Bleach: Three Paths

by Getsuga Goon

What if Rukia arrived too late at the start of Bleach? You'd be surprised. The fates of the Kurosakis would be forever changed by this one event. Takes inspiration from the Bleach Fanfiction named "White" by Melkor's Mercy. [Cross-posted on Ao3.] Cover image by Chris-Jin on DeviantArt.

59. Chapter 59

Chapter 59: The Great Prison of Muken

Shiba Residence, Rukongai

A group of eight walks along the dirt path among the grassy plains of the Rukongai, nearing the Shiba Residence. Leading the group is a one-armed, caped woman; Kukaku Shiba, who pushes her brother seated in a wooden wheelchair, Ganju. Following closely behind her are three young Shinigami; Hanataro, Ryunosuke, and Shino, discussing something with each other. Behind this trio are the black-haired forms of Isshin and Karin, walking side-by-side in silence, both having a lot of emotions to work through right now. Lastly, flanking the group shortly behind Karin, is the green-haired artificial Shinigami, Nozomi Kujo.

As the group is right before the entrance, Kukaku raises a brow as her twin servants, Koganehiko and Shiroganehiko, stand exhausted, muttering, "Welcome back, My Lady…"

The woman shifts to a scowl while Ganju sweat drops as they hear loud voices coming from inside the residence, clearly making a ruckus. The siblings enter the residence, leaving the scarred form of Karin and her bearded father to each raise a brow. The rest of the group hesitates before ultimately entering the residence, following the siblings.

After descending the stairs into the residence, Kukaku opens the door to her common room, with a scowl as she observes the ruckus within. On the left side of the room are Tsukishima, Ginjo, Riruka, Yukio, Chad, and Kon—the remaining Ryoka from Xcution. Yoruichi sits in the middle of the room with an annoyed scowl on her face as Ururu and Jinta sit behind her. The right side of the room is occupied by a good portion of the Visoreds: Hachi, Hiyori, Love, Rose, and Lisa, who seem more standoffish than everyone else in the room.

Kon points accusingly at Yoruichi, whining, "YOU DECEIVED ME! All those nights at Ryuken's house, I was sleeping next to a hottie all this time and didn't even know?! IT'S NOT FAIR!"

The ninja woman doesn't respond, not particularly in the mood to deal with the stuffed lion's antics.

Jinta, however, has no qualms with that as he stands up and suddenly stomps on the lion, shouting, "A bum like you has no chance with Ms. Yoruichi!"

After a moment, Kon suddenly expands, transforming into his massive muscular form, causing the boy to fall on his butt and look up with fear, "Call me a bum, again! I dare you, kid!"

The red-haired boy blinks and then growls before grabbing his baseball bat from the floor, ready to throw hands, "You heard me, BUM!"

The two are about to lunge at each other, however, Chad and Ururu hold back Kon and Jinta respectively, preventing an all-out brawl from occurring.

Ginjo coughs, acknowledging the owners of the residence, "It's about time you guys showed up…"

Everyone inside becomes quiet before turning to look at the group from outside entering the room.

Kon blinks before comical tears start to fall from his eyes as he notes Nozomi's presence, "Huh…?"

The green-haired girl flinches, her expression becoming mortified as the massive stuffed lion leaps across the room, attempting to bear hug her, "NOZOMI—!"

The lion is cut off as Nozomi harshly presses her palm against his face with all her might, holding him back from completely crushing her in a hug.

This does not stop him from continuing to cry and explain in a muffled voice, "I missed you so much! I was worried!"

The green-haired Shinigami blushes, "Back off, pervert! It hasn't even been that long since we saw each other!"

Behind Nozomi, the three young Shinigami and the Shibas look at Kon with widened eyes, speechless at his appearance.

After a moment, Isshin starts slowly, "Uh… Kon…?"

The lion blinks before looking over at the bearded man and backing away from Nozomi slightly, shifting to a friendly smile, "Long time no see, Mr. Kurosaki!"

Isshin's jaw hits the floor as he looks up at the massive lion, "So you're really Kon?! B-but you're… you're so…"

Kon widens his eyes, regarding his form before sheepishly rubbing the back of his stuffed head, "Oh this? Mr. Urahara made a few modifications during our training so I could contribute if I needed to fight…"

The Shiba man sweat drops and nods, "I see…"

Karin furrows her brows, a confused look on her face which is matched by Ryunosuke and Shino, who are flanking her.

Kukaku sighs, leaving her brother's side and walking across the room before sitting on a cushion next to the seated form of Yoruichi, "I see you were able to get Urahara's kids back without issues. That's good… but it still seems you're in a worse mood now than after the battle ended…"

The ninja woman glances at her friend before looking at Ururu and Jinta currently making conversation with Hiyori, "I went to the noble meeting with my brother…"

The bandaged woman begins to smoke on her pipe before exhaling a stream of smoke and nodding in understanding, "Say no more…"

The dark-skinned noblewoman perks up when Ururu suddenly approaches her, asking in a worried voice, "Uh… Ms. Yoruichi… when are Mr. Tsukabishi and Mr. Urahara going to get here…?"

Yoruichi glances around the room, seeing Jinta and the Visoreds, especially Hachi, also are visibly worried and interested in her answer.

Sighing, the ninja woman answers, "Hopefully very soon…"

The girl nods, although there is still doubt on her face as she vividly recalls how the Shinigami dragged both men, her family, away when they raided Urahara Shōten.

Ginjo, still seated next to Tsukishima, raises a brow as he watches Ganju, in his wooden wheelchair, roll himself over to them, followed by Hanataro, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head.

The boy starts, "Long time no see, ha-ha…"

Ignoring the boy, the Xcution leader looks somewhat concerned as he looks upon the man in the wheelchair, "What happened to you…?"

Before the man can start, Hawk, Dumbbell, Fever, and Top—Ganju's gang, burst in through the room behind the Fullbringers, demanding, "Tell us too, Master Ganju!"

Ganju smirks as he starts to explain, "Well, it was like this…"

A Few Minutes Later

Ganju's gang is crying profusely as Top utters, "Lord Kaien can finally know rest…!"

Ganju nods as Kukaku, Karin, and Isshin become somber, acknowledging their fallen family member—Kaien Shiba.

The paralyzed man wears a look of dejection, admitting, "But that Hollow was the real deal… way out of my league… I'll be lucky if I ever walk again, let alone fight…"

Hanataro frowns as he looks down in similar dejection, "If I were there with you, maybe I could've healed your wound in time…"

Ganju wears a toothy smile before reaching up and ruffling the boy's hair, causing him to widen his eyes as the man explains with an accepting look in his eyes, "It's too late for regrets now…"

Karin looks down slightly in dejection as she hears her cousin's words, striking a chord with her.

Ginjo nods, stating distantly, "I wish I could've been there to help out, too…"

The Fullbringer narrows his eyes in the next moment as he glares at the scarred Shiba girl across the room, "I wonder… could she be more than just a Shinigami like her sister… could she be a Fullbringer…?"

Yukio, also looking at Karin, widens his eyes as he is struck by an emotional blow. He looks closely at her sad expression, noting the way she purses her lips, the look in her eyes, and the features on her face. The boy even notes the minute way her ears and nose twitch ever so slightly. Despite her scarred face and black hair, the girl looks just like Yuzu to him.

Upon this realization, Yukio looks down in anguish, which Chad and Riruka instantly notice. The teenage Fullbringers both place a hand of support on the boy's shoulder, causing him to lift his head slightly and glance at both of them in appreciation as he wipes tears from his eyes.

Isshin suddenly grunts, gaining the attention of everyone within the room, including the Visoreds in the corner, who have thus far been quiet, "I believe introductions are in order…"

The renegade captain points to himself, "I am Isshin Shiba, the former captain of Squad 10, husband to Masaki Kurosaki, and father to Ichigo, Yuzu, and Karin Kurosaki. But I'm sure you all knew that…"

Everyone in the room nods, prompting Isshin to continue, "There are some of you in here that even I don't know, but I can only assume that every one of you is here to assist me and Kisuke Urahara in the trying times to come. As such, I must request that everyone at least states your name and something about yourself, I don't care what, so we can all be on the same page about each other."

The room is silent for a moment before Ginjo shrugs and smirks, "I guess I'll start… I'm Kugo Ginjo, a Fullbringer…"

Following the Fullbringer, everyone, one by one, introduces themselves, allowing Karin great insight into the true extent of her father's influence as there is a collection of all types of people here, who all presumably came to help out her family.

Karin becomes somewhat emotional at this, putting her head in her black sleeve to hide her tears. She notes that Kon, Yukio, Chad, and Riruka all went out of their way to mention something about Yuzu, making it clear to her that they all cared deeply for her sister as if she were family. This is something that Isshin notes as well, the father and daughter deciding that they can completely trust those four.

Everyone suddenly perks up as they notice four other individuals just arrived, standing at the entrance of the room—Shinji, Toshiro, Momo, and Rangiku. Isshin looks at the four briefly before looking at his still tearful daughter.

"You know this, but there are many other rooms where you can go if you need to clear your head…", the man reminds.

Karin looks at him, acknowledging that she heard his statement, but doesn't move or speak.

Isshin sighs before walking over to the four new arrivals, "Thanks for coming…"

After exchanging some words with the Shiba man, Shinji walks across the room, giving the girl a simple nod as he can tell she is in deep thought before regarding Hiyori, "How'd it go with your former 3rd seat?"

The blonde pig-tailed girl hisses, "How the hell do you think, Baldy?! Speaking with him is always bad!"

The blonde man hums as he nods, "Well, it went well on my end. Squad 5 has some decent people despite Aizen being their captain…"

Hiyori rolls her eyes, "I'm SO happy for you…"

Karin ignores the duo as she looks over at the people her father is speaking to, narrowing her eyes as she innocently questions aloud, "Who brought the grade-schooler kid?"

An angry tick mark immediately forms on Toshiro's head as he looks down in both anger and embarrassment, knowing she cannot be referring to anyone else. Ryunosuke, Shino, and Hanataro are shocked speechless, and somewhat scared of what the young renegade captain will do. On the other hand, after flinching and being quiet for a moment, Isshin and Rangiku start to burst out into tearful laughter, finding it beyond hilarious and glad to have something to take their minds off Yuzu and Gin respectively.

As her father and the blonde woman continue laughing loudly, not a single person bothers to correct the scarred girl, leaving her immensely confused with a troubled expression on her face, "What…? Why are they laughing? Did someone say something funny?"

Toshiro suddenly bows in respect for Isshin before he marches outside.

Momo looks between her brother and the bearded ex-captain before walking outside as well, a troubled look on her face, "Shiro always makes a point of correcting someone when they talk about his age… why didn't he do that with her?"

After the former vice-captain leaves, Karin notices everyone staring at her with either amused or shocked looks, making her raise a brow, "What…?"

Before anyone can correct the girl, Isshin shakes his head as he wipes a tear from his eye, his laughter settling, "I-It's nothing…"

The scarred girl nods before falling silent. After just a moment of having nothing to occupy herself with, her mind unconsciously starts to think about Yuzu, making her frown as she decides she needs something to take her mind off her sister. She looks into the other room where Ganju's gang leaped out from and notices the form of Hawk beginning to throw some vegetables into a pot while the other three seemingly prepare the room as a kitchen.

Getting an idea, Karin approaches Hawk, making him look at her with a raised brow as she asks, "Can I help you cook?"

A Few Minutes Later

After a few minutes, Hawk sweat drops as he looks at the grotesque soupy mixture before him, which releases a deathly aura and smell.

He politely looks over at the trembling and pouting form of Karin, who has frustrated tears in her eyes, starting, "Milady, maybe you should—"

She cuts him off emotionally, snapping, "I KNOW I SUCK!"

Hawk rubs the back of his neck and assures her with a smile, "I wasn't going to say that…"

Karin looks away as the Fullbringers, her friends, and family in the other room look at her in concern, Isshin himself beginning to walk over.

The girl hisses quietly and dejectedly as her father gets close, "T-Things will never be the same without her, Dad… I… I still can't believe she's…"

Isshin's eyes soften as he tilts his head at Hawk, dismissing him for the moment, before kneeling down and gently stroking his daughter's hair and embracing her, "I know…"

Everyone else softens their gazes as they send the father and daughter looks of sympathy.

After a few moments, Karin settles down, breaking the embrace before glancing at everyone, "I… I'm sorry I made a scene…"

Riruka scoffs, "You have NOTHING to be sorry about!"

The scarred girl widens her eyes as Ryunosuke meekly adds, "Yeah… Plus, we're the guests here… but we're also here to help you…"

Upon remembering why everyone is here, Karin clutches her chest and nods, looking down as her eyes begin to water again, "Thank you, everyone…"

The people in the other room purse their lips and look somewhat at a loss, nearly all wanting to comfort the girl in some way.

Suddenly, Shino steps forward and holds a soccer ball in her hand, smirking with a suggestion, "Well, I'm sure you won't feel sorry about kicking our butts at this… what do you say?"

Karin's eyes widen slightly before her face shifts into a confident, smiling expression, "I can't say no to that!"

Outside

The group has seemingly set up a makeshift soccer field in the grassland in front of the Shiba Residence, two sets of parallel wooden beams acting as the goalposts. Everyone begins to split up into teams, Karin directing them.

"You—big guy with the pink hair! You can be the goalie on Team Visored!", the girl orders in a bossy manner.

Hachi sulks slightly as he rubs the back of his head, "She forgot my name already…"

Love and Rose both give the man an enthusiastic pat on the back, the former noting with a smirk, "I'm sure she'll get it down eventually…"

As they say this, Lisa blushes as she begins stretching, "I sure hope none of the men on the other team have their way with me if I trip…"

Shinji slides in, stating with a deadpan, "Yeah, this is just a game, not one of your perverted fantasies…"

Ignoring the banter between the Visoreds, Karin frowns as she looks around the field, noting Chad standing at the posts opposite to Hachi, "Good… both teams have tall goalies who will make it harder to score… but there's a problem…"

She looks to one side of the field at 'Team Xcution': Yoruichi, Hanataro, Ginjo, Tsukishima, Riruka, Chad, Yukio, Kon, Nozomi, and Isshin, noting, "Ok so counting me that's 11 players… but…"

The girl shifts her gaze to the other side of the field at 'Team Visored': Shinji, Hiyori, Hachi, Love, Rose, Lisa, Shino, Ryunosuke, and Rangiku, concluding, "They only have 9 players… if we want a full 22, they need two more…"

Karin notes Ururu and Jinta, sitting on the sidelines next to her cousins, Kukaku and Ganju, "Should we get those two…? They probably can't keep up that well if I start getting competitive…"

The girl flinches and widens her eyes as she looks at Momo and Toshiro on the sidelines too, a distance away from her cousins.

The black-haired, brown-eyed Shinigami girl tilts her head down slightly to look at her brother, "It looks like they need two more players, Shiro. You think we should play?"

Toshiro grunts as he leans against the side of the building with his arms crossed, "No way. This game is probably for kids…"

Karin's eye twitches and she wears a feral smirk on her face as an angry tick mark forms on her head, yelling out to the boy as she heard what he said, "Oh yeah?! A grade-schooler like you has no room to talk! But if you're too much of a baby to play in the big leagues, I understand…~"

Momo gawks in shock as the white-haired, headband-wearing Shinigami next to her narrows his green eyes, an angry tick mark forming on his head as well.

There is a fire in the boy's eyes as he walks away from the building, snapping back at the Shiba girl in a cold fury, "If it's like that, then I'll play this game…"

The scarred Shinigami smirks, glad that her taunt was effective, before starting to address all the players and beginning to explain the rules.

Squad 11 Barracks, Seireitei

A Shinigami is sent crashing through a window before rolling in the grass outside. Within the main training dojo at the Squad 11 Barracks, a multitude of Shinigami sit around, staring warily at the heated and bandaged form of a bald, shirtless man holding a wooden sword.

The man, Ikkaku, looks around the dojo as fresh sweat trickles down his face, "All right! Who's next?!"

None of the Shinigami on the sidelines are particularly eager to receive the next beating from their third seat, all beginning to sweat bullets as the man reiterates, "What's the matter?! None of you cowards want any of this?!"

Yumichika, also on the sidelines, narrows his eyes as he looks upon his friend, seeing a particular glint held in his eyes, "He won't admit it, but he's been in a foul mood since I told him his sister left with the Shibas… this is just his way of blowing off steam…"

The peacock-looking man widens his eyes slightly as a rough voice calls behind him, "I'll take this dance."

The crowd of Shinigami splits as Ikkaku smirks slightly, looking at the origin of the voice, "Down for round two, eh?"

The sunglasses-wearing form of Tetsuzaemon Iba stands battle-ready, pointing his wooden sword at the bald man as he growls, "Don't think I've forgotten that you owe me booze!"

Ikkaku's smirk widens as he glares at the man with a fierce look, "I'll owe you booze when you manage to knock me out!"

Iba growls again, starting, "You little—!"

Yumichika cuts in, "Why are you here with us? What about Captain Komamura?"

The shaded man calms down a degree as he shifts to look at the other Shinigami, who wears a confused expression.

After a moment, Iba sighs before rubbing the back of his head, "Well, to tell you the truth… my captain wants to be left alone for a while…"

Somewhere in the Rukongai

The massive form of a wolfman Shinigami wearing a white Haori stands alone on top of a hill within the Rukongai. Before him is a small monument of sorts, honoring someone who the captain unfortunately never got the chance to meet.

Komamura's expression is somber as he looks down at the grave, "Friend of Tosen… what would you have said to stop him…?"

The wolfman's eyes narrow slightly as his expression becomes somewhat strained, thinking about how his interference ultimately prevented the Ryoka and Arrancars from interfering with Yamamoto burning Yuzu to nothing.

For once in his life, Sajin Komamura questions his convictions, "If even just this once, should I have abstained from assisting the man who took me in and treated me as an equal… Sir Genryusai…?"

As the wolfman's thoughts linger, his ears perk up, hearing sudden footsteps walk up the hill.

The captain turns around to face a surprised-looking scarred Shinigami with a vice-captain's badge on his bare left arm, who gasps, "Oh…"

The men exchange silent glances before the scarred Shinigami with a unique '69' tattoo on his left cheek walks next to him and looks at the grave as well, paying his respects. Komamura looks off in the distance, the wind blowing his robes as the pair remain in a tranquil silence.

After a while, the scarred Shinigami, Shuhei Hisagi, speaks with uncertainty, "Captain Komamura… will Captain Tosen… ever come back?"

Komamura looks off into the distance at the ruined Seireitei, stating with certainty, "Undoubtedly. And when he does, we'll knock the cobwebs from his head!"

Shuhei slowly nods as he continues to quietly look down at the grave of one Kakyo Tsunayashiro, although he does not know that. There is yet another long tranquil silence for the two, both feeling simultaneous disappointment, confusion, and guilt.

After another moment, Komamura closes his eyes and releases a sigh, "In any case, I must return to the Seireitei to assist in the rebuilding and search for survivors… make sure not to linger here too long, Vice-Captain Hisagi…"

The scarred man nods, still looking at the grave as he listens to the wolfman walk away. Shuhei stands alone on the hill for a while, mulling over his thoughts and considering what he could have done differently.

The man perks up as he hears footsteps approach, making him raise a brow and turn, starting, "Captain Komamura—?"

Shuhei widens his eyes as he cuts himself off, an annoyed masculine voice regarding him, "So you're Tosen's vice-captain? You're hard to find… you don't look like much, either…"

Before the Shinigami are two figures, a tall man and a much shorter woman. The man, and the source of the voice, is quite muscular and has short white hair and dark eyes, currently wearing an annoyed scowl on his face. He wears a navy-blue tank top, gray cargo pants, and black combat boots, overall giving him the appearance of someone who takes no bullshit.

Next to him is a woman with goggles in her short green hair, who holds a curious look in her hazel eyes as opposed to the annoyed one her companion has. She wears a white jumpsuit with orange boots and gloves as well as an orange scarf around her neck.

Shuhei gawks as he instantly recognizes them, recalling a vision of a white-haired Shinigami captain who he owes his life to, "Captain Muguruma?! Vice-Captain Kuna?! What are you doing here? I thought you were with the Shibas?"

Kensei snorts as he replies, "We haven't been a part of Squad 9 in ages, so please don't call us that… and as for the Shibas, I'd rather give them their space at the moment…"

Mashiro pouts in disagreement, "Speak for yourself, Kensei! I happen to like the idea that this guy looks up to and respects us!"

The white-haired man grumbles, correcting himself, "Fine, you can call her that, but not me!"

The green-haired woman huffs in victory, leaving Shuhei to sweat drop slightly as Kensei levels his gaze on him.

The former captain's glare becomes intense, prompting the scarred Shinigami to perk up in interest as his role model and savior from 100 years ago speaks, "I'm guessing you are under the impression that you can't perform Bankai, right?"

Shuhei flinches, completely caught off guard, "Huh…?"

Kensei's face remains ever serious as Mashiro looks off absentmindedly in the distance, "If I know one thing, it's that Aizen likes to conceal his hand… those maskless Hollows who managed to ravage the Seireitei—they were nothing but a preview."

The vice-captain widens his eyes as his body seizes in terror, realizing exactly what the other man is getting at.

The white-haired Visored narrows his eyes as he asserts, "We may not exactly be allies, but the more people the Soul Society has that can perform Bankai, the better…"

Shuhei flinches, his eyes still wide in disbelief for a moment before he pulls himself together and returns his role model's serious look, "I'm willing to do what I can to get stronger, but… I can't promise someone as lowly as myself will be able to perform Bankai…"

Kensei's scowl is deep as his brow twitches, his thoughts irritated, "Is this guy serious…? Mashiro and I heard nothing but praise when asking around to find him… the consensus was overwhelmingly that he is the most capable vice-captain in the current Gotei 13, next to Sasakibe, that is…"

After a moment, the white-haired man exhales, asserting, "Fine… then your training begins now…"

The scarred man briefly scrunches his brows in confusion before they widen as Mashiro quickly dawns a beetle-like Hollow mask and rushes him. He cannot properly respond to her superior speed, resulting in him being struck in the gut by a powerful kick, which launches him in the air briefly before he goes tumbling down the hill.

Shuhei coughs violently as the air is forced from his lungs due to that kick while Kensei and Mashiro casually approach, the man explaining, "You'll be facing Mashiro while she's Hollowfied to get you used to fighting powerful Hollows… you'll need something like Bankai backing you up if you hope to keep up…"

Mashiro crosses her arms as she asserts confidently in her distorted Hollow voice, "A vice-captain should know their place next to a super vice-captain!"

The black-haired Shinigami wheezes as he looks up at the Visored man, who glares back at him coldly, "Don't doubt that she'll kill you… we certainly have more than enough pent-up frustration about Aizen that such a slip-up could happen…"

Kensei furrows his brows angrily, "I ain't soft like Tosen…"

Shuhei grits his teeth as he starts to properly pick himself up from the ground, "Hold on… Captain Muguruma… I look up to you. I respect you. But…"

The white-haired Visored stares at the scarred Shinigami ominously as the vice-captain wears an angry expression of his own, "…you've got no right to bad-mouth Captain Tosen!"

Kensei's brow twitches before he suddenly strikes Shuhei in the face with a devastating punch, causing blood to fly through the air as the vice-captain falls hard on his back.

The white-haired Visored then leaps at Shuhei, grabbing his collar and picking him up so he can deliver a series of brutalizing punches and knees, making even more blood fly through the air. After about a minute of savagely beating the vice-captain within an inch of his life, he tosses the man back on the grassy ground beneath them before spitting disrespectfully to the side.

The former 9th division captain looks down upon the other Shinigami, regarding him with a harsh tone, "What's wrong, Vice-Captain? Aren't you going to teach me about having the 'right' to disrespect my former third seat?!"

Shuhei looks up at the man with anger in his eyes as he utters quietly, yet resolutely between his bloodied lips, "And he was my captain…!"

Kensei raises a brow as he watches the bloodied man slowly rise to his feet before drawing his blade and stating quietly, "Reap, Kazeshini…"

The two Visoreds look in interest as Shuhei's blade turns into two black, twin double-sided scythes connected by a black chain.

The Shinigami, now resembling a true reaper, glares at the former captain, taking him seriously, "This blade of mine knows only death… forgive me if I slip up…"

Mashiro and Kensei begin to circle the vice-captain as the latter pulls his Zanpakutō, a large dagger, from the holster tied to his belt, thinking, "He sure got up quick… seems he can take a beating. That's good… I'll beat him down until he has no choice but to unlock his Bankai…"

Nel's Palace, Under the Canopy, Las Noches

Four figures wearing white clothing approach a limestone green palace. One of the figures, the caped form of Orihime, looks down with a dejected look, still shaken up by the recent altercation with Ichigo.

Nelliel, in front of her, softens her gaze before looking up at the sky, attempting to get the girl's mind off the Hollow King, "I'm sure you're curious about the sky…"

The girl widens her eyes before looking at the Espada, "W-what?"

The green-haired woman stops at the foot of a stairway, leading up to her palace.

She turns around and smiles softly as she matches the girl's gaze, "The sky… it's bright blue, has clouds, and there is a sun. This is the only place in Hueco Mundo that isn't eternally night."

Sora looks up at the sky curiously, noting, "This is the first time I've been under the canopy… is it always daytime?"

Nelliel nods, maintaining her friendly smile, "It is… I'm sure you've noticed too, right Orihime?"

The auburn-haired has a thoughtful look as she regards the sky, "This desert reminds me of Mr. Urahara's training area. He was able to maintain daytime in the basement under his shop too…"

Nelliel blinks before she now looks curious, "I see… it must be some kind of Shinigami technology, then. This area didn't exist before Aizen had it built shortly after defeating Barragan..."

Orihime is about to say something, however, her brother cuts her off as he gawks at the palace in front of them, "Wait, this is your place?! It's a palace in and of itself!"

The green-haired woman giggles, finding her peer's reaction amusing, "Every Espada has one! Yours should be somewhere southwest from here…"

Sora's jaw hits the sand below as he utters guiltily, "W-what…? If I'd known that, I would've told my Fraccions to go there instead of just standing around in the halls…"

Roka, still wearing the white dress from Karakura Town, perks up as golden thread flickers through the air behind her, "Actually, Master Inoue, Miss Sung-Sun seems to be waiting for you at your palace… should I inform her of your location?"

Sora sweat drops as he begins to blush, nervously rubbing the back of his head, "T-that won't be necessary…"

Orihime's eyes almost sparkle as she smiles joyfully, the look on her brother's face taking her out of her thoughts and forcing her to giggle, "She must be waiting to make me an auntie!"

Sora flinches as he bashfully clarifies, his face as red as a tomato, "N-no, it's not like that!"

Roka slides in behind the serpent with a blank look, a golden thread once more flickering through the air between them, "Lord Sora, your thoughts say otherwise…"

"HEY! No mind reading!", the serpent snaps, causing Orihime and Nelliel to laugh at seeing the usually confident Arrancar flustered.

The group then walks up the stairs and enters the palace. Once they enter, there is a large open room, which seems to split off into four different hallways.

Still in high spirits, the auburn-haired girl pivots and takes in the appearance of the spider Arrancar. The brown-haired girl wears a unique, sleeveless multi-layer short dress with yellow stitching, which also parts into two coattails behind her back. She wears white boots and gloves which respectively end at her mid-thigh and mid-bicep.

Orihime smiles as she can't help but compliment the girl, "You know, Roka, I didn't realize you were so pretty before now! The dress really suits you!"

Roka widens her left eye, the right side of her face concealed by half a skull, as she blushes lightly, "Thank you, Ms. Inoue. I was about to change out of it, but if you insist it suits me, then perhaps I should wear it normally…"

The auburn-haired girl huffs as she makes a pouting expression, "I told you that's too formal! Please call me Orihime!"

The spider Arrancar nods, shifting to a smile, "Very well then, Orihime…"

Suddenly, both Sora and Nelliel perk up as they hear two voices yelling in unison, "WELCOME BACK!"

The green-haired Espada smiles widely as Pesche and Dondochakka, accompanied by their massive pet, Bawabawa, burst from one of the hallways and rush toward Roka and Orihime.

Pesche cries as they leap in the air, preparing to jump the two girls, "You're gonna be it this time, Roka!"

The auburn-haired girl flinches, about to instinctually throw up her shield to prevent the Arrancars from flattening her. Before she can, however, a golden web materializes, catching the lively trio and preventing them from moving.

Roka smiles as she looks up at her friends, "You will never catch me announcing your attack like that…"

Dondochakka whines as he flails, "Aw, I knew we shoulda jumped her outside, you know what I'm sayin'?!"

The blonde beetle Arrancar shakes his head in total disagreement, "No! This was the only gentlemanly way of going about it! No unfair advantages!"

The larger, unique-looking tiki Arrancar argues, "But it's Eternal Tag! There are no rules!"

Bawabawa whines and hisses as it attempts to break out to no avail.

Orihime and Sora look upon the captured Arrancars with widened eyes as Nelliel gestures to them with a smile, introducing, "These are my Fraccions!"

Pesche looks at the Inoue siblings before also greeting them in a friendly tone, "Oh! We almost didn't see you there! I'm Pesche and he's my brother Dondochakka! This big guy here is our pet, Bawabawa. Say hi, Bawabawa!"

The massive worm shifts to a friendly smile as it hisses at them in greeting, causing the siblings to smile while they both sweat drop.

Dondochakka then cuts in with his own smile, "You two are Master Sora and his sister Orihime, right? It's nice to meet ya!"

The siblings nod, maintaining their friendly looks as Sora thinks, "I bet Wonderweiss and Kukkapuro would get along well with these guys… they certainly seem like a fun crowd, like their sister…"

The serpent blinks before he looks over at Gantenbainne as well, prompting him to give the man a nod.

The afro-haired man returns the nod before looking upon the smiling Nelliel with a serious look, "Nnoitora, Tesla, and Dordoni stopped by earlier… they were looking for you…"

This makes the green-haired woman roll her eyes and frown, "Nnoitora wanted to pick a fight with me, then… he'll never learn…"

Gantenbainne nods slowly before raising a brow as he notices Orihime looking at him with stars in her eyes, "H-hello there, Ms. Inoue. You can call me Gantenbainne—"

The girl cuts him off as she gushes, "Your orange afro and beard are awesome! It's like I'm looking at a disco legend!"

The former Espada maintains his raised brow as he questions, "Disco…?"

The Inoue siblings share a knowing look before smiling at the man, Sora explaining, "There's a lot about the world of the living you guys should learn about!"

A Few Minutes Later

Nelliel chuckles heartily as the group now sits around a table in the middle of the room, enjoying food and drink brought to them by one of the servant Hollows, "You're right! There are a lot of interesting things we older Hollows don't know about the world of the living! I think we should all go there and have fun at one of these 'karaoke' places sometime!"

Sora waves his hand politely, "Come now, Nelliel, you aren't old at all! You don't look a day older than 29!"

The green-haired woman chuckles as she rubs the back of her head and blushes lightly, "Thanks for the compliment, but we both know I'm roughly 5 times your age, young man!"

The serpent snorts, "In that case, I'll just have to join your brothers there in calling you big sis Nel! I always wondered what having an older sister would be like…"

Gantenbainne cuts in with a raised brow, "What about our Quinto, Master Halibel? If I recall, you two are rather close as well."

The brown-haired, ponytail-wearing Arrancar flinches before frowning slightly, "I wouldn't say I see her like that…"

Nelliel wears a smug smirk as she leans in, placing her elbows on the table and resting her chin on her palms, "Oh…? ~ Then how do you see her? Perhaps romance is in the air there?"

Sora blushes as he growls, "Absolutely not!"

The green-haired woman frowns slightly, becoming confused, "Well then… how do you see her…?"

The serpent widens his eyes slightly, realizing that he never really thought about it. His face becomes thoughtful as he recalls his time in Halibel's pack. He could count on her to step in and protect him whenever something was beyond his abilities. Her absolute devotion to those in her pack felt like something completely foreign to the serpent. It is clear that she loves him in some way and equally clear that he loves her back, like kin. However, where he views the other three in the pack as either siblings or potential romantic partners, the same cannot be said of Halibel herself. She would not seek out conflict, but if you threatened her pack, she would not hesitate to strike you down, much like a mama bear.

He widens his eyes as he recalls a particular conversation he had with the woman about parenting, prompting him to clutch his chest and question, "Wait… could I see her… like that… like a… mother…?"

Sora's face becomes visibly troubled as he has never in his existence experienced maternal love. Or paternal love, for that matter. Both of his parents were so abusive that he felt the need to run away with his little sister and raise her himself.

Nelliel sighs as she notices the other Arrancar is confused when it comes to how he feels about the blonde Espada, prompting her to instead look to Orihime, staring into space, "What do you think, Orihime?"

The auburn-haired girl flinches before wearing a weak smile, "O-oh… we'll I'm sure my big brother cares about her one way or another…"

Orihime's gaze then falls slightly as the look in her eyes is distant and dejected, unable to fake joy in front of the older woman. Sora's brotherly instincts kick in as well, pulling him from his thoughts as he notes his sister's standoffishness.

Nelliel glances at her Fraccions, deciding it is finally time to address the elephant in the room, "Can you three please give us the room…?"

The Fraccions glance at each other before getting up and walking down one of the hallways leading deeper into the palace.

Orihime scrunches her brows and frowns, "Why'd you dismiss them—?"

The Espada woman cuts her off, "Is what he said true? Do you have feelings for him?"

The auburn-haired girl flinches, her brown eyes widening as the other woman's cold hazel eyes stare back at her. Nelliel's expression is deadly serious.

Sora stands up, starting, "Hold on just a minute, Nelliel! You shouldn't just—"

"You should really stop babying her, Sora.", the green-haired woman states in a cold, objective voice, now making the serpent flinch.

Roka narrows her left eye slightly as she looks upon the older woman, who elaborates, "This isn't the world of the living… this is Hueco Mundo, land of the Hollows. If she doesn't even have the strength to answer a simple question, then I'm sorry to say it, but she doesn't belong here…"

Sora frowns while Orihime looks at the other woman with a horrified expression.

Nelliel continues as she looks down slightly, "This place will chew you up and spit you out if you aren't careful… especially if it's true that you have feelings for the King… I don't have issues with it, in fact, I support it if it would make you both happy. Unfortunately, we Hollows are instinctual creatures… I know it's wrong, but the very thought of a spineless human girl standing beside our King as his Queen makes even my blood boil…"

The human girl purses her lips, her eyes strained as she internalizes the other woman's words.

The female Espada resumes with a sigh, "There are too many Hollows who wouldn't care to restrain themselves as I have… fanatics… killers… psychopaths… animals… Like the Soul Society, we are not exempt from evil. If those types of individuals heard rumors that you want to stand with the King as not only his friend but his woman, they would try to slaughter you the first chance they get for your disrespect… It wouldn't even matter if those rumors are true…"

Nelliel's gaze softens as she smiles slightly at the girl, "I don't want to be mean… I'm saying all of this as a warning, so you understand what it means to have feelings for the King. I won't blame you if you decide to bury those feelings and leave Hueco Mundo, especially after what Ichigo tried to do to you…"

Orihime is silent, her head somewhat downcast such that her orange bangs hide her eyes. Sora frowns and looks away with a glint of rage in his gaze. As much as he wants to claim otherwise, given his immense desire to stand with his sister, she would undoubtedly be safer in the world of the living, even now. Roka's eye twitches before she closes it, deciding to simply listen for the time being.

After a long silence, the green-haired woman seems to take the girl's lack of a response as an answer, "It seems I've given you a lot to think about—"

"You're right…", Orihime speaks slowly as her eyes remain hidden.

Nelliel and Sora perk up, their eyes widening slightly as the girl continues, lifting her head slightly as she shifts to a soft smile, the look in her eyes distant, "Before he died, what I felt was a simple silly crush… I thought his scowling face was funny, if not cute… but I also respected him. He was brave and had the strength to fight back against his bullies, unlike me…"

The two Espadas shift to more passive expressions now, becoming listeners to the teenage girl.

Orihime sighs dejectedly as she starts to frown, clear hurt in her eyes, "It wasn't hard to bury my feelings for him after he died... what I couldn't stand were the looks of despair on his sisters' faces… it was like looking into a mirror after I lost you, big brother…"

Sora frowns as guilt occupies his features, on some level still blaming himself for leaving his sister alone after he died.

The auburn-haired girl purses her lips and nods, "I wanted to protect them… to make sure they could get through that… but then, you appeared, brother…"

The serpent Arrancar can't bear to look at the girl as she refers to their first encounter, where he nearly killed her.

Orihime, on the other hand, smiles slightly, "But not only you… but Ichigo, too. I didn't realize who he was at the time, so I just focused on developing my powers so I could protect my friends and his sisters. I also wanted them in case we crossed paths again."

Sora closes his eyes as he exhales slowly, suspecting as much.

Nelliel frowns and raises a brow, "So that's it…? You're admitting that you don't have feelings for Ichigo anymore?"

The auburn-haired girl frowns as she looks down with a guilty look on her face, "I think I'm madly in love…"

Scrunching her brows, the green-haired woman is troubled, "Huh…?"

Orihime shakes her head, "When I found out that dragon was Ichigo, I couldn't help but feel deeply moved… it felt as though my heart would burst from my chest…"

The Arrancars shift in slight confusion, prompting the girl to elaborate, "Not only did he save my life that night, but he also saved yours, brother… he is the reason we are even able to talk here, at this table…"

Sora blinks before nodding with a slight smile, acknowledging that Ichigo is, without a doubt, the main reason for his salvation in this life. Such is the reason that he is so fiercely loyal to the younger Hollow.

Orihime steels her gaze before looking at Nelliel, stating with resolve, "I don't care if he rejects my feelings… I owe him everything that I have for what he has done for my family! Seeing that person in such pain splits my heart in two, I can't bear it! No matter what it takes, I will help him battle the hate he holds for himself! And maybe one day…"

The girl pauses as tears begin to fall from her eyes before finishing with a caring smile, "…maybe one day, he can smile again…"

The Arrancars all widen their eyes at the sight of the girl, beginning to see what truly makes her powerful.

Orihime looks down slightly after wiping away some of her tears, a dejected smile on her face, "But you're right… someone like me is a bad pairing for the Hollow King… I'm hardly strong at all… I would refuse to do the ugly things that need to be done for your kind… I can't even bear the thought of killing another person…"

Sora frowns, looking ready to speak, but the other Espada cuts him off, "I was wrong about you…"

The siblings widen their eyes as they look upon Nelliel's soft, smiling expression, "In my opinion, the fact that you are averse to the slaughter that us Hollows are accustomed to doesn't mean you are a bad pairing for him or are weak... that itself is your strength. Such strength makes you a better pairing for His Majesty, in my opinion."

Orihime scrunches her brows, clearly confused, "B-but then wouldn't that make you good for him too, Ms. Nel?"

The woman widens her eyes as a light blush occupies her features, "H-Huh?!"

The auburn-haired girl continues dejectedly, "From my perspective, you're probably the best for him… he trusts and respects you… you're nice and don't like violence… and you're even a Hollow like him. It feels like an obvious match-up to me…"

Contrary to his sister, Sora raises a brow and frowns as he looks upon his fellow Espada, "Nel and Ichigo…?"

Nelliel is thoughtful for a moment, her blush remaining as she seems to consider something before responding with a sigh, "I… I don't know about that…"

Orihime frowns, confused, "Why not…?"

The woman smiles, her gaze holding slight disappointment as she admits, "For starters, Ichigo probably sees me as a big sister or something like that… We've crossed paths enough times that if he wanted me, he would have made it obvious. That's how this usually goes with us Hollows…"

The teenage girl blushes fiercely as the woman reveals, "…like everything with us, sex is always instinctual—a raw and carnal experience. If the King really wanted me, he would have blown my back out by now, if not something more graphic…"

Sora gawks while his sister remains a blushing mess, the idea of Ichigo pinning her to a wall and ravaging her in a passionate show of affection blurring her thoughts. Roka's eye twitches as a golden thread briefly flickers behind her, unseen to the others in the room. After a moment longer of observing Orihime's tomato-red face, the green-haired woman coughs into her hand, bringing the girl back to reality.

Nelliel continues as her blush fades, "That brings me back to my point—Ichigo isn't a normal Hollow. He's surrounded by other Hollows at every turn as it is. We won't openly deny him if he has decided to kill an enemy, even if we disagree. Slaughter is in our blood, as loath as I am to admit it. But you…"

The green-haired looks into the girl's innocent eyes, the look of someone who would struggle to find it in her to kill even her most vile enemies—people who are almost objectively evil, such as Mayuri Kurotsuchi, "…you are different than us. Better. I find it hard to believe that you are even entertaining being around him after he nearly killed you like that… It's telling of your strength of character. I don't think any of us would be willing to let something like that slide without wanting some form of payback…"

After a moment of silence, the woman huffs before she concludes, adamantly, "If you ask me, I think the King should stand with someone who refuses to partake in the outright slaughter of other beings, even if there is a point to it. No Hollow in existence meets that criterion…"

Orihime looks troubled while Sora appears dejected, both letting the woman's words linger.

Nelliel sighs before shrugging and wearing a friendly smile, "With all that said, don't say I didn't warn you if you choose to pursue him further. I do hope you succeed in bringing a smile to his face! I'll help how I can, of course!"

The siblings both nod, returning the smile as the auburn-haired girl asserts, "Yes! No matter what happens, making Ichigo happy again is most important!"

The green-haired Espada remains smiling before she suddenly rises from her seat, making Sora question, "What's up?"

Nelliel sends her peer an apologetic look as she starts to head toward the exit, "I'm sorry, but I just remembered there is something else I was planning to do before the whole situation with the King happened. My Fraccions can keep you entertained for now if you want to stick around, but your Fraccions are probably still looking for you…"

The serpent widens his eyes as he realizes the woman is right, "Oh crap!"

He immediately bolts out of the room to find them, disappearing with Sonido. Orihime flinches before rising from her seat as well, chasing after and likewise disappearing with the green flames of Bringer's Light.

Nelliel smiles lightly before her expression turns deadly serious, not looking forward to her task, "Now… it's time to reign in a troublesome panther…"

The woman promptly disappears with Sonido, leaving Roka by herself in the room.

A single golden thread flickers in the air as the girl narrows her eye, "Did you hear all of that, My Lord…?"

Canopy, Las Noches

Atop a massive pillar on the palace's canopy, the Hollow King, wearing his usual worn white trench coat-like uniform, is seated, staring up at the moon with narrowed, heterochromatic eyes. Seated adjacent to him is a teenage girl with spikey black hair wearing a karate Gi—Tatsuki Arisawa. A golden thread flickers in the air behind him, connected only to the pale King. The single-horned form of Ichigo glances at his friend next to him, who doesn't hear the spider's voice, before looking down at the arena below, where he fought Barragan and Grimmjow, with a downcast look in his eyes.

He purses his lips, a conflicted and somewhat emotional expression on his face as he acknowledges his subordinate, "I did… thank you, Roka… you are relieved from duty for the moment… I have a lot to think about…"

Roka responds through their shared link, "Anytime you need me, My Lord, I will be here..."

After a few moments of silence, the spider's voice leaves completely as the mental link is temporarily severed, leaving Ichigo to stare down at the desert with a frown and narrowed eyes, musing mentally, "Why didn't you just tell her to go home, Nel… we all know her being near me can't end well…"

The Hollow King blinks, a fierce blush covering his face, "And what was that crap that I would blow y-your b-back o-out…?! I-I WOULD NEVER BE ROUGH WITH A LADY!"

The distorted voice of Zangetsu cuts in, "Oh, but I would! I'd raw dog both her and Orihime like no—"

Ichigo's face is more red than white at this point as he snaps mentally, "YOU-SHUT-THE-FUCK-UP!"

The Zanpakutō goes silent, leaving the King to sigh after a moment, his blush fading. Tatsuki, hearing the sigh, briefly looks at him for a moment before looking up at the moon, understanding that wasn't a 'I want to talk' kind of sigh.

Ichigo's expression is now one of frustration, "Dumb girl... I just don't get you… I attacked you and even told you I'm dangerous, yet you persist... you're..."

He widens his eyes slightly, "You're just like your brother..."

He glances at Tatsuki briefly before looking back at the desert below, his expression one of anguish, still punishing himself, "Someone like me who failed to save my family doesn't deserve friends like them..."

Zangetsu's earlier words linger in Ichigo's head, making him ball his hand into a fist, deeply shaken, "You are weak because you choose to be…"

Common Area, Las Noches

A particular large open hall in Las Noches is a place where many of its residents can gather and hang out. There is a multitude of chairs spread throughout the room, perhaps for more intellectually based discussions, next to a vacant large area for the residents to pass through. Currently, this space is occupied only by a young blonde boy, a dog, a purple-haired woman, and a dark-skinned blind man. Indeed, these are former Captain Kaname Tosen and the Octava: Sora Inoue's Fraccions.

Cirucci is seated on one of the chairs with her legs crossed as she stretches and complains, "UGH! Why'd he have to suddenly ditch us like that?! It doesn't help that His Majesty seems pissed as Hell for whatever reason, too! Now there's nothing to do but twiddle our thumbs!"

Tosen, seated on the floor, glances over as he is playing some kind of block stacking game with Wonderweiss, who has Kukkapuro lying on his lap, "You could play with your fellow Fraccion."

The woman's brow twitches in annoyance as she scoffs, "Are you serious…? I used to be an Espada, I'm beyond such trivial things as stupid games like that…"

Wonderweiss perks up while Kukkapuro growls at her, the boy voicing his disapproval as he places a block on top of the stack, "This not stupid… if you don't like game, suggest better one!"

Cirucci crosses her arms and looks away with a huff, "You're missing the point…"

The blonde boy looks sad at this, wondering aloud as, despite his trouble speaking properly, he is still highly intelligent and understanding of certain social cues, "You no like Wonderweiss and Doggie…?"

The woman's frown deepens as she remains quiet, confirming the boy's suspicion and making him look down, deeply sad as he wants to be friends with her.

Tosen sighs as he attempts to lift the boy's mood, "Don't mind her, she's just upset she isn't an Espada anymore."

"Hey!", Cirucci snaps.

The dark-skinned man ignores her as he continues, offering, "How about I teach you a game played by children in the Soul Society? One I used to play with my dearest friend…"

Wonderweiss looks to his upper right, asking, "They want play too?"

The blind man's eyes widen as he turns to find the forms of Ashido, Stark, and Lilynette suddenly appear behind him, apparently having snuck up on him while he was focused on the boy before him.

Lilynette's eyes widen as she asks enthusiastically, "A game?! Can I play too?!"

Stark sighs deeply at his other half's antics, opting to seat himself next to the purple-haired woman as he begins to drift off into slumber.

This prompts Cirucci to flinch in disgust, asking herself, "How in the hell is this guy our Primera?!"

As this happens, Tosen narrows his eyes, feeling that Ashido does the same, their gazes locking as the Hollow-hunting Shinigami states, "Kaname Tosen?"

The former captain nods before he rises from the floor and regards the young blonde Hollow girl, "Maybe I can teach you another time… it seems your companion here wants a word with me…"

The girl prepares to pout, however, Wonderweiss cuts in hopefully, "You want play this game? Me teach you."

Kukkapuro, still on the boy's lap, barks as if to emphasize his agreement.

This makes Lilynette have stars in her eyes as she sits down where Tosen was previously, "Of course!"

As the young Hollows begin to play the game, the former captain levels a serious glare on the other Shinigami as they walk off a distance so it's difficult for the others to listen, "What can I do for you, Ashido Kano?"

The former Hollow hunter grunts, "So you do know who I am, after all…"

Tosen nods, "Of course. Former vice-captain of Squad 11, led by the 7th Kenpachi Kuruyashiki, Ashido Kano. A Shinigami who was trapped in Hueco Mundo after relentlessly pursuing Hollows. They even teach about you in the academy now, likening you to a legend."

Ashido frowns slightly, "I suspected that… that means you should know of what became of my captain…"

The blind man is silent for a moment as realization shines in his sightless eyes beneath his visor, "You wish to hear the tale…?"

The brown-haired Shinigami nods, prompting Tosen to start explaining, "It happened not long after you vanished…"

Approximately 250 Years Ago, Rukongai

On a plain somewhere in the Rukongai there's the sound of metal clashing. Shinigami are the protectors of spirits in the world of the living and Soul Society, but they are also hunters. Hunters who slice down Hollows with their Zanpakutōs. These hunters are currently dancing around the battlefield, slicing down a group of Hollows that appeared on these outskirts.

They're Shinigami. They're warriors. They're blade edges. They're swords. They belong to the 11th Squad; the squad most specialized in battle amongst the 13 squads. They're smiling because they love to fight life-threatening battles, but also because they have absolute faith in their leader.

This man seems to radiate 'danger'. The height of the Reiatsu surrounding his body makes the Hollows' masks shake. In terms of appearance, this Shinigami has spikey long brown hair, a hairy chest revealed by his loose collar, and the standard white captain's Haori. He also has a rather chiseled and scar-less face, a stark contrast to the 11th Kenpachi: Zaraki. Indeed, he is the 7th Kenpachi and captain of the 11th Squad: Kenpachi Kuruyashiki.

Like every Kenpachi, he fought and killed his predecessor in a duel, witnessed by at least one other captain and 200 Shinigami. By this point, Kuruyashiki has defended the title in duels to the death for hundreds of years, a sure sign that he is deserving of the title.

Suddenly, a crack appears in the sky before a Garganta opens up, from which a massive Gillian walks out.

Kuruyashiki frowns as he swings his sword, downing the giant Hollow in but a single swing before uttering with narrowed eyes, "No… not you…"

The captain glares within the Garganta, making eye contact with something else residing within, staring back at him with glowing pink eyes.

Kuruyashiki demands, waving his hand at himself in a sort of taunt, "Come on out and fight me, Hollow…"

Suddenly, countless white threads fly out of the crack. The captain widens his eyes, never having seen such a thing before as the threads intertwine, turn into rope, and then knit together into one big net. The net wraps around his sword and pulls him towards the Garganta, attempting to pull him in. This tug of war doesn't last long as Kuruyashiki flexes his arm and drags out a small Hollow that looks like a white spider.

The captain narrows his eyes as he stares at the creature briefly, "Now this is new… I've never seen an Adjucha with Reiatsu that's felt like this before… something is off…"

Kuruyashiki shrugs before he glares at the Hollow, suspended on one of its threads and hanging mid-air between the Garganta and the ground, explaining, "Not you either... I'm afraid you wouldn't make for that much of a fight. The one behind you, though… it might be a Vasto Lorde worth fighting."

The spider doesn't respond and attacks again with its threads. The captain smirks as he easily evades with Flash Step to close the distance and stab it through the abdomen. The Adjucha briefly struggles as it attempts to remain standing before collapsing on itself, beginning to bleed profusely as the Shinigami draws back his sword.

As Kuruyashiki stands on the large spider web with the Hollow, he can't help but feel a twinge of pity for it, "Its attacks have no purpose behind them… no killing intent… is it being forced to fight?"

The captain shakes his head and glares into the Garganta, "I don't have time to be cutting dolls. Come out… now!"

The man tosses the spider back into the crack in the sky before readying his blade, knowing that a worthy opponent stands on the other side of the portal. However, much to his disappointment, the crack promptly closes, making it clear that the other, pink-eyed Hollow had no interest in fighting him.

After a moment of letting his disappointment linger, the captain shrugs before turning around to rejoin the battle on the ground below, "Maybe next time, then, Hollow!"

Several Hours Later

With the battle over, the 11th Squad is now deeply enjoying the soothing taste of booze on the grassy plains of the Rukongai, in absolutely no rush to report back to the Head Captain. By this point, reinforcements from the 4th and 8th Squads arrive, although, most of them are shocked to see that there was no need for them to leave the walls of the Seireitei.

As many of the Shinigami turn to leave, realizing that they are not needed here, Kuruyashiki raises his hand and waves, shouting merrily, "Hey, friends! Where do you think you're going? There's plenty of booze to go around! Why not take a load off before heading back?"

Upon hearing this, quite a few of the Shinigami stick around, finding the idea of free booze immensely appealing, most of all Shunsui Kyoraku, the captain of Squad 8.

The bearded, straw-hat-wearing captain seats himself next to Kuruyashiki, his friend, as he states, "I'll just have to take you up on that offer, 'Kenpachi'…"

The Squad 11 captain smirks widely as he grabs a bottle of sake, beginning to pour it for his friend, "Hell yeah! I knew free drinks with a friend is not something you could resist!"

Kyoraku glances around the plain with a light smirk as he asks, "So, you all seem to have been at it for a while… were the Hollows weaker than we thought?"

Kuruyashiki is about to speak before one of his squad mates yells with drunken passion, "Only Captain Kuruyashiki can take on a Menos like that!"

The Squad 11 captain chuckles as he offers the other captain a sake cup, humbly dismissing his enthusiastic squad mate's claim, "Well, let's not forget about Head Captain Yamamoto, Squad 12 Captain Hikifune, or those from the Kuchiki and Shihoin Clans!"

This time, multiple of his squad members object to this, one claiming, "But you never hear about anyone taking down a Vasto Lorde like you did in the past, Captain!"

As Kyoraku starts to drink his sake, Kuruyashiki turns to him and asks, "Hey, do you think you could take down a Vasto Lorde?"

After fully downing his drink, the floral captain shrugs, "It really depends on the match up… there are Vasto Lordes out there that I could beat, but on the other hand there are also Gillians out there I couldn't beat. You never know until you see what the Hollow's special abilities are…"

The Squad 11 captain nods before looking off into space, considering his encounter with the spider Adjucha.

Kyoraku looks down at his empty sake cup for a while before questioning, "Is it really alright for us to be drinking out here like this…? Old Man Yama might yell again if you don't report back in time. And if Captain Unohana finds out you got some of her soldiers drunk…"

The floral captain trembles as he gets the shivers, not wanting to consider it as he knows the woman's dark nature deep down. Her 'scoldings' leave even the strongest of souls scarred, one way or another.

Kuruyashiki tenses as he has a similar reaction to his friend, slowly nodding in agreement, "Yeah, big sis Retsu is scarier than any Menos when she's angry…"

After their momentary and shared fear of the woman fades, Kyoraku hums in contemplation, "Anyway… it's strange for several Hollows to suddenly appear in the Rukongai… plus, a Gillian, Adjucha, and maybe even a Vasto Lorde. Are the Hollows starting to use battle formations and organize themselves…?"

The Squad 11 captain places his hand on his chin as his expression turns thoughtful, "Maybe in the future, but not today… Although, I do remember that Vasto Lorde I defeated a long time again shouting out 'Long live Lord Barragan!' before I cleansed it…"

The man then smirks in excitement, his lust for battle fully evident, "A Hollow King, eh…? I'd like to fight it one day, should it really exist… although, knowing Ashido, he'll probably go right after the King's head, knowing it will tip the balance of things in our favor!"

Kyoraku hums as he looks up thoughtfully, "It's only been a few years since he went missing with those other officers… given how talented the kid was, making vice-captain at such a young age, I have no doubt he's still alive. Hell, he's probably fighting a Hollow even as we speak…"

Kuruyashiki wears a toothy smirk as he expresses his envy, "Lucky kid… I knew I should've gone in after him… then I would be able to fight endlessly too!"

The men allow the memory of Ashido to linger for a while longer before the Squad 11 captain exhales, wanting to get back on topic.

"Even if Hollows will continue to evolve, the Gotei 13 will improve as well. In a few hundred years, all captains and vice-captains may be able to take on a Vasto Lorde.", he states optimistically.

The straw-hat captain chuckles before joking, "In that case, I may have to retire soon!"

Kuruyashiki smirks, "I may already be dead by then… but that's no problem, the 11th Squad will always be led by a 'Kenpachi'!"

One of his members quietly walks up to him and asks, "Say, Captain… is it true that you were offered a spot on Squad 0?"

The Squad 11 captain nods, "Yeah, it's true. I refused, though. Someone like me is not suited to protect the Soul King, hiding away in a different dimension until the enemy manages to get in. It's not like the Central 46 ordered me to join them, either… as 'Kenpachi', I have to wait until someone manages to surpass me—"

A soft voice cuts him off, "Excuse me. May I have a second of your time?"

The voice is quiet, yet for some reason, the words make it into the ears of every Shinigami present.

Kuruyashiki looks upon the source of the voice with an amused smirk, finding himself looking upon a young male Shinigami with straight black hair. His skin is rather fair and he wears a simple brown cloak over his Gi. Based on the way the man has his hair tied in a high knot, which lets the rest flow down behind his back freely, he is without a doubt a noble.

Kyoraku, the second son of a high noble family himself, raises a brow, "Huh…? Who's this? I've never seen him before…"

The Squad 11 captain sends the Shinigami a friendly smile, "Why hello, young man! What can I do you for? A drink, perhaps…?"

The young man maintains a passive expression as he hears the voice of a woman, unheard by everyone else, shout gleefully behind him, "That's him! That's Kenpachi Kuruyashiki!"

Neither seen nor heard by the other Shinigami and floating in the air behind the young man is a noble-looking woman with long black hair, laughing loudly. She wears a white kimono, worn in such a way that exposes her cleavage. There is an almost excessive amount of decorations on her blue kimono, contrasting the man's plain appearance. Lastly, two white straps are crossed over her face, covering her eyes.

The young man orders the woman with a quiet voice, "State the obvious and move away…"

The woman nods, however, purses her lips and pouts as she backs away, "You're so cold! I hope you lose!"

The young noble-looking man steadies a glare on the Squad 11 captain, "Kenpachi Kuruyashiki. I heard that… if I kill you in front of over 200 Shinigami, I will gain the 'Kenpachi' title and the position as the 11th Squad captain."

Kuruyashiki blinks before nodding, "Yep, that's how that works."

The young man maintains his neutral expression as he presses, "In that case, I would like a duel to the death right now. Although, I don't mind if we wait until you have sobered up."

This makes most of the Shinigami present burst into laughter, finding his request laughable as one of them shouts, "Look at this pretty noble boy! He's probably so pampered he doesn't realize he is asking for death!"

While many of the Shinigami continue to laugh, Kyoraku, as well as the worried members of Squad 4, remain dead silent. The Squad 8 captain narrows his eyes as he looks upon the young man, having a sinking feeling about him.

Kuruyashiki wears a toothy smirk as he stands up, "I don't need to sober up to fight! Anytime or anywhere, I am ready!"

It is upon hearing this that the laughing Shinigami become silent, realizing that the captain is serious. Most of them send pitiful glances toward the young man, certain he'll lose as he doesn't even carry a Zanpakutō. The Shinigami surround the captain and the young man, making room for their duel.

Kuruyashiki turns toward his fellow captain, "Shunsui… will you act as a witness to this duel?"

Kyoraku frowns before he stares at the boy intently, trying to appeal to his better nature, "There are other ways to become a captain, young man…"

The man responds robotically, already having made up his mind, "I have no interest in small talk."

The floral captain's bad feeling gets worse as he recognizes the man's voice lacks any emotion, prompting him to turn to his friend and nod, issuing a warning, "I have a bad feeling about him… be careful…"

Kyoraku looks upon the man, without a Zanpakutō, considering, "Just because he doesn't have a Zanpakutō, that doesn't mean he's weak… Tessai Tsukabishi, commander of the Kido Corps, is far from weak and he doesn't carry a Zanpakutō either."

The Squad 8 captain glances at his friend again, seeing the man wear a big, confident smile on his face, "It would be pointless to stop him now… he's won countless duels just like this, after all…"

The young man asks, "Have the requirements for the duel been met?"

Kuruyashiki nods, "We can start anytime!"

The young Shinigami blinks, "I see… then your life won't be pointless."

In the next moment, blood sprays out all over the captain's body. The spectators stare in horror as it appears like a tornado of blades instantaneously burst out of his body, reducing it to a pile of bloody flesh. No one had saw the young man draw his Zanpakutō, nor throw Kido. He hadn't even moved.

Despite this, it is clear that he is now the new 'Kenpachi'—a man stronger than even the great Kuruyashiki, who had the makings of a royal guard. Just as the 7th Kenpachi had wished for, he has been replaced by someone beyond his abilities. However, unnoticed by the Shinigami, a small bug-like Hollow flies through the air, having witnessed the entirety of the duel.

Meanwhile, Hueco Mundo

Within a cave somewhere in Hueco Mundo, a certain winged, pink-haired Vasto Lorde chuckles to himself, "This is Yammy's phrase, but... this is truly suerte!"

The Vasto Lorde, today among the Hollow King's Fraccions: Szayelaporro Granz, hums, "I had planned on dissecting that irksome captain's dead body, but this development isn't undesirable either…"

Szayel smirks underneath his mask, "I'll have to rewind the records that those spirit bugs recorded to figure out what happened…"

The pink-haired Hollow laughs madly before turning to the white spider Adjucha behind him, "You should feel honored! I planned to kill you, but these events have inspired me to try a new experiment! I'll let you continue to be my marmot…"

The spider lowers its head, feeling slightly happy as it expresses its gratitude to the Vasto Lorde, a feminine voice coming out, "Thank you very much… Master Szayelaporro."

Present, Common Area, Las Noches

Ashido widens his eyes as the other Shinigami concludes, "I-Impossible…"

Tosen remains silent as the former Hollow hunter looks down, shaking his head as he starts to internalize what he's learned, "I just can't believe it… Captain Kuruyashiki was invincible! The Central 46 even went so far as to outright ban his Bankai from being used in the Seireitei! I don't understand how he could have lost so easily!"

The blind man narrows his eyes as he asserts, "Thanks to Szayelaporro Granz, we were able to conclude that it likely has to do with the 8th Kenpachi's Bankai ability… one that allows him to merge with the very matter around him and bend it to his will. It also allows him to observe anything around matter he has 'inserted' himself into. That is how he was able to reduce your captain to a pile of flesh so easily."

The brown-haired Shinigami gawks in horror, realizing how incredibly unfair such an ability is by nature, "H-How the hell did White escape him? How are you alive with someone like that around?!"

The dark-haired Shinigami shakes his head, "He was locked away in Muken not that long after he became the 8th Kenpachi. The Central 46 then had all records of him wiped out."

Ashido furrows his brows, troubled by this, "Muken?"

Tosen nods, adding, "Yes. The fact that the Soul Society banished him to that pit alone is telling of how devastating his powers are. That place is only for those who cannot be slain by the Sōkyoku, for one reason or another…"

The renegade Shinigami's expression becomes more curious before he questions, "What did he do to earn his sentence?"

The blind Shinigami shakes his head, "I am not sure of the exact details, but Lord Aizen told me that Azashiro was locked away because he disagreed on a fundamental level on how the Soul Society ought to handle Hollows. I suspect he may have wanted to do away with the system of purifying them with our Zanpakutōs, Konsō. Although Lord Aizen did not feel the need to inform more on further details… I also didn't feel the need to ask. I would ask him if you want to know more…"

Ashido nods, now wearing an appreciative smile, "Thank you, I'll do that… by the way, I have to say you surprised me."

Tosen raises a brow, questioning, "I did…? How so?"

The former Hollow hunter clarifies as he gestures to Wonderweiss and Lilynette still playing across the room, "Playing with that young Arrancar and speaking with me with the truth… I don't detect a hint of deceit from you. You seem decent—a far cry from that Gin Ichimaru."

The former captain can't help but crack a slight smile as he chuckles lightly, "Gin is an acquired taste, even I question whether he'll kill me in my sleep at times…"

Ashido sweat drops, laughing nervously as this information doesn't help his opinion of the silver-haired man, "I see…"

Across the room, Sora and Orihime suddenly appear before the former walks over to Fraccions, beginning to apologize profusely, "S-sorry, I almost forgot about you guys!"

Cirucci shoots up from her seat and promptly hisses at the man, going so far as to pinch his cheek, "Sorry isn't good enough!"

The serpent Espada starts to fake whine in pain, playing along with the woman and causing the Primera to open his eyes as his nap is interrupted. He observes Wonderweiss and Kukkapuro both hastily approaching their Espada as well, the dog's excited barking guaranteeing that the lazy Espada will not be allowed to go back to sleep.

Thus, Stark perks up slightly, deciding to end his nap as he muses, glancing at Tosen and Ashido approach from the other side of the room, "Sounds like they're finally done talking…"

Soul Society Underground Prison, Lowest Level: Muken

Within the all-encompassing darkness of Muken, a criminal remains silent, merely opening his eyes as he stares passively into the darkness.

As if on cue, a woman's excited laughter rings through his ears, "It's been a while! When did you last open your eyes? 250 years ago? Or 500? Or maybe even 20,000? On the other hand, it could have just been 3 seconds ago!"

Her laughter continues as the criminal slowly opens his mouth, "When White and his sisters fought the Head Captain…"

A small light, as if triggered by his voice, burns in the darkness. Left, right, up, down—darkness is everywhere. The criminal sees a woman in a white kimono with a leather kimono sash covering her eyes.

She hums, recalling the events, "Ah yes, those three are quite formidable… on the other hand, they all have disgusting Hollow blood… or I suppose I should say had in the case of the blonde one!"

The woman laughs obnoxiously, finding any kind of retribution suffered by Hollows amusing.

The criminal remains silent, prompting the woman to regard him excitedly, "So why did you open your eyes this time? Could it be that you want to finish the job with that black-haired one…?"

He answers passively, "No… I feel something else down here with us… something powerful… something evil…"

The woman frowns slightly as the man refuses to elaborate further.

After a moment, he asserts, "I shall merely observe until it is clear whether subduing this evil has merit to it or not…"

Outside Shiba Residence

Two young Shinigami, a short white-haired one and a long black-haired one, face each other in the middle of a grassy field, each wearing white headbands and making intense eye contact as their respective green and gray eyes are focused. In front of the foot of the white, spikey-haired Shinigami boy is a soccer ball, the focus of his attention despite not looking at it. The same can be said of the scarred, black-haired girl glaring at him.

Sweat slowly trickles down each of their faces, both waiting to see who moves first in their brief standoff. Behind the boy are the rest of the players, trying to catch up with the duo, as the girl and goalie are the only ones blocking the boy's shot. The boy's green scarf flows through the wind as he prepares to act.

After another moment, the boy suddenly moves, kicking the ball in short bursts to keep it close to him as he rushes for the goal, currently guarded by a large brown-haired Latino boy. The black-haired girl is determined to make this difficult for him, however, as she keeps up with his stride, attempting to kick the ball away from him all the while. The two are a blur of black and white as they chase each other across the field, constantly pivoting their stances to better take or keep the ball.

The white-haired Shinigami suddenly widens his eyes as his black-haired counterpart pivots at just the right moment to kick the ball away from him, into the air above. The girl smirks as she is about to jump up to get the ball, however, it is now her turn to widen her eyes as the boy out-speeds her, disappearing with a flash before reappearing next to the ball in the air poised to strike it.

He flinches, however, as the scarred girl appears with a sudden flash in front of him, blocking him from making the score. The white-haired boy acts fast as he notices a blonde man wearing an orange dress shirt below—his teammate, before reorienting himself. The girl gasps as the boy knees the ball so that it falls to the ground to the blonde man, who promptly smirks as he kicks it through the hands of the large boy acting as goalie, scoring.

The black and white-haired Shinigami land on their feet, huffing and still sweating as the competition between them had pushed them to become serious.

Meanwhile, Shinji and Chad, the one who scored and the goalie respectively, approach each other and shake hands, each stating, "Good game…"

The white-haired and black-haired Shinigami—Toshiro and Karin, glance around the field to see the rest of them acting in kind as their breaths settle.

Toshiro nods to himself before turning to offer the girl his hand, starting, "Good—"

The boy widens his eyes, an action everyone else does as well upon the girl's sudden action.

Karin wears a wide friendly smile as she pats the shorter boy on the head, earnestly complimenting him, "Good game! I can't remember the last time someone about my size beat me at this! Even though you're a grade-schooler, you're the real deal!"

Everyone spectating gawks at the girl as she continues to pat Toshiro's head, as one may do to a puppy dog who performed an advanced trick. This prompts Rangiku to slide behind the Shiba girl and place her hand over her mouth as she observes her former captain.

The boy himself mutters as he closes his eyes and blushes profusely, "I'm not a grade-schooler…"

Karin blinks as she retracts her bandaged hand slightly, confused, "What…?"

This is when Rangiku and Isshin once more break out into wild laughter, finding the situation beyond hilarious. Hanataro, Momo, Shino, and Ryunosuke remain gawking while Yoruichi, Kukaku, Ganju, the Fullbringers, and the Visoreds find themselves smirking at the sight. Except for Yukio as he feels a pain in his chest upon looking at Karin, still seeing nothing but Yuzu where she stands.

Meanwhile, Ururu and Jinta look indifferent and confused, the boy questioning, "Huh…? You mean he's not a grade-schooler…?"

This only makes Isshin laugh harder, now holding his sides.

Momo slowly walks over, a concerned expression as she notes Karin's confusion and her brother's tomato-red face, "Um…"

The older Shinigami girl earns the Shiba girl's attention as she explains, "Actually… Shiro might be young, but he was a captain until recently—your father's successor, Captain Hitsugaya of Squad 10…"

Karin gawks in complete and utter disbelief before pointing at the boy, "Wait, YOU'RE Captain Hitsugaya?!"

Toshiro grunts as he looks away, still blushing, "I'm not a captain anymore, but yes…"

The Shiba girl backs away slightly, her tone apologetic, "Oh... I'm sorry, I had no idea… I just guess the image I had of you in my head led me to assume your appearance…"

The boy looks up slightly to match the girl's gaze, his face still beet-red, "It's alright… and please don't apologize to me, My Lady. The reason I am here is to protect you and your father… I'll lay down my life if necessary."

Karin widens her eyes slightly as her thoughts consider how the boy's appearance and words make him look, "He's like… a loyal puppy…"

The girl shakes her head, not wanting to see him in such a way as she frowns deeply, clearly averse to this level of devotion for seemingly no reason before she clarifies, "Don't call me—!"

Karin cuts herself off as everyone widens their eyes upon being showered by intense, monstrous Reiatsu.

Isshin immediately becomes serious as he looks to the Seireitei in horror, "This Reiatsu…! It's completely evil!"

Every one of the captain-level Shinigami and Fullbringers present looks to Isshin as if wondering what his orders are.

The bearded former captain frowns as he notices this, yet complies anyway, shouting, "Let's assume Squad 0 and the Gotei 13 will deal with whatever this is! Those who wish to help, spread out in the Rukongai and make sure the villagers are safe!"

"YES!", nearly all of the Shinigami, including Yoruichi and the Visoreds, shout in unison before disappearing with a flash.

Ginjo glances at the Fullbringers and Kon, now on Yukio's shoulder, before they exchange mutual nods and follow after using Bringer's Light. Isshin glances at his daughter briefly before vanishing with Flash Step as well. This leaves Nozomi to start approaching Karin, clearly intent on upholding her vow to protect her. In that, she is not the only one. Toshiro is the only Shinigami besides Nozomi and Karin to remain.

The boy starts to shift his gaze back on the black-haired girl, "Stay by my side, My—?!"

The white-haired boy and Nozomi widen their eyes as the Shiba girl disappears with a flash, clearly following her father to help the people of the Rukongai as well. The green-haired Shinigami doesn't hesitate to use Flash Step, too, following after.

Toshiro curses under his breath as he disappears with a flash, unable to stop himself from voicing his frustration, starting to show his age, "Don't go off on your own, idiot!"

Ganju's gang and the twin Shiba servants rush outside from within the house, urgent expressions on their faces as they feel the Reiatsu as well. They find only Kukaku along with her brother, Ururu, and Jinta, remaining.

The bandaged woman looks to the Seireitei with narrowed, worried eyes, recalling an old tale about an ancient monster that her father told her a long time ago, "Could it be him…? The phoenix…"

Meanwhile, Near Kakyo's Grave, Rukongai

A masked Kensei holds the collar of the bloodied and beaten form of Shuhei in his hand, holding his other bloodied fist still as his eyes widen and look to the skies above the Seireitei, an action that the nearby, masked Mashiro does as well.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!", the former captain shouts in disbelief as he drops the scarred vice-captain on the ground next to him.

Mashiro begins to urgently speak with Kensei as Shuhei's eyes open slowly, feeling despair as a monster is once more attacking the Seireitei, and he remains without a Bankai, powerless to fight it.

Earlier, Muken

Within the darkness of Muken, there is a particular green-haired figure wrapped in black bindings wearing a bored expression on his face. He has golden eyes, pale white skin, and a triple-horned Hollow mask fragment that runs along the right side of his head, from his cheek to over and behind his ear.

The Hollow grunts in an unimpressed manner as he twirls a green and white striped hat in his hand, his voice having an accent and echoing throughout the dark void that is Muken, "Hmph... the two of you are so weak, it's not even worth killing you... has the Gotei 13 grown so weak that they just lock anyone down here?"

Before him are the unbound forms of a blonde man with green robes and a black Haori, as well as a muscular bespectacled man with a mustache wearing black pants, a white shirt, and a blue apron, both lying beaten and face down on the floor.

The Hollow, Arturo Plateado, suddenly smirks as he regards the hat and places it on his head, now taunting the shopkeeper, "But I will say this is quite a unique and ugly hat... I think I'll take it as a trophy to remember you by while I slaughter the Gotei 13."

Urahara chuckles weakly as he slowly forces himself to start getting up, his right hand clutching a sword with a red rope at the end of the hilt and a flat edge for the blade's tip, "Come now, it's not that ugly..."

Arturo raises a brow as he watches Tessai begin to move as well, the man commenting, "Jinta and Ms. Yoruichi might disagree with you, sir..."

This causes the shopkeeper to sulk slightly as both men are now fully to their feet, making the other prisoner narrow his eyes as he notes the defiant, serious look still within theirs.

The primordial Hollow wears a toothy smirk as he tips Urahara's hat down slightly, "Seems the two of you still have fight left in you after all... excellent..."

Urahara and Tessai flinch as Arturo glares at them darkly, "...use your Bankai or you'll die..."

The blonde man manages to keep himself from showing fear as the bound Hollow's monstrous Reiatsu begins to rain down, being so daring as to return the smirk, "How very bold of you… You're barely even acquainted with Benihime, yet you want to see her true form? ~"

Arturo narrows his golden, feral eyes and frowns slightly as the former captain continues, "And besides... at this point, there is no need for me to resort to Bankai..."

The Hollow widens his eyes as Kyoraku and Kirinji both suddenly appear on each side of him, bringing their Shikais down to slice him to pieces. Before their attacks can land, the ancient prisoner quickly escapes with a buzz, leaving the green and white bucket hat to be cut into ribbons.

Urahara cries comical tears, greatly saddened, "NO! MY HAT…!"

Arturo reappears with a buzz a distance back, prompting a feminine voice from the darkness behind him to call out, "Hadō 30: Shakkahō!"

The Hollow turns with impressive speed before throwing a pale red Bala, charged on his right first, directly at the Kido, quickly overtaking it. However, his eye twitches as the Bala is absorbed by a massive tree branch, nullifying it completely and protecting the source of the Kido.

The green-haired prisoner glares at a slim female Shinigami with an exceptionally large bust, long purple hair, matching purple eyes, and unique swirly tattoos under each eye. The woman, Hikifune in her 'slim form' that Shinji and Hiyori are more familiar with, is coated in sweat as she breathes somewhat heavily while perched on the massive branch with her large spoon-shaped Zanpakutō resting on her shoulder.

Arturo continues to look at the woman for a moment before he widens his eyes and looks around in the darkness, which is somewhat illuminated by the light from the upper levels of the prison leaking in through the roof. He just now notices that identical branches sprout along the border of the massive dark room, closing around everyone inside.

Hikifune chuckles at the Hollow's confusion, explaining as a small branch sprouts from her hand, "About time you noticed, Hollow! It was absolutely exhausting and even cost me most of the Reishi from the food I ate before coming down here to hastily construct this cage while you were yapping! I'd say it paid off, though! As long as this cage stands, it will absorb any Reishi that is about to leave. No spirit energy can escape it, including yourself!"

The primordial being frowns, "The fool underestimates me... my Pesquisa sensed them as soon as they entered this prison. I merely pretended not to notice because I thought it would be amusing to give them a handicap... and they waste it on trapping themselves in here with me..."

He narrows his eyes slightly as he regards the rest of his opponents, now smirking, "Still, five on one... this should at least be entertaining..."

The Hollow perks up as Kirinji regards him with a warning, clutching the hilt of the sheathed blade on his sash with his left hand, "This can be easy or difficult for you... you can't escape or beat us without your Zanpakutō, so you might as well surrender now, Hollow."

Arturo narrows his golden eyes as he looks upon the sheathed blade more closely, making him scoff and settle on a confident smirk, "So the great Squad 0 has graced me with their presence? And yet, I do not see that faker Nimaiya, nor that crooked monk, Hyosube..."

The unique black-haired Shinigami snaps, "You dare to speak his name, Hollow?!"

Smirking devilishly, the primordial Hollow exudes an evil aura, "You really think I fear him? No..."

Kirinji and Hikifune narrow their eyes as Arturo growls, "I'm offended he would send sub-par cronies like you... I'll just have to lay your corpses before him, and that will-less husk he so desperately defends—"

The green-haired Hollow cuts himself off as Kyoraku suddenly appears behind him again, bringing his twin blades down to cleave him in two. The prisoner sidesteps before slamming his fist into the captain's chest, causing him to spit out some blood before being sent skidding back a distance away.

Arturo hisses at the hatted captain, "And who the hell are you supposed to be, Shinigami? Is Yamamoto so cowardly that he doesn't face me either?!"

Kyoraku's expression sours at this, growling lowly, "The Head Captain is no coward..."

The Hollow raises a brow as he continues to frown before his golden eyes light up and a vicious smirk occupies his face, "Veo! So, my old foe is on Hell's doorstep! Tell me, was it the same Wind of Chaos who destroyed that irksome Sōkyoku?"

The captain and Squad 0 frown, while Urahara and Tessai seem more curious, not aware of the details of what just occurred in the Seireitei above.

Noticing that the Shinigami are not answering, he presses further, "It was a Hollow, wasn't it…?"

Kyoraku and Kirinji's brows twitch, giving the ancient Hollow all the answers he needs as his eyes light up in glee, "So it was!"

The criminal, the killer, seems almost ecstatic as he cackles and monologues, "Another overwhelming wind has blown through that you cannot stop! A promoter of change—CHAOS INCARNATE!"

Kirinji and Kyoraku look at Arturo with hate as he continues to speak, "You Shinigami lie as easily as you breathe... you rely on something as flippant as morals, fake as they are, to hold your overall society together! All the while, you gleefully stack the corpses of your enemies on high, losing yourselves in the slaughter! You might think yourselves as holier, but as soon as someone would dare question that notion, you come to silence them! Just as you did with that pup, Yhwach!"

The Shinigami flinch upon the mention of the Quincy King, especially those who know the full details about the great war 1000 years ago.

The primordial god glares at the Shinigami with a toothy smirk, "That is the difference between our kinds... Hollows do not need morals or justification to join in the slaughter. We simply devour or get devoured... kill or be killed… We embrace the fact that this world is all about survival of the fittest. The weak are purged, while the strongest thrive!"

Kirinji sweats nervously as Arturo settles his glare on him, staring into his soul, "A fool to his own misguided sense of morality... even Adyneus could not deny such a universal truth in the end..."

Kirinji glares at the Hollow with complete wrath, looking ready to strike.

However, Kyoraku acts quicker, his face with death written all over it as he suddenly swings his blades around him in a circle, summoning twin gales from them that launch at the Hollow in the form of a tempest, "Bushōgoma!"

Arturo wears a feral look as he launches himself right at the attack, attempting to destroy it with a pale red Cero. However, to the Hollow's surprise, the attack merely redirects the Cero, sending it to explode against the wall before moving forward and surrounding him.

The bound prisoner growls, "What is this…?"

This makes Kyoraku remark darkly, "A game… not that I'd tell you the rules, though…"

Arturo widens his eyes as he observes the cycle. After a moment, he smirks and flares his Reiatsu, and engulfs the cyclone in red and purple flames, completely overpowering it before it explodes, leaving only molten ash behind.

This makes the captain smile weakly in dejection, "They weren't kidding… this Hollow is the real deal… a true monster…"

Kirinji suddenly barks at Hikifune standing on the branch behind him, "Try to pin him down while we fight!"

The purple-haired woman nods before clapping her hands together, wincing as she summons more branches despite her exhaustion. Meanwhile, Urahara and Tessai launch respective red and gold Hadō spells at the Hollow, prompting him to turn around and throw a large blast of purple and red flames at them, completely vaporizing the spells and causing the men to leap out of the way urgently before the area where they just were explodes in a scarlet and violet inferno.

The unique black-haired royal guard leaps into the air behind the green-haired prisoner and turns the sign in his hand, his Zanpakutō, so that it faces his opponent. The sign promptly releases a blinding golden light, causing the Hollow to close his eyes and stagger. This also works to cast a shadow behind the prisoner, which he unknowingly steps on. In the next moment, Kyoraku launches from the shadow, attempting to bisect the Hollow with his twin scimitars.

However, the primordial mad god immediately sidesteps avoiding the attack, leaving the one-eyed captain shocked as he widens his left eye, "What?! Kage Oni even worked on White! Don't tell me he's—"

The captain's thoughts are quickly cut off as Arturo slams his fist into the captain's face, sending him off flying with a shockwave, bouncing across the floor. The Hollow then turns back toward the lunging Kirinji in time to catch his Zanpakutō in his right hand, halting the attack in its tracks.

Still with his eyes closed, he smirks while taunting, "Did you actually think I require my sight to fight?"

Kirinji tsks before suddenly unsheathing the katana strapped to his hip, revealing that it has many runes and Kanji written on it, seemingly with black ink, reading, "Seal."

The unique black-haired man holds the blade in a reverse grip, preparing to strike his opponent. Arturo's expression turns urgent, his ears perking up as he hears the action clearly, sensing the royal guard swinging the blade at his exposed right side. Just as the attack is about to land, the Hollow vanishes with a buzz, leaving Kirinji to fall on his feet and shift his now narrowed eyes to his left to find the Hollow glaring at him from across the room, a look of death in his gaze. The ancient prisoner's eyes twitch as he notes that branches suddenly sprout from the ground, growing around and restricting his legs, causing him to glare at Hikifune, with her hands clasped together, smirking confidently on the massive branch a distance away.

The Hollow's scowl worsens as he also notes Urahara to his right and Tessai to his left, chanting in unison, "Hadō 88: Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō!"

Massive bolts of blue lightning launch at the Hollow with insane speed, clearly intent on at least subduing him given their caliber. The prisoner's face relays one of rage as he shifts his arms, prompting them to become coated with purple and red flames.

As the attacks are about to hit, Arturo swings his arms around him in a circle, causing them to look like flaming wings, sending his fire crashing into the lightning attacks, "Aleteo (Flutter)!"

Massive explosions erupt on each side of the bound Hollow, creating shockwaves that shake the entirety of Muken, launching Tessai and Urahara back a distance. As the explosions settle, the prisoner's flames burn away the branches restricting his feet, allowing him to once more properly regard the lunging Kirinji, who holds his Zanpakutō above his head.

Arturo hisses as his blazing arms are poised to intercept the Shinigami, more than ready to burn him to nothing, "The same attack never works twice, Shinigami!"

Kirinji's eye twitches as he brings his Shikai down at the Hollow, however, this time it is accompanied by blood-red water. Arturo widens his eyes at the sight as the water drenches him and completely extinguishes his flames, leaving him to get sent staggering as the man's Shikai hits him. As the Hollow staggers, the royal guard takes a decisive stance before swinging the runic katana in his left hand at his opponent's right side once more.

Arturo's eyes contract as he continues to stumble, focused solely on the incoming blade as if determined at all costs to not be struck by it. Time seems to slow for the prisoner, now having an instinctual look in his eyes.

As the blade is about to hit him, the Hollow curls the fingers of his right hand, as if holding the hilt of a sword in it as small embers begin to materialize, "Hoja llameante (Flaming Blade)!"

Immediately, a flaming purple and red sword materializes in his hand, slicing through the middle of Shinigami's forearm, leaving the blade and Shinigami's hand and half of his forearm to fall to the ground. Kirinji staggers and gasps as his eyes widen in both shock and horror, finding his hand cut clean off and a cauterized stump left in its place.

Before the Shinigami can properly react, Arturo's left fist slams against his face, breaking his nose and sending him flying across the dark room with a shockwave. A tall wave of clear water shoots up behind the guard, catching him and dampening the impact as he crashes against the edge of the cage.

The ancient Hollow's flaming blade dematerializes as a smirk is once more on his face, "I couldn't let you use that so soon… we just got started…"

Hikifune widens her eyes at the scene, completely at a loss for words as Kirinji rises to his feet, not even bothering with trying to heal his arm, "Damn, this guy truly is a monster… I had him in a corner and he completely turned the tide…"

Arturo raises an amused brow as he questions, "Why not try to heal yourself, Shinigami?"

The Shinigami frowns, his eyes narrowing, "It wouldn't do any good… Manako Oshō warned us about your powers…"

Scoffing, the prisoner maintains an amused smirk, "He did, did he? How wise of him… I shouldn't be surprised that he would tell you given that blade there…"

The Hollow briefly looks at the runic blade on the floor before turning back to face the Shinigami.

He cackles as he proudly raises his right fist in the air, once more coated in purple and red flames, "Indeed, my flames are fit for those of a predator! Any wound inflicted by them will never heal! This is the origin of that cheap imitation of a blade your forebearers sealed me with—the Sōkyoku!"

Urahara and Tessai widen their eyes in horror, unaware that the Hollow had such a damning ability, making it clear just how much he was holding back with them earlier. The flames from the green-haired prisoner's fist happen to cast another shadow, through which a blade launches out.

Arturo once more sidesteps, bringing his left fist to attack what leaped out, calling, "Again with this—?!"

The Hollow widens his eyes as he realizes that it is only a black blade this time, not the captain himself.

In the next moment, he hears the voice of Shunsui Kyoraku call, "Black…"

Before he can do anything, his right arm, wrapped in black bindings, is cleaved off by the captain's scimitars. As Arturo's right arm falls to the ground next to Kirinji's left, the Hollow swings his left arm at Kyoraku, however, the captain narrowly evades being punched with a backpedal before he retreats further with Flash Step. Now across the room, the captain holds his twin blades at the ready, not making so much as a move.

The man's inaction prompts Arturo to raise a brow, "What are you doing, Shinigami? Attack me!"

Kyoraku frowns before he states, "I can't... You have to say the name of a color first… it's part of playing Iro Oni."

The Hollow blinks before he slowly starts to laugh, which gradually shifts into a hardy cackle, "You have an amusing ability, Shinigami! Never did I think I would come across a Shinigami such as yourself!"

The acting Head Captain narrows his eye before it widens slightly as orange magma seeps from the stump on the primordial being's right arm, before hardening and forming a new pale white hand. The Hollow's laughter dies down as he begins to approach, tearing the black bindings off the upper half of his body, exposing his lean pale white chest and arms, leaving only skintight black bindings from the waist down.

The green-haired Hollow questions with amusement, "So, I simply need to speak a color, do I?"

Kyoraku tenses in fear as his opponent glares at him with a sadistic gleam in his golden eyes, "White…"

The straw-hat captain braces himself as the Hollow lunges across the room, bloodlust in his eyes as his fists are coated in flames once more.

Before he can close the distance, however, Hikifune's branches launch out of the floor and trip him, making him stumble somewhat. This leaves him open to Kirinji, who once more brings down a torrent of blood-red water, extinguishing the flames again. The golden-eyed Hollow grits his teeth in anger as more of Hikifune's branches launch from the ground and restrain his form.

Arturo struggles in an attempt to break free before widening his eyes as he hears Tessai chant, "Rikujō Kōrō!"

Six golden rods slam into his already constrained body before Urahara immediately follows up, "Bakudō 63: Sajō Sabaku!"

A golden chain circles around and constricts around the Hollow's form, further binding him.

Relentless in their chants, Tessai follows up as well, "Bakudō 79: Kuyō Shibari!"

Eight flaming black spheres appear in a circle around the Hollow, making him grit his teeth in rage at being sealed as the ninth materializes over his Hollow hole, in the middle of his chest. Kirinji, noticing what Urahara and Tessai are doing, discards his Zanpakutō before running across the room and grabbing the runic blade on the ground, a determined look on his face.

Arturo's expression turns even more wrathful as the shopkeeper points his Zanpakutō at him, prompting ten pink beams of light to form in the air around him while he chants, "Limit of the thousands of hands, respectful hands, unable to touch the darkness. Shooting hands unable to reflect the blue sky. The road that basks in light, the wind that ignited the embers, time that gathers when both are together, there is no need to be hesitant, obey my orders. Light bullets, eight bodies, nine items, book of Heaven, diseased treasure, great wheel, gray fortress tower. Aim far away, scatter brightly and cleanly when fired… Hadō 91: Senju Kōten Taihō!"

A massive pink explosion engulfs a large portion of the wooden cage, causing tremors to spread throughout the entire underground prison due to its sheer magnitude.

As the blast begins to die down, Kirinji shouts as he sprints toward Arturo's smoking form, "RESTRICT HIS MOVEMENTS!"

Kyoraku wastes no time by leaping into the air and summoning a long clear blue rod, chanting, "Bakudō #62. Hyapporankan!"

The rod launches at the still-smoking Hollow before turning into several rods that pin him down, restricting his options for escape. Urahara rushes at the Hollow as well while Tessai begins another chant.

The shopkeeper slashes his Zanpakutō in the Hollow's direction, crying, "Shibari Benihime!"

A blackened red net shoots out of the tip of Urahara's blade, covering Arturo's form before constricting around him and struggling to hold the now pissed-off Hollow. Hikifune's branches launch from the ground, further holding the ancient Hollow in place, however, the two still struggle to hold him steady as they wince.

Tessai completes his incantation before clasping his hands together with his fingers intricately intertwined, "Bakudō 99, Part !"

Black fabric wraps around the prisoner's arms before iron rods slam on top of them. The Hollow struggles briefly before the Kido wins over as the combination of all of the separate bindings finally forces him to the ground, face first.

Arturo howls in rage as Kirinji is right before him, holding the runic blade over his head in his right hand, "No… NO! I REFUSE TO BE SEALED AGAIN!"

In an act of pure instinct, the crazed Hollow bites his tongue clean off, causing blood to flood from his mouth and bringing a slight pause to Kirinji, who widens his eyes in instinctual fear.

A distorted purple Cero with a red outline forms in Arturo's profusely bleeding mouth as he screams in a literal blood-curdling, muffled voice, "GRAN REY CERO!"

Another, far more massive explosion occurs that blows the Shinigami within the cage crashing against its walls, as well as blowing a hole straight through the top of the cage. A thick layer of smoke covers the entirety of the cage, making Hikifune squint as she frowns, trying to get a read on the Hollow's movements.

Within the smoke, Arturo's bloodied and battered form rises slowly, his wounds healing in the form of small smokey embers as opposed to magma like before. The Hollow narrows his eyes as he regards the closest Shinigami in the cage to him starting to rise as well: Tessai.

The primordial hunter exhales as he closes his eyes, extending his right palm with concentrated red and violet flames held within, giving the Shinigami his respect, "It seems you are worth killing, after all… farewell, warrior…"

As soon as he finishes his thoughts, the flames pierce through Tessai's chest, causing purple and red flames to briefly spew from his mouth before he falls on his back, motionless.

Urahara hears his companion fall, causing his eyes to widen in horror, "TESSAI!"

Kyoraku, Kirinji, and Hikifune all wear similar expressions of terror, the woman about to clasp her hands together again. However, she hears a sudden buzz, causing her to turn to face who she knows to be her opponent. Right as she makes eye contact with Arturo, a white pale right hand has punctured her stomach, causing her to puke up blood. The predator narrows his golden eyes in hate as he proceeds to clutch the woman's neck with his left hand, causing her to struggle under his grasp. As Arturo grits his teeth there is an audible 'snap', which is shortly followed by Hikifune's struggling to cease as her body falls limp, lifeless.

The Hollow tsks before ripping his hand out of the corpse's stomach, causing blood to rain down from it. He quickly tosses the lifeless woman to the ground, her corpse hitting the side of the cage on the way down before flopping on the ground like a sack of meat. Kirinji and Kyoraku gasp at the sight, temporarily stunned by the Hollow casually, and savagely, offing two of them right after all the punishment he took. As if it were nothing.

The cage promptly starts to break down as an ashen gray, flaming phoenix tattoo burns itself on Arturo's upper left chest and left arm, next to his Hollow hole before he sprouts brilliant flaming scarlet and violet wings from his back. The Hollow smirks viciously as he raises his right palm with concentrated flames in it again before blowing a hole through the roof of Muken, scorching a path to escape. Before any of the Shinigami can move, Arturo flies off with a shockwave, burning his way through the upper levers as his body gradually becomes completely shrouded in flames, turning into a phoenix.

As the Shinigami hopelessly watch the phoenix leave, Kirinji tsks as he looks at Hikifune's lifeless form, "It looks like I'll need to take you to Manako Oshō after this battle is over…"

Urahara is on his knees, helping the dying form of Tessai sit up slightly as he wears a desperate expression, "H-Hang in there, Tessai! I'll use my Bankai, that should—!"

The shopkeeper widens his eyes as the bespectacled man raises his hand and clutches his friend's shoulder, uttering, "I-It was an honor fighting with you one last time… sir… tell the children… I'm sorry…"

Urahara's mouth opens slightly before he purses his lips and nods with somber eyes, "Of course, commander…"

Tessai's hand clutches his friend's shoulder briefly before it slowly becomes limp and falls as he breathes his final breath. Urahara slowly places his friend flat on his back before rising to his feet, his eyes hidden under the shadow of his bangs. The man glances at Kirinji's bisected left hand on the ground a distance away.

The one-armed royal guard looks ready to leave to pursue the Hollow before pausing as Urahara calls, "Wait… I think I may have something to fix up your arm before we fight him again."

Kirinji raises a brow, approaching the shopkeeper in interest. This leaves Kyoraku, having discarded his captain's Haori, at the edge of the ravaged room.

The acting Head Captain glares behind him in the darkness, seemingly questioning something or someone hiding within, "I can feel you watching… I know how much you hate Hollows. If you help us with this problem, there's a strong chance you could also be reinstated…"

A noble-looking male Shinigami with long black hair and a white Haori steps out from the shadows, wearing a neutral and emotionless expression as the one-eyed captain finishes, "Captain Kenpachi Azashiro…"

Present, Squad 1 Barracks

A form of a gigantic blazing phoenix—identical to the Sōkyoku itself, bursts from and completely incinerates a majority of the Squad 1 Barracks, causing the screams of those burned to echo through the Seireitei.

Arturo stands in the air in front of the phoenix with a toothy smirk on his face as he regards the ruins of the Seireitei, "Such a beautiful sight… it's almost exactly how I left it!"

The strongest Hollow in existence cackles, "SHINIGAMI! IT IS ONCE MORE TIME FOR YOU TO FACE DEATH!"

Author's Note:

The chapters seem to be getting longer as I go on… there's simply a lot more character interactions that need to be covered in this stage of the story than previously. I don't have a specific goal for word count, I simply decide what I want to happen in a chapter and write it in a way that makes sure the key characters get the focus they need. With that said, I also have no normal upload schedule. I write when I have time and motivation.

Ichigo and Orihime:

I took a look at things from Ichigo's perspective last chapter and gave Orihime no chance to voice hers, so that is what I do in this chapter. I don't have much else to say about this at the moment.

Toshiro and Karin:

They will be a pairing in this story by the end, so expect a lot more scenes of them to come, both inside and outside of battle situations.

Arturo and Hollows:

I am introducing the main theme of this arc, at least from the Hollow side of things… doubling down on the idea that, despite some Hollows acting more reasonably the others, they are all instinctual creatures who had to kill to survive (excluding ONLY Stark and Ulquiorra, who are both built different). Sometimes it's easy to forget that Nel is a Vasto Lorde, which means even she has the blood of hundreds if not thousands of lives on her hands.

Arturo is a literal representation of chaos and the killer instinct that Hollow's have, whereas his sister, Athena, is his opposite, representing order (as the one who crowned Barragan) and the more lonely/solitary aspects of Hollows. I shall explore these twin gods of Hueco Mundo in detail as this arc progresses.

I want to remind you all that Arturo was able to fight these five notable characters without his Zanpakutō. There is a reason he was able to knock down Barragan without any effort and that I tied in the lore from the game to mean that he single-handedly killed many of the founding captains in the Gotei 13… (if Kubo explains how they died in canon later, I am still keeping that as truth in this story). I actually made him even more powerful than he is in the games, which I know is insane. However, given he was from the primordial world in this story, I saw fit to give Hollows their flowers in terms of power scaling and lore. If the Shinigami have Ichibe and the Quincies have Yhwach, then the Hollows have Arturo and Athena.

With that said, I realize I am leaving off with a big cliffhanger, so I will try not to take too long to release the next chapter, but I make no promises.