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Kickoff of the First Spiritual War is the culminating sequence of events that ultimately results in the outbreak of the First Spiritual War. Kenji Hiroshi, joined by Anika Shihōin, Tadashi Kori, Shin Nagakura, the Visored, and later Van Satonaka, join forces with the goal of killing Averian. It is this event where Kenji's moniker of Archon of Storms is earned.
He regretted lashing out at Lisa, Hiyori and Mashiro immediately but the fact Tadashi, Shin, Shinji and Kensei where being pressured was weighing on his mind.
"What exactly are you planning?" Kyoaku inquired. "Lisa was right, you know. You did give Averian pretty much everything you had, and he practically laughed at you."
"My plan? That's easy." Answered Kenji. "I'm going to let go."
"Let go? Let go of what?"
"There was a person once who told me if I ever let go he'd drag me down and crush my head. I'm going to introduce him to Averian by doing something even Shin won't expect."
"You're mad!"
Maybe so. But Kenji had no cards left to play. What he intended to unleash had thus far been stopped only by the strength of Kei Yume and even then he had done it with considerable difficulty.
Tadashi swept low hoping to cut Averian's legs out from under him whilst the Arrancar was busying himself fending off a flurry of close-quarter strikes from Kensei's miniature Shikai. Whilst it seemed like a good idea in theory it didn't exactly pan out in practice: Averian back-flipped over the incoming strike and bathed Tadashi and Kensei both in a majestic white-coloured Cero!
"For a Captain and former Captain respectively, you are both hopelessly lacking in ability."
"You shouldn't have taken your eyes off them."
From the white light wrought by the Cero emerged Shin bathed in the pressurised aura indicative of a complete Shunkō. His haori fell billowing in the wind whilst his upper Shinigami uniform was shredded completely. Standing behind him where Tadashi and Kensei -- unharmed -- with their arms shielding their faces.
The Cero had parted around the three and continued travelling past them.
"I see she managed to perfect it." Averian stated. "Last time I saw the Shunkō it was a conceptual idea Anika arrived at in a spirited effort to kill me. As you can see...!"
The lower half of Averian's body suddenly fell away from the top half as Shinji and Tadashi sliced through the ancient Arrancar from behind! Tadashi and Kensei, who where still standing behind Shin, dispersed in a flash of light. Shin's devilish smile revealed that these constructs had been forged through his Zanpakutō.
"As I said: you shouldn't have taken your eyes off them."
As his top half fell away Averian growled in shock anger. He was about to speak but before any words where formed Kensei -- his Mask covering his face -- was above him and the clenched fist that held his combat-knife was glowing with his spiritual power. Kensei planted the knife firmly in Averian's chest! The energy from his hand transferred to the blade and subsequently into Averian, which exploded violently as Kensei flash-stepped away. The resulting explosion dwarfed the surroundings completely and illuminated the entire area.
At the same time Tadashi vaporised Averian's lower half with a blood-coloured Reīssen that looked vaguely like a Cero.
"Got him." Tadashi acknowledged.
"I ain't so sure." Shinji replied.
"This isn't over yet." Kensei acknowledged as he removed his mask. "We've just gotten started."
Kenji stopped his advance momentarily as various lights illuminated the horizon! He knew enough of Kensei's abilities to know when the man was cutting loose, and he'd seen Kusaka unleash his Reīssen enough to have a fair idea what it must be like to see Tadashi use the same attack.
"Think about this rationally." Kyoaku advised. "Shin and Tadashi together are currently the strongest Captains. Even in light of that, and with help from the Visored, they're struggling. Remember that they're doing this to keep you safe."
Kenji renewed his advance with purpose.
"That's exactly why I need to go back!" Kenji barked back. "I never asked any of them to put their lives on the line for me! If one of them where to die, because I wasn't strong enough, I'd never be fit to forgive myself. This is the only option left to me."
Kyoaku remained silent for a long time. When next Kenji heard his voice they where mere minutes from returning to the battlefield.
"... You will have my full strength."
"I never doubted that for a moment."
This battle was so far beyond him however that he might as well have been an ant rallying against the heavens, and Kenji knew it. But he had faced down Averian before and lived to tell the tale. He would do so again. But there was a nagging voice in the back of his head: You had help back then too.
Only this time Van Satonaka wasn't at his side.
Away from the battlefield was Van. He was lying lazily on a field of grass near a lake of ice cold water. It was very nearly a perfect day: the sun was high in the sky, there was just enough wind to provide a nice breeze, the sky was devoid of clouds, and the grass was dry underneath. The trees that overhung the lakes perimeter provided just enough shade.
What stopped it being perfect? The segmented bracelet Van had received from Kenji.
Only this time Van isn't here. Kenji's thoughts where communicated to Van through the bracelet, which Kenji had seemingly forgotten about.
"You dummy." Van whispered.
Van got to his feet slowly. Anna and Jitsuzai where sitting close to the lake with their feet dipped into the water, and appeared to be arguing, which Van admitted was dangerous to do with Anna. But Van made no movement to join them. Instead he looked to the far horizon. He had been sensing the clash for some time already, and hadn't intervened because he felt the Gotei 13 Captains approaching. But he felt Kenji's fears and doubts through the Renkei, and saw what his rival was thinking clear as day.
Van turned on the balls of his feet, strapped on his Zanpakutō, hid his spiritual power, and flash-stepped away before Anna or Jitsuzai noticed.
Although they where separated at the moment the dual look of resolve shone in those eyes!
Tadashi wore a grim expression. His own wounds where light -- thanks to his Zanpakutō -- but everyone else barring Shin -- thanks to his Kidō pedigree -- was beginning to slow down. The Visored where in decidedly worse shape. Hachi was busy weaving and sustaining barriers to stop harmful effects to the Human World and thus could not offer healing at the moment.
"Shin, we may have to accept that we can't win in this situation." Tadashi acknowledged.
"I agree. We could attempt to seal him but given his strength, even considering our preperations, I don't see any seal working long-term. But at least we'll buy ourselves some time."
"Agreed. We need to weaken him a bit more first, though. Otherwise I'll need to do something drastic."
The Captains looked towards the battling Visored.
Although both Rose and Love had regained consciousness and rejoined the fight, the fact remained that the Visored where approaching their limits. Love's mask had already been summoned once after his time limit had been reached, and cracks where showing on Rose's mask. Both would be out of it soon. Kensei, meanwhile, was a mass of wounds; it was a miracle he was still standing at all, never mind sustaining both his Bankai and Hollow mask. Shinji, miraculously, had avoided serious injuries, but the strain of summoning, dismissing and summoning his mask in hopes of causing lasting damage was beginning to show on him regardless. Averian had brushed off a few of his Cero after all, and Shinji's Shikai had practically been in constant use.
Matters looked grim.
"We have another problem." Shin said suddenly.
"What would that be?"
"Kenji's turned around."
"Son of a bitch! It's time for Plan B."
Tadashi suddenly turned his Zanpakutō on himself and plunged the blade into his stomach! Whilst most would have been shocked by such an action, Shin barely even registered the move. He merely shook his head.
"So its come to that, then." Shin liberated a syringe from the inner pocket of his uniform and injected the contents into Tadashi's neck. "Alright, done. I'm on standby."
Shin stepped behind his friend and placed his hands on his shoulders, with his hands showing the tell-tale sign of healing Kidō.
"Bankai, Shukketsushi Shirenya."
Tadashi's blood fell in dark streams and when he raised his hand and directed it towards the battle, his blood suddenly sprang to live! It flew from his self-inflicted wound and went straight for Averian.
"What is this!?" Averian roared as a stream of blood seized his sword-arm.
Kensei flash-stepped clear as Averian was further entangled in streams of blood! The injection provided by Shin was specially made to be used in conjunction with Tadashi's Bankai by the Shinigami Research and Development Institute. Shukketsushi Shirenya turned Tadashi's blood into a literal weapon under his control. Under normal circumstances it could only be used for a very brief period, but when used in conjunction with the injection -- which accelerated Tadashi's production of blood to rapidly replace that which he lost -- and a healer, Tadashi's Bankai became a force of nature!
"Shinji, we need Hachi!" Tadashi bellowed. "As quickly as possible! Shin, I'll be fine from here; Averian isn't going anywhere, count on it. As soon as Kenji gets here he takes over barrier duty. And Kensei! If that fool boy makes one move to interfere again then knock him out."
"Gladly." Kensei acknowledged.
"On it, boss-man." Shin sped off.
By this stage Tadashi's blood had completely enveloped Averian from head-to-toe, and he was busying himself struggling in vain to break free. Thanks to the injection and healing Tadashi appeared like he had prior to unleashing his Bankai, but he was beginning to turn pale.
When Kenji arrived he was intercepted by Shin and slid to a sudden halt.
"I'm-!"
Shin silenced Kenji with a closed fist to the jaw!
"Believe me, we'll have words about this later. You're on barrier duty, kid. Now leave this to the adults and get the fuck out of our way."
Kenji merely watched for a time, completely stunned, his resolve shattered. Tadashi had raised his arms into the air now, his blood creating a spherical shape around Averian. Shinji and Kensei stood nearby like poised snakes ready to lash out, whilst Hachi slowly approached Tadashi. The two shared some words before Hachi donned his Hollow mask and slapped his hands together.
Love joined Shinji and Kensei but Rose departed from the other Visored and approached Kenji, whom he gently led from Shin's harsh gaze towards where Hachi had sat maintaining the barriers.
"Come, Kenji. You may yet have a part to play in the conducting of this melody."
Hachi summoned four golden halberds. Tadashi, meanwhile, threw his arms out, which caused the sphere to cling to Averian's limbs. Once this was accomplished Shin quickly threw two of the halberds, both of which impacted Averian near the hands. The final two he launched towards the Arrancar's feet.
"Shisō Kekkai!" Hachi declared as he once again slapped his hands together.
Averian's seal was, for the moment, complete. The mighty Arrancar was pulled into the sky by bolts of electricity, which formed a complete circle with the halberds focusing the energy. Soon the energy itself vanished to signal the second phase of the technique. The coffin that resulted from using Shisō Kekkai had just been impaled by the four halberds and Hachi heaved a great sigh of relive, with his arms falling by his sides. Apparently barrier duty, not to mention the sealing itself, had taken quite a bit out of the large Visored.
Kenji, meanwhile, was left with what little remained of his pride. Everyone else was seemingly content that the battle was over and subsequently dropped their guard.
"Let's notify the Kidō Corps." Tadashi said a tad breathless. "We need to make sure that seal isn't brok-"
"Have you all went to sleep!? Look you idiots!"
Kenji recognised the voice immediately! "But what the hell is Van doing here? I didn't say- Oh, shit." He fingered the bracelet as understanding finally dawned on him and with it he saw Van's intent clearly in his mind. Averian wasn't alone. "Tadashi, Averian isn't alone!"
A white-haired male touched the surface of the coffin and spoke softly to it. Shin was the first to attempt an attack and he was the first to be swept aside; the white-haired arrival swept his hand through Shin's stomach, and tore away a good deal of his right-hand-side in the process!
"...The fuck... are you?" Shin fell.
Tadashi threw caution to the wind. He flung his right hand out towards this new enemy and his left out toward the falling Shin. Blood leapt from his hands and whizzed towards their goal. Shin was gently seized and cradled until he lay upon the ground, coughing, but the enemy merely flicked his hand at the blood as if he where waving. Tadashi was suddenly falling to as blood spewed from his back!
"I didn't even... see him move."
The white-haired man went right back to talking to the seal. And as soon as he was done the coffin split! Spiritual energy erupted from the crack and blasted the coffin into so many pieces it was impossible to count them. And it seemed all they had managed to do was anger Averian. Pained cries and grunts filled the air as the Visored were struck down to a man! Kenji felt the tip of a blade pass along his cheek at the same time he felt Van grab him by the collar and pull him away.
"Thanks for the save." Kenji said to Van.
"This is gonna be a special kinda headache." Van stated. "But lucky for you this hero was nearby. Just tell the big guy not to make his barrier so damn strong next time."
"If we have a next time. But never mind that! Who the fuck was that guy!?"
"I just got here! How the hell should I know?" Van barked back.
"You could obviously sense him." Kenji pointed out.
"And you couldn't?" The quizzical look Van wore struck Kenji speechless. "Heh, no smart comeback? Damn, it must be the end days. Do I hear trumpets? I think I do!"
Kenji smacked him up the head. "Did that help with the ringing?"
For his trouble Van nearly broke Kenji's nose in reprisal.
Whilst the two bickered Averian had reappeared beside the white-haired man and inclined his head to him in greeting.
"You have my gratitude."
The man grinned, as if he found the whole scenario amusing. Which he did; Kenji got a sense that this man was not only incredibly dangerous, but also incredibly bored. And bored men with power and no qualms was a very bad combination. But instead of hanging around he vanished as quickly as he arrived. This left Averian even more angry, of course.
"Did I kill you all?" The Arrancar asked when no one appeared before him. "Huh. It appears my strikes were far too shallow. But I don't think you'll be rising to fight again anytime-"
"YOU BASTARD!"
For all the strength he put behind his swing Kenji was diverted with casual ease. He landed lightly on his feet however and managed to duck beneath Averian's follow-up, at which point Van appeared to block Averian's strike. With his forward momentum halted Kenji took full advantage and ran his blade along the length of Averian's back!
"Insignificant insect!"
Averian repelled the both of them with a surge of reiatsu! He quickly followed this up by opening his palm and concentrating power. Smiling sadistically he loosed an expansive white-coloured Cero right at the duo!
"Wreak Havoc, Tsuyakeshi Hanabira!"
Instead of causing damage Averian found that his Cero had been completely crystallised! The beam, right up to the hand that had fired it, was held firmly in a prison of pink-coloured crystal. And at the moment it wasn't shattering.
"Bankai!" Kenji roared. "Aoi Inazuma Kasō!"
As Kenji literally pulled a bolt of lightning from the sky Van began assaulting Averian with countless barrages of crystal. Averian slashed and kicked but the fact his arm was held firmly prevented his escape. As this happened Kenji's reiatsu, which was being fuelled by Kyoaku, turned the weather stormy. Rain fell suddenly whilst thunder roared and lightning flashed.
"Pitiful obstacle."
"Aw, hell no!" Van slammed his hands together. "You ain't pullin' the same shit twice! The last time we fought you slipped away. Not this time. Kenji! I have a plan and you're gonna love it."
By the time Kenji emerged from the lightning bolt striking him, he was wearing his ragged violet Shihakushō and holding a single daitō. Van had completely encased Averian in crystal and was moving onto the next phase of his plan. He gathered vast amounts of crystal, which he attached to the buildings below. Despite the damage he was causing to the Human World Van stripped back the concrete on a number of buildings and used his crystal to lift beams of metal into the air.
"You getting the idea?" Van asked, grinning wide.
Kenji laughed aloud. "It's crystal clear, buddy!"
With a guttural roar Kenji pulled several bolts of lightning from the heavens! These bolts didn't strike down to earth however. They struck the floating make-shift lightning rods gathered by Van. Van stood off to the side, panting slightly, as Kenji proceeded to pull the accumulated lightning into his body!
Tadashi, from the floor below, watched on in awe. "I joked once that he was an 'Archon of Storms'. Together those two are unstoppable."
"Now... phase three." Van said aloud.
Van donned his Hollow mask and unleashed his Rin'ne in one smooth motion. With that accomplished he grasped the Renkei bracelet on his wrist and funnelled his additional reiatsu straight into Kenji. The lightning that was surrounding Kenji suddenly doubled in size!
"Fight through the pain!" Kyoaku urged. "You have Van and I here with you! You need nothing else. Now LET LOOSE!"
"Seitennohekireki!"
A massive bolt of lightning was loosed from Kenji's body and impacted the crystal cage that held Averian fast. Just before the two collided Van created an opening in the crystal surrounding Averian and suddenly the only thing the two friends could hear was the mighty Arrancar scream.
"Serves... you... right."
And with that Kenji fell face-first towards the ground.
"Nope." Van grabbed him by the jacket of his Bankai and held him aloft. "You owe me for this."
Kenji could only laugh...
Van lowered himself and Kenji to what remained of the roof of a nearby building and unceremoniously dropped Kenji the last few feet, with his backside striking the floor hard and a curse leaving his lips.
"I knew there was a reason I caught you before." Van beamed.
"... Ow, the pain..."
The pair allowed themselves a moment of respite, where they just basked in their victory, before seriousness reasserted itself and they looked towards the heavens where crystal particles where still raining down. Averian was gone; he wasn't dead, but he was gone. They knew that much because they had sensed him fleeing through a Garganta. But he had fled. And they where alive. Against all the odds they where still alive.
"Can I not go into work tomorrow?" Kenji closed his eyes. "Can I please just take a day or three?"
"Oi, oi! Get Ino here first, then you can sleep."
"Already covered, my boy." A female voice replied.
"Anika!?" Kenji asked.
He then groaned! For his trouble Anika kicked him hard in the stomach. Instead of responding as he would normally -- namely with a boot of his own -- the blow was enough to knock Kenji senseless. His eyes rolled back in his head and he slumped into a heap on the roof.
"Kenji!!"
Ino reached to cradle Kenji's head and immediately began administering healing Kidō but she was brusquely pulled away by Anika and directed to the wounded Visored, Tadashi and Shin. Kusaka merely watched from the sidelines before directing young Kazuma to give Ino a hand, telling him to start with Hachi.
"You heal Shin first." Anika said to Ino. "Then he can give you a hand."
"Van." Kusaka said in greeting. "Long time, no see."
"Likewise."
Van, however, turned his attention to Anika.
"I sensed something when the Captains first arrived." Van pointed out. "Three people. Yet only that Tadashi and Shin guy got involved. You've been watching the whole time!"
"I wasn't needed." Anika replied.
"Like hell you weren't!" Kenji suddenly woke up and attempted to kick her, only for Anika to casually evade him and strike him in the ribs with her elbow. "We got our asses handed to us!"
"Not from my perspective, my boy."
"Who are you anyway?" Van asked.
"My old woman." Kenji replied just as Anika said, "I'm his mother."
Silence greeted the pairs statement. Kusaka had donned a horrified expression, as if to say what the hell did you just say, whilst Kenji looked like a dear stuck in the headlights. For Anika's vein was popping on her forehead and her fist was clenched.
"Who are you calling old!?"
Victory.
Yet it seemed hollow. Kenji was happy that he was alive, sure, and he was delighted to fight alongside Van and the Visored again. But therein lied the problem. Had he been relying on his power instead of fighting alongside trusted companions then he would have been killed without question. Today was a harsh lesson regarding his strength-level.
"Van."
He turned his head marginally and looked at Kenji with a sideways glance and a questioning eyebrow raised.
"What is it?"
"I need to get stronger and I need your help to do it."
By this point the Visored under the care of Ino, and Shin and Tadashi under the care of Kazuma, where conscious and out of immediate danger. With that accomplished Kusaka directed everyone through a Kidō-wrought gateway to the Visored's oft-used underground training room, which left Kenji, Van and Anika taking up the rear.
Instead of walking towards the gateway however Anika stopped dead in her tracks.
"What is it?" Kenji asked her. "Anika?"
She suddenly rocketed forward in order to grab Kenji and Van where she then flash-stepped into the heavens, all while collapsing the gateway with her own reiatsu. Kenji was aware of Kusaka's roar but that was stifled by the closing gateway. Her movements where made just in time as well for a white-coloured Cero impacted the floor and cratered the ground for roughly a mile!
"You have got to be kidding me! What the fuck will it take to put this guy down!?" Van exclaimed.
Kenji clinched his fist, released his Bankai once more, and fixed Van with a grin.
"Us."
Anika protects Kenji.
Just as he declared this however Kenji saw twin blurs of white pass by his face. Averian had moved onto the offensive with unmatched speed -- certainly more than he had displayed earlier and Anika had moved to intercept him. Yet Averian appeared to be stronger too for he snapped Anika's Zanpakutō like a twig and cut down through her in one smooth motion!
"Tch. Foolish woman."
And he booted her down to the cratered earth!
Van moved to slow Anika's descent but Kenji remained rooted to the spot. Tears fell down his cheeks and blood dripped from his fingertips digging into his palms. The sounds he made where despair given form but the longer he stood -- and listened to Averian's goading laughter -- the more those piteous sounds turned to anger. The tears stopped, he gritted his teeth, and took one step forward.
"Kenji!! She's in bad shape!"
"She'll be dead soon and so will you."
"I will kill you!"
Averian moved right to Van's back and readied a single swing. But it never reached its mark. The roar that echoed throughout the battlefield was completely bestial, and suddenly a lightning-wreathed figure blasted past Van to parry Averian's Zanpakutō! This was then followed up by a swipe from its free-hand which tore through Averian's Hierro and drew blood.
"Oh?" Averian said. "This is an interesting development."
Van, however, beat a hasty retreat. He knew exactly what this meant and it wasn't good. Kenji and he had proven themselves capable of contending with Averian -- but it was clear that they couldn't defeat him, even if they fought together. Their combined attack at full power had only forced his retreat after all. Kenji had just spoken about his lack of power. And now here he was doing the unthinkable to bridge the gap.
"What's... happening?" Anika managed to say.
"He's gone full Hollow form." Van answered truthfully.
Kenji's appearance was altogether quite different from his previously seen Hollow state. In place of a long mane of hair this state sported a helmet-like mask with two long forward-pointing horns that covered the entirety of his head. His body was covered in a white shell-like carapace and his fingertips where sharpened claws.
Kenji blitzed towards Averian and swung down with his Zanpakutō.
"That's his Jitsugen!"
The blast was massive and cut a mighty rend into the earth! And that was when Van decided it was time to put a stop to this. Kenji was charging a Cero between his two horns but Van sliced through the horns and the energy erupted upwards into the sky. Kenji himself fell forward as his carapace shattered and Van immediately assumed his Rin'ne form. He proceeded to open a gateway to traverse the realms. Seizing the bodies of Kenji and Anika in the tails of his released form Van proceeded to render the whole lot of them invisible before stepping through the gateway.
"You owe me Kenji bloody Hiroshi."
Van had dropped Kenji somewhat unceremoniously on the floor of the Visored's underground training room before setting Anika gently on the floor.
"Ino!" He yelled. "She needs healing!"
"I'm done for." Anika whispered weakly.
Kenji, amazingly, wasn't unconscious. He had managed to crawl his way to Anika's side and he was now cradling her in his arms.
"Kenji... Listen. It's about Averian. He absorbs the power, abilities and memories of anyone he kills."
That got a number of surprised gasps from around the room.
"Kill me. I'm beyond healing... but if I die and it was his blow that finished me... he'll be that much stronger."
"You can't ask me to do this!"
Kusaka looked horrified. But there was a part of him that knew his mother was right. The cut would be cruel but it was necessary. And he hated himself for admitting it so easily.
"Live free, my boys." She whispered.
And Kenji plunged the blade of his Bankai right through her heart.
Author's notes[]
Trivia[]
- The Archon in Kenji's title can be taken to mean several things. In this case the word refers to the Greek meaning; specifically Ruler. This means the title roughly means Ruler of Storms.
Behind the Scenes[]
- This event was a highly anticipated event in the author's stories and the culmination of various threads laid down and connected when the retcon to Bleach (Kenji Hiroshi) took place. Before said retcon Kenji's first battle with Averian had ever only been implied; it had never been shown outside vague references and off-hand comments between himself, Van and Kei. Van was included in the battle as he was at this point the only other character to have fought against Averian before alongside Kenji.