Yushima Ōko wasn't without attempts to stop Aizen's movements.
But under Aizen's meticulous preparation, the Hōgyoku fusion was unbelievably fast.
Before Yushima Ōko could even use his Zanpakutō's ability to absorb the Hanmaku (Reversal Membrane) around Aizen, Aizen had already completed the fusion.
"So this is the complete Hōgyoku?"
Aizen looked at the smooth, rounded Hōgyoku in his hand, and for once, a trace of joy appeared on his face.
To obtain this Hōgyoku, he had planned for nearly a hundred years.
Even if it wasn't truly his own effort that made Urahara Kisuke hand over the half he held… with Higashino Shuuichi involved, if you rounded it off, it still counted as Aizen's doing.
After all, Higashino Shuuichi was a Shinigami Aizen had personally raised, step by step.
Aizen sent the Hōgyoku into his own body.
It went in smoothly, with not even the slightest discomfort.
Then, outside the Hanmaku, Yushima Ōko saw a layer of faint, shimmering light ripple around Aizen's body.
That light didn't feel like Reiatsu, nor did it resemble any offensive technique. It was fast—so fast Yushima Ōko's eyes couldn't track it—as it pierced through his body and expanded outward into the distance.
What was Aizen trying to do?
That thought flashed through Yushima Ōko's mind.
Then he got his answer.
Because the turbulent currents of the Dangai (Precipice World) vanished.
The chaotic, overlapping Reiatsu that had tormented countless Shinigami vanished.
Where that shimmering light swept past, the entire space became hollow—empty, without substance.
Even the Kōtotsu (Cleaner), the creatures that lived within the Dangai and maintained its ecosystem, were all exterminated in that instant.
"How can this be?
This can't be!!"
Yushima Ōko shouted at Aizen in panic.
Everything happening before him had completely surpassed his understanding—no, Yushima Ōko could say with certainty: this wasn't something a normal Shinigami could ever accomplish!
If the Dangai were this easy to deal with, how could it have stood between Soul Society and the Human World for thousands of years?
"King of the Dangai… heh."
Aizen's eyes now gleamed with a blue, gemstone-like light—the Hōgyoku's power beginning to answer his will.
"Above all the heavens, there will only be one king.
And that king… isn't you."
Aizen extended his hand and curled his fingers slightly.
In that same moment, the shimmering light that had traveled far away snapped back in full.
Only this time, it was no longer harmless.
When the light passed through Yushima Ōko again, he felt as though even his soul was about to be dragged away with it.
He drove everything he could—Reiatsu, spiritual power, Zanpakutō power… everything available to him—yet in the end, he only barely managed to keep himself alive.
A dull thud echoed in the empty world.
It was the sound of Yushima Ōko dropping to his knees.
If he hadn't bound his power so deeply to the Dangai itself, he might not have suffered such a crushing backlash from the Dangai's annihilation.
But there was no "if."
Even if someone had told Yushima Ōko in advance that someday, someone could destroy the entire Dangai in an instant…
He would have scoffed.
How could something like that ever happen?
And yet it did.
Yushima Ōko had once, within the Dangai, imitated Karakura Town and personally built a sealed city.
He had wanted to present it as a gift to Higashino Shuuichi.
Because he knew Shuuichi-sama loved the Human World—more than once, he had said that if he had the chance, he would rather live there long-term.
But now… everything was gone.
Just from that single act, Yushima Ōko's conviction shattered.
He still had strength left. If he forced himself, he could even release his Zanpakutō and use Bankai to gamble one more time against Aizen.
But when the thing he had always taken pride in was erased with what looked like Aizen's casual, effortless strike—
All Yushima Ōko felt now was suffocation, and collapse.
In the end, he simply lacked the life experience and tempering that Kisaragi Shūsuke had.
If the same thing happened to Kisaragi Shūsuke, he would only grow fiercer the more desperate it became.
Aizen, too, was deeply disappointed in Yushima Ōko.
He felt Higashino Shuuichi's eye for people wasn't very good.
Look at the subordinates Aizen himself chose—aside from Tōsen Kaname, whom he recruited only because the man was blind and naturally didn't fall for Kyōka Suigetsu…
Higashino Shuuichi and Ichimaru Gin—weren't they both hard, ruthless monsters who could fight a hundred alone?
But Higashino Shuuichi's own subordinates… sheltered under his protection, they hadn't even polished their mindset.
"The world above isn't for you, master of the Dangai."
Aizen lightly corrected Yushima Ōko's wording. Then he raised a fingertip.
In that instant, massive Reiatsu gathered above Yushima Ōko, condensing into a spear that dropped with savage force.
The spearhead pierced in from the back of Yushima Ōko's neck, along the spine, nearly impaling his entire body, pinning him firmly in place.
Even the angle of the strike alone promised bone-deep agony, but Yushima Ōko—his worldview already mercilessly crushed—only let out a few muffled sounds.
If you counted the Dangai's different flow of time compared to the outside, Yushima Ōko had already trained for over a thousand years.
Before today, he truly believed he stood among the top tier of Shinigami.
Heaven rewards diligence. Hard work makes up for talent.
Yushima Ōko had always believed those sayings he'd heard in the Human World.
But…
"In the end… am I still a worthless piece of trash…?"
As Yushima Ōko's pupils began to lose focus, what he saw was the scene from before he ever met Higashino Shuuichi—when he was bullied in the Seventh Division and the Twelfth Division.
His life had begun with people calling him trash.
Was it going to end… with him dying as trash?
"You've gone a bit too far, Aizen Sōsuke."
Suddenly, a familiar voice reached Yushima Ōko's ear.
The owner of that voice was…
"You just came over like this? Aren't you afraid that skin you're wearing will peel off, Shuuichi~?"
Aizen turned around, smiling as he looked at the person who had suddenly barged into the Dangai.
"I saw Ōko drag you into the Dangai, so I figured this was probably how it would end.
After all, this is the Dangai. Even you, without fusing the Hōgyoku, wouldn't be able to beat Ōko fighting on his home turf.
Not to mention, Kyōka Suigetsu isn't a secret to us anymore.
As for my Quincy cover, don't worry about it.
Thanks to you, over at Sōkyoku Hill, Kyōraku Shunsui and Ukitake Jūshirō—who just arrived—are busy treating those three Shinigami you grievously injured.
No one has the time to notice where I went."
Higashino Shuuichi had actually learned this information earlier from Kabuma Sayako—about Yushima Ōko, Kisaragi Shūsuke, and the others.
And it was only because Yushima Ōko and Kisaragi Shūsuke usually didn't hide much from Kabuma Sayako. Otherwise, Higashino Shuuichi might not have made it here in time.
"Is that so?
Then I suppose… all the spectators are in place now~"
Aizen showed keen interest in how the Shinigami lineup at Sōkyoku Hill had changed.
Higashino Shuuichi quickly moved to Yushima Ōko's side. While using Kaidō (Healing Arts) on him, he pulled the Reishi spear from Ōko's body.
"I should remind you: that 'excellent subordinate' of yours with bad intentions, Ichimaru Gin, let Shiba Isshin go. Which means Urahara Kisuke already knows what's happening here.
And the Twelfth Division captain, Kurotsuchi Mayuri, has already slipped away while you were dragged into the Dangai.
What that could lead to next… I don't need to spell it out for you, do I?"
Because Yushima Ōko had nearly died from Aizen's brutal strike, Higashino Shuuichi was furious.
So this time, he spoke to Aizen without the usual polite "Aizen-sama," and addressed him directly as "you."
But Aizen didn't care about that detail at all.
With the complete Hōgyoku already in hand, he didn't care what kind of attitude Higashino Shuuichi took.
In Aizen's eyes, he had shown mercy by helping Higashino Shuuichi "clean up" a useless subordinate like Yushima Ōko.
If Higashino Shuuichi didn't appreciate it, that was Higashino Shuuichi's problem.
"Urahara Kisuke… heh.
Shuuichi, remember this: a true king does not fear any challenge~"
With that, Aizen gave Higashino Shuuichi no chance to comment and vanished from where he stood.
It wasn't Shunpo (Flash Step), it wasn't Sonído (Resounding Step), and it wasn't Hirenkyaku (Flying Scythe Step).
But Aizen left anyway—just like that.
It made Higashino Shuuichi's urge to complain about Aizen showing off in front of him twist into something uncomfortable.
Logically, a complete Hōgyoku at this stage shouldn't have boosted Aizen this much.
Then Higashino Shuuichi looked around at the now-empty Dangai.
Because of him, he had a bad feeling that this Aizen Sōsuke—this time around—was far more confident and arrogant than the Aizen in the original story.
And that confidence seemed to be allowing the Hōgyoku's power to bloom more fully within him.
Perspective returns to Sōkyoku Hill in Soul Society.
There was one thing Higashino Shuuichi hadn't mentioned to Aizen.
The reason no one noticed his departure as a "mere Quincy" wasn't only because Aizen had practically insta-killed and grievously injured three captain-class Shinigami.
It was also because, in the eyes of the remaining Shinigami, Aizen hadn't defeated three captain-class opponents—
He'd defeated four.
In their eyes, Yushima Ōko had also been crushed and felled by "Aizen" with overwhelming ease.
But while Higashino Shuuichi, because his Reiatsu had been far above Aizen's at the time, wasn't affected by Kyōka Suigetsu…
That very fact meant Higashino Shuuichi had no idea what kind of illusion Aizen had left behind for the others.
Of course, he could have guessed from the Shinigami's behavior.
But there was no need.
He was long past the phase of needing to "prove" himself in front of Aizen.
So Higashino Shuuichi simply skipped over it.
But the Shinigami at Sōkyoku Hill couldn't.
After "Aizen" once again insta-killed Yushima Ōko—someone with captain-class strength who had previously suppressed Kuchiki Byakuya with ease—
Soifon used her fearsome mobility again, found the opening, and launched another sneak attack from behind.
Suzumebachi struck the same spot where the hornet crest had been left before.
Nigeki Kessatsu (Two Strikes, One Kill) activated!
The result didn't need to be explained.
Even if the one Soifon struck had been the real Aizen, the gap in their Reiatsu meant her ability still could not possibly work.
"Surprised?
Confused?
Does it feel unbelievable?
That's because, a battle between Shinigami is—"
In the eyes of all Shinigami present, the "Aizen" who had been struck spread his arms, smiling, and lectured Soifon as if reciting a fixed formula.
But in Soifon's icy eyes, there wasn't even a hint of surprise.
"A battle of Reiatsu. I know. You don't need to tell me.
Someone taught me that a hundred years ago!"
"Then the reason you still did it is—"
"Aizen" frowned slightly.
To this day, no one knew how Aizen managed to control so many layers of Kyōka Suigetsu across such a wide range without revealing a flaw.
But that wasn't the key.
The key was this:
The voice that answered "Aizen" now didn't come from Soifon.
It came from below—among the non-captain Shinigami Aizen had never taken seriously.
"Bankai, Daiguren Hyōrinmaru!"
It was Hitsugaya Tōshirō—the genius Shinigami who, right after graduating the Shin'ō Academy, became the Third Seat of the Tenth Division.
Because of Matsumoto Rangiku, Soifon's relationship with this young boy was decent.
And she also knew that not long ago, Hitsugaya Tōshirō had achieved the feat of single-handedly fighting the Sixth Espada, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, in the Human World.
So if Soifon had to find someone among the remaining Shinigami at Sōkyoku Hill who could coordinate with her…
It could only be this boy.
As for Shihōin Yoruichi?
Sorry—Yoruichi-sama was no longer a Shinigami of Soul Society. She was also on the wanted list. As the captain of the Second Division, Soifon could coordinate with anyone except Shihōin Yoruichi.
Hitsugaya Tōshirō didn't disappoint Soifon's expectation. The moment he unfolded Bankai with force, he swept his blade upward—
"Sennen Hyōrō (Thousand-Year Ice Prison)!"
A freezing aura surged in from all directions of the sky, wrapping around "Aizen," and in an instant, a massive pillar of ice formed in midair.
The "Aizen" trapped inside was frozen so thoroughly that even consciousness would be sealed—let alone calling upon Reishi to fight back.
Did it work?
Every Shinigami held their breath.
Had the once-unstoppable Aizen truly been sealed inside the ice prison like this?
Time passed.
There was still no movement from within.
It worked… right?
Almost all the Shinigami present asked the same question in their hearts.
Maybe "Aizen" had only been forcing it before?
After all, he had already insta-killed four captain-class opponents in a row.
No matter how strong he was, could he really keep fighting so many captain-class Shinigami without pause?
But reality… often runs opposite to ideals.
//Check out my P@tre0n for 30 extra chapters on all my fanfics //[email protected]/Razeil0810.