"Tosen?"
In the 4th Division, Komamura Sajin, severely injured from his battle with Ichigo, ignored his own injuries and immediately got up from his sickbed.
He couldn't believe that his close friend, who shared his sense of 'justice', would betray the Seireitei!
Rip-
Grabbing his Captain's Haori from the nearby clothes rack and putting it on, Komamura didn't even take the hat that concealed his features and immediately used Shunpo to rush towards Sokyoku Hill.
Tosen's Reiatsu was there.
Komamura wanted to personally ask Tosen why he had abandoned 'justice'!
"Captain Komamura!"
The Shinigami in the 4th Division had just recovered from the previous announcement when they saw Komamura rush out.
"Your injuries aren't healed yet!"
However, their voices no longer reached Komamura's ears.
"Captain Aizen... Captain Aizen is alright?"
"That's really great..."
"Wuwu..."
Holding her Zanpakuto, Hinamori Momo, upon hearing this announcement, forgot about her ongoing battle with Hitsugaya and immediately crouched down and cried.
Seeing this scene, Hitsugaya's face turned ashen.
Momo was his childhood friend, and Hitsugaya naturally couldn't seriously injure her, so he held back throughout the fight.
While fighting, Hitsugaya also explained to Momo that he hadn't killed Aizen, and that everyone had been deceived by Aizen.
But unfortunately, Momo, who had witnessed Hitsugaya nail Aizen to the high tower with her own eyes, didn't believe Hitsugaya's words at all. Instead, she accused him of not being satisfied with killing Aizen and now wanting to tarnish Aizen's reputation.
Now, hearing the announcement from the 4th Division Captain Unohana, Momo's first reaction wasn't that Aizen had betrayed the Seireitei and the Gotei 13, but that Aizen wasn't dead...
"Hmph!"
Snorting coldly, Hitsugaya stopped paying attention to Momo and turned to fly towards Sokyoku Hill.
Earlier, he had sensed significant fluctuations in Kukaku and Ganju's Reiatsu, as if they were severely injured.
But soon, Kukaku's Reiatsu rapidly recovered, and Ganju's Reiatsu stabilized, so Hitsugaya wasn't in such a hurry to get there.
"Wait for me, Shiro-chan!"
Momo was originally crying. After Hitsugaya left, she suddenly remembered hearing something about Aizen betraying the Seireitei and hurriedly got up to follow.
While chasing, she kept saying, "Shiro-chan, Captain Aizen must have his reasons, you can't..."
Hitsugaya, seeing Momo catching up, initially thought about bringing her along, but hearing her say that, he became unwilling.
Whoosh-
Seeing Hitsugaya's figure rapidly disappear before her eyes, Momo was momentarily stunned.
Momo wasn't stupid.
From Hitsugaya's behavior, she naturally could see that the current Hitsugaya probably disliked her very much.
But thinking about it, it was understandable.
Hitsugaya had been explaining all along, but she didn't believe him.
Now, expecting Hitsugaya to treat her the same as before was unrealistic.
However, in the end, Momo's concern for Aizen won out in her heart. Gritting her teeth, Momo still erupted her Reiatsu and hurried towards Sokyoku Hill.
…
Sokyoku Hill.
After Kyoya calmed Ichigo, he turned his gaze towards Aizen's side.
"Aizen!"
Earlier, during the battle between Ichigo and Aizen, Sui-Feng couldn't intervene.
Only after Ichigo removed his mask did Sui-Feng roar and launch an attack at Aizen.
After meeting Yoruichi and resolving their misunderstanding, Sui-Feng's hatred for Aizen, the chief culprit who caused her Yoruichi-sama to leave the Seireitei without her, was bone-deep.
Aizen showed some regard for Ichigo's attacks.
But towards Sui-Feng, Aizen was much more casual.
Putting away the Hogyoku, Aizen slightly sidestepped, avoiding Sui-Feng's attack, then waved his left hand. Yellow thunder roared-
"Hado #63, Raikoho!"
Boom!
Amidst the roaring thunder, Sui-Feng, covered in black smoke, was sent flying far away. After rolling on the ground a few times, she stopped moving.
"Aizen!"
At this moment, the 7th Division's Captain, Komamura Sajin, happened to arrive.
He originally wanted to confront Tosen, but after seeing Sui-Feng instantly severely injured by Aizen, he knew now wasn't the time for catching up.
"Roar… Tenken!"
With Komamura's roar, a giant hand wielding a several-dozen-meter-long great sword slashed down towards Aizen's location.
Boom!
Aizen lightly jumped, avoiding Komamura's attack.
Simultaneously, black Reiatsu gathered in his palm, forming a small black sphere like a black hole, emitting several black lightning bolts.
"Hado #90, Kurohitsugi!"
With Aizen's low chant, the black hole-like sphere in his hand instantly disappeared, while a black barrier over ten meters high rose around Komamura, completely enveloping him.
Swoosh-
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh-
In an instant, the sound of countless blades piercing flesh could be heard.
After the Kurohitsugi barrier dispersed, dozens of blood flowers burst from Komamura's body, and he collapsed onto the ground.
"Captain Aizen's Kido is truly astonishing."
"To be able to easily defeat Captain Komamura with an incantation-less Hado #90."
By this time, Gin had finished treating Tosen, and they both came to Aizen's side.
"Not at all."
Although the proud expression on Aizen's face was obvious to anyone, his tone remained gentle and modest.
"An incantation-less Hado #90 is still too weak."
"Probably only about one-third the power of the complete version."
Hmm, indeed very modest.
That is to say, if Aizen didn't forgo the incantation, a single Kurohitsugi could directly kill a Captain-level powerhouse.
"Apologies, Aizen-sama."
Although Tosen had received treatment from Gin, he still appeared somewhat weak.
"For making you take action personally, I am truly sorry."
"No, Tosen."
Aizen shook his head. "After all, Captain Kyoya was once the [Kenpachi] of the Gotei 13. Not to mention you, even if I had taken action, the outcome probably wouldn't have been any different."
Gin narrowed his eyes.
'Was Aizen saying this to comfort Tosen, or was he telling the truth?'
'Could Kyoya actually make Aizen this apprehensive?'
Suddenly, Gin's expression shifted, and he raised his left hand.
The next moment, a delicate hand grabbed Gin's wrist, and a sharp Zanpakuto was placed against his neck.
"Captain Ichimaru, you are under arrest!"
The one who appeared behind Gin and grabbed him was naturally the 10th Division Captain, Matsumoto Rangiku.
"Sorry, Captain Aizen, I've been caught."
Swish, swish-
As soon as Gin's words fell, two figures had already appeared beside Aizen, pressing their Zanpakuto against Aizen's neck and lower back.
"Don't move, Aizen!"
These two people: one was Yoruichi, who had returned to her true form, and the other was Kuchiki Rukia.
As for Tosen, he was kicked down by Kukaku, who stepped on his back, grinning: "Hey, you bastard, you like to play dirty, huh?"
"Want to play again now?"
"Tsk tsk, so pitiful..."
Seeing this scene, Ikkaku and Yumichika shook their heads on the side.
However, they didn't think Kukaku was being excessive.
After all, as a Captain of the Gotei 13, for Tosen to resort to ambushes was something that would be collectively despised by the Shinigami of the 11th Division.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh-
With the sound of wind, the other Captains of the Gotei 13 also arrived at Sokyoku Hill.
Including the previously fiercely battling Captain-Commander Yamamoto and his two 'rebellious disciples'.
"Is everyone here?"
Although held at sword-point by two blades and surrounded by numerous Captains, Aizen's face showed no particular expression.
"Aizen, do you admit your crimes?"
Yamamoto glanced at the many Army Commanders of the Revolutionary Army before questioning Aizen directly.
"Oh? Captain-Commander Yamamoto, what crimes have I committed?"
"Slaughtering the Central 46, killing the nobles of the Seireitei's inner court..."
"Which one is not a major crime?"
"Captain-Commander, isn't this what you hoped for?"
Aizen's gaze swept past Kyoya.
The Central 46, he killed them… Aizen admitted that.
As for the nobles in the Seireitei's inner court, without even thinking, Aizen knew whose work it was.
After all, Kyoya was the one who barged in while he was killing the Central 46's members, explicitly stating that if he didn't do it, Kyoya would kill them all and pin it on him.
Clearly, after leaving the Central 46 Compound, Kyoya had also visited the inner court.
However, Aizen wouldn't say this.
On one hand, whether he massacred nobles or not had little impact on Aizen.
The Hogyoku was already in his possession, so whether he stayed in the Seireitei or not didn't matter much.
In fact, after seeing Kyoya in the underground trial chamber of the Central 46, Aizen had already decided that he must leave the Seireitei!
The Royal Guard of the Soul King Palace, although they also made Aizen apprehensive, ultimately, since its formation, the Royal Guard had never descended except to extend invitations to those who met the requirements.
Even during the great war between Shinigami and Quincies a thousand years ago, Ichibe'e negotiated with the Quincy Leader, Yhwach, by inviting Yhwach and his group to the Soul King Palace… they didn't descend from the palace.
But Kyoya was different.
Although Kyoya's main base was currently in the Rukongai, and the Seireitei had the barrier blocking it, with even members of the Revolutionary Army needed to pay a significant price to enter the Seireitei without using the four gates, Kyoya was different.
As long as Kyoya wished, neither the four great gates, nor the barrier, nor even the Sekkiseki Wall surrounding the Seireitei could hinder him in the slightest.
Staying near Kyoya, Aizen felt no sense of security.
Although this lack of security could help Aizen fuse better with the Hogyoku, before reaching that stage, Aizen didn't want to live in such fear every day.
Even though Kyoya had already stated he would wait for his evolution, Aizen still didn't believe it.
Just as he told his Espada, "Do not trust me.", he naturally wouldn't truly trust Kyoya either.
It would be more accurate to say he believed Kyoya's words, but he wouldn't place his safety on Kyoya's 'keeping his promise'.
Herbivores travel in herds, alpha walk alone!
Without a doubt, Aizen was an 'alpha'!
He absolutely would not allow himself such weak thoughts.
Yamamoto snorted coldly. "Preposterous!"
Indeed, when Kyoya initially proposed the simulated war between the Revolutionary Army and the Gotei 13 using the execution of Shiba Miyako as the event, he had told Yamamoto that he would clean out some nobles.
This naturally received Yamamoto's silent consent.
After all, Yamamoto was old, not stupid.
Over the past century, the nobles had been gradually eroding the Gotei 13's authority through the Central 46 and castrating the fighting spirit of the Gotei 13's Shinigami… Yamamoto wasn't unaware of it.
It's just that he believed he was about to step down, and these problems should be left for the next Captain-Commander to handle, allowing them to gain the support of most Shinigami right at the start of their term.
Ultimately, this was something Yamamoto left for Kyoraku to use to establish his authority.
But because of the prophecy regarding the Quincy Progenitor, Yhwach, Yamamoto didn't know what state the Seireitei would be in after this war.
Perhaps the future would be as Yhwach prophesied: he would seize the world within nine days.
If that happened, this world would likely face the greatest 'demon'.
At that time, these nobles, to survive, would inevitably side with Yhwach and commit even more extreme acts.
After all, unlike the selfless Soul King, Yhwach had 'desires'.
He wanted to become 'complete'.
The current Yhwach was incomplete.
Although the son of the Soul King, like a Hollow, he needed to devour souls to obtain the five senses, power, and life.
But he's also unlike Hollows.
Hollows, upon evolving to Vasto Lorde, can survive without devouring souls and will never degenerate.
But without enough souls, Yhwach would degenerate back to his initial state of no knowledge, no sensation.
Furthermore, the fear of death from the souls he devoured constantly affected Yhwach.
Therefore, after seizing the world, he would return the world to chaos, blur the boundaries between life and death, and eliminate everyone's fear of death.
Thus, even if more souls were devoured by Yhwach in the future, he would no longer feel fear.