While Yoruichi Uryū Soi Fon were racing, and Orihime and Orihime were chatting, Ichigo had already defeated Kenpachi and headed to Rukia's imprisonment. The string of towers there was the very place where Renji and Byakuya fought in the original manga.
No one remembers why this place is called the Confession Palace, and the palace itself is nowhere to be found. Only this road remains, leading to a total of fifty towers, from the First Tower of the Confession Palace to the Fiftieth Tower of the Confession Palace.
Ichigo ran wildly across the main road. The Fourth Tower was at the end of the road. Just as Ichigo was running, he suddenly dodged, and a sword appeared and disappeared in an instant.
However, the effect of this knife was far from simple; Ichigo's chest was sliced open, deep enough to expose the bone, and blood gushed out like it was free.
Ichigo whirled around, looking in all directions, but there was nothing there, no one. He closed his eyes to check his Spiritual Power, then dodged again, but unfortunately, his right calf was still pierced through by a blade.
Ichigo, dragging his injured leg, hid by the wall, no longer daring to search for Spiritual Power with his eyes closed. Moreover, the opponent's movements seemed to bypass his senses. Ichigo knew he had encountered another powerful opponent, one completely different from Kenpachi Zaraki —a cunning and ruthless individual.
Suddenly, Ichigo lunged forward, and a sword emerged from behind him, piercing the wall completely. Out of the corner of his eye, Ichigo finally saw what kind of sword it was—a retractable blade. Although it moved incredibly fast, Ichigo's eyesight allowed him to see the blade retract back into the wall.
"Getsuga Tenshō!" Ichigo didn't waste any words and fired a shot. The wall was pierced by Ichigo's attack, releasing a large amount of dust, and then Ichigo's shoulder was pierced through.
"You bastard!" Ichigo cursed, dodging to the side and avoiding the incoming blade once again.
"Who are you!?" Ichigo couldn't take it anymore and shouted, "Come out! If you're a man, come out!"
However, no one came forward. Ichigo miraculously dodged another attack and continued shouting, "Say something! Getsuga Tenshō!"
Ichigo launched an attack in a random direction, but unsurprisingly, it had no effect. He even got slashed in the back. Ichigo realized he was truly helpless; this terrain was too disadvantageous for him and too perfect for his opponent.
Because this place is all walls, and as for outside the walls, Ichigo knows that's the air, but if his Shunpo is good, he doesn't need to care about whether he's floating or not; he can just dash back and forth.
Ichigo lunged forward, and sure enough, a knife came flying at his feet. If Ichigo hadn't dodged, he would have been skewered like a string of candied hawthorns. Suddenly, Ichigo realized he was completely at a disadvantage, which was unacceptable to him.
"Since you want to compete in speed, then let's compete in Tensa Zangetsu!"
Ichigo understood and then rushed forward at top speed. Seeing the tower so close, Ichigo realized the tower seemed to have given up; he was about to rescue Rukia.
"Shoot him! Kamishini no Yari!" Ichigo seemed to hear those words, but he couldn't make them out clearly anymore. He looked down at his abdomen, where it had been completely pierced through. Then, the incredibly long sword suddenly swung horizontally, slicing half of Ichigo's body in two.
At this distance, Rukia heard the sound and came to the fence, witnessing firsthand Ichigo being cut in half at the waist.
"No!!"
Ichigo turned around at the sound and looked at Rukia, extending his hand. Their hands were dozens of meters apart, yet felt like kilometers, but in the current situation, they couldn't make contact.
This kind of injury isn't fatal for Soul Reaper. Ichigo only had his left side severed; the right side is still connected. As long as he receives timely treatment, he'll be fine. The problem now is who will save him.
"Ichigo ~!"
"Rukia!" Ichigo was still trying to stand up, but with half his body severed, the movement caused his upper and lower body to separate from the wound, spurting blood everywhere with a thud. Ichigo collapsed again.
"Enough!! Ichigo! Enough!" Rukia suddenly burst into tears, shaking her head and shouting, "Stop moving! Stop moving!! Someone help him!!"
Rukia was wailing and crying when suddenly the floor where Ichigo was standing exploded, Ichigo fell to the ground.
The path to the Confession Palace is suspended in mid-air, supported entirely by the surrounding towers. The area below is called the Abandoned District, said to be the oldest Rukongai), meaning that the concept of Rukongai didn't exist back then.
Ichigo fell to the ground and Rukia, seeing this, quickly clasped her hands together in prayer. She hoped Ichigo was alright; that would be all she wanted.
Ichigo alright? The answer was, of course, no, because a gun was pressed against the back of Gin Ichimaru's head, and Jun whistled, "Gin, even you have your moments of carelessness."
Gin Ichimaru squinted, raising his hands. "As expected of Shimizu -sensei, your Shunpo technique truly astonishes me! I couldn't even detect it."
Chun smiled slightly, "It's alright. After all, without sufficient ability, one cannot sense more subtle Spiritual Power factors. As long as a slight Reiatsu is placed nearby, it can interfere with your perception. Would you like to learn this technique?"
If I asked, would you teach me?
Of course!
"Think"
"Give"
Gin Ichimaru didn't dare turn around. He took a small notebook from behind his back, hands behind his back, and sighed without even looking at it, "That's typical of you. I'll let him go this time."
Aizen's plans have changed?
"Huh? No."
Jun frowned. "Why would you kill Ichigo Kurosaki?"
"Uh, Aizen's plan is there, what difference does it make whether he's there or not?"
"You're always trying to be clever," Jun shook his head and chuckled. "You think that if you killed Ichigo Kurosaki, Aizen would have to take action himself, and then the Captain-Commander would have to snipe him, so you could kill him?"
Gin Ichimaru turned around, opened his eyes, and looked at Jun. "Isn't that right?"
"Heh~ It's not easy for you to open your eyes, can I take a picture?"
"You've had enough! I'm being serious."
"I'm being serious, aren't I? You really think sending the Captain-Commander will kill Aizen? Like me, do you really think I'm doomed if the Captain-Commander makes a move?"
Jun's smile remained as gentle as ever, which made Gin Ichimaru frown. "Just what level have you and Aizen reached?"
"Hmm, let me put it this way, there's Aizen between you and the Captain-Commander."
"What's the meaning?"
Jun laughed heartily, "So, in front of the Captain-Commander and Aizen, you're just an extra. Don't think that just because you're a captain you can be arrogant and cause trouble. You're still a little brother, kid."
Gin Ichimaru was truly enraged by Jun's words, but suddenly his mind went blank. Jun's finger touched his forehead, reminding Gin Ichimaru of a move Jun had used when they first met over three hundred years ago.
However, he had already mastered this technique and even developed it into a more advanced form called "Hakufuku," the ability that put Rangiku to sleep during the Karakura Town battle in the original work. But now, Gin Ichimaru discovered that it was utterly useless; he still couldn't defend against it, the difference in their individual abilities was simply too great.
Jun forcefully tapped Gin Ichimaru's forehead. "If I say you're a little brother, then you're a little brother. Whether you admit it or not, that's a fact. Why did you awaken Kamishini no Yari Zanpakuto? Don't you have any self-awareness?"
"Gin~, I'm so disappointed in you, so very disappointed," Jun sighed, a Spiritual Power blast piercing the Ichigo was standing. The Spiritual Power transformed into Ichigo around. At the same time, the Kaido was already underway, and suddenly, Urahara appeared in mid-air.
Jun and Urahara exchanged a glance. The Shopkeeper, carrying Ichigo, disappeared. Gin Ichimaru watched all this, and then he wanted to ask Jun something, but when he touched Jun, only a shadow remained.
Gin Ichimaru sighed deeply, suddenly feeling utterly disillusioned. Had everything he had done over the years truly been meaningful? Gin Ichimaru stared at the sword in his hand.
"My Shinsō, my Shinsō ~, can you help me kill the person I want to kill?" Gin Ichimaru said, Shinsō trembled violently. He smiled, a rare occurrence for him. "Ah~ you understand me, and I understand you. I acknowledge you, I truly acknowledge you. It's just that I'm still too weak. It's not your problem, it's my problem."
Jun left behind a notebook detailing the awakening and development of Zanpakuto, specifying in detail the methods of Shikai. It can be said that anyone who reads Jun's notes, provided they have a clear understanding of their own nature, can achieve their own unique soul awakening. However, Gin Ichimaru still awakened Shinsō.
The Shinsō is not Gin Ichimaru's awakened soul; everything he does is for Rangiku. His true nature is one of egocentrism. He will be good to those who are good to him for life, and he will kill those who are not. Gin Ichimaru's personality is that of an overpowered protagonist!
How could the awakening of his soul, given his personality, possibly be something like the Shinsō? It's not that the Shinsō and the Kamishini no Yari are bad; the abilities of this Shikai and Kai are truly exceptional and highly compatible with Gin Ichimaru. But it's not Gin Ichimaru's true nature; it's a need he requires.
He had only one goal: to kill Aizen. That's why he Shikai the Shinsō and even evolved it into the Kamishini no Yari, all for the purpose of killing Aizen.
The sword's attack power is arguably unmatched in Soul Society, but Aizen isn't a stationary target. Aizen's ability is Kyōka Suigetsu. By the way, Gin Ichimaru didn't know what Aizen's ability was; he only learned about it after this Aizen.
Jun then realized why Gin Ichimaru was still like this even after obtaining the true meaning of the Zanpakuto. Jun suddenly reappeared behind Gin Ichimaru and patted the kid on the shoulder.
"What is it now?" Gin Ichimaru, looking utterly listless.
Jun asked very seriously, "Do you know what power Aizen's sword has?"
"Aizen's sword? Kyōka Suigetsu, a water-type Zanpakuto," Gin Ichimaru replied casually.
"As expected~", Jun patted Gin Ichimaru on the shoulder and handed him a new Zanpakuto. "Go back and try to unravel another one. Aizen's Kyōka Suigetsu is a genjutsu-type Zanpakuto. As for its abilities, I don't know, but the fact that he can make the entire Soul Society believe that his Kyōka Suigetsu is water-type is enough to prove something."
"How did you know?" Gin Ichimaru, quite surprised.
"Because I've never seen Kyōka Suigetsu), from the very beginning, I didn't believe anything Aizen," Chun pointed to the sky, "In the entire Soul Society, the only one who understands Zanpakuto better than me is that guy from the Zero Division who created Zanpakuto. Do you think that's a reason? Believe it or not, you're just overthinking things."
Jun really left this time, leaving Gin Ichimaru deep in thought.