Yammy had been glad His Majesty had picked him. After all, while most of the Sin were here, some were not—some had been left behind in the kingdom in case of an attack.
The majority of the lesser Sin were absent; Gabriel had no intention of dragging this shit out. More Garganta began opening around Soul Society as more Arrancar joined the fray. Some could be seen carrying Shinigami bodies into portals, while others were actively slaying their enemies.
However, certain areas were left untouched—schools, shrines, and places that seemed sacred. Gabriel wasn't trying to be the moral one here, but one of his mottos was not to attack the weak if all they were doing was surviving and not hindering him.
Yes, the motto had evolved. No biggie.
So, if someone like Mayuri was hiding in one of those schools, the people inside would be given a choice—rat him out and live, or protect him and die. If the majority agreed to sell him out but one stubborn fool refused, then that fool died. If multiple people refused? Well, they died too. A fair ruler indeed.
As Yammy made eye contact with Hitsugaya, he realized something.
Wasn't this the kid His Majesty wanted to turn into a Nephilim?
Huh. Well, there went the idea of going all out. He couldn't kill the brat... but he could gravely injure him.
"Tch." Hitsugaya clicked his tongue, standing across from him, Hyōrinmaru glistening in his grasp.
"He's not just a brute," Mayuri Kurotsuchi observed, his yellow eyes gleaming with intrigue. Yammy was showing intelligence greater than the ooga-booga vibes he usually gave off. It was like hearing the Hulk casually mention he had a PhD.
"What a delightful complication."
Yammy cracked his knuckles, his massive frame casting an oppressive shadow. "You two are annoying."
Then he rushed at them.
Toshiro, unwilling to give up, activated his Shikai.
"Sōten ni zase, Hyōrinmaru!"
The chain of ice lashed out, aiming to entrap Yammy.
Yammy grinned—he let it hit.
"Got you," he muttered as the icy chain wrapped around his body.
Yet that grin never faded.
Then—
CRACK.
The ice shattered violently.
Yammy's reiatsu flared. The attack had landed.
And now—
He was stronger.
"Damn it—" Hitsugaya barely had time to react before a massive fist swung down at him.
He barely dodged in time. Looking down, he realized that if he had been hit, it would've been like doing six leg days back to back with no rest—he'd never recover from that.
"So every attack makes him stronger," Mayuri mused, watching intently. "Now, is this limited to physical attacks? Or does it apply to all attacks?"
A hypothesis worth testing. If Hitsugaya got caught in the crossfire? Well, that was his problem.
He wanted to study these Arrancar. To understand how they ticked.
So many things to do.
The scientist was giddy.
So many things to figure out.
With a flick of his wrist, he launched a Kido spell. As expected, Yammy's wounds closed, and his power surged.
"Hoh..." Mayuri's grin widened.
There it was—the mechanism. Yammy's power increased the angrier he got. It had nothing to do with injuries. It was purely emotional escalation.
So, what would happen if he dampened that anger?
Slowly, Mayuri began releasing a calculated mixture of Prozac, Zoloft, Lexapro, and Paxil into the air in precise, minuscule doses—directed solely at the massive Espada. The drugs' effects should take the edge off before his rage reached a critical point.
And from there, he could study him properly.
His research on the Quincy could take a brief pause. He was already about 50% done with it anyway.
For now, he had a new fascinating specimen.
"Bankai, Konjiki Ashisogi Jizō."
A grotesque, golden infant emerged, its bloated body exuding a toxic mist—mist that had been specifically tailored to counteract Yammy's power set.
Yet, just as Mayuri was about to bask in the glory of his imminent victory—
CERO.
Something unexpected happened.
Yammy attacked.
And Mayuri's Bankai was destroyed.
"Did you really think such a puny Bankai could defeat me?" Yammy roared, his breath ragged with fury. He could feel something suppressing his anger, and the mere idea that someone was trying to control him pissed him off even more.
"Got any more bright ideas?" Hitsugaya muttered, realizing just how dire the situation had become.
Tragic. Truly.
Mayuri's brow furrowed. He was annoyed. Not angry—annoyed.
This was his new Bankai. A creation born from the Nemurian Project.
And it had been utterly erased in its first real battle.
Still, he was no fool. Staying here too long would turn his name into nothing more than a past-tense curiosity.
...
As Hitsugaya prepared to launch himself at Yammy with all he had left—
"Are you stupid?" Mayuri snapped, momentarily breaking out of his research-driven trance. "Attacking him will only make him stronger!"
Hitsugaya gritted his teeth. The bastard was right. But what was he supposed to do? Twiddle his thumbs and wait for death?
Then—
Yammy suddenly collapsed to the ground, looking stunned.
Wait.
What?
Mayuri's lips curled into a shit-eating grin.
Looks like his secondary plan worked.