The Battle of Bamboo Creek Plain (3)

Before the Fon Residence's main gate exploded, Tsuchimikado Kōmei and Fon Shaoling were locked in a fierce battle in the Fon Clan's courtyard.

Soi Fon's figure flickered in the moonlight. The afterimage left by her Shunpo had yet to fade when she appeared behind Hongming.

Suzumebachi stabbed out—

Clang!

An insect flew out of a hole in Hongming's shoulder and precisely intercepted Suzumebachi's path. A Bee-Crest Flower appeared on the insect.

Suzumebachi's attack had been blocked.

Soi Fon frowned slightly and retreated with Shunpo.

Hongming stood where he was. Countless Nether Abyss Insects flew in and out of the holes in his armor, forming a living barrier around him.

"Captain Soi Fon, is that all you can do?" Hongming's voice came from beneath his armor, accompanied by an eerie echo.

Soi Fon ignored him and closed in again with Shunpo.

Suzumebachi stabbed three times in succession—

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Three Nether Abyss Insects blocked Suzumebachi's path. The Bee-Crest Flower on one of them was activated, while the other two received Bee-Crest Flower marks.

Soi Fon retreated, her gaze sharpening.

Hongming laughed.

"I see."

He raised a hand, and the insect killed by the activated Bee-Crest Flower landed in his palm.

"Your Zanpakuto's ability is to kill on the second strike, isn't it? The first stab leaves a mark, and the second strike to the same spot is fatal."

Soi Fon's expression did not change, but her silence was answer enough.

Hongming crushed the insect in his palm.

"Too bad you can't even reach my body."

He spread his arms, and the swarm around him instantly dispersed, then gathered again.

"My Nether Abyss Insects are endless. Every time you stab, I'll use one to block you. You'll never touch my actual body."

Soi Fon looked at him.

"You think that's enough to win?"

Hongming laughed, the sound utterly chilling.

"Win? I already won."

Soi Fon said no more.

She raised her hand and pointed her index finger at the swarm.

"Hadō #31: Shakkahō!"

A red fireball blasted into the swarm, exploding into a cloud of black mist. Dozens of Nether Abyss Insects instantly vaporized.

Hongming, however, showed no sign of panic.

"Did that help?"

Before he had finished speaking, more Nether Abyss Insects poured from the holes all over him, instantly filling the gap.

Soi Fon's gaze sharpened.

"Hadō #58: Tenran!"

A fierce wind swept up, tearing the swarm apart.

But new insects poured out again.

"Hadō #63: Raikōhō!"

Lightning exploded, clearing another patch of the swarm.

But the next second, it was filled again.

Hongming stood where he was, admiring her attacks.

"Captain Soi Fon, your mastery of Kidō really is impressive. Unfortunately—"

He raised a hand and pointed at a pavilion in the corner of the courtyard.

"Look over there."

As though obeying an order, the swarm instantly descended on the pavilion. Wood, roof tiles, stone foundations—all visibly dissolved as the insects devoured them.

And with every bit they dissolved, the light on the insects grew brighter.

They converted what they devoured into Reishi, then flew back into Hongming's body with it.

Some more of Hongming's Reiatsu was restored.

Soi Fon's brow finally twitched.

"Do you understand now?" Hongming spread his arms. "Not only do I have Adjuchas-level Reiatsu, but I can also keep creating these Nether Abyss Insects. And these insects can devour everything around me to replenish what I use up."

He looked at Soi Fon, his smile ferocious beneath his armor.

"This courtyard, this residence, and the attendants inside—they're all my supply stations. How can you wear me down on your own?"

And just then—

Boom!!!

A tremendous crash came from the distance.

It came from the direction of the Fon Clan's main gate.

Flames shot into the sky, lighting up the darkening evening.

Soi Fon instinctively glanced that way.

Hongming's laughter rang even louder from beneath his armor.

"Hahahaha—the others have started! They've all broken in!"

He looked at Soi Fon, his eyes full of madness.

"Your Onmitsukidō aren't here, and that dog you keep isn't here either. A whole horde of Completed Forms has charged in. You're all alone—if you deal with things here, can you still take care of things over there?"

Soi Fon looked back at him.

She felt a little anxious.

Hongming continued laughing.

"If you rush over there now, you might be able to save a few. But—"

The swarm around him gathered a little closer.

"Can you get away?"

Soi Fon said nothing.

She simply raised Suzumebachi and charged at him again.

This time, her assault was fiercer.

Suzumebachi stabbed repeatedly, and Shakkahō fired in rapid succession. Swaths of the swarm exploded, only for more to pour out.

But she knew this would not work.

A battle of attrition was her opponent's specialty. She could not keep fighting like this.

The Completed Forms had already broken in through the main gate. With the Completed Forms inside the Fon Residence, the attendants had no way to deal with them...

Where's Hu? Where is he?

He should have finished his patrol and returned by now.

Hurry up...

Hongming seemed to notice something.

"Are you waiting for that dog you keep?"

Soi Fon did not answer.

But the rhythm of her attacks faltered slightly.

Hongming's laughter grew even more unrestrained.

"He's not coming! He was lured away long ago! By the time he gets back, this place will already—"

Before he could finish, a scream rang out in the distance. It echoed heavily, with faint Hollow roars mixed in. It was a Completed Form screaming.

Hongming stopped speaking.

The corners of Soi Fon's mouth curved up slightly.

Then the roars of Completed Forms rang out one after another.

Hongming's expression changed.

"This... this is..."

Soi Fon looked at him.

"Who did you say wasn't coming back?"

Madness flashed in Hongming's eyes.

"Impossible! How could he be so fast—"

He waved his hand, sending the swarm surging toward Soi Fon.

Soi Fon retreated with Shunpo, but did not attack again.

She simply stood there, listening to the screams in the distance, the smile on her lips growing more apparent.

"By the way, I'm a cat person. And the cat I keep isn't some ordinary house cat—it's a ferocious tiger!"

In that smile were pride, relief, and a hint of a special emotion she herself had not noticed.

Hongming's swarm began to stir restlessly.

Because he could sense it—the Nether Abyss Insects inside those Completed Forms were reporting their deaths to him one after another.

And they were dying extremely fast.

"How is this possible?!" he roared.

Soi Fon watched him lose his composure, her smile growing wider. It was especially bright in the moonlight.

"Now, who's the one who should be panicking?"

Hongming's breathing grew heavy.

But he quickly steadied himself.

"Every last one of them is trash! A whole group of Completed Forms can't even beat one Soul Reaper candidate!"

The swarm around him gathered again.

"Forget it. I should at least make their deaths worth something." The Nether Abyss Insects around him gave off an eerie red glow, and the Completed Forms' screams in the distance gradually turned into wild roars.

Soi Fon did not know what Hongming had done, but she remained confident that Hu could handle it. She collected herself and threw herself back into the battle with Hongming.

Back when Hu had charged into the Fon Residence.

After the Fon Clan's main gate was blasted open, more than a dozen figures poured in.

The Completed Forms' bodies were covered in pale armor, and they came in all shapes—some had claws for hands, some had bone wings on their backs, and others had lightning coiling around them. They charged through the shattered gate and entered the Fon Clan's courtyard.

But what greeted them was not a crowd of panicked attendants. It was traps—all kinds of traps.

The Fon Clan's attendants had taken their positions the moment the explosion sounded. They could not fight, but they knew every inch of the residence.

The walls on both sides of the corridor suddenly flipped around, revealing densely packed firing holes. Countless crossbow bolts shot out, striking the Completed Forms' armor.

Clang, clang, clang—the bolts snapped. Though they could not injure the Completed Forms, they could hinder their advance.

Immediately afterward, the floor beneath their feet suddenly gave way. Two Completed Forms had no time to react and fell straight into a deep pit. Spikes stood at the bottom, but they too failed to penetrate the armor. Even so, the Completed Forms encountered a trap every few steps and a barrage of hidden weapons at every turn. Though none were fatal, they slowed their advance.

"Damn it!" A towering Completed Form smashed the hidden weapons flying at him with one punch. "Why does this lousy residence have so many tricks?"

Another Completed Form looked around and shouted, "Hey! Everyone inside, listen up!"

His voice echoed through the corridor.

"Where's your princess? Hand her over, and we'll spare your lives!"

There was no answer.

He shouted again.

"Did you hear me?! Hand over Fon Shaoling! She's the only one we're after! Everyone else gets to live!"

There was still no answer.

Several Completed Forms exchanged glances.

"Charge in," one of them said. "Ignore the traps and head straight inside."

They began to pick up speed.

But at the end of the corridor was another row of firing holes.

Crossbow bolts rained down again, driving them back.

"Fuck!"

The towering Completed Form was thoroughly enraged. He grabbed a stone pillar beside him, ripped it out by force, and held it in front of him as a shield.

"Get out of my way!"

Holding the stone pillar, he advanced step by step. Crossbow bolts struck it with muffled thuds.

The other Completed Forms followed behind him.

"Fon Shaoling!" he roared as he walked. "Get out here, you little bitch!"

His voice echoed through the corridor, making even the walls tremble slightly.

"Come out and die!"

Before he had finished shouting—

A flash of blue light passed behind him.

He looked down and saw the tip of a blade protruding from his chest.

The blade tip was blue, gleaming with a chill light. Faint traces of space being torn still lingered on the blade.

A cold voice came from behind him. "Who are you cursing at?!" As the voice rang out, the blade in his chest began to twist.

"Aah!"

He let out a piercing scream of pain.

The sound passed through the walls and across the courtyard, carrying straight into the distance.

The blade followed through with a downward slash.

From chest to abdomen, his entire body was cleaved in two.

His scream cut off abruptly.

The tall Completed Form pitched forward and crashed to the ground.

His armor began to recede.

Pale bone peeled from his body and dissolved into ash, revealing the skin beneath. He was a middle-aged male Plus, his eyes still open and staring blankly ahead. His lips were slightly parted, as though he still wanted to say something.

Hu glanced at him, then looked away. He shook the blood from his blade and turned to the remaining Completed Forms.

Hu gave them no time to react.

He used Shunpo.

Jiku'a slashed out.

Another Completed Form's head flew off. His armor receded, and his body fell to the ground.

Shunpo.

Another slash.

Another Completed Form fell.

Shunpo.

One more slash.

A third.

His movements flowed smoothly, every slash precise and deadly. The Completed Forms were cut in two before they could even react. It was like chopping melons and vegetables.

The remaining Completed Forms finally reacted.

"Run—!"

Before the words had left his mouth, Hu was already in front of him.

His blade flashed.

Another one fell.

Just as Hu prepared to continue the slaughter,

Suddenly, every Completed Form's body shuddered at once.

Strange patterns appeared on their armor. The patterns pulsed like blood vessels, and with every pulse, their Reiatsu grew stronger.

Hu stopped and watched them warily.

The Completed Forms flexed their joints, making cracking sounds.

"This is... Lord Hongming?"

"Power... it's surging up..."

One Completed Form raised his hand, and a Bala formed in his palm.

He looked at Hu and grinned.

"You had fun cutting us down just now, didn't you? Now it's our turn."

He waved his hand, firing the Bala.

Hu dodged with Shunpo, but before he could regain his footing, another Completed Form appeared behind him—Sonído.

Claws slashed down.

Hu turned sideways and blocked with Jiku'a, but the impact drove him back two steps.

Another Bala came flying from the distance.

Up close, three Completed Forms attacked at once.

They moved faster and struck harder than before. And—they had begun working together.

Bala rained down from a distance while others engaged him at close quarters. The moment Hu blocked a punch, a blade came slashing at him from the side; the moment he dodged a blade, a kick came from behind.

Hu gritted his teeth, dodging and counterattacking.

But their regenerative abilities had grown stronger too. The wounds he inflicted healed within seconds.

He realized what the problem was: it seemed that all the Completed Forms here had been strengthened by something.

Hu drove back the enemy in front of him with a slash, then retreated with Shunpo to put some distance between them.

He panted heavily as he looked at the strengthened Completed Forms before him. The enemies who had been like pigs and dogs just moments ago had actually become somewhat troublesome.

One Completed Form looked at him and laughed.

"What's wrong? Can't cut us down anymore?"

Hu didn't answer.

In the distance, another burst of Kidō explosions rang out.

It came from the direction of the courtyard.

Hu glanced that way, then looked back at the enemies before him.

He took a deep breath.

"Troublesome."

Then a Phantom Blade appeared in his left hand!

He charged.

Flashes of steel intertwined with Bala.

Shunpo and Sonído crossed paths.

Meanwhile, in front of the gates of the Fon Residence,

Shimizu charged again and again with an Asauchi he couldn't even draw, was knocked down again and again, and stood back up again and again.

Watching him, Tosaya felt a surge of complicated emotions.

"Shimizu, that's enough." His voice was low. "That friend of yours has already gone in. If you were trying to protect the Fon Clan, that task was already complete when he came back. There's nothing you can do to help now. Go back."

Shimizu shook his head.

"Brother Tosaya, don't you understand?"

He tightened his grip on the scabbard.

"I'm not carrying out some task. I just... don't want to watch you keep going down the wrong path."

Tosaya's expression changed.

"Wrong? You think I'm wrong?"

He raised his hand, and lava gathered in his palm.

"The people who made me like this, the people who tortured me in the darkness—they're the ones who are wrong!"

Shimizu looked at him. Tosaya looked back, and the two fell silent. The different endings they had experienced at the close of that dark age had given them entirely different views, and it was already certain that neither could persuade the other.

Shimizu took a deep breath.

Tosaya looked at him and sighed as well.

He walked toward Shimizu step by step, and Shimizu raised his Asauchi and walked toward Tosaya. Just as their attacks met once more,

"Since you insist on stopping me—"

Tosaya suddenly reached out and seized the Asauchi in Shimizu's hand—

Lava surged out instantly.

The intense heat set the scabbard ablaze, and the sealing talismans burned in the heat. Not only that, the blade itself was melting.

"Ha!" Tosaya roared.

Shimizu's palm sizzled as white smoke rose between his fingers. His face twisted in agony, but he still didn't let go.

"Let go!"

"I won't—!"

The scabbard burned away.

The blade melted too.

Molten iron dripped onto the ground with a sizzling sound.

Shimizu's screams echoed through the night sky, but he never let go.

Only when the blade had completely melted away did Shimizu stagger back and look at the sword in his hand.

Less than half the Asauchi remained. The blade had melted through the middle, and molten iron still dripped from the break. The hilt was scorching hot, like a piece of coal in his hand.

Tosaya looked at him.

"Your sword's broken. What are you going to fight with now? Admit defeat."

Shimizu lowered his head and looked at the broken half of his sword.

Tosaya thought he had finally given up.

He turned to leave.

Shimizu's voice came from behind him.

"Even if... so what?"

Tosaya stopped in his tracks.

He turned around.

Shimizu raised his head and shouted, "Even if my sword is broken, so what!"

"Ever since I came to Soul Society, what haven't I been through along the way!"

His voice grew louder and louder.

"I was reduced to a slave, and I made it through. I became an overseer, and I still held fast to who I was!"

"That night at Sizhuzhai, a Hollow swallowed me, and I nearly died—I survived that too!"

"After Hu rescued me, I was bedridden for half a month and could barely get out of bed—I held on through that too!"

"I opened a shop with Keiko and saved money bit by bit. I managed that too!"

He raised the broken half of his sword and pointed it at Tosaya.

"Now you've only destroyed half my sword, and you think that means you've beaten me?!"

"Open your eyes and take a good look! My Zanpakuto is still here, still in my hand!"

At that moment, Reiatsu began to surge.

Tosaya's pupils contracted sharply.

"This is..."

The sound of the tide in Shimizu's ears, which he had thought was a hallucination throughout the battle, grew clearer. And accompanying the sound of the tide were words.

Clear, gentle words, tinged with anticipation.

"You finally hear me."

Shimizu froze.

The voice continued:

"Ever since Sizhuzhai, I've been trying to talk to you. But you never heard me once."

"Do you know? Every time you dreamed, I wanted to talk to you. Every time I saw you working so hard, I wanted to comfort you. But you just couldn't hear me."

Shimizu's eyes grew wet.

"You... you're..."

"I'm Daku. Your Zanpakuto."

"I've always been here. Always waiting for you to call my name. Now, finally—"

His Reiatsu erupted.

The broken half of the sword began to glow.

At the break, a new blade grew from within, its design visibly different from the Asauchi's. This was the sword that truly belonged to Shimizu—Daku's blade.

The blade grew slender, its temper line flowing like ripples on water. The spiral-shaped guard shimmered faintly like water in the moonlight.

Shimizu tightened his grip on the hilt.

The searing pain vanished. In its place was a strange coolness, as though he were holding a stream.

He raised his head and looked at Tosaya.

"Tides surge—"

Tosaya instinctively took a step back.

"—wash away all impurity! Daku!"

The last remnants of the sealing talismans dissolved into ash.

The sword in Shimizu's hand took its complete form.

Daku, Shikai!

Under the moonlight, two figures stood facing each other.

Lava flowed over one, while the other was surrounded by the shimmer of water.

This was the final reckoning between two friends who had taken different paths.

Inside the Fon Residence, Hu's blade was still flashing. Farther in, Kidō thundered from the courtyard.

Tonight was destined to be long.