[PM] [3rd/3rd/8th/10th] Week 265: Ghost Town Delirium

[Kago]

For Manzou Kagetogi, Yoshinaga Gorou, and Toride Satoru

Atop a gently sloping hill, a quant church looked out upon sprawling, green fields just as the morning sun poked through the overcast skies. The smell of the salt from the English Channel greeted tourists as they flocked to this little village. Since World War II, Tyneham had become a ghost-town to most, hosting only the occasional tourist group; however, it was not empty. The beautiful landscape hid its own secret: unexploded shells from the war rested beneath its surface.

Signs were posted at each entrance and all throughout the village warning visitors to remain strictly on the paved pathways, threatening death to those who dared to venture beyond. Something was different in the air today though; the sights, smells, sounds, and even the signs all seemed to cry out to the guests, daring them to tempt fate.

It did not take long for a well-kept man to challenge his destiny and run out unto the pristine countryside. His face stretched out in a perverted smile as he reached the ten meter mark.

BOOM!

Fire erupted from the ground and engulfed his body before throwing him through the air.

All the tourists’ heads snapped toward the sound. Although cries of pain and the stench of charred carcass filled the air, it did nothing to dissuade those still standing. Slowly, perverted grins spread across everyone’s faces as the urge to give in to their most insane thoughts latched into the foreground of their minds.

The madness had set in.


[248]

 

[Bish]

High above the sounds of tourists milling about the old city, a peregrine falcon perched on a nearby tree. It spread its wings widely, seeming to relax despite the intense gaze of a hunter. To the average tourist, the animal wouldn't draw any attention. It was just another bird on another day in another town on another tree. However, any good bird watcher knew that no peregrine falcons came in the black and white color scheme that patterned this particular bird. Close inspection would reveal gray eyes that seemed to storm over with both the anxiousness of a cadet being sent off to war and the anticipation of a predator waiting for his kill. An even more in-depth look would reveal a strange purple tint around the bird's neck that happened to match the color of a certain afrogami's headphones.

Perched deep within the branches was none other than Toride Satoru, the (self-appointed) High Inquisitive of the Tenth Division. Such a title carried a sense of great wisdom, endless curiosity, and useful knowledge. However, the young Brazilian descendant felt rather in over his head. Since learning Animagus from the Arcanist known as Picca Lilli, he had been stuck in his falcon form. Several times he had tried to revert to a human form. Several times, he had failed. The shame of the whole situation had burned into his skull, filling him with a sense of regret and disappointment with himself. Yet and still, the wonderful minds of the higher ups had seen fit to send him here to help a victim of the recent events get that collar removed. He knew a Hollow was coming and it shook him inside. No experience, no real weapon (all three were trapped in his previous form), and so far no back up.

Nevertheless, Satoru remained vigilant at his perch... until the explosions began. Had he been in his body, the death god's ears would have perked up. With his keen senses, he looked about the residence and watched in horror as people walked willingly into the live minefields. An indignant screech filled the air as Satoru beat his salt and pepper wings and gracefully rose into the air. Mimicking the vultures' flight patterns, he rose high into the air and circled about looking for any signs of incoming assistance or trouble.

And the bass now drops.

[393/393]

 

[Chef Bryardee]

A pinpoint prick of light materialized in the air above the modest town of Tyneham, radiant enough even in its infinitesimalness for any radical being to easily notice from on high or low. The speck flared into a large, flat circle, its singular edge dimming into a resolute line. As the blinding whiteness near the center faded, strips of distinctly-fashioned wood were made evident, curving along the portal and across its surface in brackets. The light darkened even further as if there was a thin, transparent rampart set in front of it.

The two shogi doors parted, re-inviting the blinding light and a low-rolling fog of smoke that filtered out into the overcast sky, both heralding the arrival of the two men soon to step through.

The first was tall and brawny with an inherently-stern bend to his brow. His raven bangs were tapered to a point between his apathetic, onyx eyes. Both hands were tucked in the crease between his black hakama and the thick, lavender rope belt fastening both the hakama and sleeveless keikogi to his cut frame. His stride and overall poise were casual, painting an aura of obliviousness about him. Those sharpened eyes, however, were trained on the rolling landscape several meters below, looking to zero in on the source of the earth-shaking report that flooded the copious corridor of the Senkaimon a moment ago.

Shifting his bottom jaw back slightly, the cigarette pinched between his front teeth dipped out of his panoramic view. Even from afar, the blackened body of the fallen innocent stood out against the dirt road running through the small ghost village.

Searching the area via his spiritual sense, the Vanguard didn’t detect the malevolent presence he’d often found responsible for this sort of senseless carnage. The man flexed his jaw in perturbation, his previous experiences telling him that a situation as initially obscure as this would likely only get even more precarious.

Turning his head over his shoulder, the sixth-seat asked his partner, “What's the plan?”

[335/335]​

---

No, this ain't me delaying getting shit started or ignoring the immediacy of the situation...

...this is me thrusting any and all directive responsibilities on the highest-ranked officer present.

Doc! Take the reigns, dog!

:3​

 

[Doc]

It came as a great surprise to Gorou that what he saw on the other side of the senkaimon was not another example of the modern world’s over-addiction to technology. If anything the foreign village was closer to something he might have seen back in Edo.

The smell and sound of fire immediately stole his mind from such self-centered thoughts. Of the presences he could sense not a single one pulsed with the familiar aura that they’d been sent to hunt. It was just as well that using reiatsu to search for something didn’t work. No amount of fancy tricks could do more than one’s own eyes.

“Cover me,” the samurai advanced towards the chaos, “I’ll draw the beast out,” he stated his plan simply. In spite of having noted the presence of a third shinigami he hadn’t yet caught sight of them. Little else distracted him on his way towards the explosions. As he came closer he set his eyes upon the insanity that had overtaken the civilians. If the source was anywhere nearby he found it hard to believe that it wouldn’t appear when presented with a bigger meal.

191[191]​

 

[Kago]

note

sorry for the delayed post. Work killed me yesterday.

Blood draining from the lifeless corpses filled the luscious landscape dyeing it a dark crimson color. Slowly, the number of those throwing their bodies on the endless mines began to dwindle, turning their attention to less suicidal acts of violence. A woman that was carrying her baby on her front removed the child from its protective straps. Giving the child one last glance, she cast him into a nearby well and never dared to look back.

Another red haired man embraced his madness and grabbed a pitchfork. Ramming it into the chest of the woman who abandoned her child, he released a blood curdling cackle before an axe cleaved through his skull. Everywhere, people started turning on one another, ignoring any possible threat to their own safety.

Once the shinigami stepped into view, however, each person’s insanity seemed to subdue for a brief moment.

Kill, a voice echoed throughout the visitors' minds.

Instantly, the collection of six tourists nearest to the robed man turned their madness toward him and rushed him in their frenzy – leaving the rest of the pack to continue their senseless violence.

[185/433]

 

[Chef Bryardee]

In the yard of a small, dilapidated building situated along one of the town’s main thoroughfares, a middle-aged male stood with his child at his side. The boy bore a devilish grin, lashing about in his father’s rigid grasp, kicking and punching violently without regard for his parent... or the foul grin spread across his corpulent mug. The man stood there with the most fiendish of expressions, staring blankly into the distance. Very slowly, the man reached behind himself with his free hand, lifted up the hem of his buttoned t-shirt, and pulled out the long-barrel revolver tucked in his waist. He looked down at the gun, pulled back the hammer with his thumb until it clicked into place... and pointed it at his child’s head.

A blur of black swept in behind him. There was a muffled thump at the base of his neck, and then the loud bang of the forty five-caliber sidearm. The bullet pinged off of the dirt just beside the boy and sputtered harmlessly into the distance. He crumpled to the ground, unconscious. Without hesitation, the freed child turned on the blur voraciously. A tight, unyielding fist rammed into his diaphragm, forcing a choked-up yelp and then one last breath as he, too, fell inanimately to the grass beside his father.

Just like that, the blur was gone again.

A woman stood atop one wall that stretched two stories into the sky, tiptoeing inside its boundary toward the edge. With the grace of world-class gymnast, she somersaulted off of the edge, descending toward the metal-pronged gate below. A dark figure swept in quickly, catching her mid-air. The two landed safely, though, she spared not a moment in trying to choke the life out of him. Her rescuer promptly slammed his fist into her stomach, stealing her breath and consciousness.

Two more citizens wielding improvised bludgeons raced on a collision course toward one another. Before either could do harm to one another, they, too, were incapacitated by that unseen angel. Three more entranced beings were pulled from the abyss just the same. However, for every few lives saved, another beyond his reach was lost.

There were just too many.

Several meters down the road, a familiar droning sound reached the psychopomp’s ear and drew his attention. A small, nineteen-seventies model Volkswagen Beetle drifted wildly out of the parking lot and onto the winding avenue. It gained speed moving down the slope, gained enough killing power to mow down anyone or anything in its path.

“Gorou!”

[419/754]​

 

[Bish]

Well it's about time, Satoru said within the confines of his mind as he felt the arrival of the squad's remaining members. The Mystic felt them before he saw them due to the flaring of the bigger one's reiatsu all over the place. He was glad for the assistance because whatever was infecting these people's minds was something that he was not equipped to deal with, but surely the strong one knew better than to bait a potentially dangerous hollow.

The environment suddenly seemed to fill with so much tension that it made him feel a bit uneasy about taking on this thing. The afrogami shook his feathers as if trying to dislodge a troublesome thorn that had lodged itself inside his plumage. He refocused his enhanced vision down at the crowd below him, scanning for any more signs of trouble.

Well at least they've stopped throwing themselves on the mines, the shinigami thought. They all seem to be headed for a specific target though... Oh crao, they're headed for one of the others! I could try to defend him, but then I might lose the element of surprise.

In his moment of hesitation, however, one of the shinigami had made his move. Or several moves, rather. He was grateful to have the falcon's heightened sense of perception, but not even nature's fastest bird was equipped to follow the erratic moments of shunpo. He was glad to see the others making an attempt to quell the madness and was almost relieved until he saw the Volkswagen barreling down on the man.

If I were to do something stupid, not only would my location be made known to whatever force is out there but then I still wouldn't be able to save him. Whatever force is doing this will regret the day they tested my vigilance...

Satoru, despite his instinct being to protect the man, realized that there was nothing he could physically do to warn or save him. Instead, he continued to scan the battlefield looking for any signs of the hollow. The moment the hollow started moving, the falcon's keen eyes would pick him out like a ninja in a field of snow.

[364/757]

 

[Doc]

Any hope of calmly separating oneself from the chaos while searching for the Hollow had gone up in smoke. Until Gorou had their quarry in his sights, Gunshin would remain in its sheath. For the moment his fists would have to do the talking. Most of his focus went into knocking the civilians unconscious in one blow rather than bringing any unnecessary harm to them.

In the midst of that chaos the last thing the samurai had expected to deal with was a car. At the last minute he forced every civilian he could out of the way as he charged towards the vehicle. Upon first reaching the steel carriage his hands slammed down on the hood. Immediately, he began to lose the battle. Remembering how he’d forced his body to utilize Fruit of Labor was difficult given the amount of head trauma that had been involved.

To jog his memory he invoked Kakougan’s protective shell. It only took him a moment to gain leverage over the vehicle, causing the engine to start to sputter as its efforts were stymied. Upon taking a look behind him he noticed that more of the hypnotized masses were converging on him. If he couldn’t stop the car, more people would get hurt which was a thought daunting enough to fortify his resolve.

It was with a great screeching halt to which the vehicle came, though not before having dug Gorou into the dirt nearly up to his knees. Had the engine not been so old its driver might have been able to continue the rampage. There were still civilians to deal with but to continue dealing with them would ultimately be an act of futility. After stepping out of the hole he focused himself one more time on exerting the entirety of his reiatsu so that no entity could possibly mistake his presence.

310[501]

​

Tech Used

taikaku kakougan
...but i'm too lazy to c/p it in here >_>

 

[Kago]

Note

The shinigami will begin to feel the urge to act out their most perverted desires, choosing to ignore the dangers of harm and loss of life. The pull may feel more like a devil on your shoulder, urging you to give into craziest ideas, but it will not consume you or completely distract you.

Also, her thoughts can be heard by all now that shinigami are afflicted.

Locura

The immense reiatsu spreading across the blood-ridden field flickered against the lips of the hidden hollow. Locura had never tasted such a delectable, hearty meal like this shinigami; the first pulse of the pressure dared her to enter the fray before she was done playing with her food. This time, however, the reiatsu was too much to pass up.

With her seeds growing within the tourists, she left her perch from within the cloud bank and descended to the center of madness below. Wisps of clouds trailed down from the sky, clinging to the crown of her head. The funnel of clouds that resulted assumed the form of numerous, blood red skulls. Her pale white skin was accented by her curly, braided locks that draped down to the bottom of her back, only slightly covering the colorless, Victorian-era dress adorned with white roses.

Now that Locura was on the ground, the range of her influence spread all the way to the sea, coaxing even the most unwillingly guests into visiting the former war grounds. Those closest to her began to feel the effects of her presence in greater volumes. The humans who barely clung to life rose up, aiming to inflict as much pain and suffering to both those around them and themselves.

Not even the shinigami could resist the allure of Locura’s call.

Indulge, my sweets...


[227/660]

 

[Chef Bryardee]

A sensual, compelling whisper peeked through the tremorous rumble of Gorou’s spiritual pressure and the pitter-patter of hurried footsteps coming from all directions. Spurred to a heightened level of awareness by the reawakening of those he and his counterpart had incapacitated moments ago, Manzou found himself stilled both physically and mentally by that disembodied, transcendental call. It nudged him ever-so slightly towards deviance, pulled at the normally latent and easily-controlled carnal desires within. Just the same, however, that invasive enticement provoked a high level of anxiety which completely overwhelmed that false allurement, inviting control and composure. His eyes raced hastily back and forth, searching every corner of the structures surrounding him and the myriad of dirt pathways leading directly to the avenue and him. It put him on edge, slowly chipping away at the fortitude that he had arrived in the remote village with.

Very suddenly, he felt vulnerable, as if he could feel himself between the iron sights of an enemy that he couldn’t see.

The taint in the air slowly coalesced and surged, bringing the raven-haired man’s sword hand closer and closer to the cerulean hilt of his zanpakutou. There was a distant report of something like churning of vapor from overhead. Manzou snapped his head skyward, finding the nefarious maiden descending from the slate grey sky. Her approach was measured, unhurried. The sixth-seat’s prepared stance remained, but his shoulders and nerves began to relax duly as he observed the Hollow in all of her exaggerated repugnance.

Her extrasensory capabilities aside, Manzou saw something---different---in Locura. At speed, images of the hosts of sinewy, animalistic beasts that the man had cleansed in all his time with the Gotei Thirteen flashed in his head: the colossal man-child, Mechu; the bizarre composer, Vaardi; the dark horse, Nightmare; the infernal, untrained canine, Buzi; the bestial Spartan, Golgi; the sadistic infant, Aya. All them were more comparable in his mind than they were vastly different, nothing more than beasts of instinct, plagues roaming where they didn’t belong, stealing souls and wreaking carnage at the whim of their hunger.

And then... there was Locura.

Even the sixth-seat didn’t know or couldn’t explain what it was that kept him where he was... but he heeded it nonetheless.

“Gorou,” he said as he slowly began to unsheath Tatsunokuchi. “Where the hell is the other g---”

Before he could finish, something bolted into the blurred corner of his peripheral vision, forcing him about. In a fleeting second, Manzou saw that it was just a human, albeit entranced by the bloody maiden’s presence. His knee snapped upward, plunging into the man’s diaphragm, neutralizing him immediately. Behind them, two people armed with a pitchfork and a wood-cutting axe rushed toward one another with deleterious intent about them.

“Bakudou forty-six, Ningyou Tsukaiken!”

The incantation was rushed, made desperate by the body slumped in his grasp. Reishi discharged from him, amalgamated, and shifted in color and texture until Manzou’s duplicate was made whole. Its first footfall carried it to where the two demented souls were to converge. One swift kick and the first civilian was down. Undeterred by the phenomenon, the other human moved to skewer the downed woman where she laid. Before the man could strike, a wooden sandal rocketed into his temple, knocking him out cold.

One foot in the dirt and both eyes still locked on Locura, Manzou called out, “Where the hell is our third man?!”

[565/984]​

 

[Bish]

Satoru watched the the bulky shinigami in horror anticipating his untimely demise... but was, instead, treated to an incredible display of strength.

That man stopped a car with his bare hands through what appears to be mere determination! What kind of monster...

Then he felt it.

The circular flight pattern of the Animagus simply stopped as he felt yet another tremendous force descend from the clouds. The aura was that of a mass mob mentality, blanketing the former field of war with the desires of battles past. As the impure cloud of tainted spiritual pressure descended, it increased its assault on the mystic's mind. Suddenly, his normally logical mind begin to feel the influence of her madness. His basic instinct to protect began to force its way to the surface. He stopped for a moment and tried to force himself to think clearly. It was possible, but he noticed that it was a tad more difficult than before.

This is insane! If I go down there, I'll be outmatched for certain... but those innocent people are going to keep fighting each other until nothing remains. I don't know if this is the Hollow talking, but I need to do what I can. What would Beth say if she knew I was just hiding out in the clouds while two shinigami risked their lives to save the humans?

Satoru's mind was now made up. Fighting and suppressing the logical side that screamed at him to stay hidden, he dove down to the tree above the trodden path and tried to empty his mind.

Ok, I have to think back to my lesson. If synchronizing the falcon's image with my own guided my reiatsu together, then I'll have to split them apart.

As he focused on the mental image of his own human body, the Hollow's whisper compelled him to give in to his most foolish impulses. Thankfully, because his foolish impulse required him to revert back to human form, this dark pull inadvertently became a light push that helped him to clear his head of all worries and fears. Instead of the painstaking transformation from shinigami to bird, the mystic's body began to shift back to its natural state almost eagerly. Within moments, a certain afrogami sat atop a thick tree branch. His royal purple headphones, bronzed skin, and musical neck pattern made it clear exactly who had joined the party. Without any further ado, Satoru dropped down into the fray against his better judgment. The part of him that was still staving off the Hollow's influence still retained most of its control. He cloaked his reiatsu signature, hoping to go unnoticed as the female Hollow scanned her domain.

"I hope this wasn't a huge mistake, but I can worry about that later," he muttered to himself. The mystic jogged over to the monstrous man, feeling the pressure and strain of the thick reiatsu in the air. Satoru's eyes suddenly flicked over to the nearest maddened civilians who were attempted to strangle each other to death. He located and hefted a tree branch to knock both humans unconscious with it. They'd have some nasty bruises when they woke up, but better than death. He then drew his tanto-sized zanpaktou from its place on his back.

As loudly as he dared, Satoru said, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I'm the missing member. Leave the civilians to me, for you can't be everywhere at once and your strength is needed to fight her."

[580/1337]

 

[Doc]

Amongst the chaotic violence what weighed most heavily on Gorou’s mind was the carefully-controlled desire for proper combat. No great bloodthirst existed anywhere in his conscious psyche but the call to battle was ever-present.

In the presence of any Hollow he would have taken the chance to unleash everything he had. Under the influence of Locura, the discipline that kept his mind focused more on his duty than the hidden desire to indulge his bestial urges came under attack. Weak as it was he felt it there in the dark corners of his mind.

Indignation pushed him to the twisted beast he’d managed to lure. Uncomfortable flashbacks regarding a certain strawberry-flavored incidents had put him on the warpath. If this beast were at least as powerful as the one that had hypnotized him the trio would very quickly have a problem on their hands. As he made his approach turned into a sprint he removed Gunshin from its sheath.

“Manzou,” he turned his head to project his voice back, “keep them back.” In spite of his tone he was less giving anything meant to be taken as an order. Shouting as he did came more as a result of his desire to avoid an all out battle with so many civilians nearby.

209[710]​

 

[Kago]

As blood continued to splatter across the grassy fields, the bearded shinigami rushed Locura. Extending her call towards the humans, several tourists released their personal whims in favor of her suggestions. Each and every living person ignored the other two shinigami and hastened to throw their bodies before the charging warrior. Their wish was not to merely stop him but to impale themselves on his blade or find another hidden, explosive shell near him.

Content with staying back from the fray, Locura merely snickered as her minions let go of the most basic human condition once more.

Resistance is futile!




[100/760]

 

[Bish]

Those civilians are going to keep flinging themselves at danger until they die. There has to be a way to neutralize them in order to let the battle proceed. What's the easiest way to get these guys out of the way?

The normally jovial curves on his face were beginning to narrow into hard lines capable of cutting the very air. His eyes stormed with the gray of angry nimbus clouds as they scanned the environment. The mystic looked about his surroundings while simultaneously staving off the nagging influence of the Hollow and knocking out the occasional civilian with the branch he commanded. His frustration grew stronger, feeling that sense of hopelessness that often accompanies a futile task. The more it assailed him, the harder he tried to maintain focus. Anyone who knew Satoru would realize exactly how serious the situation weighed on his composure, as not a single joke escaped his lips.

Honestly, this whole thi... wait. Whole. Hole. That's it!

The rumbling storm in his eyes cleared a little as he had a sudden burst of insight. For a second he almost hesitated but in spite of, or because of, the situation, he knew he couldn't delay. The mystic mentally dropped the branch and reached out to the ground with the power of Soshi and pulled several mindfuls of dirt from the ground, leaving a substantial earthen pit. Afterwards, he closed his eyes and began to chant out his most destructive spell. He quickly surveyed his work, noticing that he'd dug a bit too deep.

"Break the dragon's jaw, little firestar. Hadou Number Thirty, Big Bang!"

He flipped the ball of energy like a coin, letting it rise and fall into his excavation site. Shortly thereafter, the explosion rocketed through the air and triggered a miniature rockslide within the hole. Several layers of the surrounding wall now fell inwards and provided an extra layer of rock. It was now the perfect size: large enough that none could climb out, but not quite deep enough to cause lasting damage upon falling. Or so he hoped. The smell of scorched earth wafted from the pit, tickling the noses of those in range. Satoru, though he had accomplished his goal, began feeling the strain of using so much spiritual energy in such a short amount of time. Nevertheless, he picked up a rock and tossed it at Manzou's head to get his attention.

He mouthed, "Drag them in the circle!"

[409/1746]

 

[Chef Bryardee]

The pebble clocked him in the back of his skull, making him flinch wildly in defense. Seeing nothing more than the Mystic and the deep, smoldering depression next to him, it only took the sixth seat a moment to surmise his intentions.

Turning his head back to the dozens of rabid men and women advancing on his counterpart, Manzou burst forward to intercept them, an opaque wash of translucent flames manifesting just off of his frame. It grew, condensed, and took the form of a copious, blazing arm akin to that of a reptilian predator. The mass of flames thinned out in five streaks, white bone talons materializing through each of them. An identical appendage came to life just off of his other shoulder.

The massive arms stretched out, wrapping around several of the charging mortals and hugging them to its hefty midsection. Pivoting around Manzou, the corporeal spirit heaved and threw the collection of humans into the man-made crater.

One-by-one, the fists snatched and tossed anyone within their reach, diminishing the fodder between Gorou and the puppeteer.

[178/1,162]​

---

Used Kouken to manifest spirit arms.​

 

[Doc]

Were battle not upon him Gorou would have voiced his mixture of confusion and amazement at the method by which the civilians were safely contained. Just then all that he could muster was a brief nod in his comrades’ direction just after their maneuver had succeeded.

Immediately, he charged at Locura with his blade held high. To match his intention to dismantle the Hollow before more innocents could get hurt, Gunshin was slowly released from its sealed form. To better close the gap the ronin burst into a flash step. Having come upon the aberration he swept the naginata straight down towards the middle of its head.

107[817]​

 

[Kago]

The unorthodox methods and ingenious trap rendered all but one tourist unconscious. Slowly, the ginger-headed male staggered to his feet, standing upon the motionless forms of friends and strangers.

As the bearded shinigami rushed Locura, she made no effort to move out of his way – her eyes remained closed. Her attention was focused on the hordes of individuals no longer responding to her seeds of madness. Feeling the connection to only her enemies, who were already resisting her call, and the lone human, she forced the full brunt of her insanity into the mortal.

Immediately, the male’s body jerked and stiffened from the overpowering push. His mind went blank as an ear-splitting grin etched itself across his face. Once his muscles relaxed, the man’s limbs began moving of their own accord. Grabbing the knife found on one of the unconscious guards’ body, he quickly went to work slitting the throats of every individual at the bottom of the pit.

“Blood...more blood...” he whispered loudly to himself, sounding more zealous of his desire than any of the others.

At the moment of his weapon’s release, Locura felt the presence of the shinigami bearing down on her. She quickly tilted her head to the side as the naginata carved six inches into her shoulder. Her blood squirted out from the wound, spraying her opponent as well as his blade. Without warning, it began eating away at his skin and the wooden handle of the zanpakutou like acid.

Instantly, the hollow’s eyes snapped open as the red pigments from her blood spread throughout attire and body, giving the once monochrome monster a scarlet tint. Using the human blood that soaked the ground around her feet, she compressed it into a small column and pressed it directly into Gorou’s chest, throwing him all the back to his comrades.

Your fate is sealed shinigami!

Releasing a blood-curdling cackle, the blood that had dyed the entire battlefield crimson rushed toward Locura and pooled around the skirt of her dress.


[334/1,094]

 

[Chef Bryardee]

Life after life was taken. Blood spit with gruesome repetition from the many throats of the incapacitated men and women laying in the pit, their subverted lives all at the merciless hand of the demented man being puppeted by the psychotic maiden. The liquid pooled around them, filling in the gaps between them with a deep scarlet. The faint sound of metal slicing through flesh rose above the pit, nearly passing unheard as Locura’s maniacal cackle filled the air.

The human under her control ripped his blade from one woman’s throat and moved to find the next victim. His ghoulish brown eyes raced about, trying to find one living being sprawled among the many whom he had already erased. There was another young girl, writhing from the pain of being tossed into the deep, rock-hard pit, though, still very much alive. His expression flared as the ecstasy of the coming killing flooded his veins.

He made one step... and was buffeted by a force as merciless as him.

An enormous, black fist backhanded him into the wall of the pit. The hypnotized man slammed into the earth with bone-shattering force, blacking out almost immediately. The girl who had survived looked around with widened eyes, looking for what it was that had spared her the fate many others around her had fallen to. The unawakened being that she was, the girl wasn’t able to find what she was looking for. Not the basilisk’s hefty fist, not its colossal and scale-ridden arm...

Nor the man standing with his back to her---with his hands balled into trembling fists---at the edge of the chasm.

Struggling to move past the stifling rage surging through his system, Manzou’s hand slowly made its way to the hilt of Tatsunokuchi and unfurled it from its obsidian sheath. The wood of the cerulean handle creaked from the pressure of his grip, bearing the brunt of his boiling rage. His fair complexion slowly began to blush, turning to a pale red. As if spurred by that manifesting rage, a pallid flame was lit under his feet, gaining lividity rapidly. The earth ripped outward, yielding to that fire... that seething anger.

“Gorou,” he growled through gritted teeth. “Hurry the fuck up and finish this... now!”

[374/1,536]​

 

[Doc]

Any chance that Gorou’s full attention was not devoted to Locura vanished as soon as the blood began to burn on his skin. Having collided with his comrade didn’t assist his need to stay alert, but recovery was quick. Set on his feet, he immediately resorted to driving the acidic blood off of his skin by covering it in another armor-like layer of reiatsu.

Some impression of Manzou’s words entered his ears but he paid them no mind. What mattered more was charging at the Hollow a second time. As he hurtled towards the beast he reeled Gunshin back with the intention of impaling his demonic foe in the dead center of its ivory torso.

115[932]

Tech Used

[ Taikaku Kakougan ] - "Granite Constitution"


A hakuda user knows true mastery of their body, and as part of that they must protect that body in all ways. The use of this technique fortifies the user, both inside and out, in an attempt to drive out foreign substances and reiatsu as well as fend off physical attacks.

This lasts for one round and costs 2,000 reiatsu. It restores balance to the user's body, cleansing all positive and negative effects up to the cost, strongest effects first. During this round, the user can physically block attacks equal to their Hakuda.

Requirements: 5,000 Hakuda

 

[Bish]

Satoru watched the flow of battle with an anxious intensity. The Hollow's influence initially urged him to jump headlong into the pit with his captives, but the dark pull was quelled within moments of his comrade's actions. The speed and intensity at which the skirmish was taking place made it feel as if the mystic was far out of his league. Nonetheless, he shook his head vigorously in an attempt to throw off the mental and physical strain caused by expending such a large portion of his energy. Still camouflaging his spiritual power, Satoru shut his eyes while mentally suppressing his state of mind.


Ok, Inquisitive, consider your options. The civilians are handled. The next objective would be neutralizing the Hollow, but I don't see how I can help with that. Instead, I need to worry about Cerulean-Sword here as well as staying out of the fray.


He saw the bulky shinigami charge the Hollow a second time and simply stared in amazement of the man's assurance. Shaking his head, the afrogami spared a glance back at the man who stood in the midst of his pit. With a surprisingly calm and level tone despite the nervous fidgeting of his hands, Satoru asked, "Are we supposed to let him do this alone or is there something else we could be doing? Because I feel as though he has it handled."

[230/1976]