Chapter 121 - Aizen's Exit

"…But living creatures are strange. They are made in such a way that they can actualize only what their minuscule minds wish for." ― Sōsuke Aizen.

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Everybody stood stunned as the two phenomena took place almost instantly – the sun coming up just a few seconds before the darkness.

The heat was unbearable even for the Captains, and deadly to the normal Shinigami, that was if Yamamoto did not control it and hold the brunt of it back so that the Seireitei wouldn't pop and melt into molten goo. But even while controlling and holding back the overwhelming heat of his Shikai Release, it was still overwhelming for almost all the Shinigami.

The strongest Shinigami, Yamamoto Genryúsai Shigekuni, the Shinigami Head Captain and Founder of the Gotei 13.

His Zanpakutō was the strongest and most dangerous Zanpakutō. So dangerous that just releasing its Shikai threatened the very existence of the Seireitei.

The heat subsided greatly and the lives of the Shinigami were no longer at stake but that only spared doom for the Hollows as they started combusting into flames one after another with every step that Yamamoto took.

"I really don't want to ask, but what's got you this pissed off, old man?" Kyōraku asked as he landed a comfortable distance behind Yamamoto.

"Kyōraku, where is that brat Aizen?" Yamamoto asked.

Kyōraku shook his head and pointed at the dark region. "If I had to take a guess, probably where Itachi is."

"But what even is that?" Jūshirō asked in awe and slight trepidations. The emergence of that strange phenomenon sent shivers all over his skin.

Kyōraku answered with a little upturn of his straw hat and a scheming smile on his face. "If I had to take a guess I'd say that the brat finally achieved Bankai. An equally terrifying one at that."

Yamamoto only grunted before bending his leg and shooting off straight into the heart of darkness, carrying the sun with him as he went.

When Yamamoto arrived, he instantly noticed the weirdness of what was currently happening and the already pissed off frown on his face deepened.

This darkness, Yamamoto realized, wasn't just the absence of light caused by the dark moon. Every speck of it, everything that the darkness touched, was the Bankai. Everything. It. Touched.

He looked at Ryūjin Jakka's flames and his surprise grew. His Ryūjin Jakka was crying out in indignation and outrage as something was trying to usurp its flames right from the bone of its blade.

"Get yourself under control, boy." Yamamoto growled… and then it finally exploded out.

Yamamoto's Reiatsu and its sheer depth and despairing intensity easily eclipsed everyone's Reiatsu as it blanketed every inch of the Seireitei. The release of his Reiatsu blew away the darkness and the sun he carried with him – a mirage caused by his Reiatsu – flew next to the dark moon, intent on subjugating it.

If not for the safety of the Shinigami behind him, Yamamoto would have brought down the full brunt of his Reiatsu and let his flames flow unrestrainedly especially when he saw the darkness creeping back and rising even more excitedly at the presence of his Reiatsu.

He blinked and saw the dark moon slowly eating off his sun and slithering into the flames of his blade.

Flames came alit in his eyes and he stared deep into the eye of the abyss. Even though he couldn't see anything, he knew someone was there.

"I won't repeat myself again, Lieutenant Itachi. Restrain your Bankai." He stared directly into the darkness, not flinching even when the moon opened up its eye and stared down at him.

A quarter of his sun and his blade was corroded in darkness but the legendary Captain ignored it all and waited for Itachi's reply.

… and the reply came as if the order was never given in the first place. It was transitory, instantaneous and forgotten all at the same time.

The walking abyss, the moon's darkness and the gazing eye that stared at the below – all were gone in the blinking of an eye.

Yamamoto looked at his blade and an interesting question played in his mind. 'Was it all an illusion? Did the entire Shinigami population fall under an illusion?'

As if to spread doubt on his confusion, crows appeared from nowhere and flew into each other and slowly formed into Itachi.

"Aizen boy, where is he?" Yamamoto asked straightforwardly, not entertaining any of the changes on Itachi's person. Neither on the multiple cuts and stab wounds nor on the qualitative increase of his Reiatsu.

"… There." Itachi pointed at the wide open Garganta in the middle of the sky. "He's leaving."

"Hmm. If you can't move, call for medical aid and have Unohana look at you. I'll be going on ahead." The instant he said that was the same instant he took off in a blazing trail towards where Aizen and his cahoots stood proudly in the air.

"Hello there, Head Captain. I'm so glad you can join us after all this time." Aizen said with a smile on his face.

"Since you're all here, I guess this is as good a time as any for truths to be told. Those that can be told."

"Your truth is that you'll die here alongside the rebels you've aligned yourself with." Yamamoto said and pointed his blade at Aizen, the handicapped Tōsen, and the Hollow king Baraggan.

Aizen lost the soft kindhearted smile he always wore and stared down at Yamamoto with a sense of superiority in his eyes.

"For thousands of years the Soul Society and those behind it have lied and manipulated the life of every Shinigami with a fabricated myth as they sat on their gilded halls and divided up the role of god between themselves." Aizen started and looked at all the stupefied Shinigami down below.

"I refuse to be ruled by lesser men. I am the thing lesser men should fear."

"It seems your intelligence has driven you mad. Worry not, I am adept at educating overly pompous brats."

A smile that promised unbridled terror grew across Yamamoto's face and so did the amount of flames billowing around him.

"I will give this world a true god to look up to. Be glad, Shinigami. My world will come to you sooner than you can imagine."

"The only thing coming soon is your death." Yamamoto yelled and attacked.

Aizen's eyes squinted as Isshin and Kyōraku appeared behind them sword swinging. A Hollow rushed at Yamamoto and exploded itself in a huge Cero blast to halt the Head Captain for a second. And a second was all Aizen needed.

The Menos peeking through the Garganta shot down yellow beams that covered Aizen and his entourage.

Isshin and Kyōraku were a moment too late as their blades bounced off the light and they were forced to jump back.

"Ooh, Negación. I haven't seen this in a very long time." Kyōraku whistled and stared at the exiting group with squinted eyes.

"Nicely played there, Aizen. You should have pulled this out right from the beginning instead of making us fight pointlessly."

Aizen looked at Kyōraku and the latter held his stare unflinchingly. "Kyōraku Shunsui. Your words are even more deceptive than your thoughts. I won't receive it as it could very well be a curse."

Kyōraku sweat-dropped in faux hurt. "Oi Oi, this old man's heart is fragile." His entire demeanor suddenly changed and he continued. "Hope we meet soon again, Aizen."

Aizen took his gaze from Kyōraku and looked at the Head Captain, the few remarkable Shinigami among the crowds and ended with a final glance at Itachi, specifically the blade strapped to his waist.

"See you soon, my dear Shinigami. The true god's ascension awaits."

Those were his last words as the Garganta covered below them and the open space seamlessly sewed itself shut.

"And with that he's gone. This conclusion leaves a sour taste in my mouth." Isshin said with heavy dissatisfaction as he sealed his Shikai Release.

"You and I both, Captain Shiba." Jūshirō agreed and turned with the other Shinigami towards Yamamoto. "What next Head Captain?"

Yamamoto's sword was already back in his wooden form as none of the Shinigami would have been able to stand next to him otherwise.

"Tend to the wounded first. All Captains are to report to my office in two hours, that includes you also." He said, turning to Itachi at the last bit.

He turned and walked away leaning on his cane with hunched back, leaving behind a few words before applying Shunpo and disappearing from the scene.

"And bring the traitor, Ichimaru Gin, along when you come."

A shocked gasp was heard but most people ignored it, Itachi included, who left in a surprising show of bursting into crows. He needed an overview of the Seireitei's current state from his subordinates as soon as possible to know the extent of Aizen's rebellion.

"Is something wrong?" Jūshirō put a hand on Kyōraku's shoulder in deep concern when he saw the gravely solemn look on his best friend's face.

Kyōraku looked at Jūshirō and shook his head sadly. "That Hollow… the one we fought…"

"Baraggan? What about him?" Jūshirō asked, inadvertently drawing the attention of the nearby Captains to them. "What did you realize?"

Kyōraku tipped his hat to cover most of his face. "I didn't realize when we were battling him but… he is a lot more dangerous than we thought."

"Hmm, he was pretty dangerous but how more so?"

Kyōraku opened his hands and in it was a short cut rope. "He destroyed my spare gourd. My alcohol is gone."

".…"

"…."

Everyone stared speechlessly as he shook his head solemnly and walked away with a depressed gait.

It was a double tragic day for the Soul Society.

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A/N: It's been a bit of a hassle getting back into typing out more chapters but I'm managing to ease it out bit by bit. Patreøn is still like five chapters behind(10 chapters ahead as of right now) but I'm sure I'll be able to get it up to date by the weekend.