Chapter 25: The Phantom Blade - Bleach 2023 (3)
"Enjoy this Hintao, you deserve it," Isane said, passing him a sake.
"Thank you lieutenant," he said, taking a sip of his sake, "I do love a well brewed sake."
Isane nodded happily, she leaned her arm on the bar, and drank her tea.
"It must have been tough training for your bankai, your internal injuries were quite bad."
"The battle was tough, the head captain didn't make it easy for me. But I'm sure those internal injuries were caused by my bankai," he said, taking a greater drink.
"If that's the case, I would limit using your bankai for a sustained period of time. Once every couple of months should leave no internal damage to your body." She said, looking at his doubtful face.
"Are you sure that's the case, all it did was wear me out," he said, completely ignoring her warning.
"Hintao listen to me, I felt your heart rate after you used it and it was notably higher than your average heart rate. Using it often will result in a cumulatively damage your body, which would result in increased chances of internal bleeding, not to mention the high chance of getting a brain haemorrhage."
"Really, that's pretty serious," he said finishing his sake.
"Exactly so please, I'm not saying don't use it, just reduce practice and only use it as a last resort. I've already lost one person close to me, I don't want to lose another."
Captain Unohana, Hintao thought. He blushed as she looked at him.
"I'll be wary when I use it, so don't worry about me too much," he said, signalling the bar tender for another drink.
A tall muscular hulk of a man walked into the bar followed by several other well-built men. He scratched his white streaked black hair with his hand. The man stared at Isane with his dark grey eyes; he treaded heavily to her and knocked her off her seat.
"You were in my seat," he growled.
"I'm the lieutenant of the fourth division," she shouted.
"I wouldn't care if you were the head captain, this seat is always empty unless I occupy it."
Hintao jumped off his seat, "you asshole, no one has the right to hit a superior officer like that!"
"Who asked for your opinion old man!"
"Old?" Hintao shouted, as he propelled his fist through the air.
Hintao hit the man, who stood still incepting the punch. Unnerved by the hit, the man grabbed Hintao and threw him across the room. Hintao fell through a table; the man jumped at him, and attempted to stomp on his head. Hintao rolled and kicked upwards, the man stumbled, Hintao punched him in the eye. The man grinned.
"Not bad, not bad at all," he clicked his knuckles.
"Break him Orochi!" His group yelled. Orochi pounced forward, smashing his fist into Hintao's jaw. Hintao fell backwards, landing on the bar, Orochi then ran towards him and kicked him the chest sending him flying at the bottles.
Hintao slowly stood up and spat out a tooth. Blood trickled from his mouth, he motioned to Orochi, "come on then you freak."
Orochi charged forward jumping behind the bar, he threw a punch; Hintao ducked, and gave Orochi a powerful uppercut. Orochi stumbled backwards; Hintao tackled him to the floor. Enraged he continuously punched Orochi, who seemed to be dazed by the uppercut. Quickly coming to his senses Orochi slammed Hintao's head against the bar, he grabbed a sake cup slammed it into Hintao's chest, Hintao felt the jagged fragments of the cup slice his skin.
"Bastard!" Hintao shouted, grabbing a glass bottle. He smashed the bottle on Orochi's head, and then aimed the broken bottle at Orochi's eyes. The bottle narrowly missed Orochi's eyes but grazed his cheek. Orochi licked the blood streaming from a wound on his head; the taste of blood sent him into a frenzy.
"Argh! I'll kill you!" Orochi shouted wildly. He sent a salvo of glasses towards Hintao.
Hintao blocked his face with his arms, when he moved them Orochi was right in his face. Orochi grabbed Hintao's arm and bit into it, Hintao screamed in pain, Orochi gnawed with greater force. A bald man ran at Orochi and punched him near his kidney, then threw him to the floor.
Hintao breathed heavily, and sat on the bar. He rubbed his arm quickly trying to alleviate some pain.
"Thanks for removing that crazy fuck, Ikkaku. He needs locking away." Hintao said.
"Hintao lets go back to the infirmary, I need to disinfect that arm," Isane ordered.
"Sure, thanks," Hintao walked out, staring at Orochi.
Ikkaku stood over Orochi with an angry expression, "never do that in public again!" he demanded. His expression became more casual; "if you like fighting join me, with moves like that you'll definitely get into squad eleven."
Exhausted, Ryuusuke sauntered from the first division, mastering his shikai was tiring work. He stretched, basking in the sunlight, yawning loudly he closed his eyes. An ensemble of sounds could be heard throughout the area, he sighed as he pondered on taking a quick nap. He heard the faint sound of scribbling; looking around he spotted a man sitting against a tree with a sketchpad on his lap. The man stared at Ryuusuke; he rested his pen on his lips.
"Can I help you with anything?" Ryuusuke asked, baffled by the man's stare.
"Rotate your head a little to the left," he said.
Without hesitation Ryuusuke turned his head, the man scribbled on his pad.
"Marvellous, a picture of pure perfection," the man exclaimed.
Ryuusuke, wandered over to the man, he glimpsed at the sketch. Ryuusuke was simultaneously horrified and impressed with the sketch, the artist had masterfully drawn Ryuusuke in the midst of training, using his shikai with full ferocity.
"You are the most talented creepy person I have met, your attention to detail is so fine. When did you start this?"
"I have been observing you for some time, Ryuusuke. For someone of average intellect, your natural mannerisms and sheer perseverance make you stand above everyone else." The man said.
"I can see you've been observing me for a while, you've seen my shikai!" Ryuusuke said, getting flustered. "Not many people have seen it."
"Don't worry, I'm not one for spouting about other peoples business. Your shikai is one of a kind, a zanpakuto that strikes so precisely, with so much grace, is something to be relished. You truly are a fortunate man." The man said enthusiastically, as he brushed his blue hair.
"Thank you for your kind words, but could you at least introduce yourself," Ryuusuke said awkwardly.
"I apologise, I am Doami Yamazaki, third seat of squad ten."
"Doami? You wouldn't happen to be the Doami that graduated from the academy in two years, leaving behind a legacy of having the second highest grades recorded since it opened?"
"That would be me, however it's quite depressing having the second highest marks. The fact that someone less exquisite than me could best me is something quite unfathomable." Doami looked irritated.
Ryuusuke ignored Doami's egotistical remarks.
"What's it like being a third seat? I guess you have tonnes of responsibilities."
"To be honest, I despise being a third seat. Squad ten is not what I envisioned it to be; the officers are brutes, completely disgusting, although less so than those squad eleven savages. The only pleasure in my division is my lieutenant, she has such a bubbly personality."
"Is the captain strict?" Ryuusuke said, interrupting Doami.
"Captain Hitsguya is an absolute dictator, my work pile is monstrous. Soon I think I'll drown in paperwork, that is if a paper cut doesn't get infected and turn sour first," Doami looked at his hands.
"That sounds rough, hopefully I won't be treated so harshly once I graduate."
Doami smiled, and looked at Ryuusuke's zanpakuto.
"What is its name?" Doami asked.
"Furaijin, and it's a he," he said, laughing.
"What a beautiful name, it just slips off the tongue. Would you release it?"
"No, I can't. Furaijin exhausts my body; at this point I'm only willing to release him against two shinigami." Ryuusuke said seriously.
"And who might those privileged two be?"
"Obviously my sensei, head captain Kyoraku. And the other shinigami is someone whose real name remains a mystery, but he has earned the nickname the phantom blade." Ryuusuke said, gripping Furaijin's handle.
"The phantom blade, many seated officers have fought him in contests but none have defeated him. He is heralded to be the best swordsman in the Seireitei; many have claimed that he is a captain. Yet, not a single person has found a shred of evidence supporting this claim."
"Wow, I'm impressed, you seem to be as interested in him as I am." Ryuusuke said.
"As you may have figured out, I do passionately love perfection, and he is the perfect swordsman. I have a few first hand sketches of him, do you fancy coming to the tenth division to appreciate my art."
Doami piqued Ryuusuke's interest; "sure, it's always a good idea to study a possible opponent before a battle."
The red orb made contact with the target, and in an instant it exploded. Momo glanced at Megumi and nodded, Megumi walked over to Zanjiro who was struggling to aim a kido at his target.
"Hi Zanji," she shouted, slapping him on the back.
His kido burst in his hands, enveloping them both in red smoke. Momo laughed as she watched them. Zanjiro emerged from the smoke, covered in red soot, his eyes watered. Megumi had formed a quick barrier to guard the front of her body, so remained indifferent to the smoke.
"You idiot, why would you do that? Can't you see I was focused on that target." He shouted, coughing.
"It wouldn't have hit the target anyway, so you were just wasting your energy." She said.
"I'm sure it would have hit, good kido runs in my family!"
"Really Zanji?" she teased, "What about your father?"
"He's an abnormality when it comes to kido, no amount of training could help him. I take after my uncle Byakuya, like him I'm a Kuchiki genius."
"A Kuchiki genius? Fine shoot that target next to lieutenant Hinamori." She demanded.
Zanjiro stared at Momo, who was literally an inch away from the target. He knew the shot could be dangerous, but his pride blinded him.
"My uncle taught me this," he pointed his finger at the target, Megumi could see that the tip of his finger had slightly deviated from where he originally pointed. "Hado number four, byakurai." A single blue bolt of lightening shot out from his finger. Momo screamed as the blue bolt travelled towards her. A black square wall appeared in front of the attack and absorbed it.
"How?" Zanjiro said, as he waved apologetically at Momo.
"You should thank me, the future head of the Kuchiki clan will need a friend like me," Megumi said, as she slowly moved away from him.
"What do you mean like you?"
"Let's just say I'm somewhat of a kido expert," she looked at Zanjiro and stuck her lips out, "so Mr Kuchi, where's my thank you."
"Stop calling me Zanji and Kuchi! I am utterly certain you are no kido expert," he bellowed.
She closed her eyes, aimed both of her index fingers at different targets and fired off two shots of lightening.
"Later Zanji," she shouted, waving her arm.
Zanjiro inspected one of the targets; there was a smoking hole directly in the centre.
"She is exceptional, isn't she?" Momo said, with her usual gleaming expression.
"She is good, but is she an expert?"
"Zanjiro, Megumi was telling you the truth, she respects you too much to lie to you. You have a great friend there, one that will go on to do great things. Treasure her dearly."
"Thank you lieutenant, I will."
Zanjiro moved into a shady area, leaning against a wall he watched the other young kido practitioners training together in groups of friends.
Why are they all so happy training? A mastery so important should be a hard arduous task not some comical show. Megumi, a kido expert? It seems illogical such a relaxed, carefree individual could possess such talent, Zanjiro thought. He rubbed his head, treasure her? I can barely stand her.
Cloaked and sticking to the shadows, Hisao Yuu walked towards the academy under the cover of night. Despite being part of the original Gotei thirteen he had never entered the academy. The idea of education never appealed to him, he was a man of experience.
Three men approached him from behind.
"I could do with a cloak that masks my spiritual presence," one of the men said.
"It's such shame they are so rare," Hisao replied.
"How about you give us your one." The man said signalling to his two comrades. The two other men walked forward, one of them being Orochi.
"Ah, you are the man that has piqued my interest. At first I though you were nothing but a thief with cannibalistic tendencies, but there's more to you than meets the eye." Hisao said to Orochi.
"Really? I think I have given you the wrong impression!" Orochi shouted, charging at Hisao.
Without much effort Hisao swerved avoiding Orochi, the other man pulled out a knife and aimed it at Hisao's chest. Acting fast, Hisao ripped his zanpakuto from its sheath and sliced through the man.
"Who are you?" The remaining man asked.
"I am your judgment" Hisao snapped back, instantaneously impaling him.
The man's face twisted with pain, Hisao ripped his blade from the man's body, the man turned pale and fell over.
"Orochi I've noticed that the eleventh division has been watching you, your fighting spirit fits them well."
"I work for no man," Orochi stated, drawing his zanpakuto.
"A rare weapon for a thief, particularly one that has achieved shikai," Hisao said.
"How do you know about my shikai?" Orochi asked suspiciously.
"As I've said, I've taken an interest in you. At first glance you come across as a complete barbarian, but your literal thirst for blood has a meaning to it. You're less of a cannibal and more of a connoisseur."
"Like hell I am," Orochi shouted, taking a swipe at Hisao.
Hisao grabbed the incoming blade, and slid his hand down it. Blood stained the blade.
"That blood should quench your thirst for a while," Hisao said, smirking.
Orochi licked his blade clean; he burst out laughing licking his lips.
"This is the taste I have wished for," Orochi fell to his knees. "The blood of a true warrior."
"Join me and you'll taste blood even greater than mine," Hisao offered.
"I will join you on one condition," Orochi said.
"I am not one for conditions, but since you herald great potential for my cause, I will hear you out." Hisao said sternly.
"The only man to defeat me in the past was the phantom blade, as soon as he's discovered or killed let me drain his body. That man started my blood lust, his blood is what drives me to grow stronger." Orochi screamed, his eyes widening with joy.
"As you wish Orochi."