The Warfare of Blood

Kuroi brings down his blade in a diagonal direction and releases his Jigoku Piasa. The Jigoku Piasa nearly cuts the Quincy in half and forces him to fall to the ground. Kuroi looks up and sees Kisuke standing on a broken pillar.

"How long have you been watching?" asked Kuroi.

"I just got up here. You took him out quicker than I thought you would," said Kisuke.

"I thought that he would be stronger, but he was just another fodder Quincy just like that Ebern guy," said Kuroi.

"Someone wants to talk to you," said Kisuke.

"Who is it?" asked Kuroi.

Kisuke pulls a phone out of his shihakusho and throws it at Kuroi. Kuroi catches it and answers it.

"Is this Captain Hono?" asked Akon.

"Yes," said Kuroi.

"Please don't despair by hearing this, but the Quincy have invaded the Soul Society," said Akon.

"They said they would come in five days," said Kuroi.

"They lied," said Akon.

"I'll be there in a flash. Just hold out until I get there," said Kuroi.

"We'll try, but I don't know how long we can hold out," said Akon.

"Just do it," said Kuroi.

Kuroi hangs up and throws it at Kisuke. Kisuke catches it and places it back in his shihakusho.

"What did they want?" asked Kisuke.

"Yhwach has invaded the Soul Society five days early. The third blood war has begun," said Kuroi.

"I'll open the Garganta. You'll need it to get back," said Kisuke.

"Thanks, Kisuke. I'm gonna go and grab Ichigo. I'm going to make sure that we win this fight," said Kuroi.

Ten minutes pass. Now, Kuroi and Ichigo stand in front of the Garganta.

"There's time to play games. Yhwach is very powerful and evil. We have to defeat him quickly," said Kuroi.

"I know. I know. I'm ready," said Ichigo.

"Let's go," said Kuroi.

Kuroi and Ichigo hop into the Garganta and start to run on the path of reishi.

"How's it going in the Soul Society?" asked Ichigo.

"Not good. The Quincy are destroying us. We haven't won one battle and we're losing a lot of men," said Kuroi.

"Is it possible for them to win without us?" asked Ichigo.

"Maybe. The captains aren't pushovers," said Kuroi.

"The Quincy can steal Bankai, so they could make us weaker," said Ichigo.

"They won't be strong enough to steal ours. Ebern tried to steal mine, but he failed. He wasn't strong enough," said Kuroi.

"I can see the light. We're almost there," said Ichigo.

"When we get there, we can't hold back. Yhwach has to die," said Kuroi.

"Don't worry, bro. We can handle him," said Ichigo.

"I hope we can," said Kuroi.

Kuroi and Ichigo reach the exit of the Garganta and see the destruction. They see their friends and allies on the ground, dead or unconscious. They slowly descend to the ground, already prepared for action.

"The Quincy did all of this? We underestimated them," said Ichigo.

"No, they underestimated us. Let's find everybody," said Kuroi.

Kuroi and Ichigo start to walk through the ruins of the Seireitei until they find Byakuya, pinned to a wall by his blade.

"Byakuya," said Kuroi.

"Kuroi, Ichigo, you guys came," said Byakuya.

"How did you guys get destroyed?" asked Kuroi.

"They stole our Bankais and beat us up. There was nothing that we could do," said Byakuya.

"Where's Yhwach?" asked Kuroi.

"I don't know, but head captain must be fighting him. I can't tell because my senses are off," said Byakuya.

"We'll deal with them. Don't worry," said Kuroi.

"Are Rukia and Renji alive?" asked Byakuya.

"Yes," said Kuroi.

"Good. I won't last much longer. Despite being a captain of the Gotei 13, I failed to defeat the enemy who invaded the Soul Society. I let many valuable soldiers die and caused their families and friends to suffer. I am ashamed of this. Kuroi, you are a captain of the Gotei 13. It's your responsibility to protect the Soul Society with your life. Please save us, Kuroi Hono," said Byakuya.

"When I became a captain, I took an oath to protect the Soul Society with my life. I won't let you down. I will defeat this Ryoka," said Kuroi.

"Great. Now, go do your job," said Byakuya.

"I will," said Kuroi.

Kuroi and Ichigo rocket into the sky and dart towards the King of the Quincies. They sense the spiritual pressure of the Quincy leader and head in that direction. They find him and land right in front of the king.

"Kuroi Hono and Ichigo Kurosaki, you two are very skilled. You dealt with Quilge with ease I see," said Yhwach.

"Are you Yhwach?" asked Kuroi.

"Maybe I am. Maybe I'm not. Are we ever who we say we are?" said Yhwach.

"Are you Yhwach, the man who laid waste to this world!" exclaimed Kuroi.

"Yes I am," said Yhwach.

"Bankai!" exclaimed the two soul reapers.

Their spiritual pressures explode as they enter their Bankai states. Ichigo puts his hand over his face and a Hollow mask appears on his face. As they dart towards the King of the Quincies, something grabs them and forces them away from the fight.

"What was that?" asked Haschwalth.

"Don't worry. They will be back and that's when we will destroy them," said Yhwach.

On the other side of the Seireitei, the mysterious figure lets go of the two soul reapers.

"Why did you do that? We have a war to win," said Ichigo.

"It's because he killed Yamamoto," said Aoi.

"Dad?" asked Kuroi.

"He stole his Bankai and sliced him in half and obliterated him. I wasn't able to help him," said Aoi.

"Then, we need to take him down together. If the head captain couldn't defeat this guy, then we can't one v one him. We can't fight fairly. We have to team up and eradicate the Quincies once again," said Ichigo.

"What's the plan?" asked Kuroi.

"I fought one of those Sternritters, but he was unable to steal my Bankai, so I still have it," said Aoi.

"We still have our Bankais and I have my Hollow mask, so we're just going to have to brute force this," said Ichigo.

"Yhwach won't know what hit him," said Kuroi.

Fifteen minutes pass. Yhwach and his assistant stand in the same spot, waiting for their prey to come out.

"We should just hunt them down," said Haschwalth.

"They're coming," said Yhwach.

"How do you know?" asked Haschwalth.

"It just got hotter," said Yhwach.

"What do you-," said Haschwalth.

"Hado Number 54: Haien!" exclaimed the soul reapers.

A large blast of purple spiritual energy is launched at the King and he just stands there instead of dodging. The Kido spell hits him and causes small burns on the body of Yhwach.

"That kind of hurt. This will be fun," said Yhwach.

"Flame on, Herufaia," said Aoi.

Blue flame covers his blade and spans over the battlefield. He raises his blade and blue flame encircles it. Before Yhwach can react, Kuroi and Ichigo appear behind the King.

"Family Jigsuga Piensho!" exclaimed the soul reapers.

The soul reapers bring their blades down and launch a combined Getsuga Tensho and Jigoku Piasa at the king, causing a large explosion. The explosion damages Yhwach, but not a lot. The smoke clears and a large smile grows on the king's face.

"That's what I'm talking about! You guys are giving more of a fight than Yamamoto could ever," said Yhwach.

"Don't say his name!" exclaimed Aoi.

Aoi puts his hand over his face and a hollow mask appears on it. He darts towards Yhwach and slashes him across the chest. The smile on Yhwach's face slowly fades as he sees that he is bleeding. Yhwachpunches Aoi's mask off and kicks him in the stomach, sending him flying back.

"Ichigo, let's finish this quickly," said Kuroi.

"Alright," said Ichigo.

The two brothers rocket towards Yhwach and try to slash him, but the king has had enough. He pulls out his blade and slashes both of the soul reapers multiple times before they can dodge. He then punches Ichigo's Hollow mask, breaking it. Yhwach quickly sheaths his blade and grabs them both by their necks and slams them on the ground.

"Now, Haschwalth, watch me get rid of these horrid shinigami," said Yhwach.

Yhwach pulls out his blade once again and brings it down on Kuroi's neck, breaking the ground beneath them. Instead of dying, Kuroi survives.

"This one is still breathing. We will resuscitate him and force him to join our army," said Yhwach.

"Yes, sir," said Haschwalth.

Yhwach looks back down at Kuroi and his calm expression becomes one of shock. Light blue veins appear on Kuroi's neck.

"Blut Vene? He's a Quincy? That's impossible," thought Yhwach.

"Getsuga Tensho!" exclaimed Ichigo.

Ichigo launches a full-powered Getsuga Tensho and it hits the king, creating another large explosion. Before Ichigo can move, Yhwach appears behind him and tries to decapitate him with his blade, but he can't. Blue veins appear on Ichigo's neck as well.

"They both have Blut Vene. I can't believe it, but they must be one of us," thought Yhwach.

Ichigo tries to escape by kicking Yhwach, but he catches his foot and throws the ginger through a few buildings. He then walks where Kuroi was once lying, but he is no longer there. Yhwach turns around and sees Kuroi charging at him.

"I don't want to fight you, my son," said Yhwach.

"I won't let you get in my head," said Kuroi.

"I'm not trying to get in your head. I'm telling the truth," said Yhwach.

"Be quiet and take this. Jigoku Piasa," said Kuroi.

Kuroi launches a weak Jigoku Piasa at Yhwach, trying to distract him, but he is slapped away by the king.

"I hate to hurt my own, but I'm done playing games," said Yhwach.

"This is it, Yhwach. Yamamoto may have failed to kill you a thousand years ago, but he is dead now and it is now my responsibility to deal with you. Ban-," said Aoi.

Before Aoi can activate his Bankai, he feels a sharp pain where his hands should be. He looks down and sees that his hands are on the ground. Before he can scream in pain, Yhwach kicks him in the stomach and stomps on his head. Kuroi sees this and tries to cut off Yhwach's head, but Haschwalth grabs his blade and karate chops it in half.

"How did you do that?" asked Kuroi.

"You can no longer touch his majesty," said Haschwalth.

"I guess I'll just destroy him with half a blade," said Kuroi.

Before Kuroi can touch the king, Haschwalth takes Kuroi's Bankai and stabs it in his thigh. He then kicks him in the face and sends him flying backward.

"Where's the orange-haired one?" asked Yhwach.

"I don't know, but he isn't a threat," said Haschwalth.

"Then, we can leave," said Yhwach.

"Not yet!" exclaimed Ichigo.

Ichigo rockets towards the king and tries to launch another Getsuga Tensho, but Yhwach grabs his blade and nearly breaks the entire thing. He then punches Ichigo in the gut, nearly knocking him out. Ichigo falls to his knees in front of the king.

"Let's go, Haschwalth. We are done here," said Yhwach.

"Yes, sir," said Haschwalth.

The two Quincies walk away as a shadow encompasses them.

"Farewell, boys. One day, I'll come back and get you. Heal your wounds and wait, my sons born in darkness," said Yhwach.