Deviation

10 advanced chapters on my Patreon: Fiction Haven

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"What is the meaning of this, Captain Aizen!?" Yamamoto asked indignantly, concentrating his Reiatsu on Aizen.

"That won't work on me, General Yamamoto. I have long reached the threshold of Shinigami. I am different from all of you," Aizen said with a smile before turning to Renji who had Rukia in his arms. "Now, why don't you hand me Kuchiki Rukia, Lieutenant Abarai?"

"Like hell, I would comply!" Renji shouted.

Aizen quirked an eyebrow. He disappeared and then reappeared behind Yoruichi, right in front of Renji. Before he could stretch his hand, the air buzzed and Ichigo yanked him by his collar. The burst of speed the two displayed made everyone's eyes widen in shock. Even Yoruichi the Flash Goddess couldn't believe what just happened.

Fixing his glasses as he stood in the air, Aizen looked at Ichigo critically. As a scientist, he was satisfied that the product of his experiment showcased commendable prowess. However, as a plotter, he was quite irked that Ichigo disrupted his plan. He was sure Ichigo must have something to do with everyone's sudden protectiveness over Rukia.

"Whatever. Your retaliation is futile, after all."

As soon as Aizen said that, Ichimaru Gin, Kaname Tōsen, and three Gatekeepers of Seireitei—Kaiwan, Danzōmaru, and Higonyūdō—appeared on Sōkyoku. The insubordination made Yamamoto clench his hands. He couldn't believe someone had been corrupting Gotei 13 right under his nose. He was both ashamed and enraged.

At this moment, Suì-Fēng stirred awake. The intense Reiatsu in her surroundings instantly made her alert. Assuming her stance, she eyed the surroundings vigilantly. What she saw made her blink. She chastised herself mentally for getting knocked out easily.

"What is happening…?" she asked.

"Oh, you've woken up, Bee?" Yoruichi remarked with a smirk.

"You!"

"She is not an enemy, Captain Suì-Fēng," informed Chōjirō who had been shielding her from the intense Reiatsu clash while she was unconscious. "He is our enemy now."

Suì-Fēng clicked her tongue in distaste but didn't say anything. The supposedly dead Captain was standing in front of them healthy as a horse with two other Captains and three Gatekeepers. She wanted to know what was happening but didn't voice it out. Her question could wait until they dealt with their predicament. However, she doubted it would be hard since they had high-level Captains around.

Yoruichi stepped forward, causing Suì-Fēng to instinctively follow after her. Shunsui and Jūshirō immediately filled the vacant space, shielding Renji and Rukia. Suì-Fēng noted everyone's protectiveness over Rukia and concluded she must be Aizen's target. She wondered what Aizen wanted from the talented yet ordinary Shinigami.

"I don't think your obsession toward Rukia-chan is worth betraying Soul Society, Captain Aizen," Shunsui remarked humorously.

"You got it wrong, Kyōraku-san. What I want is not Rukia over there, but what is inside her," Aizen responded with a hint of disdain.

"My… didn't know you were a closeted pervert," Shunsui muttered loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Hōgyoku," Aizen clarified, narrowing his eyes. "It's an artifact created to breach the boundary between Hollow and Shinigami. Thanks to Urahara Kisuke, that thing is now inside her."

"All of this for a mere artifact! I didn't know you were that shallow, Captain Aizen!" Yamamoto berated angrily.

"The Captain Aizen that you know never exists. It is but a persona I created to reach my goal."

"Ne, Captain, let's make it quick. I sense some people approaching," Gin chimed in with a mocking tone which was his usual tone.

Aizen smiled before disappearing. In the blink of an eye, he clashed with Suì-Fēng and Yoruichi. The speed at which they moved was mind-boggling. Much to everyone's bewilderment, Aizen was having an easy time against the speed-maniac duo. After some lightspeed clashes, he incapacitated Suì-Fēng and then cut Yoruichi's stomach with his Zanpakutō.

Before he could use Shunpō to get to Renji, Aizen was confronted by Ichigo. Their Zanpakutō clashed, cratering the ground below them and sweeping the surroundings with a strong air blast. Ichigo frowned at his trembling hand and so did Aizen at his inability to overpower Ichigo. Both of them looked at each other calculatingly.

"Impressive, Kurosaki Ichigo."

Ichigo said nothing. Letting go of his shorter Zanpakutō, his hand swiftly snatched Aizen's Zanpakutō. Aizen's eyes widened in alarm and he hastily used Shunpō to move away. Aizen appeared a few meters in front of Ichigo before the shorter Zangetsu could touch the ground. He looked at Ichigo's bloody dangling left arm and then shot him a distasteful look.

"That was a clean cut, Aizen," Ichigo remarked appreciatingly. "But I still managed to touch your Zanpakutō."

"Gin, Tōsen, bring those three and take care of General Yamamoto," Aizen commanded, ignoring the remark.

"Aye, aye, Captain," Gin obeyed with a grin.

Tōsen grunted in confirmation and then followed Gin to confront Yamamoto. Aizen watched as Yamamoto flared his Reiatsu the moment the two of them stood before them. Even as the two unsealed their Zanpakutō, Yamamoto didn't bother unsealing his. He knew the two of them would be hard-pressed but didn't worry about it. He didn't need them to hold Yamamoto for long.

Lifting his Zanpakutō vertically, he muttered its unsealing phrase. However, before he could unseal it, a gigantic katana came at him from the side, prompting him to block it. The force made him skid on the ground but dealt no visible damage to him. Deflecting the huge katana, Aizen stared at the one who initiated the attack, Seventh Division's Captain, Komamura Sajin.

He was familiar with the Wolfman's Zanpakutō, Tenken. It created a phantom body that possessed immense strength. It complimented Sajin greatly as he also had immense strength. Of course, it barely interested him.

"I can't believe you didn't only betray Soul Society but also forced others to join in on your scheme, Aizen!" Sajin bellowed.

"Too loud. Hadō #90: Kurohitsugi!"

Everyone widened their eyes at Aizen's effortless usage of a high-level Kidō without incantation. Sajin stared wide-eyed at the black energy quickly engulfing him. An unbearable gravity weighed his body down, forcing him to exert every ounce of energy he had to keep standing. When the energy condensed into a box, separating him from the outside world, several spears pierced the box, lacerating him from head to toe.

"I need to learn that," Ichigo commented as he observed the box. "My arm has healed, so I think it is time to join the fray for real."

The shorter Zangetsu which was planted on the ground flew to Ichigo's hand. As the Kidō entrapping Sajin dispersed, he dashed at Aizen. The said Shinigami blocked his swing and then was forced to dodge the shorter Zangetsu. Using Shunpō to appear on Aizen's side, he caught Aizen off guard. He only managed to block Zangetsu unharmed because of his experience.

Noticing the new Reiatsu signatures on the hill, Aizen muttered, "This has gotten wasteful. Shatter, Kyōka Suigetsu!"

Upon its activation, the lieutenants and captains who arrived in time to see its activation widened their eyes. They had heard what it would do them, so none of them moved. They didn't want to risk hurting their allies. As such, Ichigo was left to fend for himself. However, Aizen's intention was never to incapacitate the newly joined force.

"Taimatsu!"

An inferno came at Ichigo, forcing him to get out of the way to avoid getting reduced to ash. The flame slightly touched his hand, forcing him to utilize a considerable amount of Reiryoku to stop the burn and heal it. On the other side, Yamamoto quickly sealed his Zanpakutō upon noticing what he had just done. His gaze hardened as he berated himself for falling victim to Aizen's temptation to unseal his Zanpakutō.

"Control your flame, gramps!" Ichigo shouted humorously with a hint of grimace.

Gin and Tōsen moved to Aizen's side. They were sweating and panting after facing Yamamoto for less than five minutes.

"That old fart is a monster, I tell you," Gin remarked with a faint grimace.

"I agree. Suzumushi couldn't even deter that man in the slightest," Tōsen added with a frown.

"How should we proceed, Captain?" Gin asked.

"Don't let those two get in my way," Aizen answered, pointing at Shunsui and Jūshirō.

Gin's grin was strained, but he complied nonetheless. As Gin and Tōsen rushed at the pair of Captains, Aizen used Shunpō to appear before Ichigo. Swinging his Zanpakutō without holding back, he was surprised to find Ichigo able to block it. He quirked an eyebrow before using Hadō #72: Sōren Sōkatsui. Twin bursts of blue flame shot at Ichigo, forcing him to flash away.

The blue flame disappeared as soon as Ichigo was no longer in its path. Aizen had achieved his goal—removing Ichigo from Rukia's vicinity—so he immediately flashed past Shunsui and Jūshirō who were occupied by Gin and Tōsen. Appearing before Renji, he was about to snatch Rukia when Byakuya intercepted.

Clank!

Irked by everyone's constant intervention, Aizen violently flung Byakuya to the side before firing a Hadō #63: Raikōhō. Yellow lightning pierced through Byakuya's chest, stunning him before rendering him unconscious. Aizen put his Zanpakutō to the back, blocking Ichigo's strike. Quickly extending his hand, he snatched Rukia out of the stunned Renji but was interrupted by a Raikōhō from someone he didn't expect to come.

"Were we late!?" Shiba Kūkaku shouted with an excited grin only to grimace upon looking at the situation on the hill.

Before Aizen could resume his act, Ichigo yanked him into the air. He quickly reacted but was soon greeted by a Getsuga Jūjishō. Everyone watched as Aizen was engulfed in the cross-shaped reddish-black energy. Gin and Tōsen took this as a cue to retreat. When the explosion ceased, everyone could see Aizen sporting a slight burn to his chest. His clothes were ruffled and his glasses were nowhere to be seen.

Slicking his hair back, Aizen calmly said, "Well, whatever. I will find another way to perfect my Hōgyoku." The sky tore, revealing several Menos Grande inside the slit. Before anyone could recover from the shock of their appearance, a beam of light descended from the sky and then engulfed the three traitors. "Remember this. I will occupy the top seat of this world."

"Why are none of you attacking!?" Iba Tetsuzaemon, the lieutenant of the Seventh Division shouted.

"It is useless," Yamamoto stated with a scoff. "Once they are engulfed by the Negación, they are no longer in this dimension."

Everyone watched the three traitors retreat into the slit in the sky silently. Indignation gripped their hearts as Aizen, Gin, and Tōsen disappeared along with the closing of the slit.

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Honorary Mention:

Venerable Immortal Adan Smith

Venerable Immortal Haider Alkefaji

Venerable Immortal Jack Wright

Venerable Immortal SilverWolf