Hisagi Shūhei stood frozen, staring wide-eyed at the thunderous beam crackling in the distance, barely able to process what he had just witnessed.
"What level… what level of Kidō was that?!"
"Did a captain come to support us?"
He wasn't the only one stunned. Even Rukia, who knew Moyu's strength better than most, had disbelief etched across her delicate face.
"Hadō Number Four—Byakurai?!"
"Why is Brother Moyu's Byakurai so much more powerful than mine? Even among the Shinigami soldiers, no one else compares…"
As if eroded by time itself, the towering Menos Grandes were obliterated within the thunderous pillar of light, their hulking bodies disintegrating at a speed visible to the naked eye.
In mere moments, those monstrous beings—utterly incomprehensible to most students—had dissolved into spirit particles and vanished into the air.
The radiant light faded, and a stunned silence fell over the battlefield.
"Where… where did the Menos Grandes go?"
"Are they all… dead?!"
Still gripping his Zanpakutō tightly, Hisagi Shūhei stood in place, dazed and disoriented, unable to decide where to release his remaining tension.
Something wasn't right.
This wasn't how it was supposed to go.
And then, high above under the cold moonlight, the air shifted.
A Kōryūmon—ancient transfer gate—opened in the sky, spiraling the spirit particles around it.
"Yare yare…"
A soft voice laced with a Kansai accent drifted from behind the gate. "This is really surprising."
A tall, lean figure in a black shihakushō stepped through with a casual gait.
Short light purple hair shimmered faintly in the moonlight. His narrow eyes curved into their usual crescent moons, a sly smile playing on his lips.
It was Ichimaru Gin, the snake-like Vice-Captain of the Fifth Division.
"I didn't expect everything to be handled ahead of schedule," he said, holding his Zanpakutō inverted at his side as he walked casually through the air.
Not long after, Aizen Sōsuke appeared behind him.
"Apologies for the delay," Aizen said in his usual gentle tone, humility and grace in his posture. "Thankfully, no one seems to be injured."
"The performance of several students was quite commendable."
As he spoke, Aizen glanced across the battlefield, passing over Abarai Renji and the others, before letting his gaze settle on Moyu.
Moyu caught the glance, a slight smirk tugging at his lips, but he didn't internalize Aizen's compliment.
Performance meant little to him.
The elimination of the Menos Grandes had come through the power of the Shihouin family's artifact, not any natural talent of his own.
But the crisis wasn't over.
Though Moyu's Byakurai had cleared the immediate area, the lingering scent of Shinigami souls continued to draw in Menos Grandes from across the city.
Soon, the square they occupied was surrounded again by Menos Grandes of varying forms—each one more monstrous than the last.
Aizen turned away from the group, now facing the looming Gillians that filled the horizon. His voice remained calm.
"Leave the rest to us."
"You've done enough. It's time to rest."
And with those words, the battle became a spectacle—a display far beyond the reach of students.
Moyu walked over to Abarai Renji and the others and observed the unfolding clash from close range.
Hadō #63: Raikōhō
Watching others release high-level Kidō has increased your understanding. You begin to grasp its deeper meaning.
Hadō #63: Raikōhō
Through observation, your comprehension surges. You are nearing mastery.
Aizen faced the charging Menos Grandes without drawing his Zanpakutō. Instead, he focused solely on Kidō, casting each one with seamless elegance.
For Moyu, this was perfect.
If Aizen had released Kyōka Suigetsu, Moyu would have had no choice but to avert his eyes—because even catching a glimpse of its release would mean complete subjugation.
With his current strength, he couldn't afford to be caught under its absolute hypnosis.
Then came Gin's turn.
"Shoot to kill, Shinsō!"
A blinding flash of white light ripped through the battlefield. The air itself sizzled as the blade extended at godlike speed, piercing through several Menos Grandes in an instant. Each one burst into particles and vanished without a sound.
Your Zanpakutō gains great insight by witnessing the liberation of others. Its potential begins to awaken.
Moyu's spirit surged.
Was it really possible to improve one's own Zanpakutō just by watching others release theirs?
It seemed he had discovered another path to power.
The clash didn't last long.
Within ten minutes, the Menos Grandes in this sector of the city were utterly annihilated. The threat had passed.
"They're too strong…"
"So these are… captains…"
"Could we ever reach that level… someday?"
And just like that, the crowd's attention shifted away from Moyu.
His prior display had been completely overshadowed.
But this—this was exactly what Moyu wanted.
Watching the surviving students return through the Senkaimon, Ichimaru Gin retained his fox-like grin, his eyes narrow with amusement.
"Oho…"
"So that's the Moyu you were talking about, Captain Aizen?"
"A No. 4 Hadō of that caliber… even the Kidō Corps' Commander might have trouble replicating it."
He and Aizen had been silently observing the entire time.
"It's a shame he used a Shihouin artifact in the fight," Gin said, tone light, but his smile sharp. "It's impossible to know his real potential now."
"Gin, it's fine."
Aizen lowered his gaze slightly, a gentle, thoughtful smile curving his lips.
"There's still a long time ahead, isn't there…"