Turning the Tables: Pride of a Kuchiki

This article, , is the second part of a mini-series within the greater Rise and Fall of Legends arc story-line which details the realization of Ryan Kuchiki's goal in Heisekai, which also features Blake Shihōin and Miria Fujibayashi.

Ryan had heard stories from his friends in the Ryū Order that the Soulless where difficult to kill through standard means. They resisted being cut, shared a hive-like intelligence that made them react to tactics at alarming speed and had poisoned limbs that could prove fatal to spiritual beings after a single touch on an open wound. He also heard that they where weak to fire but that the fire had to be of sufficient strength to actually set them alight.

“I wonder how you’ll do under Satsuriku’s effect.”

The true power of his Zanpakutō’s Shikai wasn’t in the no-doubt threatening appearance of his countless blades, circling around without cessation. He couldn’t attack with them after all, at least not in a conventional manner. Its true power was the illusionary arts. Ryan could subject his targets to fear so powerful it drove many mad, and the illusions he could summon gave those fears form before the targets very eyes.

The effect was immediate.

The Soulless shrieked like banshees! Their hive-mind intelligence was actually a boon to Ryan in this case. It intensified the feelings of fear as any individual fear would also be sent to a neighbour and then on again and on and on and on in a never-ending chain. The illusions sprang up and Ryan expanded the shield of blades outward so he could literally walk from the corridor and step outside, at which point he allowed the rubble his blades had been suspending to fall atop the Soulless.

“An easy matter,” he muttered.

Purgatorial fire erupted from his fingertips without even a name or incantation leaving his lips. Red fire leapt through the Soulless below, and shrieks filled the air. But Ryan was unmoved. These creatures were abominations that deserved death if only to ease their suffering. He was doing them a favour! It was this that drove his next action. Ryan gave the name and incantation both to his spell to speed along the results, which created a sea of flames that raced through the criss-crossing corridors underneath Oda’s compound on Chrono Island!

“Ryan, what are you doing!?”

Miria and Echo appeared at his side and Miria wore a look of annoyance.

“What about Itazura and the kids?”

“They are safe and sound.” Echo clarified. “They are even now heading deeper into the tunnels. Ryan’s attack only covered the floor he’d been on, not those that lay below it.” “Regardless!” Miria exclaimed. “You shouldn’t have put them in such danger. Itazura, I’ll concede can handle himself, but not the kids.”

“Shut up.” Echo barked. “We are not alone.”

Ryan drew the remaining Zanpakutō from its sheath and cut once with such precision and swiftness that the arrow heading straight for his back was cut clean in two! It parted to either side of the Kuchiki Head without even touching him.

“Hello, Aldric.” Ryan greeted. “I believe you have something of mine…!”

Ryan wasted no time. He performed what was perhaps the greatest movement of his life. He moved to strike Aldric only for Siegfried, his companion, to strike down through Ryan’s torso. But as the blade passed down through and Aldric began to laugh Ryan’s body disappeared, leaving behind only his jacket. Ryan materialized behind Aldric and stabbed twice in quick succession to rob his enemy of his spiritual powers. He then grasped Aldric’s arm from behind.

“You stole the wrong Bankai.”

Ryan wasted no further time. The moment he felt his Bankai returned to him he released it immediately, and his blade began to pulsate with power almost as if in greeting to Ryan himself. He donned a new long coat and Satsuriku’s will to cut down all in its path lay thick on the air.

“Muhensai Satsuriku.” Ryan whispered. “And now… the final act.”

The blades surrounding him dispersed into a sea of tiny blade fragments that completely eviscerated Aldric, leaving not a shred of clothing or a piece of cut flesh behind! All that remained to mark his passing was the blood stains visible on those tiny blades. Siegfried, who roared in defiance, released what he called Shinohai Meidōkanshō, though Ryan knew it by a different name and immediately defended himself from the resultant shockwave by summoning a shield of blade fragments numbering in the thousands.

“You dare?” Ryan asked. “You dare spit on Rikimaru’s memory by brandishing his Bankai under a different name?” Rage was clear in his tone. “That Bankai is called Shinohai Ginshintō and you have no right to it!”

He wasn’t sure if this would work but he wasn’t going to allow Rikimaru’s Bankai to be controlled by a mere Quincy. Ryan closed the gap and severed Siegfried’s arm with a quick drawing strike, before then grasping his second arm with his free hand. As before he felt the pull from Kentaro’s glove and just as he had returned his own Bankai, he was now in possession of Rikimaru’s as well. He could feel the spirit raging inside the glove and Ryan, deciding to give the spirit some vengeance, released it. The shockwave overcame Siegfried who, despite his best efforts, had numerous dust particles enter his system.

“I saw Rikimaru do this once.” Ryan said. “I thought it was gruesome, but he said it served him well. I find myself agreeing with him. But then you know what I’m about to do.”

Ryan held him completely still with the sheer force of his spiritual power. He then placed his left hand upon Aldric’s chest.

“Rupture, Shinohai Ginshintō.”

Blood spewed from Siegfried’s body and Ryan stepped away. Shinohai Ginshintō’s Shikai dealt with shockwaves. One could direct controllable shockwaves and use them for many different purposes, which could also cause poisoning if a foe was hit often enough. In Bankai it gained the ability disperse dust particles which poisoned the foes body and caused paralysis of the muscles, whilst still keeping their nerves intact. The dust could then be forcibly detonated within the user’s body with the Rupture command. Siegfried fell to the floor dead and Ryan, knowing his work was done, turned his back on the sorry scene with his pride renewed.

End.

Next Story >.