9-4...

Since you won't let go of her and stand down as I ordered you, I have no choice. She can stay in your arms. The rest of you goes.

U-Urgh...

Renji...

You thought I'd give her up... Are you that dumb?

Then so be it. Too bad.

Hey there! What's the matter, Renji? The way you're crouching down... I almost think Rukia's too heavy for you to hold or something.

Good thing I came to give you a hand, right, friend?

Ichigo...

So... This is Aizen, then?

That's him.

Do you think you still have enough strength left to get away?

I have enough to stay and fight. I know that for certain. And that's what I'm going to do. You know damned well that it's useless for us to run.

Zabimaru may be broken, but he still has a few surprises left in him.

Let's just slow him down enough to get away.

Hah, who needs a plan B?

If we join forces and battle together, what could go wrong?

Here we go, Zabimaru!

Higazekko!

Ah!

Ichigo... Renji...

Come now, stand up, Rukia Kuchiki.

S-Stop!

Poor, doomed thing. Is he actually still conscious? Your stamina is amazing, but your spine is barely connected to your body. You should lie still.

At any rate, you have each served your purpose. Your job in all this is done now.

Our job...is done?

That's correct. I knew you were coming, I even knew from where. I knew you would arrive in the West Rukon District.

That's why I had security increased there, with squad members stationed at the gate. I had Gin go there as well, in case something went wrong.

I lowered the wall around the Seireitei wall right after your arrival and placed Third and Ninth Squads behind the gate. I knew the only way you'd be able to get in would be with Kukaku Shiba's Flower-Crane Cannon.

A very flashy entrance that everyone would notice; a bold approach. It helped that you Ryoka were skilled enough to get past the captains.

As a result, the eyes of all the Soul Reapers were focused only on you... The perfect diversion.

As a result, there wasn't very much fuss at all over me when I faked my own death.

You made it easy for me to make my move.

But... Hold on! H-How did you know for sure we were gonna come in through the West Rukon District in the first place?

That's an odd question for you to ask. Where else could you possibly have entered? The Western Rukon District is Kisuke Urahara's headquarters, after all.

It's the only place you can break through with his Senkaimon.

Huh?!

Why do you find that so surprising? After all, you work for him, don't you?

Surely the reason you're here in the first place is to retrieve Rukia Kuchiki under his orders.

I-I don't...

Oh, I see. You poor boy. You weren't told anything, were you?

Hmph. Oh well. Since this is the end anyway, I'll tell you one last thing.

Did you know that Soul Reapers have four basic fighting methods?

Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hoho, and Kido. Those are the four.

But there is a limit to how strong a Soul Reaper can become in any one of them.

However, for some it is possible to get past that wall and exceed the limit that's built in to all four techniques.

And to do that, there's only one way:

The Soul Reaper has to become a Hollow.

What?!

Either that, or a Hollow can become like a Soul Reaper. Either way, what is required is the removal of the barrier between those two opposing existences. That is the key to making the spirit's power even greater.

I started testing, focusing mostly on the transformation of Hollows into Soul Reapers. I was successful in creating Hollows which came close.

But, in the end, none of them worked out as well as I had hoped.

It appeared the theory was only that, destined never to be reality.

But Kisuke Urahara succeeded where I had failed.

............

The mechanism he invented removes the barrier dividing Hollow and Soul Reaper, instantly making one into the other. It defied all logic within the Soul Society.

It's called "Hogyoku." I knew immediately how dangerous it was.

I think Urahara felt the same way. He tried to destroy it,

but he was unable to find a way to undo his own creation.

Instead he reluctantly resorted to another method. He created a shield around the Hogyoku and activated it. Then he enveloped it deep within a Konpaku in order to try and conceal its location.

The place Urahara chose to hide the Hogyoku is inside you, Rukia Kuchiki.

What did...you just say?

He was the one who developed the technique of implanting a foreign object into a soul. So I reasoned that the answer to the question of how to remove one was also hidden in his research.

No!

Rukia!

How fascinating. I didn't expect it to be so small. The Hogyoku... Hmm. And no permanent harm to the soul. What an astounding technique.

It's too bad, but I just don't have a use for you anymore, Rukia Kuchiki.

Kill her, Gin.