Conspiracy Revealed: End Game takes place during the Ryoka Invasion. Captain Sōsuke Aizen is murdered and the whole of Seireitei is in utter turmoil. However, in Conspiracy Revealed: End Game the truth about Aizen is revealed. It is shown that Aizen, 3rd Division Captain Gin Ichimaru and 9th Division Captain Kaname Tōsen are traitors and have been manipulating the various people and organizations of Soul Society to attain a forbidden and powerful item. The culmination of the events that lead to this point would only be the beginning of what would eventually turn into a war to save the world. Ichigo Kurosaki who, with his companions, Orihime Inoue, Yasutora Sado, Uryū Ishida, Ganju Shiba, and Yoruichi Shihōin, is able to save Rukia Kuchiki, a Shinigami in the Gotei 13. But the apparent murder of Captain Sōsuke Aizen of the 5th Division makes all of Soul Society suspect the Ryoka. However, it is later revealed that Aizen had faked his death and was the mastermind behind the whole affair, along with his accomplices Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tōsen. It is Captain Tōshirō Hitsugaya who, suspicious of Gin, unravels the truth.
Prelude
Hitsugaya discovers the Central 46 murdered.
Tōshirō Hitsugaya and his Lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto head towards the Central 46 Chambers and find the area locked and barred. He breaks into the chambers, but to his surprise finds the Central 46 massacred and comes to the conclusion that they had been dead for awhile. He is interrupted by the arrival of Izuru Kira, the lieutenant of the 3rd Division, and the two follow him out. However, as they are following him, Kira tells Tōshirō that he should be protecting Lieutenant Momo Hinamori instead as she had broken out of his barrier and had been following Tōshirō. He leaves Kira to Rangiku and goes back to the Chambers searching for Momo.[2]
Betrayal
Aizen stabs Hinamori and leaves her to die.
At the same time, Momo reaches the Central 46 Chambers and she too sees the horrid sight. She senses that Tōshirō had been there and Kira too. She wonders that if Tōshirō had been taken by surprise, then it could have been Kira's doing. As she is lost in thought, Gin Ichimaru, captain of the Third Division, appears behind her and orders her to follow him. They proceed to the residential area for the Central 46 and he tells her that there was a certain someone who wished to meet her. She turns back and the person who wished to see her is none other than Sōsuke Aizen, her beloved captain whom she had believed to be dead. Momo forgives Aizen, instantly believing that he must have some reason behind his actions. However, as she embraces him, she is betrayed once more as she is stabbed by her captain.[3][4]
Hitsugaya tricked by Aizen.
As the two are leaving, Hitsugaya reaches their location, only to find a gravely wounded Momo. He asks Aizen why he took her life, to which the latter answers that he did it out of sympathy, for Momo would not have been able to live without him. Enraged by his words, Tōshirō then releases his Bankai, Daiguren Hyōrinmaru and proceeds to charge at Aizen, with the intent to kill him, but he is severely wounded instead, for he is tricked by an illusion, and left for dead.[5]
Conspiracy Revealed
Aizen reveals the truth about his Zanpakutō.
Aizen is then interrupted by the arrival of Captain Retsu Unohana of the 4th Division, along with her lieutenant, Isane Kotetsu. She scolds him for his treachery. He then notes that if anyone would find him there it would be about that time. He asks her if it was hard to figure out, but Unohana explains that there is only one place in the entire Seireitei that Shinigami are forbidden to access under any circumstance, that being the Seijōtōkyorin. She notes that if he wanted to conceal his presence, that he would have gone to the length of making such an elaborate "corpse-doll", he would also choose the best hiding place, and there is no place in all of the Seireitei that is safer and harder to find than where they are. Aizen congratulates her on the deduction, but mentions that while her theory is correct, she made two mistakes. The first being that he didn't come there to hide and the second being he didn't use a corpse doll, as he holds up a dead version of himself. Unohana and Isane are both surprised, with Isane asking when did he take it out. Aizen explains that he had it in his hand the whole time, but up until that moment, he simply didn't have it take its intended form. Still puzzled, Isane asks him what he means. Aizen details that they will know soon enough and asks that they watch carefully. He then releases his Zanpakutō and the image of the corpse shatters into pieces revealing he was actually holding his Zanpakutō, which he then drops, impaling it into the floor, leaving the two women speechless.[6]
Aizen and Gin get away.
Aizen then explains that his Zanpakutō Kyōka Suigetsu possesses the power of "Complete Hypnosis". Isane interrupts him stating that it can't be true as he had stated that his Kyōka Suigetsu is a flowing-water type Zanpakutō, it distorts the sight with the reflections of fog to confuse the enemy, causing them to fight among themselves. She notes that he gathered all the lieutenants and demonstrated it in front of them. Unohana then explains that she now understands, noting the last part of what Isane said as being the "Ritual" required for the hypnosis. Aizen states that she is right and further explains the power of "Complete Hypnosis" and how anyone who sees his sword being released just once would be completely hypnotized. Unohana quickly realizes that the ritual relies completely on sight and Aizen confirms that he knows what she has realized, explaining that since it works on sight, the blind are immune to the hypnosis. This confirms that, from the very beginning, Kaname Tōsen has been his subordinate. Meanwhile elsewhere, Tōsen abducts Lieutenant Renji Abarai, who is trying to escape the execution grounds with Rukia Kuchiki. Gin takes out a ribbon and uses it to teleport Aizen and himself away.[7]
Tōsen captures Renji and Rukia.
As the two disappear, Captain Unohana orders Isane to track the defectors and also to inform all the captains, the Captain-Commander, all other seated officers of the Gotei 13, as well as the Ryoka about the defection of Sōsuke Aizen, Gin Ichimaru, and Kaname Tōsen. She then proceeds to heal Tōshirō Hitsugaya and Momo Hinamori. Isane uses Kidō to track the traitors and to inform the rest of the Gotei 13, putting them in a state of shock. Elsewhere, Kaname Tōsen brings Renji and Rukia to Sōkyoku Hill, where Aizen and Gin join them. Aizen orders Renji to hand over Rukia and to leave, but Renji refuses and Aizen attacks him.[8]
Aizen breaks Renji's Shikai into pieces.
Aizen succeeds in cutting up Renji's arm but he still refuses to back down. Aizen is impressed that Renji has become strong enough to dodge, though he wishes Renji would give up as he laments on how difficult it is to control his strength while stepping on an ant without killing it. Renji questions how he could kill Hinamori and Aizen notes that the powerful tremor of Reiatsu was from a Tenteikūra spell used by Isane. He then states that he had no choice with what he did to Hinamori as she could not live without him, as that is how he brainwashed her to be. He then admits it was charity as he originally planned for Kira or Hitsugaya to kill her, but that didn't work and he had to do it himself. Renji notes that he was just manipulating Kira and Hinamori all along. Aizen then states that he has been doing the same to him as well. Renji realizes that the Captain Aizen he knows is gone, but Aizen corrects him stating that the Aizen he knew never existed. Enraged, Renji releases his Zanpakutō and attacks Aizen, who easily blocks it, Renji attempts to attack again, but Aizen blocks it with his bare hand, then takes his Zanpakutō and destroys Renji's Zabimaru, causing it to fall in pieces around him and getting severely wounded by Aizen at the same time, but still he refuses to give Rukia over and Aizen moves in to kill him, but Ichigo Kurosaki arrives to save them.[9]
Ichigo easily defeated by Aizen.
The two of them then join forces to fight off Aizen. Renji uses his Shikai's Special Ability, Higa Zekkō, where he uses the broken segments of his Zanpakutō to surround the opponent in order to give Ichigo an opening. But this plan proves futile for Aizen is able to deflect Ichigo's sword with his finger and instead slashes him across the midriff with his sword with ease. As Ichigo falls to the ground in a state of shock, Aizen proceeds to slash Renji, who falls to the ground as well.[10]
Aizen effortlessly stopping Komamura's attack.
He then takes Rukia by the collar, but is interrupted by Ichigo, who surprises him as he is still alive. Aizen then begins to tell Ichigo how he had planned every move from the beginning for his goal, to obtain the Hōgyoku with the help of which he would be able to surpass the powers of normal Shinigami by merging the thin line between that of Shinigami and Hollows. However, their conversation is interrupted by Sajin Komamura, captain of the 7th Division, who tells Aizen that he would never forgive his betrayal to Soul Society and demands an explanation from Tōsen. He proceeds to hit Aizen with his Shikai, but Aizen stops it with his bare hands and gets away quickly and moves up close to him.[11]
Aizen defeats Komamura.
He then tries to release his Bankai, but is unable to, for Komamura is caught in Aizen's hypnosis. Aizen then defeats him single-handedly by using Hadō #90. Kurohitsugi with only a third of its power. Ichigo looks on dumbstruck, wondering about the vast difference between the power of the two captains. With Komamura out of the way, Aizen continues his conversation with Ichigo and tells him that Kisuke Urahara had planted the Hōgyoku inside Rukia Kuchiki in order to hide its very existence, as Rukia was inhabiting a Gigai that would ultimately reduce her to a normal human. This would conceal the Hōgyoku forever. Just then, Ichigo's comrades, Orihime, Sado, Uryū, and Ganju arrive at the scene, but are rendered helpless as Gin releases an enormous amount of Reiatsu.[12]
End Game
Aizen extracting the Hōgyoku from Rukia.
Aizen then proceeds to extract the Hōgyoku from within Rukia using a technique that was made by Kisuke Urahara that could forcibly take the Hōgyoku from within a soul without damaging it. One other way of extracting it that Aizen had thought of was using the Sōkyoku on Rukia, though this proved to be a failure because of Ichigo's interference. After its removal, he orders Gin to kill her for she was of no use now. As Gin releases his Shinsō and aims for Rukia, her brother, Captain Byakuya Kuchiki appears and saves her by shielding her against Gin's attack with himself.[13]
Aizen surrounded by the Gotei 13.
Aizen then steps forward to kill them, but is stopped by the arrival of Yoruichi Shihōin and Captain Suì-Fēng who incapacitate him as Suì-Fēng holds her katana to his throat. But they are soon interrupted by the arrival of three of the four Gatekeepers of Seireitei (Higonyūdō, Danzōmaru, and Kaiwan), now under the control of Aizen, unable to stop them and hold Aizen at the same time, they are later assisted by Jidanbō Ikkanzaka and Kūkaku Shiba who manage to stop them. In the confusion, Gin is captured by Rangiku Matsumoto and Tōsen by Lieutenant Shūhei Hisagi. The Captain-Commander, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, Captain Shunsui Kyōraku, and Captain Jūshirō Ukitake also arrive along with Lieutenants Chōjirō Sasakibe, Nanao Ise, Marechiyo Ōmaeda, and Tetsuzaemon Iba. However, as the defectors are cornered, Menos Grande appear and use Negación to save them. They leave and the Shinigami are unable to stop them. As they leave, Komamura asks Tōsen where his justice had disappeared to, but Tōsen answers that the path that he walks is justice. Ukitake asks Aizen how he could stoop so low, but he tells Ukitake that he was always too proud and that heaven was always empty, but now he would fill the emptiness. He leaves bidding farewell to the Shinigami and the "Ryoka-boy," Ichigo.[14]
Aftermath
Aizen being rescued by Menos.
After their departure, the 4th Division takes over the healing procedure for the wounded. As Byakuya lies, undergoing the treatment, he calls for Rukia and tells her that he had adopted her on behalf of his wife, whose dying wish was for him to protect her sister, who she had abandoned when she was very young. By adopting her, as well as marrying Hisana Kuchiki, both of whom were from Rukongai, he had defied the rules of his family. He then made a promise to his dead parents that he would never break the laws again. Hence, when Rukia's sentence had been announced, he was not sure if he should keep his promise to his parents or the one to his wife and he apologizes to Rukia. He thanks Ichigo for opening his eyes, that he should have fought the laws of Soul Society, as Ichigo would have done if he had been in Byakuya's position.[15]
Aizen, Gin, and Tōsen escape. Byakuya, Ichigo, Renji, and Komamura are severely injured. Rukia is safe, but the Hōgyoku is in Aizen's hands and would be possibly dangerous for Soul Society as well as the Human World. Ichigo and his companions' efforts are acknowledged by the Gotei 13.
References
- ↑ Bleach Official Character Book Souls, Page 262
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 168, pages 1-12
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 168, pages 16-19
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 169, pages 8-19
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 170, pages 5-23
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 171, pages 3-9
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 171, pages 9-19
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 172
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 173
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 174
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 175
- ↑ Bleach manga Chapter 176, pages 1-21
- ↑ Bleach manga; Chapter 176, pages 22-25
- ↑ Bleach manga Chapters 177-178
- ↑ Bleach manga Chapter 179