Book 1: Indra's Return ??

Chapter 29

Renji gasped as Aizen's slashed him.

Rukia's eyes widened in horror. "R-Renji?"

"My my..." Aizen said as he glared coldly at the redhead shinigami.

"You've learned to dodge well, Abarai. I'm happy to see that you've improved. But I hope you won't struggle for too long. It's difficult to step on an ant without crushing it. As for your superior, I'd prefer not to kill you if I can help it."

"Renji!" Ruki said worriedly.

"Shut up, Rukia!" Renji interrupted. "You don't want to kill me? Yeah right! Then why did you kill Hinamori?!

Aizen scoffed."I'd trained her so that she couldn't live without me. So don't you think it was merciful of me to kill her? It's also true that I didn't want to kill her myself. So I went to all the trouble and tried to have her, Kira and Hitsugaya kill each other. But that didn't work out. So I had no choice but to kill her myself."

"I see." Renji said. "So you were the one pulling the strings on Kira and Hinamori!"

"And you too, Abarai." Aizen corrected calmly.

"I get it. You're not the Captain Aizen I knew. I don't know why you want her, but I'm not handing over Rukia even if it costs me my life!"

"Not the Souske Aizen you knew, huh? Unfortunately, the Souske Aizen you used to know was just an illusion, Abarai. He never existed in the first place."

Renji gasped in frustration and lunged at Aizen. "Roar! Zubimaru!"

"Shikai, huh?" Aizen said as he easily blocked the hit with one hand on his zanpakuto. "I guess it can't be helped with the condition you're in, but that won't even buy you any time."

"You never know!"

"What a bothersome kid you are." Aizen said as he blocked the hit with his palm.

He stopped it with his bare hands?! Renji thought as his eyes widened.

"You really are the most troublesome of the three, Abarai."

Renji gasped as a massive slash appeared on him and fell to his knees. Aizen calmly stood over the hunched figure of the redhead.

"I knew..."Aizen said. "I knew that I could use you three when I first met you. So when you three joined the Thirteen Guard squads, I had you all assigned to Squad 5 right away. Then I made two who were more useful, Gin and my subordinates. I sent you away because you seemed troublesome. It seems my instincts were right. This is the last warning. Leave Rukia Kuchiki here and back away."

"P-Please wait, Captain Aizen!" Ruki shouted. "I will-"

"I refuse." Renji interrupted.

"Renji!" Rukia said. "Ren-"

"I won't let you go..." Renji said as he tightened his hold on Rukia. "Like I'd ever let you go...You idiot.

Aizen narrowed his eyes. "I see. Too bad." he glared coldly as he brought down his zanpakuto to kill them. However, to their surprise, the hit was blocked by another zanpakuto.

"Yo!" a voice said.

Renji's eyes widened at the familiar voice.

"What's wrong, crouching down like that? It looks like Rukia is too heavy for you." Ichigo said. "I came to give you a hand, Renji!"

Aizen looked at Ichigo. So he's Indra's little brother, is he? Hm...I wonder what he'll do if I fight him? Aizen smirked mentally.

"Ichigo." Renji said.