Head Captain Yamamoto Shegikuni Genryusai was standing near the uncovered wing of his office overseeing the vast globular city, deeply immersed in thought. The Ryoka invasion was turning out to be a major hindrance. After first, he had assumed them as nothing but mere insects attempting to battle a giant, but now he was compelled to reevaluate his theory. It seems they were wolves hiding in a sheep's coat!
To think in a few days, everything had gone downhill. His city invaded by a few insects, one of his most promising Captain assassinated by a mysterious assailant, his lieutenants humiliated, shadowed by the defeat of someone he had thought of as Invincible.
Since the first meeting of the Captains, the Ryoka had advanced even further into the city, even reaching as far as the Tower of Senzaikyu and had attempted to liberate the prisoner but had been luckily prevented by the well-timed appearance of Kuchiki Byakuya.
When he had first issued the order, he had only permitted the lower ranking officers to deal with them, not wanting others to think less of his might. Nevertheless, that had been the worst miscalculation he had ever made, the Ryokas hadn't even made an effort to battle the lower rank officers and had advanced straight to the center, where they had been confronted by Lieutenant Abarai Renji.
He had contemplated on disciplining the rebellious lieutenant, but had been hindered when he was made aware of his embarrassing defeat against an orange haired Ryoka.
It was at that moment, he had decided to take these trespassers seriously, if they had the man power to overpower a Lieutenant, then they were no run of the mill Ryokas. He had commanded his Captains to take matters into their hands and crush the Ryokas. Kenpachi Zaraki, as always, had run off as soon as the order was given to chase the Ryokas down.
He had to admit being utterly stunted to hear of his defeat. To think someone christened as the second Kenpachi was overwhelmed by a measly Ryoka!
The defeat of Kenpachi had the disastrous effect of instigating even further instability in the Seireitei. Captains were searching for the Ryokas even now. At this rate, he would have to take matters into his own hands.
But all these defeats and humiliation triggered by the Ryokas were nonetheless inconsequential in his ancient eyes; they will be dealt with sooner or later.
What troubled him was the report delivered to him by his student, Kyoraku Shunsui this afternoon. His student had narrated his encounter with an incomprehensible Ryoka. This particular Ryoka apparently had no Spiritual Energy or weapons whatsoever, just a black Shakujo. He trusted his student enough to know he wasn't lying.
Why would someone like this Ryoka assault a city full of Shinigamis deprived of any weapon?
He unmistakably had some other underlying intention for coming here besides something as trivial as Sake. The mere consideration of someone invading a place like the Seireitei for sake was preposterous! The relentless pranks pulled on his Division Barracks were another cause for concern.
Why would someone want to dye all the walls of the barracks as well as the uniforms of the members a vibrant pink?
Whoever this person was, he had the audacity to change the color of his uniform as well as his Captain Cloak to a dazzling pink, fortunately, he had spares otherwise he would have been the laughing stock of the Seireitei! He had a feeling these 'attacks' were one way or another associated with this abnormal Ryoka Shunsui had reported.
If he couldn't be detected, that made him the only logical suspect.
What astonished him was the fact that Shunsui broadly warned him to not confront this one. Warn him! The greatest Shinigami to ever live, to not engage in battle with a mere insect! He would show his student as well as the Ryokas why he had remained as the Head Captain for over a thousand years!
***
Aizen Sosuke was relaxing contentedly in one of the underground quarters designated for the members of Central 46. Very soon, the key obstacle in the path of his ambition would be removed and he would be free to do what he pleased, that obstacle was to flee from the Soul Society with the Hogyoku.
The invasion by the Ryokas was a welcoming opportunity to make his schemes carry on as smoothly as they could be.
An unexpected dark and ominous chuckle resounded throughout the great underground hall, a chuckle so cold and dark that the hair on his body stood as straight as an attentive soldier. Reaching for his sheathed sword, he cautiously walked out of the large room to stand in the large hall, scanning everywhere for the source of the sound as he unsheathed his sword.
It can't be any of the Shinigamis seeing as I can't detect any Spiritual Energy from them. But who could this be? Aizen thought calmly, searching for the chuckling figure.
"So this is where you have been hiding Aizen Sosuke, " a cold and dark demonic voice laced with amusement rumbled from all over the place.
"It's quite rude to interrupt people while they are resting," Aizen said calmly.
On the outside he was as calm as a cucumber, yet the inside was another story. He couldn't detect any Spiritual Energy from this entity, nor anything else for that matter. That fact alone was unnerving and irritating! He hated things he could not understand or things that were far too mysterious for him to understand!
"You may call it rudeness, but I call it the authority to make people obey me even if their bodies are at their breaking point," the dark entity's voice rumbled like thunder.
"May I ask who you are? Can you at least give me the honor of seeing you?" the renegade Captain asked with a smile.
"You can call me 'Phantom'. As for my form, I think my name is pretty self-explanatory."
"What is your purpose for coming here? You're not here to arrest me because I know you are not a Shinigami, but you're not a Hollow either since I am quite knowledgeable in that aspect as well." Aizen explained calmly, "As far as my knowledge goes, there is no one called the 'Phantom' among them."
"Quite perceptive of you Shinigami, it seems you're every bit the genius they say you are," the invisible entity bellowed in an impressed tone.
"What do you mean by 'they'?" Aizen asked curiously. Just being in the presence of this strange entity was giving him shivers! No presence, no body and no feelings, all these traits were just giving off the feeling of being in the presence of an Alpha predator!
"I'm under no obligation to deem your question worthy of an answer, Shinigami, so know your place!"
The underground hall all of a sudden trembled as a titanic pressure bombarded down upon it, causing the calm Captain to grow weak in the knees as he collapsed to the ground.
What monstrous pressure, Aizen thought with his eyes wide like saucers. He may have wanted to appear calm, but that damn pressure was enough to make him fall to his knees. Just who is this?
"Excuse me, but can you at least tell me why you are here?"
"I'm the kind of person that goes around helping those with a strong sense of ambition. A man ready to sacrifice everything for the sake of his goals, a man not afraid to get his hands dirty to get the job done. You're that kind of person," the entity explained in his usual loud and deep voice.
"And how exactly do you know if I'm the kind of person you seek?"
"I have been observing you for a very long time; I have to say I find you very intriguing l."
"I don't recall ever sensing or hearing something from you," he retorted curiously.
"As if a mere Shinigami could sense my presence, " the entity retorted back.
Aizen frowned at the rude retort, but unfortunately he couldn't do anything about it… not yet anyway.
"So would I be correct in assuming that you want to help me?" Aizen asked curiously.
If this entity joined forces with him, no one would be able to stand against him, not even the Head Captain!
"Perhaps," the deep voice rumbled with a hint of amusement, as if he was enjoying this a little bit too much. "I will only help where you need it most, however, don't expect me to get you out of every tight situation you find yourself in. Remember, I'm only offering my assistance because I admire your drive and determination to achieve your goals, if you lose that conviction, I will kill you myself."
The amusement and playfulness were long gone and replaced by hair-standing and bone shivering cold voice.
Aizen shivered in fright. He could have sworn he felt a light tap near his collar bone, but dismissed it as a trick of his paranoid imagination. Staying calm in front of this figure was practically impossible!
"I understand. You'll have to forgive me for not telling you of my plans right away, because I find this deal of ours too good to be true," he explained with a fake smile. Just because he was outwardly unbalanced and quite wary of the dark entity, it didn't mean that he would share his plans with someone who just appeared before him out of nowhere and offered his help!
He hadn't come this far by carelessly trusting people!
"It does not bother me," the entity stated firmly, not all bothered by the lack of trust. "Keep an eye on the Ryokas, one of them will prove quite troublesome to your plans. Don't disappoint me!"