Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater

Arc II: Dawn of Dreams

Chapter 42: Revival of Espadas II

"Azure Dragon Wave," Sesshomaru uttered while pointing his sword towards Nnoitra and releasing a powerful wave of white demonic energy that generated on his blade in a dragon-like shape. Sesshomaru's energy wave collided with Nnoitra's Cero and pushed it back to him, which eventually hit him with a terrible momentum and turned into a fiery explosion with the eruptions of energy bolts.

Grimmjow realized the clear difference in power between him and Sesshomaru upon witnessing this move. He reverted back in his Base Form and decided not to fight him any further but he was too stubborn to admit that Sesshomaru actually did a favor to him by taking care of Nnoitra.

Meanwhile in the Battle of Fake Karakura Town, World of the Living…

Ichigo had joined the battle but he stayed behind while the Captains and the Vizards moved to the front lines in order to fight against Aizen. Toshiro initiated the fight upon getting provoked by him while soon enough Kyoraku entered the fray as well. In the meantime, Komamura and Love also attacked Aizen with their respective Zanpakutos. Now Rose grabbed Aizen's sword with his Shikai Kinshara and Lisa attacked him with her spear-shaped Shikai at the same time. But to everyone's surprise, the release of Aizen's powerful spiritual pressure not only deflected all the attacks but also shattered Komamura's sword. The next moment, Aizen sliced Komamura's left forearm with a sword-swing which infuriated him to a great extent but another deep cut at his torso silenced him before he fell down to the ground.

Now Love and Rose rushed towards Aizen but just as Rose swung his Kinshara at him, he grabbed it with his bare hand, pulled Rose closer and put a fatal slash at his chest. Afterward, he constrained Love with the Kinshara and cut him down just like Komamura. In the meantime, Lisa attacked Aizen from behind but his one sword-swing not only sliced her spear in half but also utterly defeated her.

Upon Lisa's elimination, Soi Fon confronted Aizen while using a technique that created thousands of her illusionary images. Now she swiftly approached Aizen with her Suzumebachi, he tried to attack her with his sword but it got stuck in a thick iceberg generated by Toshiro due to which Soi Fon managed to hit him. However, it didn't affect him even a bit and then Katen Kyokotsu penetrated his torso from behind as Kyoraku appeared out of his shadow. Now Toshiro rushed towards him and stabbed his chest from behind under the influence of Shinji's Shikai's inversion illusion. Soon enough it came out to be Hinamori instead of Aizen which shocked everyone while he cut both Iba and Kira down.

Now Toshiro rushed towards Aizen with burning rage but ended up falling victim to a fatal slash from his Kyoka Suigetsu. Soi Fon also shared the same fate while Shinji was shoved back by the protective shield at the back of Aizen's head. The next moment, Kyoraku was cut down by two strong sword swings and then Shinji was eliminated from the battle by Aizen. Now Ichigo rushed towards him but was interrupted by none other but Genryusai Yamamoto himself. The Head Captain appeared before Aizen and activated the Ennetsu Jigoku technique. Aizen pierced Genryusai's chest with his Zanpakuto but he held his arm while the next moment several gigantic pillars of fire surrounded a large area around both of them.

Las Noches' artificial daylight region, Hueco Mundo…

In order to find the other Espadas, Sesshomaru was continuously exploring the middle section of the Las Noches. Soon enough he reached the spot where Byakuya had defeated Zommari. The corpse of the Espada was still lying on the ground in bloodied and wrecked condition. Sesshomaru immediately unsheathed his Tensaiga and as the demonic sword started to glow, the minions of the netherworld appeared around the corpse. He wasted no time slashing them away and as he did, Zommari's corpse came back to life.

Within the course of a few seconds, Zommari recalled each and every detail of his battle against Byakuya and it didn't take him too long to recognize his savior, who was none other but Sesshomaru himself. "You… you must be my savior, isn't it? Who are you? I can clearly sense your overwhelming power by your spiritual pressure but you seem foreign to me… neither a Hollow nor a Soul Reaper, are you some kind of God?" Zommari said to Sesshomaru as he got up from the ground in perfectly fine shape. "No, I am a demon," Sesshomaru answered him and the next moment he got busy tracking down the location of the other dead Espadas with the help of Orkos's jewel. "Whoever you are, know that you have done a great favor to me. Now I can fight for my Lord Aizen one more time and teach that egoistic Soul Reaper a fitting lesson," Zommari once again spoke to Sesshomaru while showing his gratitude by bowing down to him. "There is no need for you to fight for Aizen anymore since he had betrayed the Espadas," Sesshomaru replied while focusing on the golden jewel. "OHH! What…? What are you saying? Lord Aizen has betrayed us... b..but then, why have you given me a second life?" Zommari responded with a great surprise and then he asked with immense curiosity. "Not just you but I want to revive all the dead Espadas along with some of the Arrancars. I have already revived Ulquiorra and Nnoitra before you," Sesshomaru replied. "Oh, but why? Please tell me," Zommari insisted. "I am here only because of Tia Harribel, that's all I can tell you for now," the Daiyokai answered him after which the Espada didn't ask anything else.

After sometime when Zommari noticed that Sesshomaru was trying to sense something, he couldn't help but eventually spoke, "if you are trying to locate more of the dead Espadas then allow me to help you with it. Look at that damaged tower on your right, you will find Aaroniero Arruruerie's corpse inside it while Espada 8 Szayel Aporro's dead body should be nearby his underground laboratory which is in the east from here."

All of a sudden, both of them heard a masculine voice, "the body of Espada 8 Szayel Aporro Granz is under my possession and he is not completely dead yet," Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi spoke while coming from behind with a huge cart along with his Lieutenant Nemu. "A Shinigami!" Zommari muttered upon seeing him. "You again! I wonder how you managed to trespass in our time even though I put a blockage on that mysterious well," Kurotsuchi spoke anxiously upon seeing Sesshomaru. "I do have a lot to settle with the Soul Society but I don't have time for that. For now, I want you to either spare that Espada in your possession or kill him right away then hand over his corpse to me before you leave," Sesshomaru replied to him in a serious tone. Kurotsuchi now began to wonder about his intentions. He doubted that if Sesshomaru is secretly under a treaty with the Hollows while simultaneously worrying about the fact that it would not be wise for him to pick a fight against the Daiyokai when Soul Society is already in danger due to Aizen. "If my words are hard for you to understand then my blade is ready to continue the conversation," Sesshomaru said while raising his spiritual pressure because of which Nemu and even Zommari began to have trouble standing close to him. "Hmm… you can have him alive but know that I will catch him again eventually just to see how a beast such as you can cheat death so easily," Kurotsuchi replied in egoistic tone and then he ordered Nemu after which she injected Espada 8 with a liquid to remove the effect of poison from his body.

The moment Szayel Aporro got normal, he shouted at Kurotsuchi, "Bastard! You will pay for what you did to me." Sesshomaru immediately used his energy whip to grab his arm and stop him from battling against Kurotsuchi. "No, Szayel Aporro! You should respect the choice of this man," Zommari said while using his Sonido in order to appear right in front of him. "Why…? What are you trying to say Zommari?" Szayel Aporro responded with slight confusion. "Aizen has betrayed but he is resurrecting the dead Espadas and only because of him that Shinigami has released you from that miserable state," Zommari explained.

"Hmm, I see…" Szayel Aporro responded while calming himself down and then he looked towards Sesshomaru. On the other hand, Mayuri Kurotsuchi said upon walking away from there, "It seems that we will have to do something about this demon otherwise he won't stop interfering in the issues of the Soul Society," Kurotsuchi muttered while narrowing his eyes. "Yes, Mayuri-Sama," Nemu replied in her usual polite and modest manner.

To be continued…