Western Rukongai, District 73—Fury Iron.
Night shrouded this land. When the collapsed mountains ceased their mournful groaning, the gentle man returned beneath the moonlight.
Just as when he had left, Aizen Sosuke's Soul Reaper uniform was not stained with a single speck of dust.
Fabricating convincing evidence and guiding Central 46's opinion on this matter were indeed as easy as breathing for Aizen.
His toes touched the ground as he looked toward the empty space beside the youth.
The grass, stones, trees, soil, air, and the eight captain-class figures who had fallen into deep comas after Hollowfication had all vanished. The area could not have been any emptier.
"It was Time Stop and Spatial Transfer."
Uchiha Yato spoke softly, then continued, "Tessai Tsukabishi's mastery of Kidō runs exceedingly deep. Those were all formidable forbidden techniques."
"So, Yato, you simply watched Kisuke and Tessai leave this place?"
"Yoruichi Shihōin came as well. I couldn't handle two captains at once." The youth's lips suddenly curled upward, as though he had thought of something amusing. "Of course, if they were both at Kensei Muguruma's level, I could probably try fighting them."
"Hmph—"
Aizen Sosuke adjusted his thin-framed glasses, agreeing with the youth's assessment.
"Then, Yato, what do you plan to do next? After killing Tōsen and fighting your own captain, neither I nor the Seireitei will permit your continued existence."
Uchiha Yato scratched his head and considered it seriously. "Captain Kisuke once gave me a document. With that, my reason for betraying him will stand completely—everything for the Seireitei, after all. Heh."
"Not bad. And then?"
"Then I'll become a hero and officially be promoted to captain. There are so many vacant positions anyway."
Hearing the youth's words, Aizen gave a slight nod, gentle and elegant. "Let's assume you've deceived the Seireitei—what about