Upon hearing this, Kūgo Ginjō’s pupils suddenly shrank, then a flicker of rage flared in his eyes.
"Stop messing around! Masatsuki Aozaki? Again with Masatsuki Aozaki?! What the hell are you people thinking?"
His voice was laced with fury and disgust, as though just hearing the name filled him with deep resentment.
He grew even more agitated, erupting with anger.
"This is bullshit! Everyone’s always like this—it’s disgusting! Go to hell, bastard!"
Scarlet eyes burning with rage, Kūgo Ginjō suddenly raised his blade, pointing it at Harribel. A purple ray of darkness quickly gathered at the tip, forming into a condensed collar-shaped light sphere.
In the next instant, a beam of purple light shot forward, dragging a long afterimage behind it before vanishing in a flash—striking Harribel with terrifying speed.
BOOM!!
A massive explosion followed.
The purple Reiatsu erupted like a blaze, unleashing destructive force in an instant. The sheer impact sent violent shockwaves across the ground, tearing everything in their path apart.
Harribel frowned, her expression growing serious as she observed the unfolding scene.
"...Is that... Cero?!"
She muttered in surprise.
As Masatsuki Aozaki’s lover, she knew that Hollowfied Shinigami could release Cero. But what shocked her was that Kūgo Ginjō had used Hollow powers without even donning a mask.
"Die!"
A twisted smile crept onto Kūgo Ginjō’s face as he opened his arms wide, as if claiming victory.
But then, he suddenly noticed a figure standing not far away—
Nelliel.
She stood silently, unusually calm, showing no sign of alarm.
Given the closeness she’d shown to the blonde woman earlier, shouldn’t she have rushed over the moment Harribel was hit by his Hollow blast?
Why was she so calm?
Without even sparing him a glance, Nelliel spoke coldly.
"Harribel’s power far surpasses that."
Then she added,
"Your power isn’t even in the same league. But you still haven’t realized it."
"To be more accurate—your trembling body has already exposed your fear, even if you refuse to admit it."
"Trembling...?"
Hearing this, Kūgo Ginjō slowly raised one hand—and sure enough, it was trembling slightly. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦
He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself.
Then he looked back at Harribel and let out a crazed laugh, madness and glee in his voice.
"Hahaha... You’re getting it all wrong. This isn’t fear—it’s the thrill of wielding such overwhelming power!"
His expression twisted more and more, his eyes flashing with vicious cruelty.
"Can’t you tell? Your dumb little friend already lost!"
"What a shame... If I’d managed to take your power, things might’ve turned out very differently."
"People like you—so powerful—you probably carry fragments of the Soul King inside you."
"If I absorb your power, I’ll become even stronger!"
"But none of that matters anymore."
"Next, I’ll head to another city and find more of those ’gifted ones’—take their Soul King fragments too."
But right then, his laughter abruptly stopped.
In the fading light, Harribel stood motionless.
She didn’t budge, like a mountain unmoved by the wind.
In front of her, the purple Cero had been caught in a jade-colored hand—and was dissipating, as if crashing into an unbreakable wall.
That hand, glowing faintly, seemed to possess infinite strength, calmly unraveling the Cero’s energy bit by bit.
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