The Battle of Sōkyoku Hill (2)

Kou stood on the giant rock beside the steps, Jiku'a hanging at his side, his scabbard gleaming a dark red in the setting sun. The wind blew down from the direction of Sōkyoku Hill, making his Shihakusho) flutter loudly.

"Sōsuke Aizen."

Amber's voice was deep and serious, sounding particularly solemn in the air tinged red by the sunset. "In the name of the Second Division Patrol Corps, I hereby arrest you. Surrender."

Aizen's eyebrows twitched slightly. He raised his hand and pushed up his glasses, the lenses reflecting the setting sun and completely obscuring his eyes.

"Patrol Corps?"

Amber slowly drew his Jiku'a, and the moment the blade was drawn, a dark blue Reiatsu emanated from the sword. He pushed off the giant rock, and Aizen flew in an arc, heading straight for Jiku'a.

A silver blade pierced from the side, precisely cutting into the Jiku'a's trajectory.

Clang!

The two knives clashed, sparks exploding in the twilight air.

Gin Ichimaru stood in front of Aizen, the tip of Shinsō's blade pressed against the edge of Jiku'a's sword.

"Little Hu~" Yin tilted her head, her eyes narrowing into two tiny slits, "It seems like you've been ignoring me since just now."

Hu held the knife, its blade still positioned between the two men. He looked at Yin's smiling face, and his lips moved slightly. "Brother Yin."

Aizen walked past Gin. His steps were unhurried, the hem of the Captain's Haori lightly brushing against the stone steps, and he didn't even glance at Koko.

"Kill him, Silver."

"Yes, Captain Aizen." Silver's voice was light and cheerful, as if he were simply answering a routine task.

"Aizen! You're not leaving!" Kou stared at Aizen's back, about to push off with his foot. He knew that Aizen hadn't obtained the complete Hōgyoku yet, and this was arguably Aizen's weakest moment!

However, the silver blade had already pressed down, and the Shinsō swept across. Amber was forced to raise his sword to block, and the impact pushed him backward. His feet plowed two deep furrows in the stone slab, Aizen's figure disappeared on the steps.

"Little Tiger, you've only just learned Bankai and you're already so arrogant?" Gin tilted his head, his usually gentle eyes now narrowed.

Instead, a cold, undisguised killing intent emanated from him. He sheathed his Shinsō, the blade pointing at Amber's throat. "Your opponent is me."

Enveloped by that murderous intent, Hu had no choice but to turn his gaze away from the end of the stairs and focus it on Yin. His fingers tightened slightly on the hilt of his sword.

"Brother Yin... are you still determined to leave?"

Yin's smile remained unchanged, "Xiao Hu, what I'm about to do won't change so easily."

The two retreated simultaneously, creating distance between them.

"Shoot him, Shinsō!"

"Break free from your cage and soar high— Jiku'a!"

Two streams of Reiatsu exploded simultaneously!

The blade of the Shinsō instantly extended, and the blue light of the Jiku'a's Shikai tore open a spatial rift in the twilight. Blade against blade, Reiatsu against Reiatsu, and the shockwave shook the rock walls on both sides of the stone steps, creating fine cracks.

Amidst the sounds of their battle, Aizen continued up the steps leading to Sōkyoku Hill, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Arresting me in the name of the Patrol Corps team?"

He mentally went through the sentence:

"He didn't use the name of the Fon Clan, nor the name of Soi Fon, nor even his own name, but simply as a Patrol Corps member?"

The young man used the most insignificant of the identities he could muster to issue an arrest warrant for him.

Aizen's lips twitched down slightly:

"Just in the name of a mere Patrol Corps member... Yexing Hu is truly an unpleasant fellow."

On the Sōkyoku Hill

The Zangetsu was stuck in the ground, while the Lieutenant lay scattered on the broken stone slabs.

After Ichigo dealing with the Lieutenant, Ichigo hoisted Zangetsu back onto his shoulder. His gaze swept over the mess on the ground and landed on the figure walking towards him.

Byakuya Kuchiki's steps were steady, the Captain's Haori fluttered slightly in the scorching wind, his hand rested on the hilt of Senbonzakura, his face expressionless.

Byakuya's figure vanished from his spot, and the next second, he appeared behind Ichigo, his blade carrying a swirling gust of wind as he thrust straight at the back of Ichigo's neck.

Clang!

Zangetsu's broad blade blocked Senbonzakura's sword tip directly. Sparks exploded between the two swords.

"I've already told you, I can clearly see your Shunpo."

Ichigo turned around, his perpetually furrowed brows revealing no fear, only a quietly burning determination suppressed beneath his eyes, "Byakuya Kuchiki!"

Byakuya Shunpo to retreat, landing ten paces away. He looked at Ichigo, and his brows finally twitched slightly.

Two streams of Reiatsu exploded simultaneously from their bodies! One was a cherry blossom-colored, cool and powerful Reiatsu, like moonlight; the other was a blue, flamboyant and intense Reiatsu.

The two forces collided in mid-air, and the stone slab beneath their feet cracked in all directions from the two of them as the center.

"Why?" Byakuya's voice was flat, but the knuckles of his fingers gripping the sword were slightly white. "Why have you tried to save Rukia time and time again?"

"That's what I wanted to ask you." Ichigo put Zangetsu off his shoulder and gripped the hilt of the sword tightly with both hands. "Aren't you Rukia's brother? Why didn't you go save her!"

Byakuya frowned slightly, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but the words rolled around in his throat and were swallowed back down.

"A pointless question. Even if I told you the reason, someone like you would never understand."

Upon Ichigo, Ichigo increased the force in his hands. Zangetsu's blade pressed against Senbonzakura's, pushing the sword upwards inch by inch.

"I neither want to hear it, nor do I need to hear it!" He gritted his teeth, his Reiatsu rising layer by layer. "Brother, you were born to protect your sister! Today, I'm going to hammer that principle into your head!"

Byakuya looked into those burning eyes. There was no hatred, no scheming in those eyes, only a pure, almost savage, obsession.

He didn't understand. He couldn't understand why this person could chase him from the World of the Living to the Soul Society, get knocked down so many times and still get back up, knowing it was hopeless but still insisting on charging forward.

"It seems that asking and answering questions is just a waste of time." Byakuya's voice was low, and his Reiatsu exploded again. He pushed Senbonzakura forward, shoving Ichigo aside.

The two distanced themselves again, each holding a sword, their Reiatsu colliding silently between them, distorting the air itself.

"Ichigo Kurosaki! I will kill you, and I will personally execute Rukia."

Ichigo reached out and pulled off the floating cloak draped over his shoulders. The heavy cloak slipped from his fingers and was blown by the wind over the cliff.

He gripped Zangetsu with both hands, and his Reiatsu erupted from his body like a volcanic eruption, enveloping the massive Zanpakuto in blue flames.

"I won't let you succeed!" His voice wasn't loud, but every word seemed to strike straight from the depths of his soul. "That's why I'm here!"

Byakuya Shunpo forward with Ichigo, and Ichigo met him head-on. Senbonzakura and Zangetsu collided, their golden Reiatsu and blue flames tearing at each other, the shockwave lifting the entire stone slab beneath their feet.

The other end of Sōkyoku Hill.

Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, leaning on his cane, walked side by side with Fon Shaoling in the direction Renji had fled. However, they had only taken a few steps when two figures suddenly appeared from the side, blocking their way.

Jūshirō Ukitake stood on the left, his right hand on the hilt of his sword, a tense but determined look on his pale face. Shunsui Kyōraku stood on the right, his straw hat pulled low, obscuring most of his face, but the smile on his lips had faded.

"Genryūsai..." Ukitake's voice was very low.

Fon Shaoling took a step forward. She opened her mouth, about to explain the Captain-Commander's true intentions to the two captains, but the Captain-Commander raised his hand to stop her.

Captain-Commander Yamamoto's gaze swept over Kyōraku and Ukitake, a thoughtful glint flashing in his deep, still eyes:

Aizen's target is the Hōgyoku is inside Rukia. Rukia is currently being taken away from Sōkyoku Hill Renji.

"If Aizen wants to seize the Hōgyoku, he needs to follow Renji's trail, but if I'm there, will Aizen still show himself?"

Thinking of this, Captain-Commander Yamamoto took a step forward, his Reiatsu spreading out from his body like the roots of an ancient tree, slowly enveloping the entire area.

"Shisi Lang, Shunsui, do you two have anything to explain?"

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Ukitake's forehead. He was still organizing his thoughts when Kyōraku's hand was already on his shoulder.

"Oh well, there's no other way. We'll just have to make our escape now, Ukitake."

Before he could finish speaking, Kyōraku had already grabbed Ukitake's shoulders Shunpo away. The two figures left two faint afterimages in the twilight, disappearing at the edge of the cliff.

Yamamoto watched the direction they disappeared in, then slowly turned his gaze to Fon Shaoling, his voice so low that only she could hear it.

"You continue to follow Renji. If Aizen wants to seize the Hōgyoku, he will definitely show himself. I will lure them away and give him an opportunity to make his move."

Fon Shaoling slightly and turned to chase after Renji, but she had only taken a few steps when two trembling figures blocked her way.

Kiyone Kotetsu and Sentarō Kotsubaki —two of Ukitake's comrades, their legs still trembling, stubbornly spread their arms to block her path.

"Captain Soi Fon, please wait!" Kiyone's voice trembled.

Fon Shaoling stopped and looked at the two soldiers in front of her who were struggling to even stand. She sighed.

"Two idiots."

The next second, Kiyone and Sentaro's bodies went limp at the same time.

Fon Shaoling slipped between the two, about to continue the pursuit, when a dark figure rushed in from the side at a speed she couldn't even react to.

One hand grabbed her waist, lifting her off the ground and propelling her towards the edge of the cliff at Sōkyoku Hill.

The sound of wind rushed into her ears. She instinctively struggled, but found that the arm was incredibly strong and wouldn't budge.

"Let me go! Who are you?!"

The masked man looked down at her, a black veil covering most of his face, revealing only his eyes, which held a faint, almost indulgent smile.

"Hey, hey, stop making so much noise!"

The masked man ripped the black cloth off his face. "You're still the same, so impatient."

Long, deep purple hair slipped out from under the black cloth, and her wheat-colored skin glowed with a healthy sheen in the twilight.

"Shihoin... Yoruichi!?"

Yoruichi grinned, revealing an extremely bright smile. "Long time no see, Shaoling."

The two figures plunged into the dense forest below Sōkyoku Hill, their treetops shattered, branches scattered, and they finally crashed heavily onto a clearing covered with fallen leaves.

On the Sōkyoku Hill

Only one person remained standing before the execution platform Retsu Unohana clasped her hands in front of her, her gaze sweeping over the mess on the ground—the shattered Sōkyoku Scaffold, the scattered Reishi chains, and the Lieutenant lying haphazardly on the ground. Her gaze remained calm and serene.

She raised her right hand, Zanpakuto slid out of its sheath. The blade trembled slightly, and the entire sword transformed into a huge, flat, ray-like creature.

The Minazuki hovered in front of her, its broad back large enough to support dozens of people. It silently opened its mouth and sucked the unconscious Lieutenant on the ground into its body one by one.

Unohana landed on Minazuki's back, carrying Isane. Her white haori fluttered slightly in the evening breeze, and her fingers gently pressed on Minazuki's back, guiding it into the air.

As she flew over the cliff face of Sōkyoku Hill, Isane's eyelids twitched, her eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes. In her line of sight was Retsu Unohana's always gentle and dignified face, and behind her was the sky being dyed red by the setting sun.

"Captain Unohana..."

"Isane, are you awake?"

Unohana lowered her head, gently placing her hand on Isane's forehead to check her Reiatsu. "Don't speak. Although you suffered the least impact, it's best not to push yourself too hard right now."

Isane nodded with difficulty, closed her eyes again, and her breathing gradually calmed down.

Minazuki crossed the walls of Seireitei and landed in front of the Fourth Division's encampment.

It opened its mouth and spat out the wounded one by one. The soldiers were already waiting at the door, carrying the wounded into the treatment room on stretchers. Unohana jumped off the back of the Minazuki and gently patted its soft belly. The Minazuki let out a very soft groan, transformed back into Zanpakuto, and returned to its sheath.

She entered the Medical Station, and after confirming that every wounded soldier had been properly cared for, she turned to face the entire Fourth Division, who had already assembled. Her calm words reached the ears of everyone present.

"First squad, head to the Seventh Division's base. Captain Komamura and the Ryoka are fighting there. Try to mediate between the two sides."

If Captain Komamura is unwilling to cease hostilities, then this secret order should be given to him.

The team leader accepted the secret order stamped with the First Division's emblem with both hands, nodded emphatically, and turned to lead his men out of the Medical Station.

"Second squad, proceed to Captain Zaraki's location. After his battle, heal him and guide him to Sōkyoku Hill."

The second squad accepted the order and left.

"Third squad, stand by near Sōkyoku Hill, ready to treat both sides currently engaged in battle. Bring all first-aid supplies."

The third squad responded and moved out.

Only Unohana and Isane remained in the Medical Station. Isane propped herself up on the edge of the bed, her face still pale from just waking up from unconsciousness. She looked at Unohana, waiting for the next instruction.

Unohana turned around, her usually gentle eyes now reflecting the twilight outside the window.

"Isane, come with me."

"Yes, Captain! Where are we going?"

"Central 46." Unohana pulled her hand out of her sleeve, the movement was very light, but her knuckles were distinct, without a single unnecessary movement.

"I need to confirm something."