Not a Mob: Psycho

After hearing Ohta's explanation, Ichigo was understandably shocked. As a matter of course, however, he felt compelled to ask, "How do you know all this...?"
"That's the difference between me and you," replied Ohta. "You focus on resolving problems, and I focus on understanding them so I don't end up being used to advance the schemes of others without benefitting in some way. As for my sources...that's my business. How do you think I ended up owning a luxury hotel while you're just learning about your heritage?"
Blinking in surprise, Ichigo asked, "You own a luxury hotel...?"
"This guy..." muttered Ohta, rubbing his forehead and combing through his hair in a self-calming gesture. Fortunately for Ichigo, now wasn't the time or place to smack some sense into him...
Shaking his head, Ohta adopted a neutral expression and said, "Anyways, we need to be ready to return once the Attack Squad arrives. Here, wear this..."
Though Barragan's Royal Mantle was incredibly useful, the experiments Ohta conducted with Rukia, Orihime, and Karin demonstrated that it was far more effective in the hands of someone with a monstrous amount of Reiryoku. Even in his weakened state, Ohta could sense that Ichigo had far more Reiryoku than him. The sooner he could recover, the more useful he would be in the coming battle.
Catching the pendant Ohta had thrown him, Ichigo asked, "Is this what gave you those weird robes? And what's with the giant ax and...is that a crown?"
"Even when you've been told things, they fly right over your head, don't they?" retorted Ohta, holding up the crown as he explained, "This is the crown of the former God-King of Hueco Mundo, Barragan Louisenbairn. The ax also belonged to him."
Furrowing his brows, Ichigo asked, "And you just took them? That's not cool, man..."
"..."
Inhaling a deep breath, Ohta resisted the urge to plant Ichigo into the nearest wall, his expression morphing into a half-lidded deadpan as he said, "Just put the damn thing on..."
Though he didn't approve of taking war trophies, Ichigo donned the ruby pendant, causing a predominately white Shihakusho to materialize around his body. It looked remarkably similar to his Bankai attire, but the colors were inverted, and the edge of his cape and hakama were incredibly worn and tattered. More notably, he gained a pure white, skull-shaped pauldron over his left shoulder, its eye sockets as black as a Hollow's hole.
As the white Shihakusho materialized around him, a bone-chilling Reiatsu surged from Ichigo's body, causing even Ohta to feel tense. However, this was fairly tame compared to the responses of Karin, Sung-Sun, Mila Rose, and Apacci. The former was able to remain standing, albeit with her body trembling violently, but Harribel's Fraccion were immediately brought to their knees, eyes wide and sweat covering their bodies as they practically prostrated themselves before Ichigo's Reiatsu.
"Huh? What's going on...?" asked Ichigo, staring at the sight in confusion instead of attempting to rein in his Reiatsu. Fortunately for everyone else, his idiocy wasn't communicable, so Ohta was able to form a barrier as he flatly replied, "Your Reiatsu is leaking. Get it under control before I smack your few functioning brain cells into oblivion..."
"Right..." replied Ichigo, closing his eyes, brows furrowed as he focused on calming his surging Reiatsu. It took nearly a minute, but he eventually got it under control, causing the bluish-white aura exuding from his body to dissipate completely.
Exhaling a sigh, Ichigo opened his eyes and asked, "How's that...?" while observing everyone's condition.
Lowering the barrier, Ohta answered, "Far from perfect, but better. Also, before you get any ideas, that pendant is mine. I'm only loaning it to you to speed up your recovery. If you run off or have it stolen from you..."
Though he was tempted to say he would make a replacement cloak from Ichigo's skin, Ohta felt like that might be crossing a line given his current company. Instead, he adopted a toothy grin and said, "Well, just keep in mind that I 'always' get what I'm owed..."
"You can cut it out with the threats," replied Ichigo, huffing, "I'm not going to 'steal' your stolen goods..."
"..."
Turning to the wryly smiling Rukia, Ohta said, "I'm going out to get some fresh air..."
"I'll accompany you," replied Rukia, taking the initiative to grab Ohta's hand and pull him out of the room. Even she was starting to feel irritated by Ichigo's behavior, so she could only imagine how annoyed Ohta was. Fortunately, while he didn't shy away from violence, he was fairly patient with those he regarded as his friends or, at the very least, didn't view as enemies...
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Nearly two hours after her departure, Harribel finally returned with a conscious, incredibly worn-out Chad, Uryu, and Renji. Ohta had been relaxing outside with Rukia and Orihime then, so he greeted the group from between the two beauties, remarking, "You guys look like you got thrown into a blender..."
Rising to a seated position, Ohta added, "Go ahead and heal them..." in response to Orihime staring at him with a silent plea in her eyes. While she did, he asked the trio what happened, prompting Uryu to explain, "It was horrible. We were making good progress in our respective searches when the floor gave out beneath us, depositing us in a strange, dimly lit location deep underground. Renji believed it was a place called the Menos Forest due to the many Gillians present, but that's when 'they' appeared..."
"The Picaros..." muttered Chad, his expression and tone the same as usual but with a distant look in his eyes. He believed he was prepared to kill any Arrancar or Hollow he encountered, but a group of children and their pets was too much...
"The Picaros..." parroted Uryu, motioning to push up his glasses, but, as they were absent, he quickly lowered his hand, adding, "I've never met such a 'menacing' group of Hollows before..."
"You're lucky they took an interest in you," remarked Harribel, standing off to the side with crossed arms. By now, her hair had nearly regained its golden luster. However, as her Zanpakuto had yet to begin rematerializing, she could only muster 10-20% of her total power.
"You call 'that' lucky!?" exclaimed Uryu. "We almost got played to death by a bunch of kids, all because-"
"Calm down, Poindexter," said Ohta. "Lashing out at chocolate tits isn't going to make you feel better. Now, tell me. Did anything else happen, or was getting bullied by brats the only thing you accomplished since our arrival...?"
Responding in Uryu's stead, Renji huffily challenged, "What have 'you' accomplished since our arrival? Other than consorting with the enemy, that is..."
Furrowing her brows, Rukia emulated Harribel's crossed-arm posture as she said, "In half a day, Ohta has succeeded in defeating no less than three Espada, one of which was the former king of Hueco Mundo turned into an Arrancar. He could have defeated many more, but he didn't want to throw the human world into disarray..."
Realizing he had stepped on a landmine, Renji raised his hands and said, "Sorry, that was my bad. I'm just a little frustrated about what happened on our end. I wasn't trying to be confrontational..."
"Yeah, whatever you say, widow's peak," quipped Ohta. "For now, just focus on recovering. Once the Attack Squad arrives and everyone is in peak condition, we'll return to the Human World."
Turning his gaze to Harribel, Ohta revealed his sharpened teeth in the form of a smile as he asked, "I trust you can help with that?"
Nodding in affirmation, Harribel answered, "It's possible, but we'd have to move outside of Las Noches to ensure nothing goes wrong. I can't explain why..."
Shrugging his shoulders, Ohta asserted, "It doesn't matter. So long as you can help us return to the Human World, I'll have sufficient ammunition to prevent the Soul Society from breathing down your necks in the future. If you could teach Strawberry and his sister how to produce one, that would be even better."
"..."
Though she was reluctant to teach an 'outsider' how to enter Las Noches at their leisure freely, Harribel knew there wasn't much to stop Ohta from visiting them if he wanted to. Rather, with most of the other Espada dead, they would need his assistance and 'backing' to avoid being overwhelmed by the Adjuchas or invaded by Soul Society...
"Very well," replied Harribel. "I will teach them how to create a Garganta, but I have a few conditions of my own..."
Shifting her gaze to Orihime, Harribel narrowed her aquamarine eyes and noted, "I've noticed that this woman's healing differs from the Kaido Arts of the Shinigami. She seems to be able to rewind injuries to a point before they were inflicted. If that's the case, there is someone I would like you to heal..."
"Is it the former Tres Espada...?" asked Ohta, having already considered using Orihime's power to that exact end.
Nodding in affirmation, Harribel replied, "Indeed. Her full name is Nelliel Tu Odelschwanch. Her power cannot compare to my own, but she has a temperament that would prove useful to the governance of Las Noches in the future..."
"Then she can wait until said 'future,'" retorted Ohta, adding, "Unless, of course, you're planning to ally with us in the fight against Aizen and want her to join in. That would go a long way towards ensuring the Soul Society doesn't try to purge you in the future."
Though she was tempted to agree, Harribel quickly shook her head, firmly asserting, "That goes against our previous agreement. I am not convinced you can defeat Lord Aizen, so I will not oppose him directly..."
Shrugging his shoulders a second time, Ohta said, "Yeah, yeah, whatever you say. For now, just go and teach the Strawberry and his kid sister how to open the Garganta. We'll worry about future matters in the future."
Nodding her head, Harribel silently strolled past the group to check on her Fraccion and carry out Ohta's orders. She was briefly surprised to find Ichigo wearing Barragan's mantle, exuding an aura that was more Hollow than human or Shinigami, but she didn't dwell on it. However, after trying and failing to teach him how to open a Garganta, a skill Karin mastered in less than ten attempts, a small part of her wanted to crack his head open to confirm his Hollow hole wasn't located in his brain...
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*beep* *beep* *beep* *beep*
Hearing his phone go off, Ohta awoke from his shallow nap and whipped it out to find he had received a text from Yoruichi, asking, 'Still alive?' with a dog emoji.
Assuming that the beeping was just Ohta's alarm, no one said anything until he rose to a seated position, stating, "It looks like the Attack Squad has arrived. Let's move." while activating the phone's tracking function. If Yoruichi could send him a text, it stood to reason they had brought some kind of transmitter to enable the phone's other functions.
Before Ohta's phone could get a signal, everyone tensed as a light hum filled their heads, accompanied by the sensation of a powerful Reiatsu permeating the entirety of Las Noches as a deep, casual-sounding voice said, "At last. All the actors are in their places."
Recognizing the voice, Harribel muttered, "Lord Aizen..." while her three Fraccion instinctually moved closer to her. At the same time, Rukia took it upon herself to explain, "This is Bakudo #77, Tenteikura. Aizen must be broadcasting to the entirety of Las Noches..."
"Then we should get a move on..." said Ohta, turning to Ichigo with his left hand extended, demanding, "Hand it over." in a firm tone. The latter was a little confused initially but eventually parted with the ruby pendant around his neck while Aizen monologued in the background.
"Even I could never have imagined that the Heads of two of the Great Noble Clans would come to Las Noches," remarked Aizen. "It's a shame I can't greet you personally. However, as I have more important matters to attend to, we'll have to delay our meeting until later. Though, before I go, there is one last thing I wish to say. Two, actually..."
Though he initially wasn't paying too much attention to what Aizen was saying, Ohta perked up when the man addressed him by name, stating, "Yamada Ohta...I have given you numerous chances to remove yourself from this matter. Now, I will provide you with one final opportunity. Stay in Las Noches, and I will allow you to rule over it once I claim the position of Soul King. Continue to intervene, and should you fail to defeat me, neither you nor the people you care about will be permitted to die. You will live on for an eternity, watching each other suffer..."
As the Tenteikura transmitted information one-way, Ohta didn't bother to respond to Aizen's threat with words. Instead, the crimson triangles in his eyes exuded an intense glare as he donned Barragan's Royal Mantle and thought, ("You are so fucking dead...")
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(A/N: Aizen knows how to get people riled up o3o...)

Finished with what he had to say, Aizen mused, "And with that, ladies and gentlemen, I bid you farewell. If you survive the coming days, let's build a better word. Beneath my rule, of course..."
Punctuating his statement, the stabilized Gargantas utilized by the Attack Squad to invade Las Noches promptly shut. At the same time, far beyond the walls of the massive structure, enormous black pylons whirred to life, resonating with the surrounding space to prevent further Gargantas from being opened.
Sensing what had occurred, a deep frown marred Harribel's face as she revealed, "Lord Aizen must have predicted you would take one or more of us hostage. I can't open a Garganta..."
Tapping the space next to her several times in vain, Karin, wearing a pouty expression, appended, "I can't open one either..."
"It's fine," assured Ohta, interjecting before Ichigo could blow a gasket. Then, as all gazes shifted to him, he calmly added, "Aizen isn't the only one capable of scheming..."
Though he could have explained further, Ohta didn't like revealing his hand when it didn't benefit him. Instead, he looked to Harribel, stating, "I'm going to leave you in charge of Las Noches. You and your Fraccion will stay here and protect my ward."
Interrupting Karin before she could protest, Ohta plopped his hand down atop her head, his expression serious as he pointed out, "You didn't seek power to engage in warfare. If shit hits the fan, you must do everything you can to protect your sister. Understood?"
"But I want to fight..." protested Karin.
Shrugging his shoulders, Ohta replied, "Sometimes, staying out of a fight is the best way to win a war. Even if Aizen succeeds in becoming the Soul King, he's mistaken if he believes he can rule uncontested. Live on, grow strong, and if you can't find happiness in the reality thrust upon you, fight tooth and nail to create a better world..."
Before Karin could respond, Ohta robbed her of her consciousness, her body going limp before floating like she was being carried.
Directing the slumbering Arrancar to Harribel, the inverted triangles in Ohta's eyes exuded an intimidating glow as he said, "Keep her safe." in a firm, authoritative tone.
Feeling a sensation akin to existential dread, Harribel resisted the urge to swallow as she responded, "Understood..." Then, alongside her Fraccion, she departed Las Noches, understanding that Ohta 'putting her in charge' was predicated on the fact he managed to defeat Aizen. Until then, she would bide her time and keep Karin somewhere safe...
Following the departure of Harribel's group, Ichigo approached Ohta with a serious expression of his own, expressing, "Thanks for keeping her out of this..."
Snorting through his nose, Ohta retorted, "You can thank me by being a better big brother once this is all over. It shouldn't have to fall to me and others to teach your sister how to stand on her own two feet..."
Though he furrowed his brows further than usual, Ichigo responded with a simple "Right..." before slapping Ohta on the shoulder and walking past him. He and the latter rarely saw eye to eye, but after learning the 'truth' of his origins, Ichigo understood he couldn't keep pretending everything was normal. Once this matter with Aizen was settled, he was determined to learn everything he could about his past and the responsibilities thrust upon him by his lineage to shape a better future. He wasn't sure how he would go about it, but he suspected Ohta could help point him in the right direction...
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Using his connection with Yoruichi, it didn't take long for Ohta and Ichigo to find her, Soifon, Byakuya, Zaraki, and, somewhat surprisingly, Captain Mayuri of Squand 12 and Unohana of Squad 4, each accompanied by their respective Lieutenants.
Though Yoruichi raised her hand and smiled, the first to greet Ohta and Ichigo was the pink-haired loli that always followed Zaraki around, often riding his shoulders.
Waving her hand excitedly, the diminutive Lieutenant, Kusajishi Yachiru, exclaimed, "Look, Kenny! It's O-kun and Ichi-ichi~!"
"I can see that," replied Zaraki, his voice lazy as he focused his singular eye on Ohta as he asked, "Tell me, kid...did you eliminate all the strong opponents? That's what my instincts are telling me."
Adopting a fearless smile, Ohta retorted, "What are you talking about? All I eliminated were weaklings. The real threat just fled to the Human World. Maybe you scared him off?"
Exhaling an amused chuckle, Zaraki mused, "Maybe..." before shifting his gaze to Yoruichi, adding, "Woman. Hurry up and force open the Garganta so we can return."
Raising her right brow, Yoruichi remarked, "Address me like that again, and I'll leave you behind to guard the rear."
"Huuuuh...?"
Exuding a golden Reiatsu from his body, Zaraki looked like he was about to try and intimidate Yoruichi when Unohana promptly stepped between them, wearing the kind of smile a mother might don while telling her kids they wouldn't be punished if they came forward and told her the truth.
Opening her eyes just a crack, Unohana stated, "We didn't come here to fight amongst ourselves. If you have any grievances, please settle them 'after' we've dealt with Aizen."
To the surprise of Ohta and Ichigo, Zaraki promptly restrained his golden Reiatsu, clicked his tongue, and averted his eyes while Yachiru snickered gleefully atop his left shoulder.
("I knew there was something strange about that bitch...") thought Ohta, recalling the nervous tension he occasionally felt during his stay at the Squad 4 Barracks. The only time he and Unohana interacted was when she advised him to be considerate of the other patients, but there were times when he would wake up in the middle of the night feeling as though a venomous snake was crawling up his chest...
Causing the pointed ears atop Ohta's head to flatten, Unohana directed her smile toward him, calmly asserting, "It's not polite to think ill of your comrades..."
("You need to kill this one before she kills you...") warned Anpu. However, while there wasn't much of a difference in his tone, Ohta could sense the jackal-like Spirit wasn't as confident as usual.
"Enough dawdling," said Byakuya, his gaze focused on Ohta as he added, "Quickly explain the situation. How many Espadas remain, and where are Lieutenants Rukia and Renji?"
Extending his right hand, Ohta released Rukia, Orihime, Chad, Uryu, and Renji from the cloak. As he did so, Rukia bowed respectfully, saying, "I am here, brother." in a courteous tone.
"Lieutenant Abarai, reporting," followed Renji, cupping his hands together and bowing toward his Captain.
Nodding slightly, Byakuya casually remarked, "The two of you did well," before redirecting his gaze to Ohta, clearly expecting a report.
Though he wasn't obliged to provide a report, Ohta revealed, "I defeated the former God-King of Hueco Mundo, Barragan Louisenbairn. After that, I coerced the Trest Espada into defecting and crushed the Octava Espada to prevent him from becoming a menace after Aizen's defeat..."
Plopping his hand down atop Rukia's head, Ohta mused, "You'll be happy to learn that Rukia managed to defeat the Rank 5, Quinto Espada, mostly on her own. She still has ways to go, but she didn't even need to use her Bankai to get the job done."
Feeling embarrassed, a red hue colored Rukia's cheeks as she muttered, "Ohta..." with a warning expression and tone. It didn't help that Byakuya seemed genuinely surprised, his brows rising a whopping 300mm as he said, "Excellent. Once we return to the Soul Society, I will nominate you for one of the vacant Captain positions."
Staring at her older brother in disbelief, Rukia was going to protest but was preempted by Yoruichi stating, "We really don't have time for this right now."
Garnering significant attention from Mayuri and Uryu, Yoruichi raised her Captain's haori to reveal rows of bottles containing concentrated Reiryoku and a distinctive golden sword comprised of a double-edged blade and a circular hilt with spikes protruding from the sides. Its handle was bound in purple bindings, and the hexagonal, shield-like crest of the Shihouin Clan was carved into its surface. A purple tassel dangled from a gap in the hilt, but its most notable feature was the effect it had on its surroundings. The moment Yoruichi pulled it out, the faint hum denoting that space had been sealed off promptly vanished.
Seeing everyone's gazes on her, Yoruichi adopted a narrow-eyed smile, waving the peculiar golden sword playfully as she teased, "Curious? Too bad. This is one of the Shihouin Clan's heirlooms, and I'm not at liberty to divulge its properties. All you need to know is that it can do this..."
Half-turning her body, Yoruichi sliced the air behind her, producing a large gash resembling a Garganta. Her Reiryoku noticeably tanked as she did so, but it was promptly replenished as the Reishi in the surrounding sands was rapidly drawn into her.
"That's a Quincy technique..." accused Uryu, staring at Yoruichi as if she had just taken a piss on his Grandfather's grave.
Rolling her eyes, Yoruichi remarked, "Get over yourself, kid. The Great Noble Clans developed the concept of drawing and utilizing Reishi from their surroundings hundreds of thousands of years ago. The Quincy have only been around for a few thousand. Your bloodline is certainly special, but you're deluding yourself if you think such abilities are 'unique' to your kind..."
Though she was tempted to lecture Uryu further, Yoruichi didn't want the person listening 'through' him to hear what she had to say. Besides, there were far more pressing matters to deal with.
Directing her golden-eyed gaze to Ohta and Ichigo, Yoruichi's expression became deadly serious as she said, "Once we pass through the Garganta, the two of you need to avoid engaging Aizen immediately. No matter how much you want to interfere, even if everyone here is cut down, you should only take action 'after' Captain-Commander Yamamoto. That goes doubly for you, Ichigo..."
Furrowing his brows, Ohta replied, "Fuck that. If you expect me to stand by and watch that asshat do as he pleases, you're even more braindead than a certain Strawberry..."
Understanding that Ohta was referring to him, Ichigo's frown deepened as he said, "That's uncalled for..."
Piggybacking off of Ichigo's words, Yoruichi stated, "He's right. Besides, everything you want to 'protect' will be here, safe and sound. That should make it easier for you to cut loose if shit, as you say, hits the fan."
Realizing what Yoruichi was stating, Rukia was next to gain a frown as she asked, "What do you mean by that, Yoruichi-sama?"
Responding in Yoruichi's stead, Byakuya explained, "You, Inoue Orihime, and the former Ryouka will return to the Soul Society with Captain Zaraki, Mayuri, and myself. There is no place for you in the coming battle, so you will help protect Karakura Town as its final line of defense."
"Laaaaaaaaaaame..." groaned Zaraki, earning himself a narrow-eyed smile from Unohana.
"That's how it is," said Yoruichi, adopting a distinctly catty smile as she added, "In other words, if the Gotei 13 and Commander Yamamoto fail to defeat Aizen, you'll be able to go all-out at your leisure. Everyone fighting is more than prepared to die, so if it comes to that, be sure to avenge me properly, okay~?"
Furrowing his brows, Ohta wanted to protest but knew war wasn't a place for sentimentality or reason. Aizen was a monster that could potentially take on the entirety of the Gotei. Waiting for him to exhaust his Reiryoku and be weakened was the wisest course of action, giving them the best chance of success. More importantly, it would allow him to observe the capabilities of Yamamoto and Shunsei, giving him some idea of what to expect should the Soul Society turn on him...
Surprising Ichigo, Rukia, and Orihime, Ohta ultimately responded with a curt, "Understood...". Then, before the latter two could make a scene, he momentarily robbed them of their consciousness, entrusting them to the care of Byakuya before eventually entering the faux Garganta created by Yoruichi with a fiercely resolute look on his face...
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(A/N: Rukia isn't going to be happy when she wakes up o3o...)

Entering the frozen chamber where Nnoitra had been recovering, Rukia wore an expression as cold as her surroundings as she observed the tall and lanky Arrancar encased in a thick block of ice.
*crack*
Following the initial crack, an explosion of vaporized ice spread through the area as Nnoitra broke free, shouting, "You think you can defeat me so easily, you Shinigami wench...!?" with a fierce expression on his face.
Branding his six giant scythes from every direction, Nnoitra cut off any chance Rukia had to escape, his expression and tone hardening into a ruthless glower as he said, "Die..." like an Executioner passing sentence on someone.
Showing no fear or hesitation, Rukia stood her ground, sweeping her pure white Zanpakuto in a swift yet graceful figure-eight pattern as she said, "Yon-no-Mai, Kazahana(Fourth Dance, Snow Flurry)...!"
As his scythes crashed into the invisible barrier surrounding Rukia's body, Nnoitra felt a powerful repulsive force through each handle. At the same time, frigid wind erupted from Rukia's body, chilling his body and pushing him backward as a blizzard-like tempest filled the chamber.
Losing his smile, Nnoitra used his scythes to prevent himself from being pushed back as he growled, "I knew it...there's no way such a small and insignificant woman could possess such power. You're borrowing power from that man, Yamada Ohta..."
Sweeping her sword in a casual arc, Rukia generated several blades of ice that impacted Nnoitra's incredibly durable body, her expression revealing a hint of amusement as she remarked, "You're hopeless. You condemn me for borrowing power, but everything you have was given to you by Aizen or acquired using unscrupulous means."
"Shut your mouth...!" screamed Nnoitra, extending his pointed tongue to reveal the number five had been tattooed on its surface. Golden energy began to gather at its tip, forming a Cero, but before he could unleash it, the ice and snow beneath him started to glow, the air around him freezing before a column of ice formed from the floor to the ceiling.
Slicing her sword in a zig-zag pattern, Rukia caused the pillar of ice to split and slide in different directions in an attempt to tear Nnoitra apart with the pressure and torque produced by the uniquely dense, incredibly durable ice. Her efforts were unsuccessful, but she managed to trap Nnoitra for a short while, the tall and lanky Espada glaring at her with a look he likely wished she could kill.
As Rukia considered how she could torment Nnoitra further, a slim male Arrancar with short, dirty blonde hair and an eyepatch over his right eye appeared behind her. His sword resembled a falchion with a distinctive loop near the base of the blade and a chakra functioning as a hilt guard, but it didn't really matter as Rukia's figure flicked, disappearing before the sneak attack could impact the barrier surrounding her body. At the same time, another icy white circle manifested beneath her would-be assassin, trapping him within an ice column.
Breaking free from his icy prison, Nnoitra screamed, "You damned idiot, Tesra! This is why I told you to stop following me around...!"
Throwing one of his scythes, Nnoitra attempted to free his one and only Fraccion by cutting and incinerating the column just above his head. He might have succeeded, too, if Rukia hadn't reappeared in his blind spot, her hair gaining a frosty hue as she swung her sword, seemingly in slow motion, at his waist, saying, "Go-no-mai, Shirotatsu(Fifth Dance, White Divide)...!"
Though it was only for a moment, Rukia's Sode-no-Shirayuki reached a temperature infinitesimally close to Absolute Zero, -273.15&deg;C. As a result, her sword passed through Nnoitra's incredibly durable body as if it were an illusion, the Reishi comprising it freezing and simultaneously breaking down instantly, allowing her to slice through him with ease.
"Wha-"
As the upper half of his body separated from his lower half, carried by the momentum of his lunge, Nnoitra stared back at Rukia in disbelief.
Meeting the man's gaze, Rukia coldly affirmed, "That was 'my' power. Got anything else to say before you die...?"
Catching Rukia a little off guard, Nnoita caught and supported himself with four of his six scythes, glaring back at her as just an upper body as he growled, "You sneaky little bitch...attacking from my blind spot while I was distracted? Pathetic..."
Raising her brows, Rukia stared at Nnoitra in utter disbelief as she asked, "You are genuinely oblivious to the dichotomies between your words and actions, aren't you? When you resort to underhanded tactics, it's justified, but when the tables are turned, it's somehow dishonest. Is your Aspect of Death Obliviousness? Or perhaps Narcissism...?"
"It's Despair, you bitch...!" screamed Nnoitra, scurrying toward Rukia like a feral cockroach or a mantis that had been bifurcated at its metathorax. He was much slower than usual due to Rukia's frigid Reiatsu coursing through his body, but he forced himself forward with his pointed tongue extended, gathering all the energy he could muster for a final kamikaze blow.
To Nnoita's glee, Rukia didn't move to evade his attack. He suspected this was due to her faith in Ohta's psychic barrier, but he discovered the truth when his scythes tore through her body, breaking it apart like a snowman. Unfortunately, as his Reiryoku had already reached a critical degree of instability, he didn't even have time to curse before his body exploded like a golden sun more than three kilometers in diameter...
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While Orihime, Karin, and Ichigo were awed by the devastation wrought by Nnoitra's kamikaze, Ohta had a bored look on his face as he muttered, "Quinto Espada used Self-Destruct...it wasn't very effective..."
Hearing Ohta's utterance, Karin blinked in surprise, asking, "Was that a Pokomon reference...?"
Raising his brows, Ohta looked down at the petite Arrancar and asked, "So what if it was...?"
Shaking her head, Karin waved her hands and said, "No, it's nothing. It's just...I didn't think you paid attention to things like that."
As Rukia appeared right next to him, Ohta surprised her by plopping his hand atop her head, saying, "My fiancee likes cute things."
Escaping from Ohta's hand, Rukia stared at him with pretend annoyance as she asked, "What are you going on about now?"
Before Ohta could respond, Ichigo intruded upon their conversation from beneath the canopy of Orihime's healing barrier, his expression exhibiting disbelief as he asked, "Rukia...did you really just defeat an Espada on your own...?"
Furrowing his brows, Ohta remarked, "You say that as if you're the only one capable of battling powerful foes. She might be small, but I'll have you know Rukia could put both of our asses on ice if she managed to get close enough to trigger her Bankai on top of us."
Elbowing Ohta in his side, causing her entire forearm to go numb while he stood unaffected, Rukia groaned, "I appreciate the sentiment, but I don't need you speaking for me..."
Shrugging his shoulders and spreading his hands helplessly, Ohta replied, "Whatever you say, monkey-bun..." before looking to Ichigo and Orihime, focusing on the latter as he asked, "How much longer is it going to take to heal this asshat...?"
"I'm not entirely sure..." replied Orihime, adopting an apologetic smile as she explained, "Kurosaki-kun has a tremendous amount of Reiryoku, and it flows...differently from a normal person's. His physical injuries aren't too much of an issue, but I'm having trouble repairing the damage around his Hakusui(Soul Sleep)..."
"Then just patch him up enough that he can stand," said Ohta. "You can focus on healing him further once we relocate. Loitering in the middle of a battlefield after a fight is just asking to be ambushed."
Though he wouldn't mind if 'all' the remaining Espada showed up, Ohta knew it was probably best if they conserved and stockpiled their energy in preparation for the fight against Aizen. Thus, once Ichigo was healed enough to stand, he placed everyone else inside the cloak before telling the orange-haired hero complex to follow him...
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Waiting until they reached the interior of an 'abandoned' building, Ichigo questioned, "Where did the others go? I'm assuming it has something to do with that strange cloak..."
Exhaling a light chuckle, Ohta casually revealed, "This cloak belonged to the former God-King of Hueco Mundo, Barragan. And yes, the others are inside."
Punctuating his statement, Ohta released Rukia, Orihime, and Karin from his left sleeve before extending his right to produce Sung-Sun, Mila Rose, and Apacci. Ichigo was visibly relieved by the former, but confusion and a fair amount of condemnation marred his expression when he saw the trio of Arrancar, compelling him to groan, "Seriously, man? You already have Rukia, Orihime, and Rangiku..."
"Don't make assumptions," retorted Ohta, his expression morphing into a deadpan as he gestured to the standoffish trio and revealed, "These three are insurance to ensure Chad, Uryu, and Renji aren't 'disappeared' by their Mistress, the Tres Espada. Speaking of which...how did the four of you get separated?"
"Ugh..." groaned Ichigo. However, instead of keeping mum, he explained, "We tried sticking together, but we came across a room with multiple corridors. Every time we took one as a group, we always returned to the same place. Going back the way we came had the same result, so we split up to see if we could break out of the loop we were caught in..."
"Why not just tunnel through one of the walls?" questioned Ohta. "That's how we got into Las Noches in the first place."
"That's what I said," grumbled Ichigo. "but Uryu was against it, saying it would leave us open to being attacked from behind or having the ceiling collapsed on top of us."
"Mmm...he has a point..." admitted Ohta. After all, not everyone could raise a building the size of multiple stadiums by simply willing it. Chad was barely at the level where he could level buildings with his punches, and Uryu was mainly oriented around speed, not power. They would be lucky to survive the initial collapse if hundreds of thousands of tons of rubble fell atop them.
"Let's forget about that," said Ichigo, furrowing his brows as he added, "What I want to know is what happened to Karin's body?"
Shaking his head, Ohta parroted, "Just forget about it. Besides, even if we had recovered her body, she wouldn't have been able to return to it in her current state. We most likely need Urahara's assistance or the Hogyoku in Aizen's possession to revert her to her original state."
Furrowing her brows, Karin huffed, "I'm not reverting to my human form if it means I'll have to give up my power."
Before Ichigo could raise his voice, Karin stared him down, stating, "If you want others to live an ordinary life, lead by example. If you weren't such a busybody and kept your nose out of things-"
Chopping the top of Karin's head, Ohta said, "Cut it out. Even now, your brother barely understands what's going on. If you want to point fingers at someone, start with your father, Urahara Kisuke, Aizen, and the other ancient bastards pulling the strings."
Shifting his gaze to Ichigo, Ohta added, "But she's not entirely wrong, you know? You can't blame Karin for wanting to become stronger or relying on the powers of a Hollow when you walked the very same path. If you really want to protect her, you need to talk, train together, and prevent her from making the same mistakes you did. If not, she'll have no choice but to rely on herself and others to guide her..."
"Like you...?" asked Ichigo, brows furrowed to their limits.
Shrugging his shoulders, Ohta contended, "Better me than Urahara Kisuke and those ancient Vizards that gave you the runaround. At least I advised her to wait until she reached High School before training seriously. It was your 250-year-old dad that pissed on my good intentions."
Though Ichigo and Karin had been made aware that their dad was once a Captain-Level Shinigami, the two siblings looked at Ohta as if he had said something strange, the former questioning, "What are you talking about? Dad is only in his forties..."
Reaching up to massage his forehead, Ohta muttered, "This daft mother..." before shaking his head, lowering his hand, and saying, "Sit down and pay attention. I'm only going to go over this shit one final time. After that, it's an issue you'll need to work out as a family. I have more important things to deal with than mediating your family's affairs..."
With the Kurosaki siblings eventually complying with his instructions, Ohta recounted everything he knew about their family and situation for Ichigo's benefit. The latter wasn't at his level, but if they both survived the encounter against Aizen, Ohta could see the orange-haired teen being a powerful ally in the future. Thus, even though he didn't mesh well with Ichigo's naivete, he didn't mind training with him in the future if it meant having additional assurance against Yhwach and the potential betrayal of Soul Society...
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(A/N: Nnoitra just learned what it's like to chew 5 Gum...)

Chapter 89: Reprieve