XxChapter 62: HEART OF WOLFxX

Haschwalth stood in front of Kyouraku Shunsui and Ise Nanao in the 1st Division barracks. Between him and the Shinigami was a dark-tinted barrier, preventing his advance.

"This is..." Haschwalth said to himself as he poked the barrier with his sword. A rippling effect occurred, but his blade could not pierce the wall. "It's not working... It feels as though my power is being repelled... or perhaps absorbed?"

Nanao spoke the answer to Haschwalth's thoughts. "Hakudan Keppeki. (White Severing Boundary Wall) It's a protective barrier that prevents Quincy powers from advancing, if only temporarily." She explained.

The Sternritter Grandmaster turned his attention to her. "1st Division Lieutenant Ise Nanao... is this Kidou your doing?" He asked.

"I'm surprised you know me. I was promoted to Lieutenant solely based on my talent for Kidou. A spell like this is easy to make."

Shunsui made input from the background. "Come now, don't say that! I didn't promote you just 'cause you're good with Kidou."

"Be quiet, Captain." Nanao interrupted, turning her attention back to Haschwalth. "You made a mistake when you left traces of your Reiatsu across the Seireitei during your last invasion. It's like you're asking us to figure out a strategy against it."

"Interesting..." Haschwalth drawled. "Then let me ask you something else. You're obviously skilled with Kidou, but... Are the other Captains able to use this spell too?" He inquired.

Nanao narrowed her eyes at him and made a long pause. "...No."

"I see..."

Suddenly, a massive explosion appeared in the distance behind the Shinigami. It was loud, big, and high in the air. Shunsui and Nanao quickly turned around to give it their attention, as at the same moment a very important Reiatsu diminished.

Unperturbed, Haschwalth continued his speech. "You shouldn't have stopped at just creating this technique. You should have spent the time to perfect it, so that others could use it as well. If you had done so... Your soldiers may have died in an even fight, rather than just being executed like this."

As the dust from the explosion cleared, the small figure of a person fell to the ground below...

XxBreakxX

Blood splattered the ground as Hitsugaya Toushirou fled from his opponent. The new hole in his chest was bleeding profusely, and he was very glad it didn't hit anything fatal. It was still very impactful though, and had forced Toushirou to retreat.

His opponent, however, wasn't satisfied with that decision. "Oi oi oi!" Bazz-B yelled as he gave chase. "Don't be running away now, you're a Captain!"

The white-haired Captain quickly swung his Zanpakutou towards Bazz-B, sending a wave of ice.

"I told you it won't reach me!" Bazz-B yelled, simply swinging one of his fingers to melt a gash through the ice, which he moved through.

Suddenly, the ice he had melted turned into mist around him, obscuring his view. Bazz-B touched the ground and observed his surroundings. "Now it's mist? You love these cheap tricks, don't you?" Bazz-B said, lifting his right foot high into the air.

"Burning Stomp!"

Slamming his foot down, the Sternritter expelled a blast of heat that evaporated all the mist around him in an instant. To his surprise, Toushirou was waiting right in front of him.

"The hell? Don't just stand in front of me, are you stupid? You probably should've taken this chance to hide. Maybe think up a plan or something?"

Toushirou was breathing heavily, blood dripping down his chin from the internal damage of Burner Finger 1. "You're right... but I didn't have time for any of that. But I did have time to make a trap." He revealed, as a multiple snowflakes appeared on the ground surrounding Bazz-B.

Bazz-B calmly watched as ice rose from the flakes and started to attach to him.

"Rokui Hyouketsujin. (Six-Clothed Ice Binding-Array)"

Suddenly ice rose from the ground in a massive pillar and engulfed Bazz-B. But almost as soon as the tower rose it burst into water and hit the ground.

Toushirou looked on in disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me..."

"That's MY line." Bazz-B said as he calmly walked through the falling water. "How many times do I have to tell you that only ONE of my fingers can melt anything you make? Or are you try to piss me off... and convince me to use two!?"

The young Captain grabbed his sword and dashed at Bazz-B in a last-ditch attempt. Bazz-B reared back his hand, holding out his index and middle fingers, which were coated in fire.

"Burner Finger... 2!"

Bazz-B swung downwards once Toushirou got close enough, and the results were devastating. A massive tower of flame burst upwards high into the sky. Like the epicenter to a bomb, wind flew outwards towards all the surroundings.

Toushirou, though, was standing stock-still after the explosion subsided. As the broken tip to Hyourinmaru hit the ground, the full extent of what Bazz-B's attack did became apparent. Two strips of pure white ran diagonally across his torso, and two smouldering holes of a similar white color were on the ground if you followed the trajectory.

These streaks of white were the remains of skin burnt so bad and deep that all pigmentation was gone.

And Toushirou fell.

Bazz-B started to walk towards his downed opponent, but was stopped by a voice. "That's enough, Bazz-B. I thought we agreed to leave each Captain to the ones who stole their respective Bankai." As the new arrival landed next to Bazz-B, it was revealed to be Cang Du.

"I'll be the one to finish him off." He said.

On the ground, Toushirou struggled to keep conscious as the two Quincies conversed above him.

XxBreakxX

In the Twelfth Division's Research and Development Institute, Kurotsuchi Mayuri sensed what was going on outside. "Two Reiatsu have vanished..."

One of the scientists working on the computers grimly looked at his Captain. "Yes. Captain Suì-Fēng... and Captain Hitsugaya..."

"I see..." Mayuri drawled. "It appears I was correct. In the end, only I could effectively fight without using Bankai."

Suddenly, a voice rang into Mayuri's ear. "Hello~ Nice! It worked! Heyo, Urahara Kisuke here!"

With a look of anger on his face, Mayuri hissed into his earpiece. "...you!"

"I found... a way to recover one's Bankai."

And like that, anything Mayuri was going to say stopped in its tracks.

XxBreakxX

Bazz-B gave his ally an indifferent look. "You trying to steal my prey, Cang Du? His Majesty won't like it."

Cang Du looked at Bazz-B. "And I do believe it was His Majesty who decided that we would kill the Captain we stole Bankai from."

Bazz-B spat in frustration and turned to leave. With the Sternritter gone, Cang Du finally turned his attention to Toushirou, who was barely hanging onto his consciousness as he laid face-down. He reached into his cloak and pulled out a body, dropping it to the ground.

It was Matsumoto Rangiku, eyes wide and blood pouring from her neck. She wasn't moving.

Toushirou turned his head and looked at his Lieutenant's body with horror. "...Matsumoto!"

"She wasn't very far away..." Cang Du explained. "So I brought her here. She's your precious Lieutenant, isn't she? Then she should die with you."

Cang Du moved Rangiku's body next to Toushirou's and drew his bladed claw. "I'm Sternritter "I" - The Iron: Cang Du. That which lived together should die together. It's a philosophy I follow."

"Bankai: Daiguren Hyourinmaru. (Second Release: Great Crimson Ice Ring)"

With those words, the beautiful wings and tail of ice that made Toushirou's Bankai took form around Cang Du. Toshiro's eyes widened at the sight.

"This is indeed your Bankai. I assume it's strange seeing it from another point of view..." Cang Du paused. "It's a beautiful Bankai for certain. It also lived together with you. Taking this from you, and allowing it to live on even after your death..."

"It truly breaks my heart."

XxBreakxX

"What was that?" Mayuri said, holding his fingers to the earpiece on his headdress. "I believe you said something about regaining one's Bankai?"

"Yes! Well, to be precise, I found a limitation in the way the Quincies steal Bankai. By exploiting this weakness, it's very possible to not only return the stolen Bankai to their owners, but block all future theft as well!" Urahara Kisuke explained, being revealed as the voice on the audio feed.

"I see, I see..." Mayuri said. "It seems your research met wonderful results."

"Well~ It's not too hard when you're me!"

"But that is another matter entirely. You have somehow managed to install a communication device into my clothing without my permission. A deadly sin if I had my way." Mayuri said as he started to dig out the communication device from his headpiece.

"Eh?! You're going to cut communications?!"

"Farewell."

"No, wait don't hang up!"

And with that, Mayuri crushed the earpiece. But almost instantly, a Senkaimon opened behind the scientist with Kisuke jumping out.

"Kidding~" He said with a dumb grin, startling many of the scientists in the room. "I'm sorry, did I scare you? I was calling from the Dangai, actually."

Kisuke finally changed to a serious expression and looked at Mayuri. "As you can see... your cooperation would be very helpful, Kurotsuchi-taicho."

Mayuri let out an exasperated breath. "If only, I'm afraid. As you can see, the Quincies have pretty much stripped the entire Research and Development Institute bare."

"Nonono! What are you talking about?!" Kisuke said while wagging his finger. "Don't you still have 'that room' as well?" He said before pointing at the room where Mayuri and Nemu emerged from, the bright light inside still shining.

Mayuri gave Kisuke a narrow-eyed look.

"I must say, you've done a very good job, Captain Kurotsuchi." The former Captain complimented. "You managed to find and counter the properties of the Quincy 'shadows'. Very impressive. Now as I was saying... Will you be cooperating with me?"

XxBreakxX

Inside the bright room was a myriad of machinery the Twelfth Division would normally use. The floor panels, walls, and ceilings were all made of light, leaving not a single shadow. When the Quincies took over the Seireitei, this room was untouched. Scientists worked frantically to make preparations for Kisuke's plan.

"Locate all Captains and Lieutenants!" Akon instructed. "Send out the mod-bugs and have them hack the Quincy electronics. We'll connect and use them from here!"

"It's not connecting, sir!" A male scientist at a computer informed.

"Of course not! We've never done it before! Keep trying and we'll get it done!" Akon reassured.

Over near Mayuri, Kisuke reached into his robe and pulled out a handful of black pills. "These are Shineiyaku (Shadow-Raiding Drugs)."

Mayuri looked them over. "Are those your solution?"

"Yes." Kisuke confirmed. "With these, we should be able to return all stolen Bankai and prevent further theft. After hearing that some Captains had their Bankai stolen during the first invasion, I opted to remain in Hueco Mundo." He explained.

"It was there I found a clue as to how to stop the Quincy from stealing Bankai. As you most likely know, Captain Kurotsuchi, an Arrancar's Resurrección allows them to transform a portion of their soul into a sword, and regain even greater power upon releasing it. Fundamentally, it's almost identical to a Shinigami's Bankai."

Kisuke paused, ensuring Mayuri was following his train of thought. "If a Shinigami's Bankai can be stolen, it stands to reason that an Arrancar's Resurrección could be stolen in the same manner. Yet... not a single Arrancar in Hueco Mundo had their Resurrección taken, and it's not because the Quincy have no interest in the Arrancar. Quite the contrary, actually, considering how many they captured for use in their army."

"However, they don't steal Resurreccións. There can only be two reasons for this. Either-"

Mayuri then interrupted him. "Either Resurrección cannot be stolen, or... doing so would be disadvantageous to the Quincy. Considering our research regarding Hollows, I see no reason why a Bankai can be stolen and a Resurrección can not. In this case, I believe it's fair to examine the possibility of doing so being detrimental to the Quincies."

Kisuke smiled at his fellow scientist's observations.

"We've managed to locate all Captains and Lieutenants within and outside the Seireitei!" A scientist informed. "We have the Tenteikuura (Heavenly Charged Sky Net) ready for transmission and are starting communications!"

"Very nice..." The candy shop owner said.

XxBreakxX

Across the Seireitei, Urahara Kisuke's voice rang out in all Captain's and Lieutenant's ears.

"Hello~ Captains and Lieutenants of the Gotei Thirteen! I'm Urahara Kisuke. Some of you might not know me, but extended introductions can wait."

Shinji chuckled to himself. "Who WOULDN'T know, jeez."

"Simultaneously with this communication, we've also sent a black pill to each of you. It's a drug that only affects those with Bankai. If you would please touch it with your hands or feet, you'll allow it to be absorbed directly into your body. It will then penetrate your very soul and take effect."

Still flat on the ground, Toushirou weakly dragged his hand over to the pill in front of him and touched it with his index and middle fingers.

"What is that?" Cang Du inquired.

XxBreakxX

After the transmission concluded, Mayuri started explaining the thought process behind the cure. "Regarding the Quincies, there was always one thing I was curious about. Perhaps their undying hatred and hostility towards Hollows ISN'T borne of tradition. Such things are born of different ideologies, which a mindless Hollow does not have. There is only one reason a group of beings would keep such a severe grudge for so long... Primordial fear towards that which threatens their existence."

"Exactly." Kisuke agreed. "The Quincies are a race with no natural defenses against Hollows. Almost everything about a Hollow is paramount to poison for a Quincy. If they are wounded by a Hollow, Reiatsu seeps into their soul and damages their own Reiatsu, and in some cases destroys the soul. They can't 'Hollowfy' like Shinigami either. That's why the Quincies must hunt and destroy Hollows."

Kisuke then held up a remaining Shineiyaku. "Based on that logic... if we can harness even a tiny amount of Hollow power, and 'Hollowfy' a Bankai itself..."

"That Bankai will become poison to the Quincies."

XxBreakxX

The left wing of Daiguren Hyourinmaru burst to pieces on Cang Du's shoulder, and blood spewed from the same area. As the pieces of ice hit the ground, Cang Du calmly looked at them, unmindful of his shoulder wound.

"...what's going on?" He then heard movement behind him, and saw none other than Toushirou getting to his feet, the left wing of his Bankai firmly in place. Ice ran across his burns, and allowed him to stand up.

Cang Du pulled the medallion that held Toushirou's Bankai from his cloak and examined it. "My medallion is completely normal, so why is the Bankai starting to return to you? What have you done?"

Toushirou managed a smile. "Who knows? Maybe Hyourinmaru... just wanted to come home." He finished, looking Cang Du in the eyes.

XxBreakxX

BG9 stood over Suì-Fēng's broken and burnt body, tendrils extending from his body and touching her all over. Suddenly, Suì-Fēng was no longer in front of the Sternritter. He turned his attention to Oumaeda Marechiyo, who held onto Suì-Fēng's body.

"My data did not indicate your Shunpo (Flash Step) was that proficient. It matters not. Do you intend to resist even after having your Captain defeated? I had planned on collecting more data before she died."

Marechiyo ignored him, instead addressing Suì-Fēng. "Captain... take this." He said while dropping a Shineiyaku into her hand, causing it to start absorbing into her immediately. "The explanation was really complicated, and I didn't exactly get it, but... with this, you should be able to use your Bankai again."

"And what might you be mumbling about?" BG9 asked. "After detonating my explosives so close to myself, the efficiency of my parabolic reflectors decreases. Would you mind speaking louder?"

Suddenly, what felt like a huge weight tugged on his lower-left torso, causing him to slump over. "What is this? The connection between the medallion and my body isn't working."

"The Hollowfied Bankai is impairing your bodily functions." Suì-Fēng finally spoke up.

"Captain!" Marechiyo exclaimed. "You were listening?"

Suì-Fēng chuckled despite the horribly wounded state she was in, burns covering most of her facial features. "Of course I was. There's no way I could've stayed out at the sound of that annoying fool's voice."

She then turned her attention to BG9. "Bankai: Jakuho Raikoben. (Second Release: Hornet Thunder Whip)" She said calmly, causing the massive yellow and black construct to appear on her right arm.

"What?!" BG9 yelled in surprise. "Why did your Bankai return to you?!"

Suì-Fēng chuckled again. "Who knows... you'll probably get all the data you need when it's in your face." She said, struggling but succeeding to point her Bankai at the robotic Quincy.

"Oumaeda! Brace me." The Captain ordered.

Marechiyo got behind her and supported her shoulders. "Yessir!"

Jakuho Raikoben's missile flew towards BG9, landing a direct hit and dealing a huge explosion.

XxBreakxX

Cang Du ignored the heavy winds that battered his cloak from the shockwave of Suì-Fēng's attack. He still had one wing of Daiguren Hyourinmaru on his right shoulder. "I'd rather you not underestimate us. Did you think we weren't trained in how to use the Bankai after we took it?"

Cang Du's claw became covered in ice, and he flew forwards, leaving three spiked trails of ice behind him. He heaved his arm forward, and the three rows of ice barreled towards Toushirou.

Toushirou simply held up his wing and the attack stopped on a dime, the ice becoming part of the wing. "I wouldn't bother..." Toushirou informed. "It won't harm itself."

Cang Du got over his surprise quickly and engaged Toushirou in close combat. He tried a heavy overhead kick, but ice formed in its path and blocked it. Toushirou wasn't even looking at him.

"You're doing it again... stop talking as if Bankai have a will of their own." He said before continuing his assault.

Despite the ferocity of Cang Du's kicks, ice was always in his path to block them. Eventually, he ducked low and did a full upwards split kick. It was still blocked by ice, but sent Toushirou flying into the air. "I'm not a fan of Pantheism." He said before jumping into the air to give chase.

Flying through the air, Toushirou did nothing to stop his momentum. "You honestly think Bankai don't have will? That they don't have a soul?"

"It seems he does..."

Toushirou smiled. "It's been a while since I heard your voice. Welcome back... Hyourinmaru."

Toushirou finally stopped and allowed his ice to take form around him. His second wing returned, and behind him you could see the towering form of his Zanpakutou spirit. Hyorimaru appeared as a giant ice dragon with his own set of wings, looking quite formidable. Across the left half of Toushirou's face was a dragon-esque mask.

Toushirou was examining the the mask on his face. "At first I was confused, but I see now... They did say I would be briefly Hollowfying."

Cang Du's eyes widened as he noticed his part of Hyourinmaru was gone. "It's... completely vanished!"

"Oh well..." Toushirou continued. "I suppose I'll just have to deal with it."

"Shit!" Cang Du swore as he pulled up both of his claws parallel to each other, reminiscent of a jaw.

"Shé Jìn Zhǎo! (Snake-Strong Claws)"

A giant snake-like construct of Reishi flew from the Quincy's claws at Toushirou. Toushirou calmly lifted his blade and pointed it at the attack. In just an instant, Cang Du's vision went black.

"The cross-shaped flower is Hyourinmaru's crest..." Toushirou explained. "My apologies. A pentagram may have fit better."

In the sky above Toushirou, Cang Du was frozen solid in a giant cross of ice.

XxBreakxX

Sensing Cang Du's Reiatsu disappear, Bazz-B stopped and turned towards where he was fighting, immediately spotting the giant ice flower. "The hell? He tells me to leave it to him and he goes and gets beaten? Pathetic..." He said before moving on.

XxBreakxX

"It's over..." Toushirou said to himself as his Bankai began to disengage. He turned towards Rangiku's fallen form and started moving towards her.

"Just wait, Matsumoto... I'll... help..." He hit the ground, unconscious and gravely wounded.

Shortly after, a figure walked towards him and looked down on him...

XxBreakxX

In his throne, Yhwach was monitoring the battles. He noticed BG9 and Cang Du had lost their battles. "So... the Shinigami retrieved their Bankai?"

Ishida Uryuu, who was next to him, spoke up. "Didn't His Majesty assume such a thing would happen?"

"Yes. I had assumed the Captains would find a way to retake their Bankai. I was almost certain of it. But... I'm surprised at my Stern Ritter. They seem to be reveling in the extra challenge!"

XxBreakxX

"What. Are. They. Doing?" Bambietta Basterbine asked in a crisp tone of voice while seeming to toss something over her shoulder at the Shinigami behind her. A small explosion rang out and blew some of the Shinigami to pieces, to the horror of their remaining comrades.

"In the end, the Bankai weren't even OUR powers. Why are they all so butthurt that they lost them? Jeez... In fact, that doggie Captain I was supposed to fight isn't even here! His Bankai flew off to God knows where, and... hey, are you listening?" Bambietta said before turning around to find nobody behind her.

"Where did they all go?!" She yelled in frustration, stomping her foot on the ground. "I look like some crazy girl talking to herself! I thought we agreed for the five of us to travel together... You split us up, didn't you Liltotto?!" She rambled.

"Lily! Meny! Gigi! Candy! Come out now! Rrrrrgh..." A huge amount of Reiatsu built up around Bambietta before a massive explosion with her at the epicenter tore into the Seireitei.

"COME OUT!"

As the explosion subsided, Bambietta was grumbling to herself in the crater. "You guys seemed to have forgotten what happens when you embarrass your leader, haven't you? I'll remind you then... I'm turning this place into ground zero until you all come out!" She yelled.

Suddenly, a large figured landed on the ground in front of her. "Stop!"

Looking up, Bambietta saw none other than Komamura, donning a pure white armor with a helmet that covered everything but his eyes and mouth.

"...You're the doggy? You got here pretty fast. What's with the bucket on your head?" The young Sternritter inquired.

"It was a gift." He responded curtly.

"I see. Well, I'll be taking it off soon enough, so it doesn't matter. But honestly, couldn't you have waited a bit longer to show up? If you'd let me take a few more chunks outa the Seireitei your arrival would have been more dramatic and hero-like." She explained.

A new voice spoke up behind her. "Well then... I guess that just means we ain't fit to be heroes." It was Shinji, Shikai already spinning as he lazily crouched on a ledge. "I'm not exactly patient enough to sit back and watch you destroy the Seireitei. Sorry 'bout that."

"And who are you?" Bambietta asked, before suddenly her vision went haywire. Everything began warping and Shinji's figure in front of her was suddenly upside-down.

"Huh?" Shinji started. "You feelin' okay? You look kinda' sick." He joked.

"What... is this?"

"It's my Zanpakutou, Sakanade (Counter Stroke). It reverses the up, down, left, right, forward, and backwards to your vision. It's not that easy to get used to. Oh, but recently I trained to make it reverse my words too, so you probably can't understand me."

Bambietta drew her sword and ran towards Shinji, only to have him reappear behind her upside-down in the air. "I said it ain't that easy. Now I'm not in to killing young girls, but... you'll have to excuse me this time." He said before moving to stab her. Suddenly, a giant pillar of Reishi engulfed Bambietta and rose to the sky.

It was the same pillar that Quilge Opie activated. Both Komamura and Shinji looked on his surprise.

"What... is that?"

"Quincy: Vollstandig. I wasn't able to use this when I had the Bankai's Reiatsu interfering with mine, but.. I suppose I should thank you all for letting me use this power again." She explained.

At the same time, multiple other towers of light rose across the battlefield, including the locations of BG9 and Cang Du.

"You should regret having taken back your Bankai, Shinigami... This snooze of a fight filled with warm lights of hope is over. Real despair... starts NOW."

XxBreakxX

Back in the lab, Mayuri gave Kisuke a grave look. "Things seem to have turned right around again."

"Yes, but-" Kisuke was interrupted as his phone rang. He promptly picked it up and answered, only to be surprised at the caller. "Kurosaki-san?!"

XxBreakxX

"Okaaaaaaay, we're ready to go!" Kirinji Tenjirou yelled as he walked towards the entrance to the Soul Palace with Shutara Senjumaru. "What about you, Ichigo?"

"I'm ready." Ichigo said as he walked towards them. He was dressed in an entirely new outfit, with robes, scarfs, and even a bandana. Both blades of his new Zanpakutou were fastened at his waist and across his back.

As Ichigo reached the end of the path, he saw nothing but sky. "Um... where's that column-like thing you guys used to come down last time?" He asked.

"Nothing like that this time, kid. You're walking." Tenjirou informed. "Senjumaru, the stairs?"

Senjumaru tapped a cane she was holding onto the ground, and a spiral staircase seemed to build itself and wind its way downwards until you couldn't even see the end.

"We'd love to take you down with the Tenchuuren (Heavenly-Pillar Palanquin), but we can't always be usin' that. You'll be on your own this time, but don't worry. It should only take about a week with Shunpo." Tenjirou further explained. Internally, he was excited to see what kind of reaction Ichigo would give, hoping to perhaps see him freak out.

Surprisingly, he didn't. "Hm... I see. That's okay, I guess."

"Um... it's actually pretty damn far, y'know." Tenjirou input.

Ichigo gave him a tired look. "And YOU just said not to worry! If it takes a week with normal Shunpo... then I could probably get there in half a day if I really hurried. I'll manage something!"

"HAHAHAHAHA!" A loud voice echoed across the area, revealed to be Ichibei Hyousube strolling up. "You finally stopped overreacting, what a surprise. You don't really have to worry about making it in time for the fight though, because... The Quincies already started attacking about three hours ago."

Ichigo's eyes widened and he immediately jumped off the platform and started speeding down the stairs. "Tell me that sooner, bastard!"

"What was that? You were still training three hours ago!"

Suddenly, Hikifune Kirio ran up to the group, back in her fattened-up form. "Where's Ichigo-chan?!"

"He just left." Tenjirou responded, pointing towards the stairs.

Kirio ran towards the ledge and tossed a wrapped package at Ichigo. "Ichigo-chan! It's a rice ball! Eat it on the way if you get hungry!"

Ichigo caught it easily and looked back up at her. "Thanks! If I'm ever in a bind or something, I step out and eat it!"

"That boy..." Kirio said as Ichigo's form faded out of sight. "He's really changed, hasn't he. He's become strong. That undecisive Reiatsu from his last visit seems like just a memory..."

"Nonono..." Ichibei spoke up. "It's not that he's become strong. He's just grown up! In other words... He's become strong!"

Tenjirou gave him a deadpan look. "That's the same thing."

"Nonono, I'm not just talking about power. Both his body AND soul have grown. He's become a true Shinigami..."

Farther down the stairs, Ichigo was talking to Kisuke over the phone. "Basically, it'll take me some time to get there."

"I see. That's fine. Be careful though."

"Hey, Urahara-san?"

"What?"

"It might sound kinda arrogant, but... even if the fights get really hard, just hang in there until I show up. I'll definitely do something!"

"...that's fine. We'll be waiting, Kurosaki-san."

With that, the call ended. "Urahara-san didn't say anything about the condition of the Seireitei... I have to hurry." Ichigo said before gaining even more speed to his descent.

XxBreakxX

Bambietta finally emerged from the tower sporting a large set of wings with small orbs of Reishi floating alongside the edges.

Shinji look on in confusion. "What.. is that?"

Suddenly, an explosion occured at point blank range at Shinji's chest, sending him flying backwards through the air.

XxBreakxX

"Huh? Woops, my wings came out." Candice Catnipp said as she examined the lightning-like wings on her back.

"You're using Vollstandig?" Giselle Gewelle asked, laying down on the ground in a relaxed pose on her stomach. "You can use it if you want, but I don't like it. It's tiring."

"It wasn't on purpose!" Candice defended.

Meninas McAllon spoke up. "I think Bambietta-chan is using it, and your Reiatsu reacted."

"Of course she's already using it." Liltotto Lampard added in. "She was already pissed because we ditched her. It probably didn't take much to set her off again."

"Eh~ Bambi-chan's using it? Scary, scary. She's the last person who should use it. She's stupid, and always ends the fights instantly." Giselle explained.

XxBreakxX

Shinji flew through the air with smoke billowing from the impact point of Bambietta's attack. As he hit the ground, another explosion engulfed him, the female Stern Ritter not letting up her assault.

"So what if you turned every thing around? It's just a stupid trick in the end. How lame! If I don't know what's up or what's down... then I'll just blow everything up at once! That's faster! With The Explode!"

Bambietta flew up into the air and rained down a deluge of her explosives, blanketing the area where Shinji's wounded body lay. Bambietta smirked when she saw Komamura shielding Shinji's body as the smoke for the explosion faded. She was about to address him, when a voice behind her caught her attention.

"Captain!" Hinamori Momo yelled as she jumped into the air behind Bambietta.

The Quincy gave her a clever look. "And who's Lieutenant are you? The doggie's? Or maybe the dead guy's?"

Momo reared back her Shikai and Bambietta's look turned to insanity as she prepared to counterattack. But before anything could happen, Komamura appeared in front of Momo and pulled her downwards. Shortly after, Bambietta's explosives flew over their heads and created massive explosions in the air.

"You're too rash, Lieutenant Hinamori! Your Tobiume is not something that can offset her explosions! And without armor or a shield you can't block them either!"

"Block them?" Bambietta's voice sounded out behind Komamura. "You talk as if that bucket on your head is enough to protect you."

Komamura swiftly turned and swung at her, but she deftly avoided it and flew upwards, sending her explosives downwards and she ascended.

"I can't afford to be hit... there seems to be a slight interval between when her Reishi bombs collide with their target and when they explode. With armor that stops the impact, and a large body that can survive that impact... I can repel the explosion!"

As the bomb approached Komamura, he raised his hand to backhand the explosion, but suddenly something felt wrong to him.

Bambietta watched with amusement as the explosion went off, and upon looking at Komamura's body after the smoke subsided, she put her hands on her hips. "Oh well. That was pretty good, actually. You felt something wrong at the moment of impact... and moved your arm away from your head, right? Good move, doggie. Was that animal instinct, maybe?"

Komamura looked at his right hand, where his gauntlet had been destroyed. He looked at Bambietta dead in the eye, as much as you could tell with the helmet.

"Yup... my explosions can't be blocked. I'm not firing Reishi bombs. Whatever I fire my Reishi into... BECOMES the bomb." The Quincy revealed.

Momo's eyes widened at the revelation, realizing just how close she was to having her own Zanpakuto explode in her hands. "No way..."

Bambietta wasted no time as she gained altitude and began raining down dozens of her Reishi shots.

"Lieutenant Hinamori! Stay behind me!" Komamura instructed as he leaned over Shinji's wounded body and braced for the coming explosions.

A much larger set of explosions than anything Bambietta had done so far rocked the battlefield, and as the smoke began to clear, she addressed her targets. "How was that? I doubt you're dead just because I ruined your armor. Let's what's under that bucket of yours~" She sing-songed, only to stop dead in her tracks with her eyes wide.

With the smoke mostly gone, what was revealed was not the form of Komamura most were familiar with, but a tall, muscled human with long blonde hair and blue eyes. Bits of fur covered his forearms, and his ears were still that of a wolf's. A strap with a metal plate over his heart wrapped around his upper torso.

"The hell... You're not a doggie anymore?"

XxFlashbackxX

"Human Transformation Technique." Komamura's great-grandfather said as he lay wounded on the ground in front of an equally disheveled Komamura.

"Is that... the name of our clan's secret ritual?" Komamura questioned.

The elder's head shifted a bit. "Yes... as punishment for the sins they committed in life, our wolf clan was sent to the Animal Realm. But... since they did not die beforehand, they were eventually sent to the Soul Society. By temporarily removing the chains that bind our clan, we can regain the form we had before being sent to the Animal Realm and turned into wolves, and the immense power that comes with it. THAT is the Human Transformation Technique."

"And how would I do this?"

The elder pushed a small sake cup towards Komamura with one of his nails. "Relinquish your heart. Gouge out your heart with your very own hands and offer it to me. I will then teach you the Human Transformation Technique."

Komamura's eyes widened at the conditions, and he looked at his own hand with trepidation.

"Can you not do it?" The elder remarked. "That's okay, you know. You aren't obligated to throw your life away for some filthy Shinigami."

"But I am." Komamura firmly responded. "I couldn't stand the way our clan lived in the shadows... and shamelessly abandoned it and fled. It was Genryusai-dono who saved me from myself during those times."

Komamura looked the elder dead in the eyes. "I owe him a great debt... and he was killed by the Quincy! I am determined to clear away that shame!"

The now resolute Komamura thrust his hand into his own chest...

XxFlashback EndxX

"Bankai:" Komamura said, raising his sword in Bambietta's direction. "Kokujo Tengen Myou'ou, Dangai Joue! (Second Release: Divine Retribution, Black Ropes of Ruination, Severed Mail and Thread-Clad)"

Behind the Shinigami Captain rose what looked like an emaciated demon. Horns on its head, flames from its eyes, and so thin its ribs and collarbone showed. Its torso was wrapped in thick black rope, tied into a knot on its chest. It wore hakama similar to that of most Shinigami, and was barefoot.

"What he hell is that...?" Bambietta said, looking upon Komamura's Bankai with wide eyes.

In response, it simply rose its blade, reared back, and swung forward with massive force at the Quincy, destroying the buildings she was floating above. As smoke billowed from the impact, Bambietta flew out of it and took to the skies.

Turning to look at the demonic giant, Bambieta spoke her thoughts. "I'm surprised! Under the Bankai's armor wasn't a doggie! Maybe... the doggie is under the monster's face?" She said before firing a multitude of her Reishi shots at it.

The Dangai Joue simply rose its right arm and blocked the explosions with its hand. As soon as the hand blew to pieces though, it began to reform right before Bambietta's eyes.

"What the hell? How is that happening?" She questioned.

"Kokujo Tengen Myou'ou is an armored Bankai linked with my own life. Dangai Joue removes that armor, and turns it into a mass of Reiatsu. A figure made only of pure power. You cannot defeat it with your abilities!" Komamura revealed as he moved to have Dangai Joue's hand crush Bambietta.

Bambietta fired some Reishi shots at the hand, but it didn't stop its descent, the explosion occurring as it smashed onto her position. Bambietta quickly flew upwards from the explosion, showing her with a few burn marks on her face and arms, along with her mantle being almost completely ruined.

"I don't get what you're saying! So what if it becomes nothing but Reiatsu! I already told you I can transform anything my Reiatsu collides with into a bomb! It's like your Bankai is just ASKING to get blown to pieces!" She yelled before sending out another wave of her Reiatsu shots.

Once again, Dangai Joue had no problem blocking the attacks with its forearm, the damage from the explosions repairing instantly.

"You don't seem to understand, do you?" Komamura started. "Explosions are to be feared because it is a threat to something's life. If something is not alive, being blown up means nothing."

Bambietta gained a confused look. "What are you..."

"Kokujo Tengen Myou'ou's life lies in its armor. Dangai Joue... is its figure after Tengen Myou'ou has shed its very life."

Bambietta grabbed her tattered cloak and tore it off. "What the hell are you even saying?! Who cares if your Bankai isn't alive! You forget that I had your Bankai until today, so I know that it's connected to its user. Even if the Bankai itself can't be destroyed... that doesn't go for the user as well!" She argued as she fired more shots into Dangai Joue's chest, causing a series of massive explosions. Looking at Komamura's real body, she grinned as she saw miniature explosions appear on his own chest. "See? You got anything else to say?!"

Komamura merely looked her in the eye, unmindful of the burns covering his chest. The armor plating around his heart had been broken though, revealing the empty hole behind it.

"What's with that hole in your chest?" Bambietta said with wide eyes. "What the hell are you?!"

"My body... is nothing but a shell now." He revealed. "It is merely a tool to defeat you all. Our clan's secret ritual, the Human Transformation Technique, allows us to obtain an immortal body by offering our physical hearts. As long as I am human... I cannot die."

The Stern Ritter's face contorted into frustration as she retreated into the sky to gain some distance. Before she could get very far, Dangai Joue had literally leaped into the air after her.

Hastily turning around and firing at the Bankai, Bambietta started ranting. "Why the hell did you throw your life away?! People fight because if they lose they die! They get killed! If you aren't going to live in the first place... what's the meaning in winning?!" She asked, firing more of her Reishi at the Bankai, littering it in explosions.

Komamura merely shrugged off the damage, even as his real body became covered in burns. "I did not throw my life away." He corrected. "I've merely put it at risk. In a battle where Genryusai-dono put HIS life at stake, why should I not do the same?"

Dangai Joue pushed through the explosions and closed in on Bambietta.

"When I stepped into this fight... I already left my life behind!" He yelled before swinging.

With startling accuracy, Dangai Joue's blade closed in on Bambietta's figure. She hastily fired more Reishi shots at the oncoming blade, but it was too close.

"No way..." She thought to herself. "There's not enough time for the bombs to explode... the blade's pushing them back into my body... this is..."

A massive explosion rocked the skies as Dangai Joue completed its swing. From the explosion, Bambietta's heavily charred body fell to the earth.

XxBreakxX

Komamura's grandfather lay silently, staring at the sake cup that held Komamura's heart. The Elder was reminiscing about the days when his grandchild was young...

"Sajin... oh, Sajin... You've done well. You've acted as a true member of our clan."

XxBreakx

Komamura watched impassively as Bambietta fell through the air and hit the ground in the distance with an audible "thud". Dangai Joue then turn its attention to Yhwach's castle. Komamura knew what was next. But as he moved to head out, he fell to his knees, Dangai Joue doing the same. Against his will, Dangai Joue broke to pieces behind him, finally ending its presence on the battlefield. Komamura fell further and had to hold himself up with his hands, panting aggressively as he fought for air. Sweat was pouring down his face, and the true exertion of the Human Transformation Technique was making itself known to him.

"No!" He yelled to nobody in particular, frustration evident. "Not yet... please, heart, just hold out a little longer!" He slowly rose to his feet. "I must defeat... Yhwach!"

XxBreakxX

The Elder sensed the technique he performed on Komamura failing. He sensed the struggle in Komamura's heart. He sensed the pain.

"It's okay." He said out loud. "It's okay, Sajin. Do you realize it? Do you realize this feeling you have? The thirst for vengeance? You told you friend that revenge is a useless sacrifice of one's life, but... that's okay. Revenge is what our clan is made for. You reached that form. You finally became a true member of our clan."

XxBreakxX

Komamura stopped moving as he saw his left hand begin to turn back into that of a wolf's. "This is..." Suddenly, the fur spread across his face, and his other arm began to transform as well. "I see... this is the compensation..."

XxBreakxX

"Indeed, Sajin..." The Elder said, as if in communication with Komamura himself. "You time as a human was brief, and is coming to an end. You will fall into darkness, turning into a beast that hungers only for revenge." He smiled. "Until then... you can hate our clan. Despise us. Writhe in the desire of vengeance against us... And I will live, relishing in that black resentment."

The Elder's eyes closed, and his head started to droop. "Sajin... dear Sajin... Until you become that vengeful beast of silence... I will thank you for what you've done."

The Elder stuck out his tongue, and consumed Komamura's heart from the sake cup.

XxBreakxX

Komamura finally hit the ground, not in his original form, but as a large brown wolf. His Zanpakuto materialized next to him, but he couldn't move.

"Is this the punishment? For selling my soul to revenge, despite being a member of the Gotei 13? Punishment for not heeding the words I myself spoke to Tousen? I..."

Suddenly, Iba Tetsuzaemon, Komamura's Lieutenant, landed right next to his Captain. He leaned down and hoisted the wolf over his back. "Let's go, Captain." He said. "You aren't wrong at all. We'll fight together, and defeat that bastard Yhwach, for Yamamoto Genryusai-dono."

Komamura's eyes widened, touched by the words of his most trusted subordinate.

XxBreakxX

In a smouldering crater, Bambietta lay flat on her back, looking up into the sky. Her entire body was charred almost beyond recognition, pain being brought forth from even the slightest movements. But despite all of this, the only feeling Bambietta felt was pure anger. "How... how the fuck did I lose to some Shinigami? How is it that of the five of us, I went down first? I'll never forgive that filthy animal... I definitely can't forgive this!"

Bambietta was brought out of her rage by the voice of none other than Giselle. "Aw... poor Bambi-chan.

Bambietta tilted her head back and saw that all four of her subordinates were standing around her, with varying degrees of interest in her condition.

"We'll help you! Cuz y'know... we're sad when you're not around." Giselle said.

Instead of comfort, Bambietta's expression changed to that of unbridled fear. "No! Stop it! Please, don't do it, Gigi!"

Giselle reached towards Bambietta...

XxBreakxX

Rukia and Renji were falling through the sky, approaching the Seireitei at insane speeds. "I can see the Seireitei." Renji said.

"At this point it's probably more correct to call it the Vandenreich." Rukia corrected. "Regardless, night will soon fall. We have to hurry, Renji!"

XxBreakxX

As the sun slowly set over the 1st Division barracks, Shunsui and Haschwalth still stared each other down through the barrier Nanao had made.

"It would appear that the battles are going evenly." Haschwalth said.

Shunsui chuckled. "It's not as simple is that, but... we're thinking along the same lines. I agree."

"It is the correct assessment of the situation. And that's why I'm here." the Quincy said, raising his sword. "It is my duty... to tip the scales in our favor."

With a swing of his sword, an explosion rocked the area, the barrier in dividing the two forces shattering like glass. Jumping from the smoke while falling back were Shunsui and Nanao.

"Oh boy..." Shunsui started. "I almost forgot you guys can absorb Reishi!"

Haschwalth pushed his advantage and gave chase. "All I had to do was gradually absorb the Reishi on my side of the barrier until it was thin enough to break. It took much longer than expected though-truly a wondrous technique."

The Captain and Lieutenant due stopped in another hallways on a dime.

"You hear that?"

Nanao chuckled. "I suppose I'm to be flattered? However..." She slammed her hand on the ground, bringing a new barrier up between them and the Quincy, this time made of small, red, hexagonal tiles. "If you had time to makes some changes on you side... it stands to reason that so did we." She revealed.

Haschwalth calmly observed the barrier. "This one appears to be made with a different technique."

"Indeed." Nanao confirmed. "It's a massive joining of smaller hexagonal boards. Does it perhaps look weaker to you since it's not a single wall?"

"Yes. Considering the way the Reishi binds the panels together, it's clearly of a weaker constitution than before. But that seems too obvious to be true." He paused and looked Nanao in the eyes, seeing the sweat rolling down her face from the exertion of such high-level Kido. "There's most likely a trap waiting, then?" He deduced.

Neither Shunsui nor Nanao said anything.

"It matters not. We no longer have the luxury to be wasting any more time. Excuse me, but..." He rose his sword in front of him horizontally. "I'm afraid I'll have to employ a more violent method."

Shunsui and Nanao tensed up at the swell of Haschwalth's Reiatsu, when suddenly a white Reishi construct of the Quincy Zeichen appear behind his head.

"I see..." The Quincy said, lowering his sword. "I've received an order to return to the Silbern. Excuse me." He explained before turning to leave.

"Oi oi, leaving already?" Shunsui asked jokingly.

Haschwalth turned his head to look at the Captain. "His Majesty's orders are absolute."

"Will I be seeing you again?"

"The moment I'm ordered to, I assure you."

"I'm looking forward to it. I'll be sure to have some delicious tea ready next time."

Haschwalth faded out of sight.

XxBreakxX

Deeper out into the battlefield, Ayasegawa Yumichika and Madarame Ikkaku hid behind some rubble in the dark of the night. "It's officially nighttime, I suppose." Ikkaku said.

"Hasn't it always?" Yumichika responded.

Ikkaku shook his head. "Naw, it was just damn cloudy. Night's officially fallen. And that means more shadows. I've got a bad feeling."

Suddenly, they heard footsteps behind them and turned to see Hisagi Shuuhei climbing over some rubble towards them, a few injuries on his person. "Madarame? What are you doing here?"

"That's my line." Ikkaku responded, not stopping his watch of the surroundings. "Why are you here?"

Shuuhei sat down against a rock. "I got lost, okay? The terrain is completely different, and they're purposely spreading high-density Reishi into the air to disrupt our senses."

"Well, now that you're here, I'd stay put." Ikkaku instructed. "They were all hiding in the shadows, right? Well, if we move around rashly at night, we'd be doing exactly what they want."

A large figure descended upon the group...

XxBreakxX

"Sternritter..." Yhwach's voice sounded out. "I will now judge those that lost." He said, looking upon the prostrated and bound forms of Cang Du and BG9.

Cang Du looked no worse for wear do to the nature of his defeat, but BG9 was sporting the scars from a Jakuho Raikoben missile to his body. His helmet and left side of his body were torn open, but the insides still appeared black.

Yhwach then called for Haschwalth, who slowly walked over to the defeated Quincy.

"P-Please wait!" BG9 spoke up. "It's true that we lost once, but we were able to resuscitate with the use of Vollstandig! We can continue fighting for His Majesty!" He pleaded, whilst Cang Du remained completely silent, head tilted towards the floor.

"I see..." Yhwach drawled. "You were quite lucky to have survived, then."

Haschwalth drew his sword. "But... the scales of this battle must remain even. The life saved by that luck... will be terminated by an equal amount of misfortune."

"W-Wait! Please!" BG9 cried as Haschwalth swung downwards onto Cang Du's shoulder.

With a loud "clang", the Sternritter Grandmaster's blade stopped right as it came into contact with Cang Du.

"Did you forget my power?" Cang Du asked, finally speaking up. Slowly, the area where he was struck started gaining a black sheen. "I'm 'The Iron'. It's easy for me to stop a strike of that strength." He revealed, as BG9 looked on in surprise. "Cut me down if you are able, but I refuse... to be killed by anybody but His Majesty!"

Haschwalth let out a deep sigh. "I see. How wonderful. That was your second bout of good luck. But can you see it?" He asked.

Cang Du look up and saw the apparition of a large Quincy-themed scale with one end descending upon him.

"Can you see... the tilted scales?"

Haschwalth struck, this time cutting as deep as he wanted...

XxBreakxX

Mask de Masculine pummeled Shuuhei, Yumichika, and Ikkaku to the ground, completely knocking them out. Dropping his massive arm over all three of their necks, he called out. "ONE! TWO! THREE!" He rose his arms and flexed a victory pose as a bell rang out.

Mask turned to a small, fat, bald man with overalls and glasses who was banging on a small, portable bell. "Hey, James? With this we've cleaned up all the Captain-opponents we could find, but... it's sad to win without an audience watching!" He yelled before laughing loudly.

"You're totally right, Mister!" James responded.

Suddenly, two bright lights shined in the distance, breaking through the Shakonmaku and entering the Seireitei.

Mask de Masculine looked towards the distance with his hand shielding his eyes; closely following the two figures that descended from the sky.

"Hm..." Mask started, eyes squinting as the figures slowly left his view. "I'm not sure what those are, but it's quite far away. Perhaps we should go and check it out? What say you, James?!" He asked with unnecessary gusto.

The small man in question smiled brightly. "Heh... If you took down people that flashy, everybody would be sure to notice you!"

That was all Mask needed to hear, as he moved to speed off with James in tow. "And so we shall! Make haste, James!" Before he could get very far though, a chain wrapped around his right ankle. Jolting in surprise, he turned around to see the source.

"Wait..." A voice weakly sounded out. It was Shuuhei, laying on the ground next to Yumichika and Ikkaku, both of whom were still unconscious. "You think... a three-count's enough?" He asked as sweat poured down his face.

Calmly, the masked Quincy leaned forward and grabbed the length of the chain. "Hm..." He then stood up and harshly pulled on the chain, sending Shuuhei flying through the air towards himself. Holding his arm out in preparation, Mask met the Shinigami's flight with a lariat, sending Shuuhei back to the ground, bouncing the back of his head off the concrete in the process. "I do!" He stated.

Without pause, Mask lifted his left leg and brought it down in an attempt to finish off the wounded Lieutenant. Before he could deal the finishing blow though, a sandaled foot put itself in the way and halted the stomp in midair. Looking to his left in surprise, Mask saw none other than the Captain of the Ninth Division, Muguruma Kensei.

"Tch..." Kensei scoffed. "Getting taken out before he could even show everything he learned in training? What a pathetic Lieutenant." He chided derisively.

Despite the interruption, Mask was not worried. "And who might you be? Their friend?"

"I'm the Captain of the sleeveless one." Kensei said in response.

This revelation brought a large smile to Mask's face. "A Captain? Splendid! But I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to stand aside." He informed. "Normally, I'd be thrilled to fight someone of your pedigree, but I'm currently off to investigate some conspicuous falling objects."

"Come now... don't say that." A new voice drawled as the Captain of the Third Division, Otoribashi "Rose" Rojuro stepped onto the scene. "There's two Captains here. I'd wager you'll get no better chance to stand out."

Mask gave a sly grin to the new arrival, but was cut off by the other Captain present before he could form a response. "Don't worry, 'cause I won't be wasting your time anyways." Kensei informed as he slowly drew his sword.

"Bankai: Tekken Tachikaze! (Second Release: Iron Fist Earth Wind)"

As the metal casing that made up Kensei's Bankai formed around him, Reiatsu spiked across the area, the pure force of it crushing the ground beneath him. In the face of such power, Mask de Masculine couldn't help but smile. "I suppose I have no choice!" He announced, removing the mantle of his uniform. "We'll take this to ten counts!" He finished before leaping through the air in an attempt to dropkick the white-haired Captain.

Upon collision, the force sent Kensei back many yards, breaking through buildings and tearing up rubble. Once the movement stopped though, Mask noticed that Kensei had blocked the dropkick with his left forearm, simply having slid across the ground before. "Are you kidding me? I don't believe it..." The Captain said under his breath. With a look of pure anger on his face, Kensei exclaimed, "Shuhei got beaten by THIS?! What an idiot!"

Suddenly, the blade around his right hand compressed into a type of brass knuckles, allowing Kensei to dig his fist into his opponent's gut with devastating force. The impact was so massive it lifted Mask off the ground and created a shockwave that blew away the combatants' immediate surroundings. As Kensei withdrew his fist, Mask instantly fell to his knees, grasping his stomach whilst desperately seeking air. James, who was watching on the sidelines, couldn't believe it.

"No way... he sent Mister to his knees with one blow..."

Not one to waste time, Kensei knelt down and lifted up the burly Quincy by his collar. "Hurts, doesn't it?" He asked rhetorically. "Tacihkaze (Earth Wind) is a Zanpakuto that causes a burst-like impact in whatever it cuts. Its Bankai, Tekken Tachikaze, compresses that bursting power into my fist. As long as this fist is touching you, that bursting power is constantly battering the contact point." Bringing back his right fist, Kensei swung forward and dug into Mask's gut once again.

Bracing his punching arm with his other, Kensei maintained contact with the Stern Ritter's body, constantly building damage. "I'll blow you away!" As Mask screamed in pain, Kensei pushed forwards with a final effort and sent the Quincy flying.

Mask de Masculine flew through the air and collided with the upper floors of a building, seemingly knocked out as he laid flat with smoke emanating from his stomach.

On the sidelines, Rose let out a deep sigh. "I suppose... I wasn't needed at all." Near him, James fell to his knees with tears gathering around his eyes.

"This is... don't lose, Mister. You can't lose!" He called out desperately.

Kensei looked at him pityingly. "Sheesh... they're so pathetic it makes ME seem like the bad guy." He griped. Suddenly, from the ground near him, Shuuhei spoke up.

"No, Captain..."

"Hm? You're alright?"

"You have to get rid of the little one first!" He exclaimed.

At that moment, James screamed, "Please get up, Superstar!"

And just like that, Mask de Masculine was almost instantly between Kensei and Rose, seemingly back from his "defeat". Before the two Captains could even react, Mask sent them flying in two different directions with strong punches. He paused afterwards and made a show of his muscles in a victory pose of sorts.

"I am Sternritter 'S' - The Superstar" He revealed. "The audience's cheers become my strength!"

XxChapter 62, ENDxX