Bleach: Gazing Mirage

With calculated movements, she entered the now-opened deeper section of the library that had been protected by the Kidō barrier. Her keen eyes scanned the two scrolls that had been protected in hopes they were the forbidden scroll she needed.

 

Anxiously, Miel examined the scrolls in this section. Then, hidden within the row of dusty scrolls, she spotted one that felt particularly unique. It bore markings that she couldn’t recognize. This was most likely the forbidden scroll.

 

Just to be safe though she grabbed both, her hands trembling with a mix of anticipation and apprehension. With both scrolls in her possession, Miel concealed it carefully and secured it against her body. She was ready to make her exit and avoid any detection. The next phase of her mission would be to escape the mansion without leaving any trace of her intrusion.

 

Miel remained silent and invisible as she retraced her flight path, moving back towards the library's entrance. Her heart raced with the knowledge that she was carrying a piece of highly sought-after knowledge, and that upon discovery she would be killed.

 

However, just as she was about to exit the library, she felt a disturbance in the mansion's spiritual energy. It seemed a large barrier had been raised around the house. The security of the mansion had been heightened. Her thought process alerted her to the fact that they had detected her presence. The Ankoku family had become aware that an intruder was in their midst.

 

This discovery sent a shiver down her spine. The mansion's security would likely be intensified in response to this breach. Guards would be rushing back and forth looking for her.

 

Exiting the library, she kept to the shadows, careful to avoid any guards or servants. Her insect-sized clones were on high alert, providing her with information about the mansion's occupants and their movements.

 

As she approached the area where she had entered the mansion, she found the opening she had created in the outer wall. It was her means of escape, but now it was far too dangerous to utilize it as the guards had discovered. Her keen instincts and intellect had always been her greatest assets, and they were now being put to the test. She had to outmaneuver the guards and find a way out while keeping both scrolls safe.

 

As she made her way through the mansion, Miel discovered several potential exit routes, but each one was sealed off. The guards had acted swiftly to block her escape paths, and she sensed that some of her clones had been found and destroyed. It was clear that they were using their reiryoku sensing abilities to track her clones meaning soon they’d find her.

 

Miel used her remaining clones to scout the various exits, and with each attempt, she encountered a sealed passage, a closed window, or a guarded door followed by the destruction of the clone. The guards were relentless, and it seemed they were always one step ahead of her.

 

Frustration and tension welled up within Miel as she continued to search for an escape route. She knew that time was running out, and with each passing moment, the risk of being discovered increased. She felt as if the walls were closing in on her.

 

With her mental map of the mansion, Miel navigated through the narrow hallways, dodging the patrolling guards, and making use of her knowledge of the mansion's layout to stay one step ahead. Her insect clones were all but destroyed now leaving her with no way of knowing how the guards were moving.

 

She considered maybe using her reiryoku as she moved around to create diversions, drawing the guards away from her intended escape route. But she was well aware that any use of reiryoku would be detected, and it could potentially lead them straight to her.

 

Miel's options were running out, and it felt like the mansion itself was closing in on her. She couldn't turn back; she had come too far to abandon her mission or her life. The forbidden scrolls had to be retrieved, and she was determined to escape with it.

 

As she approached another potential exit, Miel noticed that the guards had sealed it off as well. It was as if they were anticipating her every move. She took a moment to assess the situation, her mind racing for a solution.

 

Then it occurred to her that the guards were reacting to her every move because they were using her presence as a guide. The mansion's security was adapting to her movements. In order to escape, she needed to disrupt this pattern.

 

With a plan in mind, Miel sent the last of her insect clones in the opposite direction of her intended escape route. The clone flew through the mansion, drawing the attention of the guards and leading them away from her real location.

 

While the guards followed the clone, Miel seized the opportunity to make her escape. She moved swiftly and silently, utilizing the diversion to reach the sealed exit. With a precise application of her reiryoku manipulation, she began to work on creating a small hole in the barrier that blocked her path.

 

The seconds felt like an eternity as she struggled to dismantle the barrier. The guards were still following the decoy created by her clone, but their heightened reiryoku sensing abilities meant she couldn't afford to waste any time.

 

Finally, the barrier gave way, and the exit was open. Miel wasted no time, slipping through it and vanishing into the night. She knew she had to put as much distance as possible between herself and the mansion before the guards realized her true escape route.

 

As she made her way through the mansion's gardens, her clone was killed, and its mission to mislead the guards had been completed. Miel's mental map guided her through the labyrinthine gardens, and she kept to the shadows, remaining invisible to any prying eyes.

 

Miel had successfully outwitted the guards, and the precious scrolls remained in her possession. However, she knew that the Ankoku family would not give up easily, and she could be followed so she needed to hide and wait it out until things calmed down.

 

Announcement The cover will be released on November 13th, but to those wishing to see it early, it's already up on Discord.  https://discord.gg/zpZvf2d8fp