Chapter 52: Gotei 13 Invading Arc: Two Mad Scientists

Byakuya's POV

"What the absolute fuck is going on here?"

Despite the crude way he said it, Kenpachi had voiced the one thing that I undoubtedly believe was on everyone's mind as we watched Inaba be attacked by the reigai version of Captain Kurotsuchi. None of us had been able to make a sizable dent in him so far, but one of his own supposed 'creations' managed to deal him a large wound in less than five seconds flat.

"Oh Kageroza, for someone with such a large background and influence in the technology of mod souls, the arrogance you have in your work has blinded you to the fact that not all of your reigai are as what they appear." says the reigai. He breaks the bracelet off his wrist before popping off a set of contacts that made his eyes glow, revealing that he was indeed the real Captain Kurotsuchi.

"Captain Kurotsuchi," we hear Kageroza say, no longer paying attention to the rest of us as his eyes remained glued on the blue haired captain. "Who would have thought you would be the one to sneak up on me? I expected this tactic from Captain Soi-Fon or from someone under her command, but not from you."

"I can understand your line of thinking, but alas, you seem to have underestimated me," Kurotsuchi ends his sentence with a hint of a maniacal laugh. "I am always willing to go to great lengths, especially when it involves science of any kind."

"When, when did you make the switch?"

"When? Now isn't that just a silly question . . . When you sent your lieutenants to the World of the Living, that's when I came back here to the Seireitei. Once I found the reigai version of myself, I simply ended him and took his place. And now here we are . . ."

"So, he got back here before anyone else could . . . Leave it to the mad scientist to implement a plan of his own making and not tell anyone about it." grumbles Soi-Fon with her ever present scowl still on her face.

"Hmm, I applaud you for your efforts . . . However, it's a little too late for that," says the dual haired madman. "At this point, I do not see a feasible way for you and the rest of the real shinigami to beat me."

"Really? I see plenty." says Kurotsuchi. "You must really be blind if you do not see the possible ways that your plans will fail, but if you are so confident, fine then. In fact, I'll let you take first shot."

"You're going to allow me the first move? Well aren't you generous Captain Kurotsuchi."

"I tend to be that way sometimes. Now then, if you can move, you can have the first shot."

"If I could move huh? Don't think I don't know what you're getting at Captain. I know what your Ashisogi Jizo is capable of and I've already prepared countermeasures for it."

"If that's the case, why haven't you moved yet, even when you see me walking right towards you ... Look, I'll even do it with my eyes closed."

"What the hell is the 12th Division Captain doing?" Senbonzakura sounds more unsure than confused as he spoke in my mind, and I could not blame him for it. Captain Kurotsuchi was always known for being the most eccentric of the captains, and his methods, though proven to be helpful, have been perplexing at best.

"He must have something up his sleeve if he's going to approach Kageroza so openly," says the werecat, just as Kurotsuchi drives his zanpakuto right into Kageroza's torso. "Yep, there it is. I knew it."

"You were right to prepare yourself against my Ashisogi Jizo's ability to impair the limbs of any who have the unfortunate opportunity to encounter its blade. However, it wasn't my zanpakuto's natural ability that prevented you from moving," says Kurotsuchi as he pulls out a purple vial from out his pocket. "I infected you with the contents within this vial when I first struck you. It stops your thought processes. I believe you can figure out the rest."

"You developed a drug that can impair one's thoughts . . . You definitely know where to hit a fellow scientist where it hurts Captain, but it still doesn't mean that you're going to win this fight."

"Don't get too cocky Inaba. You're only just starting to feel the effects of the drug. Once it takes full effect, you will lose all the knowledge that you've accumulated throughout your pitiful life."

"What are you doing Kurotsuchi? Take him down!"

Soi-Fon was right, but it appeared that her demand had fallen on deaf ears as Kurotsuchi continued his conversation, most likely wanting to watch his drug continue to mess with Inaba before he finally cut him down. Suddenly, Kageroza lets out a loud, pained yell. Everyone continues to stay rooted to their spots, except for Reigai Kotetsu, who shunpos to the platform, slashing at Kurotsuchi to push him back.

"Captain Soi-Fon was right... Captain Kurotsuchi took too long talking to Inaba, and now he has missed his chance to end him."

"We need to stop him before he can try anything else."

Before any of us could move to stop him, Kageroza takes us completely off-guard by killing Reigai Kotetsu. After the body dissipates into dust, he picks up what looks like a soul candy from off the ground before eating it. A surge of spiritual pressure engulfs him before an injured duplicate of himself breaks off from him. It quickly dissipates as well, leaving a completely healthy Inaba intact.

"Well that's not good," says Kyoraku. "And just when I thought we were starting to get the upper hand."

"Well, at least we know who to blame if we lose."

"Ahh … I see what you did here." says Kurotsuchi, who doesn't even look fazed at the fact that Inaba was now relatively unharmed. "By ingesting that pill, you pushed the drug's effects and all the physical damage you gained onto the resulting Mod Soul before splitting off from it. While the Soul takes all the hits, you come out of it unscathed . . . How convenient for you."

"It's not perfect, but it is what it is. Now then . . ."

Kageroza moves to attack Kurotsuchi from behind, but he dodges just in time, moving to join us here on the ground floor. That's when the rest of the reigai move, not to attack us, but to join Inaba on the platform above us.

"Before we continue, care to explain to us why you know so much about the Mod Souls?"

"Ukitake is right. For someone who's main job in the 12th division was to monitor the Dangai, you know an awful lot on Mod Souls than what your position suggests," says Kyoraku as he tips his hat. "We'll find out eventually, but I think it's best if you tell us now, wouldn't you agree? Who are you?"

"Hmm, all right. If you really want to know so bad . . . I was the one that developed the Mod Souls in the first place."

"Quit with the lies!"

"I'M NOT LYING KUROTSUCHI!" he bellows, the first time he showed his rage all battle. "When Project Spearhead was scrapped, I decided to take things into my own hands. The Central 46 deemed my work too immoral and dangerous for it to continue, but I wouldn't let my research be destroyed. So, I converted my research into reishi before hiding it in the Dangai so I could claim it later . . . I can't forgive those that wanted to destroy my work, rendering it lost for all time, so I figured that the best way to bring it back was to resurrect Project Spearhead in full force, and what better way to do it, than modeling my Mod Souls after the most powerful beings in the Soul Society, the Captains and Lieutenants of the Gotei 13 . . . I will rule the Gotei 13, but first, it's time to get rid of the originals."

A strange shot of reishi shot out of his weapon, almost like a signal. It didn't affect any of us, but its effect on the reigai was instantaneous. Each reigai's spiritual pressure rose dramatically, all of them gaining an aura of light purple reishi around their bodies, even the ones that suddenly appeared and the ones that were previously soundly defeated, including Reigai Hitsugaya and the reigai version of myself, both of whom having returned to their original forms.

"Even the ones that were killed are back?"

"Of course they're back Captain Hitsugaya. As long as Inaba retains their cores, he can bring them back as many times as he wants to." says Kurotsuchi, his face now looking no longer eager as he stared Kageroza down.

"Well, this is unexpected. What do we do now master?"

"What choice do we have at this point Senbonzakura, but to fight." I say as I turn my head to see my double now mere feet away from me, everyone else now a part of a full-on melee all around us.

"You cannot win with the injuries you have now."

We'll just have to see about that.

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