The World of the Living, Karakura Town.
Above this extraordinary country town where Hollows and Shinigami waged decisive battle floated a massive burning fireball. In the space opened at that heat-swirling center stood three men, composed.
The king's headquarters commanding one major force in this war—those who'd defected from the Soul Society last summer and rebelled against the world.
"Man, hot hot. Still, Momo-chan's as considerate as ever."
The slit-eyed Shinigami Ichimaru Gin tilted an old-fashioned bamboo canteen to moisten his throat. While his colleague glared at him leisurely enjoying the sole offering, the king's confidant Tosen Kaname objected.
"...Restrain yourself, Ichimaru. You're before Lord Aizen."
"What's this, Captain Tosen? Even making that face, I won't give you Momo-chan's iced tea."
"Don't want it. More importantly, what's that modified stealth Hollow?"
At Tosen's question, Ichimaru smiled wryly, petting the small bird-type Hollow perched on his shoulder.
"What? The girl asked me to. Meddlesomely filmed extra of Izuru's activities."
"...Ah, that battle recording."
Nodding, Tosen ignored his colleague's muttered "that's just an excuse..." and surveyed the battlefield glimpsed through the flame wall.
The war situation: heavy losses for subordinate Arrancar army, light losses for Gotei 13—disadvantageous for them. All Fracción annihilated, main force Espada's Segunda and Tres neutralized. The intact Primera faced two strong captains with Resurrección—battle stalemated.
Considering the responsible party's labor gathering them, a head-holding disaster—but recalling she sought different results than simple victory-defeat, Tosen sighed differently.
...In the Las Noches surveillance room alone with her, the man still couldn't decide whether to approve that certain plan she'd pleaded for.
"You need not worry, Kaname."
Tosen lowered his face in conflict. Suddenly a voice reached his ears.
The headquarters' supreme commander, silent until then. The lord he served—Aizen Sosuke.
"What do you..."
Trying to ask "mean," Tosen fell silent at the thin smile the king wore. Another transcendent being grasping all in his palm was there.
"I told you. You need only walk alongside me."
"...!"
"In a world without justice, evil doesn't exist. In your world of darkness, a single ray of light already separates all."
Powerful words. Distant past scenes serving him as lord resurfaced, and the blind man involuntarily prostrated himself.
...Ah, right. As the king said, from the start no hesitation existed in this body.
The sole light reflected in my eyes—the path Lord Aizen walks—is justice.
If I strayed from the path I should walk, bound by emotion, I need only correct it again.
Tosen standing with worry removed, Aizen quietly exchanging gazes. Regrettably, being a world of only master and servant, the excluded Ichimaru slightly twitched his suspicious smile.
"...Saying such deep things. Wonder if a kind girl to comfort excluded me will come soon."
The sulking slit-eyed man looked boredly at the battlefield saying "the Espada battle's dragging too."
But someone agreed with his dissatisfaction, which was also mere monologue.
"...Indeed. I'm about to get bored."
Chilling tension ran through headquarters.
The king, Aizen Sosuke, looked down below with cold amber eyes. At the pathetic soldiers who, given grand status, power, and favor, couldn't bring down even one enemy main force.
This man never held even a speck of expectation for the Arrancar army. The special race "Arrancar"—once as transcendent beings crossing Hollow-Shinigami boundaries, he'd shown interest in their spiritual rank. But even with Hogyoku power, powerful individuals meeting his hopes weren't born, and after subordinate Tosen Kaname's Arrancarization, the king gave up on the "Arrancar" race itself.
If the man hadn't met that certain girl, he might have expected the Arrancar to at least sweep the Gotei 13.
But like him now, the idea of tolerating and enjoying the Arrancar's pathetic battles as "one act of a play" wouldn't have occurred.
Either way, the transcendent being "Aizen Sosuke," in any circumstances, found not one shred of value in the troupe's performances formed after fifty years of preparation.
"...Boring."
Quietly echoing heartless truth.
And the king slowly shifted his gaze backward.
——Don't you think so too?
The question dissolved into air.
But at those words directed at empty space, Tosen belatedly realized the situation.
『!!』
Eerie sound of the world trembling. Strange sensation of the three realms' separation connecting. Seeping around—tremendous intimidation making spines shudder.
Behind the three at headquarters, a massive Garganta opened. From within, three shadows appeared.
One was a massive Hollow. White Hollow flesh lump faintly glowing with one crescent moon-like eye.
One was a small man. A young Arrancar with pale blonde hair and vacant foolish face.
And the final one.
The smallest figure—the king's greatest favorite.
"—Ufufu..."
That usually lovely smile twisted with dripping madness—a beautiful girl.
Warping surrounding space with extraordinary spiritual pressure, that descended Shinigami—the Commander leading all Arrancar.
Hinamori Momo.
"...Goodness, scary scary. Said I wanted boredom comforted, but throwing that onto the battlefield—won't we lose our turns?"
At her abnormal presence equivalent to strategic weapon, the slit-eyed man's suspicious smile twitched.
"Excellent, Gin."
But contrary to the wryly smiling adjutant, what seeped onto Aizen's face was pure exhilaration—the first since battle commenced.
"If we have anything to fear... it's solely whether her stylish performance can be the comedy we seek."
Looking at the girl descended below, the king smiled.
Yet contradicting his words, not even a speck of doubt colored those eyes.
***
Less than two centuries of soul life.
Experiencing such fierce battle as a Shinigami was Kira Izuru's first time.
The enemy: Hollow army become Arrancar—thousands of years of species fate. However, the youth didn't hold extraordinary fighting spirit in this battle for such abstract reasons.
No, not just him. Colleagues manipulating ash blades facing three enemies, senpai from academy days throwing themselves into Tenkai Kecchu defense, the boy scattering blizzard-like spiritual pressure raging distantly. Despite not praiseworthy as captain-class, all fought for something filling heart wounds.
Whether righteous indignation, bitter grief, friendship, revenge, or love—they themselves understood best.
"You're the lieutenant who fell for the Commander?"
Izuru fighting with all that in his chest quietly burned at the provocation from confronted gladiator-like male Arrancar Abirama Redder.
"Heard from Ichimaru Gin. Felt sorry for you, couldn't bear taking you along."
"...!"
"Well, naturally. Such a weakling couldn't make that monster in girl's skin a woman even standing on his head—"
Immediately, blood danced between them. Realizing, the youth had slashed the enemy's cheek with his Wabisuke.
"...Don't casually speak those two's names before me."
Even dying—you'd want to die with shallow wounds, right?
"...What? You can make that face too...!!"
Exchanging provocation, Abirama immediately released his zanpakuto Águila. For him living by warrior's pride, battle was always approached full power.
Of course, such values were incomprehensible to Izuru who destroyed self and served the public.
"Doubling the weight of what you slash...? Dirty tricks... you call yourself a warrior!?"
Calling it dirty—quite the accusation.
His led Third Division's flower: marigold. The flower's meaning: "despair." That was also Izuru's pride as Third Division's sole captain-class.
Battle mustn't be heroic. Battle mustn't be refreshing.
Battle must be filled with despair—dark, frightening, grim.
Only then do people fear battle, choosing paths avoiding it.
"...Cut once, double. Cut twice, double again. Eventually unable to bear the weight, opponents crawl on the ground, offering heads apologetically."
Therefore
—Wabisuke—
"W-wait..."
"Warriors shouldn't beg for life."
Izuru raised the half-hook blade aimed at the enemy's neck skyward. Just that—Segunda Fracción Abirama Redder's head fell to earth.
"...Goodbye, sky warrior. If possible..."
—Don't forgive me.
***
Victory over strong enemy. But Izuru had no time savoring afterglow.
"...Finish with that at once."
"Can't be helped."
"Against such trash... let's go!"
—Quimera Parca—
The terrible monster created by three female Arrancar offering left arms. Crisis approached Tenth Division Vice-Captain Matsumoto Rangiku and Fifth Division Assistant Vice-Captain Kanisawa Hotaru who'd rushed to her aid.
"Gah..."
"What! Vice-Captain Ran— ugh!"
"Tch, bad...! Kira!"
"Yes!
Bakudo Number Thirty-Seven: Tsuriboshi."
Aiding the two trampled by the giant monster with colleague Hisagi Shuhei, Izuru sincerely thanked his past self for knocking on Fourth Division's door for healing arts training.
"...Hisagi... and Kira...?"
"It's okay, Kanisawa! I'll definitely save you and Matsumoto...!"
"Ha, haha... I'm senpai yet... only pathetic figures..."
"...Don't say that, Kanisawa. That stray bullet hit me too."
Connected since World of the Living training at Spiritual Arts Academy fifty years ago. Coincidentally sharing bitter feelings—comrades challenged the grotesque before them to prove they'd changed from that pathetic selves.
"Hmph, vice-captains getting cocky!"
"Think you're match for our Ayon? Idiots!"
"Crush them together."
But the monster's creators—three female Arrancar calling themselves Tres Fracción—weren't exaggerating. Despite fighting with Shikai Kazeshini and versatile Kido, Shuhei was instantly killed, unable to cope with the massive body's incongruously nimble, non-biological movements.
Colleague Iba Tetsuzaemon who rushed as reinforcement attacking from behind also defeated by ambush Cero. Reliable other captain-class all battling enemy main Espada. All hope lost.
"...No, when we're so close..."
And before Izuru desperately treating Rangiku and Hotaru, the monster's fist swung down...
"—Good grief. Making the Captain-Commander come forward—pathetic subordinates."
Quimera Parca Ayon easily turned to ash by one blade from Soul Society's oldest, strongest Shinigami—Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni.
『Eaaaat this!!』
"...Challenging single-armed—that spirit is good. In honor of spirit, I'll limit it to burns."
Two more swings—the Tres Fracción who'd caused turmoil fell to their knees.
However, the Gotei 13's activities with morale recovered by Captain-Commander's sortie didn't last long.
While Second Division captain-class Soi Fon faced enemy main "Segunda Espada," captain combo Kyoraku Shunsui and Ukitake Jushiro faced "Primera Espada," Tenth Division Captain Hitsugaya Toshiro faced "Tres Espada" each fighting well...
"...Conquer."
—Tiburón—
"Answer, Arrancar! Where is she!!"
"I told you, boy. If you want to know about that person, defeat me."
The female Arrancar's great tsunami swallowing all surroundings.
"...Rot."
—Arrogante—
"...Shinigami, girl, captain-class... ah, detestable. Old wounds throb."
"What is... that form...!"
The skull Arrancar's death breath forcing aging on all creation.
"...Kick about."
—Los Lobos—
"H-hey hey, isn't that cheating!?"
"Shut up... we don't have time. Just get beaten already, captain."
The male Arrancar's Cero pistols with infinite ammunition.
The strongest Arrancar Hueco Mundo boasted displayed overwhelming power to Gotei warriors.
"—Is that so?"
But they also had trump cards. Just when repeated disadvantages seemed decisive, captains' preparations finally completed.
"My Hyorinmaru is strongest ice-snow type. All water is my weapon..."
"...!?"
"All heaven is under my control...!"
—Hyoten Hyakkaso—
Frost flowers raining from frozen sky froze the female Arrancar No. 3.
"...Massive form cannot hide, too heavy to move freely. A Bankai contrary to my pride."
"Could that be..."
"And to call it assassination... too flashy."
—Jakuho Raikoben—
The missile's massive explosion with flame tail devoured the skeleton Arrancar No. 2.
The Gotei 13 finally succeeded delivering painful blows to Arrancar army's main force.
"They did it... the captains did it...!"
"Yes... thank goodness...!"
Izuru and others rejoicing, praising superiors' valiant fighting. To them who'd faced them multiple times yet couldn't grasp clear victory, those two words crossed minds for the first time.
Everyone's morale recovered, paths to brilliant future opened.
...Or so it seemed.
Zzzzzz...
Then.
Suddenly above Izuru and others' heads, massive distortion appeared in empty space. The detestable dark gate connecting separated living and evil spirit worlds—Garganta.
"Wh-what... that size..."
"Still more reinforcements for the top three Espada...? Don't want to think about it."
While checking enemy No. 1, Kyoraku and captain-class braced for newcomers.
...Something would happen. Certainly something bad for them.
But among several developments imagined, the existence deep in that Garganta causing ominous premonition was the "worst" they could possibly imagine.
『—Aaaaaaaah!!』
Nightmare began.
The shrill scream roaring from otherworld gate disturbed surrounding reishi, neutralizing captains' Bankai techniques.
"Wh-what is that...!"
Gotei 13's understanding couldn't catch up with the phenomenon. Further shock entered their eyes.
From the massive Garganta splitting heaven appeared a writhing grotesque flesh lump. Its immense body sat in midair like an island.
...And the final one standing on the giant Hollow's reverently raised palm.
"—Close call, ants. If that girl was called, our boss reached patience limit."
The skull Espada cleared black smoke hatefully...
"—We 'Espada' are army, not individuals. Army without general is worse than rabble. Playtime's over, boy...!"
The ice flower tower crumbled, the female Espada with determined eyes...
"—You're too strong—that's the problem. To not further sour Lord Aizen's mood, our leader personally came..."
And the male Espada facing two captains reformed his dull expression...
They all looked up simultaneously.
"That child...!"
"Troublesome, this is quite..."
Agitation, trembling ran through surroundings. It was the Gotei 13's greatest conflict and simultaneously tragic existence.
The figure shown was a single girl.
Letting white Shihakusho resembling mythological splendid clothes flutter in wind, she stood quietly, calmly looking down at Shinigami below.
Relieved voices spilling around. But what pervaded there was unconcealed confusion and anxiety. Seeing the girl's figure, everyone felt ominous premonition in their hearts.
That devoted, adorable girl. That bright, kind, beloved popular person transcending divisions.
—Was smiling.
"Ah, ahhh..."
A pathetic gasping breath was heard. Kira Izuru never realized until the end it overflowed from his own mouth.
It's her.
My precious person taken by the great criminal.
Yet not wanting to acknowledge that fact, not wanting to believe what happened to her, the youth could only tremble in place.
And then.
In the fake Karakura Town's silence where everyone held breath, a small voice echoed.
Weak, ephemeral, tragic—a child's voice.
"—Hina... mori..."
That time, in embracing arms, his childhood friend dyed crimson, covered in blood. Unable to do anything, shown being carried away embraced by great evil—his beloved.
One boy—Hitsugaya Toshiro—gazing at his precious person who'd changed like a different person with mad smile, his clinging call...
Was the sole voice spinning the girl's name.