Hello, everyone. ThunderReborn from 2025. This chapter was edited once again by my current beta reader, Waroyer123. Thank you and I hope you enjoy the story.
The following is a fan-based parody.
Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo, TV Tokyo, Viz Media, and Studio Pierrot.
Justice League, Justice League Unlimited, and Young Justice are owned by Warner Bros, DC Comics, and DC Entertainment.
All other ideas belong to their original sources. Please support the official release.
"Hello." – Normal talking.
"Hello." – Normal thoughts.
"Hello." – Spirit speaking.
"Hello." – Spirit thoughts.
Chapter 88:
The Phantom Zone consisted of a large number of asteroid-like rocks suspended in a void of blue and purple. Suddenly, a loud boom resonated across the dimension as a boom tube opened on one of the many asteroids. Ichigo and Chishiki stepped out of the boom tube, and In'yō closed it behind them.
"So, this is the Phantom Zone," Ichigo said. He closed his eyes and sent a wave of reiatsu around him. In the distance, Ichigo could sense a group of people coming toward them.
"Looks like we got some incoming guests," Ichigo said as he summoned Rebellion. Ten people were flying toward him, and Ichigo activated Tsumi no Me, instantly learning their names and sins. The group of people stopped near Ichigo, all of them floating in the air.
"Who are you, stranger?" a man asked as he floated forward. In'yō instantly translated the man's words.
"He's speaking in Kryptonian," In'yō said.
"Thank you, In'yō," Ichigo replied, turning to the spokesperson. "Hello, Kryptonian," Ichigo said.
"Are you a New God from New Genesis?" the spokesperson asked, noticing Ichigo holding In'yō in his hand.
"Not exactly, Jax-Ur," Ichigo replied. Jax-Ur's eyes widened upon hearing his name.
"Attack!" he yelled, and the other Kryptonians flew down toward Ichigo. Ichigo snapped his fingers, and Chains of Hell shot out from the ground, binding all the Kryptonians, including Jax-Ur. Ichigo summoned Kagamigetsu, which had already grown bigger to accommodate his larger physique.
"Shatter, Kyōka Suigetsu," Ichigo said as he entered Shikai. He quickly stabbed each of them and used Yomu Kioku, giving them access to their memories. "Bankai, Kyōka Eigetsu Koyō [Mirror Flower Reflects the Illusory Moon and False Sun," Ichigo said as he locked them all in their minds, allowing them to experience an alternative reality where they were forced to escape to their headquarters. Ichigo invaded the headquarters, killing many of the Kryptonians. In the end, Ichigo was killed, leaving the surviving Kryptonian. They took In'yō from him and used her to escape the Phantom Zone. Ichigo watched as all of them attacked Earth, one without any superheroes or supernatural abilities.
"I've seen enough. Shūryō," Ichigo thought as he ended the effects of Kyōka Eigetsu Koyō.
"NO! Send us back!" they yelled, realizing what they saw was a trick. In the distance, Ichigo could see a few monsters flying toward them. They resembled eel-like creatures with two arms, several fins, and a tail. Its upper surface was mostly dark blue, with dark red and neon green details, while its underbelly was pale gray. It had four small red eyes set above a massive mouth containing ten sharp, wide teeth. Ichigo replaced Kyōka Suigetsu with Rebellion. The monster lunged toward the Kryptonians. Their anger turned to fear. Ichigo appeared in front of them and attacked the creatures, easily slicing them apart. Ichigo turned to the Kryptonians.
"The Phantom Zone was supposed to be a place for you to be punished for your crimes, but it seems like it wasn't enough." Ichigo put on the Gokon Tekkō and pushed the souls out of the Kryptonians before throwing them into Hell.
"What do you plan to do with their bodies?" Chishiki asked.
"It'll be a waste to just kill them," Ichigo said.
"You're planning to turn them into another army?" Chishiki asked.
"Correct," Ichigo said as he sent them to the Trainer. Kyōka appeared in front of them.
"I scanned their memories and found their base," Kyōka said.
"Good. Let's go." Ichigo said. Chishiki held onto Ichigo as they shunpō'ed away. As they traveled, they noticed a large rock castle floating in the void. Ichigo could see a few Kryptonians flying toward them. They wore similar suits to the other Kryptonians.
"You must be the source of the loud noise we heard earlier," the man said.
"I am, Vor-Kil," Ichigo replied. Vor-Kil's eyes narrowed upon hearing Ichigo say his name.
"Capture them!" Vor-Kil commanded. The other Kryptonians flew toward them. Ichigo sighed as the Chains of Hell appeared and bound them. Ichigo used Kyōka Eigetsu Koyō on them. He saw them committing similar actions to the previous group of Kryptonians. Ichigo mentally sighed as he freed them from Kyōka Eigetsu Koyō, threw their souls into Hell, and stored their bodies in the Trainer. Ichigo finally invaded the rock castle.
"Invaders!" someone yelled.
"At least I don't need to hunt down everyone." Ichigo thought as more Kryptonians charged toward him. Ichigo snapped his fingers. Chains of Hell shot out and began to trap the incoming Kryptonians. Many of them saw what was happening and tried to dodge the chains, but they underestimated how the chains worked. They easily changed direction, pursuing the Kryptonians. In a few minutes, all of them were captured.
"Is this everyone?" Chishiki asked.
"No. There's a few more left," Ichigo said. Ichigo, Chishiki, and Kyōka walked forward, leaving the Kryptonians bound by the chains. Ichigo arrived to see five more Kryptonians. Behind them was another Kryptonian, trying to free a large creature trapped in black stone. Ichigo recognized one of them.
"That's Zod," Ichigo recognized.
"And the trapped creature is Doomsday," Chishiki warned.
"Lord Zod. I'm almost done freeing him," the Kryptonian trying to free Doomsday said.
"Faora, Nadira, Lar, and Az, stop him!" Zod ordered. All four of them flew toward Ichigo.
"Why do they never learn?" Ichigo thought as he snapped his fingers. Chains of Hell shot out and bound the other Kryptonians.
"Imbeciles," Zod growled as he flew toward Ichigo. He was much faster compared to the other Kryptonians, but he was no match for Ichigo. With a simple snap, Zod was bound by the Chains of Hell.
"Va!" Zod yelled.
"Got it!" Va replied as he freed Doomsday. Doomsday let out a loud roar as he was finally freed from the black stone. Ichigo was able to get a closer look at him. Doomsday appeared humanoid with gray skin. He stood over five meters (16.4 feet) tall. He had white bony projections around his face, which also protected his red eyes. More white bony projections covered his chest, shoulders, elbows, knuckles, knees, and feet. He had a black metal rag around his waist.
Doomsday roared as he charged toward Ichigo, raising one of his fists. When he got within striking range, he swung his fist toward him. Ichigo raised his left hand and caught the fist. The force from the impact shook the entire building. Ichigo used his right hand to snap his fingers. Chains of Hell quickly wrapped around Doomsday and Va, immobilizing them. Doomsday roared in anger as he tried to free himself. All the Kryptonians panicked as a horde of eel-like creatures began to phase through the wall. Ichigo shunpō'ed toward the monsters and began to slice them apart. As Ichigo dealt with the monsters, Kyōka walked to the raging Doomsday and Ichigo cast a sleeping kidō on him, putting him to sleep. After finishing off the final monster, he walked to all the captured Kryptonians and used Kyōka Eigetsu Koyō on them. While they experienced their altered reality, Ichigo moved toward the sleeping Doomsday.
"Did the comics ever mention how they killed Doomsday?" Ichigo asked.
"They sent Doomsday forward in time till he reached the end of the multiverse," Chishiki said.
"Why did they need to use such an extreme method to kill him?" Ichigo asked.
"It's because of his self-evolution ability. His body constantly evolves to prevent harm, and even death is temporary," Chishiki explained. "Also, his miasma can mutate those who breathe it into Doomsday hybrids."
"I got this," Ichigo said. He first activated Schrift N: The Negate.
"In theory, I should be able to negate his regeneration," Ichigo thought. He made sure Schrift O: The Oversoul was ready to absorb Doomsday's soul.
"May your light shine down upon the battlefield and bring me victory, Excalibur!" Ichigo chanted, activating Schrift W: The War Lord. Rebellion was replaced with Excalibur. "I decree this to the Laws that bind all Worlds! On this day, Doomsday will die by my blade. Neither the Gates of Heaven nor the Gates of Hell shall hide Doomsday from thy blade. Let all creation hear my declaration!" Ichigo and the sleeping Doomsday glowed red. Ichigo charged toward Doomsday. Doomsday woke up from Kyōka's spell, letting out another loud roar as Ichigo slashed into his side. Doomsday's eyes widened as he felt the pain from Ichigo's attack.
"What is this feeling?" he yelled, surprisingly in English. Ichigo continued his attack, slicing through Doomsday's body. Purple vapor began to leak out of his body, but the powers of Schrift N: The Negate negated the effects of the vapor. Ichigo continued his attacks, slicing Doomsday apart. Finally, Ichigo felt Schrift O: The Oversoul activate. Doomsday transformed into purple dust and was absorbed by Ichigo. He could feel the anger radiating from the trapped Doomsday within the Schrift, rampaging inside for a minute before finally being absorbed. Ichigo sealed Schrift N: The Negate, Schrift O: The Oversoul, and Schrift W: The War Lord. He then walked to Kyōka, who was monitoring the bound Kryptonians.
"How is it going?" Ichigo asked.
"Out of all the Kryptonians, only one of them didn't choose to attack Earth," Kyōka said, pointing out the lone Kryptonian. Ichigo used the Chains of Hell to move the lone Kryptonian away from the rest.
"In'yō."
"Yes?" she replied.
"Would you be interested in merging with a Kryptonian?" Ichigo asked. In'yō paused for a moment, considering the question.
"That's an interesting proposition. Why?" she asked.
"I plan to turn these Kryptonians into my private army," he explained.
"And you want me to lead them?" she inquired.
"Yes," Ichigo answered.
"We should give In'yō the Reach's scarab. She'll be able to effectively utilize its resources," Chishiki added.
"Good idea," Ichigo replied. "In'yō, scan all the Kryptonians and find the one that suits you."
"Got it," In'yō responded. She floated into the air, scanning the Kryptonians around them. "I've found my target," she said. They approached a light-skinned Kryptonian with black hair and eyes, resembling an Asian woman from Earth, clad in black armor. Ichigo stepped forward, using Kyōka Suigetsu to stab her, and activated Yomu Kioku.
"Her name is Car-Vex," Ichigo stated. He then moved to Zod, stabbing him as well and using Yomu Kioku on him. Ichigo summoned the Gokon Tekkō to expel their souls and cast them into Hell. Within minutes, only three Kryptonians remained.
"What's your plan for these three?" Chishiki asked.
"I'll modify their memories, making them my trainers for my army of Kryptonians." Ichigo began altering their memories using Yomu Kioku, removing all recollections of the Phantom Zone and replacing them with new ones. They now remembered Ichigo saving them and swore loyalty to him for it. Ichigo then used Kyōka Eigetsu Koyō to ensure they experienced his changes and sent them to the Trainer, leaving the last Kryptonian. He freed her from Kyōka Eigetsu Koyō, and she looked around, confused.
"That was an illusion?" she asked. She was light-skinned with blonde hair and blue eyes, wearing the same black armor.
"It was," Ichigo replied.
"Why?" she asked.
"I wanted to see if all the Kryptonians in the Phantom Zone would try to conquer Earth. You were the only one that didn't," Ichigo explained. "I forgot to ask your name."
"I'm Ra-Ya (1)," she responded, looking around. "So, I'm the only one who passed your test?"
"You are," Ichigo confirmed. "I'll give you a choice." He paused, then continued, "First, I can send you to Earth to meet Kal-El and Kara Zor-El."
"You know where Kal-El is?" Ra-Ya asked.
"I do," Ichigo replied. "Do you want to live with him?"
"I do," she answered. Ichigo summoned a contract and placed it in front of her. After reading it, she signed the contract, which prohibited her from speaking about anything related to Ichigo, his powers, or anyone associated with him. A few moments later, she signed the contract. Ichigo sealed Kyōka Suigetsu and sent Kagamigetsu back to his mindscape, while Chishiki followed him in.
Ichigo donned the Jigoku no Yoroi once again.
"In'yō, can you open a boom tube to the Justice League Headquarters?" Ichigo asked.
"Yes, Master," she replied. A black-and-white boom tube opened in front of them, and Ichigo and Ra-Ya stepped through.
Scene Change: Earth's Orbit: Watchtower: Conference Room
The boom tube opened in an empty conference room. As Ichigo and Ra-Ya stepped out, alarms blared, and red lights flashed.
"That doesn't sound good," Ra-Ya muttered in Kryptonian.
"It's not," Ichigo replied. The doors suddenly opened, and Superman flew in, still wrapped in bandages from a recent fight.
"Kal-El!" Ra-Ya shouted, rushing toward him. "What happened? Why are you injured?" Superman looked confused.
"If you couldn't tell, she's Kryptonian," Ichigo said in English. More members of the Justice League entered the room. Ra-Ya ignored them and turned to Ichigo with a puzzled expression.
"He doesn't know Kryptonian," Ichigo added in Kryptonian before addressing Superman. "She doesn't know English."
"Where did you find her?" Superman asked.
"In the Phantom Zone," Ichigo replied.
"You entered the Phantom Zone?" Superman asked disbelief in his voice.
"I did," Ichigo confirmed. "I judged the prisoners there. She was the only one who wouldn't try to attack Earth once freed."
Superman's gaze hardened. "So, you freed her and just dropped her off here?"
"She wanted to be here. From what I gathered, she worked with your father on Krypton."
"What's going on?" Supergirl asked as she floated in. "Aunt Ra-Ya!" she cried in Kryptonian, flying down to hug her.
"Well, I'll leave this to you," Ichigo said.
"In'yō, open a boom tube back to the base," Ichigo instructed.
"Yes, Master," In'yō responded. Another boom tube opened, and Ichigo quickly stepped inside. The tube closed behind him.
Scene Change: War World
Ichigo stepped out of the boom tube into the War World Treasury. He walked over to the pedestal with the black-and-white scarab.
"Are you ready, In'yō?" Ichigo asked.
"I am," she replied. Ichigo glanced at the pedestal and deactivated the barrier. The scarab remained motionless. He aimed In'yō at it and fired a beam of black and white energy. The scarab's limbs extended, resisting for a brief moment, but they were soon drawn toward In'yō and absorbed into her. Afterward, In'yō ceased glowing.
"How do you feel?" Ichigo asked.
"Good. I successfully absorbed the scarab, its data, and can now create more," In'yō reported.
"Good," Ichigo said. He then pulled out the Trainer and summoned Car-Vex's soulless body, placing it on the ground. "It's your turn," Ichigo said.
In'yō glowed black and white, floating out of Ichigo's hand and landing on Car-Vex's chest. Energy spiraled around them, forming a cocoon. After a few minutes, the energy dissipated, revealing a naked Car-Vex. In'yō was gone.
The woman opened her eyes.
"It worked," In'yō said, standing up. Ichigo noted she was now 182 cm (6 feet) tall.
"Are you okay?" Ichigo asked.
"I am," In'yō said as she took a few steps. "Still getting used to this body," she admitted.
"This might help," Ichigo said, meeting In'yō's gaze. He used Legilimency to transfer all of Car-Vex's memories into her. Once the process was complete, In'yō closed her eyes, and as she did, clothing began to form around her. She was now dressed in a black sports bra beneath a silver corset top, etched with black circuits. A black choker adorned her neck, also engraved with silver circuits. She wore a sleeveless black jacket, with black sleeves extending from the middle of her biceps to her forearms. Her black gloves were accented with silver circuit engravings on the cuffs, and matching black pants were held up by a belt featuring the same intricate patterns. Finally, her black leather combat boots were secured with ankle straps, each adorned with silver circuits (2).
"Well, how do I look?" In'yō asked.
"You look good," Ichigo replied.
"Thank you," In'yō said. "But I'm not done." The black bands with silver circuits on her clothes began to glow, merging into a black-and-silver metallic armor. Her helmet was black with a silver mask and circuits.
"This is my combat form," she said, raising her hands, which morphed into different weapons.
"Looks good," Ichigo said.
"Thank you," In'yō replied, returning to her regular form.
"Were you able to create the new scarabs?" Ichigo asked.
"Right now, I'm working on a basic one with all the essential information," she answered.
"Very well," Ichigo said. "I think it's time we head to Apokolips." Ichigo summoned the scroll, noting Darkseid's name. "Looks like Lex Luthor is on Apokolips as well," Ichigo said, seeing both names listed together. "We're going to a world with plenty of enemies," Ichigo said as his spirits appeared in his mindscape. "I need all of you to deal with the smaller threats while I hunt those on my list. If you spot anyone on my list, use the Chain of Hell to send them directly to me." Ichigo handed out the Chains of Hell to each spirit. "I'll take care of the rest."
They all nodded and returned to his mindscape.
"In'yō, once we arrive on Apokolips, I'll send you into my mindscape," Ichigo said.
"Why?" she asked.
"Metron might discover your existence and decide to capture you because you're a fusion of a Motherbox, Fatherbox, and a Kryptonian."
"That doesn't sound good," In'yō said. Ichigo nodded in agreement.
"Let's go," Ichigo said. In'yō raised her hands, and a black-and-white boom tube opened in front of them. Ichigo charged in, with In'yō following closely behind.
Scene Change: Apokolips
Ichigo and In'yō emerged from the boom tube, landing in a barren wasteland filled with black metal buildings, fire pits, and rivers of lava. In'yō quickly closed the boom tube behind them. Suddenly, an alarm blared. Ichigo immediately sent In'yō back into his mindscape as he spotted a horde of large, muscular, winged humanoids in golden armor flying toward them.
"Parademons," Chishiki identified.
"Intruder!" the Parademons yelled in Apokolipian. Ichigo leaped into the air, slashing through the Parademons with Rebellion. He shunpō'ed toward the massive castle ahead. More Parademons, wielding large silver staffs, fired energy blasts at him. Ichigo ignored the blasts, letting them bounce off his armor, and quickly sliced through the attackers with Rebellion. He continued his relentless march toward the castle.
Suddenly, something lunged out of the castle, falling toward Ichigo. He saw a stocky, brutish figure in a black tunic with prominent green accents descending at him.
"That's Kalibak, one of Darkseid's sons, and he's on our list," Chishiki said.
"Got it," Ichigo replied, pointing Rebellion, now coated in hellfire, at the incoming New God. Ichigo swung the blade, sending a crescent-shaped wave of hellfire toward Kalibak. Kalibak crossed his arms, trying to block the attack, but to his horror, the hellfire burned through his arm and bisected him in half. His body crashed to the ground near Ichigo. Ichigo sensed Kalibak's soul being sent to Hell and discarded the body into his mindscape.
With a swift motion, Ichigo sliced the door to the palace open. He was immediately bombarded by energy blasts. He ignored them, seeing yet another group of Parademons ahead. Ichigo charged forward, bisecting them with ease. He then heard clapping from behind him. Turning around, Ichigo saw an armored warrior entering the room, carrying a large battle axe.
"That's Steppenwolf, an Apokolipian general and a member of Darkseid's Elite," Chishiki identified.
"Got it," Ichigo replied.
"Large warrior, fight me!" Steppenwolf yelled, charging toward Ichigo. Ichigo swung Rebellion down at him, and Steppenwolf tried to block the attack with his battle axe. However, Rebellion began to bisect Steppenwolf's weapon. Steppenwolf jumped back, pulling his axe away, only to see that the tip of the metal shaft had been sliced off.
"Come on, Steppenwolf," Ichigo taunted. "If Darkseid's Elite is this weak, I wonder how weak Darkseid himself is."
"YOU DARE!" Steppenwolf roared, his eyes glowing with fury. He charged recklessly at Ichigo and swung his battle axe at Ichigo's side. Ichigo simply tilted Rebellion to the side, blocking the attack. The force of the blow shattered Steppenwolf's axe, leaving him stunned. Before he could react, Ichigo raised Rebellion and slashed downward, bisecting him.
"Another one down," Ichigo thought.
"Father!" a voice yelled. Ichigo turned to see a tall, striking woman entering the room. She had straight, waist-length black hair, blue eyes, and a muscular frame. She wore a silver diadem with a red omega on her forehead, a strapless silver bustier with a red omega symbol above her chest, and silver boots that went up to her knees.
She glared at Ichigo. "How dare you!" she yelled as she drew her sword and charged toward him.
"Is this a clone of Wonder Woman?" Ichigo thought.
"I'm not sure. I can't find any mention of a Wonder Woman clone in Apokolips," Chishiki replied.
Ichigo calmly blocked the woman's attacks with Rebellion. He punched her in the face with his left hand, sending her flying through the wall outside the castle. Ichigo followed with a shunpō and bound her with the Chains of Hell.
"Let me GO!" she screamed, struggling against the chains. Ichigo sent her into Hell. More Parademons appeared, launching another assault.
"This is getting annoying," Ichigo thought as Zangetsu, Yhwach, and Vermillion appeared.
"We'll handle the cannon fodder," Zangetsu said, his Shikai appearing in his hand.
"That last fight wasn't even worth a warm-up," Vermillion added as her Battle Booster appeared.
Yhwach summoned his bow in silence.
"Thank you," Ichigo said. He sent Steppenwolf's body into his mindscape and shunpō'ed past the remaining Parademons. As Ichigo moved down the hallway, a yellow boom tube appeared in front of him, and six women stepped out.
"From left to right, we have Lashina, Bernadeth, Bloody Mary, Gilotina, Mad Harriet, Stompa. They are members of the Female Furies," Chishiki identified.
"Capture the intruder!" Lashina ordered.
The Furies lunged toward Ichigo. Gilotina's arms glowed with energy as she attacked with claps. Ichigo blocked her strikes with Rebellion.
"Why isn't your sword chopped?" Gilotina asked.
"How about this?" Mad Harriet yelled, leaping at Ichigo's face to block his sight. She attacked him with sharp claws. Ichigo grabbed Mad Harriet's arm and swung her at Gilotina. Gilotina instinctively blocked, chopping Mad Harriet in half.
"AHAHAHAHA!" Mad Harriet screamed as Ichigo dropped her severed arm. Gilotina froze in shock, while Bloody Mary flew at Ichigo. Lashina flicked her whip at Gilotina, hitting her on the butt.
"OW!" Gilotina yelled in pain.
"Save it for later. We still need to capture him," Lashina said, flicking her whip again.
"Ow! Got it!" Gilotina responded. Bloody Mary summoned blood-daggers and attacked Ichigo, but he easily ignored the strikes and punched her in the face, sending her flying. Lashina pulled her back down with her whip. Ichigo shunpō'ed toward them, ready to attack with Rebellion.
"NO!" Stompa shouted, stomping the ground and causing the floor to shake. Ichigo was unaffected. Everyone else struggled to recover from the attack. Ichigo snapped his fingers, and the Chains of Hell captured all of the Furies, sending them straight to Hell.
Suddenly, another boom tube opened, and an elderly woman emerged. She wore a dark blue suit beneath golden armor, with a red cape and an Omega symbol above her forehead.
"That's Granny Goodness; she leads the Female Furies and is one of Darkseid's Elite," Chishiki identified.
"I shouldn't be surprised that my girls failed to injure you," Granny Goodness said. "After all, you killed both Kalibak and Steppenwolf." She materialized a large metallic mace and charged toward Ichigo. Ichigo raised Rebellion and blocked her attacks.
"Strange, his weapon is inferior to ours but seems to be able to damage ours," Granny Goodness thought.
"Are you one of those bastards from Genesis?" she asked. Ichigo responded by stabbing toward her. Granny Goodness jumped back and swung her mace at Rebellion, but her attack failed to damage the sword. Ichigo stepped forward and swung Rebellion upward. Granny Goodness narrowly avoided the strike and raised her mace to block a second downward swing. Rebellion crashed into her weapon, splitting it in two. Ichigo continued his swing, slicing Granny Goodness in half.
"AHAHAH!" she screamed in pain. Ichigo used Legilimency to search her mind for Darkseid's location, then pointed Rebellion at her and unleashed a stream of hellfire. She screamed as the flames consumed her, and a few moments later, the fire was extinguished. Her soul was sent to Hell.
"Another one down," Ichigo thought, marching up the stairs. More Parademons rushed toward him. Just then, a barrage of whitish-blue arrows flew past Ichigo, hitting the Parademons. He glanced back to see Zangetsu, Yhwach, and Vermillion. Zangetsu was carrying someone bound in the Chains of Hell over his shoulder.
"About time you got here," Ichigo said.
"These things never end," Vermillion said, charging toward the incoming Parademons.
"What's up with the prisoner?" Ichigo asked. Zangetsu threw the bound person at Ichigo's feet.
"He is Grayven, another of Darkseid's Elites," Chishiki identified. Zangetsu groaned, and Yhwach chuckled.
"When we were dealing with the hordes of Parademons, he charged at us, proclaiming himself as one of Darkseid's Elites," Yhwach said as he fired more arrows at the incoming Parademons.
"He charged at us, and it didn't take long for me to take him down," Zangetsu added.
"Indeed," Yhwach agreed. Ichigo sent Grayven into Hell.
"I'm going on ahead," Ichigo said, shunpō'ed down the corridor. It didn't take long before Ichigo spotted a hooded humanoid figure.
"All those damned imbeciles making me leave my precious lab to deal with a fool," the figure grumbled.
"That's Hesaad, Darkseid's Chief Scientist, Torturer, and one of his Elites," Chishiki informed him.
"Got it," Ichigo replied. He shunpō'ed toward Hesaad and swung Rebellion. Hesaad didn't realize what happened until his head dropped to the ground, followed by his body. Ichigo sent his body into his mindscape.
"Darkseid is all that's left," Chishiki noted.
"I know," Ichigo replied, as Rebellion returned to his mindscape. Zangetsu, Yhwach, and Vermillion returned to his side. "Vermillion, get ready for battle."
"Got it!" she replied, as they all entered Ichigo's mindscape. Ichigo activated Schrift B: The Battle Booster and Schrift H: The Hakaimono. Battle Booster replaced Jigoku no Yoroi's gauntlet. A few moments later, Ichigo arrived at the throne room. He raised his right foot and kicked down the door, breaking it off its hinges. Ichigo calmly entered the throne room, where he saw Darkseid sitting on his throne.
"Hello, Darkseid," Ichigo said. Darkseid stood up from his throne.
"To think my subjects were too weak to deal with you," Darkseid muttered as he strode toward Ichigo. His body expanded until he matched Ichigo's height, his red eyes glowing ominously. "I will give you one chance, submit to me or die."
Ichigo responded by slamming his forehead into Darkseid's, momentarily stunning him. Wasting no time, he followed up with a punch to Darkseid's face, forcing him back a step. Ichigo pressed forward, delivering another blow to the opposite side, making Darkseid stagger once more. He reared back for another strike, but this time, Darkseid caught his fist mid-swing.
Turning his glowing red eyes toward Ichigo, Darkseid's voice boomed, "DIE!" He unleashed his Omega Beams, twin crimson energy blasts surging from his eyes.
Just as the beams closed in, a silver aura flared around Ichigo, intercepting the attack.
"DIE!" he yelled as he fired his Omega Beam, a pair of red beams, from his eyes. Suddenly, Ichigo was surrounded by a silver aura. The Omega Beam hit Ichigo's silver aura.
"What is this aura?" Darkseid thought as he continued to unleash his Omega Beam. Ichigo's Destructive Aura destroyed the Omega Beam. As the stalemate continued, Ichigo's Destructive Aura began to destroy Darkseid's hand.
"GAH!" Darkseid screamed in pain as he ended his attack and let go of Ichigo's hand. He looked down at his right palm, now damaged and glared at Ichigo. But before he could react, Ichigo was in front of him, landing a punch to his gut.
"Come on, Darkseid. Is this all you've got?" Ichigo taunted. Darkseid's eyes glowed red with fury.
"SILENCE!" he roared, stomping his foot down. A powerful wave of red energy erupted from the impact, causing the castle to collapse on itself. Ichigo's Destructive Aura destroyed all the falling rubble, keeping him unharmed. Darkseid's body began to regenerate, recovering from all of Ichigo's attacks. As the dust settled, both Ichigo and Darkseid were unscathed, surrounded by the destruction.
"Now this is more like it," Ichigo said, shunpō'ed toward Darkseid with his right fist raised. Darkseid met his fist with his own punch. The two fists collided, sending shockwaves through the air, and destroying the nearby surroundings. Darkseid gritted his teeth as he felt pain in his right hand. Ichigo quickly used his left hand to strike. Darkseid responded with his own left punch, but it too caused him pain.
Ichigo unleashed a series of Counter Explosive Punches, Internal Destruction-infused punches, and External Destruction-infused punches, dealing massive damage to Darkseid.
"Looks like Darkseid is focusing all his energy on blocking my attacks while trying to recover from them," Ichigo thought.
"5 Counter Internal Destruction Explosive Kick!" Ichigo shouted as he used his right leg to kick Darkseid's upper leg, instantly destroying the internal bones and muscles.
"GAH!" Darkseid screamed, falling to his right side. Ichigo followed up with a 3 Counter Internal Destruction Explosive Kick, stomping on Darkseid's other upper leg and biceps.
"I WILL NOT BE STOPPED!" Darkseid roared as he fired his Omega Beams once more. The beams were larger and stronger than before. Ichigo's Destructive Aura was able to lessen the power, but it still hit him in the chest.
"5 Counter Explosive Kick!" Ichigo shouted as he stomped on Darkseid's chest.
"GAH!" Darkseid yelled, halting his attack. Kyōka appeared beside Ichigo. She summoned Kyōka Suigetsu, already in Shikai, and stabbed it into Darkseid's head, activating Yomu Kioku. She quickly pulled her blade out.
"Did you get anything important from him?" Ichigo asked.
"First, make sure he suffers in Hell for eternity," Kyōka replied.
"Of course," Ichigo said as he summoned his Gokon Tekkō. He removed Darkseid's soul and threw it into Hell. Afterward, Ichigo sent Darkseid's body into his mindscape. "Where did Darkseid hide Lex Luthor?" Ichigo asked.
"When we began our attack, Darkseid sent Lex Luthor to Hesaad's lab," Kyōka answered.
"Let's head there," Ichigo said.
"Are there any prisoners here?" Ichigo asked. They shunpō'ed out of the destroyed palace grounds and arrived at a large black metallic tower.
"This is Hesaad's lab, where he conducts all his experiments," Kyōka explained. Ichigo placed his palm on the door, using his External Destruction to break it open. He and Kyōka entered the lab and ignored the alien creatures inside, rushing up the tower. They soon found a locked room. Ichigo used his External Destruction to destroy the door. Inside, they saw Lex Luthor, pacing.
"About time someone checked on me," Luthor said, walking up to them. "Well… is Darkseid ready to continue our discussion?"
"The situation has changed," Ichigo answered in English.
"How?" Lex asked, just as Kyōka stabbed him in the skull with her blade, activating Yomu Kioku. Ichigo used Gokon Tekkō to remove Lex Luthor's soul and threw him into Hell.
"Did you learn anything from him?" Ichigo asked.
"Lex Luthor decided to have a child," Kyōka replied.
"Really?" Ichigo asked.
"He did. Her name is Alexandria Lena Luthor, and Erica Alexandra del Portenza is her mother. When Alexandria was born, her mother was drugged by Lex to keep her asleep. Mercy Graves, his personal bodyguard, was tasked with raising her," Kyōka explained.
"Why does this seem strange to you?" Ichigo asked.
"Looking through his memories, it seems he only considered this after battling the Justice League with Brainiac," Kyōka said.
"Wait…" Ichigo summoned the scroll and checked the remaining names on the list. "Brainiac is still on this list."
"That means… he's still alive," Kyōka said.
"I believe Brainiac manipulated everything to live as a human," Ichigo theorized.
"Why?" Kyōka asked.
"Because Brainiac wanted to understand the human will," Ichigo said. "We'll hunt them down next."
With that, they descended the stairs and made their way back to the tower's entrance. As they reached the base, Ichigo summoned In'yō to his side.
"In'yō, can you communicate with these creatures? If they have any intelligence left, we need to see if we can fix the damage Hesaad did to them."
"And if they don't?" In'yō asked.
"Then we'll do our best to peacefully put them down," Ichigo replied.
"I will do my best," she replied.
In'yō cautiously approached the first creature—a large, white being covered in red blisters.
"I got one," she said.
Ichigo and Kyōka walked over as In'yō raised her hands near the creature.
"I want to help restore the damage done to you," she said gently.
The white creature hesitated before slowly stepping toward her. As In'yō placed her hands on its body, black and white circuit-like patterns appeared on her skin, flowing toward the creature and spreading across its form. Gradually, the creature began to shrink. Moments later, where the monstrous figure once stood, a young Asian girl with white hair now sat inside the cage.
"I… I'm normal," she said, tears streaming down her face.
Ichigo walked over and shattered the cage. In'yō immediately embraced the girl, comforting her as she sobbed. A few moments later, she drifted into sleep in In'yō's arms. Ichigo conjured a bed with casters, and In'yō gently placed the girl on it before they moved on.
As they continued, the next few creatures lashed out at In'yō like mindless beasts, driven purely by instinct. Seeing no signs of intelligence or salvation, Ichigo mercifully used External Destruction, erasing them in an instant.
Eventually, they reached a towering, faceless cyan humanoid. The figure stood at about 200 cm (6.56 feet) with a muscular build.
"I found another one," In'yō said, cautiously stepping forward.
Unlike the others, the cyan figure extended its hands toward her as if it understood what was about to happen. In'yō gently grasped its large hands, and black and white circuit-like patterns appeared on her body, flowing toward the creature. Slowly, the cyan form began to shrink and morph.
Moments later, the transformation was complete. Now, In'yō was holding the hands of a young girl with dark tan skin, purple eyes, and long black hair that covered the right side of her face.
"That worked," the girl said in accented English.
"Looks like you recovered much faster compared to the other girl," Ichigo remarked.
"You speak English!" the girl exclaimed, her eyes wide.
"I do," Ichigo replied.
"She's perfectly fine," In'yō confirmed. "What's your name?"
"I'm Kamala Khan (3)," she introduced herself.
"I assume you're from Earth?" Ichigo asked.
"I am. I'm from Jersey City, New Jersey," Kamala answered.
"So, Kamala, do you want to return home?" Ichigo asked. Kamala sighed sadly.
"I don't have a home to go to," she admitted.
"Why?" Ichigo asked.
"Unlike the other kids, I activated my powers before I was smuggled out of Earth," Kamala began. "I was looking at one of my favorite role models, Wonder Woman, wishing I could look like her… and then my body started changing. Before I knew it, I had transformed into her.
"When I noticed the transformation, I panicked and just like that, I changed back. Luckily, no one heard me freaking out.
"After that, I started experimenting with my powers in secret. But one day, my father walked into my room unexpectedly and caught me mid-transformation. He shouted in shock, which brought my mother running. When she saw what was happening, they both bombarded me with questions like, when did I discover my powers? Who else knew? What were my limits? I answered as best as I could, but in the end, my father gave me strict orders: never use my powers, never tell anyone what happened, and never speak a word about what I could do.
"I was scared… so I obeyed.
"But a week later, as I was walking home from school, my own parents kidnapped me and sold me to a meta-human trafficker."
In'yō's fists clenched, her body trembling with anger.
"In'yō, calm down. You're scaring her," Ichigo said in a calm tone. In'yō turned to Kamala, who was visibly nervous.
"Sorry about that," she said, glancing at Ichigo.
"What was that?" she asked. "I suddenly had this overwhelming urge to hit something."
"That was anger," Ichigo explained. He looked at Kamala. "Please continue."
"When I realized what was happening, I transformed into a cat and tried to escape, but the trafficker and his goons quickly captured me. I had to watch as the trafficker killed them right in front of me before knocking me unconscious," Kamala said.
"That's when you were trafficked to Apokolips?" Ichigo asked.
"I guess," Kamala replied. "I woke up in the cage, staring at the hooded man. He used a rectangular device to make me understand his words. Then, he extracted my blood and started torturing me."
In'yō hugged Kamala tightly.
"As he tortured me, my conscious mind wanted the pain to stop," Kamala continued. "So my subconscious created a powerful figure, one that could adapt to the torture."
"That's when the faceless humanoid creature appeared," Ichigo said.
"Correct," Kamala replied.
"Since you don't have a home to return to... would you like to come with us?" Ichigo asked.
"Really?" Kamala asked, surprised.
"You can," Ichigo said, walking over to her. "For now, you should rest," he added, placing a low-powered sleeping spell on her.
"Okay," she weakly replied before drifting off to sleep.
In'yō walked over and gently placed her on the bed beside the other sleeping girl. They continued moving down the line, mercifully ending the suffering of those who had lost their reason.
Eventually, they came across a humanoid woman in a cage. She had olive skin adorned with bright blue markings all over her body. Her sharp facial features included high cheekbones, pale blue eyes, and a wide grin. Her white hair, slightly curly, cascaded down to her waist.
She wore a skintight black tank top that revealed her midriff, with aquamarine hemming forming a low neckline-like pattern along the edges. A short, sarong-like cloth was fastened around her waist with a ring, the loose end draping in front. Black, short, fingerless formal gloves covered her forearms, while her feet and ankles were wrapped in what resembled black yoga socks. Around her neck, she wore an aquamarine choker.
Her cage was noticeably larger than the others.
"I'm not sure if you're supposed to be here," she whispered.
"Darkseid and Hasaad are dead," Ichigo said. Her eyes widened in shock.
"Really?" she asked, her voice now clear.
"I killed them all," Ichigo replied.
"I see... I'm Chian," she introduced herself.
"I'm Ichigo," Ichigo said. "Are you from Earth?" he asked.
"I am," Chian replied. "I was part of a Purist group that allied with Darkseid. I was given to him for assistance during his invasion of Earth," she explained.
"What happened to you while you were in their custody?" Ichigo asked.
"I was given to Hasaad. He extracted a lot of my blood to use my Atlantean genes to create an aquatic version of the Parademons."
"Did he succeed?" Ichigo asked.
"He created a Parademon that could shift between land and aquatic forms," Chian answered. "After that, Hasaad began experimenting to unlock my latent potential. It was a painful process that turned my light tan skin darker, changed my brown eyes to blue, my black hair to white, and left these markings on my body. I heard he planned to give me to Granny Goodness to become one of the Female Furies."
"Good thing she's dead, too," Ichigo said.
"We should give her a checkup at the headquarters afterward," Kyōka suggested.
"Good idea," Ichigo agreed.
"So, Chian, what do you want to do now?" Ichigo asked.
"Leave this place," she replied.
"And go back to Earth?" Ichigo asked.
"Maybe. Maybe somewhere else," she said.
"You fear prosecution," Ichigo guessed.
"I do," she admitted. "Atlantean laws don't tolerate traitors. I'll probably be executed for it."
"You could join us," Ichigo proposed.
"Really?" she asked, surprised.
"You were young and seduced by Orm's looks and charisma," Ichigo said.
"I was," she admitted.
"Which is why I don't blame you," Ichigo said.
"In that case, why should I trust you? You could be trying to do the same thing to me," she questioned.
"Good," Ichigo nodded. "You're learning from your mistakes." He summoned a contract and handed it to her. She carefully took it.
"This is a soul contract," she realized. "Whoever breaks the contract will be sent to Hell." She read through the terms. "The terms are very reasonable."
"I agree to the terms," she said, signing the contract. Ichigo nodded and took it from her.
"I'm going to send you to a pocket dimension where you'll meet others who have decided to relocate to my universe," Ichigo explained.
"Okay," Chian replied. Ichigo used Haōgan to send her into Haō Zaimushō. By this time, the two girls had woken up.
"It wasn't a dream," the Asian girl said.
"It wasn't," Kamala replied.
"What's your name?" In'yō asked.
"I'm Holly Denton (4)," she introduced.
"Kamala, Holly," Ichigo called. The girls turned to him. He quickly explained their situation and presented their options. Unsurprisingly, they both chose to sign the contract. Ichigo sent them to Haō Zaimushō. Ichigo summoned Chishiki and had her copy all the data Hasaad had stored. After that, they all shunpō'ed to Granny Goodness's Orphanage. Upon entering, they found the place mostly empty.
"Why is this place mostly empty?" In'yō asked.
"I can answer that," Chishiki interjected. "Most of the residents here were transformed into Parademons," she explained.
"Make sure they all suffer for eternity in Hell," In'yō said.
"Of course," Ichigo replied. They soon arrived at the lowest level of the Orphanage.
"Looks like I wasn't forgotten," someone said. They came upon a woman chained to the wall. She was a seductive young woman with red-orange hair, bright green eyes, and noticeable freckles, her curvaceous yet muscular build apparent. She wore gray coveralls. "Who are you?" she asked.
"My name is Ichigo," he introduced. "And you are?"
"I'm Knockout," she replied.
"Are you an ally of Darkseid?" Ichigo asked.
"I was," she admitted. "When Darkseid died, I tried to escape Apokolips. Granny Goodness caught me and threw me in here."
"Darkseid, Granny Goodness, and the Female Furies are dead," Ichigo said.
"Oh," Knockout responded. "I hope Bloody Mary had a painless death."
"Why?" Ichigo asked.
"Bloody Mary was the latest addition to the team. She was originally from Earth before being kidnapped. She had to endure a 'special' time with Granny Goodness," she explained.
"Might as well do it here," Ichigo thought. He snapped his fingers, and a portal to Hell opened. From it, a bound Bloody Mary rose. She was pale, with blood-red hair and eyes, and wore a matching blood-red strapless swimsuit, a cape, elbow-length gloves, and knee-high boots. She appeared confused.
"Where am I?" she asked, noticing Knockout.
"Bloody Mary, you're safe now," Ichigo said.
"What do you mean? I'm still bound by these chains." Ichigo waved his hand, causing the chains to disappear.
"I'm here to talk with you," he said, activating the Tsumi no Me.
"About what?" she asked.
"Darkseid and Granny Goodness are dead," Ichigo began. "From what I can see, you never enjoyed killing or torturing anyone." He turned to Knockout. "As for you, when you killed, you didn't prolong their suffering. Not only that, but you got tired of the endless war, patiently waiting for an opportunity to escape."
"Is that why you tried to escape during the Civil War?" Bloody Mary asked.
"Yep," Knockout replied.
"So now that they're all dead, what do you two want to do?" Ichigo asked.
"I don't know," Knockout replied. She turned to Bloody Mary. "What about you?"
"I don't know," Bloody Mary answered.
"What were you doing on Earth before being kidnapped?" Ichigo asked. Bloody Mary sighed.
"I was a prostitute, just trying to survive," she admitted.
"If neither of you have a place to go, you can come with us," In'yō offered.
"Go where?" Knockout asked.
"I was sent to this universe to accomplish a few things, and I'm offering an opportunity to former villains to start over," Ichigo said, presenting them with a contract. Ichigo destroyed the chains holding Knockout. They both took the contracts and read them over. After a moment, they signed.
"Let me get some armor," Knockout said as she broke out of her cell.
They walked down another hallway, eventually arriving at an armory. Ichigo stood outside while Knockout and Bloody Mary entered. A few minutes later, they stepped out, now clad in battle gear.
Knockout wore dark green battle armor with black trimmings. A matching neck guard encircled her throat. Her large shoulder pads consisted of overlapping black-edged plates, flanking a high collar that resembled the neckline of a dress. Her black-edged breastplate left a fair portion of her cleavage and midriff exposed. Plates flanked her hips, extending down into an oversized waist guard composed of long, feather-shaped black-edged plates. The front of her body remained largely exposed, with only a dark green indument covering her groin. Her slim gauntlets featured prominent hand protection, while her leg armor included black-edged plates on her thighs and knees, transitioning into dark green metal greaves. A large dark green sword and shield were mounted on either side of her waist (5).
Bloody Mary now wore a dark crimson chest plate with angular faulds extending into an ankle-length skirt. She had elbow-length dark crimson fingerless gloves, a matching ankle-length skirt with black accents, and thigh-high boots. Two sheathed daggers rested on either side of her waist. A dark crimson hood and cloak wrapped around her, completing the ensemble (6).
"Are both of you ready?" Ichigo asked.
"I'm ready," Knockout said.
"So am I," Bloody Mary replied. Ichigo used Haōgan to send them to Haō Zaimushō. He summoned Lashina, Bernadeth, Gilotina, Mad Harriet, and Stompa, quickly sentencing them to Hell and executing them. Their souls were thrown into Hell while Ichigo stored their bodies in his mindscape.
"Is there anything else we should check?" Ichigo asked. Kyōka shook her head.
"There isn't anything important," she replied, returning to Ichigo's mindscape. Ichigo turned to In'yō.
"In'yō, we're going to New Genesis. There's a high chance Metron will appear," Ichigo warned.
"I remember the plan," she replied.
"Good," Ichigo said. "Then open a boom tube to New Genesis."
"Got it," she said. A black and white boom tube opened in front of them. Ichigo and In'yō stepped through.
Scene Change: Supertown, New Genesis
Ichigo and In'yō emerged from the boom tube to find a large squad of armed guards pointing their weapons at them. A figure in a red suit floated above the guards using a contraption.
"Halt! Identify yourself!" the figure in the red suit demanded.
"Are you Orion?" Ichigo asked.
"I am," Orion replied.
"Lead me to the Highfather. I have important news related to Darkseid that the Highfather would be interested in," Ichigo said. Orion stared at Ichigo for a few seconds.
"Why should I trust you? This could be a trap orchestrated by Darkseid," Orion questioned. Ichigo summoned the decapitated body of Hesaad. Everyone's eyes widened at the sight of the dead body beside Ichigo's feet.
"Is that Hesaad?"
"Check it yourself," Ichigo replied. Orion pulled out his Motherbox.
"Motherbox, identify this body," Orion ordered. A beam of light shot out from the Motherbox and scanned the body. A moment later, the Motherbox displayed the information to Orion.
"Stranger, get on," Orion said. Ichigo sent the body back to his mindscape. Ichigo and In'yō joined Orion on his platform. Orion flew them toward a large castle. They entered the castle and soon arrived in front of a door. Orion lowered the platform.
"We must continue on foot," he said. They all stepped off the platform and approached the door. Orion knocked.
"Enter!" they heard from the other side. The doors opened, allowing them to enter. Inside, they saw a powerful elderly couple sitting on thrones.
"Stranger," the elderly man said from his throne. "May we know your names?"
"I am Ichigo, and this is In'yō," Ichigo introduced.
"You come here requesting an audience and bring the dead body of Hesaad, one of Darkseid's Elites," the elderly man continued. Ichigo took a few steps forward. The guards posted around the throne room all eyed him warily, ready to attack. Ichigo snapped his fingers, and the bodies of Lashina, Bernadeth, Gilotina, Mad Harriet, Stompa, Kalibak, Steppenwolf, Grayven, and Hesaad appeared from his mindscape. Everyone recognized the dead bodies.
"Check the bodies!" the elderly man ordered, standing from his throne.
"Yes, Highfather," Orion replied, rushing to the pile of bodies. He began scanning them. "Put the Divine Guard on high alert," Highfather ordered.
"YES, HIGHFATHER!" One of the soldiers responded before quickly exiting the throne room.
"These are indeed them," Orion reported. Highfather turned his gaze to Ichigo.
"Is this the important news?" Highfather asked.
"No," Ichigo replied. "That is just the appetizer." Ichigo snapped his fingers again, and the dead body of Darkseid appeared. Highfather rushed to inspect Darkseid's corpse.
"And this is the main course," Ichigo added. Highfather stared at Ichigo in shock.
"H-How is this possible?" he asked.
"I was tasked with killing him," Ichigo said.
"Then I must reward you," Highfather said. He turned to Orion. "Orion, I am sending the Royal Guard with you to claim Apokolips. As you have Darkseid's blood, you must take over and rule it."
"As you command, Highfather," Orion replied, leaving the throne room.
"I will organize the celebration," the elderly woman said.
"Yes, please, dear," Highfather replied. He turned to Ichigo. "What is it that you wish for, benefactor?"
Before Ichigo could answer, another boom tube opened, and a figure sitting in a chair emerged. The figure wore a black suit with whitish-blue circuit lines that flowed from him to his floating black throne.
"Metron, what are you doing here?"
"Izaya, I'm not here for you." Metron floated toward In'yō. "I am here to see my granddaughter." He raised his hand toward In'yō. Ichigo appeared in front of In'yō and grasped Metron's hand. He then turned to Highfather.
"Is this how you treat guests?" Ichigo asked. Metron flicked his wrist, breaking free from Ichigo's grip.
"Mortal, how dare you touch a New God," Metron said, firing an energy beam at Ichigo. Ichigo shunpō'ed past the beam, grabbed Metron, and dragged him off his chair. In'yō jumped up and sat down in the chair. Black-and-white circuit lines flowed from her body into the chair.
"So, Highfather, should I consider this an attack from your people?" Ichigo asked as he pinned Metron to the ground with his knee placed on Metron's neck. Highfather glanced at the struggling Metron before looking at Darkseid's corpse.
"He is not one of my people," Highfather said. Metron stopped struggling and glared at Highfather.
"Very well then," Ichigo said. Kyōka appeared beside Ichigo and stabbed Metron in the back of the head, activating Yomu Kioku.
"Are you done?" Ichigo asked.
"I am," Kyōka said. Ichigo pulled Metron up from the ground and pushed him forward. He flew through the air before tripping over the pile of dead New Gods. He regained his footing and glared at Ichigo and Kyōka.
"Metron, I've slain all these New Gods in less than an hour." Ichigo began. "The price for letting you live has already been taken." In'yō mentally commanded the Mobius Chair to float beside Ichigo. Metron glared at them.
"This will not be forgotten," Metron said, pulling out a rectangular box before leaving through a boom tube. Kyōka returned to Ichigo's mindscape.
"I'm sorry, Ichigo, for the unexpected guest," Highfather said.
"The unexpected guest has been taken care of," Ichigo replied casually. "Anyways, I wish to see the best weaponsmith in New Genesis," Ichigo asked.
"Very well. I will take you there," Highfather replied.
"Mobius and I are going to spend some time talking," In'yō said.
"Okay," Ichigo replied. In'yō opened a boom tube, and they both stepped into it. The boom tube closed behind them. Highfather pulled out a Motherbox and opened a boom tube for Ichigo. They both entered the boom tube.
Scene Change: Unknown Location
Ichigo and Highfather arrived outside a large metal door. Highfather waved his hand, and a scepter appeared. He tapped the door four times with it. A moment later, the door opened, revealing a short, stubby person wearing thick leather coveralls.
"Hello, Hyalt," Highfather greeted.
"Ah, Izaya. What do you want?" Hyalt replied.
"I need you to forge a weapon for this warrior," Highfather said, gesturing to Ichigo. Hyalt eyed Ichigo.
"Who is he?" Hyalt asked. Highfather explained the situation to him. Hyalt looked at Ichigo with amazement.
"Very well, I will forge him the best weapon I can," Hyalt said.
"Thank you, Hyalt," Highfather replied. He turned to Ichigo. "When you're done with Hyalt, please let me know how long it will take for your weapon."
"I understand," Ichigo replied. Ichigo and Hyalt entered the workshop. Ichigo shrank down to match Hyalt's size.
"Thanks for doing that," Hyalt said, cracking his neck. "All the looking up hurts my neck." They sat down at a table. "So, do you have any ideas for the weapon you want?"
"Before we talk, I need you to sign this," Ichigo said, placing a contract in front of Hyalt. Hyalt took the contract and read it, his eyes widening as he read through it.
"This is a contract of the soul. He doesn't want me to reveal anything about his weapon to anyone... but why?" Hyalt thought, a frown forming on his face. With a heavy sigh, he signed the contract. The moment he did, he gritted his teeth, feeling the contract's power take hold of him.
Ichigo nodded solemnly, placing two pieces of charred wood on the table in front of him.
"Tell me what you can feel from these," Ichigo asked. Hyalt carefully picked up the pieces of charred wood. He could feel the power of the Old Gods of Lightning, Thunder, and Storms, the ill intent of a thief, the weapons' sense of loyalty, and sparks of gratitude.
"What happened to them?" Hyalt asked, curious about the history of these weapons. Ichigo recounted the story of Stormbreaker and his battle with the Thief. Hyalt gently placed the pieces on the table.
"So, do you wish to reforge Stormbreaker?" Hyalt asked.
"Not exactly," Ichigo replied. He raised his hand. "Let the sky become your hunting ground, Sky Chaser!" With that, Ichigo activated Schrift V: The Ventus, summoning Sky Chaser. He placed it on the table. "I wish to combine them together." Hyalt nodded.
"This will no doubt be the greatest challenge I've faced," Hyalt said. "But I will need you to disconnect your connection with Sky Chaser for me to create a new weapon."
"I understand," Ichigo replied as he picked up Sky Chaser. He could sense its emotions.
"You didn't do anything wrong," Ichigo said softly to Sky Chaser. "I'm doing this to make you stronger. After all, the wind isn't just about shooting arrows." He could feel Sky Chaser trusting his intent. With that, Ichigo severed his connection with Sky Chaser and Schrift V: The Ventus. He gently placed Sky Chaser on the table. Hyalt carried over a large, shining silver sphere.
"The last thing I need you to do is inject your energy into this sphere," Hyalt said. Ichigo placed his hands on the sphere and allowed Schrift V: The Ventus's energy to flow into it.
"That's enough," Hyalt said after a few minutes. Ichigo cut the flow from Schrift V: The Ventus.
"I almost used up all the mana, Divine Energy, and reiatsu from Schrift V: The Ventus," Ichigo thought.
"Tell Izaya that I will need three days to finish this. I'll come to get you when it's ready," Hyalt said. Ichigo nodded and left the forge. He returned to his regular height when a black-and-white boom tube opened in front of him. In'yō stepped out, followed by a blue robbed figure. Ichigo waved his hand, placing all his privacy kidōs and spells around them.
"Who is that?" Ichigo asked.
"This is Mobius," In'yō said. "He wanted to become something similar to me, so I offered him the Kryptonian's body, and he merged with it." Mobius took a step forward and lowered his hood, allowing Ichigo to get a closer look. Mobius appeared to be a lean, athletic man with sharp, angular features. His skin is fair. He has short, tousled deep, dusky blue hair and eyes. Beneath the blue robe, Mobius wore lightweight, reinforced metallic body armor.
"Greetings, Master," Mobius said.
"Hello, Mobius. I hope you can experience what you want," Ichigo replied.
"Thank you, Master," Mobius said.
"Do either of you know how long three days on New Genesis is in Earth time?" Ichigo asked.
"Three days on New Genesis is approximately three days and five hours in Earth Time," Mobius replied.
"I should be able to finish everything on Earth, return to Hyalt's forge to pick up my new weapon, and then leave this universe," Ichigo thought.
"So, what are you two planning to do now?" Ichigo asked.
"With Mobius's help, I've finished developing the scarabs," In'yō said as she pulled out a silver scarab and presented it to Ichigo. The silver scarab resembled the ones the Reach used but was smaller.
"What information do these scarabs contain?" Ichigo asked.
"The scarabs have an advanced artificial program," In'yō explained. "They're preprogrammed with English, Japanese, and Kryptonian languages, as well as all functions of the human body. There are a few rules they must follow: The first rule, they will never betray you. Second, they must obey all orders you give. Third, they must follow the Chain of Command to the best of their ability. In case of conflicting orders, the AI decides how to complete the majority of them."
"Good start," Ichigo said. "We should allow these AIs to develop from the ground up," he continued. "You're free to begin the training process. Remind Nadira, Faora, and Ursa to start slowly. They must wear special bands to restrict their Kryptonian abilities. Nadira, Faora, and Ursa will gradually release the restrictions on their bands."
"Yes, Master," In'yō replied.
"Master, may I assist In'yō with these efforts?" Mobius asked.
"I'm fine with it," Ichigo replied.
"Have you considered the name and command structure for this army?" In'yō asked.
"I have," Ichigo said. "The army is called Eternal Guardian," he explained. "The emblem will consist of three silver swords: two sabers on the sides, their blades pointing out, and a longsword in the center, slightly longer than the sabers. The swords will be arranged like a kite, and the negative space will be black." Mobius waved his hand and created the emblem on his breastplate. "Just like that."
"What about the command structure?" In'yō asked.
"I'll be the Supreme Commander," Ichigo said. "The Supreme Commander's emblem will have three golden five-pointed stars on top of the pommel of each sword and a gold pair of wings on the broadsword." Mobius waved his hand again, and the emblem appeared in Ichigo's hand. "You'll be the Grand Commander, my second-in-command," Ichigo said.
"I would be honored," In'yō said.
"Your emblem will be similar to mine, but without the golden wings," Ichigo explained. A small pendant with the Grand Commander emblem appeared on her choker.
"Yes, sir," In'yō replied.
"Mobius, you'll be the Tactical Commander, the third-in-command," Ichigo said. Mobius nodded. "The Tactical Commander's emblem will have two five-pointed stars in the empty space between each sword," Ichigo added.
"Yes, Master," Mobius said as his breastplate added the stars.
"Faora Hu-Ul will be the Commander of the Shadow Guardian. Her emblem will have a five-pointed star on the crossguard of the sword on the left side." In'yō and Mobius nodded. "Nadira Va-Dim will be the Commander of the Imperial Guardian. Her emblem will have the star on the crossguard of the sword in the middle. Finally, Ursa Ha-Ul will be the Commander of the War Guardian. Her emblem will have the star on the crossguard of the sword on the right side."
"Where do you want the emblems placed?" In'yō asked.
"They'll be placed on both sides of the shoulder sleeves. Lower ranks will have the standard patch, and rank will be signified by stripes below the emblem. One upward chevron will indicate Private, two upward chevrons for Private First Class, and three upward chevrons for Lance Corporal. A pair of black crossed swords beneath the first chevron will signify Corporal. Sergeants will have a rocker connecting the first chevron, with two rockers for a Staff Sergeant and three for a Master Sergeant. (9)" Mobius waved his hand, creating the image Ichigo described.
"Got it," In'yō said.
"I've created a device that will allow you to open boom tubes without needing us," Mobius said, kneeling before Ichigo and presenting a silver ring with a black-and-white In'yō symbol as the centerpiece.
"Thank you," Ichigo replied, taking the ring from Mobius. He slipped it onto his finger, and Mobius silently stood. Ichigo pulled out the Trainer and sent In'yō and Mobius into it. Ichigo tightened his fist and pointed the ring in front of him.
"Send me to the throne room," Ichigo mentally commanded. A black-and-white beam shot from the ring, opening a boom tube. Ichigo walked into it.
Author's note:
Raya was from the Smallville series. I decided to break her name into Ra-Ya to follow the Kryptonian trend for names.
Loosely based on Enter from Tokumei Sentai Go-Busters.
from Marvel Comics.
Holly Denton from the Wildstorm series.
Dark green with a black trimming version of Erza Scarlet's Blackwing Armor.
Scarlet Witch's outfit.
A modified version of Jace, the Mind Sculptor, from Magic The Gathering.
A modified version of the Marine Corp Rank Structure.