Caja Negacion

"Minato, you got here just in time."

Orochimaru couldn't help feeling a little relieved. He'd been about to abandon Pakura and use the Flying Thunder God mark he'd prepared in advance to escape if Minato didn't show up.

As for how he knew the Flying Thunder God Technique, he had his upgraded Eye of Keikogi: Pseudo, now at B-grade, Perfect quality, to thank. It could copy abilities and techniques below the fourth tier, but couldn't copy those that required a special physique or bloodline. Devil Fruit abilities and bloodline-based True Magic were examples.

Copying an ability from another system didn't mean he had completely mastered that system's energy.

For instance, he could copy a Soul Reaper's Kido or True Magic and use it just like the original, but that didn't mean the supernatural energy in the user's body had been converted into that other system.

The abilities still consumed Orochimaru's own Chakra. It was only under the Eye of Keikogi's special rules that they took on different forms.

After all, the essence of the Eye of Keikogi was learning and copying, not conversion.

Suppressing his complicated thoughts, Orochimaru forced himself to calm down and asked,

"Did you get the information?"

"I got all of it. Kisame did too."

"Good."

Orochimaru let out a long breath. He'd thought that, with the Flying Thunder God Technique, everything would go smoothly: he'd get the information without anyone noticing and then leave. Who could have expected to run into Sosuke Aizen?

At the thought of Aizen, the wound in Orochimaru's chest began to ache again.

"Sosuke Aizen outside is strong. We should retreat now."

Minato was a little surprised by what Orochimaru said, but for some reason, he felt an inexplicable wariness toward Aizen too. He nodded in agreement.

Seeing that Orochimaru's wounds had improved a little under his own treatment, and that Kisame had Pakura slung over his shoulder, Minato spoke up.

"This space was created by my ability. It's a separate space within the air. To be safe, let's get out of its range first. Then I'll open a door and we can retreat."

Orochimaru nodded, and the group prepared to leave.

Outside the Door-Door Fruit space.

"Captain Aizen, are we really letting the Ryoka go?"

Gin Ichimaru asked, puzzled.

"Don't worry. I've prepared a little gift for them." A smile played at the corner of Aizen's mouth, as though everything were under his control.

Just as Orochimaru and the others were about to set out from inside the Air Door, something unexpected happened.

The gravely injured, unconscious Pakura suddenly began to glow blue, giving off a strange ripple.

Kisame immediately tried to drop Pakura and get away, but he was too slow.

Light suddenly blazed around Pakura and Kisame. A strange space opened up, swallowing them whole. In the blink of an eye, the two of them had vanished into the mysterious black space.

Orochimaru and Minato weren't spared either. Strange light appeared on Orochimaru as well, and a black crystal inside his body shone brightly. The black space that opened up swallowed Orochimaru and Minato.

In an instant, they were transported from the separate space inside the Door-Door Fruit to another dimension.

"Looks like they got the gift."

Aizen sensed the disturbance in the other dimension and realized that his "little gift" had worked.

"Come on, Gin. Let's go back and study them."

"Captain Aizen, they—they didn't escape?" Gin Ichimaru didn't understand what Aizen meant.

"They're already trapped in another dimension. Even the one who can open doors at will won't be able to break out."

"Everything really is under Captain Aizen's control!" Gin said admiringly.

Aizen turned to head back to his secret base and conduct some research, but suddenly stopped.

"By the way, Gin, it seems those Ryoka didn't pay you any attention from beginning to end."

"Ah, that must be because I'm far too weak to be worth their notice. After all, whoever stands beside Captain Aizen is bound to pale in comparison."

"Oh? Is that so?" Aizen said nothing more, as if he'd only asked in passing.

But Gin Ichimaru, who had answered him, felt a storm raging inside.

From where he stood, he could clearly see that Aizen hadn't continued walking. He was standing behind him.

Gin was certain that if he showed even the slightest sign of anything being amiss, Aizen would cut him down without hesitation.

That man was always so arrogant. It seemed that everyone but himself was just a tool he could discard at any time. And in his arrogance, he would never tolerate a tool's betrayal.

No matter how shocked Gin felt inside, he didn't dare show the slightest sign of it. He simply kept walking, his expression unchanged.

"Of course. Besides, with Captain Aizen taking action, I didn't get the chance to do anything."

Gin's normal behavior seemed to fool Aizen. Aizen's hand moved away from his sword, and Gin felt himself relax.

"Gin, why are you so nervous?"

Gin's heart clenched. He quickly collected himself and bowed in apology.

"I'm sorry, Captain Aizen! I've seen three of those people before, during the last Ryoka invasion. They escaped back then.

"I was so shocked earlier that I didn't tell you right away. I was afraid you'd blame me, Captain Aizen."

"Gin, I don't care about that. Everyone has a few secrets of their own, don't they?"

Aizen gave Gin a light tap before turning to leave.

Beneath Gin Ichimaru's white haori, the mark of his captaincy, a little sweat had already begun to seep through.

After returning from the previous Novice Mission, Gin Ichimaru had also received the free treatment granted to beginners.

The Main God had removed the hypnotic effect of Aizen's Illusion from his body, so he was no longer under the hypnotic control of Aizen's Zanpakuto. He hadn't expected to nearly give himself away in front of Aizen. It had been a close call.

But after witnessing the Main God's power, Gin was confident he'd be able to free himself from Aizen's control someday.

With some relief, Gin followed Aizen to his secret base.

Strange containers were everywhere inside the base. Most held all manner of bizarre Hollows and Soul Reaper spirits.

"All right, let's go say hello to these interesting Ryoka."

The laboratory had equipment Aizen used for experiments, capable of sealing off a certain area of space. There was no need to worry about the Ryoka escaping with their spatial abilities.

So Aizen prepared to open the other-dimensional space in which he had sealed the Ryoka using Caja Negacion.

But when he used the instruments to locate the space, he discovered it was already empty.

Faced with an unexpected turn beyond his control, Aizen didn't seem angry. He merely curled the corner of his mouth into a slight smile.

"This world seems to be getting interesting."