[Author's note - Read this chapter in Aizen's voice... If you don't know what he sounds like, look it up, then come back to read]

The Soul Society.

A world of balance, order, and stagnation. From the moment I became a part of it, I knew that its foundations were built on lies—on the idea that the Soul King, that relic, represented balance and peace.

Ignorant.

Peace is merely an illusion created by those in power to maintain their control. A truth that I didn't accept from the start. So I studied, I learned, and I grew stronger in secret.

From a young age, I knew that I wasn't like the others. While they were content with their roles as Soul Reapers, blindly serving the Gotei 13, I had always hungered for something more. I craved knowledge, understanding, and, most of all, power. Not just any power—the kind of power that would allow me to transcend everything. I didn't just want to live in this world. I wanted to control it, to reshape it as I saw fit.

It was during my time as a lieutenant under Captain Hirako of the Fifth Division that my true path began to reveal itself. He, like the others, underestimated me. Hirako never suspected that the quiet, diligent lieutenant at his side had already set his plans in motion. But that was his mistake—underestimating me, just as everyone else in the Soul Society had done.

They all thought that I was just another soldier in their grand machine.

But… haha…

My research into hollowfication was the first step. If Soul Reapers could tap into the power of Hollows, if they could transcend the limits placed upon them by nature, then what possibilities would be unlocked? Hollows were seen as impure, as monsters. But to me, they represented potential. Power, untapped and raw, waiting to be harnessed.

The first subjects of my experiment were the Visoreds. I manipulated them, exposing them to the power of hollowfication, and watched as they slowly transformed. I observed them with fascination, marveling at how easily they succumbed to their new forms. Hirako, Mashiro, and the others—they were nothing more than pawns in my greater plan. Their suffering was necessary for my growth.

But… this was only the beginning.

The Hōgyoku—the object of my obsession, the key to everything. I had known of its existence for some time, but it wasn't until I discovered Kisuke Urahara's involvement that I truly understood its potential. Urahara, despite his brilliance, had failed to realize the full scope of what the Hōgyoku could do. He had hidden it, fearing its power. But I had no such fears.

Power is meant to be wielded.

I bided my time, waiting for the perfect moment to claim the Hōgyoku as my own. The Soul Society was in turmoil after the events of the hollowfication incident, and I knew that I could exploit that chaos to my advantage. With Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tōsen by my side, I was untouchable. They were loyal to me, though for different reasons. Gin's motives were his own, twisted and complex, but his skills were undeniable. As for Tōsen, he was driven by a sense of justice that I found easy to manipulate.

They were useful tools.

I orchestrated my plans carefully. The Central 46, the so-called rulers of the Soul Society, were mere obstacles in my path. Eliminating them was simple—an amusing footnote in my grand design. Their deaths went unnoticed for some time, allowing me to assume complete control over the governing body of the Soul Society without anyone suspecting a thing.

But there was still one final revelation left…

Faking my death was necessary. I needed to distance myself from the Soul Society, to remove any lingering ties that might slow me down. The sight of my 'corpse' hanging in the air was a masterpiece of deception, and the shock it caused spread throughout the ranks of the Gotei 13 like wildfire. They believed that I, Sōsuke Aizen, had been murdered.

They were wrong.

When the time came, I revealed myself, alongside Gin and Tōsen, to the stunned onlookers. The moment was perfect. As I held Rukia in my grasp, the Hōgyoku now in my possession, I saw the fear in their eyes. They had never seen the true face of betrayal, not like this.

But they would remember it.

My manipulation of events surrounding Rukia's execution was flawless. I set the pieces in motion, ensuring that every player would act according to my plan. The Ryoka invasion, the captains' confusion, the chaos—it was all exactly as I intended. And when the time came, I revealed the truth to them all. I had been in control from the very beginning.

The look on their faces when they realized what I had done—Hirako, Ukitake, Kyoraku—it was priceless. They had thought themselves protectors, heroes, and yet they were nothing more than puppets, dancing to my strings. Even the mighty Yamamoto, the leader of the Gotei 13, had been fooled.

With my newfound power, I transcended the need for their approval or their loyalty. The Soul Society was no longer my concern. I had my sights set on a much greater prize—the power of the gods themselves.

I ascended into Hueco Mundo, the realm of the Hollows, leaving the Soul Society to reel in the wake of my departure. But I knew that they would come for me eventually. Ichigo Kurosaki, that boy with the strange and unpredictable power, would be the first to try. His journey had only just begun, but I already saw in him the potential to serve my purpose.

Hueco Mundo. A desolate, barren world filled with creatures whose very existence was a mockery of balance. The Hollows, trapped between worlds, desperate and hungry for power, were the perfect subjects for my research. They were weak, but with the right manipulation, they could become something far more.

Las Noches, my new seat of power, was a fortress as cold and unforgiving as the desert that surrounded it. The vast white sands stretched endlessly beneath the eternal night sky, and in that emptiness, I began to build my empire.

The Espada were my lieutenants, but more than that, they were experiments in evolution. Each one had been carefully chosen for their potential. I offered them power beyond their wildest dreams—the ability to transcend their Hollow nature and achieve a new form of existence as Arrancar. I watched with fascination as they tore off their masks and assumed humanoid forms, gaining strength, intelligence, and, most importantly, the ability to serve me.

Each of the Espada had their own personality, their own desires. Grimmjow's thirst for battle and defiance amused me. He believed himself to be strong, and he was—stronger than most—but still nothing compared to what I would become. Ulquiorra, on the other hand, was loyal because of his cold detachment from emotion. His belief in the futility of human desires made him a perfect tool. But tools are all they were.

In the end, it didn't matter what their motivations were. They would do as I commanded, and that was all that mattered.

My ambition did not stop with the Espada, though. My ultimate goal was far beyond Hueco Mundo, beyond the Soul Society. I desired the power of the Soul King himself. For too long, the Soul King had existed as a symbol of balance, a stagnant ruler overseeing a broken system. That system needed to be torn down, and I would be the one to do it.

But for that, I needed more power. The Hōgyoku was still dormant, still incomplete. I had fused it with my body, allowing it to slowly awaken, but it required a catalyst. And that's where Ichigo Kurosaki came in.

I had been watching Ichigo since the moment he appeared in the Soul Society. A human with spiritual powers, wielding a Zanpakutō of considerable strength—he was an anomaly. And anomalies always interested me.

At first, he seemed nothing more than a boy who had stumbled upon powers he didn't understand. He lacked discipline, control, and even basic knowledge of the spiritual world. But as I observed him, I realized that there was something different about him, something... unpredictable.

Each time he faced a stronger opponent, Ichigo grew more powerful, adapting and overcoming challenges that should have crushed him. His potential seemed limitless, and that made him dangerous—but also useful.

I manipulated events to ensure that Ichigo would continue to grow. Every battle he fought, every victory he achieved, was a step toward his inevitable confrontation with me. I needed him to reach his peak, to fully awaken the latent powers within him, for only then would the Hōgyoku recognize its true master.

I tested him through my subordinates. The Arrancar, the Espada—each encounter was a trial designed to push Ichigo further. Grimmjow's battles with him were particularly telling. Grimmjow fought with raw aggression, believing himself superior to Ichigo. But even he was forced to acknowledge that Ichigo was evolving with each fight.

Then there was Ulquiorra. I sent him to face Ichigo, knowing that their clash would be pivotal. Ulquiorra's cold detachment and overwhelming strength were the perfect contrast to Ichigo's fiery determination. I watched as Ichigo pushed himself to the brink of death, only to transcend his limits once again. His Hollow form emerged, more powerful and terrifying than anything I had seen before.

It was perfect.

Ichigo's Hollow side intrigued me. It was a manifestation of his true potential, the raw, uncontrolled power that lay within him. He was a fusion of Shinigami and Hollow, just as I was. But unlike him, I had control. I had direction.

Ichigo was still bound by his human emotions—his attachments to his friends, his family. These weaknesses would be his downfall, but for now, they served my purposes.

---

The time had come to enact the final phase of my plan. I no longer had any use for Hueco Mundo. My goal now lay in the World of the Living, where I would create the Ōken, the key to entering the Soul King's palace. Karakura Town was the perfect location. Its spiritual density would allow me to create the Ōken and ascend to the throne of the gods.

I led the Espada into battle, fully aware that the Gotei 13 would not stand idly by. They had gathered their forces, prepared to defend the World of the Living, but it was all futile. The real Karakura Town had already been replaced with a replica in Soul Society, a minor distraction to keep the captains occupied while I set my true plans into motion.

The battle that unfolded was nothing more than a formality. The captains of the Gotei 13 fought valiantly, but they were no match for the Espada. One by one, the lieutenants fell, their efforts meaningless in the face of the overwhelming power I had gathered.

Gin and Tōsen stood by my side, watching as the Soul Reapers struggled to defend their precious town. Tōsen, always driven by his sense of justice, was particularly eager to see them fall. But even he was blind to the fact that in the end, justice was just another form of control, another tool to manipulate the weak.

And then there was Ichigo.

He arrived, as I knew he would, along with his allies—Rukia, Renji, and the others. They fought bravely, but it was clear that they were outmatched. Ichigo, despite his growth, was still not ready to face me. I allowed him to continue fighting, knowing that each clash would push him closer to his ultimate potential.

But something unexpected happened.

As the battle raged on, I began to sense something unusual. The captains of the Gotei 13, who had been on the defensive for so long, suddenly found renewed strength. The Ryoka, those humans with spiritual power, were proving to be more resilient than I had anticipated.

Kurosaki Isshin, Ichigo's father, appeared from nowhere, revealing himself to be a former captain of the Gotei 13. He was stronger than I had expected, and his presence complicated matters. Then there was Ryūken Ishida, the Quincy, and Urahara Kisuke, always the wild card. Together, they formed a formidable team, one that I had not accounted for.

Still, they were nothing more than distractions.

Ichigo's strength continued to grow, but it was not enough. He still lacked the power to defeat me. The Hōgyoku was now fully integrated into my being, and with it, I had surpassed the limits of both Shinigami and Hollow. I was something new, something greater. No one could stand in my way—not Yamamoto, not Ichigo, not even the Soul King himself.

But just as I was about to claim victory, something changed.

Ichigo had disappeared, and when he returned, he was different. His spiritual pressure, once chaotic and uncontrolled, had vanished completely. In its place was a calm, overwhelming presence—a power that even I could not ignore.

Ichigo Kurosaki, now in his final form, stood before me. His eyes were calm, his movements precise. There was no hesitation, no doubt. He had transcended the limits of both human and Shinigami, just as I had.

For the first time, I felt... something. Was it fear? No, it couldn't be. I was Sōsuke Aizen, the one who had orchestrated everything, who had transcended all boundaries. And yet, in that moment, I realized that Ichigo had surpassed me.

The battle that followed was unlike anything I had ever experienced. Ichigo's speed was beyond comprehension, his strength overwhelming. Every strike he delivered sent shockwaves through the air, and for the first time in my life, I found myself on the defensive.

I pushed the Hōgyoku further, drawing on its power to evolve even more, but it was not enough. Each time I adapted, Ichigo responded with even greater strength. It was as if he had become something entirely different, something beyond my understanding.

And then, in a final, decisive blow, he struck me down.

As I fell, the reality of my situation began to sink in. Ichigo Kurosaki, a mere human, had done what no one else could. He had brought me to my knees, struck me down with a power so immense, so incomprehensible, that even the Hōgyoku, with all its potential, could not keep pace.

I could feel the weight of defeat pressing down on me, my body struggling to move as the dust settled around us. This was a sensation I had never experienced before—being overpowered, outmatched. For so long, I had considered myself invincible, untouchable. But now, for the first time, I was faced with the undeniable truth.

I had lost.

And yet, even in that moment, even as I felt the crushing blow of defeat, my mind raced. How? How had it come to this? I had anticipated every move, manipulated every event, and yet here I was, on the ground, powerless before a boy who had been nothing more than a pawn in my grand plan.

It was then that I felt it—the Hōgyoku, stirring within me. I could sense its confusion, its frustration. The Hōgyoku had chosen me as its master, had granted me the power to transcend all boundaries. And yet, it had failed. It had failed because I had failed.

But the Hōgyoku was not done with me yet.

Before I could fully comprehend what was happening, Urahara Kisuke stepped forward, his eyes calm. He had always been a nuisance, a thorn in my side, but now I realized the full extent of his brilliance.

As he activated the sealing kido, I could feel its power wrapping around me, binding me in place. The Hōgyoku, sensing the threat, reacted violently, but it was too late. Urahara's trap had been perfectly laid, and I had walked right into it.

The seal closed around me, and I felt the Hōgyoku's power being suppressed, its influence over my body weakening. My mind raced, searching for a way out, but there was none. Urahara had won.

Even as the seal tightened, I refused to accept defeat. I was Sōsuke Aizen. I had manipulated the entire Soul Society, orchestrated events far beyond their comprehension. I had transcended the limits of both Shinigami and Hollow. How could I, with all my power, be brought down by mere humans?

But no matter how much I struggled, no matter how much I willed the Hōgyoku to respond, it was over.

I was sealed.

And so… the great Sōsuke Aizen, who had once sought to reshape the world in his image, was imprisoned. Bound by Urahara's sealing kido, I was cast into the depths of the Soul Society's most secure prison, Muken—the space of complete nothingness.

---

The silence was overwhelming. Muken was a place where time had no meaning, where darkness stretched on forever. There was no sound, no light, no presence but my own. For most, this would be a fate worse than death, a punishment designed to break the mind, to strip away all sense of self.

But for me, it was a reprieve.

In the solitude of my imprisonment, I reflected on my failures, on the miscalculations that had led me here. The Hōgyoku had rejected me in the end, sensing that I was not yet worthy of the godhood I sought. But that was a temporary setback. Even now, I could feel its power, dormant within me, waiting for the right moment to awaken once more.

I spent years in that darkness, thinking, planning. I had been brought low, yes, but I was not defeated. I had learned one important lesson from my time in Hueco Mundo and my encounters with Ichigo Kurosaki: power alone is not enough.

To truly transcend, one must understand the nature of existence itself.

--

It was during my time in Muken that the world outside began to change. I could sense the disturbances in the spiritual fabric of the Soul Society, even from my prison. The Quincy king, Yhwach, had returned, and with him came the war that would shake the very foundations of reality.

Yhwach was unlike any foe the Soul Society had faced before. His power was absolute, his control over the future unparalleled. And yet, as I sat in the depths of Muken, I could not help but feel a strange sense of anticipation.

Yhwach's goal was not so different from mine. He, too, sought to overthrow the Soul King, to reshape the world in his own image. But where I had sought to transcend the limitations of both Shinigami and Hollow, Yhwach sought to absorb all power into himself, to become the ultimate being.

It was... interesting.

The day came when Yhwach's forces breached Muken, and I found myself face to face with the Quincy king himself. He had come to offer me an alliance, to grant me freedom in exchange for my loyalty. He believed that I would serve him, that I would bow to his vision of the future.

He was a fool.

I refused, of course. Yhwach may have been powerful, but I would never serve anyone. My ambitions were far greater than his, and I had no intention of playing second to a man who thought himself a god. Yhwach, in his arrogance, did not understand that power is not something to be hoarded, but something to be transcended.

In the end, Yhwach left me where I was, confident that he did not need my help to achieve his goals. But I knew better. I had seen what true power looked like, and Yhwach, for all his strength, was not it.

The war between the Quincy and the Soul Reapers raged on, but I remained in Muken, watching, waiting. I could feel the ripples of battle, the clash of spiritual pressures, and the slow but inevitable collapse of the Soul Society.

It was during the final stages of the war that I was freed. Yhwach, having absorbed the Soul King, was preparing to reshape the very fabric of reality, and the Soul Society, in its desperation, sought my help.

They came to me, the same captains and lieutenants who had once condemned me, now begging for my assistance. It was... amusing.

I agreed, of course, but not out of any sense of loyalty or desire to save the Soul Society. No, I had my own reasons for fighting Yhwach. His vision of the future was flawed, his understanding of power limited. He believed that by absorbing the Soul King, he had achieved godhood, but he was wrong.

As I joined the final battle, I faced Yhwach once more, and for the first time, I felt the thrill of uncertainty. His power was immense, his control over the future absolute. But even so, I knew that he could not win. His arrogance, his belief in his own invincibility, would be his downfall.

In the end, it was Ichigo Kurosaki who delivered the final blow, just as I had expected. Yhwach, in his overconfidence, had failed to account for Ichigo's unpredictable nature, and that was his undoing.

And so, the war came to an end, and Yhwach, the self-proclaimed god, was defeated.

With the war over and the Soul Society saved, I returned to my imprisonment. But this time, I did not view it as a defeat. I had learned much from my encounters with Yhwach, from my battles with Ichigo Kurosaki. The nature of power, the limits of control—it was all becoming clear to me.

The Hōgyoku still resided within me, its power dormant, waiting for the right moment to awaken once more. I knew that my time would come again. The Soul Society, the World of the Living, even Hueco Mundo—they were all mere stepping stones on my path to true transcendence.

For now, I would wait. I would bide my time, watching as the world continued to turn. But I knew that eventually, the opportunity would present itself. And when it did, I would not hesitate.

I would become the god that I was always meant to be.

---

Time. An endless cycle, a constant flow of moments that most people are prisoners to. But for me, here in Muken, time had no meaning. I could not tell if years, decades, or even centuries had passed. The darkness, the silence—it stretched on without end. And yet, I did not despair. I was patient.

My mind remained sharp, calculating, always working. I had long since stopped pondering over my defeat at the hands of Ichigo Kurosaki. That moment was nothing but a brief detour on the path toward my true goal. He had served his purpose—he had shown me the flaws in my strategy and, more importantly, the path toward perfection.

The Soul Society had locked me away, foolishly believing that they had removed the greatest threat to their fragile existence. But they did not understand the truth. Their victory had been temporary, an illusion that I allowed them to bask in.

The Hōgyoku still resided within me, dormant but present. I could feel it in the depths of my being, waiting for the right time to stir once again. It had rejected me in that final moment because I had not yet understood the true nature of transcendence. Power alone was not enough. Control over others, over life and death—that was not the path to godhood. I needed something more.

In the silence of Muken, I reflected on the events that had led me here. My time as a captain of the Gotei 13 seemed so distant now, a fleeting chapter in the grand scheme of things. I had manipulated the entire Soul Society, orchestrated the rise of the Espada, and even taken steps toward overthrowing the Soul King itself. And yet, something had been missing.

For so long, I had believed that I could control everything. My power, my intellect—they had set me apart from the rest. I had viewed others as mere pawns in my grand game. Even Gin Ichimaru, with all his cunning, had been nothing more than a tool, a piece on the board that I could discard when the time came. But was that truly the nature of godhood?

Ichigo Kurosaki had been different. He had shattered my illusions in ways that I had not anticipated. His power had grown beyond my expectations, but it was not just his strength that had unsettled me. It was his will. In that final battle, he had fought not just for himself, but for the world, for his friends, for something greater than mere power.

That was what I had been missing. The will to transcend.

I had sought to rise above the limits of Shinigami and Hollow, to become a god by force, by manipulating the world around me. But in doing so, I had failed to grasp the essence of what it truly meant to be a god.

In the void of Muken, I began to understand. True godhood was not about domination. It was about transcending the very concepts of life, death, power, and control. It was about understanding the fabric of reality itself and becoming one with it. I had sought to reshape the world in my image, but a true god does not need to impose their will on the world. A true god is the world.

The Hōgyoku stirred within me.

It was subtle at first, a faint pulse deep within my soul, like a whisper at the edge of my consciousness. But as time passed, the sensation grew stronger. I could feel it, almost as if the Hōgyoku was responding to my newfound understanding. It was as if the very fabric of my being was beginning to shift.

For so long, I had viewed the Hōgyoku as a tool, a means to an end. But now, I understood that it was something far more profound. The Hōgyoku was not just an artifact of power; it was a catalyst for evolution. It responded to the desires of those who wielded it, but only if those desires were aligned with the essence of transcendence itself.

My failure to control it had been due to my arrogance. I had sought to bend it to my will, to use it as a weapon in my quest for godhood. But the Hōgyoku could not be controlled in such a manner. It was not a weapon. It was a mirror, reflecting the deepest truths of the soul.

And now, as I continued to meditate in the silence of Muken, Suddenly it happened: No flashy transformations, no strange pulsations, no eureka of enlightenment... I simply felt it—Everything.

To this day, as I ponder my memories, I still find the suddenness of it all surprising. One second, I'm contemplating my inadequacies, and the next second, they're gone.

I felt such an overwhelming power within me; I was beyond Jubilant. All I've ever worked for was suddenly handed to me with a simple change in perspectives, it was... utterly fascinating.

But then... 

I felt it; something felt… wrong.

There was a strange sensation creeping into the edges of my consciousness, something I hadn't felt before. It was as though the world itself was reacting to me, pushing back, rejecting my presence. The air around me grew heavier, denser, as if the very fabric of the universe was straining against my existence.

I had finally transcended, yes, but it seemed I had gone too far.

The pressure continued to build, an unseen force pressing down on me from all sides. My spiritual energy, once so perfectly controlled, now felt distorted, unsteady. It was as though the universe itself—the realms of Soul Society, Hueco Mundo, and the World of the Living—was fighting against me, rejecting the idea that someone like me could exist within its boundaries.

I could sense the laws of reality fraying around me, not because of anything I was doing, but because of what I had become. I had grown too large for this world. My very existence was warping the space around me.

I could feel the realms shifting, as though trying to spit me out.

The fabric of the universe began to crack. I could see it—literal tears in the air around me, flickering like broken glass as they shimmered in and out of existence. These cracks weren't the result of my will or power. They were caused by the universe itself, as it struggled to contain something it was never meant to house.

I had become too powerful, too large, too complex for this world. My presence alone was threatening to tear apart the very structure of reality.

I smiled at the irony. I had spent so long striving to transcend the limits of this world, to control it, to bend it to my will. And now, having achieved godhood, the world could no longer bear my existence.

How Intriguing.

The rejection grew stronger. The more I tried to stabilize myself within the confines of the universe, the more violently it reacted. The spiritual energy around me began to warp and twist, becoming uncontrollable, volatile. The ground beneath me trembled as the sky above fractured like shattered glass.

The Hōgyoku pulsed within me, resonating with my power. I could feel its influence trying to stabilize my form, to keep me anchored in this universe. But even the Hōgyoku, with all its might, was struggling against the inevitability of what was happening.

I could no longer exist here.

The world was spitting me out.

I had transcended not just the limits of Shinigami and Hollow, but the very fabric of the universe itself. I had become something that could no longer be contained within its rules. And so, the universe was expelling me, rejecting me like an organism casting out a foreign invader.

With a final, violent surge, the universe tore open, and I was cast out.

It was a strange sensation, being ripped from existence. For a brief moment, I saw the entirety of the universe laid out before me—Soul Society, Hueco Mundo, the World of the Living—all of it, impossibly small compared to the vastness of what lay beyond.

And then, I was outside it. 

I found myself in a void, a place of nothingness, beyond the reach of the universe I had once known. It was a space where time, matter, and even spiritual energy held no meaning. I floated there, suspended in the emptiness, cut off from everything I had once sought to control.

I wasn't amused.

For all the power I had amassed, for all the transcendence I had achieved, this... nothingness was what greeted me. A dark, endless void where not even my power could alter the lack of existence. I had surpassed the universe that once held me, but this place was beyond comprehension. My new reality was emptiness. But I had no intention of staying here. My ambitions didn't belong to this void, and there had to be something more beyond it.

As if the universe, or rather, something, heard my thoughts, I felt a shift. The emptiness around me twisted, and for a brief moment, I could feel something strange—a force beyond my understanding pulling me toward it. My senses, attuned to the spiritual, were no longer relevant. This was something... different.

And then, I was no longer floating; I was sinking.

Suddenly, I felt my body become solid again, a rush of sensation flooding back as my surroundings shifted violently. The emptiness was replaced by a violent, chaotic force of nature. Water. Cold, unforgiving water engulfed me, and I plunged deep into an ocean.

The sudden shift in environment left me momentarily disoriented. I opened my eyes beneath the dark waves, seeing the dim light of the sun far above. The sensation of water rushing against my skin reminded me that, despite my power, I had been tossed around like a cheap...

Sigh, I really, Really, REALLY... am not amused.

My body, completely exposed to the cold ocean, made it clear that whatever transition had occurred, it had stripped me of everything—clothes, weapons, even the faint hum of the Hōgyoku, which had once resonated with every fiber of my being. I could still feel its presence within me, dormant but undoubtedly there.

But for now, I was submerged in an unfamiliar ocean, naked, vulnerable to whatever forces had brought me here. I swam upward, my senses adjusting quickly to the new environment. The air was different, the pressure unfamiliar. This wasn't Hueco Mundo, the Soul Society, or even the World of the Living.

As I neared the surface, I noticed something above. A city. Towering steel buildings, far grander than anything I had seen even in the World of the Living.

And then, as if fate itself were mocking me, I felt the powerful current around me shift. A figure appeared above, descending rapidly toward the ocean.

A man. No, not just a man—something more.

He descended from the sky as if gravity itself meant nothing to him. His red cape billowed behind him, and the unmistakable symbol on his chest—the stylized "S"—caught my attention. Though I couldn't yet determine what it meant.

In mere moments, he was hovering directly above me, his bright blue eyes scanning the water as if searching for something. Then, with almost no effort, he swooped down and caught me under my arm, lifting me out of the water as though I were no more than a helpless child.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice filled with genuine concern.

For a moment, I said nothing, merely staring at this being who had descended from the sky to 'save me'. He was powerful, that much was clear—more powerful than any human I had encountered in my own world. But his power was different. It wasn't spiritual energy or reiatsu. This was... something else.

He looked at me, slightly confused, as I remained silent. "You're lucky I saw you. You were about to go under again."

Hmm... Interesting. This man, whoever he was, had mistaken me for a mere drowning victim. I, Sōsuke Aizen, who had once sought to control all of reality, was being rescued by someone who clearly thought he was doing a good deed.

"Who are you?" I asked, my voice calm despite the absurdity of the situation.

The man smiled slightly, clearly relieved that I could speak. "I'm Superman," he replied, his voice strong and confident. "You're in Metropolis. You look like you've had a rough day."

"Metropolis?" I echoed, the name unfamiliar. The situation was growing more curious by the second. It seemed I had been thrown into a completely new world, one where even the concept of spiritual energy did not exist in the same way.

I glanced down at myself, realizing the predicament I was in. No clothes, no Zanpakutō, and no immediate way to assert my power. Yet, I felt no need for urgency. This "Superman" clearly saw me as a harmless man in distress.

Really interesting.

"You're lucky I found you," Superman continued as he began flying us toward the city skyline. "Most people wouldn't last long in the middle of the ocean."

I remained silent as I processed the situation.

This world was different from mine. The rules were different. Although that didn't matter. I would learn its secrets soon enough.

As Superman flew me over the gleaming city of Metropolis, the towering buildings passing by beneath us, I could see the people below, going about their lives, completely unaware of the beings flying above them. This world was bustling with life, yet it felt strange. It lacked the spiritual density of the worlds I had once ruled over.

But this Superman... He intrigued me. His power was immense, and yet, it didn't come from any source I understood. He wasn't a Shinigami, Hollow, or Quincy.

I allowed him to carry me through the air, choosing to observe for now. I had no need to reveal my abilities—not yet. This new world presented an opportunity, one I intended to explore fully. I had no allies here, no enemies either.

Superman landed gently on a rooftop of a building, set me down carefully, and draped a towel over me that he'd gotten from who knows where. "You should get checked out by a doctor," he said, still mistaking me for someone in need of help. "You seem a little out of it."

I smirked. Out of it, indeed. "There's no need for that," I replied, my voice calm but firm. "I'm perfectly fine."

"You're not from around here, are you?" Superman's eyes narrowed slightly, finally questioning who I was.

"No," I said, my smirk widening. "You could say I'm from a very... different place."

Superman tilted his head, curious. "What's your name?"

"Sōsuke Aizen."