[In the scene, Aizen and Kurosaki Isshin were locked in a Zanpakutō stalemate.
Kurosaki Isshin extended his finger and assumed a stance...
Then his spiritual pressure was released, and in an instant, his momentum was overwhelming as he sent Aizen flying a considerable distance with one technique.
BANG!
This seemingly subtle movement erupted with tremendously terrifying spiritual pressure shock waves.
The sharp sound of cutting through air and the sound of Aizen being blown away occurred simultaneously!]
The audience cheered.
[Hitsugaya Toshiro]: Haha, well done! As expected of the former captain—it's unfortunate that if the previous captain had appeared earlier, he could have helped us deal with Aizen.
[Matsumoto Rangiku]: If it weren't for that damned Aizen's schemes, the captain might have easily dealt with the so-called White Hollow. Even using Bankai, fighting Aizen wouldn't be problematic, right?
[Komamura Sajin]: Haha! We must teach this Aizen a lesson. We must avenge our past!
[Ichigo Kurosaki]: Dad... you really are quite capable!
[Shiba Isshin]: Haha, naturally! Otherwise, how could you exist? You inherited my genes! I am your role model!
Of course, although the Shinigami knew that Kurosaki Isshin would definitely be defeated by Aizen eventually, this didn't prevent them from cheering for him. After all, no matter how embarrassing the situation, they couldn't lose in spirit!
[The battle continued on screen.
Kurosaki Isshin genuinely suppressed Aizen initially, amazing the audience! Could Aizen's strength actually be inferior to Kurosaki Isshin at this time? This was truly incredible! It seemed the former captain of the 10th Division was genuinely powerful!
During the fight, Kurosaki Isshin asked Aizen with a smile:
"Your physical strength seems to have reached its limit? So soon?"
Aizen responded with a faint smile:
"I am approaching my limit. I am nearly at my limit as a Shinigami."
Hearing this, Kurosaki Isshin remained somewhat confused:
"What is the limit of a Shinigami? What are you discussing?"
Aizen appeared at ease, as if he held the advantage.
He observed the confused Shiba Isshin and spoke leisurely:
"The will of the Hogyoku seems to finally understand my heart."
"I mean, the Hogyoku possesses its own will!"
"It's normal you don't believe it. Only after becoming the Hogyoku's master did I realize it had its own consciousness."
"Incidentally, I want to ask—what do you believe the Hogyoku's power to be?"
Kurosaki Isshin was stunned, nearly losing his composure.
Hearing Aizen's question, he recalled what he'd heard from Urahara Kisuke previously, so he said:
"To control two opposing natures? Allowing Hollows and Shinigami to break the boundaries between each other?"
Aizen shook his head!
"No. The Hogyoku's true ability is to read the inner thoughts of beings around it and materialize them."
"So far, countless miraculous events surrounding Ichigo Kurosaki, Rukia Kuchiki, and Kisuke Urahara have all occurred due to the Hogyoku's power!"
"Urahara Kisuke believed the Hogyoku's ability was controlling the boundary between Hollows and Shinigami simply because he, as its creator, expected it to function that way!"
The more Shiba Isshin listened, the more confused he became.
Could Urahara Kisuke's research on the Hogyoku be completely wrong?! It seemed some incredible secret was about to be exposed!
Observing Shiba Isshin's expression, Aizen—who always regarded others as pawns—felt tremendously pleased. Excellent! He wanted to witness these Shinigami's shocked expressions.
He continued slowly:
"Previously, Rukia Kuchiki's spiritual power was completely transferred to Ichigo Kurosaki."
"Because Rukia Kuchiki was never redeemed from the pain of killing her former captain."
"Chad Yasutora and Inoue Orihime awakened strange powers because they cursed their own powerlessness from their hearts' depths."
"But I realized the Hogyoku's true power."
"No, I shouldn't say 'realized'..."
"I understood that what Urahara Kisuke claimed about controlling the boundary between Shinigami and Hollows wasn't its genuine ability!"
Hearing this, Shiba Isshin's pupils suddenly dilated! He began realizing Aizen wasn't bluffing... He seemed to have truly comprehended the Hogyoku's existence! This would prove tremendously frightening!
Aizen resembled an orator at this moment, as if about to ascend beyond Shinigami status, beginning to slowly announce his victory:
"I thought then that if the Hogyoku's power was truly as Urahara Kisuke claimed, it would be impossible for Hirako Shinji and the others to become complete Visored."
"My careful arrangement for Hirako Shinji and the others to become Hollowfied and go to Ichigo Kurosaki's side was deliberate!"
"I conducted an experiment to confirm the Hogyoku's power..."
"And that experiment succeeded."
"After my arrangements, with Urahara Kisuke's assistance, the Hogyoku's power was activated."
"Hirako Shinji and the others became genuine Visored."
"All of this was orchestrated by me!"
Aizen further exposed Ichigo Kurosaki's growth experience at this moment! Not only due to his own arrangements, but also because of the Hogyoku's existence!]
[Ichigo Kurosaki]: Wait, so the Hogyoku was influencing everything around me this whole time?!
[Aizen Sosuke]: Indeed, my dear Ichigo. Your miraculous growth was guided by the Hogyoku's power responding to those around you.
[Shiba Isshin]: So even my fight against you was part of your grand design...
[Rukia Kuchiki]: My guilt about Kaien... the Hogyoku made my powers transfer to Ichigo because of that?
[Orihime Inoue]: My powers came from cursing my own weakness... that's what awakened them?
[Chad Yasutora]: So our abilities weren't coincidences—they were manifestations of our deepest desires.
[Urahara Kisuke]: To think my understanding of my own creation was so fundamentally flawed...
The revelation that the Hogyoku's true power was materializing desires—and that nearly every miraculous event in their lives had been either orchestrated by Aizen or influenced by the Hogyoku—left audiences reeling as they realized the true scope of the manipulation that had shaped their world.