"Maybe I should go see Aizen... but no, I'll wait until my strength has grown even further."
Gazing out at the magnificent structure of the Central 46 Division, Daniel Davis fell into a brief reverie before setting aside the idea of meeting Aizen for now. Even if they shared a common goal, Aizen's nature meant that any conversation with him would first require matching his power. Although Daniel's current strength wasn't something to fear Aizen with, he knew better than to expect that he'd foolishly reveal his own methods—especially now that he wouldn't be so naïve as to watch Aizen's Mirror Flower, Water Moon in action. Caution was always best.
Cooperating with Aizen was, at this moment, the best option. Taking him down and seizing the Collapse Jewel was also a possibility—but that would leave Daniel to face the likes of Captain Yamamoto, Youhabakh, and that monk all by himself. None of those three were easy opponents. In particular, Captain Yamamoto (Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto) had always triumphed over both Aizen and Youhabakh through cunning tactics rather than brute force. If Aizen were eliminated ahead of schedule, Daniel might be forced to devise a counter for Ryūjin Jakka.
As for the Collapse Jewel—it would have been an obvious prize before he uncovered Tsunayashiro Tokinada's memories, a means to evolve one's soul. But now that wasn't necessary. Daniel had already learned the true nature of the Collapse Jewel: it is nothing more than the power of the Soul King. In essence, the Philosopher's Stone and the Collapse Jewel are one and the same—only the Collapse Jewel has that added power of the Soul King. If one were to infuse the Philosopher's Stone with the Soul King's power, it would essentially become a Collapse Jewel.
Although the Soul King's power in this world is extraordinarily strong, it is not invincible. Daniel suspected that the monk might hold the method to counter it—otherwise, he wouldn't have entertained the notion of turning Ichigo into the Soul King. In fact, before battle, the monk never imagined Ichigo would be capable of besting Youhabakh; that's why he prepared a contingency—to transform Ichigo into the Soul King if necessary. Yet there was something peculiar about that plan: if Youhabakh were to win, why then turn Ichigo into the Soul King? That could only mean the monk knew how to deal with someone who had absorbed the Soul King's power.
This idea chiefly stemmed from Tokinada's plan. The man himself had no interest in becoming the Soul King, nor in wielding the Collapse Jewel for his own gain. Instead, his design was to create a Soul King who would obey his every command. For someone like Tokinada, it was utterly baffling that he'd never aspired to be the Soul King himself.
Alas, certain matters—even the Tokinada family couldn't fully explain them. The true keeper of all the Soul Society's secrets was likely that ancient monk who had lived since the time of the Soul King. Not even Youhabakh, for all his omniscience, could compare.
True omniscience is a power reserved solely for the Soul King. The current state of the Soul King was entirely self-imposed—a sacrifice for the sake of the world. Unfortunately, that self-sacrifice did not lead to a happy ending. Fearing that the Soul King might one day be resurrected, the ancestor of the Tokinada family proposed, under the grand pretext of "for the sake of the world," that the five noble families join forces to ambush the Soul King. Although the Soul King did not resist, for someone who was truly all-knowing, it was impossible he wouldn't have foreseen the five families' plans. Still, for the sake of the world, he willingly sacrificed himself.
Because he was the mastermind behind it all, the Tokinada ancestor lived in constant fear that the Soul King might one day return to exact vengeance—so he dismembered the Soul King's body and scattered its fragments across the world. That, in turn, is why the remnants of the Soul King—the left hand, the right hand, the heart, and so on—have begun to surface.
The practitioners of the Complete Manifestation Technique (Wanxian Shù) were born under these circumstances. In truth, their emergence wasn't due to an attack by the Hollows at all, but rather because they inherited even a minuscule fragment of the Soul King's power. It was Youhabakh who truly inherited the bulk of that power, which is why, over a thousand years ago, he led the Extinction Cultists in an assault on the Soul Society.
For Daniel, a nagging question remained: Why did the ancestors of the five great families—those who had once followed the Soul King—die off so quickly? The ones who originally stood by the Soul King were, if not as powerful as he, still immensely strong. Theoretically, they should have lived for ages. Instead, only that one monk—Hyoichibu Ichibei, perhaps—remained alive. If the ancestors of the other four families, such as the Shiba or the Kuchiki, did nothing to extend their lifespans, then why did the Tokinada ancestor not care at all? Only the monk would truly know the answer.
"Hey, you said some pretty harsh things about that adorable little girl earlier."
Later, in the underground space where Daniel had returned, Yoruichi—who clearly already knew what had transpired—asked teasingly, "Do you really think that was too much?"
"Too much? What would you have done if you were in my shoes?" Daniel replied, immediately understanding from Yoruichi's tone that Kisuke Urahara must have been watching nearby—otherwise, she wouldn't have known so quickly.
Daniel's overall impression of Urahara had once been favorable. However, the truth slowly emerged from Tokinada's memories, revealing some of Urahara's hidden schemes.
"Who would have thought Aizen would die so miserably? I still don't know who struck the fatal blow." Yoruichi then shifted the conversation to Hinamori Momo—though if it weren't for these recent events, she might have only known her name in passing.
"Isn't that even better? Their internal strife gives us a greater chance to rescue Rukia."
Daniel pretended not to hear the subtext in Yoruichi's words. Although Yoruichi did not strike him as a genius, it was clear that Urahara's true meaning was this: Had Daniel seen Aizen's corpse, he would never believe that Aizen had died so easily. Urahara would never accept that Aizen could die without a fight.
They were all victims of Mirror Flower, Water Moon. One thing was for certain: Daniel, an outsider, had definitely not been affected by Mirror Flower, Water Moon. If he had, there would be only one outcome—he would have been forced to confront Aizen. And that, undoubtedly, would be bad news.
"Let's begin," Daniel finally announced.
Time passed, and soon Rukia's execution commenced. However, Ichigo's Bankai was not yet complete—in fact, it was Renji's that had finished first. To be precise, Renji's Bankai was only half-unleashed; he wouldn't learn its true name until he reached the Soul King's palace.
As Rukia was being escorted toward the Twin Hanging Hills for execution, numerous members of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads sprang into action. The first to move was Renji, who directly sought out Byakuya Kuchiki.
Renji had always respected Byakuya deeply. He had worked tirelessly to stay by Rukia's side, but now Byakuya's indifferent stance regarding Rukia had finally pushed Renji over the edge.
"Over there—the battle has begun."
While Renji's duel with Byakuya was erupting, Gengmu Jianba led the Eleventh Division—along with Banmen Ikkaku, Ayasegawa Yumi, and members from Uryū, Chad, and Orihime—against the combined forces of the Eastern Celestial and Komamura Sajin.
Gengmu Jianba, impressed by Ichigo's performance and aware of his true objective in coming to the Soul Society, had even freed Uryū and Chad from the Fourth Division's custody. As for Orihime, her treatment in Seireitei was far superior to that of others; her healing shield ability, "Six-Flower Shield," and her natural charm had earned her the protection of Captain Uru Kuro.
Orihime was a kind soul. Her power had become evident when she intervened to save the wounded Shinigami—namely, those injured in the skirmishes involving Chad, Uryū, and Ichigo.
Even if Ichigo were to lose a duel, his power would grow considerably as a result. Before his battle with Byakuya, he was incapable of such feats.
"Now it's getting really lively around here."
Inside the grand hall of the Central 46 Division, the moment Daniel stepped in, all eyes turned toward him. Present were Aizen, Ichimaru Gin, Hinamori Momo, Tōshirō Hitsugaya, Captain Uru Kuro, and Tora Yūon.
After watching the clash between Renji and Byakuya for a while, Daniel left. Renji's duel with Byakuya ended swiftly—even though Renji had managed to master his Bankai, there still remained a considerable gap between him and Byakuya.
Byakuya hadn't even fully unleashed his Bankai when he broke Renji's half-Bankai; yet, in a gesture of respect, when Byakuya's Senbonzakura ensnared Renji in a dazzling barrier of light, he activated his Bankai—releasing billions of sakura petals to drench Renji in a brutal thrashing. Of course, Byakuya held back enough to leave only superficial injuries.
In the end, Byakuya acknowledged Renji with his own signature "Silver-White Wind-Flower Silk" – a symbol of his approval. After all, Renji had accomplished what Byakuya himself had failed to do. Meanwhile, the battle between Gengmu Jianba, Eastern Celestial, and Komamura Sajin remained indecisive for the time being.
"Ah, our guests have arrived."
Aizen's gaze fell on Daniel as he entered. His eyes swept over Daniel's waist, lingering momentarily on the zanpakutō he carried. Then, in one swift motion, Aizen's sword plunged through the body of Hinamori Momo, who lay crumpled in his embrace. Throughout this act, Aizen's expression remained as placid and gentle as ever.
"Could it be that you've recognized me?"
Daniel was taken aback by Aizen's focused glance at his zanpakutō. His own sword looked utterly ordinary—just like most Shinigami swords, except for a few rare exceptions like Ichimaru Gin's or those wielded by Suìfēng or Yoruichi. Before a Shinigami's sword is released, most look nearly identical.
Of course, Daniel's own sword was deceptively mundane. In truth, it was the fearsome YANLUO Jingdian—the very sword passed down from the Soul King's era. As a non-Shinigami, Daniel should have been unable to use a zanpakutō, but this sword had come into his possession unexpectedly. Although its tremendous side effects prevented him from fully utilizing it, he could at least access its half-Shikai form, known as "Jiutian Jinggu."
The legendary Jiutian Jinggu, famed for its ability to reflect enemy attacks, was far less potent than YANLUO Jingdian in its complete form. But even so, its half-Shikai is exceedingly strong—most importantly, it can be used without paying the dire costs associated with full release.
"Blue… Aizen, Bankai: Daikuren Hyorinmaru!"
When Hinamori Momo fell into a pool of blood, Tōshirō Hitsugaya exploded with fury. In an instant, he unleashed his zanpakutō. The sheer chill emanating from his blade caused the temperature in the hall to plummet. Centered on Hitsugaya's form, the ground began to freeze rapidly. Hitsugaya's sudden outburst prompted Captain Uru Kuro to shout in alarm.
"Tell me—how did you do that?" Uru Kuro demanded, staring at Hitsugaya, who now lay prone.
In Daniel's view, it was Hitsugaya's Bankai that allowed him to strike the air with his blade—and then Aizen appeared at his side as if by magic, as though he had not noticed anything at all, before being impaled by Hitsugaya's counterattack. However, Uru Kuro saw something entirely different. He had witnessed Hitsugaya deliver a precise strike that, given the power of his Bankai, should have frozen Aizen solid. But Aizen, encased in ice, then disappeared in an instant, reappearing elsewhere, leaving Hitsugaya collapsing.
"My secret is simple," Aizen said, lowering the tip of his zanpakutō as he prepared to continue speaking—only to be interrupted suddenly by a figure.
"Kidō Technique Four: White Thunder!"
A brilliant flash of lightning shot from Daniel's left index finger. The sudden assault forced Aizen to halt mid-sentence; his zanpakutō swung upward to block the strike.
"In my presence, you dare try to use Mirror Flower, Water Moon? Aizen, do you take me for a fool?"
Taking advantage of the moment, Daniel demonstrated the full extent of his sword's ability—he openly explained its power. Even without knowing the precise abilities of his opponent's zanpakutō, Daniel was confident enough to reveal that even if the enemy was a formidable fighter, his own sword could easily neutralize its effect. After all, even an enemy's power is meant to be understood in order to devise a countermeasure.
"Your zanpakutō, Mirror Flower, Water Moon, is purely a hypnotic technique," Daniel declared. "That means if you all decide to engage in battle, you might very well be facing me instead."
"Now I see," Aizen murmured, as he glanced at a corpse nearby. "I've always thought something was off about that body."
"Clearly, you know me well," Aizen said, his eyes shifting to Ichimaru Gin behind him—as if suspecting that Gin might have leaked details about his abilities.
"Indeed, I know your sword's ability, your plans, your objectives. But none of that concerns me. I am here solely to rescue Rukia. As long as she remains unharmed, I will not meddle further."
"Apparently you too understand the true nature of that power," Aizen replied, tilting his head upward to gaze at the hall's ceiling. His eyes seemed to pierce through it, as if he could see the objects hovering above Seireitei. "Of course, it isn't exactly a secret—only that some people think it's hidden. But look! The battle outside has commenced. If you don't act soon, there won't be enough time."
At that, sensing the surging spiritual pressure from Ichigo's and Byakuya's duel outside—and the combined might of Captain Yamamoto against fighters like Fubuki Shichibukai and Kira Itakura—Daniel's voice dropped to a low murmur.
"Indeed."
As Aizen spoke, Ichimaru Gin suddenly advanced. With the swirling of his bandages, both his and Aizen's figures vanished in a burst of Kidō space transference.
(End of Chapter)
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