The sounds of death filled the air of the Seireitei, but the Captain of the 7th Division showed no obvious reaction to the din as he faced his opponent. Behind him stood his faithful subordinates, Iba and several other men who Komamura knew personally. The bestial Captain was known to have the best relationship with his men in the Gotei; he was more than their commander. He knew their hopes, their dreams, and their fears. He was their friend, a role model, a father to some of them. But now some of them still appeared uncertain as they looked ahead at the small but ferocious warrior who had cut down so many of their comrades.
"But…But sir…How can we stand against somebody like this? W-we'll only get in your way…" The man shifted the grip of his sweat coated hands on his weapon, glancing up at Komamura. The dog-like captain did not even turn his head, merely adjusting his stance as if he was about to spring at the Quincy. "Kazuma." Just the sound of the captain's deep voice speaking his name seemed to reassure the Shinigami a bit, his posture gaining a bit more confidence.
"Do you truly believe that? That you and your fellow officers are of no use? Why do you think the Gotei 13 is comprised of thousands of Shinigami when there are so few of us capable of fighting at the level of a captain if any person with less strength than that is useless? You are all precious members of my division. No matter how slight, any can make a difference if they have the will to stand up and do so. Always remember this!" He took a breath before opening his mouth again, but was interrupted by an arrow of reishi as it narrowly missed his head.
"Enough of your stupid ranting! Shut up and get ready to die!" Bambietta Basterbine glared at Komamura, the small crossbow she had formed in her free hand slowly vanishing. His gaze focused on the girl in front of him again, blinking. "Why did you do that?"
In way of answer, the Quincy vanished into the air. Komamura abruptly spun around on instinct just in time to parry her scimitar. Their swords clanged together as the much smaller girl unsuccessfully attempted to overpower the captain. "So you'd stop constantly spouting that crap, obviously!" Her face showed strain as she pulled back to launch a series of jabs at Komamura's torso. "That's not what I meant," the Shinigami continued. "Why didn't you actually shoot me if you mean to kill me?" The girl's eyes widened, the speed of her attacks slowing in a moment of confusion to allow Komamura to reach out and seize her sword near the hilt with a heavily armored fist. "I have seen killers. I have fought them. Felt the lust for carnage from each one. You may have cut down some of my men, but I feel no pride in that from you." The man exerted his massive strength, turning and hurling Bambietta into one of the few remaining buildings in the area.
Steeling herself, the Quincy managed to activate her Blut Vein before impact, the crash doing little besides nearly causing her to lose her cap. Komamura was on her in an instant, barely allowing her enough time to regain her footing. Bambietta rolled out of the way as his enormous foot smashed down where she had laid a moment before. The ground around them was actually shaking under the force of the man's blow, Bambietta realized as a crater seemed to open out of nowhere from the impact of the Shinigami's kick. As the dust cleared, Komamura turned to face her once more. "It takes a certain kind of mind to be a killer. To revel in death. A sick craving for blood, which I do not feel from your blade. You are not a killer. And that is why I still find it in myself to forgive you for slaying my men."
Bambietta stared dumbfounded at Komamura, who calmly returned her stare with a look that encompassed both pity and resolve. "W-what…What the hell are you going on about now?! You don't think I'm a killer?! I killed your men! We Stern Ritter are here to exterminate all of you Shinigami down to the last remnant of your pathetic race! Trying to talk to the enemy? That's what a weakling does! We of the Vandenreich have no patience for crap like that. We have nothing to say to the scum who butchered our race!" 'Or at least that's what Hauptmann always told me…' She thought, thinking about the older glasses wearing man who was known unconditionally as the strongest of the Stern Ritter, idolized by many of the Vandenreich including her.
"If talking to the enemy is the action of a weakling, then why have you not been able to kill me yet?" Komamura replied mildly. Her expression changed to a sullen glare in response. The Captain let out a heavy sigh as gathered his thoughts, looking up at the sky. "Of all the decisions which Genryuusai-sama has made over the years…I would never presume to question his authority, to pretend that my judgment is superior to his…But still, I my heart cannot help but whisper to me. This thing was wrong." His gaze slowly traveled to the cracked ground at his feet. "It may seem selfish of me to say this, but I am glad I did not have to take part in the massacre. And I am truly sorry for the wrongs my people have committed upon yours."
For the first time since the invasion began, doubt began to gnaw at the mind of Stern Ritter E. Nobody had told her that some Shinigami showed remorse. This one actually appeared genuinely saddened by the wrongs his race had been responsible for. However, she supposed the only ones among the Vandenreich who had met a Shinigami were his majesty and Hauptmann, and asking the two who despised the Shinigami the most if their hated enemy was at all redeemable was not healthy to say the least.
His eyes locked with Bambietta's again, but this time there was grim determination in them. "However. That does not excuse the actions of this "Vandenreich" as you call it in the slightest. Your organization is now committing the very same atrocities which you condemn us for. How many of us currently living in Seireitei do you truly believe had a part in the last war? Less than ten at the greatest. And yet you would kill us all in order to deal out your so called justice? How can your revenge justify the loss of so many lives? To say nothing of the countless human souls who would be devoured by Hollows without our intervention?" The man let out a heavy sigh. "I know that the Gotei 13 is no pinnacle of truth and justice. All too well." His thoughts drifted back as they often did, to an old friend who had been greatly wronged by the "justice" of the Gotei. He remembered the rumors of the gruesome experiments that every Shinigami knew took place within the halls of the Research and Development Institute. "But. I do know one thing for certain. It is necessary. And I will not see the fall of everything that the great man who saved my life has strived for." He gritted his teeth, once more taking a combative stance. "I can feel how hopeless things appear. The dwindling reiatsu of the others. But I shall fight the Vandenreich with every ounce of strength I can muster, until my body is reduced to nothing if that is what it takes to hold you back for even a single second! Roar…Tenken!"
The Captain threw his weight into a sudden punch to the air in front of him, an enormous armored fist materializing in the air before him as it rushed towards the Quincy. The girl smirked, slashing at the oncoming attack with her scimitar. The hand and forearm of his Shikai splitting in half before the attack reached its target, Komamura wasted no time in following up on the strike. His blade swung forward, the other giant arm of his Shikai sweeping towards Bambietta in an arc. 'Of course. He's just like the others. An enemy. He can't look past his blind loyalty to see true justice. He's wrong…Right?' The massive weapon struck her own sword head on, a massive column of dust being blasted into the sky from the impact. A cheer went up from the surrounding Shinigami, only to be quickly silenced as the girl slowly walked out into the open, not a scratch on her. 'This is ridiculous…I've wasted far too much time here. I'll..I'll kill him. Right now!'
"That's it, doggie!" Bambietta cried with a laugh, regaining her initial attitude as she produced the medallion that had stolen away Komamura's Bankai. She raised it up in front of her, the device glowing with an eerie light as reishi seemed to stream from each point of the symbol emblazoned on the medal, flowing behind her and together as it began to form a familiar imposing figure. "Let's see how you like being killed by your own Bankai! What did you say this was? Go, Tengen Toppa whatever the hell!" The Captain's eyes widened as the enormous samurai that had fought at his side so many times before now loomed over him, fully prepared to pulverize its former master. "Crush him!" Komamura barely had enough time to leap into the air as the massive blade came down where he had been standing an instant before. He was in the air to the left of Tengen in a flash, but the armored forearm lashed out quicker than even he had expected it to, and the Shinigami was caught off guard as he was sent crashing into the remains of his own division as if he was nothing but a fly.
"Like that, Shinigami? Looks like using my Blut Arterie also boosts your…Oh, I'm sorry. I mean my new Bankai!" A coughing Komamura pulled himself from the rubble, wincing as he gripped his left arm. Some part of him pointed out the irony of the situation as he remembered a figured clad in white emerging from the wreckage just as he did now. 'Unfortunately, I lack his regenerative ability…With her somehow increasing Tengen's power, even I'd be unlikely to survive many more strikes…'
Bambietta frowned, surveying the area of his crash as dust filled the air. "Is that it? Weak...If you're napping, I guess I'll just have to play with your little friends!" Tengen immediately turned at her command, swinging its giant weapon once more. The attack smote the ground…But not the men of the 7th Division. The swing had been aimed merely at the ground in front of their gathered squad, the sheer force of the impact lifting most of them off their feet and sending them flying helplessly through the air. The Quincy giggled at the sound of their screams, terror and pain in their voices as a few were hurled from the battlefield. Others crashed into what remained of the ruined structures of the Seireitei. Iba Tetsuzaemon stood alone, a solitary figure amid the storm of debris that had been kicked up by the attack.
"Hmm?" Bambietta raised an eyebrow at the only man who had not even flinched from the shockwave. "Not impressed? Maybe you need a closer shave…Speaking of which, that stupid looking mustache could use one." The Vice Captain cracked his neck, smirking at the Quincy, acting as if the giant looming over him was a nonexistent threat. "Hmph. I guess a little girl like you can't appreciate manliness such as this. Or honor, if you have to use somebody else's own weapon against them to win. I've seen Komamura-taichou's Bankai before. You expect me to run and hide? It's far scarier in his hands that it'll ever be in yours." The Shinigami had already activated his Shikai, weapon held high as he prepared to charge the enemy one final time. "Give me a real death, would ya? Show some guts and do it yourself." 'Heh, that was a good speech. Bet taichou would be proud of it. Go good at my funeral if anybody survives this and cares.' With a roar of pride, Iba dashed towards Bambietta. He never reached his target, a shining arrow flashing towards him and catching the man in the right shoulder, stopping him in his tracks and impaling him to a chunk of rubble behind him.
"Would you damn idiots stop calling me a little girl?! I'm a bit small, but who the hell cares?! I'm still kicking your asses!" The Quincy girl raged as Tengen lifted its sword over the groaning Iba once more. "Maybe I would have listened to you if not for that!" Iba groaned, futilely trying to pull the arrow out of his shoulder to escape the incoming end. 'Gotta move…Shit…'
The blade fell, but Iba failed to even flinch. He faced the sword grimly as it rushed to finish the job. With only an instant left before his death, something appeared out of nowhere in front of him. The blow halted. Iba shook his head to make sure he hadn't begun hallucinating. Komamura stood before him, sword raised above his head and braced with his free arm against the crushing force above him. Strain was evident on his face, and Iba could clearly see him battling his own pain as well as Tengen's strength as he barely resisted the force of his own Bankai. Bambietta's mouth fell open in disbelief. "W-why did you do that? Shinigami are supposed to be killers! You're all taught to kill the enemy from behind if you have an opening, not to risk yourself like this!"
The Captain panted heavily as he pitted his massive strength against that of his Bankai, slowly but surely losing ground as Tengen's sword dropped lower and lower. Each word sounded like it put him through agonizing pain to utter, but still he spoke. "Perhaps…That is the official rule…But a rule I shall never follow…I value every life in the Seireitei…My men…The others…Even yours." Komamura dropped to one knee as he continued to strain against the overwhelming pressure, his eyelids beginning to droop as he began to lose feeling in his body. "Tetsuzaemon…" He breathed. "I am sorry…"
Bambietta stared at the Captain, unable of comprehending what he was still insisting. 'He's nothing like we were ever told about Shinigami…He should be cold, unfeeling and only caring about winning. He's got to be lying! But why? He's about to die, why would he lie even now?! He's apologizing to his men…Claiming to even care what happens to me!' "W-what the hell is wrong with you?! What are you?! Answer me, damn it! Why are you like this?! Don't you dare die yet, talk!"
Her inner conflict distracted her, a lone officer of the 7th Division creeping up behind the girl as she worked herself into a rage. The man who Komamura had addressed as Kazuma raised his sword as he swallowed his fear. "Yabureme, Tameshi No Ken!" His sword transformed itself into a sword of pure light, crackling with energy as it swung down at Bambietta's back. The Quincy spun at the sound of his voice, eyes widening as she was snapped out of her thoughts. Her Blut instinctively switched directives, flowing through her body to allow her skin alone to deflect the desperate attack.
In that moment, Komamura Sajin's eyes flew open once more. The pressure above him had dramatically lessened, and he knew that his only window of opportunity had arrived. The Shinigami let out a howl of desperate rage, muscles straining themselves to their absolute limit as he pushed and pushed until he felt Tengen's own strength shudder and then give. With one last roar, the bestial Captain rose to his full impressive height once more as Tengen staggered backwards. Bambietta spun to see the Shinigami lunge at the off balance samurai, not even giving himself a chance to breathe as he flew like a cannonball towards its stomach. "IKKOTSU!" He thundered, pulling back his right fist as he had seen his teacher do many times, focusing what power he could into the coming blow. His fist slammed into the giant's armored waist, the thick steel actually beginning to crack under the force of his punch as Tengen doubled over. Its former owner vanished, appearing behind the giant with both fists pulled back and ready to strike. "SOUKOTSU!" Komamura bellowed even louder than before, two punches now crashing silmultaneously between the shoulders of the massive figure that now stumbled backwards, a hand pressed to the site of the first blow. Armor on both sides badly dented, Tengen now began to collapse forward as it lost its footing.
Standing a distance away, a puzzled look suddenly crossed Bambietta's face as she coughed, clutching at her belly. Bringing a white sleeve up to wipe at her mouth, the girl was shocked to see the fabric stained red. "W-what..?"
"ROAR, TENKEN!" Komamura rumbled once more as the giant toppled. Seizing his sword with both hands this time, the Shinigami sharply stabbed directly upwards. Forming in front of Tengen was Komamura's Shikai, grasped by two armored disembodied hands as they thrust the giant blade upwards as the samurai fell. Aided by Tengen's own weight, the Shikai managed to overcome its own Bankai, piercing cleanly through its abdominal region as its fall caused it to impale itself upon Komamura's attack. The giant shuddered momentarily before going still, beginning to dissipate into numerous particles.
The Captain doubled over on the ground, eyes closed as he breathed deeply and slowly to desperately try and regain some measure of his strength. "D-doggie…?" A small voice interrupted his recovery. As he looked up, Bambietta sank to her knees a short distance away, a blank and uncomprehending look on her face as she clutched at a large wound on her stomach with both hands in an attempt to staunch the flow of blood. "Th-that's a lame…Weakness…Guh…" Her vision blurred as blood spurted between her fingers, staining the ground below her. The uniform she prided on keeping spotless was being dyed red she noticed with a detached sense of annoyance as she made out a large figure hurriedly making its way towards her. She heard a ripping noise just before something wrapped tightly around her midsection, feeling herself swept off the ground as if she weighed nothing. "Tetsuzaemon. Come here. Hurry." The words barely registered with Bambietta as she placed her cheek against something soft, snuggling against the comfortable thing as she finally lost consciousness.
Yet another burst of reishi blazed past Shunsui's face, taking a piece out of his left ear as it narrowly missed rendering him completely blind. "Geeze, you're merciless. Why do I always get the unluckiest matchup?" The older man facing him said nothing as usual, the gun he held smoking as he adjusted his aim once more. "Can't you at least play along? I like some good banter when I fight." The next shot tore into his left arm as he managed to move just enough to prevent the bullet meant for his heart from killing him immediately. The shot was instantly followed up by another at his face, tearing another gash into his cheek. The Captain panted at the strain of his repeated dodging, blood dripping from his wounds.
"Yare, yare. What's with you being so obsessed with trying to blind me over and over? You're quite the sadist, Quincy-san. Never been a fan of that fetish. Mine's glasses." He blinked as his gaze suddenly landed on the Stern Ritter's face and the pair of glasses he wore himself. "Wait. That didn't come out how I wanted it to."
The Quincy known to the other Stern Ritter as Hauptman said nothing in reply. "This is just getting awkward...Anyway, I can't believe you shot my eye like this. We already have one guy with an eyepatch! What if people start confusing me and Zaraki-kun?" At this, the corners of the other man's mouth twitched. Shunsui frowned at the reaction, suddenly becoming aware of something other than his opponent for the first time since the fight had begun. He could feel the reiatsu of the Captain he had just mentioned, but rapidly shrinking. His good eye widened as Kenpachi Zaraki's reiatsu plummeted to the point where he could no longer even tell if the man was alive. A similar check told him that nearly all the Captains appeared to be on the losing end of their battles, and Kuchiki Byakuya's was in the same condition as Kenpachi's.
The realization filled even the battle-hardened man with a moment of doubt, a costly mistake against an opponent like the one he faced. The Quincy dove forward the instant Shunsui's resolve wavered, slamming a knee into the Shinigami's injured face. His still functioning eye watered from the impact as he staggered back, only for the Stern Ritter to fire a shot into his thigh. The injured leg collapsed beneath him, sending the Captain falling to the ground face first. Pain filling his body, Shunsui desperately attempted to push himself upright once more. A click came from directly behind his head as he felt something pressed up against the back of his skull. Though he blindly stabbed his left handed sword behind him in a futile attempt to fend off the Quincy, Kyoraku Shunsui knew in his heart that he was about to die. And there was nothing he could do about it.