A few minutes later...

"Ahh…much better," Ichigo said as he massaged his wrists in satisfaction upon being in his Shinigami form. "For now, until this war is over, I'm sticking in my Shinigami form"

Rukia then let out a sigh of relief. "I am just glad you are safe and sound Ichigo. Especially since you have been kidnapped twice"

"And the fact nothing terrible happened to you" Orhime added in a thankful tone. While smiling at Ichigo.

"Yeah…" The Subsuite shinigami agreed and wondered in thought. "And I wouldn't even be here if Omenda didn't rescue me"

Omaeda then blushed. "Well, I told you I am the fastest vice-captain for a reason and you shouldn't underestimate me!' He boasted while looking away and scratching his nose in embarrassment.

But then everyone froze as they all felt a tremendous level of Spiritual power that shook the entire city and a second later a blinding light illuminated the entire sky followed by a thunderous sound that echoed for miles on end.

When everyone looked outside the window saw a massive yellow explosion of Spiritual power dissipating in the distance.

"Captain…" Omaeda spoke in worry. "She must have used her Bankai against one of the servants…" his eyes then winded and diluted into horror upon sensing his captain's Spiritual power. "And she is in trouble!"

Kisuke's expression then became stern. "It seems that we now need to focus our attention on saving Soi-Fon" he announced. "Because if the servant she is fighting is powerful enough to survive her Bankai. We need all the fighters we can muster"

Ichigo and the rest of the friends held expressions of agreement. But then to their surprise, they felt four signatures arriving near them.

'Oh crude…' Omenda pouted. "Those two still managed to track me down and ended up leading their other friends here!"

Renji then growled in frustration. "And it those same masters with Saber and Archer!"

Urahara then looked toward Ichigo. "What suppose we should do Kurosaki?"

The substitute thought long and hard about that question about who should stay behind and who should fight against the other servants and master and after a few moments he made a decision.

"Me, Urahara, Omenda, Chad, and Orhime are going to rescue Soi-Fon while Rukia, Renji, and Uryu will stay behind to take care of those masters and servants" he then narrows his eyes. "And try to focus on survival I back you up as soon as I take care of that other Servant"

The shopkeeper then smiled in approval. "Solid plan Kurosaki, but you don't have to worry much about the survival of your friends"

Ichigo then looked at Urahara doubtfully. "Are you sure?"

Urahara smirked mischievously. "Soi-fon wasn't the only captain I asked for help"

Back outside Shirou and Saber were outside for a plan trying to come up with a plan until Rin and Archer arrived.

"So…" Rin looked up. "So This is where the Shinigami and their associates stay huh? Quilt luxury place they have" she mused and then looked towards Saber and Shirou. "So have any of you come up with a plan?"

Shirou then looked on at the building with determination '

"We were trying to, but it seems all those associates and that sword-wielding Captain-level shinigami resided and I didn't want Saber and me to take them all at once. "So I was hoping you could come up with something"

Rin looked on a sighed. "In practically I would have asked Isvahsial and Berserker to aid us but since they are busy dealing with that other Captain. I think we should retreat for now and aid our recent alley into taking out that captain" She then looked back at Shirou. "Unless you have other ideas"

Shirou then looked at Saber who had a disappointed expression and looked away and then Shirou sighed. "No…come on I am sure Illyasviel hasn't gone…"

Suddenly the entire group felt five signatures moving out into the building. Two of which were Captain-level shinigami and heading to where Berserker and his master were. Much to their surprise.

"Well now…" a new voice spoke in front them and when they turned their heads they saw another captain, who had a light beard, a hairy chest, and brown wavey hair, that was covered with a straw hat over his head and wore a pink flower kimono over his white Haori.

"Seems you are the servants and masters giving Ichigo and friends so much trouble" he commented tone that made it feel like he was greeting guests. "Well I will admit you all certainly look like a formidable bunch"

Rin, Shirou, Archer, and Saber got into a fighting stance.

"Another captain…' Archer thought as he analyzed his Spiritual pressure and stance. 'And one that I sense is much more powerful than that white-haired kid…still' he then noticed that Rukia, Renji, and Uryu had immediately surrounded themselves. 'Now that their numbers are even between us we might win battle…' he smirked in anticipation and then summoned Byakuya and Sakura into both of his hands.

Archer then engaged the captain in combat who complied by drawing the two pairs of his zanaptkou. One a long katana and the other a short sword. Which resulted in the two swordsmen clashing against each other.

Meanwhile from a distance, Lancer looked on at the battle while telepathically reporting to his master.

'So that is how it is now…' Lancer explained. 'Right now some of the shingmai are trying to save one of their own while three of them are defending themselves from, Saber, Archer, Shirou, and Rin'.

Kieri then hummed in thought. 'So that Captain you fought was able to negate your gae-borg, yet completely powerless before Berserker…' He then furrows his brow further. 'And Caster would have made Ichigo Kurosaki into lab subject if one of his associates hadn't intervened' he then let out a sigh. 'I suppose it is helped…an alliance needs to form to stand against this shinigami'

Lancer then raises an eyebrow. 'I thought you said that the magi wouldn't bother working together?'

Kieri smirked. 'I did but that was when the holy grail had just started and first I thought the Shingmai and Servents would inevitably whip each other out…' he then remembered Lancer's report about Histguya's battle against Rider, Berserker facing off against that battle-lusted Captain and Lancer himself nearly losing his life to another one just recently. 'However not only have the shingami proven to be much more powerful than expected. But are also willing to aid each other without a moment's hesitation due to all of them working together for a common goal' he then furrows his brow in concentration. 'And right now if this keeps up it will only be a matter of time before they win the grail war'

Cu Cullain then squints his brow doubtfully. 'And you think you can convince any of them to join in a truce?'

The Priest snorted haughtily. 'The other masters now know personally how powerful the shingmai are and what is at stake if they lose this war' he explained deviously. 'It would be highly improbable if they don't agree for at least until the shingmai are eliminated' he then rolled down his right sleeve and revealed multiple command seals. 'Especially since mutual benefit isn't the only thing I am offering"

The heroic spirit then huffed in disapproval. 'Right…so which Servent's do you want me to aid?'

Kieri then paused for a moment before coming to a decision. 'Berserker…as so far he has proven the most useful in dealing with these Captain level shingmai captains along with his master being the vessel of the grail'

Lancer then looked over to Archer, Shiuro, Saber, and Rin. 'And the others?'

Kieri closed. 'If they die, it would be an unfortunate but inconsequential outcome…' a sinister grin then crawled along his face. 'Or at least for those who are not Saber…'

At the battle near the suit the masters, Servent, shingmai, and Quincy then split up from each other to have their battles. With Rukia fighting against Rin, Uryu against Shirou, Renji against Saber, and Archer against Shunsei.

In one battle the servant seemed to have the upper hand Saber managed to pressure Renji with her superior speed and strength yet had to keep on guard against the latter's whip-like zanpaktou Zambimu.

In another Uryu tried to overwhelm Shirou with a barrage of holy arrows yet Shirou was able to handily deflect them all with his twin swords Baykuya and Sakura. With Uryu forced to keep his distance.

On the other hand. Rukia was able to easily match Rin's spells with her kido and proved faster and stronger than her. While Archer struggled to keep up with Shunsei in swordsmanship. Who had yet to release his zanpakuto.

'My My…' Shunsei said while casually deflecting Archer's sword strikes. 'I can tell trained and mastered your unique style of swordsmanship through experience rather than formal training he complimented. "Similar that of one captain and boy I know" he then blocked one strike from Archer's Sakura. "Yet something tells me your skills aren't limited to just that"

Archer then chuckled. "I suppose you can say that…" he then projects two pairs of Bakuya and Sakura in his hands. "So let's show a small hint of them" He then throws them all at Shunsei who widens his eyes widen in surprise as the four blades all circle around the captain preventing him from escaping while Archer then creates a third pair of the blades and rushes at the shingmai. Hoping to finish him off in the same he nearly did to Sado.

However, Shunsei's face merely turned stern, and proceeded to flash step out of the combo, and stood on top of the air just right when Archer was about to deliver the final blow.

Leaving Archer shocked.

"I can tell you are wondering how I managed to escape a technique that closes all exists and makes deflecting all attacks impossible" Shunsei stated casually. "Well to be honest it isn't that unbelievable" he then raised both his swords. "For I can tell that technique was designed specifically to deal with servants or enemies that were limited to ground and jumping movements. Thus taking too much time to evade all four blades, due to the amount of necessary movement needed to jump and evade…however"

Shunsei then appears behind Archer whose eyes went wide with shock and immediately jumped back.

"For those who use Shunpo that only requires a single step to employ. I could find and exploit an opening to escape…' he then chuckled lowly. "Even if the window was rather small"

Archer then narrowed his eyes on the Captain. 'I, see…" he then shifted his stance. "So all the times you shinigami moved at that sudden burst of speed. "It wasn't just a display of how fast you are but an actual technique to minimize your movements in battle" he then smirked. "Though something tells that is not the full extent of your actual speed"

Shunsei then shrugged. "I'm not going to deny it, since I rather see what you're fully capable of first" his gaze then darkens. "But then again you don't seem all that honest with your master and that boy she is with"

Archer then heart nearly stopped and his smile faltered. "What you are getting at?" He spoke in a very low tone.

"What I am saying…" Shunsei explained while eyeing Shirou and Rin. "Is that there is more of a connection between you three than you care to admit? Especially since that kid can wield those same dual swords in the same style as yours to the point they are practically identical and something like that can't be just replicated by training"

Archer then frowns before smirking. "I prefer to keep you your nose out other people's business shingmai..." he replied darkly as then got into a battle stance and tone became dangerously low.. "Otherwise I will show you exactly the full extent of what a Servent like me is capable of!" he warns and Shunsei then lowered his straw hat.

"I'll keep that in mind" He agreed and the two combatants continued on their fight.

Meanwhile, Renji was struggling to keep up with Saber's strikes as each of them was as fast, precise, and much stronger than those of his captain Byukuya Kuchiki. He tried to overpower Saber by lunging Zabumuru at her. But the Servent easily deflected it with her invisible wind sword before rushing in to cut down Renji and forcing him to retreat.

The vice-captain tried swiping at Saber by extending his zanpaktou and launching a series of long-bladed whip attacks to overwhelm her. But Saber was able to see through all of his movements and weaved in and out of Renji's attacks. Before cornering and forcing him to recall his zanpaktou and block her strikes which held enough force to nearly push him off the ground and break through Zabeimuru.

'Damn…' Renji cursed in his head. 'I knew that these servants are a challenge Captain level shinigami...' she looked over a focused Saber. 'But it's like she is in a league of her own and it is taking everything I have just to survive against her…and all without revealing her noble phantasm?' he then over at the other fights. 'I could unleash my Bankai…but...' he left off not wanting to get his allies or civilians get caught up in unleashing the true power of his sword which is something that Saber noticed.

'If want to unleash the true power of your sword we can take our fight else-wear…" she offered and Reinji then did a double take at what Saber said.

'Wait…you want me to unleash my Bankai in an area that won't get the others involved…what is your angle?' He asked speedily.

"I mean no deceit in my actions…" Saber responded honestly. "Just a fair duel between two warriors who wish to unless their full might without interference or the endangerment of others' she elaborated. "Isn't that what you want?"

Renji then gives Saber a doubtful look. "It is…but why exactly are you being you being so honorable all of the sudden?"

Saber then let out a breath. "Because despite my and my allies' pragmatism in this war. "I still have my honor as a knight and do not seek to "cause more harm than necessary"

Renji then looked at Saber and sighed. "Fine…but don't expect any favors from me"

The knight servant then nodded. "Of course"

Later at another battle. Rin was busy trying to gun down Rukia by using a consent stream of Gandr at her. But the Kuchiki managed to defend herself by a casted Bakudō #8. Seki. Though as she blocked the spell she noticed something unusual about her opponent's actions.

'Damn…' Rin growled out in her head. 'That spell that shinigami is casting is the equivalent of a five-verse spell yet she is casting them as if she has high-speed divine words!' she then focused her gaze on the shinigami. 'But I am certain that if I could just land one of my jewels on her I can take her out in a single shot!'

However, Rin Isn't the only one analyzing their enemies in battle…

'Strange…she doesn't seem to be using those jewel spells that much' she concluded. 'Could it be that there is a severe limit to how many she can use?' She then raises her zanpaktou. 'If so I must force her to use up that limited arsenal'

She waved her zanpakuto out and turned it counterclockwise.

"Dance, Sode no Shirayuki!"

Rukia called out her zanpakuto and from its hilt, tsuba and very blade transformed into that of pure white. The guard had transformed into a hollow snowflake circle and from its pommel a long white ribbon formed around the sword. While a rush of cold air flowed out of the blade from all directions.

When Rin witnessed the Shikai of the Shingami, her eyes widened and her jaw dropped in awe. She had never once seen a sword so beautiful in all her life or that a supposed death god could wield such a thing. But her appreciation then quickly turns to focus. She quickly began to analyze and guess what the Shinigmai's Shikai would do.

'It's an ice type like that other captain's but thankfully nowhere near as powerful' she thought as she since its spiritual power and she began to pull out two of her jewels. 'Meaning, that I have to keep on my toes if I want to avoid getting freeze to death, and then when I see my opening I can take her out with one of my jewels'

The Young Magus was then about to make her move. Until Rukia appeared right behind her with her zanpaktou upside down glowing white. Much to Rin's surprise and before she knew it the shingmai' made a slashing motion while the white ribbon circled both of them.

Then she uttered the name of her technique.

"Some no mai, Tsukishiro!"

A circle then appeared below Rin's feet and the ground immediately began to freeze over. But by using reinforcement in her legs she was able to break free and then while running away Rin pulled one of her jewels and cast a powerful crimson beam that shot out at Rukia which she dodged with Shunpo.

'That spell…' Rukia narrowed her eyes. 'The consternated power behind it was comparable to a level sixty Hado' She deducted. 'And yet…'

The vice-captain then swung Sode no Shirayuki! At Rin unleashed a wave of ice then called out throughout another jewel that glowed green and upon chanting 'a siren and a magical green shield Materialized in front of the magus and blocked the ice wave.

'Just as I suspected…' Rukia concluded. 'Those jewels of hers act as a major form of her defense and offense' She then began to raise her fingers. 'And since she lacks other spells to counter even my lowest kido…' she casts another spell.

"Hadō #33. Sōkatsui!"

And from her palm, a wide blue blast of fire shot out of her hand and Rin cursed as she threw another jewel and cast another siren spell to block the blast. Only to find Rukia suddenly at her right and cast another Sokatsui and forced Rin to block it with another spell.

'Shit…' the Magus cursed in her head. 'She already figured out that I have a limited amount of jewel spells and is trying to make me use them up faster!' She then used reinforcement to jump back from the Shingmai and then smirked. 'But blasts and shielding aren't the only spells I have…'

Rin then throws three purple jewels at Rukia who then raises her Zanpakouto to guard herself but to her surprise the spells a magical barrier over her. Imprisoning the Shinigami.

Rin then let out a sigh of relief. 'That should hold her for some time until I can come up with a plan to take her out' she thought and then the magus noticed that Rukia began to cast another spell.

Only this time…she was speaking a full incantation.

"Mask of flesh and blood, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of man! On the wall of blue flame, inscribe a twin lotus. In the abyss of conflagration, wait at the far heavens!" Rukia uttered as she drew blue energy from her middle and index fingers and pushed both of her hands toward it.

"Hadō #73. Sōren Sōkatsui!"

From both of her palms, Rukia shot forth a twin blue flame blast that shattered the purple barrier and forced Rin to duck out of the way as a surge of energy flew up high into the sky and dispersed.

"WHAT!?' Rin nearly screamed. 'That spell she cast…it was just one rank below that of High-Thaumaturgy!' Her body then began to shake in fear. 'And that shinigami was able to cast it in less than five verses!'

"Just…" Touska is up spitting out. "What kind of magecraft you shinigmai have!"

Rukia then looked at the mage gave her a calm and yet focused expression. "First of all we shinigmai do not use magecraft but kido and secondly it is not bound by the same limitations as magecraft" she corrected the magus. "But it is quite clear, that you can only can only use those jewel spells of yours for few more times before running out" She then pointed her zanpaktou at Rin. "So do still wish to continue this fight magus or surrender?"

The Tousaka magus then smirked while hiding her fear. "Not on your life!"

Rukia then let out a deep breath and then focused her gaze on her opponent. "So be it"

And once more the shingimai and Mangus clash against each other once more.

Meanwhile a top of the rooftops Uryu continues to keep his distance from Shirou while firing a barrage of holy arrows at him. Yet the young Mangus continues to easily deflect them while running at the Quincy to close in the distance and strike him down. Thankfully Uyru was able to keep his distance by using the flying step to keep his and creating a moving reshi platform in the air.

Then Shirou seeing that trying to attack the Quincy at close range isn't working then proceeds to throw Sakura at Uyru. Who in turn dodged the twirling blade and immediately used the flying step to appear behind the Mangus to avoid being caught off guard by its magnetic boomerang effect.

Upon seeing that the same trike wouldn't work twice Shirou then thought about what other tactics he could use and then remembered his last training with the archer.

A couple of hours ago…

Archer and Shirou were fighting evenly with each other in their sparring march and with the later strikes seemingly became more skilled and powerful with each clash. Which made Archer feel both satisfied…and yet somewhat uneasy and regretful. Before shrugging the feeling off.

"Alright, that is enough" Archer ordered and Shirou immediately stopped. "It clear now that you are decent enough in skill and power with my blades" he acknowledged. "However if you're going to have a chance in defeating the shinigami and their associates. You need to expand your arsenal"

Shirou then raised his eyebrow for a bit. "Increase my arsenal…you mean like projecting different types of weapons?" He asked and Archer sighed.

"In a way…"Archer answered vaguely. 'Like me, your specialty in projection involves replicating the weapons of others to suit your purpose. But unfortunately due to your lack of skill as a Mangus, you were only limited to conjuring my personal Noble Phantasm" He then stared directly into Shirou's eyes. "However…now your skills have reached a point of rivaling my own and combine with the contract you have made with Rin. You are now capable of projecting and copying any weapon you see…even those of the Shinigami"

Shirou raised his eyebrows in surprise and confusion. "Are you sure?' He question. "I mean I can understand copying a noble phantasm but a Shinigmai's Zanpaktou? Aren't they like a reflection of their soul?"

Archer then closed his eyes and folded his arms. "They are...however, that doesn't mean their abilities can't be replicated or copied, Shirou" He explained and then looked directly into Shirou's eyes. "The main downside is that they will be weaker than the original just like with Noble Phantasms" He then focused his gaze on the young Mangus "And in the end, it will be you who will decide how to use those projections"

Back in the present, Shirou took Archer's words to heart and then reached out his right hand as he began to imagine the best weapon he could think of to deal his nimble opponent in front of him and upon witnessing the zanpakuto of one particular vice-captain in school.

The answer comes to him.

"Trace on..." Shirou uttered and within his right palm a zanpakuto manifested in his hand. Which made a uryu widen his eyes in surprise…and to his further shock the magus then uttered a command to the Zanpaktou.

"Growl Haineko!"

Immediately before Uryu's eyes, the blade of the Zanpakuto transformed into ash and the Mangus used it to entrap the Quincy in a cyclone of it.

"He can copy the abilities of a zanpaktou!?" He Spoke out loud as he stretched out his absolute disbelief and then he noticed that the skies darkened and heard another command that nearly stopped his heart.

"Sit upon The Frozen Heavens Hyōrinmaru!"

The Quincy then saw Shirou high up in the air with a projection of Toshiro's shikai with a huge ice dragon swirling around him.

Then without hesitation, the Magus swung the blade down and sent the dragon at his opponent.