"Let's wait a little longer."
In the end, Kukaku still shook her head and gave up the idea of acting now.
On one hand, the possibility of successfully rescuing her sister-in-law if they acted now was almost zero.
On the other hand, Kukaku didn't believe her older brother, Kaien, would simply watch his wife be executed without doing anything.
The fact that her brother hadn't acted yet clearly meant he had his own considerations.
If she acted recklessly, failed to rescue her sister-in-law, and instead disrupted her brother's plans, she would truly be deserving of death.
Furthermore, there was the most important point.
Aizen Sosuke!
By now, everyone in the Revolutionary Army knew that Aizen was the hidden mastermind within the Gotei 13, as Kyoya had said.
But without understanding Aizen's abilities, without knowing how he made the Shinigami of the Gotei 13 believe that Hitsugaya had killed him without revealing any flaws, Kukaku judged that they couldn't cause trouble for the Gotei 13 now.
What they needed to do now was lie low, see what Aizen truly wanted to do, and step in to stop him at the most critical moment.
Additionally, there was Kyoya.
Since they had entered the Seireitei, they hadn't seen Kyoya again.
However, they all knew that Kyoya must be watching over them constantly.
"Alright then."
Hearing Kukaku's response, the few Revolutionary Army's members nodded.
"I'll go to the 4th Division first to retrieve Army Commander Madarame and Army Commander Ayasegawa."
Even the most impulsive among them, Renji, offered no objection at this moment.
Rukia had considerable talent in Kido, and Koga was also a Kido expert. Even though Rukia hadn't completed her Zanpakuto's Bankai Training yet, she was one of the closest in the Revolutionary Army to Captain-level strength.
"Mmm, with your Kaido, Rukia, Madarame and Ayasegawa should be able to recover some of their combat power."
Hitsugaya nodded and turned to his Vice-Commander, Renji, "Renji, you go with Rukia."
"If you encounter danger, buy Rukia enough time to treat Madarame and Ayasegawa."
"Yes, Army Commander Hitsugaya!"
Renji responded loudly.
Renji, who had comprehended the secrets of the Six Rokushiki, was definitely the strongest in the Revolutionary Army below the Army Commanders.
In fact, due to his powerful physical combat skills, Renji had even completed his Zanpakuto's Bankai Training.
It was just that Renji's Reiatsu hadn't reached 3rd-Class yet, otherwise, the Revolutionary Army would probably immediately have an [Eighth Army].
But even so, after achieving Bankai, Renji's strength could rank at Captain-level.
"Staff Officer Rukia, I look forward to working with you."
"Not at all, I'll be relying on you for my safety, Abarai-kun."
As the second-in-command in the General Staff after Koga Kuchiki, Rukia could be said to have the second greatest understanding of the Seireitei within the entire Revolutionary Army, after Kyoya and Koga.
Not only information on Shinigami of officer rank and above in the Gotei 13, but also the layout of the Seireitei, were all in Rukia's mind.
"Found them."
After parting ways with Kukaku and the others, Rukia led Renji, avoiding the patrols of the Gotei 13 Shinigami, and headed straight for the 4th Division.
Because Ikkaku and Yumichika were quite severely injured, their Reiatsu was significantly weaker.
And Rukia and Renji didn't dare release overly strong Reikaku or Kido to search, so it took them quite some time.
"Oh? It's Rukia and Renji."
Seeing Rukia and Renji, Ikkaku raised a hand in greeting.
"So? Is the mission complete?"
For the members of the Revolutionary Army, the simulated war with the Gotei 13 hardly counted as a 'mission'.
The 'mission' Ikkaku referred to was helping Kukaku and Ganju rescue their sister-in-law, Miyako.
And the several Army Commanders needed to fight, to cause chaos within the Seireitei, giving Kukaku a greater chance to rescue her.
"Failed."
Rukia shook her head. "The strength of the Gotei 13's Captains is much greater than we imagined."
"Currently, among the seven Army Commanders, only Army Commander Shiba and Army Commander Hitsugaya retreated unscathed from their battles with the Captains."
"As for the others..."
At this point, Rukia shook her head.
"Uh..."
Ikkaku awkwardly turned his head away.
Clearly, he and Yumichika belonged to the 'others' category.
Although when they decided to go to the 11th Division to challenge Zaraki, Ikkaku and Yumichika knew what their ultimate outcome would be, they never expected that besides them, others had also been defeated by the Gotei 13's Captains.
This didn't match their memory of the Captains' strength?
In the view of Ikkaku and Yumichika, among the many Captains of the Gotei 13, apart from Zaraki who inherited Kyoya's position, only Yamamoto-
The ones after that were Yamamoto's disciples, also known as 'geniuses'.
"Army Commander Madarame, Army Commander Ayasegawa, we might need your strength for the upcoming battles."
"Alright then, we'll leave it to you, Rukia."
...
In a dark passageway, a faint light glimmered in Kyoya's eyes, enhancing his vision.
His Observation Haki spread out, quickly allowing Kyoya to perceive everything around him.
In this environment with almost no light, Kyoya's [Light Perception] was greatly weakened, making his Observation Haki more useful than pure light perception.
Kyoya didn't hide his presence, so the person on the other side of the corridor had already sensed his existence.
A slight breeze carried a hint of blood scent to Kyoya's nose.
After proceeding several dozen meters forward, what appeared before Kyoya was a large hall about a hundred meters in diameter.
Like the corridor, aside from a few lamps on the walls providing illumination, the entire hall was cast in dark shades.
Under the light, Kyoya could see figures slumped over every table.
"Captain Kyoya, long time no see."
Bright red blood flowed down from the tables, following step by step, eventually gathering on the ground below.
"I never thought we would meet again here."
Aizen looked up at Kyoya. Perhaps because he noticed Kyoya's arrival, or for some other reason, a few drops of blood splashed onto Aizen's face, adding a touch of coldness and cruelty to his gentle smile.
"Ah, I also didn't expect you to only kill these people now."
"I thought these guys had died long ago."
The words spoken by Kyoya made Aizen freeze for a moment.
Clearly, from Kyoya's words, Aizen understood that Kyoya knew the Central 46 had been under his control all along.
However, what Aizen was curious about was, when did Kyoya find out that he wanted to kill the nobles of the Central 46?
He even said he thought they had died long ago.
But, Aizen could still hear from Kyoya's words his disregard for the 'nobles', as if these nobles were no different from ordinary residents of the Rukongai.
Clearly, unlike Kisuke, Kyoya did not hold all the rules of the Seireitei in high regard.
Aizen looked at Kyoya, it seemed like today was the first time he truly got to know Kyoya.
Originally, after Kyoya left the Seireitei and formed the [Revolutionary Army] in the Rukongai, Aizen thought it was out of pity for ordinary people.
But now, after looking directly into Kyoya's eyes, Aizen realized that perhaps Kyoya was the most arrogant person in the entire Seireitei.
His eyes had never held anyone else.
Everyone, including him, Yamamoto, and even the future Yhwach who might seize the world, had never been regarded by Kyoya.
Therefore, all living beings in this world were equal in Kyoya's heart.
Such a mindset was even more transcendent than the Soul King's.
If the Soul King had a mindset like Kyoya's, then what would the Five Great Noble Families matter in this world?
The reason Aizen held this view was that he was the same.
The Soul King is a 'god', a 'miracle' coalesced by the will of this world to continue existing.
Perhaps it was precisely because they discerned this secret that the Five Great Noble Families who followed the Soul King dared to ambush him.
Because they were certain that as long as they used the Soul King's power to create a world and made the Soul King himself the stabilizing linchpin of this world, then the Soul King would not resist.
And so it was.
The Five Great Noble Families placed the Soul King on a divine pedestal, ruling the three worlds in the Soul King's name.
This was what Aizen considered the 'Vacancy of the King's Throne'.
He wanted to break through the limits of a Shinigami and become the new [Soul King].
Not the Soul King who merely served as the world's stabilizing linchpin, but the true Soul King in the sense of dominating the world.
Perhaps even those nobles didn't expect that over millions of years, the Soul King would grow weary of his existence and seek release.
But the 'god' aspect of the Soul King still made him seek a new 'linchpin' for the world after his release.
Yhwach was born under such circumstances.
Ichigo also appeared under the Soul King's will, becoming a substitute for the Soul King.
As for Ubuginu Hikone, and the twins Jinta and Ururu, they could only be considered artificial substitute Soul King candidates.
Without the [Hogyoku], these three would not be complete and are not considered under the influence of the Soul King's will.
They can only be considered manifestations of the continuation of the 'human' will.
"Ha, I thought you came to stop me, Captain Kyoya."
Aizen slowly sheathed his Zanpakuto and walked down the circular stepped seats towards Kyoya.
Kyoya shook his head and directly stated his intentions.
"Well, to be honest, if you hadn't done it, I would have killed them too, and then told Captain-Commander Yamamoto that you did it."
"Oh?"
Aizen raised an eyebrow. "Are you so confident that the Captain-Commander would believe you?"
"Why wouldn't he?"
Kyoya shrugged. "Anyway, you're going to leave the Seireitei for Hueco Mundo. What does it matter if you have a few more lives on your hands?"
"As for the Captain-Commander, he just needs a reason or an excuse."
Indeed, the aged Yamamoto had indeed become much more indecisive because of his 'heart of protection'.
But anyone who underestimated him because of this, thinking they could treat Yamamoto like they did the Soul King, would be sorely mistaken.
In ancient times, emperors would often leave a few high-ranking officials for the new emperor to execute upon ascending the throne, to help the new emperor quickly consolidate control over the court and establish authority.
Kyoya speculated that some members of the Central 46 were probably intentionally left by Yamamoto for Kyoraku to use to win the hearts of the many Shinigami of the Gotei 13.
Therefore, Yamamoto didn't interfere with some of the Gotei 13's seemingly abnormal decrees.
The more the Shinigami were suppressed by the Central 46 now, the more relieved and supportive they would be of Kyoraku after he dealt with the Central 46 nobles.
However, he never expected that the Central 46 would already be completely killed by Aizen.
Of course, as Kyoya said, even if Aizen didn't kill them, he himself intended to kill these nobles of the Central 46.
"And also, Captain Aizen."
"I am no longer a Captain of the Gotei 13, but the leader of the Revolutionary Army."
"You don't need to add 'Captain' when addressing me from now on."
"My apologies."
"However, Kyoya-san, I still have one doubt. Might I ask you to enlighten me?"
"Go ahead."
Seeing Aizen stop in front of him, Kyoya didn't pay it much mind.
Over a hundred years ago, because of Rangiku, Aizen was once an obstacle Kyoya couldn't overcome.
To deceive Aizen, Kyoya even witnessed the release of Aizen's Zanpakuto, Kyoka Suigetsu.
But being wronged was being wronged.
Though, at that time, Kyoya already possessed Observation Haki, and Aizen's Kyoka Suigetsu's Ability was ineffective against Observation Haki, so it didn't really affect Kyoya.
Nowadays, Aizen, who hadn't fused with the Hogyoku, was no longer someone Kyoya concerned himself with.
In terms of Aizen's attack power, even if Kyoya let Aizen attack him freely, he probably wouldn't even scratch Kyoya.
"Kyoya-san, I am confident that aside from a very few people, no one knew of my plans."
"How did you know I intended to leave the Seireitei?"
This was something Aizen truly couldn't understand.
Kyoya's appearance was beyond his expectations.
Aizen had played the role of a good man for hundreds of years to hypnotize all the Shinigami of the Gotei 13.