[BSD-RP] The Valley of Screams

[Shinigami]

BOOM.
BOOM.
A coordinated, deafening twin roar brings forth order, attention and celebration. A festive array of colours spray from one cannon, melding with another burst of celebratory golden flakes. As the shapeless collage spirals, caught in the wind currents of a twister midstage, it is only then that Nibui takes notice of the whirlwind and in turn, his eyes catch sight of the behemoth of a man, the Captain Commander of the Gotei Thirteen. Higen Kagayaki. A fascinating display of showmanship from the Captain Commander, it pulled the attention of everyone, including the dreary Lieutenant, Nibui. Even so, there are no applause to be heard, no cheers, nothing. Though it is to be expected, historically, the appearance of the Captain Commander is either in response to a catastrophe, or in order to prevent one. Wordlessly, Higen steps forward towards a podium that stands center stage.
“WHO’S READY FOR THE KENPACHI GAMES!??”
The booming voice of the Commander is only overtaken by the overzealous crowd that roars before him, the silence not only broken, but entirely erased now. Bring himself to stand upright, a hand tightening against the sheath of his Zanpakuto as reality sets in well and properly now. There is no going back, this is it, he would either resign himself to what is to come, or fight a war on two fronts, one against himself and another against his opponents. A sigh escapes Nibui and for a moment, he closes his eyes, answering the question inside his own head.
”I suppose I have no choice.”
The entire time Captain Commander Kagayaki is on stage, he entirely commands the attention of the ever expansive crowd, Nibui is among those. The explanation of the rules were brief and to Nibui, they were completely unnecessary. As a member of the Eleventh, he has always been keenly aware of the legacy of the Kenpachi, the title earned through blood. If the victor was not decided by blood, then they could not claim the title. It is what comes after the rules that catches Nibui’s undivided attention, the brackets. The next few words that the Commander howls are the first of many factors that will decide who the Kenpachi is.
“Now without further ado. . .”
The first of three names…
Honoka Oki
Nibui Ueki
Yu Nakamoto

Hearing Honoka’s name didn’t do much for Nibui, he simply wished that she would come out alive and as well as possible. At least until the second name and third names were uttered. His heart sank like a lead weight in water. Fate truly is a cruel mistress, having placed the Lieutenant into two Shinigami he had developed a pleasant relationship with. Honoka Oki, an almost motherly figure in Nibui’s life. Yu Nakamoto, a relatively newfound friendship but a flourishing one. Having previously already come to terms with the fact that he had to spill blood, that was fine, but the realization that he is faced with either his own death or that of these two treasured souls, it shakes him to his core. Of course, he isn’t left with any time to grieve the reality of the situation, the Commander’s sbooms out once more, guiding the three combatants to the left where they are bunched together to wait for the two other groups to be formed.
In the time he is given to think on the situation, his thoughts never once clear up, a muddy mess of mixed feelings and clashing resolves and desires. It is only when the trio are delivered from the Rukongai by a raging whirlwind that he is free’d of his mental burden, at least momentarily while his vision blurs before vanishing.
Finally they are given sight once more, a familiar but different view greets Nibui, a barren, dead landscape, isolated from everything and anything. What differentiates this from his previous arrival in this empty land, are the obelisks of green crystal scattered throughout the landscape. It is in the silence of their arrival that this Lieutenant is sent into the fray by a voice unheard by either of his opponents, it is as though the universe is speaking to him, no, screaming at him.
”MOVE LITTLE BOY!! IF YOU WANT TO LIVE, TEAR THEM ASUNDER!!”
Spurred on by the disembodied raging voice, Nibui does not run, instead he stands his ground, his body moving of its own accord. The hand that clutches his Zanpakuto’s sheath tightens beyond belief similarly to before, and as it does, five rapid sounds meld and converge into what seems like a single destructive cacophony. Cruu... Before that chorus even finishes, the Lieutenant stands among a flourish of crimson leaves that fall to the ground around his feet, in the previously free hand, he now wields his Zanpakuto. Though it is now clear that the uncomfortable Lieutenant is at the very least ready for combat, the question remains, just when was the blade drawn? An action so imperceptible that it could be passed off as an illusion or a trick of the mind. ...unnch! His feet shift along the barren land, now littered by this crimson foliage and a peculiar black dust, a long controlled exhale is forced past his lips.
The very space surrounding the ivory haired Lieutenant seems to distort, as though it were physical. Familiar to both of his opponents, but experienced only by the Captain among the trio, it is clear that this is Nibui’s Reiatsu. Oddly enough, even as his Reiatsu rages on, the floor beneath him does not buckle as it usually would. Encapsulated by his own Reiatsu, he positions himself and watches on for what his opponents plan to do or are doing at that moment. Of course it doesn’t take a master sensor to take note of the Oki’s efforts. With each of her steps, Nibui takes note of the Reiryoku that seeps into the barrenlands and watches as life springs forth, not as grass or simple plants but instead as the landscape is terraformed into a magnificent and vibrant forest within moments. From a dead sight to a lively forest decorated by the spires of emerald, it is truly a sight to behold and It takes only a few moments before the new life begins to attempt to conceal the Oki from the view of everyone else. And although line of sight is not particularly necessary, it isn’t too long before Nibui begins to find the life surrounding him rather irksome.
Not only is the forest a bother, it also dawns on him that he is up against two combatants who he is innately at a disadvantage against. Two masters of Kido. His hand tightens on a gnarled wooden hilt as his usually calm demeanor begins to meld in with another attitude. His complete lack of knowledge and very small understanding of the demonic arts leave him with very few answers to these kinds of opponents, even so, there is no benefit in giving up simply due to a setback that can be overcome. His feet shift along the now grassy floor beneath him, positioning himself and waiting for something, anything. His preparations were ready and while he is progressively becoming more and more aggravated, he is still cautious and patient. And he is aware, aware of the Oki who hides behind the trees, vines and brambles, aware of her shifting Reiryoku and where she stands within the new forest.

 

[Shinigami]

The remainder of the interviews continue on with no issue; Nibui's appearance outside of the tent brings no surprise when his face is next plastered on the screen for his interview. This however isn't the same for the entrances that follow- a surprise appearance from the woman he previously witnessed be reprimanded for her treachery days ago and two unknown, white-haired entries each uniquely... disheveled, in their own way. Yū watches their interviews with no particular interest, but enough to catch the gist of what the following three were about: a woman with nothing left to lose, an absolute drunk, and a man who may have bit off more than he could chew.
The Captain remains silent at the sounding of the cannons' fire followed by the anticipated arrival of the Commander to kickstart the main event. It's obvious to him that Higen was quite the showman, a trait he wasn't super aware of until the sight of the Commander basking in the crowd's cheer becomes evident. He listens attentively to the rules- nothing off limits save for outside interference which he assumed would be handled by isolating them anyway. The brackets are called and Yū finds himself in slight shock that his name is called already, but with quiet relief that he doesn't have to cross paths with his former Lieutenant so soon. He already has his predictions for who will come out on top in the other two brackets... as for his own? Faced against a man who seemed more lazy at times rather than weak and a woman who by rumor matched the knowledge of a Captain as the previous Head Lieutenant, Yū is sure this wouldn't be an easy victory at all if he planned to move on to the next round. Coupled with the fact that Nibui no doubt would be infused by his newfound confidence and the undeniable charisma that radiated from his Captain and a shinigami no doubt scorned by the extermination of her clan, Yū would soon find his own purpose and hunger for victory... lacking, in comparison.
Soon after, the groups are split and as expected, isolated in separate battlefields where they will remain until one left is standing in each.Greeted by a landscape that was reminiscent of a harder time in his past, a place that bore witness to few successes and few failures, the Captain is filled with mixed emotions upon their arrival. However, he is left little time to savor the nostalgia as the woman before them moves into action, no matter how relaxed she may seem to be.
"A Lieutenant, and a Captain? The odds are not really in my favor today, are they?"
... she expresses with a deep sigh. The boy scoffs, finding minor humor in the former Head Lieutenant attempting to downplay her skill with a passing comment.

“I'm sure you'll do just fine.”
... he expresses in turn as she begins her steady advance towards the pair.

The clear sighting of the Commander’s crystal towering structures is short-lived as the area around him begins to evolve into a flowering forest. From a short distance away, the woman begins her march as life begins to spring forth from the ground beneath her. Vines and stalks alike slither from the cracks in the bedrock and spawn rapidly growing trees and before he can process it, they have all witnessed the quick birth of an entire forest. While others would stare in awe at the magical display, the Captain instead is instant disapproval.
Despite Honoka's absence for the past century and their minimal personal relationship prior, her manipulation of plants and the like were facts that were hard to forget. On top of that, only a fool would allow themselves to willingly remain stagnant in a landscape fully manifested by their adversary; in turn, Yū's first step would be rearranging the field his own way: by force. Not wasting another moment standing atop the valley floor, he begins to slowly levitate upwards, hovering calmly as his sight now is filled with green.
"Disintegrate, you black dog of Rondanini…”
The haunting voice of the unseen Honoka Oki begins to radiate from all directions, as if her call came from the trees themselves. In response, reiatsu begins to leak from Yū’s frame, not as raw and wild as Nibui’s own display that seems to distort the immediate area around them, but comparably potent and noticeably more in control.

The woman's call continues, her kidō expertise in full display as she blends another incantation into the first. Yū's right arm raised before him now begins to emit a soft glow as his countenance darkens with increased focus. His left however remains hidden in his sleeve, his thumb and middle finger joining together as if...
SNAP SNAP SNAP
"With light, divide this into six…”
While it would not be visible to the trio standing within Honoka’s forest thanks to the dense foliage overhead, three pillars of light suddenly manifest from the sky, coloring the immediate space around them a bright shade of pink. Still out of sight, Honoka adds another- transforming her two-fold incantation into a tri-fold.
"...On the wall of blue flame, inscribe a twin lotus..."
“Stay out of my way.”
… he utters to the still Shinigami before him.
A single glance is all the Captain needs to note Nibui's focus, attentively waiting for a moment to strike. However, he'd have to make sure he wasn't too hasty to ensure he didn't find himself stuck in the crossfire. However, he knows Nibui won't listen, but for the present time hopes that he is self-aware enough to understand he has no place in a match of Kidō. While Yū's counter wouldn't necessarily leave him free of harm, it would at least for the time being handle the most pressing problem: the forest around them and the woman that hid within. As her lips are about to part to impressively attempt a fourfold incantation, the product of the boy's snaps make their unexpected and ruinous entrance. Their descent from the sky is short-lived, coming to a calamitous-

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM
... before she is able to even utter her final cast. No matter how strong Honoka found her sunlight-enforced plants to be, there was one thing everyone knew that could perfectly obliterate a forest: fire... and lots of it. The lush green that surrounds them is ripped to shreds by the sheer force of the superheated columns of energy, splitting the bedrock upon impact and then simultaneously being incinerated by the divine heat that makes the beams' form. The explosion itself is cataclysmic, sending innumerable pieces of the bedrock in varying sizes flying in all directions. Smoke and ash alike rush outwards in all direction, shrouding an enormous crater that no doubt lies in the center of the collision.
This same effect is easily applicable to both Nibui and the hidden Oki; The force of the impact obviously strong enough to send them flying but combined with the heat, easily able to incinerate them alike if they were caught unaware and lacking prior to the spell's arrival. Even if Honoka miraculously finds herself able to finish her cast before her form was consumed in the blaze, she would find herself missing a target in the winged Captain who now reappears floating several meters above the vibrant conflagration menacingly and with more in hand. In the heat of the calamity, seconds after initial impact, Yū's right hand now flattens to an open palm...

“Hadō #57. Daichi Tenyō.”
... as the flying remnants of the valley suddenly halt in space. The fire and ash that consume the Oki's plants are exempt from this sudden halt, making it that much more imperceptible as the floating chunks of stone are simultaneously hidden by the sudden increase of ash. This same open hand now forms into a tight fist, and in turn sends the massive amount of debris that erupted from the bedrock to return to its home. At once, boulders of varying sizes fly back into the fiery remnants of the forest, effectively burying the ashes.
Whether it be just the ashes of the forest or including the two Shinigami that occupied the space just moments ago would be unknown to the Captain, but he had hoped they at least had more up their sleeve in the face of the Fairy.

 

[Shinigami]

Stood amongst the expansive and lush green, Nibui remains attentive to everything. The ever growing forest that threatens to encapsulate each combatant from the outside world. The foreign chanting that eerily fills the emerging landscape.
"Disintegrate, you black dog of Rondanini…”
The Captain that stands nearby and begins to slowly levitate upwards, assumedly to move beyond the blinding green ceiling. The snaps that interject themselves between the lengthy chants of the Oki.
SNAP SNAP SNAP
The chanting continues thereafter, the focus of the two opponents clear through their efforts and their refined manipulation of their Reiryoku. Oddly enough, there is something else, something that Nibui cannot see and while it resembles the energy emitted by the young Captain, it is altered. Without visual confirmation, this leaves the Lieutenant on edge. Lacking the required knowledge of these arts, and in the midst of a growing battle between two casters, it is true that Nibui is at an inherent disadvantage, that does not mean he will stay motionless of course. Before the Captain opens his mouth to speak towards the Lieutenant, he is gone.
The earth beneath Nibui cracks and shatters as his legs propel him upwards, notably lacking the gentle touch of someone like Kyomu, the Phantom or Yū himself. Even so, he is a blur of motion that shoots upwards towards the canopy top. As he closes the distance between himself and the canopy, he passes a mere three feet behind the Captain. For that brief moment, there is a shift in the Reiatsu that exudes from Nibui, the output does not increase, nor does it seem to falter, instead it accumulates along the bladed edge of Jubokko. With Nibui’s Reiatsu given a focus, there is little that can impede Jubokko’s path.

In his motion past the Captain, Nibui leaves a sight that replaces the Captain’s view of a green canopy with a crimson one instead. A flurry of crimson leaves and Reiatsu encapsulates the Captain, bisecting his body from one end to another, left to right along the abdomen. Splitting the Captain’s raised arm from his own view as this crimson trail flies. Finally, splitting the Captain’s head and remaining shoulder from the remains of his torso in one final diagonal slash. He would have been a fool not to take the opportunity presented to him by the ever so focused Captain.
Breaching the treeline regardless of whether the Captain lay on the floor sharing the fate of the trees, split into three, or perhaps remained entirely unharmed, Nibui’s gaze was robbed by the three great columns of Reiryoku created and commanded by the Butterfly. Shortly after confirming these pink monuments visually, Nibui continues further up and above the canopy, a couple dozen feet. As though trading places, just as quickly as Nibui rose, those pillars slam into the forest below.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM
A calamitous explosion tears away rock and incinerates within the forest until there is no more forest to destroy. Rubble flies outward in every direction, indiscriminate in it’s descent. Of course the damages expand beyond the explosion’s range as the pressure and heat radiate outward, attempting to claim the lives of anything it can. Thankfully for Nibui, he need not react to these destructive forces, the Reiatsu that once coated his blade had returned to shroud him immediately after his initial assault. At ground zero of the impact, there is no more than a crater of smoke and ash. Whether or not Honoka had survived, there was no telling at this point. Nibui can only hope for the disqualification of both fighters but the death of neither. In the aftermath of these first few seconds, Nibui stands midair, watching the fallout and while remaining ever vigilant for Reiryoku sources. The Captain would either stand and fight again or he would by now have become no more than a wooden sculpture split into multiple pieces and turned to ash. The blade of Jubokko then thrumming with power as the life essence of the Captain courses through the sword. The Oki either no longer existed or somehow survived what would be the death of many without question. In the end all that would remain standing tall are the emerald crystals left by the Captain Commander himself.
Whatever the outcome, the one who stands victorious in the end may acquire some new demons of their own.

 

[Shinigami]

The boy's spell is secured, supported by the completion of his trio of snaps. In one moment, he turns to deliver advice to the assumedly waiting Nibui. But, by the time he turns to steal a glance-

- he is already gone. As stated, Nibui lacked the gentle touch that shunpo masters possessed, allowing their soundless movements to assist in their elusiveness and trick those unsuspecting into thinking they were much slower than once anticipated. Perhaps if he had honed this skill himself, his attempt on attacking the Captain while his back was turned would be fruitful- Instead, the loud crash of his feet propelling himself from the ground upwards to aid in his strike and the large cracks in the undisturbed bedrock left behind would be more than enough to alert Yū that his dear friend wouldn't make this easy for him in the slightest. Instead of words of wisdom directed to the impatient lieutenant, Yū blurts out an...
“Idiot...”
... as Nibui moves in to make his strike. With his attack comes his crimson reiatsu that fills the immediate space around him and a flurry of leaves with similar hues, overtaking the boy's form. Nibui's assault continues undisturbed, his blade meeting no resistance as he attempts to split the Captain's arm, slice his abdomen, and daringly, even taking the opportunity for a diagonal slash to behead the Captain. Did he truly want Yū dead? Or did he assume the Captain would be quick enough to evade his lethal motion? Regardless of the outcome, Nibui's attention immediately shifts to the space above him, taking into account the fast-approaching columns of energy summoned just moments ago by his adversary. Keeping a similar pace, he is an upwards traveling blur as the Captain's spell finishes their descent with a cataclysmic-
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM
The trees and varying plant life are instantly launched up and away, the bedrock that anchored them to the ground already lifted and decimated into innumerable fragments shrouded in fire. As intended, the hidden spellcaster is caught in the middle of the trio of beams, just as well set aflame and forcefully blown away from their impact. The harshness of her reality is unseen by both the pair and the onlookers watching from the Rukongai, veiled by the raining debris and ash that surrounds the short-lived forest. What they couldn't see was the Oki woman's intense bruising and sustained burns, buried underneath the rubble that now stained her once glamorous clothing. Honoka's weakened reiatsu is immediately evident to the Captain and the observant Nibui; Nothing too alarming to interrupt the match between the two remaining contestants, but scrubbed down enough to lose consciousness from the sheer force- effectively ending her participation in this tournament. Soon after they were finished, he would find time to treat to her wounds... and hope she wouldn't be too upset with him.
Nibui finds himself a safe distance away from the initial impact, but still as a precaution shrouds himself in his reiatsu from the forces of the aftermath. From above, he looks down upon the calamity, assuming both Honoka and Yū to have been caught unaware and now fatally wounded, lying in the smoke. Unfortunately, a half truth as only one of the two would be present below. Perhaps Nibui would notice this hint of deceit at the lack of "life essence" that he had intended to rob from the Captain with Jubokkō, having only cleaved a mere afterimage and his left behind gift in the form of a short strip of white cloth, an unappreciated showing of deception as the forgotten piece of his haori would be lost in the chaos of Yū's kido. Yet, it is upon Nibui's realization that his attack failed to meet its true target that the Fairy finally strikes back.

At once, six rods of light are instantly joined at Nibui's waist, locking in his forearms tightly, and adequately halting any attempt at movement or escape. Suddenly, his voice calls out from behind...
"Carriage of thunder...
The rods that entrap the Shinigami, suddenly grow innumerable times tighter...
...bridge of a spinning wheel...
and tighter...
...With light...
and tighter...
...divide this into six. Bakudō #61. Rikujōkōrō."
... and tighter. A spell already casted by a master of Kido, coupled with a spoken-after incantation further bolstering his trap, would leave Nibui finding himself victim to a trap capable of immobilizing even the strongest of Shinigami, even with whatever tricks he had prepared with his reiatsu and its destructive effects. Unknown to Nibui, even without a spoken incantation, the Captain's last adversary to fall victim to this very exact spell was forced to bisect themselves in order to escape, further implying the futility of trying to break free by brute force.
The spell's potency with the Captain's incantation is near inconceivable, growing even more so with every word uttered thereafter. Stuck in this trap, would Nibui follow the same course of action like an animal gnawing at its leg to be free of his trap? Even so, was he confident enough to even survive such a strategy? In reality, this spell seemed to not just be trapping him, but possessed strength fierce enough to slowly crush his very frame- at the very least, leaving behind extensive bruising as a result of its unforgiving hold.
But, this isn't where the Fairy slows down.
His momentum mimics the same unabashed assault Nibui performed moments before, his strikes unrelenting before his retreat. But Yū wouldn't respond with his blade- he would counter with flame. Both his hands have already attained a fearsome glow, heat building from his palms and coalescing in strength. If Nibui bothered to strain his neck in order to steal a glance behind him, the sight of a crouching Captain Nakamoto floating only several meters behind and enshrouded in his own cerulean reiatsu would be signal enough that this situation could only get worse for him. If it wasn't the sight of him, perhaps it would be his calling out...

"Hadō #73. Sōren Sōkatsui!"
... that would alert him. And if that wasn't enough, then the speedy arrival of his catastrophic hadō would have to suffice. One palm already faces outwards towards the turned and immobilized Nibui as the first collection of blue flames erupts forth. In all likelihood, he was probably worse off than Honoka who had sustained her injuries mainly due to forceful impact and shortly after, knocked unconscious. This, however, would not suffice in ridding him of consciousness as there would be no brute force comparable to his previous spell - simply, inconceivable misery. That isn't to say that the impact of each Sōkatsui blast didn't have impressive force still, but nothing boastful enough to be the main factor of his anguish. Instead, Nibui would be forced to experience every moment of burning agony as the blue flames washed over him, not just once... but twice.
There would be no sense of relief with the Fairy's assault, not a singe instance to even breathe; No moment where it would ever seem to get better as the following blast would, just a couple seconds after, instead double the excruciating pain he would endure... and there would be virtually nothing he could do to stop it. Seared flesh becomes melted fibers, potentially exposing charred bone if he had no means of a defense... or miraculous escape. There would be no fathomable way of outrunning the quick-approaching carnage with the Rikujōkōrō still firmly anchored in the air and soundly keeping a strong grip on their target. Yū found no comfort in his merciless conjuration, but knew in order to proceed, he would have to break this newfound unwavering spirit of Nibui's... even if it meant reducing him to ash and bone.

 

[Shinigami]

As though a meteor had invaded the atmosphere of this stranded, barren realm, the three superheated kidō rods collide with the rampant forest and bedrock below. Flames, dust, shards of rock and debris are flung outward from the points of impact wildly. What life was once present at ground zero is incinerated in an instant, all but one source, Honoka. A faint signature of the Oki’s life remains beneath smoldering rubble. Whether or not she would escape without grievous harm is to be determined later and the fact that she still lives perhaps drives this fight in a different direction for the two standing Shinigami. The landscape is returned to its usual state, only now with the addition of partially melted stone plates in the impact point of the three columns of Yū’s design. And of course, the emerald pillars erected by the Captain Commander which now reflect the gleam of fire. The bout between Captain Yū and Lieutenant Nibui is yet to be settled.
”Idiot…”
This single word leaves the Captain’s lips as he takes note of the destructive launch that Nibui had used to propel himself into his assault on the Captain. Captain Yū Nakamoto, who managed to attain Captaincy in combat against the very Captain who defeated Nibui quite handily, it is to be expected that he would easily take note of the Lieutenant’s advance. Nibui is well aware of the fact that this initial assault was likely to be a failure, a one in a million chance of success, if even that. Still he committed to it wholly, it would be an insult not to give his best when facing such a formidable foe, at least this is the mentality instilled within him and many others of the Eleventh. A courtesy, something rare of such a barbaric division.
In many regards, the Captain has a great advantage over Nibui, most of all, his versatility, but of course, he is not a perfect being. This is the second time Nibui has faced a Captain who prides themselves on their mobility, this is the second time he has encountered this same scenario. And this time it will not be the same.

Tragic Assault

It is not when Nibui notices the lack of “life essence” in the smoldering forest below that he takes note of the deception. It is not when his blade finishes it’s motions that he becomes aware of the displacement of his target. The moment in which his blade is intended to come into contact with Yū’s flesh, it does not and with Jubokko as an extension of Nibui, he is more than aware of what has happened. He will not be fooled once more. The strip of white cloth falls to the cinders below, alone and untouched by Jubokko.
The Captain who hopes to find Nibui with his back towards him will not be so fortunate, perhaps he is the one who was fooled. In a shocking display of maneuverability and speed, Nibui vanishes without a trace. Far outshining his previous display of speed and unveiling to the Captain a simple trick he had picked up for himself. The Captain assumed that his unrefined and destructive movement was simply down to a lack of practice in Nibui’s Shunpo. The truth is simply that it was no more than his physical strength propelling him, this time it is different. There is technique and effort behind his motions, this is his Shunpo, a velocity capable of matching even Yū in this moment.
Where once Yū was to stare at Nibui’s back, taking advantage of the opening he’d given himself, he now stares the Lieutenant in the eyes. A great whirlwind of concentrated forces blowing through the Captain just before Nibui’s appearance. But what of the unseen blade that possesses a majority of the threat? Would it come from the left, maybe the right? Perhaps Nibui would try to once again lop off one of the Captain’s arms in an attempt to mitigate some of the Captain’s abilities. Perhaps he would go for the kill, aiming to decapitate him in one blow? Or perhaps the Lieutenant intended to split the Captain from his legs to disable his mobility entirely?
It didn’t matter what the Captain believed would come from his opponent. By the time he registered the Shinigami before him it was too late. Nibui is not forced to choose between what he prioritizes. A rising slash to sever the Captain’s right arm from his shoulder entirely. A descending diagonal cut splitting the Captain’s torso from the one o’clock point to the seven o’clock point. A horizontal crossing swipe to divide the Captain’s torso from his legs. Finally his blade is thrust forward, the tip of the blade piercing cleanly through the trachea of the Captain and out the back of his neck.
In addition to all of this, the Captain is introduced to the all-consuming Reiatsu that envelops Nibui, a force that compacts in against the Captain as though he were being crushed from all sides, flesh even sundered from bone as it is seemingly sliced by the pressures surrounding both the Lieutenant and Captain. That same intention the Captain had intended to enforce upon the Lieutenant is now being thrown back at the Captain, a restricting compression that is unyielding in the face of brute force.
The last sight the Captain is left with is the face of someone he should know but is now distorted in a brief moment of disconnect. Something he was exposed to before, although to a lesser extent this time around. While Honoka lays beneath rubble ash and rubble, Nibui is aware that she has yet to depart from her mortal coil, but still something seems shaken beneath, enough to allow Jubokko to wrestle some greater control. In this moment, all that Yū is left to see is a face filled with an alien rage and a sadness that forces tears from both eyes, both aware and unaware of his actions.
”Sorry…”
With an inability to speak out, he can express his remorse internally and apologise to his dear friend inaudibly.