Chapter 40

Okay everyone, here it is. The epic conclusion of NYZ, with the battle of a lifetime, between 3 super powered beings, where only one, will come out on top. This is THE FINAL BATTLE!

Also, I'll be quoting from the game for the speaking parts, so if you disapprove of swearing, I apologize.

I own nothing, sadly

Ichigo and Heller were flash stepping with extreme speed, not even bothering to restrain themselves in their fury. Both of them were going so fast, once or twice they thought they heard a boom from breaking the sound barrier. Both were going on their ability to sense spiritually energy, since mercer seemed to have stopped repressing his enough for them to sense it.

Finally, both of them arrived at the place where they sensed mercer's energy, on top of a sky scraper covered in tendrils, Heller with his claws and sword out, and Ichigo having Zangetsu ready. As they stood there, they heard a few gusts of wind, and with each one, an evolved appeared. About 10 in all, most of them had their blades of various sizes and types out. As they watched, Galloway appeared near the back, not having her blades out, but smirking at them both.

Then they heard one last whoosh, and in front of the evolved appeared Alex mercer, his eyes even more dead looking than normal, but his energy was fairly high.

Heller broke first shouting "WHERE ARE THEY!?"

Mercer looked bored as he said "safe, for the moment."

"YOUR GOING TO TELL US, BEFORE I SKULL FUCK YOU, AND DRAIN YOUR MEMORIES OUT THE HOLE!"

Mercer chuckled as he started walking a little, saying "oh, oh, scary. You just don't get it, do you? I gave you everything, and this is how you repay me?!"

Mercer began to walk around, beginning to rant as he said "don't you see?! Humanity is stagnant, dying!" he stepped behind Galloway and put a hand on her shoulder as he said "I would give it one body, one mind. With that, there would be no more disease, no more war, no more suffering. Don't you see?! I'm giving it a second chance!"

"ENOUGH OF YOU FUCKING WEIRD, FUCKING RAMBILING, SHIT! GIVE US BACK OUR GIRLS!" Heller shouted at the top of his lungs, his arms rippling dangerously as he and Ichigo stalked forward.

Mercer scowled before shaking his head and saying, "No, no I think it's time you gave me something! You see, Maya and Orihime, as he name is, both share annoyingly resilient strands of DNA. And when their ready, they will become the mothers of the new world!" he shouted, looking off in the distance. Then he brought his gaze back to the two of them. Both looked ready to tear him to shreds.

"And now the only thing left between me, and Earths true destiny…is you." mercer growled, his arms rippling and his aura shooting upwards. He swung his arm back, then plunge it into Galloway's back. She cried out with "AH! HELLER!" as tendrils rapidly covered her, before shooting out to the evolved on her side.

Whipping his head around, mercer swung out his other arm to capture the other evolved in tendrils. As Heller and Ichigo watched in shock, mercer cried out as he consumed his own evolved, causing an orange aura to form around him, his eyes glowing a sickly orange as the tendrils retracted back into him.

Ichigo and Heller readied themselves, Heller and Ichigo thinking "holy shit!" as the sky opened up and poured out rain.

Play murder your maker from the prototype 2 sound track

Mercer laughed madly as he summoned his own blade and said "well, let's get this over with shall we?!"

And with that, the clash began.

Mercer flash stepped forward even as Ichigo and Heller did, their blades at the ready.

As they clashed in the center, the blast of energy and strength caused a blast of air strong enough to make an orb of water around them, then they all began swing their respective blades and claws at marvels speeds, the clangs of metal against metal deafening as it mixed with the thunder of the storm. Mercer would swing, only to be blocked by Ichigo's sword while Heller tried to cut with claws. Mercer grabbed the claws with his own, then freed his blade and stabbed Heller in the chest, saying "I'm using those!" before kicking him the chest, sending him skidding back.

Ichigo swung his blade down to cleave mercer shoulder to hip, only to be blocked, but Ichigo was ready. he swung around to try on kick mercer in the chest. Mercer caught the foot in his claws, not piercing the skin thanks to Hierro, but then Ichigo turned his free hand towards mercer and shouted "Hadō #63, Raikōhō (Fiery Lightning Howl)!"

Ichigo's hand shot out a blast of yellow energy like a lightning bolt, sending mercer flying as electricity raced through him, causing him to yell in pain and release Ichigo.

Heller appeared behind him and kicked him upwards, then blurred out of existence, only to reappear above mercer, his hammer fist ready as he cocked it and punched, sending all the mass right into mercer's stomach, sending him flying down at the building. Ichigo got out of there as mercer plowed through every single floor to the bottom, where a cloud of dust and glass shards went flying outwards.

Heller shouted over the storm, "that all you got!?"

"Hardly."

Heller whirled around to see mercer looking hardly damaged, even his clothes were cleaner than they should have been. Before Heller could go anything, mercer wrapped his whip fist around Heller's neck, then spun like a top, sending Heller on a ride through 3 or 4 buildings before reeling him in and slashing his side with his other hand, claws shredding his side.

Heller gritted his teeth as his side poured blood, but whirled around and skidded on spirit energy platform, stopping as his wound healed then shifted to claws, then rushed forward. Mercer grinned as he rose his own claws in preparation to parry.

"Bakudō #61, Rikujōkōrō (Six Rods Prison of Light)!"

The six rods slammed into Mercer's mid body stopping him. He looked to the side to see Ichigo holding his index finger to him, his eyes wide and angry.

Before mercer could do anything, both of them blurred out of existence, only for several cuts to open on mercer's body, arms, legs, and face, before Heller appeared in front of him and whirled around, kicking mercer in the chest and sending him flying to collide with a building, going right through it before flying out the other end and stopping. The duo flash stepped to the location, stopping 10 yards from mercer, who looked like he had been shredded from the debris and them slicing him. He looked at them with his eyes like insect eyes, unblinking as he said "very nice. Now let's see how well you adapt!"

Mercer's body healed very quickly, in a few seconds, then he shifted to hammer fist and flash stepped towards them. Ichigo and Heller tried a flank, each one appearing on one side, both blades bared, but mercer leaped over both as they swung, spun, then slammed one fist a piece into their heads, sending them plummeting downwards, where they both made craters and pillars of dust and debris when hitting.

Heller groaned as he got to his knees, shaking off the dust as he rose. He felt like he had been hit with a fleet of dump trucks. He stood and looked up to see mercer standing there. With a roar, Heller charged forward, only to get blasted back and up, going through a building or two before he stopped.

"That was a spirit energy blast!"

Before he could think, Ichigo appeared beside him, his robes torn and he had a few cuts on his body, but also a nasty bruise on his head, hidden by his hair mostly, except for the part over his eye brow.

"This guy's too strong. We need to go all out."

Before Heller could respond, mercer appeared in front of them and said "all out? I'm disappointed you think you can beat me without full power. I'm not a dime store evolved; I'm the creator of evolved! You're dead if you think you can stop me without your powers."

Heller growled. "You asked for it mercer!"

Shifting to blade, he shouted "REFLECT IN DESPAIR, SHADOW SHIFTER!"

Ichigo looked in anger as he held his sword and shouted "BANKAI!"

The combined energy sent mercer flying backwards, but he skidded to a stop as the smoke clear, showing Heller's shadow shifter and Ichigo's Bankai.

Heller said "hey Ichigo, what do you say to a combo?"

Knowing what he meant, Ichigo grinned as he reached up, saying "I say..."

Then he pulled on his mask, finishing "…hit it!"

Both of them charged up their swords in record speed, and then swung at the same time, shouting "GETSUGA TENSHO!"

The attacks, one black and one red, race towards mercer, merging halfway to become one massive blast of energy, mercer looked at the attack calmly, and then smiled as the light engulfed him.

Heller and Ichigo got out of there as the light exploded in a blast of energy, the dust and light swirling before exploding outwards.

Ichigo and Heller nodded as Ichigo dispersed his mask and said "and let that be the last of him."

Heller wasn't sure though. Why did mercer smile? Just to check, he let his senses expand until it reached the vortex of energy, and what he felt made him stop in horror.

"No way…"

Ichigo looked at Heller, who looked pale, even with his darker skin, and said "Heller…?"

"…HE'S STILL ALIVE!?"

As the words sunk in and Ichigo turned pale as well, the vortex suddenly began to shrink, all the dust and light compressing inward like a star in collapse to reveal…. Alex mercer, the light a basketball sized sphere above his hand, while mercer had no damage on him.

Mercer was floating the ball of black and red light above his hand with a horrible smile on his face, then laughing as he said "do you really think that would stop me!? I survived a nuclear explosion without a scratch! I took control of the Blacklight virus and made my own! I learned to harness spirit energy! Do you think I would die that easily!?"

Mercer looked at the red and black ball above his hand and said "though I give you credit. This energy is incredibly dense and powerful."

He looked at them, both of them still shocked as he said "just think of the boost it'll give me."

And with that, mercer took the ball, and shoved it into his chest, the light sinking in until it vanished inside.

Ichigo and Heller both got ready, both shaking as the air itself pulsed in time with mercer's body, until he shouted and threw back his head as his energy exploded. The air was pushing against them like a hurricane and it was all they could do to keep their balance.

When the energy died down, mercer was looking downwards, his face covered while an aura of red and black was flowing of his form like flames. They saw him raise both hands, turning his head to apparently look at them, and then he looked up, showing new eyes, with black whites and red iris, looking like the eyes of the devil himself.

""very nice. I've never felt such power."

Mercer's voice was changed now, sounding like a mixture of things, like a knife scraping against stone, boulders grinding together, and the hiss of a thousand snakes, all at once. It was the sound of evil.

Both Ichigo and Heller were standing strong, but mercer was sending out an enormous amount of spirit energy, it felt like they had an ocean surrounding them. The only thing that allowed them to move was the fact they had such high spirit energy to counter it.

Mercer shifted to his blade arm, the blade looking smoother and sharper than ever, then lightly swung it towards them.

A blast of air hit them both like a truck sending them skidding until the found new footing, and even then they had to lean into it until the wind abated.

"Such power!" Ichigo and Heller thought. They had never encountered anything like this. It was a whole another level from what they had at their disposal.

But both of them hardened their eyes and stood proud. Neither had gotten this far for backing down when the going got tough, and they'd be damned if they started now.

"Ichigo…"

"yeah." He said. He and Heller both raised their hands and put on their hollow masks, ready to fight to the bitter end.

Mercer said "so you intend to fight? Despite my new power? Very well. I'll at least show you the newest trick in my arsenal."

Mercer pulled back his arm as he said "Getsuga…"

Ichigo and Heller's eye's widened. Could it be…?

"…Tensho!"

The blast of energy was massive. Like a wave the appeared from mercer's arm, spreading outwards until it was too high and too wide to dodge in time from the massive speed it had. Ichigo and Heller' felt like they were looking into the abyss.

Heller's P.O.V

I couldn't feel anything but awe and disbelief as I watched the wave rush forward. Time seemed to slow as I watched my death approach and my life flash before my eyes. I felt like a joke. I failed to protect my family, my friends, and now what? I would die at the hands of a being that had power I couldn't imagine.

What could I do?

"fight…"

I heard a whisper, so faint I thought I had imagined it. Fight? Why?

"fight…"

There it was again, but it sounded louder as the wave approached. I felt something stir inside me. I tried to recognize it, and then it hit me. Shadow shifter. But he sounded different, sounded… older.

"Fight…"

I felt my will flow back. I couldn't lose hope. I had come too far to let it end like this. I wasn't going down without a fight at my all. It was time to…

"…FIGHT!"

My body flowed with power before exploding with white light.

General P.O.V

Mercer watched as the wave obscured the two and approached them at too high a speed to dodge. While he was slightly disappointed, at least he had new powers and his only possible threats wiped out.

Or so he thought.

He noticed in the wave of black was a hint of white, like the faintest of stars. As he watched, it grew larger and brighter, growing until it exploded, blinding mercer, but not before he saw the Getsuga Tensho be dispersed in the light.

Mercer felt Heller's spirit energy suddenly shift, changing and growing into something different, something…powerful.

When the light died and mercer could see, he saw Heller. And his new form.

His Bankai.

Heller was surrounded with a blue and white aura, flaring around him while Heller's eyes were closed. His sword had changed dramatically. From going to the long, serrated long sword, it had changed to a pure white and smooth blade. The blade was now complete with a guard around the part where Heller's hand met the blade, something that looked like waves frozen in time, and the sword itself had a new name carved into it, something that said, in black letters, shadow mirror.

Heller's eyes snapped open, showing them to have changed from brown to a pure gold. He looked at mercer with these new eyes, then over himself, where his clothes had slightly changed. Instead of black and red, they were now a white and blue, the cross on the back of his jacket glowing gently.

Mercer said "that was enough power to wipe out the entire NYZ. How did you survive that?"

Heller looked at mercer, his eyes now clear and calm, as he said "the power of my Bankai. The power of my ultimate form, the blade of protection. The shadow mirror."

Mercer grinned, then laughed out loud, saying "the ultimate protection? The ultimate form? Well then, shall we see how it deals with my own form?!" He finished, raising his own blade in preparation.

Ichigo was standing beside Heller, at a loss for words. He had just see his friend deflect a massive Getsuga Tensho, and awaken Bankai? That took the cake for most incredible thing he'd ever seen.

"Ichigo."

Ichigo started a little as he was pulled out of his train of thought as Heller talked.

"You might want to stand back. This is about to get messy."

Ichigo swallowed a little, but nodded and was about to flash step away, but he stopped, looked back at Heller, and said "Heller?"

Heller looked at him, as Ichigo smiled and said "good luck."

Then he flash stepped away.

Mercer looked at Heller and said "so, you think you can defeat me alone. I think you need a lesson in humility Heller."

Heller looked back at mercer and said "no mercer. It's time to end this, once and for all."

And that ended the need for words. Now came the time for action.

Mercer flash stepped forward, Heller rushing to meet him in the center. As they clashed, their energy mixed and churned, sending out massive waves of air that were sending the clouds towards as the ground below shook violently.

Mercer gritted his teeth. He was pushing with all his might, yet Heller was matching his strength and even over powering it with what looked like little effort. Then mercer suddenly lurched forward as Heller tilted his blade, causing them to slip and skid with a flash of sparks. Yet Heller moved to the side and slash, cutting off mercer's arm.

Mercer didn't cry out. He simply put some distance between them, then faced Heller again and made his whip fist. He whipped it forward, but Heller moved faster, blocking with his own blade. then he formed his hammer fist with the other hand, the arm now white, and grabbed the whip. Then he yanked violently, hurling mercer towards him, before spinning as he flew past and slicing at the shoulder.

Mercer gritted his teeth. He was losing bio mass fast, and for all his spirit energy, he couldn't use it to replenish bio mass. He turned to Heller and said "I'll admit, you're strong. And I haven't had a challenge for a while."

As mercer spoke, he made his hammer fists, both at his side and pitch black.

"But you…will…not…WIN!" he shouted as he rushed forward, and put every ounce of energy into his arms. Heller blocked with his sword in front of him, and as it collided, a flare of white light appeared in front and stopped the arms. But Heller wasn't dead. Finally showing some anger, he spun around, charging his sword, and cut through the arms from below while shouting "GETSUGA TENSHO!"

As Heller slashed, a piller of white light erupted out of his blade sending up a beam of pure light while cutting of mercer's hammer fists.

As he collapsed on the platform, mercer's arm swirled with tendrils, but all his biomass had gone into his arms. He had none left to regenerate with.

Mercer looked at Heller and chuckled, saying "welcome to the top of the food chain."

Heller said nothing as he shifted his arms, both of them, to claws, both of them white as snow, then he rose them, and sliced Alex mercer's body into pieces, consuming them as he did. Then, for the first time in a while, he was pulled into the web of intrigue.

Mercer was watching as Maya, Dana, and Orihime were put into a vault by his evolved, saying to Dana "this is no one's fault but your own. You do understand that?"

Dana looked at Heller with hate and slight sadness as she said firmly, "I understand I once had a brother named Alex. A brother who used to play with me, and take me roller skating, and watch scary movies with me. I understand that Alex is dead now."

Alex responded while Orihime and Dana went to the far wall, Maya holding Orihime while Orihime was talking to he soothingly, trying to keep her calm.

"I've moved beyond life and death Dana. Heller has too. He just doesn't realize it yet."

And with that, the vault door closed, showing Heller where he needed to go.

Heller stumbled as he was pulled out, his Bankai fading and him turning into his normal clothes. He felt like he was about to burst. Heller groaned, clutching at his stomach, before something remarkable happened.

6 tendrils burst out of Heller's body, 2 from his arms, 2 from his front and back, those tendrils rapidly dividing and branching, like the roots of some terrible tree. They raced downwards, then when they went low enough, spread rapidly, hitting and killing infected everywhere, in the sewers, buildings, streets, everywhere, spreading through the whole red zone. When they killed everything that was infected, the rushed back in, finally receding into Heller.

Heller felt exhausted, and began to pitch forward, his eyes half closed, before he felt a hand on his chest. He looked to the side to see Ichigo looking at him, smiling as he help Heller stand again, saying only one sentence. "You did it."

Heller felt so tired, but with the journey so close to an end, he shook of his weariness and said "I know where they are."

10 minutes later.

Heller and Ichigo were standing in the ruins of Manhattan first national bank, looking at the vault door where Maya and the others were being held.

Without a word, Heller shifted to hammer fist, then got a secure grip on the door, then pulled it off. He staggered a little under the weight, but he threw it to the side, where it landed with a metallic clang.

"Heller?"

Heller looked inside, and saw Dana standing up, with Orihime and Maya sitting side by side, Maya's head on Orihime's arm while Orihime was sitting there, quietly talking to her, but as she looked up and saw Ichigo, her eyes widened and she cried "Ichigo!"

Ichigo looked like he was about to cry, but with happiness, as he rushed towards Orihime, with her rushing to him. They embraced in the middle, both crying and swaying, before separating and kissing passionately.

But Heller only had eyes for one person. The person he thought to be dead. His world.

His daughter.

He slowly walked forward, his arms shifting to his real arms, as he kneeled in front of her and said softly "Maya?"

Maya looked at her father with a looked of confusion, then she slowly reached out and touched his face, asking "daddy?"

Heller's eyes flooded with tears and he embraced Maya, even as she hugged him tightly. Both glad to see the other.

Complete.

10 minutes later

Everyone was standing on the roof top as they watched a beautiful sunrise, the colors vibrant and clear against the cloudless and clear sky.

Everyone was standing there, Maya holding Heller's hand, Orihime with her head on Ichigo shoulder and his arm around her, Dana standing alone. Then she said "so… what now?"

Heller smiled, looking at ease for the first time since he had become infected, and said "now… now we move on."

But fate, seemed to have other plans.

Because as Heller said that, a Senkaimon appeared in front of them, causing Heller to instantly tense. But he relaxed as 2 people walked through.

Rukia, and Renji. And both were beaming.

There were many hugs and much looking around in awe, but finally rukai sad "so it's done. Mercer's dead."

Heller looked confused as he said "how…?"

"Kisuke was able to find and watch the entire battle. We were with him when it started and we saw the whole thing." Renji said, explaining.

Rukia kneeled down, looking at Maya, who was hiding partially behind Heller shyly. Rukia smiled and said "hello. My name's Rukia. And you must be Maya?"

Maya nodded and said "who are you?"

Rukia smiled again and said "friends of your father."

But then Rukia frowned a little and looked up at Heller and said "I have something else to tell you. I'm afraid that the commander wants to talk to you. In person."

Heller's face went blank. The last thing he wanted was to talk to the person who had ordered him to be killed. But he knew that, even powerful as he was, it wouldn't be smart to reject the commander.

"how are we getting there?"

It took a few minutes, but Rukia and Renji explained how they would take them through a Senkaimon, then take him to the place where he would meet the commander and the other captains.

Once that was sorted, and the gate summoned, Heller and the group walked through, but Heller never let go of Maya's hand.

He wasn't losing her again.

A little ways away, same time

6 figures with black cloaks and hoods were watching from the shadows, the hoods hiding their face, but they seemed to be watching the group.

"So that's Ichigo Kurosaki."

The voice that said this was female, and seemed to have a odd accent, but it wasn't known what.

"He seems to be powerful." This voice was male, but it sounded bored and like the speaker was half asleep.

"He doesn't look like much." This voice sounded like a girls, younger, but cocky.

"Looks are deceiving. After all, you're a prime example that things are weaker then they look." Different, slightly deeper and female, but also slightly cocky, though not as cocky.

"WHAT? WHY I OUGHTTA…"

"Enough girls. We don't need to draw attention." This was the first female speaker

The two female speakers shifted slightly, but they said "yes mistress."

They watched as the group departed through the Senkaimon, then a third quieter and more dignified female voice said "so that's it mistress? We wait until he goes home, and then make our move?"

"yes. We want him as unawares as we can, and we must plan for this to be successful. I have waited long for my revenge. I can wait a little longer." The speaker looked up as she said this, showing nothing but a flash of eyes. they were slightly glowing, a seemed to be a greenish color.

And with that, the six figures retreated into the shadows, vanishing from view.

Well, hoped you like it! I know you have a few questions, like Heller's Bankai, the six figures, al that, which is why, I am now taking this moment to tell you, I am making a book 2!. Yes reader, this ride is over, but I'm making another. I'll wrap this story up first, but just to give you an idea of the next wild ride, I put in a little sneak peek below.

"who are you?" Heller growled, keeping his eyes on the lead figure.

The figure stepped forward and threw back it's hood. Underneath was a woman's face, with short, messy blond hair, tied in 3 braids, her skin a dark brown color, close in shade to Heller's but lighter. But the eyes commanded Heller's attention. They were green, teal green, and were glowing with power and something else. Something he couldn't name.

"My name is Tia Halibel,. 3rd Espada.