"Komamura, justice is nothing more than a deception written by the victors. Otherwise, have you ever seen the nobles of the Soul Society adhere to it?"
"Tōsen… you've changed." Disappointment flickered in Komamura's eyes. The Tōsen he knew, the man who had championed justice, would have rallied others to his cause, not condemned the entire Soul Society.
"No, Komamura, I haven't changed. The 'me' you knew… never existed."
A powerful spiritual pressure burst out from Tosen's body, and he attacked Komamura's left formation at an extremely fast speed.
"Tōsen!"
Enraged by Tōsen's denial of their shared past, Komamura roared as he swung Tenken. The massive blade cleaved through a nearby building.
But for Tōsen, enhanced by Hollowfication, Komamura's attack was too slow. He effortlessly dodged the blow, increased his speed and closed the distance, the slashed his Zanpakutō towards Komamura.
Boom!
Komamura thrust his left fist forward. In an instant, half of a huge arm covered in black armor appeared in mid-air, and in sync with Komamura's movements, it punched towards Tōsen.
Bang!
Tōsen was caught off guard by the unexpected attack. He barely managed to raise his Zanpakutō in defense, reinforcing it with his spiritual pressure.
The impact sent him crashing through several buildings.
Kurotsuchi had built this replica with surprising resilience. Despite the gaping holes torn through their walls, the structures remained standing.
"Tōsen, were all those years we served together… a lie? How can you betray the Ninth Division who followed you for decades?"
Tōsen emerged from the rubble and remained silent. His friendship with Komamura had been genuine, built on shared ideals. He wasn't like Aizen, capable of perfect hypnosis. His actions, his words, during their time in the Gotei 13, had been a reflection of his true self. But now… he had discarded that part of himself.
"Answer me, Tōsen!" Seeing Tōsen seemingly unharmed, Komamura wasn't surprised. He had only used Tenken's Shikai, summoning a fraction of its power. Tōsen was a captain-level Shinigami, further enhanced by Hollowfication, thus he wouldn't be seriously injured by such an attack.
"Komamura…" Tōsen finally spoke. "I… I deceived you. The justice I upheld in the Soul Society… wasn't mine. It was hers… Kakyō's. For all those years… it was she, not I, who pursued justice."
Komamura took a step forward. "Even so… even if it was her justice… doesn't the fact that you were friends mean you shared those ideals?"
"Yes… once… I did." Tōsen's voice was filled with a bitter regret. "But… the Soul Society… they defiled that justice. After Kakyō's death… I witnessed the Central 46's judgment of her killer… Because he was a noble… they declared him innocent."
Even Komamura, knowing the corruption within the nobility, was silenced.
"After that… my justice… became singular. Revenge. And Aizen… he offered me the power to achieve it. That is why I pledged my loyalty to him. To deliver judgment upon that noble… I will kill anyone who stands in my way. Including you, Komamura."
Komamura's expression hardened. He heard the conviction in Tōsen's voice, the unwavering resolve.
"Tōsen… if Kakyō were here… she wouldn't want your justice twisted like this. To prevent you from making more mistakes… allow me to stop you… in her place."
"Bankai – Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō!"
Boom!
A massive, black-armored warrior materialized behind Komamura.
"Stop me… in her place…?" Tōsen's thoughts drifted to Kakyō's dying words. Even in death, she had clung to her ideals, her unwavering belief in justice.
"Forgive me, Kakyō… Forgive me, Komamura… My heart… is already consumed by hatred. My only purpose… is revenge."
A strange premonition washed over him. He felt… as if he would lose this battle. He would unleash his full power, however. And perhaps finally see what his friend of decades looked like.
"Suzumushi Hyakushiki: Grillar Grillo!"
…
"So, I'm on my own again?" Shinji Hirako muttered as he watched Komamura and Tōsen began their fight. He brought a hand to his forehead, exasperated. Whose side was this Shinigami on, anyway? He had almost finished Tōsen off… Was this interruption deliberate?
Regardless, with someone else taking over, Shinji turned his attention to the wider battlefield. It wasn't that he didn't want to help Komamura, but Sakanade's ability dictated that he always fought alone. It had been the same a century ago. If it hadn't been for Love, Kensei, and Hiyori by his side, he would have released his Zanpakutō then and there, letting Aizen, Gin, and Tōsen destroy each other. He loathed having others interfere in his battles.
As he surveyed the scene, the smile on his face faltered. When had the Visored become so… outmatched? After Hiyori fall, Lisa and Mashiro, followed by Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi, had been defeated by Tōsen. Shinji had taken over the fight, but in the few minutes he had been occupied, Love and Kensei had also fallen to Gin.
Was he really that strong? Shinji took some comfort in the fact that, despite their weakened spiritual pressure, both Love and Kensei were still alive.
He remembered Ailin's earlier assessment of the Visored. He couldn't argue with it now.
But as long as he was still standing, the Visored weren't defeated. He turned and flew towards Gin. He would prove to Ailin that the Visored weren't just irrelevant side characters in this war between Aizen and the Gotei 13.
Atop the hotel, Ailin watched Shinji's approach, shaking his head. Why Gin, of all people? Gin's battle instincts were exceptional. Unless Shinji could kill him quickly, he would be the one in danger.
He glanced at the other battles.
Toshiro Hitsugaya and Tier Halibel were still locked in a stalemate, vying for control of the surrounding moisture, ice against water.
Soi Fon was effortlessly evading Baraggan's Respira, her speed and Shunpo were rendering his aging breath ineffective.
Shunsui Kyōraku continued his… game with Coyote Starrk. Neither seemed to be taking the fight seriously.
Jūshirō Ukitake, however, hadn't moved, clearly incapacitated by his illness. He was biding his time, lecturing Starrk's Fracción, Lilinette Gingerbuck, while waiting for his strength to return.
The other fights between lieutenants, seated officers, and Arrancar weren't worth Ailin's attention. This generation of Shinigami, both captains and subordinates, was the strongest in a thousand years.
The Eleventh Division's lieutenant, Kiganjō, and seated officers Ikkaku and Yumichika had all achieved Bankai. Tetsuzaemon Iba of the Seventh Division would eventually become captain. Omaeda of the Second, despite his appearance, was surprisingly skilled. He was a master of exploiting his opponents' underestimation.
Ailin lowered his head and snorted coldly.
"Kisuke Urahara… Yoruichi Shihōin… Tessai Tsukabishi… Isshin Shiba… Ryūken Ishida… I thought you might try something… but to target me… How bold."
Ashe finished speaking, the five individuals he named appeared around him. Isshin and Ryūken, wary, drew their weapons.
"It couldn't be helped, Captain Ailin," Urahara said, unfazed. "Your power… it's too much of a threat. Until we understand your true allegiance, we can't allow you to interfere."
Ailin clicked his tongue, annoyed, but he understood their apprehension.
Looking at Yoruichi and Tessai, he said, "Judging by their expressions, I assume you have Captain-Commander Yamamoto's approval?"
He sighed, shaking his head,
"Why can't people trust each other?"
Urahara replied, "We want to trust you, Captain Ailin, but your actions over the years suggest you'd prefer Aizen's victory."
"My, my. You've seen through me, Kisuke. You truly are the most intelligent man in Soul Society." Ailin was genuinely surprised.
Urahara was right. He preferred Aizen to achieve a higher level of… purification, to test his own strength. But he wouldn't interfere in their conflict. It was a clash of the Soul King's fragmented will. He had allowed the Visored and Urahara's group to participate precisely because their presence would accelerate Aizen's evolution. He hadn't anticipated Urahara deducing his intentions, however, gathering others to contain him.
"It can't be… He's actually admitting it…" Yoruichi was the most shocked. While she trusted Urahara implicitly, she had also been Ailin's captain. She had never suspected he would actively support Aizen.