A smirk tugged at the corners of Masatsuki Aozaki's lips as his body leaned slightly forward.
In the next instant, his figure vanished like a phantom, disappearing without a trace.
Starrk's eyes widened, his pupils locked onto the spot where Masatsuki had just been—but he saw nothing.
Shooosh!!!
Suddenly, a sharp sound of air being torn apart echoed.
Masatsuki Aozaki had seemingly crossed a vast distance in the blink of an eye, appearing right in front of Starrk without warning!
At the same time, a surge of Reiatsu exploded from Masatsuki's body.
Hum!!
Like a raging tide, the Reiatsu swept through the space, causing the surrounding air to tremble violently.
"What…"
Shock spread across Starrk's face.
He had never imagined that his opponent possessed not only overwhelming physical strength but also Reiatsu powerful enough to crush his own.
Until now, he had never faced an enemy whose Reiatsu surpassed his.
Caught off guard by Masatsuki's sudden suppression, an unshakable sense of unease crept into his heart.
"Starrk, you idiot! What the hell are you spacing out for?! You're the one who should be getting serious!"
Lilynette's furious voice rang out from the twin pistols.
Before Starrk could react, she forcefully took control of his hand, raising the gun toward Masatsuki.
However, before she could pull the trigger, a fist shot toward them like a bolt of lightning.
Bang!!!
A seemingly ordinary punch, yet it carried monstrous power.
It slammed into Starrk's stomach, sending him hurtling backward.
Midair, his vision blurred, the world spinning wildly around him.
A searing pain crushed his insides, his organs feeling as if they were being squeezed together. He couldn't stop himself from coughing up a mouthful of blood.
Through his dazed gaze, he suddenly saw Masatsuki Aozaki—now right above him—meeting his eyes at point-blank range.
Lilynette let out a startled cry.
Masatsuki's lips curled into a faint smile as he raised his fist once more.
Blood splattered through the air as the force of his Reiatsu sent it flying in every direction.
Even as his vision darkened, the sheer, agonizing pain told Starrk that he had taken a devastating blow to the head.
His consciousness wavered. His body tilted and plummeted like a meteor.
"Starrk! Starrk!! Wake up, damn it!!"
Lilynette's panicked voice echoed from the gun.
At that moment, they were still in their fused state—meaning she could clearly sense how badly Starrk had been injured.
Never before had they faced an enemy this terrifyingly strong.
If they crashed at this speed, even if the ground below was soft sand, the sheer impact would cause catastrophic damage.
She considered shifting back to her human form to catch him, but…
Could she even manage that? And even if she did, the force alone might crush them both.
What the hell should she do?!
Just as Lilynette was about to spiral into full-blown panic, a hand suddenly reached out and landed gently on Starrk's back.
Was this it? Was Masatsuki going to finish him off?
Lilynette's breath caught as she turned her head—only to find Masatsuki Aozaki had already appeared behind Starrk, unnoticed.
Soul fragmentation? Would that even work on him?
The thought flashed through her mind, but then…
She noticed something.
Starrk's descent was slowing.
The sheer precision of Masatsuki's control over his power had completely neutralized the impact of the fall.
The realization sent a shudder through her.
For all the reckless stunts she had pulled in the past, she had always relied on Starrk to have her back. She had never felt fear like this before.
In mere moments, all three landed softly—without even stirring a single grain of sand.
Starrk lay sprawled on the ground, as if everything had played out exactly as Masatsuki intended.
Masatsuki Aozaki turned his gaze toward the twin pistols in his hands, a faint smile forming at the corner of his lips. Slowly, he reached out to touch them.
In that instant, a flash of light erupted.
Lilynette separated from Starrk's body, drawing the massive curved blade from the broken horn once again.
Her stance was tense, her eyes locked on Masatsuki with wary determination.
"You bastard, what the hell are you trying to do!? Why did you save us!?"
Lilynette asked, slightly flustered.
"Young lady, do you have memory problems?"
Masatsuki Aozaki countered.
"I do not!" Lilynette shot back.
"Then you're just an idiot?"
Masatsuki Aozaki tilted his head, a trace of doubt in his gaze.
Looking at the girl in front of him, he couldn't help but feel a sense of helplessness.
"Don't get cocky, you bastard!"
Lilynette was clearly annoyed, but Masatsuki Aozaki only smiled faintly.
"Didn't I say from the start? I have no intention of killing you."
Masatsuki Aozaki spread his hands, his tone calm.
"So, make your choice. The fate of both you and Starrk is in your hands."
"Live... or die?"
After a long silence, the girl looked at the man lying on the ground. Finally, her voice trembled as she spoke:
"...Live."
...
Night fell over Las Noches.
"Congratulations, Starrk, on your successful employment with Las Noches LLC."
Masatsuki Aozaki looked at the man lying in the hospital bed, a sincere smile on his face as he extended his hand.
Starrk instinctively reached out and shook it—then froze.
"What do you mean, 'Las Noches LLC'?"
Starrk frowned, confused by the unfamiliar term.
"Oh… well, since Las Noches is jointly owned by Aizen and me, and we don't accept outside investment, we're technically a limited liability company," Masatsuki Aozaki explained with a grin.
"I see."
Starrk nodded thoughtfully, then after a moment of silence, asked,
"So… what exactly is a company?"
Before Masatsuki Aozaki could answer, Lilynette suddenly jumped in, cutting off their conversation.
"Hey, hey, hey! What kind of weird nonsense are you two talking about!?"
She demanded, looking between Starrk and Masatsuki Aozaki in frustration.
Then, as if realizing something, she huffed in dissatisfaction.
"Seriously, the first thing you ask after waking up is something this random? Shouldn't you be more concerned about why you're here? Or, I don't know, maybe about me!?"
"You heartless jerk!"
Faced with Lilynette's accusations, Starrk awkwardly scratched his head.
"Well… since I'm fine, I figured you'd be fine too."
Hearing such a half-hearted response, Lilynette nearly exploded with rage.
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / PinkSnake