Chapter 12: Examination
AN- Can you hear that? That is the sound of the dead rising, and this story triumphantly updating! Okay, this one took a while. *Checks story details* Wooo... seven/eight months, that is bad. In my defence... I got nothing. Other stories caught my attention, and real life is still a thing. Rest assured though, this fic isn't dead. Its still one of my most ambitious stories and once it gets going, it shall be grand. But for now, lets just continue. Because things are finally heating up.
Disclaimer: I own jack shit. Does my writing look like it was written by Kubo? Seriously, me and Bleach have a love hate relationship, with me loving the premise and universe but hating every recent bullshit plot twist Kubo reveals. If I owned Bleach, which I don't, things would have been very different.
It was with reluctant steps that I walked into the main entrance of the Twelfth Squad, entering through the main door with caution equalling that of a tomb raider first entering a booby trapped pyramid. I had good reason to be hesitant about this place, and since I had no idea why the Captain requested my presence here, I could only fear the worst.
"We've heard rumours of delivery men entering the Twelfth Squad, only to never emerge. No fast food company is stupid enough to serve the Twelfth anymore, and the pizza industry is likely to never recover. There are more missing cases as a result of Mayuri in a year than there are for any other cause..." Warned Javan ominously, slight traces of teasing in his tone.
"I guess I'll just be cautious, do what's needed, then get the hell out of dodge and get my Second Squad stalker to take me back to the Academy."
"Ummm... hello? Anyone in here?" I voiced loudly, analysing the settings of the reception area I had walked into. There was nobody at the desk, so I took a seat at one of the chairs that suspiciously looked like the sorta one you'd find in a hospital waiting room.
After a few minutes, the form of Nemu entered from a side door and bowed deeply upon seeing me. "Apologies for the wait and lack of appropriate greeter. Today has unfortunately been a rather busy day for the Division."
From out of sight I could hear the sudden sound of an explosion echo through the building, followed by what sounded like desperate screams for help accompanied by mad laughter.
"Just ignore it Marcus... it ain't your business." I kept telling myself, mostly so I would never get involved with it.
"Master Mayuri has told me to inform you that he is 'too busy to deal with a moronic fool like yourself' and that I shall instead be fulfilling what he had been assigned to do instead." Explained the emotionless girl.
I should probably thank my lucky stars Mayuri had sent her to do his dirty work, mostly since I wouldn't have to deal with him.
"Thanks." I said. "So why was I called out here? It was pain getting all the way over here by tag along Shunpo." Stupid Seireitei for being so frigging large that it would take me forever to get anywhere...
"Master Mayuri was commissioned to make something by Captain Aizen." Nemu promptly reached into her uniform and pulled out a cardboard box decorated with a chibi Mayuri's face, while emblazoned in bold, friendly text read 'Mayuri Approved!'.
Taking my cue from the quiet girl I took the box and opened it, pulling out its contents. "Its a phone." I noted, flicking the black, foldable device open and stared critically at it.
"This is a Denreishinki, and isn't normally given out to Shinigami until they are performing active missions in the world of the living." Nemu lectured impassively. "Due to your circumstances though, it has been determined that you will benefit from receiving one early."
"Its probably bugged." Figured Javan with a knowing 'ahuh'. "Like Ichigo's badge. They probably modified it to track you or something."
"And if it ever goes offline they know I'm deserting or something." I agreed with Javan's sound commentary. Even if there was another purpose to it, with Mayuri having made it, it was guaranteed to have tracking, self destruct and spying capabilities.
And that's just the minimum without me getting paranoid.
"So what does it do, aside from the regular?"
Nemu tilted her head slightly. "Very simple. In the words of Master Mayuri 'its so simple even a plebian like you could understand it'."
"Thanks." I answered dryly. It appeared the Captain didn't even need to be in the room to insult my intelligence.
"Firstly, it will mostly serve as a translator. Despite recognising the writing, you display no verbal ability concerning the Japanese language. This device will convert what you say to the selected language, and will display translations directly to your ears for what is said around you."
"That's actually pretty useful." I noted.
"Indeed. This translation tool is normally downloaded by Shinigami venturing on missions outside of Japan. The second thing, which makes this Denreishinki unique, is its Spatial Composition Engine. Due to your spiritual nature including an abnormal ratio of physical and spiritual matter, in the future when your spiritual matter begins eclipsing your physical matter you will begin to display more Shinigami like behaviour, but the effect is lessoned."
"Which means...?" I prompted.
"Eventually your spiritual matter will eclipse your physical matter, therefore it is hypothesised that unlike normally how a human would perceive you as you are due to being mostly human, they will eventually come to see you as a blur due to not having enough spiritual nature to result in them seeing straight through you. This device 'calibrates' you, for lack of a better term. It coats you in a resonating field of differentiating frequency that-"
"In plain and simple English, please." I begged, not in the mood to have to puzzle out science. I couldn't afford to waste time today; me and the others were doing some last minute practice before the test in the world of the living tomorrow.
"It lets you toggle between being perceived as a Shinigami or a human."
"Why didn't you say that in the first place!"
Confused blink. "I did."
"Nevermind." I shook my head. "I assume there is a charger and instructions in the box?"
"Correct." She nodded in affirmation.
"And is there anything else you need?"
"Master Mayuri did ask me to request your presence for an experiment."
BANG! Another loud explosion sounded, this time being loud and powerful enough that a glass on the table was knocked over.
"An experiment which is, and I quote, 'Completely and utterly safe, with absolutely no chance of permanent and/or painful results'."
KABOOM! Some plaster fell down from the ceiling above, and with a scowl I brushed it out of my hair. I might have been imagining, but I was almost positive that the words 'help me' might have been said in the distance.
"I'm taking that as a 'no, we don't need you, so you can go now'." I told Nemu with a deadpan, before turning around and flat out sprinting to the exit before she could further press the point.
"Run Forest, run! Before he comes for you!" Screamed Javan. "Also, put those years of Shunpo lessons to good use!"
"Shut. Up. Javan!" I said for what was likely the thousandth time.
XXXXXXXXXX
I knew I should have been resting. The test was tomorrow, yet I couldn't sleep. Instead I just kept tossing and turning in my bed, unable to nod off as my mind plagued me with thoughts of the next day. I couldn't even discuss them with Javan since even if he's a spiritual leech living in my soul, he still needs some sleep, and nodded off an hour ago.
Tomorrow I would be returning to the land of the living. Tomorrow I would fight, and put all my training to use.
Tomorrow was the prelude to finally becoming a Shinigami. And I wasn't sure if I was ready for it.
Once my exams were finished and I left the Academy, I would be dedicating my life to a thankless job of combat. I would be risking my life regularly, and I still wasn't sure that I wanted to do this.
My only life and death experience was my entry into this world, and the fight against those Hollows. I barely survived, and if I carried on down this path I'd only have to repeat that again and again. Not even getting into the shitty future of Aizen's rebellion or the war against the Arrancar or even the burden of my knowledge of the future, being a Shinigami is still a job that will probably lead to my death.
Yet, I couldn't really run, could I? In the land of the living I could make a break for it if I wanted to, but what good would that do? Even if I got away (Which I would probably be unable to do, and would inevitably et punished for), could I live with the fact that I'd knowingly let Aizen get away with everything by not doing anything to stop it?
Okay, I probably could live with myself. But I'd still feel like shit for doing so, and unfortunately Soul Society already has too many things tying me to it. All my friends are here, and after so many years with them I didn't want to ditch them, if I ever wanted to go home again and see my family (Which even now I think less and less about) its unlikely that I could do it by hiding under some far away rock, while all my goals can only really be accomplished if I stick around.
My main priority was surviving this adventure, and to do that in a world where everyone seemed to be so OP I needed power, which I can only gain by rising through the ranks. If I want to do something important like deserting or trying to fight Aizen, that can wait until I'm a badass or something.
Even so, despite knowing this and despite having already decided that becoming a Shinigami was the best option, was I truly satisfied with joining the army? With spending my life killing the people/things they tell me to kill, and having no individual freedom to do what it is I want to do?
The arguments kept swirling around and around in my head. I knew that sleep wasn't going to come easily.
With a sigh, I threw off my duvet and left the room. The lights were off in our shared living room, and the curtains were undone, allowing moonlight to shine through the sole window in the room. Illuminated in the pale light was a figure I wasn't expecting- Hayato.
"Couldn't sleep?" I asked, gesturing for him to move along on the sofa he was sat on, and he complied. I slipped into the space he provided, and watched his face for a response. Hayato was never the most vocal, but its surprising how much you pick up from his facial cues and body language alone.
"Yes." He replied simply. He didn't give me much more than that, but I'd known him long enough to see what was up. Normally Hayato is one of the first of us to retire to his room for the night, so him being up at 1-ish in the morning is abnormal enough. The fact that he wasn't reading either was just as damning. While Hayato sometimes just used his cover of reading as a chance to skip out on conversation, to eavesdrop or just to buy some minutes alone to think- the point is he always had his book open.
This evening it was closed and by his side, utterly untouched.
"Bloody hell Hayato," I snorted. "stop worrying and go to bed."
"Soon." Promised Hayato, though he didn't look like he'd be moving anytime 'soon'.
From the look of things, your anxious for the test tomorrow, but you have no reason to be. You've got a trick up your sleeve after all, and we both know that since you have that now, you're technically the most advanced out of all us when it comes to direct combat."
"Agree." He nods, his body just as stiff as before. So its not necessarily his combat ability that worries him.
"No, you're not worried 'bout that. Are you more bothered by the fact that we're going to be Shinigami soon?"
No reply, but this told me I was on the right train of thought. "I must admit I have my own doubts about my career choice." I admitted.
"No choice." Reminded Hayato.
"Yeah, I suppose I shouldn't get so would up by a fact I don't have the power to change." I shrug. "I can't say that I want to spend my life doing the Gotei 13's dirty work, and I don't know why it is that you and Daichi decided to become a Shinigami, but either way you're not alone. If there's doubts, we can face 'em together."
Hayato was silent for almost a minute. I almost thought he'd forgotten I was here while he looked out through the window into the nights sky, but I was proven wrong when he replied. "Together?"
"Yeah." I looked out of the window, and had to admit that the moon was pretty tonight. Almost full. I put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Friends, comrades, nakama: all that rubbish. I think I can deal with all those stupid doubts so long as I'm with you guys."
The bookworm smiled softly. "Yes. Friends."
We watched the moon for another thirty minutes, before retreating to our individual rooms to get some much needed rest. I fell asleep almost immediately.
XXXXXXXXXX
"I, am so hyped for this!" Exclaimed Daichi as he paced in anticipation, practically shouting in anticipation. "It feels like we've been waiting, like, seven months for this or something!"
"It's been seven days." Retorted Hayato, who appeared far less eager for our practical exam in the world of the living to begin.
"Exactly. And each day felt like a month!"
"Would you imbeciles be quiet so I can properly prepare myself?" Asked an exasperated Akimi, gripping her Zanpakuto tightly. "How can I properly lead this expedition if I am not able to ready myself?"
"Who said you were leading, Nishisaka?" Said the ever pleasant and serene Mika. "I never agreed to that."
"Hear, hear!" Echoed Daichi. "Vote for Team Daichi! Me lead you to victory!" His silent companion whacked him round the head to get him to stop.
"I'm leading because I say I'm leading. Clearly I am the only one here with the credentials to represent us." She boasted.
I interjected, hoping to end the argument before it truly picked up speed. "Its not like this exam needs a leader, Akimi. We track some Hollow Replica's, take our turns killing them to show off our skills, and come back for tea and a dish of crumpets. If anything, the senior Shinigami accompanying us and evaluating us is the 'leader'."
Akimi only huffed in response. With her dismissal of the conversation, thing returned to as they were. I myself watched the others teams of five enter the gateway to the world of the living, and tried not to let the anticipation building in my gut consume me.
We'd be doing that soon, once we were called up. And I could only hope I was ready.
"What's got your panties in a twist? Its just an exam afterall, and even if something did go wrong you'll have a high level Shinigami with you to deal with it."
"I guess." I replied, not entirely sure myself. "I just can't help but have a bad feeling."
"M-marc!" Called a stuttering voice. With a smile I turned to see Third Seat Kasumi walking quickly over to my group.
"Hey man, who's the hot chick calling your name?" Stage whispered my womanising friend. I did as expected and ignored him- instead turning to the person that called me.
"Hey Kasumi." I replied cheerfully, albeit with confusion. "What are you doing here? Did Captain Unohana give you permission to cheer me on or something?"
"Kasumi in Cheerleading outfit would be Adorable Kasumi." Sighed Javan happily, lost in his perverted dream. I did what I normally did whenever he had something stupid to say and ignored him.
"Ahh... n-not exactly." The Nurse said sheepishly. "I had to persuade the Captain that I would be impartial, b-but I am qualified f-for this. I'm actually your examiner."
"Wait... what!" Daichi exclaimed. "A cutie like you is our escort?" Pause- a moment for him to suddenly realise said 'cutie' hadn't yet been hit on. "Heeeyy there... you gotta map, 'cause I'm lost in your eyes?"
Kasumi flushed at the compliment, and couldn't quite come up with words to respond with.
"So, how'd ya like to take a ride on the Daichi train sometime?" I slapped my palm directly into my face. Trust Daichi to say something like that.
Hayato filled the momentary silence. "Ignore him. He has a terminal case of stupidity."
"H-hey!" Daichi was indignant. "Its not stupidity... its appreciation of the fairer sex."
"Its stupidity when said member of the 'fairer sex' is a Shinigami that could kick your ass so hard it breaks the sound barrier." I scowled at my friend. "She is a Third Seat you know. Theoretically, she could knee you so hard and so quickly in a certain location that even a Fifth Seat wouldn't be able to spot her doing it."
"Huh." He promptly shuffled several inches away and crossed his legs. For absolutely no reason whatsoever.
"Perhaps we should get to the reason we are all here?" Mika suggested, bringing us all back on topic.
"R-right. My name is Kasumi Kiyono Third Seat of Squad 4, and y-your escort today. Please take care of me." With a bashful smile she pointed to the gate. "Ah- our g-group is going next. S-shall we set off?"
XXXXXXXXXX
The journey through the Senkaimon was relatively simple. We each proved our ability to summon a Hell Butterfly to safely lead us through it (Though Daichi had a surprising amount of trouble getting it to work), and after a short, peaceful walk we managed to reach our destination- Karakura Town.
Perhaps it was just an odd coincidence that out of all the destinations us trainees had been sent to today, our group was selected to go to the one place in the world where all the plot goes down. Or maybe there was a greater force responsible for this.
"Cough- Meddling Aizen- Cough Cough."
Either way, the fact that I was here was either extremely lucky or foreboding. My paranoia only grew, since if Aizen had been responsible, then it was almost certain something would happen.
"Worried?" Asked Hayato, as we began to Shunpo. Akimi had taken the lead and had begun to track down the first set of Hollow Replica's, leaving me and Hayato to watch the back while Kausmi gauged our progress from out of sight.
"Yes." I admitted, though not for the reasons he thought I was.
"First time back? Memories?" Clarified Hayato.
"No." I shook my head. "I just can't help but feel like something's going to go horribly wrong, because nothing ever goes off perfectly in my life."
It would still be good for me to scope the place out though. While I still wasn't quite sure what to do once we hit canon, or even if I'd get involved beyond the 'try to survive' thing, but hedging my bets wasn't a bad idea.
After a few minutes of on and off Shunpoing, we reached the first group. As agreed, Akimi took the chance to take the spotlight, showing off her swordplay and Kido skill to dispatch the group of four 'Hollows'. They weren't true Hollows, but closer to Automatons with primitive programming built into them, but they were able to fight well enough to give her the chance to show off her skills.
"I guess I'll go next." Smirked Daichi. "Now... where are you?" He closed his eyes and concentrated for a few minutes, trying to sense the Reiatsu of the 'Hollows'. Sensing wasn't his strong point, so he was only able to pick up their location once he had gotten a general direction and started closing in. He did fine in the combat section, using his Zanjutsu and Hakuda skill to beat them down into the ground.
The process repeated, with Mika tracking them easily and dispatching them silently and efficiently from behind with quick placed Kido spells and deliberating sword wounds, while Hayato used a mixed approach to vary his kills.
Finally, it was my turn. I closed my eyes and tried to 'sense' the abnormal feeling of a Hollow, trying to narrow down the direction it originated from. Tracking was one of the key skills taught at the Academy, and I was decent at it, even if I didn't excel. I was far more sensitive to my own spiritual presence than I was to others. Still, I could feel a large buildup from somewhere.
"Got it." I muttered, running towards the target. I used Shunpo sparingly, trying not to tire myself out before the fight began. I knew that in a real fight I would go much faster due to the risk of the Hollow causing damage while I wasn't there, but I knew that my speed wouldn't win myself any points anyway this exam so I could afford to lose a few extra due to lack of speed if in return I earned more for the combat and 'intelligent' thinking portions.
I managed to track them down to an empty car park on the east side of town. Not rural but not hugely industrial either, the area didn't really stand out save for the lack of people and the few cars parked there. And there they were- five basic Hollow Replica's. Two belonged to the more Bestial category of Hollows so would react closer to a wild animal, while the other three stood on two legs and acted more humanoid.
A small smile graced my features, despite my intentions. "Show time."
The fake Hollows had already noticed us due to the large nature of our group, so a stealth kill wasn't likely. Instead, it would come down to me killing them one by one until they were all dead.
"Byakurai." I began, blasting a narrow beam of electricity at the closest target. I aimed carefully, and I was spot on, being able to pierce the Hollow's mask with a single shot, getting a clean kill.
The two beast like ones' were already closing in quickly, one scuttling on insectoid legs and the other bounding across like an oversized dog. I retreated, Shunpoing away from them to get some space before tossing a Shakkaho fireball at the dog. While not my favourite spell, it was one of the 'core' spells Shinigami used, so by showing I could perform it proved I had a good understanding of the basics.
The fireball wasn't enough to put it down, so I quickly switched to attacking rather than fleeing, catching it off guard when I stopped suddenly, then lunged forwards. In a single moment my Zanpakuto was in my hands and already cutting. In a swift move the claw shooting towards me was severed, then with another swing I blocked the follow through attack.
The force of the attack was great, and it was with grit teeth that I blocked. My body was still weak, and my strength less so, so I didn't want to keep this up for long, especially with a second nearby enemy closing in on me from behind.
"Hado No 11: Tsuzuri Raiden." I channelled the Kido through my blade, electrifying it and causing the attacking Hollow to flinch away at the shock, letting me break our stand still. I lunged forwards with a risky thrust, but my gamble paid off and I managed to pierce straight through the mask and cut in half, killing my second enemy.
I spun quickly and fired off another Shakkaho almost reflexively, not even needing to see the enemy to know that it was coming. Without the chant the fireball was weak and only served to stop the insect in its tracks.
That was fine- there were the two humanoid Hollows that I hadn't killed yet, and they weren't attacking me but stumbling towards my friends. The thing about this exam was that others could claim kills from each group and normally the fights were done as a group effort, with everyone working together to slay each group. However, we had agreed to let each person take a single group, to show off our talents. This meant that if we couldn't handle all the enemies alone and they attacked the others on the sideline they would be able to fight back.
I flared my Reiatsu, typically wasteful, but it at least got their attention. I breathed deeply, then sprinted, letting Shunpo speed up my actions to superhuman levels. Shunpo was a double edged sword in that it boosted speed, but if your physical body couldn't keep up with the movement then you suffered for it, and it didn't boost your reaction time to suit said speed. There was a good reason that being a Shunpo specialist took talent and experience.
I myself didn't have the stamina to use it for long, or the reactions to use it consistently in combat. What it is good for though, is building momentum. Thank the lord that physics exists in anime universes, and thank Momo for teaching me this trick, because if I picked up speed in Shunpo then cancelled it my speed would quickly decrease again but conservation of momentum would still let me swing my sword a hell of a lot harder when coming out of it.
My sword cleaved the torso in one fell swing, and a second swing halved the Hollow perpendicularly, effectively dividing it into quarters. Now that maneuver would get me some points.
The other humanoid was roaring at me now, and dashing at me like a freight train. Without a pause I dismissed my blade, and sidestepped the charge, beginning to chant since I did need to prove that I was actually capable of using a full powered spell.
"Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, flutter of wings, ye who bares the name of man!" I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at the ye olde English of the spell as I dodged another straight forward charge, but instead pressed on. "Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws. Hado No 33: Sokatsui!"
I fired the spell straight into the enemies face, reducing it to ashes as I overpowered the spell just enough to definitively destroy it.
Now there was one left- this would be too easy.
"Bakudo No 9: Geki!" the flare of red energy latched onto the insect Hollow and bound it tight- smothering its movements as it struggled against the force. Without the chant I didn't expect it to last long, but I never normally do. When I fight, I typically use quick Kido to make openings, longer Kido to deal deliberating damage and use my Zanpakuto to take advantage of said openings.
I only needed to take five quick steps to get close enough to the Hollow. Then, another second to reach my hand towards its face. Another quick moment as my blade materialised. The smallest moment more and the blade that was already embedded in the mask was removed, taking the remains of the mask with it. Then a swift "Byakurai!" to end it.
I panted in exertion, looking over the battlefield to ensure that all my foes had dispelled, then with a smile I went to join the others.
"Nice one, man." I bumped fists with Daichi, who expressed his happiness at my victory with a massive grin. "You've come along way from that guy who failed at everything in the Academy, haven't you?"
"I sure have." I smiled myself, "Though I think everyone else did well too."
"Well of course-" began Akimi.
"Of course the great Akimi Nishisaka succeeded." the rest of us parroted together.
Akimi blushed and turned away. "I only said that, like, one time!"
"More like fifteen." Noted Hayato clinically.
"You aren't helping." She hissed.
Suddenly, I heard giggling, and Kasumi came from out of where she was hiding. She was struggling to mask the smile on her face. "Y-you guys sure are funny to watch. L-like a soap opera!"
"Even my life has been reduced to entertainment. This is so meta." I despaired at the thought of my life being a show within a literal show. Then, just for the lols, I wondered how freaky it would be if said show was a shitty fanfiction.
"Now that's just too silly now!" Chided my imaginary friend.
"Anyway, s-shall we leave?" Asked Kasumi. "I can't sense anymore H-Hollows so I think today's session is... over." The smile the woman had been wearing inexplicably fell.
"What's wrong?" I asked, my paranoia kicking in again. The expression the blonde was wearing was abnormal. This wasn't a pout, a frown or anything else that was just an adorable way of expressing the emotions she carried on her sleeves. This was literally the most serious expression I had ever seen her make. And it worried me.
"Ummm... what's going on?" Daichi asked in confusion. "Aren't we gonna leave?"
"Its not right." Kasumi said, eyes narrowing. "There's no more Hollows, so why is there still so much spiritual pressure still in the air?"
"What are you talking about?" Mika enquired politely.
"You aren't as sensitive as me, so its not like you'd notice. Its subtle, really subtle." Kasumi's gaze turned upwards, to a point in the sky. "There. From the start there was too much spiritual energy in this location to be purely from the false Hollows. In fact, it almost seems to be increasing."
"Which means..."
Her gaze turned back to me, and she drew her blade. "Which means you five should step back and be very careful."
I gulped audibly, and backed up. At my glare, the others did too. Because Kasumi was shaken, properly shaken, to such a degree that her normal stutter had all but vanished from her speech. Again, that had never happened before.
"OOC is Serious Business."
I was right- of course things weren't going to go perfectly, they never do.
"Miss Kiyono, what exactly is going on here?" Demanded Akimi, even her normally confident expression absent.
"Something's coming." The Third Seat blinked, and she focussed in on the point. "Oh my god. Something's coming." Almost frantically she tore through her robes, looking for something. She withdrew a phone not too dissimilar to my own, and appeared to be fiddling with it until-
The five of us still in school fell to our knees. One moment everything had been fine, the next, even we could feel it. The pressure had come from nowhere, but had grown rapidly until now it was able to suffocated us. It felt like drowning, like something of such weight was upon us that we couldn't even stand.
"Its here." Said Kasumi, barely above a whisper. As if to reaffirm her words, the sky itself tore apart. A vast scar from the surface of the field to high above the tallest building in the area- a black void hanging from nothing and which showed nothing but the inky depths.
"Its here." Repeated Kasumi, fear audibly causing her to shake. "Its here."
Then it walked through the void. No- walk isn't a correct phrase for it. A natural disaster doesn't walk. A storm has no footsteps. A mountain moves infinitely slower. The titan pushed through the darkness, and emerged into the light of day. Standing over three stories tall, I knew immediately what it was. I had seen images in text books, I had heard tales of them from other students and most importantly I had seen one with my own eyes from the other side of a computer screen, back when all this was but a story.
It was undeniable. There was but one truth here- A Menos Grande had appeared in the world of the living.
I didn't know how, or why, or what brought it here. But it clearly was. White bone mask with pointed nose, black covering like a cloak of shadows, nails of white bone jutting out from around its neck, each longer than the average sword, and a size that dwarves anything else I had ever seen in my life. This monster was larger than any moving, 'living' creature should be capable of growing to.
And it was now towering over us like a titanic giant about to squish us into a pile of paste.
I had but one thing to say to this development. "Fuck. Just fuck."
AN- Well, that was a thing. It might have taken forever to come out, but I hope it was worth it. Because wow, while some authors follow themes through their stories like 'love', 'hope', 'friendship' or other stuff- my only absolute theme is 'Being my Self Insert it being Suffering', because I have a bad habit of being a dick to my main leads.
Its like crack- addictive. Throwing my SI's into crappy situations then trying to puzzle out how to get them out of that mess in a worse condition is like my bread and butter nowadays. And rest assured, this is just the beginning of all the crap I'll be tossing at the fan... eventually.
Case in point- next chapter. That's when Shit gets Real. It will be taken up by the entire Menos Grande fight, and it shall be freaking badass.
So, what'd you think of it? Enjoyed it? Liked the idea? Want to know what happens next, or just want to shout at me until I stop expanding the universe and start hitting canon? Either way, feel free to drop a review for all my hard work, because even a few words of feedback means a lot to me and takes literally no effort to do really. Either way, hopefully next chapter has a much smaller development time seeing as I've been looking forwards to this for aggeees. Undying Soul out.