Force of Souls Chapter 35 (Patreon)

Hey friends and fans, Kairomaru is bringing you another chapter of Force of Souls! The day of Rukia’s execution has arrived. With how things have changed, just who will actually be at the execution? Everyone except Ichigo and Yoruichi have been captured already. Renji’s still in the Fourth Squad recovery ward and didn’t have time to wake up and train for an extra day or so to achieve his own Bankai. Will everything fall on Ichigo’s shoulders to rescue Rukia, or have things discovered and revealed only to a very few cause changes of their own?

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So, without further delay, please enjoy.

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Chapter 35 – Execution and Bankai

No, nothing can change my world

Within the barracks of the Sixth Squad of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads was the Captain’s office. Within the large office was a large memorial shrine that was normally kept closed during the day. However, today it was open, and Kuchiki Byakuya stood before it, his eyes looking forlornly at the picture of the woman that was enshrined.

She was almost identical to Rukia. Semi-short black hair that fell to just past her shoulders. Lovely violet eyes that showed a soft warm. Snow-like skin free of blemishes. The gentle smile on her lips that lit up her beautiful face and brought warmth and light to those that she graced with it.

This shrine was a memorial to Kuchiki Hisana, Byakuya’s wife and the mother of Kuchiki Kōten, their only child.

There was a gentle knock on the door to the office.

“Captain Kuchiki, it is time.” The voice of the Third Seat of Squad Six spoke respectfully through the door. “You must go to the Sōkyoku execution ground.”

“Very well.” Byakuya said without a hint of emotion in his voice. Once the faint Reiatsu of the Third Seat disappeared from near the door, Byakuya took one last look at his late wife’s picture. “I’ll go right now, Hisana.” He gently closed the doors to the memorial shrine and headed for the door of his office.

-Seventh Squad Barracks-

“OOOOH!!! OH BOY!” Iba Tetsuzaemon ran down the length of the corridor towards his Captain’s favored room to sit and think. As he got close to the room, he leapt slightly into the air, tucked his legs beneath himself and put both of his fists on the wooden floor the second that he landed, skidding across the wood without a flinch of pain until he came to a perfect stop, his head bowed in respect to his Captain. “I’m sorry, Captain! Iba Tetsuzaemon, reporting for duty! I fell asleep in the toilet! For that, I’ll perform hara-kiri right now!”

“You need not.” Komamura Sajin, Captain of Squad Seven said firmly. He stood taller than any other Captain and always kept his head covered with a large wooden helmet, to the point that even his Lieutenant, Iba, hadn’t seen his face before. “I’m ready.”

“Y-Yes, sir.” Iba looked up at his Captain.

Komamura looked at Iba through the slit in his helmet. “But you needn’t have concerned yourself, Tetsuzaemon.”

Iba flinched just slightly. “I’m sorry sir…I-I don’t follow.”

“Don’t lie.” Komamura said calmly. “You thought I had doubts about the execution. You tried to delay my departure so that I’d have time to think.”

“Yes, sir. It’s true.” Iba admitted, bowing his head once more.

Komamura turned to face the four painted scrolls hanging on the wall of the room. “Don’t worry, I have no such doubts. The only thing that motivates me is my debt of gratitude to Master Genryūsai. Because of my appearance I was shunned by all, but he took me in. The least I can do is devote myself to repaying his kindness. I have no doubts. Should he ever need my life, he shall have it.” He focused on the Reiatsu he sensed approaching the doorway. “So, how do you feel, Tōsen?” He asked the newly arrived Captain, and probably his closest friend in all of Seireitei.

“I’m doing just fine, of course.” Tōsen answered Komamura easily. Behind him and to the right was his Lieutenant, Hisagi, mostly recovered from his battle with the ryoka. “The only thing reflected in these blind eyes is the path of least bloodshed. The path I travel is the same as yours, Komamura.”

The two Captains and two Lieutenants left the room and headed for the entrance of the Squad Seven barracks together, planning to head to the Sōkyoku Hill together as a small group.

-Squad Two Barracks-

“Aw, what a pain!”  Ōmaeda said loudly as he walked through the barracks while munching on rice crackers from the bag he was holding. “There’s been enough trouble already, what with the ryoka and Captain Aizen’s murder. And now some people want to argue about whether the execution is right or wrong! What’s the point? The Central Forty-Six have already made their decision! They’re idiots, eh, Captain?”

Soi Fon didn’t even look back at her Lieutenant, continuing to walk forward with a cool and impassive look on her face. “Fool. Right or wrong doesn’t concern me. All I care about is my honor and my duties as a Captain of the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. Anyone getting in the way of that is my enemy. And I kill my enemies. It’s that simple.”

“Hm, I see.”  Ōmaeda said, even as he brushed his hands off on his shihakushō and then picked his nose.

“That means you too, Ōmaeda.” Soi Fon said as she came to a stop and looked over her shoulder at her Lieutenant with cold eyes. “Know your place and don’t forget it. Get in my way and you’re my enemy.” With that, she continued walking as if she’d never stopped.

Ōmaeda sighed once, part of him angry, but a larger part fearful, as he watched his Captain’s back get further away. “Yes, Captain. I’ll remember that.”

-Squad Eight Barracks-

“Hmm…hmm…hmm~ Hmm…hmm~” Kyōraku hummed with a straw stalk held in the corner of his mouth. He was lying back atop the roof of the barracks, his straw hat shielding his eyes and face from the sunlight.

Thump

The small sound was a ladder being put against the edge of the tiled roof.

“Hey! Captain! What are you doing here?!” Nanao questioned Kyōraku with annoyance at having to track him down today of all days. “You must get ready!”

“Nanao…” Kyōraku said softly. “I’ve got a little problem. Can I tell you about it?”

Nanao stepped onto the roof with a soft expression, fairly certain that she knew what her Captain was about to say. ‘Many people think this execution is too much for the crime. That’s it’s not right. Even you can’t be without your own thoughts about it…’ With a small hesitation, Nanao spoke. “What is it?”

“Well…” Kyōraku drew out his first word with a sigh. “I put this straw stalk in my mouth, thinking I’d look cool…but maybe it’s poisonous. The inside of my mouf ith numb…”

“Then take it out!” Nanao yanked the offending stalk from his lips and threw it off the roof with an aggravated yell. ‘Why did I expect him to be serious?!’

Kyōraku let out a long sigh. “Nanao… What should I do?” He asked his Lieutenant as he looked up at the sky.

Nanao looked off to the side. “Why are you asking me? Whatever I say, you’ll do as you like.” She looked back at him a moment later and adjusted her glasses. “Don’t worry. I’ll stay a few steps behind you…so I don’t get caught up in the mess.”

“Oh no…” Kyōraku said with a little grin. “Not again, I’ll be the only one that gets scolded by Yama-jiji.”

Nanao only rolled her eyes a little with a small smile on her lips.

-Squad Ten Barracks-

“Come on, Toshiro.” Rangiku called her Lieutenant to follow after her.

“We’re going to an official execution, Captain. It’s appropriate to call me with my rank.” Hitsugaya said as he fell in step with his Captain.

As they headed towards the Sōkyoku Hill, they took a couple of turns that Hitsugaya found odd. It was almost as if Rangiku was purposefully taking a more roundabout way to the execution grounds. After going well far away from the optimal route, the young Lieutenant couldn’t hold back his words any longer.

“You know they won’t delay the execution just because you’re late, Captain Matsumoto.” Hitsugaya said as they continued to walk. “I’ve heard the rumors that some people don’t think this execution is right, but I didn’t expect that you’d make an informal protest like being late.”

Rangiku looked over her shoulder at Hitsugaya. “That’s not what we’re doing at all, Toshiro.” Her blue eyes looked at him with a seriousness that Hitsugaya wasn’t used to seeing from his Captain. “We have orders from Captain Commander Yamamoto to investigate something before the execution. It’s a very secret order, so I couldn’t tell you until now.” She made no mention that she’d only received said order yesterday. “Just follow me for now and you’ll understand soon enough.”

Hitsugaya settled his emotions, the cool and unaffected look that he usually maintained quickly returning. “Yes, Captain.”

The two made another turn, but now both of them were keeping their senses sharp for anyone that could be following them or trying to spy on them.

-Fourth Squad ~ Underground Relief Cell #75-

“A butterfly?” Tatsuki saw the small insect flutter into the cell from the sole barred window near the top of the room.

Orihime smiled at the butterfly as it flitted about in the air. “It’s cute.”

Ganju looked at the two girls flatly as they both watched the small butterfly. “Fascinated by a butterfly… They’ve both cracked. Go on, you two, you can chase it if you want, I won’t tell anyone.”

“Why would we chase it, dumbass?” Tatsuki shot a sharp look at the bandaged Ganju.

Orihime looked around the cell thoughtfully. “There’s not enough room to chase it.”

Tatsuki nearly facepalmed at Orihime’s comment.

Sounds outside of the cell started getting louder, making all four of them stop talking and look towards the door.

Bam

“Gah!”

Crash

“Sir, what’re you doing?!”

Thud

“Aah!”

“It’s madness!”

Boom

What sounded like fighting outside went quiet for a moment before the sounds of rapid footfalls got louder and louder.

“Something is getting closer.” Chad said as he stood up, ready to face whatever might be coming for them, even with his Reiryoku sealed.

BAM

The door was kicked in with a loud bang, dust and debris from the wall and floor were kicked up from the violent destruction of the door, briefly hiding the intruder from view.

“Gyah!” Ganju pressed his back against the far wall of their cell.

“What’s going on?!” Tatsuki shouted, already on her feet just like Chad.

The person that stepped out of the fading dust made all four of them nearly gape.

“You!” Ganju cried out in terror.

“You’re…” Chad blinked at the intruder.

Zaraki looked at the four of them through the bars of their cell.

“Za-Za-Zaraki Kenpachi!!!” Ganju yelled in panic. “He’s come to kill us all!”

Ikkaku and Yumichika stepped from behind their Captain to look at the ryoka.

Ganju immediately pointed at Yumichika. “You’re that bowl-cut narcissist from before!”

Yumichika’s eye twitched at the description that Ganju had for him. “Who are you again? Sorry, I have trouble remembering ugly faces.” He pushed the first bit of his Zanpakutō out of its sheath with his thumb.

“What’d you say?!” Ganju pointed at Yumichika with a glare. “I’ll have you know that I look even more manly with these bandages on! How did you even recognize me anyway?!” Given how much he was bandaged up, it was a legitimate question.

‘He doesn’t even care that he was called ugly?’ Chad couldn’t help but think to himself for a second.

Yachiru popped up from Zaraki’s shoulder with a bright smile. “Hi, Ichi’s friends!” She waved to the ryoka happily.

“You’re adorable!” Orihime beamed at the small girl. “What’s your name?”

Chad and Ganju deadpanned at Orihime’s reaction to the sudden appearance of Yachiru.

Tatsuki only smiled at Orihime fondly. She wouldn’t change her girlfriend’s sweet nature for anything.

“You four are coming with us.” Zaraki said without any room for negotiation.

“We’re gonna go find, Ichi!” Yachiru declared, already making fast friends with Orihime.

“Huh?” The four ryoka blinked at the little Lieutenant’s words.

-Senzaikyū-

The door of the white tower was opened and Rukia stepped out. The four Kidō Corps members with shakujō quickly connected a line of cord to her collar from each of their weapons. Rukia’s hands were secured behind her back once more and the procession towards the execution grounds began.

Rukia’s violet eyes were unchanging. She’d made her peace with her fate. After seeing Ichigo again, the horrible state that he’d been left in, she couldn’t bear to see him suffer so much for her again. ‘Seeing him again, being held, kissing him one last time. That is more than I deserved.’

As the group of five walked across the suspended bridge, the Captains and Lieutenants were gathering at the execution grounds as well.

-Sōkyoku Hill ~ Execution Grounds-

Captain Commander Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni and his Lieutenant, Sasakibe Chōjirō, were the first ones at the execution grounds. Both stood in quiet attention as the other Captains and Lieutenants began to arrive, each of the pairs giving the Captain Commander a respectful bow before taking their place in a line to one side of the sealed Sōkyoku.

“Not much of a turnout.” Soi Fon mentioned quietly as she looked at the people that had arrived so far. Squad Four Captain Unohana and her Lieutenant, Kotetsu Isane. Squad Eight Captain Kyōraku and his Lieutenant, Ise Nanao. “Only we of the Second, the Fourth, and the Eighth Squads are here. Aside from Squad Five, who’s Captain was murdered and their Lieutenant who isn’t in a sound mental state to attend, what’re the other Squads doing when they’re supposed to be here?”

Everyone’s attention turned when the next person showed up.

“My Captain sent me ahead, Captain Commander, sir.” Kira Izuru bowed respectfully to Yamamoto as he explained his arrival without his Captain.

“Take your place in line, Lieutenant Kira.” Yamamoto said simply, but with absolute authority.

Kira quickly made his way over to the line and took up the spot between Squad Two and Squad Four.

‘If we weren’t in such a precarious state right now, this Lieutenant would still be in a cell.’ Soi Fon thought after a quick glance at Kira.

Kira had his own thoughts right now, though he did his best to keep his face blank. ‘Captain Ichimaru told me that he wanted to investigate something before the execution…but he wouldn’t let me go with him. Why do I have a bad feeling about what’s going to happen?’

For now though, the Lieutenant of Squad Three put his thoughts to the back of his mind and stood at relaxed attention as the sole representative of his Squad to observe the upcoming execution.

A short time later and Rukia was walked into the execution grounds. The four Kidō Corps members guided her onto the stone foundation at the base of the execution scaffold and removed the four cords from her collar. They left a moment later, passing by eight other members of the Kidō Corps that were there to unseal the Sōkyoku. As only a very small number of Kidō Corps members were ever trained to perform the unsealing, the Sōkyoku (Twinned Punishment), one of the Hōgu (Treasured Tools) of the Shihōin Clan, was always secure and unable to be unsealed and wielded against the Seireitei.

A short time passed before the next Captain made their appearance.

Kuchiki Byakuya had his normal stoic expression on his face as he arrived. He gave the proper bow to Yamamoto before briefly glancing at Rukia as he walked over to his place in line next to Unohana and Isane, leaving a respectful space between them for the absent Squad Five.

“Brother…” Rukia said softly, knowing that Byakuya wouldn’t say a word.

As time passed, and no one else arrived, the ones present taking it as either a lack of interest (Zaraki and Mayuri) or a sign of protest (the other absent Captains and Lieutenants) the scheduled time of execution had arrived.

“Kuchiki Rukia,” Yamamoto stood before the condemned as he spoke. “Have you any last words?”

Rukia was silent for only a moment before she spoke softly. “Yes. Just one thing.”

-Secret Location-

“Hey! Kiyone! The execution has started! Where’s the Captain?!” Sentarō yelled at his fellow Third Seat.

“Quiet down! I heard you! You don’t have to yell, you armpit-smelling goatee monkey!” Kiyone shouted back at Sentarō. She quickly turned to the doors that Ukitake had disappeared into a while ago. “Captain!”

Sentarō crossed his arms and stared flatly at Kiyone. “You’re yelling just as much as I am.”

“Captain! Are you ready?!” Kiyone knocked on the wooden doors. “Rukia’s execution has started! If we don’t hurry…” Her words were cut off as the wooden doors opened, allowing small wisps of smoke to escape the room beyond them.

“Sorry for the wait. I had some trouble removing the seal.” Ukitake apologized to both of his Third Seats. “But I’m ready now.”

In Ukitake’s right hand was a large shield with two thick cords draped over the front and two slots in the top. Attached to the shield were two long cords connected to twin poles of black metal. At the bottom of the shield’s face was a symbol almost anyone in the Seireitei would recognize, a black horizontal crescent moon within a square that had a line extending from each corner and was surrounded by two rectangles, one vertical and one horizontal, with the end of each of the four lines from the small square pointing to four different black five-pointed stars at the far edges of the two rectangles, all enclosed by a black hexagon.

It was the Mon (Emblem) of the Shihōin Clan, one of the Four Great Noble Families of Seireitei.

Having that emblem on it marked the large shield as one of the Hōgu that the Shihōin Clan were the caretakers of. This tool, known by the few that knew about it as the ‘Shihōin Shield’, though its actual name was Hōsakujo Tate (Treasure Removal Shield) was one of only two that was outside of the Shihōin Clan’s direct protection. It was a Hōgu that was sealed, but accessible to the very few Captains that were allowed to know its location, for the express purpose of destroying any of the other Hōgu or even the Bugu (War Tool) if they were ever misused.

“Since the Central Forty-Six is refusing to listen to us, this is the only way.” Ukitake said as he looked at the shield and then both of his Third Seats. “Let’s go.”

“Yes, sir!” Kiyone and Sentarō replied instantly.

As they left, Ukitake could only hope that the suspicion that he, Shunsui, and Yamamoto had come to was correct: that someone specifically wanted Rukia executed via the Sōkyoku so that the powerful Hōgu was unsealed and could be taken. Given the strange string of events that had occurred lately, including Rukia’s execution being moved up without warning or explanation, it was the best theory that the three Captains had come up with.

-Zaraki Group-

The group stood at the only entryway to a large training courtyard on a manmade plateau overlooking a small corner of the Seireitei.

Zaraki stared at the dead end blankly.

“I feel like we took a wrong turn.” Chad said as he noticed they actually got further away from the hill in the center of the Seireitei.

Orihime, wanting to spare Yachiru’s feelings, spoke up. “I’m sure finding the right street takes luck! A few wrong turns or dead ends is probably normal.” Orihime was too sweet to let any blame fall on the young Yachiru who had been giving Zaraki directions the whole time.

“See? What did I tell you? This is why I didn’t want the Lieutenant to lead us.” Ikkaku deadpanned at Yachiru’s horrible sense of direction.

Yachiru growled before leaping off Zaraki’s shoulder and latching onto Ikkaku’s bald head…with her teeth.

“Ow! Damn it! Stop! That’s gross!” Ikkaku ranted as he tried to pull Yachiru off of him.

Yumichika perked up at the same time that Orihime did. “Captain.” He side-glanced at Zaraki.

“Yeah.” Zaraki said with a flat rumble.

Tatsuki and Chad had now noticed the suppressed Reiatsu as well, both looking at the other end of the large courtyard where it was coming from.

“Sneaking around… You ought to be ashamed.” Zaraki spoke loud enough to be heard by their hidden watchers. “Show yourselves. Captains shouldn’t go around hiding their Reiatsu.”

“You’ve got a big mouth.” Komamura said as he appeared on top of the far wall with Tōsen, Hisagi, and Iba. “Do you realize what you’re doing?”

Tōsen faced Zaraki’s large Reiatsu and spoke with a tone filled with scorn. “Where were you going with the ryoka? Did you lose your honor with your defeat, Zaraki?”

“Well shit…” Tatsuki said as she saw the Captains in front of them.

“F-Four of them at the same time?” Ganju didn’t look as if he liked their odds.

“Don’t worry, we out number them.” Yumichika said calmly without taking his eyes off the two Captains and two Lieutenants.

“Quiet.” Zaraki said, making everyone behind him go silent. “I never said I’d let you fight.

That got reactions from the four opposing the Kenpachi. Shock from Iba and Hisagi, but indignation from Komamura and Tōsen.

Zaraki smirked viciously as he raised his right hand. “Four against one, eh? Not really enough to test my sword, but why not?”

Tōsen, Komamura, Iba, and Hisagi all used Shunpo to close the distance a bit and stand directly across from Zaraki’s group.

“Four to one isn’t enough?” Komamura repeated Zaraki’s words back to him. “Do you mean to take all four of us on by yourself? I know that you’re good…but don’t you think you’re overrating yourself a bit, Kenpachi Zaraki?”

“Stop yapping…” Zaraki drew his sword and pointed it at the four that stood before him. “And fight!” Anyone that was familiar with Zaraki’s Zanpakutō would notice that the blade was slightly less worn and chipped than it normally was…if they looked closely. “If you’re smart you’ll attack me from all sides at once. Then you might have a chance of cutting me.” Zaraki’s smirk was nearly feral as his Reiatsu increased and pressed down on his soon-to-be opponents.

“Ken-chan! We’ll go look for Ichi!” Yachiru said as she held Orihime’s hand with her right hand. “Don’t take too long, okay?!”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be right there.” Zaraki said, never taking his eye off the four in front of him.

Yachiru smiled brightly seeing Zaraki about to have fun again. “Okay, let’s go!” She tugged on Orihime’s hand as she took off, nearly dragging the older girl along. “C’mon, Boobies, Tomboy, Muscles, and Gorilla!” She slapped nicknames onto the four ryoka with a laugh as she guided them away from the courtyard.

“Ah! Yachiru-chan! You’re pulling too hard!” Orihime cried out as she nearly had to run to keep up with the pink-haired child.

“Tomboy, huh?” Tatsuki’s flat expression made it clear what she thought of her nickname as she chased after Yachiru and Orihime.

Chad just shrugged at being called ‘Muscles’ and broke into a jog to keep up with the speed that Yachiru was moving.

“Did you just call me a gorilla?!” Ganju demanded as he ran after Yachiru and the others.

Tōsen took a step forward. “… ‘Be right there.’?” He put his hand on the hilt of his Zanpakutō. “Was that bluster or were you serious? Either way, you’ve not only lost your honor but your sanity, as well, Zaraki.”

Zaraki’s grin became slightly amused. “Heh…sanity?” His expression morphed into pure bloodlust in an instant. “Sorry, I don’t recall ever having anything like that!”

“Captain…” Iba stepped forward, taking hold of the hilt of his Zanpakutō that he kept hidden within the bandages wrapped around his waist beneath his shihakushō.

“Let us handle this.” Hisagi also stepped forward, one hand on his Zanpakutō as well.

“Fools. I told you to attack me all at once.” Zaraki wasn’t amused that two Lieutenants wanted to challenge him by themselves.

“Fools. I knew this would happen.” Ikkaku said as he and Yumichika stepped up.

Yumichika put his hand on his chest and grinned. “All right, if that’s how you want to play…”

“I guess we’ll have to step in!” Ikkaku pointed his thumb at himself.

Zaraki’s expression was now flat. “What’re you two still doing here?”

Ikkaku pointed at Iba and Hisagi. “Listen! Don’t think you lowly Lieutenants will have the privilege to take on our Captain! We’ll handle you ourselves!” He turned to look at Zaraki over his shoulder. “Right, Captain?”

“Tch. So, you guys want to fight.” Zaraki scoffed at his Third Seat and Fifth Seat. “Alright, you can have them, but do it somewhere else. Get in my way and I’ll end up killing you myself.”

“Yes, sir!” Ikkaku and Yumichika replied with wide smiles on their faces.

Iba sighed as he looked directly at Ikkaku. “Oh boy. Fight, don’t fight. Take us on, don’t take us on. Since when are you allowed to talk to me like that, Ikkaku?”

Ikkaku laughed once at Iba. “I don’t need lessons on how to talk from a coward that jumped ship because he couldn’t be the Lieutenant of Squad Eleven, Iba!”

“Ikkaku…” Iba’s annoyance was plain in his voice.

“Save it for later. Let’s go somewhere else. I don’t want my Captain to kill me.” Ikkaku cut Iba off.

“Me either.” Yumichika said with a grin as he looked at Hisagi. “Mind if we go, too?”

Hisagi looked at Yumichika coldly. “Do what you want. It won’t matter.”

The four men vanished in two directions with Shunpo, leaving the courtyard to the three Captains.

-Sōkyoku Hill ~ Execution Grounds-

“Very well.” Yamamoto nodded once to Rukia, both of his hands resting atop his wooden walking staff. “In accordance with your wishes, after the execution, we will allow the ryoka to return to the Living World unharmed.”

“Thank you, Captain Commander Yamamoto.” Rukia bowed her head gratefully.

Standing next to her Captain, Kotetsu Isane let out a soft whisper. “How cruel. He doesn’t intend to let them live.”

“He wasn’t being cruel, Isane.” Unohana said softly to her Lieutenant. “He was being compassionate. At least she’ll die with some peace of mind.” Unohana looked at Rukia, the much younger Shinigami having clearly accepted her fate. “At least she won’t worry.”

“Let the Sōkyoku fall.” Yamamoto gave the order to unseal the execution instrument.

The eight members of the Kidō Corps took their places, one at each of the eight seals. They each chanted something different under their breath and made a unique sign with their hands. The eight stakes glowed before lifting from the ground as pillars of light rose up from each of them and into the sky. The ropes that had been bound to the ground by the stakes spun around, their ends burnings from the sheer amount of Reiryoku released by the seals, before they all straightened out and then fired away from the Sōkyoku and impaled the ground at the base of the plateau.

‘My heart is at peace now.’ Rukia thought to herself as she gazed upon the instrument of her death. ‘Thanks to the Captain Commander’s promise…or could it be because I got to see Ichigo one last time?’

Three stone blocks floated up from the stone base of the execution scaffold. The one directly in front of Rukia stopped at her ankles, while the two at her sides rose up, dissolving the bindings on her wrists, before pulling them apart and holding each wrist before one of the two stone blocks.

“Thank you…brother.” Rukia said to Byakuya with a smile, almost forlorn, smile.

Byakuya didn’t react at all, maintaining the proper decorum expected of a nobleman.

Rukia was lifted high into the air under everyone’s watchful eyes in preparation for her execution.

“Nanao…” Kyōraku spoke softly to get his Lieutenant’s attention. “Don’t look so sad. You’re making me feel bad.”

“It’s not sadness…” Nanao looked to the side.

Kyōraku understood Nanao’s feelings about this execution. How could he not, given her past and what had happened to her mother.

The power of the Sōkyoku rose sharply as flames burst to life at the base of the long shaft of the polearm. It rose into the air, seemingly by its own will, as powerful flames wrapped around the weapon.

“W-What’s happening?!” Ōmaeda questioned in shock at feeling the heat and Reiatsu pouring off the Sōkyoku.

“The halberd…” Soi Fon spoke quietly.

“…is in flames.” Isane unknowingly finished the Captain’s sentence.

“This is unexpected.” Kyōraku lifted the brim of his straw hat, making sure to keep a hold of it lest it fly off from the wind the unleashed Sōkyoku was releasing as it transformed.

The flames grew larger and larger before taking on the form of a massive bird made of flames. The avian of fire was easily hundreds of times the size of an average person as it spread its wings wide. The heat was so intense that everyone was already sweating, aside from Yamamoto.

“Kikōō (Firebird King).” Yamamoto spoke, his voice somehow easily heard above the roaring flames. “The halberd has assumed its true form. It will impale the condemned thereby ending the execution.”

‘I am not afraid.’ Rukia thought to herself, even as she looked into the blazing inferno that would erase her existence. ‘I’ve had a good life. Renji befriended me. My sister found me. My brother took me in. I had a family. Lieutenant Kaien guided me. And I fell in love.’ Images of her life passed through her mind, ending with Ichigo, Tatsuki, and Orihime. ‘I feel no pain… No sorrow… I have no regrets. My heart will go on.’

Kikōō opened its eyes and locked onto Rukia.

‘Thank you.’ Rukia thanked everyone that had made her life as wonderful as it had been. “Goodbye.” She said to them all as a single tear fell from her eye and trailed down her cheek. Rukia closed her eyes and accepted her death.

The massive bird of flames lunged forward as everyone below watched on.

When there was no pain, beyond the stinging of her skin from the intense heat of the flames, Rukia slowly opened her eyes again.

A brown cloak fluttered in the hot wind before her eyes.

But that was quickly forgotten as she looked at the man wearing the cloak.

“Ichi…” Rukia’s violet eyes locked with the warm brown eyes that she’d fallen in love with. “…go.”

“Hey.” Ichigo smiled at Rukia as he held back the massive Kikōō with Shingetsu, his arm not moving in the slightest.

“Y-You fool!” Rukia yelled at Ichigo, using frustration and anger to mask her true feelings at seeing him again. “Why did you come back?!”

“Wh-What?!” Ichigo nearly flinched at Rukia’s sudden outburst.

Rukia kept going, barely taking a second to breathe. “You should realize by now! You can’t defeat all of the Captains! This time they’ll kill you for sure!” Tears welled up in Rukia’s eyes. “I’ve made my peace with death! I…I don’t want you to die!”

Down below, Soi Fon couldn’t hold back her exclamation of surprise. “That’s impossible! The Sōkyoku is said to contain the power of one-million Zanpakutō! How could he stop it with just his lone sword?!” Her eyes narrowed as she tried to make out the features of the man floating in the air. “Who is he?!”

Isane, Kira, and Ōmaeda all stared in chock at the display of power going on before them.

All of the Captains, and Chōjirō, had their eyes firmly locked onto Ichigo.

“Nanao, is that boy the ryoka everyone’s been talking about?” Kyōraku asked as he looked upwards.

“Yes. He matches the description in the reports.” Nanao confirmed as she too watched the young man hold back the power of the Sōkyoku.

“I see.” Kyōraku suppressed a chuckle into a simple smile. “So, in the end, the ryoka saves the day.”

Byakuya stared straight at Ichigo, unblinking as he felt the various emotions erupt within him, far too many to name, but all of them equally powerful.

“SKREEEEE!!!” Kikōō screeched as it flapped its immense wings once, sending a powerful and burning hot gale of wind across the plateau. It reared back, making some distance as it prepared to attack again.

Ichigo staggered a step at the sudden loss of pressure on Shingetsu. “Whoa!”

“Ichigo!” Rukia cried out in worry.

“Backing up for your second strike, eh?” Ichigo smirked at the bird of fire as he readied Shingetsu.

“Stop, Ichigo!” Rukia yelled at his back. “You won’t stop the Sōkyoku a second time! It’ll burn you to nothing!”

Ichigo’s Zanpakutō changed before Rukia’s eyes. The tsuba became silver with stylized black arrows all pointing towards the hilt and the blade lost its luster as it turned jet-black.

Rukia’s eyes widened in shock at seeing Ichigo’s Shikai for the first time. “You… You can release your Zanpakutō…without calling its name…” She knew that took a level of mastery that only those who had achieved Bankai possessed. “Ichigo…”

“Why don’t you settle down?” Ichigo pointed Shingetsu at Kikōō.

The titanic bird of flame was briefly surrounded by a distorted sphere that made the air and light waver. In the next moment the giant Kikōō shrank down and turned into an orb of faint blue flames that were barely holding themselves together as Ichigo removed all gravity within the area that the firebird had been in.

“He stopped the Sōkyoku…” Ukitake uttered out in shock as he, Kiyone, and Sentarō had just arrived at the execution grounds.

As the blue flames flickered and grew dimmer, the combustion cycle interrupted by the loss of gravity, a much smaller screech was heard from Kikōō before the flames guttered out entirely and the Sōkyoku returned to its halberd form. The immense halberd fell from the air and stabbed into the ground, burying the blade within the earth of the plateau, the instant that Ichigo returned gravity to normal.

Everyone present watched as smoke wafted off the shaft of the halberd from the lingering heat.

Ichigo landed on top of the execution scaffold while everyone’s eyes were on the defeated Sōkyoku.

“Wh-What are you doing, Ichigo?!” Rukia questioned as she saw Ichigo move his Zanpakutō and aim the blade at the towering scaffold.

“I’m gonna wreck the scaffold.” Ichigo answered her with a grin. “Relax and watch.” With that he stabbed Shingetsu into the scaffold’s crossbar.

Rukia felt the immense amount of Reiatsu that brought a crushing weight down onto the scaffold that she was so close to. The entire structure shook and groaned as far more power than it could handle was unleashed into it.

BOOM

The crossbar shattered into dust. The left support post cracked and fell to the ground. But the force traveled and slammed into the top of the plateau, blasting straight through the overhanging cliff in a massive cloud of dirt, dust, and debris.

“Gah!” Ōmaeda cried out as the shockwave from the force washed over the Captains and Lieutenants.

Rukia experienced weightlessness for a brief moment as her senses were filled with nothing but the power that Ichigo had unleashed. The next thing she knew was the familiar feeling of being held to Ichigo’s chest, his arm around her waist, and then Rukia heard his voice.

“Quit telling me to leave… I told you that I’m going to save you…” Ichigo said softly, gently squeezing Rukia closer to him. “I can’t ever let you go…because home isn’t home without you, Rukia.”

Rukia looked up at Ichigo, a couple of tears escaping her eyes before she buried her face into his chest. “I love you, Ichigo.” Her muffled words brought a warm smile to Ichigo’s face.

In a blur that was only followed by the Captains (and Chōjirō), Ichigo had moved from the top of the scaffolding and directly in front of Ukitake.

Soi Fon snapped out of her stupor at the impossible things they’d just witnessed and snapped into full readiness. “Stop them!” She yelled at her Lieutenant fiercely. “They’re going to escape with the criminal!”

“Wh-Who me?!” Ōmaeda pointed at himself while looking at Soi Fon like she was crazy.

“Get Rukia out of here.” Ichigo said to Ukitake as he gently pushed Rukia towards her Captain.

Rukia clearly didn’t want to leave Ichigo’s side. “Ichigo, what do you plan to do now? You’re hopelessly outnumbered. You can’t just disappear.”

Ichigo smiled at her. “I’m gonna run.”

“That’s absurd! Those’re Captains! You can’t outrun them!” Rukia yelled at the not-a-plan that Ichigo had.

“Yeah… I’m probably gonna have to beat up a few people first.” Ichigo replied as he looked over the Captains and Lieutenants before his eyes locked onto Byakuya’s for a moment. “I have to go get Orihime, Tatsuki, and Chad, and Ganju…Hanatarō too… Everybody that helped me, I’ll save them all and get out of here.”

‘The look on his face… His words… Ichigo’s strength is flowing into me.’ Rukia smiled softly at Ichigo. ‘You’ve grown strong, Ichigo.’

“I’m leaving her with you.” Ichigo looked at Ukitake powerfully. “Protect her with your life!”

Ukitake nodded sharply. “Kiyone! Sentarō!” He passed Rukia to his Third Seats along with the Hōsakujo Tate. “Run from here as fast as you can! You know where to go!”

“Yes, Captain!” The two Third Seats acknowledged quickly.

Sentarō put the shield onto his back securely before scooping Rukia up into a princess carry and bolting off as fast as he could. Kiyone was right beside him, her hand on the hilt of her Zanpakutō, as she would be the guard to prevent anyone stopping Rukia’s rescue.

“K-Kiyone!” Isane couldn’t believe what her younger sister was doing right now.

“What are you fools waiting for?! All Lieutenants, after them!” Soi Fon commanded with a powerful shout.

Chōjirō looked towards Yamamoto, not willing to move under the orders of another Captain while his own was present. He received a small nod from Yamamoto and was off like a shot, his right hand already on the hilt of his sword.

Isane looked at Unohana for instruction, clearly uncertain of what to do now that her little sister was involved.

“Go.” Unohana closed her eyes and gave a slight nod.

Isane took off after not a second later.

Kira, not having his Captain around, quickly rushed after the fleeing criminals.

“Damn it!” Ōmaeda cursed as he took off as fast as he could.

Ichigo faced them all down as they rushed towards him. He pointed Shingetsu’s black blade at the ground and stabbed his Zanpakutō into it so that it stayed upright. He took a step forward to meet the four Lieutenants bare-handed.

“Get out of the way!” Ōmaeda roared at Ichigo for blocking their path. “Crush, Gegetsuburi!” His Zanpakuto glowed as it transformed into a flail with a massive spiked iron ball.

“Run, Itegumo!” Isane released her Zanpakutō, the katana’s blade straightening and two smaller blades emerging from the base at forty-five degree angles.

“Raise your head, Wabisuke!” Kira’s Zanpakutō changed shape, gaining a square hook at the top of the blade.

“Bite, Gonryōmaru!” Chōjirō’s katana turned into a fencing rapier with a solid metal handguard that covered his hand.

Ichigo’s fist shattered Gegetsuburi into fragments faster than most of the Lieutenants could track. The punch slammed into Ōmaeda’s gut and folded the man nearly in half. The much heavier man’s feet left the ground as he went flying backwards.

Chōjirō thrust his rapier directly at Ichigo’s heart for an instant kill. But Ichigo pivoted into the Lieutenant’s guard faster than expected, his left hand flashing out to grab Chōjirō’s right wrist and move his rapier to the side. In the same movement he slammed a palm heel into the man’s chin, rocking his head backwards from the force. The nearly ancient Lieutenant wasn’t so easily defeated…normally. But the use of a special drug (given to Ichigo by Yoruichi this morning) seeped through Chōjirō’s skin from the force and incredible amount of Reiryoku that Ichigo applied to it to force the drug into a thin and permeable state.

‘Where did he get…?’ Chōjirō recognized the instant symptoms even as his consciousness faded to blackness.

Isane’s eyes were wide as she swung Itegumo at Ichigo’s head. Only to feel his palm slam into her stomach and sent her flying as she hacked out all the air in her lungs. ‘He didn’t even use his Zanpakutō…!’ Was Isane’s last conscious thought before he hit the ground.

Ichigo turned at the sound of metal striking metal repeatedly, only to see Kira striking Shingetsu with his square-hooked Shikai.

“My Wabisuke doubles the weight of whatever it cuts. I’ve hit your Zanpakutō ten times, doubling its weight with each. It should weigh close to fourteen-hundred kilograms now. You won’t be able to lift it.” Kira said as he held Wabisuke defensively before him, already seeing how Ichigo had dispatched the other Lieutenants.

Ichigo actually grinned at Kira while taking hold of Shingetsu’s hilt. “Weight is the measurement of the effect that gravity applies to an object.” He lifted Shingetsu easily from the ground. “But if I make the gravity next to nothing, then naturally the weight becomes equally as miniscule.”

“What?!” Kira took a step back in shock at seeing Ichigo easily lift his Zanpakutō. I the next instant, Ichigo swung his sword down on Kira’s, returning gravity to normal just before their blades met.

Crack

Boom

Wabisuke was cleaved in two as if it was paper. The blade flying off to the side as the ground shattered from the speed and weight of Shingetsu hitting it.

“Gah!” Kira cried out as he was pelted with debris. “Guh!” His head whipped to the side as Ichigo’s fist slammed into his jaw, taking the Lieutenant of Squad Three off his feet and through the air for a moment before he crashed back down into the dirt.

Ichigo tested the weight of Shingetsu and found that it had returned to normal. “Guess I should’ve expected that after breaking his Zanpakutō.” His senses caught a powerful and familiar Reiatsu blitzing towards him.

Clang

Shingetsu blocked Senbonzakura that had been coming at Ichigo with lethal intent.

“We meet again, Kuchiki Byakuya.” Ichigo smirked at the Captain of Squad Six and Rukia’s older brother-in-law.

“Why?” Byakuya asked, looking at Ichigo coldly. “Why do you insist on saving Rukia?”

Ichigo looked at Byakuya with a glare. “There’s something that I want to know myself. Aren’t you Rukia’s brother? Why won’t you save her?”

Byakuya narrowed his eyes. “A foolish question. Even if I answered it…you wouldn’t understand.” The pressure on Shingetsu increased. “There’s nothing to discuss.”

Reiatsu slammed into Reiatsu as Ichigo and Byakuya tried to overpower one another. With a brief twist from each of them, their Zanpakutō broke the deadlock with the sharp ring of metal on metal.

“Only one path lies open. I must now take it.” Byakuya held his sword at the ready. “Kurosaki Ichigo, prepare to die.” He glared at Ichigo. “And now Rukia too, will have to die by my hand.”

“I won’t let that happen.” Ichigo said with absolute surety. He tossed off the brown cloak, making Byakuya notice the Shihōin Clan’s Mon on the hexagonal metal attached to it. “That’s why I’m here.” Ichigo smirked at Byakuya, clad in his new shihakushō that Yoruichi had provided him along with the cloak.

Without another word, both men nearly blurred at each other, their swords clashing with a powerful strike that shook the nearby air.

-Sentarō, Kiyone, and Rukia-

The two Third Seats were running as fast as they could towards the singular way off the Sōkyoku Hill. Both of them flinched when the suddenly felt an immense Reiatsu right behind them.

“Have to do everything myself.” Soi Fon said as she reached for Sentarō.

“Charge, Kyokusei (Polarity)!” Kiyone drew and released her Zanpakutō as fast as she could. The blade didn’t change much, aside from a blue ‘minus’ symbol appearing on one side while a red ‘plus’ sign appeared on the other, both near the base of the blade. The tsuba also changed, becoming red and forming into two horseshoe-like shapes, the ends of which were marked with either an ‘N’ or an ‘S’. Kiyone swiped her blade at Soi Fon’s outstretched hand, making the Captain pull back in a blur. “Run, Sentarō! Get Rukia out of here!” Kiyone yelled as she took up a defensive stance between the two fleeing and Soi Fon.

“You dare release your Zanpakutō and attack a Captain with it?” Soi Fon narrowed her eyes at Kiyone.

“Soi Fon, wait!” Ukitake yelled at the other Captain.

Yamamoto’s wooden walking staff stabbing into the ground right in front of Ukitake stopped the Captain of Squad Thirteen from going to assist his subordinates.

“Stop right there.” Yamamoto said as he stood before his old student.

“Captain Commander Genryūsai…” Ukitake breathed out.

Yamamoto’s Reiatsu began to fill the air, making it heavy and heating it up at the same time. “Two Third Seats escaped with the criminal. They will be captured and punished for their crimes. But…” He looked at Ukitake and Kyōraku seriously. “You two are a more serious matter. You are Captains. You have dishonored your rank. I’m sure you know what that means.” The Reiatsu became oppressive in both pressure and heat.

Kyōraku’s hand grabbed Ukitake’s shoulder. “Run for it, Jūshirō! We have no choice!” He vanished into a brief Shunpo with his oldest friend and the two were over the edge of the plateau a fraction of a second later.

“Captain!” Nanao yelled out before vanishing in her own Shunpo.

Yamamoto looked in the direction the three had fled with sharp eyes. “Shunsui…”

“Wait, Shunsui!” Ukitake yelled as they fell towards the ground far below. “My subordinates are still back there!

Kyōraku looked at Ukitake with a small smile. “Relax. If we’d fought Yama-jiji up there, then everyone would’ve died.” His smile became a small smirk. “Besides, can’t you feel it? Someone is coming. An ally.”

-Sōkyoku Hill-

Soi Fon lashed out with a kick, strengthening her defense by focusing her Reiatsu onto her leg as she kicked the Zanpakutō out of Kiyone’s hands. The blade hit Soi Fon, but the vast disparity in Reiryoku and Reiatsu meant that it didn’t make it past the modified shihakushō that Soi Fon wore.

“Shit!” Kiyone cursed as she tried to get to her Zanpakutō. “Gah!” Soi Fon’s foot slamming into her back knocked her to the ground. Kiyone hacked out a breath as she struggled to reach her fallen sword. That was proving almost impossible with the weight that Soi Fon was pressing her into the ground with.

“You dog!” Soi Fon glared at the struggling Kiyone while increasing the pressure of her foot. “What you did was contemptible. You’ve dishonored the Thirteen Court Guard Squads.” She increased the pressure of her foot as Kiyone managed to drag herself a tiny bit forward as her hand desperately reached for her Zanpakutō. “But don’t worry, I won’t allow you to disgrace yourself further.”

Kiyone’s fingertips touched the hilt of her Zanpakutō.

“Huh?” Soi Fon was jerked off of Kiyone and her leg stuck fast to the ground the Kiyone’s Shikai was touching.

“Ack! Huah! Hah…hah…” Kiyone hacked and coughed as she tried to get air back into her lungs, her right hand firmly holding her Zanpakutō.

Soi Fon grimaced as she tried to take the single step that would let her stomp Kiyone back into the ground. “What is this?!” She jerked her leg, but her foot wouldn’t leave the ground.

Kiyone scrambled backwards along the ground until she got out of Soi Fon’s reach before standing up again. “That’s the ability of my Zanpakutō, Kyokusei.” She answered Soi Fon’s question without actually answering it. “Please, just stay there, Captain Soi Fon!” Kiyone turned and ran in the direction that Sentarō had taken Rukia.

“You little!” Soi Fon growled but still couldn’t remove her foot from the ground. Looking down at her trapped foot, her eyes narrowed as she spotted a blue ‘minus’ symbol near her ankle. “Is that…like my Homonka (Hornet's Crest)?” If Kiyone’s Zanpakutō operated on a similar principle to her own, then she would bet that there was a red ‘plus’ sign on the ground beneath her foot. “Magnetism?”

Knowing how an enemy’s Zanpakutō worked was only half the battle. Figuring out how to deal with the effect was the second half.

Soi Fon nearly grit her teeth at being caught off guard by a mere Third Seat, regardless if Kiyone had all the requirements to be a Lieutenant. “Nnngh!” Her Reiryoku flared around her as she slammed it against the blue ‘minus’ symbol on her ankle. The ground below her foot shattered from the massive increase in Reiatsu and Soi Fon pulled her foot away as the effect was removed. “So it can be overpowered or destroyed.” That was good to know.

A blur in her peripheral vision was her only warning that someone had managed to sneak up on her while she’d been distracted.

In the time it took most people to blink, Soi Fon had been grabbed and taken over the opposite side of the plateau from where Kyōraku and Ukitake had made their own escape. As the two people fell, Soi Fon quickly got her wits back.

“Let go!” Soi Fon demanded as she grabbed her attacker’s wrist. “Who are you?!”

“Heh! Calm yourself.” Yoruichi removed the cloth wrapped around her hair and lower face with a grin. “I see that your temperament hasn’t improved.”

Soi Fon stared at her former mentor and the one that she’d dedicated everything to. “It’s you…Yoruichi!”

“Long time no see…” Yoruichi’s grin got wider as an orb of Reiryoku formed in her free hand. “Soi Fon.” The two reached the small forest that surrounded this side of Sōkyoku Hill just as Yoruichi released the blast she’d created.

BOOM

-Sōkyoku Hill-

Back on top of Sōkyoku Hill, Ichigo and Byakuya clashed again.

Clang

The ground beneath the two clashing powers instantly shattered.

Byakuya blurred into a Shunpo, closely followed by Ichigo. A dozen more clashes rang throughout the air before the two reappeared again.

“I see. So you’ve mastered Shunpo as well.” Byakuya said without a hint of concern. “Still…”

“You really are a cool one, aren’t you?” Ichigo cut Byakuya off. “You’re analyzing me like I’m no threat, but it’s all a big act.” He pointed Shingetsu at Byakuya. “Weren’t you gonna kill me?” He smirked at his opponent. “You haven’t even scratched me yet.”

It was true, there wasn’t a mark on Ichigo’s shihakushō, much less his skin.

“Is this all you’ve got?!” Ichigo demanded of Byakuya. “Show me your Bankai.”

Byakuya’s eyes narrowed at the demand.

Ichigo glared at Byakuya. “You said that you were going to kill me and execute Rukia yourself.”

“So?” Byakuya didn’t see what that mattered when they were already fighting to the death.

“You make me sick!” Ichigo nearly spat at the nobleman. “I’m gonna hit you with everything I’ve got. I’m gonna crush every last one of your powers. Execute your own sister? That’s twisted.” Ichigo’s eyes were nearly drilling into Byakuya at this point. “I don’t give a damn about your sense of duty or honor. I’ll never let you say that in front of Rukia again.” His tone was as final as the grave. “Release your Bankai. I’ll crush it.”

“Talk is cheap, boy.” Byakuya had quite enough of Ichigo’s smart mouth. “No matter what you say, my mind will not change. Neither will both of your fates.” He looked at Ichigo coldly. “Bankai? Don’t be absurd. I won’t need to use my Bankai against you for at least a thousand years.” He held his sword vertically and closed his eyes. “Scatter, Senbonzakura.”

The blade of Byakuya’s Zanpakutō glowed with a pink light before dispersing into what looked like sakura petals. The glowing petals swirled through the air towards Ichigo, ready to slice him to pieces.

Ichigo’s expression was cold as he simply swung Shingetsu in a downward slash with one arm.

THOOM

The sound of air rushing downwards mixed with the sound of stone shattering as gravity multiplied to absurd levels and cratered a massive trench into the top of the plateau. The end of the trench stopped directly in front of Byakuya and the wind from the overwhelming force made his Captain’s haori, as well as his long black hair, dance wildly.

Byakuya stood with his eyes wide open as he beheld the trench and felt his scattered Zanpakutō at the bottom of it.

Ichigo cleared away the remaining dust in the air with a casual swing of his sword.

“So that’s the power of your Zanpakutō, Kurosaki Ichigo.” Byakuya had already regained his calm and cool composure as he looked at Ichigo impassively.

“Yeah.” Ichigo said simply. “Shingetsu controls gravity.”

Byakuya’s expression didn’t change. “And that attack just now…”

“That wasn’t an attack.” Ichigo cut Byakuya off again. “That was just a swing of my sword.” He pointed Shingetsu at Byakuya once more. “Now do it, Kuchiki Byakuya. Use your Bankai against me! I will defeat you!”

“Very well.” Byakuya acquiesced. “If you want it so badly…” The petals of Senbonzakura rushed out of the trench and reformed the blade of Byakuya’s sword. “Feast your eyes…upon my Bankai.” He turned his sword upside down so that the tip of the blade was pointed at the ground. A second later and he dropped his Zanpakutō.

Ichigo narrowed his eyes at the move. ‘He let go of his sword?’ But his eyes widened as the sword seemingly sank into the ground with a ripple-like effect.

“Don’t worry…” Behind Byakuya two rows of towering sword blades rose up from the ground silently. “You won’t regret it.” The two parallel rows of sword blades stood tall. “You’ll be gone before you can regret anything. Like dust in the wind. Ban…kai.” The sword glowed before scattering into a mass of sakura petals that was so immense they nearly blotted out the sky above. “Senbonzakura Kageyoshi.”

The wind was filled with the tiny blades as they swarmed towards Ichigo in a massive wave.

Ichigo vanished into a Shunpo, but had to stop and change direction as the swarm of petal-like blades caught up with him. As Senbonzakura Kageyoshi swirled around Ichigo, he grinned and tapped into Shingetsu’s abilities. “Jūryoku Mo!” He set the gravity well high above his head and watched as the tiny blades shot towards it like bullets, unable to resist the force of gravity.

Byakuya slightly narrowed his eyes as Ichigo was able to Shunpo freely out of his Bankai. He could feel a large portion of his Bankai stuck in one place, unable to move. “I see. By manipulating gravity in specific areas, you can draw some of my blades away.”

Ichigo rushed towards Byakuya with his fastest Shunpo and brought Shingetsu down on the seemingly defenseless Captain.

Clang

Only for a wall of the pink blades to block his sword and send him flying backwards as they tried to slice through his Jūryoku Yoroi. A few managed to leave small, weeping cuts as they penetrated his shihakushō, but the injuries weren’t significant.

“Senbonzakura Kageyoshi is an attack by millions of blades coming from all directions. Your Zanpakutō is indeed powerful, but you can’t control the entire battlefield with it.” Byakuya said coldly as if he’d discovered everything about Shingetsu. “This is the end, Kurosaki Ichigo.”

A massive amount of the petals fell down upon Ichigo like a waterfall, tearing apart the stone ground beneath his feet and slicing through his shihakushō like it was regular cloth. Byakuya had put more of his Reiryoku behind this attack and it showed in the vastly increased power.

As the petal-like blades swirled around Ichigo’s location, Byakuya felt the immense buildup of Reiryoku as the Ichigo’s Reiatsu spike to clash with his even stronger than before.

“Jūryokuga!” Ichigo swung Shingetsu with all his might, pouring a large amount of his own Reiryoku into the attack. The massive arc of intense gravity, almost absorbing light with its deep navy blue and black core, blasted Senbonzakura Kageyoshi apart as it raced towards Byakuya.

More of the plateau vanished as the arc cleared the edge and eventually faded into nothing well into the distance.

“Hah…” Ichigo exhaled as he stood in the crater made by Senbonzakura Kageyoshi’s millions of blades. He was bleeding from what had to be dozens and dozens of thin cuts, and his shihakushō was partially hanging off of him, but Ichigo still had a grin on his face. “That was an actual attack from me and Shingetsu, Kuchiki Byakuya.”

Byakuya said nothing, he’d been forced to move by Ichigo’s attack, though he still hadn’t come out unscathed. Blood dripped from his left arm and onto the torn up ground. The sheer pull of gravity from the Jūryokuga had split Byakuya’s skin as it pulled against his flesh.

“Still…” Ichigo was breathing a bit heavier after enduring Byakuya’s attack even for just a handful of seconds. “I thought I’d be able to go a bit further than this…but I guess I was wrong.” Already he could see Senbonzakura Kageyoshi returning to swirl around Byakuya and through the air around him. “It was arrogant of me to think that I could defeat a Bankai with a Shikai.”

“Watch what you say, boy.” Byakuya said sharply, his tone cold. “You make it sound as if you’ve achieved Bankai.”

“Yeah.” Ichigo looked straight into Byakuya’s eyes with a smirk. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.” Ichigo’s Reiryoku exploded off his body, turning a deep navy blue quickly before going even darker and becoming black. The Reiatsu nearly flatted the bottom of the crater from its intensity. “Don’t you believe what you’re seeing? Watch closely…this is my, Bankai!”

‘Impossible.’ Byakuya thought as Ichigo’s Reiryoku darkened further and the air shook with the force of his Reiatsu. It felt as if the world was being crushed beneath an unseen force. ‘Only the most experienced of Shinigami can attain the pinnacle of the Zanpakutō. Even in the Four Great Noble Clans who are born with far greater Reiryoku than others…there can be entire generations that never manage to attain that level. The names of those who have achieved it are etched into the history of the Seireitei. That is Bankai.’ It simply didn’t make sense for Ichigo to be able to reach such a level. ‘So why him? He became a Shinigami on borrowed power. Not only is he not of noble lineage, but he was never a proper Shinigami to begin with. Then how…how can he dream of achieving Bankai?’ The world seemed to shrink down into the space around Ichigo, and it took Byakuya a second to realize that it wasn’t the world, but the very light of the sun being drawn towards the younger Shinigami. ‘And how can he be emitting such astounding Reiatsu? It’s as if…’

“Ban…” Ichigo held Shingetsu before him even as he was completely engulfed in his own pitch-black Reiryoku. “…kai!”

The top of Sōkyoku Hill was nearly leveled instantly from the outpouring of power. Sheets of rock and clouds do dust were blasted from the top of the hill to fall down onto the ground below. The dust that was in the air was drawn back towards the epicenter of the blast by an overwhelming gravity the air visibly warped around the tall cliff to the eyes of every onlooker at a distance. Light was even dimmer around the Sōkyoku Hill compared to the rest of the Seireitei.

Byakuya had been protected from the blast by Senbonzakura Kageyoshi forming layers and layers of walls around him like a multi-layered cocoon. His grey eyes widened as he beheld Ichigo once more.

Ichigo’s body was covered in a black cloth that almost seemed to absorb light. Over the cloth was sturdy-looking jet-black samurai armor. The black material didn’t look like lacquered wood, but more like metal. The Dou (breastplate) covered Ichigo’s torso, front and back, his shoulders were covered by Sode (pauldrons), his forearms were protected by Kote (vambraces), his backs of his hands were covered by Tekko (hand guards), his hips and upper legs were guarded by a combination of Haidate (thigh guards) and Kusazuri (tasset), his shins were covered by pitch-black Suneate (greaves), and on his head was a traditional Kabuto (helmet) with a full Shikoro (nape guard) protecting his neck.

In Ichigo’s right hand was a black nagamaki, the length of Shingetsu’s blade had extended another ten centimeters or so, but the handle had lengthened to nearly three-quarters of the blade’s length as well. It was a sword that could be used as both sword and swordstaff, giving it greater reach and versatility in wielding the weapon.

Ichigo looked at Byakuya as he announced the name of his Bankai. “Ban'yūinryoku (Universal Gravitation).”

“What…is that?” Byakuya asked coldly even as he felt the sudden absence of Ichigo’s Reiatsu clashing against his. “That tiny weapon…and that armor…is that your Bankai?” Byakuya seemed almost angry, even with his stoic and cold expression. “First the execution ceremony and now the Bankai. It seems you enjoy treading on things that we hold sacred!” Senbonzakura Kageyoshi exploded into the air and rushed at Ichigo like a flood. “Then I shall cut you down! You will soon know the price of insulting our honor!”

There was no sound.

Senbonzakura Kageyoshi’s millions of blades were embedded into the rocky ground.

Ichigo stood before Byakuya; the tip of his blade aimed right at Byakuya’s throat.

Byakuya stood wide-eyed, uncomprehending of what had just happened.

“Your so-called honor demands that you kill Rukia.” Ichigo said while looking directly into Byakuya’s eyes. “If that’s the case, then stepping on your honor… is the reason that I achieved Bankai!”

It was only now that Ichigo was so close to him that Byakuya realized why he couldn’t feel Ichigo’s Reiatsu clashing against his own anymore. There was no Reiryoku escaping Ichigo’s armored body to cause Reiatsu. In fact the armor itself seemed to be made of Reiryoku, compressed down by such intense gravity and Reiatsu as to become solid and metallic.

Byakuya’s Reiryoku flared higher than he’d allowed it to in decades. The Reiatsu slammed down onto Sōkyoku Hill with such oppressing force that the stone all across the plateau cracked simultaneously. If this boy…no…if Kurosaki Ichigo wanted to challenge his honor, then Kuchiki Byakuya wouldn’t hold back. He would bring the full might of the Head of the Great Noble Kuchiki clan down on the ryoka and erase him from existence completely!

-End Chapter-

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Well now…that’s certainly a few changes from Canon!

Ichigo’s Bankai is quite a bit different than his Canon one…but that’s expected, right?

He’s got armor made from hyper-compressed Reiryoku! His skin alone is probably comparable to Hierro at this pint too! His katana has become a nagamaki, giving him greater reach and different ways to wield his blade…and perhaps for another reason as well?

Byakuya certainly seems surprised by it!

Meanwhile, Zaraki does Kenpachi things! Kek!

A two-on-one match between Captains seems like a way to wake up in the morning to Zaraki!

Tatsuki, Orihime, Chad, and Ganju have been broken out of their holding cell! Now they’re on there way to find Ichigo!

The Sōkyoku WASN’T destroyed?! That’s different!

I even expanded a bit and gave a name to the ‘Shihōin Shield’ from canon, making it another one of the Hōgu that the Great Noble Clan watches over. Yay! More worldbuilding!

But yeah, zero gravity kinda fucks with the combustion cycle, having even miniscule micro-gravity (like they do on the ISS) would allow the flames of the Sōkyoku to continued burning…but literally no gravity at all makes it burn itself out quickly.

And I created a Zanpakutō for Kiyone! Woohoo! It’s a magnetism-based Zanpakutō that operates based on ‘marks’ similar to Soi Fon’s Suzumebachi!

YEAH MAGNETS!!! Bring on the magnetic shenanigans! Heh!

The next few chapters are going to be quite the round of battles! I hope everyone is looking forward to them!

One might wonder just WHY the entire plateau that is the Sōkyoku Hill was left unprotected so quickly…it’s almost like certain parties are purposefully leaving what they believe to be the target of all these recent incidents completely out in the open for anyone being sneaky to come out and take.

How will the next battles and plans play out?

Keep reading to find out!

Until I get your reviews, later!