Kujo sprinted for a seemingly endless distance…over buildings, through a Senkaimon, into the Soul Society, and now he was running quickly through the roads of the Rukongai.
Ever since learning his true identity, he had been recalling his past life…all while knowing it had never actually been truth. His childhood…his father…Kujo remembered only flashes of memory. It didn't really matter anymore. The truth was out now.
When Rojo had released his Resurreccion Segunda Etapa, Kujo had been truly afraid for the first time in years. Kujo's instinct now was to try and get stronger…by "figuring the rest out by himself" as Kokatsuna had said. He ran on into the distance, past countless drab, beige huts.
"All right," Kujo muttered, "It's time to find a cave."
Across a void of open sky, two giant columns of energy rushed upwards, the result of the two Generales' Resurrecciones. For several minutes, nothing happened. The two opposing armies lined the skies, waiting silently for the command to strike. Then, without warning, an ominous rumble filled the air.
"Move! Get out of the way!" Kazetora's yell pierced the silence. She and her team, as well as the rest of Kujo's group flash stepped away from Rojo and Azurelle a split second before both torrents of energy rushed outward, dissipating just before they reached the Arrancar army.
"My lord, we are ready to serve you." Azurelle said, stepping from a corona of black flames. Her body was coated in skintight metallic armor, flowing and shifting between mist and liquid. Her body was featureless except for her face and the mane of dark blue that cascaded over her shoulders. The most remarkable aspect of her transformation was the glowing white snake that writhed through the air, coiled countless times around in a wide circle. It was not attached to Azurelle's body in any way, leaving it free to move where it was needed.
"Welcome back, my friends." The Dark One said quietly, exchanging a glance with Rojo, who stood silently where he had appeared.
Rojo's conversion to his second form was as dramatic, if not more. His body was now streamlined, although still wolf-like, and pure crimson. His hair had become pure black and was pulled back in a straight thicket of spikes, and his lower body now sprouted dense black fur. Ebony blades extended from his forearms and ankles. Rojo stared ahead with terrifying red eyes that sported black sclera.
The two of them turned toward the Shinigami. Kazetora, watching all of this, glared at the Arrancars with calculated loathing. Many of the other captains drew their swords. On her left, Kiraiyane glanced in her direction. Without changing the direction of her gaze, she nodded curtly.
"Go forth, and dye this world the color of blood!" shouted the Dark One. And rising in a wave, the Hollow soldiers lunged as one toward the Shinigami.
"Let's go!" yelled Captain Ukitake.
Kazetora charged with him, followed by all of her comrades. Raising her blades, she released her ice technique, Hyososai. Instead of flash freezing her enemies in a large area, she caused the attack to separate, and hundreds of soldiers were downed immediately when their heads froze over and shattered. Hollow bodies rained down around Kazetora, thudding to the ground with nasty cracks. She wheeled under her opponents and unleashed an inferno to incinerate many more.
Above Kazetora, Kiraiyane was having issues of her own. Slashing through multiple Hollows with her Bankai wasn't effective enough, as more just kept coming. Calling on her Zanpakuto's power, Simura caused her Bankai to grow six blades that swung from ropes of blue reiatsu. Granted, her main blade would be weaker, but at least she had more reach. "Graaaaahhh!" she yelled, whipping the multi-headed weapon at her targets. The darting blades decimated the enemy forces, at last clearing a wide space. "Ha! Looks like I've finally taught you idiots a lesson." Kiraiyane grinned.
"Heads up!" someone said, and a lariat of water spun over Kiraiyane's head, wiping out three soldiers behind her.
Turning, she saw the green-haired woman from before twirling her Zanpakuto and pulverizing the Hollows that closed in on her. "You almost took my head off!"
"Well, don't be in my way." The woman replied tersely.
"Why, you…you can't talk to me that way! I don't even know you!" Kiraiyane yelled.
The woman didn't say another word. Instead, she pointed her finger and raked the surrounding area with an orange energy beam, annihilating the enemy left and right.
"Okay…I won't complain anymore…" Kiraiyane turned slowly back toward the battle and looked around. The heavens were being devastated with elemental blasts as Kazetora continued to engage the Hollows surrounding the Shinigami force. Her lieutenant Shuhei cut down any stragglers that she missed with the spinning blades of his Shikai. Kiraiyane was amazed at the cooperation they showed for a pair that had been working together for such a short time.
As for the others, Ichigo was a terror on the battlefield, his swords blasting endless Getsuga Tenshos, the black-haired spy from Squad 2 flitted through the enemy ranks, dropping numerous warriors with stabs to the back and neck, and Byakuya Kuchiki's Bankai was a vast presence in the sky, its magenta blades enveloping entire columns of warriors at a time.
Kiraiyane saw this and more, but what she saw that she disliked the most was the open Garganta through which streamed yet more Hollows, fresh and ready for war. If their opponents were not stopped in their entrance to the world, then the Shinigami would be overrun. She flash stepped over to Byakuya, as he himself was the least occupied in his fight. However, she did not expect the danger she tempted by approaching him. A torrent of pink blades flashed toward her, nearly shearing her apart.
"Be careful, Captain Kiraiyane," exclaimed Byakuya. "Next time I might be too distracted to feel your reiatsu."
"Sorry, Kuchiki." Kiraiyane said, her heart beating furiously from her narrow escape of death. "We have to stop them coming through the portal!"
Byakuya briefly considered, still maintaining his assault on the Hollows. "I have closed a Garganta before, but doing so took my full concentration, as well as the help of many others, all captains."
"Hmm…" Kiraiyane said. She looked towards the rear of the battle, and in her mind, a plan began to form.
The Dark One looked over his forces confidently. "Things are going well."
"Just as you say, my Lord." Azurelle spoke. "The Shinigami are weakening under our onslaught."
"Something is still on my mind." Rojo finally said.
"What, Rojo?" asked the Dark One.
"Kujo Shihoin. He-"
Rojo never finished his sentence. The three of them were suddenly more interested in what was unfolding in front of them.
"Are you sure about this?" Commander Ukitake asked.
"I'm sure! Just trust me, sir!" Kiraiyane shouted from below him. "Go, now!" She began to release her reiatsu in a glow of blue light. Around her, the captains who had not immediately joined the fight: Hitsugaya, Kotetsu, Zaraki, Kurotsuchi, Soifon, and Komamura did the same.
Ukitake sighed, and after a moment, followed suit.
Kiraiyane waited for several seconds, directing her will at the corners of the gaping rent in the sky, urging it to close with all her mind. She could only hope the others were exerting their power as well.
Multitudes of Hollow soldiers attempted to deter their efforts over the course of many minutes, but they were held off by lieutenants Kurosaki, Hisagi, Abarai, Kuchiki, and Kiraiyane's own, Momo Hinamori.
"Now, more!" Byakuya shouted, and he thrust out his hands, sending the petals of his Bankai streaming towards the points of the Captains' focus. They crashed into the Garganta and vibrated against the rent for a long time, until still nothing happened, and Kiraiyane felt her reiatsu weaken.
"It's…It's going to work, just keep trying!" she urged. But was it?
"The passage of the Hollows through the gate is preventing it from closing!" shouted the green-haired woman, who was called Kumiko Mizure, as she had told Kiraiyane. Mizure thrust out her hands.
"How do you know?!" Kiraiyane yelled.
"Don't ask!" shouted Mizure. "Just trust me!" She unleashed a Cero from either hand, incinerating many Hollows in the doorway. Ichigo turned and launched a Getsuga at the opening, which exploded with flames from the power of their combined attacks. And, at long last, the portal shuddered and sealed itself with a rumble. The skies were whole once again.
Panting, Kiraiyane faced her comrades. Kurotsuchi had fainted, but the others stared at Kiraiyane with new strength and determination. "I see that I don't need to say anything. Great job, everyone."
Turning back towards the space where the Garganta had been, Kiraiyane steeled herself, still shaken by what she saw.
The Generals, at last, were entering the fight.
"Sir-" Azurelle said, but she was cut off.
"No questions!" snapped her master. "Time to show those weaklings what they just earned." The Dark One motioned. "Go."
Azurelle immediately charged out towards her opponents, but she was stopped by an unseen force.
"Not you. Rojo first." The Dark One ordered.
Chastened, Azurelle stepped back to her place as Rojo flashed away with Sonido.
"Sir, I don't mean to be forward with you, but have you seen Cielle anywhere?"
The Dark One, without looking at her, said, "I have not."
Azurelle cast about for her younger sister, who by all rights should have been there with them. Perhaps she had gone with the others when the order was given, but Azurelle had not seen her during the first attack.
Unbeknownst to the Shinigami, they were also missing someone.
Okanade couldn't seem to get the girl in the blue dress to talk; all she did was attack him. A strange expectation for a war, but Okanade did not exactly have the right idea. Their swords clashed, katana on katana, in complete silence.
"Why don't you talk?" Okanade yelled at her. "At least say something."
"Idiot. This is why we chose you to be the one framed for Kyoraku's death."
"So you can talk," said Okanade, grinning. The grin faded as all of what she said registered. "Wait, what do you mean?"
"You want me to talk more, when really you should be trying to kill me." The girl said. "The Soul Society was put in great disarray when an unlikely killer was arrested for the murder of their commander. You're not a killer at all, and once I eliminate you, I can go back to the real battle and have some fun."
"And I thought that Azurelle was crazy. You're a maniac!" Okanade shouted. "Well, at least I got you talking."
"My sister talks big, but she lets the Dark One walk all over her." The girl replied. "I'm not so zealous. I, Cielle Bellerophon, seventh of the Generales, will destroy you." She pointed her sword at him. "Raze this world, Grifa (Exalted Griffin Empress)!" No reiatsu outburst happened, but Cielle's body morphed and grew wings ; a lion skull materialized on her head. Her weapon transformed into a long silver lance which shone in the sunlight.
Jumping forth, Cielle soared low on her wings, thrusting her free hand straight at Okanade's chest. He leaned out of the way and she sailed past him, landing on one knee.
"You missed," called Okanade.
"No. I didn't." said Cielle as Okanade was suddenly knocked on his face behind her. "El Rebufo (The Slipstream). It causes the force of my attack to trail behind me so that I catch my opponent off guard."
She pounced on him, missing intentionally and knocking him deeper into the dirt.
Okanade leapt to his feet, slashing at her. She blocked him with her lance and kicked him in the gut, sending him into a building. Raising her weapon, Cielle blasted the rubble with a Cero. Okanade appeared behind her with his Shunpo, and slashed at her again, this time with his Shikai active. The wind blade was batted aside by her wing, and she thrust the spear straight into his shoulder. Yanking it out, she punched him in the face, blasting him down the block again.
Okanade slowly got to his knees. He looked up at Cielle as she lunged forward, down the road towards him. As she got within ten yards of him, he spoke. "There's a little problem with fighting an air elementalist when you have wings in your release form." Cielle's eyes widened and Okanade swung his Shikai, sending a maelstrom of air currents in her direction. At that point, flying was impossible, and the Arrancar was pulled up into the sky and slammed into the asphalt by Okanade's attack. Without pause, Okanade flash stepped over to her and swung his weapon again. "Bofu Dantsume Hikisaku (Windstorm Rending Splitting Claw)!" Okanade's strike tore a rent in the entire block of road, cracking the pavement in half. He kicked the lance out of Cielle's hand, placing the point of Kamaitachi at her throat.
"Go ahead, kill me." She told him. "Prove yourself to me and you won't die a weakling."
Okanade brushed off the insult. "No. I won't kill you. By that notion, let it be proven that I am a better person than you in your delusion could see. Bakudo no Kyujukyu: Kin (Way of Binding #99: Restrict)."
Okanade walked away, leaving his opponent trussed up in black ribbons.
"I am better because I am merciful." He told himself.
Ichigo was afraid for the first time in many years; since he had acquired the real Zangetsu, he had felt more secure. Now, in the face of Rojo, an Arrancar capable of Resurreccion Segunda Etapa, he found flashes of his past life, of raging against a pale enemy among white dunes under a cold moon. He experienced that fear for the first time in forever and at last remembered the determination: he had to win. This alone kept him strong.
He and Commander Ukitake stood alone against the third General, the others having been swept away to other battles, other tasks. Above all, he could sense Ukitake's anger in each of his sword swings, his rage at their enemy for slaying his best friend.
Rojo rained a flurry of heavy blows on Zangetsu's larger sword. Ichigo felt the force of the blows as his feet began to sink into the dirt of the park that they had ended up fighting in. "Getsuga Tensho!" he roared, whipping his smaller sword upward at the Arrancar, who swung down out of the way of the blast. Ichigo jumped back to avoid Rojo's ankle blade as he kicked. Acting quickly, he bombarded the General with Getsugas as Ukitake descended, slashing at Rojo's head. Rojo swiped, and Ukitake raised his free hand.
"Bakudo no Hachi: Seki (Way of Binding #8: Repulse)" Rojo hissed in annoyance as the blade on his arm was deflected back toward him, and he just managed to stop it. He kicked Ukitake and sent him straight up, then raised both hands to the sky, charging and releasing a black energy beam tinged red. "Cero Oscuras (Dark Zero Blast)!"
Ukitake yelled something inaudible as the Cero approached rapidly. Faster than it had appeared, the blast disappeared and then reappeared, blasting Rojo with all of its power. As Ukitake alit next to Ichigo, Ichigo saw that the commander had used his Shikai, Sogyo no Kotowari (Law of Pisces), to deflect the attack.
"This guy deserves all that we can muster against him, Ichigo." Ukitake said.
Rojo stirred in the smoke of the explosion, and suddenly appeared behind them. He managed to slash Ukitake on the shoulder before the two Shinigami leapt away.
"Now!" yelled Ukitake.
Ichigo crossed his arms and swung them in an X, yelling "Getsuga Jujisho (Moon Fang Cross Piercer)!" A cross shaped blue blast exited his swords and struck Rojo directly in his chest, slashing twin cuts into his skin and blasting the center of his body.
The Arrancar staggered, but remained upright. He pointed his blades at his opponents, and shouted, "Gemelos Cero Masacras (Twin Massacre Zero Blast)!" To Ichigo's surprise, a beam of red energy roared towards them from all four sides. At the last second, Ichigo managed to escape its target area, and the beams crashed together, forming a sphere and exploding into red and black flames. Turning, Ichigo noticed with a rush of horror that Ukitake had not escaped the blast radius.
"Commander!" shouted Ichigo. The red light faded somewhat, although most of the area was still blazing. Ichigo could see Ukitake fetched up against a rock formation. His clothes and skin were charred severely. Rojo walked over to face Ichigo. All four of him.
He spoke in a quadruple voice that was very unnerving. "You wouldn't have seen it, but your captain did, when he was in Hell. This is Gemelos Cero. I can use Ceros to make copies of myself and use certain special abilities."
"Ichigo…Ichigo…" Ukitake choked. "Go…get out of here…you're more valuable than me."
"No! I can't just let him kill you!" Ichigo screamed.
"Go now, Kurosaki!" shouted another voice. Soifon and her entourage had arrived. "We will handle him. Captain Kasumioji of Squad 9 needs assistance."
"O-Okay!" Ichigo said. "But can't I do something about the commander?!"
Soifon looked at Ukitake in deep concern. "Bring him to Captain Kotetsu first."
Ichigo flash stepped and grabbed Ukitake, vanishing again just before a Cero obliterated the spot where he had just been.
"Jeez, you're a violent one, aren't you?" Soifon said.
"That's my job!" Rojo grinned maniacally, despite his annoyance at losing his prey. Then his smile faded. "Just like the boss always says. I'm just a weapon."