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This article, Birthplace of a Legend, is a short one-shot featuring the first meeting between Kusaka Kori and Averian; a Tsuji and Arrancar respectively. It also serves as the opening story of Part II of Bleach (Kenji Hiroshi) and the Prelude to War arc; which takes place during Bleach: War of the Worlds.
“You have no idea!” Kenji exclaimed.
“Like hell I don’t.” Kusaka answered.
“Can you two never be civil?” Ino asked.
“It’s in their nature, Ino. It’s best to leave them alone.” Kazuma answered.
Kazuma, dressed in a yellow shirt and denim jeans, flanked by Ino in a white sleeveless top and hot pants walked down the street. Behind them came Kusaka and Kenji; arguing like schoolchildren who didn’t care whether or not the Head-Teacher was looking right in their direction. It was laughable really. The two where amazing fighters yet they bickered like small children, hurling insult instead of punches. Ino would much prefer they just deck one another and be done with it. It would certainly improve her headache.
But then a miracle occurred.
“Shut your mouth.” Kusaka said, suddenly serious.
For all her effort she could not determine what it was that set him off. Kenji certainly hadn’t said anything beyond his usual bullshit and she and Kazuma hadn’t even interjected themselves in their argument.
“Get yourselves to safety. Trust me.”
He offered no other explanation. Kusaka simple vanished with an impressive Shunpo step. He touched down on the outskirts of the town the four had been visiting; where he promptly stared a challenge into the empty air.
“Get out here.”
To no surprise to Kusaka a being stepped forth; seemingly from the shadows themselves.
“Who do you think you are, sneaking around like the boggy man? Usually when someone wants to kill me they have the common decency to attack me. What’s with all this sneaking bull?”
“What makes you think I meant to kill you? It was actually the one travelling with you; Kenji Hiroshi.”
“Is that right?” Kusaka asked, grinning. “Tough.” The smile vanished. “You’ve got saddled with me.”
“… How did you know I was here? I thought my energy was adequately hidden.”
“I always trust my instincts.”
The man who spoke these words possessed a confident bearing. His red eyes were hard and unwavering; his stance straight and imposing; his voice without fear. He barely moved a muscle though this had absolutely nothing to do with the weight of the opposing man’s spiritual power. For the speaker knew the depths of his own power. His blackish-brown hair blew haphazardly as the wind began to pick up; which the coat-tails of his black outfit soon mimicked.
“Those instincts have served you poorly.”
The answerer was maybe a hand-and-a-half taller than the other man; possessing of an arrogant demeanour and a certain look that betrayed his blood-filled history. His clothing was regal and decorative but the look was anything but. Those yellow eyes spoke of volumes of wealth and experience but also revealed the bloodthirsty history of their owner.
“We’ll see.” The first man replied.
“Answer me one question: why did you send the others away? Your chances would have been better had they remained by your side.”
“Why? Don’t be stupid! I sent them away because they’re weaker than me.”
“… Indeed. One more question: what is your name?”
“Kusaka Kori.”
“I am Averian.”
No more words where spoken. Both realized there was no need. Kusaka and Averian closed the distance with Shunpo and Sonido respectively and the air sang as Zanpakutō met Zanpakutō! Kusaka gave himself over wholly to the instinctive sequences of his Form II stances; cycling through strikes and parries and counters at an impossible rate. And Averian matched him blow-for-blow. They danced along to a complex web of movements that few others could hope to follow never-mind match; all the while smiling like psychotics. For Kusaka's killer instinct -- the source of Form II's power -- was razor sharp; Averian's no less so.
“You are perhaps the greatest Form II practitioner I have ever seen.” Averian complimented. “Who was your teacher?”
“Garian Shinjo,”
Despite their talk the two did not slow down. Kusaka forced an opening by mixing in a blade-shunt taught to aspiring Form III practitioners, allowing him to make an offensive march with a sequence of heavy strikes. But Averian reinforced his own Form II with Form I practices; balancing his strength and speed just so to subtlety interfere with Kusaka’s strikes. The Arrancar then masterfully turned his attacking momentum against him and counterattacked! Forced onto the back foot Kusaka continued to give ground until he seized the initiative and grasped Averian’s leading arm. He twisted around so he was to his opponents back where he readied an overhand strike intended to finish it; though Averian quickly righted his mistake and parried.
“I see Sōritsu Kuchiki in your technique.” Kusaka noted, with his eyebrow rose in question.
“I once served as his Lieutenant; back when I was masquerading as a Shinigami.” Averian supplied, nodding. “My turn for questions: Why remain to confront me alone? You have to realize that you cannot strike me down.”
That was actually a good question. Kusaka certainly did not doubt his abilities; he’d certainly had his chances so far. So that begged the question: why? That was simple. Some of the daftest things he’d done in his life to date had been done on the behalf of Kenji Hiroshi. If someone appeared threatening to kill him – like a certain Arrancar had – then that was all the reason Kusaka needed to draw his sword and step forth in challenge. After all… if Kenji couldn’t kill him then he certainly could.
“You threatened my brother.” Kusaka said at last.
“Bah! Why is it always such nonsense? A man with your power need only fight for himself!”
“Shut your mouth and raise your sword.” Kusaka said, calmly, yet forcefully. “I want you to give me reason to kill you.”
Averian laughed!
“Heh, as you wish, Kusaka Kori. If you do not stop me here I’ll plunge the realms into eternal war; I’ll slaughter your friends and ensure you survive long enough to know of their demise. I’ll rip down everything you hold dear and, when I’m finished, I’ll leave you a broken man with nothing but his eyesight; so you may witness all the pain I wrought. And if that alone is not enough then you should know this: Kenji may have euthanized your mother, but it was me who made the cut necessary.”
Rage wasn't the word to describe Kusaka at that point. There comes an odd time when someone passes beyond rage, beyond anger. That was Kusaka right now. And Averian made the biggest mistake of his life by smiling.
“Tell me, Kusaka; is that reason enough to kill me?”
“… I'm not going to kill you. You see, I'm not like Kenji. He goes out of his way to help people. Me? When I deal in revenge I'm the type who kills a person's family and makes them watch me do it, right before I come for them. Congratulations Averian: you now have my full attention.”
Kusaka’s spiritual power surged like never before! Excitement took its hold and the bloodlust of the Kori clan came upon him in that instance; turning the abrasive and usually insightful Kusaka into a rage-fuelled being of unimaginable anger; a dervish of destruction in every sense. He loosed himself upon Averian like a feral creature, his Zanpakutō akin to a rabid beast’s claw! It was all Averian could do to hold his ground and keep the beast he had awoken from running rampant over the top of him!
“Rei…” spiritual power surged to life along Shagetsu’s edge, “… ssen!”
The earth shook. Spiritual power lashed forth from Shagetsu’s edge like a bolt of lightning torn from the heavens; destroying all in its wake! Averian attempted to divert that vast torrent but would only have done so indirectly. Instead the Arrancar opted to flee and fight another day. Both knew the blast wouldn’t have ended the battle but both also knew that their battle would not stay one-on-one for long. No doubt the Gotei 13 where already mobilizing forces.
“Until we meet again… Kusaka Kori.”
“Until next time, Averian,”