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| Black Sun: Evening | Black Sun: Nightfall | Black Sun: Dusk | Black Sun: Nadir |
Part 1[]
The crimson sky with nary a cloud obscuring its ominous glow loomed high above the metropolis below; countless white blocks of dilapidated buildings and blue alleys constituting the City of the Damned, suspended over a seemingly bottomless abyss. The hot, sultry air was filled with the scent of despair. Howls and groans of the suffering Togabito were drowning the city in a perpetual cacophony of madness.
However, there was a single individual pacing casually through one of the paths with measured steps. Clad in black robes with cape and a hood concealing their face, the figure appeared completely unperturbed by the widespread insanity that surrounded them. Suddenly, the individual halted and took off the hood, revealing his face.
"Quit your yammering!", screamed Hikari Maebure at a nearby group of Sinners. "Seriously, it's unbearable!"
There was no direct response, only even more moans and wails. The Togabito did not seem to even notice him. Hikari slowly shook his head and simply resumed his travel. He had a very specific goal to accomplish in this pit of insanity, and then he could return to his agreeably isolated refuge.
It did not take much time for him to finally detect his target; he seemed a shining lantern of burning Reiatsu amongst the sea of fireflies the other nearby Sinners were. Maebure would have used Shunpo to close the distance much faster, but that would not have looked appropriately dignified.
At last, he approached another group of Togabito perched on one of the cracking, worn-down blocks. There were about dozen emaciated entities there, and only one tall and imposingly muscular.
Bingo.
"Pardon my intrusion", said Hikari in a raised voice, a smirk lingering on his otherwise indifferent face. "It seems you're conducting a training session."
He immediately drew the attention of the Togabito. The slender wretches who had been pretending to train martial arts cringed and retreated slightly at his sight. Only their apparent master remained unfazed, and looked at him with easily visible frustration.
"Aahn? What the Hell do you want!?", grumbled Ira. "You wanna fight or somethin', eh?"
The Vasto Lorde walked several steps toward Maebure, but then stopped abruptly and his face expression changed. This time the Tsumikami could not help himself but smile.
"You... you're Hikari Maebure!", shouted Ira, pointing his clawed index finger at the man in an accusing manner. "I've heard the rumours, but don't think you can simply barge in and boss everyone around!"
"I'm glad that even the likes of you are aware of my reputation", replied Hikari calmly.
The Hollow's yellow eyes glowed menacingly.
"The likes of me!? Whaddaya mean, dickhead!?"
"Apparently, you're training your own followers", remarked Maebure whilst taking a brief glance at the trembling Togabito beside Ira. "How adorable. But, explain one thing: I know you've been assigned to the Fifth Circle, so why are you up here?", continued the Tsumikami with his head slightly tilted to one side.
Ira clenched his lifted fists and ground his sharp teeth.
"I'll conquer Hell, Circle after Circle, and become the Lord of Hell!", he yelled at Maebure. "I've come here so I can start from the beginning!"
Hikari raised an eyebrow in an expression of mild surprise.
"Surprisingly logical for someone of your... intelligence", he commented. "However, I think there's another reason for that: you've been scared by those who dwell below", he added with an ominous smile.
The Vasto Lorde widened his eyes. Subsequently, veins bulged out on his massive, flexed muscles, and the Hollow leapt forward. He landed heavily a couple of metres in front of the Tsumikami and looked him furiously into the eyes.
"How dare you... mock me... like this!", he seethed. "Die!"
One of his bulky fists burst forth abruptly. Although, it met no resistance, as it passed only through the sultry air; Hikari had barely moved, but managed to evade the punch and was now looking at Ira's outstretched hand.
"Anger management issues?", he asked in a malicious manner.
"HAAAARGH!", roared the Vasto Lorde in response.
Then, he turned around rapidly and struck another blow, but missed by an inch again. Several quick hits followed, all of them swiftly dodged by Maebure, who did not seem to require much effort to do that.
"Stop running around!", exclaimed Ira.
All of a sudden, crimson Reiatsu wrapped around his fist. Hikari had narrowed his eyes just before a big projectile of condensed spiritual energy erupted directly into his chest, resulting in a small explosion that briefly concealed both combatants with smoke. Once it subsided, the Hollow found no trace of his enemy.
In the meantime, Maebure reappeared in the air with the faint sound of Shunpo. It took Ira several seconds to realise that, and he turned back quickly afterward.
"You won't simply yell me to death, so how about landing a single blow?", asked Hikari in a slightly condescending tone.
"Damn you!", screamed the Hollow.
This time both of his fists shone with currents of energy. Then, Ira fired one projectile. Maebure evaded it with the use of Shunpo, but the moment he halted after the movement, the second bullet had been already speeding in his direction. Still, he managed to dodge that one as well. The Vasto Lorde continued the barrage of Balas, some of them colliding with and punching holes in the white blocks surrounding the fighting Sinners.
Suddenly, he lost track of Hikari's movements. He widened his eyes and began looking around hastily, but then something crashed into the back of his head, throwing him off balance. Maebure had jump kicked into him, and even though Ira recovered nearly instantly and reached with his hand to grab the Tsumikami, the man had already relocated with the use of Shunpo.
Right in front of the Hollow.
"Ikkotsu", declared Hikari.
Subsequently, his right fist impacted with Ira's oversized chest with force that released a potent shockwave. The Vasto Lorde gasped and then flew backward with speed of a bullet, ending his abrupt flight by crashing into one of the hovering blocks. The prism's surface shattered and numerous cracks appeared in its walls, causing the top of the formation to completely crumble.
However, before the ensuing cloud of dust had time to spread, it had been swiftly dispersed by a wave of red Reiatsu. Ira had stood up, and apart from the injury on his chest and several light scratches, he looked extremely infuriated.
"Oh", blurted Maebure, his eyes widened in mild surprise. "I've thoght that would affect you a bit more. Impressive."
"IMPRESS THIS!", roared Ira in response. "Cero Sobrecargada!"
He opened his maw and a swirling sphere of energy proceeded to rapidly accumulate in front of it. Maebure's face expression became serious once the orb increased rapidly, surrounded by electric currents. Then, the attack burst forth in the form of a wide beam of destructive energy.
A hasty incantation resounded within the Tsumikami's mind, finished with a short command.
Hadō #70, Hisame Akahi.
Highly condensed pillar of red flames erupted from his palm and clashed with the Cero fired by Ira. There was a momentary flash, and then a powerful explosion quaked the entire area. The thunderous noise reverberated across the neighbourhood, prompting numerous Togabito to become silent and look anxiously around. A large column of smoke shot upward.
"How do you like that, eh!?", asked the Hollow with a wide grin. "I've got more of...!"
Something emerged from the dust, but too fast for the Vasto Lorde to react. Great pain surged through his body like a bolt of lightning as his right hand was separated from his body in one clean cut. Maebure landed a few metres behind him, his Karadawaru drawn and its ebony blade covered with dark red blood. Ira swayed and took a step forward, whereas Hikari turned around to him.
"Curse... you...", grumbled the Hollow, attempting to close the gaping wound with his remaining hand.
"Excessive power in a clumsy and dull package", remarked Maebure in a grim tone. "You remind me of someone."
Purple aura enveloped the blade of his sabre: Hadō #54, Haien, powered with Naiteki Eishō. Ira noticed it with the corner of his eye and tried to turn rapidly. However, it was too late, and when Hikari swung his Karadawaru, an oblong blast burst forth from its blade and rapidly engulfed the Hollow in incinerating flames.
"I used to be similar to you", stated Maebure sternly, watching the Vasto Lorde turn to dust whilst screaming terribly. "That's why I've ended up here."
Soon, there was little left of Ira aside from ash and several fragments of charred bone. After a moment all of it faded away into nothingness. Hikari remained observing that spot for a short period of time, and then turned around. The Togabito followers of the Hollow had been observing him anxiously from a distance, and cringed visibly once he glanced at them. Subsequently, they started running away with great haste.
Maebure lifted his left hand. Then, a single burst of energy directed at them escaped from his palm and a medium-sized explosion followed right afterward. Subsequently, he sheathed his Karadawaru and jumped from the top of the ruined block on the blue alleyway below.
Once he landed softly on its slightly translucent surface, he began walking in a casual pace.
Part 2[]
Hell, the Ninth Circle.
It was a cold and gloomy realm. Perpetual night immersed the dimension in depressing darkness; however, there was a giant black hole located on the cloudy vault, and its narrow but bright, white outline provided just enough light for its inhabitants to be able to discern some shapes and details. Strong, howling gusts of wind were lashing the steep slopes of the mountain range that constituted most of the Ninth Circle, and it was snowing.
It was always snowing.
Hikari was standing in a valley, the immense mountain peaks looming over him ominously. Undisturbed by the wind and cold, he was regarding a large stone laying in front of him, his black cape fluttering audibly.
"Is this good enough?", asked a grim, slightly reveberating voice.
"I think so", replied Maebure.
Then, he lifted both of his hands and outstretched them, aiming at the stone. Without a warning several scarlet lines cut the rock with a loud whizz. Its rounded and irregular corners removed, it was now a perfectly rectangular block of solid stone.
"Good."
His right palm shone briefly. Subsequently, two rusty chains of a modified Sajō Sabaku burst forth and embedded themselves on the block's virtually immaculate surface. Hikari caught one of the chains with the other hand, yanked them a couple of times to check whether they are reliable enough, and then proceeded to pull the stone.
Step after step, he turned to an upward-running, winding pathway that led to a large ledge located high on the slope. There was a dark, massive silhouette of a building towering over the spacious valley.
"Why don't you carry it with a Kidō?", asked Jamansim.
"That would be fast and easy", said Maebure. "Exactly opposite to what I aim for."
His muscles flexed beneath the black robes, he was pulling the big, heavy block on the inclined, irregular path, metre after metre. Strong wind was lashing him from one side, tousling his hair and spreading his cape like a vast, dark wing.
"You don't have to endure this. You've freed yourself long ago", remarked the Karadawaru spirit with a noticeable trace of worry in its otherwise emotionless voice.
"Of course I have to, my friend", replied Hikari, his face stiff due to the effort. "I'm free, but I'm still in Hell. More importantly, though, I must incessantly push myself to my limits if I want to even dream about besting him one day", he added sternly.
"I see."
It was an arduous and time-consuming work. The arctic climate was attacking him time and again with its bone-chilling cold and powerful gusts of wind. Snow was getting into his eyes. Pebbles were falling from underneath his feet from time to time, occasionally prompting him to momentarily lose balance. The path was narrow, numerous projections protruded from its surface and he had to turn several times, further hindering his progress.
However, after a few hours, he was finally standing at the top of the ledge, watching his unfinished fortress built at the edge of a high cliff. He was breathing heavily, but rhythmically, supported with one hand placed on the side of the rectangular block.
"You've done it."
"Indeed. I've done it now, previously and will do that many more times", declared Hikari solemnly.
He then brought the rock even closer to the building, near one of its fragmentary walls. After a short inspection he found a perfect place to fit the block in.
"Very well", he said, rubbing his hands. "Time to get to work."
Afterward, he once again grabbed the chains attached to the rock and pulled them firmly.
Part 3[]
Soul Society, premises of the House Maebure. Over 2000 years ago. Evening.
Craters and columns of smoke dotted the surface of the city, and the clamour of a heated battle was emitting constant vibrations into the hot air. The smell of ash and death was prevalent throughout the embattled settlement. The ancient Balancers of Souls had waged war upon the new generation, and the brief but intense conflict was gradually coming to its climax.
Somewhere there, on a ruined square, there were two solitary figures standing amongst the chaos of war, unperturbed by anyone despite the proximity of the major battle. No one wanted to interfere in the fight of the commanders, after all.
"I will not yield, Maebure", declared Eijisai Shigekuni Yamamoto in a harsh tone.
Even though already old, he was the epitome of the things to come. A rather short, yet imposing elderly man with receding black hair and thick black moustache, he wore a simple, black kimono, tattered and singed during the battle. In the right hand he held his Zanpakutō, Ryūjin Jakka, engulfed in flames that surrounded his figure with a fiery aura.
"I shall not either, Shigekuni", retorted Hikari in an equally stern manner.
He was standing in front of Yamamoto, gazing at him menacingly with his bright yellow eyes. His long, jet black hair were styled in a thick braid. His elegant white kimono was dirty with ash and torn in several places. The gleaming, orange blade of his Zanpakutō, Tteooleuneun Taeyang, was pointed to the side, its energy emanating a faint glow.
"You're nothing but an usurper, Maebure. I considered you noble once, but you've shown your true colours", said Shigekuni whilst squeezing the hilt of his sword. "But why did you have to drag others into this? You wanted to restore your kin to its bygone glory, but all you've achieved is total extermination."
A frown appeared on Hikari's face. There was a fresh burn scar that crossed his right eye vertically and intersected with an old, horizontal one that ran below his eyes.
"I have not exterminated my people. You have", he seethed. "Ever since the likes of you began appearing in the Soul Society, my kind started to wane. You have supplanted us, made us obsolete. Even though inferior, you have replaced my glorious race."
Yamamoto snickered in response.
"Truly, your arrogance knows no bounds, Maebure. This was a natural process. We've been treating you with appropriate respect as our predecessors and mentors. You could have passed away slowly, with honour, leaving an invaluable legacy. Instead, you've chosen to desecrate the memory of your race by conducting your futile coup."
Hikari's eyes glowed.
"Silence!", he bellowed.
Then, with an abrupt surge of Shunpo he instantly closed the distance between him and Shigekuni. Right afterward, there was a loud clang as the shining blades of their Zanpakutō clashed with a potent shockwave. Once they were locked in the deadly struggle, their Reiatsu virtually exploded from their bodies, flames against light. The pavement beneath their feet started cracking.
Suddenly, both combatants changed their stances and then their swords were freed in a shower of sparks. However, immediately afterward they clashed again, and again, and again, in a flurry of swift yet potent slashes. One particularly strong collision and they were both deflected backward, landing softly on the ground.
"Nikkō Taihō!", exclaimed Maebure.
A beam of devastating light erupted from the tip of his Zanpakutō.
"Taimatsu", retorted Yamamoto.
A giant flame burst forth as he swung his blade. Then, the two techniques clashed and caused a large explosion, shaking the entire square in its foundations.
"Hadō #35, Aikadan!", resounded Hikari's voice from somewhere amongst the ensuing cloud of ash.
"Bakudō #39, Enkōsen", countered Shigekuni.
The cylindrical projectile of indigo energy emerged abruptly from the shroud of dust, but was intercepted by the yellow circular shield. The latter was shattered, but had managed to absorb the force of the attack, leaving Yamamoto unscathed. Maebure materialised unexpectedly above him, his Zanpakutō lifted over his head in preparation for a powerful two-handed strike. Still, Shigekuni reacted instantaneously and blocked the potent slash. The ground cracked below him due to its force, but he himself withstood the strike.
Subsequently, Hikari landed in front of him and swung his gleaming blade in a diagonal cut. Yet again, Shigekuni defended himself. Nevertheless, due to the angle at which he parried the attack, the Sōzōshin was thrown slightly off-balance, and the Shinigami was quick to exploit that opportunity.
"Taimatsu."
A wave of flames seemingly engulfed Maebure with a loud roar. However, when the flames disappeared Yamamoto immediately spotted his opponent a medium distance away. The left sleeve of his white kimono was incinerated, but the body underneath merely singed.
"Your arrogance blinds you", stated Shigekuni in a grim manner. "However, you will soon realise what a grave mistake you have committed."
At first Hikari frowned, and his mouth opened to deliver an appropriate response. Although, he did not speak a word, as the angry grimace was replaced by an expression of astonishment, and then something else.
Her Reiatsu was gone. The spiritual signature so familiar to him, so dear to him. It had been accompanying him since decades, centuries, a millenium even, filling him with joy and offering him succour in the direst of times. But now it was undoubtedly gone, even though mere minutes ago he could have easily sensed it.
No.
"No", he blurted.
Yamamoto shook his head slowly, his eyes closed.
"In your ultimate downfall, you've taken your close ones with you, Maebure."
Now Hikari shook his head, though more impulsively.
"No", he repeated in a tone almost devoid of emotion. "NO!", he then bellowed at the top of his lungs.
Shigekuni opened his eyes, several wrinkles of a slight frown marking his scarred forehead. He slanted forward and grabbed Ryūjin Jakka with both hands. In the meantime, Maebure was standing there, his yellow eyes filled equally with astonishment, disbelief, fury and sorrow.
His power exploded around him in the form of a bedazzling flash of light that punched a crater in the worn-down pavement. The earth shook perceptibly in the wake of his skyrocketing might.
"Bankai!", he yelled, lifting his shining Zanpakutō. "Jeonche Taeyang!"
Then, he was immersed by burnt orange light that swept across the battlefield in one powerful wave.
Yamamoto was watching the release with his eyes narrowed, but he did not avert his gaze. He basked in the immense power unleashed by his opponent, and then took a quick glance at his surroundings. Then, he sighed almost imperceptibly.
There was no other choice.
"Bankai", he stated sternly. "Zanka no Tachi."
The growing blaze of his Shikai suddenly subsided, enveloping his body and sword with a condensed aura of extremely hot fire. The blade of his Zanpakutō shortened slightly. In the meantime, Hikari had emerged from the glow emitted by his own transformation, now donning an elegant robe and cape with golden ornaments. The shine of his sword intensified considerably, now appearing as if he was holding a sunray itself in his right hand.
Their eyes met for a brief moment.
Maebure plunged forward, preparing for a broad horizontal slash on the way. Shigekuni held his Zanpakutō firmly and swung at the enemy as he was about to approach him. However, the charred blade outlined with flames passed through the Sōzōshin with no resistance, dispersing the Maboroshi clone.
The real Hikari had attacked from a side.
"Meiankyōkaisen!"
Yamamoto jerked in a rapid movement, defending himself from the unexpected strike just in the nick of time. His Bankai unleashed torrential flames upon impact, but they were nearly instantly quenched by the suddenly enlarged blade of Hikari's Zanpakutō. The momentum it carried was sufficient to lift Shigekuni off the ground and force him to retreat.
As he was landing, he rose his head and noticed that Maebure had aimed his outstretched hand at him. A yellow, electrified sphere had formed in front of the Sōzōshin's palm.
"Hadō #63, Raikōhō!"
The potent lightning bolt burst forth. However, Yamamoto swung his fire-enhanced blade and hit the current, dispersing it in all directions. Split into a number of much smaller currents, it caused a barrage of explosions to conceal the Shinigami.
Nonetheless, he stayed vigilant. His sight was impaired by the flash of light and cloud of dust, but his other senses worked well enough. He detected his enemy in the nick of time. Two glowing blades clashed with each other, the ensuing shockwave blowing away the shroud of dust.
Implacable, Hikari proceeded to pressure Yamamoto with a series of powerful slashes. The tense grimace that had made his face stiff, when coupled with his scars and glowing orange eyes, made him look truly intimidating. Still, Shigekuni was far too experencied and strong to be disturbed even by such a display of power and relentlessness.
On the other hand, he was forced on the defensive. He knew well Maebure's precise, efficient style of sword fighting, but he had not faced such an assault of brutal smashes from him before. The Sōzōshin was infuriated, but rather than enter a state of blind madness, he had become incredibly focussed and unyielding. They were locked in a deadly duel of swift and lethal sword strikes, parries, sallies and blocks.
Yamamoto's hands finally started to tremble slightly due to the force exerted on them time after time. Then, after pushing him back with a particularly strong attack, rather than continue the onslaught of sword strikes, Hikari aimed his left palm at him yet again.
"Hidō #1", he declared in a grave tone. "Shōhi."
Shigekuni widened his eyes. Subsequently, he was immersed by a burst of white energy. The custom Kidō spell immediately threw his senses into disarray, and the aura of flames enveloping his body flickered momentarily. Maebure swung his blade in an upward slash. Yamamoto tried to block, but the Sōzōshin's Zanpakutō merely bounced off his own and darted toward the Shinigami's face.
Shigekuni leapt backward with a Shunpo-enhanced manoeuvre. He stood slanted forward, holding his sword with both hands. A straight, diagonal cut had appeared on his forehead, intersecting with an old scar to form an "X". Nevertheless, his cloak of flames quickly returned to its former state.
Hikari was standing a medium distance from him, panting. Drops of sweat were flowing on his face; his white robe was singed and burnt in several places.
"The blade of your hatred has reached me", stated Yamamoto. "But it will never strike me down, for you fight for yourself, and I fight to protect others."
A frown formed on Maebure's previously eerily calm face. His eyes shone brightly with the surge of energy that ran through his body.
"Silence", he seethed. "Silence!"
His body jerked in a rapid movement that saw his gleaming sword pointed at his enemy.
"Jeongo: Taeyang Peulleeo!", he exclaimed with ardent fervour.
Several beams of bright energy erupted from the tip of his Zanpakutō, swooping toward Yamamoto. However, the Shinigami had remained composed, and saw the opening.
Then, with a burst of Shunpo he plunged forward and passed by the incredibly powerful attack, which missed him by a hair's breadth. Using his speed to gain impetus, he continued onward, straight toward the suddenly confounded Sōzōshin. Meanwhile, an enormous explosion blossomed behind Shigekuni, quaking the entire area.
And as Hikari was watching the Shinigami approaching him, he at last realised the truth: he had lost this fight the moment he decided to start the uprising. This was one of the only two thoughts that preceeded the inevitable strike of Shigekuni's blade.
Zanka no Tachi, unhindered by any form of defence, carved a long, slightly diagonal wound on Maebure's torso, and in the following instant unleashed a gust of flames that engulfed him whole. Swept away by the strength of the attack, the Sōzōshin vanished amongst the infernal blaze of Yamamoto's Bankai, his Reiatsu drowned in the unspeakably hot fire.
Shigekuni simply stood there in the aftermath, watching the blaze in grim silence. In the end, after some time, the flames of his Zanpakutō receded, and he sheathed the sealed sword with solemnity.
"Only someone who had risen to the top could have fallen so low", he commented sternly, his head slanted.
Afterward he turned around slowly and began walking away. The battle was over. The Soul Society was saved, and the Sōzōshin had been exterminated in order to protect it.
All but one.
Maebure was watching the Shinigami going away, concealed by the Kyokkō spell. His face contorted in a grimace of terrible pain. He was utterly defeated, and if not for his Maboroshi technique, he would have been surely killed. Now alone and powerless, he had lost his wife, his race, his pride and honour. He was nothing.
Perhaps death would have been better.
For all that, he did decide to live on. Still invisible thanks to the spell, he started crawling away from the battlefield.
Part 4[]
He persevered, but for a long time his life was devoid of meaning and purpose.
Presumed deceased by everyone, he escaped the Seireitei completely unnoticed. Then, he traveled outside the ever-growing Rukongai and wandered even farther and farther, far beyond the limits of where anyone else would dare to tread. He explored lands unknown to the inhabitants of Soul Society and discovered many things, but he did not care.
He did not care about anything.
However, after a protracted period of trauma-induced idleness, one day a thought like a burning current crossed his mind and immersed it with a wave of dark fury.
Vengeance, he thought.
Any feeling of responsibility for what had happened to his wife and people due to his actions was erased from his mind to preserve its already shaken sanity. Unoccupied by anything else, he at last found, or rather rediscovered, a goal. He would return to the Soul Society, and with his might he would restore the Sōzōshin, who were at the time in the process of being turned into a myth, back to their former glory and beyond. He would have his revenge at his designated nemeses, the Shinigami. He would claim the throne of the Soul King and exact his authority over the entire realm. And then, he would gain access to the Well of Souls... and then... and then he could...
He was spending the following centuries, and eventually millennia, polishing every facet of his Zankensoki skills to a perceived perfection. He was training to ultimately master his Zanpakutō and improve their unity, achieving unparalleled harmony with the spirit weapon. And, in the end, he was able to obtain the fabled Sinsaeng Jeongsu, the ultimate power accessible to a pureblood Sōzōshin.
With that, for the first time in a period that had eventually become nearly a third of his life, he felt happiness. Having had honed his incredible skills and gained power unseen and unattainable to the Soul Reapers, he felt confident. He was ready to single-handedly force the entire world to bow to him.
And then, he failed miserably.