Chapter 35 – Desolation
Kenji raised his sword, pointing down to Kiyomi, then at Terri, smirking. "Which one should I kill first, I wonder?" he laughed. "Should I kill the Head-Captain bitch who has proven to be annoyingly strong? Or should I kill the little academy brat who has proven to be annoyingly strong-headed? Which to choose?"
Kiyomi frowned. "Stop playing games Kenji," she said, venom in her tone. "Why don't you just understand that you're beaten? It is quite obvious. You're facing down two of the seireitei's strongest soul reapers."
Terri quickly turned to her in shock. 'Strongest?' she echoed in her head. 'She actually believes in me this much?' She lowered her head, confidence growing. 'Alright, Head-Captain, I won't let you down!'
Kenji smirked again. "But why should I choose between you two ladies?" he chuckled. "I think it's more polite for me to kill you both at once!" He suddenly disappeared, reappearing in front of Kiyomi, who raised her own sword to block his strike. They stood in a deadlock, as Terri raised Kazedoragon and ran at the immobilised Kenji.
She slashed down, only for Kenji to simply vanish again, appearing back on his throne, smiling darkly. "Please," he muttered, "you think your speed can even compare to mine? I have had countless years to practice the flash-step, and I was granted even more speed once I absorbed the power of countless hollows. You're out of your league, girl!"
Terri raised her sword again and pointed it at Kenji. "Tell me Kenji!" she yelled, glaring at him. "I don't understand how you can hate the Soul Society so much as to do all of this. If you'd like to enlighten me, I'd be honoured."
Kenji almost choked laughing. "Ha! Honour?" he mocked. "I lost my honour decades ago girl! And, as a parting gift before your death, I might as well talk to you about it..." Terri seemed to smile slightly, as if she thought she was getting through to him, but Kiyomi glared at him, still cautious.
"You see," he started, "it all began when I entered the seireitei from the academy, still a young and arrogant warrior. I was originally an outcast, because of my shikai abilities to comatose people, but luckily, the captains saw this as something of use to them, and so allowed me into a squad quite quickly."
He sighed, looking reflective. "I was placed in Squad 3, under the great Captain Rojuro Otoribashi, however, there was something occurring in the seireitei that no-one was aware about." He glanced at Kiyomi. "I think you know what I mean."
Her eyes suddenly widened, understanding his hint. "Sosuke Aizen!" she exclaimed, Kenji nodding in response. Terri was confused. "Who's Sosuke Aizen?" she wondered out loud. Kenji laughed.
"Yes, indeed," he continued, "as I was going to find out. Aizen saw me somewhat as a threat, and so attempted to appeal to the Central 46 and Head-Captain Yamamoto to have me banished from Soul Society, or at least imprisoned in the 'Maggot's Nest', that is reserved for those who prove a terrifying threat. Almost immediately, his appeal was turned down, as surprised as I was. With a power like mine, I predicted the worst, you see."
"Of course, after this, Aizen was focused on getting rid of me, and so did something which would lead to my dismissal from Soul Society. He used his shikai on me. I happened to overhear a conversation, from who I thought were Squad 3 members, although I found out later this was a hypnotising power of Aizen's zanpakuto. They were discussing to overthrow the Squad 3 captain and take power for themselves. Being extremely loyal to my captain, I decided to take action and crept into their barracks that night."
Terri held her breath, dreading what came next. "I crept in and I slaughtered every last one of them..." Kenji said, digging emphasis into every word. Kiyomi was shocked. "So it was you!" she yelled. "I remember that incident very clearly, except for the one who did it. That information was withheld from everyone except Captain Otoribashi and Head-Captain Yamamoto. No wonder none of us remembered you..."
Kenji nodded solemnly. "After that, I was brought up to trial, Yamamoto being present, as usual with these cases. Aizen was also present. After the trial, my sentence was agreed upon – death by the Sokyoku. I was restrained and taken there immediately. Just as I was about to be tied up, however, I snapped. I took my zanpakuto and killed my captors, swiftly and silently, before they could take it away from me. I then raised my blade to the captains, before their lieutenants came in to aid them."
Kenji's face lit up as a dark smile crept along his face. "I killed some of them too..." he chuckled. "Their blood seeping from their wounds was all the delight I could have hoped for. Yamamoto then confronted me himself, his blade pressed against my neck. Luckily, however, I knew how to create a garganta, having studied the arts of the hollows. I used my emergency garaganta, which you've seen before, to escape, vowing to return one day to slay everyone who once rejected me just because of my powers, and everyone who wronged me in my life."
He then leaned over his throne, laughing like a madman. "And now!" he exclaimed. "My plan has finally come to fruition! I now have only you two to kill, and then I can finally rest knowing that I have had my revenge!"
Kiyomi scowled. "Why didn't you keep a grudge against Aizen, may I ask?" she muttered. "I understand you disliking the ones who wronged you, but he wronged you too!" Kenji answered her question with a laugh.
"I apologise, Kiyomi," he admitted. "But how can I despise Aizen, when he opened my eyes to what I truly live for? I now live for the deaths of others! Be it enemy or ally, I adore it when their blood spills, and when their hearts stop beating. I savour the sounds of steel cutting into flesh – why? Does that make me different to anyone else?" he asked, chuckling.
Terri suddenly erupted with energy, her aura visible surrounding her. Her head was down, shadowing her eyes. "How dare you say something like that..." she said, darkly. "I would never will the deaths of others... but if I must..." she raised her head, her eyes burning into Kenji's. "I shall kill you!"
She disappeared, appearing in a deadlock with Kenji, who smirked back. "That's it, girl!" he laughed. "Release your full anger! Attack me with everything you have!" Terri leaned into her attack, but Kenji saw this, leaning back and putting her off-balance. He then appeared to her side, before blood suddenly spurt from her side. She fell to the ground, holding onto Kenji's throne for support.
Kiyomi looked on, helpless. 'He... he's right...' she thought. 'He is more powerful than ever... I don't think even I can stop him...' She then glared at Kenji, a scowl on her face. "But I can at least try!" she yelled, flash-stepping to Kenji's position.
She then sliced down hard, taking Kenji off-guard. He raised his sword to block in time, and Kiyomi backed off. She then raised her sword before whispering "Constrict, Tsutasenjo..."
Her sword quickly started to come to life, lengthening out. It became cylindrical, forming her whip, thorns sprouting at random intervals. She snapped it at the ground, the crack echoing throughout the throne room.
She then snapped it forward, it coiling around Kenji's sword-wielding hand. The thorns dug deep and she pulled back suddenly, the thorns ripping through Kenji's flesh. Her whip snapped back to her side and Kenji held his arm in pain. Blood dripped from his wound, but he merely held his sword out again.
"Gracia..." he whispered, his arm being overcome with a shining aura. The wound slowly closed over, and he smirked again. Kiyomi's eyes narrowed. "Wait..." she mused, "if you used an absorbed power... that means..."
As if to answer her train of thought, Kenji's hollow fell from the shadows, landing in front of her and striking down with its claws. Kiyomi barely managed to dodge, before the hollow turned to fire a cero at her. She dodged this also, flash-stepping behind him.
She quickly snapped her whip repeatedly at the ground beneath it, and the vines grew swiftly, tangling the hollow up. She turned to Kenji with a smile. "I didn't think you'd fall for the same trick twice, Kenji..." she taunted.
"I didn't..." he laughed darkly. "You're just too full of yourself Kiyomi, take another look." Kiyomi did as he said and looked back. The hollow, previously tangled in the vines, was now slowly phasing through them. It staggered as it tripped over the final vine, but then turned to Kiyomi with a gruesome grin on its mask.
Kenji then interrupted her glare at the hollow. "Matanza!" he yelled, his sword disappearing into grains of light. "You should be honoured, Kiyomi," he laughed. "I only reveal this ability to those I feel I must overwhelm to kill. The only other who has seen this has been Matthew Richardson – my ex-arrancar."
Suddenly, thousands of blades appeared behind him, creating a wall that pointed at Kiyomi. She glared at the wall of blades, then glanced back at the hollow. 'Damn, Kenji was right... he is extremely powerful now...' she thought.
"Well, I didn't think I would need to do this..." she quickly admitted, snapping her whip back. "I thought I could beat you without it, but it looks like I have no choice..." She then snapped her whip in the air, it staying there in suspended animation. It started to glow a dark orange colour.
"Bankai! Nenshou Tsutasenjo!" Her whip erupted in a sea of flames, the aura passing down it and onto her body too. The flames encircled her, making the hollow step back slightly, intimidated. As the flames started to die down, her bankai was now fully apparent.
Her whip had grown larger, slightly smaller than Hihio Zabimaru, and was now flaming continuously. On her back, wings of flame, shaped like butterfly wings, had grown, which matched her new hairstyle, which was now wild and flowing, flames dancing through it. Her captain's haori and uniform had been incinerated, and what was left was a red, form-fitting uniform, backless like Soifon's.
"This is my real power, Kenji!" she yelled, a rage burning in her voice. "My Nenshou Tsutasenjo keeps its powers from before, but adds more. I can now control fire, as well as nature itself. You're outclassed."
Kenji eyed her, interested. "May I say how wonderful you look, especially for a woman of your years, Kiyomi," he complimented, but then his face fell. "But don't think a bankai will intimidate me, as I have the total power of one hundred bankais at my disposal!" He then looked one more time at her uniform. "You used to be Squad 2, I'm assuming?"
Kiyomi nodded. "Yes, I was one who was looked upon to be one of Squad 2's higher ups, and even possibly go for the captaincy once or twice, but I refused," she explained. "Instead I moved to Squad 1, under Yamamoto himself. But I still keep this uniform for my bankai, as my wings of flame remove all clothing from my back, you see. I think it symbolises something, personally."
In this time, Terri had now found her ground again, and had stood up. She looked at Kiyomi's bankai in awe. 'Wow...' she gasped. 'I never expected Head-Captain Seiryoku's bankai to be so beautiful... or so frightening...'
Kiyomi glared at Kenji for a split-second before gesturing with her whip, it coiling back and then lunging forward to attack. Kenji saw this coming and dodged, jumping into the air, his wall of blades following him. He then gestured, and his hollow appeared suddenly behind Kiyomi, ready to make contact.
Terri saw this and immediately rushed in, sword raised. "Fly, Kazedoragon!" she yelled, her sword disappearing and a large dragon's head forming behind her, made entirely of wind. She forced her palm forward, and the dragon lunged forward, pushing into the hollow, which tried to grasp the ground in defiance.
The wind was too strong, however, and it was blown to the opposite wall, rocks crumbling onto its fallen form. Kiyomi smiled at Terri slightly before she again gestured, her whip flying towards Kenji once again. He scowled and again dodged, but the whip followed in pursuit, as if a predator stalking its prey.
Kenji cursed under his breath and turned in midair, flash-stepping behind Kiyomi, the wall of blades doing the same. He then gestured, and the blades rushed forward, intent on skewering Kiyomi through. Kiyomi, however, smirked and gestured, her whip rushing in to block for her.
She then flash-stepped, appearing to Kenji's side, and raised her hand. "Hado 90, Nenshou Kurohitsugi!" Suddenly, a black box surrounded Kenji and black lances of energy jolted into it. As Terri expected it to dissipate, it instead erupted into flames before exploding, Kiyomi smirking as it did.
Both Terri and Kiyomi awaited the sight of a fallen Kenji, the smoke and steam clearing up from the kido attack. What met their eyes didn't warm their hearts, before them stood Kenji, slightly singed but nonetheless still standing.
He burst into laughter, almost mocking Kiyomi's power. "Not bad, Kiyomi," he complimented. "But as I've said before, I have too much power to be defeated by the likes of you. Although I must admit, the addition of a personal twist on your kido was quite unexpected."
Kiyomi scowled, raising her whip, but Kenji merely smirked darkly. He flash-stepped again, appearing behind her, his wall of blades appearing again. "Matanza, Millon Espadas!" he smiled, even more blades appearing behind him in the wall. "Die!" he laughed, the blades shooting at Kiyomi, who stood stiff in fear.
As the blades reached her position, she heard a quick "Flash, Doragonsumiyaka!" before she was grabbed and taken to the opposite side of the room in a split-second. She looked Terri in the eye.
"I didn't know you could do something like that..." she said, in awe. "Thank you." Terri looked visibly embarrassed. "It's not that great, Captain," she replied. "It's just my mom's shikai, that's all."
She instantly glared at the other end of the room as Kenji cursed out aloud, and turned to face them. He raised his hand, scowling at them. "Matanza, Millon Espadas!" he yelled again, but before he could finish his command, he was interrupted by Terri.
"Sumiyaka Tatsumaki!" she yelled, rushing in from his side, encircling Kenji at high velocity whilst focusing Kazedoragon into the centre. A twister picked up instantly and blew Kenji away into the opposite wall, causing him to cough up blood.
Terri deactivated her shikais, sheathing them, and then drew her final sword. "Alright, time to finish you!" she yelled, confidently. "Ride the waves of thunder, Raikou no Ryu!" she exclaimed, her sword extending and shimmering blue. Electricity sparked as she swiped it in the air, sending off small shards of thunder.
'Ah, it's good to be released!' she heard Raikou cry in her head. 'Let's take this fool on together, alright Terri?' she roared, Terri smirking in reply. 'Yeah, let's take him out once and for all!' she replied.
She rushed at Kenji, ready to strike his heart. Kiyomi stepped forward slightly. "No, Terri, don't do it!" she pleaded. "It's a trap!" However, Terri was almost within striking distance, and so ignored her, stabbing forward.
Kenji's eyes suddenly opened and he swung his blade at her side. "Bankai!" he yelled. "Kagirinai Utsuroshikyo!" As Terri felt a sharp sting in her side, falling to the floor, she witnessed a large wave of white energy rush 360 degrees around Kenji. Wherever the wave went, nothing remained. It was like he was erasing all of existence.
She then heard Kiyomi scream and drop to the ground, and turned to see her. Kiyomi was face-down on the, now pure white, ground, motionless. Her bankai had deactivated itself and her aura had subsided. Terri froze in shock.
"Get it now?" Kenji laughed. "My bankai spreads my coma-inducing powers over a wider area, but spares those who touch my blade. You were lucky enough to be sliced by it as I released it."
Ikkaku and Yumichika walked over to the group of soul reapers, questioning why they were gathered in a circle. They made their way into the circle and saw that Rukia, Rangiku and Shuhei were lying on the ground, Izuru and Nanao still tending to their wounds. All of them turned as they heard a yell coming from behind them.
Sajin was staggering forward, supported by Isane, with Retsu behind them with Toshiro on her back. Jushiro walked up to them, concerned. "What happened here?" he asked. Retsu smiled.
"Everything's fine, Jushiro," she replied. "There's nothing to worry about. Toshiro and Sajin will make full and excellent recoveries." Jushiro sighed in relief. "Thank goodness," he replied. "Retsu, you're a miracle-worker."
Izuru interrupted them as he looked ominously into the distance. "Um, what's that?" he gasped. Everyone turned to see what he was looking at, as a large wave of pure white energy pulsed towards them.
Raven and Crystal were running down a corridor, ready to find and slay Kenji themselves, when they heard a loud humming, all of a sudden. They turned to see a large wave of energy following them.
Crystal looked at Raven and gasped. "Let's run faster, alright?" she asked, desperate. Raven nodded, visibly nervous, and followed her, trying to escape the ever-closing energy wave.
Byakuya and Soifon sped off towards the castle, only to be halted as they saw the white energy wave heading their way. Soifon's eyes opened wide.
"I don't think that thing is here to greet us, Byakuya," she noted. Byakuya nodded, also shocked at it. "I agree, let us turn back and find another way in."
They turned on their heels and sped off in the opposite direction as the energy wave caught up to them.
Kenpachi groaned as he moved rubble and stone from his form. He staggered up, still dizzy from the shock and looked solemnly down at the fallen Maya. He sighed, turning to limp away, but heard a voice behind him.
"Mr. Captain..." Maya managed to say, meekly. "I'm not dead... just paralysed..." Kenpachi turned and looked at her sceptically. "And how did that happen?" he asked. Maya attempted to smile, but couldn't.
"Becasue... Maya overloaded Maya's systems... and Maya can't use or gain energy to move anymore..." Kenpachi limped back over and picked her up, Maya showing signs of surprise and fear.
"Well, there's no point in leaving you here to rot, is there?" he muttered, turning and limping towards the now-broken doorway to the room. Maya's eyes suddenly glowed and she gasped.
"No..." she whispered. "Ken's true power has awakened..." Kenpachi paused, sceptical, but then yelled in surprise as a white light enveloped him.
"And now every one of your friends is in a coma, you academy brat!" Kenji gloated. "All of their powers are mine, and all you have are some weak little shikais. Granted, you make good use of them, but they're nothing compared to me!"
Terri struggled to get up, using her swords as support. She the glanced at her blade, her shikai had been resealed. She gasped in shock, and Kenji laughed in reply.
"What?" he answered. "Noticing that my bankai negates the powers of all shikais? Yes, that's true. It also does the same for bankais, so don't even think of trying anything, even if by some miracle you can muster up a bankai."
Terri had now stood up, and was glaring at Kenji, who was now looking around the blankness and emptiness. "This blank dimension was created by my bankai, brat," he continued. "It is a representation that no life is special. Everyone shall come to die by this, and you will all be forgotten, in time."
Terri then cried slightly in surprise as she heard a moaning behind her. She turned around on her heel to witness Kenji's hollow wrestling with its mask. "Pain..." it muttered. "Such pain... but such intense pleasure from power..."
Kenji too watched in curiosity. The hollow writhed in pain, still prying at its mask. With one last roar, it ripped it off, the mask shattering in its hands. As soon as it did, it began to shrink in size, an arrancar uniform beginning to form around its body.
Kenji was pleasantly surprised. "Well, that was extremely unexpected," he admitted. "I didn't think you'd ever become an arrancar, my hollow. So, what do I call you?"
The arrancar stood up slowly, back turned to them. "You can call me... Kenichi Ito..." he said, coldly and apathetically. He turned to look at them both, its mask remnants forming a horn on the right side of his head, based on a skull fragment that went down to and followed the shape of the right side of his jaw, fangs visible on that part of the fragment.
His cold blue eyes pierced into Terri's, rooting her to the spot, and his face showed no emotion. Terri exhaled, her breath suddenly cold. She shivered. Kenichi stared into her eyes. "Unfortunate for you, isn't it?" he started, "That my birth as an arrancar would be your death as a soul reaper?"
And so Terri is left alone with not one, but two enemies to face. With everyone else out of commission, it's all up to her to defeat Kenji's ever-evolving power. Also, I apologize for the lateness of this chapter, but some kind of internal error was preventing me from uploading... Either way, this is the penultimate chapter, and we're almost at the climax of the action.
Next chapter: I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll keep it short and sweet. Terri faces off against Kenji and Kenichi, in a last-ditch attempt to stop Kenji's plans. It all comes to a conclusion in 'Endgame'.