"Yes, your worries are meaningless."
"The process of Hollowfication is irreversible. Captain Ginrei has fully Hollowfied—there's no coming back from that. And as my brother said, killing him now would just be a waste."
"Let him live in this state. That way, Captain Ginrei can still serve us one last time."
Unlike Tōsen Kaname, Aizen understood immediately what Aiyan meant.
"Still help us?"
"How can a fully Hollowfied, mindless Kuchiki clan head help anyone?"
"And even if he had kept his mind, he'd only hate us."
Though Tōsen couldn't make sense of it, he followed Aiyan's order and stepped back, sheathing his sword.
Meanwhile...
Ginrei Kuchiki, now completely Hollowfied, roared like a beast and raised his arm. The scarlet glow of a charged Cero began to build in his palm, it's dense Reiatsu shaking the floor of the Senzaikyū.
But before it could be unleashed—
Whoosh!
Aiyan vanished and reappeared instantly before the Hollowfied Ginrei, extending a single finger directly into the heart of the Cero.
Zzzzz...
A spiral of compressed spiritual energy twisted around his fingertip, pulled inward as if sucked into a tiny black hole. No detonation. No damage.
The entire Cero... vanished.
A tiny, dark Uzumaki, no wider than a fingernail, spun quietly at Aiyan's fingertip—its presence so subtle that even experienced eyes could miss it if they weren't paying attention.
"Impossible…" Tōsen muttered.
"Roar!"
Ginrei howled in confusion, the Hollow mask across his face contorting. Even in his berserker state, he sensed something was wrong.
"Bakudō #63: Sajō Sabaku — Chain Binding. Jūken."
Aiyan lightly tapped the Hollow mask with his index finger.
Shing!
Ten golden chains of Reiatsu burst from the air, wrapping around Ginrei like living serpents. They pinned his arms, legs, mask, and torso—completely immobilizing him.
He could no longer swing his blade, use Shunpo, or even twitch a finger.
"Of course…"
"Abandoning incantation while still layering a level #63 Bakudō ten times…"
"My brother hasn't just mastered high-level Kidō. He's surpassing the known boundaries of it. If he wanted to, he could layer Kurohitsugi the same way."
Aizen watched with unconcealed awe.
"Lord Aiyan," Tōsen interrupted with a frown, "Captain Ginrei's Reiatsu is too high. Even tenfold Bakudō #63 won't hold him long. In time, he'll break out."
"Exactly why I chose this level," Aiyan replied, eyes unreadable.
"If I use a higher-level Bakudō, he won't be able to assist us. But like this? This form is useful."
Tōsen looked puzzled but didn't press further.
Aiyan turned his back on Ginrei and began to walk toward the corridor of the Senzaikyū.
Shing!
A blade was suddenly at his neck.
He stopped.
Without turning, he glanced sideways—and saw the tip of Tōsen Kaname's Zanpakutō resting against the back of his head.
A split second later, another blade crossed it from the side.
Aizen's sword.
Together, they formed an "X" across Aiyan's neck.
"Aizen…"
Aiyan frowned and called his name.
No answer.
Aizen stood still, expression calm but eyes blank—like a doll.
"Don't waste your breath. Even if you scream, no one will come."
A cold voice echoed from the darkness.
Step... step...
A shadow emerged under the moonlight—blond hair, crooked smile.
"Hirako Shinji."
Aiyan's pupils shrank the moment he saw the former Fifth Division captain.
"Yo."
"Been a while, Aiyan."
"No… maybe I should say—traitor Aiyan Sōsuke."
Shinji's tone was light, but his words were sharp enough to cut stone.
"So it was you."
Aiyan's voice was calm, though his surprise was real.
"You sound surprised."
"Of course. Ever since you stole my captaincy, I doubt I've crossed your mind. You saw me as nothing but a discarded dog."
"But I never forgot."
"I told you once—I'd keep watching you."
Shinji raised two fingers, pointed to his own eyes, then turned them toward Aiyan.
"I told you… I'd rip that mask off your brother's face."
Aiyan chuckled softly. "And then what?"
"I'll hand you over to the First Division myself."
"Let the Central 46 judge your sins. You and your brother will kneel in chains."
Shinji's smile faded, his eyes cold as steel.
"And how'd you find this place?"
Aiyan tilted his head.
"I've been watching you since before you were born."
Shinji's words were low but laced with venom.
"Ever since Kōga was arrested, I knew—only two people had the motive and the means to frame him."
"You and your brother."
"You destroyed his future. You took my seat. You turned Aizen into a shadow of himself."
"Both of you… filthy blood."