Author's note: I don't own any of the characters. They belong to Tite Kubo. The original characters belong to me.
Chapter 19: Fields of Deception
In a tent outside the Conociomento, El Dorado, Hueco Mundo
Tessai was reading while waiting for the four Humans to come back. He was actually reading manga that he had borrowed from Love Aikawa, one of the Vizards. It was a manga and it revolved around a knucklehead ninja who defeated a great villain that almost destroyed his village. As the tanned-skinned man read, he found this manga to be amusing.
"Hmmm…...somehow this series does seem similar somehow" Tessai remarked while reading.
"Hey, you! We're back" the rude and unenthusiastic voice came from Jinta, as he, Ururu, Chad and Orihime entered the tent.
Tessai immediately put the manga away and adjusted his glasses in a serious manner. "I'm glad you're all here. We have much to discuss" he revealed to them.
"We heard that you received a message from Urahara" Chad spoke up. "Did he give you info about the current situation of the battle?" the tall man asked.
The tanned-skinned Shinigami nodded his head. "The boss has some good news and some bad news. But I will tell you both" he revealed and was preparing to share information with the four. "The good news is that the boss' research helped turn the tide against the Sternritters who had stolen the Bankais, thus enabling them to have a chance of fighting back. But the bad news is that some of the captains and lieutenants have vanished from the battlefield without a trace. Even now, the data at the Department of Research and Development have failed to locate the missing Shinigamis" Tessai explained grimly.
"Do you suppose that those captains and lieutenants could've been killed?" Ururu asked lowly.
But Tessai shook his head. "I don't have the answer, Ururu. Neither does the boss and the researchers. But we should not rush into answers we don't know yet" the tanned Shinigami insisted and walked over to the machine that was in the tent. "However, the boss did mention to me that Ichigo was on his way to join the battle" he said, forming a slight smile underneath his moustache.
All the Humans were surprised by seeing this, as it had been a while since they last heard from him. They also seemed happy.
"Ichigo is coming? That's great!" Orihime expressed her happiness over the situation.
"Then that means we should head over to the Sereitei immediately" Chad suggested.
"That we will. But first, we better make some preparations" Tessai said and suddenly picked up some new clothes. "Now go outside to the shower beside this tent. You have been walking around the same clothes for days. Taking care of hygiene is important. Once you've showered, put on these new clothes the boss made with the help of some tailors in El Dorado. They should fit nicely on each of you. And by the way, don't even bother worrying about peeping toms. I have erected a Kido-barrier around this tent" he told them and the four did as he requested.
Each one took a turn and there were no perverts peeking on them, coupled with the Kido-barrier's job in keeping them outside.
The new clothes they had put on were very cool, even though Orihime's was very revealing of her busty chest. She also had her hips exposed. Chad's clothes seemed very sporty and had cool black markings running along his jacket. He also wore white gloves. Jinta wore surprisingly an open white jacket and a black t-shirt inside. His pants were also white, with a chain hanging around it. The red-haired teen almost looked like a troubled delinquent from a school. Ururu's clothes was only a white ballet dress, with white stockings, white gloves and black shoes.
Tessai found himself streaming with tears of joy. "Aren't the outfits just wonderful!?" he asked while sniffing. "All of them matches you perfectly!" he exclaimed with pride.
Jinta slumped his face in anger. "Yeah right! Why the hell do I look like some lame-ass school delinquent!? Couldn't the boss have come up with something more…." Jinta stopped by seeing Tessai giving him an intimidating stare while cracking his knuckles. Gulping, the teenager reversed his opposition. "You know what, these clothes look cool on me" he said, thus satisfying Tessai.
Orihime was checking out her own clothes and was even squeezing her breasts. She smiled. "Urahara made this probably so that Ichigo could see how much woman I've become. I must thank him later" she noted in her thoughts. The orange-haired woman then faced Tessai. "When do we leave for the Sereitei?" she asked.
"Soon, Orihime. But before I open the Garganta, there is something that I would really like to tell each of you" the tanned-skinned man replied, facing the group of four with serious glances. "I don't know about the outcome of this battle, but if the Wandenreich were to succeed with their invasion this time, we will have no choice but to return to El Dorado" he told them while they listened. "All of you are probably wondering why I'm telling you this. Well, to tell you the truth, I fear that as weakened and fractured as the 13 Court Guard Squads are, the Quincies will use that to their advantage. But we still have Ichigo and the boss on our side. And don't forget Shunsui Kyoraku, Kenpachi Zaraki, and the other captains, plus the members of the Royal Guard" he then admitted to them, trying to boost the morale around them.
"You don't suppose that the Imperio de Hierro will involve itself in this battle, do you?" Chad suddenly asked.
Tessai adjusted his glasses. "No. They won't be entering the fight just yet. They will only act whenever they feel that Hueco Mundo is at risk" he said but he was not finished. "But another thing that could lure the Imperio de Hierro into the battlefield, is if Sosuke Aizen is ever let out from the Muken" he then added grimly.
"Aizen..." Orihime uttered out the name lowly, although a hint of disgust could also be heard in her voice. She faced Tessai with a determined glance. "Asking for his assistance in this battle would only be disastrous! Everyone knows that he does not have the best interests of the Soul Society at heart!" she pointed out.
"We all know that, young girl" Tessai pointed out. "And I hope that in this battle, there will be no need for us to resort to seeking Aizen for assistance. That monster is better off rotting underneath the sun" he added to his explanation. But he suddenly came to a realization and held two familiar weapons that both Ururu and Jinta knew.
The two teenagers awed in surprise. "You're kidding me! That's my…." Jinta was stunned by seeing his Muteki Tekkon being held in one hand and Ururu's Senren Bakusatsu Taiho in the other. However, they seemed to have undergone some improvisations, as they looked a little taller than what they used to be.
Ururu smiled shyly when seeing this. "Has the boss done that for us?" she asked Tessai with excitement in her voice.
The tall man chuckled. "Of course! He suggested that your weapons needed some improvements, so he happily made some modifications. With those, both of you should be strong enough to take on common soldiers of the Wandenreich. But against the Sternritters, it is fruitless" he then told them a few details that was important for the teenagers to hear, although Jinta seemed less than pleased to pay attention.
The red-haired teen was more concentrated on his kanabo. "Hell yeah! I can't wait to bash some Quincy-skulls with this bad boy!" he exclaimed, yet none of his friends paid attention to Jinta's boasting.
Tessai then activated the Garganta, the same one that Urahara, Riruka and Yukio entered the other day. The group stood ready, as it became large enough for them all to enter through.
"Be ready. The moment we cross into the other side of this Garganta, there is no telling in where specifically we'll be at" Tessai reminded them all. "The boss knows of how to use this machine, but I will…." the tall man got interrupted by Jinta, once again.
"Give me a break! You say we're about to use a machine you clearly have no idea of how to use!?" he snapped in outrage.
Tessai only ignored Jinta's outburst and decided to continue his explanation, much to the teenager's irritation. "Now as I was saying, the Garganta may not be able to take us directly to the boss' location. So I suggest that we all take a cautious approach" he told them all.
"Right!" Orihime, Chad and Ururu said together, while Jinta crossed his arms and pretended he was not following.
In the end, the group entered the Garganta, knowing fully well that they were on their way towards a Soul Society in jeopardy. But the news about Ichigo almost landing at the Sereitei did raise hopes to them all.
Inside the majestic palace of Esperanza
In the throne room of Augustus Zod Allowin, a new meeting between him and the Dechados had been announced. In the middle of the hall, a crescent formed table had been placed, as if they were expecting someone. Currently, all present members sat on their seats, watching as their leader entering the throne room. The paragons rushed to greet him with a respective kneel, and the emperor fixed a proud smile when seeing them do that.
"Hail, my sons and daughters. I am glad to see that you are all here" Allowin said humbly before motioning for them to return to their seats. "I have some important announcements to make, with regards to the absent Dechados" the long-bearded and muscular Arrancar told them while they remained seated on their seats.
Everything was silent in the great hall, as the giant doors had been closed and the only people that was watching this meeting, as the palace guards. They made no sound while standing in guard.
Allowin first began fixing his eyes on Nelliel and Harribel, who sat beside one another. They both seemed surprised at first. "Tell me, Paragon Nelliel Tu Odelschwank and Paragon Tier Harribel. Did those four Humans return to their tent?" he asked them.
"Yes, they did" Nelliel replied quickly without hesitation. "And I assume they plan on leaving for the Soul Society soon" the sea green-haired woman added.
"Hold on! You mean those freeloaders are leaving Hueco Mundo?" Tiradoor asked her with excitement in his voice while looking overjoyed. "Finally, now just to spray the spot where they've been camping at so it doesn't stink!" he added with an outrageous statement.
Nelliel frowned slightly while hearing this. "Don't say something so demeaning as that! What have they ever done to you!?" she rebuked to the young Arrancar.
"Ignore him, Nelliel" Harribel said, her azure eyes gazing upon the afro-haired boy. "Learn to treat strangers better, punk" she told him sternly, although Tiradoor did not seem to care.
"Tch, I'm just stating the obvious. Who knows, that spot may stink like crap for all I….." he was interrupted by the voice of his superior.
The ancient Arrancar had his eyes closed while listening to this. "You have spoken enough, Paragon Tiradoor Webster" he told the young paragon and opened his eyes to see Nelliel. "I see that you and your friend have done your jobs well in watching over these outsiders" he noted lowly while glancing at all of the paragons. "But it is time to move on to more pressing matters. Just recently, I have reflected on what had happened, including the Wandenreich's new invasion of the Sereitei. Yhwach has made his move once again" the white-bearded man remarked while telling everyone.
"Your Highness" Luddenwig spoke up with a formal voice. "You don't suppose that the Wandenreich will seek out El Dorado's location?" he asked his superior.
"That may be a possibility. Because even as we speak, Yhwach has found out about me, let alone the Imperio de Hierro" Allowin said grimly. "But as the situation currently stands, the Wandenreich doesn't have enough resources to launch a war on two fronts. They are first determined to first strike at the 13 Court Guard Squads, and eventually the Royal Guard" he added to his explanation.
Xerxxes found himself smiling. "Well said, Your Highness. I agree with your hypothesis" the muscular man with dreadlocks said in return.
"Even so, we must not let our guard down" everyone turned their eyes on Harribel, the blonde-haired woman looking at Allowin. "These Quincies destroy everything in their path. I have no doubt that they will use all means to find the location of El Dorado. Therefore, I suggest security around the city should still be tightened. We should also place several scouts in the Valle de La Salvaciòn" she added to her words.
Allowin let out a chuckle of amusement. He even clapped his hands for her and so did some of the paragons. "Spoken like a true paragon, despite being a newcomer. Your perceptiveness is commendable, young one" she complimented her, with Harribel giving him a nod in appreciation.
While Nelliel, Oggrom, Gallante and Annabelle expressed similar praise to Harribel's wisdom, other paragons like Luddenwig, Xerxxes and Tiradoor were less than enthusiastic about it. Some of them still resented the blonde-haired woman for refusing their offer of friendship at first, although some had slowly gotten over the episode.
"Bah! Aizen-loving wench" Luddenwig thought as he observed Harribel getting praise.
"Her skills are undeniably impressive, that I agree" Xerxxes noted in his thoughts. "Regardless, it will take more than that to convince me to see her as an equal" he added.
But Tiradoor had a similar, yet a different reason for that he held a slight distaste of Harribel and her Fracciòn. "How the hell did she get all chummy with the boss here? I mean, she basically allowed herself to get her ass whooped by not just the Quincy Emperor, but also that Shinigami mongrel Sosuke Aizen! She gets way too much credit" he remarked with his usual thoughts and views.
On the other hand, Durann, Pieddot and Killaman were neutral with regards to hearing their emperor compliment Harribel.
As soon as the laughing stopped, Allowin motioned for everyone to rise from their seats and stand in two lines sideways, with Allowin standing by the middle. The Dechados were wondering why they were doing that, but the emperor motioned for the palace guards to open the tall doors.
"Your Highness…...what is this?" Durann questioned his leader.
"To further prepare for whatever circumstances awaits us, I have decided to recall back the absent Dechados" Allowin revealed, much to everyone's surprises. He suddenly smiled humbly. "These paragons have acted as my eyes and ears since the day the Wandenreich first invaded Hueco Mundo. With the Quincy threat in Hueco Mundo neutralized, their scouting is no longer required" the emperor went on explaining, with all the paragons staring at the Dechados.
While Nelliel and Harribel were curious when seeing them, the others were sort of amused to see these three familiar Arrancars in paragon capes.
The first one was a muscular, light-brown skinned man with reddish-brown mane, almost like a lion. His eyes were orange and his Hollow-shell appeared to be a jaw of teeth underneath his chin. Similar to Grimmjow, he had dashes underneath his eyes, except for the fact that they were orange, just like his eyes. He stroke his mane.
"Paragon Lyoness Mahlangu. I have returned, great one" he said to his superior while kneeling.
The second Dechado was a middle-aged woman with purplish hair, similar to Violetta and Christoff. Her hair was tied into a ponytail and her Hollow-shell appeared to be phoenix hairpins in her hair. She also kneeled before her peers.
"Paragon Arlettine Bracquemond of the House of Bracquemond. We are glad to confirm that every Quincy-filth in Hueco Mundo has been exterminated" she said in a serious manner.
The third and last Dechado was a tall man had the skull of a moose with majestic antlers as his head. And of course, it acted also as his Hollow-shell. While he bore some resemblances to Borddum and Rudbornn, he also resembled the Hollow shop owner in the market named Ceirwutz.
"Paragon Uvaanog Chelute of the House of Chelute. We come bring grave tidings, Your Highness" his gentle voice spoke up and kneeled beside his fellow paragons.
Annabelle mused by seeing this. "So, Arlettine and Uvaanog are finally back in El Dorado?" she mused and looked at Xerxxes, who stood in the other line. "Finally! Now, all the four great houses can have their annual meetings once again" she told him.
"I agree" Xerxxes said in return.
But Allowin suddenly stepped forward and motioned for the three paragons to stand on their feet. "While these three are Dechados, they are also members of our top-secret operative unit in the outside world called Sombre" he revealed to the other paragons. "For us to get a better hold on the current situation, we must not rely upon Kisuke Urahara and his band of misfits. We will find information on our own terms. Therefore, I place will task Sombre to obersve the events in the Soul Society countryside. However, one more Dechado is required before their mission can commence" he went on, while looking for a volunteer.
While some paragons like Tiradoor pretended that they were not interested, Pieddot suddenly stepped forward and bowed before the emperor with respect.
"Your Highness. Allow me to accompany my comrades to the Soul Society. My knowledge and expertise will be of great use in their mission" the man with the burlap mask suddenly offered his services.
"A wise suggestion, Paragon Pieddot Picasso. Indeed, you would make an excellent addition to Sombre" Allowin remarked and then looked at the three paragons. "He speaks the truth. You will need him in the fields as you operate" he pointed out.
The three paragons acknowledged thier ruler's wishes. "As you command, Your Highness" Arlettine said with a formal bow, looking at Pieddot afterwards. "When should we depart for the Soul Society?" she then asked the man with the burlap mask.
"Soon. But I first need to collect some tools back at Conociomento. Only then will be begin our mission" Pieddot said and faced their superior with a respective bow. "We will take our leave now and let you know when we have arrived in the Soul Society. And rest assured, we will return to El Derado safely." he told Allowin, who smiled humbly in return
"Fair enough. Safe journey, my children. And do not forget, that the Skyfather is always watching you" the ancient man told them, technically referencing himself.
The group of four left and Allowin proceeded to focus his attention on those Dechados that were still remaining in the great hall.
"Now, I know that there was a slight commotion inside Coliseo recently. Isn't that right, Paragon Oggrom Dorian?" the white-bearded man then asked the barbarous-looking Arrancar, who nodded his head.
"Correct. Three Legionarios and Gadiadores released Nnoitora Gilga into the arena without your consent" Oggrom revealed, yet looked at Nelliel and Harribel with a positive smile. "But with the assistance of these two ladies, we managed to drive him back into his cage before he could cause any potential harm to any citizens" he told Allowin, indirectly praising both female Dechados.
Neither of them knew what to say in return, as they were stunned by the fact that Oggrom possessed such ability to praise his compatriots.
"Your Highness..." all eyes were on Xerxxes, as the black-skinned man was down to his knees begging, which was really an unusual thing for a man of his stature to do. "Please forgive my kin Muumin for her rash decision. Had I known she was complicit in this, I would've taken action against her, personally" the man with the dreadlocks pleaded, although out of kindness and humility.
"Is Xerxxes down on his knees begging for forgiveness? What an amusing sight" Annabelle remarked inside her head.
Durann sighed. "When will he ever learn?" he wondered.
"Rise up, Paragon Xerxxes Rureaux. There is no need for you to grovel" Allowin said and the muscular man lifted his head to see the emperor facing him. "In truth, I expect you to punish your kinswoman, seeing as you both are of noble blood. This is an internal matter of your houshold" he revealed, much to the relief of Xerxxes and some of the other paragons. "I had a conversation with Arlettine with regards to her younger brother's mischief earlier. Henceforth, I have made no decision to execute anyone. However, they along with those reckless Legionarios will be disciplined for their misdeeds" he insisted to them.
Xerxxes got up and bowed before him once again. "You are too kind, great one. I am humbled to serve you" he told him.
"Your Highness" the voice came from Killaman, as the hulking Arrancar kneeled before him. "Have you made any decisions with regard to my visions?" the paragon with the long, white beard asked his superior.
Allowin closed his eyes. "I have, Paragon Killaman Khan. When I feel the world is at unease, the Imperio de Hierro will then make its move. But until then, we let the Soul Society deal with their own failures and mistakes" he told him while making sure everyone listened.
All the Dechados could hear Allowin's distaste for the Shinigamis and their ideals. But then again, he had a good reason for holding such grudges against not just them, but towards the Quincies as well.
Killaman bowed his head in understanding. "As you wish, my liege. I respect your decisions" he told his emperor.
The powerful emperor then decided to end this meeting. "With that said, I hereby conclude this meeting. Until we meet again, you area all dismissed" Allowin revealed, rising up from his throne to walk away.
Meanwhile, the four members of Sombre were heading towards the elevator. They were on the move, yet Arlettine could hear a familiar voice calling to her.
"Big sister!" the purple-haired woman stopped in her tracks and turned around to see two familiar faces from her standpoint. It was Violetta and Christoff, her younger siblings. Violetta jumped straight into Arlettine and hugged her with admiration. "I'm so happy to know that you've returned! But why do you need to leave so soon?" she exclaimed in admiration of Arlettine, who was unfazed by this hug.
Christoff dropped a sweat when seeing Violetta's actions and he eventually facepalmed. "Why did I not prepare myself for this embarrassment?" he wondered over seeing Violetta's antics.
"Violetta!" the young girl paused and saw her older sister's serious glare, indicating that she wanted her to back off. "Let go of me and stop acting like a child! You are a Legionario!" Arlettine sternly reminded her and Violetta got off, although her eyes were on the verge of tears.
"But why…...I just wanted to say hi..." she uttered, only to feel Christoff put a hand on her head. This caused Violetta to immediately change her mood, and she hugged her brother. "Thanks so much, big brother!" she exclaimed, much to Christoff's annoyance.
"For crying out loud, don't you ever grow up?" Christoff wondered as he was comforting Violetta.
"You two!" both siblings snapped by hearing Arlettine calling out to them."Take good care of the house while I am gone. I do not want anything to happen to it. Are we clear?" she explained to them strictly, before facing Christoff specifically. "And Christoff, please…just stop playing these stupid games with Muumin and Vladeenmyr. Begging to His Highness for forgiveness is embarrassing" she then told the purple-haired man, who closely listened to what was being said.
Sighing in defeat, he knew Arlettine spoke the truth. "Yeah, yeah, I understand. It's not like I don't have much of a social life, anyways" he said as if he was not important to anyone.
Arlettine rewarded him with a reassuring smile. "You need more confidence in yourself" she pointed out, yet Christoff didn't seem to buy it.
But Arlettine was not the only one engaged in a conversation. Simultaneously, Uvaanog was having a chat with his fellow kinsmen from the House of Chelute: Borddum and Rudbornn. The three skull-headed Arrancars seemed to have a somewhat different conversation than that of the Bracquemonds.
"We heard about your return to El Dorado. That is why we decided to see you quickly before you leave for your mission" Borddum said, as he and Rudbornn both bowed their heads in respect for the Arrancar with the moose skull as his head. "You bring honor to our house" the Legionairo added.
Uvaanog nodded. "Indeed. But I am afraid our celebration will have to wait. I leave for the Soul Society soon" he told them.
"Then we wish you the best of luck, Uvaanog" Rudbornn said.
But as Arlettine and Uvaanog were busy conversing with their kinsmen, Lyoness grew bored of having to wait. The same thing couldn't be said for Pieddot, though.
"Are you two coming or what!?" Lyoness growled impatiently. He crossed his arms and looked at Pieddot. "I swear, those snobs from the noble houses are so full of themselves!" he told his fellow paragon, who listened without speaking.
At the same time, Pieddot was trying to figure out the current status of the place they would be spying in.
"I have no doubt that the Soul Society is in disarray the moment we enter" Pieddot thought while thinking about their objectives. "But as long as we stay far away from the Sereitei and out in the countryside, the Quincies will not notice us snooping around" he remarked cunningly in his head, knowing well how they were gonna do this mission.
Lyoness grunted. "Assuming that we can all keep our mouths shut and avoid getting caught, that is" he replied to his fellow Dechado. This indicated that Lyoness was able to read Pieddot's mind.
Inside the icy palace called Silbern, Sereitei, Soul Society
Ever since the news about Gremmy Thoumeaux's defeat at the hands of Kenpachi Zaraki spread across the Sereitei, the brave captains and lieutenants of the 13 Court Guard Squads knew that since Kenpachi was now in a weakened state, the enemy would without a doubt use the opportunity to deliver him the final blow. Kenpachi was one of the greatest assets to the Shinigamis, and losing him would only be a blow to the Court Guard. While some Shinigamis headed straight towards Kenpachi's current location, others were forced to contend with the Sternritters, as well as other Quincies standing in their way.
But inside Silbern, something was taking place inside the throne room of Yhwach, as the Father of the Quincies was sitting on his throne, having both Haschwalth and Uryu at his sides. The emperor was facing five members of the Sternritters before him and smiled smugly.
"I am glad that you are all present for this meeting, my children" Yhwach said as he surveyed each of the five Sternritters kneeling before him. "Sternritter X – The X-Axis: Lille Barro, Sternritter M – The Miracle: Gerard Valkyrie, Sternritter C – The Compulsory: Pernida Parnkjgas, Sternritter D – The Deathdealing: Askin Nakk Le Vaar and Sternritter W – The Wind: Nianzol Weizol. I have summoned you all here for a very important announcment. I have decided that you five shall accompany me, Haschwalth and Uryu on my crusade in the Royal Realm. Together, you will assist us with eliminating the Soul King and his servants: the Royal Guard. Henceforth, each of you shall become a member of my Schutzstaffel. Consider this a great honor" he announced while observing each of them.
These Sternritters had each been given a hooded coat with a Hagal rune to wear, although Pernida wore one from before. Yhwach suddenly pointed his finger at Lille, the black-skinned man noticing this and looking up to him.
"Lille Barro, as a testament of your dedication to the Wandenreich, I am naming you the Captain of the Schutzstaffel" he said and Lille responded by bowing his head in respect.
"I am honored, Your Majesty" Lille said, the man with the rifle feeling confident in hearing Yhwach naming him that position. He then stood up and picked up his Reishi Rifle. "With Diagramm at my side, I will eliminate every fool who dares standing in your way. That I vow" the black-skinned man with the x-mark on his left eye said.
Gerard also rose up and saluted to his superior with his Reishi Sword at his chest. "And by my blade, Hoffnung, I shall strike our enemies! None shall escape your wrath!" he made a declaration.
As they made this declaration, Askin sighed in annoyance at seeing them being so enthusiastic. "What a pain in the ass. Of course I had to get put on the same team with those two" he noted in his thoughts before looking at the other two members of the Schutzstaffel. "But not only that, Pernida and Nianzol are in this too. This could be interesting" he remarked, indicating that he never knew those two really that much.
On the other hand, Nianzol was standing a bit further away from Pernida, considering that he could not stand being near one of the most reserved Sternritters.
"I really hate that guy. I wish Gremmy was with me now" he thought while thinking about someone he could consider a friend, even though Nianzol had no real friends.
So far, Pernida didn't move a muscle, as he had only stood still and gazed at Yhwach. However, he did take a few steps forward and eventually nodded his head with respect, indicating that he was willing to follow his emperor into battle.
Yhwach smiled at seeing that his Schutzstaffel was ready to follow him. "You dedication pleases me. Return to your quarters and await further orders. I will call upon you when you are needed at my side. Dismissed" he said and all members exited the throne room, leaving him alone with Haschwalth and Uryu. "Once we reach the Royal Realm, we shall crush its defenders, even the Royal Guard. When each of their members are defeated, the Soul King's Palace will be ours for the taking" the emperor explained to his two most trusted confidantes.
"I beg your pardon, Your Majesty" Uryu spoke up with formality in his voice. "But the distance between the Sereitei and the Royal Realm is blocked by many barriers. How is it possible for us to pass through them without having an Oken?" the crown prince asked, making sure his question was respectful.
"You should know your pla…" Haschwalth was stopped by seeing Yhwach put his hand to stop his scolding, thus forcing the Sternritter Grandmaster man to back off. "Of course. My apologies, Your Majesty" he said with respect.
Surprisingly, Yhwach was amused to be asked about such. "I see that you have taken your time to study the distance between the Soul Society and the Royal Realm. I am impressed, Uryu" the emperor noted, commending Uryu's genius intellect. "Yes, it is impossible to break through the barriers that protects the Royal Realm from outside threats. To do that, you would need an Oken. But what if you could break the barriers with only a small piece of an Oken?" he explained, but then asked something that made Uryu wonder.
"What does he mean by…" Uryu's thinking was interrupted by a large sound of lightning erupting in the clouds above the Sereitei. It was loud enough to draw attention from Yhwach and Haschwalth as well. As Uryu looked up to feel it, a familiar Spiritual Pressure could be recognized. "This Spiritual Pressure…...it can't be…" he noted surprisingly.
"Your Majesty!" the voice came from Sternritter Σ – Sigma: Shaz Domino, the four-eyed man rushing to inform him about something. "Our communications unit has confirmed it! The Substitute Shinigami and Special War Potential: Ichigo Kurosaki, has entered the battlefield!" he revealed.
Hearing this caused Yhwach to form a smug smile once again. "Excellent, then we best get moving" he said and faced both Uryu and Haschwalth. "Let us head to Der Schlüssel. It is time that we give our praises the one who has lead us to the light" he told them and the three headed for the tall tower behind the palace.
All across the icy cityscape
While most Sternritters had felt uninterested in Gremmy's defeat, they got more interested when seeing the lightning in the sky, and some of them could read the Spiritual Pressure. The majority of the Shinigamis felt some sense of hope and relief when realizing that Ichigo had returned to the Sereitei after receiving training from the Royal Guard. With him on the battlefield, the Court Guard still felt that they could turn the tide against the Wandenreich.
"Ichigo…...is that really you?" Renji wondered in surprise, as he felt that his friend's Spiritual Pressure felt somewhat different. But then again, he along with Rukia knew it better than any other Shinigami. He now stood on his knees, still in battle with NaNaNa Najakhoop.
"Dayum, ain't dis Spiritual Pressure one of yo homeboys'?" Renji snapped in anger by hearing the voice of NaNaNa, who was currently sitting on a brick watching him. "Whoever he is, I say he's stronger than you, punkass bitch" the Quincy added with an insult.
Renji gritted his teeth. "Asshole…" the red-haired lieutenant cursed before stretching Zabimaru at NaNaNa. "QUIT TALKING SHIT TO ME!" he angrily said, only for NaNaNa to vanish with the help of his Hirenkiyaku.
The Sternritter was now standing on the destroyed bridge, and looked to the direction in which he felt Ichigo's Spiritual Pressure. "For real, I'm sick of watching you getting yo ass whopped by me every time. I wonder if dat homie of yours ain't much of a pussy as you. Dat's why I'm gonna go see if he's a real challenge! Have fun kissing the ground!" he said and suddenly vanished from the spot, much to Renji's outrage.
"HEY! GET THE HELL BACK HERE, YOU PIECE OF…..." Renji calmed himself and decided to think properly. Soon, the Lieutenant of Squad 6 moved with the help of his Shunpo, hoping to catch up to NaNaNa. "That dickhead is obviously heading towards the direction Ichigo currently is! But I'm not gonna be sidelined once again! He and I have a score to settle!" Renji thought in slight anger while running through the streets.
At the same time, Rukia and Byakuya were having difficulties against Robert Accutrone, who proved to be quite adaptable in handling two opponents. In fact, Rukia was about to activate her Bankai once again before the lightning in the sky appeared over the Sereitei. When sensing the Spiritual Pressure, Rukia immediately fixed a smile.
"It is Ichigo, I just know it!" Rukia exclaimed, as she looked over her shoulder to face her adoptive brother, who himself was stunned to feel Ichigo's Spiritual Pressure. "Brother! We must hurry and head over to his location!" the young woman insisted.
"It's unwise to take your eyes off your opponent" the voice came from Robert, who was firing his Reishi Pistols, only for them both to vanish with the help of Shunpo.
Byakuya used his Shikai to attack the Sternritter, only for him to vanish through the ground and move around the environment. Rukia also tried to catch him by using hers, although Robert had quickly gotten out of the ground. He was now standing on the rooftop, and facing the direction Ichigo's Spiritual Pressure came from.
"I see. The Special War Potential Ichigo Kurosaki is now over there fighting those snotty girls. I sense their activities" he commented while watching at this direction.
Rukia felt angered over seeing the Quincy behaving this way. "Bastard…..." she cursed lowly and then aimed her handpalm at the four-eyed man. "Hado 73: Soden…." Byakuya suddenly pushed her aside, when Robert fired one of his Reishi Pistols at her. While it didn't hit the Captain of Squad 6, it narrowly missed his left cheek and a cut was formed on it as a result. Rukia saw this and became worried. "Brother! You're bleeding!" she noted with concern.
"Focus, Rukia!" Byakuya told the young woman who stopped speaking. "What you just did was a foolish mistake. His bullets run faster than you performing a Kido-spell. You must not allow your opponent to be given an opening" he slowly, yet calmly told Rukia, who sat and listened.
Without saying anything, Rukia nodded her head in understanding, knowing better than to argue with Byakuya when it came to tactics.
"I must admit, the two of you are really starting to get annoying" the Kuchikis heard Robert comment as he was standing on the top of a nearby building. "In fact, I believe that my top priority should be exterminating Ichigo Kurosaki. I am only wasting time with insignificant rodents like you" he said and suddenly vanished with his Hirenkiyaku.
"He's fast!" Byakuya remarked when seeing how he quickly vanished. But the captain could see Rukia run straight towards the direction Robert went. "Rukia, where are you…" he paused when Rukia turned around to look at him.
"I don't have time to disagree with you, brother! We must hurry to Ichigo's location!" the young woman called out and proceeded moving on. Byakuya, who knew better than to allow Rukia run into anger alone, decided to follow her.
At the spot where Mask De Masculine had previously wreaked havoc, Ikkaku Madarame and Yumichika Ayasegawa from Squad 11 and Shuhei Hisagi from Squad 9 had awoken from lying unconsciously amongst the rubbles. However, the three Shinigamis had all sensed Ichigo's return to the Sereitei. Ikkaku was definitely convinced that it was him.
"You sure about this, Ikkaku?" Yumichika asked the baldheaded man as they all got up on their feet.
"I've sparred with him plenty of times in the past, Yumichika. I know his Spiritual Pressure when I fell it" Ikkaku said in return and began taking few steps, gazing at the direction he felt it. "But it's not just his. The captain's Spiritual Pressure is over there as well" he remarked, as he was mentioning Kenpachi
Shuhei eventually felt the same thing. "You're not joking" he noted. "What are we standing here for? Let's move out" he told both members of Squad 11.
"Tch, that's my line, smartass" Ikkaku noted, and the three Shinigamis moved out, heading towards the directions Ichigo was currently at.
At the ruin of the large structure, Sereitei
Ichigo had just arrived just in time to help Kenpachi avoid his death by four female members of the Sternritters. He managed to take care of them, despite him only being one against four. But that problem expanded when Sternritter H – The Heat: Bazz-B interfered and shot each of his fellow Sternritter with his Burning Finger 1. He saw this as a chance to take Ichigo by himself, as he knew that the orange-haired man was one of the Special War Potentials. But Bazz-B was not the only one who desired the credit, as Robert, NaNaNa and Sternritter L – The Love: PePe Waccabrada arrived at the scene as well, demanding to be the one to kill Ichigo. But the female Sternritters were not out of the game, and they also joined in on the competition to have the orange-haired man. It was now 8 Sternritters vs 1 Substitute Shinigami.
Before the all-out brawl could commence, Ichigo felt a tall pillar of light launching up to the sky. He saw that it came from a tall tower and that it was behind the icy palace of Silbern. At first, Ichigo was curious to know what was happening, until he heard a very familiar voice calling to him.
"Ichigo Kurosaki. The one who has led us to the light. Let us all thank him" the voice of Yhwach could be heard throughout the icy cityscape and Ichigo listened closely to what was being said. "Because of your generous action, I will now be able to invade the Royal Realm and conquer the Soul King's Palace!" the declaration was met with shock into Ichigo and he listened closely.
Ichigo still looked at the tower, knowing well that Yhwach was standing atop it.
"That cloth you are wearing is called Oken Clothing. It is made with the bones and hair from the members of the Royal Guard. It allows you to break through the 72 barriers that exists between the Sereitei and the Royal Realm. And most importantly, it protects you from friction when that happens. Something like this could never be made from another material" Yhwach went on explaining, as Ichigo slightly got a hang of what the emperor was saying. "However, due to its defensive power, the 72 barriers you broke through cannot be closed for 6000 seconds afterwards!" he then revealed.
It was at this point Ichigo realized what Yhwach's plan really was. Similar to the first invasion, when he was stuck in Hueco Mundo, Yhwach had planned something similar for him this time. He had been waiting for Ichigo to arrive on the battlefield, but would then use the opportunity to begin his invasion of the Royal Realm, planning for Ichigo to be stuck on the Sereitei, unless he could make it in time.
"Bastard! He's fooled me again!" Ichigo cursed, knowing the kind of schemer the Quincy Emperor really was.
The orange-haired man dashed towards the palace, but the surrounding Sternritters had no intentions of letting him go after Yhwach so easily. Ichigo did his best to avoid them, only to be caught by Bazz-B from behind. Before the aggressive Sternritter could fire his Burning Finger 1, something interrupted them, leading to Ichigo being saved from Bazz-B's grasp.
"Hey there, Ichigo! You really have to admit that I just saved you just now, right?!" Renji exclaimed while swinging Zabimaru. "That said, you owe me a big favor for this save!" the red-haired man added, as he was standing on a rubble with Rukia beside him.
However, Ichigo was furious over the way Renji had saved him. "What the hell's your deal, Renji!? I handled them just fine!" Ichigo cursed in outrage, forcing Renji to only sigh in annoyance.
"Quit being so ungrateful. Me and Rukia just came here by coincidence, so you should count yourself lucky" Renji said and began pointing with the tip of his Zanpakutou towards the direction the light came from. "Anyways, you better hurry up and scram. We won't let them pass. You have some dealings with the Quincy Boss, right?" he then spoke to Ichigo, who listened closely.
"What are you…" Ichigo uttered out words lowly, before Rukia spoke up.
"We'll leave him to you. It's your duty after all" Rukia told him and brandished her Zanpakutou. "Now get moving before we make you regret it!" she then shouted at him and Ichigo responded without hesitation, forcing Rukia to smirk when seeing this. "Heh, it always works" she noted underneath her breath.
"Save your humor for the aftermath, Rukia. We've got some angry Quincies on our hands here" Renji told her and watched as some of the Sternritters began chasing after Ichigo, only for the numerous cherry blossom blades belonging to Senbonzakura to block their passage, forcing them to backtrack. All the Sternritters faced the newly-arrived Shinigamis blocking their passage. "Don't let me say this one more time, Quincies. We won't let you pass!" Renji said, as he, Rukia, Byakuya, Ikkaku, Yumichika and Shuhei now stood before the group of Sternritters.
As they stood in opposite lines, Bazz-B began counting the number of Shinigamis that appeared before them. "6 people? That's not even enough for a 1 on 1 fight" the Quincy with the Mohawk noted in boredom. "How many Special War Potentials are among them?" he suddenly asked his comrades.
"Zero" Robert bluntly replied.
Bazz-B shrugged his shoulders when hearing this. "Is that so?" he noted before holding a Reishi Crossbow in his right hand. "Then I've got no business with you suckers! Out of my way!" he exclaimed, only to notice that Ikkaku was planning on attacking him from above. The Quincy avoided him and aimed his Reishi Crossbow at the bald-eaded man, only for his right hand to be frozen by Rukia.
"Did you mishear us or something? We said that we wouldn't let you pass" Rukia pointed out.
"If you want us to get out of sight, then you might as well die right now!" Ikkaku joined in, taunting the Sternritter.
Yumichika was not impressed with his friend's choice of words. "You're talking nonsense, Ikkaku. I'm not even sure if you realize that yourself" the flamboyant man remarked.
Bazz-B shattered the ice around his arm and faced the Shinigamis with an annoyed glare.
"Imbeciles. Did you not hear what I said to you?" Robert asked, facing both Rukia and Byakuya. "I have lost interest in wasting time with you, yet you still insist on fighting me?" the four-eyed man asked them out of dispassion.
"I could say da same thing 'bout dat lame-ass bitch over dere" NaNaNa chimed in while noticing Renji, who got angered by that remark. "Just face it, bruh. You ain't worth mah time. Dat orange-haired homie of yours on the other hand, way cooler powers!" the dull-headed Quincy said, thus enraging Renji.
"Shut up…" Renji spoke up lowly before facing NaNaNa angrily and pointed his blade at him. "YOU DARE DEGRADING ME!? I'LL MAKE YOU REGRET IT, COCKSUCKER!" he angrily snapped.
His fellow Shinigamis only dropped sweats at seeing Renji's angry outburst. "Man, what gotten him so worked up?" Ikkaku asked Rukia, who felt the same thing.
"I have no idea…" Rukia replied dumbfounded.
"Enough fooling around!" the voice came surprisingly from Liltotto, who was facing her fellow Sternritters. "I'm not going to waste time here and let Ichigo Kurosaki escape. We should deal with these weaklings right away" the little girl suggested.
"I could not agree more" Robert said and adjusted his glasses. He then faced the Shinigamis. "Very well, Shinigami mice. But remember: you asked for this" he told them sternly.
NaNaNa grinned viciously. "Hell yeah! Dese wide-eyed mothafuckas are in for some serious ass-whoppin'!" he exclaimed in delight.
"Now we're talking!" Bazz-B agreed, feeling enthusiastic about this.
And thus, the two sides clashed, with each side hoping to win against the other. But it was too early to conclude, as the fight had barely begun.
Near the tower called Der Schlüssel
"YHWACH!" Ichigo yelled as he sped towards the tall, icy tower that was filled with light.
His voice was loud and the long-haired man with the moustache took indeed notice of Ichigo's voice calling to him. Ichigo was determined to stop the Emperor of the Wandenreich, as he had gained more knowledge about him from his father Isshin Kurosaki. Or perhaps a suitable name would be Isshin Shiba, the name his father had during his time as the Captain of Squad 10. But knowing what Yhwach's intention really was, Ichigo knew that he had to stop him.
"YOU SON OF A BITCH! YOU'RE MINE!" he roared.
He was about to go upwards, until he saw a Heilig Pfiel heading towards him. Fortunately, Ichigo managed to dodge it and was about to continue his pursuit of Yhwach, only to be given a shocking revelation.
Standing on the tower's edge and looking down on Ichigo was Uryu Ishida, his longtime ally and friend through all his previous challenges that he had to put up with. Ichigo was stunned, as he saw the raven-haired man with glasses, dressed in a Wandenreich-uniform.
"Uryu…why are you…" Ichigo uttered out words in shock.
"Go home, Ichigo" Uryu responded, loud enough for Ichigo to hear. But the orange-haired man was too confused to even think properly. "You can't stop His Majesty" Uryu added, his voice filled with lack of concern or emotion.
Ichigo was at loss of words, as he couldn't believe what his friend just said. "Uryu…why are you here?" he asked in disbelief.
"Go home. Don't throw away your life here" Uryu spoke up, once again having no emotion in his voice.
But Ichigo was not satisfied with his answer. "I ASKED YOU WHY THE FUCK YOU'RE HERE! ANSWER ME, GODDAMN IT!" he angrily demanded an answer from Uryu.
Instead of replying with words, Uryu replied by aiming his new Heilig Bogen at Ichigo, meaning that he was intending to actually shoot him. "Licht Regen" he said and Uryu fired rains of Heilig Pfiels from the tower.
Ichigo readied his Zanpakutous, realizing that he had to block the attack. But before the rain could fall on him, a shield was erected and it was without a doubt Santen Kesshun. Uryu glanced up to see that Orihime and Chad were standing up in the air, along with Tessai, Jinta and Ururu. Ichigo also noticed them and he was filled with surprise at seeing them. The Garganta in which the group had used immediately closed.
But Orihime was filled with worry, as she and the group had witnessed Uryu's actions against Ichigo. "Uryu….." she said, her voice filled with worry and slight sadness in seeing her classmate standing next to the Quincy Emperor.
Chad was also having similar thoughts, as he couldn't believe that Uryu was standing by the Wandenreich. But something invaded the tall man's thoughts.
"In my first vision, I saw a young raven-haired Quincy, born of both pure and impure blood. He was dressed in a majestic uniform as he stood beside the throne belonging to the Father of the Quincies. This young Quincy's eyes stern and focused, as if he was iron itself. For he is the one who will be the Quincies' next emperor. He is the Prinz von Lichts...and the great betrayer" Chad recalled the words that had been told by the Dechado, Killaman Khan.
"So Uryu has joined the Wandenreich…...but why?" Chad wondered, his thoughts filled with so many questions.
"Uryu. It is time for us to go" Yhwach called upon the young man. "Have you said your farewells?" he then asked the crown prince.
"Yes" Uryu firmly responded, as he was now turning his back on his friends.
"It will be your last" the emperor reminded him, wanting to make sure that he was serious about this.
"I am aware of that" Uryu responded once again.
In time, the trio began floating in the air, as they were on the verge of heading straight towards the skies. But Ichigo was not intending on letting Uryu get away.
"Wait! What the hell's going on!? You still haven't answered me!" he called out to his four-eyed friend, who was still turning his back on him while floating in the air. "Say something!" Ichigo said, only to not be given a response. This only made Ichigo more distressed. "URYU!" he yelled in anger, but his voice did not reach him, as Uryu, Yhwach and Haschwalth quickly sped up to the skies like a bullet of light. But as that happened, a strong wind blew as an aftereffect and it occurred all over the Sereitei.
Orihime and Chad realized that they needed to get away from the tower and they brought Ichigo to Orihime's platform. But the orange-haired man was still not giving up on Uryu. "URYUUUUUU!" Ichigo shouted once again, as the wind blew stronger and stronger, almost like a hurricane. But Orihime noticed that her platform was on the verge of cracking.
In the nick of time, Tessai appeared along with Jinta and Ururu and the tall Shinigami knew just what to do. "Hang on tight, young ones! I will protect us from this wind!" he yelled and performed a Kido-spell in the middle of the air. "Kigai no Jomon!" Tessai yelled and he performed a barrier that eventually transformed into a turtle-like armor.
The winds were strong enough that it even blew away the turtle armor and it was sent down to street level. But fortunately, the Kido-barrier protected everyone within from the destructive winds.
To be continued…..
Author's note: That was chapter 19. It told us about how our friends in Hueco Mundo decided to return to the Sereitei, as well as some plans Allowin had for his Dechados. He is planning some sending a group of them to the Soul Society for reconnaissance or some sort, while recruiting new members. We also noticed something similar happen in Silbern with the Schutzstaffel. And the Shinigamis are now fighting the Quincies in the Sereitei. The next chapter will tell us about Ichigo's next move. Now let us see the new term we got introduced to in this chapter.
Sombre – Spanish for "Shadow": A group that was recently formed by Augustus Zod Allowin. What their objectives are, other than infiltrating, remains to be seen.
Der Schlüssel - German for "The Key": This is the name of the imposing tower standing near Silbern. Somehow, it was built directly underneath the Royal Realm itself. Given it's name, the tower was probably meant to signefy Yhwach's quest to invade the Royal Realm.
And let us not forget about the voice actors that these new Dechados have received. If the Shinigamis have a range of different voices, then Arrancars can also have that.
Lyoness Mahlangu – Ogie Banks
Arlettine Bracquemond – Melodee Spevack
Uvaanog Chelute – John DeMita
FUN FACT: The manga that Tessai was reading at the beginning was…yes you guessed it. Naruto. Heck, I may plan on refencing each series in my fanfics, although I will not say it directly, of course. Both Naruto and Bleach have similarities when it comes to characterization, which is different from those of Dragon Ball and One Piece.