Toshiro groaned as he woke up.
"He's awake!" Orihime said.
Toshiro looked around as the others gathered around him. They were back in the sewers, just below the exit.
"Welcome back," Chad said.
Toshiro stretched his arms to loosen his muscles. "How long was I out?"
"All night," Uryu said. "Hanataro healed all of your wounds."
He motioned to the side, where Hanataro could be seen sleeping soundly.
"Ok, then." Toshiro stood up. "Is everyone else all right?"
"We didn't fight," Uryu reminded him. "And because of your stupidity, we lost a full day."
Toshiro looked down. "I know. I'm sorry."
"I thought we had decided that fighting to prove a point was meaningless," Uryu said. "Why are you so intent on repeating the mistake I made when I challenged you?"
Toshiro gave Uryu a serious look. "What do you think will happen after we rescue Rukia?"
"Huh?"
"We get to the tower, rescue Rukia, escape this place, and go back to our homes. What happens then?"
Uryu thought for a moment. "The Shinigami will come after Rukia again - and us as well."
"Exactly," Toshiro said.
The rescue party looked at each other with worried expressions.
"So why are we here, if they're just going to come for Rukia again?" Chad asked.
"It sounds like we're throwing away our lives for nothing," Ganju added.
"That's one of the reasons I didn't want any of you to come along," Toshiro said.
"But why come at all, if it won't accomplish anything?" Orihime asked.
Toshiro looked at all of his companions before answering. "Because it's the right thing to do."
"And I believe that there is a way we can all walk away from this – including Rukia. But to do that, the Shinigami need to be convinced to let Rukia be once we've rescued her."
"And what did fighting Renji one on one accomplish?" Uryu asked.
"That depends," Toshiro said, "on whether Renji survived."
Renji was surprised to be alive.
He was laid out on a bed with a member of the Squad Four medical corps standing over him. However, a quick glance around the room revealed that he was not in the Squad Four hospital. The room was bare save for his bed and a table on which the remains of his broken zanpakuto lay.
And the room bore no door to the outside hall. Instead, many iron bars separated the room from the hall.
"Wh-where am I?" he asked weakly.
"Ah, you're awake," the Squad Four member said. "Lieutenant Kira found you after your fight with the ryoka and brought you for medical treatment."
"Then why am I imprisoned?"
"Captain Kuchiki ordered that you be placed under arrest for acting alone."
"I see." Renji relaxed and looked up at the ceiling. "Have they decided what my punishment will be?"
"I don't know. The captains held an emergency meeting after it was discovered that the ryoka had defeated you. They've declared a state of war, and the captains and lieutenants have been authorized to carry and use their zanpakutos. But there was no word on what they planned to do with you."
"So the captains are on the move," Renji observed.
"Yes. Now that the captains are getting involved, I'm sure this rykoa mess will all be sorted out shortly."
They began moving again as soon as Hanataro woke up.
"The coast is clear," Hanataro said as he looked out over the previous day's battlefield.
"You'd think they'd have more security, considering what happened here yesterday," Ganju said.
"They probably did a sweep of the area and assumed we'd moved on," Uryu said.
"In any case, we still need to get up those stairs," Toshiro said.
They began to climb the staircase. The previous day's mist had obscured just how many stairs there were, and the climb was longer than they had previously imagined.
They proceeded slowly so that the weaker members of the group would not tire out just from the climb.
It took a while, but eventually they made it to the top of the staircase.
The city they had seen on the hill the day before now stood before them. The large columns and skyscraper-sized buildings were made of a finer and stronger material than the structures of the rest of the Seretei.
"No one up here either," Uryu observed.
"Why is their security so lax? Orihime asked.
"It's been hundreds of years since anyone ever broke into the Seireitei," Hanataro said. "I guess they don't know what to do about intruders anymore."
"Maybe," Toshiro said. "But the longer we take the more time they have to figure it out. Let's go."
They began to run forward, but they did not get very far.
The air around them suddenly seemed to increase in weight, pushing them down.
"Whaaaaat's goooooiiiiing ooooon?" Ganju yelled, though his voice sounded distorted. The pressure was so great that their hearing was being affected.
"Soooome kiiiiind ooof iiimmeeeense reeeeiaaaatsuuuu!" Uryu yelled back.
"Ruuuuuuun!" Toshiro called out to the others.
They broke into a sprint. But the buildings and columns seemed to pass them by in slow motion.
'What's going on?' Toshiro wondered. 'We're running as fast as we can, but we can't seem to put any distance between ourselves and that Reiatsu. It's like my legs are moving through sand and there's a mountain on my shoulders.'
Hanataro collapsed. Ganju and Chad turned back to help him.
"I…can't…" Hnataro said weakly. "I have…no strength…left…"
Chad picked Hanataro up and continued running.
Toshiro heard a voice in his ear. "Are you the one?"
Toshiro stopped and turned to look at where the voice came from. High above, on the roof of one of the tallest buildings around them, he caught a glimpse of a large figure silhouetted against the sky.
"How long are you going to keep looking over there?" the same voice came from behind him.
Before Toshiro could react, a sword burst through his chest. He opened his mouth in a silent scream and raised his hand to the wound – only to find nothing there.
'What the? I could have sword I was stabbed,' he thought.
He turned around to face the large figure that had moved behind him. 'Is this all his doing?'
The man was large, taller than Chad. His long black hair was neatly arranged in larged spikes that each ended in a bell. He wore an eyepatch over his right eye and what was unmistakably a white captain's haori.
"Are you Toshiro Hitsugaya?" the man asked.
He towered over Toshiro, who was feeling very small.
"Who wants to know?" he managed to ask.
"Come on. I'm sure Ikkaku already told you."
Toshiro couldn't contain his gasp.
Would you say that you are the strongest in your group?"
That made Toshiro pause. "Maybe."
The Shinigami smiled. "Then watch out for our captain, Zaraki Kenpachi. He's not interested in weaklings. If you are the strongest, he'll be coming for you."
"Is he powerful?" Toshiro asked.
"When you meet him, you'll see, if you can survive long enough for your brain to comprehend his strength."
"I'm Captain of Squad Eleven, Kenpachi Zaraki, and I'm here to fight you to the death," he declared.
Toshiro took a reflexive step back.
'So this is the Captain we've been hearing so much about. This reiatsu – his reiatsu – is incredible. There's no way we can run.'
"What's wrong?" Zaraki asked. "Is something wrong with your hearing? I've just challenged you to a fight to the death."
'His presence is so strong, it's like there's no one else here!'
Toshiro's eyes widened in realization and he looked back at his comrades. Hanataro and Orihime had both fainted. Ganju was on his knees. Uryu was leaning against a wall. Only Chad was firmly planted on his feet, and he was carrying both Orihime and Hanataro. But Chad's face betrayed the effort it was taking for him to remain standing.
"Wow! Look at all that drool!"
Toshiro was shocked when a little girl, even smaller than him, appeared on his shoulder. She wore the black kimono of a Shinigami and had bright pink hair.
"You must have scared him pretty bad to make him drool like that, Kenny!"
Toshiro stumbled back in surprise, causing the little girl to leap back to Zaraki.
"Oops. I think I made him mad," she said.
'What the? Who is this kid? And how can she be so unaffected by this reiatsu?' he wondered.
"You, little girl," Toshiro called out. "Who are you?"
"Who, me?" she said cheerfully. "I'm Yachiru Kusajishi, the Lieutenant of Squad Eleven!"
'She's a lieutenant, like Renji? But there's no way Renji could move as fast as she does, or stand up to Kenpachi's reiatsu. Can a lieutenant really be that much more powerful than Renji?'
"Chad, Uryu, Ganju," Toshiro said. "Take Orihime and Hanataro and get out of here. I'll hold him off."
"Are you crazy?" Uryu yelled. "Don't you remember what Yoruichi said? We are not to engage any captains, no matter what! We are to run away!"
"That's not an option," Toshiro said. "The only way any of us are getting away from him is if someone stays behind."
He turned back to face Zaraki. "You keep going until you get to Rukia. I'll join you as soon as I can."
"You can't just ask us to abandon you like this!" Uryu screamed.
Toshiro turned his head to look at Uryu. "Listen to me," he said calmly. "Right now, I'm not fighting to prove anything. Not to this guy, and not to myself. I'm fighting to keep you safe, and to stay alive myself. And I have a better chance of surviving this if I don't have to worry about any of you getting caught in the crossfire."
Uryu grimaced, but nodded. "All right. Chad, Ganju, we're leaving!"
"You go," Toshiro ordered, "and you don't stop until you've reached that tower and rescued Rukia."
"You can count on us, Toshiro," Chad said.
Toshiro breathed a sigh of relief as they ran off. He felt a little lighter, as if part of the reiatsu that had been weighing him down had been lifted from his shoulders.
"Am I correct in assuming that you don't care about going after them?" Toshiro asked.
"Sure," Zaraki answered. "I couldn't care less about your weakling friends or the fate of the Kuchiki girl. I've been waiting for you to get here for some time now in the hope of a decent fight."
"Why are you so interested in me?" Toshiro pressed.
"Didn't I tell you already? I'm here to fight you to the death."
"That doesn't tell me anything!" Toshiro yelled. "Why is someone who I've seen before and who doesn't care about my mission so interested in killing me?"
"Because I heard that you're strong. And I'm only interested in fighting strong people."
Toshiro trembled with fear. 'There's no reasoning with this guy. He's completely insane.'
"I'll tell you what, kid. I'll give you an advantage," Zaraki said.
"An advantage?" Toshiro asked incredulously.
"I'll give you the first strike," Kenpachi explained. He pulled open his haori, exposing his muscular chest. "I'll stand here and you can cut me anywhere you want."
"What?" Toshiro yelled.
"Wow, Kenny," Yachiru said in admiration. "You're the most generous captain ever!"
"Aren't I? I'm just a walking, bleeding heart of generosity."
"Tell me what you're really up to!" Toshiro yelled at Zaraki. "No one would give their opponent a free chance to kill them with one attack. What are you playing at?"
"Why must you be so suspicious?" Zaraki asked.
"Is it your zanpakuto's ability?" Toshiro asked. "Does it draw power from your enemy's attacks?"
Zaraki spit in disgust. "Of course not. As if I would stoop to such tactics."
He drew his sword. "My zanpakuto doesn't have a name, or another form. It is always in its released state, because my reiatsu is so huge, I can't seal it."
Toshiro considered the long blade before him. 'Could he be telling the truth? Could someone become this strong without even knowing their zanpakuto's name?'
'In the end it doesn't matter,' he decided. 'He's giving me one chance to get out of this alive, and I have no choice but to take it.'
"All right," he said. "I'll take that free shot you're giving me."
Zaraki smiled. "Good."
"But I warn you," Toshiro said as he drew his sword, "you're going to regret giving me the opportunity to do this."
Zaraki grinned as the air around Toshiro began to glow white.
As they finally started to get away from Zaraki's reiatsu, Hanataro and Orihime woke up.
"Wait! Toshiro!" Hanataro screamed. "Don't do it!"
"Hold still," Chad said as Hanataro squirmed in his arm.
"What happened?" Orihime asked groggily.
"Toshiro stayed behind so we could get away," Uryu explained.
"We can't leave Toshiro behind!" Hanataro screamed. "We can't!"
"We have no choice," Uryu said.
"You don't understand," Hanataro said. "Toshiro can't win by himself, even will all his skill! It's impossible! He'll be killed!"
"Do you know that guy, Hanataro?" Ganju asked.
"He is…" Hanataro explained, "he is the captain of the infamous Squad Eleven, Kenpachi Zaraki. The name Kenpachi is passed down through the generations to the one among the Thirteen Court Guard Squads who most savors fighting and killing. The name Kenpachi means that the one bearing it can never go down, no matter how many times he is cut."
"It goes way beyond any question of power or weakness or skill or strength. He can't die! He's invincible! And if Toshiro fights him, then he's certain to die at his hands!"
"If any of that is true," Uryu said while pushing his glasses up, "then we certainly cannot go back."
"But-"
"If this Kenpachi truly cannot be killed, then any help we give Toshiro would be worse than useless. We'd be needlessly throwing our lives away and wasting his sacrifice. Our only option is to continue with the mission."
He looked around at Chad and Orihime. "What do the two of you have to say?"
"I don't like it," Chad said, "but I agree. We have no choice."
"Orihime?"
She held her hands close to her mouth. "It's so unfair, to force us to choose like this. I don't know if I can-"
She was cut off by the sound of thunder.
They all looked up. The clear skies were slowly being covered by dark clouds. Lighning danced around the clouds.
The light from the one window in the repentance cell faded as the clouds filled the sky.
Rukia stared in wonder as a flash of lightning was followed by a crash of thunder.
'What's going on? The sky was clear a moment ago.'
'Is there a battle going on?'
She looked down sadly. 'Toshiro, if you are here, please leave. Forget about me. There are forces here you cannot possibly comprehend.'
"Is this whether normal in the Soul Society?" Chad asked Ganju.
"No. I don't think I've ever seen a storm come out of nowhere like this."
Uryu looked at the way they came with growing apprehension.
'That's Toshiro's reiatsu. But it's so huge, and still growing.'
"And if I do, none of you may survive."
"That attack doesn't even begin to compare to the power of my own zanpakuto's released state."
Uryu's eyes widened in realization.
"We've got to run!" he stated. "Now!"
"But – " Orihime began.
"Toshiro's unleashing his full power," Uryu said gravely. "And we don't want to be anywhere near there when he attacks."
Zaraki's smile widened as he watched Toshiro power up.
"Your reiatsu is first rate," he complimented the child standing before him. "Better than most lieutenants. I can see how Ikkaku lost to you."
Toshiro did not respond. He crouched with his sword at the ready.
"Bring it on," Zaraki said.
But Toshiro did not leap at Zaraki. Instead he leapt straight up.
"Oh? What're you doing?" Zaraki asked. "Running away?"
The sky began to darken as Toshiro raised his sword. He was still rising, as was his reiatsu.
Lightning flashed overhead as the clouds filled the sky completely.
Snow began to fall in the center of the storm. Yachiru, sitting on Zaraki's shoulder, caught a snowflake in her mouth.
"You'd better go, Yachiru," Zaraki told her. "He's about to strike."
Reaching the top of his arc, Toshiro swung his sword and called upon its name.
"Reign over the frosted heavens, Hyorinmaru!"
Two streams of water and ice formed around his sword. They swirled around the blade until meeting above the tip. Now joined, the stream became larger and larger as it spread out from the sword. When it had reached ten meters long it coalesced into the shape of a gigantic dragon.
"Yes!" Zaraki screamed as the dragon roared high above him. "Come on! This is what I've been waiting for!"
Toshiro swung his blade downward, and the dragon shot straight at Zaraki. The captain of the Eleventh Division did not move a muscle as he was enveloped in the dragon's jaws. The ground around him exploded in a sea of ice and water which spread out in every direction.
Toshiro landed and took a deep breath.
He looked over his handiwork.
Everything was covered in ice for thirty meters in every direction. The walls were covered in a think layer that would not melt soon.
And in the middle of it all was a large formation of ice over six meters high, with jagged edges sticking out far above that. Kenpachi Zaraki was completely encased in this formation, his body unmoving.
"I'm sorry," Toshiro said. "I didn't want to kill you."
He looked up at a nearby building where Yachiru was sitting. She had avoided the attack, for which he was thankful. But he did not know how she would react to the death of her captain.
To his surprise, she remained where she was.
'I'd better catch up with the others,' he thought as he turned to leave.
A feint glow made him turn around.
Zaraki's body was glowing yellow. The light grew brighter and brighter until the ice surrounding him exploded, spraying chunks of ice everywhere.
Toshiro covered his face to shield himself. When there was no more debris, he lowered his hands and gaped in horror at the sight before him.
Zaraki stepped forth from what remained of the ice formation. His hair had become unkempt and some of his bells were missing. His body was covered in little cuts and bruises.
But he was mostly unharmed.
'That's impossible!' Toshiro thought in a panic. 'That was everything I had!'
"Man, those elemental zanpakuto can be a real pain in the ass," Zaraki said. "Hey, kid, that was pretty good! It really got my blood boiling."
Zaraki stepped forward and raised his own zanpakuto. "Now I'm really excited to fight you."
Toshiro was frozen in fright as Zaraki charged at him, thrusting his zanpakuto forward into Toshiro's chest.
"Huh?"
Both of them looked down at the blade that had pierced Toshiro's body.
"You're reiatsu was so high a second ago, and now you can't even block my first attack?" Zaraki asked in disappointment.
He withdrew his blade. Blood gushed forth from the wound, and Toshiro collapsed.
"What a waste," Zaraki said. "I waited all this time for this? You didn't even last long enough for me to get the rust off my sword. This was no fun at all."
'I-I'm really dying,' Toshiro realized. 'It hurts – so much.'
With what little strength he had left, Toshiro looked up at Zaraki, who was walking away. But it was not Zaraki he saw.
It was the winged dragon from his dreams.