Chapter 46: Where's the Supposed Protagonist?
At 9:30 AM, Seireitei, Sōkyoku Execution Hill.
The Sōkyoku Execution Hill consisted of a long spear and a rack, both dozens of meters tall. The spear was the unreleased Sōkyoku; once released, it would transform into a giant flame bird named "Kikōō," possessing the combined destructive power of over a million Zanpakutō.
The Sōkyoku sounded powerful, but in reality, it wasn't. This thing could only be used as an execution tool because the released Sōkyoku wasn't sturdy; with proper preparation, it could be destroyed.
Rather than being the most powerful Zanpakutō in Soul Society, the Sōkyoku was more a symbol of authority. Any Shinigami who dared to violate Seireitei's rules would die under the Sōkyoku.
Rukia stood below the execution platform. Behind her were several guards from the Repentance Prison, and not far away were several Captain or Vice-Captain-level Shinigami.
As a member of the Kuchiki family, even if she was an adopted daughter, executing her was no small matter. Therefore, Genryūsai Yamamoto personally attended.
The execution was scheduled for 10 o'clock sharp, and before it began, releasing the Sōkyoku was the top priority.
At the moment, not many Captain-level Shinigami were present. Only the Head Captain Yamamoto, Captain of the Second Division Soi Fon, and Captain of the Eighth Division Shunsui Kyōraku were there. The rest had sent Vice-Captains, and some chose not to show up at all.
Soi Fon's gaze swept around. Under her Shihakushō, large bandages were wrapped, and her injuries still ached, but as the leader of the Onmitsukidō, she had to be present.
It was only natural that few Captains showed up. The First Division barracks had just been leveled, leaving them with plenty to handle.
The execution was about to begin, and everything seemed calm. But in the area around the execution platform, over a hundred Contractors were lying in ambush. They might have joined different factions, but their current goal was one: Kuchiki Rukia.
Of course, for the Fourth Rank Contractors in the Seireitei faction, whether it was seizing or destroying the Hōgyoku, it was a task beyond their rank.
The Contractor forces present could basically be divided into two sides: one was the Protagonist Team + Kisuke Urahara faction, and the other was the Seireitei faction.
These two sides weren't hostile at the start, but at this stage, they had become enemies.
The main mission for the Protagonist Team + Kisuke Urahara faction was to ensure Kuchiki Rukia didn't die and to successfully rescue her. That was the basic condition for completing the main mission. If they could also secure the Hōgyoku inside Rukia, they'd hit the jackpot, with the main mission reward multiplied fivefold.
As for the Seireitei faction, their main mission was simple and brutal: from the start of the execution until the Hōgyoku was extracted from Rukia, successfully kill Kuchiki Rukia or ensure the execution went smoothly. At all other times, attacking Kuchiki Rukia was forbidden.
One side wanted Rukia to live, the other wanted her dead. The latter, the Seireitei faction, had an advantage in the early stages: a safe environment, plenty of lucrative tasks, and so on.
Of course, both sides of Contractors were aware of Aizen's existence, so they didn't dare to be too active. In other words, they didn't dare to interfere heavily with Aizen's plans—that would be suicide.
Because of this, the plot events had progressed smoothly to the execution stage. If this weren't a large open world, other Contractors would have already caused chaos.
According to Aizen's plan, Kuchiki Rukia would be executed by the Sōkyoku. The Sōkyoku's intense heat would instantly vaporize Rukia, cleanly extracting the Hōgyoku.
Originally, Aizen's plan might have succeeded. Unfortunately, someone had already detected clues and made corresponding arrangements. Today's execution of Rukia would 90% be interrupted. The problem lay within the Gotei 13 itself.
Was Aizen's plan about to fail? Of course not. He had prepared for so many years, so he naturally had a backup plan.
Contractors familiar with the progression of the Bleach plot knew that Aizen's backup plan was their opportunity. Because in Aizen's backup plan, Rukia would be out of the Shinigami's sight for 10 to 20 minutes. That was the only chance for both sides of Contractors—whether to kill Rukia or ensure she survived.
At the Sōkyoku Execution Hill, the execution continued, reaching the stage of releasing the Sōkyoku. Many Contractors were watching, waiting for the right moment.
Just as the execution of Kuchiki Rukia was about to begin, one person arrived: Byakuya Kuchiki.
Half an hour later, the Sōkyoku was fully released. A giant fire phoenix flapped its wings in midair, radiating intense heat outward. This was the released form of the Sōkyoku: Kikōō.
Kuchiki Rukia's arms were stretched out to her sides, with two Spirit-Crushing Stones floating above them, maximally suppressing her spiritual pressure.
The fire phoenix lunged straight at Kuchiki Rukia, its massive beak aimed at her chest.
A mechanical eye floated in midair. This was Su Xiao's detection-type equipment, the Apostle's Eye. He was using it to monitor the execution platform.
Just before the Sōkyoku's beak struck Kuchiki Rukia, a figure blocked Rukia's path. Flames surged. The Contractors witnessing this were not surprised at all, because this was the result of their mutual agreement not to heavily interfere with the plot events. According to the plot's progression, the protagonist, Ichigo Kurosaki, would block the Sōkyoku.
"Finally starting."
A young Contractor crouching half a kilometer from the execution platform spoke. Just as he was about to move, his teammate grabbed his clothes.
"Something... seems off."
A Perception-type Contractor wearing sunglasses pressed one hand to the ground.
"No, that's not Ichigo Kurosaki."
"It's not Ichigo Kurosaki blocking the Sōkyoku?"
"How is that possible? No one heavily interfered..." The young man seemed to realize something mid-sentence and urgently asked, "Is it that guy?"
"That madman..."
The Perception-type Contractor stomped the ground in frustration.
The reason for the Contractors' reaction was that the one blocking the Sōkyoku wasn't the unexpected hero Ichigo Kurosaki, but the Captain of the Fourth Division, Retsu Unohana.
Sister Hua floated in midair, her sheathed Zanpakutō held before her. If the protagonist Ichigo Kurosaki could block the Sōkyoku, then Retsu Unohana, whose strength far exceeded Ichigo's, could do so even more easily.
The execution was forcibly halted. Soi Fon and Byakuya Kuchiki looked at Sister Hua with slight surprise. They were clearly confused. Not to mention them, even Genryūsai Yamamoto was somewhat taken aback.
"Unohana, state your reason for this."
Old man Yamamoto tapped his withered wooden staff on the ground. Fine cracks appeared on the staff, and terrifying spiritual pressure spread out.
"Head Captain, the judgment to execute Rukia is not reasonable."
Sister Hua spoke slowly and softly, completely unfazed by the tense atmosphere.
"This is a direct verdict from the Central 46. Whether it's reasonable or not will not be decided by your one-sided words."
Yamamoto didn't easily trust Retsu Unohana. That was his nature: stubborn.
"Head Captain, I can provide direct evidence..."
Before Sister Hua could finish her sentence, she turned and grabbed Rukia. Amid Rukia's bewildered expression, a giant creature resembling a manta ray enveloped her.
"Not again!"
Soi Fon gritted her teeth, leaping with all her might to get as far from the ground as possible.