[BSD-RP] Soul Society: Central Seireitei

[BSD]

Within these games of death and blood, those who have chosen and those who have been forced begin to slowly show their worth. The Rukongai swamps become bombarded with explosive destruction, reminding those watching of an explosion that took place nearly a century ago. The Valley of Screams, the field where Captains are born and hopefuls are discarded, becomes a witness once more to another manner of test regarding its combatants. Then there is the Muken, a prison, one where those three facing off rightfully belong, if not for their value to the Gotei 13…the drunken swordsman the lone exception, for he is an oddity. One whose past is known by few, yet here is where he belongs.
The plotter, the schemer, the man called Oda is faced with a peculiar situation; one where his plans have failed to protect him, his planning and foresight has failed to place him several steps ahead as he has grown accustomed to. Yes, he has grown stronger during his crucible against the Commander…yet he is not the only one who has gained strength, a fact proven before the people of the Rukongai, the Gotei 13, and his kin the Oda clan. His daughter witnesses the orange bolt piercing her father’s side, witnesses him being accosted by a spell meant for his opponent. Despite things going awry, Tenzen is still an Oda, he does not back down in the face of adversity, but rather chooses to respond. He works his body to defend himself further. As he does, the Phantom walks.
Blood spurts violently from the caster’s body, and on his face a mask is donned. Yet Still, the Phantom Walks. Blood seeps from the man’s body as though his pores were perspiring the crimson fluid. He musters his strength, his will, his power to continue..yet would it all be in vain? By now the drunk expects the Phantom’s body to begin revealing wounds, yet instead what all observers of this blood fueled spectacle witness…is the Phantom still walking. It is if he is aloof, unfettered and unbothered by the world around him. By those both powerful and powerless watching intently, of the state of his comrade, his peer Tenzen, or of the whereabouts, intentions and abilities of the drunken stranger. Even his own fate, his own life teetering on a razor’s edge appears insignificant to the casual walker.
SSSSsssssssss
There is a hissing, as though some aberrant gas leak within this abyss that surely had no such thing. Thin small lines trace along the arena ground, obscured and hidden by the dark despite what remains of the commander’s jade constructs. These thin lines begin to multiply, before widening and expanding. These peculiar lines stretch beyond the arena and continue tracing beyond unto the muken grounds that the arena is founded and fixed upon. The entire process is slow..casual..not unlike the Phantom’s little stroll.
Or..it is to those within the Muken. Those outside observers, as though spared sit as distant witnesses to the truth.
The spectators cannot feel the force of the voracious vacuum, but they can see its effect within the space. What was once a single solid arena now it is in seven separate parts, each large enough to house two people. No, not seven…now five..no, even that is incorrect. It is as if the Arena is being shredded continuously, consumed by some invisible monster that stalks the Muken. Even the crystal spires begin to dwindle in size.
The vapor-like mist conjured by the Rukon swordsman finds itself unspared by this phenomenon. Its potential or ability to close back in is irrelevant. Its conjurer may run the numbers in his head, predict and assess the supposed action taking place. Perhaps he runs the scenario of Kyomu darting around slashing away like a wild man with reckless abandon, or maybe in his computing he concludes it is a myriad of slashes released from the Phantom. As a master of his craft, someone able to slice apart the commander’s crystals, such a thing is perhaps child’s play to him. Through his lifetime of training, he is confident there is nothing he cannot cut, so confident that the man has imposed on himself somewhat of a restraint in the form of liquor, unbeknownst to those ignorant of his identity and ability.
However, such a thing is irrelevant.
Perhaps he creates a barrier of slashes imperceptible to the eye.
Yet that too he would find to be irrelevant.
Perhaps he sends out slashes to greet what he has by now, perceived to be invisible cuts.
An act that, like the others, becomes irrelevant.
And what of Tenzen? A master of Kido capable of conjuring barriers, capable of producing solid reiryoku to cut through most obstacles, most structures incapable of withstanding its might. He too is forced to face that his durability, in the face of this quiet storm…is inconsequential.
While it was expected for Kyomu’s arm to be traced with red lines, or to burst in a red mist with the question being when did it happen, a new question is instead posed to those curious or capable enough to ponder.
When did Kyomu attack?
With all that has happened, in the chaos of battle and conflict it is easy to become lost in the ocean of mayhem. With the onslaught from Suiyo, the increased mysterious breeze fluttering the Oda’s haori becomes lost, perhaps then? Perhaps it was before then, when the transitioning of the phantom’s feet had seemingly taken place. Could it have been even before that? When the returned orange bolt of lightning phased through the Phantom’s form instead of striking and piercing through him, a tell-tale sign that whatever one was perceiving was already lost to them? The questions continue to stack up the further one traces back the events in search of answers.
Nibui Ueki, had he been amongst the spectators perhaps he alone would understand what was taking place. As a Captain prospect once before, he has faced Kyomu. Unlike others however, Nibui lives as the only witness to Genzoken’s fury. With his limiters removed he demonstrated reiatsu second only to their former commander, reiatsu that denied one’s advance towards him, that crushed whatever was within the scope of its reach, nearly smothering the entirety of the valley itself. From a distance he was met with a cut, a slash that denied his reiatsu, that severed through its might, his form…and more importantly, one that held Genzoken’s incorporeal edge. Cleaving through whatever lay before it, meant that whatever was met with the blow, that would otherwise try to defend or deflect it, would always be a step behind, finding the actual attack already halfway inside, and continuing on unimpeded due to its unique edge.
This also meant that, if such a technique had been used, then whatever stood within its path, also stood no chance in stopping or deflecting it. Genzoken was a blade that ignored and denied defences, strength, wards or power. Only things capable of outpacing the blade was safe, alongside those things that it should not cut, such is the case of Captain Hageshi and Nakamoto’s respective Bankai, and thus intentionally withheld from ever truly reaching them.
I can’t stomach this any longer
As all this is taking place, the storm of attacks, the severing of the arena and everything atop of it, at a distance standing with sword sheathed is Kyomu. Captain Mukuro stands on the sidelines, the lines that had been stretching beyond the arena onto the ground stop at his feet; coincidence, or intentional? When he had arrived, and how long he had been there is yet another question, tacked upon the many others. He appears blemishless, and more importantly, tired. It is not one born from fatigue, rather the assassin has grown tired of this farce of a game, for a trophy of a title that means nothing to him. He is done playing monkey for those watching, incapable or unwilling to cease their role as spectators to enlist themselves in the Gotei 13, and place their own selves at risk, instead of cheering and jeering those who do so for their current amusement. He is tired of wasting his time that would be better spent training his recruit and overseeing her growth. Many threats abound, many unknown factors are at play, and the nobles as proven by the Oki, still cannot be trusted. He has work to do, work that does not include this triviality he has been forced to participate in.
Captain Mukuro will play along…no more. They may have their champion, their…Kenpachi. It certainly however, would not be him. Not now…not ever.

 

[BSD]

Tenzen: Captain of the Fifth Division, Kido Corps Commander, Grand Kido Chief, Oda Clan Lord, and Vizard.
Kyomu: Captain of the Second Division, Stealth Force Supreme Commander, Mukuro Clan Lord, and Assassin.
For over one hundred years, since the dawning era of Commander Kagayaki, these two have cemented their reputation as the two most dangerous Captains within this generation of the Gotei Thirteen. Never before have they faced a foe below their rank which could hope to overcome their respective abilities. Every foe that Kyomu has faced in combat has succumbed to his deadly speed. Every opponent that Tenzen has fended off has been subdued by his overwhelming kido. Therefore, this battle has become a new experience for them, as now they face
Suiyo: Drunken Bastard, and Sword Saint,
When they first laid eyes upon the man, they were quick to judgment, but reassured themselves to not underestimate the foe. However, whatever caution they claim to hold, is ultimately negated by the confidence they have in their abilities. When they perceived the mess of a man, they did not perceive their own deaths, as any other would. Defeat by such a bum was not an option in their mind, being so preoccupied with the exploits of each other. Victory over the drunk was not a possibility, but an assurance. The only variable in their mind was the level of inconvenience that they would have to face in order to achieve it. In turn, Suiyo had thought only to criticize their levels of swordsmanship, and instead admired the skill they both wielded in their individual mastercrafts. What he thinks now, of them, of the battle, of the future, is of course a mystery, perhaps even to him. As he seems to remain obscured in his veil of mist, utterly, and uncharacteristically, silent.
Moments earlier Tenzen had once again proven Suiyo correct. The Drunkard had assessed from sight alone that the Oda Captain’s level of Zanjutsu was predominantly focused around the usage of quick-draw technique, and that his preference for kido and hakuda meant that his zanjutsu only comes into play defensively. In an instinctual response to the lightning he has allowed to come towards him, Tenzen reaches for his blades. At this point, his hands should be gone, incapable of grasping that which he seeks. However, his strength of will is strong, seemingly able to hold himself together through pure determination for just a moment more. Even should he have been able to resist the cuts he faced, and instead opted for the second technique of his Petal Blade Series, he would still fail. Cemented in reality is the fact that Tenzen would never have been able to reach his blades. Even resisting the damage he has received, when his hands move to grasp the two swords that rest at his hip, he would find nothing at all. The very cuts that line his body, yet to explode in this moment of time, were not restricted to flesh, but the cloth he wears as well, slicing through the sash he wears. Feeling a lack of weight at his hip, when Tenzen completes his movement, reaching for his blades, he would instead find that they had ben severed from his side * , and dropped harmlessly to the mist-covered ground, out of the Oda’s reach *.
Suiyo had launched Tenzen’s own attack back at him, and the Oda had hoped to mimic the Drunk just as he had been mimicked. In an attempt to replicate Suiyo’s swordsmanship and negate his kido in the same manner, Tenzen finds damaged hands grasping empty air. Already having failed to prevent the lightning of the Kido from reaching him, he is equally unable to prevent it from damaging him. The explosion of yellow electricity and spiritual energy courses through the Captain’s body. Though his enhanced durability would allow him to physically resist the explosive damage of the concentrated force, the heat of the blast would fill the man’s lungs and incinerate his luscious blonde hair. Further, his physical conditioning might help him resist the pain of electrocution, but it would not prevent the energy from surging through him. As such, his nervous, respiratory, and cardiovascular systems would all fry as the Kido Master’s own electric current courses relentlessly through his body. His heart would fail to beat, his blood incapable of flowing as well as retaining air. His lungs, equally off-synch from the electric current, would fail to pump, and even should they intake air they would only further inhale heat and flame, singing their already cripplingly burnt interior. Heart failure, lung failure, stagnant blood, all might be improved should the Oda use that willpower of his to perhaps force his body to function, or utilize his spiritual power to preserve himself. However, this too is rendered impossible, as the electricity in his brain has been obscured just as equally as his heart and lungs. If the man had not succumbed to unconsciousness, then his thoughts and senses would be completely disoriented, preventing him from even assessing his situation, let alone forming a plan. Even should he be able to gather himself at this moment, his nervous system is completely scrambled, his body systems and spiritual pathways rearranged. Regardless of the desire of his brain, any signal sent out would cause a random spasm at best, and would fail to assist him. All of this meaning, that the man’s heart and brain activity have stopped, and he lacks the ability to restart them.
Yet it would seem there is something deep within the Oda, something separate from the man known as Tenzen. Not requiring thought, nor physical summoning, what lay dormant within the Captain is nothing short of a monster. As crimson spews through the air, when the Captain’s catatonic body should be rendered into a bloody mist, instead this monster comes crawling to the surface. Releasing his mask, Tenzen postpones his fate for just one moment longer, just long enough for his worried family to cheer him on one last time. The damage done to Tenzen is a reality, like time it can be postponed but not forever. As such, the state the Vizard finds himself in now, is one of futile resistance. Having resisted with all of his might and ability, the cuts that should have evaporated Tenzen at this point, are instead rendered gashes.
The man’s entire demeanor turns red, spare the bone white of his mask, as blood covers every inch of his body and clothes. In the Captain's mind, he was able to resist five of over thousands of blades that struck him. Even should these cuts remain simple gashes, the Captain's fate is sealed. The rough length of a diamond is about a quarter of an inch, and its facets are the product of fifty seven cuts. This means that every quarter of an inch of Tenzen’s body has been cut fifty seven times, and at this moment remains a quarter of an inch deep. His fire-proof flesh falls from him in gemstone-shaped chunks, depriving him of skin, muscle, and bone. His skull, jaw, and nose, are not spared from being diced up, but are instead held together by his mask. This would not benefit his eyes, which were equally sliced deeply into diamond-like chunks, depriving him of his eyesight. Being so exposed, his ears too would fall from his head, while the arteries of his neck would equally be severed, continuously spraying his lifeblood into a mist in the air. Indeed, his arteries and tendons across his entire body would be severed to spare his torso and head. The ligaments in his fingers, the achilles tendon, the joints of his elbows, the arteries of his wrists all severed, depriving him of the movement he seeks. Further, the vertebrae along his back, which presses so close to the skin's surface, would also be carved into precious gemstones. This alone would paralyze the man, and yet it is but one side effect of many. As such, though donning his mask allowed him to postpone the inevitable, the resistance he held so much pride in would at this time turn a surgical cut into an utter butchery. A true monster, his hideous skull-like mask would contribute to his horrific appearance, covering the ragged blood-oozing flesh-deprived and crippled form of Tenzen Oda.
Yet again, despite being cut down by an underestimated opponent, facing humiliation at the hands of two lightning bolts, and now literally falling to pieces, the Hollowified monster still resists his fate. With one last push of hollowfied energy, the creature is able to propel itself, with no brain, heart, lung, or body function, burnt, bleeding out, and bald, to the edge of the arena. There, in its last life gasp, the creature forces itself, through burnt and broken lungs, to utter its final breath.
"White Death."
"White Death."

What the Soul Society sees on their various screens is enough to put a stop to all the cheering. The festivities of the games, the roaring energy of the crowd, are all put on hold, replaced with a gasp and then the permeation of silence. What they see is not the shining Captain the shinigami have rooted for, nor the Oda Lord the rukongai citizens have come to respect. What they see is a Monster, in every sense of the word. Of all the souls that would have this terrifying image burnt into them, none would likely be more traumatized than that of Tenzen’s very own daughter. However, the horrific sight of her father’s fall from grace is not what would be so impactful, but what comes after.
With bated breath the spectators of the games watch this monstrosity utter with its last grasp of life a condemnation, no….an identification. For all of the Soul Society to see and hear, Tenzen identifies the stumbling drunk as the White Death. Placing a face to the name, there are hundreds, if not thousands, for whom this fight now makes sense. Yet before they can truly process what is happening, their screens turn red. Back on the battlefield, the fate Tenzen had postponed for so long finally catches up to him. The Captain had believed that his reiryoku and physical conditioning would be enough to mitigate the damage of the Sword Saint’s strike. This further provides evidence that for whatever strengths Tenzen has, he has never faced off against a true swordsman before.
Once again: a blade should only be met with a blade. Tenzen had attempted to do so, by firing off five blades of his own, and had anticipated that this alone would be sufficient proof that his Reiryoku was strong enough to resist Zanjutsu. However, Tenzen’s reiryoku had not countered Suiyo’s attack. Without addressing the impossibilities, at best, it was potentially the sharpness of his blades, not the strength of his reiryoku, that allowed him to counter a single particle of Suiyo’s blades. The very five particles which his blades come into perpendicular contact with. This means that the remainder of Suiyo’s blades, composed of Reishi and wind, would flow around Tenzen’s own, and pass through him.
Once again, Suiyo’s strikes were so surgically precise, that they cut nothing at all, and came into contact with nothing at all. Rather, their edge was refined to the point that they could pass between individual particles of reishi. It is through this method that they were able to slice through the Commander’s densely compacted crystal. Composed of Reishi, the very nature of crystals is to have a geometric pattern that is so tight, that nothing can phase through, a molecular structure impossible to achieve with physical condition.Tenzen, in turn, hoped that his durability and the release of his reiryoku would serve to provide resistance against Suiyo’s blades. However there is no doubt that the Oda knew this wasn’t true. Otherwise no effort would have been made to counter the blades in the first place. Instead, what happened was that they passed between the conditioned cells of the Oda’s body, and through the gaps in his reiryoku, to sever through him cleanly. Yet through sheer force of will, and the aid of a Hollow’s mask, the man was able to resist just long enough to prevent his body from fully separating. That is…until now.
The Monster Monk’s hands and arms explode into a red mist, his legs too burst into blood and finely-cut chunks. What is left on the ground is a masked-head connected to a torso with no pelvis, deprived of all senses beyond touch, smell, and spiritual. The man turned monster has been rendered a puddle of blood and broken body, his guts had been pierced by Kyomu’s lightning, his brain, lungs, nervous system, and heart had all been halted by his own kido, his arteries tendons, flesh, muscle, and bone had been severed by Suiyo’s cuts. Every living thing within this abyssal prison had enacted its will upon Tenzen, and the results were graphic at best. In this state he is deprived of his zanpakuto, which had fallen to the ground and then been blasted aside by the force of the explosions that previously engulfed him. This means that the man cannot move, cannot sense, cannot speak. He is deprived of the ability to recite an incantation, deprived of the chance to utilize his zanpakuto’s shikai. It is possible that the resilient Oda can still push on somehow, still despite it all continue to fight, but in this state, at this cost, was it worth it? What is it that Tenzen Oda fights for?
Red lines would form along the Assassin’s arms, soon to explode into a red mist not unlike Tenzen’s own. This would occur not despite Kyomu’s movements and attack, but due to them.
Kyomu Mukuro believes that he has devastated the arena. What Arena? They had been battling in an infinite void, with their only source of light being the random crystal spires that jaggedly jutted out from the ground *. He believes that his assault works to dwindle the crystalline spires. What Spires? Every crystal tower within the battlefield had already been carved into countless gemstones by Suiyo *. Kyomu, like Tenzen, was inspired to copy Suiyo’s swordsmanship, and like Tenzen, it would pale in comparison. How could flattering mimicry ever outclass the original?
Instead, everytime Kyomu attempted to launch a cut in Suiyo’s direction, he would be surprised to see a cut launched from Suiyo already heading towards him. Somehow Suiyo was able to preemptively strike, utterly outpacing Kyomu for perhaps the first time in the Shunpo-master’s life. This was not done through shunpo, nor could Suiyo see the future, nor is it even clear at this moment if Suiyo can read Kyomu’s true movements or not. However, what Suiyo certainly is aware of is Kyomu’s reliance on speed. Kyomu’s response to Suiyo’s grid exposed his true location, as well as the intangibility of his cuts, early on. With the knowledge of the Mukuro’s speed and location, Suiyo was able to deduce where the Assassin had been, and from there was able to mentally recreate his movement patterns.
On top of this, Suiyo had launched hundreds of gemstones into the air like bullets, each trailing with an arc of electricity *. These gemstones were not fired off randomly, but served to both interfere with the trajectory of Kyomu’s Anken, as well as limit his avenues for movement and lines of sight. Further, the gemstones obscured Suiyo’s own movement in addition to the steam that surrounds him, as they too were coated in Tenzen’s kido. What this means then, is that Suiyo was able to place Kyomu’s location, retrace his path, and limit his future courses of action. With this, coupled with the Mukuro’s already established desire for predictability, Suiyo was able to place Kyomu’s position and target before the Mukuro had even arrived, even with the Captain’s mastery for speed.
Everytime that Kyomu let out a slash, he was instead greeted with one of Suiyo’s own already traveling in his direction. Removing the possibility of action, even with the Shunpo Master’s speed, he would only be granted enough time to perform a single solidarity action. He could either abandon his cut and instead move out of the way, or allow his cut to turn tangible to deflect the incoming arc. For each cut that the Mukuro let travel along its path, he found himself receiving a red line across his body. By the end, the Muken floor is split into only five chunks, and Kyomu’s entire body is covered in red lines.
Suiyo however, anticipating the strike and preemptively counter-striking, was given ample time to move his body. Obscured by the mist, Kyomu would not be able to see how the drunk moved or behaved, nor would he be able to perceive when the drunk made a movement to slice or a movement to dodge. If he could, the Assassin would see that from every conceivable angle, at seemingly every perceivable moment, the Swordsman's stance was shifting and counterbalancing, his drunken stumbling placing him in the prime position to respond to a sword strike. This is a phenomenon perhaps only perceptible to a shunpo master such as Kyomu, as anyone else who would look upon the drunk would see him standing still naturally. Only something capable of outpacing Kyomu’s blade is able to avoid the power of his intangible slice *. Unfortunately for the Captain, and perhaps for the first time in his career, he faces an opponent capable of doing just that. While Suiyo lacks the knowledge of Shunpo, the basics of Zanjutsu have been ingrained into him to the point of thoughtlessness. His body is able to move at speeds comparable to Kyomu’s own, his blade strikes even faster than this. By preemptively striking, Suiyo was able to negate the time Kyomu could respond, even with unparalleled speed, while increasing his own time to do so. Essentially, he worked to bridge whatever gap may be between the two.
Having been freely given the time that Tenzen once fought so hard to prolong, Kyomu had a chance to anticipate his own death. Instead however, he believed so suredly in himself, that there was no doubt in his mind he remained uninjured. How accustomed the Captain had grown, to the idea that he was both imperceptible and untouchable. Unlike his blade however, Kyomu is not intangible. Having been so completely anticipated, Kyomu’s commitment to his actions would result in the solidification of Suiyo’s own. As such, standing on the outskirts of the battlefield, daydreaming about his division and fantasizing about his student, Kyomu’s own body would splatter into the same crimson mist that Tenzen’s had prior, or perhaps not. The damage would not be so excessive as it was with Tenzen, as the attacks launched at Kyomu were not so all-encompassing. Instead, the Assassin would have received a cut upon his arms and legs for every strike he decided to continue with. The extent of this damage could result in the complete disintegration of his limbs, if Kyomu’s own attack was as extensive as he intended, or, if he had chosen to focus on dodging, he may have received no cuts at all, yet delivered no damage in turn.
Following the Assassin’s assault, Suiyo’s mist would find itself on one of the five undamaged sections of floor. Since nothing has been done to stop its spread, it now encapsulates the majority of the battlefield. Ending just at Tenzen and Kyomu’s positions on the outskirts of the battlefield. Both of them had fled from the Swordsman known as the White Death, who remained firmly planted in the center, his condition unknown. Who could blame them for doing so? Until this point their confidence and ability had propelled them through every obstacle they have faced. It is only now, after each confronting the unknown variable that is Suiyo, that the duo of foes realize facing him head on is a farce. Space seems to be the way to go, when one is scared of close encounters, yet it would do little good, as once again: something such a distance is nothing to a true master. The broadcast however would struggle to focus on anyone but Kyomu and Tenzen, as what has been the battlefield thus far is now being shrouded in mist. Growing in its thickness, the broadcast would soon fail to film anything at all but the gray steam itself. The spectators in turn are left hanging on the edge of their seats, a cliffhanger happening at such an uncertain time. The current conditions of Tenzen, Kyomu, and Suiyo, remain a mystery to the onlookers, incapable of witnessing the battle. Now, they are free from prying eyes. Now, their true selves can fight without restraint.

 

[BSD]

Fight to Fight Again
Things have sadly not progressed as they should have for Tenzen as his knowledge on the given situation has not transpired as it should have. Unseen injuries befall the Captain in this battle and yet, he still pushes onward regardless. Of all the qualities that help make this man a Captain, his tenacity is possibly the greatest thing his opponent has to face. Cut him, burn him, riddle his body with holes, call down the very wrath of the Soul King himself and he will find a way to push on to finish what he started. Such a thing is only in regard to him taking damage, spending a lifetime preparing to deal damage to the man and a warrior will forget that Tenzen is equally tenacious with his attacks, defense, and recovery.
The Fifth Division Captain lacks skill in Kaido, to be exact he has no skill in it. Should he learn the fundamentals of it he could become quite adept at it. However, in exchange for knowledge of healing he traded it to enhance his knowledge in Hado and Bakudo alone. There are a few Bakudo that can stave off injuries and even death and in the eyes of the Kido Chief that is more than enough. But in his current situation and condition how will he be able to press on and continue this fight? Why continue it? Is it a matter of pride? No, with his lifestyle pride is a thing he has long abandoned. It gets in the way of a fight, it clouds the mind from the sole objective of killing the enemy before you. To make things clear Tenzen does have pride in being a Shinigami, a Captain, an Oda, but that pride does not follow him into battle. Right now he wishes to continue the fight for the sake of the fight itself, for enjoyment.
One hundred years of fighting the Captain Commander was such a cathartic release, to use the full potential of his power to do harm, or rather attempt so, to another. Unless requested or asking for permission the Captain of Fifth Division does not get the chance to engage with enemies like Hollow or Quincy directly unless they come to the Soul Society. This means Tenzen will take any fight, any battle he can get into and push it as far as he can. Right now, as his hands slowly start to come undone from the earlier grid-like slash he chooses to fight on, chooses to march onward.
With Hado 57 Daichi Tenyō (大地転踊, Upturned Earth Dance; Viz "Ground Swell Dance") in place still the Crystals moving about have long since stopped moving, however the mere paltry fraction of Hado energy they absorbed had not. The full incantation of Raikōhō had already exploded, the bulk of its power had already made its impact so these crystals, which were cut down to size meaning they lacked their full absorption capability only held onto embers of what Raikōhō once was. These embers do not, cannot, and never will scorch Tenzen, to turn a spell back against its owner is a clever idea but against the Kido Chief it is pointless, as if he cannot snuff out his own spell, let alone snuff out mere embers of a spell. Though with his arms crumbling before him the world around him begins to slow down until coming to a halt completely. This is no spell, this is his perception of the world as he has a conversation with himself. His Inner Hollow walks up beside him, his form transparent in nature as only Tenzen can see him. A scowl on his face he looks towards Suiyo, placing a hand on his hip and scoffing. Kyomu was out of view at this point so trying to land a gaze upon him in what is literally a brief instant is impossible.
”So… Should we keep going? Keep fighting? Do you even want to keep fighting?”
”I believe you already know the answer to that question.”
The Inner Hollow chuckles and shrugs.
”Heheh, So be it.”
Tenzen’s demeanor changes as the world around him returns to normal speeds, using what functionality is left in his legs before they burst he rockets upward into the darkness of the Muken “sky”. His body unseen, his Reiatsu goes unfelt as it was completely bottled up. Wounds from Kyomu’s attack had begun to show on his body as well but they would be inconsequential, the loss of his arms and legs would be rendered moot as well. Something flutters down from the blacked abyss above, a blue Haori, followed by tatters of the white Haori with the symbol of Fifth Division landing on the blue Haori down below. Amidst these falling tatters his dual Zanpakuto launches itself towards the direction Tenzen jumped not too long ago. being followed up with the sound of rattling chains.
Typically, when an Inner Hollow takes over its host's body it goes on a rampage, this has been the case since the dawn of Vizards. This only happens because it is a struggle for control, inner conflict between host and Hollow. Taking on its base instincts as a Hollow the body rampages without discretion, without cause or purpose. Reasoning is lost to it because two souls, two minds vie for control over this body leaving it in a chaotic state. However, should there be balance within the host, peace or understanding between host and Hollow something else could happen. Should the host Hollowfy under these conditions then the “monster” becomes more refined, it becomes focused, it becomes an unclouded warrior.
Kill to Kill Again
Wreathed in the mist of Tenzen’s Shikai a horror descends from the abyss, landing on the bloodied spot where his arms had exploded. The transformation began the moment Tenzen leapt into the air, the healing factor of the Hollow held his legs together just enough to do what needed to be done. Even though Suiyo can cut through the spaces of spiritual particles it is not enough to halt any sort of healing factor. He then returns with new arms, many new arms. A low growl escapes this new visage of Tenzen, standing idle within the Muken facing down Suiyo while still wary of Kyomu’s presence as well.
White Death.
White Death.

The last time this monster was seen was during the Kuchiki Manor Incident, at that time it was no more than a mad beast rampaging in what was left of the manor. This time it is calm and composed as if Tenzen himself were standing before Suiyo, just in Hollow form. With his previous wounds healed the battle can march on, for at least four and a half minutes. About thirty seconds have passed since Tenzen donned the mask meaning even though the beast was given control it will only have control for that long until it is forced away. But why comply? Why go through with such a thing? The Hollow clearly wants control of the body, maybe because it knows it is trapped in Muken which is why it will cooperate and return control, maybe Tenzen took note of this as well, or maybe its is because of the Mad Buddha’s enlightenment and balance of his soul that allows such a thing, all these are within the realm of possibility and understanding.
The Hollowfied Tenzen does not idle for long after making his return as one of his left arms rapidly charges and fires a Cero from within the Golden Mist of the Shikai, shifting his feet ever so slightly as he fires the golden beam of energy. Revitalized for the next Four and half minutes, Tenzen has a chance to correct the mistakes he made earlier in this fight. This simple blast of the Cero is just the opener.
The Outside Opinion
Twist after twist and turn after turn the citizens of the Rukongai barely know what is happening, it is as if everything within this fight happens from one instant to the next. One moment there are emerald towers, the next there are explosions and piles of crystals on the ground, after that the arena begins to destroy itself while Tenzen vanishes and reappears instantly with a new twisted form while Kyomu is no longer in sight. Confusion and soon after panic spread throughout the crowds as they now root for Suiyo purely out of self preservation for their own safety. Their selfishness to survive is made clear and present as they slander the Captain of Fifth Division for having such power and being allowed to live within Soul Society.
At the Oda Manor they are overcome with a stunned silence, they knew about him being a Vizard, that was no secret to them, but to transform into such a monstrosity was beyond their imagination. Trained warriors in their own right, they have been able to keep up with this fight without too much effort and their trained eyes now focus on their Clan Lord. Munashii’s eyes have been covered this entire time to keep her from witnessing her fathers new form. Tenzen’s uncle, Amida the scientist, is the first to calm down as he takes note of his nephew’s calm demeanor. Despite being in the form of a monster he is fighting as a man with control over his actions, not a hint of rampaging intent can be seen. The others eventually notice it as well but do not vocalize anything at this point, from cheering to silence, to cheering again and back to silence. If they were watching any other fight they would be cheering non-stop as if it were a sports contest.
Back within the Muken, what may be a final clash could be taking place between The Vasto Lorde Tenzen, The White Death Suiyo, and The Phantom Kyomu. Through their eyes this fight may have droned on for an eternity, from the eyes of those who lack fighting skill this battle happened in the blink of an eye. Time can only tell who will make it out of this bracket as the winner.

 

[BSD]

It is true, this battle, this contest…this game, has been quite the…experience, to say the least for the Captains of the Gotei 13, the same could be said of this strange drunken bastard pitted against such foes.
Suiyo is a stranger to the two, knowing nothing of the man’s identity, his past, the trials and training he has been through and overcome, nor the opponents he has faced and ultimately slain. Truth be told even if they did know…it was of little importance. How many opponents has he faced, and of those opponents how many have underestimated him? Looked down upon him only to be cut down by his swift blade? Hundreds? Thousands? Tens of Thousands? Hundreds of thousands? It was difficult to tell, and perhaps only Suiyo himself knew the truth — then again, perhaps even he was ignorant to their number. Even if Kyomu was privy to such knowledge it would not shake him. As a killer with quite the extensive body count himself, he understands a truth that few are capable of perceiving once gaining a certain level of strength. That is, there is no merit in slaughtering the weak.
How many citizens within the Rukon districts hold the potential to join the ranks of the Gotei 13? How many of those hold the potential to become a Captain, rival a Captain..SURPASS a Captain? While the enemies Suiyo has faced in the Rukongai may be strong by the standards of the citizens and dregs of the Rukon, and perhaps even strong by his own standards to some degree, it is impossible to say how they would measure up when pitted against the elite of the Seireitei.
Having mastered the sword, Suiyo has reached a place where he had little if any peers roaming about within the Rukongai. What this also meant is that while trapped in the Rukongai his opportunities to further his strength against worthwhile opponents, truly strong and powerful opponents, was incredibly limited. It is no wonder then, that the man would eventually turn to the bottle. There may be some who believe the Captains to have underestimated the drunken sword master, though in reality it can be said that the inebriated Suiyo has intentionally or subconsciously underestimated not only the Capabilities of a Captain of the Gotei 13, but especially these two particular Captains. He perceives that their level of swordplay pales in comparison to his own, and as a result perceives them to be weaker because of this, confident that he can overcome and overwhelm them and anything they could potentially do with his swordsmanship alone. It is an arrogance birthed from being forced to face only those weaker than him for centuries.
Kyomu does not underestimate the swordsman, perceiving these games as a ’job’ he cannot afford to do so. He acknowledges that he does not know anything about the man aside from the fact that he wields a blade and holds confidence in his prowess with it, and that he has potentially faced off and taken down a Shinigami of the Gotei 13. Which Soul Reaper he faced, their division, their seat if even seated and the when and how were all lost to the Captain. With those two things alone however, Kyomu has deemed this drunken swordsman to be deemed at least a credible threat to the Seireitei, the level of threat was what he was still ascertaining through the match. Was this man secretly an enemy of the Gotei 13? Had he infiltrated the games in hopes of crippling their military strength by facing off against the strongest? Was the man similar to Zaraki in the days of old with so much physical strength and so much reiryoku that his reiatsu alone was enough to aid him in cutting through the shikai of others? He admittedly lowered that possibility in his mind as he did not feel the pressure or the reiatsu that came with such a possibility. Was the blade he was wielding a zanpakuto? It wasn’t impossible or unheard of for an asauchi to make its way into the hands of someone other than a shinigami, which also meant it wasn’t impossible for there to be a shikai ability not within the records of the Seireitei.
Many things have transpired in this battle, actions both covert and obvious to and by all three locked within this infinite prison. Earlier the Kido Chief had cast a powerful spell towards the drunken bastard who had positioned himself near one of the Commander’s nearly indestructible crystal constructs. It is that same construct that the swordsman had used as both a shield and a means of counterattack. The emerald enduring the brunt of the explosion and being scattered about like projectiles with remnants of the spell’s electrical charge. What Suiyo had not anticipated or, perhaps even thought of or cared about, was the fact that by not only splitting the pieces up he has assured that the makeshift projectiles had absorbed a portion of the spell, and had further split whatever remnant power it held many times over when scattering each one. It is precisely because he has not cared or thought of such a thing, which undoubtedly comes from the man’s ignorance in anything other than swordplay, that he does not expect the Oda to be able to handle the counterattack to his own, now weakened and divided spell.
What of Captain Mukuro? The Gemstones turned projectiles had been cast in such a way to not only interfere with the projectiles thrown by the assassin, but to try and limit his path and trajectory as well. Just as there was no way for the Oda and Mukuro to have known the man was capable of slicing through the Commander’s crystal, there was no way for this Rukon swordsman to have known that his own actions had diminished the threat of the electrical arcs that he had hoped to serve as a net against the man, and that by way of the reiatsu imbued within the Gemstones, their strikes against his projectiles it is instead Kyomu who is able to not only gauge and predict their trajectory, but as the foremost master of Hoho within the history of the Gotei 13 to date, be capable of manoeuvring around, away and through them — stepping as though these projectiles were crawling towards him…as though even time was waiting with baited breath for his actions. Even had this not been the case, the man’s attire was composed of fibres that specifically aided in his defence against spiritual based attacks…to a degree. Making it all the more fortunate that Suiyo had allowed the spiritual energy of the already detonated spell to be further absorbed in the gemstones but split off as well. The observing Suiyo would find that the areas he expected to be closed off to the Shunpo Master, were instead very much open. This in turn, made predicting where, when and how the Phantom would move even more difficult for the intoxicated Sword Saint, as there were too many variables to assess, too many possibilities and with Kyomu having been fighting without the intent to kill, it was impossible to tell if he would take an aggressive or passive approach. Perhaps had he entertained the assignment of his would-be Oki employer, feigned considering her proposal he might have gained some insight on the man he had now failed to cage.
Tracing even further back is the grid attack launched by the Swordmaster who had believed himself to be capable of easily seeing, feeling and detecting every step of the assassin learns that he is not as perceptive and sensitive as he believed himself to be. When previously creating his grid attack, one that is done after the Phantom had already made his move. When the grid attack had formed it is logical to determine that one need deal with it while out and moving about. Neither Suiyo nor perhaps Tenzen or even any of the distant observers would have predicted that Kyomu would briefly use his fellow Captain as a buffer. It is no wonder that while Tenzen was dealing with the razor thin threads of spiritual energy condensed and released from the drunkards blade, that while attacking that very same spiritually composed attack the gap forged was greater than it might have been. This was not by chance, but rather by way of Kyomu briefly executing Hyakūji Ryōran from around and behind his peer to offer his aid.
The attack by way of the Rukon man was swift, and was certainly formidable, however it is precisely because it is one composed of spiritual energy that the Oda was capable of enduring and attacking it to a degree. The amount of spiritual energy making up his body was certainly vast and plentiful, which respectively meant that his reiatsu was naturally dense and powerful, even moreso as the Oda is a man of discipline and refinement. Hyakūji Ryōran however, is an attack with an incorporeal edge, meaning that when pitted against anything that would challenge it, the opposing force would always falter. Suiyo was a man who had honed himself to be able to naturally deal with and cut down nearly anything, Genzoken was anything but natural and ensured there was nothing that could or would remain intact against its attack. Meaning that rather solely acting to defend himself, it can be perceived that Kyomu was also to some degree aiding his fellow Captain who should also be his opponent.
Unlike many of his fellow Captains, Kyomu is greatly lacking in Kido. He cannot cast breathtaking blasts of destructive force, erect impeccable barriers to stave off attacks, he cannot bind others nor does he hold the power to heal. Shortly behind his shortcomings in Kido, is his ability in Hakuda. No, since his birth the only things the man has ever been capable of relying on is his swordsmanship, his proficiency in small blades, and his footwork and speed. Suiyo may believe that anything the Captain does is merely an imitation of his own capability, but this is also an observation born only from his ignorance of the man and the path he has tread.
It is after Kyomu had delivered his onslaught of cutes that perhaps Suiyo, for maybe a brief moment, sobers up. With every attack launched by Kyomu the swordsman rather be by chance, happenstance, or a primitive animalistic sense of danger began preemptively launching his own attacks, meant to counterattack and potentially negate the Captain’s. He believes that Kyomu will need to either move or turn his myriad of attacks tangible to do anything further. This is another prediction born from ignorance. Hyakūji Ryōran was an attack born from Genzoken, where the very edge of the slashes were incorporeal. It is an attack made to infiltrate and allow those parts that were not intangible to continue their work from within. The slashes released by Suiyo would ultimately be forced to connect with those parts of Kyomu’s attack already being sliced through and severed. Perhaps the attacks would simply continue on, only divided and having a gap formed while the rest of the blades continued on. While that was a possibility, it was equally irrelevant to the assassin.
Instead of Suiyo’s cuts meeting the mark of the man they were intended for, they were instead severed and potentially sent off on entirely different courses, striking whatever lay behind the man in the infinite maw of Muken. Rather Suiyo himself was capable of truly dealing with this attack he had misassessed was irrelevant to Kyomu who had no intentions of continuing this face of a game to begin with. In the eyes of the unskilled and uneducated, the ignorant Kyomu has fled away from a dangerous opponent. Perhaps it's only those who truly know the Mukuro that understand that it is honestly a miracle that Kyomu has entertained participating for even this long, supported further by how passive the Captain has honestly approached the match and the lack of palpable killing intent often released from the man when committed to his task, weaponizing it to gain whatever advantage he could against a formidable opponent. The Captain abhors spectacles such as these games he’s been forced to play for the sport of the people. There’s no benefit in an assassin displaying his skills and abilities for all to see. An assassin who flaunts his abilities on display before the world…is a fool, and is unworthy of the title of their craft.
Standing off to the side, Kyomu shifts from his role of participant, to that of an unfortunate nearby observer. His amber hues appear to have locked on to the transformed Oda, and in response..he only stares. His eyes say nothing of his thoughts, or potential concerns if any existed. He also understands that like him, the Oda is a dutiful man. The Commander had ordered them to fight, the Oda was a warrior and as a result, would fight and fight until he could do so no more. It was admirable…foolish…but admirable. With shikai in hand and the cast cero hurtling to decimate everything on impact it is difficult to say how far the Oda or the Rukon Swordsman would go for the sake of the Commander and the people observing.
All Kyomu did know was…he was ready to be let out of this place.

 

[Taichou]

It’s as though the Assassin is two steps behind. With that name of his, one spoken with such vitriol from the maiden of a disgraced clan, the Mukuro had seemed like such a threat. Where is the cunning strike of a killer's blade at Suiyo’s neck? Unlike the wizard, the assassin’s head just wasn’t in the game. His weaknesses, his insecurities, began to glisten like the gemstones that he weaved through so effortlessly. Elitism floods his mind, a weakness inherent to most shinigami, and especially the Captains. He seems to be unable to believe that a Rukongai soul can pose such a threat to him: a Captain of the Gotei Thirteen.

The mistake here is to think that the strength of a soul begins and ends within the Seireitei’s divisive walls. Was the Mukuro clan itself not composed of Rukongai Souls? Those who instilled such beliefs into the Captain’s mind in the first place. What of the Kenpachi, the very reason some found themselves here? Was the First Kenpachi not from the Rukongai, as were the other Captains of the founding Thirteen Original Court Guards? Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, founded and taught his arts in the Rukongai long before he founded the military institution Kyomu prides so much strength on. What of Zaraki, who as a rukongai child bested the first Kenpachi? What of Shobatsu Murasaki? If the Rukongai were not rampant with strong souls, there would be no Maggots Nest for Kyomu to warden. Seventh Division would not receive its task of patrolling the outer wilds, and a Captain would not be required to keep those souls in line. Indeed, Suiyo himself even now is televising to the entire Soul Society that such is the case.

The assassin is also assured that he is aware of what Suiyo thinks and cares about, perhaps in an effort to reassure his wavering conviction. The truth is, despite thinking the opposite, Kyomu does underestimate Suiyo. Not in terms of his zanjutsu, but rather his intelligence. He is far too quick to dismiss Suiyo as foolish, which no one of course could blame him for. However, the assassin is mistaken in believing that there was no way this Rukon man could have known the crystals would diminish the threat. Suiyo knew. He had assessed the crystals early on and had counted on their ability to diminish reiatsu in a counter to Tenzen’s blast. Suiyo was well aware that flinging a single gemstone at the Wizard-man wasn’t going to be effective in killing him. If this wasn’t the case, then why would Suiyo immediately address Tenzen with a compliment after firing such an attack? At most, it was an insult, sending the attack back to the caster in a message saying “Do better”.

Similarly, the assassin believes that it is impossible to account for all the variables the gemstones present. Impossible perhaps, for him. He also seems to believe that he was effective in concealing his position and means of defense early on, despite Suiyo deducing these exact things already *. The gemstones had not been launched to hinder Kyomu’s movement or travel. They had been intended to limit his places of arrival. Though the assassin could move at the speed of time, he could not physically place himself in an area where the gemstones existed once this movement was halted. This limited his possible means of attack. Further, they had been fired with the previous knowledge that the Mukuro relies on speed and intangibility, as well as his zanjutsu targets being predictably the most lethal areas. This did in fact narrow the variables, leaving Suiyo to only have to strike a limited number of angles, and correctly predicting the Assassins movements. The timing on the other hand was the trick, especially given the Assassin’s speed. However, this too is easily surmounted, as Suiyo’s strikes moved simultaneously. Indeed every time the Assassin materialized he would find Suiyo already in motion with a counter attack, as though even in this drunken stupor the man is devoid of blind spots.

Indeed the strikes would be split and fired off to strike whatever lay behind Kyomu. The very gemstones which fall through the air. Once again strategically fired off for this preemptive attack, the gemstones all fly in a position to reflect the cuts back towards Kyomu. The cuts had not simply sliced through the gemstones, because they had been purposefully dulled. Once more, knowing the Assassin’s response to his cuts already from the initial test cut, Suiyo was able to assume that the Assasin’s cuts would slice through and bisect his own. Having already known the position that his strikes would be in, he could then deduce the angles that they would launch off to once split in half. With this, Suiyo successfully calculated where to place the gemstones, where the assassin would be, where to strike, when to strike, and at what angle his slices would ricochet. This is what it means not to underestimate the Drunk Swordsman’s intelligence. As these mental calculations were all done instinctually.

Yes, the Sword Saint judged the Mukuro and the Oda on their own swordsmanship abilities. What he found instead of weakness was mastery in new arts familiar and yet certainly foreign to him. However, what he also assessed was not a weakness in zanjutsu on their parts, but rather a lack of zanjutsu opponents on the Gotei Thirteen’s part. What he had correctly estimated and then quickly proven, was that neither opponents had fought a true Zanjutsu Master before, just as he had never fought such true Kido and Hoho Masters.

The realization of the threat the Lowly Rukon Bum poses finally seems to dawn on both of them. The Assassin, in response to Suiyo’s counter attack, flees from the dangerous opponent and arrives on the brink of the battlefield. The Monk, after finding his own limbs beginning to evaporate and fail him, is thrown into his most powerful and desperate state from a single sword attack. Two Captains have surrendered ground to a Rukongai opponent who hasn’t moved since his initial strike.

What lay between the Oda and Mukuro monsters is a simple cloud of steam. Since Suiyo’s fascination with the Anken and Gemstone combo, he has been obscured completely from both the master sensory of the Second and Fifth captains. Their vision of the man has been replaced with the anguished faces and ghoulish grins of slain foes billowing in the mist.

Standing off to the side, Kyomu shifts from his role of participant, to that of an unfortunate nearby observer. His amber hues appear to have locked on to the transformed Oda, and in response...he only stares. Suddenly, to his right, a whooshing noise can be heard, as a projectile is thrown directly towards the Assassin’s cranium. An attack from an unknown assailant? A sword strike perhaps? With the Shunpo Master’s deep-rooted pride in his speed, such a thing would certainly be a foolish endeavor, and yet it occurs all the same.

Flying towards the Mukuro’s head is Suiyo’s drinking gourd. About one-eighth full, the contents inside slosh about, the bittersweet smell of red rice wine emanating from its open top. Though it is hurdled at such break neck speed, the projectile is launched with an obvious intention. The masterful senses of Clan Killer Kyomu would undoubtedly register that this is not an attack, but a peace offering. The assumption being that the Captain would catch it, or hilariously miss the detail and be clobbered in the head. The most likely move however is the dick-move, wherein the assassin cuts through the gourd with his blade. Should this occur, watching the contents within stain the Assassin’s pristine white cloak would be rather funny. Plus, such a jerkish act would televise just how much of a brat this Mukuro kid really is. So basically, its a win-win scenario anyway one looks at it.

Where did the gourd come from however? As though always there, ten feet behind this projectile, Suiyo stands parallel to the Assassin. An unlit joint dangles from his mouth, before a spark of light appears out of nowhere, ringing with the pleasantries of steel against steel. A life giving orange enlightens the end of the rolled paper, and a distinct herb-smelling smoke begins to lift into the infinite black air. Slowly, the Swordsman's single red eye drifts to its corner to peer at the assassin. In all, the man’s demeanor expresses a level of casualness that the Assassin likely has not received from a stranger. It is not that the man has so much confidence in himself that he is unthreatened by the assassin, such as the foolish Kojima of the past. Rather, it's as if this man lives in a world where combat and violence simply do not exist. The way he addresses Kyomu is not one of judgment between foes, but more like a fellow child helping another escape a scolding.

“Just get out of here.”

“That last attack had no killing intent behind it, and I haven’t seen you cop a single gem. You're not here to kill, and it ain’t profit. You supposed to fight? I attacked, you counter attacked, that’s a fight, right?”

He takes a drag of his cigarillo, adjusting his vision to be parallel to the assassin’s, as he watches the Oda descend from the darkness above in a haze of golden mist.

“Listen man, in my experience. Whatever you’re thinking about-”

The drunk bastard looks upon the somber assassin with a wisdom betraying his foolish exterior, one obtained only by living a dozen lifetimes of hardship. Though the assassin’s face betrays no emotion, though his eyes betray no thought, Suiyo knows what it's like to suppress one's true self.

“-Whoever you’re thinking about…”

The visage of the man standing next to the killer in the dark suddenly fades away in a blur of motion that would be all too familiar to the Mukuro Captain. Whatever moment they had shared ends with Suiyo’s final words before he departs.

“That’s where you should be.”

Following his own advice, the action would continue down at Suiyo’s original location, still obscured by the vaporizing steam of his Reiatsu. Here, a terrifying visage would land, equally obscured in mist. Whereas the Demon of the Mist Suiyo would be hidden by a glimmering silver, this Demon of the Mask would be concealed by glittering gold. Yet still, its mangled and mimicked voice echoes in unison throughout the abyssal prison of a battlefield, calling Suiyo by name.

White Death.
White Death.

Following this monstrous arrival is an equally destructive demonstration, as a golden Cero is fired through the golden mist. The destructive disintegrating force of the beam completely engulfs the Swordsman’s steam, while the Golden mist continues to hide the monster and downplay its own spiritual power. The blast, which may expect to completely erase Suiyo from existence, instead serves only to clear away his mist, unveiling what exactly he had been up to this entire time. One may have expected the curious swordsman to be tinkering with the anken and crystals he was obsessed with prior, or maybe even preparing an attack of his own. Instead, all becomes revealed, as each opponent for the first time since this battle finds themselves on the same page.

Z
Z
Z
z

It appears Suiyo had been asleep this entire time! This conclusion is certainly not unfounded, as shortly after releasing his reiatsu to test the effects of his new materials, Suiyo could have simply drifted off. He had been drinking and partying since the previous night, and enjoying the festivities of the games throughout this morning, all of which had delighted and entertained him. Unknown to his opponents though perhaps now revealed, Suiyo has a history of falling asleep whenever, and wherever, he wants. The length of these naps have been known to be as brief as a few seconds, or extend on for weeks at a time like a hibernating bear. Yet while to most, if not all, other opponents, sleeping may present an opening, the two Captains would now have found that this is anything but the case. Who else in their sleep is capable of surviving a Cero unharmed, and how?

Yet somehow the Sword Saint had just spoken to the Clan Killer, seemingly occupying two places at once with no disruption to his own steam. This is a mystery indeed, but not one as enticing as the Vasto Lorde who conceals himself in a Captain’s Shikai. It is a mystery wrapped in a box, one that Suiyo absolutely could not wait to cut through and open. While Vasto may be processing the sleeping opponent thirty feet away from him somehow being unscathed, a voice whispers into his ear. The vibration of the whisper’s sound waves are the only contact the Vizard Vasto might feel, yet they undoubtedly place Suiyo behind him. The only curiosity is that this voice would be heard whispered into both of the Vizard’s ears, simultaneously.

In unison, flashes of light move not toward, but away from the Vizard. The first two appear on either side of the creature’s face, both moving at light speed in opposite directions before disappearing to the darkness. The third flash of light arcs out from the hollow’s back as though launched from it, flying backwards away from the creature’s blind spot.

As this occurs, standing eyes to eye directly in front of the Vasto Lorde, is the Drunkard himself.

“Well look at you.”

.

Though the Vasto Vizard: Lorde Oda, had masked himself in a cloak of his own shikai, Suiyo stood close enough to see him without obscuring appearances, embers burning from his herbs. Yet behind himself, Suiyo also still lay unconscious and inebriated on the floor, drooling on his own face with no cigar in sight. Back in front of the Vizard, finishing his smoking session with a singular inhale, Suiyo spits the stub out above the hollow. Flying through the air above the creature's head, if it were not erased, it would instead be split in two by some unseen force.

The way he speaks to the Oda, no, the way he looks at the Oda, is not one of fear or contempt, but egregious and diabolical delight. The sight of the Vasto Lorde Shinigami has opened incalculable new possibilities in the Drunkard's mind, more valuable than gemstones, or soul steel. Avenues of energy which he has never before considered. How could a creature like this exist? Or perhaps the more pressing question is, how could it be allowed to exist? This new foe’s mere existence means that the Gotei Thirteen is willing to admit it’s own incompetence, and has finally shucked its ego to explore new, experimental, ideas.

Maybe being a Shinigami isn’t all that bad.