Chapter Twenty Five – Soul Destroyer
After Ichigo's fight with Mashiro, everyone in the Seireitei was now aware of Ichigo and his power. Everyone from the Head Captain, to the Espadas, Kisuke and Bansui, the Visored, the Captains, Ichigo's friends, and especially Aizen.
Aizen, of course, had been watching Ichigo's fight with Mashiro through one of the many cameras he had installed throughout the Soul Society, and had seen not only how Ichigo had killed the former Squad Nine Lieutenant, but how he had ripped her mask off and somehow absorbed her powers.
The event itself was unprecedented. Never, in all the centuries Aizen had been toying and experimenting with Hollowfication had he seen such phenomena. None of the Visored had been able to do such a thing, and certainly not his Espada, neither current nor Privaron. Aizen couldn't be certain if such an occurrence was unique to Ichigo, or just a simple coincidence based on a set of conditions that had been met in battle by pure happenstance.
Already, Aizen was manoeuvring to try and get Ichigo to fight another one of the Visored, in hopes that he gained their power by simply ripping their mask off, and he intended to do it all by using the young female Zanpakutō Spirit who was sat next to him in his hideout. Kyōka Suigetsu looked at her Master, and without him even saying anything, hopped out of her seat and nodded.
"As you wish, Master. I shall go do what you desire," Kyōka Suigetsu stated as she gently ran across the room and up the stairs to the surface.
"Well... I think we just managed to find Ichigo Kurosaki," Ulquiorra muttered, looking up into the sky in the direction of where a column of black and crimson Spirit Energy had appeared.
Halibel and her Fracción had noticed it too, and with the sheer power of the Spiritual Pressure, she was certain the owner of the black and crimson Spirit Energy was Ichigo. Orihime, who was still with the Arrancar could see the pillar of Spirit Energy, but at her current power level, she couldn't even begin to comprehend how strong it was.
"If that is the extent of Ichigo Kurosaki's power now, then I believe he'd give even Barragan a run for his money when he gets stronger. The power we just felt was definitely stronger than most Espada in Hueco Mundo," Halibel muttered as she started to walk in the direction of where the Spirit Energy had appeared.
"Wow, I wonder what this Ichigo guy is like, if we've been ordered by the Director General to bring him back to Hueco Mundo," Apacci said out loud as she followed the Tercera Espada.
"Orihime, what can you tell us about him?" Sung-Sun asked, acknowledging the fact Orihime was with them because Halibel said she's get to see Ichigo again if she joined them.
"Umm, well... He usually acts all grumpy, but that doesn't mean he's a bad person. Lots of people like him, and he's really kind and caring. He's even friends with Keigo, who can be a bit simple at times, but he's got a good heart. Oh, oh, this one time, when he was in Middle School, Tatsuki told me that he and Chad got into a fight with some bullies, who were making fun of Ichigo for having orange hair, and when the bullies attacked Chad and stole a special necklace from him, Ichigo marched down to where the bullies would normally hang out and he beat them all up so Chad could get his necklace back. So, he's always looking out for his friends, and won't hesitate to fight for those he cares about, especially his younger sisters," Orihime rambled, taking a huge breath at the end as she didn't stop to take a breath at all whilst talking about Ichigo. When she realised how much she had said, she went bright red and laughed nervously, while scratching the back of her head.
"Hmm, definitely sounds like the sort of person worth having as an ally then," Halibel mumbled, not even looking back at Orihime as she turned a corner and found herself looking at a small girl.
"Who is this...?" Ulquiorra asked, cautiously putting a hand on the hilt of his Zanpakutō.
"Be at ease, Quarto Espada Ulquiorra Schiffer, I am the Zanpakutō Spirit of your Master. He has a message for you, and Tercera Espada Tier Halibel," Kyōka Suigetsu spoke, her voice powerful and commanding.
"Fascinating... Zanpakutō Spirits exist in the Soul Society too. Carry on," Ulquiorra responded, very interested by the sight of a real Soul Reaper Zanpakutō.
"The Master has been made aware of a special phenomenon that includes Ichigo Kurosaki. It might prove beneficial to his plans, and wants you to assist," Kyōka Suigetsu stated.
"What must we do?" Halibel asked.
"You are to find one of the Hollowfied Soul Reapers who are currently attacking the Soul Society, incapacitate it, but do not kill it. Bring it to Ichigo Kurosaki and force him to rip their mask off. Should nothing happen, you are to provide assistance to him and make sure he does not expire whilst fighting off the others. But you must not be seen helping him, is that clear?" Kyōka Suigetsu explained, putting heavy emphasis on multiple points as she spoke.
"By your command, we shall do what is asked of us," Ulquiorra nodded, bowing slightly to Kyōka Suigetsu, as if she were Lord Aizen himself.
Without another word, Kyōka Suigetsu nodded and walked away, already making preparations for phase two of Aizen's plan.
"What was that about?" Orihime asked, understanding very little of what she had just heard.
"It seems we're to help Ichigo Kurosaki... I wonder what he needs the Hollowfied Soul Reapers for?" Halibel murmured, pressing a finger to her lips, which was covered by her high-collared jacket.
"Ok, so let's go and find one of these Hollowfied Soul Reapers and do what we've been asked to!" Apacci grinned as she smacked a fist into her palm and cracked her knuckles.
"I know you're here just to see this guy again, but make no mistake; if you get in our way, I'll kill you," Mila Rose growled, grabbing Orihime by the collar of her shirt.
"U-Umm, I... I won't get in the way! P-Promise!" Orihime cried, hoping the Arrancar wouldn't hurt her.
"Oh, give it a rest, you damn cavewoman. Honestly, you're about as bad as Master Grimmjow when expressing your emotions," Sung-Sun sighed, slapping Mila Rose over the head.
"Bitch, you did not just do that!" Mila Rose shouted, turning to face Sung-Sun with a dark glare.
"I think she just did..." Apacci sniggered.
"Imbeciles..." Ulquiorra sighed before leaving to follow the orders he had been given by Kyōka Suigetsu, using Sonído to get out of there as quickly as possible.
"That's enough, ladies. I won't tell you again!" Halibel snapped, silencing her Fracciónes.
"Sorry, Master Halibel..." The three Arrancar both muttered in unison, all looking at the floor.
"Orihime, I cannot deny what Mila Rose said to be true. I know your main priority is to see Ichigo Kurosaki again, but do not get in the way of my mission. You have earned some trust and respect with me, for saving the life of Mila Rose, and if you continue to help us here, I can guarantee your protection when we return to Hueco Mundo," Halibel explained, using Orihime's name for the first time.
"R-Return?" Orihime asked, starting to feel uneasy.
"Yes. When we complete our mission here, you will return to Hueco Mundo with us. Staying here will only result in your execution, and if that happens, then I would have wasted my time escorting you, and I do not waste my time. I also believe you will be of help the our Lord and his plans," Halibel continued.
"Who is this Lord of yours?" Orihime probed.
"I'm afraid I cannot tell you that. I'm afraid I simply don't trust you enough to divulge such things at this time. If you stay by my side and assist with this mission, I will tell you everything," Halibel stated, looking Orihime in the eye.
"O-Ok... L-Lady Halibel," Orihime muttered, bowing to the Tercera.
Halibel allowed herself a small chuckle at the honorific Orihime used. It was strange for her to hear a Human address her in such a manner. Without another word, Halibel and her girls went to find one of the Visored and deliver it to Ichigo so Aizen could test his theory.
While Ichigo was on the hunt for the one who set him up for Aizen's murder, the other Captains had their hands full dealing with the Visored. Unohana had remained at Squad Eight to help co-ordinate the medical teams, and Isshin had gone to find Captain Kyōraku, and assist him.
Isshin had no choice but to command the children to remain at Squad Eight, where it was safe. Naturally, they had all protested, but when both Isshin and Unohana had explained to them how dangerous the Arrancar were, they all reluctantly agreed to stay and help Captain Unohana tend to the wounded.
As he made his way over to Captain Kyōraku, Isshin realised that it was somewhat ironic that he had spent an entire year training the children, only for them to stay off the front lines during this war. He knew there wasn't anything he could do about it; he hadn't anticipated Kisuke and Bansui would attack the Soul Society with both the Visored and the Arrancar at the exact same time as he decided to return to the Soul Society to see his son.
"Isshin! Down here!" Shunsui called out, waving to Isshin, who leaped off the rooftop he was on and landed on the ground, where he found a very large man towering over him.
"Heh, it's been a while, Shiba... Or is it Kurosaki now?" Zaraki asked, grinning manically at Isshin.
"Captain Zaraki... Good to see you haven't changed in the time I've been gone," Isshin smirked, before turning to Shunsui. "What's the situation, Captain?"
"We've managed to locate one of the Hollowfied Soul Reapers. Captain Zaraki and I were about to flush them out when I felt your Spiritual Pressure closing in. I figured it wouldn't hurt to have you join us for the fight," Shunsui smiled.
"Yeah, now that the Old Man has agreed not to immediately kill you for coming back here, we can have a little fun," Zaraki grinned before perking up, and swinging his Zanpakutō into the wall behind him.
The wall shattered to pieces from the strike, and from behind the wall, the two Captains and Isshin found themselves staring at a large, muscular man, who was standing there, and had a traditional Japanese kabuki mask stuck on his face.
"Holy shit! Isn't that the former Kidō Corps Commander, Tessai Tsukabishi?" Isshin shouted, completely taken by surprise at the fact Tessai was now one of the Visored.
"Do I look like I give a fuck?!" Zaraki snapped, swinging his sword again, attempting to kill Tessai in one blow.
The sword strike would have cleaved any normal Soul Reaper in half. Tessai wasn't a normal Soul Reaper. Aside from now being Hollowfied, he was also a Master of all kinds of Kidō, and it was a Kidō barrier that prevented Zaraki's strike from killing the man.
"Hadō Number Ninety Six; Ittō Kassō!" Tessai rasped, his voice sounding distorted and disembodied.
"Look out!" Isshin shouted, as he and Shunsui jumped out of the way as Tessai's left arm began to crack and glow red.
Zaraki stayed put, and simply watched as the Kidō spell took effect, covering a large area in a bright red light before erupting into a massive pillar of fire that took the shape of the tip of a katana. Isshin and Shunsui could do nothing but watch as Zaraki was swallowed up by the inferno.
The blaze raged on, lasting about fifteen seconds before it subsided. Isshin noticed the hand that Tessai had used to cast Ittō Kassō had already begun healing, thanks to his Hollow powers. Upon seeing this, Isshin realised that Tessai could cast Ittō Kassō indefinitely, without having to sacrifice a body part in order to cast the spell.
"Wow, I kinda felt that one... I guess this means I don't have to hold back..." Zaraki growled, as he ripped his eyepatch off, causing his Spiritual Pressure to skyrocket.
The instant spike in Captain Zaraki's Spiritual Pressure managed to surprise Isshin; for him, it had only been twenty years, but the sheer force of it was staggering; he never would have anticipated Zaraki would become this strong.
"Hmm, I believe Captain Zaraki can handle this on his own, but I'd feel better knowing he had backup from a Kidō Master; what say you, Isshin?" Shunsui asked, looking at Isshin from under his hat, with only one eye visible.
"Well, I don't know about a 'Master'... I mean, it's been twenty years. But, far be it from me to refuse a Captain's orders," Isshin responded, giving Captain Kyōraku a nod of confirmation.
"Hadō Number Ninety One; Senjū Kōten Taihō!" Tessai rasped, creating ten large pink projectiles in the air around him, and with a wave of his staff, sent them directly at Zaraki.
"Hadō Number Ninety Two; Hyōga Seiran!" Isshin responded to Tessai's Kidō spell with one of his own.
Isshin knew using Dankū wasn't going to work, so in order to protect Zaraki, Isshin had to use a stronger Hadō to counteract Tessai's Senjū Kōten Taihō. Hyōga Seiran was a Hadō spell that fired a torrent of ice at whatever the caster aimed at. Just as the projectiles were about to hit Zaraki, Isshin's Kidō managed to put a thick wall of ice in between Tessai and the Squad Eleven Captain.
"Hey, what are you doing, Shiba?! I had that!" Zaraki growled, turning to look at Isshin with a scowl.
"I don't dispute that, but considering the Head Captain has allowed me to assist in fighting these guys, I'd rather not be responsible for you dying," Isshin responded, which just made Zaraki laugh.
"Oh, Shiba... The Old Man knows that if I die, it's because I was bested. It won't be anyone's fault but my own. Now, get the fuck out of my way," Kenpachi growled as he slammed a fist through the ice wall and grabbed Tessai by the throat and started slamming him face first into the thick sheet of ice.
Isshin could only stare in awe as he watched Zaraki brutalise the Hollowfied Tessai against his ice wall. After every hit to the ice, Isshin could hear a dull thud and slowly the area where Zaraki was bashing Tessai's skull into was turning red. After a few more seconds, Kenpachi stopped the assault and let go of Tessai, who dropped to the floor with a dull thud.
"Well... Shit," Isshin breathed, looking at the Squad Eleven Captain, who removed his hand from the ice sheet and saw it was covered in blood all the way up to the middle of his forearm.
"Hmm... Perhaps I did need to hold back. Tch, what a disappointment," Zaraki sighed as he turned around and walked off.
"Hey, where are you going?!" Isshin shouted, causing Zaraki to stop where he was.
"I'm going to find someone who's worthy of my time. Don't try and stop me!" Zaraki snapped.
"Believe me, I had no intention of doing so, but..." Isshin trailed off, as he felt a familiar presence. "Looks like you're about to get your wish."
Before Zaraki could respond, a loud buzzing sound filled the area, and before Isshin or Zaraki could react, Ulquiorra appeared, slashing at the ice wall with his Zanpakutō, shattering it. Both Soul Reapers watched with curiosity as Ulquiorra completely ignored them and approached Tessai's body.
"Just what the fuck do you think you're up to?" Zaraki asked, lifting his Zanpakutō up onto his shoulder, the chipped and jagged blade glimmering in the sunlight.
"I don't think that is any of your business, Soul Reaper," Ulquiorra replied as he turned his attention to Isshin. "You're still alive... I suppose that's not a surprise; any rational being would choose flight over fight when the odds are stacked against them."
"You're absolutely right, but there's just one small problem with the situation you're currently in," Isshin remarked, grinning at Ulquiorra.
"Oh? What would that be?" Ulquiorra queried, genuinely curious to know what Isshin was talking about, as Zaraki walked over to the Arrancar, towering over him.
"This guy is the furthest thing from 'rational'," Isshin stated as Ulquiorra dodged Zaraki's cleaving strike with Sonído.
"Hey, Shiba! Get the hell out of here; I don't want you getting in my way. I think your boy will be pissed if he finds out you died because you got in the way of a good fight," Zaraki growled, grinning at Ulquiorra, who was now out of his range.
Isshin said nothing as he left the mad Captain to fight Ulquiorra alone. He wasn't too worried; Zaraki's Spiritual Pressure dominated Ulquiorra's. If the Arrancar was intent on fighting Kenpachi, he would certainly die. That's what Isshin thought at least.
Back over at Squad Eight, the children were helping Squad Four with the medical needs of the injured. The entire Squad was on high alert, and despite their best efforts, more and more injured Soul Reapers were being brought in for treatment.
Before Squad Four was annihilated by Ulquiorra and Halibel, the children had made it clear to Isshin that they were keen to help fight off the Visored and Arrancar. The only one who made no such declaration was Tatsuki. She had witnessed the power of the Arrancar, and it was incredible. She knew none of them would be strong enough to even slow them down, and despite hearing about how Chad and Keigo had managed to go toe-to-toe with Squad Nine's former Captain, Kensei Muguruma, she knew that it was very likely the Hollowfied Soul Reaper had been holding back.
After Squad Four had been destroyed, the children quickly agreed that they'd be nothing more than a liability to Isshin and the other Captains, and decided their best efforts could be focused on helping Captain Unohana. So, when Unohana had initiated 'Protocol Omega' from the direction of Captain Kyōraku, the kids quickly helped Squad Four up and move.
It still amazed them how efficient the move had been, but that was largely thanks to the efforts of Squad Twelve, and Mayuri Kurotsuchi. For some time, the Squad Twelve Captain had been toying with the phenomena of 'Negative Space'. He theorised that in every dimension; the World of the Living, the Spirit Realm, and the Precipice World, there was an inverted world of 'Negative Space' where objects had no mass, and were comprised of 'anti-matter'.
He had spent years researching this theory, and about two years ago, he had been able to successfully locate the 'Negative Space' and was able to transport objects there and back by simply scanning the object, and breaking down its molecular structure to allow it to form in the inverted world.
This was how Squad Four were able to pack up everything and move in just a few minutes. Captain Kurotsuchi had developed two hundred of these little devices so all members of Squad Four had one, and by simply pressing a button, whatever objects the device was aimed at would be transported to the inverted world in seconds.
When Squad Four had arrived at the Squad Eight Barracks, all they had to do was press the button again, and the objects they scanned would return into the material world, safe and ready to be used.
The kids simply watched in awe as it looked like they were watching something that could only be found in a sci-fi spy novel, and yet they had watched the whole thing unfold with their own two eyes. Even Isshin, who had his misgivings about Captain Kurotsuchi, had to give credit to the maniacal Captain for his intelligence and advances in research and technology.
Now that Squad Four were all set up and ready to go, Isane and Third Seat Iemura had started delegating tasks to the kids, who followed the orders they had been given without hesitation, and their help proved invaluable to the Medical Corps.
As the children were carrying out their assigned duties, they could all see that Tatsuki was having a hard time. She was struggling to focus, and whenever she messed up, she'd snap and lash out at anyone or anything that was nearby.
Keigo, surprisingly, offered to go and talk to Tatsuki, but Chizuru and Mahana quickly shot him down. Instead, they decided that Chad should be the one to go talk to Tatsuki, since he wasn't needed at the time, and the others were all busy.
"Hey, Tatsuki..." Chad spoke as he walked over to his friend.
"What do you want?" Tatsuki grumbled, picking up the tray she had dropped on the ground.
"I just came to make sure you were alright," Chad responded as he crouched down and started helping.
"I'm fine," Tatsuki replied indignantly.
"Are you sure? You've been almost silent for the entire time since Orihime left," Chad stated, earning a dark glare from Tatsuki.
"Don't you dare say that name to me!" Tatsuki hissed, grinding her teeth in anger.
Tatsuki's response came as no surprise to Chad. Orihime had been Tatsuki's best friend since they were in Middle School, shortly after Orihime's brother, Sora, had died. Despite them being best friends for years, Orihime had all but betrayed her when she agreed to go with Halibel, and that fact cut Tatsuki deeper than any weapon ever could.
"Tatsuki, I'd be lying if I said I knew how you felt, and I can't blame you for feeling they way you do, but this is Orihime we're talking about. You said she went with the Arrancar because they promised to take her to Ichigo, right? Well, all we have to do is wait for that to happen, and then trust that Ichigo can stop the Arrancar and bring Orihime back," Chad reasoned, which only served to infuriate Tatsuki more.
"She can burn in Hell for all I care! That bitch was dead to me the moment she went off with those monsters! It's too bad Captain Unohana didn't kill her when she had the chance!" Tatsuki shouted as she stood up and walked off.
"What are you talking about?" Chad asked, looking confused.
"I heard Isshin and Captain Unohana when they got here. Captain Unohana tried to kill the traitor, but failed. If she had succeeded, maybe I'd have some sense of satisfaction at how Karma is a bitch," Tatsuki growled before she stormed off, not allowing Chad the chance to respond.
With no other option, Chad returned to the rest of his friends, who were eagerly awaiting his return. When he found them, they could see whatever exchange he had with Tatsuki was not a positive one.
"What happened?" Mizuiro asked.
"Tatsuki is taking this a lot harder than we expected. She won't even say Orihime's name, and said it was too bad that Captain Unohana didn't kill her when she had the chance," Chad stated, repeating back what Tatsuki had said to him.
"No way..." Chizuru whispered, looking visibly upset.
"Wow, that's pretty heavy," Keigo muttered.
"Yeah, I guess I kinda understand where Tatsuki is coming from. I can't say I wanted Captain Unohana to kill her, but I do understand her intention behind doing so," Mahana frowned.
"Umm, excuse me..." A voice spoke from the doorway, surprising all of the teens.
"Oh, it's Isane," Mizuiro stated as the Squad Four Lieutenant smiled at him.
"Sorry to bother you guys, but I was hoping... I could borrow Chad for a minute?" Isane asked, looking rather bashful.
"Hmm? Is something wrong?" Chad asked, as he walked over to Isane.
"O-Oh, n-not at all! I-I just needed help moving a heavy object, and knew you'd be the man for the job!" Isane responded, tripping all over her words.
Chad said nothing as he left the room with Isane, who took the lead and began to escort him. When the Lieutenant and Chad had both left, Keigo turned to his friends with a sly smirk on his face.
"Hehe, I bet she's the 'heavy object' that she wants Chad to move," Keigo chuckled, before receiving a hard punch in the face from Chizuru.
"What the hell is wrong with you, Keigo?! You're such an asshole!" Chizuru shouted.
"No, wait! That isn't what I meant– Oof!" Keigo cried desperately, before Mahana kicked him in the groin.
"That's so rude! You can't just go around calling women 'heavy objects'!" Mahana yelled.
"Oh, Keigo... When are you going to learn...?" Mizuiro sighed as he decided his time was better spent helping the other members of Squad Four, and left to go lend a hand.
"Where's Uryū when you need him? He would have known what I meant..." Keigo groaned, as he lay on the floor, holding his junk.
Uryū had been using his newfound freedom to wander about the Seireitei unhindered. Without the burden of having Ryō and Michiru following him like lost puppies, he was now free to do as he liked without having to hide like a rat in the shadows.
As he walked down the streets of the Seireitei, he came across several Soul Reapers, all rushing about, trying to get to wherever they needed to be, in order to help their superiors fight against Kisuke's forces.
The Soul Reapers who were rushing past him paid the young Quincy no mind. Most of them didn't even know what a Quincy was, and that infuriated Uryū to no end. The Soul Reapers were his greatest enemy, and they didn't even have a damn clue what a Quincy was.
Keeping his grievances to himself, Uryū carried on his way, until he felt a large surge of Spiritual Pressure from nearby. It wasn't just one entity, but three. This made Uryū curious, so he decided to investigate. The Spiritual Pressure continued to rise the closer he got to the source, and Uryū deduced that it belonged to three Soul Reapers of the Captain Class.
"Suzumushi Nishiki: Benihikō!" A voice called out, followed by the sound of swords clanging together.
"Roar, Tenken!" Another voice shouted, before a massive spectral hand appeared holding an enormous sword, which slammed into the ground, causing a severe earthquake.
After hearing and seeing such incredible sights, Uryū decided to get closer and see what was happening. Using Hirenkyaku, Uryū made his way over to where the commotion was, and it was there he found two Captains fighting one of the Visored.
Captains Komamura and Tōsen were currently locked in battle with a large man in a green tracksuit and an Oni mask. In his hand was a giant black club with many large metal spikes covering it. To Uryū, the man didn't seem like he was struggling, despite fighting two Captains.
"Kaname, be careful! Love Aikawa was my old Captain; he won't be easy to beat!" Komamura growled, to which Kaname nodded.
"Hadō Number Fifty Four; Haien!" Kaname shouted, swinging his sword in an arc and unleashed a pulse of purple Spirit Energy at Love, who smashed down on it with his Zanpakutō, Tengumaru.
"Damn it, this is pointless! Kaname, stand back, it's time to stop holding back!" Komamura roared, slamming his foot into the floor and holding his sword with both hands and taking up a Kendō stance, taught to him by Head Captain Yamamoto.
Love saw the stance Komamura was taking, and watched in curiosity. He had never seen Sajin do such a thing and was wondering what was going to happen. Then, out the corner of his eye, Love saw something move and immediately his attention shifted to what he saw, and found himself looking at a young man in a white outfit.
Uryū was caught off guard by Love's sudden interest in him as the Visored leapt into the air and lifted his massive club-like Zanpakutō above his head, causing it to ignite. Kaname and Sajin saw who Love was going for and moved to intercept.
"Tenken!" Komamura shouted, summoning the massive hand and sword once again and used it to swat Love away, and sent the Visored crashing into the ground, leaving a sizeable crater.
"Are you alright? This area is no place for children," Kaname stated, admonishing Uryū for his recklessness.
"I didn't ask for you help, Soul Reaper... But you have my gratitude nonetheless," Uryū scoffed.
"Just who are you, boy? Did you come here with Isshin Shiba?" Komamura asked, towering over Uryū and examining the young Quincy from behind his large helmet.
"Yes, that's right, but I don't see how that's any of your business," Uryū scowled, trying his best to look and sound intimidating.
"Sajin, this boy... His Spiritual Pressure is most unusual," Kaname stated, reading Uryū's Spirit Energy.
"What are you? You're clearly not a Soul Reaper, your outfit is a dead giveaway, and yet your Spiritual Pressure is much higher what a normal Human should possess," Sajin commented, not breaking his gaze with Uryū.
Uryū said nothing and raised his right hand and manifested his Spirit Bow, and aimed it at Sajin. Immediately, both Captains brought their Zanpakutō up to bear as Uryū fired an arrow. The shot ripped past Captain Komamura and hit Love square in the chest, who had managed to quickly recover and leap into the air, in an attempt to slam his club down on the unsuspecting Captains.
"A Human who can use a Spirit Bow... You're a Quincy?" Kaname asked, who was able to 'see' Uryū's bow by the Spirit Energy used to manifest it.
"That's right, and I only helped because it was in my best interest," Uryū stated, lowering his bow, but still keeping it materialised.
"Is that right?" Komamura asked, laughing slightly at Uryū's comment. "And why is that?"
"This Arrancar has the Spiritual Pressure similar to that of a Captain, and defeating him will be a good test of my overall skill," Uryū replied.
"Arrancar? I believe you are mistaken, Quincy. That is no Arrancar," Kaname stated as he turned his attention to Love, who was back up on his feet.
"Then what the hell is it? I thought a Soul Reaper with Hollow powers was an Arrancar," Uryū stated, scowling at Kaname, which went unnoticed.
"No, that would be a Hollow with Soul Reaper powers. We've coined the term 'Visored' for Soul Reapers with Hollow powers, which is what Captain Aikawa is," Komamura explained.
"Now is not the time to focus on such details! Quincy, lend us your bow so we can defeat this enemy!" Kaname snapped as he swung his sword, and fired off several projectiles that were as long as his own Zanpakutō's blade.
Uryū had no choice but to help. He knew that if he refused, then Isshin would take the blame for allowing someone so self-centered to be a part of the team who is meant to be helping the Soul Reapers. While he had no obligation to help, he knew it would just cause problems for him in the long run, so he took up arms and joined Kaname and Sajin in their fight against Love.
Using Sajin as a barrier, Uryū cut away from the two Captains and fired a collection of Heilg Pfeile at Love, who used Tengumaru's size as a shield to block them. This allowed Kaname an opening to use Kidō on the former Squad Seven Captain.
"Bakudō Number Sixty Two; Hyapporankan!" Kaname cried, as he summoned a light purple lance in his free hand and threw it at Love.
The lance began to flash and it suddenly burst into a hundred copies of itself and started pelting Love. The Visored tried to stand his ground, and did well to resist, but he wasn't strong enough and in the end, he found himself being slammed into a nearby wall, pinning him up against it.
Komamura quickly followed up, swinging Tenken with intent to kill, but the giant sword failed to hit its mark as Love blew up the wall he was trapped against with a Cero, causing his body to fall backwards and down onto the floor. The strike from Tenken completely destroyed the wall, and showered Love in a flurry of stone shards.
Uryū took the opportunity to remove a small metal object from his belt and fire it from his bow, which slammed into the ground at the base of the destroyed wall, inches from Love. Kaname had noticed this, and decided to comment on his actions.
"Your accuracy seems to be a bit off, Quincy. Perhaps you would like me to aim for you?" Kaname stated, his comment going right over Uryū, as the young boy didn't know the Captain was blind.
"I know what I'm doing, so just focus on yourself!" Uryū grunted as he used Hirenkyaku to dodge another Cero from Love, who had sat up and fired the projectile, this time from his mouth.
Love was now completely on his feet and held Tengumaru at the ready. He lifted his Zanpakutō over his head as it slowly started glowing red before igniting.
"Tengumaru; Kuroi Kazan!" Love growled as he started to slam the blazing club on the floor in front of him repeatedly.
All three combatants took to the sky when they felt the ground quake and seconds later, the ground cracked open and started releasing huge geysers of lava and black smoke into the sky.
"Kaname! He's trying to blind us!" Sajin yelled as he used Tenken's massive sword to try and swat the smoke away to increase visibility.
"Then allow me to return the favour," Kaname muttered as he held his Zanpakutō up into the air. "Bankai... Suzumushi Tsuishiki: Enma Kōrogi!"
The ring on Kaname's Zanpakutō began to spin and expand before it completely separate as it split into ten rings which all flew off and formed a large circle in the sky when Tōsen swung his Zanpakutō.
Within seconds, the entire area Uryū was in had become pitch black. He couldn't see, or hear anything; he couldn't even sense Spiritual Pressure. It was like he had been robbed of all of his senses, except for touch, as he could still feel his Spirit Bow that he was holding in his hand.
Uryū could move, but when he was completely blind, moving would have been useless. So, he simply stood there, hoping that his enemy was in the same predicament, and wasn't reckless enough to try and move.
Out of curiosity, Uryū decided to charge an arrow into his bow, hoping his Spirit Energy would be able to provide some illumination. As he lifted his free hand and found his bow, Uryū tried to manifest a Heilg Pfeil, but as soon as he did, a small flash of light appeared before it was swallowed by the darkness.
He could still feel the arrow in his hand, but now he knew for certain that whatever this thing was, it immediately robs people of all their senses, no matter what someone would try and do to counter it. Letting the arrow dissipate, Uryū dropped his arms and remained motionless.
For what felt like an age, Uryū stood there, just waiting to see what would happen. He knew this was Captain Tōsen's Bankai, which robs a person of all their senses, but aside from that he had no idea what it was, or how it worked.
Uryū felt a strange sensation cover him as he felt something touch his shoulder. Then he realised he could actually feel something, and then he discovered all of his other senses had returned.
"Can you do it?" Tōsen asked, standing behind Uryū.
"Do what?" Uryū responded.
"Can you defeat this Visored with whatever plan you were working on?" Kaname replied, taking Uryū by surprise.
"You knew I was planning something?" Uryū gasped.
"It wasn't too hard to figure out. You're a Quincy, a Human who are masters of using Spirit Bows to eradicate Hollows. If you came here, for whatever reason, you'd have made sure to be deadly accurate with your arrows, so you missing your mark wasn't due to poor marksmanship; you were laying a trap," Kaname explained, still holding something against Uryū's shoulder.
Uryū simply stood there, stunned. He couldn't believe his plan had been uncovered so easily. If Captain Tōsen had figured it out, then there was a good possibility that Love was aware of it too. While he still wasn't sure how Kaname's Bankai worked, Uryū knew moving was possible, so it was likely that Love was rampaging about, hoping that he'd get lucky and hit one of his enemies.
"Fine, yes, I was laying a trap. I think, if Love is distracted for long enough, I can lay the trap without him knowing," Uryū stated, sounding frustrated over being caught out by a Soul Reaper.
"Good... Do you know where you fired your first marker?" Kaname asked.
"I can sense it, yes... I should be able to use that as a reference point and set up the other four points, even whilst blind like this," Uryū explained.
"I understand, but I need to keep close to you; the only reason you have your senses back is because I allowed it to happen," Kaname stated, making it clear to Uryū that he could take away his senses whenever he wished.
Uryū wasted no more time, and carried on with his trap, thanks to Captain Tōsen giving him his senses back. Quickly, Uryū removed four more metal rods from his belt and fired them into the darkness. One by one, he could hear a faint clanking sound as the rods hit their mark, causing Uryū to nod.
"Hmph, it is done," Uryū stated, pushing his glasses up his nose.
"Then I shall allow you to finish what you started," Kaname nodded as he clicked his fingers and the darkness immediately gave way to light, as the sky became visible as if a black cloth had been pulled over it, and was now being torn to pieces.
With his Bankai ended, Captain Tōsen directed his attention to Sajin, who had just leapt into the air to avoid a strike from Love. It appeared that Kaname ended his Bankai without a moment to spare, as Love had got lucky and had managed to close in on Sajin.
"Kaname! How do we stop Captain Aikawa?!" Sajin yelled, as he narrowly dodged a Cero, his helmet getting singed in the process.
"Well, Quincy? How do we stop this creature?" Kaname asked.
"Look at where my trap is placed; all you have to do is lead Love into the centre of it, and I can do the rest," Uryū explained, pointing to the five rods he shot into the ground.
"Hmm, it seems you are not aware..." Kaname muttered. "Sajin, you need to move Love into the centre of where there are five metal objects! The Quincy will finish things from there!"
"Got it!" Sajin barked as he came to a halt, standing in the air and locking on to Love, who was on the ground below.
Sajin could see that Love was nowhere near the middle of the area Kaname had described to him. He knew that he could easily overpower his old Captain, but was he prepared to do such a thing?
"Quincy, get ready. Sajin is about to move," Kaname muttered as he watched the large armoured Captain crouch in the air and launch himself at Love, like he was going to spear tackle him.
As Sajin moved, he left a small pulse of air behind him, which managed to surprise Uryū, as he never expected a man as large as Captain Komamura, who was wearing heavy armour, to be able to break the sound barrier with ease.
Komamura shot through the air, aiming directly at Love, who was preparing to counter him with his bare hands. As Sajin got closer, he pointed his Zanpakutō at Love, before swinging it horizontally. Like every other time he had swung his Zanpakutō, the giant spectral hand of Tenken appeared and mimicked what Komamura did, and he was anticipating Love to stop the strike with Tengumaru.
Love did exactly that, and clashed into Tenken with Tengumaru, stopping the strike cold. That was what Sajin was waiting for, and proceeded to drop his Zanpakutō, causing Tenken to vanish, which threw Love off balance, right at the time Komamura was about to collide with him.
The two combatants smashed together, and hit the ground with a big boom. The ground shattered and splintered, and a cloud of dust had been thrown up into the air, blocking Uryū's view of things. Eagerly awaiting the dust to settle, Uryū reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a small silver container, emblazoned with the Quincy Cross. The dust began to settle, and Uryū saw Captain Komamura struggling with Love, but he had the upper hand.
"Quincy! I can't hold him much longer! Whatever you've been planning, do it now!" Sajin shouted, as Love punched his helmet, causing it to crack and start falling apart.
"If I do that, you'll get caught in the crossfire!" Uryū responded, watching as Love continued to flail about, trying to break free before Sajin smashed his helmet into Love's face, smashing both helmet and mask in places.
"He'll escape if I let him go, just do it!" Sajin shouted as he grabbed Love by the throat and started slamming his head into the ground.
"Are you insane, this could kill you!" Uryū cried, watching as the Visored was starting to break free.
"DO IT! IF YOU DON'T ACTIVATE YOUR TRAP NOW, I'M GOING TO DIE ANYWAY!" Komamura roared as he started to lose grip on Love.
Uryū growled slightly as he popped the cap off the silver tube and spilt its contents out. A light blue liquid fell out and splashed all over the metal rod Uryū had set up at his feet. The rod sparked and glowed as the liquid covered it, before lighting up the ground and shot a line of light towards where Sajin and Love were struggling with one another.
As the blue light reached the middle, it was met by four more rays of light, which illuminated the ground underneath the Captain and Visored and began to cover them, trapping them in place. Seconds later, the light began getting brighter, before it turned into an inferno of blue fire. Both Komamura and Love were swallowed whole as the blaze began to expand, exploding into a raging hellfire when it reached the perimeter of the trap area.
Uryū and Kaname stood in silence as the flames kept raging, until the fire suddenly burned out, revealing both Soul Reaper and Visored. Both victims of Uryū's trap were badly damaged. Their clothes had been burned, and neither one of them were moving.
Kaname quickly went over to Sajin, to assess the damage and to ensure his friend was still alive. Uryū followed suit, and when he did, he found a shocking sight. Captain Komamura's helmet had been completely destroyed, revealing his head. Uryū had to rub his eyes to make sure he wasn't seeing things. Captain Komamura was a wolf-man.
"What the...?" Uryū whispered.
"Yes. This is Sajin's true face. The Komamura Clan are a group of anthropomorphic wolf-men who have lived in the Soul Society since the beginning of time. While the Komamura Clan usually keep to themselves, they are still a proud Clan, who understand honour and justice," Kaname explained.
"So... If his family are so proud, why does Captain Komamura hide who he really is?" Uryū asked.
"Sajin was always discriminated against for being different. So, he chose to cover himself in all that armour. When I first met Sajin, I felt something of a kindred spirit with him, as I have also been discriminated against, due to the fact I was born without sight," Kaname explained.
"Wait, you're blind?!" Uryū cried.
"Yes, but that is not important. We need to get Sajin to Squad Eight, so Captain Unohana can tend to his wounds. Whatever that trap you used was, it was definitely effective," Kaname stated as he knelt down to help Captain Komamura to his feet.
"It's called 'Sprenger'. It's a Quincy technique that uses condensed Spirit Energy as a detonator to create a massive explosion. By using five Seele Schneider as the barrier and trigger, the explosion will be contained within the area which the Seele Schneider encompass," Uryū explained as he went to help Captain Tōsen lift Captain Komamura.
"No, you need to finish off the Visored. We can't have him attacking us when we're vulnerable like this," Kaname stated, straining slightly as he picked up the near-unconscious Captain Komamura.
"I suppose that's a fair point... Hey, what the hell?! He's gone!" Uryū cried as he turned around.
When Uryū turned around, he couldn't find Love's body. It was as if he had vanished into thin air, or was never there in the first place.
"That's not possible. He shouldn't be able to stand up, let alone walk away. Someone must have helped him flee," Kaname grunted as he begun to carry Sajin back to Squad Eight.
Uryū decided he would help Captain Tōsen carry the large Squad Seven Captain. Since he no longer had to make sure the enemy would attack whilst their backs were turned, Uryū felt compelled to assist the blind Captain with his task.
Slowly by surely, the two managed to get Captain Komamura back to Squad Eight, where Unohana was able to tend to his wounds, but due to the effects of Uryū's Sprenger, Sajin would be unable to return to the front lines for the foreseeable future.
"Come on, Arrancar! Fight!" Zaraki shouted, swinging his Zanpakutō at Ulquiorra.
"Interesting... For a mere Soul Reaper, his power is exceptional. It's almost comparable to Yammy..." Ulquiorra muttered, deflecting another strike from Zaraki.
"What are you muttering about? Get serious will you?!" Zaraki growled as he watched Ulquiorra parry another strike, all while the Arrancar had a hand in one of his pockets.
Zaraki lifted up his Zanpakutō and slammed it down hard. His strike would have cleaved Ulquiorra in two, right down the middle if it connected. Ulquiorra simply blocked by holding his own Zanpakutō over his head, which caused a huge pulse of energy to discharge around them. The amount of power Zaraki had used was greater than his other strikes, which surprised Ulquiorra slightly.
"You tell me to get serious whilst holding back your own power?" Ulquiorra queried as he used Sonído to get behind Zaraki and slash at him.
Zaraki had managed to anticipate Ulquiorra's attack, but instead of dodging or parrying the attack, Zaraki let the strike land, and caught the blade with his hand before the blow cut too deep. Ulquiorra's eyes widened considerably at how Zaraki had chosen to stop his attack, and when he looked at the battle hardened Captain, he saw him grinning like a psycho.
"Good... You're starting to take this seriously," Zaraki growled as he unleashed a huge amount of Spiritual Pressure, which completely threw Ulquiorra for a loop.
"What is this power...? It's incredible. His power level is now comparable to Nnoitra... How can one Soul Reaper harness so much power and still have more in reserve?" Ulquiorra wondered aloud, still bewildered by how powerful Zaraki was.
Zaraki's next swing was backed with so much power, it disarmed Ulquiorra. Literally. The strike Zaraki had delivered was so strong Ulquiorra couldn't block it, and the chipped blade of Zaraki's Zanpakutō cleaved through his arm, slicing it off. Ulquiorra's arm fell to the ground with a dull thud, and his Zanpakutō clattered to the floor.
"Well, that's disappointing... How are you supposed to fight me without your sword arm?" Zaraki sighed as he shouldered his Zanpakutō before turning around.
"Where are you going?" Ulquiorra asked, clearly confused by the Squad Eleven Captain's actions.
"I'm done. You're not worth my time if you can't fight. See ya," Zaraki muttered as he waved over his back to Ulquiorra as he walked off.
As Zaraki left, Ulquiorra walked over to his severed arm and picked it up. What Kenpachi didn't know was that Ulquiorra's special ability was enhanced high-speed regeneration. Ulquiorra put his arm up to his shoulder, where it had been cut off, and immediately the muscles and bone began to reattach itself. Within seconds, Ulquiorra's arm was completely reattached and fully operational.
With no-one around to stop him, Ulquiorra walked over to Tessai's body, which was still damaged from the assault by Zaraki, and picked him up. When Tessai was securely placed over Ulquiorra's shoulder, he took the body away with Sonído, intent on carrying out his orders.
After defeating Mashiro and taking her powers, Ichigo's senses had become much more attuned, and now he was able to track the person who had set him up for Aizen's murder. He knew the other Captains were now aware that he had escaped his prison cell, and were likely looking for him.
That didn't matter to him, as nothing was going to stop him from clearing his name, and he knew he could easily evade the Punishment Force, thanks to being their Captain for a decade. As Ichigo ran down the street, he stopped when he felt a strong Spiritual Presence rapidly approach.
A loud buzzing sound filled the air as Ichigo found him looking at a pale skinned man with half a horned helmet on his head and all white clothes. Over his shoulder was a large body, which the man dropped in front of Ichigo.
"Who the hell are you?" Ichigo growled, drawing his Zanpakutō.
"Ichigo Kurosaki... You may call me Ulquiorra; I have been sent to help you clear you name for the murder of Captain Aizen," Ulquiorra stated without any emotion in his voice, as he pointed to the body he had just dropped.
"Who the hell is this?" Ichigo asked, glaring at Ulquiorra.
"Trash... But it should help you become stronger so you can find the person who wronged you," Ulquiorra responded bluntly.
"Give me one reason why I should trust you, Arrancar?" Ichigo asked, looking at Ulquiorra dangerously.
"My job isn't to convince you to trust me. I have given you the means to help find the person who killed your former Captain, that's all I was asked to do," Ulquiorra replied as he turned and walked off.
Before Ichigo could stop the Arrancar, the sound of buzzing filled the air once more as Ulquiorra vanished. Instead, Ichigo's attention turned to the incapacitated Tessai on the floor in front of him. He knew what Ulquiorra expected him to do, but he was hesitant to do so... Something about Ulquiorra worried Ichigo, one of them being how he knew Ichigo had been set up and how he knew Aizen was his former Captain.
"What are you waiting for, consent?! Rip his mask off already!" Zangetsu shouted.
"No. Something isn't right here. I don't know what the hell is going on, but I'm not going to do that again!" Ichigo protested.
"If you won't do it... Then I will," Zangetsu growled darkly.
Ichigo was overcome by a searing pain in his head, which drove him to his knees. He cried out, as the pain got worse, but then he discovered, to his horror, that his arms were starting to move on their own.
"What the hell?! You shouldn't be able to do that!" Ichigo cried as he realised it was Zangetsu who was controlling his arms.
"You should have done as I said! Ripping the mask of that first bitch was enough to give me the power to temporarily exert my will over you! So now, I'm going to keep making you rip these guys' masks off until I'm strong enough to completely take over!" Zangetsu laughed as Ichigo tried to desperately resist, but to no avail.
Slowly, Ichigo's hand wrapped around the front of Tessai's mask and started to grip it tightly. Ichigo resisted as best he could, but he couldn't break Zangetsu's control. Eventually, Zangetsu managed to get Ichigo to tear Tessai's mask off, which resulted in a burst of blue Spirit Energy, which slowly became tainted by Zangetsu's own Spirit Energy.
When Zangetsu's Spirit Energy had completely conquered Tessai's, a huge explosion engulfed the area as the corrupted Spirit Energy was being absorbed by Ichigo, and destroying Tessai's' body in the process.
As Ichigo's body absorbed the new Spirit Energy, his skin began to lose colour as it started to turn pale. His skin wasn't as pale as Ulquiorra's, but it was certainly pale enough that others would notice the change.
Ichigo remained on the ground, on his knees for a few seconds before he looked up at the sky with an evil grin on his face. Zangetsu had successfully conquered the part of Ichigo's soul that craved power, and now Ichigo was hungry for more of the Visored's power.
Standing up, Ichigo closed his eyes and began to locate where his next victim was. When he found the closest target, he vanished with a loud buzz, ready to hunt his prey.
Aizen had seen the whole event between Ichigo and Ulquiorra unfold, and the ensuing chaos when Ichigo had ripped Tessai's mask off and absorbed his Spirit Energy. If Aizen were a man who had any emotion, he'd be jumping for joy as he watched the exchange of power. He had confirmation that all Ichigo needed to do was rip the Visored's masks off to gain more power, and gently start tipping the balance of power towards Zangetsu.
Aizen knew Ichigo was on the hunt for more power, as Zangetsu's influence was now starting to dictate his desire for power. It was almost time for Aizen to move on to the final phase of his plan, and for that, he needed Bansui to make his way to the front lines, which wasn't going to be an issue, with Zangetsu having Ichigo hunt for the Visored and destroy them.
One issue Aizen had considered was that now Ichigo had an even bigger target on his back, with him openly consuming Hollow powers, and augmenting his own. It was for that reason, Aizen now had to move his Director General into a very precarious situation.
"What is going on down there?! I've already lost two of my soldiers! This is unacceptable!" Bansui shouted as he lost all trace of Tessai's Spiritual Pressure.
"I believe that's Ichigo's doing... It seems he's picking off the Visored and taking their powers... I didn't even think such a thing was possible..." Kisuke muttered.
"THIS IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH!" Bansui roared as he turned around and smacked Kisuke over the head with his cane, knocking him out cold. "It seems I need to take matters into my own hands..."
Bansui crouched down and started to search Kisuke's pockets. Eventually he found what he was looking for and removed the Hōgyoku from Kisuke's inner coat pocket. With this powerful tool in his possession, Bansui made his way to the front lines, ready to make sure none of his other warriors would fall so easily.
Over at Squad Eight, Captains Kyōraku and Unohana, along with Isshin, had all felt the massive spike in Spirit Energy that Ichigo had been producing, and it was getting darker by the minute. It was for this reason that the three Captains had decided to confer with one another on what to do.
"We can't go to the Head Captain. He'll kill Ichigo without a second thought," Isshin stated.
"Isshin is right. The Head Captain has already made it clear that he will not tolerate Ichigo or any action he takes that hurts the Court Guard Squads, or the Soul Society. With all due respect to the Head Captain, we cannot trust him," Unohana added.
"Alright, so what do we do? With the death of Captain Aizen, there's not many who are still on Ichigo's side," Shunsui sighed.
"I'm going to go talk to him," Isshin stated as he stood up.
"Are you sure that's wise, Isshin? I don't think Ichigo's state f mind is really stable enough for something like that. Seeing you as you are might be enough to agitate him to the point of no return," Unohana explained, which caused Isshin to growl in frustration.
"Urgh, this is ridiculous! How are we supposed to help if we can't get near him?" Isshin cried in exasperation.
"Actually, now that we have a spare minute, there is something I wanted to discuss with you both; you and I were about to discuss it earlier, Captain, but we were interrupted," Unohana spoke up, nodding at Shunsui to remind him.
"Oh yeah... Something about discrepancies with Captain Aizen's autopsy," Shunsui muttered.
"Discrepancies? What discrepancies?" Isshin perked up, becoming very curious.
"Well, it's nothing concrete at the moment, but I did notice a few unusual things when examining Captain Aizen's body," Unohana explained. "The biggest one being the lack of defensive wounds on the body."
"What, so he didn't fight back?" Shunsui asked. "I don't see how that would help Ichigo's case; Aizen was his Captain and mentor. It's possible that Aizen wasn't expecting Ichigo to attack, so his guard was down."
"Yes, but if it was indeed Zangetsu who was in control of Ichigo's body at the time, Captain Aizen would have most certainly been aware of it, and that would have put him on guard. I think someone tried to frame Ichigo and tried to make it look like a Hollow attack, by using his Zanpakutō," Unohana deduced.
"What?! But who would do such a thing?!" Isshin shouted, angry at the very notion that someone was trying to set his son up.
"Honestly, it could be any number of people. Ichigo's popularity hasn't exactly been very high as of late... Everyone's been scared of him, or angry that his Zanpakutō Spirit looks like a Hollow," Shunsui sighed as he leaned back in his chair.
"True, but there are two things that I am certain of," Unohana stated as she looked at the two men before her. "It wasn't any of Kisuke Urahara's allies, and the only person capable of taking down Captain Aizen, with no resistance, would be another Captain."
For a few moments, no-one in Shunsui's office said anything. Both Shunsui and Isshin were still trying to process what Unohana had told them. To Captain Kyōraku, the very notion that one Captain would murder another was ludicrous. The last time such an atrocity had been committed was when Kisuke killed Shinji Hirako and the other Captains and Lieutenants and turned them into Hollowfied Soul Reapers.
To Isshin, who was still convinced it was Aizen who attacked him the World of the Living, and not Kisuke, the very idea that another Captain had murdered Aizen was the epitome of Karma. While he did not share these thoughts with Unohana or Shunsui, Isshin was indeed grateful to whoever murdered Aizen, assuming he was actually dead.
"What are you thinking, Retsu? Should we inform Old Man Yama of these findings?" Shunsui asked.
"No," Unohana replied almost immediately.
"What? Why not?! If my son is innocent, then the real killer is out there, and is escaping justice!" Isshin shouted.
"Think rationally, Isshin. If we bring this to the Head Captain, he'll be obligated to inform the other Captains, and that will just start a flurry of accusations as to who did it, why, and who'd have the most to gain, either from Aizen's death, or Ichigo's imprisonment," Unohana responded calmly.
"The Captain is right, Isshin. Right now, tensions are incredibly high. Openly admitting that Ichigo was likely framed for Aizen's murder will be the spark that causes this powder keg to blow, and that will cause disarray through the Court Guard, which will allow our enemies to capitalise and defeat us. Solidarity is paramount at the moment. Once we defeat our enemies, we can openly look into Aizen's death, and who was involved, but until then, we need to keep this entire conversation under wraps," Shunsui explained, trying to calm Isshin down.
"I can't deny that you're right, but..." Isshin sighed. "What do we do? If we do nothing, the Head Captain is most likely going to have Ichigo executed, especially now he's escaped from his prison."
"I don't believe the Head Captain will do something so rash when we're under attack. There are still laws we must follow, and one of them is waiting for Central Forty-Six to make a decision about how Ichigo will be dealt with. The Head Captain knows and respects these laws, so he wouldn't act out of turn, no matter the circumstances," Unohana explained, getting a nod from Shunsui.
While the three in Shunsui's office were holding their discussion, they had no idea that Kaname had been standing outside the door, listening in. Upon hearing what Unohana had discovered in the autopsy, he knew this was just the opportunity he needed to go forward with Aizen's plans.
Of course, being told to eavesdrop on their conversation was part of Aizen's plan. He knew it was putting Tōsen at risk of discovery, but with Captain Komamura in the medical ward, Aizen knew Tōsen could wander about the Squad Eight Barracks without any resistance.
Now it was time for Kaname to carry out the next part of Aizen's plan; sow the seeds of disarray within the Thirteen Court Guard Squads.
Ichigo was starting to lose control. Ever since Zangetsu had forced Ichigo to kill Tessai and absorb his powers, Zangetsu's influence was becoming more and more apparent. Along with his pale skin and golden eyes, Ichigo's sclera had turned black, which made for a terrifying sight.
Ichigo had been racing through the Seireitei, looking for his next victim, and it mattered not to him if it were another Visored, or the one who he believed had set him up. The only thing that mattered to Ichigo now was crushing those who stood in his way.
Squad Five were the first to learn this lesson. A dozen Unseated Officers had come across Ichigo as he was making his way through the maze that was the Seireitei. When they saw Ichigo, who was meant to be imprisoned, they were understandably angry to see him wandering around like a free man, especially when he was the one accused of killing their Captain, and making an attempt to kill their Lieutenant.
Ichigo merely stood there with a bored look on his face as the members of Squad Five surrounded him and tried to place him under arrest. One Soul Reaper tried getting close in order to restrain Ichigo, but as he got closer, the man started screaming in agony as part of his hand was destroyed. As the other Squad Five members backed off, terror filling their hearts, Ichigo walked over to the injured man and pressed both his hands over the Soul Reaper's face.
The man began to wail as Ichigo started to crush his skull with his bare hands, his blackened golden eyes piercing the man's soul as Ichigo grinned evilly. The Soul Reaper's face began to crumble away as his comrades looked on in helpless horror as Ichigo slowly and painfully destroyed the man. The man Ichigo had eradicated died by being exposed to Ichigo's Spirit Energy, which was so incomprehensible to an Unseated Officer, that just by being touched by Ichigo, the Soul Reaper ceased to exist.
After a few minutes of blood-chilling horror, the Soul Reaper was no more. He had been completely turned to dust at Ichigo's hands. The rest of the Squad Five Soul Reapers turned to run away, but when they did, they were stopped when a loud buzz rang out, and Ichigo appeared before them, Zanpakutō in hand.
The Soul Reapers stood no chance. Ichigo mercilessly slaughtered the Squad Five members, cutting them down without any hesitation. Only one remained, and she collapsed to the floor, crying and begging for her life.
The Soul Reapers cries fell upon deaf ears. Ichigo dropped his Zanpakutō and walked over to the girl, and stood a few feet away from her, grinning like a monster.
"I don't know why you're crying. You should be thanking me. I've already killed two of the invaders, and now I'm stronger than ever. Here, let me show you what I can do..." Ichigo whispered, his voice sounding more and more like Zangetsu's.
"S-Stay away! Please, Captain! I'm sorry!" The Soul Reaper cried, tears running down her face as Ichigo took a step towards her.
Ichigo held out a hand and in the middle of his palm, a small cyclone of black and red Spirit Energy started to form, spinning and twisting until it formed a small sphere in his hand. Black lighting crackled from within the sphere, which was still spinning rapidly.
"This is a combination of Kidō and a Hollow's Cero. Allow me to demonstrate this newfound power..." Ichigo muttered, still grinning darkly. "Cero Cortadora..."
Ichigo pressed his Cero into the chest of the young Soul Reaper, and when it made contact with her body, the chaos of Spirit Energy started shredding through her skin, and penetrated her chest. The girl screamed as she experienced the worst pain in her life.
The Cero shredded its way through the Soul Reaper's chest, before completely obliterating her heart. Immediately, the Soul Reaper's screams ceased as she fell back, and dropped to the ground, a giant hole in her chest, that looked like a Hollow Hole.
Satisfied with the results, Ichigo stood up, flicked the blood off his hand and walked away, leaving almost a dozen mutilated bodies in the streets of the Seireitei, along with one rogue Shihakushō.
A/N; Alright guys, this is it. The next Chapter will bring us full circle, right back to the beginning of the story. We're almost there, and I hope you'll like what will happen next.
I really don't have much to say here. I had a couple of days off work, so I was able to grind out this Chapter and make some decent progress. Aizen's schemes are going perfectly, and it seems Orihime and Halibel are starting to build a relationship, but who knows what'll happen in the future.
Ichigo is slowly losing himself to Zangetsu's power, thanks to taking the powers from Mashiro and Tessai. Don't worry, I'll elaborate on how that happens later on, but for now, Zangetsu is beginning to take back control. Ichigo is still in there, but for how long?
Alright, that's about it. I'll see you at the end of the next Chapter, where the Soul Society Arc of the story will come to an end. Until next time.
Title for this Chapter comes from the song 'Soul Destroyer' by Kataklysm.