"Well now, Momo-chan's entertainment is entertaining as always."
The throne room of Aizen Sosuke, ruler of Hueco Mundo. In this vast space—an information aggregation facility surpassing even the central surveillance tower—stood three men.
The demon king seated on his throne, and the adjutants flanking him left and right. Before their collective gaze floated a detailed hologram displaying two figures who had just finished a fierce battle.
Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez of the Espada, and the intruder who had defeated him—Kurosaki Ichigo.
Watching the victor celebrating with his female companions, the sneering king spoke.
"Entertaining? Yes indeed—a remarkably well-crafted play."
That wasn't a suitable description for the two who had just engaged in mortal combat. But for the three master and servants present, no more fitting metaphor existed.
"White, the former Captain of the Tenth Division, the Quincy girl, Rukia-chan, Grand Fisher, Menos Grande, Abarai, Captain Kuchiki, Grimmjow... truly, ignorance is bliss."
"...As far as I know, she even created a connection with Ulquiorra."
"Goodness, how frightening. Just how far does that girl have him in the palm of her hand?"
The adjutants Ichimaru Gin and Tosen Kaname looked down upon the youth on screen.
The human youth who had risen from mere human to defeating an Espada in less than two months—Kurosaki Ichigo. His every growth and achievement had been entertainment for Aizen Sosuke.
Beginning with the parasitic Hollow that was the source of the youth's talent, the meeting of his noble parents, his birth, his awakening to Shinigami powers and the fierce battles in the Soul Society that perfected them.
Even afterward, using the Arrancar army to make him aware of his insufficient power, providing opportunities to test-run his new Hollowfication ability, and having him perfect it through battles here in Las Noches.
Every battle until now had been on a single rail laid by the mastermind. A choreographed heroic tale.
"Oh my?"
Lost in thoughts of awe and admiration, he suddenly noticed the situation on screen had changed dramatically.
Nnoitra Gilga, the Quinta Espada, had ambushed Kurosaki's party exhausted from their battle with Grimmjow.
"This is bad. Won't that boy die?"
"..."
Watching the youth being trampled by the fresh Espada, Gin and Tosen gauged their superior's reaction. But the demon king's eyes that saw all were directed at a different image.
"A strange question, Gin. That would be needless worry equivalent to doubting the value of the clown she herself created."
"...True, that girl is watching quite leisurely."
Prompted by Aizen relaxing on his throne, Gin and Tosen shifted their gazes to the adjacent sub-screen.
Displayed there was a single girl clad in a dress-like white Shihakusho. With her childlike beautiful face sparkling as she watched the battle—she was the last of the three retainers serving their lord Aizen alongside Gin. An innocent villainess who had actively schemed for fifty years, manipulating Kurosaki Ichigo's life from beginning to end.
And just as that villainess's composure suggested, the youth in desperate straits escaped death by a hair's breadth.
"Could it be that Nel's every advance and retreat until now was all for this moment...?"
"...No way?"
Tosen and Gin could only stand speechless at what occurred before their eyes. At precisely the perfect timing, the child who had lost even her spiritual pressure from memory regained her true power and protected Kurosaki Ichigo. Additionally, her enemy happened to be Nel Tu Odelschwanck's fated opponent—a bonus connection.
The two words "play" that Aizen Sosuke had uttered—those were indeed the most fitting words to describe the world itself surrounding Kurosaki Ichigo.
"Kaname, Gin."
Ignoring his trembling adjutants, the demon king leisurely waved his right hand. At that signal, new holograms appeared before the three.
"Our Las Noches' final actors have entered. Let us all enjoy their performance."
"...!"
Six familiar Gotei captain-class officers displayed in the image. Confirming the presence in Hueco Mundo of these powerful figures from the Soul Society, Aizen Sosuke called out in his unchanging rich baritone to the subject of the sub-screen showing the central surveillance room.
"Ah, yes. Would you like to come here as well?"
——Momo.
***
『...It's okay. It'll be over soon.』
Called while enjoying a canon famous scene—out popped Hinamori-chan.
Midway through Nel versus Nnoitra, the central surveillance room where I was on duty detected new intruders' spiritual pressure. Finally, Zaraki Kenpachi and the main force of Soul Society reinforcements had broken into Hueco Mundo.
Almost simultaneously, an invitation came from Aizen in the throne room to "watch together," so Momo-chan readily participated. Watching stylish techniques alone was fine, but I wanted to treasure time with those three demons—it was a ship in a storm right when I needed it. Let's watch canon events together, everyone!
"Welcome, Momo."
In the throne room I visited, Aizen was sprawled stylishly on his throne, gazing at those almond-shaped hologram images. Beside him stood peeping tom Gin and archangel DJ. I ignored the suspicious character and glanced at Tosen's face.
His reaction to my concern was just lowering his face slightly at my glance.
(...Good, at least he doesn't hate me.)
Certain I'd achieved minimum results from the earlier persuasion attempt, I stood beside DJ without hesitation. Then Gin, at the farthest distance, began making excuses with paranoid grumbling.
"Don't sulk so much, Momo-chan. In this crisis, if a girl was moving around alone and defenseless, of course I'd be worried."
"...Hinamori, this type is a heartless wretch unacquainted with remorse. Best be careful."
"How cruel, Captain Tosen. If that's the case, then Captain Aizen who watched Momo-chan change clothes with me is equally guilty."
"...Captain Aizen?"
And at the shocking news of Aizen's guilt, I turned around with a stiffened body. I desperately held back the flush on my face.
But his returned apology was far from modest—a beaming dark smile.
"My apologies, Momo. Though unavoidable, I've done wrong to Captain Hitsugaya as well. I shall apologize to him later."
"!"
Wh-what a thing! Such an NTR move would make Shiro-chan's charm shi— I mean, cloud his face!
To think he'd avoid the negative low-OSR value of the vulgar act of "peeking at a girl changing" through such a method—truly my admired style master. Damn, I have no choice but to forgive this...!
"...Isn't your tolerance for sexual harassment way too high for a girl your age?"
"Hinamori's appearance fraud isn't exactly new."
"Ah, Tosen-san's reaction after releasing was absolutely hilarious."
The peanut gallery was saying something but Momo-chan ignored them. How long are these guys going on about this, okay it's over, court dismissed, dispersed!
"More importantly, the Soul Society reinforcements. I want to activate the jamming device while we have downtime, so can I start now?"
"Heh, you prepared something like that?"
"...Ichimaru, you should contribute more to our technical aspects."
Right, confining Kenpachi and the others in Hueco Mundo. Especially if I left Mayuri alone, he'd analyze the Hollows' Descorrer ability on his own, so I wanted to scatter interfering noise with spirit particle jammer devices inside the Garganta as soon as possible.
"Ah, by all means. Do as you please."
"Ah, yes, Captain Aizen. Then I'll just push this button... yes, success."
"Way too casual!"
What are you saying, Gin? If the operation is unnecessarily technical, the device's OSR value becomes too high and Mayuri won't be able to analyze the Garganta. The protagonist not making it to the Karakura Town decisive battle would be a restart-level blunder.
While doing this and that, reinforcement Kenpachi immediately flew off toward Ichigo's direction. And the Nel battle entered its climax. I observed our few female members' extremely rare rampage scene from a veteran's perspective.
『...Lanzador Verde!』
『Damn iiit!!』
...Yeah.
No, it certainly was a rampage, but bullying an unreleased lower-ranked opponent with Resurrección isn't very stylish, is it? Just when the appearance and identity reveal scene made everyone go "Ooh!", choosing sword release first while worrying about adult form duration was fatal.
Rushing results in stylish techniques is a defeat flag.
『...Huh?』
『Nel!?』
And just like canon, suddenly with a silly "pop" sound, sexy Nel reverted to child form. While thinking about punishment for Nnoitra who kicked Nel-chan around acting cocky, I once again felt the difficulty of handling time-limited abilities.
『Gyaaaah!!』
『Tch, Kuro—』
『Pet, shut up. Your job is watching the man who came to save you become a dirty meat chunk, got it?』
And when the handsome Fracción Tesla released his sword first with an uncool Resurrección and beat up the wounded in a full combo, raising flags... that man appeared.
『What the hell? You're half-dead, Ichigo!』
Help arriving in a pinch—that's what makes a protagonist.
Zaraki Kenpachi, entry of the slaughterer!
"Seriously, help always comes at convenient times for Kurosaki. Momo-chan laid various groundwork too, but it's eerie how that boy properly takes advantage of it all."
"Those are foundations only Kurosaki Ichigo can take advantage of. Even if I set up the same for others, it wouldn't lead to his level of achievement or good fortune."
"I'd like to receive Momo-chan's favor too... though the aftermath is scary."
Gin says that, but the phenomena favoring Ichigo during battle aren't mere plot convenience. They're legitimate world order established through complex style system calculations. Especially in this world, with Aizen's slacking and my interference, the artificial support feeling has gotten even stronger.
Ichimaru Gin, watching for a century for revenge opportunities. Were those earlier words just teasing, or his true feelings? As a Bleach fan aiming to recreate canon famous scenes, I'm too scared of blunders to even respond, but I will save his life (physically), so I want him to fully challenge his revenge...
"...Looks like Nnoitra will release."
"Captain Zaraki looks like he's having fun."
After that, the battle under the azure dome continued, with Kenpachi growing satisfied with the clash against released Nnoitra but losing interest from blood loss.
And then, that legendary line came out.
『You know? A sword... is stronger when you swing it with both hands than one hand.』
Yeah, this is BLEACH! The phenomenon of making Yudetamago logic feel like it has realism. Stylish humor.
"...What's he saying? For zanpakuto, there's no such common sword sense as one hand or two hands."
"Don't say it, Ichimaru. To that beast, a zanpakuto is merely a blade."
Though apparently unpopular with natives Gin and DJ. Especially DJ, who overcame the massive handicap of inheriting his from another, probably has irritation beyond justice concerns toward Kenpachi who can't even release his soul's embodiment.
Good grief... then please enlighten these dense ones on what stylish humor is, Captain Zaraki!
『...You don't know how much stronger it is—』
And with one downward slash, Zaraki Kenpachi instantly killed the fully released Quinta Espada Nnoitra Gilga.
"Impossible..."
Hehehe, DJ's shock is satisfying as if it were my own. Since I'm always bullied, I can act smug with knowledge superiority. Tiny superiority feelings are stimulated and truly pleasant.
Watching events with them—familiar yet lacking meta-knowledge as canon characters—is really fun.
(Ah, but...)
Aizen, Gin, DJ, and me together every day since starting life in Las Noches.
And thinking this was probably the last moment the four could gather calmly like this, my chest ached...
At first I was frantically fixated on pointless things like how to disappoint Aizen and get abandoned, but after giving up halfway and directly asking "Please cut me down!", Aizen's crew had completely become my place.
That position in final boss Aizen's camp that Bleach fans would drool over. The thrill of belonging to protagonist-side Gotei 13 with Hinamori moves while secretly opposing them. Being toyed with by Aizen and Gin's Hinamori bullying, Hollow research and farming/cooking with DJ—somehow it was all fun.
More so than life in my homeland Soul Society, excluding around Shiro-chan.
(...Well, it was a relationship with a visible end from the start.)
From DJ's novel lines, he apparently planned suicide at the end anyway, Gin would steal back Rangiku's soul fragment for revenge. As for me, I joined the crew to be killed, or moved for Aizen's defeat to recreate canon—really doing whatever I wanted.
...Yeah, we got along so well despite all this, our organization. Though it was grim in canon, just adding one beautiful girl (shell) caused such change. Praise me.
"Now then, it's time."
Nnoitra was defeated, and the Garganta opened by Urahara Kisuke was sealed. With the tactical basics of enemy force dispersion fully achieved, Aizen Sosuke finally rose from his throne.
"Momo, bring Orihime here."
"...Leave it to me."
Somehow holding back lips that wanted to grin, I bowed deeply.
Soon, so soon. The afternoon of fateful November 1st. The most famous and popular great battle in canon BLEACH...
The Fake Karakura Town aerial battle was about to begin—
***
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