captain Hitsugaya. Yes, we're fine." Renji replied.

"Oh my, it looks like you had some trouble too, eh? The only one who looks in a good condition is Aya." Kisuke chuckled lightly while Ayame growled.

"My name is Ayame, Kisuke." she snarled lightly.

"Where's the enemy?" Ikkaku asked.

"It seems they're dead. Aizen was toying with them." Kisuke told them.

"Aizen, what do you mean?" Toshiro asked.

"Is that the Hogyoku they brought with them from Hueco Mondo?" Kisuke asked as all of them snapped their heads to look at the Hogyoku, which just crumbled into several pieces.

"What happened?" Toshiro asked.

"Sosuke Aizen probably let them have a fake." Ayame informed them.

"I was the one who originally created the device, so you can believe me when I tell you it wouldn't break that easily. I'm guessing that Aizen probably tricked them, most likely with his Kyōka Suigetsu. There's no way that could happen, Aizen would never allow them to steal the Hogyoku from him so easily." Kisuke explained.

"But he did allow them to take a fake one. Why would he do that?" Renji questioned.

"I'm not sure that we'll ever find out. Maybe Aizen was after something else, and he needed these Arrancars to create a distraction so that he and his coords wouldn't get caught themselves. Otherwise there wouldn't be a need for somebody to follow them back to the World of the Living. He knew that he would've taken care of them one way or another. This would prove more entertaining, that's just the type of man he is, I suppose." Kisuke answered.