138 Meeting the Heavenly Host

(Soul Society)

Two and a half years had passed since the previous Captain Commander and Quincy Emperor died in the War of Blood. Two and a half years had passed since peace returned at the cost of lives and the revival of the Soul King. Two and a half years since many of the Gotei dedicated themselves to modernizing their old ways, training to better protect their peace, and starting families. Some of these budding families would start sooner than others, but they were all happy to be bringing their children into what they were hoping would be an era of peace. That thought made the burdens of motherhood a lot more bearable for some as many would be roused from their slumber by infants hungry for milk, others would be awakened by the morning chirps and howls of different dragons that were brought in from Reverse London, but there was one sound that the Captain of the Fourth would be listening to more than any other.

"Those two are really going at it." She said, gazing into the sky that led to the Royal Realm of the Soul Society while she cradled her stomach. "And so early too." She was awakened from her sleep as her husband, Kenpachi Zaraki, left their bed to join Ichigo in a sparring session to relieve the man's battle lust, which was growing more and more irritable since her pregnancy forced her to leave her sword behind.

"Is something wrong captain?" Unohana looked behind her to find her tall and silver haired lieutenant, Isane Kotetsu, walking toward her and still in her sleeping kimono.

"Everything's all right Isane." She told her before returning her attention to the sky. "Ichigo's helping my Zaraki get some much needed relief." She then gasped lightly before rubbing her stomach, feeling little moving bumps as her baby began moving. "Behave yourself little one. You're not ready to play with daddy like that yet." She lightly giggled while Isane became a little scared at how the child of the two most vicious of Soul Society was going to be raised.

(Royal Realm: High above the Soul Society)

Once it was home to some of the greatest innovators of the Soul Society, those who would invent tools that would alter the realm of souls forever. Once it had massive discs that held cities and castles filled with all the amnenities to keep the members of the Zero Squad occupied as they stood watch over the Soul King. Once it was a prison for a half dead god that was sealed in crystal and forced to serve as the linchpin to keep reality together. Now that same god was fully restored and only one disc now exists, resting beneath the tower palace of the Soul King, as the domain of the one sole guard of the Soul King. Blank, empty, and vast, the only point of this disc was to serve as an arena for those that would challenge him and try to approach the king of souls. It was here that Kenpachi Zaraki and Ichigo Kurosaki were fighting like mad demons just to relieve their boredom.

Zaraki howled in laughter as he swung the chipped form of his sealed Nozarashi down at Ichigo, who met the attack with a block from his twin sealed Zangetsu and managing to withstand an attack that made their arena crack and fracture from the sheer force of strength and power. The hybrid forced Zaraki's blade aside, the resulting slash from the beserker cutting the disc in two before it was instantly restored, and was about to counter but Zaraki caught one of his wrists and the two slammed their foreheads against the other. The Kenpachi couldn't stop his laughing while Ichigo himself bore a rather savage grin as they tested the limits of their strength.

"How is it so far Zaraki?" Ichigo growled out, getting his other blade poised to impale Zaraki. "Feeling relieved yet?!" He shot his blade forward, piercing the man's side. The Kenpachi was undeterred as he took the moment to push Ichigo back and swung with his own counter, slashing across Ichigo's belly and causing a line of sparks from his Blut and Hierro but also sending him flying toward the edge of the disc.

"How can I?" Kenpachi answered as he became alight with his yellow Reiryoku and the manifestation of a skull appearing. "We're still on our warm-up. We haven't even really started yet!" He immediately kicked off the ground, fracturing it and closing the distance in an instant with what appeared to be flight as Ichigo used Hirenkyaku to right himself and dash at the mad warrior with another slash of his Zanpakuto, his blades burning with black energy tinged with red and blue. They clashed again, exploding with great force as smoke and fire enveloped the pair, the air vibrating from the shockwaves of every collision of their blades. They were filled with reckless abandon as they swung and slashed and cut and stabbed at each other, battling each other not as warriors or men with strategy and discipline, but as vicious animals driven by bloodlust, adrenaline, and instinct.

"I've actually been missing this!" Ichigo yelled out as he blocked a cut aimed for his neck, the power behind Zaraki's moves getting stronger with every fight they have and briefly pushed Ichigo's defense to the point where the chipped form of Nozarashi kissed the hybrid's neck. "No stakes!" He continued, rushing forward to slam the hilt of one of his blades into Zaraki's chest, cutting the side of his neck open. "No questions!" There was a shockwave as Zaraki took the attack before punching Ichigo in the stomach and sending him flying back.

"Just pushing ourselves to our limits!" Kenpachi finished as a wave of fiery Reishi came at him in the form of an X. "Drink! Nozarashi!" The captain called out, turning his chipped blade into a large ax and cleaver blade, bringing it down and slicing the Getsuga Jujisho in half before it even reached him. "Always trying to exceed the peak we thought to reach, only to decide to aim even higher." Ichigo walked out of a cloud of smoke, wielding the released forms of his Zangetsu blades. "That reminds me, have you come across anything worth fighting in your travels?"

"Some people, but nothing I think you'd be interested in." The hybrid answered before flashing toward Zaraki, poised to cut across his gut, while the berserker moved Nozarashi to block. The kyber blade of Zangetsu phased through Nozarashi's hilt as Ichigo's afterimage faded.

"Oh right. Fast." Zaraki deadpanned as he felt one of the Zangetsu cut down his back. "I tend to forget about that." He admitted, ignoring the burn of the cut as he spun and swung Nozarashi at Ichigo. He quickly dodged but then Zaraki changed his hold on his Zanpakuto ax and swung with enough force that he cut off Ichigo's hand and trench blade. "You missed my spine with that one though. Are you forgetting about who we have back home?" He asked while watching as Ichigo's hand regrew.

"If I crippled you, then we wouldn't be able to keep this going." The hybrid answered as he held his hand to his discarded sword, causing it to fly back to him. "And neither of us want that, do we?" He said, glowing with power and ready for the next round. Kenpachi smiled as he became alight in his own energy.

"Indeed. Now, let's keep going!" He excitedly called out, only for a small girl with light pink hair wearing a Shinigami Shihakusho to appear on his shoulder. "Nozarashi? What is it?" He asked, calming down to address his blade's spirit.

"I was thinking you could show Ichi our new skill Kenny." She chirped happily, causing Zaraki to give a toothy grin.

"Alright." He returned his focus to Ichigo as the glow intensified. "Get ready, Ichigo. You'll be the first to witness this, a power Nozarashi told me is 'beyond Bankai'." The area around the man started to split and fracture as his Reiatsu climbed ever higher. "Maybe the Soul King will give it a name before this ends." The Zanpakuto in Zaraki's hands began to shine as well before melting onto his arms; covering his right arm with beige fur with a thick collar of crimson brown fur around his shoulder while his left arm was covered white bone armor with glowing blue light in the cracks and a horn like protrusion on his shoulder. In his right hand was a war cleaver blade while his left held a white bone-like Khyber blade, only more barbaric and vicious looking. Ichigo felt such intense pressure from Kenpachi that he didn't even notice that he said anything. "Shukai, Arekuruu ha no Kami(Mastered Release: Raging Blade God)? Nice, I like it."

'Wait, did I know what it's called?' Ichigo asked himself before Kenpachi instantly appeared before him. 'He's faster than his Bankai!' He realized, instantly blocking the cleaver blade as it struck his swords. The result caused both of his Zanpakuto to snap and he instantly reinforced his entire body with every last defensive skill he knew. That did nothing to impede the attack as Ichigo jumped back the moment Zaraki's cleaver touching his skin, knowing immediately that it would've cut him in half. However, the moment he landed, he dropped to his knees and felt his blood pouring from his left side where Zaraki touched him. Ichigo looked back to Zaraki's feet and found a severed arm, HIS arm. "The Sanpo Kenju ability?" The hybrid asked as he healed, not just regrowing his arm but also restoring everything from the left half of his chest that Zaraki's phantom blade cut through while his blades also reformed. That power allowed him to have two phantom blades, one ahead and one behind the actual blade, making any defense very difficult. From the looks of it, Kenpachi was wielding four blades at once.

"At a far stronger level." The berserker admitted, leveling the bone blade at Ichigo. "You once swore to me that you'd always give me entertaining fights. Now I make that same promise to you. No matter what you learn, how strong you become, I will ALWAYS be ready for our next fight." He burst with energy again. "Now how about you stop holding back?" Ichigo climbed back to his feet and placed his dual Zangetsu together, exploding with black energy.

"Bankai. Tensa Zangetsu!" His blades fused and became a single white Kyber blade with a black core and a chain connecting the back of the blade to the bottom of the guard. As he moved the blade, multiple copies appeared around him and his body was soon covered in the bone like armor of his Hollow powers with wings of burning black Reishi appearing on his back.

"What? Not going to use your other Zanpakuto as well?" The Kenpachi asked as he got ready for the next clash.

"The powers of Kyoka Suigetsu and Rensa Seigi aren't suited for duels and I'd rather not risk Kagutsuchi until I actually master it." Ichigo explained, pointing his blade at his sparring partner. "Try and be content with that." The two grinned as they dashed at each other.

(Shadow Karakura; Kurosaki Home)

"That was rough." Ichigo groaned, standing bare in one of the showers of the western style manor that was constructed for him, his wives, and his children in Shadow Karakura. "That was probably the first time we've ever had to call a draw." Once Ichigo went into his Bankai the fight became a stalemate, Zaraki unable to catch Ichigo while Ichigo was unable to actually harm Zaraki. After the two finally exhausted themselves did they finally return to the Soul Society while Ichigo went to his new home to relax with a hot shower. "Looks like I have another skill I'll need to master. A never ending road." He sighed out, not realizing someone walked into the shower with him until he felt her firm yet slender arms wrap around his body.

"You've kept me waiting, darling~." He heard Tatsuki's voice, teasing in a sultry manner, as she rubbed her breasts against his back while her hands made their way south as she kissed his neck. Ichigo caught one of them while the other reached his length, his wife's hand stroking him to hardness.

"My apologies." He lowly purred out, turning around and pulling Tatsuki against him before giving her a deep kiss. "Allow me to rectify that." He whispered as he trailed some kisses down her chin before teasing her sensitive neck, earning a gasp of pleasure as he reached down to her sex and finding it delightfully wet already. Wasting no more time, he pulled up her leg and speared into her. Both let out a shuddering breath as they let the sense of pleasure wash over them before the hybrid began thrusting into her. This was his first week back but Ichigo had a feeling this was going to be his routine from now on whenever he returned home. The day prior would be spent with his wives and children, the morning would hold a sparring match with whoever was willing, and likely end in sex with his brides. An hour after his shower started, he left with Tatsuki's cunt still leaking his seed as he made his way to his room to change.

(10 minutes later)

"Everyone! I'm leaving soon." Ichigo called out, dressed in black pants, a blue and white shirt, and black hoodie. With that announcement, Orihime, Tatsuki, Senna, Bambietta, and Candice came out with three of his children; Kazui, Jared, and Rachel. The others had to tend to their duties in Soul Society, Hueco Mundo, and Kyoto and kept their children nearby since they still relied on mother's milk to survive. Ichigo walked up to the group, giving each one a tender kiss. "Bye kids. Behave for all of your mommies okay?" He told the infants as he kissed their foreheads, each one reaching for their father after his actions. "Take care, alright?" He told each wife as he kissed them as well.

"You better finish your traveling soon, you hear?" Tatsuki said with a laugh as she jokingly punched Ichigo's arm. "We want you back home sooner rather than later, understood?" Ichigo nodded before flicking his wrist and opening a hole into the void, jumping through and flashing to where his exit would lead him to France, coming out to the sound of spectral wailing and rage.

"Right." He said, unsheathing Zangetsu once more. "Back to it." He then charged forward. France was tragically rife with the corrupted dead and lingering souls, hundreds of thousands of souls chained to the earth from their lingering attachments and grudges. The endless role of the Shinigami, bringing the dead to their rest and no shortage from all those who died in the country's bloody history.

(Three Days Later: Tarascon France. Night)

Ichigo flashed about the city, drawing lines for a spell he devised for a mass Konso ritual, before stopping atop a stone castle and drawing out a final line. With all that being done, he pulled Rensa Seigi off his back and tapped the butt end of the spear onto the center of his spell. The entire commune of Tarascon was then engulfed in a pillar of light for those that were spiritually aware as the many souls still lingering about were purified and sent on their way. Ichigo breathed out a sigh of relief before returning his spear to his back, getting ready to continue on his journey before finally acknowledging his audience.

"Whoever you are, you might as well come down and introduce yourself." Ichigo called out, causing an ethereal light to shine down on him. Within that light was a man with long blonde hair and twelve golden wings descending toward him, wearing a red armored robe with a gold cross on his white alb. On his shoulders was an armored gold mantel with white sashes trailing down it. His face held a loving kindness while his eyes seemed to bear sadness for all the sorrow of the world while his spiritual presence felt like the opposite of Sirzechs. "So, one of the angels of Heaven I'm guessing?"

"Indeed." The man said with a slight bow. "I am Michael, leader of the Angels of Heaven and loyal servant of the Biblical God. You have my thanks, Mr...."

"Kurosaki. Ichigo Kurosaki." Ichigo said, surprised to meet one of Heaven's top angels but also underwhelmed by their power. "Why do I have your thanks?" He felt compelled to ask.

"For freeing all of these lost souls when we failed to do so." The angel answered as he stood upright again. "We prefer to give mortals a choice, letting them decide when it is time for them to finally move on. For many, this was enough, since many of them made their peace soon after death. For many more, they held on to their grudges and attachments to the world and we did not wish to force them. Unfortunately, we've seen many of those same souls turn into these masked creatures and more malicious dragon things so I wonder if this was a bad decision."

"Do you know of the Hollows?" Ichigo asked the angel, earning a shake of the head to indicate 'no'.

"I've heard of the term, but not the full details." Michael admitted. "Though I'm guessing the Church is wrong in their belief that they're humans corrupted by the Devils."

"The Devils have nothing to do with it. Hollows are the result of humanity's own negative emotions and corruption. If they hold on to their anger or greed and lose their hearts, they turn into a Hollow." Ichigo explained while Michael looked heartbroken.

"And... we've done nothing to help." He said, sounding ashamed of himself. "Would... would it be too much to ask for your help in atoning for this?" Ichigo placed a hand on the angel's shoulder.

"Find someone you trust and send them to Japan, you'll get what you need. I'll vouch for whoever you send." Ichigo told him, getting ready to leave.

"I have someone in mind actually." Michael started. "His name is Dulio Gesualdo, and he's one of the better members of the church. You can usually find him on the outskirts of Rome, helping at an orphanage. I can bet you'll be able to figure out which one. Meet with him and tell him what he needs to do. In exchange, anything Heaven can do to help you, ask and we shall repay tenfold." The hybrid smiled.

"Your generosity is noted. I look forward to our next meeting." Ichigo said before flashing down from the castle and continuing his journey, now heading for Italy.