Ichigo dodged a multiple attack of ominous shadow orbs that the shapeshifting Demon shot from monstrous mouths that appeared and disappeared.
"Kgh..." He blocked an exploding orb in the nick of time, feeling a shiver down his spine as the explosion left an unpleasant feeling along with a dark haze. "What is this...?"
"WWWRAAAGHHH!!!" Kurokage roared as he prepared another round of shots to overwhelm Ichigo.
The Arrancar did not even faze at that intent, however, using Velocidad to dodge every blast impeccably.
"Cero Luna" He attacked, the white moon light erasing traces of the shadow form.
Kurokage screamed in agony as he felt actual pain. "No way...!" He thought.
"Could it be...?" Ichigo noticed that his tactic actually worked. "It is possible that his current form allows him to materialize shadows, but by doing so... He is no longer intangible!"
Kurokage could see in Ichigo's eyes that he had discovered his weakness.
"So he managed to see through me, even if it was by luck..." He thought, going back to his previous form. "I see you are not as incompetent as I thought you were in the beginning..."
"Well that was your mistake, not mine" Ichigo replied, salting the wound, as he knew how that would make the Demon even more pissed. "Just like you failed now, showing me the way to kill you"
"Tsk... Anyway, if you think that's enough to finish me off... Dream on" Kurokage mocked him. "It's true. By using Graven Image, I can transform my body into the creature you just saw. The reason I'm unkillable is because my existence is merely bidimensional when I'm a shadow..."
"Let me guess" Ichigo interrumpted. "Every time you attack, you become a tridimensional shadow, hence you are able to touch me, but I'm also able to touch you"
"Not so fast" Kurokage refuted. "Even in three dimensions, a shadow is still a shadow. That's why... The only attacks that work are Light-based ones. The rest will only disassemble my body, so I can reassemble it afterwards" He explained. "I won't lie. Those Light attacks actually do damage, but as long as I have bidimensional fragments laying around, which can be literally anywhere in my Reiatsu's Area, I am undying"
"Is that so...?" Ichigo chuckled. "Then, I'll just have to force you to use even the last bit of Reiryoku you have!" He charged his horns with Reiatsu, increasing the area of his attack. "Cero Luna!"
Kurokage simply returned to his bidimensional state, untouchable by Ichigo's light.
"Fool..." He laughed as he appeared behind him, attempting to stab him with his Shadow Daggers. "It's worthless for as long as I am in my true form..."
Ichigo escaped him, slashing a white and red Getsuga Tenshou, in hope of getting him before he came back to 2D.
Unfortunately, the change was quicker than that. Kurokage was so experienced at using his abilities that going from 2D to 3D was as natural as breathing or blinking.
"Hehehe... That would've actually hurt, if it could touch me, of course" He grinned, although his appearance was a mere humanoid blackness. "It's funny actually..."
"What are you talking about? What's funny about all this?! Everything seems like a game for you and it's pissed me off since the start!"
"Oh, please, calm yourself a little..." Kurokage replied in a carefree manner. Seriously, his emotions were as changing as his form. "What's ironic, to be precise, is that my power is actually a pretty weak one" He started explaining. "At first, I only worked as a spy of Yama-sama, cause my attacks were futile in my bidimensional state, and shifting into the three-dimensional shadow you know was something incredibly hard for me to pull off"
"Is that... True?" Ichigo widened his eyes, sincerely amused by that confession.
"I'm afraid so" Kurokage nodded. "In spite of that, my desire to be of use to Yama-sama in all ways possible, pushed me to make an unimaginable effort in order to control that change"
"So... You weren't actually the combat type"
"No, not at all. I wasn't born that way, I had zero talent, but... All of that... Doesn't hold any relevance. I exist, because Yama-sama created me, experimenting with the use of Negative Energy and Ethereal Essence. The flesh and bones I have today, have been achieved after an awfully long process, and a terribly painful one too. My first centuries, I wasn't more than an unstable dark entity, unable to even truly exist in this world for more than a couple seconds. However, Yama-sama never gave up. He believed in me, he nurtured me, he perfected me, and now... I am able to repay him in the only way possible..." He fused his two daggers into a long Shadow Blade. "...Dedicating my whole life to him"
"I see" Ichigo replied, seeing everything more clearly. "Even in your madness, your sense of loyalty is admirable. I won't deny that" He admitted. "However, I'm also loyal to the people I'm fighting for, so I cannot afford to lose. In all honesty, I couldn't care less if you rebelled against the Old Gods and started a war between the two Worlds... But you put my friends' lives in the line, and while you may believe that such thing is meaningless for immortal beings linke you, I'm not gonna stay indifferent while you threaten them. I'm gonna do everything in my power to crush you, Yama, Aizen, and whoever attempts to hurt them. Now, as a King, I can only feel a greater responsibility, having a much greater group to look after, but my purpose won't change. This is who I am!"
Ichigo's Reiatsu rose as he concluded that speech, shaking and even collapsing the space around him.
"*sigh* You mortals would never understand..." Kurokage shook his head. "The only ones who can truly die, is us. You, were given a special contract that made you actually immortal, only dying like us when the cycle is unbalanced, which happens quite frequently due to the imperfection of said design, but even so, most of you are, in practical terms, truly immortal. If you die, you will just reincarnate in the other side of the cycle, as simple as that. We, on the other hand, die irreversibly. Once we are killed, that's it. There's no second chances, no middle term. Our lives are inherently more precious than yours!"
"And who decided that?" Ichigo refuted. "Be it the Gods, the Demons... It doesn't matter. Even if our souls are to never end, our lives are still one of a kind. The experiences, the friends, the lessons learned... They are all part of a single lifetime, not of an endless cycle. You can't possibly claim to have more value just because you don't understand the real worth of a life! Be it mortal or immortal... It holds the same right to exist!"
Kurokage was really amazed at such display of ideas. Up to that point, he didn't see any importance in the lives of 'mortal Souls', but Ichigo had a point, and one he had never considered.
"You have a very interesting point of view, I won't say the contrary. But even so, that doesn't change the fact that our existence can only become truly fulfilling by sacrificing yours and your friends" He concluded. "There's no turning back anymore. We have no choice but to go on with the plan that Yama-sama started back when he was the God of Energy. As eye-opening as this discussion turned out to be... I'm afraid that it's all reduced to a belic encounter to decide which point stands"
"Hmph... I imagined something like this would happen" Ichigo accepted. "In the end, a fight will never truly prove who was right or wrong... Even less a war... But whoever stands victorious, is the only one able to decide which ideas remain and which are cast aside"
"True" Kurokage agreed. "In reward for this surprisingly enlightening conversation, I will give those two a chance to escape, though I doubt they'll take it..." He referred to Nel and Ulquiorra.
"Kurokage, right?" Ichigo used his name, respectfully. "I hope you understand that I... Can't forgive what you did to my people. However, I promise to save any Demon that wants to step back from this conflict, and... I'll do everything I can to make your Master change his mind" He vowed. "I'm sure that he must also have his reasons to do all this... No one does this kind of effort just because they can or cause they felt like it, so I'm gonna try to find the root of this problem"
"Really?" Kurokage chuckled. "What a formidable enemy you turned out to be, Kurosaki Ichigo, in all senses of the word. I take back the awful things I said about you and your friends. I... I really lost my mind after Ulquiorra's betrayal and... One thing I cannot stand is that someone dishonors Yama-sama"
"I can see why, so I forgive you for that at least" Ichigo concluded. "Now, shall we end this?"
"Absolutely. I won't hold back" He let
"Neither will I..." He prepared his Reiatsu scythe to receive the Duke's attacks. "Muerte Negra"
"Very well then..." Kurokage put his hands in a praying position as his blade floated above his head. "Shadow Moses"
Every shadow from a physical object was attracted towards Kurokage, who stood still as a never-ending darkness became a part of him, at the same time as his flying sword grew a lot in size.
Once the process ceased, Kurokage raised broke the position to create a tremendous amount of literal shadow clones.
"Kage... Bushin?" Ichigo murmured.
"I know what you're thinking, but no, they are much more than that..." He clarified. "They are shadows, and as such, they are anything I want them to be"
"Then this is gonna be one hell of a fight..."
Kurokage simply nodded as he snapped his fingers, commanding his shadows to go after Ichigo.
A hundred dark souls were running after him as he stood in the same spot, waiting for them.
"Well, at the very least, I got him to use all the shadows in the place. If I erase them all, maybe I can finish him off even before Urahara arrives"
The clones changed their arms into different weapons, some blades, other maces, a variety of clubs and lances... Everywhere he looked a shadow was coming for him with a killing tool.
Ichigo aimed his Hollow Zanpakutou at the floor, creating a white and red expansive wave as soon as the metal touched the ground.
The closest handful of shadows was instantly disintegrated, while the rest waited for the counter move to disappear.
As soon as the wave disappeared, Ichigo swinged Las Noches to throw a barrage of white and red Getsuga Tenshou at the rest of the shadows, eliminating another group.
He had done well so far, but the amount of shadows was still uncountable.
To make things worse, the floating Shadow Claymore started coming for him as well, rolling, slicing and dicing through the air at a gruesome speed.
Ichigo clashed his scythe with the Shadow Blade, which showed him that he was barely able to push it away.
As soon as he did so, however, more shadows approached him with a killing intent, not giving him a single second to breathe.
"Fuck... They're everywhere!" He thought as he blasted a barrage of Cero Luna at the group, only for the one true Kurokage to approach him from behind, holding a pair of daggers he made with his own shadows, while the great Shadow Blade covered his back.
Ichigo managed to act in time, blocking the Demon's slashes with his two Zanpakutou.
"Amazing" Kurokage praised. "But... Is this your limit? Cause if it is... Even if you somehow defeat me, you won't be able to survive what lies beyond that door"
They continued clashing, Ichigo constantly having to worry about his surroundings in order to survive.
"What... Are you talking about? Yama is there, isn't he?" Ichigo panted.
"Well, yes, but... He's not the only one left"
"Oh, you're referring to... The Four Horsemen!" Ichigo exclaimed with a broad slash of his two swords, throwing a Getsuga Juujishou at the Duke.
"No, actually... They are not even here" Kurokage sacrificed some of his clones to protect himself.
"What?! You mean...!" Ichigo thought the worse.
"No... it's not that, you can rest assured" Kurokage denied. "The Four Horsemen are not in Hueco Mundo right now. They are somewhere else... Preparing a siege on Soul Society"
"What?!" That didn't make him feel any better. "Everyone..." He thought about the rest of his Shinigami friends.
"I imagine that's not really good news either, but if what you told me is true, then you should be able to call off the invasion"
"Well... It's not gonna be so easy but... I'll do everything I can to do it!" Ichigo's eyes looked at him with determination. "I will defeat you, Kurokage and stop Yama once and for all!"
"Heh, I'm not really on your side, you know? But I gotta say, your confidence is quite cunning"
The shadows merged into one giant mass that grew behind him.
"This is the end, isn't it...?" Ichigo grinned, feeling in his skin the danger that was shaping before his eyes.
"I haven't got a more destructive weapon, that's for sure" Kurokage confirmed. "If you somehow erase all these shadows... You will certainly kill me"
"I see..."
"But, Kurosaki Ichigo... I don't think that's really possible, you know?" Kurokage sighed. "I didn't really want to break it to you, but even after all this effort, it's clear that you don't have a way to dispose of me. Even worse than that... Is the fact that I doubt you or anyone would be able to make Yama-sama come to his senses at this point"
"What...? What do you mean?" Ichigo inquired.
"His heart is tainted with Negative Energy at this point. All that's left inside him, is hate, rage and revenge. In fact... I believe the one he hates the most, is not a God" Kurokage revealed. "It is you, Kurosaki Ichigo"
"Huh?" Ichigo didn't seem to understand.
"I don't know why... You see, there are things he would never tell anyone, not even us" The Demon explained. "There has always been a monstrous darkness inside of him, one that I cannot seem to comprehend with my knowledge of his past. It is a deep hatred... And I'm pretty sure, it's to you and your kind. Yama-sama despises Hollows more than anything else"
"But... Why?" He couldn't understand.
"*sigh* That is something I tried my whole life to get out of him. I am the one he entrusted his deepest secrets to... Yet, that is something he never even tried mentioning. This idea is something I got after carefully watching his behaviour throughout countless eras. If he had actually told me, I wouldn't reveal it, to anyone... But I believe, that whatever reason he has... Goes way deeper than any reason he has to hate Takemagahara and the Old Gods"
"In that case... I'll make sure to uncover it and make him snap! I'm sure that if I know the cause of his hatred, I will be able to make him understand" Ichigo claimed. "Like I said before, the only reasons I have to be his enemy is the damage he's causing to my friends and the other people I care. He's not my sworn enemy... He never was and yet... It appears that I am his for some reason"
"Well, that's something I'll leave in your hands... if you can escape the shadows, that is..." Kurokage charged his blade with the great dark mass. "Shadow of Eternal Sin!"
Ichigo exhaled, clearing his mind.
"Time to survive... Somehow..." He looked within his being, a way that allowed him to protect himself from an attack of this magnitude. "I am an Arrancar now... There must be something I...!" He remembered what happened when he saw how Aizen betrayed Soul Society. "That's it! Now, let's just hope it works"
The Shadow Blade touched the ground, exploding in a total chaos of attacks that engulfed everything in the area.
Explosions, swords, lances, arrows, beams, whirlwinds, flames, thorns, lightnings... It was an unimaginable mess of attacks that could easily obliterate an army in a single wink.
Kurokage waited inside a dark coccoon, expecting to find the King of Hueco Mundo turned to dust.
"Argh... I knew this would happen" He said bitterly as he opened his eyes while exiting his barrier. "What on Earth...?" He stared in shock at his enemy.
A force field red square beams was surrounding him as he had his hand on one of the walls, protecting him from any damage he could have taken.
Ichigo panted as the barrier disappeared, falling to his knees and returning to his base form, as such a powerful defense consumed a lot of his Reiatsu.
"Ungh... That was a lot more draining than I expected it would be"
"You can't... How...? You...!" Kurokage was at loss for words. "That technique can only be used by other Menos to protect their kin, yet... You did it on your own!"
"Barrera Negación" Mugetsu chuckled as he whispered the name of said technique inside Ichigo's mind.
"I see..." Ichigo understood what he had done. "I guess I am a special Hollow... After all..."
"Amusing. However... You won't be able to defeat me in that state" Kurokage replied. "It's over, Kurosaki Ichigo"
He walked to him and pointed a smaller shadow sword at him, preparing to end his life.
"Yeah... It is over" Another voice whispered in Kurokage's ear.
He immediately tried to attack the owner of the voice with the blade, only managing to make the meddler droo his hat.
A light-blonde man evaded his slash as he chuckled and grabbed his striped hat from the floor.
"Ura...hara...!" Ichigo exclaimed with difficulty.
"You sure went through a lot, Kurosaki-san..." He muttered. "But don't worry, I'm here to end it"
"Oh? And how do you think you're gonna do that? I can easily tell you are strong, but he is way stronger and you can see where he got. Strength means nothing in a fight against me" Kurokage replied with tedium.
"I know. You are a shadow, and as such, you are untouchable through conventional means" Urahara replied calmly.
"Exactly. Then...?"
"You see, I'm particularly good at finding unconventional solutions" He replied. "I also had to make quite the effort on my own so I could both design and use this... But believe me, it's gonna be worth it" He made a hand movement Ichigo recognized in an instant.
"That is...!"
"Hadou 90 (Another): Shirohitsugi"
A white Reiatsu coffin with yellow frames encased Kurokage, who had embedded every shadow within him. There was no escape.
"You gotta be kidding me..." He said to himself, half amazed, half scared. He was going to die after all, despite all his different powers. "If it is like I think it is... I'm dead. Well made, this technique transcends the concepts of space... Maybe even time to some extent. Oh well, I'll find out soon enough"
Kurokage thought one last time about the fight he had just experienced, as well as the face of his master.
"Yama-sama... Please, listen to what this mortal has to say. He's impulsive, impolite and pathologically stubborn... But I'm sure, he's the only one who can help you defeat your own demons..."
The white light of the coffin disintegrated every dark particle of his being, erasing his existence completely.
Ichigo stood still, in a state of shock. Saying he was in disbelief would fall short.
"No... Way..."
"Wow, Kurosaki-san, I never thought that my little trick would leave you so surprised" Urahara smiled at him, extending his hand.
Ichigo looked at it for a couple seconds, feeling lost. It was like playing a game in first-person. He saw everything from that perspective, but he didn't feel he actually was the one living that.
Then, his eyes focused the hand clearly, and he took it without any further delay, standing up again.
"What did just happen?" He asked the blonde man.
"I told you I would take care of him, didn't I? You sound like you didn't believe that was possible"
"No, I... I was actually buying time for you to arrive at first... But, after fighting him so seriously... My mind kinda forgot what I was doing in the first place"
"Oh... But anyways, you look pretty good. A couple scratches here and there, but your body should heal soon"
"Yeah... Though, I lost a lot of Reiatsu" He replied, feeling a bit dizzy. "I used some kind of... Personal Negación, and it wasn't for free"
"Oh, believe me, I know the feeling. How do you think I'm doing after using such a high level technique? And a custom one as well!"
"Damn, you're right..." Ichigo admitted.
The gate that had been sealed by Kurokage earlier slowly opened again, revealing Ulquiorra in Etapa Final and Nel in Segunda Etapa.
"Ichigo!" The two said in unison running to his side.
Nel, of course, hugged him strongly.
"Ichi! Are you alright? You look so tired... Let me heal your wounds!" She licked a little scratch he had on his face.
"Wait... Nel... You are... Crush...ing" He was about to pass out as he fell once again.
"Oh no! I'm so sorry!!!" She was about to cry, and forced herself to return to her base form so that she wouldn't exert so much pressure.
Ulquiorra did the same to save his strength.
"I can see you're as caring as always, Nel-chan" Urahara told her. "Don't worry, he's just with a Reiatsu deficit"
"And how is he going to fight the Demon King then?" Ulquiorra inquired, worried about their objective.
"That's why... I have these!" He got a tupper with nice-looking Onigiri inside.
"Rice?" Nel asked stranged. "How is that gonna help? I mean, I'm sure he's hungry but-"
"Hahaha! Looks silly, doesn't it? But don't let its appearance trick you" Urahara refuted. "These are not normal Onigiri. I asked the 'Ruler of Grain' herself to make these..."
"Ruler of... Grain...?" Ulquiorra was also puzzled.
"Yep. She's my predecessor as Captain of Squad 12... She doesn't live in the Seireitei though"
"No? Was she banished like you?" Nel asked innocently.
"Ahahahaha! No, no... Quite on the contrary" Urahara chuckled. "She was promoted to a special division in charge of protecting the Soul King: Squad Zero"
"I didn't know about such thing, although I did know that the Soul King was in a different plain, thanks to Aizen" Ulquiorra commented.
"Yes... Aizen was pretty much obsessed with the idea of becoming a new Soul King, so he deeply investigated those things" Urahara replied. "Now, going back to the food, try to feed him a couple, Nel-chan"
"Yes!" She agreed, taking the Onigiri.
"You two are fine, right?" Urahara made sure.
"Yeah, Kurokage isolated Ichigo and left us behind the gate, so nothing happened. We tried to force our way out, but it was useless" Ulquiorra answered.
Nel carefully fed her loved one an Onigiri.
"Ichigo, eat up" She offered the food, blushing as she smiled sweetly at him.
"A-Ah" He accepted the meal, almost passing out due to his lack of Spiritual Pressure.
At first, he barely bit the rice cake, but bite after bite, he felt more recovered.
"Another one?" She asked him after he finished the first.
"Yeah! It's delicious!" He took it with his own hands this time, and devoured it quickly. He ate two more like that, feeling completely recovered. "What is this?!" He asked Urahara, astonished due to the food's effect.
"Tu put it simply, Enhanced Food. The lady who made these is able to infuse her Reiatsu in the ingredients of what she makes, so just by eating a simple meal as this, you should be able to recover almost completely"He explained. "Actually, would you mind giving me the last one, Nel-chan? I'm a bit drained as well"
"Oh, sure!" She did as he requested. "I was so worried about Ichigo that I forgot about you, sorry"
"No, it's okay" He replied, taking a bite. "It's normal for a wife to worry about her husband's stomach over anything else"
"W-W-Wife...?" Ichigo remembered the time he told Nel about marriage.
"What is she then? At this point, she's clearly not just a girlfriend anymore" He giggled.
"You're right. It's just a bit strange hearing it. But... I sure love her that much, and we do share an unbreakable bond" He smiled at her.
"Ichi..." She hugged him in reply, more than happy to hear that.
"Now, with you recovered, I think it's time you take the final step, Ichigo" Urahara reminded him.
"You're right. We have no time to lose" He replied. "Is everyone alright?"
"At least on my end. I can't speak for the rest, but it appears that nothing negative has occurred so far" Urahara replied.
"Let's just hope that's the case" Nel noted, believing that their friends were safe.
"Then... Should we get going, Ichigo?" Ulquiorra inquired.
"Yes. Kurokage mentioned that Soul Society is also at risk of suffering a Demon invasion, at the hands of the Four Horsemen"
"Actually, how did you kill him?" Ulquiorra asked curious.
"That's something you should ask Urahara" Ichigo chuckled.
"Well, I realized that if the reason for his invulnerability was turning into a shadow, I needed an attack that could work for both a bidimensional and tridimensional entity, so that it wouldn't matter in what state he was, he would be affected in any case" The Shinigami explained. "The only attack I know that goes beyond the concept of reality as we know it is well... Aizen's favorite: Hadou 90: Kurohitsugi, but I knew that a Dark spell like that wouldn't be able to dissolve a shadow, so I experimented turning the spell into Light nature, thus creating an alternate version of Hadou 90, which is the reason why I add 'Another' to its name. The spell itself is Shirohitsugi, and I gotta say, I was the whole day of yesterday trying for it to work... But in the end, it gave a favorable response, so it was worth it"
"Absolutely. Now that damned Demon's gone for good" Ulquiorra said.
"Actually, Ulquiorra, Kurokage wasn't as bad as we thought he was" Ichigo defended him. "After fighting and talking with him, I realized that he never truly understood that our lives had the same value as theirs. Once I made him see that, he was a lot more friendly and even cooperative. He told me acouple things that might come in handy when I talk to Yama"
"Really? I would've never imagined..." Nel noted, as she had inagined him to be the worst scum after hearing about the massacre in Hueco Mundo.
"Still, I can see why Aizen considered you to be the greatest genius" Ulquiorra said to Urahara, amused that the man was able t come up with such an idea, pulling it off in such a short span of time in spite of its complexity.
"Oh, please, you're making me blush, Ulquiorra" The shop owner laughed.
"It was a pretty impressive move, even for you, Urahara" Ichigo agreed with his Primera.
"You left me no other choice" Hat and clogs said in reply. "You've gotten a great amount of outstanding achievements this last month... It's only fair that I make a little extra effort"
"Well, it wasn't a real month for us..." Nel pointed out, as they had been almost three years in the Dangai.
"True that, but the point stands. You're not alone in this" Urahara concluded.
"I share Urahara-san's thoughts" Ulquiorra nodded.
"Yeah, me too" Nel smiled at him.
"I know. Thank you all" Ichigo was really grateful to have them. "Let's go then. Everything will end here, today"
"Are you coming too, Urahara-san?" Nel asked him.
"No. I'll go check up on the rest. Then, I guess I could take a stroll to see how everything's turned out. Do your best" Urahara wished them as he went in the opposite direction.
"Yeah, don't worry" Ichigo replied, walking into the deepest part of Jigoku along his two strongest Espada.
It had been a long journey, and a very difficult one. He and his friends had to face multiple hardships in the way, but it was all finally coming to an end, or at least he thought so.
Descending into the Throne Room, Ichigo took a deep breath, ready to encounter the man behind everything.
They passed through the final gate, ready to engage in combat if things got complicated with the ruler of Hell.
Walking through the white and black marble floor, they approached the skull throne at the end of the chamber.
"Amusing" The white haired man sitting in the throne said as he saw the three Arrancar. "You all defeated my Princes as well as my personal servant. Even if you did it in groups, it is something I'm forced to recognize"
"You must be Yama, King of all Demons, and ruler of Jigoku..." Ichigo spoke.
"That's correct, Kurosaki Ichigo. This is the first time we meet, isn't it? Although I've been aware of you ever since you defied Aizen in Hueco Mundo. That man was an interesting specimen, so seeing someone defy him was a very interesting sight. Now, witnessing your victory... Now that is something that made me especially fixated on your being" He confessed. "You could say, I'm your fan"
"Tsk... I appreciate the kind words, but I know that's not the case" Ichigo contradicted. "You hate me, Kurokage said so"
"He did? Oh... What a loose-mouthed servant" Yama facepalmed elegantly. "While I never told him, it seems that he was more aware of my true feelings than I thought. It is kind of relieving, in any case. I was getting disgusted trying to pretend I liked you"
"But why would you hate Ichigo? He hasn't done anything to you!" Nel exclaimed, indignant.
"Tch, tch, tch... A very rash woman you have as Queen, Kurosaki Ichigo" Yama mocked. "To be honest, I don't only hate him, I hate you three. Your very race is an insult to my being. That's why... I was delighted to revive Ulquiorra. Nothing made me happier than seeing a Hollow massacrating his own kind, ahahahahaha!"
"You bastard...!" Nel frowned, feeling outraged by such comment.
"No, Nel" Ichigo stopped her. "He must have some reason to be this way... I also have my reasons to destroy him from the moment I saw him... But right now... Ending the war is our priority"
"You're right. Sorry"
"So, what would be the reason for this contempt?" Ulquiorra asked him.
"Heh, funny question, coming from the pesky Hollow that betrayed me" Yama grinned, but his look indicated that he was enraged with Ulquiorra. "It's quite simple really. Hollows are the most disgraceful beings to walk the earth. All you do is kill, consume and make others miserable. There is not a single reason anyone would like you"
"That's not...!" Nel muttered.
"What? Not true?" Yama looked at her with a mocking expression. "Just look at yourselves, you have no right to call me a monster" He pointed at Ulquiorra. "He used to erase everything in his path" He looked at Nel "And you... You used to be a blood-thirsty slut!"
Ichigo sliced the upper part of the throne in an instant.
"Did I hear right...?" Ulquiorra thought as he looked at Nel, bewildered, and then at Ichigo.
"I have no idea how you know about that... But that was unnecessary, Yama" He threatened, clearly furious after the way he addressed Nelliel.
"Oh, please... I was just stating a fact" Yama excused himself. "People are so easily upset in this age... If you are worthy of being called people that is"
Ichigo was containing his anger as much as he could. He tried to understand how a person could be so naturally unpleasant. However, the current objective forced him to refrain from attacking the Demon King directly.
"Look, I'm not gonna tell you to stop your plans completely. If you want to fight the Old Gods, that's up to you, but leave our world and the others out of this!" Ichigo proposed, trying his hardest not to attempt to cut him in pieces.
"Hm... I'm sorry, but I cannot do that. With my Kamibuki back, there's no reason for me to back down. I can absorb the power from the Heart of Tsukoyomi AND the Soul King" Yama refused. "Worry not, once I deal with the Old Gods, I'll rule over all beings. However... I really need the Hollows to disappear"
"Hmph... I never realized you hated me that much" Ulquiorra said with his indifferent tone.
"It's nothing personal, although you give me reasons for it to be so. In spite of that, you're not nearly important in order to deserve a special form of hatred" Yama mocked him. "Though I cannot say the same of you, Kurosaki Ichigo..."
"Ah, so that's it. I am worthy of a selective form of contempt, aren't I?" Ichigo chuckled. "What's your damn problem with me?!"
"Your soul has a smell that I would never forget... And your looks only confirm it. Those eyes... Those are the same eyes I tried to erase millions of years ago!"
"So it is like Mugetsu suspected... You were the one that convinced Susano'o to raid Hueco Mundo. I was almost certain, but those words confirm it. It is all your fault!" He remembered what his spirit had told him. "And that means... You have a grudge against us that goes way back. You were the ones who instigated that massacre!" He frowned as he painfully remembered the story Mugetsu described.
"Wait, Mugetsu? Are you saying that he's still alive somewhere?!" Yama suddenly lost his cool, his eyes widening in a psychotic look. "Even after I got his Queen killed..."
"ENOUGH!" Ichigo roared outraged. "I'm sorry, Kurokage, but this changes things completely" He muttered to himself. "I can NEVER forgive you!" He spat at the King. "
"Good to see that we think alike. You and Mugetsu share the same soul right now. I thought you were just his reincarnation, but seeing as you've spoken to him, I guess he's still somewhere inside you..." Yama deduced correctly. "Being that the case... I'll make sure to erase you two in one go! And what better way that trying my new creation..."
The King destroyed the floor beneath him by getting his Katana out of the sheath.
"Come, I want to show you something" He grinned evilly as he entered through the hole.
"Get ready for the worst" Ichigo told the other two. "Void, Las Noches!"
"Enclose, Murciélago!" Ulquiorra followed, going into Etapa Final.
Nel was still doubtful as the words Yama said to her resonated in her head once again:
"Bloodthirsty... Slut..." She muttered to herself, a deep sadness filling her.
"Nel... You know that's not true" Ichigo hugged her, gently pressing her head against his chest.
"Ichi... I... I know that, it may be not true anymore... But... It was... Once" She sobbed.
"So she still hasn't completely gotten over it" Ichigo thought. "It doesn't matter. I promise you, Nel, even if the whole world hates you, I will still love you. I'll always be there for you, so you don't have to suffer"
"Ichi..." She looked him straight in his yellow iris. "Even if I became a monster... Would you still love me?"
"Absolutely. I'd rather be tortured here than leave you alone" He kissed her quickly. "I'd love to tell you to stay here, but I really need your help"
Ulquiorra deviated his look from the two, not jealous or bothered, but a bit sad that he didn't have his other half with him, but touching the mark on his Hollow Hole, was enough to smile warmly.
"I know..." She smiled, washing away her tears. "I'm feeling better now. I just needed to hear that"
"Remember Nel. Your darkness is my darkness as well, so there's nothing you have to hate about your past. The one responsible for the disastrous life Hollows had in the eras that came after the raid is Yama himself, he's the enemy"
"I... I understand. I might never be able to truly atone for my past sins, but at least I'll help you extinguish the life of the one who started it all" She concluded, determined as she went straight into Segunda Etapa. "Declare... Gamuza"
Ichigo caressed her face one last time to make sure she felt better, and then he moved on.
"Let's go" He decided, jumping into the hole in the floor.
It was a long fall down, so he had a look at his surroundings before reaching the ground.
The whole chamber was a morbid flesh carnage. The walls and floor were made of humanoid dead bodies that were compressed to each other, forming a huge consistent structure, yet a really grotesque one as well.
Ichigo reached the ground, feeling the cold bodies beneath him.
"What in the name...?" He muttered, staring at the giant sphere of corpses floating in the center of the disturbing place, emanating a dark energy he could not stare for too long without feeling disturbed.
Ulquiorra and Nel fell a moment after him, and their reactions were similar.
"Yuck..." Nel muttered, between a sense of fear and disgust.
Ulquiorra limited himself to glaring in disbelief at the scenery, until he realized what that entity actually was. "Wait, those bodies...!"
"So you recognize it" Yama said, walking down a spiral stairway that rose through the chamber, made of the same meaty material. "However, it is not ready..."
"What do you mean? This thing is already pretty fucked up as it is!" Ichigo spouted back.
"Well... It is a bit unsightly if you see the exterior, but if you could only see the beauty of what lies beneath those layers of decomposing flesh, you'd be able to appreciate its unquestionable beauty" Yama giggled in delight.
"Ulquiorra, what is that?" Nel asked.
"I don't know exactly... But the bodies that form it are most certainly the ones 'V' used to control as its clones. The ground we stand on... Is the same"
"Let me unveil the enigma behind the fifth Duke of Jigoku..." Yama happily explained. "You see, even without my Kamibuki, I was still able to manipulate energy, only to a much more limited extent than what I could with it. By far, my most bothering obstacle was the fact that I couldn't store gigantic amounts of energy inside my weapon, so I couldn't restore the power I used to have as a God...
However... The solution was quite simple. I would have to accumulate that energy in an external source. Of course, the only energy I came across during my administration of Jigoku was Negative Energy, so you can imagine that the artifact I designed holds the most impure and corrupted Darkness you could ever find. Hence, I named this artifact, the Dark Core.
Still, throughout all these ages, there have been counted beings with enough power to fill the Dark Core significantly, so I needed a way to accelerate its evolution... And what a better way than that to use my own Demons, nurtured with that same negativity, to feed my creation?"
"No fucking way...!" Ichigo realized what that meant.
"Exactly! That was the reaction I wanted to see!" Yama exclaimed with pleasure. "I started this whole conflict the moment I regained my Kamibuki, which your human friend pulled off impeccably!"
"Orihime didn't do it on her own and you know it!" Ulquiorra spat, his Reiatsu raising with anger.
"That doesn't matter. What matters is... That the recovery of this weapon..." He displayed his black and white Katana. "...Was the true starting point of my whole plan. I set in motion the first steps to make sure that you wouldn't suspect my true intentions, and I succeeded. All that was left... Was for you to finish the job"
"No..." Nel realized the same thing Ichigo thought earlier.
"You fought my most powerful Demons, forcing them to go beyond their limits! That, was the best way to collect the Negative Energy I had been wanting for so long... The deaths of all the minions that have died so far... Were all carefully calculated, and all planned in a way that my own Demons never realized what was truly occurring. In fact... It was a real pain witnessing things as the purification of my second Duke, or the way in which you spared the traitorous Arikado... But that was fixed with the sacrifices you carried out now.
With the deaths of Kurokage and the three Princes of Jigoku, I could obtain even more energy than the one I had initially estimated!"
"Dammit..." Ichigo confirmed his suspicion, clenching his fist with rage and frustration.
"And now, what is this strange entity you see before yourselves? What is this creature you know as 'V'?" He raised the question. "Very simple. The empty corpses of all the beings I drained of energy were initially disposed in this chamber, but then... I had an idea. Why not make things even more interesting, and at the same time, have a backup plan? That's where THIS steps into the scene" He showed them the sphere. "With the Dark Core as its main heart, I decided to create life out of all that energy I obtained.
Before going to the epic conclusion, 'V' itself, was never a single entity. All the dark souls of the beings that have fed this energy chimera, share a single consciousness inside the Dark Core. That's why, it was impossible for you to kill it completely in its previous state. It has millions of different souls inside that can take another corpse to control.
Now, to complete this fundamental process, I even discarded five of my ten hearts, which was the final step to gestate the being inside this sphere of long-rotten flesh and evil intent. Neberu, is a godly being I can't even imagine. I created something with a potential so great, that not even I know its true form, which grows and develops inside that cocoon as we speak"
"This is just wrong... You're sick!" Ichigo spat as he prepared his two Zanpakutou.
"You're right! I'm sick of the world that those who banished me created! I'm sick of this stupid life I was given, unable to use my true potential!" Yama replied. "And I'm not done. There is one last sacrifice I offer Neberu... Hehehehehehehe AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" He grinned and laughed madly as he pointed his Kamibuki at the three. "The lives of the King of Hueco Mundo... And its two strongest Espada!"
"Like Hell we'll let you do that!" Nel spat at him, preparing her pink Lance.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an artifact to recover in Hueco Mundo..." He giggled as he opened a Kimon, completely ignoring the three.
"No... You can't...!" Ichigo realized what that meant.
"Don't worry, Hollow King. I have no need to obliterate Las Noches like it was done in the past... At least not yet. I have my own ways of finding the Heart of Tsukoyomi..." He declared. "...Just as I have my methods to find and destroy that which is most precious to those who betray me!"
"Oh no you don't!" Ulquiorra flew right at Yama, trying to stop him. "Lanza del-"
"Deus Ex Machina!" As his two cystals shined, Yama pointed his palm at him, from which an overwhelming explosion of Light and Dark came out, sending Ulquiorra crashing into the flesh ground.
"Ungh..." He felt the attack, but was still able to stand. "No... Ori...hime...!"
"Ulquiorra!" Ichigo and Nel came to his aid, Nel healing him to support his own regeneration.
"Weak" Yama said triumphantly. "You'll be a perfect setting stone to my new reign"
The Demon King entered through the portal and left them in the chamber with 'V' and Neberu.
"Now what? We can't go after him knowing that such a dangerous thing exists" Nel told Ichigo.
"Fuck... I hate to admit it, but we have no choice but to stay here and stop Neberu from completing itself!"
"But Ichigo... Orihime...!" Ulquiorra yelled, collapsing in a way none had ever seen in him.
"Ulquiorra, calm down" Ichigo told him. "Inoue is not alone. Nageki and the other Espada are there to protect her... I know how it feels, but we have no choice right now!"
"Goddammit..." He cursed, as Chauve-Souris was charged with a frenzy green Reiatsu.
"The only other option... Is for me to stay here while you two go back to Hueco Mundo" Ichigo proposed.
"No, that's nonsense!" Nel replied. "There's no way I'm leaving you alone against this thing!"
From the floor, the corpses started coming out, menacing to attack them while they still hadn't made a decision.
"But..." Ichigo muttered.
"No, Nelliel is right" Ulquiorra finally decided. "Even if I leave right now, Yama is already there. All I can do, is put my trust in the people that are in Las Noches right now..."
"Are you sure?" Ichigo wanted to confirm his feelings.
"Yes. If anything happens... The only grudge I'll hold will be against Yama, so don't worry" He concluded. "We three must stop this evil from unleashing upon the other realms"
One of the corpses appeared with a flesh Katana pointed at them, a black 'V' embedded in its faceless head.
"That's the main consciousness, but it's no use killing it" Ichigo noted.
"Yama said the main source of Neberu came from the Dark Core..." Nel recalled. "Maybe if we destroy it, we can stop the whole thing"
"Yeah, I was thinking the same" Ichigo agreed.
"Then it's clear. Nelliel and I will take care of the clones while you handle the cocoon. Just break it until you find the Dark Core" Ulquiorra decided.
"Yes!" She accepted the Primera's plan.
"Good idea" Ichigo agreed, preparing to smash the gigantic flesh sphere to pieces. "Getsuga Tenshou!" He used pure Hollow Reiatsu.
And so we finally uncover one of the greatest mysteries! The monster of V is based on Legion from the Castlevania series, especially the one in Curse of Darkness, though it has many abilities that I designed of course.
The next Chapter is packed with action and possibly... Feels, so get ready for that.
Reviews:
Antex-The Legendary Zoroark: Great chapter! Loved it and I cannot wait to see more! 'Nuff said! Lol.
Reply: Thanks! Missed the 'but I digress', haha"
See you next time! R.I.P. Sein Reinert. Evhron out.
Glosary:
Barrera Negación: Negación Barrier. Usable by Etapa Final level Espada, though it consumes a great deal of SP.
Shirohitsugi: White coffin. Alternate Light element version of Kurohitsugi. A Yin and Yang kind of thing.