"Lord Aizen, the battle is over?!"
Not long after Kurosaki Ichigo collapsed, Ichimaru Gin and Kaname Tosen, both wearing Arrancar-style white coats personally designed by Aizen, immediately arrived behind Aizen, who had completely fused with the Hogyoku.
"Mm! Kurosaki Ichigo really is an interesting person~"
"Especially as my whetstone..."
At those words, Aizen quietly spoke to Tosen and Ichimaru Gin beside him.
"Lord Aizen, where is your Zanpakuto?!"
Kaname Tosen, wearing an eyepatch over his face, seemed to have noticed something. He looked at Aizen's empty waist and asked doubtfully.
"Just as you sensed, I no longer need something Soul Reapers use, like a Zanpakuto! Whether it is the Hogyoku or a Zanpakuto, both have now fused with me! I have completely surpassed Soul Reapers..."
Aizen glanced at Kaname Tosen and answered calmly.
"Congratulations, Lord Aizen!"
The instant Aizen finished speaking, Kaname Tosen immediately bent at the waist and bowed deeply to him, offering his congratulations in a loud voice.
"Save the congratulations until after I have thoroughly defeated Instructor Araki!"
"It is still far too early to celebrate!"
"The person we are about to face is the strongest Soul Reaper in the history of the Soul Society! Someone even stronger than the Royal Guards of Division 0 and the progenitors of the Five Great Noble Clans..."
After fusing with the Hogyoku, Aizen seemed to have lost his initial arrogance. His expression had become calm, and his entire presence was restrained.
According to what Araki had once taught him, returning to simplicity was the highest realm for a Soul Reaper! At this moment, Aizen believed that he had reached that so-called highest realm!
"That's true~"
"To be honest, no one has ever known just how strong Instructor Araki really is~"
"They only say that ever since Instructor Araki joined the