Chapter 37: Enter the Hot Blooded Zanpakuto! Battle in the World of the Living!

The zanpakuto, its unique shape and abilities are defined by its Soul Reaper. A Soul Reaper is able to harness the power of the zanpakuto by learning its name and forming a synergistic unit. The Zanpakuto is born with its Soul Reaper and dies with its Soul Reaper. That is the existence of the zanpakuto.

"Gum-Gum…" Luffy shouted, stretching both of his arms back.

"Getsuga…" Ichigo shouted, raising his sword over his head.

"…Bazooka!" The two attacks collided as they hit the zanpakuto in the gut, rushing the air out of him. Muramasa fell backwards and crashed to the ground below. Luffy landed on the ground with Ichigo next toas the smoke started to clear. It showed Muramasa still standing, with even more damage to his hollow-like body.

"I won't…give in…" Muramasa said as his body to change again. It charged into a crimson colored blob of spiritual pressure and it engulfed Luffy and Ichigo.

"Unbelievable!" Orihime shouted in shock.

"Ichigo! Luffy!" Rukia shouted. The blob continued to grow and started to morph into a shape.

Then menos began to appear from the blob that engulfed Luffy and Ichigo. Rukia and Orihime widen their eyes at the number of menos behind them. A garganta began to open up from the cracks in the sky.

"This really isn't good." Uryu said. "A garganta is opening. And we're trapped! We're going have to do something fast!"

Rukia and Orihime continued to run from the Gillian chasing them. The hollow opened its mouth and charged up a cero. "Tsugi no Mai…" A familiar voice said as the owner pointed her sword at the Gillian. It was Sode no Shirayuki. "…Hakuren!" A powerful blast of snow and ice was fired at the hollow, freezing it and destroying it.

Rukia looked at where the attack came from and saw her zanpakuto. "Sode no…" she said in disbelief. "…Shirayuki."

"Hey!" Another familiar voice shouted. Rukia looked up and saw Ikkaku with Hozukimaru. "You didn't think that we'll let you have all of the fun, did you?" She looked over and saw the other soul reapers with their zanpakuto by their side. Rukia looked behind Sode no Shirayuki and saw the other members of the Straw Hat Pirates. They were a little banged from their fights with the then rebelling zanpakuto but they're still in one piece.

"Sorry it took us so long." Renji said, getting his childhood friend's attention.

"Renji…" Rukia said, looking at the lieutenant.

"It looks like they got some back up." Chad said, looking at the zanpakuto.

"Are they the zanpakuto we've been hearing about?" Orihime questioned.

"What's going on?" Uryu asked. "Weren't their zanpakuto rebelling against them?"

"Please explain, Sode no Shirayuki!" Rukia said to her zanpakuto.

"Yes ma'am." Shirayuki said. "Captain Kurotsuchi is responsible. He reversed the mind control that ruled us."

"Well, that explains everything." Haineko said.

"We apologize for the trouble we may have caused." Tobiume said. "But we're here to help." The menos noticed the soul reapers with their zanpakuto and started to march towards their direction. "I promise that we will make it up to all of you." Then a sword appeared in Tobiume's hand. "Now Snap!"

"Growl!" Haineko shouted as a sword appeared in her hand as she and Tobiume charged towards the Gillians.

"Roar!" Zabimaru shouted as they charged the hollows as well.

"Extend!" Hozukimaru shouted as he twirled his weapon, charged at the hollows.

"Tear in Frenzy!" Ruri'iro Kujaku said as his blades started to glow.

Tobiume released a fireball at the menos, destroying its mask as Haineko lashed her ashes at the Gillians. The other zanpakuto soon joined them in their charge. Hozukimaru jabbed his weapon at the hollow and went straight through it.

"Damn it!" Ikkaku said. "You should let your master launch at attack before you go charging in!"

"What's that you're blabbering?!" Hozukimaru asked, looking at his master annoyed. "If you think that you can do any better, let's see it then!"

"Have you no shame?!" Yumichika said to his zanpakuto. "Do you realize how ugly it is to go rushing in and take all of the credit?!"

"You know what's far more ugly?" Kujaku said. "Someone like you being petty and jealous about getting beat to the punch someone else."

More hollows slowly started to make their way towards the zanpakuto. "They're coming." Zoro said, getting ready to jump in all of the action.

"You're right." Rukia said.

"Some no Mai: Tsukishiro!" Shirayuki shouted, creating a tower of ice where the Gillian behind her was standing and encasing it inside. The tower shattered into pieces, destroying the hollow inside.

One of the menos opened its mouth and charged up a cero, aiming at the Straw Hats on the ground. "It's a cero!" Rukia said. Soi Fon appeared in front of the hollow and slashed its mask with her sword, causing it to fire a cero at the sky. The hollow's body dissolved into ashes and disappeared.

"That wasn't going to work." The Squad 2 Captain said. "We can't let a job like be done by those hot-blooded Zanpakuto."

"Thanks a lot for helping us." Chopper said to Soi Fon.

Soi Fon looked down at the doctor and said, "Helping you was not at all my intention. I had to do my job whether you're here or not." She charged towards the dark crimson sphere in the middle of the area. "Shunko!" White aura surrounds the Squad 2 Captain as she speed started to increase. But she came to a complete stop as a volley of arrows was fired in front of her. She looked down and saw Uryu aiming his bow at her.

"Uryu!" Usopp shouted shocked.

"What are you doing?!" Nami shouted at the Quincy.

"You'll pay for that." Soi Fon said, glaring at Uryu.

"Your reckless attack could've caused major damage to this town." Uryu said.

"Ichigo and Luffy are still trapped inside that thing." Orihime added. "They could get hurt." The Straw Hats looked at Orihime with widen eyes.

"I don't care." Soi Fon said coldly. "The only thing I need to do is get rid of it. And I won't let you interfere."

"Please don't do it!" Rukia pleaded.

"That's enough." A new voice said. The Straw Hats looked to the left of Soi Fon and saw the Captain of Squad 10, Toshiro. "We cannot focus on fighting each other right now. Instead, we must defeat of those hollows."

Soi Fon looked away and said, "Have it your way." She disappeared and joined the battle against the menos.

"What now, captain?" Rukia asked Toshiro.

"There's not much time." Toshiro said. "We should start searching for Ichigo's spiritual pressure. We need a update on him." With that said, Toshiro went back into the battle as well.

"Thank you very much, sir." Rukia said. "I'll do that." Rukia, Orihime, Chad, Uryu, and the Straw Hats looked up at the giant sphere in front of them, hoping that Ichigo and Luffy are still ok.

More hollows are destroyed by the soul reapers and their zanpakuto. But as more menos were getting destroyed, there were more appeared to take their place.

'Their numbers are continuing to grow.' Toshiro thought, watching as more hollows appearing. 'This battle is going to difficult, even with the ability to utilize our zanpakuto.'

'Captain Kurotsuchi is working as fast as he can to free the remaining zanpakuto from Muramasa's mind control.' Soi Fon thought. 'But we can't wait any longer.'

Toshiro looked over at the Squad 2 Captain and said, "Alright Soi Fon, we will to take care of all of the hollows that are here. Are you ready?"

"Let's do it." Soi Fon said as she and Toshiro charged towards the hollows. Byakuya cut down another hollow in front of him as Senbonzakura appeared behind him. Byakuya looked around and saw the menos beginning to surround him and his zanpakuto.

"I'll be right behind you." Senbonzakura said.

"I can handle this." Byakuya said.

The zanpakuto continued to defeat as many hollows as they can with ease. "Roar!" Monkey shouted as she lashed her shikai and killed another hollow.

"Monkey, I don't trust them." Snake said, looking over at Byakuya and Senbonzakura

"Yeah, they had us completely fooled." Monkey said, glaring at Byakuya and Senbonzakura. Sode no Shirayuki and Hozukimaru glared at them as well.

"Let it go!" Ikkaku said to his zanpakuto. "Stay focus."

"Alright, but I understand how Hozukimaru is feeling." Kujaku said.

"He put on that big act." Haineko said. "He kept claiming that there was no way that he'll accept Soul Reapers."

"Whatever the reason may be, it just doesn't seem right." Tobiume said.

"This is not the time to be talking about that!" Momo shouted, getting her zanpakuto's attention. "Sort out your feeling later when you have the time. But right now, we must fulfill our duties as Soul Reapers and Zanpakuto."

"Yes, I do agree. Let's all give this our best!"

"You know, you really haven't been yourself lately." Haineko said to Tobiume.

"You think so?"

"It's not a change for the good."

"That's enough!" Momo scolded.

"She can't help it." Rangiku said. "You zanpakuto aren't the only ones who feeling that way right now."

"Rangiku…"

"All of us are members of the same 13 Court Guard Squads." Yumichika said. "But we just don't feel bound by this mission."

"How all of you feel is really none of my concern." Ikkaku said. "Why don't you babies just shut up and fight?"

The menos started to close in on Byakuya and Senbonzakura until they were cut a soul reaper's shikai. Byakuya looked at where the attack came from and saw Renji retracting his shikai.

"Are you alright there, captain?" Renji asked Byakuya with a smirk on his face. "The injuries you had were minor. You're not going to tell you're finished, are you? Karakura Town has placed on an area freeze so we can be able to use our full power."

"What do you mean 'full power'?" Monkey questioned. "If you get carried away and make a mess, we're not going to clean up after you."

"I don't think that you want someone with a big but cleaning up after you, do you Renji?" Snake taunted, ticking his partner off.

"Why do you always have to act like your dumb master?!" Monkey shouted, hitting Snake over the head.

"Because the fact is that he's dummy so I can't help it!" Snake said, kicking Monkey in the butt.

"Damn it, cut that out already!" Renji exclaimed. Then he looked back at Byakuya as the soul reapers with zanpakuto continued to destroy the hollows. "Captain, there's something you should know. There are a lot people who still won't accept your actions. But captain, to me, you're still my…"

"Renji." Byakuya said, cutting his lieutenant off. "Let's go." Then he and Senbonzakura disappeared.

"That's what you for trying to play it cool." Monkey said, looking at her master.

"You suck!" Snake said.

"Just shut up!" Renji shouted. "Come on, let's go!" Byakuya appeared in front of another hollow and slashed its mask.

"Alright, let's go lieutenant." Izuru said to Omeda.

"I'm inching to show them why they should never test the lieutenant of Squad 2!" Omeda shouted. "Now Smash 'em, Gegetsuburi!"

"No!" Gegetsuburi shouted, kicking Omeda in the back.

Omeda glared at the zanpakuto. "Damn it, why the hell did you just kick me?! Don't try to tell me that you haven't been released from Muramasa's mind control!"

"It's not that!"

"Then what's the big idea for kicking your beloved master in the back like that?!"

"Call me 'mister'!" Omeda looked at Gegetsuburi with shocked expression on his face. "Say Smash 'em, Mr. Gegetsuburi! Say it!"

Izuru looked at the two argue with a sweat drop. "Um…excuse me…" he said. "Man, these guys are hopeless." Izuru looked around and saw that they were surrounded by hollows.

"We wouldn't be in this mess if you would've just listened to me!" Omeda shouted at his zanpakuto.

"No, it's because you wouldn't call me mister!" Gegetsuburi refuted.

"Now, Raise your head…" Then a large amount of spiritual pressure erupted around them, destroying the hollows. Izuru looked in front of him and saw Captain Komomura and his zanpakuto in its bankai state. "Captain Komomura…"

"Oh wow…" Omeda said in awe. "That kinda grazed me."

"Maybe, I've rested too long." Komomura said, rubbing his shoulder. "I feel tired and a little bit fatigued. I think that it's best for you two to stop wasting your time. I will take care of this by myself. Can you at least do me the favor of staying out of my way?"

"Yes sir, sorry about that." Omeda said scared.

"I think I just peed a little." Gegetsuburi said.

"It's no use." Rukia said. "I can't sense Ichigo or Luffy's spiritual pressure."

"That's not good." Robin said.

"There's no sense of waiting." Zoro said, drawing one of his swords. "We need to take action. 36 Caliber Phoenix!" Zoro fired a powerful wind blade at the sphere but the attack didn't do anything to it. "What just happened?"

"Muramasa's spiritual pressure is out of control." Rukia said. "Even with the power of a captain's bankai, it won't be easy to defeat him."

"But we have to at least try and help." Uryu said. A noise sounded off, stopping everyone train of thought.

"What's that?!" A garganta opened up and black ooze started to pour out of it. When it touched the ground, more menos began to appear. "More menos…"

"Oh no!" Momo shouted, looking at oncoming hollows.

"That's just great." Rangiku said. "More and more of them are coming out."

"It never ends." Hozukimaru said.

"So we're going have to battle all of those new ones as well?" Kujaku questioned.

"I guess that we have to." Yumichika said.

"We got a lot more work to do, huh?" Ikkaku said.

"Looks like there won't be enough time for arguing." Monkey said.

"We got no choice." Snake said.

"The only times you two get along are times like these." Renji said.

"This is not good." Soi Fon said. "We won't get anywhere like this." Then more spiritual pressure erupted in the area.

"The spiritual pressure of the sphere, it has increased even more." Rukia said. "The tear in the sky is continuing to expand, allowing more menos to gain access to this world. If this keeps up, then we'll up an infinite number of them."

"You're kidding right?!" Usopp asked scared. Rukia shook her head, showing that she's not kidding. "We're doomed!"

"Damn, they just keep coming and coming." Ikkaku said.

"I'm going in." Hozukimaru said.

"Going where?"

"Into that opening. If I seal it, it should help right?"

"Are you an idiot?! How the hell are you going to seal that big?!" The rip through the sky continues to grow, letting more menos to get access into the World of the Living.

"Here they come." Sanji said.

"Oh no, now they're beginning to pour right in." Rukia said.

"It's hopeless!" Usopp shouted scared. "We can't take m any hollows! We're going to die!"

"We're going to die?!" Chopper shouted scared.

"We must stop it!" Tobiume shouted.

"But what can we do?!" Haineko shouted.

"Do something!" Omeda shouted at his zanpakuto.

"You should do something!" Getsuburi shouted back. The soul reapers and zanpakuto were trying to figure out what to do, and then they widen their eyes when they saw Byakuya and Senbonzakura attacking both ends of the tear in the sky.

"Captain Kuchiki!" Renji shouted.

"What is he going?" Franky asked, looking at the Squad 6 Captain.

"You see that?!" Hozukimaru questioned.

"What spiritual pressure." Kujaku said.

"In his weak condition?" Chopper said.

"Where is that power coming from?" Usopp added.

"He's using his spirit energy to force them back." Soi Fon said.

"This is reckless." Toshiro commented.

"Will he be able to pull it off?" Renji asked.

"It might be possible with an immense amount of spirit energy. But at what cost?" The soul reapers and zanpakuto continued to look on as Byakuya and Senbonzakura to close off the rip with the spirit energy. Then their spiritual pressure began to erupt as they charged towards the rip in the sky, destroying the remaining the menos.

"Be careful…" Rukia said worried.

"Amazing." Nami said.

"I can't believe what I'm seeing." Brook said. "That's if skeletons have eyes to begin with." The soul reapers' spiritual pressure started to increase even more, forcing the menos back inside the garganta. The garganta began to close, trapping the hollows inside.

"Alright now!" Toshiro shouted as all of the soul reapers let out a fierce battle cry, raising their spirit energy even more. The rip in the sky was completely sealed off and the spiritual pressure died down.

"We did it?" Soi Fon questioned surprised.

"We did." Toshiro said.

Senbonzakura appeared next to Byakuya and asked, "Are you alright?"

"Who do you think I am?" Byakuya said, looking at his zanpakuto. A smile appeared on Senbonzakura's face from that response.

"That guy really is reckless." Renji said, looking at his captain.

"He's not that great." Hozukimaru scoffed.

"The truth is that without our power, he wouldn't have succeeded." Kujaku said.

"I'm feeling beat." Haineko said tired.

"Maybe your age is finally catching up with you." Tobiume teased.

"Alright, let's take care of the rest!" Toshiro ordered. As the soul reapers, the sphere that trapped Ichigo and Luffy continues to grow and expand.

"What?!" Uryu said shocked. "That thing is still expanding?!"

"Nothing has changed!" Chad said.

"What about Ichigo and Luffy?" Orihime asked. "Can we save them?"

"I don't know." Rukia said. "The fact is that we can't take the chance of getting near that thing so we're stuck leaving it up to those two to save themselves."

"That's awful." Rukia, Orihime, Chad, Uryu, and the Straw Hat Pirates looked at the sphere, hoping that their friends will be able to escape from the sphere alive.

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Angry Explosion! Luffy vs. Muramasa! How It Ends!

One chapter left! Thanks for reading this story. There will be one more story with the Straw Hats entering the Bleach universe and that will start on October 7th. I hope you will enjoy it.