In the real world, only a second passed.
The Golden Lion, once fierce and untamed, suddenly collapsed. His once proud, towering figure hit the ground with an audible *thud*. His eyes rolled back into his head, and his once-dominant aura vanished completely.
Aizen gazed down at the fallen pirate with a calm, almost detached expression. "A year in the illusionary world… It seems that even a mind as strong as yours couldn't endure it."
The Marines and pirates alike stared in stunned silence. The infamous Golden Lion, a name etched in the annals of history for his terrifying strength and ambition, now lay motionless at the feet of Aizen.
Whispers broke out among the Golden Lion's crew.
"What… What happened?"
"The boss just collapsed! What did that Marine do?"
"Could it be that sword? Did he say something to it before the boss passed out?"
The pirates scrambled to make sense of the scene, fear creeping into their voices.
"He didn't use that ability against Bullet or any of his previous opponents. Did he develop this terrifying power recently?"
"If the boss had known about this in advance, there's no way he would have lost!"
The murmurs only deepened the confusion and disbelief spreading among the crew.
Meanwhile, the Marines, though equally astonished, were quick to rally behind their vice admiral.
"Vice Admiral Aizen! He took down the Golden Lion without breaking a sweat!"
"He's not just a protector of the G3 branch—he's more than ready for G1!"
"In just a year, Aizen has risen to this level… It's unbelievable!"
Some of the younger Marines gazed at him with wide-eyed admiration. To them, he was no longer just a Marine; he was a living legend in the making.
Despite their praise and awe, Aizen's focus never wavered. He teleported to the unconscious Golden Lion in an instant. Without hesitation, he raised Kyōka Suigetsu and brought it down across the pirate's chest in one swift, clean motion.
Blood erupted from the gaping wound, painting the battlefield in crimson. The metallic scent of blood filled the air, thick and oppressive.
Gasps erupted from the gathered crowd.
"He… He killed him!"
"Golden Lion… The Golden Lion is dead!"
Even the pirates, hardened and battle-scarred, were frozen in disbelief. Their leader—the mighty, fearsome Golden Lion—had fallen, not after an epic battle, but in a moment of complete helplessness.
"He didn't even stand a chance," one of the pirates muttered, his voice trembling.
"How is this even possible? The boss was winning just a second ago…"
Aizen turned to face the stunned Marines and pirates, his calm demeanor unshaken by the chaos around him.
"You misunderstand," he said, his voice smooth and collected. "What you see is merely an illusion."
The Marines exchanged confused glances, and even the pirates couldn't help but stare.
Aizen's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked down at the Golden Lion. Unlike the others, who saw the pirate as fatally wounded, Aizen saw something different. The Golden Lion's body was intact, unharmed.
"You're a valuable specimen," Aizen murmured to the unconscious pirate. "There's no way I'd let you die so easily."
Indeed, while the crowd believed they had witnessed a death, Aizen had merely used his illusions to manipulate their perception. To everyone else, the Golden Lion's defeat was absolute and final. To Aizen, the pirate was now an essential part of his grand experiment.
His Zanpakutō shimmered faintly, its aura cold and menacing. This was no ordinary Marine operation. To Aizen, the world was a chessboard, and every piece—even one as powerful as the Golden Lion—was a tool for his ultimate goal.
As the realization of Aizen's overwhelming strength settled in, one thing became clear to everyone present: this man wasn't just a rising star in the Marines. He was something far more terrifying.