Chapter 12: Is this really your fight? Their reason for being here.
Hey there guys, this chapter will be feature the climax of the battle between the soul eater, the devil hunter and the prince of darkness. Who will claim victory in this troublesome battle? After this segment has been finalised, I will be writing a few more chapters to conclude this story. There is one more trial that Orihime and Ichigo must face together. That is, if they can make it out of this current one alive…
"That demonic power….. That glow….. Dante!" Mundus roared as he moved in to strike the silver haired demon slayer.
"My name is Nero, you old fossil!" Nero replied as he effortlessly parried Mundus' fist away.
"That power…. The power of Sparda!" Mundus bellowed as he fired a devastating laser.
Nero's devil wings suddenly shape shifted into hands and redirected the oncoming blast.
"Maybe you should stop worrying about Dante, and focus on me instead?!" Nero replied as he charged towards the towering omnipotent statue.
The prince of darkness slammed his colossal fist on top of Nero in an attempt to squash him.
Nero once again effortlessly pushed back against Mundus' attack.
"Don't forget about me! Getsuga Jujisho!" Ichigo said as he unleashed his new and improved Getsuga cross blast attack.
A devastating scratch engraved itself into Mundus' shoulder taking a huge chunk out of the prince of darkness' stone exterior.
"Curse you!" Mundus bellowed launching his ginormous fist towards him.
"Not so fast!" Ichigo said blocking the ferocious attack with his dual swords in a cross formation.
Both Nero and Ichigo pushed against Mundus' giant fists.
Mustering up their innate strength, Nero and Ichigo pushed the titans' hands back.
Mundus was taken by surprise his massive hands being deflected, leaving his face wide open.
"Why you insects!" Mundus shouted as the two swordsmen leapt into the air with their swords poised.
"Getsuga Tensho!" Ichigo said as he slashed against Mundus' face.
"Go to hell!" Nero said as he too damaged the statue figures face.
"Damn you! Damn you all!" Mundus bellowed summoning forth various talismans.
Mundus' talismans centred together and merged to form large piercing lasers.
Nero deflected the lasers with his trusted red queen, the attack striking the nearest wall.
"Getsuga Tensho!" Ichigo countered the lasers directed towards him with his signature move. The Getsuga overwrote Mundus' blast attack and launched his own attack right back at him.
The substitute soul reaper with his heightened speed and agility, cleaved through all of the talismans, shattering them into pieces.
"Enough!" Mundus yelled summoning forth a tremendous amount of wind pressure, his towering, angelic wings unfurled lifting him to the top of the room.
Mundus' arm began to glow purple slicing through the dimension using Yamato's stolen power.
Nero's arm felt funny, resonating with Yamato inside of Mundus now.
"That trick won't work on me!" Nero yelled his red queen shrouded in an aquatic aura.
Nero's blade continued to glow as he moved in to strike in an iai strike.
"Back off!" Nero said as he unleashed his own consecutive series of slashes.
Mundus' attack was erased and the two swordsmen were now battle ready once again.
"You're not getting away Mundus!" Ichigo said as he and Nero launched themselves into the air to attack him.
The soul reaper and devil hunter attacked Mundus repeatedly in a synchronised fashion.
Their slicing and hacking of his huge stature, began to break away his boulder like exterior.
A pain stricken roar unleashed upon the two warriors and sent them flying via a tremendous shockwave.
As if he was trying to escape from the swordsmen, Mundus flew higher escaping their range of attacks.
Unfortunately unbeknownst to the all-powerful god figure, Nero could apply his demonic power into his trusty silver revolver.
"You can't escape Mundus!" Nero yelled firing his gun towards the sky.
A constant barrage of demonic power infused bullets shot up directly at Mundus.
"Be gone!" Mundus replied firing three scarlet spears towards Nero.
Nero with his enhanced reflexes deflected the spears and unleashed a powerful slash blast in response.
"How's that prince of darkness?!" Nero enquired as Mundus took his attack directly.
"No way….." Nero said seeing Mundus was completely intact and unharmed.
"Just what do we have to do to kill this guy?!" Ichigo said noticing Nero's attack did no damage.
"Nero!" A voice cried out gaining Nero's complete attention.
"Kyrie? Get back Kyrie! It's not safe here!" Nero pleaded as Kyrie ran towards him.
"And there lies the weakness of humans! That! She is your weakness!" Mundus bellowed as he moved in to strike the defenceless Kyrie.
"I'm coming Kyrie!"
Nero using what remained of his demonic energy, managed to deflect the three spears that targeted Kyrie.
The spears exploded on impact creating a blinding smokescreen.
All of a sudden, Nero felt a searing pain as a forth sneaky spear pierced his lower abdomen.
Blood leaked out from the spears entrance wound like a miniature waterfall.
Nero fell to one knee, his devil trigger deactivating upon impact.
"Nero! No please!" Kyrie cried out as her hero suffered from the pain.
"Fear not weak creature, you shall experience the same fate!" Mundus roared throwing another scarlet spear towards her.
"Santen Kesshun I reject!" Orihime interjected deploying a huge amber shield in the nick of time.
"Orihime?" Kyrie said noticing she was out of danger.
"It's going to be okay Kyrie. I can heal his wounds. Sotten Kisshun!" Orihime said immersing the wounded devil hunter in an embracing amber shell.
"What do we do Orihime? Look what he did to Nero…." Kyrie said beginning to enter a panicked state.
"Don't worry Kyrie. Ichigo hasn't given up yet." Orihime said with a look of admiration and hope.
"You foolish mortal! You plan to face me alone?" Mundus enquired feeling the battle was already over.
"You're damn right I do! Myself and Zangetsu haven't finished cutting you up just yet." Ichigo said pointing both of his blades directly at Mundus.
"Those feeble toys? You expect to harm me with those weak cutting tools?" Mundus said his voice full of confidence.
"I wouldn't underestimate me and Zangetsu just yet pal….. We haven't even begun to show you what we can do! Let's go Zangetsu! Bankai!" Ichigo yelled position his blades together as they began to shine.
"Tensa Zangetsu! Let's begin round two!" Ichigo said revealing his new and improved Bankai blade.
After Ichigo placed the two blades of his Shikai side by side, this caused a surge of energy to engulf him and the swords.
The smaller black blade comprises the inner part of the sword and has the handle fixed to it, while the base of the sword is slanted and the blade continues with a section jutting out from the underside as a guard, with a chain attached to it that loops over the top and attaches right before the point of the blade.
"You really think that will make a difference?" Mundus asked suddenly trailing off.
"Yes, I do." Ichigo said after successfully cleaving off Mundus' right arm.
"Why you!" Mundus roared trying to attack Ichigo once again.
"Getsuga Tensho!" Ichigo yelled concentrating his spiritual pressure throughout the whole of his blade.
"This trick again? It won't work!" Mundus countered, realising too late the difference between this attack and Ichigo's shikai comparison.
A black getsuga effortlessly severed Mundus' left arm from his body.
"Now fly away!" Ichigo said as he sliced through Mundus with his trusty blade.
Mundus was unable to prepare himself for Ichigo's vicious strike and as a result, he crashed into the ceiling and fell head first towards the ground. His body split clean in two.
"Amazing… So this is the power of a soul reaper…" Nero said as he regained his footing using his sword to help him stand up.
"Well? Are you done now?!" Ichigo said trying to steady his blade in response to the impact.
"YOU PATHETIC! WORTHLESS, INSECT! I WILL TEAR YOU LIMB FROM LIMB!" Mundus bellowed as his stony limbs were replaced with a grotesque writhing mass of living tissue with three eye balls and hundreds of hands coming out from them.
"Looks like we still have work to do Zangetsu!" Ichigo said as he prepared to vanquish this monstrosity before him.
"Count me in as well." Nero said as he joined Ichigo's side.
"You shouldn't be getting up so soon. Orihime just healed you." Ichigo said concerned for his newest comrade.
"Don't worry about me. And besides, I've got a score to settle with this one." Nero said as he prepared to transform once again.
"Okay Nero. Let's finish this. Together!" Ichigo said as he prepared to charge alongside him.
"PREPARE TO DIE MORTALS!" Mundus said as he took off to charge the swordsmen.
Ichigo and Nero dashed towards Mundus, their swords drawn and their hearts ablaze.
All of a sudden, a large two handed sword smashed into the ground in between them.
The large blade was made mostly of a dark substance resembling solidified lava, with claws running up its length, talons for a hand guard and a large red jewel on its pommel.
"NO….. YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS!" Mundus bellowed as he felt the newest presence in the room.
A man in his late 30's now stood on top of the large blade.
"Looks like this is quite the gathering we have going on here. Mind if I join the show?" The man said as he picked up his huge sword and draped it over his shoulder.
"Who's he?" Ichigo said picking up on the newcomer's huge power signature.
"Relax, this fight just got a lot easier. Believe me." Nero said as he looked towards him.
The intruder wore a crimson red faded jacket, showing it's wear and tear.
His silver hair deeply resembled Nero's settling down Ichigo's tension.
"DANTE!" Mundus yelled fully recognising who it was.
"Nero! Take your friend and get out of here. This isn't your fight." Dante said now looking directly at him.
"But Dante! I can still fight! We both can!" Nero said protesting against Dante's orders.
"Nero, is this really why you came here?" Dante said leaving Nero speechless.
"How about you kid? Is fighting this old fossil the reason why you came here? Or do you have something else to do?" Dante asked Ichigo.
"Get out of here Nero. Take your girls and leave this narcissistic bastard to me." Dante said making Nero relax the grip on his sword.
"Let's go Ichigo. This is Dante's fight." Nero said motioning Ichigo away from the monster before them.
Ichigo took a second to remember a situation just like this one. Way back in hueco muendo when he was asked this very question.
"You're right, let's get the girls out of here." Ichigo said surprisingly being compliant.
Ichigo and Nero rushed out of the room, leaving Dante and his nemesis to face off against one another.
"What's the deal Mundus? I thought I told you to give your regards to my son? What did you get lonely or something?" Dante teased staring down the god like presence.
"The boy is not your son? But the blood of Sparda runs through him?!" Mundas said seeming completely puzzled.
"Not quite, he's my nephew. And speaking of which, I'm going to take my brothers sword back if you don't mind?" Dante said now pointing his sword at Mundas.
"YOU TALK AS IF IT WILL BE EASY! I AM MUCH MORE POWERFUL THAN THE LAST TIME WE FOUGHT!" Mundas stated brimming with confidence.
"Yeah, I can see that you have gone through some changes…. But as you can see, so have I!" Dante said pointing his trusted blade at him.
Mundas took off at breakneck speed grasping hold of Dante's sword, running it straight through him.
"DANTE!"
"I had a feeling you might do that. Look like it's going to be one hell of a party!" Dante stated as he transformed into what was known as his sin devil form.
Elsewhere, Nero, Ichigo, Kyrie and Orihime, managed to finally escape from the prison like dimension.
"Well, I guess this is us." Nero said pointing towards a tear in space and time portal.
"It was great to meet you Nero. Thanks for helping me save Orihime." Ichigo said shaking Nero's hand.
"Likewise Ichigo. I couldn't have saved Kyrie without your help." Nero replied.
"Orihime. Thank you for everything. I wouldn't have survived without you. You're like the sister I never had." Kyrie said embracing the healing maiden with tears in her eyes.
"I feel the same way Kyrie. I'm so glad I got to meet you!" Orihime said embracing her back.
"Goodbye Ichigo, goodbye Orihime. I hope we meet again someday!" Kyrie said as she and Nero prepared to depart.
"Take care of your lady Ichigo. She's a fighter." Nero said as he exchanged goodbyes with them.
"You too Nero! Don't let any damn demons take you down before we can spar again." Ichigo said as Nero and Kyrie returned to their own world.
"Are you alright Ichigo?" Orihime asked worried about Ichigo's battle wounds.
"I'm just fine Orihime. Let's get you home." Ichigo said as he planned to let this nightmare finally be over.
Orihime and Ichigo arrived at her home with no trouble to hinder their journey.
"Thanks for saving me again Ichigo. I love you." Orihime said standing up on tip toes to kiss him.
Ichigo kissed his fiancé back and returned home afterwards, his fatigue finally settling in after a nightmare filled adventure.
Orihime unlocked her front door and walked inside a void of darkness.
"I'm home." Orihime said to herself as she prepared to relax and go to bed.
"Welcome home Orihime dear….. It's been a long time." A voice said making a chill run down her spine.
"Mum? Dad?" Orihime said feeling the nightmare was far from over.
"That's right Orihime. We're going to be a family again." Orihime's mother said as she embraced her tight.
"Go buy some alcohol you bitch!" Orihime's dad said as her mother squeezed so tight that her shoulders began to bruise.
"Well isn't this such a blessed family reunion?" A strange but familiar voice said making Orihime turn to its speaker.
"Mio? What are you doing here?" Orihime enquired as the newest student at her school sat on her sofa.
"Welcome back Inoue. Be happy, your family is back together again. And they won't leave you ever again!" Mio said making Orihime feel faint and go pale.
After a series of life and death battles, it appeared that the nightmare was finally over. But to Orihime's despair, a much more frightening chapter in her life was about to begin. Who is Mio really? And how has Orihime's parents found her again after she was rescued from them by her brother? Find out in the next chapter! Chapter 13: You deserve this! Dilemma of an Inoue.