Central Seireitei

[Adonai]

---

“Get some of your Espada and arrancar on our side. Interrupt their battles if you must...I’m not sure if you can, but if we could get the word to who some you might think would be open to choosing a different path. Who’d fight with our forces to defeat them. This hinges on whether you can get word to them all, somehow and whether I can too, to my people as well in the same breath. At the same time or very shortly after..there’s some grace there.”

”Ah, you misunderstand, we are not in the business to negotiate with Las Noches or its Espada. If you align with them you are the enemy and we kill the enemy.”

Shizukana may have forgotten, due to the comradery they have been sharing, that Arrancar are still hostile and combative by nature. As “peaceful” as Estarossa may be he is still ruthless and relentless. How quickly she had forgotten how he assaulted Grimaldi or how he was ready to vaporize Kuvello in an instant with no hesitation. He embodies freedom to an absolute level, the moment someone treads upon it their life is forfeit. Estarossa was about to add to that when Emillia’s words finally resonated with him. The bakery was lost. He sighs, sealing his Zanpakuto at last returning to his more human appearance. He sighs heavily.

”That sweet old woman… Hopefully she wasn’t around when it was destroyed… And two odd humans you say? If they are odd they must be the ones with powers, I always steer clear of those types.”

While Emillia was busy talking with Shizukana Estarossa pondered his next actions. There are still Arrancar running around fighting and killing Shinigami along with Shinigami who need to be moved for medical treatment. He wants to staunch the Shinigami’s dwindling numbers and to be honest he doesn’t want to fight Antonio again, he understands so little about him and his abilities that a sense of fear exists within him.

“This Antonio…..is he the strongest of your kind?”

”Huh? Uhh, no, I assume the one in that Cocoon is the strongest. Antonio may be a close second though. Kuvello may be up there as well so the place of second strongest is a tie between Antonio and Kuvello. No, I don’t know what Valiosa can do, before you even ask.”

Once they are free from the Negación Emillia darts off, to where he hasn’t the slightest clue. Instead of vanishing like she did he decides to leave with a proper goodbye. He rubs the back of his head and chuckles a bit.

”I’m going to go help out wounded Shinigami and kill off any Arrancar fodder that are still fighting. If we all survive this I wouldn’t mind meeting with you all again, especially you, Shizu-chan. But only once I rebuild La Soberanía that is. In any case, take care, stay safe…”

He looks at the Cocoon and can sense Antonio actively fighting someone. He narrows his eyes a bit and looks back to the two Shinigami he befriended.

”And most of all, don’t try to reason with them. Kill them, they are a lost cause.”

He speaks with a cold delivery, no love or passion in his voice, just pure venom. The booming of his Sonido is the last they hear of Estarossa who now begins to scour the Seireitei, aiding Shinigami in battle and helping move them to medics. He only hopes Emillia is off attempting to do the same.

---

​

 

[Adonai]

---

Antonio is an ever attentive creature, ever watchful of his surroundings and opponents. Hideo is a strong individual in his own right but how far will that strength carry him? Several items fell from his robes, interesting as that may have been to witness, it was not enough to shift the gaze of his statuesque opponent. As Hideo is dropping his weights Antonio shifts his body and moves forward and to the right, a fist passes by his head. He moves again, almost like he anticipates a follow up attack and he is correct in this sense as he moves again, turning his body to have the next strike move past him. He moved his body until he was able to launch himself away from his current location to gain some distance from his assailant and avoiding any ill effects of any phantom pain.

How Antonio managed to dodge these attacks was a simple feat for him and it comes down to that smooth brain stare of his. The way he stepped, the shift in his weight, increased movement, and that slight surge of Reiatsu when Hideo was about to attack. Each strike launched by the Shihoin came utterly close to hitting him but because Reiryoku had to flow, Reiatsu had to be exerted for him to launch a meaningful strike on Antonio it gave him a small window of warning, just enough to shift his body and move from where Hideo attempted to speed blitz him. Needless to say he is sweating and his heart is pounding in his chest as that encounter was utterly too close for comfort. But the Shihoin was far from done with him it seems.

The heel of Hideo’s foot came crashing down on his shoulder, a sickening pop echoed in the courtyard of the First Division. Sliding back was Antonio with a limp arm, knocked out of its socket with the tendons snapped. Even if the bone is popped back into place using the arm would prove difficult, especially since he has no regeneration to rely on anymore. Antonio’s eyes perked up as he rotated his body to avoid the kick, one that came with such force that the skin and clothing on his back were both scraped off in one fell swoop. Hideo is strong indeed, however his pride, born of his noble upbringing, are what seal the deal on this fight. Had he just kept up his relentless assault he would have finally landed a clean blow on Antonio. Although even with his current injuries he seems unbothered by them as he grabs his Zanpakuto with his still functioning arm as Hideo is speaking to him. That brief pause Hideo took to speak to him was all the time he needed to activate his Resurrección.

Ungodly Transfiguration

A blinding flash of light engulfs Antonio, his Reiatsu makes all of Central Seireitei tremble from its might. All of those within the Soul Society would be able to feel it and see the pillar of light created by his release. Hideo, who is in no immediate danger from this release, would be able to feel the full brunt of it and the anxiety it brings. Twelfth Division’s machines would start sounding off with alarms, alerting them to the fact that this was the same signature they had detected in Hueco Mundo many months ago. Somewhere in the Soul Society Estarossa sets down an injured Shinigami who is quickly tended to by medics. He senses the Reiatsu and he lets out a bit of a shiver. A shiver that had started at the base of his spine. Slowly the light dissipates and Hideo could see the creature Antonio had become…

Ghastly, horrific, and most of all unlike any Arrancar Release seen before. It is unlike in the sense that he retains no sense of humanity in this form unlike other Arrancar who still maintain their human form to some degree. This monstrous form exists thanks to the power of the Soul King’s Eyes, the power of The Almighty. Through many futures, many tweaks and changes were made to Antonio’s Zanpakuto until his release phrase had finally changed completely with the final result being a giant monstrous serpent taller than most buildings in the Seireitei. Antonio looks at Hideo and then his gauntlets, he was curious about them, so much so that his eyes remained transfixed upon them. What could they do, what are they capable of? He inhales deeply as he unfurls his four arms, his bulging, unblinking eyes being the most unnerving detail to his appearance.

There is plenty of room to laugh at how Antonio currently looks, the ever shifting patterns of his bone like plating that lines his body, a mouth that can never truly close and of course those eyes. One could laugh at him only if they are watching from a screen because being right in front of him, staring down this ungodly beast, is not a place anyone truly wants to be in. His tail raises up and slams down a guttural hiss emanating from the back of his throat but there is no snake tongue to be seen as it happens. He finally speaks, his stutter mostly gone.

”Noble… Household… We don’t have such things as those within Hueco Mundo… There is o-only the God King.”

One of his four arms points backwards towards the Cocoon.

”Hueco Mundo’s only true Noble is going to be emerging from that Cocoon very soon and once she does this war will come to an end…”

The multiple eyes that line his body and look at Hideo hone in on his gauntlets and he tilts his head curiously.

”A Bankai, that small? I assume Bankai were supposed to be grand and unique, not s-silly pieces of armor…”

When he speaks his mouth does not move although it does sound quite ethereal. When his mouth does part it is from a surge of power returning to him, the left side of his body twitches for a moment as a result.

”Ah, I see, so the loss of the Left Eye wasn’t permanent. H-how unfortunate for you… If you weren’t so fast I would simply seal my Zanpakuto and fight you that way, but I cannot afford to be caught off guard by that speed again.”

It seems the blockage of the Soul King fragments had finally lifted, it was a small window of opportunity for the Shinigami to deal with the Espada but that small window has vanished and of course the ones with the most troublesome powers are all that remain. Antonio does nothing more but look at Hideo, staring at him. He has taken note of the Shinigami the traitor Espada helped rescue. With the Left Eye back in power he has little to worry about even if they do engage with him. For now Hideo had better hope they fly to his aid soon or else he won't be in this world any longer.

---

​

 

[HankMoody]

The turning tide of events was not lost on the Dean of the once-proud Shinōreijutsuin. He began this day reviewing reports in the quiet of his office, with plans to end it in the silence of his family’s private spring. Instead, the day turned violent—Seireitei was razed, the Academy shattered, and war knocked at every gate. Thousands of years of tradition, excellence and pride, brought to nothing but rubble inside of a matter of mere moments. He’d already avenged the Academy, gained knowledge from the clash, and formed new alliances with unlikely sources. But it all meant little compared to what he now sensed…the rising doom from the cocoon of the First Division.

What he thought would have been a rather silent trip was actually filled with the bubbly nature of Captain Shizukana’s direct interest in the new Hollow amongst them. Inquiring about her hair and other features, the two quickly struck up conversation that seemed very playful and harmless enough in nature. A sheer contrast between the two shinigami' approaches to what they were to believe were their natural sworn enemies. He stopped staring after a time at the pink-headed hollow, but she must have felt his gaze at some point, remarking that he would soon develop feelings for her if he kept staring. He smirked and remained silent at the ridiculous prospect, as he continued to grow his army of sunset colored kido cubes as they grew larger in numbers as the time went on. However, he did let an unusual light laugh leave his lips. “That was easily the best joke I heard all day.”

His only interest at the time was getting out of the Garganta and to find an end to this war. He listened to Estarossa’s and Emilia’s response to the Captain's hopes of having hollow-kind and Shinigami live together in harmony. A sweet thought to be sure, but was an unrealistic reality that even the amiable hollows amongst them don't envision.

Quickly, they found themselves out of the folds of darkness, the unassuming band of Arrancar and Shinigami, working together closely and oddly enough—looking to keep one another alive. This was not only a war of attrition, but information. Yūichirō found himself best positioned to react to these new discoveries, but what he intended to do with it, and what he was currently able to do were two completely separate things. Emilia once cleared of the Negación, made her own plans known by letting the group know that she would be thinning the ranks of the Números and this would be were they split up, and without another word, she was gone as quickly he the vibrative sound that took her in the wind.

Estarossa on the other hand, the much more ‘personable’ one, stuck around long enough to properly answer the third seat’ final inquiry, informing him that Antonio isn’t the strongest among them, but is most certainly the second fiddle to the one who does hold that title, with the child that they encountered earlier also ranking high amongst the known single power entities within Hueco Mundo. It wasn’t news that he wanted to hear, but it was certainly information he was required to know if he had to make any more moves. He had much to think about, very little time, and few options. He was, however, coming to form a plan. Eventually, Estaossa would also take his leave, informing the third seat that they would be aiding the wounded Shinigami and not to let up on their sword for any reason. He quickly vanished with that last sentence hanging in the air. The dean stared at the airspace that he previously occupied a little longer, thinking about his short experience with his would-be enemy, and remembered that war had a way of revealing the true nature of the individuals who fought in it. He did well to remember how he felt. It may aid him later.

He only lingered for a few fleeting moments, before turning around to face Captain Shizukana to share with her what his plan of approach was, even looking to figure out how she would be able to factor into his tactical outlook. He was suddenly stopped by a sudden surge of spiritual energy, ripping his attention away from the fair-faced Captain and directly in the direction of the grounds of the First Division barracks. For the second time this day, the third seat’ face moved in one of complete and utter disbelief.

In conjunction with feeling a familiar familial spiritual signature close by within the area, the things taking place before him was everything he needed to act. The spiritual metamorphosis of the reiatsu belonging to the Arrancar at the epicenter of it all, a flashing light followed by a matching pillar signifying that he was undergoing his final release. Smoke raised from ground zero, after the light came and went, only moments took place when it felt as though one lived through an eternity. Before he could see the end result of the attention grabbing transformation, he looked to Shizukana and simply said a single sentence before springing into action.
​

“Get all available units to First. Use the Tenteikūra! Now!!” he said. It was certainly more of a command, rather than a suggestion.​

She would not even have the time to blink before the sun-kissed shinigami vanished from her sight, leaving what would appear to her as a partial afterimage, tapping into speeds he’d never known he had. He raced slightly higher in the air, but had quickly veiled himself by the scenery of the Seireitei around him, landing atop the tallest building he could find within the dentral qaudrant and remained directly above the first division while plugging his ears with reiatsu. Unbeknownst to whomever else was down there with his cousin, they would soon have no escape. Above First Division, the sky bloomed blue—and then darkened under the shadow of a collapsing ocean. Umibōzu Hitama—his Bankai—responded to his will. The floating sea compressed and snapped downward with a thunderous cry, like the sky itself was screaming. The impact was incredible. The result, almost biblical.

The floating ocean created a massive sound in the form of the thunderclap. A sound so great, it rang in the ears, heads and equilibrium' of every immediate soul within the Central Seireitei; and would easily be heard and potentially affect those in the outer reaches of the Northern, Eastern, Southern and Western reaches of the Seireitei. All sensory abilities by those affected would be thrown into complete flux for not just mere moments, but entire seconds, maybe even longer depending on how close they were to the epicenter, followed by an almost unshakable migraine thereafter. Following the massive supernatural-esque noise, the first division would be completely surrounded and cordoned off by a cascading floating ring waterfall shaped by the master of Umibōzu Hitama. The ring would sit as high as a halo over the head of the capitol of the Seireitei, the water itself was rushing fast and with weighted intention, crushing the ground on impact, and creating a moat around first division as the remaining running water washed violently through the streets of the Seireitei, toppling over anyone and any buildings whose foundations were already compromised. Whoever would be foolish enough to withstand the cascading bankai, the water pressure would feel like an irresistible force if met physically, forcing any and all back in its face. All crushed under its might would find themselves in a similar position as the hound who met the scholar earlier today.

It didn't stop there.

All taking place in a matter of literal moments, endless sunset-colored cubed kido shapes appeared as if out of nowhere slowly emerging from the water inwards into the open airspace within the multiple story high ringed waterfall, littering the first division grounds as well as air with a minefield of Hado confined Bakudo spells. This all took place within a matter of seconds after the transformation was complete, Gorgona had risen. But it would not rise alone, as it was now confined in a specialized watery hell. The dean rested patiently atop the heavens he created, invisible to the eyes and on a first division building. He never once flared his reiatsu but it was evidently present within the field of the Central seireitei and the residual reiatsu could be felt as the flowing waters of his bankai sought to purify their home from their ravenous minded enemies. Whosoever met the dean or had dealings with him, would know to whom this belonged. There were no more words to be exchanged between him or the adversaries he fought. No more information to be gathered from those who thought little to impart it. He had everything he needed to proceed, and he at this point, still did so with caution, but acted with the extreme righteousness of the highest magistrate.
​

“Open your eyes, beast. You’re looking at the tide itself. I am your storm.”​

 

[Jushiro Izanagi]

The frost spreads faster now. What had begun as a quiet creep along the walls suddenly surged outward, a cascade of ice crystals racing across rooftops and stone, swallowing Kuwashii’s wavering heat in its advance. The air snapped, sharp and brittle, the clash of elements hissing where her flame met his cold. Kuwashii choosing to engage with the enemy in the manner that she did was a bold move. Perhaps naive? Izanagi knew that she meant well and would use this opportunity to gather as much information as possible. The verbal exchange to ‘break’ the ice was necessary. Kuwashii spoke of scientific facts which Izanagi knew all too well. Temperatures and its effects at different levels is his forte. There was no time to waste. Captain Senko and company needed his help.

Izanagi stepped down from his perch atop the frozen wall, his sandals crunching against the glazed stone as the temperature plummeted further. His form was calm, unhurried, as if this entire spectacle of the writhing fumes, the suffocating heat, the chaos of battle was nothing more than a passing irritation.

The Captain’s gaze levelled on the Espada, piercing, unblinking, his eyes narrowed as the frost at his feet spread outward until it reached the shimmering golden wall.

“Negacion?”. ​

He pondered with disdain, recognizing the familiar distortion of space-time. Breaking it was impossible, even for him. For now, Kuwashii’s was stopped in her tracks and Izanagi was all too glad to see it happen. Looking at the condition of Captain Senko and the other two, Izanagi ascertained that the infection wasn’t the only danger. It made no sense for Kagi to find himself in such a situation without an additional factor. Listening to the Nibantai Taicho cough and splutter in such a way was irritating.

Izanagi remained silent even after Cazador’s insult was thrown his way. The silver haired fox cared not for such things, he will engage verbally with the Espada in the near future. Lending a helping hand to his fellow Shinigami was far more important. That, and staying alive while protecting Kuwashii should the need arise.


He divided his attention between Kuwashii, Cazador, Kagi and the two fallen subordinates. Their breaths rattled shallow, fevered pulses of reiatsu flickering like candles about to gutter out. Infection had already reached deep into their systems. A heartbeat longer and they would be beyond saving. That is how the situation seemed at this point in time. Was Kagi in any real condition to fight? Izanagi decided to take the decision away from Kagi. Not to mention that the other two currently incapacitated could do nothing about what was to follow.

Izanagi raised his free hand, palm out. A sequence of Kido incantations whispered under his breath, too fast for a lesser Shinigami to follow. Bands of blue light materialized, wrapping around the three wounded.

“Bakudo 73. Tozansho.”​

The inverted triangular barrier rose around each one of the wounded trio, not to protect from blows but to isolate. The virus-riddled reiatsu within the dome quivered, contained. A second spell followed, woven seamlessly into the first.

“Hado 90. Kurohitsugi” ​

His tone lowered, voice cold as the creeping frost.

“Don’t resent me for this”. ​

The destructive incantation was warped, tempered, its force inverted into a vacuum of searing cold inside each inverted crystal. The dome’s interior dipped violently in temperature, plunging past survivable thresholds, not enough to kill, but enough to still flesh and blood into suspension. He didn’t need a full powered black coffin, he was being energy efficient in his execution. The three Shinigami fell silent inside, locked in a fragile sleep of ice. Cryostasis. Infection halted in its tracks. The Captain used a combination of Kido and his Zanpakuto’s ability to stop the spread of the infection and its effects on the body. Koukan Hashira was used to further encase the outer layers of the inverted crystals in below freezing temperatures. The virus’ spread was held at bay some meters away from the crystals. He did so while ensuring his own protection since the time he arrived on scene.

This was about protecting his comrades and preventing further loss of life. It was a bold and potentially dangerous move. However, Izanagi was always attentive, looking for signs of disturbance. Anything deemed inappropriate by the Espada will have a response in kind. Two large halos took off to the skies above the second division. Out of reach as they orbited the vicinity in which Izanagi, Cazador and Kuwashii stood. The temperature radiating from them matched Izanagi’s own which was below absolute zero. Kisshouten’s influence could be felt from above and below as it moved to snuff out the heat that was previously rampant.

Izanagi lowered his hand, frost steaming faintly from his fingertips. His eyes returned to Cazador, sharp and unwavering.

“I hope you don’t mind but I took the liberty of removing the unsightly view”. ​

His words were in reference to the state of his fellow Shinigami. Before he could follow up, Izanagi sensed that things were beginning to escalate even further as it pertained to the others in the area. Another Espada releasing their Zanpakuto wasn’t to be ignored, not on this occasion. Not only that but his fellow Shinigami responded in kind too. The thunderous sound easily garnered the attention of those close by. Enough to disorientate some. This was definitely a Bankai and it was the first time Izanagi had ever been in its presence. It was hard to miss the massive body of water casting shadows from above ground. Ready to crush all that fell beneath its pressure. It was in direct contrast to Izanagi's own Bankai. The stage was set for whatever was to come in the central areas of the Seireitei. The Captain soon continued with his original plan of further addressing Cazador.

“And this ‘twit’ as you so ungentlemanly called me is the Jubantai Taicho, Jushiro Izanagi. I trust you’re not the type to prey upon the defenceless, I mean that would be indefensible, right?”. ​

The defenceless in this case being those currently suspended in cryosleep to preserve their lives.

 

[Elk]

The movements Antonio made avoided the attacks of Hideo’s fists, yet if one were to look down at the ground, they would notice fist-sized holes digging deep into it. The Espada was certainly paying attention to the signature close enough that he was able to keep up with those attacks—but the one without the reiryoku? It had landed with such force that it dislocated Antonio’s shoulders, and yet the Espada still avoided the oncoming attack. His body moved back far enough to avoid any counter-swings, yet when Hideo looked at Antonio, he saw no emotional reaction to his arm.

“If you weren’t an Arr—”

A light caused his arms to move up in front of him, blocking the blinding glare as he closed them out of instinct. Then the wave of reiatsu poured down on him, causing his heart rate to skyrocket. Goosebumps spread across his skin. His legs locked into place while his breathing quickened. Adrenaline coursed through his veins, the fears and doubts he had earlier now screaming at him with one word: RUN!

An ugly sight. According to the books within the academy, Arrancar transformations vary in form, though most keep a humanoid appearance. Truth be told, he had only ever seen one other transformation, and that was the ant-looking Espada. Though this was different… To say he was disgusted was an understatement—disgusted and horrified by what he just witnessed. Enough so that he wanted to throw up. Whether that was due to the crushing weight of reiatsu & anxiety, the sight of the Arrancar, or all of the above, either way he felt sick to his very core.

His heart was pounding, eyes dilated, legs locked into place, and hands trembling as he looked upon Antonio. Another wave of goosebumps crawled across his skin. He could hear everything happening around him, eyes darting side to side as he breathed heavily and fast. Everything dimmed for a moment as he stared at the Arrancar. The only thing he could hear was his own breathing—until...

Antonio spoke, speaking of a god king, and the absence of nobles, their kind needing nothing but that god king.

“Hueco Mundo’s only true noble is going to be emerging from that cocoon very soon, and once she does, this war will come to an end…”

“A Bankai that small? I assumed Bankai were supposed to be grand and unique, not s-silly pieces of armor…”

This snapped him out of his daze, and his eyes shifted up to the Arrancar once more, taking note of the many eyes watching him. To this, his own eyes narrowed.

“Ah, I see. So the loss of the left eye wasn’t permanent. H-how unfortunate for you… If you weren’t so fast, I would simply seal my Zanpakutō and fight you that way, but I cannot afford to be caught off guard by that speed again.”

His body lurched forward as his shoulders shook up and down before he flung his upper half upright, mouth open in laughter. His hand moved up, index finger extended, wiping away a single tear before finally catching his breath. His eyes locked onto Antonio’s head, hand lifting up to point straight at him—arms unshaken and steady. The fear in his eyes was replaced with a spark of pride.


“So it was the power of the eye that moved the spell!”

“How flattering that you need a GOD’s eye to keep up with me?”

“Thank you for the compliment! You also made me realize something.”

“Your Espada are relying on pieces of a god to have a chance at beating us.”

“It’s a pity that you don’t rely on your own strength to do so.”

“You already lost one of your pawns—what makes you think this god king will be your saving grace?”



He was about to flicker, but his eyes shifted toward a sound—watching as a watery dome moved around Central, surrounding and cutting off everything. He was unfamiliar with who had activated it, but at this point, he couldn’t ponder who or what had done so. Surely Antonio would be more distracted by that than he was?

“EYES ON ME!”

In that moment, he flickered away as the waters rushed forward. He appeared directly in front of Antonio, body mid-air, legs extending forward before another image of him appeared as the water rushed past them. This time, he moved forward—his fist traveling forward before disappearing less than an inch away from Antonio’s face, then another aimed for the gut before vanishing again. Each punch he threw faded away, but the air thrust that followed blew against the Arrancar’s skin. He continued this momentum for what seemed like forever, constantly fading in and out, until something finally landed. Four impacts slammed into Antonio’s body—then another punch, followed by four more, each phantom strike activating in unison.

“You can guess what it does now!”

His body flickered once more—but this time, four more images appeared. One with both arms extending forward toward the midsection, another to the left aiming for Antonio’s eye, one to the right high enough to strike the jaw, and the last behind the Arrancar, sweeping his legs.

“Bankai’s are unique, and while I must admit, for my status, it isn’t grandiose... But I am a humble man.”

Hideo had spoken, yet his words seemed to come from each image. He was grateful to have been able to understand Antonio’s speed before the transformation. He was now able to keep track of that speed no matter how fast it would go. After all, his training with his family had ensured that he could clock and keep an eye on those considered the best of the best in speed among the Shinigami. How hard could it be to keep up with this Arrancar?

​

 

[Adonai]

---

“So it was the power of the eye that moved the spell!”

“How flattering that you need a GOD’s eye to keep up with me?”

”Hmm, not quite..” The pupil of his eyes begins to constrict more and more until only the iris remains.

“Thank you for the compliment! You also made me realize something.”

“Your Espada are relying on pieces of a god to have a chance at beating us.”

”The fragments merely moved up our timetable… B-be it now or one hundred years from now this d-day would have come…”

“It’s a pity that you don’t rely on your own strength to do so.”

“You already lost one of your pawns—what makes you think this god king will be your saving grace?”

”You overestimate yourselves…”

“EYES ON ME!”

”They’ve been on you…”

Antonio says with a cold demeanor as Hideo would feel his arms becoming heavier by the split second. His gauntlets, his Bankai, were turning to stone, petrified to their core while adhering to his flesh. He had removed weights from his being earlier to increase his speed but now new weights had just formed on his body. Gorgona is more than the name of Antonio’s Zanpakuto, it is also the name of his ability. Whatever his eyes focus on, turn into stone. It is quite difficult for him to target a person’s entire body but targeting just one part of them is vastly easier and less noticeable to some degree as he has demonstrated. Inquiring about his Bankai, masking his true intentions with idle conversation. Antonio is dull of mind but he understands and knows about his own combative weaknesses, he covers them when and where he can.

With the power of the left eye returned the second attack comes instantaneously…

Power of Time

The stone gauntlets explode, the Bankai destroyed and Hideo’s hands and forearms brutally damaged. Skin is flayed from those sections of his arms, muscles are torn free and bone is exposed. With the Left Eye Antonio can manipulate his own future and inorganic objects, by turning living beings to stone they become inorganic and fully susceptible to the Left Eye. Antonio merely reaches into the future and destroys the gauntlets. He holds up one of his four arms as chunks of stone and dust fall from his palm. He lets out a low hiss, shifting his body as his eyes readjust themselves, he focuses on the power of the Left Eye now as he turns away from Hideo to focus on the sound of rushing water.

”Destruction…Mmm, an injury that will last for quite some time…”

Antonio says to himself as he faces the wrath of a different Shihoin, this one bringing the wrath of water and kido to bear against him. The water was snapping down and when it hit the thunderclap it mimicked affected Antonio as it did for others in Central and the rest of the Seireitei. Antonio stood firm, not letting his lack of hearing throw him off into panic. The crashing water caused the cocoon to shift and then plummet downwards. All Shinigami know what lay beneath the First Division, Muken. Luckily the Cocoon would be landing at the gates of Muken with no way to enter it. Debris filled and clogged the hole where the cocoon once sat and Antonio seems unbothered by this development, despite how desperately he acted to defend it earlier it seems like he has disregarded it entirely now.

The many eyes of Antonio fanned out and looked at the ring that now surrounded First Division, cascading downwards as if to prevent escape. He continues to stay focused, his gaze locked ten seconds into the future as it seems this new arrival has a lot to show him. Kido emerged from the watery prison littering the sky and grounds of the First Division in an attempt to halt his movements.

”Ah…Kido…”

“Open your eyes, beast. You’re looking at the tide itself. I am your storm.”

Antonio raises his hands, while he cannot directly attack the Bankai, given its ever flowing state meaning turning it to stone is not an option, he has other things to target, one such thing he has already proven capable of manipulating…

”What if I…”

His hands continued to rise and Yuichiro would suddenly find himself surrounded by his own devious collection of Kido spells, every last one of them. Two of the makeshift mine Kido touch and it sets off a chain reaction. All of the spells triggering and exploding all at once causing a massive fireball to erupt in the sky. Hideo, with his destroyed arms, is forced to watch his relative be engulfed by his very own tactic, within an instant. Hideo is a humble man, sure, but his confidence is misplaced and he forgets what it is he is truly fighting, a monster.

”Still here, are you? Don’t think I’ve forgotten about you… You don’t have a Z-zanpakuto to fight back with… and W-without hands y-you can’t cast spells.”

His ethereal voice is louder than normal due to his ear drums being blown out. He begins raising his tail to slam it down on Hideo when suddenly there is a rumbling in the ground. First Division shakes violently and then…

[To be Continued…]

---

​

 

[Lovely Lady]

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---

A beast could be gentle and kind but in the end it is still a beast. Capable of tending and terrifying.

She’d not forgotten it but she had hoped to block the hideous sights of their previous battle with Grimaldi from her mind. Blood and gore and violence… it still made her stomach turn and made her weary. It was bad enough that she had not had a choice in the matter, otherwise she or Estarossa might have ended up dead then and there.

The link to the possible peace between the Shinigami and the arrancar could have been lost.
However now, it had vanished. The Captain’s bewildered expression changed so that she was smiling. Working together with not one but two arrancar in order to defeat a common enemy had been thrilling! She felt as giddy as she had long ago as a school girl! He’d also been upfront with her and brutally honest which was something she valued. Many have approached Shizukana with softness and respect but most of them tell the woman everything they think she wants to hear.

She was disappointed when they did this, she needed facts and the hard truths that plagued the fifth division and the very seireitei itself in order to make sound decisions. Those who told it how it was and forwent her feelings were who she respected and otherwise revered.

It wasn’t long before worry for him set in. The captain wanted to attempt to sense his path and follow him. She’d have been ample help considering that she was a practicer of medical kido and could do wonders for the injured he was seeking to aid. However, she had just arrived back to her home and with unquestionable sensory ability, reached out to find the locations of both her Lieutenant and her third seated officer. She did not count the choice to join Estarossa out, atleast not until she had a chance to explain herself to her boys.

A lot had happened in a short amount of time and Shizukana had plenty of news that needed to be shared with them. Her search indicated to her that Oyuki was nearby likely searching for her after the sight he had to have seen. Hyoroshi…there. He was there and as she expected he too was approaching but she could also sense that he was injured and quite direly. Though, it was nothing that she wouldn’t be able to handle once he and Oyuki regrouped with her.

Additionally, she was feeling for any fifth division member that was still alive, and had witnessed glimpses of them fighting, winning against the hollowkind and arrancar they had fought since their first encounters. Together they worked like a well oiled machine, united against a common enemy.

Each of them knew what the other was thinking and to their credit, one of her elitely trained shinigami was worth one hundred other soul reapers. She had no doubt that they were surviving and they were thriving.

While her boys were on their way, for now, she focused her attention on the cocoon and stayed at a distance. Only a fool would have charged in alone at such a formidable force bearing down upon the seireitei.

As the earth trembled in response to Antonio’s release of his ungodly resurection, Shizukana’s nerve remained strong. For now, she’d do nothing until she’d reunited with her Lieutenant and third seat.
​

---

 

[Adonai]

Kuwashii looks at the translucent wall between her and the Espada, Negación, she knows it well and has seen it a few times during her time in Naruki City. However she has never seen it utilized in this way before. A wall, almost like it is some sort of Kido and if it were a Kido it would rank in the nineties considering Negación separates a target from the very dimension it is in. A spell of ultimate protection.

"How rude! Has no one taught you any manners young lady?!"

”Huh?”

The question takes her off guard for a moment.

"You should properly introduce yourself! Don't be like these barbarians scattered around or that other Twit of a Captain who won't even introduce himself. As intellectuals it is up to us to demonstrate proper etiquette for the intellectually inferior."

”Oh, it’s just that no one has ever-”

"I am Cazador, Cazador Aburrimiento. Espada Quinto if you will."

Her intense gaze lets up for a moment, an odd kindness afforded to her from her enemy of all people. No chastizing, no sly remarks about her being a pip-squeak or any remarks about her size. It was oddly refreshing and she hated that it was coming from an Arrancar of all people. She was getting a form of something she has received very few times in her life thus far, only from her Captain and Kisho has she gained this thing she considers sacred…

"To whom do I have the pleasure of conversing, my higher minded young miss?"

Acknowledgement.

”Ah, I’m uhh… I’m Kuwashii Hakunetsu, a member of the Tenth Division and Guardian of Naruki City.”

An awkward silence is born shortly after her introduction, she has to regather her thoughts after meeting someone who actually wanted to know her name rather than just shooing her off or disregarding her existence. Her mouth parts to speak again when the frost in the room begins to fester. Across the rooftops and attempting to swallow her heat only for it to melt and bend around her being. So long do stars exist so too does heat, heat that keeps the isolation and loneliness of the cold away. Though the frost bends around her its intent remains the same as she silently watches it encapsulate the area. While this was happening there was a sound like a thunderclap that made Kuwashii stumble and her vision blurred and doubled for a moment. She had no idea what it was, it was certainly no ice quake that caused it. After regaining her senses she was able to witness her Captain save the three downed Shinigami, she hopes her presence there and distracting the Espada with idle chatter is what made it possible. A small victory for them now but they will have to make full use of this cleared area of battle now.

“I hope you don’t mind but I took the liberty of removing the unsightly view.”

”Captain, that's kind of rude to say about-”

She pauses, frowns and grits her teeth.

”No, you’re right. It was unsightly.”

“And this ‘twit’ as you so ungentlemanly called me is the Jubantai Taicho, Jushiro Izanagi. I trust you’re not the type to prey upon the defenceless, I mean that would be indefensible, right?”

Of course, speaking his title came as effortlessly to him as breathing. She must have the same conviction in the future when addressing herself, not only to her enemies but allies as well. Her gaze returns to Cazador, she almost winces at what she must do next, having to fight someone who has acknowledged her to the death is not something she revels in. Her next words may sound like treachery to her Captain, but for her they must be said.

Worthy of Respect

”Forgive me for what happens next, Aburrimiento-san. I do hope we can continue chatting as this battle progresses.”

The use of an honorific towards a hated enemy, asking for forgiveness from them and still hoping for a friendly line of dialogue between them as they fight. Has she lost her mind? No, not in the slightest. What she just said was not something to throw Cazador off, no ploy for distraction or an underhanded tactic. No, this was just pure, true to life, honesty. She exhales and a large arc of white flame crashes through the ceiling right on top of Cazador, landing on the other side of the Negación wall he had set up. But when and how did she do this? She had done nothing but pace and walk towards him the entire time. It came before she even entered the area.

That arc of flame she let loose earlier into the sky was not a signal flare, it wasn’t a rallying cry or anything of the sort. It was a preemptive attack on the Espada , a sneaky and underhanded attack that she used her little chat as a distraction for. She didn’t think during the course of this chatter she would feel some bit of regret and remorse for attacking him in this way, hence why she asked for forgiveness before the attack crashed through and landed.

To further clarify this was not a mathematical act of pure genius, no calculation was done to know exactly where he would be standing for it to land, nor any further trickery to get him in place. This was all based on knowing how her Zanpakuto works and how the arcs of flame behave when released. Yūmeijin (有名人; Luminaries) allows her to launch an arc of flame from her blade that can return to said blade when willed to. Much like the solar flares of a star that erupt outward from the main body only to return to it, so too does Yūmeijin mimic and embody this act. Of course recalling it is not something sealed in stone, like an act of manipulation she can most definitely “feather” her control of the recall, adjusting its return trajectory so that it can hit its mark. In this instance the mark was Cazador. A burning plume of white fire remains where he was standing, her relaxed posture and grip on her blade remains the same as if she is certain this would work, but only time will tell…

 

[Hyoroshi Iwamura]

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Heavy footsteps pounded against the weathered wall shingles, Hyoroshi rushing with deep, somewhat labored breaths from the northwest towards the heart of the Seireitei, his one Shihakusho sleeve ripped off and tightly wrapped over his shoulder and inside his armpit; soaked red where the hole in his trapezium continued to seep. His Shikai still burned white-hot, his blades two beacons of radiant light, and as he sprinted along, they were the bringers of swift ends to any and every remnant Hollow that approached. His goal in this moment was singular: get to his Captain.

Hyoroshi's eyes, ears and nose were aware of the basics of what happened here--the giant cocoon still bound up in the Seireitei's very center, the cacophany of immense spiritual pressures both spiking and eroding to nothing, the shrieks of abilities and spells clashing, the bile-inducing stench of Shinigami corpses. His heightened vision discerned a giant, garish, sickly-green thing still continuing its onslaught in the distance, its Reiatsu nigh immeasurable. Iwamura bared his rows of canine teeth to the point of radiating pain in his jaw. All around him, complete pandemonium.

'Complete, total, unabated failure of duty.'

He pushed onward, sensing Shizukana's presence grow as he closed in. His own Reiatsu was paltry; an ant trying to challenge the mountains that were the water Espada at Thirteenth, the green nightmare still terrorizing the Seireitei; and it was flagging. Hyoroshi's arms ached, the knowledge that he was only . He just needed to make it to Shizukana--with her warmth, her very presence an assurance that some things were still right in the world.

Iwamura stopped on a rooftop, his broad chest pushing and pulling his lungs in heaves that were slowly increasing. A Hollow approached, bird-like. Iwamura swung his chained blade, slicing into the threat with one efficient stroke. A cascade of immense, rippling heat, near-invisible, immediately blossomed from within the Hollow; it couldn't even shriek as its body spontaneously combusted and dissolved into nothing. He exhaled. Sweat beads glistened on the tips of his facial hairs, occasionately dripping in front of weary eyes.

"There's no other options, are there? Always playing the hero...and nearly getting yourself killed. Something has to change, pup."

He sniffed her, then spotted her--Shizukana, Captain Kurayami. Relief dug a pyrrhic blade into his chest. He flashed from rooftop to rooftop, closing the distance before dropping down to her with a heavy thud.

"Captain! I'm here, Shizukana..." Hyoroshi fell to one knee and scrabbled for his breath, presenting the full extent of the wound he'd sustained. Trickles of hardening blood were sticking to and clumping up the fur around his shoulder, pectoral and neck, his soaked makeshift bandage useless to stem the bleeding. "Where's Oyuki?" Hyoroshi pressed with noticeable strain.​

 

[TherosAestas]

The seireitei was in disarray, something Suzume could have suspected but hadn’t actually witnessed for herself until now. Her eyes narrowed as they scanned the scene before her as her feet landed on a rooftop, near enough to observe but not so close that she would be pulled into the fray immediately. Her gaze honed in on her eccentric idiot of a companion, but she didn’t rush to him, instead her attention turned toward the direction from which she could sense Captain Kurayami and her subordinate.

Abandoning the scoundrel?

She waved away Jigitarisu for the moment. Hideo could handle himself, his speed alone could free him from most situations and should he need her, he would come to her. Before she could make a decision to go assist them, an explosion of kido drew her attention back to the fight. One Shihoin was consumed and her eyes snapped back to Hideo. Something felt off about him. Her eyes narrowed further until she realized his bankai was gone and so too was the skin and muscle from his hands and forearms.

Her stomach churned as a deep dark emotion settled into her gut. Not fear, but anger. At who she wasn’t entirely certain. Possibly it was at the monstrosity the Shihoins were fighting, or even more likely it was at Hideo himself for not being more careful.

Suzu…me?

Suzume’s fingers tightened around Jigitarisu’s hilt as she ground her teeth together. Even her zanpakuto has never witnessed her like this, especially not during a time where she needs to be calm, collected, and focused.

”If that thing doesn’t kill him, I will end him myself.”

A soft frustrated sigh escapes her lips as she presses her free hand to her forehead. Opting to distract herself from the anger writhing within her, she turns her gaze toward the cocoon.

When will that thing open up? Can we play now?

She shakes her head gently, her hair sticks clinking against the metal flower they are nestled against in her hair. ”I don’t know, Fox, but I fear the longer it stews the worse it will be. I think it may be time to play soon though.” She knows Jigitarisu is itching to rid the seireitei of these foul arrancar.