Chapter 10
The darkness blanketed the entire area all around the black temple. The night sky was devoid of stars, and it was empty like a void. There was no wind, only an icy calm. The black robed figure was easily blending in with the temple and darkness, even as the old man reached him. "You are certain that you can get the job done?" the old man asked. "Definitely. . ." the robed figure replied. "You are certain that he will try it, then return?" The old man paused for an instant, almost as if checking to make sure that the conversation was not being eavesdropped on. "He will, there is no doubt." The old man said adamantly. "And you are certain that he will fail?" the robed figure asked. "I have not lived as long as this making bad guesses." The robed figure smiled, though the old man could not see this, for the robed figure's back was turned to him. "What makes you capable of capturing someone like him, even if he is in a wounded state?" the old man questioned. "They do not call me The Iron Claw for nothing." The robed figure said simply, not offering any information beyond that. "Now as to my payment…" The old man pulled out a small brown cloth bag. He tossed it over the head of the robed figure, whose left hand flashed up, grabbing the bag and pulling it into the folds of the robe.
The old man looked towards the sky. "Quite dramatic", he noted as a black figure became visible in the night sky, masked by the darkness, but seen by the old man's keen eye none the less. "I feel that it is necessary to show you a part of my power", the robed figure replied. It was a black chariot driven by two black steeds with glowing red eyes that approached. As they approached, the grass around slowly began to wither away, slowly began to simply fade and die. Flames ignited on the chariot as the robed figure stepped in. "You will forever remember my name", he promised. "When I am through with this task, you will realize just how far my expertise extends. There is none other like me." The chariot exploded off of the ground, moving into the sky. It zig zagged around a bit, creating a word in the sky made of flames and smoke. "Kain." The old man stared up at the word. "Such showoffs, this new generation", he said. The old man turned, and walked away. His plan would come to fruition.
Zouma whirled around from a standing position. His blade shot up, parrying a large axe with apparent ease. He was inside of a training area, with Hachi's barriers all around. The warehouse had the Vizards inside of it, with all of them just off loafing or doing something casual. The only one paying attention was Shinji, who was watching what Zouma could do. Zouma jumped out of the way of a blast of electricity. He was definitely faster than Sonido, which raised the question of how fast his Sonido was. Zouma whirled around again, sensing something behind him. He parried three blades at once with an unorthodox twist of his blade, before turning it into a figure eight. This disarmed two of the automatons attacking him. Zouma felt a whoosh of air, and backflipped over the attack, and the attacker. The automaton with the axe swung into the other two, dismembering them from the waist down. Zouma landed behind the axe wielding automaton, and shoved his left palm, the free hand, onto it's back. His right hand was the blade hand, for Zouma favored a one handed style at that point. A large Shakkaho exploded out of his hand, eradicating the automaton, blasting it apart. Something told Zouma that something was amiss, some kind of instinct or sixth sense, and he whirled around to the right, aiming his left palm at the final automaton. His mask materialized onto his face for a single instant, and Cero exploded out straight into the automaton, reducing it to ash. Zouma's mask dissolved away as the barrier faded, and he looked up at Shinji. "There's no doubt about it", Shinji said. "Hell definitely made you powerful. You're as fast as an average masked Vizard even without your mask, and your physical strength is through the roof. Ya even have a large amount of Reiatsu equivalent to about four or five captains put together." Zouma grinned. "You're definitely one of the strongest bad asses around."
Zouma's blade shattered, dissolving away into sand. "It also helps that I can summon my blade instead of drawing it." Shinji grinned. His grin quickly soured however as he said, "Just because you're so powerful doesn't mean you can do something stupid. If you need something important, Ichigo and I will back ya up, but don't do something related purely to your vendettas." Zouma didn't reply, simply looked into space for a few instants. He then looked back at Shinji. "It's never that simple", he said.
It took hours of Zouma training in the rain for him to work off his frustration. He had to perform a ritual of training outside over and over to get over his inability to save his comrades, and his hatred for the Gotei Thirteen. "I will avenge you, they will die." Zouma said. He knelt on the ground, his eyes closing as the rain slowly started to soak him. Zouma stood up very suddenly, and flicked his blade around, aiming it at someone. "Whoa!" Mashiro exclaimed. "I'm not an enemy!" Zouma lowered his blade. "Sorry", he said. "Instinct." Mashiro smiled. "Why do you do this every night?" she asked. "I stay awake longer then everyone else thinks so I'm the only one who knows. Not even Kensei-Meanie has figured it out, and he's like a wolf." Zouma's blade dissolved. "It's part of my atonement." He said. Mashiro sat down, and motioned for Zouma to do the same. Zouma sat down also, both of them on the roof of the Vizard's Warehouse. "It's not your fault." She said. Zouma took note of Mashiro. She wore a white and light blue jump suit, with fluffy brown boots. She also wore a red scarf, and had a young face, with a green hair in a bowl cut. She had goggles on her forehead, and brown eyes. Mashiro was young, but she was a beauty for her apparent youth. She had a decent figure, and full lips. Her eyes sparkled, and she was one of those girls that one would think of as extremely cute, and envision would one day be incredibly stunning. "You weren't there." Zouma replied. Mashiro put his hand on his shoulder. "Still it's n-"
"YOU WEREN'T THERE! YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!" Zouma shouted, standing up abruptly. Mashiro stood up with him. "Sorry", Zouma muttered. "I have to go." He began walking away, but Mashiro grabbed his shoulder. "Let me go", Zouma said. "No." Mashiro replied. Zouma whirled around, shoving both of his palms onto twin particular spots on Mashiro's stomach. She gasped, and crumpled to the floor and unconscious. Zouma quickly walked away as the thunder boomed, roaring through the area as lightning. "I have no choice I guess", Zouma said simply. He disappeared into the night with a simple Shunpo.
Zouma arrived at Urahara's shop rather quickly, and knocked. Probably sensing his Reiatsu, it was Urahara himself that answered. "Mr. Urahara", Zouma said. "I'd like to go to Soul Society." Urahara looked at Zouma like he was insane, then laughed. "Of course!" he exclaimed. "Just tell me why." He moved into a serious mood, looking at Zouma. "I can't honor your request if you plan to do something foolish." Zouma looked into Urahara's eyes. "Please", he said simply. "I must try to avenge my comrades. You can try to stop me once I get to Soul Society, but I need to fulfill this." Urahara looked back at Zouma's eyes, evaluating him. "Alright." He said. "Thank you", Zouma tacked on as Urahara led him to the gate. Zouma waited as the gated opened, revealing a white light. As soon as it was open all the way, Zouma dashed through. "Don't let anyone follow me please", he requested as he disappeared into the gate. Urahara disappeared from sight as the gate closed, and Zouma watched the darkness of the tunnel. He quickly made it to the exit, and jumped through.
Chapter 11
Zouma made it through the downpour, which apparently had carried into Seireitei as well. He walked for a few minutes only before reaching the gatekeeper. "Let me pass", he said with irritance. The gatekeeper's outfit dissolved from the figure, revealing Yammamoto Genryuusai. "I've expected this", he said. "And I didn't want to keep anyone waiting." Zouma shrugged off his coat, which dissolved into black sand. Yammamoto Genryuusai's extremely muscular torso came into view, covered in hundreds of scars as his robe and shirt vanished. Zouma's blade materialized in his grasp, and Yammamoto Genryuusai's blade left his cane, which disappeared. "I'm ready to end this and avenge my comrades", Zouma said. "You never will." Yammamoto Genryuusai responded. The two of them launched out at each other, their blades flying out. Zouma's blade smashed into that of Yammamoto Genryuusai, who held it in his left. Zouma, holding his blade in his right, charged a Shakkaho in his left hand. He fired it off, and Yammamoto punched through it with a lightning covered right fist, which continued on and struck Zouma in the gut. Zouma flew backwards, and back flipped in mid air, landing back on his feet and skidding on the ground. He spat blood onto the ground, and aimed his blade at Yammamoto Genryuusai. The two of them spoke in unison. "Eviscerate…Tenrai!" "Reduce all Creation to Ash…Ryuujin Jaka!"
Both of their Zanpakutou released at the exact same time, blue flames matching up with red flames, the two of them colliding. This time, they were equal, and Zouma smelled the smoke, nearly choking on it. He burst forwards, slashing. A gigantic flood of more cold fire rushed out as he slashed. Yammamoto Genryuusai held his hand out, and a gigantic pillar of fire rose up to block the cold fire. Zouma zig zagged to the left, out of the way of the pillar, and gave a viciously powerful slash towards Yammamoto Genryuusai. Yammamoto Genryuusai brought up his blade, parrying as shockwaves flew from their point of impact, creating a crater in the ground. "1000 years of practice has made me strong and fast" Yammamoto Genryuusai said. "It took you a hundred years in Hell to have a shot at catching up to me. This is why I am the Captain Commander."
The two of them clashed again, a circle of red and blue flames dancing all around them, clashing constantly. Neither one of them was able to get the lead. "I am not your equal", Zouma said. "I've surpassed you. I am your superior." Zouma released a gigantic blast of Cold Fire, which Yammamoto Genryuusai blocked out. Zouma punched towards Yammamoto Genryuusai, who grabbed his fist. "I will defeat you!" Zouma exclaimed. "BANKAI! TENRAI KEN'O!" A gigantic shadow colossus surrounded him, the darkness flying everywhere, the tendrils moving all around. "It took us years to reconstruct the Sokyokku", Yammamoto Genryuusai said. "But it is three times as strong as before." A gigantic phoenix of flames rose up out of nowhere at Yammamoto Genryuusai's command. "What the fuck?!" Zouma demanded. "You can use it in battle?!" Yammamoto Genryuusai roared. "DISSOLVE IN FLAMES YOU ARROGANT BRATTY FUCK!" The phoenix roared out, exploding into the darkness. Zouma screamed as his bankai was obliterated, managing only to put up a small fight against the Sokkyoku. Zouma managed as a last resort to make an explosion of darkness which canceled out the Sokkyokku, and allowed him to escape with only minimal first degree burns all over his body. Blood dripped out of some wounds on him as the gigantic blade clattered to the ground behind Yammamoto Genryuusai, who sent flames towards Zouma. As another last ditch effort, Zouma brought up the Cold Fire from Tenrai, which he had to release again, barely blocking his foe's flames. "Now I know the truth", he said.
"That's why you killed my comrades isn't it? That's why you tried to execute me!" Zouma looked at Yammamoto Genryuusai with eyes filled with hate. "You're jealous of my power! Until I came along, you were the strongest, you had the best zanpakutou, the best leadership, the best accomplishments! I was starting to dwarf you in everything! EVERYTHING! I AM YOUR SUPERIOR AND FOR THAT YOU TRIED TO DESTROY ME! WATCH MY POWER, WATCH IT DESTROY YOU." Zouma's mask exploded onto his face with it's wolf-like appearance, and the circle of flames quickly changed. Zouma's flames turned a dark, blood red, and overtook Yammamoto Genryuusai's flames. The entire circle became Zouma's flames, allowing pillars all around to shoot up, and large floods, waves, and blasts to move out towards Yammamoto Genryuusai, rushing to attack him. Yammamoto Genryuusai combated them viciously with blasts and kidou of lightning as he moved around, but Zouma was too fast. He kept his attack up relentlessly, and his blade moved in an arc towards Yammamoto Genryuusai at insane speeds. Yammamoto Genryuusai finally gave into his rage, and twin phoenixes of lightning materialized on his arms, and he punched straight into Zouma, who roared in agony. Zouma, with no other effort, decided to go for Ressurection. "Burn away the flesh of my enemies…TENRAI GOJIN!" Zouma's skin turned black as night, and his skin became covered in electric pattern markings of the color white. His iris turned crimson red, and his mask's mouth became his used mouth, while horns grew out of his head. White fur became visible on his clawed feet and ankles, and the claws on his hands appeared to be of steel, and gave off an impression of being indestructible. He gained bone spikes on his shoulders, and he grew massive wings of black fire. His clothes were mostly in tatters, though his pants seemed to be in decent shape, and he still wore them. Zouma took a single step towards Yammamoto Genryuusai as Reiatsu flew everywhere, and pressure crushed down, sparks flying and fires starting. Yammamoto Genryuusai himself was forced onto one knee in front of Zouma's insane power. "Am I bleeding?" Yammamoto Genryuusai asked. Zouma was suddenly next to him. He hissed as he shoved his blade towards Yammamoto Genryuusai. Yammamoto Genryuusai whirled around, only to realize that he had a gigantic hole in his chest with blood all over. His eyes showed his thoughts. When did he miss that? Zouma was fast, and powerful. Keeping up with him would be impossible. He was about to strike again, when the phoenixes roared into him, apparently having minds and power of their own. Zouma roared in agony as he dropped to one knee, his entire form shattering, but his mask rematerializing. He and Yammamoto Genryuusai were both in tatters. Zouma prepared to move again, but Byakuya Kuchiki and Hitsugaya Toushiro were both suddenly there. "Two more captains join the fray…" Zouma whispered. "How nice…." He aimed his left palm at them. "Cero Garandou…" What appeared to be stretching blackness moved out of his hand, approaching them. "GET OUT OF THE WAY! IT WILL REACH BEFORE THE DARKNESS!" Yammamoto Genryuusai exclaimed, obviously seeing something the others did not. They jumped out of the way, both Byakuya and Toushiro going Bankai in the same instant. Unfortunately for them, the attack appeared to be rather large, for Toushiro's bankai shattered instantly, and blood exploded all throughout his body. It was only by the flames of Yammamoto Genryuusai that the Cero was weakened enough for him to survive, half of his flesh burned away and blood leaking out. Byakuya met a similar fate, and was protected in the same way, but his Shikai remained up. Zouma did not notice it until he was forced to whirl around by the sound, and he became carved by Senbonzakura. Only with a blast of Reiatsu all around his body did he escape. Zouma's mask shattered, and he realized that he had to escape. Zouma limped away, and then blasted off from that position by striking the ground with Tenrai, the Cold Fire becoming like a jet to propel him to and through the gate, which had conveniently been left open. He soared through, and flew all the way until his Reiatsu was over 80% depleted, and he made it out of the gate, plummeting back down into Karakura Town.