Rukongai

[Jushiro Izanagi]

Kisshouten wasted no time springing into action as it were. The Zanpakuto in her right hand rose up and was held horizontally with the tip of the blade pointing to the right. Soon enough the air around her became distorted as visible heat gathered around her person. The heat was being pulled in as her Reiryoku went to work causing it to form into a red beam consisting of intense heat. Izanagi’s eyes widened as the red beam was in the likeness of a Cero. As quickly as the beam came to be, it was shot forward directly at Izanagi without hesitation or regard for his well being. The speed at which it moved showed that the mistress meant business. Izanagi knew he needed to avoid getting hit and with the use of a well timed Shunpo did he escape the clutches of the red beam of destruction. Kisshouten’s attack barrelled forward before it crashed into structures off into the distance. An explosion occurred which left the area scorched, heat rose up and gripped the surroundings. Had anyone been in the immediate vicinity then they would’ve felt it.

Izanagi reappeared a few feet to the right of his original position, seemingly puzzled by what he’d just seen. “Don’t even try it, half my face might be bones but I’m not one of those hollows”. KIsshouten hissed as she spoke having anticipated Izanagi’s comment regarding her earlier attack. The man smiled as he replied “But your heart is like theirs though, heartless woman!”. This wasn’t the time for fun and games, Kisshouten was serious and so too was he about accomplishing his goal. This is why for the whole time he’d been storing kido energy throughout his body. He was using the energy to enhance his muscles but he was lacking in control. Not giving him a moment's rest, the mistress vanished and reappeared to the left of Izanagi. The blade stabbed into the ground, her right palm opened before resting atop the butt of the hilt. The Zanpakuto was used as a means to pivot her body into a vicious kick to the back of the Captain.

Kisshouten was fast but her Shinigami was no slouch either as he shifted his body weight into a turn. Both arms extended to grip the leg of the mistress while using the momentum to turn it into a throw. His Zanpakuto spirit was sent flying but she didn’t leave without her blade. She spun in the air and as she came down she slid backwards, dust rose up as she came to a stop. Not giving her a moment’s rest, Izanagi's left hand pointed forwards. His index and middle fingers directed at Kisshouten, kido energy gathered as six rods of light shot forward. “Rikujokoro”. The rods slammed into his Zanpakuto spirit in an effort to restrict her movements. And under normal circumstances such a thing would work. However, subduing Kisshouten through such means was a hard task. She had to remind Izanagi of her abilities, the ones he ought to know very well. Her spiritual pressure went to work again as intense heat coming from her body mingled with the six rods. The end result being that the rods were burned away, dissolving as if they were nothing. “That was rather insulting, don’t you think?”. Izanagi knew exactly what Kisshouten was capable of doing. It was however strange when his own abilities were being used against him. As they say, it is no fun when the rabbit has the gun.

Stabbing her sword into the ground she closed the gap between her and Izanagi after a quick sprint. She was upon her opponent in mere moments throwing a punch at his stomach using her left hand. Her right hand went for an uppercut while attempting to step on his left foot in order to pin him. Kisshouten had no qualms about fighting dirty and it showed. In response to her punches, Izanagi’s right hand moved to grab Kisshouten’s left wrist. His body leaned backwards to escape the uppercut as it flew past his face but he wasn’t able to run away. The attempt to pin his left foot had worked but through sheer force he was able to pull away. He still held her left hand but that didn’t stop her propelling herself upward attempting to have her right knee collide with his chin. Izanagi instinctively let go of Kisshouten’s wrist, meanwhile bringing his hand up with an open palm to block the knee aimed at his chin. Using the power and momentum from the attempted knee to the chin, Izanagi pushed himself backwards. He was silent for now all the while feeling the kido energy coursing through his body.

Kido energy crackled and made itself visible for a brief moment. “I see I see” he stated while pointing his right index finger at Kisshouten. Kido energy was generated in a high density form before being discharged at the mistress. “Byakurai” he uttered as a concentrated bolt of pale lightning was shot at Kisshouten. It was directed at her chest area but with a mere side step she was out of harm's way. In some ways it may come across as a waste of energy. However, this was a working theory for Izanagi. Getting a feel for the type of kido energy that he needed to manifest. He was going to use something of a similar type to coax it out of himself. There was a method to the madness so to speak. In the meantime though, Kisshouten sighed at the man’s latest effort, noting that it was hardly even worth the trouble.

 

[Jushiro Izanagi]

“You’ve yet to go on the offensive, can you really afford to be so casual?”. Asked Kisshouten while staring at her Shinigami with a devilish smirk. Her face being part skeleton and part flesh made it all the more creepier. She was alluding to the fact that Izanagi’s attacks were hardly threatening. And was more like a friendly spar among friends, meanwhile it was meant to be something far more. She had every intention of pushing him but this was unfamiliar to the Shinigami. He had yet to draw his Zanpakuto and engage in trading blows. Instead he was more inclined to use Hakuda while aiming to draw on some untamed and power not even obtained. A risky move by the Shinigami but it was also part of the plan. Constantly relying on his Zanpakuto and its abilities, however amazing they may be, was also a hindrance. What would happen if he didn’t have access to his Zanpakuto for whatever reason? He was desperate to avoid any such situations.

“No, defining this as casual is false. I’m merely trying to get a feel for how this thing works. Using our power would be boring, and that’s not the reason why I came all the way out here. Let’s just say by the end of my time out here, I would’ve added another string to my bow so to speak”. Izanagi stated meanwhile kido energy continued to circulate throughout his body. He was using his ability to internalize and manipulate kido energy to help him achieve his goal. And if one were to pay attention to the man, they would come to notice his body beginning to glow. In response to his words, Kisshouten’s own spiritual pressure began to intensify, rising higher and higher. The mistress had her own objective and she would use this opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. She accepted the fact that Izanagi was attempting to learn a new technique. However, she wasn’t about to let him relent on learning even more about their own power.

“Strange, while I can appreciate your effort, I think you ought to focus more on what is before you”. That is when the man was gripped by a strange sensation, one that he’d felt on a few occasions but never like this. His body was battling against Kisshouten’s onslaught. Even more terrifying is the fact that she didn’t have to lift a finger or raise her blade. Izanagi’s body temperature underwent some changes, dancing between hot and cold causing his legs to buckle. This was effective in bringing the man down on one knee, cold sweat and an accelerated heart rate. His vision became fuzzy and his eyes alone weren't enough to give him sight. He had to use his Reikaku sensing capability to keep a close watch on the vicious woman. In her cruelty, she was controlled enough to not take it too far. At the same time, Izanagi was pushing himself, using his Reiatsu to break free of her wicked embrace. He was experiencing what his opponents would often feel whenever he decided to use this particular technique. However, he wasn’t out for the count yet.

“I see the convergence is working, and considering that I haven’t used it to its full extent makes you look all the more pitiful. How could you succumb to your own abilities like this? What I’m showing you is not even the full extent of your powers. There is so much more you’ve yet to grasp”. While she spoke Izanagi continued to keep watch. At the same time, the strength of his spiritual pressure was allowing him to push back against Kisshouten. He continued to have Kido energy build up throughout his body, funnelling into his arms, legs, back, chest, stomach area as the low glow from before grew brighter. He was indeed pitiful and Kisshouten’s words seemed to have lit a fire within him. “What you’ve seen of our power to this point is only a piece of it. The stronger you become the more devastating it is. The heat that is produced will only grow hotter, so much so that your current level will be a far cry to what it could be. The cold temperatures couple with a more potent spiritual pressure, well my oh my. So tell me again, why wouldn’t you focus solely on obtaining said power?”. It was a poignant question being asked and one that needed to be answered.

“I like the fact that you stick to calling it ‘our’ power as that’s what it is. However, I regret not being strong enough or worthy enough to completely grasp it. So until then I have to find ways to compensate for my shortcomings. No one is harder on me than I am. Now then, cut the crap and show me what our power is all about. And maybe we can both learn something new about the other person”. He stated defiantly while rising to his feet. The glow coming from his body which had continued to grow brighter and brighter was maintaining itself. His spiritual pressure also rose to match that of Kisshouten’s.

“As you wish”. She said softly with a malicious undertone. The temperature in the area began to change as she lifted her blade above her head with one hand. The area had become superheated and likewise the Zanpakuto being held by Kisshouten. In anticipation of the unknown, Izanagi began whispering a few words under his breath. He wasn’t about to take any chances now. “You know this as Kogeta no Kuuki, but here is another version of it”. And with a swing of her blade a giant red ethereal bird consisting of intense heat was released and sent flying towards Izanagi. The giant bird took the form of an eagle with its wings spread apart leaving both the air and earth scorched in the short time it took to reach Izanagi. He was smart enough to have put some defensive measures in place. “Danku” the man uttered as the Kido spell manifested in between himself and Kisshouten’s attack. An opaque white wall stood before him as the giant bird of heat crashed against the kido and exploded. The explosion caused the wildlife to scatter while dust, smoke and flames rose. The Danku spell stood firm, after all this was only the Shikai version of the technique. And as for Izanagi, he wasn’t behind the wall, he took care to create some distance between himself and the attack itself. He was well aware of the after effects and wanted to be out of harm's way. Izanagi took up position further back among the bamboo copses while reflecting on what he’d seen. All the while though, he was managing to maintain the kido energy swirling throughout his body. It felt as if it was coursing through his veins as it became more and more familiar.

Before long, the Danku barrier dissipated as per his will as the smoke began to clear. “That was both impressive and reckless”. He simply stated after the use of Shunpo brought him to within five meters of Kisshouten. He stood opposite the mistress with a look of desperation. Izanagi wanted some form of an explanation.

“Kogeta no Kuuki doesn’t just take the form of a fox’s head, it has various animal forms, although they’re more or less of the same size. What you saw just now was one of my favourite versions. Wait until you see how it can be manipulated to take flight and hunt down one’s prey. The effects are of course the same, so don’t forget it”. She said with glee while ready to continue their little session of cat and mouse.

 

[Inkmasterru]

---

Drowning.... eyes fluttering as Kazuki sunk deeper in the red sea. The light fading as silhouettes sunk besides him, all around him. Then violent thrashing as eyes snap open, lungs flood with liquid around him. Kazuki begun to claw upwards, legs kicking as fast and as hard as he could to reach the surface. Finally breaching to be relieved with fresh air once more. The blood, reiatsu and water being thrown up from his stomach and lungs. His throat and chest burning with pain as he struggled to his feet once more. Kazuki was heaving as he dropped the seventh fake zanpakuto, the blade completely shattered and the remnants scattering on the surface. Intermingling with ripples stirred by his footsteps as he stopped before the eighth blade. His Shihakushō around the torso, completely tattered and wounds covering his body all over.

The shinigami wearing red Shihakushō waiting patiently as they stared emotionless upon Kazuki. And Kyoki... holding a cold look in her eyes of lament and determination. She was not to help her shinigami, he must overcome this himself, if he is to learn her name, to learn bankai. This test was not like the others, it was not about his martial prowess, Zanjutsu, or his ingenuity, but will power. A test meant to break his spirit, to push it to the upmost limit. No not to slay his comrades, but to slay his guilt, the never-ending regret of not saving more. The ocean of blood beneath his feet being a manifestation of blood spilled by allies and foes alike. He must fully commit to his faith, prove his devotion to his method and philosophy unshakable. This training will hold no quarter, no mercy.

"How many more blades will you shatter, before you find my true name? I thought our bond was stronger than all Shinigami and Zanpakuto? You had me since before the academy as a child. We grew up together, I thought you knew me better."
Wisps of ragged breath left the lips of Kazuki as his reiatsu started to crawl out. There was hesitation as he hand wavered near the handle of the eighth zanpakuto. Before the waver stopped and he grabbed, but not by the handle, instead the blade. The fingers tensing as the blade begun to crack and then shattered into fragments. Shards tightly clasped in his fist as blood trickled from his palm, feeding into the red ocean. Before he flicked it outwards, sending a torrents of water to crash upwards as the shards made impact. Multiple zanpakuto's shattered and a single cut appearing on Kyoki's cheek. She held a hand to wipe the sliver of blood onto her fingers as he stared at Kazuki with a slightly surprised look. Kazuki tilted his head upwards towards the sky and closed his eyes before letting out a deep sigh. Then his head dipped to the side as clusters of his locks covered and cascaded over his face. One eye peering straight at her, seeming to be taking on a shade of red that briefly flicked in his iris. Was it a reflection from the red ocean or something else?

"Sorry... for keeping you waiting, Ohime. [Princess/ Lady of noble birth]. I'm done downing in the past, my punishment is finished. I recieved my lashes and took them with not even a whimper."

"Always the little edge lord, are you telling me that all this time you were purposely picking the wrong blade? Didn't peg you for a masochist, Kazuki-sama."

Tisking Kazuki took a step and vanished with shunpo as he appeared behind a shinigami. He reeled back his arm, fingers straight as he pierced into the body of the shinigami as a gasp left his lips.

"Now I must question our bond as you really should know me better than that. I feel no regret nor remorse, not anymore. My strength and my weakness will always be my care for my allies. My brother and sisters in arms, especially those under my command. A wolf takes care of its own and will mourn the death of it's pack member with the blood of it's foes. Blood for blood, death for death and... loyalty for loyalty. Besides..."

With a grunt, he pulled and the shinigami before him disappated, turning into a zanpakuto. The blade very similar to the shikai, but significantly larger. Going from a dao to a two-handed jiu huan dao with four rings ringing on the back of the blade. The tassel that was on the small hole was relocated to the pommel, a maroon color compared the previous blue. Yet the overall design remained with the blade catchers on the back that got longer the closer it got to the tip. And now a guage sitting in the middle of the blade, the same color as the metal, giving no concept of it's purpose.

"It did take me awhile, so I will give you credit. All the blades were fake, the real blade were hidden within my fallen comrades, only you will make something so... tacky."

A sweat drop went down her forehead, before a small vein slightly budged and twitched.

"Tacky... huh?"

That reaction made a small smirk appear on Kazuki's face. He sometimes loved seeing her so flustered, despite trying to keep her cool. Especially when she was trying in front of him. She then surprised kazuki and dropped the zanpakuto in her hands. Disappeared with a similar shunpo as she appear next to kazuki, her hand punging into another Shinigami. It also turned into a exact copy of the zanpakuto in Kazuki's hand.

"It is symbolic not tacky, we both know what I am capable of. Taking reiatsu from foes, manipulating it, shaping it to our will. Keeping enemies wounds open, being able to disguise ourselfs and send out slashes flying off the blade. I remember all reiatsu that we clashed with, we slain and those that parished by us."

She stabbed the zanpakuto into the ocean and in a instant giant blades roared upwards. First one, then two and more kept crashing out of the sea, causing massive waves to soar outwards. Ripples at mass colliding with one another as Kazuki stared in awe.

"You only begun to discover the depths of my abilities and what I can do. It's true that we have a strong synergy, but you still have have much to learn. I offer all this to you without question, but you must make yourself a strong enough vessal to wield me proper. Otherwise it either all go to waste or overwhelm you, destroy you if you are not prepared for it. Now enough talking, you as a vessal are incomplete. The real fight for bankai begins now."

Kazuki clenched his grip on the handle as it shifted to his hip, taking the Waki no kamae stance. His eyes color slowly changing to red and glowing as he breathed the reiatsu heavy atmosphere. Then with a push of his foot, he was gone, appearing out of nowhere in a low lunge. Doing a upward slash at the torso. The blade slashed through before it turned out to be her afterimage. Her body sidestepped and head tilted back to avoid the attack, Countering with a downward thrust as the shoulder. Kazuki responded with a rapid pivot and parry, deflecting the attack upwards over the shoulder. Before responding with a pommel strike. Kyoki knowing Kazuki's moveset, stepped in and caught the pommel strike in her palm. killing the momentum completely with minimal injury. They glared into each others eyes, grinning ear to ear. Before both entering a shunpo competition. Flicking all over the battlefield, engaging in exchanges of three to four attacks.

Downward slash feint countered by a side step and side swipe. He would duck under and attempt to do a spinning foot sweep. She would hop back and then return with a combo of thrust, downward diagonal and upward diagonal. Head tilt to dodge the thrust and then counter with a upward diagonal and downward diagonal. The blades clashing, sparks flying, the rings ringing. The final exchange of blades ending in a bind as they attempted to manipulate the bind back and forth. Before they broke contact and they both simultaneously whipped the sword around their heads. Clashing once more, sending them sliding back in opposite directions. Before vanishing once more to engage in similar small bouts all over. Then another change occurred as his wounds started to close and his shihakushō started to turn red. Skipping back he would do a wide upward slash, half of the blade entering the red sea. As three giant blades roared out in a diagonal angle. Chuckling Kyoki hopped up and rode the tip of one of the blades to the sky. While Kazuki's eyes were wide with adrenaline, a wild smile creeping onto his face. Never has thought Kyoki Chizuki can be used like this. In his daze, Kyoki jumped off, plummeting downwards as she crashed with the ocean, the full blade entering the waters to the hilt. Hundreds of blades in the same size cascaded outwards with the wave in all directions.

Chimamire Hansha!!!
[血塗れ反射- Bloodstained Reflection]

Kazuki swung his blade as a wide arc of red reiatsu and blood soared and collided with the blades. Shards flying everywhere as the other blades rippled around him. The attack being stronger than it's ever been before, even having some kickback. As he slightly stumbled a few steps back from the technique he unleashed.

"SAY MY NAME!!! SAY IT!"

Screamed Kyoki Chizuki at the of her lungs, the adrenaline overtaking her also. Her breath ragged from excitement and red locks plastered to her face with sweat. In that moment immense reiatsu roared out of Kazuki, shattering all other blades in the vicinity as his shihakushō turned fully red. He clenched the blade hard until he noticed that it was no longer in his grasp. He gasped as he felt something stab him in the chest and holding the handle was Kyoki herself. Leaning in to whisper in his ear.

"It has been 140 years overdo, say my name. You earned it, you fought for it, now haressness it as I am yours and you are mine, say it."

The last two words falling sharply on his ears like a hiss. Before she stepped back and crossed her arms with a look of admiration and expectation. With one glace, he grasped the handle in his chest and violently hissed the one word.

"Ban-kai!"

Instantly the zanpakuto erupted a torrent of blood-like reiatsu in all directions. It formed into a hard shell in the form of a sphere around his body, before cracking and falling apart to reveal his new form. His hair turned red and glowing, pulsating with Reiatsu as it flickers back as if there is constantly wind blowing. His dull gray eyes, now burning with energy and ambition. His Shihakusho turned red as well with the torso part regenerated, left sleeve grew longer concealing his left hand. While the right side of his shihakusho completely shrugged off, revealing his chest and arm and a new shoulder guard manifested on the right shoulder. It was similar to a samurai sode with small ridges on the top, shingles sticking out to protect the neck from potential deflects in that direction. The shihakusho now seemed to be alive, with the occasional blood mist wisping off the uniform. With one flick, he pulled the blade from his chest with no reaction of pain or discomfort. Whispering the name, the true name that he finally earned.

"Kyoki Chizuki: Otome no Benikusari"
[歔欷血月 少女 の 紅 鎖- Weeping blood moon: Maiden of crimson chains]

Kyoki appeared besides him, embracing as her massive sleeves enveloped him. She rested her head on his shoulder, eyes shut closed in contempt.

"Well done, Kazuki-sama. Yet we only begun, you still need more training. You only achieved bankai, the next step for us is for you to master it. Yet for now rest, you earned it."

Slowly the form dissipated and the all blades disappeared from the battlefield. The red ocean grew smaller into that familiar red lake. Land manifested from the ground along with the little familiar gazebo with the white wolves. Quietly she lead him along as the ash and sakura petals begun to cascade once more. They sat in the gazebo on a bench as he laid his head on her lap. Her stroking his hair as they remained in peace and rest for a least a while.​

 

[Jushiro Izanagi]

Izanagi stood contemplating what was revealed to him, already plotting the various ways he could use such things in combat. He will come to find out the limitations of such a technique at some point in the future. All the while he stood there observing Kisshouten, kido energy remained a constant as it flowed through his body. The illumination was the same as before, a sure testament that he was almost there. Despite his carefree ways, he was focused on the task at hand. And perhaps a little too focused, that he’d forgotten just who he was dealing with. She would give anything to protect him. However, that didn’t mean she wasn’t prepared to cause him harm if it meant teaching him a lesson. The lesson wasn’t always designed to simply punish but to hone his skills. The spiritual pressure being released by the two was noticeable. And those who’re spiritual aware would do well to stay clear of their position.

The white haired Captain on the other hand was in the midst of it all. A mere five meters away from his mistress and well within striking range. Kisshouten proceeded to manipulate the temperature around herself and Izanagi. It was done swiftly and as efficiently, showing off how formidable she can be. The temperature had dropped to bring about freezing conditions. Without much delay she sprung into action, closing the gap between her and her Shinigami. “What is she up to now?”. Izanagi pondered, ready for whatever she was planning. And it didn’t take long to see what it was either. Before he knew it, his body was encased in a pillar of ice, frozen in place. For the moment, everything came to a standstill as that horrible feeling took hold of him. It felt as if his body had been thrown into the depths, and no matter how hard he tried, he was sinking deeper and deeper.

It took him a few moments to truly grasp the situation he found himself in. He still had access to the kido energy, it was still present which meant only one thing. His mistress wanted to push him but not outright kill him. This wasn’t Bankai training after all, as such she didn’t need to go as hard as back then. She wanted him to struggle and experience pain and hopefully come out triumphant. Izanagi was determined to triumph over this, as it was a mere obstacle to overcome. He didn’t have access to his Zanpakuto, he elected not to draw his blade and instead focused on Hakuda. This meant using his Zanpakuto abilities was out of the question for now. So what was he about to do? Kisshouten may not have taken his ability to utilize kido but being in his current state hurt like hell. Izanagi became annoyed at her playful ways, in fact it was cruel. He was almost there and perhaps needed one extra push to help him over the line.

“How can I not be grateful to have you as my Zanpakuto? Kisshouten you sexy woman, you continue to make me better”. He thought to himself, he could almost smile but dared not to attempt it. Feeling the kido energy that remained constant. Izanagi was finally ready to put his theory to the test. Maintaining kido internally was not an issue for him, albeit he was only ever used to doing it for short periods of time. He now had to maintain it, while also being able to bring it to the surface and release it outwards. Once he’s able to open the flood gates, he will have to learn how to maintain it. His spiritual pressure rose once more to new heights as it became clear something was about to happen. Without much delay, kido energy exploded from his body, causing the pillar of ice which had him trapped to shatter. The energy coming from him whipped up dust and debris in the area. Lightning/electrical based kido energy filling his arms and legs, back and chest area. He could still feel the burning sensation on his skin from being encased in ice. That paled in comparison to the joy he was experiencing at this point.

“Shunko” he uttered as his eyes glowed while lightning based energy swirled all around him. His head cocked off to the left while releasing a sigh. The sounds of the Shunko crackling as if the lightning was beginning to scream. “Well look at you, Jushiro Izanagi. You finally did it”. Kisshouten smiled as she spoke to her Shinigami. Izanagi stood there feeling accomplished for a few moments. Only thirty seconds or so had passed before the energy suddenly dissipated. He was comfortable with converting the kido energy and releasing it. The challenge was now being able to maintain it for long periods of time. Having witnessed what had occurred, Kisshouten wasted no time making fun of him. “Performance issues already? Well that's disappointing, you couldn’t even last a minute this time”. She said teasingly with a giggle following her words. Izanagi would of course fall for her taunt, hook, line and sinker. “Hey hey now, you know I’ve never had any issues when it comes to that. You should know, I mean we…well let's not go there, but take that back!”. Izanagi said, sounding a little annoyed while hinting at things which may have occurred in the past. Kisshouten sighed and shook her head while standing with her blade held across her chest.

“You were always so touchy, some things just never change. With that said, you’ve actually managed to learn Shunko. It's not viable in combat but a win is a win, right? This is where the real work begins. It will be like developing the various techniques that we now possess. Are you gonna be able to juggle everything all at once?”.

“I don’t have a choice but to juggle everything at once. I didn’t come all the way out here to simply take it easy. When I return to my duties, I should be able to say I accomplished something. In the meantime, I think I’m due for a rest and something to eat”.

“That seems like a wise choice, let me know when you’re ready to play again. Use this time to eat, rest and have a nap. I’ll watch over you as you do so”. Izanagi nodded in agreement and made his way back to his shack. Once there the man would rest and fill his stomach until it was time again to resume training. With Kisshouten watching him, he proceeded to have a nap knowing he had a bodyguard.

 

[Inkmasterru]

​

---

Kazuki awakes from his training, his body still sitting on that rock when he started his meditation. He looked to the sky and noticed that the sun has moved slightly along, but was far from setting. His body was slightly sore from the battle in his inner world, but he felt different. Not just that, but everything around him felt different as well, ambient reiatsu buzzing on his skin. He stood up and uncrossed his legs as his hand brushed against his zanpakuto. He felt a shiver go up his spine as he felt the power radiate from Kyoki Chizuki. It felt more refined and in-tuned to his reiatsu then it ever did before. Is this... is this the power of bankai? He only just learned it... and it was already this much of a change?! Kyoki manifest behind Kazuki and hugged him from behind as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"How does it feel, knowing my true name? The power that comes from it, the control and focus that you now feel."

Kazuki looked at his hands and took a deep sigh as he closed his eyes.

"It... it feels different than I thought it would. I feel more calm... more at peace with myself."

She chuckled and tapped his cheek with a bright smile.

"That is good... keep onto that feeling, but don't get drunk on that calmness and peace. You still need ambition and discipline to continue to carry you forward as it did before. You have reached the ultimate power... refine it further and master it till you can't and then master it some more."

Kazuki nodded as he walked a few steps, before his Reikaku felt a familiar presence. He turned to see his wolf panting behind him, whining as it constantly looked around nervously. Kazuki quickly walked over to him, instantly trying to comfort his pet as he knelt beside him. Last he saw the wolf, he has sent him to division 13 as lookout for Date. If he was here, that meant that Date was closing in or was already at the barracks of the 13th. Tisking, Kazuki stood up as his reiatsu begun to lick out, phatasmal wolves appeared. Yet Kazuki took a deep breath and let it out, he must keep his temper. The wolves slowly faded and his pulled his reiatsu in. He is not strong enough, so he must be clever, entrap Date in the very traditions and values he upholds. Clicking his tongue, he tapped the Vice captain Insignia on his sleeve, getting the attention of his wolf. A bark was given before the wolf disappeared with great speed, a dust cloud being left where he stood before. It was most likely that Date didn't pay any mind to the wolf, probably, hopefully assuming it to be a dirty mutt. With the command he just gave, the wolf will return and hide at the 10th barracks.
Steeling his will, he with a single step, entered Shunpo towards the Seireitei and the 13th barracks. Beside he was planning to go there anyway, with no captains and vice captains, the 13th naturally falls to the responsiblity of the 10th. A fellow division in dealing with the human world and fighting against hollows on a daily basis.

Eastern Rukongai 45th district Maijū (Sazanami Training Ground) -> Northwest Seireitei 13th Division barracks​

 

[Jushiro Izanagi]

4 Hours Later​

The masked one’s eyes opened as he woke up from his much needed and deserved nap. A few hours before, Izanagi went to work in an intense training session. He had accomplished the first part of what he had originally set out to do. However, there was still a lot of work that needed to be done. The white haired Captain rose up from his position as if rising from the dead. He was initially lying on his back towards the end of his nap, albeit turned a few times in his sleep. Jushiro’s right hand moved to scratch the back of his head as he looked around. Captain Izanagi’s organ of sight soon rested upon the figure of his Zanpakuto spirit. There she was, the mistress, his protector and partner in crime. Kisshouten did as she said she would and watched over him. Currently sitting in the doorway to the shack, waiting patiently for Izanagi to rise from his slumber. “You snore like a pig sometimes when you sleep. I hope you’re well rested since you’ve got work to do”. She said with a smirk while hinting at the future training sessions. Izanagi sighed and chuckled before replying to the cruel mistress.

“I had a dream about you, and we were getting up to no good. Though I’m not sure if I could call it a dream when you consider the relationship between Zanpakuto and Shinigami. I hope you didn’t orchestrate the whole thing, then again it's not like I mind”. Whack! He was too close to the cruel mistress to be teasing her like that. A smack across his head was sure to wake him up or probably put him to sleep again. “Why so violent? I was only just teasing, well maybe, who knows?”. Even when he was being assaulted it didn’t stop him from being himself. He would often look at her like a motherly figure due to her overprotective nature. That was also far from the truth, their relationship is certainly unique. Now that he was awake, it was surely time to get back to work. “You should focus more on your training instead of conjuring those wild dreams of yours. Besides, I’m sure it hasn’t been that long for you to be acting like a depraved beast”. She said mockingly with a wink from the side of her face that remained unburnt. A soft smile appeared on the face of the Captain as he shook his head.

“You’re something else, I guess we’re just as bad as each other when it comes to teasing. With that said though, depraved or otherwise, a beast is what I need to be”. The masked one stood up and dusted himself off. A mere glance at him and anyone would notice his rugged clothing. Shunko had ripped up parts of his garments which is testament to the technique itself. Never minding any of that as it means very little at this point in time. Jushiro knew that there wasn’t any more time to rest. Before it was sun down, another attempt at maintaining that technique was needed. Sensing that it was now time to get back to work, Kisshouten also rose from her seated position and immediately headed out into what had become their ‘play’ area. Izanagi followed closely, his Reiryoku going to work to create kido energy which flowed throughout his body. Accomplishing this had become so much easier now that it felt natural. It was as easy as breathing for him, something he would hopefully not take for granted. Kisshouten went and took up a position some five meters away from Izanagi, now facing him directly. No sword in hand this time, the umbrella was back resting on her shoulder while providing shade.

She stared in anticipation while waiting for Izanagi to get to work. And so he did as he brought kido energy to the forefront. “Shunko” he announced once again as kido filled his arms and legs, lightning energy whipping about in the area. It took a lot of focus but so far the masked one was hanging on. Time went by and the thirty second mark had been crossed. Izanagi had already exceeded what was accomplished on the first occasion. If he could learn to maintain Shunko for a long period of time, then he could put it to use in combat. As he stood there with lightning based kido energy flowing internally and externally. The masked one lifted his left hand with his palm open and directed at Kisshouten. There was a concentration of kido in his left hand as Kisshouten shifted her weight ready to move. Her eyes glowed showing themselves to be ghastly and yet so beautiful. Without any further ado, a blast of kido energy was shot from his hand at Kisshouten. The cruel mistress vanished and appeared to the left of Izanagi.The end result was an explosion showing the destructive nature of the technique itself.

The white haired Captain now had a smile on his face, Kisshouten stood with a pout, her umbrella still in the same position as before. “At least you’re lasting longer this round, gotta redeem yourself, right?”. There she went again, teasing her Shinigami, but Izanagi couldn’t help but laugh at her words. Their banter will continue no doubt and training in this manner was far more entertaining. For now though, staying focused on the task at hand was the best thing to do. “I didn’t really have any control over that, not the type of control needed in order for it to be dangerous to my opponent. It was wild and lacking in conviction. I do however feel stronger from a physical point of view. If I were to combine this with Ikkotsu or Sokutsu, things could become even more dangerous”. He stated while thinking of the possibilities, all the while opening and closing his palms to get a feel for things. By this point minutes had gone by and he was becoming more comfortable with the flow of the kido inside and out. Due to his lack of proper control, it consumes a lot of energy. Had he not mastered his Reiryoku, then he’d have been burned out already. With that said, Izanagi allowed the kido to dissipate as for the moment allowing things to die down for the time being.

 

[Jushiro Izanagi]

Izanagi had a few things to contemplate in order to accomplish his goal. One of the key things for him was learning how to use his energy as efficiently as possible. The masked one was determined to not waste a drop of his spiritual pressure when fighting. And using Shunko at this present time consumed more energy than he wanted it to. This wasn’t the first time Izanagi had encountered such an issue, since he went through something similar on his journey to mastering kido. His ambitions pushed him to master his Reiryoku and likewise his kido for the purpose of not being wasteful with it. That and it was potentially dangerous to not have control over his abilities.

Izanagi stood silent while Kisshouten looked on with bated breath. Her Shinigami had been at this thing for some time now and he’s made some progress. However, that doesn’t mean she was immune to boredom. She felt neglected and yet she understood her role in all of this. Kisshouten had presented Izanagi with a new form to one of his already existing techniques. She had also shown him something completely new and will have to teach it to him at some point. As much as she enjoyed watching him grow stronger, his focus was away from honing his Shikai and Bankai further. This was unacceptable to the wicked mistress.

Nevertheless though, there he was ready to continue his pursuit for strength. There was a certain level of determination about him. The Captain was motivated by things seen and those unknown to others. He simply refuses to sit idly by knowing that the Soul Society could be plunged into chaos. And once chaos decides to visit their doorsteps, only the home of the strong will remain standing. The weak will get rolled over and destroyed like they deserve to be. This was part of his motivation as once more kido energy filled his arms and legs, knowing that Shunko was certainly worth being a part of his arsenal.

The lightning based energy whipping about crackled and whistled as the wind whooshed. His long white mane danced about, causing him to look wilder than normal. Izanagi still only had half of his face covered so that it mirrored Kisshouten’s face. Feeling the kido energy flowing throughout his body, Izanagi decided to focus on control. He had to make sure that he wasn’t being wasteful with his energy, lest he suffers from burn out. Kisshouten looked on proudly at her Shinigami as the man began to work his magic. Standing still and maintaining his focus wasn’t a problem for him. What happens when he’s on the run and has to defend himself against an opponent?

“Care for a game of tag? Indulge me a little bit”.

“What are we, children? How about this instead?”.

Without warning Kisshouten sprung into action sending a flurry of punches towards the face, chest and abdominal area of Izanagi. As expected he responded with a few blocks, ducks and side steps to avoid getting hit. Zanpakuto once again drew into Shikai it went as the mistress decided to use the same technique as before. The same one that was Cero-esque in its usage. This time however, Izanagi wasn’t going to sit back and act surprised. The man decided that he wanted to take some action and so he did. His left hand extended in the direction of Kisshouten who stood some ten meters away from him.

Both simultaneously prepare to attack the other. A beam of heat was shot forward at Izanagi and he responded in kind too. A beam of lightning based kido energy was shot forward from Izanagi before colliding with Kisshouten’s attack. And as one would expect there was an explosion. The area suddenly became heated with static present all around. The air felt like it was on fire while giving off the strange sensation of current flowing through one’s body. As the attacks collided, Izanagi stood his ground, using the Shunko to shield him. Kisshouten also stood her ground using a technique unique to themselves to do the same thing.

The two continued to exchange blows between each other, using a mixture of physical attacks and energy based attacks. And after a while, Izanagi would come to notice that he was using the right amount of energy. His mastery of his Reiryoku and utilising his spiritual pressure was paying off. He was at a point where using Shunko during combat was more practical than it ever was. This was however the first part of it, he had managed to learn the technique but complete mastery remained ahead of him. Be that as it may, he wasn’t about to slow down. The work never stops.

"You seem to have gotten way better at using that technique. I'm glad but there is still so much work to be done. I wish for you to not only learn such a technique, but to learn what new techniques I've been showing you".

"Worry not, I understand".

 

[Inkmasterru]

As Captain Izanagi was deep in the inner world with Kisshouten, he will sense a familiar reiatsu. If snaps out of it and looks around, he will see a wolf panting. Tail wagging happily at seeing a familiar scent of the captain. Izanagi will recognize this wolf as it belonged to Kazuki, a messenger that he rather preferred than than the standard Jigokuchō. At least with the loyal pet, the message was much more difficult to apprehend or steal. It will walk over an bow it's head and wait until he places a hand on it's forehead.

Once he does, this message will ring out into his head.
​

"This message is for captain Izanagi only. The tenth is at it's most optimal, I lead a joint training session with the third and the thirteenth is now under our command until further notice. Also..."​

There was a slight pause, before kazuki's voice would continue.
​

"Also Captain Date was there as well. Yet he took much longer than expected to get there. I followed him to the 3rd division, arriving to see the aftermath. Where he desecrated the captain's memorial and stormed the captain's office, taking some paperwork mentioning a district in the rukongai. I didn't pursue further, only leaving to train myself. When I arrived at the barracks afterwards, I challenged his authority and then challenged him to a duel. Don't worry, I am fully recovered besides a permanent scar, will go into greater detail later." ​

The message ended and the wolf laid down with a big yawn. It has successfully fulfilled it's mission, now it was just waiting for the next course of action. As Izanagi knew, he could send a message back. Though... how will process this bundle of information?​

 

[Jushiro Izanagi]

Time went by and Izanagi’s subjugation of the technique remained intact. He was now at a point where he was comfortable using it in combat, however, he was under no illusion that things could quickly take a turn for the worse. The meaning behind this being that with an actual enemy, they could exploit various different things to put him at a disadvantage. The masked one remained conscious of such happenings. And even though he had accomplished what he originally set out to do. Izanagi didn’t find himself in a celebratory mood. The man was ever the realist, acknowledging that much work needed to be done. His goal was far bigger than simply learning the technique. The captain wanted to completely master Shunko and develop it beyond anything he could’ve imagined. A mad man or perhaps a genius in his own right? Whatever the case, he wasn’t about to abandon his goal and live in contentment. At the same time, he was also focused on what Kisshouten was trying to teach him. Whatever knowledge she saw fit to impart on him was welcomed by her Shinigami.

There he was standing with the Shunko technique active, lightning energy whipping about, floating between focused and a wild bursts of energy. All of this was according to Izanagi’s will as he moved to ensure the technique was under his control. As he stood there facing off against Kisshouten, they would both come to a pause. Their attention was redirected as the wolf came sniffing around. As it entered their space, Izanagi immediately recognized its presence and who said wolf belonged to. “Kazuki?”. Izanagi thought to himself, now pondering what news this messenger brings. Izanagi allowed the wolf to come closer so that he could receive the message. He made the conscious decision to redirect the flow of the Shunko away from his arm. The captain surprised even himself at this point as his hand extended. Izanagi knew the drill as it pertained to Kazuki sending messages in this way. With his hand extended and placed on the head of the wolf, he was able to receive the message.

And oh what a message it was. Izanagi took his time listening to the words of Kazuki to understand the current situation. The first part of the message seemed like standard procedure, although his move to insert them as leaders of the thirteenth division was a clever one. It was the right strategy and something Izanagi planned on doing. The captain was happy to know that they’re both on the same page. In any event, the second part of the debrief is what stood out the most to the masked one. “Captain Date is proving himself to be a nuisance. The man lacks proper respect and etiquette. Why desecrate the memorial of a fallen captain? And Kazuki, what have you done by deciding to challenge him? Was this a lapse in judgment? No matter, at least he’s alive, even if he got his ass handed to him by the looks of things. In any case, it's best if I finish up here and return to the Seireitei soon”. Izanagi contemplated so many things and had a few questions. However, now wasn’t the time and sending messages back and forth wasn’t his style. He would much rather be in Kazuki’s presence while the story is being told.

Now that the wolf had fulfilled its duties, Izanagi proceeded to send the creature away. No words were sent back to Kazuki. The captain remained silent for now, all the while appreciative of the information. Once the wolf was gone, Izanagi would take a break from the session. He needed food, a bath and some rest before bothering to attempt anything else. It was time to return to his lodgings. The man of course dispelled the Shunko technique before proceeding with his plans.

 

[Jushiro Izanagi]

It Felt Like an Eternity​

It has now been a while since Izanagi received the slightly concerning news from Kazuki about his escapades. The masked one was content in knowing that his Lieutenant is alive and well. And if anything, his confrontation with Captain Date was good for character building. He hopes that Kazuki would see the positives and use the defeat as motivation. There was no time to waste or time to feel sorry for oneself. Izanagi remembers his skirmish with Estarossa in Naruki city really well. It serves to light a fire within the very pits of his soul. A deep desire to grow stronger than he’d ever been before. Only by being strong can he ever hope to prevent defeat.

In the time that went by Jushiro Izanagi continued to hone his skills using Shunko. And in addition to all this he was also working on another technique. The man stood panting with his Zanpakuto already drawn. It was still early in the day, but after eating his fill, it was straight to training. No need for unnecessary rest when so much had to be done. A gentle wind blew throughout the area causing his hair to dance along with the wind. He remained bare chested as a precaution while practicing with Shunko. Kisshouten was nowhere to be seen this time as she remained within the confines of her inner world. Always with her Shinigami of course even if she’s only in his thoughts.

There he was holding his blade with only one hand, his right hand to be specific. Izanagi himself is ambidextrous, as such wielding his Zanpakuto with either hand is as easy as breathing. His skill with both hands made him a formidable opponent. The Captain has been working up a sweat throughout the morning as he practiced his swordsmanship. A simple stance and repeated kendo strikes using both hands. While switching to a one handed approach ever so often. The whole thing may yet come across as pointless to those ignorant. However, for the initiated, they understood the purpose behind such actions. In the time he stood there practicing his sword swings, he was preparing for something else. Using the mastery of his Reiryoku, spiritual pressure and his knowledge of temperatures to his advantage. Izanagi worked on combining all of this together to create a new Zanjutsu technique. One that in theory could be deadly in his sealed and released state. The masked one began by releasing his Reiatsu, allowing its heated nature to amplify and disperse heat throughout the area.

The effects of his spiritual pressure was key in this, not to mention the capabilities of his Shikai. It is not his Shikai that he would rely on to achieve his goal, just his Reiatsu, skill and ingenuity. As the area became even more heated, Jushiro’s own temperature rose as the man steadied himself for a few moments. His right hand rising above his head with his blade in a firm grip. The masked one began focusing on the heat in the area, feeling what felt so familiar to him. The heat wasn’t anything new to the man, he welcomed it.

One of the most difficult things in all of this was pulling in the heat closer to himself after releasing it into the area. There was no time to second guess himself now. He could feel the heat being drawn to him as he stood there. It was now or never and so his blade was brought down in a swift and normally devastating swing. Had an opponent been in his way, they would probably be split in half if they didn't exercise caution. As his blade came down it released a concentration of heat from the blade. And in addition to that, the soil in front of him showed signs of disturbance in the aftermath of the swing.

But it was hardly enough to cause any real damage. The technique was still in its infancy and as such wasn’t anywhere near completed. In Izanagi’s mind it should be more straightforward than learning Shunko, so why was he struggling? The real issue being the fact that he wasn’t able to completely pull the heat in and release it as he wanted to.

“Do you need some extra motivation? This is what happens when you decide to focus on others and not me. I shall watch you struggle a while longer before boredom sets in”. A voice rang out in Izanagi’s head and it was none other than Kisshouten being a tease. Her Shinigami sighed in response to her words and shook his head.

“Are you going to help me or just make fun of me?”. Izanagi quizzed but was met with silence. It would appear that he was on his own for now and who could blame Kisshouten? In the meantime, the masked one would continue to work on the technique.