Aozaki's figure darted rapidly between buildings, elusive like a spirit among flowers, appearing abruptly and disappearing just as suddenly.
His pure white haori flapped in the wind, and his entire being exuded an otherworldly aura, his graceful posture like a deity descending to the mortal realm.
However, just as he was moving between the high walls,
Suddenly, his body paused sharply, as if he had noticed something, and he stopped to look up.
Behind the paper-white wall, two figures slowly emerged.
The leading figure was dressed in black soul reaper uniform, with a white haori draped over him, his sparse brown hair curled, and a wooden tag symbolizing a Vice-Captain tied to his sleeve.
It was Aizen.
Behind him was the former First Division Vice-Captain, Sasakibe Chōjirō, dressed in a short haori and sporting a black mustache.
Aozaki blinked, looking at the two figures who had slowly walked up and stood before him.
What was this?
A Vice-Captain's insubordination!?
Aizen smiled faintly and met Aozaki's gaze, saying:
"Indeed, you truly can see through our real identities…"
His tone revealed a hint of surprise and admiration,
"You don't carry the Twelfth Division's detection equipment, and I don't see any other Captains with you, yet you can so easily discern our authenticity."
"This truly makes me curious. I really want to know, how exactly did you do it?"
Aozaki narrowed his eyes, staring coldly at Aizen, the ice in his eyes undisguised.
His voice was so cold it seemed to freeze the air:
"Hmph, if I want to do it, that's enough."
Facing Aozaki's hostile gaze, Aizen smiled slightly, waved his hand, and said in a relaxed tone:
"Don't look at me with that man-eating gaze; I didn't willingly become this way either."
"Besides, my existence is only temporary; this body is ultimately too weak."
"And our encounter this time will only be as fleeting as a shooting star in your long life."
In his perception, Aozaki had never looked at Aizen with such eyes.
However, the Reigai Aizen felt disgust from that gaze.
"If the world is destroyed, there will be no long life. So, you're certain Inaba Kageroza will fail?"
Aozaki's voice was calm and cold, as if speaking to a corpse.
"Naturally. I am no different from the Aizen you know, including his astute mind."
Under Aozaki's gaze, Aizen spread his hands, a confident smile on his face, his eyes gleaming with wisdom,
"Inaba Kageroza is far too inferior; his failure is predictable, just as your victory is destined."
"As expected, he's a clever man like Aizen, but no matter how clever, he's still controlled by others. How pathetic."
Aozaki narrowed his eyes, a mocking smile playing on his lips.
His gaze was sharp as a knife, as if trying to see through Aizen's eyes into the depths of his Souls.
The Reigai Aizen gently shook his head, a hint of imperceptible helplessness flashing in his eyes, and said with a light chuckle:
"You are indeed Aozaki, but I am different from others. In fact, I can already break free from some of Inaba Kageroza's influence."
His tone carried a hint of pride, but also revealed a helplessness at being unable to break free from his restraints.
"Knowing you would fail, why did you come here? Don't you think your actions are ridiculous?"
"What is this? It can't be like a hero who knows it's impossible but still does it; you're not like that."
Aozaki sneered.
His eyes were filled with disdain and contempt, as if looking at an overconfident clown.
However, Aizen was not angered by his words; instead, he smiled slightly and said softly:
"Because I still have my own purpose."
His voice was deep and magnetic.
"I just want to see, in my limited life, what kind of person this so-called Aozaki really is."
Aizen's eyes suddenly became somewhat cold, as if a trace of dissatisfaction with Aozaki had arisen.
"To be honest, I'm a little disappointed."
"Indeed, I am more excellent than the original, but such as I can only exist for 'that instant.'"
Aizen's tone carried a hint of unwillingness and regret.
"It's very unfair, isn't it?"
Aozaki did not respond to Aizen's words; instead, he scoffed.
"Hahaha, you're really not Aizen; you're far too inferior to him."
He looked at the imposter, a scornful smile on his lips.
"I'm inferior to him?" The Reigai Aizen couldn't help but frown, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes.
"Do you know where you're inferior to him?" Aozaki's voice was full of mockery.
"Where?" The Reigai Aizen pressed.
"Leaving aside other things, if Aizen were standing here, he wouldn't call me Aozaki!"
"Aozaki" suddenly burst into hearty laughter, a deep sense of mockery in his mirth.
The Reigai Aizen couldn't help but frown; he truly couldn't understand what Aozaki meant by that sentence.
Just as he was about to ask, he found Aozaki's figure instantly vanished.
The next moment, the Reigai Aizen only felt a powerful aura rush towards him.
He focused his gaze and saw Aozaki's figure appear before him as if by Shunpo.
At this moment, Aozaki's right hand was clenched into a fist, his arm taut like a fully drawn bow.
With his movement, a powerful force gathered in his fist, creating a violent whooshing sound as it cut through the air.
Immediately after, Aozaki violently swung his right fist, smashing it fiercely towards the Reigai Aizen!
This punch contained endless power, as if it would utterly crush everything in its path.
The Reigai Aizen's eyes widened, secretly marveling at Aozaki's speed and strength.
Facing such a swift attack, he had no time to react further and could only hastily raise his hands, attempting to block this fatal blow.
But... he couldn't block it!
His hands instantly shattered, and the violent shockwave generated by the collision of Reiatsu spread out.
Inside the Squad One Barracks, Aozaki, upholding justice, held a girl close to his side with one hand, providing zero-distance personal protection.
He felt a breeze brush his face, then looked up, gazing through the window at the rustling leaves outside, blown by the strong wind.
"In the direction of Enrakyoten, has the battle already begun?"
"But to be able to replicate Aizen, the Reiatsu is probably slightly weaker than his state before fusing with the Hōgyoku."
"To be able to achieve this level, I really didn't expect it."
"It seems the materials used are different from other Reigai."
"But compared to Aizen, the body is still very fragile and won't last long."
Merely by slightly expanding his perception, he discerned the true condition of that Reigai.
Not only was its Reiatsu far from Aizen's,
From its birth to the end of its life, it could at most sustain for half an hour, with no further possibility.
However, let alone a mere Reigai, even Aizen himself would pose little threat to Enrakyoten.
After all, even setting aside other abilities, her Reiatsu was still synchronized with Aozaki's.
With such powerful Reiatsu, even without using her Zanpakuto's abilities, she was enough to defeat most powerhouses below Yhwach.