Hi everyone! How's it going?
As I mentioned a few chapters ago, this novel demands a lot more time and effort from me. That's because it features a large amount of fully original content. This isn't just a rewrite or a simplified adaptation. It's a story I'm building piece by piece.
Because of that, the release pace can be different from usual. But under ideal conditions, my goal is clear. I want to release one chapter every single day. And if we reach enough Power Stones, I'll be dropping extra chapters as well.
Very soon, this novel will also be launching on my Patreon. I plan to keep several chapters ahead there, giving you early access and exclusive content, while always staying committed to everyone who supports the story on Webnovel.
I'm responding to this message specifically to thank D_h123 for asking about this and for all the support they've been giving with Power Stones. Your support truly fuels this project. Every read, every comment, and every Power Stone helps push this story forward. Thank you all for being part of this journey. Let's keep going together!
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The moment those words left his mouth, Tōshirō Hitsugaya's eyes constricted violently.
His pupils shrank to pinpoints, and the fury he had been suppressing finally shattered its restraints. An overwhelming surge of spiritual pressure erupted from his body like a raging tempest, crashing outward in all directions. The air screamed under the pressure. The ceiling of the assembly hall groaned as thin cracks spread across it like spiderwebs, dust and fragments raining down.
"Bankai."
The word was spoken softly-restrained, controlled-but it carried an absolute weight that allowed no argument.
The instant those two syllables echoed, countless fans who had followed the series from the very beginning shot to their feet.
"It's happening! It's happening! Another captain's Bankai!"
In front of computer screens and mobile phones, viewers exploded with excitement. Some slammed their desks, others clutched their chests, hearts pounding so hard it felt painful. The energy was contagious, spreading like wildfire through forums, comment sections, and group chats.
By this point in the story, the audience had already witnessed more than enough legendary Bankai to understand what this moment meant.
Renji Abarai's feral Monkey King Zabimaru.
Byakuya Kuchiki's elegant yet deadly Senbonzakura Kageyoshi.
Kaname Tōsen's nightmarish Suzumushi Tsuishiki: Enma Kōrogi.
Sajin Komamura's colossal Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō.
And, of course, Ichigo Kurosaki's iconic Tensa Zangetsu.
Each one had delivered unforgettable battles-blood-boiling clashes, scenes of raw power and desperation that justified every cent of the budget and dragged viewers completely into the world of Bleach.
That was why, when Hitsugaya finally invoked his Bankai, anticipation skyrocketed to its absolute peak.
An avalanche of ice erupted behind the youngest captain in the history of the Gotei 13. Frost surged outward in violent waves, crystalline armor forming over his shoulders and arms. Behind him, massive wings of ice spread open, sharp and majestic, while above his head frozen lotus flowers slowly bloomed-each petal etched with patterns that were both beautiful and lethally precise.
"Daiguren Hyōrinmaru!!!"
Peter roared the name with his entire soul, his voice echoing through the scene.
The temperature plummeted instantly. The assembly hall was swallowed by ice as frost crawled across walls, pillars, and the ground like a living organism. The cold was so absolute it felt unnatural-had a certain navy admiral from another world witnessed it, he would no doubt have shouted, "That technique is mine!"
At that exact moment, drawn by the violent explosion of spiritual energy, Retsu Unohana and her vice-captain, Isane Kotetsu, rushed into the hall, expressions sharp with alarm.
…
…
"Damn! That scene was insane, Peter!"
Back in the academy dormitory, his roommates shouted as they slapped his back, laughing and yelling in pure excitement. The adrenaline from the episode still hadn't worn off.
But unlike their enthusiasm, Peter couldn't quite bring himself to smile. If one looked closely, a faint flush colored his face.
Watching himself on screen-imposing, flawless, wrapped in ice and overwhelming majesty-he felt a strange bitterness settle in his chest.
As an actor, he knew.
He knew exactly what was about to happen next.
"I'll kill you, Aizen."
Hitsugaya's voice was cold enough to freeze the soul itself as he tightened his grip on Hyōrinmaru.
Facing a captain who had released Bankai, Sōsuke Aizen did not move.
He simply observed.
His smile didn't fade-if anything, it deepened, carrying a calm amusement that felt profoundly unsettling.
"I suggest you watch your tone," Aizen replied evenly. "Excessive arrogance is often just another form of weakness."
"AAAAAH!!!"
Hitsugaya lunged forward, his body blurring as he crossed the distance in an instant. Hyōrinmaru pierced straight through Aizen's chest-clean, precise, decisive.
"Did he get him?!"
Thousands of viewers leaned forward simultaneously, faces nearly pressed against their screens, breath caught in their throats.
Ice exploded outward from the point of impact. Under the overwhelming power of Daiguren Hyōrinmaru, Aizen's body was rapidly encased, frozen solid into a flawless crystalline statue. Yet even then-terrifyingly-the serene smile on his face remained.
Too calm.
Too composed.
Then, in the very next instant, before Hitsugaya's disbelieving eyes, the frozen figure cracked-and shattered.
The ice dissolved into mist, dispersing into the air like it had never existed.
The camera shifted.
Aizen was already behind him.
His sword was drawn.
Blood slid slowly down the blade, dripping to the frozen floor.
"How… is this… possible…?" Hitsugaya whispered, disbelief flooding his voice.
The answer came instantly.
A deep gash tore open from his shoulder down to his waist. The sound was dry and brutal. Blood burst forth in a violent spray, staining the ice crimson.
The captain of the Tenth Division collapsed heavily to the ground-the same way Hinamori Momo had fallen in the previous episode.
Like a puppet whose strings had been severed.
For several long seconds, silence ruled.
On screen, Aizen flicked his sword casually, shaking off the blood, and spoke as if making idle conversation.
"What an interesting sight. It's not the right season… but seeing ice at this time has its own charm."
That was when the audience finally exploded.
"Oh my God-what the f-"
Even Jack Creed, who had paused his own filming just to watch the episode, nearly fell out of his chair.
"This… this is ridiculous," he muttered, stunned.
Beside him, Rebecca Verne stared at the screen without blinking, her lips parting slightly.
"Terrifying…" she whispered.
Back in the academy dorm, Peter's three roommates stared at the screen-then slowly turned to look at him. Their expressions were hollow, blank, as if their minds were still desperately trying to process what they had just witnessed.
Only one question seemed to be written across their faces.
That's it?
Peter scratched his cheek awkwardly and let out a short sigh.
"What can I say…" he muttered. "The script says Aizen is just absurd."
And they weren't the only ones.
Across the country, millions of viewers were left completely stunned.
Up until now, the appearance of a Bankai had always meant a prolonged, evenly matched battle.
Ichigo versus Byakuya.
Kenpachi against Tōsen and Komamura.
Clashes of equals. Relentless exchanges. Battles where strength, resolve, and will were pushed to their limits.
But now…
A captain of the Gotei 13.
Wielding one of the most visually stunning Bankai ever shown.
Had been utterly crushed.
By Aizen-who hadn't even released his Zanpakutō.
And it was over in an instant.
"Alex…" Samantha Burnes tilted her head, looking at him with eyes full of doubt.
"You didn't… make Aizen a little too overpowered, did you?"
The question lingered in the air.