Chapter Fifty-Five

Hueco Mundo

"Nghhh!"

A huge slab of stone turned over to reveal the last remaining Espada, Starrk and his other half, Lilynette. Panting, Starrk wiped the side of his head and saw blood on his palm. "Lilynette, you alright?"

His partner was mostly unscathed, thanks to Starrk shielding her. Dusting herself off, she looked around and saw what a mess everything had become. "What the heck happened, Starrk?"

Observing the carnage, Starrk saw the hellish red glow in the sky and was shocked to see Barragan, alive and changed. "I believe that's what happened." His eyes scanned the sky and found no moon hanging above it, merely fragments.

Lilynette's jaw hung low as she saw Barragan, his power making her shiver from head to toe, as if her spine wanted to run away from terror alone. "That's Barragan! What the heck happened?"

"Dunno." Starrk saw Halibel challenging him and was equally shocked by her new appearance. It was clear to his surprisingly sharp mind that she'd evolved even beyond the Espadas new Mejorada Resurección. "Looks like our Number Three just became too much for even us."

Remembering Starrk's words from before, the small child Arrancar looked down at the ground, wondering what was going to happen to them. Her eyes looked up and found that Halibel and Barragan were not the only ones battling. "Starrk! Look!"

Following Lilynette's finger, Starrk witnessed the battle between Ichigo and Aizen, Gin and Rukia and finally Tosen and Yoruichi. His eyes narrowed as he started to weigh his options.

His small partner looked up and saw the expression on Starrk's face. "What should we do, Starrk?"

For a long minute, the Primera was silent. Then he gave a reluctant sigh. "The only thing we can do, Lilynette."

Ichigo vs. Aizen

Staggering backwards, Ichigo put a hand to his side, blood spilling onto the ruined ground beneath them. Fighting through the pain, he let his body regenerate and heal the wound. He was lucky that Aizen didn't hit anything vital.

Flicking the blood from his sword, Aizen looked at Ichigo, almost disappointed. Sure, the boy had kept up with him so far, He'd certainly been more of a challenge than any of the captains or Espada, but Aizen would not fall so easily to such an opponent. "You heal well, Ichigo. Good. I would not want you to die so quickly."

Ichigo's glare intensified. The hybrid reminded himself that Aizen had only been helping him grow stronger for the intent of stealing his power. "I am not your science project!" he growled.

"No, you're nothing so complex," Aizen admitted. The two began to battle once more, their blades colliding with fierce fury. "You're a means to an end. Nothing more." Seeing Ichigo's rage only amused him even more. "Why do you hate me so much? If anything, you should be thanking me?"

"Thanking you?" Ichigo questioned, dodging a swing that could have taken his head off. "After all you've done I should be thanking you?!"

Aizen shot another purple fireball only for Ichigo to swat it away. "It was my experiment, White, that drew your father to the World of the Living where he met your mother. Had I not sent Rukia Kuchiki your way, you would have never been given the power to protect that you so desperately craved." His eyes flickered over to the battling Halibel, still engaged in her fight with Barragan. "Were it not for me, you would never have known love or fatherhood."

Ichigo gripped the white Tensa Zangetsu tighter. He didn't want to admit it, but Aizen did have a point. A lot of the good that happened in his life came from Aizen's interference. "That doesn't justify what you've put me and everyone else through! And it doesn't justify what you're planning to do with me and Halibel!"

Dodging a Getsuga Tensho, Aizen disappeared and flanked Ichigo, only for the boy to read his movements and counterattack. "Your friends made their choices. They chose to die with you here to certain death. If you wish to blame someone for their deaths, look in the mirror."

"Rghhhh!" Everything Aizen said only to serve to anger Ichigo further.

Just when Ichigo's boiling point was reached, his mentor's teachings echoed into his mind to keep him from rushing in blindly again. "Anger is pointless in battle. It provides a momentary flame of strength that burns you out when it fades away. Ichigo, I'm not one for words usually. But there are others who will seek to strike a nerve to rattle you. Anger is understandable in the heat of battle but do not give in to it. Anger is a weakness made to exploit you. Always remember to try to keep calm when your enemy attempts to blind you with words."

When Ichigo failed to rush him, Aizen gave him a knowing smile. "So I see you're starting to control yourself rather than yell over and over again. I see Halibel's teaching finally sunk in. But tell me something, boy. Let's say you defeat me and mine. You save your precious daughter and go home triumphantly. What then? The instant Head-Captain Yamamoto sees you and your friends return after defying their authority, he will without any doubt consider you threats to be eliminated. Especially after he sees you at your most powerful. "

"I'll cross that bridge when I get to it."

Shaking his head at Ichigo's response, Aizen continued, "You only touched upon the worst that the captains had to offer with Byakuya and Kenpachi. Even you would not be able to face Yamamoto, Kyoraku, Soi-Fon and Unohana and live to tell the tale. And even if you did, you would lose many of your friends in the crossfire. To someone like you, any loss would be unbearable."

"How would it have been any better if I'd joined you?" Ichigo demanded. "You schemed to destroy my hometown and wanted me to help you!"

"I was not without mercy, Ichigo. I gave my word when I said your infant would be safe. And I would have spared your friends and family the slaughter. All that would have been required was your personal sacrifice when all was said and done. Now?" The darkness returns to the rogue's eyes. "Nobody will be spared."

"Then the only thing left is for me to kill you," Ichigo told him with determination. "Everything after that can sort itself out."

"So, a child to the very end." Aizen held up his hand to throw another spell but found Ichigo standing right in front of him, grabbing his wrist as if to mock him for his previous move.

"No, I'm a Human. And not even you can take that away." Ichigo squeezed Aizen's wrist hard, hearing his bones crack. "And what I'm about to do next is not because of all the pain and misery you've put my friends and family through…" His eyes narrowed as he brought his sword up to the tip of his horn. "IT'S BECAUSE I WANT TO SHUT YOUR GODDAMN MOUTH!"

The energy buildup was instantaneous. A look of fear betrayed Aizen's face as a black and white crescent moon formed above Ichigo's head, mixing with his blood.

"GETSUGA GRAN REY CERO!"

Aizen screamed as Ichigo's vengeance tore into his chest…

Meanwhile…
Gin vs. Rukia

"Nghhh! Arghhhh!" Rukia had known pain but being impaled through the stomach by a long piece of rebar was beyond agonizing. She tried to make a second attempt to pull herself out of the rod but the pain was too much.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. You've lost a lot of blood already from the stick in your gut and my little stab to your thigh," warned Gin as he loomed over her, his sword's tip pointed at her face. "You wouldn't want to bleed out, would you?"

"Not…like you give a damn!" Rukia spat back. She still had her broken Sode no Shirayuki in her hand while she gripped the rebar. "Aizen said…that he never trusted anyone but you…from the start." Her eyes gleamed with hatred while she struggled to breathe. "You…were a traitor all along! You never cared about…anyone! Not me, not your lieutenant…or Rangiku!"

Gin remained silent. Rukia couldn't tell if she hit a nerve since Gin's face didn't change expression, his face completely unreadable.

"You're quite chatty today, Rukia. I'm not sure I like it." The silver-haired rogue held up his zanpakuto near Rukia's face, the edge threatening to skin her face off. "You were more fun when you were so easily spooked. But I guess Ichigo and your girlfriend brought you out of your shell. How boring."

In a vain attempt to stop him, Rukia swung her shattered sword at Gin's face. The traitor easily caught her wrist and pushed Rukia's chest with the hilt of his sword, making Rukia scream as she was pushed further down the rebar.

"Oh dear, you're in trouble again, Rukia." Gin's eyes opened up and the fear Rukia once held for the man returned to her as she stared into the cold blue depths. "But this time, there's no Ichigo to come in at the eleventh hour to save you. No big brother to take the hit for you. And if Kaname hasn't finished with your little girlfriend, I'll be more than happy to have fun with her next."

"You…stay away…from Orihime!" Rukia spat, growing faint from the loss of so much blood.

Deciding he was done playing with his victim, Gin pointed the tip of his Bankai at Rukia's heart. Rukia was practically dead already but he wanted to make sure he finished the job right this time. "So, any last words you want me to tell your big brother?" Gin leaned forward when he heard Rukia mutter something. "Hmm? Speak up, Rukia. I can't quite hear you."

"San no Mai: Shirafune."

Shunk!

Grimacing in pain, Gin looked down to see a blade of ice stabbing him in the chest. Blood spilling from his lips, he looked up at the smirking Rukia.

"Something you have…in common with Aizen? You both…talk too much…"

Meanwhile…
Orihime, Kisuke & Yoruichi vs. Tosen

A tense silence built as the three intruders stared down Tosen. Yoruichi kept herself between him and Orihime, not wanting to give the man another chance to strangle her.

Composing himself after his outburst, Tosen stood up straight and gripped his sword tightly in his hands. "So, I see you've furthered your Hollowfication, Yoruichi. But then, I'm not exactly sure what to call you. You're certainly more than what Szayelapporo told us you would be when he explained your modifications."

Now with her full sanity restored, Yoruichi glared at Tosen with bloodlust, angry at everything that'd befallen her. And since Szayelapporo was left braindead and presumed crushed under all the rubble, she'd gladly exact painful retribution on Tosen. "I don't care what I am. What I am doesn't matter. I'm Yoruichi Shihoin, no matter what I am."

"And you will die with the rest, no matter what you are," Tosen simply said.

In no mood to talk, Yoruichi disappeared with a burst of her new Sonido. Her glowing claw flashed brightly as she slashed at Tosen's throat. However, as fast as she was, she wasn't a normal Soul Reaper anymore and was still adjusting to her mechanical legs and wasn't used to using a new speed technique. The lag this caused was small but it allowed Tosen to avoid having his throat cut by her Reishi claws by a hair.

A swing of Tosen's sword forced Yoruichi to jump back. "So, you've gone from a captain beloved by his men to a monster who chokes young women to death? You've truly fallen," mocked Yoruichi.

"Says the abomination." Tosen pointed his sword at Yoruichi. "Cry: Suzumushi."

The sword vibrated as it released its ultrasonic attack. Grimacing, Yoruichi disappeared from view, appearing beside Tosen and knocking him away with her metal tail. "Huh, still feels odd having a tail while I'm standing upright," she mused. She saw Tosen stand up, unfazed by the hit. "Did you forget that I was called the Flash Goddess? I can move faster than your soundwave."

"So it would seem." Tosen took up a stance as he prepared his next move. "Then perhaps we should end the warm-ups."

"Are you going to use Bankai?" asked a sneaky Kisuke, sneaking up behind the blind man. The shopkeeper stabbed at Tosen, hoping to end him once and for all, only to miss. "We know all about your Enma Kurogi."

Spinning around, Tosen dodged the fatal stab by a hair, only suffering a small graze to his left side. His sword flashed in the red light as it whirled towards Kisuke's head. Ducking, the shopkeeper swept Tosen's legs out from under him. Yoruichi lunged forward at the opportunity but Tosen merely raised a hand, muttering a spell that made a bright flash of light appear in his palm.

Orihime was blinded and covered her eyes. Hearing a metallic clang in front of her, she warily opened them. Through the spots circling her eyes, she saw Yoruichi directly in front of her, her claw blocking Tosen's sword.

"You're still trying to kill Orihime? That's low!" spat Yoruichi.

"She is a bigger threat to Lord Aizen's plans than all of you, save for Ichigo and Halibel," Tosen replied before disappearing from sight when Kisuke tried to stab him from behind. The trio saw him stand atop a mound of rubble, looking down at them with a vengeful expression on his face. "Lord Aizen theorized that the girl has the uncanny ability to reject phenomena, no matter what it is. Her power is too dangerous to be allowed to exist any longer now that we cannot have her join us."

"You're a lunatic!" Yoruichi glared daggers at the man. "Your men are dead or dying! Your fortress is rubble! And by the time Ichigo is done with Aizen, there won't be a body left to bury! And even if you did defeat us all, you've still have the Thirteen Court Guard Squads!"

Kisuke walked up beside Yoruichi, making sure to keep himself between Tosen and Orihime, lest he try another sneak attack. "Yoruichi has the right of it. There's no outcome where you come out on top. Your vengeance is only going to end with your death."

"I know."

An odd silence fell upon the group as everyone processed Tosen's words. "Excuse me?"

"This world is one that preys upon the weak. There is no justice in this world. My friend's murder showed me that this world drowns in the blood of the innocent. You all have seen the injustices the Soul Society perpetuates in the name of their precious balance. Any world that pays the price of blood for peace and balance is not a world worth living in. So I resolved to change it, to make it better."

Orihime walked up behind Kisuke. She was finally starting to understand this man and why Komamura cared for him so deeply. "But…what are you going to do if Aizen wins?"

Tosen's face was blank, as if carved from stone. Yet Orihime could still feel the sadness in his voice. "Lord Aizen promised a new world with a new chance. I would be a relic of this world. Therefore I have no purpose in that new world, covered in blood."

Everyone instantaneously understood Tosen's motives. The man wanted to make Aizen's goal real. But he had no intention of living to see that goal.

Deciding that the time for talk is over, Tosen held up his sword. "It looks like Lord Aizen is having more trouble with Ichigo than I feared. Which means I need to deal with the three of you now." He looked over at Kisuke. "I see you're aware of my Bankai? But tell me, did you not think that I could command the Espada with just a simple Bankai?"

Kisuke gripped his cane tightly. He wasn't a fool and knew what the blind rogue was getting at. "So I see you're another of Aizen's experiments?"

"Do I look like one of the Espadas? Aizen practically gave them the keys to the kingdom and they still failed miserably. Yes, like your friend, Ichigo, I too am a Vizard. I underwent Hollowfication. But…" Tosen turned his sword downwards and his face turned grim. "Can your Ichigo do this? Suzumushi Hyakushiki: Grillar Grillo!"

Tosen's spiritual pressure flared, covering him in a black aura, changing him with his Resurección. Everyone was shocked and horrified as he emerged from his transformation, now a giant four-armed winged monster. The giant cricket head opened its eyes, letting Tosen see for the first time in his life. "So, this is the world," Tosen muttered, taking in the sights before his awakened eyes.

Seeing Orihime's frightened face, Tosen grinned with a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth. "What a pretty girl. I can't wait to see how ugly I can make you…"

Meanwhile…
Halibel vs. Barragan

For the last time Barragan and Halibel clashed, their weapons echoing across the empty desert. Halibel dodged another blast of Barragan's Respira, watching it hit some unfortunate Hollows far off in the distance and turn them to dust. Holding out her sword, she poured her spirit energy into it. "Cero!"

The blast was close enough that Barragan had to swing his axe and cut the beam of energy in half. "An admirable effort. You've become powerful enough that my Senescence can no longer affect you directly. But…" Barragan pointed his axe at her. "One blow from this and the deed is done."

"Then I'll just have to end you now."

"Impudent wench!" Barragan's unstable energy flared like a star about to go supernova. "You think yourself my equal? Even your best attempt to defeat me merely made me more powerful! You…" Barragan's growl was laced with hatred. "You, who claim to regain your humanity through your insipid pupil and spawn. That you would dare stand in my presence, me, the God of Hueco Mundo. I can think of no worse offense."

"You've always been nothing but bluster," mocked Halibel. "And you won't harm Ichigo or Asahi. Or anyone ever again."

Barragan's skeletal hand raised into the sky. "Again and again you defy me. Enough. Had I blood, it'd be boiling by your mere presence. You may be a worthy opponent but I will broker no rival." His gaze caught Ichigo battling Aizen and noted his more Hollowish appearance. "What a mockery your pupil has become. You and Aizen has created an abhorrent aberration. No…" Throwing his head back, Barragan started to cackle. "Your pupil would make an excellent pet for my new court. Oh yes, tormenting him with your corpse and forcing him to watch me guzzle wine with your child's skull would be most pleasing."

His hand stretching out into the night sky, Barragan's spirit energy shot into the empty void above them to form a new artificial moon, one he planned to break again and use as a projectile like he did the last one to blast Halibel to kingdom come.

"No." Halibel held her sword to the side, plucking the Mejorada Cube she'd stashed in the hilt. "You will never harm the people I love ever again."

Barragan eyed the cube suspiciously. "What do you plan to do? Will you try to grow even more powerful with that silly trinket of Aizen's?"

"No," Halibel bluntly said. "My power is my own. I swore long ago I would not use another to bolster my own strength. The power I wield now is more than sufficient. In order to attain this form I sacrificed everything within me. I am no longer just a Hollow or an Arrancar. I cast aside all that I was for this power. Ichigo's spirit energy does not suit me as I am now." Her sword started to glow with brilliant yellow light. "I am Sacrifice."

"So then, Sacrifice," Barragan taunted, raising his axe to begin his dangerous attack once more. "What will you do now?"

Silently, Halibel transferred every ounce of power into her sword. The blade extended and turned into a massive whip. Barragan braced himself as Halibel hauled back and brought his axe up to block. But Halibel aimed not at Barragan but at the ground beneath him. Tremors shook the white sands throughout Hueco Mundo, drawing the attention of all those still fighting.

"Dientes de Tiburon."

From the white desert beneath the lich king of Hueco Mundo erupted massive geysers of high pressured water. Barragan's dangerous attack fizzled out as he was engulfed by the blasts of water. His power of Senescence could not rid himself of the water in time before he was blasted. Hollows down below in the desert were washed away, crushed by the immense pressure from Halibel's attack. In one stroke Halibel had practically created an ocean in the desert.

When the geysers died down Barragan remained floating but heavily damaged. His axe had several chunks ripped out and his whole skeletal body was cracked, more energy slipping out of his body. "You-"

Barragan flared red but Halibel disappeared from sight, reappearing a foot away from the king. Raising the cube, Halibel's eyes flashed with the determination she'd gained from Ichigo. "This is for threatening my daughter!"

With a loud cry she plunged the cube into Barragan's chest.

All Barragan could do was scream as power surged through him. The red light his body was given off intensified until he shined in the sky like a red dwarf. Eating the Cleaner had made Barragan's body and spirit energy highly unstable. Adding Ichigo's volatile energy to Barragan's made him a powder keg about to blow.

"STOP!" begged Barragan. Halibel kept her hand where it was to keep Barragan from removing the cube, even as it began to succumb to Senescence, turning into bone. Her High-Speed Regeneration was taxed to its very limit to keep herself from dying in seconds. "IF YOU DO THIS EVEN YOU WILL DIE!"

Halibel glanced back at Ichigo, still fighting Aizen and then looked at Asahi, crying in Nel's arms. "I would sacrifice anything to save my family. Ichigo knows this more than anyone" She looked back at Barragan and pushed the cube into him harder, concentrating her remaining power on her Regeneration. "And if I must sacrifice myself, so be it!" As the light coming from Barragan became too much, Halibel closed her eyes and smiled.

An earthshattering scream echoed across Hueco Mundo. His skull cracking, all Barragan could do was scream as his body pushed past its limits. "CURSE YOU, HALIBELLLLLLLLL!"

The god of Hueco Mundo erupted with a fiery explosion of red and black energy, the blast lighting up the night sky like a nuclear blast.

When the bright light died down and the smoke began to clear, a small baby called out for her mother.

There was no answer.

To be continued