Thousands of soldiers stood in perfect formation, bracing for the battle ahead. Each warrior was clad in armor laced with powerful magic, their bodies taut with readiness. The air was thick with tension, and it felt as though the very battlefield itself had been drained of life.
I stood at the far end of the line, far from the frontlines, a position I had earned through my contribution to the last victory. The enemy knew of my ability to wield Kidō, but that had been intentional. They had no idea how many Kidō spells I had at my disposal, and trust me, I had more than enough to make an impact.
My hand rested on the hilt of Yuzūi, its red and black design a stark contrast against the stillness of the moment. My fingers idly tapped the Zanpakutō's surface, thoughts swirling in my mind. I considered whether it would be wise to employ Quincy Arrows in this fight.
After a brief pause, I arrived at my decision.
"Our plan remains unchanged!" One of the commanders, Sirzechs, spoke with fervor, his voice carrying across the ranks. "We will dismantle their forces, leaving them with no ability to fight back. We'll cripple them and deliver the final blow, even if it takes a year!"
The plan was simple, but its success depended on the strength of the Old Satan Faction and how long it would take to break them.
"I need you all to strike with the resolve to end this war!" Sirzechs continued, his voice growing more intense. "Fight to return home to your families, with your heads held high, not weighed down by regret."
A surge of energy ran through the soldiers, the fire of determination igniting in their hearts. "Right!" they shouted in unison, ready for the battle ahead.
"Kurotsuki!" Sirzechs called out, his gaze fixed on me. "We need you to bring down that barrier!"
"Got it." My voice, laced with the familiar distorted tone, echoed as I bit my thumb, drawing blood. I cupped my hands together, a slight crouch shifting my weight, and focused, gathering energy between my palms, preparing for the strike.
I still don't have a name for this technique. It's a fusion of Gran Ray Cero and Kamehameha
Gwo techniques from entirely different worlds, yet somehow brought together in this strange combination.
Executing it wasn't easy. I had to mimic the flow of energy required for a Kamehameha while simultaneously controlling the chaos of my Hollow energy. I've gained more control over it, but every time I tried, it still had a tendency to lash out unpredictably.
Gran Ray Cero and Kamehameha, merged together. What should I call it?
"Kame... hame!!" I shouted, thrusting my hand forward towards the enemy's barrier. I could amplify my power using my Quincy abilities, but that would be a reckless move. "Haaaaa!!" [AN: A little help with the name here?!]
A burst of energy surged from my palms, tearing through the air with a menacing roar, but even as it erupted, a doubt lingered in my mind... Was this enough?
A red torrent of energy shot toward the enemy barrier, ripping through the air in a path of destruction. It left chaos in its wake, and a chill ran down my spine. There was something deeply sinister about this technique. It spelled certain doom for anyone caught in its full force.
On the other hand, the enemy's barrier was holding up, but it was hardly invulnerable. Bombarded by hundreds of spells from all sides, it seemed to be struggling, yet still stood firm.
"Should we teleport and catch them by surprise?" A nearby bat warrior suggested, his voice tense.
I didn't hesitate in my response.
"No. They've most likely reinforced it with spatial barriers. If we try, it'll be the end of us."
Natsumi, standing on the sidelines, nodded in agreement.
"She's right," I added, turning my gaze toward the battlefield. Teleportation into the heart of the enemy's defenses could be the perfect move, but the risks were far too great.
It was possible they were using normal spells, but I highly doubted it. These were no ordinary defenses. The barrier was likely reinforced with spatial locks, a technique that could operate in one of two ways.
The first possibility, it could block any spatial intrusion, meaning any attempt at surprise would be futile. I already knew that Descorror wouldn't be enough to bypass this kind of barrier.
The second, and far worse scenario– was that the barrier could trap anyone inside it. With little surface area to work with, the chances of escaping would be near impossible, especially with Descorrer off the table.
I dismissed the technique and, in a blur of motion, appeared beside my mother.
"I have reason to believe they're just as cautious about their approach as we are."
I steeled myself for the upcoming battle, weighing whether I should unleash my first release. While I had the upper hand over Grayfia in our last fight, that had been a two-on-one scenario, and I had relied heavily on the element of surprise.
In truth, I'm capable of far more than just Shikai. I still have about three or four Hollow Forms at my disposal, untapped reserves of power. This thought lifted my spirits, for my base power was already at Ultimate Class warrior level, and I had a few more tricks up my sleeve.
Well, it's decided then.
"I guess I'm going to need to use more strength than I did last time." I watched as the soldiers charged out from the barrier and into the chaos of battle. Slowly, I unsheathed Yuzūi, my index and middle fingers tracing a line along its length.
Pitch-black energy swirled at the tips of my fingers, the sword shifting under the dark flames. "Shikai! Sō Kaikyō no Yūzūi!" In an instant, I slid my fingers the entire length of the blade, transforming it into an obsidian crystal.
"You ready Partner?"
"Yup, but I could really use a break..." She narrowed her purple eyes slightly. A surge of light enveloped her necklace, and in the blink of an eye, a spear materialized. It glowed a sinister green
Gentle in appearance yet sending a chill down everyone's spine.
The soldiers were momentarily struck with awe, their attention fixated on us. Greed flickered in their eyes, but as soon as they saw my hollow mask, their focus snapped back.
I have the dark nature of Hollows to thank for that.
Most of them flew through the air, but some, like me, preferred to stay grounded.
I glanced in Sirzechs' direction, watching him survey the battlefield from the rear. His role was clear– watching the powerhouses, eliminating them as soon as possible.
Understandable. Natsumi and I could have been beside him, but...
We are the wild cards...
I raised my sword and, with cold precision, cleaved my opponent in half. Dodging the attempt to slit my throat, I swiftly severed my enemy's waist.
Natsumi slashed at her opponent, who narrowly evaded the strike. Without missing a beat, she followed up with a swift kick that sent him flying.
For a brief moment, he saw the scenery blur, the wind rushing past his numb body. In the next instant, the world seemed to turn upside down.
Natsumi stood over his fallen form, chest heaving as she ended him before he could even think of recovering. Her eyes, cold and calculating, flickered between the multiple enemies closing in around her.
With a swift motion, she pulled her spear back with one hand and, without hesitation, pierced through hearts, lungs, throats, and heads.
Each victim suffered from a different wound, and the unlucky ones were left to bleed out.
Despite their growing wariness, the enemy refused to relent. Seeing this, Hisashi stepped forward, gathering wind chakra into his hand and forming a Rasengan.
"Wind Style: Rasengan!" The attack slammed into a single enemy, but the resulting shockwave sent tiny wind blades tearing through the surrounding forces. It felt as though small blades pierced them at a cellular level.
The two of us stood back-to-back, surrounded by the carnage of the battlefield. Each soldier who closed in was swiftly and cruelly dealt with.
The rhythm of battle had become so repetitive that we fought in a near frenzy. I occasionally absorbed some blows meant for Natsumi. One such moment occurred when a devil appeared within their ranks.
He lunged at Natsumi, but I was faster, just a second ahead. My grip shattered his sword, and Natsumi followed up with a punch reinforced by her chakra.
His head exploded in a brutal, grisly moment, and the surrounding soldiers faltered, visibly shaken.
The metalic scent that assaulted my nasal passages, "The smell of blood. All too familiar."
The crowd was starting to lose its composure.
'How do we beat these monsters?'
––––––
Happy Reading Everybody!
I rewrote Chapter 2 today, and I will rewrite Chapter 3 later, so if you want to make sense of the plot, you can revisit those marked [Edited]
Also, I might Change the cover soon, so add this to your collection if you don't wanna lose it. Some of you might know my fanfic due to the current cover.
Hisashi has Grown, from a boy who could not kill to a young man who hold no fear in shedding blood.
It is what it is people, it is what it is.