I do not own Bleach or any of the characters.
Hollow
"No Bankai Ichigo," Kurai stated holding Haruko horizontally in front of himself. "And go easy on the Getsuga Tensho."
"Right," Ichigo nodded.
"Rukia, did you bring her?" Kurai asked.
"Yes," Rukia nodded pulling the two halves of Sode no Shirayuki out of her Shihakusho and holding them out with the break touching.
"Haruko, say good morning to your sister," Kurai instructed.
Haruko manifested herself, taking the sword and wrapping the grass from her sleeves around the entire sword before she glowed bright green. Then, she retracted the grass and the sword flashed and vanished, returning to its manifested form.
"Haruko!" Sode no SHirayuki cried happily, hugging her before turning to Rukia and smiling. "Rukia. I'm so sorry."
"It's okay," Rukia smiled. "Will you fight beside me?"
"Yes," Sode no Shirayuki smiled nodding. "It's past time that I returned to my rightful place."
She returned to her Shikai sword form and Rukia caught her, smiling before turning to the Gillians. Haruko also returned to sword form and Kurai caught her, holding her at his side.
"Let's begin," Kurai growled.
They all flew forward, tearing into the Gillians as Kurai made his way toward Muramasa. Kurai flipped over a Cero and blasted the Gillian with a Bala just as a Gillian managed to swat him like a fly, sending him crashing down into the frozen lake below. Kurai swam to the surface then climbed out onto the ice, shaking with violent shivers and barely able to breathe.
"Damn cold water," Kurai growled. "Fine. Let's try Kido. Gaki Rekko!"
He began rapid-firing green blasts at the Gillians, killing them rapidly. However, just as he did, Muramasa began to generate hundreds of normal hollows that began to swarm toward the three Soul Reapers.
"I see," Kurai growled. "You were absorbing more than just Menos. Gaki Rekko!"
He began to shred the normal hollows, leaving the Gillians to Rukia and Ichigo but just as he got half, Quincy Arrows began to zip past, slaughtering the rest of the normal hollows.
"I think in this case, my bow and arrows may be more helpful," Uryu shouted from the ground, the three Soul Reapers Flash Stepping to him as Chad and Orihime sprinted out of the woods as well.
"On that, we can agree," Kurai nodded as two Gillians fired Ceros at them.
Kurai fired a Bala into one, the explosion canceling the Cero but the other was blocked by Orihime's shield, the Cero curving skyward and fading.
"You've gotten stronger," Kurai grinned turning back to the Gillians as hundreds of thousands of Hollows began to arrive, drawn by Muramasa's massive Spiritual Pressure. "Shit. He's attracting all of the Hollows around."
A moment after the hollows began to appear, Muramasa lost what little control he had and was transformed into a tiny vortex of Spiritual Pressure that began to pull all of the hollows in, Gillians included.
"Shit," Kurai growled. "Uryu, bottleneck the vortex from the smaller hollows. Rukia, let's take out the Gillians."
Both nodded and Uryu began to fire a constant tidal wave of arrows around the vortex, destroying about fifty percent of the hollows that were pulled toward the vortex. In addition to half the hollows getting in, the closest arrows began to be dragged in as well. Uryu tried to keep his arrows further away but the further he spread the arrows, the more hollows got through. As he tried to stem the flow of hollows, Kurai and Rukia sped through the Gillians, killing as many as they could. Even with Kurai using Balas, Haruko, and Kido that he could use while mobile, like Byakurai, Raikoho, and Shakkaho, they scarcely got a third of the Gillians. Finally all of the remaining hollows had been absorbed and the vortex exploded into a massive cloud of smoke. As it began to clear, Muramasa slowly became more and more visible. Kurai and Rukia returned to the others as the smoke cleared fully.
Muramasa still had the lower half of his coat, now more like a dress, and the tattered remains of the top hung down on the sides and back to his knees. His entire torso was covered in bone-like armor similar in appearance to hollow masks. He had a vaguely insect-like appearance with two curved blades on the outsides of his forearms but retained his extremely long fingernails. There was a hollow hole in the center of his chest and it had pointed teeth all the way around it. Muramasa's head had become a large hollow mask with a bone straight down the center over his face with a mouth behind it lined with razor sharp teeth. Its cheek bones were highly exaggerated with fangs running along them. He had a white fur-like mane around his neck, a pair of straight, pointed antennae, and a single, curved, "U" shaped eye slit. Everyone stared at him in shock.
"Wait a minute..." Ichigo gaped. "Is that...Muramasa?"
"He seems to have become some kind of Arrancar," Uryu stated.
"Yeah," Kurai nodded gripping Haruko tighter. "This is going to be bad."
"A zanpakuto is of one mind and one body with its Soul Reaper Master," Rukia stated. "It attaches itself to the soul of its master and coexists with him."
"Are you saying Muramasa had to find another power source to maintain his physical form?" Uryu gaped.
"Yes," Rukia nodded. "He had to take in all those hollows to hang on his physical body."
After a moment, Muramasa roared, his Spiritual Pressure spiking drastically.
"Get ready," Rukia growled drawing her zanpakuto.
Muramasa shot forward, much, much faster than any of them had expected. He slashed at Ichigo, who blocked it, barely, and Ichigo began to slide backward across the ground in a blur, Muramasa continuing to push him.
"He's too fast!" Rukia breathed.
"Uryu!" Kurai growled.
Uryu began to fire at Muramasa who shot into the air, avoiding his arrows with ease as he shot back toward Uryu, After several seconds, he crashed down on Uryu then rocketed away again before swinging around and blurring toward Orihime. Chad stepped in front of her, switching his right arm to its shield form and blocking Muramasa's blade which drove itself straight through to his fist, missing Chad only because Chad turned grabbed the blade with his other hand, flipping Muramasa over his shoulder and hurled him away from them. Muramasa flipped over, driving one arm blade into the ground as he skidded along the ground for a couple yards before stopping. Then, Kurai crashed down on him, blade first. Muramasa blocked it with both of his and began to push back against Kurai. Then, he separated his hands and launched Kurai backward before he stood, his one visible glowing red eye watching Kurai.
Muramasa raised his right hand, making a fist as a purple Cero began to form in front of it. Then, it continued to grow. And grow, and grow. It finally fired when it was bigger than Muramasa was. It was even faster than Kurai's Balas so it flashed past everyone toward Orihime and Rukia. Just before it hit, Byakuya's Bankai connected with it, holding it back. Then, it exploded into a massive cloud of dust.
"Byakuya!" Rukia shouted happily, running over to him. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Byakuya stated.
"So did you defeat Koga?" Ichigo asked.
"Of course," Byakuya stated. "Were you worried I would lose?"
"Well it was always a possibility, after all you do look pretty beat up," Ichigo stated.
"He's right, we should treat your wounds," Rukia stated.
"Never mind that," Byakuya growled. "Muramasa should be our main concern. I never expected him to release a Cero. He's completely transformed into a Hollow."
Muramasa roared again, thrashing around in pain.
"I won't...give in!" Muramasa shouted, his glowing red eye returning to normal. "Not to the power of the hollows! I won't give in!"
"What's happening?" Ichigo gasped.
"He's fighting for control," Kurai stated.
"Stop!" Orihime shouted. "You don't have to fight anymore! I'm sorry but the master you're looking for no longer exists."
"I won't give in," Muramasa growled, lowering his hands. "I can't. Ko...ga..."
"I can't believe he's still searching for Koga even after transforming into a hollow," Rukia stated.
"This guy is determined," Ichigo stated.
"Muramasa you have to stop this, it's useless!" Orihime pleaded. "You're only going to cause yourself more suffering! Let go! Please end this before it's too late!"
"I won't give in," Muramasa muttered. "I won't...I won't give in."
Orihime walked forward, stopping in front of him. Then, she smiled as his eye faded from view and he began to growl and thrash around again.
"Move Orihime!" Rukia shouted. "Get out of there!"
Muramasa slashed at her but Kurai appeared in front of her, blocking the blades, barely. After a moment, he hurled Kurai, who crashed into Orihime, taking her with him. Ichigo caught them and Kurai blocked Muramasa's blade again, stopping it from hitting Ichigo.
"You okay Orihime?" Kurai grunted, standing and shoving Muramasa back, making him float backward a good distance before he landed, watching Kurai.
"I'm fine, thank you," Orihime stated. "But..."
"I'll set him free from his pain," Kurai stated stepping forward and holding Haruko out in front of himself, releasing her. "Grow Haruko."
Instead of becoming a field, Haruko spread directly from light from the ground to shining armor before the light faded, leaving grass armor as Kurai drew his sister's zanpakuto, which had been diagonally across his back since its last use.
"I'll kill Muramasa, and end his suffering," Kurai growled holding the zanpakuto out in front of himself. "Now, come and join your sister. Shine, Natsumi."
The sword shone blindingly bright for a moment before the light faded and left the entirety of the sword gold. That was really the only visible change.
"Natsumi is the third of four sister zanpakuto," Kurai stated. "In Shikai, she turns the color the wielder most associates with Summer, not sure why but for me that's gold. With her Shikai form, you'll find that I'm now fast enough to keep up with you, Muramasa."
Muramasa roared and flew forward, but before he was even halfway there, Kurai slashed Natsumi.
"Some no Mai, Kougetsu," Kurai said calmly, slashing the sword.
Rukia blinked in surprise as a glowing red circle appeared below Muramasa, who stopped. She half expected a column of light to appear then turn into lava or something, but instead a massive column of blood red flames exploded up from the ground, badly burning Muramasa and launching him skyward.
"Tsugi no Mai," Kurai said calmly, stabbing the ground four times in a semicircle in front of himself as a glowing red circle appeared below him, then waited for Muramasa to crash down between them. "Yogan no Kawa."
He held his sword straight out in front of himself as the glowing embers and sparks coming from the points he had stabbed formed into a circle at the tip. Then, the circle shrunk and flew up, filling the circle before exploding outward as a wall of lava, all of it taking about one second to move and fire. The lava swept across the small island they were on, taking Muramasa and carrying him to the water where the lava cooled and hardened into obsidian, extending the island quite a ways.
"Natsumi is...Sode no Shirayuki's exact opposite?" Rukia asked.
"That's right," Kurai nodded.
After a couple more seconds, the obsidian exploded skyward as Muramasa floated into the air, both eyes now glowing an angry red as his burns healed rapidly.
"Instant regeneration," Kurai sighed. "Typical."
"How did being flooded by lava not kill him?" Ichigo demanded.
"The lava, while still lava, is not actually at the same temperature of true lava," Kurai stated. "Otherwise we'd all have caught fire. It's only heated to about twenty one hundred degrees fahrenheit."
"Um, Kurai, Lava can be as cool as about thirteen hundred," Rukia pointed out.
"Good point," Kurai nodded. "Still. The good time is much, much hotter."
Rukia sighed and Kurai raised Natsumi as Muramasa roared again, leaping into the air. Kurai sprinted forward and Muramasa held out one hand, beginning to fire a barrage of Ceros faster than Uryu could fire arrows. Kurai dodged the Ceros for three seconds before they began to hit. Finally it stopped and the dust settled, revealing a glowing red, partially transparent shield formed in the air in front of Natsumi, which was held horizontally between Kurai and Muramasa. Kurai let the shield fade and grinned, leaping at Muramasa. He slashed at Muramasa, who blocked it with one arm blade then slashed with the other. Kurai flipped over the blade, spinning and kicking Muramasa backward. Muramasa stopped himself and slashed at Kurai. Kurai blocked it, shoving it aside then slashed Muramasa across the side. He spun just past Muramasa and blocked another slash as the wound healed before Muramasa kicked him. Muramasa flew forward and Kurai turned to flee. Muramasa caught up and the two began to slash at each other rapidly, sparks fling off of their blade then gathering in a cloud and following them.
"What the...Natsumi?" Rukia guessed as they all noticed the sparks.
"Has to be," Ichigo guessed. "Does Sode no Shirayuki have a power like that?"
"No," Rukia stated. "None."
"Saigo no Mai," Kurai growled as he and Muramasa continued to attack each other. "Hachinosu-bako."
He launched himself away from Muramasa as the sparks flew forward, a massive cloud of them, and all began to glow white with heat. They began to spin around Muramasa, the air around him heating until everyone's vision was distorted by heat waves. As they did, the sparks began bombarding him from every side, each spark that hit him disappearing and leaving golfball-sized patches of burned, melting flesh and bone. Finally it was done and Muramasa descended out of the hot air, entire body covered in horrible burns that healed as Muramasa held his hand out forming a Cero. Kurai formed one of his own and they both fired, the two hitting and exploding, blocking each other. Kurai sighed, just before Muramasa roared again, his Spiritual shooting into the sky, spreading dark clouds and beginning to break through to Hueco Mundo.
"Muramasa, stop!" Kurai shouted flying forward.
As he did, a hollow appeared in front of him and he slashed it, then the next, and the next, and the five after that. He looked around, seeing hundreds of hollows swarming toward Muramasa again.
"Uryu!" Kurai shouted.
Chad and Uryu began to attack the hollows, wiping them out quickly while Kurai fought his way through the swarm toward Muramasa. Just as a wall of hollows appeared in front of him, a Quincy Arrow exploded out of it, missing Kurai by less than an inch and making him throwing himself sideways.
"Watch where you're shooting Uryu!" Kurai shouted.
"What are you talking about?" Uryu replied. "My arrows are nowhere near you!"
The hollows that had been hit faded and Kurai's blood ran cold. Muramasa's left arm blade was glowing blue and had formed a Reishi Bow like Uryu had had before he put on the gauntlet.
"Oh fuck!" Kurai shouted as Muramasa began to fire arrows at him that blasted hollows even if it didn't hit them, if they were within a ten foot radius of it. "Backup!"
Uryu, Chad, and Ichigo were all staring in shock at Muramasa's newest weapon and Byakuya was holding Rukia back. Instead, Sode no Shirayuki manifested herself and formed her Shikai, firing a Hakuren at Muramasa. Muramasa spun, firing an arrow at Sode no Shirayuki and the arrow punched through the Hakuren easily. Before it hit Sode no Shirayuki, Rukia tackled her out of the way, the arrow tearing a gash in her back but missing anything vital.
"Rukia!" Kurai shouted. "Alright enough of this shit. Hado Ninety One, Senju Koten Taiho!"
Twelve pink blasts of energy formed around him and shot forward. Before they arrived, Muramasa fired an arrow into each and they all exploded harmlessly.
"Damnit!" Kurai sword slicing his palm. "Gran Rey Cero!"
His Cero blasted through two arrows before hitting Muramasa and exploding, blasting his entire left side into oblivion. Finally Muramasa fell, crashing into the ground hard and kicking up a massive cloud of dust. When it cleared, he was standing again but not healed.
"I won't give in!" Muramasa grunted before turning into a mass of Spirit Energy.
At first, it stretched up into the air as a single tendril then the end expanded. Then, it began to fire spheres of Spirit Energy in every direction before the base expanded, flooding outward and swallowing up Kurai instantly. Then, it grew into a massive red ball with four white circles around four smaller grey door-like objects. The four doors then began to spit out Gillians rapidly, with Byakuya began to kill one after another with Senbonzakura. As one pursued Rukia and Orihime as they fled from the Menos swarm, Sode no Shirayuki manifested in the air above them and froze the Gillian seconds before it could fire a Cero. Then, Soi-fon, Yoruichi, Hitsugaya, Momo, Izuru, Renji, Yumichika, Ikkaku, Rangiku, Komamura, Omaeda, and all of their zanpakuto, with the obvious exception of Yoruichi, appeared behind Sode no Shirayuki, along with Halibel and Nel.
"You didn't think we'd let you guys have all the fun did you?" Ikkaku smirked from beside Hozukimaru. "Though, looks like Sode no Shirayuki had you two covered. Where's Kurai?"
"He was swallowed up by that thing," Rukia stated pointing back at what Muramasa had become.
"I see," Ikkaku nodded. "I sensed an unfamiliar zanpakuto be released. Was that his new one?"
"Yeah," Rukia nodded.
"I wanna see it," Ikkaku grinned. "Let's go guys. Our Arrancar hero is waiting."
"That thing is truly ugly," Yumichika mused looking at Muramasa's new form.
"For once, we can agree," Rangiku smirked.
"Average people shouldn't talk," Fuji Kujaku stated.
"Be nice," Yumichika spoke up as Rangiku glared at the zanpakuto. "She can't help that she's not as beautiful as me."
"You mean me," Fuji Kujaku corrected.
"Enough!" Hitsugaya snapped. "Rescue Kurai and stop Muramasa then have your argument."
"Fine," both grumbled before they all flew toward Muramasa to help, Sode no Shirayuki staying with Rukia.
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