Chapter XCVI: Underworld Flame Dragon

"I am still not sure." Jigoku Kara no Hono said.

"Not sure of what?" Dalton asked him.

"I'm not sure if I made the right choice in choosing you."

"You're wondering about that now? I've been with you for over half of my life."

"That may be, but your life has been incredibly short compared to mine. I saw the Second Omniversal War. I was once wielded by another."

Dalton tried not to let that shake him. He looked down at his sword. His zanpakuto, covered in flame. The blade he thought was his. Is this true? He asked in his mind.

It is. I was once wielded by a Makara Warrior from this Universe, called Kyono Yogan.

"Kyono Yogan…" He muttered aloud. "I've heard that name before."

Jigoku Kara no Hono smiled, his black sclerae disappearing into a squint. "You know that name? Impressive. You must know your history."

"It was Shihebi who told me about it." Dalton replied. "I don't know anything about the Second Omniversal War or any of these Makara Warriors. I just know they aren't around anymore, so I don't have to know about them."

"You should be careful how you talk." The zanpakuto told him. "Before the War, Makara Warriors belonged only to the Makara clan. However, as the war spread, and borders between clans became blurry, the term Makara Warrior began to be used for anyone that had mastered a Power, or was proficient in several. Before you know it, the age of the Makara Warriors will return. Now, we are exiting a dark age of Power. The catalyst was the death of Majin Buu, or even earlier. I've been observing closely for 50,000 years. The catalyst of the return of the Makara Warriors...could have actually been the birth of you and your brother."

"What does that mean?"

"I told you, I watched closely for the last 50,000 years. I waited for someone exactly like you."

"Exactly like me?"

"Yes. The child of direct descendants of both the Saiyan and Angel lineage. Blood of both the Savage and Divine Children."

"I don't believe you." Dalton spat and held his zanpakuto up to face his opponent. "I'm no Angel. I'm a Saiyan, and that's it."

"You don't believe that your mother was the daughter of the former Angel of Universe 7? His name was Enryu Kenshin."

Dalton gripped his sword even harder. "That's right, I don't believe you. Why should I believe you? How do you even notice all of this?"

"Foolish boy. Have you no ears? I have been floating aimlessly as an entity with no body for 50,000 years. What could I have done but observe my surroundings while waiting for you to be born so I could materialize by your side?"

Dalton scowled. "You're an evil incarnation of my zanpakuto. Why would I believe anything you say?"

"You're desperately trying to deny it. As if you're afraid to be at the center of all of this. Why do you look so angry at me right now?" Jigoku Kara no Hono asked. "It is because you know I am telling the truth."

Dalton yelled and swung his blade as it burst into flames and morphed into the shape of a dragon. Jigoku Kara no Hono laughed as he jumped back to avoid the giant dragon's belly crashing into the floor.

"You forget that I wield the same blade!" There was suddenly another dragon, identical to the first. From afar, one could only see two giant dragons that looked like they flew straight out of Hell fighting each other on the top of a mountain.

"I will defeat you!" Dalton shouted.

"Good! Use your rage!" Jigoku Kara no Hono called out. "You want to kill me. You hate me! Your anger makes you powerful. Because of your anger, you were able to become a Super Saiyan 5."

Dalton flew up into the air. "Jigoku Seppen!" He yelled. His dragon spread its wings and took a deep inhale all at once. It acted as if it were living, as if it were its own creature. It then exhaled its scorching fire breath and flapped its wings, compressing the fire into a wall-like sheet of pure fire that drove into the floor creating a massive crack in the mountain.

The zanpakuto didn't dodge the attack. Instead, he stood right in its way, watching confidently as it approached him with lightning speed. He raised his sword and his dragon inhaled Dalton's attack. He held it still for what seemed like hours. No one moved. Then, he suddenly lowered his sword, and the dragon let the attack back out, flying back to its original sender. However, this time, the flames were compressed differently to act like an arrow.

Dalton barely had any time to react. He pulled both of his forearms up to his face in an 'x' form to block, and the fire arrow exploded on impact. Smoke blocked both of their visions for nearly a full minute. When it cleared they were both standing in the same positions that they had been just before the attack hit. There was a small, neat hole that went through both of Dalton's forearms. He winced as he brought them down to his sides to reveal his face, blood splattered in four diagonal directions sprouting from right between his eyes. His right arm dropped to his side, still clutching his sword, while his left hand clutched his face.

Jigoku Kara no Hono started ascending up toward him. His own zanpakuto began to speak to him in his head. He is coming for you, Dalton. You must stay alert.

"He reflected my attack so effortlessly." Dalton muttered aloud.

Are you going to give up because of that?

"It's over already. If I loosen my grip on my sword at all, I won't be able to pick it up again. The muscles in my forearm have been rendered useless."

If you give up, then I really have chosen wrong.

"Do I have a choice?"

You always have a choice, Dalton. And you are not fighting alone. That is your advantage. His zanpakuto told him. Dalton felt a strange warmth that started in his back, then wrapped around him like a spoon. It then moved down to his hands. You can release your weapon. Let the flames become your arms.

"You're right. I have more in me than one would think." Dalton said. He closed his eyes, and a golden aura began to billow up around him. With a yell, he released his energy, and became a Super Saiyan 5. However, he did not stop there. He kept pushing his energy out until his aura seemed to catch fire. His eyes became red and his pupils became slits. Dragon form. This was the most power he had ever channeled, but after meditating for months and having a much closer relationship with his zanpakuto than ever before, he found himself able to manage it well. Flames encased his arms. He winced as he used his left hand to cauterize the wound on his face. He let go of his sword and let his forearm relax, and watched as the sword remained suspended within the fire, entirely in his control. Then he smiled, baring his sharp canines.

Jigoku Kara no Hono's eyes widened at the sight of this. "This cannot be. You can encase your body in flames? But that must mean…"

"What?" Dalton asked. "What must it mean?"

"This must be a fluke. You are merely seventeen years old. There is no way you could have…"

"What does he mean?" Dalton asked in a low voice, directed at his zanpakuto inside.

What you have done is the first sign that you may be ready for Bankai. I knew you were able. He did not.

Dalton was surprised, but he smiled. "Bankai, huh…"

Jigoku Kara no Hono scowled. "I must kill you, now. It is the reason I was created."

"You seem afraid. That I'll achieve Bankai." Dalton sneered with newfound confidence.

"That's absurd. You've never beaten me in a fight. You couldn't possibly have achieved it."

Dalton let out even more energy, and the flames grew hotter. Confidence. Confidence in yourself, and in me, your zanpakuto. This is what it means to truly wield a zanpakuto.

He and his zanpakuto shot at each other. Dalton spun around and the back of his foot drove into Jigoku Kara no Hono's forearm. The dragons clashed above them. The zanpakuto repelled his attack, and with the same arm, punched him in the stomach. Dalton staggered back, but then swung his right arm downward. With his arms encased in flames, it was as if the dragon was but a continuation of his arm. Dalton's dragon fell onto Jigoku Kara no Hono. He smiled. But then, the dragon was pushed back up by a red flaming aura. He was standing under it, unscathed.

"Very impressive, Dalton." He sneered. "But let's see if you can withstand your own attack."

"We will see." Dalton responded confidently.

The true Jigoku Kara no Hono watched from Dalton's subconsciousness. Dalton. You have grown up so much in the nine years we have been together. Now, you've learned one of the most important aspects of combat. The difference between confidence and cockiness. There was a time when you didn't believe in yourself, when you were very young. You got a taste of power, and surpassed you brother. You got cocky, then got put in your place. Now for the last six months, you have hated yourself. It's finally time you move forward with your new maturity, and conquer this foe in front of you. I've known I chose correctly from the beginning. I know you can do this.

Dalton knew that Jigoku Kara no Hono wasn't necessarily talking to him, but he heard every word. He smirked and let his opponent's dragon fall onto him. The flames burned. He felt his skin wanting to boil under the heat, but he didn't let it. It was nothing he couldn't handle. He had his zanpakuto. He then let his own flames out, to fight fire with fire. In a sphere around him, his own aura grew. He grew hotter, but it was a heat that he could handle rather than a heat that was trying to kill him. Then, he felt the weight of the dragon begin to lift off of him. Then he could see around him. The mountain was scorched, and Jigoku Kara no Hono was still standing in front of him, trying to hide his surprise.

"Well?" Dalton said. "I was able to fend it off. Now what?"

"Now…" Jigoku Kara no Hono muttered. "You still die."

Something suddenly jetted out of the ground at Dalton's feet. It was some sort of mixture of flames and energy, much like their fire auras. It came out in the shape of a dragon's claw and wrapped itself around Dalton's neck. More came out of the ground and held his hands at his hips and anchored his feet to the ground.

"You don't know this attack, do you?" Jigoku Kara no Hono asked. "I wouldn't think so. You are just a boy, and not able to wield a zanpakuto properly. You haven't even learned one of the easiest attacks I have.

"You dirty…" Dalton struggled to breathe.

"What? Did you think I would fight fair?" The zanpakuto laughed. "I was created to kill you, and that's what I will do." He walked up to Dalton and his aura grew stronger, heating and drying out his skin. He moved his face close to Dalton. "Give in. You have anger. It boils inside you. You want to kill me." He smiled. "Just try to kill me."

Dalton forced his eyes shut. The heat was immense. He couldn't stand it for much longer. He knew he had to act soon, or he would lose consciousness. Or even worse, lose himself to his anger. He had one advantage over his opponent that he knew would lead him to victory. It was two against one. His arms were currently at double their normal strength due to being encased in flames. He winced in pain as he moved his left arm. Jigoku Kara no Hono assumed it was because of his own heat.

"You seem to have chosen the coward's way out." The zanpakuto said. "Do you not have anything left to say to me."

Suddenly, Dalton looked him dead in the eyes. "Galactic Cannonball."

Jigoku Kara no Hono's expression fell as the green and purple energy spilled from Dalton's left palm into his stomach, and then out his back. The dragon claws retracted into the ground, and Dalton was finally able to catch his breath.

Jigoku Kara no Hono exhaled slowly, then smiled. "I don't know why, but I can't help but feel the least bit accomplished, even though I've been defeated. Despite the fact that I was created to kill you, I still harbor every memory of the real zanpakuto in your body. I think all of the false zanpakuto that man created feel the same way. We want to see you succeed. Our lives were a mistake, so you need to correct it."

"Jigoku Kara no Hono…" Dalton muttered.

"I have confirmed that it was not a mistake to choose you." He then turned into a mass of white energy, then dissolved into thin air.

Dalton then turned to face away from the mountain. Where are you going? Jigoku Kara no Hono asked inside his head.

"There are others." Dalton said. "I need to help my friends."

You cannot go. You must stay here and complete your meditation. That is the best way to help them. They can handle themselves.

"I can't just sit here."

You must. You must trust them as well as you trust me. You must complete your training as soon as possible. The time to fight is not now. The time to fight will come, once you have mastered Mystic Form completely.

"But…" Dalton murmured longingly.

You know what you must do.

Dalton felt the "x" shaped scar in the middle of his face. "I know what I have to do. If I cannot master Mystic form, it will have been for nothing." He proceeded to sit back down and began meditating once more.