"So... that story... it's actually true!?"
The battle had already begun. Toshiro Hitsugaya desperately suppressed his urge to rush to the girl currently under siege by the Visoreds. Clinging to what little remained of his composure, he listened to Kisuke Urahara, who had moved to intercept him.
Now that they had Momo Hinamori pinned down in combat, Urahara had finally brought up the top-secret plan he had hinted at before the final battle.
"Yes. But for it to work, I need your help, Captain Hitsugaya."
"Damn it..."
It was a gamble—a plan that staked everything on Hinamori's feelings for Toshiro. In a way, it was a method that felt like it was trampling all over her heart. Toshiro gritted his teeth; the last thing he wanted was to hurt his beloved childhood friend any further.
But that wasn't the only reason he hesitated.
"It's impossible. The way she is now... she doesn't even care about me..."
Even a straightforward guy like Toshiro could see it. They had finally reunited on this grand stage of the final battle, yet Momo had shown no signs of being moved by his presence. She had only met his eyes for a fleeting second, her face fixed in a mask of cruel, mocking laughter.
Urahara, however, simply smiled at Toshiro's words.
"Hearing you say that actually puts me at ease. It confirms that you're the only one who can stop her."
"What are you talking about?"
"It's self-defense. The reason she won't meet your eyes is simple: she still harbors powerful feelings for you. Feelings so strong they threaten to undo Aizen's brainwashing and her loyalty to him."
Urahara's reasoning sounded like a sweet poison. Even after having his hopes shattered countless times, the logic was so alluring that Toshiro found himself wanting to reach for it—even if it was a trap.
"We're running out of time. I need your decision."
Toshiro blinked in surprise at Urahara's sudden urgency. The man was usually so flippant, hiding behind a suspicious, knowing smirk. Having spent the last month relying on this bottomless well of a man for answers, Toshiro felt a surge of anxiety at his uncharacteristic behavior.
"Wh-what is it? Are you still worried about something?"
"The Hinamori we see now is a 'weapon' perfected by Aizen specifically for this war. A seal of this level will only weaken her temporarily."
Urahara trailed off with a bitter expression, muttering something about a "bookworm" being a real piece of work. Toshiro couldn't make heads or tails of the comment, but he understood one thing: even this genius's plan was far from foolproof.
And then, the shifting tide of the battle forced his hand.
"Look!"
"Wh-what the hell is that!?"
***
"Tch... damn it!"
It had been three and a half days since their last encounter. Shinji Hirako and the Visoreds had successfully sprung their carefully prepared trap, believing they had finally neutralized the monster. But reality was quickly derailing their expectations.
"Don't you dare think you can just scurry away, brat!"
"Gah...!"
"Come on, come on! If you keep running, Lord Aizen is going to be so disappointed in you~"
There was no doubt the Visoreds had the upper hand. Unlike their previous clash, they were actually making progress, overwhelming her with their superior numbers and coordination.
"Dammit, another afterimage!"
"How many times is that... bastard!"
And yet, they couldn't land a decisive blow. They were racking up minor grazes, but every time they went for a lethal strike, she managed to evade it by a hair's breadth.
Suddenly, a voice rang out from the edge of the battlefield.
"What's wrong, Momo? Dispose of that trash already."
Aizen called her name, his voice dripping with feigned displeasure. Despite his tone, his face was alight with twisted amusement.
Whether his words were the trigger or not, Hinamori—who had been focused entirely on evasion—paused for a split second. Then, as if mourning a loss, she placed a hand over her chest.
"Goodbye."
For a moment, Shinji thought her face looked profoundly sad—
"What!?"
Suddenly, a faint pink light emanated from her chest, followed immediately by a surging pillar of black, revolting spiritual energy that snuffed it out.
"What is that...?"
"Forget that—look at her!"
Rose pointed toward the center of the darkness. As the black light dissipated, Hinamori slumped forward, her head hanging low.
When she finally looked up, her eyes were as hollow as a doll's.
The air around them turned frigid. It wasn't just an illusion; her presence was as cold and lifeless as her gaze.
"—Way of Binding 81, Incantation Chant: Danku Gōsai."
"What!? No way!"
The impossible had happened. Despite having her spiritual senses scrambled by their trap, Momo Hinamori had successfully performed high-level Kido.
"That's insane! There's no way she should be able to cast a level 80 spell in her current state!"
"It's more than that. That wasn't a standard spell... she combined multiple chants into a single, unified barrier! How could a Soul Reaper that young possess such technique...?"
"Stop being impressed, Hatchi! She's the enemy!"
"I-I know, but look at the elegance of that linguistic structure! It's similar to Marechiyo's 'Pseudo-Chant,' yet... goodness, even at my age, I'm still learning—"
"I SAID STOP BEING IMPRESSED!"
The Visoreds were thrown into a panic as their spiritual disruption lost its effectiveness. Meanwhile, shielded on all sides by the massive walls of her Binding spell, Hinamori prepared her next move.
"—Lord of the mask... flesh and blood, all creation, fluttering wings... those who bear the name of Man..."
In the heart of her fortress of spirit, the girl began a Destruction chant. Her movements were fluid, without a hint of hesitation, as she wove spiritual energy of terrifying density into her spell.
"...Carve the Twin Lotuses upon the wall of blue fire... the raging, overflowing light of the swaying stars..."
"Tch! She's just standing there talking! How many incantations is she trying to stack!?"
"This is bad! It's a triple-chant of high-level fire spells! Especially that last one...!"
"Rose! Use your Bankai to summon some water, now!"
"Don't be ridiculous! Music doesn't work on Kido!"
"Then we'll shut her up by force!"
All eight Visoreds launched a combined assault of Ceros. But their efforts were in vain. Hinamori's modified barrier, Danku Gōsai, stood firm, protecting its master from the onslaught.
"...The piercing tip of the crimson flame... the rising majesty of the burning sun..."
—Await the abyss of the great fire in the distant sky—
[Way of Destruction 73: Sōren Sōkaitsui]
—Divide the sacrifice with the spear of the heavens—
[Way of Destruction 80: Kongōbaku]
—Submit and gaze upon the emerald wings—
[Way of Destruction 89: Suiō Kyokuraien]
Blue, red, and green infernos erupted simultaneously. Despite having a massive portion of her spiritual pressure sealed, Momo Hinamori was still the Third Seat of the Kido Corps' First Division—the one they called a "genius." Her massive spells surged toward the masked Soul Reapers, proving exactly why she held that title.
"Hatchi, do something! You were higher-ranked than her in the Kido Corps!"
"And Mashiro was a Lieutenant! Fine, I'll handle it!"
Hachigen Ushoda, the massive former Vice-Kido Chief, stepped forward, his face hardening as he wove his own spells. To lose here after Urahara had set the stage so perfectly would be an insult to his pride.
"I'll start with that one... Sōki Heiten!"
As Hatchi's spiritual energy-infused fingers pointed toward Hinamori's blue flames, the girl's spell abruptly reversed, colliding with her own red fireballs. Blue and crimson fire exploded in the air.
However, the green sphere of fire continued its approach unabated.
"I've managed to weaken them. I've already calculated your energy output. Counter-Kido: Way of Destruction 80, Kongōbaku!"
Hatchi released an identical spell, imbued with a nullification effect. After a brief struggle for dominance, Hinamori's fireball was erased.
Finally, he faced her greatest technique.
"Ugh... this is the exact opposite of what Tessai did back then... well, here goes! Way of Binding 81: Danku!"
A massive shield of spiritual pressure manifested before him. The emerald phoenix Hinamori had unleashed slammed into it, the resulting shockwave incinerating everything in the vicinity.
"Hatchi, you got it!? That shield looks like it's about to crack!"
"This is... worse than I thought! I'm switching to a post-incantation chant!"
Theoretically, his barrier should have been enough to block her fire bird. But even as he bolstered the shield's durability with additional chants, the girl's spell refused to dissipate. It was a terrifyingly precise piece of work.
Still, the title of former Vice-Chief wasn't just for show. After a long, agonizing stalemate, the emerald phoenix finally lost its shape, resulting in a massive explosion that shattered Hatchi's Danku.
The Visoreds used Flash Step to escape the emerald flames. As they prepared for the next round, they caught sight of the girl standing amidst the scorched ruins of the town and felt their breath hitch.
***
"Do you feel that, Captain Hitsugaya? Her spiritual pressure is clearly beginning to recover!"
Urahara's grim voice snapped Toshiro out of his daze. He focused on his childhood friend's Reiatsu and realized the man was right.
Despite unleashing such devastating Kido, Hinamori wasn't even winded. With a face as expressionless as a Noh mask, she continued to weave even more spells.
The word "weapon"—the term both Aizen and Hinamori had used—echoed in Toshiro's mind.
"Stop stalling and tell me! What the hell happened to her!?"
"...It's likely the influence of the Hogyoku. At this rate, her soul won't be able to handle the strain, just like last time."
Toshiro wanted to scream at the man for creating such a volatile substance in the first place, but he swallowed his anger. He stared at Hinamori, fighting back tears. She was drifting further and further away from anything that could be called "human."
They were out of time. And right now, only one person had the means to save her.
Toshiro made his choice. No—in truth, there had never been a choice to begin with.
"I understand."
Toshiro snatched the Kido-mantra from Urahara's hand, merging it with his own spiritual pressure. If he could just touch her, the spell would activate. It was a small, fragile warmth, but it was filled with hope.
"You have my thanks, Captain Hitsugaya."
With those final words, Kisuke Urahara released his Zanpakuto, Benihime, and joined the fray. Toshiro watched the girl fighting the others, taking one deep breath after another.
"Hina..."
His mind was reeling. His blood was boiling.
This time was different. In the midst of this abyss of despair, a single ray of light had appeared.
"Hinamori..."
Stand up.
I'm the one who's going to save you.
"Hinamori!"
This time, for sure...
I'm going to save her!
"HINAMORI!"
His cry of resolve echoed through the town. The unwavering feelings of the boy who had risen to the rank of Captain seemed to freeze the very air of this bloody battle.
After a long silence, the girl finally opened her clouded eyes and... looked at him.
"I'm going to... stop you!"
To save the one he loved, Toshiro Hitsugaya finally found the resolve to point his blade at her.
***
"Stop me...?"
Tension crackled in the air above the fake Karakura Town.
Toshiro Hitsugaya and Momo Hinamori. Everyone among the Gotei 13 knew the tragedy that had torn them apart. They watched with bated breath as the two spoke to each other on the battlefield for the first time.
"You... are going to stop me?"
The girl's voice was flat. Her face was no longer that of the grotesque monster from earlier, but her large, amber eyes were as inorganic as a doll's as she stared at the boy.
"Captain Hitsugaya."
"Hinamori...!"
Having seemingly forgotten the nickname she once used so affectionately, the doll-like girl continued, her words painting their bond in the black ink of despair.
"If you were to succeed, I would lose all value to Lord Aizen."
Suddenly, a surge of pink spiritual energy erupted from her body—the very power that Kisuke Urahara's trap was supposed to have sealed.
"You think you can win if you seal my spiritual pressure? You think you can defeat me if you overwhelm me with numbers? You think you don't have time to deal with the 'opening act'? How wonderful for you."
"—Except for the fact that you've all forgotten the simple truth that a Soul Reaper is not meant to fight alone."
In that instant, the mass of spiritual energy surrounding Momo Hinamori took shape... and gained a life of its own.
"Allow me to introduce you. My partner—Tobime."
A young, elegant princess appeared. With long, flowing hair and bangs that partially obscured her eyes, the girl had a cute yet somber appearance, dressed in the style of an ancient court noble. She wore a smile that was chillingly beautiful.
"The relationship between a Soul Reaper and their Zanpakuto varies from person to person. But Tobime and I have been two halves of the same soul since the beginning—ever since we first learned each other's names. Our bond is so strong that she can perform almost all of my abilities and techniques in my stead."
"What!?"
"That's impossible! A Zanpakuto cooperating with its master to use powers other than swordsmanship...!"
The Gotei 13 and the Visoreds alike stared at their own Zanpakuto in disbelief. What Momo Hinamori was describing was unheard of. Shinji and the others, who had struggled for years with the pride and stubbornness of their own blades, were especially stunned.
"I see. Her spiritual circulatory system grew so large compared to her soul that it created an imbalance in the relationship between her and her Zanpakuto... a power dynamic where they are truly equal..."
Urahara's deduction laid bare the truth of Momo Hinamori's "singularity." It was all a result of her abnormally high talent for manipulating spiritual energy. The reason her sealed power was returning was likely because her Zanpakuto was acting as a conduit, channeling energy back to its master.
And if her Zanpakuto had been born into a state of near-subjugation, then the true source of her confidence was...
"Now then, allow me to correct another of your misunderstandings."
With the same blank expression, Momo Hinamori held her hand over her blade, and the princess embraced her from behind. In that moment, the girl's spiritual pressure skyrocketed—reaching a level that dwarfed everything that had come before.
"You seem to think you can win by sealing the Hogyoku's power and ganging up on me... but tell me, did none of you ever stop to wonder?"
"Guh...!"
"Why would the Espada—Arrancars who evolved from Hollows and require multiple Captains just to hold back—accept me, a Soul Reaper and their natural enemy, as their superior?"
Everyone recoiled under the sheer weight of her presence. Even with the Hogyoku's enhancements mostly sealed, her power was that of an overwhelming predator. Although she had technically been stronger just before the fight started, the clear, focused killing intent in her inorganic eyes made her far more terrifying now.
"I am the Army Leader of the Arrancars. My role is to lead them. And there is only one reason why those ferocious monsters... why the Espada... every single one of them follows a girl like me..."
"—Because I, alone, am stronger than all ninety-six of them combined."
A collective gasp echoed through the battlefield.
"Let's show them, Tobime. Let's show these strange people who think they've won just because they sealed the Hogyoku... exactly what we're capable of."
"Bankai."
"Hagoromo Kobai Rinrin — Ringing Bells of the Red Plum Raiment."