"Okay, sure. What did you want to know?" I asked, crossing my arms.
"Firstly, what have been the happenings above in the past twenty four hours?"
"According to the few Shinigami I spoke to, it was peaceful up until the attack an hour or two ago."
"Which points did they hit?"
"Their attacks were centred around the southern gate and the guard there was absent. I have a feeling said guard either took the day off or was killed during the initial attack," I replied and he hummed.
"Intriguing. What of the lieutenants and captains? Who fought?"
"Hitsugaya and Byakuya helped for a bit, but it was mostly me. Now, what information can you give me on them?"
"The Wandenreich consists of Quincies that were defeated by the original Thirteen Court Guard Squads led by the Captain Commander himself a thousand years ago. Their leader is Yhwach, the first Quincy, their King and supposedly, the son of the Soul King himself."
"Supposedly?"
"I have no source of reliable information within their ranks as they hate all Shinigami. Therefore, 'supposedly'," he replied, which made me sigh.
"That's okay. Wait, you said the Soul King's son. Parthenogenesis? No, the Soul King would have to be a definite gender as a female for that. Wait, is the Soul King...?" I trailed off and Aizen just gave an amused chuckle.
"The Soul King does not rely on such mortal things. No, I theorize that it was through selective budding reproduction that he was birthed into this world."
"I see. That makes it fun to think about," I murmured before I glanced to Azashiro. "You got anything to add here?"
"Other than the fact that I will be launching an attack in a few hours, not much."
"...Wait, really?" I asked with a blink of my eyes, drawing a scoff from Azashiro.
"I have a need for revenge against the Four Noble Houses and the Shinigami are weaker now than ever. It would be foolish of me not to."
"I guess. Well, as long as you're not targeting the Human Realm, then you can go ahead."
"Well, once I kill the heads of the Houses, I am most definitely rushing to the Human Realm."
"Nope, you keep your fighting right here in the Soul Society."
"If you wish to keep it here, you will have to stop me now. Can you?" he asked, the two of us staring each other down as I felt his spiritual pressure just rearing to be let loose.
"You know what? Try your luck," I replied, turning to Aizen. "One more question?"
"Oh, please go ahead. I have nothing but time and patience," he replied, sounding almost amused.
"What is the goal of the Wandenreich?" I asked, actually curious on what the end goal here was. Aizen took a moment as it looked as though he was mulling over whether or not he wanted to tell him.
Then, he gave a soft chuckle and spoke, "The unification of all three worlds. He wishes to kill the lynchpin that is the Soul King and use their power to break the barriers between realms."
"So, he wants to combine the Human Realm with Hueco Mundo and the Soul Society?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at his nod.
"Yes, he wishes to make life and death one and the same."
"Well, that's kind of good since loved ones would be brought together, but the living and dead that cannot defend themselves would be left vulnerable to the ravenous hunger of the Hollows."
"There are ups and downs to such a desire, but we shall find out the truth should such a thing occur," Aizen responded, making me cross my arms before I nodded.
"True. Fuck, this also means I can't sit this out because that shit will probably leak over to the Human Realm."
"Ah, right. You wanted to focus on your family, yes?" Azashiro spoke with a knowing smirk and I gave a sigh.
"Yep, but I guess I don't have much of a choice now. Any chance you could help since I know Azashiro here is not going to be any help?"
"Not in the slightest," Aizen replied, making me smirk before I turned to the only other occupant beside us two.
"Alright, then. Think you could send me back?"
"I feel like keeping you here actually."
"I don't mind turning myself into a nuke to delay your plans," I responded with a shrug, making him smirk before he snapped his fingers. The next moment, the ground below me pushed me up and into the hole that opened above my head.
'I didn't even get to say goodbye,' I thought with an amused smirk, steadying myself as the ground continued to open. The tunnel led straight up to the execution site where the Sokyoku stood and I was launched out of the ground at high speeds.
Yet, I just smiled and created a Reishukaku barrier in my path, using it as a slide to curve and land back down on the ground.
The few Shinigami around me looked surprised as I dusted off my shoulders, standing up straight before looking around.
"Okay, I am near the First Division barracks," I muttered before my head turned at a deafening explosion. Watching as several pillars of blue flames consumed half of the Seireitei, I took one long look at the spiritual pressure in the flames and nodded.
Yep, that's Azashiro and I am going to go wait somewhere else until everything is over.
"Kanonji!"
'Yep, spoke too soon,' I thought with a sigh, turning to where Chojiro was approaching with half of the First Division behind him. At least, I believe they were the remaining half that wasn't killed during the Quincy's attack.
"Hello, Chojiro. How may I assist you today?"
"We thought that you would have returned to the Human Realm by now."
"I was planning on doing so, but two certain...people I know down under wanted to talk to me," I replied, his brow furrowing at the cryptic message.
To that, I let out a soft sigh and pointed down, slicking my hair back with my hands and smirking as his eyes widened.
"He's free?!"
"No, you don't need to look so stressed. Just tell the Captain Commander that I spoke with Azashiro and the very special guest that is also there. Also, Azashiro is the cause of this," I said while gesturing towards the blaze that was quelled by a wave of frosty ice.
Huh, guess Toshiro responded faster than Azashiro expect-And the ice just turned into flames. Nope, it's still on schedule.
"...Would you mind coming to see Master Eijisai in his office?" Chojiro asked after a long stretch of silence. I just shrugged as we watched a storm of pink petal blades and waves of ice try to snuff out the spreading blaze.
"Not in the slightest. Let us go post-haste, my friend."
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Yamamoto narrowed his eyes as he walked closer to the blaze, Captains Toshiro and Byakuya immediately ceasing their attacks to ward off the flames.
"Think this was planned?" Kyoraku asked as he stood beside the older Captain Commander, to which Yamamoto gave a slow hum.
If it wasn't, he would eat his own Zanpakuto. The attacks had not hit any of the Gotei 13's Division barracks nor the headquarters of the Kido department.
Instead, the only ones that were targeted were the residences and bases of the Four Great Noble Houses. Even then, the attacks were more focused on the Tsunayashiro and Gokushin territories, meaning that whoever initiated this attack held a grudge towards those two noble houses.
"Any casualties?"
"Tokinada Tsunayashiro, the newly appointed head of the Tsunayashiro Clan, and Gaara Gokushin, the head of the Gokushin Clan. Along with that, Central 46's headquarters is also now under lockdown again."
"And?" Yamamoto pressed, to which Kyoraku sighed as Ukitake continued with a grimace.
"None are alive inside."
"So, we're now fully in a state of war again? Lovely," Toshiro grumbled, Byakuya having a frown on his face as well.
"The Kuchiki manor and our territory were not struck nor was the Shihoin territory and the noble houses living in our territories."
"Then, this person had a grudge specifically towards the Gokushin and Tsunayashiro Clans. Perhaps someone who was wrongfully convicted of a crime wants revenge?" Kyoraku suggested and Ukitake rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"Both houses have wrongfully convicted tens of thousands since the beginning of their reign and most of those are either still in prison or living in the Rukongai."
"Master Eijisai!" Yamamoto simply turned his head slightly to look over his shoulder, watching as Chojiro landed behind them with Kanonji at his side.
Despite the leisure look in the human's posture, the short lessons he taught the man left him able to read the tenseness in his brow and the subtle shifting of his spiritual pressure.
"Kanonji."
"Captain Yama."
"I half-expected you to be in the Human Realm by now."
"I was leaving, but Azashiro was waiting for me when I exited the room," Kanonji replied, drawing a subtle twitch from Yamamoto's forehead as he nodded.
It all makes sense. With the history that Azashiro has with the Tsunayashiro and Gokushin Clans, especially in regards to his family, the puzzle pieces were beginning to fit into place.
"I assume he's the cause of this?"
"Indeed he is," Kanonji nodded, drawing a hum from Yamamoto and a sigh from Kyoraku.
"Is the name supposed to be important?" Toshiro asked, Byakuya himself looking intrigued as well as Ukitake was the one to explain.
"Soya Azashiro, or formerly known as the 8th Kenpachi Kenpachi Azashiro, is a very powerful foe that killed the 7th Kenpachi Kenpachi Kuruyashiki with a single blow."
"The same Kuruyashiki that was being recommended for a position in the fabled Squad Zero?" Byakuya asked, Toshiro's eyes widening slightly as Kyoraku nodded.
"The very same. I was there the night the two of them fought and all I saw was a flash of spiritual pressure one moment, and my friend's body hitting the floor the next."
"So, we assume that the two of the Four Great Noble houses he attacked did something to him, then?" was the burning question Toshiro spoke out loud, Kanonji uncharacteristically silent as he looked at Yamamoto's back.
"I just want to know what happened. He didn't tell me and I wanted to hear it from your mouth."
"The nobles were left to their own devices to figure out the hierarchy centuries ago. What happened during that time was none of my concern."
"And you guys wonder why every enemy you're attacked by holds such a grudge," Kanonji spoke with a groan, shaking his head.
"Yeah, the old us were...lazy and arrogant," Kyoraku spoke bluntly in agreement and even Ukitake didn't deny it as Byakuya and Toshiro frowned.
"I assume there is another reason why you have not left?" Yamamoto spoke up, unsheathing Ryujin Jakka as the flames drew closer.
"Yeah, I also met Aizen."
"What?!" Toshiro asked as his head snapped to stare at Kanonji, Ukitake looking just as surprised. Kyoraku raised an eyebrow at his words while Byakuya narrowed his eyes.
Yamamoto on the other hand paused in his steps for a brief moment before he took another step and swung his blade down.
In the mere blink of an eye, a tidal wave of searing orange flames snuffed out the azure blue ones, leaving only a charred emptiness in between the captains and the sole figure standing in the centre of the scorched ground.
Azashiro didn't say anything as Yamamoto approached. He simply stood in the centre and waited until the old man was but a few meters away.
"Captain Commander."
"Azashiro," the old man greeted, making Azashiro smirk. "Are you satisfied with your revenge?"
"Oh, I would be, but you see, it wasn't just the current heads of the Tsunayashiro and the Gokushin that caused me to lose my family, my sister, in that incident."
"Explain the incident."
"There is no need for such a thing," Yamamoto responded, to which Kanonji just gave a shrug.
The latter smirked however as Azashiro cleared his throat and spoke, "Oh, but there is. You see, Kanonji, my family and I were convicted with the death penalty centuries ago in the distant past all because there was a power struggle that the Gotei 13 did not wish to oversee."
"That is because we did not wish to bring more struggle into the hierarchy."
"No, it's because you did not wish to do so. Do not lie, Genryusai Yamamoto. During my time in the Muken, I have read every file between you and the Four Great Noble houses," Azashiro replied, drawing a frown from Yamamoto as he clenched his Zanpakuto.
"Reduce all creation to ash, Ryujin Ja-!"
"Hado #99: Goryutenmetsu (Five Swirling Dragons of Destruction)!" Kanonji was shocked when Yamamoto back-pedalled immediately, watching as Azashiro's spiritual pressure ripple outwards.
It felt gargantuan, nearly as large as the Captain Commander's as the ground gracked before five pillars of pure reishi raged upwards.
Those pillars of energy soon twisted and morphed, their ends turning into snarling maws as whiskers formed above said maws and scale-like patterns adorned their bodies.
'Incredible,' Kanonji couldn't help but feel in awe at the masterful display of Kido in front of him, watching as Azashiro's spiritual pressure mixed with the Reimyaku of the Seireitei itself.
So this... this was the pinnacle of what he strived towards? It...it was beautiful.
"Stop," Still, it was unfortunate that he had to end it, the world coming to a stop with a snap of his fingers.
Parts of the Reimyaku gathered in the spell and in the ground coalesced in front of his pointed fingertip, taking the shape of a spiralling golden sphere.
"Golden Kanon'ball," Kanonji chanted as he fired the attack at Azashiro, the world resuming right as the Golden Kanon'ball impacted Azashiro's form.
What came from said impact was an explosion of radiant golden light shining across the scorched ground.
The five dragons around Azashiro were impacted by the blast and exploded as well, creating a zone of gold-purple energy that tore everything asunder.
Yet, the light died down just as quick as it was created, Azashiro narrowing his eyes at Kanonji while holding the condensed explosion in his hand.
"That...was impressive."
"Thanks, I've been training with absorbing reishi and the Reimyaku more since I got this arm," Kanonji replied, to which the Shinigami hummed.
Kanonji then turned to the Captain Commander and crossed his arms. Then, he spoke, "Do you think it would be possible for him to just kill the actual masterminds behind the attack? In return, Azashiro, do you want to join up with us?"
"Us?" Ukitake asked with a frown, the other captains focusing on the human as well while ignoring Yamamoto and Azashiro staring each other down.
"Yeah, us. I wasn't going to join in, but after Aizen told me about the enemies you guys are about to deal with and what they're going to do, I felt like I had no choice."
"And what did Sosuke Aizen tell you?"
"Aza, mind putting a hold on your quest for vengeance?"
"If he agrees to your offer, then yes," the Shinigami replied, all of us looking to Yamamoto who stood silently.
Time passed for a while before the flames on his Zanpakuto were snuffed out and he turned to me with a frown.
"Start talking."
"Cool. Then, let's start with the beginning."
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Tier was struggling to breathe as she stood on shaky legs, blood dripping down her arm as she stared at her new foe.
The first one she had barely managed to get away from and she hoped that her Fraccion did as well, but the one currently in front of her was a monster.
He had easily kept pace with her and all she could perceive of him were flashes of his mane of black hair and red eyes. Then, all she knew was pain, pain that tore through her every cell as his Quincy arrows cut deep into her skin.
Thus, here she was, out of option and stamina as the Quincy approached her.
However, her eyes widened as a blur crashed into the ground in front of her, feeling a pair of arms wrap around her waist before dozens of Cero were fired off in unison.
The last thing she saw was a flash of the Garganta before she was greeted by a bright light, blinking blearily as a familiar green-and-white-striped bucket hat entered her vision.
"Y-You..."
"Yes, me. Picaro, recall your clones."
"Will do," she watched as the Arrancar child she remembered playing with Runuganga sucked in copious amounts of souls, immediately closing the Garganta right as a Quincy arrow barely missed his head.
She herself was bewildered at what was happening, but her exhaustion didn't give her much time to hear anything other than a few whispered words before she passed out.
"Papa's going to be mad at you, you know?"
"Let him be. Now, let's get to work."
A/N: We're back~! I think? Yeah, we're back! And what a start to the TYBW as Kanonji tries to make more allies while Tier is saved from her fate.
Next chapter: Armies gather and Abrupt interruption.
As always, read, enjoy, review and until the next one...
Ba-Bye~!