Reinforcements Arrive in Karakura Town

Sajin Komamura lay amidst the ruins, watching the ever-brightening green light, his eyes devoid of fear. He simply gazed silently at his dearest friend, with whom he had fought side by side for centuries, awaiting his final end.

At this critical moment, a figure appeared like a ghost atop Kaname Tōsen's enormous head! Shūhei Shūhei Hisagi!

His face was frighteningly pale, and the wound that ran through his abdomen was still bleeding, but his eyes burned with an unprecedented determination and resolve!

He gripped the Zanpakuto with both hands, and with the last of his strength, he thrust it downwards!

Pfft--!

The Zanpakuto pierced deeply into Kaname Tōsen's massive head, penetrating his skull covered in black armor and disappearing all the way to the hilt!

Kaname Tōsen's body suddenly stiffened!

Shūhei Hisagi Shūhei atop him, panting heavily, blood gushing from his wounds and the corner of his mouth. But his voice was clear and firm. "You really... aren't Captain Tōsen anymore."

Tears welled in his eyes. "If you were blind... you could easily dodge an attack of this magnitude."

He took a deep breath, and with a sudden Zanpakuto cried out, "Slice through— Kazeshini!!"

The moment the words "release" left his lips, the Zanpakuto in his hand underwent an astonishing change!

The originally slender blade instantly split and reformed, transforming into a huge, double-headed, spinning scythe! The two ends of the scythe were extremely sharp blades, and the middle was the handle, forming an "S" shape, reflecting a cold, icy light in the sunlight!

Shūhei Hisagi Shūhei the double-headed, spinning scythe with both hands, and with the last of his strength, he twisted and pulled it violently into Kaname Tōsen's head—

Sizzle--!

The incredibly sharp blade of the Kazeshini Kaname Tōsen's head completely open from the inside! Dark blood mixed with Reishi light gushed out of the wound like a fountain!

Kaname Tōsen's massive body suddenly froze.

The light in those huge green compound eyes began to flicker and dim.

Then, his body fell limply from the sky.

Bang--!

The enormous body crashed into the ruins, raising clouds of dust.

Amidst the dust, Kaname Tōsen's enormous, cricket-like Resurrección began to slowly dissipate. Its black carapace transformed into specks of light, its ferocious mandibles gradually blurred, and its massive body shrank little by little, transforming back into human form.

Finally, the dust settled.

Kaname Tōsen regained his human form and lay quietly amidst the ruins. The Hollow Mask on his face was shattered, revealing a pale and serene face beneath. His chest rose and fell faintly, proving that he was still alive, but that was all.

Sajin Komamura struggled to his feet and staggered to his side. He knelt on one knee and carefully helped Kaname Tōsen up, holding him in his arms.

Kaname Tōsen slowly opened his eyes.

His eyes—eyes that had been blind for hundreds of years—were now open.

He looked at Sajin Komamura so close to him, at that hairy face covered in wounds and blood, and his lips moved slightly, uttering an extremely weak sound, "Komamura... Shūhei Hisagi..."

Sajin Komamura, looking at his close friend in his arms, his voice hoarse and low. "Don't speak."

He paused, his voice trembling slightly, "Although the power of the void allows you to breathe, your throat is already ruptured. There's no need to speak."

Kaname Tōsen shook his head slightly, as if to say, "Let me speak."

His eyes, which had just regained their sight, slowly turned, scanning everything around him—the sky, the ruins, the blood, and the fierce battle between Aizen and Shinji Hirako in the distance.

Then, his gaze fell on Sajin Komamura's face.

Sajin Komamura raised his head, gazing at the buildings destroyed by Aizen in the distance, his voice low and resonant. "Tōsen... before the battle you said... 'I knew all along we would eventually draw our swords against each other.'"

He lowered his head and met Kaname Tōsen's gaze. "Actually, I... felt the same thing during our fight. I guess Shūhei Hisagi felt the same way."

His voice deepened. "It's destined to be like this, understanding each other's innermost thoughts."

He took a deep breath, a complex and indescribable expression appearing on his hairy face. "I won't tell you not to hate, nor will I ask you not to resent. It's just..."

He paused, his voice carrying an unprecedented, almost pleading tenderness. "Don't sacrifice yourself for revenge. It's like how you lost your dearest friend... If I lost you, my heart would feel like it had a hole in it."

Kaname Tōsen listened quietly, tears glistening in her eyes that had just regained their sight.

He nodded slightly.

Then, he turned to Shūhei Hisagi Shūhei was standing to the side, his lips slightly moving as he uttered a weak sound, "Shūhei Hisagi... let me take a good look at you."

His voice was broken, yet it carried an unprecedented gentleness. "Because of the Hollowfication effect, my eyes... can still see. I want to take this opportunity... to look at you carefully..."

Shūhei Shūhei Hisagi beside him, tears already blurring his vision. He nodded vigorously, sobbing uncontrollably, "Captain Tōsen... look... look closely... I'm right here..."

Looking at his young, tear-streaked face, Kaname Tōsen's lips curled into a faint, relieved smile.

He opened his mouth, as if to say something...

However, at that moment...

A blinding blade of light suddenly attacked from afar!

The blade's light was incredibly fast, so fast that there was simply no time to react!

Pfft--!

Kaname Tōsen's body was instantly shattered by that blade of light!

Blood splattered like a torrential rain!

"... Captain... Captain!!" Shūhei Hisagi Shūhei out a heart-wrenching scream, his entire body and face splattered with blood!

Sajin Komamura abruptly raised his head and looked in the direction from which the blade's light had come.

In the distance, Sōsuke Aizen stood quietly, holding Kyōka Suigetsu in his hand. His face still wore that composed smile, as if the slash he had just delivered was nothing more than a casual, insignificant trifle.

Sajin Komamura's eyes instantly blazed with an unprecedented, overwhelming fury!

He abruptly stood up, his massive body unleashing a terrifying aura as he roared towards Aizen, a roar that shook the heavens and earth, "Aizen--!"

Aizen heard Sajin Komamura's earth-shattering roar, but he merely turned his head slightly and glanced casually at the huge figure covered in blood and filled with rage.

In that glance, there was no guilt, no emotion, not even a ripple of emotion, only a condescending contempt, as if looking at an ant struggling in vain.

Sajin Komamura's body trembled violently with rage. He clutched the shattered body of the man who had once been named Kaname Tōsen, his eyes almost bleeding. He abruptly stood up, his massive frame unleashing a terrifying aura as he crushed the ruins beneath his feet...

He's going to charge forward!

He wanted to tear apart the demon who had taken his best friend's life with his own hands!

However, just as he was about to take that step...

A blinding golden light suddenly shone from behind Aizen!

The light came without warning, incredibly fast, as if it were lightning born out of thin air!

A huge, jagged black crack suddenly appeared in the space several feet behind Aizen!

From within the crack, a figure shot out like an arrow released from a bow!

Ichigo Kurosaki!

He gripped the longsword, Zangetsu, which had turned pure white, tightly in both hands. His left eye shone with golden light, and the Hollow Horn on his forehead reflected a cold, eerie glow in the sunlight. His speed was astonishing; in an instant, he traversed the distance from the rift to behind Aizen!

He raised the Zangetsu high in his hand!

On the blade, golden Reiatsu surged and compressed wildly like boiling magma, condensing into a destructive slash that was refined to the extreme and capable of tearing everything apart!

"Crescent Moon... Skyward Rush!!"

With a roar, the golden crescent-shaped slash shot out from the blade, fiercely slashing down towards Sōsuke Aizen's unsuspecting nape!

This strike was swift, accurate, and ruthless!

This attack used up all the power that Ichigo Kurosaki could muster at that moment!

This strike was a vengeful blade he wielded for Orihime Inoue, for his companions whose fates were toyed with by Aizen, and for all those who had been hurt by Aizen!

A golden crescent moon tore through the air, carrying a world-destroying force, and instantly approached Aizen's nape!

However...

Just as the golden crescent moon was about to touch Aizen's skin, a colorful, honeycomb-like hexagonal light shield appeared out of nowhere from the back of Aizen's neck and expanded instantly!

The light shield was completely transparent, with iridescent halos flowing around its edges. Each hexagon was so precise that it resembled a concrete representation of a mathematical formula, refracting a mesmerizing and magnificent light under the sunlight!

The golden Getsuga Tenshō slashed fiercely at the shield of light!

Boom--!

A deafening roar echoed throughout the entire battlefield!

The golden light collided violently with the colorful light shield, bursting forth with dazzling sparks and a violent shockwave! The shockwave spread in all directions, once again blasting away the surrounding ruins!

Several fine cracks appeared on the light shield.

But that's all.

It did not break.

Ichigo Kurosaki's pupils contracted slightly. He could clearly feel the almost indestructible defensive power emanating from that light shield—a defensive Kidō he had never seen before, perfectly fused with Aizen's Reiatsu!

He didn't hesitate when his first attack missed.

His Reiatsu suddenly erupted beneath his feet, and his body nimbly flipped in the air, instantly creating a distance of more than ten feet between him and Aizen, landing on the rooftop of a dilapidated building. He knelt on one knee, panting heavily, his hands still tightly Zangetsu, his heterochromatic eyes fixed intently on Aizen's figure.

And at the very moment he landed—

From within the Garganta crack, another figure slowly emerged.

Liu Hao.

Unlike Ichigo Kurosaki, he didn't launch a sudden attack. Instead, he calmly emerged from the rift, as if he were simply returning from a walk. His gaze swept across the battlefield, over the figures lying on the ground— Starrk, Tier Harribel, Hiyori, Kaname Tōsen —and finally landed on Aizen.

Behind him, Retsu Unohana slowly emerged from the Garganta. She was still wearing her pristine white Captain's Haori, a gentle smile on her face, as if she were not on a smoke-filled battlefield, but taking a stroll on a peaceful afternoon. Her gaze swept across the battlefield, then settled on Hiyori Sarugaki, who lay in a pool of blood in the distance.

Liu Hao turned his head slightly and said to Retsu Unohana, "Captain, go and rescue Hiyori Sarugaki first. Ichigo and I Ichigo keep watch here."

Retsu Unohana nodded slightly, without saying a word, and vanished from her spot in a flash. The next moment, she appeared beside Hachigen Ushōda, looking at the orange-haired girl who was on the verge of death with a pierced abdomen, and said softly, "Leave the rest to me."

Hachigen Ushōda looked up and saw Retsu Unohana, a look of relief flashed in his eyes. He nodded, silently stepped aside, and continued to maintain the most basic healing Kidō with his only remaining right hand.

Retsu Unohana crouched down, her hands covered in a soft, pale golden light, and gently pressed them against Hiyori Sarugaki's wound. Her movements were gentle and precise, as if she were performing some kind of sacred ritual.

On the battlefield, Liu Hao withdrew his gaze and looked at Ichigo Kurosaki beside him, whose body was still tense and ready to attack again at any moment. A faint smile with a hint of helplessness appeared on his lips.

"You see," he said softly, his tone carrying a hint of patience, as if he were instructing a junior, "I knew you wouldn't succeed."

Ichigo Kurosaki gritted his teeth, offering no rebuttal. He simply stared intently at Aizen, his heterochromatic eyes burning with a mixture of resentment and fighting spirit.

Aizen turned around to face the two of them. His face still wore that calm and unhurried smile, as if the near-fatal blow was nothing more than a prank by some mischievous child.

His gaze swept over Ichigo Kurosaki, finally settling on Liu Hao. In that gaze, there was no anger, no killing intent, only a kind of intrigued inquiry, as if he were looking at an interesting puzzle.

"Oh, Liu Hao." His voice was as gentle as ever, yet it carried an indescribable, amused quality, as if he were savoring something. "Since you knew he wouldn't succeed, why did you let him do it in the first place?"

Liu Hao shrugged, his tone casual as if he were chatting about everyday things. "Kids are normal to be a little naive. So let him see the result for himself, then he'll believe it."

Upon hearing this, Aizen chuckled softly. His laughter was gentle and composed, yet it sent a chill down one's spine. "I see..."

He paused, his gaze deepening. "But Liu Hao, what about you? Do you think... that you and this child, unaffected by my Kyōka Suigetsu, can defeat me?"

He tilted his head slightly, his smile becoming even more meaningful, "Isn't that a bit too naive?"