Royal Guards
As Kai and Kukaku landed, the air filled with a tangible intensity. Kukaku, still reeling from the whirlwind of revelations, tried to steady herself, her warrior instincts kicking in as she assessed the situation.
The bald headed giant was the first to speak, his voice surprisingly gentle for his massive frame, "Who the hell are you?"
That eliminated Kukaku's first guess. Kai was definitely not a Royal Guard. The ramifications of this struck her, a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions tangling in her mind. If Kai had really created the Oken artificially, the death toll would have been unimaginable. More than a hundred thousand souls... could that be possible? No, she knew Yoruichi and she couldn't reconcile the image of a mass murderer with the man standing before her. Yoruichi had an eye for people, and she wouldn't associate herself with someone inherently evil.
Kai, seemingly unfazed by the intense scrutiny from the Royal Guards, merely shrugged, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Who am I?" He echoed, a playful smile tugging at his lips. "Just a guy who got lost on his way to the convenience store."
The atmosphere thickened, the Royal Guards unamused by his cheeky demeanor. The scarred warrior stepped forward, his gaze piercing. "This is no time for jokes. How did you get here?"
Kukaku noticed Kai's eyes flickering with annoyance before he masked it with a lazy grin, his demeanor nonchalant. "Well, I might've stumbled upon this key," he said, waving his hand vaguely. "Thought it might open the door to some secret treasure trove, but I guess I was wrong."
Seeing the atmosphere getting electric, Kai sighed, "Fine. I have Oken. I didn't create it artificially nor did I get it from your King. I say 'your King' because I am not a Shinigami, well, at least not fully. He is the King of all creations and realms, so in a sense, he is my King too, but I am outside of that realm now." As Kai kept on mumbling, the others exchanged confused glances, trying to decipher what this crazy intruder was talking about.
It was Ichibe, the man draped in the elaborate cloak, who silenced the chatter with a raised hand. His eyes, filled with wisdom that seemed to transcend time, focused on Kai as he asked, "What do you want?"
Kai finally sighed, his posture slumping as if he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. "The realm below is under invasion, and I know you don't normally care about it, but now is not one of those times. Yhwach is back, and he will come here too. So before it's too late, we need to carry the fight outside."
To no one's surprise, the Royal Guards were already well aware of the looming invasion. Their extensive network of eyes and ears within the Soul Society ensured nothing went unnoticed. However, their commitment was to the safeguarding of the Soul King Palace; everything else was inconsequential. If the rest of the realms were set ablaze, so be it. They would remain uninvolved until the flames licked at the borders of their sacred domain.
Ichibe Hyosube, draped in his elaborate cloak, maintained a steady gaze on Kai as he spoke, "We are aware of the invasion, but our duty lies here, protecting the palace and the Soul King. The affairs of the Soul Society and the worlds below are not our concern, unless they directly threaten the king."
Kai, slouched with his hands tucked in his pockets, smirked, "Yeah, I figured as much. But here's the deal, Yhwach isn't just any invader. He's not stopping at the Soul Society. He's coming for the king, and he's got the power to back his play."
Kai then sighed, "Well, consider yourself warned. I'm giving you this one chance to join the battle where I will take my stand, and if they get past me and raid your precious palace, I won't help." His voice carried a tone of nonchalance, a smirk playing on his lips as he delivered the ultimatum.
The Royal Guards, in their stoic grandeur, were taken aback, rage flickering in their eyes at his audacity. "Who the hell do you think you are, punk?" Nimaiya, the dark-skinned man with dyed green hair spat, his demeanor suddenly charged with aggression.
Kai simply shrugged, his smirk widening, "Just a concerned citizen trying to do his part. But hey, if you want to sit this one out, be my guest."
Ichibe, the wise leader of the group, raised an eyebrow at this, his calm demeanor never wavering. "And why should we trust you? For all we know, you could be working with the enemy."
Kai rolled his eyes at the wise leader of the Royal Guards, Ichibe, his tone laced with sarcasm, "I have a key to this place, yet I didn't bring an entire army to your doorstep. And you really think I'm working with the enemy? Wow, just wow!" His words reverberated through the air, leaving a momentary silence as the Royal Guards processed his point. If he was indeed an enemy, he could have easily used the Oken to bring in forces to ambush them. Yet, here he was, practically alone except for Kukaku's company.
Ichibe's expression didn't change, but his eyes narrowed slightly as he realized the validity of Kai's argument. With a steady voice, he inquired, "Then who are you?"
Kai just shrugged, his posture relaxed as he responded, "Even I don't know. Hey, maybe I'm someone the universe created to fix your sins, heh, Ichibe?"
At the mention of the "sin", Ichibe's stoic demeanor flickered, his eyes widening ever so slightly. Not many were privy to that piece of history, and Kai's knowledge of it shocked him. He scrutinized Kai, his gaze now serious, but he held back, not wanting to act hastily and make a mistake.
Kai took a moment to scan their faces, his gaze lingering on each member of the Royal Guard. "Fight, or you're on your own. I have a say in this, and I can make sure others don't come to your aid. You'll be all alone, and I can just isolate this place from the outside. When Yhwach absorbs the Soul King, I'll come back and fight him here. Make your choice," he stated plainly, his tone void of any theatrics.
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