mtlumby2d Chapter 409 Recounting
Chapter 409 Recounting
A stunned Ichigo questions how he knew they would arrive in West Rukongai, his voice a ragged whisper of disbelief, and when a puzzled Aizen asserts that it was obvious because that is Kisuke Urahara's base of operations and the only place the Ryoka could enter using a Senkaimon created by Urahara, Ichigo expresses shock, the realization of Urahara's possible involvement a fresh betrayal.
Aizen points out that this should not surprise him since he worked for Urahara before reminding Ichigo that he came to rescue Rukia on Urahara's orders.
With Ichigo speechless at this, the sheer scope of the conspiracy overwhelming, Aizen deduces that he does not know and decides to tell Ichigo now that it is all over as he approaches Ichigo with Rukia in tow.
After detailing how Shinigami have four basic combat methods known as Zankensoki, each of which require a certain level of power, Aizen notes that attempting to master those methods will invariably result in one eventually hitting a wall determined by their potential, where improvement stops, and asserts that all Shinigami have these limits, the fundamental laws of their existence.
However, Aizen raises the question of the possibility of breaking through these limits and concludes that this can be done by only one means known as Hollowfication, causing Ichigo to recall briefly being taken over by his inner Hollow, the terrifying white mask a fresh memory.
Continuing that either Hollowfying a Shinigami or giving Shinigami powers to a Hollow allows them to reach new heights by removing the barrier between these opposing lifeforms, a theory which has been around for a while, a forbidden concept,
Aizen recounts how he focused his efforts on Hollows and could eventually send out Hollows with abilities akin to those of Shinigami, like Hollows that could hide their Reiatsu.
When Aizen mentions that he also created Hollows that could destroy Zanpakuto and fuse with Shinigami, a mortified Rukia remembers the fate of Kaien Shiba, the old grief and horror resurfacing with new meaning.
Despite this, Aizen admits that none of them could truly be considered a new kind of being and that no one else who attempted the same experiments were successful until Urahara, who worked outside of Soul Society's scientific community to create a substance that could remove the barriers between Shinigami and Hollows in an instant.
Aizen refers to this substance as the Hōgyoku and recalls how Urahara tried to destroy it because he considered it dangerous, though Aizen himself does not, seeing only a tool of limitless power.
After revealing that Urahara was unable to do so, Aizen recounts how he was eventually forced to reluctantly place a protective shell around the Hōgyoku that would allow it to be implanted deep within a Soul.
Informing Rukia that she was the hiding place which Urahara chose, Aizen explains that she had already gone missing in the Human World by the time he learned this secret, though he instinctively knew that Urahara was behind it because he had created a Gigai that contained no Reishi, which is the only way a Shinigami could go missing in one, leading to his banishment from Soul Society alongside another reason involving that Gigai.
Aizen reveals that the other reason for Urahara's banishment was the consequence of a Shinigami inhabiting that Gigai: their spiritual powers would continue to diminish while they were within the Gigai to the point of no longer being recoverable, and communications with the Gigai gradually slow down, eventually leading to the Soul losing all of its spiritual powers and becoming a normal Human.
With Aizen concluding that Urahara was turning her into a Human in order to conceal the Hōgyoku rather than help her, Rukia recalls Urahara approaching her after she transferred all her Shinigami powers to Ichigo and offering to let her borrow a Gigai, the memory now tainted with dread.
However, as Aizen begins recounting the actions he took after Rukia was discovered a few months later,
At this moment,
"Aizen!" A loud roar sounded from behind, a wave of spiritual pressure that felt like a physical blow, and Komamura lands behind him, his massive, armored form radiating incandescent fury, and furiously attacks Aizen with his Shikai, Tenken.
Bang!!!
Aizen raised his arm, the casualness of the movement insulting, and casually holds back Komamura's Zanpakuto with his left hand and spoke with a grin, "Captain Komamura, it's been a long time since I saw your face, what changed you so much? Did you finally embrace your true self?"
Angered by Aizen grinning at him like this, the mockery fueling his spiritual fire, Komamura declares that he will pay for betraying and deceiving them alongside 9th Division Captain Kaname Tosen, who stands beside Aizen, motionless and silent.
Bang!!!
Komamura punches at Aizen with Tenken, his rage focused into a devastating blow, causing a giant fist of pure spiritual energy to smash into the ground where they are standing, and as Aizen leaps unharmed out of the dust cloud with unsettling swiftness, Komamura demands Tosen explain himself, his voice thick with the pain of betrayal.
With Tosen remaining silent, his back to Komamura, a painful wall of rejection, Komamura assumes he cannot do so and apologizes, the word laced with sorrow, as he prepares to activate his Bankai, only for Aizen to suddenly appear in front of Komamura, the shift in position instantaneous, who sees the Aizen next to Tosen disappearing as the real Aizen casts Hadō #90. Kurohitsugi, creating a large black box of overwhelming spiritual force around Komamura that is pierced by several spears of condensed Reiatsu.
While Aizen turns around, his face set with cold detachment, the box dissipates to reveal a grievously wounded Komamura, who collapses, the defeat absolute and stunning.
Watching this as he lies on the ground, a stunned Ichigo Kurosaki wonders how two captain-class individuals could be so far apart in power, the reality of Aizen's strength a terrifying truth.
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