After Kisuke Urahara and the others left, a party was held at Tsunayoshi's house. Once the festivities had finally wound down, Kensei Muguruma left Tsunayoshi with an invitation, asking him to attend the ceremony for Aizen's imprisonment the day after tomorrow.
In the days following the war, Squad 12 had been working around the clock to manufacture Aizen's restraints. They had finally completed them today, and after testing the equipment tomorrow, they planned to imprison Aizen in the underground prison beneath the Shin'ō Academy the day after tomorrow.
Kyōraku had assigned the task to the Maggot's Nest Detention Unit, with Kensei overseeing the entire operation. The reason Kensei had invited Tsunayoshi was simple: Aizen's demonstrated strength was simply too overwhelming. At present, Tsunayoshi was the only one who could reliably suppress him.
Tsunayoshi agreed without hesitation. He had almost forgotten that Urahara had secretly sabotaged Aizen in the first place. It was all the Monk's fault. The man had insisted on making trouble for no reason and had even tried to make Tsunayoshi a candidate for the position of Soul King.
Tsunayoshi's mood quickly improved, however, because Yamamoto and the others had also brought him news concerning the Soul King's punishment of the Monk. Just thinking about the Monk having a miserable time was enough to put Tsunayoshi in a good mood.
As for Aizen, Tsunayoshi did think it was worth seeing what he was thinking now—especially after seeing that the Soul King he had pursued throughout his life was nothing more than the lynchpin of the world.
Two days later, Ichigo and the others had already returned to the Human World, while Tsunayoshi came alone to the site prepared by Squad 9.
Kensei had arranged for the area to be cleared in advance. It was spacious enough that the surrounding buildings would not be affected, and it was also very close to the First Division's barracks in a straight line, allowing Aizen to be transported to the underground prison as quickly as possible.
In the center of the empty grounds stood the Sealing Frame imprisoning Aizen, completely isolated from everything around it. Along the perimeter were members of Squad 12 in their white uniforms, while seated officers from Squad 9 maintained order.
"Yo, Tsunayoshi. You're here?" Kensei hurried over to greet him. After all, Tsunayoshi was the guarantee that today's operation would succeed, so he naturally deserved priority treatment.
"It's just you guys? Kyōraku and Old Man Yamamoto aren't coming?" Tsunayoshi asked curiously.
Yamamoto was understandable—he possessed the strength to suppress Aizen as well. As for Kyōraku, that went without saying. Aizen would be spending a very long time beneath his feet from now on, so the Captain-Commander would at least have to come over to open the way.
"Captain-Commander Yamamoto..." Kensei paused, realizing that old habits were hard to break. "Captain Yamamoto is presiding over the entrance ceremony at the Shin'ō Academy. He hopes to identify some talented newcomers and recruit them into the Gotei 13 ahead of schedule."
"As for Kyōraku, he's waiting for us at the First Division. He said there was no need to worry as long as you were accompanying us," Kensei relayed.
Tsunayoshi was speechless at Kyōraku's ability to find every possible opportunity to take a break. Still, he could understand it. There was quite a lot weighing on Kyōraku's shoulders right now, so if he could steal even a little time to rest, he might as well take it.
As for the future generation of Shinigami, Tsunayoshi's memories of the final manga were rather hazy. He vaguely remembered a gal and a cool-looking guy, but he couldn't be bothered to think about it. If they truly possessed exceptional talent, they certainly wouldn't escape Yamamoto's notice.
"Speaking of which, has Kyōraku still not decided who will take over Squad 8?" Tsunayoshi asked casually as he watched the members of Squad 12 bustle about.
"No. For now, Lieutenant Nanao Ise and Lisa are still handling the division's affairs together. If you ask me, Lisa already knows Bankai. Why not just make her the captain?" Kensei grumbled.
"It's not that simple. As for Nanao Ise, Kyōraku will definitely bring her with him to the First Division. With that lazy man's personality, if he weren't worried about the intelligence work falling apart, he would've taken her away already."
"Besides, the responsibilities of the Gotei 13 have expanded. Future intelligence work will have to span all Three Realms. Relying on Lisa alone definitely won't be enough."
"Forget it. Let the Captain-Commander worry about that himself." Tsunayoshi couldn't be bothered to think for Kyōraku.
"Does the change in responsibilities really have that much of an impact? I haven't noticed much..." Kensei thought about it for a moment.
"You're in the Detention Unit. Even if things change, how much could your duties possibly change? It's not like they'll send you to arrest souls in the Human World and Hueco Mundo, right?"
"If nothing unexpected happens, the biggest change for Squad 9 should be the Seireitei Communication. That magazine might eventually be expanded to cover all Three Realms—something like Three Realms Communication."
"Tch!" Kensei sucked in a sharp breath. "Then Shūhei's going to work himself to death!"
"You're the captain, so do your job properly! Don't dump everything on Shūhei all at once. He might actually come after you one day!" Tsunayoshi couldn't help warning him.
"Hah, come after me? Shūhei's still a long way from beating me!" When it came to his own strength, Kensei was always inexplicably confident.
"By the way, do you know what Shūhei's Bankai does?" Tsunayoshi narrowed his eyes.
"Bankai? A bigger scythe? I've been too busy lately. I'll give Shūhei some proper training when I have the time." Kensei answered with shameless confidence.
Just as Tsunayoshi had expected, Kensei had absolutely no idea what Shūhei's Bankai was capable of. Tsunayoshi couldn't be bothered to explain. Once Kensei actually fought him, he'd learn his lesson.
"Then you'd better give him your very best instruction," Tsunayoshi kindly reminded him.
"Mr. Sawada Tsunayoshi, Captain Muguruma, the equipment has been installed. We can begin."
Squad 12 had sent Akon over. Mayuri Kurotsuchi himself hadn't come. He was apparently busy researching how to fuse himself with the modified Zanpakutō.
"Then let's begin. The shopkeeper gave me the technique for releasing the seal." Urahara Kisuke was clearly absent as well. Who knew what strange thing he was researching this time?
Tsunayoshi walked up to the Sealing Frame and brought two fingers together. He concentrated his Reiatsu and wrote the character "解"—Release—across the seal.
The seal slowly unwound like a bandage, revealing Sōsuke Aizen standing within it with his eyes closed.
"Hey, Aizen. Time to wake up. We're moving you somewhere else for your nap." Kensei stepped forward and tried to wake him.
Tsunayoshi, meanwhile, turned his head and said irritably to the people beside him, "Stop teasing the idiot."
The scene suddenly changed.
Aizen vanished from within the seal, while a middle-aged man with the refined appearance of a graceful gentleman appeared beside Tsunayoshi.
Aizen had already withdrawn his Hōgyoku-transformed state. At present, he was nothing more than a middle-aged man dressed in white.
The sudden change put everyone's nerves on edge. Every officer drew their Zanpakutō and pointed them at Aizen, while Kensei also assumed a guarded stance.
He had known from the beginning that this job wasn't going to be easy.
Aizen ignored everyone. He merely raised his head and gazed toward the sky, regret and understanding appearing in succession across his face.
"Sawada Tsunayoshi... You defeated the Soul King Palace?"
Aizen's Reiatsu was extraordinarily powerful. Even while sealed, he had already sensed the turbulent Reiatsu emanating from Tsunayoshi and the Monk. It was only because that bastard Urahara had used the Hōgyoku as the power source for the seal that Aizen had been unable to break free.
Otherwise, Aizen would have broken out of the seal and gone to lend Tsunayoshi a hand.
Unfortunately, the battle had already ended before he could break free. The instant Aizen emerged, he extended his Reiatsu toward the Soul King Palace. Upon sensing the ruins that remained of it, he knew that Tsunayoshi had won.
"Obviously. If I hadn't won, I'd be the one lying up there as a human-shaped stump right now." Tsunayoshi took the prison uniform from the prison chair. "Be sensible. Put on the clothes and restraints yourself. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can clock out."
Aizen didn't take the prison uniform. Instead, he looked at Tsunayoshi with an amused expression.
"Compared to what I did, you caused considerably more damage to the Soul King Palace, didn't you? Why am I the only one being punished?"
Aizen was deliberately asking that question. He had invaded the Soul King Palace, yes, but Tsunayoshi had practically demolished the entire place. If justice was to be fair, Aizen couldn't be the only one punished.
"Who told you that you're being imprisoned because you invaded the Soul King Palace?"
Since Aizen wasn't making trouble, Tsunayoshi was happy to explain a few things. As for everyone else, they didn't dare voice an opinion while two monsters of this caliber were talking.
"The Soul King has already wiped the matter of your invasion of the Soul King Palace clean. In return, the Monk received punishment from the Soul King."
"Oh? It seems His Majesty the Soul King is more than just a tool after all."
From that single sentence, Aizen immediately deduced several other pieces of information.
"You're being imprisoned because of the experiments you conducted in Soul Society and the crimes you committed within the Seireitei. You can't possibly object to that, can you?"
Aizen knew perfectly well how many people he had offended in the Seireitei. With a faint hint of pride, he replied, "I've never denied anything I've done."
"Then let's get this over with. Don't waste time."
"I have one condition. Let me see the Seireitei as it is now."
Aizen had known for some time that the Seireitei had changed after his departure. It hadn't been rebuilt according to his own ideals, but at the very least, he wanted to see what the Seireitei looked like now that it was no longer so rigid.
Tsunayoshi's expression became somewhat strange.
"You want to be paraded through the streets? You've got some pretty unusual tastes!"
Aizen was almost choked to death by Tsunayoshi's words.
How could that possibly be called a public parade?
He had merely suffered a temporary defeat. If the Seireitei became something he disliked, he would return eventually!
Aizen didn't say that part aloud. He understood perfectly well that harboring ulterior motives and refusing to abandon his ambitions would only add another charge to his sentence.
Tsunayoshi considered Aizen's condition.
To be honest, having just come through a major battle, Tsunayoshi wasn't particularly interested in fighting Aizen again—especially the kind of battle where he broke Aizen's illusions, only for Aizen to break through his illusions in turn. Just thinking about it was exhausting.
"Tsunayoshi, that won't do. There are too many uncertainties along the way." Kensei leaned toward Tsunayoshi and whispered.
The next instant, he felt an overwhelming sensation of death suffocating him.
Kensei slowly raised his head and saw Aizen smiling at him.
This was a threat!
Absolutely a threat!
Kensei wanted to protest, but unfortunately, he didn't have the strength to back up his objections.
"The Seireitei isn't something I can decide on my own," Tsunayoshi said, putting on a troubled expression.
"Then I'll make another promise. During my imprisonment, I won't cause trouble of my own accord."
Aizen added another condition.
"Wait here."
Tsunayoshi took out his communicator and discussed the matter with Kyōraku. After exchanging several nods, Tsunayoshi said, "Kyōraku has agreed to your condition. Put on the restraints."
"Kyōraku? Kyōraku Shunsui? Has he succeeded me as Captain-Commander?"
Aizen immediately understood the current situation.
"Enough talking. The men from the First Division are already here. You said you'd cooperate. We'll make one circuit and that's it." Tsunayoshi pointed toward the prison chair.
"My promises are always binding."
Aizen's figure blurred. In an instant, he was seated in the chair, and the prison uniform and restraints automatically fastened themselves around him. All the men Kensei had prepared beforehand were rendered completely unnecessary.
Tsunayoshi pretended to inspect him, walking one full circle around the chair.
"All right. Looks good. Everyone from the First Division, sorry to trouble you. Let's get moving."
To be honest, Tsunayoshi didn't believe these things were actually capable of restraining Aizen.
Only someone who had truly completed the fusion with their Zanpakutō could understand just how powerful Beyond Bankai really was.
What was restraining Aizen now wasn't the restraints at all.
It was Aizen's own heart.
The desolate heart of a man who had spent hundreds of years pursuing his dream, exhausted every means at his disposal, and finally watched that dream turn to nothing.
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