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This article, Dark War: Escalation, is the co-property of both LordGalvatron and Stylx. |
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Part 1[]
The streets of the city were unusually crowded. Squads of Shinigami were patrolling the entire area, wary of a potential counterattack. The Captains who stayed in the Soul Society expected the Hollows to launch a massive offensive anytime soon, taking advantage of the absence of eight members of the task force sent to Hueco Mundo.
Nothing was happening, but the Shinigami remained restless.
"How long do you think it'll take them to finish their mission?", asked Hibiki Sasuyōna, the Sixth Division's Lieutenant. "It's been like half an hour or so already."
"Come on, Sasuyōna-kun", replied Ryū Suijōki, the deputy of the Fifth Division. "Do you seriously think they'll get the enemy leader so fast?"
"Well, they're eight Captains, so the enemy basically stands no chance. I sincerely hope they'll deal with him fast and return here quickly. I can't wait, look, I'm all shaking because of the stress."
"And overly loquacious as well", commented Motoko Manihōrudo, the Second Division Lieutenant, with mild irritation. "Shut up and stay vigilant."
"Please, don't behave like that", implored Kana Enodoriko. "We are all anxious because our Captains are in Hueco Mundo. But don't worry, I'm sure they'll all come back all right."
"Hmph! Captain Kuragari better returns quick, I'm tired of fulfiling his duties", quetched Motoko.
As she was saying that, she subconsciously touched the silver bracelet she wore on her left wrist. Lieutenant Suijōki noticed that.
"Hey, isn't that the trinket he gave you?", he asked teasingly.
Manihōrudo widened her eyes momentarily, but rapidly resumed her grimace of constant annoyance afterward.
"Yes. What about that?", she asked in a tone as if completely ignoring his implication. "I wear it because he wants me to."
"Yeah, sure", replied Ryū. "Just admit you're worried like the rest of us."
Just as she was about to respond, Hibiki interrupted her.
"Don't hide your feelings, Manihōrudo-san, we all know what do you really think. We're all friends, there's no need to be so secretive and to keep everything to yourself", he said.
Motoko winced and turned her head to the side.
"Hmph. I need to be silent to compensate for your improbable chattiness", she grumbled.
"Please, stop that", entreated Enodoriko again. "We're in an emergency. There's no time to argue with each other when the Hollows can appear at any moment."
Manihōrudo glanced at her and slowly retained her composure.
"You're right. Um, I'm sorry", she muttered.
When Sasuyōna opened his mouth, there suddenly was a loud, distant scream. The Lieutenants and the groups of Shinigami scattered around all stopped at once.
"The Hollows have attacked!", shouted someone.
"They're already at the gates!", exclaimed another one.
"Shit", said Motoko. "Let's go!"
The Lieutenants promptly drew their Zanpakutōs. The other Shinigami quickly followed them and ran toward the closest gate in the wall surrounding the Seireitei.
All of a sudden, there was an explosion nearby. Pieces of a destroyed building showered the Soul Reapers.
"They're inside?!", asked Suijōki with astonishment.
"That's impossible! Each gate is guarded by a Captain, there's no way they could get inside so fast!", replied Hibiki.
"Quick!", commanded Manihōrudo.
Before they were able to move, however, they felt an overwhelming, deathly cold spiritual pressure. Most of the Shinigami were virtually paralysed by its magnitude.
"What is that?", wondered Enodoriko anxiously.
Then, a single being emerged from amongst the nearby buildings. It was a sickly thin, female humanoid with pale blue skin. She levitated several metres over the ground with her legs crossed as in a meditative pose. The emotionless gaze of her steel grey eyes was highly unsettling and ruthless.
"Identify yourself!", shouted Ryū at the intruder.
Instead of replying, the Vasto Lorde turned around to face him. Afterward, several shadowy portals opened silently in her vicinity. Much to the Shinigamis' dismay, numerous Hollows started to emerge from the gateways.
"Men, prepare to fight!", ordered Motoko.
The unnamed Vasto Lorde narrowed her eyes slightly. Then, the Hollows plunged at the Soul Reapers with animalistic ferocity.
Part 2[]
"Hadō #32, Ōkasen!"
Ira looked at the incoming wave of yellow energy with a grimace. Then, he deflected the attack effortlessly with one hand.
Kuragari materialised right in front of him.
"Sandobaggu Bīto!", he exclaimed.
Subsequently, he proceeded to shower the opponent with incredibly fast hits. The Vasto Lorde quaked under the barrage of punches, and a cloud of dust slowly raised around the two fighters.
Suddenly, the Hollow lifted his hand and swung it at Ikiryō. The Shinigami disappeared using Shunpo before Ira was able to hit him. He stopped next to Kenpachi, who till then had been observing the scuffle with a bored expression on his face.
"You tired already?", Kuufuku asked the other Captain.
"I've determined he's getting stronger the more I fight him", replied Kuragari. "There's something else, but I can't quite grasp it. Switch with me."
"Hmph. I thought you could do better than that", commented Kenpachi whilst assuming a fighting stance.
Ikiryō rolled his eyes.
"I've been just testing him. However, you're free to go all out, it'll be easier to spot his weaknesses", he stated.
"Whatever. I'll just kill him", responded Kuufuku.
"Go ahead", replied Kuragari with a slight smirk.
"How long am I supposed to wait!?", bellowed Ira. "Stupid Shinigami, you're all talk! Get over here and finish this already!"
"You've taken the words right out of my mouth!", shouted Kenpachi as he charged at the Vasto Lorde.
"Soréa!", shouted Kenpachi, swinging his Shikai.
Ira lazily attempted to block the attack, but before he even noticed his arm was lying on the ground, a pool of blood quickly surrounding it.
"Aah, what the fuck!", he screamed, clutching his stump with a clawed hand.
"Tch, well, that was pathetic", Kenpachi said, wincing.
However, he suddenly saw Ira focus with a look of pain and contortion on his face. Kuufuku observed in shock as Ira's arm started to regenerate, slowly at first, but growing back quicker with each waking moment. It did not take long to fully regenerate.
Ira stood there, silent, cracking the bones in his new fingers and flexing the arm's muscles.
"Now, let the true beating begin", the Vasto Lorde said menacingly, baring his sharp teeth.
Kuufuku started chuckling quietly.
"So, you have something in you after all", he commented. "Let's see how much you can take before I tear ya apart."
Saying this, he plunged at the Vasto Lorde with surprising speed. Ira stayed vigilant and blocked the attack appropriately, causing a potent shockwave on impact.
Meanwhile, Kuragari was observing them with a faint smirk on his scarred face.
Part 3[]
"Hado #31, Shakkahō!", shouted Kaoru.
She shot a cannonball of red energy at the spider Hollow, but the Vasto Lorde merely swatted the Kidō away.
"Pitiful", commented the Hollow, taking her eyes of both of them for a split second.
"You're full of openings!", shouted Kurokawa, appearing behind her.
He swung his Zanpakutō down in an vertical motion. However, the Vasto Lorde simply smirked and fired off more web from her abdomen.
"Weak!", continued Kurokawa.
Whereas his blade sliced through the web seemingly effortlessly, to Kuro it felt dense and hard to cut through.
Afterward, he managed to slice the web in half just in time to dodge another shot with Shunpo. The web collided with the wall and destroyed it partially.
"Shit!", the Vasto Lorde exlcaimed, realising her mistake fully as Kurokawa appeared behind her.
The Captain's Zanpakutō pointed at her back. Suddenly, he thrust the sword into her back, the blade coming out of the other end of her stomach.
"You're careless", Kurokawa said blandly. "And now you'll die because of it", he finished as he placed his free hand on his Zanpakutō.
"May the fangs of heaven bear upon us, Ookami no Shoukan."
The sword changed shape and grew an additional, curved blade, further injuring the Vasto Lorde. Shrieking with pain, she used Sonído to escape. A trail of dark green blood followed her up to the place she reappeared a second later.
Then, Captain Shōki slashed at her suddenly, yet the Hollow managed to evade the attack. When she stopped, the wound on her abdomen rapidly closed and healed.
"High-speed regeneration", said Kaoru. "Very useful ability. Shall we test the extent of it?", she asked teasingly.
Right after that the Captain vanished utilising Shunpo. She materialised to the side of the Vasto Lorde and cut her immediately. The Hollow blocked, and moved back to dodge the next slash.
Suddenly, as Shōki lifted the hand with her Zanpakutō, it shone briefly and instantaneously curved its blade, becoming a large sickle with a jagged edge.
"Kusaru", she commanded.
The tip of the sickle scratched the Vasto Lorde's forearm. The Hollow promptly jumped back to gain some distance. As she landed on the white sand, she noticed her hand unexpectedly started disintegrating.
"What the hell did you do to me?!", she growled.
Kaoru smirked and looked with admiration at her Zanpakutō.
"My Ekibyō can administer a variety of poisons to the enemy's organism, depending on the attack command. The one I've just used should deteriorate your body in a matter of seconds, unless your regeneration powers prove too strong", she explained, narrowing her eyes.
The Hollow observed in horror as her hand slowly dissipated. Her powers resisted the technique, but were gradually losing. Then, the Vasto Lorde groaned and a single bleb fell off of her abdomen.
The Hollow's hand quickly formed back as the green glowing egg faded away. Captain Shōki was visibile surprised.
"Intriguing! You've transferred the poison to one of these cysts and simply expelled it!"
The Vasto Lorde grinned.
"I can do even more amazing things. I am Lascivia, Tinieblas-sama's general, and I will not let you mock me any longer. Behold!"
Subsequently, her abdomen swelled and began quavering. An aura of green spiritual energy enveloped Lascivia as she concetrated her power. The two Captains observed her attentively, raising the swords in a defensive stance.
All of a sudden, the abdomen detached from the Vasto Lorde's body and fell onto the sand. Something writhed violently within it, and after several seconds emerged from it like from a cocoon.
"Thank you, Captain Tadayoshi, for sharing your Reiryoku with me", declared Lascivia in a luscious tone. "Let me introduce you... to our "child"."
The being grew within a matter of moments and straightened up: a male Hollow who possessed numerous arachnid traits, likening him to a more humanoid version of his mother. That was not all, however, as the "child" bore an uncanny resemblance to somebody else as well.
"What the hell is that!?", shouted Kurokawa.
Captain Shōki frowned.
"How dare you make that... abomination!", she exclaimed.
"Don't be so rude to him, he's just an infant", replied Lascivia tauntingly.
The Hollow spawn glanced at Tadayoshi, and seemed to recognise him. Suddenly, it contorted its face in an expression of pure fury and rapidly raised one of its hands. An orb of green energy started quickly accumulating in its palm.
"You see, you made him angry!", chuckled Lascivia.
Afterward, her spawn fired its powerful Cero at the shocked Captains.
Part 4[]
In the Seireitei, all of the Gotei 13 Seated Officers and Vice-Captains were locked in combat with the ferocious Hollows. Numerous bodies of fallen Shinigami were scattered across the battlefield.
"Spin around, Kamisori Bōshi!", shouted Kana, throwing her Zanpakutō at a number of Hollows.
"Shi no Senkai-ha!", she followed on, as the shuriken-like weapon started rotating at incredibly fast speed, slicing its way through the enemies.
Unbeknownst to her though, an Adjuchas pounced at her from a blind spot, its claws prepared to cut her down.
"Hah!", shouted a disembodied voice.
The Adjuchas' arm suddenly sported a deep cut as another Shinigami appeared.
"When will you learn how to fight properly, Kana?", said the Shinigami as he approached her.
"Hatsuharu-san!", Kana said happily, turning round to see her ally.
He looked stern, and he promptly tapped her on the head slightly, making her jump back.
"Hey, what was that for, Hatsuharu-san?", she asked, holding her head in an comedic fashion.
"Because you're not concentrating", he said bluntly, raising his Zanpakutō. "Let's go", he added.
Kana nodded and followed his lead back into the battle.
Several other Lieutenants were fighting nearby, each swarmed with endless swaths of lesser Hollows. Even though most of the foes were weak, their numbers slowly overwhelmed the Shinigami.
"God damn it!", exclaimed Suijōki as he cut a Hollow in half. "Hideo!", he shouted right afterward.
Then, he looked with desperation as the Third Seat Officer of his Squad fell to an Adjuchas.
"You son of a bitch! Overboil, Atsuryoku Nabe!", he shouted.
The Hollow turned toward him and witnessed the release of his Zanpakutō. The katana promptly expanded into a large tube with several smaller ones attached near its tip. The Lieutant pointed it at the Adjuchas.
"Jōhatsu!"
As the Hollow plunged at Ryū, pressurised steam burst forth from the Zanpakutō. It engulfed the Adjuchas' upper torso, melting down its skin and eventually dissolving the body within a matter of seconds. The lower half of the Hollow crashed on the ground and disappeared soon afterward.
All of a sudden, Suijōki was surrounded by a squad of Hollows.
"Otowotateru!", he heard unexpectedly.
A potent soundwave struck the enemies. The ground below them cracked, and all of the lesser Hollows virtually dissipated.
"Watch out, Suijōki-san, you need to be aware of what's happening on the entire battlefield!", stated Sasuyōna as he used Shunpo to quickly appear nearby.
His Zanpakutō changed from a normal katana into a two-bladed sword, with both blades stemming from a fork located right above the tsuba. The form vaguely resembled a tuning fork.
"Thanks, man, though I didn't really need help", replied Ryū.
All of a sudden, Motoko Manihōrudo materialised a couple of metres in front of them. Her Shihakushō was cut in several places, and her face was stiff with a grimace.
"You'll need it", she declared.
Some Hollows scattered in opposite to them promptly ran away to the sides. Then, a single silhouette emerged from the omnipresent cloud of dust which obscured large part of the immediate area.
It was the Vasto Lorde who broke into the Seireitei.
"This is bad", commented Suijōki.
Right after he said that, Lieutenants Enodoriko and Hatsuharu joined them unexpectedly, their Zanpakutō raised.
"Don't worry, you can count on us", said Hatsuharu.
The Vasto Lorde stopped a distance away. She glanced at the lone Lieutenants, her gaze cold and piercing.
"Let's go", uttered Manihōrudo.
The Vice-Captains spread out instantly and launched a volley of attacks at the motionless Vasto Lorde.
Part 5[]
Captain Sakamoto Risa observed cautiously as Tarō Kinzoku was fiercely fighting with the green-skinned Vasto Lorde. Even though it was extremely unlikely that Celos had received any professional training before, she seemed to be at least equally matched with the Captain whose swordsmanship was second only to the likes of the Kenpachi or Captain-Commander themselves.
As the battle continued, she appeared to gradually gain the upper hand.
"What's wrong, Captain-san? Your movements are becoming desperate!", she taunted.
Kinzoku frowned slightly. His gaze was so focused and sharp that his Zanpakutō seemed dull in comparison. Engaged in a sublime dance of swirling blades, he pushed the Vasto Lorde back with a relentless onslaught of plentiful broad slashes. Then, he locked the blades with her bone-like swords.
"You're just a fake", he seethed with tranquil fury, moving his face closer to her. "A disgrace. I'll shred you to pieces so that you won't insult me with your existence anymore."
The Hollow was noticeably shocked at this declaration. Nonetheless, she quickly assumed a nervous smile.
"Ha! There's no way you can beat me! I can do the same you do, only much better!", she exclaimed.
Afterward, she pressured the locked blades and eventually shoved the Captain back. Tarō promptly utilised Shunpo to move even further away. The blades protruding from his elbows vanished.
Suddenly, he started to glow with light blue aura. His spiritual pressure expanded rapidly, raising clouds of dust in the process. Unexpectedly, a small cut appeared on Celos's face.
When Tarō opened his mouth, he heard Captain Risa shouting.
"Captain Kinzoku, please, stop!", she exclaimed all of a sudden.
The vast aura of Reiryoku diminished, reducing itself to a glowing outline. The Third Division Captain glanced at his companion.
"Allow me to fight the opponent, I beg of you", she entreated as she was approaching him.
Kinzoku gave her a deathly stare in response. However, as Sakamoto resisted his gaze, he slowly regained his composure. He narrowed his eyes, nodded slightly and promptly sealed and sheathed his Zanpakutō.
Risa smiled faintly and passed by him. She stood opposite to Celos, who observed her with apparent curiosity.
"Fine with me, I'd like to see your powers as well", she said with a grin.
Sakamoto ignored her words and simply drew her sword.
"May the waves come forth, Funshutsu", she declared.
Subsequently, the blade of her katana became serrated, and two spikes forked from the blade's tip.
Risa ran toward Celos, her blade scraping the sand as she went. Although, before she reached the Vasto Lorde she suddenly performed an upward slash in the air.
"Seriously", Celos said in disbelief, her eyes narrowing down to slits.
However, she quickly rose from the stupor as the ground under her started quaking. Then, she just barely managed to dodge a massive fissure of pressurised water with her Sonído. She regained her posture and looked up to see Sakamoto above her, ready to strike.
"It's over", Sakamoto said clearly, bearing upon the unsteady Vasto Lorde.
Celos rapidly rose her hand. The Captain widened her eyes and dodged, using Shunpo to evade a column of water bursting forth from below her. She landed on the ground several metres away.
Then, she swung her Zanpakutō at the Vasto Lorde. A fissure began opening suddenly, releasing a wave of pressurised water as it moved toward the enemy. Celos vanished utilising Sonído again, and reappeared close the spire's wall.
Afterward, she swiped with her hand. Sakamoto jumped back to avoid being cut in half by a sudden release of underground water.
"Die!", exclaimed the Vasto Lorde.
Subsequently, she repeated the attack with an even faster motion. Water suddenly burst forth from the white sand. Sakamoto winced, feeling its moisture as the water almost reached her.
She disappeared.
Celos widened her eyes in shock. She turned her head to the side. Then, she heard a hissing sound and blood gushed from her left arm afterward. She leant to dodge the next slash, and quickly lifted her hand to block the third attack. When Risa's Zanpakutō struck her forearm, several sparks shot from in-between.
Celos looked at her opponent with a mixture of anger and anxiety.
Part 6[]
Captain Mewokuramasu stood silently, enclosed with the bright blue Kidō barrier. Brooding, she observed as the dark red flames engulfed her shield and immersed the spacious room with raging fire. The air was undulating due to the excessive heat and dense smoke started to obscure vision.
"Ōkina Chikaku Kanetsu-ro", declared a deep, disembodied voice.
The blaze receded slightly to reveal Captain Shōdo. He stood tall, delivering the Vasto Lorde opposite to him an intimidating glare.
His Zanpakutō increased severalfold, and was now substantially larger than the Captain himself; three exhaust pipes protruted backward from its furnace-like head. Furthermore, several plates of heavy armour and a big steel backpack with two chimneys appeared on his upper body.
"I am the Captain of the Fifth Division of the Gotei 13, Fudo Shōdo", he stated. "Remember this name, because I am your executioner."
Afterward, he lifted his giant sledgehammer over his head and held it parallel to the ground. Then, he began spinning it with both of his hands, gradually faster and faster. The omnipresent blaze started rising and raging violently, covering the entire area with incinerating flames.
Nevertheless, Antracón remained unfazed. Not only that, but he assumed an open pose as if basking in the Bankai's extreme heat; little maws opening on his body slowly sucked the vast spiritual pressure of his opponent.
Shōdo halted his Zanpakutō and held it upright. Then, he slanted to the side and rapidly swung it at the motionless Vasto Lorde.
"Kanzan-dan!"
A boulder of burnt to charcoal and glowing with inner heat rock dashed at the enemy and struck him with terrible force. Giant explosion followed, snuffing out the flames within its immediate vicinity.
A few seconds later Antracón emerged from the dense cloud of smoke and ashes.
"You're strong, real strong. I am full. I am now strong too", he said with a wide grin.
Suddenly, he outstretched his right hand and aimed it at the Captain. Subsequently, an orb of crimson energy formed in his palm. The Vasto Lorde fired his Cero, dispersing the raging inferno between him and Shōdo.
The Shinigami reacted instantaneously. As the powerful beam was approaching him, he leant forward and moved his Zanpakutō to the side. Then, at the last moment, he smashed the opponent's attack with the giant sledgehammer, deflecting most of it to the side.
When the Cero hit the wall, the following outburst destroyed a large part of it immediately, creating a sizeable opening. The pitch black sky of the Hueco Mundo became visible through it as the dust slowly cleared off.
All of a sudden, the Hollow charged two crackling energy balls in his hands. Afterward, he outstretched his hands and commenced a barrage of dark red Balas.
To defend himself, Shōdo began spinning his massive Zanpakutō with one hand, an impressive feat which allowed him to deflect the entire volley of energy bullets. Suddenly, the Vasto Lorde ceased the attack and looked at his fists, grinning.
"Yes...", hissed Antracón.
Fudo frowned and narrowed his eyes. Then, he glanced back at Captain Mewokuramasu, who had remained relatively safe within her barrier until then.
"Mewokuramasu-san, I'm going to move the battle outside! As soon as it happens, please go forward without me!", he shouted to her in order to get across the roar of the incessant blaze which surrounded him.
"Understood!", replied Haruka.
"Move outside? Why?", asked the Vasto Lorde. "I like to stay here. It's warm, nice. I don't want to go."
Captain Shōdo grinned in response.
"I'm not asking you to go outside", he uttered. "Gōka Mekkyaku!"
Then, he pointed the tip of his Zanpakutō at Antracón. The exhaust pipes on his backpack suddenly released pillars of crimson flames, sounding with a loud roar. Afterward, a giant fireball shot forward, hitting the Vasto Lorde in the blink of an eye. Surprised, Antracón was blown away by the force of the attack, which promptly proceeded to dash forward, taking him with it.
Ultimately, it broke through the distant wall with a powerful explosion. The entire spire quaked perceptibly in its wake.
Seconds later, Captain Shōdo vanished, utilising Shunpo to quickly follow his opponent outside the building. When the blaze vanquished due to his sudden absence, Captain Mewokuramasu disspelled her shield. She looked around carefully, trying to find a way upstairs.
Eventually, she noticed a stairway relatively nearby. Sensing that the source of the dark, heavy Reiatsu was well above, she moved quickly toward the stairs and started to climb upward.