Author's note: This chapter was inspired by a song from Dream Theatre with the same name. I don't own any of the characters. They belong to Tite Kubo. The original characters belong to me.
Chapter 39: Constant Motion
In the icy cityscape of Wahrwelt, the Royal Realm, Soul Society
Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi of Squad 12 has always managed to make it out alive form battles, mostly thanks to either his brilliant inventions, or his cunning tactics. But little did he knew that facing the Soul King's Left Hand was to date the most challenging fight he had ever been in. As smart as Mayuri was, Pernida Parnkgjas also began developing such intelligence and strength. Even Mayuri's own modified Bankai was not enough to take care of the Sternritter. The giant hand was able to use a Heilig Bogen, as well as fire Heilig Pfiel. Pernida was also able to manipulate Reishi around him, which astounded Mayuri.
Pernida had begun to master his manner of speech. He also kept insisting he was a Quincy. The more Mayuri began to taunt and ridicule the hand's insistence on being a Quincy, the more furious Pernida became. By firing smaller Reishi Arrows, Pernida was able to tie his nerves with the arrows and they almost managed to hit Mayuri, only for someone to unlikely save him: his own lieutenant: Nemu Kurotsuchi.
It was surprising that Nemu had begun to develop her own feelings of protecting her superior and creator. Despite this, Mayuri kept insisting that she was to only obey his orders and not act on her own. However, he also called her by a name she never thought she ever hear again: Nemuri Nanagou. It was the name she was given after Mayuri created her by using a combination of Gigai and Gikon technologies to bring her into existence. It had been Mayuri's own attempt to create life, which was ironic, given his disregard for life. That project was known as the Nemuri Project. Nemu was Mayuri's seventh test subject.
Mayuri had decided to drug Pernida, in hopes of making him useless to even move or releasing his nerves. While all the other hands of Pernida had succumbed to it, Pernida himself had managed to see through his plan and began severed his infected thumb. Something surprised Mayuri even more. It seemed that Pernida was able to evolve by using everything it touched. This was one of the abilities he had always been having. The fight against Pernida was also the moment when Nemu's hidden powers had finally been activated. No longer would she stand on the sidelines and watch as her own master was on the verge of dying. With her insanely powerful attacks, Nemu managed to destroy Pernida's clones and even confront the giant hand itself. But Pernida was able to regenerate and he successfully disposed of Nemu's body during one of his regeneration-processes.
Mayuri grabbed what was left of Nemu: her own brain while Pernida's own clones began devouring her corpse. By taking the brain away, it caused the cells in the body to begin multiplying uncontrollably and destroyed the clones from the inside out. After seeing them being destroyed, Mayuri took a glance at the brain. He found himself being in a delighted mood, as he believed he had stepped out of Kisuke Urahara's shadow. His Nemuri Project had been a success and had even managed to triumph against the Soul King's Left Hand. Or so he thought.
As Mayrui kept watching the brain, he snapped as he could hear a familiar laughter coming from his right side. Slowly turning to that direction, Mayuri's own eyes snapped as he could see Pernida standing there, with his only eye and two irises. The scientist was in disbelief over what he was seeing. He had just seen Pernida and his clones disintegrate and had expected the Sternritter to die with
"No…no…...NOOOOOOOOO!" Mayuri yelled out in outrage and shock at the same time. "HOW IN THE HELL IS THIS EVEN POSSIBLE!?" he then asked out angrily while seeing Pernida standing there with a cocky expression, which he could tell it was by the way his eye was moving. "Nemu's cells was supposed to have destroyed you and your clones from within! You wouldn't even be able to regenerate yourself! But yet…you're still alive!" the scientist added to his anger and distress.
Pernida continued to glance down at him smugly. "I have to admit, you almost had me there, Mayuri Kurotsuchi. And to think that it was not you, but your own creation that managed to almost kill me. However, what you only destroyed there was only one of my clones. It was never the real me." the hand said, this time his level of speech being on the same level as that of his fellow Sternritters. "You honestly believed that I would die from the likes of a creation by a misbegotten Shinigami!? Such a foolish assumption! My knowledge surpasses yours!" Pernida then added with a more anger in his voice. "I will never die! Not until I see you Shinigamis being punished for your crimes!" he added with a declaration while unleashing his Spiritual Pressure.
Mayuri gritted his teeth in frustration and held up his Zanpakutou, which had not been broken, even though Pernida had been able to use the power of his Bankai. "Damn creature…what are you really!?" he then asked out angrily. "You constantly start referring to yourself as a Quincy, yet your true name is Lord Susuhame! I grow tired of you and your arrogance!" he added to his frustration.
Pernida only narrowed the eye on his hand. "Imbecile, as a student of Bansui Amatsuki, I had expected you to at least know the true story of the Soul King. That also includes, the reason why we were severed from the Soul King and forced to wander as different individuals" he then pointed out to Mayuri, who was astounded to hear the hand even mentioning his former teacher. "But there has been a change of heart, Shinigami. A new Soul King is dawning upon our world and I intend on devoting my services to him. Lord Yhwach will become a God of this world…a God far greater than what his father ever was!" Pernida then added to his statement.
Mayuri listened closely as what he heard Pernida say. "What? Did he just refer to Yhwach as the Soul King? What nonsense is he sprouting about!?" Mayuri wondered in his head, until a stunning feeling hit his head. It was something he along with Urahara, Yoruichi, Tessai and Aizen had been told many years ago by Bansui Amatsuki himself. In fact, the scientist began recalling the poem his teacher had read to them and he thought it in his own head. It almost sounded like a prophecy. The words of his teacher haunted the scientist's mind. "Can this really be true, Bansui-sensei?" Mayuri asked while thinking about his late mentor's stories.
"When the father lost his body, they each became different entities. Even though they were considered his children, they resented him for abandoning them to bring balance to the world. But the father had also another son. A son that only he himself knew of. That son would become a God and later gather his own disciples. He would fulfill his destiny: to take his father's place as the God of the World and finish the job that he himself failed. Because of this, the father's other children have begun their move, hoping to reunite with the son and become one with him as they all once were" Mayuri recalled the words from Bansui and it made him think about it deeply.
"No…...that story is absurd…..it's nothing but a fairytale!" Mayuri spat out while glaring at Pernida. "Bansui Amatsuki was only an idealistic fool who constantly believed that the fairytales he read were true! I only believe in facts, not fairytales!" he then added to his anger.
Pernida's eye narrowed in displeasure. "I grow tired of hearing your constant insolence, Shinigami. A mere ant like you will never understand how this world truly works" he said while suddenly moving his thumb, pinkie and middle finger close to one another, this forming something between them. "And to show you some points for your efforts, I shall grant you the honor of witnessing my true power! It will be the last thing you will see, AS I DELIVER YOUR PUNISHMENT FOR YOUR SINS!" Pernida exclaimed as the glowing Reishi between his fingers began to form itself into Quincy Cross. As soon as it appeared, a bright light appeared in front of the hand.
The light was so bright that Mayuri needed to cover his eyes with one of the sleeves of his haori. "DAMN…WHAT IS THIS!?" Mayuri cursed in anger while covering his eyes. As soon as the shining stopped, the scientist was in for a shock by what he was seeing. "NO…IT CANNOT BE…." he then said while staring at Pernida's new form.
While Pernida still retained his same form of a giant hand, his appearance had changed drastically. The two pupils in Pernida's single eye had managed to be filled with Hagal runes. Two feathery wings now sprouted out from his wrist and his Heiligenschein was formed like a David's star, only that it was more resembling to the Wandenreich's own symbol. The giant hand gazed down to Mayuri, who was left stunned by this new appearance. This was without a doubt, Pernida's Quincy: Vollständig.
"This is it, Shinigami" Pernida spoke up lowly while his fingers began cracking and sprouting out more nerves. "This is my true form in which I never thought I would have to use. But since you have forced my hand, I will take pleasure in watching you suffer while in my godly form. BEHOLD, THE POWER OF ACRADEMUS!" the giant hand exclaimed while calling out the name of his new form. In the Quincy tongue, it meant: Evolution of God.
Mayuri remained cautious as he could see a giant Heilig Bogen being formed on Pernida's fingers. From what he could tell, it was significantly taller than the one the Sternritter had showed him previously. Firing a Heilig Pfiel, Pernida aimed it down at Mayuri, who knew that he would need to get away from it as quickly as possible. The scientist used his homemade Hirenkiyaku to avoid getting hit by the arrow of Reishi. But while he managed to avoid it, something else happened. As the arrow landed on the ground, an explosion suddenly erupted and Mayuri narrowly avoided it. However, the captain was stunned to see what just happened.
"What kind of attack is this….." Mayuri wondered as he could see that the explosion had left a crater in the ground after this attack. "I have never seen Heilig Pfiels as powerful as this…" he noted but quickly returned his focus on Pernida, who was preparing another arrow for him. The scientist gritted his teeth in frustration.
"There is hope for you, Shinigami. You will never escape my wrath!" Pernida exclaimed and fired a Reishi Arrow once again. "I will make you suffer for this humiliation! That will be your judgement for laying your filthy hands on me!" he added with pride in his voice.
Mayuri got frustrated as he heard what the hand just said and he jumped to avoid getting hit by the exploding arrow. This time however, the captain was caught by the explosion and sent flying, despite his best attempts to avoid being near the explosions. But in the nick of time, Mayuri managed to use his handmade Hirenkiyaku to float above the ground once again. He panted while glaring up to the giant hand.
"Damn! To think that I allow myself to get bested by this giant hand!" Mayuri cursed while clutching onto Nemu's brain with his left hand. "If only I made more adjustments to Nemu. She would've probably been able to battle and destroy it completely" he then added to his thoughts while glancing at the brain.
Pernida kept gazing upon Mayuri, with his eye narrowing cunningly. "It seems that this fight will be over already" he said before letting out a taunting chuckle while forming his fingers as if he was to grip something. He even did that while bending himself backwards. "Allow me to humiliate you at my full power!" he then exclaimed.
Mayuri was completely caught off guard as a giant hand made of Reishi suddenly emerged underneath him from the ground. It rose up like a pillar while carrying the terrified captain, who was caught by the Reishi Hand's grip. Mayuri was now squeezed and caught by Pernida.
"BASTARD! WHAT TRCIKERY IS THIS!?" the captain demanded angrily.
"You still don't get it, do you?" Pernida asked as Mayuri was caught and held around by the fingers. "I have always been a Quincy. As such, I am able to manipulate Reishi into my own liking. That is some the powers I have always had, ever since me and my siblings were separated from one another" he then spoke up, once again insisting that he was a Quincy. "The name that you insolent worms gave me can be written off as a legend. I am Sternritter C – The Compulsory: Pernida Parnkgjas!" he added with an excelmation. It was apparent that he had completely disowned the name Lord Susuhame.
Mayuri was feeling very distressed at the moment as he felt himself getting crushed by the Reishi Hand. However, he was in for a surprise as he could feel himself getting loosed for some reason. The scientist was then freed from the grip, only to fall down onto the ground. With careful thinking, he activated his Hirenkiyaku once again, thus being able to float above the ground. The Captain of Squad 12 was very stunned to see why he was free instead of getting crushed by the Reishi Hand.
"I don't understand…how am I….." before Mayuri knew it, he could feel himself getting stabbed through his chest by a Zanpakutou and it looked very familiar to him. The outraged scientist managed to move his head a little to see who it was that had stabbed him. Mayuri was furious with what he saw. "What is the meaning of this…Zaraki?" he spoke up with an angry voice.
Captain Kenpachi Zaraki of Squad 11 now held his Zanpakutou while stabbing Mayuri. He only grinned cockily as his gaze met the scientist's eyes. It appears that he took pleasure in doing this to Mayuri and his fellow captain's reaction only seemed to make it more fun.
"Heh. What does it look like I'm doing? I'm just returning the favor. Weren't you saying something about stabbing me for my own sake? Well, here's my own version" the aggressive captain told the scientist in return before swinging his Zanpakutou, thus throwing Mayuri back into the nearest building. "Now do me a favor and sit your ass down! And don't even think about stealing my prey. I've got this in a bag!" he then spoke up while fixing his glance on Pernida.
Mayuri was furious over what his fellow captain had just done and he wanted to do so many things to Kenpachi because of what he now just did. "I stabbed you to save you from being killed! You did that for no reason!" he angrily said while holding onto the wound on his chest. But Kenpachi did not seem to respond, which only made Mayuri more furious. "That oafish buffoon! How dare he turn his back on me!?" he angrily wondered in his head.
The scientist could suddenly hear someone appear beside him and it made Mayuri narrow his eyes. He could see Ikkaku Madarame and Yumichika Ayasegawa standing close to him, with Ikkaku carrying Hanataro Yamada on his shoulder. Mayuri groaned with low enthusiasm.
"You again?" he said, not sounding very happy to see the two members of Squad 11.
"Whazzup, pedo clown?" Ikkaku asked the captain in his usual rude tone, which Mayuri did not take kindly. Even so, the baldheaded man seemed less than interested in what his own opinions were. "You're still gonna act like a sourpuss as usual? Big deal. I can care less" he then added while focusing his attention on his captain confronting Pernida.
"Where's your lieutenant? And what's that you're holding, a brain?" Yumichika then asked while glancing over at the captain, who was sitting while holding onto Nemu's brain. But like Ikkaku, Yumichika didn't seem to give much thought to Mayuri and simply shrugged his shoulder at him. "Whatever. From my standpoint, it seems that neither you nor your lieutenant were able to defeat that thing despite your talents. I take that brain must be your lieutenant's. That explains a lot" the flamboyant man remarked with amusement in his voice.
The Captain of Squad 12 could not stand this mocking, especially from lower-rank Shinigamis like Ikkaku and Yumichika. "I hope you've brought more than insults, simpletons" he then said with little enthusiasm in his voice. But Mayrui could notice Hanataro being carried by Ikkaku and it made him wonder why he would do such. "I don't understand. Why are you carrying that lousy medic? I thought you of Squad 11 had a low opinion on Squad 4 and their medics" he then asked them while wanting to know.
Ikkaku simply scoffed at his question in return. "It's none of your damn business!" he said while motioning his head towards Kenpachi. "But I can say that Captain Zaraki wants to return the favor you gave him by finishing off that giant hand. He will sort of clean up the mess you left behind" the baldheaded man added with a hint of humor in his voice.
Knowing that it was meaningless to speak to either of those two, Mayuri decided to concentrate on Kenpachi. "I don't understand. After what that thing just did to you, what makes you think that you'll win? You are only walking straight towards your death, Zaraki" the scientist remarked in his head.
The Captain of Squad 11 was swinging his blade while making sure that he was ready to fight this opponent. Kenpachi was still grinning in spite of the enemy he was facing, not mention that Pernida had just activated his Quincy: Vollständig. He glanced up, only to see Pernida glance down at him with a dispassionate look.
"I see that you have recovered from your injuries, Kenpachi Zaraki. How you did it, I have no idea. But it matters not" Pernida spoke up, his voice hinting with dissatisfaction. "However, I expect you to be a better challenge than that pathetic excuse for a scientist behind you. But have you learned from your previous encounter with me?" he added while pinpointing to Mayuri, who was furious over his comment.
Kenpachi only shrugged his shoulders in return. "Heh. It seems that we can both agree on Kurotsuchi being ridiculous. Hell, I bet we have more in common than what you care to admit" Kenpachi said while readying his fighting stance, his only eye completely fixed upon Pernida. "But that said, I still owe you some ass-whooping for what you did to me. I may have underestimated you and your abilities, but that doesn't change for a fact that I'll die to you. So do me a favor and show me your abilities. Let's see if your nerves are tough enough to reach me!" he then began challenging the Sternritter, while taunting him in the process.
Pernida remained unimpressed when seeing Kenpachi's taunting. "You do not impress, Shinigami. For someone who almost met his end by my powers, you do have some guts left in you" the giant hand noted, before cracking his fingers. It was apparent that Pernida was ready to make his move against the captain. "Very well. To show respect for your reputation, as well as being one of the 5 Special War Potentials, I shall grant your defeat by own account" he then added while explain his intentions.
Kenpachi continued to smirk when facing this danger. "Bring it on, Handy. I'm waiting" he spoke up with a cocky tone. He even had enough balls to call Pernida by a nickname.
This made Pernida slightly angered and it only made it more tempting for the Sternritter to defeat Kenpachi. "NOW, FEEL MY WRATH!" he said and all of a sudden, nerves began sprouting out from the fingers, expect that there was a difference from the ones he had when in his normal form. These nerves were filled with Reishi and they headed down towards Kenpachi, who was glancing at these nerves with intriguing eyes. "YOU WILL NOT SURVIVE! MY NERVES HAVE NOW BEEN EMPOWERED WITH REISHI! NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, YOU CAN NEVER ESCAPE THEM! THE AIR WILL HELP THEM TO CATCH YOU! ENJOY YOUR LAST MOMENTS, SHINIGAMI-ANT!" Pernida then exclaimed while explaining what these nerves were.
Kenpachi continued to stare up towards the nerves with widening eyes, as he could see how fast they were coming towards him. It was as if he was too scared to even move away. But out of the blue, a gleeful smile began creeping on Kenpachi's face and he was delighted by what he was seeing, even though he knew he was in grave danger. Why was he behaving like this in face of danger? His members of Squad 11 also wondered about the same thing.
"Now we're talking! This is what I've been waiting for!" Kenpachi said while putting his left hand on his eyepatch. That could only mean one thing. Kenpachi was now intending on unleashing his full power against Pernida. "TIME TO TURN UP THE HEAT!" he then yelled out loud in exclamation before pulling off the eyepatch.
The moment Kenpachi did that, a loud explosion of Spiritual Pressure erupted in the icy cityscape. It was so powerful that it even blew off the nearby buildings. Yumichika, Ikkaku and Mayuri was also caught by this explosion and they were sent flying into one of the nearby streets. They struggled to hold themselves, considering that Kenpachi's Spiritual Pressure was as strong as a hurricane.
"WHAT IN THE HELL IS THIS!?" Mayuri asked out loud while covering his eyes with one of the sleeves from his haori. "SINCE WHEN DID ZARAKI'S POWER BECOME SO STRONG!?" he then added while making sure that he was stuck on the ground.
Ikkaku was also staying strong while holding onto Hanataro. But he was very awed when he felt the enormous Spiritual Pressure coming from. In fact, Ikkaku went from being stunned to being amazed to feel his captain's power. He was not alone. Even the reserved Yumichika was beginning to do the same thing. The two members of Squad 11 felt so much confidence in their superior.
"Man…the captain's Spiritual Pressure sure is strong…since when did he achieve this amount of power!?" Ikkaku wondered out loud while gazing into the bright energy being released.
Yumichika only glanced at his partner smugly. "Save those questions for later, Ikkaku! You heard the captain. Hanataro is to be protected by any means necessary. One injury on him and you'll have Captain Zaraki coming after your hide!" he pointed out to the baldheaded man.
Ikkaku only scoffed in return. "Is that supposed to scare me, Yumichika!? Get real!" he said to his friend in return while looking at Hanataro hanging unconscious on his shoulder. "All of us are indebted to Hanataro for what he has done to help us. If not for him, we wouldn't even be able to witness this fight" he added with a hint of gratefulness in his voice.
The powerful release of Spiritual Pressure soon ceased and the Shinigamis sitting on the sidelines could see Kenpachi still standing there, only this time, with his Shikai activated. The aggressive Captain of Squad 11 swung Nozarashi before resting it on his right shoulder. Kenpachi made sure that Pernida could see the blade as well. But above all, Kenpachi's release had somehow disintegrated Pernida's nerves. The Sternritter was filled with intrigue by seeing what Kenpachi had just done.
"Unbelievable…...my nerves…..they failed to reach you" Pernida spoke up lowly, before his eye began narrowing with displeasure. "Nevertheless, it does not make you invincible. I am one of His Majesty's Schutzstaffel! My power already surpasses yours, ant! And I intend on proving it!" he said before realsing more nerves out from his fingers.
These nerves were also filled Reishi, and they were headed towards Kenpachi in a fast speed. Yet despite seeing this, Kenpachi only glanced at this with little enthusiasm in his eyes. He seemed to be feeling bored, and even let out a sigh as the nerves neared him.
"You just don't get it, do ya?" Kenpachi asked Pernida before unleashing his Spiritual Pressure once again, thus sending shockwaves in the area. The moment the nerves neared him, they quickly disintegrated, right before Kenpachi's eyes. He could see the outraged reaction from Pernida. "Your damn nerves can't touch me, not as long as I live and breathe" the captain added with an explanation to the giant hand before him.
But Pernida was not very receiving of these statements. "Impossible…...such Spiritual Pressure…..." the giant hand noted before forming a Heilig Bogen with his giant fingers. "I have already ascended into my holy form! I cannot be bested by a filthy Shinigami-rat!" he exclaimed before readying an explosive Heilig Pfiel before firing it towards Kenpachi. "YOU WILL NOT SUCCEED!" he then exclaimed out loudly.
Without even hesitating, Kenpachi jumped into the air and headed straight towards the incoming Reishi Arrow. He was determined to face it head on and readied his Zanpakutou. The aggressive captain even grinned in the face of danger.
"I grow tired of hearing your blathering! So I'll end it with one blow!" Kenpachi exclaimed and suddenly swung Nozarashi at the incoming Reishi Arrow, thus cutting it into many pieces. The Sternritter was not finished. He began raising his fingers, thus making two hands made out of Reishi emerge up from the ground. Once in the air, they immediately turned around and dived towards Kenpachi. But in the minute the two hands of Reishi was about to claw the Shinigami, they disintegrated. This was due to the monstrous power coming from Kenpachi. Pernida was astounded by seeing Kenpachi's resolve and he got more frustrated by seeing how his own attacks failed to land damage upon Kenpachi.
"I DON'T UNDERSTAND! MY ATTACKS KEEPS GETTING WEAKER WHENEVER THEY ARE NEAR HIM!" the giant hand thought in his mind, only to realize that he had to do something. "I WILL SACRIFICE FOR YOU, LORD YHWACH!" Pernida then exclaimed and lowered himself to face Kenpachi head on.
The long-haired man remained defiant in face of this challenge and proceeded to swing his blade as Pernida neared him. But Kenpachi was now unleashing his full power and proceeded to cut Pernida in half, from his hand to rest of the arm. He did that with an incredible fast speed, and this cut managed to crack Pernida's Heiligenschein. Pernida was left paralyzed as he was separated in half, with blood sprouting out from the two halves. However, the giant hand still had the ability to regenerate and become one again, but something made it impossible. Kenpachi's monstrous Spiritual Pressure rendered the giant hand powerless to be able to regenerate and the two halves soon disintegrated into pools of blood,
"DAMN YOU…KENPACHI ZARAKI! YOU WILL SUFFER FOR THIS OUTRAGE! YOU WILL NEVER BE WIN THIS BATTLE! WE ARE ETERNAL! WE ARE ALL CONNECTED!" those were the last words of Pernida as he became nothing but a giant pool of blood.
Having just delivered the blow to the Sternritter, who was also the Soul King's Left Hand, Kenpachi landed upon the ground and watched as the pool of blood soon began withering away. Everything around him became quiet once again, and he could sense no signs of Quincies standing near him. They were now alone in this icy street, which had of course had some rubbles from the destroyed buildings. The long-haired man only shrugged his shoulders before swinging his blade to wipe off the blood. His expression was very neutral.
"Nothing more than a nuisance" he said, only to fix a smug grin on his face. "But still, it felt refreshing. It felt great to give that bastard an ass-whooping. He deserved it" he added to his statement while stretching his neck.
Kenpachi was quickly approached by his fellow members of Squad 11, who were more than delighted to see their captain having emerged victorious from this fight. Ikkaku was still carrying Hanataro on his shoulder. But it didn't take long before Mayuri also joined in, although he didn't have enough much strength to run in same pace as Ikkaku and Yumichika. He was still holding onto Nemu's brain.
"You did it, Captain Zaraki!" Yumichika exclaimed with admiration of Kenpachi. "I knew that you would put an end to that horrible thing!" he added to his praising of his captain.
Ikkaku only glanced at his partner with a raised eyebrow when hearing this. "Is that the best praises you can come up with?" he wondered in his head.
"Save the praises for later, Yumichika. This battle ain't over yet" Kenpachi suddenly spoke up while glancing up to the imposing building, where Silbern stood at the summit. That was the new seat of power of the Wandenreich, as well as the place where Yhwach could be found. "We still gotta reach that palace. There's a feeling in my gut telling me that Ichigo and his pals are headed towards that place even as we speak" the Captain of Squad 11 then noted while gazing up to the palace.
Yumichika and Ikkaku glanced up to Silbern as well. "Yeah, but we'll reach there in no time. I'm certain of that" the baldheaded man noted with a cunning grin forming on his face.
Mayuri approached the group, only to fall onto his knees. He was surprised, but could see the reason why he was rendered unable to walk properly. His shoes had somehow been twisted. They had probably been that when he got sent by Kenpachi's shockwave. The Captain of Squad 12 sighed deeply as he saw this.
"I see…...even my shoes are now destroyed…that also includes my feet. Just my luck" he muttered lowly before reaching for his Hojiku-Zai in one of his sleeves. He then stabbed the regenerative serum on his legs, which then made his feet whole again. While he did that, he could notice both Ikkaku and Yumichika glance at him with nothing but disapproving looks. Despite this, Mayuri grinned at them smugly. "I commend you two on not stepping forth and interfering in the middle of my fight. That would have only ruined the experiment" the scientist remarked while showing them Nemu's brain.
Yumichika stroke one of his bangs while listening to this. "I didn't expect a compliment coming from you. While I wouldn't receive it given your cold attitude, I'll make this an exception and take it" he told him in return. "But don't expect me to feel sorry for you" he then added.
Mayuri only grunted in return. "I never asked for your sympathy, Ayasegawa. I was only stating observable facts by my own account" he replied, his voice bearing no enthusiasm in it. He eventually got up on his feet, as his serum seemed to have healed his feet quickly. He then took a glance at his Zanpakutou, which seemed to not be a little broken. "Damn. Ashisogi Jizo seems to have been receiving some damages thanks to that vile thing being able to destroy my modified Bankai. However, that does not mean it is useless to me. I can still use it, not to mention that Konjiki Ashisogi Jizō: Matai Fukuin Shōtai is able to repair itself. But that will take some time" the scientist noted in his head while observing his Zanpakutou.
"Hey pedo clown!" the rude voice came from Kenpachi and Mayuri turned his irritated look on his fellow captain, who had not even bothered turning around to face him. "Can't believe I'm saying this, but thanks. Thanks for saving my ass from getting ripped apart" he then thanked the captain he usually didn't get along well.
The Captain of Squad 12 only shrugged his shoulders as he heard this. "I don't know whether you are talking to me or to yourself. But I appreciate your gratitude nevertheless" he then said with sarcasm in his voice.
"You should actually be thanking him for taking care of that damned hand for ya" Ikkaku suddenly spoke up while glancing at Mayuri with narrowing eyes. The scientist did not take kindly to his words. "What, so you still wanna act sanctimonious and self-righteous in light of what happened in your fight? Care to dream, Kurotsuchi" he then added.
"I don't answer to a mere 3rd seat, so back off, Madarame!" Mayuri snapped, although he took notice of Hanataro hanging on Ikkaku's shoulder. It made him feel dumbfounded. "And why in the hell are you carrying that lousy medic anyway? Hanataro Yamada is nothing but a…." before the Captain of Squad 12 could continue any more badmouthing of the unciouncious medic, Mayuri could feel the close presence of Kenpachi. Right now, the long-haired man was glancing at him with a very stern and threating glance, although Mayuri didn't seem to feel intimidated by it.
"Hey" Kenpachi spoke up, his eyes never leaving his fellow captain. "I could care less about your usual test subjects since they're your men. But I damn sure don't wanna hear you badmouth Yamada. He actually saved me for real, instead of you" he then told Mayuri, his eyes still fixated upon him.
Mayuri was only glancing at Kenpachi with low enthusiasm but he eventually let out a deep sigh after 4 seconds. "You're right. I take it back. But I still have more pressing matters to concern about than being friendly to that medic" the scientist told him before gazing up towards Silbern and the imposing tower that existed beneath it. "Well, while I usually have no interest in what happens now, I can sense some disturbances happening in that tall building. It is there where we will find him. It is there were Yhwach sits on his throne" Mayuri then told his fellow Shinigamis.
Kenpachi only grinned by what he was seeing. "Heh. What are we waiting for? I suggest we head over there and see what kind of minions he'll send against us" Kenpachi suggested cockily while swinging his blade to brandish it. "I still wanna go and crack a few skulls" he said before heading off towards that direction in fast speed.
Both Ikkaku and Yumichika did not wished to be left behind, so they immediately began chasing after their captain. This left only Mayuri alone in the street, as he didn't power running after them. The scientist sighed deeply as he proceeded to move forward.
But as Mayuri moved, he stopped and quickly turned around to see whether someone had been watching him. The Captain of Squad 12 got cautious as he glanced around in the icy cityscape. Mayuri could have sworn that he felt something, even though it wasn't a Spiritual Pressure. Eventually, he decided to continue moving on, finding it pointless to be standing in the street any longer.
But unbeknownst to Mayuri and the other Shinigamis, a small pool of Pernida's blood had begun floating to a nearby grate lock in the street. What it meant remained unanswered, but it was apparent that a small tint of Pernida's life source managed to escape Kenpachi's monstrous Spiritual Pressure in the nick of time. The blood ran through the grate lock and fell into the sewers before continuing moving. Where it will go next, remained to be answered.
Meanwhile, in another district of Wahrwelt, some hours earlier
After almost falling down thanks to his constant hatred of Yhwach, Ichigo Kurosaki and his friends were now running to their destination: Silbern. Knowing that it was fruitless to make it over there with the Quincies controlling the Reishi in the air, the group understood that they would have to reach the palace by foot. Ichigo was once again leading his group, as the orange-haired man was determined to fight Yhwach and all those who sided with him. That also included his classmate: Uryu Ishida.
Right now, Ichigo along with Orihime, Chad, Ganju, Yoruichi, Tessai, Jinta and Ururu were running through a street. Meanwhile, Grimmjow and Nelliel were running on the rooftops on each side of the street. In that way, they would be prepared for any future attacks. But as they were running, Ichigo couldn't help but to think about the near-death experience he just had.
"I can't believe we're reduced to this" Ichigo noted to his friend who ran beside him. "Not being able to create footholds of Reishi when you need them. That's just shocking" he then added while thinking about his fall.
"Well, it's not as shocking as when you almost threw your life away back there, Ichigo" Chad spoke up with a hint of seriousness in his voice. He had been stunned to see Ichigo's reckless actions.
Ichigo groaned lowly as he heard this and he faced Chad with a similar glance in return. "Look, I know I screwed up, okay!? Something messed up began taking hold on my body, as if my own instincts took over! I didn't do this on purpose!" Ichigo snapped, feeling irritated over being reminded about his own foolish mistake.
Yoruichi rolled her eyes while hearing this. "My god! You and Yushiro are so similar when it comes to lack of control on impulsiveness. And here I thought you had matured for once" the purple-haired woman remarked while thinking about her younger brother and how similar he was to Ichigo.
The orange-haired man narrowed his eyes as he heard Yoruichi's explanation. "Hey! Are you complimenting me or making fun out of me!? If so, then I would've appreciated if you complimented me" Ichigo then told her.
"The fact that you're even asking me that question speaks volumes" Yoruichi added while she began thinking about Ichigo's impulsive actions. "For some reason, I'm beginning to fear that Ichigo's own impulsiveness will be his undoing. It happened in the Soul King's Palace, as well as just now. I sure as hell hope we'll make it through with this war" she then added to her own thoughts.
"But about the 13 Court Guard Squads, it would be wise if we joined up with them. Now that a surprise attack is out of the question, the least we can do is move as one unite" Chad then suggested to his friends.
Yoruichi nodded her head at the tall man in return. "My thoughts exactly" she said to him. "Even now, they must be on their way as we speak. That palace may be heavily guarded, so it requires more of us to lay siege on that building to stop Yhwach" she added to her explanation while briefly glancing up on the tower.
But she and the others in the street could hear a loud groan coming from Grimmjow, who sounded very displeased by what he had just heard them talking about. "Screw all this regroup talk! The more people there are, the easier it is to spot us!" the teal-haired man said before running to another direction. "And for the record, all you'll accomplish is a larger body count!" Grimmjow added before moving on.
Nelliel sighed in irritation by what she was seeing her fellow Arrancar doing and she tried to stop him from going on his own. "Grimmjow, not now!" the sea green-haired woman told him, trying to make him see reason. "Quit being such a showoff and think strategically for once!" she added to her voice.
Grimmjow only glanced over his shoulders and scoffed at Nelliel's words. "What are we, holding hands now? Allowin isn't here to give us orders, so I can do whatever the hell I want. That's why I'm going on ahead!" the Legionario spoke up before proceeding to move forward.
Ichigo was about to help Nelliel in restraining Ichigo, only to notice someone standing on the tower in front of them. From what he could tell, it was without a doubt a Quincy. He then made sure that his friends were aware of that fact as well.
"Hold on! There's someone standing on that tower before us!" the orange-haired man noted while he got a closer look of who it was that had been standing there.
The one who was standing on the top of the tower was none other than one of Yhwach' Schutzstaffel: Sternritter D – The Deathdealing: Askin Nakk Le Vaar. The slick-haired man was standing there with little enthusiasm in his expression as he gazed upon Ichigo and his group of friends. He scratched behind his neck.
"For the love of god! I get stuck with Ichigo Kurosaki and his group? Talk about this shear amount of luck I've been having lately" Askin noted to himself, seeing this as kind of boring and stressful to him. But the Sternritter sucked it up after sighing. "Oh well, it's still better than getting the entire 13 Court Guard Squads on my…..what the hell….hold on!" the Sternritter was interrupted as he could see someone soaring in the air and headed towards him. It was Grimmjow, who was charging straight towards him and preparing to land an attack on Askin and the tower.
Grimmjow grinned as he delivered his attack on Askin. "SURPRISE, ASSHOLE!" he yelled out loud while landing his attack, thus shattering the tower into many smaller pieces.
Ichigo and his friends groaned by what they were seeing and the orange-haired man reached for his Zanpakutous. "That jackass…..so much for the element of surprise!" he noted while gritting his teeth in frustration.
"Such recklessness!" Tessai noted with dissatisfaction at Grimmjow and his behavior. "His actions has already caused so much commotion" the tanned-skinned man added to his observation.
"Well, who ever said that he would have to accompany us, anyway!?" Jinta asked out impatiently. But the red-haired teenager was not the only one to have some reservations for Grimmjow being with them.
Nelliel also felt the same thing. "Why of all the Legionarios did HE have to be sent!?" she wondered in her head while feeling frustrated about this. She then drew out her Zanpakutou "Right now, I'm beginning to regret not recommending Yammy to go in Grimmjow's stead. He is at least someone who knows when to follow orders" she then added to her thoughts.
As soon as the tower had been reduced to nothing but rubbles, Grimmjow landed on a boulder and glanced down, knowing that the Sternritter had been buried beneath the mess. He was not impressed with Askin being an easy target and only shrugged his shoulders.
"Tch, that's one down" Grimmjow noted with a frown. "I didn't expect the Sternritters to be THAT weak" he added while feeling disappointed how easy defeating Askin was.
The Arrancar eventually looked over his shoulder to see Ichigo and the others run towards him. "Grimmjow! What the hell were you thinking!? We had a plan!" Ichigo told the teal-haired man, who only gritted his teeth in irritation when hearing these words.
"For fuck's sake" he groaned lowly before facing Ichigo directly. "Screw you, Ichigo! Didn't I tell you that I don't take orders from…." Grimmjow's badmouthing was interrupted when he heard someone emerge out of the rubbles. Looking back, Grimmjow snapped in outrage when he saw that Askin was still alive and was now running away from the rubbles.
Ichigo and the others also took notice of the Sternritter fleeing from them and he glanced at Ichigo sternly. "You just gonna let him get away?" he then asked him with dispassion in his voice, something which only infuriated Grimmjow further.
"I told you to shut up!" Grimmjow snapped before starting to chase Askin with his own fast speed. "You son of a bitch! Get your ass back here!" the teal-haired man said out loud while chasing after Askin.
Askin was still running, yet he looked over his shoulder to see Grimmjow gaining onto him. "If you promise not to turn me into a lump of flesh, then I will be happy to stop" the Sternritter said while panting between his words.
Grimmjow only raised an eyebrow when hearing this. "Who said anything about me doing you in…" the Arrancar did not get what Askin was trying to say.
"Then what are you saying!?" Askin then asked Grimmjow, trying to get another answer out of Grimmjow.
The Legionario only narrowed his feline eyes. "All I'm saying is that if you're weaker than me, you'll probably end up dying" Grimmjow clarified without any emotion in his voice.
"Don't give me that bullcrap! Do I look like I was born yesterday!?" Askin then asked out loud while feeling offended at Grimmjow's assumption.
Grimmjow was starting to lose patience with him. "You came here expecting a fight, didn't you!? So what's with the entire production!?" he then asked, starting to feel irritated by Askin's cocky persona.
"I didn't come here to fight. I came here to massacre you guys. My intention was to do it all covertly and stealthy!" Askin said with so much enthusiasm in his voice. He really was full of himself when it came to expressing his ways of eliminating his opponents. "Besides, you weren't here earlier! You and that woman with the skull just popped out of nowhere! And who the hell are you, anyway!?" he then asked Grimmjow, who was dumbfounded when being asked about this. But he replied nonetheless.
"Me? My identity's none of your business but Ichigo Kurosaki is my sworn enemy" Grimmjow spoke up with his usual rude voice. "I'm the one who's gonna kill him" he then added to his explanation.
But Askin was filled with gleeful enthusiasm as we heard what Grimmjow just said, something which Grimmjow did not understand. "Seriously!? That's fantastic! That means you and I are allies! Everything's good!" the Sternritter suddenly exclaimed out loudly, which only astounded the Arrancar even more. Askin winked at him while doing a cool-guy gesture towards Grimmjow. "Let's rip Ichigo Kurosaki a new one…...you and me together!" he then exclaimed, despite knowing that he was offering a truce with an Arrancar.
Grimmjow was unimpressed by what he was hearing. "Damn, you sure do love the sound of your own voice. And as for your offer, shove it up your ass! You may as well start running!" the teal-haired man said while landing his handpalms on the ground. Something happened to the hands, as they were transformed into panther-like claws. The aggressive Legionario was grinning as he charged towards Askin, who was still running. "Because once I catch ya, I'm gonna skin you alive! SO HERE I COME!" he then exclaimed with bloodlust in his voice while diving towards the Sternritter like a panther catching his prey.
Askin snapped in shock as he saw how fast Grimmjow really was and he knew that he could not outrun the Arrancar. But he knew there were other ways to avoid getting caught by this raging predator. Right before Grimmjow could land his claws on the Sternritter, Askin vanished from his sight. The teal-haired man landed his claws on the ground and quickly turned around to see that Askin had just moved away from him. It was due to Askin using the Hirenkiyaku.
"Bastard….." Grimmjow growled while gritting his teeth. "GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE!" he then yelled while chasing after Askin once again.
The Sternritter was caught by complete surprise in seeing how swift and brutal Grimmjow was. "Whoa…angry kitty on the loose!" he said and used his Hirenkiyaku once again to appear on the top of a nearby building. But that didn't stop the Arrancar from chasing him, as Grimmjow began climbing up the walls to reach him. Askin snapped in fear. "Quit following me, you damn monster!" he said out loud and turned around to run away.
Grimmjow growled as he could see his target running away from him. "You can't outrun me, you pussy! I'll catch you with my own claws!" the teal-haired man yelled and proceeded to chase the Sternritter through the icy cityscape. Grimmjow even vanished from the scene by using Sonido, considering the fact that Askin was now using Hirenkiyaku.
Nelliel, Yoruichi and Tessai stood near the building both Grimmjow and Askin had disappeared by.
"Goodness, this is such a commotion" Tessai remarked while adjusting his glasses.
Yoruichi sighed in annoyance. "I can't believe this crap" she muttered before glancing over to Nelliel. "Don't tell him this, but I would rather prefer if Gallante took Grimmjow's place. What was Allowin thinking, letting that hothead accompany us?" she then started a conversation with the Dechado.
The young woman nodded her head in agreement. "Trust me, I was also vehemently against him being my partner. But His Highness and Gallante insisted that Grimmjow accompany me, due to the fact he is also one of the few Legionarios who are on the verge of becoming Dechados" the young woman said, which only astounded the two Shinigamis.
"He is one the verge of becoming a Dechado?" Yoruichi asked in slight disbelief. "You better be bluffing" she then added to her dissatisfaction of the news.
"Yes. Grimmjow is not just a Legionario. He is also one of the five Legionarios who are registered personally by His Highness as potential paragons. In the military ranks of the Imperio de Hierro, they are commonly referred to as the Novatos" Nelliel relieved to them. "But that information is only shared between His Highness and those Legionarios. The only reason I know this, is because of Grimmjow being foolish enough to proclaim this to me" she then told them how she got hold of this valuable information.
"Hmmm…then I guess his hunger for power will only strengthen once he is made into a Dechado" Tessai noted, although he could be seen sweating a little. "But then again, a repulsive fool like Grimmjow is not the Arrancar you should fear most. No…...Allowin dwarfs him…..." the tanned-skinned man said, still feeling very uncomfortable when only mentioning the name of the Imperio de Hierro's ruler.
The trio were now joined by Ichigo and the rest, who had just been running to catch things up.
"Damn…...it seems that Grimmjow has disappeared, as has that Quincy or whatever the hell he was" Ichigo noted while panting in order to catch his breath. The orange-haired man began looking around in the icy street. "He really wants to take that guy on his own, which would explain why he was so determined" the Substitute Shinigami added to his explanation.
Ganju also began looking around as well. "I ever imagined that he would haul ass with that kind of speed" he noted before facing this around him. "Anyway, that Sternritter will probably try to slow us down and prevent us from reaching the palace. I suggest we do something about him" the long-haired man suggested to his friends.
"Yeah! I wanna introduce that slimeball to my kanabo! How I would love to bang his smug face!" Jinta then suggested.
Yoruichi nodded her head in return. "Yes. We must get rid of that Sternritter. But since he seems less impulsive, it's obvious he will fool Grimmjow. Therefore, I suggest we split up and search for either Grimmjow or that Sternritter" the purple-haired woman then suggested.
Ichigo smiled as he heard this. "Sounds like a great idea to me. I think three groups should be enough to search around this icy labyrinth" he noted while glancing at both Chad and Orihime with a smug smile. "Chad, Orihime, you're with me" he said, causing Chad to give him a thumb up while Orihime giggled.
"If you say so, Ichigo" she replied with a friendly smile directed towards him.
Ururu suddenly spoke up what she had in mind. "Need I to remind you that I am able to pick up an Arrancar's trail?" the young girl asked those around her.
Nelliel was intrigued as she heard what the young teenager just said. "So you have this as an ability? That sounds very intriguing" she noted while smiling at the young girl. "In fact, why don't you and I go and search for Grimmjow together?" the Dechado suddenly recommended.
The shy girl smiled and nodded her head as a yes. "I would be delighted with someone like you would accompany me. But we still need one more…" Ururu spoke up before she heard the voice of Jinta.
"Quit acting like a scaredy-cat, Ururu. I'll tag along" the red-haired teenager said while fixing himself a smug grin at Nelliel. "And besides, you could use for someone to bang your enemies with. My kanabo is just the right tool" he insisted to her.
Nelliel only glanced at him with a raised eyebrow. "That's a little too presumptuous, Jinta. But I appreciate your enthusiasm" she told him in return.
"Come now, Jinta. Why not go with me and Yoruichi?" Tessai suddenly asked the teenager with a friendly voice, although Jinta did not see it that way.
"In your dreams, old man! No way I'm letting myself getting…" before Jinta could continue, he felt a hard bang on his head by Tessai's own staff. It left him an ugly mark and he rubbed his sore head. "See? That's just what I'm talking about!" he then snapped while pointing a finger towards Tessai, who only remained unfazed.
Yoruichi sighed deeply from what she was hearing and decided to break up this scene. "Okay, I have seen enough. We don't have time for this nonsense!" she told both Jinta and Tessai before fixing her smug glance at Ganju. "Ganju, you're with me and Tessai. You wouldn't mind that, would you?" she then told him.
Ganju only shrugged his shoulders in return. "Not really. That's fine by me to be honest" he said, before he snapped when realizing something. He suddenly reached for his pockets to grab something. "Oh, this reminds me. Now that we're going into different groups in a labyrinth, I know just the right tool for us to use. Here, take these" Ganju told both Ichigo and Nelliel as he gave them what looked to be a signal flare.
"What are these?" Nelliel asked while sounding confused.
"They look like signal flares to me" Orihime spoke up while glancing at Ganju with a smile. "Are they also filled with fireworks?" she asked him.
Ganju nodded with pride in return. "Damn straight. These are the Shiba clan's own handmade signal flare. You aim it up in the sky and fire a rocked in the air that will last long enough for us to see and hear" he said before pulling out one of his own. "I got one of my own here. So now we all have these signal flares to contact each other should we encounter one of those bastards. But remember, you can only fire those once. So try not to waste them" he then went on explaining.
"That sounds creative to me" Orihime noted while looking over to Ichigo. "Wouldn't you agree, Ichigo?" she asked him.
"I don't know what to say, but I must thank you for being creative, Ganju. I appreciate it" Ichigo said to him, forcing Ganju to grin smugly in return.
"Tch, don't even mention it. My creativity has always been useful to ya" Ganju insisted.
"Okay. We're now separated into two different groups. Let's split up and search for wherever Grimmjow or that Quincy has run off to. And you heard Ganju, don't waste your signal flare. Use it only when it's necessary" Ichigo told everyone and the three groups went into different streets ins search of Grimmjow.
It was perhaps a good thing they went into different groups, considering that this district of the Wahrwelt almost functioned like a maze. And they hadn't forgotten that in this realm, it was the Quincies who possessed all the advantages, not Shinigamis or Arrancars.
Inside the throne room, Silbern, Wahrwelt
In the throne room of Silbern, Yhwach was sitting on his throne while sleeping so sweetly. It was night outside and while chaos and battles took places there, peace and silence took place in the throne room. Yhwach was now gathering all the souls for him to claim back, while being the Father of the Quincies. He had left the supervising of Silbern to Haschwalth.
But as the emperor slept, something began creeping underneath the door to the throne room. It was a pool of blood, that had been able to move throughout Wahrwelt. But it was not just any ordinary blood. It was Pernida's blood. Now it had reached Yhwach and it began to crawl towards the sleeping emperor. Yhwach did not even open his eyes. In fact, he even smiled while he was asleep.
Pernida's blood was nearing Yhwach and the black-haired man suddenly reached out his left hand to the blood. Without delay, he absorbed Pernida's blood, his handpalm sucking it in completely. What was now happening was something only Yhwach himself knew.
"Welcome back…...Left Hand of the Soul King. I have been expecting you" Yhwach said lowly, even though he was still sleeping. "You can tell me all the things you have seen in my sleep. Because now, you and I are one" he then added after finishing sucking the blood.
His left hand was crunched briefly. As soon as he let go of the grip, something new appeared on his left handpalm. It was a single eye, the same eye that Pernida had. The Left Hand of the Soul King had now been absorbed into the Yhwach, the new Soul King. But was that all?
"You and your brother are now reunited. And together with me, we are all one" Yhwach then spoke up while something opened on Yhwach's right hand. On that, another single eye emerged, the same eye that Lord Mimihagi had. It was now apparent that Yhwach now had both the hands of his father at his side. The Soul King had managed to get back his hands. "Sleep now, my children. Our time is yet to come" Yhwach then told his two hands, with both of the single eyes closing. The emperor then returned to sleep, hoping to collect more souls from the atmosphere in the Wahrwelt.
To be continued…
Author's note: This chapter took us a glimpse of how the fight with Pernida truly ended, in my story of course. Nemu's powers happened, but Pernida did not die when one of his clones consumed her remains. He survived and was able to show Mayuri his own holy form. I also gave Kenpachi the spotlight, as I felt he deserved to kick Pernida's ass for what he did to him. I also wrote about how Ichigo and his group encountered Askin and how they separated into searching for them. And at the end, we could see that both of the Soul King's hands had now been absorbed into Yhwach. What happens next? While I want to write on Ichigo, I feel that I wanna dive into how Uryu is doing while this fight is taking place. I will also show you about how Shunsui got dragged into his fight with Lille. But now to clarify something here folks: this battle taking place in Wahrwelt will not be the final story. Similar to what Naruto and One Piece have done in the past, I want to have a giant war where everyone is involved, and not just two or three characters. But until then, this fight will be loyal to Kubo's canon story, although there will be twists. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter. And now for the new terms.
Acrademus – meaning Evolution of God: This is the Quincy: Vollständig belonging to Pernida Parnkgjas. It gives him complete control of Reishi around him, as well as being able to use it to empower his nerves. While he retains his giant appearance as a left arm, his gains new features, like a pair of feathery Reishi-wings and a Heiligenschein.
Novatos – Spanish for "Novices": This is a term given to Legionarios who have been handpicked by Allowin to become Dechados. So far, only Grimmjow has been named one of those five. But who are the rest?
