On the eve of the final battle.
Karakura Town had fallen completely silent.
Not a single pedestrian could be seen on the streets, and every shop was closed. Only the traffic lights continued their usual cycle.
But this was not the real Karakura Town.
To keep ordinary people from being caught up in the coming battle, Soul Society had moved the entire city in advance and replaced the original Karakura Town with a replica.
At that moment, Yoriichi stood atop a tall building.
He wore a Shihakushō, with Hekyō hanging at his waist, and his white Captain's Haori swayed gently in the wind.
Before him, the Soul Reapers of the Gotei 13 had finished assembling.
Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, the Captain-Commander of the First Division, stood at the very front, with Chōjirō Sasakibe quietly attending behind him.
Soi Fon of the Second Division stood with her arms folded across her chest. Beside her, sweat had already beaded on Marechiyo Ōmaeda's forehead.
"Captain, will Aizen really come?"
"Shut up."
"Yes, ma'am."
Marechiyo Ōmaeda immediately straightened up.
Not far away, Sajin Komamura, Shunsui Kyōraku, Tōshirō Hitsugaya, and Jūshirō Ukitake were stationed in different directions.
The lieutenants of the various divisions were also ready.
Momo Hinamori kept her head lowered, gripping her Zanpakuto tightly with both hands.
Even now, she still could not fully accept that Aizen had betrayed Soul Society.
Hitsugaya glanced at her, his brow creasing slightly.
"Hinamori, if you can't fight, fall back."
"I can fight."
Hinamori raised her head and said earnestly, "This time, I have to ask Captain Aizen about it myself."
Hitsugaya did not try to persuade her any further.
Some things had to be seen with one's own eyes before one could give up hope.
Elsewhere.
Shinji Hirako stood on a rooftop with the Visored.
With her Zanpakuto resting on her shoulder, Hiyori Sarugaki looked toward the Soul Society contingent, impatience written all over her face.
"Why do we have to wait with these guys?"
"Because the enemy is Aizen."
Hirako had both hands in his pockets, his usual flippant smile gone.
"Besides, we still have an old score to settle with him."
Kensei Muguruma rolled his shoulders.
"When he shows up, I'll beat him to a pulp myself."
"Quit bragging, Kensei."
Standing beside him, Mashiro Kuna said bluntly, "Didn't he take you down before?"
A vein twitched on Kensei Muguruma's forehead.
"That was a sneak attack!"
"You still lost, sneak attack or not."
"Shut your mouth!"
Just as the two were about to start arguing, Hirako suddenly raised a hand.
Everyone fell silent at once.
At that same moment, Yoriichi raised his head and looked toward the sky.
The Reishi in the air were changing.
The Reishi scattered throughout the city suddenly converged in the same direction. As though some force were tearing the sky apart, two enormous black rifts slowly appeared.
Garganta.
Terrifying Reiatsu poured out, enveloping all of Karakura Town.
Marechiyo Ōmaeda turned pale and instinctively took half a step back.
"They're here..."
A figure was the first to emerge from the first Garganta.
Sōsuke Aizen.
He had changed out of his Shihakushō and wore a long white garment with a black sash around his waist. The same gentle smile remained on his face.
Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tōsen stood on either side of him.
The three stood in the sky, calmly looking down at everyone.
Then the other Garganta opened completely.
Dozens of Arrancar emerged.
At their head was a middle-aged man with a languid expression, accompanied by a little girl with short green hair.
The First Espada, Coyote Starrk.
Starrk yawned and scratched his head helplessly as he looked at the Soul Reapers waiting below in battle formation.
"That's a lot of people."
"Starrk, get it together!"
Lilynette kicked him in the leg.
Starrk did not resist and merely sighed.
Beside him, an elderly-looking Arrancar wearing a crown sat on a throne of skulls.
The Second Espada, Baraggan Louisenbairn.
Six Fracción stood behind him with their heads lowered, not daring to look directly at the former king of Hueco Mundo.
Baraggan gazed at the city beneath his feet, his eyes full of disdain.
"A battlefield prepared by Soul Reapers. As dull as ever."
On the other side, Tier Harribel stood with her arms folded across her chest, her white outer garment covering half her face.
Three female Arrancar followed behind her.
Apache glanced down and sneered. "So these are the Gotei 13?"
"They don't look like anything special."
Mila Rose had barely finished speaking when Sun-Sun covered her mouth and laughed.
"Don't get careless, or you might be the first to get cut down."
"What did you say?"
"Quiet."
Tier Harribel said only that single word.
The three Fracción immediately shut their mouths.
Once all the Arrancar had appeared, the two sides' Reiatsu collided in midair.
Boom!
The surrounding windows shattered one after another, and the ground began to tremble faintly.
Isshin Kurosaki stood beside Hitsugaya and raised a hand to adjust his Shihakushō.
Wearing these clothes again felt somewhat unfamiliar.
The night before Ichigo left, he had told him everything about his past.
His identity as the captain of the Tenth Division, the Shiba Clan's past, and how he had met Masaki Kurosaki.
After hearing him out, Ichigo had remained silent for a long time.
In the end, he had asked just one question.
"Dad, you'll come back, right?"
Isshin had given Ichigo a hard smack on the head.
"You little brat. Worry about yourself first."
At the thought, Isshin gripped his Zanpakuto.
Ichigo had already set out for Hueco Mundo.
Rukia, Renji, Byakuya Kuchiki, Kenpachi Zaraki, Mayuri Kurotsuchi, and others had also been sent to provide support.
The enemies in the World of the Living were theirs to stop.
Yoriichi looked at Aizen, his right hand settling on Hekyō's hilt.
Once he activated the Transparent World, everyone's muscles, bones, and the flow of their Reiatsu appeared clearly in his vision.
Aizen was looking at him as well.
Their gazes met across the distance.
The smile on Aizen's face did not change.
"Yoriichi Tsugikuni."
"It seems you chose to side with Soul Society after all."
Yoriichi answered calmly, "I never sided with Soul Society."
"Oh?"
"I simply won't allow you to hurt the people here."
Aizen chuckled softly.
Genryūsai Yamamoto stepped forward and slammed the cane in his hand against the empty air.
The wooden cane shattered in an instant, revealing the Zanpakuto hidden within.
"All things in the universe, turn to ashes."
His aged voice carried throughout the city.
"Ryūjin Jakka!"
Boom!
Flames erupted from the blade, and a sea of fire surged skyward, instantly surrounding Aizen, Gin Ichimaru, and Kaname Tōsen.
Searing heat swept across the sky.
The wall of flames formed by Ryūjin Jakka sealed off the three men's retreat, and even the nearby air began to warp.
Aizen calmly surveyed the sea of fire around him.
"What a magnificent sight, Captain-Commander."
He raised his head, a faint smile on his lips.
"It seems you've prepared a warm welcome for us."
Genryūsai Yamamoto held his sword in both hands, his aged eyes utterly unruffled.
Flames churned violently behind him.
"Sōsuke Aizen."
"Today, you meet your end!"
Before you continue