109 CHAPTER 116: Shinku no Tsubasa

The hulking Adjuchas unleashed a scornful laugh that echoed around them. Locking eyes with Kazuya, who had bravely positioned himself in front of Apacci, the creature jeered, "What utter garbage you are to face me. Die."

The Adjuchas's arm swung through the air with such force that Kazuya could hear the very wind shrieking in its wake. Yet, he stood his ground—steadfast and unyielding.

'It's not real.'

He repeated within his head, almost as though his mantra could ward off the impending doom. Yet, when the arm should have struck him, a breathtaking explosion of vivid flames burst forth instead. Whirling around, he realized Apacci had vanished—swallowed by the inferno. A surge of energy coursed through him; his dormant powers were reawakening, filling his fists with the tingling sensation of Oppression.

"I knew it," he said, tilting his head upwards to address the heavens. "Nami, I swear to God if you don't cut this crap right now."

He fully expected Nami to be behind this twisted prank. Nobody would be surprised if this was her way of saying welcome back.

"Nami should not be blamed for my actions," echoed a dream-like voice.

From the swirling vortex of orange and vermilion flames emerged a towering figure. She was swathed in a lavish, impossibly long gown that looked as though it had been woven from molten lava, its ivory accents stark against the deep red. Five burning pairs of blade-like wings sprouted from her lower back, and an ostentatious winged mask obscured her face, leaving only her smirking lips visible.

His gaze fastened onto the two energy sword-like blades that hovered beside her, each encasing a crimson crystal that mirrored the gem at the hilt of his own Zanpakutō. He would've mistaken her for Nami if not for those blades.

"You must be my new Zanpakutō Spirit."

"Correct. I'm Shinku no Tsubasa. You may call me Tsubasa."

Her high and mighty tone made him clench his fists. "Tsubasa, why did you do that?"

"What you experienced was merely a trial orchestrated by me," she said slowly as she gazed at him with a gentle smile. "To test your determination to protect your loved ones. I cannot let an unworthy master wield my powers."

He blinked his eyes in surprise. "How was that a fucking test?"

His typically relaxed demeanor had shattered, replaced by a seething rage catalyzed by her manipulative trial.

Slightly shaking her head, Tsubasa replied, "To see your true conviction, I had to observe you at your lowest. People only care about themselves in their most desperate times. I'm glad you forgo the thought of self-preservation to protect your beloved. You'll be a splendid master."

With eyes clenched shut, he inhaled deeply, as if trying to draw calmness from the very air. But tranquility eluded him. His intrusive thoughts broke through the barriers of his rationality like a tempest. In his mind, there was no reasoning that could excuse her for plunging him into an abyss of helplessness. He would drown her in her own blood until she regretted her sadistic machinations.

Morphing into his soul form, he summoned his Zanpakutō. A dark, purple aura enveloped him—the tangible manifestation of his insatiable urge to kill. He surged towards her.

As he lunged, one of the ornate daggers beside Tsubasa dematerialized. In its place, a blazing, hollowed-out shield erupted into existence. His katana collided with her incandescent barrier repeatedly, sending sparks cascading like falling stars. Yet, her shield remained unscathed, a stubborn defense against his relentless strikes.

This shield was a projection of his own Shikai. It was an ironic realization that Tsubasa, a Zanpakutō born from his overprotective nature, used the very same protection against him.

A disconcerting giggle escaped Tsubasa's lips. "This unyielding shield will soon be yours to command, Master."

"Couldn't care less." In a flicker, he utilized Shunpo to materialize behind her, his blade descending toward her unprotected back. Yet, with a pyroclastic burst, the shield rematerialized to thwart his deadly assault. "Let me cut you down just once. You'll likely regenerate from those phoenix flames of yours."

"Master, has Nami rubbed her violent tendencies on you?" Tsubasa mused. "I was right in suspecting her as a bad influence on you."

The mention of Nami brought his attacks to a halt, his rage subdued by the worries for his other Zanpakutō Spirit. "Where is she?"

With a flourish of her hand, Tsubasa manipulated her flames, weaving them into a fiery wall. It depicted Nami, in bird form, trying to bite the net of a bird cage. "She's currently detained without any access to her flames."

His eyes widened in disbelief. "Stop being a cliched villain. Release Nami and maybe, just maybe, I'll consider forgiving you."

"I cannot comply. Without her distractions, you can focus on what truly matters—protecting those you love. My Shikai ability, 'Fumetsu no Seiiki' (Indestructible Sanctuary), can shield you from anyone. You do not need her in your life."

Tsubasa's perspective on Nami was simple — the black phoenix was a distraction as observed in her constant reminders about his lovers' mortality. She was very much against Nami's stance.

"Who the hell do you think you are for dictating my life?"

"I am a shadow born from your soul, your Zanpakutō Spirit. Your resolve shapes my very essence," she said, a smile pulling at her lips as she raised a finger. "However, I'll consider releasing Nami—if you can make me submit and reveal the chant needed to unlock your Shikai."

Exhaling a weary sigh, he muttered, "Make you submit? I have to beat you?"

To attain Shikai, a Shinigami must gain the approval of their Zanpakutō Spirit and learn of its name as well as the release incantation—a well-known fact among the Shinigami.

She nodded, her gaze unyielding. "Correct. Can you overcome the impenetrable wall that is my shield—"

Before she could complete her sentence, he metamorphosed into his Hollow form and grabbed ahold of her shield. Fiery eruptions burst from the shield, a desperate, blazing attempt to dislodge him. But he clung tenaciously, his palms pulsing with the power of Oppression. The torrent of flames almost withered under his Oppression.

Just as he was about to break apart the structure of her shield, her fingers wrapped around its edge, and she swung it brutally into his chest. "I can't allow you to do that."

"Afraid much? So much for being impenetrable."

She shook her head, her eyes ablaze with conviction. "A shield is only as robust as the mind that wields it. A shieldmaster would be egregiously foolish to stand idly by, allowing their enemy to dismantle the first line of defense—especially when that defense stands between their enemies and those they've vowed to protect."

"Jeez, you never shut up about this golden rule of protection, do you?"

Tsubasa let loose a smile but he could feel the anxious strains of her smile. "My would-be master, we both follow that creed. I'm simply more vocal about our vision."

"Yeah, sure."

...

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