Bleach: The Exiled Captain

Chapter FortyThree: Death Serpent and Demon Spider

As the dark clouds settled all over Soul Society and the rain beginning to come down, it helped Botsu say the words with ease. Bankai

His bankai was unlike his shikai. It was meant to instill fear into the enemy by its size. Not to mention the destructive power behind it was enough to destroy Soul Society in a matter of days.

"Bankai, Shi no Burakkusāpento!"

Slithering out his sword was a giant black serpent the size of a skyscraper. It hissed towards Arachnid who for a moment looked stun. Until she began to laugh.

"That wasn't the reaction I was hoping for..." Botsu said, "What's so funny?!"

"Oh not much, but if you're going to show me your full potential, so shall I!" She began to raise her spiritual pressure as she thundered, "True Release!"

Her sword disappeared as she took the form of an ebony colored spider.

Her voice sounded mechanized as she screamed, "Your time to die is now, Shinigami!"

"Wrong! It's your time, Demon!" He controlled his bankai so that it launched itself to the demon.

Arachnid avoided the initial attack and climbed on the serpent's scaly back. She crawled her way closer and closer to Botsu at an alarming rate, who during this state, was defenseless.

"You're mine now!"

"You sure?" He smirked.

Botsu shifted his zanpakutō and it decreased in size, making Arachnid fall. She spun a web and attached herself to a nearby building.

"So you're able to control its size, interesting..."

"You betcha! Shall we continue?"

Arachnid ignored him and stood vertically, only two legs supporting her upright. With her remaining six legs, she began to charge a red energy beam.

Seeing this, Botsu quickly enlarged his bankai back to its first size. He too, began to charge a blast of his own.

She wants to finish this with one blast, huh? He thought before he shouted, "Acid Flare!"

A steaming green blast was shot from the serpent's mouth. At that moment, Arachnid shot her own attack.

"Spider-Nova!" Her red death beam countered Botsu's own attack.

The two blast wiped out the dark clouds nearby as it created a chain reaction of explosions that ended up hitting both sides.

Botsu slowly got back up; dust in his eyes made it hard for him to see. As he stood up, he was stabbed by one of Arachnids legs in his abdomen. Blood spewed out of his body as his body went pale.

"My you almost got me with that one you retched Shinigami. But it's clear that your bankai is still young, as for I, who has had over three hundred year in experience during my time in hell... Well, it's clear who-"

A trident was speared into her throat, stopping her from talking. Arachnid fell to the floor, barely breathing. She looked up to see Mira, who had a death stare.

"You may have tortured me in the past. You may have killed my old comrades. But I will not let you kill the one person who saw good in me!"

"Y-you. P-pity... Ch-child..." Arachnid's eyes gave out. The Gates of Hell opened and took her back to where she would be punished.

"N-nice speech..." Botsu said, barely standing as he coughed up more blood.

"Oh shut it... Besides, we need to get you help."

"No..."

"Why not, you're dripping of blood!"

"Ash needs my help, that's why-"

Botsu collapsed to the floor, hardly breathing but still alive. Mira immediately grabbed ahold of him and took him to nearest medic.

***

Back at the South Gate, where the dark clouds had just begun to arrive, stood a helpless Ash. Both his Captain Byakuya and Shinji were taken down with such ease by the First Demon Draven. He took the form of a deathly cowboy with a zombie of a horse.

Ash couldn't count on Captain Komamura's help since he was fighting some lizard who's name was Croden. As for Momo, she was on the verge of tears as she tried to heal the two Captains.

"Momo, do your best, I'll try and protect you." Ash said.

"D-do you think they'll live?"

"Yeah, trust me." He tried to crack a smile but ever since the incident, he has been unable to. Thanks to that thing inside of him, he had to distance himself from his friends, even April.

"Such false accusations will get you killed." Draven sounded so much like Yamamoto but in a more evil way. "Those who are slashed by my scythe shall fall into an eternal sleep until their bodies rot!"

"Then I just have to avoid your attacks, simple." Ash raised his hand  over his hand.

"What do you think you're doing, boy?"

"Me, well I have this hollow inside of me. He's really annoying and has made my body look so pale. But I've managed to control his power thanks to Urahara."

"And you think that will help?"

"It has to."

A/N: If you find any mistakes, don't be afraid to tell me. I did my best photoshopping an image of the fight. Next chapter will come out next week.