Battle Beyond all Limits! Kentaro vs. Soritsu

This article, , is a stand-alone chapter occurring in the aftermath of Kentaro Hiroshi's rescue of Akiye from the Imawashī, which takes place during Bleach: War of the Worlds. It details Kentaro's investigation into and battle with Sōritsu Kuchiki, whom Kentaro suspected of being a Battle Doll. Kentaro thus serves as the main POV character with Sōritsu as the antagonist. Akiye appears as primary support whilst Ryan Kuchiki and Kenji Hiroshi serve as background characters.

Kentaro had much to thank Ryan Kuchiki for. It was only thanks to the Kuchiki clan scion that Kentaro got the information he needed to infiltrate Kōhai Tochi and rescue Akiye from their clutches. It was a debt Kentaro would never repay anytime soon but he planned to make a good start by personally thanking the man responsible.

That was why he and Akiye where now standing outside the grounds of the Kuchiki family mansion.

"I never liked this place." Akiye noted.

"The Kuchiki house or the Seireitei?" Kentaro asked.

"Both."

"Okay, I sense a story there."

"I'll tell you later."

Kentaro's eyes lingered on Akiye's for a brief moment and he felt his heart skip a beat. Even when she asked him what he was staring at he found himself unable to tear his eyes away; she captivated him in a way no one had ever done before and he found himself aching to be near her. Her short-cut silver-coloured hair complimented her green eyes and the green clothes, measured to her frame from memory and given to her the day Kentaro sprung her from the Imawashī's jail, accentuated her natural curves. Before she could say anything else he found himself kissing her passionately on the doorstep of the Kuchiki mansion, and the fact she neither rebuffed him or moved away, but embraced the gesture delighted him.

"... Sorry, I just had to do that." He said finally.

"Did I tell you to stop?"

He moved in again but was interrupted by the coughing of Ryan Kuchiki. The older man regarded the two with his arms crossed, but the sting of that posture was removed by the smile he wore. He shook Kentaro's hand and inclined his head respectfully to Akiye.

"When you came to me saying that you had to save this girl no matter what happened to you personally I can see why." He favoured Akiye with a weighty look for a time before shrugging. "You're a lucky girl. This guy here braved hell and high-water to see you safe."

"... I know, and I'm eternally grateful."

"As am I." Kentaro said at last. "Without you and Blake I would never have known when to strike. Thank you."

"So you should be!" Ryan intoned. "I'll call in that favour some day, but for now the scales are balanced my young friend. Just look after each other. As for me I have to go and get my ass handed to me by my teacher."

"Good luck."

"Ryan!!"

The roar echoed well beyond the confines of the Kuchiki mansion and the presence that suddenly filled the area felt impossibly strong to Kentaro's senses! He'd faced down the likes of Shinzō and his Imawashī, he'd felt the weight of Katashi and Toru's spiritual energy, and had saw his father and Kusaka fight seriously. Yet that all paled in comparison to what he felt now.

"The only thing I've felt like this before was Averian...!"

"Excuse me. That's my teacher."

"The hell is he!?" Kentaro asked. "This energy...!"

Akiye tightened her grip on Kentaro's arm but it was not a fearful reaction on her part; it was a reassuring act, and Kentaro was glad of it. He regulated his breathing and calmed his racing thoughts. He squeezed her hand in return and she knew what he meant: Thanks.

"That's Sōritsu Kuchiki. I believe your own teacher and he where friends, a long time ago. But I've got to go. See you both later!"

"What now? You look like you've seen a ghost." Akiye noted.

"My father and I recently came to the conclusion that Averian's so-called leaders are little more than proxies. I can sense the same power flowing in each of them on account that it also flows through me... and I sensed that same power in Sōritsu. I need to see Garian. Now!"

"You are sure?" Garian demanded. "There can be doubt in this Kentaro."

Garian was an old and weather-beaten man who still retained a body someone infinitely younger than him would be proud of. He was a walking mass of hard muscle and every inch of his massive frame was now directed right at Kentaro. His snow-white hair and bangs gave the impression of an old and proud lion.

Kenji's son didn't even flinch.

"I've fought Averian himself and lived to tell the tale, if you'll recall." Kentaro reminded. "I know what I sensed. This Sōritsu guy... he ain't the real article. He shared the same signature as Averian's underlings!"

"My fears, it seems, where true then. Goddamn it all!"

Garian wasn't usually one to let his emotions rule him; he was a hard bastard who resorted to violence as an incentive, sure, but he knew restraint. The fact he just split his coffee table with his closed fist was a good indication to Kentaro that his mentor was in a very bad mood.

"Wait, what? You knew about this!?"

"... It was shortly after Sōritsu and I helped establish both the Gotei 13 and Noble Houses. Sōritsu was once an active and sociable man. That changed suddenly; to the point he became a recluse who rarely left his mansion. I suspected something was wrong and Anika Shihōin agreed with me. We looked into it but what we discovered was censored by the Central 46 and it cost me my position as Captain."

"What did you find?" Akiye asked.

"... We found evidence that Sōritsu had been murdered. His Zanpakutō, for example, was left behind in a pool of blood. Yet Sōritsu and his Zanpakutō reappeared a few days later. The Central 46 shut down our investigation. When I spoke out they sentenced me instead. If what you say is true Kentaro... then Sōritsu is a spy working for Averian."

"I guess there's only one way to know for sure."

Even Garian arched an eyebrow at this comment.

"I'm going to fight Sōritsu."

"... You'll need an escape route. And I have just the thing." Garian said.

"This is a bad idea." Akiye said.

"So you've said. Yet you're still here, I see. Thanks for that by the way."

"Idiot. Like I'd sit this out." She replied.

Ryan had unknowingly given them access to the Kuchiki mansion. He was off on a routine patrol and thus wouldn't be able to intervene and the guards inside where easily rendered unconscious by the pairs Kidō. Kentaro followed Sōritsu's spiritual power right to a training ground which he knew Ryan had used often in the past when the latter had trained Sojiro Kori.

"Sōritsu!" Kentaro roared.

"And you are?" Came the reply.

"You already know who I am. Just like I know who you really are. Tell me: how long have you been licking Averian's boots?"

That got a subtle reaction that even Kentaro didn't see. Thankfully he had another set of eyes with him; Akiye jabbed him in the ribs and nodded, which was all Kentaro needed to follow through with this plan.

"Envelop, Tenchikaimei."

"Sever, Onajibyōki."

As the pair released their respective Zanpakutō Sōritsu launched himself at them with a guttural roar that sounded entirely bestial! In one swift motion he sent Kentaro flying into the far wall before expelling a stream of molten metal from the tip of his blade at Akiye; the stream, it seemed, was travelling well beyond what either had expected. It was only the fact Kentaro applied wards beforehand that saved Akiye now. The wave impacted the summoned barrier and it held long enough for Akiye to flash-step to safety.

"That will not work again." Sōritsu exclaimed. "You come into my home and attack me. Fools! Even if you do survive I control the Central 46. Your deaths are assured!"

"Oh, fuck up already." Kentaro answered. "Shall I show you how I knew about your connection to Averian? Yes? Okay! Raaagh!"

Spiritual power surged along Kentaro's limbs before exploding outwards in a concussive wave! His hair lengthened till it reached the base of his back and black markings spread to his arms and shoulders.

"Impossible...!"

"Nothing impossible about it." Kentaro replied. "You've merely given up the fight. I haven't. I use the bastards power against him: I control it. No more will he use me. And this is the result: I call it Hekigenkai."

Kentaro didn't use flash-steps to close the distance; he used Sonído. Sōritsu ejected a stream of molten metal again but Kentaro manoeuvred around it before running his blade through the elder's stomach. Sōritsu, however, sent him trailing with a vicious punch. This he followed up with another swift ejection but Akiye, invoking Kyohi, erected a shield in-front of Kentaro. With the ejection of metal blocked she dispersed the wave with her Kirisaki variation, with the resultant needles impacting Sōritsu in the chest! With her encouragement Kentaro relocated himself using Tenchikaimei where he promptly launched a Cero at Sōritsu point-blank.

"Did you get him!?" Akiye asked.

"... No."

Sōritsu's wounds began to close at an accelerated rate only achievable by Arrancar. That was all the indication Kentaro needed.

"I knew I was right. And that's enough for now. As you said you own the Central 46. It won't matter who I tell inside the Soul Society, but I bet my father will just love to hear about this."

"Time to go then?" Akiye asked. "I sense a number of high spiritual energies heading this way."

"Yeah, the Gotei 13's mobilising. Let's go."

Kentaro grabbed Akiye by the hand and used his other to shatter a purple-coloured vial. The pair where engulfed in a bright flash of white light and the next thing they saw was the living room of Kentaro's Horiwari home.

"You, my son, have a helluva lot of explaining to do." Kenji said with a grin. "And we'll do just that with a drink."

"Father, I was right."

"I bet he leaves out the part where we were nearly killed." Akiye pointed out.

"I can't now!" Kentaro roared.

And Kentaro told him everything.

The End.