Their Respective Battles

Ichigo froze when he heard that. His hands, which had been gripping his Zanpakuto tightly, relaxed slightly. Then, he thought of a possibility.

His pupils contracted slightly. "Y-You mean... Aunt was the one who made you stronger?"

Caryatid God slipped one hand into his pocket and raised the corner of his mouth. "If the Aunt you're talking about is that Red-haired Woman..."

"Teacher, how could she..." Inoue covered her mouth, her voice filled with disbelief.

Ichigo felt that Aunt must have a serious problem in the head. She had actually gone and made these guys stronger, even restoring that old man to youth. Was she afraid they wouldn't be able to beat them?

Caryatid God narrowed his eyes. "I thought you two had a good relationship."

"Whether we have a good relationship or not is hard for me to explain." Ichigo tugged at the corner of his mouth and gripped his Zanpakuto with both hands. "But if you think that woman is helping you, I advise you to wake up soon. She's much better at playing tricks on people than killing them."

"Playing tricks?" Caryatid God chuckled softly, feeling the powerful force surging endlessly through his body. "If this is the extent of her 'playing tricks,' I hope she does it a few more times."

"Tch." Ichigo curled his lip unhappily and asked in confusion, "What exactly is going on?"

Why had Aunt made them stronger?

Caryatid God spread his hands. "Who knows? Maybe it's because of her grudge against Soul Society?"

He truly didn't know. He had very little information about that woman. Even what he had heard from Ichinose was only news of her escape from Soul Society a hundred years ago.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have previously thought that she intended to use them as the vanguard.

Regardless,