At the legendary studios of Ishtar,often called the Hollywood of Ishtar,the set of Bleach was finally ready.
There was no extravagant opening ceremony. That decision made a few veteran actors uneasy, but Alex didn't care. He was running on a tight budget, and every single coin mattered. No unnecessary splurges. Every prop, every set piece, every visual detail was under his absolute control.
When Mark, Leorio Sguario, and Joe Sullivan put on their Shinigami uniforms and took hold of their Zanpakutō, they couldn't hide their excitement. A few flashy swings, some exaggerated poses,men, regardless of age, never lose their fascination with swords.
They were all seasoned action actors. Fighting choreography came to them as naturally as breathing. That, too, was one of the reasons Alex had chosen them.
"My God! Just wearing these uniforms is already a win. Forget acting or plot,film a few epic shots like this and it'll be a hit!"
Mark spun Zangetsu with theatrical flair, every movement brimming with exaggerated confidence, as if each swing were a trailer moment.
Then Alex stepped onto the set.
Lightly wavy hair, black-rimmed glasses, the Shinigami uniform perfectly tailored, the captain's haori draped effortlessly over his shoulders…
It was as if Sosuke Aizen himself had walked straight out of the anime and into reality.
"Damn… the director looks incredible!"
"Alex, let's take a picture together!"
"Come on,captains of the Thirteen Divisions, group photo!"
Meanwhile, Emily, Summer Johnson, and Yasmim Banner instinctively stepped back, unable to hide the mix of fascination and unease in their eyes.
Emily was the first to mutter under her breath,
"He looks so refined… who would guess he's a predator underneath?"
She had no idea how perfectly those words described Aizen himself.
For now, Alex had only shared the early portion of the script,ending with Rukia being taken back to the Soul Society by Byakuya. The rest remained hidden. Secret. And Alex was quietly looking forward to the expressions on everyone's faces when the truth finally came out.
Filming officially began.
Despite wearing the captain's haori, Alex wasn't required on screen during the first arc,from Ichigo receiving Rukia's powers to her return to the Soul Society. Instead, he stayed behind the camera, orchestrating everything with surgical precision.
The cast was strong. Even Emily, once criticized for her acting, delivered a stable and confident performance. Orihime didn't demand intense emotional depth,just accuracy and sincerity.
Most eyes, however, were on Samantha Burnes, who played Rukia.
First leading role. First major production. Surrounded by veteran stars.
The pressure got to her. Mistakes piled up. And eventually, tears followed.
"It's okay, it's okay,don't cry."
Alex didn't scold her. He guided her patiently, gently, with practiced ease. Within minutes, the girl who had been sobbing was smiling again, clearly reassured,and clearly charmed.
Emily watched from the side, visibly irritated.
"If I could, I'd have him arrested right now."
She knew this pattern all too well. It wouldn't take long before Samantha fell for Alex's charisma.
"You're exaggerating, Emily… Samantha is almost twenty years younger than him," Whisper whispered cautiously.
Fresh out of high school, Whisper played Hinamori Momo,Aizen's devoted subordinate,and earned a modest paycheck at best.
Emily clicked her tongue silently. The competition just kept growing. And worse,Samantha wasn't just young. She was talented. And undeniably beautiful.
A month passed in the blink of an eye.
The story finally reached the moment when Byakuya takes Rukia back to the Soul Society, while Ichigo,guided by Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shihoin,prepares to storm that world to rescue his friends.
That was when Alex distributed the full Soul Society arc script.
From this point on, everyone would be part of the real core of the story.
"Soul Society… the Thirteen Divisions… the Four Great Noble Houses…"
Mark stared at the pages in disbelief. "Alex, your imagination is terrifying."
"My role as Rangiku doesn't get much focus, does it?" Summer Johnson muttered, skimming ahead.
Then Yasmim Banner suddenly froze.
"Wait,Alex. Why does the Aizen you're playing die so early?"
When they reached the midpoint,where the captain of the Fifth Division, Sosuke Aizen, met his supposed end,the entire room went silent.
What?
The director… written out this soon?
It made no sense.
But as they kept reading, confusion turned into unease. Faces grew tense. Breaths slowed.
Then came the next scene.
Gin Ichimaru entered,bringing Hinamori Momo with him.
And suddenly…
There he was.
Someone who should not have been alive.
Sosuke Aizen.
When the girl, overwhelmed by relief and joy, rushed forward, throwing herself into the arms of the man she admired most,believing she had found her pillar of trust once again,
What awaited her was not warmth.
It was a blade.
Cold. Merciless. Piercing straight through her body.
The strike was clean. Precise. Absolute.
On set, Summer Johnson, Yasmim Banner, and the other actresses covered their mouths almost simultaneously, eyes wide in raw shock. It felt as if the air itself had been drained from the room.
The male actors weren't any better.
No one had seen it coming.
The twist was brutal.
Not just because of the violence,but because of the betrayal.
The man who embodied calm, kindness, and order revealed his true face in a single, unforgiving moment.
Silence fell.
Heavy. Suffocating.
It was the kind of scene that needed no music, no dramatic dialogue.
Its very existence made one thing painfully clear:
From that moment on, Bleach was no longer the story they thought they were telling.