Beware The End

[Zou ۞]

Thread Title: The End Arrives: Part 1.5
Participants: Grodd, Kuroi Naito
World: Soul Society
Death Setting: Non Death Enabled
Rating: PG-13
Location: Soul Society, Squad 4 barracks
Special Conditions: None
Circumstances: After bursting through the gates to reach Seireitei, and after entering the Squad 4 barracks, the masked man encountered Zeich Yajuu, the Vizard. But, before encountering Zeich, the mighty Arrancar struck down several seated officers and killed Griswald P. Lorilad.

Among those battled was Grodd. Before the death of Lorilad, and after the demise of several seated and unseated officers around him, Grodd is the last man standing for a few short minutes.

[Beast]

The assault on the Seireitei was coming in quickly and without warning. With the walls gone, stolen even, the thirteen court guard squads were left helpless as the death toll quickly passed the hundreds and was nearing ready to pass the thousands. And surviving by sheer luck was a Shinigami just trying to get away from all of the fires. Already terrified, already having his heart pounding and blood pumping, all that was keeping him going right now was Adrenaline. Just pure adrenaline keeping hsi fight or flight response in constant motion.

But it mostly picked flight.

The fire raging around had him in a panic as he searched not only for the source of the attack but also just some relief from the heat and the screaming. Grodd hated screaming with a passion. As a mute, and a self conscious one at that, he was pretty much opposed to all annoying noises. Children talking and screaming were among the top of the list in terrible noises that he didn't care for. Hated, really. So trying to do his job while running around aimlessly, Grodd held his small dagger of a sealed Zanpakutou in his had, ready to shank someone or release if necessary.

Hopefully he could survive just for a few minutes longer... The heat was really starting to get to him and he couldn't sense a single ally within range of him...

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats/Skills}
Strength - [300 x1.25 (375)] Points

Speed - [200] Points

Spiritual Pressure - [200 x.75 (150)] Points

Reiatsu Strength - [200 x1.25 (250)] Points

Light Aura - [35] Points

Dark Aura - [65] Points

Instinct - [200 x.75 (150)] Points

Senses - [100] Points

Energy sensory - [100 x1.25 (125)] Points

Healing Expertise - [0] Points


Total SP: [1100] Points



Skills


[Boxing] {2}

[Hakuda] {2}

[Pain Tolerance] {2}

[Strength of Will] {2}

Damage Recovery] {2}

[Cold Tolerance] {1}

[Mental Incantation] {1}

[Zou ۞]

The monolithic presence of the masked man had shattered all forces which attempted to stop him at the rustic gates of a no longer great Seireitei. He had stormed through Seireitei with a walking pace and watched his forces strike at those of the Shinigami. When any came to challenge the Arrancar, he destroyed them. In Rukongai, his massive white ship made from a mixture of Hollows and the white sand of the White Desert of Hueco Mundo rained down projectiles and explosives to kill the unsuspecting and the innocent. Millions would die before this was all over. It would be the single greatest invasion of Soul Society that had ever taken place, and it would be orchestrated by but a single man. It was not even a faction. It was a lone Arrancar with his private resources. This test run of his power would mean that he was ready to fulfill his destiny. It meant that he was ready to do what he needed to be done.

One of his eternally loyal Mod Soul soldiers appeared before him. "My lord, a problem. It seems a pair of Vice Captains is holding our forces at bay on the Squad 1 front. They are more powerful than we can handle without diverting greater resources than you had instructed." The masked man was irritated at this development. He had wanted the barracks of that division cleared and massacred so that he would have no distractions when he came face to face with the Gotei Thirteen's Captain Commander. Killing him would cement victory in this invasion. Unlike before, which had been only small attacks to weaken or intimidate, this time the Arrancar who had once held title of Segunda wanted to push all the way to the end and win. His victory was inevitable once he destroyed Squads 4 and 1. So he looked to his subordinate and spoke with his voice modulation which resulted from the black mask that he wore beneath his black cloak.

"Contact those aboard our ship. Instruct them to divert more of our reserves to Squad 1 and keep the Vice Captains there until I arrive." The masked man would deal with those Vice Captains himself. His Mod Soul loyal bowed and acknowledged before using a step technique to return to the battlefield and relay the Arrancar commander's message. He had once battled many Vice Captains before. He had defeated multiple Captains before. There would be no challenge from them even if they challenged his basic ground forces. Once he was through with Squad 4, and had defeated any Captain class enemies nearby, he could leave to Squad 1. It would probably be a matter of only about ten minutes. His swift march toward Squad 4 could be slowed by no one. The most he had been in battle so far had been eleven seconds against a Shinigami at the gate. He didn't plan on battling anyone that wasn't Captain class for much longer than that. Even those of such a level would only last minutes.

He arrived at the huge doors to the barracks. A mighty blast of one of his Cero attacks annihilated the door and killed many at the entrance. There were many waiting for him there, and others scurrying to hide or move the wounded. The masked man did not wait. He strode in and killed anyone that attacked him. He killed their patients too. His Mod Souls followed him in and started attacking and destroying rooms themselves in attempts to do away with the available medical equipment. The Arrancar continued walking and fighting against opponents that came for him. That was until all of them were dead and their blood splattered across the floors and walls of the hallway he was in. He sensed a greater reiatsu approaching, but it would take some moments before it was there. When he turned the corner and struck down one more adversary was when the masked man found Grodd, surrounded by blood and alone. The masked man looked down at this Shinigami, and red reiatsu ignited in a cross over the Arrancar's Zanpakuto. He raised it to deliver a killing blow.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Skills & Stats}

Strength - [200{1/2}(100)] (125) Points

Speed - [400] (500) Points

Spiritual Pressure - [400] (500) Points

Reiatsu Strength - [400{x2.5}(1000)] (1250) Points

Light Aura - [0] Points

Dark Aura - [100] Points

Instinct - [200] (250) Points

Senses [200] (250) Points

Energy sensory - [100] (125) Points

Healing Expertise - [400] (500) Points


Total SP: 2300 Points

---

[Weapons: Sword] {4}

[Battle Analysis] {4}

[Analyzing] {3}

[Pain Tolerance] {3}

[Battle Abilities Other: Mixed Martial Arts (Kung Fu/BJJ/Muay Thai)] {3}

[Calm Mind] {2}

[Beast]

A blast shook and obliterated the door and killed anyone that Grodd could have reached out to for assistance. In came a figure, dark and brooding, with a mask to hide his identity. Meanwhile, Grodd was wearing nothing but a loincloth with his identity completely bare. He was afraid for his life, honest to the Soul King he was deathly afraid of the man wielding the red reiatsu blade. So all he could do was stick to his roots and completely forgot to rely on his Zanpakutou. The golden monkey who was his Spirit could scold him later. If he survived.

When the attack came to end his life, he responded with a common Hakuda counter fueled by panic and Shunpo Karin. His hand shot out at 2,000 stat speed to attempt to palm Kuroi's arm and send damaging reverberations through it using the Hakuda Mushi. It would be an effective attack, if it hit. The Arrancar was probably prepared for such a simple Hakuda attack and had a trick up his sleeve that the Shinigami had never seen before. This was his first Arrancar encounter, and one that he was not going to be lucky enough to survive unscathed.

Remaining Reiatsu: 1,400/1,500 (-100 Shunpo Karin)

SPOILER: Click to show

{Techniques for your reference}

Technique Name: [Mushi]

Class: [4]

Technique Type: [Hakuda]

Technique Element: [None]

Technique Description and Effects:

A basic Hakuda technique that is used to attack and defend. This technique is a basic guarding mechanism. When an opponent's physical strike is incoming, the user uses this technique to deflect it by jabbing their hand upwards, smacking the side of the opponent's attacking limb. The force causes the enemy limb to shoot upwards, and force equivalent to their own strike to reverberate through the arm and cause damage.

How to use technique:

Requires superior physical strength to the enemy.

Drawback:

None.

Made by: [Admin]



Technique Name: [Shunpo Karin]

Class: [5]

Technique Type: [Kido]

Technique Element: [None]

Technique Description and Effects:

The famous "partial Shunpo" technique. This allows the user to initiate a single movement at Shunpo speed with one limb. This cannot be used without initiating the forward momentum. The user will need to move their arm the way they normally would before this technique can be activated. Momentum for this technique cannot be controlled. This means once the user initiates this technique, they cannot stop their limb from the movement.

How to use technique:

Stated above.

Drawback:

Also stated above. Higher reiatsu cost than normal Shunpo. Limit is once per post. More stamina taxing than regular Shunpo.

Made by: [Admin]

[Zou ۞]

The masked man sensed a build up of reiatsu in the Shinigami's arm almost immediately. It seemed like a Kido or some sort of physical technique. The way the shoulder started to move indicated a faster, more physical strike. He activated Pesquis to sharpen his accuracy and foretell of other threats that might be nearby. A Captain class aura was approaching as he had thought before but there was no need to rush. This battle, however short, demanded only a moment's attention. The Arrancar could tell by that build and the way it was already dissipating that it was probably Shunpo Karin. What would lend more credence to the theory was the man's eyes and muscles. His body looked very athletic and though his eyes were wild they were vigilant. They even looked feral. His body was more impressive than his lackluster spiritual abilities, so he probably specialized in physical combat. He was also probably relying entirely on his instincts.

Whether he had been driven insane by this attack or had always been this way did not matter. The masked man did not intend to let this one slow him down. Sword already in hand, the Arrancar countered. When the feral Shinigami's arm rushed forward it would suddenly be severed at the forearm. While the Shinigami had committed to the physical attack of Shunpo Karin, the Arrancar had changed the trajectory of his attack by using his momentum to turn a killing strike into a twisted circular attack against the arm. He had sped it up using Sonido Garra, so that a vastly superior speed would make this impossible to counter for the low level Shinigami. Grodd would not even be able to see it. While the masked man's attack came in at what was the equivalent of statistical 6500 speed, Grodd's was only 2000 at most. It was a blur that was too fast to evade and too fast to find time to guard against.

The severing at the forearm had also taken place instead of the elbow so as to open up the blood vessels. Even if the fight ended here, the Shinigami only had a few minutes before he bled out and lost consciousness. The masked man had intentionally chosen a spot that fostered a large amount of blood loss. The Shinigami might be shocked by the damage inflicted upon him. The masked man wondered if this was perhaps this Shinigami's first time encountering an Arrancar. In that case did he know about techniques such as Sonido Garra? Had he expected any creature to be this fast and this powerful? Perhaps the Shinigami was now thinking that all Arrancar were this powerful and would forever be fearful of them and Hollow kind. The masked man also pondered how dumb this one was. How had he even made it out of the academy? Or was he perhaps someone's vanity project? It wouldn't be long before he was dead, so it didn't matter.

The masked man had severed an arm and now he would end things. His blade moved in for a quick strike toward the neck. The hope of the masked man was to decapitate Grodd. If that didn't work and Grodd managed to recover from shock on time to survive, then this Arrancar would allow him the opportunity to taste further defeat before his death. Anything that diverted the masked man's strike only set him up for another attack that might not kill but would still leave untold and catastrophic damage. There was already blood everywhere. The Shinigami's blood should be leaking onto the floor and oozing into a puddle as well. The Arrancar thought to himself of how pathetic it would be if this one were to lose control of its bladder. Other feral beings had engaged him before and that had been the reaction for some when faced with the inevitable death that was soon to come. Very soon.

Kuroi's Remaining Reiatsu: 4700 Reiatsu

Pesquis: 1/5

[Beast]

In a flash, no, in an instant Grodd's arm was lighter than it had been. He looked down to see blood rushing from the severed stump of what used to be his arm. Another slash was headed for his neck, so he responded by kicking away with Shunpo Eichi. A shockwave filled the space where he had been before as he scrambled backwards. "Bloooooooooooooddddd...." No, not now. The Beast Within him must stay silent! Grodd had to release now to counter the power of the Beast. Being mute, his release phrase was a little different.

He etched some Kanji in the air with the tip of his knife and a burst of reiatsu filled the room. It was Shikai, nothing close to the power of the Arrancar even in sealed state, but it was something. Grodd's Shikai took the form of a guantlet over his remaining arm and lengthening of his hair and nails. His hair was the true power of the Zanpakutou, gaining durability and gaining a lot of strength and speed. Some of the hair was directed to his arm, covering the stump that used to be his forearm in order to stop the bleeding, though he was inexperienced and it would be ineffective at fully stopping the oozing.

Now that he was released... he felt paralyzed. The loss of blood had him losing strength both physically and mentally. And just releasing Shikai wasn't giving his Zanpakutou Spirit enough power over the Beast. In fact, it was taking away her power. The Beast was getting stronger. And stronger. Grodd could feel the dark influence rising as his aura became tainted with Hollow reiatsu and he blacked out... The last thing he remembered was the foul taste of something grainy coming up his throat and out of his mouth.

"Ahhhhhhh. The air tastes so... Boring..."

This was the first time that Grodd's hollow had actually achieved a full takeover. He flexed the hand that he had access to and frowned. "&%$@er lost an arm, for real? Worthless piece of trash. I could do so much more with this body than he ever could!" The hollow was fully aware of Kuroi's presence and could feel the slightly familiar reiatsu, though he didn't know what an Arrancar was. "Hey, you there. What can I do to smash some %$@& up around here? I've been cooped up too long."

Remaining Reiatsu: 950/1,500 (-150 Shunpo Eichi, -300 Shikai)

[Zou ۞]

Sensing the buildup and force, the masked man cut his own strike short and jumped back to evade the mighty shockwave of Shunpo Eichi. He then watched all that unfolded. The masked man could feel only pity. That feral Shinigami had been so pathetic. The word pitiful truly was fitting. It hadn't thought to release until after losing an arm. How worthless. Yet it had not all been for nothing. A sudden shift in the reiatsu of the Shinigami before him alerted the Arrancar to something different. Years ago he might have thought it to be impossible but today he knew better. The reiatsu that he sensed was no longer Shinigami. It was that of a Hollow. This was an incomplete Vizard. What the masked man thought of as a "Plus Minus." It had failed to fully evolve into a Hollow, yet it was no longer a Shinigami. From it however he sensed familiar intent. The destructive urges and the thirst for blood and hunger for violence were typical of a Hollow. This was the masked man's first time encountering a mask as incomplete as this one. It would prove to be a telling experiment.

A rasping voice came forth from the creature where before the Shinigami had wielded only soundlessness even when in pain. At first the creature spoke to itself, or to the one now buried inside of it. It bemoaned the weakness of the Shinigami in suffering that injury. It went on about how it could have done so much more in that body. Yes, this was a familiar sensation for Hollows. Kuroi had thought it too when he had been a Hollow. Those Shinigami were so fortunate to possess such bodies and weapons. The Hollows were mere beasts and their ability to fight was limited in the way animals were limited against humans. If only he could have the advantages which a Shinigami did, he would have been so much more powerful. Kuroi had thought this before when he had been a Hollow. As an Arrancar he had proven these thoughts to be true. He had taken the advantages which all Shinigami possessed and made himself a being that transcended Hollows and Shinigami.

This creature urged to do the same. But before that, it surely felt rusty. The Hollow confirmed this when it turned to the masked man and addressed him. The Arrancar was mildly surprised that it had not simply attacked him. He had cut off the arm of its Shinigami host. It was natural to desire attacking an aggressor. However, it had asked him a question. The masked man intended to answer it. "If it is an opportunity to test your prowess and kill others that you desire then you are in the correct place." the masked man gladly told the Hollow. "We are in Soul Society, the most populous world in existence. There are many whom you could engage at your leisure. Those in black robes are Shinigami, who view you as a mortal enemy and will attack you on sight. They are fine victims for your power. If you wish to cause destruction, then you should venture outside and kill them all. They are like your host and do not know how to utilize their own power."

But now another thought. When the masked man had first encountered the one named Zouma Santeku, he had viewed him as one that could be made an ally. Though the masked man looked down on Vizards as nothing more than failed pseudo-Arrancar, the fact remained that there were still real Hollows inside of them. The Arrancar had always wondered what would happen if the Hollow were given the chance to flourish. What kind of allies or subordinates might he be able to find? "If destruction and testing yourself are your only goals I won't stop you." the masked man said. "But if you want more... If you want power and a way to permanently seize your host's body, then I make you an offer. Like you, I am born of Hollows. We are kin, and if you join me and assist me in the slaughter of the Shinigami in black robes then I will make you powerful. More importantly, I will make you free." The offer now stood for this Hollow that had taken the body of a Shinigami.

Kuroi's Remaining Reiatsu: 4700 Reiatsu

Pesquis: 2/5

[Beast]

"I don't need any help. I'm powerful enough on my own. I'm no parasite. All that is in my way is the fool's Zanpakutou Spirit. He doesn't know how lucky he is to have such a powerful force in his soul. Every day I beat her down with greater and greater force. It's only a manner of time. I will be in no one's debt, and such, you are only an obstacle to me. I'll smash you down and then continue my rampage across this... Soul Society."

The Inner Hollow was arrogant, and foolish. Emboldened by his success over Grodd, the Beast Within turned his attention to Kuroi. He wasn't stupid enough to just attack, though. He knew that his power was in the Shikai that was active. The Beast Within would grow taller by the moment, gaining a longer reach. The durable hair that was physically very strong was constantly growing as well, already having gained three feet in length on top of the base length of the brown locks. His fingernails were also growing, preparing for a hidden use. Just by waiting for Kuroi to attack, the Hollow would grow stronger. That was his goal, at least. He would have no idea how powerful the man he just insulted really was...

Remaining Reiatsu: 950/1,500
Shikai: 2/10

[Zou ۞]

SPOILER: Click to show

{Play this}

The Hollow that had taken over was foolish, likely because it had never faced the harsh lifestyle of a Hollow in Hueco Mundo. It did not yet understand how to evaluate opponents or the concept of one being more powerful than it. It was likely drunk off of the success of subduing the boy's Zanpakuto spirit and now Host body. The masked man could understand the circumstances which had created this sort of arrogance. Even if he found it foolish of the Hollow to have not thought to measure the caliber of their souls or of their reiatsu he would still offer some forgiveness for that foolishness. However a lesson needed to be taught to this creature. Forgiveness would take the form of sparing its life, just once. The punishment needed to be severe enough to truly drive the lesson home. The masked man had learned years ago that the best way to educate an inferior being was to inflict the highest level of consequence upon them at the beginning so that their loyalty was forever unquestioning.

The Arrancar flexed his reiatsu to exert gravitational pressure upon the Hollow that stood before him. He did not apply his full power for fear of killing the beast in front of him, but he exerted enough to crush it onto its back on the floor and suffocate it. The feeling would be as if it was under a hundred oceans. Its ears would be ringing in agony and every sense it had would feel pain while it struggled to breathe or even move. Such was the might of an Arrancar of the masked man's caliber. For a moment there would be no sounds except for the Hollow choking. It would slowly approach death in terrifying silence. The Hollow had not understood before that taking over the body also meant that it could be subjected to the same kind of pain that its Host could experience. Now it would be wise to the fact that pain was possible. The masked man began stepping forward toward the downed beast. "You overestimate yourself." the Arrancar explained. "To me you are not even an obstacle. At your level you are less than an insect. You are insignificant, worth not even the minor effort it would take to swing my blade and take your life."

As he said this, the masked man arrived and slashed directly into the hair and then the nails. Both had not had enough time to grow to meet the Arrancar's power and they would be severed easily. It was the same as if it was regular hair. It had never stood a chance. Another slash removed the hair around the bleeding arm stump and allowed further bleeding. With his gravitational pressure keeping the Hollow down and rendering it almost impossible by virtue of the inflicted agony to focus enough to direct its Shikai, the masked man gave himself the opportunity to stand over the Hollow that had dared to overestimate itself and underestimate the one standing before it. By virtue of its Shinigami Host body and thus the enhanced durability that came with being a spiritual entity, it would survive what was about to come. But not for long. It would be forced to make a decision very quickly. There was no time to hesitate.

This was because at once, the masked man began stabbing his blade repeatedly into the Hollow's stomach. He stabbed it in and then removed it and stabbed again. The damage would be painful and catastrophic, but he intentionally struck areas that would not allow such an easy death. Death would come if this continued, but it would be held at bay long enough for this Hollow to quickly come to terms with its situation. "The hatred that you hold in your heart as a Hollow will keep you alive for only a few short moments." the masked man said, continuing to stab. "But I could just as easily free your Host by tearing that mask from your face." Another stab. And then another. And another. And another. The masked man was relentless and did not intend to let up until a decision had been made by the Hollow. Every second of delay brought death closer. If it wanted to survive, it needed to act quickly. So the masked man offered it an ultimatum now. "Don't make me destroy you."

Kuroi's Remaining Reiatsu: 4700 Reiatsu

Pesquis: 3/5

[Beast]

The Hollow's reign of rebellion ended in mere moments. Squashed flat to the floor, it took everything he had to not lose his control over Grodd's body. His Shikai was severed and maimed and obliterated before he was stabbed repeatedly in the stomach. "If only.... the fool... had not wasted so much... energy... I would... use... Bankai..." His rebellion lasted for mere moments as he fought to use the power that he had stolen from Grodd. The Shikai release belonged to the Zanpakutou Spirit, but the Bankai belonged to the Beast Within.

Soon, however, the Hollow conceded defeat. "If I have to follow someone, at least it's someone as strong and as full of Rage as you. Someone to look up to..."

[Zou ۞]

The masked man withdrew his blade and stepped back to observe his handiwork. The Hollow was gravely wounded. It was bleeding out of the arm that had belonged to the boy and been severed. It was also heavily damaged from the repeated stabbing that the Arrancar had given to it. It was just then that one of the masked man's Mod Soul soldiers arrived before him. It was exactly on schedule. This was the precise amount of time that the Arrancar had expected to take in order to make it this far into the Squad 4 barracks. As the soldier arrived, the masked man motioned toward the broken body of the Hollow and allowed his gravitational pressure to let up. Even fueled by the rage of a Hollow, that one was in no condition to do anything. That his mask had not shattered and his Host had not returned to control was testament only to how full of hate the Hollow was at this complete humiliation. The Mod Soul proceeded to hoist the boy's body onto its shoulder.

"Return that one to the ship and bring him to the medical bay immediately." the masked man ordered. "He is to be sedated and restrained. If that mask breaks, then keep him unconscious until I return." The Mod Soul nodded and was off with the Arrancar's newest trophy. Indeed, that boy would make a useful experiment... And there were scientists that could give him what he wanted... Privately. It was as this happened that he turned a corner and stumbled upon yet more who were to be victimized. These were all of the injured, and until that moment had possessed none that could guard them. The only healthy one there was... Griswald P. Lorilad. The former Captain of Squad 4. "Former Captain Lorilad of Squad 4." the masked man greeted. The old healer looked up from what he had been doing, tending to the wounded. "That Zanpakuto in your hand means that you're an Arrancar, right...? So you've evolved past your savagery as a Hollow."

The masked man said nothing. Lorilad continued. "You don't have to do this. You don't have to attack us anymore or bind yourself to this war. Our sides don't have to be mortal enemies and you don't have to let yourself be commanded by Sonken Kouhai any longer. You're strong. You could be free!" The Arrancar cocked his head to one side quizzically. "This invasion is not for Kouhai." the Arrancar said, noticeably dropping the -sama honorific that he had once given to his King. "It is for me." Pieces started clicking in Lorilad's mind. Understanding that the man before him no longer chose to give only Kouhai his allegiance. Something had changed. And he was possibly preparing for a challenge of the King. "Your first thought was to come to all of the healers and injured?" Lorilad asked. "You don't find that cowardly?" The Arrancar took another step forward. "It is efficient. All of you will die in time today."

"These... these are all injured. You can't possibly attack them. The morals of it..." The masked man scoffed. "What weak spirit constrains you has nothing to do with me." Lorilad attempted to pull out a scalpel to attack. A Kido began to form in his hand. It was all too easy and he was far too slow. A swift motion of the Arrancar's blade severed both of Lorilad's arms. As the former Squad 4 Captain was falling back in surprise, the masked man brought his blade forward to cut the Shinigami in half. As Lorilad's torso hit the floor and he gasped his final breaths, the masked man's boot was there to crush his head and make certain that he would never again save a life. This was immediately followed by killing all of the injured in the room. Almost haughtily, the masked man remarked to Lorilad's corpse. "It seems that I can possibly attack them." he said threateningly. And he walked forward, always spurred toward the next point of action.

[Zeich Yajuu]

Grodd - 11 Paragraphs = 110 TP
Kuroi - 20 Paragraphs = 200 TP + 100 for winning = +300 TP