Karakura Town

[Elk]

Kuwashii talk of her pull had little sway on his thoughts, her talking was enough to entertain him as his zanpakutō shimmering continued. Though his head tilted towards the side for the correction she gave. He would guess that Death was now the outcome for she had no idea what lengths he went through just to get his freedom.


Yet still the Shugō was not something he would enjoy. His thoughts went back to the stubborn men and women of the Central 46, and their warning. Had he not been acting he would be more than happy to kill them all, had it not been for timing. For the moment his smile shifted before the voice of the other spoke to the question he had asked about Tomi.

"So a criminal ceases to be a criminal should they not commit any new crimes? Are you a child?"

“To those that know me well enough would say so!”


“You must be the one to have looked into me! Judging by your words, you must be the Gumshoe of the trio!.”



Laughter came out as he would take a turn towards the man that spoke. His head shook before his hand raised up, fingers forming a circle where he would look through it to the man. One eye closing as he focused on the man, uncaring of Kuwashii’s rising reiatsu, as the detective spoke of capital theft, yet still he never did take his eyes off the man, while his free hand shifted down to his right outer pocket, before stopping himself.


“A fair trade don’t you think? Freedom for the death of a family? Honestly the se-”

“So many dead noble clans”

“I never said they were noble”


His smile slowly faded away from his face, an exasperated sigh came out. Up until now, he had kept a joyous demeanor, he was excited about interacting with another Shinigami that was not Sumire, even if their goal was to arrest him. Kuwashii reiatsu and reiryoku flow was surging through her, she was gearing to attack, yet still he never faced away from the Detective. His fingers forming that circle shifted to snap.





Lines began to form around Kuwashii’s position, four above moving to connect with one another, another four moving down, and another four forming around her shoulder, all quickly connecting with one another as her vision went from clear to teal like colour. Boxing her entire head and shoulders in.


As for the lanky one he had surged his reiatsu and pushed forward he would crash into a barrier that illuminated itself once he had made the contact. Its colours shifting across its domed shape, due his physical contact with it. It was one solid barrier that he had quietly formed around himself during the beginning conversation, but there was still more to come.


As several black spheres with lights would finally reveal themselves, 47 spheres surrounded the dome barrier, Several exploded, knocking the lanky Shinigami around before the flames made contact with the Barrier. In which the barrier began to dissipate the beams flame towards the side due its curvature where some of the flame would catch the grass on fire, and spreading around, with one moving towards the Lanky one.


How could he set this up? Barriers were simple constructs, reiryoku made manifest, while beginners often have their barriers made in the same colour and tone as their reiryoku, they required no name to be spoken nor prep time when making a simple barrier. He opted to make the simple dome shaped barrier, one solid unit easily made yet took some small amount of time to make invisible. It was the first shimmer of his zanpakutō that allowed him to create this barrier, solid and uniform with enough strength to withstand and hold back Kuwashii’s blast, but he wasn’t going to leave it to chance, Shinigami like her have a weird way of surpassing their limits. Each change of the image he made had him reinforce his barrier, as he needed to expel some reiatsu to change the image while at the same time strengthening it. yet still his zanpakutō was shimmering, as if he wasn’t stopping, until his hand lifted up and off of his zanpakutō.


As for the black spheres it was Hado #77 Hakanai Sekai. He had spoken way earlier in a low tone, combining that with Bakudō #26. Kyokkō the spheres he made were invisible to the naked eye. Along with being difficult to detect via sensing. From the detectives point of view, he would see the arms raise and clap together, where in which the barrier that boxed in Kuwashii from the shoulder up would slice into the woman’s body, slicing through skin and muscle to break her bones, before dissipating, no he didn’t want her to die so quickly, for the first time in his life he wanted someone to suffer.


His lips were moving at the same yet his words were not heard, if he was able to read lips though he would see the words Hadō before the barrier’s colour blocked the rest of his speech. If they looked closely though they would see his hand holding his zanpakutō once more, where he stood still, eyes locked and watching the Detective closely. For in his eyes that man was the most dangerous of the trio for his ability to get rid of kidō with that zanpakutō. While again his zanpakutō shimmered, glowing brightly every few seconds.

“I’ll let you all in on a little secret, I casted Hadō number 96, Ittō Kasō. I’ve discovered away to delay the spell’s activation, but one wrong move and I take us all out. But we only got a certain amount of time before I go ‘BOOM!’”


“Take your leave now and you might escape the blast radius”


Whether they believed him or not, they could see the shimmering of his zanpakutō, and sense his reiatsu finally shifting, as it came out, it would be difficult to sense through his reiatsu consealing cloak but it was possible with such a powerful spell coursing through him, as the reiatsu was venting out through his wrists enough for them to feel it.

Toru→[Elk]→Rokka→Kuwashii
​

 

[Souris]

Rokka existed primarily as a spectator to the initial song and dance; his preference for detaining the co-conspirator gave them an edge. Not in the way some might perceive as a hostage scenario—that was not the intention—but instead as a potential loose end being suspended. Alongside that, any catastrophic measures Elk took would be at the risk of compromising his partner. It would not be the hand of any of the trio, but his own carelessness that could lead to her untimely demise. Not only that, but there was a further check that this left room for, one that relied on external coordination.

While banter was thrown about and tensions rose, another Senkaimon opened just above the complex they occupied. Reinforcements? No, if that were the intention, they would have shown their faces earlier when this siege was coordinated. It was something else, for sure. Yet, what that was wasn't a matter for the present. It concerned no party caught in the secluded chamber. What mattered in the moment was a matter of apprehension or liberation.

For the detective, he was a man of swift and effective results; had things been less tricky and his present company less inclined to deliberation, Elk would have been cut down when he first entered the room. And yet he was spared in that moment—a decisive end exchanged for a more secured venue as well as the humoring of his companion's wishes. Though that very kindness extended by the trio was met with a mixed response. An immediately defensive stance, distractions, and attempted spellwork—either he lacked the facilities to negotiate or was genuinely that dishonest of a soul. In either case, it made it evident to Rokka that he was simply the liability he presumed he was.
​

“Those who know me well enough would say so!”​

Rokka's eyes narrowed out of annoyance at the response. A willing confirmation of his naivety, to top it all off. With that, there would be no further words humored. His foot tapped in some unseen rhythm as the man worked through more words—empty ones that served only to detract from his true intentions.

Even as the fugitive tried to claim a 'delayed' Ittō Kasō, Rokka remained unmoved. It was a rather transparent play—the desperate bluff of a man who realized his control over the situation was slipping. He had all the time in the world to make a much more refined move, and yet here he was, a hare surrounded by the hounds of the Gotei 13. If any of it were true, the scene would be playing out differently. Not to mention the logistical fallacy of it all. It didn't take a master of Kidō to know that a spell born of sacrifice was too unstable to rein in. This farce was as childish as his previous banter; he just hoped the others would not fall for the illusion.

He looked briefly between his allies and the overly confident fugitive, piecing together a scene in his mind as if he were planning out pieces on a chessboard. It was nothing more than a wink, but his mind etched together a series of potential outcomes. An action, a reaction—the boons and the consequences.

He noted the man's attention on him, something he'd exploit. Multitasking wasn't everyone's strong suit, especially under intense pressure. As the incongruent rogue tried to work his magic, Rokka pushed forward. His speed honed forward with a strong lock on Elk. The grip on his weapon alternated as he swung at a rate that outpaced his stride by several times. Forwards, backwards, upwards, downwards—a blade dance woven a thousandfold. Through the blitz came a swipe of his arm, dragging from his chest and outward to his side. A glint flickered within that arc, vanishing as quickly as it took light. Trailing its short-lived vibrance came a subtle tug at Elk's collar, as if his garment were yanked by that gesture despite the distance that still remained between the two men. A gap that narrowed even more within the next stride.

Mere feet from each other, Rokka laid a pair of slashes: the first eradicated any ambient defenses, the second simply missed the mark. Just shy of the fugitive, his sword whiffed on by. Was this hesitation? Panic? Whatever it may be, the Sixth's Third bolted backwards away from his target, matching his previous path in reverse. Coinciding with that inverted rush, an immensely strong flow of wind pulled fiercely along the criminal, his hair and garments frantically fluttering towards where the officer had just swung. It would feel as if his very breath were being snatched, his skin hammered and dragged, and his body beckoned to follow Kūkyō's slice.

As the detective cleared space, he did not lighten his grip on his weapon, instead opting to remain ready just as he did in his initial advance. His other hand, however, reached into the breast of his attire, fishing out a single Kan. He moved the coin between his fingers, admiring the shine of it before closing his hand around it, thinking over the multitude of ways it could be used even in this moment, finding value even without a product in sight.
​

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Toru→Elk→[Rokka]→Kuwashii

​

 

[Adonai]

---

The barrier forms and cuts into Kuwashii as Elk had designed and planned. She drops to a knee, her eyes completely white, devoid of pupils and iris alike. She appeared as if she had lost consciousness in that moment with the flames of her Shikai vanishing entirely. In all her rage she failed to see through what Elk was planning. Being caught in his web like this would undoubtedly cast her in a bad light once she returned to her peers back in Ninth Division. For whatever reason the traitor did not commit to killing her, applying just enough force and pressure to immobilize her. This is an insult to injury for her, to tell her she is not worth killing, that she is not worth the full attention or effort. It wounds her pride and soul more than her body.

A Star Never Dies

Her flames had vanished but something else happened to the room in the wake of their absence. The ambient light of this room begins to grow, more than any artificial light source could provide and with it heat came as well more than her Reiatsu or Shikai were giving off. One minute Kuwashii was on the ground and the next she was standing on her feet, bleeding from her shoulders and had the spell that damaged her remained it would have shattered due to the release of her Reiatsu. Those void like eyes were not a state of unconsciousness but a sign of unbridled rage. At the ceiling of this room, adjusted/scaled for the size of it, hovers a star. Not the kind of star people would draw with the five pointed ends but a true to life, and what Kuwashii would call “scientifically accurate”, Star.

It boils and churns, plasma bursting forth from its surface, dark spots occasionally appear and vanish along its surface as it slowly spins and rotates on a perfect axis. Despite being a star it is not impossible to look at directly almost as if it were designed in a way so all can gaze at the beauty and majesty of a true star without shielding their eyes. But that is the nature of this Zanpakuto, its power is not light but heat.
​

”Bankai. Zōge-iro Chōten.”​

(象牙色 頂点: Ivory-white Apex)

A Bankai, Elk is now faced with the power of a Bankai controlled by the most volatile member of this triplet. She has no qualms about burning everything away, she attempted to slay his Shihoin cohort but thankfully his barrier protected himself and his conspirator.

But there is something more pressing beyond all of this, how did she survive the Kido used on her by Elk? Well, as much as he was trying to not underestimate her, he still hit that small percentage chance regardless. Kuwashii suffers from some unknown muscle abnormality that makes her muscle density higher than normal. The sort of muscle density, if in anyone else, would make them abnormally strong without ever having to train or lift weights. When these muscles are enhanced with Reiryoku they become a boon of added berserker strength without the mental debuff of a berserker, although this can be debated with Kuwashii at times. Not only is there offense but defense as well, acting as another layer of armor beneath her skin, armor that had barely been breached by the spell that was purposely held back to spare her.

By choosing to spare her he inadvertently handicapped his own damage output against her. She raises her massive, charred, blade into the air with a single hand and brings it down shortly after Rokka makes his move. The blade slams into the ground, however she is nowhere near Elk at this point. Maybe her blind rage has made her literally blind, but this isn’t the case. From the star above plasma erupts towards Elk at the same speed as the blade being dropped, this stream of plasma then curves moments before hitting the barrier to mimic the arc of a blade cutting.
​

”Sendō Hikari”​

(先導光; Leading Light)

Layered that barrier may be but it is unnamed, it lacks weight, it lacks purpose given to it. A Kido Master should know and understand that names and incantations hold great significance and weight and without them a nameless barrier is only as good as a wall with no renown. None of his spheres seemed to be surrounding her as he believed his plan to incapacitate her was more than enough and required no more effort than that. Whatever he was saying was lost to her ears, she was done listening, done trying to reason. She tried that, opened a line of communication only for him to spit in her face at the attempt. His only options now are death or destruction. Threatening his own life via suicide by Kido would only make her job easier, but she doesn't want that, she wants him to struggle, to fight back. She wants him to suffer for taking her kindness for weakness.

The attack makes contact with the barrier, the weight of a Bankai level attack outweighs the existence of a nameless barrier, no matter how much mortar and bricks are laid within it. The barrier shatters and its fragments ignite and burn away as the arc of plasma seeks to rend Elks entire being of flesh into nothingness.

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Toru→Elk→Rokka→[Kuwashii]​

 

[Amphybi]

As unfortunate as it is, there is no going back now, the fight is under way and the outcome is binary. Death is assured, and one side will be dead by the end of this encounter. The barrier that was erected around Elk in the midst of conversation does not find Toru slamming into it, he doesn’t even come in contact with it. The path taken by Toru was and is intended to avoid coming too close to the spellcaster, Elk Hoshi. A path taken around the outside and then to the back. Had Toru ran into the barrier, he might not have spotted the black orb that is encroaching upon his position. Fortunately he’d already positioned himself behind Elk and with that parasol opened out towards him. The previous intention was to protect the unconscious Shihōin, but the traitor had done enough to render Toru’s attempt null and void. Now, that parasol is guided towards the approaching orb and with no more than a thrust of his arm forward, the orb seeks to explode but is rendered harmless as it fizzles upon contact with the altered sheath of his Zanpakuto. The dispersal of that initial threat gives Toru a brief respite that he uses to assess the situation before him.

Beyond the other black orbs that litter the area around the Hoshi, the biologist’s eyes catch Rokka, plotting from a comparatively safe vantage point. Further along, the Tsunayashiro notes the enforcer, her head encased in a barrier that presumably seeks to lop off her head, or at the very least completely crush her neck. Toru was likely to have attempted to move towards Kuwashii in her aid, but the circumstances drastically change as the room alights with a sweltering heat and a near blinding light. A new star dawns upon the room and is almost like a call to action for both Toru and Rokka.

The detective is the first to make his move, a controlled blur of metal seeks to dismantle any and all defences surrounding, creating an opening for himself and others just the same. With a brief exhale, Toru follows suit. A swift step back places Toru further away from any of the black orbs, a safe distance for now and in tandem, his left arm flicks upwards, flinging the parasol upwards towards the newborn star. The parasol vanishes in the light, no shadow cast upon the scene below. Another step pushes Toru to trace his previously travelled path along the outside of the center that is Elk. If the Hoshi’s eyes can trace the blur of movement that is Toru, he might notice two very familiar things to a Kido master. The movement of Toru’s lips, an incantation, the motions of his now free left hand as the trace a symbol into the air rapidly. His right arms swing in tandem with his steps, mirroring one of his legs at all times as if hiding another motion. Another spell perhaps?

The nature of fighting multiple opponents at once is sure to be clear now to Elk. To direct his focus from one threat is to lose track of another. If Elk decides to follow Toru, then his reaction to the cascade of plasma may be delayed. If he chooses to focus on the incoming attack of the enraged Kuwashii, then he may find himself at the mercy of another plot from the cunning detective. If he chooses to track Rokka, then perhaps he is to miss what comes from Toru next. With the Bankai of Kuwashii bringing forth a stream of lethal plasma towards Elk, Toru makes use of that and the now back pedaling Rokka.

As Rokka lands from his retreat, Toru slips in behind the detective and finally with that he shifts both his arms into motion. The right flicking forward with a whoosh in a coordinated motion with his left as that arm thrusts outwards, aiming straight at Elk. The spell is complete and just as he emerges from behind Rokka, he yells out a single word.
​

“Geki!” ​

Of course, Toru does not stop there, his path continues as he maintains that path he’d set, retracing his previous motions and eventually ending up where he had begun, a ‘comfortable’ distance off to the left of Kuwashii. He stands at the ready, his right hand briefly rummaging within his Shihakushō for a small white needled pouch. The display put on by Kuwashii is one of impressive might, but also worrying recklessness and if needed, he is prepared.​

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[Toru]→Elk→Rokka→Kuwashii​