The Royal Palace

Tenjiro, Kirio, Senjumaru, Oetsu all of them dead. And if Ichibei wasn't quick he might soon join them. But not matter what he tried he just kept coming.

Ichibei raised Ichimonji, and with his last ounce of strength prepared to put all the power he had into stopping Ywach and his Quincy dead in their tracks.

Ywach simply raised his hand, and with one swift moment shot it forward blasting a hole through Ichibei's torso. And with just a flick of his wrist Ywach had finished off the Commander of the Royal guard.

A small smile appeared on the King Quincy's face as he saw yet another Soul Reaper fall by his hand. He turned his attention up, to the tower that the Royal Guard was defending. The very palace of the Soul King himself.

He turned around to his loyal subjects whom had fought the rest of the zero division while he dealt with their leader.

"No one is to follow me." He ordered. And with that left them all behind as he began climbing the steps to the palace.

Toshiro was aware of this, even as far a distance as it was he could fell the spiritual pressures of Ichibei, Oetsu and all the fade. His mind already made up he quickly announced.

"I'm going up there!"

"What?!" Rangiku questioned." Going where?"

"The Royal Palace." He said already turning and walking away." That's where the Quincy went and that's where we'll go." Not all however shared in the enthusiasm.

"Are, are you sure to want to do that?" questioned Rangiku." We just took back our home, isn't that good enough."

"No." He answered. He turned back and faced all of them. "The Quincy have gone to the Soul Palace for an unknown purpose but I don't it's good news for us, whether we've taken our home back or not."

"But as members of the Gotei 13-" Rangiku began.

"There is no more GOTEI 13!" Toshiro yelled. A thin silence followed after. He turned now and looked at all of them one after the other." None of that matters now. Captain, Lieutenant, Squad One, Squad Ten none of it matters." And deep down he knew his position was the worst of all. As Head-Captain his job was to protect everyone below him. From the Captains all the way down to the lowest unseated member but look at them now. Only a handful of them left and the thousands Toshiro was meant to protect were dead. He didn't expect them to follow him and they didn't have to, not anymore. He was no longer fit to serve as Commader of the Gotei 13. There was only one thing for him to do now. He turned his head up to look at the Soul Palace." But I'm going there." He said again.

Without another word he disappeared from their sight.

The door was shut before him, but with a simple push of his hand it opened. And looking inside the room he finally saw him, the Soul King. The being who helped create the World of the Living, the Soul Society, and all the creatures in them.

Ywach took a step inside, closing the door behind him before facing the King once more.

"You must have known this day was coming." He said as he took another step closer." That one day I would be here to right your wrongs." The King said nothing and sat back in his glass shell. Ywach now stood before him, seeing his reflection in the glass. "You sat back and did nothing while my people were slaughtered." Ywach said. He slowly raised up his hand." And now I'm going to do, what you couldn't." He swung out his arm and punched his fist right into the Soul King's chest. But he did not pull it out, he let it stay there. And as he did a black liquid leaked from the God's chest and began crawling up Ywach's arm and up to his face.

At that same time Toshiro had landed at the Royal Palace. He turned his head and observed the area all around him. And he saw the bodies of the Royal Guard mutilated and destroyed across the ground. But to his great surprise he saw one of them moving.

Ichibe had his back rested against the wall, his legs sprawled out in front of him. At the sight of his movement Toshiro quickly ran to him.

"Ichibei." He said bending down to kneel next to him. Weakly Ichibei rolled his head back in order to look up at him.

"Toshiro." He groaned.

"Where are they?" Toshiro asked kneeling farther down. Ichibei did not respond in words but weakly pointed his finger up towards the palace steps. Toshiro followed his finger and then turned back to the monk himself.

Ichibei was one of the most powerful Soul Reapers to ever live, his help would be needed in the final battle. Toshiro moved his hand over the monk's wounds, ready to heal them.

"Leave it!" Ichibei commanded. His voice sounding the strongest it had since Toshiro arrived. He turned to face the monk once more. He noticed the paleness of his skin, the slight trembling of his hand." It is over." He said." This is… this is the price I must pay for what we did a thousand years ago." Toshiro leaned forward ready to offer some form of comfort to him. But as he did Ichibei let out a small groan and his head fell back against the wall. He was dead.

Toshiro leaned forward and with his index and middle finger closed his eyes forever. It was only after his passing that he heard the sounds of another living being behind him. And he knew it wasn't a friendly one.

"What a touching scene." Said an unrecognized voice. Toshiro turned around to see not one, not two but nearly a dozen Quincy all standing there. All of them except the one he wanted.

Slowly Toshiro rose to his feet and as he did that the Sternritter spread out and surrounded him on all sides. Slowly Toshiro raised his left hand and placed it on his sheath, and slowly brought his right hand over to grab the hilt.

But that's when they jumped him. For the Quincy knew that Toshiro's best chance was with his sword, so their best chances would be if he didn't get his sword.

First came Mask de Masculine running right at Toshiro, but the young Head-Captain jumped forward and punched him in the face knocking him to the ground. Driscoll came at him from the left but Toshiro easily ducked under him and with an elbow to the chest pushed him away.

Candice jumped forward and managed to wrap her hands around his shoulders. But she couldn't take him to the ground as Toshiro managed to grab her by the hair and with one strong swing tossed her back into Bazz-B.

Suddenly he felt his arms, legs and entire body being pulled down. The ground beneath him had suddenly come alive as dozens of hands reached out to grab him. No doubt this was thanks to Gremmy. But with one great swing of his arms Toshiro managed to free himself from, and looking before him he saw Sternritter P Meninas McAllon.

The little girl did not frighten him. He watched as she raised her arm, which was thin as a twig. But then in another second he watched as it suddenly grew in size, now thick with muscle. Now she was a lot stronger than she looked and with one punch to the stomach she took Toshiro to the ground. That's when they all jumped on him. He struggled and kicked, managing to gain brief freedom before being captured again.

They had him completely surrounded. Mask de Masculine with both arms around Toshiro's shoulders. Bazz-B with both arms around Toshiro's left leg, Driscoll the right. And all the other Stern Ritter crowded around him.

But this only made Toshiro even angrier. He kicked out his left leg and hit Bazz-b in the face, forcing him to let go and allowing his leg free.

"I'm getting to the top of palace." Toshiro grumbled. He kicked back his head and hit Mask nose, causing him to let go." If it's the last" He turned and elbowed Driscoll in the chest, making him step back." Thing I do!" He reared back his fist and prepared to strike the next Quincy he saw, but he wouldn't have to.

A sudden cloud washed over them and one by one Toshiro could see the Quincy that once surrounded him be carried away. When the cloud disappeared he turned around to see the source of it.

They were all standing there. Rangiku, Sajin, Byakuya, Kenpachi, Soifon, Matsuri and all the surviving members of the Gotei 13.

"Go." Byakuya said pointing to the stairs." We'll handle things here." Toshiro said nothing and instead turned his attention to the stairs, where at the top no doubt awaited his enemy. He turned and with great speed began his journey to the top.

The Quincy meanwhile picked themselves up from the ground and looked over to see the last of the Soul Reapers standing there. There was a silence as each observed the other, slight movement on one side as they all lined up against each other.

Rangiku turned and glanced to Iba on her left, Yushiro standing close behind his sister. Then of all people Kenpachi had finally decided he had enough of the silence.

He raised his sword and with a loud war cry charged forward. And when he stepped forward one by one his fellow Soul Reapers followed him. In response the Quincy did the same, rushing out to clash against their enemies.

Kenpachi clashed his sword against Gerard's shield. Mask De Masculine charged forward and tackled Kiganjo to the ground. Bazz-B shot his burn finger forcing Soifon, Yoruichi and Sajin to jump aside and dodge.

With a swing of her hilt Rangiku sent a flurry of ash at Candice. But with a swing of her hands Candice shot two lightning bolts from the sky to scatter the ash away and hit Rangiku back to the ground.

As the battle raged below him Toshiro continued to ascend the pathway up. Up he went until he finally came to the platform at the top. And there he was Yhwach himself, the Leader of the Quincy.

Toshiro said nothing as he walked towards him. He put his hand on the hilt of his sword and drew it. And the sound of the scrapping metal caused Yhwach to turn around. But he was different that the last time Toshiro saw him.

Everything was the same except his face looked like it was covered in black tar. More frightening was what was on it, eyes. Dozens and dozens of eyes. His mouth and his chin were the only parts of his face still left visible. And when the eyes rested on Toshiro he smiled.

"The Young Head- Captain? Returned." Toshiro said nothing as he continued to advance towards him. He was not in the mood to talk. Not now, not after what had happened." You shouldn't be angry. You knew the score as well as I." Toshiro continued towards him." There cannot be two divine races, there can be only one."

Toshiro had heard enough and when he lunged forward he swung down his sword, covering the entire area where Yhwach stood in ice. Not to his surprise the Quincy leader re-appeared several feet behind him.

"You are wasting your time young Head-Captain." Toshiro turned back and faced him. His blue eyes like cold steel. "I am now eternal." Yhwach said." You cannot do any harm to me. I know everything that was or will be. I am God."

In that moment Toshiro thought of Unohana, Chojiro, Momo, Renji, Izuru, Seigen, and the thousands more who died at the hands of the Quincy. All faces he had come to know and trust. Faces he would never see again. And it was all Ywach's fault. And now Toshiro finally spoke.

"Nothing can save you from me."