Cw: major character death.
Akira peered around the corner and grimaced when he saw the door to Aizen's throne room was guarded. Half a dozen Arrancar stood there, each kitted out in full body armour. Even if none of them were particularly strong individually, their gear would prevent the remaining Phantoms from thrashing them instantly, and the second Shido heard the commotion, he'd realise they were right on his doorstep.
The frizzy-haired bit his lip, cursing yet again about how the Phantoms had been forced to split up. While it had been a necessary evil, he really could have used a few more allies at his side right now. Thankfully, Rukia's condition had stabilised, but Akira doubted she'd be back on her feet anytime soon. Plus, even though Renji, Makoto, and Ann hadn't been beaten up to nearly the same degree, they still needed to tend their wounds. Even if there was a chance they could catch up later, Akira knew better than to bank on it.
He tapped his earpiece. "Is there any other entrance to the throne room?"
"Not unless you want to make one hell of a detour, and I don't think we've got time for that." Futaba sighed. "Zommari and Co are still keeping the trash mobs occupied, but the Espada fighting Ayon are starting to withdraw. Shido's gonna bail any second now, especially now that his weapons stash has been ransacked - there's no reason for him to stay here without it."
Pursing his lips, Akira cursed. He could ask either Ryuji or Uryū to create a diversion and draw the guards away, but that would mean he'd only have one ally when he entered Aizen's heart, and frankly, the frizzy-haired teen wasn't sure that'd be enough. It was bad enough going in with just the three of them.
"Any ideas?" He asked, careful to keep his voice low.
"I know!" Ryuji lit up. "Why don't we throw a rock down the corridor like they do in the movies? When the guards go and investigate, we can sneak right in!"
"Ryuji, don't be stupid." Uryū blinked. "That's the most obvious trick in the book. Do you seriously think they'd fall for something like that?"
"Uh, yeah?"
"Honestly, it might be worth a shot." Akira frowned, rubbing his chin. "From what Renji and Makoto have told us, it seemed like their enemies were operating on pure instinct alone."
"Yes, but a rock? Seriously?!" Uryū pinched his brow.
"We'll use a big one!" Ryuji defended himself.
The Quincy threw his hands up into the air. "We don't have a big rock!"
It was then that an idea flashed into Akira's mind. "Hey, Uryū, could you tie something to one of those arrows of yours?"
The dark-haired boy mulled it over. "It… might be possible, yes."
"Okay, so, here's the plan…"
While the Quincy didn't seem super impressed by Akira's idea, it wasn't like he had any good ones himself. The Shinigami cast an extra Kyokkō over his friends, just in case, while Uryū summoned his Heilig Bogen. Ryuji, meanwhile, gathered several vials of Gintō and tied them to the Quincy's arrow with some thread.
The bespectacled teen pushed up his glasses. "I still think this is a stupid idea."
"Just fire already." Akira sighed, and with a begrudging shake of his head, the Quincy complied.
Carefully angling his body, Uryū shot his arrow around the corner. The Gintō clanged together, echoing through Noches' eerily quiet halls, and droplets of blue liquid trailed down from the sky and splattered onto the ground.
Clenching the side of the wall, Akira held his breath. One by one, the guards lumbered away, eyes glued to the false trail the Gintō had made.
Ryuji shot Uryū a smug grin. "See? Told you!"
"Fine, fine – you were right, I was wrong." The Quincy rolled his eyes. "Let's stop lollygagging and go!"
Without any further delay, the boys quickly scurried across the hall. As he reached the doors to Shido's throne room, Akira swallowed – this was it. The final showdown was upon them. Nerves fluttered in his stomach, and the frizzy-haired teen's hands were shaking as he reached towards the door. A warm hand suddenly patted Akira's shoulder, and his surprise snapped him out of his fear as he whirled around, only to be greeted by Ryuji's beaming grin. The blond gave him a confident nod, and warmth flooded through Akira as Uryū mirrored the gesture to the side.
That's right. As long as I'm not alone, I can do anything.
His confidence returning, Akira threw open the doors. The second the boys stepped over the threshold of the room, the teenager felt the protective magic of his Kyokkō peel off. That didn't surprise Akira anywhere near as much as the state of the room, however. Like with most of Las Noches, the architecture was sparse. The throne room was practically unfurnished, the most prominent feature being the wide balcony observing the grounds of Hueco Mundo. To Akira's dismay, the singular chair observing the white sands and monolithic towers was unoccupied.
Instead, Shido stood at the top of a staircase rising out from the balcony and into the skies. The steps didn't lead to heaven, however, but an open Garganta showing Karakura in all its glory. The politician was barely a step away from it, flanked by Akechi and Aizen. Unfortunately, they weren't Shido's only guards – four Espada protected the base of the stairwell, each fully equipped in spiritually augmented armour. They were accompanied by a score of Fracción, Ichimaru Gin at their front.
"Ya really gotta get yourself some new tricks, kid." The silver-haired man smirked indulgently, flickers of light fading away at the tips of the former Captain's fingers – he must have been the one to tear away Akira's Kyokkō.
Akira ignored him, however, his eyes focused on Aizen. "Ban-" He began, but never got to finish his sentence.
Ichimaru's Zanpakutō hurtled towards him, the wakizashi elongating until it crossed the gap between them in less than a second. The frizzy-haired teen rolled out of the way, but Ichimaru simply swept Shinsō at him, completely unhindered by the fact that his blade was now five metres long.
"Blast them away, Sorakaizoku!" Ryuji yelled, parrying Ichimaru's sword before it bit into Akira's skin.
Uryū, meanwhile, launched a volley of arrows at the former Captain, and the smile on the silver-haired man's face dimmed as he was forced to return Shinsō to its usual size to bat them all away.
Shido's lip curled as he watched the display. "You again? Get it into your head already, you damn brat – it is my destiny, and mine alone, to steer this world into the future!"
As the politician spoke, Akira's brain ached. Instead of suppressing the pain, however, he pushed through it and forced himself to focus on Shido's voice. I know you. I know you. I KNOW you. But where…? Suddenly, the words that had haunted him for months after his arrest echoed in Akira's mind.
"Damn brat, I'll sure!"
Akira froze, eyes wide as saucers as he finally remembered where his and Shido's paths had first crossed. The night was so dark, and the politician's appearance was so dishevelled he was nearly recognisable, but his voice was the same. It was him.
He was the one who got Akira banished to Tokyo.
"Miss me?" The Shinigami winked, voice flippant despite the hammering of his heart in his chest.
Shido tilted his head, and when he stared at Akira, the teenager knew to his very core that he only knew him as a Phantom - he had no idea Akira was the boy whose life he'd tried to ruin out of nothing but petty spite. "I will acknowledge your tenacity, but this ends here!" The politician narrowed his eyes. "Ulquiorra, finish them!"
Akira froze at the name, and on cue, felt the Espada's Reiatsu rapidly approaching the throne room half a second later. He cursed – Grimmjow must have lost! No – I can't get stalled here. I need to stop Shido before he flees to Karakura! Darting forward, he leapt over Ichimaru's Zanpakutō as it lashed out towards him, charging straight at Aizen. Unfortunately, the teenager was too slow. Ulquiorra leapt over the throne room's railing and lunged at him at speeds Akira could barely process, the flat of his hand skimming over the surface of his skin as Akira bent out of the way of his strike.
Blue arrows shot through the air and peppered the Espada, but while they punctured the surface of his white plate armour, they didn't touch his skin. Ryuji struck next, firing an electrical cannonball at Ulquiorra, which the Espada deflected with the flat of his Zanpakutō.
Akira took the opportunity to continue his charge. "Bankai!" He yelled, Reiatsu surging, only to be interrupted yet again.
An all-too-familiar burning red Cero rocketed straight towards him, and the teen had to hurriedly summon his mask if he wanted to stand even a chance of deflecting Akechi's attack. Even with the strength his inner Hollow gave him, his rival's Cero still sent Akira flying. Thankfully, he managed to brace himself against the wall instead of crashing into it, but by the time he landed deftly on the ground, it was too late.
Ichimaru waved him farewell, a shit-eating grin on the traitor's face as the Garganta snapped shut behind him and the rest of Shido's forces.
Despair and fury raged within Akira in equal measures - their excursion into Hueco Mundo had been for nothing. He had no time to dwell on his despair, however, as Ulquiorra's blade swept towards his head. Akira parried the blow on reflex, locking his and the Arrancar's swords together. The Espada quickly disengaged before stabbing at him yet again, and they shifted into a dance of blades. The Arrancar's swordsmanship was terrifying. While Akira could follow his movements, it was only just - a single misstep would mean his death.
Thankfully, he wasn't alone. With a yell, Ryuji charged forward, swinging his bat at Ulquiorra's back. "Don't give in, Akira! We haven't lost yet – let's kick this guy's ass, then go right after those bastards!"
The Espada whirled around, countering the blond's blow with ease, but it gave Akira the chance to catch his breath.
"Steal their hearts, Tasogare no Dorobō!" He called, releasing his Shikai straight into its flamberge form.
He stabbed straight at Ulquiorra's heart, and the Espada sent Ryuji flying before parrying Akira's blow. Yet again, the two hybrids ended up locked in a stalemate, but Ryuji wasn't Akira's only friend here. A brilliant blue arrow shot straight past the Shinigami's cheek and punctured Ulquiorra's eye. The pale Arrancar faltered, and hope flickered in Akira's chest. It was short-lived, however, as the Espada yanked the arrow out of his socket without even flinching, and his green eye reformed in a matter of seconds.
Uryū's lips drew into a thin line. "Be careful – that arrow was deep enough to skewer his brain. We're looking at some extremely advanced regeneration here."
"Got it." Akira grimaced.
That wasn't good. They'd either need to wear the Arrancar down until he ran out of Reiryoku, or defeat Ulquiorra in one powerful blow. Unfortunately, with Karakura on the line, they simply didn't have the time to do the former, and Akira was unsure if they were even capable of doing the latter. Ulquiorra's Reiatsu easily rivalled the Espada Makoto and Ann had faced, but unlike him, he was also fully donned in Shido's armour.
It was then that an idea flashed into the teenager's mind. "Uryū, would you be able to hit him with a Sprenger?"
"It's possible!" The Quincy yelled, shooting a dozen arrows at the Espada's feet as he attempted to blitz him. "I'll need you to give me the time to set it up, and lure him over once I'm done!"
"No worries." Akira gave him a lazy salute and then did what he did best: improvise.
When Akechi uses that freaky Cero of his, he mixes it with his blood… there's no reason I can't do it too. Swiping Tasogare no Dorobō's blade over his hand, Akira gathered his Reiryoku. The particles of light mixed in with the droplets flowing from his palm, and a surge of triumph ran through the teen when his Cero turned a distinctive shade of red. Pointing his hand straight toward Ulquiorra, he let loose.
The spiralling beam of scarlet light smashed into the Arrancar, sweeping him off his feet and sending him bouncing across the throne room's floor. Ryuji pounced on the Espada instantly, his bat crackling with so much lightning it was almost blinding. The cannonball sailed through the air, and the Arrancar jerked erratically as it detonated against his armour. Unfortunately, Ulquiorra quickly slinked back to his feet, and even though his armour was scorched, his Reiatsu was flat and unaffected.
Uryū's sudden shout made Akira snap to attention. "I'm ready!"
Nodding, the Shinigami swapped Tasogare no Dorobō's form. Ulquiorra flashed at him, slashing through the space he once stood in as the teen rolled out of the way. Akira threw his dagger past the Arrancar's head, before flashing around the Espada's other side in a fit of shunpo Yoruichi would be proud of. Grabbing his dagger, Akira pulled tight, and Ulquiorra squirmed as the Zanpakutō's chain wrapped around his body, locking his arms to his side.
"Ryuji, help me get him in place!"
"Got it!" The blond yelled, shunpoing to Akira's side and grabbing onto his Shikai's chain like they were playing tug-of-war.
With a mighty heave, the boys sent Ulquiorra staggering forward and straight into the pentagram Uryū had prepared. The Quincy poured a droplet of Gintō onto one of the Seele Schneider's handles, and the spell flickered to life.
"Sprenger." Uryū's voice was cold as he finished the incantation.
As the blue energy began to ensnare Ulquiorra, however, the Espada twisted out of Tasogare no Dorobō's chains and reached for his Zanpakutō. "Imprison, Murciélago."
A whirlwind of emerald and black miasma suddenly swirled around the Arrancar, before it exploded into a wave of sickly green liquid that splashed against the throne room's tiles. Akira's mouth grew dry as he wary examined the Espada's released form. The shift in his appearance was fairly minimal, with one major exception – namely, the giant, leathery bat-like wings protruding from his back. With a flap, Ulquiorra tore himself free from the tendrils of Reishi ensnaring his legs, and when the Sprenger finally exploded into a column of light that obliterated the ceiling, the Espada was well clear from the blast.
Uryū pointed his bow at Ulquiorra and yelled. "Licht Regen!" A thousand arrows flooded through the air, the blue light stark against the night skies.
The Espada twisted mid-air. "Cero Oscuras."
Black energy crackled in the Espada's palm before a beam of darkness thick enough to blot out the sun shot out from his hand. The Cero disintegrated Uryū's arrows, but Ulquiorra wasn't yet finished, and directed the attack straight towards the boys. The trio scattered, but not before the unholy light tore through Las Noches like butter. A booming, shattering sound akin to a thousand windows breaking all at once tore through the air, and Akira whirled around. The boy's eyes widened in horror at what he saw. The Cero Oscuras hadn't just torn through Aizen's fortress, but beyond it until it hit the false sky itself. Las Noches' dome cracked, splintering into countless razor-sharp pieces that began to rapidly fall from the heavens. The teenager's mouth grew dry. While they were on the very outskirts of the dome, they were still technically in its radius, and plenty of those car-sized chunks of raw magic were heading straight their way.
"Everyone, to me!" He yelled, pointing his hands skyward as he began to chant. "Bakudō #81. Dankū!"
Ryuji and Uryū reached his side mere milliseconds before the translucent barrier formed above Akira's head. As the rubble from Las Noches' dome finally hit the ground, Hueco Mundo rumbled under its weight, but thankfully, the frizzy-haired teenager's spell was enough to shield him and his friends from the debris. Akira had no time to revel in his relief, however. Ulquiorra slowly drifted down from the sky like a fallen angel ready to turn heaven into hell, as a brilliant green lance crackled into existence into his hand.
Akira transformed Tasogare no Dorobō back into a flamberge, while Uryū notched his bow and Ryuji pointed Sorakaizoku straight at the Arrancar. Each of the boys hesitated, however, as Ulquiorra advanced. So much Reiatsu radiated off the Espada's body, a miniature tornado whirled around him, buffeting the trio backwards.
"Dammit!" Ryuji cursed, shielding his eyes from the gale. "He blew away all of Uryū's arrows like they were nothing! How the hell are we meant to win against a guy like that?!"
He received a reply instantly, but it wasn't from either Akira or Uryū.
"Yeesh – I never pegged you of all people as a quitter." Spinning on his feet, Akira was greeted by the sight of a smirking Renji. Sweat dripped off the Captain's brow, and quite frankly, he looked like shit, but that wasn't important. He was here.
Akira's lips slowly began to rise into a grin. So what if Ulquiorra outgunned them all? They had one thing he didn't – they were a team.
"Hey!" Ann's unmistakable voice suddenly called out from across the ruins. "Don't forget about us!"
The blonde waved, darting towards them, Makoto right by her side.
"Sorry for the wait." The student council president smiled as she landed next to Akira. "We had to take a quick pit stop, but we should be ready to go now."
Confidence renewed, Akira pointed his blade straight at Ulquiorra. "Alright, Phantoms! Let's finish this!"
…..
When Shido Masayoshi stepped back into the human world, a tingle swept through him from head to toe. The feeling of warm, living flesh wrapped around his skin yet again, and the politician couldn't help but shudder in relief. He'd never spent so many consecutive hours in the spiritual world before, and hopefully, he never would again.
As his army arrived in Karakura, they didn't walk onto the streets, but the skies. As disconcerting as it was to half a fifty-metre drop underneath him, Akechi had explained the principles behind air-walking to him before. It had been a feature Masayoshi insisted on including in his battle suit, and his foresight had paid off. While most of his pawns were nothing but puppets for him to use, there was one exception – Ichimaru. The man was a mercenary, and would turn on him the second he sensed weakness. Crawling on the earth instead of roaming the skies would have been a crack in Masayoshi's armour he couldn't afford. After all, while he'd need to dispose of Ichimaru sooner rather than later, for now, he was an asset.
On cue, the former Captain murmured. "Looks like we've got company, boss."
Masayoshi flicked his eyes in the direction Ichimaru pointed. On the other side of the city, a row of Shinigami opposed them. Many of them were donned in white haoris indicative of Captains, the Gotei 13's strongest warriors, but Masayoshi had no need to fear such a thing anymore. No, the Gotei 13 now were nothing but stepping stones on his path to godhood.
Ichimaru wrinkled his nose as he peered at them, an uncharacteristically serious expression crossing his face. "Something's off."
Masayoshi jerked his head at Aizen. Even neutered, he was a veritable fount of knowledge. "Well? What is it?"
"This is not the true Karakura Town." Aizen's voice was smooth, even under the effects of the politician's control. "I believe Urahara has transported the true Karakura Town to Soul Society, and replaced it with this effigy. See those pillars? Destroying each of them should return the city to its rightful place."
Masayoshi rubbed his chin. Annoying, but nothing more than a last-ditch stalling tactic. "Get rid of them." He ordered his foot soldiers, before turning to his pet Espada. "You lot, keep the Captains at bay. Ichimaru, Akechi, and Aizen will stay by my side."
After receiving a chorus of nods, the Arrancar shunpoed away, leaving Shido alone except for his strongest men. Reaching into his suit, the politician withdrew his phone and contacted his chief psientist.
"It's me. Ready the mass sublimation devices. The time is nigh."
…..
Yamamoto Genryūsai watched impassively as a Garganta opened in the distance, Aizen's army and the human interloper finally setting foot in the false Karakura Town. Standing at the Captain Commander's side were his best and brightest men, each and every one of them ready to sacrifice their lives to eliminate this latest threat to the balance of the Worlds. There were a few gaps in the ranks, but not many – Chōjirō and Ise had been left in charge of the Seireitei, while Lieutenant Kurotsuchi was overseeing the city's transfer and the evacuation of the real Karakura's citizens. Despite Urahara's consternation at his so-called lack of action, Genryūsai hadn't dismissed the man's warnings - even if each pillar was destroyed and Karakura returned to the World of the Living, Shido simply wouldn't have enough sacrifices needed to create the Ōken.
On the ground, Kira, Hisagi, and those two louts from the Eleventh who kept on stubbornly denying promotions guarded a pillar each. Meanwhile, Matsumoto, Iba, and Kotetsu waited in reserve on the town's outskirts, ready to evacuate the wounded or replace any fallen soldiers. Unohana had also set up base there, manning an emergency relief station that would inevitably see action. That left Soifon, Omaeda, Komamura, Hitsugaya, Kenpachi, Yachiru, Shunsui, Jūshirō, and most importantly, himself, to deal with the elite members of Shido's forces.
It would be more than enough to secure their victory.
"Stand back." He ordered. "Reduce all creation to ash, Ryūjin Jakka."
A vortex of fire swirled around the Captain Commander, radiating with so much heat Genryūsai would have been reduced to embers if he wasn't resistant to his own flames. Panicked yells echoed around him as the young fools at his side desperately scrambled out of his Shikai's radius, but Genryūsai ignored them. Instead, he flicked his blade towards Shido, releasing a comet of fire that trailed through the sky. Falling down, the blazing light surrounded the interloper and his most powerful men, separating them from the bulk of the Arrancar army.
"Jōkaku Enjō…" Genryūsai murmured. "Even Aizen will have trouble escaping those walls of flame. Now… we have all the time in the world to crush our opponents."
The final battle had begun.
…..
Shunsui sighed as the Arrancar began to scatter. He set his eyes on a stubbled Espada and decided that he would do. In a normal war against normal foes, the Captain would have picked whoever seemed the most reasonable as his opponent, in hopes that bloodshed could be avoided, or at the very least, finished quickly and calmly. There was little point in doing that now, however. Talking to any of Shido's brainwashed thralls would be as futile as talking to a wall, or Nanao when she was in a bad mood. Alas, this was a fight the Captain would have to take seriously from the start.
"Want to join me, my friend?" He quirked his head at Jūshirō.
"Alright – I'll keep his Fracción off you while you take on the main course." The white-haired Captain smiled.
"No fair." Shunsui pouted. "Why do I have to do all the work?"
It was merely a joke – Shunsui knew immediately why Jūshirō had chosen the foe he had. The Arrancar guarding the Espada was a child, possibly not even in her adolescence yet. His old friend had always had a soft spot for kids, probably due to his veritable horde of siblings. If he could find a way to save her, he would.
Shunpoing towards his foe, Shunsui released Katen Kyōkotsu, and his tachi and wakizashi elongated into a pair of identical scimitars. Swinging one of his twin blades at the stubbled Espada, the Captain's eyes widened in shock when his sword failed to cleave through the man's strange armour. Sure, Shunsui certainly wasn't going all-out – Katen Kyōkotsu hadn't even announced which game she'd like to play – but he was still one of the strongest Captains. If a strike from him was almost entirely ineffective…
A sense of trepidation ran through the Captain. Despite old man Yama's beliefs, he didn't think it was the Arrancar who were about to be crushed.
Almost on cue, a loud rumble echoed through the town. Shunsui narrowly dodged a strike from his opponent, who instead left a sizable gouge in his hat, and glanced down at one of the pillars. His stomach sank – Yumichika had already fallen. Blood seeped from the Fifth Seat's side, and his five-pronged Zanpakutō lay scattered on the ground. Meanwhile, his foe stood expressionlessly in the rubble that was all that remained of the first pillar.
Shunsui frowned. This wasn't good – he needed to fall back and assess the situation.
Kageoni. Katen Kyōkotsu whispered in his mind, and Shunsui praised his luck. It seemed his mercurial Zanpakutō spirit had decided to throw him a bone today. Lunging at the Espada, he sliced at the man once, twice, and then fell back. Thankfully, the Arrancar followed in hot pursuit. Shunsui chuckled ruefully. While Shido's machinations had made the Arrancar more physically dangerous than the Gotei 13 could have imagined, it came at a cost – their intellect.
Suffice to say, the Espada had no idea how to react when Shunsui stepped on a shadow cast by some railing and suddenly disappeared. Dully, the man swivelled his head, but it was for naught - no one could see Shunsui when he left reality and entered the realm of darkness. Ignoring the purple tinge to his vision, Shunsui reached out to all the nearby shadows he could. They reacted in turn, and several clones of the Captain emerged from the shade before converging on the Espada all at once. The Captain's little trick wouldn't occupy the man for long, but it would hopefully give Shunsui the time he needed to assess the battlefield.
During the time it had taken him to get the Espada off his tail, it seemed another pillar had fallen – this time, it was Ikkaku who had lost. Thankfully, it seemed that the situation was under control. Iba was rapidly shoving Kidō-laced rods into the ground, preventing the decaying space-time magic from unravelling any further, while, Komamura yowled, summoning his Bankai and crushing the Arrancar that defeated Ikkaku like a bug.
Moving to the next pillar, Shunsui raised an impressed brow. In contrast to the men from the Eleventh, Kira was doing surprisingly well. It seemed the Lieutenant had come up with a strategy. Instead of killing his opponents, he'd resorted to whacking them with his Shikai – Wabisuke – until the blade's gravity-increasing properties immobilised his foes. Several Arrancar lay struggling at his feet, and while Kira's Reiatsu was starting to wane, it was steady.
Unfortunately, when Shunsui turned to Hisagi – the protector of the final pillar – it was a return to the norm. While he was still fighting, the tattooed Lieutenant was battered and bruised, and so was the pillar behind him. Matsumoto had abandoned the reserves and joined his side – she must have realised he needed all the help he could get.
A cloud of ash plumed around the 10th's Lieutenant, and Hisagi wielded his Shikai's dual scythes. Several Arrancar lunged at them simultaneously, and the latter struck. Twirling Kazeshini deftly, he flung one of his scythes and ensnared an Arrancar in the Shikai's chain. With an almighty yell, he then flung the man into his allies – it seemed he'd concluded that using concussive force was more effective than attempting to pierce their armour. Despite his valiant efforts though, Matsumoto's powers were clearly more useful in this context. Flicking the ashy cloud that was Haineko at the wounded Arrancar, they shuddered and jerked as the grey flecks surrounded them. Shunsui raised a brow. Clever – it seems Haineko's ash was small enough to slip into their armour, allowing her to slice the Arrancar freely.
Shunsui caught a flicker of shunpo in the corner of his eye, and with a flash, Jūshirō joined his side. He must have finished sealing the Fracción he was fighting earlier.
The white-haired Captain whistled. "Kageoni, eh? How much time do we have until your clones fail? If we can stop the decay at the eastern quadrant…"
Shunsui licked his lips. "I'm afraid not long, not long at all."
Almost on cue, the stubbled Espada flashed before them. Oddly enough, he held the Fracción Jūshirō had wrapped in a layer of Kidō ropes in his hands. A sense of foreboding fell over Shunsui. How odd. While young Kurusu's report had mentioned that some of the Espada shared a sense of camaraderie, they certainly weren't able to show it while under Shido's control. That meant there was a logical reason why the Espada fetched his colleague, and whatever it was, the Captain sincerely doubted it would be good for them.
His fears were proved almost immediately.
"Give chase, Los Lobos." The Espada spoke monotonously as the Fracción in his arms suddenly began to glow until the light enveloped both Arrancars.
When the blinding light faded away, only the Espada remained. He wasn't the same as he was before, however. A grey, fur-lined jacket obscured his armour, and knee-high boots covered in identical shaggy fluff had appeared over his legs. His mask had warped until it covered one eye like an eyepatch, and he held two pistols in his hand. On the whole, the Espada looked like he'd crawled straight out of a cowboy movie. Shunsui had no more time to analyse his fashion choices, however, as the Espada pointed one of his guns at him. A barrage of Ceros so thick and numerous, the Captain could barely tell one apart from the other launched his way, and all of his focus was suddenly directed to survival.
…..
Soifon swivelled her body, barely dodging the Arrancar's strike. She and her Lieutenant had intercepted the Espada with a strange, spoon-like hood, and much to her displeasure, he'd activated his Resurrección the second he saw their approach. The man's limbs had multiplied, making him look like an oversized bug, but his appearance was less pressing than the monstrous scythes he wielded in each of his four arms.
Unfortunately, while Soifon had plenty of experience fighting duel-wielding opponents, quad-wielding was a different matter. Even though she'd managed to dart under one of his strikes, two more scythes were swinging her way, and dodging one of them would lead her straight into the path of the other. Dammit!
"Captain, watch out!" Omaeda yelled, and she watched incredulously as her Lieutenant leapt in the way of one of the blows, the scythe slashing his torso from top to bottom.
An explosion of blood burst from the corpulent man, and staggering, Omaeda's Reiatsu began to plummet before he fell from the sky. Soifon ignored him, however. They were the Second – if he wanted to be rewarded for stupid heroics, he should have joined the Sixth. Omaeda had given her an opening, and Soifon would be betraying both him and their Division if she didn't capitalise on it. Besides, she could already sense Kotetsu's approach - while Unohana's Lieutenant was pathetic, her healing abilities were not.
Releasing her Shikai and activating her Shunkō simultaneously, Soifon thrust her stinger at the Espada once, then twice, then thrice. His armour shattered under her first blow, and nothing was protecting his skin from her next two strikes. Soifon was so confident Suzumebachi had struck true until one of the Espada's scythes started to plunge into her back. If it wasn't for the enhanced speed her Shunkō gave her, he would have severed her spine before she twisted away.
Rolling away from the man, Soifon ignored the trickle of warmth dripping down her back and turned back to face her opponent. When she set eyes on him, however, she froze. While her attack had punctured his armour, Suzumebachi had failed to pierce his Hierro. Her attack – and Omaeda's sacrifice – had both been for nothing. Cursing, the Captain scampered backwards, dodging his blows as the Espada began to whale on her.
Dammit, Omaeda – this is why you don't take hits for your allies!
As she continued to backpedal, goosebumps started to crawl down Soifon's arm as the air around her steadily grew colder. Sparing a split second to glance to the side, she saw Hitsugaya fending off several weaker Arrancar at once. The Captain had already released his Bankai, Daiguren Hyōrinmaru. Wings of ice and a draconic tail covered his back, and above him, several flower-like effigies hovered in the air. While two were still whole, one of them had already lost most of its petals.
"Hitsugaya!" She yelled out. "If I lure this Espada into your range, could you freeze him in place?!"
To his credit, he didn't turn around, and kept the bulk of his attention on a winged, serpentine Arrancar who was currently spitting mouthfuls of acid at him. With a swing of his blade, a wall of ice appeared between him and his foe, though it promptly began to melt under her assault.
"Probably not for long." The younger Captain confessed, brow furrowed. "Urahara was right – these Arrancar shouldn't have even survived a single blow from Daiguren Hyōrinmaru, and yet, they're still fighting back."
Soifon's lips curled in distaste at the mention of her nemesis, but now wasn't the time for petty rivalries. "Ten seconds. That's all I need."
Hitsugaya gave her a silent nod. Moving away from him, she feinted at the Espada hounding her. He moved to block with two of his arms and attempted to slash her with the others, but Soifon was already well out of his way. The world grew darker as the sky turned overcast, and snowflakes began to drift from the grey gloom. The clouds parted almost as soon as they had formed, however, and a mountain's worth of snow suddenly crashed down from the heavens and coated the Espada. Every white flake that touched the man's skin exploded into a flower of ice, weighing the Arrancar down.
Soifon had no time to scrutinise Hitsugaya's technique – she'd just have to trust that it'd hold. With a flash of shunpo, she left the battlefield and landed in Unohana's relief bay. She lingered for less than two seconds – grabbing a bundle of what looked like pale fabric in her arms, she reactivated her Shunkō and returned to the fray. While she'd never been the sentimental type, at that moment, the Captain was so happy she'd sucked up her pride and gotten the younger Niijima to help her perfect the technique. Despite its appearance and texture, the Ginjōtan she'd collected was actually a fine layer of spiritually enforced steel. Without the power of her Shunkō, she'd have struggled to lift the stuff, let alone do what she needed to.
Wrapping the Ginjōtan around her waist, she secured the other end around a small apartment building and hopped onto its roof. Knowing she needed all the energy she could get, Soifon deactivated her Shunkō, and the swirling winds around her shoulder faded.
"Bankai: Jakuhō Raikōben!" The diminutive Captain roared with all the force of a lion.
A pillar of Reiatsu engulfed her, and Soifon felt the weight of her Bankai settle onto her arm before the golden light had even faded. She'd had absolutely no idea what Jakuhō Raikōben was when she'd first summoned it, and it was only years later that the Captain found her answers in the World of her Living.
Her Bankai was a missile launcher. Said missile dwarfed her completely, and once fired, the recoil was so immense, she'd pretty much be put out of commission. It was why the Ginjōtan was necessary – without it, Soifon would be blasted out of town. Truthfully, she hated her Bankai. It was loud, flashy, and completely useless for assassination. Still, it had one use – namely, it was very, very powerful.
"Get out of there, Hitsugaya!" She shouted.
Thankfully, the younger Captain quickly put two-and-two together. He blanched at the sight of the rocket launcher and promptly hurried out of the blast zone as quickly as he could. As he departed, the pillar of ice behind him shuddered, then crumbled into pieces as the multi-armed Espada crawled out of the sea of petals. Unfortunately for him, he was too late. The second she set eyes on him, Soifon fired.
Jakuhō Raikōben's kickback sent Soifon flying as expected. The sash around her waist strained, before ripping in two. She continued to hurtle through the sky until she smashed into the side of a building and fell to the ground in a heap. For a moment, the Captain groaned, but she knew she was being pathetic. As dreadful as she felt, she'd gone through worse. Wheezing, Soifon ignored the burn in her muscles as she pushed her head upright.
While the sound of the missile firing had made her ears ring, that was nothing compared to the din kicked up by the massive blast that echoed through the air when Jakuhō Raikōben actually hit its target. The explosion was so vast and powerful, that both the Espada and Hitsugaya's tower of ice were engulfed in milliseconds. The ground rumbled as if an earthquake had struck, and half the sky was filled with fire. A lump of anxiety formed in her throat as she waited for the smoke clouds to clear. If this hadn't worked, they were fucked.
Thankfully, her worry was for naught. Soifon slumped over in relief as the Espada's Reiatsu was snuffed out like a flame – he'd barely even left behind a body, and as an added bonus, it seemed like she'd taken out some of the small fry too.
Quickly returning her Zanpakutō to its sealed state, Soifon wondered where she was needed next. It was then that a piercing crack echoed through the air, and cursing, she leapt onto a rooftop so she could survey the battlefield. The second she saw what had happened, she gritted her teeth. The third pillar had fallen. Hisagi was sprawled on the ground, unconscious, as an exhausted Matsumoto futilely attempted to avenge him. Hitsugaya managed to beat Soifon to the punch, however, and flew gracefully to his Lieutenant's side.
Frowning, the 2nd Division Captain assessed the greater situation. Despite the dire states of the pillars, the strength of the opposing armies was reasonably balanced. Kyōraku and Ukitake were still duelling the gunslinging Espada, but seemed to be holding strong, and Soifon had defeated her opponent. That meant there was only one Espada left – the one with flowing orange hair and a mask that covered his face. Thankfully, he seemed content to merely observe the battle for now. Kenpachi – who was polishing off a mob of small fry – occasionally glanced the Arrancar's way, and Soifon decided to let the nutcase have him. She knew damn well she didn't stand a chance against another Espada while this exhausted.
Instead, she decided to focus on the pillars. Or, realistically speaking, their remains. Komamura protected one warped patch of earth, Hitsugaya another, and quite frankly, the third sector was a lost cause. That only left one pillar with no Captain guarding it. While she'd been uncertain that letting the treacherous Ichimaru's Lieutenant run free was a smart idea, Soifon reluctantly had to admit that Kira had proved his worth. He was the only guard still standing, after all.
She'd barely even closed half the distance between herself and the pillar when a persistent crackling noise started to fill the air. Glancing upwards, ice ran through the Captain's veins as over a dozen Garganta opened in the sky. Scores of Arrancar dropped from the gaping maws, and while none of them had enough Reiatsu to be a threat individually, the quantity of them was mindboggling. To make matters worse, each of them was clad in the same armour the Espada had been wearing. Cursing, Soifon's Shunkō whirled to life around her yet again. It was a risky play – her Reiryoku reserves were running low enough as is – but without it, she wouldn't have the raw power needed to take her enemies down.
Several Arrancar rushed at her, and while their movements were slow and sloppy, she knew better than to underestimate them. Instead of using their Resurreccións, they wielded batons and clubs that crackled with purple energy. Ducking under one of the men's blows, she could feel the thrum of the weapon even from half a metre away. Despite the Arrancars' middling Reiatsu, the Captain could tell even a single hit would be devastating.
While Soifon incapacitated the first wave of Arrancar that charged her easily enough, another flood of enemies took their place almost immediately, and soon enough, so many foes were upon her she lost count. The Captain punched, kicked, and dashed all over the place as her muscles strained and knuckles burned. The exhaustion eating away at her grew and grew, and Soifon ended up relying more on sheer instinct to fight back than any cognizant understanding of her opponents' moves.
Still, even though she was struggling to stay standing, Soifon had enough situational awareness left to notice it when Kira finally fell. The Lieutenant's Reiatsu dimmed, and the final pillar was swarmed by a mob in seconds. For a second, the Captain froze, and by the time she snapped out of it, it was too late. One of the Arrancar smashed his bat into her ribs, and she staggered as agony exploded in her side. Tripping over her feet, Soifon coughed, wheezing for air as the taste of rust entered her mouth.
A wave of grim acceptance ran over her. There was no way she was getting out of this one alive. Before the swarm of Arrancar could reach her and tear her to bits, however, a ginormous shadow suddenly fell over her. A sword the size of a small building lashed at the Arrancar, slicing through them like they were made of butter.
"Go, aid the others! Shido still has several men in reserve!" Komamura roared at her, Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō looming over Karakura's rooftops. "Kenpachi and I will handle things down here!"
Nodding shakily, she heard rather than saw the 11th's Captain as his maniacal laugh echoed through the streets. Komamura was right – Soifon's skills were of no use here. Meanwhile, Ichimaru and Shido's black-robed assistant hadn't been wearing any armour, and was therefore vulnerable to her Shikai's powers. Flashing away from the fight, the Captain took a quick breather – unless she got a moment's rest, Soifon would be useless no matter where she was.
Unfortunately, her respite was very short-lived.
…..
Tōshirō only noticed the fact that yet another Garganta had opened because he'd taken a split second's opportunity to glance at his Bankai's flowers. Three petals remained, and once they were gone, Daiguren Hyōrinmaru would disable itself automatically before the magnitude of its powers caused its wielder permanent harm. God, Tōshirō couldn't grow up quickly enough.
When a short, childish Arrancar with blond hair stepped out of the portal, the Captain barely paid him any heed – it had no armour, and therefore, sadly wasn't a threat. Matsumoto, however, had a different reaction.
"Hey… that's the Arrancar that invaded with Luppi. The one that didn't do anything."
"Well, here's hoping that streak continues." Tōshirō snarked before freezing several Arrancar in place. There – that was the last of the opponents assailing them. Hopefully, he'd be able to spare the rest of his energy for Shido and his men. And by that, Tōshirō meant those bastards Ichimaru and Aizen.
Suffice to say, he wasn't expecting the childish Arrancar to suddenly shunpo towards Ukitake's back at speeds Tōshirō could barely comprehend. He tore his hand straight through the sickly Captain's torso, and the white-haired man fell towards the city streets. An awful, panicked scream escaped Kyōraku's throat, and the loss of composure gave the Espada he was fighting just enough time to plant his gun against the dandy Captain's shoulder and blast a hole straight through it.
Abandoning the senior Captains, the dopey Arrancar dashed towards the wall of flame that separated Shido and his compatriots from the fight, and an awful, ear-piercing shriek escaped the blond's mouth. The white-haired boy covered his ears, but it barely did anything to dull the wretched noise. As the wave of sound assailed it, the wall of fire flickered, before blowing away. Tōshirō stiffened as the Arrancar finally shut his mouth – Shido and his allies had been freed.
"Akechi." The human's voice rang through the air, a rich baritone that set Tōshirō's every nerve on edge. "You know what to do."
The black-robed man at his side raised his Zanpakutō to the sky. "Frenzy, Bōsō Jiken."
His katana elongated into a broadsword that glowed with an unnatural heat. No flame came from the blade, however. Instead, Tōshirō blinked as a faint ringing noise echoed through the city, and a brief wave of darkness pulsed through the air.
The effect was instantaneous. The ice freezing the Arrancar the Captain had battled shattered, and a bestial roar escaped the hybrids' throats as they lunged towards Tōshirō at alarming speeds. The Captain barely managed to parry the blow as one of them slashed down at him. Even though Tōshirō had batted them away with ease before, now, the Arrancar pressed down on him with so much power even the prodigy was struggling. Plumes of dark energy drifted off the Arrancar, and its once glassy eyes were now wide with mania. Thankfully, Matsumoto decapitated it with Haineko's ash before it could cause him any harm, but that did nothing to counter the nausea slowly welling up in Tōshirō's stomach.
"Akechi – he's empowering all the Arrancar!" The short Captain yelled.
Tōshirō's cry was drowned out though as a massive bellow tore through the air. The boy could do nothing but watch in horror as Komamura – who'd been keeping at least twenty Arrancar at bay – was suddenly swarmed. Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō's blade sliced through half a dozen of the hybrids in one blow, but in the end, the numbers simply proved too many. They crawled all over the Captain, sinking both tooth and claws into his thick fur, and when Komamura batted them off, they simply launched themselves at his Bankai instead. The Arrancar never should have been able to pierce the giant samurai's thick armour, but as black miasma wafted off their skin, they tore into the Bankai like it was paper. Letting out a yell that sounded more like a bark, Komamura dropped to his knees as Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō's Achilles tendon was severed. He didn't last long after that – the wolflike Captain disappeared under a mound of flesh, and while he fought to the bitter end, eventually, his Reiatsu snapped off like a lightbulb.
Bile rose up the back of Tōshirō's throat, but he had no time to mourn his fallen comrade. If this Akechi person wasn't taken down right now, everyone here would suffer the same fate.
It seemed Soifon had come to the same conclusion, and she flashed towards the man with a burst of wind-boosted shunpo, Shikai at the ready. Unfortunately, the 2nd Division Captain's Bankai had taken too much of a toll on her - Shinsō's blade flashed through the air and plunged through her abdomen before Soifon could even contemplate dodging. She fell back down to the earth, and Tōshirō could tell by the state of her Reiatsu that while she wasn't dead yet, she wouldn't be rejoining this fight.
Cursing, Tōshirō flew into the air, but he'd barely moved several metres before he caught a flash of orange in the corner of his eye. An overpowering wave of Reiatsu crashed into him, and the Captain faltered as Matsumoto cried out his name. His Lieutenant's yell was short-lived, however. The orange-haired Espada suddenly pivoted to her side and smashed a fist into the woman's stomach, sending her flying. Tōshirō barely even had the time to process that before the Espada was back on top of him, and the man plunged his pitch-black Zanpakutō deep into the Captain's stomach.
His innards burned, and blood gargled in Tōshirō's throat, but the Captain's vision was still clear. Through a crack in the Espada's armour, he caught a glimpse of a tattoo. It was of the number zero. Secondly, as the white-haired boy stared at his would-be killer's face, it dawned on him that he knew this man.
"Kurosaki… Ichigo." Tōshirō gasped, as silently, his former Captain's son ripped his blade out his abdomen, and the prodigy landed on the city street.
So. This is it, then. A wry laugh bubbled from Tōshirō's throat as Ichigo placed his blade against the young Captain's neck. Executed by my dumbass former Captain's brainwashed son. What a hell of a way to go.
Energy rapidly fading, he barely noticed the distant crack of shunpo. Tōshirō did notice it, however, when something hit Ichigo with all the strength of a runaway freight train. The Arrancar was tossed into the distance, and the darkness slowly chipping away at Tōshirō's vision faded as a soothing wave of Kaidō sealed the gaping hole in his intestines. Looking up, wonder filled the Captain's eyes as he saw Isshin staring down at him.
"Sorry about that." The former Captain sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "I need to teach Ichigo some manners." He then turned to face the Espada. "Did you hear that, son? You're grounded."
…..
Genryūsai's lips pursed into a thin line. Soifon, Jūshirō, and every Lieutenant sans Kotetsu had been defeated, though the latter was too busy healing to be of any use in the fray. Still, none of them had been quite as misfortunate as Komamura. The Captain had battled valiantly, devastating Shido's army, but sheer numbers had overwhelmed him in the end – not even a speckle of his Reiatsu lingered on the battlefield.
It wasn't all bad news, however. Shunsui had thankfully recovered and had resumed his fight against the gunslinging Espada. Kenpachi, meanwhile, was mopping up the weaker remnants of the interloper's army. On the other side of the town, Hitsugaya had seemingly teamed up with that deserter, Isshin, against the final Espada. The Captain Commander narrowed his eyes. While his men were strong, unless the boy empowering the Arrancar was eliminated, they would not win this battle.
"What a bothersome power…" The Captain Commander murmured, his piercing glare moving towards Akechi.
Luckily, the child seemed to be just as glued to Shido's side as Aizen was, which suited Genryūsai just fine. Better to kill two birds with one stone, after all. Or in this particular case, three. While the Gotei 13 had been battling the Espada, Genryūsai had been making his own preparations.
Not even bothering with Shunpo, he merely walked towards Shido.
"So, you finally enter the battlefield, old man." The human smirked, rust-coloured eyes shining arrogantly. "But it's too late – the real Karakura has almost returned to this world, and your army lies in ruins!"
Genryūsai scoffed. "I've met a thousand men like you over my lifetime – prideful upstarts who think that their wealth, power, or intelligence means they deserve dominion over their fellow man. And each time, the blade of their own hubris has stabbed them in the back. Tell me… if that Akechi child had never joined your side, would you be standing here today?"
It was clear the Captain Commander had hit a nerve, and Shido's face warped into an ugly scowl. "I have no intention of listening to the accusations of a doddering old man! Aizen, finish him!"
The Captain Commander stayed still as the traitor's husk lunged forward and buried his Zanpakutō deep in Genryūsai's guts. He gritted his teeth, but did not flinch. As long as Kyōka Suigetsu was embedded in his entrails, after all, Aizen would not be able to use it to hoodwink or beguile. That was assuming there was enough left of his intellect for him to use his Shikai, anyway – Genryūsai would not have been surprised if there wasn't.
Grabbing hold of the former Captain's arm, Genryūsai pinned him in place. "Ennetsu Jigoku!"
Sweat dribbled down his brow as a cage of fire so large it ensnared the entirety of Karakura town formed around them.
Despite the colossal distance between them and the blazing bars of pure heat, Shido still faltered, eyes wide. "Are you mad!? Karakura's all but returned by now – you'll destroy both the city and your men!"
Genryūsai's eyes narrowed to slits. "… So what? Buildings can always be rebuilt. Besides, do you think even a single warrior of the Gotei 13 stepped onto the battlefield today not willing to die? To sacrifice your life to destroy great evil… that is the credo of the Shinigami!"
If Shido thought he was bluffing, the human was sorely mistaken. Unohana's relief station was out of the crucible's path, and the odd Captain – such as Shunsui – had powers that might allow them to escape Ennetsu Jigoku's grip. The casualties would be calamitous, but there would be survivors. The Gotei 13 would carry on.
The human's expression was incredulous, but after a moment's hesitation, the upstart had the gall to laugh. "Hah! You genuinely believe the nonsense you're spouting, don't you? Pretty little words like that leave my lips all the time, but at least I know they're lies. Wonderweiss!"
Genryūsai felt a flicker of Reiatsu behind him. Whirling around, he saw the blond Arrancar who had taken out Jūshirō. His body had changed, however – clearly, the boy must have released his blade. The blond's mask had elongated into a pope's mitre that covered his eyes and left the sockets as mere dark holes, while a glossy metal coated his torso. His shoulders and thighs were covered in an overinflated white substance that somewhat resembled pantaloons, even if they were rigid in shape. When Wonderweiss reached out and touched Genryūsai's Zanpakutō, however, the Captain Commander saw that in contrast, his limbs were oddly spindly.
Still, his appearance mattered little compared to what happened next. The second the Arrancar's fingers brushed his Shikai's blade, Ryūjin Jakka's flames sizzled and died, and the cage of his Ennetsu Jigoku slowly dissipated until nothing remained. Genryūsai's eyes snapped wide open, but even though he tried to reignite his Shikai, nothing happened.
"Impressive, is it not?" Shido smirked, tilting his head smugly. "Ichimaru gave me a rundown of the Gotei 13 – yourself included. Luckily for me, Aizen had already found a solution to that Shikai of yours. Wonderweiss – or to be more accurate, his Resurrección, Extinguir. He was an Arrancar created solely to seal your powers."
A shrill screech left the Arrancar's mouth, and he charged at Genryūsai like a rabid dog. The Captain Commander merely scoffed. How foolish – did Shido genuinely think it made a difference if his Zanpakutō was sealed? The Captain Commander didn't need a blade to destroy one miserable Arrancar. Swinging his fist forward, it smashed into Wonderweiss's torso with so much force that nearly half his body was reduced to a bloody splat. A fleshy gurgle escaped the Arrancar, and Wonderweiss immediately started to regenerate, but it barely mattered to Genryūsai. All it achieved was delaying the inevitable.
Dozens of spindly limbs burst out of the Arrancar's shoulder pads and scratched at Genryūsai all at once. While the assault bruised his skin and cut his lip, it was… strangely underwhelming. Aizen shouldn't have been so proud of creating an Arrancar so weak.
The Captain Commander spat a glob of blood to the side and mustered his Reiatsu. This time, when Genryūsai pummelled Wonderweiss, it was with so much force the Arrancar was reduced to mere fragments. They clinked when they hit the earth, more akin to shards of clay than pieces of a body. Impassively, the Captain Commander watched as the chunk that was once Wonderweiss' head fell to the ground. He almost felt pity for the Arrancar when he saw its mouth was warped into a now-permanent frown. How cruel – a construct like that shouldn't have been cursed with the ability to still feel pain.
"Any last words?" Genryūsai rumbled as he turned back to Shido. "This battle will be over soon."
He was expecting to see fear on the coward's face, but instead, the man's eyes glittered in triumph. "Oh, I know." Shido crooned. "There's something you've forgotten, however – Wonderweiss was a seal. Tell me… what do you think would happen if those flames you summoned earlier were released instantaneously, indiscriminately, without any of your fine control? That's right – the blast radius would be so large, you'd make the Ōken for me!"
Horrified, the Captain Commander down around to face Wonderweiss' corpse. It had already begun to swell, and the heat that came from it held none of Ryūjin Jakka's familiarity. Without a moment's hesitation, Yamamoto lunged, throwing himself over the Arrancar's body mere milliseconds before it exploded.
Searing pain burnt through Genryūsai's torso, and then he felt nothing at all.