Disclaimer: This man does not own Bleach.
Quincy Craft
A red arc beam flashed through the air, kicking up white dust and sand as it crashed into its target. Quilge's eye twitched in shock and pain as he was sent flying back by Benihime's trademarked attack.
Masaki's tired gaze shifted in the direction of Kisuke as he stepped next to her, a frown clearly represented on his face even within the shadows of his bucket hat.
"Sorry, Mrs. Kurosaki. It's clear that we don't have the time for this... And it's clear that he doesn't either... Otherwise he wouldn't have rushed to release his final form."
When her questioning gaze reached his eyes, he answered, "It's clear from his words..."
"Don't worry, Mrs. Kurosaki... You will see your son soon..."
"...that he doesn't intend for you to escape here alive...and your son neither... But I don't understand your intentions... If Yhwach needs Ichigo, why are you trying to kill him?"
The dust was cleared with a single flap of Quilge's wings, revealing him clearly unharmed from Benihime's attack. He clasped a single hand over his mouth and mumbled, "There goes my mouth again... I better learn to keep quiet... Might start telling you other crazy things..."
Masaki's teeth bared as she growled, "No, I'm gonna make you talk! Open wide, you bastard!"
The Stern Ritter offered a small smirk before disappeared out of sight, escaping the incoming rain of Heilig Pfiel. As her view of the illuminate moon of Hueco Mundo was suddenly blocked out, Masaki looked up as Quilge rose above her and yelled, "Licht Regen!"
Pointing his sword in her direction, a barrage of light arrows zoomed towards her direction.
"Blood Mist Shield."
A red beam, forming the shape of a shield, appeared in front of them and took the hail head on. After the attack dissipated, Kisuke leaped to the air with his Zanpakuto held up. Flexing his wrist, he drew a circle above his head and cried out, "Lament, Benihime!"
Quilge's eyes widened as the Soul Reaper swung his blade down with both hands, slashing across his shoulders and down to his hip. Even with Blut Vene activated, it still caused considerable damage. He could do nothing as he fell from the sky like a wounded bird, crashing into the ground.
'My... My leg! I can't...move it!'
"...Spurning allows me to study the Reishi composition and muscle movements, by which I am able to cancel out techniques... Razor is a technique that can move in any direction I choose and cut through any substance. Lament combines those tools together."
Quilge panted madly as Kisuke landed in front of him and slowly eased his way towards him.
"...I have study your muscle movements and Reishi composition during your little tryst with Masaki... Using the Razor technique, I was able to apply it offensively with Lament and cancel through your Blut Vene. I have all the tools necessary to end you without trying... So please, don't fight back, and tell me why you plan to go against your own leader."
Quilge groaned as he tried to pull himself up from the ground, though Masaki's foot kept him from doing that as she kicked him away.
"...I'm not giving you any time to use Ransotengai... It's done."
The Stern Ritter soared back into a large stone, where collided helplessly with it and slid to the ground slowly. As the shadows of his enemies drew closer, he found himself chuckling despite the situation.
"...How far...would you go to ensure the safety of your leader, Kisuke Urahara...? Masaki Kurosaki...? To put your life on the line for your master...?"
Kisuke paused as he stood right before Quilge alongside Masaki. He looked down at the Stern Ritter in confusion.
"...I wasn't...going to let that boy... I wasn't going to let him kill His-!"
He was abruptly cut off as his head spontaneously exploded into various fleshy chunks, splattering both of the surprised parties.
"What...!? How'd he...!?"
On the other side of the rock, Gina Dokugamine dispersed her Reishi bow and motioned for the other girl to follow as they prepared to escape. The blonde flinched as she heard the violent explosion of gore and mumbled, "Are you sure that was necessary...?"
"...He was going to tell them Master Haschwalth's plan... They know too much already... Plus I've always wanted to do that..."
The other attendant deadpanned and whispered, "You know, you can really scary..."
"...When it comes down to keeping the Young Master safe, I have to be... We don't need those two threatening his position... Let's hurry back to HQ before we're discovered."
"...All I wanted...was to be like you... To fight to protect others...and all of my close ones... It's hard, protecting others from the other side... You've made it really hard for me, you know..."
He could see the equal-heightened figure staring directly him, his short black just the same as before, and the scruffy beard that was never shaved. His white cape fluttered behind him as he watched Ichigo's expression.
"...Trying to live up to your name... Guess it wasn't possible from the very beginning... I understand...that no matter what happens, I will always be on the wrong side..."
Zaraki groaned at the blank expression on the boy's face. His pupils dilated as his breathing began to shorten.
"Man, you killed him! I wanted to fight him!"
Toshiro frowned and looked over his shoulder as the large figure. He sighed, "...You can fight him all you want after he comes to the Soul Society..."
He then turned to Sui-Feng and said, "He's still breathing. Do what you have to before he passes."
The woman frowned and grumbled, "Are you asking me to finish him off after both of you clearly interrupted my business?"
"...It wouldn't do to argue... This clearly won't slide with the Head-Captain or the boy's mother, so you might want to get it over with before he finds ou-"
A sudden appearance of killing intent halted all three of the Captains in their places.
"...It's a little too late for that, don't you think?"
Toshiro slowly turned his head around until his eyes locked with the very person they were discussing. The Head-Captain's expression couldn't be seen under his straw hat, but with both his blades and clothing covered in blood, it clearly wouldn't have helped to see it.
"...To disobey my orders... What shame you all bring to the Soul Society... Do not think you three will leave here unpunished."
Never before had any of them seen Captain Kyoraku as angry as he was at that second, and neither one of them could say anything under the suffocating pressure as they were all brought to their knees. Only Zaraki managed to hold his place amongst the drowning Reiatsu.
As the towering man continued to fight against the pressure, Shunsui mumbled, "...Don't get cocky because you were Unohana's chosen one... If you intend to fight my order, I'll put you down like the rabid dog you were meant to be."
Shunsui's eyes widened, as before he could make good on his threat, a voice echoed, "...This doesn't look good... It seems that you pick the wrong moments to exert control over any situation, Shunsui Kyoraku."
"...Aw...that had to hurt... That's 'cause my Reishi can be quite poisonous when I garner control over it..."
Byakuya Kuchiki hurled on his feet as he fell against the pavement, his eyes bulging out wide as he continued to heave up the blood lodged in his throat. Ciara shrugged and continued, "...You see, each of us Stern Ritter has a letter... I'm kinda special though..."
He said nothing as he rolled onto his side, attempted to keep himself steady, but to no avail. The Stern Ritter sauntered forward before grabbing the back of his Haori and lifting him up with a single hand and leaning closer to his ear.
"...Ya see, my letter, 'V', actually represents two epithets... My allies call me...the 'Vaccine'... But to enemies and test subjects, I am the 'Virus'... With a single Heilig Pfiel, you've become poisoned, and the virus is quickly spreading through your body and draining your Reiryoku... It is only a matter of time before we're able to perform an autopsy, so please sit tight and wait, Byakuya Kuchiki..."
A sudden loud noise rung in her ear, causing her to groan as she realized that His Majesty was calling. It was clear that it was an urgent matter that she was to attend to.
"...A wounded? Gah, and here I was, thinking I'd have time to play with you, Kuchiki... Maybe some other time... Try to last a little longer next time, okay?"
He heaved once more as she dropped him before disappearing in a flash, leaving the Captain to black out as he heard the distant screaming of his Lieutenant.
"...So you've been waiting for me to enter the battlefield first... That's why you sent that goon you call a Stern Ritter, Yhwach."
The Emperor of the Wandenreich smiled sinisterly and widely as he watched Shunsui's bitter state. In a semi-circle around Yhwach, each of the unconscious Captains laid there, defeated as soon as as they attempted to surround him. Behind him, Haschwalth held the semi-conscious orange-haired Stern Ritter over his shoulder.
"...Oh? It seemed Driscoll wasn't up to the task... How sad."
In less than a second, a set of feet landed on the ground behind Haschwalth. He held out the teenager to the incoming woman who placed him on the ground and began healing him. Yhwach looked over his shoulder at Ciara and said, "Finish quickly. He and I have an appointment to make."
Haschwalth and Ciara both looked towards the man, clearly surprised as the blonde asked, "Wait, what? What are you talking about, Your Majesty?"
Yhwach narrowed his eyes and answered, "None of your concern, Haschwalth. And I told you to hurry, Ciara."
Under the leader's challenging stare, Haschwalth turned his gaze back to the injured boy. In front of him, Shunsui ready his scimitar-like Zanpakuto and prepared to battle.
Yhwach raised an eyebrow and said, "It's clear that you aren't anywhere near my level... Only Yamamoto was capable of that, and he's long gone. What makes you think that you can take me alone?"
"He's not."
Shunsui's eyes widened, along with Yhwach's, as another figure landed next to him. His white-hair flowed as he drew his own dual-blade Zanpakuto, holding it up as he faced down the Quincy King.
"Ju-Jushiro!? What are y-?"
The elder man gazed skeptically out of the corner of his eye to Shunsui and interjected, "We are Yamamoto's sole pupils... He alone claimed that our combination is the strongest in history... Both of us together will be enough to put this old man back to slumber!"
Yhwach's teeth bared very little, though it was clear from the sweat on his brow that he really didn't want to waste his time fighting a long, drawn-out battle with Yamamoto's students. He turned back to Haschwalth and Ciara and prepared to say something until he realized that Ichigo, though barely, was standing between them.
"Ah, it's good that you're awake... Alas, we have somewhere we need to be... Ichigo, come with me."
Ichigo's sore and tired eyes opened a little as he grumbled, his voice scratchy and sore, "Wh-What...? But...the invasion... I ha-"
"Your part in it is done. It is clear that you don't have the strength to continue fighting."
Ichigo's eyes widened openly, and his breath hitched in his throat.
"Disappointingly weak, Ichigo Kurosaki... But that was to be expected."
He slowly looked down at his own feet, and, as if submitting, bowed his head as he followed Yhwach out of the clearing.
"Oi, you wait just a minute, old man!"
Yhwach never stopped, even as Jushiro and Shunsui leaped into the air behind him to attack. Both of them were blocked by a blade that appeared in front of them, courtesy of Haschwalth, and sent rebounding back.
"...If His Majesty and Kurosaki has to be somewhere, then I am to make sure they arrive... You two will not go any further..."
"...You think... You think Ichigo's planning something...?"
Kisuke frowned and said, "It's clear that he was going to say 'His Majesty'... He said that he was going to stop him from killing Yhwach... Which means that we need to get to him as fast as possible."
Masaki looked down at the Stern Ritter's corpse as Kisuke prepared the Garganta to return to Soul Society.
"...If this lackey believes that Ichigo plans to assassinate Yhwach..."
Orihime, who sat off to the side, finished dejectedly, "Then that Yhwach guy must know as well... Ichigo's in trouble if he stays with them any longer...!"
Kisuke, still typing onto his computer, continued, "...It's a miracle that Ichigo isn't dead yet... Either he believes he can control Ichigo..."
"Or maybe he's afraid."
Everyone turned to Chad as he leaned against the rock and continued, "You said that he wasn't going to invade Soul Society until he sure his weapon was ready... What if Ichigo isn't the weapon...? What if he needs Ichigo to create this weapon, or he needs this weapon to defeat Ichigo?"
Kisuke frowned and said, "He's stronger than Ichigo. He could have killed him at anytime... And the invasion is starting now."
"...But he hasn't killed him, which means he still needs him for something... Maybe Ichigo hasn't reached the level he requires... And if he was truly invading Soul Society, then why is this Stern Ritter here and not a part of it? I don't see why he would simply invade the Soul Society because Mrs. Kurosaki and Kisuke is here..."
Masaki's brows furrowed as she thought aloud, "Then...are you saying this invasion is for a whole different purpose? The Quincy live for vengeance against Soul Reapers... There is no other reason for them to be there..."
Her eyes widened as she trailed off when her and Kisuke came to the same conclusion. The man cursed and began typing faster. The woman screamed, "Hurry up, Kisuke! We have to get to Soul Society now!"
"I'm trying!"
Orihime, frightened at the Mother's loud exclamation, yelled, "What are you two talking about!?"
Masaki gripped her fists tighter and said, "There's a person of interest in Soul Society... The one responsible for Soul Society's recent paranoia, and a criminal who threatened the entire Soul Society... That same man that my husband died trying to kill, and the one Kisuke here sealed away... And whom we believe is Yhwach's reason for this invasion."
The darkened tunnels under the First Division Barracks cast a foreboding feeling inside of Ichigo's gut as he followed the Quincy leader down the steep stairs. Suddenly, the man stopped, causing Ichigo to nearly bump into him.
"...Before you see this man, I want you to close your mind off... He's a very tempting and manipulative man... Don't let him lead you astray."
Blinking at the random advice that was given to him, Ichigo nodded once and continued following him into the deeper depths of the place known as 'Muken'.
'...'Voided Space', huh? Yeah, that name fits this prison perfectly...'
After going down plenty of levels, they finally arrived at a large door. Yhwach placed his hand against it, but did not push it open.
"...Are you ready...? You will leave here a changed man, Kurosaki... I know not what he will say to you, but his words will have some meaning."
Ichigo frowned. It was the second time that Yhwach had warned him.
'Who the hell's down here?'
"Who's in there?"
Instead of giving an answer, however, he pushed against the door and slowly opened it. The foreboding feeling once again returned to Ichigo as he received no answer. Instead, he stared into the distant darkness of the area, looking to find any kind of beacon of hope in the everlasting darkness.
"...I thought I'd see you at some point, Yhwach... It's such a coincidence that you'd show your face to the world after I would've taken out your biggest obstacle."
When the voice pierced through the darkness, Ichigo jumped a little. Yhwach, however, rubbed the bridge of his nose and scoffed, "...I would have killed him if you didn't."
"...Clearly... Like you did so long ago..."
The elder man shook his head and stepped into the darkness closer to the voice, with Ichigo hesitantly following. He took two steps forward before the man's voice spoke again.
"...And it seems you've brought a friend... A lackey? Or perhaps a bodyguard...?"
Yhwach laughed a little and replied, "And why would I need a bodyguard for you? What can you do in your pitiful state, boy?"
"...A lot of things... But let's just keep that between you and me, shall we?"
The Quincy Monarch motioned Ichigo closer with his finger. Ichigo circled around the slightly visible podium to see who was sitting on the supposed throne. What he saw, however, shocked him greatly.
Excluding the man's lone visible eye and a patch of brown hair, and the unconcerned smirk on his face, the man was completely bonded to the chair with black tape. The eye rolled over to his direction, causing him to raise an eyebrow.
"...I do not recognize you, boy. I've never felt your Reiatsu."
Yhwach smiled slyly and added, "...But it's funny... It's funny that you do not recognize him, even though you are the man who kick-started his life into fruition... You are the reason I was even able to find him, and the reason that he was even introduced to this world..."
It was clear that both Ichigo and this man were confused beyond all reasoning, both wondering how they could have affected either of the others lives.
"...I would like you to meet Ichigo Kurosaki... And Ichigo, I want to introduce you to the man responsible for everything...Sosuke...Aizen..."
"Do you even know about Aizen?"
"Sosuke Aizen was a notorious Soul Reaper who wished to transcend beyond all beings and reside upon the throne of the world... He was responsible for creating and experimenting with Hollows and Arrancars, including the Espada you've met... He was also responsible for placing the blame of a certain Hollowfication on Tessai Tsukabishi and Kisuke Urahara. They were nearly executed, only saved by the late appearance of Yoruichi Shihoin. They were exiled and banished to the realm of humans forever."
"His Majesty explained to you that your mother possessed a Hollow Virus that you absorbed... Sosuke Aizen was the creator of the Hollow that attacked your mother and father... That Hollow was formed from the basis of Soul Reapers, and it passed a particular Hollow down to you... One that became your Zanpakuto and Fullbring..."
"The Hollow Virus resided in your mother, being held back by her connection to Isshin Kurosaki, and it now resides in you... And from your very birth, Sosuke Aizen targeted you... When His Majesty's technique nearly killed you and your mother, it broke the strings connecting your father to your mother... From that point on, he placed a spell on you to hide you."
"Your father's connection to you gave him access to his powers again... So he joined the Soul Reapers once more... Your father became the Substitute Soul Reaper for Karakura to protect you from the clutches of that madman and his Espada."
"On the first day of November, three years ago, the war between the Soul Reapers and Aizen broke out..."
"When Aizen defeated the Head Captain, Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto, the war should have been over... But your father arrived in time and used a single powerful technique that cost him everything... He lost his powers..."
"...And exactly a month later, he died. From that point on, your mother fought to continue protecting you as your father did...going as far as to limit your interactions with the afterlife so you wouldn't die as he did... Your father is hailed in the Soul Society as a war hero, and the remaining Espada, such as this one here, believes in him for rescuing them from Aizen."
A look of pure horror stretched across Ichigo's face as he stared into the darkest depths of his father's sworn enemy... His own sworn enemy...
On the opposite hand, Sosuke Aizen's lone eye widened to extreme proportions, and his smile widened, barely containing the child-like glee in his expression and voice.
"...Ichigo...Kurosaki... My greatest creation..."
"...Ciara, did you get it?"
The medic of the Wandenreich reached into her cloak and pulled out a medallion and tossed to Haschwalth, who stared unblinkingly at the two top Soul Reapers in history.
Shunsui frowned and mumbled, "...Jushiro, I don't trust this one a bit... He must be pretty high on the rankings if that man trusts him to hold us off."
"...I know... Don't underestimate this one, Shunsui."
Haschwalth, overhearing the two, hmph'd and drawled, "It's great that the two of you are taking me seriously... I thought I would've had to convince you of my prowess..."
Behind him, Ciara coughed into her hand, "Woah, Haschwalth, are you crazy!?"
He looked over at the woman behind him as she shouted, "There's no way you can fight both of them on your own, regardless of the medallion's modifications! With the both of us-"
"...I don't know if I can control it yet, and I don't want you to get caught up in it."
He held the medallion up and watched for Shunsui's and Jushiro's reaction. Both of them narrowed their eyes and tightened up their stances as they waited for him to make the next action.
"But-!"
He held his left hand in front of her as he stopped her from continuing. He pushed her back before holding the medallion out.
"...Bankai..."
Jushiro's and Shunsui's eyes widened as the ground suddenly erupted into flames and trapped them all inside. The flames also exploded underneath Haschwalth's feet, covering him in a cocoon of fire.
Shunsui looked all around him as he exclaimed, "What the!? What is this!?"
The first thing that emerged from within the intense burst of heat was an enlarged sword with crimson-red blade edge and a hook at the end. Behind that was a massive shield, from which the blade emerged, and then finally Haschwalth himself.
On the man's right arm, a black gauntlet shaped like a dragon fully encompassed the entire arm. A sash-like component went over his left shoulder and down to his waist, containing five burnt-orange orbs. A dragon's tail came down behind him, and attached the sash and the gauntlet together. His Reishi sword, cruciform in appearance, formed in his right hand.
"...Raika Goen Kaku..."
Jushiro's eyes narrowed in recognition, and he and Shunsui both met gazes as they realized whose Bankai it belonged to.
"...You did well as a test subject, Shusuke Amagai... You'll be the first person for us to test this on."
He stood, shocked and confused, as his Bankai suddenly disappeared from his body. He watched in disbelief and fear as his greatest weapon was inaccessible. His right hand reached forward in an attempt to make one last effort.
"...Shusuke Amagai's stolen Bankai... So you were the one that..."
Haschwalth stared blankly at the two as he drawled, "I know it isn't the same... It took both Ichigo's and His Majesty's Reiatsu to get it to a stronger level... But don't you get a sense of nostalgia when you see these flames?"
