From Northwest Seireitei: Third Division Barracks
Taro arrives at the supposed barren wasteland in the Southern Rukongai’s Seventy-Ninth District, Tenki. Upon his arrival the Vassals of the Date Clan were finishing their preparations to make use of Date Bakudo #15. Tengoku no mōsō. A man approaches Taro, kneeling before him and keeping his eyes locked onto the ground.
”Date-sama, Preparations are nearly complete, the last few Vassals are getting into place now for the spell. Once you cross our threshold we shall cast the spell. If I may be so bold as to ask, who will be running security for us while we focus on the barrier?”
”My Lieutenant, Yūrei Tsukikage. He should be arriving shortly. Since this is Clan business I’m certain he won’t hesitate to kill any filth that strays too close, not that he needs a reason to do that. What about the balance of souls, what does that look like?”
”My lord, we can, at absolute most, dispose of around 300 souls without affecting the balance. Being slain by us will throw them back into the cycle of reincarnation, so ultimately things should be fine.”
Very well, have the additional Vassals within the barrier and are ready to slay a total of 250 souls. That should be enough to dwindle the populace or at least get the point across. After which, we burn this place and leave nothing.”
The Vassal nods his head and Taro walks past him. Knowing that his Lieutenant would be the one guarding them they could focus all their attention on the barrier. This spell, when channeled by an individual is reasonably strong, enough to stop mid level Kido or maybe a Cero from a weaker Arrancar, but it is not a spell meant to be cast by an individual. This spell was designed for a combined group incantation to obscure a location from sight and sense. It is made to keep things out as opposed to in and with so many Vassal’s surrounding the district to cast it the barrier becomes nigh-unbreakable, the only exception being to kill the ones conjuring it. This is where Yūrei comes in, as a Lieutenant to Taro and as someone whose family is affiliated with the Date clan he is more than fit for the task of playing gate guard, a role that will not go to waste today because Taro fully expects a visitor or two. Once the Captain has passed the line of Vassal’s they begin chanting in unison and a pitch black dome begins to form over the entire Seventy Ninth, Southern District…
The Date
The Date clan has existed for as long as the Great Noble Clans, or at least seemingly so. They have been in their shadow for eons, existing as their executioners, assassins, and doing what must be done for the sake of the Soul Society above all else. Because of this the Date act as balancers for the Soul Society specifically, to maintain the status quo. They never step out into the open, always living and acting in secret and in the shadow’s. The Date acted as the spearhead when the Great Nobles marched upon the Royal Palace to Divide the Soul King. It was the Date who made sure any loose ends were taken care of to ensure the truth of the Soul King was kept secret, only accessible through deep recorded research. It was the Date who were called upon by the Tsunayashiro and Shihōin clans to aid in the Kuchiki massacre centuries ago. And it was the Date that dwindled the number of Shiba, down to only two. However, that most recent atrocity was done under their own discretion, although Central Forty-Six asked the Date to handle it, the clan already made preparations to do so for one simple reason, the Soul Society is dying.
It is a figure of speech to say that the Soul Society is dying. From the Great Nobles becoming drunk from their power on Central Forty-Six and causing the Great Degradation, which in turn lead to unrest in the Rukongai, creating rebels against the Gotei Thirteen, which then lead to a Civil War within the Gotei Thirteen itself. The full might of the Gotei Thirteen was decimated and a gaping wound was left that continues to bleed to this day, slowly killing the Soul Society. Captain’s rising, then falling, getting sick and having to abandon their post, the constant in fighting that resulted in the death of many Shinigami and staple members of the Gotei Thirteen. Should a hostile force invade the Gotei may not survive to see another day. But that is why the Shadow of the Date is being cast over the Seireitei and Soul Society, to stagnate the bleeding and seal the wound. Taro talks with authority and a sense of being higher than others because he is not acting as a Captain, he is acting under Noble Authority. It is that same authority that has brought him to the Rukongai to deal with a final loose end of the great degradation, the last scrap of rebellion in the Rukongai, the last vestigial flame that could spark another rebellion…
Inside the dome the sun up above looks like it is shining through tinted glass, enough to illuminate the space within the dome but not enough to snuff it out, this is by design. As Taro walks a woman appears to greet him, she bows, speaks his name respectfully only for his hand to reach out in an attempt to grab her throat. Her form collapses like wisps of smoke only to appear a few paces behind him, her hands folded neatly in front of her.
”An illusion, how quaint. Not only are you rats, hiding from the eyes of the Seireitei but you have a traitor in your midst as well.”
”Please, Captain Date, understand that we are doing this for-”
”So you have an informant on the inside as well, most likely affiliated with the Third Division. Considering you know my name, I haven’t done anything noteworthy to be known out here by anyone.”
The illusion shifts, Taro is now in a small room with a table and two chairs, the woman being on the other side of the table from Taro.
”You should have a seat.”
”And you should prioritize your safety.”
The woman raises an eyebrow and her form collapses into a wisp of smoke yet again as Taro’s Reiatsu rains down.
The Collapse of a Lie
”A battle of Shinigami is a battle of Reiatsu, I’ll just crush your illusion into dust before reducing you into nothing.”
Taro’s Reiatsu filled the room, the structure around him fading away bit by bit and eventually the ground at his feet began to change, what was once dirt and gravel started to turn into tile, a sight unseen this far out in the Rukongai. Then, very quickly, his Reiatsu washes over the entire district, unveiling a place full of life and well constructed buildings. For centuries this rogue Shinigami has hidden it from view, allowing this place to grow and prosper in silence and unseen. Considering Taro was able to do this with such ease means that the Shinigami here must be at most Spirit Grade 4. The citizens of this district hide in the buildings, watching from windows as Taro and the rogue Shinigami stand in the middle of the tiled street. The rogue Shinigami is an older gentleman, old enough to have seen a lot and know equally as much. Someone wise enough to even give Otokogi pause in his actions and make him think. He was a survivor of the Unhallowed wars, seeking asylum away from the Gotei 13 to avoid any more fighting as he saw much strife taking place in the Rukongai and so he became a leader, a beacon of hope. With his Zanpakuto he casted an illusion over the district and using what contacts he had left in the Seireitei he slowly built the district up, in secret. In truth it was this man who pointed Otokogi in the direction of the Shiba and it was this man who is the reason for their first culling.
As of right now none of that matters, the veil is lifted and now he is faced with Taro, a man who has no ounce of sympathy in his bones. With all this commotion going on, on the inside the outside world is none the wiser thanks to the barrier. The only way someone would be able to notice what is happening is only if they physically saw it, but with Lieutenant Tsukikage on duty they won’t get very far. Back on the inside Taro approaches the aged Shinigami who makes use of low level Hado, namely Shakkahō, to slow the Captain, who only holds up his arm to cover his face from the smoke that rises from each explosion. The rogue fires a blast into the ground to kick up more dust, smoke, and debris thinking it would be enough for him to close the distance and use his Zanpakuto specifically on Taro. Should he impale the captain he would be able to warp the world around him specifically with illusion. So the blade pierces through the smoke and finds no purchase with its attempted strike, merely wafting through the air at nothing. The rogue turns to defend himself only for Taro to grab his wrist, break it and proceed to lift and throw him into the ground, knocking the air from his lungs.
”I am about tired of running around, tying up old loose ends from the Civil War and other unfortunate events that preceded it, with you being among the oldest. Given your age you must have served in the Unhallowed War then became a deserter shortly after that. Hiding here, hiding shit in a golden toilet, how utterly foul.”
Taro looks around at the buildings, this “golden toilet” as he put it is about as accurate as he can get in describing it. Such beautiful and well maintained buildings hiding out here on the outskirts of the Seventy Ninth District, harboring souls who would probably kill each other for a single sandal to put on their feet. He places a foot on the chest of the rogue and calls out to his Vassals who were lying in wait for the illusion to be broken.
”Vassals, proceed with the purge. 250 souls, do not discriminate on who is purged.”
”No!”
The old man shouts, swinging his Zanpakuto that is caught by the Captain’s hand. With a grasp that could turn coal to diamond the Zanpakuto is well and truly stuck in the hand of Taro Date who watches on as the Citizens on Tenki run about, screaming, trying to hide only to be cut down in the street, between buildings or even in their very homes. The rogue tries to free his Zanpakuto from the grasp of Captain Date and readies himself to use another Hado, but the foot on his chest adds a bit more pressure, enough to crack his ribs and sternum immediately halting all thoughts of a counter offensive as he screams out in pain.
”You idiots of the Rukongai forget what this place is, what its function is. This is merely a waiting room for reincarnation. We either let it happen naturally or we can speed up the process. You dirt mongers get so upset with protecting things that are nothing more than assets to the grand design of our worlds. Fighting to protect scraps on the plate that are better left to the hogs. If it isn't the Cogs making a fuss or causing trouble it's filthy Vermin like you who want to reignite long dead sparks.”
Taro removes his foot from the man’s chest then reaches down to grab his wrist. It looks like he applies only the slightest bit of pressure which causes it to make a horrid pop then crunching sound. The wrist was not merely broken, it was reduced to fragments that even the best medics would struggle to repair. This action elicits more screams but also makes the man drop his Zanpakuto. Taro removes the scabbard from his victim and sheaths the blade, holding it out for a Vassal to collect, which is done promptly.
”This is a sacred tool, not fit for scum like you to swing about so haphazardly without form or purpose. Now, as we turn Tenki to ruin, your body shall remain here, broken and shattered as a reminder to all who try to go against the Seireitei, and against the Nobility who helped bring structure to the world you live in. You will pay homage with your flesh.”
As the carnage unfolds around them, citizens of Tenki being slain, Taro reaches down and grabs the man by his shin, raising him and quickly flinging his body backwards as if he were nothing but a pair of nunchucks, the rogue’s head is caught between the Captain’s elbow and torso. Captain Date adjusts his body, inhaling softly as he opens his eyes to reveal his evil green eyes.
”Obladi Oblada naniyorina no wa buji ga ichiban”
Obladi Oblada means “Life goes on”. Japanese text translation: ”It's best to prioritize safety”
Taro then performs the Zanjutsu technique known as
Ryōdan with a human body. The Rogue is slammed into the ground, a small explosion erupting in front of Taro as the body makes contact with the ground, dust and debris flying up into the air. As the dust settled the body was not recognizable, it sat in a crater filled by its own blood. The Captain looks at his handiwork then up to the carnage his Vassal’s are creating as he places his hands behind his back to watch the Date Clan purge traitors.
To the rest of the Soul Society no one would notice the spiritual signatures of so many souls vanishing thanks to the barrier. And when the barrier falls it will still be none the wiser as it will seem as if nothing changed, nothing more but a passing breeze in time.
