The silence atop the Sokyoku Hill was deafening as we all stood and waited for Captain Yamamoto and his entourage to return.
I kept my stance casual with my arms crossed and my sceptre leaning against my arms, tapping my arm with every second as I sorely hoped I was not wrong.
If I was, Rukia would be executed, Ichigo would be killed and I…oh, I don't think I'd see the light of day ever again after I killed Mayuri.
'Hah, this shit is getting tiring.' I thought with a frown as I glanced to Rukia, who stood close to Ichigo and I as she hugged her arms while staring in the distance where her brother had just left.
Ichigo on the other hand was pacing around, Zangetsu now strapped to his back while the ribbon around its hilt was wrapped around his right hand.
The captains were off on the other side in their own separate clusters, Soi Fon on her own with her hands behind her back and her narrowed eyes focused entirely on me.
Shunsui and Ukitake were whispering to each other in hushed voices while glancing at us occasionally and Gin…was smiling his ass off.
He hadn't moved from his spot since the others had left, the same fox-like grin on his face, but there was no missing the way he tilted his head every few seconds or so while looking at us.
"Hey, Ichigo!" I turned as I heard familiar voices shouting, smiling in relief at the sight of Uryu walking up to us along with Orihime while Chad helped the struggling Ganju walk towards us.
"Did you really break into the Kido Corps' archives?" Rukia asked as she looked at me and I smiled and nodded while keeping my gaze focused on the smirking Gin.
"What can I say? I'm a man that craves knowledge." I answered with a shrug and she rolled her eyes, but my smile widened slightly as I saw the tension in her body easing ever so slightly.
"What if they don't believe it?" Uryu asked after Ichigo caught them all up on what's happening and I just gave him a confident look.
"They will. The Head Captain's old school, but he's not stupid. The moment I started talking of Central 46's absence, he was doubtful of everything else and if anyone can see through Aizen's fake death, it will be the captain of the Medical Division."
"Let's hope you're right." Ichigo muttered and I chuckled as I patted his shoulder, turning back and looking into the distance where Yamamoto's Reiatsu was like a bright beacon to my senses.
Then, it stopped, his Reiatsu surging and hitting me hard as I felt Unohana's Reiatsu surging as well.
"Well, I guess they found something." I muttered as I watched the other captains frowning while Gin's smile just widened even more.
"I suppose that is the confirmation you were waiting for then, Mr. Kanonji?" Ukitake asked as he looked at me and I smiled while patting Rukia's shoulder when I saw her shoulders sagging with relief.
Moments later, the captains returned, Yamamoto's face as unreadable as ever while Unohana's eyes flickered to mine for a brief moment. However, it was the subtle shaken look in Sasakibe's eyes and the fact that Byakuya was actively avoiding Rukia's gaze that told me all I needed to do.
I was right.
"The chambers of Central 46 were found empty…and all forty-six members were found dead in the conference hall." Orihime gasped at that as the other captains grimaced, Yamamoto looking at me with a frown as I nodded.
"And Captain Aizen's body?"
"It's gone, as if it never existed." Sasakibe added and I let out a relieved exhale before meeting Yamamoto's gaze.
"Then, that proves it, doesn't it?"
"It does. As of this moment, by order on my authority as Head Captain of the Gotei 13, all execution orders for Rukia Kuchiki are hereby revoked immediately." Rukia sagged with sharp exhale of relief while Orihime hugged her and Ichigo smiled.
"On that same note, Captain Aizen as well as any of his accomplishes whoever they may be are to be deemed traitors and the death order is to be carried out on them immediately."
"And the ryoka, Head Captain?" Kyoraku asked and I kept my gaze on Gin before I frowned as I saw him fiddling with something in his right hand.
"Captain Ichimaru, yes? What do you have in your left hand?" I asked, the smiling man not saying anything as the others looked at him and Yamamoto narrowed his eyes.
"Oh, nothing~"
"Captain Ichimaru, present your left hand." Yamamoto said, but everyone knew it was an order as Ichigo grabbed at his sword while the other captains did the same.
I slowly shifted the nervous Rukia now slightly behind me while frowning as I watched Gin chuckle.
"Oh, I admit I don't want to."
"It was not a request." Yamamoto growled as the wooden fragments around his cane vanished, revealing the sword hidden under them.
Yet, even while staring down the numerous captain-class fighters ready to take him out, I frowned as Gin didn't even look nervous before my eyes widened as the air besides him split open.
The Reiatsu exuding from it was most definitely that of a Hollow, but I frowned as I felt also the spiritual energy of a Shinigami intermixed with it.
'Not a Hollow. An Arrancar.' I thought with a frown as a figure walked out, the smile on his face amused and smug as always before my eyes widened at the figure walking out after him.
"My, my Gin~ They appear to have uncovered our plans." Aizen spoke with an amused smile as he stopped a few meters away, his glasses gone with his hair slicked back.
Having abandoned his Shinigami uniform, he was dressed in a white coat with matching undertunic, hakama-like pants that were also white with black and a blash sash around his waist that held his Zanpakuto.
While everyone was more focused on him, I stared at the gruff elderly man behind him, who looked disgruntled and annoyed to be here as his left green eye stared us down with a look of disgust.
Combined with the stocky yet muscular build, the remnants of his Hollow mask that took the form of a five pointed crown just above his forehead and the large double-headed battleaxe in his right hand, it was hard not to recognize arguably one of the most powerful Espada from the show.
'Of course, he brought Baraggan. It couldn't have been Grimmjow or Nnoitra, now could it? Hell, I'd even take that freaky bastard Szayelaporro over him.'
"Aizen Sosuke, you have some nerve appearing before us." Yamamoto rumbled and I felt a bit lightheaded as the Shinigami Head Captain drew his sword with a burst of overwhelming Reiatsu.
Despite the fact that he was staring the embodiment of fire itself, Aizen kept his calm smile as he let out a soft chuckle.
"Oh, I assure you, Captain Yamamoto. I had no intention of hiding. In fact, I was hoping we'd get this opportunity to talk."
"You always were one for theatrics, weren't ya Captain Aizen?" Gin spoke with a chuckle and Aizen simply smiled while I watched Baraggan scoff before resting his axe against his shoulder.
"I have no need for your theatrics, Aizen. You said this would be a short skirmish."
"Baraggan, I understand, but I ask of you to keep yourself calm." Despite the soft and inviting tone, there was no hiding the sharp malice behind it as Baraggan just frowned before looking back at us.
"Now, then. May I ask how you were able to uncover my plot?"
"The ryoka was the one who told them." Gin informed him and I readied myself as the man turned to me with a look of intrigue.
"Did he now? Well, isn't that fascinating?"
"He also killed Captain Kurotsuchi." That seemed to have made Aizen more fascinated than shocked as he smiled while humming.
"Fascinating indeed."
"What are you plotting, Captain Aizen? Faking your death and murdering Central 46 must not be all that you wished to do." Captain Unohana spoke with a polite tone as she stepped forward and I blinked as her Reiatsu slow began to simmer.
"Plotting is such the ugly word, Captain Unohana. I was merely…correcting the course of a flawed system."
"So, you believe yourself to be some kind of saviour?" Ichigo asked with a frown and Aizen chuckled as he finally turned his gaze from me to meet Ichigo's gaze.
At that moment, the air chilled and a sense of foreboding took me over as the Shinigami smiled while resting a hand on his Zanpakuto, with me quickly snapping my eyes shut while covering Ichigo's eyes as well.
"Shatter, Kyoka Suigetsu." The moment he finished his release command, I opened my eyes and unleashed a Sho at his head only to curse as a Quincy arrow cancelled out the shockwave.
Grabbing Rukia as she squeaked, I leapt back as a tanto barely missed impaling me, Soi Fon giving me a baleful glare while Ichigo looked horrified as the captains all turned their weapons to me.
"Ichigo! From what I can tell, his weapon has absolute hypnosis over someone's senses! Whatever you shout, they're not going to hear it!" I shouted before grunting as Rukia elbowed me in the side, quickly creating a barrier around her that stopped her from moving as Yamamoto rushed at me.
"Bakudo #21: Sekienton!" Creating the red smoke cloud around us, I kicked Rukia's barrier orb at Ichigo before hopping to the side as Yamamoto's blade came down with a burning vengeance.
"Kan'oncape!" I chanted while spinning my sceptre above my head, creating a shield of golden Reiatsu that blocked off the attack from Shunsui as he hopped from my show.
"Bakudo #1: Sai!" I grunted as I pointed a finger at him, watching his eyes widen as his arms were locked behind his back before I quickly backpedalled as a storm of sharp, pink blades came crashing down.
'Wait, he still has his hilt? This is just Senbonzakura's Shikai?' I thought in shock as Byakuya pointed the hilt of his Zanpakuto at me and sent the blades flying at me.
"Bakudo #14: Meikyo!" With a hand held up, a transparent barrier formed around me and the blades ricochet off of it, but I gritted my teeth as his blades continued to eat away at the barrier even as I kept it up.
However, my eyes widened as a burst of scorching flames came crashing down onto the barrier, forcing me to jump back through a few blades and nick myself.
The Hollow Reiatsu gathered in the sceptre healed my damage while I watched the captains blocking me from getting to Ichigo, who was busy fending off his friends' attacks while Aizen held the terrified Rukia with an amused smile.
'Fuck! I guess I need to do it, then.'
"O Grand Heavenly Sentinel, encircle the earth, lock the sky and cease escape." I began my chant while unleashing a barrage of Kan'onballs at the Shinigami who all dodged them as Soi Fon rushed at me.
"Unyielding sphere, defy the touch of flame!" Moving my head to the side and earning a shallow cut for my trouble instead of getting my throat ripped open, I stumbled away as Yamamoto swung his blade in a wide arc.
Flames exploded from his sword and I created a Kan'oncape in front of me to mitigate the damage, casting a Meikyo as well to repel the blast outwards.
"Unbreakable law, repel the pain of blade!"
"Irooni! Black!" Shunsui's voice came from behind me and I dropped to the floor as his blade flew over my head while pointing my sceptre at his foot.
Shooting a Kan'onball that only grazed his foot, I grinned as his leg completely shattered, the man having a strained smile on his face as he nearly fell over before hopping away with his only good leg.
"My, my~ You have quite the good eye!"
"You're talking to the number one Irooni master of my neighbourhood!" I shouted back with a grin as I hopped into the air, pulling on the reishi of the air and pushing myself higher before aiming my hand to the ground.
"Bakudo #70: Kyumon!"
"Insolent fool!" However, my eyes widened as an axe carved through my barrier and through my chest, blood spurting from the wound as Baraggan glared at me.
Forcing the Hollow Reiatsu in the sceptre to activate, my vision spun and I felt my heart stop as the Reiatsu didn't move as I wanted, Baraggan holding a hand to me before taking a deep gulp of air.
I watched while falling as the Arrancar sucked up the energy from my sceptre with that same deep breath before my eyes widened as a burning blade pierced through my chest.
"Kanonji!" Ichigo's voice sounded dull to my ears and the last thing I saw was Yamamoto's eyes widening before my vision went black…
"Soten Kisshun! I reject!" However, bright orange light drew me back from the void and I groaned as I fell onto the ground, Orihime quickly rushing over with a panicked look as her barrier formed around me.
"Hehehe…there's my student." I muttered and she gave a teary-eyed smile as the damage in my body began to revert, my gaze focused on Aizen's smile while he held a small crystal sphere in his hands.
'Well, shit.' I thought with a frown as Aizen held the Hogyoku in his hands while looking at us.
"I do thank you all for keeping Mr. Kanonji busy. I'm sure he would have been a nuisance had you all not been keeping him occupied." Aizen spoke before the sky above us ripped open and I groaned as three yellow beams of light came down upon Gin, Aizen and Baraggan.
"This was a waste of my time." Baraggan grumbled as the three of them were slowly being lifted up, everyone sheathing their weapons after Yamamoto explained what the light was while I laid back as Orihime slowly healed my wounds.
"I have found myself entertained by your attempts to stop me, Don Kanonji. Until we meet again."
'Oh, I'm making sure you die if it's the last thing I do.' I thought with a frown as the bastard vanished into the Garganta along with Gin and Baraggan, the rift in the sky snapping shut as a tense silence was left after his departure.
He had it. I had made plans, I had prepared for everything, but he still got the fucking Hogyoku.
'And now he's going to make his Arrancar army. Fuck.'
"Don Kanonji." I groaned as I remembered we still had a problem, slowly sitting up and letting Orihime help me to my feet as Ichigo, Uryu and Chad stood protectively in front of us.
On the other side, Yamamoto still had his sword drawn with flames shimmering on the blade while the other captains stood ready, the two of us staring at each other.
"You should be executed for your crimes. You broke into the archives, you killed a captain of the Gotei 13 and you spread chaos and terror amongst our Shinigami." The Shinigami spoke as he held his blade towards me, but I stopped Ichigo from shouting as I let the man continue.
"However, you helped us uncover the actions of a traitor before it was too late and stopped the execution of an innocent soul."
"Also, you broke my leg. Good aim, by the way." Shunsui said with a grin and his leg now healed by Unohana.
"You're the one who called Black." I answered with a smirk, making him chuckle before I turned back to Yamamoto as he sheathed his blade.
"From this moment forward, you are one of the few we will keep our eye on. You will not be executed, but you will remain under constant surveillance and your actions against the Soul Society will be reviewed in due time."
"Well, don't I feel special?" I said with a dry tone, to which Yamamoto just hummed before I sighed as he and the other captains left the hill with Shunpo.
"Well…that was a fun one." Uryu spoke with a sarcastic tone and I smirked as Ichigo rolled his eyes.
"We know. That Aizen guy…he's strong."
"He is, but we've got one thing he doesn't got."
"And what is that?" Chad asked before he and Ichigo smirked while Orihime giggled as I thrust my sceptre to the sky.
"The great Don Kanonji!"
"…Is this the usual with him?" I heard Rukia ask and I laughed as Uryu sighed.
"You get used to it."
A/N: Like I said, early upload! The Don tried his best to get the Hogyoku, but Aizen has it and they are now back to square one.
What will the Don do now and how will he handle this predicament? We'll have to wait and see.
Next chapter/ arc: Dancing with Witches.
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As always, read, enjoy, review and until the next chapter,
Ba-Bye~!