Chapter Six: Waking Up In Vegas, Renji.
I woke up when my phone started to vibrate, and I saw the sun was slowly rising. I rubbed my eyes and got up, and when I turned to Orihime, she stirred but was still in deep sleep. I yawned and opened up my phone. It was from Captain Hitsugaya telling me to go outside. I grabbed my Soul Badge and I noticed how it had a picture of Zabimaru's female form on it. I need to get that changed. I mean, it doesn't bother Orihime but I still find it weird how Captain Kurotsuchi used the emblem of their new spirit instead of the old one. I transformed and made my way outside where I saw a good number of the Gotei present. I also saw Mekujin and Rokujin with a detachment of their forces with them. Needless to say, I was surprised. I joined the Karakura Special Forces, hovering next to Ichigo and Chad.
"What's going?" Ishida asked.
"There has been a large influx of negative energy flowing connecting this world to ours. I managed to locate the source from our world but there has been unusual anomalies in yours. I alerted Urahara and he's investigating the source with his team in Karakura as we speak," Captain Kurotsuchi commented.
"I had a few members from our clan scout out the region and a few squadrons were dispatched to check the wormhole we found. It's similar to the one Jinpachi utilized when you first encountered him but we found no trace of him and his group. We are offering our assistance," Mekujin added. "Whatever it is can't be good, especially if it's not him we can find."
"I'll remain here with an element of my forces with Mekujin. I suggest the Karakura Special Forces go over to North America's west region and Setsuka will rendezvous with the 2nd Division at Europe with her group," Rokujin informed.
"Okay, but what about the civilian population?" Ichigo asked.
"Do what you must. You have one member still asleep, yes? You can have her and your fellow classmates evacuate what they can if anything should happen. Urahara will handle Karakura and I can send the 12th Division to spread out and begin preparing defenses. The 6th Division is currently spread out but Captain Kuchiki will join your group," Kurotsuchi ordered. "Captain-Commander Shunsui will coordinate defensive plans back in Soul Society so for now, I will keep you informed."
"We'll separate. I'll assume command for the Karakura Special Forces and we'll move to the west. Kurosaki, you will take control of Bravo Team consisting of yourself, Lieutenant Abarai, Chad, Ishida and Rukia. Captain Hitsugaya will operate with Lieutenants Hinamori and Matsumoto while Zaraki's squad will cooperate with myself," Captain Kuchiki said.
"Rokujin and I will expand our reach. Keep your guards up. Remember, we don't know what we're up against so go to Bankai mode immediately if you run into an enemy," Mekujin advised.
"Does this include Commander Jinpachi and his group?" Captain Hitsugaya inquired, and for a few seconds Mekujin kept silent. He inhaled, closing his eyes and when they opened, he held determination in his expression.
"Everyone you run into you can assume they are the enemy unless proven they are allies. Fight him if you must. Be aware that Jinpachi should not be taken lightly. You are centuries too young to get an upperhand against him and his forces," Mekujin remarked. "Be cautious."
"Even if you run into him?" I asked. Rokujin nodded.
"Even if we run into him. Jinpachi would eliminate all threats, family or not. Renji, remember what I taught you," Rokujin said to me. "You will need it."
"Very well. I'll communicate with my subordinate and relay information to you. For now, I'll return to Soul Society," Captain Kurotsuchi addressed the group.
"Let's get a move on, then! I'll link up with the 9th Division all over Asia," Captain Kensei said before leaving with Lieutenant Hisagi.
Before we separated, Mekujin stopped us. "Here," he said, handing us talismans. "You will need these. For luck." Ichigo and I took them from his hands and I noticed they were Hiryu clan's charms. Mekujin left the group and we made our way to Vegas. Before we did, I left a note on Orihime's jacket to evacuate the group and that I'd be back soon. When I was about to take flight from the balcony, I saw Chad leaving Tatsuki's room. I smirked.
"Letting your lady know you're going out with the boys, eh?" I said with jest to him.
"I was telling my fuck buddy where I'd be. It seems you did the same," he responded to me bluntly, his expression not changing. And my jaw dropped when he took off.
Thank God Kisuke made us some devices that make us fly...
Flashback to the Battle Grounds
It was the second week that Rokujin and Mekujin had been pulverizing us. We had one good hit on them but that was by luck. They increased the difficulty but we had zero improvement from what I can see. We spent this week on our swordsmanship, relying on our physical agility and endurance rather than calling out our zanpakutou. Not like we were able to anyway, because they negated the effect. We continued being drilled with combat techniques, learning a lot of different styles on our way to learn the Satsui no Meido Zangetsuha. Apparently there were two different styles from the Satsui no Meido Zangetsuha further developed by Jinpachi: the Killing Moon and the Shadow Moon.
"The Killing Moon is self-explanatory. You learn how to fight with maximum potential with your physical abilities that become amplified by the Satsui no Meido Zangetsuha. It turns you into a monster, and enables you to enter Beast Mode," Rokujin said to us as we made our way to the Solar Temple. "Beast Mode allows you to assume the manifestation of your Soul Slayer and grants you more power than you can imagine on a physical scale. Long story short, if you became the Zabimaru, you would be strong enough to obliterate the Gotei 13. This you achieve in the Solar Temple under rigorous conditions."
"What about the Shadow Moon?" Ichigo inquired.
"Not yet," Mekujin says, turning to Ichigo. "One phase at a time."
"The Killing Moon is a complicated phase in itself and it normally takes centuries to fully master. Jinpachi found a way to complete this in less than a year, and our goal is to beat it in less than a month. It takes a long time to fully comprehend because it over-exerts one's spiritual consumption and is potentially fatal. I am aware you learned Bankai in three days but that is nothing. Just entering the Solar Temple itself will devour your soul alone, and I do not make light of this process. With the Killing Moon, you will be one step down to learning the O-Bankai and attaining that has destructive properties to even learn it. Which is why you need to enter Beast Mode because it magnifies your power by a hundred times. In order to do so," Rokujin stated as we entered the Battle Grounds. "You need to test your strength."
"With you guys? We can't! We just got lucky!" I reminded them.
"Who said you're fighting us?" Mekujin said, looking into the colosseum.
I looked at the abandoned arena. It was easily a hundred times larger with gardens growing everywhere from years of not being maintained but the flora still gave it an ethereal effect. We went down flights of steps and before long, we realized how large the battle arena was. Large objects manifested from pillars with torches being illuminated. I saw the symbols on the ground and it had ancient writing on them. No signs of blood was embedded but I saw minor cracks on the floor. Ichigo and I jumped into the arena but noticed neither of our mentors followed suit. We were puzzled but we heard the gates opening and growling emanated from the confines of the arena.
"You will be tested. And hopefully, you will survive the fight. You will be engaging in a battle royale and believe me, the more rounds you endure, the harder the enemies become," Mekujin commented as giant minotaurs entered the arena. "Your powers will be restricted from here on in. That was the purpose of the Battle Grounds. If you survive the nearly endless battle, you will realize your potential. And you will be able to initiate Beast Mode just by fighting them. Apart from being a place where spectators can watch martial arts for their entertainment, our warriors came here to learn the Satsui no Meido Zangetsuha and achieve its ultimate form: the Star Gladiator. In order to understand the O-Bankai, you will need arduous training. And this takes time. And time... is something we don't have the luxury of. Good luck."
"Shit..." Ichigo and I said simultaneously as the giants came running at us.
We ran towards a group and I somersaulted at one, grabbing one of the chains attached to its body as I used the beast to knock down several others. Ichigo tried using his new found strength but barely made any advance. He managed to catch one trying to sneak up on him so he jumped up, severing the arm of the beast. Luckily, while we cannot use our spiritual powers, we still had our Shikai activated though we couldn't unleash our special techniques. Ichigo began hacking away with his unbound speed since they were slow enough and I forced two of them to ram into each other, and I jumped off a minotaur. I saw one take notice of me so I lunged with my Zabimaru, segregating the blade with my own muscles instead of Zabimaru itself, and took control of the direction of my weapon, bifurcating some of the enemy. After a while, they fell and we thought victory was short lived but it was much shorter than that. I heard thunderous sounds being made when chariots charged towards us. There were ghastly steeds with skeletal warriors at the helm in large waves. I looked to Mekujin and Rokujin observing but they kept silent. I ran towards them but they had swift maneuvers which seemed to be much faster than we can even keep up. I decided to rely on my instincts and began using Zabimaru as a defensive weapon but each time I swung, I felt a strain on my muscles from continuous use. This was becoming a challenge for us. Was this the first wave?
"Each wave will come in right after another. You have no room for breaks," Rokujin informed us. "You need to be able to handle the fight on your own. Your only chance of winning is surviving all the rounds. Losers die."
I grunted as we took down the opposing force but after this wave ended, Rokujin's words came true when large wolves ran at us at a frightening speed. One managed to scar me with its fangs but I managed to recover fast enough to behead it. What dread me, however, was how the wolves still moved even though we tore them limb from limb.
"Renji! We have to destroy them completely!" Ichigo stated the obvious.
"I can see that! Go, Zabimaru!" I shouted, repeatedly slamming the blades on one canine before I decided it wouldn't get up.
I had no time to react as another pack lunged at me. While it took me down, I managed to get away fast enough with minor injuries before sending a fist to the wolves. I felt the impact hurt my bones from the hard flesh they held. Their skin was harder than the armor of an Espada! I looked to Ichigo dodging each wolf but they were being increasingly hard to evade so we both resorted to brute force. We stayed close to each other in case we needed to give one another aid. Then it hit me: we needed teamwork. Ichigo jumped one Zabimaru when I threw the blades forward, spinning around a clockwise rotation before he got off to dissect one wolf in half. Ichigo started to pick off the ones I injured, finishing them off with his Zangetsu. When we decimated the assailants, I saw more gates open and an entire army of corpses wielding various weapons emerged. Ichigo and I got back to back when they started to run at us, groaning to devour us.
It took us an hour to finish the wave because their numbers seemed endless. I saw that nothing left the gates so I looked to Mekujin for an answer as I got on my knees, my blade planted on the ground as I panted, grasping for air. I felt pain from the wounds inflicted on me while Ichigo bent over, exhausted from the fight. This was something else.
"Do not relax yet," Rokujin advised. "The real fights have yet to begin."
When he said this, I heard high pitched howls that alerted us. We saw entities floating, a malicious face partially obscured by the cloak they wore and they had long, sharp claws that resembled scythes. Beyond exhaustion, Ichigo and I ran at the group of phantoms but they blasted us with dark energy. When I got up, I felt a heavy burn that caused me to groan in pain. Ichigo stood up, yelling at them as he swung, calling out his Getsuga Tenshou which he surprisingly administered but with a small dosage. I looked at our mentors who kept a close watch at us: Rokujin on me while Mekujin focused on Ichigo. I made a risky movement by utilizing my Higa Zekkou and when I did, Zabimaru reformed itself, surprising me. Then I realized how much I improved. This revelation gave me the drive to continue on and when we obliterated the group, I looked to see our mentors smiling when we realized we had no reason to hold back, even if our last resort was to be our demise. With my new resolve, the realm changed and we entered an astral plane with our mentors gone, and so was the arena. I looked around and saw many galaxies, many stars and nebular clouds.
"Welcome to the Star Gladiator's realm. This was developed by Jinpachi in case the enemy invaded us and he left these monsters to defend us but at the same time, train us. He used this plane to stop time and to get stronger. Here... he developed the Killing Moon to its ultimate form and he saw the birth of the Star Gladiator. Here you will enter Beast Mode!" Mekujin's voice boomed.
"I thought we have to go into the Solar Temple?" Ichigo asked.
"To learn the Killing Moon. But for entering your Beast Mode, you have to earn it here if you want to use the true Satsui no Meido Zangetsuha," Rokujin answered.
We're fucked.
I felt a surge of energy flow through me and my wounds heal. My muscles grew as white fur covered me, tribal markings reminiscent to my tattoos covered my arms as I felt fangs grow, my hair getting more rigid and longer as black pauldrons covered with red fur appeared on my shoulders, pieces of armor beginning to appear on my body as Zabimaru took on a more serpentine appearance. Gauntlets with reptillian features were created but I saw that I was barefoot, with large talons replacing my toenails. I looked at my reflection on my blade and saw I was still humanoid but more feral. A large king cobra that I assumed to be the Hebi half of my zanpakutou's spirit slithered besides me and I deduced it was created from my Beast Mode. I looked to Ichigo who grew in mass, both of his blades larger and his hair longer, resembling his Final Getsuga but more demonic and he had no bandages on him. He roared with his new powers as a tail grew behind him and a large crescent moon appeared on his chest and forehead.
"GETSUGA TENSHOU!" Ichigo shrieked, unleashing a blast of energy from his mouth as a group of winged foes approached.
"ZAGA TEPPOU!" I screamed as I lunged at the group, releasing a condensed blast of reiatsu to another wave of enemies from my claws while the serpent mimicked the attack. Both of our attacks were considerably larger than we ever mustered and I realized hurricanes began to circulate the area from the dark clouds above us, created by Ichigo's Beast Mode.
It only took us an hour into Beast Mode when we were rendered unconscious. When we woke up, Mekujin and Rokujin were having a conversation and I heard Ichigo groan as he came to. Neither of our mentors appear to have heard us so I motioned for Ichigo to keep quiet as we listened.
"They didn't last through the first wave in the Star Gladitor's realm. They're not yet ready," Mekujin spoke. That was the first wave?
"What should we do? We don't have time to hold their hands. Maybe this was a mistake," Rokujin replied.
"Patience. Both of them don't have formal training so it would be obvious they would have lost in that level. I know you're both awake," Mekujin revealed, neither of them turning to see us.
I got up as did Ichigo and we joined our masters. From there, they began explaining how their family operated. The Hiryu clan were natural warriors so it was easy for them to meet the requirements for the Satsui no Meido Zangetsuha but to master it was a different story. The elites were able to master the Killing Moon and the Shadow Moon but only Jinpachi learned of the Star Gladiator form and master it as well as use all three with superior efficiency. He tried teaching the rest but only Mekujin was able to summon a fraction of its potential, with Hitsugaya Juushirou mastering it later in life before it died with his son, whom I speculate was our Hitsugaya.
"Hitsugaya never took his father's name nor adopted the Hiryu into his records. He never joined the Gotei but he wore an outfit similar to theirs. Izayoi was the original commander of the 11th and 10th Divisions before she left to raise her twins alone," Rokujin told us, giving us tonics to recover our strength.
"Twins?" I asked after taking a large gulp.
"They were born here in the Lost City where Jinpachi forged the Zantetsuken and the Genjutsurugi. Both weapons were Soul Reapers fashioned to the wielder's likeness and had Jinpachi's legacy embedded in them from his Soul Reaper. And his Soul Slayer. Using his Soul Slayer enabled his children to purify souls but have the same powers Soul Reapers did. Because Hitsugaya used ice as his signature element, the Zantetsuken created the Hyourinmaru dragons. And the Genjutsurugi spawned the Zangetsu and the Engetsu, but is a direct ancestor to the Zabimaru." Rokujin made a few hand seals and we entered a new dimension before going back to the past. I surveyed my surroundings and realized people passed through us. "We are nothing but ghosts here. Inside the Solar and Lunar Temples, we were able to record history with the strongest members placing their reiatsu to the temples. They did this just by breathing in their lifetime alone."
I saw how old Soul Society looked and it seemed to be much more feudal compared to our era. Shinto temples were everywhere and things seemed to be much more luxurious.
"This was Jinpachi's era where everything had prospered from one of the deadliest wars in history," Mekujin said as he began walking with Rokujin right besides him. We followed the two. "Here, clans protected the villages from demons and Hollows long before the Gotei was formed. Back then, the Death Squad were mere mercenaries before they became official but well organized. This district is near the Lost City but back then, it was known as Zangetsugure, named after Zangetsu Mishima and led by Kazujin and Sakura." They took a turn and when we did, we saw a large regal building that I assumed was their palace.
"This is where Jinpachi's old home was located just beyond this building. Here is a dojo where he trained several people but it was also used a base of operations and for internal and foreign affairs, especially with Izayoi's family. Snakes were his favorite creatures," Rokujin pointed out to a water fountain as he said this. I looked at the signs reading District 1, School of Hiryu and Foreign and Internal Affairs that were built on an arch as we entered the territory past a stone wall. Both signs had Jinpachi's name to identify he was the headmaster of the fighting school and the chief of operations for the more government sensitive field. There were young fighters practicing grappling moves on each other on a flat grass while children played, elder monks passing by and several adults having conversations or watching the young ones.
As we continued to walk, we saw a group of military officers led by a man in white jacket and black clothing. When we got closer, we noticed how nobody bowed to the man but waved which he returned. Then I realized who he was; in clothes similar to our captains, Jinpachi walked with his group only to be met by Izayoi who wore something similar to him. They held a conversation that we couldn't hear but heard the sound of their voice. Rokujin and Mekujin stared, and I could tell by their expressions that they missed their cousin, their brother. The officers left them and the two captains began taking the massive flight of stairs to the palace while we followed closely behind.
"I'm glad you came," Jinpachi said to Izayoi. I watched how this man walked, how this man stood. Muscular arms were attached to this giant who nearly stood at the same height Kenpachi did.
"As am I. I missed you, darling," Izayoi replied. When we got to the top, we heard students practicing and they greeted the two as we strolled to what I assume would be his main quarters behind the gargantuan sequence of buildings through a soothing jungle that contained many exotic flora and fauna; bamboo trees filled majority of the jungles and we walked on a bridge made of bamboo. I heard a spring with birds chirping in the distance when we left that realm to an open clearing where I saw a view of the mountains and in front of it led to a large building.
"They seem to be improving," Izayoi said as she held Jinpachi's hand after we lost sight of the building. "Especially Meku-kun and Fujiko-chan."
"Mekujin just became their senior instructor but Fujiko still has trouble with her zanjutsu so I'm debating on taking her under my wing since her sister is my Vice-Captain. Rokujin just enrolled and Setsuka has been stopping by with her mother. She dropped her here hours ago." Jinpachi stopped just outside of his quarters where it stood high in a separate location that had a long walk-way leading to it. When I looked down, we were hundreds of feet above the village and realized how much of a paradise Soul Society was. It was so close to heaven. When I turned to the couple, I saw them in an embrace before pulling away. "I'm getting exhausted, Yaya."
"Yaya?" Ichigo and I looked at each other. I heard Mekujin chuckle as Rokujin sat on the edge of the vast garden. Jinpachi and Izayoi sat near the sole sakura as thousands of petals began to flow in the wind.
"I can tell, Ken-chan." Izayoi giggled, rubbing the man's chin.
Oh yeah. I forgot his full first name was Hitokiriken Jinpachi.
I stifled a laugh as I thought of Captain Zaraki's pet name form Lieutenant Kusajishi but marveled at the region simultaneously. For a while they just sat in silence and realized he is nothing like the Kenpachi warriors after him. Maybe it was love that kept him strong. The love for her and the love for his people. We left the couple as we explored his quarters and saw how simple the place was. Nothing extravagant. Come to think of it, I think my entire room would cost more than this place but I'm sure his sock would be too expensive for me to afford. I looked outside the window and saw that Izayoi wrapped her neck scarf with Jinpachi as she closed her eyes. I heard drawers being open and noticed Ichigo checking the place. Mekujin stared off into the distance as Rokujin began reading some of Jinpachi's reports.
"Says here that Izayoi was recently appointed as a captain. Mekujin didn't enlist yet so that Natsume girl is probably his Lieutenant or to be more precise, Vice-Captain, since that was the proper term back then. I remember how annoying she used to be," Rokujin recalled, groaning that the mere thought of her. "Takehiko was acting commander of the clan in this period when Kazujin went with Sakura on a mission with their side of the clan and her family to meet with the Juushirou family. Then-Captain Jinpachi was given the task to protect this sector of Zangetsugure while Hiruyaga defended the other end with the mobility of her unit." Rokujin placed the papers down and picked up a few scrolls where Ichigo walked over to read it with him.
"What did Takehiko do in the meantime?" I asked. Looking on his shelf, I saw scrolls hung on a wall that identified his full name, rank and his command. It read: Captain Jinpachi Yaburi, Death God Squadrons 7, 7th Division "Special Warfare Combat Application Development Detachment," Unit Commanding Officer, 1st Seat. Under that read another title, Kenpachi of the Hiryu Clan. He held very high esteem and held an important position in his family. A lot of articles involving the Death Squad 7's name were laid out on his desk.
"Asides from doing nothing?" Mekujin spoke. "Nothing. He was asked by Kazujin to defend the Zangetsugure but he was an untalented pissant with dimwitted peons at his disposal who indulged in nothing but money and whores as their master did. So Jinpachi was asked by the older government officials to assume that responsibility because they knew Takehiko would have left Zangetsugure to rot. Takehiko realized Jinpachi's rising fame and grew jealous but he knew better than to attempt an assassination. He made the mistake of not training properly to rebel against Jinpachi by orchestrating a small conflict between the Rukongai villages but it failed when I responded and I killed him. As usual, Jinpachi was too focused on the Death Squad because that was his source of income."
"His pay came from them? But what about the family's wealth?" Ichigo asked. We both sat on his futon to rest for a bit but I laid down, listening to every word our mentors said to us. Ichigo followed my action since the bed was large enough to fit four of Captain Zaraki.
"Commander Jinpachi used the family's money for other things such as building this palace of a dojo and had his students live here at the price of cleaning up the place daily. His pay was used to feed himself so he always stayed here or in the barracks which is now where the Gotei 13 resides. Essentially, if you compared his pay from now to one of your commanding officers, he would be considered dirt poor. That's how simple this man was. Or still is." Rokujin turned to us and while he kept his usual serious demeanor, his eyes got wide. "They have sex on that, just so you know."
Both of us sprung up and looked at each other when the doors swung wide open. I saw the two kissing one another furiously as they felt one another up, with Izayoi closing the door with her foot as Jinpachi was lightly pushed back. She locked the doors and turned around, biting her lower lip as she eyed a much younger Jinpachi. She attacked him and we realized they started to head our way so Ichigo and I jumped off the futon. We saw her tackle him to the futon when she removed her top covered only with a type of brassier on and I was strangely feeling grossed out. I mean, this could be our great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandmother! Jinpachi removed his top and the four of us began to make our way out when Jinpachi stood. When we looked at the man, Jinpachi, I noticed, had so much battle scars on his incredibly muscular body, and several tribal markings were tattooed on the man. He placed a type of cover that blocked our view but it wasn't a conventional door. It was similar to one but all one had to do was tip-toe or go around the other side to check up on the two animals. Jinpachi slid more series of these covers before returning to Izayoi but we could still see their shadows. We decided to take our leave as their breathing got louder. When we left, I could see the younger Mekujin along with a youthful Rokujin heading our way.
"I remember this. I was scarred for life," says Rokujin. He saw his past self holding Setsuka's hand.
We went on our way out from the pathway when the trio entered the building, only to see their past versions fly towards a wall a few seconds later. I turned to see an angry topless Jinpachi with Izayoi covered with a blanket as Setsuka held her hand.
"Learn how to knock first, you blockheads!" Jinpachi shook his fist and I couldn't help but laugh with Ichigo. We returned to the present Mekujin and Rokujin who continued to walk while their past incarnations tried to recover from Jinpachi's devastating force. I heard the door slam which caused several students to cringe. When we caught up, Mekujin and Rokujin stared at their past, shaking their heads.
"I saw... Jinpachi-sama's... butt..." The younger Rokujin made a puking motion while the present scoffed. "My eyes..."
"You think that's bad? I saw everything when he stood up! You ran before you saw his... sword!" Mekujin's past self shouted, several traces of his breakfast was seen dripping on his chin.
"Did you guys see Izayoi naked, senpai?" one of the disciples asked, the others beaming with hope. Both the past Mekujin and Rokujin glanced at one another before beating them to the ground.
"Have you no respect?! And no! Jinpachi's figure is too large to see anything else!" Mekujin kept a foot one of their faces. "AND IT'S SENSEI NOW!" The Mekujin we know began to rub his temples watching at how arrogant he used to be.
"That's what she said," one of the other disciples commented. He was picked up by someone and we saw that it was Hiruyaga. She had death in her eyes as she tossed him to a wall, a large crater forming from the impact from the effortless throw while the others bowed in fear, including the two Hiryu cousins.
"T-totally worth it..." the student said with his last ounce of consciousness before he comically slid off.
"GOOD AFTERNOON, HIRUYAGA-SAMA!" they all shouted in unison.
"Where is my daughter?" Hiruyaga demanded, her eyes showing years of experience with battle. I noticed Rukia was a much youthful variant of Hiruyaga but she oddly held Hitsugaya's eye color. She had a much more curvaceous figure and her hair was semi-curly but tied up elegantly with a very expensive comb attached on her head. She wore the Death God attire and the white commanders' jacket, signifying her rank but an expensive looking fabric that went around her shoulders. A man, who I assume to be her second-in-command, held two weapons where I assume one belonged to her.
"With Captain Jinpachi," Mekujin spoke as he looked up.
"Captain Hiruyaga is Setsuka's mother. She was conceived when Hiruyaga was under a spell when she was a Vice-Captain under Captain Sakura Hiryu. Hiruyaga was seduced and fornicated with a powerful mage, and she hasn't stopped hunting for him since," the present Mekujin informed us. "Sesshoumaru was his name and he was the Lord of Destruction, a deadly enemy that hid in the Misty Mountains of Terror. She was investigating the region when she met the man but luckily, Captain Kazujin rescued her. Hiruyaga was one of the reasons why the Death Squad 7 expanded, totaling to 13 units."
So she was raped...
"What happened to Sesshoumaru?" Ichigo asked.
"He died with Hiruyaga but they made peace in the end. Sesshomaru continued to watch their daughter from a distance but they still waged war against one another. Setsuka never got know her father but in later years, they come to admit their love for each other before Sesshoumaru sacrificed himself when Jinpachi went berserk. We couldn't find their bodies but we made memorials for them near her parents' graves." Mekujin watched as Hiruyaga went to retrieve Setsuka who ran up to her mother's arms, giggling as they hugged. The group dispersed and the two cousins joined their elders, having small talk before going into the temple when the scene changed.
"What the..." I began as I saw we were in the same place but the entire region was destroyed, several buildings burning as screams of horror filled the once peaceful village.
"This became the Zaraki District in Rukongai. Lawless. This place became a harbor for many criminals and it was a problem for Jinpachi when the Gotei formed. And it was because this was the era... of the Ghost King," Mekujin told us in a dark tone. I looked to see Rokujin gritting his teeth so I looked in the direction he was glaring at.
I saw it. A giant. Its face was covered in darkness but three orbs glowed red, two I figured were his eyes while a third one was shaped into a slit. Large demonic hands moved around and the figure was shrouded by a dark mist, its silhouette was demonic as it bellowed as it moved. I realized Rokujin started to tremble but I heard him growl at it.
He has PTSD. And I won't blame him.
A second later, Jinpachi landed in front of us, destroying part of the ground with his descent as he withdrew an elaborate, giant demonic-looking blade, flames dancing around the weapon. Jinpachi snarled as electricity surged throughout his form, a fiery aura surrounded him as he took flight at the colossal being.
"Shatter the Skies, My Flaming Fist!" he cried but we couldn't see the technique. A large explosion was made but it was shielded by the thick clouds.
"This was Jinpachi's first stand against the Ghost King in this world. The day he nearly got himself killed but he managed to do serious damage to him so the Ghost King retreated, letting the Orochi finish him off which failed. This caused Jinpachi to change and this was a time when Izayoi learned she was impregnated by him later," Mekujin stated, placing a hand on Rokujin to calm him down.
Izayoi arrived with a bloody Mekujin and Rokujin the same time Hiruyaga did with a squad from her command. Two members took Rokujin while the others joined Jinpachi in the fight.
"Civil war was upon us..." Mekujin remarked. Soon after, we returned back to the Battle Grounds and I felt a wave of emotion hit us hard. "I apologize. I should have warned you about the effects it can have to your neural system. Most people cannot understand the powers the Solar and Lunar Temples have so it affects them on a psychological level. We'll prepare you next time when we go to the Lunar Temple to learn the second half of learning the Satsui no Meido Zangetsuha."
Rokujin helped us up and when I saw his eyes, he had fire in them. "Our history is tragic. And we only have vengeance that must be brought through you. You must become stronger. You will."
Ichigo and I looked at each other, and we understood through our silence. Orihime entered the Battle Grounds with Setsuka and I saw how much of her mother she had in her. I found my resolve and I found my reason. Now I need the drive to pursue completion.
I grabbed Rokujin's shoulder, pausing him in his tracks. "Tell me more about the Star Gladiator."
Flashback ends
We arrived in Las Vegas and we were astonished. The entire city was rotting in destruction and we saw the cause of it. A giant dragon with multiple heads breathing fire on the city. The people screamed in fright as they ran so some of us went to defend them from the enemies chasing them down while Ichigo, Hitsugaya, Byakuya and I went for the beast. I realized as we got closer that this beast resembled the Orochi we were told about in legends. The moment it saw us, it fired a blast of reiatsu which Kenpachi deflected barehanded.
"Spread out!" Captain Hitsugaya ordered and he assembled his team to flank the Orochi while the Zaraki Squad and Captain Kuchiki went down to eliminate the threats.
"Ichigo, we have to destroy those bastards!" I pointed out to a group of civilians running from demons.
"Yeah, let's go! Bankai!" Ichigo entered his Bankai form and I noticed that Chad was fending off an assault force on his own while Rukia and Ishida operated in another area, Rukia already using her Bankai.
"Bankai! Souou Zabimaru!" I initiated my Bankai as I began to fight off these waves of ghouls. I noticed how easy it was, thanks to the training we received in the Hidden Temple. I heard a vicious roar and when I looked up, I noticed how large tendrils chased after Hitsugaya as he tried to cut them with his Hyourinmaru though they kept coming after him.
"Renji!" Chad called out. "Look out!" I turned around and I got hit by a giant oni wielding a spiked mace. I wasn't bleeding but it hurt like hell! Chad came to my aid before engaging the oni on his own.
"Ichigo, behind you!" I called out but it was too late. Ichigo got hit a violent burst of reiatsu by the Orochi when I saw my own captain fall from a meteor delivered by the dragon. He fell to a building that collapsed near him, but he got up, using his Bankai to engage the enemy when Captain Hitsugaya fell in front of me, knocked unconscious as his zanpakutou reverted back to its sealed form. I lunged skyward as I went past Matsumoto and Hinamori taking a descent, only to see the Zaraki Squad nowhere asides from Kenpachi who was cutting off pieces of the Orochi as he ran around the body with his incredible speed. I scarred one of the Orochi's heads, tearing off one the horns but I felt my body collide with a heavy hit so I fell to the ground. When I opened my eyes, my vision began to get blurry but I heard Ichigo using his Getsuga Tenshou on it while Kenpachi continued to laugh. Next thing you know, rocks fall on me and my world went black. I started to dream of myself and Orihime being in a field of flowers that illuminated the night. I looked up to see an aurora in the sky when I sat next to her while she spoke inaudible words to me but I kept feeling suffocated. I heard an annoying voice but when I slowly came to, I heard its familiarity.
"Renji! Renji! Hey! Where are you!" Ichigo called out to me. I could hear him call to me as I try to get myself out from underneath all the rubble I was in.
"Here..." I got up and Ichigo gave me a hand. I was still in Bankai mode which kind of surprised me. I looked around and in front of me lay Hitsugaya on top of a boulder, his clothes soaked with his own blood and close by were Matsumoto and Hinamori. My commander was to my left, his body covered in scars with a puddle of blood underneath him. Alpha Team is down. "Shit! Everybody is down! We're the only ones left!"
"Fuck!" Ichigo saw the full height of the infernal dragon as the Orochi roared at us. Skeletal warriors rose from the destruction that tore the city of Vegas apart and began to run at us. I held my abdomen, praying that Orihime evacuated Karakura from destruction.
"Orihime... please be okay..." I tensed myself when I saw the sky darken and numerous large pillars of ice with jagged spikes protruding descending to the floor as they spun at a moderate rate in the expanding radius while a blizzard began, the desert being covered by a blanket of snow, a mist forming that paused the skeleton army's ambush. And I saw an enormous dragon of comparable size made of ice coming our way towards the Orochi but when I looked at Hitsugaya again, he was still incapacitated. This was Bankai... but much more advanced.
"Sennen Hyourou!"
A voice called out and when he got closer, I saw how he resembled an older Hitsugaya but with black hair and more muscular features. The man did not wear the same clothing the Gotei or the Death Squad did but he wore a black sleeveless yukata and a black hakama that had jagged edges and white flame-like patterns. He was as large as Mekujin but the man carried Jinpachi's physical features. When I activated my visors, I saw his full face. He had facial stubble, his hair more wild than our Hitsugaya but in black spikes, scars all over his body and Izayoi's eye color. He had a pauldron on and I realized he fashioned it the same way Jinpachi did but the material attached to the pauldron was the same fabric Izayoi used. He was covered in ice but the wings attached to him were large and had six compared to our Hitsugaya. He was surrounded by large objects in the shape of shuriken, his arms covered by a gauntlet and his legs encased with greaves made of ice.
The Ice God... Hitsugaya Juushirou!
I saw the ice dragon open its mouth as it roared at the Orochi before it rammed into it, the beast frozen as cracks were being made before it exploded. More giant dragons were summoned and this Hitsugaya dispatched them. Ichigo and I continued to watch the man clean up our mess and we heard Chad and Ishida approaching us.
"Rukia!" Ichigo ran up to Uryuu who held an unconscious Rukia.
"They were taken down," Chad informed, Kenpachi unconscious but he carried the man over his shoulder. He set him down and I saw how much blood was covered in Kenpachi's uniform.
"Who is that?" Ishida asked as he noticed the Ice God annihilating our opponents.
"I am assuming that to be Hitsugaya Juushirou. I could be wrong, though," Ichigo answered.
"We gotta' get these guys to safety. Come on!" I shouted as we began to get everyone away from the fight. We entered a pyramid shaped hotel and we sprawled them on the floor. We saw some people taking cover and it seemed to me that they could see us. Maybe one of the effects the Ghost King and his minions are capable of. One of them, a hotel staff, approached us.
"What's going on? Is this the end of the world?!" he asked while the others murmured something about the apocalypse.
"We don't know. All of you should stay here," Ichigo said and we were about to make our leave when a female staff grabbed my kimono.
"Are we going to die? I don't want to die..." she said as tears formed from her eyes. "I want to live!"
"Not on our watch," I assured her with a smile.
"Who are you guys?" someone else asked.
"We're the Karakura Special Forces. And we're here to save the day," Ishida told them as we left the building.
"Now what?" Chad asked as we saw Hitsugaya fending off more demons.
"Sesshoumaru, over there!" a voice we recognized as Hiruyaga's called out. We looked up and there she was, alive and well, and it didn't seem she was a part of Jinpachi's group. Next to him was a man in white armor holding a giant staff. "We need to get to Hitsugaya before they overpower him!"
"Don't fret, Hiruyaga. He can manage on his own. Let's focus on the bigger problem. Like that," Sesshoumaru pointed and when we looked, there was an armada of leviathans coming their way. "Looks like Bahamut decided to join the fight."
"Let's go!" Hiruyaga commanded, Sesshoumaru right behind her.
How are they alive? How is this possible?...
"What are we waiting for? Let's do this!" Ichigo called out but before we entered the battle, we got sucked into a vortex and before we knew it, we were in chaos. We were in a type of hyperspace, passing through the Solar System, the Milky Way before we were surrounded by numerous stars and nebular clouds, galaxies in every direction and comets flying about. Were we in the Star Gladiator universe again? This one seemed a bit different. I saw the fires of hell engulf us before we entered a celestial plane. Then... darkness. A man dressed in Shinigami attire and royal armor approached us, his boots hitting the ground, and I saw a face similar to Jinpachi's next to a very familiar woman who resembled Lisa Yadoumaru. I addressed my surroundings and guessed we were in a type of purgatory but I wasn't sure. We just know we weren't in the same realm anymore. The man gave me a definitive stare while woman smirked. Then an entire army stood behind them.
"Kazujin..." I whispered.
To be continued...
Next Chapter: Last Friday Night, Orihime.
SNEAK PEAK!
"Renji... how could you..." I sobbed as I stared at the doll he gave me, my tears falling on my lap as I realized mascara running down my face. I felt my phone vibrate as I held on to it and I saw a text from my date for the night.
6:30PM I'm outside. Ready to go, babe?
6:30PM Yeah, I'm just making some minor adjustments.
6:30PM Don't worry, you won't be needing your clothes to where we're going. ;)
AN: I know it may be a little confusing or some stuff may be inaccurate but I'm going by memory here. My main focus is on the development of Renji and Orihime's relationship and the issues that come with it so if there are any concerns, please voice them.