With the release of their zanpakutos, the soul reapers began pushing back the Sinners, but still struggled with the fact that there was one human soul still present, preventing them from releasing their limiters. Rukia and Rangiku were working in tandem with one another with Rukia darting in trying to sever the tentacle that held the girl, while Rangiku shielded her with Haineko from Gunjo's strikes.
Below them Renji faced off against the behemoth Garogai, the latter showing his incredible strength as he effortlessly caught Hihio Zabimaru's head, as it launched him into the ground. Despite the crushing blow, he shrugged off the damage and yanked back on the bankai, drawing Renji into his own attacks.
Uryu also struggled with his opponent as he continued to swallow all the reishi based attacks, firing them right back at him. The archer remained unfazed though, as he weaved in between the blasts, dodging them with relative ease.
XXX
Between Toshiro and Shuren though, things literally began to heat up as Shuren launched a volley of fire arrows at Toshiro.
"Guncho Tsurara," Toshiro chanted, swinging his blade horizontally and launching back a wave of ice daggers, which went on to tear through the flaming arrows and forced Shuren to use his blade to shatter them. "As impressive as your control over fire is, I'm afraid that the only fire based attacks that worry me are from the former Captain Commander," he said nonchalantly, watching as the Shuren grit his teeth in anger.
"My flames will not be snuffed out so easily Captain," he spat, dismissing his single blade and summoning two flaming whips to his hands. Whipping one towards Toshiro, the young Captain covered himself with a wing, watching as the whip cracked its outer layer. Fanning his wings out, he dodged to his left avoiding the follow up and charged in, his blade clashing with one of the flaming strands. Shuren smirked as they strove back against each other, raising his free hand to attack, only to stop as he watched ice flow over his whip and down on his hand, freezing it solid. Forcing his opponent back, he looked down with a grimace at the frozen limb, grimacing as he held a flaming hand over it to help it thaw.
"Not going to happen," Toshiro said from behind him, making Shuren leap forward, twisting his body to avoid another wave of ice daggers.
"Insolent little…" Shuren gritted out, charging a fireball in with both hands. When it was no larger than a football, he tossed it at Toshiro, watching as it grew larger and larger.
"Hyorinmaru!" he called once again, sending a much larger ice-dragon than before, at the attack, watching as they yet again cancelled each other out and covered the area in mist. "I can keep this up for a long time Sinner."
His attention was diverted though, when he heard a scream from where Rukia and Rangiku fought. Turning to look, his eyes widened at the new figure that had appeared his pitch black blade dripping with blood as Rukia and Rangiku's bodies fell from the air. "MATSUMOTO!" he screamed, dimly aware of Renji shouting Rukia's name. Feeling a searing pain in his right shoulder, he looked back to see Shuren with a smirk on his face and a flaming lance embedded in his flesh.
"You should've been looking at me Captain," he gloated, withdrawing his weapon and kicking Toshiro into the ground.
XXX
As Renji and Garogai fought, it soon became apparent that the behemoth was simply unafraid of taking the bankai head on. After pulling Renji in, he delivered a bone-breaking fist into the Lieutenants torso, sending him flying backwards, destroying several benches and the swing set before finally coming to a halt against the back of a tree. Looking up, he could see Garogai charging in at him fist raised, but with a swing of his wrist, had his bankai charge in from the side, blind-siding the reckless berserker and sending him barrelling into several trees.
Grunting, he stood up and looked at the pile of broken trees and limbs. Seeing the hand twitch, he coiled his bankai around him, waiting for the next attack. Hearing a scream to his right, he looked up, his blood going cold at the sight of Rukia's falling body.
"RUKIA!" he yelled in surprise, missing the hand shot straight at him, forming into a fist and smashing clean through his bankai, sending the segments everywhere, before crashing into his torso once again. He screamed as he felt a few ribs break this time, while he coughed up a mouthful of blood. Lying flat on the ground, he could see the unknown figure yank his hand back on an invisible chain, sending Uryu into the ground near him.
XXX
As Uryu dodged yet another blast, his lips curled up in disgust. Now he had nothing against love, whether heterosexual or homosexual, but the fact that the little fat man in front of him was spitting out heart shaped attacks, left him feeling somewhat uncomfortable.
"Licht Wind" he shouted and released a volley of arrows at his opponent. As they neared the man though, a pair of lips and mouth opened in his stomach and absorbed the attack once again. Cursing, he leapt to the side just as another blast rocketed past him.
"You know your attacks are useless against me, so why do you bother using them?" Taikon asked in a high pitched voice, spinning on the spot like a ballerina. The sight made Uryu want to retch as the man's flabby skin rippled with each movement. "You're just not very smart are you?" his opponent continued, unaware of his discomfort.
"I wouldn't put it that away…" Uryu trailed off, turning his attention away at the brief scream he heard to his left. Seeing Rukia and Rangiku fall from the sky, he locked his gaze on their new enemy, taking in his black striped white robes and black headdress that hid his face with the exception of his left eye and mouth from view. Tensing as the man looked at him, he grew confused when he held out his hand toward him and pulled. Caught unaware, Uryu felt a rough tug on his left leg, his eyes widening at the faint chain that was wrapped around it. Before he could make any attempt to cut it off, he was swung brutally into the ground, his body leaving a crater from the incredible force. Sparing the man one last glance, he was dimly aware of a portal the shape of an eye, with blue flames bordering it and a swirling red storm within it, before there was a high pitched whistle and his vision went blank.
XXX
As Rukia leapt back from a tentacle that was about to impale her stomach, she watched as Rangiku yet again used her ashes to shield her from the blow.
'Dammit I can't get close enough to cut Yuzu free of him without him pushing me back, nor can I use my zanpakuto to freeze him in place while he has Yuzu in his grip,' she thought with a grimace, watching as Rangiku charged in once again. As their attacks met, sparks shot off from the point of contact, neither finding any advantage over the over.
"Big man to be attacking a little girl, aren't you?" Rangiku taunted him, hoping to unsettle him if only just a little.
"I'm a Sinner of Hell Miss, what makes you think that I care what you think of me," he taunted back, sending what was his right arm at her, along with three tentacles that sprouted from his chest.
"Haineko!" she shouted, the shield of ash forming in front of her and deflecting the attack. "Anytime you're ready now Rukia!"
"Carriage of thunder, bridge of a spinning wheel. With light, divide this into six! Bakudo no. 61 Rikujokoro!" Rukia chanted, pointing at Gunjo. A flash of light from her fingertips shot at him, pinning the Sinner in place as six rods slammed into his torso.
"What?" the Sinner said in confusion, as he tried in vain to move anything, his expression fearful as Rukia appeared in front of him, her blade raised to take his head clean off.
"It's over Sinner," she whispered and swung at his unprotected neck. As steel met flesh, both Rukia and Rangiku's eyes widened, as they saw a pitch black blade embedded in Rukia's stomach.
'Where?' Rukia thought in vain, watching as the blade was pulled out of her and her eyes slowly closed as she fell towards the ground.
Searching frantically for the black sword and its owner, Rangiku screamed as she felt two strikes rend her back open, sending her falling to the ground. Standing before Gunjo, the unknown man looked down at Uryu and sent a chain from his left hand slithering across the ground towards him. Yanking with all his might, he threw the boy with crushing force into the ground, before examining the situation the rest of his 'slaves' were in.
"Master Kokuto," Gunjo said with a slight blow, only to recoil as he found the black blade a hair's breathe away from his neck.
"Shut up Gunjo," Kokuto spat at him, his tone laced with venom. "You and the other idiots have attracted Hell's forces to this world through your carelessness, now we need to leave soon. So stop gawking and get the fuck out of here!" he yelled, snapping his fingers and opening a portal to Hell for them to escape through.
"Kamisori, Benihime!" an unknown voice called out and a crimson blast tore across the ground, before shooting up into the air and slicing the tentacle holding Yuzu off cleanly. As the girl plummeted to the ground, an orange and purple blur flashed through the air, catching her and disappearing.
"YOU IDIOT!" Kokuto yelled, backhanding Gunjo away. "You just cost us our hostage!"
"My, oh my, Sinner," Kisuke said as he appeared below them, Yoruichi at his side with Yuzu in her arms, while the little girl's arms were wrapped around her neck. "I don't know what you want with Yuzu-chan, but I can't let you take her through that portal."
"Oh? And just how do you plan to stop me?" Kokuto growled, charging towards the pair, only to freeze and leap back as a sword narrowly sliced into the bridge of his nose. Looking at his assailant, he saw a man with blonde hair, wearing black pants and an orange shirt with a black tie, smirking back at him.
"That'd be where we come in bastard," Shinji grinned back at him.
Hearing grunts from around him, Kokuto could see a man with a black, star shaped afro and green jump suit, pushing Garogai back, while a man with long blonde hair, black suit and frilly white shirt had appeared in front of Taikon. Looking back over his shoulder at Gunjo, he saw that he was being pressured by a man with short silver hair, a dark purple tank top and green cargo pants.
"You know the one thing we Visoreds are big on is family," Shinji said, drawing Kokuto's attention back to him. "And the one thing we hate is when someone tries to use our family to hurt one of us. Even if the kid doesn't hang around with us much anymore, if he asks for our help…well, let's just say that we owe him to at least show up." His speech finished, he charged at Kokuto, slamming their blades together, while sparks grated off the surface.
XXX
On the ground, Toshiro grumbled to himself and stood, shaking his head to clear his muddled mind.
"Ah Captain Hitsugaya, I'm glad to see you up and about again," Kisuke said in his jovial tone. Looking over at the eccentric shopkeeper, Toshiro could see him helping Hachi treat Rukia and Rangiku.
"What took you so long Urahara?" Toshiro mumbled as he walked over to him, conscious of Shuren watching him from the corner of his eye.
"Ah well I was waiting for the Visored's answer," Kisuke said, tilting his hat down to hide his eyes. "Thankfully they were more than happy to help save Ichigo's sisters."
"You're telling me the Captain Commander knew this would happen?" Toshiro asked, his mood darkening slightly.
"Knew? No. Expected? Yes," Kisuke said looking down at the injured soul reapers. "He was afraid that any aid he would try to send you would take too long to get here, so he called in an old favour to help."
"I see," Toshiro replied, sparing one last glance at Rangiku before he turned to face Shuren.
"And Captain," Kisuke spoke up, making Toshiro pause and turn to look at him again, "I believe that Yoruichi is far enough away that you are allowed to release your limiters now. And don't worry about them, the barrier will keep them protected," he said with a grin.
"Understood," Toshiro said with his head bowed, holding a hand above the seal on his chest. "Limit release," he whispered causing the seal placed on him to dissipate. In response his reiatsu flared to life once again, illuminating him and causing the sky to grow dark. Rising into the air, he glared at Shuren, who had a grimace on his face. "That was a lucky shot Sinner…you won't be getting another like it."
"Perhaps, but I did what I needed to," he said pointing at the wound on Toshiro's shoulder, "I doubt you can lift your blade with that arm anymore."
"Maybe, maybe not," Toshiro said dryly, "but then again, what do you know about it?" True to his words, the wound was covered in a coat of ice, while Toshiro lifted his arm up experimentally and slashed horizontally at Shuren, shouting "Hyoryu Senbi!" From the blade a wave of ice charged at Shuren, forcing the Sinner up in order to avoid it.
"Hyoryu Senbi, Zekku!" Toshiro continued, twisting his blade and slashing upwards after Shuren, sending the existing ice wave after him. Grimacing, Shuren charged his fists with flame and held them up in front of him, preparing to try and hold the ice back. As it struck him though, he found himself being pushed back mercilessly, his flames doing nothing to slow the assault. Grunting, he dodged to the side of the wave, dropping a few feet in the air as he caught himself.
Glaring at Toshiro, he held his hands to his sides, summoning a pair of fireballs. Forcing them together, he threw the enhanced fireball towards the young Captain, a smirk on his face as his opponent made no move to dodge. His smirk grew wider as the attack engulfed Toshiro in a blazing bonfire, the flames reaching at least 30 feet up. The smirk vanished though as an icy wind blew through the air, revealing the Captain unharmed with his wings around him.
"I told you, the only fire attacks I truly fear, are from the former Captain Commander," Toshiro said through the haze. "That's because my Hyorinmaru is the strongest ice-element zanpakuto in Soul Society. And now Sinner, this match is mine…" he trailed off, holding his blade out in front of him with both hands. "Sennen Hyoro," he chanted, causing several pillars to spawn all around Shuren, blocking his escape. "The Captain Commander ordered you to be taken alive where possible, be glad that this ice prison won't shatter with you in it," he said dispassionately, turning his zanpakuto 90 degrees counter-clockwise and causing the pillars to tighten around Shuren, crushing him inside the icy prison.
"One down; four to go," he said and looked at where Kokuto and Shinji fought.
XXX
As Gunjo regenerated his missing tentacle, he leapt back to avoid a fist aimed at his head. Looking over at the newcomer, he watched Kensei twirl his zanpakuto around his finger, the dagger whistling as it spun.
"You dodged that pretty well for a blind man, reminds me of someone I used to know," Kensei said, his stern gaze watching Gunjo unwaveringly.
"I'd thank you for the compliment, but I need to kill you so that I can get that girl back for Master Shuren," Gunjo said, whipping his arms at Kensei. Weaving around the tentacles, Kensei scoffed and sliced cleanly through the offending appendages.
"So you're going to try and go after her again are you? I won't lie, you won't get past me and even if you manage that you've got to catch Yoruichi, the Goddess of Flash herself," he commented, watching as Gunjo stilled. "I may not like kids, or even get along with them that well, but I'll be damned before I leave someone like you around to hurt them."
Slashing his dagger through the air, Gunjo could just barely dodge the blades of wind as they rushed at him, cutting into his arms, legs and face. A knee to the back of his head jarred him, sending him stumbling forward, straight into an elbow to his gut that keeled him over even more. Coughing slightly, he felt a barrage of fists impact his face and torso, pummelling him into oblivion. Blood, spittle and teeth flew everywhere and bones shattered under the attack, forcing Kensei to stop in disgust, shaking his hands to try and get rid of the blood.
"Guess it's time to put you out of your misery then," he said, holding his hand to Gunjo's chest and charging his reiatsu into his zanpakuto, causing his hand to acquire a bright blue glow. The ensuing blast went on to tear effortlessly through Gunjo's chest, reducing the man's head and upper chest to dust, while his arms, legs and the lower half of his torso fell to the ground.
"Tch, I probably overdid it," he commented. Looking over at Hachi, he slowly walked towards the big man.
XXX
Looking at his opponent, Rose couldn't help but grimace at the sight.
"You know you're really not all that elegant, you know that right?" he pointed out, waving his hand up and down at Taikon. "I mean even that Espada I fought back in the Winter War had such poise and grace, despite the fact that he was about to kill us."
"You're talking to me about grace? What about your frilly shirt and that hair?" Taikon spat in outrage.
"I take it back, your voice is much more…disturbing," he said, holding his hand to his forehead as if in distress. "But I'm getting off-topic here. After all, I'm here to stop you. Helping a friend save his sister from the villains that plague the town, it sounds so poetic doesn't it?"
"Poetic? You're really annoying aren't you," Taikon said and released a barrage of reishi blasts at Rose. Sighing, the blonde haired man weaved in between the blasts, deflecting the occasional one with his zanpakuto.
"You're not going to hit me with that," Rose commented, sending one of the blasts straight back at Taikon. "And if you keep firing that wildly, I will end this soon to protect the town from taking unnecessary damage. After all considering the punishment it's taken before, it could use some love."
"You speak as if the town actually has feelings," Taikon muttered, wondering whether his opponent was misunderstood or just plain crazy…he was leaning more toward the latter.
"Now that would just be silly," Rose said in exasperation, shaking his head at Taikon. "Of course the town doesn't feel like we do, but there's just a certain vibe that you can feel coming from it."
"You really are just plain crazy," Taikon replied, sending another blast at Rose.
Slicing the blast in two, Rose charged in, his blade screaming as it sliced through the air. Holding his arm out to his side, Taikon summoned a dark pink blade made out of reishi to his arm, blocking Rose's strike. Not one to be outdone, Rose used his momentum to force the Sinner skidding backwards, before giving one final push and sending him tumbling into the ground with a thunderous crash.
"Hado no. 73, Soren Sokatsui!" Rose chanted, pointing both hands at Taikon, palms touching and sending a colossal wave of blue flames at his opponent. Taikon only acquired a sick grin on his face, as he leaned back, a pair of lips forming on his stomach and swallowing the kido blast.
"Thanks for the meal," he said in a mocking tone, surprising Rose as he fired his attack back at him with even more force and power.
'What an annoyance,' Rose thought, his eyes widening when several blue blades he recognised as Seele Schneider, scraped past Taikon, inflicting minor cuts to his torso. Looking down, he could see Uryu standing on shaky feet, his bow formed and pointed at Taikon.
"Bastard," Taikon ground out, charging forward at Uryu with his energy blade, only to find Rose barring his path, a smile on his face as he forced him back once again.
"I suppose there's a reason you didn't just go for his heart or head?" Rose asked as he leapt back to stand in front of Uryu, watching the teen just out of the corner of his eye.
"I guess you could say I found a more…poetic way to finish him," Uryu replied, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose again, making Rose grin even wider.
"Very well, do as you please," he said, sheathing his zanpakuto and stepping back.
"And what are you going to do exactly? I'll just swallow your arrows again anyway," Taikon taunted, seeing that he was only going to face Uryu alone.
"We'll see about that…after all this is the final blow," Uryu replied cryptically, drawing his last Seele Schneider and firing it directly at Taikon.
"Useless!" Taikon shouted and opened the mouth on his stomach to swallow the arrow. He and Rose watched in surprise as it stopped two feet in front of him, the blade disappearing and leaving only the hilt suspended in mid-air. From the hilt, four lines shot out, surrounding Taikon in a box of pure reishi.
"W-What is this," he asked in a panicked voice.
"Gert Sprenger," Uryu replied, looking on dispassionately at his opponent. "It causes the exact same effect of Sprenger, but it doesn't need me to draw you into the trap. Here the trap comes to you."
"But this energy, where did it come from?" Taikon asked, still confused as to his predicament.
"You mean you really haven't noticed? It's coming from you Sinner," Uryu replied, pulling a Ginto out of his pocket.
"What?" he replied in surprise, looking at the cuts and seeing his own reiatsu being used to fuel his prison.
"Using an opponent's reiatsu against them is not a technique that only you can use," Uryu said as he tossed the Ginto at the Seele Schneider. "We Quincy are also quite proficient at it." As the Ginto struck the hilt, the box began to rapidly compress, before imploding upon itself with large explosion that whipped the wind into a vicious frenzy.
"Using his own power against him, poetic yet cliché," Rose commented stepping up to Uryu.
"What matters is we won, now just to stop that last guy," Uryu grumbled, only to stumble and find Rose catching him.
"Not just yet boy, let's get Hachi to take a look at you first," Rose said, throwing Uryu's arm over his shoulder and half-dragging, half-carrying the teen to the large man.
XXX
As Love tossed his opponent back again, he couldn't help but feel bored. Since he entered the fight, his opponent had stupidly gone against his blade barehanded, resulting in his hands being covered in minor cuts. None of it slowed him down though, nor did he even seem to recognise that he was indeed injured. Ducking underneath another wild swing, he slammed the hilt of his blade into the Sinner's skull, sending him crashing back into the ground, ripping up trees as he bounced along it.
"You know this isn't going to last much longer if you keep acting so recklessly," Love commented, idly twisting a finger in his ear and flicking off the imaginary dirt flecks. "Don't tell me you don't have a brain to go with those muscles."
"You'll pay for that," Garogai said, tossing the broken branches away. Standing up to his full height, he sent a punch at Love, his fist detaching from his arm as it sped towards the Visored at incredible speeds. Dodging to his right, Love brought his blade down on the cable connected to the arm, severing it completely.
"You attacked recklessly again, without knowing anything about my strength or speed, nor did you even wait to see anything beyond my sealed zanpakuto," Love said in an emotionless tone. "You allowed your anger and bloodlust to blind you and thus you are now in an even worse state to fight. What will you do now?"
Garogai's only response was to charge forward with a battle-cry, grabbing the cable of his severed arm and spinning it above his head, before leaping into the air at Love. Half-way there, he was stopped by the skeletal form of Renji's bankai, the snake coiling around him and pinning his arm to his side, while the severed limb swung limply below him. Looking up at the snake's head, he watched as its eyes glowed yellow and its jaws opened wide, a red and blue ball forming within it. Struggling in vain, the coils around him only squeezed tighter, breaking his bones with a sickening crack. Screaming in pain, Garogai's last sight was off the blast going off point blank, vaporising his head almost immediately and silencing him.
On the ground, Renji panted heavily, his body exhausted and aching from the brutal blows earlier.
"That wasn't very nice, jumping in like that in my fight," Love said, landing next to him.
"It was my fight in the first place," Renji grunted at him, falling to one knee and coughing up a bit of blood.
"Another patient for Hachi then," Love said with a sigh, grabbing the back of Renji's collar and dragging him off.
"H-Hey w-wait there's still one more up there!" Renji shouted at him, squirming slightly as Love dragged him.
"And you've already had your chance to have some fun," Love shot back at him. "Now be nice and leave at least one for me to fight."
"Tch," Renji scoffed, grumbling to himself about how he hoped that Rukia never saw him like this, as he was dragged away.
XXX
As Kokuto and Shinji continued to exchange blows, the grin on Shinji's face never left, while Kokuto could only grimace under his opponent's blows. As they continued to exchange blows, he felt each of his minion's reiatsu disappear, signalling their defeat. The only one left now was Shuren, but the idiot was trapped in a block of ice, if his eyes weren't deceiving him. Seeing Shinji come from his left, he deflected the blow with one of the chains that bound him, surprising the former Captain. Darting in to make use of the surprise, his curved blade whistled past Shinji's left eye, missing the flesh, but cutting of several strands of blonde hair. Stabbing at his opponent's mid-section, Shinji managed to force Kokuto back once again.
"You're quite powerful for a Sinner aren't you?" Shinji said in a mocking tone. "Last I checked, such power was unheard of unless one ventured into the deepest depths of Hell."
"And? What does it matter where I came from?" Kokuto spat back at him, their blades clashing with a shower of sparks once again.
"No, but it does make sense about why you don't seem to care that much about your followers," Shinji said dispassionately. "It seems that you truly were a heartless bastard when you were alive."
"HEARTLESS?" Kokuto sputtered in outrage. "Do you know why I was sentenced to Hell in the first place? It was because I hunted down and killed the bastards that killed my sister!" he yelled, attacking Shinji relentlessly with each sentence. The former Captain lost his grin now, replacing it with a blank look on his face.
"How is it fair that I was condemned to Hell, simply because I sought revenge on my sister's killer?" Kokuto continued. "How is it fair that I must continue to suffer, despite the pain I have gone through already? How is it fair that people like you continue to foil me at every turn?"
"Because it never stopped with your sister's killer, did it?" Shinji spoke in a dead tone, knocking Kokuto back with a deep cut to his stomach. "The pain never left with their death, so you decided to inflict your suffering on others didn't you? That's why you're in Hell now, condemned for all eternity in a vicious cycle of hatred. Tell me, why did you want Ichigo's sister so badly?"
"I don't have to explain that to you," Kokuto shot back, charging his blade with his reiatsu and sending a brilliant blue blast at Shinji. The Captain to his credit, barely batted an eyelash at the attack.
"Collapse, Sakanade," he whispered, his blade morphing into its shikai, the ring forming around his hand, while five holes opened up along the length of the blade. Spinning it casually, he deflected the blast around him, emerging unscathed from the attack. "Impressive Sinner, that reminds me of another attack I know of."
Growling, Kokuto charged at him, stabbing and slashing with reckless abandon. Shinji didn't need to block any of the attacks as he dodged or leaned back each time, watching as the blade sailed past him.
"This has gone on long enough," Shinji muttered, bringing his blade up to block the next strike. Swiping his hand over his face, he summoned his mask, startling Kokuto as his reiatsu skyrocketed, along with his speed and strength. With a warped cry, Shinji threw him back, inflicting a long cut across his chest and charging after him. Using both his chains and sword to block the relentless attacks, Kokuto was soon breathless from the assault.
"So you're just like Kurosaki," he panted, his sword arm shaking. How many others like you are there?"
"Like me? That's a pretty personal question to ask and one I will not answer. But thankfully you've told me what you've wanted and clearly you wanted to get your hands on Ichigo simply because he's a frighteningly powerful kid with hollow and soul reaper powers. Now there's no reason to keep you alive any longer." Holding his blade out in front of him, he charged a Cero in his fist, the signature hollow attack growing to an impressive size. As he was about to release the doom blast, he offered Kokuto one last parting remark. "Goodbye Sinner, it was nice to meet you. Cero!"
As the blast approached him though, Kokuto grinned maniacally and took the hit point blank. As the explosion ripped across the sky, the others turned away from the blast as the wind whipped past them. Below in the barrier, Kisuke, Renji, Rukia, Rangiku, Uryu, Hachi, Love, Kensei and Rose watched on, while Toshiro shielded himself with his arm against the torrent of air.
When the smoke cleared though, it revealed Kokuto none the worse for wear, a shimmering purple shield covering his body.
"It's still not enough," he whispered, seeing his chains unmarked by the attack. "What would it take to make you truly want to kill me, to turn you into a mindless monster bent on my destruction?"
XXX
"I see, that's why he truly went after Ichigo," Uryu said, causing everyone to turn to look at him.
"What do you mean Ishida?" Toshiro asked him, while the other Visoreds shared a look of unease with one another.
"Do you remember the fight on top of the roof of Las Noches?" he asked, seeing looks of confusion from Renji and Rukia. "What I tell you now; I tell you in strictest confidence, for it was up there that I saw what Ichigo's hollow could truly do. He became a mindless berserker that effortlessly overpowered the fourth Espada and almost went on to attack us," he explained, omitting the part where it actually had stabbed him and almost killed him with a Cero.
"So you're saying that he wants to harness the power of a soul reaper taken over by their inner hollow," Rose asked, remembering the time they all fought a hollowfied Kensei and the raw power he wielded against them.
"Yes and he probably intended to do that by kidnapping his younger sisters and drawing him into a trap."
"As interesting as this revelation is," Sui-Feng's voice crackled over Rangiku's communicator, her tone indicating her impatience with the proceedings, "the Captain Commander is currently facing off against the Gatekeeper of Hell who was en route to capture those Sinners. So I suggest you stop talking and apprehend that last one, so that his fight is finally brought to a halt."
"Ichigo's fighting the Gatekeeper of Hell!" Rukia, Renji and Uryu shouted, while Toshiro and Rangiku shared a look of shock and the Visoreds didn't seem that shocked by the news.
"Last I checked you all had working ears," Sui-Feng shouted in anger. "He's managed to hold him back, but the area they are fighting in, is suffering under the onslaught of their combined attacks. It's only a matter of time before someone gets injured or worse…" she trailed off.
"Guess we can't let Shinji finish this off on his own then," Kensei said, looking back in the air where the two continued to clash. "Hachi you'll be ready when we have him right?"
"Of course," the large man said with a bow.
"Well off we go then," Love said as they all charged into the fray.
XXX
As Kokuto's mind raced with ideas of how to get his opponent truly angry at him, he felt a tug on his left leg. Looking down, he saw a golden whip wrapped around his leg.
"Rose?" Shinji called out in confusion, seeing Love and Kensei also charge into the fray, attacking Kokuto from the sides and inflicting two deep gashes to Kokuto's chest.
"Sorry Shinji, but we can't play around with him anymore," Rose called out joining him. "Ichigo's managed to keep the Gatekeeper at bay, but the world itself is bearing the brunt of their attacks."
"I see and Hachi?" Shinji asked looking down, seeing the big man whispering to himself, with his palms facing out.
"Bakudo no. 99, Kin!" Hachi chanted and brought his hands together, his middle and index finger intertwined with one another. Clearing away from Kokuto; Love, Rose and Kensei watched as black fabric wrapped around Kokuto's body, pinning his arms and legs to his sides, before pulling him down to the ground. When his body struck, it kicked up a large cloud of dust and created a large crater in the ground. Cursing to himself, Kokuto watched as a hundred bolts went on to impale the cloth, binding him more securely to the ground.
"It's time we leave now," Shinji said looking over at Toshiro. "Think you can bring your frozen prisoner with us?" he asked the young Captain, while Hachi adjusted the binding so that they could at least move Kokuto. "Let's get going then, don't want to give Ichigo any more reason to bite our heads off."
XXX
*This picks up directly from the end of chapter 12.*
Meanwhile on the outskirts of Karakura Town, the landscape was rent asunder as a giant hand ripped through it, the colossal Kushanada intent on grabbing Ichigo and squeezing the life out of him. Dodging with ease, Ichigo looked up at the skeletal jailer of Hell. It had an elongated skull with bright yellow eyes and its arms and legs were large and muscled, while its torso consisted mainly of darker grey skin, covered by a rib-cage of bone. It lumbered around on all-fours similar to how a gorilla would, using both its arms and legs to move about. All in all, it was an intimidation creature with its exposed skull and spine, a fitting jailer for the Sinners of Hell.
Not willing to let it crush him though, Ichigo raised his blade above his head and brought it down with crushing force on the Kushanada, severing it in two. Despite the loss of one of their comrades, the other Kushanada continued to charge forward at him. Running up the arms of one, he cut through its spine, beheading the Hellish creature. Leaping from the falling body, he brought his blade up just in time to block another monster's fist, the blow pushing him back as his feet left a trail of reishi in the air. Charging his blade with his reiatsu, he let loose a silent Getsuga Tensho, slicing through the fist and leaving it with a stump of an arm. Taking advantage of the opening, let loose another silent Getsuga Tensho, this one slicing the creature in two at the waist and going on to explode as it struck another Kushanada behind it.
"Your minions aren't going to take me down Gatekeeper!" Ichigo shouted in a bored tone, seeing the Gatekeeper seethe in rage.
"Just what are you boy? No soul reaper should be able to cut through the guardians of Hell so easily, nor should you have been able to even draw blood from me," he spat, his fists clenched tight and shaking at his sides.
"I don't remember telling you I was normal," Ichigo said with a smirk. "After all, what normal soul reaper gains their powers while still alive?" he said and charging at the Gatekeeper, forcing him to reach back for his spear to block the blow, sparks grating off the surface as the weapons clashed. "What normal soul reaper acquires bankai after two days?" Their blades separated and Ichigo brought his down in a vertical slash with both hands, forcing the Gatekeeper to use both hands to block the blow. "What normal soul reaper has an inner hollow…" he trailed off, taking his left hand off his blade and charging it with his black and blue reiatsu. Ducking under the Gatekeeper's guard, he delivered a vicious uppercut to his opponent's chin, sending him flying upwards. Charging after him, Ichigo caught him with a heel kick to the back of his skull, sending him spinning to the ground, his body sinking into it on impact.
Hovering in the air above the cloud of dust, Ichigo leant to the side, barely avoiding the spear as it shot past him. Hissing in pain, he looked at his side and saw a thin slash through his haori and shihakusho, barely a scratch to him, but it felt as if someone had sliced cleanly through his rib-cage. Hearing the spear coming from behind him, he evaded it completely this time, seeing the faint outline of a chain attached to it.
"This spear has been handed down from one Gatekeeper to the next, given to the first Gatekeeper by the Spirit King himself," the Gatekeeper said, dissipating the cloud of dust with a slash. "Any injury inflicted by it, no matter how minor, will feel anything from ten to a hundred times more painful. Not to mention the fact, that whoever it cuts, it grants me insight into that which troubles their soul beyond all else and allows me to torment their minds with it. It was meant to be the last tool to be used to ensure the sins of mortals were punished." Holding it out horizontally in front of him, he stroked it from the blade to half-way down the staff portion of it. "What confuses me is why I only see your friends and family as that which you fear. I would understand you fearing their deaths, but from what I can see and feel, it is their emotions you fear. Why?"
Looking down at his opponent, Ichigo's fist tightened on his blade, the movement not going unnoticed by his opponent.
"You might get your answers depending on how long this fight lasts," Ichigo said through gritted teeth, holding his blade out in a basic guard stance.
"Normally I would simply kill you and torment you for the remainder of your existence, but I find myself intrigued enough to find out the old-fashioned way," the Gatekeeper replied, gripping the spear with both hands and flying up at Ichigo. Dodging an overhead slash, Ichigo stabbed forward, watching as his foe spun to the side, avoiding the blow and using his momentum to swing down at him. This time Ichigo was forced towards the ground, landing feet first and ripping apart the ground around him as he sunk into it. Looking up he brought his blade up to guard against the slash, the ground sinking even more under the combined strength and momentum of the attack.
"Hado no. 33, Sokatsui!" he chanted, sending a massive blue fireball from his palm into his opponent's torso, the roaring flame making his ears ring from the volume.
"Fire? Really Captain Commander, I live in Hell for pity's sake," the Gatekeeper mocked him, revealing himself unscathed from the attack. "I even go for a relaxing soak in lava. What will you do now then?"
"Simple, introduce you to something that isn't fire. Hado no. 79, Kugeki Hari*!" he chanted, holding his palm out and sending a pale purple beam of energy, twice the size of a Byakurai at the Gatekeeper. Bringing his spear up, he thrust it forward to slice the beam in two, his eyes widening as it split around the blade and merged back again, aiming to strike him in his chest. As the kido touched his skin, he grit his teeth in pain, his body tensing up as purple lightning engulfed him, torturing his nerves. As the effect wore off, he panted heavily, his arm or leg twitching occasionally from the lingering energy.
"Less popular than Hado 88, but far more deadly since its small size can be redirected around any number of obstacles," Ichigo said dispassionately. "Most still prefer 88 since they feel that they can overwhelm such barriers."
"But let me guess, your own power makes up for the lack of power it has," the Gatekeeper said through clenched teeth as another spasm wracked through his flame. "You're unique in that aspect, using the weaker spell simply because you want more control." Looking down to his opponent's right, his face showed confusion.
Following his gaze, Ichigo was surprised to see Mashiro, Lisa and Hiyori standing there watching them, their eyes wide as they beheld the damage to the area around them.
"What are you guys doing here?" Ichigo asked in confusion, bringing their attention back to him.
"Idiot we came to help you of course!" Hiyori yelled at him. "Shinji and the others went to save your sisters and honestly, why would I bother helping them when idiots like you; need all the help they can get." Despite her words though, Ichigo could tell that it was probably more that they were just worried about him and not that they felt him incapable.
"Thanks, but if you want to help, just stand back and don't get in our way," Ichigo shouted back, noting their surprised looks.
"But Berry-boy we came to help," Mashiro said, her voice sounding like a whiny child, while fake tears gathered at the corners of her eyes.
"That's right idiot, don't go thinking you can order us around!" Hiyori shouted. "Don't go thinking that, that haori means a thing to us."
Despite her comrades' outbursts, Lisa watched Ichigo's body language closely, seeing his shoulders tense up and his blade shake slightly.
"Besides," Hiyori continued oblivious to the signs of Ichigo's frustration, "we're the ones that taught you how to control your inner hollow remember, we're the last people that need you to…"
"SHUT UP!" Ichigo shouted, silencing her and making their eyes go wide in surprise as he turned to glare at them, his bright blue eyes sending chills down their spines. "Hiyori Sarugaki and Mashiro Kuna, you both know quite well what happened the last time you were told to back off, but charged in recklessly anyway. This is not about proving anything to anyone now. You enter this fight…you will die. And no amount of healing in this world or the next will save you! Now back off before I make you!"
"Berry-boy…" Mashiro tried to speak, only to find that Lisa had grabbed her and Hiyori by the back of their shirts.
"Of course Ichigo, we'll just be waiting over there," Lisa said with a jerk of her head in the direction of a cliff overlooking their battlefield. "I'll keep these two with me."
Seeing them disappear, Ichigo sighed and turned to look at the Gatekeeper again, the overseer of Hell had a thoughtful expression on his face, his eye watching as the three Visoreds disappeared.
"You wanted to know why it's my friends and family's emotions I fear Gatekeeper?" Ichigo asked, continuing once he saw the Gatekeeper looking at him again. "It was only there for a few seconds, but the reason was in their eyes," he said cryptically, making his foe tilt his head in confusion.
"What do you mean? What did you see exactly?" he asked, staring down at the motionless Captain Commander.
"I told you that I was not an ordinary soul reaper by any stretch of the imagination. Youngest Captain Commander ever, youngest to ever master the four soul reaper arts, the youngest Visored to conquer their inner hollow. Those are some accomplishments that people would say I should be proud of. What the majority of people don't know is the drawbacks of such accomplishments." Pausing for breath, Ichigo held Tensa Zangetsu out in front of him.
"This power, it has gained me the respect and admiration of many, because of how I use it. But to gain it, had to sacrifice parts of myself that no fifteen or sixteen year old should ever have to," he said with a sad smile.
"When I stormed the fortress called Las Noches, I acquired the power of a monster in my soul in order to win. But when the very person, who I stormed the fortress to rescue, saw me…she feared me. Later she could see past the surface of the monster I was and see part of me underneath. That wasn't to last though, for in my darkest moment I became a full-fledged mindless monster. I don't accurately recall what I felt at that time, all I know is the next time I was conscious of my actions, I saw this very blade stabbing my friend, while the girl from before looked at me again with fear in her eyes."
XXX
Within Ichigo's inner world, Tensa Zangetsu listened to his master's words, watching as the clouds grew dark and rain threatened to fall.
"Ichigo…" he trailed off sending what support he could over their link.
XXX
"Even if they were not there to see it, some of my friends could feel the 'evil' intent behind my reiatsu and when they saw me again, there was a hint of fear and misunderstanding in their eyes," Ichigo continued, his eyes unwavering and his tone dead. "But despite all that when it seemed like the end was nigh at hand, that power along with my own zanpakuto spirit came together and granted me this new power, the power that saved three worlds from destruction. The threat of me turning into a monster was removed and yet still, my power earns me just as much fear as it does respect, if not more. The Captains are able to mask their emotions, but the Lieutenants and other soul reapers under my command cannot yet hide it, nor can those without a shred of power of their own."
"So your personal Hell would be the fact that you are feared and mistrusted by your friends and family? Why would you risk explaining this to me and allowing me to use such information?" the Gatekeeper asked curiously.
"Simple," Ichigo replied, a grin forming on his face and the sky in his inner world clearing. "Despite how much I fear that, despite how much I fear that one day I will end up killing them simply by being in their presence or that they will run away in fear of me. I do not; I will not ever regret gaining this power. And if by the end of my life, I find that I stand alone against an enemy that wishes to destroy everything I care for…I will walk towards that fight with a smile on my face and not a care in the world, but the hope that they live on past my death."
'So he feels that he has already been put through hell itself after everything he's been through and thus he has no reason to fear me or my power,' the Gatekeeper thought with a neutral expression on his face. "I assume then that is why you still smile despite the fact that if you lose, you could spend the rest of your life in Hell with me?" he asked, watching as Ichigo chuckled.
"I won't lose and even if I did, like I said I don't care so long as I take you with me," Ichigo said with a smirk.
"An admirable attitude," the Gatekeeper said, drawing his spear once again and holding it at the ready. "You would make a fine Gatekeeper of Hell with that attitude."
"I'll pass, your job doesn't sound all that appealing," Ichigo replied. "What is the status of the team sent to the Living World," he whispered into the communicator he was wearing.
"They have just apprehended the last target and are en-route to your location," Sui-Feng said, startling him that she was there watching his fight.
"How much did you hear exactly?" he asked curiously.
"All of it. We'll talk about it when you get back," she replied, cutting off the transmission as Ichigo was forced to leap back from the spear as it tried to impale him.
'Just great,' he thought with a sigh, swinging his zanpakuto down at the Gatekeeper's neck, as he tried to dislodge his spear from the ground. Summoning a chain to his hand, the Gatekeeper wrapped it around the blade, trapping it under his arm. Forced to let go of his sword, Ichigo leapt to the side, the chain attached to his arm and blade lengthening as he spun. Grabbing the arm keeping his blade trapped, he twisted his hips and threw the man into the ground, stomping his foot down on his shoulder to break his grip.
Raising the hand holding his spear, the Gatekeeper pointed his fist at Ichigo, firing a ball of flame that went on to scorch the side of Ichigo's neck and shoulder as he dodged.
Hissing in pain, Ichigo drove his fists repeatedly into the Gatekeepers face, resorting back to his experience as a street fighter. Seeing the man's grip on his blade falter, he leapt into the air, spinning it by its chain and sending it flying towards the man's shoulder. Rolling to his side, the Gatekeeper dodged the pitch black blade, sending his own spear shooting back.
"Hado no. 90, Kurohitsugi!" Ichigo yelled as the spear flew past him and a black ball tinged with purple formed in his hands. From his position on the ground, the Gatekeeper watched as he was enveloped in a black box, screaming in pain as the spears impaled it and his body. Bleeding from a score of cuts, his eye seemed to burn brighter, a single flame flickering within it, as he raised his reiatsu. Slashing his blade up at Ichigo, a trail of lava flowed from it and sped at Ichigo, catching the young commander across his left side, burning his haori and shihakusho away and cauterising his earlier wound. The smell of his burnt flesh enraged Ichigo, erasing all thoughts of restraint from his mind. Charging his energy into his blade, he charged forward with a Getsuga Tensho stored in the blade. Each clash of their blades destroyed the environment now, forcing Lisa and the others back.
"This is crazy," Hiyori shouted above the thunderous roar of their blades as they clashed. "Is he trying to bring the world down around us?"
"They're well past the point of trying to end this civilly anymore," Lisa said emotionlessly. "Right now each of them has pushed the other to seek blood as the only respite to the pain they are experiencing. It's a good thing we didn't interfere, or we wouldn't even be in the way, we would simply be obstacles to them both. Cut down without a second thought."
"You really think Berry-boy would do that?" Mashiro asked, crouched down as she watched the two continue to clash. Feeling a group of reiatsu's approaching them, the three turned their gaze away from the fight, towards what they felt as several soul reapers, humans and Visoreds.
"And the cavalry has arrived," Shinji said with a grin, flashing into view with Kisuke, Yoruichi, Karin and Yuzu, the latter awake but still clutching on tight to the Goddess of Flash, while Kisuke held Karin.
"Idiot!" Hiyori yelled, slapping Shinji with her sandal and sending him flying in the dirt. "What the hell took you idiots so long?"
"Hey it's not my fault that we picked up some extras along the way," he whined, pointing at Orihime, Chad and Tatsuki as they arrived with the rest of the Visoreds and soul reapers.
"Why are they here?" Lisa asked, pointing at the humans amongst them.
"Eh well, we thought it might be nice if they at least got to see their brother and friend in the flesh rather than over a screen," Kisuke said with a grin, earning him an elbow from the normally cool-headed Visored.
"And did you even think of the scene that they would be arriving to?" she asked, pointing at the fight as it continued, drawing everyone's attention to it. The fighters were only a blur of sparks and colours to the majority of them, until the two finally broke apart and stood panting across from each other.
Gasps were heard from Yuzu and Orihime, while everyone else's eyes widened to the point they were about to pop out in surprise, as there stood Ichigo, the left side of his torso cracked and charred, blooding oozing from the burnt skin, while other minor cuts marked his body, like a cut across his right eye, a stab wound to his thigh and a gash to his ribs. While his sisters could only look in horror at his body, the others turned to look at his opponent and grimaced. The Gatekeeper's right arm was hanging limp at his side, the shoulder socket crushed under Ichigo's foot, while numerous gashes marred his body from the Kurohitsugi he took earlier. There were even burn marks on his skin from where the energy had fried his nerves earlier. The common trait between the two though, was the river of blood flowing from the both of them and looks of grudging respect and loathing on their faces.
"Ichigo!" Rukia screamed, drawing the two combatant's attention towards them. Exchanging a quiet word with one another, they seemed to come to some true and lowered their weapons slightly. A second later, both of them stood in front of the group, their gazes stern and unyielding. Noting the fact that his friends and family were present, Ichigo turned to look at Shinji and Toshiro.
"Report!" he barked, making several people gulp at his tone. Looking at his sisters, Yoruichi had a sad look on her face at the terror and sadness reflected in their eyes.
'Maybe this wasn't one of his best ideas,' she thought sharing a look with Kisuke, who had a grimace on his face.
"I will not repeat myself," Ichigo said in a low tone, the blood flow slowing as Tensa Zangetsu worked to hold it back now. Clearing his throat, Toshiro stepped forward.
"The surviving Sinners have been captured Captain Commander," he said, pointing to where Shuren and Kokuto stood, frozen and bound respectively. "The other three Sinners were defeated by former Captain Kensei Muguruma, Lieutenant Renji Abarai and the Quincy, Uryu Ishida." At their names, each of them found themselves faced with Ichigo's piercing gaze, only being released when he nodded at each of them slightly.
"I see, well done, but now they will be handed over to the Gatekeeper since they are under his care," Ichigo said, looking at his former opponent.
Walking over to the bound prisoners, the Gatekeeper effortlessly sliced through Shuren's frozen prison, bisecting the Sinner in two. Yuzu, Karin and Orihime hid their faces just before the blow landed, while the others looked on in disgust at the man's actions.
"Now hold on just a minute," Shinji said, walking forward, only to find Ichigo in front of him, holding his hand up to silence him.
"Stand down Hirako," Ichigo said emotionlessly. "As the Overseer of Hell, he has every right to punish them as he deems necessary." When Shinji made to protest though, he quailed under the glare laced with reiatsu that Ichigo gave him. Seeing that there would be no further interruptions, the Gatekeeper walked to stand in front of Kokuto.
"You were imprisoned in the deepest depths of Hell and still you find the will to resist and fight back," he said, his tone promising endless torment with the slightest misstep. "For that reason, I will deal with you personally now." Raising his spear with one hand, he thrust it into Kokuto's heart, the Sinner letting loose an unearthly scream of pain, making the girls plug their ears to block out the sound, while Kisuke and Yoruichi clutched them tighter. Hefting the spear, Sinner and all on his shoulders, he spared one last glance at Ichigo.
"I will take my leave of this place now Captain Commander, I assure you that there will be no further breakout attempts from him, or his 'friends' once I get through with them."
"Then leave and be done with it Gatekeeper, I want this mess to be over already," Ichigo said with a sigh.
Nodding, the Gatekeeper summoned the Gates of Hell, handing his spear over to the disembodied hand of a Kushanada as it reached through the gate, before sparing one last glance at Ichigo.
"We may never meet again Captain Commander, but should we ever cross blades in the future, know that I will win next time." His last parting words said, he disappeared into the gates, shutting them behind him.
Turning to look back at the group, Ichigo looked at the quivering forms of his younger siblings, his eyes taking on a hard edge as he glared at Kisuke.
"I told you not to bring them here Urahara," he said in a cold tone. "They shouldn't have had to see this."
"Ichi-nii," Karin said, reaching out to her brother.
"STOP!" he shouted, making her recoil at the sound of his voice. "Just please stop," he said quieter. "Take them home Urahara and get your communicator ready, I'll speak to them later. Lieutenants Abarai, Matsumoto and Kuchiki, if you'd be so kind as to escort them home too please. Return to the Seireitei at your own leisure. Captain Hitsugaya, I expect your report by tomorrow night at the latest, but other than that, you are free to do as you please too."
Nodding at him, everyone but the Visoreds disappeared in a flash.
"I wanted to talk to you guys too, so I'll give you the option to either return with me to the Seireitei, or stay here and talk to me later at Urahara's place."
"I don't think any of us want to go back to the Soul Society just yet Ichigo," Shinji said with a shake of his head, the others nodding their head in agreement, "so I think we'll wait at Urahara's until you're ready to talk."
"I understand, sorry for shouting at you," he said looking at Hiyori and Mashiro, noting that they looked at the ground rather than at his face. Watching them disappear back to Karakura, he looked around the devastated landscape, the wind whistling past him.
With a sigh, he turned and stabbed his zanpakuto into the air, twisting and opening a senkaimon, heading back to Soul Society the same way he came…alone.