10. Gedrehte Kräfte

MEANWHILE: NEW KARAKURA

Ichigo could now sense rapid fluctuations in spiritual pressure. He knew he must be near. His progress was halted by a collision with a Senkai gate.

Ichigo rubbed his head in frustration as he recognised the Shinigami exiting the portal.

"Renji!" Ichigo smiled. He had not seen him since the Arrancar war.

"This is not time for catching up Ichigo," Renji looked very serious. "There is a new threat to Soul Society and I'm here to fight it."

"New Threat?" Ichigo asked puzzled.

"Their referred to as the Diclonius, a new species of humans who have minor differences to normal humans."

"What kind of differences?"

"Well, although I haven't seen one yet, I heard that they all have two distinct horns coming from their head."

Ichigo grew pale as an image of Nyu entered his mind.

"No...no you must be wrong."

"Many of them died in the world of the living and so have now started killing residents in Rukongai..."

Beads of sweat trickled down Ichigo's face as he tried to suppress the information.

"...These invisible arms called vectors" Renji continued talking. "One of them escaped into the world of the living a few days ago and should be around here."

"Nyu!" Ichigo exclaimed.

Renji looked down to Ichigo. "Nyu?"

Ichigo stood up and explained to Renji the strange girl with horns that fell from the sky and looked to have brain damage. "She could never have done something like that. I know her as a sweet and sincere girl who is confused and has no recollection of her memory."

"I'm sorry to tell you Ichigo but that sounds a lot like her."

"What are you going to do to her?" Ichigo asked in concern.

"Well it seems all we can do now is destroy her before casualties are high."

"No you can't!" Ichigo pleaded. "She is innocent. Maybe you got mixed up with someone else but I know she would never kill anyone. She wouldn't hurt a fly."

A large burst of reiatsu was felt in the distance.

"We have to go." Renji frowned.

Ichigo's eyes were covered by his fiery orange hair. "I can't let you kill her...I...l-"

"Move it Ichigo!" Renji ordered. "You're in my way."

Renji drew his sword.

"If she is who you say she is, then I will get through to her."

Ichigo unwrapped his zanpakuto. A large scimitar with no hilt or guard.

"Please Ichigo...be reasonable." Renji still thought of Ichigo as a good friend and wanted to avoid a confrontation.

"Getsuga..."

"Howl..."

"Tenshou!"

"Zambimaru!!!"

MEANWHILE...

"This is my Bankai." Bando boasted as the fog cleared. "Mukanjoo, Yasei Kurushimemasu."

Four metal extensions protruded from armour on his back tied at the front. Each extension went out to at least ten metres as they unfolded to reveal small serrated attachments. At the end, a large hook resembling a scythe. The Bankai also connected to two gauntlets which contained a saw shaped blade. Essentially this was the apathy of the wild tormentor.

Lucy still had a neutral expression as she came in for another attack. Bando quickly diffused her vectors with his four metal arms. Ironically, he was beating her with his own unique vectors.

Bando jerked one side of his body, triggering his scythes to fling towards Lucy. One connected and left a large gash on her exposed waist.

Lucy let out a small groan as she grew frustrated at Bando's elevated strength.

Bando thrusted forward bringing all four scythes down wedging into Lucy's back. Her vectors withdrew as she winced in pain and coughed blood.

"HAHAHAHAHAH!" Bando let out a wicked laugh as he smelt victory. He was looking forward to finally defeating the Queen Diclonius.

He brought in his metal arms as he waved Lucy in the air. "How does it feel to be thrown around like this? You know how dish out but can't take it yourself Hahahahaha!"

Lucy's eyes started closing. Bando was having to much fun to notice it. "Should I rip out you shoulder-blades or slice you up with these babies?" He rhetorically asked her as he admired his saw shaped gauntlets.

Kurama and Tatsuki were shocked by Bando's animalistic attitude.

~He's just toying with her~

"Bando!" Kurama yelled "Just kill her already!"

Bando was disappointed he had no more time to torment Lucy but he too wanted to end this. "Whatever I'm bored now."

Bando decided he would impale her with his gauntlets. He straightened his arms and pointed them like a spike. He thrusted backward, bring in Lucy for the brutal end...

The metal scythes fell off his back, stopping the onslaught. Bando turned in disgust. "What have you done little boy?" The person who destroyed his Bankai donned a torn black kimono which opened at the chest. Tatsuki recognised the flaring orange hair and steel black sword.

~Ichigo! Why?~

Bando let out a raging scream. "YOU BRAT!!!" He attacked with his saw shaped gauntlets. The move was predictable and slow so Ichigo dissolved then stabbed Bando's Seketsu chain and Hakusui in a flash. The mighty Bando who took on Lucy for an endured battle fell in just seconds to Ichigo's fast Bankai.

"I don't want to kill you but I can't let you hurt Nyu." Ichigo walked towards Nyu. He gathered her bloodied body as she lay weakened. Kurama ran out from the shadows to help Bando.

Nana was barely alive but observed the commotion. She could see both Bando and Lucy defeated and an unknown figure in black. She could make out Lucy's slowly rising vectors, ready to strike the boy in black.

"Please be okay Nyu." Ichigo cried. Nyu was certainly not there as Lucy and Muramusa controlled her.

"Die..." She whispered.

Ichigo couldn't make out what she said and was unaware of death approaching.

Another girl with pink hair ran into Ichigo. "LOOK OUT!" She blocked as many vectors as she could as they came down, carving up the earth.

Ichigo was thrown into a wall. The girl in the torn black dress coughed weakly as she saved Ichigo from Lucy's attack. Ichigo could see her two horns but was more focused on her horrific injuries. "What happened to you?"

"Never mind...just...thank me...later." Nana fell unconscious in a pool of blood.

Ichigo now turned his attention to Nyu. She grew angry and let out a roar as now only eighteen vectors came out. Bursts of purple reiatsu enveloped and sealed her wounds inflicted by Bando.

~~~~~I will do all I can to heal you but you're vectors are reducing with each injury~~~~~

Kurama, Tatsuki and Ichigo were surprised to see this healing ability. Lucy was indeed strong. Perhaps even...immortal.

Ichigo still hoped to see Nyu revived. "Is that you Nyu?" He asked weakly.

"Nyu is dead!" Lucy muttered in a demonic voice.

Kurama called out to Ichigo. "Please boy. She is not the friendly person you thought she was. She is a killer and will stop at nothing to shed blood."

Ichigo still wanted to believe Nyu was in this girl but had to face the truth. "Okay I will stop this demon so Nyu may rest in peace." Ichigo pointed his sword. "I must stop you so that people will not die. I must protect New Karakura."

He turned his back to see a fallen Rukia.

~I'll make it up to you Rukia~

A SHORT TIME AGO...

Renji fell to his knees as he was overpowered by Ichigo's Getsuga. "Wait!" He called"

Ichigo turned. "What is it Renji."

"If you won't kill this Diclonius then please make sure you do one thing for me."

"What would that be?" Ichigo asked willingly.

"Make sure Rukia isn't killed."

"I will ensure not a drop of her blood will be shed." Ichigo promised as he used Shunpo to stride off.

Renji bashed the ground with his fists.

"I'm sorry I won't be there for you Rukia..."

So it has come to this moment. Ichigo must now fight the one he loves. How will he go against an enemy he may not even want to kill? Be patient as the next chapter may go back to the battles in Soul Society.