Yukima had carried Yoshiko for miles using sonido, getting as far away from the battle as they could to think of a plan. They finally reached a distance where they felt safe and stopped.
"What now?" Yoshiko asked.
"I could build a gate to Earth and you could wait to be found by a shinigami, I'll stay here and destroy what remains of the two armies," Yukima stated.
"I may need protection against hollows until they arrive," Yoshiko reminded.
"Just keep wearing the mask, and act as I told you, they'll think you're a messenger for Kurokami, if they seem hostile to Kurokami, say you're a messenger for the arrancar," Yukima ordered.
"What if they don't believe me?"
"They will."
"But what if they don't?"
"Then run! Get as far away as you can! Once a hollow arrives near a city, a shinigami will be there in seconds."
"What about you? What if you can't defeat the other arrancar?"
"I'll die fighting."
"Stop being selfish," Yoshiko growled, "You just want revenge. You'd rather die killing those who harmed you than stay with me."
"No one's going to die," Yoshitada assured. The two looked up at him, behind him stood an army of shinigami and vizards comparable to either arrancar army. Behind them a gateway between Soul Society and Hueco Mundo closed.
"Dad…" Yoshiko gasped, pulling the fake mask off her forehead.
"It's good to see you again, Yoshiko," Yoshitada smiled, "Stay back here with Hachigen and wait for us to finish."
"Daichi, you came just in time," Yukima stated, walking to him, "The hollow king, Kurokami, is struggling with a rebellion. Several of the ichikurai have turned on him, joined by over a thousand lower arrancar. Now is the perfect time to strike."
"Then let's go," Yoshitada ordered. The army moved on to the battlefield where the two armies fought, staying at a distance to plan.
"Kurokami's army is definitely stronger, so if we were to strike it, we would divide its power. While Kurokami battles both armies, they'll be greatly weakened. Once Kurokami is destroyed, we destroy the rebels," Urahara plotted.
"I'll face Kurokami," Yukima volunteered.
"No, I have to be the one," Yoshitada stated, "I have the power of his brother in me, he is my zanpakuto, I may be the only one who can defeat him."
"Then we'll face him together, I have to pay him back for what he's done."
"Enough talking, just let me in there, I'll rip them apart," a vizard named Hiyori growled, putting her mask on.
"Aim for the back of Kurokami's army, everyone, CHARGE!" Yoshitada ordered. The army blurred across the desert, "Static shock charge!" As they made the first strike, they flashed off in random directions, reforming the group at the back of the army. Yoshitada, Yukima, Tada and Sorako stuck in one group. Yoshitada went into bankai as Yukima went into released form, both leaping high about the enemy, firing cero and waves of black fire, incinerating several arrancar below. They flashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. Sorako and Tada slashed their way to them as they blurred though the enemy.
Hundreds of arrancar had been slain, but it didn't appear to make a dent in their numbers, "This is taking too long," Yoshitada muttered, putting his hollow mask on.
"When did you develop that?"
"Shortly after your army left, I did this so that I could save you," Yoshitada stated, "but we'll have forever to talk, right now, we have to finish this." With that, Yoshitada shot a wave of fire across the crowd, destroying hundreds of enemies. He flashed off, blurring through the enemy, sending corpses flying through the air. Fallen arrancar rained from the sky as Yoshitada's rampage continued.
"Leave some for the rest of us!" Yukima joked as she caught up with him. She flashed ahead and blurred around an ichikurai, leaving him in shreds. The two continued to tear though, decimating Kurokami's army outside Las Noches.
Once Kurokami's army was decimated, Yoshitada's army turned on the rebels. As the rebel army charged, Yoshitada flashed to the area above the middle of the enemy force, engulfing himself in black and white flames as he curled in a ball. He threw it off into growing sphere of fire that incinerated most of the army. The few remaining were quickly dispatched by the vizards. Yoshitada took off his mask to regain strength for the final battle.
"To Las Noches!" Ire shouted. The army moved to the wall and blasted through, ripping into the unsuspecting arrancar. They flooded in and ripped the enemy apart, making their way to the upper floor where the real battle took place. Yoshitada led the way as they reached the top floor.
"Yoshitada!" Hidegama growled, slicing his way to him. Yukima stepped in front of her husband, holding her claws out to challenge him.
"He's already killed you once, now it's my turn!" Yukima shouted, flashing behind him, and stabbing at his back with her claws. He caught her hand and threw her in front of him, swinging down with his sword.
"Cero!" She shouted, letting out a cero blast, severing his arm. The sword fell harmlessly to the ground. Yukima grabbed the sword, flashed behind him and ran it through his chest, "Just as your sword killed our own son, it has now spilt your own blood."
Hidegama fell to his knees with his eyes wide. He fell forward, stopping halfway down as his sword pushed against the ground, the same way his son leaned when he had murdered him.
As Yukima turned from her enemy, the shinigami and vizards were being pushed back as the ichikurai joined in the fight. Only three of them remained, but they were enough to increase their odds. Along with them were nearly fifty jikurai, three hundred sabukurai, and five hundred shikurai.
"Time to bring him back out," Yoshitada noted, bringing his mask back. As soon as it fully formed, Yoshitada tore into the arrancar. When he reached the other side, he spun and fired a cero blast through the enemy. As the limbs and ashes fell, a path cleared in the enemy army. Several more moved up to fill the gap. Yoshitada tore through them once more, rejoining his forces, "Static shock charge!" Yoshitada shouted. The army blurred through the enemies and gathered in the middle of the enemy army.
Kurokami's numbers had dropped to around three hundred, only two hundred rebels remained. Yoshitada's forces were now around eight hundred, "Destroy them all!" Yoshitada ordered. The army fought through the remaining few.
"Yoshitada, I'll kill you!" Shiranobu shouted, running at Yoshitada. Yoshitada vanished before Shiranobu could cut into him. He felt Yoshitada's riatsu behind him and swung back. As he looked his shoulder, he saw no sign of him, however, he saw a blade sticking from his chest. The blade ripped diagonally across his chest, up to the opposite shoulder.
As Shiranobu collapsed, Akumaichi ran at Yoshitada. Halfway there, Yukima appeared in front of him and ran her claws through his neck. Only one Vasto Lorde arrancar remained, an arrancar named Hinako.
Yoshitada looked over the crowd of arrancar for Kurokami, Hinako, or any other who was too powerful for the rest of his group. Finally, he saw a man with a hollow mask on his forehead and a red shinigami uniform. Yoshitada flashed to him, "You're not an arrancar…what are you?"
"I am a shinigami who has fully merged with a hollow, you vizards hold the inner hollows as slaves, arrancar gain a glimpse of shinigami abilities, but I have full control of both," he explained, taking out his zanpacto, "I am Kuchiki Sabunori, prince of Hueco Mundo."
"I am Kagenishi Yoshitada, captain of squad seven, and this is Benikami, brother of Kurokami," Yoshitada announced as he held out his zanpakuto. Sabunori's eyes shot open and he flashed away, Yoshitada flashed to his side and severed his leg. Sabunori fell to the ground, wailing in pain, "Prince of Hueco Mundo, huh? Last I heard, you're the cousin of the current head of the Kuchiki clan, you're a noble who lost hope in gaining power and turned on Soul Society. You're a coward and a weakling." Sabunori shrieked as Yoshitada stabbed into his chest.
Yukima was tearing through the enemy as Hinako appeared behind her, slashing at her neck. The blow was blocked as Sorako flashed behind her, catching the sword between her crossed battle sickles.
"I can't let you go through with that. That arrancar there is the object of my captain's affection," she began, ripping the sword out of Hinako's hands and throwing it to Yukima, "I love my captain, and my love for him will not allow me to let you kill her," she ran at Hinako as she flashed away, "I know that if I were to let you kill her, my captain wouldn't be the same, he wouldn't laugh, or smile, he would be incomplete," she caught up with Hinako and slashed her side, "Therefore, because you threatened her, I'll be the one to kill you," Sorako vowed as she crossed her sickles around Hinako's neck, bringing them across in a fast slice.
The room had been cleared and all the arrancar were destroyed. The Vizards and shinigami awaited the next move, "Everyone, Kurokami's all that's left, but with his strength, he could destroy all of you with little effort, therefore, I am the only one who can stop him. Thank you for following me here, you have saved all of Soul Society and Earth. No matter what history says about you, you are heroes. If I am destroyed by Kurokami, you must be the ones to destroy Kurokami, give him no chance to strike, farewell."
With that, Yoshitada made his way up the stairs to the throne room. At the top of a tall stairway sat Kurokami, staring down at Yoshitada with his legs crossed.
"I'll kill you…" Kurokami growled.
"That's yet to be determined," Yoshitada scoffed.
"You think that just because you control my brother's power you stand a chance against me, the truth is, you are far too inexperienced to face me," Kurokami stated.
"Daichi!" Yukima shouted, running to block a shot from behind. Yoshitada turned to see Yukima blocking Kurokami's blade, he looked back at the throne and also saw Kurokami. Both Kurokami's approached Yoshitada who put on his hollow mask. As soon as he did, the Kurokami walking from the throne disappeared, and he saw only the one Yukima was holding off.
"It seems your brother's eyes see through your tricks," Yoshitada noted, flashing to Kurokami, slashing at his back. Kurokami blocked the blow with his left hand, grabbing the blade and swinging at him with his sword. Yoshitada blocked the blow with his shield. Yukima slashed at him with her claws but was kicked back all the way to the wall.
Yoshitada threw Kurokami's sword off his shield and attempted to stab him with it, however, he quickly stepped out of the way an prepared another blow, this time, Yoshitada fired a cero into Kurokami's stomach. Kurokami smashed into the wall, but didn't seem to have a scratch on him. He quickly ran back to Yoshitada to attack again, Yoshitada flashed to him and slashed at his throat. Kurokami dodged and swung at Yoshitada, cutting his left leg. As Yoshitada fell, Kurokami lifted his left hand to stab into his chest.
Before the blow landed, Yukima ran her hand through his stomach. Kurokami shouted and grabbed her by the throat, pulling her arm out. As he lifted her in the air, he stabbed his hand through her.
"Yukima!" Yoshitada shouted. He ran his sword through Kurokami's stomach. The blade lit ablaze with white fire, lighting Kurokami on fire. He threw Yukima aside and stumbled away in pain as he tried to put the fire out. Yoshitada aimed his hand at him and fired a cero blast. The shot split Kurokami in two. The top half crawled toward the thrown as he fought for his last seconds of life.
Kurokami pulled against the stairs, one step…two…three…only ten more…he had to keep pushing, to sit at his throne and claim his place as God, so that the world around him would know that he can't die, he is the ruler of all…he had to prove himself, but before he could, Urahara stood above him with a crystal ball. He opened it, exposing the vacuum, sucking Kurokami in. In this ball, he would be eternally trapped, no matter how hard he tried, nothing he could do would release him. This ball was a recent invention of Urahara's, used to keep the contents sealed forever. Yet if used properly, it could use his energy to create arrancar or merge shinigami with hollows.
"Yukima..." Yoshitada muttered, stumbling to her side. She looked up at him with a weak smile.
"We did it…we defeated him," Yukima stammered, "but I'm not sure I'll make it."
"No, you'll survive, you'll recover," Yoshitada assured.
"My friend, I'm sorry, but she won't be allowed to enter Soul Society like this, and her soul won't survive as long as she's this injured, and as a vizard, you will no longer be accepted there either," Urahara stated, "but there is one thing you can do. She has the ability to absorb other hollows with her hands, put on your mask and allow her to absorb half of Benikami's power, when she is finished, use your zanpacto to purify her. With Benikami destroyed, you will no longer be a vizard, and you can return to Soul Society in peace."
Yukima looked back to Yoshitada, checking for his approval. Yoshitada put the mask back on and Yukima put her hands on the side of the mask. She began to absorb Benikami's power. The mask crumbled away and Yoshitada fell into Yukima's arms. She broke off her armor, returning from released form as she helped Yoshitada stand.
"Daichi, we know what has to be done," Yukima stated as she moved Yoshitada's hand to his zanpakuto.
"But you won't remember me," Yoshitada muttered, "You won't remember any of this."
"You can tell me everything," Yukima assured, "I'm not myself anymore, the thousands of hollows I've devoured have made me brutal and cruel, I'm barely able to control myself anymore. If you allow me to continue like this, I'm not sure how much longer I'll be in control. Please, free me from this."
Yoshitada wrapped his arms around her and kissed her one last time. As they parted, he looked her in the eyes, holding his zanpakuto.
"When we get to the other side, find me," Yukima requested, Yoshitada nodded and raised his zanpakuto toward her. His hands shook as he prepared himself. As a tear rolled down his cheek, he ran his zanpakuto through her chest. She grabbed tight to his shoulders as she cringed in pain, "I-I-I'll see you o-o-on the other side."
She kissed his cheek as she faded away.
Yoshitada fell to his knees as the shinigami and vizards flooded in. Sorako and Tada helped Yoshitada walk as they left Las Noches. Hachigen had already healed the fallen shinigami and vizards, clearing the castle of the dead bodies, closely followed by Yoshiko. Yoshiko would be allowed to enter Soul Society directly, making her way in with the vast army.
Few of the arrancar bodies remained, most had been purified and sent to soul society. It was possible that some may have escaped, but they would be dealt with as soon as they were found. The other hollows ran in fear as the army marched through. They didn't want to bother the ones that destroyed all the arrancar.
"Damn you all…" a man growled from far behind. The group looked back and saw Hidegama, pulling himself along. He aimed his hand at Yoshitada, preparing a cero blast, though it was obvious he was using all that was left of his life force. The shinigami and vizards parted as Yoshitada shoved his helpers away, running toward Hidegama. As the blast fired, Yoshitada's legs gave out and he fell to the ground, passing just below the beam, aside from his hat, the memory bug that had allowed him to remember his earthly life.
Hidegama collapsed and disintegrated as Yoshitada stood up.
"Captain, are you alright?" Sorako asked as she helped him.
"W-who are you?" Yoshitada asked as he stumbled back.
"Captain?" she gasped.
"Where am I? How did I get here?" Yoshitada panicked, unable to remember anything up to that point.
"Captain, how can you not remember me?" Sorako cried.
"It's no use, the memory bug had attached itself to his memory banks, becoming part of his brain, when it was destroyed, it took all his memories with it, but he can still form new memories and remember his past through you," Urahara explained.
"So, I can control all that he remembers?" Sorako muttered.
"You'll be recreating his reality, you know of his past life from what he's told you and you've been with him the whole time he's been in shinigami training, you're best suited for the role."