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| - "Days ago, a long forgotten warrior had finally returned home. Through his fruitless endeavors and years of struggle he has endured, and from the dark, he has emerged a stronger man. Today, he stands before us proving himself. His journey back home was long, filled with many hardships and unparralled suffering on his part. But now, he is home. In which many would have crumbled to the test of time, he has remained resilent. Ryōiki Unohana! You are being promoted to Captain of the Fifth Division for your unfathomable intergrity, ingenuity, and your heroic endeavors behind enemy lines." - Ryōiki being indited back into society. The lustrous hair of Terumi spilled down her back, lightning up the vicinity in a passionate blaze as the sway of her hips enticed those who gazed upon her. Her soft eyes caressing any who met them, and her soft skin comforting any who come near. An air of serenity exuded while she delicately floated over the ground, moving rather swiftly toward her destination. Most notably, the glistening ring of beauty that was seemingly attached to her middle finger on her right hand. Her purple clothing having shone as the light of day struck her, she proceeded to smile as she felt the warmth that only one man she knew expelled, Ryouiki Unohana. The Goddess Fujita opened her arms and quickly embraced her soon to be husband. A man with a black ponytail walked quickly toward Terumi, his eyes layer of iron fortitude temporarily shattered and replaced with love and compassion. His long arms enclosing the waist of the blonde before him, his strong build closing in on hers just before his eyes became fixated on her body. His glittery ring and necklace also stating his confession of undying love, a testament to them both. An air of admiration entered the vicinity as the two hugged atop Sokyoku Hill, two days after Ryouiki proposed. The man known as Ryouiki adorned a white T-shirt over his torso, having been healed following his resurgence back to Soul Society, and after his ceremony, finally given a new set of clothing. His thick black pants billowed in the wind as he broke away from his love, and the two quickly made their way down the famous landscape. "You really pulled yourself together, huh?" Terumi asked, her voice just as litling as ever. Holding her hand, and their bodies close together, he answered swiftly "Yea, heh, I guess that energy I have really does prove helpful" he explained, etching a smile on his face, "healing is much quicker. But, you can tell right. I slimmed down!" he exclaimed, triumphantly raising his fist which made Terumi chuckle. "That ceremony was quite big though. I admit, I was very "on the spot". It was awkward" he confessed. Before Terumi could answer, she felt a sense of power immediately invoke itself, instilled inside of her a power so unbendable and dense that it made her shake in anticipation and fear. As she shook, Ryouiki instantly reacted, waving his arm to protect her by raising a shield. He shuddered and turned, his eyes open wide and his gaze piercing, scanning the area for any possible spiritual creature that could be giving off the spiritual frequency. "Its large; determine the location. Ensure Terumi's safety, then proceed to confront the source. Spiritual pressure seems to emanate, somewhat like my own. Safe to assume he is an enemy" he calculated quickly. {C {C}"I can fight ya' know" Terumi chimed with sass, tapping on the sphere she was engulfed by. {C {C}"I'm aware" he retorted, "but I'll vow that I won't let you get hurt. Don't worry, stay out for know. I'll handle whoever this guy is." Out in the distance, an unknown figure was slowly making their way towards the lovey-dovey pair. As the figure walked, the two Shinigami felt a strange yet familiar power reverberate from the body, something that oozed out might and demanded respect, no matter how ridiculous the circumstances were. And as the person inched closer and closer to them, the wind immediately started to pick up, as if to signify the arrival of noble or an authority figure. And before they knew it, the figure was upon them, or rather, right in front of Ryōiki's face. The unknown figure turned to be a man with somewhat unkept hair but looked as if were professionally groomed to look like that. His blue eyes gave off a cool and caring expression as he stared directly into the recent arrival's eyes, piercing the very retinas and into his soul. Even though they could feel all the tension in the air, the man couldn't help but give him a goofy smile. "Hello there! I'm sorry if I barged in but I heard that there was a special wedding going on!" The man stated with goodhearted expression and smile, showcasing the glistening white teeth he took great strides in taking care of. "Not a wedding yet" Ryouiki rebuked boldly, caught off guard by the speed of the warrior. Suddenly, a sudden flicker went off as if a switch was just turned on; this was Captain Kei Yume of the 3rd Division! Sucessor to Gin Ichimaru. However, Ryouiki proved resilent, despite the standing, he was unfazed. "I'm glad to meet you, Captain Yume. I can tell by your face that your him. Quite the spiritual power you have." He noted, still speaking harshly and his right hand still inching toward the blade positioned in his sheathe on his right side. His hair billowed as the wind picked up and his let out his own spiritual output began to ravage the ground underneath him. "I feel I most apologize. I mistook you for a threat. Quite the spirit energy on you, huh Captain. Its..---" He was suddenly caught off as Terumi exclaimed, as, unintentionally, Ryouiki let down the barrier defending her. Most likely when he was suprised by Kei; clearly, he still has areas he needs to work on. "Your spirit energy is similar to my future husband?" She asked, cocking her head and grasping Ryouiki's waist, coiling her arm around him and pulling him closer. Sighing, Ryouiki knew that only Terumi would intterupt him and put herself in possible danger as she was always so independent...simply put, her best trait. "Ah. I see, then I must sorely apologize for my lack of manners and introduction. And I didn't know that I was famous around these parts. Hahaha. And an explanation for my arrival, I was rather intrigued about the day of events; I really needed a break from everything. The Captain-Commander has been on my back for days after what happened awhile ago with Kai and the near destruction of the Rukongai." He said sullenly. Giving out a large sigh, Kei continued. "She's never gonna let it go, that devil of a woman. But no matter about that, I mean no harm towards the both of you, so there is no point in showcasing the power you've been releasing." He politely eyed Ryouiki with a continued smile, hands in pocket. "Go and on take out your blade, I'll follow you in suit and have my own placed towards your neck." Kei said all of that without taking his eyes off of Ryouiki's face, letting his words sink in for the time being. The air around him was surprisingly calm but he wasn't so sure what his compatriot was thinking. Kei then directed his attention towards the beautiful woman beside Ryouiki. He gave her a smile and respectfully bowed, uncaring for the acts of formality everyone practiced in Soul Society. He was a former exile after all. "It is a pleasure to meet you Miss Terumi. And might I say that you look exquisite for this time of day." He uttered, standing in place. "I'll have to introduce you to Kiyoko Takara, I'm sure you and her will get along. I can't deny that no one has yet to hate her." Kei chuckled out loud. "And might I ask, what was that question you asked earlier? Something about a similar energy?" He asked, his expression scrunched up into uncertainty and strangely, a small hint of guilt. "Yes" Ryouiki reiteratered swiftly replying once Kei's last word escaped his lip. The ground under Ryouiki's feet began to whirl up wind and dust as the Captains words resounded in his head, ringing like a bell. "A battle eh. Well, that would be one hell of a first acquaintance eh?" he said, raising his brow and wincing, but it wasn't in respect or friendliness, no, he was examining, studying Kei and attempting to read him like a book, unfortunately, he turned up quite empty. Ryouiki's observation was broken once Terumi began to clatch onto his elbow, whispering into his ear. Ryouiki looked back at her from the corner of his left eye, a glance that told her enough; battle was just what Ryouiki needed to get back into shape, after-all, ever since he came back he hadn't been challenged since he was fully healed and rested. "I've become quite stronger myself. You can watch if ya' want, Terumi. But please, keep a safe distance. This might get quite, eh...disastrous." Smiling back at Kei, he tugged at the sword in the sheathe at his side, unveiling his blade before the Captain of the 3rd Division. "I just want to ensure that this is simply a sparring match. No ill-will. But, don't cross me Yume-taichō, you will regret it if you do" he said harshly, almost threatening in nature. Terumi nodded, leaping back suprisingly causing Ryouiki to lose his balance and nearly fall over, luckily catching himself with his right foot, kicking it up and stomping the foot down behind him to do so. Terumi chuckled as, in one magnificent bound, she stood perched atop the peak of Sokyoku Hill. Ryouiki smiled back before shifting his expression, his upper lip was raised and his eyes were fixated, somewhat slanted downward. "You ready" he said, confident in himself. With his sword extended, he began to gradually seep his spiritual power forth, although not visible, the sheer frequency and sound of it was crackling the ground of Sokyoku Hill. His defining build was quite imposing; standing several inches over Kei he chuckled while noticing the difference in height. His boulder like muscles rippling forth, nearly ripping straight through his shirt. He suffused a grimace while he walked toward Kei, eventually stopping once directly in front of Yume-taichō. Not a word was said, but his spiritual power was apparent nonetheless. His arm slung down, hanging at his side with his blade in tow. A somewhat annoyed growl erupted from Kei's lips after Ryouiki uttered his challenge. He stared at the Shinigami's face once again, obviously looking for any form of hesitance he could play off of or a hint uncertainty. Kei turned his attention to Terumi once again. He bowed apologetically, saying "I'm sorry about this Miss Terumi but I'll answer the question in due time, if you continue to insist." "Why does everyone wish to fight immediately after I meet them? I long for the days where we can just go out and have a jolly time with each other. I'm never gonna have an ounce of peace in these parts unless I'm with my beloved or stark dead." He stated, his eyes on the ground. "But if you wish, I'll grant your request, unwillingly of course." Kei sighed, ignorant of Ryouiki's attempt of intimidation and the exponential increase of spiritual pressure. "Whatever you were trying to in your callous observation won't yield any results...if you know what I mean." Almost immediately, Kei appeared besides him in a flash, a Zanpakuto raised towards his neck. "Like I promised my good sir." Kei's face was expressionless. His breathing was calmed and shallow. Eyes narrow, face rugged, Ryouiki's appeared to ascend to the heavens as he snapped his piercing eyes, shooting daggers at Kei. His amiably glance shattered, his capacity for swiftly shifting persona could make battling this nigh godly figure a stroll in the park, it would seem. A twisted grin etched onto his cold demeanor while Kei registered his observations and flunctuations of spirit energy. He affirmed Kei's note and failed to react to his first strike, or just found no reason to put forth effort to evade. Ryouiki's hostility subsided quickly, his index finger tapping the tip of the "zanpakuto" blade and slowly pushing it from his throat, he spoke, leaning forth, "Did I say somethin', Yume-taichō" he said coolly, "Quite the pugnacious one, I never suspect that. Last person I battled might as well have killed me, an' you are much stronger. I figure we could go one-on-one so I can-- Ryouiki's pontail billowed in the wind, its impressive locks flowing about and gliding along the wind currents. He opened his mouth to speak, but quickly shut it. "examine you" he muttered, having felt the quite uncommon resemblance in their spirit energy 11 days ago. His curiousity peaked and he sprung outward; shooting out with great intensity he sailed along with the wind until he was ten or more meters away, his back facing Kei; all movements thereafter where silent, not a tug of the wind nor rustling of the dirt could be registered. "Yume-taichō. I, Ryouiki Unohana, hereby challenge you!" he exclaimed firmly, grasping his katana. "My shikai is active" he noted, heaving the sword overhead and pointing the length, tip of the katana at Kei. His being shuttered at the mere thought, before sluggishly widening his legs. His spiritual pressure stood out garishly compared to the dense jerking of spiritual frequency being amassed by the Weaver of Dreams. "I'll be a lucky bastard if I survive his shikai" he thought. A contest; a test of true power and a testament to justice and committment was about, a real gentlemans battle, nature of which blurred from Terumi, who viewed combat as a means to an end. The Captain did nothing but stare at Ryouiki, oblivious to the dangerous apparatus of destruction pointed at him. Kei smirked at his challenge and accusation, letting the words sink into his very being. He weighed his options carefully, nothing the obvious semblance in their spiritual signatures but he didn't let that bother him too much. Inhaling once, he said, "I accept your challenge to the fullest, Ryouiki Unohana. Let it be known that you will be the first in Soul Society to see things never witnessed before!" Kei made a walking motion towards the man, moving casually as if they were pedestrians in the World of the Living. But with a blink of the eye, Kei Yume was within Ryouiki's vicinity and he his palms were already glowing with a white luminescent type of energy, crackling with intensity. "You say I'm pugnacious? No my good sir. I'm just brazen!" He declared, letting the energy loose upon his target. Ryouiki eyes lit up as he watched the visage of Kei unfold before his eyes, seemingly every vistige of power within him was invested into this frontal attack and without remorse, he let loose energy enough to split a rock in half! Fortunately, Ryouiki was quite pugnaci---brazen, himself; as soon as the Third Division Captain reached his proximity, he let loose a impenetrable sphere around his being that quickly expanded from a thin, skin-taut exterior to a bubble-like structure. Serving the purpose of defense in addition to creating distance between the two combatants. "This will be one for the books" Ryouiki exclaimed, his smile causing the bubble around him to shatter. Meanwhile, from afar Terumi noted the type of sphere used, one composed entirely of Wisdom, an energy still quite unknown to her and her future husband. Yet, with every inch of this battle she could tell that Kei was in fact of large pool of Wisdom energy! Ryouiki quickly retaliated, gliding onto the wind he flew to Kei's back without making a sound; nothing was heard except for the high-pitch screech of his katana slicing through the air, aimed at the waist of Kei in attempt to get him in an unlikely position, that, or simply cause harm. The Shinigami reacted instantly, subverting the counterattack with his own subtle movement. As if he was ballet dancer, Kei turned to his side with a graceful flow and caught the blade in mid sequence, making a large clanking noise in the process. Kei's breathing slowed as he made an effort to pull Ryouiki towards him, using the momentarily surprise to his advantage. "We have undeniable similarities," Kei quickly uttered, releasing the same white luminescent energy upon his opponent in dangerously close quarters. The impact was somewhat large, creating a cloud of smoke that covered the both of them. Leaping backward, his legs slammed against the stone ground as he stood a few meters away from his opponent, shrouded in his own self-made miasma. "I'm surpised you could stop my blade so easily. You must be quite the swordsman. Well, lets put that to the test, shall we." He sneered before bolting toward his opponent, carefully manuevering his katana through the cloud and parting the smoke like a curtain, aimed from above down onto Kei. Meanwhile, Terumi watched attentively, her concern remaining on Ryouiki who was actually beginning to show signs of improvement, in regard to his aggressive manner of making friends. She smiled as she watched the battle ensue, knowing that the two would grow into quite the friends given Ryouiki didn't do anything stupid. The Shinigami Captain expertly countered, as he easily brought his Zanpakuto up to meet Ryouiki's own blade. Kei maneuvered to his side and made a slashing moment at his opponent, aimed to cleave him in two. "Of course Ryouiki, I am called Yume No Kensei afterall." He managed to utter in mid attack. Side-stepping to the left, he reeled his arm back and once again kick-started an attack; his arm sprung to life with reishi exertion. His arm thrusted to the side, held vertically, to retain the attack and absorb the blow. At the same time, he lifted his right foot to strike Kei in the pelvis. In a couple seconds time, Kei observed the battle before him. Ryouiki was about to absorb his attack and make another, which was sorely aimed at his pelvic area. He frowned at the cheap notion and he decided to return the favor. "Go ahead and kick me Ryouiki. I'll simply counter it with my own. The force of the blows should push both of us away when they make the connection." He thought to himself, already deciding his counter move. Suddenly, Ryouiki ascended his left arm and let loose an immense burst of spiritual power, dense in nature much like a brick, his fists reinforced by Wisdom shot toward Kei's face, sought to directly impact the latter with a full-powered attack. At the same time, he brought his leg down and slowly dragged said foot back, increasing the momentum of the punch. With the previous sword attack blocked, he lowered the katana in his right hand and prepared himself - if his punch failed him, his kendo should suprise the Captain, Ryouiki thought calculating another strategy to use against the 3rd Division Captain. "With any luck, I'll be able to use Kidou to catch him off guard before landing in a decisive blow with my kendo." The Shinigami Captain swerved to the left, the fist barely missing his face and it created a whooshing effect near his hair. However, Kei intentionally allowed Ryouiki's fist to strike his shoulder. A large noise erupted from the impact, creating a slight shockwave. As that took place, he retaliated with his own free fist, which was coincidently aimed at Ryouiki's head as well. Just the same; Ryouiki was strucken by the Wisdom reinforced punch and from it, a shockwave was generated at his side, along with a booning noise that lingered in the air before fadiing out. The burst produced sent them both, on instinct, stepping backward, to which Ryouiki did more so - standing firmly about a meter away from the Captain. Placing two hands on his blade once more, he shunpo'd in a zig-zag manner before stopping behind Kei, directed in the left, he swung his blade down at an angle to strike the Captain in the shoulder blade. "Kenmei Howaito-Enjeru," Kei blatantly said, his back away from Ryouiki. A short burst of blue energy momentarily coated his body and a white armour quickly materialized over his clothing. He then turned to meet Ryouiki head on, his expression blank. The Zanpakuto blade directly struck Kei's shoulder blade, which ultimately caused him to take a step backward. The strike looked like it hurt since the attack left that distinct part cracked, essentially rendering it useless. But no indication of pain was registered on the man's face. Only indignation or carelessness. Suddenly, Kei was upon Ryouiki and he caught the man in a vice-like grip around the neck, holding him towards the sky. "There is no escape my friend." Kei uttered. He hopped that everytime Ryouiki would attempt to escape or struggle, Kei would merely increased the pressure he exerted on his windpipe. As soon as Kei clamped down onto Ryouiki's neck, instinctively, he bolted away from his grip, using Kazeninoru to assist him in his actions. His brows furrowed and he scowled angrily, "I prefer you not to touch my throat" he tightened his grip on the hilt of his katana, and motioned his other hand forward. A brief display; Ryouiki exerted spiritual force that whipped up a plume of smoke around him, forming a cloud of debris and dirt to block the vision of the Captain. From his temporary safe haven, Ryouiki observed the glowing taut barrier around his opponent, most likely set up in layers to increase efficiency. "Clever, Yume-taichō" he murmered, placing his blade back into the scabbard. Before another moment could be wasted, a massive flurry of spiritual punches darted toward Kei, whooshing passed the Captain like a storm. The consistent onslaught gave the impression of a giant fist being shot toward the Captain. Meanwhile, only a silhoutte could be seen of the towering Unohana, who, vanished following his discharge of energized punches. All the while, Terumi could feel the icy stare of Ryouiki lessen - he was enjoying this. Quite uncommon to the twisted heroism embodied by Ryouiki, but nevertheless, he seemed to take an immediate liking to Kei. Whether it was the friend he made in Shigeru or the swelling compassion and joy attained from finally realizing his own resolve alongside Terumi; that was irrelevant for the time being, as Ryouiki found true pleasure in this battle and wanted answers from his new peer, Kei Yume. Everything to Kei had seemed to slow down as Ryouiki commenced the relentless attack upon him. He gauged the power of each fist everytime it slipped past him, concluding that if they were to connect, the impact it would create would be tremendous, especially if applied onto the body of a Shinigami. Kei silently weaved through the spiritual punches, moving back and forth or blocking them with his own hands or feet. From afar, their duel would seem one-sided as it seemed that Ryouiki had the clear advantage. But that wasn't true at all. Kei was taking his time, carefully observing the man before him and determining if the energy within his body was the one and the same. "Well. I guess its time." He thought to himself. Kei quickly raised his left hand and a sheathe materialized in the palms. It was slightly different from his old one; it had a more bulkier and rustic appearance, similar to that of an ancient warrior. Kei edged forward, letting several of the energized punches strike his clothing. He gritted his teeth, letting it absorb the brunt of the attack. Each subsequent punch took its toll as rips were becoming apparent in several areas. Ignoring the fact, he made his move. In one motion, made a sweeping motion aimed at Ryouiki's legs. Ryouiki failed to analyze the impressive feat of endurance Kei brought forth, rather focusing his attention on the tools he weilded. The sheathe that emerged from nowhere had suddenly assisted him - wanting to study this tool, Ryouiki skyrocketed! His spiritual pressure flew and his Kazeninoru rang like a bell, suddenly, the Shinigami warrior ascended into the heavens. Hovering in the sky as easy as it came to a bird, his glared down at Captain Yume. Having evaded the attack, Ryouiki glided, his body motionless as he awaited his opponent to strike once more. His katana, held in a kendo stance, was grasped firmly anticipating a powerful counter-attack from the Captain. Following Ryouiki's movements, Kei instantly turned towards his direction, his sheathe aimed right at him. The inside of the sheathe glowed a light blue, as if it were brimming to the rim with energy. Kei gave Ryouiki a smile. A beam of energy was discharged from the innards of the sheathe. And as it neared the man, the size of it quickly reached large proportions. Ryouiki's eyes widened as the blast acred toward him, expanding as it reached his proximity. He was quite astonished by the speed of the blast rather than the level of energy it radiated; nevertheless, he was caught off guard by the sudden strike and caught in the blast. The wide torrential blue energy struck him on the mark! Exploding in a fury that widened and created a plume of smoke, hazily blockading view of Ryouiki whilst in the debris cloud. Terumi watched attentively, not expressing any outward emotion at the moment. Meanwhile, from afar, Kei could plainly see a Ryouiki's large visage come into picture; the framework of his large build quite difficult to hide actually. His broad shoulders extended from a haze and with one swoop of the sword, the debris blew away. His right arm was struck with the brunt of the attack, scorched and blackened by the blow. Grimacing, "is that it?" he inquired, swinging his blade downward while maintaining his kendo stance - suddenly, a burst of white energy tore through the land, a shockwave aimed toward Kei. "NO." Kei yelled back as he rooted himself on the ground, gaining a momentarily foothold for the incoming attack. "Kenmei Kikou." He uttered, his body once again glowed with energy, apparently solidifying around the exterior of the Captain's clothing. Taking up a defensive stance similar to that of the Hung Gar style, Kei listlessly stood his ground, arms raised and with a calm and serious expression. As soon as the attack reached the Kei's vicinity, he reacted in an instant. Through the employment of a complex set of maneuvers, Kei literally caught the white energy with his bare hands and redirected it somewhere else. Although Ryouiki may not see his opponent's expression, Kei smirked and readied himself once again. The Shinigami Captain then summoned his Zanpakuto at his side. With the two items in his hands, he slammed the butt end of his Zanpakuto handle and the Sheathe together and ran his hand over it, uttering an unheard phrase. A bright light soon enveloped the weapon. Once the light had dissipated, he held a strange fusion of blade and sheathe, which bore the appearance of double-bladed weapon. While the Zanpakuto was the same, the sheathe bore the same properties as its forebear, albeit colored a pure midnight black. "My turn!" Kei said with a smile, running towards Ryouiki. In a moment's notice, he was besides the Shinigami, having already swung his blade. Unable to study his opponents movements, Ryouiki failed to decipher the nature of the attack. His eyes flickered furiously as he thought, "wh--what the--" Before he could finish his phrase, he felt the sweet tingle of trickling blood. His sensations went into overdrive as he registered the burst of speed of the Captain! Beads of sweat drove down his face as he leaped forth, preventing his attacker from causing any futher harm. Landing meters away, he hunched down with blood pouring from the left side of his body, mere inches down from his armpit. His heavy build slammed against the ground. He stood, his blade still in hand but greatly astonished, "I'm impressed. That's quite the ability." His large frame shuddered before he made his move; his spiritual energy skyrocketed and his muscles tensed up, "Now, here we begin anew. No regrets" he explained, raising his blade. Wind currents swirled around Ryouiki's legs and arms, spun about, exerted, and concentrated into his being. "I don't know what that attack was, and I don't really care." Majestic white veils wove around his feet and his feet caught fire! He bolted toward Kei, holding his blade horizontally to the side of his body and preparing a mighty swing toward the pectoral area of his opponent. His face was plainly blank all throughout. Trailing Ryouiki's extreme speed was relatively difficult to pinpoint as the wind currents and dust obscured his view. But his enhanced spiritual sense gave him minor aid in this case; Kei could see the spiritual particles not native to the environment coming towards him, an indicator of his opponent's existence. Unfortunately, Kei lost track of time with his observation and he was barely able to raise his weapon in time, albeit in a very awkward manner. "Damn." He thought. Barely cushioned, Ryouiki's blade slammed into Kei; a resounding clang of metal followed before the ting of vibrant red spilled down the length of the blade. Kei's blood. Ryouiki stood, some few yards behind the strucken Captain, his spiritual pressure remaining constant throughout. "I'm actually suprise you were able to keep up. You truly are a Captain." Appearing unharmed, though he was able to gash a wound onto his opponent, a trickle of blood ran down his palm. "Heh. Smarter than I thought" he remarked. Suddenly, his hands lit a lush green, quickly moving to his wounded left side and right palm, healing his wounds. Although only momentary given the circumstances, he sealed the wounds and ceased the gushing blood for the time being. "Can't exert myself too much. I'm not as good a healer as Terumi." Turning around, he dashed back toward the Captain. This time, he bounced off the ground like a spring, sought for an overhead attack at the Captains skull! "Aishhhh." He managed to mutter before jumping up to meet Ryouiki in head to head combat. He swiftly swung his blade in retaliation, catching Ryouiki's sword in mid-air, filling the sky with loud bursts of thunder crackling, a testament to the battle the two beings waged between each other. Each strike only made the sound louder, as if it escalated with every passing second. They were at each others throats, giving each other no form of respite or mercy. The two were simply out for blood and victory. Bouncing back from the clash of warrior sword bout, Ryouiki growled while reeling back from the attack. Blood poured from above his left-eye, his pelvis bled via narrow wound, and he finally, exhaustion was taking its toll. He gulped, grit his teeth, and prepared for round two; the hissing reveberating and ultimately, torturous sound of clanging metal, flying sparks, and cascading energy had finally settled. The clouds seem to recede, and sky, envelope into a blue palette. The air shrieked and their swords having coiled and mixed with blood, surely, both combatants were only near their true capabilities as an individual. "Yume-taichō" he muttered, considerably in worse condition compared to the Captain, who was, evidently the better swordsman. "Ready for another go-around." he exclaimed. "My speed was greater than your own, but I suppose experience and battle-intuition surpasses that. You must be a great swordsman, Yume-taichō. I'm glad this battle was with you." "Your choice, we can see how good your "stand-up" game is, or, we can just hurry up and skip to the big stuff. Your choice?" Heaving his blade to his shoulder, his eyes became transfixed on the physique of the Captain before him, barely marred with blood, but harmed no less. The sky seemingly became laced with wispy white energy, native to Ryouiki, who simply smirked toward his own mobilization tactic. Despite their current status - floating in the sky, the ground quivered once the same white energy carved a wave of power into existence, striking the earth powerfully in multiple scattered streams. Shaken, Terumi looked up to see Ryouiki...smiling. "You're much more talented than I though Ryouiki-san!" Kei replied back, stabbing his katana onto the ground. "But in these parts and in the World of the Living, I am better known as Kensei No Yume! A befitting title, don't you think?" He stated with a smile, wiping the blood and sweat off his brow and giving off a tired sigh. He flexed his fingers and stretched a bit, elated for the brief respite the two had unknowingly undertaken. Kei looked up and saw the ominous sky before him and then he noted the devious smile across his opponent's face."He must be up to something. And if that energy is what he says it is. Then we're in for something exciting." He chuckled at the thought. "Do what you will Ryouiki! I'll follow your example!" "Great!" he announced, suddenly, the wispy strings of energy converged onto Ryouiki; refracting lights of shimmering white energy, coalsced energy amassed into one lump enveloping the Tenshi-hybrid in an enchanting color that seemed to spew forth undeniable power. The sky shone with energy, immersing Soul Society in light that filled the area from one horizon to the next. Energy whipped about in waves of pure Wisdom that eargerly struck, distorted and vaporized anything in its path. Then, the energy swelled around him; for a fleeting moment the warrior was devoured wholly by cascading energy, until the tattered, bruised and battered warrior funneled toward his enemy at breakneck speed! Rocketing energy having accompanied him, he was empowered heavily by the chorus and materialized before Kei. "This is truly the full extent of my shikai, Kazeninoru." That said, in a split second, swung by his opponent in a glorious movement that made all previous appear like children enacted them. "Tentai Hi (天体の火, Celestial Fire)" A wonderous feat; the combination of speed and magic, Ryouiki rained down a current of spewing blue hellfire from differing angles in the sky. All small in size but ranging far into the hundreds and without an incantation no less! While his plan came to fruition, Ryouiki sheathed his blade and rose his right fist back in one fluid motion, intent on slamming into Kei with one powerful, classic haymaker punch. Before, Kei could reach to the attack, which Ryouiki somehow anticipated, he edged his heel back and prepared to leap backwards in case Kei managed a counter-offensive. So subtly, even the Captain could not see the anticipated retreat. He gasped in response to the sudden burst of speed his opponent utilized, not the spell he had just enacted, even though there were reportedly hundreds of celestial spheres converging on him. Along with that, Kei had to deal with Ryouiki's incoming punch. Even if he were to deflect or absorb it, he surmised that the man had something else under his sleeve to undermine the Captain's efforts. He briefly gritted his teeth and clenched his weapon tighter, prepared to do whatever it takes to defend against the onslaught and the empowered Ryouiki. But in a surprise turn of events, Kei turned around, his entire backside was hazardly exposed to the celestial orbs of hellfire! It was enough to cause a head scratcher but he turned around once again to face the man, his hand raised up. Kei's mouth was briefly open, as if he were muttering something. "..kū." Moments later, an ethereal rectangular wall erupted from the base of Kei's palms. As the Tentai Hi made its way towards him, the wall expanded outwards to mitigate the attack. As it made contact with the wall, the orbs exploded into a flurry of colors which covered Kei in a flurry of smoke. Kei breathed heavily whilst inside the smoke; it seemed he overextended himself with his display of Kido, something he wasn't really used to. Kei closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "Gotta do this right." He said to himself as he brought up his weapon in Ryouiki's direction. "Have a nice surprise...Kyokkō, Gaki Rekkō." His weapon momentarily glowed with a faint green hue before it ultimately released its charge. But it was nothing was fired...or so it seemed. The coalition of mesmerizing blue flames striking the newly fabricated sheild molded a wide-scale explosion! A blanket of shimmering blue flames shone through the smoke and considerably exhausted Kei. The energy that surged throughout his body took its toll on Ryouiki, who sighed with the failed invocation of attack. The land around them was viciously torn upward in defiant raw energy, the attack remiscent of a volcan strike! Having been safely blockaded, the Captain was fine, but all around him the land was obliterated by the magnitude of the powerful spell; the grand turrent of powerful flames having littered the sky, and now, the ground with pulsating bright flames that howled and moved rythmically, as if they were alive. The ground was razed. Ryouiki remained resilent despite the tire setting in. "That sounds like kidō, Captain-taichō. I'm suprised; a warrior so well-rounded is rare." Watching the failed discharged unhappily, but still on edge, Ryouiki gleamed with enroaching anticipation and astonishment. "Sōkatsui (蒼火墜, Blue Fire, Crash Down)" he roared, shooting the raging ball of blue fire from his left palm, while with his right, he unsheathed his blade - readying himself for a second sword bout. Hopefully, his goading spell would work enabling the Unohana to take advantage of his overexposed Captain with his sword and land a defeaning strike with minimal effort. If that failed, than a binding spell would ensure his victory - a powerful binding spell. At the very least was Ryouiki worried about the green light, ultimately ignoring the hidden power of the Captain. As the stream of fire ran its course, Ryouiki weaved the attack; splitting the spell off into multiple angles and having the searing fire aim toward the Captain from left, right, up, down, almost any conceivable angle! "I'm not much of a practitioner Ryouiki, just a man with considerable knowledge but with the lack of skill." He hastily stated. Once again, Kei raised his weapon towards Ryouiki and it momentarily glowed a faint green twice before dissipating. And as the Sōkatsui blast converged on the Shinigami Captain, they were suddenly destroyed by an invisible force! While that took place, the ground around Ryouiki was immediately shaken and marred by now visible green blasts! "But I do know a few things here and there. Just like you." Kei said cheerfully as his Gakki Rekko was doing its course on the battlefield. He then raised his weapon again and pointed it towards the sky. "Kyokkō, Gaki Rekkō. Try to dodge these friend!" An incandescent, indescribable light of emerald unveiled in his eyes. "..w-what..is this." he questioned, fear running its course through his being. He felt the ground uproot with shimmering blasts of light that ascended into the sky like a goddamn beacon! He attempted to react; somewhat successful as he moved his body to the right and left, up and down. Blasts skimmed his shoulder and knee as he moved, although Kazeninoru was active, the attacks proved far too tactical to be anticipated. Thankfully, the series began to slow and Ryouiki struck! He carefully wove his body through three torrential blasts, carefully floating to safely to the ground and far from the land that was ripped to shreds by the previous attack. "That was quite dangerous" Ryouiki stated. "So you say.." Kei declared. "But there is more to come, for the worse actually." He finished bluntly as he quietly disengaged his casting in mid sequence. Hopefully, Ryouiki was too busy dodging the vast amount of attacks he casted to notice. Hopefully. "Seems like Kazeninoru is giving him the leg up. But I wonder what he'll do next with it. No matter, I'll continue with my plan. Another surprise for you my dear friend!" He said with a smile. Kei took and deep breathe and started to chant. "Hidden soundless footsteps. None moving arrogant thoughts. Remove and purge. The goddess of redempation, cleans the world. Drown in your own corruption, be thee evil. In union or separate purify. Release the divine darkness and save..." Immediately, Ryouiki's head rang, his tortured glare shot forth in immediate anticipation! "Kidō" he swallowed precious air and his face seemed to gleam with intelligence. "I know that spell...." he thought, kicking his senses to overdrive, he unsheathed his blade one final time and pointed the tip toward Kei in a malicious fashion, but spoke nothing. "WE are connected somehow. I feel..different when I'm around you. When I win, please tell me about who...what I am, Yume-taichō" he spoke under his breathe in a hushed tone, doing such so he can remain aware of the spell Kei was preparing to cast. Quickly, his time with Miss Unohana relapsed, her serene but painfully serious gaze prodded at him until he unleashed his full capacity. He felt himself shake back into reality. "I can't use my Bankai. Hell, my injuries from last time just got finished healing. Kidō seems effective if used tactically, but still, even a level eighty attack didn't cause too much harm. Maybe, heh, he might not like this one too much." As his mind rattled with ideas, Kei's attack began to unfold. He had already began another sequence of attack and Ryouiki was woefully unprepared, thankfully, he was not entirely out of tune so at least he could react in time should the attack be launched. Kuyō Shibari (九曜縛, Nine Sunlight Traps) manifested from horizon to horizon, filling Kei's view with floating spheres of black mass. The radiated energy like a flare and moved about violently, yet within a controlled space and retaining definite volume - a testament to willpower and magical prowess. "Normally, Kei. This spell would take quite the time to cast. I for damn well sure cannot cast it as fast as other spells, but I can alter the ability..." His voice trailed while the black holes manifested, sticking to Kei's limbs like glue! Soon after, the final manifested at his centre, resounding and matching the very beat of Kei's heart and soul. But, this did not immobilize Kei. "Fuck. I need a couple more minutes before it can work" he cursed. Knowing Kei would not hesitate, Ryouiki quickly forged a Wisdom-imbued barrier about himself in spherical shape. Sweat came down his brow in droves, and his onward gaze began to blur - he felt his palms shake and his legs tire. Thankfully, he was not as battered as he appeared, and had enough energy to continue....for now. "Well. At least he didn't seal my mouth." He thought to himself. The Captain had no time to evade nor think about the spell his opponent casted; he needed to finish incantation immediately. Even as the spheres of black mass appeared around and him, and finally his heart, Kei continued to proceed and utter the final testament to the spell. "...the world..Seisei No Yami." Kei finished, letting the last word drawl on. Suddenly, darkness started to erupt from Kei's own body and it took on an enormous dragonic form. Eyes glowed an ominous red and it snarled like a feral beast. One could truly call it an animal. Using whatever strength he could muster, Kei raised his arms towards Ryouiki. "Better hurry on with that alteration! Kuyō Shibari can't hold me forever; soon, I'll be able to break free." He stated as he seemingly made an effort to get out of the seal. Through sheer force or power alone.. Only time could tell. "Don't worry, it is complete" Ryouiki stated, heaving his hands into the sky roaring defiantly! Suddenly, the orbs of flunctuating black mass extended into a rob like object, connected, and then emanated a massive amount of pulsating energy that quickly swam over Kei's limp carapace. For a brief moment, the powerful Captain was free, but not until the brunt of the alteration came into effect; the robs extended and continued, though the energy may have subsided, the black masses solidified and finally, Kei was trapped in a large sphere construct entirely made of the previous spell. Physically and spiritual exhausted, Ryouiki hunched over in the sky, agony taking the helm in his expression. The advancement on the spell was nothing compared to the true practitioner of this technique, Terumi, who had taught him this to escape from battle, rather than get caught up in the fight itself. Being one of a exceptional magic prowess save actual binding and destruction spells, Ryouiki managed to cast the attack off with about 1/5 of its original power, but still, that should keep even the Captain at bay for a few minutes albeit only if he sat there like a useless puppet, which I doubt. Thankfully, everything within the orb succumbs to finite gravity, limited oxygen, and an orbital restraint so, it would be extremely difficult to even move! "That should keep you tight bud." Ryouiki said aloud, cupping his hands next to his mouth so that he could shout the words. "Oi. I doubt you could hear me anyway, it would be impossible. The lack of oxygen should stop him mentally, the gravity should make it hard for him to move freely thus leaving his floating about without control, and the fact that Kuyō Shibari is still active, his limbs are glued in position. Even someone of his spiritual pressure would take awhile to break lose." Terumi looked onward, amazed that Ryouiki had learned her technique so quickly, having only seen it once - the craftsmanship, technique, energy exhausted, and the spiritual taxing of actually bending the spell to her will would normally be impossible. But than again, she was not sure if Ryouiki knew the word 'impossible', he had done quite a few amazing things in his youth, including contending with the one original practitioner of this altered spell - Unohana Retsu, but that story, is for a different day. Meanwhile, this gave time for Ryouiki to catch his breath, and mutter to himself cheerfully while the eccentric and astonished Terumi stare wide-mouthed at him. Although Kei didn't want to admit it, he had to rely on the Wisdom energy coursing through his body to sustain himself. There was no need for biological sustenance; all Kei required was Wisdom and there was enough of it to last him for ages. He growled in annoyance. Kei had overestimated the effectiveness of the alteration but it significantly interested him. It was a nice ploy to be sure but the applications it entailed were tremendous, surely, Kei had to learn its casting or reverse engineer the inner workings of the spell. But no matter how effective it was, it couldn't stall the Captain for long, especially when he casted Seisei No Yami. He had complete control of the spell, even if he was disabled. "I guess I'll have to control Seisei No Yami for a bit before I can effectively break out." He then directed the swirling black masses that were indiscriminately behind him. He jolted it back to life with a tug of his consciousness and they immediately grew into terrifying proportions. The Dragonic Energy roared with anger for Ryouiki's attack and they surged towards him at full speed. Ryouiki's eyes widened, the air filled with sudden fright as he viewed the form of Kei - a burst of energy chase him down. He was nearly at his limit and felt the energy within him slowly lessen; still, he panted heavily and was spiritual exhausted. Just as it appeared the point of impact would expunge the warrior, the very make-up of his existence flared! The power within him whirled, rocketed and exploded, vitalizing the warrior with sudden life! He became cloaked in an indescribable white aura that was native purely to Eden. His eyes narrowed in confusion and awe, but, the rushing attack proved no hesitance. A plume of smoke arose, and the energy hissed through sky until it struck him violently, tearing at the region aronud him and sending waves of force shooting outward. Any other force would have succumb to the power, but this was no ordinary battler. From within the plume of smoke, the white aura remained. Steadily, it coated his body from the massive explosion held moments before. Grime and debris merely floated away from his form like he was impervious. He was still amazed, but Ryouiki knew not to ask questions in the middle of a battle. He siged relief and than heaved his blade to the helm and shouted, "Bankai, Tenshin Kazeninoru!". Energy swirled around the katana in his palm and it quickly evaporated, then, a nodachi carved into existence in its place. The aura around Ryouiki began to diminish and take form, solidifying onto the back of Ryouiki in the form of two, massive white wings. In a split-second Ryouiki cast aside from the smoke that obscured him, his form seemingly teleporting directly beside Kei's, shoulder to shoulder. His thick arm flew through the air, and with an iron grip his palm sought out the throat of the Captain. His wings unusually placid, but marvelous nontheless given the tension of the circumstances. "Attacking me while imprisoned? Hardly unfair don't you think?" Kei managed to say before Ryouiki's palm wrapped around the Shinigami's throat. It quickly silenced him for the time being as the pain quickly shot up through his entire body. Kei briefly struggled to breathe while Ryouiki continued to imbue more pressure into his vice like grip. But due to that happening, his body started to get desperate in a need for a survival. Somehow, he started to shake tremendously and emit a blue light. Using his spiritual pressure, he emitted a short pulse. It surprised Ryouiki and caused him to loosen his grip momentarily. Given a short respite of a few seconds, he looked at Ryouiki menacingly. "Bankai? I got that too." After that, Kei gave Ryouiki another one of his cheerful smiles. "Bankai." He said with a playful tone. An immense pulse was emitted from Kei's entire body as he started to glow with an intense blue aura. The spell that Ryouiki had casted immediately cracked and disintegrated from the spiritual pressure he exhibited. The pulse pushed Ryouiki away and he attempted to shield his valuable eyesight from the light that was now being emitted from the Shinigami Captain. Mysterious blue energy started to wrap itself around Kei's body and as quick as it appeared, a huge explosion took place, demolishing anything caught in its wake. As things died down, a sole figure stood in the hazardous smoke. It was Kei. Or so it seemed. The new figure was covered in silver armour that seemingly glowed with reactive spiritual energy. The individual's face was unable to be made out; it was covered in a pure white hood whose inside only exhibited darkness. Tendrils of whitish blue spiritual energy grew from their back in a familiar wing-like fashion. It was a noble and beautiful sight to behold. "Now look what you made me do. I don't like showing it to anyone anymore." A voice rang out.. The incredible potent energy sent him reeling back in surprise and pain, roaring as he flew back away from his opponent. He felt his very being shimmer and react to the remiscent energy native to Kei, who was much more akin to his powers. The intensity of the energy alone knocked him from his feet and he felt a wall of energy slam into him and rocket against his person. Barely accountable for his own energy, it swirled and coalsce just in front of him, allowing him to remain intact despite the power of the Bankai. His hand whipped back as he appeared yards away from his opponent, a large trench encircled around the Captain. Hunched down with his knees on the ground and his left hand supporting his stature, then, he nodded grimly. " 'Bout time, Captain-Yume. I don't normally ever use my Bankai in a battle either. Or my shikai for that matter, but I must learn about what I am" his wings fluttered briefly in reaction to the burst of Wisdom, "and I'm guessing these wings have something to do with that." he mused, noticing the large portrusions that escaped the thick smoke and preying they were wings also. His form raced around Kei immensely, appearing as a mere flicker as he moved. Traces of spirit energy remained withal as sight had no relevance under the circumstance. It was amazing that even his spiritual pressure was noticeable, as typically it'll manifest as a massive aura that integrates within the atmosphere rather than giving any indication of his presence. It was alarming as Kei could possibly detect him. Was it the new wings? Or maybe, the anomaly known as Kei? Too many variables to account at one time. Ryouiki suddenly stopped in his tracks, having deeply engrossed himself in deeper trench. "You should move" he choked out, motioning his hand forward. "I'm going to destroy everything around us so we can battle underground." He hadn't even waited to get a clear view of Kei, having only created more debris thanks to his high-paced movement. "You have to convince me to move." Kei replied back with an empty voice. It echoed with a hollow indication, as if something was somewhat muffling his words. "Otherwise, you would have to deal with these." He motioned to his back. The tendrils drifted aimlessly in an incoherent fashion. How could they be wings if they acted in such an alien fashion? It buzzed with energy as if it were alive. Kei crossed his arms with indignation and he floated a few feet above the ground. He prepared himself for the incoming change of events. The Captain clapped his hands once and he stated to glow with an incandescent light, so much so that the inside of his cowl revealed two unearthly orbs that could be referenced as eyes. Kei raised his left arm and a mass of swirling foreign energy coalesced in his hands. As that took place, the ground started to shake tremendously and various slabs of rocks erupted from the ground, possibly in response to the massive influx of energy consequently being gathered. He looked at Ryouiki, expecting something. "Tch." Ryouiki muttered, standing pointedly with his grim iron mask. His veins bulging and the air tense, he commanded his energy to mount massively! He slowly raised his hand. Seething energy bled from his being, sprly washing over the region until escalating Wisdom-Reiryoku until the coordinated influx of energy wrapped around the earth and erupted upward entirely demolishing everything around Kei, concealing the Captain in a wide-scale explosion! Silence permeated about. Trees torn asunder, earth split and scorched entirely, smoke and debris amassing in the area voluminously. The tough patter of Ryouiki's feet sounded, before the form of the hybrid became evident, floating in the sky unharmed. He looked onward and frowned at the monotony of the region, truly, he was sad about destroying such a vital part of Soul Society. But still, he felt alight with eagerness as he felt Kei's spiritual pressure, smiling slightly. "I knew you would survive that" he said cheerfully, his levels of energy surprisingly consistent despite the previous event, although, with a swaft of his left arm to slash away the smoke, his right arm was slightly charred by his own attack. Meanwhile, Terumi looked attentively while peering at the battle, shuddering as she felt the unwelcoming energy of Ryouiki's Bankai. Endearing and frightful, a freezing tingle ran up her spine while she sensed Captain Kei still capable of continuing. The Being walked out from the smoke, his armour still glistening with its graceful allure. He was unscratched. "Don't be sad at what you cannot replace Ryouiki. I could easily replace the landscape after this...as long as Captain-Commander Madoka doesn't imprison the both of us." Kei seemingly said with a blunt tone, or so it seemed. Some would say that the form made the Captain incredibly emotionless but it depended on how one would look at it. His different state caused it to happen and whenever he had dictate his emotions, Kei had to blatantly say it. He raised his left hand and a near exact replica of his Shikai immediately materialized. But instead of the blood red blade it was known for, the Zanpakuto glowed bright white that constantly changed color, possibly as a means to convey his own stifled emotion. Kei gripped it tightly and entered an unknown stance. Unknowingly, the tendrils behind him also glowed...dangerously.. Likewise, a sword manifested in Ryouiki's arm - a black hilted nodachi with diamond markings strewn alongside the ebony base. The tip of the blade lit vindictively, crying out its next meal. The intimidating figure of Ryouiki tightened, his obsidian eyes shone with shockedness to full the totality of Kei's presence, then, a pang of sadness washed over him as he realized, inevitably, he would be defeated. But alas, he would lose in battle in ultimate defiance! It was actully quite disquieting to have his soon-to-be-wife here wathcing. At the very least, afterwards, he would get some information out of Kei to help him master his newly-awakened abilities. Caught up in a chortled laughter, energy began pulsating from him in chaotic cadence, tendrils and waves and debris strewn around him like mere pebbles. The execrable sting flooded his senses for a brief moment, his Bankai causing irrevocable damage to his core. Breaking his laughter, he torpedoed forth leaving nothing in his wake in existence. His vision turned bleary, his cheeks flushed and muscles loosened weakly; it would appear the sudden intention outburst of Wisdom taking its toll on the man, his amble curiousity now becoming his ultimate downfall. Sadly, his opulent and vexing opponent would not receive the battle he asked. He felt a little guilty for that but quickly got over it. Still however, harried breathing and the blood splatter peppering his christened being gave him no uncertainty. His face echoed with pain while he indiscriminately zigzagged at his foe. With steely resolve, and in a flash of light which can only be compared to a fraction of a second, with the totality of his power he swung one final fist at the Captain! Energy sprouting marvelously from behind while the region around him was entirely obliterated, the mountain withering away to nothing. To any spectators, and Terumi, it would appear to be the final strike. Ryouiki closed his eyes once within melee distance, and felt an unusual warmth greet him; his wounds seemingly vanishing and his muscles strengthing. For a brief flicker, he felt mesmerized within a world without pain. Was this the capabilities of Wisdom, this sweet beautiful array of life and creation? "You Fool." A voice echoed out. It was the Captain, who wearily made an attempt to stand up with his trembling legs. It seemed like he took the brunt of the assault, how he survived with his current condition was somewhat of a miracle. Deep within the recesses of Kei's mind, he acknowledged the vast amount of power behind the attack and if it weren't for the intervention of his tendrils, the end result could had been terribly worst. He took a step forward, accidentally dropping his weapon onto the ground. The figure clothed in armour was breathing heavily, unsure what to say other than words of wisdom. "Releasing that amount of energy could easily had destroyed you! Any more and it would had been all of us! ....It has become apparent to me, that you have the blood of the Tenshi in your veins. Raw Power is at your fingertips Ryouiki. But can you control it? Or will it reject and consume like so many others?" Unfortunately, Kei was unsure if his opponent was unconscious or not. He flexed his arms and shoulders readily, anxiously awaiting for Ryouiki to get up. Rather than have his weapon besides him, Kei's tendril came alive and moved behind him, as if they were mere seaweed moving with the waves. Ryouiki blearily came back to reality or what he thought was reality. His obsidian eyes slowly crept toward Terumi, realization sweeping over him. I'm sorry he mouthed. It wasn't death. Death would be too good for this self-proclaimed liberator. No it definitely was not death, he's lived through that already... He felt Wisdom creep onto him, swooning over him with energy and feelings of uncertainty, weakness, shame and guilt. An itch--no, a burn of madness flooded his mind, harrowing his thoughts to a single word: surrender. Meanwhile, Terumi's mouthed a scream of pure terror, not daren't move to somehow persist the worsening situation. Trapped, more like imprisoned within his own power, Ryouiki stood clinching his bloodied skull with weak, blackened palms that creaked hellishly with age and reeked of a foul stench. Was this the doing of Wisdom? Shackles of his own pride, verity, his love, all appeared before him in some unholy bondage, inexplicably their beings were rotten visages of what once was. Even Sabishii appeared before the man. His skin cold and his hair falling out giving him the appearance of a man, barely clinging to life. Within it all, flaring bursts of Wisdom left the entirety of the dwindling mountain landscape unerringly monotonic. Ryouiki, stuck in a frozen scream that was incapable of emitting sound merely stood witnessing the horror of his past, unable to move the nor touch their echoed hollow husks. It was tantalizing, entirely dispiriting. The air seemed leaden with emptiness, his entire large being felt like it was sinking into a spiritual noxious place and lengthening into this rancid, violet energy. This was not Wisdom nor reiryoku. This was something directly from the catacombs of Hell. "Is this real? Is Wisdom the lattice of illusions that lies beneath the labyrinth of power known as Wisdom. Has Kei seen this, been through this. It felt warm a moment ago but now the fear is almost palpable." He wanted to cry but he could not force his body to produce the tears. His heart pounded against his chest louder than any battledrum could ever sound but he couldn't turn away. Unohana Retsu, Fujita Terumi, Kunsha Sabishii, Shigeru Yuudai, even Yume Kei were all rotten spectres chained together, heads lolled at an unspeakable angle and skin burned and peeling off. No matter what he thought or envisioned, they continued leering at him with bloodshot eyes and grinning. Suddenly, everything snapped. In that split second of visions and Wisdom corruption, Ryouiki dropped to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut. His wounds miraculously healed, his mind tolled, and the mountain scape now left a disconsolate area of primordial destruction; rocks shattered, dust and debris floating lazily in large clouds in the region above, the mountain itself seemed to be now, nearly dozens of dozens of meters shorter like someone cleaved straight through it. It took a moment for his senses to return. It had been less than a second yet his opponent viewed nothing but a large sphere of Wisdom collapse in on itself and his soon-to-be-wife just watched this "sphere" crush her lover. Yet, he was alive. Better even. He examined himself; both arms, both legs, no blood. Hell, even his clothes had been seamed together once more. Most of all, those things had vanished. However, they were still visible. In the corner of his eye and in the back of his brain, they would never, ever leave. Whatever it was wanted him to surrender his soul. On the other hand his wounds were weathered and his mind was on the brink of entirely withering away to dust. He felt a pang of sadness fill him as he stared down, viewing Kazeninoru in her dagger form, his energy apparently having been depleted in that moment. He looked at his foe; unusually okay as if he had not seen what was just viewed before his weary, now sobbing eyes. He let them flow freely while observing the Yume clansman surprisingly competent after his last attack. "...Not doing that again." Ryouiki muttered through a strained voice. "Well where did we leave off?" He asked, quickly picking up his blade and placing it away, his gaze never waning from the Captain. "I assume you don't know what that whole debacle was. I'll explain later after I defeat you, Yume-taichō!" Immediately, as Ryouiki glanced once more at Kei he became fully aware; the air seemed leaden with the accomplished ratio of Wisdom-Reiryoku, knowledge, skill, and balance perfectly harmonized with a bit of luck thrown here and there as icing on the cake. He then looked at himself, just barely surviving that last display, and frowned. He slowly cringed back, his head and fists lowering until he was sitting down beside Kazeninoru, who of which was ominously-ridden with Wisdom. "...Time-out" he announeced comically, "those tendrils, my wings, that blast, hell even the barrier spheres I've been using for years now. Are they all a result from Wisdom? I've become skilled in magic, is that also because of Wisdom, Captain?" he looked at the sky, unusually placid, "I just visisted a place so noxius and terrible, but always this energy I've harbored since birth bore such warmth, and benign intention. Is Wisdom...alive, Captain? My Kazeninoru knows little more than I do, which is solely the name and origin of this spectacular force. I guess what I'm trying to ask is, what are we, Captain?" His ebony eyes bored into the glistening features of his opponent, pleading for an answer. What appeared to be a muffled laugh escaped Kei's cowl. Although he sounded cold and blunt, Kei did retain his sense of humour. "You just claimed you would defeat me. But moments after, you ask for a time-out? Quite hypocritical don't you think?" He blatantly said, waving his finger at Ryouiki in mock annoyance. But before Ryouiki could say a comeback, Kei cut him once again, oblivious to his body language. "Wisdom is a form of living energy not found in these parts. When graced with the benevolent energy, it demands a symbiotic relationship and your everlasting respect. Any point of refusal or abuse will bring about your death and subsequent corruption. What you've seen there was an ominous warning to you. Anymore questions you may have will be answered given enough time. Any talents you may have are your own. YOU earned it. Remove any doubts you may have and leave it that. But there is one more thing I will say... We are descended from the Tenshi." "So this Wisdom is really unlike reiryoku. If I use it too little it'll recede and wither like before, guessin' that's why the wings just happened to pop up when I began this battle with you, another Tenshi-hybrid." Ryouiki paused, solicitously. "You've had awhile to produce large amounts and control such. Since it requires a symbiotic relationship, it must domineer every aspect of battle: zanpakutou, shunpo, even your spiritual frequency." "Call me a damn fool. Maybe I am, but I do not want to get Terumi hurt while expending Wisdom-energy. If I harm her even a little I'll never forgive myself; that said, I refuse to use this energy 'till I can control it fully; better than you can." He responded, visions of Terumi's gruesome, reviled being hung by horrific smelling chains and lit ablaze with hellish fire. It was far too intense...too real, to be a mere illusion. He shook his head swiftly and bore his eyes into Kei once more. His black glittering sable eyes re-scanning the now desolate wasteland. Terumi was not in sight but he could feet the pulsation of her spiritual pressure; she was alive, and apparently still intent on watching the battle. Good. "I never really planned on using it to defeat you anyway, I suppose." Ryouiki swallowed a lump that had unconsciously formed in his throat, and began his assessment and onset! Like a snake he weaved forwards, his palms a blur as it was lit ablaze with vibrant fragments of the rainbows miraculously colors. Within seconds, he fully realized that his body was not partially, but entirely healed -- on a physical level atleast. Once about twenty feet away, the hulking form of the man with warring emotions beckoned a response, his hands firing off two Ōkasen in perfect unison. Writhing around one another with mystified allure they rose steeply before plummeting with immense speed, nearing the Captains range within seconds! The Armored One known as Kei reflexively raised his gauntlets and in an instant, it started to glow bright blue. Due to the cowl that eternally hid Kei's face in darkness, no one could tell that the Shinigami/Tenshi was hastily reciting a spell. And as the last words exited his lips, the man yelled out, "Sōdai no Shōheki!" The particles around Kei materialized in a bright haze and his body glowed in conjunction with the turn out. It was an amazing act to believe that this had happened in mere seconds. But the fact could not be ignored. Subconsciously, Kei commanded the energy to form around him to create a type of enclosure and once Ryouiki's Ōkasen struck the barrier, it exploded in a magnificent display of yellow particles. "You see Ryouiki, you're not the only one who has knowledge of the Kenmei Kōsaku between us. It's actually a wonder my wife managed to beat the details for me; truthfully this was the first time I used. But I suppose in the time of need, the unexpected takes place, correct?" Kei stated. By the tone of his voice, it sounded like he was smiling. Surely enough, this Bankai Form had to be annoying to use since emotions could not be easily be displayed to anyone. Wordlessly and with a small gait, Kei walked towards the bulking hulk of a man known as Ryouiki. One of the few beings who had transcended the limits of Shinigami and ascended the footsteps of the Tenshi. But shall he be able to prove his worth? "Whatever Wisdom had chosen to show you should not be careless ignored Ryouiki for it speaks the truth. To put it in easy words, Wisdom had made a threat to you my friend." He uttered with a short sigh. "Even if you said that you wouldn't use it against me, you already did Ryouiki. Wisdom had already intermingled with your spiritual energy, the fact is undeniable. As for me, I don't have that pleasure anymore, I'm more Tenshi than Shinigami now." His voice sounded cold and distant, as if some unknown factor was at play with his words. It was sad. Kei calmly shifted his position and brandished his Zanpakuto as it glowed with ominous colors. In an instant, Kei materialized in front of Ryouiki, his weapon already poised to strike. Ryouiki gasped, words striking the hull of his sanity and verity; he refuses to use the Wisdom, but he felt it. That was true. He felt it. An eerie warm sensual feeling creeping up his core until it flooded out of him and into his spell, except the spell was supposed to be a normal kido spell. Sigh. Would it conjoin to his Bankai forever? Only time would tell. He began to sweat. His eyes wandered unconsciously and lost focus for the briefest of seconds, now seeing only a shadowy form in front of him, glistening steel held firmly within its hand and a malovelent yet quzzical air animated the entity; it wasn't striking him yet. It or Kei, whatever Ryouiki viewed the opposing Tenshi-Shinigami was waiting for either his fear to overrun him or his instincts to prove greater and use Wisdom to crush the Captain. Too bad. He felt fear. Afraid of the thing in front of him that was nothing like Terumi or Unohana or Yamamoto. Or even the weird Hollow creature hybrid known as Shigeru. This thing held both heaven and hell in its eyes, both vying for undisputed dominion. He could easily tell it was eating at Kei's inside. Maybe Kei was glad to meet another thing like him. Nonetheless, Ryouiki swore he would not become that. If he used this power, he would not let it consume him! He will protect Terumi, his pride, Soul Society, and bring down the Collective Vices with his own might! He blinked fervently before hefting his arm forthright, creating a dense tertiary-layer of spirit energy, and inadvertent Wisdom energy, criss-crossed onto his forearm. Blockading the path of the blade, his other fist rose swiftly to strike his adversary square in the jaw. Meanwhile, his legs spread wide, ready to move closer in Kei's melee vicinity, or if needed, create distance for some much needed acceptance of this new information. "You can't ignore it; Wisdom will be bonded to you forever." Kei managed to utter before Ryouiki struck him in the bowels of his dark cowl, sending him flying several meters before he was able to recover mid-air. "It seems like Wisdom wants to protect you." Kei uttered. He reflexively rubbed his jaw and before Ryouiki could carve some distance towards him, Kei did it instead, moving forward to his side to make a flurry of slashes aimed at the man's chest. A euphoric thing swept over his consciousness as the blades blurred before him, striking with the unrelenting power of ...more. He felt Kei's sword - he has clashed with that sword, but this was not it. He felt the sword slash his skin and pierce him entirely, his core burning with pain at the very touch. His eyes were fixated forward, viewing his opponent as a mere shadow before him, being caught and slashed at like no other. It took minutes, maybe hours for him to realize that he was indeed dying. He jumped back, but felt no pain despite staring down and seeing the first trickle, now flood of crimson moving downward from his torso. He looked at his arms and examined the scraps and cuts and tears that dotted various positions on his forearm and shoulder, concluding that he must've done something to prevent fatal harm. Then suddenly, his senses jarred back to reality; Wisdom having distorted and twisted every sense possible within him until it briefly'and forcibly made him endure an "out-of-body" experience, as humans say. As his eyes studied the various wounds that began to close, healing him near instantly. Once again, he felt no pain. But he knew he sustained injury. He hadn't remembered blocking the sword attack or even watching Kei move toward him, but he knew that it all happened - it really die happen! "...w-what t-t-he..." he staggered to his feet, his muscles feeling unusually weak and his mind weakly maintaining focus. Could "Wisdom" control him for longer periods of time? Could it make him kill? Why is it just now activating so boldly? Does it have a mind, is it some form of a parasite? Coul--- no, now was not the time to think, it was time to act. Ryouiki ignored Kei's sentiment, he ignored what he had seen, and ignored what he just felt; all of it was simply pushed to the farthest corners of his mind. Unwittlingly Ryouiki's refusal, unwillingness, and doubt, solely fueled the flames for Wisdom to become more active, more bold. The brief emotions that flickered in his eyes vanished - his eyes darting to the left, where Terumi was, and then shooting toward Kei in the center, who was ominously adequate and surely capable of controlling this foreign energy. Within two steps he was within firing distance and began to shoot off yellow arcs of marvelous vibrant color, twisting and churning like a snake in the sky until they numbered eight in all, yet seperating and plummeting downward in odd spear-like portrusions. Moving swiftly and efficiently the blasts suddenly vanished into empty reishi - as if they were never there. Ryouiki was left open, mouth agape, eyes widened. He stood baffled as he watched his own kidou spells dissipate into thousands of tiny reishi particles before his very eyes. Then he felt the same euphoric feeling sweep over him like a tidal wave....Then, he felt pain. Thundering cries exited his throat as agonizing pain shot through his body, as if his soul was being ripped to shreds within him; pain like no physical or emotional can offer. His body felt hot, really hot and his senses became dull until he was trudging forward, unintentionally. Then he felt entirely numb. Ryouiki, or whatever controlling him was moving him toward Kei. With laboured breath and dimished senses he felt weak. He was losing consciousness. No. He was dying. Then he collapsed - to any spectator they would see nothing but a burly man standing one minute and begrudingly walking, and the next, that same man fall into anguish worth a hundred men. Tears strewn down his face and his arms quickly coiled around his stomach he let out bellowing cry. This energy only recently applied in full, and witnesses first-hand was devouring Ryouiki from the inside. Terumi gasped in shock and immediately ran toward him, only to be blown back by what appeared to be elusive yet surprisingly large tentacles portruding from Ryouiki's back, the "limbs" themselves marred with blood and their host, merely a weakened cacicature. From a weary, teary-eyed state she looked around briefly before locking eyes with Kei. Her eyes plead, as she fought fervently to deny the tentacles their purchase, all of which, sharpened like-daggers and sought only blood. Then, four aimed at Kei and struck.
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