From the very moment Kurosaki Ichigo was born, Aizen had already taken notice.
Ichigo was an anomaly—a being who carried within his body the intertwined essences of Shinigami, Hollow, Quincy, and Fullbringer. According to Aizen's design, Ichigo's power was meant to develop step by step, each evolution falling neatly into his plan.
But the appearance of Kuchiki Shiraha had thrown everything off course.
"So, Captain Aizen," Ichimaru Gin asked, his tone laced with amusement as he toyed with the collar of his haori, "aren't you worried that once Captain Shiraha harnesses the complete power of the Hōgyoku, it'll exceed even your control?"
Considering Shiraha's previous abilities, if he were to wield the fused Hōgyoku, his power could evolve beyond prediction—perhaps even beyond Aizen's reach.
Aizen chuckled softly. "Gin, that sort of thing will never happen." His calm was absolute.
Tōsen Kaname bowed his head slightly, his voice low and respectful. "Lord Aizen, shall we begin preparations for the creation of the Ōken?"
"Yes," Aizen replied, his expression unreadable. "However, the plan has changed slightly. Before creating the Ōken, I'll fuse the two Hōgyoku first."
A faint smile touched his lips.
---
Soul Society — Seireitei
Within the Eighth Division barracks, the air was calm once more.
In the captain's room, Kyoraku Shunsui and Shiraha sat opposite each other on futons, while Nanao Ise stood nearby, pouring sake into their cups.
After leaving the Fifth Division, Shunsui had insisted that Shiraha join him for a drink. Though Shiraha would have preferred to decline, he found it impossible to refuse the older captain's easy persistence.
"Come now, Nanao, pour faster!" Shunsui called cheerfully, raising his cup.
Nanao's brow twitched with irritation, but she filled her captain's cup before turning toward Shiraha with a softer smile.
"Thank you, Vice Captain Nanao," Shiraha said politely.
"It's my duty, Captain Shiraha," she replied, her tone gentle.
"Shunsui, you should probably drink less," Shiraha murmured with a faint smile.
Fortunately, Shunsui's drinking energy was directed mostly at his own cup. Were he trying to match Shiraha's pace, even the composed captain of the Kuchiki Clan might have found himself overwhelmed.
"That Jūshirō sure is slow," Shunsui muttered, lazily swirling his sake. "I wonder when he'll get here."
Before long, the sliding door creaked open. Jūshirō Ukitake entered with Sentarō Kotsubaki and Kiyone Kotetsu following behind.
"Captain Kyoraku, Captain Shiraha—excuse us," Sentarō and Kiyone said in unison, bowing respectfully.
Shiraha nodded slightly in acknowledgment, while Shunsui waved them off with his usual carefree grin. He rose to clasp Jūshirō's shoulder. "You're finally here! Took you long enough."
"Captain Jūshirō," Shiraha greeted with a small smile.
"Captain Jūshirō," Nanao echoed, bowing politely.
Jūshirō sighed as he settled onto a futon. "Shunsui, Shiraha, you two look far too relaxed. Ichigo and Rukia are both still in custody. If not for Sentarō and Kiyone's help, I might not have managed to handle them."
His tone carried both exhaustion and relief.
Since Rukia remained a criminal awaiting re-sentencing, Jūshirō had brought her back to the Thirteenth Division dormitory under his watch. Kurosaki Ichigo, meanwhile, had regained consciousness only minutes after Shiraha, Shunsui, and Nanao departed the Fifth Division. Once Jūshirō explained everything to him, the boy finally stopped his reckless attempts to fight.
Shunsui tilted his head curiously. "That Kurosaki kid is really something. Didn't you say before that he hadn't even mastered Bankai? It's been just one day, and now he's using it?"
Even among the most gifted Shinigami, mastering Bankai typically took decades. Even Byakuya Kuchiki, prodigious as he was, had required nearly eight years to achieve his.
Yet Kurosaki Ichigo had done it in a single day.
Most wouldn't have noticed, but with Shunsui's sharp eye, he could tell immediately that Ichigo's transformation in battle wasn't mere bluff—it was Bankai.
Jūshirō took a sip of sake, shook his head, and sighed. "I don't know…" He barely finished before a fit of coughing overtook him.
"Captain, are you alright?" Kiyone asked, stepping forward in concern.
"Tch! Kiyone beat me to it again," Sentarō grumbled, then quickly added, "Captain, are you okay?"
Jūshirō waved a hand weakly, managing a smile. "I'm fine—it's just my old illness acting up again."
His warmth and gentleness never faded, even in frailty. Among all captains, Jūshirō and the late Aizen Sōsuke had once been known as the kindest.
"Captain Jūshirō, you should drink less," Shiraha advised quietly.
Jūshirō nodded and raised the cup again, taking only a cautious sip.
"Kurosaki Ichigo probably managed to achieve Bankai because he used the Tenshintai—the divine body transformation created by Urahara Kisuke," Shiraha said, his expression calm.
Without the assistance of the Tenshintai, even Ichigo's monstrous talent could never have allowed him to master Bankai in a single day.
Shunsui and Jūshirō exchanged surprised glances.
"The Tenshintai?" Shunsui echoed.
They both remembered that device well. Back when Urahara was still in Soul Society, he had attempted to promote its use across the Gotei 13. But because of the severe conditions attached—achieving Bankai within three days or losing all spiritual power—the method had been banned by Central 46.
Nanao, Sentarō, and Kiyone looked puzzled by the mention, clearly unfamiliar with such a device.
Before anyone could explain further, a sudden pulse of reiryoku filled the room.
A voice rang out across all of Seireitei, transmitted through kidō.
"Bakudō No. 77—Tenteikūra!"
The voice of Chōjirō Sasakibe, Vice-Captain of the First Division, echoed clearly through every captain and vice-captain's mind.
"This is Chōjirō Sasakibe. By order of the Head Captain, I have an announcement for all divisions. Shortly, a Captains' Meeting will be convened to pass final judgment on the punishment of Rukia Kuchiki, as well as the sentencing of those who invaded the Soul Society."
The message ended.
Silence fell over the room.
The time for deliberation was over. The final verdict was about to begin.
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