In front of Yae Shrine
There were only a few things that scared Hellmaru, one defying the Will of the Honkai, two is dying, and three unknowns.
Before her was a mixture of the last two, an unknown that is capable of killing her.
"Run me by that again? You succeeded? You and that pitiful Will of the Honkai in turning Sakura?" The double-toned voice doesn't help ease her worries, it only reinforced her fears. Along with that, it was hard for her to move, as if the weight of the world was all over her.
She could not respond, despite her pride, she couldn't. Those piercing yellow eyes and black sclera, she could already see in them the hundred ways of tormenting her.
"But killing you won't give me any satisfaction, I guess I'll have a little chat with that Will of the Honkai and force to give up it's influence of my friend. And maybe yours too." Before she could think of anything else, a sharp pain tore into her head.
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"
With Kallen
Kallen cursed inwardly, despite her efforts she wasn't able to purify and save Sakura. Before her was a Herrscher now.
No more hesitating, she hated it. It all comes down to one thing, one will live and one will die.
The Herrscher summoned a ghostly Samurai-like being. With the two in tandem, it would take more efforts to take her down.
Dodging was almost impossible, when Sakura misses, the Samurai would follow-up in order to secure a hit, it is same for the other.
Only using the Chains of Judah saved her in critical moments and potentially fatal strikes. As time passes by, her strength wanes, she noticed all her energy were going into the Samurai, sucking on her like a leech.
'I would not last long, any further and these two will deliver the final blow.' She wonders about Ichigo, probably busy fending off the beast of the box.
"Oh? Tired already? I am just getting warmed up here. You humans were always pathetic in long-term fights." The Herrscher saying those insults in Sakura's voice just stings her heart.
"You pathetic lifeforms always cling into feelings of love and hope. It makes me sick, and from the memories of my Host, it only reinforced it. The truth behind this place, I'll probably do a favor for all the other ignorant worms of this world by ridding all those who live here." Deep inside, Kallen agrees, but she could not let her personal feelings and the actions of a few to judge a whole village.
"It may seem like that...." Kallen whispered, but loud enough for her enemy to hear.
"Still feeling confident? Please, let me hear your thoughts~" The Herrscher drawls out while inching the blade on the nun's heart.
"Feelings, emotions? We are not human if we do not have that. Despite the odds stacked against humanity, we persevere. We cling to our feelings as a lifeline, showing defiance to those who seek to break us. Even in the face of death, we will spit on your face, knowing you won't take satisfaction from our unbreakable resolve." Kallen's face drips with sweat, but her words and feeling were true, she may know that she may not survive now, but she will not give satisfaction to the Honkai.
The Herrscher narrowed her eyes, offended by her words "How amusing, despite right now you are at my mercy, you dare defy me? Well, no more games, it's time for you to die."
Before she could pierce the blade into the nun's heart, she felt pain. She stumbled to the ground, dropping the blade. With that, the Samurai disappeared.
"W-What is this? W-What caused this-KYAAAAAAAAAAAH!" The pain was more intense and she collapsed into unconsciousness.
"Could it be he succeeded? But what did he do?" Kallen wondered, with her strength back, she proceeded to remedy the situation before her.
With Shiro and Juha
The two spirits were fighting a lot of beasts, this has been going on for the past hour.
"Damn, these things flow from the forest like water broke a dam or something!" Shiro has no difficulty cutting these things down but their sheer numbers were starting to annoy him, he could no stay at one place and must always be on the the move or else he'll risk getting ganged up.
"Hey old man, how you doing up there? Anything big coming?" Shiro is capable of sensing other beasts coming, but he has to focus on what's before him.
"Nothing new, Shiro. All majority of the beasts seemed to be these bird-like creatures and those 'Chariots.' It's strange, no Hollows come up and about..." Juha was sniping multiple beasts in air with Licht Regen.
"Well with our presence combined with the little prince, the instincts of the Hollows would scream at them." Shiro pointed out while slashing another Chariot into two, h did not let up and was gone again in a burst of Sonido.
Some Honkai beasts were smart enough not to engage but stood by, waiting for a chance to strike. Wrong move on there part when they too were gone when Juha noticed them.
Shiro suddenly stopped for a moment, Juha noticed this when he also hear it.
"Looks like our little prince needs some help, though he is asking one of us." Shiro got back to fighting while speaking to Juha, said old man nodded and just signaled for Shiro to help their wielder.
"You sure?"
"I'm sure, these things won't come close to the shrine. I'll keep bombarding them with my attacks." Juha then fired of a Heilig Pfeil on a swarm of Archangel Honkai beasts coming in from the skies. The swarm were gone and not a trace of them was left behind
"You better go all out now since I'll be with our little prince. Better safe than sorry, eh?" With that, Shiro dissolved into spirit particles. The Honkai beasts noticed the shift in the environment and decided to be more aggressive in their assault.
"You lot are surely mistaken if you could overwhelm me without Shiro. Now, I'm twice the danger you'll face." Juha then formed a Reishi sword and began cutting the beasts down like it was Friday the 13th.
The battle raged on, clearly not in favor of the Honkai.
Elswhere, Location Unknown
When Ichigo delved into the mind of a Herrscher, he was not expecting this.
Before him was a place with multidude of colors swirling around, as if the Dimensional Gap in DxD.
What he also saw was Higokumaru, her eyes devoid of life and chained into a pillar. Since she was linked to Sakura, he could also see the priestess but not in the same state as the fox.
"Sakura! Are you alright?" Rushing towards the priestess, he caught her attention.
"I-Ichigo, but how? No wait! Don't come any closer!" She warned him but it was too late. An unseen force suddenly pushed the reaper away from the priestess.
"What the-?!" He then regained his balance and readied himself for a fight.
"Interesting, but futile." A deep voice came out of nowhere, and then it appeared.
'You got to be shitting me....' This is one battle I need to go all out on.
"You are wondering who I am? Well you humans always call me the Will of the Honkai, but you insects do not have the privilege of knowing seeing as you will all die."
"You-! There's no mistaking it, you're Dormammu!" I tensed, I don't know enough about him but being a conqueror of worlds. It fits though, the Marvel Universe lore about hims states he thirsts for conquest of all things. Here he dominates over civilizations.
"Hoh~ you know of me, insect? I can see that from your appearance alone, you are cut above all else of the insects the flocks in this world. I'll relish your screams as I take over your body!" He knows I'm different, but did he sense my energy or did he just ignores it? Nevertheless, I won't hold anything back and I called to the two souls with me for help, at least one of them.
"Getsuga Tenshou!" I fired off from my zanpakuto, Dormammu quickly went and dodged it.
"You still try and fight? You should just give up now and save me the trouble on wasting my power here!" He is being very persistent, crystals and energy blasts come form all sides but luckily I was quick on my feet. Some managed to hit me but all it did was damage my clothes.
The battle with the cosmic entity from the Dark Dimension lasted for hours, but in the real world it was mere seconds. It was a stalemate. From the looks of it, I could see some injuries on his face, but is was really hard to see it because of his appearance.
'Strange, I should be on the losing side here. Even though Shiro or Juha is not here to help me. Maybe he is Dormammu, but not the same from Marvel.'
By suprise, Dormammu, then tried to bind me and used a huge amount of power to send a blast of cosmic energy towards me.
I broke free, but I was a little to late. The blast hit me and it took all my willpower no to lose hold of my zanpakuto.
I then poured my energy through the daito and activated Blut Vene. With that, I used my Hollow side to heal any wounds I had.
"You-! How can you be still standing?! You should have been weakened enough by now?! How can you match my power?!" At the same time, someone had arrived and it was Shiro.
"Yo Prince! I heard you needed help about somethi-! Whoah! Didn't expect it to be him of all people to be the enemy of all mankind!" Shiro was shocked, of course, maybe Marvel existed too in the anime universe.
"What is this? Another you? No, he's the same but also different from you..." Dormammu was clearly confused, and on alert. Things were getting interesting by the moment. Shiro then began to engage him as I try to speak to Sakura.
Sakura continued on to watch as events unfold before her. She could not believe it, someone fought and still fighting the entity of the Honkai itself, now called Dormammu. All her time here thought it was impossible to beat the Honkai and she simply awaits for death in the real world.
Time after time, Ichigo shows her that mankind can fight back, even if he did not show up. She blames herself for being too weak, too easily swayed. She could not help but cry at this.
"You don't have to blame yourself, you know?" Ichigo called out to her, snapping her from her stupor
"Sometimes, we all have that time where we feel weak, inadequate. We're only human, well as far as you can call someone like me human." He continued on, "Being human is admitting your faults, knowing your limits, being afraid, having a heart. But by being brave, you will change your faults, passing your limits, facing your fears, and sharing out your heart."
"Sometimes, we all needed a little help when we fall down. To see in our darkest moments, and to accept our hatred instead of bottling up." He continued forwards facing his enemy, with Shiro just behind him giving a grin.
"If you truly want to be free of your own pain, then be the one who will help other not to feel the same pain you went through." He charged, Dormammu now on guard on the sudden strike.
From those words, Sakura let her tears freely and felt the darkness in her heart fade away. The chains that bind her consciousness broke. At the same time, the immobile consciousness of Higokumaru seem to being filled with life, despite looking devoid of it.
The chains that binds Higokumaru were starting to crack.
With Ichigo and Shrio
"Hey Shiro, ready to be annoying?" I asked in a teasing manner
"You don't mean THAT? Do you?" Shiro also snickers, it was obvious what am I about to do the evil entity.
Saying no more, I shunpoed in front of the face of the behemoth.
"Dormammu! I've come to bargain!"
I resisted the urge to laugh, Shiro then stood by, in case things go south, but from the looks of it, he too is resisting the urge to laugh out loud.
"You've come to die..." With that, he barraged me with energy in hopes of eradicating my consciousness and for him to take over. But alas, he failed and I just shunpoed beside his head.
"I've come to bargain!"
"You've come to die!" This time it was more intense,
'Wow, I'm really getting into his nerves, if he has some...'
And for the third time, with force now "I said, Dormammu, I've come to bargain!"
I used my reiatsu to force him to submit, but it was not enough.
"What kind of trickery is this?!" He tried to blast me again but now I fought back, with Shiro being here I could use Bankai, but I decided against that, instead I went for another alternative.
I mustered enough to try and sound like an annoyed person "You are an all-powerful entity hellbent on destroying humanity, are you deaf or something?! I said I'VE COME TO BARGAIN!"
My Vasto Lorde mask manifested on my head along with my double-toned voice, also with that the pressure increased tenfold.
Dormammu shut up after that, and while after I continued, "Good, let's get to business."
"......"
"Now, this bargain will benefit you more than us, so I suggest you TAKE it. You will leave here unharmed so we can settle this on another time and free Sakura and the fox or you stay here and try your chances of winning."
"......." He did not respond, his eyes show defiance
"You really don't like things not going your way? Fine, I guess I think we need to put more FORCE to this negotiation!" With him being immobilized my the pressure I've caused, I am free to do what I please to him, and I decided to charge a Cero towards his face.
"!!!!" He's still does not want to respond, but from the looks of it he does not want my attack tearing through him.
"FINE! YOU CAN HAVE THOSE TWO INSECTS BACK! BUT MARK MY WORDS, THE NEXT TIME WE'LL MEET IT WILL BE YOUR END!" I released the pressure but keep on hold of the Cero in case he does not honor his side of the deal.
Soon, his presence was gone and from the looks of this mindscape it was getting clearer.
Though some thoughts came into my mind, he could easily fight me to a standoff but decided not to. He could have counter my pressure with his own. What changed?
Maybe it was my Quincy side, maybe my Cero was capable enough of destroying the soul of those unlucky enough to be hit with it, maybe because he is a different Dormammu of this universe.
Well no matter, that was another puzzle to be solve later. For now, I need to see to Sakura.
With Kallen
Relief flowed through her as she saw Sakura wake up. She saw the same eyes that show the calmness of the priestess.
"Thank goodness you're back!" Kallen hugged the priestess as the same responded back
"How are you feeling, what happened?" She said she was okay, albeit her head hurts. On what happened though, she cannot say what she saw and just said it was better for Ichigo to exlplain what happened.
Speak of the devil, Ichigo had just arrived when the two were hugging each other, with a bundle of joy sleeping in his arms.
He called them out "Hey we won!"
The two then went to the reaper and was surprised on the person on his arms.
"A little girl?" The two said at the same time, though it clicked into their heads that this was the entity inside the box.
"She was the fox isn't it?" Kallen pointed out, she could not believe all this time the monster trapped inside the box was a little girl despite the fact she was possessed by the Honkai. Her features were obvious too since the said child has fox ears and tails.
"Yeah, well Sakura, you noticed her back at the mindscape right?" The priestess nodded, pity for the girl and anger on who could do such a thing to a child.
"Mindscape? What happened exactly? When I was fighting Sakura's possessed form, she just collapsed."
"When I was fighting the berserk fox of the girl, I subdued her and delved into her mind. From there, I will try and purge the Honkai from her head, it was more complicated though. Her mind and Sakura's mind were linked by the Will of the Honkai or should I say Dormammu. Inside, I forced a deal towards him." Kallen was shocked and stared into Sakura for confirmation, the priesstess just nodded.
"Yes, it was unbelievable. Though why you forced a deal and why not defeat Dormammu once and for all and save the whole world?" That question made the two wary on what plans I may have.
"True, I could have fought him and ended it all. But the remaining Honkai here does not simply follow Dormammu, the roaming beasts and energies also carry the end goal of Dormammu, the eradication of humanity and dominion of the world. In there, I would have killed him but you and the little girl will also be lost since he still have some hold to you despite being free from the chains."
The two were speechless, it is not everyday you have the decision of the the fate of the world.
"You don't have to rush things. There are still threats to humanity more than you think. For now, enjoy the peace while it lasts." Then the little girl was starting to wake up.
We three were anticipating it, we decided to go inside the house and setted the girl on a futon. Sakura went ahead and prepared some necessary supplies.
"Ichigo, I may need to check on Sakura and the kid. I need to purge the remaining traces of the Honkai. I may have failed before but now we must be cautious." I nodded and asked her on any traces of the Honkai outside she responded that Juha took care of the wave and any stragglers.
"Also, there was also a blade the Sakura used when she was possessed. I may need to take a look at it too." Kallen hurried but I said I'll take care of the blade.
Immediately, I went outside and saw Jizo Mitama lodged on the ground. As I went near to it, there was traces on energy but no malicious ones either.
I grabbed the hilt and felt the blade, "So it's just a regular Divine Key now, huh?"
I did some practice swings with it, surprisingly, I could also call forth the Samurai.
The Samurai may also mimic my actions but it's really main function as a separate entity. Kind of like those Stands in JoJo, no wonder some players of Honkai referenced this blade to it.
Sakura and Kallen came out, along with the girl, 'Even though I know her name, I don't want to be suspicious enough.'
They see me practicing and noticed the Samurai warrior, the two were on alert and the kid was panicking.
"Wait, I'm the one who summoned it! No need to worry about it! See?" And by demonstration, the Samurai disappeared.
"How can you use it without going mad?" Kallen and Sakura said in surprise, the girl also look liked she was to ask about it too.
"Well, this sword is now just a regular sword, no ones going to be mad. Or maybe because mind control doesn't affect me?" I also asked myself, Shiro responded in my head.
'Well yeah, me and Juha prevent any mind control over you. But you are also right about one thing, the sword is now just a sword which is also capable of summoning the Samurai or in their words, a Divine Key.'
'Huh, so that's how it is.' I beckoned the girls to get closer and see it for themselves.
After they are done inspecting the Divine Key, Kallen decided it to be safe with Sakura. The priestess denied it though with some persuasion from the me, the nun, and the little girl for her to keep it.
Now another matter is the little girl, she felt me staring to her and by response. "U-Uhm, my name is Higokumaru, Mr. Reaper!" She said that in a cute manner and bowed, we three shared soft smiles at her.
"Hahahaha, seems to me you're still shy huh?" I ruffled her hair, it seems even the real Ichgio's brotherly instinct were included to me.
As I continue to chat with Higokumaru, the two girls watched and thought, 'He's good with kids.'
I felt I am being watched and said to the two, "Are you two okay with watching or are you going to join in?"
The two then joined in with our little bonding excercise, we then proceeded to go Rin's grave.
Graveyard
The aftermath of our fight did not go unnoticed, many villagers went up ahead to see what happened. The villagers knew the Honkai beasts invaded the village when the saw the air raid of the beasts, immediately they panicked and from inside their houses they watched as the carnage unfold.
After all things were settled, they proceeded to go to the hill and they saw us. I noticed them and gave them warning looks, especially the elders.
"Yae Sakura, get away from the demon!" One elder shouted, I do not know if it was me he was referring to or Higokumaru.
Some villagers then focused their gaze on Higokumaru, then on me. It seems they too were confused. On Higokumaru's part, she might seem like a youkai that preys on souls. On my part, the less said the better.
Before Kallen and Sakura were about to responded to the callings of the elders, I exerted my reiatsu to the elders.
"You know, you old coots are either brave or foolish. You dare call out to your preistess when your betrayed her trust!" I manifested my sword and pointed it to them, adding a little effect, I doused my blade with reiatsu at it was laced in blue energy.
"The villagers are innocent to this matter as they do not know anything. But the truth of all comes out now." The look on their faces were filled with fear as they paled.
"Does anyone of you wonder what happened to a missing family member?" Many, well all of them wondered. From it alone I could say that the elders sacrificed anyone in the village.
One boy stood forward, "I wonder where my Onee-chan went, she said she has to go for a long time for the sake of the village. It has been many months since then. Onii-san do you know where she went?" He was hopeful, I hate to see all hopeful faces like him drown in despair with what I am about to say.
All of the villagers were anticipating it, some of them were figuring out the puzzle and sent shocked and angry looks towards the elders and saying 'You don't mean that elders-?!'
I nodded to those angry ones and to the hopeful ones I spoke further, "Your sister, I'm sorry to say it but your sister is dead."
"You're lying! Onee-chan said she would only be gone for a long time! She will be back, I just know it!" The boy cried out, as much as I want to say otherwise I cannot. As if by chance, a soul emerged from nowhere.
"Otouto..." Here was the soul of the boy's older sister, I'm sure I performed Soul Burial on all the souls, maybe some of them knew of my presence and hid from me.
"Onee-chan! I knew it!" But something held him back, it was the Chain of Fate over her sister's soul.
"I'm sorry, but he is telling the truth. I am dead. He will explain of my presence here." She then gave a glare towards the elders as the elders pale more considerably.
It seems the souls that I cleansed stayed longer as right now, more and more souls of the family members of the villagers emerged from nowhere.
"As you can see, these are the souls of the deceased, or your loved ones, and me? I am the one tasked to ferry the souls of the dead to the afterlife, a Shinigami or Soul Reaper." I said with authority that I could muster, the villagers, the elders, and the new souls sent me looks of awe, reverie, and fear.
"If it were any other Shinigami, they would not care on what your thoughts of your loved ones and just did their duty. Well, I did just that a few days ago but those souls were long overdue their stay here in the living world and was about to become monsters. These monsters they may turn into may hunt you down and eat your soul." With that, they were filled with fear. I calmed them down and said it was solved.
"Now, it is better for these new souls here to explain what happened in their absence. As for you elders, you won't be going anywhere." I was just about to subdue them when black chains came out from the ground and binded the foolish old coots to their place.
The onlookers were shocked, and even me too. But closer inspection, I was surprised, these were the Chains of Hell.
'It seems I could call on the powers of Hell itself, neat.' I decided to study on it later and focused on the matter at hand.
When Kallen, Sakura, and Higokumaru asked about the chains I said I too was surprised but I was familiar with them. I told them we'll talk about it later and watch as events unfold.
Minutes later, the villagers were livid from the stories of each soul. They wanted to clobber the elders and maybe leave them for dead but I stop them and told them their punishment is far more worse.
They watched on as I called on to the Gates of Hell.
Before everyone else, a gigantic double door appeared. (You know what it looks like, the Gates of Hell in Bleach, in case you don't know, Google it)
It opened and everyone felt chills on their backs as they hear the tortured screams of souls inside the gate, as well as an ominous laugh.
"Here you are, being judged. The tightness of those chains that bind all of you determine the weight of your sins." All of the elders were tightly bound, from their mouth to their feet. I could still see their pleading eyes towards me saying 'Please, have mercy!'
I narrowed my eyes, "You and your traditions caused this. I do not blame you for following traditions, but the way you did them is beyond forgiveness. You all must know what this gate is, right? Well for those who are dying to know its name, this is the Gates of Hell."
Everyone was shocked at the revelation, now the cries of the elder were more profound. The villagers stopped for a moment but jeered even louder
Sakura came forward with her hair covering her eyes. The villagers thought it was fitting for her to deliver the final judgement, knowing what happened to her sister Rin. The circumstances of her sister's death weren't revealed but the villagers knew her sister's body was weak and with the revelation of the elders' transgressions, it all came into place.
"All this time, I wanted to kill you all. To make you suffer...." The crowd was intent on listening and continued to cheer on, some of the elders just knelt and accepted their fate while the remaining ones continue to plead.
"But killing you won't bring her back and I would just let my hatred win...." With that, they were shocked. Kallen smiled, 'This must be her change since the possession.'
Kallen stared to at me, 'You are a lot different than the others...' Her gaze held a new found respect
At the same moment, Rin appeared too and the elders were again shocked.
"Onee-chan..." She called out, Sakura then backed away from them and proceeded to talk with her sister.
"I'll do my best to safeguard this village, and not let other befall what has happened to me." Sakura faced the villagers with burning resolve, the boy from earlier was speaking to his sister as his sister told him to become strong and not let hatred dictate his life.
The boy then shouted, "Then I too Priestess-sama will help you in your duties here!"
More followed his declaration, clearly moved. I stared at the scene before me with wonder.
'There's nothing better than unity in one goal. This is what you call hope.'
Sakura was bombarded from all side by cheers and approvals from the villagers. She cannot keep up and just went with the flow.
'In all my life, I've never been this happy....' She continued to watch around her as she receives more approvals.
Her eyes met mine, I smiled to her and mouthed 'This is what I mean, you don't have to be alone anymore.'
At that moment, something in her heart lit up. Now her gaze was filled with longing.
Her tears of joy flowed and just said "Thank You, Ichigo."
It was time to decide their fates, and Sakura mustered her strength.
"I am not the one who will judge your fates, but he will." She pointed to me, I thought she was going to do it, but I accepted her decision.
"Sending you to Hell right now will look like a mercy." I called out, the onlookers were watching intently on what will happen next.
"Then now, I hereby judge you all. Those chains will never leave you as long as you do not repent. If any of you die while those chains are still bounded to your soul, you will be dragged into Hell. Those chains will only leave you when you truly change for the better and true change in your hearts." The elders nodded profusely, I added "I cannot guarantee your freedom though, the villagers will determine your other punishments as you continue to live."
The villagers where overjoyed but I told them, "Do not let your hopes go up, Hell does not choose anyone. As you live, try to become the same person you were after this.' That shut them up, well I am only a ferryman, as much as it is a joke.
"All of you souls, it is time to go. Staying anymore here will just endanger the lives of the living. Form a line please!" I commanded and they did what I told, as a bonus I allowed them to say their last goodbyes.
"Rin...." Sakura called out, it looks like she was about to cry again but she knows that her sister will rest now.
"Onee-chan, please don't worry about me okay? You need to look after yourself too alright?" Rin hugged her sister tightly.
She then whispered, "You better win his heart Onee-chan. I can see Kallen-san looking at him like you did earlier too."
With that, Sakura shouted denials of it and everyone stared at the two siblings in amusement, and questionable looks saying 'What happened?'
After few minutes everything was settled, the elders still chained up but now has some villagers guarding them in case some of them has any funny ideas. It was then the wind picked up.
The breeze then showed the petals of some Cherry Blossoms nearby, one in the village and some in the forests.
Everybody appreciated the sight, looking forward for the days to come.
AN: I'll be damned, this is one on the longest chapter I've ever written, 5.3k words. Yesterday I was coming up for the fights scenes and just dreamed of Dormammu being the Will of the Honkai. Funny isn't it? I intended for Dormammu to be the same in Marvel but that will just kill our main character. We do not have the Time Stone.
To be honest I planned it all up until speaking with Higokumaru but the extra scenes after it, the villagers, the elders, the new Soul Burials, it all came with me in a whim and just typed them normally.
Well now at least I've confirmed a pairing, or pairings:
Yae Sakura x Ichigo x Kallen
I really intended it to be only for Sakura but it will not be fair for Kallen to be left out. I just need to think of the scene were her feelings will sort out.
PS: Well this is gotta be my fastest update as of now, just a day before the previous. Don't expect me to do this frequently. And please, give me your thoughts with no flames please! Constructive Criticism is appreciated!
PSS: Edited some grammatical errors... Makes me dizzy....