At the top of Sokyoku Hill, Tosen's blood ran hot as he sensed the immensely powerful presence of Kenpachi Zaraki standing nearby. He and Wonderweiss turned slowly towards Zaraki. Yachiru was hanging off of Kenpachi's right shoulder and glaring at Wonderweiss angrily as if challenging the Espada level Arrancar. Wonderweiss returned the glare in his own unique manner.
"Kenpachi Zaraki. Our paths cross yet again." Kaname said as he could hear Kenpachi's grin widen.
"You talk too much Tosen. So let's just skip the chatter and go straight to fighting. It's inevitable with our differing beliefs and opinions and all that after all. So let's just do ourselves a favor and get this over with." Kenpachi said as Tosen reached for Suzumushi and Kenpachi reached for his sword.
"As you wish Zaraki." Kaname said as he flash stepped into the center of the hill. Kenpachi drew his sword and charged at the ex-Captain.
"I-HOPE-YOU'RE-MORE-FUN-THIS-TIME-TOSEN!!!" Kenpachi laughed mid-charge. As he neared his prey, Kaname raised his Zanpakuto, pressing the ring against his open palm.
"Bankai." Tosen said as Kenpachi grinned even wider and skid to a halt as the large black balloon shaped Bankai formed overhead, plunging Kenpachi into total silence and total darkness. Outside the large Bankai sat Yachiru and Wonderweiss.
"Come on Kenny! Give that bat what for!" Yachiru cheered as Wonderweiss gave an angry slur towards her. She proceeded to bop Wonderweiss on the nose in response.
"Bad! Bad, Dum-dum. You shouldn't say such naughty things to a lady." Yachiru said as Wonderweiss glared at her in surprise for a moment before his expression turned serious and he raised his right arm and a pink ring of energy appeared around it. Yachiru however had quickly leapt out of the way before Wonderweiss had a chance to fire the Bala he had been charging.
"Oh so you want to play? Okay let's have some fun like Kenny and Batty are having, Dum-dum." Yachiru said as she started glowing with pink spiritual energy and Wonderweiss started glowing with spiritual energy of, surprisingly the same color.
Inside of Tosen's Bankai, Suzumushi Tsuishiki Enma Korogi, Tosen charged at Kenpachi, but the massive Captain simply grinned and raised his Zanpakuto blindly and successfully blocked the blow. He quickly grabbed a hold of Tosen's wrist with his free hand, with his hand partially touching Suzumushi, allowing him to see Tosen clearly.
"Did you really think that I had forgotten how to deal with your Bankai? Face it Tosen, there's nothing new about you. Look at you. I would have hoped that with all your time hanging around with Aizen, that you would at least be even the slightest bit more powerful. But apparently I was wrong. You're no fun at all. You're just a boring repeat of a past battle." Kenpachi said before he delivered a fierce blow across Tosen's chest, causing the Bankai dome above to shatter and dissipate. Outside the dome, Wonderweiss and Yachiru's own battle hadn't even begun.
"Aww, Kenny's all finished now. I guess that means it's all over, wouldn't you say Dum-dum?" Yachiru asked as Wonderweiss looked at Tosen worriedly. Tosen stood breathing heavily, barely able to stand as he held his bleeding chest. Kenpachi sheathed his sword and turned away as Wonderweiss hurried over to Tosen's side.
"Kenpachi." Kaname said in a weak whisper as Wonderweiss opened his hand wide. His hand started glowing with bright pink energy before he pressed it against Kaname's wound. The wound started to heal quickly.
"Kenpachi!" Kaname said louder, causing the departing Kenpachi to pause and turn back towards Tosen as the latter started to straighten in posture.
"Kenpachi!!!" Kaname yelled in anguish as Kenpachi scowled.
"I'm not fighting you Tosen. So don't even think about trying anything stupid." Kenpachi said as Tosen stopped breathing heavily.
"If you will not fight for your own sake, then what about for someone you hold dear?" Tosen asked as Kenpachi arched an eyebrow.
"What are you talking about?" Kenpachi asked in a bored tone. Kaname proceeded to draw his Zanpakuto again.
"Cry, Suzumushi." Kaname said as Kenpachi heard a deafening ringing in his ears, though it didn't noticably effect him. He then noticed that Yachiru was wincing and holding her ears while making an inaudible whining noise. When he noticed Yachiru's squirming and immediately a look of rage flashed in his eyes. Kaname was attacking Yachiru directly. Kenpachi then started glowing with yellow spiritual pressure and he immediately reached for his eye patch.
"You just made your last mistake Tosen!" Kenpachi roared angrily as he ripped off his eye patch and a massive skull of electrical spiritual energy erupted up from the Eleventh Squad Captain. Kaname calmly remained in the center of the hill with his Zanpakuto raised as Kenpachi turned and started running after him with his Zanpakuto in both hands. He had been ticked off to a new level. No one harmed Yachiru in the slightest way and got away with it, especially if it was intentional. Kenpachi let out an enraged battle cry as he charged at Kaname.
All across the Seireitei, the battles suddenly paused as all eyes turned towards Sokyoku Hill. It was the sight of this massive pillar of spiritual pressure that distracted Hisagi just long enough for Ungaii to turn the tide and regain the upper hand.
"What is that?!" Yuzu asked as she, Isane, and Jushiro helped to carry wounded back to the Squad Four Med center.
"That's Kenpachi Zaraki's full power being released. He must either be facing a strong opponent or be very angry." Jushiro said in silent awe. Kyoraku and Nanao paused on their way towards the med center and looked up in surprise. Soi Fon, Izuru, and a recovered Omaeda, looked on in awe as General Yamamoto himself looked, open eyed, at the pillar of yellow spiritual energy. Even the retreating Ryoka watched from their hiding places and looked on in awe of the massive spiritual pressure that could be felt even from the Rukongai districts.
"I would hate to be the poor sod that has to go up against whoever has that kind of Spiritual Pressure." Ni Skullini said as his brothers nodded in agreement.
Back on the hill, Kenpachi reached Tosen and then made a horizontal swing at Tosen who dodged and slid around to his side, stabbing Suzumushi into his ribcage. Kenpachi whirled around with his fist, knocking Kaname away a fair distance before skidding to a stop in the air. Kenpachi quickly leapt up after him, glowing with Spiritual energy like a comet across the sky. Kenpachi no longer grinned, instead an angry snarl spread across his face. Kenpachi attempted to deliver a particularly deadly blow but Kaname dodged and delivered a fierce slash across Kenpachi's back.
Kenpachi whirled back around with a fierce swing of his sword that collided with Suzumushi for a brief moment before Tosen flash stepped away onto the ground. Kenpachi snarled and growled down at Kaname.
"WHAT GAVE YOU THE GALL TO DO THAT?! I THOUGHT YOU PRIDED YOURSELF ON YOUR SENSE OF JUSTICE!!!" Kenpachi roared down to Kaname.
"Now you understand Kenpachi Zaraki." Kaname said calmly as Kenpachi rocketed down at Kaname who leapt out of the way quickly. The resulting explosion sent a massive shockwave across the hill that leveled the trees at the top and made a massive crater in the center.
"Don't you DARE give me any of your justice crap! You're no man, you're a monster Tosen!" Kenpachi yelled.
"Now you see me as I see you Kenpachi Zaraki. I see you as nothing more than a monster that cares nothing for the innocent. I see you as a beast that must be put down as such. Now that you see my point of view on the matter, then perhaps you will see more of my way of things." Kaname explained before Kenpachi let out a ferocious battle cry at the top of his lungs before he charged forward with his sword raised.
He started swinging randomly at Kaname who dodged the strikes effortlessly. Kaname exploited Kenpachi's enraged mood and with every swing Kenpachi made, Kaname would dodge and deliver a blow to the swordsman's body. Finally after what seemed like hours, when only a few minutes had passed, Kenpachi was in the same exact state that Kaname was in moments ago, breathing heavily, barely able to stand, but bleeding profusely, his spiritual pressure also having died down. Kenpachi leaned on his Zanpakuto as he caught his breath and looked up at Tosen. Much to his severe annoyance, Tosen was unharmed.
"You now understand why I despise you. Why you should be put down like the monster that you are. You are a ravenous beast that would have the entire Soul Society crumble from using your methods of chaos and disorder. Your lack of justice has brought you to this point, and now it falls to me to issue justice where it is needed." Kaname said as he approached the weakened Kenpachi from the side.
Kenpachi was in no condition to move and his muscles were aching more than they had ached in ages. Try as he might he could hardly even lift himself let alone his sword. Kaname raised his Zanpakuto and held it lightly against the back of Kenpachi's neck as if he were an executioner was preparing to deliver the final blow. He then raised the Zanpakuto in the air over his head with both hands. Before he could move however he sensed a powerful spiritual pressure behind him. It was unfamiliar to anything he had sensed before. He turned around and was finally able to sense who it was.
"Hey Batty! Leave Kenny alone!" Yachiru shouted angrily with her Zanpakuto drawn from its sheath, which lay discarded on the ground nearby. She was glowing with a bright pink spiritual pressure with a large pink angry cat's head glowing behind her as a terrifying symbol of her usually concealed power.
Kaname was truly surprised. He had always assumed that Yachiru had always just been some little kid that Kenpachi had dragged along with him and made his Lieutenant. Her very spiritual pressure alone made her more than qualified to be a Lieutenant, even possibly a Captain. Yachiru suddenly vanished in a flash step and Kaname felt a sharp pain across his stomach. He could feel her spiritual pressure behind him along with his own blood dripping from the end of her sword. She turned back towards him with an angry expression clear across her face.
She then charged forward again, intending to deliver a killing blow but she suddenly found herself tackled by the Hierro enhanced strength of Wonderweiss. Wonderweiss was glowing with bright pink energy of his own. Yachiru bounced across the ground, nearing the edge of the tall cliff but fortunately she turned and skid across the ground on her own two feet, coming to a stop mere inches from the ledge. She shook her head to clear away the cobwebs and saw Wonderweiss staring angrily at her.
"Play time is over Dum-dum!" Yachiru shouted as the two immediately charged at each other, resulting in a blinding burst of pink spirit energy. Kaname quickly turned back towards Kenpachi, eager to end the Eleventh Squad Captain quickly. He repositioned Suzumushi on the back of Kenpachi's neck, the latter still in no condition to move. He raised his Zanpakuto with both hands again but paused when he sensed Kenpachi's usual insane grin appear on his face.
"Do you really think that little Espada wannabe can take on the brat? She's got twice as much spiritual pressure than what he's got." Kenpachi bragged weakly. Kaname remained silent. Inside his mind he knew that Kenpachi was right, and that if there was any hope of Wonderweiss getting out of his battle with Yachiru alive, then he would need Tosen's help. Tosen paused and had to reposition his blade yet again, with Kenpachi still grinning. He brought the blade up over his head with both hands again. There were going to be no interruption this time…or so he thought.
He had only just started to swing the sword down when he felt something large and strong grab his hands and stop the swing mere inches from Kenpachi's neck. Kaname's empty eyes widened behind the white strip of cloth around his head, as he recognized who the new source of spiritual pressure behind him was.
"KANAME!!!" Sajin Komamura howled as he effortlessly tossed his former friend away. Kaname quickly landed on his feet however and raised his head towards the towering Captain. Kenpachi in the meantime allowed himself to roll over onto the ground, facing Kaname and Sajin so he could watch.
"This has gone on long enough Kaname! Look at what you've brought yourself to! You preach on justice and condemn Kenpachi for being a monster! Do you even realize that you just attacked a young girl?! Have you ever truthfully heard of Zaraki doing anything like that without some form of guilt?! If you have then I sincerely question the accuracy of your sources! Look at what you have become Kaname! You claim to be on the side of justice and follow the path with the least bloodshed when all this path has brought is more and more bloodshed at every turn! Look at what has transpired because of your allying yourself with Aizen, Kaname! Can you not clearly see that everything that has happened because of this has caused more and more grief? You call Zaraki a monster, I used to believe the same thing Kaname…but now my eyes are open…and I don't see Zaraki as the monster. No that title belongs to you now Kaname. You are the monster, the monster that is blind not just in sight but in all your other senses as well. You are as hollow as the very beings that we Soul Reapers fight. In order for your justice to prevail, it is you who must be brought to justice." Sajin said as Kaname remained silent. The sounds of Yachiru and Wonderweiss's duel nearby could still be heard. The distant and fading sounds of thunder echoing across the Soul Society.
Kaname remained silent and still for a moment before finally standing straight up with his head held high.
"You don't understand Sajin. I pity your narrow-mindedness." Kaname said as Komamura's eyes widened at the comment.
"What?!" he asked surprised.
"My eyes are wide open, and I see everything. You do not see past the now, I look towards the future. Justice is the future, and I only strive to bring that future closer to the now. It is people like Kenpachi Zaraki and the misguided rules of the Soul Society that prevents this age of justice from coming. I talk of the path of the least bloodshed, but in order to have justice there must be some bloodshed. When justice has been delivered, there will be very little bloodshed anymore. The path I walk will lead to the future with the least bloodshed. That is what my words meant." Kaname explained as Sajin lowered his head slightly.
"I see. I can see some truth to your words but I do not agree that Aizen's way is at all the best way Kaname. Things can change Kaname, we can have your justice and we can have the future with the least bloodshed. For a whole year now, we've not had any major conflicts, no tremendous losses of life, and the only blood spilt is the occasional scrape of a child's knee, the accidental cutting of one's own body while practicing with a sword, and the odd illness that causes one to cough up blood. And then you and Aizen come back and the blood flows freely once again. If this is the path of the least bloodshed Tosen, then I shudder to see what the other path is." Komamura said.
"Then it seems that you won't see my point of view Sajin. I am sorry to hear you say that old friend." Kaname said as he raised Suzumushi.
"Break all his limbs, Suzumushi Nishiki, Benihiko!" Kaname shouted as he moved Suzumushi around in a circle, leaving a trail where the blade moved. The trail remained and then solidified into dozens of sword blades. Sajin's eyes widened at the sight and he quickly raised Tenken in his hand. The blades suddenly launched at Sajin and Kenpachi but Sajin was ready with his eyes narrowed and his body glowing with light red spirit energy.
Before the blades hit, there was a massive release of spiritual energy, a massive column of light red energy that could be seen from the edge of Rukongai. When the light faded, Kaname stood stunned as he sensed all the blades had not hit their marks, instead having impacted helplessly against the massive sword of a one hundred meter tall samurai clad in black armor with an equally sized sword. The sword then rose, revealing Sajin, still glowing with energy. The Samurai was standing in the center of the large crater that Kenpachi had made earlier.
"Bankai! Kokujo Tengen Myo'o!" Sajin shouted as Kaname stepped back in shock, that his old friend would release his Bankai against him.
"Zaraki, can you stand?" Sajin asked without taking his gaze off of his former friend. Kenpachi grinned and climbed to his feet as if nothing were wrong with him.
"Never better." Kenpachi said with his familiar grin on his face. Kaname stepped back again, even more shocked that Kenpachi could even stand let alone still fight. Kaname then sensed Wonderweiss crash into the ground next to him battered and bloodied from his fight with Yachiru who quickly appeared at "Kenny's" side.
"Alright Kenny and Doggie! Let's give Batty and Dum-dum all we've got!" Yachiru cheered with her sheathed Zanpakuto at her side again and with her usual cheery self.
"You want to have the first strike Sajin?" Kenpachi asked as he started glowing with yellow spiritual energy again.
"I say we strike together." Sajin said as Kenpachi grinned again.
"Whatever you say. But the hollow brat is mine." Kenpachi said before he charged for Wonderweiss. Sajin raised and swung his Zanpakuto, causing the giant samurai to do the same right down towards Kaname. Tosen and Wonderweiss both quickly flash stepped and Sonido'd out of range respectively before the attacks hit. Just then Kaname sensed something else.
"That's it. That's the signal we've been waiting for. Come Wonderweiss, Lord Aizen awaits." Kaname said as he turned and opened a Garganta. He and Wonderweiss quickly raced inside, closing it behind them before either Sajin or Zaraki could reach them in time.
Sajin and Kenpachi, neither having heard what Tosen had just said to his Arrancar compatriot, both looked confused as they saw the two fleeing through a Garganta. They then both sensed something strange coming from the Seireitei down below.
"What is that?" Kenpachi asked curiously as he walked towards the edge, and Sajin sheathed his Zanpakuto, causing his Bankai to dissolve after sheathing its own massive sword. He couldn't see anything out of the ordinary, just sensed something.
"I am not sure Zaraki, but you are in no condition to look into it. Take my advice, and go see a Squad Four medic." Sajin said as Kenpachi took a sigh of relief.
"Regardless of what I said earlier, that was fun." Kenpachi said as he pulled the eye patch back on over his eye. He and Sajin then started making their way down the ledge towards the Squad Four med center, unaware of what the source of the spiritual pressure represented.
End Chapter 21.