Aizen appeared, and now it was his time to show off. No one could stop his magnificent performance this time, and Ethan quietly became a spectator, watching the event unfold firsthand.
At this moment, Captain Unohana of the Fourth Division, who knew the truth, had her lieutenant Isane use Tenken Kirin to inform the Soul Reapers in the Seireitei of the discovered truth, especially the captains and lieutenants.
Now the Thirteen Court Guard Squads all knew that Aizen was the one secretly causing trouble, including Rukia's execution. Furthermore, Aizen below was explaining to Byakuya, Rukia, Renji, and Ichigo why he did what he did.
As a great villain, one must have the heart of a top commentator.
A villain who does not properly explain their various plans is not a qualified villain.
Psychologically speaking, secretly carrying out conspiracies and schemes is very suppressive and lacks an audience. As a result, when the plan is completed, the people who designed these schemes feel the urge to release everything when they sense that it is about to end. It is also driven by a desire for admiration and recognition. "I did these amazing things. Aren't you going to show shock and admiration?" Therefore, many villains talk endlessly at the final moment, which actually has a scientific basis.
Even Aizen was no exception. Having suppressed himself for more than a hundred years, he needed release more than most villains. It was understandable that he would speak more at this time.
While explaining to his heart's content, Aizen did not forget his true purpose, extracting the Hogyoku from Rukia's body. Although Byakuya reacted and wanted to save Rukia, at the moment he made his move he suddenly felt something very strange. Then he discovered that the Aizen before him had turned into Gin Ichimaru.
"Kyoka Suigetsu!"
Through Isane's Tenken Kirin, the Soul Reapers now knew the true ability of Kyoka Suigetsu. Although Byakuya sensed something was wrong, he found that he had no way to break this technique. This hypnotic ability was indeed troublesome.
However, his second reaction was quick. At the instant Aizen took out the Hogyoku and slightly relaxed, Byakuya seized the opportunity and snatched Rukia away, preventing his sister from being killed.
After successfully rescuing her, Byakuya gave Gin a strange look. The captain of the Third Division, who seemed unsure why he was standing with Aizen, spread his hands helplessly.
"Oh dear, I didn't expect his movements to be so fast."
"It doesn't matter."
Aizen pushed up his glasses. He did not care much about anyone present.
He had already obtained the Hogyoku and achieved his goal. As for a decisive battle with the Soul Reapers, that could wait.
"Time is almost up."
Facing the elites of the Soul Society who had surrounded him layer by layer, Aizen completely ignored them.
There were not many Soul Reapers who could catch his eye. Among those present, only Captain Commander Yamamoto counted as one, and Byakuya counted as half.
The rest were just small fry, no different from Sajin Komamura, whom he had easily defeated.
As cracks appeared in the sky, countless figures of Menos Grandes emerged from the fissures and cast Negación to envelop Sosuke Aizen, Gin Ichimaru, and Kaname Tousen.
"Negación?"
This was a technique used by Menos Grandes only when rescuing their comrades. After releasing Negación, the beings inside it were essentially placed in another dimension. Although they could still be seen from outside, those outside had no way to harm them.
Aizen stood inside Negación, preparing to deliver his final and impactful speech. Just as he took off his glasses and was about to slick back his hair, a voice rang out. It was not very loud, yet almost everyone heard it.
"Hado #99, Goryutenmetsu!"
A surging and astonishing spiritual pressure instantly filled the entire space. Several giant dragons formed from spiritual power appeared in the air, twisting and churning. With a slight movement of their bodies, they crushed countless nearby Menos Grandes into their most basic spiritual particles.
"Hado #99?"
"This... can someone really use Hado #99? And without an incantation?"
"Who is it?"
"Such terrifying spiritual pressure!"
What was even more shocking than the spiritual pressure and Hado #99 was that after Goryutenmetsu was released, the Negación, which was said to be unbreakable, was actually damaged. The spatial fissures opened by the Menos Grandes were continuously squeezed and distorted by the giant dragons of spiritual power, clearly unable to maintain themselves any longer. The Menos Grandes that had released Negación were already crushed into spiritual particles.
Negación still existed, but its fundamental support had been destroyed. Its defensive ability was rapidly weakening. Cracks even began to appear on the golden wall of light.
Although no one was paying attention to him anymore, Aizen still insisted on slicking back his hair, completing this crucial transformation. After shedding his gentle and kind image, he now exuded overwhelming dominance. He slightly frowned at a seemingly empty spot.
"I didn't expect you to come as well. It has really been a long time."
"Such a wonderful performance. Of course I had to see it with my own eyes."
Under the astonished gazes of the captains, a figure gradually appeared in midair. He slowly rose to the same height as Aizen, always slightly higher, preventing Aizen from looking down on him.
"Is that so?" Aizen closed his eyes for a moment. He suddenly realized that his plan going so smoothly might have been influenced by the other party. "So this was actually a gift from you?"
"No. I just wanted you to reveal your true nature sooner."
"So that's how it is."
A person with intelligence like Aizen understood with only a little information.
If he revealed his true ambition, the accusations against Ethan from back then would naturally be cleared.
However, he was very curious about why Ethan had suddenly appeared.
As if guessing the question, Ethan gave an answer that made him even more puzzled.
"Because if I didn't appear now, it would be hard to see you again."
"What?"
"Goodbye, Aizen. Sosuke."
As if suddenly realizing something, Aizen immediately turned toward Gin, who was inside another Negación. Then he noticed a tiny blue light spot on his own Negación and Gin's Negación.
"Bankai, Kamishini no Yari!"
There was no time to react. The blade suddenly shot out from the blue light spot. It was too fast to dodge, and Aizen inside Negación had no space to evade.
"Although killing you after you fuse with the Hogyoku might fit the theme of a hot blooded anime better, I do not have the habit of sitting back and letting my enemies grow stronger."
The terrifying aspect of Kamishini no Yari was not the blade's length but its speed. At full speed, even Aizen had no way to avoid it.
Why had Gin possessed such a powerful Zanpakuto yet never attacked Aizen before? Because he could never be certain that what he saw was truly Aizen.
So he waited until he could touch Kyoka Suigetsu, ensuring he was not under hypnosis, before launching his real attack.
Unfortunately, Kamishini no Yari, which should have been fatal, could not kill Aizen after he fused with the Hogyoku. Gin's century of patience ended up useless.
This time, Ethan gave him a perfect opportunity. Aizen inside Negación had to be the real one, and the spatial fissure created by Ethan ensured that Gin's attack would definitely strike him.
"Do you think such minor injuries can kill me?"
Aizen clutched his side. His strength was indeed terrifying. Even in this nearly unavoidable situation, he still responded in the most appropriate way. He avoided his vital points and endured the blow with the smallest possible cost.
"This is enough."
Gin, inside the other Negación, retracted his Zanpakuto and smiled. He showed Aizen the change in his blade. A very small piece was missing.
Kamishini no Yari's true killing move was the deadly poison that could dissolve everything.
At this moment, a Zanpakuto suddenly appeared in Ethan's hand. With a gentle swing, the already cracked Negación finally collapsed and disintegrated. The people who had been suspended in the air by it began to fall rapidly.
However, unlike Gin's satisfied expression of finally completing his mission, Aizen wore a look of extreme dissatisfaction. Filled with resentment, he dissolved and completely disappeared during the fall.
Ethan casually caught the Hogyoku while falling alongside Gin. Meanwhile, the seemingly ignored Kaname Tousen suddenly rushed forward. Did he think he could avoid attention by pretending to be dead? That was impossible.
Even without the warnings from the Soul Reapers below, Ethan would not forget this man who would later lose so much face.
"Hado #90, Black Coffin!"
He gave Tousen the same treatment as Komamura. The only difference was that the Black Coffin Aizen used without incantation had only one third of the power of a fully incanted version.
In Ethan's hands, even without speaking, Hado #90 could unleash its full intended power.
"Hado #90 again. Without incantation again. And the power is so strong."
When the black energy dissipated, all that remained was Tousen's heavily injured corpse. Ethan did not even give him a chance to speak his last words. He disliked this man, so his strike had naturally been a little heavier.
"This guy... who is he?"
In fact, aside from younger Soul Reapers like Rangiku and Hisagi, most of the Soul Reapers present knew Ethan.
However, except for Yoruichi, who was most familiar with him, even Renji, Ichigo, and Byakuya were stunned by the strength he displayed.
(To be continued.)