Aizen lowered [Kyōka Suigetsu], his expression serene and unshaken as the illusion dissolved like mist. In the real world, only a second had passed since he activated his Shikai. Yet for the Golden Lion, an entire year of unrelenting despair had unfolded in an abyss of silence and darkness.
Golden Lion stood paralyzed, his once-dominant presence shattered. His eyes, wild with terror, darted around as if searching for an escape from a prison that no longer existed. His body trembled uncontrollably, and his infamous grin was nowhere to be found.
The man who had once challenged Roger and waged war against the Marines now seemed unrecognizable—a broken husk of his former self.
Aizen's calm voice sliced through the tense silence like a blade. "Do you understand now, Golden Lion? The difference between us is absolute. Your ambition, your strength—it pales in comparison to true power. You sought to dominate the world, yet your will faltered after a single moment under [Kyōka Suigetsu] You're not worthy of the title you claim."
The captains of the Golden Lion Pirates looked on in stunned disbelief. The legendary Golden Lion, their indomitable leader, was on his knees, trembling before this Marine Vice Admiral who seemed to exude divinity itself. They didn't know what had transpired, but the oppressive aura Aizen radiated was suffocating.
Golden Lion clutched his head, his breath ragged as he tried to piece together his fragmented mind. He stared at Aizen, his voice a hoarse whisper. "What… what did you do to me?"
Aizen took a slow step forward, his footsteps echoing ominously in the unnervingly still battlefield. "I showed you the fragility of your existence. The illusion I created was not just a display of power, but a mirror to your weakness. You have ambition, Golden Lion, but no resolve to endure true despair. That is why you will never stand above me."
Golden Lion's fists clenched, and he tried to summon his Haki. Yet his body refused to respond as fear still gripped his soul. The confident, boastful pirate who had declared his dominance over the seas now felt like a child facing a monster.
Aizen looked down at him, his tone dripping with disdain. "You've spent decades chasing power, yet you remain blind to its essence. True power requires more than brute force or grand speeches—it demands control, precision, and vision. You, Golden Lion, are nothing more than a relic of a forgotten era."
The air grew heavier as Aizen's **Reiatsu** surged, pressing everyone to their knees except the strongest. Even the Marine Vice Admirals felt their breath catch under the weight of his overwhelming presence.
Golden Lion gritted his teeth and forced himself to rise, his body swaying like a ship battered by a storm. "I… won't… lose to a brat like you!" he roared, his voice trembling with desperation rather than conviction.
Aizen's gaze remained steady, as if Golden Lion's defiance was beneath notice. "You've already lost." He raised [Kyōka Suigetsu] again, its blade glinting faintly under the sunlight. "But if you wish to prolong your suffering, I will oblige."
Golden Lion's captains exchanged uneasy glances, their faith in their leader wavering. They could see it—Golden Lion's once-mighty spirit was cracking, and the fear in his eyes was unmistakable.
The battlefield seemed frozen in time as Aizen's words echoed:
"Your era ends here, Golden Lion. Watch closely, for this is the true meaning of power."
(A/N: Bitches Give Me Your Powerstone)