Aspect of Blades

A Bleach fanfic

Chapter 11

Ichigo's POV

-zanpakuto speaking in the inner world, other languages

-zanpakuto speaking outside the inner world

-Ichigo's Thoughts or speech in the inner world

"Shi Senjixyouno Jikyoou ga Oowa re Te Chi wo Watashita Senshi Megami," I declare. (Bloody Handed Warrior Goddess who is Clad in Death, Queen of the Battlefields) The red light is flaring all over me, blazing with power. "This Bankai doesn't change the blade much, as you may have seen. Not unless I want it to, at least," I say, then the blade changes shape multiple times as I focus on it. It becomes a double headed axe, then a serrated spear, then a massive two handed sword in the European style, then returns to its original shape. "It may take the form of any weapon that has ever been wielded, its shape dictated by my will. Also, my improved shield now absorbs half the reiatsu behind any blow, and uses it to heal me from my wounds, granting pseudo-regeneration. So it now requires twice the power to pierce the shield that it did in Shikai, and my energy blasts are ten times as strong. Finally, any wounds I take, my enemy will receive as well, though those wounds will be only mental until this Bankai is mastered. You cut off my arm, you had best be prepared to lose your own, even if you won't lose it physically until I get full control, though your mind will not connect to your arm until I seal my blade. Besides those powers, there are four basic abilities to this Bankai that are what make it truly terrifying," I explain.

"Then what are they," Zaraki asks, grinning now, apparently sure he'll enjoy the fight even more now.

"I am he cannot be harmed," I say, and the reiatsu around me flares golden. "In this state, I am invulnerable, there is no attack that can harm me. Only one ability can be used at a time until this Bankai is mastered, in case you were curious," I tell him. "I am he who cannot be defeated," and my reiatsu flares silver. "With this ability, I might be wounded, but I will be victorious, and I will leave the battlefield alive and unmaimed, though it might be staggering away on the last of my strength. I am he who is the mightiest of all beings," and my reiatsu turns blue. "In this state, the lightest of my blows is strong enough to turn a mountain to dust with one blow, or to rip a mountain from the earth. The mightiest of my blows is far stronger. But it is the fourth ability you need to fear right now. I am the lord of endless armies," and with this declaration, my reiatsu once more turns red, and the ground splits open behind me, ripping apart the towers along the sides of the road, which is now filled with craters from our earlier battle when I used Shikai.

"What's happening?" Hitsugaya demands as he leaps away from one of the cracks which opens wide enough to swallow him, taking refuge on the top of a tower well away from the splitting earth, and also presenting a slightly safer vantage point to watch the battle from.

"You'll see in a moment, " I reply as an army emerges from the cracks, thousands strong. Every single warrior in the army has their weapons glowing red as well, and are also surrounded by red shields created from reishi. "With this ability, all who have ever raised arms on any battlefield, whether alone or as part of an army, past, present, and future, answer my call. They enjoy the shielding effect of my Shikai, as well as the energy blasts. Those who use projectile weapons have the blast be very similar to a cero in form. Their reiatsu levels are equal to that of the weakest nearby, unless their reiatsu levels were higher in life. And judging from their strength, the weakest person who is nearby is Abarai Renji or someone very near his level of strength, so they do not lack the power needed to fight you, Kenpachi Zaraki. However, that is not the complete extent of their abilities. Should you slay one of them, for as long as my Bankai is active, their level of power remaining is added to my own reiatsu levels. I grow more powerful with every one of them you slay, and thus harder to harm. Kenpachi Zaraki, this army is your doom," I proclaim, even as the soldiers begin moving to surround Zaraki, weapons at the ready, ranged weapons aimed to take the first shot.

"So I get to fight an entire army, and the more of them I kill, the stronger you get? Excellent, this is going to be the fight of my life!" Zaraki roars, a wide, insane smile on his face as he begins to laugh. I see Hitsugaya has moved to a tower at one edge of the battlefield, along with Kyōraku and Ichimaru Gin. My allies are at the other edge of the battlefield, on their own tower. As I watch, I see Nanao and Momo leap onto the towers to join their respective sides. All of their faces are pale white, and Ichimaru Gin speaks, choking out the words.

"T..t..that is Zaraki's Bankai?" He asks, shaking. I respond in a cheerful tone, highly amused by his terror.

"Yeah, it is. Nice, isn't it?" I ask him, a slight smirk on my lips.

"Nice? NICE?! It's a monstrosity, how can anyone contest that kind of power once it is fully mastered? The soutaichō's Bankai is the only thing I can think of that would have a snowball's chance in Hell of matching that thing," he shouts. He then sticks his thumb into his mouth, curls into a ball, and starts whimpering. I laugh, highly amused at this.

"Relax, Ichimaru Gin. You're not my opponent today," I tell him, keeping a careful eye of Zaraki for signs of him trying to bypass my army, and he somehow drags his composure together and stands up, but he is still shaking like a leaf.

"Excuse me my moment of absolute terror at the thought of Zaraki having a Bankai with that much power. It disturbed our own battles and drew us all here to find out which of you two was releasing that power. Wait a moment," Gin says in the tone of someone who just attained a horrifying epiphany, his skin paling to near transparency. "If a captain was the weakest nearby, you would have to have at least twice their level of strength to kill a single soldier of yours, right?" I nod, and a howl of absolute despair rises from his throat as he assumes the fetal position, puts his thumb in his mouth, and starts whimpering. I watch his antics with amusement for a moment, then shake my head furiously. I'm fighting, and I need to beat Zaraki, not make Ichimaru Gin catatonic with terror, even if it would amuse me greatly.

"Enough talk, I have just one more thing to say," I say quietly, my voice rising as I speak, my full focus on Zaraki. "My soldiers, my army, your foe is Kenpachi Zaraki. Charge!" I command, and with a mighty warcry, my army charges, firing blasts of power, which Zaraki bats aside with a roar of glee, his own power rendering them useless, and he charges into the fray. For what seems an hour, but is merely minutes, the battle rages. Finally, a gap has formed in my army, where Zaraki stands, battered, bleeding, and having the time of his life.

"This, this is a warrior's paradise!" he shouts happily, his grin so wide it's practically taken over his face. "No end of opponents to fight, and they aren't weaklings either," he roars out, laughing like the madman he is in satisfaction, calming himself a moment later as he prepares for another attack from my army. However, I think I've given him enough time enjoying his fight with my soldiers, and now it's time to finish this fight. Zaraki may act mad, but he is extremely cunning and will put that cunning to use against me given half a chance. I materialize Senbonzakura's blade, having gathered enough power now from the fallen soldiers of my summoned horde to end this fight with one decisive blow. I cannot afford to do anything less, as I have spent too much of my reserves on Bankai already, and I need to ration my power if I want to succeed in extracting Rukia from the Seireitei. With a burst of reiatsu driven speed, I flash past him even as he lashes out futilely at where I was just a heartbeat before as I move past him, my blade cleaving deeply into his torso, then withdrawing from the wound as I pass, mindful of Chi no Te no Megami's wish to leave him alive. Cutting him in half would possibly kill him, after all. I sheathe Senbonzakura at my side, and speak, even as Zaraki slowly topples, softly laughing all the while.

"You are slow. Even at falling," I declare, and with a click the blade is sheathed and Zaraki is on the ground, lying in a pool of blood.

"You win, Ichigo. This time. But we're having another fight to the death soon," he chokes out through a mouthful of blood, falling unconscious. I smile slightly, satisfied with the outcome of this battle, which gave me a measure to my strength. I enjoyed that fight, and will welcome a repeat whenever Zaraki desires one. Once Zaraki falls unconscious, I feel some kind of Kidō or something latch onto me, and immediately blast out as much spiritual power as I can, blanketing everywhere within a kilometer with my energy. That Kidō had to be a short range one given how well it's latched onto my soul, and I mean to find whoever cast it. I calm my mind from the automatic fight or flight reactions, and slowly begin to scan for anyone less powerful than I am within my range of detection.

"What are you doing, Ichigo?" Kyōraku asks curiously.

"Searching for whoever cast the Kidō on me the moment I defeated Zaraki," I reply. "It didn't possess the power signature of any of you, so there's someone hiding, and I mean to find them, if I have to level everything in my way until I do."

"Go looking at the monument to dead captains. You'll find them there, or their name at least," Kyōraku replies, looking wary even as I continue scanning the area with my eyes for the enemy. "I didn't think that just beating Zaraki would be enough, but apparently it is. Hail, Kenpachi Yamamoto, twelfth bearer of that title," he says, and I look at him in confusion. "That Kidō was an ancient curse placed on all Kenpachi, made to transfer from one to another as the previous bearer dies. It turns them into better warriors, though its side effects are numerous and mostly unpleasant," he continues.

"How long will it take to affect me?" I ask, and Kyōraku sighs, the other people here backing away. He stands his ground however, even as thoughts of bloodshed begin to float through my mind.

"It will begin to hit you immediately, at least in small amounts. It will make you thirstier for battle, hungrier for blood. However, what's affecting you now is the seed of the curse, which will take years to flower, both growing with your power and being suppressed by it. It's not going to be easy to control it once it gets to the point where it's at full strength. I've seen pacifists become mad dogs under the curse. You're the twelfth Kenpachi, if you survive and maintain something vaguely resembling self-control even when the curse is at full power. If you succeed, you will retain the title. If you fail, you will join the dozens who have died because of this curse," Kyōraku states.

"I see," I reply as I turn to Kyoraku and Ichimaru, reaching out with my right hand and pulling with my reiatsu. Senbonzakura responds to my call, and flies to my hand from where I left it, on top of one of the towers. Chi no Te no Megami's Bankai is still active, and I raise the blade to Zaraki in a salute. I may despise him for his treatment of his zanpakuto that led her to flee into my soul, but I respect him for his strength.

"I hope you survive the curse," Kyōraku says even as I sheathe Chi no Te no Megami, Bankai still active just in case.

"Thank you very much," a new voice says, a small pink haired girl appearing in a flicker of shunpo. "Ken-chan had a lot of fun fighting you, so survive, okay Ichi?" The girl asks. "After all, Ken-chan would be sad if you died before your rematch."

"Of course I'll survive," I assure her. "What's your name, by the way?" I ask. I don't remember her from my time as Kaien, though I feel I have seen her before, or someone like her. She wears the armband of the Eleventh Division lieutenant, and is displaying significant strength, easily lifting Zaraki on her shoulders. I can probably beat her, even tired as I am, but no sense starting an unnecessary fight.

"I'm Kusajishi Yachiru," the girl replies. "Later, Ichi," she says, then leaps away towards the Fourth, Zaraki on her shoulders.

"Interesting girl," I muse, then turn towards the group of Gotei 13 officers, hand falling to a blade. I need to attempt intimidation, as combat is not the best idea right now. I have already spent too much power today, and must rest and eat before I try and face such a large group of high level Shinigami. "All right, who's next?" I ask them, giving no sign of weakness, and Ichimaru responds a bit too quickly.

"Not me! I have paperwork to do, thank you very much. A lot of it, and I can't leave my duty for a single fight, no matter how much fun it would be. You understand, right? Please understand, I'd love to face that monstrosity of a Bankai, but I have a lot of work to do, and duty has to come first," he says, backing away slowly, smile still on his face, even though a bit of sweat is clear on his forehead.

"I understand completely. Please, feel free to go find a nice excuse for your cowardice," I respond, personally relieved that there is one less opponent that may be facing me today. I like my odds better now, with one less captain present. Then I turn to Kyōraku, hoping the bluff I'm pulling will work against him. With Chi no Te no Megami, I could win, but it would take too long and be too risky for me to be comfortable with it.

"I'm just here to enjoy watching a good fight, and drink a little sake," Kyoraku says, getting out a saucer of sake and starting to drink. "You wouldn't fight a drunk man, would you?" He asks, apparently desperate. I snarl in false frustration, trying to keep up the mask of someone thirsting for battle, but inwardly relieved that my bluff in working.

"We'll fight you, Ichigo," Ikkaku calls, and I curse mentally. However, he'll require less power than the captains would, so I can do this, though I'm unhappy about wasting power. I turn to look at him, seeing that he and Renji stand at the end of the road, blades in Shikai. I grin, and change which ability of my Bankai I am using, preferring to get this over with as quickly as possible.

"I am he who is the mightiest of all beings," I proclaim, and strength fills my limbs, refreshing my tired body. With a warcry on my lips and feral joy in my heart, I charge, a howl of savage delight filling the air. For now, I'll forget my tiredness, and simply defeat these two. Then, using the display of my power, I'll convince the other foes here to flee, and I can make my way to Rukia more easily.

A third chapter revised. Still a bit short for my tastes, but I'll be coming back to it again with more revisions. I'm starting with the shortest chapters for now in my revision work, adding to and elaborating on them, bringing them closer to the mark. I hope you enjoy the revised chapters, and I'll continue working hard on the other early chapters.