The Sacrifice

The captains congregated within the the first division's barracks, wondering what was going on and why an emergency meeting was called, pondering over whether it was related to the disappearances.

As Nanao cleared her throat, she called for the captains' attention: "You have been summoned here by me and captain Kurotsuchi."

"You and Kurotsuchi? Where is the head captain? Only Shunsui should be calling an emergency meeting like this." Soi fon asked, demanding answers as to why someone who isn't even a captain would call a meeting like this, let alone be involved.

"As rash as always aren't we Soi Fon." Mayuri replied. "The head captain isn't the one calling this emergency meeting because he's not here to call it."

The captains faces all lit up in surprise, confused by what Mayuri meant.

"It seems the head captain was taken, but so far we have no idea where or by who since there is no foreign reiatsu signals involved, and no unusual movement tracked by my division's cameras. This is paired with the disappearance of random shinigami, totaling up to 100 shinigami." Mayuri informed, the captains left worried as the number exceeded their expectations even if they could tell some reiatsu signatures had vanished.

"We called this meeting to make sure you were aware of this news and could keep it to yourselves to avoid any unnecessary chaos within your barracks. Our duty is to find and bring back the head captain as soon as possible, avoiding any public leaks of his disappearance. We also want to figure out what happened to those 100 shinigami at the same time."

"I see, have we got any clues so far?" Isane replied.

"Well I have a theory on the 100 shinigami." Mayuri responded, a cold contempt look arising in his face as he looked downwards. "As you all know, there are a variety of sealing techniques that are used in containing prisoners and making sure they can't escape easily. However, if my theory is correct, there is one technique that is used to seal prisoners that isn't easily overcome no matter how powerful you are, one that goes beyond the muken seals... The Hyakunin'isshu no inkan- (seal of 100 people, one poem)"

"Impossible! Who would even use such a technique, even central 46 has prohibited the use of any sacrificial techniques of that nature." Kensei shouted, interrupting Mayuri's explanation.

"Is it that hard to figure out who would do something like that?" Mayuri replied, a cold stare towards Kensei's direction. "Shunsui was hardly a beacon of morality, and the likelihood is he was the one who used the technique given the situation... I guess to imprison Aizen and make sure he couldn't escape."

"But if the technique was released, and the shinigami it was linked to have already gone, doesn't that mean Aizen is free!?" Toshiro exclaimed, shocking the other captains as they also realized what this all meant.

"Don't worry kid, if he comes, I'll be sure to take him out for you." Zaraki stated, an arrogant grin on his face as he tried to piss off the tenth division's captain, brushing past him with great pride.

"Is that so?" A lingering voice replied, stunning all the captains in the room as they quickly recognized the voice to be that of Aizen Sosuke. The escaped prisoner merely smiled, as he looked upon the captains once again, standing calmly behind them with small rifts scattered around his body; purple energy with a blue tint showing. Without a moment's hesitation, captain Hitsugaya unsheathed his zanpakuto and went to freeze the area around Aizen, the captains close to Aizen flash-stepping out of the way just in time. As quickly as the ice formed around Aizen, it shattered just as fast, leaving the traitor completely free, to Toshiro's surprise.

"Bold of you to return here after breaking out." Shinji stated, a detested look in his face.

"It must be a shock to learn the head captain is missing." Aizen stated coldly, looking at the concerned captains. "Don't worry, he's in a safe place. I just thought it would be better for him to witness the end of the seireitei personally as it's leader, unable to do anything to stop it's end. Besides, after what I told him, it didn't seem like he was too eager to leave."

"Why would you be trying to end the seireitei? Didn't you help us stop Yhwach from destroying it..." Byakuya asked with an alarmed voice.

"This world... it was never yours to claim, the sins of the past must be rectified once and for all..." Aizen replied, gripping to his head, his voice slightly changing as though someone else was speaking... "Perhaps Kisuke could enlighten you to the past that's been painted over-"

"Enough of this shit!" Zaraki responded before exerting his reiatsu, ready to release his zanpakuto too. Zaraki launched at Aizen as the captains took distance, ready to cleave him in two but just as his blade began to make contact to Aizen's body, the escapee was suddenly out of grasp, appearing behind Zaraki unharmed.

"That damn Kyoka Suigetsu... Always gonna hide behind that shit aren't you, you little rat?" Zaraki shouted, a disgruntled look as he set his gaze back at Aizen.

"Why would you think I would deceive you? Just like Toshiro's attack, your attacks are simply pointless, all I did was simply move a little out of the way of your blade before it reached me." Aizen explained, taunting the captains.

Zaraki was left stunned, pondering to himself whether it was true since his blade was already touching his body ever so slightly before the attack missed, and if what Aizen was saying is true, then he was truly out of their leagues to fight. Even though Zaraki was hardly going out, he could tell that Aizen had gotten way stronger than he ever was, and that since the last time they fought, he was on a different plane of power.

"Ura Hadō: Jūnodō - Kamitsukami (Forbidden Hado: fifth path - Divine Hold) " A random voice exclaimed from above the captains, before special chains formed around Aizen, seemingly from nothing before excreting some odd substance that hardened and trapped him, as though a deformed giant's hand was holding him. The captains looked upwards to the voice as the figure took off his hood, revealing himself as Kuroi Chosokabe.

"Hey captains, how are you all?" Kuroi asked with a smile on his face, Aizen struggling to free himself from the chains. "Then again... this is probably a bad time for such a conversation. But you can leave this little rascal to us from here on, the rest you lot can deal with right?" He asked rhetorically, leaping downwards to the floor.

"To think we'd cross paths again... But do you really think this is enough to hold me?" Aizen taunted.

"I sure hope so."

"So naive..." Aizen exclaimed before exerting his spiritual pressure and overwhelming the captains within the vicinity as he shattered the chains: "You lot are too late to stop me, this world is simply on borrowed time at this point. After I'm done with the seireitei, I'll be sure to wipe you lot off the face off the map too." Aizen warned before flash-stepping away from the first division's barracks.

"What overwhelming power!" Isane exclaimed as her and the rest of the captains composed themselves.

"Indeed... you should all be super scared! I know I would be in your position." Ichibe stated as he walked in on the meeting, accompanied by the rest of squad zero. "But rest easy, we're here to save the day!" Ichibe gloated as he laughed in the face of the captains...