The Last Battle of Takeda (Benjiro, Akira, Seiji JT)

[Akira Hinosai]

The castle ruins sat on a hill, almost looking like an island in the sea of fog. Takeda Castle, it had been called. Destroyed after some battle long ago, but Akira didn't know the details. All he knew was that man had built it, and nature had reclaimed it. Foundations choked with moss stubbornly remained, but they were losing the battle. It seemed to be besieged on all sides by encroaching plants threatening to drown out the stone. How long would it be before the whole thing was gone? Stone endured for a time, but in the end, all things vanished. The corpse of this castle would be the same, given enough time. Birth, Death, Rebirth, and so the cycle continued.

If Takeda Castle had once been a grand fortress, Akira found little sign of it here. He ducked behind a solid bit of rock, which shielded him from view. It wouldn't do to get spotted too early, not when his second had yet to arrive. The mission was simple enough. A cluster of weak hollows seemed to coalesce around some pissant town in the mountains. Stuff like that happened sometimes. When weaker hollows were muscled out of their territory, they often retreated to smaller towns to lick their wounds and grow stronger. Add those, and the regular hollows that come naturally, and an infestation had taken hold of the quiet mountain town.

Still, these were weak hollows. Some extra muscle was needed, sure, but this was the sort of thing a two man strike team could easily dispatch. So it was that Akira Hinosai and Benjiro were sent out here together, or at least they were supposed to come out here together. Akira had gotten impatient and left a little earlier. He couldn't bare to wait a minute longer for this battle. Besides, he had a secondary objective where Benjiro didn't. The thing with vizards was that they were ticking time bombs. Ken'ichi hoped he could at least make Akira into a shaped charge. With constant vigilance, maybe they could pinpoint when his inner hollow would awaken, maybe then he'd have a better shot controlling it.

Thus far, nothing. The inner hollow didn't have strong moral compulsions against killing of outer hollows. Still, with every kill, every bit of power he clawed out for himself, he felt faint echoes grow stronger and stronger. Maybe a sustained, controlled battle like this, surrounded by hollow energy would do something. That was the hope anyway. He peered over the pararpit, in anticipation. Hollows were beginning to sense him. Their hunger would be their downfall if they came closer. He could feel their auras getting closer, but they were still a ways away. He'd gotten better at sensing these things. His mistakes that one night in Karakura wouldn't be repeated.

Of course, whatever hollows were approaching him were just the ones close by. If Akira wanted to lure them all into this trap, he'd have to make them notice. However, he figured he'd wait until Benjiro arrived. He wouldn't deny his rival by starting the battle without him. Whenever Benjiro made his way through the senkaimon, Akira would smile. "Benny! So glad you could take time out of your busy schedule!" Akira smiled, hoping Benjiro would notice the attempt at levity. "How cool is it that we're gonna fight a battle here at a castle!" Akira gestured to their surroundings. It wasn't much of a castle anymore. "Well...what's left of a castle, anyway. Doesn't matter. You ready to go sengoku style on some hollow ass?" Akira was pleased with himself for referring to it as going sengoku instead of medieval. It was more culturally relevant that way.

"This position gives us cover, and the high ground. I'm gonna set of a signal flare and every hollow in these mountains and the towns will know we're here. After we defeat them, we can sweep through the town for stragglers. Got it? Good." Akira would then lift up his arm, pointing into the sky. Arise god of thunder! Awake mother of storms! Unleash the lighting on the sinners! "Byakurai." And with that, A beacon lit up in the sky. Far from the paltry stream Benjiro saw last time. This was a proper lightning bolt shot from Akira's finger. Akira bowed, pleased with that show of force.

So the battle would begin as several hollows began to climb up the hill. Benjiro and Akira would sense more behind them. Weak hollows they were, it wouldn't do to get overwhelmed...

SPOILER: Click to show

{Akiras Stats}Strength - 50
Speed - 100
Spiritual Pressure - 75 (93)
Reiatsu Strength - 125 (156)
Instinct - 50 Points (37)
Senses - 50 Points (37)
Energy sensory - 100
Healing Expertise - 0
Light Aura - 45
Dark Aura - 55
550 SP
----------

Analysis: 2
Strength of Will: 2
Weapon Skill (Prima Materia): 1
Mental Incantation: 2
Battle Analysis: 2
Acting: 2
Kido Mastery: 2

Reiatsu: 905/930
-25 Byakurai (effective RS of 171)

[Benjiro Hiroto]

Benjiro took a deep breath and closed his eyes, centering himself and clearing his mind. He had been assigned to a mission to purify a cluster of hollows with Akira, a two-man strike team composed of Unseated Shinigami, and he was about to travel through the Senkaimon. This was not a task to be taken lightly, as it involved confronting multiple dangerous and malevolent beings that threatened the safety of the living world. Benjiro knew that he needed to prepare himself both mentally and spiritually before embarking on this mission.

He began to recite a prayer that he had learned during his life as a Buddhist monk. "Namu Amida Butsu." The words flowed from his lips like a gentle stream, washing away any doubts or fears that he may have had, mimicking the flowing waters of his soul. He focused on the presence of the divine within him and around him, drawing strength and courage from that connection. He visualized a golden light surrounding him, purifying his thoughts and intentions, and protecting him from harm.

As he did, he began to get glimpses of something more, within that golden shimmer. He saw flashes of what looked like a golden field, each blade of grass grazing gently against the wind. As quickly as it appeared, it vanished, and in its place was a voice calling out to him. "Psst. Benji~" A warmth filled his chest and traveled down his arm, knowing who this voice belonged to. This was his soul, or rather the manifestation of it. The gentle giant smiled as he gripped the hilt of his Zanpakuto, feeling its warmth in his hands.

As he finished his prayers, Benjiro opened his eyes and looked upon the Senkaimon before him, the Jigokucho landing gracefully on his fingertip. He nodded, silently conveying his readiness and determination towards the unique spiritual creature. He then drew his Zanpakuto and inspected it carefully, making sure it was in perfect condition for the battle to come. He knew that his weapon was more than just a tool of war, it was a reflection of his own character that would never waver, should he keep his resolve strong.

Finally, Benjiro took a deep breath and stepped through the Senkaimon. From what he understood, Akira was already there. His hasty friend was the type to rush into things without much caution, but that was part of his charm. Benjiro knew that they were venturing into a dangerous and unpredictable realm, but he was filled with a sense of purpose and duty. He was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead, and he trusted that the divine would guide and protect him.

As he arrived through the Senkaimon, he was greeted by the rolling hills of Japan, amidst the ruins of the great Takeda castle. It was the sight of a great war from long ago, one that claimed the lives of many. The Sengoku period of Japan was one wherein war and power ruled above all, and the fields were soaked with blood. In Benjiro's life, he had absolutely abhorred the atrocities committed in the Sengoku period, showing his disdain for those that would romanticize it. It was one of the things that caused the most conflict between him and Kazuo.

Still, the large Shinigami could not deny its historical significance. Not to mention the poetic nature of a pitched battle against the hollows on one of the most important battlegrounds of Benjiro's home. Before he could focus too much on the task at hand though, Akira had caught his attention for his tardiness. In typical Akira fashion, he was charismatic and honestly, adorable. It was almost natural for Benjiro to have rosy cheeks every time he saw him. "Come now, Akira, you know I wouldn't miss out on seeing you in action again!"

"Ugh, don't remind me of the Sengoku period... but yes, let's exorcise some hollows!" Benjiro said with a soft smile, drawing his Zanpakuto and getting into his stance. Akira explained that their position gave them cover and the high ground, so they needed to use it to their advantage. As such, the tactical mind of his more violent friend had planned to signal their location with a flare, so that the hollows in the mountains and towns would go after them, then they could sweep through the towns after to be sure.

"I like it. Keeps the innocents safe while giving us an advantage." Benjiro admitted as he sensed the familiar soul of Akira clashing and growing with power and force. It only made sense that lightning was his element, his soul reflected that of a storm. Just as the pressure was building up, Benjiro watched as Akira said a single word, making use of Eishohaki to cast Byakurai. Immediately, a powerful bolt of lightning shot up high into the sky.

"Impressive! If I was hit with that, I might not have won our bout back then..." He explained as he felt the energy of several hollows clambering up the hill. "But I'm not the same as I once was either." He said with a grin as he stared down the oncoming horde, Zanpakuto at the ready.

Reiatsu: 1000/1000

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats & Skills}
Strength: 100 (133)
Speed: 100 (70)
RS: 120 (180)
SPPR: 100
Instinct: 50
Senses: 50 (37)
ES: 100
HE: 0
LA: 75
DA: 25

---

Learning - 1
Calm Mind - 1
Strength of Will - 1
Weapons: Swords - 1
Pain Tolerance - 1
Bleeding Tolerance - 1
Damage Recovery - 1
Mental Incantation - 1

[Akira Hinosai]

"Is that right? Well I bet I can bag more hollows than you!" Akira pulled out a tried and true deception. "321 GO!" Akira blurted as fast as he could. Hoping to kill some hollows before Benjiro could react, Akira reaching out a hand at some hollows which had only just climbed over the "walls". Two hollows, vaguely humanoid, but too grotesque and malformed to say they resembled anything in particular. Akira wasted no time lifting a hand up towards them. "Horin." Just like that, the hollows were bound, and then the separate bindings were linked to eachother. Akira smirked as he held one end of the energy rope in his hand.

He almost felt bad for them. Almost. "Tzuzuri Raiden." With that, the orange energy rope of Horin became a live wire transmitting lethal voltage to both of the hollows. The hollows fried as Akira ran over to deal the finishing blow with his zanpakuto. After all, he was technically obligated to purify them. He wasn't sure if kido alone could do that. As he finished the two hollows off, more and more hollows emerged from the mist, one of them grabbing Akira with an outstretched hand. After a brief struggle, Akira managed to kick it until it let go, falling back into the mist. Though while Akira was dealing with that, more hollows seemed to emerge.

They weren't over the battlements yet, but they soon would be. Benjiro probably had his own problems to deal with, and Akira was too proud to beg for help like some frightened child. Especially when had a backup plan. When he had "trained" Benjiro on the arts of kido, Akira mentioned one spell in particular. He had thought such basic force blasts were beneath him, but now he was seeing the light. He'd never cast the spell before, but it was only the first hado spell. It had to be piss easy so the babies in the academy could manage it. "HADO NUMBER ONE: SHO!" With that, a blast of kinetic energy stopped the assault dead in its tracks. Several hollows flew backwards to the base of the hill.

Akira was honestly amazed how effective that was for such a low level spell. He couldn't help but laugh "CAN YOU FLY, YOU FUCKERS?!?!" Gravity and momentum were cruel mistresses. Even if he could hit all the hollows with a single blast, ones that fell would knock a few of their allies behind, starting a long and painful journey down the hill. It wouldn't kill them, probably. But it would wound them and buy some time for Akira to deal with the other hollows. With his zanpakuto in hand, he was ready to skewer any hollow brave or stupid enough to face him. He sliced open the hand of one hollow gripping the foundation and turned back to check on Benjiro.

"How many you got so far?"

Reiatsu: 830/930

-25 horin
-25 tsuzuri raiden
-25 Sho

all at an RS of 156

(ooc: spent 10 TTP for proficiency with Sho)

[Benjiro Hiroto]

As Akira proposed their little competition, a spark ignited within Benjiro. He couldn't help but feel a childlike excitement well up within him. The mere prospect of a challenge brought a smile to his face. Despite the gravity of their mission and the danger that lay ahead, Akira's playful and charismatic nature brought out the inner child in Benjiro. It was as if he was back in his youth, competing with his best friend Kazuo, trying to one-up each other at every turn.

He understood the danger that they were in, facing a pitched battle with innumerous hollows on all sides, but there was something about Akira that made all of that feel a little easier. Benjiro had always been a calm and cautious man, but Akira made him feel different, lighter even. It was a welcome respite from the constant weight of his duties as a Shinigami and his individual code as a Buddhist. "We'll see! Try your hardest!" Benjiro said with a grin, knowing that Akira had grown quite a bit.

Right after Akira proposed the competition, he bolted off with lightning-like speed, fitting for the lithe man's spirit. Benjiro was equally eager to begin, and wasted no time in rushing forward as soon as his friend had called for the start of the race. His spiritual energy surged and raced like a torrent as he watched a single hollow come forward, this one looking almost bull-like with the signature white mask that all hollows had come with.

In a single moment, Benjiro had synchronized the movement of his soul with that of his body. The reiatsu gathered with the kinetic energy formed by his movement, flowing as easily as breathing at this point. The watery depths of his soul crashed against the ground as he launched himself forward, activating Shunpo as he drew his Zanpakuto. The hollow was taken aback, the sudden burst of speed causing it to hesitate and turn away. It was too late, Benjiro's Zanpakuto had found its mark, his immense strength easily slicing through the bull's mask.

Over the past few months, Benjiro had far surpassed most human limits set in his life, becoming more and more capable of performing his duties. Despite his nonconfrontational nature and his focus on spiritual and mental training, his strength and durability had also excelled. Benjiro felt pride at being able to perform well in the field, but he still knew he had a long way to go. There were far too many hollows to allow pride to overcome him. He raised his Zanpakuto once more, turning its attention towards the two hollows that approached from the sky.

A bat hollow and a dove hollow seemed to swarm above them, trying to use their aerial mobility to their advantage. Unfortunately, Benjiro was prepared for this eventuality. He pointed his blade at the bat, a single word escaping from his lips. "Horin." A corkscrew of orange energy flowed out of his hand, spiraling around his Zanpakuto like a flowing stream. The energy surged forward as it flew high into the air, wrapping around the dove and tightening like a vice. Immediately, Benjiro spun and brought his Zanpakuto to the ground, pulling the dove and aiming to crash it against the bat.

Unfortunately, the bat seemed to dodge, but the dove crashed to the ground not too far from Benjiro. He wasted no time as he rushed forward and brought down his Zanpakuto on the mask of the dove, purifying its soul. The bat was not finished though, swooping down to try and retaliate against Benjiro. It shrieked, waves of sonic energy crashing against Benjiro's ears. It hurt, but it wasn't enough. Benjiro pushed off of the ground as he brought his Zanpakuto up, jamming the butt of the blade to the throat of the bat, stopping its agonizing shrieks.

It was quite surprising, Benjiro had become quite proficient at using his blade. It was naught but a few months ago that he wasn't even aware of the cutting edge or the proper way to hold it, but Gestalt had corrected him on that long ago. Now, he brought that training into fruition as he pushed his blade upwards, slicing the hollow's mask from below. He wanted to say that he could keep going like this, but utilizing his full strength on this long, drawn out battle was taxing on his muscles.

However, as he landed, he was already swarmed by two more hollows. One was a cat, the other was a lizard. The cat swung its claws at him, causing Benjiro to block with his Zanpakuto. The blade clashed against its claws as the lizard's tail struck at his shins. The pain across his legs stung, but he was trapped between the pair of hollows. Thankfully, Benjiro had never developed an overreliance on his blade, even while fighting. He knew the importance of letting go and flowing with the tide of battle. As the cat pushed, he relented, allowing his blade to fall backwards as Benjiro released his grip, touching the wrist of the feline's claws. "Sai." Immediately, the cat fell to the ground, its arms restrained behind its back by invisible energy, like roots of a great tree.

He wanted to purify the feline, but the lizard's outrage at his partner's restraints had caused it to lash out even more harshly. The gentle giant brought up his Zanpakuto once more as he attempted to learn the lizard's attack patterns, but to no real avail. "Three! Soon to be five!" Benjiro exclaimed as he thought of a way to close the gap with the lizard. He thought of casting Horin once more to try and end the lizard, but the Sai restraining the feline was already beginning to tax his soul and spirit. He couldn't let himself be exhausted at this point.

With a deep breath, he continued the clash with the lizard hollow. That was when he realized something, he was physically stronger than this hollow was. He didn't need to constantly be on the defense. As he blocked the tail with his Zanpakuto, he forced his spirit to crash like a wave hitting the shore, bearing his strength down onto the tail and slicing it off completely. The hollow yelped in pain, and Benjiro felt pity, but he knew he had to fight through it. He stared down the two hollows glaring at him, ready to continue the pitched battle.

Reiatsu: 900/1000
-50 Shunpo
-25 Horin
-25 Sai

RS of 180

[Akira Hinosai]

"Three! Soon to be five!" Akira scoffed. "Don't get cocky! The battle's not over yet!" The words echoed in his head. Three, soon to be five. Meanwhile Akira only managed to bag two hollows. Two confirmed kills, anyway. There were those hollows he'd force pushed down the base of the hill. If Akira could strike fast before they could recover, he'd be ahead of Benjiro for sure! Tsuzuri Raiden was too slow, and Byakurai was more suited to single target than crowd control. That left Akira with one option. The big guns. Sokatsui. Akira wasn't exactly good at using it yet, but it was the best tool for the job. Besides, this was his best chance to practice it.

Akira figured he wanted this blast to be as big as possible. If he was going to do that, he'd need to say the incantation.  The hollows he'd knocked down were still down at the base of the hill, rising to their feet and recovering from his prior attack. Maybe 4 hollows were hit by sho. Maybe they knocked over 2 or 3 hollows on their way down. That increased the hollow pile size to about 6.  Plus the hollows currently runing up the hill to him, he could probably hit a lot of them, but a direct hit would be required for a kill. He figured he'd call it at 8 in total, if he was lucky he could kill half of that number. Deep breath. In. Out. Ok, let's do this.

“Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws! Hado #33: Sōkatsui!" Akira's outstretched arm became the barrel of a flamethrower. Blue flames shot down the mountain, incinerating all in its path Akira saw more than a few hollows turn to ash upon contact. That was good, because that spell took a lot out of him. He felt faint all of a sudden. Damn it...that was tougher than I thought... Akira had no choice but to fight through it, though. As he tried to assess the damage to the incoming forces, he could see the remaining hollows were recovering quickly. Worse than that, there seemed to be more hollows, enough to replace the ones he'd slain.

More hollows, coming from who knows where. They could have been portaling in from huecco mundo for all he knew. All around the fortress, he could sense a great wave about to crash over them. "Shit!" Akira stumbled back as a large, half charred hollow grabbed at the fortress remains. "Byakurai!" at point blank range, the bolt of lighning hit the hollow right between the eyes, killing it instantly. But behind it there were more. Way more than there should have been. Man, this is gonna suck... "Sho!" "Sho!" Akira blasted two waves of kinetic energy to buy himself some time. That sokatsui had worked well, given the circumstances, but he couldn't rely on it. He had to conserve his strength and that attack took too much out of him. "Horin!"

Akira's breath grew ragged as he grappled an indeterminate amount of hollows in a second hollow pile much larger than the first. This was bad, but the battle wasn't lost yet. Benjiro would have to fend for himself in the meantime as more hollows appeared to take their shot at overwhelming the defenders. Why were the hollows organized so well? It wasn't supposed to go like this! It was supposed to be a total rout, more akin to slaughter than a battle. But at this rate, they'd be overwhelmed if this assault got much worse. "Tsuzuri Raiden!!" Akira channeled his rage adn fear into the lightning which electrocuted hollow pile 2.0.

With this he'd successfully cleared a wave of hollows, if he could keep this pressure up, the battle might not be lost. Though as Akira put everything he had into channeling the electricity into the hollows, frying who knows how many, as well as any stragglers who even tried to climb over the pile, more hollows still appeared through garganta. Akira wouldn't get a moments rest at this rate. He only hoped Benjiro was giving the attackers as much hell as Akira himself.

605/930
-100 Sokatsui (RS of 187)
-25 Byakurai
-50 Sho (x2)
-25 Horin

-25 Tsuzuri Raiden

[Benjiro Hiroto]

The lizard hollow was injured, its feline ally restrained, and it faced a Shinigami far stronger than it was. Benjiro's resolve was rooted deep within him, unwavering as he brought his Zanpakuto forward on the injured hollow, quickly bisecting it and purifying it in one go. The gentle giant hated causing pain and causing harm, but he needed to remind himself that there was no other way. The hollows needed to be purified, he was not an executioner in this moment, but a shepherd. He was bringing these lost souls home.

Benjiro pushed the advantage, turning to the feline that hissed and cursed at him, struggling fruitlessly against its restraints. Benjiro felt pity for it, but he knew that the greatest kindness he could give was allowing it to pass on to the Soul Society. Thus, he gently stabbed into its mask, freeing it from this voracious existence. At the very least, that was what he hoped to do. Before he could bring his Zanpakuto down on the feline's mask, he felt a sharp pain in the back of his shoulder blade, as if he was struck by a hammer. As he turned, he saw another hollow striking at his blind spot, a chameleon that launched its tongue like a flail.

In a single fluid motion, Benjiro brought his blade across the mask of the feline while pointing at the chameleon with his free hand. "Horin." In a geyser of orange energy, the familiar Bakudo was cast and restrained the chameleon hollow. Benjiro wasted no time in lunging forward, using his slightly superior speed to close the gap between himself and his restrained target, ready to bring his blade down and slash across its mask, freeing its soul once more.

Unfortunately, as he was running across the ruins of Takeda castle, his ankle was grabbed by a mole hollow that burrowed from the ground, leaving dust and debris in its wake. Benjiro was stronger than it, fortunately, able to free himself with a single kick that sent the mole hollow backwards. He turned to finish the job when he felt an acidic burn across his shoulder, turning to see some sort of frog hollow belching at him.

"Horin! Horin. Horin!" One by one, the gentle giant restrained and immobilized the hollows he had come across, expanding the reach of his roots like a network that wove its way through the soil. Still, Benjiro's heart was pounding in his chest as he fought against the seemingly endless horde of hollows. Every time he thought he had gained the upper hand, another one would strike at him from a different angle, forcing him to shift his focus and cast another Bakudo to restrain it. The strain was taking a toll on his body and soul, but he couldn't afford to give up.

As he cast Horin for the fourth time, restraining the hollows one after the other, he felt a sharp pain in his back as a hollow clawed at him from behind. This time it was a bear, much larger and stronger than the others, but still not enough to put the Shinigami down. He gritted his teeth and pushed through the pain, channeling his reiatsu into his next spell. "Horin." Once more, the orange tendrils of energy wrapped around the bear-like hollow, restraining it just as he had done with the others.

The battle raged on, with Benjiro moving fluidly from one opponent to the next, his movements almost graceful in their precision. But despite his skill, he was beginning to feel overwhelmed. The hollows seemed to be adapting to his tactics, anticipating his moves and countering them with new strategies and coordination that seemed impossible for the supposedly mindless and glutinous lost souls. Was there someone puppeteering them? Controlling them? Were they more intelligent than they seemed? Benjiro had too many questions, but not enough time, as another hollow struck dangerously close to his neck.

"Sai!" That was five Horins and one Sai in the last few minutes of battle. Benjiro knew that he couldn't keep this up forever. He was already running too low on energy for his liking and he could feel his strength waning with every passing moment. But he refused to give up. He fought on, determined to protect the innocent and purify these poor, suffering souls. He stretched the limits of his soul as far as he could, doing his best to sense even the slightest shifts in the spiritual currents to keep track of the abundance of hollow energy in the area.

It was overwhelming. Every time he thought he had dealt with the last of this wave, there were more surrounding him. How could this be? How could he handle this? No, he could not question, not now. If he dispatched of five and eight took their place, then he would deal with eight. With a final burst of energy, he cast Horin one last time, restraining the final hollow in this wave, doing his best to connect each Horin and round them all up. As soon as they were clustered together, Benjiro rushed in and cut across their masks as quickly as he could, feeling sick as if he was a butcher, purifying them all with the silvery streak of his Zanpakuto.

For a moment, there was silence, broken only by Benjiro's labored breathing as he tried to catch his breath. He looked around at the carnage he had wrought, feeling a mix of pride and sorrow at the destruction he had caused. But there was no time to rest. He had to keep moving, keep fighting, because he knew that the next wave of hollows was just around the corner. And so he gritted his teeth and pressed forward, ready to face whatever horrors awaited him in the darkness.

He turned to see Akira, fighting his own battle with a burst of flame from a devastating Hado. Still, the hollows continued to swarm and infest the area, causing his friend to use Hado after Hado to push, shock, and burn them away. Even then, more hollows came, filling in the vacancies with nearly double their forces. Benjiro could feel their hunger echoing through his soul, his spiritual senses nearly overwhelmed by the sheer number of signatures. "More! There's more coming!" The gentle giant ran towards Akira, haggard and restless as the swarms continued to rise towards the ruined castle of Takeda.

Reiatsu: 725/1000
-150 Horin x6
-25 Sai
RS of 180 for all of them