The shockwaves produced by the Quincy's voice beat against Hitsugaya Tōshirō's entire body. Taking to the air was barely a reprieve from that oppressive noise, but there was little else he could do to mitigate the damage. The ice covering his arms and legs chipped and fell away in small amounts every time that giant ape opened his mouth, or so it seemed.
Pouring an extra dose of power into his swing, Tōshirō launched a torrent of ice. Diversions like those would only work for so long as the enemy's voice-based power could easily shatter the ice. He was going to need to think of a way around that. Another few attacks would occupy him for a little longer.
"Matsumoto! You still with me?" Tōshirō called, swooping down to where his Lieutenant had taken cover.
"For the time being, yes. I've only got a few bumps and scratches so far." Matsumoto Rangiku's voice was reassuring and confident, but no matter how she tried to sound, her body betrayed the truth. Those bumps and scratches were leaving streaks of blood on her arms and legs. A thin line of blood ran down the side of her face as well."How about you, Captain? Hyōrinmaru is looking a little worse for wear."
"I'm fine, but this guy is putting on the pressure non-stop. I can barely hear myself think." The sound of the Quincy's roaring, hardly muffled by the half destroyed wall they hid behind punctuated his complaint.
Matsumoto pursed her lips and swung the hilt of her blade in Tōshirō's face."Well hurry up and think of something! I can't do anything because that wailing keeps blowing away my ash!"
"I'm working on it, so be patient. Unless you want to act as my decoy." Tōshirō ignored Matsumoto's protests at the suggestion and turned his attention towards the problem at hand.
The Quincy's power wasn't unbeatable. Far from it, actually. The ape-like transformation he'd undergone at the start of the fight didn't seem to offer any defensive benefits, though his increased size and muscle mass pointed towards greatly increased physical capabilities. Maintaining a safe distance was no problem with Hyōrinmaru's range and mobility, and Matsumoto's Zanpakuto specialized in ranged combat as well.
The problem, then, was that voice of his. Using immense sound, the Quincy could cause destruction in all directions at once. This made it virtually impossible for Matsumoto's Haineko to do anything effective, as it could displace any of the ash she laid down. However, the less focused his attacks were, the weaker their effects. An ear-splitting sound was little more than an annoyance on the battlefield. But when he focused the destructive force of his voice on a single target the power was greatly increased. The trade-off was coverage for power. Perhaps that was the key.
"Matsumoto," Tōshirō's Lieutenant snapped to attention. She could be reliable when it mattered, of course, "I know this is asking a lot, but I'm going to need you to draw his attention."
"Seriously? I thought you were joking before." Even as she whined, Matsumoto crept towards the edge of their cover. For all her griping, she understood that they couldn't afford to be picky with strategy. "Well? Give me the word and I'll do what I can."
Tōshirō nodded. He crept to the other end of the half destroyed wall and began observing the enemy.
Just as before, he was firing off voice attacks indiscriminately. It was as if his goal was to just cause havoc rather than defeating the Captains, as the reports suggested. When the big ape finally paused to stretch his jaw, Tōshirō gave his signal. "Go!"
Matsumoto dashed out from behind the wall and scattered her dust. She already knew it wouldn't do any good, but it didn't hurt to have a backup plan. Immediately thereafter, she began to fire Shakkahō bolts as quickly as she could manage, pelting the Quincy with the same kind of annoying barrage he'd been using to pester them.
Good! With this he'll either stay on the defensive, or choose to focus an attack on Matsumoto specifically. Either way, he's wide open! Tōshirō flew close to the ground, swinging around in a wide arc to get behind the Quincy unnoticed. Firing an attack from a distance might give him a chance to react, so the best course of action was to charge straight in. He'd finish this ape off with a direct strike!
That was the plan, but the Quincy refused to act as Tōshirō expected.
Despite Matsumoto's barrage, the ape lowered his defense and took a deep breath. Thinking quickly, she flicked her wrist, activating the dust she'd scattered before. The ash cloud sprang to life and engulfed the ape's upper body; he was too big to cover completely with the small amount of ash she'd dispersed for the distraction. She'd finally managed to connect with her Zanpakuto, but it couldn't stop the giant Quincy. His roar scattered the ash with ease and targeted her with an intense wave of pressure.
Tōshirō blocked out the sound of her crashing into the rubble of the destroyed surroundings and finished his charge, driving the extended tip of his blade into the Quincy's back. Ice began to spread around the wound immediately. With that one solid hit, they'd won!
That should have been the case.
Moments after the ape's skin started to freeze, Tōshirō realized that his blade hadn't pierced the skin at all. The Quincy turned with a smug smirk and sucked in air for another roar. Desperate to keep that from happening, Tōshirō struck again, slashing at the arms raised to defend. But still his attacks didn't leave any sort of wound. Even his ice couldn't find much purchase on those hairy arms.
All too late, Tōshirō realized his mistake. Light blue lines like swollen veins crept across the ape's arms to meet every one of his swings. The transformation may not have offered any defensive benefits, but he didn't need it to. The Quincies had a defensive technique that could hold against the power of Bankai!
With a shocking speed, the ape-like Quincy grabbed Tōshirō's shoulders and held him in place. Ice threatened to envelope his hands and arms, but those blue lines appeared to shatter the creeping frozen prison. Chest swollen with air, the Quincy roared at the trapped Tōshirō.
The explosive sound only hurt his ears for a moment before his eardrums burst. The force of the shockwaves continued to batter his body, however. The vibrating onslaught forced the air from his lungs, paralyzed his limbs, and rocked his brain, making his vision fuzzy. Hyōrinmaru's wings shattered faster than they could regenerate. After only a few short seconds, Tōshirō was barely conscious with blood dripping from his ears and mouth.
Satisfied, the Quincy tossed him in a long arc into the same pile of rubble he'd blasted Matsumoto into before.
Through his fuzzy vision, Tōshirō could just make out her unconscious body. Her injuries were noticeably worse than before, with blood flowing quite heavily from her scalp. He heard a muffled voice as he desperately tried to reach out to his Lieutenant. What was the voice saying? It was the Quincy, right? Whatever it was, it was less important than getting Matsumoto out of there. They needed to regroup and have their wounds treated.
The muffled sound of a roar reached him before the force of the noise did. He braced his battered body as best he could against the coming attack, but there was only so much he could manage in that state. He had to cover Matsumoto. If only he could move.
Hitsugaya Tōshirō lost consciousness as he and his Lieutenant were blasted into the air by the ape-like Quincy's powerful roar.
+ Break +
"Keep up, Ōmaeda!"
"Y-yes!"
2nd Division Captain, Soi Fon, and her Lieutenant, Ōmaeda Marechiyo, sped over the rooftops near the 4th Division barracks. The whole of the Seireitei was in disarray, with fights breaking out around every major landmark.
Their own barracks had been no exception, but no blue-white pillars had appeared near there, so the threat was more from the rank and file soldiers swarming out from that huge white fortress. As such, there was no need for a Captain or Lieutenant to stick around.
Soi Fon snarled at the chaotic scene below. "Nothing but small fry here too. We're moving on!" The reports had said powerful Quincies were targeting Captains, but she hadn't run into a single worthwhile opponent.
"Wait, Captain!" Marechiyo dove in front of Soi Fon. His upper lip twitched the way it always did when he tried to weasel his way out of something dangerous. "Maybe we should lend the 4th Division guys a hand. There's a lot of those white-clad bastards down there." He chuckled like a buffoon. It figured that he wouldn't be able to handle the stress of this mess.
"If anything big happens, Unohana or her Lieutenant can handle it. Now get a move on, unless you want me to give you a reason to stay." She didn't even have to crack her knuckles to get him to fall in behind her. They left the 4th Division barracks behind in search of a powerful opponent.
At that moment, the other Captains were engaged in life or death struggles, and the regular Shinigami forces were fighting just as hard. That Soi Fon wasn't in the same position meant that there were powerful enemies running rampant without someone to keep them in check. Only thirteen Shinigami Captains and who knew how many Captain-class Quincies . . . there were bound to be blind spots. That's where the greatest tragedies would occur.
Below, Soi Fon spotted a group of messengers running through the streets. From the 9th, if Lieutenant Ise's presence was any indication. She dropped from the sky, trusting Marechiyo to follow and confronted the other Lieutenant. "Lieutenant Ise, I need an updated report on the battlefield."
The mousy woman jumped when she touched down, but she recovered quickly, rifling through the thicker than normal stack of papers in her arms. Marechiyo could stand to learn from this one. "Here is the latest report we have. I'd stay and brief you, but we have orders to make base at the 4th." With a sharp salute and a concise order over her shoulder, Lieutenant Ise and the rest of her retinue took off again. Soi Fon was half tempted to have Marechiyo apprentice under that woman.
Scanning the paper revealed that many of the Captains were indeed fighting powerful enemies. Kyōraku and Hitsugaya were fighting one each, while Kuchiki and Zaraki were engaged with multiple opponents. Lieutenants Abarai and Kuchiki: Injured. Lieutenant Kira: Dead. Lieutenant Hisagi was currently struggling alone after being separated from his Captain.
A lot of options came out of that report. Zaraki was probably fine, and if Kyōraku was confident enough to send the rest of his Division away, he was probably alright on his own as well. If she was going to help at all, there were only two real choices Soi Fon could make: rush to Captain Kuchiki's aid, or rescue Lieutenant Hisagi.
"Umm, Captain?" Marechiyo tapped her shoulder, but she shrugged him off. There were more important things to worry about than his cowardly blubbering.
Thinking about it economically, it made more sense to help Kuchiki before Hisagi. Getting a Captain out of a bind would increase their available manpower considerably, while a helpless Lieutenant would only serve as a burden weighing them down.
"C-Captain!"
Kuchiki it was, then. Hisagi would be fine if he was able to last this long on his own. A little while longer wouldn't kill him.
"Captain please!" Marechiyo was practically crying. What had him so spooked?
Oh.
A short distance down the street, a lone man in a white coat stood with his hands folded behind him. His narrow eyes were fixed on Soi Fon, though he didn't look eager. He didn't look like he was feeling anything, actually. The man was the very definition of the word stoic.
Looking deeper revealed something else entirely, however. Earlier reports had said that the Quincies who emerged from the blue-white pillars had powerful Reishi signatures that could be sensed the same as a Shinigami's. If that was true, then this man was definitely one of those who came from the pillars. Power burned within him; an inferno ready to explode. Exactly what they'd been looking for.
"It was quite nice of you to wait there so patiently. You're a fool, but a polite one." Soi Fon crumpled the by now outdated report and tossed it aside. "You'll regret bringing those good manners onto a battlefield."
The Quincy shifted gracefully. His arms swung out and rested out in front of his body. His lower body moved all as one piece; his legs spreading and his hips sliding to a position that offered a perfectly centered form. A martial artist. "Manners had nothing to do with it," he said.
Soi Fon drew her short Zanpakuto and stood almost casually. Stances like those had their uses, but depending on the opponent, one could end up revealing their intent by the placement of their hands or how they centered themselves. Formless assassinations were more her style.
In the blink of an eye, she was behind him, blade halfway thrust towards his back. When the tip of her sword was about to connect, though, the Quincy moved. His body seemed to flow, taking him safely out of range of her stab. In the same motion, he turned and planted a foot between her legs. The solid short range punch came nearly as fast as she had moved initially, but Soi Fon was still able to deflect it, if only just.
She broke away, shaking the hand that had met the Quincy's strike. Those reports really were life savers. If she'd underestimated this man, then that strike would have incapacitated her. "Ōmaeda! Keep your distance and let me know if any more of these guys show up!" Marechiyo didn't need to be told twice, he disappeared almost as quickly as Soi Fon herself could. "It would be a shame if our duel were interrupted," she told the man in white.
The stoic man nodded and returned to his stance. Soi Fon was ready to charge in again, but then he spoke. "If this is indeed a duel, then why do you limit yourself so?" His eyes didn't move from hers, but she knew immediately what he meant.
She lifted her sealed blade in a shallow shrug. "You must be pretty sure of yourself if you think that one exchange was enough to make me go all out." This Quincy was quite strong; Soi Fon could tell that much at a glance, but the true depths of his strength remained a mystery. Being overly cautious could be dangerous, but so could rushing to finish a fight with one's full strength. He was hiding an ace up his sleeve, and she needed to make him reveal it before she revealed hers.
"I see. You make a good point." The Quincy straightened his body before slipping into another, more aggressive stance. "I too wish to know if you are worth the effort."
Taking a moment to size up this new stance, Soi Fon was the first to move. She moved around the Quincy more quickly than she had before, but her aim this time was not to stab him in the back. He was too skilled to fall to such a simple attack, so she needed to confuse him a bit. She bounded from one edge of the street to the other, scanning his form for an opening to exploit. He had none that she could tell.
She pushed herself faster, but still she could not find an opening. Not only that, but his eyes followed her easily despite her incredible speed.
That was more than a little annoying.
Well, if the Quincy was going to focus entirely on keeping track of her, then she'd just have to outrun his perception to the point that his head spun!
Soi Fon's feet barely scraped the ground before the next step fell as she moved faster and faster and faster. She could move fast enough to create convincing afterimages, but such simple tricks would be useless against a competent fighter like this martial artist. She had to go beyond leaving shadows.
Faster and faster she moved, zigzagging towards and away her opponent until she could follow his eyes distinctly not following her. Then she struck, appearing right in front of him. Her blade moved like a bolt of lightning, stabbing straight at his heart.
He noticed, but too late to escape unscathed. His body wouldn't be able to move out of the way fast enough, so he sacrificed a hand, allowing the tip of the blade to pierce his palm so that he may hold her thrust from going any further. It only lasted a moment, but seeing those narrow eyes go wide was very satisfying.
Still pushing her blade towards the Quincy's heart, Soi Fon sneered, "I'm impressed that you managed to catch up in the end. You might be worth taking seriously after all."
"I feel the same." The Quincy winced as blood dripped from the wound in his hand. His arm shook with the effort of holding Soi Fon back, but his stoic expression returned quickly. "It seems I have no choice but to show you my true strength." The Quincy's arm stopped shaking and any semblance of pained effort vanished from his face completely. The raging power within him pulsed. Soi Fon leapt away in that same instant.
Starting at his injured hand his skin took on a silvery color and a metallic sheen. Not a particularly threatening transformation, but the change was evident. Whatever impressions of this Quincy Soi Fon had, she would have to forget. At least, that was what she thought.
"Among powerful Quincy there is a technique for amplifying our physical abilities by flooding our blood vessels with Reishi. The name of this technique is Blut." He shifted his stance with a powerful, sweeping motion. "Blut is split into two categories: Blut Arterie and Blut Vene. The former enhances our strength, speed, agility, and every other aspect of our physical performance. The latter greatly increases our defensive capabilities." He droned on, shifting from one form to another.
Was he being serious? Never before had Soi Fon met a martial artist who would flap his gums to such an extent. Was he trying to throw her off her rhythm or insult her?
"This technique, Blut, is powerful. It has its drawbacks, however." He continued, ignoring Soi Fon's growing irritation. "First among them being that the two categories, offensive and defensive, cannot be used simultaneously. As such, even powerful Quincies must choose one or the other, or else suffer fatigue caused by trying to switch between them in quick succession." The Quincy took a powerful step forward, shaking the ground and throwing up an impressive wave of pressure. He pounded his arms and legs with solid metallic fists. "Unlike other Quincy, I possess an ability that not only matches the defensive power of Blut Vene, but greatly exceeds it! My name is Cang Du, one who has overcome Blut's critical flaw with my own power: The Iron!"
+ Shift +
Cang Du's voice echoed off the empty buildings around them. The sounds of battle were distant here. How fortunate that he would be allowed to exercise his strength in such an intimate setting. He moved his arms and legs, slicing through the air with grace earned from centuries of training. This stance in particular invited attack. Despite his usually plain expression he was incredibly excited.
"And?" The Shinigami Captain raised her voice, trying and failing to keep herself from snarling. "If that is all that you have to say, then I will be upset, Quincy. I don't have time to sit here and listen to you stroke your own ego."
Cang Du grinned, "My ego has nothing to do with this. I was merely speaking the truth. I do not like to fight with a handicap, so it is only right that I make sure my opponents know the extent of my power. Now, come. Throw yourself against my impenetrable defense and despair."
With that simple challenge, the Shinigami leapt. She launched herself at Cang Du with blinding speed. If there was anything to admire about her abilities, it was her speed. So far, he'd barely been able to keep track of her movements. Had anyone other than himself confronted this one, they may have found themselves stabbed in the back before having noticed she had moved. This time as well, her presence seemed to fade and disappear. Unfortunately for her, though, Cang Du had trained his senses, pushing them well beyond their limits.
She was aiming for his heart, that much was certain. For all her tricky tactics earlier she had opted for a foolish frontal assault. He was being underestimated it seemed. Pouring Reishi into his bloodstream, Cang Du bolstered his physical abilities. With The Iron he needn't worry about defense, allowing him to focus all of his efforts on parrying and counterattacking. There was no other Quincy more suited to close-ranged combat than him, he was sure.
In an instant, the Shinigami was inside his guard. Compared to that insane burst of speed it felt as if he was pushing his limbs through water. She stabbed at his chest. He couldn't help but grin.
He could feel the very point of her blade tear through his coat and touch his skin, but that was all. Even the power of a Shinigami Captain was insufficient to pierce The Iron!
Her eyes widened in a satisfactory manner. Surely she expected to at least leave a mark, but that was simply arrogance on her part. Cang Du pulled his fist back and slammed it into her side, throwing her back the way she'd come, bouncing against the ground. In an impressive show of fortitude, she managed to come to a stop on her feet. The damage was already done, though. That punch broke at least three ribs, maybe more. When she breathed, her whole body shuddered. She nearly fell to her knees. That would teach her to underestimate his power.
"It would seem that you did not listen to my explanation earlier. The Iron is impenetrable." Cang Du tore off his white coat, revealing his chiseled, reflective body. "Had you really been paying attention, you might have also realized that the defensive power of my Iron allows me to forgo Blut Vene entirely, and in doing so, allows me to maintain Blut Arterie indefinitely. I have achieved a perfect, unbreakable balance between offense and defense."
"Are you sure about that?" The Captain coughed a laugh, sneering like a rabid animal.
It took Cang Du a moment to realize why she suddenly looked so smug. When he looked down at his impenetrable body his eyes widened. There was a mark there, on his chest, like a star made of insect wings. He couldn't stop his nostrils from flaring. "What is this? What have you done?"
"You just now noticed?" She straightened, sneering all the way. She seemed to be ignoring the pain quite well. How infuriating. "It seems that the one who was not paying attention was you, Quincy." She raised her arm, and for the first time, Cang Du noticed that her short sword was nowhere in sight. Her arm was wrapped in a black gauntlet that ended in a single gleaming claw extending from one of her fingers. With the addition of a slim golden chain, it almost seemed to glitter as much as his Iron skin. "While you were foolishly explaining your abilities, I was making preparations of my own. Oh, and don't expect me to give you an explanation of my abilities."
Cang Du licked his lips and bit his cheek to keep his features stoic. Somehow, this woman-this dirty Shinigami-had marked his Iron! Blemished it! He wanted to demand an explanation, but the smug look on her face made it clear he wouldn't get an answer. No . . . he was losing his cool. That wouldn't do. Mistakes were made when emotions ran hot. Falling back on his training, Cang Du settled into another stance, this one more guarded. If she wouldn't tell him what she had done, then he'd just have to wait for an answer to present itself. "There is no need for an explanation," he said in a voice strengthened by his determination, "I will figure you out while you try in vain to break through my defenses!"
As soon as his voice faded into the din of distant battles, the Shinigami closed the distance once again, and once again she came straight at him from the front. If she was any kind of fighter, she would surely expect to receive another counter, which meant she was prepared to take another hit if necessary. As if trailing his thoughts, the Shinigami stabbed at his chest with her gleaming claw. She was expecting him to take the hit and counter, so he jumped back out of her range instead.
With only the barest hesitation, she tried again, pressuring him with that glittering claw. But he kept her from reaching his heart no matter how many attempts she made. It was almost too easy. With the aid of Blut Arterie he could react to her blazing speed even more competently than before. Cang Du needed little thought to protect against the same strike over and over.
Suddenly, the pieces slid into place.
"I think I have you figured out, Shinigami." Cang Du calmly reported, "Whatever your ability is, its activation is dependent on where you strike me. Specifically, you must strike me at least twice in the same place. Is that right? No need to answer. I know it is." It was his turn to be smug. However, knowing the conditions to activate her ability and being immune to it were two different things entirely. No matter how balanced his offensive and defensive power were, if she could strike his chest again, there was no telling what might happen.
The Shinigami Captain vanished. Not even Cang Du's eyes could follow that kind of speed. But he didn't need speed. He knew exactly what her goal was, so he simply needed to predict what she would do to get a clear shot of his chest, or rather, the crest imprinted there. She appeared behind him and he swung around to force her back, but his kick passed through nothing but air.
She was leaving afterimages. It was hard not to marvel at such a feat, but that was something for reminiscing after the battle was won. For now, he spun around at struck at the Shinigami that appeared at his flank, but again he hit nothing. Out of the corner of his eye he caught a flash of her blade and leapt away, but was that a real attack or another clone? Her trickery was relentless. She appeared over his head, hanging there with her claw drawn back, ready to strike. Cang Du almost jumped back, but if the Shinigami's pattern held true, then this too would be an afterimage. It could not hurt him. And just as the image above him started to fade, he noticed the very real attack coming from below.
The golden claw sliced through the space between them, leaving Cang Du no time to escape. His only option was to guard. He hastily raised an arm and caught the tip of her blade with the back of his hand. It wasn't a proper parry, but it would do. His leg sprang up from the side and slammed solidly into her guarding arm. She tried to stab at him once more, but he was prepared this time, and her speed was greatly diminished. Raising his hand again he deflected the blade. His counter missed as she retreated, however.
No matter. The exchange was his. And now she had several broken ribs and a broken arm. This fight was as good as over.
Even as she grimaced at the pain, the Shinigami Captain sneered. It almost looked like a gnarled smile, the way her eyebrows knit together. There was certainly no joy in those eyes that he could see.
Unlike her, Cang Du smiled openly. He was enjoying himself now. At last, he had proven the veracity of his power. He might not qualify for His Majesty's royal guard, but he was strong. As strong as he needed to be. Stronger than the fearsome Shinigami Captains.
Frustratingly, the Shinigami persisted in her misplaced confidence, "You're on borrowed time now, Quincy." She spat the words through grit teeth. The arm hanging limply by her side was doing a wonderful job.
Cang Du allowed himself a modicum of pride and chuckled. "Those are bold words from someone who has thus far failed to activate her ability."
"Bold or not, it is the truth. I suggest you take this time to say your prayers." She vanished again. Predicting another round of trickery, Cang Du turned while dodging to the side. Sure enough, his eyes traced a trail of afterimages making as if to surround him.
These speed clones were persisting far longer than they had before, but that would allow him to predict how the Captain would move. Following each snapshot of her movements, he'd be able to accurately determine where she would eventually try and attack from and how he could best counter.
Just as this thought occurred to him, Cang Du felt a sharp poking on his back. He swung around, burying his heel deep in the ground. Pieces of debris definitely struck the Shinigami's body. Another prick, on his shoulder this time. He threw himself around, swinging his legs around himself several times before landing. He grazed her for sure. He felt a poke on his leg.
What was she doing?! If she intended to activate her ability, she would need to strike the crest on his chest again, he was sure of it. So then why was she so fruitlessly striking him at random like this? A distraction? That must be it. She wanted to make him forget about the mark on his chest by poking at him all over. Either that, or she had lost all hope and was just attacking blindly.
No. This was a Captain of the Shinigami's Gotei 13. Their strength was at least equal to that of the Sternritter. They would not resort to such pathetic flailing.
He would not be fooled. Falling into a defensive stance, Cang Du focused all of his energy and attention on protecting his chest. The pricking continued, nothing more than an annoyance as her attacks could not so much as pierce his Iron. He felt her stab at his arms and legs, his back and neck, and even his face in a particularly bold instant. She could pester him all she liked. He would not let his focus falter.
When the Shinigami Captain appeared in front of him, coming to a stop at last, he laughed. "Disappointed, Shinigami? Your attempts to open me up have been for nothing. You depleted your stamina in vain while I persevered."
"Is that how this looks to you?" Her breathing was heavy, whether that was a result of her continuous assault or the fatigue caused by her injuries, Cang Du could not tell. "Tell me, Quincy, what makes you so sure I was trying to open you up?"
Did she think he was a fool? "What else could you have been doing? Your crest is on my chest, but you have been avoiding making an attack there. Instead, you tried to make me react to strikes around my body so that I might forget and allow you to activate your ability. You show your ignorance by underestimating The Iron!"
"My crest?" The Shinigami laughed despite her breathlessness. "Who said I was limited to just one?"
The words sounded hollow in Cang Du's ears. Was she bluffing, or could he really have misjudged her ability? He could check if she was lying with a quick glance, but she could use that split second to close the gap and strike his chest.
"You're sweating, Quincy. Are you sure you want to be ignorant of your own failure in your final moments?" She sneered at him. That damn smug sneer! She was mocking him. Making him look the fool! Well, he would show her. He'd look and see that she was lying, and then he'd show her that his martial arts weren't just for defense. He'd go on the attack and make her regret crossing paths with him.
For the briefest of moments he let his eyes slide down to the spots on his arms where he felt her claw before snapping them back up to the Shinigami herself. His heart beat hard and fast, and he couldn't stop himself from trembling. His entire body shook. A tightly clenched jaw was the only thing keeping his teeth from chattering.
Had a mark sprung up at every point of contact? That was insane! She'd poked him all over. His body must have been covered.
The Captain took a step toward him and he took one back reflexively. The satisfaction in her eyes was unbearable. "You seem frightened. That is understandable. Your death is inevitable, though not for the reason you might be thinking."
"What do you mean?" He nearly shouted. She hadn't struck him in the same place twice, he was sure. All of those pricks were in different places. Was she really just messing with him? "You could have activated your ability at any time, so why do this?!"
"Because I'd already activated it. My ability." The frankness of the statement made Cang Du's vision swim. There was no desperation or humor in her voice. She was telling the truth. But how? When?!
As if reading his mind, the Shinigami smugly tapped the back of her hand. He raised his own hand, his eyes falling on the crest there, and a sickly wave of realization washed over him. When she had been aggressively gunning for his chest . . . he'd done it to himself.
Cang Du stomped the ground, slipping into one of the most aggressive stances he knew. "This is a war! I do not think very highly of the Shinigami, but I do not doubt you take this battle as seriously as we do. It is unthinkable that one of the Shinigami's leaders would waste their time playing with an opponent that they could have easily beaten. So then this ability of yours must not be effective after all! There is no other explanation!"
"You do like to run your mouth. Ōmaeda!" The Captain's subordinate appeared in a flash despite his unfit physique and supported her as she wavered. This was the perfect opportunity! She was in no state to continue the fight. Cang Du could charge them both and destroy them right now!
But her words stopped him. "I said I wouldn't give you an explanation, but seeing as how you're already dead, I'll let you know how it happened." She raised her gauntleted hand. Cang Du swallowed hard. "My Zanpakuto's ability is called Nigeki Kessatsu. My first strike applies the crests you see all over your body. A second strike to any of those crests seals my opponent's fate. Normally, this ability would activate right away, but it seems that your powerful Reiatsu has delayed the process somewhat. You can take pride in that fact."
Cang Du's eyes had long since frozen on the crest on the back of his hand. The Iron had been useless. Blut Arterie had been useless. Centuries of training had amounted to nothing!
He'd failed.
He wasn't able to make proper use of the power Lord Haschwalth bestowed on him.
He wasn't able to fulfill the purpose His Majesty Yhwach had given him.
He failed.
+ Shift +
A glow enveloped the Quincy's body as he stared dumbly at the mark on his hand. Had he heard her explanation or not? Not that it mattered now.
"Let's go, Ōmaeda." Soi Fon turned away, leading her Lieutenant despite leaning on him.
"Are you sure we should leave him, Captain? I mean, we haven't confirmed his death yet."
She shot him a piercing look and he shrank back. As spineless as always. "He's already dead. If you are so eager to see a man die, then stay. Just know that I'll send you right after him for refusing to follow my orders."
Ōmaeda squealed and picked up the pace. He was almost pulling Soi Fon along. She wanted to give him a good thumping for ignoring her injuries like that, but she brought it on herself. What else should she expect from a coward?
They were barely still close enough to hear the air shake when the Quincy finally succumbed to Suzumebachi's venom. His immense Reishi vanished along with his body. Or, at least some of it did.
Soi Fon spun, ignoring the pain from her injuries and scanned the now empty street. It hadn't been her imagination, she was sure. Part of that Quincy's power hadn't disappeared. But if that was the case, where had it gone?
+ Break +
The 7th Division barracks were devastated.
Barely anything of the main structures remained, what was left of the walls now obscuring much of the ground. Amidst the rubble, it was hard to imagine that anything still stood. Nothing but ruined piles as far as the horizon. Even as tall as he was, standing well above most other members of the Gotei 13, Komamura Sajin couldn't fully grasp the scope of the destruction.
He'd been away when the invasion began. Few of the Captains were assigned to work in their own Division's facilities in the days since Lieutenant Sasakibe's funeral. A threat had been made, a challenge issued. They needed to prepare, and this was how the Captain-Commander saw best to go about it. Perhaps if they'd had some warning. If those blue-white geysers had appeared first, then maybe they could have regrouped and responded more efficiently.
Sajin's eyes scanned the horizon, taking in the mess the Quincies had left him until they hit a large building in the distance; far off, yet near-seeming in its immensity. It was the fortress that had materialized first, not the geysers. That was the truth and there was no point wishing it were any other way.
Division 7 was the first to engage the enemy forces as they streamed from that out-of-place stronghold. And they were first to feel their might.
The forces that were stationed here were scattered. Sajin had seen only a few pockets of wounded Shinigami being treated by their equally injured companions. The fighting was still going on; to most ears the air would sound eerily quiet, but the sounds of distant battle reached his ears loud and clear. The shouts of his subordinates, both desperate and triumphant, came from all around. There was another sound, though, loud and continuous, that drew his attention above all others.
Explosions. He drew nearer the source as he made his way to where the barracks once stood. The ominous Reiatsu there made his fur stand on end. The owner was the source of the explosions; the one responsible for demolishing his Division.
Komamura heard the Quincy whistling cheerfully before he could see her, so when the woman in the billowing white cape finally came into view standing before a line of collapsed Shinigami, his rage was at its peak.
"Stand! Soldiers of the 7th Division!" He howled. His voice carried out over the plain of destruction, quieting all other sounds. Even the distant clash of swords halted under his call. "Loyal members of the Gotei 13! On your feet! Support each other if you must! Do not let this whelp trample on your pride!" As if energized by their Captain's roar, the members of the 7th Division scattered about began to stir and rise. Spirited cheers responded to his call.
The 7th would not be beaten easily.
It took no more than a moment to locate his Lieutenant, Iba Tetsuzaemon, in the crowd. "What happened here? And who is this Quincy that thinks she can get away with disgracing us like this?"
"Captain! I'm so happy you're okay!" Tetsuzaemon was fine in spirit, it seemed, but his body was riddled with deep gashes and burns. Most of the other Shinigami had similar injuries, if not worse. "I'm sorry, Captain, the enemy appeared before we could react and started throwing bombs everywhere. We were caught off guard but that is no excuse!"
Bombs, was it? That would explain the scope of the carnage. These Quincy were fearsome indeed. Still, the Captain of Division 7 couldn't stand idly by while his subordinates risked their lives. Komamura left Tetsuzaemon to direct the rallying troops and stalked towards the enemy.
"Hey, hey, what's the deal? You guys were about to kick the bucket just a second ago! What gives?" The Quincy waved her saber at the growing crowd, seemingly unaware of the threat bearing down. But that was unlikely. She was strong; as strong as a Shinigami Captain at least. No doubt she was prepared, so there was no need to feel guilty about attacking her back.
"Roar! Tenken!" Komamura raised his sword and Tenken's giant phantom arm appeared at his back. His own blade cut the air as he mercilessly swung it, but Tenken's blade easily reached the Quincy. The ground where she was standing was shattered, but as expected she avoided the strike.
"Ooh, a doggy! How lucky am I to meet such an adorable opponent?" She hopped through the air on small Reishi platforms with a wicked smile on her face. "You know, I had a puppy when I was little . . ." She vanished, reappearing right under Komamura's nose, mid-swing, "I crushed its head under my boot!"
It took a tremendous amount of effort to keep from being blown away by that one swipe of her sword, but Komamura's feet remained planted as he met her blade with his. Their weapons shook under the strain of the deadlock.
Even throwing his weight into the struggle he could barely keep the Quincy back. But it would take more than that to defeat a Captain of the Gotei 13! "Did you think I couldn't use my ability if you got up close?" He raised his foot and stomped down hard enough to crack the ground. A moment later Tenken's phantom leg crashed down, forcing the Quincy to disengage.
"Now! Support the Captain!" Tetsuzaemon's order rose over the sound of cracking earth. The crowd of Shinigami that had encircled them during their brief collision collapsed onto the Quincy.
They did well to overwhelm her in that instant. Though she deftly avoided many attacks, just as many landed solidly. Rather than causing any significant damage, though, each blow just seemed to annoy her more. "I'm trying to fight the doggy. Buzz off!" The attack she launched almost came out too quickly to sense, but in that brief moment, Komamura felt her fire something from the tip of her saber.
Then a line of Shinigami exploded.
The rest of the 7th's soldiers scattered, giving their Captain plenty of room to act. Tenken's blade came crashing down, but the Quincy parried the attack, leaping towards him once again. Komamura swung his free arm, blocking her advance with another of Tenken's phantom limbs. The same trick wouldn't work twice!
The Quincy threw a small ball of Reishi at the arm and a shockingly massive explosion dispelled Tenken's defense altogether. Once again she appeared just in front of Komamura, but he was ready this time.
Just as she was halfway through her attack, he too was mid-swing. He wouldn't be caught with a flimsy guard again. His sword came down with the full force of his strength, forcing the Quincy to her knees. If her bombs could hold off Tenken, then he'd need to overpower her hand-to-hand.
"I took you for an old dog, but you learn pretty quick, don'tcha?" The Quincy's wild smile shifted to a snarl and back again. She clearly wasn't used to being forced down like this. "These days, violent pets like you get put down."
"Is that so? Then I suppose I should put you down, vicious mongrel that you are," Komamura growled, grabbing her neck. With a quick twist he lifted her off the ground, robbing her of any sort of footing. Before she could respond he flipped her over his head and slammed her back down with a thunderous crunch. He felt the blood she coughed up onto his hand before he could see it.
It was a powerful attack, but not enough to kill an enemy of this caliber. He needed to finish her off for sure. Tenken's blade appeared overhead as he raised his own, point down.
A ball of Reishi shot through the dust, but it wasn't fast enough. Komamura shifted his grip on Tenken and swatted at the almost invisible explosive. It disappeared just like that. Those bombs wouldn't be able to touch him if that was the fastest she could launch them. Her chances of success were even lower if that was all it took to destroy them.
When he brought the sword up again, it exploded in his face. Like before, the blast was enormous for how small the actual explosive was. As a surprise attack, it was very effective. Komamura flew across the ruined grounds of the barracks and crashed into a smoldering pile of rubble.
"Captain!" Tetsuzaemon arrived at his side in seconds.
"I am alright, Tetsuzaemon." He stood, effortlessly shrugging off chunks of rubble. Blood stained the side of his face. "It was a mistake to assume I could defeat this foe without giving it everything I have."
"I'll have everyone make room," his Lieutenant said, understanding his intentions.
There was no need to give an order. The Shinigami of the 7th Division were well trained, and they wouldn't fecklessly interfere in their Captain's fight. They knew their place was to support in this situation, so their Captain had to make sure they had someone to support.
"Bankai!" Komamura's body was enveloped in a raging aura of spiritual energy. The ground shook and the collapsed buildings shifted. From the rubble, in much the same way as Komamura himself, Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō emerged with a shower of stone and wood.
Shunpo brought him back to the action with his giant companion mimicking his movements precisely. The Quincy may not have recovered yet, but he would not take pity on her. He swung his sword and Tengen's massive blade crashed into the ground. Without a moment's hesitation Komamura swung again and again, tearing up what was left of the 7th Division's barracks. The mess kicked up by the destruction obscured his vision, but Komamura didn't need to see an enemy like this. He could feel her massive Reiatsu barely avoiding his attacks.
But then she stopped, and suddenly, her Reiatsu spiked. A bright column of light erupted within the haze of demolition, topped by a five-pointed cross. The Quincy's Reiatsu swelled and exploded. As the light faded, what must have been hundreds of motes of concentrated Reishi shot out from its center, each one carrying a massive amount of power.
Komamura drew Tengen back and slashed at the incoming Reishi orbs. The giant blade of his Bankai swept through the orbs, dissipating them easily. After a brief delay, another volley emerged from the still opaque cloud of dust.
And then Tengen's sword exploded.
The shock was indirect, but it still staggered Komamura, the damage travelling through the link with his Bankai throwing him off balance. The second volley of bombs arrived before he could recover, and several orbs struck Tengen's chest. They vanished on impact.
No, that wasn't quite what it was. The Quincy's Reishi was still present, but it was as if it were spreading out inside of Tengen's armor.
The armor on the giant's chest exploded, sending a massive shockwave directly barreling into Komamura's chest. His eyes bulged as the impact spread throughout his body. Blood flooded his throat and he couldn't help but gag. It burned.
Tengen vanished, quickly fading away with smoke billowing from its destroyed chest armor. And Komamura fell. Regret that he could not fight alongside his comrades for the sake of the Seireitei until his last breath dominated his thoughts as consciousness left him.