Battle of Sōkyoku Hill (10)

On the execution platform at Sōkyoku Hill, the crack in the Garganta stretched across the night sky like a hideous scar. Gillian's masks emerged layer upon layer from the darkness, pale and hollow, like drowned beings rising from the abyss. Aizen stood directly beneath the Garganta: "Captain-Commander."

Aizen's voice pierced clearly through the Gillian's screech, reaching the ears of everyone present. "Before we begin, allow me to explain something to you. This Garganta connects to the Hueco Mundo Forest of Menos of Hueco Mundo. As for the number of Gillian there—I think you know better than I do."

Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai leaned on a cane formed from Ryūjin Jakka, his deep, well-like pupils reflecting the white mask writhing within the Garganta, and remained silent.

"If you were to unleash Ryūjin Jakka full power here, your power would flow through the Garganta, instantly reducing tens of thousands of Gillian to ashes." Aizen pushed up his glasses, which now only had one lens remaining.

"Such a large-scale extinction will have what kind of impact on the Balance of the Three Worlds —as the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13 and the guardian of the Balance of the Three Worlds, you should know better than anyone else."

Captain-Commander Yamamoto slammed his cane heavily on the ground, the dull thud echoing across the execution platform, drowning out Gillian's roar and the storm of Reiatsu surging from the Garganta.

"Aizen brat, you dare to act like this? I thought you had the guts to face me now, but you've truly disappointed me!"

Very well, everyone, listen to my command!

The Captain-Commander's gaze swept across the faces of every member present. Gillian was continuously flowing from the Garganta, like ink, dripping onto Sōkyoku Hill.

Aizen and Gin stood side by side directly below the Garganta. Tōsen had already been defeated, and Still Water's brief moment of clarity, gained in exchange for his broken body, was still lasting, but it wouldn't last long.

He took a step forward, his cane slamming heavily on the ground. "To divide the battlefield in two."

"Shunsui Kyōraku," Yamamoto's voice deepened, "You are the commander of the Aizen-Subjugation Squad. There is only one objective—to kill Aizen before Kyōka Suigetsu recovers. Choose your team members."

Kyōraku pushed his straw hat up a little, his gaze slowly sweeping over the captains present. His lips still held their usual curve, but his eyes no longer held their usual frivolity.

"Captain Soi Fon, Yoruichi Shihōin, Captain Komamura, come with me."

Fon Shaoling's fingers tightened slightly on the hilt of the Suzumebachi sword; a two-hit kill could potentially decide the outcome against any single target.

Yoruichi flexed her wrists; her mastery of Hakuda, Kidō, and Shunpo was enough to tear a rift in the battle.

Sajin Komamura held the Tenken Punishment in front of him; his Bankai could both restrain Aizen head-on and create opportunities for the other team members.

Kyōraku himself roams the edge of the battlefield, and the rule-based abilities of Katen Kyōkotsu in complex battlefields are a perfect fit for this team's setup.

"Jūshirō Ukitake," Yamamoto continued, "You are responsible for separating the battlefield where the Gillian group and Aizen are located, ensuring that the Aizen-Subjugation Squad is not disturbed."

Ukitake took a step forward, his voice always weak and feeble, but without any hesitation:

"Captain Kuchiki, Captain Zaraki, Ishida -kun, come with me."

Byakuya didn't answer, but simply gripped the hilt of Senbonzakura tighter. Senbonzakura could deal with multiple Gillian simultaneously over a wide area.

Kenpachi, carrying his Zanpakuto, grinned maliciously. "What's going on? Dragging someone out of bed and then just cleaning up the mess?" No tactical arrangements are needed; placing him in the direction where the Gillian are most concentrated is the most effective defensive line.

Uryū Ishida adjusted his glasses and took the Spirit Bow off his shoulder.

His Reishi arrows can precisely eliminate any individuals that slip through the defenses, and the Quincy's power completely destroys Hollows, rather than purifying them and taking them into Soul Society.

In this special period, completely eliminating the soul balance problem caused by Gillian is much easier to solve than the accelerated imbalance that might be caused by purification.

Ukitake stood at the very back of the defensive line, his Sōgyo no Kotowari being the most powerful weapon against Cero.

Yamamoto turned his gaze to the edge of the execution platform, where Amber was standing, having already pulled Suzumushi out of his chest.

His right hand still gripped the Blade of Power, its engravings gleaming a pale blue in the moonlight. "And me, what should I do?"

"Ye Xing, you can rest by the Captain-Commander's side." Kyōraku spoke from under his straw hat, his tone returning to its usual lazy manner. "The captains of the Gotei 13 haven't stooped so low as to need an injured soldier to carry the load. If you really don't want to rest, just keep an eye on that guy over there."

Following Kyōraku's gaze, Ko saw Kaname Tōsen lying not far away.

"Just watch from my side and witness the highest level of combat in Soul Society," said Captain-Commander Yamamoto.

"Amber, you did very well in this battle. Now watch my battle." Fon Shaoling walked towards Aizen and slowly drew Suzumebachi.

Hu had no choice but to slam the Blade of Power into the ground and sit down against the broken stone pillar.

Aizen looked at the group approaching and said, "Oh dear, are you sure you're okay with not having Ye Xing deal with me? He's the only person besides the Captain-Commander who can make me back down."

"We can't let the young people do all the work. I'm not that kind of heartless senior." Kyōraku pulled at his straw hat. "But what you said is really hurtful. It's like you're saying that even if we join forces, we're not as good as Ye Xing alone."

"Haven't I made myself clear enough? That's exactly what I mean!"

"Then you'll pay the price for those words!"

Sajin Komamura made the first move.

"Bankai! Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō!"

A colossal incarnation of the Wisdom King appeared, raising a massive Tenken Punishment in its hand and sweeping it across with destructive power. Wherever the blade passed, entire stone slabs were ripped off, and fragments of stone scattered like raindrops.

However, this strike wasn't aimed at Aizen himself—it was aimed at the ground between Aizen and Gin.

The impact blasted the ground between the two, and debris carrying the aftershocks of Reiatsu surged to both sides. Gin was forced to dodge to the side by the shockwave, taking several steps back.

Aizen also retreated using Shunpo, and Komamura's second slash continued to fall. This time, the Wisdom King's giant blade cleaved straight into the gap between the two, smashing a trench several meters deep into the ground and splitting the entire execution platform in two.

On one side of the ravine is Aizen, and on the other side are silver and the Gillian Clan.

Yin steadied himself and was about to use Shunpo to cross the ravine and return to Aizen's side when a violent golden Reiatsu slashed down from the side— Kenpachi Zaraki, carrying his serrated Zanpakuto, charged out from the group of Gillian on the side.

His single eye locked onto Gin, and a chilling smile spread across his face, "Ichimaru! Now that you're here, don't go back. Play with me!"

Silver's smile froze slightly, "The troublesome one has arrived."

He gripped his Shinsō tightly, forced to turn and face Kenpachi —any distraction against this madman could be fatal. He was temporarily unable to break through this line of defense to support Aizen.

Yoruichi's figure emerged from the rising dust, using Shunpo to circle behind Aizen, her right knee aimed at Aizen's lower back.

Without Aizen pointed behind him with his left hand, and a transparent barrier of light unfolded behind him. "Bakudo #81: Dankū."

Yoruichi's knee slammed into the light barrier, and fine cracks appeared on the surface of the Dankū. Using the recoil, she flipped in mid-air, her left fist following closely behind, striking the same spot precisely.

The Dankū shattered, transparent fragments tumbling in the air, reflecting the moonlight. "With your strength, isn't the construction of this Dankū too crude?"

Aizen turned to meet the attack, his right hand gripping Kyōka Suigetsu and slashing horizontally. The blade tore through the air, its trajectory too fast to be seen.

Yoruichi tilted her head back, the blade grazing her nose and sending a gust of the Heat air through her. "You suffered quite a bit in your fight with Amber, didn't you!"

She braced herself with both hands on the ground and delivered a sweeping kick to Aizen's ankle. Aizen leaped up. "You talk as if you trained Koko."

Yoruichi's toes brushed against the sole of his shoe, leaving a sharp scraping sound. In that instant, she kicked Kyōka Suigetsu's sword hard from below, causing the blade to deflect by half an inch.

The Fon Shaoling appeared in that half-inch gap.

"Sting All Enemies to Death, Suzumebachi!"

Suzumebachi had already completed her Shikai in her hands; the golden finger ring with the Bee-Crest Flower gleamed coldly in the moonlight, and the tip of the blade was aimed at Aizen's neck.

With just one strike, the Bee-Crest Flower would be etched into Aizen's skin. Aizen's pupils contracted slightly, and he retreated Shunpo, but the tip of the Suzumebachi blade still grazed his sleeve, leaving an extremely fine cut on the Captain's Haori.

Although the first round of attacks failed to successfully inscribe the Bee-Crest Flower, Aizen's retreat itself was a signal.

Shunsui Kyōraku cut in from the side.

"The wind whips the flowers, the flower goddess weeps; the heavenly winds rage, the heavenly demon laughs— the Katen Kyōkotsu."

Katen Kyōkotsu's twin swords traced two arcs under the moonlight, their blades gleaming with the eerie light characteristic of Kidō-type Zanpakuto.

"Takaoni."

As Kyōraku whispered the name of the rule, he slashed directly at Aizen from above.

Aizen raised his hand. "Bakudō #61: Six-Staff Light Prison!"

Light shards shot in from all directions, precisely targeting Kyōraku's limbs, but Kyōraku's figure disappeared before the light shards closed in.

He appeared behind Aizen, and the twin Katen Kyōkotsu slashed down simultaneously. Aizen hurriedly turned around, and Kyōka Suigetsu blocked the twin blades in front of him.

At that very moment, Yoruichi and Soi Fon pounced from both sides simultaneously. Yoruichi attacked from the top, her right fist aimed straight for Aizen's face, the force of her punch creating a muffled sonic boom; Soi Fon attacked from the bottom, the tip of Suzumebachi's blade stabbing towards Aizen's side at an extremely low angle, its trajectory so tricky that it was impossible to block it simultaneously. Aizen was forced to use Shunpo and create distance.

Kyōraku didn't pursue. He looked in the direction Aizen had been forced back and lowered his voice to Komamura beside him, saying, "Captain Komamura, the Tenken has switched to area suppression. We need to seal off his retreat space."

Komamura nodded, his beast-like eyes beneath his helmet locking onto Aizen's figure. Aizen regained his footing ten paces away.

"Bakudō Sixty-Three: Locks and Binding Bars"

Thick chains of spiritual energy surged from the ground, wrapping around Yoruichi's feet. Yoruichi dodged with Shunpo, and the chains missed where she had just been standing.

Aizen's second Kidō was immediately aimed at Soi Fon:

"Hadō #63: Raikōhō: Raikōhō"

Lightning exploded in front of Soi Fon, the shockwave forcing her back. He raised his hand again, and a third Kidō followed:

"Hadō #54: Haien"

Deep purple flames exploded in front of Komamura, the Heat pushing him backward.

But Yoruichi had already broken free from the chains. She used Shunpo to re-enter the fray, her right fist slamming into Aizen's chest with the force of a whirlwind.

Aizen parried with Kyōka Suigetsu, and the moment the blade collided with his fist, his wrist went numb from the impact.

Soi Fon closed in from the side again, Komamura unleashed his Tenken once more. "Aizen! Tell me exactly how you deceived Tōsen!"

Aizen raised his hands, his Reiatsu condensing into countless dense rays of Kidō light at his fingertips. "I didn't deceive him; I simply showed him the true state of Soul Society."

Flanking battle

The first batch of Gillian emerged from the Garganta in numbers exceeding ten.

Their bodies were enormous and cumbersome, and they moved slowly. Every step they took caused the ground of the execution platform to tremble violently. However, the Cero.

Jūshirō Ukitake stood at the rear of the defensive line, the Sōgyo no Kotowari Shikai in his hand. "All waves, become my shield; all lightning, become my sword. Sōgyo no Kotowari."

The two swords of Sōgyo no Kotowari were wrapped with shimenawa (sacred rope), and five small plaques were evenly arranged along the knots, absorbing and reflecting all the incoming Cero.

Byakuya stood on the left flank of the defensive line, Senbonzakura's blade transformed into millions of tiny blades, resembling a cherry blossom-colored curtain in the night sky.

As Gillian charged forward, the petals of the Senbonzakura Blossoms surged toward the Hollows like a tsunami. The cherry-colored torrent crashed into the white masks, the blades slicing into the massive bodies, tearing apart the masks, and severing the limbs.

But the Gillian continued to surge forward, and the petals of the Senbonzakura were repeatedly torn apart in the Gillian torrent, creating a dazzling contrast between the cherry blossom-colored light curtain and the white mask.

Kenpachi Zaraki stood on the right flank of the defensive line. Gin hid in the Gillian group, while Kenpachi Zaraki, carrying his Zanpakuto, charged into the Gillian group, his single eye filled with the fervor of battle.

With a swift sweep of his right hand, he severed the giant claw of the foremost Gillian at wrist length. "Ichimaru, where are you, you brat? Come out here right now!"

With his left hand, he grabbed another tentacle of Gillian that lunged at him from the side, yanked it sharply, dragging the entire creature towards him, and stabbed it through its mask with his sword. "Don't cower like a coward!"

Uryū Ishida stood in the gap between Byakuya and Kenpachi, his Spirit Bow fully drawn, and blue Reishi arrows shot like meteors toward the Gillian that slipped through Kenpachi's blade.

His breathing was steady, and he drew his bow with an extremely high frequency. An arrow pierced the crack at the edge of the Gillian mask, and the Reishi on the arrow exploded, blasting the illusory head apart.

Another arrow was fired, striking the Cero that was condensing in Gillian's mouth. The arrow struck the core of the Cero, and the Reishi and the energy of the Cero annihilated each other, exploding into a blinding white light.

Main battlefield

Kyōraku noticed the passage of time, but he still couldn't find an opening to strike decisively— Aizen, even in this passive situation, was still able to withstand all the attacks flawlessly.

Komamura gripped the Tenken tightly with both hands, while the Wisdom King's giant blade was raised high above his head.

With a single slash, shards of stone flew everywhere, and a huge crater was smashed into the ground. Aizen was propelled forward by the impact, losing his balance and stumbling several steps before finally regaining his footing.

Komamura continuously emitted shockwaves, pushing Aizen to the center of the pre-planned encirclement.

The smoke and dust engulfed Aizen's vision. Yoruichi rushed into the smoke and dust. She did not rush in a straight line, but instead used a series of complex Shunpo to flash around "Aizen". Each step she took created a new footstep sound.

Aizen could only track her location by instinct. Left, right, behind, above his head— Aizen suddenly turned his head, but Yoruichi landed in the opposite direction of his perception, delivering a solid punch to his chest.

Aizen was forced back a step and raised Kyōka Suigetsu, but Yoruichi's fist wind had already disrupted the flow of the surrounding dust. In that brief gap, Soi Fon cut in from behind Yoruichi.

The Suzumebachi out, the tip of the blade striking Aizen squarely, the Bee-Crest Flower etched into Aizen's skin.

Aizen looked down at the small butterfly pattern on his ribcage.

Golden patterns slowly lit up on his tattered Shihakusho, like a real butterfly spreading its wings on his skin.

He tried to say something, but Soi Fon had already raised Suzumebachi again, and Kyōraku rushed in from the side, Katen Kyōkotsu twin swords crossed to block Aizen's retreat.

Yoruichi Aizen's path, and Komamura's Tenken was raised once more—all escape routes were blocked.

Fon Shaoling gripped the Suzumebachi, aiming it at the location of the Bee-Crest Flower on Aizen's body. The second strike—once this strike landed, the two-hit kill would take effect.

Her fingers were as steady as a rock, and the tip of the Suzumebachi's blade gleamed with a cold golden light in the moonlight as the Suzumebachi out!

However, at that moment, Ichigo's shout came from the steps, "Everyone! What are you all doing?!"

With this shout, accompanied by a sound like shattering glass, the scene before everyone's eyes changed. Amber, who had been sitting silently next to the Captain-Commander, disappeared, and Aizen, Kaname Tōsen, and Gin appeared below the Garganta, enveloped by Gillian's Negación.

The Gillians had all retreated to the Garganta at some point. Uryū Ishida, who had already released his Sanrei Glove, was surrounded by Kenpachi, Ukitake, and Byakuya. Kenpachi had even slashed several huge wounds on his body. If it weren't for the Disordered Paradise, Uryū would definitely be unable to move.

Meanwhile, Kyōraku was completely dumbfounded; their target had changed from Aizen to Amber!

And now, the Bee-Crest Flower on Amber's body have been activated!

"No, no... no!!" Fon Shaoling almost collapsed.