At this moment, atop the Sokyoku Hill.
Rukia had been bound with her hands to a small white block, slowly ascending towards the peak of the Sokyoku!
She hadn't made any request to Yamamoto to spare Ichigo and the others. Rukia was very calm. She was waiting for Ichigo's arrival, firmly believing he would save her!
Seeing Rukia like this, below the Sokyoku, 1st Division's Lieutenant, Chojiro Sasakibe frowned.
He had seen such a gaze before.
Well, in the mirror!
Because it was the same gaze as his own… a gaze of deep trust in someone!
'So, just as I deeply trust the Captain-Commander, Rukia deeply trusts that Ryoka, Kurosaki Ichigo?' An unbelievable thought arose in Sasakibe's mind.
The problem is, even if Ichigo defeated five Captains, even killed one Captain, how can he be compared to the Captain-Commander?
Mere Captains!
To speak proudly, as long as Sasakibe released his Bankai, half of the current Captains in the Soul Society wouldn't be his match.
This was also his confidence for never arguing whenever he was mocked as the non-fighting Lieutenant!
His Bankai existed for Yamamoto, not for his own show of force.
So, Rukia trusting that Ichigo the same way he trusts the Captain-Commander... how is that possible?
No one could surpass him in trusting the Captain-Commander!
"Hmm, no one!" Sasakibe shook his head, murmuring.
"Hm?" Noticing Sasakibe's movement, Yamamoto turned his head, emitting a questioning grunt.
Sasakibe shook his head, indicating it was nothing.
So Captain-Commander Yamamoto turned back, looking up at Rukia in the sky, waiting for the Sokyoku execution.
However, this small interaction between the old partners didn't attract much attention.
Because undercurrents had long been swirling on the Sokyoku Hill.
Watching the gradually forming firebird, Kyoraku's wandering gaze looked into the distance, wondering why Ukitake hadn't arrived yet.
Simultaneously, beside Kyoraku stood a recently healed Byakuya and Renji.
Watching the firebird about to attack, Renji was desperately giving Byakuya meaningful looks.
To their right, without the bulky Omaeda blocking the view, Sui-Feng also noticed the strange interactions, frowning as she looked over, her small hand slowly resting on the short sword behind her back.
As for Unohana?
Unohana wasn't here.
In the original work, Aizen just died, leaving a corpse.
But now, Aizen was dead and had framed Ichigo. This completely ignited Unohana's suspicions.
That's why she was still investigating Aizen's situation.
On the Sokyoku Hill, there were only Sui-Feng, Byakuya, Renji, Kyoraku, Ise Nanao, and the 1st Division's Captain and Lieutenant.
At the same time, Sui-Feng's blatant scrutiny was slightly noticed by Byakuya, who turned to look.
Sui-Feng, with excellent acting skills, shifted her gaze without a trace.
However, after shifting her gaze, Sui-Feng's expression suddenly froze!
Because, at the edge of her vision, a graceful figure she had longed for for nearly a century appeared before her eyes once again!
Noticing Sui-Feng's gaze, Yoruichi smiled and waved at her.
"Shihoin Yoruichi!" Sui-Feng's exclamation burst out!
Her words completely attracted the attention of the Captains present.
"Yoruichi? Where?" The Captains looked in the direction Sui-Feng was staring.
There was nothing there!
Then they turned back to look at Sui-Feng, their eyes conveying very strange meanings.
'Is this girl so obsessed with Yoruichi she's started hallucinating?'
In the Soul Society, every Captain possesses great personal charisma.
Because Shikai is the external manifestation of personality, and Bankai is the liberation of the inner truth.
Thus, Captains who have comprehended their own truth can be said to have unity of knowledge and action, their hearts and deeds clear as a mirror, their actions all for justice.
Even if that justice is only self-perceived justice...
Therefore, factors like authority, strength, etc., stacked, the influence a Captain has on their Lieutenant or close subordinates can reach the level of changing a person's heart.
The most obvious example is the 9th Division's Lieutenant, Hisagi Shuhei!
Because he was saved by Muguruma Kensei as a child, he vowed to become a Shinigami, tattooed the numbers '69' on his face, and awakened the Zanpakuto, Kazeshini.
Yet, because he disliked his Zanpakuto's shape being for beheading and its name being bad, he was lectured by Tosen and inherited the other's justice of 'not wielding a sword for oneself'. (T/N: Kazeshini means Death Wind.)
Therefore, his Zanpakuto's Bankai links the Reiatsu of both parties, resulting in mutual destruction, requiring a third person to deliver the final blow when the enemy is weak.
From Shikai to Bankai, Hisagi was influenced by two people successively.
As for someone like Sui-Feng, a trusted subordinate personally trained by Yoruichi since childhood, the influence is naturally deeper. Calling her Yoruichi's 'shape' is not an exaggeration at all.
At this moment, facing the questioning looks from the Captains, Sui-Feng had bitterness she couldn't express.
After seeing the Shihoin Clan's Heaven-Stepping Adornment that day, she had indeed been constantly thinking about Yoruichi. For a moment, even Sui-Feng herself wasn't sure if it was a hallucination or reality.
Because such situations had genuinely occurred when Yoruichi first left!
Frustrated, Sui-Feng shifted her gaze to the Sokyoku, forcing herself not to think random thoughts.
At this point, the Sokyoku had been fully released!
The firebird forged from a million Zanpakuto announced its existence with a triumphant cry.
Billowing heat waves transmitted from the sky to the people below, and the burning flames dyed half the sky red!
The execution of Rukia was about to begin!
Clink clink-
The faint sound of blade friction came. Renji had grasped Zabimaru, agitated.
His movement attracted everyone's attention.
Because of this, no one noticed that above the Sokyoku, a person was flying atop it using the Shihoin Clan's Heaven-Stepping Adornment.
Facing Rukia, the Sokyoku slowly drew back, gathering power.
The final charging execution was imminent!
"Captain!" Seeing this, Renji finally couldn't help but call out!
Hearing Renji's urging, Byakuya, who was closely watching the Sokyoku in the sky, also roared back without hesitation: "Shut up, Renji!"
Having experienced the battle with Ichigo, Byakuya had already resolved his inner conflicts. Because being defeated in battle made him realize his previous stance was wrong.
The current Byakuya decided to rescue Rukia.
However, after finding Yoruichi, or rather, after Yoruichi found him, she told Byakuya that someone would block the Sokyoku for Rukia.
So Byakuya was still waiting.
And now, having gathered enough power, the Sokyoku finally launched its assault!
The massive firebird charged at Rukia with the momentum to incinerate everything.
"…"
Watching the Sokyoku before her intent on burning her to ashes, Rukia seemed to sense something and looked up.
Simultaneously, Ichigo deactivated the flight of Heaven-Stepping Adornment.
Meeting Rukia's gaze, Ichigo showed a smile. "Yo, Rukia. I came to save you!"
Saying this, Ichigo nimbly placed himself in front of the Sokyoku!
Boom-
The Sokyoku collided with Zangetsu, producing a tremendous sound!
Then, blocked by Ichigo, the Sokyoku seemed angered. It drew back, gathering power, wanting to attack again!
But at this moment, Ichigo's brown eyes suddenly filled with blue light. On Zangetsu, slung across his back, the light of Getsuga Tensho bloomed!
"So, you're the one formed from a million Zanpakuto, huh?"
Ichigo turned, swung his blade. A Getsuga Tensho larger than any before, as long as the Sokyoku itself, shot forth from Zangetsu!
Under the pressure of the powerful Getsuga Tensho, the air solidified like a glacier.
Thus, the Getsuga Tensho was like an icebreaker, cutting through the solidified air, causing cracking sounds one after another!
With intense shockwaves, the Getsuga Tensho squarely struck the Sokyoku firebird's neck. Violent flames exploded!
Screech! The Sokyoku firebird let out a shriek of pain. Ichigo's slash had thrown the entire bird off balance, its head flipping nearly 180 degrees upwards!
The Sokyoku hastily flapped its wings to regain balance. As its enormous wings beat, streams of flame fell towards the ground below!
The few Captains and Lieutenants present continuously dodged amidst the falling flames!
However, watching the scene in the sky, they completely disregarded the flames falling from the Sokyoku!
Sui-Feng muttered in shock, "How is this possible? The Sokyoku, formed from a million Zanpakuto, was knocked off balance by a single slash from that Ryoka?!"
Coincidentally close to Sui-Feng, Kyoraku, holding Nanao, also heard Sui-Feng's words. He pressed down his hat, looking at the sky:
"It is truly astonishing, young Kurosaki!"
Meanwhile, while dodging, Sasakibe looked at the unmoving Yamamoto beside him and asked, "Captain-Commander, what do we do now..."
Facing Sasakibe's question, Yamamoto did not answer.
He merely narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at Ichigo in the sky, making his own judgment.
At this moment, in the sky, the Sokyoku firebird, having finally righted itself with great difficulty, was furious. It shrieked, charging recklessly at Ichigo!
Fortunately, at this time, Ukitake arrived with the Shihoin Shield!
"Stop right there!"
From the Shihoin Shield, ropes extended, binding the Sokyoku in the sky!