The First Vizard Arc Chapter 40

Somewhere in the Seireitei. Soul Society. 1,002 years prior to Aizen Incident.

The Soul Reapers in the area, both the nobles attacking and those defending, stared in awe of the feat Ranma had accomplished. He had moved behind Genryusai at blinding speed with the Shadow Step and feinted a move that could have decapitated him if he had gone through with it. The back of Ranma’s fist remained on Genryusai cheek who continued to stand there motionless.

“This is idiotic,” Ranma said. “Do you think that killing me will change anything? These men are fighting because you were going to execute an innocent man. They’re here because both you and Central 46 are committing a great injustice against me. Do you think I asked for this power? Do you think I wanted any of this to happen? You taught me better Yamamoto Sensei.”

At that moment, a Soul Reaper from the defending side charged at Ranma screaming with his Zanpakuto raised. He brought his blade down on Ranma only to have it shatter to pieces when making contact with his body. Genryusai took this chance to grab Ranma’s outstretched arm and pull him in front of him. He came at Ranma with a flurry of punches.

With each hit, Ranma felt his ribs breaking and his internal organs bruising. It became more difficult for him to breathe once one of his broken ribs punctured his lungs. The last hit of Genryusai’s assault shattered his mask leaving only a fragment around his left eye. Ranma staggered back into the wall coughing up blood as he gasped painfully for air.

Genryusai stared at his former student who stood there wheezing as blood dripped from his chin. He knew that any other man would have died instantly from such a beating. Not this man, not this monster that he had created.  It was then that he noticed Ranma’s body was turning into black wispy smoke again. Genryusai attempted to stop him from using the Shadow Step, but instead found himself batting at the smoke like a bog of mosquitoes.

The Soul Reapers watched the smoke move away from Genryusai and reform itself into Ranma. All of his previous wounds were healed. He stood there looking at Genryusai with his blood red eyes and breathing painlessly with his with his recovered lungs. This had proven to Genryusai once and for all that Hakuda would not work.

It was then that Ranma began to feel the air growing hotter. His eyes widened when he saw the Netsukoukani on his forearms began to glow red. He knew what was coming. “You would kill your own subordinates to kill a single man?” Ranma asked. The Soul Reapers around them became confused by his words.  “You would repeat what you did fighting the Quincy King? Please don’t do this. They have done nothing to deserve what you are about to do to them.”

“Ranma!” a familiar voice cried. Ranma gasped and looked toward the Soul Reapers aligned with the nobles. Appearing from the crowd was his wife Kosame carrying his Zanpakuto. Ranma’s heart was trembling with fear as Genryusai noticed her presence. “No!” Ranma screamed as he ran toward Kosame.

Genryusai drew his Zanpakuto and held it to his side “All things in the universe turn to ashes, Ryujin Jakka,” he said as flames erupted from blade. They spread through the walls killing all of the Soul Reapers in their path except for two.

Ranma had erected a barrier at the last moment containing both himself and Kosame. As they lay inside safe from the flames, the remainder of Ranma’s mask shattered as his consciousness began to fade. “I’m so sorry,” he said. “Please forgive me.”