Rukia Kuchiki saw her elder brother and Yuta facing each other with drawn swords.
What was even less expected was that her brother activated his Bankai.
She had only heard of the technique, but had not witnessed its power until now.
An enormous force surged between the two of them.
In the face of that level of power, she felt fragile-like a human caught in the middle of a tsunami, ready to be swept away at any second.
"Is this... really my brother's power?"
"Also... when did Yuta gain strength like this?"
"Yuta's spiritual pressure... it's already at captain level..."
Rukia couldn't help but be shocked. Yuta had only entered the Shino Academy days ago. She had even been his Kidō instructor at the time. Now, in so little time...
Now he stood as the Great Kido Chief. He possessed ghost techniques likely far beyond her own. He carried spiritual pressure matching captains. He had also performed the captain-level Hakkai Ryūren Wakahu...
What kind of monstrous growth was that?
Was he really even a Shinigami at this point?
Could he possibly be-something else?
Byakuya Kuchiki was equally astounded. The power that boy released-it reminded him of the oppressive intensity he had once felt before Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni himself.
Who... exactly was he?
"You've won..."
"My sword is broken... take Rukia with you…"
"I have no reason left to stop you."
Poof-
Byakuya coughed blood as he dropped toward the ground below.
Wind howled past his ears. Blood blurred his vision as it flowed down his face.
Yet his expression remained composed. He did not feel grief or regret.
He had abandoned those emotions long ago.
In that moment, he heard a familiar, clear tone-
"Brother."
Rukia leapt from the mountaintop, catching Byakuya in the air and carrying him toward higher ground.
She laid him gently down, his robes soaked dark with blood. Kneeling beside him, she raised both hands and released healing Kidō over his body.
Kuchiki Byakuya gave her the faintest smile. "I will not die..."
Rukia froze in place for a moment.
He was smiling?
She could not recall the last time she had seen her brother smile... if ever.
"I'm only injured. I just require some time to recover."
"There are things... I want to be honest with you about."
Rukia nodded. "I'm listening, Brother."
"In the spring, fifty years ago... before the first plum blossoms bloomed that year..."
"My wife, Hisana, passed away."
"And she... was actually your older sister."
"What?" Rukia's eyes widened. The sister she had always wondered about... was the same woman who had once married her brother?
Byakuya continued. "Hisana came to Rukongai with you after her death in the world of the living. You ended up in District 78. She couldn't ensure your survival there... so she left you behind and fled."
"She deeply regretted it. In the five years I spent with her, I watched her search constantly for you."
"In her final spring, as she lay dying... she took my hand and made one request:"
'Byakuya-sama... please find my sister.'
'Don't tell her who I was... don't mention I was her sister.'
'Let her believe you are her brother instead.'
'I abandoned her once... so I cannot ask her to accept me again.'
'Please protect her, Byakuya-sama... protect her in my place... that is the only thing I ask.'
"She said that... the time she spent with me was like living in her dream."
"After finding you at last and bringing you from Rukongai to the noble Kuchiki household, many opposed me."
"Bringing commoners into the four noble houses damaged our reputation."
"I had already broken tradition once by marrying Hīsana without approval."
"So after I brought you in, I made one vow before our ancestors' graves: that I would break no law a third time."
At that moment, a messenger butterfly arrived and hovered before them.
"Upon further investigation, Yuta has been found not guilty."
"It was Tsunayashiro Kitsune who deliberately mobilized the secret guards to frame Yuta. He has already been executed."
"Tsunayashiro family..."
Yuta heard the message and looked toward the direction of the Tsunayashiro estate. A heavy exhale left him as he spoke lightly, "Sounds like Tsunayashiro Riku's doing."
Byakuya turned his eyes toward Yuta. "... So that boy really is Yuta. Impressive-and powerful."
"I could feel it. During our battle, he wasn't even fighting seriously."
"I'm glad you're with someone like him."
"With someone like that protecting you... I feel assured."
Rukia's cheeks flushed red.
"Brother-what are you even saying...?"
"Why would he protect me...?"
"I could protect him too...!"
-
Meanwhile, inside the Central 46 chambers-
Ice and snow covered the pillars, walls, and floor.
Sōsuke Aizen gazed across the scenery and commented softly, "It's beautiful. Even though the season hasn't come-it's good to see ice like this now and then."
"So-shall we go, Gin?"
He turned his back toward the fallen form of Tōshirō Hitsugaya without sparing it another glance.
Just then, footsteps echoed from the chamber's entrance.
Unohana Retsu and Kotetsu Isane stepped forward into the cold light of the hall.
"Your moment has come... Captain Aizen-"
"No... I don't believe I should address you as captain any longer."
"You are now the rebel, Sōsuke Aizen."
-
Sōsuke Aizen gave her the faintest smile. "Captain Unohana... good day."
Unohana rested her hands calmly before her hips. "I see you went through great lengths to construct that decoy... is there some deeper plan behind killing the members of Central 46?"
In the reflection of his eyes, the mirror twisted slightly.
"You're clever... but wrong," Aizen said. "It wasn't a decoy."
Unohana and Kotetsu saw him raise his hand-and in it, he held... another Aizen?
Their eyes widened in disbelief-
What was happening?
How could there be two?
"When?" Isane asked aloud.
"When?" Aizen repeated with amusement. "I've had him in my hand the entire time."
"What is this?" Isane asked again, unable to understand.
"You'll see soon enough…"
"Shatter-Kyōka Suigetsu."
In the next instant, the body in Aizen's hand dissolved-transforming into his Zanpakutō. He released it, and the blade plunged into the floor below.
"My Zanpakutō, Kyōka Suigetsu... its ability is complete hypnosis."
"If you've seen it activated once-just once-you fall under its influence permanently."
Unohana narrowed her eyes. "Just once?"
"You've realized it," Aizen confirmed. "Which makes it clearer now, doesn't it? Someone who is blind... cannot be hypnotized. In other words-Tōsen has been under my command from the beginning."
In the next moment-
Central 46's grand doors shattered apart.
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