"The closest spiritual pressure from here is…" Amamiya Miyako closed his eyes, focusing on the fluctuating reiatsu.
"Yoruichi-san… Suì-Fēng-taichō… Renji… Ichigo… and Kuchiki Byakuya…" He exhaled sharply, already deciding on his next move.
He clasped his hands together, reciting the chant quickly, voice steady. "Black and white net, twenty-two bridges, sixty-six crowns, footprints, distant thunder, sharp peaks, revolving earth, night's ambush, cloud-sea, azure pillar—paint the garden of generals and soar to the heavens!"
"Bakudō #77: Tenteikūra!"
His voice rang through the air, carried by Kidō. "Yoruichi-san, Captain Suì-Fēng, Captain Kuchiki, Ichigo, and Renji—listen. The situation is urgent! Rukia and I are at Sōkyoku Hill. Aizen is on his way. Please return immediately!"
The message reached them, and Miyako could feel their reiatsu quicken, accelerating toward him. Ever since Isane Kotetsu's shocking announcement of Aizen's betrayal, everyone had been on edge. They knew his identity… but not his location. Still, one thing was certain: where Rukia Kuchiki was, Aizen would appear.
A calm, mocking voice cut through the silence. "Oh my… that spiritual pressure… Tenteikūra, hmm? Who are you calling out to, Amamiya-kun?"
Miyako's eyes snapped open, body tense. Before him, stepping into view with effortless composure, was Aizen Sōsuke. At his sides, like dark shadows, stood Tōsen Kaname and Ichimaru Gin.
Miyako moved instinctively, drawing his twin blades, standing protectively in front of Rukia. His reiatsu surged, but Aizen only smiled, as if amused by the gesture.
"Captain Aizen, I apologize. I failed to deal with him earlier," Tōsen said solemnly.
"It's not your fault, Kaname," Aizen replied softly, almost kindly. "After all, I was the one who ordered you to stop fighting. Otherwise…" His eyes glinted as they flicked toward Miyako. "Amamiya-kun wouldn't even be standing here now."
"…Aizen Sōsuke." Miyako narrowed his gaze. His hands tightened on the hilts of his Zanpakutō. Thankfully, he hadn't released his Shikai earlier—facing Aizen without preparation would've been suicide.
"Miyako-kun," Aizen said, voice smooth and confident, "your actions have far exceeded my expectations. But now… could you kindly hand Kuchiki Rukia over to me?"
"Hand her over to you? Why are you so desperate to execute Rukia!" Miyako barked, raising his voice deliberately, trying to buy time.
"Oh? So Isane has already told you everything. How convenient," Aizen sighed softly. His senses spread outward; he could feel other reiatsu rapidly approaching. But they weren't here yet. He still had time to finish his plan.
"At this point, I don't mind explaining. To 'execute' Rukia… well, that's not quite correct. I never intended to kill her."
"Don't lie! Didn't you manipulate Central 46 just to have Rukia executed by the Sōkyoku!?"
"You misunderstand, Miyako-kun. My true goal isn't to kill her. It's to make her soul scatter. Only then can I retrieve the item hidden within her body."
Miyako's eyes widened slightly. Item… hidden inside Rukia…?
"The Sōkyoku is crueler than death itself," Miyako spat. "And you… you say that so shamelessly?!"
Aizen smiled faintly, shaking his head. "It seems you never investigated why Rukia lost her spiritual power, even while in the Human World. Kisuke Urahara… he truly is terrifying. To have hidden it so cleanly… no trace left at all."
Miyako grit his teeth. "What are you talking about, Aizen!?"
He gave a soft chuckle before continuing, "Well, I've told you quite a lot already. Amamiya-kun, will you hand Rukia Kuchiki over to me now? I still need to retrieve what lies inside her."
But Miyako didn't lower his bow. He only drew the string tighter, aiming directly at Aizen's heart.
"…Hmph. You know you can't stop me," Aizen said with a sigh. His body blurred like water ripples—and then vanished completely.
But Miyako didn't panic. He knew this was the effect of Kyōka Suigetsu. From the very beginning, Aizen had never dispelled its hypnosis. Yet, somehow, Miyako could still sense him.
I can see you, Aizen… don't think your tricks work on me.
He gripped the bow with both hands. Suddenly, the bowstring shimmered and split, transforming into twin blades—the string becoming curved edges, the center shifting into a hilt.
"Bankai is still far away… but this is enough. Manifest—Kami-Hitei, Tamashii-Kudaki! (God-Rejecting, Soul-Severing!)"
In a flash, the elegant bow had become brand-new twin swords, radiating a sharp aura of rejection.
Aizen's blade came down at that very moment, and Miyako crossed his twin swords just in time to block it. The sheer weight of Aizen's strike forced him into a crouch, his knees shaking under the pressure. But then… slowly, Miyako pushed back. Inch by inch, he rose, until he was standing eye-to-eye with Aizen.
"Oh?" Aizen's brow twitched in mild surprise.
"Miyako-kun… you truly surprise me. Is Kyōka Suigetsu useless against you? I clearly hypnotized you. I intended to finish this with a strike from behind… yet here you stand, blocking me."
His gaze fell upon Miyako's transformed Zanpakutō. "A bow that becomes twin blades… is this your Zanpakutō's true Shikai?"
"Captain Aizen, why don't you take a guess?" Miyako said, forcing a smirk even as sweat trickled down his neck.
At its root, Kami-Hitei, Tamashii-Kudaki was the embodiment of rejection. In its half-awakened state, Miyako's Zanpakutō could infuse arrows with rejection, sealing Zanpakutō abilities by isolating reishi and disrupting consciousness. But now… with its Shikai fully awakened, its ability had evolved.
The twin blades didn't just reject reishi—they rejected all external interference. Attacks, spiritual energy, even illusions like Kyōka Suigetsu could be neutralized. That was why Miyako could see Aizen's movements clearly.
Aizen's sword swept down again, but Miyako twisted aside. The ground split where the strike landed, stone fragments scattering. Miyako instantly leapt back, twin swords glowing faintly.
He nearly shifted them back into a bow to fire, but Aizen's figure blurred again, disappearing.
"Behind me!" Miyako spun, swords raised.
Aizen reappeared and slashed, his blade whistling down—only to stop a hair's breadth away from Miyako's back. An invisible barrier pulsed faintly between them, like ripples in water.
"…Interesting," Aizen murmured. He pressed harder, and the blade inched closer, but still could not break through.
Miyako's jaw clenched, sweat pouring as he focused. The barrier—Kyozetsu no Tate (Shield of Refusal)—was barely holding.
Damn… his reiatsu is crushing. But I won't give in. Not to him.
"This isn't simple defense," Aizen whispered as he studied the barrier. "No… it feels like my sword itself is being rejected."
In an instant, he used Shunpo, vanishing to Miyako's flank and slashing again.
"Left!" Miyako's instincts screamed. He threw up another barrier just in time. Sparks erupted as Aizen's blade halted mid-swing.
Blocked again. And again. And again.
Aizen's smile slowly faded, replaced by a cold, calculating look. No matter how he slashed, his sword was repelled each time by Miyako's rejection.
"…A troublesome ability," Aizen muttered. His eyes narrowed. "A Zanpakutō with such precise control over reiryoku… it feels almost like kidō, doesn't it? Truly irritating."
He finally withdrew, letting his sword rest casually at his side. His composure had returned, but there was a sharper glint in his gaze now.
"I see, Amamiya-kun. I underestimated you. But…" His voice dropped, smooth and menacing. "…this won't be enough to stop me."
Miyako straightened, both swords crossed before him in readiness. His chest rose and fell with each breath, but his eyes burned with defiance.
"Yare yare, Aizen… If you want to take Rukia-san, you'll have to cut through me first."
Aizen smiled faintly, a predator's smile. "Then… let's see how long your rejection can last."