Joseph's glare burned into Robert, his eyes blazing with fury. "Don't think a few lucky shots make you my equal, you filth!" He thrust his hand into his vest, emerging with a black orb. "I haven't even begun to fight!"

Before Robert could react, Joseph jammed the orb into his chest. A tremendous surge of dark golden spiritual power blasted through him, triggering another terrifying transformation. The power felt like liquid fire coursing through his veins.

Sountrack of Choice: Death Note OST I - 19 - Death note Theme

His black cloak and uniform melted away, replaced by imposing golden armor. The majestic set gleamed with a robust chest plate, gauntlets, boots, and shoulder pads, all accented by shining white outlines. His six disembodied wings solidified, fusing into his back with feathers ablaze like the sun. A helmet with four faces covered his head: a lion on the left, an eagle on the right, a bull at the back, and a human-like face with closed, tranquil eyes at the front.

"Now, Robert..." Joseph's voice was a deep, angelic growl echoing with arrogance and rage. "You shall feel the full wrath of the God's chosen!"

To the elder Quincy's horror, the human face on Joseph's helmet opened its jaws impossibly wide. A hilt with a golden pommel rose from its maw. The abyssal knight grasped it, unsheathing a blade that shone like blinding white light infused with solar flames. The air shimmered with heat as the blade ignited.

"Schwert des Urteils!" Joseph spat, contempt seething in his voice. With a mighty swing, he unleashed a fiery wave of light upon Robert, hues of red, orange, and yellow blazing like a rising sun. The flames crackled and popped, filling the air with an acrid scent.

Robert narrowly dodged the solar wave but felt his left side ignite in agony. His skin blistered and charred, the pain forcing a scream from his lips. He stumbled, barely keeping his feet as he fought to silence his screams.

"Now do you see how futile it is, Robert?" Joseph sneered, his flaming sword pointed at the elder knight. "To question my designs is to deny reality. To reject my right to rule is to desecrate the heavens' movements. To stand in my way is to spit in our Lord's face!" He ranted, Robert, struggling to rise. "Even now, my fellow disciples purge you heretics with the power of God!"

In other flaming chambers, Yuichi and Yokochini felt their opponents succumb to the black spiritual power of the Reio, undergoing their own terrifying transformations.

John sprouted massive red wings, his body encased in dark crimson armor as he wielded a power-pulsing mace. Quigle grew four dark blue wings, his uniform transforming into black robes exposing his toned arms. A mask of rotating blue-eyed rings and white-blue flaming wheels hid his face.

Their spiritual power rivaled the Segunda Etapa of the Espada themselves and both knights knew the final battle to prove their worth had begun.

Soundtrack of Choice: Rage of Lunacy

Keigo struggled to land a hit on Berenice, her defensive nimbleness dodging all his air blade attacks. "You are extremely skilled with the blade, Keigo Asano," she complimented, ducking under a swipe. "But it's obvious you're not used to fighting defensively."

Keigo snarled. "Shut up!" His downward swipe forced Berenice to use the flying step to evade. "I'm part of the Vanguard of Xcaution, which means I have spiritual power to match the Imperial Guards themselves! So unless you want to be a bloodstain on the floor, get out of my way!"

Berenice raised an eyebrow. "You may have the power to match the Imperial Guards, but you're far from their skill level...or fully utilizing your power."

Keigo glared at her. "What are you-"

"If you were anywhere near their actual level, whether you are part of the Vanguard or the Imperial Guard, this battle would have been decided from the start." Berenice explained, Keigo's confusion evident. "And nor would you be so easily played."

"Damnit..." Keigo mentally cursed, his mind overwhelmed by questions. "Why did I fall for his ability ...why did I make that question again...why..." He struggled to focus on Berenice, attacking him with his blades.

But he dodged them more easily than before. "The fact that you can continue to fight me even under the effect of my Schrift is impressive, Asano." Berenice narrowed her eyes. "But in the end, it's only delaying the inevitable and soon you'll be a mindless vegetable."

Keigo's eyes bulged as questions stormed his mind, struggling to focus. "If that's the case, why don't you finish me off now!?"

Berenice studied Keigo, a sly yet sad smile gracing her lips. "Let's just say...I rather see things run their full course."

Soundtrack of Choice: Through the Fire by Supreme Devices

Deep within the halls of Tartarus, Ichigo and Bazzard fought against hundreds of Abyssal knights. At first, Bazzard held his own, but when the knights activated the Reio within their orbs, the tide turned. Each knight became at least as powerful as an apprentice, closing the power gap enough that they could wound Bazzard despite his use of Blut Vene and no matter how many he killed, more took their place.

Eventually, he fell to one knee. "Bazzard!" Ichigo called, forcing back the knights with a Gestuga Tenshou. "I'll...be fine, Ichigo," Bazzard rasped, struggling for breath. "These bastards just licked me a little, that's all." He began charging fire into his hands. "And I am about to return the favor! Burning Finger Three!"

Three beams of fire shot from his fingers, incinerating rows of Abyssal knights. But his expression fell as several knights worked together by forming a black reishi barrier with their hands to block the tri-beam.

"Fuck...these guys are finally getting organized," Bazzard muttered, his breathing heavy. "And I am way past my limit."

Ichigo frowned. "Then let me take charge, I can handle them on my-"

"If you do that as you are right now you are going to get yourself killed!" The fiery man snapped at Ichigo, looking at him in concern. "I was the one that got you into this mess because I was too much of a coward to stand up to my fanatic of a father and the least I can do is give my life to cause that is worth fighting!" He declared passionately, Ichigo then locked his eyes at the defiant man...and then struck him at the back of his head.

"WHAT THE HELL MAN!? I am already bleeding here!" Bazzard yelped out and then he saw Kurosaki handing him his shorter Zanpakuto.

"If you truly want to make up for what you did, then you should do so by living and helping your people. Not using me as an excuse to martyr yourself," Ichigo said calmly, staring ahead at the Quincies. "And right now if either of us is going to live then we need to work together as equals"

Bazzard studied Ichigo, then sighed and took hold of his zanpakuto, smirking. "I should let you know I never used a zanpakuto from a Shinigami before, so I might not be able to help much."

Ichigo grinned back. "That zanpakuto is the representation of my Quincy powers. So think of it as another cross that you can gather Reishi into and the fact I am allowing you to borrow it"

"Really?" Bazzard questioned, then gathered the Reishi around his environment and was pleasantly surprised by how well he could do so. "Well, what do know?" He turned his gaze to Ichigo. "You sure you can handle yourself with one sword?"

"Hmpf," Ichigo smirked. "Not the first time." He began charging a Getsuga Tenshou into his blade, focusing on the Abyssal Knights. "Ready?"

Bazzard locked eyes with his enemies, igniting a Burning Finger Four through the black borrowed Zanpakuto. "Do you need to ask?"

Then, with a single pause, after they let the rogue Quincy get in range. Both Ichigo and Bazzard let out an echoing battle cry before charging into the overwhelming enemy horde in a battle that would see them either live or die.

Soundtrack of Choice: Tears of The Dragon by Hiroyuki Sawano

Meanwhile in one of the central furnace chambers Robert slowly rose to face Joseph, clutching his burnt arm.

"You may have been chosen to carry the will of the first king by the right of your blood..." He rose to his full height, staring down the traitorous Regent with righteous fury. "But you were never chosen by God." He stretched out his hands, forming a long weapon. "This path of treachery and destruction was of your own doing when the world didn't bow to your selfish whims. But instead of admitting your wrongs you sought to bring everything around you to oblivion'

Joseph sneered, raising his sword. "I have grown tired of hearing your blasphemous words, fool"

"NOW DIE!" He unleashed a massive slash of solar-like fire at Robert, hoping to reduce him to ash.

But to his astonishment, when Robert brought his weapon to bear against the solar wave, the multi-colored flames parted and swirled around him...before heading right back towards Joseph!

Resulting in an explosion that shook the entire underground level. "The only blasphemy here...," Robert said, tightening his grip on the spear, "Is your delusion and hypocrisy. And I'll be the one to pierce them at their source."