8-2 Stop Kageroza!

Apparently, this is the place.

Looks like we're the only two left to carry on this fight. That's not bad, all things considered.

We don't know if the others were defeated yet. We may still have help.

Hmhmhm... Hahaha... Hmm.

There you are. What's so damn funny?

We've wiped out most of your invading army. And now that we've tracked you down, we're going to crush your invasion plans for good!

But first, Kageroza Inaba, we need answers. Just exactly who in the hell are you?!

............

Heh, he doesn't want to answer that. Well, it doesn't really matter, one way or the other.

There's only one thing that matters to me. Are you strong enough to fight me or not?

Hahaha. Well, how disappointing. After all you've gone through, you still don't realize you don't have any chance of victory.

Go mad, Raiku!

(What's going on with this guy? I don't sense any spirit energy at all from his Shikai.)

(Until the moment when we actually cross swords, we'll have no way of knowing exactly how strong he is.)

I don't know how you're hiding your spirit energy, Kageroza, but try your best to make this fun for me!

What's the matter, scientist? Don't tell me you showed up here just so we could kill you! That would be pretty stupid.

If this is all you got and you aren't gonna take me seriously, I guess I'll have to kill you right now and be done with it!

Kenpachi, wait! He's planning to trap you!

............

I see.

You were evading us in order to use that technique of yours.

You create portals where they shouldn't exist, and seal your opponents into the Precipice World that lies beyond.

Obviously, that's the power of your Zanpakuto. You're able to manipulate space.

Now that we've been alerted to your sneak attack, that technique won't work on us again!

Gah!!!

Space manipulation. That was how you described my powers, wasn't it? Well, you were certainly correct, but you made one grievous error.

My abilities are not limited to simply manipulating one small dimension such as the Precipice World. It would be more accurate to say that I can manipulate all space.

My Zanpakuto actually affects space itself. It records it and re-creates it.

When you two captains were attacking me earlier, I used it to re-create the Precipice World in an attempt to trap and neutralize you. But as I watched the details and patterns of your attacks, I also had it record a new space.

So, do you understand my power now?

I can see now how your Zanpakuto actually works.

You spin it to the right when you want to record space. And you spin it to the left to re-create space.

If I prevent you from spinning it to the right to record, you're powerless!

Gh-ahh...

I can re-create the last recorded space, not once, but as many times as I need to for strategic advantage.

So this is where you've been hiding!

There's no way for you to escape!

This is the end, Kageroza!

Hahaha... The idea that you think you have me cornered with so few of you surrounding me. I can't help but laugh at this.

I commend you originals for fighting so well against my Reigai army. You all did better than I originally anticipated.

But regardless, it won't be enough to defeat me.

Your madness is going to end here and now!

Gahhhhh!!!

Why are you still fighting us?

Look, your master has been defeated.

*Pant* *Pant* You have absolutely no chance for victory, and maybe now you'll understand why.

What the?!

Heh, heh. What's the matter, Mr. Know-It-All?

Oh my, surely you of all people would have noticed by now. I changed places with my double a while ago.

Then you are the original? When did you make the switch?

Why do you need to know? It's an irrelevant question, really. But if you insist, I made the substitution when the lieutenants in your invading army left for the world of the living.

Of course, not everything went as I had hoped it would. While I managed to swap places with my Reigai, the other captains who were supposed to come and liberate the Soul Society were taking forever to get here.

As a result, everything was delayed, and that's the reason it took so long for me to reveal myself.

Wonderful. I admit, you completely had me, Captain Kurotsuchi. However...

...it's best not to forget, no matter how clever you think you are, you're playing on my field.

Such youthful arrogance! I'll teach you a lesson, my friend. You've made one small error. Perhaps a fatal one. You've pissed me off!

Let me guess. You're using Ashisogi Jizo. But if you recall, as I mentioned to you earlier, everything you see around you is under my control.

Really? Because once my Ashisogi Jizo strikes anyone, it renders their limbs useless. Ordinarily, by this point, I would expect you'd be unable to move. But maybe not in this case, since you're telling me you were already prepared.

I don't suppose you'd mind if we gave it a little test, then. Tell you what, I'll even make it a sporting proposition. I'll keep my eyes closed. And if you find you're able to move, you go ahead and attack me.

Huh?

Well? Come on! I'm waiting!

I'm not falling for any of your mind games, Captain Kurotsuchi. Your action clearly suggests this is a trap to...

...lure...me...?

I'm opening my eyes!

Guh-ahh!

This can't be! My body's moving. So why?

When I first attacked you, I took the liberty of injecting this drug into your body. Can you tell? It's very powerful. It stops all thought processes.

If I had suddenly slashed at you, your defensive instincts would have probably allowed you to avoid the attack.

Instead, I allowed you time to think about how I would attack, and therefore, how you would deal with it.

So you're saying you used your drug to muddle those thoughts?

Inaba... Do you know what a scientist fears most in this world above all else?

It's oblivion, my friend.