Following right behind Shinji Hirako, Tōshirō Hitsugaya and Sajin Komamura also drew their Zanpakutō, their Reiatsu erupting in an instant.
"Seated upon the frozen heavens—Hyōrinmaru!"
"Roar, Tenken!"
As he watched the three of them release their Zanpakutō, Sōsuke Aizen didn’t react. He didn’t even release his Reiatsu.
He spoke in a calm, composed tone.
"Your Reiatsu has certainly grown stronger. But even so, you still can’t defeat ."
A slight smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he went on.
"I know that very well... and I’m sure you do too."
"Yet despite that, your so-called master still sent you to face ."
"If his goal was to kill , he wouldn’t have only sent the three of you."
"So... what exactly is he planning?"
"To stall ? That’s far beyond your capabilities."
As he spoke, Aizen slowly shook his head, as if the idea itself was laughable.
Then, he continued.
"And earlier, you used ’loyalty’ as a pretext, but you let slip valuable information far too easily. You looked completely unguarded."
"For your master to remain hidden in the Soul Society for so long, he must be soone ticulous. He wouldn’t make a mistake like this."
"All of it... just feels too strange. Suspiciously strange."
"So, was your real purpose simply to let know that you exist?"
Aizen’s voice remained even as he crossed his arms, his gaze sharp and penetrating, as if he could see straight through them.
"If that’s the case, then your master must know who I am—and be absolutely confident in what he’s about to do."
His voice now carried a tinge of curiosity and uncertainty.
He paused, as if a mory had surfaced—of a certain young man.
He had once looked into that young man’s research. In fact, they’d even collaborated once.
"Is he trying to prove sothing? Or... does he want sothing from ?"
Aizen murmured to himself.
His brow furrowed slightly as he pondered the thought.
Upon hearing Sōsuke Aizen’s words, Shinji Hirako, Tōshirō Hitsugaya, and Sajin Komamura all froze, their expressions shifting dramatically.
They exchanged looks, a flicker of shock and concern flashing in their eyes.
Though they already knew the man before them was frighteningly intelligent—so much so that even their master held him in high regard—actually witnessing his brilliance firsthand sent a wave of unease through their hearts.
Their earlier exchange, though laced with tension, had only revealed a small amount of information.
Yet despite how misleading their words were ant to be, Aizen had effortlessly seen through their true intentions!
"Very well. Our master originally wanted us to demonstrate our strength first. Since you’ve already figured it out, there’s no harm in being direct."
Sajin Komamura, the most courteous, glanced at the other two beside him and sighed helplessly.
"Our master seeks revenge against Seireitei. As for your objective, Lieutenant, our master is already aware."
"He has no interest in ruling the world. Perhaps there’s room for cooperation."
"If you join us in destroying Seireitei, we will assist you in building the world you envision."
At those words, Aizen rested his chin on his hand, pondering for a mont before shaking his head.
"Tempting offer, I admit..."
"But—I refuse."
A deathly silence fell over the room. The air itself felt frozen.
Shinji Hirako moved in an instant, his figure flashing as he charged straight at Aizen.
But just as he was about to reach him...
He suddenly realized—with wide-eyed shock—that Aizen had vanished from sight.
A mont later, blinding pain tore through him. Shinji’s face went pale in an instant.
Thud!
A dull, sickening sound rang out. In disbelief, Shinji looked down to see a vivid bloom of blood erupting from his chest.
Blood sprayed like a fountain, splattering across the cold floor in crimson bursts.
His eyes went wide in shock and confusion as his body swayed, then collapsed backward.
His gaze was full of despair and disbelief, as though he couldn’t comprehend what had just happened.
He was stronger than his original self—yet he couldn’t even block a single strike?
"Hirako!"
Sajin Komamura cried out in panic, his voice trembling with worry and fear.
His eyes locked onto Shinji, a deep sense of dread rising in his chest.
Tōshirō Hitsugaya was equally stunned, his mouth agape, too shocked to speak.
None of them had imagined Aizen could take Shinji down in an instant—and with such rciless precision.
Aizen stood there calmly, a faint smile on his face, as if everything that had just occurred was nothing more than a leisurely ga.
His eyes were cold and unfathomable, revealing nothing of his true intentions.
The tension in the room had reached a suffocating peak. A heavy, oppressive atmosphere lood over everyone like the shadow of death.
All eyes were on Aizen. Anxiety and fear filled their hearts. No one knew what he would do next.
Seconds ticked by.
Eventually, Shinji Hirako staggered back to his feet, though the horror on his face remained.
One question echoed endlessly in his mind:
What just happened...? How did I get cut?
Could it have been Kyōka Suigetsu?
Everyone in the Gotei 13 knew that Aizen Sōsuke’s Kyōka Suigetsu could manipulate reflections through mist and water currents to confuse the enemy.
But what confused Shinji most was—he hadn’t seen Aizen release his Zanpakutō.
Aizen had been within his Shikai’s range the entire ti.
So why was his Shikai completely ineffective?
As if reading his thoughts, Aizen’s lips curled into a faint, mocking smile.
"That face... how dull. Surely you’re not naïve enough to think I need to release my Zanpakutō just to deal with soone like you?"
His voice was cold and low, filled with a detached calm the three before him couldn’t comprehend.
He continued slowly.
"Reversing the senses is a decent ability, I’ll give you that. But once soone adapts, it’s not hard to counter."
"The only reason you’re so irrationally confident in Sakanade is because you lack the ability to resist it yourself—so you assu everyone else must be just as incompetent."
Shinji’s face twisted in disbelief, his rage flaring uncontrollably.
His expression contorted with fury, eyes blazing as if he wanted to rip Aizen apart on the spot.
"Aizen! You bastard!!"
Shinji roared through gritted teeth, his voice seething with rage.
He gripped Sakanade tightly, and a torrent of Reiryoku burst from his body like crashing waves.
But Aizen paid him no mind at all.
He slowly turned his head, shifting his gaze elsewhere.
Tōshirō Hitsugaya and Sajin Komamura now stood side by side, both raising their Zanpakutō, unleashing their full power.
"Bankai—Daiguren Hyōrinmaru!"
Hitsugaya shouted, the Reiryoku behind him surging like a frozen river, rapidly spreading outward.
At the sa ti, Komamura roared:
"Bankai—Kokujō Tengen Myō’ō!"
Behind him, his Reiatsu manifested into a towering black-armored warrior, radiating overwhelming might.
Two colossal pillars of Reiatsu shot skyward, twisting like twin dragons in the air.
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