Bleach: Gazing Mirage

As the days passed, Miel's search for information about the Ankoku family proved to be more challenging than she initially expected. Two days had gone by, and she hadn't uncovered any leads or details about the mysterious family Yuichi had tasked her with stealing from.

 

With a heavy sigh, she decided to retreat to a secluded and deserted area. Here, she could safely revert to her regular size and regain her strength. Miel had the ability to shrink down to the size of an insect temporarily, but it came with limitations, and she needed time in between to recover.

 

Once her transformation back to her usual size was complete, Miel took a moment to collect her thoughts. The task at hand was not proving to be easy, but she needed to find information so that she could obtain what Yuichi wanted.

 

This was another thing that made searching hard because she could only move around in her insect-sized form in order to avoid detection. That bastard Yuichi didn’t give her any information and most people didn’t gossip about noble houses. All she had figured out was that this Ankoku family was probably one such family. The noble district was also crawling with soul reapers so whenever she felt the need to rest she needed to exit the district thus wasting even more time.

 

After resting and regaining her strength, Miel prepared to head back to the noble district to continue her search for information on the Ankoku family. As she reentered the district, her keen spiritual senses remained on high alert, ensuring she was ready to detect any unusual activities.

 

It was then that she noticed a group of individuals dressed in black, moving with a stealthy precision from rooftop to rooftop. Their movements were unlike those of ordinary Soul Reapers, and they employed a technique that made them nearly imperceptible.

 

Miel, thanks to her exceptional spiritual senses, barely detected their presence. Unbeknownst to her, this group of individuals in black attire was Yoruichi's Onmitsukidō, the stealth force of the Soul Society. They were headed towards the sealed cave where the Tenshiheisō had been said to be sealed in response to a request for backup due to the members of the Ankoku attacking.

 

While Miel didn't have this information, their presence indicated that something significant was about to happen, which might be crucial for her mission. She decided to follow their movements from a distance, wondering if their actions could lead her to the information she sought about the Ankoku family.

 

With her insect-sized form and her stealthy skills, she cautiously pursued the black-clad group, staying out of their line of sight as they continued their secretive mission toward the mansion.

 

Miel observed the intense confrontation that had unfolded before her as she arrived at the scene. The black-clad Onmitsukidō members were locked in a fierce battle with Soul Reapers, and their determination was palpable. Tensions ran high, and their lives were at stake in this skirmish. She heard one of the soul reapers yell, “Lord Ankoku there are more arriving we must retreat. They’ll overtake us at this rate.”

 

She couldn't help but be intrigued by the man they addressed as Lord Ankoku. His presence commanded respect, and he exuded an air of unwavering authority. His piercing eyes, furrowed brows, and stern expression portrayed a sense of intense scrutiny and wisdom earned through experience. The intricate patterns on his yukata hinted at his deep respect for tradition, reflecting a man who carried himself with confidence and a strong connection to his cultural heritage.

 

As the battle raged on, Lord Ankoku clapped his hands and mumbled incantations, summoning a bolt of lightning that struck the area in front of him. The display of his abilities forced the Onmitsukidō back which allowed them time to retreat. This made it clear that they were on the right track to finding the location of the Tenshiheisō, and the effort involved in defending it suggested that this was the true location.

 

With the situation escalating and the order to retreat given, the Soul Reapers started to pull back from the battle. Amid the retreat of the Soul Reapers, none of them noticed the unassuming, nearly invisible bug perched on Lord Ankoku's shoulder. This small clone of Miel remained hidden and vigilant, serving as her eyes and ears, poised to gather vital information as the situation continued to unfold.

 

Having placed what was effectively a track on someone from the Ankoku house Miel decided to wait and observe the situation here while staying hidden. After a few minutes of nothing interesting happening a purple-haired woman landed in the midst of the aftermath. “Report!”

 

“Yes, Lady Yoruichi, we suffered some damage, but there are no casualties. We fought them well enough to wound them, but not kill them as you ordered. We also have some stealth members following them as we speak,” reported Suì-Fēng.

 

Yoruichi smiled at the report, “Good now…”, but she stopped mid-sentence and threw her zanpakuto at a nearby tree. The blade had been mere millimeters from Miel’s head.

 

Suì-Fēng, still puzzled, asked Yoruichi, "Is something the matter, Lady Yoruichi? I couldn't sense anything over there."

 

Yoruichi, her expression thoughtful, responded, "Hmm, was I wrong? I thought it was around there, but I guess I missed. Looks like it got away."

 

Miel fled as far as she could, the fear still clutching at her, before coming to a halt. She remained in her miniature form, reluctant to revert to her normal size for fear that the purple-haired Soul Reaper might detect her and give chase. Yoruichi's comment had Miel's tiny heart racing in fear.

 

Miel remained in a state of panic, knowing that she had narrowly avoided a life-threatening situation. Yoruichi's ability to throw her zanpakuto with such precision was a testament to her extraordinary skills as a Soul Reaper. It seemed she couldn't move or make a sound in Yoruichi’s presence. She was most likely one of the individuals who Yuichi mentioned would also be able to see or sense her.

 

Crouching in a concealed spot, she finally allowed herself to catch her breath. The close call had her trembling with anxiety, her thoughts racing. Her tiny heart pounded erratically as she reflected on the perilous situation she had narrowly escaped.

 

"I almost died," Miel whispered to herself, her voice trembling. She was overwhelmed by the realization of how close she had come to death.