Everything unfolded exactly as expected. Ever since Ryūjin Uchiha's defection from the Soul Society, surveillance over Ichigo Kurosaki and his group had never ceased.
It was not just Ichigo. Yasutora Sado, Orihime Inoue, and Uryu Ishida, those who frequently associated with him, were all placed under strict observation.
Under such pressure, Kisuke Urahara did not dare make contact with Ichigo Kurosaki. He even feared Ichigo might come searching for him and expose his location in the living world. Without hesitation, Urahara shut down the Urahara Shop, leaving it completely empty.
Ichigo Kurosaki had no way to reach him.
And without Kisuke Urahara's support, the group posed no real threat.
"I'm sorry, Ichigo. Rukia may be an irreplaceable companion to you, but to me, she holds far greater value."
"That thing is hidden inside her."
"But even so, I have no choice but to abandon rescuing her."
"For some reason, the Soul Society has begun targeting me. In this situation, I can't act."
Standing hidden in the void, Kisuke Urahara watched Ichigo Kurosaki search for him in vain. A quiet apology echoed in his thoughts.
Unlike Ichigo, who acted on emotion and impulse, Urahara was always rational. He understood clearly that there was no viable path forward. With the Soul Society watching his every move, unless he exposed himself completely, there was nothing he could do.
Rukia Kuchiki had to be abandoned.
As time passed under this tense atmosphere, the date of Rukia Kuchiki's execution drew closer. Everything remained eerily normal.
Until the moment a shocking piece of news struck the Soul Society like thunder.
Dawn broke quietly, a pale light spreading across the horizon.
The Seireitei was still, with only night-duty Shinigami moving about. Gradually, members of each division began their daily routines.
Inside the Fifth Division captain's office, a short-haired female Shinigami slept soundly.
Momo Hinamori, the division's lieutenant, had come seeking comfort from Aizen due to emotional distress. At some point, she had fallen asleep in his room.
Aizen himself sat at his desk, calmly writing on a sheet of white paper.
If Ryūjin Uchiha were present, he would not need to look to know what Aizen was writing. Every word was carefully crafted to mislead, designed to frame Tōshirō Hitsugaya.
Faking his death alone was not enough. Aizen intended to plunge the Soul Society into chaos, drawing all attention away from himself.
Only then could he move freely and examine what he needed within the Grand Library Corridor.
The room was silent, broken only by the faint scratching of pen against paper.
After a while, Aizen finished writing. He set the pen down, a confident smile forming.
"Then... it begins."
He rose quietly and left the room, careful not to disturb Momo Hinamori.
Some time later, Hinamori stirred awake.
The moment she realized where she was, panic set in.
"Ah, what have I done!"
Her heart raced as embarrassment flooded her. She hurriedly waved her hands as if apologizing.
"I, I'm sorry, Captain Aizen, I fell asleep by accident. I'm really sorry... Captain Aizen?"
Her voice faltered.
The room was empty.
The door stood open.
"Captain left?"
Still groggy, she stepped outside, only to suddenly realize that the morning assembly had already begun.
"Oh no, I'm going to be late!"
She rushed back to change and sprinted toward the assembly point.
"Really, why didn't Captain Aizen wake me... Being late as a lieutenant is embarrassing."
She muttered to herself, flustered.
Then she froze.
Something she had glimpsed from the corner of her eye made her stop dead in her tracks.
A chill ran through her.
Slowly, she turned back.
A figure came into view.
Her body stiffened instantly.
"No... that's impossible... how could this happen?"
"Impossible! Captain Aizen!"
Her voice broke into a scream, trembling violently as disbelief overtook her.
Pinned to the wall by a sword was a body.
Blood ran down the surface, pooling beneath.
The figure hung lifeless.
It was Sosuke Aizen.
Her scream echoed across the Seireitei.
Captains from every division rushed to the scene. One by one, they arrived, only to be shaken by the sight.
First, Byakuya Kuchiki had been killed in Karakura Town.
Then Ryūjin Uchiha had challenged the entire Seireitei before defecting.
Now Aizen was dead.
The situation had become even more chaotic.
Soon after, Rangiku Matsumoto discovered a letter left by Aizen for Momo Hinamori. Its contents pointed toward Tōshirō Hitsugaya as the killer.
Additionally, before his death, Aizen had warned Hinamori to be cautious of Gin Ichimaru. When she saw him, she attacked without hesitation.
Everything became even more muddled.
The entire Seireitei felt unstable, as if a storm was about to erupt.
Yet the one responsible for all of this chaos, Aizen himself, was quietly reading within the Grand Library Corridor.
The investigation into his death yielded no meaningful results.
The letter could not be treated as evidence, and no further clues linked Hitsugaya to the crime.
At the same time, Rukia Kuchiki's execution date loomed ever closer.
With priorities divided, the Soul Society could not dedicate full attention to solving Aizen's death.
"Aizen really went through with it. The plan is moving forward."
Hidden within the Rukongai, an unremarkable soul observed everything.
That figure was Ryūjin Uchiha.
His spiritual pressure was completely suppressed, and he had altered his appearance using the Transformation Jutsu.
Aizen's staged death meant he had severed his retreat within the Soul Society. Once the Hōgyoku was extracted from Rukia, there would be no path left for him but defection.
"Now all that's left is to wait for the execution."
Ryūjin made his decision and continued to remain hidden, observing silently.
Time passed.
In the blink of an eye, two weeks went by.
The day of Rukia Kuchiki's execution arrived.
Ichigo Kurosaki and his group, who would have invaded the Soul Society under normal circumstances, had not appeared.
If Ryūjin chose not to act, Rukia would undoubtedly die.
But his actions were not driven by any desire to save her.
To him, Rukia Kuchiki was insignificant.
The reason Ichigo could not reach the Soul Society was Aizen, not Ryūjin. This altered outcome had nothing to do with him.
Rukia's fate simply happened to align with his plans.
One could only say she was fortunate.
At dawn, the execution grounds were already filled.
Every figure present was of captain level. Ordinary members of the Gotei 13 had no place here.
At the forefront stood Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, his aged figure steady like a mountain.
Before the assembled captains stood a towering structure resembling a massive spear.
The Sōkyoku.
A divine instrument said to rival the combined power of countless zanpakutō. Once released, it could completely erase a Shinigami's soul.
A brutal form of execution.
The atmosphere was heavy.
Even Kyōraku Shunsui, usually relaxed and half-asleep, wore a serious expression. His gaze subtly scanned the area.
Jūshirō Ukitake was absent.
To others, this meant little. His poor health often kept him away.
But Kyōraku knew the truth.
Ukitake was preparing a crucial item, a divine weapon from the Shihōin family, to destroy the Sōkyoku at the critical moment.
Even without Ichigo's intervention, they still intended to save Rukia.
The sharp clinking of chains broke the silence.
Rukia Kuchiki was escorted forward from the deep prison.
Her head remained lowered, her expression resigned.
Step by step, she was brought before the Sōkyoku.
After a brief pause, Yamamoto spoke.
"Although some captains are absent for various reasons, the time set by Central 46 has arrived."
"Prepare to begin."
The atmosphere tightened further.
"Rukia Kuchiki, do you have any final words?"
"I am guilty and will not deny my crimes," she said quietly.
"But Captain Commander, as my final request, please investigate the truth behind my brother's death."
Yamamoto nodded.
"Captain Kuchiki died in the line of duty. Justice will be served."
Rukia said nothing more.
"Begin the release of the Sōkyoku."
At his command, the restraints binding the structure unraveled.
A terrifying spiritual pressure erupted.
Even the captains felt as if they were sinking deep beneath the sea. Breathing became difficult.
The platform beneath Rukia shifted, locking her arms in place and lifting her upward.
She was carried to the highest point and fixed onto the execution frame.
At the same time, the Sōkyoku completed its release.
A massive firebird materialized, its presence overwhelming.
The pressure it radiated was suffocating.
It was the fully released form of the Sōkyoku.