Wrath of the Archdemon: Cerberus

What Next? The Soul Society War Summit!
"Wonder what the ruckus is about?" Shunsui asked, wearing his slightly ripped and tarnished pink kimono over his Haori, scoring a few bandages over wounds recently earned from the battle. Retsu Unohana had treated each and every Captain that she could before this surprising War Summit was proposed by an anonymous ally. Naturally, Jushirō and Shunsui were the least banged up and made leaps and bounds ahead of everyone else.

"Don't know...that fellow from the 11th Division's Reserve wasn't very forthcoming with details, though I don't think he was meaning us harm," Captain Ukitake surmised, shrugging his shoulders before wincing slightly from the wounds inflicted by Rana Zolinder.

"Well, the guy used a trick only Katen Kyōkotsu should possess, but I guess shadows are more the lad's liking," Captain Kyōraku said, bending his straw hat down to hide the amused if not sheepish expression of having someone actually sneak up on the likes of him.

"No need to get embarassed now," Jushirō said with a slight laugh, trying to keep both of their spirits up in light of their sensei's death. They'd have time to grieve their late master and surrogate father figure. For now, they had people to strategize with and plans for the Soul Society's continuation and preservation.

"Oi, don't talk about me as if i'm not here..."

With their combined shadows, Raiken's form slowly rose from the ground, from Jushiro's up to Shunsui's as if he were walking. By the time he had reached the edge of Shunsui's shadow, his entire form had emerged from the ground. His attire still bore the burns from the previous fight with Leviatan, but he acted as if there were nothing wrong with him at the time.

"Welp, now it seems we have to wait for them other lads." he commented, standing a few feet to the duo's right.

"I felt it that time," Shunsui chuckled, tipping his hat upwards to regard the injured man as he walked to his own place of posture, "so precisely who is the mysterious masked man who's playing errand boy for an even more mysterious source?"

"I think its fair we ought to know, if we're going to be working together," Jushirō said with a curious, yet serious tone of his own as he regarded Raiken's stature and aura...slightly menacing, yet restrained and controlled, as if a foreign power lingered over him, seperate from his own yet hanging over him like a dark cloud or overcasting shadow.

"Aye, my apologies for the bluntness of my previous introduction. Time was of the essence." he replied, holding his arms behind his back and standing straight up. "Raiken Uchiwa, 11th Reserve forces. This "errand boy" is under orders of the new Commander to gather all of the remaining Captains and replacements to this hall."

Shunsui's eyes widened a fraction in sync with his academy-old friend, both of them uttering a synonymous, "The what?!"

"Did Central 46 react this quickly for contingency plans? They couldn't have kept a proxy in the wings for so long without our knowing," Jushirō spoke aloud incredulously, hardly believing whoever this supposed new leader could already attain the rank and authority to do this.

"Unless this is not of the official Gotei 13 channels," Shunsui said with a narrowing of his eyes in suspicion, sideglancing at Jushirō, the latter friend of his reading his thoughts through the look in his irises, as the prior man turned his dark eyes to look back at Raiken, "is this new Commander from the Zero Division as a replacement?"

"Nope." Raiken replied to Jushiro and Shunsui's questions at the same time. "The lad wiped out nearly a third of the enemies army by uttering a single word and drawing his blade. His spiritual pressure is just as high, if not moreso than his precursor's. Hell, being in the same vicinity as him was enough to make me think the place was ciphened of oxygen."

His left eye narrowed at the both of them. "He's definitely the sort that's been hanging out of the public eye. I doubt that even the Central 46 knew about him for a while. Whoever he is, I bet ole' Yamamoto was the only one who knew of him."

"Well," Shunsui shrugged as he smiled, "I guess we can just wait and see for ourselves..."

"I don't see why that should be necessary, Captains," Seu-Feng spoke aloud as she appeared in step with a just arriving Shinji, the two worn and weary combatants walked into the room, with her eyes peeled around the Captains' Meeting room, feeling a lot more void without the Head Captain's constant, commanding presence, "considering that he sounds like a man wanting to give us a chance for payback against the bastardized race that tried to take us out for good!"

"I agree, but we should be careful to gauge just how reliable this new guy really is," Shinji commented as he walked to his own posture while Seu-Feng walked in step to be next to Raiken, wanting to keep an eye on the newcomer esteemed Soul Reaper for the time being, "for all we know, he might lead us to our deaths blindly or might want us to cower while he protects our flanks, its hard to know with newbs..."

Raiken barely turned his gaze to the two of them. "Hmm...." he mused in thought, tilting his head lower to the ground in seemingly thought. "Ah...they've all got the message then, good."

They would all notice that several black blobs that were flat on the ground all quickly slipped through the hallway like they were moving shadows. All of them merged underneath Raiken, before they completley enveloped into his own shadow, of which was notably absent previously.

He then resumed his previous, stoic stance as Seu-Feng stood next to him. "I'm bettin' you lot didn't get too banged up now, did you?" he said to her and Shinji.

"As much as the living can be," Shinji said sarcastically, before spitting a wad at the ground and putting on his classic overbited scowl as he looked at nowhere in general, "f'ing Vasto Lordes my ass! They weren't even Shinigamified and they still acted like we were nothing! Did Sōsuke happen to choose the weakest of the best just so he could wear us down or toy with us?! How did we get beaten by bastardized Hollows?!"

"They were all older, much older, than the ones Aizen brought with him," Seu-Feng spoke gravely, narrowing her eyes as she looked down at the ground, her fists balling up, "and I couldn't do a damned thing to stop any of this! My Lieutenant! My comrades! My Head Captain! I couldn't stop any of their deaths...and I take full responsibility for it..."

"Wow," a youthful, yet experienced voice broke the self-loathing on Seu-Feng's part and directed over to what appeared to be a Noble House Clan Head. Having hair in scarlet mingled with slight shades of black, the young man looked to be near Byakuya's, if not a little younger. With a white scarf wrapped neatly over his neck and down his shoulders, he also possessed his Clan's decoratively red kimono with the insignia promptly on its back while wearing a straw hat of his own, "this place is incredibly depressing and I just got here..."

"Well now, this is a surprise," Shunsui broke out, trying to keep the tone a little more enlightened to keep Seu-Feng's haphazard emotions and Shinji's sarcastic drawl in check, nodding to the newcomer, "its nice to see you come here, Hayate-dono.-"

"Please, call me Kukkyōna!" The man insisted, waving a hand in dismissal while smiling, "we meet with you and Jushirō-san enough to speak formally. I'd hate to get bogged down now of all times with legalities and beaucracies..."

"Hmph." Raiken muttered, listening to Seu-Feng's complaint with apparent annoyance. "Do you honestly expect me to..." however, he was cut off from Kukkyona's entrance, glancing at the newcomer briefly before retaining his old pose, sighing in tiredness.

"Well if you insist, Kukkyōna-san," Shunsui said with a smile, placing his hands within the sleeves of his Haori, "its not like we have to be formal at this time around. Might as well be thankful we can get help from the Noble Houses with this mess..."

"If it wasn't for the fact military matters are usually left for the Gotei 13, I would've went out to fight with you," Kukkyōna said sagely, bowing his head before raising it back up with a tinge of malice behind it, "but that changes today. The full might of the Hayate Clan will back the Soul Society's efforts in defending itself, no matter the cost!"

"Bout time you Noble Houses started pitching in," Shinji said with a smile, teasing the young Clan Head, "I was about to drag you all off your haunches and tell you to get to work if you hadn't done so otherwise!"

Raiken simply stood in place, without saying a word to anyone, until his attention slowly began to turn to Seu-Feng. "You seemed troubled lass, moreso than the others about this here' shitstorm."

"What I feel is none of you or anyone else's concern," Seu-Feng said tersely, holding a stoic yet twitching stare at her opposing newfound, yet mysterious looking ally, "so watch how you speak to me, you masked frea-"

"Hey now, there's no need to be hostile to the man, he's just doing his duty and is trying to emphasize your concerns," Jushirō tried to plead with his associate, sweatdropping slightly at already having a conflict arising when they should be united.

"Just because he now decides to show up to help, doesn't make him my ally, let alone an acquaintence who can ask me such trivial questions," Seu-Feng said with an icy tone, not taking her glare off the masked, black haired man whom called himself Raiken Uchiwa.

Shunsui could only sigh, seeing Seu-Feng hostile was no different than any other time something appeared she didn't like or couldn't accept, making any Captains' Meetings they've had in the past difficult to progress through. The only thing that really kept her in line was the old man, but with him gone...

"You really have no reason to be hostile to him, Captain Seu-Feng," Kukkyōna said with a neutral, diplomatic tone as he bowed his head with respect before stretching out a hand to Raiken, "this man bears grevious wounds, yet purposes not to let them bother his emotions. He's fought for the security and safety of the Soul Society, something every Soul Reaper should strive for. If he's simply asking for your state of mind's health, is it not right of him to be worried as all of you Captains were fighting for your lives?"

"Tch!" Seu-Feng growled, but couldn't argue the Noble's words since they appeared to make sense. Looking at Raiken's wounds now, she grasped that he made personal sacrifices of his own, despite his conspicuous appearance and his sudden unexpected alliance pledged to them all, he at least helped take initiative, "Fine. I'll bite my tongue and work with you, but it doesn't mean I'll like it..."

"Hmm..." Raiken mused with curiosity at Seu-Feng's hostile words. To him, he didn't really care how she looked at him or how she felt, but he could tell that she was under an intense amount of stress, and he also knew that she could potentially become more of a nuiscance with a clouded mind rather than an actual help. But he could only digress...

"Oh wait, I forgot a couple." he said suddenley, as two more shadows shot out from the hallway behind Kukkyona and into Raiken's own shadow, fully completing it.

''Snap! Snap!''

Popping the bones in his neck, making two loud snapping noises, he groaned as if though not having the shadows entirely drained him and kept him rather tired. "Alright, now I feel like I can move again..."

"Those shadows were grafted by the spiritrons in his body, making a solid-body replicate that's linked to his conscious," Kukkyōna observed with slitted, narrowed eyes of analytic prowess as he watched them regress into Raiken's body, allowing him to regain the lost energy the "bodies" used up, "he must be a master of manipulating his own spirit energy so fluid and precisely in order to accomplish a feat like that. Not to mention, its a Zanpakut'ō technique..."

"How many of those things did you send out there?" Shunsui asked curiously, also keenly observing the unique nature of this man's "copies" regressing into his own shadow, relieving themselves of spirit energy and collescing back into Raiken's body, "did you make sure you had enough for every Noble House's Head?"

"Twenty-seven in total." Raiken replied plainly, retaining his pose. "That's far more than enough obviously, but the excessive amount was just in case any of Caius' stragglers were hanging around and got ideas."

"That has to cut your power tremendously if you overuse them in combat," Kukkyōna spoke aloud in an observing neutral tone, placing a hand around his chin as he narrowed his eyes further, "it must've taken a lot of training and concentration to create that many look-alikes as well as make them move in sync with your conscious..."

SFT-SFT!

"Sorry for being late everyone," A young man with long violet hair, who wore the Kenseikan hair clips over where his long bangs arched over either flank of his fair complexioned browline was, as well as the Kuchiki Clan scarf wrapped around his neck over his violet and white Clan Head uniform, "but I had to go through an...unfortunately taxing ceremony in becoming the new Head of the Kuchiki Clan. It wasn't pleasant, I assure you..."

Standing next to him silently was a woman of regal appearance, donning a white-golden enamored headdress as well as a long flowing white cloak embroidered in a way that gave her a state of presence while also emanated tranquility and beauty. She bore the markins of the Kasumiōji Clan, a recent addition to the Noble Houses of the Seireitei.

''"That's the fun about these shadows. The first time I use them on someone and it scares the piss out of em' all...." ''Raiken thought to himself as the newcomer arrived. Inwardly, he was laughing over the fact that he himself scared everyone at the ceremony by popping up behind the Kuchiki in shadow form.

"Now you finally show yourself," Kōjaku Kuchiki spoke aloud, looking over his shoulder at the shadow behind himself, "walking over here almost felt like someone slipped a feather down my back. Couldn't let go the feeling I had something extra tagging along..."

"..." The Kasumiōji Head was silent, save for bowing her head to the gathered Captains and the Hayate Head, "I'm pleased to see nearly everyone is here. I'm assuming Captain Unohana won't be joining us?"

"Yeah, the thing is this war left a lot of wounded and dying," Shinji said with a tsk, waving his hand offhandedly as he smelled more superiority enter the Captain's Meeting Hall than needed, "so I guess she's too busy to talk war with the rest of us...shame though. She's quite the badass when you get her serious enough..."

"You can say that again," Shunsui and Jushirō said with a comical cloud of foreboding fear of what Restu was really capable of. If it wasn't for her medical expertise being in so high demand and this mysteriously powerful benefactor who's asked to have them all gather from Raiken, she'd surely be assuming the Head Captain's seat.

"I see," The princess sighed with a sad look in her eyes, bowing her head in reverence, "let us hope those who've given their lives in service to their honor and duty may find rest in the embrace of the balance."

"Amen," Kōjaku and Kukkyōna said in unison, their reverence earning themselves a slight smile of admission and recognition to each other.

"Oi, I don't stalk. At least if it's not someone I like or if it's a baddie." Raiken replied to Kōjaku plainly, before remaining silent at hearing the princess speak.

SHFT!

"Only the lowly bother treading upon another's shadow in hiding," An intimidating voice broke out, as an armored, dark robed Noble House Head walked into the space between the Kuchiki Head and the Kasumiōji Head, earning both their sudden stares at the usually socially withdrawn Noble, "but I guess you know all about that, Raiken Uchiwa..."

Seeing the man, Raiken let out a low chuckle. "Aaah come on now lad. You're only saying that because I scared the shit out of you just a few minutes ago with it."

"With all the horrors this war has brought upon us this day," Sōdai emphasized in a dark, unimpressed tone to Raiken as he stared at him with collescing, obsidian irsises, "your petty attempts of misguided enjoyment is far from what I call a major importance to me."

"Now, now, there's no need for hostilities," Kukkyōna raised hands up to Sōdai defensively on behalf of Raiken, "the man's just happens to have strange antics is all..."

"If he's really as competant as you claim him to be, then why does he hide behind a mask?" Sōdai asked, glaring at Raiken's true form as he walked over to stand in his own position as the others now collesced in a parallel format as most of them as always done, "I'd rather fight an unknown enemy than have unknown allies on my side..."

Behind his mask, Raiken was letting out a low grin.

"There are some things in this world laddie..." he began, strange black markings beginning to creep onto it's left side in a fluid manner. "...that are better left concealed."

Tk-Click!

"If you pose even the most miniscule of threats to our plans and our Society, creature," Sōdai threatened lowly, his right hand thumbing his Zanpakutō out of its sheathe, preparing to engage in combat with the currently weakened, yet powerful Soul Reaper, "I'll kill you where you stand!"

"Oh boy," Shunsui grumbled lowly, as he tried to hide his grimace with his straw hat, "this could get ugly..."

"Why does he have to be so untrusting of everybody?!" Kukkyōna let out a elongated drop of his jaw, comically exasperated at Sōdai's willingness to attack an ally within the Captain's Meeting Hall, when they're supposed to work together.

"Oye vey...." Raiken facepalmed in an almost embarassed manner. "Now I know we're about as screwed as a pooch. Can't even have a nice little conversation without someone willing to pick a fight over my choice of attire. Big ole' Ultharon won't have a problem picking us off one by one when we don't even trust each other. You wanna go ahead and get rid of help when it's standing right in front of you or jeapordize our defenses over a simple little feeling? Fine by me. Go for it." He then went back to his old pose, unintimidated by the man's words and actions.

"That won't be necessary," a voice emanated from the far reaches of the Head Captain's old seat, with a man with black raven hair fastened into a high-rise ponytail, with elaborate choice in garments and a Zanpakuto sheathed on his left hip, "cause I believe I'll need all of your help if we're going to stand a chance against the greatest Hollow in our brief existence."

"Shin-chan?!" Shunsui suddenly called out, with widened eyes of delight and surprise, also mirroring a similar look from his comrade and friend, Jushirō, as they saw the familiar boy turned man, "what are you doing here, at a time like this?"

"Hello to you too, Shunsui-dono...Jushirō-dono...," Shin'en spoke aloud as he looked over to the rest of the agape Captains and Noble House Heads. The strangest thing...is that his presence currently emanated no current Spiritual Power at all. While he emanated strength, experience, and a commanding presence, he hid his body's energy completely, "glad to see everyone got my summons."

''"Hehe, looks like ole' Raiken knows a thing or two after all...." ''

Raiken chuckled to himself inwardly at seeing the two's reaction to the man, hoping at least that they would now somewhat believe him for his word. For now, he simply stood in place and waited for Shin'en to speak.

"So...this is the guy, huh?" Shinji thought to himself as he looked neutrally at the young man who rallied them all together, not to mention project that powerful pillar of light-like Spiritual Pressure on the borders of the Soul Society, "I don't feel anything from him now than his personal aura...if he's as strong as I think he is...he may be stronger than the old man ever was..."

"So this is the so-called new Commander that fool babbled about," Seu-Feng herself inwardly thought as she glared at the newcomer, analytically if not in a cynical manner looked him over, "he must be a fool if he thinks he can replace the Head Captain, let alone best Ultharon alone!"

Sōdai narrowed his eyes at the newcomer, before allowing his voice project his thoughts, "So...the prodigal child student of Genryūsai has returned from his sojourn, has he? I was wondering when you would decide to come back, boy."

"Alot of people are skeptical here, huh?" Kukkyōna said aloud incredulously, as he scratched his head as he looked to and fro at nearly half of the gathered Captains and Noble House Heads were either glaring or staring indifferently at the man who called them all here.

"Nice to see the times hasn't changed your pleasant nature, Sōdai-dono," Shin'en smiled unabashedly, before turning to the group as a whole, gracing his fingers along the Head Captain's seat longingly but never sitting upon it, "and now just to set the records straight, no, I'm not here to replace Genryūsai-sensei, for his presence will never be a one that I or anyone can fill back," he lowered his head soberly, letting that sink in before raising a stoic face of determination, "but, I am here to help take charge and help bring you all together for a singular purpose: A plan of Counter-Attack against Ultharon and his Army in Hueco Mundo."

"?!?!?!" A unanimous series of surprised, incredulous, and wide-eyed expressions were seen by all that were gathered. Some thought the young man was out of his mind, others were struck speachless at such a bold proposal, while others thought he was being merely a dreaming fool.

Raiken however, simply looked over to him casually without any form of surprise or shock, but he seemed rather curious. "Give the bastards a taste of their own bloody medicine it is? Probably the best thing to do really. It's never a good idea to just sit idly when you've just gotten yer arse handed to you on a silver platter by a madman. You don't prove to him that you're not fucking around, then he'll keep fucking around with ya."

"Counterattack? Pffft!" Shinji jeered aloud, as he smiled in a semi-mocking away while speaking his own doubts to the young leader, "I don't know what channel you've been watching, Shin-san, but we've got our asses kicked! Do you honestly think we need humiliation added ontop of our own punishment?"

"Shin'en," Seu-Feng spoke aloud, her being the nearest to him besides Shinji, she took the initiative to speak her own set of sage words of advice, "we've suffered heavy casualties not only to the higher-ups within the Gotei 13, but to many of the lower seats and the unseated Reapers also suffered many wounded and dead. It would be unwise to stage a full offensive when the enemy could send some of their forces to take advantage of our defensless or lessened defenses could handle."

"That's why I brought my friend, Hando-san, with me," Shin'en said with a confident smile, crossing hsi arms over his chest as he explained, "I briefly had a chat with your eccentric 12th Division Captain, who happens to be your scientific specialist. Technically he'll be undergoing his special regerative process for another few days in order to be of help, but one of his Seated Officers by the name of Kaze Sasayaki, proposed using some prototype tech that will indefinitely bolster our defenses, provided that my friend preforms the Kidō without being disturbed."

Raiken simply retained his pose and listened to them all speak, making sure he latched onto any details that were spoken.

"Sounds like you thought of everything," Shinji commented with an approving smile, before brushing a hand through his hair thoughtfully, "but its going to be a pain in the ass to deal with the other Vasto Lorde we didn't deal with last time..."

"I have strategies for that," Shin'en said pointedly, starting his walk between the gathered warriors he turned to Seu-Feng and Raiken first, "Seu-Feng-dono, Raiken-dono, you two are perhaps some of our most subtle warriors. We'll use that, to have you both to infiltrate the ranks of the masses and see where they're weakest and advoid where they're strong. You sabatoge what you can within reason and reendevous back with the rest of the invasion force, then we'll crush them before they can make a major defensive..."

"Understood," Seu-Feng said with an understanding nod, glad to see he knew how to maneuver the other Captains promptly.

"Got it." Raiken said without moving.

Shin'en continued onwards, looking to Shinji, "You'll do good as immediate support. Do not engage the enemy unless one of our positions get overwhelmed. Only engage the Hollow forces not near Ultharon, or..."

"...he'll mess shit up in my head, I know," Shinji nodded in bored understanding, making a mock salute to his new temporary superior, "you can count on me to pull someone, if not everyone's, collective asses out of the fire."

"Good," Shin'en said with a humored grin, as he continued on, looking to Jushirō and Shunsui respectively, "Jushirō-dono, and Shunsui-dono, I'll need you to move in and strike fast and hard on the disorganized groups. You'll be making the secondary stride into the main Hollow forces. If anything, you're to make sure their ranks are chaos and flee once they're generals are unsure what to proceed to."

"And who is the initial firing support?" Jushirō asked curiously.

"Kukkyōna," Shin'en said pointedly to him, before explaining as the young Noble House Head gave him a queried look, "I've heard your own Zanpakutō rivaled in destructive potential to that of Genryūsai's own Ryujin Jakka, as your twin Zanpakutō have a unique aspect it does not."

Kukkyōna raised his hands in defense, as he sheepishly said, "I'm not claiming any of that is even close to being true..."

"But its close enough that you can cause a wide-spread artillery fire upon the weak spots within the Hollow Army's ranks," Shin'en said with a smile, walking over and patting him on the shoulder as he spoke with sincerity, "I believe in your power, Kukkyōna Hayate. Now believe in yourself!"

"Yes sir, Shin'en-san," The humble Hayate Head bowed reverently to him, allowing Shin'en to smile back with resigned finality that his ally would do him well.

"Kurīku-san," he looked over to the woman, emphasizing his next assignment to the revered Kasumiōji Clan Head, "your reputation as a Kidō expert precedes you. I'd like you to give fire support and cover for any open combatants out in the field as well as any possible healing abilities you retain to patch up those with wounds impeding their preformance."

"I understand," Kurīku said with a polite, assured tone, standing a bit straighter than before as she smiled earnestly, "I'll do my best to assist you all."

"And what about us three?" Kōjaku asked calmly, his feet shifting slightly as he placed his arms within the folds of his kosode's sleeves.

"We will hold back and wait for the big fish to be lured out to see what the fuss is about," Shin'en said calmly, emphasizing with a wave of his hand, "we will also provide immediate assistance to any pressed or stalemated arenas within the battlefield. This will allow us more oversight and tactical administration to any of the shock troops among the Noble Heads and Captains alike."

"A sound plan," Sōdai said in a solemn, aggreeable tone as his own armored arms crossed over his chest, a hand rubbed his chin in thought, "if for some reason we start to be overwhelmed, we can create distractions or leap into the fray and provide the necessary support."

With a long lapse of silence, Shin'en began to walk towards the recently passed Head Captain's chair, "The Soul Society has had many wars and conflicts since its birthing. From intermediate civil wars, to uprisings, to neighbour soul realms thirsting for power and conquest, to Hollow incursions. But this is unlike any war we've ever faced," turning around he waved a hand in emphasis, "our very survival depends on this! The World of the Living's survival depends on this one battle! The very natural balance of the universe itself, depends on this one moment, where Nobles and Commonfolk, Captains and Officers, Men and Women of all upbringings and traditions fight for one thing! The continuation of life itself, and the very honor, for which we continue to uphold!..."

He then pointed out to all of them, shouting with a youthful, charismatic vigor, "So join me! And together, we will drive back the horde that threatens to destroy that peace and universe we fight and honor to preserve, and slay the oldest Hollow in existence for killing both our most greatest and most honorable Soul Reaper Head Captain, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto! Let us fight, and let us win!"

"YEAAAAAH!" Somehow, even some of the more reserved individuals found themselves yelling out in agreement and preemptive war valor. For in their hearts, they knew they've already won the war. Their enemy came to not only destroy them, but to break their spirits. Now, having failed both, will pay the ultimate price....

Raiken didn't even really move, though he did flinch in slight annoyance when everyone else yelled out in valor and courage as if they were little. Being the oldest in the room, he found noises to be rather damaging to his ears. Sure he agreed with them that Ultharon and his forces needed to pay for what they had done, but did they even consider that more men were going to die in this next battle, considering that thousands of their numbers were already gone, and that Ultharon's forces were growing every minute?

''"Damned kids...since when did war become something to look forward to?" ''He thought inwardly.

"When do you propose we move out?" Sōdai asked smoothly, in light of the others dying cheers and withdrawing back into their collected selves.

"Six hours from now," Shin'en said with a look of seriousness about him, "that will give my friend plenty of time to work in conjunction with the Tech Department in making that spacial barrier to protect the Soul Society while we're gone, as well as allow you to gather what warriors you have within your own respective Clans."

"I hope you know that we only have one shot at this." Raiken said to Shin'en with his own rather serious tone. "If we fuck up here, then there's no turning back. We're the only things keeping Ultharon from tearing through this realm, the world of the living, and hell even Hueco Mundo itself would be better off without him in control."

"I have no doubts about the chances and odds of success we have, Raiken-san," Shin'en said in a equally serious tone, his eyes making a lethal glint that belonged to a specific someone, "there is no secondary plans, no contingencies. We are the first and last line of defense. The only thing standing in between Ultharon and the Soul Society is us. We have no alternatives..."

"That, and the Royal Guard will only step in when the Gotei 13 is no longer functioning and/or able to protect the Soul Society," Sōdai said smoothly, with his eyes closed before sideglancing across to Raiken, "and they certainly wouldn't want any of us alive if we fail now."

"True enough." Raiken replied, going back to his regular stance.

"Now that we have no illusion that this will be our first and maybe our last mission as the collective of bright and skilled individuals we have here, does anyone else have any questions or doubts they want to share?" Shin'en asked, looking around at everyone gathered together, "cause this is your time to spit it and have your peace before the end."

"I do believe, my dear Captains, that I might need to throw something in here..."

An old, raspy british sounding voice could be heard from the hallway leading out of the Captains' meeting hall. Within a few seconds, the hunched over form of Charles McTavish could be seen, his hands behind his back and a calm, relaxed smile on his face while his piercing yellow eyes gave a serene glare upon them all.

"...for without what i'm about to tell you, you will be leading thousands to their graves."

"...Tamenky'ōme...!"

"Who are you?!" Sōdai demanded in a heated, yet controlled tone as his eyes flashed from obsidian orbs to a pair of tripple digit tomoes in a red eyed background, as his ocular senses began to read the man's Spiritual Energies origins and his physical genetic blueprint like a book.

"Its him again..." She uttered in a low growl, hoping never to see the distasteful man again or the matter hear anything that he would withhold from the Captains.

"Begging your pardon, mister, but I don't think I've been introduced to the likes of you," Shin'en said as he walked over to the hunch-backed man, narrowing his eyes at him as he crossed his arms in front of himself, "but exactly what threat could possibly be greater than the one we're aware of?"

"The threat, my friend, is Ultharon himself, or more specifically, what he is planning to do." Charles said, looking up at Shin'en with the same expression as before.

"Oi, Mctavish..."

Raiken looked over at the hunched over man. "What in bloody hell are you doing all the way out here? I thought you were busy chasin' myths down in that hut of yours."

"Ah, Mr. Uchiwa, what a pleasent surprise." the elder man said, glancing over at the masked man briefly. "I see you've certainly grown in position around this society..."

He then cleared his throat before looking back at Shin'en. "Charles McTavish at your service. I'm here to give you crucial information that you cannot afford to turn down."

"Any information you possess is crucial the survival of all existence, McTavish-san. I hope you realize the gravity of withholding information of this type is very unwelcome from the conspicuous likes of you," Shin'en said seriously as he crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes into near-slits of seriousness, "so say what you came here to say, and hold nothing back. I want the absolute truth and nothing less."

"Then you might need to take a few steps back..."

Charles reached into his pocket and pulled out what appeared to be a disc of some sort. Pressing the center of it, the black disc changed into a dynamic, crystal clear version of it'self as it began to grow in size, enveloping the entire room. When it was done, everyone would feel as if they were in a strange new dimension, with a solid white floor, and with a grey background in where several synthetic appearing rifts of wind were gently flowing by.

"This tech again," Shinji muttered as the collective group of makeshift generals and Captains looked at the passing colors of synthetic colorations as it filtered through the area and showed them the visual description of the new threat.

"While Ultharon was attacking Soul Society, I seized the opprotunity to infiltrate his palace. Unfortunatley, it seems that most everything that I had gathered on Ultharon's origins, was either the telling of another Gran Vasto Lorde, or had simply aged and decayed with time thanks to what I found deep within the reaches of his palace." Charles began, holding up his fingers and moving them as if he were pressing buttons. However, where his fingers stopped, a bright white light for each finger popped up, indicating that there was a keyboard of sorts in front of him.

The scene then changed into a war torn Hueco Mundo, with fires and smoke reaching up into the skies and thousands of dead below a great mountain, Soul reaper and Hollow alike. At a first glance, it would appear as if the Soul Reapers and Hollows had killed each other. But the next part changed that assumption.

One Soul Reaper was staggering around the ground, bloodied and wounded as he grabbed his Zanpakuto as tight as he could. A large, tyrannosaurus like Adjuchas, unharmed mostly from the apparent battle, roared out and charged at him. The Soul Reaper prepared for a fight, but suddenley, a large black spear flew down from above and slammed into the warrior's left shoulder and going out his right shoulder. His eyes buldged out of their sockets and he fell over, squriming around until he was dead.

The Hollow looked at what happened with animalistic curiousity, but then another spear of similar origin flew into the creature's eye and out his other, instantly killing it.

The scene then shifted to the top of the massive mountain, with Ultharon's shell form at it's top, looking over the battlefield with an annoyed and frustrated animalistic glare as he scanned around the area. Another spear in hand, he found another large Hollow scouring the field, and then threw the spear at it, flying through it's chest and pinning it to another large pile of bodies.

"Ultharon was no war hero, no savior of the Hollow race. No, he was in fact the reason that the Soul Reaper incursion of the Plinian Eruption was thrown back, for both the rebelling Hollow forces and the Soul Reaper attackers were both killed by him."

"This thing again," Seu-Feng said with an annoyed twitch in her brow, stepping out of her line to walk over to Charles despite the ongoing story, "I could care less if he was a saint or a heathen! That monster killed my superior, my lady, and many of my comrades for the self sake of terminating us from the map and using the Hollowity to do it! What the hell are you babbling about now, old man?!"

"Oi, shut the fuck up and let em' speak, ya damned brat." Raiken silenced her harshly, narrowing his left eye slit down at her in a down looking fashion. "Keep that mouth of yers shut and you just might find out what he's getting at."

Charles then cleared his throat. "Gran Vasto Lordes, as it turns out, are not meant to lead Hueco Mundo, they are not meant to be gods or kings, but rather, they are a sign..."

Ultharon then took his black sword and stabbed himself in his chest with it, releasing a grand red spiritual energy and revealing his true, sovereign form behind it. Just behind him and in the mountain's large crater were at least thirty Vasto Lordes, all bowing before him and his dark glory.

"...a sign of the end times. Every time a Gran Vasto Lorde is born, it signals the end of a long cycle."

"You mean its the end of the world?" Shin'en asked with a sudden smile. Giving a shrug he then spoke aloud with a nonchalant tone, "if anything is supposed to be the bearer of omens, I guess that would be you. We're about to fight for our lives and you're going to tell me he's Armageddon incarnate?"

"Yes, Commander." the elder replied in a serious tone, eyeballing his nochalantancy with annoyance. "It is a process older than you, all of these other Captains, myself, and even your precursor, Yamamoto. Potentially even beyond individuals that came before his time."

The screen then switched to the cracked valley, showing the massive, demonic armored Hollow battle against the previous Commander before Yamamoto, in his armored Bankai as they battled against each other in the barren wastes. The power of the two exerted was unlike anything that any of them had seen in battle.

"Yamamoto's precursor witnessed this awful power first hand."