Disclaimer: The ideas and concepts used in BLEACH belong to Tite Kubo, as well as any regular characters. Most of the characters in this story belong to me. Thank you.


For a month or two, Shin Kenpachi and his disciple, Hoji Airaijin, had been walking without pause. They gathered food when they passed through a village or checkpoint and always defeated any enemy that came in their way. Their path was erratic and dynamic, never what it seemed, but a common destination was decided by the Shinigami guards of the neighboring cities that they were headed further and further into the frontier. Why, no one had a clue, but at least they weren't destined for any major cities anytime soon.

"Oi, captain." Hoji cried out annoyingly. Shin despised being referred to as 'captain', a submissive position for fat-cats to abuse at their ever present leisure. He would have much preferred to be called 'grunt' over 'captain'.

"What?" Shin replied with irritation.

"Where are we going?" Hoji asked this because Shin always had a definite plan as to where they were going, but never told him until they were either almost there or if he asked.

"Who knows, just don't fall behind." Shin answered bluntly. Hoji shrugged, obviously satisfied with that answer, and looked to the sky.

"It's getting' dark. Should we set up camp?" Shin took a glance skyward and kicked the dust under him.

"Yeah, I guess so." The both veered off the road and behind a rock where no one would see them at a glance. For a long time now, camping implied that the two would pick out a spot on the road and fall on their faces for the night, having lost or otherwise destroyed all their camping equipment at some point.

Hoji was contemplating telling Shin about his dream a few nights ago, where a voice was speaking to him. The subject was touchy, however, because Shin seemed to be getting closer to his sword on his own and Hoji didn't want to interrupt his delicate training.

Shortcuts aren't always the best path. Better to let him find out on his own, if that dream was accurate, of course. Hoji heard Shin stirring in his sleep. Shin never slept peacefully, there was always a night when Hoji was awoken by a foot to the face or a punch to the gut from an unconscious Shin.

Hoji decided to play it safe and sleep on the other side of the rock. At least if he was seen by a passer he could take them on. As he crawled around to the other side he saw a strange object across the dark road writhing around. It was about the size of a bear, but had an oddly humanoid outline.

Hoji took a wary step toward the road, keeping his hands ready to draw his sword. As he got closer he could see more of the creature. It had sleek, almost shiny green skin and a white face which was buried in something on the ground. Hoji could now hear the muffled crunching and snapping of bones as he could see a deer being devoured by this new beast.

The creature slowly raised its head out of the carcass and stared at Hoji with shining yellow eyes. The white face was splattered with the red blood of the unfortunate deer, with a row of exposed fangs running the length of its face. Hoji got into stance, with one hand on the hilt and the other aimed at the creature.

"Ah," said a raspy voice in the creature's direction, "a fresh soul. This is a fortunate night indeed." Hoji was frozen as he saw this monster's mouth moving with the words. His mind quickly pieced the puzzle together and gathered that this creature was indeed talking to him, and it sounded hungry.


Shin was woken by the sound of lightning very close by. This was not ordinary lightning, however, but the sound of Hoji's favorite destructive spell. He turned to notice that Hoji was indeed gone from where he was sleeping, and he shot up to his feet with sheathe clenched in hand.

He jumped on top of the rock to look around for his disciple. Across the road he could make out the energy trail of the Senkou no Shikyo emanating from a panting, bleeding Hoji. The attack was aimed, apparently, at a group of lizard-fish creatures with white faces. The attack only hit one of them, which staggered slightly before advancing.

Hoji turned to see his sensei perched atop the rock and jumped in a flash to join him. He grasped his arm, still breathing heavily, and sheathed his sword beside Shin.

"Sorry, cap'n, but I can't handle 'em. You'll have to finish up here." Shin looked down with surprise at this disciple. Up until now he would face armies of enemies with out a second thought and win, always laughing at his injuries afterwards. Shin glared anxiously at his enemies across the road and prepared to take over.

"No prob," Shin said as he raised his unsheathed sword and pointed it at one of the creatures coming his way, "and don't call me captain." With that, in a bold and rather vindictive move, Shin kicked Hoji off the rock. Hoji tumbled down and fell falt on his chest with legs in the sir over his head on the ground. Too weak to retaliate, or move at the moment, Hoji just laid flat.

"Totsunyuu," Shin's practiced magic was more concentrated on his own already arcane strength and speed. Most of the attacks he created were nothing more than charged slashed or kicks, sometimes rapid movement to create after-images to confuse his opponents. This technique was his most powerful at the moment.

"Usaikaku!" It was over for that one demon. Shin was now behind it and next to the other two, sheathing his sword slowly. The attack propelled him forward at impossible speeds and plunged his sword deep into the enemy's skull. It was instant death, but Shin decided that wasn't enough and followed it with a powerful down stroke along the beast's face.

As the other creatures watched on in horror as their former comrade dissolved into dark nothingness, they turned slowly to the grinning demon who killed him, leaning towards them with his hand still on the hilt of his sheathed sword.

"That was easy enough," Shin said with a maniacal grin, "Who's next?" He turned and got into stance to face the creatures, who both growled at him with intense animosity.

"You shall pay for that, shinigami! We will devour you whole!" Both creatures rushed at Shin simultaneously while Hoji stared on in amazement at his master. So calm and confident, so powerful. It would be a travesty for the world if his sword ever got any more powerful. Hoji smirked as the thoughts of what form their swords could possibly take rushed through his mind.

"I can't wait." Hoji said, watching Shin from the distance chopping apart the monsters with style and grace.


Totsunyuu Usaikaku: Rushing Black Rhino Horn