Because it was so self-evident, he didn't know what to say for a moment.
After all…
He had risked his life to master his Bankai.
He felt like his bones were about to be crushed.
In contrast, this guy in front of him ran off to the Second Division every day to practice martial arts with girls…
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
At that moment, the door to the office opened again.
Aizen walked in with Hinamori Momo.
"Teacher."
"Teacher."
Shimiya Takeru and Ichigo stood up to greet him.
"Everyone is here, let's get straight to the point."
Aizen came to the desk, looked at the dim night outside the window, and said in a low voice.
"I imagine you all know that not long ago, Urahara Kisuke, Shihōin Yoruichi, and your acquaintance from the Human World, the 'Substitute Shinigami' Inoue Orihime, appeared outside the White Gate as expected."
"Although there are many suspicious points about Urahara, in terms of objective, our positions are almost identical—both are to help Kuchiki Rukia escape this ordeal."
"Because of my advice, the Captain Commander dispatched Captains in advance to drive them out of Seireitei. If nothing goes wrong, they will use Shiba Kūkaku's cannon to invade Seireitei from the sky."
"I won't be wrong about this, because there's only one way."
"The reason we forced them to use this method is also to use them on the surface to disrupt the existing stable situation from within. Otherwise, if the Captains held their respective districts, and Kuchiki Rukia was imprisoned in the First Division's underground great prison, with the Captain Commander himself personally overseeing her, there would be no good opportunities to rescue her until the execution."
"Teacher."
Shimiya Takeru interrupted.
"Even if Urahara's group can directly infiltrate the central area of Seireitei, as long as the Captain Commander doesn't leave, even if the other Divisions fall into disarray, we still won't have a good solution."
"That's right, so we must find a way to distract the Captains before the execution."
Aizen smiled, looking at the well-behaved girl beside him.
"Urahara's group will undoubtedly attract some attention, and we will sow discord among the other Captains."
"Although it's not a brilliant scheme, if launched in these two days before the execution, it will be very difficult to uncover the truth amidst the increasingly chaotic situation."
"Our goal is to ensure that the number of Captains attending the execution on the day itself does not exceed half, thereby indirectly weakening the defensive forces and increasing our chances of rescue, but achieving this goal requires Hinamori's sacrifice."
Although she could help the Captain, Hinamori Momo truly couldn't smile.
Because Aizen's plan was to write a suicide note under her name, then fake the scene of her discovering Ichimaru Gin's conspiracy and being killed by him.
This would make her childhood friend, Tōshirō Hitsugaya, target Ichimaru Gin.
This way, two Captains wouldn't be able to focus on the current ryoka invasion, and it would also expose more of Ichimaru Gin's misdeeds.
It was equivalent to having Toushiro help collect evidence and, during the execution, no matter what schemes the other party had, it would serve as an obstruction, or even destroy them.
It was killing two birds with one stone.
"But how should we fake it… I don't think it's possible to fool Retsu Unohana."
Ichigo was a little worried.
"No need to worry, my Zanpakuto… Kyōka Suigetsu is a Kido-type Zanpakuto, its ability is 'Complete Hypnosis'… as the name suggests, it can completely confuse others' five senses, making it difficult for them to distinguish between true and false."
Aizen gently patted the Zanpakuto at his waist.
"What? Captain Aizen's Zanpakuto isn't water-type? And isn't its ability to use mist reflection to make enemies kill each other?"
Hinamori Momo was greatly alarmed.
"I apologize, Hinamori… The reason I declared it as such is because I believe this ability is too dangerous and easily invites gossip, just as the Eleventh Division is prejudiced against Kido-type Zanpakuto. As a Captain, I don't wish to lose everyone's trust because of it."
"But now, I can't worry about such things. Si Gong student and Kurosaki-kun have trained so hard these days, and I can no longer keep it hidden. This would be unfair to them."
Aizen's expression was solemn.
Hinamori Momo was intimidated by his aura, her lips moved, but she couldn't speak.
"Teacher, we will keep it a secret. Once we leave this door, you are still a water-type Zanpakuto, and I am still a flash-type Zanpakuto."
"Shimiya is right, we'll keep it a secret… Wait, what type did you say you are?"
Ignoring Ichigo's question, Shimiya Takeru vowed:
"Actually, it doesn't matter if it's exposed. Teacher's character is noble and deeply ingrained in people's hearts. Compared to Ichimaru Gin, who clearly isn't a good person, anyone would believe that Teacher is the good one."
"If anyone thinks you are outwardly honest but actually cunning because of your illusion-type ability, that only shows they are too shallow."
"You should know that life is full of many lies and untruths. Only by seeing through these can one become a true sage."
"A teacher with such an ability is precisely a sage who pursues truth and yearns for reality."
"Shimiya is right, Teacher has taught us many things. If anyone dares to say you spout nonsense, I'll beat them up good."
Ichigo expressed his agreement wholeheartedly.
"Captain Aizen, I will always support you!"
Hinamori Momo was also greatly encouraged and no longer cared about the Zanpakuto's ability.
"Everyone…"
Aizen seemed greatly relieved, his expression deeply moved, as he gently adjusted his glasses, a strange light flashing in his eyes.
"As you can see, Urahara's group consists of only three people. After Hinamori's faked death, we also have only three people. Compared to the Gotei 13, this behemoth, we are like ants… But there is no need to fear, no need to waver. Just follow the plan and advance and retreat together."
"Before us, there are no enemies."
At this moment, the three teachers and students looked at each other and smiled, exuding an awe-inspiring and fearless aura.
This filled Hinamori Momo with a sense of security.
Because… she couldn't imagine who these three could lose to.
…
The next day.
First Division Captains' meeting room.
All Captains and Lieutenants were summoned.
"…Considering the opponent is the former head of the Technical Development Bureau, who may possess unpredictable means, each Division must heighten its vigilance, strictly adhere to wartime standards, report any special circumstances to this old man immediately, and compile the intelligence to be sent to the Twelfth Division to inform Captain Kurotsuchi, to prevent any loopholes from being exploited."
Thump.
Yamamoto Genryūsai struck his staff on the ground, bringing the meeting to a close.
"—That is all, dismissed."
Toushiro frowned, preoccupied with his thoughts, and prepared to leave.
Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Aizen and Ichimaru Gin exchanging a few words as they brushed past each other. At this distance, he could hear them quite clearly.
"Are you satisfied now?" Aizen.
"What are you suddenly talking about, Captain Aizen?" Ichimaru Gin.
"In any case, you are not allowed to approach the Fifth Division by even half a step. Hinamori is innocent." Aizen.
"Oh dear, am I that unwelcome? But whether she's innocent or not doesn't seem to have much to do with me. How her fate is decided is clearly in your hands, Captain Aizen… But it seems it's too late to say all this now. That child… has no room for regret." Ichimaru Gin.
Because Hinamori Momo's name was mentioned, Toushiro was momentarily concerned. After Ichimaru Gin left, he quickly caught up with Aizen in the corridor.
"Ai—…"
Just as he spoke, he heard a terrified scream.
"?!"
"!?"
"That direction… the Lieutenant's office? Damn it!"
Toushiro's ominous premonition surged. He and Aizen, who had also heard the commotion, rushed over.
"What happened?!"
Just past the corridor corner, he saw Isane collapsed on the ground, her face terrified and unable to speak.
Toushiro demanded to know what happened, observing his surroundings with extreme vigilance.
Then, he looked up and saw a figure hanging on the Great Eastern Wall.
Her chest was pierced by her own Zanpakuto, pinning her firmly to the smooth cliff face.
Her pupils were unfocused, her skin deathly pale.
Blood stained the cliff, flowing down her body, but it had already dried before reaching the ground.
The girl, who could only be described as a "corpse," was like a piece of dried cured meat.
Yet, with those unfocused eyes, she looked down at the Captains and Lieutenants who had arrived at the news, as if questioning why they didn't save her… The scene was truly chilling.
"This is…! The Fifth Division's… Hinamori Momo?"
Suì-Fēng couldn't help but gasp at the gruesome sight.
Retsu Unohana instinctively wanted to go forward to check the situation, but she was pushed back by a spiritual pressure that was extremely cold yet erupted like a volcano.
It was as if it was saying… No one is allowed to come closer, or I'll kill you all!
Yamamoto Genryūsai once encouraged Shimiya Takeru at a tea party.
He mentioned that this was not the first time a genius had achieved Bankai during their time at the Spirit Arts Academy.
In fact, let alone historical records.
Even the most recent instance was less than thirty years ago.
And that person was the current Captain Hitsugaya.
He possessed the strongest ice-type Zanpakuto, Tōshirō Hitsugaya.
His innate and diligently trained vast spiritual power was displayed in full at this moment. The ground beneath his feet collapsed, forming a disc-shaped torrent of spirit particles, and the wildly escaping spiritual pressure stirred up a whirlwind.
The space was dyed with a layer of gloom as if collapsing, and the invisible gravity almost crushed the Lieutenants present.
"Captain…!"
"Ah…!"
"My body is…!"
"?!"
In the eyes of the squad members, these were also big figures belonging to the Captain class, but now they looked pale and were sweating profusely.
Their strength was continuously draining away… there was no need to even make a move, it wouldn't take long for them to lose all power to resist.
This was the gap between a Captain and a Lieutenant.
But Toushiro never used such a method to assert a Captain's authority, so when he did this, it could only mean that he had almost lost his rationality, and his extreme emotions had reached their peak…
Suddenly, Toushiro's figure flashed and then reappeared in his original spot.
In his arms was a girl who had been dead for some time.
Clearly, he had brought her down from the Great Eastern Wall.
From his almost collapsed crouching posture at that moment, and his trembling arms, it was not difficult to imagine how carefully Toushiro had handled her during the transfer.
Even his almost uncontrolled spiritual pressure was subconsciously restrained.
He was afraid of damaging the girl's remains.
"Hi, Hinamori…!"
Toushiro's pupils shook violently, his hand half-raised, wanting to pull out Hinamori Momo's own Zanpakuto from her chest, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. His face was full of helplessness, and his mind was blank.
"Captain Hitsugaya, she is already dead. Please hand over the body to me as soon as possible… This way, I might still be able to find some clues left by her killer."
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