"The Shino Prison Warden, Head Captain of the New Gotei 13, and Substitute Head Captain of the old Gotei 13 has rebelled!"
When the Soul Reapers heard this declaration, they were left dumbfounded and their scalps tingled with shock. The squad members gathered near the Hakudōmon wore expressions of absolute terror.
*Head Captain Naraku, are you finally done hiding your ambitions?*
Looking at the calm expression on the other man's face, Hirako Shinji felt a surge of panic and subconsciously rested his hand on his Zanpakutō.
*This is completely different from the script we planned.*
According to the original plan, Ikkanzaka Jidanbō was supposed to block Naraku Sora's path back into the Seireitei and throw out a few mocking remarks to provoke him.
Given Sora's reckless personality, he definitely wouldn't have let the gatekeeper off easily.
The moment he struck, Jidanbō would die at the perfect time, directly pinning the crime of murdering a comrade on Sora's head.
With so many people watching, even if Sora could talk until he was blue in the face, he wouldn't be able to talk his way out of it.
However, things hadn't gone according to plan at all.
The moment this brute returned, he obliterated their planted Jidanbō with a single punch, and then directly shattered the Hakudōmon that guarded the Seireitei.
What was even more unexpected was that Sora actually confessed to rebelling right then and there.
*Just what the hell is this guy trying to do?!*
Hirako gritted his teeth. Veins bulged on the hand gripping his hilt as he prepared himself for battle.
But right at that moment, he suddenly noticed that the expressions of the surrounding Soul Reapers were somewhat off.
Initially, upon hearing Sora personally admit to treason, the crowd had looked terrified. But soon enough, a look of fanatical zeal began to surface on several of their faces.
They looked as if a long-awaited dream had finally come true.
*Bastards, what the hell are you thinking?!*
*That man is a traitor! A rebel!*
Hirako knew he couldn't let this continue. He had to cement Sora's status as an enemy immediately.
"I don't know what you're trying to pull."
"But as a member of the Gotei, it is my duty to protect the Seireitei. A traitorous Soul Reaper must be executed by any means necessary."
"Men, join me in striking down the rebel before us!"
*Clang!*
His Zanpakutō was abruptly drawn from its sheath, a cold gleam flashing in the light. Driven by his powerful Reiatsu, a fierce gale swept up from the ground.
Yet, to Hirako's utter disbelief, only a sparse handful of people responded to his battle cry.
Upon closer inspection, they were all from Squad 5.
The rest of the Soul Reapers simply stared at them with strange looks, tactfully distancing themselves from the small group.
In a flash, a massive empty space opened up around Hirako.
Seeing this, Hirako's eye twitched violently. His face instantly turned livid as he barked,
"What is the meaning of this?"
"Are you planning to side with a traitor?"
The crowd stared at the few men for a moment before unanimously breaking into eerie, unsettling smiles.
Over the years, everyone had witnessed Sora's contributions to the Seireitei with their own eyes.
Not only had he wiped out the rogue Soul Reapers terrorizing the Rukongai, but he had also dealt an unprecedented blow to the noble factions.
The Tsunayashiro clan, the head of the Five Great Noble Families that had stood in the Soul Society for a million years, was completely eradicated under Warden Naraku's leadership.
Furthermore, he had quelled the Zanpakutō rebellion and stepped forward during the Hell uprising, saving the Seireitei from absolute disaster.
He had signed a peaceful coexistence treaty with the Quincies and cultivated numerous Captain-level talents...
On top of all that, during Sora's tenure as Prison Warden, the crime rate in the Soul Society had dropped to an all-time low.
Even the residents living in the Rukongai had received varying degrees of care and support.
In short, Lord Naraku's grace was something they could never fully repay.
If a man like him was forced into rebellion, then the Seireitei was undoubtedly the one at fault!
"Damn it, damn it all!"
Hirako roared in fury. "Aren't you afraid that Central 46 will issue an order to send every single one of you to execution?!"
The squad members didn't answer. Instead, they unanimously rested their hands on their Zanpakutō, locking their Reiatsu senses onto the small group in front of them.
Excitement gleamed in their eyes. With just a single word from Lord Naraku, they would completely apprehend the true traitors standing before them.
Watching the Soul Reapers' reactions, Sora grinned, a look of deep satisfaction crossing his face.
Then, he spoke in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Listen up, boys!"
"Yamamoto is incompetent, and Central 46 is witless! Now, imposters have infiltrated the ranks of the Captains. To save the Seireitei from impending doom, I must step forward!"
"To ensure no one slips through the net, we cannot let a single suspicious person go."
"Captain Hirako, will you surrender peacefully, or do I have to do this myself?"
Hirako's face turned incredibly grim.
He had never anticipated things unfolding like this.
These Soul Reapers trusted Sora to an incomprehensible degree. Weren't they afraid that the Sora standing before them was the actual imposter?
*It's completely absurd!*
"That's nothing but a one-sided claim. You're spouting nonsense without a shred of proof."
Hirako attempted one final struggle. "If you ask me, you're just trying to satisfy your own ambitions, using lies to deceive everyone."
"Everyone, do not be fooled by the man before you."
"He is the true traitor..."
Before he could finish his sentence, a figure abruptly broke through the air, crossing the distance between them to appear right in front of Hirako in an instant.
A ferocious, demon-like grin surfaced on the man's face, striking fear into the hearts of onlookers.
"Why do you talk so much nonsense?"
Hirako's pupils shrank rapidly. He instinctively flared his Reiatsu, attempting to offset the incoming impact.
Sora drew back his arm, wrapping it in materialized Reiatsu. Thick, black-and-red lightning surged and crackled in all directions as his right fist slammed down like a falling meteor!
Black Flash・Single Bone!
*Boom—!!*
The moment his fist landed, it instantly shattered the Reiatsu shield. Countless Reishi fragments exploded between the two, reflecting a dazzling array of colors.
Instantly, Hirako's facial features contorted, his flesh twisting as the sickening crunch of shattering bone echoed clearly across the street.
His head snapped back, pulling his neck, which in turn dragged his body along. Rings of white shockwaves exploded behind him as Hirako was sent hurtling down the street, trailing a long wake of displaced air and crashing through several walls in succession.
Clouds of dust billowed into the air, leaving ruins in his wake.
The moment Hirako crashed into the ground, violent thunder mixed with scorching heat erupted from the impact zone, transforming into a massive pillar of light that shot straight into the sky.
Searing winds ignited, venting this tyrannical power in all directions.
When the dust and smoke finally cleared, a charred body lay twitching weakly at the bottom of a deep crater.
To Sora's mild surprise, the fake Hirako Shinji had actually survived such a devastating blow.
However, this was the end of the line.
He used Flash Step to close the distance, arriving in the crater to lock eyes with the fiercely glaring Hirako.
"Naraku Sora, you can't stop..."
Before he could finish, a casual swing of a blade severed his head.
Immediately after, the charred body turned into clay and completely crumbled apart, leaving behind nothing but an irregularly shaped gemstone.
Watching this exaggerated display of power, the Soul Reapers were left dumbfounded.
But on second thought, they felt it was only natural.
Lord Naraku was the man who had inherited Head Captain Yamamoto's will. Wasn't it perfectly normal for him to be this overwhelmingly strong?
The facts proved that this man was the idol they admired, the great existence who truly protected the Seireitei—
Head Captain Naraku!
"Everyone!"
Sora put on a serious, solemn expression. "The Seireitei is currently surrounded by danger. Imposters lurk within our ranks, attempting to tear us apart from the inside."
"To prevent the Seireitei from being destroyed, and to protect the peace of the Soul Society!"
"We will use the name of rebellion to annihilate the fakes within the Gotei 13!"
The crowd's faces flushed red with excitement as they tightly gripped their Zanpakutō.
"As long as we work together and stand united, then—"
Standing at the forefront, Sora's calm voice reached everyone's ears.
"None can stand before us!"
Although they weren't entirely sure who the enemy actually was, as Lord Naraku's most loyal subordinates, simply executing his orders was enough.
The Soul Reapers gathered around the Hakudōmon let out a thunderous roar:
"None can stand before us!"
Watching the hyped-up squad members, Shiba Isshin's expression grew somewhat numb.
*I must be seeing things wrong. Why does it feel like this situation is spiraling completely out of control?*
*He's not actually going to rebel, is he?*
Shino Prison Barracks.
Although Sora's voice didn't reach this far, Kurotsuchi Mayuri, who had been staying in the Department of Research and Development, accurately intercepted his superior's words.
After a few seconds of thought, he decided to relay the news of Sora's rebellion to the New Gotei 13.
Soon, a group of Captain-level Soul Reapers radiating powerful auras gathered in the meeting room.
"Lord Naraku has rebelled. What are your thoughts?"
"Is that even a question? We follow him, of course!"
"My loyalty lies with Lord Naraku, not the Seireitei, and certainly not the so-called Central 46."
"We will coordinate with Lord Naraku and seize control of the Gotei 13!"
"The time has come. We march today!"
The group's opinions were surprisingly unanimous, and in just a few words, they finalized their upcoming plans.
Even the innocent and kind-hearted Kakyo, having been influenced by her surroundings, agreed to the arrangements of these outlaws.
Shortly after, they each led their respective squads and marched toward the Seireitei.
Squad 5 Barracks, Lieutenant's Office.
Because of its close proximity to the Hakudōmon, Aizen, who was busy processing files, clearly heard that familiar voice.
He paused his work and looked toward the Hakudōmon, his brow furrowing tightly.
"Rebellion?"
"Wait, didn't Hirako Shinji leave for the Dangai to investigate the anomaly? Why is he near the Hakudōmon?"
After a brief sweep with his senses, a flash of realization crossed Aizen's eyes.
"An imposter, is it?"
"To think there was a researcher of such caliber within the Seireitei."
Aizen set down his calligraphy brush and released his Reiatsu, blanketing the area outside the barracks. He quickly grasped the chaotic situation unfolding beyond his walls.
Squads of Soul Reapers were swarming every street and alleyway.
Unable to distinguish friend from foe, they simply labeled everyone they saw as a fake.
The first to bear the brunt of this witch hunt were the Captains and Lieutenants of the Gotei 13.
Sensing the chaotic Reiatsu, Aizen fell deep into thought, an eerie glint flashing behind his plain spectacles.
*Perhaps...*
*I can finally do something I've always wanted to do...*