Author's note: I don't own any of the characters. They belong to Tite Kubo. The original characters belong to me.


Chapter 41: The Theatre Suicide

On the top of the ziggurat called Maravillioso, the city of El Dorado, Hueco Mundo

While the fight between the Wandenreich and the 13 Court Guard Squads went on in the Soul Society, the Arrancars of the Imperio de Hierro had not yet been drawn into the conflict. However, one Dechado and one Legionario had already entered it by joining up with Ichigo and his gang of friends. Even so, business in the "City of Hollows" went as usual. Even now, the marketplace was still bustling with activity, despite the times of war. But trading was not the only activity that took place. Inside the observatory of Conociomento, there were so many Arrancars and Hollows alike sitting there and taking their time in reading books. Then there were also those who simply wanted to pay respects to the fallen ones who had died in battle. This was the reason for people heading to the towering ziggurat called Maravillioso.

On the top of the ziggurat, Zeppelin Webster was on the top, overlooking the city of El Dorado. The young black-skinned Arrancar had to admit that it was a beautiful sight. He was currently on off-duty as a Captain of the Ojos. Zeppelin adjusted his sunglasses while seeing this. But he was not alone, as he was joined by the woman named Ebbaline Da Navarro and Rudbornn Chelute. Like him, they were also captains and were off-duty. Right now, it was their comrade Yzyurqq Goltzius who was on work now.

"Man, have I seen better places" he admitted to his fellow captains. But he could see that neither of them were very responsive to what he was saying. "Heh, I take it you also enjoy the view" he then noted.

The blonde-haired woman glanced at Zeppelin with a raised eyebrow. "Of course, I enjoy it, showoff. Now would you be so kind and shut up for a second?" she then requested of him.

Zeppelin frowned as he heard what was being said. "Whatever you say, Ebbie. I can't help but be friendly towards you" he then told her, yet Ebbaline didn't seem to pay attention to him anymore.

"Anyway. I overheard the commander mention something about Lady Nelliel and Master Grimmjow being sent to help someone. Is it true that they are with the Substitute Shinigami: Ichigo Kurosaki?" the Arrancar with the skull of a bull on his head asked his comrades.

Ebbaline only stroke her blonde hair as she listened. "I guess so. But I think Master Gallente would be accompanying them or something" she said while resting her arms behind her neck. "But I don't think Nelliel and Grimmjow will be staying with them too long. We all know what His Highness has refrained from any of us getting mixed up in that war" she then added to her answer.

"I see" Rudbornn responded, his voice both calm and stern. "Then I expect those two to return back to El Dorado soon" he then noted.

But the three captains were interrupted when they could hear the voice of small children coming near them. Looking to their right side, they spotted a young Arrancar woman leading a group of small children, who seemed to be Arrancars as well. These kids were dressed in white, and they varied in size. But the woman who was supervising them seemed to be a kindhearted and shy individual.

"Oh great, here comes the Picaros. Still nothing but a bunch of kittens. God, I hate them" Ebbaline remarked with little enthusiasm in her voice. "But I don't recall seeing this woman before" she admitted, only to notice Zeppelin standing up and fixing his smile towards the group.

"I've seen her a couple of times before. Maybe I should greet myself properly to her" the young boy said before heading towards the group.

Ebbaline only shrugged her shoulders before turning her attention on Rudbornn, who seemed to actually know the young woman from somewhere. This convinced Ebbaline to ask him about her. "Do you know who that woman is? Even though I can't see your reaction, I can tell that you know here from somewhere" she asked him.

"As a matter of fact, I do" Rudbornn admitted. "That woman over there is Roka Paramia. Before becoming a caretaker for the Picaros, she was once a nurse in Las Noches. Or more specifically, a servant of Aizen….like I was in the past" he then told her.

Ebbaline's eyes widened in surprise. "She was a nurse? But how did she manage to survive?" she then questioned him.

"I am not so entirely sure. But I do know that while she was treating an injury on Yammy Llargo, he crushed her with one blow. But it seems that she was not as weak as Yammy had originally thought" Rudbornn explained while taking a glance at the young Arrancar, whose Hollow-shell was on her other half on her face. "From what I hear, she immediately renounced her loyalty to Aizen as she feared being sent to Coliseo where the troublemaking Esclavos were held. His Highness, admiring her gentle nature, made her the caretaker of the Picaros, given that they were mostly unsupervised" he then added in his conversation with Ebbaline.

The blonde-haired woman simply shrugged her shoulders in return. "Hmmm…well she still has a long way to go before being accepted among us" she then said.

Roka was having a good time with the Picaros, until she could see Zeppelin approach her. The young woman then focused her attention on him, to which the black-skinned Arrancar only waved his arm in an easygoing manner.

"Hey there, beautiful. Lovely bunch of kids you have with you" the boy with the twisted black hair told him while grinning. "Are you their mom or something?" he then questioned her.

The timid Arrancar immediately shook her head as a no while chuckling nervously. "No. I am only the Picaros' caretaker. It has been my responsibility since I was given amnesty by His Highness" she told him before letting out a deep sigh. "But I have to contend with being given dirty looks by the citizens here. It makes me feel ashamed to be a Esclavo" she then noted while glancing down.

"Ah, no need to feel so sad, madam. You're still welcomed here in my eyes" Zeppelin told her, which made Roka glance at him in surprise. "As a matter of fact, how about I tag along with you and help you with showing the kids around town?" he then suggested to her.

Roka had to admit that she was surprised to hear such request. But she immediately nodded her head and glanced over to the small bunch of kids. "Listen up, children. We will have an important guest showing around town! What do you say about that?" she then asked them.

"Is he even an adult?" a young boy with headphones as his Hollow-shell asked in a bored tone.

"He really has an enormous amount of Spiritual Pressure" a young girl with glasses said, noticing Zeppelin's power.

Roka glanced at Zeppelin and bowed to him with formality. "I thank you for doing this, captain. I am called Roka Paramia" she then told him with a slight smile being formed with her mouth.

"Eh, no need to address me so formally, ma'am. You can call me Zeppelin Webster. It's a pleasure to meet you, Roka" he told her in return while shaking hands with the young woman. They then went to another place, taking the Picaro's with them.

As they went, Ebbaline only rolled her eyes when seeing them go downstairs. "Tch, there goes the jackass" she noted in her sassy manner.

But Rudbornn didn't seem to have a reaction to this, except for the fact that Roka became quickly friends with a womanizer such as Zeppelin. It astounded the captain. "I wonder if that woman even realizes the kind of fool Zeppelin really is. But then again, she is too naïve to understand" the bull-skulled Arrancar said while observing this newly built relationship.

At the entrance of Maravilloso stood Franceska Mila Rose, Emilou Apacci and Cyan Sung-Sun. They were hanging out by one of the statues. But what both Apacci and Sung-Sun were curious about was what Mila Rose was drawing on the dirt with a stick. Mila Rose was drawing Pesche Guatiche's handsome face on the dirt, the brown-skinned woman even gushing while she did it.

"Oh Pesche…" Mila Rose said, her cheeks blushing. "Your face is so…handsome!" she stated while thinking about the Arrancar who was one of Nelliel Tu Odelschwank's Fraccìon.

Both Apacci and Sung-Sun were completely confused and stunned by the fact that their friend was having romantic feelings towards a goofball like Pesche. It was just unbelievable.

"I don't get it. What does she see in that lousy twerp? He's a jackass" Apacci whispered to the long-haired woman beside her.

"I am also curious to know the answer, Apacci" Sung-Sun said while taking a glance at Mila Rose. "But at the very least she's not attracted to Dondochakka, if you catch my drift" she told Apacci.

She quickly stuck her tongue out in disgust. "Oh God….forget I said anything" the blue-haired woman told Sung-Sun before feeling like throwing up or something. It was apparent that she did not like Dondochakka and his new form. She

Sung-Sun simply rolled her eyes while seeing her friend's behavior. "I guess good teammates are hard to find. But there's nothing I can do about it" the long-haired woman noted to herself before walking away to check on if Apacci weren't gonna do something stupid.


In the streets of Wahrwelt, Royal Realm, Soul Society

The Sternritter Askin Nakk Le Vaar was now surveying the icy cityscape, seeking to confront any intruder on sight. Askin had previously been chased off by the Arrancar Grimmjow Jeagerjacqez. Although he had tried to hide first, Grimmjow was clever in ratting him out. Realizing that he had no options left, Askin had decided to test his abilities on Grimmjow. When the Legionario slashed one of Askin's "Gift Balls", he collapsed on the rooftop, as the poison had already infiltrated his body.

Now that Grimmjow was out of commission, Askin was free to pursue other targets, or perhaps more specifically, Ichigo Kurosaki. The orange-haired man was after all, considered to be one of the Wandenreich's Five Special War Potentials. Therefore, it was important that Askin had to deal with him immediately.

Askin's eyes caught glimpse of Ichigo running through the streets, accompanied by two of his friends: Yasutora Sado and Orihime Inoue. Knowing that it was time for him to make his move, Askin slid down to street level with the help of a nearby pipe. Seeing this forced Ichigo and his friends to stop in their tracks. When Askin landed on his feet, he simply made a greeting gesture towards the trio of friends.

"Hey there, folks! How can I be of assistance?" Askin asked them in a mocking tone. This was one of his many attempts to play sarcastic humor with his enemies.

Orihime's eyed widened in realization. "A Sternritter!" she said before she reached for something. It was a Shiba flare gun given to her by Ganju in order to let each other know when they had discovered an enemy. The orange-haired woman pointed the flare gun upwards. "I'll fire the signal to let the others know we've found one!" she said and fired the flare gun.

A signal was thus shot up high in the air, before slowly falling downwards to the streets. It was the intention of letting those who had joined Ichigo know of where to find the enemy.

Askin only raised an eyebrow by what he was seeing. "Seriously? Did she just fire a signal flare?" he asked, not expecting to see something like that happen in the Wahrwelt. But the Sternritter easily brushed it off before focusing his attention on the trio as a whole. "Anyway, this is the end of the line for you, intruders. I'm here to take you in, dead or alive" he then told them in a smug manner.

Ichigo glared at him warily while reaching for his Zanpakutous. "I thought something about you seemed familiar. You're that guy from earlier" the Substitute Shinigami noted, recalling how Askin had been chased by Grimmjow. Thinking about this made Ichigo remember the aggressive Arrancar. "And speaking of which, what happened to Grimmjow?" Ichigo asked the Sternritter.

"Grimmjow?" Askin asked before his face snapped in realization. "Ah, you mean that raving lunatic with the regent haircut? He's taking a nice little lap over there" he then said while pointing his finger to the left direction. But the Sternritter seemed to be confused at the moment, and he began facing his right side. "Or was it over there? I swear, these streets all look the same that it's hard to tell them apart" Askin remarked, starting to feel lost in where he had actually disposed of Grimmjow.

Ichigo was feeling surprised from what he was hearing. "Wait…...so you defeated Grimmjow?" he then asked the Sternritter, not willing to accept the fact that he had been defeated by someone as cocky as Askin.

Hearing this made Askin glance at Ichigo in a smug manner. "Why does everything have to be about winning or losing? I've always had an aversion to such things" the Sternritter told Ichigo.

The Substitute Shinigami was not satisfied with this kind of response. "I didn't ask what you do or don't like. Now answer my damn question!" Ichigo demanded out of him.

"I won't answer to that kind of tone. But I will tell you my name" Askin said before "bowing" to Ichigo and his friends, in an effort to introduce himself formally, even though it could be seen as a mocking gesture made towards Ichigo. "Sternritter D – The Deathdealing: Askin Nakk Le Vaar, at your service" he introduced himself.

Realizing that it was useless wasting words with him, Ichigo drew out his Zanpakutous and charged straight towards the Sternritter, who only seemed more than happy to respond to this by fighting back.

But before they could even clash, they were interrupted by feeling an enormous amount of Spiritual Pressure being released. It was powerful enough for Ichigo and Askin to cease their match. But they were not the only ones who took notice of this. Even Orihime and Chad could feel this Spiritual Pressure as well. And for some reason, it felt so dark around them.

"What just happened? It feels so cold and dark here" Orihime asked Chad while noticing how she froze a little.

"No, Orihime. The temperature has not dropped. Nor has it gotten darker" Chad told her as he was glancing around in the streets. The tall man even began taking a glance at his right hand. "But this sensation is indeed similar to when someone gets the chills. Do you also feel it?" Chad then asked Orihime while explaining what he actually felt.

Orihime simply nodded her head as a yes before she took notice of her own hands. "These chills though…...despite not being able to see or hear anything…...they are running throughout my body" she told him.

Ichigo was glancing up in the skies, starting to realize something odd about this Spiritual Pressure. It became clear to him who this Spiritual Pressure belonged to and it made Ichigo filled with surprises.

"This Spiritual Pressure….it can't be…..." the orange-haired man uttered out lowly. "Kyoraku….is that really you?" he then wondered while feeling this power belonging to the laidback and easygoing Shinigami captain.


In another district of Wahrwelt

Sternritter X – The X-Axis: Lille Barro had taken notice of how the area around him had drastically begun changing. He could also feel the effects on him, yet the Quincy didn't seem to pay much attention to it. He was now in his Vollständig, thus being more powerful than his opponents, even more powerful than a Captain-level Shinigami.

Lille decided to land on a nearby rooftop as he could actually sense the Spiritual Pressure of his target looming near him. But at the same time, the Sternritter was also trying to figure out why things had changed in Wahrwelt all of a sudden.

"Is this an illusion? It appears as though the sky has turned into dark" Lille noted while glancing around in the atmosphere. But the black-skinned man suddenly caught glimpse of his target: Shunsui Kyoraku. He was also standing on the rooftop, still carrying the injuries he had received from Lille. But something odd could be felt from him and Lille understood it. "Are you done running away?" the Sternritter asked his opponent.

Surprisingly, Shunsui smiled, even though he was gravely wounded. "Sorry. It was rude of me to keep you waiting" he apologized to Lille in his usual friendly tone before changing his expression into something more drastic. "And by the way, do you mind sharing your first impressions? By that I mean as of this atmosphere. How does the world appear to you" he asked the Quincy in a smug manner.

Lille crossed his arms while staring at the Shinigami with nothing but hidden displeasure. But then again, he was confused from hearing what Shunsui was talking. The pink-clad Shinigami knew that he would have to be more specific with regards to this.

"Let me put it another way. Is it perhaps a gloom, destitute place full of melancholy and despair?" Shunsui asked Lille once again. This time however, the Sternitter was starting to get a hang of what his opponent was trying to explain.

"So that's it, this is your ability?" Lille wondered, finally responding to Shunsui. "Indeed, the scenery around here has grown a bit…murkier. I suppose that this must be the work of your so-called "Bankai", correct?" the man in the holy form then asked the pink-clad Shinigami, who was still feeling confident in himself.

"You would be correct in calling this my "so-called" Bankai" Shunsui said, adding sarcasm in his response to Lille's analysis of his Bankai.

Despite being told about Shunsui's Bankai, Lille didn't even seem to have hints of fear in his eyes. They were still narrowing with nothing but boredom. "While things may have gotten a bit gloomier…...melancholy and despair would be an exaggeration on your part. And why I say this is because…." Lille suddenly took off into the air, aiming the holes on his Reishi Wings at the Shinigami. "A messenger of God feels no such emotions!" the Quincy exclaimed before unleashing the beams of Reishi from the holes on his wings down at Shunsui.

This attack was quite destructive, and it actually resulted in part of the icy cityscape getting destroyed. It left quite the explosion and smokes erupted as Lille floated in the air, feeling confident about his powers as one of Yhwach's Schutzstaffel.

"Although we were unable to any gather intel on your Bankai, there is one truth that becomes clearly evident" Lille spoke up, trying to make sure his opponent was listening. "If the owner of the katana dies, the Bankai will simply vanish" he added to his analysis of how to defeat a Shinigami.

While floating in the air, Lille could suddenly notice something strange happen to him. Something was running down his left leg and it made the Quincy wonder what it was. The moment Lille got a glimpse of it, he immediately panicked into outrage. His left hip was seriously damaged and it left him an open wound. It was as if someone had shot him with his own ability. Lille could not believe what he was seeing.

"WHA…WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO ME!?" the Sternritter asked angrily, also bearing distress in his voice.

"First Act: Tameraikizu no Wakachiai" the smug voice came from Shunsui, who was still standing his ground amidst this smoke covering the area. From what Lille could tell, he hadn't been injured by the beams the Quincy just fired. "Any wounds you inflict on your opponent's body, will emerge on your body as well, as if shared" the head-captain explained this power that his Bankai was capable of doing.

While Lille was listening to Shunsui's explanation, he was given another shocker as he could feel his right shoulder getting damaged and blown off as well. Now, the Sternritter was feeling very insecure about this situation. He immediately realized that the wounds he had were the same as he had given Shunsui earlier in their fight.

Shunsui simply smirked as he saw his opponent struggling. "And I regret to inform you, you will be unable to die from said wounds" he the revealed to Lille.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!? ANSWER ME!" the furious Quincy demanded answers out of Shunsui.

The Head-Captain of the 13 Court Guard Squads simply brandished his blades as he was asked about it. "I told you, didn't I? It's my "so-called" Bankai" he replied with sarcasm before moving his Zanpakutous around in a circle. "Katen Kyōkotsu: Karamatsu Shinjū" the pink-clad Shinigami revealed the name of his Bankai, the one he had always been reluctant to use out in the open, especially when allies were nearby. Having almost reconsidered using it during the Winter War against Sosuke Aizen, Shunsui had realized that as the new head-captain, he would have to use his Bankai if he was running out of options. "You know, you've been rather talkative throughout this little exposition. But as we move onto the main act, you'll hold your tongue" Shunsui then remarked, noticing how different the Sternritter was behaving now than before. It only made things much more interesting. "Now then. Second Act: Zanki no Shitone" the then uttered the new phase of his Bankai.

Before Lille even knew it, he could feel black spots appear all over his body. His face, arms, legs and even his eyes, they all popped on them out of nowhere. But something happened with these black spots. They began bleeding profusely and Lille could not stop it. He was filled with fear and shock as the bleeding never stopped.

"The man shamed by the wounds inflicted on his opponent, overcome with that shame, lays himself down, covering in his bed and his stricken with an incurable disease" Shunsui explained what the second phase was, as Lille continued to bleed profusely. "Now then, it's on to the Third Act: Dangyo no Fuchi" the Shinigami then revealed.

Out of the ordinary, Shunsui and Lille found themselves being engulfed by massive amounts of water. Lille, who had been too focused on the bleedings, soon realized that he getting drowned by the water. How in the world could something like this happen? Even now, Shunsui was floating in the water, yet he was still able to breathe and speak, almost as if he was a fish.

"Those having resolved themselves, cast their bodies into the water gushing forth…...until both their Spiritual Pressures completely expire" Shunsui then revealed while glancing up at the drowning Quincy. While seeing Lille struggle in the water, he could not help but to smirk. "Heh. How's that for a watery grave? Consider this as payback for what you did to us back in the street" he mused to himself, still remembering how Lille had used the Wasserman to flood the Shinigamis in the street.

Lille was desperately trying to fly through the water and reach the surface, as he could see the light on the top. But it was hopeless, even for a powerful Sternritter such as him. "NO…...THIS CAN'T BE POSSIBLE!" he noted as he glanced up to the surface. "NO MATTER HOW QUICKLY I BEAT MY WINGS…THE SURFACE CONTINUE TO GET FURTHER AND FURTHER AWAY!" he was getting more distressed by the minute as the water filled his lungs. At this rate, he was trapped and stuck in the water.

"As of now, I've literally thrown us into the deep end to drown. Fluttering your wings won't do you any good now" Shunsui explained to the Sternritter, who had stopped and begun listening to him. "And just so we're clear, I'm in the same boat as you so I know what you're going through" he then revealed to his opponent.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU EVEN SAYING!?" Lille angrily demanded an answer from Shunsui, growing more impatient by hearing the Shinigami constantly acting so smart and understandable.

The head-captain simply shrugged his shoulders, not necessarily paying attention to Lille's angry outburst. "As soon as you broke the plane of that bitterly cold surface of the water, it isn't just your body, but your resolve that also begins to freeze. It was simply your selfishness that caused it to freeze, though. And honestly, that's pretty disgraceful" he explained to the Quincy. "For a man to shame the oath he swore, and yet to never abandon him…...that's a woman's compassion. And it's pretty much the gist of it, isn't it…Sakuranosuke?" the head-captain said before he could feel someone hold her arms around him.

It was a tall, violet-haired woman with a red ribbon around her neck and a black eyepatch covering her right eye. Her left eye was turquoise, and her hair was worn in two corkscrew pigtails with bangs framing her face. She also wore an indigo cape with an imprint of a large skull and the two blades of Katen Kyōkotsu on it, and a long, dark dress with a significantly low-cut neckline, exposing her large breasts. And at last, she wore a golden bone headdress. This was the true form of Shunsui's Zanpakutou.

"It's been far too long time…...my precious flower" Shunsui told the woman.

The woman had to smirk when she heard what he said. "My precious flower? Well, aren't we the talented couple. You only show that pretty face of yours when it's convenient for you. The least you can do is look me in the eyes if you're going to address me as such" she rudely told Shunsui.

"Aw, don't be like that. I'm sorry, my precious flower" Shunsui playfully apologized to the woman.

However, she had already taken notice of his critical injury on his right shoulder, and she could tell it by looking at the cut on his pink kimono. "Well, it appears your kimono has seen better days. Though I guess that's to be expected when you're always waltzing around in other women's kimonos. Serves you right" she told him with dispassion in her voice.

"And there it is. Glad to see you're as hostile as ever" Shunsui told her, admiring the women's rudeness and sarcasm.

She sighed deeply before speaking to her partner. "Why would you expect any changes in me? I am your blade, after all…swallowing all you love…...and all you hate" the woman reminded Shunsui who she was. "I have also resolved to stay by your side until your absolute bitter end…..." she then added while her partner listened carefully.

So far, Lille had only glanced down at Shunsui, wondering what he had been doing. Was he actually talking to someone or just himself? The Quincy did not know whether the Shinigami was going insane or not. Nevertheless, he decided to get some answers out of him.

"Just who is that you're conversing with?" Lille asked, and Shunsui immediately focused his attention on him. However, the Shinigami did not give him an answer. Lille simply crossed his arms in displeasure. "Do you really think this is enough for me to accept defeat? Do you actually believe…that this would be enough to kill me!?" he asked once again. But Shunsui still didn't respond, continuing to glance up at him. Lille only grew more impatient by seeing the Shinigami not taking him seriously enough. Out of frustration, the Sternritter immediately charged towards his opponent. "DO NOT THINK FOR A SINGLE SECOND THAT A PATHETIC SHINIGAMI'S BANKAI IS ENOUGH TO KILL THE LIKES OF ME!" the Quicny yelled as he dived down towards his opponent.

Seeing Lille still acting defiant in face of his demise, Shunsui knew that he would need to teach him a lesson in humility. From his Zanpakutous, he grabbed some white threads that became longer by the minute. While doing this, Shunsui was still saying something which did not make sense to the Quincy at all. "But a woman's compassion can be just as cruel. No longer leaving an ear open to the man he adores. Now around her throat shines, but a damp, white thread of her fingering affection" he spoke as the white thread started to take shape. It even began stretching itself so that it neared Lille's throat. "At the very least, allow me to cast it off with my very own hands. This unsightly, entangled thread of lingering passion. Now I present to you the grand finale if you will…." Shunsui said as he was on the verge of finalizing his Bankai. "The Final Act: Itokiribasami Chizome no Nodobue" he concluded his Bankai with a final attack.

Shunsui pulled his white threads into taut, leaving a deep cut in Lille's throat that expanded. It even blew off the Sterntitter's head completely. Lille felt his life slipping away by the minute and he fell down towards the endless depths of the street. It was now apparent that one of Yhwach's own Schutzstaffel had been defeated.

After standing there watching his opponent fade into the darkness, Shunsui felt his own energy being drained. As a matter of fact, he fell backwards, almost landing his head on the ground. But fortunately for him, the violet-haired woman was sitting on her knees, her arms preparing to receive Shunsui. As a result, the head-captain landed safely in the lap of his Zanpakutou. Which he had to admit felt quite romantic.

"Oh? To think that I'd get the chance of sleeping on your lap once again. I'm sure you didn't mind when I summoned you, right?" Shunsui asked the woman, once again letting his womanizing personality take hold on him. But the pink-clad Shinigami was in for a surprise as he could see the woman croak her fingers on her right hand, before slamming it towards Shunsui's face. With tough luck, he managed avoid getting scratched. It became clear to him that she did not like his suggestion. "Come on, it was just a joke! And please refrain from scratching my face. This is the only eye I have left, you know" the laidback man then told her.

The woman was not impressed when hearing the words of her partner. "Hmmm…we still look the same….and are both strange" she noted while Shunsui was listening to what was being said. "But either way…...we won the fight" the woman then told Shunsui, who was still lying on her lap listening to her.

"Say, what's wrong with you? As far as I know, you're being very docile today" Shunsui then remarked while glancing up to her.

The woman only huffed when hearing this. "Oh shut up, already. This isn't called being docile. It's called taking things seriously. I'd hoped that you would even know this, given the responsibilities you now carry on your shoulders" she told him with her stern voice. But the woman's expression soon softened and it surprised Shunsui. "You know, I admit that I do miss you sometimes. But then again, it's only because you need my guidance and direction and that I need someone to discipline and watch over" the woman admitted to him.

Shunsui was still listening, starting to develop similar thoughts about this on his own. In fact, he felt that it was now time for him to stop fooling around and talk some sense with his Zanpakutou. He felt that he needed to have one.

"Listen…...I've….." Shunsui was about to speak, only for something drastic and horrendous to take place.

A powerful beam of Reishi was shut through up from the building they were standing on. The beam even went through Shunsui's body and he was paralyzed by this kind of attack. Shunsui and his Zanpakutou looked up to the skies and saw a shining ball of light taking shape. But that light soon vanished and it revealed Lille's headless body floating in the air with his Reishi Wings. But his body began undergoing some changes to his legs and arms. But that was not all. His head that had been chopped off thanks to Shunsui was now regenerating back thanks to the use of Reishi in the area.

"You damn fool…..I already told you….do not think for a single second….." Lille's voice could be heard as the Reishi began creating his new face soon emerged. "THAT A PATHETIC SHINIGAMI'S BANKAI IS ENOUGH TO KILL THE LIKES OF ME!" he exclaimed in anger as his new form was now setting in motion,

This form was unlike anything Shunsui had ever seen. Lille now had a new, fair-skinned head with slicked-back hair similar to that of a Human, but with the eyes, nose, and beak of an owl. His Heiligenschein was drastically reduced in size and gains. Lille's neck was elongated, resembling the body of a snake with fur on its back. In addition, his legs had extended dramatically in horizontal length, giving him the appearance of a centaur, and his eyelids were opening and closing horizontally instead of vertically. Safe to say, Lille had been transformed into a horrid creature that was considered to be holy by the Quincies' standards.

Shunsui sweated intensively while gazing up towards his newly-transformed opponent. "Damn, who would've thought he would've survived after getting his head cut off? Either way, he looks way uglier than before" the head-captain noted before taking a glance at the injury he had received from the Reishi Bream earlier. "But then again, he really got me good this time…...shit" he cursed while seeing the hole on his stomach.

Lille was now getting used to his new form, even winking with his owl-like eyes. But he soon focused his attention on his injured adversary lying on the rooftop. "Yes, that is it. This is what despair looks like, Shunsui Kyoraku" Lille spoke up, his voice sounding drastically different than before. It sounded much deeper and baritone, which was different for someone like Lille. "No weapon can kill me! And even if my head is lopped off with your Spiritual Pressure, it won't kill me. Those that have sinned will look at this form and feel hopelessness until they perish" he then exclaimed, sounding incredibly zealous.

Shunsui was now in a very serious situation at the moment. Who would've thought that one of the Sternritters was able to survive even his Bankai? Could it be that he had underestimated Lille's power and role as one of Yhwach's Schutzstaffel? Whatever it was, Lille was still living and breathing.

"I was the first of the Sternitters to be granted a Schirft by His Majesty…...to be able to taste his blood…..to be able to stand beside a God. This makes me his finest weapon! I am immortal! I am invincible! I am a messenger of God that will erase all sinners that dare go against God and his messenger!" Lille was slowly losing himself to this zealously. It was now apparent that having drunken Yhwach's blood had completely changed him personally, especially when this new form was activated. As a matter of fact, it was uncertain whether Lille could even be classified as a Quincy given what he had become.

Lille suddenly moved his long right arm up in the air, only to release a beam of Reishi soon after. It was quite a destructive display of his power. This beam was so powerful that it could cut the icy cityscape in half. The slicing beam of Reishi left noting but destruction in its wake. But still, Lille knew that his attack had not taken Shunsui, meaning that the Shinigami had managed to escape from his move. He kept floating above the carnage, searching for his opponent.

"You are there, aren't you?" Lille asked, gazing towards one of the icy towers that dotted the cityscape. "Even with the hole in your stomach, you still have enough energy left to escape my Sabaki no Kōmyō. As expected, the "so-called" head-captain's sin…...runs truly deep" he noted, realizing that Shunsui was hiding somewhere behind the towers.

Shunsui was panting deeply while listening to Lille's insults. But then again, he could care less about insults, as he was more focused on his own survival in this fight. But he was interrupted when his Zanpakutou called to him once again. "Sakuranosuke…" Shunsui uttered out the name of the woman once again.

"There is no time fooling around anymore, Shunsui. We need to escape" the woman insisted to him while holding her arms around him. "We're up against someone that survived Karamatsu Shinjū. And we've no other options left to fight with" she told him.

Shunsui had to glance at her with a raised eyebrow, still trying to catch his breath. "What are saying…..I need to…." Shunsui was interrupted by her before he could even speak any further.

"Just let it go, Shunsui. You've fought enough already…and now you're hanging on to your last breath and consciousness…" the woman told him while sounding very distressed at the moment. "Believe me, no one would blame you, even if you escaped. Now close your eyes, and I'll take you away with me" she then told him.

Shunsui could feel his own energy slipping away. But something inside him just wanted to keep being awake and fight on. He was the Head-Captain of the 13 Court Guard Squads. He had no time to rest and had to stay vigilant. But deep down, he knew that he was running out of options. Closing his only eye, Shunsui slept, allowing his Zanpakutou to help him escape from this dangerous opponent.


Flashback, many years ago, outside the home of the Kyoraku Family, Soul Society

It was a beautiful day in the outskirts of the Sereitei, where most of the Soul Society's noble families had their homes. Even though some of these noble houses didn't possess much influence over government institutions like the Kuchiki clan, Shihoin clan and the Tsunayashiro clan, they were still prestigues and powerful in their own ways, depending on their wealth. There existed high-ranking families like the Kyoraku Family and the Feng Family and lower-ranking families like the Omadea Family and the Ukitake Family.

Sleeping on the porch of a manor owned by the Kyoraku Family was a brown-haired teenage boy dressed in clothes worn by those who studied at the Shin'o Academy. He was sleeping so sweet, even while the sun was shining brightly up in the sky. Even when someone blocked him from the sun, the teenage boy didn't awaken. This only lead to the one who stood before the sleeping boy to wake him up gently.

"Wake up, Shunsui" a gentle female was spoken to the young boy, who was actually a young Shunsui Kyoraku during his teenage years. But he did not open his eyes when he heard this voice. A hand was put on Shunsui's left shoulder and the figure was pushing him gently. "Come now, wake up" the female voice called out to him again.

This time, Shunsui's grey eyes finally opened and he rubbed his face before seeing who it was that had awoken him from his sleep. Standing before him was a young and beautiful woman with black hair. She had her hair tied with the help of a hairpin while she wore glasses and a pink kimono dotted with flowers. The young woman smiled as Shunsui's eyes met his, although the teenager was still feeling quite sleepy.

"Ah, good morning, Madoka. Boy, am I glad to see you" Shunsui said before yawning deeply. "I just had to catch a few snoozes, and it looks like I overslept again" he then noted to himself.

The woman, whose name was Madoka simply giggled when she heard what the teenage boy was saying. "It's the middle of the day, silly. You haven't been sleeping here for long" she told him.

"Really?" Shunsui asked, his grey eyes filled with curiosity. "Oh crud, I really gotta do something to shape up a little. My studying at the academy has been quite a pain lately" he then groaned while recalling how he actually hated the Shin'o Academy.

"I take it you are finished with the lessons for today" Madoka said to him, to which Shunsui simply nodded his head as a yes.

"Yeah, I just came back from kendo practice with Old-man Yama" he said and leaned onto one of the porch's pillars. When he did that, he groaned in pain as he felt something hurt behind his head. "Ouch! I almost forgot the bump on my head he gave me the other day for sneaking into his office. Damn that hurt!" he said while rubbing the back of his head.

Madoka mused to herself and even sat beside Shunsui on the porch. "He really takes great interest in you. Maybe he sees your potentiality as a Shinigami in you" she noted to him. "Speaking of which, being one of Genryusai's favorite students, I take it you're one of the most enthusiastic students at the academy, aren't you?" she then asked the teenage boy.

Shunsui rested his arms behind his neck while scoffing at her words. "Those rumors are greatly exaggerated. The lessons I have are usually boring. Hell, I don't pay much attention to the teacher and focus more on writing a letter to the girls in the classroom. And I'm not one of the more "enthusiastic" students. That would be Jushiro, one of my classmates" he told Madoka as she listened closely.

She couldn't help but to raise an eyebrow in confusion. "Well…...your brother told me that you were sort of a pervert when it came to interacting with the female students. Is that a fair statement or…" Madoka was interrupted by Shunsui, who was furious over hearing this.

"What!?" Shunsui snapped before slumping his face in irritation. "That son of a bitch…how dare he spread those rumors about me…..." he then asked to him while grumbling.

"Those aren't rumors, punk. They're actually facts if you look at it from another perspective" a brash and strict voice came from a man dressed in black shihakusho. This man was similar to Shunsui in terms of appearance, only to have slick-back brown hair and a more stern-like appearance. He crossed his arms as his grey eyes met Shunsui's. "And not only that, but you also disrespect Genryusai's advices. How's that for a truthful fact?" he then added while glancing at the teenage boy.

Shunsui only glanced at the young man with little enthusiasm with in his eyes. "Hey there, Shunsuke. How was work?" he asked the man by addressing his name with a sarcastic voice. He even formed a smug smile in the process "I bet Central 46 rejected your job application once again, eh? Well boohoo, I say" he then taunted him.

Shunsuke gritted his teeth in irritation. "Quit playing jester with me, Shunsui. You've idea how the system even works" he told the teenage boy. "And why the hell are you at our home once again? I've told you before, I don't want you…" Shunsuke paused as he could see Madoka stand before him smiling. Seeing her wonderful grace made the young man forget about the teenage boy and focus on the four-eyed woman instead. Shunsuke felt stunned as his eyes met hers. "Madoka…I…" he uttered out that name lowly.

"Welcome home, my love" Madoka told him while planting a kiss on his right cheek. "How was your day in Squad 8?" she asked him.

Shunsuke let out a deep sight before answering. "It was good. Even though it bored the hell outta me" he told her, feeling more angered and irritated by the minute he spoke up. "Honestly, this isn't what I signed up for! I busted my ass at the academy to become a member of Central 46, not some low-ranking grunt in the Court Guards! I'm the heir to the House of Kyoraku, I don't deserve to be placed in something I don't like" he added to his frustration.

"I understand your disappointments, Shunsuke. But you just have to accept your current level. Don't let the stress overtake your mind" Madoka encouraged him while putting a hand on his left cheek, thus stunning Shunsuke. Madoka continued smiling as she moved closer so that her face was near his. "Please my love, let me help you ease your pain. I will bring you the comfort that you deserve" she then said to him.

As he stood and listened, Shunsuke was completely enamoured with what she just told him. "Madoka…...you…you're the best wife one could ever ask for…I mean….." Shunsuke was interrupted by his wife planting a kiss on his lips. It was a passionate moment for the married couple. The kiss soon ended and Shunsuke and Madoka glanced at each other with so much relief in their eyes. "Thank you…Madoka" he then told her lowly.

Madoka only giggled as she saw how her husband was acting strangely. "You don't need to thank me. A husband and his wife are always supposed to support one another. Never forget that" she told him sweetly.

Shunsuke soon caught glimpse of Shunsui, who was found snickering behind one of the poles on the porch. He quickly reverted back into his irritated and angry expression on his face. "Hey Shunsui! I can see you hiding there!" he called out, forcing the teenage boy to come out of hiding. Shunsui was grinning mischievously and it only angered his brother. "Quit snickering, ya damn mutt. And get your ass out of here! Me and my wife need some…." Shunsuke was once again interrupted by Madoka, as she was holding around him with her arms.

"Please dear, there's no need to be angry at Shunsui. He's just feeling lonely and has nothing to do" the four-eyed woman insisted to her angry husband, who was starting to calm himself. She looked at him. "Why don't we let Shunsui stay with us? He can always stay in the guest room where he will not bother us" she then insisted to Shunsuke, while giving her brother-in-law a quick smile.

Seeing how much she wanted to have him here, Shunsuke sighed deeply. However, he soon formed a smile on his own, facing his wife before planting a kiss on her forehead. Madoka happily accepted it and giggled.

"Alright. We can let him stay with us. After all, he's a student at the Shin'o Academy. He does possess some balls to behave" Shunsuke told her before facing his younger brother with a cocky grin on his face. "Do you, Shunsui?" he asked the teenage boy in a taunting matter.

Shunsui simply shrugged his shoulders in return. "Is that supposed to scare me? Get real! Old-man Yama is WAY better at intimidating people than you! Speaking of which, why don't go and ask him for help with your…" he taunted back at his brother only to see both Shunsuke and Madoka enter the manor through the door. The teenage boy felt offended over being ignored like this. "Hey! Were you even listening to what I just…" Shunsui was interrupted when his brother turned around to glance at him annoyingly.

"I don't have time for this monkey business. We're going upstairs to have some rest. And in the meantime, I want you to stay in the guest room until we say you can come out" Shunsuke told Shunsui before forming a cocky grin at him once again. "Oh, and by the way, I've left some scrolls for you to look at in the guest room. They're all about having manners and how to approach women in a civilized manner. Enjoy!" he then said before continuing on with Madoka to their bedroom.

Shunsui only stood and stared at them dumbfounded. "What?" he asked in confusion. The teenage boy crossed his arms while grumbling to himself over what his brother had told him. But that expression soon changed into that of a laidback smile. In truth, Shunsui was actually happy on his brother's behalf. Sometimes, he had envied him being married to a sweet and gentle woman such as Madoka. One day, he had hoped to find a similar woman and get married. But then again, Shunsui was a lecherous womanizer, who actually chased all kinds of women, even the rude and snobby ones.


Back in the present, Warhwelt, Royal Realm, Soul Society

"Captain! Wake up!" a familiar voice could be heard while Shunsui was still in his sleep. "Shunsui! Wake up" the voice called out to him again. But as he felt himself getting shaken, Shunsui finally awoke, only to be stunned from what he was seeing before him. "WAKE UP, CAPTAIN!" the voice came from his lieutenant: Nanao Ise.

Having been awoken by her, Shunsui was very surprised in seeing Nanao standing there. "Lil' Nanao…you're here?" he spoke up lowly while glancing at her. "Thank God...I thought you…." before he could speak any further, he began coughing out chunks of blood.

"Please, don't speak!" Nanao pleaded to him while watching her captain having blood running from her mouth. "Now let me use my Zanpakutou!" she then spoke up, thus snapping Shunsui out of what he was doing.

The head-captain could not believe what he just heard her say, and he didn't open his mouth to even say "why". However, he was somehow reluctant. Nanao only became more distressed by seeing this.

"This isn't the time to hesitate or think about! Hurry!" Nanao said before looking closely into Shunsui's own face. "For now, I just want you to forget it all! Forget about the promise you made to my mother! So please, let me use my Zanpakutou!" she then pleaded to her once again.

This time, Shunsui only widened his only eye in shock as he heard what was coming out of his lieutenant's mouth. Never had he imagined that Nanao would ever call him by that word. It made him recall everything, about what kind of promise he had made to someone he was close with. So many thoughts began swirling inside his head right now.

"Nanao…..." Shunsui uttered out her name lowly.

But things were not going great for the duo. Before either of them even knew it, someone had been using Hirenkiyaku to appear above them. And that "someone" was Lille Barro, gazing upon the duo with his new owl-like eyes.

"I thought it was getting a little noisy around here. So, it appears that the lieutenant is back too?" Lille asked while observing Nanao. "After all he did to let you escape.…...you truly must not value your own life, do you?" he asked Nanao, who was too shocked to even make a move. "Not that is truly a great sin" the Quincy then said.

But while Nanao was in deep shock and unable to make a move, Shunsui seemed pretty confident only glanced at the Sterntiter with an annoyed look on his face. "Tch…lunatic" he muttered under his breath. Lille however raised his right arm in the air, intending on delivering his Sabaki no Kōmyō on the duo. Once again, the attack left disastrous results and Lille floated amidst this carnage he just created. But the Sternritter knew that his opponent and the lieutenant had escaped from his wrath, and it wearied him greatly.

"Resorting to running away once again. My eyes are getting….so dry" Lille spoke while narrowing his owl-like eyes. "HAVING TO WATCH OUT FOR ALL THESE SINNERS, DRIES OUT MY EYES!" he then exclaimed out in anger, once again beginning searching for his opponent.

Unbeknownst to Lille, Shunsui and Nanao was actually hiding somewhere hidden from. It was something that was least expected to be done. They were actually hiding in Lille's shadow, due to Shunsui using his Kageoni technique. The duo was sitting across one another in the dark room, face to face. It was apparent that Shunsui now wanted to have a talk with his lieutenant. And since they were now safe from Lille's vindicating madness, they were now free to have this conversation without getting interrupted.

"So you knew…...about your mother?" Shunsui asked the young woman.

"Yes" Nanao replied firmly while nodding her head

Shunsui wanted to know more from Nanao. "All this time?" he then asked her, this time being more serious than usual.

"Yes" the four-eyed woman replied firmly again, thus conforming what Shunsui had been looking for.

The head-captain sighed deeply in defeat, realizing what he had to do now that the truth was out. "Geez…well, it looks like the cat's out of the bag now. Since we seem to be left with no other options…..I'll give it back to you…your Zanpakutou…Kyokotsu" he told her.

Nanao was surprised to hear this, yet she become only more surprised when she could feel someone approach her from behind. The four-eyed woman could see a young girl with turquoise eyes and chin-length violet hair, which was styled so only her right eye was visible, with a skull decorating it. She wore a dark top which covered her lower face, her neck, and her arms, close-fitting shorts, and knee length socks. Over this, she wore a purple, hip-length coat fastened at the front by a dark purple sash. The tops of her thighs and the middle of her torso were left exposed. Somehow, her appearance was similar to that of the true form of Shunsui's Zanpakutou.

But yet, confusion plagued Nanao's mind right now. "W-what is this? I always knew that Katen Kyokotsu could split up into Katen and Kyokotsu but…." Nanao glanced at the young girl with covered by a mask. "Then that means she, Kyokotsu, is my Zanpakutou?" she then asked.

"Well, yes. But that's not exactly all there is to it" Shunsui told his lieutenant while the violet-haired woman suddenly appeared behind him once again. "You see, Katen gave birth to Kyokotsu in order to hide your Zanpakutou. This was done at your mother's behest, Nanao" he revealed to her.

Nanao was completely stunned to hear this, and there was so many questions that swelled in her head. But she could only ask her captain one. "But.…...but why?" she asked him.

Shunsui sighed deeply before opening his mouth to answer her. "I think it's time that I told you more about your family, Lil' Nanao. Your mother: Madoka Ise was born into the House of Ise. And from what I now, that house is and always has been a lineage of women. As far back as our records exist, there have only been women born to it" Shunsui explained while revealing the name of Nanao's mother, which was Madoka. "That is why they will always have to search for husbands from outside the family. But problem is, all the men that marry into the House of Ise…are all said to be stricken with the curse of Ise and die early deaths" he then revealed to Nanao, who was only shocked when hearing this. Shunsui realized that as much as this shocked her, he had to tell Nanao about everything. "There are, of course, many people who think that all this curse business is nonsense…...but your mother didn't think that way. Madoka wanted to sever herself from that legend….and was prepared to end the Ise bloodline by leaving the family and marrying outside. But ultimately…...her husband passed away soon after" he then revealed to Nanao, who was listening closely.

"Who was that husband?" Nanao asked her captain. "Was he…...my father?" she then asked him lowly.

Hearing this made Shunsui nod his head weakly in return. "Yes, he was. But there's something that you should know about him as well, Nanao" he said before sighing deeply. He was about to reveal yet another shocker to his lieutenant. "The name of her husband was Shunsuke Sōzōsuke Ichiro Kyōraku…he was my older brother….as well as your mother's husband. That makes us family, Lil' Nanao" he then told her.

Nanao was completely stunned to hearing this revelation. The man sitting across her right now, the man whom she had serve dutifully as his lieutenant...was her uncle! All these years and she had never known this until now. But then again, Nanao never really knew who her father was.

"Shunsuke and I didn't get along all that well. But after he and Madoka got married, things between us began to change for the better. Visiting my brother's home become a thing of serenity and comfort. I even found myself visiting more and more often and taking afternoon naps on the porch" Shunsui then told Nanao more about her parents. But he soon fixed a slightly sad expression as he kept going. "But then…...Shunsuke died. And when the man of the house dies, it's common in noble families for his wife to sever ties with the husband's family and return to her original house. And thus, Madoka returned to the House of Ise. Yes, she who had resolved to throw away her own house….in the end, could not escape from it after all" he then told her about the death of his brother.

"This Curse of the Ise…what was that?" Nanao asked Shunsui. "I mean, did someone every discover the reason why people were affected by it?" the four-eyed woman asked her uncle, who listened closely.

"As a matter fact, your mother did. Madoka had always her suspicions that the root of this curse…...existed in the family's sacred sword…...the same thing she was charged with to carry onto" Shunsui revealed to her lieutenant. "But she was desperate to free his daughter she had given birth to..…..from the clutches of this curse. So that sword…...she entrusted it to me…in the hopes that Kyokotsu could hide it and conceal its whereabouts from all others" he said before motioning for Kyokotus to pull something out from her mask.

Nanao turned around to see what it was she was pulling out and it turned out to be a sword wrapped in around in paper. The four-eyed woman was stunned. She realized that this was her Zanpakutou. The little girl handed over it to Shunsui and he held it for his lieutenant to see. Somehow, Shunsui was still feeling reluctant over handing over the weapon to Nanao. She could see that and wondered whether he actually was right in what he said.

"After all these years of trying to find out the reason for why Shunsuke died…...I think Madoka's suspicions turned out to be true" Shunsui said before glancing up to face Nanao with a serious expression. "That blade is cursed, Nanao. It's as if it spreads a plague to someone without the person who receives it knowing" he added to his explanation.

Nanao was mostly glancing at the sword packed in paper, her mind filled with so many questions. But she had a feeling in her gut and it told her to know more about her family than what she knew from before. Her eyes were focused, which surprised her captain.

"Captain…...what kind of family was the House of Ise? Honestly, there must be more to it than what the scrolls tell you right? Please, tell me more…uncle" the four-eyed woman surprisingly called Shunsui by something he had never expected to have been called.

Knowing that she deserved to know the answers, Shunsui gave in to his niece's request. "The House of Ise is actually a lineage of Shinto priests, charged with carrying out and governing rituals and rites. Fact is, they do not individually possess Zanpakutous like other noble houses. However, the head of the house inherited and passed on this single Zanpakutou. This sword, which was used for rituals, has no blade….and as such, is a sword that can't strike a person down" he explained while his niece was listening closely. "Rather, it was made to face off against Gods, to take the power of a God into its own body and disperse it off into the eight directions. It goes by the name….Shinken Hakkyoken" he finally revealed the name of Nanao's Zanpakutou, the one she had always desired to know the name of.

Nanao could see that Shunsui was slowly reaching out the blade to her, although she had wanted him to take it with her own hand. But first, he had wanted to knew whether this was what his niece really wanted. Would she be willing to take blade that had cursed those whoever it's carried loved? That was what Shunsui wanted to see. The head-captain was surprised when he saw Nanao grab onto the other end of the blade, facing him determined.

"Captain…...of your strong desire not to hand this sword over to me…was it truly for my own sake?" she asked Shunsui, who didn't open his mouth to speak. He glanced at her without even doing anything, not even nod his head at her. "Just as my mother's own will was to turn her back on this curse and throw it away…...I too have my own will….and I've decided to embrace every bit of this curse" she told him stubbornly. But Nanao soon formed a slight smile as she glanced at her uncle. "And besides, even if I welcome this with open arms, it's possible…or rather I just know that the one whom I love would just look at this entire situation and laugh…...while calling curses nothing more than silly superstition" Nanao then said, having some hint of defiance and humor in her voice at the same time.

Hearing his made Shunsui smile, as Nanao was now beginning to sound more like her mother, if not also her father. In fact, he had to admit that he was proud to call himself an uncle of hers. "Heh, she's just keeps reminding me about the two of you..….Madoka…..Shunsuke…..you must be proud to have her as your daughter" he said inside of him while thinking about his family. No longer being able to deny Nanao's will, Shunsui let go of the sword, this leaving Shinken Hakkyoken in his lieutenant's hands. "Thanks, Lil' Nanao. You finally gave me what I was searching out of you. I no longer have any reason to hold this blade. You can have it. With that sword, I'm sure you'll have no problem. But remember this: possessing this weapon comes with great responsibility. Use it wisely, my dear niece" he then told her, smiling while explaining this to Nanao.

As weird as it felt to actually hold a blade, those thoughts were swept away by Nanao's happiness over finally being able to have something to fight with. No longer would she rely on Kido to defend herself. She was a lieutenant in the 13 Court Guard Squads. As such, she knew what kind of responsibilities she had on her shoulders.

To be continued…


Author's note: That was this chapter about Shunsui using his Bankai. For those of you who are familiar with the Bleach databooks, I have decided to add that into my story, like Roka Paramia joining the Imperio de Hierro. And the Tsunayashiro clan is one of the Four Great Noble Houses in the Soul Society as shown in the databooks and Bleach novels. But then again, this chapter was focused on Shunsui and I even showed you a flashback on how he knew Nanao's mother, whom I have decided to name Madoka Ise. And Shunsui's older brother's name was Shunsuke Kyoraku, which I think fits well with the family and all. But enough of that, about the next chapter. I admit that I want to write more on how Shunsui's past was like, but I also want to focus on Nanao's fight with Lille. And believe me, Lille will ABSOLUTELY not die the way he did in the canon story. That was just…lame. And another note, I could begin writing on how Gerard and Nianzol are doing in Wahrwelt. Stay tuned for more!

Picaro – Spanish for "Rogue": This is a group of Arrancar-children that were see in the Bleach databook. I thought they would match in well with the Imperio de Hierro, even though the databook shows them as creations of Aizen.