Hado number ninety?!
The instant that number echoed, a heavy silence fell over everyone who had been following the series since the very first episode. No further explanation was necessary. Anyone even slightly familiar with the world of Bleach knew exactly what that meant.
Kidō had been showcased countless times throughout the story, but up until that point, the highest level ever shown on screen barely surpassed the sixties-already something rare and terrifying, like when Byakuya Kuchiki, had used it.
And now, Sōsuke Aizen simply ignored that entire scale of power, leaping straight to the ninetieth level.
It wasn't just excessive.
It was absurd.
It was terrifying.
Under the fixed, incredulous stares of countless viewers, the dark energy gathering in Aizen's hand began to expand. The air around him seemed to bend, compressed by that invisible pressure. Within seconds, the black mass took shape, transforming into dark lightning that twisted together and violently converged.
Then, suddenly, everything condensed.
A gigantic rectangular coffin of black energy materialized, completely enveloping Sajin Komamura and the colossal Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō towering behind him like a living mountain.
BOOOOM!!!
The impact was deafening, as if the world itself had been struck. The black coffin sealed the captain inside, and in the very next instant, it exploded from within with devastating violence, unleashing shockwaves that made the ground tremble.
Aizen, already some distance away from the epicenter, simply turned around calmly. There was no haste, no tension in his movements. Behind him, the black coffin dissolved into particles of energy that scattered into the air, as if it had never existed.
On the ground, covered in blood, his face contorted with pain and helplessness, Komamura lay motionless.
Right there, Aizen had just delivered a classic, unforgettable scene: the true man who doesn't look back at the explosion behind him.
Among the viewers, men stared wide-eyed, unable to hide their shock.
"Another captain… defeated in a single blow?!"
Women covered their mouths, the impact of the scene mixing with pure exhilaration.
"That was… unbelievable. He's terrifying."
In the distance, still sprawled on the ground, Ichigo Kurosaki watched with eyes wide open. His breathing was ragged, his body barely responding, and yet his mind struggled to process what he had just witnessed.
"We're all on the same level… and even so… we can't do anything against him?"
In front of their screens, countless viewers wore the exact same expression of despair. Tōshirō Hitsugaya, portrayed by Peter. Renji Abarai, already wielding his Bankai. The protagonist himself, Ichigo Kurosaki. And now, yet another seasoned captain, Sajin Komamura.
Four captain-level fighters.
Four absolute defeats.
All resolved with a single strike.
There was no way not to feel fear.
There was no way not to feel despair.
Under the hollow, disbelieving gazes of thousands, Aizen finally retrieved the Hōgyoku that Kisuke Urahara had hidden within Rukia Kuchiki's body. The small orb gleamed in his hand, pulsing like the embodiment of all the ambition, betrayal, and meticulous planning that had led the story to this very point.
"You have no further use now," he said, without the slightest emotion.
Then he grabbed Rukia by the collar, lifting her effortlessly, and issued a cold command:
"Kill her, Gin."
Gin Ichimaru kept his habitual smile as he drew his Zanpakutō.
"Pierce her… Shinsō."
The blade extended at terrifying speed, slicing through the air like a gunshot, moments away from impaling Rukia's fragile body.
But at the very last instant, a white-clad figure appeared between them.
Byakuya Kuchiki.
Without hesitation, he threw himself forward, using his own body to block the tip of the sword, and in the same motion, tore Rukia from Aizen's grasp.
"B-Brother Byakuya?!" Rukia cried out, her voice filled with disbelief.
Byakuya, his body pierced and his face drained of color, was already at his limit. Even so, he gently set Rukia down, as if that were the most important thing in the world. Then he staggered and dropped to one knee, barely holding himself upright.
"Well done, Byakuya!" viewers cheered in front of their screens.
In that moment, everyone understood who he truly was.
Cold on the outside.
Burning on the inside.
"Don't move, Aizen!"
"One wrong step and your head will roll!"
At the same time, Yoruichi Shihōin, portrayed by Yasmim Banner, and Soi Fon appeared from opposite sides, their blades pressed against Aizen's neck.
"What an awkward situation… hm?" Gin murmured, taking a step forward.
Before he could advance, he was restrained by Rangiku Matsumoto, portrayed by Summer Johnson, who pressed her blade to his throat. On the other side, Kaname Tōsen was also held back by his own vice-captain.
"It's over, Aizen," Yoruichi declared coldly.
The moment those words were spoken, more powerful presences began to appear. Shunsui Kyōraku. Jūshirō Ukitake. And even the Supreme Commander himself, Yamamoto Genryūsai, portrayed by Jack Creed. Vice-captains emerged one after another, forming a complete encirclement.
Aizen, however, simply smiled.
"What's so funny?" Yoruichi asked, frowning.
It was impossible to deny it: Yasmim Banner seemed perfectly cast as Yoruichi, flawlessly embodying that mix of elegance, strength, and danger.
"Ah… yes," Aizen replied calmly. "It is over indeed."
The instant those words left his lips, three massive pillars of golden, translucent light descended from the sky, completely enveloping Aizen, Gin, and Tōsen.
Above the Seireitei, the sky split open.
A colossal rift formed, and from within it emerged countless Gillians-Great Hollows whose mere appearance sent chills down the spine. Bone-white masks and gaping mouths like living abysses appeared one after another, filling the heavens.
"Those are… Gillians?!"
"How many are there?!"
"There's something else in there too…!"
Neither the characters on screen nor the viewers watching could suppress the shiver that ran through their bodies.
Under the protection of the light, the ground beneath Aizen's feet cracked, forming steps that slowly began to rise toward the sky.
"Damn it! Are they escaping?!" Soi Fon shouted in fury.
"Stop," Yamamoto commanded in a grave voice. "That is called Antimembrane. It's a Hollow technique used to retrieve their own. Once they're wrapped in that light… there's no way to capture them."
"So you've gone as far as to ally yourself with the Hollows?" Ukitake said, staring at Aizen as he ascended. "Is that what you've become, Aizen?"
High above, bathed in golden light, Aizen maintained his serene smile, looking down as if gazing upon pieces on a chessboard whose outcome had already been decided.
And in that instant, even those who already knew the story felt their hearts race.
The legendary moment had begun.