Chapter 4: The Hunt
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, anime and product.
Ichigo turned to look at his new Captain as he squatted before them on a lamp post sniffing the air for any scent of the new hollow. His Captains uniform was very different in the armor that he kept on his captains cloak and his zanpakto was this cracked piece of junk, but in a demonstration of it's cutting edge, Saito had managed to slice through an truck. After moments of observing the captain, Ichigo could compare his similarities with other captains in his confident stride that seemed to mimic Kenpachi's and he had a blank, unemotional face that was reminiscent of Byakuya's. When other times he would appear on alert he would have moments where he was unobservant and open for any and all attacks that would come towards him. Of course, that was how Saito had wanted to come off to his third seat and his vice captain. In truth, he never let his hand stray a foot from his sword and his nose was constantly checking his surroundings in case there was another scent in the area. It was all part of his madness.
"So how do we track it down," asked Ichigo as he leaned against the side of a dry-cleaner.
"Keep your eyes open and your nose in tune for any smell that wasn't there before," replied Saito as he casually walked down the street like some Yakuza. "Combat assessment number one, never think of what the victims had in common and never try to look or a pattern. Combat assessment number two, this thing isn't arrancar nor is it a regular hollow so we must conclude that we'll have company from the second party."
"We're hunting the second party," commented Ichigo with that "I think you need to have your sanity checked" look. "Don't tell me you've gone off into other ideas."
"First off, as a third seat you take orders from me and you don't offer your three cents when I don't ask for it," scolded Saito as he stared at Ichigo with the eyes of a murderer. "Second thing, we're not hunting the second party, we're hunting the third party, the new party that has introduced itself. The arrancar are our natural enemy and have been in the picture longer than this new threat, which would be the third party."
"Sorry for my incompetence Captain Haijime," cried Ichigo as he dropped to his knees in a bow, terrified of his new captain.
"Get off the ground before you dirty your uniform," said Saito as he continued to walk on, stopping when another scent came into the picture. "One of them is near and it's found a target."
"Who," asked Ichigo as he felt something cold drop into his stomach.
Her footsteps pitter pattered against the street as Tatsuki walked to her house, having already left her two friends and she was thinking about what Chizuru had said to her just before he had left. Apparently, Chizuru had thought that she was also a lesbian from her tomboyish attitude and had told Tatsuki that she had mistaken the black haired girl for a boy when they first met. Even though she had made peace with herself over the fact that she acted more masculine than the other girls, but never had anyone ever told her that she reminded them of a boy. The matter had gripped her attention so much that she didn't even notice the presence that was getting closer towards her nor did she hear the loud thuds on the earth as heavy footsteps tore up the street. Tatsuki only noticed something was there when she caught its outline in the reflection of a window, standing at its full terrifying height as its claws extended towards her, but before they could touch her, she was rescued by Sado.
"What is that thing," cried Tatsuki as she stared at the outline of the monster and then the strange thing that covered Sado's arm. "Sado, what's with your arm?"
"You have to get out of here before it hurts you," replied Sado, bringing his fist back to cock the punch that he was about to throw.
"It is no longer necessary for you to be here," said a voice from on top of one of the buildings. It was the mysterious Saito Haijime, standing with Ichigo to his left and Rukia to his right. "Take the girl and leave now; this is far out of your power and jurisdiction."
"I can fight this thing," replied Sado as he got up ready for a punch, but Saito would have none of it and knocked Sado back.
"This isn't your fight," said Saito as he stepped towards the hollow creature and pushed his sword's hilt up a bit with his thumb, just enough the let a bit of cool metal taste the night air. "Now then, I don't know your full strength so in order to prevent me from overexerting myself, I'll start out with my basic zanpakto and we'll work up from there."
The hollow, or whatever it was, didn't seem to comprehend what he was saying until he unsheathed his sword then it got the message clear. Without a moment's hesitation, the hollow lashed it's claws at the shinigami, who flash stepped away from the attack and slashed at its hand in return. The creature howled as it grasped its damaged claw, leaving it open for other attacks all along it's body, but it didn't seem to have the ability to feel those wounds. It looked like it was nearly slashed to ribbons when Saito was through toying with the thing. A look of disappointment was in his eyes as he stared at the beast that he had been fighting before, but as he turned his head, it seemed like the creature wasn't finished at all. Like a butterfly of death crawling out of its cocoon, the creature shed its skin to reveal a singular entity that had a human appearance, but from the details of its new skin, there was nothing human about it.
"You transformed into something of more value, empty butterfly," said Saito as he put his hand of his sword. "From the power levels your giving off, I can tell that it would be an insult not to step it up to shikai. Now then, Slaughter Naraku!"
His sword then morphed into another sword that was longer with a sharper, fuller cutting edge and it had seemed to grow two other blades that were equally as sharp as the original. Another strange addition to the sword was the energy that it seemed to give off electrical energy as he spun it around in his head in hand like a baton, the blades cutting up the ground each time. The creature also had a weapon, but it was a straight sword that was wide in the curve to the tip, giving it a pressure cutting ability.
"What attack do you think it'll use, Naraku," asked Saito as he stared at the creature. To the surprise of everyone present, save for Saito and the creature, a hollow form of Saito materialized to his right, placing it's hand on his shoulder as it stared at the creature.
"Maybe it will try to attack you with a sword thrust," said the sinister voice of the entity known as Naraku.
"My money's on all out slashing," bet Saito as he moved into a thrusting position with his sword in his left hand instead of his right. "I think I'll use the new move I came up with."
"Strike true, dear Saito," laughed Naraku as he dissipated.
Then it was on, the creature came at Saito with a sword thrust that was knocked away by a kido, but the creature followed up with a sword slash that forced Saito to jump back. If he was going to use that technique then he would have to keep the creature at a distance so he had room to perform his left arm thrust technique that he developed because he lost his right arm. The creature seemed to be a lot faster than he had expected, but he was able to avoid all attacks and get in a few cuts of his own. Jumping back, Saito cocked his left arm and aimed his thrust with god-like speed, piercing the creature's skull with the three blades.
"One down," said Saito as he sheathed his sword. "And nine more to go."