Chapter 9- No Light In The Darkness

Kenpachi and Sajin had finally reached the fortress. Zaraki was still boasting to Sajin of his victory over the low-rank arrancar. "It was just childs play. If all our enemies are this easy, then I confess myself disappointed." Sajin cut him off with his own retort.

"I think the kiddy games are over.." The captain said in a very serious tone as he looked down to the floor. Zaraki did likewise and beholded a sight that made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. It was the bodies of Captain Mayuri and Izuru.

The two men lay crumbled on the floor, but Sajin could instantly tell they were not dead, just severely wounded. As Zaraki checked Izuru, Sajin looked over Mayuri. Who could have done this? Both men released their shikai, but yet there's no sign of a real fight…and where is Yamada and Kuchiki?

Then Kenpachi recognized Byakuya's spiritual pressure. "Kuchiki is still alive and is somewhere in this place, and I'm betting Yamada is with him." Then Sajin stood up. "We need to get Yamada back here to heal them, without his healing kido, they might not make it.." Kenpachi nodded in agreement.

"So who is going to stay here and watch over them?" Kenpachi asked quickly. Captain Sajin volunteered. "I'll stay, you find Yamada." And with that Kenpachi turned and began walking down one of the many halls. Hang in there guys. Help will be here soon.

Yamada stopped dead in his tracks. Byakuya, noticing this, stopped as well and turned to him. "What is it Hanataro?" The captain asked intently. Pausing for a second, the captain suddenly understood. The floor beneath them suddenly cracked and caved in. Byakuya and Yamada fell about 25 feet, ending up in a brightly lit room with blue walls.

Brushing himself off, Yamada asked. "What is this room? It's unlike anything else we've seen." Byakuya gazed at the room. There was a control console on the far wall. "This is obviously a trap." He said. Then a hidden door slid open and in walks a man with glasses. Szyayelaporro Grantz.

"How nice of you two to drop in like this. I've been waiting for someone to spring my little trap." Grantz said eyeing the two soul reapers. Yamada began to look very worried. "Now of course you men are here to kill our Lord Aizen, this of course I cannot permit." He said as he took a step towards Yamada and the door slid closed behind him.

Before he could reach him however, Byakuya flash stepped and blocked him. "Leave him out of this. If it is a fight you want, I am your opponent." Grantz grinned and took a step back. Taking a remote from his coat, he pressed a button and the console hummed to life and the room dimmed.

"Now this will be an interesting fight." Grantz sneered, unsheathing his sword. As he pointed his sword to the captain, Byakuya warned Yamada to stay back. Then the soul reaper drew his own Zanpakuto. "Attack, espada."

The two men clashed and sparks flew as their blades collided. Using sonido Grantz tried to outflank the captain. But Byakuya's adept skill and impressive speed blocked all of his swings. Leaping left and right, Grantz tried again to surprise Byakuya. But he saw every move and parried his sword again.

Then Byakuya used flash step to do the same, but the espada also kept up with his blows. "You are fast, soul reaper. I didn't expect anything less from a captain." Grantz grinned. Byakuya stayed silent and continued the fight. "It would seem you also possess impressive speed." Byakuya stated.

"However, speed isn't everything. Hado No. 4 Byakurai." Grantz winced slightly and backpeddled as the kido hit him in the arm. After a second, he laughed.

"That didn't even scratch my hierro. Is that all you've got?" He sneered. "Cause I've got something else to show you." The espada then took his sword and swallowed it whole. "Sip, La Lujuriosa." An explosion of light blinded the two soul reapers for a moment, and when the light dimmed again, Grantz was in his resurreccion form.

"Now, your move soul reaper." Grantz said with a hint of comedy. Byakuya only glared back at him and held out his sword. Turning it upside down, Byakuya then stated. "You're going to regret this. But I'll end this quickly for you." He then dropped the sword and it fell to the ground. "Ban-.." But instead of phasing through the floor, Byakuya's sword only clattered on the floor. Shocked, Byakuya looked wide-eyed at his sword.

Grantz laughed loudly now. Entertained by the captains shocked expression. "You fool. You've discovered another of my traps. This room is a sealing chamber. It seals most of your spiritual pressure away and prevents the use of bankai!"

Suddenly one of Grantz tentacles sprouted a small doll. A doll that looked just like Byakuya. "What is that supposed to be?" The captain asked.

"Oh this?" Grantz said grabbing the doll in his hand. "This is you. An uncanny resemblance if I do say so myself. It's purpose is this.." And he jabbed his finger into the dolls abdomen.

Byakuya cursed as he fell to one knee as a pain ripped through his body. Blood formed in his mouth which he spat up as he felt his organs being crushed from the inside. "Damn you…"

"Captain Kuchiki!? Are you alright?" Yamada said rushing to the captains side. "S-stay back Yamada. I'll hande t-this." The captain stuttered, getting back to his feet.

Grantz laughed again and yanked the dolls arm. Byakuya winced in pain as he felt his left arm dislocate from his shoulder. "As you can see, whatever I do to this doll, happens to you as well soul reaper."

Then there was a low rumbling and everyone began looking around to see where it was coming from. Suddenly there was a flash of light and a loud explosion and an entire wall came crashing down. As the dust and smoke cleared, Yamada and Byakuya could clearly make out the form of Kenpachi Zaraki.

"Well, I thought I heard something going on a few rooms over. Seems I was right, hope I'm not crashing your party Kuchiki." The large soul reaper said, strolling into the room. "Oh, Yamada, Captain Sajin wants to see you in the main chamber. Go there quickly." Yamada nodded his head and quickly ran out of the room.

Grantz glared at the new intruder with much confusion. Who is this man? How can he boast such a high spiritual pressure in my chamber? He can't be using bankai here. It's not possible. "Soul reaper, how is it you are using bankai in this chamber? That's impossible here."

Kenpachi roared with laughter. "You stupid espada. You think this is my bankai? If you knew anything about me at all, it should be that I DON'T have a bankai. This is just my raw power!"

This made Grantz blood run cold. But Kenpachi's next words scared him even more. "And I'm not even using my full strength yet. This eye patch I wear seals my true power until I remove it!"

Though a worthy and powerful espada, Grantz owes his capabilities to his advanced research on his opponents before they fall into his traps. But in Kenpachi's case, he did not have a chance to observe the soul reaper beforehand.

Grabbing his eye patch, Zaraki rips it off. The room shudders and a missive amount of energy explodes from the captain. The walls crack and the ceiling collapses in some spots. Grantz shields his face from flying debris. This energy…is so massive and powerful…I've never felt anything like it…"

The next thing Grantz notices is Zaraki running towards him, sword raised high. Grantz blocks his swing just in time, but the captain immediately begins pressing him back. Each swings feels as though it could break his arms. After several hits, Grantz realizes his blade is battered and nearing its breaking point. He begins using his tentacles to block Kenpachi's blows.

Roaring, Kenpachi severes one of the tentacles. Grantz yelled in pain and retraced to the other side of the room. "You mindless barbarian, how dare you!" Not thinking, Grantz lunged to attack Zaraki head-on. The next thing he knew he was in the soul reapers grasp and tossed across the room.

"AAHH!" The espada screamed as he felt electricity course through his body. W-w-what the h-hell did I hit!? What lights were left came back on full and the machine humming stopped.

As Kenpachi approached, Grantz shot his remaining tentacles at him. They grappled onto his legs and arms, holding on tightly. "What the? What is this?!" He roared. The tentacles pulsed and began draining Kenpachi's energy.

"My tentacles have a unique ability to use my enemy's power to my advantage. Healing my wounds and restoring my body to its former condition." He grinned slightly as his wounds began healing.

"But what would happen if these tentacles were severed at their roots?" Byakuya's voice came.

Grantz head shot to the left to see the other captain standing and holding up his Zanpakuto. His eyes went wide as Byakuya activated his shikai.

"Scatter, Senbonzakura." There was no dodging the cloud of petals that suddenly sheared away all four of the tentacles binding Kenpachi. Blood poured from the severed limbs and Grantz cursed as his prey was freed.

"Damn you soul reaper…but are you forgetting I still have your doll!?" He yelled, holding up his Byakuya doll. But before he could do anything, Kenpachi sliced his arm off with one swift strike. "AHH!"

Then Byakuya used his shikai to mutilate his other arm. Grantz sword clattered to the floor. Unarmed, Grantz used sonido to put a gap between them. "Shit…shit.." Grantz grimaced in pain. "How are you able to use shikai!?"

"It was a simple observation. When Kenpachi threw you into that control panel over there, the energy that it emitted was disrupted and thus its effects dissipated." Byakuya stated.

Looking over his wounds Grantz realized his disadvantage. "Damn…I'm going to need some help here…"