Chapter 26: Eisprinzessin
Here we are again.
Since the previous chapter was uploaded, I've gotten several reviews criticizing my decision to make this a harem story. Most of these reviews were from much earlier chapters, but I still feel like talking about them.
As I've mentioned before, one of the things I would change about this story if I ever decided to rewrite it would be the romance aspect. In a previous Author's Note, I tried to justify my harem decision by claiming that Ichigo is the type of person who wouldn't want to break any hearts, and therefore would be willing to date multiple girls if he reciprocated their feelings. Looking back on that claim, I cringe. It just isn't true. Ichigo is a very moral person, and I cannot picture him embracing the decision to date more than one partner.
HOWEVER… I am still going to give him a harem.
The stage has already been set for one, and I honestly don't want to go back and rewrite all of the content that has been hinting towards him having multiple partners. When I started this story two years ago, I made several bad decisions. I was fresh on the fanfiction scene, and all I really wanted to do was put my ideas to paper. Since then, I've realized that telling a good story may not involve all of a writer's initial thoughts. That said, I'm not saying giving him a harem was necessarily a bad decision, per say. I have read several stories where the concept was developed very well.
And if I'm being completely truthful, I am but a simple man who wants to see my favorite character hook up with a bunch of hot chicks.
I will do my best to make the multiple relationships believable. From now on, I will actively avoid the trope of 'girl meets boy and instantly falls in love'. I made that mistake with Seras at the beginning, and I probably could have done Ichigo's relationship with Sayo much better. There will be arguments, there will be fights, and there will be wounded hearts. Some of you won't like what I write. On the other hand, I know there are a lot of you who will.
I hope you enjoy the new chapter.
AlucardsBro OUT!
(London, England)
Zorin awoke to a brisk chill.
The odd sensation slowly crept down her spine, making her shiver.
However, the feeling was quickly and violently overwhelmed by a sudden wave of nausea that rose from her stomach. Bolting upright and rolling over onto her hands and knees, Zorin vomited a copious mixture of blood and bile onto the asphalt. The rancid combination reeked something truly foul, and her sensitive nose burned as the stench invaded her nostrils. Heaving and gagging as a second wave of sick threatened to travel up her throat, Zorin fell back onto her backside and desperately put several feet of distance between herself and the puddle of vomit.
Though her body no longer truly required it, she greedily gulped down several breaths of air to try and settle her churning stomach. Closing her eyes and tilting her face towards the sky, Zorin continued to breathe deeply as her nausea slowly but surely went away.
Something cold suddenly alighted on the very tip of her nose.
Eyes blinking open in surprise, she watched as several white particles lazily drifted through the air. Raising her left hand, Zorin quickly realized what they were as a few of them fell on her skin and gently melted away.
"Snow…?"
Indeed, snow it was.
More and more tiny ice crystals continued to fall until a thin blanket of white covered the street and the surrounding buildings. Utterly perplexed, Zorin exhaled and watched as the moisture in her breath condensed into a small, misty cloud of vapor. It was the middle of the goddamn summer. Why the hell was it snowing?
Rising to her feet, Zorin cracked her neck and rolled her left shoulder. Her entire body was still incredibly sore, but the stiffness in her muscles was slowly going away thanks to her new healing factor. Demonic Power certainly seemed to have its advantages.
"You were supposed to die, First Lieutenant."
Zorin tensed momentarily, but her surprise was quickly replaced with anger. Lips pulling back into a snarl, she turned to face the one who had addressed her. "You…"
Schrödinger met her expression with an impish grin, seated on an overturned slab of concrete. "Me?" he asked sarcastically, poking himself in the chest with a finger. "Whatever did I do? You're the one who couldn't even get herself killed properly."
A roar erupted from her throat. Charging forward, Zorin raised her right fist and threw a punch powerful enough to shatter steel. Unsurprisingly, Schrödinger disappeared into thin air before she could even hope to land a successful blow. He was a slippery little bastard like that. Instead of punching through flesh and bone, Zorin's right hook smashed through the concrete block he'd been sitting on.
"Do calm down," the werecat remarked flippantly, reappearing several meters away. "I haven't said anything that isn't true. You were supposed to die fighting Seras Victoria, but somehow you managed to screw up something so simple."
Rage.
It was the only thing that occupied her mind.
Still, Zorin knew her chances of catching and killing Schrödinger were almost nonexistent. Even if she somehow managed to wrap her hands around his scrawny little throat and choke the life out of him, he would only reappear a few seconds later. Of all the false Sternritter operating within the Millennium Organization, Schrödinger had been given the most powerful gift by His Majesty. Whereas she could trap people in false realities, Schrödinger could literally ignore reality itself in order to preserve his own life. His powers had been cut from the same metaphorical cloth as His Majesty's, making him a walking conundrum of probability.
There was no way to kill him.
An infuriating truth, but a truth all the same.
Taking a deep breath, Zorin fought to calm her nerves. She'd already made the mistake of letting anger cloud her judgement, and that had landed her in the servitude of an eighteen-year-old Devil. "What the fuck do you want, brat? Are you just here to gloat?"
Schrödinger blinked owlishly several times before smiling. "It's so adorable that you're trying to act so tough. But we both know what will happen to you, don't we? Millennium might not survive the night, but His Majesty won't let you get away with this kind of betrayal. When the time comes — and it will come soon — he will personally tear out your Schrift and make you beg for the death you were so desperate to try and escape. Not even your new master will be strong enough to stop him."
Zorin swallowed. Schrödinger's words — taunting as they were — held an irrefutable truth to them. His Majesty possessed a power unlike anything she had ever seen. It gave him the ultimate edge when it came to warfare, and there was very little his opponents could do to counter it. And yet, Ichigo Kurosaki had overcome impossible odds before, hadn't he?
She'd read the Daten on the boy. She knew about his victory over the Shinigami called Sōsuke Aizen. The former Captain had been in the possession of the Hōgyoku at the time, and that alone had nearly been enough to elevate him to the status of godhood. Even so, Ichigo had somehow managed to defy the overwhelming odds against him and defeat his more powerful foe.
That said, Aizen was certainly not His Majesty.
The latter's abilities made the Hōgyoku seem pathetic by comparison.
Even so…
"Ichigo might not be able to defeat His Majesty…" she finally responded, choosing her words carefully. "In fact, I highly doubt he'll be able to. But he's still more than powerful enough to make the Major pay for sending me off to slaughter. And I'll be damned if I let myself die before watching that fat little bastard choke to death on his own blood!"
Schrödinger regarded her for a moment with silent amusement.
Then he was gone.
Kisuke had learned long ago that power often came at a price.
That price could come in a variety of forms, and it wasn't always completely negative in the long run. Some people had to work themselves past the point of exhaustion day after day to gain the strength they wanted. Others learned to increase their power through spells and other mystical means. Sore muscles and hours of studying Kidō weren't really that bad, and the payoff was generally considered worth the effort. Either way, power rarely ever just showed out of nowhere.
At the moment, the Captain seemed to be learning that lesson the hard way. Casually sidestepping a thrust meant to impale him through the throat, Kisuke backhanded his opponent and watched as the Captain staggered back. The red-eyed man was still regenerating at an accelerated rate, but it was quite obvious that his wounds were no longer healing completely. His upper torso was decorated with a multitude of bruises, and various scars littered his arms and chest where Behihime had carved through his flesh.
Something had definitely changed. Whatever he had done to bring himself to his current level finally seemed to be taking a physical toll on him. Perhaps his power boost was only effective for a limited time?
If that was indeed the case, then this fight would be over much sooner than Kisuke had initially anticipated. Deciding to test his hypothesis, the former Shinigami stepped forward. The thick blanket of snow that crunched under his wooden sandals was certainly peculiar, but he ignored it for the time being. The sudden snowfall had admittedly caught him by surprise in the beginning, but Kisuke had witnessed stranger things over the course of his long life.
The Captain panted raggedly, roughly pushing himself to his feet. Spittle and blood leaked from between his sharpened teeth, coating his chin in red and dripping down into the snow. His eyes, which had been so calculating and focused only a few minutes prior, were completely wild and bloodshot.
Kisuke realized that he was no longer looking at a fellow warrior, but instead just a feral animal that desperately needed to be put out of its misery. "You seem to be having some trouble there," the blond observed, stopping several feet away from the Captain. "I take it that you've blown past your timestamp? You did something to narrow the power gap between us, but it's clearly costing you quite dearly."
The Captain howled furiously, lunging forward. It was a pitiful sound, full of both rage and pain. Stepping out of the way and allowing his opponent to stumble past him, Kisuke quickly raised Benihime and stabbed downward. With a wet 'squelch', the blade of his Zanpakuto pierced the flesh directly between the Captain's shoulder blades, effortlessly cutting though meat and shattering several vertebrae. The wounded man choked out another wounded howl, collapsing forward into the snow on his hands and knees.
Ripping Benihime free in one clean motion, Kisuke watched quietly as his fallen opponent desperately crawled away through the snow, whimpering as he went. Then, without any warning whatsoever, the Captain screamed like a man possessed. Falling onto his chest, he began to writhe and convulse as if he were having a seizure. Kisuke's pity for the man grew to new heights as the Captain's bones and muscles began to visibly rearrange themselves under his skin. A thick layer of silver fur sprouted all over his body, and the joints in his legs split to resemble those of a canine. The pitch of his voice deepened as well, to the point where his screams of pain sounded more like the roars of an animalistic beast.
"Hadō Number Seventy-Eight: Zangerin!"
Concentrating an enormous amount of Reiryoku into his Zanpakuto, Kisuke slashed Benihime diagonally through the air and discharged a glowing ring of energy. The Kidō spell hurtled towards the Captain's spasming form, disintegrating everything around it as it went. Upon contact, the energy ring erupted upward into a column of golden Spiritual Energy, completely enveloping the Captain and obscuring him from view. Zangerin was powerful enough to incapacitate most combatants weaker than a Shinigami Captain, but Kisuke had an inkling that his opponent wouldn't go down quite so easily.
As the light produced by the spell died down, he was quickly proven correct.
The Captain was still alive, but to Kisuke's disgust, his body had been mutilated beyond all possible recognition. The strain placed upon his healing factor by Zangerin had burned away the outer layer of skin and muscle, leaving him with a disturbingly emaciated appearance. The thin layer of muscle that remained was drawn taut over his deformed skeleton, and his stomach had sunken in to expose every single detail of his ribcage. The left half of his face had melted and fused into a single mass of charred flesh. The right half barely looked any better. His lips were completely gone, and a single crimson eye was all that remained.
A low, agonized sound came from between the Nazi's lips. Despite that, he spread his glowing wings and sank into a crouched, battle-ready stance.
Shinigami were meant to deliver souls to the afterlife, and although he couldn't say where the Captain would end up upon his death, Kisuke was more than happy to send the man packing. His journey form the World of the Living was long overdue.
"You can still feel it, can't you?" he called out, brandishing his Zanpakuto. "Your comrades are falling left and right; Ichigo has already dealt with the two girls your Major sent after him, and your ground troops have practically been wiped out. Millennium has failed."
The Captain snarled, charging forward on thin and unsteady legs. Leaning back and out of the way of a swipe from the man's inch-long claws, Kisuke flared his Spiritual Pressure and raised Benihime in defense. The Captain swiped at him again, but his claws splintered rather pitifully against the flat of the sword'sblade. One hand releasing his Zanpakuto's tsuka, Kisuke extended his left arm and placed a closed fist against the Captain's chest, channeling Reiryoku into the outstretched limb.
"Bakudō Number Sixty-Three: Sajō Sabaku!"
As the incantation was spoken, the Spiritual Energy enveloping Kisuke's arm took physical form in the shape of thick golden chains, which immediately shot forth and wound around the Captain's body. He struggled against his bindings, thrashing and roaring like an animal caught in a trap. Opening his clenched fist, Kisuke positioned his open palm so that it was facing directly towards his opponent. Preparing to cast another Kidō spell, he regarded the Nazi for a moment. "I doubt you can even understand me at this point… but you knew this would happen, didn't you? You needed to keep me occupied, and you've certainly done that, but you were never strong enough to really match me in single combat. What could Millennium possibly be hoping to accomplish by sending all of their best fighters to either die in battle or turn traitor? What is the Major's real plan?"
Unsurprisingly, the Captain did not offer any kind of answer to his inquiry. Salivating like a rabid dog, the once proud soldier threw his head back and howled towards the sky. A truly ironic last act.
Electricity crackling around his outstretched arm, Kisuke finally put an end to the fight.
"Hadō Number Eighty-Eight: Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō!"
Bambietta felt strong.
In fact, she felt stronger than she'd ever been before.
A new and powerful mixture of Spiritual and Demonic Energy coursed through her veins, energizing every single cell in her body. It felt like she could take down a mountain with nothing with her bare hands. As an added bonus, the energy also kept her warm in spite of the sudden snowfall that was still going on around them. All of the injuries she'd sustained during her fight with Ichigo had been completely healed thanks to her transformation. She could put weight on her left leg again, and her skin looked just as smooth and pristine as it had before she'd arrived in London.
Unfortunately, the same couldn't exactly be said for her ruined uniform…
Face red in mild embarrassment, she crossed her arms over her chest and eyed her new 'master' carefully. Ichigo had yet to say a word since her reincarnation, and that had been nearly ten minutes ago. The orange-head was seated on the edge of an overturned slab of concrete, with his Zanpakutō stabbed into the ground in front him. Candice was still unconscious, so she supposed he was waiting for her to wake up so he could offer her the same chance to become a Devil.
"She'll be harder to convince than I was."
Brown eyes turned in her direction. "What makes you think that?" Ichigo inquired.
Bambi swallowed, leaning against an abandoned car. "Candice is incredibly stubborn. She doesn't take orders very well, and will only listen to the Major and His Majesty. That… and betraying His Majesty is a terrifying thing to think about. You have no idea what he's capable of."
"I've fought powerful beings before."
"Not like this you haven't…"
"Maybe you're right," Ichigo acknowledged, shrugging his shoulders. "But one way or another, things always seem to work out for me in the end no matter how bad the situation initially seems. I never thought I'd be strong enough to beat Aizen, but it still happened. I never thought I'd get my powers back after the Winter War, but it still happened. I never thought you and I would end up working together…"
"But it still happened," Bambi finished, rolling her eyes. "Okay, I get your point. But you really shouldn't underestimate His Majesty. It'll likely end up being the last thing you ever do."
"I appreciate the concern."
"Not concern. More like common sense."
Ichigo snorted, evidently done with the conversation.
Breathing out a slightly annoyed sigh, Bambi turned her gaze towards Candice. As silence once again dominated the immediate area, her thoughts began to drift to all of the new possibilities that had become available to her. The first thing she planned on doing after killing the Major and destroying Millennium was going straight to Soul Society and informing the Gotei Thirteen of the intricacies of His Majesty's plans. Although she wasn't very confident in their ability to actually stop him, it was still better than doing nothing at all.
After that, she would make Ichigo follow through on his promise to help her track down her mother. She had no idea where in the world the woman might be, but she did know someone else who might…
A sudden twitch caught her attention, and Bambietta quickly pushed away from the car when a low groan finally came from Candice. Moving forward and crouching down, she gently rested a hand between her green-haired friend's shoulders and helped her rise into a sitting position. "Easy does it… don't move too fast."
"Wha-What the hell h-happened?" Candice drawled, slightly delirious.
Bambi sucked in a mouthful air between her teeth, not quite sure how to explain everything. How exactly was she meant to tell her childhood friend that she'd just betrayed everything they'd ever been taught? Sparing a glance over her left shoulder, she looked to Ichigo for at least some kind of assistance.
"Don't look at me," he said, shaking his head. "She's your friend, isn't she?"
"Gee, thanks so fucking much. You're about as useful as a glass hammer, you know that?"
"What the hell is he doing here?!"
Groaning, Bambi firmly placed her hands on Candice's shoulders to keep her from bolting upright and throwing herself at Ichigo. Thankfully, her new Demonic strength allowed her to do so quite easily. "Candi, please calm down and let me explain everything…"
"Explain what exactly?! What the fuck is going on? Why aren't you beating the shit out of him?"
"Not like she could anymore…" Ichigo muttered under his breath.
Electing to ignore the comment, Bambi gave Candice a shove hard enough to grab her full attention. Looking her fellow Sternritter in the eye, Bambi breathed out a long and tired sigh. "Candi, we can't do this anymore. You have to know that, right? We can't keep following the Major's orders."
"What are you-"
"Let me finish. Do you honestly feel comfortable with everything Millennium has done? Do you really think you'll be able to sleep peacefully for the rest of your live knowing you helped these people commit literal genocide? I know I can't. I can't keep doing this Candi… I can't work with Millennium any longer, and I definitely can't keep following a man who would let something like this happen just to further his own personal goals."
"Bambi… are you insane?! You're talking about betraying His Majesty!"
"Not talking about. I've already done it."
"Y-you what…?! What about your wish?!"
Stepping back, Bambietta rose to her full height. "Nothing in the world is worth the millions of lives that have been lost tonight. That said, Ichigo has offered me a small chance at redemption; I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to fully redeem myself, but I've still decided to take it. He's reincarnated me as a Devil, and I'm going to help him take down the Major. After that, he's going to help me find my mother."
"You've betrayed us….? Betrayed the empire? After everything we've been through together?"
Sighing heavily, Bambi looked deep into Candice's eyes. The look of utter hurt and betrayal in her gaze was almost enough to break through her resolve. Almost being the key word. "To hell with the empire. I'm finally doing the right thing. If there's even a small chance that I can make up for the horror we've put this city through, then I'll happily do whatever it takes. And I'd be happy to share that journey with you."
Candice's expression turned incredulous. "Are… are you crazy? Do you think I have a death wish?! His Majesty will kill you! Don't you understand that? He won't just accept your betrayal."
"Better to betray a madman than continue serving as his attack dog. And besides, do you really think you'll be easily forgiven for failing to kill Ichigo? That was the entire reason you and I were sent here in the first place." Turning slightly to gesture towards her new master, Bambietta raised an expectant brow. "He still seems in pretty good shape to me. Not even a damn scratch on him, tough son of a bitch that he is. You know what will happen if you return to Wandenreich City…"
That finally seemed to give Candice pause for concern.
His Majesty was not known for his enjoyment of punishment, but he did not tolerate failure either. No one wanted to fail His Majesty, because that usually meant they would be receiving a personal visit from the Princess. She was as cruel and sadistic as they came, and she was more than happy to inflict tortuous punishment upon her subordinates.
"Please, Candi… I'm begging you. Come with us. Help us stop the Major. Help us warn Soul Society about His Majesty's plans. If we try hard enough, we might be able to stop him!"
"You know that's impossible… and besides, do you really think Soul Society will treat us any differently?" Candice huffed dismissively. Her tone was heavy with despair.
"Actually," Ichigo finally spoke up, "I should be able to help you with that. If you both swear to tell Central Forty-Six and the Gotei Thirteen everything you know, you shouldn't really receive any severe punishments. If I claim full responsibility for the two of you, they'll likely surrender you into my custody. They honestly owe me that much after all the times I've saved their asses…"
"See? Ichigo will testify on our behalf," Bambietta said. "What have we got to lose, Candi? Do you really want to keep killing and killing until there's nobody left to kill? There will always be someone to step in the way of His Majesty's desires, and who do you think he'll send to deal with them?"
Candice swallowed, eyes falling to the snow-covered street.
Bambietta prayed to whoever was listening that her argument had been convincing enough. Though she was happy to help Ichigo take down Millennium and stand against His Majesty, having a familiar face fighting beside her would certainly make things so much more bearable. That, and she knew what would have to be done if Candice decided to stand against her…
'Please don't make me kill you…'
The mere thought was enough to bring tears to her eyes.
Candice looked up.
Bambietta smiled, hopeful.
"I… I don't want to do this anymore either."
"Candi, I'm so glad-"
"But I'm scared, Bambi. I'm terrified. His Majesty will make sure to punish us for our betrayal, and we both know who he'll send after us. She will peel the skin off our bodies. She'll make it painful and slow. She knows how to torture us without killing us. I… I don't want that to happen. I don't want to die."
"You won't." Bambietta had intended to say the words, but she turned in surprise when Ichigo spoke them instead. She watched as he stood up, pulling his Zanpakutō from the ground. Stepping forward, he met her gaze briefly before turning his attention towards Candice. "I know this probably sounds weird given our interactions so far, but I won't let anyone hurt you. If you promise to help me destroy Millennium, kill the Major, and stop your king, I will do everything I can to keep you alive. I've fought beside former enemies before, and some of them have even become my friends."
"You think we'll become friends? Really…?" Candice scoffed. "I tried to kill you."
"So did one of my best friends when he and I first met," Ichigo snorted in reply. "I can't say whether or not we'll actually become friends in the future, but I'll at least consider you an ally as long as you fight beside me. And as long as you continue to do that, I'll fight to protect you with everything I have. I give you my word."
Bambietta stood silently, watching as her new master and her childhood friend stared intensely into each other's eyes. Candice seemed to be trying to gauge the sincerity of Ichigo's words, while Ichigo himself simply waited for her answer. Finally, after what seemed like more time than had actually passed, Candice relented with a heavy sigh.
"Alright. I'll help you."
"Do you want to become a Devil too?" Ichigo asked.
"About that… what exactly happens to me if I accept?"
"You'll become much stronger. Your Spiritual Energy will combine with Demonic Power, elevating you to a level that you never would have been able to achieve beforehand. You will also gain a significant healing factor, which will allow you to survive normally fatal injuries. You will be able to improve upon your current Quincy abilities, but they will draw their power from your new Demonic Energy instead of your current Spiritual Energy."
"I'll also be your servant. Don't forget that part."
Ichigo's expression became uncomfortable. "I… you're technically right, but I don't really like that word. I'll be responsible for you, and you won't be able to run around doing whatever you want, but I won't treat you like a slave. Like I said, you're an ally."
"I'd honestly do it if I were you," Bambietta said, flaring her own Demonic Power in demonstration. Pleased with the intrigued look on Candice's face, she conjured a small orb of red and orange energy in the palm of her left hand. "We were strong before, but now I think I could maybe defeat Bazz without. Maybe. Besides, some extra power to help us defend ourselves against her when she eventually comes for us doesn't sound like a bad thing at all."
"You have a point… will it hurt?"
Ichigo shook his head. "It might feel a bit strange, but it shouldn't be painful."
Candice stood, planting her hands on her hips. "Okay, I'll do it. But I am not calling you 'master.' You can be damn fucking sure about that."
Ichigo grunted. "I wouldn't ask you too."
A small tear in space opened, and Bambietta watched as a small chess piece fell from it and into Ichigo's open palm, identical to the one he'd used on her earlier. A Bishop, if her limited knowledge of chess was correct. Ichigo stepped forward, raising the piece and gently pressed it against Candice's exposed chest just above her sternum. Almost immediately, a flood of Demonic Energy engulfed the area, before quickly condensing and flowing into Candice's body.
She gasped, eyes bulging in their sockets as a bright orange magic circle appeared directly between her shoulder blades. It blazed with the intensity of a raging wildfire. Bambietta watched in awe as her childhood friend's aura doubled, tripled, and then quadrupled. The snow beneath their feet briefly liquified before evaporating into nothing at all. And then, as suddenly as the spectacle began, it was all over.
Candice stumbled forward.
Bambietta moved forward to steady her, but Ichigo beat her to it.
"You alright?" he asked.
"I feel… better," Candice nodded. As she gathered enough strength to stand upright without assistance, she looked down to appraise herself. Nothing had really changed as far as her physical appearance was concerned, but the new Demonic Energy within her was quite easy to detect. It was an understatement to say that her base level of power was currently leagues above what it had been just a moment ago. "I actually feel better than I ever have. Wow… wow. I feel like I could knock down a mountain!"
"Please try not to," Ichigo said, stepping away.
Bambietta came forward to take his place. "Are you sure you're okay?"
The green-haired Devil nodded again, smiling excitedly. "I'm great!"
"Sorry to interrupt," Ichigo cut in, "but now that we're all on good terms, I think it might be time to take this fight to the Major's airship. Between the three of us, we should be able to end this war in less than five minutes. He doesn't have any surprises that might give us a problem, does he?"
Bambi shook her head. "None that I'm aware of. But as much as I hate to admit it, that man honestly has a plan for everything. We shouldn't expect things to go smoothly."
"Well, at least we've got power on our side. Normal weapons shouldn't be able to— what the hell is that…?"
Following Ichigo's line of sight, Bambietta turned her gaze towards the sky. To her surprise, a fairly large Descorrer was in the process of opening several hundred meters above the rooftops. Eyes widening, Bambi felt a very real fear take hold of her heart as her senses were alerted to a very familiar Reiryoku signature. A lone figure, obscured by a dense flurry of snow, stepped out of the portal and into the open air.
"Is that… a person?" Ichgio asked, squinting.
"Oh god…" Bambietta whispered. "She wasn't supposed to be here…"
"Who? What's wrong?"
"It's her!" Candice shouted, voice filled with the exact same panic that Bambietta felt. "She's going to kill us! I knew this would happen! Goddamn it! Bambi, we have to get the fuck out of here!"
"Who are you talking about?!" Ichigo roared. "Bambietta, what has you two so freaked out?"
"Our Princess… His Majesty's daughter…"
Pure instinct took hold.
Yoruichi froze.
An uncomfortable sensation, which she had only felt a handful of times before, washed over her and rooted her feet to the ground. Up ahead, both Chad and Alexander Armstrong continued to exchange bone-shattering punches, oblivious to the steadily rising pressure in the air. It was subtle for the moment, but it was gradually become more and more palpable.
This sensation…
It was pure Spiritual Pressure…
It was a well-known fact that the weight of an individual's Reiatsu directly reflected their Reiryoku. Yoruichi knew quite a few people who could use their Reiatsu to physically hold down those around them, but only four immediately came to mind who could do so to completely incapacitate their opponents.
The first was none other than Ichigo Kurosaki. The boy's mixed heritage granted him a massive reservoir of power, and he had only just begun to truly tap into his potential. His newfound status as a Reincarnated Devil had helped to speed that process along exponentially.
The second was Kenpachi Zaraki. Although his control over his Reiatsu wasn't exactly perfect or refined, the raw power the Eleventh Division Captain possessed still allowed him to knock other people to the floor just by walking into a room.
The third was Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto. The Head Captain's Reiryoku was so powerful that Aizen himself had openly admitted that he wouldn't stand a chance against him in single combat. Likewise, his control over Reiatsu was so masterful that he could completely paralyze Lieutenant-Class individuals simply by looking in their direction.
And then there was Sōsuke Aizen himself. The former Captain's Reiatsu was powerful enough to form a barrier that could actually vaporize weaker opponents who were unfortunate to get too close to him. Even by the standards of an ordinary Captain, Aizen possessed a tremendous amount of Reiryoku. There had even been a period of time during the Winter War when his power had been so great that few could even register it.
A sudden blast of freezing air, accompanied by a haze of icy vapor, ripped her from her thoughts. Raising her own Reiatsu to shield herself from the cold, Yoruichi squinted and attempted to peer through the wall of mist. The source of the overwhelming Spiritual Pressure was steadily growing closer, and it wasn't long before a faint 'clacking' reached her ears. It almost sounded like a pair of heeled shoes…
And then, a woman stepped out of the mist.
Even by supernatural standards, she was strikingly beautiful. Tall and slender, she was dressed in what appeared to be a white military officer's uniform. A light blue scarf was wrapped around her neck, and a flowing white cloak was clasped over her shoulders. Thigh-high, heeled boots covered the majority of her legs, and an officer's cap sat atop her waist-length blue hair.
Sapphire-blue eyes snapped in her direction, and Yoruichi felt an irrational fear take hold of her heart. Having developed very acute battle instincts over the past few centuries, she quickly realized that she was in the presence of a very dangerous person.
No.
An alpha predator.
Someone who enjoyed the thrill of battle with every fiber of their being.
Someone who relished violence and bloodshed.
Someone who would purposefully drag out a fight as long as possible just to watch her opponent suffer.
Former Onmitsukidō Captain or not, that was not someone she wanted to engage. Yoruichi took a cautious step backwards.
An uncomfortable shiver ran down her spine when the woman actually smiled in amusement. "A very wise choice. Run along, little kitten… back to Kisuke Urahara."
Coming from any other person, the insinuating taunt would have made her bristle. But as it stood, Yoruichi felt no present desire to retaliate. "Who are…?"
"It is no concern of yours," the woman replied, gaze turning elsewhere. "I am not here for you. I am here to pick a strawberry. Any idea where I might begin my search?"
She was looking for Ichigo?
Yoruichi's fear for her own life immediately became fear for her former student. A good teacher would have sprung into action to defend him, but the rational part of her brain reminded her that if she chose to fight, she likely wouldn't leave London alive. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Yoruichi prepared to take another step back.
A loud crash stopped her in her tracks. Though she didn't want to take her eyes off of the blue-haired newcomer, she reluctantly turned away and looked down the street just in time to see Chad collide with a building. The unstable structure shook for a moment, before collapsing down on top of him. Having sent the younger man flying, Armstrong stood in the middle of the street with his right fist still raised.
The Paladin turned in their direction, brow raising in surprise as he finally noticed the presence of the woman. "You there!" he shouted. "Who holds your allegiance? Be you friend or foe?"
The woman laughed. "I answer to no one. The only allegiance I have is to my father's cause."
"And who might your father be, young lady?"
"Certainly not your paltry God. Why would I worship the dead?"
Armstrong took a fighting stance, expression hardening. "Then you are just another obstacle that I must remove from my path. I had only intended to kill Yasutora Sado this night, but if you stand against the Church, then I… I… I…"
Caught off guard by the Paladin's sudden stuttering, Yoruichi watched in horror as Armstrong's skin slowly turned a very pale shade of bluish-white. Starting from his feet, a thin layer of frost crept up his body until he was completely encased in a large ice crystal. Several moments of silence passed by, with the only audible sound being the howling of the wind. Looking back towards the blue-haired woman, Yoruichi watched her calmly raise a hand and twitch her right index finger.
Armstrong's icy prison promptly shattered, falling into a countless number of frozen pieces. The man within, frozen solid both inside and out, broke apart in a similar way. The barbed crown that had sat atop his head remained miraculously intact, but clattered to the ground with a loud 'clang.'
It had all happened in an instant.
"Insect," the woman sneered, lowering her hand. "The weak are destined to lie beneath the boots of the strong."
With those parting words, she vanished in a flurry of snow.
Absolutely stunned, Yoruichi could only stare at the empty space where the woman had been standing.
'Ichigo… what the hell have you gotten yourself into?'
An eerie silence settled over London.
It was strange, sudden, and completely unexpected.
Ichigo gripped the hilt of his Zanpakutō tightly, raising Zangetsu in front of his body. For some reason completely unknown to him, he had begun to sweat heavily as soon as he'd laid eyes on the Descorrer that had opened above the city. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up on end, and his muscles felt like they'd been wound up on a hairspring trigger.
To his left, Bambietta had assumed a slightly crouched position. Twin orbs of Demonic Energy swirled in the palms of her hands, and her eyes darted around fearfully.
To his right, Candice had taken an almost identical stance. She too looked around as if she were expecting something to jump out at them at any given moment, and electricity crackled over every bit of exposed skin on her body.
What the hell was so terrifying that it had reduced both of his new Bishops to a pair of frightened children? Not even his Resurreción had elicited such a reaction from them. Swallowing the nervous lump that had formed in his throat, Ichigo seemed to get his answer as the temperature around them suddenly dropped below freezing. The blanket of snow covering the ground was pulled into the air, swirling around and coalescing into a sphere of ice several meters in front of them.
"We're going to die…" Candice hissed.
"Hold your ground," Ichigo snapped back. "I made you a promise, didn't I?"
"We'll see if you can keep it…"
Keeping his gaze locked on the ball of ice, Ichigo watched as it suddenly dispersed and evaporated away into nothing. Standing exactly where it had been was a tall, pale woman with waist-length blue hair. Eyes of the same color looked back at him, meeting his gaze. An unnerving smile adorned the lower half of her face.
"Ichigo…" she breathed airily, and damn if that sound didn't make him uncomfortable.
"Who the hell are you?" he scowled, pointing Zangestu directly at her.
"Oh? Didn't the traitors tell you?" she mused, chuckling lightly. "Little matter. I will be more than happy to introduce myself. I am the Princess of Silbern. Heiress to the Wandenreich. I am the spear of my father's grand army… but to you I am simply Esdese Partas."
Esdese?
Weird name.
But weird name or not, the Spiritual Pressure she was exerting was nothing to scoff at. As much as he hated to acknowledge it, it was even higher than his own. That said, he'd fought and beaten opponents with Reiatsu greater than his own before. He didn't encounter such individuals often, but he wasn't too worried.
But then… why did he still feel so nervous?
"Why are you here?" he questioned.
Esdese's smile grew. "The answer to that question is a simple one. The Major summoned me because the two traitors with you failed to occupy your attention for an appropriate amount of time. The plan is not yet complete, so I will have to keep you occupied for just a bit longer." She snapped her fingers, and another Descorrer opened directly behind her. "If you'll please follow me, I'd like to get a proper taste of your capabilities. You'll have to prove your worth to me before we can proceed to the next stage."
"The next stage of what? What the hell are you talking about? If you think I'm going with you, you must be- hrrk!" Before Ichigo could even blink, Esdese was in front of him with a hand wrapped around his throat. She hauled him off his feet, pulling him so close that he could feel her breath on his face.
"Adorable," she laughed, "you seem to think that I'm giving you a choice in the matter…"
Ichigo immediately flared his Demonic Energy, embracing the power of his Resurreción.
However, before he could even prepare to launch an offensive, he was thrown to the ground. Head cracking back against the concrete, he watched in disbelief as Esdese moved even faster than Yoruichi. Her right hand wrapped around Bambietta's throat, while her left gripped the front of Candice's tattered uniform. Slamming the two girls against one another and knocking their heads together, she turned and hurled them both into the Descorrer.
Glancing back down at Ichigo, she smiled tauntingly. "If you want to stop me from killing them, you'll have to come with me whether you like it or not." With that, she sprinted forward and followed the two Reincarnated Devils into the portal.
Swearing loudly, Ichigo rushed to his feet and quickly followed in pursuit.
He'd finally arrived…
Perched on the roof of some historical building he hadn't cared to memorize the name of, Anderson watched as the HMS Eagle continued to travel up the River Thames. It came closer and closer, traveling with a swiftness far beyond what should have been possible for such a vessel. But of course, the dark veil of mist surrounding it and the heavy presence in the air quickly let Anderson know who was helming the ship.
Alucard.
The vampire's absence had been troubling him for quite some time. It was highly unlike a guard dog to leave the side of its master. It wasn't that he necessarily yearned for Alucard's presence, but better to know exactly where the monster was than have no idea at all. Keep your enemies close, and all that…
Turning away from the Eagle very briefly, Anderson peered out across the war-torn city. Most of the fires had gone out by now, replaced by thick snowbanks. The strange and sudden snowfall was still mildly puzzling, but it wasn't worth worrying about. What did worry him, on the other hand, was that he could no longer detect Ichigo Kurosaki's Spiritual Energy.
The boy had become a Devil, that much was true.
And yet, in spite of what that… Anderson still cared for him.
Ichigo had turned his back on everything the Catholic Church stood for, and responsibility demanded that he be put down just like any other abomination. But from what he'd been able to overhear during Seras Victoria's arrival, Anderson surmised that Ichigo had become a Devil all for the sake of protecting those he cared for. Falling to darkness was still inexcusable, but that didn't mean Anderson didn't understand why Ichigo had made his decision to embrace it.
That aside, he was also Masaki's son.
That fact alone granted him leniency.
But where had he gone? Ichigo's Demonic Power was more potent than the essence currently being emitted by Alucard, and it was nearly impossible for such an energy signature to just disappear without a trace. Part of him wanted to investigate, but there were far more pressing matters at hand. Ichigo was strong, and a very capable fighter. He would have to look after himself for the time being.
Gaze moving upward, Anderson glared disdainfully at the Vatican gunships still hovering over the city. He despised heretics. That was not — nor had it ever been — in question. However, he despised unnecessary slaughter even more. If he had his way, the citizens of London would have been reeducated to accept the love of God and Jesus Christ. None of the men, women, or children currently dead in the streets had deserved what had become of them.
"Maxwell… you have become the very thing you swore to destroy. You have become a monster."
Scoffing in disgust, Anderson turned his attention towards the handful of Vatican soldiers still at his side. Most of the fighting force he'd arrived with was already long dead. Only Heinkel, Yumie, and four others remained. "Check your munitions," he commanded, addressing them. "We still have a long fight ahead of us. Millennium is not yet vanquished, and now we have an entirely new target to eliminate."
"A new target?" Heinkel inquired.
Anderson nodded, eyes closing solemnly. "Yes. Before the sun has fully risen, neither the Major nor Enrico Maxwell will be amongst the living."
Shocked murmurs of disbelief broke out amongst his subordinates.
"What did he say?"
"Bishop Maxwell?"
"He wants us to kill Maxwell?!"
"He is our leader!"
"Enough!" Anderson barked, silencing the other exorcists. "Do you think I wish for this to happen? Do any of you truly think I want to cause the death of a friend I have helped raise since childhood?! Don't be fools! Maxwell has abandoned our most sacred teachings! He has spilled innocent blood! He no longer fights for our Lord in Heaven. He only fights for himself…"
Ending his tirade, he allowed the others to process his words. It was true. He didn't want to kill Maxwell. But the man had allowed his new authority to go to his head, letting himself believe that his status as Archbishop made his word law and his actions justified. Alucard was a feral beast, but Maxwell had become little more than a rabid dog.
And there was only was way to deal with the rabid…
"Prepare yourselves for what we must do," he spoke softly. "Cry if you must. Express your sorrow. Say your goodbyes to the man Maxwell once was. Once he is dealt with, we will charge for Millennium's airship."
"All by yourselves? I thought Catholics weren't supposed to be suicidal."
Anderson turned unflinchingly, watching as Alucard himself descended through the air and gently landed on the rooftop. The vampire's dark laughter was annoying, and it was very clear that he was enjoying their personal turmoil. Still, Anderson did not allow himself to react outwardly in any noticeable way.
Behind him, his subordinates raised their weapons. "Stand down," he ordered. "The vampire isn't here to fight us."
"B-but, Father Anderson!" Yumiko protested.
"What gave me away?" Alucard chuckled.
Anderson snorted passively. "You have yet to adopt a fighting stance. That aside, you and I both know that your top priority is to confirm the safety of your master above all else. I haven't seen her in quite some time, so unfortunately I will be unable to give you the information you require."
"How interesting… you do not wish to fight?"
"Make no mistake, monster. Cutting off your head and tearing out your heart would bring me no end of pleasure… but I have other business to attend to before we can settle our rivalry once and for all."
"As do I, as you've pointed out."
"Then I propose a temporary arrangement," Anderson replied. Even saying the words left a bitter taste in his mouth. "We shall hold off on our battle for the time being. You may go to your master and defend her unimpeded, and you will let me take care of my own business in return. Then we can kill each other to our hearts' content. Agreed?"
Alucard smirked. "Very well then. To be continued, Judas Priest."
With that, the vampire morphed into a black cloud of smoke and vanished on the wind.
Allowing him to leave took every ounce of self-control he possessed, but Anderson managed to calm himself with a steady exhale. Once again turning to look up at the gunships flying above, he allowed two bayonets to slide out from his sleeves and into his waiting hands.
"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Amen."
I'm sorry this chapter took so long to come out.
However, as I've said before many times, I am a college student. My school work comes first, and I have had a lot of assignments to do as of late. I appreciate all of you for being understanding of my time and personal life.
That aside, I received a VERY entitled thread of reviews recently. You can go and look for yourselves, but a certain someone decided that this story is absolute garbage simply because it didn't evolve the way they wanted it to. Look, I am more than willing to accept constructive criticism and friendly suggestions, but what is the point of such hateful comments?
I'm not going to call this guy a troll, since he honestly seemed to think he was giving me a valid critique. I will even admit that he was right about some things, such as my inclusion of the Triage X Mini-Arc. A lot of you weren't really big fans of that, and I can understand why. This story is categorized as a Bleach/Hellsing crossover, and it might be frustrating to some of you when I include plot points and characters from other series.
However, with that said, I never intended for this to be a pure Bleach/Hellsing story.
I always intended for elements of High School DxD and Percy Jackson to make an appearance. Admittedly, Triage X and Black Lagoon were some last-minute additions that I probably shouldn't have rushed into. But I want to explore the larger supernatural world outside of Soul Society and Hueco Mundo. I want my story to be unique. Personally, I think it has been so far.
Please understand that I am constantly improving as a write. I am not perfect, and neither is this story. But I am proud of it nonetheless, even if there are some things I would change if I ever decided to do a rewrite.
ALLOW ME TO MAKE THIS CLEAR:
As of right now, the first main arc of "Bloodstained Souls" will be a Bleach/Hellsing crossover, with some minor elements from other series thrown in. And yes, I do consider seven full chapters a Mini-Arc.
The second main arc of the story will mostly be a Bleach/High School DxD crossover. Characters from the first arc will still make regular appearances throughout, but I will be focusing more on the world and story of DxD before leading up to the inevitable battle with Yhwach and the Wandenreich.
THEY ARE THE ULTIMATE VILLAINS OF THIS STORY.
If that isn't clear by now, I don't really know what else to say. I do have further storylines in mind after the Blood War Arc, but I won't reveal those plans yet. You will have to wait and read those for yourself.
I'm sorry for not mentioning this in the beginning chapters, but I'd thought most readers would want to be pleasantly surprised as the story progressed. I will never understand why some people get so legitimately angry with authors for doing things they weren't expecting. If you don't like what happened, just drop the story. There is literally no need to berate an author for making a choice that you didn't personally like.
Ironically enough, the people who complain the loudest often haven't written anything of their own at all.
I'm sorry for the rant, lmao. It just makes me roll my eyes and shake my head.
AlucardsBro OUT!