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Chapter Text

Waking up from his sleep, Kazui Kurosaki slowly woke up and stretched.

"Kazui! You're gonna be late for school! Hurry up and get down here!", called out a polite female voice, "If you don't hurry up, the food's gonna get cold!"

"Yeah, don't worry, I'm coming down now", replied Kazui sleepily.

Kazui quickly changed into his Karakura High school uniform, then adding a hoodie under his jacket. Looking at himself in the mirror, it was clear that he mostly resembled his father, Ichigo. He had bright orange hair, handsome features, tall, and had a lean muscular frame. The only change was his brown eyes, which were round like his mother's. Kazui looked out the window where cherry blossoms elegantly descended downwards.

"Let's go"

Kazui Kurosaki – 17 years old

Hair colour – Orange

Eye colour – Brown

Occupation – 3rd Year High School student and Substitute Soul Reaper

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

Waking up from my bed, I stretched my arms out and yawned out loud. I was still sleepy even though I took a good seven hours of sleep last night. I don't know why that is, but whatever. I'd just have to get by.

Picking out the clothes from my closet, I placed on my grey school uniform. The fabric surprisingly tugged tightly against my body. And another concerning thing was that the sleeves looked smaller than I remember.

I'll have to ask my parents to buy me new school uniform, I thought, Puberty really hit me hard, huh?

I examined myself in the mirror in my room. To be honest, I didn't want to leave a bad impression of untidiness to my classmates in my third year back. That's why I need to look my best, or else my reputation might plummet.

I yawned once again. Jeez, a few weeks of not being at school really made me lazy. I just wanna pass out on my bed.

Looking to the mirror one final time, I sighed.

"Let's go"

"About time you got ready, I thought it would be the end of the world by the time you stopped staring at yourself in the mirror", snorted a small voice coming from the closet.

A small lion plush hopped out of the closet and crossed his arms. I looked back at him with a neutral expression. It seemed my so-called "guardian" had also awoken.

"Shut up Kon, I was only checking to see if anything was wrong", I grumbled.

"Ha, yeah right. If it were me, I would've already gone out and try to find some girls...but sadly I cannot shame Ichigo anymore because he has a wife now...."

"You really are a disgusting pervert, huh?", I coughed.

"HEY, I AM NOT- "

Before Kon could finish his sentence, he was stepped on by a woman with blonde hair.

"Hey Kazu-kun! Is everything okay?", asked the woman frantically.

She started to pinch my cheeks and examined my body, looking to see if everything was alright with me. I didn't find it that annoying, though it was irritating at times. Especially considering that I wasn't in any danger. My aunt was a bit too overprotective in my opinion.

"Yeah, it is, Aunt Yuzu. I was just fussing over looks"

"Don't worry, you look exactly like Ichi-nii, right? Yuzu-chan?" said Karin, standing by the doorway.

She was a decently tall black-haired woman, entering with a grin as she saw me. Aunt Karin pat my shoulder before making her way toward her sister.

"Of course, he looks like Nii-san when he was 17!"

"Then there's no reason to worry. Our brother was bound to have Kazui inherit his looks. It's obvious that there's no way Kazui wouldn't not care about them", Karin teased, "Though, that doesn't mean that you should fuss over them"

"Aww, you're so mean!"

While they were busy talking about how I looked like my dad (which I don't mind, I thank him for that), I swiftly walked downstairs to the dining room.

"Finally! You're gonna be late for school! Here, take this piece of toast. I already packed your lunch and your bag", said a lovely woman with reddish brown hair.

My mother, Orihime Kurosaki is a beautiful woman. She wore a simple purple shirt, beige pants, and an apron. She had the perfect looks, and she is extremely kind and innocent too.

I can see why my dad married her. She and my dad make the perfect pair, and perfect genetics to make me. Anyway....

"Thanks, mom", I say as I took the piece of toast, and then my bag from the table.

She kissed me on the forehead and waved goodbye as I dashed out of the door and sprinted my way to school.

"Crap, I'm gonna be late. Why did I have to wake up at this time?" I mumbled to myself as I kept running.

It was a long walk to school, and it didn't help that class was going to start soon. If I didn't hurry it up, then I'd totally make a fool of myself in front of anyone.

Then an idea popped up in my head. I could do that thing that my dad taught me how to do back in training. It was some sort move that made me faster. What'd he call it again? Flash something?

It was gonna be risky though. Dad said to never use my abilities or skills in public unless it's to defend myself. But maybe in this circumstance.......

No, I'd rather not get beat by my dad.

Sweat soaked my head as I kept on running, turning corners, and hopping over fences to get to school faster. From my knowledge, it wasn't illegal to do this. As long as you don't get caught, then it was like you didn't even trespass and use their backyard as a shortcut!

As I sprinted down the street, I didn't see a figure that was crossing over and walking. It was one with bright red hair flowing down from a nice ponytail. She looked to be around my age too, and with the grey uniform, she was also in my school.

With each step that I took, I unintentionally went up close and personal. And one closer look caused me to recognise a familiar face. One that I hadn't seen in a long time.

She stared at me surprised and exclaimed, "KAZUI???"

In equal surprise, I yelped, "ICHIKA???"

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

Huh, that was strange. I bet it's just my classmate who just happened to know my name. It's definitely not my childhood friend who is a Soul Reaper that slices monstrous things called Hollows for a living.

This is what I would have told you if you were a regular human being.

"ICHIKA???", I yelped as I unintentionally sprinted towards her.

You see, the momentum in which I gathered while I was running was up to the point where I couldn't stop. And the only thing that could stop it was another moving object, and well.... you see where I'm going.

I crashed towards her, and we went tumbling down the road together until we stopped when we hit a tree.

"Owwwww", Ichika groans as she rubs the back of her head with her hand, her long red hair tangling in between her finger. "Kazui, you idiot, why didn't you stop running?!"

"Hey, it's not my fault that you popped up out of nowhere, Ichika!", I replied back while taking deep breaths.

There was a pause between the both of us. It was awkward considering that we haven't seen each other in, what, a couple of years? In any case, I was really happy she was here. Smiling slightly, I looked directly into her eyes.

"But it is nice to see you, you know? You don't come by often".

(For those who don't know, Ichika Abarai is the daughter of Renji and Rukia, who are together after the events of Thousand Year Blood War as shown in the Howl from the Jaws of Hell arc Special One-shot)

Ichika blushes furiously and shakes her head, "It's not like I came for you, you know?!"

Rubbing the back of my head, I pushed myself back to my feet, "Yeah yeah, what did you come here for anyway?

Ichika's blush fades away and she stood back up, a proud confident grin displayed on her face, "I got assigned to defeat a special Hollow in Karakura Town!"

"Aren't you too young for that?"

"Shut up! You're the same age as me, remember?"

"Alright. But still doesn't explain why you're wearing the exact same school uniform as me"

"W-Well my mother told me that I needed a cover so that I can stay in the World of the Living! And she did the same thing when she lived with your dad!"

"Oh yeah, dad did say something about that..."

We both stayed there for a second before a sudden realisation hit me. I was almost late to school.

"Look, we need to hurry up before we get into trouble. Both of us are already late to school and if we don't make it........we'll get into more trouble"

Ichika sighed, but then smirked and said, "Race you there", before sprinting off.

I groaned as I caught my breath and dashed after her.

We both were running across town before we finally reached Karakura High. Ichika and I plopped down onto the floor and we both lay there to rest. Luckily we didn't lay there forever, considering there was the shadow of my menacing homeroom teacher looming over the both of us.

"Hey, you two. What are you doing there laying on the floor?", said Ochi-sensei (Ichigo's teacher), "Oh, it's Kazui! And you also found the new girl as well!"

"Oh... Oh! Yeah, haha. I heard about there being a new student, so I took the initiative to find her"

I quickly stood up and brushed myself off.

"Ah, what a good student you are. You are much better than your father. He really had bad attendance and always looked grumpy", Ochi-sensei cheerfully stated, "I let that slide though. It wasn't like he was doing anything bad!"

If she only knew what my dad did as a part-time.

"Well, uh, Ichika. Why don't I lead you to the classroom now. We're kinda late so we need to hurry", I say while holding out a hand for her to take.

Ichika looked at my hand and took it, letting me help her up off of the floor.

Meanwhile, Ochi-sensei was watching us with a sneaky grin on her face, "Ooooh, do I sense a little bit of chemistry between the two of you already~?

Without any hesitation, Ichika and I both exclaimed in sync, "NO YOU DON'T"

"Alright, you better hurry and follow me so you won't be late, or else...." Ochi-sensei smiled at us while holding her clipboard threateningly.

Even though she looked like a harmless teacher, she was more than capable of taking down a whole army, by herself. That clipboard might've been enough to end me if I didn't comply.

As we both calmed down, we looked at each other while exchanging messages with just eye contact. We would talk about this situation later.

Ichika let go of my hand and we both followed our teacher to class 3-1.

Chapter Text

Kazui POV:

Walking down the halls of Karakura High School, I could see that Ichika was a bit fidgety as she walked beside me. Taking a step beside Ichika, I leaned over and went up close to her ear.

"You look a bit nervous, you alright?", I whispered.

She jumped slightly, but then took deep breaths and answered back quietly, "Of course I am! What do you take me for? A jumpy high school girl?"

...

"Yes, yes I do"

She punched my arm so hard that it felt as if my sensei was the one who hit me. I haven't felt that pain since my last Soul Reaper training session. Guess Shinigami do have a bit of strength even in a gigai.

We both arrived at class 3-1. Ochi-sensei slid open the door and took her place up front the class. While I went down to my designated seat (at the back next to the window like your average anime protagonist in high school), she invited Ichika to the front.

She walked in through the open door at last. With a shaky breath, she looked to the students of 3-1 nervously.

All the students were quietly whispering to each other about Ichika, probably considering she's never been seen before. It was only natural, but I could tell that it made her uncomfortable.

I held out two thumbs up at her and smiled brightly in encouragement.

Ichika looked towards me, her eyes glimmering slightly before sighing, taking one deep breath. And with that, it gave her the final push to get it over and done with it.

"My name is Ichika Abarai! I will now be a part of this class", she bowed, "Please treat me well"

The whole class clapped along with me. Some boys were eyeing her and girls were calling on her to be their friend. I smiled, knowing that she was easily going to be accepted with the rest of the students.

And while she received all the attention, she directed her eyes to me and stuck her tongue out before smiling. There was a small flutter in my stomach, but I guess that was just me not eating enough breakfast.

Class began and everyone paid attention to the lesson. Personally, I knew the mostly everything so that was enough for me. I got passing grades so there was nothing to worry about at all. Meanwhile, Ichika looked like she was struggling a little with the subject; scratching her head as she wrote down notes from the lesson.

When I smirked at her lesser ability to learn, she gave me a death stare which said 'Do that again, and I will strike you down'. If that wasn't enough, her sharpened pencil was directed to me. From what I knew about her, she had surprisingly good aim even though she mainly trained with swords.

And with that, I kindly stopped making fun with her and read my line of Shakespeare.

After class ended, my friend Hajime Asano walked up to me and sat across my table. Hajime's dad, Keigo, was also great friends with my dad so it was only natural that we became friends as well. They also knew the secret about us being Soul Reapers as well.

"So, what businesses do Soul Reapers have to do in Karakura High?", asked Hajime slyly, "If you don't mind, I'll take Ichika for myself-"

Another friend of mine appeared as well and slapped the back of his head, then went back on his phone, "Mr. Asano, you really don't need to say such things during school times, it is very inappropriate"

"Hey! Why'd you switch up on the honorifics! Just call me by my first name, no need to be formal", complained Hajime.

I laughed at the two of them. Another one of my good friends, Kazuya Kojima is also related to our ties to Soul Reapers due to his dad knowing my dad. Yeah, I have a lot of friends, I know.

Glancing at his phone again, Kazuya looked to the both of us, "Second period is about to start, so pack up your stuff and hurry up"

Another two periods of class passed by before our break finally started. Hajime, Kazuya, and I all walked to the cafeteria to get our food. Well, not before I went to the first vending machine I saw and paid for one MAX COFFEE.

I was tired, okay? And for some reason coffee both tasted good and gave me energy.

As we sat down on one of the cafeteria benches, I took my homemade lunchbox out and started munching on some good chocolate covered yakitori chicken. Meanwhile, my friends were fighting against each other on whether One Piece or Dragon Ball were better.

Suddenly, I heard a loud buzzing noise from my pocket. I pulled out my Combat Pass and saw its eyes flashing. Crap, really? A Hollow at this time?

I looked sideway to Ichika who was talking to a group of girls surrounding her. She made eye contact with me, nodded, and excused herself from the group and ran away. Me having no choice to follow her, I also excused myself from Kazuya and Hajime and sprinted after her.

We met up at the back of the school.

"You think its got something to do with your mission?"

Ichika turned back at me, "Maybe, we'll just have to check it out then. If it does have something to do with what mom was trying to find, then we have to go quickly"

We turned a corner into an alleyway and stopped so that Ichika could get out of her gigai. She popped a Gikongan, a Substitute Soul pill, and her spiritual form jumped out of her body. She wore a black Shihakusho and carried a Zanpakuto with a guard shaped like a small lightning bolt.

"Ha, I'll do you one better"

My Shihakusho formed over my normal clothes, the black cloth swirling around my body and covering my school uniform but left my hoodie on. A Zanpakuto with a Manji symbol as my cross guard appeared behind my back.

A Zanpakuto with a Manji symbol as my cross guard appeared behind my back.

"Race you there, Ichika"

Chapter Text

Ichigo's POV:

"Hey, Orihime. What do you think about Kazui's surprise" I asked with a grin on my face.

Inoue smiles brightly, "I think he'd love it. He hasn't seen little Ichika in a while because he was so busy with school"

Lucky I made that quick phone call with Rukia and Renji. They didn't seem to mind sending Ichika here in Karakura Town to drop by. Well, better yet, be stationed here in Karakura Town instead of those two Soul Reapers, Ryunosuke and Shino I think their names were.

"Of course, Ichika would need to stay, which would naturally be here in the Kurosaki Clinic", I told myself when Inoue rushed to continue baking food for when Kazui and Ichika come back, "I wonder if she can fit inside of that closet?"

I glanced at Yuzu who was sitting down at the couch eating a muffin.

"Uh, hey Yuzu, you wouldn't mind if you could live with Karin in her apartment, would you? Ichika is gonna be moving in today, is that alright with you?"

Yuzu's eyes shone, "Little Ichika is going to move in! That's going to be so good for Kazu-kun. He looks like he needs a little fun!"

After a phone call to Karin, Yuzu waved goodbye and walked out the door to buy groceries.

I relaxed and closed my eyes feeling that everything was going according to plan. Wait, I'm starting to sound like Aizen. No thank you.

I heard a buzz coming from the coffee table, so I picked it up. Well, seems like there's gonna be a Hollow that Kazui and Ichika are gonna go after.

Unexpected, but maybe it's a chance for the two of them to bond more. Better watch them so they don't get in danger or else Rukia will kill me.

Making my way upstairs, I walked into Kazui's, well, my old room.

"Oi, Kon. Where you at?"

Kon got up from Kazui's bed, "Oh, hey Ichigo! Wait...... don't you dare stick your hand back into my mouth agai-!"

I shut Kon up by shoving my hand down his stuffed plush mouth to get the Mod Soul pill.

"It's just gonna be a couple of minutes, so don't try anything funny while I'm gone", I say as I swallowed the pill, making my soul form jump out.

I opened the window, breathing in the fresh afternoon air. I jumped out and started to fly towards the Hollow.

"So, Zangetsu, how are we doing this? Dual or classic?"

Chapter Text

Ichika's POV:

"Race you there, Ichika"

Now there was no possible way that I'm going to lose against him. Ha, I bet he isn't even gonna keep up with me because of all my training.

My dad was training me since I was young, whereas the first time I saw Kazui, he looked inexperienced. He probably lacks half the skill that I have. But then there were the stories that my mom said.

She told me about her fights along with Ichigo Kurosaki and how powerful he was that he surpassed even the Gotei 13. Well, when I first showed up to their home at that Kurosaki Clinic, I could sense such immense Spiritual Pressure from Kazui's dad. Kazui might carry that same potential.

Kazui winked at me and then disappeared. Huh? How did he already learn how to use Flash Step?

"You're not gonna get ahead of me, Kazui!", I also Flash stepped towards the direction of the Hollow.

We were neck-in-neck as we hopped over buildings and other places. Kazui was smiling at me as he kept up with my speed. Damn it, I underestimated that brat. But I will beat him.

To add some salt to the wound, he started hopping over buildings backwards and started chatting with me.

"Hey, if you lose, you have to buy me some food for school lunch"

"There is no way that I'm doing that for a person like you"

"Then don't lose"

"I swear I will slice you up with my sword if you don't shut up"

Kazui let out an exaggerated gasp before jumping ahead of me, grinning as I fell behind.

I then felt a sudden change in Spiritual Pressure, sensing that its travelling into a different direction. It was travelling.....here?

"ICHIKA!"

As soon as the Hollow popped out from one of the buildings, Kazui jumped in front of me and blocked its attack. Sparks flew out of the sword as the Hollow's white claw pushed against his Zanpakuto. He then kicked the Hollow backwards and then stayed next to me. The Hollow disappeared into the distance

"Ichika, you okay?"

"Yeah, nice save Kazui"

I then drew my own Zanpakuto, and we both stood back-to-back as we tried to locate the Hollow.

I finally located the Hollow, its grotesque body stomping towards us, its claws scraping the sides of buildings, and roaring at the top of its lungs, if it even has any.

"Kazui, we need to defeat this Hollow quickly so we can minimise the number of deaths and destruction"

"No need to tell me twice"

Both of us Flash stepped to the Hollow, raised our swords but as soon as we slashed downwards, the Hollow disappeared and reappeared behind us. It swatted us away into another building. The impact of that hit caused me to cough up blood, and it looked like Kazui was not holding up well either.

He then held up a hand towards me and murmured, "Sotenkisshun"

Three small flying objects flew out of his wristwatch and formed a triangle. A bright orange wall formed inside the triangle and something weird happened. My previous injuries and blood suddenly started to fade away, leaving no trace of it anywhere.

Kazui just smiled and placed a finger on his lips.

"What about you're injuries, Kazui?"

"I'll be fine, let's just get this over with"

I nodded quickly and stood back up, picking up my Zanpakuto and positioned it pointing to the sky.

"Blitz, Inazumatori!"

A bolt of lightning crashed into my sword. After the smoke blew away from the massive Spiritual Pressure that erupted from my body, my Zanpakuto blade transformed into the shape similar to a lightning bolt, just like my sword guard. Small lightning bolts emitted out of the sword as I held it.

"Nice Shikai you got there", Kazui noted.

"Heh, I know. But let's see what you got"

Kazui smiled at me and then pointed his Zanpakuto towards the enemy. He then placed his left hand on his right bicep where his sword arm is.

He then placed his left hand on his right bicep where his sword arm is

"Conquer, Mugetsu"

Black and red energy surrounded Kazui's sword, then erupted into a bigger explosion of energy. The Spiritual Energy was almost enough to knock me over. My eyes widened as I saw his Zanpakuto. It was just a bigger blade, but it was no doubt that it looked the same as Ichigo Kurosaki's Zanpakuto form which he uses sometimes. The large sleek black blade shone in the sunlight, with no guard and the handle made of bandages. My mom told me once that the reason that Ichigo's Zanpakuto looked like that was because his uncontrollable Spiritual Energy wouldn't go to normal, making it stuck in Shikai form. I guess the same genetics ran in Kazui's family.

"Let's go"

We both rushed to the Hollow with our newly introduced blades.

Chapter Text

Kazui Kurosaki:

Wow, never thought that pulling a Shikai felt this good. I felt as if a surge of adrenaline and dopamine just rushed through my veins, making me feel more powerful than before. Dad only had Shikai before since he was that powerful when he was in my age. Man, I want to be like him, but he said this,

"You could never be like me, though you will definitely be better than me"

He was right though. I had better control over my Spiritual Energy and Spiritual Pressure than he did according to him. But now its time to see if my training paid off.

"Let's go"

I noticed a definite speed increase between me and Ichika, though she was faster with lightning following her movements.

She struck first, electricity surrounding the Hollow and electrocuting it. While the beast was stunned, I took the opportunity to strike it as well. Blood spilled out of the Hollow as I slashed downwards, all the way around its body.

This would've killed it, but the Hollow suddenly roared and slashed both of us. Its injuries healed itself as it was nothing. If it wasn't for our speed increase, we would've been dead for sure. Both of us looked at each other with concerned faces.

Ichika and I both kept attacking it, trying to find weak spots to defeat it.

I then noticed that the more the Hollow was injured, the more mutations it went through. When we first attacked it, the Hollow healed and grew two more arms when it healed. Second time it had more bone-like claws and spikes. Then, a large tail.

"IT CAN HEAL, KAZUI!" she finally stated as if it weren't the obvious

"I KNOW THAT, ICHIKA. FOCUS!" I shouted over the Hollow's roars. "I THINK THE ONLY WAY WE CAN DEFEAT THIS IS BY CUTTING IT INTO SMALLER PIECES UNTIL IT CAN'T FORM A BODY ANYMORE"

We kept on attacking it, not stopping for one moment because it might give the Hollow an opening for it to attack us back.

Ichika looked like she was getting tired, and so was I. Damn, I need to finish this quickly.

Focus, Kazui, focus. Think, how would dad handle this.

An idea sprung up into my head. I looked over at Ichika and she looked back at me, her eyes glimmering like she got the same idea as me. She nodded as if she knew my thoughts and dashed towards the Hollow.

Ichika's POV:

I could almost feel me and Kazui's minds were connecting. I knew what he was planning, but it would need me to make the first move.

I zapped around until I found the head of the Hollow.

"RAIGEKI" (Thunder strike)

I used the same move earlier to electrocute and stun the Hollow so that I could perform my attacks. Stabbing my Zanpakuto into its head would increase its effectiveness, rendering the Hollow unconscious and unable to function.

Speeding around to gain momentum, I charged up my Zanpakuto until I felt the electricity erupting around my body. I performed several strikes, slicing through the every part of the body of the Hollow into tiny pieces that lay in the air.

I was exhausted. Using that much speed took up a lot of my stamina so I couldn't perform any other moves. I leaned against a building and looked towards Kazui, who was watching me until I was done.

He gave me a bright smile as reassurance. Man, how could he be so calm in these situations.

Kazui, do it. Deliver the finishing blow.

Kazui's POV:

I need to finish this. Ichika is almost out of energy, and she won't be in any shape to fight any longer. Just one. Final. Strike.

A move that would successfully defeat even the small pieces of this Hollow. It would be easy enough to do it. Like how my dad did it.

I gathered all my energy and Spiritual Pressure into the blade. Light blue energy surrounded my whole blade, and I could feel how heavy it was. It was time to release it.

"GETSUGA......TENSHOOOOO"

I launched a large blue crescent shaped attack towards the pieces of the Hollow. The impact of the blast blew me away and made me crash into another building. I saw how exhausted Ichika was so I Flash stepped towards her and covered her so that she wouldn't get hit by any debris.

After a while, the smoke after the attack cleared and there was no trace of the Hollow's body anywhere. Thank goodness. It was over.

"I guess you didn't need my help after all"

I turned around and saw my father leaning on his tall Zangetsu looking at the both of us.

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

"I guess you didn't need my help after all"

I turned around and saw my father leaning on his tall Zangetsu looking at the both of us.

Ichika's eyes widened, "Ichigo Kurosaki?"

I looked towards him and waved, "Hey dad"

Dad then carried the both of us to an unaffected building.

"Jeez, that really is a lot of damage. Well, it's nothing that the Gotei 13 can't cover. I'll just ask Renji to deal with it"

"Fancy seeing you here", I say as he puts us down.

"Well, I was just seeing how you two were holding up. And, long time no see, Ichika"

Ichika bows, "It's nice to meet you too, Mr. Kurosaki"

Ichigo laughs, "Please, no need for the honorifics. Just call me Unc Ichigo, or just Ichigo. It's not like you're introducing yourself as Kazui's girlfriend"

Me and Ichika both turn red, "WE ARE NOT TOGETHER"

"Yeah, whatever", Dad just waved his hand while grabbing his phone out, "I'll just make a quick phone call to your dad, Ichika"

All of us stood there while Dad was making the phone call to Ichika's dad. My Mugetsu and Ichika's Inazumatori reverted to normal Zanpakuto form after a while, so we placed it back in our sheathes. Ichika was blushing furiously, probably from that earlier comment that my dad made. I wonder why she's still bothered by that.

After a couple of minutes, we heard another roar and saw another Hollow behind us. Dad picked up his sword, but as soon as he was about to strike the Hollow, it suddenly was vaporised.

"As always, your work is sloppy compared to mine, Kurosaki" stated a mysterious voice.

A figure jumped out onto the building. The wore white clothes with a cross displayed on it, carried a strange glowing blue bow, and glasses.

"Ishida?" my dad asked while smiling, "Come to drop by and visit?"

Oh yeah, that was Uncle Ishida. Very old friend of my family. He goes way back to dad's earlier Soul Reaper days. He's also my doctor at Karakura Hospital, so I don't have to pay for any expenses. And no, I am not a freeloader nor a cheap guy.

"Well, I just got my break after work when I sensed a couple of odd Spiritual Pressures and saw the massive destruction from the hospital"

"Eh, its nothing that the Soul Reapers can't pay for"

"Don't talk like this isn't your fault, people's lives could've been lost...and yes the destruction needs to be paid for"

"Eh, I knew that my boy Kazui could handle this"

I snapped out of my thoughts as soon as I heard my name was mentioned. While I was busy healing myself and Ichika, I was thinking about how strong me and Ichika have gotten. From what I felt off the Hollow, it was almost lieutenant or just below Captain level.

"So, Ishida, wanna come over for dinner? Orihime 's cooking something good for us, as celebration for Ichika's arrival"

"If that's okay with you, Kurosaki"

"All good. I mean, you can drop by whenever you want, I do need some help at the Kurosaki Clinic"

"I suppose so"

He then shot another remaining Hollow that seemed to be hiding in the shadows of a building. Ishida sighs and puts his bow away by placing all of the Reishi back into his Quincy cross bracelet.

"Well, I guess I'll see you around then, Kurosaki", he tilts his glasses up, "I've got other matters to attend to"

Ishida then disappeared, assuming that he was going back to the hospital to finish his break. While we watched him leave, my dad nudged me and said, "I'll teach you that move if you've mastered Flash Step. It's called Hirenkyaku".

I nodded, it definitely seemed like a cool move to learn. Then I remembered how fast my dad usually travels when we did some missions together. Maybe he somehow combined the two or something.

"I guess I'll go now. To make sure Kon doesn't get into any weird things in my body"

My dad then also Flash stepped away, giving me and Ichika a time to talk.

"You okay? Ichika?"

"Mhm, I'm fine. Nothing that I couldn't handle", she says while giving a brave smile.

"That's good. Let's head back to school so we won't be late for class"

Both of us made our way back to Karakura High School (well, after Ichika got her gigai back) and walked to our next classes. It seems strange that school is so normal compared to the secret life of fighting Hollows. Still doesn't excuse my average grades; if I want to get a good job, I gotta study.

After the end of the day, Ichika and I walked back home; both of us being curious about what this celebration was gonna look like.

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

BANG!

"WELCOME BACK, ICHIKA!"

Confetti fell around both of us as we both walked into my house. Dang, that hurt my ear. That confetti cannon was next to me mind you.

So anyways, everyone went and greeted us at the door, mainly Ichika because she is the star of this party. Mostly everyone was there; My dad, my mom, Yuzu, Karin, Tatsuki, Keigo, Mizuiro, Chad, Ishida, and Rukia.

When Ichika asked why her dad Renji wasn't there, Rukia said that he's got a mission to attend to with Byakuya.

While Aunt Yuzu kept hugging and pinching Ichika, I went up to my room and placed my things into my closet.

"Eh? Back this late, Kazui?", asked Kon, who was lying on a bed. Wait, there was another bed in my room? And I mean not the one with a bunch of plushies and toys like Aunt Yuzu has. A nice new clean bed with no decorations and toys.

"Uhhhh, Kon? Why is Aunt Yuzu's bed all clean and stuff?"

"Oh, you don't know? Yeah, Ichigo and Orihime agreed that Ichika would sleep in your room from now on. And as for Yuzu, she is gonna move in with Karin"

"Is that so"

My dad was leaning by my doorway, "Yup, Ichika is now your new roommate. You either have to deal with it, or deal with Rukia, you pick?"

"I'm gonna deal with it", I decided quickly. Aunt Rukia was not one to mess with.

"That's good. Now change your clothes and head back down to the party", my dad waved and walked back downstairs.

I sighed and then went to the bathroom to shower, so that I could feel a little more fresh. I put on my green hoodie, and black pyjama pants and head down to be with everyone.

All night, we ate food, play games and hung out. It was great seeing everyone here because some of them were away often. Chad barely visits because of his job as a professional boxer because he travels the world and fights, which I think is amazing. Keigo was a stand-up comedian, so he also did tours around the world, and Mizuiro has an office job.

As for Rukia, it was kind of obvious what she does for a living. Or death. However you want to see it.

Ichika also got a shower of gifts while I was gone. She received a bunch of clothes from Ishida (he was surprisingly great at knitting), lots of sweets from Aunt Yuzu, and a kendo sword from Tatsuki.

Meanwhile, I just stood back and ate some food. Somehow, I'm betting Keigo snuck some kind of alcohol in my apple juice which made me slightly dizzy. He just laughed it off and said, "Kid needs to build some type of tolerance".

My dad dragged him outside to deliver absolute punishment.

I walked back up to my room after the party, still dizzy from that alcohol that Keigo dropped in and lay down. Then I realised that I needed to brush my teeth so I walked to the bathroom.

I drunkenly walked down the halls of the house to try and find the bathroom door until I found it. I ran my hands around the door until I felt the bump of the door handle, then turned it.

Since I was dizzy, I couldn't bother with the environment so I walked into the bathroom without knowing that someone was there.

Bad mistake.

"KAZUI???"

"Eh?"

I then rubbed my eyes to see Ichika in the shower.......Ichika in the shower?......Wait.........Ichika in the-

"PERVERT!!!" She threw a bar of soap at me, knocking me out of the bathroom and made me bounce back into my room.

Curse you, Keigo.

Chapter Text

I made sure to drown my head in water to wash certain thoughts out of my brain. It also refreshed my brain and got rid of my drunkenness (forcefully). My head was in that sink full of water for a good 5 minutes before I brushed my teeth.

Walking out of the bathroom, I could hear that nobody else was awake. Mom and Dad were sleeping downstairs, and the rest of the party group left earlier.

I stepped into my bedroom and saw Ichika huddled up in her bed with a pillow against her face. Weird.

"Hello? Earth to Ichika. If you keep burying your face into that pillow, you'll either suffocate or imprint your face into there"

She looked at me, her face flushed red and shouted, "PERVERT!", before throwing a pillow at my face.

Luckily, I dodged out of the way and caught the pillow but then panicked as I realised how hard she shouted.

"SSSSHHHHHH. You're gonna wake my parents up!", I aggressively whispered.

She tried to punch me a bunch of times but I used the pillow she threw earlier to lessen the damage.

"Pervert. Pervert. Pervert"

"Be quiet, Ichika!"

Ichigo's POV:

What the hell is Kazui doing? I keep hearing these shouts in his, or should I say, his and Ichika's room. Is he of that age now?

Hopefully Kazui doesn't do anything bad because it might lead to some...accidents.

Somehow Inoue isn't bothered by this at all. She's still sleeping peacefully next to me despite the faint shouting.

If this keeps up, I might as well go Hollow hunting to stop listening to those noises.

Kazui's POV:

So I ended up burying her face in the pillow.

Well, she kept shouting so I had to shut her up somehow. Its not bad to that to a girl, right? Wait, if you put it that way...

I let go of the pillow and let Ichika free.

"Hey, sorry about that. I mean, you were shouting and all"

She punched my shoulder (really ow), "Then why did you walk in on me showering"

"It was an accident! Keigo put something in my drink, and I got drunk. I didn't even know you were in there"

"Yeah right"

"Please forgive me"

"Okay"

That's how it was between us since we were children. We got along so well that even major arguments could be forgiven easily between us. We pulled a wrong tag team against a Hollow? Forgiven. She orders the wrong type of sauce? Forgiven. Accidentally walking in on her showering? Forgiven. I guess we just click that way.

I sigh and then walk over to my bed and lay down, pulling my blanket over me. Ichika did the same thing and rolled over to the other side, not facing me.

"So how do you feel about this arrangement, Ichika? I could always just sleep on the couch"

"No, its fine. Besides, I'm staying here for a couple of months, so there's no point in making you uncomfortable by making you sleep on the couch"

"Well, thanks"

Ichika rolled over to face me. "I should be thanking you. At least you guys gave me a place to stay"

"We aren't that cruel" I turned to look at the ceiling, my head laying on top of my left hand.

"Thank you for everything"

"No problem"

She turns to face the ceiling.

"Goodnight, Kazui"

"Goodnight, Ichika"

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

Its like I can't sleep. Constant darkness surrounds me as I try to look around; trying to find at least some light. It didn't feel like a dream nor a nightmare. Just pure emptiness as I swim through nothingness. Then suddenly, a loud BANG rang in my ears. The darkness scurried back and disappeared into nothing as it faded into dust. White blinded my eyes as it flashed in an instant.

"Hey"

I turned around to see a figure standing in the distance. Somehow it sounded as if that voice was right inside of my ear. By instinct, I tried to grab my Zanpakuto from my back, but all I grabbed was air.

"Looking for something, Kazui?". I felt a breath in my ear.

I swung around and kicked but felt nothing. Who was that? Where could it be? Why am I here?

"Who are you?"

"I am ########"

From the corner of my eye, I could see a figure to my left. I harnessed my Spiritual Energy within my right arm. It was similar to Uncle Chad's El Directo, but with my own power.

"Gatsurin" I threw a circular shaped attack similar to a Getsuga Tenshou, but smaller.

The figure blocked my attack with a sword. No, a Zanpakuto. My Zanpakuto in Shikai form.

It laughed, "You are certainly full of surprises, Kazui", then I felt a hand behind my back, "But I've been there every step of the way. Since the beginning".

I swept its legs and pointed my hand at the figure and saw what it truly looked like. It wore a normal Soul Reaper uniform, but the colours were inverted, rendering the clothing completely white. Along with that, the figure's skin and hair were completely white. Only the sclera (white part of the eye) was completely black, with blue pupils.

"Bakudo #62, *Hyapporankan" a glowing white stick flew out of my hand, then multiplying into many more. Those sticks pinned the figure onto the ground, immobilizing it.

"I said, who are you?" I demanded in a voice with more authority.

"Don't worry, you'll know soon enough", The figure grinned at me, "When the time is right, you will know"

"ANSWER ME!"

A blade pierced through my chest. Blood spurted out of my mouth as I turned to look down at the tip of my own blade. With the remaining strength I had left, I turned to look around to see a man with long black hair, a mouth and body covered in grey bandages. The rest of his body was covered in dark substance, maybe shadows.

"M-Mugetsu..."

"Return to where you came from, child. You are not ready to experience this part of your powers yet"

I gasped as I woke up. It was 7am in the morning. The sun shone brightly in the blue sky, birds were chirping, and the sounds of people talking downstairs were heard. Nothing was out of the ordinary. I looked down at my chest and then took off my shirt. No sword pierces were to be found.

I sighed in relief, whereas someone gasped in horror.

"PERVERT"

???'s POV:

"Hey, Mugetsu, buddy. You think our boy Kazui will be alright?" I leaned against my sword.

"It will all fall into the right hands. Kazui knows the right path so do not fret. Everything will be alright", Mugetsu stands intimidatingly over me.

"Whatever you say", I stood upright and pointed my sword at Mugetsu, "But if you end up hurting Kazui in any way possible, I might do something I regret"

I turn back away from him. We usually get along well, but up until this point in time, we crossed each other. Kazui's development was in his hands, wherever he liked it or not. I only hope that he preserves his smile and happiness. I hate the darkness; despite the fact that I'm a Hollow.

I walk back into the infinite abyss awaiting me, blinded in white.

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

My head hurts from just wracking my head around what just happened this morning. Oh yeah, not to mention another accusation.

"I'm going on ahead! You stay here and think about what you just did"

"Ichika! It wasn't what it looked like!"

Yeah, not another word because she left.

Later at school, I arrived at my class with a band-aid on my face. If you couldn't tell already, Ichika basically punched my face when she saw me shirtless. I guess I have to explain the situation to her later.

Or maybe not. That dream, or whatever it was, is my concern and mine only. I don't need the help of other people because that dream came to me. I need to figure it out and solve that problem quickly.

People stared at me strangely as I walked past them to my seat. I don't see why I was being strangely stared at all the time; especially the girls for some reason. Maybe because injuries were uncommon at school. I wonder if my dad was stared at like this back when he was my age. He was some sort of a delinquent after all.

"Eh? Kazui? Did you get into a fight outside of school?", Hajime asked while hurriedly trying to finish his overdue homework. Seriously, I don't see how he's going to graduate at this point.

"Oh nah. I got into, well, a situation with Ichika", I glanced at the side where she was. She pointed two fingers to her eyes, and then to me. Ichika turned back to talking to her friends after threatening me.

"Ouch, that must hurt. But I would never know what that feels like", Hajime smirks smugly.

It was only until I saw the top of Hajime's head where I saw Kazuya leering on top of his head, with a fist up in the air. "Would you like to know what it feels like, Mr. Asano?"

"AAAAAAH"

He sprinted away while me and Kazuya laughed at him.

After school, I told Ichika to go on before me because I needed to buy some "candy". She nodded, not knowing what that really meant. I walked on a different route to find my destination. I could see the orange in the sky as the sun was setting. It was soothing, but not enough to erase the unnerving feeling of fear from my heart.

And there I was after a couple minutes' walk. I opened the sliding door into the shop and was greeted by a man wearing a dark green samue with a black haori with a white diamond pattern which, I just found out, was an inverted Captain's haori. He also wore a striped green bucket hat which covered his eyes, held a wooden cane, and was fanning himself with, well, a fan.

"Ah, Mr. Kurosaki, it's been a while since your training, hasn't it?", the man spoke with a humorous tone, but then lowered it to a serious one, "Or is it something else?"

"Well, I guess you read my mind, Urahara-sensei", I sighed, not surprised about how he knew that. Maybe the expression on my face was too obvious?

"Well, come and sit down. I'll have Ururu and Jinta serve us some food and drinks", Urahara gestured for me to come inside.

I followed Urahara-sensei and sat down on the floor behind a table. He sat across from me while he fanned his face. The air was tense. I suppose it was from my nervousness to share my experience, or even talk at all.

"Here is your food and drinks, Kurosaki-san", a small girl walked up to me and served Urahara and I a tray of food, while the red-haired boy brought 2 cups of tea.

Before we both ate, Urahara looked at me dead in the eye, a serious gaze into the depths of my soul.

"Say, Mr. Kurosaki. Do you want to perhaps speak about Hollows?"

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

"Say, Mr. Kurosaki. Do you perhaps speak about Hollows?"

Again, another unsurprising statement from the great Kisuke Urahara. He really is intelligent, isn't he?

"You read my mind, Urahara-sensei", I say after a sip of tea, "How'd you know?"

He just smiled and waved his fan away from him, "Well of course, your Spiritual Pressure was like that of a Hollow. I could even sense you from since you were at school. It was almost as if Mr. Ichigo Kurosaki was there himself, though he has already mastered how to hide his Spiritual Pressure in his adulthood"

Urahara then leaned forward and looked at me seriously, "Have you spoken about this to anyone yet?"

"No, sensei"

"Well, let's hear your story then, Mr. Kurosaki. We have plenty of food and drinks to last until tonight"

I then explained my 'dream' to him. How there was a crazy white figure taunting me, along with Mugetsu sending me back by stabbing my own Zanpakuto through my chest. Urahara seemed more intrigued about the Hollow part than anything else, so I described it in more detail. From its features all the way up to what is said to me.

"It does seem that your Inner Hollow has shown itself. But unfortunately..."

"Unfortunately what?"

"Unfortunately, Mr. Kurosaki, I cannot help you with this matter"

"H-huh? What do you mean by that?"

"Of course, if this were Ichigo, it would have been easier for me as I have examined his Spiritual Energy and Spiritual Pressure from the beginning, along with his potential. As you know, I have trained you as I have trained your father, but you are different. Ichigo's origins were sadly my own doing, but he freely made you, Mr. Kurosaki"

"What do you mean?"

"I was able to know Ichigo Kurosaki's potential and powers because I had made your grandfather, Isshin Kurosaki, part human. This had made Ichigo a hybrid between Human and Soul Reaper. Along with that, your late grandmother was a Quincy who possessed a Hollow; but using your father had been able to suppress that. This adds the hybrid with Ichigo being a human, Soul Reaper, Quincy, and Hollow"

"I know that, Urahara-sensei. But what does that make me?"

"I honestly do not know that. Throughout Mr. Ichigo Kurosaki's journey, he has possessed powers such as Fullbring, along with possessing some of the powers of the old Soul King. Also, you are the son of Mrs. Inoue Orihime who possesses the power of rejection. You are someone who I can't read at all. You being unpredictable with your powers and potential makes it hard to properly read you"

"Right", I drank the rest of my tea. I already knew this from the start. I knew what powers my mom and dad had. But I thought that Urahara would at least be able to figure out what the cause is and how to solve it; I mean, he is the smartest person I know.

"I'm afraid I can't help you, Mr. Kurosaki. This may be something you have to find out yourself. But for now, I advise for you to relax as it isn't serious yet"

"Thank you, Urahara-sensei. I'll take my leave", I finished my food and drinks and stood up. Endless thoughts ran through my mind. I have the sudden urge to try an solve this situation myself. This was a part of my power that I haven't discovered yet. If I don't fix this, it may affect my friends and family.

"Alright. Mr. Tessai will show you out", Urahara smiled and clapped his hands. I couldn't see his eyes from this angle, but for some reason I feel like he's hiding something. No, I better not worry about that now. I need to relax.

Then, a big man with rectangular shaped glasses and a very impressive moustache. "This way, Mr. Kurosaki"

He gestured out the door, so I walked out; some of my nerves fleeing as I got what I wanted to say off my chest. I guess I can spend time with Ichika this afternoon now that I have the time.

Walking in the orange light of the afternoon, I cleared my thoughts from that dream, and focused on trying to be normal and keep moving forward.

Chapter Text

Renji Abarai's POV:

Wait, I've sensed this Spiritual Pressure before. But where have I felt this before. Its monstrous, I haven't felt such power since Yhwach.

"CAPTAIN KUCHIKI! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

The path we took was dark. Our mission was just to investigate a Hollow case that had been affecting the Seireitei. It had wiped out even a third of Squad 11 and damaged the Squad 1 barracks. Our investigation started in the outskirts of the Rukon District, but a black fog had suddenly appeared before me and Captain Kuchiki. We split up, but I haven't heard or seen him since

Damn, how did we end up here. I need to find Captain Kuchiki. Fast.

I heard a scuttle. A small sound from my left grabbed my attention. I could sense its Spiritual Pressure drawing closer. Drawing my Zanpakuto, I prepared for any attack that came my way. My heart was beating faster than ever, beads of sweat dripping down my forehead as I became nervous.

It was next to me.

I turned around and slashed randomly. I felt and heard blood spraying as I hit the mark. Yes! I looked at the Hollow's corpse that I slashed which started to disintegrate into dust.

The Spiritual Pressure wasn't the same though. In fact, it was weaker compared to what I felt before. No time to think, I need to find my captain. And get back to Rukia.

I ran through the black nothingness of this fog, calling out Byakuya Kuchiki's name until my throat was sore. I couldn't sense his Spiritual Pressure either. He's either in trouble or hiding it for a certain reason.

But a greater Spiritual Pressure appeared in front of me. This was the same feeling that I felt before. I almost collapsed from the sudden appearance. A big figure appeared along with the Spiritual Pressure, looking down on me.

"Roar! Zabima-", before I could finish the calling for my Shikai, I was cut off by a black substance that coated my body. My mind felt like it was going black.

"Roar what?"

"Roar! Za...za?" I forgot what it was. What was the name of my Zanpakuto? And also, who am I?

A paintbrush was pointed at me. How strange. What would a giant paintbrush be doing in front of me. Before I could react, the brush's tip turned into a giant black blade and pierced my chest.

Blood spurted through my mouth as the blade sliced through my chest like butter. The pain was almost unimaginable, but it was there. Why? Why did this have to happen?

"Who.....Who are you?"

"It seems that you have forgotten, Used-to-be-Renji Abarai", The large figure said as he pulled out the paintbrush blade from my chest.

I collapsed onto the ground, unable to move. I also saw another figure laying down beside me. He wore strange clothes. His raven black hair was long and scattered, most of it being in place by a certain headpiece. Blank grey eyes gazed emptily at me.

"I didn't want to have to do this, but I suppose it is necessary. All for the purpose to gain a worthy candidate for being the new Soul King. All for the purpose of balancing the Soul Society. Ichigo Kurosaki will become the Soul King"

That's right. I know Ichigo Kurosaki. The Substitute Soul Reaper. I remember everything about him. Memories of a certain orange-haired man flashed through my mind. I knew that I could trust him, he was more than powerful enough.

Then two things popped into my mind. A small woman with black hair holding hands with me. And a small red haired girl running around. Rukia.....Ichika.....I will survive for you.

"Ichigo. Save me"

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

"Huh? Dad, we're going to the Seireitei?!", I asked loudly during breakfast. All of us including Ichika were sitting on the dining table one Saturday morning eating steamed rice, miso soup, and other breakfast food.

"Oh yeah. I have some business to settle there since there seems to be a problem that involves my help. So, I wanted you to tag along", Dad says as he stuffs his mouth full of rice.

It's been a week since my meetup with Urahara-sensei, and I started to feel more relaxed and at ease. My Inner Hollow hasn't made any moves lately, so everything is fine.

"Yeah, alright"

Dad then looked at Mom. "Inoue, you want to come with us?"

She laughed nervously and waved her hand, "No no, it's okay. Besides, I have to take care of the Kurosaki Clinic and also my job at the bakery".

"All good", Dad smiled and went back to eating.

After a while, all of us were stuffed full of food. Interestingly, my dad looked fine stood up and went upstairs. By the time he got up there, he went back down in Soul Reaper uniform.

"Let's go"

I used my powers to activate my Soul Reaper form. My Shihakusho swirled all around me, covering my clothes and added my signature hoodie. Mugetsu, which stayed behind my back, felt heavier than usual. I suppose since my time as I Soul Reaper were shorter since my dad and Uncle Ishida mostly handled Hollows lately.

Me, Dad, and Ichika all travelled to Urahara's shop while Mom waved us goodbye.

After a couple of minutes and a couple of Flash steps, we arrived at the footstep of Urahara's shop. The man with the striped bucket hat and cane waited for us, leaning on one of the doorways.

"Ah, Mr. Kurosaki and Kurosaki Jr., along with Miss Ichika Abarai. Please, come in", Urahara invited us with an amused tone and a smile. There was something strange about it though, almost as if it was forced to mask something. "Mr. Kurosaki, please stay back with me as I have something vitally important to tell you".

"Alright, Mr. Urahara. Kazui, Ichika, you can go ahead to the Underground Training Grounds and wait for us there".

I nodded and led Ichika to the trapdoor.

We passed the usual sweets and treats that Urahara-sensei usually sells. Ichika looked at them with her eyes sparkling and tried to grab one, but I smacked her hand away and said that she had to pay for it first.

When Ichika looked down at the trapdoor, she looked back at me with a shocked expression.

"No way am I going to drop down at this height"

"Yes you are". Without any hesitation, I pushed her off and heard her screams as she fell.

I dived down after her with a smile on my face. Ichika may act all high and mighty, but when it came to her fears, she was easy to scare. I then realised that she might hurt herself while falling down, so I Flash stepped ahead.

Before she landed on the ground, I caught her with my arms. She looked uncomfortable as for some reason she started blushing, so I put her down onto the floor.

The tanned man with the glasses next to the large glowing Senkaimon waved towards us, gesturing to come this way.

"Mr. Kurosaki, Miss Abarai. Urahara-dono has advised you to go on ahead. The path is safe for now, so its best to travel at this moment"

"What about my dad?"

"Urahara-dono needs to have an important discussion with your father"

"Understood, thanks Mr. Tessai"

I felt slight unease. What if what they were talking about was too dangerous that it had to be kept secret. I mean, there must be a reason why we're being sent to the Seireitei.

Snap out of it, Kazui. We need to get a move on.

Ichika looked at me, then nodded. We both walked towards the large glowing portal to the Soul Society. Without a second thought, I walked forward and stepped inside, letting it transport me to the Dangai.

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

Safe my ass! There's something chasing us!, I thought

A giant object with a large source of light was rushing at us at extremely high speeds. It seemed to be chasing us, well, considering we were the only ones that were in this dark place. But I had no choice but to run, because I didn't want to know what would happen if I was under there. Ichika ran as fast as she could with me for the same reason.

"It's the Cleaner! It's supposed to wipe out any anomalies in the Dangai! But I didn't know that today would be when it showed up", Ichika shouted at me.

Crap, Urahara must've thought that it'd be fine and forgot about the Cleaner itself. Well, it is just a mistake, it wouldn't make any difference in how we trust each other. Maybe a punch to the face would be fine for him.

Ichika and I kept running. I could feel my stamina slowly draining as each step causes me to be even more tired. I breathed in the air of the Dangai, which didn't really feel that great. Sprinting down the slimy purple corridor of the Dangai, it felt like there was no end to this race.

"Ichika, I got an idea, but I don't think you'll like it"

"Whatever, I don't care about that! Just get us out of here!"

"Says you, you were supposed to lead us!"

"JUST GET ON WITH IT ALREADY"

We really argue too much.

"Conquer, Mugetsu"

My Zanpakuto transformed into a large black blade which was my Shikai. This plan involves a lot more than the usual firepower I normally would use, so this was the only way to do it. The trip will be bumpy though.

"GETSUGA TENSHOU"

I turned around and swung my sword downward. A ginormous crescent moon shaped blast flew towards the Cleaner.

Strange, usually that attack feels lighter, and smaller. But this time, it felt heavier, and more powerful than ever. What was this power?

The attack hit the our pursuer. As I expected, the explosive force of the blast had repelled back to us. The whole corridor was filled with the explosion's force, rushing towards us.

"Santen Kesshun"

Three entities that reside in my wristwatch flew out, creating an orange triangular shield that blocked the explosion. I grabbed Ichika's hand and pulled her close to me so that both of us wouldn't be separated as we rode the triangle shield to the exit. This would have made our travel faster and avoid being hit by the Cleaner.

Then, I saw a light in the distance. It must be the exit! Just a little closer and we'll make it.

The light of the exit blinded me as we got blasted out of the doorway of the Dangai. Ichika and I flew out, welcomed by the fresh reishi-filled environment of the Seireitei.

I would've said that the landing didn't hurt, but it did. The concrete floor that we landed on felt like getting struck by a Hollow itself. Ouch.

"Oof, Kazui. What the hell was that kind of plan?", she says, rubbing the back of her head after landing on her back.

I grinned sheepishly, "Don't worry, I had all of that calculated to the last detail. I knew we would make it"

"But did you know we would make it back unharmed?"

"Uhhhhhh, no?"

Ichika was about to smack me in the back of my head when suddenly we were interrupted by a person wearing a Captain's haori.

"Eh? What are you doing here?"

Back in Urahara's shop

Ichigo's POV:

"I see, Urahara"

"I trust that you won't do anything rash, will you now?"

"You know me, Urahara. You know that I can't let this get anymore worse than it already is"

Urahara sighed and tilted his hat down, "Understood. All I can say is that you will be careful with yourself, Mr. Kurosaki"

I walked away without a word. Renji's and Byakuya's Spiritual Pressure was gone. I knew that, but hearing it from Urahara left me feeling.....empty. I thought that they didn't die. Maybe they just went somewhere else. But no, it was official.

Two of my comrades, both gone without a trace. When I heard the reason why I was needed by the Gotei 13, I was shocked.

The phone call from Rukia...her voice sounded so heartbreaking.

I kept a strong face for my child and hers; I didn't want them to worry. I need to save Renji and Byakuya, whatever it takes.

I pulled out my Zanpakutos. One of them being longer than the other, representing my growth during the war with the Quincies.

Renji...Byakuya...I will bring you back.

"Zangetsu, let's go"

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

"Eh? What are you doing here?"

I couldn't see who this captain was since he was blocking the sun, which made him look dark.

"Uh, nothing..."

"Idiot, what else would you be doing here in the Seireitei, Ichigo?"

I paused before I answered to just rewind back a bit. This captain just called me Ichigo, and the last time I remembered, my name is Kazui Kurosaki.

"Uh, sir captain, whatever. My name isn't Ichigo. Its Kazui, Kazui Kurosaki"

"Huh? Wait a sec...", the captain leaned to take a closer look. Fortunately, this also gave me a chance to take a closer look at his appearance too. He had shoulder length blonde hair with a slanted straight cut fringe, brown eyes, and an unusual expression that showed his upper teeth.

"Ah, yeah, you. I thought you looked like Ichigo for a sec there. Here, get up", the captain lent me a hand, so I took it and stood up. Behind me, Ichika had already stood up and spectated our interaction.

"The name's Shinji Hirako. Though you can call me Captain Hirako"

"Nah, I'm just gonna call you Shinji"

There was a long pause before he bursted out laughing. Meanwhile, I looked confused to see why calling him by his first name.

"Oh jeez, you're just like you're father. Anyway, yeah. Sorry for the mix-up. I'll lead the way"

I then heard my dad's voice behind me.

"Shinji, I'll take the lead from here"

"Ichigo, long time no see. What brings you here along with the kids?"

My dad just stared at him with a solemn expression. A look as if someone had recently passed away or died. I don't know what was wrong with him, but it looks like something Urahara-sensei had said affected him deeply.

"I see. Well, Ichigo, before you go, at least show the kids a good time. Before..."

"Got it. Thank you, Shinji. Let's go, Kazui, Ichika"

My dad's cold expression remained for the rest of the travel as we all walked throughout the Seireitei. I decided that I keep silent because I've never seen him like this. It was strange not seeing Dad's positive vibe like at home. I'm worried for him.

We finally arrived at a large building with a ink painted symbol that looked like the Daffodil Narcissus.

"I'll leave you guys in Squad 10. Ichika, show Kazui around. You can trust the people here, alright?" Dad instructed and then looked into the distance, "I don't know how long I'll be gone, so consider this a little holiday"

Dad gave me one final smile before disappearing, gone with the wind.

"Your dad sure has changed a lot", said a voice in the shadow under a wall. Shinji then emerged out of there with an odd smile on his face.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Ichigo does seem to have gotten a lot better at protecting other people now", Shinji stared off to where Dad disappeared, "But I have one thing to say to you"

"If your dad is this serious about this mission, then there is no stopping him. He's this serious that he feels like he needs to go alone. It seems that something bad happened"

"And what exactly happened?"

"Lieutenant Renji Abarai and Captain Byakuya Kuchiki has disappeared. Their Spiritual Pressure seems to have disappeared completely", Shinji says sadly.

Ichika gasps loudly and collapses onto the floor. Tears leaked out of her eyes as she buried her head inside her hands. I ran over to her and comforted her. I looked back at Shinji, who's signature smirk now faded.

"We don't know if they're dead or not, but what is guaranteed is that whoever took them down is extremely powerful. Something we haven't seen since Aizen Sosuke or Yhwach"

Ichika yelled, "Aren't you going to do something about it then!"

Shinji didn't flinch one bit, but instead his smile returned, "Yes, I am, actually. I'm going to train you"

"Uh huh, and don't forget about us", said a female voice from the entry to the Squad 10 barracks.

"Matsumoto! Don't butt into their conversation!", shouted an angry white-haired boy who arrived next to the orange-haired woman.

Then his green eyes turned to me, "But Lieutenant Matsumoto isn't wrong. We think that Ichigo needs the help from not only the Gotei 13, but also from you"

"Toshiro...", Too much information flooded into my brain. Ichika was still crying but I stood up, filled with determination, "When do I start?"

A vein popped on his head, "Its Captain Hitsugaya...but to answer your question..."

"From now on, Kazui Kurosaki, you will train with the 13 Court Guard Squads Captains in order to save Lieutenant Renji Abarai and Captain Byakuya Kuchiki. We will help you unlock your potential in order to help your father. You will train so that you can surpass the enemies that stand in your way. Your training starts now"

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

The first part of my training involved my senses. Compared to any of the other Hollows and enemies I've fought, I had always come out victorious. But my first evaluation showed me that most of my reflexes and reaction times are slower than a 3rd Seat member. I was severely disappointed, but that only filled my determination to become better.

The captains who were there, Shinji and Toshiro, had alerted the other captains about my specialized training using Hell Butterflies. Toshiro and Matsumoto then left to prepare when I finished my training with the blond-haired captain.

"So, basically your senses are crap. I'm going to start by making you not just trust your vision, but your other senses as well. Because what's the point in just relying on your eyes when you have other tools. Enemies who can manipulate your mind can use your incompetence against you and defeat you just as easily. So other than improving your senses, I'll have you utilize the way you use your sword"

Shinji smirked as we finally arrived to an empty part at the edge of the Seireitei. It took a long walk, but we finally made it to the wide barren land where no one else could be harmed. He then pulled out his Zanpakuto. Unexpectedly, Shinji kicked me into the air, leaving me winded. He gave me a look that said, 'Deal with it'

"Collapse, Sakanade"

A saw a pink colored mist spreading throughout the air. Then, the world suddenly swirled around me, I felt like I wasn't getting dizzy but at the same time I was. When my vision cleared, I saw Shinji floating up in the sky upside down, swinging the large ring at the bottom of his Zanpakuto.

"plɹoʍ pǝʇɹǝʌuI ǝɥʇ oʇ 'ǝɯoɔlǝM"

Shinji then paused, and then smacked his face and spoke clearly.

"Sorry sorry. Forgot that it also inverts my speech as well. Which leads me to my next point. My Shikai is able to reverse all of your senses. Up is down, left is right. It is basically impossible to fight, so let's see how you do"

He then bolted at me, holding his Zanpakuto with his two hands as he prepared to strike me down. Naturally, I tried to block the attack but got slashed in my shoulder instead.

"And, the direction you're facing and the direction you're attacking is also reversed. Amusing, isn't it?"

Dammit, he was just playing with me. So it reversed all of my actions and my senses, huh? I need to find a way to try and land a hit on him.

Everywhere I attacked, I couldn't even hit him once. I kept being slashed in unexpected places. The reversed senses caused me to be confused as I didn't know where Shinji was coming from. Left or right, up or down, back and forth. Either way, it was a guaranteed hit in Shinji's perspective. That sly bastard.

I was covered in slashes. Blood leaked down my clothes as I kept trying to defend myself. My breathing began becoming heavier as fatigue built up inside of me. Shinji kept on smiling as he saw me in my vulnerable state, ready to attack again. I needed to defend myself. I needed to fight back. I. Won't. LOSE.

I slashed all around me, expecting to land a hit but got sliced from under me. Pure hatred boiled in my eyes as I then striked upwards instead. Blood spurted from under me as I stabbed his stomach. A flash of surprise covered Shinji's face as he didn't expect that.

It was a start; a start I needed to push forward.

Shinji appeared somewhere else and held his stomach. He spat some blood to the side and smirked at me again.

"Not bad, for a rookie"

He then proceeded to push me faster than before, attacking me from all angles as I tried to keep up. Slash marks covered my body as Shinji attacked nonstop without a single moment of hesitation. Crap, any more and I think I'll die.

From what I knew from earlier, if all of my senses were inverted, I could be able to strike him down. But also, Shinji could also turn this effect on and off, making it difficult to counter as well. Large scale attacks can possibly affect Shinji, but that would be extremely unfair considering he's pushing me to just use my sword normally.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I wasn't using my sight. I needed something else to fight. I could feel the Spiritual Pressure around me. Huh, even Shinji's Sakanade can still affect the feeling of Spiritual Pressure as well. Focus, Kazui. Focus.

I could feel it drawing closer. This power, more different from the presences around me. This was the opening I needed.

I positioned my sword forward, turned around and swung towards my target.

Chapter Text

(Edit 1) Yeah, I originally put Shinji's theme from tybw on here, but they took down that yt video. You can check the full song here cuz I want y'all to vibe as well.

(Edit 2: Okay, they removed the whole song from souncloud, but thankfully it was just that one. At this point just listen to it somehow, cuz giving the link is risky)

Kazui's POV:

Eyes closed, blood and cuts covering my body, exhaustion building up inside of me. I had nothing to lose. I need to prove myself. I need to become stronger. I need to fight alongside my father.

All I saw was darkness, not anything from the environment in sight. I couldn't even tell what sounds were coming from where. The only thing I depended on was my sword and my power.

I turned around and swung.

SLASH!

Half-expecting to be cut, I blinked one eye opened to see sparks flying everywhere as my blade met Shinji's.

He disappeared and reappeared somewhere else. Instinctively, I went to block it but changed last second to direct my defense somewhere else. I heard my blade clanging against his, and a glimmer of hope was now within my grasp.

"You can see it now, Kazui! You can see through Sakanade!", Shinji exclaimed and looked at me dead in the eye, "You are the second person to be able to bypass my Shikai's inverse effects. From this point onward, this fight is to the death. Good luck, Kazui"

He pressed on harder than before, but I met his determination with strength of my own. I met his blade multiple times as I kept putting all of my strength in my swings. I felt like I could finally beat him. My body felt like it was acting on its own, and my mind was the only thing breaking down and adapting to the powers of this inverted world.

I landed another hit, a fatal one slashing the front of his chest, making him stumble back. This was my opening, my chance.

"Getsuga Tenshou"

I sent my attack flying towards what I felt was where Shinji was going to be, and my intuition was correct. The powerful energy sent him flying backwards and caused him to descend towards the ground. He crashed into a tree, which destroyed the surrounding environment with it.

Shinji coughed, "Good one, Kazui"

"Didn't you say you would kill me?", I asked as I flew down to him, "I had my eyes closed that time, you know?"

"Idiot. Of course not. Your dad'll kill me if I even tried to. I needed you to brute force and push past your limits to improve your skills. And that good several hours inside of my Shikai's effects did the trick", Shinji coughed up more blood and held his chest, "Now do me a favor and get me to Squad 4 before I die"

I scrambled to put away my sword as I picked up Shinji and threw him over my shoulder. I ran as fast as I could, and Flash stepped towards the Squad 4 barracks.

Now, I didn't exactly know where Squad 4 was, so I went back to the Squad 10 barracks instead where the lady with the very revealing uniform was waiting for me while drinking.

"You did that to Captain Hirako!", Matsumoto laughed drunkenly, earning some weird glances and shocked expressions around me, "Well, just keep going down until you find an open area to a place that, uh, looks like a hospital".

"Got it, thanks"

"By the way! A certain Captain is here to train you. Head Captain alerted her as soon as he got the news about your training. Just recover first and meet back here, alright?"

I rushed down to the Squad 4 barracks swiftly. I was met with an open space and a big building with a symbol of a Bellflower, which I assumed was the right building. And I wasn't wrong. As I entered the building, I saw people walking around with medical supplies, along with rooms with hospital beds and machines.

"Hey, hurry up! There's a guy dying here! No need to admire a damn hospital", Shinji grunted.

I ran up to one of the nurses, which turned out to be the Captain of Squad 4, Isane Kotetsu.

"Oh dear, it seems that Captain Hirako has been injured", Isane smiles kindly at me, "Don't worry, I'll take care of him. Meanwhile, I'll get one of the other doctors to take care of your injuries first"

She called one of the doctors nearby. I then placed Shinji on one of the beds to let him rest. The doctor then gestured for me to go inside of one of the other rooms as well.

"See ya, Shinji"

I walked inside the medical room. To recover and build myself back up again for my next training session. One skill wasn't enough to become stronger, I needed to learn more. But right now, it was time to rest.

Shinji's POV:

What the hell just happened? That Kazui kid really has the same potential Ichigo has. He's a total powerhouse. I got absolutely destroyed by him with that one Getsuga Tenshou.

But he didn't notice what even happened to him during our fight. Well, no, I suppose not. Apparently, Kazui said that he had his eyes closed towards the end of our fight. But he was wrong. His eyes were wide open, but they were different. Everything around his pupils were black, and his pupils were bright glowing blue. The sudden change in Spiritual Pressure shocked me so much that I couldn't even focus much during the fight.

Jeez, that was insane. Kazui will become more powerful in no time. I'll believe that.

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

Kido really is great. I never really got to use Kaido (Healing spell) since I only focused on the Binding spells. I was healed in no time. All of the cuts and bruises that used to cover my body had all faded away when the healing. Though my doctor, I think his name was Hanataro or something, told me to get some bed rest. Naturally, I thanked him for the treatment and lay in bed.

My senses were heightened a bit, I could tell. But if I wanted to find out, I need to test it out in an actual fight.

I look forward to battling someone who can help me change and grow so I'll become worthy to fight alongside my dad. As I lay in bed, all I could think about was what I'll have next as I slowly drifted off into my sleep.

???'s POV:

That was too close. Anymore and he might've died. But I also see how he's improved. Kazui has somehow drawn his Hollow energy within him and used it against that Shinji character. He was able to gather the reishi and Spiritual Energy, sending a shockwave of Spiritual Pressure, negating the effects of Sakanade.

I see his plan. Mugetsu was planning ahead the whole time, knowing that over time, at his age, Kazui would develop and discover his true power just as Ichigo had. All while I sit in the white void inside his spirit.

Hurry up, Kazui. Let it be my time to shine. It really is getting boring in here.

Kazui's POV:

I woke up feeling as groggy as ever. Wow, training really took a toll on my body because even though my injuries are gone, my body is aching as hell. I stayed on my bed and lay there for a couple of minutes thinking over and reanalysing my fight with Shinji.

As I remember every detail, I knew that something was wrong with my attacks. They felt more heavier than usual; just like the time in the Dangai. My Getsuga Tenshou was much larger. If I hadn't held back my attack for a bit, I think I would have severely damaged Shinji.

I slowly got up from the bed and slowly walked out to the door.

I bowed and thanked each one of the nurses and doctors, especially Captain Isane Kotetsu. I then walked into Shinji's room and thanked him for the training.

"Eh, its no problem really. I helped your father, and he saved the whole damn Soul Society. Not that I'm complaining or anything. Anyway, back to the point, your senses should be at least heightened since training with Sakanade will sharpen your senses and increase your perception. You'll be more likely to not fall into illusions and react quicker", Shinji explained nonchalantly in his hospital bed.

"Get out of here, Kurosaki. You have training to do"

I bowed once again and walked off back to the Squad 10 barracks.

When I finally arrived, a certain tanned lady wearing bright orange overshirt waited for me at the front gate.

"So, who're you?"

She smiled at me and crossed her arms, "I'm an old friend of your dad's. My name is Yoruichi Shihoin"

I looked extremely confused, "So you aren't the captain that Matsumoto told me about?"

"Well.....no. But I am here to take you to where you're supposed to be", she then turned around, "That is if you keep up with me"

"Trust me, I know Flash step. My dad taught me and I got it easily"

"And who do you think taught him?"

"..."

To be fair, he never really told me.

She then took off without a trace of her whereabouts. After she reappeared, she was already an extremely long distance away from me. Damn, how fast is she?

With a long sigh, I also took off as well. Trying as fast as I could to catch up to this Yoruichi. One Flash step after another, we both kept racing each other to get to our destination, with her mainly in the lead.

Really, who is she? A stranger who was about to lead me to my doom or something?

I guess I'd find out if I followed her.

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

Well, if it wasn't obvious already, this Yoruichi beat me to wherever we were going to.

Her Flash steps had longer range and speed, making her superior compared to mine. From what I can see, maybe this lesson would be about speed or agility. This definitely is an essential thing to learn, paired with my now increased reflexes.

We raced through the large canyons and cliffs until we arrived at an opening into a cave. Both of us landed onto a rocky surface in front of the cave opening. Yoruichi led the way.

"What is this place?", I asked, both of us walking inside the torch-lit area.

"This is just an entrance into the place where you're gonna learn how to be faster", Yoruichi says as we ventured deeper into the cave, spiralling downwards.

"Well, I suppose I knew already. The race to get here was just a test to see how fast I was. Am I right?"

She turned around and smiled at me, "You're not as dumb as I thought you were"

"Is that supposed to be an insult?"

"...Back to that point you made earlier. Yes, that was to test how fast you were. And to my surprise, you were able to at least keep up with me by a bit. Ichigo taught you the basics, but I'm here to teach the advanced stuff"

Ignoring the question and getting straight to the point I see.

Both of us finally arrived in an open underground area similar to Urahara's Underground Training Area. Guess this is where he got the inspiration from.

"Flash Step (Shunpo) is a major part in a Soul Reaper's transportation, as you know. It allows the user to travel from Point A to Point B at a blink of an eye by creating 'steps' in the air. But if we add some additional techniques to that, it'll help you in terms of traversal and combat", she put 1 finger up and then pointed at me, "Kisuke told me about you. Well, I already knew you, but he also told me some other facts. Like Ichigo, you're a hybrid of Soul Reaper, Quincy, and Hollow. Each species has their own way of traversal just like Flash Step"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Well, Quincies have a technique called Hirenkyaku. Arrancars, who were originally Hollows, have their technique called Sonido. Combine those two along with Flash Step and you will have a major increase and advantage in terms of speed. I'll also teach you my secret technique to give you an offensive advantage as well"

"Right. So, if that were to happen, how would that even be possible to learn", I fidgeted with my Zanpakuto.

"That's up to you to. You have to unlock that yourself"

I stood there for a moment. I contemplated about my decision for a moment before I made my decision. All this talk about different types of traversal techniques is floating around my brain, making it hard to grasp on. Learning it will be hard, but I will push through.

Like I did with Shinji, I'll brute force and go past my limits so that I will unlock my full potential and powers. I looked back at Yoruichi, who was staring at me questioningly.

I bowed, "Yoruichi-sensei, I ask of you to please teach me to become faster"

"Raise your head", I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up, her expression looked pleased with my response, "I gladly accept your request"

"And for the record, just call me Yoruichi"

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

"The first thing you're going to learn is the Quincy's technique. Now, I don't know how to do this myself, so I brought an old friend", Yoruichi announces as she gestures forward.

From out of one of the large boulders, emerged a familiar glasses-wearing person with the Quincy cross embroidered into his white clothes.

"Ishida?!", I felt relieved that a familiar face was here to teach me.

"Now calm down, Kurosaki. I was only here at the request of Yoruichi at such a short notice. I hadn't prepared that much but- "

Yoruichi cut him off with a grin, "When I called you, you were off on your break with nothing to do. So you mean you didn't come here to show off your technique to Kazui and prove that Quincies are better than Soul Reapers?"

"Shut up", protested Ishida before he turned to me, "Anyway, this technique is only exclusive to Quincies. But in your case, you have Quincy blood in you due to your heritage. So there is a chance that it will be successful for you to learn"

I nodded enthusiastically. I guess this hybrid blood inside of me was going to be useful after all.

"Hirenkyaku is a technique that Quincies normally use to travel from one place to another at extreme speeds. But its different from Flash Step, which may be even faster", Ishida pushed up his glasses and when nobody agreed with him, he sighed and continued. "Our technique basically uses the reishi in the air to travel faster. Unless you have a weak spiritual awareness or ability to control reishi, it is unlikely you are able to use this technique"

"And so to jump start your training, we'll attack you while you try to learn", Yoruichi clapped her hands, "Let the lesson begin"

"H-huh?!"

Ishida drew his spiderweb-like bow and started firing. I Flash stepped away from his incoming arrows before any of them could hit me. I grabbed onto a piece of rock from where I travelled to as I hung onto the roof.

I went in to draw my Zanpakuto, I noticed that both the sheath and the sword wasn't there. When I looked down, I saw Yoruichi holding my Zanpakuto and stuck a tongue at me. Looks like I can't use it during this training.

"Licht Regen!"

A sudden hail of countless spirit arrows was fired all at once, all aiming towards me. I kept Flash stepping away, trying to dash away from the attacks, but everywhere I went, the arrows followed me.

"My bow, Ginreikojaku, usually fires over 1200 arrows a row every second. But overtime, and due to certain circumstances, my power increased. This bow now shoots over 7000 arrows at once. This will be the price to pay for your development"

Is he mad? Is he trying to kill me? Or is it both?

I kept dodging the attacks, keeping up with the speed of his arrows and narrowly avoided being hit. The blue arrows flew past me as I kept evading them, my stamina slowly draining.

Damn it. Not now. And just when I thought I was going good so far. What were these two planning anyway? What was the purpose of putting me through this trial for me to become faster?

Hirenkyaku is a Quincy technique if I can remember. This technique uses the reishi from the air and uses it to boost the speed of the user, like a Flash step. And if he was right, from Ishida's perspective I must look that slow to him for him to always keep an eye for where I go.

While I was working out how to solve this difficult problem, I didn't notice Yoruichi sneak up behind me. Trapped in my thoughts, I finally snapped out of it when she kicked me towards the arrows. I lost my balance, falling quickly into the range of fire.

I could hear the sound of the arrow's buzzing energy, and the way those arrows were fired from Ishida's bow. My new main focus was now to become aware of the reishi around me. The essence of spiritual bodies; the building blocks of all souls and spiritual matter.

It was all around me and was even my own source of power. Without it, I wouldn't become a Soul Reaper. Without it, I wouldn't be able to use Getsuga Tenshou. Without it, I won't be able to learn my own power.

I sensed the energy all around me, filling the cave and everything it could fit in. Just like a Getsuga Tenshou, I needed to gather all the reishi to boost myself and speed up. Or else I'll get hit.

The arrows were no more than a few meters and, due to its speed, would hit me in no time. At once, I instinctively accumulated all of the reishi that came my way and forced myself to advance.

As I blinked my eyes opened, I saw that the energy from the arrows were being transferred into my own body. A shiver ran up my spine as the feeling of pure reishi was absorbed into every fiber of my being. A new energy awakened in me. It felt as if something locked inside of me was twisted open like a key to a door. It wasn't pleasant but at the same time it felt good. I can do this.

I placed all of this reishi into my feet as I prepared the footwork of a Flash step. The sensation felt like ice skating as I easily used it to slide towards my destination. It took one stride to completely avoid the arrows altogether, and another to appear behind Ishida.

"So...did I do it right?"

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

With a couple more hours of practicing Hirenkyaku, I basically learned how to use it as well as combining it with my Flash Step. The footwork along with gathering reishi are key when using this skill, and I've finally learned how to do it.

Ishida tilted his glasses up and continued firing, explaining the strategy in how he brought my new skill out, "Reishi, as you know, is the main component from my spirit arrows. And the whole Hirenkyaku skill is based on manipulating reishi so that you can travel long distances. Using this fact, I was able to create a plan so that your manipulation of reishi was easier during a life-or-death situation. And thanks to me, you were able to learn this skill in a matter of hours".

When Yoruichi called for a break, me and Ishida both collapsed onto the floor like it was our beds.

A couple of minutes later, Yoruichi called us again but both of us were passed out.

"HEY! Kazui! Ishida! Get up from your asses, you guys are still young compared to me so you must have a lot of energy", she scolded us after kicking our exhausted body.

"Is there any food or water?", Ishida and I asked in unison.

"No, not until you, Ishida continue to attack Kazui. And you, Kazui, learn how to combine all of the traversal skills!"

Awww, I thought she'd be nice considering she was my dad's friend.

Anyway, me and Ishida got up after what felt like days and continued practicing the Quincy technique in order to better use it. Every time I used the move, my awareness of reishi increased which made it easier for me to control the direction in which I used Hirenkyaku.

Afterwards, Ishida got a phone call from, I assume, Karakura Hospital saying that there was a patient in the emergency room that needed his treatment. He packed up his things that he brought over to the Underground Training Area and waved farewell.

"So, it seems you've got the basics of Hirenkyaku thanks to Ishida, but I want to try something out...", Yoruichi suggests, raising her hands up, "Let's fight"

"Huh? Wai-", before I could finish my protest, I had been kicked in the face by her.

I fell over and hit my head on the rocks. Ouch.

Without a moment to think, I drew my Zanpakuto and charged at her. Both of us traded hits, her using her hands and feet while I used my blade. From a spectator's perspective, it would be harder to track our movements due to how fast we were.

Blow after blow, I tried to aim for places that exposed her weak points. Sweat poured down my forehead and bruises scattered across my body. Yoruichi sure packed a punch. As best as possible, I used my new experience in footwork to try and get around her to take her down.

I positioned my foot and pushed forward, sliding around and spreading out to my surroundings to try and hit her. I repeated the process of Flash stepping backwards and striking forwards to gain enough momentum and force to try and push her back. This seemed to be working because she looked confused and almost broke her momentum. But this wasn't enough.

Yoruichi seemed to recognise the pattern in which I was attacking, so when I tried to land a hit on her, she counterattacked. Yoruichi side stepped the place where I originally was going to strike and tripped me over. As soon as I landed onto the floor, she used her foot to pin me onto the floor, restraining me.

"Just as I thought", Yoruichi murmured as she let go of me, holding out a hand for me to take.

Naturally, I took her hand, "What was just as you thought? That I'd get beaten. I mean, I am kind of weak after all-".

"No, you've been subconsciously using Sonido the whole time"

"What? No, it can't be. I didn't even know that skill until now", I stated, scratching my head trying to remember if someone even taught me that move.

"Usually, a Flash Step would produce a swift silent sound when one uses it. But a Sonido makes a booming or static noise when an Arrancar uses it according to Kisuke", she explained while tapping her chin, "For the whole time that we've been training and the beginning, I've been hearing this static sound whenever you apparently used Flash step. I guess that's why you're able to catch up to me in terms of speed".

"Right. Well, that's good! One less thing to learn now that I've already been using it"

"And now that leads us to the last lesson", Yoruichi states with a challenging glint in her eyes and a smirk, "You're now going to learn a technique that few Soul Reapers know"

"And what would that be?"

"Shunko"

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

"Shunko, a technique that only a few people know, including the Squad 2 Captain", Yoruichi explains, "It combines both Kido and Hakuda and drives it into both arms and legs, preventing anything from piercing that area. You can also fire attacks using this move. Although..."

She started to try and stifle her laugh.

"Uhm. What is it?"

"Nothing, nothing. Let's just get on with this already"

Yoruichi walked backwards and stood directly in front of me, giving us both a large area of space. She held both her arms out, and from what I see, Spiritual energy was swirling around her arms and legs. I can feel a slight rise in Spiritual Pressure as she activated this move. The orange clothing she wore tore apart as the energy enveloped around her body and electricity crackled out of her.

"Wow, that looks cool", I say, my jaw dropped.

"Correct, and another thing, you're going to learn it", Yoruichi says, "And knowing your father and his genes, you're going to easily learn this. Well, he never learned it, but he powered through anything he wanted to learn"

So, my dad never learned this, huh? When I show him this, he'll definitely be impressed by my newly found skills.

I first had to focus on my Kido. I never knew much about Kido except some sealing and attacking spells that Mr. Tessai taught me. So how am I able to do this?

I could instead focus on my Spiritual Pressure and energy to try and create a spell that can unlock my Shunko, but like I said before, I didn't know much. But then I realized that I did have one thing, and it wasn't Kido.

My grip on my Zanpakuto tightened as I tried to focus my mind on the blade. I focused on the way that I released my energy whenever I performed a Getsuga Tenshou, the power that it wields. My main attack had been my anchor to branch out on other skills, and this was one moment when I must use it.

I closed my eyes and entered a state where I could enter my Inner world, inside my Zanpakuto. I gathered all the strength and my abilities from the Zanpakuto. This power that I hold inside every part of my blade will become my weapon.

After a while, I could feel a strange sensation from my right arm, so I opened my eyes. Black and blue energy enveloped around my arms, ripping apart the fabric of my Shihakusho and travelling across my body...where the rest of my clothes were tearing apart.

Crap! I had to do something about this.

I concentrated a small percentage of my focus on my Fullbring powers to keep my hoodie and some parts of my Shihakusho intact. The energy then moved towards my legs and a light feeling erupted inside of me. My weight felt lighter as the energy supported my balance which at last concluded my transformation.

I then noticed a difference in my Zanpakuto, or should I say Zanpakutos. My original sword turned midnight black with glowing blue around the edges as the energy covered the blade, and shrunk to a standard size. The energy then produced the same identical blade that formed inside my other hand. From my power, it must've balanced the heaviness that I kept feeling from my attacks against Shinji and from the Dangai. Interesting. This must be an additional cool effect from my Shunko.

Yoruichi looks at me impressed, her own Shunko disappearing as she examined mine.

"I'm surprised that your clothes didn't fall off during the transformation", she says, laughing at me.

A vein popped in my head, "So that's what you were trying to cover up earlier, huh? Nice one, real nice one..."

"Hey, don't take it seriously. Luckily you have your Fullbring to keep your clothes on. But now this is the test that determines it all", Yoruichi announces loudly, using her Shunko once again, "This will be the final fight between you and me".

"I look forward to it, Yoruichi", I say, pointing my sword at her.

"Right back at you, Kazui", she says, getting into her battle position.

We both charged towards each other. Lightning and black energy crackled in the air as we clashed together. Both of our attacks so fast that it would be impossible to keep track of. If this was the last fight, then I needed to win. I'll be able to proceed if I win and get onto the next training point.

We'll see who comes out on top, and who loses.

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

So I woke up on a hospital bed in the Squad 4 barracks once again and later found out that I had been knocked out for 3 days.

I sat up and rubbed the back of my head. Seems like I definitely was beaten up by Yoruichi. But thanks to the healers in Squad 4, I was able to get back into shape. All of my bruises and broken bones were erased and I was left with an unscathed body. I was about to get up and go back to the Underground Training Area, but then I glanced at Yoruichi who was leaning on the doorway.

"Yo, Kazui. Shouldn't you still be in bed?"

"Uh, I don't think so. I need to get back to training anyway..."

She held a hand up and shook her head, "No, your training with me is completed"

"What? Huh? Is it because I failed? Look, I'll learn how to master it. And then I can beat you-"

"No, Kazui. You've done more than enough", Yoruichi smiled at me approvingly, "The whole point of that training was to make you faster. That hybrid technique will be more than enough to suffice. Additionally, Shunko was just a little extra I added"

I raised my eyebrows, "Well, if I can't use a fully mastered Shunko, then how am I able to use it during a fight?"

She laughed, "The battle with me was to see how long and how powerful you were when using Shunko. That technique reflects on the user, and with enough battle experience, you can refine and master it yourself"

"I understand. Thank you, Yoruichi, for your help", I lay back in my bed and relaxed.

"No problem. Well, see you, Kazui", she walked out and disappeared to wherever she needed to be.

My body ached despite being recovered from my injuries. Guess using the hybrid technique along with Shunko had taken a toll on my body. This probably means I have to take a break for a while before my next encounter with a Captain.

I sighed. I was sort of satisfied with my progress so far, considering that I had learned to sharpen my senses along with my increased speed. But of course, that wouldn't even match my father's combat abilities, and not even close to passing him.

I know that my strength right now isn't enough, so I have to keep training until then.

Closing my eyes, I could still sense dad's Spiritual Pressure from all the way here. It seems that he's still safe and investigating the disappearances. That's good. I don't want him to be in trouble without me helping him one way or the other.

"Hey! New guy!"

"Kazui!"

I sat up from my bed to see where those voices came from.

One of them walked in and hugged me. Well, it was more like she was trying to crush me and drain me out of oxygen. Wait, do Soul Reapers need oxygen? Never mind, anyway back to the story.

"Ack! You're going to crush me! Ichika, let go!", I gasped for air as the red-haired girl let go, "By the way, are you alright?"

She nodded and smiled at me, "Yeah, I'll be alright"

"That's good"

And I really meant it. The last time I saw her, she had a breakdown when she heard of her father and uncle's disappearance. But seeing her here with a positive look on her face and no worries, I was able to truly relax.

I looked behind her and saw a boy, probably around my age, standing in front of the doorway, holding a tray of what looked like medicine. He had short black hair and dark blue eyes, wearing a sleeveless Soul Reaper uniform with black armbands around his biceps. Judging by his appearance, it looked like he worked out due to how lean he was. The Zanpakuto was regular standard that had a circular golden guard with a feather design.

"So, Kazui, huh?"

"Yep, that's me"

"Cool, so I got sent down here to help you out. Since, you know, we're kinda the same age. And cuz my dad is one of the people who is helping your next captain training session"

Seems nice. At least I got another buddy. "So, what's your name?"

He put out a hand, "My name's Kaito Hisagi. Nice to meet you"

I shook his hand, "Kazui Kurosaki. Pleasure to meet you as well"

And this was the start of a new friendship and a reunion between a Substitute Soul Reaper, and two Soul Reapers as we joined paths to become stronger.

Chapter Text

Ichigo's POV:

It was nighttime and I was exhausted, but I wouldn't stop until I found them. I feel like I'm getting closer to where Renji and Byakuya are. It took a while, more like around 6 days, but I was currently at the edge of the Rukon District where I first felt their Spiritual Pressures. Walking around, it felt too quiet and peaceful for a dark place like this. Usually there would be some insect or bird chirping around the area to at least give the place some sound, but there was none.

Crunch!

I sensed a slight trace of Spiritual Pressure beneath my feet. I slowly looked down to the place where I stepped on and saw a broken white object. Kneeling down to pick it up, I recognised what this was.

It was the headpiece that Byakuya always wears. And not only that, but...

I turned around and saw Renji's bandanna on the ground as well, covered in dirt and leaves. I took the two pieces of accessories that I remember my comrades by and stuffed them into the pockets of my Shihakusho. Damn it, this was a dead end.

Whoever is doing this has done this on purpose. Using the clothing and amplifying its Spiritual Pressures to lure me here. Looking up at the bright full moon, I felt a twinge of sadness.

Renji. Byakuya. Where are you?

Kazui's POV:

Alright, so it turned out that while I was training, Ichika was training as well.

I guess she wanted to be productive while I was gone to take her mind off of some things and focus on trying to rescue her family. I mean, I could tell she had gotten stronger since the energy around her felt higher than usual. Change was a good thing. And I'm glad that Ichika had the opportunity to use this time to set her mind down the right path.

Along with that, Kaito was definitely very skilled when it comes to swordsmanship. According to Ichika, he had high marks in his Zanjutsu in the Spiritual Arts Academy. His Zanpakuto had an aura around it that I couldn't describe, but none of it was negative. It just meant that he was a strong companion, and I'm glad to become friends with him.

A day passed since that reunion, and we all met up at the front of the Squad 4 barracks to escort me to my next captain training session.

"By the way, what's with your sleeveless Shihakusho? I swear the last time I saw you, it had sleeves", Ichika noted.

"Oh, that. I guess its just a side effect of training with Yoruichi, haha", I replied awkwardly after I had just realized it myself. It wasn't a lie, per say. But Yoruichi added some emphasis to the word 'secret' from her technique. So, I can't just tell Ichika that I had just learned Shunko.

"W-well, it looks really nice on you", she says while turning away.

"Thanks". What was her problem? Maybe it showed too much skin. Though I can't really turn it back even with my Fullbring.

Kaito bumped shoulders with me, "Hey, we can be matching buddies, eh?"

"I guess so"

We both walked to our destination near the forest a little bit outside the Seireitei. It overlooked a very beautiful view of the outside environment of the Soul Society. Seriously, half of these places here are better than Japan.

A man who was playing guitar while sitting on the rock greeted us. As I looked at him, I saw the similarities between him and Kaito. Along with the same short black hair, lean muscular build, and armbands, he also had some unique qualities. He had a pale blue stripe that went from his left cheek to the bridge of his nose and a tattoo of the number 69.

Kaito waved, "Hey dad. We brought Kazui down here"

"Haha. Right, about that", Shuhei sighed and rubbed the back of his head, "Well, it'd actually be easier to show you"

He placed down his guitar and led all three of us deeper into the forest, where I felt two extremely high Spiritual Pressures that looked like...they were arguing with each other? Hisagi just smiled anxiously. I wonder what this man has to deal with every day.

"Well, as you can see. We seemed to have found an unexpected visitor who'll be also training you today, Kazui"

One of the people arguing had short silver hair with also (is this a new trend now) a sleeveless Shihakusho with a white captain's haori covering it. The other person, who I assumed was the visitor, had long and messy black hair while wearing a noticeable eyepatch. His build was both muscular and tall and had a terrifying looking face with a scar running down his left eye.

When they finally noticed us, the larger man walked up to me and smiled like a madman.

"Hey. I heard that you were Ichigo's son. So, if I get this right, you must be as strong as him, right?", this man said in a rough voice, "I'm gonna have to ask you to fight me. And no is not an answer"

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

"Uh, respectfully, who are you?", I asked with a small voice.

"Captain Kenpachi Zaraki", the captain grinned wildly and raised his sword, "And now you know the name of the person you're going to fall to"

Before Kenpachi could slice downwards, the white-haired captain quickly parried his attack and pushed me away. He gave him a stern look before glancing at me.

"Sorry for the inconvenience, Kazui. Seems like Captain Zaraki is a little too enthusiastic about training", he nodded when the crazy captain sighed and backed off, "The name's Captain Kensei Muguruma"

I shook his hand when he offered it. Behind him, Kenpachi tapped his sword on the ground impatiently.

"Hey, Muguruma. Hurry up will ya. I wanna fight this kid"

Kensei's face twitched and ignored him, "Kazui. We'll be teaching you how to fight with a sword. Defense, offence, all of that in a single battle. And of course, you'll be going up against both of us"

My jaw dropped. How was I able to go up against two total powerhouses when I'm just a rookie in training. I then sighed and gripped the hilt of my Zanpakuto. If this was for strength and swordsmanship, then I needed to polish up my skills in that area. There was no going back, even if I had a choice.

I glanced at Ichika, who gave me a reassuring smile while Kaito gave me a thumbs up and a look that says, 'try not to die'.

Yeah, that was all the encouragement I needed.

"So, when do I start?"

So that we wouldn't destroy the beautiful environment around us, the two captains and I found a large piece of land to start training. Kensei and Kenpachi drew their Zanpakuto. The white-haired captain took a deep breath.

"Bankai"

A swirl of wind erupted from where Kensei stood. Dust and leaves flew erratically as the force of the air moved everything surrounding him. I could feel the strong energy as Kensei's Bankai took place. As the wind calm down and faded away, I could finally see what he looked like.

Thick steel bands wrapped around his entire arms and a long steel arch formed over his head. Kensei held small blades that stuck out from his knuckles. There wasn't much difference in his appearance except his arms, but that all the more meant that he might hold some high power. I shouldn't underestimate this guy

"Tekken Tachikaze"

Kenpachi looked over to him and smirked, "Tch, you need to use a Bankai against this kid?"

"Sorry I didn't meet up to your standards, Captain Zaraki. But the only way this kid will get stronger is by getting beat up himself", Kensei says calmly as he cracked his neck.

"I suppose so", Kenpachi grins towards me, "Well, you ready, Kazui?"

"Captain or not, who do you take me for?", drawing my Zanpakuto, I could feel a strange energy emitting from it, "I'm the son of Ichigo Kurosaki. Let's get this over with, Kenpachi, Kensei"

The two nodded and waited as they watched me prepare my Shikai.

"Conquer, Mugetsu"

A blinding flash of black and red energy flowed out of the blade and covered my entire body. The Spiritual Energy erupting from the tip itself was almost enough to make me drop it, but I held on as usual. The form of the sword changed, growing larger and taking on a new appearance. The abnormally large Zanpakuto with a grey edge and a black blade. The sword guard disappeared and turned into long bandages that wrapped around the hilt of the Zanpakuto.

After a second of releasing my Shikai, the two captains immediately attacked me. Crap, they were strong, almost as strong as me. I needed to take down one captain first before handling the next one. They both pushed me together, pressing their sword against mine to try and overpower me. I couldn't let that happen.

With the remaining strength that I had, I pushed them both back and used my Shun-So-Hi (Shunpo or Flash Step, Sonido, and Hirenkyaku hybrid technique) to gain some distance from the two of them. I used the bandages to spin my blade around and gain enough momentum for a throw.

I launched my blade towards Kensei and attempted to hit him, but the man grabbed my blade instead and used it to launch himself towards me. His fist was prepared for a powerful punch, but I blocked it with my blade just in time as I dragged it back. The punch was enough to be able to knock me back far but using my sword, I planted it into the ground and I slid back to support myself.

The next his was by Kenpachi as he slashed down on me. I dodged it quickly but was met by another fatal strike. Behind me, Kensei used all of his might to land a blow on me. I spat out blood as his fist hit me, but I kept the pain inside as I kept fighting on.

But that wasn't all, Kensei's punches had more. The hit was only the beginning as there was also an explosive force that followed, knocking me forward. I almost would've got cut by Kenpachi if I hadn't blocked his attack mid-air.

So this was Kensei's abilities? Explosive force upon impact was this Bankai's power, which meant I had to keep a distance away from him.

Before I could strategize further, Kenpachi interrupted by almost slicing off my head.

"What's wrong, Kazui? You struggling a bit?"

I spat out some blood and smirked at him, "No problems here. I'm just finding a way to knock both of you out"

I struck forward, pressing my sword blade against his. Since he had the height advantage, all I had to do was get higher. I used the strength of how solid of a hold that Kenpachi's blade had and grabbed onto it. Blood leaked out of my hands, but this plan was totally worth it. I swung myself upwards, raising my blade as I prepared my descent.

I could feel unintentional energy building up. I didn't feel like doing a Getsuga, but my sword seemed to have felt otherwise. Black and red sparks erupted out of the blade and just before I could strike down, I found myself shouting out the words:

"GETSUGA TENSHOU"

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

"GETSUGA TENSHOU"

I launched my attack towards Kenpachi. But something was different with that attack. This time, the colour of the energy blast was black and red, just like the energy from my Shikai activation. The weight and strange feeling that I had felt earlier from my blade disappeared when I released and now it felt lighter.

The direct attack hit Kenpachi in the chest, blowing him backwards and dropped him into the ground. I had no time to waste. I had to get Kensei as well in order to surpass them.

I used Shun-So-Hi to rush my way towards him when he wasn't expecting. I raised my sword and released another Getsuga Tenshou. Surprisingly, Kensei dodged the attack and punched my chest. The blades from his knuckles pierced into my rib cage and I felt it shatter. I spat even more blood after Kensei continuously punched me, the explosive force adding even more damage to my body.

The strength I felt was beginning to leave me, and I couldn't do anything about it. But I did know one thing that I could do. If Kensei was able to use his Bankai against me, then I can use a couple of tricks of my own.

Using my Fullbring, I was able to control the fabrics of my Shihakusho to cover up my wounds, reinforcing that area. I used my Zanpakuto to then launch myself up with a Getsuga Tenshou, hitting Kensei along with it. With a throw of my Zanpakuto, I struck the arch behind his head and dragged him up with me.

This was a good start. In his dazed state, I can land some hits on him and render Kensei unconscious so that I'll at least handle one of the two captains. But he was prepared. Even though my Zanpakuto pierced through his armour, he still had enough strength to land a punch to my jaw. I felt a loud crack and my jaw felt dislocated.

It didn't hurt as much for some reason. Probably since I already felt like crap that my mind wasn't bothered with the pain in my jaw. I could still reject this. I've had worse.

I used my Sotenkisshun to heal my wounds and spat some blood onto the floor. I planted my sword on the ground and took a breather. Kensei landed in front of me, a few injuries left, but still ready to go.

"You good, Kazui? I hate to break it to you, but you need to keep up or else you'll just be a burden to the Soul Society. Hurry up, unless you wanna end up dead in battle", Kensei states seriously.

My jaw was still recovering so I couldn't answer. Finally, I picked my sword back up and faced him properly. This was no time to chat, so I gotta fight. Screw this, I'll just attack with all I have.

I dashed towards him and struck one of his arms, pinning him onto the dirt ground on one knee. Kensei tried to kick me in the face but using the hilt of my sword, I blocked it easily. Somehow, I didn't see that this was just a diversion and got punched, the explosive force once again my cause of pain. I gritted my teeth and stabbed Kensei in the stomach as payback for my injuries. With a quick side dash, I was able to evade his next fist and used the bandages once again to my advantage.

By using my hybrid technique to its full extent, I could travel around Kensei to the point where he couldn't keep up with my speed. And along with that advantage, I used the bandages and wrapped it around his neck. I then used my full strength to slam his head on the ground. I know that might seem harsh, but to be fair these were captains. They've survived worse, and along with that it was like they were trying to kill me.

With that final strike, Kensei was down. Blood leaked from the back of his head where I hit him, but not enough that it looked like he had blood loss. That's good. Wouldn't want to accidentally kill a captain.

I sighed and turned around. But before I could try to recover another blade tried to hit me. If it weren't for my quick reaction time, I wouldn't have survived.

"Don't think you've killed me yet, Kazui!", the crazy captain exclaimed, pushing his jagged sword against my large one, "You haven't even landed a cut on me!"

My face fell as he stated that fact. It was true, and I saw it on his very own body. There was no sign of any scars or recent cuts on his chest. Not even an injury from my previous Getsuga Tenshou. How? How did he not even look that injured compared to me? But never mind that, I needed to focus.

This man is an absolute beast. I don't know how to beat him, but I promise, on behalf of my family, I will.

"BRING IT ON! KENPACHI ZARAKI!"

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

Our swords clanged together; sparks flying everywhere as we kept fighting. No matter what I did to try and damage Kenpachi, he didn't even remotely look like he was cut. His face had a permanent grin on his face as he fought me. He truly was a monster.

How can a person like him be so happy about fighting other people? From the whole time that we started training, he always had a smile on his face as if he was enjoying this experience. It was sickening. I want to wipe that smile off his face. If I were to face someone like this in a real fight, I would not hesitate to wipe them out.

I want to protect a world where using my powers will restore peace. But I know that it won't always be that way. There will always be things that will get in the way of peace, whether it be both humans and Hollows. But from the bottom of my heart, I will keep peace within our worlds.

Since he's a captain I won't kill him, but I'll at least try to knock him out. But how?

As our blades kept colliding with each other, it was clear that Kenpachi had the upper hand in this battle. Based on raw strength and power, he was superior in every way, and I was nowhere near his level. I needed to figure out a way to overcome him. I could see that his form and build were large, which could probably mean that he might or might not be slower than me. But then again, I've seen bigger things travel fast. Oh well, it's worth a shot.

After a few years in my childhood of sneaking out paired with somehow getting into random fights, I've had my experience in some hand-to-hand combat. But this time it was going to be fast as hell.

"GETSUGA TENSHOU"

I launched another energy blast towards Kenpachi, making sure that there was a good amount of space around us. Looking around, there's a lot of obstacles and other things that scattered around this open area, giving me the right terrain to use a new strategy. I threw my Zanpakuto towards Kenpachi. Naturally, he dodged out of the way, so the blade was planted deeply into the ground, unable to be pulled out. I wrapped the bandages around my right hand and pulled my sword and made sure that it couldn't be pulled out. The first part of my plan, the anchor, was in place.

Using Shun-So-Hi, I sped towards Kenpachi and landed a fist towards his face. It wouldn't do much, but with enough momentum, I could use something to my advantage. I used my Zanpakuto anchor to swing myself around and hit him once again. I also used the obstacles around me to dodge his attacks and followed it up with another hit.

It looked like it was effective because of how Kenpachi looked. Each hit seemed like it made him more unstable and imbalanced. He was swaying on his feet and stumbled around as I landed more kicks and punches. Yes, it was working.

That's what I thought before he grabbed my leg on my next kick and slammed me onto the ground. My head hit the ground and blood splattered everywhere from my upper body. I felt bones breaking and flesh tearing as my body landed on the floor. I felt really dizzy. Crap, everything is going dark now.

I could see Kenpachi's grinning face fade as he saw how vulnerable I was compared to him. I wanted to wipe his smile off, but not in this way. Hell, my head is throbbing with pain I can't comprehend.

"So much for this training. This was boring", he placed his sword over his back and started walking away.

"W-wait! I'm not finished. COME BACK HERE!", I called out with all my strength, coughing up blood by performing the action, "I'M NOT DONE!"

"Sorry, but I don't fight people who can't even fight back anymore", he paused his exit and looked back at me, "You're weak"

My hands balled up into fists as I lay helplessly on the floor. He was right, I couldn't even fight one bit anymore. My Zanpakuto still embedded deep into the floor as if it was waiting for its owner to come back and pick it up. I can't lose like this. I refuse.

"Kazui!"

What was that voice? Well, I couldn't care less since I'm about to pass out right now. There was no point whatsoever in trying anymore. My whole world was slowly fading into black as I lay defeated on the dirt floor.

But why? Why do I keep hearing a voice calling out my name as if I was important?

The last thing I saw was someone who had red hair, running towards me.

It was over.

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

"Yo, Kazui"

I sat up abruptly as I heard the voice. I looked around and found that I was surrounded by white once again. That's strange, wasn't I in...?

It took me a while before I slowly looked up and saw a white figure with black eyes and blue pupils smiling at me.

"Its you again, whatever your name is"

"Yup, and you're really pathetic, you know that?", he finally hopped down and stood in front of me, a large white sword held behind his back.

"What gives you the right to say that?", I sighed and stood up as well, facing him eye-to-eye, "Just take me back to where I was, I'll take over from there"

His sword then pointed at my chest, "Nope, you'll just fall down again and make a fool of yourself again in front of Zaraki. So no, you won't be going anywhere"

Before he could strike me down, I rolled out of the way to evade his attack. I was about to take out my own blade but couldn't feel anything from my white robes. Wait. When did I have white robes in the first place?

"As long as you're in this realm, you'll abide by its rules, and you can't get out unless I say so"

"You mean unless we say so, huh? #########?", a deep voice stated behind me.

I wonder why I couldn't hear what he said. Each time that white figure's name is said, the words sound jumbled and unintelligible. What was this guy's name anyway?

I turned around to see a dark smoking figure with long black hair.

"Mugetsu. Why'd you two bring me here?"

"First of all, I'm sorry for your loss. You have worked hard to attain all of these skills that have come naturally to you, but it is not enough to succeed. You aren't strong enough"

Those words hurt like an arrow piercing through my heart. If it were from a mentor or from a friend, it wouldn't be that bad. But coming from your own Zanpakuto, your own source of power. Man, that hurts like hell.

"Then what...then what can I do to become stronger?", I whispered quietly but both figures just stayed silent, "Tell me...WHAT CAN I DO?"

"You'll never attain full strength but will only reach up until a point where all progression stops. If you want to return, then you must gain your sword back", Mugetsu picked up a tall black blade from the white surface of this dimension and pointed it at me.

I tried to grab it from him, but he pulled it away quickly.

"What's up with that, huh? Thought you wanted me to gain it back"

White tapped his foot on the floor and fiddled with the black bandages on his blade, "What the big man means, is that he wants you to prove that you are worthy to wield his blade. In a fight of course"

"Thanks for the tip, but how am I supposed to do that without a swo-", before I could say what my problem was, Blue Eyes threw his white blade at me. In midair, it transformed into a normal Zanpakuto which wasn't in my Shikai form.

Mugetsu then clashed swords with me and pushed me backwards, using the force of his strength against my own.

He was strong. And based on my recent fight with Kenpachi and Kensei, the force of his blade was better than both of theirs combined. I was being pushed back, thrown, and beaten up everywhere in the white realm. There were only a few moves that I could keep up with, but none of them being that effective as his strikes. After a while, I finally used my hybrid dash to gain some distance before rushing back and landing a couple of hits again.

But it was the same way when I had been taken down before. Mugetsu's hand was at the back of my head before slamming my face onto the ground.

"Predictable. You always rely on your speed and agility before your own strength. You always use Getsuga Tenshou, which is only to gain distance or for a finishing blow. Are you afraid or are you that weak?"

"What did you say? Because I'm not sure if I heard that right", I say, gritting my teeth as he pushed my head down further into the pale ground.

"Unless you don't understand your own combat strategies, then you are a fool. It is both predictable and weak", Mugetsu says coldly and finally kicked me up and hit me with the flat of his sword.

I flew over the ground and landed on my back. Struggling with my body, it took a long time before I crawled up and grabbed my sword. I swayed back and forth, having trouble to even try and stay up straight.

I didn't even see Mugetsu rushing towards me before I finally was hit. The blade sliced across my face, but no blood spilled out. Pain unimaginable pierced through my very soul and being and I screamed out loud. Collapsing to my knees, I continued to feel this pain. My lungs were burning, and black flames escaped from my mouth.

Mugetsu stared down at me, with not a look of disappointment, but of understanding.

"Why do you fight, Kazui?"

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

"Why do I fight, you ask? If you really were my sword, you would've known by now", I gasp through breaths of black flames, "But if you don't know, I'll clarify for you"

I coughed up more before I finally steadied myself on my sword, trying to keep myself up. These black flames felt both unpleasant and strangely soothing. Although it was painful, there was some type of effect that grew in my body. I don't know what, but it's something I'll worry about after.

"The reason I fight is to protect people. Why do you think I started training in the first place? Why do you think I'm dedicated to saving souls and becoming a Soul Reaper? It's because I want to protect. Whether it be my duty or not, I will do it"

Finally, I felt some strength coming back to my body. The flames slowly died out and I felt slightly sick, but otherwise okay. I stumbled a bit before clashing swords with Mugetsu.

"And whether you like it or not, I'll do it anyway. Without your power I'll still make it through. You hear me?"

Mugetsu's dark red eyes stared down at me before looking to the distance. I took this opportunity to sweep his legs and disarm him, but the plan didn't work anyway. He jumped over my head and performed a devastating spinning kick to my skull.

I could feel myself about to black out from the hit. I might as well preferred being stabbed by his flame erupting sword than be knocked out by a kick. Before I was even able to become unconscious, White slapped my face.

"Look, this is my sword, so if you lose with it...well...it'd make me look bad. So you better hop on your feet and at least land. A. DAMN. SCRATCH. YOU BASTARD"

Blue Eyes punched me in the gut with each syllable. I could feel my energy restoring and my strength increasing somehow as I got punched. What was this feeling? It was familiar, almost as if I had felt it before in the past. Whatever it was, it felt so good.

I stood back up with my replenished energy and faced Mugetsu one last time. I would, no, I will land a scratch on my Zanpakuto spirit to protect my loved ones...and whoever the white figure is. In any other case, I will fulfil this mission and get back out there.

I hybrid dashed toward Mugetsu and raised my sword. Supposing that he was expecting a large-scale attack, I instead descended towards his legs and performed my weakest attack.

"Gatsurin"

The small circular blast exploded in between his legs, causing Mugetsu to lose balance of his stance. I took this as a chance to once again strike him down. Mugetsu flew upward to avoid it, but instead was met by a sharp blade. The edge sliced through his mask and cut down towards his bandages. Before I could even react, he stabbed his blade towards my chest, ripping open my chest.

Whatever was added to those punches, it definitely gave me an advantage in this fight. The adrenaline rush negated any form of pain as I continued to slash. My attacks had no rhythm whatsoever. My attacks were constant and random. I was a total powerhouse next to Mugetsu himself as we met each other's blades, sparks flying everywhere.

"I'm impressed, Kazui. You've managed to regain your sense of duty. And not just in words, but in heart"

"Be impressed by Blue Eyes over there. He's the one who punched me"

Instead of using just my speed and strategy, I kept pushing forward with brute force. Nothing but strength was in my hands as I kept landing blow after blow, trying to find weak spots in his defence. The dark flames coming from his sword swirled around my arms as I slashed the large blade. This gave me even more energy to fight as I absorbed his power, or should I say my power. Because the power he wields reflects my soul and who I am, so any power he has is originally mine. And I won't let him take that gift from me.

I kept absorbing the energy coming from Mugetsu's blade and reflected it back onto him, increasing my power and strength after each blow. A familiar sensation shivered across my spine and spread across my body like electricity in a circuit. Along with that, the black flames circulated more until it completely covered both arms. It squeezed firmly into my muscles and amplified my strength even more. Then finally something popped into my mind. An attack that was buried deep inside myself that I didn't even know myself.

"GETSUGA ENKOJO" (Enkojo means Inferno Fury Pierce)

The final remnants of Mugetsu's energy washed over me, creating a new blade on my left arm. It was as black as midnight and shone like real metal. The release was something else. An X-shaped moon slash launched from my blade and dark energy erupted from it. The Spiritual Energy destroyed the surroundings of white which cracked shards in the dimension. I felt the intense fierceness power from the attack, almost as if it was fuelled by hatred or something other. It burned through the white realm and finally reached Mugetsu.

My eyes were blinded in white again for a couple of seconds before my sight returned.

The normal Shikai form Zanpakuto had been returned to my hands, feeling as heavy as ever. I looked up and saw a fully recovered Mugetsu standing menacingly at me.

"It seems that our time of battle has ended. I am proud of you, Kazui. Your continuing progress amazes me in more ways than one"

I nodded and placed my shrunken Zanpakuto back into my sheathe, "Thank you, for everything. Thank you Mugetsu".

I also turned towards Blue Eyes and nodded at him.

"Though you are still weak physically and also when it comes to power, you will still succeed in your mission. But I have to say one thing to you:"

"If you want to continue to grow powerful, return back to where it all started. Where your power fully originated and grew from. Only then can you truly understand your Zanpakuto and unlock your full potential"

I was confused. What did he mean by that? I understood my Zanpakuto full enough to the point where I could unlock Shikai. I was able to learn the moves I know now due to my own skill. But deep inside I always felt that I was missing something. Behind the smiles and laughs, I couldn't place my finger on where I felt the emptiest.

"Mugetsu, what do you me-?"

Before I could finish, he raised a hand to silence me.

"This is something that you will soon come to understand in the future. It may be sooner than you think, but you have a job to do. Win against Kenpachi and prove your strength. We will always be behind you"

White stood next to me and placed a hand on my shoulder. An uplifting feeling rushed through my body and my being slowly faded away. Mugetsu was right. Before anything I needed to win against Kenpachi and finally try to become even stronger so that I could protect my friends and family. I will achieve that, no matter what. I looked at White and he gave me a thumbs up and whispered the final words.

"Return, Kazui Kurosaki"

Chapter Text

Ichika's POV:

"Oi! Kazui! Get up!", I kicked and shook his body, but he remained limp, "You're supposed to get Captain Zaraki down, not yourself. GET UP!"

But Kazui just remained still; his body full of injuries with his eyes closed. It looked like he was just sleeping, but I couldn't rule out the possibility that he's near to death. I could feel his Spiritual Pressure fading slowly. Damn, I needed to do something fast.

"Kaito! Lieutenant Hisagi! Come here and give Kazui some first aid", I called out, "I can feel his Spiritual Pressure fading!"

"Understood. Kaito, go and quickly get some medicine from Squad 4 or anyone nearby. I'll try to do what I can with Kido", ordered Shuhei. Kaito rushed back into the forest and tried to be as quick as he could to get some medical supplies.

Meanwhile, I needed to do something about Captain Zaraki. I looked towards the tall walking figure who held his sword behind his back. I should've expected him to attack Kazui like that; he is a battle maniac after all. Zaraki might've been the person to train him, but it doesn't give him the right to butcher him up and knock him out cold.

"Captain Zaraki! If you're gonna injure Kazui like that and leave him in this state, then you'll have to be beaten by me!", I drew my Zanpakuto and pointed at him, "You know why? Because I'm the only one who can beat him up like that!"

I Flash stepped towards Zaraki as he was still walking with his back facing me. Raising my sword, I prepared to deliver a good slice to his head. But as expected of the Captain of Squad 11, he naturally blocked my attack. His head turned slightly to face me.

"Hey, I don't have time for you, Abarai. I wouldn't get satisfied with fighting a small person like you"

My face screwed up with anger, but I knew he was right. But I had an excuse anyway. I just needed to release some pent-up anger anyway. I grinned and kept pushing forward with my blade.

"Don't underestimate the potential of a teen", I used the rest of my strength to pierce deeper, "BLITZ, INAZUMATORI!"

Dark clouds gathered in the sky and a loud rumble followed. In an instant, a lightning bolt crashed into my sword and transformed its shape to its Shikai form. This surprised Captain Zaraki so much that he loosened his defense. I used this and directed the lightning directly towards his face.

"RAIGEKI!"

The lightning bolt was about to hit the surface of his eye but somehow was reflected away. Zaraki smiled maniacally at me, his sword pointing up to his face.

"You think that a puny attack like that would hurt me?"

What the hell? Was he able to block a freaking lightning bolt? How the hell was he even able to do that. He really is a monster. With skills, speed, and strength like that, I don't think I can even compete with him. But obviously I'm going to try.

I was speeding around him, trying to find an opening but somehow Zaraki was following my movements. Screw it, I'm gonna strike. I prepared myself for another slash but was met with the flat of his blade.

I got knocked back far. The impact of his hit sending me overhead. I felt extremely dizzy, almost as if I'm going to pass out. My vision was getting blurry and dark. Was this how Kazui felt? Never mind that, I want to throw up right now. I looked down and saw blood running down my sword arm. Disappointing. In the end, I couldn't even land a proper hit on him.

Suddenly, I felt a change in the atmosphere. I felt a Spiritual Pressure growing and bursting everywhere as if it was unstable. The sensation of the energy tingled around my skin and felt familiar. It wasn't Captain Zaraki's Spiritual Pressure, nor Captain Muguruma, nor Lieutenant Hisagi and Kaito. But...

My body was lifted from the air and back down to the ground at extreme speeds. I couldn't even feel what grabbed me until I rubbed my eyes and looked up. Long muscular arms wrapped around my body. The figure was wearing a sleeveless black Shihakusho with a green hoodie and had soft blazing orange hair. Intense round brown eyes stared forward to the captain.

Kazui's POV:

"Thank you, Ichika. I'll take over from here. You don't mind, right?", I say with a calm and clear voice. I was surprised by how steady I was considering my body still hurt. But my Sotenkisshun was slowly healing me.

"Kazui...", Ichika whispered surprised, but then an angry expression returned, "ABOUT TIME! YOU FINALLY GET UP AFTER I GET BEATEN UP".

She somehow landed a punch on my face which distracted my healing. As usual, it always hurts.

"Owww. Sorry, sorry! I'm up now so stop!", I tried to dodge her punches. After a while she stopped, crossed her arms, and looked away.

I let go of her and stretched my arms for a second before facing her again.

"And to answer your question before...I don't mind if you take over. You better make sure to at least land a couple of hits", she glanced back at me and gave me a positive smile, "Good luck"

I smiled and turned back to Kenpachi, who was starting to walk away again. "Yeah. I'll do that".

This time, I'll give him a piece of my mind.

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

Before Kenpachi could walk away, I hybrid dashed in front of him. I looked at him dead in the eyes and spoke.

"Sorry for my performance earlier. I'd like to fight you once again", I used my Spiritual Pressure to return my Zanpakuto to my hand, "And if I bring you down to one knee, this training sesh is over"

There was a long pause. We both stared at each other, trying to see which one of us would waver first. Trying to see which one would stand down. But I wasn't afraid anymore because I had something to look forward to. And now I've renewed that resolve to become even stronger. The moment that Kenpachi showed off his teeth in a menacing grin, the answer was already spoken before he could say anything.

"I like your attitude, kid. And the same with that Spiritual Pressure. You've grown in a matter of minutes after getting knocked out...I accept your challenge, Kazui Kurosaki"

He held his Zanpakuto in front of him and took a few steps back. I did the same, my blade was still in Shikai form and shining black in the sun. We rushed at each other almost instantly. Our blades clashed against each other, emitting sparks of Spiritual energy with every hit. Kenpachi was nonstop slashing with one hand and smiling crazily, whereas I was stone faced and focused, trying to pierce through his defense. It was a battle of strength as we pushed forward to bend our opponent to their knees. To weaken them to the point of shame. I would not lose this time.

From the 'training' that Mugetsu gave me, it seemed that it passed down to my physical form. I was able to adapt to Kenpachi's strength and forced myself to use mine as well. The fight with Mugetsu helped me understand that I didn't need to hold back anymore against opponents like this, and to unleash the strength that I've been suppressing unintentionally. I continued to slash and hack with precision while keeping up with Kenpachi's strength. My large blade clanged against his chipped one. Beads of sweat dripped down my body, but I pressed on. After one final hit, both of us were blown back for some reason.

It seemed that the energy we were trading between hits was too much for both of our blades that it created an explosion to separate the tension.

My eyes narrowed. I didn't know what this brute of a captain was planning but I didn't wanna take any chances. The madman kept on smiling.

"You've managed to keep up with me at a game of strength, eh? Well, let's keep going, this is just the start and I'm finally starting to have some fun"

Kenpachi launched himself onto me and crashed into my blade. I pressed forward to hold him back, but I could feel my feet still sliding onto the floor. I guess it couldn't be helped. Using Shun-So-Hi, I gained more distance from him before using that momentum to propel myself back. This time, I was able to make him stumble a bit. It was a start.

I collided with Kenpachi multiple times, now adding both strength and speed into the mix for an edge in this battle. It seemed to be working since I had the upper hand for a few minutes. After a while, I felt as if I've gotten used to fighting like this; the new strength being a major help in this. I forced myself to use it to its full extent. My arms were beginning to burn with how much I've used it, and my legs were becoming tired, but I dismissed it. Exhaustion was unnecessary until I landed a cut on him. Just one cut.

Clutching my Zanpakuto tightly, I focused all my energy on the edges of the blade and imagined that I was sharpening it. If I wanted to land a cut, I needed to sharpen my blade with Spiritual energy to add some extra damage. Using my new knowledge of reishi and Spiritual energy, I decided to use my ability to control it and create a strategy.

All it takes is one strike, and one strike is what I'll do. I gathered the reishi in the air to place it inside of my blade. Closing my eyes, I kept striking until I felt just one slight mistake or lack of defense.

There, I felt it. It was like the whole world had slowed down as I was getting ready to cut him down. With the energy I harnessed, I drove myself to strike downwards with all my strength. I appeared behind him, confused about whether I hit him or not.

SPURT!

I turned around to see Kenpachi's blood spraying in the air, the red liquid dropping onto the dirt floor. I did it. I landed a hit on Kenpachi for the first time. And it seemed like a fatal hit since that amount of blood was...was...

"Congratulations, Kazui. You finally sliced my chest after minutes of fighting. I have to admit, you are a fine fighter", Kenpachi slowly turned around and looked directly into my eyes with a manic expression, not minding the blood dripping down from the cut of his chest, "But you haven't brought me down to a knee yet"

"Impossible. How strong are you?"

"I've been holding back this whole time. But I'll let out a little more power so that I can have even more fun"

Kenpachi reached towards his face, his fingers lingering over his black eyepatch before removing it. A large burst of Spiritual Pressure exploded out of him, shaking the environment around it. Trees were getting blown away, dust and wind blowing around us and eroded the ground under him. I saw the glowing yellow aura swirling and moving erratically, which was his Spiritual Pressure surrounding Kenpachi, making me almost collapse to my knees.

"I had the Department of Research and Development make these things for me so that it can reduce my Spiritual Energy. And this is how I enjoy longer battles. But now this is the time that the battle is over"

He was extremely powerful, and like he said, this was only just a part of his full power. But if he was holding back a little, then so was I. The base strength that I used amplified by the extra spiritual energy, pressure, and reishi was just the beginning of my Zanpakuto's power. I haven't used a single Getsuga Tenshou against him since I wanted to test the strength that I've obtained, which was effective. But now it was time to lock in and finally bring Kenpachi down.

I looked at him while also trying to reach out to my Zanpakuto. I needed it to lend me its power and strength; the same power I've used inside the white dimension. Suddenly, while trying to focus my power, I heard a voice inside my thoughts.

I am the final form of Getsuga Tenshou, the ultimate form of utmost destruction. Are you sure that you will be able to hold this power? asked a deep voice.

Yes, I am ready. I'm ready to truly understand my Zanpakuto. To become stronger for not my selfish needs but to protect. I will surpass my enemies. Please, lend me your power.

I respect you, Kazui. I shall lend you my power to your wishes. Abandon your fear. Look forward. Go forward. Never stand still. Retreat and you will age. Hesitate and you will die. Be proud and say my name so everybody will know the power that you wield.

Conquer...

"Conquer..."

Mugetsu

"MUGETSU"

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

"CONQUER, MUGETSU!"

Black energy flowed out of my body and blade as I shouted out my Zanpakuto's name. It was mixed with both red and blue energy as well, adding onto my Spiritual Pressure. This hasn't happened before. The only additional colour that was usually with my activation phrase was red, but it seemed to have changed when I asked Mugetsu to lend me some power. I felt a lot more powerful than usual, but this wasn't enough.

I was about to raise my sword again, but Kenpachi slammed his own sword against me.

"Only one boost per battle, Kazui!", Kenpachi smiled, his Spiritual Pressure crashing against mine, "Wouldn't want you to overpower me too quickly!"

"Is that how it is? Then let's do it!"

Blow after blow I tried to push down Kenpachi to the fullest, but he also put up a good fight. His strength was now matching my own, so in this fight we were equals. My speed and strength increased. I kept up with his strikes and I struck with attacks of my own. Black smoke surged from my blade as I kept on hitting Kenpachi. Based on my performance before, I was better. His arms, chest, and legs were covered in cuts and slashes by me. But I still needed to do something that I had done back in the Zanpakuto's dimension.

The reason I had (almost) beaten Mugetsu was by absorbing his Spiritual Energy and adding onto my own power. That was how I was able to release a much more powerful version of a Getsuga Tenshou. But for now, I need to absorb as much of his energy as I can before using my second phase.

"Getsuga Tenshou!"

I released an attack consisting of red, black, and blue energy towards Kenpachi, striking him directly. It hit his face and knocked him backwards, sending him an extremely long distance away from me. Bolting towards Kenpachi, I sliced downwards and cut his sword arm mid-air. Blood gushed out of his arm. This even surprised him. He narrowed his eyes again, smiling as he raised his blade once more. I already expected that such attacks wouldn't affect Kenpachi that much, nonetheless it was the only way to keep him closer. Ranged attacks could be easily avoided based on how strong they are. Close attacks on the other hand would be more difficult, so a Getsuga Tenshou at close range would prove effective. It may be a diversion, but it sure worked. Kenpachi's face was streaked with blood and injuries. That manic grin wouldn't leave. Well then, I'd have to try a little harder to put him down.

With one swift movement, I stabbed my sword into his gut. Digging the black blade into the inside of his stomach and securing it. I narrowly avoided all his attacks but along with my other injuries, his cuts proved superior. The pain I felt from a blade was something I was already used to. These injuries were nothing; I had one goal to do. To stop him from attacking me, I raised my other hand. I haven't done this before, but this was one time that I'd have to use this.

"Hado #31: Shakkaho"

Generating a crimson orb of energy, I fired it. The attack was extremely unstable since I didn't know how to control the way I made it. The spell exploded immediately and temporarily stopped him from swinging in surprise.

Still flying through the trees, I hybrid dashed down and dragged Kenpachi down with me. The blade was still trapped in his body, and using the bandages I pulled Kenpachi down and slammed him onto the floor.

This man just wouldn't back down. He didn't even land on his knee, let alone the rest of his upper body on the floor. His feet were planted straight onto the floor.

"It seems that you won't admit defeat, Kenpachi"

"I'm not going down to a person like you. I want to see some more effort"

He crashed his sword against me once again, pushing me to the ground. The waves of aura around him was slowly seeping into my blade. It seems that he was unaware of this fact and kept on swinging his sword. I grinned when noticing this. The ability was working more effectively as my blade made contact with his. The buildup of Spiritual Energy was now amplifying faster than before, and this will be the source of Kenpachi's defeat.

"Something funny? You seem to have a lot more fun than before cuz you looked gloomy at the start of my battle"

"Sorry, Kenpachi. I just had the most amazing realization", I laughed while my blade crashed into his, "This time...IT'LL BE MY VICTORY!"

With my strength, I pushed Kenpachi away and gained some more distance from him. I had gained enough Spiritual Energy from Zaraki that my sword was aching to release such power.

I am the final form of Getsuga Tenshou, the ultimate form of utmost destruction.

Destruction you say? I guess I must put that to the test. I'll rely on you, Mugetsu, to help me deliver the final blow.

A burst of Spiritual Pressure emitted from my body as the unstable energy remained inside of me. I have to do this now. This was the final opportunity to end this fight. I will prove my strength and win.

Raising my Zanpakuto, I hybrid dashed upwards and appeared above Kenpachi. The energy swirled around my blade and was dispersing the force everywhere it felt like it. Both my blade and me were ready to fire the last attack.

"GETSUGA ENKOJO"

Dark flaming energy was fired from my blade and blitzed through the air. The branches of trees were breaking, the ground split and cracked under Kenpachi, and our surroundings were shaking. Red sparks of energy crackled around the attack. I felt rage and fierceness from the colour itself. Blue swirled around the huge crescent shaped strike as well, feeling the stillness and control that kept its shape.

I didn't realise it then, but for some reason I had subconsciously used my Shunko.

It was absolute destruction, and Kenpachi was the one who tried to withstand it. The ground was pushed down and crushed under the weight of Getsuga Enkojo as he kept on holding on. Flames licked the skin on his body as the attack burned through his defense, until finally he gave out. The energy strike crashed onto the ground and exploded on contact. Smoke covered the area as any remnants of the attack disappeared. As the smoke disappeared, the large shadowy figure remained.

His body was propped up by his Zanpakuto while his lower body had been the one to give out. His captain's uniform was ragged and torn apart; Shihakusho smoky and full of cuts. And then the legs gave out, and without a doubt his knees touched the ground. Despite all of that, Kenpachi still grinned and looked at me.

"Good job, Kazui. You managed to bring me down to my knees with that one attack. You're quite the opposite of weak", he announced with a rough voice, "I hope you grow even stronger, so we can fight again"

"Yeah, same with me"

Kenpachi slowly stood up and walked deeper in the forest, but not after calling out, "Remember, that wasn't my full strength. I haven't even used my Shikai or Bankai in that fight. Be glad you're still alive"

"Thank you, Kenpachi. I'll see you later"

I watched as his back faced me, his figure disappearing in the shadows. I felt exhausted as my stamina finally depleted at the last second. My Shikai turned into a normal Zanpakuto, so I placed it inside of my sheathe. I won this battle.

I won.

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

Before I could even try to walk back to Ichika and Lieutenant Hisagi, I instantly fell face first onto the dirt. I guess I was so absorbed in the fight that I didn't notice how exhausted I had been. So, my legs gave out and here we are now.

The two rushed towards me and wrapped my arms around their shoulders, carrying me to a resting place. I then heard a voice running towards us.

"Yeah dad, so I got the...huh? Kazui? You look alive, conscious and...well... better than last time", Kaito huffed as he arrived with a bag full of medicine.

"Yep, and I sorta won", I coughed as I was propped up next to a tree.

Kaito threw me a bottle of medicine and I caught it. The medicine bottle was made of glass, with green liquid inside. Without another thought, I popped the lid and drank it. That was my big mistake. I had never really been given any medicine in my time in the Seireitei, so I didn't know what it tasted like. But just like in the World of the Living, the medicine tasted horrible.

I choked and coughed up the liquid and held my throat. When Ichika noticed this, she sighed before smacking the living daylights out of me. Some of the liquid splattered onto the ground while the bottle I used to hold was now cracked into shards.

"Ouch! What the heck was that for, Ichika?!"

"You dummy, why didn't you ask how to drink this? One drop is enough for you to get your butt back to Squad 4", grumbled Ichika, "What am I gonna do with you?"

"Taking me to Squad 4 will be enough, thanks"

"YOU LITTLE-"

Lieutenant Hisagi got in between us and raised his hands, "Now now, no arguments here. Kazui does need to get into the Squad 4 barracks before anything so that we can confirm that he'll be okay"

Of course, the older Soul Reaper was right. I might have some long-lasting effects from the Kenpachi battle. Man, I really tired myself out there. My legs, arms, basically every part of my body is aching with pain and exhaustion. A nice soft bed will do the trick if I want to recover, just like all the other times I've been beaten up.

I was thinking about going to the Squad 4 barracks with Ichika and Kaito, but I had a realization.

"What happened to Kensei?"

Shuhei sighed and shrugged his shoulders, "I saw him get up and grumble off to who knows where. I guess he's embarrassed that he'd been beaten by a 17-year-old rookie"

To be fair, nobody would want to be beaten by someone younger than them. Also noting that Soul Reapers like him lived over hundreds of years. I feel kinda bad about slamming his face onto the floor.

"Alright. Tell him I said thanks"

"Sure will"

Kaito and Ichika helped me up to walk all the way to Squad 4 barracks. The trip was slow because of their handicap, A.K.A me. Kaito was busy asking me about how the battle went, what strategies I used, and any other details I noticed about fighting Kenpachi. Meanwhile, Ichika walked along beside me, whistling a random song and not paying attention to our conversation. I liked being like this. Not almost crippled but having a casual conversation and a walk between friends.

Ichika finally groaned and said, "You up for Flash Stepping?"

Seemed like she was a little impatient about walking so slow. I felt bad about that, and the cute pouty expression she was showing finally made me come to my decision.

"Yeah, just be careful not to drop me"

We all finally arrived at the Squad 4 barracks. The two put me down onto one of the hospital beds and leaned against a wall.

"Jeez, that took way longer than it should have been"

"I guess so Abarai-san, but at least Kazui's all comfortable now"

I lie in my bed and sigh in satisfaction. The softness of the cotton material and blankets enveloped me in warmth, making me relaxed. I felt so content and relaxed. I don't ever wanna leave this bed anymore. But I also can't forget about training with the captains. I guess a little more recovery wasn't that bad. I mean, I've done this a few times already.

"Well, I guess you two need to be somewhere else?", the two looked at me as I broke the silence.

"Yep. As Soul Reapers we also have some training to do. Its not as flashy as your captain training, but I will get on par with you, no, I will beat you", Ichika challenged me with a confident smile.

Kaito on the other hand laughed, "I can't promise that as well, but I'll keep up my training so that I can at least be equal with you, Kazui"

"Well, I hope you guys get better, and stronger. Good luck"

Ichika and Kaito waved goodbye, exiting my room as soon as I also wished them goodbye. While I recovered, they wanted to also become stronger as Soul Reapers themselves. I really admire that trait about them, and hope they continue to succeed.

But no more, I need to get some shut eye and relax. My training time will be on temporary hold for at least a couple of days.

Well, goodnight, Soul Society. I'll see you soon.

Chapter Text

After the Shinji fight

"By the way! A certain Captain is here to train you. Head Captain alerted her as soon as he got the news about your training. Just recover first and meet back here, alright?", Matsumoto called out to Kazui as he Flash Stepped away towards Squad 4.

Somewhere else in the Seireitei, a certain woman was in the Squad 2 headquarters, managing paperwork and other responsibilities.

From the window, a black butterfly flew inside and took its place next to the Captain of Squad 2.

"Huh? A hell butterfly? I wonder what the news is this time"

Listening to the message, her face turned from a normal look to a look of disappointment.

"Training Kazui Kurosaki? Well, that's just a waste of my time. I need to manage the Stealth Force, not spend my time training a little kid", grumbled Soi Fon, "Head Captain Kyoraku just loves to dump responsibilities on me and the other captains"

She continued to furiously write some reports along with requests about the Stealth Force. After all that, she went out and began her physical training.

Next Day

Soi Fon woke up on the floor and had a sudden realisation. She was late to train Kazui.

All that training and paperwork she did the night before had tired her out so much that she fell asleep on the floor. What kind of captain does that? Especially a noble person like her.

Wearing her proper attire, Soi Fon Flash stepped to the Squad 10 barracks, only to be found deserted, with no people to be seen.

"No way. How the-"

Before she could say no more, she spotted a piece of paper on the wall with a nail poked through it. Soi Fon read the note, and a flash of surprise perked up on her face.

I had a feeling you wouldn't have the time to train Kazui, so I decided to do it myself. Good job managing Squad 2!

- From Yoruichi Shihoin

A glimmer of admiration shone through her eyes, and she put her hands to her mouth.

"Thank you, Lady Yoruichi!"

Chapter Text

'Crap, Urahara must've thought that it'd be fine and forgot about the Cleaner itself. Well, it is just a mistake, it wouldn't make any difference in how we trust each other. Maybe a punch to the face would be fine for him', thought Kazui to himself.

ACHOO!

Back in the candy shop, a man wearing a bucket hat sniffled and wiped his nose on his haori.

"Did I get sick or something?"

A few minutes after sending Kazui and Ichika to the Seireitei

Kisuke Urahara sat comfortably while he waved his fan to his face. It was a nice relaxing morning after sending the Kurosakis and Ms. Abarai. He took a sip of his tea and closed his eyes.

"Jeez. After a couple of years, wouldn't you think that we'd have a little peace by now?", sighed Urahara, putting the cup down on the table.

Jinta and Ururu were cleaning and doing chores outside, the sunny sky provided comfortable warmth, and everything else was checked and safe. There couldn't be one thing that I've forgotten to check...right?

The store's products are all in place, gadgets and devices remain safe, the entrance to the Seireitei is secure. Going through the Dangai still works on Kazui and other Soul Reapers. Of course, Urahara made that entrance along with Mr. Tessai. And there are no threats...threats...wait there is something in the Dangai, and he only realized that now

"Today couldn't be the day that the Cleaner comes through, right?", Urahara laughed nervously with sweat dripping down his forehead, "I'll just check just in case.

He quickly ran straight to a small lab inside of the shop and typed up a couple of keys into a computer. A bunch of files opened which Kisuke quickly read through until he found the Cleaner's schedule in the Precipice World.

"E-eh? It's today?"

...

"IT'S TODAY?!"

Urahara sprinted as fast as he could, pushing past an orange haired Soul Reaper who was already about to step into the gate.

"Huh? Mr. Urahara, what's up?", asked Ichigo, looking confused.

He ignored Ichigo until he felt that Kazui's and Ichika's Spiritual Pressure was safe and had already passed through. Urahara sighed in relief before noticing Ichigo standing menacingly behind him.

"Ah it seems, Kurosaki-san, that I forgot to check when the Cleaner would come through...But! It also seems like Kazui and Ichika made it through...", Kisuke smiled nervously as he felt the orange haired Soul Reaper's glare on him.

Ichigo's face twitched and he closed his eyes before raising his sword, a feeling of powerful reiatsu gathering into one of his blades, "WHY YOU-"

Chapter Text

After the fight with Kazui

Kenpachi walked towards the forest to clear his head. He didn't mind the many cuts and the blood running down his body as he travelled further into the darkness between the trees.

"I sure wish that the fight could've lasted longer. That Kazui kid has some serious potential with fighting", Zaraki grinned at another thoughts, "I wanna fight him and Ichigo next"

Continuing walking while buried in his thoughts, he explored the forest. Suddenly, he heard mumbling next to where he was. Kenpachi quickly turned around and saw a shadowy figure over the bushes. It was also holding a sword, and slowly approaching him. Kenpachi smiled as if a fire was once united in him. This was another opportunity to be engaged in battle. And from what he was feeling, this figure had a high reiatsu.

Perfect. Just perfect.

He drew his own long damaged and chipped Zanpakuto and rushed towards the dark shape in the distance, a hope of battle igniting inside him.

"OI! CAPTAIN ZARAKI. SNAP OUT OF IT!", the shadow figure now revealed to be a silver haired captain with a sleeveless haori and shihakusho.

"Eh? Muguruma, what the hell are you doing here?", frowned Zaraki as he placed his sword back into his sheathe.

"I was about to ask you the same thing. Who are you to start swinging swords around here anyway?! Well, I could've expected it since you're the only typa person to do that around here", Kensei sighed.

The brute captain only grinned, "Sorry, couldn't help it. I found your huge Spiritual Pressure and thought you were an opponent I could've fought"

"Well recognise Spiritual Pressure better then!"

The two stayed there in awkward silence for a couple of minutes before Kensei broke the silence.

"And to answer both of our questions...I think we're lost"

"Eh?"

At the 9th Division Headquarters

A lean black-haired man with a 69 tattoo on his face was going through paperwork in his office when he looked at the sky, which was going dark.

Hisagi yawned and finished off his paperwork, then walked away to get some sleep before he noticed something different.

"Huh? Why hasn't Captain Muguruma and Captain Zaraki arrived back?"

Chapter Text

After Kazui got knocked out

Kaito flash stepped towards Squad 4 and approached one of the medics. He was extremely exhausted and was breathing heavily, barely forming words.

"Medicine...Kazui...fight...Captain Zaraki...need healing meds...quick"

"Oh, uh, we need you to stay calm first. I'll get something for energy enhancement."

The small healer who was looking at him worried quickly rushed into a storage room and brought back a small bottle. He poured a tiny cup of it and poured it down Kaito's throat. He instantly felt a rush of adrenaline and his exhaustion quickly disappeared.

"Thank you, Hanataro", Kaito sighed, feeling alive and content, "And about the medicine..."

"Sure! Coming right u-"

A random doctor  popped his head out of a corner and called out his name, "3rd Seat Yamada Hanataro. We need you to go to the emergency room immediately"

"A-alright. Uh, Kaito. You can just get the medication on the middle shelf on the right. Choose the green bottle. I trust you to get it to Kazui quickly"

Hanataro shuffled away quickly while Kaito scrambled to find the medication. He bolted to the storage room and scanned the shelves to find what he came there to get.

"HUH? THEY'RE ALL GREEN BOTTLES", shouted Kaito, disturbing the other patients nearby. He laughed apologetically, "Sorry..."

He looked at all of the middle row bottles for a second before shaking his head, "Screw this, I'm just going to get the whole bunch and hope that they're all for healing purposes"

After giving the medicine to Kazui

Kaito asked the two to go ahead of me while I cleaned up the glass that had just broken. He crouched down and inspected a label that was dropped.

'Poison extracting liquid.

Pour one drop and drink. Effects will include throwing up numerous amounts to draw out the poison.

Warning: Too much of this liquid may cause extreme cases of vomiting, causing the consumer to cough out and extract their insides.'

Kaito slowly looked at Kazui, who was having a fun time talking with Ichika. It didn't seem like there was anything wrong with him...at the moment.

The strawberry then glanced towards Kaito with a confused look.

"Kaito, something wrong?"

He put on a mask and smiled, while on the inside full of regret, "Haha, nothing. Let's go"

In Squad 4

Kazui was coughing and throwing up inside of a bin that was next to him. The healers were calling out to find a cure for this disease

"COFF...COFF...COFF...what the-", Kazui tried to speak, but threw back up in the bin, "What the hell...was in that drink...?"

Chapter Text

Ichika's POV:

Yawning, I quickly jumped up and put on my Soul Reaper uniform. It was just another day in the Seireitei, and the day after Kazui's fight with Kensei and Kenpachi. He looked so cool using his Zanpakuto and beating the crap out of the captains; using different moves and especially after he woke back up after getting knocked out. Wow, I can measure our difference in power. Kazui is way more powerful than me, Kaito, and Nemuri in terms of skill. His reiatsu is on a whole other level as well.

But despite all of that, I will beat him. His progress may be fast, but I'll be faster. Heh, ain't nothing gonna stop Ichika Abarai from becoming stronger. That sounded cringe.

I opened the door to my dining room in the Kuchiki household. It was empty as a Hollow's chest. Nobody was there except me, myself, and I. The guards were placed outside of the manor, and the usual staff were about to come through. Looking at the table, there was my food along with a note placed next to it. I didn't need to read it, because I already knew it was from my mom, Rukia Abarai-Kuchiki. She was the head of the 13th Division in the Gotei 13, so it was only natural that she had such responsibilities and problems. Especially with dad and uncle gone.

Now, enough of that, I need to get my day going. I took my bowl of udon noodles and sat in front of the lake. There were a number of koi in the pond, large in size and with patterns of gold. Since I was young, I used to always watch the koi swim in my free time and relax. Now was the time do that as well, relax to calm down in this dire situation. If I wanted to bring dad and uncle back, I'd have to become stronger, like Kazui is right now. I'm sure Kaito is also doing something as well to try and help. After all, he had already become best buddies with Kazui.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

As I slurped all of my udon noodles at once and was about to begin drinking the soup, I heard a loud knock on the door. I rolled my eyes; it could only be one person to knock at such an early time in the morning. Reluctantly, I stood up and walked towards the large gate that was the entrance to the Kuchiki Family Manor. I saw a Soul Reaper wearing a lieutenant badge on his arm, tapping his foot on the floor while his bald head was reflecting light off the sun.

"Hey, I've been waiting for a long time outside here. What have you been doing?" Ikkaku Madarame asked in an intimidating voice, staring down at me. I couldn't see his face very well since he kept flashing the sun's rays through his shiny bald head.

I stuck my tongue out, "Serves you right, Baldy! Disturbing me in the morning while I'm trying to eat my precious udon"

"I'M NOT BALD. You little..."

"Besides, we both agreed a bit ago that we'd train later on in the day, right?"

"Nuh uh. If you wanna get stronger, you have to put in the effort. Or else you'll stay weaker than me"

"HA! Says you. I beat you in our last training session. Sucks to be you, Ikkaku!"

"IT'S LIEUTENANT MADARAME!"

He brought out his Zanpakuto and tried to cut me. With no choice but to comply, I just sighed, and flash stepped away, moving towards the training grounds. I drew my own Zanpakuto out and clashed my blade against his, sparks igniting as we tried to push each other down.

"Heh, the only reason you beat me is because you used your shikai which surprised me. On the other hand, I haven't even used my own shikai yet. So, let's see if you can beat me. I know that the shikai you use now had only been obtained recently, so compared to an experienced one, you can't beat me!"

Ikkaku kept clashing his sword against mine and pushed forward. His attacks were relentless and powerful, which I of course could keep up. My skills in Zanjutsu were near the top in the class, besides Kaito. I continued to block and strike back, my attacks nearly as powerful as Ikkaku's. For a couple of years, I had trained with Lieutenant Ikkaku Madarame constantly since a young age, which had honed my ability to fight with a sword. And from experience, I could see the way he fought. Along with his Zanpakuto, he also used his sheathe to block attacks or push me back. His way of fighting was perfect for both defence and offense, and his raw strength made him have an advantage over me.

I dodged his backhand attack with his sheathe and used it to propel myself upwards. Using this, I grabbed his sheathe from the air and kicked his face as I slammed downwards. But Ikkaku wasn't even affected by this at all. He only smiled and managed to land a cut on my forearm, small drops of blood dripping down my hand. In exchange, I slashed his face as well.

"Very good! First blood in a fight. That's what I like to see, Abarai!"

Ikkaku's attacks were now way more frenzied as he mixed his defence capabilities with his offense. Using both sheathe and blade, I was overwhelmed with a constant flurry of strong strikes that I could barely dodge. I flash stepped past Madarame and stopped by a nearby roof. It was not even a second before he crashed back into me with his blade. I suppose it wasn't smart to run away. Counterattacks and normal strikes will only work in this situation. Grinning, I turned around and delivered a swift punch in the gut with my left hand. I heard a crack, and I smiled even further. I used my sword arm to drag my blade and slashed upward. Blood gushed out of his chest and Ikkaku was knocked back.

"Nice one, Abarai. Keep that up, and you'll get better"

"Heh, I was always better"

He darted backwards, still displaying a battle hungry smile at me. Just like Kenpachi, Ikkaku was the same when it came to fights because they enjoyed it. I couldn't complain, so did I.

I rushed forward but before I could even land a cut, he flipped downward onto the ground below. It looked as if he had disappeared, so I jumped down along with him. Turns out, he was gripping the edge of the roof, and threw the roof tile at my face, knocking me out of the air. Both of us were playing dirty tricks because there are no rules about pulling stuff like that. Enemies wouldn't hesitate to use powers beyond your own, so you shouldn't hesitate too. Anyway, the roof tile cracked and hit directly on my jaw. The feeling of pain rushed to that spot, fuelling my eagerness to fight even more. Blood ran down my face and covered my eyesight. By the time I wiped the liquid away, Ikkaku was in my face, raising his sword for a strike. I blocked the attack, but the momentum from his attack pushed me down and pinned me onto the dirt ground of the training ground. I quickly stood up and rolled out of the way of his next slash, retaliating by sending my sheathe towards him. First part of my plan done.

"What did you expect from that? You have bad aim"

Naturally, as a fighter, Ikkaku would dodge out of the way. This gave me an opportunity to flash step behind him and move in front of the sheathe I had just thrown. I swiftly dashed toward the sheathe and placed my foot on the sheathe. I used the force from my dash to drive the object back towards Ikkaku. It hit him exactly in his back and pushed him backwards.

He landed on the ground but got up without a single thought of his pain.

"You gotta admit, that was one good hit, wasn't it?", I say with a smug expression.

Ikkaku smiled and nodded, "Yeah yeah, those were a couple of good hits. But mind you, we haven't even used our shikai, eh?"

"Oh, so you wanna bring out our Zanpakutos for this one. What an odd choice you made there, Ikkaku"

"It's Lieutenant Madarame! And what's the point in a battle if you can't go all out! Or in my case, almost all out"

I chuckled, "I see. Let's do it"

We faced each other before raising our Zanpakutos

Ikkaku clashed his sheathe and the handle of his Zanpakuto at each end and called out with a massive grin, "EXTEND, HOZUKIMARU!"

A flash of light engulfed the two parts of his Zanpakuto, transforming it into something new. As the light disappeared, it truly showed his shikai. A long wooden spear with a red horsehair at one end, and a blade at the other.

"It's my turn now", I announced as I raise my Zanpakuto in the air with pride, "BLITZ, INAZUMATORI!"

Thunderous grey clouds gathered in the sky. I could see the lightning crackling inside of the clouds, the rumbling as it was ready to release my Zanpakuto's power. In a second, lightning struck my sword and smoke exploded as it came into contact with the blade. With a single burst of my reiatsu, the smoke dispersed and my shikai appeared. The blade looked like a bolt of lightning itself, with electricity sparking around the surface of my blade at random moments.

"Let's go!"

We both rushed towards each other and clashed our blades together. The energy gathering in between each strike grew as we fought against each other. The thrill of the battle was increasing, and I loved it. Training to become stronger, to become better, to serve the Gotei 13: It was the normal life for me. I'd like for this to go on forever, if possible, but it won't be possible without my dad here with me.

With this training, I'll definitely become strong enough to save my family from whatever danger lies ahead. And with the help of Kazui and others, I'll complete it.

Dad...Uncle Byakuya...on my honour as a Soul Reaper of the Gotei 13, I will save you. No matter what it takes.

After the training session, most of the Kuchiki Household was messed up

As soon as Rukia arrives:

The small captain looked at both Ichika while dragging Ikkaku by the ear. Rukia had an angry expression, and looked directly at Ikkaku, completely ignoring Ichika. She had a soft spot for her daughter, so there was no reason to blame her. Although, Rukia was mad at somebody.

"Owowowowow, Captain Kuchiki...what am I getting in trouble for?", shouted Lietenant Madarame, feeling immense pain in his left ear.

"Who gave you permission to use our house as a place of training? Hm?", barked Rukia as she pinched harder, "It's a wreck! You know how annoying it is to repair this?!"

Ichika laughed apologetically, "Ah, come on now, Mom. He really needs to get back to his captain as well".

Rukia huffed, "I see...Well. Lieutenant Madarame, get back to Division 11 before I slice that ear of yours off".

She let go of his ear. Ikkaku immediately put his hands over his ear, rolled around on the floor a couple of times, and ran out through the front gate. For some reason, Rukia had a proud expression on her face, as if she enjoyed hurting the bald lieutenant.

"Uhhh, Mom. You shouldn't look that proud. And also, you didn't have to go that far...", Ichika says with an amused expression.

"It's quite alright", Rukia nodded to herself, before walking back with Ichika inside of the manor, "How about we try something spicy tonight"

Chapter Text

Kaito's POV:

My friend is awesome.

Man, I wish I could've seen that fight with Kazui and Captain Zaraki. Why did I have to go and get the medication? Not to mention I messed up, but we'll skip over that fact. The description I got from my dad made me think how powerful Kazui was to withstand attacks like that from the captain of Division 11, which is the most powerful and aggressive one in the whole of the Gotei 13. His fight with Captain Muguruma may be good, but I would've bet his fight with Captain Zaraki was even better.

Before, I would've not been as engaged in fighting than now. But something about watching Kazui fight showed me why I should begin again. This fact goes way back at the Spiritual Arts Academy.

I was at the top of the class, but never really satisfied. I trained again and again but never truly felt any more powerful than I am now. My true goal was to serve and protect the Seireitei from any threats that came our way. After a couple years, I graduated from there along with Ichika at the top. And now here I am, with the rest of the Soul Reapers in the Gotei 13.

I made a promise that I would try my best to Kazui and Ichika that I would get stronger, but that felt like I didn't mean it. My true resolve was when I came to the Rukongai today.

I made my usual rounds around the Seireitei, greeting every familiar face I met and talking to my fellow Soul Reapers. With no surprise, most of the subjects of our conversations were about my Shikai.

"Kaito! I never seen your Shikai before. Why don't you use it?", one asked curiously.

"I prefer not to use it, and to become a Soul Reaper in the Gotei 13, you don't have to use a Shikai, right?", I answered politely.

It normally went like this, and then we'd skip to another subject like lunch. While me and my friends were speaking, we were interrupted by a particular lieutenant.

"Oh, hey dad- I mean, Lieutenant Hisagi. What brings you here to the 3rd Division?"

"I kinda need to ask you a favour. Its nothing too big, so don't worry", said Shuhei Hisagi, "I just want you to investigate something in the Rukon District. Just some disappearances in District 28. It was supposed to be for me, but I got some things to do with the newspaper for the Seireitei"

"Ah, dad...shouldn't you just quit the newspaper. You got lieutenant duties or whatever, right?", I rubbed the back of my head, contemplating the situation.

"I kept journalism in the Seireitei alive, mind you. And I'm proud of being a journalist", scoffed Dad.

"We get it. Yeah yeah, I'll check it out", I waved my hand and then waved to Squad 3 and then turned back to dad, "I'll see you later"

I flash stepped into the distance towards my next mission.

It took a while, but I finally arrived to the Rukongai, district 28. The place was vast, with run down buildings made of wood. There were no trees in sight, just sand and dirt covering the land that seemed to never end. People with ragged clothing walked past me, staring at the Soul Reaper who had just arrived in their home. Compared to the Seireitei, this place was nothing but poor and broken. I felt bad that people lived in these conditions.

Walking around the streets of the Rukongai, I could see that this place felt almost endless. The cracked stone on the footpath, the broken trees with no green, and the run-down houses kept on repeating. That was until I noticed that the number of people I had passed had decreased. From where I was standing, the place seemed like it was deserted. The environment was silent, not a single voice heard, nor a single sound made. The blowing of wind was the only sound that was finally heard as dust blew across my view. There was something off about this place, and it was clear.

Emphasis on how it felt almost endless, I noticed that the cracks on the footpath was repeated as I walked by.

"Whoever is there...who I might think is a Hollow...please come out and I will give you the least amount of pain for a death you will ever experience"

Silence. All the sounds scattered and disappeared. My eyes then bored into the shadows that were gathering in front of me, standing tall in front of me. It seemed to be trying to intimidate me, but I stood my ground and stared back.

"Jeez, you Hollows are really changing throughout the years. What's with this shadow power nonsense?", I sighed with my hand at the handle of my Zanpakuto.

"You seek me, Soul Reaper?"

"I do, so if you would please give up and accept death, I'd be really happy"

The shadow just continued to never waver, but finally made a move. Its Hollow mask emerged from the darkness and glowing red eyes glared into me.

"I do not accept, but it seems as if the child behind you look as if he is interested"

My eyes widened. I didn't expect another person to be here in the beginning of a battlefield. I slowly turned around and saw a small black-haired boy wearing the ragged brown clothes of the Rukon District. His eyes were filled with fear as he stared at the Hollow who was staring at him.

"RUN!", I reached for my Zanpakuto, but it was too late.

The Hollow melted back into the darkness and reappeared behind the boy, a single claw tracing the child's face as it sneered at me.

"Choose, Soul Reaper. Release me, and this boy's life is spared. Or fight me, and this boy dies"

My hands shook with anger. I was in a hostage situation and could do nothing about it. I couldn't trust a Hollow's words since I knew them as deceitful and nothing but evil, so what do I do? If my dad was here, he could've solved this quickly. Damn it. I've already lost.

My duty was to slay the Hollow and restore balance to the Soul Society. I could do that. Then there is the problem with the hostage. A child in the poor Rukongai who had a future ahead of him, trapped in the clutches of a Hollow. I needed to do both in the safest way possible.

My eyes turned towards my Zanpakuto, which was shaking due to my boiling anger. During my whole life, I hadn't used my Shikai for more than once. And on top of that, I hadn't used showed it to anyone ever; it was a secret that only I knew. It was for sure not a powerful or flashy one compared to what I've seen and heard from the captains, but for all I know, it doesn't have any limits. That's what I'm sure of.

I turned back to the Hollow with eyes filled with disgrace, "I'll give you one chance and one chance only. Release the boy and we can have a fair fight"

"I refuse"

Usually with anyone else, I'd have been polite. That was the front I've put up in front of my loved ones and friends. But in battle my mind was only stuck on duty, protection, and justice. I raised my Zanpakuto and rested it onto my forearm, pointing it towards the shadowy figure.

"Advance in battle, Gurenjin"

With a quick burst of red energy, my sword still remained the same. The colour of the blade just changed from silver to black, reflecting a change in form. Red sparks of energy buzzed and hummed around the edges. 

"That is your power? Pathetic, Soul Rea-"

"Soku" (Speed)

In a blink of an eye, I appeared behind the Hollow. Just before it could react, I grabbed the child and flash stepped away from the shadow. I placed him down and flash stepped back to the Hollow and struck it.

A burst of red energy exploded in my sword as I hit it, and so the process repeated. I dashed around the Hollow and sliced every single part of the Hollow that I could see. It was a blur of red explosions as I attacked the Hollow, getting faster each time I made a hit. At this point, it was a tornado, no, a hurricane of red as I continued to attack it nonstop. The boiling anger I had felt a while ago had melted into a sense of justice. I delivered a well-deserved punishment that will teach this being a lesson on not to become a threat to the Soul Society. To not traumatise innocent children and murder the innocent residents of the Rukon District.

"If you think that you pose a threat to the Soul Society, think wrong. You have just faced a member of the 13 Court Guard Squads, a small person compared to the captains and lieutenants and yet you have lost. Remember, if you ever come back to disturb the balance that we maintained for years, I will hunt you down"

By the time I was done, the Hollow was chopped into small pieces that resembled dust. This dust evaporated in the air, leaving no trace of a Hollow in sight. The endless town melted into its former land, which was just a barren environment. My job was finished. Slowly, I lined up my Zanpakuto to my sheathe and slid the blade in. I glanced towards the boy and crouched down, looking at the child in sympathy.

"Hey, its finished now. You're safe. There's no more scary monsters around", I say with a soft voice and a smile.

The child looked up at me with teary eyes. There was a silence for a few moments before he smiled, "Thank you, Mr. Soul Reaper"

"It's no problem, its my job after all"

I stood up and offered a hand to the boy.

"We need to get you back home, let's go?"

The boy wiped his tears off and took my hand and we both started walking. The sun was beginning to set, painting an orange sky above us. I felt a sense of achievement. My work was fulfilled and there were no casualties. And most of all, I felt complete knowing that one person is thankful for my work, for protecting them. Then something finally clicked inside my mind, something that I've been searching for. My resolve: to protect the innocent, the Soul Society, my loved ones. I found myself.

"By the way, Mr. Soul Reaper, what's your name?"

"My name is Kaito. Kaito Hisagi"

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

I groaned as I felt something prodding my stomach and my face. My eyes were tightly shut, but I knew that I'd have to get up anyway. I mean, I do have to go to school after all.

"Ugh, fine...I'll get up in a second, Mom. It's not like I'm gonna be late or...", I yawned and slowly opened my eyes and saw two yellow eyes staring straight into mine, and a face painted with black and white.

"AAAAAHHH!", I shouted and scrambled back into my bed...or hospital bed? Oh. Right. I forgot that I was in the Seireitei training to go on a mission to save Renji and Byakuya, and to help my dad. Guess I was knocked out that bad that I even forgot about this major fact in my sleep. "WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?"

"Ah, so you don't remember...Strange, but it is only natural...", pondered the stranger to himself in a nasal tone.

I looked at him more closely to see his bizarre look. Along with his weird black and white face paint, he also had a manic expression with his white teeth showing. He wore his captain's haori with an orange flowerlike design, an orange headdress, and gold around his face, ears, and chin. I have never seen a stranger looking captain before, but I believe he'll be the last because I can't think of anyone else who would dress up like this.

Loud footsteps were heard approaching my room. We both looked to the doorway to see the lovely silver-haired woman who is Captain Isane Kotetsu.

"Captain Kurotsuchi, you can't just barge into a patient's room like that. You'll have to ask one of our healers or anyone from the front desk about that", sighed Isane as she caught her breath. It looked like she ran a long way just to get here.

The weird captain just waved his hand and sighed exasperatedly, "Sorry, sorry. But I'm a captain of the Gotei 13, so I have authority where I need to be. And this subject is something I need to see".

Pause. "Wait whaddya mean by subject?"

Kurotsuchi completely ignored me and continued talking to the captain of Division 4. "After all, you did say he had an issue with...", he thought for a moment, "throwing up, right?"

"Ah, yes. But how did you-"

"Never mind that. I have the right drug to fix him"

Isane smiled in relief, but her eyes told me that it probably was a bad idea, "Ah, that's good. May you please administer this drug now?"

"What did you think I was gonna do while the boy was here?", he stuck his tongue out before looking back to the corner of the room. Somehow, I didn't see the girl with purple hair wearing Shinigami uniform standing there.

"Nemuri, please hand the vial to Kazui, please"

"Understood, Lord Mayuri!"

"You really need to break that habit..."

She walked towards me and pulled out the vial from the inside of her shihakusho. I just noticed that this Nemuri wore a very stoic expression the whole time. With her hand outstretched, she held the vial toward me. Naturally, I took it. She walked back to her original place immediately.

I had a bad feeling about this. A strange looking captain that made a strange looking vial that would probably give me a strange effect. What could go wrong? Though I didn't see anything wrong with the girl handing it to me. She looks at least more innocent that Kurotsuchi.

I took the vial, took off the lid, and opened my mouth. The liquid inside of that small glass was glowing green and I even heard it sizzling. Whatever must be in this glass is probably nasty as hell. Though I needed it if I wanted to get better. And, Captain Kotetsu is with us, so we have a witness. Good thing, because Mayuri might get away with my murder.

The liquid ran down from the vial and into my mouth. The taste was absolutely foul, something I never want to try again in my entire life. I gulped the whole thing down and placed the vial next to my bedside table. Expecting something bad to happen to my insides or my whole body in general, nothing really happened. Surprisingly, I felt even better. My energy levels were raised by a lot along with no urge to suddenly throw up my guts or organs.

"Uh, thank you, Captain Kurotsuchi"

"Eh, okay. By the way, I added something a bit special to the drug", Mayuri stared at me as I coughed when he mentioned that, "And if you bother throwing that up, just remember that it also throws up the rest of your insides as well".

"Aye aye. What is the Seireitei's deal with having drugs that make you throw your insides out", I scratched my head and then finally stood up, feeling better than ever.

Kurotsuchi waved goodbye and walked out the door and back to whatever creepy cave he lives in. Nemuri waved towards me, with what I swear was a small grin on her face, and followed after. I sighed and looked at Captain Kotetsu, who was watching them leave as well. When she finally turned around back to me, I bowed.

"Thank you for your hospitality and dealing with me these past few days, but I'll be taking my leave now"

She smiled politely, "It's no problem, really. We have patients like these every day. If you are taking your leave though, I gladly accept your thanks"

I bowed once again and took my Zanpakuto, which was leaning in the corner. I attached the sheath by my side and walked out the door. My recovery was over, which meant that I had to keep on training again. Putting this effort just to save people who are basically my family. I mean, Renji and Byakuya always visited along with Ichika back in the World of the Living. Of course, that was because I never came to the Seireitei before...right?

I had begun to have this weird feeling in my head, almost as if it felt like it was swelling up. Images flashed before my eyes that I've never seen before. This feeling was familiar, or that I've already seen these visions in my mind. But there is not a chance that I'd seen these. Obviously, this is just a side-effect of Kurotsuchi's drug. There wasn't a single thing to worry about.

I kept seeing these images until someone came up and poked my face.

"Hey, Kazui. You look like you're in a daze over there. Actually no, you look dumb", a red-haired girl said as she prodded my cheek, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Ichika, what gave you the right to start poking my face", I sighed, "Anyway, what brings you here?"

"I heard from Captain Kotetsu that you'd be getting out of the Division 4 barracks. And then I realized that you had no place to stay. So naturally, I offered to take you in with us for the time being", Ichika said with a smug look.

"I get it, I'm homeless. But anybody could've told me where to find your place since you just so happened to take me in, so that doesn't answer my question. So why were you waiting for me?"

She smiled even more, showing off her confident expression, "Well, I just found out myself that I'd be training alongside you for a lesson. Basically, we're in the same class".

"So, who's the captain that's gonna be training us?"

"Well..."

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

Me and Ichika both approached the large door that led to the Division 1 office. We were both a bit nervous about this meet-up. I mean, when was it that you got to meet the Captain-Commander of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads himself, and for training? Before we could knock the door, we heard footsteps behind us. Ichika and I slowly turned around and saw someone standing there.

"Huh, why are you guys looking at me like that? You look like you've seen a ghost", asked Kaito, his hand on the handle of his blade with a confused expression on his face.

"Kaito, what are you doing here?", exclaimed Ichika, who was relieved it wasn't some random stranger.

"I got an invite too. What, you think I wouldn't take this opportunity to train with the Head Captain himself as well?"

"No, I guess not"

I sighed, "We might be late, so might as well go in now"

The three of us looked at the large door and I knocked. The sound of my knuckle on wood made a loud banging noise that echoed through the halls of the 1st Division. The door slowly opened to reveal and old man wearing Soul Reaper uniform.

"Lieutenant Genshiro Okikiba! Sorry for intruding", Ichika bowed.

The lieutenant scratched his head, "No problem. Actually, it would be the perfect time for you to come in"

Lieutenant Okikiba opened the door further to reveal who our trainer was. Our trio saw a man sitting on his chair, with his Sugegasa straw hat lowered onto his eyes. He was wearing a pink haori with many beautiful designs and wore hairpins in his long brown hair. He was trying to drink some sake, but a woman with a clipboard next to him slapped his hand away from the bottle.

"Eh? Come on Nanao-chan. Nothing bad's gonna happen if I just drink a little bit..."

"You have training today! And if you haven't noticed already, our guests have already been escorted inside by Lieutenant Okikiba", she pointed towards us, who were standing awkwardly next to the door.

"Oh...uh...ah, alright then. Sorry for the inconvenience", the woman who I assume was Nanao, glared at him and so he continued speaking, "Kazui, Ichika, Kaito. It's obvious that you came here because you received my invitation, right?"

"Yes, Head Captain Kyoraku", I answered.

Shunsui raised his hat, showing his face. Beside the fact that he had facial hair and grey eyes, there was an obvious striking feature. He wore a black eyepatch on his right eye, making it so his left eye was gazing down on me.

"Well, I decided to give you some personal training since we need to keep you in shape for a rescue mission. Of course, that would be Captain of the 6th Division, Byakuya Kuchiki and Lieutenant Renji Abarai", Ichika's fist clenched up a bit, "Many wouldn't get the opportunity to train with a Captain-Commander, but you're lucky to get the special treatment"

He said all of this in an amused tone, as if everything was relaxed. He was acting like there wasn't a kidnapping or disappearance of two of the most known people from the Gotei 13. There was also a suspicious edge but intelligent tone to his voice when he spoke. As if he's holding some information back. I don't think anybody's noticed this yet, but if I'm the only one, it wouldn't hurt to ask him later.

"We as a whole in the Gotei 13 have decided that you three, compared to the captains, will be able to succeed in this mission. And Kazui, before you say anything about your father, he won't be able to complete this mission. If our enemy is able to wipe out 2 captain class Soul Reapers, then Ichigo would overdo it. He might break or destroy at least one world with his Shikai or Bankai without holding back. This mission would be personal for Ichigo, so it's a hard pass"

"And what makes you think that us three will be able to succeed?", Ichika crossed her arms.

Kyoraku just smiled, "I'll discuss with you those individual details during our training. But simply, you have the potential to push through. I, and the others know just from watching you fight"

Ichika withdrawn. Kaito nodded reasonably. And I stood there contemplating what he meant. It sounded like he was familiar with this enemy in a way, in my perspective. To break the silence, Ichika sighed dramatically and looked up at Shunsui with a confident expression.

"So, what are we waiting for? You gonna fight us all at once?", she smirked.

"Yeah, that's right. And afterwards, I'll do an evaluation of you one by one to see who's ready"

Kaito finally spoke after those long few minutes of his silence, "I think it'd be better to evaluate us first. After all, it would be better to know what our power is before fighting all of us at once".

What the heck was Kaito planning? Seems like he's curious about those individual details.

"Ah, you're so right. I completely looked over that. Silly me", mused the Captain Commander as he looked at each of us.

"So, without further ado, my first evaluation is going to be with Kazui Kurosaki"

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

Shunsui led me to another room in his office that was hidden from everybody else. We both walked down a flight of stairs and into the training room. It was a small place, with torches lit on the walls and looked like a normal kendo practice room. Next to the doorway, Shunsui looked over at a rack of wooden swords that were displayed.

"Say, Kazui. You experienced with using two weapons by any chance?", he asked me, inspecting one of the swords.

"Uh, well..." To be honest, I wasn't really that good at using two blades. From my other training sessions, I had used two, but I had used simple moves like a cut or slash instead of any complicated sword techniques. "No, Head Captain Kyoraku"

"Ah well, I expected it. That's why we're going to learn about it today"

Before I could react, Shunsui tossed me two wooden swords swiftly before he got two of his own. I scrambled to pick both up and held them in my hands. The feeling was extremely different than holding one blade. Mostly because I was used to using both hands when handling Mugetsu while fighting, so the weight felt weird. Maybe because it was made from wood, but the weight was divided more evenly between my two arms. It felt much better somehow, and...familiar?

"Now, lets get started, shall we? After all, I do have some things to discuss with you before your friends also have a turn"

"Yeah, you're right"

We both held our weapons in front of us before charging. Loud noises of wood smacking against each other echoed in the small room. It was a mix of parrying attacks and blocking as this fight was a one-sided one. Shunsui seemed to be having an amusing time blocking my attacks and even performed tricks to try and catch me off guard. Despite my efforts, it seemed like I wasn't pushing past him anytime soon. The one eye kept staring at me as I fought with all my strength, trying to at least land one hit.

"How was your experience with the captains so far?", Shunsui broke the silence as he smiled at me.

"Not too bad. Just a few near death experiences here and there. Almost getting cut to death, you know the deal"

Sweat poured down my forehead as the heat of the fight got to me. After a couple of minutes, I still couldn't land a hit. And there was the Captain-Commander who hadn't even broken a sweat and started a conversation with me.

"That's good. And I'm also sorry for making the captains go and train you. Kazui, do you wanna know something interesting?"

"Sure"

"The reason I put you through this type of training is obviously to make you stronger, but not in the way you think", Kyoraku quickly threw his hat at me, making me dodge it while he kept speaking, "You see, it seemed that Urahara was a little soft with your type of training. You're still currently medium captain level at best despite all of that".

"And what's that supposed to mean", I gritted my teeth as I tried to jump over him and land a head shot with my blades.

"Nice one", he complimented me as he blocked my attack and threw me to the other side, "Anyway, your training from the captains is the best way to do it. Did you know? Your Spiritual Energy increase is more efficient in a life-or-death situation. Which is the only reason why you're able to become stronger at a rapid rate"

"Is that so? How much stronger am I now, according to you?"

"Compared to when you first came here? Very much stronger. You were able to withstand Kenpachi's burst of reiatsu after he took off his eyepatch like nothing. Considering he is one of the strongest captains, you have outdone yourself so far. In fact, a little faster than expected".

Those words boosted my motivation, and I kept attacking Shunsui with the best of my ability. He continued to block as usual, but it felt like I was slowly overcoming him. I felt like I was getting stronger even though that this wasn't a life-or-death situation. Actually, more like I was able to see through his defence and strike the right places. Shunsui was still able to keep up with my attacks all the while slowly breaking down his parries.

After a while, I finally was able to pierce through one of his parries and struck his shoulder. Shunsui groaned a little as he was hit but smiled at the same time. The fight stopped completely, and we both stood there, breathing heavily. Our swords were both weathered and damaged as we held them in our hands.

"At least it didn't rip through my kimono, or else I'd be very disappointed", sighed Kyoraku who was still smiling despite everything, "If you land one more hit, I'll give you more information on your current situation"

"What may that information be?"

"Its something important that may change the course of your mission. And I also advise you to not tell any of this to your friends, Kaito and Ichika"

"Alright, I accept the terms. Promise you won't hold anything back from me and tell me everything"

"Really...you're too mature for your age, Kazui. Maybe more than your father when he was your age", he scratched his head. A few seconds later, he walked towards the side of the room and collected his hat. Shunsui placed it back on his head.

"Kazui, let's begin"

We both rushed towards each other and clashed blades. The force of our blades meeting each other made all of the dust in the room blow backwards. My movements were based on pure strength and speed, whereas Kyoraku's moves were more relaxed. Even if he was holding back, one hit was all it takes.

I performed a combo of slashes and strikes towards Shunsui and tried to break his defence. He counterattacked by twisting his blade so that both of my weapons were planted onto the floor. He then used the other sword and instantly thrusted it towards my face. I ducked under his swift attack and kicked his arm away before regaining my control over my weapon and striking back.

"Good try, but that doesn't count as a hit", Kyoraku smirked as he hastened to land another blow.

I blocked his attack and pushed him away. I rushed towards Shunsui again and crashed my sword against his. I raised my sword and swung towards his neck. Naturally, he blocked it with his own, but not before I leapt over him and used the other blade and struck him.

Kyoraku tried to block the attack, but something different happened. I placed all of my strength and pushed forward with the remain force I had left.

"AAAAAAUGH!", I shouted as I formed my blades into an X-shape and with one single dash, I landed my final strike.

He held his swords up. Compared to him, I had the element of surprise and full on blitzed through his blade with my very own speed. Not Shunpo, not Shun-So-Hi, but just the pure force and momentum of that one single strike. The wooden sword broke into pieces that scattered in the space around us. It was over.

Shunsui's one eye widened in surprise, "No way..."

The strike hit him in the chest, not affecting him at all. But no matter, because my job was done here. I jumped backwards and held onto my weapons. We maintained eye contact for a while before he smiled.

"You really are something, Kazui. You succeeded in this training and, to keep up my end of the deal, I'll tell you your essential information"

I smirked and placed my blades onto the rack, "I guess you should get talking, Head Captain Kyoraku"

Shunsui took a deep breath before speaking, "Kazui Kurosaki, the truth about your powers is..."

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

I walked up the torch-lit staircase and made my way back up to the Division 1 Captain-Commander's office. There were too many things to process right now, and I didn't want to discuss this to anyone. Well, not that I had a choice.

"It's something important that may change the course of the mission. And I also advise you to not tell any of this to your friends, Kaito and Ichika"

He was right after all.

It would probably worry them that I would be hiding such a thing, so I won't tell them anyway. After all, they wouldn't mind if I kept a small secret, right? This information is nothing much because...well...

I smacked the back of my head with my hand. Crap, of course it's important! It is my power after all! In the current state I am in now, I'm no better than a mid-class captain in the Gotei 13, so how should I get stronger? How can I be able to rescue Renji and Byakuya from our enemy if I can't even handle the situation that well? And how do I do it without risking the lives of others around me?

As I finally arrived at the top step, I saw Lieutenant Ise talking to Kaito and Ichika about something. They turned their heads around when they heard my footsteps.

"Hey, Kazui! How was the training!", Ichika greeted me with a wave.

"Oh...uh...it was good. I was able to land a hit or two on him..."

Kaito raised his eyebrow, "You alright, Kazui? You sound kinda weird"

I didn't notice the nervousness creeping up in my voice as I spoke to them. The news that Shunsui said to me still surprised me up until now. My voice was shaking, and I didn't know what to do. Luckily, someone behind me saved me the talking.

"Don't worry about Kazui here. He's just a bit tired from training with me since, of course, he couldn't keep up with my talent", answered an amusing voice behind me. Turns out Shunsui followed behind me while I was walking up.

Nanao sighed, "Captain-Commander Kyoraku, no need to make fun of him for that"

"Sorry, just a little humor to wake Kazui up a bit, eh?"

He wore a playful smile on his lips, but his eye said otherwise. From my point of view, he had a serious gaze in his eyes. I've noticed from our brief time with each other that Kyoraku seemed like a laid-back guy on the outside but had a really complex personality inside. I didn't know what he was currently thinking of right now with a mask like that. So far, it looked like he was just covering for me.

"Anyway, there seems to be a problem that has arisen", Shunsui looked at lieutenants Nanao and Genshiro before glancing back at us, "I won't be able to train Ichika nor Kaito today, but I'll make plans for them soon"

Ichika crossed her arms whereas Kaito smiled politely, "That's alright, at least you got Kazui's training in"

"Yeah. But you could do this one thing to prove your strength so far. It also has something to do with that problem...Our Soul Reapers who have scouted the area of District 37 of Rukongai. We've withdrawn our stationed officers so that you can go in"

I looked up to the Head Captain, sighed, and nodded, "We understand. We'll go first thing in the morning"

"That's what I like to hear! Anyway, you are now dismissed", Shunsui said cheerfully, "Okikiba, please escort them outside"

"Yes, Head Captain Kyoraku", he bowed and gestured for us to leave.

Kaito, Ichika, and I all walked with the old lieutenant to the large door where we originally entered from. I waved goodbye to the Division 1 office and turned around. It was a quiet walk to the exit as all of us didn't say a single word. The sun was slowly setting in the distance, making the sky look crimson. My nervousness remained, but slowly fading away. Even a silent walk with my friends was enough to calm my nerves.

"So, we got an assignment, huh? That's cool", Kaito spoke.

"Yeah, and its kinda my first time being assigned to something in the Soul Society as an actual Soul Reaper"

Ichika smirked, "Know your place, Substitute Soul Reaper"

"Oh, shut up. We'll have a spar and see who'll come out on top, Ichika. Then you'll know where your place is", I countered.

"Oh it's on, Kazui!"

Kaito laughed, "I think that's enough battle engagement for today. After all, we all are tired after today"

As we laughed and talked throughout our journey back to our homes, my nerves calmed down a bit. As long as I'm with them, I'll be able to feel stronger. I need to make the most of it, as much as I can.

A few minutes later, Kaito said that this was where we parted ways. Me and Ichika waved as he walked away before making our own way to Ichika's place.

"Kuchiki Family Manor, huh?"

Ichika grinned, "Yep, nice place, right?"

"It really is.... big"

And I wasn't wrong. Behind the large gate held the rich family's manor. It had a vast area where a lake was made. Gigantic koi swam through the water and glimmered gold in the sunset. The buildings were pure and elegant, as expected from one of the 3 big families of the Seireitei.

"So...where am I going to sleep?"

"Good question. Uh, I guess you can just sleep in my room for the time being since I can't decide where you can sleep in this place. Usually mom would make the decisions for me"

"Where is your mom right now?", I asked with a concerned expression.

"Oh, she's probably at the Division 13 office doing some work. Or if she isn't, trying to find dad and Uncle Byakuya"

"Ah, right..."

I kinda regretted not asking how her situation was recently, but to be fair I was busy these last few days. Having near death experiences while training will knock some stuff into your brain and make you forget about important things like that. On the other hand, she looked fine. Ichika was still her happy, energetic self. Always confident and looking for a fight. Everything was fine.

"I guess I should probably freshen up. Can you show me where the bathroom is"

"Oh yeah, of course. You stink of sweat after all", Ichika led me down the polished hallway.

When we arrived, I was met with a ginormous (Well, bigger than any other bathroom I've ever been in) bathroom. My jaw dropped as I saw how luxurious all this stuff was.

"I'll tell the staff to bring you your clothes. I'll be in my, I mean, our room-for-a-temporary-time-until-someone-tells-you-to-move-somewhere-else", she waved goodbye and slid out the doorway, disappearing.

"Alright. I better make the most of my time in the bath. Because I have a feeling this'll be my last"

I used my Fullbring to discard my clothing and hopped into the grand bathtub, having a start to the best bath in my life.

By the time I finished, I found my clothing in front of me. It was a classic grey jinbei (form of nightwear) which would be fit for a visitor. I mean, who would give someone who has never been in your house rich clothes? Anyway, I quickly wore my nightwear and immediately felt relief. The cotton on my clothes was so soft that I completely forgot my worries altogether. Sighing in relaxation, I walked around the manor in search for the room I was supposed to go to. Well, I was about to until I saw Ichika leaning on the wall by the hallway waiting for me.

"If you're about to ask, I'm just here so that you don't get lost around here", Ichika closed her eyes before looking at me, "Hurry up, we gotta sleep early"

Both of us walked side-by-side to her room. It took a few minutes, but she finally made a turn and opened a door. The inside of her room looked like a plain room in an inn, which had no decoration whatsoever. Although, she had plenty of swords displayed on a rack covering a large wall. There were also futons on the floor prepared for both of us.

Ichika lay on one of the futons and I lay on the others. With a single clap from her hands, the lights instantly turned off in our room as darkness covered our sight.

"You seemed kinda off today, Kazui. Are you sure you're alright?", whispered her voice.

"Yeah, it really isn't a problem. I guess I just had a long day today"

"You know, you can come to me to talk about your problems"

"You, huh? You offering me your comfort?"

I swear I could hear her blushing as she stuttered, "You got a problem with that?! And I didn't mean just me! You could come to me or Kaito, or even the other captains in the Seireitei if you wanted!"

I chuckled softly, "Calm down, you might wake up the whole Seireitei if you shouted out loud...Seriously though, I'm alright. There's no reason to worry. Goodnight, Ichika"

I turned around in my futon with my back facing Ichika. I closed my eyes and tried to fall asleep.

"Whatever you say. I just hope you're alright by tomorrow. Goodnight, Kazui", Ichika yawned, and I heard her turn over on her futon as well.

Silence fell in the room at once. It was a calm environment with nothing but darkness in sight. It helped me relax as I drifted off to sleep, hoping that I was able to solve all my problems tomorrow. As this would be my last.

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

Rays of sunshine brightened up the room I was sleeping in. Yawning, I slowly opened my eyes and scanned where I was sleeping in. The sword rack that covered the wall, a regular desk along with writing material, and basically rich things that I didn't own. Yep, I was still in Ichika's room. I looked over to my right and saw Ichika sleeping...next to me?

Now what I can remember from last night is that we both had individual futons that had space between us. But what I can see now is no space between us since our futons were together. And on top of that, Ichika was sleeping right next to me, as in right up close.

"Uh, Ichika...Ichika?"

I poked her sleeping face with my finger. Her eyes fluttered a bit before closing back up again as she wrapped an arm around my body. I could feel my face heat up a bit, but I shook the feeling away. This stubborn girl...why won't she wake up?

"Ichika"

My commanding voice finally opened her eyes wide open. Ichika looked at me, then to her arm around my body, and then back up to my face. Our eyes met as we faced each other. Her cheeks glowed a bright colour of crimson as she backed away immediately and covered her face in a blanket.

"I-IT ISN'T WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE", she shouted in a muffled voice as her pillow drowned out the rest of her stuttering.

I felt my face heating up even more, though I sighed and tried not to show any reaction, "I won't ask. We have a mission to do anyway..."

Standing up, I stretched my arms out before walking out the door to change. I folded my sleepwear and placed it next to a room that looked like a laundry so that the staff won't have any trouble cleaning. Using my Fullbring, I summoned my Soul Reaper uniform and zanpakuto to get ready. Mugetsu sat safely by my side inside his sheathe, waiting for me to use. I was eventually going to have to use it anyway because I needed to unlock my power and become stronger.

Footsteps were heard down the hallway, so I turned my head around. I saw Ichika in her own uniform with her zanpakuto by her side as well.

"You ready?'

"Of course I am, let's get this over and done with easy"

Ichika took the lead and led me towards the front door. Just before touching the door handle, she gave me a threatening glare.

"Do not tell anybody about what happened this morning"

We both met Kaito halfway through our journey to Rukon District 37 which was very convenient. Our walk there wasn't boring since we had a nice long chat about what happened during, I was conked out after the Kenpachi fight.

"Ha, yeah, so me and Ikkaku had a really crazy fight while training. Ha, I bet he's still recovering right now!", bragged Ichika with her hands behind her head.

Kaito scratched his head, "I don't think its nice to talk about a lieutenant like that, considering he is your sensei after all"

"I can speak to him however I want. After all, I am better than him"

Kaito sighed exasperatedly, but when a kid waved at him from one of the houses in the Rukongai, he waved back and smiled.

"Hey, what's up with that. You know who that kid is?", I asked curiously.

He glanced at me and placed a finger on his chin, "I forgot to mention it, but during your recovery, I kinda saved that kid from a Hollow"

"Whoa! Really?"

"Oh, it isn't anything much. I killed the Hollow, but I don't think District 28 of the Rukongai will be in any time a place for people to live. So I guess his family moved down to another district. He looks like he's living well this time"

Ichika huffed, "How powerful was this Hollow exactly?"

"I don't know for sure, but it definitely had a high Spiritual Pressu-"

Before Kaito could finish what he was saying, it had only been a few minutes that we realised that we had arrived at District 37. It looked deserted. Dust blew around and scattered in the worn-down houses of this part of town. Next to me, I heard Kaito swear to himself.

"Kaito, you know what's going on?"

"Damn, I recognise this reiatsu. It was from the same Hollow that I fought before when saving the kid. How did it survive?"

We drew our zanpakutos as we tried to scan the areas for any Hollows in the surrounding areas. So far, I couldn't even sense a single thing due to the high reiatsu that was spread around us. It covered as far as the whole 37th District. It was just like finding a needle in a haystack.

"I didn't survive, Kaito Hisagi. I just seemed to have become...even stronger due to your stupid mistake", whispered a coarse voice in the wind.

Turning around, I saw a shadowy figure standing behind Hisagi with a single claw against his neck. My eyes widened as I saw the Hollow raise its arms to my fellow Soul Reaper.

"KAITO!!!"

"I KNOW!"

He quickly turned around and stabbed the Hollow straight in the middle of its figure. Kaito pushed the Hollow onto the ground and raised a hand in front of the shadow's head.

"Hado no. 31, Shakkaho!"

A large red orb grew in the palm of Kaito's hand and released into the shadow's head. An explosion followed as smoke blew up in the air. Assuming that the Hollow was dead, Kaito stood up, but only to be met by the same figure in front of him.

"Well done, but your efforts are worthless"

The shadowy figure teleported backwards, looking as if it was pulling our shadows along with it. A Hollow's mask emerged from the head, but it wasn't normal. The white mask was cracked open and split in half. It showed glowing red eyes and grotesque yellow fangs. The Hollow had no hole, but instead appeared around its head like a halo. The figure raised its arms and sighed heavily.

"It truly is wonderful growing this powerful in such a short amount of time. I can finally take revenge on that Hisagi Soul Reaper"

Kaito showed a dark expression as it glared towards the Hollow, "What did you do?!"

"I brought many new disasters upon the Soul Society itself. Be wary, Soul Reapers, because you are foolish to come alone"

Hooded people emerged or teleported next to the Hollow as well. They wore a white mask, but not quite like a Hollows. There were about 4 or so, making it so we were just slightly outnumbered.

"Crap, Kazui. What do we do?", whispered Ichika, her blade held in front of her.

Kaito muttered in a low voice, "I know what I'm going to do. I'll go after that shadow bastard"

I nodded, "It's settled then. Me and Ichika will go after the rest while you deal with that shadow Hollow"

"No need to tell me twice", Kaito disappeared and immediately clashed with the Hollow.

I glanced at Ichika, and we nodded. If this was the problem that Head Captain Kyoraku was talking about, we needed to act fast. And the sooner we eliminated these creatures, the sooner we could help Kaito.

The other three hooded creatures stared down at the two of us, showing how superior they thought they were. Little did it know that it was met with a dangerous hybrid and the daughter of the Captain of Squad 13. Ichika and I rushed towards our enemies with our swords raised.

It was now or never if we were going to destroy our enemies and restore balance to the Seireitei.

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

I clashed my blade against the first hooded figure, trying to push it down but somehow the enemy withstood my attack. The appearance of my first opponent didn't look like anything much. Its body looked as skinny as a pole with two long arms that were hidden under its cloak. Whether it looked weak or not, it sure held its own against my attack, because no matter what I did, I couldn't force it to go down. The enemy just snarled at me, its light bulb-shaped mask staring.

Without a second thought, I withdrew my sword and kicked its face instead. The hooded enemy backed away, giving me an opportunity to strike. I dashed towards the enemy with my sword raised. Suddenly, before I could attack, I was met with an arm holding the blade. An arm grew out of the back of the enemy, while its face was covered by its two normal hands.

"This is annoying", I grumbled and withdrew once again. I guess just using my base Zanpakuto wouldn't do anything.

I charged once again towards the enemy and raised my sword, but this time I released my Shikai once I made contact.

"Conquer, Mugetsu"

A black flash of energy erupted and moved erratically, pouring out of my blade and into the cloak of the enemy. My sword transformed into a larger size which added even more weight against the cloaked figure, giving me an advantage. I kept swinging my sword and attacking the figure from all angles while also focusing on something else. More arms grew out of its body, making it look like a spider with its many arms sprouting out of its black cloaked form.

Damn, its defense was increasing with my every attack. It hasn't even been 5 minutes in the fight and my attacks haven't even proved strong yet. Though at the same time I haven't been attacked either. Things were going a bit too good for an enemy that could take down the Soul Society. I backed away from the spider with my sword in front of me.

"Soul...Reaper...must die...", it growled, bearing growing claws in its fingertips.

Its hands were pale wrinkly hands, with slender fingers. The claws looked even more horrifying to look at since it was sharp and yellow. I wonder when the last time this person had cut their nails. Anyway, it charged at me with all hands pointed at me, the nails pointing directly at my whole body. If I didn't block this, then there was an absolutely 100% chance that I would get skewered like a barbecue. And this was bad, since I wanted to come back without any holes punctured in my body.

I used the flat side of my blade and charged towards the enemy. There was loud screeching coming from the nails at the side of my blade as it scraped the metal. Using the bandages, I wrapped the fabric around my arms and jumped over the spider-like opponent. By the time that I was face-to-face with the enemy, I raised my left hand and whispered.

"I may not be good at Kido, but spending time in a damn hospital bed can make you come up with pretty cool stuff", it was like slow motion as my hand was lowered down to its face, "And a certain red orb won't just comply with getting launched, so I made up something of my own..."

"Hado number whatever...*Akakodan!"

I made contact again with the surface of the enemy. A red spark of energy grew in my hand and formed an orb. I could feel the unstable reiatsu coming from the orb, indicating that it was about to explode in my own hands. I rushed even closer to the hooded figure, placing my hand in its face and bracing myself for an explosion.

BOOM!

The impact of the explosion blew me back a couple of meters before I dashed back towards the enemy. I was met with a fully conscious cloaked figure with some of its arms blown off, blood dripping down to the ground below. I knew that a simple Kido move like that wouldn't take someone like this down, so I already took measures for this.

I raised my bandage upwards and with it also came my Zanpakuto which shined midnight black in the morning sun. The blade sliced through two more of its arms as blood continued to spray outwards. I used Shun-So-Hi and instantly appeared in front of the enemy, catching the handle of my sword in the process. I grazed the neck of its cloak and hung the sharp edge of my blade into its fabric. Focusing on my surroundings, I felt all the Spiritual Energy and reiatsu gathering around my blade. Along with that, I also felt something different stirring inside of me. It was that same unpleasant but at the same time pleasant sensation. My eyes felt like they were closed as I muttered my following words with a voice full of anger.

"Getsuga Tenshou..."

The energy exploded into the body of the cloaked figure. I had no reason why I was this angry. Yes, I felt hatred for these...Hollows?...that threatened to damage the Soul Society, but never have I felt this angry since my fight with Kenpachi. Everything came back into my eyes as the darkness that consumed my sight faded away. Smoke swirled around the two of us as the power of that Getsuga Tenshou burned through the cloak of its figure.

I dashed backwards. I could still see the body still standing up, shrouded in the smoke that surrounded it. As the smoke faded away, I could see who this enemy truly was and what it looked like. I first noticed its face. It was as pale and wrinkly as his fingers, with eyes so small they were in slits. Pale blonde hair was slicked back over his head and his chest was even worse. It looked weathered and broken as scars painted over his skin and burns scattered like sprinkles on a cupcake. Its arms looked terrifying, as long slender flesh as thin as bones stuck out from his back. It was clear that it wasn't a Hollow, and that confirmed my suspicion on what it would be.

"I did not see this coming, but I suppose it already happened. I only have a few moments before I be taken back down to hell, so...", murmured the wrinkled abomination before smiling at me insanely, crazed orange eyes popping out of his sockets, "I'LL TAKE YOU DOWN WITH ME, HUH? SOUL REAPER KAZUI KUROSAKI???"

I didn't know, neither did I care for how or why this creature knew my name. All I felt was this strangely familiar Spiritual Pressure and energy coming from him. Not only that, but it felt good. Almost too good to be true. I felt the same thing from my Getsuga Enkojo. The same feeling as burning anger, fury, and...hell, all at once. Raising my sword, I pointed it towards the sickening figure.

"I see. If you haven't got long left because your cloak was taken off, you better entertain me", I stated loudly, "Because I have some things that I want to know about this situation. So let's make it quick. I just wanna say...I WON'T BE HOLDING BACK"

Black energy swirled all over my body and my Zanpakuto decreased into that very same energy. It circled my arms until it completely wrapped and tightened around them. Two normal sized blades materialized into my hands. They were just like my normal blade; black as midnight and emitting enormous power thought it was regular sized. I smiled as I felt the power coursing through my body. And then something sprouted into my mind. The name of this move that Yoruichi taught me and something other.

"I've only used this a few times when nobody was noticing, but you'll be lucky to be the first to see such a rare chance, since this is the first time I've used it with a name..."

"Kokoryu Shunko: Jigoku"

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

"Kokoryu Shunko, Jigoku"

The black energy around my arms hummed and swirled, wrapping around me like a chain. Two dark blades were held in my hands. I looked towards the enemy that I had just taken the hood off from. He was really ugly with those many dozens of arms sprouting out of his pale body. The energy in my blades sparked with my unstable reiatsu. I could tell that this new technique would be kinda unpredictable, which was perfect against this opponent.

I instantly rushed towards the many armed man and clashed my blades at him. The pale opponent held grabbed the swords and held it firmly. It was troubling that the enemy also had an advantage, since the number of arms he has gave him better defence. And not only that, the length of the arms was also a trouble since I felt them about to hit me at the back of my head.

Dodging the sneak attack swiftly, I dematerialised the two blades and pulled it out of his grasp. Instead, I threw the chain-like that were wrapped around my arms towards the enemy. As expected, he also grabbed my obvious attempt at restraining him. Manipulating the reiatsu around my feet, I immediately appeared in front of its face. It was a battle of who could keep up with each other as I summoned my blades once again and struck.

The rapid slashes from my sword following the blocks and counterattacks coming from the multi-armed enemy continued. Lots of blood was spilt from the both of us as we continued to slash each other without a single thought in our minds. The blazing fury coming from our attacks never died down nor our exhaustion holding us back. Our fight felt like it was personal in some way. Due to my additional speed supported by Shunko, I was able to keep up with multiple hands using my two blades.

After what felt like a few seconds, the process finally started within my soul. A quick surge of power rushed into my veins as my blades met the flesh of my opponent. I could feel the Spiritual energy and reiatsu seeping into my hands every time I landed a hit. Unfortunately, I also got hit since we were fighting in close quarters. I hadn't noticed it until now, but another change was happening inside of my body. Without a second to waste, I hybrid dashed out of the way. I felt fire burning in my lungs.

I could barely breathe as the flames burned higher and higher until it erupted out of my mouth. Meanwhile, the pale man laughed at my pain.

"My nails are able to inflict poison to wherever it touches. You've only been able to withstand a few of my attacks, which is impressive if I do say so myself, but it's over"

Collapsing onto the air, I tried to breathe and drown out the fire. Damn it. How do I feel weaker now than when I fought the captains. It was something about that Spiritual Pressure residing inside of that beast of an enemy. The feeling of pain and anger was overwhelming my own power instead of mine overwhelming his. I couldn't put my finger on it, but my body felt like it was both rejecting and trying to grasp the power that it's been fighting.

Suddenly, I was hit again with another wave of visions. Familiar images flashed through my mind yet again, though they were clearer this time. Tons of knowledge exploded into my brain; things I've never seen somehow became common knowledge. I felt the black chains of power tighten around my arms, squeezing out all the fire inside my body. Smiling, I slowly stood back up as I recognised this feeling.

The Spiritual Pressure I used to be overwhelmed with was now on even ground with mine. And along with that, I knew how to handle the situation:

By doing nothing at all.

"Nice trick you got there. But I know what you are now and where you come from, if that wasn't obvious enough", I say smugly.

"And who may I be?", the pale man smirked, but I could see the beads of sweat on his forehead. He was getting nervous that the time was running out for himself, and he hadn't succeeded in taking me down yet.

With eyes glinting in victory, I announced loudly, "You come from Hell. And another fact about you is that you're a Sinner. Sinners aren't supposed to escape from Hell, aren't they? So in a couple of seconds, you'll be taken back to suffer an eternal death. Am I right?"

"SHUT UP. You may have found that out, but...BUT...", before he could be say another word, the air began to change.

Dust from below began to gather around and swirl upwards, pulling trees and other pieces of the environment. Lightning crackled in the sky, lights flashed green, and something began to rip through. The sky parted, revealing two impossibly large double doors. The surface of the doors was covered in patterns of fire and two huge skeletons were placed on either side. Ropes adorned with many charms kept the gate from opening fully, but just enough so that something even bigger can go through. Chains suddenly appeared on the pale sinner's body, wrapping around every piece of flesh it could grab a hold on. His grotesque body was lifted off of our mid-air battleground.

"NO, I REFUSE TO GO BACK TO THAT PLACE. CURSE YOU, SOUL REAPER"

I used the extra speed provided from my Shunko to once again dash behind him. I readied my two blades which were held tightly in my hands. The energy felt heavy, begging me to release the attack it's been waiting for this whole time, to end it all. But I couldn't use it just yet, since I couldn't risk the chains that restrained my enemy's body to be broken.

"Sorry, Mugetsu. Not now but maybe later"

I focused all of my reiatsu into the very being of my blades to gather enough energy for my attack. Ass I felt it reach its maximum capacity, I positioned my zanpakutos in front of me. It was time.

"GETSUGA...TENSHOUUUUUUU"

With two swings from each of my swords, I released two consecutive energy attacks towards the Sinner. Black and red was once again unleashed from my blade and travelled towards him. With a massive explosion, the attack hit the Sinner directly. As he flew even faster to the gates of hell, I could see the burns on his body glowing with my spiritual energy as I imprinted my power onto himself. I'd like to say that I proved fear against the opponents I've slain.

A humungous sword gradually pushed through the small gap that was opened in the two doors. The Sinner was pulled towards the blade using the chains that were wrapped upon him. It was inevitable death. The blade pierced through him and soon he disintegrated into ashes which drifted into the burning gates of his demise.

That was one down. I guess that Ichika was still fighting the other one and Kaito was still fighting that strange Hollow. With this new information that I now know, I needed to tell them as fast as possible.

Though a question to ask is how the Hollow still isn't being pulled back by the gates of hell. It has no hood or mask to cover, so how can it remain out of sight from the gates?

Also, another thing to mention...where was the other Sinner? There were 4 enemies in total; I killed one, Ichika is fighting one, and Kaito is fighting the main one. It would be a trouble if one had escaped.

You know what? There isn't enough time to think about that right now because lives are at stake. Ichika and Kaito needs to know this information as quickly as possible so we can end this fight.

Using my hybrid dash, I rushed towards my nearest companion to tell her the information before it was too late. These Sinners are dangerous. Their reiatsu can overwhelm even us easily. If it weren't for that drug that Captain Kurotsuchi made me, I wouldn't have remembered how to send these guys back. Damn it, I need to hurry.

I hope Ichika is holding up well.

Somewhere outside of the Soul Society

Ichigo was tracking the spiritual energy residuals coming from the remaining pieces of clothing that was left by Renji and Byakuya.

Ichigo's POV:

What is this strange feeling? I've followed this Spiritual Energy for a while now and still nothing, but I can still feel a pull as I follow it.

I gripped my Zanpakutos tightly as I continued to venture down this unfamiliar environment. This wasn't even in the Rukon District, nowhere near there or the Seireitei. It was a deserted land. No trees, no houses, and no people around. The ground was cracked due to what looked like drought. Somehow, mist covered the whole land where I walked.

Once again, I sensed that familiar Spiritual Pressure that matched the clothing inside of my shihakusho pockets. I rushed towards that feeling, hoping to find something that could help me. It was getting stronger with every second that passed by. My loud footsteps along with my heavy breathing was echoed through the empty environment as I ran forward.

And that's when I found it. I didn't expect to find anything good in this place, but I didn't expect to find this. The news was neither good nor bad. It was seriously messed up.

A body wearing a captain's haori on the floor was covered with sword slashes and many other injuries. Along with that, a small black liquid puddle gathered around his hand. A familiar face with long black hair and an elegant face. His sword lay next to him; a silver blade with a regular handguard resembling a four-pane window.

I dropped down to the floor and looked at him. It was only then when I could hear his breathing that I sighed in relief, though I unintentionally did something on accident. It seemed that my reiatsu was too strong that the black liquid dispersed and exploded into nothing. The man's eyes slowly fluttered open, revealing a grey colour.

"Byakuya..."

Chapter Text

Ichika's POV:

"Heh. What's wrong with ya? Feeling tired already?"

I grinned as the scared hooded figure breathed heavily in front of me, exhausted from our fight. I felt the reiatsu from behind me disappear. That meant that Kazui defeated that hooded figure. We are gonna win this one! But along with that, there was another ugly feeling that appeared. It was something familiar though I couldn't put my finger on it. Not that I had to worry about that now, this guy toward me needed to be taken down.

Rushing once again towards the cloaked guy, I landed a couple of more hits on its cloak. I could see some red liquid streaming down from it as I continued to relentlessly slash my enemy. My Zanpakuto wasn't even in shikai form, but somehow, I was beating this stranger like a training dummy. My silver steel glided through the fabric like butter, cutting the inside like flesh. My movements were swift, precise, and easy. There was no time to waste, yet I felt kinda bored since this enemy was too easy. It was either I was really really strong, or this enemy was really really weak. I would like to think that I was too strong for this opponent. This was almost too easy.

A sudden burst of wind blew both of us apart. Within this wind I sense some sinister Spiritual Pressure and energy influencing its movements. I had a sneaky suspicion that it was coming from this guy, not that I was complaining.

"Oh? So you finally started to try harder? Finally, I was getting bored her-"

Before I could finish my sentence, a purple bolt of energy was sent toward my chest. Luckily, my fighting instincts immediately forced my body to flash step out of the way. The electricity crackled when it passed my body, some of the cloth of my fabric disintegrated along with burning my skin.

Damn it. If I didn't dodge that, I would've disintegrated, I thought to myself, Gonna have to play this one safe...or not hehe

I immediately rushed towards the enemy. It fired even more purple lightning bolts toward me, though I naturally dodged them like it was nothing. My blade clashed against his cloak. Grinning in amusement, I delivered many more slashes while trying to disarm whatever makes his attacks, and I had the perfect solution for that.

According to my senses, the electricity he makes is extremely powerful, but it comes with one downside. It doesn't have any reinforcements built in it. The energy is unstable, meaning that I can bypass the energy by simply countering it with an attack as powerful or an even better one. And guess who's gonna do it? Me.

"You think you're the only one who can do some stuff with electricity? Well nah. Because I can do it better", I pressed my sword against his face and shouted, "Blitz, Inazumatori!"

A swift bolt of lightning struck my sword and with a single explosion, we were blown backwards. My Zanpakuto changed into the lightning bolt shaped Shikai that it was meant to be. I glanced towards the enemy to examine the damage I'd done. The cloak was singed, with smoke gradually rising from it. The place of the mask where I had placed the edge of my sword was shattered in pieces. I felt satisfied with the result. This guy was gonna be beaten easily. I just realized that my entertainment with fighting this cloaked guy didn't help with our situation since we still needed to fight more of them. Our time has ended.

I flash stepped on top of the enemy and sliced downward. Surprisingly, this time the guy just dodged my attack, counterattacking with an extra bolt of lightning. It was pulsating with extreme spiritual energy that I felt was burning into my body. The attack pierced straight through the left side of my stomach. I screamed in agony as the stinging sensation shocked me from the inside out. With no time to defend myself, another bolt of lightning was sent toward me. It hit me once again but this time in my left arm. Black liquid started to spread from my wound just like veins. My arm looked like it was decaying slowly. Luckily this didn't instantly kill me, or else I wouldn't be of any help to my team.

What did they say at Kazui's school? Two negatives make a positive? My attacks plus his are an offensive type, so they both count as negatives, which leads to one thing. This might be able to stop the process or at least delay it a little bit longer.

I raised my sword into the air. Dark clouds gathered over the top of me as it thundered loudly.

"Raigeki!"

A massive bolt of lightning crashed down toward my direction. My skin was tingling, with my red hair standing up to the direction of the electricity. Because this lightning was part of my own power, I didn't feel a thing as the lightning struck my body. The black veins stopped spreading throughout my body. It stayed still in its process, and I could even see some of it disappearing back into the wound. This was really good news. It meant that I could continue fighting again.

I dashed once again towards the enemy and instead of using the same move, I delivered an elbow to the mask. The crack already embedded from my earlier attack shattered even further so it made it easier for me to see the green eyes. I needed to be unpredictable with my attacks so I could win. I didn't have to always follow the rules or a specific way of fighting. This job requires getting your hands dirty, and I didn't mind going deeper.

The cloaked figure was stunned as it didn't expect my attack. I suppose that it was used to being attacked by my blade, so it wouldn't suspect being physically abused as well. It covered the mask with one of its hands and sent another bolt of lightning towards me. I was finally able to dodge the attack this time and deliver another blow to its body. With a backhand attack from my blade and one tornado kick, I finally had the opportunity to use my best moves onto it.

I charged up my lightning through striking his body a few times more. It seemed that my zanpakuto was not able to control the electricity from the weather, but also other sources of lightning as well. My opponent was becoming more exhausted by the minute. Its movements were becoming slower and the strikes of lightning towards me were weaker. I had the upper hand here.

Using the flat of my Zanpakuto, I hit the side of its face as hard as I could. It was dazed and stood there while trying to regain its senses. I pointed my blade toward the cloaked man. During and before the training period, I had already tried to push myself. I had even gone into my Zanpakuto's inner world just to search for the power I needed. It was fun at times, but it was a hard path to walk through. But I wanted to become stronger. I wanted to serve the Gotei 13. I wanted to protect everyone. And right now, this is what I achieved. Working side by side with my friends, and Kazui.

Electricity sparked at the tip of my blade. Inazumatori taught me the importance of names as she revealed an important move. The quick burst of lightning that incinerated any opponent who stood in our way. It delivers a swift death to them and before they know it, they'll either be living their lives in the generous hands of the Soul Society or suffer punishment wherever they end up.

I took a deep breath before releasing the final attack.

"Rakurai-hō"

It only took under a second to release Rakurai-hō. A bright flash of yellow appeared as fast as it disappeared. My eyes widened as I saw the figure still remain, though something was different about it. The cloak was gone and revealed a light figure with half a body. Its eyes darted around its sockets, and brown hair stuck out like a porcupine. Chains started to wrap around its severed body, pulling it to that strange feeling I felt earlier. I looked towards the origin of the chains where I found large doors.

A humungous sword appeared as my enemy was pulled toward the blade. It instantly disintegrated into ash on contact, taking the remains inside of the doors. I sighed in relief. It was finally over, but I knew that I had another to fight. As I was about to follow Kaito's Spiritual Pressure, I heard somebody breathing heavily behind me.

"Ichika...you have to kill it by...taking off the hoo-...wait huh?", Kazui glanced upward at me while taking deep breaths, "You've already killed it?"

"Uh, yeah. And also, I kinda figured that out when I killed it"

"Oh! Uh...are you okay? You look really bad right now since you're covered in injuries...", Kazui examined me, fussing over my injuries while I tried to slap him away.

"Hey! Chill out Kazui. Don't worry about my injuries because they're nothing", I gave him a thumbs up and a smile, "I completely...completely had i-it under c-control..."

My eyes began to droop, and that's when I realised that I was about to pass out. My body gave away and I ended up fainting, falling from the sky.

Chapter Text

Kaito's POV:

"You think you can keep going, Hollow? It seems like you're becoming more troubled by the minute, and that's without my Shikai"

I bombarded the bastard Hollow with multiple attacks. With swift slashes and cuts, the injuries onto my enemy continued. Dark blood ran down the surface of its skin, some even spraying outwards, seeping into my skin. It was like the Hollow wasn't even trying to fight back. Large dark tentacles that waved around like flags emerged from under me. I performed a backflip and flash stepped away to avoid the attack. As I was falling, I looked toward the shadow. Pointing to the Hollow with my index finger, I focused on gathering the energy that I felt around me.

"Hado no. 4, Byakurai!"

A swift bolt of lightning was discharged from my finger. The blue bolt struck the exact spot where it was. Dust and dirt flew in every direction as my Kido blew up the small spot where...the enemy used to stand. As the dust dispersed, there were no remains of my opponent, which would only mean that it dodged the spell. Turning my whole body around, I positioned my sword to my back as I blocked the incoming attack from behind. I heard laughing as I turned to the direction of the noise.

"You haven't lost your touch one bit, though I despise you in any shape or form", I muttered.

"It is wonderful to hear that from you, but I'm not looking for compliments", I could see the mask moving closer to my face, red orbs swirling in its eye sockets, "I'm looking for you to die"

"Sorry, I don't feel like passing away yet; let alone to some grotesque Hollow like you"

The crack in the mask opened slightly, yellow fangs rattled in its disgusting mouth. With a blink of an eye, a shadowy black spike ejected out. I pushed away the attack but not before the spike grazing my cheek. The cut caused small drops of blood to splat onto the dirt ground below the Hollow. I breathed heavily as I stabbed my blade into the ground. I had too many close calls so far, and not only that but I was also slowly becoming exhausted. There was no way that this guy felt pain. After cutting him up many times, he ought to be at least hurt or tired, right?

My eyes widened as I saw that the previous cuts on his body had closed, reducing them to nothing. It seemed that my enemy also had healing properties as well as more offensive attacks since his 'reincarnation'. A second later, the Hollow appeared in front of me with those tentacles about to strike. Raising my sword without a moment's hesitation, I immediately parried the attack with ease. I saw an opening in the Hollow's defense since he was in a dazed state now. Using this as an advantage, I flash stepped onto the stomach of the beast. My blade was in place. I was in the correct stance and distance from his body. I focused all my strength into that single swing of my zanpakuto. It felt as if time had slowed down. This was the perfect attack that I had trained for from this short amount of time. All it took was one swift movement before my blade precisely passed through my enemy's abdomen.

The body crumbled into ash as it had done before. The millions of dust particles flew upward into the cold morning wind. Sighing in relief, I loosened my grip on the sword. It was done. That beast was finally taken down once and for all.

...

...

...

Snap!

...

...

...

CRACK!

Black spikes sprouted out of my exhausted body, piercing my insides. My eyes, my nose, mouth, and my body were all bleeding from the inside out. I spat out the blood that had gathered in my throat. The sudden attack had impaled the parts of my body so much that I couldn't even move. The pain that this had done to my body prevented me from moving at all. Forcing my spike-pierced eyes to look downwards, I saw the damage that this phenomenon had done.

Even more of my blood was pouring out of my body at an extreme rate, from my chest all the way down to my legs and feet. I started to feel lightheaded from the loss of blood. Was this what death felt like? Slowly succumbing to the pain inflicted upon me as my vision starts to fade, my life slipping away from the palm of my hand.

"Foolish Shinigami...you really expected to kill me without the use of your Shikai. I'd rather see you suffer", whispered a scratchy voice behind me.

"Go to hell...", I coughed more blood, adding to the pool under me.

The shadowy figure finally showed itself as it came to my blurry field of vision. It laughed loudly when it saw my paralyzed state.

"Where did you think I went. How else did I become better than I was before?"

Huh, so he really was a bad person before he became a Hollow after all. On the other hand, I was in a weak and vulnerable state, with no way to fight back raising a sword. It only took a few more minutes in my pain-filled head that I realized the situation around me. I was so absorbed in the fight with this Hollow that I didn't sense the deaths of the other opponents, which meant that Kazui and Ichika must've defeated them already. It was only a matter of time before they sensed my dying reiryoku (Spiritual Power). I had to hold of until they come by here and finish the job, so my death won't be in vain.

"Walls of iron sand, a priestly pagoda, glowing ironclad fireflies. Standing upright, silent to the end."

I glanced up at the Hollow in front of me as I silently whispered these words.

It took all of my force to clasp my hands together. I could feel the dark spikes inside of me breaking into pieces as I finally performed the action. 5 small yellow orbs rose out from my enclosed hands and formed a circle around my head. The Hollow finally took notice, though it was too late for it too stop me. With a cry of absolute pain, I slammed my hands down to the ground. A bright flash of light appeared in the sky after I finished. 5 large thick pillars which were attached by chains dropped down onto the shadowy figure. It trapped its arms, legs and head, preventing it to move any further.

"Bakudo #75. Gochūtekkan"

I coughed out more blood before starting the next incantation.

"Carriage of thunder, bridge of a spinning wheel..."

"HOW CAN YOU DO THIS IN SUCH A WEAKENED STATE. STOP AND ACCEPT DEATH"

"With light, divide into six", I pointed my index finger toward its pinned body, "Bakudo #61, Rikujokoro"

A spark shone on the tip of my finger and soon after I fired the spell. Six thin bright energy beams attacked it at all angles. The spell restrained him even in his trapped state. All I needed to do was secure him in place as much as possible before the others can get here. My job was done. I did all I can to help even in these last few moments. I just hope that this effort was enough to suffice.

Sorry, everyone. It seems that this time I've failed you this time. I'm so so sorry.

My vision was starting to fade. The will to keep myself up finally gave out when I collapsed onto the ground face first. I felt nothing anymore. No pain, no worries, no regrets. This...was the end...

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

I stared at the dead body of my friend, Kaito. There was no life in his eyes at all as it gazed towards nothing. My hands trembled in a mix of emotions. Anger, fear, disagreement, and sadness all swirled around my body. Behind me, I heard a loud rumbling sound from what I know is the person that killed him. I sensed that my Shun Shun Rikka were finished healing Ichika from where I left her. Raising my hands, I drew the small spirits back towards me.

"Sotenkisshun, I reject"

A bright orange glow appeared around Kaito's body as soon as my spirits arrived, indicating the instant healing process. Though, there was a single problem that I needed to manage, and that was my friend's killer. An explosion followed the rumbling as dirt and other debris blew in different directions. I couldn't feel any Spiritual Pressure from that thing, which meant that it was definitely a Sinner. I was going to plunge its sorry soul straight into the depths of hell. No matter how far I go, no matter how much I suffer, I'll deliver the punishment that Kaito would've wanted, and to keep Ichika safe.

Closing my eyes, I took in the situation at hand. I couldn't let my emotions get the better of me. I needed to stay calm and take the problem head on. There was no way a problem like this couldn't be solved.

A swift slashing sound on my left side was heard. I immediately drew my two blades and blocked the attack. Ever since my encounter with my first Sinner, I had remained in Shunko form, which allowed me to always be alert. I dashed to the side, pushing away my attacker and cornering it into a nearby tree.

"Are you the one who killed him, Sinner?"

"I indeed did. You like how your friend looks? He's nice and dead on the ground just the way I wanted him to. I pierced every single nerve, bone, and flesh in his body. That Shinigami looked so helpless, but somehow put up a fight. I have to say, I'm impre-"

"Shut up. That was all I needed to hear. I'll send you straight back to Hell now", I declared coldly. I charged up my two blades with all the reishi, reiatsu and reiryoku I could sense all around me. The anger boiling up inside of me immediately rid myself of any hesitation.

"Getsugatenshou"

I launched an X-shaped attack from my swords, absolutely destroying the tree and the area surrounding it. I looked around for the body, but it seemed like the Sinner somehow dodged the large-scale attack. That was when I saw the creature about to strike me from above. With one quick dash I sliced through the enemy's neck, circling around it to make sure it was dead. I heard a laugh from behind me even though I could've sworn I killed it with my own blade. Just before I could turn around, monstrous yellow teeth stabbed through my sword arm. I screamed loudly in pain as I grabbed the Sinner's broken mask and threw him back upwards. Dashing towards him, I threw the chains that came from my Shunko to wrap around his arms. Then, I pulled myself into his personal space and started to release my fury.

I slashed and stabbed every part of its body that I could hit. The anger I was unleashing upon the Sinner was unstoppable. I didn't hold back when I continued to attack it relentlessly. Black and red sparks of my Getsuga lingered out of my blade as if assisting me into adding extra damage. Blood splattered across my Shihakusho, blade, and face. I couldn't control myself anymore. Though along with the anger came great sadness. Even though I was cutting the Sinner up with all my might, deep down I was mourning. Mourning for the death of my new friend. I may have not known him for a long time, but it felt like we were almost brothers in a way. Just like we knew each other for years.

The sadness in my heart deepened even more since I couldn't feel any reiatsu coming from Kaito. By now, any injury should have been rejected or reversed. He should be alive right now. My powers of rejection should apply to even the dead. Urahara-sensei told me how my powers work, so why isn't anything happening?!

Before I could land another hit upon my enemy, something flashed into my mind again. The past memories flooded back into my mind just like every time I've experienced it since Kurotsuchi's drug flowed into my body. But this time...this time was different. I remembered all the pain and the death in the past. It seared into my mind just like hot metal burning onto my skin. It was painful, so so very painful. I screamed and held my head while the torture continued.

Meanwhile, the Sinner recovered from my brutal beatdown. All of its injuries sealed back up and restored back to full health. It took my weak state as an opportunity to counterattack against me. The blood that was splattered all over my body hummed with spiritual energy as the figure of shadow raised its one hand.

Snap!

Spikes bursted out from inside, impaling my body. I could see what the Sinner meant about piercing. I felt every nerve, bone, and limb broken through the dark spikes inside of my body. Though I didn't even feel a single thing coming from that fatal attack. All I could feel was the agony coming from my past memories.

Everything was fading to black. I didn't want it to be this way. I was supposed to win. I was supposed to protect everyone. Damn it. Why? WHY? WHY?! Please, get up. Kazui, get up and fight back against this Sinner. There's no need to fear. Stand your ground and get up. Move! Move. Move...

Why have I come all this way? Nothing will change, if I don't win!

I...want to win...

???'s POV:

A white substance straight from the air gathered onto my face. It solidified, as if forming a mask. As I woke into the situation I was in, I could see that we were in very deep trouble, and that wasn't good for me or Kazui himself. I needed to take this problem into my hands. Sorry Mugetsu, but its time for me to take the reins now.

A large grin was plastered into my lips as I looked to the enemy I was now facing. An ugly ass creature that also took form of a shadow. It looked uglier than when I saw it through Kazui's eyes. And along with that, I thoroughly enjoyed both the surprise and horror coming from it as it saw what his opponent now was.

"Sorry for bumping in. It just seems like Kazui has an unfair disadvantage against you, so I decided to take charge," I greeted the Sinner with a large smile. My voice was higher pitched than Kazui, also sounding a little wavy and distorted. It only made the monster in front of me even more scared.

"Who are you?"

"I...I HAVE NO NAME!", I exclaimed as I broke through the spikes that were entrapped inside of my body.

The Spiritual Pressure alone from my body easily crushed any negative thing I felt inside of my body, disintegrating it into nothing. I dashed toward the Sinner in front of me and raised my blades. Before I could cut through him, he dodged as fast as I could slice. This thing was powerful even though it didn't have reiatsu. But it was only natural since it is a creature reincarnated from Hell. Within the slightest chance of a possibility, even a low-level Hollow like this one can become as powerful as your average Arrancar. I focused on the foot holds which I naturally created and propelled myself sideways. The swift speed of Sonido at its highest level helped with catching up. My blade met his neck, and one quick slice severed the head from the body.

Smiling even more, I looked behind me to see the Sinner once again standing there. He opened his mouth as a supersonic attack was launched my way. A large dark spike flew straight to my forehead. It may have been fast, but not fast enough so I couldn't keep up. All I did was raise one of my swords and cut the thing in half. Behind the spike emerged the shadowy figure of my enemy. His long claws were outstretched pointing towards my throat, emitting strange energy. My eyes started drooping slightly as everything played out in slow motion. The strength in my arms started to weaken drastically. My legs almost gave away. It seemed like some type of energy that came from this Sinner was able to drain Spiritual energy, travel through shadows, create illusions, and use his blood to place part of himself in others' bodies and create spikes. This really is a versatile skillset, though it didn't matter one bit. It was facing a Vasto Lorde hidden inside of a 17-year-old hybrid Shinigami who has the most potential out of anyone in the Soul Society. And that didn't wipe that big grin off my face.

I grabbed the Sinner's throat and pushed myself down onto the ground while dragging him with me. I forced the chains to wrap around tightly around his body. Slamming his body onto the ground, I charged up the attacks within my swords. Kazui, even if you are the littlest bit conscious, I'll show you at least a fraction of your true power. The chains drained every last bit of energy lying inside of that disgusting enemy's body and render him weak. My hand subconsciously glowed red, growing an orb made of highly dense spiritual energy. This time, I'll really end the fight for good now.

"Why are you doing this...despite the fact that I could sense a Hollow's Spiritual Pressure from you?" mumbled the Sinner weakly.

"Well...you made my king angry. And naturally, I have to take charge for him if he ever fails to do so", I answered.

"I-I see...I suppose there isn't anything for me to say anymore"

Once the maximum amount of energy gathered up in my hand, I pointed it straight to the chest of the Hollow. I smiled as my duty was now nearly over.

"Akakodan: Cero"

A bright red light glowed radiantly as the energy was released in one quick move. The light could be seen from all of the way in the Seireitei as it flashed brightly for all to see. The huge explosion created a massive crater on the ground as my Cero broke the surrounding area completely. Dust and smoke swirled around my eyes. As it faded away, I could see no remnant of a body, but a large puddle of blood. I didn't even need to send it back to Hell. That attack automatically did it for me.

I've done my job. It's done, Kazui. You can take over now.

Reaching up to grab my mask, I used the rest of my strength to rip it away. The white shell of the mask shattered and floated away in the wind. I felt my consciousness fading; I was going back into Kazui's soul. And if you've thanked me yet, don't mention it Kazui. It's on the house, eh?

Kazui's POV:

I fell onto the ground as the wave of memories finally stopped. It was pure silence. The pain, anguish, terror. It was all gone. I lay down inside the crater that I, or should I say, my Zanpakuto spirit made. After all this time, I've finally remembered who my other Zanpakuto was. If you can hear this, sorry, for not remembering you all these years, Makai Kokoryu. But now I have the courage to fight with a level head now. All those years ago you and Mugetsu have taught me all those techniques that I know now. Thank you, for everything.

I remember everything now. From when the time I first discovered my powers, the first time I met Ichika, and my other visits to the Seireitei. And my time during Hell, fighting alongside the Shinigami and my father. There's too many questions to ask, however there isn't any time to waste on that now. The knowledge I have now will help with all the problems I'm facing.

Raising my hands, I called back my Shun Shun Rikka from Kaito's healing. My rejection powers covered all of the physical healing that his body needs, though something else was at play here. The forces of Hell, like that shadow Sinner, messed him up in multiple ways, infecting him like a parasite until all of his Spiritual Energy was eliminated. I needed to take away that essence of Hell, which will restore him completely. Although...

Right now, Makai Kokoryu had drained every last bit of Spiritual Energy in his fight. All that was left was my useless Shunko form that was constantly on. But the chains that I have now, the power originated from Hell. If I reverse that essence with my own, I could dispel the negativity completely.

Just as I was about to Flash Step back, I felt somebody fall into my arms. Surprisingly, the chains wrapped around my arms disappeared. I looked down to the crying face of Ichika Abarai.

"I...I saw what happened...and Kaito...he's dead", sobbed Ichika. Tears dripped down my ripped Shihakusho as she cried against me.

"It's gonna be all right, Ichika. I found a way to bring him back"

Everything really was going to be okay because my memories have been returned. I know what to do now. But the only bad downside is that its going to involve a little bit of a sacrifice. Involving me...

"Let's get Kaito back home"

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

Both Ichika and I made our way back towards the place where Kaito's dead body awaits. Just thinking about his death makes me wanna vomit. I would definitely prefer for him to be alive. After all, he has so much more life left to live in the Soul Society. And especially his family... My goodness they would be devastated seeing their dead child. That's why bringing him back is my top priority, even if it means sacrificing some part of myself.

I have little power remaining from the time my inner Hollow released that energy blast from my body. Was it called a 'Cero'? I'm not too sure, but I do know that it was the reason that all my powers were drained away from my body. And I am thankful for Kokoryu saving our lives, but the sacrifice would be the rest of my powers being stripped away in exchange for Kaito's revival.

I glanced down at Ichika, whose eyes were red from crying. It seems like death didn't affect her very well, since she was extremely sensitive to that. I would be sensitive too, though due to my circumstances I don't think I'll ever see death the same again. After all, Hell is a very scary place, and I somehow erased that place from my memory. Though there was another thing to take note. Ichika hasn't remembered it either, our time in Hell. She hasn't taken the drug that Captain Kurotsuchi or been explained by Captain-Commander Kyoraku either. It's probably for the better though.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?", Ichika asked silently.

"Hey, it's alright. Don't doubt me now, Ichika"

"But nobody else in the Seireitei can even raise others from the dead. Not even high-ranking Shinigami have the ability to do so either. So what if-?" I placed a hand on her head and cut her off before she could worry.

"Why are you thinking those bad things? You need to calm down since you got me here. I'll fix anything and find a way to solve this problem. Just relax and let me do the rest", I pat her head gently.

After a while, I felt awkward, so I placed my hand back in the pocket of my Shihakusho. We continued walking, the only sounds are our silent footsteps and the jingling coming from the energy chains around my arms. From time to time, we both glanced at each other. Mostly from me making sure Ichika was alright, but I didn't know what her reason was. I can't imagine what my dad experienced in his days as a Soul Reaper. He must've seen a lot of devastating stuff or even suffering. He never really spoke of his hardships in detail to spare me the trauma, which was probably a good decision. I would've never had the guts to become a Shinigami if it weren't for the role my dad set before me. That's why I want to follow my father and help him into defeating whatever evil is at play. At least, that's what I hope will happen.

It took a couple of minutes, but we eventually arrived at the site. The pool of blood around Kaito's body soaked into the dirt ground below him. I noticed that the spikes that were previously in his body have now disappeared, meaning that killing the shadow eliminated any trace of it. Kneeling down on the floor by his side, I turned him around so that he lay flat on his back. Dull eyes looked upward and not a single breath was heard from him. I didn't want to see Kaito's dead body anymore. The chains around my arms glowed slightly, indicating that it was time.

Yo boss, you sure about this. You may lose all your powers and that'll be a trouble for me...I mean us, a warbled voice spoke in my head.

"Yeah, it'll be alright, Kokoryu. After all, I have a plan to get them back anyway", I spoke softly to myself.

Whatever you say. As long as we still get to fight for you, I won't complain

Another voice spoke as well, deeper than the previous one, I shall follow your lead, young Kazui. For you are the king of us both, it is only natural to grant your wishes.

"Thank you. Mugetsu, Kokoryu. I'll see you guys soon and I think you already know when"

Understood
Understood

It was pure silence after that. I glanced back at Ichika, who was watching me with a hopeful expression. Smiling back at her, I focused on the task at hand. I didn't want to disappoint her one bit. I wanted to bring a smile back on her face, full of life and happiness that I hope to see. After all of these issues in the Soul Society is over, I want to share many joyful memories with my loved ones. But all of that won't come to me unless I gave a sacrifice. The remaining powers I have will be discarded for now.

I sent the chains towards Kaito's lifeless body. The chains escaped from my arms as it began wrapping around his own arms. Any remainder of my Shinigami powers were slowly siphoned to Kaito. I could only hope that this process would work, since my Hell energy coming from the Shunko chains were limited. If it wasn't for the Sinner, maybe I could've offered more to make this go faster, but I won't complain. Now wasn't the time to dwell on what could've and couldn't happen. None of the if's were needed. My objective is to bring back Kaito. So please, Mugetsu, Kokoryu. If you can hear me, use any energy to resurrect him. I beg this of you.

Kaito's POV:

Is this what death feels like? Is there nothing after death for Soul Reapers? It's somewhat calming knowing that the abyss I'm in has absolutely nothing. No violence, no Hollows, just nothing. I've accepted the fact that I'm dead. There's no reason to complain now. I've died an honourable death by holding back that shadow Hollow. I would've guessed by now that Kazui killed it. He's reliable in more ways than one. He's powerful, friendly, loyal, determined, and much more. Kazui Kurosaki, I hope you take care of everyone...Everyone...

What will my family think? My mom and dad, knowing the fact that I'm dead. Missing out on spending time with them. The good times we share, food we eat, and fights we take on together. How will they feel knowing that will be stripped away from them. I'll miss out on everything with them. Damn it, why am I thinking of that now? There's no reason to worry because I've thrown everything away. So why do I feel sad?

I could feel something welling in my eyes. I couldn't see what it was since there was nothing but darkness. These must be tears. There's no other explanation on the hot build-up in my chest. On the feeling of gut-wrenching guilt and sadness forming inside of me. Why...why did it have to be this way?

"Whaddya being sad for? Wake up, Kaito. It's still bright and early outside", sniggered a joyful voice.

A bright red light shone in my eyes before dying down a little. In front of me was a strange figure sitting down on the floor. It wore some kind of brownish fabric like a cloak around its body. The entire figure was made out of some red light, which emitted a flashing aura. Along with it, a familiar blade lay beside it.

"Who...who are you exactly?", I rasped the words, barely able to speak after being there so long in the darkness.

"Hey, don't tell me after being killed off for a couple of minutes that you forgot who I was!", laughed the figure, the aura glowing brighter with each sound, "Well I guess you wouldn't know in this state"

"Huh? A few minutes? Wait what?"

"Anyway, let's start off with introductions...again...", the figure took a large breath before speaking again, "The name's Gurenjin. Looking forward to working with ya"

My eyes widened in surprise. Why was my Zanpakuto spirit with me in death? After all, this isn't my inner world, so there isn't an explanation on how he got here.

"How the hell did you get here?"

Gurenjin stood up, "Eh, like any other Zanpakuto, I follow my master anywhere. No excuses. I mean, I am part of your soul, remember?"

"Still doesn't explain anything man"

He tapped a finger on his chin, "Think of it as a reuniting of souls before we come back up to the good ol' Soul Society"

"Th-there's no way. I'm already dead. No one can bring back the dead, well, the deader"

Gurenjin sighed dramatically before announcing, "It's the work of one person only, and that legend is Kazui Kurosaki! And now as we speak, his Zanpakuto spirits are sending down help"

My jaw dropped. I couldn't expect anything less from the boy who has the most potential. If he found a way to bring me back from the dead or use his power on a person like me...I wouldn't know what to say. This token of gratitude is too much for me. There is no way I can put how thankful I am into words. I can finally see my family again, I can see my friends again, I can experience life once again. For this, I won't neglect anything else again. With my power, I'll focus my strength and become even stronger to help him in whatever he needs. Thank you so much, Kazui.

"I can read your mind, Kaito. Just say thanks to him once you get back, don't just think of it", Gurenjin shook his head while grinning, though it disappeared once he looked back at me.

As soon as his red eyes met mine, a chain suddenly appeared on one of my arms, pulling me to a certain direction. My spirit followed me while I tried to keep up, still giving me a serious look.

"I just want to let you know, before you go back...please rely on me more. If you are ever unsure of how strong your opponents may be, or how weak you are, rely on me. I will stand by your side until the end. I will meet your every expectation. Don't be afraid to call out my name in a battle, and don't be afraid to show who I am. If you ask for strength, I will give it. Ask for speed, I will grant it. As long as you are in need, I will always assist you, Kaito. Just say the words and I will follow. That is my first and final request"

That speech took me aback a little. I didn't expect such a carefree and energetic spirit to be serious and create a request or vow like this. Certainly something this important. I was always hesitant to bring him out in a fight, as handling things myself is something I do the most. But now hearing this pledge from my own Zanpakuto spirit caused a change in me.

"Yeah, I will. Thank you very much, Gurenjin, for your help"

"No pro-"

"OI, STOP WITH ALL OF THAT SENTIMENTAL CRAP. IF I DON'T BRING YOU BACK FASTER, KAZUI'S POWER WILL RUN OUT AND YOU'LL BE TRAPPED IN DEATH FOREVER!", shouted a distorted voice in the distance.

I jogged a little faster as to not make that voice angrier than usual. The tightness of this chain was so painful I forgot I was even dead. Gurenjin stopped following me and stood there in the distance, watching me as I drifted away. I felt a slight twinge of sadness even though I knew that he would always be in my soul. Something about that conversation made me want to keep having talks like this with my spirit. A glowing white light appeared in front of me, where the chain was dragging my body. Even though I was right there at the finish line, I felt as if something was missing.

"Hey! Kaito! You forgot something back here!", Gurenjin called out after me.

I saw an object flying toward me in distance. Its speed was quick and caught up just before I melted into the light. I firmly gripped the object, its handle holding a familiar feeling that I've been missing. This was my blade. As I stared at the steel blade of my zanpakuto, I could've sworn that it winked back at me in the light. I have never felt more whole as I faced forward and went back to my home, the Soul Society.

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

After what felt like ages, the chains melted back into its energy form, piling up onto the floor. My arms drooped down my side in exhaustion. The two zanpakuto soul presences inside of my mind faded away. The Shihakusho I wore immediately disappeared into nothingness, leaving me in my hoodie and pants. Mostly all of my powers were gone, but I couldn't tell whether this would bring Kaito back. I couldn't sense any Spiritual Energy coming from his body and no breathing was heard.

"Damn it...Sorry, Kai-"

Suddenly, there was a crushing Spiritual Pressure that appeared just where Kaito's body was. The reiryoku coming from his body fluctuated wildly and sprayed out just like a hose. As fast as that power appeared, it went away quickly. There was no trace of that feeling at all anymore. I glanced up at Ichika, who was just as surprised as I was. I then looked down at the body in front of me and saw life in Kaito's eyes.

"Man...everything feels like crap right now", groaned Kaito in a low tone. He slowly stood up and scratched his head. Glancing down, he put his hand forward, "What's with that get-up? Where's your Shihakusho?"

"No way...That WORKED?!!!", I shouted as I stood up thanks to his help. Kaito looked just fine despite his injuries. Wait, didn't he have those holes from the spikes before? I scanned his body to see the parts where he's been punctures, just to see the holes in his Shihakusho steaming, with no sign of any damage. But then again, I couldn't feel any energy or Spiritual Pressure coming from him at all. He just seems like a normal human in terms of power. Other than that though, everything about him was alright.

Sighing in relief, my body which I had subconsciously been tensing up relaxed. Well, that might've been a bad thing to do since I didn't expect a punch in the face. The blow threw me back a couple of meters and made me hit my head on a pile of rocks.

"HUH? WHY THE HELL DID YOU PUNCH ME, ICHIKA?"

Ichika ran towards me and prepared for another strike, "SHUT UP. You reassured me and told me you'd heal him, but you weren't actually sure that it would work! You liar!"

"Ehhhhhh?! Well it took longer than expected, so I wasn't even sure it worked. And why are you complaining?! He's alive now so why are you still complaining about that? AAAAHHHH!", I screamed as she almost hit me with a lightning bolt coming from her blade.

Meanwhile, Kaito just watched the chaos happen, "Uh...I think you guys should stop that..."

"BE QUIET!", Ichika and I shouted in unison, our foreheads touching and trying to push against each other.

It only took a few minutes of Kaito trying to calm us both down before we settled down onto the grass. All of us rested in silence. It was a very calming mood where we were resting. The sun was still shining brightly in the sky, soft winds blowing in our faces, and the rustling from the trees were really satisfying. I couldn't help but relax just sitting in the scenery. Though there was still sadness creeping into my heart. There was still one issue that needs to be dealt with; something that I needed to do so I won't be useless.

"It's good you're back, Kaito. And to answer your question before..." I mumbled, grabbing the attention of both Kaito and Ichika, "Right now, I've lost all of my powers- No, that's not right. So far, I've lost most of my powers"

Kaito sighed, keeping that low toned serious tone and stern facial expression for some reason, "Just from bringing me back, huh? Could it be that your Spiritual energy transferred to me or-"

"Nah. From what I can feel, right now you have no reiryoku or reiatsu for some reason. It could be because you were resurrected or something other, but I'm guessing it's only temporary"

"I see..."

Ichika shook her head, "Then how are you supposed to help us in rescuing Uncle Byakuya and my dad? If you have no power, how are you able to withstand such a powerful creature that can take down two captain-class Shinigami?"

"Don't worry, Ichika. Because for now, I'll need to go somewhere where I can restore my powers. Unfortunately, with the coming of those Sinners, I guess it's time for my leave", slowly, I stood up. I gazed at the sunlight and the view before me. Knowing that it would be a bit before I could see this beautiful sight again, I took my time and relaxed my nerves.

"What do you mean by that?"

I smiled back at her with an apologetic look, "I'm taking my one-way trip to Hell. Pretty funny, right?"

It seems like my words did the opposite to make her laugh, not that I was expecting her to anyway. "That's insane! I don't know what kind of joke you're playing there, but it isn't funny. Going to Hell with barely any powers is absurd!"

"What are you, my mother?"

"Shaddup. I'm worried for you. If you don't come back before we go to wherever the place to find my family will be, then..."

"It'll be okay. My goodness are you stubborn", I declared loudly, "Gimme three days. Three days to come back to you before any decision making happens"

Silence followed my declaration. No one seemed to object to my statement. I guess they both knew that even though this mission would be dangerous, they had no choice but to let me go. I was essential to the team, but without powers I was nothing. And furthermore, just like Mugetsu said, I had to learn all about the origin of my powers. I needed to go to Hell in order to unlock my powers. If I didn't do this, there might be no hope for success.

"I guess that means you agree, right guys?"

Ichika crossed her arms, "It's not like I agree or anything. You just do what you need to do and come back to me straight away, you hear?!"

"Yeah. I'll do that"

On the other hand, Kaito was still in his serious state. He wore the same stoic expression from the time he had awaken. I better not bother him since there's always a reason for being all emotionless. After all, being revived from the dead sounds like a pretty rough process. I then realized that I didn't have enough time to waste for this and said my farewell.

"Well, goodbye for now, Ichika, Kaito. Like I said, I'll be back in three days. And also tell Captain-Commander Kyoraku that I won't be back for a while", I say before I turned away from them, "Now, how does that process go...?"

I delved back into my memories to figure out the ritual.

"Ah, I know now", I positioned myself on the empty grass field. It was a coincidence that a shrine was placed down here, but I didn't complain since this was exactly what I needed.

"So, clap three times...", My hands motioned towards each other and did the action three times.

"Bow twice...", I moved my body and did the action twice.

"And clap...once..."

As soon as my hands met each other a huge eruption was heard. The space in front of me suddenly broke apart, revealing a world inside. This was a portal that I've created to go down to Hell. It was surprising since it's been a real long while since I've done this. I just can't believe that doing something like this was even possible. Though, it was at the cost of my hoodie, which I kinda regret. Which in all means that all of my Fullbring powers are gone. I now only have my Shun Shun Rikka that resided inside of my watch.

Just to give me comfort in this new change, I looked back towards Ichika and Kaito. But it looked like something was wrong. Ichika's expression was filled with horror as she tried to go after me. Kaito, after a couple of minutes being resurrected, finally showed an emotion of anger.

 Everything felt like it was moving in slow motion. Their movements were as slow as a snail's. But that also applied to me. When I tried separating my hands from the clap, it felt like it took forever just to do the simple action. And it also took me forever to realise that a sword has pierced my chest. The blood gradually leaked down my white shirt and spurted everywhere. My mind took a long time to measure the absolute pain that I felt.

Turning around, I saw who the culprit was. The dark cloak, the skull mask, everything about it looked off. The fact that it had no reiatsu whatsoever could only mean one thing. I was so stupid, for letting my guard out even though that was one of the major worries that I had during this fight. The missing Sinner has finally arrived.

As slow as I was when I had been stabbed, the same happened when I fell onto the floor. All I felt was the slow build-up of pain, making me suffer a lengthy defeat.

"D-Damn it, I was so...s-so close"

Just before I could black out, I saw the red-headed Shinigami make its way towards me, and a dark-haired one rush towards the Sinner.

No, I couldn't pass out now. I believe that my friends could help me and defeat this enemy. All I needed to do was make my way towards the portal to Hell. If I did that, I could recover there and gain my powers back. I just had to put the effort and have the will to live.

Ichika, Kaito. I wish you luck.

Ichigo's POV:

Thank goodness Byakuya is still alive. Even though he's on the brink of death, it's still clear that he's alive.

 I threw him over my shoulder and Flash Stepped, retracing my path back to the Seireitei. For now, I couldn't sense Renji's Spiritual Pressure around here, which meant that he wasn't near Byakuya in the first place. He had to be somewhere else, or somewhere farther than here. I didn't have time for that though, I needed to get Byakuya some serious medical attention.

"Ichigo Kurosaki, is that you?", murmured the man over my shoulder.

"Yeah, it is. You're being brought back to the Seireitei now. There's no need to worry"

I heard a sigh behind me, "You are quite mistaken, Ichigo Kurosaki. There is a far greater threat, being the reason for my incapacitation"

"Oh? And what would that be, Byakuya?", I questioned him while focused on being fast enough to reach the Seireitei in time.

"The real enemy of the Soul Society, and the most insane Shinigami that this world has ever known is..."

Shunsui Kyoraku's POV:

Man, this situation really is getting out of hand. First, signs of Sinners in the vicinity of the Soul Society. And second, the disappearances of Captain Byakuya Kuchiki and Lieutenant Renji Abarai. This is too much responsibility. Well, I am lucky that Captain Rukia was able to handle Division 6 in these troubling times, so some of that responsibility had been taken off of me.

Along with that, I sent Kazui, Ichika, and Kaito on a mission to defeat those Sinners. Of course, Urahara told me about Kazui's situation and his new awakening. That's why I let him and Kurotsuchi work together in making a drug that will help bring back Kazui's memories of that event. All of these things still don't feel like enough to help solve this situation, and yet I leave them in the hands of a couple of 17-year-olds.

Even 10 years after the Quincy war, I still can't get used to this role. Having to give out orders, make decisions, and other things like that. Glancing left to the sword stand next to me, I saw the blade that I was very familiar with. The sword was still faintly glowing fire inside of its ashen blade. This was the Zanpakuto of our previous Captain-Commander.

Was this your experience, Yama-jii? Did you have a hard time managing the whole Gotei 13?

And also, how would you have felt, Ukitake, if you were the one to take this role? I'm betting you would be a better leader no doubt. Though I guess due to the circumstances, I'm in this position anyway. I have to keep going.

"Captain Kyoraku! There's someone outside with information of the current situation", called out Nanao from the door.

"Alright, Lieutenant Okikiba, please let them in"

The old Shinigami nodded, "Understood"

A few seconds later, a messenger emerged from the door and kneeled in front of me with his head down.

"So, what may this be about?", I asked, "Please go ahead"

"Yes! First message is Soul Reaper Kazui Kurosaki has been found opening a portal to Hell!", announced the messenger.

"I see...", Urahara warned me about this, though he said there was no reason to worry. This was part of his power development, and eventually Kazui would have to go through this in his life. One way or another. "Please continue"

"Yes! Second message. Soul Reaper Ichigo Kurosaki has been found in the outskirts of the Seireitei, carrying what looks like an almost dead Captain Byakuya Kuchiki!"

That took me back a little. I guess only now could I feel Ichigo's Spiritual Pressure making its way to us since I was lost in my thoughts. But I also had questions that needed to be answered. What was that thing that incapacitated Captain Kuchiki? Where was Lieutenant Abarai and why isn't he with Ichigo? But most importantly...

What is this powerful Spiritual Pressure that's been over the Seireitei for quite some time now?

Chapter Text

Kaito's POV:

"KAZUI!", Ichika and I both shouted as the blade pierced through his body.

Blood instantly started spurting out of Kazui's chest, with horror slowly creeping up in his eyes. He collapsed onto the grass floor. This couldn't be good at all for him. Right now, his power has almost completely been stripped away from Kazui so he can't defend himself. Right now, he's in a vulnerable state. There's no way he could recover unless someone was there to help him.

I wasn't confident in my ability to heal or to defend against a strong opponent like this one. The Sinner suddenly appeared behind Kazui's back. I didn't even notice until after I saw the blade peeking out of his chest. But whether or not I could defend against or launch attacks didn't matter. I needed Ichika to tend to Kazui. She has more experience with him and along with that, he trusts her more. If that would be enough, then I'd gladly fight the Sinner with absolutely no hesitation.

And besides, I had a score to settle with these bastards.

"Ichika, help Kazui in whatever way you can. Along with that, call the Seireitei for backup"

"But-"

"I won't take no for an answer. Let's go"

I drew my blade and instantly rushed toward the Sinner. I just hoped that this plan would work, and Ichika can get Kazui up again. I clanged my sword against the Sinner, in which it unexpectedly pulled out one of its own. The colour of the blade was dark bronze with red streaked on the metal. Sparks flew out in between our clash as we pressed our weapons against each other. I glared deeply into the glowing red eyes of the Sinner's mask, which seemed like it was staring back at me in glee. I used all of my might to swing upwards and slice it's arm off.

The only thing I saw was some cloth fly up in the air before being met with a blade almost piercing my skull. If it weren't for my quick reflexes, I wouldn't have been able to dodge that straight away. It was only the swift sound from a swinging blade that awoke my senses. Immediately, I counter attacked with a flash step, dashing towards the Sinner and delivering a powerful swing. Even though all my might was used, it was still able to dodge and cut my face. Blood ran down my cheek as the Sinner landed in front of me, unharmed.

"You're a real bastard, you know? You first target a defenceless person, and now you're just taking all of the cheap shots you can. What, you can't stand up against me normally?", I spat.

"You think I care about how you feel?"

The cloaked figure immediately rushed back at me with its bronze blade still in hand. Strike after strike it delivered powerful blows to me, making me barely keep up with both the strength and speed of the attacks. I was immediately blown away after the final slash that cut through my chest. Though something was different this time. I felt no pain whatsoever even from the attacks I had just received. Collapsing onto the floor, I glared directly at my enemy, which I then realised had disappeared. I frantically looked around for any sign of it, but it was hard since these Sinners didn't have any reiatsu whatsoever.

But what I saw had finally turned the cog inside of my brain. Standing over Ichika and Kazui was the Sinner itself. With one hand raised, Ichika and Kazui were brought to the floor, crushed by some kind of force that was too powerful for them to even withstand. I rushed towards them using the full extent of my flash step. I tightened my hands around my blade. For some reason, I felt some unknown feeling boiling inside of me. An unfamiliar anger, but also emptiness. I couldn't tell if these were the effects of my resurrection since everything about myself currently was uncomfortable. Being in my own skin didn't feel right. Right now, I had no time to think about that. I need to repay my debt towards Kazui for everything he's done.

My feet stopped just in front of the swirling portal towards what I suppose was Hell. Kazui and Ichika screamed out in pain as the invisible weight pushed their bodies down onto the ground, making them suffer immense pain.

"Stop it! What are you doing to them?!"

The Sinner turned his glowing, blood red eyes towards me in acknowledgement, "Ah, I should've introduced myself along with my powers, sorry. To start off, I'm not like those other Sinners who have fallen easily to these two"

He pressed his black boot on Kazui and then Ichika, pushing them down further, "In the depths of Hell, I'm known as Gensho Shujin, the One Above All Sinners..."

"I'm able to manipulate any type of reiatsu. Though it wouldn't work on myself since I don't have any. The purpose of my visit here in this pitiful world is to finish the job that my predecessors failed to do"

My eyes widened at that statement, but then the sudden realisation hit me. Currently, I didn't have any reiatsu either. Kazui even said himself that he couldn't feel any spiritual energy or spiritual pressure coming from me at all. This meant that it couldn't be controlled nor used against me. I brought my sword forward and positioned it in front of me. A new confidence filled my whole being. Compared to the others' situation, I was the only one with the ability to fight this enemy. I needed to buy time for Ichika to send an alert to the Gotei 13. As long as I had no reiatsu, everything would be fine.

"I see...so if you can manipulate our reiatsu, then you would have the upper hand in this fight...", I pointed the tip of my blade to the hooded opponent, "Well, it seems you have the perfect match, since right now I have no reiatsu at all!"

Without any warning, the bronze weapon of the Sinner was now pointed at Ichika's neck, pressing the edge against her skin.

"You sure you want to try that, boy?"

"Don't call me boy. If we're going for introductions, then my name is Kaito Hisagi, son of 9th Division Vice-Captain Shuhei Hisagi of the 13 Court Guard Squads. And I'm going to see through to the end when your body is back in hell", I exclaimed, a red aura coating my sword.

"I just want to let you know, before you go back...please rely on me more. If you are ever unsure of how strong your opponents may be, or how weak you are, rely on me. I will stand by your side until the end. I will meet your every expectation. Don't be afraid to call out my name in a battle, and don't be afraid to show who I am. If you ask for strength, I will give it. Ask for speed, I will grant it. As long as you are in need, I will always assist you, Kaito. Just say the words and I will follow. That is my first and final request"

Those encouraging words reminded me of who was by my side. The person who was going to help me in my times of need. The person always watching over me. The person lending me power.

"Advance in battle, Gurenjin!"

The aura intensifies until reaches to the point where the red light was blinding. With a single blink of an eye, the light disappeared and left smoke curling around my Zanpakuto's new form. Compared to my usual one, this had a new design. This time it was a tall silver broadsword, with a gold cross guard, and a simple handle. Just before the Sinner's sword deepened into Ichika's neck, I flash stepped and kicked him away. I sent the hooded figure flying away.

"Ring the Gotei now. I got this", I say to Ichika before dashing back towards the Sinner. I couldn't afford to waste any time because my reiatsu could come back at any time, which will turn the tide in this fight.

Before I landed a hit, the one word that I needed to say slipped through my mouth.

"Soku (Speed)"

The blade fully pierced through the Sinner's chest in a flash. Blood leaked out of the hole that was now put in his chest. Somehow, the hooded figure looked as if he didn't care about the pain at all. Shujin swung his sword towards my head. It only took me half a second for me to react and parry his sword, delivering a swift counterattack. Due to my increase of speed, I was able to react and move faster than before. I continued to slash around and land hits onto the Sinner's body. I fought as hard as I could and pushed my body to it's limit, never stopping for a single moment, single minute, single second. Red sparks flew everywhere as our blades continued to meet. From the relaxed but focused movements coming from the opponent, it looked like Shujin wasn't even trying that much at all. I tried to find weaknesses in his defence as I continued to slash and stab every opening I could see.

It was going good so far. The Sinner was starting to lose a lot of blood from the sword cuts that scattered around the black hooded body. That was up until he stopped my attacks with a single swing of his blade. One that was so powerful that it formed a crack on the edge of my own.

"How troublesome. And I thought you were going to be at least a bit weaker than I had expected. Well, I guess I can't expect much coming from quite the swordsman", Gensho sighed as I collapsed onto the ground, rubbing the back of his head.

He raised his left arm towards the direction of my friends. A mix of colours swirled towards him as the reiatsu coming from Ichika and Kazui flowed into his hand. The only relief I felt was when I heard somebody from her Soul Pager answer her

"And along with that, you completely counter my ability. I'll have to finish this quickly. If you're lucky, you might experience a painless death"

Not a second had even passed before he clashed his blade against mine. The sheer strength and force was enough to push me all the way down to the ground, creating a large crater. Beads of sweat poured down my chest as his blade continued to inch closer to my neck. My head was being buried under the pile of rocks and dirt that were blown to pieces from the impact. My strength was slowly giving away. That additional reiatsu boost gave him enough strength to overwhelm me. Damn it...what can I-?

"Don't be afraid to call out my name in a battle, and don't be afraid to show who I am."

A red glint of light shone on the flat of my Zanpakuto.

"If you ask for strength, I will give it."

Well, if you insist, Gurenjin.

I momentarily released one of my hands away from the handle of my blade and pointed to Shujin. Blue sparks of electricity bursted out of my two fingertips as I muttered following words.

"Hado no. 33, Sokatsui"

A bolt of lightning cracked Gensho's mask, temporarily rendering him in a dazed state. I pushed away from his grasp and flash stepped away from his reach. Laying both hands back onto the handle of my Zanpakuto, I caught my breath. The thing with having no reiryoku or reiatsu is that somehow it gets rid of pain and (most of) the exhaustion. I needed a moment to think of the key word that will trigger the change in my power. If it wasn't for me saving a couple of seconds, I wouldn't have noticed the incoming attack from Shujin. But it was enough for me to shout out the words that will change the battlefield.

"RYOKU (Strength)!"

A burst of red energy erupted out of my blade as soon as we clashed. This time, I was pushing him down to the ground. With every hit, larger and brighter red sparks bursted. Slight contact with my sword only made me become stronger. The swings were starting to affect him deeply as the cuts were becoming more serious, as they were becoming more noticeable by the second. It seems like I was really having the upper hand now.

Our battle continued all the way until Shujin collapsed onto the floor. Through his mask, I could hear him breathing heavily in exhaustion. Blood continued to run down his dark clothes, leaving a trail of red liquid all the way up until this point. The white mask he wore was now partly cracked. It revealed the bloodshot red eyes of Shujin himself, all wide and afraid as he looked at me in fear.

"D-Damn it...I thought I could defeat you. To take revenge on every Shinigami that crossed us all those years ago", wailed Gensho as he looked down and slammed his fist onto the ground, "Why...Why...?"

Suddenly, there was a glint on those bloodshot eyes of his, as he gradually looked up at me, a terrifyingly confident light in his eyes.

"Why do I feel like my reiatsu has now transferred onto you? And could it even be possible that your own has come back..."

With one swift hand movement, Gensho brought my body down onto the ground, crushing me under my own Spiritual Pressure. I didn't even notice it until he said that. I was too caught up with the moment; too caught up with my confidence in the fight that I never acknowledged it. Also, not only did gaining my reiatsu make me submit to his reiatsu manipulation, but it took a toll on my body as well. Using up all of my strength and stamina without having any spiritual energy or spiritual pressure exhausted my body to the point where it made my body unable to move.

"Well, well. Looks like you went in over your head, didn't you? Well, it was indeed a surprise seeing your powers, since it almost didn't match up with Kage's report", Shujin shook his head, looking down onto me, "It's been a good fight, I have to admit. One that I've had in a while. But it's time to lay you to rest, though I can't guarantee it to be painless as I've said before"

The bronze sword shone in the sunlight as he raised his sword. Once again, I was this close, but this time there was no stopping my inevitable defeat. I have disappointed my friends once again, and this time I won't be coming back. There was no coming back from this.

The grip I had on my zanpakuto loosened, and I closed my eyes in defeat. I expected the sword from Shujin to immediately come and cut me down. I expected the sound of the blade hitting the dirt as he cut my head off. But I was only met with the sound of metal colliding into each other. I opened my eyes instantly, to be met with a familiar face. Someone who looked as dead as ever, however the situation suggests that this one was going to give life.

"Jeez, Kaito. What's with the miserable expression? That's something for me to wear..."

Chapter Text

Kaito's POV:

"Jeez, Kaito. What's with the miserable expression? That's something for me to wear..."

My eyes both widened in surprise and hope. The familiar gloomy voice of a friend, hero, and superior. It took the rest of my strength just to lift my head up from all that reiatsu pushing me down. I saw the normal black Shinigami shihakusho at first. Raising my head a bit more, I could finally see who my saviour was. Underneath the hood he had long blonde hair that covered half of his face, tired blue eyes with dark bags under them, and a never-ending depressed look on his face. There was no mistake. This was Division 3's Lieutenant Kira Izuru.

The cyborg Shinigami pushed away the Sinner with his sealed zanpakuto. I felt the massive weight of the reiatsu disappear in an instant, giving me a chance to breathe at last. It took me a few quick moments just to recover. I slowly stood up using the support from my hero.

"Lieutenant Izuru, what...how...why are you here?"

Kira sighed, placing his sword back by his side before explaining, "Ever since your incident with the Hollow you reported about back in the District 28 mission, your father asked me to watch over you. I was watching from afar, but not too close as to disturb your mission per Head Captain Kyoraku's orders. It was only until I felt both a spike and loss of spiritual pressure that I decided to intervene"

"I see...", I couldn't complain since I was saved yet again, "Uh, but Lieutenant Izuru! This guy has-!"

"I know what his power is. Like I said, I've been watching the whole time. Just get to somewhere safe and don't intervene, because right now I can't say if this will keep you safe or not"

I walked to a nearby tree and sat down, obeying the orders from my senior. It was probably better for me to recover. I couldn't help with anything. That was the exact thing that made me so angry. I was useless. From the times that both Kazui and Ichika were able to defeat those Sinners, I was rendered useless and dead. There was no way that in my current condition that I'll ever be useful again.

But most importantly, I was scared. Scared of dying again to the hands of another Sinner. I may have accepted death, lost my will to live, and even willing to give my life away...but deep inside I was scared. I fear death. The only reason I'm alive right now is because I had people help me out of this state. If the next time I fight and experience something like this again; alone and helpless. I don't think I'll make it out or even feel the same again.

Why...? Why...?

"Kaito, why do you have that expression again? You shouldn't look that miserable when someone just saved you", Lieutenant Izuru looked back at me with his same indifferent expression, "Just relax and watch me beat this guy up".

He then drew out his sword, which glinted silver in the sunlight. His dark looks completely contradicted the bright environment around him. Lieutenant Izuru looked like a real Soul Reaper.

I guess for now, I'll just rely on others to help me. Just until I bring myself back up and become even stronger than now. I'll place this in your hands, Lieutenant Izuru.

"So, are you done talking with your friend, stranger?", a gruff voice spat in the mask.

Kira looked up at him with tired eyes, "Yeah. Thanks for for waiting until we were done".

The Sinner just shrugged, "I at least have some honour. After all, you're just like any other Soul Reaper, so this will be somewhat easy. I'll give you a chance to land a couple of blows on me before I start using my abilities".

Without a warning, Kira appeared in front of the Sinner and slashed his sword across his chest. Blood splattered everywhere and this even surprised Shujin. Even so, the Sinner firmly gripped his blade and fought back. The silver crashed against the bronze, producing sparks as they continued fighting each other. Kira added on to the injuries that Shujin already had and deepened them. More sword wounds appeared on the black cloak that the Sinner wore. More blood was spilled and most of it was the lieutenant's doing. It didn't even look like it was a fair fight since Kira had the upper hand.

The bloodshot eyes of Shujin only widened as he was brought down to his knees. Before Kira could deliver the death blow, he rolled out of the way, just making it out alive with some of the cloak's material being cut off.

"Damn it! How good are you at this?!"

"The real question is, how are you so bad at fighting without having to use your abilities?", Kira calmly answered while swinging his sword to block Gensho's incoming sword strike.

They both began trading hits once again, this time the Sinner was more on the offensive. It seemed like Kira was starting to struggle against Shujin somehow. Kira's comment triggered him so badly that the attacks were starting to become more aggressive. The copper sword that the Sinner held was barely seen as the movements were way too fast for someone to keep up with.

Both the Shinigami and the Sinner gained cuts and slashes at last. Kira was more or less still unaffected by this whereas Shujin was furious. Furious that a mere Soul Reaper was able to best him in combat, especially in the area of blade combat. With each swing of the blade, more blood was drawn. Nobody could tell anymore if one was more powerful than the other. The speed of the attacks only increased from there. Each flash step, each dodge, and each weave only grew faster. Both of them laser focused on the task at hand, and that was to bring an end to this fight, whether it would take a life or not.

The surface of the battlefield only grew more destructive as the force of each attack left a mark. Cornering Kira to a tree, Shujin tried to slice his head off, only met with dodge. That single sword swing's force was able to destroy the trees behind Kira. The swift dodge from the lieutenant followed with a sneak attack from the back of the Sinner. Kira raised his two fingers and pointed it at the Sinner's back. Blue traces of electricity crackled at the tip of his fingers, and that was when the attack was released.

"Hado no. 73, Soren Sokatsui"

A large bolt of lightning immediately struck its target, electrocuting him and burning the environment surrounding Shujin. It was only for a moment, but he recovered immediately. With a slash of his copper blade, he struck Izuru's arm and jumped back into the action.

It was a long struggle between the two warriors, but Kira finally took a hit from Shujin. A large slash cut through Kira's shihakusho and left a large gash from the left shoulder all the way to the right. Blood slowly leaked down his body and dripped downwards to the floor. He was breathing heavily and propped himself on his sword. Despite that though, Kira looked back up and faced his opponent. His black shihakusho slowly peeled away, revealing the major injury that he had suffered many years ago.

A large hole through the right part of his chest was displayed to both the enemy and his allies. It was propped up by 3 thick metal rods. Shujin was both horrified and shocked by his appearance. The sight of someone who withstood something that took almost a whole part of his body couldn't be more terrifying even to a Sinner. The injuries that this Shinigami wore wasn't just for show. It was to invoke fear into the enemy.

"What the hell is that?", Shujin's voice trembled as he kept staring at the gaping hole in his chest, "How did you even survive something like that? Who are you?"

As Kira was walking towards the Sinner, he intentionally grazed the tip of his sword onto the ground. A dark menacingly look in his eye was evident as he made eye contact with him. Even in the sunlight, Kira looked extremely threatening.

"Me? I'm a dead man standing"

Instantly, Kira charged towards him with flash step, slicing off his left arm. It was a small detail, but very noticeable. If it wasn't for that quick move, Kira could've been severely injured. Shujin was about to release his ability towards him out of fear. Just looking at him made him feel fear, the exact feeling that Kira was intentionally emitting. Nobody could say that the enemy was winning anymore.

"It's a shame that you have an ability which requires you to use a part of your body instead of just your sight or mind", he muttered as Shujin kneeled down once again while holding where his arm once was, "Though I suppose it's lucky for me, since I have an advantage here".

"Damn you..."

Kira sighed, "I'd like to offer you a chance of freedom. Return to Hell where you once were, and there will be no reason for conflict. I don't want to fight, but if it's necessary...I'll kill you if I have to".

Shujin was breathing heavily and trying to recover. This was the first time he's been actually injured. Nobody has ever permanently severed any part of his body. The only injuries he's ever had was minor cuts and slashes, just like how Kaito hurt him. But this was more.

The Sinner was just lucky that Kazui had been almost completely drained of power, making him easy prey. Kazui with full power would absolutely have a chance against Gensho, since he was a special threat compared to others. Without that power drain, Kazui had been captain level in terms of reiatsu, and with that Hollow transformation he temporarily reached a level above that. Compared to others, he had the most potential. Ichika and Kaito were almost lieutenant level with their reiatsu and strength but couldn't match Gensho at all. Kaito was lucky as well with his lack of reiatsu though using his shikai enabled him to take some of my power and turn it into his. This caused him to regain his reiatsu in a form that no other has been able to discover.

Throught his fight with the young Shinigami, he didn't expect that a lieutenant would approach him. An especially powerful one at that. Shujin's mistake was underestimating the blonde Shinigami. This led to his downfall.

"I see...if I'm about to be taken down to hell...", Gensho muttered to himself before looking back up at Izuru with crazed eyes, "THEN I'M TAKING YOU DOWN WITH ME"

One swift movement was all it took to surprise the lieutenant. The Sinner threw away his hood and before he revealed his form, a wild explosion of spiritual energy erupted from his body.

Kira Izuru's eyes widened in shock. There was only little time to react and almost no way to counter something like that. He needed to think quickly before it would lead to major injuries. Izuru then saw Kaito still sitting down next to the tree, near the explosion itself. He ran towards the boy's location with his hand raised and shouted:

"Bakudo no. 67, Kōeki no Kōrin (Repulsion Barrier of the Void)!"

A dome like barrier appeared in front of Kaito, keeping him safe from the incoming explosion. The only problem was that the Bakudo spell only kept Kaito safe. Kira was the only one who was exposed to danger. Plus, he didn't have the time to say another spell. The only thing he could do was watch until the last blaze of fury from the Sinner reached him.

"S-Santen Kesshun! I reject!"

Kazui's POV:

On my hands and knees, I sent the shield over to the blonde-haired Shinigami. There was no way I was gonna let him die after saving us. It was the least I could do to repay our debt. I spat out blood as I shouted that phrase, unintentionally trying to get through despite the injuries.

It took a while, but that time slowing power finally went away. Izuru seemed to have wiped the reiatsu draining ability away from Gensho, freeing me from my gradual demise. And the fact that Ichika right here is supporting me helped a lot. She stopped my loss of blood at the last second using some type of Kido and the fabrics of her own uniform.

"Kazui! Don't push yourself! You might die", grunted Ichika, though I could feel that she was worried about me.

"S-Sorry Ichika...I just wanted to save-", before I could finish my sentence, Ichika silence me with her finger on my lips.

"No. Don't waste your breath. Every second that you over-exert yourself, there's a chance that you might die. And that's something I definitely don't want to happen to you"

I smiled softly at her comment. Something about it just made me feel better, safer somehow. Like everything was going to be alright. Her caring words took away any pain I felt.

Slowly, I stood up with the help of Ichika. She wrapped my arm around her shoulders as we walked towards the body of the Sinner. We both knew it wasn't over yet, since his body hasn't been dragged back down to Hell nor the chains that bind him have appeared yet. Meanwhile, the blonde Shinigami who helped us looked at us in both awe and surprise. Kaito on the other hand was still recovering while sitting down next to a tree. With a deep breath, I used another incantation and pointed it toward Izuru and Kaito.

"Sotenkisshun, I reject"

Two of my spirits bursted out of my wristwatch and covered the two Shinigami in an orange barrier. Their wounds were starting to heal quickly as the cuts they had were sealed up. It seemed like it was only me who was the most injured out of everyone. As the spell was over, I doubled over in slight pain. Ichika placed me down on the ground and tended to whatever wounds I had.

My cut had somehow opened once again, pouring out more blood than it did before. I winced in pain as I tried to sit back up.

"Hey, lie back down Kazui. This isn't the time to get back up now", ordered Ichika as she tried to force me down to the ground, "And also, can't you use that weird technique to heal yourself"

I laughed apologetically, but then immediately coughed right after, "O-Oh. About that...I can only use Shun Shun Rikka around once or twice, maybe even a third time a day if I push myself hard enough. I guess it's because I don't train them that much. Sorry".

"Tch. You should be. You should've trained all of your abilities and skills the best you can so you'll be able to handle yourself better, ya know? You can't just always rely on your more prominent skills. You have to balance them all out, you hear me?", worry enveloped her words, something only I could feel from her.

"Y-Yeah. Thanks, Ichika-sensei", I teased.

Minutes later, something in the air then stirred. As soon as I was able to get back up again, the dead burnt body of the Sinner that was on the floor was now in front of me. His hands were around my neck as he tried to choke me to death. His bloodshot eyes looking to my brown eyes in absolute fury. I was starting to feel lightheaded, but I used all of my willpower to hang on.

"KAZUI!", Izuru and Kaito both shouted to me, drawing their swords and rushing towards me.

Before they could reach me, Ichika blocked their way using her body. She looked at them with a stern expression though sadness was displayed in her eyes.

"Get out of the way, Ichika! Kazui is about to die right there!", Kaito shouts, trying to move her. She wouldn't budge at all.

"Don't interfere Kaito, Lieutenant Izuru. Kazui needs to do something important"

"Does that involve getting him killed?! We need to save him before-", Kaito was about to shout something back before Ichika shouted back.

"I KNOW THAT. BUT THIS IS KAZUI'S CHOICE. IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO PUT THAT SINNER BACK TO HELL", exclaimed Ichika, tears streaming down her face, "He needs to do this...he's trying to save us after all..."

Both Izuru's and Kaito's will faded as they saw the sad face of Ichika. It seemed like there was no choice but to let me do my thing. I was glad, really glad they didn't interfere. This was something that only I could do. I needed to save them from him, so that they wouldn't be hurt anymore.

"Damn you...of course you somehow managed to find a way to save them, Kurosaki! You were always like this!", growled the Sinner as the grip on my neck started to tighten.

I laughed weakly, still suffering from the pain in my wounds and on my neck, "Shut up, Gensho. You will never hurt anyone again"

Raisng my wristwatch towards his stomach, I muttered the last words for the finishing blow:

"Koten Zashun....I....I reject"

The small spirit Tsubaki bursted out of my watch and immediately pierced through Gensho's stomach. A massive hole was made and the look of horror on Gensho's face was none like ever seen before. True fear, the fear of actual death, the loss of power was great. The grip on my neck loosened and he immediately crumpled onto the floor. The Shun Shun Rikka spell took a massive toll on me as well since I also kneeled onto the floor in unimaginable pain. Even so, there was still one thing that I had to do. Something that would deliver him...and me...to our inevitable destinations.

"Koten Kasei...I reject"

The manipulation and rejection of gravity forced both of us to be sent to the portal I previously made. All of the spirits were summoned as a powerful orange force influenced us to move towards where I chose. My body was rendered helpless, but my mind stayed strong. My consciousness still needed to survive in order to deliver us to Hell. Just needed to survive...just a little longer...

I could feel the swirling spiritual energy, along with something more. Something both powerful and sinister, emitting malice from every direction. I was finally there. I could finally rest as this will be my last time breathing the air from the grounds of the Soul Society. Seeing my friends and fighting alongside them. Just until I return to restore my power and become useful again.

My eyes were becoming drowsier by the second, the darkness starting to take over my sight. I could no longer feel my pain. My body felt as light as a feather as something else besides my power carrying me. I was falling...falling to this world.

Goodbye, everyone.

Chapter Text

In the Seireitei:

Ichigo ran through the streets of the Seireitei, going as fast as he could to get to the Division 4 barracks. His first priority was to get Byakuya back up to full health and let him recover. After that, he'd talk to Head Captain Kyoraku. The news that Byakuya said before he passed out was extremely disturbing. This was vital information that even Ichigo was slightly shaken up from. Hundreds of questions ran through his head as he rushed to get Byakuya some healing.

Ichigo shortly arrived at the large open area in front of the building, where he finally walked at a normal pace to reach his destination. With a couple of knocks, he was met with one of the well-known members of the 4th Division, Hanataro Yamada.

"Welcome to the- Ah! Ichigo. It's been a while since we last met", Hanataro greeted him with a timid voice before screaming out loud as he looked over his shoulder, "Wh-Who is that, Ichigo?"

"It's Byakuya. Get him some medical attention", Ichigo replies, putting the captain of the 6th Division down and supporting him while walking to one of the beds.

"A-Alright!", the young healer said before shouting to the available nurses and doctors available.

There was a moment of silence as Hanataro leaves. It was just Byakuya and Ichigo in the same room while facing each other.

"Ichigo Kurosaki...are you sure you couldn't find Renji?"

"Sorry, I didn't..."

"I see"

Ichigo could feel some emotion around his words. He felt the worry and maybe even sadness despite how Byakuya may act. The captain is usually displayed as stoic and emotionless, with rare occurrences of him showing feeling. Though throughout the years. Throughout many fights, interactions, and many other instances between the two there was change. All of that started with Rukia and Renji's marriage. But now after another decade of peace, another disaster has come. Something that may affect them deeply.

Ichigo didn't want another family to be torn apart by the tragedies and corruptions in this world.

"Don't worry about anything, Byakuya. Me and the rest of the captains will figure something out. I'll make sure of that", Ichigo assured him before leaving straight away to do his next objective.

Sighing, Byakuya looked outside the window of his room, where he saw the strawberry jump from roof to roof all the way up in the Seireitei.

"I hope so...Ichigo Kurosaki...

I place my full hope and trust in you to help us"

Division 1 Barracks:

"What is this captain's meeting for?", groaned a voice

"I don't know, but it must be something important if they're calling even the lieutenants to listen in", said another.

"I wonder why my captain's coming late for some reason?", one asked.

"This better be quick, there are more important things than this meeting that I need to attend to", another sighed.

There was a large group of Shinigami walking to the assembly hall in the 1st Division barracks. There was an even split between the ones wearing a captain's coat and the ones who weren't. They looked like an odd bunch of people, but altogether they made the captain-ranks of the 13 Court Guard Squads.

The two large doors that led into the hall opened, where they were met by none other than Captain-Commander Shunsui Kyoraku.

"Alright! You can come in now!", Kyoraku called out to all of them.

The group filed in one line and made their way into the large hall, finding their places. Everyone took a stand in certain parts of the room where it revealed a singular empty space between some of the captains. Obviously, this was due to the disappearances of Lieutenant Renji Abarai, and Captain Byakuya Kuchiki.

On the left-hand side in front of the Head Captain looking from the left of the entry point, was the captain and lieutenant of Division 2. The petite person was Soi Fon, who led the Division. She had sharp grey eyes along with black hair, which she wears short with two long braids bound in white cloth, each ending with a large gold ring. Her sleeveless captain's haori had fasteners on each side along with a yellow obi tied around her waist. Soi Fon also wore long black gloves that went all the way from her hands to the elbows. On the other hand, her rather sizeable lieutenant Marechiyo Omaeda, went with a more flamboyant look. The gold accessories and other flashy items on his uniform made him look both impressive and stupid.

Beside them was the Division 3 captain, Rojuro Otoribashi, also known as Rose. With the absence of Kira Izuru, he was left alone to attend the meeting. This man had some interesting features. He had relaxed purple eyes, long wavy blonde hair, and a constant bored look on his face. Otoribashi wore the standard Shinigami uniform and captain's haori, however he wore a frilled white shirt underneath it all.

Next to him were the Kotetsu sisters, Isane and Kiyone, who ran the 4th Division. The captain, Isane Kotetsu, had soft grey eyes, straight silver hair that went smoothly down, along with two hair braids. An interesting accessory that she had was the large cloth belt under her captain's coat, similar to what her former captain wore. Isane was both shy and quiet, but polite as she entered the meeting. Her lieutenant Kiyone in the meantime was energetic and excitable. She had short dark blond hair and the same grey eyes that her sister has. She wore a brown collared undershirt and gloves. Both of them stuck close to each other and relied on each other when times were needed.

Then there's the 5th Division, with Captain Shinji Hirako and Lieutenant Momo Hinamori. Hirako had his normal oddly diagonal fringe on his blond hair along with that relaxed smile that showed his teeth. Underneath his uniform, he wore a yellow cravat that is clasped using a small silver slide. He had a laid-back demeanour the whole time as he walked in and took his place. His short lieutenant, Hinamori, had a polite and innocent expression on the other hand. Her black hair was tied back, and she had chin length bangs that framed either side of her face, as well as medium-length bangs parted to the left side of her forehead. Hinamori always held a book by her side just in case she needed to write something down that her lazy captain missed.

Skipping over the missing 6th Division, there was Division 7's captain and lieutenant. The captain, Tetsuzaimon Iba, sports a pompadour hairstyle that looks unnaturally long. On the side of his head, he bears a crescent-shaped scar and also wears gold framed sunglasses. He stood tall and confident standing besides all of the captains in the meeting, along with his lieutenant Atau Rindo. He was a peculiar and interesting Shinigami. His wore a different variation of his uniform, where the sleeves on his shihakusho were shorter than usual. Underneath that, her wore a light-coloured turtleneck that extended down to his wrists, along with a light-coloured apron wrapped around his waist. Rindo is a deaf Shinigami that also had the skills to read lips so he can also talk to others who can't use sign language.

Going over to the other side of the room next to the Head Captain, there was Division 8. The captain of the 8th Division, Lisa Yadomaru was the one who led the squad. She had her hair in a braided ponytail and wore red oval shaped glasses. Her uniform was modified to look like a sailor uniform with a miniskirt under her captain's haori. The whole time she walked in, she had a neutral expression to everyone. Her lieutenant was actually mostly a spitting image of her captain. Yuyu Yayahara looked like the average gyaru or gal from the World of the Living, wearing the same clothes but with other modifications. Both are considered more modern compared to the other captains but it's mostly just Lisa's influence.

Next to them were the familiar faces of Kensei Muguruma and Shuhei Hisagi, the leaders of Division 9. Kensei had his usual sleeveless uniform and captain's coat that was open, revealing his tattoo and chest. His white hair was styled upwards and his brown eyes examined everything around the room. Muguruma also wore black fingerless gloves, though that wasn't noticeable since he was crossing his arms. His lieutenant Shuhei Hisagi stood beside him with a stoic look on his face. Hisagi's hair wasn't styled but messy as he let his hair fall against his face. The features on his face consisted of 3 scars over the right side of his face, a blue striped tattoo on the left side, and the number '69' under that tattoo. The arm bands around his biceps along with his choker. Hisagi had a dark blue thread that he wore to hold his zanpakuto on his back.

Surprisingly, there was a sort of new appearance from the 10th Division. Instead of the short white-haired captain, there seemed to be growth coming from the boy. Toshiro Hitsugaya was the last captain to enter the room as he made an unexpected entry. This version of Hitsugaya looked more mature, handsome and taller than his smaller form. He wore his regular uniform and captain's haori, along with his zanpakuto on his back. Toshiro's green eyes darted around the room in both embarrassment and annoyance, especially towards the Head Captain. On the other hand, his lieutenant was trying not to laugh. Rangiku Matsumoto was a rather well-endowed woman, with her shihakusho emphasising her figure. She had long and wavy blonde hair, blue eyes, and happy expression. She also wore the pink scarf that never seemed to leave her despite any change that happens to her looks. Knowing full well that she was going to be scolded later, Matsumoto was still going to laugh at her captain.

Division 11 on the other hand looked bored as hell. Their captain, Kenpachi Zaraki, stood tall compared to the other captains. He had a terrifying face with a scar running down his eye and a black eyepatch that looked threatening. He wore a torn-up captain's haori made to be sleeveless, and always held his sword by his hand just in case he wanted to fight. To his right was the lieutenant Ikkaku Madarame. Despite him thinking that he's just shaven, it is obvious that this man was bald. Just like his captain, he was battle-hungry and violent. On Zaraki's left was the 3rd Seat Yumichika Ayesagawa. He had his hair, and any part of his looks made to be as 'beautiful' as possible. Compared to the other two combat crazy Shinigami, this one was just a narcissist.

The 12th Division looked quite odd compared to the others, however. Their captain, Mayuri Kurotsuchi, always had the most bizarre outfit out of all the captains. Orange adorned certain parts of his body and especially his crazy headwear. Kurotsuchi had permanent black and white make-up on his face which only added onto the craziness of his appearance. The meeting that he was attending right now was interfering with his experiments, making him irritated and ready to use some of his drugs on anyone who annoys him. His right-hand man and lieutenant, Akon, stood by his side calm and collected. Akon had unkept black hair that stuck out along with three horns on his forehead. Wrapped around his gold and green sash, there hung multiple vials and other drugs along with his lieutenant badge.

And at the very end of the line was none other than the 13th Division, with it's captain Rukia Kuchiki. Rukia wore an oversized captain's haori over her normal uniform. It was originally supposed to be tailored for the late Kaien Shiba although, due to unfortunate circumstances, it was passed down to Rukia by Head Captain Kyoraku. She had her long hair tied up in a sideways ponytail and had a permanent passive expression. Her lieutenant who stood with his chest out confidently while trying to hold in the sake he was drinking earlier. Sentaro Kotsubaki wore a customised Shinigami uniform, as he had a thin white headband wrapped around him along with white straps around his shoulders, tying a circle at his back.

And with that, (almost) all of the members of the Gotei 13 had been assembled.

"E-ehhhh? Is that you, Shiro?", Hinamori squeaked quietly as she stared at Hitsugaya's adult form, flustered.

"I guess it is your first time seeing this. Also, Hinamori, it's Captain Hitsugaya...and yes, it is me. Despite the fact that I'm 'older' now, I'm still the Captain Hitsugaya you know", the captain sighed before glaring at the Head Captain, "And the main reason for this is because the Head Captain wanted me in this form for formal occasions..."

Kyoraku chuckled sheepishly, "Now, we've been over this. I suppose it is a surprise for the lieutenants, but Captain Hitsugaya wanted time to train himself to use his Bankai and maintain his adult form. So there's no reason to-"

"DON'T LOOK ALL EMBARASSED. YOU USED YOUR AUTHORITY TO FORCE ME. SO DON'T THINK I MADE THAT DECISION", there was a long pause before Hitsugaya then realised his point, "Although I guess that is a good idea..."

After that, he was then bombarded with camera flashes from none other than Yayahara.

"An adult form of Captain Hitsugaya? This has got to be on my story!", the lieutenant jumped as her lightning-fast fingers typed some things on her phone before flashing Hitsugaya with more pictures.

"H-Hey! Cut it out!", he exclaimed at the top of his lungs, "Yadomaru! Get your lieutenant under control!"

Lisa adjusted her glasses before sighing, "Fine...Yuyu, stop taking pictures of Captain Hitsugaya during the meeting. You can do that after"

"NOT EVEN AFTER!"

"Jeez, it's just our boy growing up, there's no need for everyone to go rowdy. Though I suppose that's just from the lieutenants", Shinji watched the chaos unfold before he glanced down at a flustered Hinamori, "And what's the deal with you? You're looking really red. Need an ice pack?"

Hinamori jumped at the call of her name, "N-No, Captain Hirako! Captain Hitsugaya's transformation hasn't affected m-me at all!"

"I wasn't even talking about that..."

Kensei rubbed the back of his head, "I swear, it's never been this loud since the time Kurotsuchi almost wiped someone out with his merchandise"

"He's done that multiple times to me and I haven't even done anything...", Hisagi shuddered before an idea popped inside of his head, "Although Lieutenant Yayahara does make a point. If I placed that as the cover page of the Seireitei Bulletin, it'll definitely get some attention. I'll ask her later if I can get some of those pictures"

"Just be careful just in case Captain Hitsugaya tries to hunt you down. I won't help you then"

"Captain, why..."

A nasal voice called out from near them, "What did you say about my inventions, Hisagi? I won't hesitate to get rid of an arm or leg of yours if you refer to my inventions as 'merchandise', you hear me?"

"I've told you multiple times! I wasn't the one who said it!", Hisagi shouted back.

"Hmph, you think you can talk back to me? I'll make sure that you'll never ride that motorcycle of yours again. Just watch out for the next time you ride out of the Seireitei, because something unpleasant might happen to you", Kurotsuchi threatened him with no lies behind his words.

"Why do you treat me like this..."

"Kurotsuchi, you might as well experiment on Omaeda while you're at it. Make him a drug that'll lose weight", Soi Fon called out to the mad captain.

"EH? Captain Soi Fon?! What'd I do this time?", Omaeda questioned her in horror.

She glared at him and replied in a stern voice, "For many decades you still continue to eat your junk in front of me. Omaeda, you don't even try to hide or change that fact"

Kurotsuchi then replied back to her earlier request with an uninterested voice, "Impossible. I cannot make such a thing for this man. It seems so that his size is too big for a drug to enter his body and actually take effect"

"Captain Kurotsuchi, you know full well you have an exact drug like that in the lab...", Akon muttered under his breath, "You just can't miss the opportunity to make fun of someone like him"

After all the bickering, someone broke the noise with a sharp demand.

"Everyone, can you please be quiet! Head Captain Kyoraku has gathered us for something important and we're interrupting this meeting"

Rukia then closed her mouth and took a step back into her space.

"Thank you, Captain Kuchiki Rukia", Shunsui smiled before clapping his hand and turning his attention to the rest of the divisions, "I suppose it's time to start the meeting. As there is a more serious discussion needed to be held.

"Let us begin"

Chapter Text

Head Captain Shunsui Kyoraku looked over at Captain Kurotsuchi and nodded, "Kurotsuchi, if you may"

Mayuri nodded, pulling a device out from his pocket and throwing it onto the floor. The device lit up and displayed a large digital screen of light. There was a chart along with a line graph, plus other types of data on the screen. Akon stepped forward.

"I assume that you're all asking the same question in your heads: What is this data about?", Akon paused before speaking again, "This is information about the current conditions of each of the realms.

The graph may not show much, so I'll place it into words. There are subtle odd movements going around, showing signs of instability and something other. Along with that, these past few days, we have activated the reiatsu detection, reiryoku detection, and reishi detection system that Division 12 placed in each of these realms. All of these systems have rendered each realm unstable. Even though the balance between Hollows and normal souls are stable, there seems to be something wrong with it.

Another thing to note is that the reiatsu detection system has also felt a powerful reiatsu above the Soul Society. It had all started when Substitute Soul Reaper Ichigo Kurosaki brought back Division 6 captain Byakuya Kuchiki. His current condition is stable, as although there are signs of attacks, Captain Kuchiki is perfectly fine according to Division 12 3rd Seat member Nemuri Hachigo".

All the captains let out a gasp, especially Rukia.

"Brother...Was Renji with them?"

Akon sighed, "Unfortunately, no. Ichigo Kurosaki was only seen carrying Captain Kuchiki with him. No sign of Lieutenant Abarai or his reiatsu to be found here in the Soul Society".

"I see...thank you, Lieutenant Akon", Rukia looked down. It was no mystery to everyone that the disappearance of her husband had kept her in a sorrowful state. Though the news of her elder brother had lifted her spirits slightly, giving her hope that Renji was out there somewhere.

"Continue", Mayuri ordered.

"Yes", Akon replied before turning back to the data, "Back to the point I was making earlier, the powerful reiatsu is linked to the cases of the disappearances of Division 6's captain and lieutenant. There's no question about it"

"We also know that the only thing above us is the Soul Palace, consisting of the members of Zero Division guarding the Soul King. From the unstable movements coming from the three realms, especially from the opening gates of Hell recently, there seems to be something wrong in the Soul Palace. As you know, the Soul King is the linchpin holding the three worlds, keeping them from falling apart. If the small changes of stability that we have detected is linked to this fact, there is only one reason for this issue", Akon closed his eyes before delivering the statement that would shock everyone, "The Soul King is dying".

Everyone's eyes widened in surprise and horror. The current Soul King after the defeat of Yhwach was supposed to last just as long as the last Soul King. The remains of Yhwach were placed as his replacement. There was no way that this one would cripple now.

"My, my. This had just turned into a major mess", Iba shook his head and sighed, while Rindo closed his eyes in acknowledgement.

"No way. That shouldn't be happening", Isane's voice trembled, "If this happens..."

"Then the three realms would fall", Akon finished.

Rose asked the question that everyone was about to say, "And why would it be that our current Soul King is beginning to crumble? I though Yhwach had absorbed the Reio's power, making him a perfect candidate"

Mayuri stepped into the conversation, "It seems our fight against the beasts of Hell a couple of years ago had left this world exposed to it's power and energy. We don't know for sure, but this energy may have corrupted the Soul King and chipped away at its power. This is but a theory as it is not yet confirmed. For further research, we'll need to-"

Before he could finish his sentence, three loud knocks came from the large double doors that led to the meeting hall.

"My goodness! Today is as irritating as ever!", complained Mayuri.

Kyoraku nodded at Nanao, who was also looking at the door, "Nanao, open the door. I have a feeling that I know who this person may be..."

His lieutenant rushed towards the door, unlocking it and revealed the person who nobody but the Head Captain expected. The bright orange hair was a dead giveaway as to who it was.

"Ichigo...", Rukia whispered.

The strawberry glanced towards her, giving a soft smile, "Yo. It's been a while, Rukia"

Kyoraku was smiling, "Well, if it isn't our favourite Substitute Soul Reaper. I've been expecting you"

"You sound like a villain. Don't say that again", Ichigo sighed, "I have some important information about the situation"

"Hmph, alright then. If it's more important than what I was about to say, then hurry. There's more things that we captains need to discuss", barked Mayuri impatiently.

"Thanks for letting me join the meeting then"

Ichigo walked to the middle of the room, closing his eyes before he was about to speak.

"The person responsible for the disappearances of Renji and Byakuya...is Zero Division member, Ichibe Hyosube. During Byakuya's rescue, he was still conscious enough to tell me about who attacked him and Renji"

Silence fell before all of them. The shock that this news brought completely closed the mouths of all the captains and lieutenants of the Gotei 13.

"Well...that definitely wasn't what I was expecting", Shinji mumbled.

No one had ever expected someone part of the Soul Society or the protector of the Soul King to try and attack the people who placed their efforts to do the same thing during the war with Yhwach. Even though this sounds wrong, it somehow clicked with the recent information. And that was what the captain of the 12th Division realised.

"I see...Well, I suppose this aligns with what we were recently discussing"

Ichigo glanced at Kurotsuchi, "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, before you barged in an interrupted our meeting, we were talking about the current state of the three realms. The unstable movements that line up with each individual realm, along with odd readings from our devices, it's clear that these are the signs that the falling apart of the worlds is beginning. I'm sure you've noticed, Ichigo Kurosaki, about the strange events that are happening, however small they may be. So it may be Hyosube's actions starting to take place in order to secure safety...or to replace the Soul King"

As Ichigo was about to protest and say something, Rukia stepped forward and shout the exact thing that he was thinking, "Replace the Soul King?! What does that have to do with kidnapping and almost killing my brother and my husband?!"

Kyoraku sighs, his one eye closing in sadness, "I suppose the bald monk is thinking that targeting the ones closest to Ichigo Kurosaki will force him into cooperating with him"

"Wh-Why am I involved in this?", Ichigo's eyes widened, his voice cracking in surprise, and something more.

"Over a decade ago, after the war against Yhwach, I had a conversation with Hyosube. It seemed that the reason for your training in the Royal Palace was not just to make you stronger, but to prepare yourself for becoming the Soul King. If in any situation that the Reio in that time had been cut down by Yhwach, and that he had killed you in the process, then Hyosube would have no hesitation to replace the Soul King with you. In short, you are a Soul King candidate"

Ichigo was at a loss of words. This news was flooding and entering his brain at an alarming rate, too much for him to keep up. The whole time he was in the Royal Palace was just for him to be a contingency just in case something bad happened. It wasn't bad, sacrificing one life for the many. But in this case, where peace has been restored. This was just wrong. There has to be another way to fix the Soul King. He couldn't just give up his life and leave his family.

"That bastard...I'LL GET HIM"

He was about to rush off before Hitsugaya grabbed his arm. Ichigo tried to pull away, but the captain had a firm grip. The two looked each other dead in the eye. Some sort of understanding went through them through the exchange, enough for Ichigo to give up and look away. Rukia looked at him with sympathy and sadness. The other captains and lieutenants looked down, also shaken from the news.

"Ichigo, for all the times that you need to fight, this time you need to stand down. Swinging a sword for duty alone is what a captain does. Swinging a sword out of hatred is just filthy violence. I know you may not be a captain, but I know you're a person who wouldn't rage out violently in anger. I may be wrong, though the feeling you're getting right now isn't hate, but betrayal. Betrayal of the person who helped you get stronger, am I right?", Hitsugaya asked.

The orange-haired Shinigami didn't answer, nor did he do anything about it. He just stood there quietly. Many emotions that he hasn't felt in a while rushed to his head like a hose. It was too much for him, yet there was no need to lash out, like Hitsugaya said. Ichigo may feel hurt or devastated, but there really was no need to be angry. What he was feeling wasn't hate for the decision that Ichibe made. He felt betrayed.

"Sorry, Toshiro...and...thank you"

The white-haired captain smiled in relief, "No problem"

"Well, if Ichigo's not going to fight this monk guy in Zero Division, then I'll be the one to take him down", Zaraki grinned and took his sword out.

"No...not even you, Captain Zaraki"

"Back to the point. How are we supposed to do anything about it? Zero Division as a whole is more than enough to take out the whole Thirteen Court Guard Squads. So what's the plan here?", Soi Fon inquired sternly.

Once standing quietly next to the Captain-Commander, Nanao finally spoke up. She adjusted her glasses and held her book by her side.

"If I may say, are you sure that the whole of Zero Division is involved in this matter?"

"Is that even a question? Of course they are. There's no way that just Ichibe Hyosube is involved in the assault against the 6th Division captain and lieutenant!", the captain of Division 2 answered back loudly.

"Well, I understand the reason of why you would ask that question, Lieutenant Ise", Akon replied, "After all, it doesn't take a lot to realise how powerful they are as a whole, along with the fact that Captain Kuchiki and Lieutenant Abarai don't stand a chance against them. So what's the point in bringing all of the members of Zero Division just to stop those two?"

All the attention was once again back to the 12th Division. Akon reached down to his shihakusho's pocket before pulling out a small phone. He pressed a few buttons and placed the device in his ear.

"Hello, It's Akon. Are you done analysing the sample?", a loud response that could be heard throughout the whole hall was heard, followed by Akon flinching at the sound, "Y-Yes. That's good. Bring it here...and yes, I will give you chocolate later, Nemuri..."

"Aaaaaalright!", that same voice that was heard from the phone suddenly appeared outside one of the windows of the meeting hall.

A bright flash of light momentarily blinded everyone inside. There was a loud beeping noise, which happened precisely twice before the light faded away. A girl with long black hair who looked no older than her teens appeared. She walked towards Akon and gave him a vial and device that came from the sash she had around her.

"Here you go, Lieutenant Akon!"

"Th-Thank you, Nemuri Hachigo", Akon smiled.

She bowed once and disappeared the exact same way she entered. Another bright flashing light appeared, two beeping noises, and she was nowhere to be seen. Everyone stumbled over at the action except Captain Iba.

"Talk about light flashes, lucky I'm wearing these sunglasses. At least it's not as bad as Lieutenant Yayahara's camera flashes", murmured Iba.

It didn't even take any words for his lieutenant, Rindo, to understand what he was saying. He used sign language to reply back, 'That isn't nice, captain'.

"My bad"

After a while, everyone's disorientation disappeared, and the meeting was back on. Akon raised the vial that Nemuri gave him, revealing some black substance inside the glass. There seemed to be nothing wrong with this. However, it had a deeper meaning.

"If you didn't know already, Zero Division's Ichibe Hyosube has an association with the colour black. With the tests that our skilled Nemuri had ran, this vial contains the ink that has traces of his reiatsu. And along with that, we also had someone investigate Captain Kuchiki's wounds. The tests showed that it only had traces of his reiatsu, making him the only one involved"

"Well, I guess we can't argue with that", Kensei placed his hands behind his head, "The proof's there, might as well believe it"

"You're too easy to believe, Captain Muguruma", muttered Hisagi.

Kyoraku clapped his hands again, "Thank you, Akon, for that information. We're going to move on to the next subject of the meeting. That being said, Ichigo will need to brace himself for what I'm about to say"

The Head Captain turned his head to face Ichigo. A serious look on his eyes contradicting his calm, relaxed expression.

"The only way to defeat Hyosube...Is to use your son, Kazui"

Silence followed once again. Ichigo just looked at Kyoraku, his expression looking as if he was urging the captain to continue.

"I've already placed him under training, with similar conditions from the first time you came, or should I say 'invaded' the Soul Society", he joked, although he was actually dead serious, "He sustained injuries, but thanks to Captain Kotetsu, he's completely fine. Although, Kazui had regained something he lost long ago. His powers coming from Hell. Our scouts detected that he managed to take down the invading Sinners and also open a portal directly to Hell. I know it might see-"

"I understand, Kyoraku", Ichigo interrupted, making the Head Captain blink in surprise. Ichigo looked at his hands, memories of the past flashing through his mind. Kazui had power stemming from his own, maybe even stronger by the time he reaches his age. He knew what needed to be done, and so did his son. They were both alike in a way. Wanting to protect what was important to them seemed to be something that ran in the family.

"I understand the choice that you made, and even though he's far away from us, I understand the choice that Kazui made. Mr. Urahara had already warned me of this. Kazui's encounter with Hell once again was going to be inevitable, though I didn't expect it to happen so soon. So I understand, Kyoraku. There's no reason to worry or object to this"

"I guess we're on the same wavelength. Thank you, for accepting this"

"Thank Kazui later, when he restores our peace", Ichigo sighed.

Meanwhile, everyone else besides a select few consisting of Nanao, Mayuri and Rukia were all confused about what the two were talking about. They knew all about Hell, the creatures, and the disasters they had encountered less than a decade ago. But what they were talking about was a complete mystery to them.

"Oi, mind filling us in on what you two are talking about. We're kinda lost now", huffed Yadomaru.

"I'm gonna have to agree with that", grumbled Shinji, "But the fact that you're talking about something like this means that it's something bad. We're gonna have to know now"

Kyoraku chuckled a bit and placed a hand on Nanao's shoulder. He took a deep breath, "I gave out the order to wipe out the memory of some parts about Kazui Kurosaki. And before you guys say anything about consent, you gave it to me in order to do it. This was because just mentioning the origin of Kazui's power or anything related to it will trigger something disastrous with the boy. The premature energy that he possesses might wreck the Soul Society and the realms. That's why we had Nanao create a new Kido to seal away the memories residing in all of the members of the Gotei 13"

"H-How? What happened to Kazui for something like that to be determined?", Shinji questioned, strong emotions creeping in his voice.

"Well, it all started after we sealed up the Gates of Hell..."

Chapter Text

"EVERYONE GET OUT! THE GATES ARE ABOUT TO CLOSE", Ichigo exclaimed at the top of his lungs.

The captains of the Gotei 13 along with Ichigo Kurosaki and Uryu Ishida all ran towards the open gates off Hell. The once shattered doors now slowly repairing itself, leaving a small amount of time for everyone to get out.

A 7-year-old Kazui was carried under the arm of Ichigo Kurosaki. Next to the duo were the family of four consisting of Renji Abarai, Rukia Kuchiki, Byakuya Kuchiki, and Ichika Abarai. Kazui and his best friend Ichika secretly followed his father into the dimension to try and help their fathers and mothers, but it almost ended in disaster.

There weren't any casualties, though several people were severely injured in the mission to seal the opening gates. More and more events led to another which caused this catastrophe. Many formidable foes came to stop them, including some of the past members of the Gotei 13. It was a troubling time for all people there as former allies were now enemies. It was a terrifying experience, almost nothing like they have ever experienced before.

They were trying to flash step as fast as they could to reach the exit. The beasts of Hell were chasing them, Sinners kept attacking, and the flames burned their bodies.

Just as one of the monsters were about to reach Ichigo, who was unarmed trying to get Kazui to safety, an arrow flew by. Uryu dashed past the strawberry and his son. His glowing blue bow hummed with reishi as he raised his weapon.

"Ishida! What are you doing?! Get back over here and escape!", Ichigo called out in panic.

"Be quiet, Kurosaki. You know full well that I won't slow down just because of this. I'll catch up to you guys in no time, guaranteed", he tilted his glasses before whispering under his breath, "Licht Regen"

A hail of reishi arrows were fired towards the Hollow-looking beasts. Many of them were taken down but more appeared and tried to follow them. Their large bodies only continued to stride forward through the obstacles that blocked them. Using Hirenkyaku, Ishida moved backwards and constantly fired arrows from his bow so that the rest of the Shinigami could get to safety.

Only after a couple of more flash steps, they all escaped. Nobody was left behind as the last pieces of the door were repaired. The door was finally sealed for good. The eyes of the skeletons at the gate lit up in flames once more before the whole entrance disappeared without a trace. It was over.

"Thank goodness, everyone's safe", sighed Ichigo in relief as he lay on the grass ground by the lake. His son Kazui sat beside him.

In the distance, a silver hair woman with a black shihakusho and white coat ran towards them, "Hey! Everybody's here! Please tend to them immediately!"

With the help of Urahara, Orihime along with Squad 4 tended to the wounds of the injured. Squad 4 stood on standby outside of the location of the gates. The group ran towards everyone who escaped and examined them. Cuts, gashes, and ripped flesh were healed in a short time. Everyone took their time and recovered.

"Kazui! You okay?", Orihime asked worriedly as she pinched the boy's face, turning him around to try and find any injuries.

"Yeah I am Mom! Dad saved me and we fought some Hollows", Kazui replied with a big goofy smile on his face.

"Oh thank goodness", she immediately went to full on hug Kazui and then went to Ichigo. She also hugged him but also gave him a kiss on the cheek as well. The strawberry blushed slightly despite experiencing that for what was the hundredth time in his life, "Thank goodness you're safe too, Ichigo!"

"Of course I am. I can't die knowing that you're worried about us being out", he smiled as she hugged Orihime back.

"I'm gonna bake lots of bread, then make some soup, then we'll have even more bread, well, maybe I'll ask Riruka to give us some doughnuts. Actually, now that I've thought about it, I'll make that custard and mango onigiri you guys seem to like. Wait! I wanted to try this new recipe I made. It's a yakitori chicken with chocolate sauce and toasted sesame seeds that will definitely-"

Ichigo laughed and wrapped his arms around his wife and his kid, "Yeah, we'll try all of those when we get home, Orihime.

The view of the sun setting calmed everyone down. Despite the terrors they've been through, the hours of spending time in the fiery depths of hell, and near-death experiences, everything was fine now. That was until there was a change in reiatsu.

It started off small at first, like there was a Hollow nearby. But second by second, the power of this feeling grew exponentially stronger. It was out of control, flowing everywhere and spreading all the way through to the captains. They all sensed it almost immediately.

Kazui Kurosaki's body started to leak out dark reiatsu from his chest, sending the weaker Shinigami to the ground. His body was violently shaking and the Fullbring that enveloped his body was vibrating at high speeds.

"KAZUI!", Ichigo shouted as he tried to get closer. The energy pushed him back a little as he tried to fight against the tide.

"D-Dad! What's happening to me?", Kazui cried in pain and horror as the process was continuing.

The energy continued expanding even more, growing larger by the second. The air around them swirled, trees started being torn apart, and the water was being pushed back by the force of his power. For Kazui, this was the most pain he's felt his entire life. The sensation felt as if something was piercing through his chest, stabbing and clawing around trying to escape. His mind kept thinking: pain, pain, pain...scared, scared...

It was as if the experience was making him lose his mind.

Division 4 tried to rush toward Kazui, but just like Ichigo, they too were pushed back by his power. Everyone just watched in horror as the power continued to course through the air. It wasn't until a certain captain that interfered that the catastrophe that could've gone on to destroy Karakura Town stopped.

"Rip! Ashisogi Jizo!"

The three-tipped golden blade was thrusted straight into the exact place that the energy was coming out of. A painted black, white, and blue hand held a grey bracelet. Holding the boy's paralysed arm, he wrapped it around his wrist. With a simple click!, the device was locked on. The captain sighed and stood back up.

The pulsing, overflowing dark energy disappeared in an instant. The water was back inside of the riverbed, the wind settled, and the swirling trees dropped down to the ground. Only a loud gust of wind followed as the silence settled. Everyone's jaw dropped at the scene, not only from surprise but from shock from the sight.

"I simply paralysed his body using Ashisogi Jizo so he couldn't move anymore, if it wasn't obvious enough", Mayuri glanced at the others, "The device I placed around his wrist is made out of the same materials as Aizen's chair, and also functions the same way. Though last minute, I reprogrammed it to keep power inside of him instead"

"Th-That...", Ichigo trailed off as he rushed to his son, trying to make sure he was okay.

The boy's eyes were closed, and his breathing was steady. The softness in his expression returned back to normal. It's almost as if nothing had ever happened.

"Kurotsuchi...thank you..."

"Do not thank me yet. I'm not done", the mad scientist approached Ichigo, "His power is still a threat to not only you, but also to the whole world and the people around him. That's why we're going to have to make some changes to hi-"

Ichigo interrupted him by bowing down, his head on the ground, "Please...save our son...I beg you"

There was another moment of silence. The insane captain looked at the orange-haired Shinigami, his eyes squinted and wandered over him. It was unlike of Ichigo to beg for something this fast. It had never been seen before. The fact that he was on his hands and knees with his head down shows how badly he's taking this, that he'd do anything for his son to return to normal.

"Hmph, I suppose I will, Ichigo Kurosaki. Though I cannot guarantee that he would return to normal, he will return close to it", Mayuri turned to the rest of the captains watching, "I'll need all the resources I can in order to implement this change! We need extreme safety procedures in place, we need the Kido experts to create something of my requests, and everyone on standby! Do you understand?!"

"Hmm, I think Mr. Tessai and Mr. Hachi will have to suffice if it needs to be met with your expectations", Kisuke Urahara looked up at him with a slight smile along with his eyes showing from the shadows of his bucket hat, "Ah, well, it's a surprise seeing you so sincere about this, Captain Kurotsuchi"

"It's nothing. This is just to return the favour for what this Substitute Shinigami has done for us these past few years", scoffed Mayuri.

"I suppose we have to follow along, right? Nanao?", Kyoraku tilted his straw hat down on his head, glancing at his lieutenant, "Who would've thought that the 12th Division captain be interested in this..."

"Everyone! Help transfer Kazui Kurosaki to the Research and Development laboratory immediately! This is not a request; this is an order! Everybody follow along?!", Mayuri barked loudly.

"YES!"

"Then, let's go!"

The Senkaimon slowly opened up, with the round wooden doors parting to reveal the bright light. Many members of Squad 4 put the strawberry boy on a stretcher, rushing to follow the mad captain into the light that leads to the Soul Society. Urahara called up Tessai, who resides at Urahara's Candy Shop, and the other Kido master Hachi, who resides at the Visored base. Everybody else ran through as well, leaving Ichigo and Orihime last to enter.

Uryu stayed behind to look after the two.

"Orihime, don't worry. I'm sure Kazui will be alright. This is the Soul Society we're talking about"

Orihime buried her face on Ichigo's chest, letting the tears fall from her eyes. He wrapped his arms around her, keeping her as close as possible. This never happened before. This was a first for the Kurosaki family and it shook them to the core. The two pulled away after a while.

"Let's go to Kazui...and support him as much as we can", Ichigo took her hand, reassuring Orihime firmly.

"Yeah, let's"

Ichigo and his wife walked inside the Senkaimon hand-in-hand. The married couple trying to reassure each other as much as they could, supporting each other from the bottom of their hearts. In these hard times, they needed each other.

Uryu walked beside the strawberry with a calm expression, "There's no need to worry, Kurosaki. He is your son after all. Kazui will be able to get through this easily"

"Thanks...for everything...Ishida", Ichigo turned towards him and gave the Quincy a soft smile. The two friends have been through Hell and back during their adventures. Even when Uryu betrayed him, it was for good intentions. They still saved each other and had each other's backs. To have a bond like that was uncommon, but with even more friends was rare. It seemed like Ichigo was the special case.

"No problem. We are friends after all"

"Yeah, we are"

The married couple and the Quincy walked to the light that led into the Soul Society, ready to face anything that may be in their way. Even if Kazui's in a bad state, they needed to keep their heads high in hopes that he'll be alright, especially Ichigo and Orihime.

And in the end, it worked out perfectly.

Chapter Text

MINOR SPOILER WARNING FOR THE BLEACH: CAN'T FEAR YOUR OWN WORLD LIGHT NOVEL. Skip to the really large gap if you don't wanna be spoiled. I mean, there isn't that much to be spoiled with...but just do whatever you want I dunno how to phrase it. Things in italics below are spoilers and after the large gap isn't.

Read at your own discretion or whatever that means.

"And now we're here today, discussing this", Kyoraku concluded, closing his eye.

"Well, I guess I have no trouble with it as long as it was for a good reason", Iba crossed his arms, "And thanks for telling us"

"It was bound to happen eventually, considering the current circumstances", he sighed back.

Shinji spoke after what felt like ages, "And what are we supposed to do now about this Soul King bull crap? After all, the only known candidate we have is Ichigo, and obviously the things that happened with the Tokinada Tsunayashiro incident also rules out another candidate"

Hisagi turns to the captain of Squad 5, "You sure that you want to reveal that classified information?"

"I agree with Hisagi. You sure you wanna talk about that stuff when it's meant to be all hushed up all those years ago?", butted in Kensei.

"What're you two asking for? It's not like it's gonna affect anyone since I'm just giving them some more info. Geez, you two are so boring, uptight and so irritating", called out Shinji, leaving Hisagi and Kensei in a state of confusion and shock. Kensei tried to lunge at the blonde captain, calling him names while his lieutenant dragged him back to his spot in a hard struggle.

"Yeah, so like a few months after the war with the Quincies, Hisagi, me, and a bunch of others ran into a problem with one of the Four Noble Families, which was Tokinada Tsunayashiro. His apprentice, which was a little kid named Hikone, was apparently another person trying out for Soul King. Luckily it didn't work and that whole issue was solved"

"And Hikone now lives somewhere in the Rukongai, though I'm not going to reveal where it is", mumbled Hisagi, "And I doubt that she'll try to go for Soul King again. Both because she doesn't want to and I won't let her"

"Oh, so that's why you've been going there a bunch", quirked Matsumoto as she smirked, "What an honourable man my husband is, to protect someone~"

"H-Hey! You can't just compliment me mid-meeting, Rangiku!"

"Hehe, you flustered or something, Shuhei?"

A vein on Toshiro's forehead popped out, along with him gritting his teeth and clenching his fist as the two continued bantering.

"YOU TWO! This is a meeting! Discuss those things after the meeting or whenever we're not here!"

"Yes...Captain Hitsugaya", the married Shinigami murmured apologetically in sync.

Mayuri grunted loudly, "If you all are done, then I also have further information to deal with, though I'll have to be quick with it. Ginjo Kugo, who has been found in the Soul Society, is also a Soul King candidate somehow. Although, I also know that he doesn't want to or should be advised to become one"

"Well, that rules out three possible candidates to replace or fix the Soul King. I mean, we aren't heartless people to be kidnapping people and forcing them to go do something they haven't consented to, right?", Kyoraku poked a little fun as he tried to lighten up the tone. A little seriousness flickered in his eyes before he returned to a more mature tone, "Kurotsuchi, I wanted you to do some research and stabilize that certain man, if you remember correctly. This may be needed for this situation. You'll find the entry easily"

"Tch, I suppose so. This makes the favors stack higher, you know that, Head Captain Kyoraku", the captain of the 12th Division momentarily locked eyes with him before stepping forward and exiting, "Akon, let's go"

"Yes, Captain"

The two opened the large double doors and walked away in a dramatic fashion. The clicking of their footsteps on the marble floor of the 1st Division barracks was all the rest could hear before the doors shut again.

"What's the meaning of that? Why are you sending them off?", Soi Fon exclaimed furiously.

"Ah, it's a secret, but don't worry. It'll work out just fine for all of us"

Ichigo turned around, "I'm going back home. I'm telling Orihime about this. She'll be worried, but it's for the be-"

The doors opened once again, revealing an unexpected band of people. All of them unharmed, yet their faces in shock.

"I'm not even surprised that people are interrupting us anymore. Gotta say that it's happened a bit too much", remarked Lisa with an uninterested look on her face.

"Well, I guess that's where Izuru's reiatsu was. Welcome back", Rojuro calmly whispered.

Ichika, Kaito, and Kira stepped inside of the room.

"Sorry for interrupting the meeting, Head Captain Kyoraku!", the two younger Shinigami bowed their heads as Kira joined his captain in the line, "But we saw where Captain Kurotsuchi was, and he informed us about the meeting, so we rushed here straight away!"

"We already know what happened, unfortunately", Kyoraku chuckled, "Though I guess you can go on"

"Yes! Well, um...", Ichika stammered as she tried to pull herself together. She was already in a trembling state, as her body was constantly shaking, her words all jumbled up, and sweat continuously poured down her face. Her expressions were a mix of sadness and guilt.

It wasn't until Rukia kneeled down, placing a hand on her shoulder, to reassure her. That slight contact was almost like a form of silent communication. Comfort spread throughout Ichika's body as she settled in her mother's touch, "Go on, Ichika. I'm here"

"Yeah...", Ichika took a deep breath before delivering the information, "Before Kazui entered Hell, he told us to give him 3 days before we're sent to the Royal Palace"

Before Kyoraku could speak, Ichigo butted in and answered for him, "Thanks, Ichika. And also thank you for taking care of my son while I was gone"

"N-No problem...in fact, it was Kazui who took care of me..."

"That definitely sounds like Kazui alright. He was one to be a big softy when taking care of others. He doesn't even get mad when he gets scolded", Ichigo just chuckled softly, then looking forward, announcing to everyone in the room, "I'll be back in three days! If Kazui isn't back by then, I will take over for him, or drag him out of Hell myself"

With a determined look and a smile full of pride, Ichigo left the room. There was nothing to worry about. This was his son after all. As everyone usually says: like father, like son. But of course, Kazui's mother had an affect to the both of them. Kazui's growing up to be like his father, yet with the influence of Orihime, he's becoming a happier version. A person who knows how to take charge of the situation and also keep everyone's moods lifted. To be one to reassure all when times are tough. As his father, Ichigo couldn't be disappointed. He only felt pride.

I wonder if this is what dad felt towards me back then, though Ichigo as he left the Seireitei, going back to the World of the Living.

The rest of the Gotei 13, including Kaito and Ichika, stayed behind to listen to the Head Captain's final orders.

"Everyone, I hope you're all caught on with the current situation, as it is as dire as ever", Kyoraku announced, "I request for you to all take measures to ensure that we continue to keep the balance between worlds. Keep reporting any anomalies found as soon as possible. And also proceed with the plans to prepare for the worst that could happen. Am I clear?!"

"Yes! Head Captain Kyoraku!", everyone exclaimed at once.

"Good, you are dismissed"

As everyone exited the room, all that was left was Kyoraku and his lieutenant Nanao. The two looked at each other in silence but the contact was broken as Nanao nodded. She walked to the exit and followed the rest. Just before she took the last step, she turned around and called out.

"Kyoraku. Be sure to keep yourself safe. He's still dangerous and still possibly growing in power. So please take caution when approaching him, you understand?"

"I sure will...just take care of Division 1 for me while I'm gone"

The Head Captain looked up at the ceiling, thoughts spinning inside of his head.

"Hope he's up for another visit...

"Aizen...that is..."

Kazui's POV:

It burns...it burns so much...these flames hurt too much. Although, it feels so nostalgic to me. I wonder if this is bad or not.

I can't see anything anymore. Am I dead? I must be. There's no way that with these injuries that I'll be able to survive all of that. Oddly enough, it doesn't feel too bad. In fact, it feels great...almost if I was falling...

I wish I felt like this forever...in peace. Never to experience violence ever again

Wake up

I should ignore that voice. After all, it feels perfect dwelling here in this forever dark world. Wait...dark? Why do I like that in the first place, aren't I scared of the dark?

Wake up!

Damn it...how long have I been here. Where am I? Why am I here? I'm scared, I'm so scared. It's too dark. Let me out of here. LET ME OUT OF HERE!

"WAKE UP! YOU LITTLE ORANGE HAIRED FREAK!"

That voice sent a jolt through my spine. It felt like electricity sparked in the inside of my head and spread throughout my body. That feeling coursed through every part of my body until my eyes flickered open. In the instant that I felt my body function again, I sat up straight, hitting something along the way.

"Ouch! The hell was that for, Kazui?", groaned the small flying object in front of me.

"S-Sorry, Tsubaki! And you can't blame me, I just woke up", I then doubled over in pain, "And now I regret doing that..."

My back hurt a lot, and so did every part of my body. The pain that I felt from that Sinner still remained despite how I looked right now.

"Serves you right. You got yourself in a whole lot of danger. Thank Shun'o and Ayame for healing you up", the small spirit crossed his arms in front of him, nodding towards the other two spirits who were by my side.

"Ah, well, it's nothing! We were put in charge of you by Mrs Orihime after all!", Ayame chuckled and waved her hands.

"But you guys still healed me without me using the Sotenkisshun command. So thanks a lot, you two", I smiled softly as I looked to my two saviours. After that, I looked to Tsubaki who still remained there after Shun'o and Ayame disappeared back to my wristwatch.

"What are you still doing here? I can tell that you've been up the whole time"

"Obviously protecting you from the Beasts of Hell. The others are taking a break since it takes a lot of effort to work out of your unconscious state", scoffed Tsubaki.

"Thanks for that. I'm okay now"

The spirit immediately transformed into a small spike of light and muttered, "No need to tell me twice. Just call me when you need to fight"

With that, all of my Shun Shun Rikka returned back to my watch.

It took a while for me to notice, but I was flying on a giant glowing goldfish. Though I wasn't surprised. I used this ability a lot when I was younger to sneak out of the house. It had been a while since I've seen this, probably because I had forgotten about this ability in the first place. At least that drug that Kurotsuchi gave me restored all of the memories I had lost.

I placed a hand on the scales of the flying fish and ran my hands through the smooth surface. This must have been what caught me while I was falling. There were so many questions, so many answers I wanted to seek, yet just gliding through the hellish environment just made my experience relaxing. All of the pent up emotions calmed down slightly, and instead of asking questions, I sat there.

"Thank you, Mr. Goldfish, Tsubaki, and everyone. In the time I'm in here, I'll be relying on you, so please keep me safe"

"I see. And now we'll put that to the test, won't we?"

I turned around to be met by a horrifyingly monstrous figure. The body was so unimaginably burnt that you couldn't recognise anymore. But I knew who he was. He's the guy who stabbed me at my weakest.

"What's up, Gensho Shujin. Seems to me like you're a little crisp today. Took a bath in the pool of fire by any chance?", I mused, standing up preparing for a fight.

"Heh, you can't do anything right now. This is my domain. You're completely powerless without your Soul Reaper powers, much less your Fullbring. This ends now, Kurosaki! I'll finally be able to take you down after all these years", rasped the burnt Sinner.

"Strange, I don't seem to care...and I don't even remember much", I pointed my wristwatch towards him, "Tsubaki..."

Shujin rushed towards me with his chipped and damaged bronze blade. Pure rage filled his bloodshot eyes as the murderous was even detected from here. There wasn't much room to move, since the fish I currently was riding on amounted...to one. Along with that, I was too weak to create a foothold in the air. It's either I had to dodge or use Tsubaki straight to his face. But if I dodged then the goldfish would be extremely injured and-

"Okayyyyyy! All done!", cheered an oddly gleeful voice.

"Eh?"

I was totally lost in my thoughts to realise that the opponent I was facing was currently deceased. Sorry to put it formally but let me put it in detail. The bloodshot eyes that I locked on with was currently falling down, along with his head. The body was completely severed from the head as black blood sprayed upward. Some of the released liquid dropped onto the fish, hissing as it dissolved into mist.

Behind the dead body was a figure wearing a dark cloak which looked old from the amount of dust. Over this cloth was a pale apron that was messed up with ash, sweat, and soot. His body looked larger than the average person. His dark ashen skin burned with flames, surprisingly not burning the cloth that he wore. The eyes under his dark hood burned with blue light and filled with mischievousness. A large black hammer splattered with blood was by his side.

"Wh-Wheh? What the...Actually, who the hell are you?"

"You don't know who I am? Now that is really, really, really disappointing...After all these years, you forgot me...", the man shook his head although he looked happy, "Then that means that I'll have to reintroduce myself to you, Kazui!"

He landed on my ride in a theatrical fashion, moving the cloak to the side as the wind blew past. The figure removed his hood and revealed a Hollow-like face. There was something familiar about him. The way he talked, how he acted toward me, and most of all his weapon. Or should I say tool...

"Y-Y-Y-You are...!!!!", I stuttered surprisingly and pointed at his face.

"That's right! Kurokane, blacksmith from Hell, Sinner at heart. Sorry we couldn't give ya a 'warm' welcome", the man bowed dramatically, glancing up at me with a smile, "Nice to meet ya and..."

"Welcome to Hell"

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

"We're finally here! Home sweet home!"

"Yeah...this does not feel homely at all..."

It was exactly as I said. Nothing about this forge was homely at all. Living inside a place with the beasts of Hell crawling all over the place, scorching flames burning into your skin, and a hooded Sinner talking away is the furthest from homely.

As I walked into the crumbling black building, I felt a wave of nostalgia rush through my body. Even if it didn't feel homely there was a sense of familiarity I felt from this place. I had been here before.

The drug that Kurotsuchi gave me may have returned all of my memories, but the thing is it's hard to actually remember correctly. You know when you're having a dream, wake up, and then forget about it? Yeah, that's what it felt like. And like scrolling for pictures on a phone, it's going to take a long time for me to recognise every small detail. The only thing keeping me centred with all of this chaos was my soul itself. The familiarity of this place was the only thing that calmed me down.

"So, first question, how are you?", Kurokane sat down on the floor, pouring himself a cup of whatever unknown substance was in that pitcher.

"Uh, I'm feeling great, thanks...", I followed, sitting in front of him, "So how'd you find me anyway?"

"I followed your Spiritual Pressure, naturally. I can recognise it from a long distance. When I felt that you're reiatsu weakened and you were dropping down into Hell, I rushed to you right away. I was surprised at first, but I got over it easily"

"Right..."

I glanced around the room that I was in. The walls were made out of crumbling black bricks, looking like it could collapse at any time. I could even see the outside of this building where the larger Hell Hollows wandered around aimlessly. But the thing, or should I say a lot of things, caught my attention. Many swords, daggers, hammers and other weapons were displayed on every single wall. Even as I was entering I saw the huge number of weapons that were scattered around the house.

"So, blacksmith huh? I can see that"

The Sinner grinned, "Thanks! I've been doing this for a long while now after you left-"

"What...exactly did I do to you so that you could rescue me? What could I have done so that you'll give me hospitality and safety", I locked eyes with him as I interrupted with a serious tone.

"Ah, so you really don't remember. I can't blame you. You were still kinda young when all of that Hell business happened", he tapped his finger on his chin, "Luckily, compared to you, I can remember everything. After all, you are my hero"

"Huh?"

"During the Hell incident, I was still mixed up with all of the Sinners. Though the thing is I didn't do anything wrong. You may not know this, but over hundreds, maybe thousands of years ago, I was the first Shinigami to receive Konso Reisai. Since I had a high level of reiatsu, it was too dense for the soil of the Soul Society to break down, hence why I had to receive that ritual. Somehow, I ended up becoming a Sinner even though I didn't do anything wrong"

"Damn, that sucks pretty badly..."

He nodded, keeping a light-hearted tone while sipping his cup, "Yeah, really sucks. All of the reiatsu and spiritual energy that I had was depleted almost instantly, taken over by the other Sinners who had found me. And there I was, alone and weak. I kept being killed by the Kushanada over and over again. And then...you saved me. With all of the people who were suffering, you were the one who saved me. Thanks to you and the other Soul Reapers, I was cut free of that cycle of pain. I restarted my life, or should I stay death, altogether. I took up the name of a blacksmith even though I had no such skills. But I pushed onwards to become stronger, so one day I can assist you again.

And so, I owe you an eternal debt of gratitude to you, Kazui Kurosaki. For changing my life"

"Wh-What?! I don't remember doing that? I guess I messed around a little too much back then and wandered off. I didn't mean to...", I trailed off when I saw the sincere eyes of the person who I thought was joking all the time.

"Stop being modest, Kazui. I don't really care if you intended to or not, but either way you saved me. I can't thank you enough...but with that being said", he leaned forward, "I have a way to restore your powers"

"What? How can you do that? Wouldn't that be impossible?!"

Kurokane shuffled in his place and leaned back against a wall, "It has been done before. It just requires a lotta reiatsu to be placed inside of you. Happened with your dad, and don't ask me why I know, word goes around here in Hell. Anyway, if we restore your Shinigami powers, then it'll restore your Fullbring as well. Sounds easy, right? Well, we don't have enough reiatsu in here for this plan to work, and I doubt that the Founder of the Gotei, Death Sword, and God Sworn will lend theirs considering that the Hell incident caused a change in them. We'll have to do a different method"

"I'll do anything. So please, help me gain my powers back again. I just want to help everyone", I stood up and bowed in front of him, may head facing down. I didn't want to pass up this kind offer, so I'll have to do anything in my power to take back everything I lost.

"Yeah yeah, no need to be polite. I do owe you a lot anyway", he waved me off as he stood up. Kurokane walked over to the left side of the room, placing his hand on one of the weapons there. It was battle axe; still in pristine perfect shape, shining black in the flames the light that emitted from his eyes, "Kazui, it'll be a dangerous process, far more threatening than anything you've ever experienced before. Well, not that I'm telling you not to go, since I can tell that you're the type of person to do it anyway"

I smiled softly, "Guess you must know me that well"

Standing up slowly, I followed his every movement. He fiddled with all of the weapons, twisting and turning them until a loud click was made. Kurokane then punched the ground as hard as he could. Suddenly, a massive column of fire erupted from the floor below us, rising up to our level. The flames licked against my skin and burned painfully. Even though this affected me, I couldn't afford to look weak. I needed to push forward and continue.

"This might be a little inconvenient, but this is the only way to get down to the forges below. That place is the only one hidden from any threat that we may encounter. And also...it'll help you delve into your soul to find your powers", he picked up a steel hammer from the wall, inspecting it, "I don't know much about these flames, but this is how I was able to overcome and become stronger here. So then-"

"Alright, I'll go!", I instantly ran forwards to let my body be completely consumed by the flames.

"W-WAIT. DON'T YOU STILL NEED TIME TO PREPARE FOR...", was all I heard from him before my consciousness was wiped completely.

The flames consumed my very being as the burning sensation continued to build up, not stopping one bit. It started slowly with my fingertips, slowly being scorched to the point where it blackened, then crumbled into ash. I screamed in agony as this happened, the pain only becoming worse by the second. I could feel my body starting to break down with no blood shed. The fire was so hot that any liquid that was within my body immediately evaporated. The pain was so unimaginable that I couldn't feel a single thing anymore.

My throat went dry, and my screaming stopped. The tears that were leaking out quickly vanished. I was so stupid for running in here without preparing myself. I don't know why, but I was drawn to this column of fire. At first glance, the feeling, the sight, the smell of ash drew me in straight away. I was fading now, fading out of existence.

That was until something came forth from within me. A bleached liquid gushed out of my mouth, spreading out to what remained from my face. All of my senses came back again, heightened to the point where pain returned. This substance ran down the skeletal frame of my body and filled in all of the places which have been burnt off. What was this? I've never had this happen to me before. Unless...

Before I could think anything else, everything instantly faded into black.

There it was again. Constant darkness surrounded me as I tried to find a way out. Swimming into the nothingness only dragged me deeper down into the abyss. There was nothing here. No thoughts, no people, nothing at all.

BANG

A flood of white overcame the darkness as it scurried away until the white completely covered everything. A lingering feeling led me towards an unknown energy in the distance. I felt as if my eyes were closed the entire time, as if I was sleeping. But up until this moment I was finally awake. I was ready to face anything in my way. There was no reason to forget anything nor restrict my powers. In this fight to protect my loved ones from being targeted by a powerful opponent, I needed to counter with something powerful. Powerful enough to bring justice against the evil.

"Welcome back, Kazui Kurosaki"

A tall figure with long black hair stood in front of me. Blueish grey bandages wrapped around his torso and covered his mouth. Black energy swirled around him as he appeared. Sharp red eyes stared right towards mine. Beside this person, was another figure that was completely covered with white. Even with the lack of colour, I could tell that it looked exactly like me, but with black and blue eyes. A feeling of safety washed over me immediately. Relief flooded my body as I saw the familiar faces.

I slowly walked over to them and reached my hands out. Just before I could do that, I collapsed onto my knees. Bit by bit, tears slowly poured out of my eyes, dripping out onto the white surface. I didn't know why, but deep inside I thought that I wouldn't ever be able to get my powers back. And just seeing the two zanpakuto spirits back in my soul...I felt like I was fuller restored. My heart had been filled, and worry disappeared in an instant.

The two kneeled down in front of me and both placed a hand on my shoulder to comfort me. I wrapped my arms around them and continued to let the tears pour. A tornado of emotions whirled up inside of me but being back here with them helped slow it down. Not a single word was said between us as I settled in their comfort and reassurance. I was back. They were back. We were together again.

One last tear fell to the ground when I finally looked up at them and smiled,

"I'm home"

Beneath the Division 1 barracks, Central Great Underground Prison. 8th Level, Muken:

"I'm doing this once again, huh?", Shunsui whispered to himself before the thick steel doors of Muken prison were unlocked.

He pulled aside some of his shihakusho to reveal an 'X' shaped scar where he hid the key to this dark place. This wasn't the first time that he'd buried this key inside of his chest. After all, this was all Central 46's decision for him to do this to ensure that the once enormous enemy of the Soul Society remained sealed inside of the prison.

Another item that was inside of Shunsui's shihakusho was the box of keys that unsealed certain body parts of the prisoner restrained. He could only use three; also orders from Central 46. He'd done this all once before, due to the crisis that almost destroyed the Seireitei, World of the Living, and even Hueco Mundo. And just like that time, he was once again needed to save the entire world again.

Footsteps echoed through the almost empty space of this prison. This place was cut off completely from the outside world, along with the fact that the darkness spanned almost indefinitely. Several eroded stone pillars with some sort of glowing stone dimly lit the path Despite that, the Head Captain of the Gotei 13 continued to stride forward without fear, keeping his guard up just in case any attacks pass by.

Shunsui stopped at a space where a total of 12 holes were placed onto the ground. He gazed forward and put on his amusing, tired smile.

"So, you still against communicating through Spiritual Pressure, huh? I guess some things never change"

He kneeled down onto one of the holes that were planted. From within his shihakusho, he pulled out the box of keys and picked one of them out.

"Same rules apply, if you were wondering. Three keys for use, and the one out of the prison embedded in my chest. And of course, I'll only release your eye and ankles"

He inserted the key into the hole with a swift movement. The keyhole and the line that was connected to it dimly lit up in purple. Shunsui glanced up to find where the prisoner is.

"It's been over 10 years since the last time you were let out. I would usually doubt that you would be able to speak due to how long your mouth has been sealed, but I know now to not be surprised by your talents"

"You're right once again"

The soft, calm voice rung through the empty space of Muken prison. With one swift movement, the Head Captain inserted the last two keys into their respective location. He stood up to face one of the most formidable people to ever exist.

Sosuke Aizen appeared in front of him, staring at the leader of the Gotei 13 straight in the eye. In the dimly lit space, the villain's figure could be seen clearly. A black uniform reached all the way below is ankles. Under the uniform, black pants and a pair of boots were present. A light grey coloured neckcloth was worn around his shoulders which acted as a capelet. The black leather that was used as a seal was partly removed, leaving only his left eye and mouth exposed.

"It's been a while since we last spoke, hasn't it? Kyoraku?", Aizen spoke in a soft tone, "I see you're still wearing that eyepatch. In the several years that I've been sealed, I wonder why you haven't healed that using the human girl's powers"

Shunsui tilted his hat down and smiled further, "Well, to me I think it looks really cool, and makes me look a bit more badass"

"You truly are something strange", the prisoner closed his eye before opening it back up again, "So, what is your purpose for releasing me from my restraints after years of imprisonment? I doubt that Central 46 would make the decision to let a threat like me run free now, would they?"

"Back then, you spoke about standing atop the heavens, as nobody has done before"

"And what about that relates to our discussion, Kyoraku?"

"It seems as though that the unbearable vacancy of heaven's throne has opened up. And it also seems as though you have been chosen for that vacancy", Shunsui answers back as he placed the box of keys back into his shihakusho.

"And what if I refuse?", Aizen stared at him.

"Then you'll be erased along with this world", Shunsui stared back at him confidently.

"I see...well, I suppose there's no choice but to comply"

"What's with the change of heart? Don't tell me that reflecting on your actions in here was able to turn you good all of a sudden"

"I do not regret what I have done, nor will I ever take it back. But with this current situation presented in front of me, I have an opportunity to fulfill that objective that I have worked for. I suppose that straying from the initial goal has become the superior outcome", Aizen sighed and looked away for a second, "I am able to finally break free from those who seek to control me. That's what it means to stand atop the heavens"

"Well, that's a relief. At least we know that you're on our side", Kyoraku tilted his straw hat upward and began walking towards the entry where he came from.

Aizen followed the Head Captain, on his face an expression familiar to everyone. His face displayed an expression of faint amusement and mysteriousness. His eyes looked as if it glinted with malicious intents. Though even with that he projected no emotion due to his calm demeanor.

"Let us begin, in taking what should be rightfully mine. In ruling the worlds in a way that should have been done. In replacing the Soul King"

Chapter Text

One Decade Ago

"Are you okay? You look like you've been hurt a long time. Don't worry! These guys won't hurt you anymore since I beat them", an orange-haired boy beamed as he placed his sword inside of the sheath hung around his back, "My name is Kazui Kurosaki. Nice to meet you!"

A loud voice echoed through the empty cave calling out a name. The boy turned around for a second before smiling back at me.

"Looks like I gotta go. Sorry I couldn't talk to you longer, but me and my dad are on a mission", he turned around and waved, "Stay safe!"

He ran off to the end of the cave, never to be seen again. I stayed back in the darkness and thought about what had just happened.

Why had he saved me? Who was this kid? And from the many people who needed saving, why me?

I'm just like any other Sinner here. A nobody. A weak person who could no longer stand up for myself. So why...

As I looked to the light where the boy had disappeared. From then on, he became my hero, my inspiration. The age difference didn't matter at all. The kindness coming from him was enough for me to respect him.

Nobody else could do something like that, even if this place was Hell. I respected him from the bottom of my heart.

That day, I made a vow. A vow to become stronger. If he ever needed any assistance, I would grant him that. This was something that I wouldn't normally do in my Soul Reaper days, but for some reason I felt a sudden change. There was nothing that was troubling in my heart. Because there was one thing that I could finally focus my heart to.

I owe my life to him.

Present Day

He's grown up so much. Even if I didn't know him for a long time nor know anything about him, there was one thing that stood out. He has an unwavering heart. A strong heart that can't be pierced by even a blade. Kazui didn't hesitate for a moment to hop into the Flames of Rebirth when I said that it could make him become stronger. All he wanted to do was help everyone. And not because he wanted popularity, wealth, or something back, but because he's got a heart. He's willing to put up with everything just so he can help anyone in need. Kazui will do everything as long as he sets his heart on it. Whether it be suffering or hardship, he will persevere. Even if it hurts him he'll continue on.

And after all that, he can still put up a smile.

Just seeing that fills my soul to the top. I was able to do something for my hero in his times of trouble.

Pride filled my being as I picked up my hammer, walking to the blazing flames. I'm finally ready to fulfill my purpose in this life.

Kazui's POV:

"You've done a good job making your way here, Kazui. I certainly am proud", Mugetsu's deep voice reverberated in the white void, "Same goes for Makai Kokoryu"

The bleached version of myself rolled his blue eyes and squatted down onto the ground, using his zanpakuto to poke the ground.

"Makai Kokoryu sounds too long to be a name. Just call me Kokoryu outside of battle since I can't be bothered with that boring name"

"Well, fine. After all, I abandoned you guys for quite a while", I rubbed the back of my head sheepishly.

"Why're you looking like that. Don't take it seriously, I am just a part of your soul after all", Kokoryu smirked.

"I-I-I'm sorry..."

"Why're you apologising?! There's no need for you to cuz you're literally our master, leader, whatever", he put away his blade and scratched his head, "Sometimes I wish that I'd take over again. But you're lucky I'm not Zangetsu, or I'll give you the same harsh treatment that he gave Ichigo-"

"Quiet", Mugetsu slapped the back of his head, making Kokoryu topple over, "We have other things to discuss besides you're time-wasting lecture"

"Look who's acting all casual now that Kazui's properly remembered us..."

"Now, back to the important discussion", Mugetsu cleared his throat, "It's about what's currently happening to your body"

I sat down on the colourless floor of this white world. Not wanting to disappoint, I tried my best to look as good as possible. The proper form, discipline, and aura of my seating kept me wide awake. I needed to pay attention to every single piece of information that was about to be uttered out of Mugetsu's mouth while not wanting to disappoint the zanpakuto spirits.

My crossed legs remained firm, and my back straight. My soft brown eyes stared attentively into Mugetsu's red ones. Along with that, my...

"I can hear your thoughts, you know? You're kinda distracting me, man", Kokoryu poked my shoulder, glancing at me while also sitting down with his legs crossed.

"Right now, Kazui, you're undergoing a different form of training, something that hadn't been created until 10 years before our time"

I shuffled back, "Mugetsu, what do you mean by that?"

"The Flames of Rebirth, also known as the formidable flames of the reincarnated zanpakuto of Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto's Ryujin Jakka, have properties that will help strengthen your body and soul", the memory of me jumping into the flames appeared next to the head of the black-haired zanpakuto spirit, "The reason it's called the Flames of Rebirth is because it will completely change, or should I say burn, the structure of your body and force you to use your soul and reconstruct it. Right now, the reuniting of our souls has helped with this process, so as soon as this is over, you'll notice the changes in your body"

"Ooh! Ooh! Sensei! Can you also tell us why you know about this information!", Kokoryu shuffled in his seat and raised his hand irritatingly.

"Kazui Kurosaki's soul is tied to the depths of Hell. I cannot explain how and why because I do not know myself. But considering this fact, since we are part of Kazui's soul, we are also tied with Hell. The connection between us and Ryujin Jakka are purely due to us originating as zanpakuto spirits from this place. Though, I suppose that Kokoryu didn't pay attention to him at all during our slumber..."

"Ehhh, that's not right. I was just playing Go Fish with Minazuki and Sogyo no Kotowari. I'm sure that I paid attention- HEY!"

Mugetsu threw his over-sized zanpakuto towards the pale figure. After a few heavy breaths, he looked back up with a calm expression, or it would look like, on his eyes. He then looked towards me.

"The flames have burned through your soul and physical body. The only thing that is protecting you is the Reishi that is used to form a Hollow's mask, thanks to Kokoryu's awakening. It is your turn to use your powers in order to bring back your body", Mugetsu closed his eyes as he finished the sentence, "And on that note, with the return of your powers, you've finally unlocked your hidden ones that have been sealed due to the memory erasing"

"Hidden powers?"

"Due to having your memories of the Hell outbreak wiped, it has also sealed all of the original potential and powers that you had before. But now with those memories returned, you'll be able to unlock more than you have ever wished to gain. Way more than you ever knew was possible"

Suddenly, dark energy enveloped my arms as the fabric of my clothes burned away slowly. The black shihakusho that I once wore as a Soul Reaper flared around my body once more. The green hoodie popped out from underneath and clashed together, combining the two. The energy solidified into what looked like chains glowing darkly around my arms. Power continued to flow throughout my body until the chains extended outward, creating two midnight black blades in each hand.

I glanced up to both Kokoryu and Mugetsu in surprise, "What is this?"

With a snap of his white fingers, Kokoryu created his own version of these weapons.

He grinned happily as he showed them off, "Since the first time that you've unlocked your Shikai, you've just been using our version of your dad's normal zanpakuto. If I had to guess, it was because you have great admiration for the guy. But I guess me and Mugetsu feel the same way as well. So we did everything we could to replicate that weapon to your desires..."

"Though as you grew older, you started to become more independent when it came to using your zanpakuto. You had your own desires and wishes. Your heart opened up to the world, your kindness and justice helping you protect those around you. Because of that, we worked together to create a way to restore your soul to how it used to be. Yoruichi Shihoin's training was a perfect opportunity to unlock your true zanpakuto even though it was incomplete. You have overcome your fears, set foot in the flames, and demonstrated bravery and courage. It is now time to use that strength to the fullest", Mugetsu finished.

The two kneeled down in front of me as the energy lifted myself up, making me stand straight. I glanced down to the two figures, the two guardians that have always been protecting me since the beginning. The people who would always support me whenever I needed help. When I forgot them, the never gave up on me to remember who they were. They granted me the powers I needed to give help myself.

The glorious blades that I was wielding hummed with power as the two was down on their knees. The humming felt soft, even comfortable. The way it responded felt as if there was life embedded in the steel itself; a reminder that these two were always with me. I took one deep breath before doing what I thought was right.

"Thank you, Mugetsu, for staying by my side whenever I was in trouble. For teaching me everything I needed, even if it was through tough love", I placed my hand on the dark one's shoulder, "I thank you once again"

Mugetsu swirled wildly into a small ball of dark light as my hand reached his very own skin. The ball travelled to the centre of my chest, granting me the feeling of power, the unyielding spirit that I always possessed. Turning to the white figure kneeling below me, I also placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Thank you, Kokoryu, for staying with me despite everything that happened. Me forgetting you might've broken your soul, but even that wasn't enough. You stayed with me, and I could feel that from every time I smiled. Every time you encouraged me; I could feel you inside my heart. You gave me the confidence I have right now, and I will never forget that. I thank you, from the bottom of my heart"

I could've sworn that I saw a small teardrop fall onto the ground below him before the white zanpakuto spirit looked up at me with a smile. His whole form slowly faded into the same ball of light that Mugetsu turned into. Just as he was about to fully disappear, he muttered one more thing.

"Idiot, that's supposed to be something that I should say..."

There, I was left alone in this white dimension, a place where I would often spend my time. Memories of past battles flashed through my head as I reminisce about coming here to further strengthen myself.

I was complete, much more than I had ever been before. Everything I needed was now in the palm of my hands. I couldn't ask for anything more.

As I closed my eyes, I could sense the whole world crumbling down with me. The blades returned back inside of my soul as the burning hot flames once again reached my skin.

Though this time, it didn't hurt anymore.

The black shihakusho that I wore had been brought back into reality. The fabric protected me from the flames threatening to burn me down once again. My Fullbring was now restored, which was extremely useful for me.

With one fist, I punched through the column of flames which I was currently inside. The fire parted with ease, immediately stopping all movement as my body was pushed forward.

The room I was in looked different. Rather than the enclosed space inside the building where I was originally, this was a large open space. Outside the area was a lava waterfall running down from the seas of flames above. The liquid bubbled and popped as it ran down, surrounding the area like a moat. In the middle was a towering column in between the cracked ceiling and ground. Blackstone was the main composition of this strange place as fire broke free from the column, lighting the place.

And as I was expecting, my Hollow faced friend was leaning against the stone wall next to the Flames of Rebirth. Kurokane gave me a lopsided smile as his hammer was held over his shoulder.

"So, got yourself all set up, huh? Nice clothes you got there by the way"

"Thanks. Thought of it myself", I smiled back as I looked around some more.

Kurokane strode over to the middle of the room, where the flames once again violently erupted outwards. He dropped his hammer, raising his hands as he beamed to his surroundings.

"Welcome to my forge of Hell! It took over 500 years just to create this place myself", he announced, his voice echoing through the forge, "And this is where you will finally restore the rest of your powers, and your zanpakuto"

I took a step forward with confidence in my heart, "I'm ready"

The Sinner took up his hammer once again as he brought me over to the middle of the blazing column.

"This would normally be the forges to make a normal Asauchi, but we don't really have the right things. The waters of Hell are far too different from the ones in Oetsu Nimaya's forge, and we don't have the same materials that he uses. It took me another 300 years to develop a way to forge a proper weapon, made from Hell itself", he spun the head of his tool on his finger, "The zanpakuto you've been using all along didn't have an Asauchi, only operated using your own spiritual energy and Fullbring. But now, you're finally able to own one"

He turned around and called out, "ASAUCHI. COME OUT!"

Within a second that Kurokane called it, a figure lept onto the ground behind me. I swiftly turned around to see who it was, surprised to see what it looked like.

This thing had no noticeable features at all. It had a blank humanoid figure and body, along with no unique qualities. The only strange thing that was on it was the two small mouths which were placed where eyes were supposed to be. Steam hissed as it was exhaled through the open mouth eyes that the Asauchi had.

"Usually it would take multiple Shinigami souls to make them, but the strange thing about Hell is that it sometimes makes unexpected decisions. Some of the Kushunada transferred themselves into souls, creating enough to make me one Asauchi. And that one is to be owned by you"

The blank figure had it's head facing downwards as it kneeled down on one knee in front of me. This same exact position reminded me of my recent parting with my zanpakuto spirit.

Moving my hand forward, I placed my hand on its shoulder, just like how I did it with my own. The rush of energy tingled in the inside of my fingertips as the feeling transferred to the Asauchi's own body. The white shell that it was encased in shaved away, revealing it, or should I say, their form.

"How does it feel, Kazui? How do you feel right now?", Kurokane asked with a serious but genuine tone.

As the two manifestations of my zanpakuto stood up, I turned towards the blacksmith. I couldn't tell what face I had on right now, whether it be a smile or a frown, determination or just nothing at all. The only things were on my mind were my priorities. To fight against the enemies who threatened to break the peace we have, to protect my loved ones, to do everything in my power to help everyone.

"I feel like I can finally move forward. I feel like I can defeat the ones who would try to tear apart my family and others. I finally feel like I can do it"

"Well then, let's get started, Kazui. You have a mission to do after all, right?"

Chapter Text

"Oh? It seems that they're starting to address the tremors that I've sent, and the ones that are already happening. They keep speaking my name down there. That's good...that's good indeed", the monk's eyes opened at the mention of his name down in the Seireitei below.

He was sitting on the smooth wooden floors of his shrine, his giant paintbrush held in his giant hands. Black ink dripped down every second that passed. Looking to the side of this monk's side, there was a certain Shinigami lying down with his eyes close. His red hair was scattered everywhere, cuts tore apart his black shihakusho, and blood ran down the side of his face. The lieutenant of the 6th Division was barely alive, held captive by one of the most powerful Soul Reapers to ever exist. Ichibe Hyosube, the Monk Who Calls the Real Name.

"This will speed up the process and no more harm will be done"

From the inside of his ear, a small jingling sound rung gently. Even though the sound couldn't be translated to others, only the one directly connected to the Soul King can understand, as the 'thing' communicating was the Soul King himself. The remains of this linchpin were cut down and placed into a crystalised tomb, only used to hold the three worlds.

"Don't worry, Reio. Or should I say, the late Yhwach. Your suffering will end soon, as the new candidate will come straight to me. Everything is and will be under control. It is the right thing to do after all...", Osho's wide eyes stared forward into the bright sky outside, looking both suspicious and eerie.

"And for the greater good"

Kazui's POV:

The sounds of metal clashing against each other echoed through the large space he called his forge. The flames roared violently like a lion, the fire trying to reach into my skin and burn me once again. I watched as the blacksmith kept on raising his hammer, then slamming it onto the steel of my Asauchi, repeating the process continuously.

I had to wait patiently until it was over. Though deep inside I knew that I didn't have much time left. According to Kurokane, A day and a half had passed during my time here. The first day was me being found by him, the journey to his home, then settling down for a bit. Today was me finding my zanpakuto spirits once again and enduring the Flames of Rebirth, which took a few hours. And now I've reached this point, in the forges of Hell. It was cutting close to my promise with Ichika.

I do wonder, how is Ichika doing right now? I hope she's okay and recovering just like I am. Though the last I saw of her was that crying expression as I finished the fight with the Sinner...

I don't want to see that expression ever again. I don't want to see her cry. I don't want to worry her any more than I made her. Through the years that I've known Ichika; it was unlike her to cry this much in her life. And the reason being me. I will never do that again, if it's the last thing I do. That's why, with the remaining time I spend here in Hell, I'll train to become stronger than I have ever been before. I'll put in the powers that have been in slumber and awaken them. Because I don't want to see my...best friend cry anymore.

CLANG!

That was the final clash of the hammer against the Asauchi.

Kurokane wiped the sweat off of his skeletal forehead and stood back. He dropped the gigantic hammer onto the ground and glanced back at me. The flames in his eyes gleamed with pride as he put his hand forward invitingly.

"I suppose you sort of have an idea of what you need to do next, don't you? Kazui?", he exhaled exhaustedly.

"Yeah, I understand"

Slowly, I stepped forward, placing one foot after another as I approached the roaring flames. The heat was starting to draw closer, sweat running down my forehead and back. I couldn't see anything right now because of the flames, but the Spiritual Pressure was enough to let me feel it's presence. My hands seemed drawn towards that very same presence. It was only then that I found my hands dipped into the fire and grabbed onto what would be my zanpakuto.

It felt heavy at first, but when I pulled it out, all I felt was...balance. My whole soul, emotions, and everything in between was poured into the essence of that blade. The same action was powerful enough to blow the flames away from me, firing the inferno in every direction but mine. The force even blew the lava that surrounded this forge back into the ocean where it came from. It was like a tsunami had instantly appeared as my hands grabbed the hilt of my sword. As I planted my blade onto the ground, the ocean of molten rock had vanished completely.

It was the same giant blade that I had always called my Shikai ever since I was able to use it, with slight changes. The handle was completely formed, with grip and all, along with a small chain at the end. Instead of just a straight giant blade, it had a different shape around the tip of the edge.

"Huh? Isn't this the same Shikai I had before? Even if it does look different this is still the same sword that I had before?", I looked up at the blacksmith with a confused expression.

"Yeah, it is. Though the few modified changes are the things that would've been added if your powers weren't restricted. This is the true form of your Shikai made from just your Fullbring and your own reiatsu, something that was made to compensate for your lack of power", Kurokane walked to me, running his hand down the blade and inspecting it thoroughly, "Now that you have full conscious and awareness of your powers, you can both use this substitute and your true zanpakuto's Shikai"

I also glanced down at the sword, my eyes roaming around every single detail. There was nothing imperfect about it. The way I held it felt just right, and the weight of the blade wasn't too heavy or too light like before. Though, if I kept using this on my own, I wouldn't be able to take on the formidable enemy that was against us. I had to use my real power, by relying on my zanpakuto spirits along with my past, to further transcend my current level.

"Sorry I took up most of your time, Kurokane. But...thank you, for everything you've done for me"

He shook his head and smiled softly, "No, Kazui, it's my pleasure to serve you. Although I would want to go on about how much I want to thank you for letting me help you, you're almost out of time. You have a few hours to fulfill your promise"

"Wha- How'd you know?"

"You'd be the type of person to do something like that after all. No surprises there"

"I guess so"

I looked to the surface where the lava had completely disappeared from sight. Just thinking about how powerful the forces that was able to do this only filled my determination. It meant that just the swing of my sword was able to open up the sea of lava. This was my strength now, and I believe I'll get stronger.

I turned back to Kurokane, who was still standing there leaning on his hammer. He had an expression that was both sad and hopeful, with a hint of pride. He wasn't someone who had watched me growing up nor seen anything of what I went through. He didn't even get to know me until a few years later and yet those eyes are filled with something words can't describe. A connection that was in the line of respect and admiration.

Rather than a Sinner, he was more like a guardian angel.

Picking up my oversized zanpakuto, I walked forward with the newly found energy filling my being. Everything was back with me now. I know I've said this again and again, but I can't exaggerate it enough. I can't contain the confidence that I have now.

I've returned. I truly have returned.

"I'll be taking my leave, Kurokane. Stay safe", I declared, my eyes on the path to the exit of Hell, "And one day, I promise you. I'll visit again. This time without any major problems and just wanting to have some tea with you"

I charged up the strength into my legs and launched myself upward, leaving Kurokane behind. As I flew upward, I felt all kinds of reiatsu roaming around the odd grounds of Hell. There were hostile sprits that swarmed me almost immediately from the moment they laid their eyes on me. Hollows of different variations and sizes all approached me, their killing intent clear. Though right now, they were no match for me.

Swinging my sword as I flew upwards felt as if a rush of adrenaline hit me. The feeling of holding the zanpakuto that I grew up with gave me pure nostalgia. Even though almost three days had passed since I lost my powers, I had missed this feeling. Fighting to defend was my purpose in life. Nothing else could distract me from that duty.

My movement was as fluid as water, my body reacting on its own. I cut through the Beasts of Hell like butter as I continued to propel myself upwards. The long blade clashing against the skin of each and every monster who approached me. Just the swing of my zanpakuto was enough to send them back or leave a slice on their chest. Using the chain that was on the bottom of the hilt, I did the same thing that I usually did with my bandages and swung it around. The moment where the momentum felt right, I threw the blade straight into a line of the colossal beasts and completely pierced through them.

Their numbers were quickly dwindling, and they had no chance at all. I couldn't tell if I was smiling or not, but the only thing I felt was pure happiness and cockiness. I sort of had the right since everything here, except the lords of this place, were weaker than me.

That's exactly when I forgot something. I was so involved in the fight that I didn't know the energy that had been slowly building up in my zanpakuto had been completely filled. My reiatsu was reaching an all time high and that exact energy was being imbued into the blade itself. As I was about to reach the surface, I raised my Mugetsu up high, the blade shining in the light of Hell. The power was swirling around my blade and was waiting for its release. As the Hollows gathered around me, I swung down with all of my strength.

"GETSUGA...TENSHOU"

The invisible force that separated the World of the Living and Hell was shattered the instant that I had crashed into it. At that same time, once my body was out that same unseen border was restored immediately.

With an extremely long fall, I landed onto the grass-covered ground beside a river in Karakura Town. The sun was at it's fullest, glaring down it's rays towards me. The wind blew softly against my skin, cars were casually passing by, and people were taking their walks on the sidewalk. Nobody noticed me once.

The sound of soft rustling was the thing that caught my attention. Gentle flapping then followed as I turned around to see what was behind me. And that 'what' was a familiar face. One that wore a dark green samue under his dark inverted captains haori. Also, one that wore a green-and-white striped bucket hat that created a shadow over his eyes. One that held a suspicious cane at all times. But along with that, there was that unforgettable amusing smile behind his open paper fan.

"Looks like you found your way here! That definitely saved me the trouble of going in there myself", Urahara smiled goofily as he called out to me.

"I know full well that you knew that I was going to get out myself, Urahara-sensei", I smiled softly at him as I walked to his direction.

"As sharp as always, Kazui. You better keep that up, since we only have a few more minutes left until the Gotei 13 takes off to the Royal Palace", he closed his fan, "Though I suppose I should apolog-"

"It's okay, Urahara-sensei, I understand why you wouldn't tell me all about what happened when I was younger. There's no need to apologise for anything"

The shopkeeper frowned slightly in surprise. And even in the shadows where he covered his eyes, I could slightly see that they were widened. After a while, he also smiled at me as he adjusted his hat.

"I've already done this once before. I guess that I don't learn at all, do I? But if you say so, then there's no reason to worry", He turned around and walked forward down the side of the river, "And with that, I suppose you're looking for a way to make your way into the Royal Palace, aren't you?"

He put on a smug smile as he tapped the stone beneath his feet with his cane. A loud staticky sound or something like fabric being ripped followed after a large crack in the space beside him opened. Inside of this crack in space was a dark swirling void.

Urahara pointed his fan at me and kept putting on that smile as he gestured for me to go through.

"Now then, you have your entry and exit. Just make sure to hurry up and...oh yes! Make the entry into that palace as dramatic as possible, won't you?"

Kurokane's POV:

Well, that farewell definitely takes me back a whole lot. Dang, I'm feeling nostalgia right now even after an hour of him being gone. Just those few words was enough to let me carry on living my life here.

"Looks like I gotta go. Sorry I couldn't talk to you longer, but me and my dad are on a mission. Stay safe!"

"I'll be taking my leave, Kurokane. Stay safe"

I almost could've sworn that I was in the past again, or that I could see the younger version of Kazui say that. Man, a change like that doesn't happen that often. Kazui is one good kid.

And especially that promise with me about just having tea made me want to work harder on myself than ever. Well, I guess I should also keep up my side to that promise. I'll have to find some good tea around this place.

Because next time I see that strawberry again, I don't want to disappoint.

Chapter Text

Ichika's POV:

Everyone was gathered around a huge golden gate at the center of the Seireitei. Captains, lieutenants, and other seated members of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads were present at this location. Everybody that was battle-ready was here. All except the Head Captain himself.

That was when a crushing aura fell over the whole group of Shinigami.

Many of the non-captain class Shinigami fell to the ground at once towards the presence of this sensation. Their knees buckled and almost lay down flat as this overwhelming feeling moved towards us.

"What the...What the hell is that Spiritual Pressure...?", I could feel my body trembling as such powerful energy rose from behind us.

My knees were shaking at the power that was approaching us, cold sweat ran down my back, and I could feel my head starting to hurt. This strangely powerful reiatsu was drawing even closer. I couldn't tell if this was either a friend or foe, but I knew that it was unnatural.

And that it was dangerous.

Just before I could wrap my hand around the hilt of my zanpakuto, a hand stopped me.

"Ichika, stand down. Don't do anything"

I looked up to my mother as she stared to the exact place where this presence was. Her hair was waving around wildly, and her clothes were fluttering everywhere, though none of that wavered her focus. I followed her gaze, and I saw the thing, or should I say, the one person who was responsible for this.

A bad sensation rushed down my spine as I lay my eyes on his figure. He wore some type of prison uniform that was coloured completely black. A light capelet hung around his shoulders, paired with a black band covering his right eye. Meanwhile, his left eye was staring at my mother's.

"Rukia Kuchiki. It's been a while since we've last met", the brown-haired man spoke with a calm deep voice, "I see that you've been promoted to captain. For that, I congratulate you on your new rank. Or maybe you've been promoted to captain since a long time ago...in any case, I am impressed.

"And I see that you have a daughter now as well..."

She placed her hand in front of me. Mom locked eyes onto this person, again not wavered even once. Though I could see a glint of fear or even hurt on those purple eyes of hers.

"Aizen...if you're here, then that would mean...", she adjusted her gaze past this man and into the person behind him.

A certain Head Captain shortly followed behind, his flowered pink kimono fluttering elegantly through the wind of spiritual pressure. He angled his straw hat up and smiled apologetically.

"What is the meaning of this, Head Captain Kyoraku?", demanded Captain Hitsugaya with a dangerously low tone, "Why is this man out of Muken again?!"

My eyes turned to see the captain of the 10th Division, now back in his child form after preparation to go into the Royal Palace. His green eyes were glaring towards his superior, fists clenched in flaming anger. There were traces of frost gathering around his feet as he continued to stare accusingly at the both of them.

Even if it was a small detail, I could see Captain Hitsugaya move his body to shield somebody, that being Lieutenant Hinamori. Though from what I could see, she acted calmly.

"Hinamori, it's been a long time as well. I wonder how you've been after all these years", Aizen greeted the lieutenant kindly, completely ignoring Hitsugaya. Behind his kindness, I could hear teasing in his tone, along with his face hinting a small smug smile as he stared down to the Shinigami.

The white-haired captain stepped in front of Squad 5's lieutenant immediately, "Hinamori-!"

"Stop it, Toshiro", Momo interrupted, her voice quivered slightly but her eyes determined, "It's alright. I'm okay now, so you don't need to worry anymore"

"Hinamori..."

She stepped sideways and revealed herself to Aizen. There was a silent moment between them before she bowed down in front of him.

"I've been doing well these past couple of years without serving under you, thanks. I feel better now despite the trauma you've let me, and I'd like to say one thing. If you are planning to help us, please do. I do not like any of this any more than the others do, so it would be appreciated if you do, Aizen", she stood back up and smiled.

Aizen looked down on her, examining her features. There wasn't a single thing wrong with her. Any traces of trauma had been eliminated, only to be replaced by the happy memories by spending time with the people she loves.

He nodded once, then shifted his eyes away.

While this exchange was happening, Lieutenant Matsumoto was shuffling on the spot uncomfortably, avoiding any eye contact with the prisoner. Lieutenant Hisagi was right beside her, wrapping his arms around her in comfort.

"Sorry to drop this all on you. I'm sure all of you are aware on why Sosuke Aizen is here on the grounds of the Seireitei among us, so there is no need to explain at all", Kyoraku murmured, "This was purely my decision to release him, so if you want, you can all punch me in the face later"

Gentle footsteps followed after the declaration. All eyes were now onto this new visitor, surprised at the sudden appearance.

"I hope you can keep your word, Head Captain. As I will be the first one to take you up on that offer"

Rukia's eyes widened in surprise and relief, "Brother!"

The captain of the 6th Division had finally reunited with everyone. He once again wore his white headpieces (kenseikan) along with his refined, blue-collared captain's coat restored as well.

"Ah! Captain Kuchiki! You shouldn't be up yet!", Isane exclaimed suddenly, "You should be put in bed rest for another day or two..."

"Another day or two would not help assisting with the mission of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. I will not stand to see the possibility of a potential failure while I am not there. If I cannot put in the effort that should be used, with my honour as the head of the Kuchiki clan, I will be disgusted with myself", uncle said as he walked towards us with a royal air, "Also, I find it my number one objective and my mission to save my lieutenant and my sister's husband"

"Brother!"
"Uncle Byakuya!"

The Head Captain smiled at the Kuchiki family as he also walked forward, past all of the Shinigami who stood by.

"Well, I hope that you're satisfied with what you see now, Aizen, despite what you've influenced"

The prisoner sighed, looking towards Kyoraku, "I don't suppose that is your way of pointing fun at me, is it?"

"Take it how you want. After all, this is your last chance to talk to everyone. So make sure to waste as much breath as you want before we head up"

"Be lucky that Kurotsuchi's technology is holding back my reiatsu to some extent; enough not to crush you alone with just that"

Behind the scenes, another figure stepped forward. His heels clicked intentionally loud as he made his entrance. A wide white toothed grin was on his face as he tapped his painted fingers on a foreign device.

"You're quite right, Sosuke Aizen!", Captain Kurotsuchi walked forth with his lieutenant Akon and his assistant Nemuri.

Just the looks alone made it easy to clear a path for the captain of the 12th Division to pass through. His clothing, makeup, and even the possibility of his bizarre inventions that he has was enough to make the other members squirm. Nobody wanted to cross Kurotsuchi, or else they would die. Or worse, be experimented on.

His past deceased enemies were enough to prove that.

"Just the man himself. Please explain to everyone how you're able to restrict this guy's Spiritual Pressure without even using the chair", Kyoraku turned his left eye to the scientist.

"I could do that even without your permission, Head Captain. Though I suppose you are right, as all the people who were traumatised with Aizen's terror are wondering why he's not restricted to his seating", Kurotsuchi retorted, raising his hands, "The Hogyoku within his body is still increasing his abilities and reiatsu, though at a slow rate, still dangerous. The chair alone would not withstand his power than how it would 20 years ago. That's why I've created a new type of technology that almost completely restricts that!"

He turned over his hand, palm facing towards the sky.

"Do you see that in my hand? No, I don't suppose you do, whether you're short-sighted, far-sighted or not. That's how small this device is compared to the chair. I've studied one of the layers that separate the Royal Palace from the Seireitei and how effective it is. I've also further created a better Sekkisekki material that functions just like the seals from Muken by also studying further on the seals themselves. I've created this device using that. Rather than nanobots, they are picobots, which is 1000 times smaller than a nanobot. If you don't know, nanobots are a billion times smaller than the average object, times a thousand and that will get you a picobot. As Aizen exited Muken, those picobots latched onto him and bound his reiatsu to his body before it could react to them"

Aizen only closed his eyes and gave a small smile, "I see. How impressive of you, Mayuri Kurotsuchi. As expected of the head of the Department of Research and Development. Though, seems only second to Kisuke Urahara..."

"Aizen..."

Just before Mayuri could grab something out of his shihakusho, the Head Captain intervened by clapping his hands and laughing.

"Now, now! Calm down, everyone! We're all on the same side here, so there's no need to start fighting now...", Kyoraku narrowed his eyes, keeping his amusing smile, "You can save that energy for our time against a certain Royal Guard"

"Excuse me!"

Lieutenant Ise jogged towards us with her clipboard under her left arm and a phone held in her right hand. She bowed to all of us before tucking the phone inside her pocket.

"Mr. Urahara told us to go ahead. It seems like Kazui Kurosaki has returned, though it will take some time for him to come to the Soul Society, hence why we should proceed first"

"HUH? How long will that take?!", I suddenly demanded, only to place my hands over my mouth as I realised my rudeness.

"Ah, Ms. Abarai. Sorry, but I do not know"

My fists clenched tightly, a small smile tugging my lips. He's okay! But the only annoying thing is that he's coming to us late.

Damn it Kazui, come back to me already!

"Well, if that is settled, then I will resume the operation. I'll decide who to bring with me...", Kyoraku's loud announcement echoed through to all the Shinigami.

"Since Captain Kuchiki insisted on coming, he'll have to come with us anyway, along with Captain Kuchiki Rukia and her daughter Ichika. Hisagi is more than capable for this operation himself, and following the original plan, I will also bring Kaito"

Kaito emerged from behind his mother and father while adjusting the bands wrapped around his arms. His wounds from the previous battle were healed, along with his own Spiritual Pressure. The expression he had was full of pure determination and nothing else.

His recent loss caused him to train himself harder than before these past few days. Even while I took breaks, Kaito just continued pushing himself to his absolute limit. There was never a time where I could see him without a blade in his hands.

This was determination of no other. A spirit that ignited to only a few Shinigami. A devotion to the Gotei 13.

"Since Kurotsuchi and Akon are the only ones besides Urahara that knows how to operate this gate, we'll have to bring him with us. Akon will stay behind and manage the stability as we head in. Captain Hirako and Lieutenant Momo will also tag along as our support"

"Ah, sure. I have nothing better to do back in the barracks anyway.", Shinji says as he adjusts his clothes.

"And finally, Lisa's, Zaraki's, Soi Fon's, Otoribashi's, Kotetsu's, Iba's, Muguruma's, Hitsugaya's, divisions and the other lieutenants will be left in case another force tries to infiltrate the Seireitei. Any other questions?", Head Captain concluded.

Everything was in place. I could feel as if nothing could go wrong with a formation like this. As long as nobody messed up their parts, nobody could get hurt and we'll win this fight.

All the members of the Royal Guard strike squad spoke their farewells. Friends and family alike waved and hugged each other withing their last minutes. The Hisagi family gave a family hug and spoke to each other one last time.

Matsumoto pouted about not being able to tag along with her husband and son while Hisagi reassured her. With one final kiss, the lieutenant of Squad 10 waved her goodbye to her husband.

That very same husband was red from head to toe. I could almost see steam rising from his head.

"The coordinates have been tilted to the correct angle. All preparations are complete, Head Captain", Kurotsuchi called out from the control panel next to the golden gate.

The large gate shone bright yellow; so bright that the light was even more blinding than the sun. The Division 12 captain typed a few more commands onto the keyboard on the control panel before clicking the final button.

CLICK!

Our strike squad was lined up in front of the ginormous gate, which appeared to be as large as a building. The glaring white light escaped within the inside of the opening double doors. Just through that was the Royal Palace. It was set.

The crowd of Shinigami gazed up at us before looking towards the Head Captain himself. He nodded to all of them and raised a hand.

"We'll be going now. Remember to protect Seireitei if the worse case happens. No matter what, stay strong. Believe that we'll help restore the balance of the three worlds. Never doubt, and if we do fail, fulfill our mission. Wish us luck!"

"YES SIR! WE WISH YOU THE BEST! GOOD LUCK ON YOUR MISSION!", everybody exclaimed and bowed.

The kimono worn over his uniform fluttered gently as he turned around, walking to the front. We parted to create a path for him through the middle. Silently, he tilted his hat before ordering us.

"Everyone! Let's go!"

With that, the Royal Guard strike squad sprinted forth through to the gate of the sun, prepared to fight anything that was in our way. 

Chapter Text

"Looks the same as always. Thank goodness. Luckily they didn't do any renovating while we were gone", Shunsui chuckled softly as they exited the gate.

It was a spectacular sight. A citadel in the sky, with 5 large plate-like islands surrounding each of them. Currently, the Royal Guard Strike Squad was placed at the entrance of the Royal Palace, which was a long wooden walkway with cream white pillars standing along the sides. The only problem was that this walkway did not connect to the exact place they were going to.

While the others were trying to find a way to get up there, Mayuri was laughing softly in the back.

"It seems as though you've realized that there is no way to get up there without using the help of the Zero Division members, right?", he smirked as he fiddled with the inside of his coat.

Shunsui looked back at him with a exasperated smile, "I hope you have something already in place for this, Captain Kurotsuchi. We can't really waste our time here, can't we?"

"No, I suppose we cannot. As natural, I have to take in the account of all of your incompetence and fix them myself", Kurotsuchi sighed dramatically, pulling out yet another device with a blinking green light, pressing it, "There you go"

In an instant, there was a piercing sound that rang inside of the heels of every Soul Reaper present. Looking down to their feet, they saw the same green blinking light at the sides of their sandals.

"Since the lesser Soul Reapers who cannot adapt to the high spiritual energy of this place, they also cannot create footholds here to travel, like say using flash step. The device that I implanted into all the soles of your feet were able to let you adapt to this place, and the button I just pressed increased that adaptability"

It took everyone to realise something in those words that were in Kurotsuchi's explanation. With the courage that he had, Shuhei raised his hand and asked the question everyone was wondering.

"Uhm, excuse me, Captain Kurotsuchi. Can I ask how you were able to implant the device into our sandals, when they're basically on us the whole time?"

The scientist slowly turned his head, staring into Hisagi's eyes blankly.

"Naturally, while you were all sleeping, I implanted them. It was of course easy, considering the security of this place is basically trash"

"You know what, I should have never asked"

Ichika stomped her foot on the ground loudly, causing everyone to turn their heads to her.

"If you're done joking around, then we can finally use this to go to the Royal Citadel. If we don't hurry up, who knows what's gonna happen next?"

Shunsui smiled at her interjection and then looked forward, "I guess the kid's right. Let's move people!"

Just before they could run any further, a whole line of soldiers wearing full black clothing appeared in front of them. They didn't look like much, but the spiritual pressure radiating from them was enough to know that they shouldn't be taken as lightly.

"Huh? Who're these guys? Their fashion sense really ain't all that good if we're being honest", Shinji called out with a bored tone.

"I see. Osho knew that we were coming here anyway, so he sent these guys after us. The Soul King's Blade as they're called", the Head Captain explained as he drew his two blades, "It was a mistake mentioning that old monk's name, but I guess it's too late for that"

Byakuya stepped forward, also drawing his zanpakuto.

"If this is all we have to deal with, then leave it to me. It doesn't take more than a high lieutenant level Shinigami to clear adversaries such as these ones"

With a swift flash step, he approached one of the black masked soldiers. The tip of the sword was pointed at his neck while his hand grabbed the next sword that was about to attack him.

"If these people want to get in the way, then they will experience death. Maybe in their next life they will serve the right cause instead of a corrupted one"

He pierced the neck of the first enemy that he had contacted with. While he dealt with that, another one of the Soul King's blades charged him with a lightning-fast strike. Byakuya ripped his blade out of the now dead opponent and blocked the next attack coming towards him.

He had one hand wrapped around the hilt of his sword attacking the other opponent while the other hand used Hakuda to block his exposed areas. Byakuya's movements were precise as his blade cut cleanly through one of the arms of his enemy as well as moving onto the next one in continuous movement. Though as one came down, the rest came after him.

"My brother is still so good at fighting! Amazing even!", beamed Rukia with sparkling eyes. Ichika couldn't agree more with her face full of admiration.

The rest of the line of soldiers continued to rush towards him, trying to cut him as much as they could. Black blades clashed against the silver as Byakuya continued to persist with his battle. An immediate slash followed one after another, the silver now becoming a blur as the movements were too fast to keep up with.

And then it stopped.

The soldiers stood, frozen in place like a statue in a museum. From the scattered group of enemies, Byakuya appeared out from thin air as he flash stepped towards the Kuchiki family.

"It's over, so-called Blade of the Soul King"

At the same time, they all collapsed, blood spraying from their bodies as cuts began appearing one by one. Some of their limbs have been chopped off or completely sliced into pieces so small that it just looked like the blood itself. At the same time as this was happening, the captain of the 6th Division was calmly walking back to the strike squad with his eyes closed.

"If this is all the guards of the Soul King and the Zero Divisions themselves, then I am severely disappointed. If not..."

A large shadow landed behind him, towering over Byakuya's body. This abominable figure seemed to wear a samurai's armour, black all around with a shining gold trim. The dark metal straw hat along with the same mask that those lesser foot soldiers wore. Even without an expression, the bloodlust from this large warrior was clear.

Ichika gasped and shouted toward her uncle, "WATCH OUT!"

"If not, then I don't suppose that a stronger adversary would work"

There was no surprise in his eyes as he turned around with a graceful motion, his coat following his movement. Byakuya levelled his zanpakuto in his two hands, facing the tall enemy.

"Scatter, Senbonzakura"

The steel blade from the zanpakuto dissolved into its release form as he uttered those two words. The metal turned into bright pink petals and swirled around Byakuya's body, creating a tornado around him. Immediately after the release of Senbonzakura, the spinning petals glided to the warrior, engulfing the body in pink.

Those small fragments of his blades continued spinning repeatedly until it returned to Byakuya's blade. By the time that it was finished, all that was left of the enemy was a puddle of blood and the armour that it wore. It didn't have a chance to defend itself at the swift attack of this Shikai, nor did it have time to even react. That was the power of the captain of the 6th Division and one of the heads of the Four Noble Families.

"How amazing of you, Captain Kuchiki. Looks like you didn't need my help after all", teased Kyoraku, "I mean, taking down the Soul King's shield all by yourself is amazing enough"

"Show off...", Hirako muttered under his breath, followed by Momo scolding him saying 'You shouldn't say that, Captain Hirako!"

"That was merely a simple demonstration for how the enemy should be taken down. And I hope that just because it seemed easy, your guard would not be let down as well", he turned his head back to the Head Captain, "You can already sense the reinforcements coming through, can't you? Captain-General Kyoraku?"

The single eye that had already been focused on the end of the walkway had narrowed down. Many more soldiers had landed onto the same field they were on all at once. Both the Blade and the Shield had arrived.

"You have some strangely accurate senses. Though I suppose you're right"

"Accurate enough to accurately land a perfect fist to your face"

"I'll pretend not to hear that from you", Kyoraku chuckled with his eyes still narrowed, tightening his grip on his two blades.

The rest of the strike squad readied their zanpakutos, all except Mayuri Kurotsuchi himself, who still had somewhat of a stoic expression.

"If you're considering using a Bankai in this place, I recommend that you should not bother to even think about it at all"

"And why would you say that, Captain Kurotsuchi?", Rukia whispered back while staring at the incoming enemies.

"You might want to pay attention, or else this might fly past your head", his long slender finger pointed to circular figures in the sky, "That is the problem".

The captains took their eyes off the enemies for the moment and stared to where the scientist was pointing at.

A certain cross-shaped symbol was carved into these circular objects in the distance. A 5 tipped star cross to be exact. Something that hadn't been seen since a treacherous battle against a formidable enemy. A device that had been the result of the loss of many lives.

"N-No way! The Quincy's medallion! How could it have ended up in the Royal Palace?", stammered Shuhei as he focused back on the enemy.

"This Bankai stealing device seemed to be placed here on purpose. A trap only planted by a person who is willing to do anything to keep us back while also removing our most powerful moves"

Kyoraku smiled further at the words, not a happy one but one that was disgusted.

"How thoughtful of you, Hyosube. Keeping us in a tight battlefield where not one of us can use a Bankai or overuse our Shikai abilities, or else we'd hurt our own comrades. He'd planned this out from the beginning"

Shuhei shrugged it off, a determined look returning in his eyes, "It can't be helped. Even if we can't use our Bankai, our Shikai may still give us a chance to defeat them. Don't give up hope"

"Well said, dad", Kaito muttered as he tightened his grip on his released Gurenjin.

Byakuya, with his head still turned to the group, glanced specifically at Rukia. Afterwards, the two nodded and there was a noticeable change of temperature lingering in the air.

A cold mist exhaled from the hands of Rukia's zanpakuto as she held it up and slowly rotated the blade.

"Dance, Sode no Shirayuki"

The once standard zanpakuto of the average Shinigami was now turned into what can be said as the most beautiful zanpakuto in the whole Soul Society. The blade, guard and hilt had been converted into pure white, just like snow itself. A white ribbon grew from the bottom of the snowy hilt and turned along with the blade. A soft jingling sound followed as the released zanpakuto, Sode no Shirayuki, was shown.

Rukia moved to the place next to Byakuya, closing her eyes. She positioned herself as if she was preparing to attack. And with one wave of her blade, swinging it in a wide arc, ice was fired from that swing. The ice that was summoned crawled out and travelled all the way towards the enemies, even freezing them in place.

Along with the initial attack, the ice extended outward, matching the length of the arc. Frost spread beyond the walkway, expanding the frozen terrain even further. The space was almost but not as large as one Squad Zero Riden.

"You say a tight battlefield, but my ice solves this problem easily. This frozen ground will act as our extended field, so feel free to use your abilities however you like", Rukia called out.

The once frozen enemies broke free as the process was finishing. The mountain of reiatsu gathering along with the bloodlust was finally sensed through to the strike squad.

But with the large space also came a larger number of enemies.

By the time that their opponents started charging, a whole army had now appeared behind them, only growing in numbers.

"Thank you, Captain Kuchiki Rukia. This definitely helped us out a lot", Kyoraku grinned as he then charged forward as well, both swords drawn, "You heard our beloved captain of Squad 13! Feel free to use all of your abilities! And don't hold back against these guys!"

"YES SIR!"

The strike squad charged along with the leader himself. With the little time they had left, this fight against mere foot soldiers should be ended quickly. And with one decision in mind, they proceeded to release their zanpakutos.

"Flower wind stirs and flower god cries. Heavenly wind stirs and heavenly demon laughs...Katen Kyokotsu!"

"Blitz! Inazumatori!"

"Reap, Kazeshini"

"Advance in battle, Gurenjin!"

"Rip, Ashisogi Jizo..."

"Collapse, Sakanade"

"Snap, Tobiume!"

And so the first battle begins, to take down the enemy. A place so close but yet so far from their grasps. An army of the king faces their path, their blades reflecting their black hearts. To serve the one who started it all.

Ichibe Hyosube.

Chapter Text

"RAIGEKI!" (Thunder Strike)

The instant bolt of lightning came crashing down towards a line of incoming enemies as she called out the move. The electricity fried all who were in it's radius, leaving them to become ashes. Meanwhile, Ichika kept smiling wildly as she continued dashing and blitzing through waves of enemies using her zanpakuto.

The speed in which she was travelling at was constant, as when she was at one place, a blink of an eye would transport her somewhere else.

"Come on! Is that all you got or what?!", Ichika yelled out as she slashed through one of the blades of the Soul King.

Her sword was sparking with electricity as she waved it around through her opponents. This zanpakuto took somewhat of a new form while she trained for this mission.

The bolt shaped blade that was her zanpakuto separated into small pieces of metal. These pieces seemed to look like it was floating in the air while it kept it shape from the guard, but in reality, it was different. The electricity generating through Ichika's spiritual pressure was the reason that even though the pieces were separate, it could keep its shape.

More and more enemies continued to charge toward her, holding their black blades as the positioned themselves to pierce through. As she stood her ground in front of the blades, she positioned her sword to point toward the sky.

The clouds start to gather above her, rumbling with a loud roar. Light flashed from within the storm as if waiting for the perfect time to come out. Thunder boomed at last as electricity zoomed into her blade, creating a bright flash on impact. Smoke followed the impact as the explosion's power had an effect on her blade.

Only a certain red-haired Soul Reaper was within that blurred surrounding, the reiatsu flickering like a light with too much energy.

"It took a while, but I finally got the hang of using this zanpakuto. It was just that the amount of spiritual energy that I had wasn't enough to fully draw out the power of this sword", the sword crackled with yellow energy, shooting out sparks as if trying to escape the grasp of her blade, "Training for three days under Bankai from my master Ikkaku helped a lot"

She smirked as she thought about what her master would say if she heard him reveal that secret, "Scratch that. Forget about my master having Bankai. Wouldn't want anyone else to know that secret, wouldn't we? If not, then I'll have to make you take that to the grave"

She pointed the tip of her sparking blade to the attacking opponents. Ichika had a permanent smile on her face as she muttered under her breath.

"Dai Ichi Yoku, Raizensho" (First Wing, Thunder Flash Soar)

Lightning burst from the blade in one swing. It took less than a second for the opponent to realise the circumstances they were in. One of the Soul King's blades crumbled into ashes, followed by another and another after that. By the time it was over, over a dozen of these soldiers fell, swept away by the wind.

Ichika was grinning ear to ear of her newfound ability, glancing sideways to her friend Kaito, who was in the midst of his battle. He glanced back, rolling his eyes.

"What a show-off", he murmured as he continued to swing his silver blade.

His long broadsword shone bright in the sunlight as he swung and stabbed through the hordes of foot soldiers. Kaito blocked every attack that came through to his way, deflecting the blades and stabbing them back.

Eventually, some of those enemies sliced through his shihakusho. Cuts were imprinted on his skin, stinging painfully as he tried to fight through it. The blood was slowly running down his cheek, arms, and legs, though his determination never wavered.

His life was given a second chance. Because of Kazui Kurosaki, he was able to fight once again in the right cause. There was nothing that was going to stop him from fulfilling his mission to serve. Not until he sees Kazui once again, safe and smiling with everyone once again.

"I guess it can't be helped. Sorry to hold you back longer", Kaito sighed, bringing his sword up with all his strength, "Soku!"

Glints of crimson were seen as each swing kept increasing in speed. Every hit created a tiny red flash as Kaito penetrated through the waves of enemies. One, two, three, and so on. Kaito was eventually found to become a whole cyclone of crimson energy as he travelled through each of them in a blur.

This energy coated his blade once again, preparing for another release.

"Ryoku!"

Along with that, heads were being popped off as well. Limbs and other parts of the body were being knocked off by the mere force of the swing. The icy ground where he and others stood shook with power as he slashed through.

Even though more continued to come, the soldiers were eliminated almost instantly. These minor foot soldiers were no match even against these two rookie Soul Reapers.

After he finished with his group of soldiers, he met Ichika back-to-back while enemies surrounded them.

"You doing good so far, Ichika?", heaved Kaito, holding his zanpakuto in both hands.

Ichika held her zanpakuto resting against her shoulder, smiling in determination, "Of course I am! These guys are too easy for us!"

"Sure they are. Just don't let yourself get carried away with this. Fighting isn't just our objective here"

"Roger! Just make sure you don't lose against me when it comes to kill count"

The two rushed off in their different directions, taking out as many soldiers as they could to assist the others.

"Ah, these kids are doing almost better than us, don'tcha think, Captain Hirako?", Shunsui called out as he blocked a shot from one of the soldiers.

"Look, I just got caught off guard by Kazui that time! Making fun of me in this current situation is not helping!", a vein bulged out of Shinji's head as he waved his sword angrily.

Rukia in the meantime was freezing the enemies while skating around. She sliced through the Soul King's blades as if they were butter.

"Though I suppose you do feel sort of proud when you look at it that way", Rukia smiled while shooting the group of incoming soldiers with her ice, "Raising Soul Reapers who have this kind of power is what we need just in case a further evil may come"

Shinji jumped out of the way as one of those attacks from Rukia unintentionally almost landed at him.

"Oi, watch where you're throwing your snow at, Kuchiki...though I do have to agree with you on that one. It felt like Ichigo training with us again", he pondered while grumbling to himself.

He spun the ring of his Sakanade around his index finger before striking down another one of the enemies who were charging toward them. The white haze of the Squad 13 captain skated by, spraying shards of her ice to defend his weak spots. Shunsui was working back-to-back with Byakuya, fending off the larger opponents.

"We can't let them keep up with this generation of captains now, Kuchiki?", Shunsui chuckled while blocking one of the Soul King's Shields, "That'd just ruin the current Gotei's reputation"

"One of the only things that I treasure is my niece, Ichika. As much as I want to let this reputation go on, I'd rather see her succeed me", Byakuya responded, directing his Senbonzakura petals to crush the giant's face.

"Can't stop a loving uncle from bonding with his relatives. Well, might as well help me here!"

Shunsui dashed to the top of the Shield's head, running up and using flash step to dodge the enormous fist from crashing down. He leapt upwards, the kimono he wore looking like a cape as he flew back downwards.

The scimitar-shaped zanpakuto in his hands glinted black in the sunlight. He positioned the two blades to align with his enemy in sight.

"Bushogoma" (Lazy Spinning Top)

Four wind blades generated in the air, spinning wildly towards it's target. The attacks connected into 2 pairs, continuing to rotate around until it finally reached its destination.

The wind wrapped around the opponent's whole body. The armour that the Shield wore was fluttering erratically as the force of the air seeped into every existing area in that figure. Gusts of air forced it to become extremely unbalanced, even almost tumbling over from the disorientation.

"Kuchiki, now!"

The pink petals from earlier were directed to the voice of the Head Captain. As if it was just a light breeze, Byakuya directed his Senbonzakura using the handle of his zanpakuto. Thousands of pink blades were seen flying to the Shield in unison.

Nothing could've been done to stop the blades from absolutely piercing through the chest of the colossal being. Not even a drop of blood landed on the floor as a giant hole was cleanly drilled through.

As one dies, another one seems to appear as two more shadows appeared from above. Shunsui and Byakuya darted sideways to avoid being landed on.

When Rukia saw this, she immediately rushed over. She skated through countless enemies and cut through anyone who stepped in her way. But just before she could aid her brother in battle, yet another huge shadow stood behind.

"Captain Kuchiki Rukia! Watch out!"

Momo Hinamori stumbled and slipped through the ice platform, though she made her way quickly. With one swing of her blade, an orb of fire was launched, charging from the base of her blade to eventually escape from the tip. This ball of flame knocked this shield backward. She nodded behind her, where Shuhei was finished dealing with his group of Blades.

His Kazeshini, which was being swung around through enemies, finally returned to his hands. Shuhei directed his attention to his superior and his fellow lieutenant. After analysing the situation, he ran towards them with full speed.

"Captain Kuchiki Rukia! Lieutenant Hinamori!", he yelled out from the top of his lungs, "Tactic Pincer!"

The immediate turning of heads from Rukia and Momo indicated that they knew what that meant. All of them graduated from the same Spiritual Arts Academy, so they followed the same education plan. This tactic was one of the most basic attack plans that was generated at that academy. All of them knew it from the inner depths of their memories.

Rukia ran alongside Shuhei, who was swinging his zanpakuto's chains to charge up momentum. After a couple of seconds, Rukia generated a pillar of ice from the tip of her blade and ran the other way. Shuhei ascended the pillar by using the left blade of his Kazeshini to swing himself upward. He spun the right blade before launching it towards the enemy.

"Kubikake!" (Neck-Hanging)

The chain of the right zanpakuto wrapped around the neck of the Shield, forcing it to move towards him. Just before it could fall over, Hinamori jumped up and swung her blade. Instead of one fireball being fired, a dozen or more of them were being fired, striking the armour.

These balls burned and penetrated through it's torso, welling up in flames just before it disappeared. It stumbled backwards, which was exactly where Rukia was.

Stabbing her blade into the ground, a snowy white circle formed from beneath her feet. She followed that through by puncturing the ground four more times in a semi-circle before taking her stance.

Rukia's eyes were laser focused on the falling body that was in front of her. A frosted glint shone from her eyes as ice particles begun to gather around the circle she made. The coldness from the air had now dropped down to what it felt like below zero, freezing some of the nearby enemies in place.

"Tsugino mai, Hakuren" (Next Dance, White Ripple)

The ice particles abruptly start rising, gathering into her blade until a massive avalanche of energy erupted. The avalanche of cold air travelled through the air until it hit the Shield directly in the back. The snow which had hit solidified into a crystalline blue ice, which froze it in place.

As to make sure this was sufficient, Hisagi jumped over the body, swinging his blade and cutting through the now crumbling corpse.

The three made their way together as they looked for the rest of their allies.

"It looks like their busy, aren't they?", Aizen spoke with his soft tone while staring at the battlefield before him.

Next to him was the mad scientist, Mayuri, who was examining one of the paralysed bodies in front of him.

"Indeed they are. It's not like they have a choice anyway...", Mayuri responded with an irritated undertone, "They cannot seem to take the time to examine the enemies before them, nor find out what they're really made of..."

The three tipped blade of Ashisogi Jizo was once again pierced through the soldier he was holding. A loud scream gurgled from it's mouth as he continued stabbing the poor victim in different places. Though it wasn't a scream that was human, or at least humanoid.

"I've detected this reiatsu before. This is from the time that-"

"...Yhwach absorbed the previous Soul King. Am I or am I not correct, Kurotsuchi?", finished Aizen with a daring tone.

Mayuri scowled to the prisoner as he examined the body once again.

But when he looked again, black was running down the skin of that soldier. And out crawled out a miniature creature that had a single giant eye, along with a small, rounded mouth with several needle-like teeth.

"No way...it couldn't be..."

Aizen's hazel eyes were gleaming with eagerness, "Yes. It could be"

"Ah, well, that was one heck of a workout after a decade of unserious fighting", yawned Shinji while he made his way back to the group.

"Maybe if you participated in the division training with us, you'd be able to do some fighting!", pouted Momo as she jogged after her captain.

Byakuya, Shunsui, and Rukia made their way to the captain levels of Division 5. Shuhei and the two teens followed shortly after.

"Is everyone okay, did anyone get hurt?", asked Rukia concerningly.

Shuhei examined Ichika and Kaito before responding, "Yeah. Sure. Couple of cuts here and there but nothing to worry about. Simple healing would be preferred"

"Yeah. It's lucky really that these 'Blades' and 'Shields' of the Soul King weren't really that bad to deal with. I can see how those Quincies were able to easily pass through about two decades ago", the Head Captain pointed out, placing his two zanpakuto back in his sheathe.

Byakuya sighed before starting to walk back towards Mayuri and Aizen, who were still at the location where they first walked through. The others followed him, though he stopped for a moment and turned around. Shunsui realised what was happening before slowly following his gaze.

"What is it? What are you guys looking at", Ichika kept on asking to the two captains.

It wasn't before the calling of a certain captain that it was really revealed. Mayuri was waving his arms around as he shouted out to all of them.

"Is something wrong, Captain Kurotsuchi. Why do you keep-"

"THE ENEMY! THE ENEMY POSSESSES THE TORRENTS OF YHWACH'S POWER!"

The captains and lieutenant's except Ichika and Kaito looked horrified at that response.

"What is that...", Ichika looked up at her uncle questioningly.

Byakuya and Shunsui's eyes were widened as they sensed the energy coming from what it looked like the field where they just fought on. The two knew what was happening before it even started.

"Ichika, Kaito. Run away. Use the device that Kurotsuchi made and flash step away from this walkway immediately...", Shunsui murmured as his hands were reaching to the inside of his robes, all the way to his two zanpakuto once again, "I command this as the Head Captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads to use that device and go to the Royal Citadel, now..."

Kaito nodded and started to turn forward. Ichika on the other hand was still confused. She turned to her uncle once again asking, "What is Captain Kurotsuchi talking about? What are these torrents?"

Byakuya looked at her dead in the eyes, "We'll deal with this. I'm saying that you should get away from here now. You here me Ichika? I said get. Away. NOW!"

As her uncle shouted the last syllable, he pushed her and Kaito back with all of his might. The two were flung back into the sky, causing the devices in their sandals to activate.

They didn't know what it was at that time. If it weren't for Byakuya they would've died because they can't withstand the amount of spiritual pressure that was gathering. This power was unnatural and can only be eliminated by those with the right power.

They didn't know that until they witnessed the black wave engulf their whole squad.

Chapter Text

Kaito's eyes were glued onto that black wave as it lay flat on the walkway they were thrown from. His hands were severely trembling as he saw the disgusting sight. Ichika wasn't looking any better either. Kaito could've sworn that a tear ran down her eye as she was looking.

Because of her uncle, they were positioned in a safe distance from the tsunami of that black gunk. In exchange though, the rest of the strike squad were left there to fend them off. There seemed to be more of a darker mood when Ichika started to turn away.

Her friend placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her from leaving.

"Are you sure you want to leave this here? I'm sure we can still help them", Kaito simply questioned her.

Ichika drew her zanpakuto from her sheath, turning to Kaito with electricity flickering in her eyes.

"Nah. Even if it's only for a little bit, I can feel a bit of reiatsu coming from all the way here, meaning that the prisoner named Aizen is still alive. He already demonstrated such power to all of us when he first visited. That type of spiritual pressure can't be extinguished that easily", Ichika muttered back darkly.

She shrugged off Kaito's hand as she began to work on making her way to the Royal Citadel.

"If we want to make ourselves useful to the strike squad, then we'd better keep going. We'll have to go on no matter what"

Ichika's hand tightened around the handle of her zanpakuto.

"And kill that baldy called Ichibe Hyosube"

The two used the technology implanted inside of their sandals to make their way up to the Royal Citadel. There was only the sound of wind blowing past them as they used flash steps without a word. Even if only for a bit, Kaito was worried that Ichika would get hurt in the worst way possible.

Throughout the whole time they were travelling, she had been giving this angry energy. Sometimes electricity would flicker on and off from her body. The hand around her zanpakuto looked almost pale from how tight she was holding it.

It took a long while, but they finally made it.

Ichika released her sealed zanpakuto and fired a lightning bolt through the side of the grand building. She instantly slipped through past the wreckage and began ascending. Kaito, with no choice but to follow, flash stepped behind her.

The heaviness as they ascended closer was clearly evident. Their movements began to slow down and the weight of the spiritual pressure at times almost dragged them down.

"What the heck is this spiritual pressure...How can someone possess this much and let it flow so freely", grunted Ichika as she took a seat at the edge of one of the floors.

Kaito collapsed onto the ground next to her, back laid flat on the ground. He was breathing heavily like he just ran a marathon. Both of them were drenched in sweat, barely being able to keep up with the spiritual pressure hovering above them.

"I swear, if it weren't for Captain Kurotsuchi's technology, then we would've been crushed down ever since we arrived", Kaito exhaled loudly while he rolled over to his stomach, trying to get on his elbows.

Ichika crawled to one of the walls and sat against it. Her red hair stuck to her forehead as a large amount of sweat had been running down from there. She took a moment to breathe while talking to Kaito.

"Don't be ruining what progress we've made this far. We trained this hard to not be a burden, remember?"

Kaito used his zanpakuto to support himself as he stood, "You don't think I know that? I've exhausted myself to the point where I would want to die instead of train. But I want to devote myself to the Gotei. You know why? Because Kazui gave me a second chance to live, and to become stronger"

"I know that Kaito. He gave me a second chance, too. In more ways than one"

Her usually grumpy and impatient tone had a somewhat sad undertone to it. Kaito could sense it from a mile away, even if nobody could.

Back in the academy days, Ichika stood out to be the loudest one in the class. Even if she was famous, the way she carried herself draw even more attention to her. She displayed an aggressive front but was always kind to others. Kaito knew that first-hand. Ichika was the first one that she'd lent a hand to. It was how he first got himself up and admired her for it.

________________________________________________________________________________

Rukon District 21, A Year After the Hell Arc

Kaito's POV:

There it is again. I can't even land a single hit with the training dummy. I'm useless.

There's nothing I can do to even try to protect myself from others.

Sitting beside the dojo walls, I hid myself so that nobody could see me. There was nothing to expect from a failure like me. I couldn't even be like that Lieutenant Hisagi, who saved me during a time when I was left alone.

Why couldn't I perform better? Why was I stuck in this cycle of constant failure? What was stopping me?

Tears began dropping onto my lap. It was only then that I realized that it was because I was afraid. Afraid ever since I was almost killed by a Hollow back then. Even though I was young when that happened, that scene was just as clear as day. It haunted my memories like a ghost, not stopping me from sleeping.

I really am pathetic, I thought to myself.

"Huh? I was coming in to see a working dojo, but just see some random guy crying"

This girl was probably a year older than me, but I couldn't tell. The tears in my eyes blurred my vision dramatically. Either way, the way she acted insensitively didn't bother me at all.

I could hear her walk over to me, the footsteps echoing towards my location. I could see her red hair sweeping from behind her, as she knelt next to me.

"Leave me alone...", were the first words that I uttered to her.

"Nope. A miserable person like you doesn't deserve to be left alone. You should be nagged all the time", the girl grinned before clearing her throat, "So, you got a name?"

I wiped the tears off my eyes, "Well, technically, no..."

"What the heck is that supposed to mean?"

"I don't even know my real name. I came to Rukongai without any knowledge of my existence in the World of the Living. Only a nice old couple took me in"

She clicked her tongue impatiently, "That doesn't answer my question. You. Got. A. Name?"

"Well...since I was the 10th child who came to this district, they called me Ten (Means perfect in everything). Though overtime, the other children made fun of me and called me Six. Six, meaning nothing.

"I had no skills, no knowledge, no everything. I was basically the definition of a blank canvas. Everyone in this district came to know me as the boy who has nothing. And along with that, I'm just a failure", the words came rolling off my tongue just as I realized what I was saying. I didn't know why I was saying this to a random stranger, but it somehow felt soothing.

The girl stood up, dusting herself off.

"Well, with every blank canvas comes an opportunity to paint something on there. An opportunity when it can be filled with all kinds of art", she smiled at me, "Maybe you don't have an idea of what to put on that canvas, but with the right push you can definitely make some good art"

With that, she pulled me up and threw the nearest wooden sword on the floor. I caught it by surprise even though I would've probably dropped it if I wasn't prepared. As soon as I grabbed the handle, she pulled out her own wooden sword.

"Huh?"

"You see, since I'm under probation from Soul Reaper duties for a while, and along with that I can't even use my zanpakuto, they just gave me this wooden stick. But luckily I came across this depressing dojo, cuz now I have a use for it"

She charged at me and clashed the front of her blade against mine. This girl was smiling as she hacked away at my defense.

"You need the right push, just like I said, so get prepared for some serious training!", she grinned.

"Ah! Wait! I don't even know you, so why are you suddenly fighting me out of the blue?!", I stammered as I tried to block her strikes.

She jumped backwards, letting her sword rest on her shoulder. Her thumb pointed to her chest proudly.

"The name's Ichika Abarai. Nice to meet you, Ten!"

________________________________________________________________________________

And then now came Kazui Kurosaki. It may have been only a few days ago, but Kaito could see the massive change in her attitude.

She acted, well, milder than usual compared to the times when it was just her with other Soul Reapers. Ichika would always look a bit better around him than anyone else. And every time he would look her way; she would blush like crazy. A simple compliment would lead her to breathe erratically. It was so obvious to Kaito that he almost questioned how Kazui didn't notice himself.

"This might be a far question, but...", Kaito sighed, "You like...no...love? Yeah. You love Kazui"

As expected, her whole face was red in a matter of moments. He could've sworn that there was steam rising from her head.

"SHUT UP!", Ichika threw a nearby rock at Kaito's face, hitting him square in the cheek.

"Ow...", he rubbed the area where she hit, but shook his head, "I'm not wrong, am I?

"Shut up..."

"I hit the nail in that one, huh?"

Even though she stumbled, she also used her zanpakuto to stand up. She sighed for a long period of time.

"So, when'd you know?"

Is this girl not self-aware??????!!!, Kaito thought.

He scratched the back of his head, "Basically ever since he showed up to the Seireitei. You've been acting strangely the whole time"

"Have I?"

This girl really doesn't know what she's doing! Kaito thought to himself again.

He opened his mouth to answer but closed it quickly to think about his response first. Shaking his head, he smiled and looked at the tired, red-headed girl in front of him.

"Why else would you come on this mission in the first place? It's because of Kazui that you fought against all these enemies. It's also why you'd be willing to even kill a Squad 0 member. It's because you lo-"

"Say that word again and I'll run you through"

"Yes, understood, ma'am"

There was an awkward silence between the two before Kaito stretched out his arms, taking his zanpakuto out of the floor. He stared at Ichika for a second before looking to the open floor above them.

"Let's go. We have a mission to complete, Ichika"

She jumped up to her feet, almost as if she wasn't even tired at all. Kaito's small talk with her had distracted her mind from the worries for the fate of the strike squad, not that a team like them would be wiped out so easily. Before he took off, he turned back to her.

"Promise me something, Ichika"

"What is it? Aren't we in a bit of a hurry here?"

He sighed, gripping his sword harder than ever, "Promise me that if you, er... really like Kazui. That is if you like him, definitely not saying that you like him at all. I want you to tell him after this is all over. Because I don't want my new friend to still be the airhead he is today"

Her face flushed a deep colour of red once again, "What?! What are you-"

"Promise. Me. Think of this as the right push, just like you did for me back then. And as to return the favour for what you helped me with all those years ago"

What a funny thing to say, coming from Kaito. Normally he'd never be the type to say something along the lines of romance in this line of work, but here he is now. He'd been watching from the sidelines and had been so sick of watching the two be airheads that he started to root for them.

And, even if he normally wouldn't do this, he has someone else to care about as well. Someone he can only watch from afar. That was probably what drove him to say those things.

Ichika stood up straight, firmly gripping the hilt of her zanpakuto, though her face was still red, "I-I understand. I'll do my best after we finish the mission"

Afterwards, the two ascended once again, with determination filling their souls. Despite the divine weight of the spiritual pressure above, they pushed onwards to their destination.

The blast of spiritual pressure was able to repel the torrent of black slime all the way back. The rest of the squad was able to finally look up, to see that the slime which took form of Yhwach's power had receded back into the bodies of the deceased soldiers.

The Head captain looked back to the only person with the highest amount of reiatsu than this strike squad had altogether. The prisoner only stared back.

"Aizen, if I'm not wrong...I'm guessing that you weren't the one who did this, right?", Shunsui asked with a low tone.

The rest of the squad, who I which was taken care of by Rukia, turned to look at their former enemy. He only wore a passive smile, while his eyes revealed a slight amusement.

"Of course, Captain General Kyoraku. Captain Kurotsuchi's technology is holding all of my reiatsu within me hostage. I cannot even use a Hado with an incantation, or else it would backfire"

"Then, who would be able to do this..."

A crack was formed in the air behind them, where the gate they opened had closed previously. The sound of distortion and fabric ripped apart was heard as this rift in empty space was formed. Everyone was drawing their weapons, except Rukia who had a look of surprise on their face.

As the Garganta opened, a figure wearing a black shihakusho was seen walking out of the path inside. His short orange hair looked as if it were glowing from the light of the sun, and a long, body length blade was sheathed behind his back.

This sword was shining black, with features that a normal zanpakuto would have. It had no guard or hilt and was instead wrapped with bandages.

"Sorry, did I come at a bad time?", Ichigo asked innocently.

Chapter Text

Their ascent only grew slower as they moved closer to where the presumed Soul King would reside. The spiritual pressure was unlike anything both Kaito and Ichika felt. At this point, they were starting to climb the walls instead of flying up there.

"This spiritual pressure pisses me off. Isn't there something that we can do about this?", gritted Ichika through her teeth. Her body was tensed up, trying to fight the endless weight of reiatsu.

They stabbed their blades, moving up at a sluggish pace. Both were drenched in sweat and tired to the bone. But even though the two Soul Reapers were at the brink of death, they still needed to fulfill their missions.

"No, there isn't"

These words echoed through the room they were currently in. As soon as silence fell upon them once again, the once powerful reiatsu vanished completely. Kaito was the first one to collapse onto the ground. He landed on his back with a loud THUD before rolling over to get up.

Ichika immediately jumped off the wall. Although she wasn't as affected, her legs felt like they were about to give out.

"You okay, Kaito? That looked bad, like really bad"

Kaito groaned as he stood up, using his zanpakuto to support himself, "Yeah. Just wasn't prepared for that weight to suddenly take off like that. Any idea of who or where that voice came from?"

Ichika scanned the dark room for a couple of minutes, trying to find a device or person that might be embedded in the walls.

"No idea. But that may be because we're close to the top"

Crack

Ichika and Kaito jumped backward after hearing that small noise. It seemed to come from behind them, light seeping through the small crack in the stone building. Kaito readied his zanpakuto whereas Ichika quickly drew her one from her sheath.

A small ray of light reflected off Kaito's silver blade, bouncing to another spot in the room. Both their hands were wrapped onto the hilt of their blades as they stood back-to-back. None of them said a word, but they already knew that one word, one single breath would give their location away.

Creak

The sound was coming from outside. Even though there were marble walls, why would there be creaking outside, the two thought.

Their footsteps drew closer to the sound, close enough so that they could inspect what was outside. Ichika and Kaito separated for a brief moment so that one of them could look through the crack.

A trail of red hair swiftly made its way to the sound of origin. Ichika's violet eyes were close but not close enough for her to be attacked through the wall. She peeked through the crack, looking closely only to find...

Nothing.

"Ah, what a mistake people make whenever they're faced with something they cannot see. A hint of a small sight can easily draw people in. That is how most people fall, and if we're talking about human beings, feel fear. Haven't they told you at the Spiritual Arts Academy to always stick close to your team whenever faced with something unknown?"

An object seemed to hit the marble floor, shattering some of the material. Within a second, Ichika returned next to Kaito, watching what would eventually emerge from the shadows.

The absurdly large paintbrush was the thing that caught their eye the most. The second was the white captain's coat. The last was his head. The bushy black beard and the bald head were the most obvious sights to see, but there was one thing that made them gulp in nervousness.

Those hard-to-read dark red eyes. Ones that seem to not reveal anything behind them, though seemed to stare into your soul. It was enough to shake the two Shinigami to their core.

"Who're you, eh? Wh-What's your business here?", stuttered Ichika.

"My, my. Stuttering during a first encounter with your enemy is a mistake. It looks almost as if you already fear them"

"Shut up! Answer my question!"

Those red eyes stared at Ichika, looking at her directly.

"Why, don't you already know? The one you called a baldy ever since you entered this sacred place?", he answered clearly, smiling slightly as he approached them, "The exact person you've been looking for. I'm referred to as Osho most of the time, but I suppose in this case, I'll have to be clear"

Kaito's eyes widened suddenly before moving closer to his friend, "Ichika, MOVE!"

A smile creeped up in the bald man's face,

"My name is Ichibe Hyosube. Nice to meet you"

That was when Ichika was finally pushed over to the side, sent to the other side of the cylindric room. Not by the monk himself. It was from Kaito.

An enormous glowing hand appeared, breaking the floor above. In an instant, this hand hit the black-haired Soul Reaper out of the building and sent him flying. She could hear his scream slowly fade away as she stood up from the rubble.

"KAITO! Damn you, baldy...WHAT'D YOU DO TO HIM?!", Ichika roared as her hand gripped her blade once again.

He turned to her finally, directing his full attention to Ichika.

"Senri Tsutensho (Heavenly Passing Palm of the Thousands). It blasts away anything it strikes for 1000 ri (roughly 4000 kilometers. Or 2485.5 miles in freedom units), no questions asked. Young Kaito won't be back for a while"

There was a fire burning inside her soul. One that was blazing like never before. The anger, grief, and determination all used as fuel for this fire. There was nothing that could extinguish it.

She gritted her teeth. Ichika's feelings were bubbling from the heat of this fire. The sparks of electricity from her hands were now zapping out of control. Like how a fire rages when the wind urges it on, the storm in her heart was starting to be released.

Ichika pointed her zanpakuto to Ichibe, her eyes covered by her red hair.

"Oh? Looks like you're going to-"

"Blitz, Inazumatori"

Outside of the Royal Citadel, an endless number of grey clouds gathered. Thunder travelled through the opening that was made in the wall and shot Ichika directly. Her zanpakuto broke into small shards, connected by the lightning coming from her soul.

Smoke covered her zanpakuto's release, though Ichibe didn't mind at all. He simply stared at the destruction caused by her and waited.

And that wait didn't take long.

A blink of an eye had caused her to appear behind the bald monk. Blood slowly leaked down Ichibe's shoulder as a clean cut had been passed through around his shoulder. Her spiritual pressure lingered in that cut; traces of electricity zapped inside his flesh.

"Well, I sure didn't expect for you to be that fast, if I do say so myself", chuckled Ichibe lightly, turning his head to her.

Those violet eyes were sparking wildly as anger bubbled from deep within her. Ichika's zanpakuto flickered in the darkness of the room.

"You're gonna be killed, Ichibe Hyosube. And I'll save my dad"

"We'll see that, little Soul Reaper"

Ichika once again appeared above Ichibe, slashing him with her zanpakuto with one powerful swing. Sparks ignited once again as the monk finally drew the paintbrush which was held on his back.

She pressed forward just as she was about to back away, gaining a little momentum. Her swings couldn't be seen as normal. They were just grey blurs that can hardly be seen in the environment around them. More sparks of lightning burst out of their weapons as they continued to clash against each other.

The lightning around Ichibe started to affect him, as the hairs on his large arms were singed. Ichika was going all out and not stopping for a single second. If you blinked your eyes once, she'd already be gone. The only thing you would see is a blur of red and the trail of yellow lightning from her blade.

Thunder began brewing above, striking her blade to assist with her swings. Cuts began appearing on Hyosube's skin, small drops of blood running down his body. The paintbrush was currently not even keeping up with the speed at which Ichika was going at.

Overtime, more cuts appeared on the monk's body. Ichika felt his spiritual energy weaken tremendously as her blade met his paintbrush for one final time. The two were trying to push each other back using their strength. Her eyes met his as she tried to cut through his weapon.

"Aren't you a Zero Division member, baldy? You're supposed to be the best of the best? Right now you're getting beat by a lieutenant level, maybe even lower", Ichika exclaimed during the clash, "No excuses for holding back during a fight, Hyosube!"

"Be careful when you say my name, Ichika Abarai. You might even lose your voice"

She put on a confident, daring smile as taunted him further, "If you wanna keep talking, you better start using your actual power, because right now you ain't doing crap!"

Ichibe's previous positive expression now turned into something of a serious one. The look on his face was as expressionless as it was when she first met him.

"It would be humiliating for a mere unseated Soul Reaper like you to even try to fight me while using my full strength. If I were to go all out, I WOULD'VE ALREADY CRUSHED YOU THROUGH MY SPIRITUAL PRESSURE"

With his other hand, he grabbed Ichika by the face and slammed her on the ground. The ground shook violently as the marble cracked further from the impact. Blood could be seen flying upward.

Tensing up his muscles, Ichibe closed up ever single cut he sustained.

"I was only entertaining you with the thought of being able to defeat me. Nothing you have done to my body would affect it in any way possible. Your sword cannot take me do-"

"RAIGEKI!"

A flash of thunder crashed down from the ceiling and struck Ichibe. Thousands of volts of electricity ran through his entire body before seeping back into the Zanpakuto beneath him. One flash step was all it took for her to escape his grasp.

Blood ran down Ichika's bruised and battered face, but nothing had changed in her feelings. Her smile remained as daring and dangerous as ever while standing up. Both of her hands were on the electrified handle.

"Nice one, I gotta admit, considering that was the most pain I felt in a while...", Ichika spat blood before looking at him again with a grin, "Almost makes me wanna put in more of the training I've had until now"

She pointed her Zanpakuto upward. The thunder in the skies roared louder than ever before, seemingly gathering above her. Pillars of lightning formed around her, lighting the darkness. Ichika planted her sword inside one of these pillars.

The electricity wrapped around her blade, latching onto the whole thing. The light coursed throughout her whole zanpakuto and flowed into Ichika herself.

"Dai ni Tsubasa, Gonryo Rikyu" (Second Wing, Lightning Palace)

Drawing her sword back through the several lightning pillars around her, Ichika charged up the energy within. One swift motion was enough for her to release her sword and fly toward the monk. Less than a second later, a hole was punctured in his chest.

Ichika landed behind him.

"Is that all ya got, you baldy?"

She turned around to see the paintbrush come crashing down towards her. It was at a speed faster than her reaction time. There wasn't even a shadow coming from the large weapon.

Within her mind, it was like time had slowed down. Ichika was looking up at the exact thing about to end her life. Her body couldn't move an inch. Her arms were tired beyond belief. Her injuries now felt too much to handle.

It's quick. Too quick even. I can't even move because I've exhausted myself too much. Crap, it's going to reach me, she thought.

Ichika was starting to close her eyes. Even if it was a futile effort, at least everybody knows she tried. She took down many of the enemies that were in her team's way. She was strong enough to land hits on Ichibe Hyosube himself, though they seemed to not hurt him one bit. Ichika became strong just for this, to see to that her father would be safe, even if it meant sacrificing her life.

It seems it wasn't enough.

Is this the end?

CLANG!

"What the hell are you doing, Ichika? Get back up and start fighting! I leave you for six minutes and now it ended up like this?!"

Crimson was the first thing that appeared before her. The sparks of red coming from a certain silver blade. A sleeveless shihakusho, an armband, and black hair. The determined look of a true soul reaper present on his face. The look of a man who is devoted to his job. It was him.

Though the amount of blood and cuts he has was concerning.

There were possibly over a hundred cuts right now that covered his entire body. His breathing was heavy, blood and sweat dripping on the marble floor. His sandals were absolutely scorched and smoking on the floor, leaving a trail of ash.

Ichika didn't notice him before, but even his clothes were scorching. Half of his clothing was currently on fire.

The Soul Reaper flash stepped away with me to the other side of the room.

"Are you okay, Ichika?"

"K-Kaito?! How did you-"

Kaito looked toward Ichibe, suspicious whether he was going to attack or not.

"Well...I was in fact blown back a long way. It didn't look like I was able to get back here without some kind of transportation. But then I thought of something stupid, that being to cut myself...a lot.

"My zanpakuto's ability is to increase a certain aspect of my power through hitting something. As long as it makes contact with an object, opponent, or anything solid, my strength or speed is able to increase. That's why I'm...well...covered with cuts.

"With that being said, I was able to measure how many cuts I had to do to myself in order to increase my speed enough to reach here fast enough but also not kill myself.

"The speed being Mach 64.79"

(P.S Shoutout to ChatGPT for the answer, cuz I ain't figuring out all that.)

(PP. S, It takes 3 minutes to travel 4000km at a speed of Mach 64.79, which is also 80000km/h. If you're wondering why he said it took 6 minutes to get there, he spent the first three cutting himself and the rest flash stepping)

"Impossible. There's nothing that could travel that fast. It would burn up if they were going at that speed", Ichika's eyes widened.

Kaito was struggling to stand up and shook a bit. His face was scrunched up and grunted a little as he supported himself. Gritting his teeth, Kaito used his own willpower to force himself to stay upright.

"If it wasn't for my spiritual energy that I was able to coat my body with, I'd already be burnt to crisp. Thankfully I'm somewhat of a good Soul Reaper"

Ichibe was slowly approaching them, the wooden sandals on his feet clicking on the ground.

"How impressive, Kaito Hisagi. What a perfect example of what a Soul Reaper should act like", he stroked his beard, "As expected as the son, or should I say, the adoptive son of the two lieutenants in the Gotei 13"

Anger flared in his eyes as he stumbled forward, sluggishly at first, before rushing towards him.

"You can't say anything about what a normal Soul Reaper should act like. You shouldn't compare me to all the other fortunate and decent people who serve together in the Court Guard Squads. And most of all, YOU SHOULDN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE GOOD PEOPLE WHO ACCEPTED ME INTO MY FAMILY"

One second Kaito was in front of Ichibe, the next was up close and personal. His long broadsword was up against the monk's giant paintbrush. Gritting his teeth, he raised his blade before slamming it on Ichibe's weapon.

"SOKU!" (Speed)

The crimson hurricane was back in action. A series of cuts so fast it almost looked as if there were hundreds of blades fighting together. Ichibe was being pushed back at an alarming rate, his paintbrush not being able to keep up with his attacks.

Kaito's anger was evident as each strike was powerful. The words that were uttered from the monk's mouth triggered something inside of him, something personal that was rooted to his very identity. Though that liveliness was short lived.

A large forearm slammed into Kaito's stomach, blood spurting out of his mouth upon collision.

"How useless your efforts are. Indeed, you are right. I shouldn't compare you to the Soul Reapers down in the Seireitei, doing their duties. You are but a filthy child from the Rukongai, your beliefs and morals preventing you from feeling the corruption in your heart"

Kaito fell onto the ground, coughing out blood. He was on his hands and knees, crawling back to where his zanpakuto was. The cuts in his body didn't help the absolute pain he was feeling currently.

"You have only become a little stronger since your encounter with the Sinners. You were able to keep up with young Ichika Abarai during the fight with my Soul King's Blades, but not enough for you to not sustain injuries like she did. Your Gurenjin may give you better fighting power, but your soul continues to try and refuse this. That is the reason of your downfall"

He kicked Kaito and his sword away, landing next to Ichika, who was still recovering in the back. The black-haired Soul Reaper couldn't move anymore. His body lay limp on the ground, but his consciousness still intact. It was as if Mayuri's Ashisogi Jizo had stabbed him.

Ichika used her own zanpakuto to try and make her way to Kaito. The injuries were still getting worse as the major blood loss was finally catching up to her. The two were on the brink of passing out but stayed awake in hopes of the others reaching them.

The large shadow of Ichibe Hyosube towered above their bloodied bodies. Black ink was leaking from the tip of his brush. The dead red eyes were staring directly toward the two, a smile twitching on his face. The spiritual energy radiating from his weapon was almost crushing.

"You two will be named as 'dead'. No longer will you be able to rebel against my actions any longer and no longer will you stand in the way of my mission. I will prevent your reincarnation so to ensure that you will be dead forever. It was an excellent effort; I commend your bravery and recognize you. Goodbye, Ichika Abarai and Kaito Hisagi"

He raised his paintbrush high in the air. The black ink was dripping down the handle and onto the floor. Before he could lower his weapon onto the two helpless Soul Reapers, a vast amount of spiritual pressure erupted from the air in front of him. The sheer force was enough to make him slide backwards. It felt like a huge gust of wind had hit him directly.

Rattle.

Rattle.

Rattle.

"Annihilate, Kokoryu"

The sounds of rattling and jingling were faintly heard before it suddenly pierced through. Two slender, midnight black blades shattered the empty space in front of Ichibe. The jingling was once again heard as chains began exiting this area, bringing forth the owner of these two blades.

Smoke was hissing out of his mask as he emerged from the shattered Garganta. Chains wrapped around his sleeveless arms and a lingering black fire glimmered from them. As the storm clouds parted, many rays of light rose from the darkness they were once trapped in. The sun illuminated his figure brightly, setting him apart from all the others. The light further brightened his blazing orange hair.

He was the symbol of hope.

Kazui Kurosaki has arrived.

Chapter Text

"Ichigo-kun, huh? How convenient for you to show up just as we were in trouble", Shunsui smiled as he looked toward the strawberry.

Ichigo walked over towards them as soon as the Garganta sealed back up. His short orange hair was messy because of the wind following his spiritual pressure. He had a relaxed look in his expression, scratching the back of his head and then putting his hands in his pockets.

"What are you doing here, Ichigo? Shouldn't you be with Kazui right now?", asked Byakuya, who sheathed his sword.

Although it was a serious question, Ichigo smiled sincerely. He walked past the Squad 6 captain and looked up to the Royal Citadel that hovered high in the sky. He took a deep breath before answering.

"I wouldn't worry about that. Kazui's just fine by himself. You should just go rescue Renji right now. I'm guessing he's at Osho's Riden"

Shinji shook his head, calling out to him, "Hey, you should be with your son right now. There might be no time before something happens. We'll save Renji afterwards"

"What a pain, Shinji. I said it's fine. Right now, rescuing Renji should be top priority right now"

"Hah?! What makes you think that, Ichigo?"

It took a second before the strawberry turned back around, a smile still displayed on his face. It was an expression full of pride and even something else. Everyone was looking at him, surprised.

"Because I believe in him. I believe that Kazui's got this", Ichigo looked back to the citadel, "Because that spiritual pressure that just entered that place...

"Just shows how confident his chances of winning are"

Kazui's POV:

Planting my two blades on the ground, I pulled back the mask that was worn on my face. The surface of the mask felt rough on the skin of my fingertips. I turned back and examined the front of the accessory, surprised to see what it looked like.

Red stripes covered the entire left side of its face. The mask resembled what looked like a Hollow mask, coming from the experience of fighting them for a long time. It felt brittle, almost ready to shatter, but also sturdy.

"This is a surprise. Didn't expect my Shikai to come with a mask. Nice"

Two taps from the other side of the room finally drew my attention. I forced my Hollow mask to disappear back into wherever it came from. It was only then did I realise how much of a mess that this whole place was.

A massive hole was blown through the wall of this room, tons of rock scattered everywhere, and the marble floor shattered. Looking to the darkness, I could see a wide figure holding what looked to be a giant paintbrush while standing menacingly.

"I figured that Ichigo himself would come here to save these two. I didn't expect his son to also come forth to face me", he chuckled softly, "No matter, either way the plan doesn't change in the slightest. I can work with this"

"Who the hell even are you?", I asked, focusing my attention on him...and his bald head.

"You can ask those two behind you. They might know the answer now, won't they?"

Slowly turning my head back, I could feel the blood immediately rushing to my head. I could feel it almost trying to pump outside of my head. I saw Ichika and Kaito laying on the ground, almost dead.

Their bodies were damaged; cuts, bruises, and even more injuries covering them. Their breathing was shallow and raspy. Their eyes were on the verge of closing.

Kneeling, I raised a hand over them.

"Soten Kisshun, I reject"

Shun'o and Ayame swiftly flew out of my wristwatch in a bright flash, putting in their work once. A two-tipped orange shield was formed over their limp bodies. The bruises on Ichika's body started to disappear, and so was the same with Kaito, only that his healing was slower from the number of cuts he had.

Ichika's eyes slowly fluttered open, directing her gaze towards the person kneeling in front of her. Our eyes locked together in an instant. She smiled softly as she laid her head on the rubble she was currently on.

"Kazui... You're here. Thank goodness", Ichika rasped out using what little strength she had, "I thought you'd walk out on us"

"Yeah...sorry I'm late. I took a little detour"

She gazed at me with those violet eyes of hers. There were no words that passed between us, though no words could really describe what we were thinking.

We just clicked that way, just like pieces in a puzzle. Every time we were together, there was something that just made our minds align in an instant. And now, it felt like our hearts just aligned in that moment.

"Can I trust that you'll finish this, Kazui?"

I smiled back at her, a smile that I used to make when I was younger.

"Leave it to me, Ichika"

Glancing at Kaito, he just gave me an encouraging thumbs up. It reminded me of the one he gave when I first fought Kenpachi. The nostalgia I felt from this is strange, considering this happened just a little bit over a week ago. Well, not that I'm complaining.

I stood back up as I turned away from them. My Shun Shun Rikka were at work, and I could call on the others in case of defense. Everything was set.

There's no reason to worry about anything.

My blades were still shining darkly in the sunlight which was peeking through the hole in the wall. Standing in front of them a couple of steps away was the bald man himself.

"You didn't answer my question. But then again, neither did Ichika nor Kaito. So I'll let you answer"

The bald man scratched his scruffy beard and laughed. His face was stretched out in a smile, but his eyes were empty. Those red eyes looked straight through my soul.

"Well, I guess I'll tell it to you straight. I'm Squad Zero member, Ichibe Hyosube. Call me Osho, or 'The Monk Who Calls the Real Name", he announced, placing his big ass paintbrush to the side.

I sighed, "All of those sound weird. And I don't want to be formal to a guy who wrecked my friends up. So I'll give it straight to you, Ichibe. I'll take you down and whatever you're doing and save everyone".

He chuckled once again, tears running down his face, "You're amusing, Kazui. You really take after your father. Making a bold statement like that against an adversary you don't even know the power of. You have no right"

"I have the right to say what I want to say. It's called freedom of speech for a reason"

"Amusing indeed...Maybe you'll take after your father after all. Perhaps you'll kindly step aside for your father to sacrifice himself"

This piqued my attention at once. There's a Soul King? And what does my dad have to do with this?

"What do you mean by that?"

He ran his fingers through his beard and pondered to himself.

"Brings back memories. I turned Ichigo into the perfect candidate for Soul King back then because of the Quincy War. I planned to cut him up into pieces just like the previous Reio and place him inside that crystal. Now that a certain 'Hell' has diseased our current Soul King, I'm going to have to proceed with that plan again"

He smiled at me like a maniac.

"Wouldn't that be good for all of us? The restoration of the balance of the three worlds at the behest of your father's sacrifice. It's only natural, as I am the one who gave him that power after all"

My fists balled up at once. My teeth were clenched tightly and my eyes narrowed once those words escaped that filthy mouth of his. Who does he think he is forcing my dad into doing this kind of thing?

"Shut up", I muttered.

"Hmm? What'd you say, I can't hear you?", Ichibe put a hand behind his ear, leaning forward.

"Shut up..."

"Sorry, I cannot hear you, can you please repeat that-"

"SHUT UP! BALDY!"

Pulling the chains that were wrapped around my arms, I grabbed my zanpakuto and charged towards him. My hand was almost white from how tight I gripped the handle. Before I could try to cut him, a transparent giant hand appeared in front of me.

Ichibe Hyosube, who was behind this strange hand, grinned at the look on my face.

"Senri Tsutensho"

The hand pushed forward. I could see the golden glow approaching me while I tried to halt to a stop. As soon as part of my body made contact with the hand, I was sent flying.

Wind whistled in my ears as I shot straight through the wall behind me. The clouds in the sky started to blur as I flew faster and faster, not stopping for a single second. While I was stuck in this situation, I found the man himself flying next to me with his hands in his sleeves.

"Senri Tsutensho. Sends anything it comes in contact-"

"Tch. I said shut up"

With my blades, I threw the left one toward Ichibe, anchoring it onto his arm. I swung around him until the chains wrapped around his whole body. The slight steam hissing from the chains singed the monk's uniform. I raised my other zanpakuto and struck.

The edge of my sword only met nothing as Ichibe somehow moved to the side, swinging me around until I was sent to the other side. My chains unraveled and returned around my own arm. The feeling of the rough hilt of my zanpakuto returned to me.

Before I could even catch a breath, Ichibe suddenly appeared behind me, his hand thrusting forward. His palm met with the sharpness of my blade. I backed away at once, readying myself. I could feel the corner of my mouth twitching in a smile.

"Thank you for sending me...say about 4000 kilometers? 4000 kilometers away from where Ichika and Kaito are. I can finally use my powers to its fullest extent", I say as I slightly adjusted the grip on my zanpakuto, loosening it up a little.

"Oh? Is that so? Well, let's see if this power can justify your confidence, Kazui Kurosaki"

I pressed the tip of my sword to my forehead. The black steel seemed to wink in the sunlight, summoning the energy from within my soul. Black and red energy spread over my face in a flash. With one swift downward movement with my blade, this energy exploded violently. The dark reiatsu around me looked like it distorted the area around us. The crushing feeling of my spiritual pressure extended forward.

The Hollow mask appeared on my face in all its glory. I let out a distorted shout of anger and charged.

Using my hybrid technique, I surrounded Ichibe with afterimages of myself. The speeds I was travelling at had increased as soon as I wore this mask. I could feel the power from within me skyrocket across the roof. This was power I had never felt before.

Before I remembered everything, I had skills better than the average Soul Reaper. I also had power that exceeded that level. But just experiencing this now, being able to go toe to toe with a stranger with this level of reiatsu, would be totally insane if it was the past version of myself fighting.

One swing of my blade following the next. The clash of weapons against each other. Two blades against another in swift combat. This heat of the battle continued to grow with every second that passed.

Even though the footholds in the atmosphere were difficult to create, I forced myself to create them. I used the extent of my power to propel myself to where I needed to, giving myself an opportunity to strike again.

Every time my blades met the light, it only delved back into my shadow. The swift speed of my movements turned my twin zanpakuto into a blur of black. It clashed into the paintbrush that Ichibe was holding. I barely gave him a chance to fight back. His large defence would give me trouble, but that didn't stop me. I constantly pushed him, trying to break through and defeat him. My reiatsu fluctuated wildly as the constant strikes I forced upon him only made me grow more furious.

I continued to collide against Ichibe, sparks of my Getsuga emitting with each hit. The monk's paintbrush seemed to be unaffected by all of my swings. He only wore a stoic expression as he continued to analyse me.

It seemed that energy was leaking from within the soul of my blades. Every clash caused more of this dark black and red power to come forth from the tide of the battle. It was like before, during my fights with the captains. An energy that was aching to be released; to cause destruction and serve its purpose to take down the person whom its master deems as an enemy.

"I was just thinking the same thing, Kokoryu!", I exclaimed with a smile on my face, "Let's go!"

Sliding on the air, I backed away from Ichibe, though I suppose I overshot it because he was just a dot in the distance to me. I tightened my grip on my blades, sharpening my focus. My eyes were glued to the being known as Ichibe Hyosube.

I then charged with all my might. The speed was almost too much for me to keep up with myself. One minute I was probably 10 kilometers away from him, the next I was right up in his face.

The momentum from my dash was able to draw out the reiatsu and spiritual energy that I charged up. Raising my zanpakutos, I brought them down with the ultimate strength that I had.

"GETSUGA...TENSHOOOO"

The two slash attacks coming from my blade shot out like a bullet. The intensity of its power pierced through the sky and silenced the whistling of the wind. I could feel the fury of the attack loud and clear. It was just like Kokoryu was laughing maniacally next to me.

Blood sprayed out from his chest as my Getsuga passed through his body. Ichibe stood there taking it at close range. He held his paintbrush tightly as he struggled to look up. Though with that, he was able to keep a high and mighty smile on his face. His clothes were scorched from the heat of my attack, wait, actually no. They were still burning into him. The lingering reiatsu on his body still bore a flame that rose high.

I swung my two zanpakuto using the chains attached. I was waiting for Ichibe to do something, anything.

"I told them then...and I'll tell you now...If I wanted to defeat you already, I would've already crushed you using my spiritual pressure...", he grunted as he looked up at me with a maddened smile.

It only took one second for Ichibe to release his spiritual pressure. The weight was so immense that my bones were locked in place. The feeling of fear shivered down my spine as his energy pushed through mine. A cold sweat ran down my forehead as my body was paralysed in shock. He lifted his left hand, palm facing towards me.

I couldn't move one bit. There was this power that seemed to be gathering from the inside of his hand. But I couldn't move one bit. Not at all. I was frozen in place and the spiritual pressure held me down like an anchor.

Ichibe's smile was only directed at me. There was no emotion behind that face. Just pure evil as a red orb formed around his hand.

"Shakkaho"

A flash of light followed. One that was so powerful that just the feeling of it felt crushing to me. I could feel my mask shatter.

The moment those words left his mouth; I could see the light. But from the light, darkness clouded my mind.

Rattle

Rattle

Rattle

There was a voice in my head. One that was distorted, but comforting. One that was amusing, but sincere. One that I had recognized.

Sorry to come and butt in this late, buuuuut...you're welcome, Kazui. Be sure not to die. I'd hate for me to take over again without you taking the credit. And just a little note: Use the chains well.

I felt a hand placed on my left shoulder. The rattling of chains followed the firmness of those chains around my arms tightening further.

Another hand was placed on my other shoulder. The dark, yet soothing energy washed over me. The feeling that has stuck with me since the beginning.

Kazui Kurosaki, remember that I am by your side. Residing in your soul to protect you from the dangers in this world. Remember to use the power, our power, to take down anyone in your way.

As I opened my eyes, the first thing I could see was the darkness of my reiatsu. The unknown black wall in front of me was pierced through using Ichibe's Kido spell. The sound of sizzling and the smell of smoke entered my senses at once. I didn't notice it at first, but the rattling of chains only became louder as I stared in front of me.

The rusted chains that seemed to be unconsciously surrounding my body were dangling in the air. There was clear damage done to them by his attack, though it repaired itself at once. The only damage that Shakkaho did to me was singe part of my Shihakusho. I waved all of these defences away and sent them back.

The blades in my hands returned. The slim zanpakuto nestled right into my grip. Looking up, I smiled in renewed confidence. I guess that I'm really restored now.

Ichibe on the other hand was string at me in what I could say a bewildered but calm gaze. His huge body stood still in the air that he stood in. The paintbrush that he held was in a position where it was ready for battle once again.

"If that's all you got, Kazui, then I might as well finish you right here and now. Your powers are clearly not a match for me. The pathetic ability of yours is the only reason why you haven't died yet. It'd be better for you to give up and submit to me"

I swung my sword around once again. There was a hint of cockiness in my tone, but I didn't care one bit. My power set is finally completed.

"Sorry for that. I guess I forgot to mention my defensive ability sucks, but thanks to my zanpakuto I now know a couple of more things. So now I can actually fight to my full extent"

I reeled my left blade back onto my hand, pointing it toward him, a grin on my face.

"I'm just gettin' started! So come at me, Ichibe Hyosube!"

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

"I'm just getting' started! So come at me, Ichibe Hyosube!"

I once again touched my forehead with the tip of my blade, performing a swift downward slash to put on my Hollow mask. Ichibe immediately rushed towards me, slamming his paintbrush against my two zanpakuto. I pushed him back with all my might and threw the blades to his head.

Naturally, Ichibe had merely tapped them away with his paintbrush, but what he didn't expect was me using Shun-So-Hi to wrap the chains around his thick neck. He quickly broke free by tensing his body up to the point where the chains couldn't handle the tension. His muscles expanded outwards, blood rushing into his veins as they rose from his skin. I immediately pulled away the chains so that they wouldn't break.

Using the momentum from the unraveling chains, I slid under him and charged all my Spiritual Pressure into my arm. Wind whistled in my ears as Hirenkyaku enabled me to skate through to him at high speeds.

"Gatsurin"

A light blue energy surged from within my chains. It spiraled through my arms, reaching the tip of my right blade before shooting out an enormous circular attack. The sound of what seemed like a pulsing laser followed as the energy pierced cleanly through Ichibe. Though I knew that it wouldn't be enough for the Squad Zero member.

The clacking of beads rung in my ear. Looking closely, the giant beaded necklace that Ichibe wore dropped down towards the ground. The clothes that he wore were smoking and scorched from Gatsurin, though his body suffered minimal damage.

"Hmm, how disappointing. At least your father would've stood a chance against me", he shook his head.

The flames of Getsuga roared inside my twin zanpakutos, firing out wildly. A burning emotion fluctuated inside of me, though not angry as the time when I faced against the Sinner. It was an emotion, a desire, a burning passion to get rid of this guy.

"You keep going on and on about my dad, but the thing is you've barely seen me fight. I've had my power restricted for over ten years. So if you think that just my dad can face off against you...", the energy grew brighter with each word that left my mouth, "Don't underestimate me! THINK AGAIN!"

Charging up my blades, I released waves of Getsuga Tenshou. About a hundred energy blasts met Ichibe at once. Smoke from the impact of the attack gathered around his body. But just when I thought that it would somewhat damage him, a comically giant paintbrush sliced through the fumes, dispelling it completely.

I gritted my teeth. This was becoming more annoying by the minute.

Are people from the Zero Division usually this strong? Or was it just this guy? Because no matter what I did to him, nothing seems to have taken effect.

Even since I stepped through the Garganta, I knew that he had some massive spiritual pressure hidden within him. It was no wonder why Ichika and Kaito lost against this guy. They were facing an absolute monster.

Before I could react, he appeared behind me. His red eyes staring directly to the side of my head as I tried to turn around. I could sense the incoming paintbrush about to collide with my head. I needed to dodge, or block. Fast.

My left arm instinctively moved towards the paintbrush. The zanpakuto I used to hold on that hand was thrown in the air, floating up there momentarily so to grant me freedom. I parried the paintbrush with all my strength. My muscles strained against the powerful might of the weapon, suffering as I tried to throw it away. I yelled my lungs out as I pushed the paintbrush away, sending both that and Ichibe away from me. Pulling the chains back, I retrieved my zanpakuto, holding it back in my left hand.

"Kazui. What amazing strength you have. You swatted it away with just your left arm", he smiled at me, revealing his large white teeth.

I heaved a couple of breaths, sweat dripping down my forehead. The distorted breaths were the only sound in the quiet sky between the both of us. My eyes focused on the enemy in front of me.

"I'm flattered. Didn't expect you to compliment me in the middle of a fight"

Ichibe smiled further, pointing his paintbrush toward me.

"Do you know about this brush of mine, Kazui. You might want to understand before you continue with this fight"

I sighed heavily, "Go ahead. I couldn't care less"

"You definitely will, seeing how you're currently holding up", he chuckled staring at me, "Because this brush does not cut flesh, Kazui. It cuts names"

The last word was the one that took effect. Both my arms dropped down to my sides, hanging uselessly. My grip around the handle of my blade disappeared at once. My zanpakuto dangled around as they were attached to the chains. All the strength I had diminished.

"What...the hell?", my voice quivered slightly, my eyes wide with surprise.

"The name of your arm has been sliced in two. Currently, you no longer have arms. Starting today, all you have is a pair of ar"

I tilted my head down, shaking in anger.

Damn it, I can barely move my arms at all. Even if I could, there was no way I could reach for my zanpakuto or even land a decent cut on Ichibe. Was this the end? Well, no, this isn't even the last chapter.

Remember to use the power, our power, to take down anyone in your way.

Use the chains well.

A smile crept up in my face. My zanpakuto never fails to remind me of their utility, even if I forget.

"Of course, sorry for neglecting you guys once again. I'll have to keep asking you to help me, alright?", I lifted my head as confidence rushed back once again, a constant reoccurrence that I seemed to find myself in.

"Hm? What do you think you're doing"

Standing up tall, straightening my posture and letting myself face my enemy. This may be a desperate call, something that will or will not be able to work, but it was worth a try. It was something that I needed to do.

"Sakaitensō!" (Chain-Puppet Celestial Manipulation)

The chains that connected my zanpakuto to my arms rose to the level I was in. A glowing aura surrounded the two, radiating dangerous energy. More chains sprouted out from my original ones, wrapping them around my own body. The heated metal pressed against my shihakusho, sinking into the fabric as it became one with my clothes.

The strength returned to me once again, though it was different. It felt like my body was hanging in the air like a puppet, with my mind being the one controlling the strings. The chains carried my every movement.

Each of my blades returned to my hand, the feeling of unity returning into my flesh.

I stood my ground.

"Unbelievable. I continue to push you back, to break you down. Yet you find ways to reach higher than ever before", Ichibe walked towards me, his smile fading away, "I have grown weary of your continuous fighting and antagonistic behavior. It is no longer amusing to me. The conflict needs to end"

There was a dark look in his eyes. There seemed to no longer be any amusement nor anger. It was as empty as space itself. Though it wasn't as black as space, nor as red as his normal eyes. It was purely white, reflecting my face on there.

A rough black line was traced in the air, his paintbrush finally using its ink. The reiatsu in the air started to feel heavy once again. The crushing feeling invaded my mind.

"Paint it black, Ichimonji"

Glancing back at the tip of his paintbrush, I could see that the bristles were drenched in black ink. The- wait. Hang on. Was the tip a brush or a blade? I couldn't tell.

There was no time to think about it though. Ichibe thrusted his weapon as soon as he flash stepped directly towards me.

His movements were precise, much more lethal than before. He landed cuts that he couldn't do before. His strength outclassed mine, as every block I attempted was instantly knocked away at once.

Though I tried. I pushed myself to my absolute limit. I used all the powers that have been given to me. I forced myself to keep fighting on, keeping my mind on the goal I set for myself. To save everyone and defeat Ichibe Hyosube.

My eyes narrowed. I cleared my mind from all distractions. I focused my attention on the one person that I deemed my enemy. All unnecessary sounds were wiped out as my senses completely focused on him.

The black zanpakutos clashed against his paintbrush continuously as I adapted to my current circumstance. Black sparks of reiatsu exploded with each hit. Ink sloshed around in the air, drenching my clothes and my blades. Each swing drained only a little of my stamina.

I met his brush once again, my right zanpakuto, wrapping it around in my Spiritual Pressure and trapping it in place. With my other sword, I pierced straight through Ichibe's shoulder. A jet of blood spurted out from within the wound, drenching me along with the blade I stabbed him with.

Blood, sweat, and ink covered my whole body as I held Ichibe by the blade. I could tell he was trying to, but the spiritual energy I surrounded his blade with solidified into chains.

The spiritual pressure rose up from within me again, I could feel it overwhelming my senses as I stabbed the second blade into the same arm, piercing his hand this time. There was a boiling point from within me. The kettle in my mind was whistling as it reached the final point.

With one mighty shout, that pressure was fired all at once.

"GETSUGA...ENKOJOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

A huge explosion of spiritual energy erupted from the space within us as my attack exploded. Black and red threw both of us back farther than I anticipated. My own Getsuga scorched the front of my Shihakusho, some of it burning into my skin.

Looking up, I finally saw the damage I did to Ichibe himself. As the smoke cleared, I could see the fountain of blood that seemed to run down his left arm. Well, what I thought was his left arm, considering I'd severed it completely.

His torn captain's coat fluttered with the wind, stained by his own blood. The paintbrush had switched to his right hand. The bald monk took heavy breaths as he stared at me with a loathsome look.

A moment of silence fell between us.

I was losing stamina, and surely Ichibe was as well, considering what I had done to him. Blood continued to rain down from his severed area. I was struggling to stay up from the fatigue I was experiencing. During the battle, I exerted myself too much. The only reason I was still standing was because of both my willpower and my zanpakuto technique.

Ichibe raised his brush hand and pointed it to me. This time, I was prepared for another fatal attack from him.

Yellow energy crackled from the tip of his brush, gathering the spiritual energy around him.

"Raikoho"

Stepping forward. I formed an X shape with my zanpakuto.

"Meigoku no Kusari!" (Chains of Hell)

A wall made up from my zanpakuto's chains rose up in front of me, blocking the attack. It was a simple attack. It wasn't as powerful as before, right?

And that was when I was in the wrong.

Ichibe stood behind me once again, eyes white with vividness. It only took me a couple of seconds before noticing what had happened to me.

My whole body had been painted completely black, my mask shattered instantly.

"Hyapporankan"

Dozens of golden sticks appeared in a cylindrical shape, firing towards me like a bullet. Each one pierced a different body part, sending me flying backwards.

____________________________________________________________

I couldn't tell how long it took until I arrived. If I was being real, I blacked out from the fatigue. The pain, the loss of energy, and overexerting myself had led to this. It wasn't until I crashed into a wall that I finally was awoken from my slumber.

Blood dripped down the many holes that were placed in my body from the Hado spell. It drenched my body, along with the black that was already painted. Moreover, there was a problem.

I couldn't get up.

My vision was blurry, so I couldn't see much. The only sight there was to see was a huge, rounded shadow who stood menacingly in front of me, holding a giant paintbrush. My head hurt like hell as it throbbed painfully.

"We're back in the Soul Palace. Recognise the setting, Kazui Kurosaki? Hmm, actually, there doesn't seem to be any Kazui here. He has been erased completely, buried in black"

With his giant right arm, he grabbed me by the hair and dragged me toward wherever he wanted to take me. Ichibe threw me across the room. I rolled over the clean marble ground helplessly, paralysed completely.

I couldn't speak if I even wanted to. My mouth was unable to speak at all. Even if I opened my mouth, I could only feel pain.

Ichibe grabbed me by the hair again, forcing me to look up to a glowing sight.

There seemed to be a blue crystal in the middle of the room. Sometimes it flashed red, or even black. Inside the crystal was a humanoid figure, chopped up into pieces. A blood red vein throbbed on the clear skin of that figure.

"You see what this is? This is the Soul King, the very being that I'm trying to protect, in order for the three worlds to stabalise. The very being that you keep preventing for recovery"

He dropped my head down and walked in front of me.

"How disappointing. As both a Soul Reaper and a human being, both you have disgraced in name and form. Though your humiliation will continue no longer, as your life along with your identity will end now"

I can't move. I can't speak. There was nothing I could do but stare at the view below me. The beautiful view of the rest of the Soul Palace and its separate islands. The blue sky that was still bright and full of life continued to thrive. The sun still shone above us.

Was this the end? Was I about to really be defeated right here? Even though I had gone through hell and back for power to protect and save everybody?

What did I do wrong? Was I not strong enough? Why did I lose?

All these thoughts raced around my head, sadness overcoming my whole being.

Damn it. Damn it. DAMN IT.

Closing my eyes, I felt myself being buried by the darkness. This overwhelming void that draws in anything and everything it touched. Once you stared at that darkness, that black; it was all over.

"Get up Kazui! You can do this!"

My eyes opened at once. That voice. I recognized it. The gentleness and motherly love flowed straight into my heart once I heard that voice.

Gazing to the view down below, there was a walkway in the sky. One that held a group of people that were all shouting towards me. My eyes were drawn to a specific person, someone with a blue star shaped hairclip on her auburn hair. The person who brought me life.

Orihime Kurosaki, my mother.

"YOU CAN DO THIS KAZUI! I BELIEVE IN YOU!"

Ichigo Kurosaki, my father.

"Get up, Kazui! You don't want to lose now, do you?!"

Kaito Hisagi, my friend.

"OI! Whaddya doin' with your ass on the floor! Get up and fight, Kazui!"

Shinji Hirako, the Squad 5 captain and my temporary mentor.

"Let's go Kazui! You can do this!"

Rukia Kuchiki, Squad 13 captain and an auntie figure.

Despite all the words of encouragement, there was a specific voice that caught my ear. One that finally brought me back up from my weakened state. The voice from one of the people that I care for the most.

"GET BACK UP, KAZUI! GET UP AND KICK HIS ASS!"

Ichika Abarai, my...

A burst of spiritual pressure spiraled from within me, escaping from my body. The black and red energy exploded outwards. It enveloped my body until it sunk back all at once, dragging the black ink into my shihakusho. It was absorbed completely.

Ichibe stared at me while I stood up, picking up my twin zanpakuto off the floor.

"Sorry if I disappointed you, Ichibe Hyosube. The thing is, Kazui Kurosaki does indeed exist. His birthday is April 29. He lives in Karakura Town and attends the high school there. He has orange hair. He's a proud Substitute Soul Reaper. But most of all, he is the son of Ichigo Kurosaki and Orihime Kurosaki. You know why I know this?"

Planting my swords on the ground, the surroundings stirred against my feet.

"Because I am him"

Spiritual energy of all kinds gathered around me as the energy stacked up higher and higher, my reiatsu increasing with each minute. I disabled my Sakaitensō and let my hands rest on top of the two zanpakuto. I took one deep breath.

Kazui, with the return of your memories, you've finally recovered the hidden powers you've possessed. Powers that rival even the strongest in the Seireitei and the whole Soul Society.

We have granted you something since the day you poured your soul into us, something that has been connected to you for the last decade. Do you know what it's called, Kazui?

It's called...
It's called...

"Bankai"

Chapter Text

Kazui's POV:

"...Bankai..."

The surface of the palace rumbled violently, shaking so much as to blur even my own vision. Marble cracked on the ground and rocks fell from above. The gathering of spiritual energy swirled around my blades, seeping into the very souls that resided in them.

The chains that wrapped around my arms slowly unraveled, falling to the floor with a single movement. The metal sprung upwards and let out a howling screech before shattering in an instant.

Shards of chains remained suspended in the air. My energy which had been gathered into my zanpakutos infused themselves within them. Once again, they extended forth, though this time in all directions. It surrounded this area in an instant, the rattling of chains finally being heard.

Rattle

Rattle

Rattle

Chains sealed all light from ever entering this secluded space. Darkness clouded our own bodies, weapons, and surroundings. My shihakusho crawled up my skin, covering any exposed body part except my eyes. Two eye sockets of blue fire lit up behind me and exhaled even more spiritual energy from within its mouth, revealing the face of a dragon. The only real colour in this dim place was my orange hair, blazing weakly in the blue light.

"Bankai... Ryuketsu Jigoku no Kojo" (Void of the Dragon, Hell's Forge)

Within the shadows, Ichibe's blank red eyes widened in surprise. The monk's remaining hand tightening on his paintbrush.

"What the...hell is that Bankai?"

I smiled towards the sound of his voice, turning my head towards him.

"If I'm being honest, I don't know much about this at all. With the chains that I've been granted though, it is not similar to Lieutenant Hisagi's Shikai nor Bankai. It does not have the power to seal up wounds with its chains and does not balance both opponent's reiatsu. In time, both of us will know of the power that my Bankai will bring forth"

I stood up from where I was kneeling, my limbs feeling renewed and restored. Inside my heart there was a strange feeling; almost as if it was a clock ticking. My body only had a small timeframe to operate normally. Bankai enabled the muscles to move normally for the few minutes that this ability remains turned on, and right now I don't have a complete mastery over it. For all I knew, the Bankai could crumble right now.

I couldn't take the risk.

There was no support holding my twin zanpakuto whatsoever. The chains were now hanging freely, surrounding the whole area with its darkness. My own strength and power were the only things that helped me hold my own blades.

We both circled around each other with our hands wrapped around our own weapons. My eyes were locked onto his wide ones. His gaze was piercing but calculating at the same time. If I were in his shoes, then the thought that would be running through his mind would be-

I can't attack him without knowing his abilities, thought a gruff voice.

My mind woke up from a trance, though it seems that we were still in the same position as we were before. My eyes widened slightly, though they narrowed once I knew what was going on.

The chains surrounding us slithered onto Ichibe. The slightest contact with the metal synchronised my mind with his thoughts, letting me read his moves. It also seemed to connect with his soul, as the spiritual energy he contained trickled slightly, escaping his own body. Before I could lock on to the feeling, Ichibe cut off the chains that latched onto him.

I smiled. That was one ability found within this state.

"What's wrong, Ichibe Hyosube? Cat got your tongue?", I asked with a taunting undertone, "You afraid to fight me now that I've attained a Shinigami's greatest technique?"

That large, toothed smile returned to his face at once. He let out a loud laugh that echoed through the whole arena. After that, his gaze then bore towards me.

"I can't believe that with a little encouragement, you're still able to keep fighting. You even attained Bankai in a couple of minutes. I'm impressed. Really impressed. Though that will not be enough"

"What do you mean by that?"

Ichibe tilted his paintbrush towards me, directing the exact point to my chest from a distance.

"My power is Black. As I've shown you before, anything that comes into contact with my ink loses its name, and thus its power. All the black in the world, from Soul Reapers, Hollows, Arrancars, Humans, Quincies. Even across the three worlds. All of the black is my power"

We stopped at a certain point. Our feet were planted on the ground as we readied our weapons.

"Your point?"

The sound of liquid dripping onto the ground echoed.

"This whole space you've created is full of black, Kazui Kurosaki. This whole space is my power"

The rattling chains intensified, drawing closer to my body and wrapping itself around me.

"Is that so? Then I guess we'll see if your 'Black' will do anything to me in the end", I countered confidently.

Finally, both of us charged towards each other with the intent of taking down the other permanently.

Sparks of light flew up into the air with every strike. Paint sloshed around against my sword slashes as I kept parrying and attacking. There was no rest nor time to tire even for a second. There was no escape from this void of darkness until one of the two opponents were defeated. There could only be one winner.

I screamed as loud as I could while fending him off with my entire strength. Countless slashing attacks all around him were only blocked by the giant paintbrush he held in his right hand. The ink splattered against my face, though dissolved from the overwhelming spiritual pressure emanating from me.

Sweat poured down my face as the fatigue started to creep up my spine. Through the black Fullbring around my face, I was breathing heavily. My sight was starting to become blurry with each second that passed by. The weight of my power started to get to me. It almost became too much for me to stand up.

I can't afford to get tired. I need to end this as quickly as possible.

Launching a Getsuga Tenshou, I swiftly dashed passed the bald monk. I used this opportunity to summon the chains that silenced the sunlight and brought it down onto him. As my previous attack hit, I maximised the damage by trapping him in the explosion.

"NOT ENOUGH, KAZUI KUROSAKI!"

A burst of spiritual energy exploded from within the cage of chains, shattering the whole trap. The large figure spat blood to the ground and grinned towards me. Ichibe clashed against me in the blink of an eye, not giving me a chance to recover.

"It seems you've gotten weaker ever since you activated Bankai. You are far too inexperienced to be able to use such a high level-", before he could finish, I slashed him down his back.

Blood sprayed out of the cut behind him. He collapsed to his knees, using his paintbrush to support him.

With a heaving breath, I placed myself in a battle-ready stance once again, "You talk too much, Ichibe"

Raising my blades, I directed them to the direction of the monk. Several chains dropped from the ceiling, lowering down to Ichibe's kneeling body. He tried to swat and cut off the chains, but the more he sliced, the more these chains sprouted even more.

"You good there, baldy? What happened to your so-called Black that can apparently be controlled by you?"

His red eyes looked toward me in anger, gritting his teeth while slowly rising to his feet.

"Impossible. Just like before, the ink should have erased your powers completely. So why are you still standing here before me...ALIVE?"

Ichibe shook off the chains that tried to wrap around his legs. His reiatsu causing the metal to shatter into pieces smaller than an atom. His paintbrush waved off the remaining ones while he walked towards me.

"If you were to know of my powers, then you'll know why I'm able to currently defeat you. Back then, way back before this, I had become a Shinigami. One that was capable of disperse and absorb the remaining reiatsu from Quincy King Yhwach. That was my original power, before being able to completely use a zanpakuto. To be able to use powers from others, to use it to my advantage", I explained, swinging my two blades from side to side.

"W-What?", his eyes widened.

I walked closer, each step causing the chains around Ichibe's body to disperse as its king drew near. The echoing of footsteps reverberated through the air and bounced off of the chained walls.

"You see, your black isn't yours anymore. This whole state of Bankai; the darkness that enveloped the both of us. Its darkness was never yours to begin with. It was mine since the beginning of this. Your reiatsu has also been drained as well. That's why it doesn't work anymore"

A shadow clouded Ichibe's eyes as I stood in front of him. The serious look he had before returned, anger burying itself back into his face. We stood face to face at a close distance. Even if it were a single moment of rest, I knew that Ichibe wouldn't stand down yet.

The instant that my eyes diverted its attention to him, his body disappeared, only to be sensed from behind me. The shadow that was his paintbrush seemed to slam against my head. A piercing rattle rippled from outside my body.

I didn't move an inch as numerous strikes followed after that single one. The rattling only increased with every hit. Chains appeared around my body one after another as Ichibe's blur of a weapon delivered constant flurries of attacks.

And that's when I had enough.

Raising my arm, I stopped the final attack that came my way.

"Its useless. Don't bother putting in your effort in something that you know you can't win against", I mutter, turning to Ichibe.

There was a moment of silence between us once again, only to be interrupted as I used the absorbed spiritual pressure to my advantage. I released a sudden shockwave of energy, enough to blow the monk backwards. My zanpakuto melted in my hands as they themselves turned to the same chains that built this domain.

They were rather large in size compared to the others. Within the chains, light blue fire burned brightly as it snaked all the way towards Ichibe. It wrapped itself around the weakened enemy, tightly squeezing his body.

The synchronising began at once. The uniting of our souls allowed me to delve deep within his heart and soul. The feeling was as cold as steel, but as painful as flames licking your skin. It was then that I was able to see through the true face of Ichibe Hyosube.

My eyes widened at once as visions upon visions flooded my mind.

Death. Death was all I could see through his eyes. He paved a way to a better world, but at the cost of many lives.

He was there when the Soul King was cut to pieces. He oversaw the nobles families witnessing the incident. The Shihoin and Shiba families turned away at the sight, removing this from their eyes to shield themselves from the cruelty.

One arm was chopped off. Then another. Two legs were sliced off at once. His hands had sunk through the Soul Palace itself, disappearing before the witnesses could retrieve them. The heart had been shot forward and sent out of his body along with his soul chain. The process done upon Adneyus had been completed.

Flashing forward, I saw the deceit of the monk towards the Quincies. He disregarded their role in this world, not sympathising with them or granting them a place where they could reside in peace. The talk with Yhwach had finally sealed his choice, sentencing the Quincy King to experience death, but not by his hand.

I watched as the monk himself had witnessed the countless lives being involved in a fight nobody wanted. Soul Reapers and Quincies alike had been slain in battle, all due to Ichibe not restoring peace himself.

Ichibe had seen everything and planned everything, all of it to go according to his plan. His belief that it will restore the balance of the three worlds.

My mind separated itself from the mind of Ichibe at once. Flames gathered around my two ginormous chains as they melted back into my twin zanpakuto. My head throbbed with how much information had been injected into me. It hurts so much, but my priorities were right here, right now.

It was time for the final stage of my Bankai.

Meanwhile, Ichibe stood up from the chains he had shattered with his own sheer strength. A pool of blood was trickling from underneath him, leaking into all directions. His eyes were trained on me, anger flooding his pupils.

I only gazed back at him with a calm expression. It would only be a few seconds until it was over. If I were to explain why that would be, it would have to be explained to the person who was in charge of all of this.

"Ichibe Hyosube. Former member of Division Zero, one of the Royal Palace Guards. With millions of years full of foul deceit, committing crimes that have led many Soul Reapers and even Quincies to their deaths for thousands of years. With an attempted murder against Byakuya Kuchiki and Renji Abarai. With the intent of killing and using my father as the linchpin to connect the three worlds, you are sentenced to a punishment worse than death"

"What do you mean...WHAT DO YOU MEAN?"

Just as he was about to flash step towards me, I stabbed his chest with both of my blades. My weapons were drawn to the two points of every being's body: the Soul Chain and the Soul Sleep. As they were both shattered, my own chains had been connected to the points, dragging the monk's body to his knees.

"You know full well what I mean. Your decisions led to countless deaths over the years. Why else would it be that you'd be suffering a fate like this?", I simply asked, staring down at his kneeling body.

Ichibe tried to pull himself upward, pulling on the chains to set him free. He let out a loud cry as his flesh had been torn in an attempt to.

"And what would happen to me? What would happen to a being that has lived long before the original Soul King, before death had been a concept?", he glared at me as he pulled down on my shihakusho, tearing some of the fabric.

I stepped backwards, watching him as he struggled to break free from the chains that bound him to the floor.

"I have found that my Bankai does more than just block attacks or drain power from others. It also doesn't just look through the pasts of people it comes in contact with, though that has played a part in this final process"

Turning around, I diverted my eyes away from Ichibe.

"My Bankai's ability allows me to become judge, jury, and executioner to decide in the fate of the one that I trap inside this place. This void acts as a space where I can examine your very being through the use of my chains. In fact, these chains are connected and similar to the ones placed on a Sinner from Hell. And the ones that I deem evil, without any questions asked..."

I pointed towards the monk with my zanpakuto. Dark energy shot through from within the blade and entered his chest. An explosion erupted from within his body, chains gathering around him and enveloping his flesh.

"I send them to Hell itself, a place rightful for those who harbor evil within their hearts"

CRACK!

A long fissure cracked open from underneath his feet. The roaring of flames rose up from the crack on the ground, burning Ichibe slightly. Whispers and screams of pain escaped from within and called his name. The light had brightened up the whole space, turning the spotlight to Ichibe himself.

"I refuse! I REFUSE TO ABIDE BY THE POWERS OF A MERE SOUL REAPER AS YOURSELF! You think that this will be enough to keep me away?! THINK NOT!"

With a single motion, his weapon was thrown towards my face. The paintbrush drawing closer, quickly reaching my face.

I could barely move. My body was exhausted to the point where my sheer will was the only thing capable of making me move. I slowly raised my hand forward, my blade positioned to guard against the surprise attack.

It was knocked to the side, but not enough so that it could avoid me. I still gained the impact as it sliced through my shoulder.

Falling to my knees, I watched as the chains dragged the monk downwards into the fractured ground. It was agonisingly long to the point where I couldn't bear to look anymore. The screams and suffering only increased as I turned around, limping as I walked with my zanpakuto as my walking stick.

"WHERE ARE YOU GOING? COME BACK HERE, KAZUI! I'LL DESTROY YOU...I WILL..."

At the same time, my Bankai was crumbling into nothingness. The chains started to fall apart, and light entered through the exposed gaps that it left. My shihakusho fell apart and restored to its original form. All that spiritual energy disappeared in an instant; my knees were shaking from the loss.

I only turned slightly, muttering to Ichibe but mostly to myself.

"Ichibe Hyosube. If you had gone full out from the start. If you had eliminated me from the very beginning, you would have already won. You underestimated me, even when I had showed my greatest power. It was only my will and determination that got me here to this point. I want you to remember that, and reflect on what I have said"

His voice was drowned out as I walked further and further away from him. I couldn't tell if he was gone yet, but either way my body couldn't handle it anymore. It gave away once I couldn't hear him anymore.

My knees buckled at once. I fell down on both knees as I propped myself up on both zanpakutos.

Just a little longer. Just hold out a little longer, please...

That thought rang in my ear as I just held myself there for who knows how long. My pain became almost too much for me as I tried to stay as conscious as possible. My head, legs, arms, and everything was burning white-hot. But I needed to stay awake...

And that determination paid off.

I heard footsteps coming from the front, approaching closer to me. A shadow towered over me, one with bright red hair tied back in a ponytail. Two hands were placed on either side of my shoulders as violet eyes gazed towards mine. The colour was beautiful, so, so beautiful that I couldn't stop staring at them.

I suddenly felt myself fall on my back, only to be met by something soft on my head.

Turns out I was laying on her lap.

That gentle feeling was snug around my head as I settled back, relaxing myself. I looked up to the girl that gave me the comfort I needed.

Ichika Abarai, the one girl who brought a new type of feeling in my heart. One that made me warm and fuzzy inside just by seeing her. And looking at Ichika now, I'm just glad I fought for everyone's sake.

"You're okay now, Kazui. You're safe now. Just rest, and we'll take over the rest", she whispered in my ear, her voice tickling the inside of my head.

"Yeah...thanks...I'll leave it...to you..."

Before I knew it, my eyes had closed. The warmth from her lap along with my original tiredness had shut my system down completely. Though despite this, I was relaxed, relieved, and grateful.

I was alive...

Ichika was with me...

And finally...

I won

Chapter Text

The spiritual pressure disappeared at once. No more overflowing power was emitted from that citadel anymore. The winds were calm, and the shaking had finally stopped.

Silence showered the whole Royal Palace, giving the whole squad a moment of relief and peace.

"So...Ichigo Kurosaki... Are you happy now that the person who gave you more power has finally been dragged down to the depths of Hell?"

'Turning around, Ichigo jumped at the sight of who questioned him. He almost gripped his tall Zangetsu and thought about launching a Getsuga Tenshou at him. Sighing in relief, he took a couple of deep breaths.

The prisoner continued to stare at him questionably.

"Aizen, when the hell did you get here?", Ichigo casually asks while rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"I have always been here. It appears you had unintentionally ignored me back then due to your focus being on your son surviving the fight", Aizen simply replied.

The two then stared at each other; the calm silence now becoming uncomfortable.

"And what is the reason that you're here, huh?"

"For an important reason that is far better than your role here"

Ichigo gritted his teeth, "What do ya mean by that?"

Aizen smiled slightly, "Exactly what I said"

Just before things could get heated, a kind voice pierced through the tension.

"Now, now! There's no time for an argument, is there, Ichigo? We need to hurry up and see our son before anything happens", Orihime interjected with a soft tone, "Let's go! Let's go!"

As Ichigo was about to follow Orihime on her orange Shun Shun Rikka platform, he turned around and looked at Aizen. The usual sharpness in his eyes softened as his gaze turned to the one-eyed prisoner.

"If I'm being honest...Aizen...I'm happy. Because I know that my son made it out safe and defeated his enemy. That is far more important than anything else on my mind"

The strawberry jogged over to his wife. The platform levitated into the air, ascending to the crumbled Royal Citadel above.

This left the members of the strike squad down at the battle-torn walkway.

The Head Captain strode over to the side of Aizen once again, his pink kimono fluttering along with his movements. Shunsui held his straw hat with his hand as he stared up to the ascending Substitute Soul Reaper and his partner for life.

In the back of the two of them, Rukia held the sleeping body of Renji in her arms while her brother Byakuya kneeled next to them.

The red-haired Soul Reaper had his eyes closed, though relaxed now that the power of Ichibe had disappeared. Dry blood stained his skin and torn shihakusho. Shallow breaths were exhaled and inhaled from his mouth with each second that passed. Renji's injuries were still severe, but with the help of the Kido experts that were currently there, they were able to patch him up just enough.

Tears fell from Rukia's eyes as she hugged her husband close to her chest. Almost too tightly.

There was a bit of muffling coming from Rukia's chest before she pulled him away in surprise. A suffocated Renji awoke from within her arms.

"Renji?!"

"I-Idiot! As much as I want to be buried in your chest, I almost died from suffocation!", Renji gasped for air before glancing to the right of his wife, seeing Byakuya staring down at him with a stoic expression, "Uh...sorry for saying that Captain Kuchiki..."

The Squad 6 captain lifted himself from off the ground and brushed himself off. Byakuya turned his face away from the couple.

"Do not apologise, Renji. After all, she is your wife. The only thing that matters is that you're safe now"

Renji could've sworn that he saw his captain let out a long sigh of relief before walking away and joining the Head Captain.

Rukia was still bawling her eyes out while strangling the injured Soul Reaper. It took a while for her to calm down, but they finally had a chance to talk in what seemed like forever. The two of them were kneeling down as they spoke.

"Ichika went up and fought Ichibe, huh? Can't imagine that to be an easy task at all...", Renji quietly spoke as he held her hands.

"Yeah. I didn't agree with it at first, though I knew if we didn't do something about it, then the situation would only go on to become worse. And despite knowing that she might get some injuries...", Rukia's lip started to quiver as she stared down on the ground, "Renji...please forgive me"

Her husband tilted her chin up, smiling softly at her. There was no disappointment nor anger in his eyes whatsoever. His expression is one of support, and one that doesn't turn away the person that he loves.

"Don't be sad, Rukia. That's not the look of a proud captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. Keep your chin up and move forward. You don't need to ask for my forgiveness because there's nothing to be sorry for"

While the pair of Shinigami continued to speak quietly, Aizen continued to listen to the conversations around him. His eyes looked to the distance, face unchanged. The prisoner could only hear the positive discussions coming from each of the Soul Reapers. Shunsui notices this and smiles a bit at his stoic expression.

"Why the long face Aizen? Shouldn't you be happy that we've won the fight? Is it the overwhelming positivity around you? Or is it that you couldn't participate that much in the actual fight", Shunsui joked, glancing towards him.

Aizen tried to open his mouth to respond, then closed it back up at once. There was a long pause between the two of them before he responded.

"There is nothing to be concerned about when it comes to me, Head Captain Kyoraku. It is just me preparing my mind for the process ahead for my time as Soul Ki-"

"Is condemning yourself to a lifetime of loneliness really worth it to become Soul King?", the Head Captain interrupted abruptly, "To place yourself in that position means that you have to spend the rest of your lifetime sealed away from the world. Nothing you can do to rebel against that fate will help you escape from this choice. The weight of the three worlds can only be placed on one person, and that would be you. I may not change your mind, though I can ask this one question... Is this truly what you wish for, Aizen?"

The prisoner's one eye closed as he smiled at Shunsui's question. Walking forward across the walkway, he looked to his gloved hand. Aizen closed his hand as he opened his eye, looking up to the sky. Kyoraku could notice a somewhat readable emotion that he couldn't place his finger on. Maybe something that can be described as self-pity.

Aizen rarely pulls a face like that; not even revealing it to anyone at all. His life was based around power, manipulation, and deceit. But in these possible last moments, there was something different about him. Something that couldn't even be out in the open when he was first sealed.

"There is no way that I'll be alone in the Royal Palace. The Zero Division is sure to keep a watch on me while I have my stay, so there's no such thing as loneliness when it comes to a duty such as this one. But I thank you for your concern, if you even intended to share that with me, Kyoraku", his fake smile was plastered over his face once more, covering the last shred of true feelings he had left.

The Head Captain chuckled softly, fluttering his pink kimono in the wind. He walked over to the side of Aizen as they approached the edge.

"Of course I intend to give you my concern. After all, you never know if you're going to be placed in a crystal for the rest of your life or not. And also because we don't know when the worlds will collapse. It could happen right now for all we know! Now, let's get up there to our actual destination, shall we?"

"Yes indeed"

Up in the Royal Citadel:

Ichika's hand was on Kazui's ruffled orange hair, running it through the thick strands. He was knocked out completely the moment his head rested on her soft lap. It would be almost adorable seeing Kazui like this, except for the fact that he was covered with major cuts and injuries.

Ichika gave him some first aid using what little knowledge of Kido she had and sealed up most of the major cuts. She'd have to leave it to either Captain Kotetsu or Ms. Orihime to heal him completely later.

Though she didn't mind at all. The only thing that mattered is that he was safe. Safe within her hands and still alive. The worry that once filled her was now gone as she saw him still breathing, still...himself.

"Thank you Kazui...for coming back for me; for everybody", Ichika whispered softly, tilting her head down, "For saving everyone...I can't thank you enough"

Her cheeks were flushed as red as her hair as she hovered over Kazui's head. Ichika's red hair formed a curtain over him. She could feel his breath brushing against her cheeks, blowing her hair as he exhaled. His face looked peaceful as if he slept away on her lap.

Ichika was hesitant at first, contemplating whether this was a good idea or not. She swallowed the lump in her throat as she thought if it was alright to do it. Though slowly, she built up the courage and went straight for it.

And by a miscalculation, she heavily missed the mark.

She planted her lips on his forehead, giving him a soft kiss before pulling away. Steam was rising from her head as she moved her head back away from his face.

Damn it...I was supposed to aim for the lips! This position makes it so hard! Thought Ichika with frustration.

Her face was still red even after a couple of minutes. This was her first attempt of an attack on Kazui considering she'd been an innocent girl her whole life. Even though it took a lot out of her just to do this, she couldn't help but be somewhat sad that there isn't a likely chance for her to take a place in his life.

He was a human, and she was a Shinigami. There was no way that the two could form a relationship with the circumstances they'd been placed upon. And knowing the type of person Kazui is, Ichika knew that he'd be too blind to recognize her feelings.

She sighed to herself, staring up at the ceiling and closed her eyes as she tried to calm her nerves.

It didn't take Ichika that long to recover when she heard footsteps from behind her. Turning around, her eyes brightened at the sight of the two familiar faces.

"Orihime-san! Ichigo-san!"

Ichigo's face softened when he saw the red-headed girl.

"Ichika! Are you okay!?", he and Orihime both shouted as he ran over to her.

"Uh, yeah! I am"

When the strawberry came closer, he slowed down his pace as he approached Ichika. Looking down, Ichigo saw the person who seemed to have made himself comfortable in the young Abarai's lap. He smiled amusingly as he saw him snoozing away.

His wife arrived shortly after, most likely because she couldn't keep up with Ichigo's flash step.

"Ichigo! You're too fast! Run along with me next time!", she complained as she heaved multiple breaths.

"Sorry, sorry. Got a little ahead of myself Orihime"

She rushed over to Kazui's side at once. She kneeled next to him and ran a hand up his hair. Quickly examining the wounds over his body, Orihime's hand covered Kazui's wristwatch. Two small spirits came out of the star shape from within the glass of his watch and drifted into his mother's hairpins.

"Soten Kissun"

A two tipped oval shape appeared over Kazui's body instantly. The wounds that he'd sustained had finally been sealed up and disappeared, returning him to perfect condition.

It was less than thirty seconds when the healing began when the Shun Shun Rikka flew back into Orihime's hairpins. The two parents placed a hand around their son's, tightening their grip as they closed their eyes.

"Ichika...thank you for taking care of our son. We don't know what we'd do without you", Ichigo says silently as he opened his eyes to look at the red-haired girl.

She blushed at the appreciation, shaking her head, "N-No! It wasn't me who took care of him...in fact..."

She gazed down to the sleeping Kazui, her red cheeks only flushing darker.

"He's the one who took care of me..."

Ichigo and Orihime looked at each other for a couple of seconds before letting out a small chuckle.

"Well, you sure have it rough, Ichika. Can't expect anything else from that son of mine, with his dense head", Ichigo responded, ruffling his short orange hair with those words.

Ichika snapped her head up quickly, shaking her head again furiously.

"What! No, no, no! You've got that wrong!"

"No, seriously. Kazui has serious denseness when it comes to romance"

Orihime nodded happily, "Mhm! I wonder where he got that from, Ichigo~?"

There was silence between the couple.

"E-Eh? Orihime, you're saying that he got the denseness from me?!"

"Yep! There's no mistaking it. As they always say: Like father, like son. What do you think I felt back then", the mother responded with a never changing sweet tone.

"Wh-Wha...No way, can't be. There's no wa-"

"Well, you guys seem to have made yourselves comfortable in this, well, uncomfortable place"

Ichigo turned around to see the Head Captain himself, along with Aizen, Renji, Rukia, Hinamori, Shinji, the two Hisagi males, and Byakuya. His eyes blinked in surprise as he saw the usual group, plus the annoying person known as Sosuke Aizen to his eyes.

"Huh, Kyoraku? The fight's over, so what's the reason for all of you to come here?"

Shunsui smiled naturally as he strode towards the Kurosaki family and Ichika. Looking around, his smile instantly dropped as he finally felt the spiritual pressures of the people he was expecting.

"Ichigo, as you know, the Soul King is still in a critical state. This fight with Osho wasn't in vain, and we must thank your son for that. With that, our actual duty can finally be done. But the first thing we need to do is talk with the people with the actual knowledge of how the process of exchanging the Soul King can work"

Ichigo tilted his head in confusion, though his eyes widened as he realized who the Head Captain was talking about.

"I know that it was suspicious that they weren't around, but you mean..."

Shunsui tilted his straw hat downward.

"Yeah. We're going to have a nice chat with the only sane ones left in this palace. And what I mean is...

"We're going to have a nice, long chat with the rest of the Zero Division"

Chapter Text

Within the mere seconds after Shunsui's last words, the brightness that lit the damaged room had mysteriously dimmed. Darkness showered the whole place and blinded everyone there. No dangerous spiritual energy nor evil presence (beside Aizen of course) was detected. There was only pure silence that followed.

Blink!

Suddenly, a spotlight flickered in the middle of the space in front of Shunsui, Ichigo, Orihime, Ichika, and the sleeping Kazui. Nobody really knows where it came from, but the only people who weren't surprised was the strawberry and Renji.

Ichigo ran a hand down his face as colourful lights appeared and danced all around them. Renji's groan could be heard from the back of the Shinigami crowd. It could only be one person; a person that they both dreaded to meet.

A tanned man appeared, placing himself in a dramatic kneeling pose in the spotlight with his finger up. He wore a sleeveless white puffer jacket, bearing the symbol of the Royal Guard emblem on the back of it, over his black shihakusho. Gold framed sunglasses covered his eyes despite how dark it was. He had an earpiece in with a microphone directly in front of his mouth.

"YOOO! HELLO EVERYBODY MY BUDDIES"

He stands up with open arms as he embraced the audience in front of him.

"I AM THE NUMBER ONE ZANPAKUTO CREATOR! S-I-K-U-Y-O-R-O! SIKUYORO WHAZZUP!"

Everyone slightly covered their ears from the extreme feedback coming from his microphone. The guy's smile was wide open as he saw the Shinigami taking notice of his entrance.

Momo, Orihime, Shinji, and some of the other Soul Reapers were extremely bewildered at his appearance, their eyes wide open and jaws dropped.

"Ichigo, dear, who is this person?"

"Uhm...Captain, who is he supposed to be? It doesn't look like he's serious at all"

"Shush, Momo! He might hear us! There's no guarantee what'll happen if he hears us insult him"

In the meantime, Shunsui watched and chuckled in amusement from the performance whereas Aizen stared unamusingly at the man's childish behaviour.

Byakuya stood in the corner with his eyes closed, listening to the wild party.

The mysterious loud man blinked twice before shaking his head. He had a confused look on his face since most the crowd before him wasn't cheering or jumping like the crazy fans he was expecting. Holding his hand on his chin, he rubbed his fingers on his smooth skin in contemplation, thinking about what to do next.

His smile returned a few seconds later.

"Oh? Looks like some of ya haven't met me in person. In that case, I'll have to introduce myself to the human woman and the rest of the Shinigami!"

His laugh echoed through the whole room.

"Ju, Kyu, Hachi, Nana, Roku, Go mai! Shi mai, San mai! Nimaiya, O-ET-SU!", with each number that he rapped out, a finger fell from his open moving hand, "Squad Zero Third Officer, Holy General of the West, Blade God, and the baddest man in this whole place. Nice to meet you, my very kind guests"

The eyes behind Oetsu's sunglasses danced with glee with each word that spilled from his mouth.

"And if it isn't Go-Ichi himself on the stage with me. It sure is nostalgic seeing you here in the Royal Palace!", boomed Oetsu loudly.

Ichigo's face twitched slightly in both embarrassment and irritation. This whole interaction made him feel like he wanted to crawl down a hole and never be seen again. And yet here he was, standing in front of the man he should both grateful for and embarrassed at.

"Y...Yeah. It sure is nostalgic, isn't it?", Ichigo replied back, giving a sideways glance at Renji. The red pineapple just shrugged his shoulders and hid back.

"Well, Go-Ichi! Why don't we go to my Hoohden and spend some time with my honeys-!"

And just as he was about to say something else, a giant fist slammed onto his small head, slamming him onto the ground.

Another figure emerged out of nowhere, standing tall above the party. A purple-haired woman with a humungous figure stood before them with a slight frown on her face as she stared down at the dark-skinned Royal Guard member below her.

"Now, that isn't a good way to welcome our guests is it, Oetsu? Being too loud can do damage to the ears, don't you know?", she sighed, shaking her head.

It was the Grain King herself, Kirio Hikifune.

The Head Captain himself smiled in familiarity at the sight of the large woman. Shunsui walked forward to confront her.

"Hey, it's been a long time hasn't it, Hikifune? You been well?"

The woman's smile returned on her lips as she saw the charismatic captain.

"I guess you can say that. After all, you're here, aren't you?"

An awkward silence followed after her question. The two stood tall above the others, in the spotlight that once belonged to Oetsu, which he now abandoned and took place in a spot far away from the two people.

Tilting his hat down, he glances at her with a suspicious gaze, "And is that all there is to say about the current situation? Are you not going to ask the reason for the death- I mean, imprisonment of your very own leader, Ichibe Hyosube?"

Hikifune turns her head fully to Shunsui, she only responded in a sweet tone, "No questions needed to be asked at all! Frankly, we're grateful for your appearance in all of this, not that we weren't doubting your arrival"

"Is that so! So you weren't actually sided with him after all...", Shunsui's one eye widened with subtle surprise.

The Grain King only shook her head while smiling sadly, "Not at all. This whole incident seemed to drive poor Osho insane at the thought of the Soul King's death. Naturally, he was desperate to find a new host and pulled all the possible strings to ensure that his plans worked. Even if that meant the death of a dear and important figure like Ichigo"

The strawberry himself butted in, a concerned tone as he suddenly asked, "And what about you Hikifune-san? Why weren't you guys involved with this? This whole fight you've been out of sight and have never been seen"

"You may not know, but the power that Osho holds is on a whole different plane than ours. It is the power to cut names, erase names, and rename anything and everything using just the swish of a paintbrush", Hikifune simply replied.

"And what does that have to do with you guys?"

"If there was any sign of our interference or rebel against his plan, he would have no hesitation in completely erasing all the powers bestowed onto us by the Soul King. Our efforts would be futile either way, so we hid in hopes that you, the Thirteen Court Guard Squads, would help in stopping him, even if it meant a couple of losses", she paused for a couple of seconds before starting again, "And...at least as a whole squad, we thought that this plan would work..."

There was a twitch in Ichigo's eyes as he stared back at the giant Squad Zero member, a flicker of anger ignited as she explained.

"So you'd rather let people die for your safety instead of you trying to at least stop Ichibe from trying to kill me? You're letting blood be spilled so that you can live?", barked Ichigo angrily, hands slightly trembling, "If it weren't for my son, the outcome would've been much worse. If I were in your shoes, then I'd follow the right judgement, the good that I believe is in your heart, and fight back against him"

Hikifune looked down to the floor, disappointment clouding her expression. The whole mood of the room grew tense with each word that was spoken.

Shunsui raised a hand in front of the strawberry.

"Ichigo-kun. Can you please kindly stop talki-"

"Because if I had to live with the fact that people would have to suffer, then I know that my future self would never forgive me"

"Stop, Ichigo"

The Head Captain didn't turn his head around as he commanded the Substitute Soul Reaper to stand down. There was a dangerous edge to his tone; none of the playful, joking tone that he used most of the time. The honorifics weren't even placed in his name either, showing how serious Shunsui was. It was his authority that made Ichigo's anger draw back just a bit, but not enough for him to not keep going.

Turning to the Head Captain, Ichigo directed his own words to him.

"Kyoraku-san! Don't you feel angry that they didn't even try to protect us from Ichibe? They'd rather let us get killed than-!"

"Blah, blah, blah. Shut up. Stop interrupting and start thinking with your head, Ichigo," called a different voice.

The sound reverberated from above; a voice that was both gruff and sounded like they were pissed off half the time. Water in the form of a wide stream splashed from above, almost soaking the front row of the audience. A silhouette of a man holding an object with the shape of a paddle.

As the water evaporated into the air, his appearance came to light.

His hair was bizarre so to say. It was in an extremely long pompadour hairstyle, one that's far longer than Captain Iba's one. A long thin stick stuck out from his mouth, moving around as he spoke.

Ichigo's eyes widened in surprise, "Hot Spring Dude?"

"That's Hot Spring Demon, Tenjiro Kirinji, to you, Substitute", he spat, twitching the stick in between his teeth, "And like I said before, think with your head, and not with the stupidly large kitchen knife of a zanpakuto you have"

Ichigo gritted his teeth, "You got a problem with me saying that stuff?"

"Actually, I do, Ichigo. Cuz put yourself in our shoes and you'll see what it's really like"

He approached the strawberry, not afraid to push into his personal space as he stood in front of him. His pompadour hair stuck over Ichigo's orange hair as Tenjiro's face was a couple of inches from Ichigo's.

"It's a pain with us being the people that protects the Soul King, but it's also frightening when the most powerful being, that being our late Osho, starts crashing out over something like this instead of facing the decision calmly", Tenjiro started, "Threatening to seal away our powers, killing us if we got in his way; don'tcha think that would at least inject some fear into us?

"It also doesn't help that the whole point of our very existence is, as I said before, protecting the Soul King. Because even if Osho was insane, he had a point. Without a Soul King, then there would be no world to begin with. We'd all die anyway. So leaving it to Osho would be the only choice we could make, for both our duty and the safety of our lives.

"Would you be able to take the responsibility of taking a life in order to save the entire world, huh? Ichigo? Would you?"

Silence.

"Well, I definitely know that you won't, considering you're too soft to decide on something like that"

No sound left the strawberry as he tried to speak. His mouth was open, but no words could leave him. Ichigo couldn't think of anything to say. While Tenjiro had a point, there was the little voice in the back of his mind that wanted to rebel against his opinion.

He was unsure what to think of now, completely speechless.

Shunsui lay a hand on Ichigo's shoulder. The Substitute Soul Reaper glanced up at the Head Captain's reassuring expression.

"I know that you might feel anger, but in a world like this, sacrifices need to be made. The Zero Division did their best to take control of the situation, even if it meant surrendering to their leader. Thankfully, we came along and stopped this issue completely.

"The Thirteen Court Guard Squads also do their duties no matter what happens. Protecting the Seireitei, the Soul Society, The World of the Living from threats is something that we do. Squad Zero has the duty of protecting the Soul King. We both have our individual duties that we need to do, and whether it be sacrificing our lives or others for our cause, then so be it. And right now, we did our duty in bringing one of ours back, with thankfully nobody dead"

Shunsui paused before giving a soft smile to the orange-haired Soul Reaper.

"So, Ichigo, despite all this, everyone's safe and definitely not dead. It's all over and done with, so there's no point of arguing about it now, right?"

Ichigo sighed, shrugging off some of the anger he had within him. It still troubled him knowing how all of this started and the history of this situation, but then again, Shunsui had a point. As long as everyone was safe, especially his family, there would be no need to argue in the present.

He knew himself as a father that keeping his family safe was more important than anything else.

"I guess so, Kyoraku-san. Thanks for keeping me in check", he muttered, taking a deep breath before wrapping an arm around his wife. It calmed Ichigo down completely this time, his expression softening as he felt his wife lean into his arm.

The Head Captain tilted his hat in acknowledgement, facing forward once again.

A voice then followed from the supposed darkness. The last member of Squad Zero had finally arrived. Or maybe she had already been there in the beginning.

"And with that, the discussion of the past is over, and the discussion of the present now begins. The only question that I may ask, Head Captain Shunsui Sakuranosuke Jiro Kyoraku, is why a person as rotten as him is standing on the same ground as us?"

It was a chilling voice that slid inside everyone's eardrums. The soft, but threatening voice caressed the inside of their heads with each word. Even if the question was directed to Shunsui, it felt like everyone was accused of being held accountable.

A calm grin appeared on the Head Captain's face, "Way to make an entrance, Senjumaru Shutara. Always sneaking around and popping out like a needle piercing through cloth when we least expect it. Welcome to the conversation, Miss Great Weaver"

A set of cloth fluttered from what used to be a wall beside them. The sheets parted to reveal the Fourth Officer of the Zero Division, and the Holy Guardian of the North.

The slender woman had a strange set of clothing, consisting of some sort of golden ornament in the back of her head, a modified shihakusho, and several long skeletal arms sticking out from behind. Her youthful pale skin glowed in the darkness, her eyes staring directly to everyone.

Renji stood in the back was shook in fear. For what reason...well...everyone except Rukia wouldn't know.

"You didn't answer my question, Head Captain. Why is that villain known as Aizen Sosuke here?", Senjumaru replied in a soft, calm tone.

"I apologise, Shutara-dono", Shunsui chuckled back, "Well, I'm sure you already knew the reason, wouldn't you?"

Despite her face seemingly devoid of emotion, her eyes cold, as if trying to intimidate him.

"Of course I do, but when it comes to an important task, we want the person who arranged this to announce it to the present company. It also gives us a person to blame in case things go sideways. You would understand that, wouldn't you?", she asked mockingly.

"Fine, I guess if you want it that way, then I'll take whatever punishment that'll come my way if this doesn't work"

He paused a bit before continuing.

"Aizen here is going to be replacing the Soul King. From my standpoint, he's your only hope before the three worlds collapse. There are too many innocent candidates that definitely don't want to be sealed in a crystal or be stuck here for the rest of eternity for that manner. And of course, you wouldn't mind using what you guys call a villain to do that job instead of having the guilt of chopping down either a child, a father, or a broken man", he announced to the four Royal Guards.

The glasses that Oetsu wore dropped down slightly, revealing a bit of his eyes. Hikifune was speechless at his words. Tenjiro had his eyebrows raised but was still fiddling with the stick in his mouth.

"Well...it's the truth now I suppose", muttered Oetsu, "Didn't expect it to just go out like that"

Senjumaru had a smile on her face, "My, how interesting, Head Captain. Still, I should've expected the emergence of a candidate ever since the moment that Aizen had the Hogyoku inserted into himself, and especially since the victory during the Winter War.

"And I don't suppose that you'd think I wouldn't know that the extreme move that Ichigo did, according to Urahara and Isshin Kurosaki, had all of his powers mixed into it. So naturally one would understand that the Hollow, Shinigami, and Quincy powers that he had back then would be absorbed by Aizen Sosuke's Hogyoku when he received the damage. The Hogyoku, I also suspect, has already granted you the qualities of a Fullbringer once you knew that you were becoming the Soul King"

Beside Shunsui, Aizen smirked for the first time since they were in the room. The Head Captain bowed his head, stepping back to let the prisoner talk.

"How observant of you, Shutara Senjumaru. I wouldn't expect less as someone who used to reside in the 12th Division. That is almost as impressive as the feats that Captain Kurotsuchi has performed", responded Aizen calmly, smile still drawn on his lips.

Mayuri clicked his tongue in the background.

Senjumaru had a challenging flicker in her eyes as she smiled, a needle held in one of her spider-like metal arms. Her cold gaze was directed to the prisoner next to the Head Captain.

"Oh, I can do much better than the mad scientist that is currently among us. You wouldn't even know the extent of my achievements", she replied back with her silky voice, "And you wouldn't even know until my needle has been pierced through your heart..."

The second Aizen blinked, Senjumaru was up close and personal with him, the needle in his chest.

"...or maybe, inside that evil place you call a body, there would be no heart to pierce"

A gust of wind blew violently in the middle of the room. Even Byakuya, who was in the corner of the room, noticed the tremendous speed in which the weaver had travelled.

The needle had created a small drop of blood that stained his dark prison outfit. Aizen however, wasn't fazed at all with this. He looked down to the shorter Royal Guard and smiled back.

"Surely you won't kill me right here on the spot. You're smarter than this, aren't you?. After all, I am your only hope in restoring the three worlds", he simply stated, "And I'm sure nobody would want to lose this last opportunity now, would they?"

With a smile, she ran the needle down his chest, making sure to lightly puncture the skin, before withdrawing the pointed object. More blood darkened the black fabric that Aizen wore, creating a line down his chest.

"Of course I wouldn't kill you. Just making sure that the person who once took down the Thirteen Court Guard Squads is capable of bleeding", she answered, looking up towards him.

"If something can bleed, then it can be killed. Even an immortal such as yourself, with the blood I have drawn, can be taken down"

Her smile deepened.

"And if the worst-case scenario happens..."

Less than a second, with another blink, Senjumaru was on his left. The needle lightly traced his neck but not enough to cut him. She leaned close to his ear.

"...then I will do much worse than a simple scratch"

A swift motion followed, and Senjumaru walked back toward the rest of the Royal Guards. No words passed between the four members. There was pure and utter silence between them; only swift glances and eye contact were made.

It didn't take them long to come to their final agreement.

"The process to become Soul King for you doesn't require removing your limbs or sealing you in a crystal", Senjumaru started, "You have each of the races – Soul Reaper, Hollow, Quincy, and Fullbringer – which is fit for being candidate for the Soul King. Your reiatsu is enough to balance and restore the three worlds and stabilise the flow of souls"

"Thank goodness. It really would be a shame if I lost my limbs after being sealed for 20 whole years", he mused silently, but not low enough for all of them to hear.

"With that being said, we'll have to restrain you to a chair that I especially weaved myself so to keep too much of your power from being released"

A wave from her skeletal arms revealed the throne in where Aizen himself had to sit. It looked exactly like the same one as his chair in Muken.

The prisoner slowly walked towards the seat, running his hand across the surface. The roughness of the material, the dull colour, the metallic smell. This chair was replicated down to the last minute detail.

Smiling bitterly, he looked down to directly to the Great Weaver, who stood there wearing the same smug, teasing smile.

"How ironic this. Being released from my prison ready to complete my goal only for me to be brought back to the very same chair that sealed me", whispered Aizen, "Senjumaru, you sure know how to create a comfortable space"

Her teasing smile remained, "Of course. Only the best for my guests"

Footsteps echoed as Aizen faced his past enemies and allies. The blank, fake smile that he wore was still evident as he directed his attention toward them.

Ichigo, Orihime, Ichika, Rukia, Renji, Byakuya.

Shunsui, Shinji, Kurotsuchi, Hisagi, Kaito, Momo.

The people he had hurt and manipulated in the past, all standing before him to see the end, the true end, of his story.

Aizen's goal was complete. The crown of Soul King was finally within his grasp. There was no turning back now, and no regrets.

"This is goodbye, for all of you. It is unlikely that I'll be able to see you once again, not that any of you have ever desired to see me", Aizen announced as he gazed down to all the Shinigami, "If you have any last words, then you'll need to say it now, because this will be the last time you see me"

Murmurs were floating around the crowd, most of them unsure of what to say.

Momo had nothing else to express to her former captain. There were no more words that needed to be shared with Aizen. Turning away, she exited the building to wait for the rest of them outside.

Kurotsuchi couldn't be bothered to at all, and exited the building as well.

Hisagi's words have already been spoken to Aizen when he was sealed after the Quincy War, and his son didn't know the former enemy that well.

The Kuchiki family only needed to recover. There was no need to reflect on the past, but only to look towards the future.

As everybody else left, Ichigo, his wife, Ichika, and Kazui were left. Shunsui stood beside them, awaiting their sign of leave.

The strawberry approached Aizen, one last time before his departure.

"Aizen...there was never really any hate between us. Back then, I didn't even know who you were. You were only an enemy to the Soul Society to me, and a threat to the people who are my friends", Ichigo's head was tilted down, "All the conflicts were because of you, and yet the only reason for that was your loneliness. You realised it yourself, right?"

He didn't respond back. Aizen kept gazing at Ichigo silently, trying to read his face.

Sighing, Ichigo raised his head, and a positive expression spread across his face. It was one of kindness; one that really didn't have a shred of hatred for his enemy.

"I'll never be able to understand what the reason for wanting to be Soul King, and nor will I ever forgive you. But if this is what you want, then so be it. There will no longer be conflicts between us. The line between good and evil, the one that separates us, will no longer exist.

"There will always be both in this cruel world and there is nothing we can do to stop it. But the decision you just made will maybe, just maybe, show a sign that in those layers of deceit...", Ichigo turned back around, facing away from Aizen and towards his family.

"...that there might be someone who is truthful and good, whatever the reason for your position may be"

Waving one last time, Ichigo held his hand with Orihime's and brought the younger Abarai with him with a tap of her shoulder. Ichika, despite blushing furiously, wrapped Kazui's arm around her shoulder.

All that was left was the Head Captain himself.

"I'll be able to visit when I'm on official Royal business or whatever, just so you won't get lonely. So hang in there, Aizen", joked Shunsui as he turned his back on him, raising his hand in goodbye, "Have fun in the Royal Palace. This is the place you've dreamed for, so relax a bit, won't you?"

The wind blew against him as he left through the entrance, his pink kimono fluttering elegantly. Aizen stared at the whole group as they left him. Sighing, he glanced down at his unimpressive chair.

"Courage is what they have attained, after the battles and sufferings they have endured. The deaths they have witnessed, the fear they have experienced, and yet they move onward. They have conquered all, and found peace within themselves"

He moved to the front of his seat, planting himself onto the uncomfortable surface and leaned back against the rough backrest. Aizen rested his arms on the rests, relaxing his muscles and embracing his role.

The four Royal Guards gazed as the former prisoner had broken out of his title and immersed himself into the task that has been placed upon him. Smiling to himself, Aizen looked onward to the light that shone above him.

"I wonder...if courage will reach me...and peace shall finally be attained within my soul"

Kazui's eyes fluttered as he regained consciousness. The sun shone brightly into his eyes, temporarily blurring his vision. It was only then that he realised what was going on.

Everyone was walking together, talking happily as they made their way to what looked like a golden gate. There was a positive feeling in the air, a happiness like no other. Victory had reached all of them.

Ichika was by his side, with his arm around her shoulder and assisting him in walking. She glanced towards him and a surprised expression was painted over her.

"KAZUI! You're okay!", she cried happily as she wrapped both her arms around him.

His parents who were walking hand in hand looked at the two with a happy expression. Ichigo snickered as he saw the scene while Orihime giggled quietly.

He however, felt as though he was being strangled and suffocated.

"Of course I am. You helped with keeping me alive", Kazui answered back with a smile, lightly escaping her grasp.

He had finally done what he strived to do. Kazui grew stronger, fought to protect his friends, and united with his loved ones. He had finished this journey.

Ichika couldn't see it because of the bright sunlight, but Kazui was lightly blushing. Both from realising his feelings for her and also him making physical contact.

It didn't take long for them to pass through the gate. The group spoke some more, Kazui mainly asking questions about what had happened. And as the gate began to close, he couldn't help but look back at the scene behind him.

The many floating islands in the air, and the tall building that loomed over them. And looking closely at that, Kazui would see something in the distance. Something he either hadn't noticed at all or placed after his fight.

He saw a lone man in the sky, royally sitting on his throne. Many questions bounced around his head as he saw him. Though all of those disappeared at once, as the gates had finally closed.

Chapter Text

May 5, Monday. A few days after the Soul King incident

Kazui's POV:

The beautiful rays of sunlight seeped inside through the open window of my room. A soft breeze blew through and grazed my skin. The sound of an alarm clock rang against my ears.

As I slowly arose from my sleep, I couldn't help but stretch and yawn while I sat up. I scratched my eyes at once, standing up fully and walking to my wardrobe. It was time to go to school.

It had been around maybe a week since the fight at the Soul Palace. I had recovered fully from my injuries thanks to my mom. The members of the Gotei 13 had let me spend a few days at Division 4, where I was once again. Kinda funny how even though I wasn't training, I somehow ended up again in the care of their kind people.

I said my goodbyes to my mentors. Shinji, Yoruichi, Kensei, Kenpachi, and Shunsui all met me at the Senkaimon leading to the World of the Living. Along with that, Kaito met me at the front as well, saying both a goodbye and a thanks to me as I left.

The serious expression on his face had finally left, replaced with his calm innocent expression. It was a relief, seeing my friend finally in peace.

With one final wave, I went through to the Senkaimon and disappeared from their sights, ready to once again start my school life

The days so far were peaceful. Maybe the occasional Hollow or two popping around the corner, a surprise pop quiz, and being jumped by my Hajime Asano as a way of greeting. Other than that, it was fine.

I swiftly placed my uniform; going in the order of pants, shirt, jacket, and socks. With the time I had left, I packed all my notebooks into my bag. I walked to the bathroom, grabbing my toothbrush, applied my toothpaste, and brushed away.

Luckily this time, I wasn't late for for school. I didn't have to rush and I could also take my time.

Heading downstairs into the living room, I placed my bag down on the couch and walked to the dining table.

"Morning, Kazui", greeted my dad from behind me.

With a smile, he ruffled my hair and sat down on the table. I was about to sit next to him, but there was someone I had to find first.

I looked to the kitchen, where two women were currently working on making breakfast. One of them had orange hair while the other had red hair, which was tied into a ponytail. Seemed like my mom was teaching her to cook.

The sound of sizzling, the knife on the chopping board, and the delicious smell coming from the kitchen. It was different to the ones that I've heard before.

Sounds like they were making a Western breakfast.

As soon as she heard my footsteps from where I was, she turned around, her red hair twirling gracefully in the process.

And there she was, in all her beauty.

Her beautiful violet eyes gazed into my brown ones. Her cute face, her lips breaking into a smile at the sight of me. The apron around her school uniform and the wooden spoon held in her hand.

"Good morning, Kazui!", called out Ichika as she waved with her spoon with a bright expression.

Everything about her was beautiful. No matter how she looked, what she did, what she wore. It seemed like the environment bent to her beauty in my eyes. Nothing couldn't even stop me from looking away from her. I didn't even know why that was, why I saw her like this.

Actually, no. I know why.

It's a simple reason. A reason that I couldn't see before because I was too blind. Blind to the only person to me.

Smiling, I walked toward her, my feet automatically taking me to the kitchen. I raised my hand and opened my mouth. My heart was beating like mad just staring at her.

Ichika might not know this, and I hope that I'll be able to say it to her one day.

The fact is, deep within my heart, deep within my soul. I...

"Good morning, Ichika"

I love her.

Chapter Text

London, United Kingdom

In the cloudy streets of London, there was a boy walking down to the nearest phonebooth. The green eyes that were behind his light rectangular framed glasses focused forward. Rain constantly poured down against his umbrella, water droplets running down the surface and dripping onto the concrete ground. 

He was different from the others. He wasn't too perfect nor was he too flawless. He was just different, in every way possible. 

After all, it was what brought him to the United Kingdom in the first place.

Just as he was in the booth, he felt his phone vibrate. 

Ring! Ring!

"Hm? What a surprise"

Taking the phone out of his pocket, he looked to see who was calling him. 

The name Uryu Ishida (Dad) was currently calling him. A quick swipe to the green button was all it took to answer him. He placed the phone to his ear and spoke.

"Hey, Dad. What's going on?", the boy greeted.

The person on the other line answered in Japanese, "You do know that you don't need to flex your English on me when we talk, right?"

While he was talking, the boy touched some of the keys inside the phonebooth. The phone was now on his shoulder where he clamped it with his lower left jaw. It was a struggle and a pain to do, though it would've been faster doing it that way. 

He smiled and chuckled, "I know, just wanted to mess with you. Anyway, what's with the surprise call?"

"Well, I've found you a college here in Japan that your Uncle Ichigo said Kazui was planning to attend. If you want to spend the rest of your school year there though..."

"Alright. I'd like to go there and see my best friend"

The teen could've sword he heard his father spit out his drink, "Oh! Are you sure? But your studies in the UK..."

"Well, it's been a long time since I've seen Kazui, so it is understandable if I'd want to move there now", he replied sheepishly, "Bu-"

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Looking up, he forgot that the landscape had changed before him. The sunny skies in this place contradicted those rain clouds in the other place. 

And in front of him were two women, one of the blonde while the other had darker hair. The both wore the same uniform clad with green and red. Though even with similar clothing, their personalities were way different

"Oi! Hurry up! We got another assignment to do and you're late", barked the shorter blonde woman as she knocked on the door, "Hey! Wait, don't ignore me!"

Meanwhile, the black-haired woman was standing elegantly beside her, ignoring the shouting coming from her colleague.

As she was screaming away, the boy stuck his tongue out before he realised something. It wasn't really that important to visit his best friend now. He had 11 months left until the school year ended, and he had other important duties to do now. One that was really fun to do.

"Actually, Dad, scratch that. I'll be spending the rest of my year here", he grinned, "Got stuff to do, exams to finish, blah blah blah. You and Mom just wait for me to come back, okay?"

All the way in Karakura Hospital, Uryu was smiling proudly at his son. Even if he didn't know what his son was up to, he knew that changing his mind that quickly meant that it really was important to stay there.

"Understood. Just stay safe, okay? Bye, Takuya"

"Yeah. See you later"

Pressing the end call button, he slipped his phone back into his pocket and stepped out of the phonebooth.

"You better make up for your lateness, Takuya!", grumbled Ninny as she stuck a finger to his chest.

"We'd just have to make him take care of our dragon duties and take credit for him", Noel simply replied, "And you won't get any pay either"

He shrugged them off and grinned even more as he walked passed them. Breathing in the fresh air of Reverse London, he couldn't help but feel happy on the years he's experienced in this crazy place. Turning back around to his two seniors, he tilted his glasses up.

"Cut me some slack at least. And if you're really dumping your responsibilities on your junior, then that means that you're no match for me", teased Takuya before bolting away from the two witches.

They both quickly jumped onto their brooms and chased after him.

It felt good. He had something to look forward to at the end of the year. And he also had good memories instead of boring ones. It was all he could ask for before he would leave. 

A certain accessory jingled out of his white long sleeve pocket. It was a little pendant, in the shape of a star cross, with a monocle within it. It was the sign of a proud Quincy.

"Just you wait for my arrival, Kazui! I'll be making my appearance soon!"

Name: Takuya Ishida

Age: 15

Hair Color: Blonde

Occupation: 12th Grade High School Student. Quincy