Chapter 13: Things Get Worse
AN- A much quicker update this time. Literally wrote itself. For this fic, I'm doing so much character stuff and world building that we've never really touched on what everyone thinks Bleach is about- Badass Swordsmen VS Ghosts. Lets remedy that this... time for a proper fight. Now lets see how Marc pulls this one about...
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the sweat of my own brow! There are no Gods, only men! The Men that dare to write Fanfiction and spit in the face of authority and the legal system by borrowing the works of another without permission! Hear that Kubo, that is the sound of me not asking permission to use his world, because I don't own it and I damn well don't profit from it!
The hollow truth remained. I couldn't ignore this undeniable fact. I was not mistaken.
It stood there, towering over us, blatantly defying all my expectations- because there was no fucking way that a Menos Grande had shown up on the same fucking day that I had an exam in the World of the Living... in the same fucking place.
This had gone beyond unlucky. This was beyond Tuesday.
This was just bullshit.
But no, I couldn't escape it. I couldn't make light of it. A Menos Grade was standing right in front of me, and for whatever reason it had appeared, the fact remained that my day had just gotten a bajillion times worse.
Before now, Gillian's had always been something that seemed silly to me despite the apparent danger. They were large, yes, but in the anime they just looked fairly ridiculous, and were almost treated like cannon fodder by the end of the series. The first Menos that appeared was just a tool to show how 'badass' Ichigo was even before he found his Zanapkuto's name, and after that first appearance of one they lost all appearance of menace when Captains started slaughtering them like they were made of confetti.
They were supposed to represent something terrifying, but when they were getting put down like unruly children in as early as the first main 'Arc', that just didn't happen.
I could never figure out why people spoke in such fear of a Menos Grande. I could see objectively why one was dangerous (The vast density of so many souls joined together, the sheer destruction a Cero is capable of inflicting, the mask so tough only the blade of very powerful Shinigami could even hope to pierce it) but I had never felt it until now.
Because now it was here. And just standing in the presence of it brought me to my knees, despite all my progress and delusions of grandeur.
"Is that... a Gillian?" Asked Akimi hesitantly, a look of terror that she couldn't mask. "But... that's impossible! Most Shinigami never see one in their lifetimes! There is always warning before one appears!"
"What the fuck is a Menos Grande doing here of all places!?" Shouted Daichi, saying aloud the thoughts racing through all of our minds.
"Step back!" Shouted Kasumi, the only one of us still standing. With trembling hands she dialed a number, more than likely a direct link to some bigwig, then spoke into the device. "I have a case of SCH-666. This is not a drill, or a joke, or a lie. This is not me pulling your leg operator, this is quite literally the truth. A Menos Grande has arrived in the world of the living unnoticed, myself and a group of Academy students are literally watching it right now."
"What do we do?" demanded Hayato, bringing the attention of the Fourth Squad healer back to the five of us struggling to not outright collapse due to the sheer spiritual pressure of the Gillian.
"Nothing." With a frown Kasumi took a step forwards, flicking the phone shut after listening to the quick reply. "Its a busy time for the Twelfth Squad, and they don't quite believe my claims. They're checking their systems. Hopefully they'll realise I'm not lying. Either way, reinforcement arrives in ten minutes, since in any reported case of a Menos being found a Lieutenant must be called in, so until then there is nothing to do."
"But we're going to die." Exclaimed Akimi.
"Not if I stop it." Said Kasumi, acting just as OOC as she had been since the Menos first appeared. "I am a Third Seat. My Squad may not specialise in combat, and a Gillian is normally only fought by a Lieutenant, but I am the closest thing here to one to actually stand a chance."
"You can't." I told her, pushing off the feeling of the sky crushing me to rise to my feet. "You'll die."
"Maybe." She admitted with a soft smile. "But if I can even delay it, so you won't die, then that's good enough for me. If you don't die..." She shook her head sadly. "Call a Senkaimon, and leave this to me."
"No!" I said. "You can't just-"
"That's an order." She snapped. "Just do it!"
"That might not be an option now." Mika pointed out, gesturing to a much smaller Garganta from which a lesser Hollow emerged. All around us Hollows were emerging, gathered by some unknown force, and with us being the tastiest morsel in the area all the hungry predators turned their attention on us.
"They'll be on us before we can escape." Mika continued.
"Then survive." Snapped Kasumi. "I'll try and kill the Menos Grande. Stick together, back to back, until then. Don't let them overwhelm you."
"R-right." Said Daichi shakily, as he and the others forced themselves to their feet and got into a fighting stance.
"But Kasumi-"
"Marcus, if you try and play the hero I'LL KILL YOU MYSELF! SHUT UP, DO WHAT THE SUPERPOWERED LADY WHO CAN PROTECT HERSELF SAYS, AND STOP BEING A FUCKING MORON!"
I blinked away tears at the dressing down my ally had given me, but Javan was right. What the hell could I do against something like that? "Fine." I said, reluctantly summoning my blade back to my hands settling into position with all the others. "But I'll never forgive you if you die."
"I'll try not to then." With a flash of Shunpo, Kasumi was gone, blade drawn, and I couldn't put any more thought into it because the Hollows were upon us.
Like a swarm of claws and teeth, they fell on us. This was a far different experience to the first time I met a Hollow, and even further from what we had been trained to do. There were literally dozens of them circling us, and for every one we killed, another took its place.
Side by side, back to back, we futilely tried to fight back. With savage strength found only in defiance we killed Hollow after Hollow, working together to injure and kill and purify, using every skill and lesson we had learnt. The sound of battle was deafening, but I locked onto it with a single minded determination- I couldn't afford to be distracted. No matter how much I wanted to listen in on Kasumi's battle, it wouldn't help.
Because we were tiring. We were weakening. With every scratch received in the clash our resolve and strength trickled away.
"We're gonna die!" Sobbed Daichi, narrowly avoiding another scything talon.
"Its hopeless." Stated Akimi, almost disbelieving, unable to truly see a way out for herself despite her 'genius'. "Is this how it ends?"
Hayato fought with quiet determination and clean, precise strokes, sprinkled with the occasional weak Kido he blasted off to delay them- but even then he gave off a sense of futility. He was just going about the motions, unwilling to stop fighting but knowing that he would be unable to win.
As for Mika, she gave me only a small, sad smile as she fought by my side, needing to say no words. I defended her as best I could, while she in turn blocked the attacks I couldn't and finished off the enemies I was unable to.
It was inevitable- we couldn't win.
"Fuck! Fuck!" I mentally screamed. "A FUCKING Menos Grande, what the hell!? This isn't fair. Its NOT FAIR!"
"Marc! Don't give up!" Pleaded Javan, giving me every drop of Mana he could retrieve from my mindscape to fuel the fast spells I was throwing off (Full powered Kido spells took too much time in an up close and personal situation like this to be effective).
"Don't give up! Don't give up!? What sort of bullshit shonen advice is that!?" I snapped, flinging a fireball into one of the few airborne Hollow to appear, slowing it enough for Akimi to deliver a powerful Byakurai spell to finish it off. "It doesn't work that way in real life! We're fighting a Zerg Rush of enemies, at too low a bloody level, reinforcements aren't anyway close to arriving, and Kasumi's fighting a god damned-"
KASHOOOMM!
A lull in the battle- a ripple of force that everyone present could feel. Despite myself, my eyes couldn't help but look towards the sound, and in the process saw the massive crimson energy beam that I identified as a Cero. It was my first time seeing one, and it didn't disappoint; I wish it had.
"KASUMI!" I yelled desperately as the Third Seat literally ran right into it, unheard words on her lips and her sword clutched with two hands (Is that a gleam I see originating from it?) as she rushed to her death. Before I could warn her, the beam literally tore the medic apart as it hit her straight on. There wasn't a miss, or a deflection or a shield. Only the power of an unstoppable laser destroying everything that it touched- including my friend.
By now I was barely aware of my own actions, and could hear only my own screaming. She was dead. Capital letter Dead. Right in front of my eyes, she was torn apart. Kasumi was most definitely, unmistakably dead.
Then the world seemed to blink
I blinked, and then relief hit me like a truck. I was wrong- Kasumi hadn't been hit. She had never been hit. I had been mistaken. She dodged at the last second, then carried on her charge towards the Hollow, roaring as she Shunpoed faster than I could perceive towards the high up face of the Hollow.
"Finish it!" Called out Daichi, desperation apparent within his tone.
I knew that we were still surrounded on all sides, but I could see it clearly. Kasumi rose, accelerating through the air- using the air as a platform to push her higher- then with a swing of her Zanpakuto she struck the mask.
There was a moment of resistance, then the mask cracked, and then the blade stuck tight. My eyesight had improved since joining the Academy, and even from here I could see the dread in her eyes. She wasn't strong enough. She was lacking the necessary power. There was a good reason only Lieutenant's faced Menos Grande- since even she, a Third Seat, hadn't been able to fully pierce the bone like substance.
And now her sword was trapped, and her guard was truly lowered.
Then things got worse. The familiar thrum of power in the air and the glow of a charging Cero manifested at the beasts mouth- right around where Kasumi's Zanpakuto was wedged.
"LEAVE IT!" I cried.
KASHOOOM!
It fired again, and I heard Kasumi cry out. By abandoning her blade (Leaving it to fall out by itself from the force of the beam, showing nothing for its swing aside from a long scar running through the mask) she had been able to kick off from the inky cloak like skin of the Hollow to get out of the immediate proximity of the beam, but it clipped her as she threw herself away and burned her arm away. The force of the blast sent her flying away into a tall building close to the car park, and she didn't get up again after being embedded into or sent through the wall.
"That only grazed her. She screamed, and then got away." Reminded Javan. "It means she hasn't been destroyed at a molecular level. She's alive."
"She's alive." I whispered to myself, almost forcing myself to believe those words. Shinigami are tougher than vanilla mortals- she had to survive, even if she was out of the fight. "She has to be."
"Its hopeless!" Declared Daichi again. "Why the hell am I even fighting again? Because we're delaying the inevitable. Even the cute nurse has been taken out,! Now? Now, we're fucked. She's missing an arm! And that Menos is still there, and now its going to try and-"
I turned round and smacked him in the face. I didn't even hold back. I full on punched his face with all the strength I could muster, since I damn well knew that he was tougher than me and could take it. With a brief look to Mika, to convey my thoughts, she nodded, understanding what I meant. "I'll cover your back while you talk sense to him." Was what her eyes seemed to say. I turned to Hayato, and he too quietly began to pick up the slack.
"Daichi, she's alive!" I shouted at him, grabbing his collar so hard my hands were white and the veins stood out amongst the skin. Because I knew how he was feeling, but I couldn't let him voice those emotions. If he did, then we'd all give up, and without hope we'd just be devoured.
I didn't want to die.
"Without an arm from what you said, but alive. And we're alive! We're still breathing! Do you feel that hurt, that pain?"
"Yes, but-"
"But nothing. That means we're still here. And you know what, I'm scared." It was clear in my voice- nothing could prepare us for this. I was terrified, but that didn't mean anything. I feared my own death, but it was hardly my only fear. Because my friends were here with me, and I couldn't let them die. My heart almost stopped when I thought Kasumi had... but I was much closer to Daichi and the others. I'd never forgive myself if they died, and likewise I didn't want to die either. I was too young- too stubborn to die.
"I'm so very scared, but I'm still gonna keep fighting. I'm gonna stab these bastards until I can't stab 'em anymore, because just maybe we can still get out alive if we hold out. So shut up, stop despairing, and help us." I pleaded, releasing his collar. "We might not win, but lets fight anyway. Got it?"
"Y-yeah." Daichi almost looked ashamed of his complaining, but some of the fear was gone. He wasn't shaking anymore, and he didn't look like he was about to give up and lay down his blade. Instead, he reflected me. He had some resolve in him- he didn't want to see any of us die either.
"Nice speech- but it doesn't really matter. You don't need morale, you need a plan." Reminded Javan. "IT is still there..." And it was getting closer. The Menos hadn't moved much, but its attention was definitely on us now, and any second now it would charge up another Cero, and then it'd fire the beam at us and we would stand literally no chance of defending against it...
Defending... a plan... what could I, a simple Academy Student do, to pull of a win or at least increase our overall odds or survival...
"Ding." I said aloud, mentally imagining a lightbulb flickering on, because a sudden idea had just popped into my head. "If we can't defend against a Menos and these infinite number of Hollows, then lets..." I thought, smirking just a little bit. "...lets Attack."
"Guys," I began, finishing off one of Mika's attackers while it wasn't paying attention to me. "I've got a crazy plan. Like, real crazy. Any of you up for it?"
"Wow..." I got the sense that Javan was nodding appreciatively at the plan that I had briefly allowed to flicker through my mind loud and clear enough for even him to pick it up. "That plan is suicidal... but it might just work. And you don't seem to have any other option."
"Fuck it!" Laughed Daichi. "We're dead anyway, but if you've got a better idea than sitting here and waiting for them to overwhelm us, then lets do it."
"Better than doing nothing." Agreed Hayato. "Low Reiatsu levels."
"We are near the end of our limits, aren't we?" Mika chipped in.
"What plan could possibly get us out of this mess." Snapped Akimi. "If I can't think of something, then its clearly hopeless."
I gave her the most reassuring, confident smile I could. Because I needed her to think we had some chance of this succeeding, because I couldn't pull it off alone. "Well, what's the harm in humouring me if its hopeless."
The nobles expression softened. "I know that look. That's the look you get when that new spell clicks, when you've figured out a tricky passage, when you first managed to get a Hakuda victory of all things through sheer bullheaded stubbornness and cheating."
"Aye." I pointed my weapon at the Menos Grande. "So here's the plan. We're going to kill the Menos Grande and hopefully, if we're weally, weeeeally lucky, with it gone less Hollows will be attracted, to such a degree that they might be unable to overwhelm us before reinforcements arrive to bail us out. Sounds fun, no?"
"Your master plan is to try and kill the Hollow a Third Seat failed to beat. To casually just kill a Menos Grande." Noted Akimi like it was the stupidest thing since the time the Captains tried to petition to Mayuri to run a more ethical lab.
"Yes." I agreed, stabbing my Zanpakuto through another mask.
"Your plan is to fight the thing Captains and Lieutenants deal with?" She followed through.
"Yes."
"With just a few Academy Students?"
"Yes."
"So you plan to-"
"Yes, we get it, stupid plan!" Interrupted Mika, her smile having slipped and been replaced by a judgemental frown. "Now, are we going to trust Marcus and follow him, or not?"
A moments pause, amidst the fighting, before everyone gave a tight nod, and continued the defence.
"Right then." It was time to break out of this tight encirclement, then finally make some progress. Because really, reasonable battles against similarly levelled opponents or sudden powerups to fight tougher foes was clearly a cliché that I didn't share with Ichigo. "Daichi, you're on point with Akimi to clear us a path. Mika follows through and mops up any that they miss and that look like they might take a potshot at one of us. You guys are gonna distract the mooks while I take down the Gillian and Hayato supports."
"Hang on- how can you and Hayato bring down a Menos?" Asked Daichi in confusion, parrying some claws and countering with a short swing. "I was never the best student, but even I know you can't do a thing against a Menos unless you're powerful enough to scratch it. As in unless you literally have enough power, everything just bounces off."
"Yup. You need the base power to even scratch a Menos. Or, you just need to use an attack powerful enough on its own to hurt the bastard that you're own level of power is meaningless." I corrected, ducking instinctively as Mika's blade rushed through where my head had once been to kill a serpentine Hollow. "And lets just say I have a trump card that I haven't used yet due to us fighting mooks, while Hayato has a trick up his sleeve too."
Speaking of which- "Hayato," I got the bookworms attention. "You unlocked Shikai not long ago." I could still remember talking to him whenever he was having problems with his Zanpakuto, unable to truly relate to the being that is an expression of his soul. I still remembered congratulating him for, as he called it, 'making a breakthrough' on communicating with his spirit. "You didn't ever tell me about what it did, and I never pressed, but do you think you can assist?"
Basically, it all came down to the Superpower Lottery. Is Hayato's Shikai actually useful in this situation, or am I gonna have to hope my trump card is enough?
A look of concentration flickered across the smaller boys features, before he came to a judgement. "Yes. If you weaken it... I'll kill it."
"Then I'll hit first to weaken the mask, you finish it. Now then people, lets shut up and do the impossible."
With a shout of finality, the others abandoned their positions of defence and moved to me, quickly moving ahead of me and sweeping through a flank utterly unprepared for the sudden offensive. In an overwhelming display of overwhelming power, we carved through the ranks and broke through- abandoning all pretences of defence or endurance. We still had dozens we'd left behind and that were coming after us as we raced towards the Menos, and many others closing in, but it was manageable for now.
Me and Hayato ran side by side, while the other went ahead, clearing the way. We didn't focus on kills, instead preparing ourselves to be the David to the Goliath. I dispelled my Zanpakuto, no longer needing it, and instead put all my focus into preparing the strongest Kido spell I was capable of.
Months ago, Momo had taught me a spell that made me salivate at the thought of using. So after months of practising, it was relatively easy to speak the words I had memorised long before I even began learning to cast it.
"Light thy fire which burns the flesh of the world." Power gathered between my palms as we sprinted, I shaped it and directed it- pressing it tight, relying on the words to direct the flow of power Javan was actively supplying me.
Thirty metres to the Menos, and the path remains clear due to my friends efforts. Mika ruthlessly cuts down an elephant like Hollow that got past Daichi's strong offensive- but I ignored even the thought of trying to defend against the Hollows. I'd rely on my friends to defend me.
"Crimson is the beast; descends from shadow." The energy began to take form alongside the standard words, gaining the spell the customary violet colouring associated with it. My own Mana Pool, despite having Javan constantly supplying power to refill it, was starting to rapidly drain away.
Twenty meters- the maw of the Menos opened and the energy of a Cero flared, building to the moment the crimson death would release and decimate anything in its way.
"Dodge!" Yelled Daichi, and at his word we scattered; the Menos could only target one of us if we were divided. Luckily, from the corner of my eye I saw Akimi narrowly avoid the beam (A blue flash at her foot- Bakudo No 8: Seki (Repulse)- let her push herself out of the way of the blast using the floor to repel her).
"Lord, swear vengeance upon sin." The energy flared, gaining more energy until it was literally aflame. From here there were only two lines left to say: 'I am the instrument of chaos' and finally 'Upon surging wings, scattered inferno'.
However, I didn't say them. No. The spell as it was wouldn't be enough for a situation like this, not enough for if shit really hit the fan. So months ago I did something I had promised Momo I wouldn't do, something I hadn't expected to have to use until at least the beginning of canon. I had modified it.
Because Hado No 54: Haien (Abolishing Flames) wasn't bloody destructive enough already.
We were at ten meters now, so I took a deep breath and continued, hoping what I had practised in solitude on a lesser scale would be enough for this brain child of mine to work. "I am the instrument of thine demise." I stressed, and so the power in my hands shifted differently to how it should.
Haien is a spell that unleashes an oblong ball of purple fire that 'eradicates the existence of anything it touches'. Its clear how the incantation affects the nature of this spell. 'flesh of world' ensures the fire nature of the spell, mention of 'wings' much like in Sokatsui and Shakkaho relates to its conception of 'burning' while the word 'inferno' moulds the shape of the attack into a projectile instead of a beam, as well as dozens of other little modifiers that ultimately made up the spell.
Every word has importance. And I swapped 'chaos' (A word that much like 'calamity' affects the maximum range of a spell) with 'demise' (Which basically means a much shorter range, but takes the energy used to initially propel the Kido to add to the base power).
Five metres now, close enough to fully appreciate that fucking hell its massive. Akimi on the ground level is blasting multiple foes off at a time as she fires Sokatsui after Sokatsui at the hordes wasn't even a tenth of its size.
With a grunt I jump, and much like Kasumi I used the air as a foothold pushing higher and higher towards the Hollow mask with every step. A winged Hollow screeched, and leapt at me me as I was in midstep, but Daichi appeared between us like a shield and pushed it away, sending me a smile before plummeting after the Hollow.
Just behind me, I heard Hayato speak. "Observe, Tsukisasu Hagetaka!" (Impaling Vulture)
"So Hayato's ready to strike... my turn then. Time it right... and NOW!"
"Nine crystal wings," not 'upon surging wings'.
I inserted Nine to add numerical strength. Numbers, while rare and hard to use in most situations due to giving different effects in different contexts, was useful here, greatly increasing the length of time the spell remained in my hands before being released.
Crystal, the upper tier noun used in spells that have great piercing power in the initial moments of being fired- like Raikaho.
"Reveal abyssal infernos'." I finished the line, gritting my teeth as the temperature of the fiery energy became so hot and so white that my palms began to scorch and bubble.
"I almost regret telling you to steal the heat modifier of 'abyss' from Sokatsui's badass second form." Winced Javan. I had just been lucky to have been able to trick my Kido teacher into telling me the incantation during a 'theoretical' debate, especially since upper tier Kido is difficult to come across or learn until you're at a high enough seated position to earn the right to take out the tomes detailing the spells.
Then, I was ready. All the steps had been made, each modification was carefully chosen and the power had been collected and shaped. I hadn't stumbled on the words, while my intent and will was clear.
It all came together for the purpose I made it for. I wanted a close ranged, high powered finishing attack, and I got it. Modifiers to the spell gave my variation extra power, close ranged longevity, explosive piercing power in the moments it is fired and a tremendous, fiery boost. When added to the already purely destructive nature of Haien as a spell, I was certain.
Even with my weak Reiryoku and overall power- this spell had such a destructive base power when released that even when accounting for my casting power it would still be strong enough to sufficiently injure a Menos Grande.
Hell, I bet that in terms of sheer DPS, in that initial firing moment it was akin to a level 70 plus spell.
With a smirk, I declared my attack for all to hear, allowing the energy in my palms to expand and swell to double its former size. "Hado No 54: Haien Kyukyoku (Ultimate Abolishing Flames)
I stepped again, hard, clearing the final few vertical meters with a swift Shunpo. Then I had a split second to look the demon in the metaphorical eye, to aim where I would impact, before I slammed the fiery Rasengan of Doom into the crack Kasumi had made in the bone-like mask and activated the 'trigger' in the spell I had delayed. At point blank, the spell exploded outwards.
KABBOOOOOMMM!
It was like looking at the sun. In the middle of July. At noon. Up close. When it was exploding.
I kinda expected that being that close to such a destructive spell wouldn't be very beneficial to my health, and I was right. I was thrown backwards like I was a ragdoll, tossed aside by a sulking child, and like Kasumi had I struck the floor as if shot by a cannon.
A cracking sound upon impact undoubtedly meant that I had just broken several bones, while the two additional crashing sounds as I bounced and hit the ground again probably mean that a few other important things had just been broken.
"Damn. I'm definitely out of this fight now." I mused internally, trying to block out the pain. I desperately blinked the blind spots out of my eyes, hoping to see if I killed it.
Nope. There was still a giant bigass black mountain. But now it was pissed.
It was hard to see, so I couldn't focus, but it looked hurt and was staggering backwards, trampling several cars as a clawed hand emerged from its inky shawl to clutch its face in anger and pain.
Then, just as the hand was pulled back into its body and the beast roared-
A small figure, barely a wasp when put next to Bigfoot, shot towards the face. A second later, the cries of the Menos Grande reached a crescendo as the wasp plunged straight through the face with a needle point and exited through the back of the head in a spurt of darkness.
"Kyuraku Kuchibashi." (Plunging Beak) Hayato stated matter of factly, spinning around with a flourish midair to look at his work.
He needn't have worried. The mask of the Gillian- one of the three types of strongest natural Hollows- was already crumbling. Like snow the pieces of the mask fell away, and I hoped that Hayato's piercing attack had been enough.
I watched in silence from the floor, praying that it was done.
"Please be over, please be over, please be over!"
It was over. Like a collapsing tower, the Gillian fell backwards, scattering into black particles as it fell. Before it could hit the floor it was gone- leaving nothing behind.
Nothing, that is, but the remains of its oppressive Reiatsu, five exhausted Academy students, an injured Third Seat, two dozen Hollows still lurking around, and an impossible (Almost delirious) awe at what we had just accomplished.
"Bloody hell- we're good." I muttered, the ghost of a smile on my face even as my vision began to darken due to damage sustained.
However, even with the Menos down things weren't peachy. There were still enemies about, and with me 'dead in the water' I had no doubt that even with the fear factor and hesitation due to the Menos' defeat I would quickly become an easy target.
"No!" I heard the familiar cry, then she was back. Mika could barely stand, and was covered in scratches and cuts, but she stood resolutely by my prone body, defending it from the first greedy Hollow to break the moment of shock following the fall of the Gillian. No matter how many times the Hollow attacked, she vigilantly protected me.
But she wasn't alone.
I was starting to become unaware of the passage of time, and it felt like I was slipping in and out of consciousness due to the pain, but I could feel them. The others- my friends- had regathered around me, and were protecting me with all their efforts. Their Reiatsu was so familiar to me now, I could feel them even if I couldn't always see them. Daichi, Hayato, Akimi, Mika and even Kasumi-
("Hang on- wasn't she knocked out the fight? When did she get back up?" Maybe I was hallucinating, but I could see her, repelling the swarm of enemies even with only one hand)
- they were all there by my side.
Despite the circumstances and pain, I couldn't be happier that at least I had friends loyal enough to watch over me and protect me while I was helpless to defend myself.
There was no way of telling just how long they protected me, but eventually something changed.
I was only looking through one half open eye, but a change had occurred in the pace of the battle. The Hollows were routed, their attention split as more combatants entered the field. The relief on everyone's faces was obvious, because the Calvary had finally came. Backup had arrived in the form of two dark figures that I struggled to make out, but arrive they had.
And in doing so, we were saved.
Together, the two slaughtered the spirits standing in the way, reducing the double digits of hollows down to a single one, and even then they were blasted into oblivion by the two-front fight they now faced.
Finally, the field was clear. The duo approached us, and Akimi stepped forwards to address the two respectfully. By now I was so far gone I couldn't hear what was said, or see just what was happening now, but it didn't matter.
I think somebody said something in my ear as I was picked up, maybe "You're safe now. Its okay.". But the words were unimportant.
All I cared about was that we were safe.
I allowed myself to slip into the Sandman's domain- sleep- finally free to rest now that the battle was over.
AN- I promised Bullshit, and now here it is. I felt the need for an actual fight sequence, and I needed escalation, and I felt that this fitted the bill. I decided it was a good parallel to Ichigo's adventure, since Marc's first real challenge is the same one as Ichigo is canon- how to fend off a Menos Grande. A task normally left to Captains/Lieutenants... oops. This is what a weakling fighting a mountain should look like. If Shinigami fear a Menos, then the question is why. Canon never really seems to justify why they are fear so much, since despite all the talk, talk, talk Rukia gave on how terrifying they are, if the hero basically one shots them immediately after then they just looks like they exist to beef up the main lead.
In this chapter, I tried to show that they are a big deal and that Ichigo fighting one off is just as impressive and improbable as Marc's victory, and just how much effort and luck it actually took for the win they got.
As for that victory, I'm sure some are annoyed by it and think Marc shouldn't have been able to harm it, let alone win it considering he's basically just out the Academy power wise so shouldn't have the sheer power to win. In this case, probably, but he did have some things on his side:
One- Kasumi struck first. Even she couldn't kill a Menos with one hit, but she was close enough to a Lieutenant level to have been able to kill it had her powers been more 'offensive' based rather than healing focussed. She did leave a large scar in the mask though.
Two- Marc's base power is low, but Marc used a quite potent Kido. Haien is a Kido described by the wiki as 'a flame attack that eradicates the very existence of its target'. Ignoring the stupidity of a mid level Kido able to destroy the existence of something, by taking it as over-exaggerated flavour text it still leaves it as a Kido powerful for its level that specialises in concentrated destruction.
Three- then MARC MODIFIED IT TO BE MORE DESTRUCTIVE. This was not a cop-out, and was foreshadowed in Momo's discussions about Kido modification and the fact that like hell was Marc not going to try it. So yeah, the already powerful Kido got a powerboost, was modified to pierce easier, then was launched point blank at its face. For a basic but utterly inaccurate equation of just how Marc had the power necessary- (Casting Power + Kido Power) X Modifiers + Additional Factors= a Big Boom, even if initially Casting ability of Shinigami is still weak.
And Marc still didn't manage to kill it, so there.
In truth, Hayato was the deciding factor. This is a slight spoiler, which would be discussed next chapter anyway, but his Zanpakuto's basic power is that it carriers the concept of 'piercing'. Its attacks WILL pierce through most physical defences, so even if Hayato wasn't strong his Zanpakuto was conceptually geared towards the task of breaking through the mask. And yes- him having Shikai was touched on or at least hinted upon earlier. No ass-pull there either.
Basically, the Menos was weakened beforehand by Kasumi, Marc's Kido was really OP for its level due to modification geared to increase its power at the cost of pretty much all ranged capability and a massive Reiryoku cost but still wasn't enough, while Hayato's blade was conceptually strong enough to plunge through an already severely weakened mask but even then it was just lucky that it was good enough to count as a kill, and it left literally everyone in a horrible state afterwards.
There. A legit explanation. Deal with it.
Now, let me know what you think. Liked it? Thought it was stupid? Annoyed at my bullshit or amused at my ruthless torture of my own main character? Happy that I'm not dead or annoyed that I hadn't updated sooner? Questions about what happened? Looking forwards to seeing what comes next? Feel free to drop a comment in the review section, or if not, then that's cool too, I guess. Undying Soul out.