Bleach: The Path to Transcendence

"Rumble!"

The dazzling white light of Bai哉's sword collided fiercely and unreservedly with Kōga Kuchiki's surging, deep purple spiritual pressure.

In an instant, an incredibly terrifying spiritual pressure storm erupted from the point of collision, rippling wildly throughout the Spirit Restriction Barrier. This storm seemed to possess the power to destroy the heavens and the earth, twisting and tearing the very fabric of space wherever it went.

Immediately afterward, a massive cloud of dust rapidly spread out like a surging tide.

The once neatly arranged houses within the Spirit Restriction Space were utterly vulnerable under the repeated and intense clashes of these two powerful figures, having long since been reduced to dust. Fragments of shattered wood, mixed with fine gravel, scattered wildly throughout the barrier.

After a moment, the pervasive dust gradually dissipated.

"Crack!"

A crisp yet devastating sound suddenly rang out, and the once-indestructible Spirit Restriction Barrier that had enveloped the entire battlefield shattered in response.

Cracks spread rapidly like a spider web, and then the fragments of the barrier fell apart, vanishing into nothingness.

Byakuya Kuchiki, covered in wounds, slowly and laboriously emerged from the ruins.

His clothes were tattered, and his body was covered with shocking wounds, blood constantly seeping out, staining his garments crimson. However, his eyes remained firm. He looked around, but Kōga Kuchiki was nowhere to be seen in the ruins.

"It's the head of the family!"

With the shattering of the barrier, the loyal retainers of the Kuchiki family rushed into the ruins like a tide. Seeing Byakuya Kuchiki, wounded but still standing proudly, they knelt on the ground in obeisance.

While the great battle between Byakuya Kuchiki and Kōga Kuchiki was unfolding fiercely, in the laboratory of the Twelfth Division's Research and Development Institute...

Mayuri Kurotsuchi stood before an operating table, where Ashisogi Jizō was tightly bound with layers of ropes, unable to move. Mayuri held a thick needle, carefully inserted it into Ashisogi Jizō's body, and slowly extracted a tube of green blood that emitted an eerie glow.

After extracting the blood, he quickly placed the tube into a special experimental device, his eyes fixed on the screen of the device, his expression excited and full of anticipation.

No one had imagined that he would take advantage of the Zanpakutō's manifestation to study his own Zanpakutō.

However, just as he was preparing to press his advantage and proceed with the next stage of his research, an unforeseen event occurred.

Ashisogi Jizō, who had been lying quietly on the operating table, golden and resembling a giant fluttering moth, suddenly transformed into a dazzling stream of light and rushed into Mayuri Kurotsuchi's body with lightning speed.

"Tch, is that all?"

Mayuri's expression instantly turned extremely displeased. He frowned, looking somewhat unwillingly at the now-empty operating table.

At the same time, in the Captain-Commander's office in the First Division barracks, the atmosphere was relaxed and leisurely.

The newly appointed Captain-Commander, Shunsui Kyōraku, was lying comfortably in the arms of a beautiful young woman, enjoying this moment of laziness. The woman's attire and headdress were decorated with skull-shaped patterns, giving her a mysterious and unique appearance.

Her hair was long and curly, falling freely, and her right eye was covered with an exquisite eyepatch. She exuded a mature charm in every movement. She was Katen, Shunsui Kyōraku's manifested Zanpakutō.

Behind them stood a short-haired girl dressed as a ninja. The girl had short, purple hair, a single skull ornament on the left side, and most of her face was covered by a mask and hair, revealing only one bright right eye. She was the manifested form of Kyōkotsu.

"Little Hana, you smell so nice!"

Shunsui Kyōraku looked up slightly, his eyes full of smiles as he looked at Katen's exquisite and charming face, his words full of teasing.

"It's time, Shunsui!"

Katen's lips curved slightly upward as she gently reminded him.

The words were still echoing in the air when the mature and charming Katen and the slightly naive girl Kyōkotsu behind her instantly transformed into two streams of light, rushing into Shunsui Kyōraku's body in the blink of an eye, leaving only the gradually dissipating echoes in the office.

Leaving behind Shunsui Kyōraku, who looked as if he hadn't had enough, he slowly stood up and stood there like a statue, not moving for a long time.

"Really, I was hoping to spend more time with you!"

He murmured softly.

West of the Rukongai District, in a snowy wasteland, the wind was biting and snowflakes were flying. The manifested Hyōrinmaru looked solemn, his eyes fixed on Tōshirō Hitsugaya, his eyes full of expectation.

"Tōshirō, you should be able to do it now!"

Hyōrinmaru's voice sounded steady in the howling wind, carrying some trust and a hint of encouragement.

A look of determination flashed across Tōshirō Hitsugaya's youthful face. Then, he raised the Zanpakutō in his hand high and shouted with all his might:

"Bankai—Daiguren Hyōrinmaru!"

In an instant, the heavens and the earth seemed to tremble. A dazzling pillar of light rose from the ground with Tōshirō Hitsugaya at its center. Immense spiritual pressure surged like a raging tide, increasing wildly. In an instant, it broke through the limit of Fourth Seat level spiritual pressure, forcefully stepping into the Third Seat level, the threshold representing Captain-level power.

After successfully activating Bankai, a pair of wings made of solid ice slowly grew from Tōshirō Hitsugaya's back, the ice crystals on the wings shimmering with cold light. A long ice dragon tail drooped from behind him, swaying gently with his movements, freezing the air wherever it went.

His feet also transformed into crystal-clear ice crystals, standing firmly on the ice field. Behind him, three large twelve-petaled ice lotuses slowly bloomed, the ice lotuses emitting a cool light.

Witnessing all of this, the manifested Hyōrinmaru showed a gratified smile on his face. Then, it transformed into a stream of light and rushed into Tōshirō's body without hesitation, merging with him.

After Byakuya Kuchiki defeated Kōga Kuchiki, the Zanpakutō Rebellion that had shaken the entire Soul Society finally came to an end.

In a dark and hidden bunker, Kōga Kuchiki, who should have died by Byakuya Kuchiki's sword, slowly opened his eyes.

His gaze immediately fell on the Muramasa in front of him, which he had previously broken, but which was now intact.

Just as Kōga Kuchiki was filled with confusion, the mysterious hooded man quietly walked out from the side, his voice cold and indifferent:

"Muramasa, such an excellent sword, I will never allow you to destroy him!"

Kōga Kuchiki was completely dumbfounded. He couldn't understand why he hadn't died by Byakuya Kuchiki's sword, but had instead inexplicably appeared in this place.

His eyes were full of vigilance as he questioned loudly:

"Who exactly are you? Why did you save me!"

This person had first helped him escape, and now he had saved him from Byakuya Kuchiki's sword. This series of actions was truly incomprehensible.

Hearing this, the hooded man slowly removed his hood, revealing a face that was none other than the current Captain of the Fifth Division, Sōsuke Aizen.

The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, with a meaningful smile, and he said:

"Allow me to introduce myself, I am Sōsuke Aizen. I saved you because I want to invite you to overthrow the corrupt rule of the Soul Society together!"