What's Happening in Soul Society

[REMINDER: This is where I start mixing DxD and the Fate series into Awakens. At the same time, Ichigo is in the Akame ga Kill world and that will be covered in Ichigo Awakens: Soul Conviction. Burn the Witch is already a part of Bleach canon.]

(Project Spearhead's Progress)

Kisuke Urahara was making his rounds around the labs and barracks of squad 12, checking in on the progress of the various projects and experiments the Shinigami R&D were in charge of. Ichigo's excursion into the new dimension certainly was a boon for ideas with those 'Imperial Arms', but full recreations of them were impossible due to the lack of the same materials used in their construction. That, however, was a challenge that Urahara and Mayuri relished... now if only some of the other captains and lieutenants would help out as well. Kisuke figured Soi-Fon would jump at improving the lethality of her Suzumebachi but the wasp refused any tampering, both Soul Reaper and Zanpakuto.

"I get the risks with that Murasame blade, but she's the captain of the assassination unit!" He growled while heading to the revived Mod-Soul branch. Once he entered, he found rows of dozens of bodies in tubes of all varieties. Along the middle were rows of monitors and computers with what squad members and scientists he could spare, with Nozomi Kujo at the head of it all.

"Alright, everyone ready?" She called out, wearing a lab coat over her Shihakusho... which for some reason had a mini-skirt. Not a lot of complaints about that, nor did work slow down... not since he threatened that anyone who slacked off would be sent to Mayuri's Playground as a new test subject. "Okay, armor shift test #9. Begin." Suddenly, one of the tubes on the right side glowed red as the body inside started to shift and mutate. Some parts got a metallic sheen while others got bulkier, like thick plate armor, then the body began bleeding. "Shut it down." The verdette sighed, slumping in her chair. "What's the damage?"

"Torn muscles, tendons, and ligaments, perforated lungs, ruptured heart, cranial hemorrhaging, fractured spine and other bones all throughout, and the guts can be best described as pulp ma'am." One person reported. Nozomi released a growl of frustration.

"At least it didn't explode this time." She said, finally noticing her captain. "How can I help you Kisuke? Please make it quick, it's been a rough week."

"So I've noticed." He commented, looking over the reports that was sent to him over the course of the experiments. "I'll try to get back to Ichigo on sending us more concrete samples of the Teigu. We've just recently got our hands on some internal organs from someone whose Teigu was literally her blood. Mayuri is experimenting with it now and I'll send Ichigo some gigai as recompense. He did mention that he's got some recruits finally." Just then, a loud crash and metal tearing sounded out throughout the base, followed by several pained cries... and one joyous.

"SUCCESS! AHAHAHAHA!" Mayuri sang... for reasons most of the squad could only guess.

"Did you finish that one for the Arrancar?"

"It's in the back sir." Nozomi said as most of her team got back to work, one unlucky sap drew the short straw and was stuck cleaning the bloodied tube.

(Government Change of Soul Society)

"Ugh... this is so boring!" Kukaku groaned out, pouring herself another cup of sake while she, Yuushiro, and Byakuya continued to work. Soon after Regai debacle finally ended, Yamamoto killed the members of the Central 46 that planned a coup in a desperate act to retain their power and authority, which now necessitated the act of putting the new democratic government into action. Five elected officials for every district to discuss law and economics, two more from every district to form a separate representative house to handle things between districts of each region, and another eight plus the captain of Squad 14 to govern the Rukon as a whole. Finally, another four to represent each region and attend meetings with the heads of the Great Noble Houses and Chairman of the House, who govern civil actions in the Seireitei. All together, this group would ensure every district had a voice. For the judicial side, one judge per district, five per region, and nine for the Seireitei, all elected by the people for the Rukon and appointed by votes of the Gotei for the Seireitei. So why were these three great noble heads meeting?

"Found another crime lord." Yuushiro announced, holding up a report from the Onmitsukido. The reason for this meeting was to plan the future elections and eventual first meeting of the new government, and as one should expect there were a few shady characters looking to get more power and authority. "Drug trafficking, child abuse, unethical workplace, the usual." Yamamoto ordered them to ensure only clean record and sound character officials could be elected to their respective position, advised by the Seireitei judges on the current laws, or as close as they can get. "I forget, are brothels illegal?"

"Only if they discriminate gender, ignore employee consent, offer no healthcare or birth-control, and have substandard work/living conditions." Byakuya droned out. "As distasteful as I find such establishments, we must take it slow to fully civilize the Soul Society."

"Gladiator arenas."

"Given a pass as killing and crippling is forbidden and considered good training to get into one of the Shinigami starter schools around the Rukon." Kukaku answered, chugging her sake from the bottle as they barely make a dent in the paperwork. "We're gonna die in here aren't we?"

(Kenpachi vs Kenpachi)

It's been a while since he was down here, dropping into the final dark level of the Muken prison cell. The endless expanse of dark oblivion where only few were ever permitted, either by imprisonment or to train without restraint. The last time he was here was for neither of these reasons, but to enjoy his time with his predecessor and now wife, Yachiru Retsu Unohana. Now he's back, not for imprisonment or training, but for an execution. To kill the only man still imprisoned in the Muken.

"You can show yourself at anytime." Zaraki called out into the darkness. "The only way out of here is through me." He pulled out a tag before placing it on the elevator, immediately wrapping it in burning Reishi reminiscent of Ichigo's own Reishi. "And you'll have to kill me to get out." Soon he heard footsteps, footsteps that revealed their master as a man that was more slim than Byakuya Kuchiki. He was close to a foot shorter than Zaraki and looked more like a member of royalty rather than the captain of squad 11, with a long ponytail and framing bangs of dark purple hair. "So, you're the 8th Kenpachi."

"Soya Azashiro, Kenpachi Zaraki." The man answered. Kenpachi Azashiro, the 8th holder of the title Kenpachi, sealed away in the Muken after staging a coup and it took the entire Royal Guard at the time to best him and lock him away. This was a thousand years ago, his Zanpakuto was never found and he still looked as healthy as the day before his revolt. "So what brings a brute like yourself down here again?" He asked, looking down on the savage while planning an attack. "Are you here to offer me a chance at freedom if I choose to fight with Soul Society against the Quincy?"

"That's certainly one option I'm here to give." Zaraki stated, not at all surprised with the knowledge the prisoner displayed. "The other is that I execute you. So why don't you do us both a favor and submit?" The prisoner sighed and shook his head.

"I have been listening and watching, but do you really expect me to just bow my head to a child?" He asked, thinking back to his shock when Yamamoto named Ichigo his intended successor. "I have sensed his power, but I refuse to acknowledge a brat like him as my better. If you make me the Head Captain of the Gotei, I might consider it." Zaraki nodded his head.

"I understand." He said before unsheathing his blade and dashing at the former Kenpachi, slamming his blade down and creating a thunderous earthshaking crash. "I said this was going to be an execution anyway." Azashiro flashed back and Zaraki felt something move across his chest. "Did you just try to cut me?" He asked, seeing the former Kenpachi look on in shock. "If you did, then it was weak. This is a cut." He said as he held his Zanpakuto in both hands and swung his blade, stopping just shy of striking the ground. There was an explosion of force and air, creating a notable dust storm in the prison cell, and an air blade that barely missed Azashiro. The prisoner looked on in shock at the display of power as the air around Zaraki burned with his Reiatsu, giving the impression of a burning skull behind him. "Come on. You once held the title of 'Kenpachi'. Make this entertaining." He ordered, smiling savagely at his opponent.

'What is he!?' Azashiro thought as fear crept back up into his being, a feeling he thought he had long since disposed of. "Mozo." He said, creating hundreds of mouths and hands around them with each one chanting the incantation of a high level Hado and creating a black box around Zaraki. "Hado #90, Kurohitsugi." He finished before the Kido exploded, revealing an unscathed Zaraki.

"That 'child's' spells have more punch to them than that did." The Kenpachi said, flicking his sword after destroying those Hado with a single swing. "Is that really all you've got?" He demanded, the former Kenpachi wracking his brain trying to come up with something that could actually hurt the monster before him. "What a disappointment." He said, resting his blade on his shoulder. "If you won't bring out your Zanpakuto, I'll force you to. Drink, Noza-" He started before feeling something against his tongue before Azashiro cried out in pain. "Oh... I get it now. When you told the Central 46 that you've already shown your Zanpakuto, you meant it was still active. Everything around you is your Zanpakuto."

"That is the power of my Uru Zakuro." Azashiro admitted. "With it, I can merge with anything, turn anything into my blade or my shield, use as many Kido as I want at the same time. I'm not just merged with the air in the Muken, I'm merged with the whole of Soul Society."

"And despite all that power, you've never escaped or even hurt me? Guess there are limits to what you can do after all." Zaraki taunted, earning a glare from the former Kenpachi. "I said to make this entertaining, if you don't pull out all the stops to fight me then I'll kill you quickly." The captain threatened, shortly before Azashiro began to fade away. Zaraki needed a second to compose himself from the sudden disappearance of the prisoner, then his head snapped upward and he jumped. Rocketing himself up to the proper height, he swung his blade and cut the very air. Azashiro reformed and screamed in pain as blood spilled from a massive cut on his chest, followed by Zaraki gabbing his leg and throwing him back to the ground. "Did you just try to run away?" The Kenpachi growled as he landed next to his opponent.

"How did you cut me!?" Azashiro demanded, feeling in mortal danger for the first time in his long life. "I was one with air!"

"Let me remind you of what I am." Zaraki said as he placed his foot on the former Kenpachi's chest. "I was a nameless runt from the furthest and most lawless district of the Rukon, killing and fighting was all I knew and how I survived. No one was stronger than me, no one could even hurt me, not until after I fought her. Kenpachi Yachiru, the first to bear our title." He pointed to the lone scar he had over his eye. "That was the first time I ever enjoyed myself in a fight and the first time I was afraid when I almost killed her. I weakened myself to an embarrassing degree in an effort to enjoy as many fights as I could. Then one day I found a little girl, she did not fear me or reject me, and I would choose to name her after the only person I respected and take the title of Kenpachi as my name. I killed the previous Kenpachi in a single strike, became a captain with no training and no access to the true power of my Zanpakuto. I've stayed like that for so long until I met a certain kid, a kid that welcomed my challenge, a kid that freed me of my greatest fear, a kid that grew into a warrior I'd be proud to follow into Hell itself if he asked, because he promised me all the fun I could ever ask for. I am the Kenpachi, the strongest Soul Reaper of the Gotei and that brat is Ichigo Kurosaki, the future Captain Commander of the Gotei. There is NOTHING that can stand against either of us." He stepped off of Azashiro and pulled the man to his feet. "Now as a courtesy of one Kenpachi to another, I'll let you die on your feet. One last strike." He said, taking a Kendo stance and holding his sword in both hands. Azashiro glared at Zaraki before releasing a sigh.

"I suppose that's the best offer I'll get." He finally said before holding out his hand. Slowly, an Asuachi blade formed in his grip. "Let's do this." Despite how plain the sword looked, it radiated with power. Likely the concentrated amounted of Reishi that it took for him to merge with the whole of Soul Society during his long years of imprisonment. The two raised their blades, charged, and swung, creating a massive explosion of force and power that rocked the Seireitei high above them. When the dust finally settled, Kenpachi sheathed his blade and Azashiro fell to the ground. The life of the eighth Kenpachi was ended.

"Soul Society tried to forget you, but no more. You will be remembered." Zaraki promised as he returned to the elevator, tearing off the Kido tag that created its barrier. "Soul Society is done hiding from its past."

(Other Quincy Preparations)

"Hey, is this safe?" A guy strapped to a table asked, nervous and terrified as Mayuri typed away a few commands at his station. He had to pause his other project while they cleared out the ice and repaired the damage done, but still had many other projects to work on in the meantime.

"Who cares?" Mayuri responded before pulling a switch. "Besides, you're a death row inmate so it doesn't really matter." The man screamed in horror and pain as the chamber was flooded with Hollow Reishi. Seconds passed, filled with screams of pain and torment, before finally falling silent as the man faded from existence. After an extensive analysis done on Uryu and BG9, Urahara and Mayuri figured out how to make artificial Quincy while using the squad 15th lieutenant as a base. The experiment was multipurpose in testing an idea as a countermeasure against the Quincy of the Vandenreich. Effectiveness against the Quincy, the effects it would have on other souls and Shinigami, the effects on Arrancar, and how Ichigo's own Reishi would affect the experiment. If the results were as Mayuri and Kisuke predict, they'd either get asset denial or potentially boost Ichigo's powers as a result. No question that what they were doing was one of the most vile war crimes, but Yhwach was not known for his humanity. The old guard of the Gotei were ruthless for a reason.

"Next one is ready master Mayuri." Nemu said, sounding more monotone than usual. "Recently made Arrancar from a random Hollow." She brought in a blonde man with a helmet mask fragment.

"Something wrong Nemu?" He asked in a rare display of concern, knowing her attitude might affect her performance.

"I miss sex with my boyfriend." She said, making Mayuri sigh and continue with his very unethical experiments.