Turning the Tables

This article, , is the opening of a mini-series set within the greater Rise and Fall of Legends arc story-line, which will detail the final parts of Ryan Kuchiki and Itazura Kori's involvement. This particular part focuses on Ryan as the POV character and features Itazura and his team, which is rounded out by Naoko Izuru, Yori Hisagi and Hoshi Madarame.

Ryan and Itazura, now with the addition of Itazura’s three young companions, opted to split their teams. Ryan and Itazura, accompanied by Naoko Izuru, Yori Hisagi and Hoshi Madarame, would infiltrate the heart of the compound whilst Miria and Echo, plus the manifested Kazeshini, would go around the perimeter. They would launch hit-and-run attacks to upset the defences and draw away their attention, while the infiltration team rescued Tomoko from under Oda’s very nose.

“Hold!” Ryan exclaimed. “Do you sense that?”

Itazura nodded confirmation.

“Is it on our side?” Naoko asked, gulping visibly. “That power is absolutely monstrous!”

“He is,” Ryan confirmed. “That is Rosuto Shiba; an older brother of Kenji Hiroshi’s, if you didn’t know.”

“He’s here for the same thing we are.” Itazura noted which caused Ryan to raise an eyebrow in question. “Rosuto is Tomoko’s father, though you’ll keep that quiet. And he'll turn this realm to ash to save her.”

Ryan pushed on after Itazura after a little moment to himself to think. So Rosuto had indeed fathered a child in Heisekai during his exile? That was good to hear. It had been the one gem of information Ryan hadn't been entirely sure on. Whoever had hid it had hid it well. But he digressed. Rosuto deserved a little happiness in his life. He’d certainly had it rough growing up for a long time especially with his tyrannical father and his draconian ideals. Ryan remembered those days well even if he had only been a child.

“So,” Ryan began in a carefully neutral tone and one only Itazura would hear, “do you want to explain why unseated officers are a part of this mission of yours, Itazura?”

“Didn’t I already tell you that rank means little out here?” Itazura replied, whispering. “Besides, my father gave them leave. That should be reason enough for their presence.”

“Dodging the question?” Ryan asked. “Let me see if I can’t figure out the reason then, since you won’t talk. You’ve been using them, haven’t you? Sixteen years ago you made a name for yourself in Heisekai; enough so that you made enemies amongst the people you’d rather not have counting you as one. But these youngsters you’ve dragged along? They’re unknowns. They won’t show up on anybody’s radar.” Ryan’s tone was cutting. “How warm am I?”

Itazura’s silence was deafening.

“I thought as much.” Ryan continued, sighing. “Have you any idea how lucky they are? They’re dealing with Oda and his ilk, Itazura, not a walk in the park! What if they had been captured? Or killed? What would you have done then? They should not be here.”

“I know that!” Itazura snapped back. “Gods above, I do. But I have no choice, Ryan.” He returned to a whisper. “I’ve been careful with their assignments, and when I can I’ve been with them. Aside from one instance which actually occurred in the Seireitei, they’ve done very well. I wouldn’t have come as far as I have without them.”

Ryan nodded his head.

“Okay, that’s all I wanted to hear. Sorry, but I had to know your motivations.”

“No harm done.”

“Ah, but that no longer appears to be the case. Stay still!” Ryan declared.

It was as he thought. This entire section of corridor was rigged by carefully laid traps. One out-of-place movement would bring a Kidō net down atop their heads and the moment it moved it would trigger the detonation of the Hadō set into the walls. Ryan was surprised Itazura had missed it. If they survived the initial series of explosions then others where set to go off after the first, and those would probably weaken them enough that the resultant cave-in would be the end of them. They were underground after all running through small corridors that criss-crossed multiple ways.

“What do you see?” Yori asked, glancing all around.

“Traps,” Itazura confirmed. “A lot of them by the looks of it,” He noted.

“Stay very still, all of you. Begin, Satsuriku.”

One of Ryan’s twin katana dissolved completely and was replaced by thousands of tiny blade fragments that floated around him in a continually moving column-like array. These tiny blades then became thousands of fully-sized individual blades that formed a complete protective shield around Ryan and his companions.

“Now to draw their attention,” Ryan said. “Itazura, when the Kidō traps fire, I will cleave you a path through the devastation. Find Tomoko and take her to Rosuto, and tell him I don’t give him permission to die. In fact none of you have permission to die. Understood?”

“But what about you!? You’ll be trapped!” Naoko exclaimed.

“Yeah, come with us!” Yori continued.

“Leave him alone.” Hoshi said, turning her back.

“Are you sure about this? Oda’s lackeys will be down upon your head almost immediately.” Itazura noted correctly.

“That’s the plan. Hopefully the Quincy will be among them. Now go!”

Ryan expanded the shield so the blades touched the walls and a series of deafening explosions of fire, ice and lightning tore through the corridor! Stone shifted and a horrible rumbling sound was heard, though Ryan was unaffected even as the floor gave way beneath his feet and the ceiling came down. He had weathered far worse in the past and would do so again. As promised he cleaved a safe tunnel through the elements and debris with Satsuriku and sent the others on their way with a brisk motion of his head, his own safety bought with Satsuriku's make-shift shield of blades.

“And stay alive!” He called after them.

As soon as the explosions died down and Itazura and the others where out of sight, aided by a spell Ryan had attached to them to hinder any pursuers, the Kuchiki Head turned to regard the newly-arrived with a confident smile. They were horrid creatures with fetid claws and decomposing flesh held together by ancient rights. So these where the dreaded Soulless commanded by Oda? Ryan suppressed his anger well. Though he would not relent; not this time. These creatures would die today and he would be reunited with his Bankai.

End.

Next Story >.