How fast could lightning be?
Before Isane could react, she already felt intense stinging pain from her palm.
"Ah..."
A cry of pain escaped, and the glass vessel containing the solution was instantly shattered.
The medicinal liquid evaporated in the air from high temperature. Isane gritted her teeth, pushing away Momo who wanted to come check her injury... at this moment looking to the side through clenched teeth.
"Who is it?!"
A group of people in the distance was also rapidly approaching.
Not the familiar standard uniforms, but 'outsiders' wearing white clothing.
The Quincy team abandoned by Yhwach!
But the small blonde girl who usually led the team wasn't walking at the front this time.
Leading instead was a tall woman with rather fierce eyes and brows.
Candice.
She fixed her gaze fiercely on Isane, her eyes not hiding that outline close to reproach.
"What were you just injecting into Seiya?!"
Women naturally inclined toward gentleness weren't good at disputes.
Whether in school or during Squad Four activities, Isane never spoke to people with a raised voice.
This was already an instinctive behavior... but today was somewhat different.
Squad Four Vice-Captain.
Instinct told her that this was absolutely not the time to retreat.
So not only did she show no unease, but like a beast whose territory had been invaded, she spoke in an even more stern tone.
"I'm helping this guy wake up! And what's with you? Why are you calling him so intimately?"
Candice's expression obviously froze.
This reaction was similar to seeing a rabbit suddenly jump up and bite oneself.
But soon... along with anger surging in her heart, Candice's right eye slightly lowered, the corner of her mouth twisting into an extremely impatient angle.
"Hah?!"
Her tone was already full of anger.
"What do you mean so intimately? You're sitting on my man's body right now, and you're still saying this to me?! Hey! Are all Soul Reapers such shameless people?!"
Should one say this woman who controlled lightning was indeed impressive...
Once she started firing, this power was truly noteworthy, almost instantly AOE-ing all the female Soul Reapers present.
The originally somewhat moderate atmosphere became much more subtle.
And as the target, Isane, at this moment after brief speechlessness and silence...
Decisively counterattacked.
"What nonsense are you talking about!!!"
"Seiya is the former Squad Five captain, he's my partner!"
"He's my, Isane's, boyfriend! How could he possibly know someone like you whose pants can't even cover her thighs!"
The entire scene fell silent.
At this moment, even those familiar with Isane couldn't help but cast surprised gazes toward this 'Squad Four Vice-Captain'.
—Could this person say such aggressive words when pushed to the limit?
Somewhat scary.
And the target of the attack, Candice, obviously couldn't understand the other party's meaning immediately.
Her brain needed to turn a corner to understand the meaning...
Of course, after fully understanding the meaning, Candice's expression instantly darkened.
Personal attacks were a very effective method.
Whether verbal or physical.
"You stinking woman who doesn't understand fashion at all! I bet your underwear is definitely a thong!"
Candice's right hand pointed straight to the sky, a bolt of lightning faintly flickering from it... if it were before, wielding this degree of power would be completely effortless.
However, with her Schrift already stripped away, wanting to achieve that degree was naturally a pipe dream.
The surrounding crowd quickly stepped forward to stop her, preventing the situation from continuing to deteriorate.
"Don't go crazy at a time like this..."
"I'm begging you, even if you're losing your temper, look at the occasion!"
This side was trying hard to calm things down.
And on the other side.
Isane's body was also trembling slightly uncontrollably at this moment.
Her cheeks began turning red at a visibly rapid pace, teeth clenched tight... under Momo's concerned gaze, she suddenly stood up.
Shouting loudly as she was about to pounce.
"So what if it is?!"
—Don't casually respond to such questions!!!
As the scene began gradually becoming chaotic, a certain figure who had originally been lying on the ground opened his eyes when no one was paying attention.
Seiya silently sat up.
His head was still somewhat confused, and there were currently some things that needed verification...
However, the chaos erupting at this moment made even him show a quite strange expression.
What was happening?
He looked toward Momo beside him, who seemed somewhat at a loss.
He grabbed the other party's arm.
"Momo, what's the current situation?"
The latter turned her head blankly, her mouth forming an 'o' shape, but before she could say anything.
Another calm voice cut across from the side.
"Seiya, I brought him down. Is there anything else I can help with?"
This voice... just hearing it for an instant made Momo feel as if her hands and feet had turned ice cold.
She stiffly turned her head.
She saw Aizen in restraints, standing calmly not far to the side.
This guy was so exaggerated, like he had emerged directly from the ground... Momo's voice trembled uncontrollably, but Aizen's attention wasn't on her at all.
At this moment he just glanced to the side.
"What are you doing standing behind me?"
Ichibē rubbed his hands, at this moment showing an embarrassed expression as he walked out.
—Aizen hadn't directly participated in the intercepting battle.
This was not only considering that the other party wasn't good at this kind of confrontation, but also because... Seiya still had other things that needed the other party's help.
The master's illusion techniques could be said to be unrivaled in the world.
And precisely because of this.
Only he had the ability... to take someone away from under Yhwach's nose.
Sitting on the ground, Seiya pressed his temples, his tone carrying an indescribable sense of gravity.
"Ichibē, there are some things I want to confirm with you now..."
"No need to say more, I will certainly tell you everything I know."
The monk's tone carried quite a bit of guilt.
"This operation, I completely didn't anticipate... because the Soul King also didn't notify me in advance."
It was hard to distinguish the truth or falsehood in this guy's words.
But now wasn't the time to dwell on such things.
Because what Seiya cared about more were other problems.
"What exactly is the Soul King planning?"
The monk remained silent for a long time, then said softly.
"The Soul King... no longer wants to live..."