Chapter 24: The Ninja and the Rockstar

Soul Society's main square. The sight of The massively handicapped match of Yuu Hakimichi VS Damon Akuma and his two Generals Neil and Madness. The short Lieutenant of the 1st Squad was struck down with ease by Damon and his men. In a final, last ditch attempt to turn the tides, Yuu destroyed the gem around Damon's neck, freeing all the Captains from their petrified state. Before the final blow could be dealt to the Lieutenant, what seemed to be a black wraith stopped Neil from delivering it.

"After all this time…You're still so noisy" sighed Zero Tenkaichi, the mysterious cloack Captain of 2nd Squad. His Zanpakutou was considerably shorter than most, and was shaped slightly differently. It was a small straight sword that had no point, resulting in a rectangular blade. Zero had twisted Neil's body to a point where he was forced to drop his sword. Zero was not only a master of swordplay and stealth, but also several types of martial arts from all around the world including Karate, Judo and even Kung-Fu.

"Hang on Neil, I'll help you!" called Madness as he drew his own Zanpakutou. However, he was stopped by the sound of a Guitar riff behind him. He grunted and turned to see the 8th Squad Captain, Ganseki Yusuburu, whose insane getup made him look like a member of 'KISS.' On more than one occasion, he claimed to have inspired the band.

"Yo!" called Ganseki, giving a half-assed salute to Madness, as if he was an old friend he hadn't seen in a while "What's the big rush? We were just about to start rocking out!"

Finally, a pillar of flame erupted from the Head-Captain's office, which prompted a dissatisfied look from Damon. From within the flames, the young Head-Captain Atsui Hasebe appeared. His silver hair flew about thanks to the explosion and he looked upon Damon with sheer anger, something that was rarely seen from the normally happy-go-lucky boy

"Who has done this?" asked Atsui angrily, drawing his Zanpakutou "I shall kill you myself! For hurting my friends and destroying our home…I shall pay you back tenfold!" he roared.

"Hoho, so the last one kicked the bucket, did he?" asked Damon "It seems that we've never met, -Captain. My name is Damon Akuma, the former Captain of 7th Squad. I have now returned to take what is rightfully mine." He explained

"And what might that be?" asked Atsui.

"Power. Absolute power." Said Damon

"I'm afraid I will have to decline your request" said Atsui, who swung his Zanpakutou out of its scabbard. He didn't do it with much force, but the sheer power of the Zanpakutou being drawn was enough to cleave off half of the Main Headquarters.

"I'm afraid it wasn't a request -Captain. I'll be taking 'The Key'" said Damon, who also lifted his own sword and took up a fighting stance.

"…The Key?" ased Atsui, before a look of horror appeared on his face. In an instant, Atsui moved towards Damon, using the speed of his Shunpo, combined with the sheer power of his own Zanpakutou to deliver a crushing blow. Damon managed to block it, but the force of their collision was enough to create a crater of a similar size that Yuu's Bankai had caused.

"Grr…Get him Boss! He's just a kid!" roared Neil, trying to encourage his leader

"Boss! This kid is nothing before your power!" roared Madness, trying to do that same.

"Remember what position you're in" said Zero to Neill "Let's go somewhere more quiet. I have unfinished business with you." He said, before pulling Neill away somewhere with his Shunpo, bringing the dropped Zanpakutou with him.

"We should go too. The ambience here sucks" said Ganseki as he and Madness also left the scene of the battle.

Zero and Neill stopped in the forest outside Soul Society. Zero stood in one of the trees. For now, he was hidden.

"Tch…This damned hiding game…" muttered Neill as he lifted his Zanpakutou "You'll regret taking me away from your friends. I've gotten much stronger since the last time we met."

"I have no doubt about that" said Zero "But I too, have been honing my skills."

"Oh really? Let's see how well you do against the new and improved me!" shouted Neill "Reap all life! Karite!" he called as his Zanpakutou transformed from a Katana, to a Scythe. From his back emerged four horrible looking tendrils with mouths. They were a sickly purple colour and translucent enough to see through.

"I've been training and made my Zanpakutou stronger!" roared Neill, still unable to see Zero "If these tendrils even so much as touch you, that's it! Game over!"

"I see…That is certainly a terrifying ability" muttered Zero "Then I shall have to go all out as well." He said, holding his Zanpakutou in front of him.

"Ninja Art! Kageshochi!" he called as his Zanpakutou transformed into not one, but two sets of claws for his hands. He put them on and revealed his location to Neill by stepping into his sight.

"Haha! There you are!" laughed the former Lieutenant "Take this!" he cried as he shot one of the tendrils at Zero. The Captain calmly sidestepped the attack and sliced down on the tendril with his claws

"Are you an idiot!?" asked Neil "That'll kill you!" he roared. However, to his surprise as well as dismay, the tendril was cut by the claw with no damage to Zero at all

"But…But how…" stuttered Neil, but was interrupted by Zero

"As I thought…Made of reishi…" he said "I'm sorry, but you can't beat me as you are now." He said calmly

"Grr…Why! Why not!" roared Neil

"Because my weapon is your worst nightmare. Kagesochi uses a similar concept to the Quincy weapon Seele Schenider. It can cut away anything made of reishi, regardless of its quantity, thickness or any other factor.

"Damn it…Damn it, Damn it, DAMN IT!" roared Neil

"*sigh* It's that noise…That's why you were never suited to the 2nd Squad" sighed Zero

Meanwhile, Ganseki and Madness stopped in a large hall

"Typical…You would pick here…" muttered Madness

"What was that?" asked Ganseki "You'll need to speak up. Honestly, why did a quiet guy like you get into my 8th Squad." He sighed "Anyway. My powers are at their best here, so bring it!"

"…This is my least favourite room." muttered Madness before he drew his sword "Silence! Nokogiri! He called as his Zanpakutou transformed into a Saw-Sword. He ran at Ganseki, only for his assault of heavy attacks to be defended against by the Captain's Guitar.

Ganseki lapt back and played a riff on his instrument. The sound waves took a physical form of different weapons, such as swords, axes and arrows and flew towards Madness, who struggled to block them

"Don't be an idiot!" shouted Ganseki "You can't block my Zanpakutou's attacks like that. Kaneiwa changes the sound waves into a physical attack. You can't block them with a shield or anything like that."

Back at the forest, Neil was beginning to lose his mind

"CURSE YOU! Why do you always beat me at every turn!2 he cried "I'll beat you! I'll definitely beat you! Even if I have to use that!"

"Hmm…It seems I'll have to use that" muttered Madness as he lowered his guard. His body was covered in cuts from the sound blasts and his ineffective guard didn't do much to help.

Both former Lieutenants raised their hands to their faces and suddenly a white liquid began to wrap around their faces. When they removed their hands, they were both wearing masks similar to that of a Hollow

"Shit…This is-" started Zero, before he was cut off by Neil's newfound speed and power. The former 2nd Squad Lieutenant smashed the bottom of his scythe into Zero, who was then sent flying through several trees, causing them to fall.

Ganseki played another riff on his guitar, causing twice as many blades of sound to appear than before, allaimed at Madness. However, this time he was able to dodge them with ease thanks to his speed

"No way…That Akuma…He didn't actually…" muttered Ganseki

"That's right" said Madness "Akuma granted us a power that no ordinary Shinigami can control. Me and Neil both have it; The Hollowfication!"

To Be Continued…

Zanpakutou Translations:

Kagesochi – Shadow Step

Kaneiwa – Metal Rock