Canon KE-3: War of The Worst

[Zeich Yajuu]

Anarchy's counterattack was a powerful one, and one that could have spelled Zeich's end due to the Vizard's rage. Only cold logic that had penetrated his wrathful mindset had saved him in time, causing him to separate a large portion of his ash away from the rest, away from the cyclone and the growing flood of bluish gas. It was a move that had saved his life, as his ash was absolutely disintegrated from the power and heat, an extraordinary circumstance that happened rarely, even more so when Zeich's mask was active. But even that knowledge of his near-death wasn't enough to deter the Vizard; the image of Haiiro's melted sword, though he had not seen the actual destruction until his mask had been put into place, was enough to drive him forward.

And that was why he made his next countermove, even as Anarchy started to retreat. Zeich refreshed his Bankai, spending Reiatsu even as a copy of his sealed Zanpaktou formed and then broke off into a new cloud of ash, covering more than a half mile in its range The ash was only formed as part of his abilities, rather than being a physical manifestation of the weapon, and so a simple renewal of Bankai allowed the ash to be restored as well. It was a trick Zeich hadn't used much, but it was one that would give him a definite advantage even as Anarchy reformed himself. The criminal would find himself reforming in the midst of a dark ash that would surround him from all sides; while it wouldn't hamper him to move through it, as it was still not a solid wall, doing so was a huge risk. After all, Anarchy had seen Zeich reform within it before and attack in a precise, deadly manner. And that was really the only ability he had seen from it, aside from being able to hide Zeich from spiritual detection; what else could the Vizard's Zanpaktou do?

There was plenty it could do, even without the use of techniques, as Anarchy would soon learn. The ash would close in, pressing against his body, his face, slipping beneath his mask and into his clothing, attempting to latch itself onto his body. Sure, he could defend himself with another wall of heat, but to do so would stall his escape, and give Taiho time to close the distance as well, making use of whatever knowledge she had picked up on watching Anarchy fight. But if he didn't attempt to free himself of the ash, Anarchy would start to find his Reiatsu being siphoned away, a full 400 every few moments, a full fourth of his dwindling supply. Worse yet, the ash that stayed on his body was a constant risk; for all Anarchy knew, Zeich could reform himself again at such close contact, and deal a fatal blow with the many abilities he had not yet unveiled from his Zanpaktou's power. Finally, there was the intense pain that came with the ash's touch, enough to break all but the most stalwart concentration; the Vizard's power was not to be trifled with!

The best part was that there was yet another ability that Anarchy had not noticed, one he couldn't have known was infecting him from the inside out this whole time. From the moment the initial cloud of ash had exploded around him, even as he had escaped it and created his tornado to try and stop it, the criminal had inhaled a small amount of the substance. It was everywhere, and it was unavoidable. It had only been for a short time, but a hidden bomb lay within the man's throat and lungs. It wasn't quite enough to form a weapon, so Zeich couldn't simply stab the man from the inside, pity as that was; it would be simple enough to dispatch him if he had inhaled just a bit more ash. But within a few moments, there would be... assuming that Anarchy was still alive enough to inhale it.

Of course, there was the matter of the mask. Odds were, like many such items, it had some form of filtration unit. And Zeich had expected such, even in his anger; had he the extra money, he would probably have a similar device in his fake mask. Fortunately, his ash was far denser than a filter designed for gasses could handle; if the man's filter had been on, either his ability to breathe would have either been compromised due to the handful of ash clogging it, or the ash would have slipped through by simply pushing through the filter with its mass, enabling that ash to reach his lungs. In the end, it would have been difficult for him to avoid such an exposure; there would have been more, had his aura from Ken not blown away the initial ash, but even a trace amount was enough for Zeich's designs.

There was just enough ash to form the tip of a finger, pressed ever so lightly against Anarchy's throat. And that was all that was needed for the power of Kaijin Kasumi; Zeich couldn't form enough of his hand to press on the man's windpipe and suffocate him, but he didn't need to when he could simply dissolve the man into ash. Though he had been halted before, the illusions that had stopped Zeich before would not be able to fool his senses; he could feel the location of his ash, now that he knew it was there, and he could command it. Any image that was created would not have that ashen signature, and as a result, the Vizard would not be fooled any longer. It was time for Anarchy to fade away into the gray.

Even as his deconstruction technique began, Zeich let part of him reform, a single part; his Vizard mask. The bone-white wolf's head stood out in stark contrast to the wall of gray about it, and those Hollowfied eyes glowed from behind it, golden sclera against a backdrop of black. “Your time's up, Anarchy. And just like you melted away a being of great importance to me, I'm going to enjoy watching you dissolve into dust. Haiiro was burned away in the fire, just like his mate, and you'll disappear into the ashes that are left behind.” There was a sense of smugness behind that distorted tone, something of Tsukikage's rough, grating voice overlapping with Zeich's quieter one and bringing out a sense of satisfaction. “Any last words before—”

Master, stop! Don't let yourself be swallowed by the darkness!

Suddenly the world seemed to stop for Zeich. Those golden eyes widened behind the mask in shock, and though the dissolution of Anarchy's body would have covered about half of the neck, and no further, it would stop in its advancement; something had interrupted Zeich's concentration enough that he couldn't keep his technique active. And what worse shock for the Vizard than to hear the voice that he thought was silenced forever? The destruction of Haiiro's sword, which housed his soul, should have destroyed him too, yet Zeich had heard him clearly. What did this mean? How had he survived? What was going on?

And in that moment of indecision, a crack formed across that lupine mask, from the right side of the forehead and across the right eye, stopping just shy of the nose.

Remaining Reiatsu: 5650/19250 (Reiatsu lost after mask ends: 1000 (-300 for renewing Bankai))

Bankai: 1/10

Vizard Mask: 3/3

[✠Asmoskon Masurao✠]

Asmoskon stood there with the sky darkened by his arrows ready to at any moment to make a move against this Quincy or any of the others that were fighting against Sozen and the Captain Commander. He had to actually make a difference in this battle. So far all he had managed to do was eliminate a massive doll and keep this Quincy occupied. The latter wasn't really something to be laughed at that much he knew since this Quincy was obviously on a level that the majority of Soul Society's Captains wouldn't emerge victories. He had to succeed though and give further aid and tip the scale of victory more towards Soul Society.

That was when the Quincy revealed his identify and Asmoskon knew what he was truly facing off against. Any normal Quincy and even some of the crazed ones that lurked in the Vandenreich would simply submit and admit defeat at the impossible task of combating Einwelt Melody. Asmoskon knew now why the two prison guards that had originally given away the location of him in the prison had deemed him more powerful than the previous Masurao. There was no doubt that he was powerful and Asmoskon held a great deal of respect for the man knowing now part of who he was and that he still was alive.

That wasn't enough to sway him though. Asmoskon while calm and collected and normally thinking for the well being of others was also an individual with the stubbornness that befitted that of a bull after only being injected with adrenaline. No matter who was his foe and what feats they had been able to accomplish in their life time he was different. Asmoskon was a Quincy that would change the way everything worked up to this point and he was going to bring about a time of peace. If he had to resort to violence than there was no other choice, but to prove himself as the future and not bow before a relic of the past.

Einwelt spoke and as he did Asmoskon knew something was about to happen. He could sense the strange spike in Einwelt's reiatsu as the white reiatsu began to manifest. "I can use it! I can end him right here with it's power. I . ." Asmoskon struggled within himself on whether or not to truly use everything at his disposal during this battle. He still hadn't yet revealed everything and believed that by using everything his chances of victory would rise exponentially. However, this was a battle between Quincy and the powers of Hell had no place here.

The white reiatsu burst and Asmoskon had no choice, but to close his eyes. However, he didn't remain in the same position. He already had a plan and one that would sadly enough end the life of Einwelt. "Do I really have the right to do something such as this? He's right our race has already diminished so much. If I kill him then I really won't have anything else to fall back on if the others and me fail to eliminate the Vandenreich." Asmoskon executing Hirenkyaku from his position moved right in front of Einwelt. His hands in front of him with fire in both palms Asmoskon prepares to end the life of the legend.

It was in that next moment that two massive arrows made of flames of intense and powerful they burned blue were fired from his hands at point blank range at Einwelt's chest. Asmoskon couldn't hold back and wouldn't hold back even for this man. "I've made my decision and if it leads to my death than I accept it." However, the true attack was then deployed. The arrows were a plot to get Einwelt's attention while Asmoskon had already launched his true lethal attack. As he had appeared the face of his third bow was removed and his bottom lip bitten open causing blood to run down his pale skin.

Just as the fire would be grasping at the attention of Einwelt and anyone else watching Asmoskon collected the blood in his mouth and fired forth the true attack. An arrow made of his blood was launched from his mouth at Einwelt's forehead in hopes of a quick and painless victory. Asmoskon held to much respect to send the man off in pain. So using this technique was the best thing he could do. The blood would pass through his skin and bone and reform into the arrow and tare through his brain.

As the fire surrounded his palms though and began to form into the heads of an arrow and the blood was spit from his mouth Asmoskon had to make sure his plan was full proof. In order to do that he had to use a technique that he knew was far to dangerous to normally unleash against foes more powerful in the pure raw sense normally. Concentrating while doing everything else Asmoskon created a box around both himself and Einwelt sealing the both of them inside the invisible structure of reiatsu. The box was only large enough to keep the both of them in it with the sides located just off the shoulders and the ceiling just above their heads. Einwelt was trapped and now he would die one way or another. "I will usher in a new era Einwelt with me at the top! NOW REST IN PEACE VAILANT BROTHER!"

Remaining Reiatsu: 1640/500
Quincy Cross: {+1600}
Willpower*Gate: {-100}
Urtümlich Pfeil (2x): {-400}
Kyōsei sa Remasu: {-300}
Jiko no Buki: {-400}

[Kento Waffles]

OOC: Please note, further intaking reiatsu in a post without STATING reiatsu intaking does NOT count.

IC:

Play this

Asmokon's arrival was short lived. As soon as he appeared before Einwelt, attempting to attack, he'd suddenly feel every last ounce of stamina leave his body. He'd feel warmth overflowing at the surface, but cold beneath his skin. And he'd see red, filling his gaze, fluid all around him. His ears ringing, his body going down from a sudden physical jolt of agony and complete overpowering... What appeared to be slash marks, existing all over his body, so deep that were they even a centimeter further, he would die just from that. As it was, even his organs took some damage from this. No matter how honed a warrior he was, his body could not withstand the injuries he had just taken, and would go down.

And, all the while, his arrows and his box also dissipated completely, evaporating into steam and then into nothingness. All the while, Einwelt's blackened arm darkened further, lighting up a deep red, and steamed and charred more. By the time Asmokon arrived, he would be at the ground at Einwelt's feet, unable to even move, and all of his attacks would have been completely negated. Einwelt's arm was charred and black, but Einwelt did not show any pain. "Come now... Did you think it was that easy?" Einwelt asked Asmokon. But Einwelt hadn't attacked. This had been Saeki's power. Of course... Einwelt hadn't attacked. All he had done was remove an obstacle. The tip off had been that he hadn't even called out an attack before coming.

Asmokon, having attacked out of turn, had just received the drawback. And it was severe. That the old man had taken so many hits from it was a testament to the Captain Commander's power. More likely, it was a result of Kyousou Ningen's physical strength, which far exceeded any known limits of humankind. That was what had allowed him to keep standing. And Sozen? He had been downed immediately by this. If anything, he had only been able to get back up as a result of the residual power of the Circle of Evil--the influence of a devastatingly powerful, if not evil spell he had stolen from Saeki. It had allowed the Kuchiki Head to continue, but his body was in horrible disarray now.

Meanwhile, there was Asmokon. A Quincy, who thus had not a spiritual particle body as the Soul Reapers did, but a flesh and blood human body. This was the greatest weakness of the human world's races. Unlike the Arrancar or the Soul Reaper who had ungodly stamina and could stack many injuries before going down, the human world's races were limited by the squishy flesh and blood which made them up. An injury like this? It was more than enough to bring down even one of the mightiest of the human world's Quincy. And, all the same, Einwelt had still completely negated Asmokon's attacks. How he had done it was going to remain a mystery to Asmokon at this moment.

And even then... Einwelt didn't yet attack. For this alone would be enough to incapacitate Asmokon, and it seemed that Einwelt could simply negate anything coming his way. In all likeliness, there were probably some extremely real drawbacks to that ability that Einwelt was using, and it probably had some very severe limitations. For now, however, it remained to be seen just what those limitations were. Einwelt's sad eyes could only look at Asmokon, and he spoke once more. "A true leader of a new era would not seek to be at the top, but rather at the back to support even the weakest link. To support and promote, not to stand on top of. I hope you will learn this from encountering me." And at that moment, reiatsu began gathering in Einwelt's Quincy cross.

Einwelt's Remaining Reiatsu: 11,000/1000 Reiatsu

Active: Einsturz

SPOILER: Click to show

Einwelt has created Einsturz, a class 0 spell which is a superior variation of Sklaverei. Unlike Sklaverei, which absorbs reiatsu, Einsturz removes the raw spiritual energy of any reiatsu based technique within range that Einwelt targets. Thus, unlike Sklaverei, which takes the reiatsu and any negative effects that come with it, Einsturz takes only what gives the technique form. Thus, anything constructed from reiatsu or similar that is targeted will simply evaporate, and all negative effects, even the likes of Arrancar reiatsu, will be avoided. This, however, is a negation technique that does not intake the reiatsu. There is no gain from this technique, only taking. As a drawback, Einsturz also takes the damage potential and turns it into fire damage along a chosen body part. To use Einsturz requires practical sacrifice of a large body part, such as a limb. Thus, the more it is used, the more Einwelt will suffer perhaps from a useless blackened arm, or both arms, or eventually his torso if necessary. Furthermore, Einsturz is an immensely powerful technique that requires 1800 reiatsu per post to keep active. Among other physical drawbacks and reduction of one's lifespan, Einsturz is one of the deadliest techniques in both drawback and offensive potential.

[✠Asmoskon Masurao✠]

SPOILER: Click to show

{Me First?!}

Asmoskon was in more pain than he had ever experienced . . wait no that wasn't quite correct. He had known and experienced pain before so much pain. Pain that made what he was feeling right now seem like nothing more than a slam across the face from his mother. There were still things for him to do and it didn't matter if he lost right now he was going to change everything. He began to fall forwards slowly as Einwelt spoke down to him. His vision blurred and the majority of it nothing, but spots of complete darkness Asmoskon barely made out the form of Einwelt. He was there though speaking down to him as if he was nothing more than a child that had tried to prove himself right against someone that knew and had faced far more.

That was the closest thing possible and most accurate as well and Asmoskon knew it. The point was though that he didn't care. Throughout time things like this had happened and always those that held more powerful and experience surfaced as the winner. The individuals that could cruelly rule over those with less power than themselves. Asmoskon wasn't seeking to be like the Emperor no he was going to break the chain of corruption. Asmoskon could barely hear anything everything was so dark and bleak and his brain was trying it's hardest to keep functioning. That was when he started to hear Einwelt's voice lecturing him.

Asmoskon then for one reason or another had a brief moment flash into his mind. He was back in that room. He was back THERE. That demon that had tainted him for research was over him and his words echoed throughout his mind. "The more hate you build, the more powerful you will become." That was all that Asmoskon recalled for his brain was tired and damaged and now it took everything he had to focus inward on that bit of information. His teeth clenched down on themselves causing blood to flow faster from the cuts on the sides of his cheeks. Images of Baal flashing throughout his mind. The night that he had lost his grandfather and parents. All of them dead.

He could feel himself giving way to something inside him. He felt his reiatsu changing and he knew that what he was doing was something he shouldn't something that he had vowed never to use in the presence of others. Right now though there was nothing else for him to do or else he'd just be left to stain the crater with his blood. He was better than this he was someone that was destined to change the way that EVERYTHING worked. That's why he needed more hate he needed to focus inward and find what he hated the most out of everything in existence. Searching throughout the black void of his mind images of Vandenreich and Arrancar alike passed him by. Then something he didn't expect to still be within him.

"Well now it seems that you just can't accept that you're lower than shit can you loser!" The dark decrypted smile of his manifested hate. The hallucination of Hotaru that he had been plagued by for months and had nearly drove him to suicide. She was still inside of him and still had that twisted smile across her face. Asmoskon for a moment had a look of shock only for it to vanish as he channeled his hate for her. For the time that he had been apart due to a misunderstanding something that had lead to so much death and destruction by his own hands. Asmoskon suddenly punched Hotaru in the face and the image vanished. However, what stood there now was his true source of hate.

It wasn't Baal, nor was it Hotaru . . . it was himself. Standing there covered in blood that was not his own with hundreds of bodies laying on the ground around him. A memory that at the moment felt like he was watching. He had been lost on the path of darkness and taken it out the only way that he had known how. In doing so he had rid the world of evil and good all the same not caring who or what it was as long as his arrow sunk into its flesh. The image of himself turned and looked into his eye. That was when Asmoskon saw that this memory was tainted. He was looking at the source of his tainted soul. That damned black eye was starring at him and Asmoskon could feel more hate towards himself and what he had become and done than towards anyone else.

(End Music)

SPOILER: Click to show

{Now ME!}

In reality only a few moments had passed and Einwelt was channeling reiatsu into his cross however he would suddenly feel a massive rise in Asmoskon's reiatsu. The reiatsu of the young Quincy oozed off of his body onto the ground around him covering everything in darkness and blood. Suddenly though strings of black reiatsu spread across Asmoskon's body tying themselves to his slashed up form as he lifted his head to meet Einwelt's gaze. He started to stand struggling to focus and move himself. His brain was still damaged thus making mental commands more difficult. He stumbled for a moment and then got to both feet as he starred at Einwelt blood pouring off of him as his reiatsu flared all around him.

Einwelt was old and without a doubt wise and yet there had never been a Quincy that was like Asmoskon. He was tainted something that had never existed. Einwelt and anyone else in the area that had a free moment would actually be able to sense it now that his reiatsu was flared and he was unable to control himself due to his focused hatred. He was oozing with the reiatsu of an Akki. A creature of Hell one of the most mighty races and one that could be claimed as the most twisted and evil. There was one here one of them most powerful that dwarfed most everyone fighting and yet Asmoskon's reiatsu seemed to be nothing more than hatred and evil now. There was no crimson there was only darkness only black surrounding him.

"A leader I am and I not hide behind those that fight beside me. I do everything within my power to keep all those that choose to bravely stand up and fight for what they believe in safe. It's up to the leaders to protect their ALLIES! They continue to FIGHT!" Asmoskon pointed to the Captain Command and Sozen as a twisted grin spread across his face. "I will not allow myself to fall while my allies take on the burden of one of my own people. These are my ALLIES! HE IS MY FAMILY! I AM THE FUTURE OF OUR PEOPLE!" Even in all of his hatred Asmoskon knew that he couldn't hope to defeat or land a blow against Einwelt at the moment. However, there was one thing that he could do yet doing so risked his own life even more than what he was already doing. Yet he wouldn't be able to look Sozen, his family or his wife in the eyes again if he didn't do it.

So there was only one thing for him to do. He had to remove Einwelt from the battlefield. He had seen the black charred arm while he fell and knew that whatever he had done had taken a toll on him that was something he wouldn't want to make more severe. Einwelt seemed to have confidence that his allies could claim victory without his aid and yet he was gathering reiatsu. So fast that Asmoskon was having even more trouble to gather some for himself. Suddenly his reiatsu spiking his blood began to glow with red lines over his veins. It looked as if he was using Blut, but it was something else. In that moment he lunged at Einwelt blood spraying from his thighs as he did so. Yet that blood and all the blood that now decorated the ground rushed towards Asmoskon.

"Looks like it's just the two of us now Einwelt. I can't defeat you now not her, but that doesn't mean I'll allow you to help hurt my family. Next time though that title of yours will be mine." Asmoskon grinned devilishly at the old man as all of the blood had already formed around the two of them. In a dome of blood that sealed both of them away from the battle taking place outside. Asmoskon had removed Einwelt from the battle making sure that even if he couldn't defeat him through force the odds against Soul Society wouldn't rise with his defeat. The dome was a barrier that would keep Einwelt inside for a bit and hopefully would buy enough time for victory. Asmoskon could only hope that victory was claimed by his allies as everything began to get dark and he struggled to stay conscious in order for the technique to stay active.

Remaining Reiatsu: 1960/500
Quincy Cross: {+1600}
Willpower*Gate: {-100}
Kurimuzon Baria: {-800}
Ransōtengai: {-400}

[Jin Yamada]

OOC: Took some cinematic liberties that Z and I talked over regarding the conclusion to our fight. Use of Class 0 to dispel his technique and return Jin's body to normal was a cinematic liberty we agreed on.

IC:

What?! Impossible!

The eyes of the one known as Anarchy widened in disbelief upon seeing the rising column of ash which shot up towards him. To think that Hitze’s last attack had not taken out the majority of that ash, and yet here was more forming before him. The Bount mercenary sensed a large release of reiatsu upon the ash’s sudden regeneration and surmised that the Vizard had probably released his Bankai for a second time. It was quite the strategy he had to admit, unfortunately he was on the receiving end of such a strategy. He prepared himself, propelling himself further upwards with the flames from those black boots as the ash rose up to swallow him.

Arms rose up to shield his face before he was swallowed up in the sea of gray. His mind immediately became overwhelmed by signals from the Output aura he had surrounded himself with. Everywhere around him there was an attack. He had to deactivate the alerting technique in order to prevent it from barraging him with so many alerts at once. But, he couldn’t escape the ash, not without using up more of his dwindling reiatsu. Not only that, but he would risk his identity being revealed if he used his full power. He couldn’t risk it. For now, he would see what the Vizard had in store and then if it became necessary, he would crush the other man with his full power and do so quickly before anyone sensed who he really was. After all, there were a few Shinigami fighting in this battle that had been around when Jin Yamada had been “active”.

Instantly, as the ash moved to cover him, it came in contact with Hitze’s body which covered him as a sort of armor. In such a compressed and concentrated state, there was no way that the ash would be able to reach the Bount without being disintegrated by the 5400 degree Fahrenheit heat which covered his body. But then, the sheer volume of the ash began to overwhelm Hitze and much of it was able to slip though despite the intense heat shielding the Bount. As the ash covered him and began to latch onto his skin underneath his clothing, he felt an immense pain that broke his concentration. It felt as if his skin was on fire all over his body. Wh-What is this?! He could only cry out within his mind, as he didn’t want to risk opening his mouth and letting in some of that ash. He wasn’t sure of just what the Vizard could do with it; thus, he did not want to risk it getting inside of his body. The filter on his mask was doing its job to filter out the ash, but soon it too would become overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of ash surrounding his head. The Bount mercenary closed his eyes and tried his best not to breath, even though he knew that at some point he would have to take in a breath of air to stay alive within this sea of gray. Little did he realize how futile such an action was, since the ash moved on Zeich’s command into his nose anyway in order to get into his system.

The pain from the ash was soon ignored when a new sensation came. The Bount felt a strange sensation occurring at his neck. More so, it was the lack of feeling that began spreading from the center of his throat that caught his attention. Just what was the Vizard doing to him?! Was he going to stop at nothing to see him dead? For what?! His mind focused in on the moment after he had stopped the other man’s attempt to behead him. Despite trying to quickly flee from the two, he had noticed the man’s disposition and his sudden freezing after his blade had been destroyed. That blade had been special to him, but wasn’t he still able to use it’s power despite its destruction? Was this ash not a product of the blade’s power? Why else would the Vizard be so relentless in pursuing him like this? Little did the Vizard know that the mercenary had something he fought for as well.

I am their will, their hopes, and their desires.

With eyes closed, the Bount mercenary didn’t get a chance to see the Vizard mask forming from the ash around him. He was more focused on surviving. He was more focused on the Bount comrades waiting for his return, on Kazura, his new ally, waiting for the information he had gathered from coming here. If he lost here, if he died here, he couldn’t protect the Bount. If he died here, he couldn’t save his race. I...I...will not...die here! It was at that moment that the Vizard was awoken from his rage-fueled attack. Jin felt the sudden lapse in Zeich's reiatsu, indicating that whatever power he was drawing on was coming to an end. It was that moment that the Bount mercenary would take advantage of. Reiatsu rippled off of the Bount’s body, sending pulses that would alert any keen sensor to the power of the man known as Anarchy, to the true threat of this mercenary who could take on even the likes of Okusa Shogen.

Golden reiatsu poured from the ash that had swallowed Anarchy, first permeating the gray as small pillars of light from separate areas before finally the ash surrounding the mercenary was illuminated by that overwhelming golden reiatsu. A powerful pressure suddenly descended upon the battlefield, bearing down upon anyone who was not strong enough (OOC: anyone not Class 0) to withstand its presence. The sheer power of the Bount once exerting his full power would allow his body to resist the transformation to ash and even begin to reform his throat from the ash it had become. His power was too great for a technique of this level to affect him upon flexing his full power. Even Zeich would possibly feel the extent of the pressure despite his ash’s ability to suppress reiatsu. It was chilling to behold and would strike fear in the hearts of anyone on that battlefield who could sense it. The presence of such a powerful reiatsu would tell them one thing: Anarchy was on the same level as Sozen Kuchiki. Knowing this alone would be enough to cause fright for those Shinigami weighed down by that incredible pressure.

"My time is just beginning, Vizard. You don't realize who I am, yet. But don't worry, the next time we meet you surely will. I won't be holding back next time..."

The golden aura which illuminated the ash burst forth and blasted away the ash surrounding the Bount with a force of 1050 strength. Any ash that was latched onto the Bount’s skin would be repelled and any that were still going up his nose or through the hole in his throat would be repelled as well, for this was the power of Ken. It was enough to repulse the sea of ash which had covered him, even if it was just for a single moment. Then, the golden reiatsu suddenly transformed into a field of orange gas that rose up around the Bount, emanating a powerful wave of heat which disintegrated any remaining ash that attempted to reach him once again. During this time, the Bount had once more attempted escape while the Vizard was distracted.

With the flames from his boots propelling him, he flew at double his speed towards Saeki’s position. It was time to go, and he didn’t want to risk revealing anymore of his power to the many Shinigami present here. So with that, he landed there behind Saeki and her companions and readied them to leave. ”Miss Kuchiki, we should be making our exit right about now, hmm? I have a way to get us out of here, but it requires all of you to gather round.” he said in that modulated voice of his. He had created a Plan B for his escape since first stepping foot within the Soul Society. Gatz was already in contact with Don and the others back in London and they were prepared to get him out whenever he gave the signal. But first, he would need to get them far enough away that no Shinigami could follow after them. To do that, he could just transport them all with Schatten, but it would be more taxing than usual. If it became too much, Gatz could also help him transfer some of them.


Jin’s Remaining Reiatsu: 1050/4000 (-200 for Ken)

Output: Ended

Nebel: Ended

Hitze's Remaining Reiatsu: 2000/4000 (-600 for Hitzeschutz)

Hitze’s RS: 1000 (2482)

Wüsten-Abfluss: Not Active


Gatz’s Remaining Reiatsu: 1450/3000

[Zeich Yajuu]

He stood there, suspended in space. Two worlds existed before him, juxtaposed, intertwined; a world of moonlight, a plateau rising above the forest and towards a pale moon, as well as a world of utmost darkness, of shadows and death. The darkness replaced the former world's forest, leaving the plateau rising from the shadows that lapped at its shores like an ocean of ebony black. A dark mist threatened to blot out the moon, and the orb itself was mostly shrouded, only a sliver left to provide light to the area below. It was strange, seeing such a unison, yet Zeich understood it perfectly upon viewing it. It was his two Inner Worlds, and Tsukikage's darkness was quickly devouring and shrouding Haiiro's light from sight. While Haiiro's disjoined nature prevented him from being consumed by the Hollow—though Zeich wasn't sure how well that held up now that the former spirit's sword had been destroyed—the dark lupine that possessed a fragment of Zeich's soul could easily interfere with and block the connection between the two.

That was the cause of the silence, Zeich realized; it wasn't that Haiiro had been destroyed, but that Tsukikage had blocked their connection, interfered with their link. By doing so, the Hollow had fed his master's anger, his hatred, his fury; bloodlust was born and a desire for revenge had only dipped the Vizard's soul deeper into the darkness, strengthening Tsukikage's hold and his ability to influence Zeich's personality more by the moment. Aggression and directed anger, a desire to kill and destroy that which was the target of his vengeance; these were all aspects of Tsukikage's influence, and for the last little while, in Zeich's pursuit of anarchy, they had reigned supreme and unchallenged in the Vizard's heart.

It was only then that he was able to see his own actions, the decisions he had made when overcome by that anger. Zeich could see his aggression, his desire to kill so strong that he had revealed himself and his abilities very visibly in an area where he was still considered a wanted criminal. Doing so had been nothing more than a foolish way of revealing his continued living, when up until now he had been considered dead without a corpse. Suspicions of his survival would be confirmed, and if Zeich didn't find a bounty on his head within the next few weeks, he'd be surprised. Assuming he lived that long, that was; even if he killed Anarchy, there were still a host of powerful players on the battlefield... and one of them was Sozen Kuchiki. Zeich wasn't sure that the Crimson King wouldn't be eager to turn his blade on a possible ally, simply because he was a Vizard.

But all that was a matter for a few moments hence; in this space where time held no meaning, Zeich wanted to know how it was that he had regained control of his sanity, how he had broken through Tsukikage's hold. He remembered Haiiro's voice, a call to escape the darkness... and indeed, the darkness had parted, albeit barely; almost like a crack rippling through the air, there was the smallest of gaps in the twisting mists that surrounded Haiiro's world. It was from that brief opening, Zeich suspected, that Haiiro had managed to contact him, to inform the Vizard of his survival. And that was why the Vizard had been able to regain himself, to break Tsukikage's hold; surely, if he had kept at this pace, the Hollow would have overtaken him again. Zeich had no doubt that such a possession would be far more permanent than previous ones.

For now, though, it was time to rip away the darkness, and return to the real world. Zeich stepped forward, and almost like a blink, he was at that gap in the shadows, staring into the world beyond. He could see the two wolves circling one another, with Haiiro standing atop the plateau, holding his ground, while Tsukikage stalked the shadows at the base. But that wouldn't last long; placing a hand on either side of the “crack” in Tsukikage's dark world, Zeich focused his willpower, and that gap widened considerably. The light began to pour through, and the shadowy mist that filled Haiiro's world began to dissipate. A howl of fury filled the air as Tsukikage detected this intrusion, this change, but there was nothing that he could do about it. Zeich pulled harder, exerting every ounce of his will to break through the Hollow's hold...

---

And his mask shattered. The single crack that emerged on the lupine mask suddenly spiderwebbed across the entirety of it and caused it to fall apart. His eyes still glowed golden, a permanent effect of his nature as a Vizard, but as the black faded from his scelera, so too did Zeich's sight fade. Reflexively he activated Buraindo Jinsei again, his senses of hearing, smell, and touch all sharpening back into stronger focus and allowing him to adapt to the loss of his sight again; the battle wasn't over, so he couldn't rely on his normal senses just yet. Instead he cast them about, caught the fluttering of cloth, the sound of the air resistance pushing against a retreating figure's form.

Zeich was left with two choices in that moment; he could pause and catch his breath, sorting out his mental state before pursuing, but risk Anarchy's escape. This was an undesirable choice, of course, so his decision defaulted to the latter: immediate pursuit. Though he was no longer under the control of Tsukikage's bloodlust and rage, the Vizard still had a job to do in protecting Soul Society: the elimination of an enemy and threat. Even if Anarchy was fleeing, no longer actively presenting a threat to Soul Society, he was still an ongoing risk, and thus a target. No, there was no decision needed, merely a brief pause of consideration. And then he struck.

Calling his ash to him even as it was repelled by a massive force of Reiatsu, Zeich began forming it into five long javelins, each as big as a two-handed spear, combining as much ash as he could into each weapon to increase its overall mass. He kept a reserve about him, a small cloud that could be used for temporary defense until he could recall the rest if needed, but the rest formed those five weapons. Anarchy had shown that he could create armor made up of heat that would melt away an attack coming through it, but Zeich had penetrated it once through the sheer amount of ash that he had directed into the man. This time he would do it again, but with a different tactic. When launched, each of the javelins would drive straight towards the man's body to rip it apart, and their sheer mass would be their advantage against the armor of heat. Sure, several layers would be blasted apart, melted away, but if even a splinter got through to pierce Anarchy's body, it would be enough to give Zeich his foothold back. This time he was not acting in anger, but in cool analysis; he was sure that he could make this strike.

Even as the attack finished forming, however, something started to press down on Zeich. He paused, his concentration wavering as he felt the increasing gravity of an intense spiritual power spreading across the local area. In a moment the Vizard found himself forced down to one knee, gasping for breath, before he managed to call his own spiritual energy about him, fighting against the force pressing down on him. Though he could not remove its presence, Zeich was able to resist the gravity, the weight of his body far less present than before, and the Vizard pushed himself back up onto his feet. A hand was already raised to guide the javelins, and a simple wave sent them hurtling through the space between him and his prey.

“You're not getting away so easily, Anarchy!”

Remaining Reiatsu: 4050/9620 (-1000 lost after mask ended, -50 for Buraindo Jinsei (2/3 Long-term Boosters used), -250 for Kaijin Ken x5, -300 Reiatsu for one post of Gravitational Pressure resistance.)

Bankai: 2/10

SPOILER: Click to show

{Post-Mask Stats}Strength – [(300 x 0.9)] (270) Points

Speed – [(400 x 0.9)] (360) Points

Spiritual Pressure – [(550 x 1.75)] (962) Points

Reiatsu Strength – [50 x 0.6] (30) Points

Light Aura - [50] Points

Dark Aura - [50] Points

Instinct - [((200 x 1.5) x 0.9)] (270) Points

Senses – [((200 x 0.9) x 2] (360) Points

Energy sensory - [((100 x 0.7) x 0.9)] (63) Points

Healing Expertise - [0] Points

[Kento Waffles]

This one first

"You've trapped us... to protect your family?" Einwelt asked. He seemed incredulous. Incredulous to think that a Quincy, one of those in white, could ever call family a Soul Reaper in black. The war between them had been brutal and lasted for years. Even before the Vandenreich, there had been the Quincy whose presence was said to threaten the balance of the worlds. And without instead seeking some sort of solution, the Soul Reapers had instead opted for genocide, seeking to obliterate all of the Quincy down to the very last. They had even used their tricks to create a war between Bount and Quincy which had scarred and heavily damaged both races.

"Young man of the Masurao, how misguided you are," Einwelt said. "I too once thought of peace with the Soul Reapers, and thought that we could move beyond what's in the past. But I was wrong. There will always be one side who cannot forgive or forget. And that side will cause new grievances, which will start the cycle anew once more. A peacetime between our races can be only temporary at best, and the flames of war will then descend upon us. Even without the Vandenreich, that is fate, and is something which cannot be broken. It is a cycle of hatred which we cannot break." Einwelt shook his head, and approached Asmokon, realizing fully well that the younger man was heavily damaged, and posed less threat now.

Einwelt handed to Asmokon a black Quincy cross, different from any others that Asmokon would ever have laid eyes upon before in the past. It wasn't evil, despite the opposing color scheme. It wasn't even terribly ominous. Rather, it just felt neutral, like any other Quincy cross save for the color. It did not feel special. And, yet, it had to be, for Einwelt to give this away. "If the time does come where we meet again, and you attempt to fight me, one of us will die," Einwelt said. "Either way, I want you to keep that cross close. When they do inevitably betray you, that cross will lead you to an ally. An ally you are not expecting..." Einwelt leaned in close to whisper to Asmokon a message which only Quincy should hear.

"Shauna lives."

An explosion of fire from all around enveloped the blood which Asmokon had used to create this space. It was annihilated immediately, and at that moment, Einwelt was yanked back gracefully by some gravitational force, taking his place near Saeki. At the center of the battlefield, Saeki and all of her allies had gathered. Steve Lee, Petrov, Anarchy, Jinbei, Einwelt, Douma. They stood near Hiroshi, who was within the Circle of Evil with Okami. Thus, Okami, trapped with them, would suddenly find a huge eruption of gold flames circling the entire group. In a second, Saeki and her allies were cut off from the rest of the people around them, from their enemies, by gold fire.

Up in the air, there was a huge, god-like dragon with the wings of a majestic bird. A golden dragon, brighter than the sun itself some might say, shining brilliantly overhead. The reiatsu was similar to Petrov's, meaning that it must be his third doll. At the time, Sozen had been approaching, but now the heat of these gold flames cut him off, and he cursed, backing up a moment as they tried to incinerate him. Indeed, it would take some kind of miracle for Sozen to be able to cross those flames to attack his sister. Rage filled his eyes, and he held out his hands, reiatsu gathering through him. Sozen, at this moment, was going to cast some kind of Kido spell!

Meanwhile, all of the members of Las Noches found a yellow light slam upon them from overhead. The sky ripped open in a maw of merciless black, and a Hollow's roar lamented the battle and resounded through the sky. The Gillian technique to make their allies untouchable: Negacion. From Kuroi to Grimoire, Guujin to Kouhai. Whoever it was, they were rising into the sky toward the Garganta, and were untouchable by virtue of the properties of Negacion. It was the ultimate escape technique in this situation. So now, with Kouhai's forces escaping, and Saeki in the process of preparing to leave as well, not many options remained. Thus, Saeki looked at Zeich, Sozen, and others, smiling coldly.

"Last chance," she said, and turned to Anarchy. "Show me what you've got."

[Ōkami Shihoin]

The Shihoin Head cursed under his breath as both of his kunai were destroyed. He had essentially wasted reiatsu in placing a seal on that kunai. Expecting Hiroshi’s aura to block it reflexively, he hadn’t imagined that Hiroshi would waste the little reiatsu he had left to deflect the kunai himself. Well, at least his attack hadn’t been completely useless. While it wouldn’t seem like it, Ōkami had actually learned something from his failed attack. As expected of the Shihoin Head and Captain of the Ōnmitsukido. His attacks weren’t always meant to land. His fighting style relied on a cunning that opponents didn’t always recognize until it was too late. His attacks were always layered, either to set up for a much more devastating attack later or just to gather information. That was how Ōkami could take down opponents even above him in strength.

Through that one exchange, Ōkami had learned something. He had learned that Hiroshi’s aura did not reflexively defend him. He had assumed this after seeing how it had caught his cousin. But in truth, Hiroshi had let Kimiko get that close so that he could ensnare her himself with his aura’s ability. So in essence, it meant that Hiroshi had to know of the attack approaching himself. But then there was also the chance that the aura could be reflex up to a certain range. The only way he would be able to find out would be to try again and get closer to learn more about that aura. But, he couldn’t do it in shikai. As much as he wanted to keep it from prying eyes, he was going to need to use that. Whatever he did, he would have to make his next move count, given that he was running low on reiatsu too. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the same ally Hiroshi had to replenish his own reserve of reiatsu, so whatever he did next, he had to make it count.

With his increased senses and precognition, he was able to see the incoming Sho before it even neared him. He noted the kunai’s destruction and predicted that he would not be getting back up after being impacted with the same attack. So, now in his attempt to escape the attack, he would try something else. He stepped to the side and blurred with Shukuchi-Ho. His first step brought him close to Hiroshi at that 900 speed, not within his guard but just within the range of that aura. If it attacked him when he appeared, he had something planned for that too. His insight and precognition were incredible with Daisan no Me active. He was hypersensitive to everything around him; therefore, if Hiroshi chose to attack himself or with his aura, the Shihoin Head would be able to predict it and react accordingly as if things were moving in slow-motion.

That wasn’t the only thing he was counting on. In the heat of battle and with his confidence in his new power, Hiroshi wouldn’t notice it there on the ground. Both where he had stepped off from and where he had landed near Hiroshi, Ōkami had placed a seal. Being a master of the technique, he didn’t need to place it with just his hands. So as soon as he appeared there with the first step, he was already mentally planning to teleport. Even if it attacked him, it wouldn’t be able to move with him when he ended up teleporting. He’d sustain the injuries, sure, but at least he wouldn’t be held there like his cousin had been. If nothing happened, he would keep going with his plan. It all depended on what happened once he moved in close to the aura. Was it reflexive in its attack or did Hiroshi control it? That was the true test. With Ōkami's movements being silent as a result of Sairento no Satsugai, all Hiroshi could rely on was the sound of the crackling of lightning on the cestus. But, he wouldn't know Ōkami was there until the sound of the lightning reached him a millisecond after Ōkami appeared there. Could he possibly track the sound before Ōkami got there? Maybe, but it would be impossible to track it while the Shihoin was moving at that 900 speed. Anyway, after that he backed off once more—at least if he wasn’t attacked by the aura—using the second step to spin away from Hiroshi and get as far away as possible while dragging his crackling cestus with him as he moved. This was to cut into and tear apart any of the webs along his way as he spun.

Then came the next part of his attack. After skidding far enough away with 900 speed, Ōkami lifted himself onto the cestus with his front facing Hiroshi. Using his advanced acrobatic skills in Parkour, he held himself up there on one arm and unleashed his attack. The blue lightning that crackled around his blade suddenly formed around his own body, shrieking as if one thousand birds were calling out at once. Then, while Hiroshi focused on the lightning forming on his body, he wouldn’t notice the lightning which flowed from his cestus. Soon, he would watch as all of the spiders around him jerked uncontrollably, electrocuted by the lightning which flowed from the tip of his cestus blades and conducted across all of the spiderwebs across the ground. Those spiders wouldn’t be getting up anytime soon. That is if Ōkami’s plan had worked. He wasn’t sure if the webs would conduct electricity, but it didn’t hurt to try. Tsuzuri Raiden was a low-level kido, something he could get away with using to test out a theory.

”Hado #11: Tsuzuri Raiden” Ōkami muttered as his attack was launched. If he hadn’t called out the name, it might even have been assumed that the lightning was a product of his zanpakutou’s abilities. But it was possible that Hiroshi would see through that despite knowing nothing about Kyukyoku no Kasokuki’s powers. This would be the only way to take care of those larger spiders and even some of the ones too small to see. If he could take them out this way, he would be able to focus more easily on Hiroshi. Of course, there was the fact that he had less room to maneuver, but he would be unable to fix that until he took out those spiders.

I don’t want to use it infront of all of these people, Kyukyoku no Kasokuki, but without it, I might die...

It’s up to you, kid! I’m ready either way. Remember, we’re a team and I’ll be by yer side no matter what decision ya make!

I’ll have to decide soon…I’m almost out of reiatsu.

SPOILER: Click to show

{It Actually Works!}

Ōkami’s Remaining Reiatsu: 900/3000 (-200 for 2x seals, -75 for Tsuzuri Raiden)

Sairento Satsugai: 4/10

Shikai: 4/10

Kasoku: 3/5

Furasshu no kami seal: 4/8

Daisan no Me: 3/6

Long-term alterations: 3/3

Items: x8 Kunai (-2 Kunai)

SPOILER: Click to show

{New Stats}
Strength: 150 (125)(118.75)(112.81)(107.2)

Speed: 400 (380)

ES: 50 (47.5)

New Senses: [150(0.95)(1.05)](214)

New Instinct: [150(0.95)(1.05)](214)

---

”Give it up, 'ol chap."

This was Anarchy’s response to the Vizard who was quite tenacious. He admired it, because it meant that Zeich had something to fight for. He wouldn’t have respected him if he had given up so easily after having his sword broken. But now…now it was getting quite annoying. The Bount mercenary had already shown him how outclassed he was when he released his reiatsu earlier. But, Zeich didn’t take the hint very well. He didn’t realize that Anarchy was telling him to effectively back off. Had this been another situation, and Anarchy hadn’t been trying to hide his true identity as Jin, the Bount would have indulged Zeich in a battle to the death. But, this wasn’t the time nor the place. He wouldn’t get to push Jin to his full power. There were more tricks that the True Bount possessed besides just that new Class 0 form and a few techniques. No, Jin had more techniques to reveal to the Vizard.

As he landed there near Saeki and the flames formed around to protect them, he stepped forward and set his sights on the incoming attack. ”My pleasure, Miss Kuchiki.” he responded. Hitze suddenly spread out from around him, circling him in its bluish colored body made up of heat. Jin stood unfazed by the five long javelins of ash that approached. He only uttered one word, "Hitzewelle". In an instant, a large wave of orange mist rushed out from around him and moved to meet the javelin head-on. The mist of concentrated heat swallowed those javelin as the two met and instantly, Zeich would see his attacks melting and disintegrating within that mist of orange. This was Anarchy’s true power. While the javelin themselves were more dense due to the amount of ash that had been layered onto them, they were no match for the power of Hitzewelle. A Hitzewelle boosted by the power of Kalte Feuer Hitze’s Class 0 status to be correct.

Those javelin were easily disintegrated within the mist until only two were able to make it through, carrying with them the hardened will and tenacity of their master. They approached the Bount, even after half of the ash forming them both had already been disintegrated. ”Master, I cannot block these last two. I’ve already used Hitzeschutz a few seconds earlier.” the doll warned its master. After all, Hitze lived to protect Jin and in such a situation where it could do nothing more after already putting up a defense for the Bount caused it to worry. However, Hitze also understood Jin’s power, and so the doll of heat fell quiet when Jin didn’t respond. A golden aura blasted off of Jin once more as the javelins approached. Use of Ken in such succession would tire him heavily, but the Bount had enough willpower to go on even after this. He didn’t care if his body was lost, all he wanted was to finish what he started and protect the Bount.

I am their will, their hopes, and their desires. I will give even my body and my soul to see them flourish…

The javelin were instantly parried by the spherical aura of golden reiatsu which had formed around Jin. They were reflected and blown far away from him, Saeki, and the others. With his powerful will giving strength to that aura, Zeich’s ash would be unable to penetrate it. And this would finally give them the opportunity to escape. Though tired, Jin quickly turned and placed a hand upon Saeki’s shoulder. There was no time to rest here after use of Ken. He would rest upon returning to his hideout in London. For now, he had to fulfill his end of the bargain and get them out of here. He placed a hand upon Saeki and waited for her signal. Gatz placed a hand upon the others and directed some to place their hands upon him as well. When she gave the signal, Jin activated Schatten, and all of them turned black and their eyes turned red. At incredible speed, they were all pulled into the large shadows below them which was created by the missing ceiling of the prison. From there, they moved through the shadows and out of the prison, using the rubble scattered all over the ground to travel from shadow to shadow until Jin was able to reach a safer place. It was when they reached there that they would finally be able to make their escape.

It appeared before them in an instant, almost as if summoned there by Jin himself. A massive circular ring with a white veil in its center standing almost 20 feet tall. But, this was not a creation of Jin’s power. It was a doll belonging to one of his Bount comrades, Padrone Decimo. A doll that could teleport anything which Padrone wanted. It’s teleportation abilities were so powerful that it could even teleport beings to the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo from the human world. ”Come, this will lead us somewhere safer.” he said, not giving hint to how drained he was at the moment. He needed to recover his reiatsu after using so much just now. He began making his way to the portal, only stopping if Saeki chose to say something. Gatz, meanwhile smiled from ear to ear and followed behind. ”What a pleasure meeting you all….I surely hope we meet again soon shishishishishi!” he said and stepped into the portal after Jin.


Jin’s Remaining Reiatsu: 450/4000 (-200 for Ken, -400 for Class 3 Schatten)

Hitze's Remaining Reiatsu: 1800/4000 (-200 for Hitzewelle)

Hitze’s RS: 1000 (2482)

Hitzeschutz Cooldown: 2/2 (Forgot to put 1/2 last post)

Wüsten-Abfluss: Not Active


Gatz’s Remaining Reiatsu: 1050/3000 (-400 for Class 3 Schatten)

SPOILER: Click to show

{Techniques Used}

Technique Name: [Schatten]

Class: [5, 4, 3] - 7-1.

Technique Type: [Bount Technique] - Kidou, Quincy Technique, Bount Technique, Human Technique, Hollow Technique, Other

Technique Element: [Darkness, Shadows] - If any

Technique Description and Effects: [What does your technique do? How strong is it? What is it's range of abilities? List these things below.]

This is the staple technique which all Bount develop eventually with age, though of course it takes practice to master. This technique allows Bount to sink into the shadows, and melt into the darkness. As long as there is a shadow that the Bount stands over or in contact with, they can melt their entire body into it. In this way, they can reside within the shadow and watch situations unfold, with only glowing red eyes showing from inside of the shadow. Or, instead, they can disappear completely into the shadow and use it to transport themselves. Bount can travel anywhere within shadows as long as these shadows are connected. So if two shadows are disjointed, Bount cannot travel in between them. This makes this technique most effective at night, especially during a new moon. The class 5 version is the most commonly used, and allows the Bount to sink at half their speed. Class 4 allows full speed sinking. Class 3 allows double speed sinking.

How to use technique: [How do you use this technique? List below.]

It takes a simple reiatsu cost each time.

Drawback: [What are the disadvantages and drawbacks of your technique? Don't forget that the drawback must be equal in strength to the technique. List everything related to the drawback below.]

This technique costs reiatsu, but has another drawback. It makes Bount skin extremely sensitive to heat and to light. Therefore, hot things seem hotter, and bright things seem brighter. And, the sun has a harmful effect when this is used. For 24 hours after use of this technique, Bount must avoid sunlight, or their skin will begin to blister and burn. The higher class of technique they used within the last 24 hours, the more they will burn. If the class 3 version was used, the burning may even kill them if they stay in sunlight long enough.

Made by: [Bount]

Reserved?: [No]

[Kento Waffles]

OOC: Following this post, each of you should post a cinematic finale post. Final TP will be awarded after all of these final posts have been completed.

IC:

Hiroshi's head whirled to where Okami was, and the aura moved with it. The aura came in, guarding anything incoming. Okami may have been forced to retreat just there, but one thing was confirmed: Hiroshi controlled the aura. Yet, the grin on his face was still there, even despite failing to ensnare Okami at that moment. Instead, Okami backed away and started to electrocute Hiroshi's spiders. Successful in this, he would paralyze and knock them all out. It was a good strategy. It was sound. Hiroshi didn't seem the least bit surprised, nor did he seem to care, but that could easily be attributed to the darkness of his Circle of Evil technique, which made him far more than what he had been before.

But, Okami's next attack was not to fare well. No matter what he ended up using, he'd find something else had happened... His reiatsu pulsating outwards, surpassing even Hiroshi's for a moment, his will to protect defying even the great Circle of Evil... He was a symbol. He was a symbol of goodness and of the strength of the Shihoin. Hiroshi was an icon of their recent failures, and Okami was a symbol of their great rebirth. So he would experience that feeling of what was being great. But... He would also experience failure right now. Because when Okami went in, full of his power, for his second attack, utilizing distractions and whatever else to get Hiroshi to focus elsewhere and divert that aura, he would learn something else.

At that moment, one more thing was confirmed: Hiroshi was a liar. As Okami's final attack came in, Hiroshi would be distracted by whatever distraction attack had been incoming. He would use a barrier Kido: Enkosen, to guard against it. And as Okami came in, he would suddenly be ensnared automatically and instinctively by the aura. As it turned out, it wasn't an aura which was controlled by Hiroshi. Hiroshi's head turning before had been a ruse. A lie. Knowing Okami as well as he did, and knowing the strategies and thought processes of the Shihoin Head whom he had watched grow up, Hiroshi knew... He knew how to counter and lie to him. And therefore he knew how to ensnare him.

The aura would only need to grip Okami for a moment. Just a moment, as he could teleport away. And during that moment, Hiroshi would cast another spell through his tendrils of aura. This spell, Doma, shared a name in a way with an ally of Anarchy's. An ally whose name meant "silence." And it was this very quintessential power which gave the victory to Hiroshi... A spell that forcefully activated several Shakkaho from Okami. These erupted forwards at Hiroshi, and were guarded against by his aura. And the goal of forcing Okami to cast Kido? They drained what was left of his reiatsu, putting it at zero! And so, he would be... defeated.

Music

The Circle of Evil enclosed around Okami, a green imprisonment whose light reached toward the sky. And as it did, he'd sense his partner, that Zanpakuto spirit of his, dissipating. And he'd sense his own aura, now... Within Hiroshi, who was now surrounded by Okami's reiatsu. Hiroshi, approaching Okami, spoke to his cousin. "You don't have what it takes to be a leader, Okami," he said. "You tried to confront me alone. A true leader can bring his comrades to bear. I defeated you not with my power alone, but with the power of my allies too. Saeki Kuchiki, Steve Lee... These are my comrades who will help me save the Shihoin family. And we crushed you."

Steve Lee began to walk away, straight past Sozen, who watched him go. The golden fire parted just momentarily for Hiroshi to get through, and it was then that Sozen blurred with great speed, utilizing a flash step to try and cross the fire. Huge bursts of fire erupted from other parts of the wall, headed for Sozen. Though the Kuchiki Head dodged in mid air, he arrived too late, and had to step back as the wall of golden flames closed, allowing Saeki's last ally to enter in. Saeki herself smiled at Anarchy. "This is excellent," she said, and turned to Gatz as well. "Truly prodigious. This confirms my belief from before my incarceration. Your race is strong. Much stronger than Soul Society ever knew."

Sozen, then, screamed at Saeki. "SAEKI!" he cried out. "YOU'RE RUNNING AWAY?" Overhead, the Garganta that had taken all of the forces of Las Noches closed up. Now, one by one, Saeki's allies entered. Steve Lee first. Then Jinbei Kawada. Followed by Hiroshi Shihoin, who did not look back even once at the felled Okami. "Running away?" Saeki asked of Sozen. "Of course not. This is a strategic retreat. We've done enough damage to you." Sozen's reiatsu was pulsing with great power, green sparks of electricity still present in it. His ominous aura still made more ominous by the Circle of Evil. Sozen wanted to cross that barrier of gold flames... But even he couldn't do that. Or could he?

As Einwelt Melody crossed into the portal to leave, the new cross that Asmokon had received would pulsate, and glow momentarily with a deep blue color. Live! a voice rang out in his mind. Live, and find me where the Hollows know no sleep and the Soul Reapers know no jurisdiction. Together we will save the Quincy race. "Don't worry, Sozen," Saeki proclaimed. "There will be two more great battles before this war is over. You will be defeated in the next one. And Soul Society will fall after that." Next to go should be Douma. As he crossed over the portal, there would be words echoing in his mind. If you pledge allegiance to me for the remainder of this war, I will make it worth your while. In addition to giving you her location, I will give you power. Power beyond even the demon of De-Mona.

Thus, Douma would disappear into the portal after giving a mental response. This would, of course, leave just a few. Anarchy to vanish, and Anarchy would also receive mental words as it happened. You are the hope of your race. Together, we will destroy your oppressors, and I will help you build your great, shining city once more. As Saeki looked back at Sozen, her eyes grew cold. She looked from him to the old man and back. "You will pay for killing one of my knights today," Saeki said. Then, she too disappeared into the portal. Next to go would have to be Gatz, followed then by Petrov. As Petrov vanished, so too would his doll, and also his golden fire. All at once, portal and fire would vanish.

Saeki and all of her forces had gone. Behind them remained Soul Society's forces. A Captain Commander heavily wounded, and who now required immediate medical attention. Asmokon, an ally of Sozen, who now required to be put in life or death stasis. Sozen himself, also requiring the same treatment as Asmokon. Okami, whose powers had been stolen by Hiroshi Shihoin. Himitsu, who had been annihilated in combat by Guujin Karai. Casualties of defeat all around. Yes... Casualties. Defeat. A battle Soul Society had clearly lost. Saeki's forces now had proven themselves unimaginably powerful. A true threat, on par with Sonken Kouhai or worse. In their wake, they had left only...

---

Stop music.

..."Pure, unadulterated destruction," stated by Lisa Kuchiki, Sozen's grandmother and the head of the Kuchiki Council, all of whom had gathered in seating to discuss these events with Sozen, who now was standing in their greatest council chamber, before them. 3 days had passed. "Saeki caused unprecedented damage to our forces, to Soul Society's defenses, and to you yourself." Sozen couldn't disagree. He was standing there with bandages around his head, and in Soul Reaper robes. Despite his robes, one could clearly see that over the bridge of his nose, bandages too. And his whole body was covered in bandages. He wasn't even fully recovered. He had to go back in for further healing, still. He was only here now because of urgency.

"You must realize the gravity of your failure right now, Sozen," Lisa said. Sozen remained totally silent. "You kept the Kuchiki Council in the dark as to the fact that Saeki was alive. Whether or not Onuya or Ginrei knew as well is irrelevant. The fact is, you were the one who originally captured her and put her in the prison." Sozen, at long last, opened his mouth to speak in a slower, more raspy voice. This indicated his wounds, but also something more. A total lack of patience on Sozen's part. He was lacking patience quite severely at this moment, due to the council irritating him. "And what of all of my victories up to this point?" Sozen asked. "What of the power I've accumulated for the family?"

"AND IT WILL ALL BE LOST BECAUSE YOU FAILED TO KILL SAEKI!" Lisa bellowed out at the Kuchiki Head. "She is stronger than you. She will defeat you. And you still let her live, way back then? And you still couldn't kill her, even after all these years? You, Sozen, have not only endangered us all, but you have now revealed your greatest weakness to all of our rivals and enemies! You don't have the stomach to kill a family member, not even for the greater good. How can we have a Head like that? Not even Onuya, who was your little brother, bore such a troublesome weakness." Sozen was silent, awaiting what their point in calling this very meeting was. Reprimand him? Worse?

In the flashbacks and memories of Sozen's mind, there was the image of him laying in bed with Aoi, cuddled together. Her head on his chest, and Sozen discussing with her his first few months of being Kuchiki Head. "The Council gets in your way quite often, don't they?" Aoi asked him. To this, Sozen could only smile and nod. "Even moreso than they did in my grandfather's time," he said. Aoi chuckled, for the humor was in that Sozen could not simply be stopped by the Kuchiki Council. He was too charismatic. Too strong of a leader. They couldn't hold him back if he wanted to do something. "They clearly don't know that YOU are the true leader of the family," Aoi said.

"For the moment, in light of who our opponent is, you are an unfit leader right now," Lisa told Sozen. "Thus, we will be temporarily stripping you of your title as Head of the family." Sozen's eyes widened with incredulity. "What...?" he asked. "You would attempt to usurp ME? The strongest Head that this family HAS EVER KNOWN?" There were only blank faces of patience within the Kuchiki Council as Lisa spoke once more to Sozen. "Your younger brother, Ryuu, will be assuming Head in your place, until such a time when we deem you fit once again to lead." But, Sozen knew what this meant. They couldn't control him. So they would never reinstate him. They would choose someone whom they COULD control...

"They're used to their authority being absolute now," Sozen said. "A few years without a Head has filled their minds with hubris, and a realization of their love for power. It's as everyone says, power corrupts." He felt Aoi's cool fingers tracing along his chest. Sozen shivered, and then Aoi flipped him over and reoriented, so that she was laying on the bed and Sozen was laying on her chest. "My turn to hold you," she informed him. Sozen chuckled. The only person who could get away with owning him was his very own wife. And even then, it wasn't ownership. It was a partnership. "I suppose I'll teach them soon enough of hubris. And the corrupting nature of power."

"You will not take my family from me," Sozen told the council. Lisa exhaled, having realized that this would be difficult. "This is only temporary, Sozen, I assure you." Exhaling himself, and seeming to relax, Sozen reached into his robes, and pulled out a pair of glasses. The glasses he had once worn while he was Lieutenant of Squad 7 so many years ago. He had worn them to make it appear as if his eyesight needed work. It had been one of his great lies. Looking now at these glasses, Sozen pondered still how much of that old version of himself was left behind in his current state of being. "Temporary, huh...?" Sozen pondered, rubbing his thumb along his glasses.

Suddenly, Sozen pushed his thumb into his glasses, shattering the lens and cutting his thumb with the glass, drawing blood. In an instant, dark red reiatsu in the form of fire exploded into existence along his left hand, and Sozen took aim at the Kuchiki Council using Hado #86: Soukahou. SHA! SHA! SHA! SHA! SHA! SHA! SHA! Seven blasts fired off in succession, each one smashing into the head of one of the Kuchiki Council members. In less than two seconds, six of them had had their heads literally removed by the blasts of Soukahou. All but Lisa, who at the last second had reacted and tried to move away, had been killed. And even still, she had a huge, cauterized hole where her chest should be.

THIS MUSIC NOW!

The smell of charred flesh filled the air in the room. Ashen, glowing embers floated in the air, and Sozen advanced on Lisa Kuchiki, who now crawled away in agony, attempting desperately to escape. Tears were flowing from her eyes, and she was gasping heavily. They were pathetic tears. Tears of realizing that the end of her life was presently coming. Walking toward her, Sozen reached his wounded grandmother, and looked down at her with twisted, scarlet eyes. Scarlet eyes inherited not from Ginrei nor from Mephisto, but created in the fires of the demon's Hells. Sozen was there, now, looking at Lisa with contempt, and a straight face otherwise.

"They don't know what it means to protect the family..." Sozen vented to Aoi. "There are so many dangers... The Hollows, the Bount, the Quincy... The Ogatago... And they're so much stronger than the council realizes. In order to defeat them, measures need to be extreme. We need to be the danger, and be willing to abandon a bit of tradition. And yet, still..." Sozen, comforted by Aoi's presence and his ability to share with her, as well as her ability to empathize, being after all the Royal Family's Heir, lowered his eyes to his lover. Sozen kissed Aoi tenderly, and then pulled away. Her eyes glowed gold as they gazed at each other. "They just don't get it..." Sozen said.

Gagging, coughing, spurting, Lisa looked up at Sozen. "How...how could you d-do such a thing...SOZEN?" she asked. The red flames on Sozen's hand dissipated, and he looked down at Lisa. "I can kill family members for the greater good," Sozen said. "If you usurp my position, this family, which I have worked so hard to build up, will fail. And I refuse to allow that to happen. Even if it means slaughtering a hand full of my own kin." The green circle and pentagram of Saeki's technique emerged radiantly over Sozen's forehead, and his eyes glowed emerald in their corners. "Sozen, you bastard..." Lisa muttered. And Sozen drew his Zanpakuto and shoved it straight into her forehead, killing his grandmother.

As her blood pooled along the floor, and Sozen turned from the scene of his massacre, he at once began thinking of what the cover would be. Of course, an invasion by Saeki's forces. Sozen had arrived too late to stop them. He knew how to plant and reconfigure the evidence. And he knew that only he himself had the skill in all Soul Society to uncover the truth of these matters. Running Squad 6, he knew how information dissemination worked. This was also a family matter, unrelated to the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. Squad 7 would never come to investigate it. This... This was what Saeki had made of her oldest brother. A monster. This was the new... Sozen Kuchiki.

[Zeich Yajuu]

You can't just give up when there's something to fight for...

Zeich's response came just as readily, time seeming to pause for the two of them, for the clash of two opposing wills. The Vizard knew that he was outmatched at the moment, knew that he lacked the strength to act decisively against Anarchy; the two of them, should they truly meet in combat, would find the criminal as victor. That much was obvious from the sheer level of spiritual presence he could generate, the sheer sense of gravity emanating from his person; as it stood, the two of them were not equals. Yet despite knowing this difference in strength, Zeich matched his opponent pound for pound in sheer willpower. The Vizard's life had been filled from struggles from the moment his Inner Hollow had awoken: the loss of his Zanpaktou spirit, ripped away from his soul and devoured, the possessions, the destruction of the Rukongai and the guilt that came with it. Pain, betrayal, suffering, strife; all of these had forged Zeich, acting as a crucible for the Vizard's tempered will. No, when it came to sheer willpower, the former Shinigami rose to the challenge.

Especially when there's so little in life to fight for. Those few things have that much more value.

And that was the force that drove his attack forward. Even as Anarchy's wall of mist came up, melting away the bladed ash piercing through the air, the sheer amount of mass began to break through. Layers burned away, but the core was still strong, and even Anarchy's powerful defense failed partially. Two javelins, managing to penetrate the barrier, shot towards the criminal and his entourage with the intent to do as much damage as possible. It was not a surprise when another application of outwards force struck them from the sky; Zeich had seen the Ken technique more than once now, and not just from Anarchy. He recognized the technique and, though he did not know its general power and weaknesses, he had seen one thing in all of its uses: a foe wielding it could not move. Acting may be another question altogether, but Zeich was fairly sure that the technique immobilized the user. That was to his advantage.

What do I value? I value my honor as a Shinigami, even exiled as I am...

Even as the javelins struck that barrier and were repulsed, they broke into their loose cloud form and began to swirl around Anarchy, ready to stab inwards the moment that barrier broke. The ash was enough to cloud a substantial area; even forty percent of the original amount, closer to twenty with how much had been burned away by the heated aura, that was still the equivalent of several floors of an enormous building in ashen mass. The area would be swathed in a gray mist made of scattered ash, like the remnants of an enormous fire, swirling around in a wind that no one felt or heard. It would press down oppressively, and though Anarchy's aura would protect him temporarily, it could not last forever, and it could not defend his allies.

And as a Shinigami, I will defend the home that rejected me, protect the people who scorned me. The people who would execute me on sight.

But even as the ash broke apart and circled the foe, Zeich was acting again. His body broke apart, dissolving into ash and merging with the cloud that had been around him. That cloud sped towards the rest, ready to close the distance again, but the former Shinigami wasn't going to wait that long; immediately he formed himself within the cloud of ash surrounding Anarchy, his spiritual presence nonexistent thanks to the suppressive force of Tsukikage's power. To those within the cloud, spiritual energy didn't seem to exist to the senses, not even their own, allowing him to mask himself among the gray. But he wouldn't be doing so for long; he could still feel Anarchy's barrier, the ash repelled by it even as it brushed against it. And knowing the physical location would be enough; Zeich could feel its location within his ash, and thus could guide himself to it without relying on his spiritual senses or sight.

I also value the few people who mean something to my life. Most exist within Soul Society; my few comrades, Yuja... a threat to my home is a threat to them.

Closing the distance, Zeich found himself arriving even as Anarchy's barrier came down. A long sword formed in his hand, the Bankai form of Tsukikage's sword. A ridged blade lashed forward, and as it did so, the individual panels of it broke apart, revealing a chain linking them together, barbed with pointed metal that would tear through anything it wrapped around. An effective weapon, the chain-sword would bind a foe, slicing flesh and piercing to the bone simultaneously. For one who was so adept at fleeing as Anarchy was, binding him in place would be necessary, and doing damage in the process would be all that more valuable. But that was not his only offense; even as the weapon swept forward, bindings formed from the ash, bandages of ashen gray that would wrap around Anarchy's limbs and wrap his arms behind him, unable to move should they grip him. Chains would double the binding force of the technique, completely immobilizing the crime lord on contact.

But most importantly... you threatened the one who meant the most to me. The one positive fragment of my soul, the single light in the monochrome grays and blacks...

“This is for Haiiro, you bastard!” Zeich's sword swept through even as the bindings attempted to wrap around Anarchy, and on impact would simply tear the man apart. Every ounce of feeling was put into that strike, all of Zeich's anger, his frustration, his pain... yet tempering that dark desire to hurt was a feeling of relief, of hope that came with Haiiro's comforting presence. Zeich didn't want to rip Anarchy apart and make him suffer, didn't hunger for his blood to be spilled, but instead wanted to defeat him, to end his existence for the sake of ending a threat to the things he loved. And that was why he struck with all the power he had left to him, all of his spiritual strength going into a blow that would strike a blow powerful enough to tear through even Anarchy's barrier of willpower. For this brief moment, Zeich's will was the stronger of the two.

But it was not to be. Even as Zeich's attacks converged, Anarchy disappeared into shadow, his technique allowing him to escape into the darkness. The strike missed, tearing an enormous furrow in the rock of the shattered prison ground, its purpose wasted. Anarchy, and the rest of the enemy forces, had escaped. The Vizard had been unable to stop them and, in converting the last of his spiritual power into that last attack, was not able to even muster up the strength to guide his ash to stop the fleeing shadows. As they disappeared, vanishing into the distance, the ash that filled the area collapsed to the ground, drawing itself towards the blade in Zeich's hand. As it was absorbed, the weapon reverted back into a standard katana until the gray blade reverted to simple metal. His Zanpaktou clattered to the ground as he fell to one knee, feeling the exhaustion of converting so much of his spiritual energy crashing down on him at once.

It wasn't just the physical strain, or the spiritual strain, but the mental; Zeich had been actively guiding an enormous quantity of ash, breaking it into many different components and multitasking to handle each part. The strain on his mental faculties was extensive, and he felt weary to the bone, his thoughts scattered, his concentration weak. He had to take a few moments to regain his breath, to put his mind back in order, to settle his emotions. Anger and regret seethed, frustration at being unable to stop Anarchy and guilt that he had failed in his mission to eliminate these threats. Yet relief still filled him, and a semblance of pride; he had managed to help drive off the enemy attack, and though he had not done it himself, Zeich knew that he had been a major component in their retreat.

But the greatest sense of relief came from the lupine form standing over him, soft fur gently brushing against Zeich's arm as Haiiro reformed, the wolf gently nuzzling at his master's arm. Absently the Vizard reached to stroke the Zanpaktou Spirit's ears before he realized that he had not used the Spiritual Projection technique to summon his companion to him. Haiiro had simply appeared, all on his own; was this a product of his tired mind, or was the wolf really there? His senses told him that his closest friend was right at his side, despite the destruction of the vessel that was supposed to contain him. For now, Zeich just accepted it, and wrapped an arm around Haiiro's neck, pulling the wolf in close against his chest.

Don't worry, Master. I will always be here for you... and now, more than ever. The communication flowed between them, the harmony of the two separated portions of Zeich's soul, was soothing and refreshing. The Vizard tugged his Zanpaktou spirit closer, wrapping both arms around the wolf's body now, fingers digging lightly into the lupine's fur. Relief flooded through him, but also a gentle hope, a nurturing light of positivity and protectiveness that emanated from the former Shinigami's companion. A single tear rolled down Zeich's face, a line streaking through the dirt and dust that had stained it during the battle. It was all he would allow himself, the only sign of weakness that he would outwardly show; Haiiro would feel the rest of it in the bond between them.

After giving Zeich a moment or two to express his emotions, the wolf gently nudged his master to get his attention. “While I'm loving this moment and wish that you'd show me this much appreciation more often, Master, it would be in our best interest to leave before the Shinigami arrive. No sense in surviving a battle to die in the aftermath, hm? I'm open for more hugs later, though.” This drew a half-surprised laugh from Zeich, who pushed himself up from the ground, retrieving his Zanpaktou as he did so. The weapon was tucked away, and the Vizard took a deep breath to regain his composure, the barest hints of a smile still visible on his face. It was a start, though, a crack in the mask of apathy; maybe, as his mask had shattered under Anarchy's onslaught, so too would this facade that he put up for the world around him as he continued to grow as a person. Only time would tell.

“Let's go, Haiiro. We have a report to make to Kazura...”

Remaining Reiatsu: 3350/9620 (-100 for Kaijin Kasumi (Defensive), -600 for Kaijin Gokusha's doubled form x2, -300 for RS to SpPr Conversion)

Bankai Ended.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Altered Stats}Strength – [(300 x 0.9)] (270) Points

Speed – [(400 x 0.9)] (360) Points

Spiritual Pressure – [(600 x 1.75)] (1050) Points

Reiatsu Strength – [0 x 0.6] (0) Points

Light Aura - [50] Points

Dark Aura - [50] Points

Instinct - [((200 x 1.5) x 0.9)] (270) Points

Senses – [((200 x 0.9) x 2] (360) Points

Energy sensory - [((100 x 0.7) x 0.9)] (63) Points

Healing Expertise - [0] Points

[Douma]

You’re not good enough…

Douma appeared to be watching the battles play out before him – Anarchy and Zeich, Okami and Hiroshi, Asmokon and the mysterious Quincy, Sozen and Saeki. But his true focus was elsewhere. All around him, a blinding white light burned his gaze. He felt the many walls shifting around him, forming new, temporary corridors each second that would replace one another shortly. However, he didn’t even try to navigate them. His cold eyes were focused ahead.

And before him, several meters away, was a young woman with purple hair and a confused gaze. His zanpakuto spirit. “What do you mean I’m not good enough?” The white walls kept shifting between them, but Douma never turned away from her. The two were armed, both with nearly identical weapons. The curved jade short-sword that Kagami had once been so proud of was in the woman’s hands. Douma, however, held a crimson version of the exact same blade. “You have to understand, Mai. I need more. You’re not enough.”

The woman was clearly getting nervous. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead and her knuckles turned white as she tightly gripped her blade. “Cut the crap, Kagami. You’re wrong. I’ve always taken you as far as you needed and more. You don’t know what you’re talking ab-“ A shifting labyrinth wall had momentarily cut Mai’s view of the masked man. When it passed, he was suddenly just feet in front of her, slashing down with one hand. She rose her weapon to parry just in time, but his free left hand was aimed at her open chest. A bolt of lightning leaped from his fingers, threatening to pierce her abdomen.

Had Mai not anticipated the attack, it would have been her undoing. However, she formed a mirror just in time to deflect the electricity to the side and act as a barrier between them, giving her room to retreat. Douma slowly walked around the mirror, giving him time to speak before re-engaging. “You’ve never been enough, Mai,” he began with an ice cold tone. “And I’ll explain to you why." Out of no where, a female body jumped out of Douma’s own figure, this one with a dark crimson hair. With a shunpo, she closed the gap between herself and Mai instantly, launching upward with a powerful fist. Mai’s last-second mirror shattered before the punch, but the spirit had gotten away at the knick of time with a step technique as well.

“Col Arana, the Arrancar that forced our retreat in New York City.” Four pillars emerged from four different white labyrinth walls pivoting around Mai, threatening to crush her from all sides. They blew past her hair as she dropped to the floor only to have Blood’s foot collide with her ribs, smashing them and sending her flying into a moving wall behind her. “Hokori Kuchiki, who humiliated me in his victory.” Blood pursued once more, but Mai’s damaged body had a new attribute – it was coated with a reflective surface. Blood’s punch was met with a jade sword stabbing through her fist. However, from the crimson-haired woman’s own body, Gold jumped forward with a lightning fast slash cutting Mai’s arm off before she could even attempt to conjure a defense. Blood stained the white walls and floor.

“Adalo De-Mona and Manami Itou.” The source of Douma’s pain. Mai screamed in agony after her arm’s amputation. Now, Douma was leaning over her body. With one touch, he took all the pain away. Her screams died down into fearful whimpers. “Kagami…” Douma shook his head. “Stop pretending like Kagami is around to hear you anymore.” He gently put a gentle finger on her cheek, wiping away the mixture of tears and blood. “Now we can add a statue to that list as well, Mai. I hope that explains why I’m doing this. You. Are. Weak.”

Through that very finger, her returned all of the pain coursing through her body that he had temporarily suspended back to her. It was only a few seconds worth, but it was all focused at one point – her heart. Her chest would explode with agony, causing her body to violently shake in pain as her piercing screams returned. “I’m not done with you yet, but I will be. When I find your replacement, you can finally rest.”

It was finally over. Douma’s zanpakuto spirit was defeated and Saeki was retreating. After leaping into the circle of flames, Douma decided he still needed to acquire more power. He was far from the level he desired, very far. He needed to isolate himself once more and focus on developing himself. As he turned to follow the rest of his party and leave Soul Society, Saeki’s voice resonated in his mind. If you pledge allegiance to me for the remainder of this war, I will make it worth your while. In addition to giving you her location, I will give you power. Power beyond even the demon of De-Mona.

Two more battles. I will help you bring Soul Society down, but you will not hold back any of this power. I’m still weak, especially in a war of this scale. But this was only a preview. Ensure that I’m prepared to face even your brother when the real battle begins. Douma had difficult demands, but Saeki had the means to meet them. By the time she was done with him, he wouldn’t be the same.

[✠Asmoskon Masurao✠]

Standing there on the verge of collapse was the young Head of the Masurao family of Quincy doing all that he could to prevent Einwelt from aiding in his side of the battle. He had more then enough reiatsu flowing throughout his body he was doing all he could to continually absorb it from the air that was around him. However, doing so with Einwelt so close to him had become difficult as his cross seemed to have a more powerful pull than his own. He knew that he had no chance of true victory anymore so it seemed that a false one was all he could hope for.

He was going to keep this man locked away from the battle just as he had been in his prison cell. Unable to do anything to aid any of his allies. Asmoskon was confident that no matter what Sozen and the Captain Commander were going to find some way to turn this around so long as Einwelt wasn't able to reinforce his allies. However, Einwelt spoke towards him again lecturing him on his believes and stating what so many had said before to Asmoskon. Recycling the entire reason why Quincy and Shinigami couldn't ever stay at peace and why they would always lead to hatred and war.

Asmoskon was struggling to stay on his feet now it was taking all of his focus to keep conscious while listening and keeping his reiatsu steady. If he didn't keep it steady then his barrier would collapse and Einwelt could escape. At the same time though if he lost consciousness the same exact thing would happen. Even if he fell right now he wasn't entirely sure in himself that he would remain conscious or focused enough. Everything was riding on the fact that he had the willpower to keep his bleeding legs standing for just a short while longer.

Blood was running down his face as Einwelt approached him. He had slashed all over his body some so deep that his organs would be visible. One of them though even in a location that should shred little blood seemed to be bleeding more so than any other. The lower half of Asmoskon's face was completely covered in his blood his mouth and cheeks no longer visible under the color of lose and family. There was a cut across his nose that started under his missing right eye and ran across his face until it stopped in the same symmetry location under his left.

"I thought I already told yo. ." cut short by a sudden lurching in his stomach unable to hold himself he coughed a few times blood pouring from his mouth onto the ground in front of him. After it though his head raised once again starring Einwelt in the eyes with that look of pure determination. "I'm the one that will change everything." Asmoskon was struggling to breathe it was getting so hard now to speak. Every little task that was taken for granted seemed to be impossible now. "I'm the bridge that will hold us all together and usher in true peace. You can sit back and watch while you cower behind her Einwelt."

Then Einwelt seemed to hand over a black cross and Asmoskon felt the weight. It weighed no more than his own cross and yet his arm was having difficulty keeping it. He forced his hand to close around it while he spoke blood spraying from the tendons straining themselves. However, when Einwelt leaned in and whispered that his sister still lived Asmoskon's eye widened in shock and terror at what might be true. He brought his right hand up to his throat slowly, but it just took to long to get there.

Suddenly all of the blood that was around them sealing them away from the battles that were being fought in this war all of it was gone. He didn't have time to do anything his hand was still moving upwards while his left held onto the cross of Shauna. He lifted his gaze though as his weak torn body was left standing. Einwelt was being taken away with the rest of Saeki's army. Sozen was trying all he could, but it was obvious that they were going to make it out. This battle wasn't over Saeki didn't need to point that out or declare it.

She wasn't the only one doing so. Asmoskon's hand had finally reached his throat and now as Einwelt was going to move into the portal he would see one last thing from Asmoskon. The sight of the young Head of the Masurao that he so quickly looked down upon as normal with a big head and goals. He was holding out his cross. Not the one that he had so carefully believed to be special one that reflected the opposite of a Quincy. One as dark as night and black as death. No it was his own cross one just as black and just as dark. Einwelt would see that Asmoskon was no normal Quincy and he didn't know anything yet.

As Einwelt left though Asmoskon felt the reiatsu of the new cross pulsate and then so many words flew so fast throughout his mind. Live, and find me where the Hollows know no sleep and the Soul Reapers know no jurisdiction. Together we will save the Quincy race. The portal closed and the battle was finished. Asmoskon had to know what was going on though. He couldn't move his legs anymore nor his arms. He had lost to much blood and there was only one way to keep himself from dying now. He focused and the remaining blood that was around him and on his skin and soaked into his clothing all of it was sucked back into his body.

---

1 Week Later

"We've already told you! Shauna is DEAD! The entire family was killed you dumb asshole!" The man screaming towards Asmoskon as he struggled against the hardened slung that clung to his body. Asmoskon was standing his body covered from head to toe in bandages. He hadn't yet recovered completely from the battle in Soul Society. YEt he wasn't one to have free time nor was he one that could sit idle while there were questions that needed to be answered by none other than the Vandenreich.

It was what had brought him to this event tonight. He had known of a Vandenreich compound for some time that hosted a good deal of historical copies. After what Einwelt had said he had to at least check with what the Vandenreich record said. He had brought the few Masurao with him due to his unstably condition. Along with some a dozen of the Quincy employed under him as the Military Major of Xcution. Through his leadership and might they had overtaken the compound.

He was currently in the mess hole with them. No not his soldiers nor his family only the Vandenreich Quincy. Well . . what was left of them. Asmoskon had used his crafty little arrows to keep the Quincy bound in solid stone essentially so that no matter what they couldn't move. They were all wounded and tired and now interrogated. Some of them were hot headed and stated the same old thing about how he wasn't going to get away with it and that some day someone was going to kill him. He had heard it all before and it was all the same drab noise now.

He sent away his people not wishing for them to find out nor hear what was happening. His bandages were covered in blood . . not his own though. All around him there were dozens of Quincy. Only five of them were left. All of the others had started to break and displayed that they truly knew nothing. They were suppose to be the historians of the Vandenreich. Outside of the actual Empire base these were the most knowledgeable of their order and yet they knew nothing about what he sought. All of them begged for their lives only to have their skulls redecorate the room.

Asmoskon fired another arrow piercing through the skull of the man that had just been screaming at him. The head of the man exploded splattering brains all over everything around him including Asmoskon. He was losing his patience with these people. All he wanted to know was if Einwelt had been lying or if his sister truly could be alive. All of them though were telling him the same thing. She had died during the Trident Wars and so had the rest of her family including Einwelt. They didn't know how he had her cross, but went with what seemed to be that he had stolen it from her corpse which he must have found.

There were no more men all there that were left were woman of various ages. All of them to weak to have positions of authority. All of them crying out for this general and that one to come save them. Asmoskon seemed like a true monster to them and only their all mighty generals and Stern Ritteners would be able to save them. He starred at them all as a rage more sever and thirsty than anything he had ever experienced washed over him. His eye was burning and his hate was starting to thrash its way throughout his body. He ripped the bandages off of his face and all of the crying stopped.

They starred at the face of the young Quincy. The new scar across his face was something that anyone that knew Asmoskon would notice immediately however something else stole the attention of the Quincy girls. That damned black eye. The Eye of Hell! Outside the compound standing in positions were the Quincy of Xcution. Cynthia and Jingu stood speaking to one another. Everything was going like normal when suddenly all they could hear were the screams of those four girls. It was like they were being dragged into Hell itself. There was nothing louder, nothing more frightening and nothing that could prevent it.

The screams suddenly stopped though out of nowhere and inside the bodies of the girls remained intact yet the life that had been within those bodies was now gone. All of them every single Vandenreich that had been stationed in the compound was now dead. Asmoskon walked out from the compound the bandages covering his face once more as he walked passed Cynthia and Jingu who quickly got into formation behind him. "It's time I make my way into Las Noches." spoke the Tainted Quincy as his rage entangled around his darkened soul.

[Ōkami Shihoin]

The plan was successful. Upon appearing there near Hiroshi, the former Shihoin Head turned in order to determine the Ōkami’s position. He turned his head, and that evil aura of purple which shrouded his body turned with him. He controls it? The Shihoin Head was almost reluctant to feel joy at the confirmation of his theory. There was something about it that seemed off. There was something about it that seemed…too good to be true. Little did he know how true his instincts had been at that time. Instead, he batted the thought away and acted instantaneously as the aura came in to attack.

Seeing it in slow motion with his senses enhanced by his “Third Eye,” he found himself reacting exactly as he had planned in order to move away from Hiroshi. In a flash of black and white, the Shihoin Head was gone. At first, it would seem as if he had executed an incredibly fast shunpo or some variant of the step technique, but Hiroshi would note that Ōkami’s disappearance was different from any step technique. One moment he was there and then next, it was as if he hadn’t been there at all. In a flash of black and white, Ōkami had disappeared and found himself away from Hiroshi to complete the next part of his plan. He prepared his reiatsu at that moment, despite the thought of something feeling off gnawing at the back of his mind. With the use of Tsuzuri Raiden transmitted through the spider webs, he was able to take out all of Hiroshi’s spiders. That was one victory he was sure of.

Now I don’t have to worry about them getting in the way. I can try something else…

While planning his next attack, he was suddenly filled with power. No, not just power. It felt like the will of all those he was fighting for had suddenly entered him and given him a confidence he had not had before. It was an unnatural confidence that he normally didn’t feel in battle. In battle, he remained calm and never let any emotions cloud his judgement. For him to feel confidence like this was out of the ordinary, to feel as if his next move would be the one to end this battle. He withdrew two more kunai and threw these towards Hiroshi’s left side. He then rushed in with that confidence, using one step of Shukuchi-Ho once more to close the distance. He appeared to Hiroshi’s right while the Shihoin was focused on blocking the kunai with Enkosen. This is my chance! He thrust his right hand forward, launching the cestus towards Hiroshi’s right leg when he was immediately ensnared by the aura.

What?! But he was already focused on defending from my other attack…

SPOILER: Click to show

{Play This}

As the aura ensnared him in its grasp, he finally realized what had happened. He played me. By using my own strategy against me, he tricked me into thinking he controlled it… Suddenly, the Shihoin Head found his arm rising and aiming at the traitorous Shihoin before him. What?! My body is moving on it’s own! Without being able to piece together how his body was being controlled, he found himself launching a surge of Shakkaho at his uncle. How is this possible?! Shock was written all over his face as the blasts of blue flames escaped from his hand. But, the shock wasn’t from his body attacking on its own. No, his shock came from the fact that he had used a kido that he had never learned!

With no time to think about what had happened, Ōkami fell to his knees, having been drained of the last bit of reiatsu. "When you lose, it's going to take everything from you." The green light encircled him, its light consuming his body as it closed in around him. As it did, he felt the reiatsu which came from his soul leaving him and the connection with his zanpakutou spirit growing weak.Ōkami! Ōkami! He heard Kyukyoku no Kasokuki calling out to him, but the spirit’s normally booming voice was muffled and growing faint. Ōkam….Ōka….Ōk….Ō…. Kyukyoku no Kasokuki’s words became only whispers until…eventually, he could no longer hear his spirit’s voice calling out to him. All he heard was silence. All he heard were his own thoughts. And at that moment, he realized what Hiroshi had meant when he vowed to take everything away from him.

Ōkami remained still, his eyes wide beneath the tinted goggles as he stared up at the man who had defeated him. He stared up at him as Hiroshi gloated and lectured. The man that had once been family. The man that had now taken everything from him. His family. His father. His mother. And now his powers. How had he not seen through Hiroshi’s lie? How had he let Hiroshi fool him?

Father…

He closed his eyes at that moment and gave in to the exhaustion. He began to fall towards the ground, his body weak from all that had been drained from him. Why did he think he could take on his uncle by himself? Wait, he remembered. He didn’t want Hiroshi to take any more of his family. Kimiko. Grin. He didn’t want to see them die. Even knowing that he might lose, he didn’t want to lose them. It was better that he died for them to live. That was what the Head was supposed to do to protect the family. That was what his father would have wanted.

Are you there…Father?

The defeated Shihoin Head fell forward with everything around him slowing. His eyes could focus on nothing as Hiroshi walked away from him. He could not find any words to shout after the man that had betrayed his family. He could not find those words because he could not understand the situation that had just unfolded. He fell, in disbelief at it all. He had lost his greatest friend. The embodiment of his inner spirit. The one that had kept him company when he grew up alone. And now, with Kyukyoku no Kasokuki stripped away, he was once again...all alone.

I…failed you…


Ōkami’s Remaining Reiatsu: 0/3000

Sairento Satsugai: Ended

Shikai: Ended

Kasoku: Ended

Furasshu no kami seal: 4/8

Daisan no Me: Ended

Long-term alterations: 3/3

Items: -6 Kunai (-2 Kunai)

SPOILER: Click to show

{New Stats}
Strength: 150 (125)(118.75)(112.81)(107.2)

Speed: 400 (380)

ES: 50 (47.5)

New Senses: [150(0.95)(1.05)](214)

New Instinct: [150(0.95)(1.05)](214)

---

Having activated Ken to deflect the Vizard's final onslaught, Jin had not expected Zeich to continue on despite seeing how overpowered he was. "Give it up..." the Bount commanded. The ashen lances which had tried to attack him were deflected, as he had hoped; however, the Vizard was forever tenacious. Upon being deflected, the lances broke apart into the ash that had formed them. That ash, which had formed the lances, now circled around Jin in an attempt to pierce his Ken aura.

"I am their will!" Jin shouted in frustration at Zeich's tenacity. Upon their reiatsu interacting, Jin came to understand a little of Zeich's own will. It was what fueled that last attack, what drove him to continue on even in the face of someone much more powerful than himself. It was said, after all, that powerful warriors came to understand one another in battle when their swords, or in this case reiatsu, clashed. This was exactly that situation. Thought he didn't know the specifics, the Bount Leader came to understand Zeich's strong will, to protect the place that had shunned him. He came to understand this, but he could not truly accept it. For a man to fight for a home that had discarded him made no sense.

Jin's aura of Ken pushed back against the ash, continuously deflecting it as it moved in to consume him as it had before. I am their desires and their hopes. He pushed on, forcing his Ken to hold up against Zeich's attack. What the Vizard didn't know was that Ken could be controlled. Its duration could last as long as the user willed it to. Jin had only used it briefly in clashes before in order to preserve his stamina. But now, if he released Ken, Zeich would be able to kill him. So, with the will of the Bount fueling him, Jin pushed on in defiance of Zeich's will to protect Soul Society. 

At first, it seemed as if Jin's desire to protect his race was stronger, that his will to protect his comrades would win out. But then, Ken began to shatter. He could see the cracks forming in the aura and he started to understand the true depths of Zeich's will. "It looks like today your will was stronger than mine, Vizard." he admitted. He gave in, allowing the Vizard to win this battle of wills their battle of wills. It wasn't worth it to continue on when Saeki had already ordered them to retreat. Their battle would be left to another day. Their respective wills would clash another time. On that day, they would learn who had the stronger one. He who wanted to protect his home despite being outcasted from it or he who shouldered the burden of an entire race's survival. 

With that, Jin deactivated Ken just as the ash began to spill past his aura. As the ash was moving in to ensnare him, his body was already turning as black as the night and his eyes were already turning red. Just like that, he slipped into the shadows with Saeki and the others and avoided Zeich's final attack. His body disappeared into the shadows with all of the others and reemerged somewhere safe next to Padrone's giant ring. He watched as the others stepped in one by one before hearing Saeki's voice within his mind once again. I hold you to that, Miss Kuchiki. he thought as he too stepped into the portal after the Kuchiki woman. Then after the Bount Leader stepped through, Gatz also stepped into the portal with Petrov following behind him. 

The Bount race will thrive once more. We will finally have a place we call home. A place safe from the Shinigami, Sonken Kouhai, and Xcution. Oase will soon be a reality....



Jin’s Remaining Reiatsu: 1050/4000

Hitze's Remaining Reiatsu: 1800/4000

Hitze’s RS: 1000 (2482)

Wüsten-Abfluss: Not Active


Gatz’s Remaining Reiatsu: 1050/3000

[Kento Waffles]

ALRIGHT! Good job, guys. For those who successfully made it to the end of this thread, you're getting some hefty ass rewards.

For Himitsu, +4500 CTP!

For Asmokon, +8000 CTP.

For Okami and Douma, +6500 CTP.

For Jin and Zeich, +8250 CTP.

NOW! In addition to your CTP rewards, some of you, who made agreements IC or ended up with certain plotlines, are also getting additional, material rewards.

SPOILER: Click to show

{For Douma, also Jin if he wants it}

These will both automatically be considered mastered.

Technique Name: [The Circle of Evil]

Class: [2-0]

Technique Type: [Other]

Usable By: [Any race]

Technique Element: [N/A]

Technique Description and Effect: [Insert Below]

The Circle of Evil conjures a circle of green light around the user and any designated enemies, repulsing anyone who isn't invited and welcomed into the circle. If necessary, this can be used for 1 v 1, 2 v 2, 2 v 1, or 3 v 1. The 2 v 1 and 3 v 1 can be used only in a situation where the user is the outnumbered entity. The Circle of Evil's class is always at least class 2, but its value is the same as the highest class of ability the user can call upon. Thus, users must be at least class 3. Regardless of class, however, the Circle of Evil costs the 1200 reiatsu of a class 0 technique.

The Circle of Evil can be penetrated only by superior class. This means no one can exit or enter without having superior class to the Circle of Evil. Furthermore, regardless of class or offensive, it cannot be destroyed or turned off, even by the user. There is no time limit on it. Thus, everyone within the Circle of Evil is trapped until the battle ends. The Circle of Evil recognizes a winner when one hits 0 reiatsu or is incapacitated to a point of no longer being able to fight. Those defeated within the Circle of Evil will find something quite nasty. The Circle shrinks around them and encloses around them. This cannot be stopped in any way. The person defeated within the Circle of Evil has their spiritual powers stripped away from them, and their release powers then become usable by their opponent. Until the wielder of those spiritual powers is killed, the original user cannot get them back.

Within the Circle of Evil, the user's abilities are all counted as the same class that they are. Meaning, if one is class 1, even their Byakurai is class 1. Furthermore, the user also receives the ability to use life force to cast techniques of any kind. Within the Circle of Evil, the user will become flooded by a feeling of boundless stamina, adrenaline, and a power high. This feeling may even persist for a few posts after the Circle of Evil has ended, assuming of course that the user was the winner.

How to use technique: [Insert Below]

The user must pay the reiatsu cost, and then clap both hands together. From there, green light will emerge from them and the circle, whose total size becomes roughly the length of a basketball court for 360 degrees all around, ensnares the user and their desired opponent.

The Circle of Evil can only be used in a DE or DP thread, and only against major NPCs. It can be used against RPCs only if there was player agreement before the thread. It can only steal an RPC's powers if there was agreement beforehand by players that power stealing would be a possibility within the battle. Furthermore, powers stolen can only be used in adventures, unless the opposing player agrees that they can be used in PVP. Typically, this technique is also usable only in adventures (except against NPCs in PVP) unless opposing player agrees to the technique's use in said thread.

Technique Drawbacks (Insert Below)

The power high granted by this technique makes the user feel as if they have infinite, boundless stamina. That, however, is not the case. Their stamina IS depleting, and by acting off this power high, the user is depleting themselves quickly. That, however, is an effect of this technique. They become far more reckless due to the influx of power, and are willing to expend a lot of energy due to the feeling that their newfound power is infinite. This technique is also inescapable to the user, and comes with the danger of the user losing their powers to the enemy. Additionally, the more life force the user uses up, the more evil they become. This comes as a percentage of user's life force used up. Say the user of Circle of Evil has 1000 life force, and uses 800 of it in battle. That's 80% of their life force. When Circle of Evil ends, they will become 80% darker and more evil.

This technique's stamina cost is enormous, but the user will not feel that. Thus, it is very easy to way overexert oneself in the technique or after it has ended. The Circle of Evil also corrupts and eats at the user's soul, twisting it. The soul becomes more and more mangled and damaged as uses stack, which causes the user's personality to twist and their physical body to wear down if they use it over and over again. The mechanical effect of this worn body is organ failure after 8-10 total uses of Circle of Evil. At this point, they may need a new body or some sort of advanced healing process. A full healing thread can be done if it lasts 4 pages, and it can only be done after 8 uses.

Incantation and Effect: [N/A]

Made By: [Saeki Kuchiki]

Reserved? (Yes/No): [Not reserved, but can be learned only by Saeki Kuchiki's teachings]

SPOILER: Click to show

{For Asmokon}

The new cross is an item that Asmokon has received and is a very twisted, powerful thing. Not only can it sense the presence of its original wielder, and act as a radar when that original user is nearby, but it gives Asmokon a frightening new ability. He can sacrifice others to use his powers. As long as an ally agrees, and maintains physical contact with Asmokon, he can cast his techniques out of the ally, or with his own hands, and he can use both his reiatsu and the ally's reiatsu. If the ally is a Rogue, he can do it using their life force as well. Something Asmokon will later discover is this new cross is only one piece of a bigger cross with greater power.

SPOILER: Click to show

{For Jin}

Jin will later obtain from Saeki a small, blue sphere that is able to convert his reiatsu (or anyone else's reiatsu, really) directly into building materials. This is not usable in combat, but rather is something that can be used to aid him in constructing his Bount City, once he finds a suitable location.

[Zeich Yajuu]

GMs get rewards too, btw.

+2800 TP to be awarded to the character of your choice, as well as 28,000 Ryo as per the new thread reward ruling.