"It's all your fault."

Yamamoto glanced at Kyōraku Shunsui and Jūshirō Ukitake.

Both of them were silent.

They all believed that if they had not acquiesced to Muguruma Kensei and the others raiding the execution grounds, Urahara Kisuke would never have been given the chance to plot against Aiyan.

"A student who hasn't even graduated from the Shin'ō Academy actually pulled this off?"

"Judging from his Reiatsu alone..."

"His strength already surpasses most Gotei captains."

Chōjirō Sasakibe looked at the massive pillar of flame still piercing the sky, lingering without any sign of fading.

At the very least, Muguruma Kensei, Ōtoribashi Rōjūrō, Love Aikawa, and even the long-disappeared Hirako Shinji— these captains with centuries of battlefield experience— couldn't compare to Urahara Kisuke.

Although he wasn't as dazzling as Aiyan, his performance still shocked the captains present.

"Tōsen Kaname was absolutely right."

"If a man wants to hide, who can truly measure the depths of his intentions?"

Byakuya Kuchiki's voice was calm, but his tone was filled with grim weight.

The blood debt of the Kuchiki Clan, the uncertain life or death of their benefactor Aiyan Sōsuke—

All of it could be traced back to Urahara Kisuke.

"Urahara Kisuke was hiding far too deeply."

"Whether in strength or strategy, he's no ordinary opponent."

Aizen's voice and expression were full of worry, but behind the frames of his glasses, his eyes carried not fear— but interest.

He seemed genuinely entertained by Kisuke Urahara's unexpected brilliance.

As for worrying about Aiyan?

That never crossed his mind.

Not because he didn't care— but because there was nothing to worry about.

To him, a man like Aiyan wasn't going to fall over that easily.

On the other side of the firestorm, orange-hued barriers suddenly lit up around the perimeter of the towering Reiatsu flame.

Then, one after another, Sarugaki Hiyori, Yadōmaru Lisa, Kuna Mashiro, Hikifune Kirio, Shutara Senjumaru—and of course, Hachigen—reappeared in the open.

Apparently—

At the critical moment, Hachigen had used his specialty, space-type Kidō barriers, to evacuate everyone— himself included.

"It's over."

"If Aiyan dies, there's truly no hope for Captain Kirio..."

"The Captain values him so much, and now he's been caught up in all this."

"Damn it... Urahara Kisuke must have been waiting for this exact moment to wipe us all out!"

Staring at the immense pillar of fire that engulfed Aiyan, Yadōmaru Lisa and the others collapsed to the ground, helpless— like their bones had been pulled from their bodies.

Each of them was soaked in regret, shame, and despair.

"Aizen... I'm sorry!"

"I hurt your brother..."

"If I hadn't placed so much trust in Urahara Kisuke, we would've never ended up here..."

It wasn't just Lisa and the others who were crushed with guilt.

Shihōin Yoruichi was too.

She would never forget that moment, just before the Reiatsu flames consumed him—

Aiyan smiled at her.

From beginning to end—

Aiyan didn't blame her. He didn't speak a single word of resentment.

Instead, he used his last move to kick her away from danger.

"Captain Yoruichi, don't blame yourself too much. There's no need to bear all this alone."

"No one could've expected Urahara Kisuke to possess such strategic brilliance... or strength that could rival most Gotei captains."

"Someone like that, hiding in plain sight—manipulating every move, calculating every outcome—who among us wouldn't have fallen into his trap?"

Hearing this, Aizen's expression darkened momentarily, then quickly softened. His voice, too, turned comforting.

His acting was flawless.

It was the final push—the perfect assist.

Helping Aiyan complete the most vital and final step of his Emotional manipulation of Shihōin Yoruichi.

Whether in battle, or mind games, he always went all the way.

Of course—

The rewards were enormous.

Even among all the Gotei present, not a single one failed to be moved by Aizen's calm, understanding demeanor.

Put yourself in his shoes.

If this happened to your brother—could you really remain this composed?

That compassion and self-restraint—

Only made Shihōin Yoruichi feel even worse.

And her hatred for Urahara Kisuke—only deeper.

"I don't even know what you're all worried about."

"That man didn't even use a sword when he beat me."

"He's not bound by anything on our level."

Suddenly—

Zaraki Kenpachi let out a sharp-toothed grin.

His words froze everyone for a second—then all eyes turned toward the flame pillar still roaring in the distance.

As if on cue—

CLANG—

A metallic crash echoed from within the firestorm, and then—

The pillar of fire split down the center, clean as a cake cut with a blade.

Aiyan, whom they believed to be swallowed by the fire—

Walked out unscathed.

His captain's haori was scorched, but his body bore not a single burn.

His Reiatsu was sealed.

Zanpakutō unusable.

Kidō disabled.

And yet, Urahara Kisuke's Shikai had failed to even scratch him.

Across from him—

Urahara Kisuke braced himself, Zanpakutō trembling in his hand as he tried to block the shockwave from Aiyan's casual counterattack.

But the force overwhelmed him.

He was blasted backward—slammed into a tree trunk.

"How...?"

"You've clearly been marked by my Kidō seal!"

"Once you use Reiatsu, your own spiritual pressure should ignite and burn you alive—!"

"How are you still alive?!"

Urahara Kisuke looked at Aiyan in utter disbelief.

In his eyes, Aiyan had only two options.

Either die from Benihime's Shikai, or die from his own Reiatsu flaring out of control.

But now, not only had Aiyan survived—

He'd launched a devastating sword strike without activating his Reiatsu at all.

"It's simple."

"Whether it was deflecting your Shikai, or knocking you back just now—"

"I didn't use Reiatsu."

Aiyan smiled as he spread his hands.

"No Reiatsu?"

Though Urahara Kisuke had guessed as much, hearing Aiyan confirm it out loud still shocked him to his core.

If Zanjutsu is the technique of a Shinigami—

Then Reiatsu is their very essence.

Without Reiatsu, swordsmanship is powerless.

Kidō becomes inert.

Shunpo becomes snail-paced.

Hakuda is ineffective.

Even a Zanpakutō is just a sword without spiritual pressure behind it.

Reiatsu is the root of everything a Shinigami is.

This is why Aizen values it above all else.

"Don't believe me?"

Seeing Urahara Kisuke's disbelief, Aiyan suddenly stepped forward—

Launching like a bullet.

Still no Reiatsu.

But his speed—

It was faster than most Shinigami using Shunpo.

"Shave."

With a whirling shriek of air pressure tearing apart, Aiyan appeared before Urahara in an instant—

And punched like a cannon.

WHOOSH—

Urahara Kisuke reacted immediately, swinging his Zanpakutō to intercept the oncoming blow.

BOOM!

Sword met fist—

And the force cracked the earth beneath them.

But—

Even though Benihime's blade could slice through a Menos Grande's steel skin—

It couldn't even draw blood from Aiyan's fist.

Instead, all that sparked were blinding flashes of orange and silver.

And Urahara Kisuke's pupils— Shrank.

...

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