[Soul Society Arc] Part 96: End of Hypnosis 2: The Blue Fog

After Aizen and Gin vanished from the scene, Yato, Unohana, and Isane found themselves standing in an eerily quiet space. Yato observed Isane as she began chanting, gracefully drawing a circle on the ground and inscribing intricate Kanji characters, a ritual familiar to him as Bakudō #58, Kakushi Tsuijaku.

Yato: 'Guess Ichigo's fight must be over by now…' - The young man casually pressed the small communicator in his ear, initiating contact with Uryū and Orihime.

Knowing that once Isane determined Aizen's location, she would use Bakudō #77, Tenteikūra, to inform everyone about Aizen's betrayal, but Yato knew its limitations. Her Kidō would only reach those treated by the 4th Division's shinigami, leaving Ichigo, Tatsuki, Orihime, and Uryū in the dark.

Yato: "Ishida-san and Inoue-san… Are you hearing me?" - He spoke through the communicator.

Uryū: [I hear you, Yasakani.]

Orihime: [Loud and clear, Yasakani-kun!]

Yato: "Is Ichigo with you?"

Uryū: [Yes, he managed to defeat that captain, and now we're all together, except for Arisawa-san. We're making our way down Sōkyoku Hill.]

Orihime: [And I heal Sado-kun, just like you asked.]

Yato: "Just give me a second to update you on a few things. Meanwhile, Inoue-san, I need you to hand your communicator to Ichigo. Focus on healing him as much as possible...it's a bit of an emergency." - He hurriedly spoke, glancing at Isane, who seemed focused on her Kidō.

Isane: "I've located them! East 332, North 1566… They're at Sōkyoku!" - Her eyes widened slightly with the discovery.

Upon hearing Isane's announcement, Unohana calmly walked towards the fallen Hitsugaya.

Unohana: "Alright, locate all captains and lieutenants, and inform them about everything we've uncovered regarding Aizen and his current location… and relay this same information to the Ryoka." - Her voice held a calm authority as she drew her zanpakutō, ready to take action.

Isane: "Yes, ma'am!"

Unohana: "I'm counting on you. I must do everything in my power… to save Captain Hitsugaya and Lieutenant Hinamori." - Her gaze was determined, showing the weight of responsibility on her shoulders.

Unohana then noticed Yato walking towards her, his stride confident, and she observed him curiously until he spoke.

Yato: "Focus on healing the captain... I'll save you some trouble and assist the lieutenant." - He maintained a nonchalant tone, as if the situation were routine.

Shortly after, he pressed his communicator again upon hearing Ichigo's voice.

Ichigo: [Yato, what's going on?]

Yato: "I need your help and Sado's for something… but you guys have to head back to the Sōkyoku Hill." - He spoke in a controlled manner, his eyes reflecting a sense of urgency and determination, while using the abilities of his Fullbring to delicately mend Hinamori's wound.

At first glance, the injury seemed small compared to the unusual resilience of the shinigamis, but the issue was that Aizen had pierced Saketsu (Binding Chain) and Hakusui (Soul Sleep), akin to the heart of a Shinigami. This led Yato to decide to utilize his Fullbring abilities rather than the healing powers of his zanpakutō, Ōkagetsu.

Yato: "Summing it up, there are three captains who betrayed the Soul Society, and all this time, they were the ones pulling the strings behind Rukia's execution. Right now, they're at the Sōkyoku Hill and probably took Renji and Rukia back there." - He shared the concerning information with Ichigo and Uryū through the communicator.

Ichigo: [What?!]

Uryū: [So, your suspicions were correct… but I don't understand. I thought you would have taken action if you knew about it.]

Once Yato had stabilized Momo's injury, he carefully cradled her in his arms and carried her over to Unohana.

The captain had summoned her zanpakutō, Minazuki, to tend to Captain Hitsugaya's wounds.

Yato: "Well...Ishida-san, I've done my part." - The young man grinned as he positioned the lieutenant beside Unohana, allowing the captain to complete her treatment. - "I already saved Rukia. The Rukia with those treacherous captains at the Sōkyoku... she's just a decoy~" - He added with a sly smirk, capturing Unohana's surprised gaze.

Ichigo: [Wait, what do you mean you saved Rukia? When did this happen?]

Uryū: [And how did you manage create a decoy like that?]

Yato: "Did you really think I'd trust Renji to protect Rukia? I've ensured her safety a long time ago." - He commented sarcastically, his smirk emphasizing his sardonic tone, while Unohana's inquisitive gaze only seemed to fuel his amusement.

Unohana: 'This boy...' - She thought as she observed him swiftly exiting the area, a hint of bemusement crossing her face.

Ichigo: [But if you've already saved her, why do we have to go back there?]

Yato: "Well... one of the reasons is that, even though I don't give much of a damn about Renji, he's out there, beaten and alone, facing off against three captains. He's likely to end up six feet under if no one lends a hand." - The young man casually explained while making use of his Fullbring high-speed movement, darting through the Central 46 with a sense of urgency. - "The second reason is I've already crossed paths with Rukia, and I sensed something fishy in her, like there's a deep...something... buried in her soul. So, you can bet that's what this Aizen guy is after... and as soon as he realizes the Rukia with him is a fake..."

Uryū: [He'll be after the real one...]

Ichigo: [Damn it! What do we do?]

Yato: "The lieutenant who was near me earlier will give everyone the full rundown, including our group, but I figure only Sado and Ganju can hear her."

Taking advantage of the Tentōken cloak, which granted him the ability to fly, the young man leaped into the skies. His use of Bringer Light gave him swift propulsion, heading toward the Sōkyoku at a breakneck speed.

Yato: "I'm heading to the Sōkyoku right now and I need you and Sado to go there and try to hold Aizen back for as long as possible. No need to try to win, just stall him until the other captains and lieutenants can get there."

# Sōkyoku Hill #

Renji held onto his zanpakutō with determination, his right hand firmly gripping the hilt despite the evident strain on his injured arm. Rukia, clutched in his left arm, displayed a mix of concern and trust as they faced Aizen. The lieutenant, though visibly fatigued, maintained his resolve against the calm and poised Aizen.

Aizen: "Abarai-kun, your progress in skill is truly remarkable. It brings me joy to witness." - A subtle smile played on Aizen's lips as he spoke. "However, your persistence comes at an inopportune moment. Stepping on ants without crushing them can be quite challenging." - His words flowed smoothly. - "As your former captain, I would hate to see you die."

The lieutenant gritted his teeth, exhaustion etched on his face as he struggled to shield Rukia from Aizen.

Renji: "Hate to see me die? Then...why did you kill Hinamori?"

Aizen: "Oh. So that disruption in spiritual energy earlier was a Tenteikūra." - He deduced, a sly smile forming. - "Hinamori-kun's death was inevitable. She couldn't live without me. Don't you think killing her was an act of compassion?" - He spoke calmly, his voice carrying an unsettling calmness. - "But it was never my intention to kill her. That's why I tried to have Kira-kun or Hitsugaya-kun do the job... but it didn't work. So grudgingly... I put her down myself."

Renji: "Is that so...Kira, Hinamori...you had them both in the palm of your hand..." - Renji's eyes flared with anger, a mixture of frustration and helplessness evident in his expression.

Aizen: "And you... Abarai-kun."

Renji: "Now I get it... you're not the Captain Aizen I knew." - He spoke between heavy breaths, his eyes reflecting determination. - "I don't know what your game is, but I won't let you take Rukia..."

Aizen: "I... was never the Captain Aizen you knew. Sadly, he was just an illusion, Abarai-kun." - A subtle smile adorned Aizen's tranquil face. - "The Sōsuke Aizen you knew... never existed."

Even more frustrated, Renji leaped high, his roar filling the air.

Renji: "Howl!! Zabimaru!!" - The cry echoed, revealing the lieutenant's determination to protect Rukia.

After Renji unleashed his shikai, Zabimaru, he swung the extended segments at Aizen. Each section of the blade lunged toward the captain, but with a graceful move, Aizen effortlessly blocked Renji's attack by raising his own zanpakutō.

Aizen: "Shikai, eh? Is that the best you can muster with that injured arm? Understand that... this won't be sufficient to buy you any time."

Disregarding Aizen's words, Renji launched another assault. However, Aizen effortlessly intercepted Zabimaru's blade with his left hand, causing the segments of the zanpakutō to move chaotically before he effortlessly shattered it with a graceful swing of his own zanpakutō.

Aizen: "Petulant as ever... of the three of you, you've always been the most problematic, Abarai-kun."

In an instant, Renji dropped to his knees, the pain etched across his face as a profound and bloody gash on his back revealed the swift and precise strike executed by Aizen, who had appeared beside him in a blink of an eye.

Aizen: "Since the first time I met you three... I was sure I could use you... so I enlisted you in the 5th Division when you joined the Gotei 13. Kira-kun and Hinamori-kun were the most useful, so I made them subordinates of Gin and myself... and sent you, the problem child, to another division." - He stopped in front of the lieutenant. - "Seems like I made the right decision... now, for the last time, leave Rukia Kuchiki and step aside."

Aizen, realizing Renji's refusal to let go of Rukia, swung his zanpakutō for another attack. However, his blade was intercepted by the sudden appearance of Ichigo, who was still in his Bankai state and had arrived so swiftly that not even Gin and Tōsen noticed.

Chad trailed Ichigo, his transformed right arm maintained its black color, but the magenta hue became slightly lighter, and the design intricacies became more pronounced.

Ichigo: "Hey, down on your knees, Renji? Is Rukia that heavy?" - Despite the gravity of the situation, Ichigo's attempt at levity added a momentary respite. - "Thought I'd lend a hand."

Gin: "Apologies, Captain Aizen." - He said with a nonchalant smile, almost as if he found the situation amusing. - "I didn't mean to interfere, so I let him through."

Aizen: "That's not a problem. It's fine. There's no difference whether there's one piece of dust to brush off, or two." - Aizen's calm demeanor remained, revealing a sense of detached confidence.

Ichigo: "Is that Aizen?" - He questioned Renji, his gaze piercing as he sized up the enigmatic figure.

Renji: "Yeah..."

Ichigo: "Can you run?" - He inquired, a sense of urgency evident in his tone, as his eyes remained fixed on Aizen, assessing the situation.

Renji: "I can... but I won't. I've got a plan. My Zabimaru might be broken, but I still got a few tricks. I'm gonna fight... you guys gotta know as well as I do that running from here is pointless." - He spoke with a hint of determination, catching his breath while securely holding onto Rukia. - "I'm not saying we can take them down... but maybe we can throw them off balance... and make our exit with a bit of dignity."

Ichigo: "Heh. Alright." - He flashed a confident smile. - "You heard the man, Chad. Seems like we're a team now."

Chad: "Hmm." - He nodded in agreement.

Renji briefly released Rukia and positioned himself alongside Ichigo and Chad, lifting what remained of his zanpakutō.

Renji: "I can only use this ability once... but if it works, it'll create an opening..."

Chad: "Then I'll help create that opening... might improve our chances of success." - He spoke, clenching his right fist, gathering a substantial amount of spiritual energy.

Renji: "Captain Aizen is incredibly powerful, so you'll only have a moment... don't miss it."

Ichigo: "Got it." - He affirmed, gripping his black zanpakutō firmly with both hands.

Renji: 'This is gonna hurt, Zabimaru... but hang in there.' - He thought, casting a determined gaze at his broken zanpakutō. With resolve, he drove the sole remaining piece of the blade into the ground. "Ready, Zabimaru?" - He questioned with a sense of anticipation aimed at Aizen. - "Higa Zekkō!"

At the lieutenant's command, the segments of Zabimaru, which Aizen had shattered, began to be enveloped in reiatsu. They soared over the captain, orchestrating a synchronized attack.

Witnessing this, Chad clenched his fist, concentrating a potent surge of spiritual energy before unleashing a powerful punch. A colossal blast of spiritual force hurtled towards Aizen.

Following the combined attacks from Chad and Renji, Ichigo acted swiftly. Utilizing the enhanced speed of his Bankai, Tensa Zangetsu, he rushed toward the captain, preparing to strike. However, to everyone's surprise, Aizen halted Ichigo's blade with just one finger.

The captain remained unscathed, unaffected by the combined assaults of Chad and Renji. While holding Ichigo's zanpakutō with his fingers, Aizen swung his own zanpakutō violently against Ichigo, cutting deeply into his waist.

Aizen: "Oh, you should be torn in two by now... maybe I miscalculated." - He spoke with an eerie calmness, releasing Ichigo's zanpakutō, allowing him to crumple to the ground, defeated.

Without affording Chad and Renji the time to fully process the unfolding events, Aizen materialized behind them in a swift, almost imperceptible motion. His attack was executed so seamlessly that neither Chad nor Renji had a chance to react before a deep cut opened on their backs, causing them to collapse in defeat.

Aizen walked calmly toward Rukia, who was paralyzed at the sight of her defeated friends. The very reiatsu exuding from Aizen left her so weakened that she couldn't muster the strength to move.

The captain nonchalantly sheathed his zanpakutō, extending his hand to grasp Rukia by the collar. Yet, in an instant, the petite shinigami seemed to vanish.

Aizen: "Oh. A sudden change in behavior coming from your end..." - He spoke calmly, looking in the direction where Rukia had been. - "Byakuya Kuchiki."

Byakuya materialized out of nowhere, swiftly pulling Rukia out of Aizen's reach. Despite the evident injuries from his prior clash with Ichigo, Byakuya's steely resolve remained intact, determined to shield his adopted sister from further harm.

However, a long, ominous blade impaled the captain as he bravely moved to protect Rukia. The blade, wielded by Gin, retracted smoothly, returning to the form of a wakizashi in his deft hands.

Gin: "I'm sorry, Captain Aizen. Tried to slow him down, but it seems I wasn't quick enough." - His eerie grin persisted.

Rukia: "Nii-sama...!" - Her eyes wide with concern as she attempted to support him after the unexpected attack by Gin. Her expression conveyed a mix of relief at his sudden arrival and worry for his injured state.

Aizen: "I must commend your valiant efforts, Byakuya Kuchiki. However..." - He wore a calm smile as he leisurely approached the siblings. - "The inevitable outcome still befell you. It's quite surprising to witness you risking so much for your sister in such a condition."

As Aizen seized Rukia by the collar, her body weakened in his grasp, portraying the extent of her vulnerability in the presence of the formidable captain.

# Meanwhile #

In the dimly lit underground channels of Seireitei, Rukia Kuchiki and Nemu Kurotsuchi hurriedly navigated the labyrinthine passages. The revelation of Aizen's betrayal, conveyed by Isane's announcement, had ignited a spark of worry within Rukia. Fearful for Yato's safety, she dashed through the tunnels, determined to reach him.

Rukia: "That fool! If Aizen finds out about the fake me... Yato could be in danger. I need to reach him before he reaches Aizen." - Her voice, filled with both determination and worry, echoed through the tunnels.

Nemu, faithfully following Yato's directive to protect Rukia, matched her pace without a word.

As they sprinted through the passages, Rukia couldn't shake the worry that gripped her. The realization that Aizen, Gin, and Tōsen had betrayed Soul Society sent shivers down her spine, and her thoughts raced with the need to ensure the Yato's safety.