Bleach: Gazing Mirage

As Yuichi and the clone sprinted forward, he quickly recited the incantation for his Ash Mirage kidō, cloaking himself in invisibility while leaving behind an ash duplicate in his place. His phantom clone continued to run beside him, while the ash clone stood still, as if too injured to move, further adding to the deception that Yuichi was trying to flee in desperation.

 

Reaching a branching corridor, Yuichi veered right while his phantom clone mirrored him, turning left. His body screamed in protest from the continuous use of Shunpo. He could feel his muscles burning, his lungs aching for breath. He skidded to a stop, crouching in the shadows to catch his breath. His heart pounded in his ears, but he didn’t have long to rest—the enemies had caught up to his clone.

 

Suddenly, Yuichi felt a sharp, stabbing pain, as if multiple blades had run him through. His phantom clone had been attacked, and the Phantom Pain technique was doing its work. Yuichi bit down hard on his hand, stifling a cry as the pain washed over him. Though he wasn’t physically harmed, the sensation of being impaled was nearly overwhelming.

 

Groans echoed through the corridor, confirming that the attackers had suffered the same pain. He heard someone bark orders for the others to fan out and search for him, suspecting he hadn’t gone far. They were getting desperate, but they didn’t know that Yuichi was still hidden, enveloped by the Ash Mirage.

 

Yuichi waited, forcing himself to breathe quietly as the sounds of footsteps and hushed voices faded. Once he was sure they had moved on, he carefully backtracked, heading towards the hidden location where Byakuya and Hui were stationed. His body felt sluggish, the accumulated strain from using multiple techniques weighing him down, but he couldn’t stop now.

 

As he neared their location, Miel appeared, darting silently through the air before hiding inside his clothing once again. Yuichi was relieved to feel her presence—she was one of the few who could still see him through his Ash Mirage. He gave her a small nod, grateful she wasn’t an enemy.

 

“They’re all dead,” Miel whispered quietly, her voice barely audible. “Inside the mansion, there are fifty-five in purple. All the ones in black are gone. The only survivors here are you, Hui, Mei, that kid Byakuya, and me.”

 

Yuichi clenched his fists. Fifty-five enemies still left, and they were all clustered inside the mansion. The odds were grim, but at least now, he had information to act on. He wasn’t going to let them take this place without a fight.

 

Yuichi bit his lip again, harder this time, as if drawing strength from the pain. His mind raced, weighing his options. Fifty-five trained killers were still inside, and despite his aching body and the toll of battle, he knew there was no time to rest. He would have to act decisively.

 

Miel remained nestled against his chest, invisible and silent, waiting for his command. Her brief reconnaissance had given him valuable insight, but the odds still felt impossibly high. Yuichi’s heart pounded, not just from fatigue but from the overwhelming pressure bearing down on him. He took another breath, willing himself to calm down.

 

"We need to cut their numbers down before they can realize what’s happening," he whispered, half to himself and half to Miel. "But I can’t keep this up for long."

 

Miel hummed faintly, acknowledging his thought. "Then you’ll need a distraction. A big one. Since they’re on guard and searching for you they gather quickly if you do so. Once they do you’ll need to hit them with a large attack."

 

Yuichi nodded, already piecing together a plan. If he could isolate a large group, taking them down quickly with a large attack, he could maybe reduce their numbers by half. He couldn’t take on fifty-five enemies directly, not in his current state, but if he played it smart—targeted them at the right time—they could even the playing field.

 

But first, he thought grimly, I need to get back to Mei, Hui, and Byakuya.

 

Yuichi slipped back into the concealed room, where the reiatsu-blocking barrier enveloped him like a protective cocoon. Inside, the atmosphere was tense, but a wave of relief washed over him as he saw Mei, Hui, and Byakuya waiting for his return. Mei, now awake and bandaged, sat with a calm expression. The wounds she'd sustained earlier were somewhat healed, thanks to Hui’s efforts.

 

"You're back," Mei said with a cold and calm voice, her eyes scanning Yuichi as if evaluating his condition. "I heard you went off to play scout. What did you find out?"

 

Yuichi leaned against the wall, catching his breath for a moment before straightening up. “We’re in worse shape than I thought. There are fifty-five attackers still alive inside the mansion. Everyone else is dead—just the four of us left."

 

Mei’s eyes widened slightly, but she kept her composure, sighing deeply as she rubbed her temple. “Fifty-five… So, what’s the plan? We’re clearly outnumbered. How strong are they?”

 

“They’re all around the same level as the one we faced earlier,” Yuichi replied, his voice low. “I managed to take one out with a surprise attack, but the others converged too quickly. I had to fall back.”

 

Hui, who had been quietly observing, frowned but nodded, processing the information. Byakuya stood still, his face a mask of concentration, though the tension in his shoulders betrayed his concern.

 

"So," Mei continued, “you’re saying the only way out of this is to kill every last one of them?”

 

“Pretty much.” Yuichi crossed his arms, glancing at Mei. “I don’t see any other option. They’ve shown no mercy so far, and we can’t risk waiting for reinforcements—assuming any are coming at all.”

 

Mei sighed again, clearly weighing the grim reality of their situation. “And you think we can take on fifty-five enemies?”

 

“If we’re smart about it, yes. I’ve been thinking,” Yuichi said, his tone growing more resolute. “We can’t fight them head-on, not with their numbers. But if we gather them into one area and hit them with large-scale attacks, we might be able to wipe out a good portion of them at once. After that, we can deal with whoever’s left.”

 

Mei tilted her head, considering the plan. “And you think you can lure them into one place?”

 

Yuichi nodded. “They’re already on edge, searching for me. If I make some noise—draw them out—I can lead them right into a trap. Once they’re clustered together, we strike.”

 

Byakuya, who had been silent until now, finally spoke, his voice calm but cold. “It’s a risky plan. But it might be our best chance. If we can cut down their numbers in one blow, we’ll stand a fighting chance.”

 

Hui chimed in, his tone measured. “We’ll need to time this perfectly. If one of them escapes, they may regroup with others, and soon we’ll be overwhelmed again.”

 

Yuichi nodded. “That’s why we need to act fast. I’ll handle the distraction. Mei, Young lord, you two prepare the biggest attacks you can manage. Hui, you’ll need to support them—make sure no one slips through.”

 

Mei stretched her arms, testing her recently healed muscles. “Alright, Yuichi. If you’re sure about this, then I’m in. I’ll start preparing, but for now, rest and allow you reiryoku to recover.”

 

Yuichi glanced at Hui and Byakuya, who both gave small nods of agreement. The tension in the room thickened, but there was a sense of unity as well—a shared understanding that this was their last stand.