"Bankai..." Byakuya Kuchiki released his Zanpakutō. "Senbon..."
Pfft!
Byakuya Kuchiki hit the ground before his Zanpakutō could even finish moving.
Sōsuke Aizen, who had just been speaking with Gin Ichimaru, suddenly appeared at Byakuya Kuchiki's side.
"You looked like you still had something left to say," Gin Ichimaru said, spreading his hands. "So I did not make another move."
"It does not matter. When you are sweeping away dust in one breath, there is no difference between one speck and two." Sōsuke Aizen looked toward Muten Natsu. "Sorry for being interrupted earlier." He continued, "Muten Natsu, you have shown me even more possibilities for the Hōgyoku. For example..."
Two figures moved in at once and restrained Sōsuke Aizen from front and back. Yoruichi Shihōin wrapped bandages around Sōsuke Aizen's Zanpakutō, while Suì-Fēng locked his arm from behind and held her blade at his neck.
Sōsuke Aizen lowered his gaze slightly. "Another... familiar face."
"Do not move." Yoruichi Shihōin pressed down slightly on the Zanpakutō. "If you dare move even a little..."
Suì-Fēng smoothly finished the sentence, "I will separate your head from your body at once."
"Is that so?" Sōsuke Aizen's lips curled faintly.
Three towering figures, each nearly ten meters tall, descended from the sky. They were Kaiwan, guardian of the Eastern Shōryūmon Gate, Higonyūdō, guardian of the Southern Shuwaimon Gate, and Danzōmaru, guardian of the Northern Kokuryōmon Gate.
"They..." Sweat appeared on Yoruichi Shihōin's forehead. "You controlled all of them..."
"What will you do now?" Sōsuke Aizen said calmly. "No matter how strong you are, you cannot restrain me while dealing with them at the same time."
"Woooooooh!"
Another huge figure dropped from above. Jidanbō stood in front of the three giants, blocking their path.
Yoruichi Shihōin noticed Kūkaku Shiba sitting on Jidanbō's shoulder, and her expression brightened.
"Kūkaku!"
"Hey, Yoruichi!" Kūkaku Shiba grinned brightly. "I was bored to death, so I went for a walk and somehow ended up here."
"Big Sis!" Ganju Shiba shouted.
"And you are... who?" Kūkaku Shiba did not recognize the mummy. "We will talk later. Jidanbō, let's go!"
"Yeah!"
"Sprinkled on the bones of the beast! Sharp tower, red crystal, steel ring. Move and become the wind, stop and become the calm. The sound of warring spears fills the empty castle!"
Kūkaku Shiba struck first. "Hadō #63. Raikōhō!"
Golden lightning tore through the air with a thunderous roar. The raging bolt slammed directly into Higonyūdō's massive body and blasted him away.
At the same time, Kaiwan and Danzōmaru ignored their fallen companion and charged straight toward Jidanbō.
Jidanbō knocked both of them down with a punch each, kicking up clouds of dust.
"Well, that was pretty dramatic..." Gin Ichimaru waved his hand to disperse the dust. "What should we do now?"
Tap.
Rangiku Matsumoto grabbed Gin Ichimaru's wrist and pressed her Zanpakutō against his throat.
"You had better not move."
Rangiku Matsumoto knew perfectly well the gap in strength between herself and Gin Ichimaru. If Gin Ichimaru showed even the slightest intention of resisting...
"Sorry, Captain Aizen," Gin Ichimaru said. "I have been restrained."
Sōsuke Aizen glanced at him, and the smile at the corner of his mouth faded.
"That is enough." Yoruichi Shihōin spoke calmly.
"What did you say?" A cold light reflected off Sōsuke Aizen's glasses, making it impossible to tell who he was addressing.
"You still have not realized it, Aizen?" Yoruichi Shihōin stared at him like a predator locking onto its prey. "You now... have nowhere left to run."
Several figures appeared one after another. Every Captain and Lieutenant still capable of fighting had arrived.
"Heh heh heh..." Sōsuke Aizen let out a quiet laugh.
Yoruichi Shihōin demanded, "What are you laughing at?"
"Ah... my apologies," Sōsuke Aizen said softly. "It is time."
Yoruichi Shihōin sensed something was wrong. She looked up and immediately shouted.
"Get back, Suì-Fēng!"
Even without knowing what had happened, Suì-Fēng chose to trust Yoruichi Shihōin instantly.
That decision saved her life.
Golden light shattered the sky as it descended, enveloping Sōsuke Aizen, Gin Ichimaru, and Kaname Tōsen.
Suì-Fēng's leg was only brushed by the light, yet a large section of flesh vanished completely.
Gin Ichimaru waved Rangiku Matsumoto aside.
"What a pity..."
"You should have held on a little tighter just now. Goodbye, Rangiku." Gin Ichimaru turned his head and smiled within the golden light. "Sorry."
The sky split open, pale arms stretching out from the crack and tearing it wider.
One Menos after another emerged from the opening, roaring loudly.
Behind them, a purple fissure appeared. Within it, an eye even larger than the Menos slowly opened a narrow slit.
Within the golden light, the ground beneath the three shattered, lifting their bodies into the sky.
"They are floating!" Marechiyo Ōmaeda shouted in shock.
"Trying to escape..." Tetsuzaemon Iba drew his Zanpakutō.
An aged voice rang out.
"Do not move!"
"Captain Commander..."
"That light is called Negación. Menos only use it when rescuing their own kind." Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto continued, "Once someone is enveloped by that light, the space inside and outside it become two completely isolated worlds that cannot interfere with each other. Anyone who has fought Menos knows this. From the moment that light appears, no one can harm them anymore."
"Tōsen!"
Covered in blood, Sajin Komamura struggled back to his feet.
"Come down here, Tōsen! Your justice... where did it go?!"
"Komamura, I already told you." Kaname Tōsen looked at his miserable state. "What these eyes of mine see is always the path with the least sacrifice. Justice has always been there. The path I walk is what is called justice."
"Tōsen..."
Sajin Komamura watched his figure drifting farther and farther away. For a brief moment, he wished Kaname Tōsen had been controlled by Sōsuke Aizen, just like those three gate guardians.
But...
That was not the case.
Jūshirō Ukitake's white hair fluttered in the wind.
"Why would you do this?"
Sōsuke Aizen looked down at everyone below.
"To pursue a higher realm."
"So you have fallen this far?" Jūshirō Ukitake frowned deeply. "Aizen..."
"Ukitake, perhaps you are the arrogant one." Sōsuke Aizen rose higher into the sky. The shattered heavens, the countless Menos, and that enormous eye all became the backdrop behind him. "From the beginning, there has never been anyone in the heavens. Not you, not me, not even God."
"But this unbearable vacancy of the throne in heaven is about to end."
Sōsuke Aizen removed his glasses and brushed his smooth hair back. The glasses crumbled into dust in his hand as his figure was gradually swallowed by the black rift in the sky.
"From this day forward, I will stand in the heavens."
"Farewell, Shinigami. And farewell, Ryoka."
A strand of hair fell across his forehead, swaying gently as he turned and stepped into the darkness. Before disappearing, he glanced back once.
"Until we meet again."