The Gotei 13 & The Visored vs. Sōsuke Aizen

 is a battle that takes place in the Fake Karakura Town. It involves a large majority of the Visored and Gotei 13 facing off against Sōsuke Aizen.

Prelude
As he rushes through the Dangai, Ichigo Kurosaki notes that he must not look at Aizen's Shikai before deciding that he must finish this with one attack in order to do so. Bursting out of the Dangai and into the Fake Karakura Town directly behind Aizen, Ichigo fires a Getsuga Tenshō at him at point-blank range, shocking the other combatants present.

However, Ichigo is surprised to see a barrier located at the base of Aizen's neck block and disperse his Getsuga Tenshō. As the energy swirls past Ichigo and disperses, Aizen greets him and notes it has been a long time since they last saw each other. Leaping back when Aizen slashes at him, a shocked Ichigo notes Aizen blocked the first attack as Aizen admits the attack itself was good before stating the location Ichigo chose to attack was poor.

Pointing out how the back of the neck is everyone's greatest blind spot, Aizen asks Ichigo if he really thought Aizen would show up to a battle without preparing any kind of defense in such a vulnerable area. When Ichigo mentally curses himself for not donning his Hollow mask before attacking because he was afraid that he would not be able to control its power, Aizen decides to guess what he is thinking and accurately repeats everything Ichigo has just thought.

Aizen tells Ichigo to try attacking him with his mask on and states he will show Ichigo how presumptuous this idea is, prompting Ichigo to do so. As Aizen tells Ichigo to come at him, Ichigo fires another Getsuga Tenshō at him, only to express shock when Aizen appears behind him and notes Ichigo did not hit him. When Ichigo leaps back, Aizen asks him why he is putting distance between them.

Pointing out how Ichigo should get close and attack if he wants to hit him, Aizen wonders if Ichigo is afraid of letting any part of Aizen out of his field of vision by getting close before telling Ichigo this is a foolish thought because distance only matters in a fight between equals in power. Aizen states that distance does not hold any meaning for the two of them before moving in front of Ichigo and placing his hand on Ichigo's chest to prove his point. When Ichigo slashes at him, Aizen moves behind him with Shunpo and asks Ichigo why he is still fighting him.

Aizen wonders if Ichigo has some sort of hatred for him before pointing out how Orihime Inoue has returned safely and none of Ichigo's friends are dead. Asking Ichigo if he can still hate him given these facts, Aizen denies this being possible and states Ichigo is only swinging his blade out of duty because he does not possess hatred toward Aizen before informing Ichigo that this will not work. Aizen compares a will to fight without hatred to an eagle without wings and tells Ichigo he cannot protect anyone with it before stating Ichigo's friends serve as nothing more than dead weight to hold him back.

Sajin Komamura moves to Ichigo and grabs his hands before telling Ichigo to not let Aizen's words get to him. Komamura explains how provocation is Aizen's specialty and Ichigo will die if he loses his composure before revealing they know why the captains in Hueco Mundo sent Ichigo here first. As Komamura proclaims that they will not let Ichigo see Aizen's Shikai, Tōshirō Hitsugaya, Shinji Hirako, Lisa Yadōmaru, Suì-Fēng, Marechiyo Ōmaeda, Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi, Love Aikawa, and Shunsui Kyōraku appear before Ichigo to fight for him.

When Ichigo points out how crazy it is for them to be fighting for him when they are all injured, Shinji asks him what he is talking about and states letting Ichigo fight alone is even crazier before noting that there will be many people who will be unable to control their anger if Ichigo goes alone and is killed by Aizen. Telling Ichigo to not bear this burden alone and to not talk back to him, Shinji states this fight belongs to all of them.

Battle
Leaping forward, Hitsugaya slashes at Aizen, who blocks with his sword. When Aizen notes that attacking him without a second thought is a daring move, Hitsugaya points out how this will never get started if someone does not attack him and states that making people miss their opportunities is another one of Aizen's tricks before admitting that he did not expect Aizen to not use Kyōka Suigetsu with the first attack. Blocking a surprise attack from Shunsui with another barrier, Aizen states that he must praise Hitsugaya for being shrewd enough to not attack him alone.

When Shunsui asks him if he is saying this is unfair, Aizen states he will revise his statement if that is how it sounded. Meanwhile, Komamura tells Ichigo he is grateful for his surprise attack against Aizen because Komamura would have attacked him in a rage over the death of Kaname Tōsen and would have likely been cut down in the process had Ichigo not attacked at that moment. Komamura thanks Ichigo and rushes forward as Shinji asks Ichigo why he did not bring Orihime with him, for she could have healed them and allowed them to battle Aizen at full strength.

Ichigo tries to respond, only for Shinji to admit he cannot be mad because Ichigo brought Retsu Unohana with him before stating this was probably for the best because Unohana is better in a battle than Orihime would be. Telling Lisa, Love, and Rose to come with him, Shinji rushes forward as they follow suit. Suì-Fēng asks Ichigo how long he plans on standing there in a daze and states he will miss his chance if he continues to do so because Aizen will only be vulnerable for a moment. Telling Ichigo to not be mistaken, Suì-Fēng states they have not come here to die before revealing that they are fighting to live.

Suì-Fēng goes on to explain how the idea of them protecting the world is nothing more than a grand idea which sounds nice before stating that they are fighting to ensure Ichigo's survival in addition to their own so that they can protect everyone else from Aizen. Telling Ichigo to not fall behind, Suì-Fēng rushes forward with Shunpo, prompting Marechiyo to tell her to wait up before following her as Ichigo remembers Byakuya Kuchiki's claim that Ichigo does not possess the skill necessary to be of use to the captains of the Gotei 13 before wondering why he is worried.

Ichigo tells himself that he can believe in the Visored and the Gotei 13 captains before reasoning that he can rely on their strength. As Ichigo notes he must closely watch the course of this battle, Aizen pushes Hitsugaya back with a slash of his sword. Landing in midair, Hitsugaya reminds Aizen of his statement about a blade without hatred being similar to an eagle without wings and a blade swung out of duty being useless in battle before informing him that swinging one's blade out of duty is what a captain does. Hitsugaya notes that swinging one's blade out of hatred is nothing more than violence.

When Hitsugaya tells him that he is not worthy of being a captain, a smiling Aizen states this is amusing and notes that these do not sound like the words of the one Shinigami out of all the Gotei 13 who hates him the most. Aizen asks Hitsugaya if there is no hatred in the blade he swings before wondering if Hitsugaya's grudge against him vanished when Momo Hinamori recovered and arrived on the battlefield. However, he is interrupted by Shunsui, who slashes at him from behind, prompting Aizen to dodge with Shunpo and move a considerable distance away.

When Aizen states that this was rude of Shunsui because he was in the middle of talking, Shunsui admits that he is not a very good listener when his opponent is male before claiming he grows bored just by listening as Hitsugaya activates his Bankai, Daiguren Hyōrinmaru. Admitting Aizen is right, Hitsugaya states his blade is full of hatred and reveals he did not come here to fight Aizen before angrily proclaiming he came here to violently hack Aizen to pieces, prompting Shunsui to tell Hitsugaya to not get too hasty and rash in his actions.

Hitsugaya notes that Aizen probably wants to say that Hitsugaya is not worthy of being a captain either if his blade is full of hatred and confirms this before proclaiming that he will gladly abandon his status as captain if it means he can kill Aizen. Telling Aizen he is going to hit him with everything he has got and not give Aizen a chance to use Kyōka Suigetsu, Hitsugaya proclaims he will not show Aizen any mercy regardless of whether or not the latter is prepared before rushing forward. Meanwhile, Gin Ichimaru stands on top of a nearby building.

Noting Hitsugaya's claim of not letting Aizen use Kyōka Suigetsu, Gin states this will not work before noting everyone is misunderstanding Aizen's power. As ice flows from the tip of his sword, Hitsugaya uses Hyōryū Senbi, creating a crescent of ice which Aizen leaps into the air to avoid, before following up with Zekkū, causing more ice to sprout upwards in a spike toward Aizen, who prepares to counter it. However, he is surprised to see Tengumaru and Tenken closing in on him from opposite sides as Komamura and Love attack him.

As Tengumaru and Tenken clash, Komamura apologizes to Hitsugaya and proclaims he will be joining this battle, only for Hitsugaya to tell him to do what he pleases before revealing he had no intention of making this fight 1-on-1. However, their conversation is interrupted by Tenken shattering into large fragments due to a single attack from Aizen, who asks Komamura if he believed he could destroy Aizen by striking him with this power before realizing they hold different understandings of what power is and deciding to show Komamura what power is.

When Aizen appears in front of him, Komamura activates his Bankai, Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō, only for Aizen to cut its sword in half, sever its hand, and wound its side with one slash. The wounds are reflected on Komamura, who screams in pain before attacking Aizen. However, Aizen effortlessly blocks with his sword before slashing Komamura across the waist. As Love and Rose leap into the air behind Aizen, Rose attempts to strike Aizen with Kinshara, but Aizen grabs it by the cord and pulls Rose toward him before cutting him down as well.

As Ichigo watches in disbelief, Aizen ties up Love with Kinshara before slashing him across the chest and letting him fall to the ground alongside the other defeated combatants. When Haguro Tonbo is thrust toward him from behind, Aizen leans slightly to the left in order to avoid it before cutting its pole in half, shocking the Hollow mask-wearing Lisa, whom Aizen slashes across the back. Lisa falls to the ground below as Aizen repeats his statement of all the Visored being botched pseudo-Arrancar before stating that pseudo-Arrancar should not attack the one who originally subjugated the Arrancar.

When Suì-Fēng appears in front of him, Aizen wonders if she has gone insane and admits he had never imagined that the leader of the Onmitsukidō would face him head-on before reciting the Onmitsukidō's motto. Aizen notes all Shinigami learn this at the Shin'ō Academy, only for Suì-Fēng to ridicule the idea of a traitor reciting Shinigami lessons, prompting Aizen to point out how he once taught those lessons. When Suì-Fēng states it was Central 46 who allowed him to do so and claims this is why they were caught off-guard by a traitor, Aizen tells her to not speak ill of the dead.

Aizen notes that the Gotei 13 were also surprised by his betrayal, only for Suì-Fēng to ask him if he really believes she was surprised before creating several clones of herself with Shunpo. When Aizen compliments the consistency of her clones, Suì-Fēng states it is an honor to receive his praise and admits the Onmitsukidō is not an organization where one is praised for flashy techniques before proclaiming she will use this technique to finish Aizen off as a display of her gratitude as all of the clones rush toward Aizen, who begins to raise his sword.

However, he is prevented from doing so when a wave of ice encases his right hand and his sword. As this happens, Aizen is startled to notice Suì-Fēng stabbing him with Suzumebachi before withdrawing it and stabbing him again to activate Nigeki Kessatsu. When nothing happens, however, Aizen admits Nigeki Kessatsu is an interesting skill before revealing it will not work because he has used his Reiatsu to suppress the effects of the technique, due to all battles between Shinigami being battles of Reiatsu, only to be interrupted by a sword stabbing him from behind.

As Aizen wonders what happened, Shunsui rises from the ice behind him using Kageoni while retracting his sword and points out how Aizen cast a shadow on the ice. Aizen curses Shunsui, who moves away alongside Suì-Fēng as Hitsugaya tells Aizen it is over before rushing toward him with his sword pointed forward. Mentally noting Hitsugaya is very young and leaps to attack without any plan once he sees a chance for victory, which he believes is Hitsugaya's greatest weakness, Aizen notices Shinji holding Sakanade and realizes everything is inverted as Hitsugaya impales him from behind.

As everyone looks on in shock, Aizen attempts to grab the blade jutting from his chest before cursing Hitsugaya. On the ground below, Izuru Kira and Tetsuzaemon Iba proclaim that the captains finally did it. Noticing Izuru is still looking gloomy, Iba points this out to him before telling him to be a little happier, only to be interrupted by the injured Momo standing up and beginning to walk away. Iba asks Momo if it is okay for her to be up so soon, but Momo does not respond and continues to walk as Izuru and Iba call after her and ask her where she is going.

Shinji notes that things are finally starting to turn around, only for a shocked Ichigo to demand to know what everyone is doing. Everyone looks back at Aizen to see that Hitsugaya has actually impaled Momo and can only say her name in shock. Cursing, Shinji looks toward Izuru and Iba, who are cut down by the real Aizen. When Shinji asks him "How long...", Aizen notes this is an amusing question and explains how the ability of Kyōka Suigetsu allows him to take control of the victim's five senses at any time and make them see what he wishes them to see.

Shinji demands to know how long Aizen has been using Kyōka Suigetsu, only for Aizen to ask him how long he has believed Aizen has not been using Kyōka Suigetsu, which shocks Shinji as he recalls the course of the battle up until this point. Meanwhile, as the ice platform encasing her shatters into pieces and falls to the ground below, Momo asks a stunned Hitsugaya why he did this, prompting Hitsugaya to scream in rage before rushing toward Aizen. As Shunsui, Suì-Fēng, and Shinji attempt to stop Hitsugaya, Aizen notes they are all vulnerable before cutting all of them down.

Aftermath
As Hitsugaya, Shunsui, Suì-Fēng, and Shinji fall to the ground below, Aizen states he will not kill them and notes they are unlikely to even lose consciousness with those wounds before telling them to lie helplessly on the ground and observe the conclusion of this battle. However, Aizen is interrupted by the arrival of Captain-Commander Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, who appears behind him in a blazing pillar of fire.