SailorStar9: After getting Chapter 17 out, this is Chapter 18 of this fic. For everyone who put this fic on your favorited and followed lists and/or story alerts, thank you, but remember everyone, a lot of authors (myself included) sustain on readers' reviews.

Pairings: Ishida/Hasu, minor pairing Hitsugaya/Karin

Disclaimers: I own nothing, except for the plot bunny. Heck, even the pairings aren't mine.

Chapter 18: The Wailing Bount! The Last Clash

Kariya sent Ichigo back to the ground with a blast of wind, before letting loose yet another series of wind blades at his downed foe. "I see." the Bount leader noted, seeing Ichigo's Reiryoku outline around his body clearly after the smoke cleared. "You build up your Reiatsu as much as you can and wrap it around yourself in order to decrease the amount of damage you take."

"I'm finally able to predict your attacks." Ichigo caught his breath and circled around Kariya using Shunpo. "Your countermove involves attacking your opponent using the tiny opening created at the instant of attack. But what will happen if I don't give you any openings?"

Blocking off Ichigo's relentless attacks, Kariya retreated back to the ground, with Ichigo following closely behind, both opponents exchanging sword strikes.

"Using Reiatsu for defense, huh?" Kariya mused, his Reiatsu burning off his coat. "I just can't get used to it. You've made a mess out of my coat. I see. It seems that I took very little damage after all. You call my attacks countermoves. Then I'll show you Messer's true form. My power is the wind. The friction of the wind in the atmosphere creates static electricity which then calls forth lightning." he let loose a string of charged up lightning at Ichigo. "It's useless." he stated, Ichigo taking to the air to avoid the lightning strike. "No matter how quickly you move, you won't be able to keep up with the speed of the lightning. You're mine!" he closed in to strike once Ichigo was hit by the lightning from the back, the attack electrocuting the Shinigami Daiko. "What's wrong? Is this as far as you go? Very well. It's about time I finish up my little fight with you. Soon, the Jōkaishō inside my body will be fully charged. I hadn't told you about this, but there isn't just one Jōkaishō. If I release the Jōkaishō inside of me, it will trigger the other Jōkaishō to explode as well and Seireitei will be reduced to nothing."

"Why are you doing this?" Ichigo demanded. "You'll be killing your companions, the Shinigami and even yourself. What's the point?"

"The Bount are a rotten clan." Kariya stated. "We have been given such great power, and yet we have never tried to escape our shackles from the Shinigami. And the Shinigami are even more rotten. They gave birth to us Bount, and then used us for their own benefit. I was unable to forgive any of this. I'm taking everyone with me. I'm going to destroy all the Shinigami and every last soul."

"You're insane." Ichigo realized.

"I'm sane." Kariya snorted. "It's the world that's crazy. But that doesn't matter anymore. Soon, this world is going to end."

"What are you saying?" Ichigo forced himself back up. "Like I'll... let that happen. I won't let you obliterate everything."

"It can't be helped." Kariya shrugged, moving in front of Ichigo. "I'll finish you off before the world ends." he was taken back when the younger Shinigami struck him point blank with a black Getsuga Tenshō.

"Bastard." Kariya hissed. "Where did you get that strength from? Is that your inner power? But it seems that power has dried up as well. I have a powerful ally called Reishi." I can't absorb them? He frowned when the Reishi bounced off his skin. Why? Why can't I absorb Reishi anymore? It can't be. He realized what Ran'Tao had done. "You really pulled a fast one on me, Ran'Tao. It looks like you're a bit late." the mark of the Jōkaishō appeared on his chest. "It should be soon now. Just a bit longer until the Jōkaishō is filled with power. When that time comes, I will release the Jōkaishō and put an end to everything."

Elsewhere...

"All right." Ukitake led his 3rd Seats to their allocated location. "This is it. Sentarou, please take care of it. Quickly seal it up."

In the Captain-Commander's office...

"There are too many different locations." Komamura stated, Hasu placing yet another marker on a resealed location. "Who knows how long it would take us to seal them all away?"

I don't want to hear that kind of talk." Yamamoto rebuked. "Protecting Seireitei is the Gotei 13's duty. Put all your attention into thwarting that ryoka's scheme."

Back on the Sōkyoku Hill...

Kariya had blasted Ichigo back with a blast of wind. "You will learn just how powerful the Jōkaishō is." as demonstration, he sent a blast of lightning towards Seireitei.

"Bankai, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi." Byakuya's streams of Sakura petals clashed with the lightning, nullifying it. The Sakura petals then encased Kariya in a cocoon of petals and sent the Bount leader back to the ground.

"You bastard." Kariya spat, slicing himself free.

"Looks like we made it just in time." Yoruichi had also arrived. "Looks like we were really late. Ichigo, right now, Captain Ukitake and all the Shinigami are working on sealing away the Jōkaishō. However, it's also a fact that it's taking them a while. It's just a question on whether or not they will seal them all away in time, whether he will activate the Jōkaishō, or..."

"Or whether I'll defeat him first." Ichigo grinned.

"Whichever the case may be, this is a race against the clock." Yoruichi reminded.

"I'm your opponent!" Ichigo dodged the lightning and engaged Kariya again.

"Ichigo!" Yoruichi shouted, as she and Byakuya watched the fight from the sidelines. "Just a bit more. He's used up all of his own Reiryoku. Now he's relying on the power from the Jōkaishō inside him in order to fight."

"This is a gamble." Kariya retaliated. "Soon the Jōkaishō is going to explode. Will this body of him last until then? Or will you defeat me? What's wrong?" he shifted behind Ichigo and kicked him into a risen stone slab. "Done already? I don't need to hold back any longer." he let loose the charged up lightning at the still recovering Ichigo, only to have the lightning getting deflected towards Ichinose's Zanpakutō.

"This is it." Ichigo declared, powering up for the last time. "I'm gonna hit you with all my remaining strength."

"Let's go!" Kariya agreed and the two adversaries charged at each other for the final attack. "The Jōkaishō contains the remaining power of the Bount race." he informed Ichigo. "Can you endure this, Kurosaki Ichigo?"

"What did you do to those Bount?" Ichigo retorted. "You manipulated those Bount and treated them as if they were mere pawns. There's no way I would lose to you.""

"What do you know about?" Kariya fired back. "People hate those who are different from themselves. That doesn't change even if they're your comrades. Given time, the comrades you believed in will eventually grow to fear your power and leave you. Is there any point in protecting them?"

"There is." Ichigo insisted. "There's no logic behind it. I'll protect them because I want to. I'll place my soul on the line."

"It doesn't matter anymore." Kariya blasted Ichigo back as he prepared to release the Jōkaishō. "Everything is going to end now."

"Kariya!" Ichigo charged back in, just as the Jōkaishō crest started shining and struck the final blow.

"This is the end, it seems." Kariya stated, satisfied with the outcome. "It's kind of a pity, but I'm not going to be able to see whether or not you will walk the same path I did. Kurosaki, I am..." his sentence trailed off when he vanished into dust.

"You idiot." Ichigo muttered, almost falling over when Sado caught him.

Omake: Kon-sama's Ultimate Shinigami Illustrated Guide

Ganju: (Hurries into Bull's hideout) Shit! Bull, sorry, but could you let me hide here for a bit?

Bull: What's wrong, Ganju?

Ganju: (Full panic mode) Nee-chan found out that I wasn't any help again. This is bad! Come on, please!

Bull: I see. But you came a bit too late.

Kūkaku: (Appears behind Ganju) Hey, so you came here after all.

Ganju: (Turns) Nee-chan why are you here? (Spots Hawk in the corner of the detached house and realizes who had rattled him out)

Insert Kūkaku on Ganju and Hawk violence.

SailorStar9: In the last chapter of this fic, over a game of shogi, Ishida and Hasu discuss Kariya's life. Shortly afterwards, Ichigo and his friends return to the real world. Yoruichi brings Koga, who survived his fight with Hitsugaya, to Ran'Tao's hideout. Hidden from the Shinigami, he is able to recover from his injuries. Koga accepts that the destiny of the Bounts is to eventually die out. Now that's done, read and review.