Not far away from them.
Toshiro Hitsugaya was kneeling on one knee, supporting Momo Hinamori, who looked completely vacant, like a soulless puppet.
"Hinamori... wake up! Look at me! Hinamori!"
Toshiro called out to her anxiously, but received no response.
Her hollow eyes stared blankly at the empty space where Aizen had disappeared. Her pupils were unfocused, and her mouth merely repeated the same few words mechanically:
"Captain Aizen... why... Captain Aizen..."
The man she had revered like a god had not only orchestrated this earth-shattering conspiracy to overthrow the Soul Society...
But before leaving, he hadn't even spared her a single glance, departing calmly with the others...
The agony of being betrayed by the one she worshipped was ten thousand times more lethal than any physical wound.
Seeing his childhood friend in such a state of mental collapse, Toshiro felt nothing but burning rage.
"That bastard..." The freezing aura radiating from Toshiro grew even more intense, and the hilt of Hyorinmaru crackled with ice in his grip. "I will cut you down with my own hands..."
In stark contrast to Toshiro's fury, the Vice Captain of the Third Division, Izuru Kira, sat slumped on the ground, looking utterly devastated.
The captain who always wore a smile, whose thoughts were impossible to read, the man he had sworn to follow—was actually a traitor?
'No... that's not right!'
Izuru Kira recalled the final glance Gin Ichimaru had given him right before leaving, just as he was enveloped by the Negacion.
That look... contained no mockery, nor the arrogant disdain for the weak. It held only a profound depth he couldn't understand, and... an apology?
'...Captain must have his reasons... I have to find out why.' he vowed silently.
Amidst this atmosphere, split evenly between reunion and sorrow.
Swish! Swish!
Two urgent sounds of something tearing through the air rang out.
"...Although I felt this unusual commotion from below, seeing it with my own eyes is truly a headache."
The ground scorched into glass by Zanka no Tachi... the massive crater blasted out by the pillar of light from Avici... and the corpses of the Kanritei and Executive Militia...
Even a man as deep-thinking as Shunsui Kyoraku couldn't help but wear a grave expression.
Jushiro Ukitake, standing beside him, did not reply.
His gentle eyes swept across the battlefield before his body suddenly jolted.
"Kaien?!"
Ukitake's voice cracked, shifting in pitch from sheer overwhelming emotion.
Kaien, who was walking with Rukia on his back while struggling to explain the Shiba family tree to Ichigo Kurosaki, snapped his head around at the sound.
He watched the white-haired captain running toward him, breaking into a violent fit of coughing from the sudden exertion, and felt his eyes grow hot.
"Captain Ukitake!!"
Kaien took a deep breath and stood up straight. "Kaien Shiba, reporting for duty! I'm sorry... I made you worry!"
Even though he had briefly served as the Captain of the Tenth Division, in his heart, he was still a man of the Thirteenth Division.
Ukitake grabbed Kaien by the shoulders, looking the suddenly returned man up and down, feeling the weak but undeniably real Spiritual Pressure radiating from him...
"It really is you! Kaien... you're alive! Thank goodness... thank goodness!"
"Captain, your health still hasn't recovered, please don't get so worked up," Kaien replied with a bitter smile, his own nose stinging with emotion.
"I'm tougher than I look, a little storm like this won't take me down! It's just that over these past few years, the burden of the Thirteenth Division must have fallen entirely on your shoulders... It was my dereliction of duty."
"It's just good that you're back... As long as you're back, that's better than anything!" Ukitake said, and though his coughing persisted, the joy on his face could not be hidden.
Shunsui Kyoraku watched the scene unfold, making no immediate move to interrupt the long-awaited reunion between master and subordinate.
He simply walked silently over to a lithe, athletic figure.
"My, my... I was wondering who had the incredible skill to bring a few Ryoka brats who haven't even attended the Shin'o Academy and turn the Seireitei completely upside down."
He reached up and pushed his straw hat back slightly. "If it isn't our esteemed Head of the Shihoin Family, Commander-in-Chief of the Onmitsukido, Princess Yoruichi?"
Kyoraku looked at Yoruichi Shihoin, his tone carrying the teasing lilt of old friends reuniting, as if they weren't standing on a devastated battlefield, but chatting idly in some izakaya.
"What's this? Finally willing to return home and visit us old friends?"
Hearing that familiar tone, Yoruichi lowered her arms and turned with a smile. "Save it, Shunsui."
"If you're asking why I'm here, just consider it a company retreat. I'm representing my firm and bringing the employees to the Seireitei for some team-building."
"Though your tourist attractions here are far too boring. I'll be leaving a negative review."
"...Miss Yoruichi is as merciless with her words as ever," Shunsui Kyoraku said with a wry smile. His expression then turned serious as he lowered his voice. "But honestly, Miss Yoruichi, this incident is far too massive. I'm afraid the entire Seireitei is in for a lot of trouble..."
"...Yeah, I know. I didn't expect it to end up like this either."
She retorted bluntly, "If your boss wasn't so useless, failing to even notice his own backyard was on fire and letting that hypocrite Aizen play the entire Gotei 13 for fools all these years, things wouldn't have reached this point..."
Yoruichi glanced at Asuka in the distance and fell silent.
Over there, Kaien was gently setting Rukia down in front of him.
"Weave fate, Tsumugi..."
Shinobu Kocho's gentle voice echoed over the ruins.
She had already pulled herself out of the emotional turbulence of the reunion, restoring her professional and calm demeanor as a healer.
Her Zanpakuto emitted a dreamlike fluorescence, and countless tiny Reishi insects fell like a gentle spring rain, pattering softly onto the wound on Rukia's chest.
"Um... Miss Soul Reaper, is Rukia going to be okay?" Ichigo crouched nervously to the side, not even daring to breathe too loudly for fear of disturbing Shinobu Kocho's treatment.
"It's not a major issue... I have to admit, Aizen's methods were incredibly precise." Shinobu Kocho didn't even turn her head, keeping her focus entirely on the flow of Reishi at the wound.
As time passed, a trace of color finally returned to Rukia's paper-white face.
The terrifying hollow in her chest was refilled and stitched together, leaving behind only a faint scar.
"Mngh..."
Rukia let out a faint groan. Her long eyelashes fluttered a few times before she slowly opened her eyes.
"Rukia! You're awake!" Ichigo exclaimed, nearly jumping up in excitement.
Rukia's eyes were still a bit dazed. She looked in surprise at Ichigo leaning in close, and then at Shinobu Kocho, who was sheathing her Zanpakuto and smiling gently at her.
Finally, her gaze landed on her brother, standing off to the side in his white robes.
"Brother..." Having just recovered, Rukia's voice was terribly hoarse.
Seeing that Rukia had awakened, Byakuya Kuchiki quickly turned his head away, avoiding her gaze.
He simply spoke in his usual cold, detached tone. "Since you are awake, do not just lie there... Let us return home."
It seemed he was still somewhat inept at expressing his emotions...
"Alright, the injury has stabilized... However, for a long time to come, it would be best if you didn't use any Spiritual Pressure. You must rest and recuperate properly."
Shinobu Kocho wiped the sweat from her forehead, stood up, and looked toward Asuka, giving him a reassuring smile.
Asuka nodded, stepped forward, and naturally took her hand.
Her hand was a bit cold from exerting all her strength to heal Rukia. Asuka wrapped his large hand tightly around hers, trying to pass on some warmth.
With Rukia out of danger, the life-or-death tension in the area finally eased slightly.
However, as the captains, Ichigo, and the others gathered together.
The heaviness in the air did not diminish in the slightest.
Now, everyone had to face an even more serious problem.
Where would the Gotei 13 go from here?