Bloodlust IN DESPAIR

**an article prescribed by TheGoldenBuddha and Starving Skeleton.**

**Date Started:** 14 December, 2021
**Date Completed:** Ongoing
**Next Role-Play**: N/A
**Users Involved:** User:TheGoldenBuddha, User:Starving Skeleton
**Setting:** Soul Society
**Characters Involved**:
* **Shinigami**: Kiokushi Hotsuka, Akaoni Ouga

Civilization, a concept born out of humanity's desire to be organized and united.

United as one we're strong, separated we're nothing more than uncivilized beasts.

But there's something crawling deeper under the surface, and it's the will and determination to fight to live.

## Stained Floors

"Lieutenant Kiokushi, we've got a letter from Ninth Division's lieutenant requesting for your arrival to their barracks." Screams out a member of the eleventh division outside of Kiokushi's office, there residing is the lieutenant sipping coffee while she attempts to do paper work but is bored out of her mind until she hears the words coming from the fellow shinigami. "You said what?" Her eyes beamed with glee in them. "Man I haven't seen thst homeboy in a while fo sho, he was one of the only people who'd actually give me a run for my money in combat." She then got out of her seat and grabbed her Zanpakuto anticipating the awaited rematch between her and Akaoni.

Before she leaps out of the window the most informal way to exit a location especially for a shinigami of a class she asks the member one more thing. "Did he specify anything in that letter?" She said turning her back. "No. I don't know for sure what his intentions are but I think it's best you should go see what he's up to." The member replied back "What he's up to?" Kiokushi thought to herself with a smirk "Bru really said that like he's not prolly the most tame person I know despite his looks." She continued on without giving a farewell to the shinigami and leaped on building to building until she reached the Ninth Division's barracks.

As she arrived she was confronted by the front door guarded by a few members of the squad. They welcomed her with open arms though already being notified by their leader that there's going to be a special visitor coming today. "What's popping." Kiokushi said to the guards as they walk her into the backyard of the division where the lieutenant is currently situated at "I believe that we are doing well despite the Vanishing going on and everything." They said responding accordingly. "That's lit. I can't catch a break with all this civil war bullshit though nīggas keep tryna pop me left and right." Kiokushi then comes face front with the man himself after their last time seeing eachother being years ago.

The eleventh division. Akaoni was referred to this squad by his superiors. Nishikawa even told him that Central 46 took special interest in the towering demon as a future Kenpachi. The Eleventh Division was said to operate differently from other Gotei 13 squads. They ddin't follow standard promotional ceremonies and preferred to live by their own traditions. Principles that prioritized strength in one's blade over all else. Not for the prupose of self advancement but rather barbaric enjoyment.

After several years of showing his own promise in swordsmanship, it became obvious that Akaoni would fit in. And more importantly, become someone able to potentially tame the rambuctious swordsmen. Yet here he stood surrounded by shinigami with drawn swords. Some were able to reach his stature but many barely reached his sculpted, chocolate chest. He wore his standard uniform but with an exposed upper portion. His face hidden behind a monstrous mask resembling the hollow who attacked his temple years prior. Akaoni could've been the most menacing creature there...if not for the monstrous figure whose prominence alone dwarfed Akaoni's presence.

**Kenpachi Zaraki.**

He leaned against a pillar in the open courtyard, his eye only partially on Akaoni. He heard rumors of this man. Legends and tales regarding the Kenpachi's seemingly overwhelming prowess. A creature who stood as the mountain's peak. One Akaoni desired to defeat himself but not for the title. Next to him stood a bald man. Half the size but almost equally menacing.

"So you're the new recruit? The one they're calling a future Kenpachi?!" The first sword wielding soul barked. He took a step forward. "How dare you disrespect Lieutenant Mada-"

**Shitonegaeshi**

A thick silence filled the courtyard. Were they afraid to speak? As if the slightest utterance would call the beast's attention. Or perhaps they feared a slight noise might take away Akaoni's focus...leading to an accidental murder. Seconds past, which felt like an eternity, before a voice finally interrupted the thick quiet. Of course, only after they finally processed what'd occur.

"W-wait w-hen did he move?"

Akaoni's body hovered over the man who now laid on the floor. The kashira of Tekketsu Ōji only centimeters from the shinigami's forehead. Yet one could tell Akaoni's victim thought they stared at the tip of its blade by his sweat covered brow and violent trembling. Akaoni stared at the man through the mask until he stood back up and stepped forward. The gathered shinigami retreating the same step while he approached.

Both of Kenpachi's eyes locked on the approaching man.

"Y-you're not going to kill me?" The fallen man finally managed between gasp.

"Why should I? You're already defeated." Akaoni responded.

Akaoni sat on the edge of his division's courtyard. Even seated, his body still demanding attention as his scultped bulging muscles were pumped with blood. Revealing he'd just finished training not too long ago. He wore his signature mask which covered his visage and reduced his voice to a gutteral growl. Tekketsu Ōji rested on his lap.

However the newest addition to the Ninth Division sat besides him. Mamkori. A caramal skin girl who wore typical shinigami attire. "Who's that, Lieutenant?"

"A friend." He responded.

"You have friends?"

"Mamori! Yes I have friends." Akaoni screamed.

"I don't know it just seems like you like to be alone-"

"Lieutenant Kiokushi." Akaoni said. He stood up and bowed to his closest friend and rival. A woman who he grew to respect deeply. One whose sword came close to cutting his neck numerous times. And one he needed to settle a score with the most.

Kiokushi stood there with her zanpakuto rested upon her waist as she approaches Akaoni. "What's good in these woods?" she says as she gives him a firm handshake suggesting their mutual kinship. "It's been years since we've battled. I've almost forgot the thrill of a fight ever since not gonna front." She says once more reminiscing about the multiple duels and spars they had during their youth, being word of the mouth throughout the Soul Society with everyone being drawn into who would win each time.

"Nothing much." Akaoni smiled and sat back down. "Ever since Kensei vanished...I've been trying to keep this division together for his return....And there's been more outbreaks in Seireitei. Without the captain's presence...some of our more ambitious shinigami have grown bold."

He sighed. "And yourself, how's the Eleventh Division? I worry that one day I'm going to walk past your grave everyday."

Kiokushi chuckled a bit at Akaoni's comments, "Precisely what you think, it's hard to be a high ranking member in the squad now that everyone is going against eachother without a proper leader." She said "Do you have any sake here?" Asks Kiokushi as she's parched from not drinking anything in what felt like a day

"Isn't it too early to drink?" Akaoni joked. But he already had several cups prepared. One of the division's keepers came out with a brown plate. On it several types of sushi and cups filled with different Sake. She placed it on the table that'd been set up between them. Akaoni sat and Mamori joined him.

"Everyone going against each other?" Mamori brought up. "I heard about the Eleventh Division brutes...but why're they fighting each other?"

Akaoni took a sip of sake. "The Eleventh Division works off of ancient tradition. They don't operate the same way as other squads. Whereas you're chosen by superiors for certain positions, there, only the strongest has a right to lead. And even then their leadership ends when an even stronger sword appears. When the last Kenpachi disappeared...it through the Eleventh Division into chaos. I was supposed to help keep it tame but I prefer my freedom."

He turned his attention to Kiokushi once more. "Though the chance to see who really deserves Kenpachi would've been interesting."

Kiokushi's mouth begins foaming from the various delicacies and sake that have already been at the squad's barracks prepared for her arrival. She then notices Mamori by Akaoni "Yo. Wassup shorty you a new recruit?" She said towards her as she never saw her before. "You should've joined the eleventh division instead, it's mo fun there, well not really, but it's cool I guess." She continued on.

Mamori tilted her head. "I'd never join a such a brutish division!" She scoffed and crossed her arms. "I'm a master of Kidō. Swordplay is below me."

"She's...the leader of the Ouga Defense Unit. I had to pull some strings with Nishikawa to allow this and I owe him now." One could tell Akaoni was rolling his eyes from behind his mask. "But she's been a great help around here." Mamori looked up with a slight blush before looking away.

'Whatever. This place is better than the Kidō Corps. So providing some magical assistance isn't the worst thing I could do." She grumbled.

"And besides, Kiokushi, you need to win over the hearts of your underlings. Preferably without killing them...the Gotei 13 cannot afford to lose anymore shinigami right now." Akaoni said with a deepened tone. "That's why Central 46 started paying closer attention to you all." Akaoni held back his tongue.

Something bothered him. He *was* currently the highest ranking member of this division. All orders went through him...and meetings as well.

"Tch. I think the Eleventh is beyond tameable at this point. if you dare to even try to enter the barracks they'd behead you without a second thought, that's how much bloodlust all of them have!" Kiokushi said as she shakes her head and facepalms. "Hopefully though if I become Kenpachi I can revonate the squad a bit." She said as she took a sip of her sake.

"You have no choice but to tame them!" Akaoni growled. His deep voice resonated beyond his mask as he slamed his cup. "You have to become Kenpachi." Mamori jumped but looked at the towering. He felt her gentle hand lightly squeeze his wrist beneath the table.

"This is no different from the first time I went. When we first met. The only difference is there wasn't a bigger beast keeping them inline. You need to become that beast and force them into submission."

Kiokushi responds back to Akaoni's concern "Sheesh, no need to tell me tho' I been knew that I had to make sure I could be the pillar that holds up the Eleventh Division back into it's former glory. Why did all of them have to disappear though man, ever since then the Gotei 13 has been through more stress than ever before." She said sighing.

Akaoni continued on his path towards the mysterious being known only as Kenpachi Zaraki. The bald warrior took a stance himself in preparation. But Akaoni had his sights on only one man.

Meanwhile. Kiokushi had also just arrived looking for a fight with her and another noteworthy shinigami of her caliber, she has just been recently promoted to the third seat of the eleventh division and has by now proven herself to be one of the strongest members and has made herself stand out from rest. As her cornrows braided hair sways in the wind she halted in her movement and grabbed the hilt of blade, "All yo bitches, square up!!" she abruptly yells out catching everyone's attention and the man of the myth, Zaraki. "I'm gonna come after that kenpachi title right now, and I put that on my life and momma that I'm finna beat all of y'all!" She says whilst she whips out her zanpakuto revealing the long and sharp Kabutowari said to have the ability to cut down mountains in a fell single swoop.

Akaoni stopped. Halting both the bald lieutenant and menacing captain as everyone looked at Kiokushi. He looked at the woman from behind his monstrous mask and tilted his head. "Excuse me," He uttered. "I was here first. Meaning I have first rite to the claim."

Kiokushi looks back at the masked and bulking figure. "Huh? you a hoe. You ain't even land an attack yet." Afterwards she took no hesitation to proceed on laying a hit on Akaoni as she bluntly pushes herself towards him trying to attack him with a straight attack that would rip through his flesh if landed.

Akaoni twisted his body into his regular stance. A form of Taichi-ai where he bent his knees slightly and grabbed his blade's sheathe. His arms raised it upward while he partially drew Tekketsi Ōji's blade to parry Kiokushi's sword. Followed by dipping his body lower where he would thrust her hilt into Kiokushi's stomach. An attempt to take advantage of a forced opening.

"Drawing your sword so fast means I have to beat you first, huh?" Akaoni asked.

"Uh." Kiokushi blurted out as she jumps backwards putting some space between her and Akaoni, *He's strong, I can tell that much from the amount of force he had in that attack*. Not one known to analyze and ponder on any opponents skill and trying to figure out a way to counter attack, Kiokushi ignores the fact that she's facing a enemy of a unknown power level and continues on with throwing attacks at him. She puts her zanpakuto held behidnd her back and then shunpo's at the back of Akaoni then swings the blade attempting to scar him in the most unexpected area.

The sound of blood hitting dirt echoed throughout the courtyard.

He wasn't one who progressed through the Shinn'o Academy so easily. Akaoni was nothing more than a rounin thrown into a sword society. He didn't care for fancy tricks or magic. His might came from pure hard work and continuous training. For he possessed a spiritual core which many claimed resulted in his physcial prowess. And such, Akaoni managed to step forward as she swung her attack. Evading the blade's edge with naught but his leg's explosive strength.

Akaoni's mask unknowingly served a greater purpose. It hid the instant where his eyes widened. A moment caught only by the captain and his lieutenant who inferred it by the worried step Akaoni took.

Blood dripped from the back of the shinigami's uniform. He'd only manage to stop Kiokushi from cutting deeper. But Akaoni grinned. His mouth crawling back farther than the mask's clasp pulled. He used the gathered momentum from his previous step to turn into an explosive about face. His hands, having remained on Tekketsu Ōji's sheath and hilt, tightened as he pulled her blade from its cover. Drawing her across Kiokushi's neck and sheathing her once more. Bringing his shoulder down before his body as he leaned deeply inward.

**Shikaku**

Iaijutsu. The art of countering. Where one waits patiently for the opponent to attack. A swordsman who keeps his hands on his weapon will draw it quicker than one that must assume a stance.

Kiokushi was remotely caught off guard by Akaoni's immense precision with his blade, but she instinctively dodged without a second thought showcasing just how well equipped her body is at combat that it doesn't even need a switch to turn on. "Quick to move on your feet huh?" Says Kiokushi laughing erraticaly. She then holds her blade above her head and swung it down creating a massive shockwave throughout the ground able to knock some of the weaker Shinigami down, and an air slash flying directly at Akaoni.