'The situation is progressing… poorly.'
Byakuya ordinarily was never the type to get flustered easily. But even he was running out of options. The landscape was icy rubble. All of his allies, save for Hitsugaya, had either fled or were unconscious. And Gerard was even stronger than ever.
"Kuchiki," the snowy-haired captain interrupted Byakuya's thoughts. "You noticed it too, didn't you? The Quincy cross that briefly appeared when Zaraki bisected him."
"… Yes." Although admittedly, Byakuya had nearly mistaken the five pointed sigil for a figment of his imagination, such was Gerard's regenerative speed.
"If it were destroyed, we might be able to end this."
"What are you proposing?" Byakuya glanced over, analyzing Gerard's massive form. "He's fortified himself further since our last assault. And it took Zaraki's bankai to damage him."
"His new form has plenty of openings," Hitsugaya remarked frostily. "As for damaging him, use Senbonzakura to shred his upper body. I'll freeze his blood through those lacerations, forcing his cells to expand and burst. Then I'll use the ice I've embedded into his body to trigger a chain reaction that will leave his 'heart' exposed. This should give us half a second in which to finish him off."
"But once we engage him, he'll likely attempt to stop us again."
Hitsugaya frowned. "We need a diversion."
"A diversion, you say?" a mischievous voice called from amidst the rubble. The two captains turned and saw a battered but grinning Shinji, zanpakuto in hand, his other arm loosely draped over Momo for support.
"Captain Hirako, Lieutenant Hinamori," Byakuya nodded in acknowledgement.
"It's good to see you're both alright," commented Hitsugaya.
"Alright? What part of any of this IS ALRIGHT, YOU DUMB BALDY?" another voice shrieked.
"Owwww, Hiyori! Did you have to yell right in my ear?"
"Well, ya could've moved, stupid!" she spat, slapping Shinji across the face with one of her sandals, sending the affable captain flying into the rubble.
"Hey!" Shinji exclaimed indignantly, getting to his feet and dusting himself off. "What's the big idea Hiyori?"
"Shinji's right. Now's not the time to be messing around," a stern voice stated.
"Lisa! And Love and Hachi! Glad you're all back on your feet." Shinji grinned at the remaining Visoreds.
"Well it just wouldn't have been cool to lose to a thing like that." Love smirked, sunglasses gleaming.
"But unless I'm seeing things, it appears our opponent has gotten bigger. Substantially so in fact." Hachigen observed.
"Yeah, he gets stronger every time he's damaged." Hitsugaya sighed. "But since hollow reiatsu is toxic to Quincies, your unique abilities might be able to end this. Here's the plan-," he started as the assembled noticed a massive shadow encompass their location. "Look out!"
Before Hitsugaya could continue, a gigantic hand slammed down on the Visoreds, smashing the remaining buildings to rubble and the rubble to dust.
The titan lifted up his palm to reveal naught but a dissipating wisp of flower petals.
"Thanks, Kuchiki." Shinji nodded, as the other Visoreds appeared alongside the three captains. "If you hadn't slowed him down, we might've been squashed."
"We can't keep dodging forever though." Lisa frowned, adjusting her glasses. "What's the plan?"
"Captain Hirako's shikai should be an effective distraction while Byakuya and I attack Gerard directly," Hitsugaya theorized. "You other four should stand by. Divert him with ceros if necessary and wait for the moment to strike."
"What about me, Shiro-chan?"
Hitsugaya was mildly surprised that Momo had recognized him considering Rukia's and Renji's earlier confusion, but then again, he had known her longer than anyone else in the Seireitei. "Don't engage him head-on," he cautioned. "Slow him down with kido. Now are there any objections before we begin on Captain Hirako's signal?"
He was met with dead silence. "Good."
"Collapse," Shinji uttered through a toothy grin, "Sakanade." Instantly, a sickly sweet pink mist began emanating from his zanpakuto. As it was released, the blonde captain twirled his blade rapidly to propel the spray toward Gerard and away from the others.
With that, the other four Visoreds took up a four point perimeter around the Quincy behemoth while Momo began a rather lengthy incantation.
"Bakudo #91: Kin," an already masked Hachigen intoned. Several layers of the black binding cloth wrapped around Gerard, pinning his arms to his sides. The Quincy naturally struggled, but against Hachigen's kido, he did so in vain. Yet the strain from casting the level ninety nine bakudo took its toll; Hachigen's mask immediately shattered, the Visored struggling to remain conscious.
Seeing Hachigen exhaust himself spurred the Squad Five Lieutenant into action. "Bakudo #63: Sajo Sabaku!" Momo cried; half a dozen yellow ropes snaked their way around Gerard, ensnaring him further.
"Senki Senbonzakura Kageyoshi Ikkasen Jinka." In a burst of pink light, all of Byakuya's blades converged on their target, impaling Gerard simultaneously. A deluge of blood erupted from his wounds, splattering the Wharwelt, as Byakuya's zanpakuto returned to its sealed state. "It was… the most efficient method…" the now fatigued captain managed in response to Hitsugaya's questioning glance. "It's your turn."
"FOOLISH SHINIGAMI!" Gerard bellowed thrashing about, clearly disoriented by Sakanade's effect, though seemingly unaffected by everything else. "THAT PITIFUL ATTACK COULD NOT STOP ME! THESE BINDINGS WILL NOT HOLD ME! I SHALL-"
"Be defeated," Hitsugaya interrupted coldly. "Guncho Tsurara." A swarm of icicles shot toward Gerard, impaling him in the exact spots that Byakuya had.
"Looks like our cue." Love rumbled.
As one, the three remaining Visoreds donned their masks, unleashing a massive bala barrage, until the site of every last icicle was impacted, Hollow reiatsu leaking from the blasts into Gerard's wounds.
The result wasn't pretty; soul suicide never was. But nobody could glance away from the spectacle. Everyone had the scene of a bloated Gerard swelling and contorting, leaking reiatsu and writhing in agony etched into their minds.
And as Gerard disintegrated in a final burst of light, Shinji couldn't help but feel the slightest bit of sympathy, recalling his own near demise over a century ago.