Chapter 71 - Death (1/2)

From a pile of rubble, Itachi emerged as he lifted a large chunk of debris off of him. Next to him, he could see Captain Unohana healing Urahara and Yoruichi.

”So you've been under there all along?” Unohana commented upon seeing Itachi. ”After getting the Gotei 13 out of harm's way, I came to see if any of you were alive after that attack. I couldn't sense your spiritual pressure at all, Lieutenant Uchiha.”

”My apologies Captain Unohana. I had no choice but to fully hide my spiritual pressure from Aizen while he was under my illusion.” Itachi replied. Over forty years ago, while Itachi was still a student at the Shino Academy, he had placed Aizen under a genjutsu that he would be able to activate at any time one day. The Hogyoku prevented Aizen from falling under any of his genjutsu, but with Aizen being put under it before he merged with the Hogyoku and him not being aware of it, Aizen was fooled into thinking he had killed Itachi.

”Where are the two Kurosakis?” Itachi asked, not sensing their spiritual pressure anywhere.

”They left. I don't know the specifics but it appears Isshin had a plan for something with Ichigo inside of the dangai.” Unohana responded. ”Do you plan on going after Aizen yourself?”

”At this point, I don't have a choice.” Itachi replied. 'Aizen has become too powerful for me to deal with. I can still damage him with the Totsuka Blade but his power has reached the point where if he is not severely weakened, I cannot seal him...I may have to resort to that…'

”Then allow me to heal you. These two are no longer in any life threatening danger so I can restore your reiatsu.”

Itachi nodded and sat down in front of Unohana as she restored his reiatsu. Within a few hours, Itachi's reiatsu was fully replenished and stronger than ever. A spirit's power is increased when the shinigami is pushed to their limit in a dire situation. In his fights against Kaulico and Aizen, Itachi was pushed to that limit without ample time to recover. With his reiatsu replenished properly now, Itachi felt his strength increase.

”Thank you, Captain Unohana.” Itachi said as he got up and opened a Senkaimon.

----

”Gin, the Hogyoku you stole. It does not matter whether it is inside of me or not. For it is rightfully mine.” Aizen commented as he walked towards Gin, the hole in his ċhėst regenerating rapidly.

”Poison of that level, will not kill me. My reiatsu is far too great.” Aizen raised his sword up into the air, ready to slash down on Gin. As Aizen's blade was about to sink into Gin's body, Gin suddenly vanished from in front of him.

”Uchiha!” Aizen said, shocked. ”How are you still alive?!”

Itachi ignored Aizen's question and focused his attention on Gin.

”Uchiha, you're-”

”I watched the whole thing. Joining Aizen for as long as you did with the intent to only kill him, is truly commendable.” Itachi said as he put Gin down.

”I'm curious as to how you evaded death, Uchiha.” Aizen said as he slowly walked towards them. ”Your eyes do not work on me.”

”That is correct. My eyes do not work on the current ”you.” However, the ”you” that was from over forty years ago when we first met at the academy, my eyes could work on.”

”I knew you were always suspicious of me, but I hadn't anticipated you would have planned that far ahead. It appears I have underestimated you. However, this will not change the fact that you do not possess the power to defeat me as I am now.”

”Even the strongest of opponents have a weakness, Aizen. Your own hubris will be your undoing.” Itachi replied as his eyes glowed red and his Mangekyou Sharingan activated.

”You will regret facing me once again, you should have used the opportunity to escape!” Aizen said.

Before Aizen took another step forward, he stopped as a figure landed on the ground in front of him with great force.

”Kurosaki?” Itachi looked at Ichigo who was standing in front of him. He was in his bankai but his attire was slightly different. He now wore a black gauntlet and the chain of his blade wrapped all the way up his arm. He was also taller and his hair was longer than his original short spiky hair, now covering half of his face. With his sharingan, Itachi could still see Ichigo's reiatsu but couldn't sense it.

”Itachi.” Ichigo said without turning around and still facing Aizen. ”We're going to stop Aizen.”

”I'm disappointed, Kurosaki Ichigo. I no longer sense any reiatsu from you at all. Unlike me, you have failed to evolve.” Aizen commented on Ichigo's new appearance.