Facing Captain Commander!
On the Ground,
"It seems that he has arrived, hasn't he?", Shunsui noted in shock.
"Yes…", Nanao replied in shock.
"Ryuji-kun!", Unohana said in shock.
"You know him, Captain Unohana?", Soi Fon asked her.
"He's part of Squad – 3…", Unohana stated.
"That's a lie… He's the Ryoka that beat up Squad – 3 members.", Nanao stated, making everyone alert.
"He's also the person who destroyed the area around Senzaikyu with one slash…", Byakuya stated shocking everyone on the ground.
"He's also the Ryoka that knocked me out.", Shunsui stated while showing the healed wound on his chest, shocking them more.
"…", Yamamoto's eyes widened in shock.
"He has deceived us in whole, Captain Unohana!", Isane said with a sense of hurt in her voice.
"…", Unohana stood there in shock.
"Wait! Look up there!", Soi Fon yelled as she pointed to Ryuji.
On the air,
"Ready to get her out? Geh?!", Ryuji asked Ichigo before being shaken a little by the Kikōō's retreat.
"Run away now! Ichigo! RyujI!", Rukia yelled, fearing the Kikōō's blazing attack.
"…", Ichigo stood shocked at the Kikōō's raising its power exponentially for an attack.
"Tch.", Ryuji's lips twitched as he activated his Sharingan and sped off towards the Kikōō.
"Don't!", Ichigo and Rukia yelled at Ryuji.
'Is he an Idiot?!', Shunsui thought in shock as he saw what Ryuji was doing.
'RYUJI-KUN!', Isane cried out in her mind.
Ryuji flew towards the Kikōō, ready to clash with its flames. In a matter of seconds, the distance between them was reduced. The blazing flames were just an arm's length from Ryuji's body. Ryuji's hands were fastened onto his Zanpakuto. The Kikōō was just an inch from Ryuji… and Ryuji dodged it, shocking everyone.
"That's it!", Ryuji yelled as he raised his sword up.
"What the-?!", Shunsui asked in shock as Ryuji's reiatsu flared up.
"Does he plan to?", Soi Fon asked in shock.
"Hmm!", Yamamoto's eyes widened even more.
Ryuji, standing on the air front of Yamamoto, brought down the blade. The slash blasted out lightning that pierced through the Kikōō, making it scream in rage.
"Rrrrraaaaawwwwwrrrrr", The Kikōō roared out in pain and rage.
"Raaaaaaa!", Ryuji roared back, standing with dominance.
The Kikōō, the entity who was the literal manifestation of the Sokyoku's release, did something that would be engraved in the minds and hearts of Shinigamis for generations to come. Shingekuni Genryusai Yamamoto had seen a lot of things in 2000 years of life… But, never has he seen the Kikōō bow down to someone. But now, he was blessed with that sight. The Kikōō had bowed down before Ryuji and paid its respect, shocking everyone around them.
"I-Impossible! The Kikōō bowed down to him!", Soi Fon said in complete shock.
"…", Yamamoto looked at the sight before him with shock evident in his face.
"…", Shunsui stood there as the Kikōō went back into the Sokyoku and Ryuji descended onto the ground.
"Hm…. What the-?!", Ryuji took a short breath as he saw ropes wind themselves around the Kikōō.
On the Ground,
"Looks like I got here…", Jushiro noted as he stood next to Shunsui with the Shihoin shield
"You're late.", Shunsui noted.
"Sorry… Took time undoing the seals…", Jushiro replied.
"Isn't that the crest of the Shihoin clan… Stop them! They're going to destroy the Sokyoku!", Soi Fon yelled at her lieutenant after noticing the Shield.
"Well… Not that fast!", Shunsui said with a smile as he and Jushiro activated the Shield, destroying the Sokyoku.
"…", Yamamoto stood there in surprise as he saw what his students did.
"Guards!", Soi Fon called out loudly.
"Look over there!", Isane pointed to Renji, who had beaten down the guards as he arrived.
"I'm not letting you do that!", Soi Fon yelled as she flashed towards Renji.
"I'm not letting YOU do that…", Ryuji said with a smirk, blocking her way.
With Jushiro,
"Time for us to go…", Shunsui said as he put his arm over Jushiro and took him away while Nanao followed them.
"….", Yamamoto raised his eyebrow a bit before disappearing.
'It's time to give them a punishment…', Yamamoto thought to himself as he went after Jushiro and Shunsui.
Back to Ryuji,
"…", Ryuji stood in front of Soi Fon with a smirk.
"Just because you survived the Sokyoku, doesn't mean you're powerful!", Soi Fon yelled at Ryuji as she charged at him.
"…", Ryuji dodged her attack and flashed past her.
"Huh?!", Soi Fon stood in shock as she turned around to look at Ryuji.
"Your opponent is not me…", Ryuji said, deactivating his Shikai.
"What-?!", Soi Fon was interrupted by someone pulling her off the Sokyoku Hill.
"It seems that Kyouraku and Ukitake drew the Head Captain away…", Ryuji told himself before blocking the blade that was coming towards him.
"C-Captain Kuchiki!", Renji noted in surprise as he saw that it was Byakuya that had attacked Ryuji.
"Hello to you too, Mr-Nobler-than-thou.", Ryuji greeted with a smirk.
"Tch.", Byakuya's lips twitched as he took a couple of steps back.
"What's up? Can't hit me?", Ryuji mocked with the same smirk.
"Don't let it get to your head! Hadō #33. Sōkatsui!", Byakuya said as he extended his fingers towards Ryuji.
"Hadō #33. Sōkatsui!", Ryuji imitated Byakuya almost immediately.
The kido used by the two men clashed, creating a small explosion. Dust and dirt flew all around them, masking the movement of the two men. When the dust cleared in an instant, Ryuji and Byakuya were crossing swords. Byakuya slashed Ryuji's chest, which Ryuji dodged to reply with a slash of his own. Byakuya backed away, dodging the slash.
Ryuji disappeared and appeared behind Byakuya, surprising him. Ryuji slashed at Byakuya's back which Byakuya blocked with his blade. Ryuji took the opportunity to take hold of Byakuya's blade and kicked him to the ground. Ryuji flashed next to the spot he would fall and stabbed Byakuya with his katana. Byakuya escaped with only a bit of hair getting cut.
"What now? Captain…", Ryuji asked in a teasing tone.
"Don't get so ahead of yourself. Scatter-", Byakuya's activation of his Shikai was interrupted.
"Byakuya!", Ichigo yelled as he descended to the ground, breaking Byakuya's concentration.
"Sorry Byakuya, I got to do this for my brother.", Ryuji said before pushing the sword back into the scabbard and vanished.
With Unohana,
"Ryuji-kun…If it is your real name?", Unohana said as she stood with an unconscious Isane.
"Captain Unohana…", Ryuji said as he stood before her.
"Is cheating us until now not enough? Do you want to rub it on our faces?", Unohana asked with hurt and rage laced in voice.
"I didn't have a choice and also, I never brought any harm to you or the people of your squad.", Ryuji replied to Unohana.
"You have put down many of Soul Society's best warriors and even turned some over to your side. You have harmed Soul Society!", Unohana stated with a serious face.
"If you're going to be mad at me for cheating you into healing me, then you should be mad at the man who made me come here!", Ryuji replied with the same rage.
"Hm!", Unohana's eyebrows raised as she realized something.
"I'm sure you have noticed it too… The stationing of Rukia, The transfer of power, The haste of this Execution, The arrival of the Ryoka, and, The death of a Captain. They're all connected! The question is: Who was the person that would benefit from this?", Ryuji listed to Unohana, making her more aware, as she drew her sword.
It was slightly longer than an ordinary katana and resembled a nodachi. The tsuba had an oval shape, and the handle was red.
"Minazuki!", Unohana called out, activating her Shikai.
Minazuki became a giant, green, one-eyed manta ray-like creature that can be used for transportation, with the ability to fly and sprout a pair of legs to land upon. Unohana, loading a lot of injured Shinigami inside Minazuki's mouth and Isane on top of it, took off towards Squad-4 barracks.
"Now that she has left… Let's go and meet the commander!", Ryuji told himself with a smirk and disappeared.
With Shunsui and Jushiro,
"Your Shunpo is impressive…", Yamamoto complimented Shunsui, who flashed back after getting Nanao to safety.
"Thank you…", Shunsui replied to Yamamoto.
"So this is the Captain Commander of Soul Society huh?", Ryuji asked them while looking at Yamamoto.
"Yeah, he is… Wait! When did you get here?!", Jushiro asked Ryuji in shock.
"Just now.", Ryuji replied to Jushiro.
"You're one hell of a guy…", Shunsui commented.
"And what is your name, Ryoka?", Yamamoto asked Ryuji.
"Kurosaki Ryuji.", Ryuji replied to Yamamoto.
"Hmm… The first captains that came out from the academy I created to become accomplices of a Ryoka…", Yamamoto started as the stick he held caught fire, "I am deeply regretful.", he ended with the wood disintegrating to reveal a standard katana, with a dark purple handle, a circular bronze handguard, and a red sheath.
"Seems like he is serious…", Ryuji noted with a straight face.
"Words have no use anymore!", Yamamoto said as he unsheathed his sword and slashed at the three, sending a gust of wind that forced them to take a step back.
"…", The three stood there silently.
"What are you three thinking? Do you think you can fight without releasing your Zanpakuto?", Yamamoto asked the three.
"Do we really have to fight, Old Man Yama?", Shunsui asked Yamamoto.
"Silence! I thought I taught you, that I never forgive anyone that defies Justice.", Yamamoto replied to Shunsui.
"But you're also the one who taught us to fight for our own sense of justice, Old Man Yama.", Shunsui started.
"You also taught us to become strong just for that reason, Master!", Jushiro added.
"Nonsense! Personal Justice does not take precedence over the justice of the world!", Yamamoto replied.
"Then, what is the Justice of the World, Master Genryusai?", Jushiro asked Yamamoto.
"Did you not hear? As I said, there is no room for discussion!", Yamamoto said as he closed his eyes, stabbed his sword to the ground, and let his Haori fly.
Reiatsu around Yamamoto turned into blazing flames. Yamamoto removed the top of his Shihakusho, showing off his built and battle-forged body that held multiple slashes, symbolizing his valor and victories. By contracting his hands, he made the dormant muscles come out and show their strong form.
Yamamoto picked up his sword, the blade became engulfed with fire. He slashed in the direction of the three, sending out a slash fire onto them. Ryuji, Shunsui, and Jushiro stood before Yamamoto with their pupils dilated in surprise.
"All things of this world, Turn to ashes! Ryujin Jakka!", Yamamoto called out the name of his Zanpakuto, the fire of it trapping the three inside a circle of fire.
'What powerful Reiatsu… What dominant form… What destructive power…', Ryuji thought to himself as his hands started to shake.
"What's wrong? Release your swords already! One of you has already started to tremble.", Yamamoto stated with seriousness as he noticed Ryuji.
'Guess this is the line for him…', Jushiro thought to himself as he noticed Ryuji shaking.
'Can't blame you, Ryuji-kun…', Shunsui thought to himself.
"I don't have the time to teach brats how to run!", Yamamoto said as he slashed at Ryuji, sending a large amount of fire towards him.
"Ryuji-kun!", Both Shunsui and Jushiro called out in concern as they witnessed Ryuji engulfed in those flames.
"…", Yamamoto stood there, waiting as his two students began to get serious.
"Time to get serious, isn't it?", Shunsui asked Jushiro, who had his eyes closed.
"Yeah… All waves become my shield! All lightning become my blade!", Jushiro called out as he held his katana with two hands.
The blade then transformed slowly and began to form two blades. As the blades peeled apart, a large red rope-like chain at the base of the hilt lengthened, and silver metal square charms attached to the chain began to fall, until all five presented themselves. The blade was now somewhat thinner than the sealed Zanpakutō, and the tsuba now extends a little bit up the blade.
About halfway along the length of the Zanpakutō, a second blade juts out from the inside of the main blade and extends back towards the hilt, running parallel to the main blade. The cutting edge of the second blade faces inward instead of outward.
"Sōgyo no Kotowari!", Jushiro announced as he held his connected twin blades.
"Flower wind stirs and the flower god cries!", Shunsui started as he picked up his wakizashi with his left arm and twirled into position.
"Heavenly wind stirs and heavenly demon laughs!", Shunsui added as he set the two blades against each other in a cross.
"Katen Kyōkotsu!", Shunsui ended by calling the name and pulling the two blades from each other, creating a flash.
When the flash cleared, Katen Kyōkotsu had become a pair of huge, black, heavily curved Chinese scimitars with silver edges. The hilt and tsuba of each are still the same as they were in Katen Kyōkotsu's sealed form, but they now sported long red tassels dangling from the end.
"Sōgyo no Kotowari and Katen Kyōkotsu, the only dual-wielding Zanpakuto in all of Soul Society. As expected, they're truly magnificent. You haven't changed at all…", Yamamoto stated in all neutrality.
"Thank you…", Shunsui replied with a serious face.
"Hope I'm not interrupting the 'Sensei-Gakusei' moment here…", Ryuji said, shocking the other three soul reapers.
"What the-?!", Shunsui and Jushiro reacted in shock as Ryuji emerged out of the flames with his sword in front of him and without any scratch.
"It seems the trembling brat is not that weak after all…", Yamamoto noted in shock.
"You see… I was trembling with…Excitement!", Ryuji replied before stabbing his blade on the ground.
The Reiatsu that surrounded feeble around Ryuji became gigantic. All of it turned to lightning, covering his body from head to toe. Ryuji closed his eyes and extended his arms, stretching all the muscles. As he flexed every muscle he had, the lightning around him increased.
The sky roared with thunder and lightning in agreement as Ryuji opened his eyes to reveal the Three Tomoe Sharingan. Ryuji picked up his Zanpakuto which is a 'Tachi'. Ryuji held it in front of his face and breathed out, lightning engulfing the whole blade.
"Those eyes…", Yamamoto noted in surprise.
"Open Your Eyes, Raijin Kurogetsu!", Ryuji called out loud, activating the Shikai.
Dust flew upwards and surrounded Ryuji. Lightning from the sky started sending bolts to the ground. Suddenly, a large sphere of collimated lightning stood above the four. The sphere let out lightning that stood around the four like pillars, trapping them inside.
As the dust around Ryuji cleared, Ryuji's Tachi turned into an oversized Yanagiba knife with a blue cloth covering the scabbard, grey tassels hanging from it, and a Sharingan in the center near the hilt.
"Impressive, Ryoka.", Yamamoto commented as he witnessed Ryuji's blade.
"My name is Kurosaki Ryuji… Remember that!", Ryuji started with confidence before flashing forward to attack Yamamoto.
"Hm!", Yamamoto looked serious as he blocked Ryuji's sword.
"Cause it's the last name you're going to hear!", Ryuji finished as he pushed more lightning onto the blade.
"Hmph!", Yamamoto pushed Ryuji's blade off of his and slashed at Ryuji, sending blazing fire onto him.
Shunsui flashed in between the fire and Ryuji. He slashed into the fire, diverting the attack. Jushiro flashed behind Ryuji and brought him away. Yamamoto flashed in front of Shunsui and slashed at him. Shunsui brought his blades together and blocked it. Jushiro flashed next to Shunsui and slashed at Yamamoto.
Yamamoto, in his infinite experience, dodged the attack. Ryuji flashed behind Yamamoto and slashed at him. Yamamoto, sensing Ryuji, brought his free left arm to Ryuji's face. Ryuji, thanks to the Sharingan, jumped over the arm and kicked Yamamoto in the face. Yamamoto took a couple of steps back, dodging the kick.
"You all fight well…", Yamamoto complimented.
"Thank you…", Shunsui replied.
"Now… It is time to give you kids a spanking…", Yamamoto said as he slashed out a humongous amount of fire.
"Watch out!", Jushiro yelled as he pulled Ryuji with him while the flames engulfed them.
"Careful!", Shunsui said as he held his left sword in front of himself, engulfed in flames too.
The flames that Yamamoto slashed out on the three, came back to him with its power, speed, and intensity increased 8x times. Yamamoto, knowing the nature of his flames, slashed out more flames, countering the incoming ones. Yamamoto ran forward, poised in following up on that attack.
Suddenly, a large concentrated slash of lightning came through the flames, determined to split Yamamoto in half. Yamamoto blocked the attack with his blade, fighting the lightning with fire. He was forced to take a step back due to the intensity of the lightning.
By the time Yamamoto destroyed the lightning, Ryuji flashed behind him and swung his blade. Yamamoto, using his expert movements, dodged the swing and punched Ryuji. Ryuji, anticipating the punch, caught the hand and slid under it.
Using the momentum he created, he drove a wide kick toward Yamamoto's head. Yamamoto proceeded to catch Ryuji's leg with his arm at high speed. Before Yamamoto could get to his next move, Shunsui flashed next to him and slashed at him. Yamamoto blocked that slash with his blade, bringing the three to a standstill.
"You brats… Need to learn some respect!", Yamamoto yelled as he pushed both Ryuji and Shunsui off with his blazing flames.
Shunsui managed to get his balance in order, meters away from Yamamoto. Ryuji, who's lacking in experience, stopped his momentum a bit late as Yamamoto slashed out blazing flames at him. Ryuji, pushing lightning to the edge of the blade, blocked the attack, splitting it into two.
While Ryuji was busy blocking, Yamamoto flashed behind him and swung his blade. Shunsui flashed in between and blocked the slash with both of his blades. Ryuji, using Shunsui as a base, flipped over and landed behind Yamamoto. He slashed at Yamamoto with lightning infused at the edge of his blade. Yamamoto managed to dodge it and push off Shunsui.
Yamamoto backed off a bit, making space between him and Ryuji. Shunsui flashed to Yamamoto's side and attacked him. Yamamoto blocked his blade and blasted out some flames. Ryuji, standing in front of Yamamoto, raised his blade upwards and his Sharingan eyes turned blue. Reiatsu started to accumulate in the blade as the tomoe in the Sharingan started to spin.
"Raijin Kurogetsu: Raikiri!", Ryuji called out loud as he swung his blade down, bursting out a large slash of lightning, enough to the whole of Seireitei in half. [Translation: 'Lightning Blade']
"Your attacks are powerful… But not accurate!", Yamamoto told Ryuji as he dodged the attack.
"That wasn't for you…", Ryuji said as his smirk widened.
"What?!", Yamamoto asked in shock as he turned around.
Jushiro, who flashed behind Yamamoto, absorbed the attack and sent it back at Yamamoto at a speed that Yamamoto can't even see. Yamamoto, with his reflex kicking in due to stimuli, held his blade in front of him to defend himself while summoning another humongous amount of flames. The lightning met with Yamamoto's blade and it blasted off, sending intense pressure and dust.
….
….
….
When the dust cleared itself at top speed, Yamamoto was revealed to be slashed on the shoulder and was defending himself from the blades of Ryuji, Shunsui, and Jushiro. The three kept increasing they put on the blades, making Yamamoto go down on one knee. Overwhelmed by rage, Yamamoto released a sudden surge of blazing fire, pushing the other three off.
"There wasn't anyone in the last 10 centuries who could make me bleed… You both have gotten stronger.", Yamamoto complimented Shunsui and Jushiro.
"Thank you for the compliment…", Shunsui replied with a smile.
"Kurosaki Ryuji… You've fought well.", Yamamoto told Ryuji.
"Thank you…", Ryuji replied with a smirk.
"Now… Shall we end this?", Yamamoto asked the three with a serious expression.
"We sha-!", Ryuji's reply was interrupted by all four of them feeling the new Reiatsu.
"That Reiatsu-!", Shunsui started in disbelief.
"Impossible!", Jushiro added.
"Aizen!", Ryuji finished with a growl.
With a firm nod, all four of them flashed out of place. They were enemies fighting to the death moments ago, but right now, they are united for a cause. That is… To get Sosuke Aizen!
End of Chapter.