Chapter 871: [871] : Aizen’s Assault
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Normally, after completing the Hōgyoku, Aizen’s next objective would have been to forge the Ōken. But now, he had a far more important goal—one that overshadowed even his ambition to invade the Soul King Palace.
That goal was to deal with Shin Uzumaki. And so, Aizen led his army of Arrancar into the Soul Society. The invasion had begun.
"Soul Society... I have returned."
Aizen gazed across the familiar landscape, his eyes filled with an endless coldness. He had lived here for a long time, but no one should expect him to harbor any sentiment for the place.
Aizen was inherently ruthless. His goal this time was to destroy the Soul Society—and, while he was at it, defeat Shin Uzumaki.
No, that wasn’t quite right. Defeating Shin Uzumaki was the main event. Destroying the Soul Society was merely an afterthought.
The moment Aizen set foot in the Soul Society, alarms blared across the Seireitei. He had made no attempt to conceal his presence, striding in as if he owned the place. It was impossible not to cause a massive uproar.
"That’s Aizen’s spiritual pressure... The audacity of that man."
Yamamoto’s face flushed with anger. He gripped his cane, and the wood concealing his Zanpakutō, Ryūjin Jakka, was instantly incinerated.
"This time, I will personally deal with you, you insolent brat."
The captains of the other squads appeared one after another, all prepared to face Aizen.
Within the 2nd Division barracks, Shin’s eyes lit up. Aizen had come knocking. What did that mean? He must have finally completed the Hōgyoku.
The Hōgyoku was finished. This was what Shin had been waiting for. Aizen had not disappointed him, and Shin was quite pleased.
’Since you’ve done all the hard work, it’s time for me to reap the rewards.’
"Does this mean you’ll be making a move this time?" Yoruichi asked Shin. If he joined the fight, Aizen’s defeat was all but guaranteed.
"Of course. I can’t let Aizen down, can I? As a reward for creating the Hōgyoku for me, I’ll grant him a magnificent end."
A smile played on Shin’s lips. He then walked out of the 2nd Division headquarters, with Soi Fon and Yoruichi following close behind, heading towards the site of Aizen’s appearance.
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"You’ve got some nerve, Aizen."
Shunsui Kyōraku’s expression was unusually cold. Though he usually maintained a carefree attitude, Aizen’s actions were a blatant provocation.
"Who the hell do you think you are?"
One of the Arrancar immediately moved to attack Shunsui. Aizen himself didn’t even spare Shunsui a glance. In Aizen’s eyes, he wasn’t worth his attention.
Shunsui had some skill, and he was a veteran captain. In terms of seniority, Aizen couldn’t compare. But in this world, age didn’t equate to strength. To Aizen, Shunsui Kyōraku was simply not strong enough.
He could be left to the Arrancar. Though Aizen already considered these Arrancar cannon fodder, even cannon fodder had its uses.
Dealing with these captains was their purpose. If they couldn’t even manage that, Aizen would execute them himself.
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"Tōsen! Give me an answer!"
Sajin Komamura roared at Kaname Tōsen, his voice filled with rage. He still couldn’t accept Tōsen’s betrayal. It was a violation of the justice they had once shared.
Tōsen said nothing, merely drawing his Zanpakutō. He could now not only use his Shikai but also his Resurrección, unleashing his Hollow powers.
The current Tōsen was, in a sense, a Visored.
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"You’ve finally arrived."
Aizen’s gaze shifted to Shin. The moment he saw him, a flicker of excitement appeared in his eyes. He completely ignored the Head-Captain standing beside him.
Aizen had already prepared a countermeasure for the old man—Wonderweiss, the Arrancar specifically created to deal with Yamamoto’s flames.
"It seems you’ve completed the Hōgyoku and couldn’t wait to deliver it to me. I really must thank you." A thick smile spread across Shin’s face.
Standing in the distance, Senjumaru Shutara’s gaze shifted, falling on Shin. She sensed his interest in the Hōgyoku.
But the Hōgyoku was far too dangerous. If it fell into Shin Uzumaki’s hands, who knew what kind of chaos would ensue?
’Should I intervene and stop him from taking it?’
If she did, any goodwill between them would vanish completely. In the end, Senjumaru abandoned the thought of seizing the Hōgyoku.
’I’ll just pretend I was never here. I won’t interfere.’
Even if her mission failed, there would be no real consequences. Ichibē Hyōsube was a colleague, not her superior. He had no authority to punish her.
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"You’re an arrogant one, Aizen."
Yamamoto stared daggers at Aizen. To not even look at him—did he hold him in such contempt?
Enraged, Yamamoto released his Shikai. The moisture in the air instantly evaporated. Everyone felt their mouths go dry, a desperate urge to flee taking hold. The power of this Shikai was terrifying.
Though Aizen had seemingly ignored Yamamoto, he hadn’t dared to truly dismiss him. His primary opponent was Shin Uzumaki, but Yamamoto was not a foe he could afford to overlook.
Especially now that Yamamoto had released his Shikai, Aizen felt a suffocating pressure. The Head-Captain was like an ancient volcano, ready to erupt at any moment and incinerate everything in existence.
"As expected of the old man. His presence is terrifying," Shin commented, looking at Yamamoto.
Though Shin was stronger, he couldn’t help but admire the Head-Captain.
"Yeah. That power... just the pressure alone is beyond my imagination," Yoruichi added with a nod.
"Head-Captain Yamamoto, you are not my target."
Aizen glanced at Yamamoto, then fixed his gaze on Shin. Several Arrancar, including some of the Espada, charged toward the Head-Captain.
"None of you need to interfere."
Yamamoto ordered Shunsui and the others to stand back. This wasn’t a show of arrogance; he simply didn’t want his attacks to catch them in the crossfire.
The greatest weakness of Ryūjin Jakka was that its power was too immense. In a real battle, even his allies could be erased by its terrifying might.
"You brats, you dare invade the Soul Society? Come, and face my blade," the old man said with cold indifference.
Seeing Yamamoto about to go on a rampage, Shin decided not to engage Aizen just yet. He was here now; there was no rush. He might as well enjoy Yamamoto’s performance.
He just wondered if, with the plot having changed so much, Yamamoto would still fall for Aizen’s tricks. It wasn’t impossible.
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