One overall look at the Seireitei was all that it took for Shinso to conclude that there was no saving it. No Shinigami was at his or her best since the battle of the Fake Karakura Town, and Yamamoto was no exception. Strategically, it was an opportune moment that only a fool would pass up on. Battles were raging from everywhere within the Seireitei, plumes of smoke, piles of rubble, and puddles of blood able to be seen for as far as the eye can see.

The situation was beyond grim, it was terrible.

'Gin. Gin, what are you doing right now?' Shinso felt as Gin's emotions caused rain to fall within his inner world, a violent storm of anger and guilt derived from his failure to keep a single promise.

Tears were stained over Rangiku's face and she'd fallen unconscious from blood loss. But this wasn't the point!

You weren't supposed to cry again. Everything was done for the sake of that single reason, and yet here and now, the woman Gin treasured above all was thrown so deep into despair that the sight of Gin caused her to weep.

Shinso felt the storm in Gin's inner world shift into a typhoon. The small smile on Gin's face was dangerously misleading. Gin was mad, no he was furious to the point where'd been forced to bottle it all down lest he become impulsive in battle. From Gin's view, all Shino could see were the nearest Quincy Gin was planning to vent on.

In the next second, Gin called upon Shinso's ability, and regardless of the distance, sent a strike right through the hearts of the enemy. However, it wasn't enough. It wasn't even close to calming down his rage, and in a single stride, Gin hopped over the Seireitei's walls and scanned for more quarry.

Meanwhile, Shinso had a panoramic view of the entire situation surrounding the Seireitei as a Zanpakuto spirit. He was unseen to all, and had the means to move at his leisure. If he closed his eyes and listened, he could even hear the individual orders, shouts, and screams issued by the Shinigami.

"They've passed the interior walls! Division buildings six and seven are being overrun!"

"Help! We need to get the injured to the fourth division barracks before they die!"

"No matter what, don't use your Bankai against the enemy! They can somehow steal it!"

It was here that Shinso gave pause to the voices filtering into his mind through his spiritual senses. Don't use Bankai? He couldn't understand why such an order was being given when he could tell that the Quincy invading the Seireitei were too strong not use their Bankai against.

However, it was because Shinso was a Zanpakuto spirit that he could immediately understand what the Shinigami meant by stealing Bankai. He could see them clear as day, his fellow Zanpakuto spirits trapped in a pentagon-shaped badge and violently attempting to escape to no avail. They were just like how he'd seen them within the mindscape of a world of unlimited blades.

Elegant and collected Hyōrinmaru, the gigantic ice-blue serpentine dragon.

Reserved and dutiful Senbonzakura of the thousand rose petals.

Armoured Samuria, Tenken.

Lethal Suzumebachi.

They were all being forced to watch as their partnered Shinigami were beaten right in front of them with their Zanpakuto's own powers. It was wrong, so utterly wrong that Shinso grew wary.

Of all the Captains presently fighting in the Seireitei, Gin was the only Captain-level Shinigami fighting at full capacity, and his presence was like a torch, quickly drawing notice by both Quincy and Shinigami alike.

Yamamoto who was fighting at the center alongside members of the Zero Squad narrowed his eyes at Gin, but was too preoccupied with the leader of the Quincy before him to intervene. This didn't stop the rest of the Shinigami from voicing their thoughts aloud.

"Third division Captain Gin Ichimaru? That's him isn't it? The traitor? What's he doing here?"

"No way…Is Aizen planning another attack now of all times!"

"N-No wait! H-He's attacking the Quincy?"

Gin could care less about what others were saying. To him, all that really mattered was exacting vengeance. For the simple sin of hurting Rangiku, he'd bided his time drawing closer to Aizen for the sole purpose of killing him. Against those who'd made Rangiku cry a second time, he didn't have an ounce of mercy.

Shinso knew Gin to be vindictive, but this was taking it to another level. Could he not see what was before his eyes or assess the situation in its entirety? The spiritual pressure of four captains had already been reduced to barely nothing; two of which included Byakuya Kuchiki and Zaraki Kenpachi who were both on the verge of death.

The Quincy were proving far more formidable then they'd been in Hueco Mundo. It was likely, that this was the main force of the Quincy sent to attack the Seireitei.

Presently, no Quincy of a rank known as the Sternritter or Star Knight moved to intercept Gin. They were too preoccupied with the members of the Zero Squad and Yamamoto who were suddenly put into a dire situation.

Shinso listened to the words he could pick up in the air.

"You have done well to last this long, Royd Lloyd."

This particular voice sent shivers down Shinso's spine. Even in a spiritual form, Shinso felt the gravity of the man's aura and realized with startling clarity that the Seireitei was doomed. This power, the sheer magnitude was enormous. Worse yet, the sight of Ryujin Jakka suddenly trapped in one of those pentagon-shaped badges had Shinso reeling. He listened further.

"Yhwach," Yamamoto's tone was grave.

"You've aged Yamamoto, and to think even the members of the Zero Squad have decided to intervene early. How fittingly convenient."

"What do you mean by that! You shouldn't even be alive," said a voice Shinso could not recognize, but it was clearly a member of the Zero Squad.

A grunt sounding more like a scoff came in reply. "Shall I spell it out for you? You the guardians of the Royal Palace have left your stations. Now what do you all think that means if I destroy that canon over there?"

Suddenly, it was deathly silent.

"No, you can't! Stop him at all costs!"

Despite not being able to infer the depth and meaning of what was just said, all things considered, Shinso came to a single conclusion.

"Gin, you are acting too recklessly." Shinso said urgently. "Do not lose sight of what really matters. We must leave now. The Seireitei is done for."

'Shinso,' Gin inwardly replied back before glancing down to Rangiku whom he still held in his left arm; he trusted no one else but himself to ensure her safety. With that in mind, there was no way he could fight properly right now anyway. 'Fine.'

Gin carefully adjusted his hold on Rangiku and began planning out a method of escape. Running back to Hueco Mundo was something he couldn't do. There was no way to explain himself to Aizen, and more than that, he didn't like the way Shinso kept insisting that he could trust the Vasto of White.

Then what was he to do? The answer was simple to him. The Human world.

Gin grasped tightly onto the hilt of his sword and swatted away arrows of reishi fired at him from the Quincies bows. It was starting to become annoying.

Wind whipped across his face as he began to back pedal into retreat. From a certain perspective, it may seem as if Gin had just impulsively attacked the Quincy in a fit of anger, but in truth, he was observing. He'd always been bright and intelligent, and he knew that if he wanted vengeance, then going in blind was stupid. For the time being, he was satisfied with his reconnaissance.

The leader of the Quiny was a man named Yhwach, and the Quincy also had the power to obtain Bankais. These two facts would be crucial in the future. Moreover, if a Shinigami could not deploy their Bankai against the Quincy, did that mean that the Seireitei would have to rely on Hollows? Questions for later.

For now, Gin planned on dropping off Rangiku somewhere safe in the Human World before returning to Hueco Mundo and offering the intelligence he'd gleamed for Aizen to use. The man was cunning and evil, but he was anything if not capable. If the Quincy meddled with Aizen's plans, then Aizen would surely retaliate, and hopefully both sides would wear each other out.

Now all that was left was to focus on escape.

Shinso nodded at Gin's quick decision and shift in priority, but faltered when both he and Gin saw Rangiku begin to purse her eyes.

"G-Gin?" Rangiku rasped out, her vision bleary as she roused in and out of consciousness.

Gin grunted, his hold over Rangiku tightening ever so slightly as he tensed. He'd done a lot of things behind Rangiku's back, and now that she was in a position to question him, he felt stifled with guilt.

"Not now Ran, just rest." Gin insisted with that fox-like grin on his face. "I'll get you out of this mess just like old time's sake."

Rangiku took a moment to process Gin's words, and when she did, her lips began to quiver. She was so exhausted that she could barely keep her eyes open, but she forced out the single word she'd not been able to ask. "Why?"

It was strange how just one word could be filled with such emotion, such desperation, but like Gin had said before, this wasn't the time. "I promise I'll tell you later, but for now, let me get you out of here."

It was enough of a reply to appease Rangiku, but other than Gin's circumstances, she still had much to concern herself over and frantically held onto the hem of Gin's Shihakusho with a white-knuckled grip. "C-Captain Hitsugaya…the Seireitei!" She choked out. "T-They need help."

To Rangiku's horror, Gin shook his head. "I'm getting you out of here Rangiku, and that's final. Everything else can be dealt with later."

"-And what makes you think you're getting away, Shinigami?"

Gin's eyes suddenly widened while any words of protest Rangiku was on the verge of yelling died in her mouth. All that was left was shock, alarm, and panic which Gin realized was oddly being directed at him.

What just happened?

Gin lost his footing and tumbled over the ground, his shoulder scrapping hard against the pavement.

"Heilig Pfeilm, Holy Arrow," a voice echoed in the wind as a bullet sized hole was drilled deep into the ground.

Shinso and Rangiku stared as a bleeding hole appeared over Gin's upper left pectoral area, a shower of blood and gore staining Gin's clothes. Gin himself couldn't understand what had happened. He was in a warzone; he'd not dropped his guard once and was certain that there were no lethal enemies nearby. He'd sensed nothing that should have been able to harm him.

Shinso saw differently. Far far out from where Gin had been attacked, a man with dark skin, short white hair, and a cross-shaped mark over his left eye readied another shot.

"Gin!" Rangiku yelled hoarsely, but Gin wasn't paying attention.

Where, who was it? Gin's eyes kept scanning for his adversary in order to defend himself, but could not find anyone before the sound of another shot echoed. Even if Gin wanted to dodge, his intuition warned him that the target this time was Rangiku, and he'd rather he take the shot than her.

Shinso reeled at the realization.

No. NO.

Shinso could not stand here and just do nothing, but as a Zanpkuto spirit, he could not interact with anything-wait? Wasn't there still a way?

A Zanpakuto is a sword made from a part of a Shinigami's soul unique to their person bearing differing personalities. This was to say, they were sentient weapons…and sentient weapons were also found in the soul of a certain individual.

O merciful King, grant me strength!

Shirou felt a pull before anything else. Regardless of what he was presently doing, he focused in on the sensation welling up from deep within him and came to a startling discovery. A sword erected with its tip buried deep in the ground was violently shaking.

A weapon was calling out to him from within his Reality Marble. It wasn't just any weapon either, it was a Zanpkuto. To say he was startled was an understatement. This was the first time something of this nature had ever happened to him, and he was momentarily at a loss.

His Reality Marble had acquired a variety of Zanpakuto from the moment he laid eyes on the swords of the Shinigami. The spirits that inhabit the blades generally remained docile and spent their time marveling at the sight of a hill of swords, but not this time.

Shinso, the Zanpkuto of Gin Ichimaru was desperately calling for assistance. In Hueco Mundo, Zanpakuto spirits had the ability to freely manifest such as how Kyouka Suigetsu had done prior, but anywhere else, was another story.

They didn't have the ability to take material form, but there was a loop hole.

Tracing, his unique magecraft was the process of projecting said swords out into reality. Each Zanpakuto, spirits and all, were the same as any other weapon in his Reality Marble. They were stored in his inner world. Ergo, he could theoretically Trace them into existence which was exactly what Shinso was asking of him.

There was no reason to accept; however, in the end, Shirou ended up agreeing. More than anything, he agreed because he could feel the sort of motivation Shinso was fighting for.

Shinso was fighting with the will to save.

For this reason alone, he would lend his strength.

I am the Bone of my Sword.

Gin and Rangiku froze in disbelief as the clang of metal slicing apart a bullet-like arrow of Reishi resounded. Mots of golden light were dancing in the wind, converging upon a single point and quickly taking form.

Shinso stood in his full glory, sword drawn and body wreathed in ethereal cloth poised to strike. He was a slender man with an unnerving grin on his face, long silver hair dangling half-hazardly down his shoulders. In a way, he was much like Gin. He could care less about others, but when it concerned people he cherished, even a snake will bear its fangs. "You will not touch them."

No sooner than Shinso spoke, a hailstorm of arrows descended, each unerringly deflected with a skill equal to that of Gin. The only difference between them was that Shinso knew where the enemy was located. Sparks glowed in the aftermath, mixing with the dust and grime and illuminating Shinso's face.

Between Gin and Rangiku, Gin was the most startled with the developments.

"Go," Shinso said only a single word, and how could Gin not understand Shinso's sentiments?

"Thank you," Gin said in earnest. Wincing from his wound, Gin carried Rangiku away in search of a hell butterfly to lead the way to the Human World.

Instantly, more arrows were shot in Gin's direction, but once again Shinso moved, obstructing the attacks with his sword. "Your opponent, is me."

Gin who was fleeing the scene could not understand why Shinso sounded so confident. Apart from his injury, he and Shinso were roughly equal in strength. Sensing the sheer number of able adversaries presently in the Seireitei, even Gin could not say he'd be able to survive if he stayed.

Gin wasn't wrong. Shinso knew this point clearly, which was why he squared his shoulders, spread his feet shoulder-width apart, and stood his ground.

To the King he gives his gratitude.

Suddenly, Shinso's very form down to his blade shattered into pieces held together by surging spiritual energy.

For a Noble Phantasm, there was a concept known as a Broken Phantasm. If a Noble Phantasm is packed with more magical energy than it can contain, it breaks and releases a level of power beyond its normal capabilities. One could say it is the fallout of shattering a crystallized myth and destroying the illusion of its grandeur for a fleeting spike in power that can only be used once. But this spike in power was not to be underestimated for it represented the full might of a legend. This was true for all Noble Phantasms, and in this case, Zanpakuto which became Broken Phantasms in a different manner.

The thing was, Shirou's Tracing bypassed the 'single use' principle. Shinso's current form for example was nothing more than a copy of his true self. A disposable vessel that could be remade meaning that there were no repercussions in overloading it. By breaking the body and letting go of all their power, Zanpakuto reach their final stage beyond even Bankai known as 'the Final.' In this case, the Final Shinso could be released without the demerit of Gin forever losing his Shinigami power.

A new level of strength will momentarily be reached. It's often said that one can't sense the strength of those far above their limitations similar to how a two-dimensional being could not hope to comprehend a three-dimensional existence. What does this mean for Zanpakuto spirits which can't ordinarily be sensed by Shinigami, Hollow, Quincy, or even humans?

They existed in separate realms.

Shinso did not fear death. All he cared about was being strong enough to protect those that mattered to him. If Gin was sad, he was sad. If Gin was angry, he was angry.

Finally, Shinso's bubbling wrath reached the surface. He let it all go and burned away at the vessel of his body.

Right here. Right now. All Quincy were the enemy.

God, Human, Hollow, Monster, none targeted by this blade will survive unscathed.

I will be the spear that topples Gods and shakes the world asunder.

"Bankai." A torrent of spiritual energy erupted around him, condensing into a massive sphere of energy that took on the shape of a raging inferno.

"Kamishini no Yari."

Sorry for smaller chapter! I woke up last night feeling sick for some reason and I think it has to do with allergies. It was hot so I left the window open at night and maybe that's how I started feeling sick. Anyway, writing was slower today cause I wasn't feeling the best, but I didn't want to leave you all with nothing so here's what I've got.

Thanks for reading!

Next update: Huntsman of Red V2

P a treon. com (slash) Parcasious

Book link: Fatedlegacydark. ca

Summary of book:

Death. Grief. Ruin. Nothing was left unchanged after an unexplained tragedy led to the loss of millions across the world in key locations. Cities were reduced to wastelands of steel and concrete, and many were forced into migration. When events leading to the prior tragedy occur once more, Kevin Black was going to have to learn that sometimes mysteries were better left unsolved. Trapped with his friends in the world of a ruined city filled with monsters, the journey out would be far more perilous than the journey in.