Wearing sunglasses, Tetsuzaemon Iba drew his Zanpakutō and said solemnly, "How can there be so...many Hollows?"
The three figures-among them Aizen Sōsuke-were suspended in the shimmering light as it began to rise slowly.
"They're floating... Are they trying to escape?"
Several vice-captains unsheathed their Zanpakutō and prepared to intercept.
However, Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni raised his voice sharply. "Do not move! That light is the Kōtotsu Membrane, a barrier Hollows use to retrieve their companions. Once engulfed, it creates two separate dimensions. You cannot interfere from outside."
At that moment, Komamura Sajin forced himself up from where he had fallen. Though blood still ran from his injuries, his immense body had mitigated the worst of the damage. He shouted toward the rising light, his voice hoarse but firm.
"Tōsen! Get down here!"
"Do you not understand? Have you forgotten why you became a Shinigami? Was it not for the sake of your friend who died? Was it not to uphold the justice in your heart? Where has that justice gone?"
From within the rising glow, Tōsen's blank eyes turned toward him. "Komamura, I told you before. What these eyes see is the path of least sacrifice. Justice has always been here. The path I've chosen is justice itself."
Komamura's hands clenched tightly at his sides. "Tōsen... you would align yourself with Hollows?"
From below, Ukitake Jūshirō raised his eyes to Aizen. "Why are you doing this?"
"In order to pursue a higher realm," Aizen replied calmly.
"You've fallen, Aizen," Ukitake said with a rough edge in his voice, his expression tightening. "Is this really what you've become?"
But Aizen only smiled faintly. "Ukitake... you are arrogant to believe so."
"From the very beginning, there has been no one seated in heaven. Not you, not me, not even God." His gaze hardened when he spoke that last word, his eyes lingering on Ukitake in a way that seemed pointed, as though addressing something hidden deeper within him-something tied to the Soul King's power.
"But this empty throne in heaven will not remain so for long," Aizen continued. Removing his glasses, he pinched them lightly until they broke between his fingers. He ran his hand back through his hair, revealing his face completely. "From this moment on, I will rule heaven."
The captains and lieutenants below looked up in silence as Aizen's true countenance became visible-calm arrogance painted across it, his eyes showing no warmth at all.
"One month from now, I will destroy Karakura Town with my own hands," Aizen declared, "and I will lay siege to the Soul King's Palace itself. From here, I declare war on you all."
He paused briefly, his eyes narrowing slightly. "And besides... there is someone I look forward to meeting."
When he said this, his gaze shifted through the vast distance until it rested directly toward Yuta. Though the space between them was wide, it felt as though Aizen was staring at him directly.
The next moment, Aizen, Tōsen, and Ichimaru Gin vanished into the dark passage of the Garganta.
Above, the rippling light sealed and disappeared. A heavy silence spread across the battlefield as everyone remained still, the weight of Aizen's words settling into their minds.
Unohana Retsu was the first to move, kneeling to treat Hinamori Momo and Hitsugaya Tōshirō's injuries. Members of the Fourth Division immediately began to assist her.
Hitsugaya stirred not long after, his wounds light enough to allow consciousness to return quickly. The first words from him were filled with urgency. "Hinamori... is she alright?" His fists tightened as guilt flickered across his features. "It's my fault for coming too late. If I had been faster, maybe Aizen could have been stopped..."
His voice trailed as he remembered how decisively Aizen had defeated him before. Even had he arrived earlier, the outcome would not have changed.
Unohana's expression remained serene as she answered softly. "Hinamori is gravely injured. Even my healing Kidō may not be sufficient to save her fully. But if he is willing to intervene... then she can be healed."
Hitsugaya's face snapped toward her at those words. "Who? Tell me. I'll do anything to convince him. As long as he agrees to treat Hinamori, I'll accept any condition."
As if in answer to his plea, spiritual pressure rippled faintly as a figure appeared near the center of the room. It was Yuta, his arrival swift and precise. He used his combined technique-Shunpo merged with his Hirenkyaku-a movement he had long theorized and only recently perfected. Its speed surpassed standard Shunpo, and he called it Shunkyō, Instant Travel.
[You successfully combined Hirenkyaku and Shunpo to create the ultimate movement technique "Shunkyō."]
Yuta's mind turned briefly toward further possibilities, such as incorporating Sonído into the technique for even greater speed, but for now the thought was put aside.
Before anything else could be said, he was suddenly pulled into a tight embrace by a familiar presence. Matsumoto Rangiku had rushed forward and clung to him fiercely, her arms locked tightly as though she intended to merge herself into him. She had felt his absence deeply, his presence constantly on her mind during the recent days-his imprisonment, how to save him, how to clear his name-and now he stood alive before her.
Yuta placed a steadying hand against her back. "Don't worry. I'm fine," he said quietly.
Even as she held onto him firmly, Rangiku's face flushed faintly when she felt the pressure of his body against her own. She whispered beside his ear, "We'll... talk about this later, when we're alone." Only after that did she finally release him.
When Yuta lifted his eyes again, he found Unohana watching him intently. She had stood when she saw the clothing he wore, surprise flickering across her usually composed features.
"This is..." she began softly.
Yuta met her gaze and spoke simply. "That's right. I have become the Great Kidō Chief."
PS GOALS: 150 PS= 5-10 extra chapter on an update.
💕💕
READ 45+ ADVANCED CHAPTER AT MY P@TREON! FOR ONLY 10$
at [email protected] /Zaneninjacat
💕💕
💀💀 gimme powerstones!💀💀