A/N: I'm currently rereading and fixing/adjust the earlier story. In the meantime, have fun with this or go read Marvel: Death Dealer if you're into a Marvel harem fic. It has over 200 chapters already
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Gin lazily twirled his Zanpakutō in one hand. "Well now… Vice-Captain Kotetsu, you look awfully tense. I assume it's because of your lack of experience against a Captain."
His words were like wrapped in honey, but his tone couldn't have been more sarcastic. He didn't even glance at Rukia or Momo as though they weren't worth noticing, or perhaps he had already designed a fate for them.
"Why?" Isane's response was one word.
Gin chuckled. "Why, you ask me? Why should I explain it to you? It's my life, my choice, my decision to walk away from this… very great system. I also have a 'why' for you? Why are you here? Why not treat patients back at your medical department?"
"I won't let you talk to Isane-san like that!"
The blatant disrespect of Isane was too much for Rukia, and she lost her cool. Holding out her Zanpakutō in front, she turned it in a circle counter-clockwise.
"Dance, Sode no Shirayuki!"
A chilling gale enveloped the area. Her innately high Reiatsu was uncaged with the release.
Gin's intrigued gaze landed on the pristine white sword, a ribbon of the same color flowing from its pommel. "Vice-Captain Kuchiki's sister-in-law… A first-year who can already release Shikai. Your talent isn't any worse than him."
Rukia's gaze became even colder, treating him no less than a pile of garbage. Gripping her sword upside down, she gathered her Reiatsu in its blade. With a quick Shunpo, she arrived behind Gin, and her blade drew a perfect circle.
"Some no mai, Tsukishiro."
Blue-white light erupted from the circle, reaching to the sky in a pillar; everything within the circle, ground and air alike, froze in a glistening column of ice.
The corner of Rukia's mouth curled upward, already imagining the type of praise and recognition she'd receive for her feat of apprehending a traitor captain and for being quicker than Momo in learning Shikai release. Of course, the praise would naturally come from the very person she was furious with. His lies had to be addressed before anything.
"Good job, Rukia," Momo complimented in a sweetly encouraging voice. "Isane-san, what should we do now?"
Isane kept her mouth shut, gaze fixed on the icy pillar. Just then, a jagged line ran down its center. A moment later, it shattered into glittering shards. Gin, who was entirely untouched, brushed off the ice crystals from his sleeve.
Rukia's eyes widened in disbelief. "H-How are you fine?"
"Kuchiki-san, it's unfair to compare you with your boyfriend, but that's the type of power you'll need to fight a Captain," Gin said with his usual twisted smile. "Don't worry. You're still good enough to make him proud."
Rukia brandished Sode no Shirayuki and leaped backwards. She planted the sword in the ground. Four rapid thrusts traced a crescent. Ice particles rose from the ground and drifted near her blade.
Raising her sword overhead, she called out in a fierce voice, "Then let's see you break free from this. Tsugi no mai, Hakuren!"
The ice particles gathered into a blinding surge before launching at Gin as an erupting avalanche, swallowing the streets in a sweeping landscape of ice. Houses on either side disintegrated, the street reduced to barren whiteness. Whirling snow filled the air as though winter itself had descended.
It was Rukia's most powerful sword dance with Sode no Shirayuki, a move that drained over half of her Reiryoku.
Breathless, her shoulders trembling, Rukia rested the blade on her shoulder, a proud, exhausted smile tugging her lips. "This should—" Her triumphant words froze in her throat when she saw Gin stroll out unscathed. He wasn't even frozen like her last move.
"If your Reiatsu was anywhere near mine, I'd actually be half-dead," he said, his hand lifting as if to brush her cheek—
"String, Tobiume."
Gin bounded backward, and a blazing fireball smashed where he had stood a second earlier. His sly grin was replaced by surprise as he looked at Momo clutching a double-edged ceremonial sword with prongs.
"Another Shikai release," he mused, amusement curling his lips. "Well, well, fire and ice fighting side by side. Isn't that something?"
Rukia's jaw dropped. "You lied to me?!"
Momo flashed a mischievous smile. "A little motivation never hurts, right?"
"That's—dishonest!" Rukia groaned, though the fight in her voice was already fading. Her drive had pushed her to master Sode no Shirayuki faster, just for Kazuya's praise.
Isane managed a weak smile for the arguing pair. The pride that welled up in her was shaken instantly. Shikai or not, they were two rookies with no real battle experience, and her own abilities and Kidō focused more on healing and support. Their opponent was a genius who had graduated the academy in a single year and claimed a Captain seat in under fifty.
They couldn't win. Their only hope was to stall, to buy time until Unohana finished her battle. The key was to keep Gin occupied, preventing him from releasing his own Zanpakutō, and for Isane to successfully use her own Shikai ability.
Drawing her Zanpakutō, she whispered, "Run, Itegumo! (Frozen Cloud)."
Two smaller, slanted blades protruded from Itegumo's hilt.
"Rukia, Momo, support me!"
She charged without hesitation, swinging her blade with brute-force strikes rather than finesse. Despite having Unohana as her mentor, her swordsmanship was more or less on the same level as a Shino academy graduate. But her Shunpo was quick and precise, nearly rivaling her own Captain in its activation speed.
Gin still parried her attacks lazily, sidestepping blasts of fireballs from Momo and weaving through spiritual blasts of Rukia's Hadō spells. It almost seemed as if he was teasing them rather than engaging in a battle.
Rukia felt like an idiot for believing she had bested a Captain with her measly abilities. The sight of Gin toying with them gave her a glimpse at the true power of her lover. Despite sharing the academy as her, he had reached a height she might never do in her life.
"Rukia, slow down for a bit," Momo called out softly. "Isane-san is planning something."
Rukai blinked in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"Just trust me."
"...Fine."
Momo smiled faintly and tossed another fireball while her left hand released periodic bursts of Reiatsu in the surrounding area. "Will Captain Ichimaru fall to her trap or mine?"
She genuinely hoped it'd be hers, so she could claim a bigger credit from her beloved.
Isane, the ignorant one, continued to throw herself at Gin from unexpected angles. No matter how many times her attacks were read, her tri-blade sword continued to aim for the foxy Captain's vitals. Her reckless courage seemed unrivaled.
"You're sharp, Vice-Captain Kotetsu. You know if I release Shinso, you'd all die in nine seconds. But…" He lifted his eyelids just enough to flash those mesmerizing blue pupils. "You still aren't enough to overwhelm me."
Isane flash-stepped away from him, standing hundreds of meters away from him.
And then—something happened that made Gin's grin falter for more than a few seconds.
***
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