Chapter 256: Fire and Ice
"This girl just didn't know when to quit..." grumbled Matsumoto, her wavy hair unkempt and uniform disheveled, forcing Hitsugaya to avoid looking directly at her and instead focus on Lalatina, frozen solid within a block of ice.
"And she's somehow still alive..." remarked Hitsugaya, his expression and tone serious.
"What—!? If nothing else, shouldn't she have suffocated by now?" asked Matsumoto, sizing Lalatina and her icy prison with equal parts incredulity and fascination.
"There's a non-negligible chance she's immortal..." contended Hitsugaya, adding, "It would explain her confidence in coming here despite her lack of offensive capabilities."
"Immortal?" repeated Matsumoto, frowning as she asked, "If they have people on their side who can't be eliminated, then how are we supposed to win?"
"You saw the power on display during the earlier procession..." remarked Hitsugaya, shaking his head before asking, "Do you believe the Dragon's Pavilion would arrange something like this if there were a possibility they could lose? It would completely shatter their image as a transdimensional powerhouse and intermediary..."
"Well, phooey..." huffed Matsumoto, puffing her cheeks in the pretense of a pout.
crack
Demonstrating that she wasn't out of the fight, a crack formed in the ice encasing Lalatina. In response, Hitsugaya tapped the tip of his Zanpakuto against it, causing the crack to mend and the ice to thicken considerably before he rested his blade on his shoulder, closed his eyes, and exhaled a weary sigh that didn't suit his apparent age.
"I was wondering what the commotion over here was about. To think that Lalatina managed to press this far on her own. Our Lord will surely reward her plentily..." remarked a deep and feminine voice, causing Hitsugaya and Matsumoto to alert to Xenovia, standing atop a nearby wall in a white and gold bodysuit that left little to the imagination beneath a black, grey, and gold-adorned hooded cloak with a distinctive wing motif on the shoulders and the symbol of the Dragon's Pavilion on the back.
"Xenovia Quarta, Herald of the Dragon's Pavilion..." recalled Hitsugaya, his brows furrowing. Xenovia occupied the same position as him for her team, so while he could only guess her capabilities, she had to be stronger than a Pawn like Lalatina.