Chapter 362

2-in-1 chapter: Extra big chapter to make up for some that were a little short.

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Kaelith didn't respond—he simply looked at him with a slight shake of the head, almost pitying.

That look seemed to set something off inside Kagerōza.

“So it was all a lie earlier, wasn’t it?! You were just trying to trick me!”

“People like you always say nice things, worm your way into someone’s life, never once caring about how they feel—and when you realize they’re not as useful as you imagined, you’re the first to walk away!”

“Those damn nobles were like that! Those trash Shinigami were like that! And you’re no different!!”

Seeing Inaba Kagerōza suddenly break down into a manic outburst, Kaelith raised his eyebrows.

It sounded like he was a hurt, withdrawn child—a classic villain backstory.

He shook his head.

“Well, I wasn’t exactly lying… I just promised Sōsuke that only people he approves of can examine or study my body.”

“I’m not picky about stuff, but once I’ve made a promise, I don’t break it lightly.”

Inaba sneered.

“What a pathetic excuse.”

“But it doesn’t matter anymore… Kaelith, I’ve been waiting for you here for a long time!”

“If you’d stayed hiding in the World of the Living, maybe you could’ve kept dodging. But since you walked into my trap, don’t blame anyone else!”

With a sharp shing, he drew his Zanpakutō:

“Dance madly, Raikū!!”

A flash of light—and the blade transformed into a long staff-like weapon, with chopping blades at both ends. With the twin-bladed polearm in hand, Inaba twirled like a stage performer.

As he spun, a rift in space appeared.

From within, five figures surged forth.

Yoruichi Shihōin, Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi, Kyōraku Shunsui, Zaraki Kenpachi and Ukitake Jūshirō.

Five captain-level powerhouses, standing before Kaelith!

Seeing the summoned Captains, Inaba smiled smugly.

“Well? What do you think, Kaelith?”

“I know you can fight, but what does that matter? I’ve got five Captains—two of them veterans, top-tier Soul Society elites!”

Kaelith folded his arms and nodded.

“Indeed. Quite formidable.”

Judging by their spiritual pressure alone, these copies were actually stronger than the originals.

Absolutely ridiculous.

How the hell did he even make these things?

Inaba smirked—then frowned again.

Why wasn’t Kaelith worried? The man still looked like he was evaluating from on high.

This guy… doesn’t realize how screwed he is.

He pointed Raikū forward:

“Kill him!”

The five Captains drew their Zanpakutō without hesitation and lunged.

In the narrow lab space, Kaelith moved through them like wind—twisting his waist, ducking his head, dodging every slash.

After several steps, he suddenly reached out and grabbed Rōjūrō’s throat.

Crack!

Inaba’s eyes widened as Kaelith gave a sharp twist—snapping his neck like a twig.

Rōjūrō’s body slumped and crumpled to the floor, his neck grotesquely bent.

Snap!*

His body shattered into dust, leaving only a glowing red Reigai pill.

Without pause, Kaelith surged forward—his body twisting into a strike.

Double Bone: Ikkotsu!

Ukitake flashed forward to block.

He raised his arms, conjuring over a dozen spiritual pressure barriers.

Kaelith’s fist crashed into them—creating a shockwave, but failing to break through.

Kaelith didn’t seem surprised.

Among the Captains, Ukitake was easily one of the strongest—if his lungs didn’t act up, his combat power rivaled Kyōraku’s.

Many believed Yamamoto held back during the Sōkyoku Hill battle, thinking he went easy on his former students. But the truth is, that was one of the rare times he fought seriously— and even then, he couldn’t beat them quickly.

As Ukitake blocked him, Kaelith sensed the incoming danger and leapt back.

SHING— Kyōraku’s black blade swept past where he’d just stood.

“Oho~ Still as slippery as ever, little brother.”

Kyōraku adjusted his hat and smiled.

“Sorry, Kaelith. We didn’t want this either.”

Ukitake gave a conflicted look and nodded apologetically.

Kaelith stared at the two of them, unsure how to feel.

Intuition told him they were fakes.

But visually, spiritually, even in mannerisms, they were nearly identical.

Inaba’s technology was truly terrifying. It seemed that a mad scientist could never be underestimated in any world.

Kaelith drew his Zanpakutō and raised it overhead—

CLANG!!!

Zaraki’s booming laughter roared as his monstrous strength poured down through the blades, slamming into Kaelith.

Behind him, Zaraki grinned like a beast, forcing his blade down in a power struggle.

Kaelith remained calm, bearing the weight of the blow as he turned to Kyōraku and Ukitake.

“Where’s the teacher’s copy? Not here?”

Kyōraku blinked. But he didn’t answer.

Ukitake looked like he wanted to explain—but stayed silent.

Kaelith nodded slowly.

“Ah, I see. You couldn’t copy him.”

At that, Inaba snapped.

“That’s because of materials!! My tech is flawless! But Yamamoto’s spiritual pressure is too overwhelming—no material can contain his soul!”

Kaelith chuckled.

“Honestly, I had no idea if they’d answer—but you just gave yourself away.”

“?”

Inaba’s face darkened. He had that feeling again. A feeling that he was about to have an aneurysm again.

Before he could argue, Kaelith suddenly paused—his gaze locking on Inaba.

Among all the captains, there was one he could always tell apart from a fake: Ukitake Jūshirō.

The real Ukitake had a unique energy protecting his lungs.

In his past life’s forum-lurking days, Kaelith had learned fragments of lore—like how Ukitake housed the Soul King’s right arm.

Its aura was similar to the Soul King’s fingertip he’d seen in Rangiku.

This copy didn’t have it.

Yet suddenly, Kaelith felt a faint trace of the Soul King’s essence but not from Ukitake. It was from Inaba himself.

Still fighting off the captains, he scanned Inaba.

Nothing. No trace on his body.

Then… there was only one possibility!

Seeing Kaelith distracted, Yoruichi pounced.

In a blur, she crossed half the room.

Lightning crackled around her as she aimed a crushing punch at Kaelith.

Kyōraku and Ukitake unleashed bakudō.

Zaraki’s spiritual pressure crushed down.

Five captains. One strike.

Even Hinamori—the meat shield of Soul Society—would fall.

And yet, facing this overwhelming joint assault… Kaelith didn’t move.

He simply opened his mouth:

"Bankai."

BOOM!!!!

A pillar of Reiatsu erupted, shattering the lab ceiling, piercing the clouds.

The shockwave sent Yoruichi flying—slamming her into the wall.

Kyōraku and Ukitake’s spells shattered.

Even Zaraki stumbled back.

Pushing them all back, Kaelith grinned and surged forward—rushing straight at Inaba Kagerōza!

With a roar, he drove his massive metallic claw at Inaba’s chest.

“!!!”

Inaba’s face twisted.

He tried to react—but his untrained body couldn’t match Kaelith’s speed.

Before he could even lift his Zanpakutō halfway, Kaelith’s claw had already closed in on his chest.

But…

The pain he expected didn’t come.

The claw stopped just short of his chest—blocked by an invisible force.

Kaelith froze mid-strike.

Then—WHAM!

He was blasted backward as if struck by an unseen force, crashing through the wall into the adjacent chamber in a storm of debris.

Kagerōza stared, eyes wide with disbelief.

He looked at the direction Kaelith had flown.

He glanced between Kaelith’s landing site and his own chest.

Then suddenly, like he’d discovered gold, his eyes lit up.

“Kaelith… was blown away by my surge of spiritual pressure in a moment of crisis?!”

“Hahaha!!”

“So that’s it—I’ve become that strong?!”

Inaba cackled with glee.

Kyōraku’s clone frowned.

“Lord Inaba… I believe this might be a trick.”

As the strongest among the replicas, he hadn't sensed any such power from Inaba.

To him, it looked like Kaelith had intentionally pulled back, despite clearly having the chance to end things.

Inaba scowled.

He thought Kyoraku’s clone was spouting nonsense.

He was the one behind this entire scheme. Killing him would unravel everything.

Kaelith wasn’t an idiot—why would he hold back at such a moment?

Clearly, this was a miraculous moment—his own body breaking through, an emergency awakening under pressure!

He opened his mouth to boast—

Then froze.

“Wait. That room is—”

“Quick! After him! Stop that bastard!!”

The four captain copies charged through the hole.

Inaba followed.

He waved away the dust—then froze in horror.

A tall glass incubation chamber stood in the room, connected to a web of cables and machinery.

But the subject inside the chamber—was gone.

The outer glass had been smashed open, and nutrient fluid spilled all across the floor.

The girl that had been inside… and Kaelith… had both vanished.

"KAAAEELIIIITH!!!!"

Inaba's furious roar echoed through the lab.

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*Eleventh Division, secret lab.*

Built by Aizen and Kaelith after their return.

Because of Inaba’s unknown reach, Aizen had abandoned all former labs.

Now, he sat reviewing data—when the door opened.

He reached for his sword without turning.

“You’re back?”

“I’m Kaelith.”

“What?”

“This is my first time in Seireitei.”

Hearing the nonsense, Aizen relaxed and took his hand off his blade.

He turned—and frowned.

Kaelith had a girl slung over his shoulder.

She wore a simple white dress—wrinkled and recently dried with spirit pressure.

She was unconscious, hanging like luggage.

What the hell did you do?

“And this is?”

Kaelith grinned.

“Heh heh. Prepare yourself. This here is… the mastermind behind the entire incident!”

“?”

Aizen blinked.

Hadn’t Kaelith already identified Inaba as the culprit?

Now this girl?

But Kaelith continued:

“Well, to be precise… a key figure in the plot.”

The memories had come flooding back during their chat.

And the green-haired girl confirmed it.

“She and Inaba are two halves of the same soul. Like Starrk and Lilynette.”

“When the Vanguard Project was shut down, a researcher split their soul to evade capture—hiding in plain sight.”

“Inaba is the dark, ambitious side. This girl is the kind, gentle side.”

Aizen raised an eyebrow.

Impressive. Typical of someone qualified for the Vanguard Project.

He stood, checking her vitals.

“She’s weak. Seems she was on sedatives for a long time. Poor health.”

“I have a life-support pod. Originally for Inaba. She can use it first.”

They placed her in the pod.

Kaelith explained what had happened while Aizen monitored the readings.

Aizen hadn’t bugged Kaelith, suspecting Inaba’s lab tech might detect it.

But when Kaelith mentioned the Soul King fragment in Inaba’s body, Aizen’s eyes lit up.

“That explains everything…”

He leaned back and thought.

A few minutes later—

“Based on your description, what’s in Inaba… is the Soul King’s Breath.”

“Breath?”

Kaelith blinked.

Even that could be a fragment?

Aizen explained.

“Think of it simply—his lungs.”

“As the world’s creator, the Soul King’s breath can absorb and release reishi freely.”

“Inaba must’ve used that ability to inject absurd amounts of reishi into his Reigai—creating beings stronger than the originals.”

Kaelith nodded.

Aizen looked at the girl in the tank and smiled.

Inaba… you’re such a helpful guy.

Everything you’ve done has only benefited me.

Once I get my hands on you, I’ll put you in the best tank—with the finest nutrient mix.

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In a haze, Kujō Nozomi slowly opened her eyes.

What appeared before her was not the dark, damp lab, nor the bubbling tank of nutrient fluid. Instead, it was a strange, unfamiliar ceiling.

Suddenly, a face popped into view.

“Oha~~yō, Onee-chan~~ Time to wake up!”

“If you don’t get up, I’ll have to…”

He grinned evilly.

She startled—bolting upright, shrinking into a corner and clutching her blanket.

Then something occurred to her, and she immediately glanced beneath the blanket.

Thankfully, her clothes were intact—clean and neat.

Wait… not the clothes she was wearing in the tank.

Who changed her?!

Kaelith smiled.

“Don’t worry. I changed your clothes. No one else saw.”

YOU were the one I was worried about!

Nozomi gawked, speechless.

Then noticed his Captain’s haori.

Was he the real one…?

No, maybe he was a fake too. She frowned, clearly uncertain.

Kaelith pointed toward a tray on the nightstand. “Eat something first. Sōsuke said after being in the tank for so long, your digestive system might not handle solid food well. I asked someone to make porridge.”

With that, he walked over to a chair, sat down, and picked up a handheld game console, casually immersing himself in the screen.

Nozomi turned to glance at the tray. The aroma of food wafted over, and her stomach quietly growled in response.

But despite her hunger, the trauma of confinement had left her unable to trust her surroundings so easily.

She took a deep breath and stared at Kaelith.

“Who… exactly are you? And why am I here?”

Without even looking up, Kaelith replied smoothly, “I am the all-knowing, all-seeing, peerless genius, the unmatched paragon of wisdom and talent, the Captain of the Eleventh Division—Kaelith!”

His intro ran on autopilot while he gamed.

She froze.

“You’re Kaelith?!”

“Indeed.”

“Then… can you show me your Zanpakutō?”

Kaelith drew Rixiang Jimie. Twin blades ignited in blue fire, glowing with unmistakable energy.

At the sight of them, Nozomi visibly relaxed. Her eyes lit up.

Then, with a serious expression, she stood up.

“Captain Kaelith, I have critical intel to report!”

Kaelith sighed and put down the controller. He then summoned a pen and paper from his shadow.

“Speak.”

Under his watchful gaze, Nozomi recounted everything—Inaba’s history, his abilities, the details of the Vanguard Project, and every fact she could remember about the conspiracy.

She didn’t hold back. It was clear she had made up her mind to reveal everything.

“…That’s everything. Captain Kaelith, right now, only you—someone Inaba can’t replicate—have the power to stop him. Please, you have to stop his plan.”

“Please, you must defeat him!”

Kaelith looked down at the paper in front of him. It was blank. Not a single word was written.

Damn it, moss head. He already knew everything she just told him.

Still, listening to her calmly explain it all had its own kind of charm.

After thinking for a few seconds, he put on a more serious expression.

“Stopping Inaba… isn’t impossible. But it depends on your sincerity.”

“My… sincerity?”

She blinked in confusion.

Kaelith was just about to elaborate when a new figure appeared in the room.

Soi Fon, cold-faced and expressionless, reported flatly, “Sir. A disturbance has broken out at the First Division headquarters. Several Reigai Captains are confronting the originals.”

Nozomi’s heart sank.

Inaba had made his move.

Of course—her escape must have triggered him.

As two halves of the same soul, Inaba could only unlock his full power by becoming whole again.

He would never let that potential slip away.

She now faced a choice.

Keep running and survive alone—or sacrifice her safety to buy time for Kaelith and the others to act.

She glanced at him.

Kaelith was grinning.

“Good. Perfect, even. Everything’s going according to plan… and this victory, I’ll be taking for myself.”

He laughed loudly, almost theatrically.

Watching him burst into exaggerated laughter like a comic book villain, Nozomi was momentarily unsure.

Had she… really trusted the right person?

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