Bleach: Three Paths, Book III: The Rescue - GetsugaGoon (2024)

Chapter 1: The Ryoka

Chapter Text

???

Night has fallen, leaving the light blue moon above the sky to be the only source of light. There is a large lake, which the moon shines down on, the rays shining even through the dark blue fog, that surrounds the lake, occupying the unknown surroundings. In the middle of the lake, there is a comparatively small plot of land, which houses a massive tree.

A blue-haired woman adorned in a dark blue Kimono, emerald-green jewelry, and matching green eyes walks slowly along the perimeter of the lake, quietly staring at her reflection melancholically. She continues this for a while, only the sounds of the light ripples from the water and the rustle of the grass at the lake’s edge from her footsteps can be heard.

Suddenly, a rough masculine voice calls out to her from the fog, causing her to halt her pace, “It’s rare for you to come this far out…”

The woman turns to regard the voice with a blank expression, “Is it odd…?”

A rugged-looking, bearded man in a black trench coat emerges from the fog, answering, “For you, it is. I would’ve thought you’d want to be at the center of this world, jumping at any chance to reveal our name…”

The woman holds her gaze on the man momentarily before looking back at the pond, not responding.

The bearded man continues, “It’s still too soon for that.”

The blue figure keeps her back turned on her partner of sorts, responding calmly, “I am still in favor of telling her. If we keep holding her back, she will not be able to protect herself.”

The man counters with a slight scowl, “I will not let her hear our name… not right now.”

The two stand in silence for a while, observing the lake before them passively.

Suddenly, the man questions, openly, “What is it you think she needs protection from?”

The woman’s gaze is distant as her eyes narrow slightly, “I have a bad feeling…”

The man narrows his eyes in turn before coldly stating, “She must find her reason to fight—her purpose. If she can’t, she’ll only have herself to blame if she fails.”

The man retreats into the fog, prompting the woman to smile lightly, muttering, “You act cold, but we both know we’ll intervene if she is in any real danger…”

Green eyes stare at the lake, narrowing a bit as their owner regards herself with disdain, “This distant feeling… it’s something I’ve never felt before… and something that the Shinigami cannot sense—Karin included. I would’ve missed it if it weren’t seemingly growing, ever so slightly, over these last few hours.”

The woman stares up at the moon in a yearning manner, “It feels… nostalgic…”

2 Days Ago (6 Days before Execution), Karin’s Room, Shino Academy

Karin groggily rubs her eyes as she sits up from her futon, letting out a soft yawn. The girl then looks to her right, taking in the rays of sunlight filtering through the windows of her dorm room. She sighs before walking towards a door at the edge of the room, walking through to enter her dorm’s bathroom.

As she wipes her face with a wet towel, she sighs dejectedly, “Yet another dreamless night…”

The girl regards the mirror in front of her passively but widens her eyes in shock as she catches the reflection not being her—but the blue woman she knows as her Zanpakuto. As soon as the girl blinks, this reflection is changed with her own, causing her to furrow her brows.

Karin attempts to reach out, “Hey! Don’t think I didn’t see that! What is it?!”

There is no response.

After a few moments, there is a knock at the front door of the dorm room, followed by two familiar voices, “Yo Karin, are you in there?”

The girl shifts her gaze towards the door, calling out, “I’ll be right there!”

She quickly changes into her white and red uniform, turning to regard the mirror briefly before walking towards the exit, “I guess I was just imagining things…”

Cafeteria, Shino Academy

Karin pokes at her food with a bored look as she listens to her friend, Shino Madarame, speak at great lengths about something or another, catching only the end, “…and that’s how 3^rd seat Kotsubaki took me under his wing! Pretty cool, don’t you think?”

Karin nods, the look of pride on her friend’s face making her unable to resist cracking a smile, “Yeah. Sounds like you two have been busy.”

Shino’s grin widens as she suddenly slings her arm around the timid boy seated next to her, “And that’s not all: 3^rd seat Kotetsu felt that she had to take an apprentice as well, so she selected our very own Ryu!”

The boy, Ryunosuke Yuki, shudders under his peer’s sudden touch, meekly protesting, “S-she wouldn’t have chosen me if I wasn’t right there with you… I’m not exactly that strong…”

Shino chuckles as she now slaps her friend’s back in support, causing his torso to jerk forward slightly, “Aw, don’t say that Ryu! All you need is some courage—you’re not all that weaker than I am when you try!”

Karin stares blankly at her bickering friends for a moment, drowning out their voices as well as the voices of the various other students and Shinigami occupying the room. Despite this, the girl can’t help but notice as the room goes quiet, her friends staring behind her with widened eyes. She follows their gaze, and the gaze of everyone inside the room, before settling on a sight that causes her to tremble. There is a large opening at the edge of the room, through which one may see a duo arguing violently in the courtyard outside. Karin narrows her eyes, being able to make out a tall figure with red pineapple-like hair and unique tattoos on his face. She shifts her gaze to the other figure, widening her eyes as she recognizes a much shorter, raven-haired woman. Karin immediately rises from her seat, discarding her food, before walking towards the duo in interest.

She pauses her stride as Ryunosuke calls out to her, “W-wait Karin! That’s Vice-Captain Abarai with her! That means it’s probably something about her brother, Captain Kuchiki… you shouldn’t intrude…”

Karin pauses, still looking at the duo with interest as she recalls Rukia mentioning, “…Captain Kuchiki was wounded during the mission in the world of the living… I’m afraid I’ll be taking on more of his responsibilities as he recovers…”

Karin narrows her eyes as she stands in place, her back turned to her friends, “Alright… but when they’re done talking, I want to talk to her…”

A distance away, out of earshot, the duo are, in fact, not discussing Byakuya, but rather something far closer to Karin.

Renji growls, “My fault?! How was I supposed to know capturing her would sentence her to death?! I thought they were just going to rough her up a bit and send her back…”

Rukia hisses back, “You’re such an idiot! You don’t know anything about the Noble Clans! The Tsunayashiros have always held the Shibas in contempt! The fact that you, Lord Kuchiki’s Vice-Captain, brought her in gave that man all the leverage he needed to convince the Shihoins to be in favor of putting her to death…”

Renji furrows his brow, “Listen Rukia, Captain Kuchiki would’ve done the same. He always says he wants to preserve order… even if it means killing a… a…”

The man can’t find it in him to finish his statement.

Rukia, now with rage-induced tears, deepens her frown, “Is that what you see, Renji? Order? Ryoka are threatening to invade, the Noble Clans are acting behind my brother’s back, and a Shiba is going to be killed just for being a member of an almost extinct race! All the while, my brother is in a coma, courtesy of a Hollow that the Shiba clan has openly stated is their enemy! Where were you when he was attacked anyway, Renji? You’re supposed to be at his side! To me, all of this looks like corruption, not order!”

The man narrows his eyes, looking towards the ground in a show of remorse, although still weakly attempts to defend himself, “I-I… I couldn’t… and I didn’t… I didn’t know the Noble Clans felt that way…”

Rukia snaps, her hands closing into fists, “Well now you do…”

The woman then turns her back on the man coldly, “Shouldn’t you be preparing Squad 6 for the invading Ryoka, Mr. Vice-Captain?”

Renji frowns, his eyes narrowing, looking like he wants to say something more but stops as he notices the woman trembling. Without another word, the man turns around before disappearing with a flash, leaving the area. The woman wipes the frustrated tears from her eyes as she notices a familiar trio approaching.

Rukia attempts a smile, directed at Karin and her new peers, “Ah, Shino, Ryunosuke! I wasn’t aware you were visiting today! And how are you holding up, Karin?”

Shino and Ryunosuke give each other a look before the former states, “Yes ma’am. Captain Ukitake said it would be best if we had men guarding the school, in case of an attack.”

Rukia nods before eyeing Karin, offering something of an explanation, “You see… there were some troubling reports about Ryoka in the Rukongai. It’s better to be more prepared than less!”

Karin raises a brow, “Who would be stupid enough to attack…?”

The girl softens her gaze slightly, “She’s hiding something big… but it must be something very personal, so I won’t pry…”

Rukia continues some explanation that Karin doesn’t care for, merely nodding so that she can hopefully change the subject. In the next moment, the girl widens her eyes, an action that her two friends duplicate, as they all stare at something behind the Kuchiki woman in horror. The woman raises a brow before following their gaze and duplicating it.

Both Karin and Rukia think simultaneously, “NO! NOT THEM!”

By this point, the people from the cafeteria have joined them, curious about what is happening. Nearly everyone in the courtyard gasp in some kind of combination of shock, fear, and horror upon looking skyward, finding a massive ball of fire slam against the Sekkiseki barrier around the Soul Society like a dome. Karin looks in horror as the ball of flames breaks through the barrier, causing it to cave in.

Rukia stares in shock briefly before gritting her teeth and steeling herself, spinning on her heel to regard everyone around her, “Everyone, take shelter in the school now! The Seireitei is under attack!”

Seireitei

A tall, silver-haired man walks through the streets of the Seireitei, flanked by Shinigami on each side.

The man stops his pace before staring at the sky, wearing a smirk, “It’s about time you attacked, Ryoka…”

The man then opens his usually closed eyes, peering viciously at the flaming ball of fire in the sky before immediately shifting to an aggressive stance, holding his small blade behind his white coat. The Shinigami around him back up in mild fear, each of them knowing what that stance means.

The man states eerily, “Shoot to kill, Shinso.”

Sky Above Seireitei

Each of the Ryoka holds onto the small orb, which creates a ball of fire around them. They all look at each other with looks of anticipation, having passed the point of no return. Currently, this group is comprised of eleven individuals: Kugo Ginjo, Shukuro Tsukishima, Yukio Hans Vorarlberna, with the stuffed lion known as Kon sitting on his shoulder, Riruka Dokugamine, Uryu Ishida, Yasutora “Chad” Sado, Orihime Inoue, Tatsuki Arisawa, Ganju Shiba, and the mysterious cat known as Yoruichi. Despite the multitude of differences between them, they are all here now with one common goal: stopping the execution of Yuzu Kurosaki.

Suddenly, Kon calls out, pointing at something in urgency, “G-guys!”

The group turns to regard an incoming blade, striking against the side of the ball, although not quite penetrating. Regardless, this is enough to cause the group to lose their focus, leading to the barrier around them breaking apart.

Ginjo curses under his breath as in the next moment, the orb briefly glows before shattering, causing a shockwave that sends the group in six different directions. Yoruichi and Tsukishima are each sent in their own directions, while the rest get sent off in the following groups: Tatsuki and Riruka, Orihime and Uryu, Chad, Yukio, and Kon, and Ginjo and Ganju.

From the ground below, Kenpachi Zaraki, heavily wrapped in bandages and with Yachiru on his shoulder, smirks wickedly, before charging off.

Squad 8 Barracks

Within the Squad 8 Barracks, Shunsui Kyoraku samples a beverage from a sake cup, humming as his men are in an uproar in the next room, “The Ryoka! They’ve broken through!”

“Impossible! Nothing could break through the Sekkiseki!”, another states in disbelief.

Next to Kyoraku is Nanao, who anxiously fiddles with her clipboard.

The captain’s eyes peer out from under his straw hat as he regards the younger woman seriously, “We need a few more minutes. Take care of them, would you, Nanao?”

The woman nods nervously before exiting the room, passing a white-haired man seated across from her captain.

After Nanao closes the door behind her, the white-haired man slams his fist on the table, shouting, “We can’t let them put that girl to death, Shunsui! She’s not guilty of any crime! This only serves to antagonize Captain Shiba!”

Kyoraku peers out from beneath his hat after swallowing his sake, stating coldly, “She is a Quincy—and evidently a powerful one at that. In the old days, people were killed for less… and do you honestly believe that they care what Captain Shiba thinks?”

Ukitake furrows his brows, “They are corrupt, and you know it! As much as they try to deny it, that Tokinada represents what they are! Don’t tell me you’ll go along with this!”

The other man sighs, placing his cup on the table, “Then what do you suppose we do, Jushiro? Surely not something as reckless as stopping the execution by force. You and I both know what destroying the Sogyoku would do…”

Ukitake doesn’t flinch, responding almost immediately, “We’ll seal it with the Shihoin Shield. Destroying it isn’t necessary.”

The other captain closes his eyes contemplatively, smirking slightly, “The execution is in 6 days… I’m not sure I can cover for you that long…”

The white-haired man widens his eyes briefly before returning the smile, “Thank you, Shunsui. I already have Sentaro and Kiyone started on the preparations…”

The two captains rise from their seats, Kyoraku stating somewhat jovially, “Then in the meantime, I think we should at least make it look like we’re trying to stop the Ryoka…”

Seireitei

Tatsuki and Riruka climb out of a crater left in the wake of their impact, the former cracking her neck, “What the hell was that?”

Riruka dusts off her now dirty dress, responding with an annoyed tone, “Whatever it was is gonna pay for getting me filthy!”

The other girl deadpans before raising an unamused brow, “You realize we’re probably going to get a lot dirtier moving forward, right?”

Riruka snorts as she looks at the other girl, whose white Gi is smeared with dirt, “Well I take pride in maintaining an adorable look…”

Tatsuki shrugs before looking around briefly, eyeing five other smoke clouds in various directions, “We should try and regroup with the others.”

The pink-haired girl is about to respond but stops as a noise can be heard on top of the wall next to their crater. Both girls turn to regard two new arrivals with widened eyes.

The first to speak is a bald Shinigami with face tattoos under each of his eyes, “Lucky me!”

Both figures land on the ground in front of the girls, the bald one continuing, “We were hiding out here because we didn’t feel like being deployed, and the Ryoka fell right into our laps! Lucky, lucky me!”

The bald man points the hilt of his Zanpakuto at the girls, “…but it’s not so lucky for you two.”

Next to the bald man stands another male Shinigami with long hair and extensions on his left eye and eyebrow, making him look somewhat like a peaco*ck.

Tatsuki narrows her eyes, glaring at the man, “I think you’ve got it twisted, Shinigami. I’m about to make your head spin.”

The bald Shinigami raises his brow, “That so? You two don’t look all that strong…”

The karate girl frowns, assuming a combat stance as she growls, “Well then, you two can come and find out just how weak we are!”

Riruka flinches and pales, the top of her face turning a sickly blue, “Speak for yourself!”

Tatsuki gives the other girl the side eye, stating, “If you want to run, I won’t stop you. You should go find the others.”

The pink-haired girl furrows her brows before nodding quietly and turning to run off. The long-haired Shinigami breaks off from the bald one, chasing after the cute-loving girl. However, mid-stride, the man is cut off by an incoming foot coming at him for a kick, which causes him to widen his eyes. Before the kick can connect, the bald man appears between the two, blocking the kick coming from the karate girl with the sheath of his Zanpakuto. Even so, the kick pushes him back slightly, a testament to the force put into it.

The bald man snaps at his partner, “Don’t let your guard down, Yumichika. It seems these Ryoka are stronger than we thought.”

The other man, Yumichika, nods briefly before continuing to chase after Riruka, “I didn’t see that kick coming until the last moment… just how strong are these Ryoka?!”

The bald man smirks before backing up, making some distance between Tatsuki and himself. The man unsheathes his Zanpakuto, holding it in his left hand and pointing it at the girl while still holding the sheath in his right hand, overall assuming a battle stance of his own.

He promptly introduces himself, “My name is Ikkaku Madarame, 3^rd seat of Squad 11.”

Tatsuki narrows her eyes, returning the favor, “My name is Tatsuki Arisawa, a master of Martial Arts from the World of the Living. And I am going to defeat you, Ikkaku.”

The girl pushes her right fist towards the man for emphasis.

Ikkaku smirks as he performs some kind of unique dance, tiptoeing on the ground, before planting both of his feet on the ground and holding his blade in front of him in an almost comical manner, “LUCKY!!!”

The girl deadpans before a tick mark forms on her head, her eye also twitching, “Take this seriously, jerk!”

Ikkaku smiles, “I am…”

The man suddenly launches himself at her without any further warning, causing her to instinctively take a more defensive stance. Ikkaku brings his sword down at her, however, Tatsuki’s left hand and forearm quickly turn a gray color, hardening as she sends her left hand at the blade, parrying it easily. She sends her right fist towards Ikkaku’s exposed left side, but he blocks the blow with his sheath. The man widens his eyes, however, as the girl smirks and immediately raises her right foot, coated in the gray color of her Fullbring, before slamming it hard into the man’s chest, sending him flying backwards against the wall, spitting up blood.

Ikkaku quickly regains his bearings before making more distance, wheezing as he grabs his chest, “You are no ordinary human… your strength and speed are great…”

Tatsuki glares at him, "Well, I had special training..."

Ikkaku looks at the girl seriously, "Tell me... what was the name of your master."

Tatsuki stares blankly and unexpectedly at him, "I suppose you could say I had two... their names were Kisuke Urahara and Kensei Muguruma."

Ikkaku's eyes widen at this, his face paling.

Tatsuki raises a brow as the man rises to his feet, spitting blood to the side and wearing a serious expression, "I must apologize, then. If what you are saying is true, I have dishonored you by holding back… but no more…"

Tatsuki tenses slightly in anticipation as Ikkaku brings the hilt of his blade and the top of his sheath together and cries, "Extend, Hozukimaru!"

The man's sheath and sword suddenly turn into a polearm with red fur at the non-blade end.

Tatsuki reassumes her defensive stance as Ikkaku rushes at her once more, now with his polearm. The man stops a distance in front of her before swinging his lance at her. The girl once more hardens her left forearm and hand, batting the shaft of the lance to the side. However, something unexpected happens in the next moment in that the shaft breaks apart into three different segments attached by a chain within, causing the front segment to swing back and strike her in her unprotected back, slicing through it. Tatsuki gasps as Ikkaku then brings his lance back together, dragging the blade across the girl’s back and back to him.

Ikkaku smirks, "Hozukimaru isn’t a spear. It’s a bladed Sansetsukon."

Tatsuki grunts and growls, "It's deceitful is what it is... I won't lose to a parlor trick like that!"

A tick mark forms on Ikkaku's bald head as he watches the girl stagger and readjust her stance, "Parlor... trick...?"

Ikkaku grips his polearm before yelling, "HOZUKIMARU IS NO PARLOR TRICK!"

The man then charges and continuously jabs his lance at the girl with greater speeds, causing her to back up and parry the blows with her coated gray forearms. Ikkaku then suddenly jabs directly at her midsection with insane speed too fast to parry. However, the man looks in shock as Tatsuki catches the tip of the blade between her elbow and knee, crushing them down on the incoming blow with precision. Ikkaku tries to pull his blade out, but the girl has it in a vice grip. The lance then breaks into sections as the bald man rushes to the side and pulls the chain with him. At this moment Tatsuki lets go of the blade, seeing that she would be pulled with it otherwise, allowing Ikkaku's lance to reform. The man then swings it above his head before it splits into segments once more, which he swings around like nun chucks. The man swings the chained segments at Tatsuki, which move a bit too quickly for the girl to block on both sides, hitting her legs and causing her to stagger somewhat.

Ikkaku's eyes are vicious as he now takes his opportunity to charge in. His lance reforms as he sends his blade at the staggering Tatsuki. The girl suddenly plants her foot in the ground and shifts her body to the left, allowing the blade to pass shortly above her chest, before grabbing the top of the shaft with her left hand. Ikkaku's eyes widen in horror as the girl then swings her gray right fist at the top of the shaft, breaking the blade clean off and flying into the air in an expert motion. In Ikkaku's shock, he fails to react in time as the girl then pivots on her left foot before hardening her right heel and delivering a devastating roundhouse kick to the back of the bald man's head, slamming him into the ground. The man's nose crunches instantly as blood spurts on the ground beneath his face, the ground cracking beneath the force. His hold on his Zanpakuto is released as both of his arms fall limp, leaving Tatsuki to hold the remaining shaft as she looks down at her unconscious opponent. She drops the shaft on the ground next to him, the blade simultaneously landing and lightly clanging on the ground behind her.

She cracks her knuckles before walking off towards where Riruka ran off, "Told you I wouldn't lose..."

Riruka vs Yumichika

Yumichika smirks at the girl in front of him, bleeding and breathing heavily, “Is that really all you have, Ryoka? How ugly…”

Riruka grits her teeth as the man continues, “But I suppose I can’t blame you for being so weak and ugly, you are only human after all. To expect you to compare to my level of beauty would be foolish.”

The girl scowls, snapping at the Shinigami, “Beauty? Get over yourself! Cuteness is far better!”

The man returns the scowl, a tick mark forming on his head, “Of course, a premature little girl like you would think that! You are clueless of the real world!”

Yumichika stops his ranting abruptly before baring his sword, “Speaking any further with you about this would be a waste of time. I think I’ll kill you now.”

The man brings his sword down at the girl, but she manages to disappear with a green flash, evading the attack.

Yumichika glares to his right, at the girl, “Evading is pointless if you can’t attack!”

As the man charges at Riruka, the girl smiles, muttering, “That’s where you’re wrong…”

Yumichika raises a brow as Riruka retrieves a bottle of pepper from her belt, as well as one of the plushies. The girl quickly throws some of the pepper on her face, baffling Yumichika so much that he pauses his lunge.

The man looks disgusted, “What are you doing? You’re even more ugly now!”

The girl ignores him as she sneezes on the plushie and promptly throws it at the man. Yumichika recoils, narrowly evading the plushie, but widens his eyes as the plushie glows a bright pink light before a massive blast of Reiatsu assaults him, sending him crashing against a wall.

Riruka smirks, “Looks like storing Chad’s practice attacks in my plushies paid off! …now, off to find the others…”

The girl starts walking away but pauses as she widens her eyes, turning around to regard a very wounded, pissed-off Yumichika.

The girl pales, “That didn’t knock him out?!”

As Yumichika takes a step toward the girl, she instantly bolts down the path before her in fear, “That was one of the strongest attacks I had stored! I gotta get away from this jerk before he kills me!”

The Shinigami chases after the Fullbringer for about 3 minutes, her Bringer’s Light surprisingly quick compared to his Flash Step.

Riruka skids to a halt in front of a large pit, her eyes widening in shock, “I can’t see the bottom!”

Behind her, Yumichika smirks, “This is the end of the road for you, little girl!”

The girl in question sighs, “I really didn’t want to do this, but you give me no choice.”

The Shinigami raises a brow as Riruka turns towards him, flicking her left thumb up to make a floating heart.

She then points her left index finger at him, “I permit you!”

Yumichika widens his eyes as a weird feeling assaults him, his body turning into energy before being seemingly sucked into the peaco*ck plushie on the girl’s belt as his Zanpakuto clatters to the ground.

Plushie Yumichika starts sweating as the girl removes him from her belt, staring at him with a smirk, “Now then, about where I can find Yuzu Kurosaki…”

10 Minutes Later, Seireitei

Tatsuki tilts her head, questioning her pink-haired partner, “So she’s at that big tower in the center of the Seireitei? And we should watch out for the captain known as Kenpachi?”

Riruka nods, “That’s what Mr. Peaco*ck told me, yes. I don’t really trust him, but he really doesn’t seem like the type to lie…”

The karate girl shrugs, “It’s not like we have any better leads, plus it matches up with Yoruichi’s theory, so I say we go check it out.”

The girls stand in silence for a moment before Tatsuki thinks of something else, “Oh yeah, what’d you do with him anyway?”

Riruka smirks knowingly, “Oh, not much. Just made sure he got what was coming to him…”

Tatsuki raises a brow before shrugging and walking off in the direction of the tower, flanked by Riruka.

Meanwhile, Elsewhere in Seireitei

A peaco*ck plushie is tied up, hanging along a wall. The wall is smeared with a message written in ink with an arrow pointing at him, reading, “I am ugly.” Passing Shinigami sweat drop at the sight, much to the peaco*ck’s embarrassment.

The peaco*ck fumes, “I’ll remember this, girl! You’ll pay as soon as I find a way out of this! I will have my revenge!”

Training Grounds, Silbern

Within the darkened, cold halls of Silbern, one may find a large open area with targets lined up along one of the walls and a grassy field with a fence. Of course, the grass is mostly frozen due to the cold. This area is known as the Training Ground, which is often frequented by the Soldats. Stern Ritters are a rare sight on the grounds, as they, for the most part, do not deem it necessary to train further after being deemed ‘Elite’ by Yhwach. Therefore, the Soldats present can’t help but feel both unnerved and confused at the sight of one such Stern Ritter training with them.

Bambietta swings her sword furiously at the training dummy in front of her, causing it to get sent across the room and nearly into a Soldat minding their own business in the shooting range. Naturally, the Soldat misses their target and spins to regard Bambietta fearfully.

The woman angrily snaps at them, “What are you looking at? Don’t let me stop your training, soldier!”

The Soldat hurriedly reassumes their shooting stance, “Y-yes ma’am!”

Bambietta glares angrily at her sword as she recalls a conversation that she had with a certain Fullbringer, ‘I wasn’t thinking about it that much when I fought, but I do recall focusing my Reishi in the tip of my sword… I think…’

She frowns, her eyes almost having a pouting look, “He made it sound easy, but one wrong move and I blow up my sword and arm rather than my enemy! It’s not fair! He uses my power one time and he’s a master with it!”

A distance away from the Training Grounds, shrouded in shadows, multiple Stern Ritters sit, curiously watching their peer.

Bazz B scoffs, “Training, huh? Figures a pathetic excuse for a Stern Ritter like her would think that’s needed!”

Nearby, a large burly man with a mustache and a star-shaped wrestling mask chuckles, “Oh? I heard you ran away from her with your tail between your legs.”

The mohawk man snarls, “Shut up, Mask! That was only because His Majesty was coming, and you know it!”

Next to Mask is the much smaller form of Liltotto, who stares wide-eyed at the scene of Bambietta, “Roosterhead aside, Bambi is the last person I would ever expect to see training…”

Next to Bazz B sits Cang Du, who hums, “I don’t blame her after losing to a captain the way she did… if this means she’ll be more lethal, that’s only good for us.”

Bazz B snorts, “Yeah, everything will be better until that bitch goes psycho and tries blowing us up!”

Behind the others, Quilge quietly observes the scene with interest, “Just what do you hope to accomplish, Basterbine…?”

All five Stern Ritters tense up as they watch a man with long blonde hair and a white cape walk onto the Training Grounds.

Bazz B furrows his brows, “Jugo…?!”

The Soldats and Bambietta all salute when Haschwalth approaches.

However, the man is quick to dismiss them, “At ease. All Soldats, your training is over for the day. Return to your quarters.”

The room quickly clears out after he says this, the Soldats not wanting to earn his ire. This leaves only Haschwalth and Bambietta, who eyes the man curiously.

The blonde man suddenly grabs the hilt of the sword at his hip, unsheathing it and baring it at the woman, “We will spar. I want to see how you’ve progressed during your time in the world of the living.”

The spectating Stern Ritters all become jaw-dropped at this, Bambietta having a similar reaction, “B-but sir, fighting among the Stern Ritters is prohibited!”

Haschwalth narrows his eyes, “I shall permit it. If His Majesty takes issue with this, I will take the blame.”

Bambietta slowly nods before readying her sword, asking openly, “Can I go all out, then?”

The Grandmaster replies open-endedly, “So long as it is your blade, you can do whatever you wish.”

The woman smirks before rushing at her boss, quickly swinging her black blade at him. He parries the blow effortlessly, sending Bambietta’s momentum to the ground at his side.

As the woman starts getting up, she can hear her former mentor berate her, “Sloppy.”

Bambietta furrows her brows before leaping from the ground, doing a mid-air somersault, before bringing her blade down on the man again. Once more the blow is easily parried, leaving the woman to fall towards the blonde. The Grandmaster sidesteps, allowing the woman to again fall face-first on the ground.

He continues with another jab, “Impulsive. You lack any real finesse.”

The Stern Ritter picks herself up off the ground, turning to face the Grandmaster with a fire in her eyes, causing him to raise a brow, “…yet you are determined. Good. Show me your resolve!”

The woman closes her eyes briefly before reopening them and charging at Haschwalth once more. However, this time, Bambietta attacks the man from the front in such a way that a parry is awkward, so their silver and black blades clash, locking in a power struggle. Haschwalth begins to push back, causing Bambietta to buckle under his superior strength.

The man almost sounds disappointed, “I may not have been able to parry well from that angle, but did you really think you could win in a head-on collision? Foolish.”

There’s a glimmer in the corner of the woman’s eyes as her blade begins to glow with a blue light. The man widens his eyes before a blue explosion comes off the sword, blasting both him and Bambietta back. Bambietta, the less hurt of the two quickly regains her bearings as she watches Haschwalth slam against the wall on the side of the training room. The woman’s right arm is scorched from the explosion, falling limp to her side although still clutching on the blade. Haschwalth coughs as he pulls himself from the rubble, dusting off his scorched uniform.

Bambietta stares eagerly at the man for his rating, but her heart drops when he utters, “I told you, in a head-on collision you lose… you were simply fortunate. Those who experience good fortune must also experience bad.”

The woman looks as if she’s ready to say something but is cut off as her blade goes haywire, violently lighting up blue again before exploding with such intensity that her entire body is caught up in the blast. Shortly after the blast subsides, Bambietta falls to the ground, a charred mess.

As the woman lies once more defeated on the ground, Haschwalth sheaths his blade and narrows his eyes at her, almost hissing, “It is no wonder you were bested by a Shinigami Captain with your level of skills. You’re sloppy, impulsive, and overall weak when it comes to a close-quarters battle. Even a monkey could beat you in a battle of skill.”

A distance away, Bazz B laughs, “Serves that crazy bitch right!”

Meanwhile, Liltotto narrows her eyes at the scene, “Why is he saying all of this? Bambi will only get mad…”

Bambietta grits her teeth as tears of frustration run down her cheeks, although only the blonde man can see them.

Haschwalth continues to bash the downed girl despite this, “You have not only failed to use His Majesty’s gift to its fullest extent, but you are still that same sniveling child I found in that Ghetto. You are unfit to be one of the Stern Ritters.”

Bambietta grips the ground as her tears continue to stream.

Haschwalth suddenly turns his back on her, starting to walk away as he states in finality, “Despite all of that… if you truly wish to improve and evolve, training your Schrift alone will not be enough. You must build your skills by improving everything else, only then will you be able to fully master that dangerous Schrift of yours, Basterbine…”

Bambietta’s eyes widen before she forces back her frustrated tears and struggles to sit upright, declaring, “Thank you for sparring with me, sir!”

The blonde man briefly glances back at her before continuing his stride and leaving the Training Grounds.

Bazz B scoffs at the scene before leaving, heading in the same direction Haschwalth left. Mask looks at Bambietta, briefly stroking his mustache before smirking and leaving as well. Cang Du and Liltotto slowly approach the black-haired woman, who balances herself on her sword.

Light strings come off her body briefly, as if holding her body upright, before snapping, leaving the woman to fall to the ground.

Quilge, still in the shadows, eyes this in interest, “Was that…?”

Liltotto glances between Cang Du and the downed form of Bambietta, before questioning the iron man, “I don’t suppose you’ll carry her to sickbay?”

Cang Du narrows his eyes at the girl, “You could do it… but sure, I will. She just fought the Grandmaster; she is owed my respect as a warrior.”

As the iron man picks the woman up off the ground, Liltotto hums, staring at the wall where Haschwalth was sent earlier, “A Bambi with full mastery over her Schrift, huh? That’s…”

The girl pales, a fearful expression covering her features, “…a scary thought…”

As the trio leave the room, Liltotto and Cang Du can’t help but notice the unconscious Bambietta’s almost desperate whimpering, her hand balling into a fist, “No…! You’re… not taking… Yui…!”

Chapter 2: Heat in Trust

Chapter Text

???

Within a dark, withering forest, multiple shadowy figures quickly stalk their prey—a young girl with long dirty blonde hair. The girl runs from these incoming figures, jumping over various roots of trees as she does so. This continues for a while, the figures closing in on the girl as she trips on one such root, sending her to the ground, exposed to their assault.

The girl’s eyes widen in fear as one of the figures stands in front of her, raising what seems to be a sword-like object above their head. Before the figure can bring the ‘sword’ down, however, a bright golden light rains down on it, disintegrating it. The other shadows back up in instinctual fear of the light, which now has transformed into a bright golden yellow figure with wings, appearing like a fairy. The fairy, who stands in front of the girl, smirks as she raises her hand, launching rays of light that chase after the remaining figures as well, quickly dispatching them.

The girl stares in awe at the apparent might of the figure, who turns to look at her with a gentle smile. The girl widens her eyes as she notices that the fairy’s face has the same structure as her own. The girl takes another few moments to take in the appearance of the fairy, noticing a black tribal tattoo that looks somewhat like a branch trailing down the left side of her face, through her eye. Her eyes are each different colors, her left being yellow with black sclera and her right being green with pale yellow sclera without a pupil. The fairy’s hair is short, ending just below her ears, and takes on a light, pale yellow color. There is a familiar white forward-facing horn that protrudes from the left side of her head, which makes the girl narrow her eyes slightly. She can’t help but notice the pointed, elf-like ears that the fairy has either. As far as attire goes, the fairy wears a bright yellow, furry scarf-like thing around her neck, not unlike what one would find around a moth’s head, and a furry skirt of matching color that ends just above her knees. Her torso is covered by a sleeveless yellow Gi with black highlights at the edges. Lastly, the girl notices light particles occupying the air around the fairy, appearing not unlike fireflies, which are the same shade of color as the bright yellow or gold energy wings that sprout from the top of the creature’s back. The fairy walks over to the girl, offering her a hand, which the girl quickly takes before being helped to her feet.

The girl furrows her brows as she stares into the being’s eyes, “Why did you save me?”

The fairy’s smile widens, and her eyes soften, as a voice identical to her own comes from the fairy’s lips, “Isn’t it obvious, Queen? We can only depend on ourselves. No one else is going to save us…”

The girl, Yuzu, widens her eyes before narrowing them, catching on, “Those shadows… were Shinigami! You killed them!”

The fairy shakes her head, “I did no such thing. This is only a dream after all.”

Yuzu furrows her brows, “A dream…?”

The fairy nods, “Think of that as what you could do if you called my name—our power…”

The fairy then takes off, rising in the sky high above the withering trees, before blending in with the bright yellow moon above.

Yuzu stares in awe at the moon as the voice of the fairy speaks to her, “Speak my name and the bad guys will disappear… but if you refuse to do it, then I am more than happy to take over by force. The choice is yours, Queen.”

The girl’s eyes begin to slowly close as her consciousness begins to fade.

6 Days before Execution, Repentance Cell, Senzaikyu, Soul Society

Yuzu opens her eyes, once more greeted by the darkness of the Repentance Cell.

The girl trembles as she grabs the sides of her arms, “N-no, I won’t! I won’t kill! There has to be another way!”

Suddenly, air blows violently into the Cell from the outside, pushing Yuzu back slightly.

The girl holds her right arm in front of her to impede the gale, narrowing her eyes as she looks out at the Seireitei, “Where’s this wind coming from? I don’t… wait… this Reiatsu…!”

Yuzu widens her eyes as her mouth falls agape, “Chad?!”

Seireitei

Scores of Shinigami are blasted into the air by an intense blast, generating a shockwave. The blast continues like a tempest, tearing through the walls of the Seireitei. The one generating the attack roars as his red and black fist strikes the air in front of him again, increasing the attack’s intensity, and leveling the nearby barracks. Chad then ceases the attack, holding his right arm steady as he gazes upon the leveled battlefield.

Yukio and Kon, behind him, both gawk at the display, the plushie commenting, “I-I’m glad he’s on our side…”

Yukio nods his head, slowly, sweating somewhat nervously, “Y-yeah…”

After a moment, another familiar voice sounds, “I figured this was your doing, Chad.”

The trio turns, regarding Tsukishima, who approaches them nonchalantly, “It did make it quite easy to find you guys, so I won’t complain. These Shinigami also quite frankly deserve it.”

Chad merely hums in response while Yukio tilts his head, questioning, “Based on how laid back you’re acting, I guess that means you have a lead about where she’s being held?”

The tall man in suspenders nods, “She’s in that tower in the center of the Seireitei… determining how we’ll get in and out safely is something we’ll still need information on, though.”

Kon snorts, “Why can’t Chad just knock the tower down or something?”

Yukio furrows his brows, looking at Kon in mild disgust, “Are you stupid? If we do that, Yuzu will get caught up in it too. We’ll need to be covert.”

The plushie sighs while Tsukishima shrugs, “We still have 6 days, allegedly, so I wouldn’t worry too much about it. It’s simply a matter of making new ‘friends’, is all…”

The trio stand in silence for a few moments before their attention is grabbed by an angered Shinigami approaching them from the rubble. The man has black hair and wears black sunglasses that hide his eyes, notedly also wearing a band on his arm to signify his higher status in the ranks of the Shinigami.

He holds a uniquely shaped sword, a large falchion-like weapon with a pick protruding towards the end of the blade, which he levels at the group of invaders, barking at them, “Who the hell do you Ryoka think you are?! You just leveled the Squad 7 Barracks!”

Chad casually raises his right arm charging another attack, “Looks like I missed one.”

The boy then throws his fist at the Vice-Captain, who attempts to block the attack with his blade, however, soon finds himself overpowered as he is blasted across the ground. Chad widens his eyes as the man is caught by another, much larger figure, who easily negates the attack with a swing of his right arm.

Chad assumes a more hostile stance as the figure, wearing a white coat and helmet, stares down at the disoriented Vice-Captain, “Let me deal with them, Tetsuzaemon. You contact Squad 4 for relief.”

The man, Tetsuzaemon Iba, breaks off from his captain, kneeling before him, “As you command, Captain Komamura!”

Iba then disappears with a flash, leaving Chad and Komamura to stare each other down.

Kon, meanwhile, begins to freak out, “Captain? CAPTAIN?! We’re goners!”

Yukio sweats nervously while Tsukishima looks bored—as if fighting a captain is no big deal.

The Latino boy, not taking his gaze off the captain, regards the others, “You guys go on ahead. I’ll handle this guy…”

Yukio frowns, snapping at the boy, “What do you mean? You can’t fight a captain by yourself; you’ll die—”

The boy cuts himself off as Chad raises his left hand and gives a thumbs-up to the boy behind him.

The blonde boy grits his teeth slightly as Tsukishima starts walking to his left, away from Chad and Komamura, “We should get going, Yukio. Chad says he’ll handle it.”

Yukio glances at Chad briefly before begrudgingly following the other Fullbringer.

The captain almost seems to growl lightly, “Just because you destroyed the barracks, you seem to be under the illusion that you can hold me off while your allies escape. I almost pity you, mortal… despite that, I’ll at least try to make your defeat painless.”

“You’ve got one thing wrong…”, Chad raises his left fist, clutching it, which grabs the captain’s attention, “…I don’t mean to simply hold you off… I’m going to defeat you.”

Komamura hums, his eyes narrowing behind his helmet, “I see…”

The captain pulls his Zanpakuto from his belt, holding it in front of him, as he calls, “Roar, Tengen!”

Chad maintains a serious, unflinching look as a massive sword appears in the air behind the captain, held by an equally massive gloved right arm.

The captain wastes no time in swinging back his arm, which causes the arm in the air to mimic his gesture, before he swings the blade downward, bringing the massive blade down on Chad. The boy clutches his right fist, raising his shield-like right arm, attempting to block the attack. Chad widens his eyes slightly as his knees begin to buckle, the captain exerting more of his strength and Reiatsu into the attack. The boy pushes back slightly as a gale coats his right arm. He howls as the gale releases, causing a shockwave that forces the blade back, causing the captain to stumble somewhat.

Chad takes advantage of this opportunity, charging at the captain with his right arm held behind him in preparation for his next attack.

The captain growls, leveling his blade before swinging it down at the boy with great speed, “Too slow!”

Chad, not pausing his pace, disappears with a green flash right before the massive blade slams into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. Komamura clicks his tongue as the boy appears behind him, throwing his right fist at him. The captain blocks the blow with his sword, the clash causing an intense shockwave that disperses the dust cloud. Neither combatant gives an inch as they continue clashing.

Chad grits his teeth, forming another gale around his right arm, forcing Komamura’s blade back before slamming his fist into the captain’s helmet, shattering it, and causing him to stagger backwards somewhat. The boy pauses as the captain quickly regains his bearings, staring back at him with the face of a wolf.

Chad continues to stare at Komamura’s face for a few moments, prompting the captain to ask, “Does my appearance frighten you, human?”

The boy stares passively at the captain before responding, “I’ve seen talking cats and birds, not to mention Hollows. I’m beyond the point of being put off by something so trivial.”

The wolfman’s ear twitches before he responds, “I see… that wasn’t the reaction I was expecting. People usually are intimidated by my appearance and think me a monster…”

Chad’s eyes soften ever so slightly, “Where I come from, I have also faced discrimination for my appearance… I had that in common with my best friend. He helped me look past that and to fight for the sake of others.”

Komamura softens his eyes slightly in turn, realizing, “I have a friend like that, as well…”

There is a silence between the two for a moment, before the wolfman questions, “May I assume you’ve come to save Yuzu Kurosaki?”

The boy nods, clutching his right fist, “My best friend died recently. The least I could do for him now is to protect his little sister from meeting the same fate.”

Komamura tilts his head slightly toward the ground, “You have my condolences… I took you for a group of ruffians, but it seems you fight to honor your friend and his memory.”

The wolfman matches Chad’s gaze, “I am Captain Sajin Komamura of Squad 7. Would I have the honor of knowing your name, warrior?”

Chad nods, “Yasutora Sado… unfortunately I can’t afford to hold back on you anymore. I’ll end this quickly.”

Komamura levels his blade, “Nor shall I… Bankai.”

Chad shifts slightly as the massive arm behind the captain extends to become an entire, colossal, suit of armor.

The captain swings his blade behind him, an action that the suit of armor mimics, “Kokujo Tengen Myo’o!”

The boy exhales before holding out his left arm, electricity forming around it before it turns white, with red tribal-like markings and a large spike protruding from his shoulder, “Brazo Izquierda Del Diablo.”

The two each shudder in anticipation under the other’s Reiatsu, before Chad rushes forward, throwing his left arm at the captain, sending an electrified shockwave at him. Komamura’s massive blade briefly struggles against the attack before slicing through, coming down at Chad.

The boy recalls something during his training, which will serve him well, ‘You hit decently hard kid, but you’re too slow… far too slow.’

Instead of blocking, Chad this time opts to dodge, evading with Bringer’s Light and closing the distance between himself and Komamura. The captain swings his normal sword at the boy to bat him away, but the boy grabs it with his right hand, reeling back his left fist before sending it directly into Komamura’s gut. The captain spits up blood as the attack pushes deep into his stomach before a skull briefly forms in the air behind him. The captain is immediately sent spiraling backwards into the rubble, the massive suit of armor likewise toppling and crashing against nearby buildings.

Chad exhales as smoke comes off his left hand, “That… was La Muerte.”

The boy’s eyes widen as Komamura, still spitting up blood and wheezing, slams his left fist on the ground, forcing himself to his feet, “It seems I’ll have to use that. Fighting you at long range is not an option…”

Chad raises a brow as he shudders slightly in anticipation.

The captain howls as he holds his blade skyward, “Kokujo Tengen Myo’o: Shinjitsu Yoroi (True Armor)!”

The massive suit of armor glows briefly before condensing into flames, which move and engulf Komamura. As the flames subside, the wolfman’s form is revealed, wearing smaller versions of the shoulder pads and gloves from the massive suit of armor. Around Komamura’s neck are two large, black ropes which trail down his back. His chest and upper arms are now exposed, revealing a more orange-ish fur, except for his chest and stomach, which is more of a light tan color. Traces of flames come from the wolf’s mouth and his expression is in general much fiercer than before.

The wolfman holds a smaller, human-sized version of Tengen in his right hand, which he levels at Chad, “What you see is Tengen and I becoming one—besides the Head Captain, for whom I owe my life, you are the only one to have ever seen this form.”

Chad looks down briefly at both of his fists, recalling bygone days.

Chad’s Past

Chad sits on the hill next to Karakura’s river, fiddling with his necklace which has a large golden amulet on it.

Suddenly, his attention is grabbed by a voice calling out to him from behind, “What the hell was that, Chad?!”

The boy tilts his head backward with widened eyes, looking at the boy behind him, “It’s Sado.”

The orange-haired boy grunts, “Are you kidding me?! You got lucky this time cause I was here! You would’ve been killed! You’re as strong as an ox! Why didn’t you defend yourself?!”

Chad looks away from his friend, solemnly explaining, “I promised, I’d never use my fists for my own sake. I promised my Abuelo.”

The orange-haired boy, Ichigo, raises a brow, “Abu… what?”

The Latino boy tilts his head back at his friend, “Abuelo. It means grandfather. His name was Oscar Joaquin De La Rosa.”

Ichigo sweat drops, “How many grandparents are we talking about…?”

Chad ignores his friend’s comment, continuing his explanation, “He was a Mestizo… a Mexican. I used to live in Mexico before I moved here.”

The orange-haired boy gives his friend the side eye, “You said you were from Okinawa when we met last month…”

The tall boy pauses, staring blankly at his friend, “…did I?”

Ichigo’s brow twitches in mild annoyance, “Yeah! Aw, forget it! All you do is talk nonsense! Well, I’m not gonna bail you out next time!”

Chad chuckles at this, fiddling with the amulet around his neck, earning Ichigo’s attention, “That thing around your neck, you always wear it, huh? Is it something important?”

The Latino stares down at his necklace affectionately, “Yeah. It’s important. More important than my life.”

Ichigo awkwardly looks to the side before walking down the hill and suddenly sitting next to his friend, “It looks like a coin from another country… or something. Where’s it from?”

Chad fiddles with his necklace again, smiling fondly, “Mexico.”

The other boy looks to the side, not sure if this is more of the other boy’s nonsense or not, “Geez…”

Chad suddenly gets up, explaining, “We should go. There’s no bigger waste of time than two guys talking next to a river.”

Just then, Ichigo notices an open phone dangle from Chad’s belt, “Hey! You got a phone hanging there.”

The Latino co*cks his head to the side, “Huh? It must belong to one of those guys. Oh well… I guess I should give it back.”

As soon as Ichigo eyes the ’21 min. 50 sec.’ call time on the phone screen, he swipes it from Chad and kicks it in the river, “Throw it away!”

Chad flinches, “H-hey…!”

I hadn’t lied.

I was born in Okinawa and moved to Mexico, that’s all.

My parents died when I was young, and I didn’t have any other relatives.

So, I went to live with my grandfather in Mexico.

That was when I was eight.

Back then, I was a big baby and a bully.

I used my strength to beat down anyone I didn’t like.

Then my Abuelo showed me the error of my ways.

Thanks to him, I learned to be good.

I was really just a big baby back then…

…and I was careless that day.

Later, Karakura Town

Chad wakes up tied to a chair under a bridge along the river in Karakura Town. Multiple goons punch him in the face, taking advantage of his disadvantaged state.

He briefly looks behind him, trying to break loose, “The cable’s pretty thick… I don’t think I can break it…”

In front of Chad sits a delinquent on a couch, with a nose ring that connects to a chain extending to his ear, “Chad of Mashiba, you’re finished. How does it feel? Does the pain make you want to pee your pants?”

Chad casually responds, “Pain makes people want to pee their pants? I’m not feeling the urge. Sorry.”

The delinquent becomes angry at this, walking towards Chad before grabbing his necklace, “Then how about this? I know all about this. It means a lot to you.”

The Latino’s eyes widen in panic as the delinquent removes the necklace, “It’s a souvenir from Mexico that you value more than your own life. So, if you lose it, you’ll die, right?”

The delinquent boy wears a vicious expression as he dangles the necklace in front of Chad’s face, “Then die, you jerk—”

A foot suddenly slams into the side of the delinquent’s face, cutting him off.

The delinquent is sent skidding on the ground, his goons gasping as they watch, “Yoko-chin?!”

The delinquent slowly rises from the ground, pointing at them in annoyance, “I-I told you not to call me Yoko-chin! How many times do I have to tell you—”

The boy is once more cut off as a foot slams his face into the ground, causing his body to twitch, holding the amulet up.

The goons gasp at the sight of Ichigo, “Y-you’re...!”

Ichigo meanwhile swipes the amulet from the delinquent’s hand, commenting, “Thanks for being such a sport.”

The goons cry out as they recognize the orange-haired boy, “Ichigo Kurosaki of Mashiba Junior High!!!”

Ichigo begins rummaging through the delinquent’s coat, prompting one of the goons to call out to him, “Wait, dude! Don’t ignore us! And stop ruffling through Yoko-chin’s pockets!”

Chad’s mouth is agape at the sight of his friend, “Ichigo…!”

The orange-haired boy finds what he is looking for, pulling a phone from the delinquent’s pocket, “Ah! Here it is!”

Ichigo dials a number before speaking into the phone, “Hello? I need an ambulance.”

“AMBULANCE?!”, the goons question, “Taking care of Chad before you fight us?! What a slap in the face!”

Ichigo continues, “Send it to Nishi-Toriya District Two, under the Onose River Bridge. There’ll be…”

The orange-haired boy points at each of the goons individually, counting off, “One… Two… Three… Four… Five…”

Ichigo smirks as he glares at the goons, “…Five of ‘em.”

The goons angrily charge at Ichigo, “You’re dead!”

The orange-haired boy tosses the phone behind him as he charges in at the goons, beginning to viciously battle each and every one of them.

“Okay…”

“…how about this, Chad?”

“You won’t have to hit other people on your own account anymore…”

“But in return, you have to hit people to help me…”

“I’ll fight for you, and you’ll fight for me.”

“If there’s something you want to protect with your life, then I’ll protect it with my life.”

Chad stares down at a beaten and bloody Ichigo, pointing up at him from the ground, “Is it a promise?”

The Latino’s eyes soften as he responds, “…okay. It’s a promise.”

Present, Seireitei

Chad balls both of his hands into fists, staring at the wolf captain with resolve in his eyes, “I’ll defeat this guy and rescue Yuzu, even if I must die to do it!”

The boy holds his hands up in front of his chest not unlike how a boxer does. Komamura holds his blade offensively, waiting for the right time to strike. Both combatants slowly approach the other before suddenly charging.

Chad is the first to land a punch, striking Komamura’s face with his left arm, causing the wolf to spit out blood and one of his teeth. The wolfman quickly counters with a sword strike to Chad’s left side, drawing blood. The Fullbringer slams his left arm into the wolf’s sword arm, electrocuting it and causing it to spasm under the force. Chad follows up with a right hook to Komamura’s chest, forcing him to stumble back.

Both of them regard each other briefly, each breathing a bit heavily before each of them howls in fury, neither willing to back down from their respective vows. Chad jabs each of his fists at the wolf’s face drawing more blood, but the wolf slams his own left fist into the Latino’s gut, causing him to spit up blood. The captain swings his weakened right arm with his sword at Chad, hitting him in his side, which doesn’t nearly have the same amount of power as before, but still does its job of making the boy uncomfortable due to his wound. The boy grunts, gritting his teeth, fighting down the pain.

Chad quickly slams his left fist into Komamura’s stomach, causing the captain’s mouth to hang agape, spitting up more blood. Chad then strikes the wolf in the face with his right fist again, shaking the wolf’s brain around. Komamura growls lowly, bringing his left fist with him in its momentum, which begins to coat lightly with flames, slamming into the side of Chad’s face, making the boy spit up blood.

The wolfman regains his bearing before throwing his sword and left fist at Chad in fury, the boy struggling to deal with attacks from both sides. Chad generates a shockwave from his right arm, pushing Komamura’s left arm back. In his right hand, the Latino struggles to hold the captain’s blade back, the blade beginning to cut into his hand. Chad grunts in fury before slamming his right fist into Komamura’s chest, making the wolf let out something of a yelp. He brings his arm back and does this again. And again. And again. The wolf at this point staggers, struggling to breathe, his right arm starting to fall to his side.

Chad, now having his left arm free, strikes Komamura in the face with it, sending the wolf’s head to the side. He then brings his right fist to hit the captain on the other side of the face before violently punching the captain's head back and forth, completely disorienting him.

Chad roars as he opens his left hand, electricity forming at his fingertips, before balling it into a fist and slamming it into Komamura’s gut, “LA MUERTE!!!”

Once more, a skull forms briefly in the air behind the captain, before the wolfman is sent violently flying into the rubble behind him, a beaten and bloody mess. In the wake of the attack, the captain lays in the rubble, twitching and with pupil-less eyes.

Chad breathes heavily for a moment, the adrenaline leaving him, before stumbling, giving into his fatigue as he falls to the ground, his arms reverting to normal. As he lies quietly, a certain black cat approaches him, peering down at him curiously.

Yoruichi murmurs, “To think that you would grow this strong for her sake… I am impressed, boy.”

There are voices of various urgent Shinigami in the distance, the increase in the volume of their footsteps indicating their approach.

The cat sighs, “Well, I ought to get you out of here, shouldn’t I?”

The cat’s body begins to grow and transform into something else, looming over the boy.

Repentance Cell, Senzaikyu, Soul Society

Yuzu sits against the wall of the cell with her arms wrapped around her legs, her face buried in her lap, “No… Chad! You shouldn’t have come here if you were going to get hurt… not for me…!”

The girl weeps, her tears soaking her lap as she can’t bear knowing that her friends are getting hurt or perhaps even killed on her account.

The voice of the fairy sprinkles itself into her thoughts, “If you feel that badly about it, why don’t you go out and help them? Give into your desire to kill—"

“NO!”, the girl screams, holding her hand on her head, “GET OUT OF MY HEAD! I WON’T KILL PEOPLE TO GET WHAT I WANT! NEVER!”

The is a brief silence before the voice retorts, “That’s wrong. We both know it. Remember the Grand Fisher? You were going to kill him…”

Yuzu widens her tear-filled eyes, “B-but that… that was…”

The fairy continues, “You were angry and done with him. You—we wanted to destroy him for tarnishing our dear brother’s image. How much longer will it be before you reach a similar level here? Your friends will continue to drop like flies before the might of the Shinigami. We could very easily break out of these restraints right now and save them.”

Yuzu narrows her eyes, “But if I do that, they’ll hurt Dad and Karin… they might even kill them…”

The voice is silent, unable to give a retort to Yuzu’s reasoning.

The fairy eventually responds, “…it is your call to make, Queen. Just remember, if you are intent on letting yourself die, I’m taking over. At that point, I’ll be Queen and the one known as Yuzu Kurosaki will have died.”

The voice goes silent for good this time, leaving Yuzu to mull over her thoughts.

Seireitei

Kenpachi runs into a dead end, a wall impeding his path, “What? No! Another dead end! Are you sure this was the right way, Yachiru?!”

The pink-haired girl on his shoulder nods with a smile, “Yep. You just have a crappy sense of direction, Kenny!”

The captain barks back at her, “That’s enough out of you! It’s your directions that got us lost!”

Yachiru snickers slightly before looking up to the sky to see a large green manta ray creature, “Hey Kenny, look! It’s Captain Unohana!”

The man looks up before frowning, “Damn… if she’s going, that means the fight’s already over, and if it’s not…”

Yachiru tilts her head, “What is it, Kenny?”

The man smirks, staring at the giant green creature in the sky, “Never mind… if that woman steps onto the battlefield, the battle is over.”

Yachiru stares at her partner quietly as he spins on his heel, “Alright… time to find new prey…”

Shortly after Kenpachi and Yachiru run off, Uryu and Orihime poke their heads out from behind the tiled roof of a nearby wall.

“They’re gone…”, the orange-haired girl states.

Uryu nods his head somewhat cartoonishly, “Yeah…”

The Quincy sighs, fiddling with his collar somewhat, “That guy’s bad news—he’s one of those captains that fought that Hollow in the world of the living.”

Orihime smiles at the boy, “It’s good we were able to avoid fighting him, then.”

Uryu nods, narrowing his eyes before looking off in the distance quietly.

The orange-haired girl looks down somewhat dejectedly, “I… hope Chad is alright…”

Uryu nods again, closing his eyes as he lets out an exhale, “There were others over there with him. He should be fine.”

Orihime looks away, a distant look in her eyes, “I hope you’re right…”

Uryu opens his eyes, now looking to his left, “Anyway, which way now…?”

The girl points in the opposite direction, “What about that way? I see something that looks like a tower way over there.”

The Quincy looks over to the girl, “A tower? Where?”

The boy widens his eyes as Orihime continues, with a figure in black robes behind her, “Look. Over there…”

The figure slams a sword down on the girl, causing a dust cloud to kick up.

The large Shinigami, who has a pronounced jaw and big lips, clicks his tongue, “Shoot I missed…”

The man widens his eyes as the dust clears, revealing a light orange energy shield.

Orihime’s voice is a bit low as she speaks from underneath the shield, “Underhanded and cowardly… now I’m mad! You should’ve waited until after I was done talking. I would’ve fought you fairly.”

The man flinches as the girl sends him an upset look, “Get him, Tsubaki.”

Before the Shinigami can so much as react, a light orange flash pierces through him, knocking him to the ground, unconscious.

Uryu stares darkly at the man as Orihime stretches her arms, smiling once more as she returns to her casual posture, “As I was saying, I think we should go to that tower over there.”

The Quincy doesn’t respond as he approaches the downed Shinigami, passing Orihime who looks at him slightly concerned, “Uryu…?”

The boy points his right gloved hand at the Shinigami before a bow sprouts from his wrist, a blue Reishi arrow forming in it.

Orihime gasps, “Don’t kill him!”

The Quincy eyes the girl coldly, “And why shouldn’t I? Their kind had no issue persecuting mine to death—need I remind you that’s exactly what they’re doing to Yuzu?”

The girl frowns, her eyes softening, “I know, and I get it… at least somewhat. I can tell, you see Yuzu as your sister, don’t you…?”

Uryu’s eyes narrow as his hand trembles in rage.

The girl continues, carefully, “I know how it feels to lose a close family member. It stings. You want to lash out at the world, but it won’t help anyone… The cycle of violence—trading an eye for an eye—it’s not right, and it never will be. If we can put an end to it now, don’t you think we should try?”

The Quincy’s eyes widen as he recalls words from his past, ’What we had to think about was how to make sure such a thing never happened again…’

Uryu sighs before moving his bow slightly to the side, letting the two arrows pierce the Shinigami’s chest.

Orihime cries out, “Y-you killed him!”

The Quincy adjusts his glasses, correcting her, “No, I did not. I did shatter his Saketsu and Hakusui, though. He’ll never fight again.”

The girl’s eyes stare blankly at the boy as she watches his bow shrink down and merge with the glove.

Uryu regards her with a glance, “Now then, shall we go?”

After a moment, Orihime smiles, “Yep!”

Squad 4 Infirmary

There is a rumble within the Squad 4 Infirmary followed by smoke rising from one of the rooms. Squad 12 Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi is to blame, as there is a gaping hole in the wall above the recovery bed in the particular room that he’s in. Next to him stands a young woman with braided black hair and a short black Gi—his Vice-Captain, Nemu.

Mayuri glares down at the patient coldly, “So you refuse to talk, Madarame?!”

Ikkaku lies on the bed, his head bandaged, as he quietly and defiantly averts his gaze from the captain.

A nurse urgently rushes into the room just then, “P-please, 12^th Squad Captain! This kind of post-combat interrogation is strictly prohibited inside the relief stations!”

The wall next to the nurse is suddenly destroyed, causing the nurse to wince as Mayuri barks, “Shut up!”

Nemu glances at her captain, “Master Mayuri.”

The scientist snaps at her, “You shut up too, Nemu! Do you want to be broken into pieces again?!”

The woman looks away blankly, “No, sir. Forgive me.”

Ikkaku glances at Mayuri with a somewhat disgusted look in his eye before elaborating, “I’m not refusing to talk. I just don’t know anything. I don’t know the Ryoka’s objectives or destination. I know nothing.”

Mayuri furrows his brow, “So that’s it? You lost and came here without obtaining any intelligence?”

The bald man looks away, “That’s right… But if I may add one thing, I didn’t hear the enemy’s voice or see her face. So, I have nothing to tell you.”

The captain glares wrathfully at the 3^rd seat before raising his left head in preparation to strike him, “Very well! Then your punishment shall commensurate your disgrace!”

Suddenly, the scientist’s wrist is caught in another hand, restricting it from moving. Mayuri glares furiously back at the owner of the hand: Kenpachi Zaraki.

Kenpachi grunts, “This is irregular. When were you authorized to punish men from other companies? Eh, Kurotsuchi?”

Mayuri growls, “Zaraki!”

The scientist breaks out of the other man’s grasp before turning to leave the room, “What can I do if his captain is here? I shall retreat, for now. We’re going, Nemu! Move it, you idiot!”

The woman follows submissively, “Yes, sir.”

Once the pair are gone, Kenpachi turns back to regard his 3^rd seat, who stares up at him in slight disgrace, “Captain…”

Suddenly, Yachiru pops out from behind Kenpachi’s back, “Boo!”

Ikkaku widens his eyes, “Oh! Hello, Vice-Captain.”

Yachiru waves at the man, “Are you alright?! We were worried about you, Baldy!”

The bald man twitches in annoyance, “I told you not to call me that, twirp!”

Kenpachi cuts in, directly stating, “It appears you lost.”

Ikkaku furrows his brows seriously, “I’m sorry. I know it is shameful to lose and return alive, but…”

The captain stares intently at his 3^rd seat, “Is she that good?”

The bald man responds, “She is.”

“Describe her.”, Kenpachi orders.

Ikkaku elaborates, “She has short, spiky black hair and wears a white Gi. She hails from the world of the living, so I think it’s safe to say that she came for the girl…”

The captain concludes, “The Quincy…”

The bald man explains, “I don’t believe she was going all out, based on the battle I just felt outside. Some of these Ryoka are comparable to our captains. She obviously won’t compare to your previous opponent, but you should still be able to enjoy a great fight when you meet her.”

Kenpachi smirks viciously, “Is that so…? What’s her name?”

Seireitei

As the sun begins to set, a certain young Shinigami with long, black hair walks through the Seireitei, hearing fighting within a crowd of Shinigami.

The boy sweats somewhat nervously, “That sound… what’s going on over there?”

A fairly distinguished-looking male Shinigami in glasses shouts back at the boy, “You there! Stop talking! This isn’t a drill!”

The boy stutters a response, “Y-yes sir!”

The man turns and yells into a communication device, updating the Shinigami on the other end, while the boy dejectedly sighs, “I got yelled at again…”

Meanwhile, in the middle of the group of battling Shinigami, Ganju yells, “Th-that was too close, you fool! You don’t go swinging that thing without warning people! Are you crazy?!”

Ginjo holds his giant sword, the Cross of Scaffold, over his shoulder as his brow twitches, “I told you to duck, didn’t I?”

The Shiba man snaps at the Fullbringer, “You didn’t give me enough time! That could’ve killed me!”

The Shinigami around the duo stare at them with unamused expressions, prompting Ganju and Ginjo to regard the group seriously, the former asking openly, “So, what now? I don’t think these guys are going to retreat.”

Ginjo narrows his eyes, menacingly, “Simple. We kill them all.”

Interestingly, as the man says this, the silver star bracelet on his right arm glows a faint crimson color.

The Shiba man flinches, now wearing a slight frown, “Look, I’m all for putting Shinigami in their place, but even I have gotta say that’s a bit excessive. It would take too long, anyway, and time is not on our side here, Ginjo.”

The Fullbringer grunts before shrugging, “Well, do you have any better ideas?”

Some of the Shinigami begin murmuring between each other, “Did he say Ginjo? As in, the Shinigami Killer?”

Ginjo, hearing the gossip, smirks proudly before leveling his sword at the Shinigami in front of him, it glowing a bright green color, “That’s right! I have no problem killing each and every one of you bastards! If you want to die, then step on forward—my blade thirsts for your blood!”

This causes some of the Shinigami to flinch before backing up slightly, however, most of the others step forward, wearing blood-lusted smirks characteristic of their division—Squad 11.

Meanwhile, the young Shinigami from earlier walks through the streets of the Seireitei, alone, “Oh no… I just stopped to tie my sandal… where’d everybody go?”

The boy notices the group of Shinigami from Squad 11 a distance away, “Oh! I’ll ask them!”

He quickly approaches before attempting to strike conversation with a Shinigami in the back of the crowd, “Um… excuse me. I’m with the 4^th company…”

The boy suddenly trips on a tile sticking out of the ground, sending his head into the back of the Shinigami he attempted to strike conversation with. The man howls in pain before he and the surrounding Shinigami begin to yell at the boy loudly and rough him up.

The noise is so noticeable that Ginjo and Ganju can’t help but regard it, the former taking on a deadpan, “Uh… what’s going on…?”

Just then, the boy is pushed out of the crowd, falling to the ground in front of the duo of Ryoka.

Ganju smirks as he looks at the boy, “Say, Ginjo… I just thought of another way to get out of this…”

Ginjo nods, slinging his sword over his shoulder, “Me too.”

The boy looks up at the two a bit nervously, “H… hello…?”

The duo continues to look at the boy with a fierce glimmer in their eyes, causing the boy to sweat somewhat, “Get out of here…? Um… You two wouldn’t happen to be the Ryoka…? No… You couldn’t be… are you?!”

The boy starts crying comically as the duo immediately grabs him from the ground and holds him hostage.

Ginjo holds his sword against the boy’s neck while Ganju declares, “Okay, outta our way, or your friend here gets it!”

The Shinigami all deadpan, staring at the duo uncaringly, “What are you doing?”

The duo look at the Shinigami in confusion, Ganju questioning, “W-what does it look like? We’re taking this guy hostage.”

One of the Shinigami from the crowd responds coldly, “Does it look like we’re friends?”

Ginjo raises a brow as he eyes the boy, “They’re not…?”

The young Shinigami begins to explain, despite his situation, “I-I’m with the 4^th company and they’re with the 11^th company…”

The Shinigami in the crowd elaborate, “We of Squad 11 are the ultimate combat unit of the Gotei 13. Whereas Squad 4 is so weak that they’re only fit for relief work, they’re dead weight…”

Another adds, “Therefore, we of Squad 11 hate Squad 4!”

The crowd of Shinigami begin laughing as if the sight before them is some kind of joke, “Go ahead and kill the runt! You’d be doing us a favor!”

The boy squeals fearfully, “NO!!!”

Ganju flinches, “W-wait! You guys want us to kill him?! That’s totally heartless!”

Ginjo scowls in disgust as he slings his sword over his shoulder once more, “Figures… typical Shinigami…”

The Fullbringer then steps forward, regarding the other two seriously, “If you guys don’t want to die, sit down and don’t move. I’ll deal with them.”

Ganju sighs dejectedly before sitting on the ground. The boy follows suit, looking at the Fullbringer curiously.

One of the Shinigami from the crowd laughs at Ginjo, “You think you can kill us all by yourself? Your crazy—”

Before the Shinigami can finish, Ginjo’s giant sword pierces through his head, causing it to explode almost immediately in a green light. The man jumps on the Shinigami’s corpse before pulling his blade free, swinging it to the right 180 degrees, bisecting every Shinigami in its range, leaving their bloodied corpses to fall to the ground. The others cry a battle cry before all rushing in at the Fullbringer at once, leaving the young Shinigami to stare wide-eyed at the carnage, green flashes of light and blood just about the only thing he mentally perceives.

10 Minutes Later, Storage Area, Seireitei

“Hanataro Yamada.”, the boy states, on his hands and knees.

Ginjo and Ganju, both sitting across the room near some crates, respond simultaneously with unamused expressions, “It’s so ordinary, it’s actually hard to remember!”

Hanataro flinches, “What?! Everyone says it’s a good and easy name to remember!”

Ginjo shrugs, “To each their own…”

Ganju, on the other hand, addresses the elephant in the room, “Hey, you’re our enemy… why are you introducing yourself?”

Hanataro stares blankly, before responding, “Well… I don’t know.”

Ginjo rolls his eyes, “I knew we shouldn’t have brought him with us. Maybe I should just kill him, too…?”

Ganju snaps at the other man, “Oh no, you don’t! You’ve killed more than enough today, you psycho!”

The Fullbringer raises a brow, smirking madly, “Psycho? Maybe so… but at least I don’t sell out my allies like those bastards did.”

The Shiba man retorts, “And I’m telling you that this guy is different than those other guys! Isn’t that right, Hanu… Hanato… ah, forget it! Whatever your name is!”

Hanataro pouts, his head falling to the ground in a sign of defeat, “I literally just told you and you already forgot…!”

Ganju then pulls out a hastily drawn map of the Seireitei, which both he and Ginjo look over.

The Shiba man talks to himself, “Even if we know Yuzu’s in this white tower, courtesy of one of those guys we beat up—killed earlier, which road do we take to get there?”

Ganju raises a brow, continuing as he looks at the map, “I don’t know… but we don’t want to bump into one of the captains. We’ll want to have as much energy as we can get to book it out of here once we rescue Yuzu. If only we knew where they were, we could avoid them…”

Ginjo raises a brow, “This map doesn’t even have roads, man. How is this at all accurate?”

Meanwhile, Hanataro stares at the two with widened eyes, “Yuzu…”

Ganju notices this before regarding the boy, “You can go, now. You aren’t any good to us anyway.”

The Shinigami continues, “This person you’re looking for… is she Yuzu Kurosaki?”

The duo of Ryoka stare at Hanataro in mild surprise, prompting the boy to exhale solemnly, “I thought so… it is her, isn’t it? Then… the white tower is the Senzaikyu…”

Hanataro looks away briefly under Ginjo’s intense gaze, “I… I know… a secret path to that tower.”

Nearby, Seireitei

Nanao stares in horror at the sight of the utter carnage laid out before her. The light from the moon lights up the street, revealing the bloody corpses of a good portion of Squad 11 strewn across the ground.

Meanwhile, ahead of her and speaking with a beaten and bloodied survivor is her captain, calmly inquiring, “You say it was the Ryoka—specifically a man calling himself Ginjo? You’re sure of this?”

The Shinigami coughs up some blood before nodding, “Yes… I’m sure. It was the Shinigami Killer…!”

The man’s eyes tense up, his body doing likewise before he closes his eyes as his body comes to a rest. The man has died.

Kyoraku solemnly tilts his straw hat downward, hiding his eyes, “Rest now. Your deaths will not be in vain.”

The captain rises to his feet before regarding his Vice-Captain with a dead serious glare, “Nanao: prepare a Hell Butterfly to send to Captain Ukitake.”

A Few Minutes Later, Squad 13 Barracks, Soul Society

All is quiet at the Squad 13 Barracks as Sentaro and Kiyone sleep softly in front of a particular shrine-like building. Suddenly, the doors swing open as Ukitake marches out of the building, waking the joint 3rd-seat officers from their slumber.

Kiyone sputters, potentially revealing the contents of her dreams, “N-no Isane! You can’t marry an abusive punk like that—huh, captain?”

Sentaro rubs his eyes as he gazes at his captain, “You’re done already, sir? It hasn’t even been a day…”

Ukitake’s gaze is fierce, “No, I’m not. You two, keep an eye on the shrine while I’m gone.”

Kiyone furrows her brows, “W-where are you going, captain?”

The white-haired man narrows his eyes, “To confront the Ryoka.”

Chapter 3: On the Honor of the Quincy

Chapter Text

6 Days before Execution, Seireitei

Well into the night and within a certain plaza of the Seireitei, Shinigami search vigorously, a familiar feminine voice shouting, “No, sir! We couldn’t find anyone over there, sir!”

The commanding, mustached Shinigami responds, directing the group towards another area, “All right, good! Go check Higashi-Nijo! These Ryoka are cunning! Don’t let them slip past you! Search every nook and cranny!”

The other Shinigami shout back as they leave, “Yes, sir!”

The commanding Shinigami looks over to the one who shouted earlier, “Thanks for the update. Hold on… I don’t remember seeing you two before. Are you new?”

The man’s gaze shifts to Orihime and Uryu, garbed in Shinigami attire, the girl’s hair tied into a bun.

Orihime salutes and responds with a peppy smile, “Yes, sir! I’m Inoue! This is my first term of service! Reporting for duty, sir!”

Uryu frowns, his head tilted somewhat downward, as he states dejectedly, “I’m Ishida… reporting for duty, sir…”

The mustached Shinigami places a hand on his chin as he hums before taking a better look at Orihime, flaring his nostrils, “Not bad…”

Orihime becomes somewhat uncomfortable as the man smiles widely and places a hand on her left shoulder, “How ‘bout coming over to my place tonight?”

The orange-haired girl sweat drops in mild confusion, “Excuse me…?”

The man blushes lightly, maintaining his smile, as he continues, “You know who I am, don’t you? I’m Toshimori Umesada! I’ve been selected as one of the fifteen 20^th-seat officers in Squad 9 this year! I hate to blow my own horn, but I’m the most successful guy in my class! You won’t be sorry…”

Uryu calmly steps between the man and Orihime, causing the Shinigami to furrow his brows in anger, “Hey. What’s the idea?”

The Quincy reasons, “With Ryoka on the loose in the Seireitei, and a special wartime exemption issued, a man of your position doesn’t have time for that kind of activity, does he?”

The Shinigami growls, “What’s that?! Are you lecturing me, boy?!”

Suddenly, the other Shinigami call out to him, “Sir! There’s nobody here! What are your orders?!”

The mustached Shinigami, holding Uryu’s collar, looks over to the others, “Huh? Um… blast!”

He runs off to the others, shouting back at the Quincy, “I’ll remember this! Once this mess is settled, I’ll make you pay!”

Orihime pokes her head out from behind Uryu, watching the man leave, as the boy himself sticks his tongue out in disrespect at the Shinigami, “Okay by me. As soon as this mess is settled, I’ll be long gone.”

The girl then gives the boy an appreciative smile, “Thanks, Uryu!”

Uryu blushes lightly, adjusting his glasses in embarrassment, “That’s okay. I just don’t like men like that.”

Orihime then looks off to her right, wearing quite a satisfied expression, “This plan is working great. I know it was my idea, but I never thought it would go this smoothly. I’m pretty clever!”

The Quincy quietly looks over at the girl before agreeing with her, “Yes, you are…”

1 Hour Ago, Seireitei

Orihime and Uryu hide behind a small hedge along a wall, the Quincy completely baffled, “What?! Steal their uniforms?!”

The Fullbringer shouts quietly at him, “Shh! Keep it down! Not steal, borrow!”

Uryu sweat drops, “What’s the difference?”

The girl looks away from the boy slightly, explaining herself, “We look more or less like the Shinigami, except for our clothes. If we dress like them, we can move around unnoticed.”

The Quincy attempts to protest, “Yes, but—”

The girl cuts him off as a duo of Shinigami approach, “Shh! Here they come! On three, okay?”

After three seconds, the duo of Ryoka jump out from behind the hedge and assault the Shinigami, knocking them out.

Storage Room, Seireitei

Uryu and Orihime leave the two Shinigami, stripped of their clothes, tied up with their mouths bound, lying behind some crates in the back of the storage room they are currently occupying.

The girl looks down at the black Gi in her hands, before regarding the duo of Shinigami, “I’m sorry. We just need to borrow them.”

Uryu stares blankly at the girl before speaking, “You surprised me. You knocked them out so fast. I didn’t know you were that strong in close quarters.”

Orihime looks back at the boy with a wide, friendly smile, “Really? Tatsuki has been teaching me Karate during our training. She said I was pretty good, too! She said I could even give her a run for her money if I set my mind to it!”

The boy widens his eyes, flinching slightly, “Woah… I’d better remember never to fight her…”

The girl then suddenly begins to take her shirt off, revealing her ample bosom held within her bra, causing the boy’s glasses to crack and his eyes to comically shoot out of his head.

The boy awkwardly adjusts his glasses as a bit of blood spurts from his nostrils, waving his hand in front of him, “Orihime! What are you—? WAIT!”

Orihime looks at the boy, somewhat confused, “What?”

After a moment, her eyes widen slightly before she puts her shirt back down and rubs the back of her head sheepishly, “Oh yeah, sorry! You’re right. A boy and a girl shouldn’t change in the same room. I thought I was with Tatsuki for a second.”

Orihime then enthusiastically motions towards a knitted blanket draped over a bar placed on some parallel crates, reading ‘Uryu’s Fitting Room’ with stars, hearts, and various other shapes on it, “Here you go! Go ahead, Uryu!”

Uryu dejectedly walks into his ‘Fitting Room’ as Orihime hums energetically, “Isn’t it supposed to be the other way around…?”

Present, Seireitei

Uryu sits on some stairs, a slight blush of embarrassment on his face as he recalls the memory.

The boy’s attention is grabbed as he notices Orihime, a short distance away, writing something in a small notebook, “Okay! We found out the location of the Senzaikyu from those people earlier. The others must all be on their way there right now.”

Uryu is silent for a moment before rising from his seat, “We’d better hurry then before the others can screw everything up. They’ve already shown their incompetence in protecting my cousin once, I won’t leave her to them again!”

Orihime’s eyes soften as she looks into Uryu’s eyes, the worry so evident that her brother’s worried face from when he was alive flashes briefly across the boy’s features.

The girl then nods with a friendly smile, “Right! We’ll save Yuzu!”

The pair walk off, further discussing their plan of blending in, while, unbeknownst to them, the wall next to the stairs Uryu was just sitting on begins to seemingly peel off, revealing the features of Mayuri Kurotsuchi.

Secret Underground Passage, Seireitei

As the trio comprising of the Shiba man, the Xcution Leader, and the Shinigami from Squad 4 make their way through the passageway, the two Ryoka listen intently as the boy explains himself.

Hanataro prefaces, “Right before Miss Kurosaki was transferred to the Senzaikyu, she was held within the Squad 1 Barracks. It is rare for those outside of Squad 1, Captains, and Vice-Captains to go there. But given the potential impending invasion and recent events with the Hollow White, which put us down at least two captains, all combat Squads, including Squad 1, were given explicit orders from the Head Captain himself to prepare for war. Because of this, I ended up with cleaning duty that day…”

The trio take shelter in a small, enclosed area along the wall, seating themselves as the boy continues, “They thought nothing of me, I think. I mean, I’m a weakling from Squad 4 who nobody much likes and apparently forgets about quite easily… So, nobody must’ve given it a second thought when they let me have access to every room in the Barracks… or maybe they thought I’d be too scared to speak with her. They were right about that, to an extent…”

The boy purses his lower lip, “At first, I was a bit wary of her… I had overheard the frightening rumors about the Quincies from the men of Squad 1… as if they were to be treated with the highest level of caution, or else they would strike us down when we had our backs turned…”

Hanataro looks to the ground, “But…”

Ganju raises a brow as Ginjo remains silent, “But what?”

The boy smiles somewhat distantly, “As soon as I called her Miss Kurosaki, she corrected me… she told me to call her Yuzu… her smile was so pure… like that of an angel… I wondered, ‘How could such an evil creature emit such warmth?’ Somewhere in the back of my mind, I recalled how the Quincies were allegedly deceitful, but that thought was washed away as soon as she began to speak of her family…”

Hanataro closes his eyes, a frown on his face, “I could tell when she spoke of them… she spoke from the heart… she told me, ‘So long as my dad and Karin are alright, they can do whatever they want with me.’”

Ginjo and Ganju widen their eyes and grit their teeth in anger, realizing what the girl must be going through right now.

The boy continues, trembling as well, however more out of sadness and despair, “She is so young… yet she is so kind, selfless, and brave… I can’t imagine what she would’ve had to have gone through up to that point to think like that… knowing that I was powerless to save her, she told me all of that anyway. That tells me she is proof that the rumors about the Quincies are false… so I don’t understand…”

Hanataro grits his teeth in frustration and confusion, “Why are they putting a little girl like her to death?!”

Ginjo’s frown deepens, “Now that’s the question, isn’t it…?”

The boy looks up, recoiling under the vicious expressions of the men.

Ganju cracks his fist, “Thanks for telling us that, little guy. I’m suddenly feeling a second wind.”

The Fullbringer narrows his eyes as he grips the hilt of his sword, “Yeah… it doesn’t matter who we have to take down… we’ll save her, no matter what…”

Hanataro stares with widened eyes at the men before him, their blood-lusted auras causing him to gulp.

Elsewhere, Seireitei

Orihime and Uryu continue to traverse the Seireitei, the Quincy looking over at the girl, “So you’re saying you can not only protect and attack but heal too?! You must’ve won the lottery of all Fullbrings!”

The girl smiles in appreciation, “Thanks! Tatsuki said something similar a while back, but I’m just honestly happy to be able to support my friends!”

Orihime then looks off distantly, “That’s why I’m so worried about Chad… no one else in the group comes close to being able to heal like me…”

The girl narrows her eyes as she recalls the words of a certain man, specializing in barrier spells, ’It is reassuring to know that your group will have such a talented healer on their side… you will have to watch out for everyone else, their lives will be in your hands.’

Uryu notices Orihime’s look of dismay before trying to comfort her, “I told you that you shouldn’t worry about Sado. He’s the toughest guy we know. Besides, I felt his opponent go down first. We just have to trust that he made it out of there alive—there’s nothing more we can do for him right now.”

Orihime nods at the boy, wearing an appreciative smile, “Thanks Uryu…”

Uryu widens his eyes slightly as Yuzu’s smiling face briefly covers Orihime’s features, causing him to look away, furrowing his brows, “Why do they have to be so similar… now I feel like a jerk for what I said about her brother, even though I know I’m right…”

The orange-haired girl meanwhile tilts her head in slight confusion, wondering why the Quincy appears troubled.

Just then, a voice calls out to them from behind, prompting them to skid to a halt, “Hey! You two!”

The duo turn to regard a mustached Shinigami with slicked back hair holding a bota bag, “What Squad are you in? And what are you doing here?”

The Ryoka respond promptly, “We’re in Squad 11.”

The man raises a brow, “Really?

He tosses the bota bag to the side, beginning to approach them, “That’s funny. I’m with Squad 11 too. We’re a combat unit. Who in the 11^th Squad would be stupid enough to walk around without a Zanpakuto?”

Uryu furrows his brows, cursing internally, “I blew it! I didn’t realize the Squads specialized!”

The man suddenly grabs Orihime by the collar of her Gi, snapping the Quincy out of his thoughts, as he eyes a patch sewn into the inside, “This is Squad 12’s emblem… not Squad 11’s. But then, you wouldn’t know that.”

The man glares at the pair of Ryoka, “Who are you, really?”

Uryu scowls, anticipating an incoming fight, “Aw well, so much for blending in.”

Before a fight can break out, the Shinigami is whacked on the head from behind by a wooden stick, sending him to the ground unconscious.

A group of Shinigami appear behind the dropped man, smiling at the duo, “That was close! Are you two alright?”

Another comments, “Looks like the guy’s drunk.”

The one who whacked the Shinigami in the head groans, “The nerve! Accusing fellow Shinigami? What an oaf. You guys can go ahead and give him a good kick.”

Orihime smiles at the man in appreciation, “Thank you!”

The Shinigami with the stick waves her off, “Oh… it’s the least I could do. Squad 12 looks out for its own, right?”

Another Shinigami behind him comments, disgusted, “These guys from Squad 11 are always trying to start trouble with us. The clods. Anyone could forget his sword!”

Uryu stares at the group, who are now chatting it up with Orihime, having a bad feeling, “Wait a second. This isn’t right. Something’s wrong. He may have been drunk, but he had a good point. We said we belonged to Squad 11, but we’re wearing the emblems of Squad 12. That’s obviously suspicious. So why help us?”

The Quincy’s face pales before he shouts, “O-Orihime! Get away from them!!!”

Just as Uryu says this, the man who whacked the Shinigami in the head earlier explodes, his guts flying all over the others.

The other three Shinigami scream in fear as they run towards the one responsible, one of them shouting out, “W-wait! Captain! This isn’t what you said we’d do—!"

The remaining three Shinigami promptly explode as well, leaving four trails of smoke leading to the sky.

Mayuri, a short distance down the road, stares passively at the sight while holding a pen-shaped device with a button on it, “It can’t be helped. Once a grenade is thrown, it shouldn’t come flying back.”

Nemu, meanwhile, stands shortly behind the captain, staring emotionlessly at the carnage.

As the dust settles, Mayuri widens his eyes to find an unphased, bright orange, triangular energy shield, which leaves Uryu, Orihime, and the guy from Squad 11 completely unharmed.

Orihime trembles on her hands and knees while Uryu stands somewhat protectively over her, “Thanks. If you hadn’t called me… I…”

Uryu exhales, his face looking relieved, “I’m just glad that you reacted in time…”

The girl continues trembling, “What about the other three people?”

The boy states matter-of-factly, “They’re dead. But don’t worry about them.”

Orihime’s shield then retracts, her hairpins returning to their normal state.

Uryu immediately turns around, glaring at the captain behind him, “Right now, you should just worry about yourself!”

Mayuri’s eye twitches in interest, “What a fascinating move! The shield… is the girl behind you responsible for making it?!”

The Quincy stares coldly at the Shinigami, “I’m not in the mood for conversation.”

The scientist continues despite the boy’s obvious show of disinterest, “Marvelous! I’ve never seen such a thing! You, girl! How would you like to be my research subject?”

Uryu barks at the captain, “That’s enough! We’re not making any deals with you!”

Mayuri proceeds, ignoring the boy’s protests, “I’ll make it worth your while. Don’t be afraid. I’m kind to women.”

The guy from Squad 11 lays on the ground in front of Orihime, his expression shifting to one of confusion as he looks up at her tear-filled, frustrated face, “Wha-what the…? Why is she crying? Is she scared? No, that’s not it. She could’ve just hid inside her shield. She didn’t have to jump into the line of fire like that to save me… then why is she crying for dead Shinigami? Why’d she save me, anyway? I’m her enemy! Why would she save me?! I don’t get it…!”

Mayuri suddenly holds his hands in front of him, as if trying to make the Quincy understand how ‘reasonable’ he’s being, “I know! I’ll offer the best possible terms! I’ll restrict the daily drug regime to eight doses, and only five hours of biomechanical experiments! You’ll be fed orally! And you’ll be given clothing when you sleep! And I’ll try hard not to perform any modifications that might kill you! What do you say?! These are exceptional terms for a research subject!”

The scientist suddenly shifts his attention to his left, regarding Uryu who now has his bow, with a Reishi arrow drawn, pointed at his face.

The captain narrows his eyes, glancing back at the spot in front of Orihime with traces of dust in the air before shifting his gaze back to the boy, “He’s fast.”

The man regards Uryu, humming, “A Quincy… huh? I should’ve known.”

Uryu raises a brow as the scientist elaborates, “I had heard that you were related to the prisoner… what was her name again… Kurosaki? Yes. Is this true, Quincy?”

The boy grits his teeth, hissing at the scientist, “If you laid so much as a finger on her, I’ll—”

Mayuri shakes his head, lamenting, “Sadly, I have been forbidden from experimenting on her. But you, on the other hand, are a different story. You can see why I wish to confirm your blood relation.”

Uryu scowls, “I’m afraid the only blood connection we share is being the last of the Quincy…”

The scientist’s hands fall to his sides before he sighs in disappointment, “I see… in that case, I have no reason to study you. You see, I’ve already conducted extensive research on your species, so if you are saying that you are not a hybrid like her, then I’m afraid you’d simply be a waste of my time.”

The Quincy widens his eyes in slight horror, “Y-you’ve what…? ‘Conducted extensive research’? ‘No reason to study’? What do you mean? Who are you?!”

Mayuri eyes the boy curiously before humming, “Do Ryoka not study their enemy first before invading? How foolish. I would think you’d at least know what the captains look like!”

Uryu’s heart sinks when he feels Reiatsu rain down on him as Mayuri continues, “I am the captain of Squad 12, Mayuri Kurotsuchi. Also known as the Chief of Research and Development. But you can forget that because soon, you won’t know anything.”

The Ryoka buckle under the captain’s Reiatsu, prompting Uryu to shout to the girl, “Orihime! RUN! NOW!!!”

Orihime rises to her feet, desperately protesting, “But… No! I want to fight too!”

The boy widens his eyes, the scene of a betrayed and hurt Yuzu coming to the forefront of his thoughts, ’I understand, Uncle… if that’s how things are going to be…’

The Quincy quickly shakes his head, ridding his thoughts of his cousin as the girl continues, reasoning, “If you get badly hurt, who’s going to help you?!”

Uryu narrows his eyes, “She’s been training for this… should… should I let her…? I don’t doubt that we could take him on together…”

The boy then notices the Shinigami from Squad 11 beginning to tiptoe away, giving him an idea, “Hey, you! Squad 11 guy!”

The Shinigami flinches, slowly glancing at the boy, who continues, “You owe that girl your life! The least you could do is stay here and fight with us. Your Squad likes to fight, right?”

The Shinigami retorts, “You think I’m crazy?! I don’t have a death wish! Also, my name is Makizo Aramaki!”

Uryu stares coldly at him, “I don’t care what your name is, if you so much as turn your back and try to run, I will point my bow away from this guy and shoot you instead!”

Makizo flinches fearfully, “Uh… uh…”

Orihime, meanwhile, wipes her eyes of any remaining tears, steeling her expression as she broadens her stance, preparing for battle.

Uryu, seeing the look on her face, can no longer deny her, “I’ll leave the woman behind him to you two.”

Orihime nods while the Shinigami trembles, still not on board with the plan.

Mayuri chuckles, “So you want the shield girl and an unseated Shinigami to battle my Vice-Captain? Interesting. If nothing else, it will be a good opportunity to observe her powers further. All I need to do is kill you quickly and I shall be free to observe her fight. NEMU!!!”

The woman behind him nods, starting to walk past the captain, “Yes, Master Mayuri.”

The scientist turns to regard the Quincy, but widens his eyes, narrowly avoiding an incoming arrow by shifting his head to the side. Uryu shoots another arrow at the captain, forcing him to sidestep to the left. The captain looks to Uryu in surprise to find him not there anymore as another blue arrow comes down at him from behind. The boy, standing atop the wall lining the street, looks down at the dust created by his work.

Uryu widens his eyes in shock, however, as a voice speaks to him from his left, “Not bad. You move well.”

The boy looks at Mayuri in shock, as the scientist continues, “What you did earlier, and now this. It was Hirenkyaku, wasn’t it? Moving at high speed by creating a current of spiritual energy beneath your feet. That’s an advanced Quincy technique, is it not? Its speed even rivals that of the Shinigami’s Flash Step. I’m surprised that a fellow of your age has mastered it. You’re good. You must be quite talented.”

Uryu winces, “I didn’t see him move… when did he…?”

Mayuri’s eyes seem to light up, realizing something, “Oh! Tell me, which of you is faster? Kurosaki or yourself?”

The Quincy grits his teeth, “I’m not telling you a damned thing!”

The captain becomes excited, “Oh, so you do know?! I was under the impression that you had very little to do with her training. Based on the interrogation, she was trained under those other two Quincies… are they here as well?”

The boy widens his eyes in mild horror, “Other… two…? How do you…?”

Mayuri elaborates, “It took quite a bit of digging and persuasion to allow that old man to grant me access to the files pertaining to the interrogation of the Kurosaki girl… their names were… hmm, I don’t recall. They weren’t exactly important, but I’m sure you know who I am talking about. They’re women if that helps.”

Uryu can’t help but tremble in rage as the captain prattles on, “No… I’m afraid she lied to you… Yuzu and I are the only two Quincies…”

The scientist tilts his head, somewhat confused, “Do not worry. I’m not one of those Shinigami who fear your kind and would needlessly butcher them. In fact, I was thinking about letting you live and capturing the lot of you—and I wouldn’t even use you as research subjects. No. That would come later after you breed.”

The Quincy has heard more than enough, an arrow firing from his bow as his face relays not but wrath.

The Shinigami disappears with a flash, evading the blow, before reappearing behind Uryu, continuing as if nothing happened, “If you don’t like that option, then there is the much more painful route of dragging your dying body before Isshin Shiba… perhaps seeing his nephew in such a state will make him want to talk.”

Mayuri hums briefly before drawing his Zanpakuto from the middle of his belt, “Yes. I think that would be the most time-efficient option, at this stage. You shall feel the most pain you can possibly imagine before you finally die, boy.”

The captain hisses darkly, “Tear him up, Ashisogi ji*zo.”

The man’s sword turns into a three-pronged, bladed weapon, not unlike the head of a trident, with a face in the middle with closed eyes and mouth, leaking some kind of purple haze into the air. Uryu doesn’t falter, however, far too angry to be phased by something like a Shikai release, as he charges another arrow in his bow.

Orihime (and Makizo) vs Nemu

Makizo’s legs shake back and forth in fear as he stares at the approaching Nemu. He shifts between the woman and Orihime with his sword drawn, which also visually trembles in his grasp.

The Shinigami somehow manages to steel himself somewhat, “Y-you won’t touch the girl—”

“You’re in the way.”, Nemu states emotionlessly, before ordering, “…move.”

Makizo flinches before growling lowly, “You Squad 12 punks can’t boss me—”

Before the man can finish, Nemu closes the distance between them, immediately kicking the man in the head and sending him into the nearby wall, causing a small crater in the wall and knocking him out instantly.

Orihime widens her eyes in shock at the sight, taken aback by the cold brutality, “Sh-she took him out with one kick!”

The woman slowly lowers her foot before eyeing the Fullbringer intently.

The orange-haired girl steels herself as she is once more under the other female’s gaze, “She’s a close-quarters fighter, and a ton stronger than that last guy I fought… I probably shouldn’t rely on Tsubaki to attack… Baigon, Hinagiku, Lily; you’re up!”

Nemu raises her right leg, sending a kick at Orihime, but three of the pedals on the girl’s hairpins light up before forming around her left leg, creating a barrier that reinforces it, as she counters the Shinigami with a kick of her own. Nemu’s face remains emotionless as the two’s legs lock in a clash against each other.

While the orange-haired girl’s face is mostly passive, mentally she is freaking out, “T-thank goodness that worked! If it didn’t, my leg would be a goner…!”

Orihime returns from her thoughts as Nemu briefly disengages, causing the girl to stumble forward somewhat. The Shinigami pivots on her right foot before sending a roundhouse kick from her left foot at the orange-haired teen. Orihime sees the attack coming, however, is unable to mentally urge her shield to block it, so winces as the kick draws near. A fourth hairpin lights up before shooting off at the woman violently, which causes Nemu to force her body to spin mid-air, before rearing her right foot at it, kicking it back at Orihime, who catches it.

The girl cries, “Tsubaki?! Why—”

The Ninja-looking winged creature, now looking worse for wear, snaps at the girl, “What are you doing?! You can’t do karate moves and use us at the same time!”

Orihime pouts, “But… how am I supposed to fight her? She’s faster and stronger than you, Tsubaki!”

The Ninja winces, his pride seemingly trampled on, “Well… Uh… Lily!”

Nemu lands on the ground, eyeing Orihime seemingly conversing with the air curiously.

Lily begins speaking with the girl now, “Here’s the deal—you’ve been using us for quite a while now, and training with that barrier guy really helped your fundamental understanding in that area of your powers.”

The girl furrows her brows, “I know. What about it?”

Lily smirks, “Well, I’m not going to brag or anything, but at your current level, you don’t even need to think to use us for us to come out! All you need to know, even on an instinctual level, is where you need a shield and when.”

Orihime tilts her head, still not quite getting it, “Uh… I don’t…”

Tsubaki growls, “Oh for the love of—LOOK! You just focus on knocking that girl’s lights out and we’ll handle the rest, got it?!”

The girl widens her eyes before smiling, “Okay!”

Orihime looks over at Nemu once more but deadpans at what she sees.

The woman hastily writes in a notebook nodding to herself as she mutters, “Master Mayuri will want to know that…”

The orange-haired girl raises a brow, “Um…”

Nemu regards the girl once more with a blank expression, asking in a monotone, “Excuse me, but could you tell me what or who this Tsubaki is? My captain will want to know for his research.”

Orihime begins to respond, “Well, it’s like…”

The girl pauses before frowning and furrowing her brow, “Wait… I shouldn’t be telling her anything! She…”

Orihime genuinely scowls at the Shinigami, a rare sight from her indeed, “I’m not telling you or him anything! You two killed your friends! You’ll just use that information to hurt others, and I won’t have it!”

Nemu places her notebook and pen back in her pocket, “That means you wish to proceed fighting?”

The orange-haired girl frowns, “Well, I don’t really want to fight at all, to be honest…”

The Shinigami tilts her head to the side, questioningly, “Don’t worry. I will leave you alive and intact—Master Mayuri will still need to examine you, after all.”

Orihime shivers but quickly recovers as Nemu charges, jumps in the air, and brings her right foot down for an axe kick. The kick is immediately blocked by a triangular shield, underneath which Orihime soon disappears with a green flash.

Nemu widens her eyes slightly at the sight, “Green…? That isn’t Flash Step or Hirenkyaku!”

The Shinigami woman is brought from her thoughts as the shield soon shoots a bright beam of light at her—Tsubaki. She quickly dodges and makes to kick it again, before gasping slightly as she just now notices Orihime rearing a kick of her own, in the woman’s previous blind spot. Nemu can’t react in time as the orange-haired girl slams a kick into her torso, causing her to cough before being sent flying back a distance.

Before landing on the ground, Nemu orients her body to land on her feet, regaining her bearings. She eyes Orihime blankly, seeing small, flying winged objects occupying the air around the girl, who stares back at her defiantly.

Orihime declares, “You fight by yourself, but I am fighting with a group! You can’t win!”

Nemu raises a brow, “What do you mean…?”

The Ryoka girl frowns slightly, “I told you; I’m not telling!”

The Shinigami stares blankly at her, stating, “Very well…”

Nemu then rushes at the girl once more, striking at her with her hands this time. Orihime narrowly dodges the right hook, before blocking the left with a shield, causing Nemu to bounce off slightly. The orange-haired girl drops herself to the ground, sending her leg in for a sweep at the Vice-Captain’s ankles. However, Nemu evades this by jumping slightly into the air, allowing the girl’s leg to fly across the ground under her. Unexpectedly, however, Orihime grabs the ground beneath her head before holding her body upright and continuing her momentum by performing a flurry of upside-down spinning kicks, slamming into the woman’s side. Nemu grits her teeth through the pain before she grabs ahold of Orihime’s leg, swinging the girl in a circle before sending her crashing against the side of the wall.

Orihime struggles to pick herself up from the rubble as blood trickles down from the back of her head. Nemu approaches quickly, jumping into the sky before coming down at the girl with both feet pointed downward, intent on landing a final blow. A triangular barrier quickly forms between the woman and the girl, but surprisingly, the woman shifts her body to the side, sending her crashing to the ground right next to Orihime, who stares wide-eyed at the woman, who surprisingly seems unphased.

The girl gasps as the Shinigami immediately grabs her face in a vice grip, holding her in the air, “My calculations were correct… it seems your shield only appears when you have time to perceive incoming danger…”

Uryu calls out from his battle, “O-Orihime!”

The boy is forced to remain on the rooftop, however, as Mayuri sends a bout of purple haze at him, forcing him to evade.

Nemu then promptly jabs Orihime in the stomach before bending her finger inwards, causing a crack sound. The orange-haired girl’s muffled screams cry out as blood spurts from her mouth and tears stream furiously down her cheeks.

Nemu removes her hand and narrows her eyes as she observes a miniature shield appear in the wounded area, “It responds to the area of most pain… in that case…”

The woman brings her hand back, taking Orihime with it, before slamming the girl’s entire body harshly against the wall, sending debris across the street. Orihime’s body twitches slightly before the shield forms around her whole body, helping her regain her consciousness.

Nemu eyes the bottom corner of the shield, “Then in this location… it should be weak.”

Orihime widens her eyes in horror as Nemu suddenly slams her foot down at the corner, crushing something under it, prompting the shield to shatter, “B-Baigon! No!”

Just then, an intense light orange light, much faster than before, pierces Nemu through her right bicep, a sign of Tsubaki’s fury. The Shinigami winces before she releases her hold on the Fullbringer due to the pain.

In her momentary disorientation, Orihime grabs the woman by the collar, causing her to instinctively flinch as the girl mutters, “I won’t forgive you… no matter your reasons… I won’t!”

The orange-haired girl tilts her head back slightly, causing Nemu to raise a confused brow, “What’s she doing…?”

Orihime then promptly, with gritted teeth, slams her forehead harshly against Nemu’s, causing the Shinigami’s eyes to slightly pop out of her head, somewhat comically, as well as blood to trickle from her forehead in the aftermath. Orihime lets go of Nemu’s collar, a dark bruise appearing on her own forehead, as there is still a blazing fire in her eyes.

As Nemu staggers, her thoughts are panicked, “She’s just a human… how… how did my enhanced body take more damage than hers?! How thick of a head does she have?!”

The Fullbringer cries a battle cry as she spins on her right foot, spinning her body around and continuously building up momentum for a roundhouse kick. Tsubaki rushes to her side, pushing against her left foot, further increasing the momentum and potency of the attack. The girl’s spins continue to speed up even more as her foot starts to become engulfed in green flames—a sign of her Bringer’s Light being used to increase the speed as well.

Nemu widens her eyes slowly before Orihime’s now flaming green foot slams into the side of her face with such intensity that it practically warps in slow motion before the Shinigami is sent crashing through the nearby wall, causing it to crumble. Like the captain of Squad 7 before her, Nemu lies on the ground, twitching and with pupil-less eyes, clearly unconscious.

The girl breathes heavily, her both of her feet completely scorched due to the friction from Bringer’s Light, before falling on her hands and knees, crawling towards where Nemu slammed her foot earlier. In both of her hands, she retrieves Baigon, staring down sadly at him as the five others fly above her.

The girl then looks over towards Uryu and the captain, her face and body beaten and battered, before she smiles, giving a weak thumbs-up and uttering softly, “You can… stop worrying about me now… Uryu… go all out… and beat him…”

Uryu vs Mayuri

Uryu dodges another bout of the scientist’s purple haze, before glancing over knowingly as he makes eye contact with Orihime, who casts a two-point shield over her body, healing it, “Thank you, Orihime… and good job.”

Mayuri glances over at the girl, “So she defeated Nemu, did she? Impressive. Most impressive—?!”

The captain widens his eyes as Uryu jumps into the sky, turning his body upside down and pointing his bow at him. Mayuri hisses as he swings his sword at the Quincy, again sending toxic haze his way.

The Quincy this time does not dodge, instead draws his bow back, uttering, “Licht Regen.”

What follows is a massive barrage of arrows that rain down on the captain, piecing through his haze easily and leveling the walls along the street below. Uryu remains in the air, confirming the attack missed Orihime as he watches the dust settle.

The boy’s eyes widen as he watches an unnatural, segmented white arm come out of the dust towards the Fullbringer. The Quincy, with expert marksmanship, accurately calculates the necessary trajectory as he launches an arrow at the hand, instantly vaporizing it. Uryu then uses Hirenkyaku to reappear on the ground, in front of Orihime.

As the dust clears, Uryu narrows his eyes as he watches Mayuri inject a drug into the stump that used to be his left arm before a new one sprouts from it in a sickly, unnatural manner. The scientist pulls some kind of button from his coat, pressing it. This makes the Quincy raise a brow, as in his eyes nothing happened, but unbeknownst to him, it causes Nemu’s body, behind him and out of sight, to spasm, before the woman slowly and unnaturally starts getting up.

Mayuri puts the button back before raising his golden Shikai to his right and charging at Uryu, purple haze trailing behind him. The Quincy decides to put the issue of the button on hold as he readies another arrow on his bow. He prepares to fire but pauses as the battered and bloodied form of Nemu suddenly appears between himself and the captain, her eyes looking crazed.

Uryu widens his eyes in shock, “B-but Orihime just knocked her out! How can she—”

That train of thought halts abruptly as the woman firmly grabs ahold of the Reishi arrow in her right hand, causing it to start burning, before grabbing the boy by the collar in her other hand and promptly slamming his body to the ground, holding it in place.

Uryu gasps, “L-let go!”

The boy widens his eyes as he sees Mayuri continuing his approach, bringing his sword down to cut through both the Vice-Captain and the Quincy. Uryu winces as Nemu starts breathing even more heavily, her hands falling to the boy’s sides. All the while, the battered form of Orihime watches the scene play out before her in horror. Mayuri’s eyes narrow as he looks down at Nemu before he quickly and viciously kicks her in the stomach, sending her crashing against the wall opposite of Orihime.

The woman starts coughing wildly in pain as Mayuri rebukes her with his words, “I taught you never to let go, even if your arms were torn off!”

Nemu struggles to push herself up from the ground, although still on her hands and knees, responding with haggard breaths, “I… I’m sorry, sir…”

Mayuri grunts, “Forget it. I wasn’t expecting much from you anyway. Besides…”

The scientist holds his sword out in front of him, grinning madly, “…at this point, it’ll be as easy as strangling a newborn.”

Uryu frowns as he sits on the ground near Orihime, who is too taken aback to move. The boy tries to move himself but widens his eyes in horror as he realizes he is unable to.

Mayuri lords over Uryu confidently, “Look at you sweat. It must hurt quite a bit. But you’re not screaming. I’m impressed. You must have quite the high pain tolerance. Is this your first time getting stabbed?”

The Quincy narrows his eyes as he recalls being run through the chest by a certain horned Hollow, “It’s the second!”

The scientist glares at the Quincy, humming lightly, “Well, now you have a wealth of experience.”

The captain raises his Shikai, preparing to deliver another blow before pausing as Nemu continues coughing from behind. He turns to regard the woman, who coils into a ball due to the pain.

Mayuri clicks his tongue, “Would you be quiet?”

Nemu coughs before sputtering out her words between further coughs, “I… I’m sorry… Captain Kurotsuchi… please give me some Hojiku-Zai healing medicine. I think my lungs are damaged… I can’t maintain… my vital functions…”

The scientist glares at the woman before marching over and slamming his foot into her wounded gut again, causing her to spit up blood and howl in pain.

Both Uryu and Orihime flinch at the sight, “W-what?!”

Mayuri continues to kick the downed woman as he rants, “Who… do you… think… you’re talking to?! WELL?! Do you think… your body… would break that easily?!”

Orihime begins crying helplessly at the sight as Uryu decides he’s had enough, “Stop! What’re you doing?! Isn’t she one of you?! You’re killing her!”

As Mayuri holds Nemu up by the hair, he glares back at the Quincy in annoyance, “Are you mocking me too?! Do you think she’d die from this?! You think that these little, not even mortal, wounds could kill her?! I created this body myself! Well, I won’t be laughed at!”

Uryu’s eyes widen, his mouth hanging open, “You… created her?”

The scientist huffs, “That’s right. Do you want to know her name? It’s Nemu Kurotsuchi. She’s the result of my experiments with Gigai and Gikon. In other words, she is my daughter.”

The Quincy stares helplessly as Orihime cries out in fury, “You treat your family like that, too?! You’re the lowest of the low—pure evil!!!”

Mayuri frowns, clicking his tongue, “Research subjects like you should keep quiet! The amount of pain I will subject you to will only increase! And besides, it’s none of your business how I treat my daughter!”

Orihime recoils as Mayuri cruelly slams Nemu’s head against the side of the wall, causing it to bleed further.

Uryu snaps, “STOP!!!”

The boy widens his eyes as he is forced to recall that he’s been paralyzed.

The scientist discards Nemu before approaching the Quincy once more, “Ah, yes. I’m sure you’ve noticed by now that you are unable to so much as lift a finger. Allow me to explain: my Ashisogi ji*zo immobilizes its victim.”

Uryu clicks his tongue, “So that’s it… some kind of paralyzing poison!”

The captain levels his blade directly in front of Uryu’s face, causing his eyes to widen, “Please… it’s nothing so vulgar. You see, it selectively blocks only the neural impulses involved in movement. It synthesizes a very complex drug. It’s not normal paralysis. You only lose the ability to move. In other words…”

Mayuri runs his sword through Uryu’s left arm, causing him to scream in pain.

The scientist grins, evilly, “…you’ll feel every last bit of pain.”

The madman continues to stab Uryu in various locations, working to increase the volume of his pain. Orihime cries at the sight, desperately starting to pull herself up from the ground.

Mayuri pauses as he notices this, raising his left hand and uttering, “Bakudo Number 4: Hainawa.”

Suddenly, a bright yellow rope of Reishi shoots from the captain’s hand before quickly wrapping around and binding Orihime’s arms, completely halting her movements.

Mayuri tilts his head back, away from Uryu, grunting, “Anyway… compared to a woman’s screams, a man’s… lacks charm.”

The scientist turns away from the boy and begins walking back toward Nemu, “Nemu! Get up! You’re going to carry him so that I can drop him before that fool, Isshin Shiba!”

There is no response, prompting the captain to co*ck his head to the side, “Oh… that’s right. I cut you with Ashisogi ji*zo too.”

Mayuri brutally slams his foot into the woman’s gut once more, “YOU WORTHLESS MAGGOT!!!”

Uryu hisses at the man from behind, “Stop.”

The captain glances back at the Quincy uncaringly, “What…?”

The Quincy grits his teeth, angrily, “I told you… to stop.”

Mayuri scoffs, now fully turning towards the boy, “Haven’t you had enough? Or are you just that much of a fool? You feel pity for a woman, even though she is your enemy?! I thought your kind HATED us?! Or is this… is this the Honor that you Quincies are so proud of?”

Uryu narrows his eyes, “What…?”

Mayuri stares blankly at the boy, “It must really mean a lot to you because each and every one of you speak of it when you are on death’s door.”

The Quincy trembles, “What are you talking about?!”

The scientist smirks evilly, “I told you. I’ve conducted extensive research on your kind. I applied all manner of stimuli to their minds and bodies and observed their responses! I drilled holes into their skulls while they were still alive! I made them burn their own children! I vivisected them and crushed them! I studied them until they were nothing but pulp!!! And every single one of them said at some point that on their Honor as Quincies, they couldn’t do such and such!!! On their Honor as Quincies, they would stop me!!! You’re all so annoying!!!”

Uryu’s eyes widen as he takes this in. Orihime, meanwhile, continues to cry, her body completely trembling upon hearing this man admit so openly to all of the atrocities he’s committed.

Mayuri raises his Shikai in front of his face, eyeing it dubiously, “One stab from this will make all words of resistance meaningless.”

The Quincy gnashes his teeth, “You scumbag…”

The captain waves his hand defensively, “Now calm down. This is where I tell you about my hardship. It was really difficult work. When I became Chief of Research and Development, Quincies were already a rare species. Shinigami were monitoring the few that were left. So, I had to persuade the Shinigami assigned to them to delay their rescue. Then I turned the Quincy souls that they brought back into research subjects. Do you have any idea how hard it was to arrange all of this?”

Uryu gasps in shock, “Wh-what… huh…?”

The captain fiddles through his coat, pulling out two pictures, “Come to think of it, the reason I stopped my studies was because the Quincies were essentially narrowed down to less than a handful. At a certain point, I realized it was no longer worth the effort of hunting them down to research. The last one I planned to study was a woman… seven years or so ago to you in the World of the Living. They couldn’t retrieve the soul, as the Hollow ate it too quickly, but here’s a picture of the corpse.”

Mayuri tosses the first picture coldly before Uryu, who widens his eyes in complete bafflement, finding it housing a woman with long, wavy, dirty blond hair tied in a ponytail, lying on her chest in a pool of her own blood. A boy in a yellow raincoat with bright orange hair lays unconscious on top of her.

The boy gasps in disbelief, “T-that’s…!”

The scientist continues, “Anyway, the last one I did study was a nasty old man. He kept calling out the name of a student, or maybe a grandchild. It was disgraceful.”

Uryu flinches at this, his eyes still wide in disbelief.

Mayuri callously tosses the second photo to the ground, landing atop the first one, “Would you like to see a picture of him too? This photo was taken after I conducted my experiments. There’s not much left of his original form.”

Uryu fully takes in the picture—an old man with a gray mustache and a receding hairline. Scars, blood, and bruises litter his body. There are also quite a few unnatural-looking bumps in various locations, secreting a purple fluid—definitely not blood.

The scientist turns away from the boy, beginning to fiddle with his right ear, “Now, what was that student’s name? Ah well. I tend to lose interest with my subjects after my experiments are over—”

The area behind the captain erupts in a bright blue light, causing him to turn to regard it, “What?!”

Uryu slams his foot on the ground as he stands, “I’ll tell you… his student’s name. It was Uryu. Uryu Ishida.”

The air around the Quincy’s body glows a furious blue as strands of string-like Reishi come from his limbs, his left hand holding both photos, “The woman’s name… was Masaki Kurosaki—she was my aunt and Yuzu’s mother.”

Mayuri furrows his brows, “Blast! To think I missed such an exquisite catch! I could’ve told them to at least strike down the boy and bring his soul to me…!”

Orihime widens her eyes, horrified at the reveal, as tears continue to fall in surplus, “No…!”

Uryu continues, still clutching to the photos, “As for the man… his name was Souken Ishida. He was my teacher and my grandfather.”

The captain looks comparatively disinterested at this, “Oh? So what?”

Uryu glares darkly at the man, “Look away, Orihime… you won’t want to see what I’m about to do…”

The girl hiccups as she cries before shutting her eyes closed and looking away.

The Quincy continues, with not but vengeful wrath, “On My Honor as a Quincy, I’m going to kill you.”

Uryu’s Past

A much smaller, younger Uryu sits atop a rooftop in Karakura Town, across from a small old man with a gray mustache, a receding hairline, and glasses. He also wears a unique white cape and a white uniform underneath. Uryu wears a similar-looking white uniform, although without a cape.

The boy suddenly speaks to the man, who is currently enjoying his lunch, “Master?”

The man looks up, regarding the youngster, “What is it, Uryu?”

The boy continues, “That story you told about our annihilation. You left out the details. Were the Shinigami wrong in the end?”

The elder takes a bite of his food, swallowing, before explaining, “That’s not it, Uryu. I think… I think the Quincies were in the wrong for failing to heed to admonitions of the Shinigami.”

Uryu begins to argue, “But… it was the Quincies who were eradicated!”

Souken nods, “Exactly. Our people died. And after that, it mattered little who was right and wrong. What we had to think about was how to make sure that such a thing never happened again. That is all. Seeing the sad faces of Shinigami or Humans… pains me.”

Uryu looks in mild confusion at the elder, letting the words sink in.

My Master wanted to make peace with the Shinigami…

…to convince them that the Quincies were necessary…

…after all, there are only so many humans that the Shinigami can protect from hollows by themselves…

…but one day, my Master was up against five hollows by himself…

…the Shinigami didn’t show up until long after he had died…

…now I know why.

Sometime Later, Karakura Hospital

Ryuken stands in his office, looking over a particular book, as Uryu stands with furrowed brows, gazing pitifully at his father.

The white-haired man lectures, “Uryu… I know you’ve been spending time with my father again. How many times have I told you not to go there?”

The boy meekly manages a response, “B-but…”

Ryuken, still examining the book, responds sternly, “I don’t want to hear excuses. I’ve told you about that, too. There’s no sense in saving the dead. That’s the job of the Shinigami. Your time would be better spent learning to save the living. I’m not interested in Quincies. And you have no talent for it anyway. Let the Quincies die out with my father’s generation. Understood?”

Uryu frowns, “But… Dad… why do you hate Quincies so much?”

Ryuken, finally, takes his gaze away from the book, staring coldly at his son, “Because there is no profit in it.”

Later, Forest, Karakura Town

Souken hums as Uryu stands crying in front of him, “Well… he does have a point. It’s not easy making a living as a Quincy these days. And your father has a family to support. Well, there’s nothing wrong with what he said. But of course, you aren’t wrong either, Uryu.”

The boy continues crying, now shouting at the ground, “But… I can see them! The Hollows and the people they attack. The Shinigami can’t handle it by themselves. I’ve seen it with my own eyes! Why?! Dad must be able to see those things too. So how…? How can he ignore them?!”

Souken’s eyes soften as he continues watching his grandson, “Master… I want to be strong! I want to be a powerful Quincy and protect everyone from the Hollows! Then maybe Dad will think Quincies are worth something!”

The man’s eyes further soften, “Thank you… Uryu.”

10 Minutes Later, Karakura Town

As Souken and Uryu walk along one of the various streets in Karakura Town, the elder lectures, “Uryu… try to understand your father. What you think is right depends on what you want to protect. That’s how people are.”

Uryu looks to the side, “What does Dad want to protect? His money?”

Souken stares knowingly at Uryu before patting him on the head, “You’ll find out one day. And when you do, you’ll know what you want to protect, too.”

The man then hands the boy a unique box with a blue cross on it, “Uryu, for when that day comes, I’m entrusting this to you. You’ll eventually learn what your father cares about most. When you find out what you truly want to protect, and if you still wish to walk to path of the Quincy, you will face a battle you cannot avoid. A battle beyond your abilities. A time will come when you have to sacrifice yourself. When it comes, use this.”

Uryu eyes the box curiously, prompting Souken to explain further, “This is Sanrei Shuto, or Scattered Spirits Glove. Put it on and train for at least seven days and seven nights. You will reach the peak of your Quincy powers. But don’t forget, Uryu. Once you put that glove on, you can never take it off. If you do, your powers as a Quincy will be lost forever.”

Present, Uryu vs Mayuri

Uryu holds his bow in front of him, reaching slowly with his left hand for the front of the glove, “I do understand my father much better now, Master. But I do not agree with his methods… even so, I must ask for your forgiveness, Master. You wanted peace between our kinds, but what I’m about to do will completely act against that… I’m sorry, but I’m disobeying you one last time.”

In the next moment, Uryu pulls off the silver rod protruding from his right, glove-covered wrist, causing the glove to ignite a brilliant blue color. The Reishi soon engulfs his entire body.

Mayuri widens his eyes in confusion and urgency, “W-what… WHAT IS THIS?!”

As the light settles, Uryu stands proudly in the center, a singular bright blue Reishi wing sprouting from his right shoulder as well as white armor covering his torso, right arm, and the bottom right half of his body.

Mayuri stares in awe at the sight, “S-such Reiatsu! I’ve never seen anything like it! Never!”

The man’s eye twitches as he notices the nearby wall begin to break down into spiritual particles before being absorbed into Uryu’s wing.

The scientist cannot help but continue to stare dumbly, “Is he absorbing the buildings?! The buildings in the Soul Society are made of Reishi! He’s preventing the Reishi from bonding, forcing them to become part of his strength! The Reishi is being… torn apart! He’s bending them to his will!!!”

Mayuri smirks wickedly, “You’re exceeding your human limits, boy!”

Uryu merely raises his left hand, a Reishi arrow slowly forming in it, produced from the Reishi gathered in his wing. Mayuri widens his eyes before instinctively jumping backwards, however, Uryu quickly fires the arrow, which the captain is just barely able to dodge by shifting his body downwards. Mayuri gasps as Uryu suddenly appears directly above him, firing another arrow that causes the ground to explode from the impact.

The Quincy gives the captain a disrespectful side eye as he lands on the ground, “Beg for mercy and I may make your death quick. Refuse, and I’ll drag YOU to my uncle and see what HE does to you when he finds out what you were planning to do with his wife.”

Smoke trails off the captain’s body as he begins to pick himself up from the ground, before screaming at the Quincy with blood spurting from various locations of his body, “DON’T PUSH YOUR LUCK, BOY!!!”

Mayuri now stands on both his feet, his left arm completely vaporized, before he holds his Shikai in front of him, “Stupid Quincy… very well, I’ll return the favor… Bankai.”

Uryu flinches in confusion, “Huh? Bankai?”

The boy’s eyes widen as he watches an abomination make its way out of the captain’s blade. Behind Mayuri is a massive, fetus-like being with many stubby, human-like legs, and soul-less, pupil-less eyes. The creature’s back is covered in a red cape, tied around its neck at the front, and a large halo with bells hanging on the rear hangs above its head. A similar, purple toxic gas emits from its comparatively small, humanoid mouth.

Mayuri calls out the creature’s name, proudly, “Konjiki Ashisogi ji*zo!”

The maddened captain stares with utter insanity at the Quincy, “Now… your death is sealed! My Bankai sprays lethal poison made from my blood for a 100-mile radius. It won’t hurt me, of course, but both you and the girl will unfortunately die. Sorry. It seems the two of you were not fit to become research subjects after all.”

Uryu narrows his eyes, staring unimpressed at the captain as he forms another arrow in his hand, “I won’t be the one to die… I’ll shoot and kill you before you can spray the lethal dose.”

Mayuri growls, the fetus sprouting blades from underneath its neck as it begins to charge, “Oh, please! Be my guest!!!”

The Quincy calmly and quietly pulls back the arrow before releasing it, causing the street to become completely engulfed in blue as the arrow flies beyond lightspeed at the captain and his Bankai. A massive explosion occurs, which lights up the nearby streets, coating them in angelic blue. After a moment, Orihime and Nemu stare wide-eyed at the aftermath, the yellow binding around the former fading.

The Shinigami stutters in disbelief, “C… cap… captain…”

As the smoke clears, a profusely bleeding Mayuri is revealed, with a massive hole through the center of his chest. In front of him, his Bankai has been split cleanly down the middle, completely destroyed as it comes crashing down on both sides of the street. Uryu, meanwhile, stands solemnly in his victory, blood leaking from his left hand, still in the position he released the arrow. His bow string has snapped, and his wing disappeared. Mayuri growls at the Quincy, uttering something incomprehensible, before raising his shattered Zanpakuto and running it through his neck, shocking the boy.

The captain’s body explodes into green goop, which seemingly slithers away, beginning to seep into the ground. Uryu grits his teeth and attempts to follow, but his movements feel much heavier all of a sudden.

The boy curses, “Damnit! My control on the strings is slipping!”

Suddenly, a bright orange light zips past the boy, striking and disintegrating some of the goop, preventing it from escaping, but unable to stop the rest of it. The boy widens his eyes, looking behind him at Orihime, who breathes heavily with her arms held out in front of her.

Uryu sputters in disbelief, “O-Orihime… did you… did you just try…?”

Orihime continues breathing heavily, her eyes softening before becoming full of tears once more, “That man… he did all that… to those people… to your family… and he just gets away with it?! It’s not fair!”

Uryu’s gaze softens as he watches the girl shift her gaze toward the ground, her body tensing up, “This is the first time I’ve thought… that someone… deserves to die…”

The boy walks over slowly before placing his left arm on the back of the girl into an embrace. She continues to cry into his shoulder, prompting tears of frustration to form in the boy’s eyes as well. As the pair console each other, Nemu looks away somewhat guiltily.

Uryu grits his teeth, “Masaki… Grandfather… I’m sorry… that bastard deserved to die and despite all that power I had… I still failed to avenge you!”

The sun begins to rise in the Soul Society signaling the start of a new day.

5 Days before Execution, Repentance Cell, Senzaikyu, Soul Society

Yuzu curls up into a sniveling ball in the corner of her cell, “No, Uryu! Not you too… please, everyone… just stop!”

The girl opens her tear-filled eyes, half of her left eye taking on black sclera, “I-I… I want to help… b-but…!”

The faces of Isshin and Karin come to the forefront of the girl’s mind, immediately forcing the black in her eyes to recede, “I can’t… I’m sorry!”

Yuzu curls herself back into a ball, continuing to cry helplessly.

Seireitei

Hanataro opens a hatch, sticking his head out of an open tile, and checking his surroundings briefly, before turning his head down to regard the duo under him, “Alright. The coast is clear.”

One by one, Hanataro, Ganju, and Ginjo pull themselves out of the hole, briefly dusting themselves off, before staring up at the massive white tower that they’re looking for.

Ganju lets out a low whistle, “Damn. Up close, it’s even bigger than I thought!”

Ginjo’s brow twitches as he walks forward, his gaze on a massive flight of stairs, “We didn’t come to sight-see. C’mon, it looks like we’ll have to scale those stairs—”

The man immediately tenses up, halting his stride as his eyes widen.

Ganju furrows his brows before looking at the stairs, his expression immediately paling thereafter, “Wait, that’s…”

Hanataro’s face pales as well before he attempts to hide behind Ganju, who himself has taken a few steps back.

Ginjo, still with widened eyes, stares at the figure at the edge of the stairs. Long, white hair blows softly in the wind, which parallels the white coat the figure wears, with the Japanese character for “Thirteen” plastered in black on the back. The figure slowly unsheathes the sword strapped to its waist before letting it hang freely to his right. Ginjo’s eyes narrow as his right hand grabs the pendant around his neck, which begins to glow a bright green color.

Wearing a deadly serious expression, the figure, Squad 13 Captain Jushiro Ukitake, declares, “Kugo Ginjo! Today, you will face justice for your crimes against the Soul Society!”

Chapter 4: The Shinigami Killer

Chapter Text

Past, Japan

As far back as I remember…

…I could see ghosts…

…well, later I found out they were called Hollows, Wholes, and Shinigami, but…

…that never much mattered to me.

Until, of course, my family was attacked by a Hollow…

A teenage boy with long, black hair sits in the rubble of a building, as a massive, masked creature looms over him. To its left and right are the corpses of two adults, a man and a woman, lying strewn in a puddle of their blood. He holds the cross-shaped pendant around his neck firmly, prompting it to start glowing a green color.

The boy recalls the words of his father and mother before they died, ’A Hollow?! Not again!’

The creature’s eyes widen briefly as it is struck down the middle of the back by a black figure, drawing blood. The beast shrieks as it staggers somewhat. The boy widens his eyes and, taking in the sight of his dead parents, charges at the Hollow in an enraged state, slamming himself against its leg in fury. The Hollow peers at the boy before moving one of its harms to grab him.

The black figure calls out something as it comes between the Hollow and the boy. The cross-shaped pendant around his neck continues to glow green as he stares in shock at the scene, his vision growing fuzzy.

All I remember after that is more blood and green flashes of light…

…that is, until the aftermath…

The boy sits in the rubble, blood smearing his face and now black Gi. He rests his hands on the hilt of a bloodied katana, which is stabbed into the ground. His eyes are bloodshot and puffy, his tears having run dry. Interestingly, there is no sign of the warrior in black from earlier. The boy co*cks his head to the left as he regards a pair of incoming footsteps.

Walking onto the scene is a man with long, white hair, wearing a white Haori and a stern expression, “So, I see that he passed on his powers to you… have you any family left?”

The boy averts his gaze from the man.

The man looks to the ground, dejectedly, “I see…”

The man walks past the young boy, clasping his hands together and closing his eyes as if to pray, “May your souls find rest in the Soul Society…”

Suddenly, the teen speaks up, “I have an uncle… in Tokyo…”

The man smiles slightly, nodding, “I see… well, in that case, you’d better re-enter your body.”

The boy frowns, raising a brow, “Huh…? You mean this isn’t…”

His eyes widen as he sees his human body laying in the rubble behind him, prompting his eyes to pop comically out of his head as he screams, “HOLY CRAP!!!”

This prompts the man to chuckle jovially before assisting the boy.

That was the night I lost my parents…

…and gained new powers…

…but also…

…when I met him.

Roughly 2 Months Later, Tokyo

That uncle I mentioned from Tokyo…

…he was quite distant and, more often than not, was away on business…

…he didn’t even bother to attend my parent’s funeral either…

…although, he did pay for it in full…

…in any case, as far as I was concerned, I was still alone.

The boy fiddles with a toaster at in the middle of the floor of a lavish-looking apartment, taking a screwdriver to it as he sticks his tongue out, “C’mon… almost there.”

A voice suddenly calls out to the boy from behind, “What a curious device you have there! What do you call it?”

The boy widens his eyes, screaming as he throws the screwdriver and drops the toaster on the ground.

The white-haired man behind him rubs the bump on his head, forming due to the screwdriver hitting it, “Ow…”

The boy calms down slightly before looking up at the man behind him in confusion, “Mr. Ukitake… what are you doing here? I thought you said you were busy this time of year…?”

The man looks to the side, jovially, “I’m always busy…”

Noticing the boy continue to stare, the captain clears his throat and explains, “I’m here on official business today, Kugo. To give you a gift.”

The boy’s eyes widen, seemingly lighting up, “Oh? Is it a state-of-the-art Do-Dad or What-Cha-Ma-Call-It from Research and Development?”

Ukitake gives the boy a knowing smile as he ruffles through the left breast pocket of his Gi, “I suppose you could say that.”

He hands the teen a hand-sized wooden pentagon with an ‘X’ shape behind a small skull in the middle.

The boy raises a brow as he inspects it, prompting the captain to explain, “That is called the Combat Pass. When raised and pushed at the middle of your chest, it will remove your soul from your body, allowing you to freely enter your Shinigami form as necessary. It signifies that you are the Substitute Shinigami and that we entrust the protection of Tokyo’s people from Hollows to you when we are not here.”

The teen widens his eyes, “A-are you sure?”

Ukitake’s eyes narrow, a somewhat uncomfortable look in his eye that the teen misses, as he smiles, “Yes. I know we can trust you with this…”

Ginjo smiles back at the captain before bowing before him on his hands and knees, “Thank you! I won’t disappoint you, sir!”

The man nods, eyeing the toaster on the ground behind the boy curiously, “Very good… now if you could tell me what that device is…”

Ginjo gets up and regards it before giving the man a look, “Oh, this? It’s just a toaster.”

Ukitake stares in apparent awe, “’Just a toaster’? …how odd…”

The boy continues to explain the various devices around the apartment to the man, who cannot hide his fascination.

That marked the beginning of my exploits as the Substitute Shinigami…

…I would go on to help the people of the Tokyo region for the next few years…

…I purified more than my fair share of Hollow…

…and…

Some Time Later, Park, Tokyo

A young boy with long black hair wearing shorts and a white shirt sits quietly against the side of a tree during the day, holding a book tightly in his hands as an older, teenage boy in a black Gi approaches.

The teen looks down at the boy, who seemingly tenses up, before softly asking, “You can see me… which means you can see those masks creatures and the ghosts, right?”

The young boy widens his eyes before looking up at his older counterpart, “Y-you believe they exist?”

The older boy chuckles, wearing a friendly expression, “Believe? Kid, I’ve seen them! And don’t worry about those masked creatures—it’s my responsibility to deal with them!”

The boy furrows his brows, frowning, “R-really? You don’t look that strong…”

It’s as if an invisible punch strikes the teen in the side, his body tensing, “Oof… you don’t have to put it like that…”

The duo stare at each other for another moment before the teen kneels down, now eye level with the younger, much smaller boy, “Are you alone? Do you have any family?”

The boy looks away sadly, “No… I’m an orphan… I’ve always been one…”

The other boy’s eyes soften briefly before he places his right hand on the youngster’s head, causing him to look at the Shinigami with wide eyes.

Ginjo wears a friendly smile, “Well what do you know? I’m alone, too! Tell ya what: you can come with me from now on. I’ll let you crash at my place and even teach you how to protect yourself from those masked creatures!”

The smaller boy looks in awe at the Shinigami, who rises to his feet and starts walking away, calling back, “You comin’, or what?”

The young boy nods, with a smile on his face, before getting to his feet and catching up. The two continue to converse as they walk away together.

…I found a family.

I found Shukuro about a month after Ukitake gave me the badge…

…after that, the ‘family’, only continued to grow with other outcasts…

…Fullbringers…

…the human world rejected us because we claimed ghosts exist…

…they saw us as a cult, which I thought was a load of bullsh*t…

…so, one day, years later, when we had over fifty Fullbringers…

…we made it official…

…’Xcution’, was what we called ourselves.

We didn’t have an official hideout at the time, but we would often gather in public meeting places…

…such as parks…

…indeed, only Shukuro lived with me. By that point, my uncle had also passed away due to a foreign illness, leaving his will to me.

As mentioned, I did train Shukuro. I taught him how to fight with a sword, which he was surprisingly adept with…

…us and the others would protect Tokyo when the Shinigami weren’t there, minimizing the impact of Hollow attacks…

…yet, we sought no recognition with the normal people…

…they wouldn’t have believed us, anyhow.

One day, I suddenly started hearing muffled noises from the Combat Pass…

…I was foolish, in that I wasn’t bothered by it…

…I had thought it was only natural that Ukitake would have given me some kind of monitoring device, after all, entrusting the protection of an entire city to an outsider seemed unbelievable at the outset…

…so, as Shukuro and I went to meet with the others that day…

…I didn’t expect that we’d find their bloodied corpses strewn across the ground, finding the sight of retreating Shinigami.

Shukuro was more scarred than I was from the sight. A kid his age finding the only family he’s ever known suddenly violently murdered…

…he became soul-less…

…but I suppose, in my wrath, I was partially to blame for that.

I put together that the Combat Pass was used as a way to weed out my friends and put them to death…

…from one of the Shinigami I encountered later…

…I was told that Ukitake took full responsibility…

…I felt angry… betrayed…

…and I wanted blood.

And so, I took it…

…I killed any and all Shinigami who dared show their faces in the Tokyo region…

… they began to call me, ‘The Shinigami Killer’.

Eventually, they started sending Vice-Captains…

…at that point, Shukuro, older and wiser than the child I found in front of that tree…

…he convinced me that we needed to go into hiding…

…to rebuild our forces…

…and so, we disappeared.

But I vowed on that day that I would one day confront Ukitake…

…I would get answers from him…

…and if I didn’t like what I heard…

…then I’d kill him, too.

Present, 5 Days before Execution, Seireitei

Ginjo and Ukitake stare each other down, the Fullbringer snickering as his pendant quickly turns into his Cross of Scaffold, held firmly in his right hand, “Look, I’m not claiming I’m a good person, but you sure have some nerve talking about justice when you plan on putting a child to death!”

The captain frowns, his brows furrowing, “You and her are two very different subjects. I cannot allow a killer like you to roam free in the Seireitei.”

The Fullbringer scoffs, “Please… spare me your platitudes and excuses. Just admit that the Soul Society is just as corrupt and f*cked as everything else!”

Ukitake is quiet for a moment, his eyes shifting back and forth briefly before narrowing, “You know I can’t do that...”

Ginjo grits his teeth before swinging his sword, sending a violent green beam of energy at the other man, “DON’T GIVE ME THAT BULLsh*t!”

The captain raises his Zanpakuto before bringing it down on the beam, slicing it in half, and sending the remains crashing into the stairs behind him.

Hanataro sweats nervously, “They… they know each other?”

Ganju, meanwhile, narrows his eyes at the duo before him.

Without another word, Ginjo launches himself at the captain, raising his large sword, coated in green energy, above his head, before bringing it crashing down.

The captain widens his eyes, barely managing a sidestep, “He’s faster than he should be…!”

Ginjo quickly pivots the sword in his arm, swinging at the captain and sending a green beam crashing into his Zanpakuto. The captain is sent flying back a distance before exerting more force into his blade, cutting the blast in half as well and regaining his bearings.

He stares back at the Fullbringer with widened eyes, prompting Ginjo to smirk, “What’s with that surprised look? You really think I didn’t steal those guys’ powers before killing them, do you?”

Ukitake narrows his eyes as the man continues smirking, leveling his blade at the white-haired captain, “Right now, I’ve got powers from at least 100 Shinigami backing me up. And that’s not even mentioning what’s left of that power I used to hospitalize that four-eyed captain! Is he still kickin’?”

The white-haired captain widens his eyes, “Y-you did that to Captain Aizen…? He told us it was Kisuke Urahara and his allies!”

Ginjo is silent for a moment before letting out, “Ha…!”

The man then can’t help himself as he begins to laugh madly, holding his left hand against his forehead, “You mean to tell me that there are traitors even among the Shinigami?! That’s rich!”

Ukitake’s mouth is agape as the Fullbringer’s laughing settles, “Kisuke Urarahara and his allies may have helped, but the one who dealt the decisive blow was me! And I’ll tell you what; I hadn’t even ever heard the name Kisuke Urahara until after I attacked four-eyes!”

Ginjo closes his eyes sighing before opening them, glaring at the captain seriously, “I’ve answered your question truthfully… now you answer mine. Why were my friends killed on that day, Ukitake?”

Ganju and Hanataro each raise a brow, their eyes widening, simultaneously wondering, “What’s he talking about…?”

The captain’s frown deepens as he looks to the ground, closing his eyes for a moment. He lets out a long exhale before opening his eyes and staring at the Fullbringer with a serious expression.

The man replies simply, “I will tell you all that I know if you can defeat me in a duel. But if you lose, I am locking you up for the murder of countless Shinigami. You will most certainly be executed shortly after. Those are the terms of this duel.”

Ginjo narrows his own eyes, his expression stern, “I accept those terms.”

As soon as the Fullbringer finishes his statement, Ganju scowls, “Damnit… I was hoping to get involved, but now that it’s a duel… it wouldn’t be right, especially when it involves the man you respected most… brother…”

The Shiba man continues to observe the battle before him as Ukitake now holds his blade in his right hand, bending over slightly, his left hand hovering over his other hand and a steeled gaze locked on his opponent, “All Waves, Rise now and Become my Shield, Lightning, Strike now and Become my Blade; Sogyo No Kotowari!"

Soon after, Ukitake holds the two swords of his Shikai before him, leveled at the Fullbringer, who continues to stare back with a serious look on his face. Ginjo’s body is coated in green energy as he holds his blade behind him briefly before swinging it furiously at the captain, sending an intense amount of green, beam energy at him. Ukitake doesn’t flinch as he keeps holding the blades in front of him, which seemingly sends the blast directly back. Ginjo widens his eyes as the green wave of energy lands causing an explosion.

After a moment, the Fullbringer jumps into the air, smoke trailing from his now jacket-less torso, wearing a torn white sleeveless tank top. He looks at the ground where Ukitake was previously, widening his eyes to find nothing there. Instinctually, the Fullbringer swings his blade defensively in front of his back, blocking the captain’s two, incoming strikes. The captain, now having a better look at the other man’s arms, widens his eyes slightly at the sight of the silver, star bracelet on his right wrist.

Before he can comment about it, however, Ginjo exerts more energy into his blade, swinging it with a roar, forcing the captain to back off and retreat a distance. The Fullbringer quickly closes the distance with Bringer’s Light, slamming his massive blade down at the captain, who catches it between his two swords.

Ukitake frowns, commenting, “There’s no way that you defeated a captain with these levels of attacks… and that bracelet, what—”

The man growls angrily, his body coated in a burning green energy as he pushes the captain back, “YOU DON’T HAVE THE RIGHT TO ASK ABOUT THAT!”

Ukitake widens his eyes, using Flash Step to retreat from the other man’s attack range, his breathing ever so slightly labored, “That emblem… it belongs to the Quincies… could Vice-Captain Abarai’s report have been right? Was Captain Aizen lying…?”

The captain eyes the Fullbringer, who breathes heavy, angry breathes, cautiously as his eyes narrow, “And why was he so hostile when I brought that bracelet up? He didn’t even act like that when we were talking about his friends from the past… what’s going on…?”

Ukitake’s expression turns serious as he swears that he sees the bracelet glow a slight, crimson red color, “Either way… it’s coming off.”

Ginjo’s body glows a mixture of red and green as he quickly vanishes, appearing behind the captain, and sending his blade at his back.

Ukitake parries the blow with his left sword, his eyes widening, “He’s faster than before! And that… that wasn’t a Fullbring technique! That was Hirenkyaku!”

The captain grits his teeth, his expression darkening before he disappears with a flash. Ginjo flinches, looking around but not seeing the captain anywhere. Suddenly, his brow twitches as he hears the captain’s voice from the sky above.

Ukitake invokes a chant, “Bakudo Number 62: Hyapporankan!”

Just then, the captain directs a long, blue rod of Reishi at the Fullbringer with his sword, sending it flying at him. Following shortly behind are one hundred identical rods, which all rain down on the other man. Ginjo sends a wave of green beam energy from his sword at the incoming rods, destroying a majority of them, however, some still get through, puncturing him through his left leg, right shoulder and hand, and the left half of his stomach, sending him crashing to the ground and restricting his movement, particularly that of the sword in his right hand.

Ukitake reappears on the ground near the Fullbringer, who flails under the bindings, struggling to break free. The Shinigami approaches, readying his twin swords, but falters, widening his eyes at the sight of the Reishi from the binding spell starting to break down, being absorbed into what appears to be the remnants of a crimson red Reishi wing, which suddenly starts growing in brightness the more Reishi is consumed. The captain also notices the bracelet lighting up a similar color, which makes him scowl before immediately sending his blade at it, making to cut it off Ginjo’s hand. However, just as this happens, Ginjo generates a ball of distorted-looking, crimson Reishi in his left hand before throwing it at the captain’s midsection. Simultaneously, Ukitake cuts through the bracelet, lightly cutting into Ginjo’s wrist as well, and the red Reishi makes contact with the captain’s chest before promptly causing an explosion, sending him flying backwards. Ginjo, however, is also partially caught up in the explosion, scorching the front of his chest and face somewhat. Ukitake lands on the ground a distance away, leaving both combatants lying on their backs.

Ginjo grunts, the red energy leaving him, as he manages to sit upright. Ukitake, similarly, regains his bearings. Both men rise to their feet, each battered, although still having more than enough energy to continue fighting.

The Fullbringer looks behind him, regarding the bracelet briefly with narrowed eyes, before fixing his gaze on Ukitake, “That’s odd… now that the bracelet is off… I don’t feel quite so inclined to kill him… as if I needed convincing, though. Still… it was like some of those thoughts of hatred weren’t my own… Was that your doing, Bambi?”

Ukitake’s breaths are far more labored now, having been struck near his lungs, “Shall we finish this… Ginjo…?”

The Fullbringer frowns, merely leveling his blade at the man in response. The captain bends down somewhat, holding his blades offensively, his veins bulging somewhat as he steadies his breathing, bringing it completely under control. Ginjo instinctively widens his eyes before launching a green beam attack at the man.

Evidently, the captain didn’t even bother using his Shikai’s ability on it, as he simply cuts it in half as he leaps at insane speed at the Fullbringer, their blades now clashing. Ukitake brutally assaults Ginjo with a barrage of strikes from his blades, appearing more like a flashing dance as the captain masterfully lands each strike. Ginjo is forced to walk backward, beginning to lose his footing as the captain’s attacks are too quick and powerful for him to handle. This reaches its natural conclusion as the captain then sends both of his blades in an upward, “X” motion, knocking against Ginjo’s sword with such might that they send it flying out of his grasp. The Fullbringer widens his eyes in slow motion as the captain expertly pivots his hold on his blades before striking the man across his chest, sending him crashing against the wall. Ginjo’s Cross of Scaffold lands just then, its blade planting itself into the ground.

Ukitake walks past the Fullbringer’s weapon, leveling his blade against Ginjo’s neck, “You lo—”

The man’s eyes bulge, causing the Fullbringer to raise a brow before the captain violently coughs up blood, “No! Not now!!!”

After a moment, Ginjo smirks, rising to his feet as Ukitake stumbles, struggling to maintain his bearings as he continues to cough violently, “You once told me about how that illness of yours was the price you paid for a certain deal… that it was something you just had to live with… in other words, you knew this was a possibility when you walked onto this battlefield…”

Ukitake glares back at the Fullbringer, who has walked past him and retrieved his blade from the ground, now leveling it at the helpless captain’s neck, “Therefore, you shouldn’t use it as an excuse. You lose, Ukitake.”

The captain grits his teeth, attempting to raise his swords to bat the cross-shaped one away, but it is for naught, as the next bout of coughs is even more violent, causing him to lose hold of his Shikai entirely and sending him falling on his knees.

Ginjo co*cks his head to the side, now wearing a false, friendly smile, “Well? Do you admit your defeat? Or am I going to have to just kill you and be on my merry way?”

The white-haired man coughs blood on his hand before his eyes narrow, “You are the victor. It would be disgraceful for me to state otherwise, as you are right… I did know this was a possibility…”

As soon as the man yields victory to the Fullbringer, large arms of sand sprout from the wall behind him, clutching tightly around the captain and pulling him back against the wall, restricting his entire body except his head.

Ginjo widens his eyes and looks back at an approaching Ganju behind him, “You didn’t have to get involved. I had him cornered.”

The Shiba glares at the other man, scowling deeply as he shifts his gaze to the captain, “Yes, I did. It took all the restraint I could muster not to interfere with your duel. Out of respect for my brother.”

Ukitake looks away, a shameful look in his eyes, “So, you’ve come to avenge Kaien…”

Ganju snorts, now wearing an insulted expression, “Are you stupid? I forgave you for that as soon as Sis told me the truth. Not to mention that neither of us would have met Karin without you or Rukia. No, what I can’t forgive is the way you betrayed my uncle’s trust by dropping both him and my little cousin at the feet of those scumbag aristocrats!”

The captain scowls deeply, the shame now even more evident.

The Fullbringer frowns at the other man, “Enough. I have business I need to settle with him. After that, I’ll let you do what you want with his remains…”

Ganju’s face pales slightly at this as Ginjo narrows his eyes at the captain, “It’s time to talk.”

Ukitake sighs before staring at his opponent, “I will start by telling you something you already know—I was the one who gave you the Combat Pass. I knew it had a device inside of it for monitoring your movements—something that you became both aware of and able to bypass, it seems. Therefore, I had no choice but to take responsibility for you and your actions.”

The Fullbringer’s eyes narrow, frowning angrily, “You’re leaving something out—the device was used so that you all knew where to jump my friends! You killed all of them!”

The captain’s eyes soften, the look in them one of regret and sadness, which causes Ginjo to flinch slightly, caught off guard, “I did not think that it was going to be used for that purpose. Had I known, I would never have given it to you, to begin with… is what I would like to say, but the higher-ups were adamant that you were monitored in some form.”

Ginjo’s expression turns to one of frustration and hurt, “You could’ve at least ordered those men not to butcher my friends!”

The white-haired man closes his eyes, “The Shinigami who killed your friends were not members of Squad 13… I don’t know for certain if they were even in the Gotei 13 at all. I… I suspect those in positions of power higher than my own had their eyes set on you and your friends since the beginning, preparing for their scandal…”

The Fullbringer’s sword falls to his side, no longer pointed at the captain, “What…? You mean they’re Nobles…?”

Ganju wears a deep scowl, thinking briefly about what Kukaku told him about Yuzu’s situation, “Don’t tell me… that was the doing of Tsunayashiro Clan, as well…”

Ukitake widens his eyes, staring urgently at the younger man, “BOTH OF YOU, DO NOT GO AFTER THEM!!! If you do, you won’t be able to save her! At best, the execution will occur immediately and at worst, Sir Genryusai will be ordered directly to immediately burn both you, your Ryoka allies, AND the girl to NOTHING! Do you hear me?! NOTHING!!!”

The Fullbringer grits his teeth, “Don’t act like you care…”

Ukitake coughs out more blood before managing to speak, his expression strained, “If you want your revenge, wait until after you’ve rescued the girl… I… I cannot help you unless the Soul Society is convinced of her innocence! Please, turn around and hide… hide until the day of the execution and go to that hill above us! We… can save her together!”

Ginjo and Ganju widen their eyes, the latter questioning, “You… you’re going to…?”

Ukitake grits his teeth, “For far too long have I allowed my duty to cloud my judgment. The evils… the atrocities that I’ve allowed to happen without punishment under my watch are unforgivable. Your friends, that woman, the Shibas… when will it end?”

The duo continue to watch the captain’s passionate monologue between haggard breaths, “It is clearer to me now than ever before that our government is corrupt… it only works to benefit the few… I won’t stand for it any longer… but the timing is not yet right…”

Hanataro joins the others, as the captain regards the trio, telling them about a tale from a bygone era, “When the Noble Clans were founded, and the Soul Society as we know it came to be, the founders of the Five Great Noble Clans made a vow that they would never openly seek to destroy another clan, unless the sentiment was unanimous among the remaining four. Even if the Shibas are no longer considered Nobility, the God who witnessed that vow remembers…”

Ukitake has a knowing look as he looks to where his right arm is hiding beneath the sand, “…and I can tell you, that God… is NOT happy. The Tsunyashiros may hide it well, but I can see them for what they are. Rukia told me that they decided to put a member of the Shiba Clan to death without the consent of Byakuya Kuchiki… and the fact that the Shiba Clan member is a child, only makes things worse. I won’t allow them to get what they want, no matter what I must do…”

The trio exchange somewhat confused looks, not fully sure about what the man is talking about.

The captain closes his eyes, stating in finality, “I’m sure my words are empty, but I apologize for what happened to your friends, Ginjo. There are no excuses for what happened that day, but that is all I have given you…”

While Ginjo frowns and looks away, Ukitake shifts his gaze onto Ganju, “Ganju… in the left breast pocket of my coat, you will find Yuzu Kurosaki’s most prized possession. I am entrusting it to you and Ginjo. Bring it to her…”

The Shiba nods before a metallic cross emerges from the sand just beneath the captain’s neck, leaving the man to grab it, regarding Yuzu’s Quincy Cross.

The Fullbringer widens his eyes, “T-this is…!”

The captain smiles slightly, “I’m afraid… my hands will be too full during the execution to give it to her myself…”

Ginjo nods, his face now serious, “To be honest, I thought about killing you before we went on our merry way. I’m not one to put faith in the words of Shinigami, especially considering what that’s led to for me in the past. But the fact that you’re giving this to us…”

The man looks away, “You’re not lying are you…? Even about that weird God stuff or the part about not killing my friends?”

Ukitake remains silent, resting his eyes.

Ginjo rubs the back of his head a bit awkwardly, a tear falling from his eye, “Gimme a break… you’re telling me I’ve been killing a bunch of guys who had nothing to do with my friend’s deaths and you still want to help me? You’re too much, old man…”

Ukitake’s eyes open slightly, “We must all atone for our sins one day, Kugo, but it is not time for either of us just yet. There are things that must happen that only you and I can do. Your role in all of this is not yet over, nor is mine. For people like us, all we can do is continue bearing the weight of our mistakes until we have fulfilled our role.”

The veteran captain closes his eyes once more, “Now go… before Captain Unohana arrives. Turn back and go through the direction you came. If you don’t, I’m afraid she may feel inclined to fight you… despite being at the head of the relief squad, she is not a captain to be trifled with. Currently, in terms of Zanjutsu, only the Head Captain and the Captains of Squads 5 and 8 even remotely approach her…”

Ganju and Ginjo widen their eyes in disbelief, the former stuttering, “Y-you mean, w-with a blade, s-she’s e-e-even-n stronger t-than you at your b-b-b-best?!”

Ukitake is silent, which is as good as any sign of confirmation in the eyes of the Ryoka.

A moment passes before Hanataro’s face pales in dread and realization as he grabs the two men by their arms and starts hurriedly dragging them away towards the passageway, “We need to get out of here, NOW!”

On the way to the passageway, Ginjo retrieves his bracelet from the ground.

Shortly after the trio leaves, a large, bipedal creature reminiscent of a manta ray touches down before shrinking into the sheath of the woman riding it—Retsu Unohana.

The woman approaches the downed captain, asking openly, “You let them get away, didn’t you, Captain Ukitake?”

The man opens his eyes, averting them from her disapproving gaze, “Not exactly…”

Unohana frowns, “I already know you told Captain Kyoraku to not assist you. Considering you two always fight together, whenever possible, he should’ve been here. This can only mean you engaged the Ryoka alone, knowing that your defeat was a possibility. The Captain Ukitake I know would’ve acted in collaboration with Captain Kyoraku to make the chance for defeat non-existent. Unless, of course, he wanted defeat to be a possibility.”

Ukitake smiles guiltily, “You know me well, Madam Unohana.”

The woman huffs, her expression now one of genuine concern, “Foolish boy… they could’ve killed you. Did you consider that, too?”

The white-haired man looks away, sweating slightly, “I… I may have…”

Unohana narrows her eyes at him, now frowning as a dark aura covers her features, “I can’t even count how many times I’ve had to tell you this, I shouldn’t have to repeat it, yet here I am. Next time you decide to take on an enemy by yourself, don’t. Do I make myself clear, young man?”

Ukitake gulps, responding, “Y-yes, ma’am…”

The female captain discards her dark aura, now wearing a kind smile, “Very good! Now, I shall begin your treatment…”

Squad 1 Barracks

Garbed in regal-looking tan robes, a man with messy, dark green hair with a braid moving along the right side, bursts forth into the office of the Head Captain, calling, “Sir Genryusai, it’s been too long!”

The elder captain, standing on the deck next to his office which oversees the Seireitei, grips his cane tightly as he shifts his head back to glare at the man, “Tokinada Tsunayashiro… why have you come here while we are under invasion? I do not have time to deal with your childish whims!”

The man, Tokinada, smirks a vicious, fanged smirk, “Childish? Why, Head Captain, you wound me. You could’ve at least called me depraved! I know you want to…”

Yamamoto narrows his eyes, giving the man a low growl, “I told you; I do not have time to deal with your games! Now state your business or I’ll have you restrained and brought before your uncle to deal with!”

Tokinada stops smiling, his expression now becoming neutral, perhaps slightly bored, “About him… I’m sure you’ve gotten his complaints already about not being able to put down the Ryoka immediately.”

The elder captain averts his gaze slightly, his grip on his cane becoming more intense as the Tsunayashiro continues, tauntingly, “Two captains… wow. To think that humans were capable of defeating some of our finest warriors! Well, my uncle and the rest of the family see it a bit differently…”

The man walks forward a bit, now standing adjacent to the Head Captain, a vicious, toothy smirk on his face, which looms over the legend, “They think it’s pathetic. The Shinigami of old, who easily and brutally decimated armies of foes each at the same level as these Ryoka is nothing but a distant memory now. And that Hollow—it dispatched not one, but two captains by itself! And they weren’t just any old captains, no… one was the Head of the Proud Kuchiki Clan, and the other was the self-proclaimed strongest Shinigami—Kenpachi. Heh, well, I doubt that name is ever going to strike fear in the hearts of Hollows agai—”

The Noble shuts his mouth as Yamamoto flares his Reiatsu briefly, in rage, “Is there a reason you choose to dangle our failures in front of my face?”

Tokinada, despite the situation, still wears his signature crooked smirk, “I was just making sure you are taking this seriously, is all. It would be a shame if my uncle felt inclined to order you to simply kill the girl now before she’s been given her full week to ‘repent’…”

Yamamoto slowly turns a death glare towards the Noble.

The Tsunayashiro maintains his smirk as he turns around and starts walking out of the room, “I’ll take my leave then, Head Captain. I pray you take my words to heart.”

The living legend turns away, continuing to look over the Seireitei, now with a scowl on his face.

The Noble walks down the hall a distance from the office before catching something in the corner of his eye, “Oh my, would you look at this! You’ve grown so much since I’ve seen you last… Isshin Shiba.”

Isshin, sitting in his cell in Reishi cuffs, scowls at the man, “Tsunayashiro…!”

Tokinada waves his hands defensively, taking note of how the guard tenses when he hears Isshin’s words, “Oh, you’ve got the wrong idea about me, Shiba! I am now only a Tsunayashiro by name. You see, the Clan disowned me, so you don’t need to bring up that pathetic, age-old grudge between our clans around me! Because, quite frankly, I don’t care.”

Isshin raises a brow, unconvinced, which makes the man sigh, “How about this—what if I were to release Yuzu Kurosaki from her cell right now?”

Both Isshin and the guard flinch, the former furrowing his brows seriously, “There’s no way you’d do that…”

Tokinada wears a serious expression, “Oh? And why wouldn’t I? I have a little niece right around your daughter’s age giving it her hardest to become a Shinigami officer in the Gotei 13 right now. It’s quite adorable, so you can understand why I empathize with your plight as a father.”

Isshin’s eyes soften, recalling that a Tsunayashiro joined the Academy at the same time as Karin, “…you’d really…? But how?”

The man smiles confidently, “I may no longer be a noble, but I have connections. Deep connections—and means. If I wanted something done, I could still make it happen. So, what do you say, Isshin Shiba? Would you like your daughter back?”

The guard starts sweating as he looks at the former nobleman, “Wh-what should I do…? I know he said he isn’t a Tsunayashiro anymore, but I could still be thrown in a cell for the rest of my life if I so much as touch him!”

Isshin, meanwhile, stares seriously back at the noble, a slight glimmer of hope in his eyes as the thought of being able to hold Yuzu in his arms once more dominates any other thoughts he may have, “Y-yes! Of course, I’d want that! Any sane father would!”

Tokinada nods, walking up close to the bars between him and Isshin, bending over a bit so their faces are at eye level, “Very well… but I do think I’ll take a slight detour to Squad 12 before bringing her to you. We have to make sure she has a healthy body, after all.”

As a crooked smile forms on the man’s face, Isshin’s eyes widen in rage before he rushes to the bars, practically slamming his face against them, “YOUR BASTARD!!! I SHOULD’VE KNOWN YOU WERE TOYING WITH ME!!!”

The Noble laughs hysterically, “You only have yourself to blame for believing me!”

He levels his gaze with the captain, his gaze becoming bored after letting out a sigh, “As much as I would love to see the expression of despair on your face upon bringing you her remains after Squad 12 is done with her, I’m afraid Captain Kurotsuchi was mortally wounded by a Quincy last night…”

Isshin widens his eyes, “A… Quincy…? Here?”

Tokinada nods, “My sources tell me his name was Ishida. Uryu Ishida.”

The captain tenses at this, his face relaying dread, muttering to himself, “Foolish boy… you’ll get yourself killed, too…”

The Tsunayashiro narrows his eyes, smirking, “So, he does know him, after all… interesting.”

Tokinada then spins on his heel, walking away, “That was an entertaining chat, Isshin Shiba. I do hope we can speak again, sometime. You know, after your daughter has died.”

The Shiba grits his teeth as his eyes narrow, still muttering to himself, “Well at least… at least now I know you kids have got a fighting chance…”

Outside Squad 1 Barracks

As soon as Tokinada steps outside of the Squad 1 Barracks, a group of twenty or so Ninja-like figures appear out of seemingly nowhere, surrounding him.

The man’s crooked smirk turns into a frown, “Assassins? And not only that but based on your gear and Reiatsu, each of you is easily at least on the level of a Vice-Captain. I see. The Elite Scorpions favored by the Hayashi clan… Most impressive. Even a captain of Kenpachi Zaraki’s caliber would struggle to take you all on at once… But really…”

Tokinada’s expression turns dark, “Do they really think a mere twenty will kill me? Fools.”

One of the assassins furrows his brows angrily before leaping at the Noble, “Do not mock us!”

As the man is within arm’s reach of Tokinada, his body is suddenly violently torn to pieces by a seemingly invisible force, leaving a pile of blood and guts, which used to be his body, to fall to the ground. The sight causes the remaining assassins to back up slightly before all seemingly deciding to throw Kunai and other projectiles at him. However, each and every one of them seemingly disintegrate into the air as they close in, even further unnerving the assassins.

Tokinada sighs, “You can go ahead and kill them. I’m not in the mood for playing with such dull creatures.”

After the man says this, each and every one of the assassins simultaneously meet an identical fate as black, rune-like characters briefly float through the air.

Tokinada continues walking forward, through the path of gore, laughing to himself, “To think that Kugo Ginjo himself is here! Oh, how I look forward to toying with him… but, perhaps that can wait until another time… after all, there’s still something bugging me…”

The Tsunayashiro’s eyes light up with excitement, “Where did you run off to, Sosuke Aizen? Or rather… what are you going to bring back? I can’t wait to find out!”

Several Hours Later, Squad 8 Barracks

The sun begins to set on the Seireitei once more as Kyoraku lies carelessly in the middle of his office, his straw hat covering his eyes.

Suddenly, Nanao walks into the room, wearing a concerned expression, “Captain. There still has been no sight of the Ryoka anywhere in the Seireitei. However, there’s something more troubling than that, which I must report.”

The captain lazily raises his hand in the air, “Then, go on. I’d like to return to my nap.”

The woman gets right to the point, “Our men have started turning on us… and I don’t just mean Squad 8, but Shinigami from all squads. They reportedly all say the same thing, too; ‘I must fight for the sake of my best friend, Shu’… at least, that’s what the reports say.”

Kyoraku yawns before sitting up and rubbing his eyes, “Shu? Who’s Shu? Is that the name of one of the Ryoka?”

Nanao looks down, somewhat disappointed in herself, “I apologize, sir, but we were unable to confirm who Shu is… nor the identities of all of the Ryoka. We only know the names of the ones who fought Captains Kurotsuchi and Komamura, as well as Kugo Ginjo, of course.”

The captain narrows his eyes, “Well, I’d say we’d better find this Shu, then…”

The woman nods, turning and beginning to leave the room before looking back and flinching, “C-captain?! Why are you going back to sleep?!”

Kyoraku, once more lying on the ground, states casually, “If this Shu is making Shinigami switch sides, it’s only a matter of time before they come after us, too. I say we shouldn’t waste our energy trying to look for them and let them come to us.”

Nanao nods, “I see… that’s… actually not a bad plan, sir.”

The captain flinches, “Aw, don’t say it like that! You make it sound like most of my plans are bad.”

The woman shouts back at the man, “Because they are!”

Nanao then coughs before adjusting her glasses, “In any case, I’ll at least inform the men to set up a perimeter around the Barracks. As soon as this Shu closes in, we’ll know.”

As Nanao walks out of the office, Kyoraku can’t help but think about his friend, “I sure hope this whole Ginjo thing hasn’t set you back too far, Jushiro. At this point… it’ll be close…”

Training Grounds, Silbern

Quilge stands in the middle of the Training Grounds, eyeing the efforts of the Soldats carefully as he walks behind a line of them with his hands held behind his back. The Soldats stand along the shooting range, each firing at targets in the distance.

The man’s attention is grabbed as he eyes a certain fuming female Quincy with long, black hair stomp onto the Training Area. Flanking the woman is an androgynous-looking Quincy with blonde hair, the right side of their bangs being a purple color.

Quilge can hear to woman snap at the individual, “Shut it, Gabrielli! I’m not in the mood to deal with your questions!”

The Quincy, known as Stern Ritter Q: Berenice Gabrielli, protests, “But you’re never in the mood for my questions, are you, my dear? All I want to know are the details of the little fight you had with the Grandmaster.”

Bambietta hisses, “And I told you, I don’t want to talk about it!”

As the two Stern Ritters continue their conversation, Quilge gives a look at the Soldats before snapping his finger and calling, “Alle Raus! That will be all for today.”

The Soldats give the man a salute before gathering their gear and leaving the area.

After the Soldats leave, the two Stern Ritters approach their peer, Berenice the first to speak, “Herr Opie, you witnessed the fight between the Grandmaster and the young Frau Basterbine, were you not?”

The combat instructor adjusts his glasses, “I did… but I don’t see why that’s any of your business, Gabrielli.”

Quilge levels a dark gaze on the other Sternritter, “I doubt the Grandmaster would appreciate your prying for information regarding his personal affairs.”

The androgynous Stern Ritter widens their eyes before backing off, “I-I… I didn’t know it was a personal matter! F-forgive me, Frau Basterbine! I won’t speak of this again!”

As Berenice leaves, the woman lets out a sigh, “Thanks… I never thought I’d get rid of that guy…”

Quilge narrows his eyes, “It’s true, though. That battle was quite personal for him, as much as he tries to hide it.”

The woman scrunches her brows, “Really?”

The man nods, “You were one of the few who had an opportunity to train under him in the past, after all. Nowadays, finding a Stern Ritter who is comfortable and proficient in sword-based combat is sadly quite uncommon. In the glory days, most of us knew how to fight a Shinigami with swords of our own…”

Bambietta furrows her brows as she looks at the man who has a distant look in his eyes, reflecting on the past.

Quilge sighs before turning to the woman with a serious look in his eyes, “In any case, you came here to train with me, did you not?”

The younger Stern Ritter widens her eyes, “How did you…?”

The man scoffs, “Please. It’s written all over your face. Regardless, I’m interested in training you further, which I never thought I would say. You see, I would never have been even remotely interested in training you before you left for the world of the living, but ever since you’ve gotten back, I’ve noticed the differences. You’re no longer merely the rash, overly impulsive, stupid whor* that you were before. You’ve matured quite nicely.”

Bambietta blushes in embarrassment, her cheeks puffing out slightly, “Stupid?! Well, maybe I don’t want to learn from you after that comment—wait, you think I’ve changed?”

Quilge sighs, “Of course. Even a braindead infant would notice… the contrast is uncanny. In any case, we are getting nowhere, so I’ll get to the point; I think the most crucial areas of improvement in terms of fundamentals for you are defensive Blut, Sklaverei, and Ransotengai. Furthermore, the development of your swordsmanship will also be essential. It’s a good thing you already have a fundamental understanding in all of these areas—it should only take a few days of subjecting you to hell to ensure they all improve significantly.”

The woman pales, the top of her face turning a ghastly shade of blue, “B-but that’s… basically… everything…”

Quilge adjusts his glasses, “Indeed. That’s what the Grandmaster declared ought to be improved, thus I will not deny him. The real question is, do you have the resolve necessary to endure this training, Basterbine?”

Bambietta narrows her eyes, the sight of a smiling girl with dirty blonde hair coming to the forefront of her mind before she nods resolutely, “I am.”

The combat instructor smirks, his excitement more than evident, “Very well. Then let’s begin, shall we?”

Chapter 5: Arrival of the Hollow King

Chapter Text

Present, 4 Days Before Execution, Hueco Mundo

A lone figure stands atop an exceedingly tall spire, which seemingly touches the very sky of Hueco Mundo. The cloaked figure has their hood down, revealing a tan face with purple hair with a crimson tint, who wears a slight smile on their face.

The figure, a mysterious being known as Athena Plateado, hums, as she looks intently off in the distance, “I see… so you’ve chosen to spare him, have you, boy? I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised; you do after all resemble that man quite closely, especially without your mask…”

The woman narrows her eyes, stating distantly, “I can only pray that you do not foolheartedly take all that blood lust with you to that place… nothing good will come of that, for you or the people of Hueco Mundo… for if you do take it, war will no longer be avoidable.”

Athena closes her eyes, sighing deeply, “And you were so close to leaving them well enough alone. Ah well, I suppose that’s what fate has dictated the existence of Hollows must always be… one of strife… just be careful, not to get yourself killed so soon after becoming King, boy…”

Meanwhile, Arena Above Canopy, Las Noches

Aizen takes in the scene of the enraged, newly-born Arrancar before him, raising a brow, “That was easy… reading you Shibas is as easy as stealing candy from a baby.”

The man, rubbing his neck, gives the boy a light smile, “Well, it may please you to know that while you and the rest of the Hollows in Las Noches fought each other, I was already making the necessary preparations, including procuring our means of escape—Aaroniero, if you would.”

Suddenly, a lanky figure, clad in white, appears to the left of the captain, holding a larger, completely white, unique-looking Vasto Lorde in his grasp.

Sora widens his eyes in recognition of the captured Hollow, “W-Wonderweiss?!”

The Hollow looks weakly at the man for a moment before widening his eyes as well, “S-serpent…?”

Aizen co*cks his head, raising a brow, “Oh, so you two already know each other. That must mean you know of his unique ability to summon the Negacion.”

The brown-haired Arrancar narrows his eyes, “You mean Hooler?”

The captain co*cks his brow in mild fascination, “Is that the creature’s name? Fascinating…”

It’s at this time that Ichigo, having a better hold on his rage, manages to speak, while putting on the white clothing Nelliel handed to him, “Why do we need this Negacion, anyway? What’s wrong with a Garganta?”

Aizen shifts his gaze on the younger Hollow as Nelliel hands clothing to Ulquiorra and Sora as well, “As I’m sure your friend is aware, the creature, Hooler, is able to produce a golden light that can pierce through the realms, engulfing its allies. This light is an invisible barrier that no one, no matter how mighty can pierce. This creates a special kind of Garganta that pulls the individual in, guaranteeing a one hundred percent safe escape. You can see why this would be necessary, given we are about to step onto a battlefield.”

Ichigo nods, understanding the explanation, “I think I get it. It’ll definitely be helpful…”

The captain co*cks a brow as the clothing on Ichigo warps slightly, leaving the white, trench coat-like Gi to end at the bottom of his legs in a unique torn, worn fashion, with black highlights. The red fur around his neck hugs against the collar of the Gi, which splits into a V-shape to his shoulders, exposing his bare, ghostly white upper chest, as well as his Hollow hole that stands in the center. The long sleeves of the Gi are snug against his arms, revealing a bit of the muscle that he’s built up, before ending at his wrists, snug against the red fur occupying them. Further, black, armor-like bands form over the sleeves on his forearms, binding the fabric in place as they fit the form of his arms. The clothes of his lower body are identical to the Shinigami’s, although inversed as the pants are white, held up by a black sash, before ending with black socks and gray sandals on his feet.

Sora and Ulquiorra wear similar outfits, the major differences being the exclusion of the armbands and the torn ends of their overcoats, which instead end in a normal, untorn manner, although still with a black outline. The serpent combs his long locks back with his hands before tying them into a ponytail with a black hair tie.

Aizen nods in approval at Ichigo’s new appearance, “It would seem your will is unique… the clothing has altered itself to suit the properties of your soul…”

The dragon shrugs, not really caring about Aizen’s comment as he approaches the Vasto Lorde, “Hey… Wonderweiss, right? Do you think your friend, Hooler, would be willing to help us out?”

The captain furrows his brows, “Why’s he asking…? He could just force him to help…”

Wonderweiss, now released from the Espada’s hold, looks briefly between Sora and Ichigo before nodding, “You… friend with serpent… we… help…”

Ichigo bows, graciously, “Thanks!”

Ulquiorra, meanwhile, furrows his brows at Aaroniero, “Your name is Aaroniero…? But I thought Stark defeated an Espada by that name, earlier. Yet, your Reiatsu is completely different from the one he fought…”

This earns the attention of the others, who all look at the Espada for an explanation, who, in turn, shifts his gaze on Aizen, uttering with a distorted, echoed voice, “Was this your doing, My Lord?”

The others now look at the captain, who nods with an apologetic smile, “It was… I had to convince the other Espadas, especially Barragan, that you were still in Las Noches, battle-ready for the invaders. Another Arrancar fought in your place, wearing your clothes, and I… tampered with the Espada’s perception of his Reiatsu, making it seem to them that it was you.”

The Espada nods his head in understanding, “I see… that makes sense.”

Nelliel, meanwhile, trembles slightly, a sight not missed by Ichigo and Sora, “Y-you used it…? W-when?”

Aizen shakes his head, sighing, “My dear, it’s not whenever I have used it, but whenever I haven’t. That is all.”

Sora co*cks a brow, put off, “Nel… what’s he talking about?”

The woman purses her lips before opening her mouth to explain, but Ichigo cuts her off, “It doesn’t matter. If he tries anything funny from here on out, I’ll kill him before he can even draw his Zanpakuto.”

Sora and Nelliel flinch under the Arrancar’s cold, ominous words, which only serve to make the captain smirk wildly, “That’s a good mentality to have, Ichigo Kurosaki. It will serve you well on the battlefield we’re about to step on. My preparations are complete. We can leave whenever you wish.”

Ichigo nods, beginning to perform some kind of warm-up stretch, “Alright. It’ll just be the two of us, I take it?”

Before the captain can respond, Ichigo is hit hard on the back of the head by two different fists, causing his eyes to extend a bit comically out of his sockets, “OW!!!”

The dragon snaps at the two who assaulted him—Sora and Nelliel, “WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?!”

Sora hisses at the boy, “You little punk! You think we’d just leave you alone with that guy during such an important mission?”

The teenage hollow widens his eyes, “Wait… but you don’t have to…”

Nelliel huffs, wearing a slight smile, “Dummy… of course, we’d come to help you save your sister. That’s what friends are for, right?”

Ichigo is silent, staring in awe at the sight of the two other Arrancars as Nelliel shifts her friendly gaze towards Ulquiorra, “And you’re coming to, right… um… erm… sorry, what was your name again?”

The bat responds with an emotionless expression, “Ulquiorra…!”

The black-haired Arrancar instinctively tenses up as the woman bounds over to him, grabbing his hands between her own before shaking them rapidly, “It’s good to meet you Ulquiorra, I’m Nelliel—but you can call me Nel for short!”

Ulquiorra, with somewhat confused widened eyes, sweat drops as he looks up at the woman’s face, “O-ok… nice to meet you too, I suppose…”

Aizen takes this as his opportunity to realign the focus of the conversation, “Then it’s settled. For extra insurance, Aaroniero will be coming along with us, as well. But that should be all, we don’t want to bring along too many allies as this isn’t a full-scale invasion, merely a rescue mission, and a time-sensitive one, at that. It would be best if Wonderweiss and Kukkapuro stayed behind, as they would likely get in the way. I suggest… asking Roka to tether a mental link to Wonderweiss. We can contact her when we’re ready to retreat.”

The orange-haired Arrancar nods before closing his eyes, “Did you get all of that Roka? Tell the others I’m taking a small group with me for the Soul Society for a personal mission. While I’m gone, Barragan’s in charge.”

From the other end, a soft, feminine voice responds, “As you wish, Your Majesty. Is there anything else?”

Ichigo opens his eyes, his gaze intent, “Yeah… have the Infirmary ready for when we get back.”

Within Garganta

As the group, all wearing the black, Reishi-dampening cloaks Aizen appeared with, travels through the distorted passageway, Ichigo, Nelliel, and Sora all stare at Aizen with widened eyes from behind.

The orange-haired Arrancar stutters, “Yuzu and Mom being these Quincies, I can see… but… but… Dad and Karin are… Shinigami…? They never…”

Aizen continues walking with his back turned on the young Hollow, “Your father’s power only returned after your death. The circ*mstances surrounding your birth seemingly required a seal to be placed on the original artificial hollow White, whom I created and against my wishes attacked your mother. Shortly after, your father came out of exile, his powers returning, bringing his daughter with him into the dangerous world of the Shinigami, where she is currently being groomed to become like the rest of them. Their goal is to destroy you…”

Ichigo furrows his brows, his pace slowing as his gaze shifts somewhat downward.

Nelliel looks at Aizen in disapproval before reminding Ichigo, with a hopeful look in her eyes, “He said they don’t realize it’s you. So maybe—”

The captain brutally cuts her off, his words masterfully convincing, “You think that’d matter? No. If anything, that would only make it worse. A man of Isshin Shiba’s caliber, who was born and raised as a Noble of the Soul Society, even becoming a captain, would never accept that his son’s soul has been trapped in a body of a hollow, his sworn enemy. It would be one thing if they were Quincies, like the young Yuzu Kurosaki, because then their only recourse would be to destroy Ichigo entirely, which is obviously not an option. No, they seek to destroy, or as they call it, ‘purify’ the Ichigo you see before you with their blades. So long as he is a Hollow, they will reject your right to exist.”

Nelliel and the rest are quiet at this, the group’s pace now halted as Ichigo trembles, “Maybe… after Yuzu’s saved… that wouldn’t be… the worst thing… I do deserve it, after all…”

Aizen glares at the boy, “However, you shouldn’t let that feeble, traditional mindset impede you, oh, Lord of Hollows. You have your new kingdom and the people in it, depending on you, to think of. I am sure, with enough convincing, Karin may not feel the same way as your father. But you must remember that we will not have time for that on this particular trip. Our objectives are the rescue of Yuzu Kurosaki, currently locked within the large white tower, known as the Senzaikyu, and the procurement of Kisuke Urahara’s Hogyoku from the secret vault miles below the Central 46.”

Sora co*cks his head, “You mean that device that’ll make us stronger?”

The captain nods before eyeing Ichigo, who seems to be developing a second wind, “Fortunately, both Isshin and Karin will be far from the battlefield, as they’ve been constrained, or rather, are ignorant to what is happening in Karin’s case. So, most likely, you won’t even need to bother interacting with either of them. More importantly…”

Ichigo eyes the captain with a raised brow, a smirk gracing the bi-speckled man’s features, “…you should know about the ones who orchestrated the execution and who no doubt will eventually turn their gazes on the rest of your family as well… the Tsunayashiro Clan.”

Secret Bunker Beneath the Squad 5 Barracks

The group exits the Garganta, entering a small, dimly-lit room—a bunker far beneath the Squad 5 Barracks.

Ichigo, wears an expression of cool rage as he exits, regarding the captain, “Thanks for telling me…”

Sora, Ulquiorra, and Nelliel look at the teenage Hollow with various, somewhat conflicted expressions.

Aizen glances passively at Ichigo for a moment before closing his eyes, “Just remember to make it quick… the timing has to match up for the plan to succeed smoothly…”

Ichigo’s face is hidden beneath the hood of his cloak as he murmurs darkly, “You don’t need to worry about that…”

The teen walks across the room, beginning to scale a set of stairs, prompting Aizen to regard the other, undirected Hollows, “Remember your orders—spread out and hide until he gives the signal. Your cloaks will make it easy to move around undetected. No one will know you are there until after you attack.”

The Arrancars all nod, some more begrudgingly than others, before dispersing, disappearing with the distorted noise of Sonido. Shortly after, Ichigo does the same, leaving Aizen with a satisfied smirk on his face.

Squad 8 Barracks

As the sun rises on the Seireitei, Kyoraku sits himself upright in his office, stretching briefly before glancing at his surroundings.

The man narrows his eyes, “Something’s… off…”

Kyoraku doesn’t get much time to think about it, his eyes widening slightly as his Vice-Captain walks into the room, “Captain, the troops have set up a barrier around the Barracks.”

The man nods, placing a hand on his straw hat, “Very good Nanao. Is that all?”

The woman shakes her head before adding, “Despite your odd request, I saw fit to also set up a Kido spell around the Barracks which cuts off our communication and Reiatsu from the rest of the Seireitei.”

Kyoraku flinches, furrowing his brows as he looks upon his Vice-Captain, “What are you talking about? I never requested anything of the sort…”

Nanao furrows her brows in turn, “Really? Because I could’ve sworn, Shu told me—”

Both Kyoraku and Nanao widen their eyes as she says this, the woman staggering somewhat as she rests a hand on her head, wearing a pained expression, “Wait… no, he’s a Ryoka… but…!”

Something moves in the rafters above Kyoraku, causing him to immediately unsheathe his swords, holding them defensively above his head, just in time to catch the blade of another individual descending upon him—Shukuro Tsukishima.

Tsukishima narrows his eyes slightly before backing off with Bringer’s Light, reappearing a distance away from the man, “Nanao sure is a mouthy one, isn’t she…?”

Kyoraku levels a death glare at the other man, “What have you done to her?”

The Fullbringer co*cks his head to the side, raising a brow, “Me? Nothing. Nanao and I have always been good friends, haven’t we?”

Nanao nods slowly, her expression still somewhat disoriented and confused, “Y-yes… Shu is… a friend. He helped me through my mother’s death…”

Kyoraku’s eyes widen as he stares back at Nanao in horror, all the while Tsukishima smiles softly, “That’s right… as her uncle, you of all people should remember all that I’ve done for her. Or could it be that you’re starting to go senile already, Lord Kyoraku?”

The captain levels a cold gaze on the Fullbringer, “So your powers mess with people’s memories… you’re playing a dangerous game here, boy…”

Kyorkau begins to adjust the hold on his blades before Tsukishima wags his finger in front of him, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. After all, Katen Kyokotsu doesn’t ‘play’ nice with so many allies around~.”

Kyoraku widens his eyes as the walls around his office come crashing down, leagues of Shinigami rushing at him with drawn Zanpakutos, which are slammed on the ground where the captain was previously. The veteran captain was easily able to dodge his men with Flash Step, now in the air above the Barracks.

However, the captain widens his eyes as Tsukishima appears in the air right next to him, preparing his blade for a strike, “He’s fast!”

Kyoraku holds his dual blades defensively in front of him, blocking the strike, before exerting more force into them, pushing the Fullbringer back. He goes in for a follow-up attack as Tsukishima staggers somewhat, however, he widens his eyes as a red light starts forming from below him.

The captain stares down as Nanao, and several others from his Squad, all charge a red beam in their hands, chanting, “Hado Number 31: Shakkaho!”

The sky is lit red as Kyoraku is forced to back away from the Fullbringer to avoid the blasts. Shortly after, several Shinigami join the duo in the air, surrounding the captain and creating a sort of barrier around Tsukishima.

Nanao appears in the air, once more leveling her red Kido at her captain, wearing a strained expression, “I know he’s a Ryoka, but why are you treating Shu so callously, captain? After all he’s done for us!”

Kyoraku narrows his eyes at her before glancing over his men and then finally at Tsukishima himself, who wears a casual smile on his face, “Attacking him outright is no good, my men will just attack me again or take the hit… and I hate to admit it, but he’s right about my Shikai. If I used it now, the risk of accidentally cutting down Nanao and the rest of my men is too high. Unfortunately, he’s a bit too quick on his feet for me to catch off guard, at least not with all these men here. And finally, calling for help isn’t an option either, since Nanao set up that barrier jamming our communication.”

Kyoraku lays a hand on the edge of his hat, tilting it down to hide his eyes as he smiles dejectedly, “I’m impressed, young man. You’ve really put me in quite the pinch. There’s no way I can beat you without running the serious risk of attacking my own men. Quite underhanded, I must say.”

Tsukishima, for the first time since the battle started, frowns deeply, “You Shinigami are in no position to speak about a fair fight or morality. Not now, when you’re putting an innocent child to death, nor back then, when you so cruelly and brutally butchered my friends—MY FAMILY!”

The captain’s brow twitches slightly, before he sighs, “That aside… I’ve pretty much lost the battle, wouldn’t you say? Those powers of yours are quite scary… I don’t suppose you’ll just let me off the hook, though?”

The Shinigami around Kyoraku and Tsukishima seem confused by the conversation as the captain muses to himself, “It seems like they don’t lose their overall memories and personality… that’s something, at least…”

Tsukishima raises a brow before smirking, “Oh…? Well, you aren’t wrong. The situation is quite hopeless unless you’re willing to trade lives to stop me from proceeding, and I can tell based on what I know about you that you’re not willing to do that. Thanks to Nanao, I know what you and Ukitake are planning, so I can at least promise that I won’t kill you. Further, I don’t see any harm in explaining my powers…”

Tsukishima then pulls out a book from his pocket, with small green flames briefly coming off it, “Book of the End. It allows me to ‘insert’ myself into other people’s memories when I ‘cut’ them with my ‘bookmark’, as you’ll soon find out.”

Kyoraku smirks, “Just because I’ve admitted the battle is lost, doesn’t mean I’ve given up altogether. I can still hold you off and dodge your strikes.”

Tsukishima returns the smirk, “That’s fine by me—I have time. My ‘partners’ have already safely passed through this area and are well on their way to the Senzaikyu as we speak.”

The bearded man smiles, jovially, retrieving a jug of Sake that he somehow fit into his Gi, “Well if you have time, why not enjoy some Sake with me? Neither of us want to kill each other, so we can take a seat down there while the men take a load off!”

Tsukishima raises a brow as the men and women around him begin to relax their features, some of them muttering with a chuckle, “Now that’s Captain Kyoraku!”

Near Senzaikyu, Seireitei

Yukio, with Kon still on his shoulder, runs through the streets of the Seireitei, closing in on the Senzaikyu.

The boy suddenly skids to a halt before quickly taking cover against the wall as a group of Shinigami run past the intersection, missing him, “I heard there was a Ryoka sighted in this direction!”

The boy exhales, “That was too close… but I definitely can’t afford to get caught now… not when we’re so close…!”

Noble District, Seireitei

Ichigo, covered in the Reishi-suppressing cloak he got from Aizen, sneaks around the noble district, undetected by the various Shinigami of Squad 6 posted there.

A group of Shinigami pass the set of bushes he’s currently kneeling behind, speaking about something that gets the Hollow’s attention, “I heard Captain Kuchiki finally woke up from his coma today! Dr. Yamada said he’ll be back on his feet in a couple of hours!”

Another responds, “Really?! That’s great! With him back in action, these Ryoka are gonna be in for a world of hurt!”

The original Shinigami responds, chuckling, “You can say that again! Still… I can’t believe these Ryoka were able to take down two captains. I didn’t know humans could get so strong!”

The Shinigami continue their discussion, leaving Ichigo to ponder what they just spoke about, “Captain Kuchiki? Was he that captain that Ulquiorra and I fought with Kenpachi? And ‘Ryoka’? Aizen didn’t mention them… they’re from the World of the Living…?”

Ichigo’s eyes widen beneath his cloak, “Wait… could they be…?!”

Suddenly, the Hollow hears the Shinigami abruptly cease their conversation before standing fully at attention, “Good afternoon, Lord Tsunayashiro, sir!”

Ichigo shifts attention towards a bearded, old man in tan robes, flanked by what appear to be bodyguards.

The hollow narrows his eyes hatefully as he quickly regards a photo from under his cloak which matches the appearance of the man, recalling Aizen’s words, “This man is the current Head of the Tsunayashiro Clan. He is the one who orchestrated your sister’s execution.”

The photo burns into ash as Ichigo holds it under his cloak, unnoticed by the man who casually addresses the Shinigami, “I overheard what you men were talking about. Is it true that Captain Kuchiki has awoken?”

One of the Shinigami nods, “Yes, sir. I was there when Dr. Yamada informed Vice-Captain Abarai, just this morning.”

The elder clicks his tongue, not noticing the air shift behind him, nor the way his bodyguards are struck by some seemingly invisible force, knocking them out, “Curse that Seinosuke! I had told him to keep Kuchiki impaired for at least another week! Does he have a death wish?! Is this your doing, Tokinada?! You’ll pay dearly for this, as well, if so!”

It is then that the elder notices the Shinigami in front of him trembling, their mouths agape as they point behind him. The elder raises a brow, before looking behind him, immediately widening his eyes as his throat is held in a vice grip by a ghostly white hand with red fur around the wrist.

Ichigo, now with his cloak completely removed, exposing him to everyone present, eyes the gagging noble ominously, stating darkly, “Time to learn the price for messing with my family, Tsunayashiro.”

Cavern Beneath the Sogyoku Hill

Chad shifts awkwardly as he opens his eyes, feeling a warm feeling surrounding his body from every direction.

Slowly, his vision and hearing become unclouded, as he hears bubbles and sees the steam associated with hot water, eventually realizing, “I’m… in a hot spring…?”

“About time you woke up, boy. I was starting to think that you’d sleep through the rest of the mission.”, a feminine voice calls to him from nearby.

Chad co*cks his brow before his eyes widen in complete embarrassment as he lays them upon a beautiful, dark-skinned young woman with yellow, cat-like eyes and dark purple hair, who just so happens to be in the hot spring with him, completely nude.

The boy quickly averts his gaze, his face beat red from embarrassment, “I-I don’t believe we’ve met, Miss! Why am I sharing a bath with you?!”

The woman snickers playfully, “Aw, come now, boy, we’ve met quite a few times before! I came here with you, after all. Although, I was in my animal form.”

Chad widens his eyes, having to stop himself from looking back at the woman, “Y-Yoruichi…?”

The woman, now revealed to be Yoruichi in her true form, makes a slight purr sound, causing Chad to flinch, as she confirms, “Bullseye. Now, as for why you are here—you pushed your body to its limits fighting Captain Komamura. It needed rest. So, I picked up your body after you fainted and brought it to Kisuke and I’s old hideout. As you can tell, this place is well insulated from the rest of the Seireitei, so it’s a good place to hide, not to mention the hot springs with special healing properties like the one we’re sitting in that we’ve set up.”

Chad nods, still averting his gaze slightly, “I got it. Thanks for getting me out of there, Yoruichi.”

Yoruichi nods before suddenly wearing a serious expression and rising to her feet, fully exposing her body which causes the boy to flinch once more, “You could do with a bit more training, Chad. This place is also a great place for that. Given that you are a brawler, there are quite a few techniques I’d like to teach you, as a hand-to-hand specialist myself.”

The boy, now with a hand covering his eyes, responds, “That’s all well and good, but… do you think you could put some clothes on first?”

The woman widens her eyes, briefly gazing down before wearing a knowing smile, “Sure, Chad. I think I could do that. I left your clothes by that rock over there. You can put those on before we train too if you’d like.”

The woman starts putting on a black, long-sleeved shirt that tightly hugs her skin, as well as equally black leggings.

She walks a distance away from the hot spring, leaving the boy a blushing mess, her thoughts serious, “Based on the patrolling I’ve done in my cat form, none of the others have yet to be captured. The Gotei 13 is currently down four captains, although Aizen and Byakuya seem to be coming out of recovery. Byakuya I can deal with, but Aizen…”

The woman grits her teeth, her face one of rage, “Damnit, I wish I could beat him into the ground for all that he’s done, but I know if I get close to him, I’m a goner! His Zanpakuto is one thing, but that monstrous Reiatsu and total mastery of Kido each alone would make him more than a match for the average captain…”

Yoruichi sighs before glancing upwards, “So long as nothing goes horribly wrong, at our current pace we should be able to save Yuzu with time to spare. Once we get her out of her cell, we’ll make a run for it. I’m sorry Kisuke, Tessai, but at this point, that’s the best we can do…”

Yoruichi narrows her eyes, her expression becoming dejected, “Even if I was still the Head of the Shihoin Clan, I would not be able to enter Muken…”

Near Squad 9 Barracks, Seireitei

Tatsuki and Riruka, hiding behind a set of bushes alongside a wall, narrowly evade a run-in with Shinigami, who rush past hastily.

The karate girl grunts, “You know, we’d go a lot faster if you’d just let me clobber these guys…”

Riruka squawks at the other girl, “Hey, we’ve avoided at least two Vice-Captains and one captain thanks to hiding. We wouldn’t have gotten this far if we had to fight all of those!”

Tatsuki rubs the top of her head, admitting, “Yeah, I hear you… but still, I can’t help but get impatient while we’re this close.”

Once the Shinigami have cleared the area, the two girls continue down the street a distance before Tatsuki suddenly halts and widens her eyes.

Riruka raises a brow, questioning this, “Why’d you stop? The Shinigami are gone, we’ve gotta go!”

The karate girl ignores her companion, her expression fearful, “W-what… what is this pressure I feel? It’s… soul-crushing…!”

Tatsuki flinches as she hears a rugged voice speak, seemingly from right behind her, “Are you the one?”

The girl immediately turns on her heel, finding a figure sitting at the top of a nearby tower, peering down at her ominously, “Can you give me a good fight?”

Tatsuki opens her mouth, struggling to get out an answer before she gasps as the sensation of a sword plunging itself through her back causes her to stagger.

She looks down at her chest, confused to find nothing there, “I was just stabbed, wasn’t I? What was that?!”

Suddenly, the voice sounds from behind her, causing her to once more spin on her heel to regard it, “You are the girl who beat Ikkaku, aren’t you?”

Riruka, finally noticing the man as well, squeals somewhat fearfully, “When did he—?!"

Kenpachi Zaraki frowns at the pig-tailed girl, “I didn’t come to fight you…”

The look in his eye backs up his instinctual warning, or rather, promise, “…stay out of this. I’m not interested in weaklings.”

Riruka gulps, taking an instinctual step back.

Tatsuki, meanwhile, somehow finds it within herself to relay a steeled expression, “I did defeat the man known as Ikkaku Madarame… I take it you are his captain, then? The one known as Kenpachi?”

Kenpachi’s expression briefly becomes unreadable before he wears a vicious smirk, “That’s odd. Ikkaku didn’t mention that he gave you my name…”

The captain now regards the other girl, who is continuing to back away, however, freezes under his gaze, “…so you were the one who defeated Yumichika? In that case, it might be worth fighting you after all. After I’ve had my fun with her, it’s your turn…”

Riruka trembles, unable to let out more than a gasp under the captain’s intense Reiatsu.

Tatsuki, forcing up whatever bravado she can, assumes an offensive stance with a smirk of her own, “Not so fast, Kenpachi. What makes you think I’ll lose? Underestimate me and I’ll make your head spin like that 3^rd-seat of yours.”

Kenpachi’s smirk widens as he regards the karate girl, “Oh…? Tell ya what…”

The man, still without his sword drawn, grabs the collar of his Gi, tugging it outward such that it exposes his bandaged, upper chest, “…since I like your moxie so much, I’ll give you some freebies. Hit me with your strongest attacks.”

Tatsuki narrows her eyes, scowling, “I told you not to underestimate me…”

Kenpachi’s eye twitches, his face still full of excitement, “If you feel that passionately about it, then quit yappin and ATTACK!”

Without needing any further prompting, Tatsuki disappears with a green flash before reappearing behind Kenpachi’s head and landing a devastating, flaming green kick directly to the side of his head. Kenpachi staggers slightly as his head shifts to the side, blood trickling from his mouth.

Tatsuki backs away slightly with narrowed eyes, which suddenly widen as she takes in the captain, “Not bad…”

Kenpachi places his left hand on the side of his neck before cracking it, righting the orientation of his head before seemingly chewing something and spitting blood on the ground and smirking, “…not bad at all. I can see how you defeated Ikkaku so easily.”

Tatsuki stares at the captain in disbelief, “Orihime and I trained like hell to master that technique! Even Mr. Muguruma said it could knock an unprepared captain out! I even reinforced it with my Fullbring! What is this guy?!”

Kenpachi then grabs for his sword, causing the karate girl to wear an expression of fear once more, “What’s with that look? Don’t tell me that’s all you’ve got?”

Tatsuki begins to tremble as she manages to right her stance, despite knowing fighting is futile, as the captain fully unsheathes his blade, the bloodlust practically screaming at her.

Kenpachi smirks madly, continuing, “Surely you’ll show me more under the threat of death—!"

The captain widens his left eye and shifts his gaze towards his right, towards the Squad 5 Barracks in the distance.

His smirk widens as his expression turns crazed, “Looks like it’s your lucky day… I think it’s time for another rematch!”

After the captain disappears with a flash, Tatsuki and Riruka both fall to their knees, exhaling in relief, the latter uttering, “Thank goodness! We were totally just going to die!”

The karate girl exhales before staring off in the distance intently, “Yeah… but the question is… why’d he leave?”

Squad 5 Barracks

Momo walks along the wooden walkway leading to the captain’s quarters in the Squad 5 Barracks, humming lightly with a smile on her face, “Captain Unohana said that Captain Aizen was feeling all better! Thank goodness! I’m sure our luck with the Ryoka will turn around with him back in action!”

The woman stops in front of a set of doors before knocking lightly on them, “Captain Aizen, are you here?”

There is no reply, which prompts the girl to furrow her brows.

Another member of Squad 5 passes the woman on the walkway, eyeing her knowingly, “You just missed him, Vice-Captain Hinamori.”

The woman turns around, regarding her fellow Shinigami with interest, “Did he say where he was going?”

The Shinigami shakes his head, “I’m not sure, but he did look like he was in a hurry. He set off in that direction.”

The Shinigami points behind Momo, down the path to the left of the door.

The Vice-Captain nods in appreciation, “Thank you!”

Before the other Shinigami has a chance to respond, the young woman rushes hurriedly down the walkway. She continues through a narrow path, which hangs above municipal buildings before leading her to a large open overpass, constructed between two white towers.

Momo pauses, taking a break to catch her breath as she briefly glances at the tower in front of her, as well as the two splitting paths before her, which she’s been led to, “They… weren’t kidding. Captain Aizen must’ve really been in a hurry if I can’t catch him at this point…”

The woman, simply to continue checking her surroundings, turns her head to regard the area behind her, which causes her eyes to widen in horror. Her pupils begin to shake violently as tears form in the corners of her eyes. Without further delay, she screams out, loudly, attracting the attention of nearby Shinigami.

Running onto the scene is a man with long blonde hair, Vice-Captain of Squad 3, Izuru Kira, followed by a busty woman with long blonde hair, the Vice-Captain of Squad 10, Rangiku Matsumoto. They both let out shocked gasps at the sight; Sosuke Aizen, run through the chest and pinned to a wall with a sword, blood gushing freely from his chest. His eyes are lifeless as his head hangs limply on his shoulders. Arriving shortly after their Vice-Captains are Gin and Toshiro, who each look at the captain in apparent shock.

The younger captain gasps, “What the hell?!”

Gin, meanwhile, co*cks his head at the sight, wearing a frown, “So, I suppose you’re able to move now, after all… maybe I should’ve killed you when I had the chance… Hmm, no, it wasn’t the right time. After all…”

The Squad 3 captain regards the crying, distraught form of Momo, “She was right there…”

Momo continues screaming, her tears streaming freely down her cheeks as she falls to her knees, “I-I thought h-he was all b-b-better…?! Why? WHO?!”

A figure standing on the tower Aizen’s body is pinned to steps forward, revealing their form to the Shinigami below, shouting, “Take this as but a preview of what is to come, Shinigami!”

The Shinigami look up at the being, clad in a white Gi, currently holding the beaten and bloodied body of a fearful old man by the neck in his hand. Long, orange hair flows in the wing behind him as his right eye glows a furious gold with black sclera. The Shinigami beside Momo all raise brows, taking in the creature, unsure of what it is, however, the woman herself trembles, immediately recognizing the individual.

Toshiro soon widens his eyes, recognizing the man that the orange-haired creature is holding, “T-that’s Lord Tsunayashiro!”

The Vice-Captains, save for Momo, gasp, both realizing the magnitude of the situation.

Toshiro reaches for the hilt of his blade, but immediately pauses as Momo screams at him, “SHIRO, STOP!!! HE’LL KILL YOU TOO!!!”

The young captain and two other Vice-Captains flinch as Momo continues, eyeing the forward-facing horn sprouting from the right side of the creature’s head, “He… he’s White!”

The other Shinigami all widen their eyes, the white-haired captain gasping, “A Hollow? Here? How?!”

The Shinigami are dragged away from their questions as the Hollow, rather, Arrancar, still holding the elder by the neck in his right hand, raises his left hand towards the elder’s chest causing him to squirm and gag out desperately for dear life. The teen begins to charge a red blast in his hand and, without further delay, releases a cero that coats the sky in a pale red light, completely disintegrating the Tsunayashiro’s body below the neck.

The Arrancar tsks in disgust as he crushes the remains of the head in his right hand, causing blood to spew everywhere, “Pathetic, down to your dying breath.”

Ichigo tosses the disfigured head to the side, falling into a shaded area, whereupon it is quickly devoured by a large, purple tentacle-like appendage, which retracts back to a lanky, masked figure wearing all white, similar to Ichigo. The sight causes the Shinigami to recoil slightly, Izuru in particular looking ready to hurl.

Shortly after this, in three different locations in the Seireitei, the streets explode with intense lights being green, pink, and red signifying the Ceros of the three Arrancars Ichigo brought with him. The cries of Shinigami can be heard as smoke begins to rise from the ruins left in the wake of the Arrancars. Ichigo then grabs the hilt of his sword tied to his sash, unsheathing the uniquely shaped weapon with ridges on the blunt side and raising it skyward.

The Lord of Hollows looks down at the Shinigami with a fierce gaze, scowling profusely and roaring with all his might, “LOOK AT THE DESTRUCTION WE BRING WITH US AND DON’T FORGET IT, SHINIGAMI! THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU MESS WITH MY FAMILY! BUT THIS IS ONLY THE START! YOU ALL WILL KNOW TRUE DESPAIR BY THE TIME WE ARE DONE! PRAY TO WHATEVER GOD YOU BELIEVE IN, BECAUSE WE WILL SEND YOU TO THEM SOON!”

Repentance Cell, Senzaikyu, Soul Society

Yuzu immediately perks up in her cell, her tear-stained eyes now holding a glimmer of hope as she feels the distant Reiatsu, which she had felt for the first time only recently. Despite this, she knows exactly who it belongs to, it even having a somewhat nostalgic feeling for her.

The girl can’t help herself, as tears of joy and relief fall from her eyes, “I-Ichigo…!”

Squad 1 Barracks

Meanwhile, Isshin sits slumped over in his cell, a downcast, dejected look on his face as he furrows his brows. The guard behind him can’t help it as his legs tremble, feeling the distant, monstrous Reiatsu of the Arrancars.

The Shiba scowls somewhat, his eyes holding an almost saddened look, “So you’ve come… ‘White’…”

Chapter 6: Getsuga Tenshou

Chapter Text

Squad 8 Barracks

Tsukishima sweat drops and wears a blank expression as he stares at the jovial captain sitting on the ground before him.

Upon sipping some Sake, Kyoraku explains with a friendly smile, “…so, we really don’t have to be enemies here, kid. Let Captain Ukitake and I deal with the setup. In the meantime, it might be better for you all to lay low…”

The Fullbringer narrows his eyes, “No. Your allies will still not hesitate to slaughter mine. I know better than to trust the words of a Shini—”

Both men widen their eyes as intense, monstrous Reiatsu, followed by explosions, can be felt across the Seireitei.

Kyoraku frowns, tipping his hat down slightly, “It seems things have changed. I won’t stop you from acting freely anymore, not when Hollows are here.”

Tsukishima is silent, his expression nervous as Kyoraku walks off, his own expression serious, “Squad 8—assist the other squads in suppressing the Hollows.”

The Shinigami all shoot up, “YES, SIR!”

Without any further delay, the captain disappears with a flash, his Squad following suit shortly after.

Tsukishima sweats somewhat nervously, knowing the Reiatsu of the strongest of the invading Hollows, “Why is a Hollow of that caliber here?”

The man shakes his head before walking towards the exit of the Barracks, “It doesn’t matter… as long as they only attack the Shinigami, that is…”

Near Squad 5 Barracks

A white figure, standing atop a building near the Squad 5 Barracks, recalls a particular bird creature from his past, ‘Just promise me one thing… one day, you’ll destroy the Shinigami!’

The figure narrows its eyes, his right gold with black sclera and the left a normal, brown eye, “Time to start making good on that promise…”

Momo trembles, her eyes filled with dread as a monster begins to descend from its perch. The Shinigami around her; Rangiku, Toshiro, Izuru, and Gin, all share comparable looks of bafflement as a white, horned individual with long, flowing orange hair continues to descend slowly and ominously.

Izuru flinches at the sight, murmuring to the short, black-haired woman standing near him, “Y-you’re sure that’s White? He carries a Zanpakuto and doesn’t have a mask…”

Helpless tears fall from Momo’s eyes as she stares at the motionless and bloodied form of her captain nailed to the wall behind the orange-haired figure by a blade. The woman nods her head, however, remains speechless.

Finally, the white horned figure lands on the ground while simultaneously releasing a small burst of Reiatsu, causing a small shockwave that sends wind at the Shinigami, making each of them take cautious stances.

Toshiro narrows his eyes as he draws his blade, ordering, “Matsumoto, call for backup. The rest of you, we’ll engage him together…”

Gin would normally add in some kind of remark about Toshiro’s age but remains silent as both he and Izuru draw their blades without protest.

Momo, spurred by the younger Shinigami’s words, steels herself somewhat, drawing her blade and calling, “Snap, Tobiume!”

The girl’s sword turns into a silver, branch-looking blade, which she points in the Hollow’s direction with angered eyes, “You’ll pay for the Shinigami you’ve killed today, White!”

Ichigo’s gaze is dark, the look in his eyes cold and unforgiving, “…I remember you, girl… this is the second time that you’ve stood in my path…”

Momo’s blade glows with orange fire, which she swings with all her might at the figure in front of her. Ichigo merely raises his left hand, causing the attack to crash against it, denoting and causing an explosion that engulfs him completely.

The Vice-Captain’s breaths are heavy as smoke comes off the ground around the Arrancar. Suddenly, an extremely quick red blast comes out of the cloud, landing on Momo and sending her now smoking body crashing through the buildings behind the Shinigami.

Toshiro widens his eyes in horror, “MOMO!!!”

Rangiku gasps at the sight, “What was that?! That wasn’t a Cero! I couldn’t even see it coming!”

The baffled Shinigami stare back at the smoke to find Ichigo completely unharmed and letting out a snort, “So that’s your Vice-Captain, huh? I expected more…”

Toshiro settles a furious glare on the Hollow, “So you even mock the dead, fiend?!”

Ichigo doesn’t bother responding to the young captain, instead performing an action that causing the remaining Shinigami to raise brows. He quickly turns his sword held in his right hand in a reverse grip before holding out his right arm to his side and planting the blade into the wooden floor.

As he releases his grasp from his blade, Gin questions, “You are discarding your weapon…?”

The orange-haired Arrancar cracks a vicious smirk as he approaches the Shinigami, raising his hands in front of him and curling his fingers towards himself—a taunting motion, “Using my sword is overkill against trash like you! If you disagree, then feel free to prove me wrong!”

The white-haired captain hisses, “Reign over the Frosted Heavens, Hyorinmaru!”

Toshiro’s blade remains a normal-looking katana with the addition of a yellow pointed guard and a long white chain coming from the bottom of his hilt, leading to a crescent-shaped charm of sorts. The captain immediately swings his Zanpakuto to the side, causing the chain to swing at Ichigo before wrapping itself around his right arm and beginning to freeze it—a thin layer of ice forming over it. Meanwhile, behind the captain, Rangiku continues to send out urgent Hell Butterflies in an effort to call in reinforcements.

Ichigo glares at his right arm before his attention is suddenly forced on the other, silver-haired captain, who chants, “Bakudo Number 61, Rikujokoro.”

Six pillars of light suddenly slam into the Hollow’s midsection, binding both of his arms against his torso and movement in general.

Izuru appears with a flash behind Ichigo, chanting as he holds his sword above his head, “Raise Your Head, Wabisuke!”

The blade snaps into a black and silver sword, which bends twice in a 90-degree angle, making it appear not unlike a hook. Izuru brings his Shikai down on the Hollow, striking him along the back. The strikes, of course, do no damage through Ichigo’s Hierro, however, as the Vice-Captain continues to land blow after blow, the Hollow can’t help but notice the way his knees start to strain and buckle, as if they are supporting far more weight than they are used to. Ichigo’s eyes widen slightly as he realizes it is significantly more difficult to move under all of these restraints.

Gin has to suppress the urge to express his suspicions, “Something’s off… he just is letting us land attacks… I know he’s more than capable of dodging, or at least parrying…”

The captain begins to shift into an offensive pose, holding his short blade behind him, readying to strike, “Shoot to kill—!?”

Gin cuts himself off as he is forced to dodge an incoming, buzzing blast, which leaves destruction in its wake. He frowns as he looks towards the shadows next to the large building where the figure of Aaroniero stands.

Ichigo sighs, his eyes relaying a look of slight disappointment as he flares up his Reiatsu, coating his body in a pale red aura that strips away the golden Kido and seemingly nullifies the effects of Izuru’s Zanpakuto.

With one blindingly quick motion, Ichigo jerks his right arm, still with Toshiro’s chain wrapped around it, to his side. This action causes the young captain to be sent flying around in a circle with his blade and crashing into a shocked Izuru before both slam into the building where Aizen’s corpse is pinned, the chain leaving Ichigo’s arm and following after.

Toshiro lets out a short groan as he tries to get out from the rubble but gasps with widened eyes as he stares directly at a red Cero charging in the orange-haired Arrancar’s left hand. The captain instinctively uses his blade to create an icy barrier around both him and the Vice-Captain before Ichigo releases the attack. As the attack lands, both Shinigami are sent even further into the buildings before the Cero erupts, engulfing the buildings in a violent explosion that causes a small mushroom cloud. Screams of wounded and dying Shinigami can be heard in its wake.

Gin and Rangiku stare wide-eyed at the sight, fully recognizing just how little effort the Arrancar is putting in.

Ichigo, meanwhile, stares at his new companion in the shadows with a hint of appreciation in his gaze, “You should go help the others. I have things under control here.”

Aaroniero is silent, merely giving a short nod before vanishing with the signature buzz of Sonido.

This prompts the remaining Arrancar to turn around and glare at the duo of Shinigami. Rangiku tenses under the intensity of Ichigo’s gaze, feeling like a small bug compared to the dragon standing before her, who seems to have been doing nothing but figuratively whacking its tail at flies. In other words, they are nothing but a mild inconvenience to him.

Before Ichigo does anything further, Gin immediately rushes at Rangiku, throwing her over his shoulder without warning.

The woman shouts at the captain, “What are you doing?! We can’t abandon the others!”

Gin doesn’t turn his head back to regard the woman, his expression hidden as he reveals in a stoic tone, “Making sure you’re safe is my priority…”

The woman widens her eyes as the pair then disappear with Flash Step.

Ichigo narrows his eyes as he retrieves his blade from the floor, “Don’t think you can run from—!"

The teen widens his eyes as he just notices a jagged sword appear right in front of his face before as if in slow motion, shifting his head to the side and narrowly avoiding the attack. The blade reorients itself before coming in for another strike, but Ichigo parries the blow this time with his own black blade.

The blades lock in a clash as the Arrancar’s cold eyes stare into the crazed left eye belonging to none other than a cackling Kenpachi Zaraki, “That Squad 10 chick wasn’t kidding! You really are the same White, aren’t you? It seems you’ve changed your look again.”

Ichigo sends the captain a death glare, “Come back for another ass-kicking, huh? Tell you what, I'll make it so you can never swing that sword again, this time. Call it a bonus."

The two break off from their collision, each skidding back a distance as Kenpachi continues to cackle, "Enough talking! Let's get to killing each other already!!!"

The Arrancar narrows his eyes as the two continue to clash. Meanwhile, Yachiru sits atop a nearby building, watching the battle with an ever so slight hint of concern covering her features.

Elsewhere, Seireitei

A figure garbed in a white Gi with black highlights releases an intense red blast at a group of incoming Shinigami, which almost immediately turns their bodies to cinders. The figure runs his right hand through his brown hair, which is tied into a ponytail trailing down his back as he gazes upon the charred and bloodied corpses of Shinigami littering the street.

Sora tsks in a sense of perhaps mild disappointment, “It doesn’t seem like there are powerful Shinigami around here… most of the captains seem to be going after Ichigo…”

The serpent Arrancar stares off in the distance towards the Squad 5 barracks before looking away, “He’ll be fine… he is the most powerful Hollow in Hueco Mundo, after all…”

Sora fixes his gaze in a different direction, settling on a tall tower adjacent to a hill in the distance, “That’s where his sister should be…”

Without another word, the serpent disappears with a buzz.

Squad 13 Barracks

Gin arrives at the Squad 13 Barracks and promptly puts Rangiku down, allowing her to move freely.

However, she stays in place, demanding with a serious face, “Gin, what’s going on…?”

The captain turns and begins walking away, “I’m sorry… it’s… difficult to explain. Once this is all over, everything will be as it should be, and you will be safe.”

The woman furrows her brow, “Wait—”

Her call is for naught as Gin disappears with Flash Step, refusing to elaborate further.

Shortly after, Rangiku is approached by various Shinigami from Squad 13, including the captain, “Vice-Captain Matsumoto, why are you here? Don’t tell me you’ve abandoned your captain?!”

The Vice-Captain, forcing herself to dawn a more stoic expression, explains, “Captain Ichimaru removed me from the battlefield by force… that Hollow… he already defeated my captain…”

Rangiku’s gaze is downcast, prompting the veteran captain’s eyes to soften. He sighs, grabbing a document from his Gi and handing it to the woman, causing her to give him a questioning look.

Rangiku furrows her brows, “What is this, sir?”

The captain explains, “Bring this to the Central 46. It may prove Isshin Shiba’s innocence. Tell them I have suspicions about Captain Aizen’s testimony.”

The woman’s eyes widen as she nods, however, not without questioning, “Alright… but, why me? Can’t you take it to them? I’m sure they’ll listen to you more than me…”

Ukitake stares intently at the shrine before eyeing the Senkaimon Gate, offering, “I’m not sure how they got here, but we must ensure that these Hollows do not escape to the living world. The chaos that would ensue would be unlike any we have ever seen—I’ve seen it first-hand if you recall. I am the last line of defense.”

Rangiku nods, “I understand, captain. Leave it to me.”

The woman disappears with a flash, leaving the older captain to muse, “I just hope we have enough time…”

Secret Underground Passage, Seireitei

Ganju walks alone amidst the darkness of the passage, the light of the Kido in his hand being his only aide.

The man groans, “Why’re a bunch of Hollows attacking? Scratch that, HOW did they even get in here anyway? It’s not like they had a cannon like us to blast through the barrier…”

As the man continues to explore the passage, completely unaware of which turn leads where, he ponders, “That green blast… a Cero, I think. It came out of nowhere and split the tunnel in two. Ginjo and Hanataro were on the other side, so it’s just my luck that I’m left to fend for myself… I hope they’re alright, though…”

He pauses before shaking his head, “What am I saying? Of course, a guy as strong as Ginjo is gonna make sure both he and Hanataro are safe! I just need to focus on finding an exit!”

As Ganju marches off to continue his search for an exit, a somewhat lanky figure garbed in white observes him from behind a corner. A purple tentacle-like appendage sprouts from its arm; however, it merely continues to watch, not expressing obvious bloodlust.

Aaroniero lets out a muted chuckle as he removes his mask, revealing the face of Kaien Shiba, “Well, would you look at that? This could be an interesting trip after all…”

Ichigo vs Kenpachi

Ichigo brings his black blade in for another swipe at Kenpachi, which the captain parries before pressing the offensive himself. The Arrancar uses Sonido to retreat a distance, completely evading the blow.

Ichigo grunts, “He’s gotten stronger… again…”

A voice from within the Hollow’s mind urges him on, “C’mon, King… use that move…”

The Arrancar raises a brow, beginning to question, “What move—?"

He widens his eyes as he cuts himself off, instinctively knowing exactly what his internal voice is talking about after glancing at the blade in his hand, “Oh…”

Kenpachi, meanwhile, can’t help but grin, “This battle is a lot less brutal than last time. How about we start fighting for real?”

Ichigo flinches as Kenpachi suddenly removes his eyepatch, releasing vicious, golden Reiatsu, “LET’S KILL EACH OTHER!!!”

The captain suddenly charges at the Arrancar, who instinctively charges a blackened red aura around his blade, which is released into a beam of sorts upon swinging it at his opponent. Kenpachi merely brings his sword against the beam, cutting it in half with ease and continuing his charge. Ichigo brings his sword in for a parry, however, finds himself unable to do so due to the sheer intensity of the blow. The young Arrancar widens his eyes as he is forced back under Kenpachi’s might.

The captain taunts, “What’s the matter? Don’t tell me that’s all you’ve got. Where’s your killing intent?”

Ichigo snaps back coldly, “Oh, I’ll show you killing intent…”

The Arrancar suddenly places his hand on his blade, waning under the pressure of the captain’s, before running it across, leaving a trail of blood from his palm to smear on the blade’s surface. Kenpachi widens his eyes as Ichigo points his left, bloodied index and middle fingers at him, a distorted, purple blast beginning to form at the tips.

Soon after, the Arrancar utters, “Gran Rey Cero.”

What follows is a purple explosion that engulfs the captain and many buildings behind him. In the wake of the attack, the battlefield is leveled to a barren wasteland. However, there remains signature cackling, which causes Ichigo to narrow his eyes.

Kenpachi, whose Gi and Haori are a smoking mess, grins madly, “That’s it! More attacks like that! At this rate, this battle should be the best in a long time! Come on! Show me your true power!”

The Arrancar hears a voice beckoning him, “Use that move! You won’t win as you are now without calling it by name!”

Ichigo snaps at the voice in his mind, “What do you mean? I could use my Resurreccion!”

The voice hisses, “Absolutely not! This piece of sh*t must know how weak he is! He thinks himself special—worthy of facing our true power! We need to show him that he never had a prayer—send him into despair… like what they’re doing to Yuzu!”

Ichigo trembles before tilting his head to the sky and letting out a roar as red aura coats his body. Kenpachi, likewise coated in a golden aura, howls as he rushes at the Hollow.

A black and red aura swirls violently around Ichigo’s blade as he raises it skyward. Visions of all of his past battles rush through his mind—with particular focus on the blackened red blade attacks. The essence of the attack is at this point instinctively understood by his soul, to the point in which he knows its name despite never having heard it before.

Kenpachi closes in on the Hollow, cackling madly as he brings his sword down on him. At this moment, Ichigo’s eyes focus purely on the opponent in front of him, the blood from his left hand mixing in with the blackened attack, changing the red to purple, appearing not unlike Barragan’s Miasma in terms of color.

Ichigo begins to roar, adjusting his hold on his blade as Kenpachi’s sword is a hair’s length away from him, “GETSUGA…!”

Kenpachi flinches slightly, now fully recognizing this attack. A brief image of a younger Isshin striking an identical pose covers Ichigo’s features in Kenpachi’s vision.

The Arrancar finishes, “…TENSHOU!!!”

Ichigo’s blade is brought down at such speed that Kenpachi is completely unable to react, merely able to hold his blade protectively in front of him as Ichigo’s onslaught comes down upon him. As the blades connect, Ichigo’s attack immediately slices through the Shinigami’s blade, breaking it in half, and carrying through to cut through his midsection. The blast immediately carries through and parts the very Earth behind it for a good mile, leaving a fissure in the ground in its wake.

As the attack subsides, Ichigo breathes heavily, now short of breath, yet still speaks, “You lose… Kenpachi…”

On the ground in front of the Arrancar is the dying body of the Squad 11 captain, who has lost consciousness. Kenpachi’s upper right torso has been completely cut through, a large space of an open, bloodied wound serving as evidence. Despite this, his right arm and the former right side of his chest are still connected to his body near his lower stomach.

Ichigo approaches Kenpachi, turning his blade in a reverse grip as he prepares to bring it down at the captain’s neck to ensure the kill. However, his instincts go into overdrive, prompting him to step back and retreat a distance with Sonido, barely avoiding the strike of a silver, curved Katana.

Ichigo’s gaze settles on a woman with black hair which is tied in a braid at the front. The woman’s expression relays a sense of death, the look in her eyes more vicious than any Hollow Ichigo has ever encountered.

The teen narrows his eyes, “Another captain…?”

A voice calls from behind, “Two, actually…”

Ichigo glances back at a bearded Shinigami wearing a straw hat, holding a pair of two huge Scimitar blades, “They both passed through my Pesquisa—!"

Before the Arrancar can so much as finish his thought, he realizes that the woman is right in front of him, bringing her blade down for a fatal blow. Ichigo barely manages to block with his blade, causing the attacks to clash. The woman doesn’t hesitate as she immediately moves her left hand at Ichigo’s neck, planting a hidden dagger directly through his windpipe.

Ichigo staggers as blood gushes from his neck and his breath is robbed from him. The woman, Unohana, takes this opportunity to break the clash before slicing Ichigo across the chest with her Zanpakuto, causing even further blood to spurt from his new wounds.

The Arrancar continues to stumble but manages to somehow find it in him to defend against Unohana’s next flurry of blows. As he finds his footing, he unknowingly casts a shadow behind him. Immediately afterward, Kyoraku appears through the shadow and attempts to pierce the Hollow through the chest with both of his blades, however, Arrancar can sense it coming, so vanishes with a buzz.

Ichigo reappears a distance back, glaring at the pair of Shinigami with hate-filled eyes. He narrows his eyes, attempting to heal his wounds with high-speed regeneration, but panics when he realizes that something is wrong.

Unohana sees the panic in the teen’s eyes, so explains as she stares back at him coldly, “You’re probably wondering why you can’t heal your wounds, White. Well, that would be because of the poison-coated dagger that I stabbed through your neck. Don’t think we haven’t dealt with your type before—we’ve had ways of dealing with your kind’s irksome regenerative abilities.”

As if to add emphasis, the woman opens her coat to reveal all kinds of hidden blades beneath, “I’ve killed your kind for over 1000 years, and you will die just as they have.”

Ichigo’s eyes dilate upon hearing this, something within him giving way and snapping. In the next moment he moves his left arm towards his neck and forcefully rips the dagger out, leaving blood to gush everywhere.

The captains widen their eyes in shock as Ichigo’s body glows a fearsome red, his neck healing despite Unohana’s claim just enough to roar, “You think this is enough to stop me?! NOTHING WILL IMPEDE ME!”

Ichigo points his Zanpakuto directly at the captains, roaring, “HARM AND DESTROY, ZANGESTU!!!”

The surroundings explode in intense, blackened energy, causing the captains to retreat a distance on the wasteland of a battlefield. A smoke cloud is produced, which clouds the Hollow’s features, save for haunting golden eyes with black sclera piercing through. Unohana and Kyoraku are both wide-eyed for a moment, now feeling how truly monstrous Ichigo’s Reiatsu at full power is. However, as expected of seasoned captains like them, they quickly compose themselves, taking battle stances.

The dust settles somewhat, revealing the form of Ichigo’s Resurreccion—which is identical to his form as a Vasto Lorde, save for the addition of black fabric which covers his torso underneath his white armor and above the red fur on the lower half of his body. Further, a black tail sprouts from his back with orange fur at the end, a call back to his days as a literal dragon. The masked creature’s eyes are cold with rage and killing intent—nothing else is present in them at this moment, which reflects the being’s current state of mind.

Suddenly, Ichigo disappears with a buzz, before appearing directly between the captains, Kyoraku to his left and Unohana to his right. The captains swing their blades at him in a flurry, however, the Arrancar’s arms move with even greater speeds, deflecting each and every blow with his bare hands. The Hollow suddenly grabs Unohana’s blade, holding it in place in a vice grip. The woman widens her eyes as she is pulled forward before being slammed in the gut by a kick, which causes her to spit up blood before flying across the battlefield and into distant buildings with great speed.

Kyoraku gasps as his blades are still being parried with ease, not able to believe what he is seeing, “This Reiatsu is completely different than before… it’s like…”

The captain widens his eyes as Ichigo turns his face towards Kyoraku slowly, revealing the toothy, evil-looking smirk that peeks out from beneath the teeth of his mask, “…he’s a completely different person!”

Just as Kyoraku finishes his thought, Ichigo charges his left index finger, still parrying the blades, with a small red light, which launches at the captain with great speed, scorching the left side of his face. The captain staggers as he holds the right side of his face, his eye bubbling in into nothing.

The Hollow quickly follows up with an insanely quick punch to Kyoraku’s face with his right fist, followed by a left hook, which begins a flurry of punches that hit the captain without relenting. Blood flies through the air as Kyoraku’s body begins to turn into a bloody pulp. Ichigo suddenly stops, smirking viciously with still completely black, dilated eyes as he charges small red blasts at the tips of his right fingers before swiping them at the captain, leading to an explosion that sends the captain’s scorched body flying through the air and landing a distance away.

The seemingly possessed Ichigo takes a step towards the downed Kyoraku before immediately pausing and glancing back at the form of Unohana standing behind him, her hand gripping her blade.

Ichigo fully turns to regard the woman in interest as she utters, “Bankai…”

Unohana’s hand runs along her Zanpakuto, bringing a trail of blood along it, causing it to fall limp, turning into a blade of blood, “…Minazuki.”

Ichigo’s smirk widens as the battlefield becomes drenched in Unohana’s blood, which begins to heal her allies. The Arrancar ignores this, however, as he disappears with a buzz. Unohana swings her bloodied blade around her defensively, throwing blood into the air and deflecting Ichigo’s incoming attacks, slashing the crazed Hollow’s right arm off.

Ichigo retreats a distance, his arm regenerating itself almost immediately as Unohana explains, “This blood of mine acts as an extension of my blade. It also heals all of my wounds. Either you die, or we are locked in this dance of death for eternity, Hollow.”

The Arrancar stares down at his blood-smeared hands, feeling them being cut at, a sign that Unohana’s claim holds truth to it. Suddenly, multiple lances of blood rise from the bloodied lake around the captain, which launch at the Hollow as the captain similarly throws her whip-sword at him.

Ichigo’s grin becomes even more vicious as his hands suddenly turn into black blades and he lets out a roar to the sky, causing a shockwave that blows any blood currently on his body off. He then charges in at the captain with great speed, imbuing his blades with blackened red energy, deflecting the blood blades and the whip. Unohana sidesteps to dodge as Ichigo swings his right arm at her, launching a blast. The woman then throws the whip-sword at the Hollow again, which this time wraps around his neck. Blood blades then suddenly rain down at him from behind, stabbing him in the back.

The woman pulls the whip back towards her, bringing Ichigo with it, as she forms a massive blood lance in her left hand in preparation for a fatal blow. However, and much to her shock, Ichigo cackles as his right arm turns back to normal and rips one of the bloodied lances from his back. Unohana pierces the boy through with her lance, causing blood to spurt from his mask. However, the cackling remains as Ichigo, now within close quarters of Unohana, swings the blood lance, infused with his own Reiatsu, behind the woman’s neck and grabs it with his other, now normal hand.

The captain widens her eyes as she realizes what is happening, “He’s wielding my own Bankai against me?!”

Ichigo smirks madly as he tilts his body and slams his feet against Unohana’s torso, sending her crashing through her own blades and bouncing across the bloodied battlefield, like a pebble across water. Ichigo isn’t done yet, as he appears directly above the captain and slams a vicious flurry of punches down at her, causing shockwaves that shake the very ground itself. The gleeful expression under his mask remains as he continues to send punch after punch at her, not even noticing that she has lost consciousness and her Bankai has begun to recede.

As the teen is about to send another punch, he feels some prick at him from behind, the cause: Shukuro Tsukihima.

The Fullbringer, with his Fullbring drawn, narrows his eyes at the limp Squad 8 captain, “It’s a good thing I decided to come back and help you—"

He doesn’t get so much as a chance to finish his sentence as Ichigo immediately, and instinctually, slams his right fist against Tsukishima’s torso, causing bones to crack before he is sent flying through the air and into a distant building.

The dilation of Ichigo’s eyes suddenly wears off, prompting him to blink and rub his helmet-like mask, a headache coming on, “Ugh… what… what was that…?”

He widens his eyes to find his hands smeared with blood, prompting him to look around, regarding the two additional downed captains, “Did I… do that…?”

Steam comes off the Arrancar as his Resurreccion flakes off, turning him back to his base, once more dawning his white clothing. His eyes widen as he notices something in the corner of his vision, shifting his face to regard a large white tower in the distance.

Ichigo narrows his eyes in resolve, “That’s where Yuzu should be…”

Without any further interruption, the Arrancar disappears with the buzz of Sonido.

Distant Rooftop, Seireitei

Tokinada, holding out a pair of binoculars from a faraway building, cackles to himself, “I’ve gotta hand it to you, Aizen, you sure did find quite the catch!”

The man then rises to his feet, carelessly discards the binoculars, and throws out both of his arms, screaming in sick amusem*nt as he lords over the devastation below, “You finally got what was coming to you, old man! I’m just sorry I didn’t have the privilege of killing you myself! Ah… I can’t wait to see what other interesting things you Ryoka and Hollows have to offer!”

Two Shinigami suddenly appear behind the noble, each bowing before him. One of the Shinigami is a tall man with long, chin-length green and yellow hair wearing a standard Shinigami Shihakusho with a white lab jacket on top. The other is a younger-looking girl with similar length green hair of the same color wearing a modified Shihakusho with a black skirt that ends just above her knees and long white socks that end similarly just above her knees.

The girl is the first to speak, “Milord, it would seem that Shunsui Kyoraku let that group of Fullbringers escape…”

Tokinada’s expression drops to a much more neutral one, “…I can see that, Nozomi… is that all the information you have to report?”

The girl, Nozomi, shakes her head as she purses her lips, “Our spies informed me that there may be… a Mod Soul with them…”

The noble cracks a slight smirk, “Oh? And here I thought that you were the only one left. What have you to say for this, Kageroza?”

Tokinada’s gaze shifts to the man, who stiffens and bows apologetically, “I apologize, My Lord, but Nozomi really should be the only one left. She was the only subject I could salvage from my mentor’s research. However, speaking bluntly, it would be no surprise if some of her experiments may have slipped through the cracks or have been inherited by her successor, Kisuke Urahara.”

The noble’s expression becomes a degree more twisted, as he finds his underling’s words amusing, “So, you’re saying it’s possible that Kirio Hikifune would’ve ‘lost track’ of this other Mod Soul, and potentially many others, which lead to them being passed down to the likes of Kisuke Urahara? Hell, what’s to say she didn’t ‘lose track’ of Nozomi, here, either?! Hah! The very thought of a member of the renowned Zero Squad breaking the law is hilarious!”

Tokinada continues to laugh madly in amusem*nt, leaving his underlings to wait patiently until he has finished.

The noble exhales before eyeing the pair of Shinigami before him dubiously, “Do not concern yourselves with the Fullbringers. As you recall, I’ve come to an agreement of sorts with the current regent of the Kasumioji Clan—Gyokaku Kumoi. As you both are no doubt aware, their assassins are the second most powerful in the Seireitei, behind the ones belonging to Tsunayashiro, besting even the stealth force itself. …a shame, too. I miss when Yoruichi was in charge, things were better then, but you can’t turn back the clock, unfortunately…”

Tokinada shakes his head in disapproval, before further elaborating, “Anyway, as I was saying, Kumoi’s elite assassins will deal with the… ‘harvesting’.”

Kageroza tilts his head, questioning, “Then what do we do?”

The noble’s expression drops as he now frowns deeply, pondering briefly before he once more smirks, “You go back to Squad 12, Kageroza. If I have need of you, you’ll know.”

The man nods before disappearing with Flash Step.

Tokinada shifts his gaze to the young girl, “As for you, my dear… I want you to engage this Mod Soul in battle. Bring him back to me, alive, if possible.”

The girl closes her eyes and nods reverently before disappearing with Flash Step as well.

The man narrows his eyes, still smiling crookedly as he murmurs, “Now, I think it’s time I paid the family a visit to pay my condolences…”

Repentance Cell, Senzaikyu, Soul Society

Yuzu stares out of her cell with furrowed brows, “Ichigo’s Reiatsu… No. That wasn’t him! It couldn’t have been! It was too… evil…”

The girl starts fiddling with her ponytail, clearly anxious about what she just felt. Suddenly, she hears noises coming from outside of her cell, specifically the yells and voices of the guards, as if there is a struggle. She immediately walks up next to the side of the door, balling her hands into fists as she hears something bang loudly against the cell door.

Yuzu gulps as faint blue lines form on her hands, “I think someone is fighting the guards… if one of those guards comes in here to use me as a hostage, I’ll slam them on the head with my Blut! …as weakened as it is…”

There is another bang against the cell door before the door gives way and flies open.

As a figure walks into the room, Yuzu instinctively assaults the individual by slamming both of her Blut-infused fists down on their head, “Take that!”

The sound of the punch echoes along the walls of the cell as the figure is knocked to the ground, screaming, “OW!!!”

Yuzu widens her eyes as she recognizes the figure who is wearing a black trench coat and hat, “Y-Yukio…?”

The boy, now with a large bump forming on his head and tears in his eyes, frowns at her, “Is that how you thank people for rescuing you?”

The girl is silent, continuing to stare at the boy with widened eyes.

Suddenly, a small plush lion comes bursting through the cell doors, jumping at the girl with tears in its eyes, “YUZUUUU!!!!”

Yuzu gasps as Kon crashes against her leg, rubbing his face against it, an emotional mess, “I’m… I’m so sorry! I should’ve been with you to protect you from the Shinigami!”

The girl is finally hit with the realization of who she is with, her emotions fully processed as her eyes begin to water, “N-no, Kon! I-it was my fault! I shouldn’t have run away!”

Kon looks up at the girl, backing up as she looks away, hot tears of frustration with herself falling, “I should’ve listened to Bambi and Ginjo’s warnings… the Shinigami hate Quincies like me and they’ll go to any lengths to get rid of us… I see that now…”

Yuzu looks at Kon and Yukio before her, tears streaming down her face, “I’m sorry for being such a nuisance! You all are risking your lives just because I couldn’t listen!”

The girl then looks to the ground, balling her hands into fists as the tears fall freely. Yukio frowns before seemingly making a split-second decision by taking his trench coat off and placing it over Yuzu’s shoulders.

The girl widens her eyes and stares questioningly at the boy, now only wearing his black pants and a white collared long-sleeved shirt.

Yukio elaborates, in his typical casual fashion, “It’s no big deal. We’d do it for anyone… well, maybe not everyone… anyway, it doesn’t matter. We wanted to come here, rescue you, and give the Shinigami a piece of our mind while we’re at it! So, it’s really nothing to cry about, alright?”

The boy’s words have the opposite effect as Yuzu’s tears grow more intense, “But it IS a big deal! How can you say it isn’t?!”

Yukio scowls, rubbing the back of his still very much hurting head, “Alright, I get it! How about this? You give me a proper thank you for coming to rescue you, and we’ll call it even.”

Yuzu rubs her teary eyes before managing a light-hearted smile, “I’m sorry for hitting you before, Yukio. Thank you so much for coming to rescue me! You’re the best!”

At this moment, the light peeking in from the outside shines down on her features, making her appear as an angel before the boy’s eyes.

Yukio blushes profusely before looking away awkwardly, “Y-yeah, don’t mention it…”

Yuzu shifts to a pouting face, “You’re not being fair! I just thought we decided it was a big deal! You can’t just take that back!”

The boy groans, “Oh, c’mon! I said that on instinct and you know it!”

Yuzu frowns and looks to the side, huffing, “Now you think I’m a mind reader or something too… so unfair…”

Yukio’s brow twitches, before continuing this pointless argument. Kon, meanwhile, watches the exchanges with a blank, unamused expression.

After a couple more exchanges, Kon finally decides to cut in, “Hey, as much as I know you two want to catch up, we’ve gotta get out of here before those guards wake up! The last thing we need is a captain coming after us!”

The preteens stare at Kon and then at each other before nodding.

Yuzu widens her eyes, however, as she realizes something, “Wait! What about my dad and… Karin…?”

Yukio’s expression is blank, clearly thinking about something, before offering her an answer, “I’m sorry, Yuzu, but I doubt Ginjo would want to rescue Shinigami in any capacity… and even if he did, they don’t need our help.”

The girl furrows her brows, “What do you mean…?”

Yukio does his best not to scoff, “You serious? Your sister has got to be at least as strong as you are by now, I’d think. And even if she isn’t, they’d be fools to get rid of someone of her talent who came here willingly. I think they’re keeping all of this from her, so she doesn’t turn against them. And as for your dad… yeah, I don’t think I need to explain why them getting rid of a captain like him during a Hollow attack of this magnitude is a bad idea.”

Yuzu is silent, prompting Yukio to continue reasoning, “I say we regroup with the others and then we can break your dad out… getting to his cell is going to be more dangerous than it was to get to yours, believe it or not.”

The girl nods slowly, “Yeah… I guess I can do that… as long as you promise to help my dad and Karin, too…”

Yukio sighs, “Alright. Now that that’s out of the way, I’ll need you to get in this new Game Boy. We can move around easier since all of the Shinigami will be looking for you as soon as they realize you’ve escaped.”

Yuzu looks up, raising a slight brow, “Sure, but… since when did you get a new one? Did your old one break?”

The boy sweat drops, recalling a particularly ugly battle with a certain bi-speckled Shinigami, “It’s a long story…”

Outside Central 46 Chambers

Rangiku stands in mild confusion before gates of the Central 46, “W-why aren’t they answering? A request from a captain and more evidence should at least get a response… and…”

The woman turns to regard the smoke rising in the distance further in the Seireitei, “We could really use someone like Captain Shiba helping us right now…”

Rangiku regards the doors once more before narrowing her eyes and turning away, “No use staying here any longer… especially not with Hollows and Ryoka running rampant.”

Squad 1 Barracks

A robed figure suddenly appears in the office of the Head Captain, urgently explaining, “In light of the death of the Tsunayashiro Head, and with the Hollow White and his cohorts attacking the Seireitei, the Central 46 have decided to postpone the execution of Yuzu Kurosaki until after this crisis is handled.”

As proof, the figure reveals an official scroll signed by each member of the Central 46. Of course, in actuality, this document is not but an illusion, and the figure is none other than Sosuke Aizen in disguise, but Yamamoto has no way of knowing this.

Despite that, the ancient captain offers an alarming response, sighing when he does, “As much as I wish I could obey those orders, sadly I cannot.”

Aizen, still disguised as the messenger, widens his eyes in disbelief, “…what?”

Yamamoto glances at the man, "Lord Tsunayashiro handed me an official document with signatures from three out of the four Noble Clan Heads, including himself at the time. It stated that Yuzu Kurosaki would be executed, regardless of what the Central 46 had to say about it. The word of three of the Great Noble Clans far outstrips that of the Central 46 on this matter. In fact, the document also states that should any of them suddenly be killed prior to the execution being carried out, it would be carried out immediately by myself.”

Aizen stares in complete bafflement, “T-this is… not according to plan! All of my surveillance suggested that the Tsunayashiros were too arrogant to think things that far ahead! And even if they did, this is a clear and obvious breach of etiquette from the clans! And yet, Yamamoto cannot deny the word of three Noble Clans… Blast! To think that even in death, that spineless weakling would go to any lengths to ensure that the Tsunayashiro’s petty grudge against the Shiba Clan would endure!”

Yamamoto elaborates, “Currently, Yuzu Kurosaki is not in her cell, either. This means all Shinigami must search the Seireitei for her. She is to be captured on sight…”

Aizen is quiet as the Head Captain continues, “The Sogyoku is being prepared as we speak. I shall use it to end her life. After that, the Hollow White and his allies will also be burned until not even ashes remain of their bodies!”

Aizen flinches as Yamamoto’s body is coated in an intense, orange aura—his burning Reiatsu leaking out unconsciously, as he stares out at the Seireitei, enraged.

The disguised captain nods, taking his leave, “Very well. I shall inform the Central 46 of this, then…”

As Aizen leaves, he can’t help but sweat beads, “My timeline for finding the Hogyoku just shrunk significantly! I… I would’ve preferred to aid in her rescue to gain Ichigo’s trust, but if Yuzu Kurosaki dies while I’m looking for the Hogyoku, so be it.”

Chapter 7: Shinigami vs Hollow

Chapter Text

Underground Chamber, Shino Academy, Soul Society

Within a small, dimly lit room in the Shino Academy, a pair of emerald-green eyes stare lazily at something in front of them, a raised white brow indicating interest. The eyes belong to a young girl, looking to be in her early teens, wearing a white Gi with red fabric running along the edges. The girl kneels on the floor in a very regal manner, a purple Hanafuda-shaped earring hanging from her right ear while the equally purple scarf trails down her back. She holds her head up high, maintaining proper stature despite the group of three bodyguards standing a little too close to her for comfort.

Before her another, black-haired girl who wears a nearly identical Gi and looks to be of similar age paces across the room that the two of them are occupying, the light of the candles failing to fully reveal her features. The black-haired girl balls her hands, wrapped in white bandages, into fists, causing them to make a slight crunch noise. The candles flicker, revealing a young face with black marks under the eyes, suggesting a lack of rest. Further, the deep scowl on the girl’s face alone should be telling to anyone just how bad the girl’s mood and mental state are.

The first white-haired girl, Katsumi Tsunayashiro, glances at the bodyguards with an annoyed look, “You all have done an exceptional job of guarding me so far, but I think we’ve passed the point of that being necessary. Therefore, in my benevolence, you shall all be granted rest.”

The bodyguard to her direct right flinches, making to argue, “But Milady—”

Katsumi nearly snaps at him, her subtle annoyance beginning to become blatantly obvious, “That wasn’t a request. I wish to speak with my friend in private. Do not make me ask again.”

The bodyguard hangs his head solemnly as he responds, “Yes, Ma’am…”

All the bodyguards make their way towards the exit of the room, one of them raising a brow and questioning under their breath as they leave, “’Friend’…?”

Katsumi drops the annoyed look, soon after replacing it with an odd, somewhat concerned one, “Still worried about your father?”

The girl being questioned, Karin Shiba, suddenly halts her pace as her breath hitches, the emotional floodgates seemingly opening, “I get dad not wanting to fight anything but Hollows… but that’s changed! I don’t know how, but incredibly powerful Hollows were able to get into the Seireitei. Among the powers that I felt fighting that strongest one, I didn’t sense my dad and I still don’t! WHERE IS HE?!”

As if to add emphasis to her frustration, Karin slams her fist against the wall, causing the wooden frame to violently crack. Katsumi blinks, flinching slightly at the show, however remaining quiet as Karin begins to slump to the floor, exhaling deeply. A few awkward moments of silence pass between the pair, during which the black-haired girl settles her breath somewhat and swallows. The Tsunayashiro girl closes her eyes, seemingly contemplating something or another.

After a few more moments, the white-haired girl opens her eyes as she explains directly and carefully, “Karin, your father is quite a formidable man whose strength is respected even among the other captains of the Gotei 13. He was and likely still is the strongest of his generation, which includes even Lord Kuchiki. The Tsunyashiro Clan may hold something of a grudge against the Shiba Clan, but we do not falsify strength and natural-born talent.”

Karin’s breaths are somewhat labored as she processes the explanation. The girl’s brow remains in its scrunched position, relaying that she is still frustrated.

Katsumi, still wearing a serious expression, reveals in finality, “In my opinion, Isshin Shiba is not in the Soul Society right now. He likely is still in the World of the Living, so I’m sure he’ll return soon given that Hollows have somehow invaded.”

The Shiba girl’s brow twitches as her eyes soften somewhat. Her breathing nearly settles completely before she releases a slow exhale through her nose. There still exists a silence between the pair, which makes the Noble somewhat uncomfortable. Just then, Karin begins to pick herself from the ground, earning a somewhat hopeful gaze from Katsumi.

Karin looks to the side, away from the other girl, and huffs, “You’re probably right about that… but still…”

The Noble girl raises a slight brow before her counterpart groans in annoyance and complains in a loud manner, “C’MON! Did they really need to put me in here with you?! The absolutely insane levels of security down here make it impossible for me to slip out and actually see the battles I’m feeling!”

Katsumi blinks before letting out a light chuckle, a slight smile on her face, “Oh that? Well, I’d attribute that to how impressive you’ve become since you got here, Shiba.”

Karin raises a brow, the scowl once more resting on her face, “What do you mean? I’m crap at Kido, I’m even worse with Kaido, and despite being good with a sword, I can’t even release Shikai like you can. It sounds to me like I’m still at square one…”

The Noble girl’s laughs only continue to grow in magnitude, “That’s right! I had forgotten just how atrocious you are at Kido due to my being placed in a different class! I do miss the days of seeing your pitiful efforts, they were quite amusing!”

Katsumi continues to laugh as tears begin to form in her eyes, making the Shiba girl growl, her cheeks flushing in rage, “You tryin’ to pick a fight with me, bitch?”

Karin’s words cause one of the guards outside of the room to move towards the door, however, a hand is placed on his shoulder, stopping him. The group of guards turn around to look at the interloper, but all simultaneously halt their movements as their eyes widen in shock.

Back inside the room, Katsumi’s laughs are stifled as she wipes away a tear from her eye with her finger, her gaze thereafter focused on Karin, “I do say that a duel would be entertaining, but given the current events, it would be dreadfully inappropriate.”

The Shiba glares at the other girl with narrowed, unconvinced eyes, “Well if you admit I’m such a trainwreck, why did you think I was impressive?”

Katsumi smiles somewhat condescendingly, causing a tick mark to form on Karin’s forehead briefly before explaining, “Shiba, your father’s talents seem to have been passed down to you. Your Kido is effectively non-existent, and you have yet to know the name of your Soul, but you make up with both of these through the admirable effort you put towards bettering yourself.”

Karin furrows her brow, still not fully following, which prompts the Noble girl to knowingly eye the other girl’s hands wrapped in white bandages, “Ever since our duel, I couldn’t help but notice how you’d spend every single one of the days we didn’t have class on furthering your Zanjutsu skills. Not only that, but the intensity with which you practiced always left your palms bleeding, so you’d have to stay after and clean the wooden practice swords before class the following day. At some point, it seems like you decided to wrap your hands in the white bandages, which no doubt hide many calluses.”

Karin can’t help but blush, “Y-you knew about that…? For that long?”

Katsumi smiles as she nods in approval, “Of course. You had piqued my interest as a worthy rival, and it seems I have been proven correct because not only did your Zanjutsu skills improve significantly, so too did your Reiatsu…”

The Shiba girl frowns as she rubs the back of her neck awkwardly, “Really…? I hadn’t noticed…”

The white-haired girl narrows her eyes as she gazes at the other girl intently. The air around Karin radiates slightly, a sign of her immense potential, which Katsumi elaborates on vaguely, “Well, others have noticed…”

Karin nods, trailing off with a blush still on her face, “Well, thanks, I guess…”

There is a silence between the two, each now feeling somewhat uncomfortable, evident as Karin rubs her arm.

After another moment, Katsumi sighs before glancing at the door, “It would seem we are finished talking. You may all return to the room.”

Nothing happens after the girl says this, causing her to furrow her brows and repeat, this time with more volume, “I said you may return to the room now.”

Once more there is no response, which causes both girls to narrow their eyes at the door. Karin begins to unsheathe the blade from its place on her back while Katsumi shoots to her feet, the red light of Kido charged at the tip of her finger, providing better light than the mere candles could ever hope for. The pair stalk up to the door before giving each other a look, the noble giving a nod. Karin then promptly kicks the door down, readying to deliver a blow. Simultaneously, Katsumi’s Kido shines with further intensity, preparing to engulf whoever dares cross their path.

However, much to the surprise and shock of both of the girls, nobody is waiting for them behind the door. Karin’s sword falls to her side as she scratches her head in confusion. Meanwhile, Katsumi’s expression becomes even more tense as her eyes dart around the dark, empty hallway.

The Shiba purses her lips, “There’s no one here… not even a sign of conflict either… it’s like they just left… Wow, they really must’ve taken you giving them time off and flew with it. You should hire better bodyguards next time.”

Katsumi’s frown deepens, “Shiba, you well and truly are a fool.”

Karin narrows her eyes and snaps at her friend, “What’d you say?!”

The Noble girl ignores her companion as she continues to gaze up and down the hallway, a worried look held within her eyes, “Those were among the highest quality guards in the entire Soul Society, who train for their entire lives for the one purpose of getting the opportunity to serve under the Nobility. This job is their life, that is why they often get argumentative when you want space away from them…”

There is a silence as Katsumi pauses, allowing for Karin to process what she heard. The Shiba girl slowly widens her eyes as she realizes what the other girl is getting at.

Katsumi then solemnly finishes this line of thought, “…that means, somebody or something was able to not only defeat them but do so in a way that was completely silent and left no signs of a conflict having existed…”

The girls share an expression of dread for another moment before Karin lets out a grunt, stating in typical Shiba fashion, “Well, when they show up again, we’ll just have to kick their ass, won’t we?”

These words cause Katsumi to stare at Karin in disbelief, her mouth agape. The girl is simply too stunned to speak further. After a moment, the hallway shakes intensely as tremors from the battles above can be felt. Both girls stumble somewhat before quickly finding their bearings and looking up with shock.

Katsumi’s look of horror intensifies, “There’s fighting in the Noble District?! What is the Gotei 13 doing letting a Hollow near that area?!”

The Shiba girl narrows her eyes, “Say, the Noble District isn’t far from the Academy, right?”

The other girl nods, the dread in her eyes increasing, “Yes… and that means the Shinigami at the Academy are likely taking part in that battle… but, we have bigger priorities right now, Shiba. Let’s see if we…”

Karin’s mind blocks out the rest of Katsumi’s words as the former words linger through the air for a few moments. The faces of three specific Shinigami from the 13^th division come to her mind. Her eyes widen slowly before, without any warning, she bolts down the hallway, most certainly towards an exit.

Katsumi calls out, “Wait, Shiba stop!”

Her words do not reach Karin, however, causing the Noble to look around herself anxiously before shifting her gaze towards where the other girl ran off.

Katsumi frowns and pinches the bridge of her nose as she lets out a long sigh, “You’ll be the death of me, Shiba…”

The girl slaps both of her checks with her hands before sprinting off after Karin, who is still acting on instinct. Soon after the girls disappear from eyesight, a feminine form wearing a black suit materializes in the area right outside of the door of the room the two girls just were. The dim lights hide most of the figure’s features, however, as one of the candles flicker with particular intensity, it reveals the gray, empty eyes of a woman, which appear devoid of any and all meaning.

Noble District, Soul Society

Ulquiorra casually releases green fire from his finger, scorching a multitude of buildings and Shinigami in its wake. The screams and sudden silencing of the Shinigami caught in the blast would be enough to turn the stomach of most people, but this Hollow, who has lived his life prior to meeting a certain orange-haired Hollow without the slightest inclination of what is and is not morally wrong, could care less.

Ulquiorra places his right hand in the pocket next to his blade, mirroring his left hand. The Hollow glares intently before him, holding not so much bloodlust but rather an emotionless, objective promise of death to any who would dare stand against him held within them.

His thoughts become focused, “I will burn the Noble District to the ground until all of those who ordered his sister to death are gone. Perhaps then Ichigo’s mind will be more at ease…”

The Arrancar points his right index finger at a building to his right, beginning to charge another Cero at its tip. Before the attack can fire, however, a large whip-like saw blade crashes against his arm, causing it to shift slightly, sending the Cero just enough off-coarse to destroy the upper half of the building rather than the entire thing, giving a chance of survival for those within.

Ulquiorra eyes the blade, which failed to cut through his Hierro, with complete carelessness as the segmented black saw teeth held together by gray, wire-like strands retreat and retract in the hands of its owner holding the blade on a katana hilt. The Arrancar gazes at the tattooed, red-haired Shinigami before him as if he were vermin.

The Shinigami, Renji Abari, begins to speak, “Y-you won’t kill a single other Shinigami so long as I’m—”

Renji cuts himself off as his eyes widen in urgency in response to Ulquiorra casually beginning to charge another Cero, this time at him.

The Vice-Captain lets out a swear as he uses all his strength to jump out of the way of the blast, which just barely misses him. This causes Ulquiorra’s eye to twitch slightly before he disappears with a buzz.

Renji, still staggering from his near-death experience, notices this, “Where did he…?!”

The Vice-Captain gasps as another green light flickers near the right side of his face, causing him to slowly turn his head to regard it. Sure enough, Ulquiorra is there waiting with a Cero pointed directly at the Vice-Captain. Renji’s eyes shake with fear, realizing that he asked for a fight that he simply had no business being a part of, as the two beings are on completely different levels. He shuts his eyes, expecting death to befall him.

A few moments pass, leaving the man to open his eyes and regard the Hollow, still holding the Cero, in confusion, “What… are you waiting for…?”

Ulquiorra’s eyes narrow before answering to Renji’s surprise, “You dodged my first Cero… No other Shinigami I’ve killed so far was able to keep up with the level of speed of the Ceros I was using. There’s also the matter of the badge on your arm… can I take these things to mean you are one of the Vice-Captains?”

Renji gulps before confirming, “So what if I am?”

The Arrancar responds with a demand, “You can save me some time… Show me where to find the Tsunayashiro Clan, or I’ll kill you where you stand.”

Renji scrunches his brows, opening his mouth to say something, but holds his tongue as he widens his eyes at the sky above them, gasping. Ulquiorra quickly turns his head to follow the Vice-Captain’s gaze to find a torrent of thousands of pink petals raining down on them. The Arrancar has a somewhat urgent look in his eyes, as he recognizes these petals, so he instinctually shifts his Cero from Renji at the petals, allowing for the Vice-Captain to retreat with Flash Step.

The Cero clashes against the petal blades, erupting in an explosion that causes the blades to disperse before recollecting at the sides of a man with long black hair wearing a normal Shinigami Gi wrapped with white, bloodstained bandages underneath. The man’s hands are empty, marking that he has already activated his Bankai before coming into this battle. The Arrancar and Shinigami lock gazes, a spark flickering between them as they have unfinished business.

Renji appears at the man’s side, kneeling next to him, “Captain Kuchiki, this Hollow…”

Byakuya narrows his eyes, his gaze not leaving the Hollow in front of him, “I heard… you seek to destroy the Tsunayahsiro Clan. For what purpose?”

Ulquiorra’s usually emotionless eyes glow with something akin to anger, but only for a moment before returning to their usual neutral state before he answers, “They chose to make an enemy out of White. All his enemies must die.”

The captain maintains a stoic expression as he raises his hands, directing the blades to gather, ready to launch at the Hollow, “I suppose it was foolish of me to ask such a question. Shinigami and Hollows have always fought to kill each other, it is the natural order. I shall finish what I started with you in the world of the living, bat.”

Ulquiorra responds by charging a Cero at the captain, which, upon launching, once more makes contact with the torrent of blades. Ulquiorra disappears with a Sonido, drawing his blade and attempting to blindside the captain with a strike, however, a wall of petals parries the strike and sends the Arrancar spiraling back a distance.

As Ulquiorra skids against the ground, the captain brings both of his hands down in an ‘X’ shape, causing the petals to assault the Arranacar accordingly, sending him skidding back even further while shredding through his Hierro and limbs. Blood flies through the air in the wake of the attack, seemingly rendering the Hollow once more powerless under the assault.

Dust rises in the air as a result of Byakuya’s ambush, which the captain takes as a chance to issue orders, “Renji, help Squad 13 evacuate the Nobility.”

Renji scowls, words from an earlier conversation he had coming to the surface, ‘Where were you when he was attacked anyway, Renji? You’re supposed to be at his side!’

The Vice-Captain, despite knowing how outmatched he is, refuses, “I cannot do that, sir.”

Byakuya, still guiding his blades to hold the Arrancar back, doesn’t look back at his Vice-Captain, but does ask a serious question, “Do you understand that continuing to remain here will likely end in death for you?”

Renji closes his eyes, answering indirectly, “Dying in battle at your captain’s side is the greatest honor a Vice-Captain can ask for.”

The captain continues to direct the petals at the Arrancar, waiting a moment before giving a response, “Very well. If you insist on staying, keep your distance and send for reinforcements. I won’t be able to hold him off forever.”

Renji rises to his feet and nods with vigor before leaping back a distance. Byakuya glares at the blood flying through the air as his blades cut through the Arrancar in anticipation of what’s to come next.

Within the petals, Ulquiorra, riddled with cuts that heal themselves nearly as fast as they appear, narrows his eyes in annoyance. The Hollow regards the blade in his hand briefly before uttering, “Enclose, Murcielago.”

As if to validate the captain’s anticipation, a green explosion erupts from within the petals, causing them to disperse before returning to Byakuya’s side. Renji and Byakuya stare at the black-winged creature standing before them. Ulquiorra now has an appearance that, like Ichigo, is nearly identical to what it was when he was a Vasto Lorde. The only noteworthy change in the bat’s case is, of course, the absence of the front of his mask, making it so the current mask acts as a sort of horned helmet worn on top of his head.

The bat’s Reiatsu rains down with such intensity that Renji stumbles and nearly loses consciousness just from being in his presence. The Vice-Captain levels his stance as he uses his Zanpakuto to help him stand. He struggles to focus on sending out a Hell Butterfly while under the full intensity of Ulquiorra’s Reiastu, which prompts him to curse himself for his lack of strength.

Meanwhile, Byakuya eyes the Hollow anxiously, feeling like something is off compared to the previous time he fought him as a Vasto Lorde. Sure enough, as soon as Ulquiorra materializes a bright green lance in his left hand, the captain widens his eyes and braces himself, summoning all his petals towards himself in defense.

Ulquiorra wastes no time in throwing the lance at the captain with immense speed and strength, formerly not seen by the Hollow. The petals manage to form somewhat of a shield around the captain by the time the attack hits. A massive green explosion occurs, which sends a shockwave throughout the Noble District so intense that Renji has to plant his Zanpakuto into the ground to avoid being sent flying backward.

Byakuya is sent flying into the air, his petals following after him. The captain manages to regain his bearings in the air as he breathes haggard breaths. The left side of the captain’s face is burned, with dried blood stuck in the form of a line leading down past his lip.

Ulquiorra looks up casually at the captain in the air as he forms another energy lance in his right hand before throwing it at him once more. Byakuya narrows his eyes, using Flash Step to just barely dodge the attack, which explodes in the air, whereupon Ulquiorra prepares yet another attack. The captain charges a blue light within his right hand while the petals protect him from the bat’s lances.

Ulquiorra pauses as the captain releases a blue flash of energy from his hands upon uttering, “Hado Number 33: Sokatsui.”

The bat quickly charges light green Cero on the tip of his finger, releasing it to crash against the Kido and quickly overpower it, causing a brilliant explosion of blue and green energy. Ulquiorra pivots himself, preparing to throw the lance in his hand through the smoke at the captain no doubt still within. However, his eyes twitch as pink petals fly through the air around him before looking upward. What the Arrancar finds is a sea of blades raining down towards him.

The Hollow prepares to throw his lance at the blades, but is stopped as the captain chants, “Bakudo 61: Rikujokoro.”

Six beams of light slam into the Hollow’s torso, restricting his movements and preventing his escape as the blades slam down on his body, attempting to rend him to pieces. The captain, still in the air, narrows his eyes at the scene as he fails to see any blood come from the strikes of his petals. Suddenly, the petals engulfing the bat are once more dispersed by a shockwave of green energy, sending them scattering in the air before recollecting around the captain. Ulquiorra appears completely unharmed and free from the binding Kido, suggesting that the captain’s efforts thus far have been fruitless.

Byakuya’s frown deepens as the petals around him begin to turn from pink to a heavenly white color, “It’s risky, but my attacks cannot harm him without using that technique…”

Ulquiorra pauses as he charges another lance in his right hand, taking in the sight of the captain’s Bankai beginning to transform. The petals form a type of white halo above the captain’s head, trailing down into fully angelic wings. The remainder of the blades form into a singular, white blade held in Byakuya’s right hand before the captain’s Reiatsu rains down, further drowning the battlefield with power.

Byakuya, now flying in the air, declares, “Senbonzakura Kageyoshi: Shūkei, Hakuteiken.”

The bat tenses, sensing the significant increase in threat level of the captain, before immediately taking to the sky, increasing the momentum of the lance that he then throws at the captain. Despite the increase in speed and force, Byakuya dodges this attack rather than blocking, showing an increase in speed due to his new form. Ulquiorra widens his eyes as the captain brings down his angelic white blade, which holds the power of thousands of blades. The bat manages to alter his trajectory by pivoting one of his wings before swinging his energy lance at the captain’s neck, attempting a death blow. Byakuya just barely parries the blow with his new blade, before expertly bringing it back down, slicing off Ulquiorra’s right arm.

It is for naught, however, as the Arrancar almost instantly regenerates the arm while simultaneously bringing another lance in his left hand at the captain. The captain retreats with Flash Step, allowing the attack to strike nothing but the air.

UIquiorra clicks his tongue as he flies through the air after Byakuya, launching light green Ceros from his right hand and throwing lances with his left. The captain manages to dodge the lances while cutting the Ceros in half, causing a myriad of violent explosions to destroy the Earth below their battle in the sky. Indeed, as Renji observes their battle from the ground, he sees streams of green energy light the sky ablaze as two winged beings, one with black wings and the other with white, dance through the air in a battle for aerial superiority. It is as if watching an angel and a demon battle, the clothing they wear adding further contrast—black body with white wings or white body with black wings—Shinigami vs Hollow. The shockwaves from the explosions blow Renji away a distance as he no longer can maintain his position. The Vice-Captain screams helplessly as he is thrown back through the air like a rag doll.

The captain and the Arrancar close in on each other once more, Ulquiorra’s green lance and Byakuya’s white blade locking together as they clash. After a moment, the captain’s blade cuts its way through the Arrancar’s lance and through his midsection which causes him to stagger and instinctively fire off a point-blank Cero, now mixed with his blood to make a Gran Rey Cero, at the captain. The explosion that ensues is violent and intense, lighting the skies above the Seireitei with a distorted bluish-green color.

Ulquiorra falls a distance, his body smoking as it flies through the air, although sure enough slowly healing itself. Byakuya, meanwhile, is not so lucky as his body is scorched and rather limp. Despite this, the captain is somehow able to regain his bearings before sending himself flying directly toward the Arrancar with desperate, bloodshot eyes.

The bat, seeing that his previous attack was not the finisher that it should’ve been, instinctually and desperately pulls for something deeper. As Byakuya closes in, he raises his sword in preparation for a finishing blow while a black Cero begins to form in the bat’s hand. Ulquiorra’s attack comes fast, without warning, launching and engulfing the captain in blackened green fire, which completely strips the white-bladed wings and swords from him as well as sending his body into the distance, a scorching mess. Ulquiorra quickly reorients himself in the air, setting his eyes towards where the captain’s body has been sent crashing down.

The bat’s body regenerates itself somewhat slower than it did while fighting as he narrows his eyes, deciding, “That captain must die…”

Nearby, Noble District, Soul Society

Rukia runs through an area of the Noble District not currently scorched due to the battle between the captain and Arrancar. Following her is a group of five Shinigami, which includes Shino and Ryuunosuke. A grim and solemn expression is present on the faces of the Shinigami as they make their way to the edge of the district.

Suddenly, however, a smoking mass crashes through the wall to the right of where they are running before bouncing off the ground and skidding along the pavement in front of them, coming to a halt. The Shinigami naturally halt their stride, excluding Rukia, who approaches slowly to investigate more closely.

As soon as she is able to make out the features of the smoking individual, namely the headpiece, scarf, and the few pink petals that remain fluttering in the air around his body, she lets out a gasp. Her expression becomes one of horror, shock, and dread.

The woman can’t help herself as she rushes to the man’s side, kneeling in front of him as tears begin to gather in her eyes, “BROTHER!!”

The Shinigami behind the woman all gasp, now wearing faces of equal horror. Rukia continues to call out to Byakuya, which causes the man’s body to spasm, jolting itself awake.

The Nobleman opens his eyes slowly, his scorched face maintaining a strained expression, “R-Rukia…?”

The woman widens her eyes, a glimmer of hope held within them, “Yes brother, I am here. You shouldn’t talk. You need to rest until the relief Squad gets here.”

Byakuya scowls, his expression becoming even more strained, “There’s no time.”

Rukia furrows her brows before her eyes widen in horror as an extreme amount of pressure is exerted on her shoulders, weighing her very soul down. In the next moment, there is the sound of a buzz followed by five thuds—each of the Shinigami following her promptly losing consciousness and falling to the ground.

A voice states neutrally, “’ Brother’…?”

The woman turns her head, her horror-filled eyes locking gazes with cold, empty green ones. The bat Arrancar casually begins to approach, his intent clear to her.

Ulquiorra continues, “Before you die, Shinigami, I think it is fair for you to witness the death of the one who calls you brother.”

Rukia flinches at this, her body beginning to tremble as the bat states in finality, “Some might say it’s like an eye for an eye, but in this case, a sister for a sister…”

Byakuya’s eyes flash with both confusion and fear, however, the latter is far more dominant in his gaze. The bat begins to raise his hand, a guarantee of death soon to befall both of the Kuchikis. As the Hollow is nearly upon them, a masculine voice lets out a roar, sending a certain saw-like whip sword flying at him from the left. Ulquiorra effortlessly moves his left hand to catch the attack, halting its momentum in its tracks and causing the blade to coil over itself. The bat turns his careless gaze towards the interloper: a panting Renji wearing a desperate look on his face.

Renji widens his eyes and flinches as the Hollow crushes the end of the blade in his hand, causing it to shatter. Further, green fire-like energy is sent through the remainder of the blade before exploding at the Shinigami’s hilt, sending the man flying backwards and crashing into the wall.

Rukia calls out to the man desperately, “RENJI!!”

She widens her eyes and cuts off her screams as the bat approaches, a light green Cero charging at the tip of his finger, now directed at her. Rukia’s mouth hangs open and her eyes are full of dread as she stares death in the face. As Ulquiorra is about to release the Cero, a small number of pink petals slash desperately against his arm, leaving small cuts that gain his attention.

The Arrancar looks to his right, unamused as he regards Byakuya, “Is that supposed to save her? It is hopeless. She will die, and you will too.”

Ulquiorra, whose attention was temporarily placed on the siblings, failed to notice Renji get out of the rubble and disappear with Flash Step, a desperate expression on his face. The Hollow shifts his gaze to Rukia upon firing the Cero, only for his eyes to twitch slightly as he regards the back of Renji Abarai with a gaping hole through his chest.

Renji, with his back turned on the Hollow, kneels over Rukia protectively, having shifted her body to avoid being hit by the Cero at the cost of taking it himself, leaving a fatal bleeding hole in his chest. Soon after, the man collapses on top of the woman, his eyes beginning to lose the life in them.

Rukia cannot help the tears that stream from her eyes as her hands desperately cling around the man’s shoulders, “R-Renji… why did you…?”

As the pair make eye contact, Rukia can see somewhat of a message held within the man’s dying gaze, backed up by the light smile he sends to her. Suddenly, the woman is assaulted by the reminder of memories from her past—a childhood with a small, red-haired boy in the slums of the Rukongai, as well as their eventual departure from that life to become Shinigami.

Rukia’s brow furrows and her frown deepens as tears stream even more freely from her eyes, her expression overall relaying a deep sense of anguish. She can do nothing else but sob into the black Gi of the man she cares for more than anyone else.

Ulquiorra, meanwhile, watches the scene with a slightly less empty look in his eyes. Despite himself, the Hollow cannot help but feel somewhat conflicted about how the events before him are playing out.

His eyes soften the slightest amount possible, “Why do I hesitate in killing her…? That Shinigami stood in the way, so he was killed.”

There are the sounds of quick footsteps as a figure sprints along the road, out of earshot.

Ulquiorra’s eyes become cold once more as he forms another Cero in his hand, “It doesn’t matter. Death is all their kind have brought to us. It is only fair that I act in kind.”

Rukia shuts her eyes as she continues to cling to Renji, accepting her death. The Hollow raises his hand to once more point at the woman, having decided to ignore the internal conflict budding within.

The sprinting figure closes in, their footsteps no longer something the Arrancar can ignore as his eyes narrow in annoyance, “What now…?”

Ulquiorra’s annoyed gaze falls on a young, black-haired Shinigami wearing a red and white Gi with white bandages underneath sprinting towards him. The girl has her sword drawn and has an expression of rage on her face, clear bloodlust held within them. The bat casually flaps his left wing, sending a shockwave at the girl at speeds she cannot hope to comprehend.

However, the pressurized air from the wing flap disperses before reaching her, making the Hollow raise a brow. His brow twitches as he eyes the air around him, noticing that it is acting oddly. Suddenly, Ulquiorra looks upward, finding another similarly dressed white-haired young female Shinigami, holding a double-sided glaive as she plunges at him.

The pincer attack closes in on the bat, who furrows his brows and frowns, “Pathetic.”

In the next moment, the Hollow disperses his Cero as he catches the black-haired girl’s blade with his left hand and directs his right arm upward, catching the glaive from the other girl in his right hand. Before either girl can respond, Ulquiorra swings the white-haired girl with her glaive in a 360-degree circle in the air before sending her crashing into her partner. The pair skid across the ground before each manages to reorient themselves and stare down the Hollow.

Karin and Katsumi exhale, each struggling to even stand in the Arrancar’s presence. The Shiba girl eyes the Shinigami on the ground around them, noting that her friends are among them, before setting her furious gaze back on the bat, who looks at her like she is garbage.

Katsumi, meanwhile, cannot believe what she is seeing, her eyes widening and jaw dropping as the fear starts setting in, “Lord Kuchiki and Vice-Captain Abarai were both defeated… we don’t stand a chance…”

Rukia lets out a shocked gasp, causing Ulquiorra to set his gaze on her, seeing the terror on her features intensify she whimpers, “No… you two shouldn’t have come… anyone but you…”

The bat notes this, his eyes narrowing as his gaze returns to the pair of Shinigami-In-Training, “They wear different colors than the rest of the Shinigami… and given how weak they are and how that woman reacted to their being here… I see…”

Ulquiorra concludes, “You are academy students. Foolish girls, no matter what you do, it will not save the life of your teacher. Leave now or perish with her.”

Karin snaps at the Hollow, “Like hell, we will! I won’t let you Hollows continue to get away with killing whoever you damn well please!”

The girl points her blade at the bat as she makes a declaration, “That’s the reason, I became a Shinigami!”

Ulquiorra widens his eyes as the form of Ichigo briefly overlays her features, the determined gaze in her eyes sending a chill down his spine. The Hollow furrows his brows as he closes his eyes, “No… it couldn’t be… she’s far too weak… either way…”

The Hollow opens his eyes, declaring, “White does not believe in killing children. This is your final warning… leave now, or I will have no choice but to treat you as Shinigami—White’s enemy.”

Karin’s anger increases at the mention of the now infamous Hollow, snapping, “WHITE IS MY ENEMY!!”

This declaration echoes across the remains of the Noble District, settling on the ears of the bat. The Hollow takes a moment to process this, however, doesn’t reach a decision as the other girl pitches in, her fear momentarily gone.

“That aside, your logic is flawed as expected, Hollow. You claim that you have no intention of killing children, yet you have come here raining down destruction indiscriminately! How many children do you think this destruction has killed? Because you would be a fool to think that none were caught up in any of it!”

The Hollow is silent, his brow twitching to mark that he is taking her words into consideration, at least on some level. There is a silence between them as all three stand still, waiting for anyone to make a move.

However, Ulquiorra merely answers the question, as objectively as he can, “I admit there is a lapse in logic there, girl, but when it comes to the Nobility, no one is exempt from White’s wrath. I am merely an extension of his wrath. If there is someone who needs to be killed who is below him, I will do it without hesitation. Besides, Shinigami and Hollows will always seek to kill each other… that is what that captain lying over there declared before I fought him.”

It is now Katsumi’s turn to become rageful, as her expression becomes determined, “You dare to say such a thing despite not knowing the people you have killed?! This is exactly why your kind makes me sick!”

The girl, with a determined and confident expression despite the strength of the being before her, declares, “Know that you face no mere child, Hollow. You face the 9^th Princess in line for the succession of the mighty Tsunayashiro Clan!”

Byakuya, still a charred mess, widens his eyes in dread as the girl says this, knowing exactly what is to come but powerless to stop it. Karin, meanwhile, takes this as her cue to begin assaulting the Hollow, shifting her right foot forward and beginning to enter a battle stance. The girl blinks a mere fraction of a second, opening her eyes to find the Hollow not there anymore. She hears a sudden crunching and gushing sound to her left.

Karin’s eyes widen in shock as she looks to her right, finding the bat with his right arm fully puncturing through the white-haired girl’s torso. Katsumi spits up blood, her Zanpakuto falling to the ground as her knees begin to buckle, losing their stability. Ulquiorra removes his arm from the girl, causing blood to spurt in earnest from the wound before she slumps to the ground, landing first on her knees and then on her face. Blood soaks the ground in a similar manner as with Renji, who is still slumped over a devastated, shrieking Rukia.

Ulquiorra carelessly throws his right arm to the side, sending the blood off as he states without emotion, “You were a fool to reveal so brazenly who you were. If you had just fought me without saying that you might have been spared this fate.”

Karin meanwhile stares down at the girl quietly, her sword falling to her side, still trying to process what just happened. The attack was so sudden and without warning, reminding her of an attack that occurred on a particular night. Visions of a boy with orange hair being dragged away by a large monster occupy her mind, now accompanied by the vision of the bat before her emotionlessly punching a hole through a girl she considers a dear friend at this point. Karin’s knees buckle as she falls to the ground, no longer having the willpower to resist the bat’s overwhelming Reiatsu.

The bat shifts his cold gaze on Karin, however, regards the blue light coming from his right, looking at a still tearful Rukia holding a blue light in front of her right, outstretched hand, “Hado Number 33: Sokatsui!”

The beam of blue light fires desperately at the Hollow, who does nothing, allowing it to hit him head-on. Rukia breathes heavily, knowing that her attack had little effect as the bat remains shrouded by the cloud of dust.

The woman charges another Kido blast in her hand as she desperately shouts at Karin, still slumped on the ground near the Hollow, “KARIN!! GET OUT OF HERE! YOU CAN’T FIGHT HIM!”

Karin flinches at Rukia’s call as the woman releases a second Kido at the bat, causing another explosion. The girl looks from where the Hollow is to Rukia in fear, knowing exactly what would happen if she left. Through the fear of losing anyone else, Karin adjusts the grip on her blade, swinging it with fury at the Hollow cloaked in the smoke, causing Rukia to flinch in disbelief, dispersing her next Kido spell.

Ulquiorra, however, once more easily catches the girl’s blade, the dust around him settling to reveal that he indeed did not take any damage from Rukia’s efforts. The raven-haired woman looks on in horror and helplessness, the tears continuing to fall as she begins choking up, “No… please… not again…!”

Karin stares at the Hollow, the empty look which still shines with a glimmer of determination in her dark gray eyes meeting the emotionless gaze held in the Hollow’s green ones. Karin refuses to close her eyes or back down from this Hollow. If death should befall her in the next moment, she’d be fine with that, so long as she went down fighting. However, what does occur next confuses everyone present.

Ulquiorra’s eyes soften ever so slightly as he asks a question, “You… are you, Karin Kurosaki?”

Karin and Rukia widen their eyes, completely thrown off as to how this Hollow would suspect such a thing, prompting the girl to answer, “I am…”

The Hollow closes his eyes, releasing the sword, “I see… then that changes things…”

Karin stumbles, still experiencing momentary confusion as the Reiatsu around her lets up. The bat’s form glows before his wings, hair extensions, half of his mask, as well as several other features return to the form of a blade, which he promptly sheathes around his waist.

The Hollow regards Karin briefly as he pulls something seemingly invisible from around his waist, “I shall withdraw for now. Your life will be spared, Karin Kurosaki. White wishes for you not to be slain on this day. Your allies should count themselves lucky that you came here.”

Without further elaboration, Ulquiorra seemingly drapes himself with an invisible cloak, hiding both his body and Reiatsu from everyone, appearing as though he were never even there to begin with.

Karin’s breath hitches as she falls to her knees again, left to process the limp body of her friend still lying before her. The girl balls her hands into fists, punching the ground as hot tears of despair and hatred stream down her cheeks, beginning to let out a scream.

The girl punches the ground again and again, causing her fists to bleed profusely, although she doesn’t pay it any mind as she cries, “When will he stop… were mom and my brother not good enough… why does this keep happening… WHY?!!”

Karin is not the only one experiencing a mental breakdown as Rukia finds herself directly relating to the sentiment of losing those dearest to her from Hollows. However, unlike Karin, Rukia has years of experience dealing with such things under her belt, leading to her comparatively steeling herself.

The raven-haired woman calls out, “Help! Anyone! The Hollow has retreated, we need a medic!”

Unsurprisingly, no one responds to the calls immediately, causing Rukia to inhale, preparing to shout again. However, she cuts herself off upon hearing footsteps approaching. The woman widens her eyes as she finds two men walking towards them, the one in front appearing rather regal and having green, messy hair tied at the back of his head. The man wears a particularly vicious smirk, as if he finds the scene before him rather amusing, although Rukia is too emotionally spent to care about such a trivial detail. Accompanying the man is another man in white robes, appearing to wear a black Gi underneath. His hair is long and black, seemingly slicked back underneath the white hat on his head, which is reminiscent of a traditional Guan.

The men stop in front of where Katsumi’s still motionless body lies, the leading man’s smile widening, “Why, would you look at the mess you made, dear Katsumi? I daresay it verges on being sloppy!”

Karin’s cries pause as she hears these words, her teeth beginning to gnash together as she barks, “SHUT UP!”

The smirking man, Tokinada, looks even more amused at this, “I must say, that was quite entertaining to watch, young Shiba! I am impressed you all were able to survive that! I was thinking that I would need to get involved, seeing as the Gotei 13 has proven nothing but incompetent throughout this entire invasion!”

Tokinada sends a devious side-eye at Byakuya, who merely closes his eyes, not denying the claim as the Nobleman continues to taunt, “To think that one Hollow would take down nearly a fourth of your fighting force by himself! The remaining captains are strained on dealing with the attacking Hollows and Ryoka. Not to mention, I’m sure the Head Captain is so hyper-fixated on finding and killing that condemned girl that he hardly even noticed this little squabble. Either that, or he chose to ignore it and put faith in the prodigious and esteemed Lord Kuchiki, Defender of the Nobility! Your ancestors must surely be rolling in their graves!"

Byakuya doesn’t defend himself as Tokinada laughs hysterically, having the time of his life tormenting the man by trampling on his pride. Karin’s scowl worsens as her face contorts to one of further anguish, seemingly applying the man’s words regarding failure and disappointment unto herself as well.

Having heard enough, Rukia snaps at the crazed man with more anger than she has ever felt, “ARE YOU GOING TO HELP OR NOT?!”

Tokinada widens his eyes as his smirk promptly drops to a slight, bored frown, “Oh, that? Of course…”

The man’s smirk returns to his face, “…I’ll grant you aid, just this once. And don’t forget, Ms. Kuchiki, you’ll owe me…”

As he says this, more servants arrive, garbed in white robs similar to the man next to Tokinada, circling the perimeter. The former nobleman sends a look to the man who arrived with him, “I wish for you to keep the captain and Vice-Captain of Squad 6 alive, as well as my niece, of course. Can you do this, Seinosuke?”

The man sighs, “You offend me… of course I can. However, Renji Abarai and Lady Tsunayashiro may very well be on the precipice of death… as with all patients of that kind, it will be up to them to fight with me for their survival. Also…”

Seinosuke pauses, eyeing the ruined area with disdain, “…I will require a clean and secure area to work.”

Tokinada immediately snaps his fingers, prompting a wall of stone to materialize around the area out of seemingly nothing, causing both of the Kuchiki siblings to widen their eyes in shock, having no clue how the man is doing this. Further, soft fabric materializes on the ground underneath the forms of Byakuya, Katsumi, and Renji.

The Nobleman sends the other man a snide look, “Will this do?”

Seinosuke nods, not even bothering to regard the man as the ground shifts to line Katsumi, Renji, and Byakuya next to each other. He briefly regards the trembling form of Karin before shifting his gaze back to the work before him, blue and green strands of interweaving Kaido spells occupying the air around him.

Repentance Cell, Senzaikyu, Soul Society

The air in front of the Repentance Cell stands eerily still as Sora arrives, still within his cloak. The man turned Hollow looks around on the wooden pathway leading to the cell itself, finding the unconscious bodies of the guards strewn on the ground.

“It looks like someone else got here first…”, the Arrancar muses.

As he continues to observe the scene, his gaze settles on the door to the cell still swinging back and forth, as though someone was here recently. The Hollow gets closer to investigate, becoming less tense as he finds a familiar form inside, prompting him to drop his hood, revealing himself to the individual.

Standing in the middle of the room, similarly with the hood of his cloak down, is Ichigo, whose face is turned away from the approaching Arrancar.

Sora approaches, asking, “Do you think that Shinigami lied about her execution?”

The other Arrancar looks upward, inhaling as he states with a neutral tone, “No. Her scent is all over this room. She was here…”

The brown-haired Arrancar nods before questioning further, “In that case, what do we do now?”

Ichigo tilts his head slightly towards the other Arrancar, revealing a furious ghostly white face, “Isn’t that obvious? We continue tearing this place apart until we find her…”

The former serpent widens his eyes before scrunching his brow and frowning, “What? You realize she could get caught up in the fighting, don’t you?”

Ichigo is silent as his gaze shifts back to the window of the cell, light filtering in and revealing the features of both males. The former dragon inhales before exhaling slowly, closing his eyes, and forcing himself to calm down. Sora continues to stare into his companion’s back in both slight disapproval and concern as the orange-haired Hollow continues to steady his breathing.

Suddenly, the young Hollow exhales once more, remaining firm in his stance, “If any Shinigami stands in your way, I want you to cut them down.”

Sora’s gaze softens before he nods, finding that order more acceptable, although still finding slight cause for concern from it. The serpent moves the hood back over his head, promptly leaving the area, and a still-fuming Ichigo to continue staring outside of the cell, gazing over the Soul Society. The Arrancar narrows his eyes as his hands ball into fists so hard that they draw blood.

Chapter 8: Hornet's Sting

Chapter Text

Throne Room, Silbern

Within the dreary confines of the Quincy palace, an ancient being is seated atop a throne, breathing soft breaths as it rests. The breaths of this so-called King are the only sound that can be heard within the throne room, which appears vacant except for the King himself. The King’s brow twitches suddenly before his eyes shoot open, his breath hitching as something seems to have spurred him awake.

His breath is somewhat heavy, which immediately prompts a man with long blonde hair to suddenly appear at his side, an urgent look on his face, “Your Majesty!”

Yhwach calms his breath somewhat, forcing it to slow as he rubs his forehead.

After a moment, the King’s breaths calm completely as he swallows and sets his gaze intently in front of him, “Be at ease, Haschwalth… I merely felt a disturbance…”

Haschwalth lets out a slight sigh of relief before his brow twitches in mild annoyance. Yhwach doesn’t miss this.

The King co*cks his brow, now fixing his gaze on his most loyal follower, “Speak your mind, my friend.”

The Stern Ritter nods, revealing, “Based on our intelligence, the Elder of the Tsunayashiro Clan has been slain by the hands of Ichigo Kurosaki. The Hollow apparently then went on to incapacitate four captains with relative ease, including the Kenpachi: Yachiru Unohana.”

This puts a smirk on the King’s face, “It is always good to hear of the suffering of that Clan in particular. I’m impressed by the boy’s efforts—even I did not expect him to have become this powerful in such a short amount of time. Both he and his sister will no doubt become powerful allies in the future…”

Yhwach pauses, the smirks leaving his face as he questions, “…but that’s not all you have to tell me, is it?”

Haschwalth nods, “You are correct as always, Your Majesty. As you decreed, Ichigo Kurosaki will prove immensely useful in our endeavors against the Soul Society… However, before the Elder was killed, he apparently came up with an extreme contingency plan to ensure the death of Yuzu Kurosaki. Each of the Soul Society’s Great Noble Clans, besides the Kuchiki and cast out Shiba Clan, agreed to it.”

The King’s eyes narrow, a look of promised death in his eyes as he asks, “And do we know of this plan’s details?”

The blonde man closes his eyes, replying solemnly, “Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto is under order of the Soul Society’s Great Noble Clans to execute Yuzu Kurosaki immediately using the Sokyoku.”

Yhwach hums at this, stroking his beard contemplatively, “I see… so they think Yamamoto ought to wield that blade…”

Haschwalth waits quietly as the King continues to ponder this information.

Yhwach suddenly smirks, declaring, “This is great news.”

The blonde Stern Ritter widens his eyes and staggers slightly, taken aback by this unexpected reaction, “Your… Majesty…?”

The King’s smirk widens as he now wears a toothy grin, which is rather unusual for him, “Don’t you see, Haschwalth? What do you think will happen once Ichigo Kurosaki believes that his sister has been killed?”

The Stern Ritter purses his lips as his eyes are still widened in mild confusion.

Yhwach pays him no mind as he continues, gleefully, “His alliance with us will be all but assured! Not to mention…”

The King stops himself, shaking his head, “No, never mind that. That’s just a bonus…”

Haschwalth co*cks a brow, still confused about what Yhwach is getting at, however, not so much so that he is unable to ask a question, “’Once he believes she’s been killed’, Your Majesty?”

Yhwach gives his follower a brief, knowing side look before looking away and waving the man off, “Are there any troops among the Soldat who you think are worthy of being a Stern Ritter?”

The blonde narrows his eyes, thinking for a moment before revealing, “I believe so, but only you can know for certain, Your Majesty.”

Yhwach exhales as he closes his eyes, beginning to drift off, “That will be all, Haschwalth…”

Haschwalth bows before turning to exit the throne room, leaving the King in silence.

Training Grounds, Silbern

Liltotto hums in boredom as she munches on chips from a bag in her hands, “Bambi isn’t here today… that’s odd. Gigi is probably still looking for her…”

As the young-looking Quincy continues to occupy herself with her thoughts, four other Quincies stand around her, looking at her with quizzical looks. This group includes a man with short black hair and a scar across the left side of his lips: Cang Du, a tall, well-endowed woman with long pink hair: Meninas McAllon, a massive buff man with a blonde moustache wearing a star-shaped mask: Mask de Masculine, and finally a familiar woman with long green, electrifying hair: Candice Catnipp. The group continues to watch Liltotto, or more accurately, the boy trying to do a pushup underneath her.

Keigo is in quite a predicament indeed, sweating beats as his arms struggle to support the weight of both himself and the smaller girl.

Mask smiles as he cheers the boy on, “Come on, kid! You’re almost there!”

Meninas blinks before glancing up at her masked comrade, “Is there some kind of prize you get when you do ten pushups?”

The mustached man chuckles, “Of course! He will get to bask in the glory of his achievement!”

The woman furrows her brows, confused, “But that’s not a prize…”

Mask looks as if he is about to say something, but Liltotto beats him to it, stating with a deadpan, “Don’t listen to him, Meni. His ego might rub off on you.”

Meninas widens her eyes before taking a careful step away from Mask, causing the man to laugh, “Ego? Well, what do you expect with all the fans I have? I guy can’t help letting it go to his head a little!”

Liltotto jabs between bites, “You only have one fan, James, and he’s yourself.”

Mask dramatically reacts as if he were punched in the stomach, staggering back slightly, “Oof…”

Liltotto opens her mouth to continue speaking but suddenly widens her eyes as she feels the weight beneath her give way, the boy she’s sitting on letting out a grunt as his face slams into the ground.

The girl nonchalantly stares at the boy, jabbing, “Looks like today wasn’t the day anyway. You’ll get there one day, buddy.”

As Liltotto gets off the boy, he manages to mutter with some comical tears in his eyes, “Thanks…”

The small Stern Ritter continues walking, giving the others a warning, “I’m off to raid the kitchen… if anyone else was still planning on eating something today, you’ve been warned.”

This causes Meninas to widen her eyes and perk up slightly before walking off with the smaller girl, past a still-sulking Mask. Meanwhile, Candice casually approaches Keigo. The green-haired woman stops in front of him before offering him a hand and a smile. Keigo eyes her briefly before taking her hand, prompting her to help him to his feet.

The woman states, still wearing a rather soft smile, “You got farther today.”

Keigo sheepishly rubs the back of his neck, a blush on his face, “O-oh, well you know me. I like to take things one step at a time!”

Candice nods, her smile beginning to fade somewhat as she looks ready to speak. However, as seems to be a trend within the last minute, she is cut off as Cang Du suddenly walks past her and grabs the boy by the collar, beginning to drag him with him further into the Training Grounds.

Keigo squirms somewhat, “Hey! What are you doing, man? I thought I was just doing pushups today!”

Cang Du snarls at the boy, “Not with that pathetic performance. I’ll show you the martial arts favored in my homeland! Maybe that’ll toughen you up!”

Keigo purses his lips as a look of horror covers his features, suddenly recalling the multitude of thrashings he was dealt by the hands of one Tatsuki Arisawa. Cang Du pauses his stride as he notices Candice behind him, glaring daggers at him.

The man grunts carelessly, “Don’t give me that look, Catnipp. Even a guest should know the bare minimum of how to defend himself. And don’t worry, I won’t be too rough with him. He is your responsibility, after all…”

As Cang Du begins his stride again, Candice can’t help but dwell on the statement about responsibility. Her hands ball into fists as static flakes off her skin. The woman grits her teeth as her eyes narrow, her thoughts shifting to a particular individual—a girl with dirty blonde hair.

After another moment, the woman nods before running over to her comrade, “Wait up, Cang! I’ll join you!”

Mask, now having recovered from his sulking, walks over as well, leaving the trio of Stern Ritters to train with the admittedly poorly out-of-place human boy.

A distance away from the group stands a man with a pink mohawk wearing a scowl on his face. He continues to watch the group for another moment before snorting, sticking his hands into his pockets, and walking away, “Idiots… training with a human will only hold you back…”

Elsewhere, Silbern

Underneath Silbern is a particularly dreary chamber, with mold and blood stains along its cobblestone walls. Weapons hanging on racks line the walls as well, including spears, rapiers, and some old-fashioned-looking guns. However, all of that is easily missed as high-pitched screams echo off the walls of the chamber, the source of which is lying on the floor a bloodied mess. A bi-speckled man glares down at the form without a shred of empathy in his gaze as he plunges a lance down into the individual on the floor.

Indeed, these screams, coming from a certain black-haired Quincy, increase in magnitude as the lance tip stabs into her back, snapping a rib on the way through. Tears flood the woman’s eyes as threads of Reishi briefly appear around her but fail to remain for any meaningful duration.

After a moment more of listening to her screams, Quilge exhales in slight disappointment, “It seems like you’ve reached your limits…”

The Stern Ritter huffs as he removes the lance from the woman’s chest and discards it to the side, causing her cries to increase in magnitude once more. Her body merely spasms as there are bloodied holes in her arms and legs as well, which restrict her from grabbing her wound or even so much as moving her position.

Quilge adjusts his glasses, once more letting out a sigh, “As expected, you took to Sklaverei rather quickly. Your mastery of it in combination with that Schrift of yours will devastate the Shinigami beyond repair…”

The man narrows his eyes, a questioning glint held within them, “In my opinion, mastery of Blut and Rasontengai are both unnecessary and outside of your abilities, as evident from your inability to use them in any skillful manner against me.”

The woman’s eyes, which are smeared with tears and blood, widen as she grits her teeth. The other Stern Ritter notices this but chooses not to address it.

Quilge continues, “You don’t have what it takes to master these. We ought to stop now before you die…”

The female Stern Ritter grips against the ground so intensely that blood is smeared on it due to the friction against the ground, tearing the tips of her fingers off as she balls her hands into fists.

A quiet, somewhat raspy voice lets out a defiant whimper, “No…”

Flashes of a smirking bi-speckled Shinigami, a motionless and bloodied man with slicked-back black hair, and finally a young girl with dirty blonde hair run through her mind.

Quilge raises a brow as the woman manages to turn her head so their gazes match. There is a distinct desperate look with ferocity held within her eyes.

The man’s frown deepens as the woman continues, “I’m still too weak…”

The Combat Instructor pinches his nose in a sign of annoyance, sighing once more. The woman doesn’t take her gaze off him as he seemingly is thinking about how he ought to respond. Within the room, only the sounds of the female’s haggard breathing can be heard as Quilge narrows his eyes.

The man hums before offering a cold response, “Kleines Mädchen, I’ve been a soldier in His Majesty’s army for a very long time. I’ve seen my share of so-called righteous Quincies trying to achieve more power for their objectives…”

Quilge circles the room, retrieving one of the guns from a rack and beginning to fiddle with it. The woman furrows her brows as she focuses on staying conscious, blue lines of Blut running along her skin in an effort to close her wounds.

The man sighs as he clicks back the hammer of the pistol he’s holding, causing a distinct locking noise to echo off the walls, “…and most of them are dead.”

The girl continues to listen to the man speak, his back turned on her and expression hidden, “My point is, around here, those who wish to genuinely help others tend to not survive very long. Or… they will leave, as Souken Ishida did. In either case, they almost always find that they no longer wish to serve His Majesty, rather their purpose becomes that which they wish to protect…”

The wounded Stern Ritter’s breath hitches as she realizes what he’s getting at, “I saw the same look that I saw in all of them in Catnipp’s eyes when the two of you returned… although, defeat was predominant. She knew what was to come of her and it is only through His Majesty’s boundless benevolence that she is even allowed to live. For you, however, I saw a different look… one of fear. I had thought that you had different intentions than she, but looking at you now…”

Quilge lifts the pistol in the air, his finger held firmly against the trigger, “…I question if you intend on betraying His Majesty for the sake of that abomination.”

The woman widens her eyes, her expression now empty, “What did you call her…?”

The Combat Instructor restates, bluntly, “An abomination. What else would you call a Quincy—no, an Echt Quincy with Shinigami and Hollow blood tainting her? It’s an affront to natu—”

Quilge shuts his mouth as he is forced to sidestep an incoming blue ball of Reishi, which upon connecting with the wall, immediately blows a hole through it as if nothing was there to begin with. The man instinctually fires the gun, sending a quick stream of blue Reishi back at the woman. However, the other Stern Ritter, now held upright by blue strands of Reishi, bats her now Blut-covered hand against the attack, deflecting it and sending it to her right, exploding against the wall.

Fury is the only thing held within the expression of Bambietta Basterbine, as she stares with bloodlust directed at her fellow Stern Ritter, “Take. It. Back.”

Quilge narrows his eyes, humming lightly, “It seems like I was correct… either way, His Majesty has instructed me to ensure both Candice Catnipp and Bambietta Basterbine survive until the promised day… even so…”

The man retrieves his blade from his belt, declaring, “You will have to force me to retract that statement.”

Bambietta’s expression becomes even more feral as her Blut recedes in place of two blue orbs held in each of her hands, a sure as a sign as any of her Schrift—E: The Explode.

Quilge doesn’t take his gaze off the woman as he thinks, “Once she gets used to fighting like this, she’ll have surpassed most of her peers… she might be too dangerous to handle… but if the Grandmaster truly thinks she is worthy of this training, then it would be a great shame for me not to make it a reality…”

Meanwhile, Seireitei

Yukio, now wearing a Shinigami’s black Shihakusho, navigates through the rubble of the Seireitei while wearing a wary expression. A pair of headphones are worn over his ears, which wouldn’t cause far away Shinigami to bat an eye but differentiates his look just enough that it would raise questions when up close. The boy walks along a still-standing wall before halting at the edge upon hearing the words of a group around the corner.

Out of sight from the boy, a group of Shinigami stand in discussion, “Did you guys hear? The Head Captain is about to finally take to battle! These Hollows are done for!”

Another responds, “It sounded like he was going to worry about attacking the Hollows as they pop up. The cowards have been ambushing our forces left and right and somehow masking their Reiatsu as they retreat! My bet is he’s going after the Ryoka and the condemned first.”

A third speaks a bit worriedly, “T-that’s all well and good, but we really ought to get out of here, don’t you think? The Head Captain’s orders were to retreat and stay out of his way. I’m not in the mood to die today, man!”

The first Shinigami nods, “Agreed. I heard Captain Tosen and Squad 9 have set up a perimeter around the Noble District. Let's regroup with them.”

The Shinigami are all seemingly in agreement with each other as they run off in the direction opposite of Yukio. The boy narrows his green eyes, waiting a few moments to make sure they are gone before letting out a sigh.

“This Head Captain is bad news from what I heard during training, but I didn’t think he was so strong that even the other Shinigami were afraid of him…”

Something sounds through Yukio’s headphones which makes him widen his eyes. The boy nods his head as he pulls a Game Boy from his pocket, finding the faces of Yuzu and Kon held within the screen.

The girl’s expression relays great concern, “Do you think everyone else is alright…?”

Yukio once more narrows his eyes and averts his gaze from the girl, “We all trained like crazy before coming here… I think everyone should at least still be alive, but…”

Yuzu reacts in kind, her expression becoming even more worried as she holds her hands together against her chest and shifts worriedly.

After a moment, Yukio sighs and sets his now steeled gaze forward, “We need to keep moving.”

The girl nods from within the Game Boy, prompting the boy to place the item back in his pocket before continuing to navigate through the rubble. Unknown to the boy, however, is the green-haired girl who walks out from the shadows from where he was just standing, looking off in the direction he headed intently.

Elsewhere, Seireitei

A white, gloved fist slams against the side of the face of a male Shinigami, sending him crashing into a nearby wall, whereupon it collapses due to the impact. The owner of the fist, a woman with long, green hair and a red tribal tattoo on her face, wears a bored expression as her right arm shifts to her side. Around her lie the unconscious bodies of numerous Shinigami, including those wearing Ninja-like outfits.

The woman, Nelliel Tu Odelschwank, huffs as she regards the bodies around her, “That’s another Squad down…”

As the woman says this, a large figure appears behind her, casting a shadow over her. The figure is a man with a large purple collar and black hair, who holds a massive, spiked ball hanging on a chain.

The man screams as he brings the ball down, “TAKE THIS—!"

Nelliel effortlessly shifts her body such that she spins her leg behind her, delivering a roundhouse kick on the chained ball, which shatters it and carries through to make direct contact with the man’s fan. As the woman’s kick slams against the man, it knocks teeth out of his mouth and carries through, planting his face into the ground, rending him unconscious.

Nelliel takes a couple of steps away from the man, eyeing the shards from his unique-looking blade, as well as the badge on his arm, “…he’s different from the others… I wonder if he was supposed to be stronger…?”

A voice calls to her from behind, “How very astute of you, Hollow.”

Nelliel looks behind her to find a confident-looking woman, with short black hair worn in two braids bound by white cloth with gold rings at the end. Nelliel narrows her eyes as she notes the long white coat the woman wears as well, which flutters somewhat in the wind as she squats on a pile of rubble above the Arrancar.

The woman, Soi Fon, narrows her eyes in disgust at the sight of her Vice Captain, “You’re right. He’s supposed to be stronger, but that buffoon isn’t good for anything. I ought to kill him for this disgrace.”

Nelliel’s frown deepens, finding the other woman’s harsh words towards her own ally to be distasteful, but doesn’t comment on it.

Soi Fon narrows her eyes slightly in a condescending manner, continuing, “Why didn’t you kill my men, Hollow? Your allies don’t seem to have any issues with rending us to nothing.”

The Arrancar closes her eyes, looking away from the woman as if she isn’t worth her time, “I don’t owe you an explanation, Shinigami.”

Soi Fon’s eye twitches, “Is that so…? Then I don’t suppose you care to explain why you don’t have a proper mask, either?”

Nelliel remains silent, choosing such as her answer, leaving Soi Fon to mutter, “Well that doesn’t matter to me anyway… all enemies of the Soul Society will die, as well as those who bring it shame…”

The captain then rises to her feet, simultaneously unsheathing the blade on her back. The bangs of the woman’s hair hide her eyes, preventing the Arrancar from finding meaning in them even if she were trying.

Soi Fon disappears with a flash, however Nelliel doesn’t so much as react to it, instead remaining still. The captain reappears behind the Arrancar, above her Vice Captain, with her blade poised for a finishing blow on the man. Nelliel’s eyes shoot open wide as she suddenly sends a punch at Soi Fon’s blade. The punch sends the sword off course, causing the captain to stagger slightly before retreating with another Flash Step as Nelliel goes in for a follow-up kick.

Now a safe distance away, Soi Fon clicks her tongue in annoyance as she glares at the other woman, “What kind of joke is this? You not only spare him but protect him?! We’re enemies, why are you helping him?!”

The Arrancar furrows her brows in disgust at the other woman, but merely reiterates, “I told you that I don’t need to explain myself to you, Shinigami.”

The captain tsks as she takes an offensive stance, holding her blade in a reverse grip, “It doesn’t matter. You’ll be dead in a few minutes, regardless.”

Nelliel doesn’t so much as bother drawing her blade as she shifts her stance slightly, stating, “We’ll see about that...”

Without another word, Soi Fon disappears with another Flash Step before reappearing briefly at Nelliel’s side and using the high technique again. The captain uses Flash Step repeatedly in succession at such speeds that there appear to be over 20 copies of her circling the Arrancar.

Nelliel, however, looks unimpressed, her thoughts relaying as much, “I detest overly arrogant people like her, whether they be Hollow or Shinigami...”

As Soi Fon suddenly comes in for a strike with her blade, Nelliel catches the blade in her bare right hand and completely halts its momentum. This causes Soi Fon to widen her eyes in shock, her mouth hanging agape as she is at a loss for words.

The green-haired woman levels a cold gaze on the captain, “Attacks of average speed like this won’t work on me.”

Nelliel raises her left hand, now balled in a fist, to strike at Soi Fon. However, the captain manages to use all her strength to pull the Zanpakuto free from the other woman’s grip before retreating with Flash Step just before the blow would’ve landed.

Once more a seemingly safe distance away, Soi Fon shakes her head in denial, smirking as she concludes, “I-it’s nothing but a fluke that you reacted to that! Y-yeah, you were just lucky! No mere Hollow could be so fast—”

Before the captain realizes it, Nelliel has closed the distance between them with Sonido. This sudden action causes Soi Fon to flinch and instinctively slash at her. However, Nelliel, still not drawing her blade, grabs the captain’s right, sword hand by the wrist with immense speed and strength, restricting its movement. In the next moment, the Arrancar slams her right fist into the captain’s stomach, causing her to double over and heave. Bile is released from the smaller woman’s mouth as she gasps for air, clutching her stomach in pain. Nelliel decides that isn’t enough, however, as she proceeds to shift her right hand above her left shoulder before sending a devastating backhand slap at the captain’s face. As the slap connects, Soi Fon’s head jerks violently to the side before the woman’s entire body is sent flying to the side with the slap, into a mound of rubble.

After a moment of staring at the rubble, Nelliel huffs before letting out a sigh. Her gaze becomes more serious as she directs it at a certain white tower in the distance, clear intent held within her eyes. The Arrancar begins walking away but doesn’t get far as the rubble Soi Fon was buried under erupts with a white explosion of Reiatsu.

Nelliel looks back with mild interest to find Soi Fon, whose captain’s coat disintegrates due to the energy rushing off her back, staring her down. The captain’s gaze is both angry and desperate as she runs her left hand along the side of her blade.

What the woman says next causes Nelliel to widen her eyes, “Sting all Enemies to Death, Suzumebachi.”

The Zanpakuto glows a bright white light before transforming and warping around Soi Fon’s right hand and forearm. As the glow fades, a black and gold gauntlet remains. Notedly, there is a small gold chain linking the gauntlet to an equally gold, stinger-like blade worn over the woman’s middle finger.

Nelliel narrows her eyes at the sight, recalling words that Aizen told her shortly after he recruited her decades ago, ‘The release command of a Shinigami’s Zanpakuto can often give you insight into what type of abilities they may have…’

The Arrancar’s expression becomes overall much more serious, as she finally grabs the sword hanging on her waist before drawing it with her right hand, “Just so you know, I do not typically draw my blade when fighting those so much weaker than me…”

Soi Fon furrows her brow, clearly annoyed as Nelliel points her blade at the captain and adjusts her stance. The Arrancar’s stance may be interpreted as condescending, as she straightens her back and shifts her head back slightly, giving her somewhat of a lordly demeanor.

Soi Fon quickly widens her eyes as Nelliel’s Reiatsu begins to rain down in earnest with such intensity that the captain’s knees begin to buckle, “V-Vasto Lorde…!”

Nelliel’s gaze softens slightly, perhaps in lamentation or regret to some degree, “Take pride Shinigami, you are someone I recognize as being worthy of killing. I’ll at least try to make it quick.”

Soi Fon, getting a hold of herself, gnashes her teeth together before snapping, “Don’t underestimate me!”

The captain darts off in a flash, her speed seemingly enhanced by the Kido-based technique marked by the white aura that she is using. Soi Fon jabs the stinger at the Arrancar, who manages a parry with her own Zanpakuto. However, the captain slams her foot into the Hollow's face as the momentum of the redirected blow from the parry allows for such a maneuver. This causes Nelliel to stagger backwards slightly, however, fails to phase her in any meaningful capacity.

Soi Fon disappears with Flash Step as the Arrancar attempts to cut her down with her blade. This allows for Soi Fon to position herself behind the Hollow before successfully jabbing the woman in the back with her stinger. Shortly after ‘stinging’ Nelliel, a black butterfly tattoo appears over the Arranar’s clothing and back, centered at the area where she was stung. Soi Fon attempts to jab the same place again but is unable to as Nelliel quickly slams her leg into the captain’s side, sending her up into the air. Shortly afterward, the Espada points her left hand in the sky before quickly charging and releasing a bright magenta Cero. Soi Fon barely manages to dodge the blast as it explodes in the sky above.

The captain once more appears beside the Espada, this time landing a jab into her right shoulder. Like last time, a black butterfly tattoo appears over her shoulder with Soi Fon once more trying to stab the same area a second time. Nelliel swings her sword at the captain, forcing her to retreat once more. The two continue this dance twice more, with Soi Fon landing jabs on Nelliel’s stomach and left thigh, leaving corresponding butterfly tattoos.

At this point the Arrancar has decided that she has had enough playing around, so focuses carefully on Soi Fon’s incoming blow aimed at one of the butterfly tattoos before striking the captain’s right elbow with her left fist with such precision that it causes a crunching noise, immediately breaking it. Soi Fon howls in pain but is cut off as Nelliel mercilessly holds Soi Fon’s right shoulder in a vice grip before punching the captain directly in the face with her right fist, causing the woman’s nose to crumple and spew blood. The Arrancar attempts to strike the other woman’s face again, but Soi Fon somehow manages to turn her legs in a propeller-like motion in the air, sending her foot crashing against the side of the Hollow’s head. This impact causes the green-haired woman to release her grip as she staggers somewhat, allowing the small captain to back away in retreat.

Soi Fon staggers in a daze, unable to keep her gaze steady on the Arrancar before her as her right arm hangs limply and blood is smeared all over her face. Nelliel’s Reiatsu rains down with greater intensity as she regains her bearings, fully set on ending the captain. The Arrancar raises her left hand and charges yet another Cero within it, settling her aim on the still disoriented Soi Fon.

Nelliel’s gaze softens ever so slightly, “Farewell, Shinigami…”

As the Arrancar releases the Cero, Soi Fon can feel her life flash before her eyes, which close shut as she whimpers, “Forgive me, Lady Yoruichi…!”

The magenta Cero tears apart all that lay before Nelliel before erupting in a pink explosion against a wall a distance away.

Nelliel looks at the sight in mild sorrow, closing her eyes and seemingly giving a sort of short prayer, “Wherever your soul has gone, I hope to never find you on a battlefield again…”

“Oh, don’t worry about her. She’ll be fine. It’s you who should be worried.”

Nelliel widens her eyes and immediately looks behind her with a baffled expression. Her eyes fall upon a figure wearing black clothing, holding the nearly dead captain over their back. The figure’s face is covered by a black mask, which is soon pulled down to reveal a feminine, dark-skinned face with golden cat-like eyes. The woman’s dark purple hair is revealed afterward, tied in the back in a ponytail.

Nelliel continues to stare at the woman in shock, “I… I didn’t even sense her approach! Was she that fast to grab that Shinigami and slip behind me undetected…?!”

This new woman, Yoruichi, smirks confidently, “You’ll find I’m quite a bit stronger and faster than Soi Fon here, Hollow!”

Sokyoku Hill, Soul Society

Meanwhile, the legendary Head Captain of the Gotei 13, Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto, stares up at a massive, building-sized naginata protruding from the ground. The weapon is held in place on the ground by ropes tied around the end of its shaft, around which many robed individuals appear to be chanting and making hand motions. The ropes glow a bright red color briefly before they begin to come undone. As this happens, the weapon itself takes on a rainbow-colored aura before starting to shrink down, gradually. Yamamoto patiently watches the blade shrink, not daring to utter a word as it becomes more and more wieldy.

An explosion occurs in the distance, causing multiple of the robed figures to flinch somewhat before continuing to focus on the weapon before them. Yamamoto clutches his cane tightly as a vein bulges out of his forehead as if strained to the point of nearing bursting, further increasing the unease of the robed figures.

The Head Captain asks roughly, “How much longer is this going to take?!”

One of the figures responds to him quickly, “W-we’re almost done, sir!”

True to their word, the spear has shrunk to the point in which it may be effectively used by a person in combat. The robed figures all step back as Yamamoto removes his captain’s coat, revealing his scarred torso underneath, indicating how the legendary captain has fought countless battles in the hundreds of years the Gotei 13 has safeguarded the Seireitei. The captain’s Reiatsu bursts forth—like a sea of fire, which forces the robed individuals around him to fall to their knees as he approaches the blade. Yamamoto grasps the shaft of the lance in his right hand, causing an orange aura to surround its edges before becoming focused—an ember waiting to turn into a raging inferno at any moment.

The legend muses to himself as he regards the powerful weapon in his grasp, “The Sokyoku… said to contain the power of a million Zanpakuto. It is a blade that is not meant for combat, but rather for killing. Those struck by it will die instantaneously, thereby it was deemed fit to become a blade used in ceremonial executions…”

Yamamoto trails off, exhaling as his eyes slowly close, “…but that is hardly the only reason it was banned from being used in combat… There is a danger in using this blade. If I am not careful, a fate far worse than anything that youngster Hollow could orchestrate may very well befall us…”

The captain opens his steeled eyes, “At the end of this day, only the Shinigami will remain in the Seireitei.”

Without further delay, Yamamoto leaps into the sky, appearing as a flaming ball of Reiatsu.

Squad 1 Barracks

Isshin tenses up within his cell, his expression relaying a deep sense of dread. In front of his cell stands a mustached man with gray, slicked-back hair.

The man, Chojiro Sasakibe, comments with his back coldly turned on the former captain, “If you had not married a Quincy, then none of this would be happening.”

Isshin furrows his brows in anger as he regards the man who had worded ‘Quincy’ with particular disgust, “Shut up...”

Sasakibe co*cks his head back to regard the other man, his cold eyes matching Issin’s wrathful gaze.

After a moment, the Vice Captain looks away and shifts the topic somewhat, “The Ryoka may have been successful if Sir Genryusai were to remain uninvolved. They alone presented no real threat to the Soul Society, despite some of them being able to best our weaker captains. However, with these Hollows who were so brash as to not only slaughter the Head of the Tsunayashiro Clan but also reduce the Noble District to rubble…”

Sasakibe narrows his eyes as he words in absolution, “Sir Genryusai will reduce the Ryoka, the Hollows, and your daughter to ash.”

Isshin briefly widens his eyes before furrowing his brows again and deepening his scowl, “I realize now that Kaien wasn’t just speaking nonsense back then. He was right about you, and I just couldn’t see it. You pretend to be this refined and perfect servant, but you want the Quincies to go extinct. Even just one of them remaining alive is something that you cannot tolerate, even if they were a child…”

The Shiba pauses before stating with disgust of his own, “You’re no better than Koga was.”

The Vice Captain winces slightly before merely offering in response, “Do not misunderstand, I do not believe in killing for the sake of it. There is at least a reason for my distaste of the Quincies. One that someone as young as you could never understand…”

Isshin counters in a cold rage, “You’re right, I couldn’t. It must be hard to carry such hate in your heart.”

Sasakibe returns the counter logically, “Those are the words of a hypocrite, Isshin Shiba. You are perfectly fine with Quincies existing despite their crimes against the Soul Society, but at the same time, you see Hollows as nothing more than animals that need put down. Both are enemies of the Shinigami, yet you chose to discriminate because of your misguided love for a Quincy woman. It is true that on a personal level, I hate Quincies more than Hollows, but in the end, both would be struck down by my blade in much the same manner.”

Isshin grunts and looks away, choosing not to comment further. Both men become quiet, leaving the only sounds in the room to be the distant clashes occurring from outside of the Barracks echoing off the walls.

Chapter 9: The Sokyoku

Chapter Text

Over 100 Years Ago, Soul Society

The Fon was a family of the lesser nobility who for generations were executioners and assassins.

Life service in the Punishment Force was the destiny of a Fon.

Strength was everything to us.

Those who were unfit to join were cast out and disinherited.

Mine was the ninth generation. I was the youngest of six siblings to enter the force.

I gave up the name of Shaolin Fon and took the name Soi Fon, the name my great-grandmother had used.

My five brothers were all killed—two on their first mission, two on their second, and the last on his sixth mission. All dead.

There was sadness, but more than that I was ashamed at their lack of strength.

She, however…

…the 22^nd and first female head of the Shihoin family to rule the Tenshi Heisoban.

Her skill in hand-to-hand combat was transcendent.

She was noble, elegant, and frighteningly strong.

She was everything I wanted to be.

I was in awe of her.

In time, my feelings went beyond adoration to worship.

A young female Shinigami wearing a black, ninja-like outfit bows at the entrance of a room with the door open, “Soi Fon reporting, Commander.”

Before the young Shinigami is a dark-skinned woman with short purple hair wearing a modified, sleeveless Shihakusho, seated comfortably on a rather regal-looking chair, “Oh! Hello! Then you heard?”

Soi Fon’s gaze becomes serious as she looks to the ground before her, her head still bowed down in reverence, “Yes! I will devote myself, body and soul, to protect the commander…”

Seven years after enlisting, I joined the Guard Corps which reported directly to the commander.

The woman sits casually in her chair, huffing, “’ Commander’… that’s way too formal. Call me Yoruichi.”

Soi Fon flinches, raising from her posture in surprise, “I… I wouldn’t dare! I could never call the commander…”

Yoruichi furrows her brows, her expression relaying that she doesn’t really like where Soi Fon is going.

The girl notices this and blushes lightly as she looks down nervously, “Um… t-then may I call you Lady Yoruichi?”

The Squad 2 captain sighs dramatically, “You’re too stiff! Oh well… Whatever you want.”

The woman then sits forward in her chair, now wearing a smirk on her face, “I called you here because of your skills. I don’t care what you call me. I’m expecting great things from you, Soi Fon!”

Soi Fon perks up at this, an enthusiastic smile on her face, “T-thank you!”

I had no doubts…

I was elated.

Even in battle, I was happy.

I would’ve died for her…

Over and over, I swore it in my heart.

To the woman who took me under her wing and showed me how to enjoy life…

That my life could be more than simple, endless battle.

The young girl opens the door to the captain’s quarters, staring within with widened eyes to find it completely vacant.

It came without warning.

Without even saying goodbye, she disappeared from my life…

Seireitei, Soul Society

Soi Fon blinks as she stares at the back of the head of the person holding her over their shoulder. Held within her shocked eyes is familiar dark purple hair, although it is now much longer than she remembers.

The captain stutters somewhat, too taken aback to speak correctly, “L-lady… Y-Yoruichi…?

The newcomer turns their head to regard the woman, a playful glint held in the golden, cat-like eyes, “It’s been a while, hasn’t it, Soi Fon?”

A frown forms on the face of the woman in question as tears begin to fall from her eyes, “Y-you came back…!”

Yoruichi sighs and looks away from the captain as she breaks into an emotional fit, “Give me a break… crying on the battlefield is not something a fighter with your experience should ever do, least of all in front of the enemy…”

As the former captain thinks this, her eyes focus on the so-called enemy: a taller woman with long green hair wearing white clothing. The woman, one of the most powerful Hollows in existence given her status as an Arrancar and an Espada, narrows her previously widened, shocked eyes, a serious gaze matching her would-be opponent.

Yoruichi questions calmly, not letting her gaze leave the Arrancar, “Can you stand, Soi Fon?”

The captain blinks, before hardening her gaze somewhat, bringing herself back to reality, “…I can.”

As if prompted, the former captain drops her former pupil from her grasp, allowing her to stand on her own feet. Soi Fon begins to wear a smirk as she sends a side eye at the Arrancar, “She’s done for—".

Her former captain interrupts her train of thought, “Take that vice-captain of yours and leave, Soi Fon. Go to Squad 4 for healing.”

Soi Fon widens her eyes before staring at the woman in shock. Her mouth is agape for a moment before she scowls deeply, almost snapping at her idol, “Y-you can’t be serious! She destroyed me with only a fraction of her power! We should fight her together!”

Yoruichi frowns, “This isn’t up for debate, Soi Fon…”

The younger woman’s face becomes beat red out of both frustration and worry, hot tears forming at the edges of her eyes as she snaps, “What do you mean this isn’t up for debate?! You left a century ago without giving me so much as a sign that you were leaving—YOU HAD TO HAVE KNOWN I WOULD’VE GONE WITH YOU!! I trained so hard, hoping that one day you would return, to the point that I’ve even surpassed you, and NOW YOU TELL ME I CAN’T EVEN FIGHT BY YOUR SIDE?!! YOU’LL DIE IF YOU FIGHT HER ALONE!!!”

The cat woman narrows her eyes as her former student breathes heavy, haggard breath. She has clearly thrown her voice off by all the yelling.

Before Yoruichi can say anything; however, the Espada decides to comment, causing the captain to regard her, “I don’t know your history, nor do I care to, but if you think she’s weaker than you, then you truly are a fool…”

The captain scrunches her brows in confusion, the red beginning to leave her face somewhat, before Yoruichi smirks slightly as her brows furrow, “I’m not the same fighter you trained under, Soi Fon. You should be able to tell that just by looking at me.”

Soi Fon narrows her eyes, observing her former captain more carefully before letting out a slight gasp as she steps back, becoming somewhat nervous, “W-what… how…?!”

Yoruichi suddenly pats Soi Fon lightly on the head, causing the younger Shinigami to blush slightly as her mentor mutters under her breath so only the captain can hear, “I’ll explain everything to you once all of this is over, but right now I need you to get out of here to safety…”

Soi Fon widens her eyes as Yoruichi retracts her hand, still not taking her eyes off Nelliel as she fakes an annoyed expression, “Well, what are you waiting for, Captain? Don’t you think you ought to make a tactical retreat now that the Ryoka and Hollows are fighting each other?”

The captain nods slowly without speaking a word. Soi Fon turns around and looks to the right, finding the downed form of her vice-captain sprawled on the ground a distance away. Nelliel eyes the captain intently as she grabs the man by his collar with her left hand and slings him over her back. Soi Fon glances briefly once more at her mentor, an anxious expression on her face, before disappearing with a flash.

After the captain leaves, Yoruichi sighs, feeling relieved that her former pupil is off the battlefield, however, can’t shake what she feels approaching in the far distance, “The Head Captain will be here soon… just my luck…”

Nelliel furrows her brows, regarding the multitude of other Shinigami littering the ground, “What about them…? It’s dangerous to assume that they won’t get caught in the crossfire…”

Yoruichi maintains a slight frown, merely stating, “I’ve been around long enough to know that I can’t save everyone.”

The Arrancar’s brow twitches at this, her frown deepening somewhat, however, chooses not to comment on her further thoughts on the matter.

Yoruichi smirks, beginning to test the waters, “I know you can sense that massive Reiatsu in the distance—that’d be the Head Captain. You’re probably thinking of retreating with that Reiatsu-suppressing cloak you Hollows seem to like, am I wrong?”

Nelliel widens her eyes in shock, her mouth hanging open somewhat as Yoruichi’s smirk widens, “Seems I’m not. You should know that I have no intention of letting you escape, though. I can’t afford to run the risk that you’ll continue to hunt down my allies, especially Soi Fon after all the effort I put in to save her.”

The Arrancar scowls upon hearing the other woman’s declaration, “You act as though this Head Captain won’t view you as an enemy in this situation. From what I’ve gathered, the Ryoka are to be put to death.”

Yoruichi’s expression becomes neutral and unreadable, “Since you seem so interested in talking, I’ll indulge you some more. I can predict how that man will act—I served under him for most of my life. I won’t bore you with the details, but it is unlikely that he’ll outright kill me. It goes without saying that he won’t hesitate to do that to you, though. Either way, I don’t plan on sticking around until he arrives.”

The Espada raises a brow, which the purple-haired woman ignores as she somewhat changes the subject, “You seem to have some honor, Hollow, so I’ve gotta ask; why fight alongside others of your kind who have such shamelessly murderous intent?”

Nelliel forces herself to hold back a scoff, a deep frown on her face and her eyes containing a deep, yet calm, rage, “Why do you fight alongside such shamelessly murderous Shinigami?”

The golden eyes of the former captain widen briefly before a smirk settles on her face, “I didn’t expect such a silver tongue from a Hollow…”

Yoruichi’s form vanishes suddenly, prompting the Arrancar to widen her eyes and instinctively swing her Zanpakuto towards the air behind her—at the form of the former captain. However, the vision of the ninja woman fades, revealing that Nelliel struck naught but air. Suddenly, Yoruichi appears in front of the Arrancar, whose blade is far too outstretched behind her to hope to parry the skyward axe kick from the cat-like woman, which crashes against Nelliel’s jaw and sends her staggering backward as blood spews from her mouth. Nelliel covers her mouth with her left gloved hand, finding it now covered with blood as she manages to regain her bearings somewhat.

Yoruichi smirks at the Hollow, a fierce look held in her eyes as she finishes her statement, “…it’d be a shame if you couldn’t use it anymore.”

The Arrancar’s eyes twitch in cold fury as she takes the blood in her left hand and begins to mix it with a distorted magenta-colored Cero. Before she can release her Gran Rey Cero, Yoruichi once more disappears, making the Arrancar tense up instinctively. Yoruichi suddenly reappears behind the Arrancar and jabs several punches into the woman’s back, causing her to stumble and release the Cero in the air, which produces a large shockwave, sending many of the bodies of the downed Shinigami flying off, away from the battlefield.

Nelliel once more strikes the air behind her before a mid-air Yoruichi appears to her left and lands a vicious roundhouse kick to the back of the Arrancar’s neck, sending her tumbling to the ground. The Espada’s body continues to roll until it crashes into some rubble, leaving the woman to stare at her assailant in an upside-down position, her legs and stomach also fully within her view.

In the next moment, Yoruichi disappears once more, prompting Nelliel to force her body to roll to the right, narrowly avoiding an axe kick from the ninja woman that sends debris flying due to the impact. The Espada manages to gain somewhat proper footing before vanishing with a buzz, once more narrowly avoiding a punch from the seasoned fighter.

Having retreated a distance away, Nelliel catches her breath, her brows scrunched in mild frustration as she locks eyes with the cat-like woman, “Her strikes go through my Hierro as it is right now, and she is too fast for me to make a proper retreat with the Reiatsu-suppressing cloak… that leaves only one option…”

Yoruichi tenses up as she watches Nelliel hold her blade horizontally in front of her, placing her left hand on the blunt end of it. The Zanpakuto begins to emit hazy smoke, which further adds to the former captain’s nervousness. Not wanting to extend this fight any further, the ninja woman races towards the Espada, however, she is not quite quick enough.

As Yoruichi is within arm’s reach of Nelliel, the Espada chants, “Declare, Gamuza!”

An explosion of power erupts around Nelliel, cloaking her body in a haze while Yoruichi’s widened eyes remain fixed on her target. The ninja woman, as if ignoring what happened, continues to send a punch inside the haze, however, pauses as a large, white lance pierces through the smoke directly at her. Yoruichi quickly shifts her body to the side, narrowly evading the lance piercing through where her neck was, and, continuing to swing her body around, attempts to deliver a back-handed left punch to the form within the smoke. Her blow hits something, although, halts against whatever it hit, causing Yoruichi to wear a cringed expression in recoil.

The haze clears somewhat to reveal that her blow struck Nelliel on the side of the face, however, did no damage. The Espada outstretches her left hand, now covered in a white gauntlet, through the haze and grabs the shocked Yoruichi by the black fabric around her neck before bringing her in close and delivering a brutal headbutt to the ninja woman.

Yoruichi grunts in pain, blood now trickling down her forehead, before shooting her eyes open as Nelliel attempts another headbutt. As if on instinct, the ninja woman’s body becomes coated with fierce, white Reishi, before she knees the Espada in the stomach, causing her to wheeze and stagger backward, releasing the former captain from her grasp.

Yoruichi takes this opportunity to regain her bearings as well as observe the form of Nelliel’s Resurreccion. Nelliel takes on the form of a centaur with brown fur on her lower horse-like body and a black tail. The upper half of her body remains somewhat similar, including the white upper half of her Gi, however, there are several differences and additions. The woman’s shoulders are covered by white spaulders that go from her shoulder blades to the bottom of her neck. A black fabric hugs up against her arms, which is covered by white armor on her elbows, as well as the white gauntlets on her hands. Her face and hair are more-or-less the same, but the horns of her Hollow mask have extended in length behind her, appearing not unlike the horns of a Capricorn. In her right hand is the white double-sided lance that replaces her Zanpakuto, which is reminiscent of a jousting weapon. Indeed, her entire appearance is overall akin to that of a medieval knight.

Neither of the women wastes any further time, however, as Yoruichi bursts forth with increased speed and attack potency, prompting Nelliel to hold her lance defensively. As the ninja closes in, Nelliel prepares a Cero in her left hand, pointed directly at the other woman. Yoruichi disappears with a flash as the Arrancar launches the Cero, which causes a small explosion. The ninja appears to the Espada’s upper left before sending a vicious barrage of punches and kicks into her side, causing her to stagger somewhat. Nelliel attempts a reprisal with her white lance, quickly shifting her grip on it to her left hand and striking at the ex-captain. Unfortunately for her, however, her strike hits naught but air as Yoruichi zips around the battlefield, appearing as a flash of white lightning.

Nelliel’s eyes struggle to keep up with Yoruichi’s movements, causing her to shift her stance a few times as she catches glimpses of the former captain. Suddenly, she is struck in the back of the head, causing her to swing at the air behind her before taking another blow to the side of her horse-like lower body, sending her staggering to the side. This type of exchange continues for a while, Nelliel unable to accurately parry or honestly do much of anything other than tanking the blows.

The Espada closes her eyes, sending her other senses into overdrive as she attempts to instinctually track the other woman’s movements. Her ears take in the shifting wind around the ninja woman, which, due to the speed of her movements, ultimately sounds like a tempest of gales that otherwise would overload her senses. However, in combination with the blows Yoruichi lands, Nelliel, at least instinctually, understands the movements of her opponent to a better degree than before.

Therefore, when the ninja woman attempts to strike the Arrancar in the back, she is caught completely off guard as Nelliel’s left rear hoof is slammed into her stomach, causing her to gasp as she chokes on air. In the very next moment, Yoruichi is sent across the battlefield, crashing into debris. Taking advantage of Yoruichi’s momentary loss of bearings, Nelliel turns her body around and raises her lance above her head while outstretching her left arm toward the downed ninja.

Yoruichi shakes her head as she sits in the rubble and opens her eyes in alarm as the other woman declares as she throws her lance, “Lanzedor Verde!”

The ninja woman places her hands on the ground urgently and quickly disappears, narrowly evading the attack that goes on to slam against the ground she was just sitting on and causing a small crater. Nelliel’s eyes dart around anxiously, having lost track of her opponent. Suddenly, Yoruichi appears on top of Nelliel’s horseback and slams both of her hands, locked together and infused with white, crackling lightning for more power, into the back of the Espada’s neck. Nelliel’s head rattles due to the blow as her body staggers. Yoruichi retreats a distance, saying something, but the Espada cannot make out the words as her senses are currently fuzzy due to the blow.

Yoruichi, profusely bruised on her hands due to the increased strength of Nelliel’s Hierro, glances at the staggering Hollow as the white aura around her body fades, somewhat impressed, “I’ve gotta hand it to you, Hollow. If nothing else, your kind is strong. Even after all that training I still had to go all out to beat you…”

The cat-like woman smirks as she pulls her black ninja mask over her mouth, “I’m afraid I’m out of time, but if you survive what’s next, I’d like to settle the score with you someday…”

Without further delay, Yoruichi disappears with a flash. Just as the woman leaves, Nelliel manages to regain her bearings. She looks around briefly and fails to notice the ninja woman she was fighting. As if recalling something, the Espada widens her eyes as something is slammed on the ground behind her. The hairs on the back of her neck stand as she feels the overwhelming torrent of fiery Reiatsu rain down on her, freezing her where she stands.

A rough, ancient voice growls, “I sincerely hope you do not expect pardon for this, Yoruichi Shihoin. There are none currently who can grant you proper pardon… however…”

Nelliel slowly shifts her head, fearfully regarding the ancient being standing behind her, currently holding a lance at his side and wrath in his eyes, “…you have my thanks for granting me the opportunity of slaughtering one of these arrogant Hollows!”

As soon as the Head Captain tightens his grip on the lance, Yamamoto appears right in front of the Espada and swings the Sokyoku at her. Nelliel’s body went into fight or flight, obviously choosing the latter, the moment before, which caused her to instinctively use Sonido in the same moment that Yamamoto attacked, merely resulting in him grazing her face with the tip of the lance.

Yamamoto hums as blood drips from the end of the legendary naginata in his grasp. He looks to his left to regard the form of the Espada, bleeding profusely from the area in between her eyes, forcing her left one shut. Further, Nelliel’s mask has formed a crack that travels through its left eye, a testament to how much that strike was intended to kill and that she only dodged due to a fluke, some twisted turn of good fortune. Although such good fortune never happens twice in a row. Therefore, what happens next is not due to good luck, but the will of the individuals involved.

Yamamoto locks his eyes on Nelliel, who can feel death approaching her, at this point nearly accepting she will die. The Head Captain changes his stance such that his left foot is behind him as he tilts his body forward slightly, clearly making for a lunge that the Espada will have no way of dodging. As the living legend is going to make his move, he suddenly raises his head towards the sky with widened eyes. Immediately afterwards, lavender flames rain down on him, engulfing the entire area around him in raw energy briefly before such energy erupts to form a mushroom cloud leading to a shockwave that causes even the likes of Nelliel to stagger.

The Espada looks upward, her eyes widening as she finds the source of the blast. There, in the skies above the battlefield, is a figure dressed completely in white with long, orange-flowing hair and a forward-facing horn protruding from the right side of his head.

Nelliel calms her breathing as a smile of relief comes to her face, “I… Ichigo…!”

Meanwhile, in the sky above the battlefield, the Arrancar responsible for the former blast looks down at the mushroom cloud with rage-filled eyes. His pupils rapidly shake and shrink down in size, further adding emphasis to the being’s wrath.

Nelliel doesn’t need to look at her King, or rather, friend, to know that it is not a good idea for her to stick around any longer. Her lance flies out of the rubble a distance away, returning to her right hand before her form shrinks down to its usual, humanoid state. She quickly sheathes her blade and gives Ichigo one last brief look before disappearing with the buzz of Sonido.

Ichigo’s eyes narrow at the mushroom cloud as he immediately unsheathes the black blade from his hip, holding it defensively. In the very next moment, Yamamoto is before him with the Sokyoku poised to kill. The two blades clash, creating an even greater shockwave that completely blows the mushroom cloud away and shakes the very Earth underneath them.

As the blades lock, Yamamoto grunts, “To think that fate would bring us to clash so soon, upstart!”

Ichigo narrows his eyes briefly, his scowl deepening, “This is not fate’s doing, but MINE SHINIGAMI!!”

Coating his blade with blackened red energy, Ichigo forces Yamamoto back. Although unexpected to the young Hollow, Yamamoto does not stagger, leaving no room for any of the usual openings he would expect from a parry.

Ichigo’s eyes widen, a frown returning to his face, “What’s with that lance? It feels oddly familiar… not to mention that this guy in general is on a whole different level than Barragan…”

As if to prove Ichigo right, Yamamoto adjusts his grip on the Sokyoku, jabbing it forward with immense speed—ironically capitalizing on the opening Ichigo was trying to make for himself, but in his momentary shock, ended up making for his opponent. Ichigo’s expression turns urgent as he barely manages to misdirect the blow from being fatal with his blade, sending the tip of the naginata cutting across the left side of his lower chest.

Ichigo winces in pain, as not only has blood been drawn, but the cut seems to burn. After a moment, there is dread in his eyes upon reaching a realization, “I CAN’T REGENERATE!”

Ichigo forces himself to cut off his thoughts to avoid repeating his previous mistake, parrying Yamamoto’s next flurry of thrusts. The Hollow grits his teeth in frustration as it takes all his attention and effort to block Yamamoto’s thrusts, finding no opportunities to attack.

Unknown to the duo battling in the sky, black runes float across the ground below, turning into fire and water and mixing with the ground, beginning to transform it into two different structures.

Ichigo, still bleeding from the left side of his chest, growls as his black blade crashes against the side of the naginata, finally knocking it away in such a way that it causes an opening in Yamamoto’s form. The Arrancar wastes no time in thrusting his blade at the legendary captain, poised for a fatal blow. Yamamoto is not so easy, however, as he masterfully flips the lance, which was formerly loose in his right hand, shifting his stance back and in a circle, and evading Ichigo’s thrust, before shifting the lance once more in both of his hands and swinging it down on the Hollow King. Ichigo does all he can to evade the attack, using Sonido as Nelliel had done earlier, however, still taking a strike across the top of his chest.

Yamamoto roars as he rushes at Ichigo with Flash Step, swinging the Sokyoku down at the boy once more. Ichigo is more than prepared for the blow this time, returning with a roar of his own as his blade becomes coated with blackened red energy, parrying the captain blow for blow, finally adapting to the captain’s onslaught. The two titans shake the Soul Society to its core as they desperately attempt to kill each other, their blackened red and flaming orange auras fighting for supremacy.

Ichigo’s Gi is stained red in his own blood at this point, although, this does nothing but increase his desire to slaughter the man in front of him as he parries another one of his strikes. Changing the pace, Yamamoto suddenly shifts the lance such that the non-bladed end strikes Ichigo in his brown, left eye, temporarily blinding him. Ichigo staggers, prompting the captain to once more poise the naginata to thrust through Ichigo’s chest, the weapon coating itself in flames as the captain does so.

The Hollow King is not such easy prey, either.

Ichigo narrowly evades the thrust despite his new blind spot, proving his senses and instincts are just as sharp as any Hollow. The Hollow King grabs the blood spewing from his chest in his left hand and swings his hand horizontally in the air, lavender energy charged at the tips of his fingers as he does so. The captain widens his eyes as Ichigo’s energy and blood in the air between them explodes into brilliant Gran Rey Ceros, once more creating a massive shockwave that shakes the Seireitei.

Yamamoto retreats a distance, eyeing the smoke, but immediately widens his eyes again as he shifts his body to the right to avoid the incoming black blade, which otherwise may have split him in two right down the middle. The Head Captain shifts his blade to attack Ichigo once more but is forced to block as the Hollow King’s onslaught comes upon him much fiercer than before. Ichigo roars as his blade slams against the shaft of the Sokyoku, actually managing to push Yamamoto back.

The Head Captain briefly stares in shock, if not, awe at the boy’s raw power and tenacity, before grunting and shifting his hold on the Sokyoku to just his left hand. Zangetsu itself begins to roar along with Ichigo as the blackened energy along its blade intensifies, only to be halted as the boy winces in pain due to Yamamoto slamming a punch into the wound on the left side of his chest.

Ichigo staggers somewhat as Yamamoto breaks off the collision between their blades and swings the Sokyoku behind him to the right, preparing to slash the boy in two. The Hollow King grits his teeth through the pain and throws Zangetsu into his left hand, swinging it upward to block the incoming naginata. Ichigo then immediately slams his right fist against Yamamoto’s face, causing the man’s head to jerk to the left and draw blood from his lips.

Ichigo smirks in momentary victory before doubling over as the legend knees him in the stomach. This is returned by a punch to the gut from the Hollow, causing the captain to spit up some more blood as well. The two continue to clash blades and land intermittent punches, kicks, and knees on each other, drawing blood and creating harsh bruises.

The two titans clash blades once more, the force of which is so powerful that it physically forces the blades to be sent flying out of their grasps, through the air. Yamamoto makes to punch Ichigo, but the Hollow is now acting faster than the captain, his latent potential having been gradually drawn out through the duration of this skirmish, leading the Hollow King slamming his left, bloodstained fist against the side of the Head Captain’s face. Ichigo follows up with a right hook, but the Head Captain manages to catch it in his left hand before twisting Ichigo’s arm and landing a kick against his chest, sending him flying backwards. The two warriors glare at each other briefly, catching each of their respective weapons in the air, the tension between them being unlike anything ever seen before.

Yamamoto shifts the Sokyoku to his left hand and holds the handle of the Zanpakuto strapped to his waist, “To think that I would need to resort to using my true power to destroy this Hollow…”

Ichigo widens his eyes in shock—not at the captain about to draw his Zanpakuto, but rather at the two giant beings casting shadows over the captain which he just now noticed. The Head Captain twitches his brow as two skyscraping golems, one comprising of lava and the other of water akin to an ocean. The golems each have the shape of a human, however neither has a face.

Yamamoto turns around slowly to regard the golems and is immediately slammed into the ground by a massive fist from each, which each comes down at the speed of a captain’s Flash Step despite their sizes. Ichigo flinches as he watches the golems then proceed to viciously stomp the ground where the captain fell, destroying anything and everything in the crossfire.

The Hollow King watches this for another moment before shaking his head and narrowing his eyes in resolve, “Now that Nel is safe, fighting captains is not my priority…!”

Without further delay, Ichigo sheathes Zangetsu and wraps himself in his Reiatsu-suppressing cloak before leaving the battlefield.

Meanwhile, the golems are about to stomp the ground again before their legs are suddenly chopped to pieces, causing them to fall to the ground, unable to move. A now fuming Yamamoto jumps into the sky holding a flaming Sokyoku.

The water golem quickly extinguishes the flame after grabbing Yamamoto, causing the captain to become submerged in the ocean which is the gargantuan creature’s left hand. However, within the golem, the captain furrows his brows as his body glows a furious orange color before he swings the naginata in a circle, soon after causing the creature’s appendage to be chopped into pieces just as its legs were.

The other golem meanwhile fires meteors from its fingers, which rain down on the captain. Yamamoto is more than prepared as the Sokyoku in his grasp transforms into a blazing phoenix, allowing him to fly through the sky as if being carried around by the bird-like creature while simultaneously using his proper Zanpakuto to send powerful flames at each of the meteors, turning them to ash.

The captain then proceeds to swing his Zanpakuto with such power at the lava golem that the mere shockwave from the slash splits the thing down the middle. However, its body seems to put itself back together, as lava leaks from its wounds down upon the Seireitei below, drowning the streets in hellfire.

Yamamoto’s brow twitches as he notices the water golem behind him similarly regenerate, rising back to its full height before once more engulfing the captain in an attempt to extinguish his flames.

Within the creature, Yamamoto grits his teeth, finding this show ridiculous, “I know not what these creatures are, but they will burn to nothing for this!!”

The water golem suddenly shifts uncomfortably as Yamamoto’s raw Reiatsu begins to overpower it. Its body starts evaporating as it falls to its knees before suddenly being completely atomized before Yamamoto appears with a furious, flaming aura, standing on the scorched Earth it was on previously. The old captain looks upward to regard the sight of the lava golem, now holding a scorching rock easily the size of the Seireitei itself above its head.

This causes the legend to smirk, “Oho? So, you wish to face Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto in a battle of raw power, do you? Well, I’m afraid you won’t receive that!”

The lava golem begins to bring rock, which blots out the sun itself, down unto the Seireitei, which causes many fearful Shinigami, Ryoka, and Hollows alike to close their eyes, expecting death. Yamamoto sheathes his Zanpakuto and holds the Sokyoku above his head, preparing to throw it. The lance once more transforms into a massive flaming phoenix as the Head Captain releases his attack.

The phoenix is seen by all across the Seireitei as it easily pierces through the flaming rock, reducing it to ash and similarly carrying through to crash into the lava golem, causing it to explode into millions of pieces that shower unto the Seireitei below in the form of small flaming rocks, no bigger than a human hand.

The captain closes his eyes as he raises his right hand towards the sky. The phoenix does a circle through the air before shrinking down as it quickly descends, flying back into Yamamoto’s grasp in the form of a naginata once more. The captain opens his eyes as he slams the end of the shaft against the ground, sending a shockwave throughout the Seireitei so strong that it extinguishes the remaining nearby lava fires.

Yamamoto’s eyes are fierce as he declares, “Now then… back to hunting…”

Nearby, Seireitei

Within a shed a distance away from the battle, there are a multitude of supplies held in crates that the Shinigami had hastily foregone in light of their orders to retreat and let the Head Captain deal with the fighting. Seated on one of these crates is Nelliel, who is currently having her head wrapped in bandages by her brown-haired companion—Sora.

The serpent Arrancar sighs as he finishes his job, “It’s not perfect, but it will do for now until we can get you to see Roka. In any case, you should take it easy for the rest of our stay. I speak from experience in saying a cracked mask is not something you want to take lightly.”

Nelliel smiles lightly at her companion, “I appreciate it, Sora. I’ll only fight if one of you is in a tight situation like I was.”

Sora nods before glancing behind him at the orange-haired figure standing in the doorway with his back turned to them. Both the serpent and Capricorn Arrancars stare at their comrade in mild concern due to his particularly noteworthy standoffishness.

The serpent decides to call out to him, “Hey, Brother.”

Ichigo, however, pays neither of them any mind as his eyes are widened in shock, coupled with his mouth held agape.

The Hollow King has come to a realization about the lance he fought against, “That… that blade… its energy felt just like that wraith at the tower! Why the hell do the Shinigami have something like that?!”

Ichigo can’t help but tremble slightly in apparent fear, realizing how out of his depth he might have been fighting Yamamoto, “That man… the ‘Head Captain’, I think that was Nel called him… I can’t afford to brazenly fight him as I am now. He wasn’t even using his true Zanpakuto! If he uses both weapons against me—"

“ICHIGO!”

The call from his serpent friend pulls the dragon from his thoughts, causing him to stagger somewhat as he grips his left ear which was the victim of Sora’s call, “Damnit, what?!”

The brown-haired Arrancar huffs as he speaks, “So your ears do work, huh? It wouldn’t do for my brother to go deaf…”

Ichigo scowls, his brows furrowing, “It’s called thinking… Also, I thought I told you not to call me that!”

Sora smirks, a playful, yet adamant gleam in his eyes, “Well, Orihime did have a huge crush on you when you were alive, and she still might. So, you could say—”

The dragon groans in frustration, blushing slightly as his expression becomes cringed, “That’s enough! I don’t want to hear any more of your twisted fantasies!”

The serpent frowns, his brows furrowing as well, “Twisted…?”

Sora’s expression then becomes somewhat angry, “Oh, you are not telling me that Orihime’s not good enough for you! She’s the sweetest girl ever, and even though it might not be appropriate for me to say, you can’t deny that she’s developed well in all the right places!”

Ichigo’s face is beat-red at this point, “W… what the f*ck, man?! You don’t see me talking about my sisters that way and trying to make other people my ‘brother’! Besides which, I haven’t spoken with her once since I died!”

The serpent sulks, his expression souring greatly, “You’re right… and I shouldn’t even have the right to speak her name… but…”

Ichigo and Nelliel each raise a brow before their friend finishes, with resolve in her eyes, “…after we save your sister, I plan on going back to the world of the living and making things right with her.”

The serpent’s words cause the dragon to smile genuinely, offering a hand of support on the man’s shoulder, “Right! I’m sure she’ll accept you with open arms when she sees how far you’ve come, just as Yuzu did with me.”

Sora returns his friend’s smile, allowing for a relatively peaceful silence to fall between them.

Nelliel meanwhile observes the rather casual and peaceful exchange with a soft smile on her face, however, hinting at her more mischievous nature, she decides to point out, “Back to his sister, I didn’t hear you say she wasn’t attractive, Ichigo…”

Ichigo widens his eyes briefly as his mouth hangs open, letting out a short gasp as Sora begins to chuckle heartily at his ‘brother’s’ expense.

The dragon snarls and turns away, his face once more beat red, “I hate you guys…”

The other two Arrancars chuckle with each other briefly, sincerely happy that Ichigo is still susceptible to teasing—a sure sign that he is very much still himself.

Sora calms his laughter before letting out a sigh, “Anyway, Brother, Nel and I were wondering if you still want us to split up or if you’d rather keep looking by yourself?”

The dragon grunts, choosing to ignore what Sora has decided to call him as the red on his face fades, “I’ll keep looking myself. You two can do whatever you want.”

Sora opens his mouth to speak again, but Ichigo disappears with Sonido before he can get out a word, leaving the serpent with a frown on his face. Nelliel and Sora share a look before each pulling over their hoods and continuing to search for Yuzu.

Secret Tsunayashiro Chambers, Underneath Noble District, Seireitei

Tokinada observes the carnage in the dimly lit chamber before him, a sinister smirk on his face as a large, Hollow-like creature falls to the ground, bisected by the blade held in his hand. On the floor are a multitude of corpses which look to have been the bodies of Nobles based on the traditional clothing they wear.

The man carefully observes the Zanpakuto before him, fully satisfied with it, “I must say, our Enrakyoten suites me just fine, wouldn’t you say, Father?”

The limp, dying form of an elder is sprawled on the floor in the corner of the room, glaring daggers at the man, “You… you did this Tokinada!”

The man in question recoils slightly, pretending to be offended, “How could you say such a thing to the man who saved you from this dastardly Hollow? I’ve avenged the Clan!”

The elder coughs out blood as he scowls, “You think me a fool? It may look like a Hollow to those less observant, but I can clearly see that was one of the creatures that that witch working for you created!”

There is a sinister glimmer in Tokinada’s eyes as his father says this, although once more recoils in mock offense, “So it’s not enough for you to throw such harsh accusations at me, your son, but you also insult my Head Maid? Do you hear this blasphemy, Aura?!”

The elder’s heart drops as he can feel the air behind his shift, accompanied by a multitude of black runes materializing into a woman with short gray hair wearing a black suit.

Her voice is devoid of emotion as she speaks, “I beg your pardon, My Lord, but I am afraid that I have used most of my energy on those golems. They unfortunately proved less effective at keeping the Head Captain at bay than I expected…”

Tokinada raises a brow, “Did White escape?”

The woman, Aura, nods, which causes Tokinada to wear a smirk and shrug, “Then it doesn’t matter… so long as he understands that fighting Yamamoto is tantamount to suicide, or at the very least not worth his time. That’ll be all for now, Aura.”

The emotionless woman returns to the form of runes, seemingly becoming quite literally one with the environment around her.

Tokinada then rummages through the breast pocket of his Gi retrieving a bag containing a multitude of fragments of some kind, “I do say rummaging through late Uncle’s quarters proved fruitful in more ways than one…”

The elder, still trembling due to his unease about the so-called ‘witch’, snaps his head up to look at Tokinada in anger, “You’re a disgrace to this Clan and the Soul Society as a whole! As the head of this clan, you’ll bring an end to all of us, not just the Tsunayashiros!”

The sinister look remains ever present in the disowned Noble’s eyes as he approaches his father slowly before kneeling in front of him, so their faces are close to each other. Tokinada suddenly drops the sword and brutally punches the man in the face.

The man’s eyes are wide in shock and fear as Tokinada reveals eagerly, “You don’t have anything to worry about, Father. The Clan will not be in my hands…”

Tokinada’s face becomes twisted as his evil, toothy grin intensifies, “…it’ll be in the delicate, yet brave hands of dear Katsumi.”

The elder’s eyes are full of dread upon hearing this, so is caught completely off guard as Tokinada suddenly clasps both of his hands around the man’s neck. The younger Tsunyashiro cackles gleefully as he slowly chokes the life out of his father, watching intently as the life leaves the man’s eyes.

Infirmary, Squad 4 Barracks

The day had been quite eventful for the blonde, bi-speckled 3^rd Seat of Squad 4: Yasochika Iemura. From the outright death of Captain Aizen to Vice-Captain Kotetsu coming back with the relief Squad with a multitude of captains and other vice-captains, including Captain Unohana herself. Not to mention the literal meteors that would very well have killed them all if it weren’t for the raw power of Head Captain Yamamoto and the Sokyoku.

The 3^rd seat huffs as he sits at the entrance of the infirmary, sampling his tea to calm himself down, “Well, at least Vice-Captain Kotetsu was able to save their lives… excluding Captain Aizen, unfortunately… what did we do to deserve this onslaught, anyway? Surely the Hollows aren’t interested in the condemned like those Ryoka are… are they…?”

The 3^rd seat ponders this a moment longer before being interrupted from his thoughts by yet another set of a captain and vice-captain appearing before him and falling to the ground. The man yelps as he jumps up, spilling his tea on the ground.

Soi Fon snarls from underneath her vice-captain’s larger body, “What are you squealing about? Help us, you fool!”

Yasochika nods quickly, stuttering as he answers, “Y-yes! Right away, Captain Soi Fon!”

The man then turns and yells into the Infirmary, “We’ve got another captain and vice-captain! If you’re not currently treating anyone, come to the front!”

Inside Squad 4 Infirmary

“…and so, she just let me go…”, Soi Fon concludes as she lies seated on a bed, Yasochika just then finishing wrapping her right arm.

Seated on separate beds across from the young captain are two of her seniors; Shunsui Kyoraku and Retsu Unohana. The former now wears an eyepatch over his right eye as well as several other areas of his body being wrapped in bandages. Next to him, Unohana appears worse off, as nearly her entire face and body are wrapped in bandages, the only recognizable part of her body currently being her straight, long hair. Lumps have formed on her face—bruises due to Ichigo’s ravenous assault from earlier.

Kyoraku sighs, the look in his left eye nothing but skeptical, “Really… she just… let you go? You’re sure no one else came in and enabled your escape?”

Soi Fon furrows her brows, scowling, “You calling me a liar, Kyoraku?”

The one-eyed captain looks away carelessly, “I suppose it doesn’t matter if you’re telling the truth or not, it’s just good that you were able to retreat at all… and in one piece.”

Soi Fon narrows her eyes before turning on her side and huffing, her back now facing the other captains as her thoughts drift towards a certain, dark-skinned woman.

Unohana, meanwhile, catches a glimpse of a white-haired figure in a black Gi storming along the hall, prompting her to call out, “Where are you going, Captain Hitsugaya?”

The figure, dawned in a green scarf, pauses, now standing within the doorway so that Kyoraku can see him as well, prompting the man to raise a curious brow. Shortly after the figure pauses, another, much more voluptuous blonde figure appears alongside him—his vice-captain.

Toshiro frowns deeply, his expression relaying annoyance and frustration, as well as anxiety, “There’s a debt I need to pay…”

Kyoraku narrows his eye as Unohana attempts to scold, or perhaps more accurately, warn the young captain, “Freeing Isshin Shiba will take more power than you possess, young man. Vice-Captain Sasakibe is not someone to be taken lightly… and even if you are successful, you must know what the Head Captain will do…”

Toshiro’s scowl deepens as he trembles in a cold rage, “I don’t care. I refuse to sit by and do nothing as the man to whom I owe my life is forced to remain in a cage, knowing full well that his family is in peril.”

Rangiku, behind the captain, wears a serious expression as well, suggesting she is in full agreement. Of note, she is not wearing the vice-captain badge on her arm, matching the absence of Toshiro’s captain’s haori, as well.

Toshiro doesn’t so much as look at the other captains as he states in finality, “Take this as my resignation if you want, I don’t care anymore.”

The young Shinigami and his companion continue their stride, leaving the infirmary after saying all they feel is necessary. The Shinigami of Squad 4 tending to the captains all freeze upon hearing this declaration, the shock, and loss of morale of hearing a captain resigning now of all times hitting them like a freight train.

Kyoraku looks out the window at the smoking ruin, objectively stating, “Well, I for one would feel a lot more comfortable with Isshin out there fighting those Hollows. If even old man Yama couldn’t kill that Hollow right away, then what it will take for him to kill it is not something I particularly want to see today.”

Unohana sighs, “Speaking truthfully, I wouldn’t either. But infighting is the last thing we need right now… that’s why Isshin Shiba was restrained in the first place…”

Kyoraku shrugs as he continues to eye the destroyed Seireitei through the window. Unohana closes her eyes as her thoughts drift to another eye-patch-wearing captain, “I can only hope that Captain Hitsugaya is the only one who decides to switch sides today…”

Squad 11 Barracks

Ikakku laughs quite loudly as he watches his vice-captain, Yachiru Kusajishi, drag a furious peaco*ck plushie along the floor of the barracks, “Y-Yumichika, you really are going for a new look, aren’t you?!”

The peaco*ck plushie hisses at the bald man, “I told you; it was that vixen who put me in this situation! Oh, there’ll be hell to pay when I get my hands on h—!"

A foot slams on the plushie, cutting him off and prompting Yachiru to pause her stride. Yumichika looks up in dread at his captain glaring down at him from his seated position, casually letting his blade rest on his left shoulder.

The man’s body is wrapped entirely in bloodied bandages, except his face, while he sends a death glare at his 5^th seat, “Quiet.”

The plushie Yumichika gulps and nods, prompting Kenpachi to remove his foot and regard the individuals in front of him with a smirk, “So, it was you two who put that bastard Kurotsuchi on life support, was it?”

In front of the captain are a rather chipper Orihime and a sulking Uryu, the latter of which currently sweat drops at the absurdity of his current situation.

Despite Uryu’s sulking, Orihime nods, “Yeah, Uryu got super strong and almost killed him with the most powerful attack I’ve ever seen! It was like boom!”

Kenpachi’s smirk widens, his gaze shifting to the Quincy, “You don’t say…”

Uryu frowns as he looks away and adjusts his glasses, stating in a sullen tone, “Well, just don’t expect anything like that from me again. That attack took everything I had and more…”

Kenpachi raises a slight brow at the boy’s comment, not fully understanding what he is getting at. Seeing that the boy will not elaborate further, the captain turns his gaze back on Orihime, once more smirking.

The girl furrows her brows in slight confusion as the captain declares, “Tell you what, since I’ve had what you would call a rough day and you two lightened my mood, I’ll help you out.”

Orihime and Uryu both widen their eyes, the latter questioning, “So… you’re not going to arrest us…?”

Kenpachi grunts, the smile not leaving his face, “Who the hell do you take me for, some kind of law-abiding captain? I’m Kenpachi, leader of Squad 11. That means we do whatever the hell we feel like doing, especially if it involves battle! Not to mention these current orders to not fight are bullsh*t if I’ve ever smelt it.”

Orihime and Uryu look at each other before the girl smiles enthusiastically, “Thank you so much, sir! We’re in your debt!”

Kenpachi waves the girl off, “Think nothing of it. I told you I’m doing this because you put me in a good mood and quite frankly, I’m curious to see how I compare to the old man…”

Yumichika, however, squawks at the pair of Ryoka, “Well our captain might not want anything, but I do! Tell that vixen friend of yours to turn me back to normal!”

Uryu looks away, adjusting his glasses as if to pretend no one is there. Orihime likewise shifts a bit, looking to the side with a somewhat uncertain gleam in her eyes.

The peaco*ck tilts his head, questioning, “Don’t tell me… she can’t…?!”

Orihime shakes her head, sheepishly rubbing the back of her neck, “Um… well, we can ask her to change you back, but the decision to do it is up to her… you haven’t done anything to offend her other than attacking her, right?”

Yumichika deadpans, “I’ll be a peaco*ck forever, won’t I…?”

This causes Ikakku to double over laughing, continuing to find his friend’s situation beyond comical, “Looks like we’ve found the Squad a new mascot!”

The peaco*ck glares daggers at the 3^rd seat but widens his eyes as Yachiru begins to drag him across the floor again, chanting, “Yay! Yumi’s going to stay cute forever!”

Despite being a peaco*ck plushie, one look at his face will tell you that his will to live has just plummeted, which causes Uryu to adjust his glasses, still looking to the side, “I know he’s a Shinigami so as a Quincy I shouldn’t feel bad for him, but still… poor guy…”

Repentance Cell, Senzaikyu, Soul Society

Tatsuki and Riruka finally arrive at the Repentance Cell; however, like Ichigo and Sora before them, they find it vacant.

The pig-tailed girl groans angrily, “Ugh! It’s empty! We came all the way here for nothing!”

Tatsuki walks towards the middle of the room before huffing, likewise disappointed. The girl closes her eyes, letting her senses take in the traces of Reiatsu in the room, which immediately causes her eyes to shoot open wide in a combination of shock, fear, and confusion.

Her mouth opens and her body trembles somewhat as she utters her next words, “Hey, uh, Riruka…”

The pink-haired girl raises a brow, pausing her stride along the room’s perimeter, hesitantly asking, “What…?”

Tatsuki’s face is full of dread as she regards the other girl in the room, “That Hollow that attacked Karakura Town… the one they call White… he was here…”

Riruka’s eyes widen as well, her knees starting to buckle, “Then… you mean… he was just fighting…!”

Tatsuki grits her teeth before bolting out of the room, a desperate yet determined look in her eyes, “Please don’t let us be too late!”

Underground Hall, Shino Academy

Within the secure, safe great hall below the Shino Academy are a multitude of Shinigami and aristocrats alike—survivors from Ulquiorra’s earlier onslaught on the Noble District. The individuals lie on the floor of the hiding place, appearing not unlike refugees under the light of the various Kido lamturns that line the hall. Along the side of the wall, there are three particular Shinigami, each wearing a black Gi: Shino, Ryunosuke, and, of course, Karin. The Shiba girl, however, has her head buried in her lap, which she pulls close to her with her arms, her appearance perhaps the definition of wanting to be left alone.

Shino, seated to the girl’s left, and Ryunosuke, seated to the girl’s right, exchange a worried look before the latter attempts to console the girl, “Karin… what happened back there wasn’t your fault…”

This causes Karin to twitch slightly, however, she does not dare change her posture, which prompts the boy to continue, “There’s nothing you could—”

He pauses as Shino scowls at him, shaking her head. The boy looks away somewhat guiltily as he, perhaps, recognizes how toxic that statement may have come off in context.

Shino then attempts to console her differently, “Let’s focus on what’s important; Captain Kuchiki, Vice-Captain Abarai, and even that Katsumi should survive. They survived because you were there!”

Karin flinches at this, emotionless words coming to the forefront of her mind, ‘Your allies should count themselves lucky that you came here.’

The Shiba girl dejectedly raises her head from her lap, the bloodshot look in her eyes, accompanied by the dark rings under them a plain indication that her mental health is currently lacking. The girl looks as though she is ready to hurl as the words of the bat Hollow continue to occupy her mind. The girl’s friends become startled at this, not expecting those words to have had such a negative effect on her.

Karin notices this, so somehow manages to reign herself in slightly, stating, “You’re both right… he let us go because of me yet I wasn’t strong enough to do anything if he didn’t… we were at his mercy…”

The girl’s bandaged hands clutch into fists as frustrated tears gather in the corners of her eyes, causing her friends to continue looking at her in concern, “I’m sick of seeing people around me get hurt and killed! I’m sick of not being able to do anything about it! If I can’t help the people I care about, what’s even the point of these powers?!”

Shino and Ryunosuke soften their gazes, their attention locked on their friend, so both fail to notice the way the girl’s Zanpakuto, still strapped to her back, briefly glows with a blue aura upon its master’s frustrated words.

Karin grits her teeth, hissing in angered resolve, “I’ll continue to get strong… no matter what it takes, I’ll be strong enough to defeat any Hollow, even White!”

The girl’s friends each lay a hand of support on her shoulders, which causes Karin to widen her eyes at the gesture in mild confusion.

Shino smirks, “You’re a long way off from that level… but I’d be lying if I said I’m not willing to support you until you reach it. I know you can!”

Karin’s mouth hangs open somewhat, “Shino…?”

Ryunosuke cuts in pouting, “H-hey, I’ll support you too!”

The Shiba girl shifts her surprised gaze to her male friend, her mouth neither a smile nor a frown. Her widened eyes relay that she is still processing what the two have said.

After another moment, the Shiba girl smiles appreciatively, “…thanks, guys…”

A distance away, a raven-haired Shinigami wears a slight, soft smile as she watches the exchange in the corner of her eye, “It’s a good thing she found good friends…”

A voice pulls the woman out of her thoughts, “…Kuchiki, are you listening…?”

Rukia turns her full attention to the scarred Shinigami in front of her—Squad 9’s Vice-Captain Shuhei Hisagi, “Oh… sorry. I zoned out for a minute.”

Shuhei looks around the woman briefly, towards the younger Shinigami sitting against the wall a distance away, before he closes them and sighs, “It’s fine… The gist is that the remnants of Squads 6 and 13 from the attack on the Noble District should remain down here. Squad 9 will secure a perimeter around the Academy on the surface.”

The woman nods in understanding, although her eyes are still somewhat distant, “I understand. Thank you, Vice-Captain Hisagi.”

The vice-captain opens his eyes and adds, “One more thing… and this is a personal remark so you shall treat it as being said off the books…”

Rukia scrunches her brows, her attention suddenly piqued, “Sir…?”

Shuhei co*cks his head towards where Karin is seated, “I can’t pretend to understand or relate to what you or she are going through right now, but it’s clear to me that if nothing else, that girl looks up to you as a role model. Speaking from experience, how we see our role models is an important part of our development. It’s probably not my place to say it, but you’ve got to remember that if you lose your composure in front of her, what you two went through is only going to hit her that much harder. That’s all I wanted to say.”

Rukia’s mouth twitches and her brows furrow slightly as she takes in the man’s words. Shuhei, seeing the woman taking her time to process his words, bows lightly before turning to leave, “If you’ll excuse me…”

The raven-haired woman lightly tugs at the bottom of her Gi, her eyes narrowing and holding a resolute gleam, “He’s right… but it still doesn’t feel right to keep that from her…”

Nearby Corridor

Ganju huffs as he navigates the darkened passageway, stumbling upon a secret area that seemingly connects the relief tunnels to a separate system. The man can see faint lights in the distance as well as soft noises which may be interpreted as voices but due to how far off they are, one can’t be certain.

The Shiba man frowns, “That’s gotta be an encampment of Shinigami, or rather, survivors… I think…”

Dropping to the floor, the man touches the ground, using his mastery of some type of Earth magic, which he calls Seppa, to further evaluate the flow of Reishi and the sound waves. After a few moments of deep focus, the man picks up traces of Reishi that could only belong to someone he knows—his kin.

Ganju’s eyes shoot open as his gaze becomes focused, “Karin…! I’ll get you out of here too, don’t worry… your big cousin won’t leave you with these bastards any longer!”

The man walks down the hall, disappearing from sight, which prompts another, black-haired man wearing a modified white Shihakusho to walk out from the shadows, a satisfied grin on his face, “Looks like this family reunion will get even better…”

He glances up to the right, “Oh, so Tosen is the one they have guarding the survivors…?”

The man’s face shifts into a sinister smirk, “Perfect.”

Chapter 10: A Reason to Fight

Chapter Text

???

A blue moon hangs high in the sky over a certain, lonely lake, its light once more the only thing offering asylum to those fleeing the darkness of the surrounding forest. The water is tranquil and still with no sign of life anywhere except the lone, blue-haired woman wearing a light blue kimono who stands at the water’s edge. The woman stares down quietly at her reflection in the water, her emerald-green eyes squinted in mild frustration, which matches the slight frown on her face.

Suddenly, footsteps are heard from behind her, signaling the approach of another figure. Despite this, the woman doesn’t so much as flinch, evidently finding the new arrival not very significant at the moment.

As the footsteps stop, there is a short sigh followed by a rugged, masculine voice, “Still out here, I see.”

“She got off lucky.”, the woman responds as she now wears a scowl.

The new figure, a bearded man wearing a black tattered cloak and a shaded visor of sorts, slightly raises a brow before grunting in the next moment, “You speak of that bat? You could’ve fought him off yourself if you felt so inclined.”

“…”, the woman offers no response as her back still faces her companion, hiding her expression from him.

The bearded man looks away, somewhat guiltily, “I am to blame… the consequences she would face if you were to run rampant would place her in even greater danger than against that Hollow.”

The woman’s bandaged hands coil into fists as she snaps, “Fool! You act as though I would even be willing to do something so stupid!”

Her counterpart shrugs, “Your nature dictates that you would act in such a manner… I think it’s merely a matter of you not wanting her to know about the whole façade that you’ve been putting on.”

The blue-haired woman closes her emerald eyes, shuttering as her breath hitches.

The man shifts the focus of the conversation slightly, “Her want for revenge no longer surpasses her desire to protect those who are dearest to her.”

“…”, the woman refuses to offer her counterpart a response, maintaining her seemingly dejected silence.

The man elaborates further, “The last few months she has spent honing her skills with a sword as well as her mind. The countless hours of meditation and self-reflection have done well to both humble her and make her acutely aware of where her power comes from, that we are that power. All that she has been lacking is her reason, or rather, purpose for fighting…”

There is a silence between the two spirits as the man trails off. The hidden meaning of his words is given time to settle as the moment passes, leaving the woman to perhaps understand what he is getting at as her eyes widen slightly.

After another moment, the male spirit levels a serious gaze on his counterpart, “…do you object?”

The woman smiles slightly, a sign of her typical behavior beginning to return, “…of course not.”

Without further delay, the man nods, spins on his heel, and walks off, back into the dark embrace of the forest surrounding the lake. The woman lets out a long sigh as she regards her reflection below for a long moment. As the moment passes, the previously unmoving water develops ripples, which distorts the woman’s reflection before settling once more, revealing a reflection slightly different than before. The Zanpakuto appears rather similar to her usual look; however, some notable differences are her right eye, which is now golden with black sclera, and the addition of a particular black tribal tattoo that looks like a branch trailing through her right eye and stopping in the middle of her cheek. Neither of these traits is nearly as profound of a difference as the addition of the large, white, forward-facing horn that protrudes from the right side of her head, above the ear. The woman stares silently at her new reflection, her smile widening somewhat despite the slight look of dejection still held within her heterochromatic eyes.

Underground Hall, Shino Academy

Karin, once more in the traditional black Shihakusho, walks through the halls underneath the Shino Academy alongside a large group of other students, garbed in a red and white Gi for the girls and blue and white for the boys. The group is being escorted by another group of 20 or so Shinigami—the remainder of Squad 13 from the earlier attack on the Noble District, who are led by Rukia. The raven-haired woman, within earshot of Karin, is speaking to the instructor, Gengoro Onabara, although the girl doesn’t care to listen to their conversation as her gaze shifts slightly rearward to regard her Zanpakuto, strapped to her back as usual, glows a faint blue color ever so briefly. Karin’s stride slows as her gaze is distant, yet intimate as she falls into a sort of trance, instinctually feeling her blade’s attempts to reach out to her. Before she can offer a proper reaction, she is brought back to the present by the call of one of the surrounding Shinigami.

Indeed, Shino snaps her fingers next to the girl’s ears as she speaks in a somewhat worried tone, “Hey Karin, snap out of it! You don’t want to fall behind, do you?”

The girl in question blinks before staring wide-eyed at her friend, somewhat confused, “Right… where are we going again?”

Shino raises a brow, “Oh that’s right, no one told the students. We’re heading to the Old Shiba Chambers.”

Karin scrunches her brows in turn, a slight frown now on her face, “There are chambers named after my family…?”

The other girl opens her mouth to respond, but Onabara cuts into the conversation from slightly ahead, calling back to the pair, “They were not simply named after your family, Ms. Shiba, but for them as well.”

The Shiba girl’s gaze shifts to her instructor, further confusion held within her grey eyes, “Huh? Why would we need something like that?”

The bald man adjusts his glasses before lecturing, “For protection. As you’ll recall, each of the Great Noble Clans has a secret chamber somewhere within these tunnels. At the entrance of each of them is an ancient spell that was casted hundreds of years ago, while the Academy was being built. For reasons unknown to us, only those descended from the Great Noble Clans can safely negate the ward, if just briefly. This allows their companions, not of noble blood, to pass through this ward before it closes and locks out all outsiders… or so I have heard. Not only that, but apparently the spell is so effective that it even cuts off the flow of Reishi between the room and the outside, so even if the outsider could get in, it would prove nearly impossible for them to find you as they have nothing to sense to help them navigate this labyrinth. That is why it is so important that you are here with us, as we will be able to secure the safety of the next generation of Shinigami.”

Karin looks to the ground briefly, her frown deepening somewhat, taking in the explanation. The girl’s mind comes to terms with the man’s words, leading to her thinking about what this could mean.

Karin’s now wide eyes settle once more on Onabara, “Wait… does that mean my dad and cousins could be there?”

Onabara closes his eyes dejectedly as Rukia looks away to avoid gazing at her student. Nonetheless, the bald man lays out his thoughts in a straightforward manner, “That is very unlikely, Ms. Shiba. Isshin Shiba would not be hiding down here during such a conflict and your cousins aren’t in the Seireitei, as you’ll recall. …although, I will note that the last individuals from the Shiba Clan to have ever used these tunnels were your father and Kaien, and that was when they were students.”

The man’s explanation draws many curious looks from the Shinigami upon hearing the name of their diseased vice-captain, most of all Rukia, who questions, “Captain and Vice-Captain Shiba were in the same class?”

The bald man nods, further elaborating, “I had just been transferred off the Gotei 13 during their final year. I can’t claim to know the depths of their relationship myself, but many stated it was not unlike that shared between brothers.”

Both Karin and Rukia widen their eyes at this, fully listening to the man’s explanation as he continues, “I had heard rumors they were the most formidable duo that the Academy had seen since Shunsui Kyoraku and Jushiro Ukitake. As if noticing this, Captains Kyoraku and Ukitake each took one of them as their new Vice-Captain upon their graduation. Although, it wasn’t long before Isshin achieved Bankai and became the new captain of Squad 10. I heard that he got along well with Captain Kyoraku, though…”

Rukia’s mouth hangs slightly ajar as her eyes drift downward, somewhat sullenly, “I… I never knew…”

Onabara’s expression becomes soft as pity is held within his gaze, “With everything else that befell the Shiba Clan during the following 60 years, it’s understandable that some things would be forgotten…”

Karin can’t contain a sudden swell of anger as she snaps, shocking all those around her, “You mean they don’t want to talk about the accomplishments of dead men and deserters, especially those from a disgraced clan!”

Rukia and Onabara stare at the girl in shock, a reaction shared by everyone else present. The girl can see that the people around her are too shocked to offer a proper reaction, many with either cringed expressions or those containing disbelief. Karin exhales somewhat heavily, looking prepared to say something else but stops herself as she regards a comforting hand placed on her right shoulder, belonging to Ryunosuke. As she looks into the boy’s concerned eyes, the fury that was present in her a moment before begins to fade.

After giving the boy an appreciative nod, Karin looks at Rukia and Onabara purposefully, thinking about her father and cousins as she does, “Luckily, my family doesn’t care too much about fancy titles, anyway…”

Karin sighs before releasing a prompt huff, “Just tell me what I need to do, and I’ll do it…”

Rukia receives a glance from the bald instructor, relaying that he wants her to handle Karin, which the woman silently agrees to by addressing her student, “We’re still a way off, but you’ll want to start by…”

Nearby Hallway

As the group of Shinigami and students continue to walk off, a tiny, bug-like creature wearing a white mask crawls through a crack on the side of the wall in a parallel hallway, suggesting that it came from the other side where the group was. A figure in a white Gi approaches and holds out its left, gloved hand towards the wall. This prompts the bug to crawl onto the gloved index figure before the figure lightly rubs the creature’s back with their right index finger, humming as they do so.

The hum is somewhat deep, belonging to an individual who now shares the features of Kaien Shiba, “So they mean to consolidate in the chamber, do they…?”

The bug suddenly melts into some kind of purple fluid, which seems to morph into the man’s left hand. The man continues humming as he raises his right index finger to just below his mouth, staring upward slightly in contemplation.

His brows furrow slightly as he grunts, “No doubt Ganju has deduced where they are headed with his Seppa. I recall giving him a map of the tunnels beneath the Noble District when he was younger. If memory serves, he had them memorized like the back of his hand… that means he’ll likely beat them there…”

Kaien closes his eyes as his arms become crossed. Shortly after, the man’s somewhat passive face turns sinister with a smirk, “How about we greet them together, brother?”

Meanwhile, Secret Kuchiki Chambers, Underneath Noble District

Within the emergency Kuchiki chambers underneath the Noble District are the remains of Squad 6 as well as a majority of the wounded Shinigami and Nobles from Ulquiorra’s earlier onslaught. This, of course, includes Byakuya Kuchiki, who is seated on a mat at a table along the side of the large room. Within the middle of the room, many of the Shinigami seem to be playing a game with a ball, reminiscent of soccer, with spectators lining the makeshift field. Towards the back corner of the room, there is a sort of large, white tent, where the wounded are being tended to.

Byakuya ignores the other Shinigami, preferring to occupy himself with the brush in his hand and the white paper spread out on the table. He focuses solely on his work, gently but firmly taking his brush along the paper to leave black lines along the path of his strokes. The man can hear the footsteps of approaching individuals, which causes his eyes to narrow slightly, yet he does not dare take his eyes off of his work, as he doesn’t want to make a mistake. As the individuals stop before him, Byakuya finishes another stroke before exhaling lightly and placing the brush lightly in an ink bowl.

The shadows of the individuals are cast on the captain, who furrows his brows slightly as he regards them, “May I ask why a Tsunayashiro has come to the Kuchiki Chambers?”

Before the captain is the smirking form of Tokinada Tsunayashiro and his green-haired underling, Kageroza, who is carrying a large sack over his back.

Tokinada wears a particularly crooked smirk as he instead asks a question himself, “I didn’t see that Vice-Captain of yours on the way in. I take it that means Seinosuke failed?”

Byakuya narrows his eyes further, a glint of rage held within them, “He is resting just outside the medical tent.”

The captain then promptly closes his eyes and looks downward slightly so that some of his features are hidden from the other nobleman. Tokinada’s brow flinches, simultaneously annoyed and satisfied by Byakuya’s response.

The Tsunayashiro decides to answer the captain’s question, albeit with one of his own, “My niece is still being treated then?”

Byakuya doesn’t show much emotion as he responds, still with his eyes closed, “You should already know that I do not know what the healer is doing. You’ll recall that in exchange for your aid, I gave both of you my word that no one except the healer and his patients will know of what happens in that tent.”

Tokinada sneers, “Ah yes, because I should always trust the word of an honorable Kuichiki, shouldn’t I? I wonder if that trust is why your grandfather was so easily deceived by that Koga—"

The Tsunayashiro widens his eyes as pink pedals float dangerously closely through the air around him. He locks eyes with Byakuya, finding the promise of death held within them should he push him further.

Despite it all, Tokinada cackles, finding this amusing, “What’s this now?! Are you threatening a guest?! How dishonorable…”

Byakuya frowns as his brows furrow, “The reason I threaten you rather than kill you is to preserve honor… however, should you speak another word of that incident in my presence, not even honor will stop me from slaying you where you stand.”

Tokinada’s smirk widens at this, feeling as though he is the only one in recent times to receive such a malicious glare from the captain. The Shinigami a distance away suddenly halt their game as they notice their captain’s Shikai float through the air, prompting some of them to draw their blades.

Kageroza looks anxiously between the captain’s pedals and some of the approaching Shinigami, prompting him to give his master a reminder, “Lord Tokinada, perhaps now isn’t the time for such games… especially not with what happened to your family…”

Byakuya raises a brow, the death glare suddenly leaving him as the pedals subside, prompting many of the Shinigami to calm down as well, “What…? Has something happened to the Tsunayashiro Clan?”

Tokinada forces himself to frown, although the look in his eyes betrays the act, “…I’m afraid so. A fate of the worst kind—a Hollow was able to infiltrate our secret chamber while I was away. It managed to kill everyone…”

The Kuchiki widens his eyes in horror, realizing what this means. He is too shocked to say anything, so remains in stunned silence. Luckily, the other Shinigami are out of earshot, so fail to hear the grim news as their captain has.

Tokinada continues, using every ounce of willpower he has to maintain a solemn face, “Of course, I slew the beast myself using the family’s Zanpakuto, but sadly not even the Enrakyoten has the power to bring back the dead… I’m afraid that my niece and I are all that remain of the great Tsunayashiro Clan.”

The crooked nobleman then levels a gaze on Byakuya, questioning, “Surely, in light of this news, there is no excuse for slaying me right here and now…”

Byakuya narrows his eyes, suspecting that the man is lying through his teeth, but having no way to prove it, so ultimately sighs dejectedly, “You are correct…”

Tokinada can no longer help himself as his frown begins to turn into a slight smirk, “Thank you for understanding, Captain Kuchiki. I shall send you details for the funerals once the Head Captain has slain the invaders. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must attend to my niece.”

The man starts to move, but pauses, giving the captain one last warning, “Oh, and one last thing. If you try something like that with me again or so much as look at Seinosuke’s work and break your promise, I’ll see to it that your sister pays the price… even if I die, my assassins remain…”

Byakuya flinches at this, his head downcast as Tokinada and Kageroza walk across the room towards the tent. Many wary gazes of Shinigami follow the pair, yet Byakuya remains unmoving and wide-eyed, staring blankly at the calligraphy before him in horror.

The two men enter the tent abruptly, the noble immediately spotting Seinosuke hunched over and inspecting the wounded and still unconscious form of Katsumi, held in the air by blue Kido. Kageroza walks to the side of the room and places the sack on the floor before awaiting further instructions.

Tokinada, meanwhile, approaches his niece with a slight look of disappointment in his eyes, “So… you have failed…”

Seinosuke scowls deeply as he hisses, “Correct… I underestimated how lethal that Hollow’s strike was. With Vice-Captain Abarai, the wound was careless, but that was the idea—like leaving the victim to die. That was not the case with her…”

The healer narrows his eyes in frustration as he gazes upon the hole in the girl’s chest, which seemingly refuses to close.

After sighing deeply, the man locks eyes with Tokinada, “This blow was meant to kill instantly. Not only did it pierce through her spine, but it also fractured the entirety of her rib cage and Saketsu. Not to mention that the fractured pieces of her ribs went on to pierce multiple arteries. There are a multitude of other, smaller things caused due to where she was pierced, but the Hollow seemingly chose just the right spot to cause the worst kind of chain reaction.”

Seinosuke looks down, his expression clearly relaying that his pride has been hurt, “I cannot save her through conventional means.”

Tokinada’s face is passive, completely unreadable as he processes this information. He stares blankly at the form of his niece, noting that her skin appears bruised in multiple locations as well as having become all around much paler. The man lets out a short huff. Then another and another. It is not long before he breaks into a full, crazed cackle, finding this all amusing.

Seinosuke looks at the man with a raised brow as the noble declares, “Well it is a good thing that I brought Kageroza with me, then, isn’t it?!”

The healer’s expression is passive as he eyes the sack. Mild confusion is all the man feels as his mind filters through possibilities. Suddenly, some kind of realization hits him as he widens his eyes ever so slightly. Kageroza promptly dumps the bag out to reveal a multitude of dead body parts, including fingers, skulls, torsos, and even Hollow masks.

Seinosuke blinks at the sight upon hearing Tokinada’s next words, “Make her live.”

The healer turns to the man as he is handed a number of particularly large, glowing blue shards. He eyes them intently, feeling a foreign, yet somewhat godly aura coming from them. Tokinada nods briefly at Kageroza, which prompts him to step forward.

The Shinigami explains, “I smuggled these body parts from Squad 12 while my peers weren’t looking. They’re from a variety of Captain Kurotsuchi’s experiments which include Quincies, Hollows, and even other Shinigami. Those shards, meanwhile, are confidential at the moment. All you need to know is that they will serve the purpose of aiding in stabilizing her Soul with all of the other components… at least Kisuke Urahara’s research that Squad 12 confiscated during the raid on his shop seemed to dictate as much.”

Seinosuke narrows his eyes, his gaze set on the nobleman, “You never meant for me to heal her conventionally, did you? You were hoping that it would come to this…”

Tokinada smirks wickedly, “Like you really care! So long as you are able to watch her squirm as she fights through the pain, yearning for death, you’ll do this without a second thought! Even if that might mean making a monster in the process…”

The healer closes his eyes as he wears a faint smile, “You know me well, Lord Tsunayashiro. I will gladly fulfill your request.”

Tokinada gives a curt nod in return before turning to leave, “Unfortunately, I must see to other business at the moment. I look forward to your results!”

Elsewhere, Underneath Noble District

Karin guides the group through the complete darkness of the labyrinth, instinctively knowing where she should go. After some time, the group approaches a large set of double doors with the Shiba crest floating in the air looking like black ink in front of it with the Kanji for ‘lock’ seemingly mixing with the crest, floating between it and the door.

Shino trembles as she regards the lock, noting, “This feels… different…”

Onabara eyes the girl briefly before gazing at the door as well, hypothesizing, “Perhaps it has to do with the manner in which it was constructed…”

Regardless, the majority of the Shinigami in front of the seal cannot help but feel unnerved as Shino did in response to this foreign feeling they are getting from it. Karin, however, feels an odd sense of familiarity with the seal, prompting her to almost subconsciously walk towards it before touching it with her hand. The seal then glows briefly before dispersing, followed by the large doors opening up to reveal the darkened interior. The group, however, tenses as they can hear footsteps inside.

Karin’s eyes narrow briefly, trying to get a good look at the individual inside. The girl immediately widens her eyes in recognition, “Ganju?”

The man in question stands on the other side of the door, smirking as his features as lit up by the torches inside, “Long time no see, Karin. How’ve ya been?”

The girl frowns as small tears begin to form at the corners of her eyes, “Y-you’re…!”

Ganju’s smirk widens as he smugly taunts, “Did you miss me that much? You look ready to cry!”

The tears seemingly dry up as a comical anger mark forms on her forehead and she looks away, crossing her arms, “Yeah, whatever, jerk… I’m just surprised you were strong enough to get in here…”

The Shiba man frowns in response, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Karin huffs as her arms fall back to her sides and she approaches the man, the group behind her following suit, “Forget it. What are you doing here, anyway?”

Ganju’s frown deepens, “Seriously? I thought it’d be obvious that I’m here on a rescue mission…”

In the next moment, the Shiba subtly sends Rukia a glare, making her flinch.

Furrowing her brows and becoming concerned, Karin asks, “A rescue mission…?”

“Does this have something to do with Dad…?”, the girl asks herself worriedly.

Before Ganju can explain, the doors suddenly shut as the group finishes entering, prompting the duo to look behind them. The seal slowly reappears once more.

Onabara comments as he places his hand on his chin, “This is the first time I’ve been in one of the chambers for the Great Noble Clans. This sealing spell is certainly much more potent than the ones I’ve seen in the past used by the lower clans…”

Karin takes a moment to observe the large room before her, which appears mostly vacant. Only the torches near the entrance provide light to the room, further emphasizing its emptiness. There appear to be tombstone-like structures that line the room along its cobblestone floor. The group is unable to see the remainder of the room through the all-encompassing darkness.

This is when a voice calls out from within the darkness of the chamber, claiming, “That’s because it was the monk himself who created these seals to protect the nobility in cases of utmost emergencies.”

Ganju twitches as Karin furrows her brow, asking, “How come you didn’t mention someone else was in here with you…?”

The Shiba man frowns, “I didn’t know there was…”

Karin widens her eyes as everyone else in the room also becomes unnerved. In the next moment, Rukia appears, standing defensively before the group as she draws her Zanpakuto.

Meanwhile, Onabara frowns, letting his thoughts wander, “The monk…? Could they be referring to the leader of the secret Squad 0, who I’ve only heard rumors about…?”

The woman levels her blade at the approaching individual in a white Gi, demanding, “Identify yourself!”

The masked figure waves their hands defensively, “Is that any way to speak to a superior officer?”

Rukia snaps at the figure, “Lying will not save you—I won’t hesitate to cut you down if I need to!”

The figure chuckles causing Rukia to scowl even deeper, questioning, “What’s so funny?!”

The figure bows apologetically as he places a hand on his mask, beginning to remove it, “Forgive me, it’s just that I find it humorous as it wouldn’t be the first time you’ve struck me down…”

At this, Rukia stiffens up completely and eyes the figure remove his mask with widened eyes full of horror, “No… it couldn’t be…!”

A masculine voice, familiar to Rukia, comes from underneath the mask, causing her legs to buckle, “You haven’t forgotten about me, have you…”

In the next moment, the mask comes off and the one who matches her gaze is her former Vice-Captain, Kaien Shiba, “…well, Rukia?”

Rukia’s look of dread and confusion intensifies as Onabara, Ganju, and many of the Shinigami of Squad 13 let out gasps. Memories of time spent with the man flood Rukia’s mind, recalling when she would often spar with him, losing every time but not without the man offering her encouragement and assuring her that she has talent and could easily become a vice-captain after proper training. Other times were laxer, perhaps involving simply enjoying a meal or drink together where the man would offer her advice. Meanwhile, Karin and many of the other younger Shinigami in the room look in confusion at this.

As Ganju and Rukia are too stunned to talk properly, Onabara declares bluntly, “What manner of sorcery is this?! You can’t expect us to fall for this—Kaien Shiba died about 50 years ago!”

Karin widens her eyes as she recalls something, shifting her gaze to the man and stating distantly, “You’re… Kaien Shiba…?”

Rukia and Ganju seemingly snap out of their trances and nod, the latter stating, “That’s right! I saw her kill my brother myself!”

At this, Kaien sighs in an irritated manner, “C’mon Ganju, I thought you were raised to be smarter than that!”

The man shifts his gaze past the group and points at the door behind them, “Only people with noble blood can get through that door. It should be obvious that I’m the real deal, so…”

The man comically points his right thumb at himself, “…quit staring! Aren’t you happy to see your favorite brother and vice-captain is alive and well?!”

Rukia’s eyes widen before they soften with tears forming at their edges, a response shared by Ganju. Now, the young Shiba recalls his past, unable to forget the times he’d sit in his brother’s lap, with a scroll laid out in front of them, as they would plot where next in the Soul Society they would travel and explore. The boy idolized his brother and followed him everywhere, of course, that was something that could also be said of the Shinigami who knew him from Squad 13.

Kaien motions to everyone to get closer as he sits on the floor, “Come closer, my friends. I shall explain to you how I am still alive…”

Old Shiba Chambers, Underneath Noble District

Ganju abruptly gets up from his seated position and questions with much vigor, “You’re telling me that after taking back control of your body, you’ve been posing as a Hollow in Hueco Mundo for the past 50 years?!”

Kaien smirks smugly, “That’s not all—I have even earned the trust of even White himself! He won’t see me coming!”

The Shinigami around the Shiba man all gasp at this. They can’t believe the profound story they just heard yet the proof of it sits before them, garbed in enemy clothing.

Rukia being the one to question, “W-with all due respect, Vice-Captain, I heard that White defeated multiple Captains on two different occasions. I don’t think you can defeat him, even with a sneak attack…"

Kaien relents, sighing, “Yeah… you’re right about that. That’s why I came to the Soul Society with him: to get help from people I can trust. People like you all.”

Ganju and Rukia both nod in complete understanding.

Karin, meanwhile, can’t help but feel skeptical, “His story doesn’t add up… If he did become a Hollow as he claims, shouldn’t he look more like one? His Reiatsu and appearance are just like a Shinigami, so how in the world would he ever blend in with the rest? Yet, he looks just like Ichigo, like Dad said, and his mannerisms are just like my cousins. Sensei and Ganju seem to think he’s the real deal, so it must be him, right…?”

She eyes Kaien speaking with Ganju and Rukia warily, “Still, my instincts are telling me that something’s off about him…”

Kaien takes a moment to scan the various others in the room before his gaze locks with a pair of intent grey eyes.

The man smiles as he takes in the individual’s appearance, “Why, you must be Isshin’s daughter!”

Karin widens her eyes before averting her gaze, “Y-yeah, I am…”

Kaien’s expression becomes more upbeat, “I’ve gotta say the rumors about you looking like my sister were true—you’re gonna grow up to be a real beauty! Yeah, you’ll definitely have big bazongas!”

The man holds his hands in cupping motions around his mid-chest, emphasizing his point.

Karin scowls, a light blush on her face, wrapping her arms defensively around her chest as she does so, “WHAT DID YOU SAY?!”

Kaien laughs as he waves his hand, “Calm down, it’s just a complement! Trust me, guys will love that type of thing, right Ganju?”

Nearly every woman in the room glares at the younger Shiba, who gives a thumbs up and a smirk, “That’s right!”

Shino raises a brow at Ryonosuke, an intense aura coating her features as she questions, “How about you, Ryu?”

Ryu’s expression becomes panicked as he blushes and waves his hands defensively, “I-I don’t know!”

Shino snarls as she grabs Ryu by the collar, “Don’t be a wuss! DO YOU LIKE BIG BOOBS OR NOT?!”

Ryu’s eyes buzz as he scrambles to come up with something but then breaks off from Shino and runs off to the other side of the chamber, claiming, “I-I need to go on patrol!”

Shino barks at the boy as she chases after him, “There’s nothing to patrol, you bastard! Don’t avoid the question!”

Many of the female Shinigami send similar judgmental glares at their male counterparts, causing a great deal of tension.

Kaien continues to laugh heartily as he remains seated on the ground only stopping himself as Rukia approaches with a serious look on her face, “Vice-Captain Shiba…”

The Shiba’s smile falls slightly to become more neutral, “What’s up, Rukia?”

Rukia furrows her brows somewhat as she questions, “Why has White attacked us like this?”

The room becomes silent as everyone present looks to Kaien. Nearly all eagerly await the man’s explanation. Nearly.

Ganju furrows his brows, “Don’t you think White wants to settle the score with my uncle? They did fight 20 years ago…”

Rukia shakes her head, “No. If that were his goal, he could’ve done so in Karakura Town, but he instead retreated…”

Ganju raises a brow and turns his attention to Kaien, who lets out another long sigh as his head faces the ground.

After a moment more, the man merely states, “He came for my cousin.”

Karin widens her eyes as she recalls her experience with Ulquiorra. She realizes the implications of the words the bat spoke about White’s interest in her as a pit of guilt begins to form in her chest.

The girl looks distantly as she manages, “He wants me…”

Kaien raises a brow as he rises to his feet before leveling his gaze on the younger girl and correcting her, “No, not you.”

Rukia widens her eyes in turn, realizing where this is going as Karin flinches, her expression becoming blank and confused, “…what…?”

Ganju’s eyes widen slightly as well, finally addressing what he attempted to earlier, “Doesn’t White have a grudge against Uncle and his family? Why would he come here if the Central 46 already ordered her execution?”

Karin’s eyes widen in bafflement, “What…?”

Meanwhile, Rukia wears an expression of dread as she sees the expression on her student’s face.

Kaien ignores them and shrugs, continuing to address Ganju, “I have no clue. All I know is that he wants her alive, which I honestly can’t say is a bad thing. Despite never meeting her, she is family after all…”

The men halt their speculation as they hear a soft chuckle from their side, causing them to shift their gazes to address it. They find Karin, looking as if she has heard some kind of horribly bad joke.

Karin’s eyes twitch as she begins to wear a weak smile, continuing to chuckle, “Alright guys, the joke’s over. You’ve proven that a bad sense of humor is genetic. But you really shouldn’t joke about something like that…”

Ganju flinches before pursing his lips, a look of confusion and guilt in his eyes. Rukia, Onabara, and anyone else aware of the implications of Karin knowing this information attempt to relay a warning signal of some kind to the eldest Shiba, however, it is for naught.

Kaien, ignoring any and all hints, furrows his brows and frowns, “You think I am joking?”

Karin’s knees buckle as she refuses to come to terms with the grim truth. That truth, however, is not the only one she will need to resolve.

Kaien angrily slams his right fist into his left palm, “Those aristocratic bastards even imprisoned Isshin so he wouldn’t fight back! When I get my hands on them, they’ll be sorry they ever crossed the Shiba Clan!”

The Shiba girl widens her eyes as her mouth falls agape, “W-what are you saying?! Yuzu is at home… she can’t even see spirits correctly… And besides, the Soul Society would never imprison a captain for something like this anyway, right?”

Karin sends a desperate, perhaps even begging look at Rukia, only to widen her eyes as Rukia avoids meeting her gaze. This causes the girl’s brain to effectively turn off as any and all reason begins to leave her.

She wears a look of horror as her knees give out, losing the will to support her body and causing her to fall to the floor, “N-no…”

Rukia’s expression is urgent, realizing what is coming as she approaches Karin, offering her a hand of support as she attempts to explain, “Karin, I—”

“SHUT UP!”, the girl screams as she slaps the woman’s hand away.

The raven-haired woman retreats as Karin continues, clear hurt in her eyes, “How long…?”

Rukia looks away dejectedly, “They brought her in about two weeks ago—"

“TWO WEEKS?!”

Hot, frustrated tears fall from the girl’s eyes as her anger and despair cannot be contained, further adding to Rukia’s guilt, “WHY DID YOU KEEP THIS FROM ME?! I THOUGHT YOU WERE ON MY SIDE!”

Kaien smirks somewhat evilly as he watches Karin scream angrily at Rukia.

The raven-haired woman flinches, still averting looking directly at the girl, “I am… it was an order, and even if it wasn’t, it would’ve kept you safe—”

Karin explodes, “KEPT ME SAFE?! I’M NOT THE ONE THEY WANT TO KILL!!”

Rukia’s scowl increases as Karin attempts to control her labored breath. After a few moments, the breaths die down slightly.

Karin snarls and trembles as she explains, “Yuzu isn’t like me… she’s too kind and soft… she’s more ill-prepared for this type of life than even me… and if it came to it, I’d gladly die for her. And that’s not even talking about what they’re doing to Dad…”

Karin faces the ground as tears continue to fall, uttering in her anguish, “That’s why I’ll never forgive you for this… I hate you!”

Rukia steps away, tears of her own beginning to form as she purses her lips. The woman cannot refute any of Karin’s claims, as she agrees with nearly every sentiment the girl expressed. Despite seeing this trainwreck from a mile away, Rukia can’t help but feel the extreme anguish and guilt. Much like before with Kaien, deep down, the woman believes that she deserves this.

Rukia widens her eyes, however, as she hears a voice come from directly behind her, “Hating Shinigami is something we can both agree on.”

Before anyone knows it, a Katana pierces its way through Rukia’s chest from behind. The woman stares down at it, blood spurting from her mouth before she stares back at the white-robed figure of her mentor, whose eyes express a type of sick glee despite the rest of his features being solemn.

The surrounding Shinigami let out gasps as Kaien pulls his blade from Rukia’s stomach, causing blood to begin soaking her robes as she stumbles. The man quickly slashes the rear of her left calf, causing her to completely fall to the ground a bleeding mess, right before Karin.

The Shiba girl widens her eyes as her tears seem to pause due to the shock she is feeling. Despite her words, the girl still cares deeply for the Shinigami lying limp before her.

Kaien grunts as he states passively, “That’s what you get for killing me, Rukia…”

Ganju stares at the man in shock, as all of the Shinigami present do, as he questions, “B-brother…? What are you doing?”

The older Shiba scowls as he addresses him, “Stay out of this, Ganju! This doesn’t concern you!”

The younger Shiba frowns in response, his brows furrowing to express his obvious distaste for the scene before him. Even though Ganju idolizes his brother, he is open-minded enough to know when something is suspicious, which is exactly what he is starting to think about this Kaien before him. Upon deciding such, the man begins to subtly shift towards the entrance as to avoid anyone noticing.

Kaien walks forward, stepping on Rukia as he does so, causing Karin to look at him, “If there is one thing that I came to miss more than anything else during my time in Hueco Mundo, it was family. As a Shiba, I know that we never betray or abandon our own.”

The man smirks widely with an excited look in his eyes as he offers the girl his left white, gloved hand, “Join me, Karin, and we will destroy all of the Shinigami who have wronged us!”

Karin’s look of shock and confusion only further intensifies, unable to properly comprehend the man’s proposition. Instinctively, however, part of Karin can’t help but want to give in—to rain death and destruction on any who would dare threaten her family. Yet, the sight of Rukia trampled and bleeding out on the ground before her keeps that part at bay, leaving her unable to react at the moment.

Onabara steps forward in front of the other Shinigami who are currently stepping away from the vice-captain. Kaien gives the instructor a side eye as the man coughs into his hand.

Onabara then calls to him, “I think you have proven your point, Vice-Captain Shiba. I think, upon healing Ms. Kuchiki’s injuries, any further discussion should be held with Captain Kuchiki, a fellow nobleman. What the Kuchiki’s owe the Shiba’s ought to be sorted out then, such is the honorable thing to do.”

Kaien glares at the man before looking carelessly at Rukia, sprawled face-up on the ground, “Hey, Rukia. Can you hold this for me?”

Before the woman can respond, Kaien plunges his sword into the woman’s right hand, pinning her to the ground and causing her to howl in pain.

Onabara flinches as he points at Kaien in anger, “Now wait just a—"

He cuts himself off as Kaien disappears with a buzz before reappearing before the man and plunging both of his fists into the man’s guts. Onabara squirms, spitting up blood as he attempts to grab Kaien’s arms in resistance.

Kaien casually calls back to Karin, who watches in horror, “Watch carefully, Karin. I learned how to kill like this during my time in Hueco Mundo.”

Onabara widens his eyes as in the next moment Kaien aggressively moves his arms away from each other, ripping the instructor’s body in two, one of his hands held firmly on the spine and ripping the torso off while the other holds the lower half of the body still. Blood spews forth from Onabara’s two halves as Kaien throws the torso into the darkness of the room, out of sight, leaving the man’s legs to fall to the ground. Blood now stains the man’s once-white robes as the Shinigami and students around him scream in terror. Kaien disappears with another buzz before reappearing in the next moment, between Karin and Rukia. He smirks evilly as he rips his blade out of Rukia’s hand, causing her screams to intensify again, her eyes shut closed in pain.

The man’s eyes narrow as he licks his lips, “Thanks for holding my blade. As a reward, I’ll make sure to make it quick once I’m done talking with her…”

Kaien widens his eyes as he hears a loud noise behind him, causing him to look. What he finds is the door to the chamber hanging wide open with Ganju standing before it, a look of resolve in his eyes.

Kaien smiles softly as he speaks to the younger man, “Ganju, don’t you think you should close that door? We’ll all be much safer that way.”

Ganju’s eyes narrow as he declares in defiance, “No, we won’t…”

This earns a frown in the older man, whose eyes shine with disdain.

Ganju snorts as he motions his head slightly towards the door behind him, calling out, “Anyone who doesn’t want to die, get the hell out! This is a Shiba concern!”

Upon the man’s call, a majority of the students begin to scramble to exit the room as the Shinigami of Squad 13 look at a loss for what to do. Kaien, meanwhile, snarls at this and immediately leaps at a group of students attempting to escape. Before he can bring his blade down upon them, a wall of sand blocks his attack. Kaien glares at Ganju, holding up both of his index and middle fingers in a unique manner as if controlling the sand with them. Meanwhile, the group of students Kaien tried to cut down run past the younger Shiba, and escape.

In the next moment, Kaien disappears with a flash before reappearing behind Ganju, sending his blade down at the younger man’s back. Ganju smirks, however, as the blade halts, clashing against another one. Kaien’s sword is locked by Ganju’s large dagger, which the man holds defensively in a reverse grip behind his back.

The elder Shiba clicks his tongue as students continue to escape around them, “You’ve learned to talk back since I last saw you, brother. I’m disappointed in you…”

Ganju growls at the man, his gaze hot with disdain, “You are not my brother, you damned Hollow! He’d never attack people who don’t fight back! Kaien Shiba died a long time ago…”

Kaien stares blankly at the younger man as his face slowly contorts into a twisted smirk. Without further delay he pushes at Ganju with more force, causing the man to lose his footing. Ganju denies the imposter an opening, however, as shifts his body and swings his other hand at the man, causing a small barrier of sand to form between them, blocking the blade. Unfortunately, the imposter won’t let him off that easy. The Hollow brutally punches the wall of sand, causing it to dissipate, before slamming a kick into Ganju’s gut, causing the Shiba to fly across the room and land on the floor a distance in front of Karin and Rukia.

The girl, who is still mostly unresponsive, notices her cousin on the ground a distance away, “G-Ganju…”

Ganju, disoriented and coughing wildly from the blow, begins to pick himself up as the other man approaches slowly, which further adds to the girl’s despair, although her words fail her, “No… don’t get up! Stay down!”

Meanwhile, the Hollow wears a slight frown, noticing the lack of students in the room anymore.

Ganju smirks, noting the frown on the other man’s face as he rises to his feet, “Seems my plan worked…”

The Hollow suddenly starts to chuckle with a smirk, which serves to confuse Ganju, “If I truly cared about the students, I wouldn’t have let you go through with that little plan of yours…”

The Shiba man narrows his eyes as a frown graces his features, “What are you talking about? You were distracted.”

The Hollow’s evil smirk widens, “Not that, the door!”

Ganju blinks and doesn’t respond, which the Hollow takes as a cue to elaborate, “You see, when this labyrinth was constructed, the seals on the Noble Chambers would respond to those of Nobility, which you know. However, there is an order in which the seals will respond.”

Ganju widens his eyes in terror as the Hollow raises his hand, which briefly glows white before the door closes itself and the seal reappears.

Ganju’s terror furthers when the Hollow balls his hand into a fist, causing the seal to solidify and hang on the door like a massive lock. Ganju and the Shinigami within the chamber stare at the lock confused, not knowing the meaning of what happened, but instinctually knowing it isn’t good.

The Hollow answers their confusion with a cackle, “This lock cannot be undone unless I will it to be, or I die. It will not respond to a Shiba younger than me. In other words…”

Everyone in the room trembles as the Hollow finishes his statement, “…the only way you can leave is by slaying me.”

The Shinigami in the room look down, doubtful and confused about the whole situation. Those of Squad 13 who knew Kaien before his death feel their stomach turns at the sight, knowing that all of this is wrong.

However, they are brought back to their senses as their former vice-captain’s brother points his blade at the faker, declaring, “Shinigami of Squad 13! If you have any pride or honor left in you, you will help me slay this imposter who dares tarnish the legacy of Kaien Shiba!”

This proves to be exactly what the Shinigami need—direction. Someone to lead them. Someone to identify that, with a shadow of a doubt, that the man appearing as their former vice-captain is their enemy. The Hollow narrows his eyes and frowns as the Shinigami of Squad 13 make a perimeter around the room, circling in on him. Many draw their Zanpakutos, while others take stances to ready their Kido.

The Hollow settles his gaze on Ganju as he smirks once more and readies his blade, “If you all wish to die so quickly, so be it!”

Without further warning, the Hollow lunges at the Shinigami to his right, immediately plunging his blade through them before turning it to cut outward and bisect them. This causes the other Shinigami to lunge at the man in turn, assaulting him with everything they have as Ganju supports with his Seppa technique.

As for Shino and Ryunosuke, they flank Karin on each side, causing the girl to somewhat snap out of her trance. She looks up at her friends who each give her a look of support and a small smile. Shino extends a hand towards the girl as Ryunosuke kneels on the ground, beginning to use his Kaido in an effort to heal Rukia’s wounds. The boy’s actions bring Karin’s mind back to something that she has yet to resolve.

The Shiba girl looks away, back to the ground, questioning distantly, “Did you two know about my sister, too…?”

Ryunosuke and Shino soften their gazes, although the boy does not shift his gaze on his friend due to focusing on his healing spell. Shino retracts her hand, sighing slowly and closing her eyes, “No, we didn’t.”

Karin distantly continues to question, “Would you have told me if you did…?”

Shino scowls, grabbing Karin by the collar and forcing the girl to make eye contact, “Of course I f*cking would, dumbass!”

Some of the light returns to the girl’s eyes as she matches Shino’s frustrated gaze, “S-Shino…”

Shino huffs as she releases her hold on the other girl and glares at the battle with a slight smirk, “Now, let’s take this piece of sh*t down!”

The girl draws her sword in the next moment, causing Karin to blink, smile lightly, and then draw her own, “Yeah, let’s do that…”

As the girls rush into battle, Ryunosuke can’t help but notice the faint blue glow coating Karin’s Zanpakuto as he continues to heal Rukia.

Everyone vs Fake Kaien

The fake Kaien cuts down another Shinigami, however, fails to deliver a truly fatal blow as he is forced to evade a blade of sand sent at him. As the man sidesteps, he narrows his eyes at the sight of a lightly panting Ganju a distance away, holding his hands in front of him in a unique manner.

The Hollow smirks and scoffs, “You’re looking tired, Ganju. How about you take a nap?!”

The man lunges at Ganju, who stumbles under the Reiatsu the creature releases. Suddenly, however, two blades swing at the man from both sides, causing him to swing his sword to block the one to his right while expertly kicking at the one to his left, knocking it from its user’s hands. Shino curses under her breath at the sight of her blade flying through the air before widening her eyes as the Hollow twirls through the air and slams a helicopter kick into her right side, sending her flying back into one of the tombstone-like structures.

Karin roars at the sight of her friend being attacked, attempting to punch the Hollow with her left, bandaged hand. The imposter uses his remaining momentum to help shift his body to evade the blow before landing on his feet and briefly disengaging. Karin, still enraged and now using both hands, strikes at the Hollow with her Zanpakuto, however, the strikes are evaded with minimal effort. The Hollow eyes the strikes curiously as he backsteps, noting their intensity from the loud swoosh noise they make as they cut through the air.

Deciding to test something, the imposter swings his blade for a parry, however, all he receives is their blades locking, forcing an almost proud smile to grace his features, “You were a fool to not join me of your free will, but I must commend you! Your strikes contain some real power behind them! I’d expect no less from Isshin’s daughter! It will make it all the more interesting when I finally break you!”

Karin hisses as she applies more force to the strike, prompting the Hollow to disengage. Karin, with her feet planted firmly on the ground, strikes horizontally at the retreating imposter, who narrowly evades as the girl cries, “SHUT UP!”

Kaien continues smirking as he watches the girl continue to swing at him in fury, the wind around him containing small shockwaves. After a few moments of this, the Hollow slams his knee into the girl’s gut, causing her to stumble somewhat. His smirk widens as he raises his blade skyward, going for the killing blow. Suddenly the man scowls as the ground at his feet shifts to the side without warning, causing his blow to miss. He shifts his glare at Ganju a distance away, still huffing.

The Hollow raises his left hand, charging a round yellow orb of lightning in his palm before shouting, “Hado Number 63: Raikoho!”

Ganju widens his eyes and immediately creates a sand shield in front of him as the attack collides, causing a small explosion that sends the man spiraling backwards, a trail of smoke following him.

The Hollow huffs before starting to turn around to regard Karin, “Now, where—”

The man widens his eyes, immediately forced to parry Karin’s blow, which knocks him back slightly. The blades lock with each other briefly before the two continue their dance of sidestep, evade, and strike. The Hollow eyes the remaining battle-ready Shinigami from Squad 13—three out of the roughly twenty total, approach him with their blades drawn. He narrows his eyes before locking blades with Karin again and slamming a punch on the left side of her face, causing her to stumble. In the next moment, the Hollow disappears to evade the now-charging trio of Shinigami before reappearing and dancing around them, expertly cutting them all down.

The imposter narrows his eyes, making sure not to repeat his previous mistake by addressing Karin, who once more charges at him, “I’ll have to take her more seriously…”

As their blades clash once more, Karin widens her eyes somewhat as the blow is parried, causing her to stumble. The Hollow immediately capitalizes, slamming the backside of his fist into Karin’s jaw, and sending her to the floor.

Behind the imposter, Shino rejoins the fight, retrieving her Zanpakuto and charging at him. The Hollow sees it coming, so elegantly steps out of the way of the lunge and kicks upward into Shino’s gut, sending her into the air. Karin picks herself up in time to see the imposter charging a purple beam in his left hand, aimed at the descending Shino.

The Hollow that dragged away Ichigo’s limp body…

The Shiba roars as she charges at the Hollow, forcing him to address her and dissipate the beam. The man once more parries Karin’s blow, although this time the parry isn’t as strong, causing his eyes to widen slightly as he notes the faint blue aura around the girl.

“Not enough…”, the girl thinks as the Hollow lands a blow to the right side causing her to stagger.

Shino lands on the ground near the duo, but the Hollow doesn’t pay her any heed as he looks squarely at the determined inferno held within Karin’s eyes.

The two clash blades again, this time Karin proving to have a slight edge, causing the man to stumble somewhat. Karin roars as she ups the pressure, although it is for naught. The Hollow places both hands on his blade before parrying Karin’s blade and quickly bringing his left arm back and slamming another punch, this time infused with purple aura, into Karin’s face.

The bat Hollow landing a killing blow on Princess…

The man’s punch sends the girl skidding on the ground before quickly reorienting herself and rising to her feet, still with a fire in her eyes, “Not enough…!”

The Hollow widens his eyes before scowling slightly and lunging at the girl. The duo parry each other’s blows for a brief time, suggesting that they are even. However, the Hollow parries Karin’s strike before striking her shoulder with his left fist, causing her to yelp in pain.

Despite this, she still remains resolute, gritting her teeth through the pain, “I need more strength!”

This imposter attempting to kill Sensei…

Karin manages to swing her blade to parry the incoming strike from the Hollow, despite the pain. However, the parry is weak, allowing for the man to kick her in the stomach, sending her a distance through the air.

As Karin flies through the air, she eyes the forms of Ganju, Shino, Ryunosuke, and Rukia, causing her eyes to narrow, “I won’t let anyone else get hurt in front of me!”

The Shiba girl lands on her feet before immediately charging at the Hollow, who scowls in complete annoyance, beginning to exert his Reiatsu as she approaches.

Ryunosuke and Rukia, who has regained her consciousness at the point, stare at Kaien with urgent expressions, the latter crying out mentally, as her strength fails her, “NO, STOP! KARIN, HE’LL KILL YOU!!”

Yet, the girl remains unhindered as she closes in on the Hollow who raises his blade behind his head with both hands to attempt a devastating blow, “I need the strength to protect them!”

Say it NOW, Karin! DECLARE OUR NAME FOR ALL TO HEAR!

Karin widens her eyes briefly as she swings her blade in on the Hollow, instinctually calling out, “Rise Up, Aoigetsu!!”

What occurs next is a flash of light blue as the strikes collide, which briefly lights up the entirety of the chamber and sends the false Shiba flying backward. Everyone still conscious within the chamber have widened eyes as they take in the scene of Karin holding not one, but two blades.

In the girl’s right hand is a sapphire blade with a thin, black border along the blade’s edge. The scabbard is a similar blue, containing a light, aqua blue crescent moon emblem in the middle. The handle is black and has white wrap in a cross-shaped pattern along the length. At the end of the handle is gold with an orb-shaped object of sapphire color lodged within, which currently blazes with a blue aura. The blade in her left hand has the exact same handle, however, the rest of it is quite different. The scabbard is the same blue as the other, but unlike the other it bends around Karin’s hand slightly, offering more protection from incoming attacks. The blade itself is much shorter and is pitch black in color, appearing not unlike a large dagger or small machete with two, sharp, pointed ridges along its blunt edge.

Shino sits up slightly, a smirk on her face as the view registers, “I knew you had it in you…”

Ganju, slowly walking toward the battle while holding his arm, also wears a small smile, “Heh, never thought I’d be proud of a Shinigami again in my life…”

Ryunosuke sits up and nods, a smile on his face as well, “Good job, Karin!”

Rukia, still lying on the ground, softens her gaze as she stares at Karin’s back as a furious, blue blazing aura coats her form, “You’ve grown strong, Karin… just like I knew you would…”

The woman closes her eyes, dejectedly thinking to herself, “You don’t have any need for me anymore… now that you have tapped into your potential… it won’t be long until you surpass any expectation we’ve had of you.”

The Hollow picks himself up from the ground, his vision fuzzy as Karin starts to walk towards him, her blades held to her sides. The man scowls, holding his blade in his hands as he begins to charge at the girl. The man, however, widens his eyes as the girl lunges at immense speed, intercepting and parrying his blade with the large one held in her right hand. In the next moment, Karin flips the blade in her left hand to a reverse grip before slashing the man across the stomach, drawing blood. The Hollow wears a panicked expression as he looks down at Karin. Their gazes match, which makes the imposter flinch as he sees the fury in the girl’s eyes—a promise of retribution.

So, as Karin shifts her blades to strike the man again, he jumps back a distance, ensuring he evades her next attack… at least that’s what he expected. Instead, the man gasps in shock as Karin, still a distance away, poises her blade for a jab as water seemingly materializes at its tip before launching at him as a highly pressurized stream. The stream pierces the man’s left shoulder and sends him crashing against the wall as a result of the impact.

Karin then disappears with a flash before reappearing a short distance in front of the Hollow sitting on the ground, leveling her longer Zanpakuto at his face and demanding in a rough tone, “If you tell me where my sister is, I’ll make it quick.”

How the man responds throws everyone off: he laughs. Indeed, his laughter continues, increasing in volume until Karin scowls, growling at the man, “ENOUGH! TALK!!”

The Hollow’s laughter dies down as he exclaims, “To think your Shikai would be water-based of all things… that’s hilarious!”

Rukia widens her eyes as she hears the man’s words, “No… He couldn’t!”

Karin growls at the man, inching her blade closer to him, “Answer my question!!”

The Hollow stops his laughter as he glares at Karin with death in his eyes, “You think you’ve won? This battle hasn’t even started.”

Karin now widens her eyes as she feels the man’s Reiatsu surge, making her instinctually jump back a distance despite her apparent advantage.

The Hollow stands to his feet, holding his blade to his right, pointed downward, as he utters calmly, “Rage Through the Seas and Heavens, Nejibana.”

The Zanpakuto begins to glow as Kaien spins it in a circular pattern. The blade shifts into a longer form, ultimately turning into a trident with a tuft of blue fur below the forked end. As he spins the blade, water flows with and from the forked end and the opposite end, which is the shape of a corkscrew. The Hollow then turns his body and spins the trident such that it is pointed directly at Karin, whose eyes are wide in confusion.

The Shiba girl is far from the only one, as Rukia is too stunned and weak to properly respond while Ganju blurts out, “How the hell can he use brother’s Shikai?!”

The imposter glances at the younger man with a slight smirk on his face as he explains, “I wasn’t lying when I said Kaien Shiba continued to live on after being struck down by Rukia Kuchiki. Although, I did leave out the part about him becoming a part of something far greater… that I would devour the Hollow that fused with him and gain all of his memories and powers!”

Ganju and Rukia flinch as their eyes shine in terror, knowing full well how bad that is.

Everyone tenses up as the imposter proudly reveals, “My name is Aaroniero Arruruerie, a member of the Espada and one of the most powerful Hollows in all of Hueco Mundo! Prepare yourself, girl!”

Karin braces herself, holding her blades defensively in front of her as Aaroniero disappears with a buzz. The Espada reappears suddenly behind Karin, who curses as her back remains unguarded. Luckily for her, the ground beneath him shifts as it turns into sand. The Arrancar glares at Ganju, who has his hands planted in the ground, but is forced to regard Karin once more as she uses the opening to attack him.

Ganju glares at Ryunosuke, “Don’t just sit there, heal Rukia! We’ll need her to beat him!”

The young Shinigami flinches before nodding, “Y-yes sir!”

Ganju then looks to the floor at Shino in front of him, who looks less beat up than him, but definitely took harder blows, “Can you stand?”

Shino frowns, puffing as she attempts to get up despite her damage, “Yeah, this is nothing!”

Ganju deadpans, “Yeah, you’d better sit this out for now…”

Shino attempts to protest further but stops as the Shiba walks past her and states in a serious tone, “Only people at least on the level of a vice-captain will be any help distracting this guy. But you can protect our healer if this guy thinks of pulling a fast one…”

The girl’s eyes soften slightly as she struggles to sit up, “I gotcha… I’ll protect Ryu with my life.”

Without any further delay, Ganju prepares himself for battle.

Karin vs Aaroniero

Karin struggles to hold off Aaroniero’s blows, which come down as intense waves crashing against her, sending her skidding back. Her own unrefined Shikai abilities do very little to defend against the raging torrent that is Nejibana.

As their blades clash once again, Aaroniero frowns, “Why are you holding back? Do you want to die?!”

Karin furrows her brows, now with a confused and strained expression on her face, “Holding back?! What the hell?!”

Aaroniero clicks his tongue, “Don’t give me that look, you know what I mean!”

The man exerts more of his Reiatsu, which causes Karin to lose some of her stability under it—enough for the Espada to break off the attack and slam his trident against the girl’s torso, sending her skidding back a distance.

The Espada points his trident at the girl with clear annoyance on his face, “If you were using your Hollow powers, you could slaughter me! WHERE IS IT?!”

Karin widens her eyes in confusion and blink, questioning genuinely, “…what the hell are you on about? I don’t have Hollow ‘powers’… I am a Shinigami.”

Aaroniero’s frown deepens as the trident falls to his side, “No, you do. Even if you aren’t aware of it, your instincts are. Besides, I can smell it. It’s faint, but I can tell… that blade in your right hand is purposely restricting itself… perhaps all it needs is another push…”

Karin tenses, feeling unnerved by the man’s explanation as she braces herself for his next attack. However, blades of sand shoot at the Espada, who twirls his trident and sends water crashing into them, making them fall to the floor as mud. Aaroniero narrows his eyes as he regards Ganju, thoroughly beginning to lose his patience with the Shiba.

At this moment, Karin doesn’t hesitate to leap at Aaroniero, furiously bringing her sapphire blades down at him. He stumbles slightly, but overall, successfully parries the girl’s blows. That is, until the sands at his feet shift once again, causing him to lose balance and allowing Karin to slash him diagonally across the chest with her longer blade while managing to parry the Espada’s urgent, unfocused slash due to the loss of balance with her shorter one.

Before Karin can manage to lay into the Espada, he regains his footing and strikes her once more in the stomach with his left fist, sending her into the air.

Meanwhile, Ganju charges up sand at his heels and arms, bending down on the ground as a runner would do before going into a sprint, “I’m almost out of energy… this better work…”

Karin attempts to orient herself in the air but cannot do so as she stares at Aaroniero pointing a purple blast directly at her, which buzzes with a distorted blue aura as it mixes with his blood.

Aaroniero laughs evilly as he releases the blast, “Maybe this will wake up your Hollow side—GRAN REY CERO!!”

Just as the blast is released, however, the form of Ganju rockets towards the Hollow faster than his admittedly distracted Pesquisa can detect due to the accumulated sand blasting him off. The Shiba slams his right, rock-covered hand directly into the Espada’s side with all of the force he can muster. The cracking of ribs can be heard as Aaroniero gasps in pain. A small shockwave occurs as the blast is released, although its trajectory has altered from the intended path, merely grazing Karin as it explodes instead of fully engulfing her in the blast.

Aaroniero skids across the floor, a distance away from a fatigued Ganju. The Espada has bloodlust in his eyes as he stares at the Shiba, beginning to approach him with the clear intent of killing. Ganju widens his eyes as the Arrancar charges another Cero in his left hand, preparing to kill. What the Espada does not realize, however, is that Ganju is not looking at him, but the form of Karin behind him. The girl’s bandages have all been burnt away, allowing her long, straight black hair usually tied in a ponytail to hang freely. Karin wastes no time as she swings her longer blade expertly at Aaroniero, cutting off his left arm in a single stroke.

Some kind of purple, blood-like fluid spews from the stump of the Espada’s arm as he howls in pain. The wounded Espada enters a frenzy that Karin cannot successfully handle, his trident spinning at such intense speed and ferocity that it immediately knocks Karin’s smaller blade out of her hand and sends her stumbling back in the first pass. Karin doesn’t even see the next blow coming as the trident strikes diagonally across her face, cutting deeply underneath her left eye, in between her eyes, and into the upper right part of her forehead. The girl cries as blood gushes from her wounds, soaking and blinding her right eye and causing her to stagger backward, disoriented.

Aaroniero then kicks the girl in the stomach harshly, causing her to double over and fall to the ground. The Espada takes this as his chance, grinning sinisterly as he disappears with the buzz of Sonido, reappearing before Ganju. The man cannot so much as react before being impaled between the groan and belly button by the trident.

Aaroniero smirks in satisfaction as he removes the trident, causing blood to spurt from the wound as Ganju immediately falls limp to the ground, although still conscious, “Finally, I am rid of you…”

Even knowing that the man before him is not his brother does not stop Ganju from feeling the brunt of those words coming from his mouth. The Espada walks over to retrieve his left arm, placing it against the stump before it seemingly reconnects itself. Finally, and quietly, the man approaches Ganju again before reversing his grip on his trident and holding it above his head for a killing blow. It is then that the Espada looks over to see Shino and Ryunosuke looking thoroughly drained on the ground next to each other, realizing something.

His eyes widen as he hears a woman declare to his right, “Dance, Sode No Shirayuki!”

Aaroniero urgently turns to regard the form of Rukia Kuchiki, holding a pure white katana with a ribbon at the end of its hilt and held in both of her hands, pointed at him. The Hollow widens his eyes, recognizing what she is about to do.

Rukia’s gaze is intense as she utters, “Tsugi no mai, Hakuren.”

A seemingly infinitely long cylinder of ice immediately forms in the air in front of Rukia; however, it narrowly misses Aaroniero who dodges with Sonido. Rukia turns on her heel, knowing what is coming before her elegant white blade clashes against the trident of her former vice-captain.

Aaroniero snickers, taunting the woman, “Did you really think a trick like that would work on me? Perhaps you’ve forgotten who it was that helped you develop that move?”

Rukia blinks before smirking, causing Aaroniero to raise a brow as she speaks, “You seem to be quite bad at remembering you have multiple opponents.”

Aaroniero widens his eyes as a sapphire blade is plunged through his chest. The Espada looks behind him in much the same way the woman in front of him did earlier to find Karin. The right side of the girl’s face is soaking in blood, her wounds seemingly closed but definitely staying as scars, as her expression is intense. Curiously her right eye shines a gold color with a hint of black creeping its way into her sclera. Karin grunts as she shifts the sword, twisting Aaroniero’s insides, before slashing brutally to the right, cutting through most of the Espada’s chest on the way out. The purple blood-like fluid from before spews from Aaroniero’s chest, staining his already sullied white garb purple.

The purple fluid spurts from the Espada’s mouth as his hold on the trident loosens and he stumbles, grabbing his chest with his left hand. He stumbles back a distance, slightly away from Rukia and Karin, and begins to balance himself weakly on the trident.

Karin’s gaze remains ever fierce, the black in her sclera beginning to become dominant as she demands, “Are you ready to talk or do we drag your death out even longer?”

Aaroniero smirks wickedly as he notes the growing, raw aura spewing from her, as well as her golden eye, “To be honest, I had planned to use you as an offering to gain favor with King White, but as you are right now, I cannot resist…”

Karin would’ve cut him down for continuing to evade the question, however, the Espada’s suddenly even more intense Reiatsu makes both her, and Rukia next to her, flinch. The Arrancar removes the white glove on his left hand, revealing a distorted, tentacle-like appendage with a gaping maw, causing Rukia and Karin to become even further unnerved.

Aaroniero glares evilly at the pair of Shinigami, declaring with bloodlust, “Devour Them, Glotoneria!”