Cutting to the Heart of the Matter: Son of Kusaka

This article, , is one quarter of the second part of the story starting with Cutting to the Heart of the Matter, featuring the battle between Hawke Kori and Kitsui Kōhai.

Hawke rolled his eyes at Kentaro’s actions. Sure his younger brother had been harmed but did he really need to lower himself to such a level that he was repeating the same acts he was condemning Nakajima for? Hawke tutted which showed well his displeasure was clear-cut.

“I’ll handle Kitsui.”

Hawke directed his words to David, his younger adopted brother. David flashed him a thumbs-up and nodded enthusiastically as he disappeared to face his own opponent: the Quincy Kurokawa. Kitsui, however, merely chuckled.

“You presume too much, son of Kusaka, if you think you can defeat me.”

The tension hanging on the air could have literally been cut by a knife. The wind caught their coats but, strangely, Hawke’s never billowed once whilst Kitsui’s was blowing wildly.

“What makes you think I’m here merely to defeat you?”

It was Hawke’s turn to chuckle. He was as like his father in some ways as anyone could be, but in many ways he was his mother spat out. Kusaka would never have taken the time to banter with his opposition before battle; the bloodlust and excitement of the Kori clan ran strong in him after all. It was why Kenji had played the negotiator whilst Kusaka softened up the brothers. Hawke’s Shiba blood did much to dilute that particular Kori trait, which he was thankful for. He’d need his senses for this battle.

“My father and Uncle told me beforehand not to take any prisoners.” Hawke went on, grinning.

He needed Kitsui unbalanced. He was the strongest spiritually of the brothers sans Oda himself. Hawke knew that if he was to have even the slightest chance of emerging victorious then he’d need to have an early advantage. Kitsui was known to be calm and collected but once rattled he was as prone to violence as Ichihara. Hawke needed to bring that violence to the surface. Kitsui’s norm was calm; it was time to introduce some chaos!

Hawke spared a quick glance over to Kentaro who had just put the boot in Ichihara’s ribs.

“I’m afraid I’ll be lowering myself today as well because when I’m through with you not even your precious brothers will be fit to identify your remains…!”

“Do your worst… boy!”

He hadn’t quit ignited the powder keg yet but it was a start. The two closed the distance in a single step apiece before circling. It was clear to Hawke that Kitsui was being careful; deliberately so in fact. He held his Zanpakutō in a lazy left-handed grip with the blade laid atop his other arm, his shoulders slightly slouched. Hawke favoured a more steady posture indicative of Form II: a two-handed grip with his own Zanpakutō held low and to the right, blade down.

It was Hawke who struck first.

He closed quickly with a horizontal stroke. Expectedly Kitsui parried with a blade-shunt which he quickly followed up with an inwards slash to Hawke’s ribs. But Hawke read the movements quickly and demonstrated his athleticism to great effect. He had bent himself back almost completely and as a result Kitsui’s blade passed above his nose unopposed, at which point Hawke kicked out as he brought his feet up! Kitsui was kicked square in the side of the head and Hawke, seizing the initiative, sprang back to his feet. Kitsui, with an impressed smile, blocked immediately.

“You fight unlike your father.” Kitsui noted.

“Thanks. He always did prefer a forward charge.”

Their next skirmish went poorly for Hawke. If anything Hawke’s attempts to aggravate Kitsui made him act calmer. Kitsui evaded Hawke’s Zanpakutō with remarkable ease and inflicted a deep cut across his midsection that oozed blood! Hawke, retreating, could do little but defend.

“I expected more, truthfully. No wonder your father fought us first; imagine how we would’ve slaughtered you all otherwise.”

Hawke, a victim of his own earlier ploy, lost whatever calm he had once held claim to. Kitsui’s comments ignited the powder keg and Hawke embraced both the bloodlust and excitement coursing his veins! His spiritual power sharpened and in that instance Hawke was transformed. He fought with greater strength and fluidity of movement, but still Kitsui held the decisive edge. Hawke emerged from the skirmish with another wound cut into his midsection. This one had trailed across the earlier to form a vague X.

“I was a fool.” Hawke whispered.

“Yes, you were.” Kitsui answered, dismissively. “You thought to face me alone, knowing you could not win conventionally.”

Hawke answered by laughing!

“You miss the point.” Hawke replied at last. “I wasn’t a fool for thinking that: I know I can kill you. I was a fool to try and face you with my Zanpakutō, especially when my skills lie elsewhere…!”

Hawke done the unthinkable: he sheathed his Zanpakutō. But the moment he did he seemed like a completely different person. He fell into a casual fighting stance with his right hand hovering near his head, the left clenched near his ribs.

“You think to face me unarmed?” Kitsui dismissed his chances with a chuckle of glee. “We shall see.”

“We shall.”

When Kitsui closed for the strike Hawke simply exhaled as he shed his coat. The cloth fell to the floor with a thud, its impression left in the floor. His next movement was a blur! Hawke moved away and Kitsui crumpled to the floor! He was grasping at his stomach with a white-knuckled grip and his eyes had bulged at the sight of the coat.

“Weighted… clothing?”

Hawke was bouncing on his toes now. All indication of doubt had left him completely; if anything he was completely at his ease. For Hawke knew he had played his cards exceptionally well, given the circumstances.

“You allowed me to think I had the upper-hand.” Kitsui concluded at last. “You even allowed me to injure and enrage you? It was a sound stratagem, son of Kusaka: Very bold. I must admit, I feel somewhat intimidated right now.”

"Flatterer," Hawke jibed.

Hawke, convinced of his advantage, finally moved onto the offensive. But any strike he planned was immediately robbed from him as Kitsui released his Zanpakutō! Black bat-like wings exploded from his back and armour plating formed in the place of his white coat, completely covering his lean frame. And before Hawke could register what his Zanpakutō was it was flying towards his skull! If he’d kept his weighted clothing then he would’ve been killed almost instantly. Instead he merely had a hole blasted through his left shoulder.

“Heh, I missed.” Kitsui remarked with a shrug.

“…Bullshit…” Hawke answered, obviously in pain. “My shoulder says otherwise.”

“You misunderstand, son of Kusaka. I was aiming for your head.”

One minute he was standing banding words. The next he was flying straight ahead and Hawke was sent flying too! Kitsui gave chase and Hawke was battered to a bloody pulp by hands and feet before finally having Kitsui’s Zanpakutō – which was now a javelin sheathed in spiritual power – lodged into his stomach! The earlier cut X-shaped cut was no longer quite so X-shaped. The centre was now a hole and Hawke fell to the floor with an almighty thud.

“Now... I will avenge Ichihara.”

It seemed Kentaro had succeeded in his attempt to kill Ichihara and Kitsui wasn’t very thrilled about having his brother slaughtered. He began walking off towards the now unconscious Kentaro until he heard a gasp come from Hawke’s body.

“I’m impressed you’re still breathing. I could have sworn I pierced your heart.”

“Mine’s… on the… right!” Hawke drew his Zanpakutō. “Bankai, Jitsunogetsu Ryūki!”

The resulting gust caused Kitsui to shield himself with his wings. When they finally died down Hawke emerged, standing, with wings of his own. They were large and expansive with dark red lining and grey bone. On his person formed plating of a similar colour, but perhaps most astonishing of all was the wound itself. It had closed over completely!

“You look shocked.” Hawke whispered. “I’m not surprised. My Zanpakutō is one that has Hollow reiatsu. When I activate Bankai I also activate a high-speed regeneration effect as well.”

Hawke wasted no more time. The two closed, winged demons in flight, with their weapons trailing behind them. Kitsui attempted a lunging dive from above with his javelin extended and Hawke countered by wrapping the power of the Reissen around his fist! The moment the two made contact an explosive outburst of spiritual power forced them apart; Kitsui was sent skywards and Hawke was sent back to earth, but he never made contact. He instead disappeared and then reappeared behind his opponent with absolutely no wasted movement, at which point he impacted Kitsui in the spine with a Reissen-enhanced punch!

“DIE!”

Bloodlust and excitement was coursing his body fully now and all that extra power brought forth by his Kori blood was amplified by his Bankai. Hawke drew in on himself before finally releasing the Reissen in its true form: a pulse of cutting power from his chest. The pulse passed through Kitsui like a hot knife through butter, cutting him vertically up the middle! Blood flowed like water.

“Don’t… underestimate… me.”

But despite his victory it was a hard fought one that had bore its impact, for Hawke had been talking through his arsehole about his use of high-speed regeneration. His wound, large and open and oozing blood, had merely been covered by a plate of armour. Hawke spat forth blood and his eyes went white in his head as he descended to the ground.

The earth came up all too quickly…

Maybe it was instinct at sensing his friends Bankai; maybe it was concern; maybe it was sheer luck. But against all the odds Kentaro was running like a man possessed!

“I’ve got you!”

He hurled himself to the floor as Hawke neared.

But try as he might Hawke had been carrying a lot of momentum as he had fallen. Kentaro, using his body and spiritual power as a cushion, had the air driven out of him and unconsciousness once again claimed him as Hawke, barely breathing, lay atop him in a blood-covered heap.

Next Story >.