Yet another unseen technique. Looking at the chains in Kōe's hands, a trace of chill actually swept across Szayelaporro's heart.
A hundred years ago, he had invaded Soul Society and encountered Squad 11 led by Kuruyashiki Kenpachi. Of course, Szayelaporro didn't understand exactly who Kuruyashiki Kenpachi was.
Although he was only following Baraggan's orders to go through the motions, a Shinigami who could force him back without even releasing his Zanpakutō—Kuruyashiki Kenpachi's strength had left a deep impression on Szayelaporro.
But compared to Kuruyashiki Kenpachi, whose techniques were wide open and destroyed everything head-on like stormy waves, the Kōe before him was like a massive underground labyrinth without a single ray of light.
Although equally imposing, the feeling he gave off was more of mystery, the unknown, and fear.
It was as if it were alive, so you never knew if turning the next corner would lead to a trap or a dead end, but you knew for sure it wouldn't be a reward or an exit.
One second you might be taking a leisurely stroll, and the next you would plunge into a bottomless abyss.
Even walking in a straight line filled you with dread, because this pitch-black path seemed to have no end. Even if it did, it absolutely wouldn't be heaven, but an even more despair-inducing hell.
Just like now, Szayelaporro had no idea what the chains that suddenly appeared in Kōe's hands were. Was it a Zanpakutō release? No, the opponent's blade was still in its sheath.
And what exactly was the use of these damn chains? That was equally unknown.
Was it a new method for that lowly Shinigami to humiliate him? Perhaps. But Szayelaporro had a feeling in his heart that if he continued to let the opponent do as he pleased without finding a solution, he would absolutely experience something even more humiliating than the one-sided beating he just took!
'No, absolutely not!' Szayelaporro roared in his heart. However, with his mind completely blank, this felt more like a prayer—and a rather poorly-mannered one at that.
Naturally, Kōe didn't know what Szayelaporro was thinking at this moment. Even if he did, it was impossible for him to stop now. As the enemy, how could he possibly fulfill his opponent's wishes?
But just as he was about to make his move, a Garganta suddenly tore open in the distant forest, right inside the tree hollow that Szayelaporro had been using as a temporary shelter.
A Reiatsu carrying the stench of decay spilled out from the Garganta, adding a touch of aging desolation to the already lifeless tree hollow. The grains of dust and sand falling from the rock walls seemed like lonely tears left behind by the structure itself.
"Not here?"
A voice even older than Kōe's disguised Ao persona echoed through the Garganta and into the tree hollow. Thousands of miles away, both Kōe and Szayelaporro froze simultaneously, as if they could hear the voice despite the vast distance.
"Baraggan! What a..."
"...timely arrival!" This familiar Reiatsu descended like a god from the heavens, reigniting the fire of hope in Szayelaporro's nearly collapsed heart. However, to Kōe, it was an unwelcome guest at the door—truly 'timely' indeed.
Whether through the Kōki mask or his Reiatsu perception, this suddenly appearing Reiatsu let Kōe know exactly who the uninvited guest was.
Baraggan. The appearance of this Emperor of Hueco Mundo, whom Kōe had technically crossed paths with before, was absolutely not good news. And if Baraggan and Szayelaporro managed to regroup, it would be catastrophically bad news!
After a brief moment of thought, Kōe pushed off forcefully with his right foot, dashing toward the suspended Szayelaporro. He didn't have much time left; he had to seal the Szayelaporro before him as quickly as possible!
Under Szayelaporro's astonished gaze, Kōe drove a sword straight into the Arrancar's throat. The icy chill of the blade entering his body was quickly washed away by warm blood, but it couldn't wash away the shudder in Szayelaporro's heart.
'He wants to kill me?!'
At this moment, Szayelaporro didn't realize that if Kōe had wanted to kill him, he would have ceased to exist long ago. Although a sword thrust to the throat easily invited such thoughts, if he felt it carefully, this strike carried absolutely no pain. Of course, at this point, he was already nearly numb to pain anyway.
He didn't know if his eyes were playing tricks on him. Even though the awl-sword in Kōe's right hand had already pierced his throat, Szayelaporro saw that the opponent still held another awl-sword in his hand.
It wasn't until another fleeting chill appeared in his left shoulder that Szayelaporro realized his eyes weren't playing tricks on him.
At this moment, Kōe was like a true Shinigami reaping souls. He pulled a phantom image out from the awl-sword already embedded in Szayelaporro's body, and the illusory chain connected to his left palm split into three.
Left wrist, right wrist, abdomen...
What seemed like a long time was actually just the span of a few blinks. Various parts of Szayelaporro's body were pierced by Kōe's awl-swords.
At this moment, Szayelaporro finally began to realize the purpose of these awl-swords.
If his Reiatsu used to be like seawater, then right now, Szayelaporro felt his Reiatsu was like mud or mercury. It wasn't that its density had increased, but rather this sluggishness actually made him unable to command his own Reiatsu.
The effects of the Awl-Sword Chain Binding Net were beginning to show. This Reiatsu-sealing technique, developed by Kōe to allow for freely adjustable sealing points, could theoretically seal any species possessing Reiatsu—provided that you, like Kōe, could see the Reiatsu inside the enemy's body.
The reason he hadn't used it earlier was because the previous Szayelaporro could have used his internal Reiatsu to shatter the spell's Reiatsu structure. After being weakened, the opponent was now powerless to resist.
Of course, if the current Szayelaporro possessed the same level of Reiryoku manipulation as Kōe, he could still barely mobilize his Reiatsu. After all, this sealing technique only obstructed the flow of Reiatsu within the sealed target's body.
Another sword pierced into the cervical vertebrae at Szayelaporro's neck. Immediately after, Kōe drove several more swords sequentially into the various segments of Szayelaporro's spine. At this level of sealing, even Kōe himself would be helpless to break free.
That ominous premonition had come true. Szayelaporro also realized exactly what Kōe was trying to do. Restricting Reiatsu but not restricting consciousness—he was far too familiar with this kind of method.
"Going through all this trouble to find this old man, was it to say hello to your new master in advance?"
The words Kōe had spoken earlier flashed through Szayelaporro's mind. This arrogant statement, which had seemed like a joke at the time, was actually a prophecy for him?
Unacceptable. Whether it was the terrifying future that was step-by-step becoming reality, or the absurd fact that a lowly Shinigami's words had actually become prophetic, Szayelaporro absolutely could not accept it.
'Once Baraggan arrives, all of this will be reversed!'
While Szayelaporro tried his hardest to control his emotions, he was also hiding his final chance for a comeback. Baraggan's arrival might be a turning point, but Szayelaporro couldn't place all his hopes on him.
Baraggan alone wouldn't be able to do anything to this Shinigami before him. He might even end up in the same humiliating situation as himself!
This terrifying thought was exactly what was on Szayelaporro's mind at this moment. He didn't even have much doubt about it—what a despair-inducing, humiliating thought!
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