Farewell Flames...


 * This is a special chapter to serve as a tribute to the death of Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, as well as to do a remake of the fight and death scene. Thank you Yama-jii, for all that you gave. You will be missed.

Fall of the Thirteen Divisions
Unbeknowst to the Shinigami, the Quincy had attacked... Despite getting ready for war, nobody could expect this frontal assault. The pillars of blue flames rained down, bursting up toward the heavens themselves, as if to signal the events that were to follow.

The Vandenreich, the militia of Quincy, headed by the revengeful and eponymous Juha Bach, were striking the Seireitei with a violent assault. Try as they might, the Shinigami were losing one-by-one. Whether they were seated officers, Lieutenants... even the Captains themselves, were falling at the hands of these Stern Ritter.

The first to fall was Izuru Kira, the Lieutenant of the Third Division. Shot straight through the chest, most of his internal organs vaporized with a single shot of the arrow filled with hate...

Next was the prideful Byakuya Kuchiki, being shred to a bloody mess by the very tool of his pride... But as a warrior, even bathed in blood, the man stood his ground, dying on his feet, as if to mock his killer.

The mighty Shinigami of the Thirteen Court Guard Divisions... one by miserable one, were falling like flies.

And yet... the true fight of this war front was just to begin.

End of the 1000-Year Fight: Yamamoto vs. Juha Bach
Juha Bach had held the long-haired Kenpachi Zaraki by the throat, looking at him with a facial expression of boredom. "So this is all the Captain of the Eleventh Division... The man heralded as the Kenpachi, is capable of? How pitiful. To think we considered you a threat." he spoke, before tossing the body of the limp man near Haschwald, letting the Kenpachi Captain lay there, defeated.

But then, just how the Quincy had made their arrival, a massive pillar of flames had suddenly erupted and punched through the clouds for all to see. A shimmering tower of infernos, standing to be the last signal of hope for the Shinigami, as if it were the sun itself descending upon the battlefield.

The origin of these flames was a couple meters away from Juha Bach and Haschwald, the former of whom bore an annoyed look upon his face while the latter's face expressed only shock and fear. The same fear that these Quincy were inflicting upon the Shinigami... The Quincy were now being served some of their own medicine.

And a bitter medicine it was.

As the flames began to dissipate, three men bearing the uniform of the Stern Ritter had crashed onto the field around the trio, their bodies and faces being burnt so severely, one could no longer differentiate between them. Juha Bach's eyes furrowed a bit, as he would form a small smile. "Well... It was to be expected you would appear... Yamamoto Shigekuni." he mused.

Indeed it was him. The Captain-Commander himself... Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto.

"Juha Bach... One thousand years it has been." spoke the elderly Shinigami. "I've come to crush you and your entire army... into little shards of bone." he continued. The anger in his voice was evident. It was an anger that was only rivaled by the intensity of his flames.

Juha Bach revealed a sarcastic-looking, yet challenging, grin from these words. Moments had then passed, as the two exchanged silent stares.

"...Was that all? You sound like you have more to say than just some empty words." Juha Back spoke, but was then cut off.

In an instant advance, Yamamoto flashed forward, slamming down his blade engulfed in crimson flames, aiming to crush the Quincy leader in a single stroke.

But too little, too late. Dodging the strike narrowly, Juha Bach had jumped backwards using Hirenkyaku. "Just as always... You rush in without thinking. Even in your old age, you are as foolish as a child."

"Nonsense!" roared Yamamoto, a massive fireball being shot from the tip of Ryūjin Jakka, crashing into Juha Bach.

"Your majesty!" called out Haschwald. "Remain where you are." replied the calm Juha Bach. The flames began to die down, revealing that Juha Bach blocked the force of those flames with his arm, utilizing the Quincy power of Blut.

Yamamoto stood still, his eyes narrowed and his face the same stern expression as before.

Juha Bach would form a soft smile as a result. "You've gotten old, Yamamoto. Back then, that attack should've been enough to tear through my arm. The years have not done you well." he expressed. The Quincy ruler held his hand out, and spirit particles began to gather at his palm, forming a large broadsword with an x-shaped crossguard out of the energy.

"It's about time you got serious..." Yamamoto declared.

With a rising of his eyebrow, Juha Bach looked toward the Captain-Commander. "You make it sound as if... you were waiting for that."

"I was... Because I will smash you, your sword, and your soul... to small pieces. And then I will burn those pieces... until there's nothing left but ashes. I will crush those ashes under my feet, until not a single reishi of you remains!"

The flames of Ryūjin Jakka, as if by magic, disappeared instantaneously. Wind filled the air around them due to the absense of the flames, the elder Captain standing tall.

Haschwald, witnessing the fight between the two leaders, watched in absolute surprise.

"What happened... to his flames...?"

The Bankai Long Awaited
Yamamoto held his sword up, a piece of metal that looked as though intense flames had left it rusty and burnt.

"But that... that's just a piece of scrap metal..." thought Haschwald.

Juha Bach slashed his blade across, firing several spirit arrows from the tip, all aiming to crash into Yamamoto.

But as each came close, they began to vanish just as they exploded a ways away from Yamamoto's body.

"Just as I thought... This is your Bankai." stated Juha Bach. Yamamoto nodded in response. "Zanka no Tachi... Once it has been released, the death of all those within its vicinity is assured." he acclaimed.

"Zanka no Tachi... East."

Flashing to Juha Bach, Yamamoto thrusted his blade for the former's throat, narrowly missing as Juha Bach backed away with another swift Hirenkyaku. Slamming his blade down once more, an array of spirit arrows burst from the tip once again, and like before, they disappeared once making contact with Yamamoto.

"Zanka no Tachi... West."

The elder Shinigami's body was alit with a powerful inferno, looking as if he was a true bringer of death... An angel of fire itself.

"Whilst in my Bankai, I am the very embodiment of the sun. Juha Bach... Just as you showed my subordinates such utter pain... I will show you the very same!" he declared, stabbing the ground beneath him. "Come before me, at once... For a short while, you will get to see the world once more. Zanka no Tachi... South."

The ground cracked below him, as several shadowy beings slowly rose. Multiple skeletons, of varying features, rose near the fire-surrounded Shinigami. An event that caused even the calm Juha Bach to crack an expression of shock. He noticed several of the skeletons, recognizing them to be former comrades of his.

"Die at the hands... of your own comrades... and rest in Hell, Juha Bach!" roared Yamamoto, as all of the skeletons leapt for the Quincy leader, jumping him from every angle, aiming to crush him in a single assault.

"Majesty!" Haschwald prepared to make a move, but Yamamoto flashed ahead, facing down the long-haired Quincy with a cold stare. "I have not forgotten about you. Just as he suffered, you and your entire Quincy rebels... shall feel my wrath." he sternly put.

"...Was that all?" came a voice.

Yamamoto, in a combination of rage and shock, turned to face the mountain of skeletons. In an instant, a massive pillar of spiritual energy arose, destroying the multitude of skeletons summoned by Yamamoto. Wiping them away, Juha Bach slashed away at whatever skeletons remained near his person, which were ironically his resurrected comrades.

"Bastard!" the elder roared, preparing to thrust his sword at his enemy once more. "Zanka no Tachi... Nor-!"

But then, a massive torrent of energy fled from Yamamoto's body, in the form of a whirlwind, all moving toward the badge that Juha Bach was holding up.

The blade burnt blade regained its normal form, surrounded by an aura of flames just like before, but Yamamoto's eyes twitched with shock.

"But that's impossible..." muttered Yamamoto, whose expression lost all form of composure.

"Impossible? To all other Quincy, stealing the Bankai of the Captain-Commander is indeed an impossible feat. But for me, it is a reality. Only I, among the Vandenreich, have the power needed to wield Zanka no Tachi."

Juha Bach cracked a smile. "This is the end for you, Shigekuni."

Die While Standing
"Not even close!" Yamamoto roared, refusing to surrender, as he thrust his Ryūjin Jakka at Juha Bach, a massive torrent of scorching-hot flames aiming to crash into the Quincy commander. But the Quincy leader's smile had not faded.

Juha Bach held up the badge slowly. "Zanka no Tachi... East." With a single wipe of the badge, the flames had been destroyed and extinguished, by such compressed and powerful flames, strong enough to actually burn away other flames.

"Shigekuni... did you believe that your Shikai could stand up to your Bankai? How foolish... Has desparation gotten to you?" the Quincy mused.

Without uttering a word, Yamamoto charged forward, swinging his sword at the Quincy. But it was futile. The sword snapped like a twig as soon as the blade neared Juha Bach's body. "Did you forget... about Zanka no Tachi, West? Memory really must go in your old age." he mused once more.

Juha Bach moved his other arm, holding the energy broadsword, making it tear through the remains of Ryūjin Jakka's sword form, cracking it all through the hilt as Yamamoto dropped the sword fragments, flashing backwards in response.

Yamamoto held his hand upwards, forming a small orb of blue spiritual energy. "Sōkatsui!" he called out, a massive blast of energy exploding from his palms, crashing into Juha Bach, but due to Zanka no Tachi: West, the heat alone was enough to fade the Kidō away far before it made contact.

"Nothing but a disappointment." Juha Bach stated.

Once more, Yamamoto charged in, with no hopes left... Zanpakutō, Zanjutsu, Kidō... There was nothing left except...

Smashing his only arm into Juha Bach's stomach, he called out loud. "Ikkotsu!" Using every bit of force left in his elder body, the force of the strike made contact, causing Juha Bach to violently cough up blood, but the price was nothing small. In order to make that shot, Yamamoto surrendered his only arm to the flames of Zanka no Tachi, the arm disintigrating into ashes.

The armless Yamamoto flew backwards, forcing every muscle in his remaining body to keep him standing. He panted in heavy exhastion, Juha Bach wiping his mouth with the back of his fist, an annoyed look etched onto his face.

Yamamoto continued to pant openly, as Juha Bach began making his steps slowly closer and closer to the elderly Captain-Commander.

"Shunsui... Jūshirō... Chōjirō..."

His panting would only escalate, as Juha Bach approached him, slashing his sword down on Yamamoto's body, making a huge gash through his upper body.

Yamamoto took two staggered steps back, bleeding profusely, but still remained standing.

One after another, Juha Bach slammed his blade against the Captain-Commander, forming a deep mutulating gash with each and every slash.

But no matter how many times, Yamamoto continued to stand, his body going limp as the energy broadsword made contact with his flesh.

"Oi oi, Yama-jii." came the image of Kyōraku as a young boy to Yamamoto's thoughts.

''"Genryūsai-sensei." stated the image of Ukitake as a teenager in Yamamoto's thoughts.

''"Eijisai-dono." spoke the image of Sasakibe as a young man in Yamamoto's thoughts.

Juha Bach swung his sword once more, but stopped mid-air, his eyes meeting upon the eyes of Yamamoto...

...Which were now lifeless grey circles. Juha Bach held his sword down, staring at the bloody corpse that remained standing the entire time, his eyes completely void of life entirely.

Juha Bach shut his eyes, dispelling his energy sword and placing the badge inside his pocket, turning away from the lifeless corpse and walking toward Haschwald. "Dispose of the body, Haschwald. I don't want to see that carcass ever again." he ordered.

The Captain-Commander had died in battle... and now the Vandenreich's assault was reaching its climax.

The Sunrise
Far away from the despair and the destruction... a countdown had begun in a disclosed area in the Rukongai, where the light of the daytime sun was still shining brightly.

5... 4... 3... 2... 1...

In a dark room, an elderly man sitting at a brown desk held his hands together, resting his chin on his fists with his eyes closed. Once he heard the beep, signaling the end of the countdown, he opened his eyes slowly, looking toward a young boy with wavy white hair. "Yamamoto's reiatsu has disappeared. He is dead."

The white-haired boy's cold eyes looked toward the elderly man, taking in the information that he had just conveyed.

"You will now be the new Captain-Commander... Mikami."

~THE END~

 * Next: Descent of the Dragon! Minato vs. Hakkōda, Conclusion!