Chapter 20: 2 Weeks Part
More chapters on my (P)atreon at Saintbarbido.
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(General P.O.V)
(Sphere of The Gods)
(Rama Kushna)
The scales of balance were slightly tilted to the happenstance, the chaos.
She balanced it, preserving the flow of time. Fate unravelling, in impossible and possible futures unfolding simultaneously, yet far enough.
Like the distance between an ant on Earth and the next Galaxy over.
She supposed it was beautiful not knowing what would come.
She too was susceptible to the lack of foresight Whenever she directly interfered.
Her power only needed her to act on impulse. To regulate Karma.
Her manipulations were also usually imperceptible but this time, the sight of so many crows covering a jet was bound to be eye-catching.
Good thing they were too high up to be seen.
All that mattered was for the Spirit King to go where he needed to go.
She couldn't allow Another one of the Old Ones to escape.
But just to make sure that everything went according to the plan, she would need to talk to him.
The instant between the transition, would be enough for her to possess her champion for a limited time.
(Davian's P.O.V)
The very first thing to go wrong happened a long while into the flight.
Gotham was at the very coast of North America, providing us with an almost direct route through the Atlantic and into Europe.
The jet hugged the coast of the U.S to minimize the distance. Normally a direct route would take close to 8 hours (I think, this was after all my first time out of the country) but Cheshire had informed me it wouldn't be long, merely 3 hours.
The Jet was after all built for speed.
3 hours were enough to do something productive.
With Deadman off to... somewhere and Cheshire at the cockpit manning the plane, I had a little privacy which I used to retrieve a couple of Raven's book and start reading.
This particular one was titled, 'Magicka of the Arcane.'
While Raven had a few tomes and books that explained the different ways magic could be harnessed, like through Occultism, this book was different.
It contained nothing but active spells. The Magicka of the Arcane, had a wide range of classifications.
There were elemental spells, mystical spells and nature spells. Elemental spells were basically a bundle of spells that were elemental in nature like a fireball or an Earth spike.
Mystical spells contained spells like Teleportation and telekinesis.
Last but certainly least, Nature spells were the bread and butter of Druids.
They contained holy light used in cleansing corruption as well as, plant manipulation, beast summoning and a couple more spells I couldn't see myself ever using.
All of it was interesting and I already had ideas on how to come up with my own versions of the Spells in the Magicka.
There was a particular spell I was enamoured with called, Thunder Wave.
It was a wild chaotic spell that unleashed a blast of lightning that could destroy an entire building in one fell swoop.
Akai Inazuma could do that but what if I combined both?
Increasing the effectiveness of the repertoire of Kido I had, sounded better than coming up with new and different spells.
The plane jerked as alarms begun to blare out around me, cutting off my concentration. I pocketed the small book.
"Fuck, I knew something like this would happen! This world can't even let me have a few hours of peace."
I cursed, getting up and hurrying to the cockpit.
I opened the door and saw Cheshire struggling with the controls.
Looking out through the windshield told me why.
"They just came out of nowhere!"
She growled.
Over a thousand crows seemed to surround the plane, pushing on it.
The jet rocked once again.
"Shit! We just lost the left engine!"
"What can I do?!"
I asked.
Maybe I could go outside and kill the crows?
I turned around to leave before she could respond.
Once in front of the plug door, I realized my idea wouldn't work. Shit I couldn't open it because the pressure would suck everything out, making things even worse.
The jet jerked once again, almost throwing me off my feet.
"Strap in! We're going down."
Cheshire's voice came in through the comms.
"Chase, any ideas?"
I asked my Zanpakuto.
"Did you forget you have Spirit Pressure?"
I widened my eyes.
I should get slapped for forgetting that.
I closed my eyes and allowed my Reiatsu to burst out.
I took care to shield Cheshire from the effects, only focusing on the crows outside then released the full effects of Reiatsu.
The metal of the plane groaned but nothing happened to the crows.
I frowned. It wasn't working.
"Chase there is something wrong with these things. I don't think they're real."
Upon my words, the whole world seemed to pause. Everything was put on hold.
The wildly spinning jet headed towards the water, the numerous birds flapping wings around the aircraft, Cheshire's cursing... everything just stopped.
I felt it before I saw her.
An enormous ball of shining light had just entered my Reikaku zone.
Deadman floated through the floor of the plane. However, he was different.
Above him was what I had sensed. I looked up and saw her.
The shadow of a blue skinned woman with pitch black eyes and long flowing hair.
She was dressed in a red robe that ended with long sleeves.
"Forgive me for the unexpected transition."
She said, her voice managing to sound genderless and flat.
"Messing with time is always tricky business."
The power ringing in those words was enough to tell me that without my Spirit King form, I was fucked if I tried to fight her.
Even with the Spirit King form, this being was still leagues above the likes of a weakened Trigon. And Trigon at his full power was no joke.
I was standing in the presence of a god. A real one.
"Rama Kushna."
I gave her a respectful nod.
No matter who it was I would never bow or kneel. I was my own master. That didn't mean I had to be an asshole.
"I was hoping my Champion would get you to me earlier, but I understand that wasn't possible."
She replied, an undertone of frustration evident in her voice.
"Listen to me, Spirit King, I cannot sustain this connection indefinitely as I am within another God's influence. I have intervened in your journey for one sole purpose. You need to stop Oceanus from successfully coming into his full power."
She stopped, her gaze strafing towards the left.
"We are here. The Bermuda triangle, 500 years into the future."
She said and through the window I spotted, the murky waters of a violent ocean eager to devour anything.
The whirlpool looked larger than the entire Central Park.
"Wait...what are you talking about?!"
I enquired but the shadow of Rama Kushna begun to flicker.
"I have belief you shall know what to do with the lost god of the Ocean."
And with that she disappeared, leaving behind a confused Deadman.
"Chase?"
I called out to my Zanpakuto. He was even a better sensor than I was.
"She's gone. I can't feel her presence anymore."
"What happened? How am I here?"
Deadman asked, looking around in confusion.
"Go and protect Cheshire, we're about to hit the ocean. I will explain everything later."
I informed him, while unsheathing my Sword.
Deadman looked ready to argue but finally chose to fly away, leaving me to stare at the approaching catastrophe.
I was mad. Who was she to pull me into something that didn't concern me? If Oceanus wanted back his throne, let him have it if he can. Why rope me into this?
"Chase how do we kill a god?"
I asked my Zanpakuto as I removed the sheath from my hip.
I couldn't create a big enough shield, but maybe one to cover the cockpit with Cheshire and I in it was doable.
I wasn't particularly confident in the jet surviving the crash.
"The usual way. Stab until its dead."
I smiled viciously.
Then we were swallowed by the Ocean.
(Atlantis)
(General P.O.V)
The throne room was quiet after the news had been delivered.
The chief soldier bowed his head in shame. He could feel the cold fury contained in the king's otherwise calm face. But it was all a facade.
"I... deeply apologize your majesty, we patrolled the entire area. Xebel truly has disappeared, leaving behind naught but ruins of the settlements of old. The entire city is gone. And Queen Mera...remains missing."
The Chief Soldier explained for the second time. It truly was a tragedy. Especially with the recent attacks at the border.
The sea creatures of the dark...had periodically been attacking the city states.
The Trench were savages but these attacks had no coordination or motive behind them.
And with the other city states not having a strong enough magic Shield like Atlantis, many Atlanteans had been bodily and economically harmed.
The casualties were kept to a minimal due to the soldiers and city guards.
Curfew has been imposed and this did nothing to calm the age old civil unrest and petitions for democracy to stop being lateral.
'Surface dweller sympathizers.' the Chief Soldier thought bemusedly. Atlanteans were not like humans. Unlike them, they hadn't lost their culture and traditions.
A wise king accomplished more than an entire building of bickering fat men in black suits.
"Forgive me my Annax."
Kakdur'ahm, the king's protégé took to his knees to address the king.
"Speak Kaldur."
King Orin told him, his voice still strong despite the weary events that had taken place the previous week.
"I would like to request you to consider getting help from your colleagues, the Justice League."
Well, the Chief Soldier couldn't say he didn't see that coming.
But the court advisers and officials around seemed to immediately go to arms over the idea.
But this was not a surface dweller cabinet. They knew the decorum to follow and would only dissolve into arguments when the King tentatively seemed to allow it.
"That's preposterous my Annax. We cannot allow the Surface Dwellers to know of Queen Mera's disappearance!"
The chief adviser spoke up from where he stood at the right side of the throne.
Of course decorum flies out of the window when you are the brother of the King.
Still, Prince Orm had a point. Atlantis could not be perceived as weak. Not now.
More surface incursions and skirmishes had happened over the last decade than ever reported before. That would grow if Atlantis was seen as weak.
"My Annax, the Justice League has resources that can help not only search for her in the oceans but also on the surface."
Kaldur immediately added, causing a contemplative look to appear on the king's face.
Prince Orm narrowed his eyes at Kaldur.
"Queen Mera is a sovereign of the most powerful nation on the planet, she knows her duty is first and foremost to the..."
"Enough."
The king interrupted, getting to his feet.
That's when his presence spilled out. In the ocean he was nigh unstoppable.
"I will not involve the League in this. But just in case...Kaldur?"
At King Orin's summons, Aqualad walked forward and knelt behind him, his fist held close to his chest.
"Yes, Annax."
"The winter festival is over. You were supposed to journey back to the Surface world today, Correct?"
At Kaldur's confirmation, king Orin turned to fully face him.
"You know what to do then."
Aqualad nodded before swimming out of the throne room.
"Now,"
The king turned to face the Chief Soldier.
"Take me there. Take me to the place my wife was last seen."
(General P.O.V)
When humans die, they go to the afterlife as souls.
Those souls are then sorted into the afterlife that they deserve.
Generally, the bad or evil were sentenced to an eternity in a place of torment and the good or righteous were welcomed into the gates of paradise.
Pretty standard stuff.
However, where do those souls go to once they die?
In this case, death being the essence of their spirit going non-existent in all forms of mortality.
What is death? Is death the absence of life or the incapability of sensing life. Just because you can't see something doesn't mean it's not there.
So where do souls go to when they die?
HE had his answer. Nowhere.
They existed in the nothingness, unperceived by no one except for themselves.
Sustained only by their own echoes of memories.
Forever in... the Darkness. Waiting for the time that even the Darkness lost meaning.
Then something happened.
"Oh, you are just what I was looking for. Even both your backstories match!"
A voice said excitedly, breaking the monotony of the in-between.
"One was the true king of the ocean, ousted from his throne, and you...hohoho, you had it even worse didn't you?"
The voice spoke up once again.
The Dead soul didn't really understand what the Voice meant.
However, whatever intent was left in him reached out in a desperate bid to feel something different. Something other than the emptiness.
The Soul's will have culminated in a simple word...
'Las Noches.'
The voice did something strange.
"It's called laughing. Jeez, you must have been here a long time if you forgot that."
'Time.'
Something stirred within him. He knew that word. He knew it intimately. He knew it instinctively.
This time when he reached out it was in the form of a question.
'Time?'
The voice laughed harder.
"Oh what a rare find! You remember your...what do you guys call it? Resu...ah I can't pronounce it. It doesn't roll of the tongue. Not like Batman. See? Bat-man...there's just no comparison. You guys should have gone for something just as cool while being simple to pronounce!"
The voice came out in a burst. It was... ranting.
Yes! Ranting.
Because of frustration. Why?
Because the Voice didn't get what he wanted.
He didn't get what he wanted too. He had wanted to rule forever!
"Oh,"
The voice sighed in satisfaction and pride.
"I knew this was a good idea. Is this what it feels to be a parent?"
Batmite wondered out loud into the boundless infinitude. The dregs of the soul he had found in the void was perfect for what he wanted.
Was it cheating?
Probably.
But on the bright side...that 'guy' would grow even stronger.
Probably.
Strong enough to have an ultra-mega cool showdown with Batman!
Dun dun duuun!
He just had to make sure no one could know he was the one behind aaaalll of it, or else that other 'Guy' would make it an issue.
(Deep in the Bermuda) (500 years from now)
Ships and aircrafts disappeared within this zone.
From above, the clouds would obscure all visibility.
Even while approaching on the water, that had its own problems.
That only worked if the gps coordinates were not thrown off course by the magnetic fields surrounding the area.
The Bermuda triangle was truly mysterious.
Little did man know, that at the center of the Bermuda, lay a city.
One that materialized above the ruins of its former self.
Through some unknown means, Xebel had been pulled from the present time to 500 years into the future, when all that was left was ruins where the exiled nation once stood strong.
The city was covered by a shimmering purple dome, not unlike the blue one over Poseidon's.
The two differences being that the purple shield on Xebel was connected to the Palace by a large beam of light.
And the shield also kept the crushing pressure of the water at bay.
Light from the shield shone down onto the empty streets.
There was no movement or sound coming from the city. The once great Xebel looked abandoned and dead.
The dome around the city rippled as someone pierced through. She fell gracefully, landing on the cobblestones before the stairs leading to the Palace.
The figure was dressed in a red tight bodysuit with golden armour that ended in fin like protrusions at the shoulder pauldrons.
She was beautiful, with purple flowing hair and blue eyes, a bountiful chest and full lips.
In her hands was a silver trident, one with numerous symbols of an hourglass.
She climbed the steps slowly, the weapon in her hands producing a sharp ringing every time the end of the shaft landed on the steps.
The first cracked skull lay on the 10th step. Then from there, heaps of bones and skulls, belonging to men, women and children started appearing.
The bones were bleached as if a lot of time had passed.
They were Xebelians, all of them sacrificed for the glory of her master.
For Oceanus.
The True God-Titan of the Seas.
Before long she found herself at the foot of the Xebelian Throne. A throne her father had once sat down on.
She immediately knelt down on one knee in front of the new King, deference wafting off her.
"It's like we planned my Lord. The outside world has completely been ravaged by the Trench. Poseidonis and the City states fell long ago."
Hila, the sister to Queen Mera addressed 'him.'
"Atlantis is no more and the Surface Dwellers left from the 500 year war are too weak to stand up to your might. Their souls are ripe for taking."
She informed him, daring to gaze upon his glorious form.
An aura of death and rot covered his form. The throne he sat on was rusted and the stone surrounding it was cracked with dust hanging on the ground.
The cracks extended out into the throne room. The marble pillars holding up the chamber had numerous of them that seemed to only grow with each passing second.
"Good."
Oceanus finally spoke up.
He was a large figure. He had white faded hair, wore a crown of bone with spurs at the ends, and 2 prominent scars that littered his face.
"The sooner I get to my full power; the sooner we can prepare."
He informed his Fraccion.
She wasn't like Ggio, Findorr or the others but she was... sufficient. Eager to please.
He wouldn't have been able to devour all the souls in Xebel without her help.
His large barrel like chest was covered in a white top that extended into a long flowing gaudy robe that fell to his ankles even while seating.
He had a skull in his left hand, and within it was wine.
On his left side was his weapon, a large, double-headed battle-axe.
"Hila. I am... satisfied with your efforts. What about your sister?"
His voice was guttural, only adding to the fear effect he seemed to induce with his eyes. One of them being blind.
At the mention of her sister, Hila couldn't hide the scowl.
Before she could give an answer, something grey smashed through the dome around Xebel. It failed to breach and was immediately destroyed.
However, a green bubble shield managed to break through and fell towards Xebel like a meteor.
"Mmh."
Oceanus narrowed his eyes. Then they widened as he crushed the skull goblet in his hands, splashing the wine all over him.
His spirit pressure burst out, filling the entire throne room. Hila immediately face planted to the floor as the imposing form of the God-Kimg of Hollows got to his feet
"Impossible! What is a Soul Reaper doing here?!"
He roared out in both anger and fear.
"No matter..."
The voice that had pulled him out of the darkness called out.
"You're not the same as you used to be. You are not merely Barragan Luisenban, the king dethroned, nor are you Oceanus, the forgotten Titan who ruled all the Oceans. You are BOTH."
Yes. The Voice was right. He wasn't the old man that Aizen had called a 'Relic of the past.'
With the power of Time and the ability to command the oceans, no one would stand up to him. No one would stop him from ruling as he rightfully deserved.
"Show me that I was right to give you this chance. Kill Davian Mabuz for me."
(Davian's P.O.V)
The jet hadn't survived the whirlpool.
It was fortunate that I had managed to construct a shield around Cheshire and I. However, I was still mad.
Mad that someone was using me like a pawn. And Deadman was not even around to vent my frustrations on! He seemed to have disappeared once the whole planet went down.
The purple dome around the city blocked the debris from the plane but my Full bring shield was able to penetrate through.
"Fuck."
Cheshire sighed, looking out into the murky waters outside the purple barrier.
"Crusher is gonna be pissed that I destroyed his favourite toy. How are we going to get to Hong Kong now?"
She mumbled.
I hummed in agreement before feeling a pair of eyes stare at me in question.
"So are you going to tell me what just happened?"
Cheshire asked, crossing her hands together.
'The goddess governing Karma and the scales of balance appeared before me and gave me a mission to deal with a power hungry god.'
I was tempted to tell her that.
However, that explanation would only bring more questions. The way I saw it, I would deal with this Oceanus and then we would leave without wasting time.
"Focus."
I told her while directing the bubble shield down onto the city hiding behind the dome.
I could still feel her eyes bore into me before she snorted and looked away.
The layout would have been considered beautiful.
The buildings were constructed in an architectural design that linked every building while still providing sufficient space in-between for movement.
"Wait. This place...looks familiar."
Cheshire said as our attention was pulled to the massive beam of purple energy connecting the largest building at the center of the city.
"It's a Palace. The Xebelian palace!"
The Assassin told me.
A palace huh? That certainly makes things easier.
All I had to do was directly go towards it and...
My breath hitched, as something appeared on the edges of my Reikaku. What was that cloying power?
My vision blacked out and I lost control of the bubble shield, which burst apart and immediately we started falling.
There was a yelp from Cheshire before I felt strong hands grab me.
Cheshire then used one of her Sais to pierce onto the wall of a building, slowing our descent.
We landed in an alleyway and I immediately tore off my jacket.
Why was it so hard to breath?! And was someone shaking me?
Push and pull...
Push and pull...
The mantra worked its magic and I was able to center myself.
"...vian! Davian! Follow the sound of my voice. Can you hear me?"
Chase was calling out.
I shrugged off Cheshire's hold, using the wall to support myself.
"I'm fine..."
I told her.
Thankfully she stepped back.
That Power. That Reiatsu...it had been cloying.
"Chase what the fuck was that?"
I asked my Zanpakuto as I struggled to get up. Even now I could feel the incredible power level pulsing from the general direction of the palace.
"That...is your first true challenge. The one who sent us here either believes that you actually have a chance of beating this guy, or they wanted to kill you and got creative."
I rolled my shoulders. How pessimistic of him.
"There's always someone trying to kill me, this is no different. It sounds as if you don't believe I can take this guy."
"You can't."
Chase replied with finality.
Huh?
I stopped. That didn't sound right.
"What do you mean I can't take him?"
I growled out, uncaring that Cheshire was staring at me as if I was crazy.
"Whatever you sensed there? It was Spiritual Energy with something else in the mix. The Reiryoku felt like it belonged to a Hollow. A powerful one. I estimate an Espada level Hollow."
I blinked.
Okay. That wasn't good.
Cheshire reached into her back and unsheathed her other Sai with a sharp ring.
"I can tell by your expression that our situation is not very favourable."
She said, placing a foot on the wall and then spring-boarding off it to reach a ledge.
Then she pulled herself up onto the relatively high roof, looking down at me.
"You do what you need to do while I scout the area. Maybe I can find something that will get us out of here."
Then she disappeared, leaving me with my Zanpakuto to argue.
Chase thought I should cut my losses, take Cheshire and leave as my opponent was simply too powerful for me.
"I agree Chase."
I told him, walking forward towards the Palace.
"The smart thing would be to leave. The water pressure is something my Full bring shield should handle, but what would be the point?"
Unseen to anyone, a large bloodthirsty smile appeared on my face.
"Think about it, it's a Hollow! Someone who can use Reiryoku. That means fighting against someone like me. Someone with skills I can steal and get stronger. I am not running away."
I twirled Chesha Neko, releasing my own Spirit energy, all of it.
Cheshire was far away from my range and Deadman was still missing after Rama Kushna had taken possession of him, so I wouldn't accidentally harm my two colleagues by revealing my full power.
The air above the city begun to roil and churn as another Spirit Pressure, much greater than mine rose up to meet my own.
They crashed in the air and I immediately knew it wasn't going to be an easy fight.
"Come forth from the weave of eternity, Chesha Neko: Release."
(General P.O.V)
The abandoned city passed by her in a blur.
Her feet pumped with practiced ease as she picked up speed whenever she approached the edge.
Then she would lunge and clear the distance easily. It didn't matter that this was unfamiliar environment.
Her body knew what to do. It had been honed over several years of intense training.
In fact, she felt as if she could run even faster now. There was an invisible field of energy buzzing above her skin, adding strength to her movements.
It was intoxicating.
She hadn't been wrong either. She knew this city. It was customary to know high profile locations in her line of work. Missions could take her anywhere in the world after all.
Xebel had an interesting history.
It had started out as a place of banishment.
Constructed inside a maelstrom of water and strange phenomenon that could keep everyone away.
Surrounded by a dome of energy that restricted anyone without the gift of hard water manipulation from leaving. She couldn't verify if any of it was true though.
The League of Shadows was more knowledgeable about the real world than what was under the sea.
'I've passed over this city center 2 times.'
Cheshire thought as she slowed down.
"This place is built to be confusing. Or rather...the placement of everything is too different from what I'm used to."
She mumbled to herself.
The plan had been to locate a hangar or docking of some kind. There was bound to be an underwater craft or something. How else had the people of Xebel gotten food or amenities from the outside world?
"Shit."
Cheshire cursed, removing her mask. What if the absence of everyone meant that the people had somehow used all means of escape to leave?
She shook her head. Now she was reaching. Coming up with conjectures not based on facts.
Too much thinking leads to overthinking. If she couldn't find anything in the city, then her best chance laid with the palace
She wore her mask, briefly wondering why it felt snugger than before.
It framed her face perfectly. Davian had done something to it but she'd thought it was only so that she could see the ghost that followed him around.
But now she suspected it was more than that. Cheshire willed the mask to show her more.
The buzzing around her skin grew stronger and with a click, her vision changed.
She turned her gaze towards the Palace and immediately ripped the mask of her face as she breathed heavily.
What the fuck was that?! Her body shivered in fear.
It was like staring at the sun. If the sun was rotted and glowing sinisterly.
Next to that rotting sun, there had been another light. This one had felt familiar to her.
Davian.
Okay, so she wasn't approaching the palace just yet. She didn't think she would survive even from a relatively safe distance.
The kind of power both were throwing around...
She wore her mask and looked out into the city once again. Maybe the mask's new vision could show her something she had missed.
She was right.
The buildings and walls seemed to go transparent before her gaze. Within them, she could see lines of power.
Lines that were connected to the beam of light spearing through the air from the palace.
The lines seeped through the Palace grounds and out into the city, branching out. And even with the mask it was hard to stare at one for long.
They seemed to phase in and out of reality irregularly.
'That must have been what was confusing me.'
Cheshire thought to herself.
Then she spotted something strange. Or stranger, taking into account they were thousands of miles under the ocean in an underwater city.
The lines of energy seemed to converge in one particular place, east of the palace.
The section seemed to belong to a block of buildings with high walls separating it from the rest of the city.
Cheshire jumped, weaved, climbed and barely a minute over, she was standing on a watchtower looking down at the building.
Or rather...the Prison.
A rumble hit the city, causing the ground to shake along with a shockwave of dust that swept out through the entire area.
Cheshire managed to keep her balance but turned her eyes towards the Palace. She was almost a mile away!
The fact that the shockwaves from the battle could reach her was crazy!
Davian had gotten busy.
Time for her to do the same.
Was it dumb to investigate who was locked up in here without knowing why they were locked up in the first place?
Absolutely.
Was she still going to do it?
Undoubtedly.
She was Cheshire. Curiosity was her thing.
Besides, the Cheshire Cat knew how to protect itself. She must have imagined the purr of approval that seemed to come from the mask.
She shrugged and jumped into the yard.
(Davian's P.O.V)
With my Shikai active, the roar of power within me felt restless to be used.
Shunpo cleanly ensured I covered the distance between my previous position and the palace in a heartbeat.
My feet landed inside a wide chamber with barely any noise. I straightened up to study my opponent.
"You are fast."
A man said in a scratchy voice.
That's when I noticed it. The air in the chamber felt heavy and the source of that heaviness was...
Impossible.
This makes no logical sense.
I tightened the grip I had on Chesha Neko as I stared at the familiar old man seated on a rusted throne.
"Chase please tell me I'm dreaming. Otherwise, what is Barragan Luisenban doing in DC?"
I urgently asked my Zanpakuto.
"You cannot afford to get distracted. This is a mystery that will have to wait until you can get out of here alive. So attack."
Chase replied in a hard tone.
He was still mad that I hadn't cut my losses and left. He needed to understand that running away was not who I was.
"Attack? Fine. I can do that. But after this, you and I are going to have a looong conversation. Something tells me you're keeping things from me."
He didn't reply.
I didn't waste time either. He was right on one account.
This wasn't an enemy I could take lightly. From the start, I was going all out.
I poured everything I had in Chesha Neko and then flash stepped forward, intent on finishing this with...
"Eager to fight are we?"
Barragan came from the side.
I...
The air around us popped as I used my fastest speed to fall back.
Space grew narrow around me as everything went out of focus with me slipping into what I coined as Flash Time.
"Sonido."
Came the scratchy old voice and immediately the old Hollow King blurred, appearing to my front with his battle axe held above, for a downward swing.
He breathed out in exertion bringing the axe down onto my head.
I was about to lift Chesha Neko to block it, when my instincts screamed at me.
So I dodged the slash, only for the axe to bite down onto the ground and create a wide groove.
The ground shook as a large plume of dust thrown up was followed by pieces of rocks and marble.
I jumped off the ground, pushing off the side of a pillar before creating a platform of energy in the air some feet off the ground.
My breath came out in harsh exhales as I looked down at the devastation.
"He has me beat in everything. Speed, strength, skill..."
I said in disbelief.
I couldn't believe how outmatched I was!
Is this the difference between a lieutenant class Soul Reaper and someone on the level of an advanced Captain?!
Can I even hurt him?
"Don't forget he's not just a mere arrancar, there is something else inside him. It feels like magic."
Chase informed me.
"Magic? Well that's just great."
I murmured.
"It's not too late to leave, My Wielder."
Chase added just as the dust settled.
"Leave?"
I shook my head.
"Not a chance. I will never turn my back on an enemy, Chase."
My smile was back in full and my breathing was under control. He'd caught me off guard but now I was ready for him.
I dismissed the platform of energy under me and fell with Chesha Neko unravelling into millions of threads that covered my body from head to toe.
The purple suit was back in business baby!
The instant I touched the ground with my soles, I lunged forward, using Reikaku to keep him in my awareness.
The ground behind me cracked from the burst of speed.
The air screamed as it was parted around my outstretched palm heading towards Barragan's neck.
Predictably, he raised the flat side of the battle axe to block my attack.
The strings around my palm extended to cover his Zanpakuto fully then I strafed to the right pulling on the strings and seeking to disarm him.
Without his Zanpakuto he couldn't use his Resurrection which was related to time. Making the fight much much easier.
The axe slipped out of his hand and I made sure to throw it as far away as I could.
The weapon went sailing towards edge of the city. Barragan was left surprised for an instant which gave me enough time to wrap my strings around his neck.
I appeared behind him and tugged on them, severing his head from the neck.
Or so I thought. I felt the threads snap and give way.
For the first time ever, my strings had lost. They had a tensile strength stronger than metallic cables!
"Impressive. But not enough. Not nearly enough power to get past my Hierro, if you want to kill me."
He was behind me. How was he behind me?! I made sure to...
My thoughts were cut off by the feeling of dread creeping up my spine.
His hand was coming down to touch on my head. I couldn't let that happen or else I was a goner.
Move!
I flexed my energy. Pushing myself faster than I'd ever done before.
This particular Shunpo was not clean at all. Streaks of purple lightning devastated the surroundings as I evaded Barragan.
But I didn't stop there. I couldn't. Barragan had shown me just how much of a threat he could be.
He was my natural counter. Chase hadn't been exaggerating when he called him my first true challenge.
The only way I could win was by overwhelming him.
So I ran faster, appearing like a purple storm around him, my strings wreaked havoc, unfolding into whips of sharp threads that sort to slice him apart.
Blood would spray out of his wounds, before more would appear across his body but all of it appeared superficial.
I was faster than even Flash-time could keep up with, so I closed my eyes and trusted in my Reikaku to guide me.
I used sword constructs to hack him apart. Coming in for a knee shot on the face which made him stumble back before winding a clawed hand my way.
But I was already gone, sweeping from below and severing his feet tendons, destabilizing his balance.
I blinked and found myself crouching horizontally onto a palace pillar, bending the knees for more lunge power.
I sprung off it, causing the whole thing to break apart into chunks before I impacted Barragan with the soles of my feet, pushing him off the top of the palace steps, his body in free fall towards the city below.
Another flash step and I was above him, both hands aimed at his form.
My eyes caught his unworried gaze and I ground my teeth. He didn't see me as a threat.
Good.
The strings around me extended out and formed into numerous glowing purple hands around my body.
"Hado no.7: Akai Inazuma Maxima!"
Reiryoku roared out of my body, extending to my hand constructs as easily as they poured into my real hands.
The sound started out like the chirping of overexcited birds.
Then came the rumble.
Sparks of red energy clashed against each other, combining into orbs of unstable charge before exploding forward in a streak of electric energy that was a meter wide across.
Barragan's eyes widened just as the attack landed. Someone was roaring.
It was me.
The power leaving my hands was astronomical. For the first time in weeks, my energy reserves fell to a quarter of the total amount I had.
The lightning beam sent the God-King of Hollows down to the ground, decimating the entire area and completely destroying a small section of the city.
I felt lightheaded for a second. There was a ringing in my head and my hands...
I lifted them up, they were charred and smoking. I grabbed my sheath and felt them start to heal while staring down at the crater Barragan had landed.
Slow laughter started ringing out. With a flex of power, all the dust hanging in the air was expelled, revealing Barragan. His chest was bear with strips of burnt fabric hanging off his frame.
He held out his hand to the side and something fast cut through the air.
No not his...
The Battle Axe I had separated from its owner landed in his hands.
"I see now. You are powerful."
He started, smacking the shaft of his Zanpakuto onto the ground.
"If I devour your soul, I will be able to stabilize this form. Prepare to die, young Soul Reaper."
I was entranced. The amount of power within him was staggering. I felt like a kid in front of a storm.
He took a step forward, twirling the jet black Battle Axe. A red jewel in the middle of the axe begun glowing as it exuded purple smoke darker than the purple I wielded.
"Rot...Arrogante: Domain of the Ocean God."
If he had been hard to beat before, now he was impossible.
"Maybe you were right Chase. He is too powerful for me."
I admitted grimly.
"What are you going to do?"
My Zanpakuto asked.
I finished healing.
"Well, if I want to survive, it's fairly obvious. I'll just have to grow stronger than him as we fight."
(General P.O.V)
The entire building complex shook as Cheshire managed to infiltrate it.
No one was manning the entrance besides a shimmering curtain of energy that she could perceive with her mask.
Of course, she immediately sorts other ways to enter, finally moving through a sort of drainage she found underground.
There was a system of tunnels leading inside that were free of any meaningful security.
The one who set up the magic formation must have been sceptical about anyone using the tunnels to go into the prison.
Very quickly she moved through the cell blocks. Each individual cell containing glowing yellow manacles attached to chains on the wall.
The whole building was completely empty of anything save for the furthest section.
She hurried through and finally arrived at where most of the glowing lines of energy seemed to converge.
Cheshire gripped her Sais tightly as she heard the chains rattle.
"Come to gloat once more dear sister?"
A female voice croaked from within.
It was full of venom and hate while also being scratchy and dry, showing disuse.
And also very familiar. At least from tv Interviews and press tours.
Cheshire moved closer. Enough to see past the small bars but still out of the zone of the complex formation surrounding the cell.
"How can I break you out?"
The Assassin immediately asked as another rumble rocked the building.
"What? Who...who are you? You're not Hila."
The voice inside changed tones. Now it sounded suspicious and hopeful.
"You hear that shaking?" Cheshire enquired moving around the hallway m while looking for a weak point.
"That's my...friend. I'm guessing he's fighting whoever put you in here. We don't have time for your sob story or for me to assure you that you can trust me. How do I get you out of here?"
The woman inside was silent for a while.
"I am Queen Mera of Atlantis. If you're genuine about freeing me then get me a half cup of water. I'll handle the rest."
Cheshire smirked.
"Of course your highness. Gimme a second."
The assassin couldn't believe her life. A few weeks ago she would have been the one delivering the final blow to a dignitary like Queen Mera, but now here she was, doing the saving thing.
Just goes to show anything can happen.
(Davian's P.O.V)
Barragan Luisenban, the God of Hueco Mundo was like a reactor for Reiryoku.
The earlier spirit pressure was nothing compared to what he was releasing now.
My chest felt constrained and all I could do was stand in place, witnessing Barragan's Power-Up.
The Resurrection, an Arrancars' answer to a Soul Reaper's Bankai.
Fuck that. I wasn't going to let him power up, this wasn't an Anime.
I wasn't a main character awed to submission by the waves of power exuding out of my opponent.
My philosophy had always been, 'line it up, take the shot and Never Miss.'
Chesha Neko's blade reformed in my hands from the endless strings around my body. My hand tightened on its grip.
One thing I noticed before was that my Shunpo was abnormal. The skill simply did not work as it was supposed to.
Flash step was merely a burst of energy that escaped your heel and pushed you forwards.
However, ever since my confrontation with the Flash, Shunpo had changed. Now it felt like my entire body would buzz with power every time I activated the skill.
It could be argued I was exhibiting a talent in Shunko, which was like an upgraded form of Hoho (high speed movement skill) combined with elemental Kido.
However, I had a different theory.
Regardless, what it did was also increase my reaction time and perception. I could think faster by virtue of over-clocking my brain.
So in a second, I already had a strategy to deal with the old Hollow.
A simple but effective strategy.
My real body appeared right in front of him, hands pulled back and in the middle of a swing.
"Impudent ant. You dare attack me head on?!"
Barragan seemed amused at the move. And he was right. Normally, I wouldn't have a chance in a direct confrontation.
However, this wasn't as direct as he thought. I needed to make him suffer for his overconfidence.
He must have thought Hierro would tank any attack I could come up with.
That was his biggest mistake as I did actually have something that could hurt him.
Two of my clones constructed by strings appeared to the left and the right of him.
Flash-time gave me the capability to process information rapidly from the two clones, effectively allowing me to be in three places at once.
The clone on the right readied his hand then pushed out with the sheath. The air around Barragan begun to swirl, pushing the tendrils of purple miasma around his form towards the sky.
That gave the second clone a direct line of sight to Barragan's skeletal form, giving him an opportunity to cast one of the only two bakudo spells I knew.
"Bakudo no 4: Hainawa."
Normally such a simple skill would not work on someone like Barragan. It was just a simple spirit energy construct.
Even exposure to his Reiatsu alone would have destroyed Hainawa in an instant.
Except for one thing.
Hainawa was the perfect suppressing tool to use for someone like me.
My Hainawa was cast by weaving durable threads into the bindings of the spell, making the spell much much stronger.
Enough to creep around his bony body and ensnare him to the already destroyed ground.
In a split second, I'd eliminated his main means of attack and restrained him. Then came the finisher.
My real body surged with energy. A cloak of power covering me as I committed to the attack.
"Getsuga...Tensho!"
Instantly, all of the Reiryoku within me was completely drained following the activation of 'Fuck you no. 1: Getsuga Tensho.'
A broken ability. Why?
The secret to Getsuga I'd stumbled across was that I could simply pour in as much Reiryoku as I wanted without destabilizing the attack.
Reiryoku just really wanted to be released that way. A super compressed, wide and roaring purple arc.
Space bent around it, unobstructed as it closed the small distance between us in an instant.
Barragan's jaw hung wide open.
"YOU WRETCHED SCUUUUMMM!"
He insulted me.
"FUCK YOU!"
I shot back in a fit of vindication and glee. He had survived over a dozen Akai Inazuma, let's see if his bullshit powers could save him from this.
The Getsuga landed and the repercussions were more than I had expected. The entire city tilted as a chunk of the ground rose up followed by a monumental plume of dust.
"Did I get him?"
I asked Chase, whose sensing skills were even better than mine.
Before he could answer, I heard a snort then,
"Respira."
The word came from his bony maw. In an instant, the world seemed to lose all colour as the dust, stones and other debris hanging in the air in free fall disintegrated.
I felt my body freeze as more Reiatsu burst out of him.
The miasma in his control coagulated around him into a vortex of power before exploding outwards.
"You need to run. Now!"
Chase urgently yelled.
I didn't argue with him. Or rather, I couldn't. My entire body was locked down.
"You power fails to move me, little Ant."
His voice was the ultimate mood killer. Filled with despair and desperation. Fitting for one with the power of rot.
"I was alive before the first hollow." He declared, his steps silent as he walked out of the crater, the battle axe in his hands, longer and larger while also being pitch black.
He walked on the air, platforms of spirit energy manifesting under his feet.
"I have claimed dominion over a dimension filled to the brim with creatures of nightmares. Beings of incredible power have fallen under the ravages of time. I persisted. I held on..."
And within no time at all, he loomed over me, his height close to 9 feet.
I still couldn't move due to the pressure. Is this how my enemies felt?
"Tell me boy, what hope do you have of saving yourself from the Ultimate Nullifier? How dare you try to stand up to TIIIMMMMEE!"
He raised the battle axe, intent on bringing it down on my frozen form.
Up close his Spirit Pressure was getting even more suffocating.
All I wanted to do was curl up and...
"Snap out of it!"
Chase roared out from within my soul.
Immediately, strings launched off my back, weaving through one of the remaining pillars around the Palace and jerking me along.
"Diiieeee!"
Barragan brought down his weapon, curving out another section of the ground.
Half of the Palace was sheared off by the arc of time energy launched off the battle axe.
I swallowed as I used Shunpo to take me away from the Palace grounds to another building on the outskirts.
This one bearing similarities to a bell tower.
If that had been me...
"Where are you running off to?"
Barragan's voice came from my side. Shit. I forgot he was faster than me!
Strings weaved into Chesha Neko and I lifted it up in a cross guard, blocking the bladed part of the Battle Axe.
The chains around his Zanpakuto rattled as a shockwave was produced by the collision. I was pushed back by his immense strength. The bones in my hand trembled from the impact.
I stepped to the side to avoid a burst of time energy, lashing out at his face with Chesha Neko.
He leaned back but I extended the length of the weapon and managed to chip off a small piece of his boney face.
The bell tower under us withered away but we remained standing in mid-air.
Barragan seemed to be caught off guard by my attack.
'Now's my chance!'
I pulled in, strings in my back attached to another building, ready to pull me away in case he tried to attack with his Resurrection.
Chesha Neko neatly stabbed into his chest. The pointed end came out of the other side, the sword spearing through and out his back.
Sparks of electric energy run along its form as I pulled on the soul of Air, specifically the hydrogen.
When molecular hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2) are combined and allowed to react together, energy is released.
Depending on the concentration of Hydrogen, the explosion can range from mild to something like what happened. (Thanks chemistry teacher who understood that just because I was a Criminal didn't mean I didn't deserve an education.)
Barragan's entire chest was blown apart in a violent explosion. Red plumes of flames with flashes of blue intermixed roared out into the sky behind him.
The Hollow God - King groaned in pain, the hand holding the Battle Axe dropping as he stared down at the massive hole through his chest.
"Barragan Luisenban. The one closest to death, yet so convinced he's eternal."
I addressed him, a mocking smile on my face.
"The proudest of the Espada, yet relegated to second place behind an ambitionless Hollow like Stark. You want to know how I, a mere lieutenant rank beat you? It's because you underestimated me."
Barragan lifted his head, opening his jaw wide.
Then instantly, his entire body turned into a dark liquid that splashed across my body. My strings sizzled as they were eroded by the water.
"Huh?"
"Get rid of that now!"
Chase immediately yelled.
I discarded the strings around my body, before they could completely get consumed by the power of time.
I extended stronger strings to cover the patches of the purple costume eaten away by his rot.
Shunpo created distance, and I looked down at the spot of our previous confrontation.
The entire city had begun shaking. From within the tunnels under, more black liquid broke through the man hole, looking like oil but moving with the fluidity of water.
The water rose up into long tentacles that combined in mid-air, compressing and giving shape to something. Or someone.
Barragan. Unhurt. He almost looked like a god, his hands were spread out in a dramatic pose.
"Chase, what is this? I don't feel any spirit energy. It feels like..."
I frowned in distaste, trailing off as I realized what was happening.
It was what I'd been fearing.
"This is what you meant when you said there was something else within him. It's Magic, isn't it?"
Instead of answering, Chase asked a question.
"What are you going to do now? Your Reiryoku reserves are basically empty and you might fall out of Shikai any minute. Not to mention..."
"I have an idea."
I cut him off as I thought of something crazy.
I looked at Barragan. Or rather the dark purple miasma around him.
"Chase, how many years can you say I might live?"
It took a second for my Zanpakuto to catch on to what I was planning.
"You're... you're mad. Truly insane."
He said in unfiltered shock. There wasn't the same undertone of pride I usually heard from him anytime I did something bold.
This told me that my idea was truly reckless.
I stretched my shoulder, hearing the bones on my neck creak as I readied myself for something suicidal.
"Just answer me. Soul Reapers grow stronger with age right? And his power is time. So if I get exposed to it, that should give me a decent power up. Enough to close the gap of power between us. Especially because I don't have access to my own Bankai."
"You're truly..."
Chase begun but I was already committed to the attack.
Shunpo pushed me forward with ease. But this time I wasn't going to dodge, this time I was running straight into the danger.
This time there was a chance I could actually Die.
(General P.O.V)
(500 years into the future)
(There was something in the water.)
Deadman had seen a lot of death and destruction.
Two things that followed a supervillain rampage or a fight with very high stakes.
He'd seen it when the Justice League had repelled the Apellaxian invasion. He'd seen it as recent as last week when Gotham had literally gone up in flames.
(The things in the water felt... familiar.)
This...this was an entirely different thing.
For starters the damage was not limited to one city. It looked as if the entire landscape had been ravaged by a storm of flames.
A storm that came by periodically based on the lack of any meaningful plant life.
The redwoods populating an entire area on the outskirts of San Francisco were nowhere to be seen.
The golden great bridge had collapsed into the murky waters of the bay. San Francisco was not an isolated incident either.
It shared the fate of a few other cities he'd already been too that were in ruins.
(They called to him.)
Deadman could not understand why his Goddess had brought him here. The last thing he remembered was...
"Focus."
He heard Rama Kushna's voice cut through his thoughts.
Deadman blinked, looking down at the passing ground.
The water churned with something. Or rather lots of something and along the shore line were destroyed barricades, trenches and the remains of barbed wire fences.
Deadman could guess what had happened. The authorities had tried to fight, those...things.
He couldn't ignore it anymore. The Trench stared up at his ghostly form with a ravenous hunger. White hollow masks on each of their faces.
Deadman knew what they were, it seemed that he had failed in the past. Vandal Savage had succeeded in his nefarious plans.
Deadman swiftly left San Francisco behind.
(Davian's P.O.V)
"You don't have a way to block his temporal erosion! This is madness."
Chase pointed out.
It was.
I knew it was. But there was something within me that felt it was the right move. I couldn't come up with something else to deal with this guy because...he was simply just better.
If I was really the Main Character of my story like all those self-help books say, then...maybe this would work.
Fuck.
I can't believe I'm putting my belief in the bullshit of plot convenience. Or at least the principles of dumb luck.
"Or maybe you just have a death wish!"
Chase yelled from within my soul.
I didn't have to try hard to convince myself that maybe he was right.
The closer I got to Barragan, the more I realized how outmatched I was. He exuded an aura that slowed things down.
Shit.
It made sense that time would be warped on a zone around his form.
The streaks of purple lightning running along my body disappeared as my speed got sluggish.
Barragan stared down at me, his eyeless holes as deep as the void.
"You shall pay for laying a hand on a king."
He promised while lifting a hand. The dark water pooled onto the ground begun to rise up...
Then it started raining backwards. Which meant drops of the blackish water begun to shoot towards the sky, coming up from under the two of us with different results.
Barragan created a sheet of black ice under his feet in an arguably cool flex of his power.
While I had to construct a shield around me to block the raindrops. Some had already landed on me, eroding the strings making up my costume.
The shield fortunately held up. The raindrops sizzling when they came into contact with it.
It was only a matter of time though. I was running out of Spirit energy. I needed to find a way to get closer to him.
I pulled on the soul of air once more, creating a mist from the humidity in the surroundings, plunging the whole area into a heavy fog.
"Hiding away? What else can I expect from an Ant."
He laughed.
I knew the ploy wouldn't work for long. He could sense Spirit energy after all.
But the few seconds of reprieve I had were more than enough.
"I can't win if I don't get close to him."
I addressed my Zanpakuto.
Chase snorted.
"Finally understand the kind of clusterfuck you're in?"
He asked.
I merely smiled.
"No, I meant I can't win LIKE this. I need a distraction to get close enough and take his Battle Axe away. I don't want to get dismembered."
And so I explained to him the idea I had.
Chase couldn't stop cursing my name.
Under the cover of fog, Shunpo took me to Barragan's side.
The time dilation hit and even before I could react, the Battle Axe fell, splitting me or rather my clone in two.
A roar rang out.
The strings making up the clone twined and weaved into Chase's monstrous form. My Zanpakuto immediately jumped towards Barragan, his claw colliding with the shaft of the battle axe.
"What are you!? A hollow!?"
Barragan exclaimed at the 1 ton plus, purple cat with spurs and spikes around it's body, trying to bite his head off.
The Old Hollow King was immediately put on the back foot, his battle axe being the only thing that could stop Chase's teeth from sinking into him.
"Anytime now!"
My Zanpakuto cried out, exuding a large amount of Reiatsu that enabled me to hide my own spirit marker easily.
My form cut through the mist unimpeded. My target? The hand that was holding onto his weapon.
Push...
Pull...
A copy of Chesha Neko appeared in my hands, my fingers wrapped around the grip fiercely.
I slashed out as I passed by Barragan.
There was a loud clang from the collision. His Hierro managed to only hold me off for an instant, but eventually my sword won out.
It had to, I had basically shoved every last shred of energy I had into the edge, reinforcing the sharpness and durability aspects.
I appeared behind him holding onto his Zanpakuto. Damn. This thing was super heavy.
"Looking for something?"
I held it up, the bones of his right forearm still attached to the shaft of the weapon.
Barragan turned his skeletal neck to fix me with an anger filled glare.
"You shall die for that. Respira."
The miasma shrouding him rose up and consumed Chase's Beast form, eroding the strings making up his form.
But the plan had succeeded. Without his axe, he could only attack one way.
"Now what genius?"
Chase asked from within my soul.
"Now he'll try to prove that he doesn't need his Zanpakuto to deal with me."
I answered.
Sure enough.
Barragan moved and I found my neck grasped in a tight grip. Even if I'd wanted to move...his speed still dwarfed mine.
"I do not need my Zanpakuto to deal with the likes of you."
He growled out, his cold boney fingers tightening around my neck.
I would have laughed if it wasn't for the fact that breathing was hard. A combination of having my neck squeezed and his heavy Reiatsu.
Instead I settled for a smirk, dropping the battle axe in my hand towards the ground, knowing it would make him mad.
Then with all the arrogance I could muster, I added something that would push him over the edge.
"Prove it."
Barragan went silent. I could imagine the image of burning flames in his eyes due to the fury he was feeling.
"Respira."
That one word decided my fate.
The Miasma around him rose up once again in a cloud of darkness.
I undid the strings around me, exposing myself to the effects.
A flash of fear went through me.
What if this didn't work?
Maybe...maybe I really was suicidal.
Then the cloud of time energy swallowed me whole.
(General P.O.V)
Maryland was the same like the previous dozens of cities he had passed through.
The interior wasn't as bad as places near the ocean but the conditions of living were even worse.
There were people but they weren't normal. He had come across large groups just working around aimlessly like Zombies.
"A disease caused by the Trench after they began attacking the surface world."
His goddess' voice sounded in his mind.
"So what, they were turned into zombies?"
Deadman asked as he passed over a camp.
Hundreds of infected people surrounded the high electric fence of the camp filled with soldiers and other personnel.
Most seemed like scientists.
Deadman left them behind as he followed his goddess' instructions, moving ahead.
She had brought him here for a reason.
(General P.O.V)
Barragan was finally free.
He had been freed from that darkness by a being he couldn't quite understand.
The only request being...
"Just do what you want."
So he'd decided to rule once more. Both pieces of his being, the Ocean God and the Hollow King had naturally sort Dominion over the largest chunk of the planet, the ocean.
It was only his birth right.
But a king conquered. And so, the ocean alone hadn't been enough.
Then...that group had arrived with a proposition.
As a sea god, he could control all marine life. He could use that to conquer even more.
All they had wanted was a sample. A sample of his spirit energy.
Barragan had allowed it while deciding to destroy them after achieving his plans.
They had dared ask for what was his. Such impudence.
But even their fates would be considered a mercy to what he would do to this fool who had attacked him.
The ant thought he needed a weapon to crush it. How laughable.
"Respira."
He decided to show it.
That in the grand scheme of things, they were all below him.
Humans, soul reapers, hollows, lords of chaos, even gods...he was above all.
For only he would see Eternity. Only he would outlast the ravages of time.
He felt his power take hold on the boy. He felt it eat away at his vitality. It was a pity; the Ant could have made a competent minion.
A king needed subjects after all.
He let go of the quickly fading body, flying down while calling onto his Zanpakuto.
The Battle Axe had landed on the edges of a sheared off piece of the ground.
Barragan felt another burst of irritation at that. Xebel had almost been destroyed from a fight he could have ended in an instant.
He now regretted killing off the boy so quickly. He should have gone out more painfully.
His Zanpakuto cut through the air towards his remaining right hand.
Barragan blinked and 'HE' was just there.
A towering figure, almost 9 feet tall. They had their back, to him.
A white haori flapped in the air behind the figure, a sheath peeking out from under the haori.
The Old Hollow King tilted his head to the side.
"Another ant. Truly the lesser never learn their place."
Then he realized a problem.
His Battle Axe was in the figure's grip. And despite holding out his remaining hand Barragan could not call it to him.
His Zanpakuto simply refused to leave the man's hand.
Then Barragan realized another problem. He couldn't sense the man. He had just appeared.
All creatures had a spirit marker. This man was like a void. Like...That void.
"How old do you think I am now Chase?"
A rumbling voice escaped the figure.
"I feel... powerful. Man, I must have missed so many birthdays."
The figure lamented.
Barragan's hand lowered, the bones rattling against each other.
His mind was buzzing with fear as a scary possibility made itself known.
"Impossible!"
The Hollow yelled, his Reiryoku and Divine Energy gathering inside his open maw.
The combination of both energies were instantaneous despite their clashing alignments.
The fusion happened seamlessly but in return caused the formation of something with a terrifying amount of power.
Barragan could not allow the possibility to be true! So he had to destroy this ant.
"Divine Ceroo!"
A large golden-purple beam of energy blazed out of his mouth, speeding towards the back of the figure.
The man twirled Barragan's own battle axe and blocked the fired cero easily, the beam rebounding off its flat side to fly off and land on the dome of energy around Xebel.
The entire thing rippled dangerously.
"How is that possible. What did you do?!"
Barragan was freaking out. How could such an attack be dealt with so easily?
"Handy."
The figure kept ignoring him, throwing the Battle Axe up into the air before catching it again.
"I think I'm going to keep this."
He spoke, finally turning around to fully face Barragan.
"Now, to deal with annoying flies buzzing around."
The figure said, clearly showing he was talking about Barragan.
Yet, the Hollow King reacted not with anger but fear.
The figure's entire face was covered in a white mask with long horns shooting to the sky.
His hair was jet black and held in a knot behind his
His chest was left exposed under the Haori, showing of the rippling muscles underneath it.
The Hollow King's entire body froze up.
He still couldn't sense the figure's energy and now he knew why. It was because simply put...
"Finally figured it out, huh?"
The figure teased, crossing his hands together.
Simply put... Barragan had been wrong about who the Ant was.