Bleach: A Returning Evil
Chapter 7 To Each their Own Battles: Tag Team Attack
(Soul Society; Seireitei)
"Sacrifice, Danger, Pure Love, Humility, Sweetness these are the core beliefs of Squad 5 and as the Captain it's my duty to uphold these beliefs but the question is can I hold onto these ideals while I face Senken's espada within Hueco Mundo" said Ichigo in his mind while keeping his eyes closed.
(Captains Meeting-2 hours earlier)
"Alright now that preparations for the War in Karakura have been finished, I'll run by the names of the Soul Reaper Captains who will be heading to Hueco Mundo, like last time it shall be Squad 4 Captain Retsu Unohana, Squad 11 Captain Kenpachi Zaraki, Squad 12 Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi and Squad 6 Captain Byakuya Kuchiki now if there is nothing further this Captains Meeting is adjourned!" yelled out Yamamoto.
"Excuse me old man but I'm going to have to interject about your selection" said Ichigo.
"Explain yourself Squad 5 Captain" said Yamamoto who began stroking his long beard.
"Head Captain allow me to go in Byakuya's stead, due to the current situation I believe I have more to lose than anyone else here as both my sister and Lieutenant are the ones fighting in Hueco Mundo, now you may all see that as a half blind reason and not worth changing your mind over but I want you all to consider this as well; much like Kenpachi, my power can also very easily become rather destructive and that would cause more harm than good on the battlefield in Karakura Town even if we'll be replacing the real one with a fake but on a battlefield like Hueco Mundo I have very little to worry about in terms of collateral damage" explained Ichigo.
"A rather strong argument Squad 5 Captain, what does Squad 6 have to say about this?" asked Yamamoto stroking his beard.
"I say let him go besides I have unfinished business with Senken himself" said Byakuya in his usual calm tone.
"And I say let him go as well" said Rukia in a strong tone while playing with the ring on her finger
"Very well then it's been decided the Squad 5 Captain Ichigo Kurosaki shall replace Byakuya Kuchiki in the raid on Hueco Mundo, This meeting is now adjourned!" yelled Yamamoto slamming his staff on the ground.
(2 hours later-present time)
"God damn it why am I even worrying about this" said Ichigo shaking his head back to reality.
"Probably because you've always been a worry wart" said an all too familiar female voice.
"How long have you guys been there?" asked Ichigo turning an eye to look at Rukia, Kenrichi, Sajin, Shunsui, Toshiro and Jushiro.
"Long enough to know what you've been thinking" said Sajin crossing his arms.
"How would you guys know what I'm thinking?" asked Ichigo annoyed.
"You're worried about your Lieutenant and your role as Captain am I correct" said Shunsui smiling.
"Damn am I that easy to read?" asked Ichigo with a dumbfounded look.
"Are you kidding me you're like glass Ichigo" said Toshiro smiling.
"Thanks for that now I know I'm predictable" said Ichigo grumbling.
"Seriously though Ichigo why are you letting this bug you so much?" asked Rukia moving closer to her fiancée.
"It's because even though Captains always finds themselves battling their inner feelings more than their enemies I find I'm doing that more than anyone else because of my origins" explained Ichigo.
"Understandable really you still have many human attachments to your old home" explained Kenrichi.
"Ya well I have a hunch those 'human attachments' as you put it will end up being the saviors here and not us" said Ichigo in a huff.
"What makes you say that Ichigo?" asked Sajin.
"Think about it for a moment guys ever since Aizen's invasion my friends and family have become more resilient and more determined to make sure what happened back then never happens again, in short I'm saying that while we'd like them not to get involved, at the end of the day that's what's going to happen, the only difference is they're choosing that fate for themselves and I mean everyone Chad, Uryu, Renji, Karin, Momo, Mizuiro, Tatsuki and Keigo and all of us here as well" explained Ichigo.
"Heh, Ichigo I have no clue how you do it but you make one hell of a compelling argument" said Shunsui smiling while placing his hand on Ichigo's shoulder.
"It's also more true than we care to admit, in our efforts to protect the humans we've only involved them further in our affairs however with this immense knowledge they've gained they alone have also learned to overcome these immense adversities with a force of will and courage that I've come to greatly admire, Ichigo remember this; what knowledge you lack in Soul Society affairs you make up for with the knowledge you have of your former home" said Jushiro with a smile.
"Ya thanks by the way Jushiro any luck finding a replacement to be your Lieutenant since Rukia accepted the Captain post?" asked Ichigo smiling.
"Regrettably no I'm back to square one" said Jushiro scratching his head.
"Putting everything else aside for now Ichigo I am curious when do you and the other Captains leave?" asked Sajin.
"The moment we get the ok from Kisuke telling us that he's reset the Garganta" said Ichigo.
"Which knowing him will probably be another few hours" said Rukia crossing her arms.
"Stay safe guys" said Ichigo in his mind.
(Hueco Mundo, New Las Noches-Main Hall)
"Well that was easy" said Renji stacking up the last of the hollow hound bodies.
"A little too easy Renji remember we're in enemy territory anything can happen" said Momo elbowing Renji.
"Come on guys it won't be too long until the guards start a calling, we need to keep moving" said Karin leaving.
"Right" said the others following.
"Huh where did everybody go?" asked Pesche getting up after being knocked out from running into a wall with the others.
"They must've left Don't'cha know" said Dondochakka getting up as well.
"Nel thinks they went this way" said Nel pointing in a random direction.
"What makes you think that?" asked Pesche.
"I dunno" said Nel with a clueless face and tone.
"Then how can you tell that that's where they went?" asked Pesche yelling out in irritation.
"Just a guess" said Nel with a smile on her face.
"Come on lets just trust her instincts" said Dondochakka as the three arrancars went down the hall.
"Damn this is a long corridor when do you think we'll reach a wide open space?" Renji asked Momo.
"Don't know but I hope it's soon" said Momo.
"Guys hold up" said Karin stopping her groups advance.
"What's up Karin?" asked Momo as she saw Karin press her ear to the wall.
"Can't you guys hear it" said Karin.
"Come to think of it I have been hearing a slight buzzing the further we go down this hall" said Uryu pushing up his glasses.
"….Guys Move!" yelled Chad as he pushed everyone out of the way as flying saw blades came towards Chad.
"Chad!" yelled Karin.
"Brazo Derecha de Gigante" said Chad manifesting his hollow shield arm and blocked the saw blades, which also caused them to reverse direction.
"My, my, my you were able to block my Corte Rebanador that's quite a feat for a human" said a voice.
"Who's out there!" yelled Renji
"He wants to know who we are brother should we?" asked a deeper voice.
"Yes we should" said the slick voice as two arrancars came out of hiding, one human sized one with visor like mask fragments and eight extensions protruding from his arms with four saw blades on each side and a giant of an arrancar with half of a devil-like mask on his face.
"Who are you guys?" asked Karin getting up with the others.
"Oh of coarse how rude of us to not give you introductions, my name is Arana Capulina" said the human-sized arrancar as he bowed.
"And I'm his little brother Arana Toro, we are the guardians of this corridor and the room ahead of it" said the large hollow clenching his giant fists
"So a Black Widow and a Bull Spider interesting, Karin let myself and Chad handle these ignorant fools" said Uryu getting up and manifested his Saizensen Kojaku bow.
"Sure thing do you want us to move on then?" asked Karin.
"No stay we need to show you that we aren't afraid to risk our lives to the point of death in this place" said Chad manifesting his second arm Brazo Izquierda del Diablo.
"So you're a Quincy heh we thought your species died out long ago oh well you two will die anyway!" yelled Capulina as he sent all eight of his saw blades flying and Toro charged at Chad.
"Licht Beschießung" said Uryu destroying all eight blades with eight arrows.
"What did you do?" Capulina demanded in anger.
"I simply destroyed your saw blades with eight of my own arrows using an ability called Light barrage, you know for an arrancar your ability seems unimpressive" said Uryu.
"Heh don't get cocky you four-eyed punk!" yelled Capulina as eight more saw blades appear.
"Instant Regeneration" said Uryu analyzing the display.
"Something like that yes lets just say whenever one of my saw blades are destroyed a new one takes its place and that last wave was just a test in reality I can fire up to a hundred blades!" explained Capulina doing just that while Uryu dodged with Hirenkyaku while firing a hundred arrows as well.
"Your friend is good but no one has ever beaten my brother!" yelled Toro as he continuously traded blows with Chad.
"Worry about yourself!" yelled Chad as he finally punched Toro in the gut, which sent him flying into the wall.
"Damn you" said Tora walking out of the hole in the wall.
"Now normally I wouldn't use this so early in a fight however I'm not underestimating you" said Chad as he rushed at Toro while he took on his full hollow form.
"What the hell are you?" yelled Toro charging as well only to be pushed back into the wall by Chad with ease.
"I'm your worst fear La Muerte!" yelled the fully transformed Chad as he used his Left Arm of the Devil, punching Toro straight through his gut and leaving a giant hole in the arrancar's stomach and a devil-like imprint on the wall.
"Well that's done" said Chad transforming back as Toro collapsed to the ground in defeat.
"Toro you idiotic buffoon" said Capulina as he continuously fired saw blades at Uryu.
"Don't take your eyes off me" said Uryu continuing the stream of a hundred arrows.
"Heh you know that this could go on forever if all you can manage is a hundred arrows" said Capulina snickering.
"Do you honestly think my bow can only manage a hundred arrows sorry for the mix up the truth is I only fired that many to test your strength against my own and now that I'm done evaluating you I can unleash my Saizensen Kojaku's full power of two thousand arrows" explained Uryu using Hirenkyaku to distance himself from his opponent then positioned himself to fire again.
"T…Two thousand I won't let you!" yelled Capulina sending more saw blades at Uryu in panic.
"So long arrancar!" yelled Uryu firing his two thousand arrows, destroying both the saw blades and engulfing the arrancar in a barrage of light.
"AAAAAAH Damn you Quincy!" yelled Capulina as his body exploded under the pressure.
"That was over a little too quick" said Renji.
"Ya Senken kept preaching about how his army was nearly invincible but that wasn't a chore for you two at all" said Momo as Chad and Uryu walked over to the rest of the group.
"You're right which can only mean one thing" said Chad in a serious tone.
"These arrancars were the weakest of his army, he's toying with us right now" said Uryu pushing up his glasses in a serious tone.
"If that bastard is toying with us then from here on I guess the best option is to tread cautiously" said Karin leaving.
"Right" said everyone following while Pesche, Dondochakka and Nel arrived seconds later.
"Oh great Where the hell did everyone go now?" yelled Pesche at the top of his lungs
"Uh Pesche there's only one hallway for them to take" said Dondochakka pointing at the open hallway.
"Oh right let's go!" said Pesche in an enthusiastic tone as the three arrancars ran down the hall at rapid speeds
(Throne Roon #2)
"Tread carefully my friends, my fortress has many dangers lurking within it's walls" said Senken watching the events unfold through a viewing globe while slamming another piece down on the chess board.