"What do you mean, 'we have some history, I would hate to see you die'?"
"If that's the case, then why did you kill Toshiro!!"
Renji shouted loudly in accusation.
"Yare yare, it seems that Reiatsu Fluctuation just now was indeed Tenteikura from Isane."
Aizen said, as if helpless: "Actually, killing Toshiro-kun was unavoidable. I originally didn't plan to kill him, which is why I had Gin use Kira and Hinamori to lure him to the 3rd Division and then frame him."
"I originally planned to use the name of Central 46 to have him cooperate with the investigation, in order to temporarily confine him. But Toshiro-kun was too clever. He immediately sensed something abnormal about this matter and resolutely chose to flee."
"Later, he even investigated and found out that something was wrong with Central 46, discovered the truth, and even wanted to make a move against me. I had no choice but to defend myself and was forced to kill him."
Aizen explained innocently to Renji, as if he were the victim.
"You... you toyed with Hinamori, Kira, and everyone else, manipulating them like puppets."
Renji said through gritted teeth.
"You too, Renji."
Aizen added indifferently.
"I finally understand. You are no longer the Captain Aizen I once knew. Even if I die, I will not hand Rukia over to you."
Renji said.
"I am no longer the Aizen Sosuke you once knew? I'm very sorry, Renji, but that was just your illusion. The Aizen Sosuke you once knew..."
"Never existed from the very beginning."
Aizen scoffed.
"Howl! Zabimaru!!"
As soon as Aizen finished speaking, Renji suddenly used his Shikai. His Zanpakuto, like a serrated blade, suddenly extended, then fell from the sky, attacking Aizen from above.
"Shikai? I wonder how much power it still has, given your battered condition."
Aizen calmly held his Zanpakuto horizontally above his head.
Clang!
Zabimaru struck Aizen's Kyoka Suigetsu. The powerful recoil directly bounced Renji's Zabimaru back, while Aizen remained as calm and composed as ever.
"Ha!"
Renji shouted loudly and, unwilling to give up, again controlled Zabimaru to attack Aizen.
Seeing this, Aizen said helplessly, "Can't be helped."
Then, he casually reached out his hand towards Renji's extended Zanpakuto.
Squeak, squeak, squeak!!
Renji's Zabimaru was tightly gripped in Aizen's hand. The sharp blade rubbed intensely against Aizen's palm, even producing sparks.
'With his bare hands...'
Renji looked at the scene in shock. Although Renji knew that the Captains of the Gotei 13 were very strong, and that even though he had mastered Bankai and broken through to the Captain-level, he was still no match for them, but to casually catch his Shikai attack with his bare hands... wasn't this a bit too exaggerated? When did Captains become so powerful?
Crack!!
Just as Renji was stunned, Aizen exerted force with his hand, and Renji's Zanpakuto directly snapped into over a dozen pieces.
Swish!
A flash of sword light passed.
Squelch!
Blood spurted from Renji's back.
Thud!
Renji involuntarily collapsed to his knees.
"I'll say this one last time. Put down Rukia and get lost."
Aizen's voice was icy cold.
He had lost interest in toying with Renji and no longer wished to play the game of cat and mouse.
Seeing this, Rukia, who was in Renji's arms, quickly said: "Wait! Captain Aizen, I..."
"I refuse!"
Before Rukia could finish, Renji suddenly interrupted her: "I won't put her down again!"
Although it was a critical moment, Renji couldn't help but think back to what happened back then at the Shin'o Academy.
Whenever he thought about how his own actions had led to them becoming strangers for ten long years, Renji was filled with anguish.
Now that they finally had a chance to reconcile, Renji was determined not to give up again, even if it meant dying!
"Who said I was giving up, you bastard!!"
Renji roared at Aizen.
"Is that so? Then I'm sorry."
Aizen's expression turned cold.
Saying this, Aizen swung his Zanpakuto towards Renji.
"Hm?"
Aizen seemed to suddenly sense something.
Clang!
A figure suddenly appeared in front of Renji, holding a sword horizontally to block Aizen's Zanpakuto.
"Hey! Why are you kneeling? Is Rukia that heavy?"
The newcomer joked, his back turned to Renji.
"Ichigo!"
Renji looked at the newcomer in surprise.
The figure wore a black trench coat-style Shihakusho and held a black, swastika-shaped Zanpakuto. It was Ichigo in his Bankai state.
"Yo, Renji. I'm here to help."
Ichigo greeted.
Then Ichigo exerted force with his hand and pushed Aizen's Zanpakuto aside.
Aizen, for his part, looked at the suddenly appearing Ichigo with great interest.
"Oh dear, I'm sorry, Captain Aizen. I thought it would be inconvenient to interfere, so I let him pass."
Gin apologized.
"Ah, it's alright, Gin. Clearing away one speck of dust or two makes no difference to me anyway."
Aizen said nonchalantly.
"Is that Aizen?"
Ichigo asked Renji.
Even Ichigo couldn't help but feel anger at Aizen's tone, which completely disregarded them.
"Yeah, that's him, Aizen."
Renji replied.
"Renji, do you still have the strength to run?"
Ichigo suddenly asked with a serious expression.
"I do, but I'm not going to run anymore."
"You..."
"Listen to me!"
Renji interrupted Ichigo: "The other side has three Captain-level existences. Running is useless, you should know that very well. So, I'm going to fight too. Zabimaru is broken, but it's still usable. And although I can't beat them, I can at least hold them back. This time, I'm going to walk down from the Sokyoku Hill with dignity, not escape like a coward."
"Hmph, I give up. Then let's fight together!"
Ichigo's confidence soared.
Defeating Byakuya earlier had given Ichigo immense confidence. So now, facing Aizen, who was also a Captain, Ichigo still believed he could defeat him, especially with Renji's help.
So, at this moment, Ichigo felt his fighting spirit boiling throughout his body.
"Ichigo, I have a move I can only use once. But if it hits the target, it will definitely leave an opening. However, Captain Aizen is extremely powerful, so the opening might only last an instant. You must seize the opportunity and charge in."
Renji said solemnly.
"Understood."
Ichigo nodded.
"Let's go! Zabimaru!!"
"Higa Zekko!"
Buzz, buzz, buzz...
The over a dozen blade fragments of Zabimaru that had broken and fallen to the ground suddenly flew up under Renji's control, surrounding Aizen from all directions.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!!
Under Renji's control, these broken blades shot towards Aizen like arrows.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The attack of the broken blades caused a violent explosion. Aizen, at the very center of the explosion, unavoidably bore the full force of the attack. The stirred-up smoke and dust obscured Aizen's figure.
"Chance!"
Ichigo shouted loudly and charged at full speed towards Aizen.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Moving at full speed, Ichigo was so fast he even left afterimages in his wake.
'I can win!' Running at full speed, Ichigo felt like he could hear the BGM playing in his ears.
And with this, he was invincible! He could defeat Aizen just like he defeated Byakuya!!
Then Ichigo charged forward.
Then Ichigo swung his sword to slash.
Then...
Ding!
Aizen extended one finger and casually blocked Ichigo's slash.
Then...
Swish!
A flash of the sword appeared.
Then...
Squelch!
Blood spurted.
Then...
Ichigo hit the ground...