Chapter 30: The Climax
Tatsuki rubbed her forehead as the information that they'd been just given was processed by her brain. So basically it's Verena and Ichigo's fault that I now have powers. she thought. Looking next to her, she saw that Orihime was in deep thought. If this causes Orihime to cry at all, I'm gonna beat Ichigo up. Verena too; maybe.
"Boss." The two human girls turned their heads towards the doorway of the classroom when they saw a man with corn rows in his hair and a pink haired older man.
I'm starting to think Verena and Ichigo are no longer the only ones with strange hair color. Tatsuki thought as she watched the green haired girl walk up to the two men.
"Is it ready?" Urahara asked the two men who gave him a nod. "Perfect." Turning away from the human girls he went to depart. "Are you two coming?" he asked. "If you are, we must hurry. Time is of the essence here, but know this once you step outside, you cannot leave; for what you see before you is the world in which you are now apart of." Standing quickly Tatsuki and Orihime quickly followed the group outside, not quite expecting to see what was happening there.
It was as Ichigo was flash stepping towards the sky that he and Rukia almost ran right into Uryu. "You bastard." Ichigo growled at him as he grasped Ishida's white shirt. "What'd you do, throw a second Quincy bait?" he asked angrily. "This didn't happen the last time!"
Uryu brushed Ichigo's hand off of him. "Of course not! Don't be foolish!" he yelled back. It's not like I anticipated so many hollows answering the call. It's almost as if somebody has amplified the reaction towards the bait. he pushed his glasses up his nose. "I've been fighting just as hard as yourself."
"Doubtful." Ichigo countered a grin appearing on his face.
"Both of you need to shut up and look up!" Rukia yelled from Ichigo's back. Following her fingers, both boys looked up, their eyes widening as they did so. "The cracks in the sky, they're coming together in one spot."
"The garganta is getting bigger." Ichigo commented.
"Wait," Uryu stopped Ichigo from running off. "I'm afraid that's not all." He pointed towards the horizon. "Look closely."
Ichigo's eyes widened even further. "The hollows are heading right for that point!" Rukia cried out.
Ishida pulled the string of his bow back, readying an arrow. "Wait! Ishida, we need to think up a strategy. There's too many for us to-" Ichigo was interrupted by the cocky Quincy.
"What?" Uryu asked with a challenge to his voice. "Are you afraid Kurosaki?" He then released the arrow which flew forward and killed a skeleton hollow instantly as it went through his head.
Ichigo grasped him by his neck and threw Uryu down onto the roof causing the other boy to gasp as his breath was taken from him. "Idiot! Do you want to die so badly? You're suppose to be the smart one, so for once use that brain of yours and come up with a solution!" Uryu stared at Ichigo with shock. "I swear, that after this we'll continue our challenge, but for now..." he held out his hand to help Uryu stand. "join forces with me and help me protect this city."
"In front of me is Shinigami who sees the Quincy as nothing more than a problem that needs to be extinguished. We are the exact opposite of each other." he Uryu growled as he glared at Rukia. "My grandfather-"
"-died trying to bring both Quincy and Shinigami together!" Ichigo yelled back at him. "In fact his greatest wish wasn't about proving the strength of the Quincy, but about working together with the Shinigami, wasn't it!?" Grasping Uryu by his shirt once more, he forced the other into a standing position. "So if you won't do that now, when will you? Shinigami and Quincy are exact opposites? That's fine!" He moved to cover Ishida's back. "In a fight against a large number of enemies, the best way to go about it is back to back!"
In the Kurosaki household Masaki was just finishing up with her daily chores when she noticed the time. Karin and Yuzu are late. She frowned at the thought. Verena and Ichigo Haven't come home yet either. Where are my children at this time of day? She wondered as she took off her apron and began to walk towards the front door. Slipping her shoes on, she slowly opened the door only to stared at the sky in horror.
Kon was running towards the Kurosaki house to warn Masaki of what was going on when suddenly he was hit in the crotch by something. He fell to the ground instantly. S...Sorry Ichigo, you'll never be able to use it again... He felt as if he couldn't breathe. Clutching his injured body part, he cracked an eye open and caught sight of Ichigo's sisters.
"Big brother!" Yuzu's voice caught his attention.
"You're not Ichigo, are you?" Karin asked.
It was then Kon noticed the baseball bat. "Why are you hitting people with that?" he asked, not noticing how high his voice was.
Yuzu noticed and covered her mouth with her hand to hide her laughter. "Because all I have his stupid kido to protect myself and Yuzu!" she screamed at Kon. "So who are you?"
"You're siblings call me Kon. I'm a mod soul, an artificial soul that was created by scientists in soul society." he explained. "I help your big brother by inhabiting his body while he's out fighting evil hollows." He grinned proudly at this.
"Really?" she asked with doubt.
"Yeah." he replied as the two stared at each other for a moment.
"Okay, I believe you." Karin announced as she handed him her bat. "You might need this, since you probably don't have powers like our brother."
Kon felt touched that this kid trusted him like this. I won't let you down Ichigo. I'll protect your sisters! He then grasped Yuzu's hand. "Let's get you two home." he said with confidence he hadn't felt in a long time.
Ishida frowned. "Do you mean to create a united front against these guys?" he asked as Ichigo held his large sword out as a couple hollows seemed to try to figure out which angle would be the easiest to attack from. "Why? Why do you fight for that Shinigami?"
"Of course!" Ichigo yelled at him before frowning. "Are we back to this Quincy vs Shinigami shit?"
"To the side!" Rukia yelled at them.
Ichigo grasped Ishida's shoulder and pushed him down as he swung zangetsu. At that moment another came at them from the other side. Uryu summoned his bow again before shooting a dozen arrows at the large hollow. The two stood back to back once more with Rukia still in the center on Ichigo's back.
"My father was killed by a hollow. If you were to ask if he's the reason I fight, I'd say you were correct." He looked at Ishida over his shoulder. "But I'd say the same thing if it were you, Orihime or Chad. I went through hell watching Verena, Mom, Yuzu and Karin cry over goatface's death. I don't want to see that any longer. I hate seeing sadness and if it means I have to fight these monsters with the Shinigami to stop those sad faces from ever reappearing, I will." He swung his sword at another hollow, taking down two at a time. He was beginning to get pissed off. "I want to protect a mountain of people."
An arrow went whizzing passed Ichigo's head towards the hollow coming at him from the side. "Fine. You win. I'll assist." Uryu had a cocky grin on his face. "If either of us do not survive this, it means we'll lose the one we're going to beat."
"Fantasic!" Ichigo grinned feeling more of his power coming forth as his second sword pulsed on his hip. Grasping it and pulling it from its sheath, Ichigo slashed another hollow as it tried coming from the side once again. "I'll make you cry afterwards!"
"By all means..." Uryu pulled his bow back again as he eyed another hollow. "If you survive, that is!" He challenged Ichigo as he released the arrow.
At that moment Ichigo called out his most powerful attack. His two swords creating a cross of energy. "Getsuga Jujisho!" he cried out.
Uryu turned his head towards Ichigo, his eyes wide as he noticed that the hollows they'd been struggling with were dead. If he had that attack... he thought with eyes still wide in disbelief. why didn't he use that in the first place?
Turning towards his cousin, Ichigo spoke confidently. "Okay, let's go help Kensei and Chad close those cracks."
"Ichigo!" Rukia cried out as she spotted something falling from the sky; two somethings actually.
"They're going to crash!" Ichigo cried out.
"What did they do?" Uryu asked.
"This is only a guess," Ichigo began. "but it's possible they were trying to use they're spiritual powers to force the garganta's to close.
"Is that possible?" Rukia asked him, only to receive a shrug from Ichigo. It was then that a canon went off only for a giant rug to pass under the two falling people.
"Urahara!" Ichigo and Rukia cried out together. It seemed the shopkeeper had expected this to be a result and had a backup.
"That guy always seems to come up with something." Uryu commented. "But now the hollows are acting strangely."
"It's as if they're praying." Rukia observed.
The several small garganta's began to connect together as the cracking in the sky got bigger and bigger until suddenly a huge head came out of the hole. "What the hell is that!" Ishida yelled out, fear coming over him.
King! Ichigo heard his hollow cry out.
Oh this isn't good. he thought. Do I need to gain help from you? he asked the white haired being. You know once I do, Rukia will know about you.
We may have no choice King. the hollow told him. There is one thing you can do.
"What do we do?" Uryu asked, hoping Ichigo knew. "We can't fight that thing while taking on all the smaller hollows!"
"Shut up!" Ichigo yelled at him when the smaller ones looked towards them once more. Shit!
Just then all of the smaller hollows that had turned towards the three exploded as a machine gun sounded from a nearby building. When the smoke cleared all of them were dead. A small girl with black hair stood there with an embarrassed look on her face. "H-Hello." she stuttered her greeting. In her hand was a bazooka looking weapon that was smoking.
A little girl? Both Uryu and Rukia thought at the exact same moment.
"Yo, Ururu. Thanks for that." Ichigo said with a big grin As both of his companions looked between him and the young girl.
"Kurosaki!" Came the sound of the unusually loud mouth shopkeeper. "We came to your rescue!"
Ichigo put Rukia down on her feet as Jinta walked up to Ururu, Tessai standing next to Urahara. "What makes you think. need to be rescued, Getabushi?" Ichigo was teasing the older exile, but in reality he was happy to see him.
Both of the younger children began shooting or hitting hollows left and right. Uryu was shocked that such young children were helping out. He'd never seen these two before, which begged the question; who were they? Jinta used his club to crack the skull of two hollows before Ururu shot them with her bazooka weapon. As Tessai held his hand out and without an incantation used a kido attack that caused two hollows heads to explode. Blood and brain matter falling to the ground around the trio.
"They're so strong..." Uryu commented, truly impressed by the three.
Urahara approached Ichigo. "Are you alright?" he asked.
It was at that moment that Ichigo saw how worried Urahara had been, as it was all in his eyes. "Yeah." he said with a nod.
"We'll handle the small fry," he said as Ichigo caught sight of his sister and Yoruichi take out two together, and was that Tatsuki with them? "While you concentrate of fighting that one." Urahara pointed at the larger one in behind of Ichigo. That was when Ichigo saw a flash one moment and Shinji and the others appeared in the next moment. The whole group was here. "Look, now isn't the time for idle chit-chat."
"It's-" Uryu began.
"-coming out!" Ichigo finished.
"It's...it's...a Menos!" Rukia cried out in shock and fear.
"A menos?" Ishida asked her.
"It's a hollow that is made up of hundreds of hollows that have piled and mixed together." she explained to uncensored. "However, that thing, is only something I've seen in illustrations in a text book! The great hollow, Menos Grande!" Fear made her body shake. Inconceivable...for that thing to come out. Only a captain level can defeat...
"It's huge!" Such a ridiculous bulk!" Uryu stated as he felt sweat trickle down the back of his neck as fear began to set into his gut.
"Heh..." Ichigo chuckled. "Something that huge makes you want to laugh at it. I'm doubtful it's even a hollow." The smaller hollows began to scream out, as if in joy at the sight of the larger hollow. It was then that the larger hollow began to feed off of the smaller ones.
Well, I guess there's no choice King... His hollow grinned. It's time to show everyone why you're our King. Call us!
Outside his mind, Ichigo's body began to glow bright blue color. Noticing this Rukia cried out. "Ichigo! You can't-" she was cut off as Urahara stood in front of her to stop her from stopping Ichigo. "Urahara!" she yelled at him angrily. "Do you intend to let Ichigo get himself killed?"
"Of course not." he answered.
"Then move aside!" she cried out. You can't expect me to let him die! she thought tearfully.
"Please, watch Kuchiki." Urahara said softly as suddenly she fell to the ground, paralyzed by a binding spell that Urahara had cast without the use of incantations.
As the blue flame that represented Ichigo's spiritual powers glowed brightly, Ichigo called out to his sword spirits. "BAN-KAI!" he called out. An explosion of power was released. It swirled around the area and blew the wind hard against the buildings and the people standing there. Nearby, the Visoreds grinned as they felt the all too familiar release of power that represented Ichigo's bankai release. Verena and Yoruichi stood on top of a building waiting for the real battle to begin, both grinning like idiots.
At that very moment Rukia felt an incredible power suddenly release itself, a hollows powerful reiatsu joining in with Ichigo's power, as if it was apart of him. When the wind died down, and all were able to see him once again, Rukia found herself gasping in shock at the change in his appearance. Gone was the young boy and in his place was a being with a huge horn upon his head. From the side view, she could see a black line going through his left eye and down his face and neck. His clothes were torn at the arms and replaced with an even longer white haori that was torn at the bottom. His shihakusho was changed as it seemed to have fused with the haori, giving it a black and white look to it. His armor shoulder pads were gone, but the white straps that his shihakusho in place were still there. As for his swords, the two had become one, with white overlapping the black one. The sword was thinner than the larger cleaver one had been before, but it was still large looking. All in all, Ichigo now radiated power that Rukia had never felt in her entire life!
Ichigo... she thought as she watched him rush forward towards the creature, jumped into the sky high above it. Suddenly, from the tip of his horn she saw red energy gather at its tip before releasing down upon the head of the menos who screamed in pain and agony; however, Ichigo wasn't done.
Everyone heard him scream out. "GETSUGA..." He raised his sword high above his head. "TENSHO!" The black arched energy tore through the hollows body like a hot knife through butter. It was as if nothing was stopping him in this attack. As he fell to the ground and landed unharmed, the hollows body fell to opposite sides, as it was cut in half. Before touching the ground though, the beast turned to dust.
He... Ishida began to think.
"...did it." Rukia unknowingly finished Ishida's thought. She sat there in shock as Ichigo stood there with his sword upon his shoulders before walking up to them.
"Yo, Rukia..." he said with a grin.
"Ichigo..." she said his name softly gaining a grin from him as she too smiled up at him. Seconds later the binding spell vanished from her person, allowing her to once more move freely. Standing Rukia took his form in once more and had to admit that it seemed to fit his personality perfectly. Though the one black/golden eye did creep her out. Then there was the distinctive hollow reiatsu that clung to him like a second skin. Shaking her head, she spoke. "If you were always this powerful, why didn't you just use it in the first place?"
Ichigo blinked at her in surprise before giving out a laugh. "Next time I'll just do that." he told her before reached to his horn and broke it, thus losing his higher form and resealing his bankai.
Out of the corner of her eye Rikus caught sight of something on top of a nearby roof. Frowning, she decided to go check it out while everyone was celebrating.
Back in the present Kyoraku was looking down at Eikichiro Saido as he finished speaking. "You said the boy took down a menos by himself." he said, sounding impressed. Those things are hard to kill for new captains, experienced one's can take them down easily, and this boy did it like he done so before.
"Yes sir." Saido replied.
"Did you speak to her?" he asked as he turned towards the river that flowed next to them.
"Yes sir." Saido replied. "She caught sight of me. She only wanted to know my mission and if I was going to report what I saw."
"And?" Kyoraku inquired.
"Well, I'm here looking for the energy source that the captain of the thirteenth had discovered." he answered. "As for the other, I believe I have just reported it to you sir."
Kyoraku chuckled as a sly grin crossed his features. "I believe you just did indeed." he replied with a nod before dismissing the soldier. Lisa. he thought as the image of his former lieutenant came to his mind. Shinji, Rose, Hyori, Hachi, Kensei, and Mashiro. I'm glad that all of you have survive. He looked up towards the full moon, it's light shinning down upon him. Kisuke, I knew you were smart. I'm glad you could save them, but now I'm in a predicament. What to do? Pulling out his flask, he took a sip from its contents before turning around and calling forth a Senkaimon, he left the living world never noticing the golden cat eyes that had seen and heard everything that had been told.
M-Angel: I finished this chapter in a single night. It took 3 hours to write, but I finished it! The polled closed, the results are on my profile. It was a resounding No. Also, if nobody has checked out yet, I have another Bleach story post. Double Trouble is story about Shiro (Ichigo's hollow). Also, if you are interested, go to my deviantart page and you will get to see an official picture of Verena. ^_^
GunBlade2018 - Haha...yeah. I think this will be the last action packed chapter for a little while. It took me five or six chapters to do this little battle arc. I hope you enjoyed it though. Yes, they're all getting upgrades in their training.
MungetsuIchigo - Haha...thanks. I like long chapters too. You just get really into the story and then BAM! the chapter ends.
Antex-The Legendary Zoroark - I hate auto-correct. It sucks! Thanks for catching that.
TheWolf87 - I'm glad you are enjoying my story. No, Verena isn't going to be more powerful than Ichigo. She'll be powerful in her own way. ^_^