2. Ryouka Charges in! Unexpected Arrival…
"Hello, Ryouka. I was wondering when you'd turn up." Cloud stopped the would-be lethal blow to Takashi from the Soul Reaper leader that was looking for him. Cloud noticed little effort was used in the strike so the Soul Reaper was probably not expecting any interference. The giant buster sword grinded against the black hilted katana, the Vice Captain slowly giving way to the raw power Cloud had.
'Incredible Spiritual Pressure,' Daisuke thought while trying to add some of his own strength against him, 'he's moving my blade with raw power!'. Cloud then gave a grunt as he lifted the blade along with Daisuke off the ground and threw him across the street. Daisuke managed to land gracefully on his feet after a dozen meters, getting back into a fighting stance.
Daisuke smirked as Cloud checked on his comrade, Takashi Tsuba.
"Takashi! Are you alright?" Cloud asked with a sense of urgency.
Takashi laughed in between coughing. "I thought I told you to get away so you wouldn't end up like I did *cough cough*?"
"Lie still, let me fix you up a bit," Cloud said while ripping some of Takashi's clothes to tie around the wounds, hearing mild grunts of pain in the process.
"I think its…*grunt*…gonna take more *cough* than that to fix me up, Cloud," Takashi grunted painfully as he felt Cloud bind his wounds tight with the shredded cloth. Then Cloud did something Takashi nor Daisuke expected. Cloud pressed his hands on Takashi's body and a bright blue light ushered forth from his hands and a warm feeling washed over Takashi. Within a few seconds of the spectacular blue light effects, it was gone as fast as it came. Takashi gingerly moved his once penetrated shoulder and felt a major cramping along it, as well as his chest.
"Sorry, Takashi. Its been awhile since I preformed healing so you're going to feeling cramped or stiff for the next few hours."
"Hours huh? Then I guess we better get this over with so I can feel powerful again!" Takashi said with renewed vigor. Meanwhile Vice Captain Daisuke Hayate was troubled by this new ability that the Ryouka, now known as Cloud, that resembled Kido but wasn't entirely so.
"Ryouka," the Vice Captain's voice broke the feeling of camaraderie between the two and brought Cloud's attention to Daisuke, "what technique was that you used to heal that insect's wounds?"
"My name is Cloud, Soul Reaper! As for your question, I don't feel like answering any questions from the likes of you." The Vice Captain scoffed at Cloud's standing of not releasing any information while standing.
"Just so you know, I am the Vice Captain of the 2nd Division, head of the Punishment Force of the Stealth Force, Daisuke Hayate. I never let anyone get away…" suddenly Daisuke Flash Stepped, vanishing from Cloud's sight, and reappearing right behind him finishing his sentence, "…from me." Cloud barely had time to jerk his sword behind him, using it as a shield from the incredibly fast blow. Takashi struck at him with his own blade only to have been evaded with graceful footwork, sidestepping his blow while releasing hold of the sword lock with Cloud. Cloud spun on his heel and waved his sword in a large arc, which was parried by the Vice Captain while evading Takashi once again from another sword strike.
"Why! Can't! I! Hit! HIM?" Shouted Takashi as the two continually hacked and slashed away at the Vice Captain's defenses, forcing him to slowly but surely lose ground.
Daisuke then Flash Stepped away from them, ten yards posterior of their position and then shouted a chant, "Hado 33, Sokatsui!" A bolt of blue fire struck where the two companions used to be, if not for Cloud's battle hardened reflexes and Takashi's Flash Step. Cloud then rushed at inhuman speeds toward Daisuke, and was there within three strides. With a mighty yell Cloud let loose amazing strength behind his over handed vertical slice. Daisuke quickly raised his sword horizontally to counter its strength with one hand on his blade and the other on his hilt. There was an earsplitting clang of metal which busted an air pocket, shaking the foundations all around the street. The ground underneath the Vice Captain was breaking and splitting under the extreme stress it was put under.
"Incredible…strength," Daisuke uttered as he mustered every bit of strength he had in order not to get crushed into the ground. Daisuke had only two options before himself. He chose the latter. Daisuke began chanting, his left hand glowing with the result,
"Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws! Hado 33, Sokatsui!" A bright light of blue fire launched Cloud off his feet and into the air. Luckily for him, Takashi Flash Stepped up in the air and braced his impact. Cloud was remarkably unharmed, due to the fact that his sword was used as a shield at the last second. Cloud looked down at a panting Vice Captain, whose black garments were a little burned and torn from his own attacks and the Vice Captain's desperate rebuttal.
Cloud raised his weapon again, intending to go in and end the fight but he felt a hand restrain his arm.
"Cloud, he's a Vice Captain. He hasn't even showed us half of his tricks. He still has to unveil his Shikai, and I have not idea what kind of surprises he's got with that alone. Let me handle him," Takashi said with a serious face.
Cloud looked at him doubtfully, "When I got here, you were about to be killed. It doesn't inspire much confidence in me that you can take him on."
Takashi pointed at him with a fury in his eyes, "Shut up! I was caught off guard with how resilient he was, that's all! You don't think I got what it takes, huh? You think I'm a loser, huh?"
Cloud stuttered exasperatedly, "What? No! That's not what I…you're taking this way too seriously!"
"Oh! I see! Moody Cloudy thinks I'm a drama king, huh? Thinks I don't got what it takes, is that it?" Before Cloud could say anything, the Daisuke Flash Stepped right in front of Takashi, driving an uppercut swipe with his blade. Both Daisuke and Cloud were surprised by an effortless block with one hand holding onto his sword. Takashi then smiled with an evil twinkle in his eye,
"I was in the middle of talking here. Let me show you what I do to those who are without etiquette." With his other hand he tapped the end of his blade in an almost triumphant voice.
"Shine! Katsu-Oshi!" Everything became blindingly bright. So bright that Cloud had to shield himself with his sword to diver as much blinding light away from his eyes as possible. He was partially successful, seeing only half his vision covered in spots. After a few moments, Cloud peeked behind his sword to see an astounding sight. Takashi's sword had changed shape and look all together. The hilt turned silver, the guard was missing, and instead of one stem where the blade began and ended, there was one circular blade with twice the reach and five times more width. Both the inside and outside of the Zanpaktou was sharp giving a refined radiance via sunlight.
Takashi then swung his blade against Daisuke's sword with increased strength, striking it with a loud clang. But then there was a humming, and suddenly the blade produced a bright light towards Daisuke, blinding him temporarily, giving Takashi an opening to land a well-deserved kick to the chest. Daisuke felt the wind knocked out of him as he flew down onto his feet, shattering the foundation around him. His vision returned shortly afterwards and then he got a good look at his enemy's blade. The blade looked irregular, cumbersome, and must've taken a long time just to get used to the unusual style. Daisuke also had the Ryouka, 'Cloud', to deal with. Taking on two opponents who're are near his strength and caliber, makes it difficult to draw it out. Then there was the weird Shikai attack that the 'insect' attacked him with. All the enemy had to do was strike his sword, and moments later a flash of light would effectively blind him. Suddenly, Daisuke had an idea which might work.
Takashi then speaks out loud, guessing the enemy was baffled by his attack, "My Zanpaktou has the power to blind people instantaneously. You have no chance against me, so why don't let me take care of things…" suddenly, Daisuke Flash Steps in front of Cloud. With a flurry of strikes, Cloud barely counters the speed at which the Vice-Captain was attacking. Takashi then strikes at him from behind, hoping to catch off balance. He was wrong. Just as Takashi swung his blade as Cloud struck at him, Daisuke evades Cloud's strike and strikes Takashi's blade. Daisuke counted seconds as he continued to pressure his blade against his enemy's, and nothing happened.
"I think I understand your technique. You seem to willfully initiate your Zanpaktou's power as you strike a solid object, ergo my own Zanpaktou. So attacking me when the Ryouka is attacking me could leave wide open for blindness as well, in the event I evade your attack and come after him."
"That still doesn't mean a thing, Vice Captain Daisuke Hayate! You're still outnumbered, two to one, and you're not going to last all day."
"True, but you still haven't even attacked me with your Zanpaktou's true power, have you?" Takashi flinched, feeling as though his movements or looks betrayed him.
"I thought as much," Daisuke said, raising a hand toward Takashi, while still sword locked. He then uttered a few words, making Daisuke flinch with fear.
"Hado 31, Shakkaho!" A crimson ball of energy built up under Daisuke's outstretched palm before discharging at the proximate target, Takashi. Takashi managed to divert the blast away from himself with his blade, but was still hurled backwards from the shockwave. Daisuke then Flash Steps behind Cloud, whom barely wards off another vicious slash. Daisuke then grabs the hilt of Cloud's sword, swings around its metal bulk, and then sends a series of kicks to his head. After ten kicks later, Daisuke twirled in the air before axe kicking him toward the street below, with a mighty shockwave that shook the poorly built shacks around the now shattered cobblestone street. Daisuke then instinctively blocks a sword blow, by the circular Zanpaktou of his gullible enemy, not even bothering to glance at him. During the instantaneous hum of Takashi's Zanpaktou, he didn't hear the utterance of Daisuke's chant, nor did he see a bright blue light that was overshadowed by his light-based attack.
"Hado 33...Sokatsui!" The light that was cast by Takashi prevented Daisuke from seeing the hole that tore through Takashi's other arm, but he definitely he heard a scream of pain over the loud humming which definitely gave Daisuke some satisfaction. The sword then was easily batted away by Daisuke after instinctively landing a roundhouse kick into Takashi's chest, hurtling him fifty meters across the sky. After the unnatural light faded from Daisuke's vision he inspected the two men that have been defeated by him. He winced at the sight of the Ryouka Cloud's impact and it didn't look like he'd be able to get soon. His gaze rested on the former Soul Reaper and he didn't feel anything. Blood dripping down to ground far below from the hole that was shot through his right shoulder. Takashi had a hardened expression, showing no pain this time that should expressed from the obvious damage he took.
Daisuke stood still, inwardly had measured the man's resolve and combat prowess raised the respect he had for him. Then Takashi did exactly what Daisuke wanted in the first place. Takashi switched sword hands and pointed it up at the sky until the Sun itself was shining through the hole of his Full Moon shaped Zanpaktou.
"SHINE! Katsu-Oshi IZUMI!" Takashi shouted as he twirled his Zanpaktou in between his fingers, passing by the Sun each time. The hole in the Zanpaktou began to brighten far beyond its earlier flash effect attack earlier. A pulsating orb of light formed visibly in the space of the weapon, visible even through the vertical twirling that was happening.
Daisuke hadn't twitched or flinched at the sight of the awesome wonder before him. He wondered about the scale of the damage it can inflict. Daisuke then felt the sudden skyrocket of Spiritual Pressure. His eyes widened when he noticed it was coming from the orb from Takashi's Zanpaktou, which he now stopped twirling.
Takashi then said something in a very menacing manner, "Just so you know, no one has escaped from this attack. So you'd better hope," Takashi pointed the orb directly at Daisuke, "that you can counter this." A loud whine filled the air, giving Daisuke moments before the attack came. Then a sudden burst of white energy engulfed the area around Daisuke, firing off far into the horizon. Soul Reapers would be able to see from miles around the incredible white light that fired across the Rukon District, pummeling into the Sogyoku Hill mountainside with a huge explosion.
Takashi panted from the exertion, sweat dripping down his brow and forehead. He chuckled a bit, praising himself for being able to pull it off.
He gazed at the horizon seeing only steam from where he launched his attack, blocking his view. The steam began to rise giving way to something dark under the steam. Takashi gasped as he saw something terrifying and bizarre. He saw a black wall covering a small area in front of where Daisuke's body is. Then it shattered into shards of what looked like obsidian glass. Behind it, stood Daisuke Hayate. Completely unharmed.
Daisuke stared his cold eyes at Takashi's scared ones, sending a message of despair to him.
Daisuke then spoke, "So…that's the extent of your powers? I'm disappointed." Noticing Takashi was still standing in a daze, Daisuke honored him at least on how he defeated him. "It wasn't my Shikai if that was what you're wondering. It was a special Kido that I have been perfecting. Bakudo 47, Izu-Kagetsu. It is a Bakudo that forms a barrier of shadow-steel and spirit particles, designed to let an attack 'flow' past you, taking less a beating than what normal barriers can take."
With slight pants, Takashi said something weakly, "So…*pant*, what you're…*pant*, saying is that…*pant*, you diverted the majority of my attack…*wheeze*, around you?"
Daisuke scoffed, "You're not so dumb after all. Yes, that's exactly what happened. However, I doubt that knowledge is going to help you now anyways." Daisuke then raised his sword, preparing for his final strike when suddenly he heard a mighty yell below.
"Thunder Shock!" Suddenly a streak of electricity struck his sword and shocked him with thousands of volts, causing himself to scream in pain. He then suddenly sees the Ryouka he sent just moments ago into the road below, launching himself off it into the air at unimaginable speeds. Daisuke was hit multiple times in the chest by blurred fists as well as a powerful aimed kick to the head. Daisuke felt his world turn black at the corners of his vision as he felt himself sail across the Rukon District, inevitably going to strike the ground hard. Daisuke then knew he had to try, that, in order for him to win, and survive.
Cloud panted as he saw the Vice Captain soar across the district and land crashing through several houses. He looked down at his hands. He never knew he could still wield magic here, especially since his death. He felt that he could pull the energy around himself and harness it for power, feeling already rejuvenated regardless of the beating he took. He retrieved his sword from the ground and went to check on Takashi.
"Takashi, are you alright?" Cloud asked with a worried look at the hole in his friend's shoulder, immediately pressing his own hand against it. The blue aura of his healing spell began to rapidly heal the inner workings of the shoulder, knitting muscles and bones back together at amazing speed before working on his skin. With a loud groan, Takashi felt practically as good as new, minus the stiffness in his shoulder.
"Better now, thanks! This guy is something else, eh?" Takashi glanced at the ruined wreckage that Cloud caused the Vice Captain to create, and Takashi winced at the thought of how much pain his enemy must be in. Both of them gazed at the pile of rubble farthest away from them intently, as if staring at it long enough will make their opponent submit to defeat.
They were wrong. A figure burst from the rubble and flew into the air, followed by what looked like a thick black curtain. Takashi and Cloud gaped at the sight, for what looked like a giant obsidian pillar that raised himself ten stories tall and the pillar itself was at least forty feet wide. The strangest part was for Cloud was that the pillar shimmered like a mirage, and the edges of the pillar was rippling like a black pond from pebbles striking it. Needless to say, the pillar itself spoke bounds of the power Daisuke possessed. The Vice-Captain's Zanpaktou also looked different, the hilt having the butt of it an obsidian dragon's head while the blade itself was missing.
Then the Vice Captain spoke, his voice echoing over the dazed, broken district to the stunned duo. "I'm to commend you both, for no one in the entire Soul Society has ever forced my hand to release my Zanpaktou to its Bankai save for the Captain. This is my Zanpaktou's Bankai, Captain. Gorou-Mai Rin: the Seven Shadow Maws of Twilight!" The next movement made by Vice-Captain sent ripples of Spiritual Pressure coursing through every man, woman, and child, even up to the Seireitei. The movement unleashed a large amount of his power, just by raising the hilt of his Zanpaktou in front of his face.
The Vice Captain whispered in a cold monotone of murderous indifference, "This is your final dance unto Twilight, Ryouka Cloud…"