Author Notes: With the last chapter, Kazui has achieved the Quincy leadership. And things will definitely pick up from here.
Chalchu's ability is based on the Aztec Turkey God of Disease, who was an evil god, which is reflected on this iteration's repulsive nature.
And I hint of the Kami's nature with this chapter.
Chapter 39: Number 1 Jr
Karakura Hospital Housing Quarters
Mizuryū, Ryūken and Uryū all felt ill, as they clenched the ground.
From their mouths emerged identical red masked, demonic looking serpentine Hollows that dissolved once they hit the ground, screaming in pain as they writhed in pain for a few seconds.
"What the hell was that?!," Mizuryū asked his father.
"I don't know...Did you know?," Uryū replied as he turned to his father.
"It's something better not to think about..., but whatever it was it's something that was inherent in our race until just now...," Ryūken said as his Blut Vene gathered into one spot on the back of his right hand, forming a six petal like star stigmata of blue coloring. His left hand bore an orange version of the mark and the center of his chest bore a purple mark that illuminated through his clothes as it did with his family.
"...And with it gone, we will have to adjust to what we now have...," Ryūken added as he examined his hands with narrow eyes.
Across the World
Several individuals spat out the identical Hollow parasite and gained the same six pointed flower star marks on their bodies.
Karakura Town
Gretel vomited out a Hollow parasite, which she then shot with a crossbow made of Reishi.
She had been walking with her friend towards the Kurosaki residence for some reason.
"Does it feel good to be finally free?," Maschera asked with a sing-song tone.
"Shut up...," Gretel snapped.
"Domanojo Sensei likely has already taught the future king his true powers...," said the headphone wearing girl.
"He's not my king. Dummy.," the pink haired girl stuttered with a blushed expression of denial.
Kurosaki Household
Ashiyama looked down from the window that Kazui had flown down from and thought-
I won't interfere...you need to prove your worth as an inheritor of the Rei-Ken...or else she'll reject you..., thought the weathered-beaten, old man
Karin awoke as she no longer felt ill or had any of the negative side-effects on her skin. She looked at the back of her hands, which had blue and orange flower star markings respectively.
"Where's...Ichigo...?," Karin asked, as if awakening for the first time since that fateful night.
"He's-," Yuzu replied with sorrowful eyes before noticing the same marks on her hands and on Orihime's as well.
"He's outside...that's weird...Kazui's energy is in the same space...as is somebody I knew from long ago...," the black haired girl said as she got up.
"What?!," Yuzu squeaked in shock.
"Kazui...," Orihime said with concern.
She looked at Karin, lifted her and carried her outside.
Yuzu followed quickly behind them.
Outside the Kurosaki Household
Chalchu opened a Gargenta for Gauí, allowing for the Hollow-Akuma hybrid to escape to Hueco Mundo.
Tezcatil will throw a fit...at the very least...we can make weapons from its hide..., thought the Dio Hueco.
It shut before Ichika could react.
"Damn that Hollow got away...no matter-," Ichika said with annoyance before Akuzu interjected.
"You fool! That must be the rumored original Hollow that Master Domanojo theorized corrupted the Quincy. It might reattach to another Quincy and the cycle start over again. It was a huge mistake that you didn't slaughter it on sight.," said Akuzu with irritation towards the red head.
"Sorry, but it's just another Hollow...did you see the wings it had and those creepy eyes...what kind of Hollow was that?," Ichika asked with a hesitant tone of voice.
"It was something made from a horrific method...by them...," Akuzu replied as he turned his angered gaze towards the Dio Hueco.
"No need to pursue, it was a one time deal that was a miracle that it even worked in the first place...damn, it was supposed to be non-removable from any Quincy...yet here it was before my eyes...Gobble, Gobble...FUCK! Tezcatil is going to punish me for not only breaking the rules, but not going after the kid who managed to undo the Quincy curse- they can exorcise our armies without worrying about Soul Suicide...our alliance with Abeseimei is gone at this point...," Chalchu snarled as he stomped the ground, creating a crater.
"...I sense a Quincy Reiatsu...one...no two...no three...I will kill them before they mature and be on my way to at least make him less likely to torture me...to kill the other three..Ashiyama who killed Xipe Totec will be a a challenge- better for our mad dog, Huitz to take care of...,"he said as he calmed down, walking towards the Kurosaki household.
Ichika and Akuzu were about to block the path of the giant when Kazui arrived before them.
"What're you doing Kazui?! What Quincy?!," Ichika asked.
"I know it's earlier than what Huitz suggested for me..., but I like to test what I have on you as a guinea fowl...since you're not a pig..I mean...I just got some new tricks with my latest training...," Kazui said with an optimistic tone of excitement.
"Lord Third's got this! He would've been in a different state if he had failed...he's now beyond a normal mortal.," Akuzu told Ichika with a confident smirk.
"His Reiatsu is all weird now...What's happening with you..?!.," Ichika muttered to herself.
"Move insolent boy...My patience for mortals is thin as it is...You can be an orphan until Huitz deems you worthy enough to kill...," Chalchu explained.
Ichika gritted her teeth in anger with the implications that he meant to kill Kazui's mother and aunts.
"Then you're a piss poor immortal with a bad perception of time...since you're walking towards your death as it is... if you think you can take my mother away from me...are you incompetent without Huitz, why not kill me yourself?...," Kazui said with a more sever expression.
His Reiatsu managed to intimidate the Dio Hueco slightly.
His Spiritual Power has evolved beyond its previous level..., thought the hooked nosed giant.
"That was a good insult...a sharp tongue...you're asking to die...," the hooked nose Dio Hueco said as he glared at the boy with murderous intent, with angry veins on his forehead.
"Last chance...you'll die if you even dare touch me...," he added as he began to gather a dark indigo Reiatsu around his right hand, positioning it like a scalpel.
"I'd say the same thing...," Kazui replied as he summoned his Rei-Ken from his chest.
"Kazui's doing the same thing as you! The hell?!," Ichika yelled.
"What is this?," the Dio Hueco asked the boy.
"I shouldn't need to explain...Make me move...," Kazui demanded as it pierced through the right hand of the Dio Hueco, which shocked the latter.
"That's impossible! Lord Third shouldn't be able to do it so soon...Wait, he's a prodigy! Go Lord Third!," Akuzu cheered before Ichika kicked him.
"He cut the dude- shouldn't matter how...Also either scold him or praise the kid- don't be so wishy washy!," she remarked.
"Kami are a fusion of Human, Quincy, Akuma, Animal, Ashura and Preta with a combination of all their properties, naturally they're above humans...to injure one would make you a legend!," Akuzu explained to Ichika.
It broke through my skin layers of Viribus (Strength), which combines all the positives of the Blut Vene of the Quincy, the Hierro (Iron) of the Preta, Tú Céng (Coat)- Fierté (Pride), Ho Sakata Hai(Might) of the Ashura, and the Tetsu (Iron) skin of humans/Soul Reapers/etc- from my combined Samsara Kami exterior, which I regained from using the Deus Ex Machina- something that would've taken an eternity to do on our own...This isn't a skill of any Soul Reape can manager- they couldn't achieve this even if they trained for an eon. Except for that man who killed Xipe Totec!, he thought nervously to himself, baffled by Kazui's action that defied logic.
"However!...this is a surprise, but it's nothing we didn't anticipate from the World's Sword's teachings...you're still a fledgling who just got another upgrade to his powers- just a speck of sand in the desert amongst the countless mortals who voiced their rebellion and intent to kill against us! Falling down with no dignity all the same!," he said to Kazui with confidence.
"I'll rip your Zanpakuto and impale you on your own weapon-," He added before Kazui materialized his Zanpakuto from his empty right hand.
"The first weapon was a Rei-Ken...This is Tsuki my Zanpakuto...," Kazui said with a smirk.
He then sliced off Chalchu's right arm before the latter could react with his second sword, which widened the latter's eyes in utter disbelief.
"Yes! First blood!," Akuzu yelled with confidence.
"It's Kazui- the brat's a monster that defies common sense! This guy has no chance!," Ichika said with a smirk.
"Have you read the Art of War...Captain Kyoraku Sensei taught it to me when I was a student of his...victory is decided before the battle is won...there may be tweaks and improvising to account for the changes of real life, but the end goal is already decided...with several layers of strategies being planned out while the enemy thinks you just have one.," Kazui explained.
Chalchu gritted his teeth in frustration as he clenched his wound,
"You're the pinnacle of Hollow evolution from what I gather, show me your wits and powers you've gathered from eons of existence...I'll tear it all down with my swords...," Kazui said before noticing Chalchu doing something unusual.
He fell to the ground and started bawling like a a baby.
"...I didn't expect him to break down that fast...," Kazui noted.
"I bet he's upset...well, we've lost loved ones- that's nothing compared to an arm!," Ichika shouted.
"Waah! Gobble! Gobble! Waah! My arm!...My Arm!...Is...," the Dio Hueco said as he clasped his stump, rolling on the ground like a child to Kazui's bafflement.
"...Well, he's a crybaby...This is funny!," Ichika said with a cocky grin.
"Wait, Kami are eternal unless stripped of their immortality through unusual means because-," Akuzu shouted before Chalchu's expression changed to a grin of confidence.
"Restored...And the damage never occurred as well...," Chalchu said as he sprouted another arm from his stump and his mutilated arm returned to its place of origin, merging with the new limb.
"Kami can not only regenerate from even beyond the subatomic, but also reverse time to make sure that the injury never occurred...that's the secret of their immortality.," the hook nosed Dio Hueco explained.
Kazui then took a more serious battle stance.
I don't know if my new Bankai will cause damage to the World of the Living and my Rei-Ken's new...so it might vanish at anytime until I train with it more..., Kazui thought.
"I feel better now, letting out your tears to relieve stress makes a mental breakdown not occur...And I understand what you are...you've managed to become 10% of the traits of what these Soul Society Branches used to all be in the beginning...a single group of paranormal guardians of the Human World called the Grim Reapers...hunters of the undead that aided the Quincy...who were known as the Nephilim, offspring of Gods or Angel originally, which hunted the infernal...Oh I said too much... perhaps a Demi-God or a Divine Human would be more accurate to call a Human/Kami hybrid...there was no way a mere Soul Reaper could do this...that suspicion has been wiped away..," the Dio Hueco explained.
"You referred to Sun Tzu...when I awoke and during a brief time between my rest cycle, I met this man and learned his craft, teaching it to my brethren...Reiatsu, Strategy, Techniques, etc...it's actually Deception...to delude your enemies...tricking your enemies to their doom and swiftly ending them in their plight...I won't fall for that...for you'll be moving to my rhythm from now on...," Chalchu spoke calmly.
"What?! They're geniuses?!,"Ichika shouted in disbelief.
"He's definitely gonna kill us now, he's going all out...better pull out something fast before he really shows his hand-," Akuzu said with a look of fear for Kazui.
"I am genuinely surprised at your brief moment of discipline led to you surpassing most Soul Reapers of this current age and most Vasto Lorde as well...you're still not at a Dio Hueco level.," the Dio Hueco said with a smirk.
"I admire your resolve...and I've waited for an opportunity to break down a Grim Reaper when previously we Dio Hueco were at their mercy- forced to beg for our lives...to test my newfound superiority with my restored Kami abilities.," he added with a wider grin.
Kazui then took a deep sigh.
"Captain Kenpachi doesn't like the deception crap...it's fine with the trash, but the more worthy enemies- you enjoy the battle regardless of whether you die or not fully honest. I learned that from training with him.," Kazui explained with a feral smirk.
"You got Zaraki!? To train you?! This is the first I've heard of this!," Ichika shouted in confused irritation.
"I will get you to fear your death as the countless, arrogant fools I've encountered before.," he said with a scowl.
His eyes became wide with prominent whites with thin black rings around his sclera. His fingers noticeably grew silver talons.
"I am the Jeweled Fowl...the Jade Turkey... Chalchu Toliin- Chalchuhtotolin...Kami of Disease and Mystery of my realm...I ranked no. 10 out of all the Dio Hueco, that were forced to reside here by that accursed Soul King, but with Quetzalcoatl- the former No.1 and Xipe Totetc- the former No. 6 currently gone...I rank 8...that's right- I am stronger than 5 ranks higher than Huitz and 4 ranks above Tona...and both can easily kill you...you stand no chance against me..," said Chalchu with a dignified and snobbish tone of voice.
Kazui clenched his swords tighter, as he felt tense and worried.
Wait...a Disease God...that would mean..., Kazui realized with horror as he looked around the area, knowing that there were countless bystanders that might be affected by what could come next.
He turned in the direction of Ashiyama
"Oh, you mean those slow witted birds we cook for the American holiday of Thanksgiving. Are you going to fatten Kazui to death by being dinner and feeding extra helpings with gravy?," Ichika said with confidence.
"Wait, I read about this from Mr. Ishida's books, that was the name of a god that-," Kazui said with shock.
"Back in our cosmos, I was a powerful sorcerer god. I aided Tezcatli in his plans to subvert nonbelievers into our faith. He would trick them into their self-destruction through curses and disease. I would so cleanse them of contamination, absolve them of guilt, and overcome their fate- in order for them to get more devoted...by creating the situation that would require my assistance in the first place. Quetzalcoatl never liked what I did to get people to believe us...," the Dio Hueco explained, recalling a memory from his past.
"You- that's blackmail?! Wait, there's no way you're that kinda guy that can do that right?!,," Ichika shouted.
"I cause disease and sickness through my presence...Barragan was our student and he wasn't truly able to grasp what made Respira as deadly as it should be...or even the other techniques associated with it...," he added with a wide eyed expression of deranged glee.
"It's about controlling the Reiatsu of ones' foes' cells or atoms of their techniques in order to cause mutations within them in order to undermine them...causing their bodily functions to fail, speed up the aging process, cause plagues, etc...I personally can bring out the negative effects of cellular/atomic alteration and deconstruction to achieve this...Let's demonstrate it with an example...like this town..everyone ultimately dies of disease...being spared with a merciful death by old age or outside interference...is too good for these simians...," he explained as his pores opened up as indigo Reiatsu oozed out of his body like sludge.
"Let's not try and do that...use it on me...," Kazui suggested with a nervous sweat-drop going down his brow. Chalchu gave a scornful snicker in response, but earned Kazui's ire.
"Disease is my domain!..., but you fearing for others...that's what I was hoping you'd do from the very beginning...let's hope you screw this up and everyone dies because of your negligence...I am the Jeweled Fowl of Pestilence! GOBBBLEEEE!," gloated the Dio Hueco as the ooze began to rise upwards.
"Lágrimas de Enfermedad (Tears of Malady).," the Dio Hueco declared before suddenly, a triangular orange barrier contained his body, stopping the outbreak.
Kazui turned to see his mother outside along with Yuzu and Karin.
"Get back inside Lady Second!," Akuzu pleaded.
"Ms. Orihime- it's too dangerous!," Ichika shouted.
"...Good that you're here...normally I'd be angry for the help, but this guy could kill everyone if we let him run wild...we have to take him out...," Kazui said to his mom, which she whole-heartedly agreed with a nod.
"That was a clever way to contain my infection wench...so some of these...Full-Bringers can be a threat...no.., but you're thinking what is this on my hands...as well as what am I?...You have a Quincy aura... You're thinking about this...when you should fear me instead...be scared of what I'm going to do to you now that you directly oppose me...,..., but then again...it's actually your son's condition of being an abnormal existence of somehow being your husband and your mother-in-law at the same time...Did I get it RIGHTTHT?! Your understanding of the world has been torn asunder!," gloated the Dio Hueco.
"Gobheheheh...I'll kill you all and present your heads to Huitz...reminding him that his desires for combat are pointless and dishonor is the best way to win...!," screamed Chalchu as he generated an indigo colored aura around him that phased through the barrier.
"Turcia Dei (God's Turkey)!," said the Dio Hueco as the aura solidified into the shape of a flying turkey.
Droplets of his Reishi landed on the houses, causing the Reiatsu of the neighbors to suddenly go dimmer and dimmer.
"Whatever he's doing!...He's killing them!," Yuzu realized.
"He just wants us dead..everyone...we're bugs to him...," Karin replied.
"Damn. He's got more powers than we thought.," Akuzu cursed.
"What going on?! Bleh-," said one drunkard that touched the Reishi, causing him to immediately grow extreme round growths on his skin until he exploded into a pool of blood.
Kazui then gave him a look of utter contempt towards the Dio Hueco.
"How long can you avoid my turkey aura armor?! Before you're infected!," the Dio Hueco gloated before he fired Reishi feathers in a circle around the group, creating an indigo dome that dripped the infected Reishi.
"I could just wait to see you die..., but I'm having too much fun to let this end in just here...," said the Dio Hueco.
"Goboho...You're hopelessly trapped by my Deus Pinnis (God's Feathers)! I know of everything you simians will do to counter this- Kido, Omynodo, Barriers, and sheer Strength! The battle was decided before it all commenced as all life will die by disease if they don't have a cure. It was Doomed, Doomed, Doomed, Doomed DOOOMMEEDD to failure from the beginning! It was all Doomed from the start! My plans were much more elaborate than you ever imagined and I'll send my Reiatsu into you to give you an undignified death by my Reiatsu...should it be pneumonia? The Black Plague? Smallpox?! No, I'll give you Cancer- that's inevitable! I'll give you to Abeseimei's mad doctor...Ishakyōki- he loves examining dead bodies and studying their diseases! And we Dio Hueco will be back in his favor!," he boasted as he began to fly across the entire town.
Ashiyama
Inside Chalchu's Feather Dome
Ichika tried to shock the dome, but the attack reflected back on her.
"Tch...," Ichika snarled.
"Domanojo Sensei will come out to avenge us...No, he's entrusted Lord Third with this sacred task!," Akuzu said as he turned to Kazui.
I can't endanger them with my powers..., but I have an alternative..., thought the orange haired boy.
"Sure would be helpful to have Captain Kurotsuchi...or someone who can naturally counter this annoying power so I can save my tow...," Kazui said before he then pulled out a magatama.
"What's that?," Yuzu asked as she looked over Kazui's shoulder.
"A convenient countermeasure...I'm going to have this guy rot...let's see how he likes dying like a contaminated cattle...," Kazui said with a smile, but Karin felt another feeling-
Seething rage.
She felt like countless Reiatsu were silenced after screaming in agony.
Yuzu clasped her head in agony as she felt the people just die suddenly in droves.
"Let me hear your screams of despair before I take you down!," gloated the Dio Hueco from the outside, getting further and further away.
"...Hey, Akuzu. Wanna see something cool...?.," Kazui asked with a wide eyed expression of lunacy, which made Akuzu nervous.
"But, that's reckless!," Akuzu pleaded, shaking his head no.
"Mother can reject this along with the deaths that'll happen the first time around, but I want this guy to cover me with rot...let's see how he likes dying from a plague!," Kazui said half crazed and half so infuriated that he didn't care anymore.
Kazui was about to use it, regardless of the potential damage..., but Orihime clasped his hand, shook his head and said-
"Don't win with that way...You're a kind person, you show it a lot more than your father, who is also a kind person... Don't sink to his level to win, make a promise with me that you can win...and you can follow through...it's not about the mind...it's about the heart... So that's why it's okay. When you say you'll win- you don't need tricks or plans- just say you'll win from the bottom of your heart...you're what he left behind...and it's your right to continue that..."
"If you have a power that relies on the heart, you need to pour everything into it.," she added.
"I know you're trying to hold back for our sakes, but you need to go all out...," she concluded as she brushed his right cheek.
Kazui teared up as snot ran down his nose, he nodded as he declared-
"Catharsis for the injustice I bear witness! Set right what went wrong! Abandon doubt to embrace the burning heart of justice! Burn through the boundaries of time and space! Be the sun that shines bright for all! Sonohi no Hi Karasu-Ken: Yasakani no Magatama!,"Kazui declared, destroying the barrier in a blast of pure red fire.
Next Chapter: Chauitstli in Teotl (Plague of the Gods) 1