A/N: Okay, I know the Bount Arc is not everyone's favorite, but I did plan to include all the fillers to some degree in this story, so here we are. . .
. . . Don't worry. The Bount Arc lasts for only one chapter in this story, and it's this one, so, yeah . . . Happy reading!
Chapter 19 - Bount Arc: Byakuya vs. Kariya
Byakuya's POV
"Tonight's a beautiful night, isn't it master?"
"It is Senbonzakura." I say in reluctant agreement, the enjoyment of the night having the least bit of my attention at the moment.
So far, our walk along the forest trail was a quiet one, with the full moon already high in the sky, casting its serene light on the landscape below it. With barely a cloud in the sky, the scenery of the Fugai forest was quite picturesque, but I couldn't enjoy it, not with the Bounts now making their presence known.
Instead of just worrying about Aizen and his impending plans, the Bounts had become our most pressing issue as soon as we first learned about them. After making a mess of things in the Human World, they appeared in the Rukongai, becoming the second invading force to reach the Soul Society in recent weeks, and they were not being quiet about it.
Incapacitating members of the Second Division, tampering with the Twelfth's files, bombing the Senzaikyu, harming Rukia . . . The Bounts have managed to achieve quite a lot in their short time here.
They are still here, somewhere in the Rukongai, but it's only a matter of time before they move on to the Seireitei itself.
"Master, do you feel that?"
His words make me stop, my senses stretching out to find a new presence quietly approaching us, a presence that was completely unfamiliar, but highly dangerous . . . A presence similar to that of the woman who attacked Rukia earlier, but much stronger in comparison.
"I feel it Senbonzakura, and it is definitely not an ally."
"You believe it's one of the Bounts," My zanpakuto concludes before returning to our inner world, just as the sound of footsteps reaches my ears.
"I believe it is." I say as the mystery person reveals himself, stepping out from the trees on my left.
Even though the man looked young, there was a confidence and arrogance in his eyes that was centuries in the making. Dressed in clothes from the Living World, he approaches with almost no care in the world, the moonlight shining down on his starkly white hair.
"I didn't expect much on this moonlight walk, but I am not disappointed either," he says, his tone almost gleeful as a small smirk crosses his face. "I knew that I would eventually see some captains during my time here, but I never expected to meet you first, Byakuya Kuchiki. . . It's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance."
"I see that you are aware of me," I say, keeping my tone leveled. "How exactly did you come about this information?"
"I guess you can say I'm a fan," he says, his expression never changing. "You know, it is quite amazing how the districts of the Rukongai work. The further a district is from your precious Seireitei, the more . . . uncivilized it is, correct?"
I didn't bother to answer his inquiry, but even I had to admit that the man made a fair point. The districts closest to the Seireitei were generally regarded as the safest, cleanest, and most prosperous in the land, and many noble families - mine included - kept multiple homes and invested in properties in certain regions.
The furthest districts, like Kusajishi and Inuzuri, were regarded as the worst due to their constant lawlessness and poverty. To survive there required strength, tenacity, and a stubbornness that few rarely possessed, but those that did survive proved to be among the strongest among us. . . A claim that Abarai, Rukia, Hisana, and yes, even Zaraki and some of his subordinates could attest to.
"Hmm, despite the residents of this region being so far away from the Seireitei, they are quite aware of those who call the shots within the Gotei 13," He then goes on to say, his smirk becoming smug. "Your name was one of the most repeated . . . It seems your reputation greatly proceeds you."
"Is that so?"
"How could it not?" The man asks in return as he takes a step forward. "Captain of the Sixth Division, the head of one of the Four Great Noble Houses, and now, just recently, the man who almost let his sister be executed on his watch . . . I'll admit it. I've done some terrible things in my long life, but standing by as I let family die right in front of my eyes? You're quite cold-blooded, aren't you?"
"It's not like you wanted it to happen!" I hear Senbonzakura say in my thoughts, breaking through before I could even start to think back on that dreaded time. ". . . This man is quite brazen with his words. I'll give him that much."
"He'll be a brazen dead man if he keeps it up," I say in return, placing my hand on the hilt of my blade, just as he disappeared from my sight.
Feeling his reiatsu moving behind me, I pull Senbonzakura from his sheath, pivoting just in time to prevent the man from striking me in the back with his bare hand. Moving back, he disappears before I could attack, returning to the spot he originally appeared from.
"Attacking me before I could even answer your question? And here I thought you were only brazen with your words," I say as I fell into my opening stance. "I will only ask this once: Who are you?"
"I've been called many things in my long life, but you may call me Kariya. . . Jin Kariya," he says, almost sounding callous. "If you were wondering what the head of Soul Society's latest invasion looked like, well, you're looking at it."
"How arrogant can this man be?"
"Confidently so, by my estimate Senbonzakura," I answer in return. "So, you are the Bounts' leader, and you have led them here . . . Why go through all this trouble?"
"I have a great many reasons, but if you can beat me, I will be more than willing to tell you."
"If I beat you, you'll be dead."
"And here I thought you had a little more tact, but then again, you're not wrong," He concedes, shrugging as if the idea of his impending death was barely even a nuisance to him. ". . . I can not blame you for your feelings toward me. After all, I was the one that sent Yoshi out to attack your dear sister . . . How else was I going to get you out here?"
"He's not just arrogant. He's unapologetically brazen!"
"Brazen and arrogant. A suicidal combination if you ask me Senbonzakura," I think back as I watch Kariya's body language, seeing no hint of tension or fear in his posture. . . It's as if he felt that he couldn't be killed.
I would not mind disabusing him of such a thought right now.
"Now that you're here, I finally have a chance to challenge myself," He goes on to say, smiling. "I've recently acquired a new. . . addition, and I want to test it out, and who better to test it out against than one of the strongest captains that the Gotei 13 have to offer?"
"You simply want to use me as a training dummy," I say, justifiably indignant at his words. "You show no respect."
"Oh, you are mistaken. I'm showing you all the respect in the world Captain Kuchiki . . . I could have easily sought out weaker prey, but I wanted a challenge, a true test of my skills, one that I could only get by going after one of the very best in the land, and many consider you one of those people," He explains, sounding almost cheeky. "However, I knew it would be hard to get you out here without a good reason, so I had to make one. . . If I couldn't get you directly, I would target the ones that were closest to you."
"So, you had Rukia attacked to get my attention. . ."
"Actually, it was a toss up between your sister and that best friend of yours you recently started courting," He clarifies, his announcement managing to prick at my nerves. "I told my men that targeting either one of them would be enough to lead you out here. Rukia just happened to be the one to get targeted first. . . And now I can finally conduct my test."
"A test that you will lose," I say, bracing myself for his next attack.
"Maybe, but if I win, it would be demoralizing for the rest of the shinigami to find out that one of their best officers died at the hands of the Bounts' leader, don't you think?" He asks, grinning evilly. ". . . Let's see what you can real-"
I shunpo closer to attack before he could finish his taunt, aiming my blade for his neck. Unfortunately, I'm barely at arm's length from him before I'm pushed back by what could best be described as a conveniently strong gust of wind, enveloping me in a large tornado.
"Hado #4, Byakurai!" I say as I point forward, dissipating the wind tunnel before it could push me further into the sky. Looking down, I see my enemy already walking away, leaving his back open for attack.
How reckless.
I move to strike, but he dodges without even turning to see me coming. Kariya evades each of my attacks with almost practiced ease, swirls of wind brushing against my face every time he moves, almost like it was following his every move. . .
. . . His every command.
"I see now. . . It is known that all the Bounts use a Doll in battle, so I naturally believed yours was like theirs, a talking object that transforms to assist you. . . My assumption was wrong," I concede. "Your Doll is the wind. It moves at your insistence and command."
"I had a feeling that you wouldn't take long to figure it out," he says as the wind starts to visibly twirl around him. "Messer is merged with my physical being, and with it, I can manipulate the winds with just the simple movement of my hands and fingers . . . Does it ring any bells?"
"What do you mean?"
"Hmm, isn't it obvious? I believe my power is quite similar to that of another shinigami within the Gotei 13's ranks. I even mentioned her earlier, remember?" He asks, almost reveling in hearing his own self speak. "It's that same woman you're courting. . . Lady Minata Fukudome, correct? They say she can control multiple elements, not just the wind. . . She sounds like someone I wouldn't mind meeting."
"Too bad you will never have the chance," I say without an ebb of emotion in my face or voice.
"Oh, don't be like that! I'm sure she's a wonderful woman in person . . . In fact, if I ever do see her, I would do my due diligence to tell her of your untimely demise. I would owe her that much after all."
I only had one answer for him after hearing that.
"Scatter, Senbonzakura!"
The shards of my zanpakuto surge toward Kariya, but the wind pushes them back before moving toward me. I managed to dodge the attack just in time, but it didn't take long before the wind tried its luck again.
Thanks to Mina, I do have prior experience in battle where wind was a primary weapon, but it only served to remind me how annoying the element could be in a fight. Kariya simply used the wind to divert or block all of my attacks. I would do the same in kind, but it seems that the Bount leader was not receptive to my strategy, and soon trapped us in a powerful tornado, but not after we finally managed to land a hit on each other.
"One hit won't be enough to beat me, Captain Kuchiki!" I hear him call out through the rush of the wind. "Just give up!"
"Never" I say in return as I notice a large surge of spiritual energy coming toward us from my left. It's not long before Kariya notices as well, the two of us managing to move out its way before the tornado and spiritual energy touch, cleaving a large gash into the earth between us.
"Now doesn't this bring back memories master?"
"Don't remind me Senbonzakura. . ."
Though the energy and its resulting destruction did remind me of my earlier battle with Kurosaki on Sokyoku Hill, and judging from the feel of the approaching reiatsu, it was likely him that found us, I did not need my zanpakuto reminding me of that time, not when there were better things to focus on.
"Hmm, didn't expect to see you again so soon." Kariya sounds almost admonishing as the substitute appears from the trees with his blade slung across his shoulder, looking determined as he stared the Bount leader down.
"Sorry for interrupting, but I saw your battle as I was passing through and I was hoping to cut in. You don't mind, do you?"
"Well, at least he asked . . ."
"Really Senbonzakura?" I ask as the teenager's eyes move toward Kariya, who was now absorbing the reishi around him, causing his immediate surroundings to break down as a result. . .
. . . How troublesome.
"Why not? The more the merrier . . . However, in return, I hope you don't mind me healing my wound. It was actually starting to be an annoyance," He counters, testing his now healed shoulder. "You see, thanks to the abundance of reishi the Soul Society has to offer, me and my fellow Bounts can absorb it to heal and make ourselves stronger. . . We were strong in the Human World, but here, we are practically invincible."
"Well, that's annoying to know," came Kurosaki's smart reply as he falls into an attack stance.
It may have been blunt, but inwardly, I couldn't agree more.
"Unfortunately, when I'm through with you, no amount of reishi will help you to recover. . . BANKAI!"
Disappearing into a cloud of his spirit energy, he soon reemerges with Tensa Zangetsu in his grasp, leaping to attack Kariya with no hesitation as they move their battle skyward.
"Master? What do we do now?"
"Isn't it obvious Senbonzakura? We continue this fight." I say as I point him downward.
"Kurosaki could end up in the crossfire though!"
"I'm sure he understood the risks before jumping into the fray," I counter as I allow my blade to drop from my grasp. "Bankai!"
Once the familiar sight of thousands upon thousands of petal-like shards emerged from the earth, I directed them toward the two battling in the sky. Only Kurosaki becomes aware of the attack fast enough to move away in time, leaving Kariya to take the full brunt of a heavy blow.
"Watch where you point those blades Byakuya!" I hear Kurosaki cry out. "That was too close for comfort!"
"He has a point."
Ignoring my zanpakuto and the orange-haired teenager, I look over at the crater that should hold what's left of Kariya's body at the bottom to see the man emerge with a smirk on his face.
"So that was the power of a bankai huh? You are much better than I thought Byakuya Kuchiki. . . I'm impressed, but remember, with the reishi all around us, it will be a challenge to put me down," He warns us, just as another surge of energy garners our attention, heading straight for the man.
Unfortunately, Kariya dodges it before the attack can reach him, leaving the blast to strike the trees behind him. As the dust settles, footsteps could be heard coming from the direction the attack came from.
Turning my head, a woman starts to emerge from the shadows, dressed in a shinigami uniform, but wearing a lab coat similar to the ones frequented by the Twelfth. Though her expression was indecipherable at first, it changed once her eyes landed on the Bount leader, who returned it with an expression that could best be described as utter contempt.
"Ran'Tao" He practically spits at her as his mouth twists into a scowl. "It's been a while."
"Hello Jin," The woman says, speaking with a familiarity that only seemed to anger Kariya further. "You haven't aged a bit."
"Wait! You two know each other?" Kurosaki asks, landing on the ground as his face conveys his understandable disbelief.
After all, not everyone knows that the woman in front of us is responsible for the Bounts' existence in the first place.
A/N: Leave a comment if you like! The main storyline returns in the next chapter.
