Chad tilted his head back and stared up into the sky. At some point, the mostly clear blue of the Seireitei's atmosphere bled into an almost pitch black. The immense floating palace of the Soul King stood out, a blank spot in that dark field, even with those black fingers wrapped around its base. The contrast almost hurt to look at. He couldn't make much sense of it anyways.
Most things in his life made sense. Fighting, in particular, was easy to parse. People came together and hit each other until someone fell down. Even as the circumstances became more and more complicated, Chad still got it. When someone he cared about was at risk, it made it even easier. This business with Soul Kings and fundamental aspects of the universe, though? It went way over his head.
He looked to Ichigo and Ishida when things got like this. They were all the same age, but those guys were a part of this world. When monsters jumped out of the shadows or the end of the world was looming over them all, those two stood tall. It was because they were who they were that Chad could focus on who he was. What he knew.
Unfortunately, the current situation was a mystery to all of them.
"Just what are you expecting me to do, exactly? I'm just as stuck as you." Ishida stood with his arms crossed, head tilted back. Ichigo stood beside him, head tilted the same way.
"I'm just saying, Quincies have that Hirenkyaku thing, right? Can't you do something?"
"Like what? Carry you? Sorry, Kurosaki, but no. Even if Hirenkyaku worked, I wouldn't have you hanging off of me. Let alone all three of you."
Ichigo clicked his tongue, but didn't press the issue further.
Chad sighed. They'd had the same argument in a few different ways already. After reaching the 1st Division headquarters, they'd discovered that they couldn't just jump up through the air to the Soul King's palace. Some quirk of the Reishi emanating from the floating building was preventing them from using their respective movement techniques. They'd managed to get on top of the headquarters with relative ease, but going any higher was proving impossible.
"Maybe we could chop it down?" Ichigo said.
"Honestly, Kurosaki, that's the silliest idea yet. Even if we could sever that pillar of power, the palace would just float even further from our reach."
"You don't know that for sure."
"I don't need to know. It's simple logic."
Another dead end.
Chad knelt beside Orihime, hoping to pick her brain for some ideas. She handed him a tiny bun. "Where did this come from?" He said.
"I packed a few before we left Karakura Town. I figure we can't fight our best on an empty stomach!" She said, digging into her own palm-sized roll.
"Good thinking." He took a bite. Yep, stale. He shoved the rest of the bread into his mouth anyways. "So, what do you think about this thing with the big hand? Any ideas?"
Orihime wiped the crumbs from her face and tapped her chin, "Hmm . . . I feel like getting rid of the hand is worth a try. I can't be sure, but maybe I can reject it? But then, we'd have to hope that it's the hand that's preventing us from jumping up there normally. If it isn't, then the palace might just float further away. Then we'd be stuck for sure."
Yeah, that about summed up Chad's thoughts as well. The issue with relying on both Ichigo and Ishida was that they were both probably right in their own way.
"What about you, Sado-kun? Do you have any ideas?"
"Not really . . ." Chad tilted his head back, following the undulating, black arm up into the sky. This wouldn't be such an issue if he could just hit the thing and be done with it. "But maybe . . ." He'd done just that with other big monsters in the past, hadn't he? And what was this thing if not an extra big monster? He blinked.
Then he stood and started walking towards the base of the arm. A swirling black void filled his vision as he approached. This thing was connected to the power of the Soul King. There was no guarantee it was safe to touch, if it was even tangible at all, but it was worth a try.
Worst case, he'd tumble into the darkness and disappear forever.
Chad swallowed and pulled back for a punch. Power coalesced around his arm, forming a slim white armor that greatly enhanced his strength. Chances were good he'd do little to no damage to the thing, but if he could at least prove that it could be damaged, then they'd be one step closer to solving this problem.
He shifted his weight and rotated his hips. His fist surged forward and slammed into the darkness with a dull thud.
It didn't even flex. The arm was more solid than anything Chad had ever encountered. And yet, it didn't really feel that hard. It was soft to the touch, if anything. He ran his fingers over the surface, applying pressure here and there.
The dark arm was certainly solid, and it didn't appear to repel Chad in any way. Touching it didn't hurt, nor did it set off some self-defense mechanism. It was almost like a tree. A really, really big tree.
So he hopped on. The void didn't flex or deform when he hit with a great deal of strength, but when he tried to grip it, the surface slid and bunched up in his hands. It was almost like the skin of an enormous animal.
It was kind of disgusting.
He could take hold of the outside layer of darkness, but the larger structure was undeniably solid. Chad reached higher and pulled himself up onto the arm. It held his weight and he was able to cling to the side. With a few quick lunges, he was able to drag himself up over the side and onto the top.
He turned to find Ichigo and Ishida staring up at him. Orihime was already halfway up.
"You guys coming?" Chad said, smiling. He helped Orihime get over the edge as the other two scrambled towards the arm.
The angle of the giant limb was shallow enough that they could hike most of the way to the palace, but steep enough to make it a difficult journey. They were so close to their destination. So close to what would hopefully be the final battle.
"Ready?" Chad said, helping Ishida up.
"Do you even need to ask at this point?"
"Don't suppose I do." He turned to Ichigo, tilting his head towards the palace. Ichigo nodded and took off jogging up the length of the dark arm.
Chad fell in behind him, feeling just a little more confident.
+ Shift +
Ishida pulled himself up into the Soul King's palace at last. His legs ached from the hike, a dull burn running up his thighs from his knees, but otherwise, he felt fine. And that was concerning.
The others weren't faring quite as well. Kurosaki was breathing heavily and sweating a fair bit, but Chad and Orihime were practically gasping, hands on their knees.
They didn't seem to notice the discrepancy. That Ishida was barely winded. That his skin was dry. That he didn't seem fatigued in the slightest. Perhaps they did notice and just didn't care. If that were the case, it would be . . . somewhat comforting. That small comfort could not banish Ishida's concerns entirely, however.
The escalation of his power was accelerating.
That it was beginning to affect his physical stamina was ultimately a good thing, but he couldn't shake the unease.
His time was drawing closer and closer. Every second was another step towards the end of his life as a Quincy.
"Alright, let's keep moving. Stay close." Kurosaki said. The rest of them followed him as he started running down the mind-bogglingly spacious hall. Ishida took up the rear, partially so that he could watch the others' backs, and partially because he wanted to think.
He'd had plenty of time to contemplate what was effectively the end of his life. At the end of his explosive ascent he would crash and burn. The warring aspects inside of him would destroy each other and he'd be left as a mere human.
It was funny, in a way. Just a couple of years ago, he would have been beyond bitter at the idea of being just a human being. It would have been galling enough to make him sick. He wasn't too bothered by the prospect now, though. He'd experienced a less permanent loss of power before, maybe that was why.
Or maybe being a Quincy didn't feel like something to be so proud of anymore.
Ishida cursed himself. That train of thought was self-destructive. His personal pride in his heritage and his family was fighting a brutal war with his rage and hostility towards the Wandenreich, and the parts of himself that he cherished most dearly were taking heavy losses.
This couldn't continue. He'd lose himself completely if it did.
He clutched the satchel at his side and hoped that the tools inside would help him ward off that darkness.
The grand halls stretched on and on, only broken up by the occasional curve. The floor appeared flat, but as Ishida stole glances out of the windows lining the walls, he saw that they were indeed climbing higher.
He trusted Kurosaki's judgment–to a certain extent–but surely they would need to venture further inward to reach their goal.
"Damn!" Kurosaki said, stopping suddenly. He drew his swords, Chad and Orihime flanking him, ready for a fight. Ishida blinked. He hadn't noticed the approaching enemy. So much for watching the others' backs.
Jugram Haschwalth, leader of the Sternritter and the Quincy king's right hand, marched towards them. His face was serene, but his posture was anything but. Each step he took looked like he was trying to dig into the floor and kick up chunks of stone. His shoulders were stiff and tense. His back was arched, ever so slightly, like a predator just about to pounce.
With a flash of blue-white light, a large shield appeared at his side, and from that, he drew a sword. "A group of children . . . I shouldn't be surprised. The Balancers would lay their burdens on the shoulders of others."
Ishida barely heard the words he spoke. His heart thundered a dangerous rhythm.
"Regardless of your youth, I will not hesitate to end your lives. Such is my duty as His Majesty's greatest shield." Haschwalth said.
Ishida stepped up behind Kurosaki and spoke softly, "You three should go on ahead."
"Are you kidding? You can't fight this guy on your own, Ishida." Kurosaki snapped.
Part of him felt the same. Haschwalth was much more powerful now than he was when they first met. A function of his ability to impart power, no doubt. "You can't afford to get caught up in a fight here. At the very least I can hold him off while you rescue Ukitake."
Kurosaki clicked his tongue. "Why the hell did you pick now to start making sense?" He looked to Orihime and Chad, and they nodded. They each spared him a look filled mostly with concern, but with a hint of confidence as they started sliding towards the wall.
"And where do you think you are going? I would not let any filthy Shinigami pass me here, let alone one of the Special War Potentials." Haschwalth's eyes tracked Kurosaki. He was ignoring Ishida completely.
Rage bubbled up in Ishida's throat, but he would not let his opponent's arrogance go to waste.
Haschwalth simply watched the others inch further forward until they were about even with him. He took a step towards them. Then Ishida loosed an arrow.
A blue-white bolt tinged with dancing black light slammed into Haschwalth's hastily raised shield, knocking him off balance. Kurosaki reacted immediately and led the other two in a sprint further down the hallway.
Ishida half expected the leader of the Sternritter to give chase right away, but he didn't. The enemy Quincy stared, wide-eyed, at the spot where Ishida's arrow made contact.
And his serene mask dissolved.
The eyes that finally found Ishida burned bright. Deep creases distorted Haschwalth's face in a primal snarl. Ishida couldn't stop himself from smiling.
"You seem surprised," he said. "Is it so shocking that another Quincy could approach your level without your influence?" He drew back, another black-tinged arrow forming at his fingertips.
Haschwalth reared back, raising his sword high. Ishida braced himself for an attack, but none came. To his surprise, the Quincy leader stabbed his blade into the floor hard enough to make the cavernous walls shake. The stone at his feet split in ten different ways. Ishida took a reflexive step back as one crack shot between his legs.
"You disgusting cur!" Haschwalth did not merely raise his voice, nor did he growl. He screamed, voice cracking. "You dare call yourself a Quincy?! You dare use holy Quincy techniques?! You, who has been tainted by the power of the Balancers, dare to live with righteous Quincy blood coursing through your veins?!"
Ishida's throat was suddenly very dry. Haschwalth's power was growing at an alarming rate. He was getting stronger.
The Quincy leader pulled his sword from the floor and leveled it at Ishida. "Your putrid taint will no doubt corrupt the creation of the new world. I will cleanse it!" His Spiritual Pressure soared, becoming almost indistinguishable from the god-like power permeating the air. Just how powerful was he?!
Ishida reached for his belt and quickly took hold of one of the hilts hanging there. He sent Reishi through it, producing a bright blue-white blade. It's color and light were brighter and clearer than he'd ever seen in his Seele Schneider, save for a streak of black running up its length.
That dark mark drew his eye. That wispy black line was evidence of his ever increasing Spiritual Pressure, but it also served to remind Ishida of his looming time limit. He needed to finish this fight quickly and catch up with the others.
But would his power be enough to overcome the spiritual volcano that was Jugram Haschwalth?
+ Break +
Orihime perked up as a wall came into view. Finally, an end to this endless hallway. Her physical conditioning was nothing to sniff at, but if they'd had to go for much longer, she definitely would have ended up winded again.
Kurosaki-kun slowed to a stop just outside an ornate door that served as the only feature of the gigantic white wall. He looked at that door for a while, not saying anything. And he didn't need to. Orihime could tell what he was thinking. She could feel it too.
Whatever it was that waited for them on the other side of this wall was insanely powerful. The Spiritual Pressure that had been stifling from so far away was suffocating up close.
It was daunting. More than daunting, but she'd come too far to back down now. She wouldn't be pushed out of the way by an ominous presence alone. She took a deep breath and stepped up beside Kurosaki-kun. Sado-kun did the same.
"This is it," Kurosaki-kun said. "Are you guys ready?"
"You bet," Orihime said.
"Yeah," said Sado-kun.
"Alright. Let's go save Captain Ukitake."
Sado-kun's arm transformed and he threw a punch that nearly demolished the huge wall. Kurosaki-kun charged through the dust, swords drawn. Orihime followed close behind.
The chamber was fairly well lit with lanterns on the walls glowing brightly enough to see that, despite its size, the room was mostly empty. When Orihime saw the people in the middle of the chamber, she gasped. Captain Ukitake was there, but he looked like a corpse. His skin was pulled tight over his bones in some places, sagging in others. He was kneeling, but his limpness made it look like he was being held up by strings. She could barely see his eyes, but even then she could tell that they were glossed over. Lifeless. The emaciated Captain wasn't the most shocking figure, however.
A tall man in a dark uniform stood beside Captain Ukitake. On his own, he probably cut an imposing silhouette, but it was the darkness draped over him that really gave Orihime and the others pause. It was similar to the dark arm that held the Soul King's palace, but it looked more alive. It wriggled and squirmed like a bubbling mass of hot tar. The inky blackness of it started at the top of the man's head and ran down his back like an odd cape.
It was wrong.
"Yhwach! That's who you are, right? The so-called 'Quincy king'?" Kurosaki-kun said, raising his Zanpakuto.
The man turned and Orihime gasped. The darkness hung over his face, covering his eyes. It looked to be fused to his skin. It was a parasite, Orihime thought, a dark parasite that had attached itself to his body.
"Ah, so you are Kurosaki Ichigo. I have been waiting." Yhwach's voice rippled through the air, distorted by some unknowable force. "Even now I cannot perceive your future. What is it about you that conceals you from even Pernida's eyes, I wonder?" He took a step forward. It was just one, single step, but the entire room seemed to warp around his movements.
Orihime was prepared to face whatever came, but she couldn't shake the nerves now that they were face to face with this man. That thing on his head was just so wrong!
"Hmm . . . I suppose Jugo did not give you a proper welcome, did he? Then allow me. Welcome, pawns of the Balancers, to my palace. Very soon, this chamber will become the seed of a new world. One where injustice and pain are mere figments." Yhwach paused. Then he smiled. "I can see your response, but I will make my offer regardless. The three of you are innocents in my eyes. Your lives have been touched by tragic circumstances brought about by Hollows and Shinigami alike. Even you, Kurosaki Ichigo. Though your soul possesses aspects of both Hollow and Balancer, it also contains the essence of the Enders. I will rid the world of the Hollow menace, and end the tragic cycle of rebirth perpetuated by the Balancers. I will free you of your impure qualities, and you can live out your lives, in peace, in my new world. All you must do is turn back and leave this place."
"We'll be leaving, but not until we save Captain Ukitake." Kurosaki-kun pointed the shorter of his two swords at Yhwach. He didn't waiver. There wasn't the slightest bit of hesitation or uncertainty in the way he was carrying himself.
Watching him sapped the pressure and anxiety right out of Orihime. She took a deep breath and steadied herself. That darkness wasn't really that scary. Gross, yes, but not scary.
"That is a shame," Yhwach said. "For you see, Ukitake Jūshirō is beyond saving. The right hand of the Soul King has claimed him. Soon enough, all that will remain of him will be a withered husk."
"We won't let that happen!" Kurosaki-kun swung his blades and a cross-shaped blast of Reishi surged towards Yhwach. The Quincy king raised his hand and the darkness surrounding him wriggled, extending an inky tendril into the attack's path. The two forces collided and . . . nothing happened. Kurosaki-kun's attack was dispersed and the dark tendril withered away, but there was no explosion or burst of power. They just . . . stopped.
The exchange bore an eerie similarity to Orihime's own ability to reject.
Yhwach sighed and took another step. The darkness hanging from him convulsed. His cowl grew.
The darkness hit the floor and sank into the stone. It spread, fanning out around Yhwach, probing and wriggling. Yellow spots began to appear along its surface. They flowed along the blackness in every direction; coming together, spinning around, and dispersing to cluster with other spots. A number of spots slid up Yhwach's back and settled in a messy pattern over his face, giving the impression of sickly, inhuman eyes.
"One final warning: Standing against God is a grave sin. If you will not step aside, then I will smite you myself. So come, Kurosaki Ichigo. Stand before me and be swept away by my divine will."
Kurosaki-kun and Sado-kun took off, sprinting to either side of the Quincy king. Yhwach calmly turned away from Sado-kun, ignoring his fists, and leaned in to meet Kurosaki-kun head on, a sword appearing in his hand. Kurosaki-kun swung his blades in a blur, but Yhwach deflected every strike, and Kurosaki-kun quickly started losing ground. Sado-kun fought desperately to reach the Quincy's back, but a mass of black tendrils lashed at him, delaying him.
In a matter of seconds, both Sado-kun and Kurosaki-kun were sent sliding to opposite sides of the chamber.
Yhwach gave chase, reaching Kurosaki-kun before he could recover. He swung his sword, but Orihime erected a golden barrier between the two. The Quincy's sword bounced off of Santen Kesshun with a satisfying clang. A hefty crossbow appeared in Yhwach's other hand, and Without turning away, he fired a shockingly dense bolt at Orihime. For a brief instant, she panicked, bracing herself for death. But she held the barrier keeping the enemy from reaching Kurosaki-kun. She couldn't start doubting her friends now. They had to work together.
Sado-kun was in front of Orihime in an instant. The shining bolt struck his shield arm and exploded, but he stood strong. While Orihime shielded Kurosaki-kun, Sado-kun could shield her. They could do this!
Yhwach smiled at them, and the hair on the back of Orihime's neck stood on end. She spun, just in time to see Sado-kun leap over her and engage a mass of tendrils that had sprouted from the ground behind them.
Orihime dispelled her barrier, allowing Kurosaki-kun to rejoin the fight. He slammed into Yhwach, swinging his swords in a flurry. The aggressive attack forced Yhwach to backpedal. As if in response, the tendrils attacking them became languid and slow, giving Orihime and Sado-kun an opportunity to reposition. The tendrils didn't chase them.
Sado-kun rushed to Yhwach's back, but once again a writhing mass sprouted in his path. This time, though, he had Orihime backing him up. Koten Zanshun split the tendrils at the base, causing them to dissipate completely. The way was open.
As Sado-kun approached, however, Yhwach summoned an even greater mass of tendrils between himself and Kurosaki-kun, forcing him back. Yhwach turned, alarmingly quick, and slashed at Sado-kun. Santen Kesshun protected him, but the sword stopped mid swing. Before Orihime could process the shift, Yhwach fired another bolt directly at her. Sado-kun leapt to intercept, but the moment he left the protection of her barrier, Yhwach resumed his swing and caught Sado-kun across the back.
Kurosaki-kun appeared in front of Orihime to deflect the arrow, but Sado-kun flew across the chamber, trailing blood.
Orihime moved as quickly as her feet could take her and Kurosaki-kun followed close behind. She knelt down beside Sado-kun and began rejecting the wound. It wasn't too deep, fortunately, but he'd be out of the fight if she didn't act quickly.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a writhing cluster of tendrils gathering at Yhwach's feet. They shot up towards the ceiling, towering over their master. Their ends pointed down, straight at Orihime and the others. Motes of blue-white light appeared at the tip of each tendril. Uneasy, Orihime looked up at them. She saw that each little light was shaped like a bow, uncomfortably similar in shape to Ishida-kun's. They glowed brighter, preparing to fire.
"Getsuga . . ." Kurosaki-kun planted his feet and crossed his arms. His power swelled as he planned to meet the barrage about to bear down on them.
The tendrils flashed.
"Tenshō!"
An incredible, blinding explosion filled the chamber.
+ Break +
Ishida slammed into one of the remaining pillars in the grand palace hallway. The surface cracked, but the structure held. That was a nice change of pace. There was a trail of destruction running along both sides of the corridor, mostly created by Ishida's body.
He pushed himself up, breathing heavily. His back and head ached from the impact, but it would pass soon enough. Most of his bruises and scrapes were barely noticeable anymore, but his tattered uniform told the story.
He was outmatched. Somehow, despite his recent rapid increase in power, Haschwalth was still stronger. The other Quincy didn't have a scratch on him. Aside from his flaring nostrils, his visage was immaculate. Ishida was hardly a stranger to these sorts of matchups, but he usually had some experience to fall back on when he fought an opponent stronger than himself.
When it came to Hollows, he had a wealth of personal experience to pull from. For Shinigami, he could rely on anecdotes from his grandfather. But for Quincies? Aside from a brief skirmish with some of the Sternritter, he had nothing. He couldn't even try and imagine that he was fighting himself. The Quincies of the Wandenreich utilized techniques that the Ishida family simply wasn't familiar with. He had to come up with something completely new.
Fortunately, he already had some ideas.
Ishida dove to the side as a wave of Reishi cut through the air. It cut into the pillar, demolishing it like the others. Haschwalth growled, "What was it that motivated you to accept the Balancer's taint? Were you feeling inadequate? Did your diseased mind see it as a shortcut?" He swung his sword, sending more waves of Reishi at Ishida. "Or maybe you were drawn in by their empty deification of balance. Surely you were not that stupid."
Ishida circled the other Quincy, frantically dodging his cutting attacks. He stumbled, briefly losing his footing, forcing him to raise his Seele Schneider in defense. The blade of concentrated Reishi held for a few seconds, but the force of Haschwalth's attack was too great. The hilt shattered, and Ishida took the brunt of the attack. He rolled across the floor, trailing smoke, until he hit a wall.
"The balancethe Shinigami preach isn't balance at all. It is stagnation! This world, their world, never changes. It continues on and on, slowly rotting. All in the name of their precious status quo." Haschwalth appeared in front of Ishida and stabbed his sword into the floor. He took a fistful of Ishida's uniform and threw him to the other side of the hall. "A world built upon the ideals of the Enders would be truly balanced. The living would live, and the dead would remain as such. No unfulfilled longings or selfish grabs for power to muddy the space between." Haschwalth took a deep breath and retrieved his sword. "Not that you would understand. You abandoned the true balance inherent to an Ender's soul. You chose the false balance of the Balancers." He fired another wave of Reishi.
Ishida rolled, avoiding the attack, and shot an arrow that splashed against Haschwalth's shield. "I don't know what it is you're rambling about, but I didn't abandon anything. I've made a sacrifice, yes, but the stability of my soul is a small price to pay." Ishida stood, bow drawn. Haschwalth scowled at him, but didn't try to interrupt him. He was becoming wary of Ishida's arrows. "Do you know what lengths Kurosaki Ichigo went to in order to defeat Aizen Sōsuke?"
"What does it matter what occurred between two monsters?"
"It matters quite a lot, actually. Kurosaki gave up all of his power to stop that madman. Can you imagine? Losing everything that makes you a Quincy? Losing everything that allows you to fight and protect what is important? He did that, not to protect the interests of the Soul Society or the Shinigami. He did it for the people he cares about. His family and his friends. Frankly, I am indebted to him. For much more than that." Ishida held Haschwalth's glare even as it grew molten. "Both Shinigami and Quincy fight to protect what they find dear. And now, both a Shinigami and a Quincy have sacrificed all that they have to protect the world. It all balances out."
"Useless. That sort of balance is utterly useless! Balance between the Shinigami and the Quincies is irrelevant if the balance of the world they are fighting for is skewed! Look around. Look at the corruption, the sickness! It is even worse than it was a thousand years ago. The only hope for balance is a fresh start. A return to zero."
Ishida took a deep breath. He hadn't had any hope of talking Haschwalth down. They were just too different. Ishida wasn't just fighting against a powerful foe. He was fighting an ancient grudge, a hatred that was far, far removed from the modern day.
The burden weighing on his mind dissipated all at once.
"I think I get it, now," he said, as much to himself as to Haschwalth. "My perspective is of the world you are trying to destroy. I am someone who was born into this world, has lived here all my life, and has developed values that reflect that upbringing. In other words, my idea of balance is what matters in the current world. You and Yhwach . . . you've been gone from the world for so long that your perspective has become warped. Yours is the balance that is skewed. Not mine, not the Shinigami's, and certainly not the world's."
And more importantly, their idea of what being a Quincy means was horribly outdated. So much time has passed that, even though they call themselves Quincy, they couldn't be more different from Ishida.
The values and morals imparted on him by his grandfather–a man who lived in the current world–were the true core of the modern Quincies.
The Wandenreich may as well be imposters!
"You want things to change so badly? Then you'll have to go through one of this world's Quincies!"
Haschwalth's face turned bright red. He was surely about to fly into a rage. Ishida smirked.
Perfect.
+ Break +
Chad swung his arm low, practically dragging his knuckles over the stone floor. He splattered a group of tendrils, painting the ceiling with the darkness that made them up. He didn't have time to feel satisfied, though. Before he could finish his follow through, another mass of squirming darkness lunged for him. Another punch reduced that mass to mush.
Another group of tendrils sprang up, then another. They weren't the most resilient things, but they were keeping Chad on his back foot. If this kept up, he'd get taken out of the fight again. He spared a glance at Ichigo and Orihime. She was almost finished healing a crippling wound on his leg. Just a little longer.
A mass of tentacles scrambled towards them. Chad moved to intercept, but he was getting slower. The wriggling mass was almost on top of them by the time he blasted it away.
"Thanks, Sado-kun. I just need a little more time." Orihime had a few cuts and scratches herself, but she dedicated all of her attention to Ichigo and Chad. Without her, they'd already be long dead.
Whenever Ichigo was up, he got things done. Cutting through a forest's worth of dark tendrils and pressuring Yhwach as only he could. Being outside of the Quincy's future sight was a huge advantage. And being in it was a huge disadvantage.
Chad couldn't keep up. He could buy time while Ichigo recovered, but his stamina wasn't endless. It was becoming more and more difficult to give the others time without getting hurt. Something had to change. He was the first line of defense. If he fell . . . it would only be a matter of time until the others did too.
He couldn't stay on the back foot like this. He needed to push forward, pressure the enemy in his own way. Interrupt the opponent's flow and steal their momentum!
Chad rushed into an approaching dark mass, arms close to his body. The tendrils battered him, but he could shrug off a beating like this. He'd taken worse. When the tendrils had him completely surrounded, he swung his left arm, slamming his fist into the floor. The release of power shattered the stone and splattered the tendrils. And he didn't stop there.
He pushed through, eyes set on Yhwach. It was pointless to attack the Quincy king directly. The guy could see everything Chad was going to do who knew how long in advance. That didn't mean he couldn't make things difficult. Chad dove into another mass and popped it the same way. It was tiring work, but if he could steal Yhwach's focus for just a little bit . . .
A tentacle wrapped around Chad's arm, stopping him just short of reaching Yhwach. The Quincy smirked, derision plain on his face, even with half of it covered in black goop. Chad clenched his teeth and pushed as hard as he could. But the tentacle held firm. Yhwach's smile widened.
And then he gasped.
Ichigo sprang up from behind Chad and sent a quick burst of Reishi at Yhwach, who practically fell over himself trying to defend.
Chad blinked as the tentacle holding him withdrew to engage Ichigo. In one fell swoop, Ichigo turned the tables on the opponent. And he didn't do it with sheer strength alone. Yhwach was genuinely shocked when Ichigo popped out. Heat spread from Chad's humming brain. It refreshed his muscles and set him itching to move. He had an idea.
It was a stupid, risky idea, but it was something.
Instead of rushing to Ichigo's side, Chad turned and ran to an empty corner of the chamber. Tendrils emerged to meet him, as expected. He started to fight them, making his efforts look as authentic as possible.
Then he jumped to the side, arms outstretched. With one foot planted, he swung his right arm, as if to deflect an oncoming attack. More tendrils emerged around him, but they were slow to react. That was a good sign. This could work.
He tried again, engaging the masses of darkness, then turning to fight an imaginary enemy. When the tendrils appeared to fill the blank space, he did it again. He repeated the process several times, and each time the tendrils responded more slowly.
It was only a theory, hastily put together, but Yhwach's future sight allowed him to see what people–Chad and Orihime, in this case–were going to do. But he couldn't see the exact circumstances surrounding those actions. Add in Ichigo's absence from those visions, and a strategy to deal with such an overwhelming ability began to take shape.
It may have been wishful thinking, but Chad was sure he was fooling Yhwach's future sight. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Orihime rushing across the chamber. She swung her arms, erecting barriers in empty pockets of the room, and dodged attacks that weren't coming, the same as Chad. She even knelt down on occasion as if she were healing someone's wounds.
The tendrils slowed even more. It was like there were three separate fights happening; Chad's, Orihime's, and the tentacles, trying desperately to keep up.
Yhwach howled. He amassed a large wave of darkness and used it to push Ichigo away. And finally, Ichigo noticed what they were doing. He looked to Chad, confused. Then his eyes opened wide and Chad nodded.
Ichigo smiled and started dashing back and forth between Orihime and Chad, never staying too long. He let Chad deflect an attack, then rushed over to one of Orihime's barriers, then back to Chad. Sometimes he'd avoid them, pausing in between.
The number of tendrils exploded as Yhwach tried to sniff Ichigo out. He relied too heavily on his ability to see the future. Even though he could physically see Ichigo, he didn't trust his eyes enough to act on what he saw. When Ichigo rushed at him all of a sudden, he wasn't prepared. He held up his arms, summoning a swarm of undulating black whips, but he reacted too slowly.
Ichigo's blade connected.
It was only a single, shallow cut, but that simple flesh wound changed the entire atmosphere of the fight.
Chad smiled as he fought.
The initiative was finally theirs!
+ Break +
Ishida tossed aside a shattered hilt and produced another from his belt. He was starting to run low after so many clashes. Only two left. His swordsmanship paled in comparison to Haschwalth's, and at this level, the tools used to produce a Seele Schneider were decidedly fragile things. The fact that he still had any hilts left at all, however, was an encouraging sign.
The tumultuous fusion of his soul was still elevating Ishida's power. It didn't take more than a few hits to disrupt and break his Seele Schneider at the start of the fight. Now, he could trade blows with Haschwalth several times before he needed a replacement. If things continued on like this, he wouldn't have to worry about running out of blades.
The Quincies came together once again. Ishida went on the offensive, throwing attacks at Haschwalth one after another. The other Quincy was barely fazed. Haschwalth's shield absorbed most of Ishida's onslaught, and his sword struck swift and true, forcing Ishida back. Despite his steadily increasing power, he was still getting pushed around so easily.
It wasn't a total loss, though.
A small red line formed on Haschwalth's cheek. After a few moments, a trail of blood streaked the Quincy leader's face. He smeared the trail with his thumb and scowled. "I can feel your taint growing stronger. What is the meaning of this?"
Ishida's throat went dry when he saw the rage bubbling beneath the surface, but he composed himself. "The Wandenreich abandoned more traditional Quincy techniques long ago, but I'm sure you know Letzt Stil. My current condition is similar. In much the same way as Letzt Stil, my power is being pushed far past its limits."
"I see. Does that mean your power will be sealed once this obscene growth of yours ends?"
"Not exactly." Ishida clenched his fist, reliving the scar the Letzt Stil left on his soul years ago. "The detriments of Letzt Stil are, ultimately, temporary. It is a seal, nothing more. It can be removed. My current condition will leave me completely burned out. My spirit will be completely incapable of processing Reishi or producing Spiritual Pressure. Additionally, the resonance of my Quincy soul and the Shinigami aspects implanted therein will eventually push my strength far beyond what is possible with Letzt Stil."
"Nonsense!" Haschwalth charged, slamming into Ishida with a powerful swipe of his sword. Ishida's blade held firm, giving him enough time to plant his feet and push back. With a shout, he deflected Haschwalth's sword and threw his shoulder into the other Quincy's chest. The leader of the Sternritter slid back, grunting.
There was a moment of pure stillness.
Ishida hadn't even come close to knocking his opponent off balance, but he had just landed a solid, uncontested blow for the first time. Haschwalth's entire presence darkened. He charged in again, becoming even more aggressive than before.
But Ishida was finally holding his own. They clashed, traded blows, then separated. Neither of them was being forced back or beaten down. It felt like they were on equal footing at last!
Unfortunately, though, that wasn't actually the case. Not yet. Haschwalth was still far and away stronger. In a contest of pure strength, he would win every time. This was not such a test, however. Ishida's Spiritual Pressure wasn't the only thing growing. Each clash was a new experience, a new opportunity to learn and adapt. He might not have been anywhere near Haschwalth's level as a swordsman, but he was learning how to handle someone of that caliber.
The gap was closing. Ishida was approaching Haschwalth's level.
And that worried him.
He obviously needed the power to defeat this enemy–easily the most powerful enemy he'd ever faced–but the stronger he became, the closer he came to critical mass. If he took too long and the dueling aspects inside of his soul hit their peak too soon, he wouldn't be able to help Kurosaki and the others.
Or worse, he'd be rendered powerless while Haschwalth still stood.
Ishida heard a soft ticking in the back of his mind. A phantom timer putting immense weight on his shoulders. He had to defeat this foe, and quickly.
The clashes continued. Both Ishida and Haschwalth grunted and growled as their exchanges became more and more intense. Haschwalth's eyes flickered with smoldering hatred and his soul gave off such intense Spiritual Pressure that Ishida felt like it was burning his skin. The Sternritter's attacks grew wild. The forms and dignity in his swipes dissolved, and he started incorporating his shield into more of his attacks, swinging it like a bludgeon.
Clash after clash, Haschwalth put on more pressure, gave off more heat. The situational experiences that Ishida had been accumulating were basically useless. He was getting battered this way and that. His hilt finally shattered in his hands. Haschwalth swung his shield, blasting Ishida back with a rib-crushing slam.
"Your power is a lie, Ishida Uryū! It is little more than the death throes of a sick world!" Haschwalth took a step towards Ishida, the stones at his feet practically steaming from the influence of his Spiritual Pressure. "No corrupted notion of balance will change that!"
Ishida scrambled to his feet. Breathing hurt, but he could still fight with a few broken ribs. He eyed Haschwalth and was forced to accept that he wouldn't win by brute force alone. If he tried to wait it out, he'd reach his limit and lose. He had to play it smart.
Which meant it was time to pull out his trump card. Or, at least, what he hoped would be his trump card.
"The balance of the current world is irrelevant. It is worthless and tainted." Haschwalth continued to approach. Ishida held his gaze while reaching into one of the pouches on his waist. Discreetly, he palmed a cluster of small vials. "The only balance that matters is the balance of the world to come. It is our balance. My balance!"
Ishida took a step forward, using the motion to hide one of the vials as he dropped it at his feet. The ball was in play, so to speak, and now Ishida had to do whatever he could to keep Haschwalth from noticing it.
He charged, producing one last hilt. His Seele Schneider sprang to life in time to catch Haschwalth's sword mid swing. "You're still on that? I think we can agree that we won't see eye to eye no matter how much we argue."
The other Quincy growled and twisted his body. Ishida lost his footing and a moment later was sliding across the ground. He was losing whatever advantage he had to Haschwalth's fury. But that was fine. As long as he could finish setting up the trap.
He rolled to a stop just close enough to the ideal spot and dropped a vial as he stood. He wasted no time breaking into a run to draw the enemy's attention. When he reached an acceptable spot, he dropped another vial before pivoting and rushing at Haschwalth again.
Twice more Ishida set a vial around Haschwalth. When the fifth vial was in place, he went on the offensive again. The trap was just about ready. He just needed to–
Haschwalth planted his boot in Ishida's stomach. Then he slammed his shield across Ishida's face, sending him crashing to the ground. The head of the Sternritter barked a callous laugh. "You must be joking. You realized that your power could not possibly match mine, and so decided to resort to cheap, outdated tricks, hmm?"
So he hadn't been as subtle as he'd hoped. Ishida gritted his teeth.
"Five Ginto vials, arranged just so. Your desperation is almost humorous. Did you really think Sprenger would be enough to defeat me? An explosion created from the Reishi stored in those vials wouldn't even scuff my boots."
Ishida nodded. "I figured as much." He held out his hand, one last vial held in his curled fingers. "Carriage of thunder, bridge of a spinning wheel." He released the sixth Ginto. It and the other five started to glow with a soft, blue-white light. "With light, divide this into six!" The glow of the vials shifted, flashing a golden yellow, before settling on an even silver color.
The light exploded from the Ginto as six silvery ribbons. They shot inwards, straight at Haschwalth. When they collided with him, they stopped, hanging in the air. In the moment before the technique took hold, Haschwalth tried to escape, but he was too late. His face was frozen in snarling panic. Assuming Ishida had done everything correctly, the other Quincy wouldn't be able to move a muscle.
Ishida breathed out, the relief of a plan proceeding smoothly relaxing him. He looked directly into the frozen man's eyes as he spoke. "Allowing the taint of Shinigami power into my soul has opened a great many doors. Regretfully, I only had the time and aptitude to learn one of their spells, and even then, I was only able to make it work by mixing it with a Quincy ritual."
His bow appeared in his shaking hands. "You prefer newer techniques to the old Quincy ceremonies, don't you? Then I think you'll like this Sprenger/Rikujōkōrō combination; a technique only achievable when the aspects of Quincy and Shinigami are in balance." Ishida drew back and knocked a spiritual arrow. The blue-white hum soothed him, but it wasn't really his any longer.
Wisps of darkness danced in the light of the arrow, mixing with the Reishi cultivated within the soul of a Quincy. Ishida closed his eyes and breathed in the new rhythm.
When he opened them again, the arrow had transformed. The blue-white had been replaced by a solid silver. The hum of energy was gone, but Ishida knew that the arrow pulled against his cheek was more powerful than any other arrow he'd ever drawn.
And yet, he frowned. He could not be satisfied with this end. "You led the Quincy in your care into the future in ways that my grandfather never could have. But you never really had your eyes on the future. You only ever saw the past."
Ishida loosed his silent arrow.
The power contained in the silver bolt expanded rapidly. In the split second it took to reach Haschwalth, it had already eclipsed his power. He was engulfed in a bright flash.
Jugram Haschwalth was erased in total silence.
Ishida held his breath, letting the emptiness settle over him.
Then he gasped, suddenly exhausted. Despite what he'd said, the hybrid technique he'd developed was hardly balanced. The warring powers inside of him threatened to tear him apart from the inside out when he executed it.
He was in bad shape. And that was putting it lightly. When he arrived to help Kurosaki fight Yhwach–if he was able to–he'd be operating on a severe deficit.
He'd have to make it work. Somehow.
Step by shaky step, Ishida marched towards the Soul King's chambers.
One way or another, this would be his final battle.
+ Break +
Yhwach stumbled back, clawing at the cross-shaped wound on his chest, courtesy of Kurosaki Ichigo. He could no longer deflect the fiery haired youth's attacks properly. He couldn't keep up. Even the other two, mere humans, had managed to land blows. Yhwach, king of the Quincies, God of the new world, was being pushed back by children. He growled, raising walls of inky tendrils to hold the interlopers off. Small tendrils slunk from the dark cowl over his face down to his wound where they stitched his flesh back together.
Stamina wasn't an issue. Whether it was the start of the fight or ten hours in, his power would not diminish. That was one of the many benefits of this godlike power granted by Kamikake. He possessed the strength to overpower and shatter Hyōsube Ichibē. He possessed the influence to reach out and pull the seat of the lynchpin down from on high. He possessed the determination to rend the Soul King himself. And still he was not almighty.
Not yet.
The more power he borrowed from Pernida, the closer he would come to being absorbed into the avatar of the lynchpin. There was a balance to be maintained if he had any hope of retaining his wits through his ascension. Fortunately, he didn't need enough power to destroy Kurosaki and his friends outright. He just needed enough to keep them at bay while he absorbed Mimihagi.
His current power wasn't up to that task, so he reached further into the depths of Pernida's power. The golden eyes dotting the surface of his cloak and cowl grew more numerous and energetic. Spiritual Pressure building, Yhwach summoned a tidal wave of darkness. It swept through the chamber and pushed his enemies to the other end of the room. Finally, he had space to breathe.
It might not buy him more than a few seconds, but taking the ascension process one step at a time was beneficial to him overall. He raised his hand, preparing to muster a jungle of squirming tendrils to keep Kurosaki at bay, but before he could, a pair of Reishi blades cut through the air. They slammed into his chest, tearing open the wound he'd just closed.
A moment later, a burst of force fired from one of the human's fists beat against him. Did they not see how foolish their resistance was? Yhwach had already won! The power of the Soul King was basically his already. All they were doing was delaying.
Well, no more. Yhwach grinded his teeth and manifested an even larger mass of tentacles. It rolled through the chamber, looking to crush Kurosaki and his friends. As it reached them, though, a bright light shone through the darkness. Then a barrier cut down the entire swarming cluster. Yhwach kicked himself. He should have targeted the girl first. That barrier defied all reason. Locking his eyes on her, Yhwach willed the bulk of his power to crush her mercilessly.
As her barrier fell, however, Kurosaki charged. He crossed the chamber in the blink of an eye, swords primed to deal a decisive blow. Yhwach raised his blade, knowing that he couldn't stop the attack entirely. That was fine. He had the advantage of time.
A fist tore into Yhwach's abdomen, crushing one half of his ribcage. The other human! When did he . . .?! What was happening?! Could he not even keep track of mere humans anymore?!
Kurosaki's blades bit into Yhwach's chest. They dragged across his abdomen, cutting deep. Were it anyone other than Yhwach, that kind of direct hit would have been lethal at this stage. The king of the Quincies, though? The God of the new world? He wouldn't fall to such simple–
Strength left Yhwach's legs and he fell back. His body landed on a bed of squirming black tentacles. They caught him, but the moment his weight settled in, he felt like he was sinking into the darkness.
He looked around frantically, hundreds of tiny glowing eyes mimicking his panic. Pernida was trying to take him.
And it was succeeding. Yhwach fought desperately for control, but he didn't seem to have the strength to move his body anymore, let alone resist an aspect of the lynchpin. He was losing ground with every passing second.
There was no time left. His struggle against Pernida was about to end.
He needed to ascend. Immediately!
Yhwach changed directions. Instead of resisting Pernida's power, he embraced it. He dove right into that bottomless well and entered the final stages of Kamikake. The number of eyes increased rapidly and spread over every inch of his cape and cowl. When the dark surface became too crowded, the cape expanded, slithering across the floor. The eyes that appeared ranged from small, barely human dots, to massive, unknowable things. The eyes one might find on a God.
An influx of Spiritual Pressure radiated out from his body, forcing Kurosaki and his friend back to the edge of the chamber. It continued to expand out of the room, out of the palace. Yhwach could feel his power changing the trajectory of the clouds. He was influencing the very nature of the Soul Society!
He rose to his feet, ready to burst. Just standing there was excruciating. He needed to move. He needed to vent this immense power! He roared and the earth shook. He could see his influence as the East, West, and South branches of the Soul Society were devastated by his expanding presence. The vast emptiness of the Northern wilderness trembled as well. He witnessed the Wandenreich, the holy fortress of the Quincy–nestled deep within those infinite wilds, hidden–crumble. He felt nothing.
Nothing but the pull of the lynchpin.
His bones cracked as he turned against the pressure exuded by his own soul. His eyes sought out Ukitake Jūshirō and the power his body contained. He was drooling, foaming at the mouth, but he didn't care.
A dense cluster of tendrils rose from the darkness in response to Yhwach's will. He was still in control. The cluster surged towards the husk of a Captain. He'd crack the poor bastard like an egg and harvest every last bit of Mimihagi's power!
A golden barrier sprang up around Ukitake's emaciated body. It stopped the tendrils dead, but Yhwach was through putting up with delays. He gnashed his teeth and the tendrils slammed against the barrier again and again. No mere human could possess the power to refuse a God!
The tendrils started to pass through the barrier, like drills boring through hard, immovable earth. Yhwach heard a gasp, a sound mixed with surprise and despair. He relished that sound. It was appropriate for the final sentiments of this cursed world.
Kurosaki and his friend charged, but they were foolish to think there was still a battle to be fought. It was over. Yhwach had won. A flick of the eyes sent another massive wave of tentacles against them. This time, though, it would not simply push them away. The tendrils wrapped around their arms and legs, holding them in place. Yhwach would not tolerate any further interruptions.
The barrier shattered and the cluster of tendrils shot towards their prey with glee at last.
At last!
At last!
Light filled the chamber as a silvery bolt of power tore through Yhwach's tendrils. The ends reaching for Ukitake were cut down. They did not regrow. The severed ends just sizzled and died.
Darkness shrieked in Yhwach's mind. His eyes shot towards the entrance to the chamber and found Ishida Uryū, his bow hanging from a limp arm. So, Jugo was dead. Yhwach hadn't even noticed the man's Reiatsu disappear. A pang of sadness was swallowed up by the void consuming his soul. He no longer had the capacity to mourn his oldest friend, but he did have the means to avenge him.
Yhwach roared until shredded strands of his vocal chords shot out into the air. He pushed deeper into Pernida's power and dredged up as much as his soul could withstand. More.
He was done. All of these interruptions and delays were matters for a world that was already dead. He would no longer concern himself with them. The power of the lynchpin coalesced inside of him, growing denser and more intense. He held a power that could shape the world like clay, so he might as well use it.
He was going to destroy everything and then take hold of the right hand's power. Kamikake continued to eat away at his soul, but if he finished fast enough, that wouldn't matter.
Spiritual Pressure exploded from his body. The force of it eroded the stone that made up the chamber and threatened to eviscerate anyone who was near. Good riddance.
Kurosaki clung to his friend as they both tried to get closer. Even now they were resisting. Their commitment to that futility seared Yhwach's mind. It just didn't make sense. He pulled more power from the depths and the resulting winds dislodged the pair, sending them careening into Ishida and the other human. The girl erected a barrier, which protected them from the wind, but no matter. They could sit and watch oblivion come for them from within their little bubble for all Yhwach cared.
Darkness boiled at Yhwach's feet. It surrounded him, clung to him, crept up to engulf him. It was incredible. Pain no longer mattered. Ambition no longer mattered. The world, old or new, no longer mattered. When he released this power, he would finally become whole!
Yhwach raised his arms in prayer as he did so many times as a child. There was nothing for him to pray to any longer, but it felt right. He opened his palms and tried to feel the universe through his finger tips. Sensation washed over him. Grand, terrible sensation. He could see the cosmos, the endless nothingness. He could feel the motions of heavenly bodies throughout the void. He could taste the power coursing through every single atom that made up the world in which he existed. He savored it all, knowing that it would all soon be gone.
He started to lower his hands as the darkness within reached its breaking point. Then the shadows wreathed around his arms tightened. They squeezed and pulled his arms down, holding them in place like chains connected to the floor. The darkness on his body and legs also tightened, restricting his movements completely. Yhwach looked inward, frantic. Did he push too far? Was Pernida taking over? No, Yhwach was still in control, but he wasn't doing this. He–
A foreign darkness–too similar to Pernida's to recognize the difference–slithered into Yhwach's soul. It wrapped itself around the core of Pernida's presence and squeezed. Pain, like having his skin removed cell by cell, shot through Yhwach's entire being. The foreign shadow was pulling on Pernida!
Yhwach's eyes opened wider than ever before as they fell on Ukitake Jūshirō, standing on shaky legs that looked ready to snap. The Captain's eyes, foggy and unfocused as they were, were fixed on Yhwach.
On his soul.
Yhwach gasped, recognizing the intruding body inside of him. Mimihagi was trying to absorb Pernida! And it was succeeding!
It wasn't possible. It simply couldn't be! Ukitake's body was nothing more than a withered shell. He shouldn't have had any strength left to resist Mimihagi or Pernida. His Kamikake should have already progressed to the point where he was lost. But then . . . hadn't Yhwach's done the same?
Mimihagi pulled harder, tearing Pernida further from Yhwach's soul. He realized his mistake. In his desperation to seize the lynchpin's power, he'd pushed too far. His soul was in the same sorry state as Ukitake's now, if not worse. He was being absorbed into Pernida more rapidly than Ukitake was being absorbed into Mimihagi.
The left hand of the Soul King was being dragged further and further away. If Yhwach didn't do something now, he'd lose everything.
So he decided to let go.
He still held a tremendous amount of power at his fingertips. He directed that destructive force down in a desperate attempt to separate himself from Ukitake. The resulting explosion was pitiful compared to what he could have achieved moments ago, but it did exactly what he needed it to do. The crumbling chamber shrank from his view as Yhwach careened through the air, trailing smoke.
He felt a devastating snap as he soared. Pernida was firmly in Ukitake's hands now. Yhwach's connection was still there–something as insignificant as distance couldn't break that connection, though it did weaken it–and he could still feel the lynchpin's power within him, but it was a fraction of what it was.
As long as he lived, though, he could return. He could bide his time and recapture Pernida's full power. Then he could fulfill his dream!
He screamed into the sky, cursing the Balancers and the Enders and the whole world.