Bleach My days as an Espada

The two exited the room behind Aizen, while Unohana Retsu, who had arrived late, hurried alone to the Central 46 gate. Tōshirō was also breathless as Aizen prepared to depart from the Central 46 Tower.

"Greetings, Captain Hitsugaya," Aizen acknowledged the captain before him with a smile.

"Aizen? Is that truly you? " Hitsugaya struggled to accept what he saw.

"Indeed, as you can observe, it's me. By the way, it appears you returned sooner than I anticipated? "

"It seems Kira's delay didn't assist. "

Watching Aizen and Gin engaged in conversation, Tōshirō exclaimed in anger, "What on earth are you discussing! ! "

"Nothing of consequence, merely a tactical discussion," Aizen dismissed Tōshirō's outburst and continued to speak to himself, "Dispersing the enemy's combat capabilities is fundamental to strategy, wouldn't you agree? "

"You referred to. . . the enemy? ! "

While still trying to grasp the situation, Tōshirō realized that the man before him was behind all the events. He scanned the area before speaking through clenched teeth, "Hinamori, where is she? "

"Yes, where is she? "

Tōshirō's expression shifted upon hearing Aizen's nonchalant tone, and he dashed past Aizen's group with alarming speed, entering the room.

Tōshirō froze at the sight of Hinamori lying in a pool of blood, clinging to life. His eyes began to dull, and it felt as if his mind were attacked, leaving him motionless.

"Hina. . . Mori. . . "

"He found her, Aizen-sama. "

"Ah, indeed. My apologies, Hitsugaya-kun. I truly meant no offense. To avoid being discovered by you, I had to silence her."

Aizen's remarks appeared to pierce through Tōshirō's final shred of composure. He clenched his fists, drew his Zanpakutō from behind, and articulated slowly, "Aizen. . . Ichimaru, how long have you two been acquainted before your act? "

"From the beginning, of course. Since I became captain, I never intended for anyone other than Ichimaru to be my vice-captain. "

"So. . . have you been deceiving Hinamori, me, your subordinates, and all the other Shinigami all this time? "

Tōshirō remained in disbelief, especially considering Aizen's seemingly flawless persona prior. Nobody could have suspected that such an exemplary captain would be capable of these actions.

"I don't intend to deceive; it's simply that none of you comprehend the true me."

Tōshirō laughed bitterly, speaking with self-mockery, "Is that. . . really the case? Hinamori. . . Hinamori has always admired you greatly, dedicating her life to join Gotei 13 just to be near you! She trained tirelessly to achieve her goal of becoming vice captain. "

Aizen tilted his head, smiling as he listened.

"I understand; that's precisely the reason I selected her for my team. This is a significant chance, Hitsugaya, and I want you to keep this in mind: Yearning is the sentiment most distant from comprehension. "

"BANKAI! ! ! ! !

DAIGUREN HYORINMARU! ! ! ! "

As the ice dragon enveloped Tōshirō's figure, a massive wave of icy mist slammed into Aizen and his companions, temporarily freezing them in place as the mist approached.

Fiander, who stood beside Aizen, advanced, raised his hand, and unleashed a powerful blue Reiatsu.

To Tōshirō's astonishment, his own ice was being encased by that individual.

"What an unrefined Bankai, Captain. "

Noticing the derisive tone from the opponent, Tōshirō remained indifferent, and with a fierce yell, he aimed at Aizen and his allies.

"Aizen! I'm going to take your life! "

"I suggest you cease with the words; actions carry more weight than mere talk. "

In that moment, Fiander and Gin stepped aside, and Unohana Retsu arrived just in time to witness Tōshirō thrusting his sword into Aizen's encased form of ice. Oddly enough, Aizen was suddenly positioned behind Tōshirō, wielding his Zanpakutō.

"Ugh—"

Blood erupted from Tōshirō's shoulder as Aizen effortlessly dispatched a captain-level opponent with a single strike. As Tōshirō collapsed, defeated, Aizen let out a soft sigh:

"What a stunning scene; ice remains visible even in this season. "

"Captain Aizen, or rather, he should no longer be addressed as captain. An insidious traitor! Aizen Sōsuke. "

Unohana Retsu gazed at Aizen with calmness, and at that moment, Kotetsu Isane, who had returned Zaraki Kenpachi to the 4th Division's headquarters, hurried over under the protection of Minazuki, delivering Unohana Retsu's Zanpakutō to her.

"Greetings, Captain Unohana. I believed your arrival was imminent. "

Aizen turned to acknowledge Unohana Retsu but showed no intentions of aggression.

"Is that individual one of your subordinates? From the fluctuations in Reiatsu, it seems he triumphed over Shunsui and Zaraki. "

Unohana Retsu observed the wounded Fiander at that instance, as the injury had yet to heal, allowing her to sense Kenpachi's residual Reiatsu within him.

"Yes, Fiander is an exceptionally capable subordinate. "

Aizen then proceeded to clarify his abilities to Unohana Retsu.

Meanwhile, Renji, who was carrying Rukia and attempting to escape, encountered Tousen Kaname and obstructed his path. Before he could react, Tousen Kaname released a white orb, engulfing all three of them.

In Central 46, Ichimaru Gin performed a similar action, hurling a white orb to envelop Aizen and Fiander within. As the final moment of teleportation arrived, Aizen expressed admiration for Unohana Retsu:

"One final compliment; after undergoing Complete Hypnosis, you were still able to detect the abnormality of the corpse. "

"That's remarkable, Captain Unohana. Farewell; I doubt our paths will cross again. "

After speaking, a white light abruptly emerged. Kotetsu Isane attempted to rush forward to stop it, but she witnessed the trio vanishing.

Simultaneously, Renji, who had fled with Rukia for a considerable distance, returned to the location of Sōkyoku once more.

"This is. . . Sōkyoku Hill! "

"Welcome, Abarai. Now, gently place Rukia Kuchiki down and take a step back. "

To Abarai's astonishment, he observed that Aizen remained alive, accompanied by Ichimaru Gin, Tousen Kaname, and an unfamiliar face.