Bleach: Azashiro

-Memories-

I stood in front of a huge square in the city center. Once upon a time, life was in full swing here, children were playing, couples were sitting on benches, someone was running and playing sports, and now in front of me is the entire area covered with dust, burned people. These fanatics didn't care how old you were, what gender you were, or whether you were a danger. No, only one thing was important to them, where you were born. If you were not born in their countries and do not share their faith, they will kill you and you will be lucky to get shot in the head. People in this city are unlucky.

"Hey, Dan, that's not what I'm thinking?" asked the new guy in our squad, hoping.

-That's Sanya, that's exactly that... - Dan answered him in a hoarse voice.

We all once asked this question.

***

Having opened my eyes sharply, I came to my senses. For the first time I had a dream about the past world. And I can't say that I was happy about it. I didn't want to remember the past world torn apart by war. Perhaps you should wash your face and take a shower.

He walked along the corridor of the mansion, where he was brought after a battle with an empty one. Walking quietly, limping on his right leg, avoiding the rare maids and workers who remained on the estate.

Entering the onsen and throwing off my clothes, I sank into the water without removing the bandage. The water around him turned the color of blood, and the wounds opened again. This was not the first time, so he did not pay attention to it and simply used a basic kido to stop the bleeding.

Unfortunately, he was not so good at the kido to close the opened wound in seconds or at least stop the blood, and therefore he will have to wait another 10 minutes until the blood stops. Well, at least I didn't need to take off my bandages, otherwise I couldn't cope on my own, I'm afraid. Unwinding a body wrapped like a mummy alone would be problematic.

Ten minutes later the blood stopped flowing and only then did he begin to do what he had originally come here for.

Having finished washing his face, he decided to visit his inner world, for the first time after finding a shikai. Getting out of the water but not leaving the onsen, he took a zanpakto, which he left nearby and sat with him in a meditation position.

***

Standing near an entire temple, I looked at the ruins of the city burning with black fire. The first thing that caught his eye was the flame; it simply didn't exist before. Having examined the ruins more carefully, in the hope of finding more changes. And I found that the ruins themselves had shrunk, in some places the buildings were in a noticeably more destroyed state than on his last visit. Now there is hardly a rug left of previously more or less surviving buildings; some buildings have completely disappeared, and in their place a fire of black flame is now raging.

Standing and watching my inner world, I felt Dakukuin come up to me and stand next to me, with a smile on her face. And then, standing side by side, we watched as a black flame raged on the ruins of the city.

-He's changed. - I broke the silence after 5 minutes of contemplation.

"Of course, because this world is a reflection of you", she answered, coming up to me.

-Reflection, huh? - I muttered, and my attention was drawn to the temple where I first met Dakukuin. Looking thoughtfully at the temple, which now stood out noticeably against the backdrop of the destroyed city. Unlike the ruins, it has not changed a bit. But he led me to thoughts, everything in the inner world, reflects something. - What is he, goal, desire, memory or strength?

"Maybe it's one thing, or maybe it's all at once", realizing what I was asking, she whispered.

-All right away...- I thought.

"You've come for an answer, but you need to ask first", Dakukuin said, laughing slightly.

"The ability is great, it's dangerous for me too?" I saw a trace of disappointment on her face, apparently she was waiting for another question.

-Yes. If you are careless or fail to control, you may die. - hugging me by the shoulders, she warned.

Her words made me think about my chic, when I used smoke, it seemed to me that everything it touched would be destroyed. But this is not so, it can be resisted. With the help of reatsu, you can stop the destruction of spiritual particles, but to do this you need to invest more spiritual power than in the attack itself, much more. And even so, damage will still be done. I think the effect will also intensify as control improves, because smoke is a weakened version of my chic, even if it already seems quite strong.

During the fight, I came up with a couple of techniques and tried to use them, but it turned out so-so. I clearly lacked the control to effectively use the ability to be great. For example, when I wanted to concentrate the smoke on the tip, the smoke turned around the entire blade instead. Using smoke in close combat seems dangerous to me. In the battle with the empty one, it worked, but it was more of an accident, if at least a little smoke had hit me and everything could have ended differently.

No matter how unfortunate it may sound, now I won't be able to use my chic as expected. There is a banal lack of control, in this my zanpakto is very demanding and for the lack of control I get a weakened version of the chic one. Smoke, as it might seem, is not the very ability of the shikai, this is hinted at by the very name of the force available to me when the shikai is released, Kuroi Namida (black tears). Initially, this was supposed to be a dark liquid with the same properties, but stronger than smoke and only due to lack of control, instead of liquid, the blade emits black smoke.

This upset me, but nothing can be done, all that remains is to continue training and improve control over the reatsu. I should also improve my knowledge of kaido, just in case.

But I couldn't complain, my great ability gives me many opportunities, the question is whether I have enough control to realize its full potential.

-I have to go.- After looking around the temple again, I was already thinking about returning when I heard a quiet voice.

-You wanted to, but didn't ask. Just ask, I'll answer. - Dakukuin said with his head down, in a quiet voice. She looked like she was guilty and wanted to make amends.

-Need, I already got it. "I, it's me", disappearing from the inner world, I said in a confident voice, looking at her.

"Then, from now on, your path will begin, and I will help you get through it". - Raising her head and turning her back to the temple, Dakukuin peered into the ruins, wanting to find something. Nodding with satisfaction, as if she were glad to find it, she went back to the temple with a smile on her face, and behind her into ruins, more and more hotbeds of flame appeared.

***

Opening my eyes, I rose from the floor, dressed and secured the zanpakto on my belt, and wandered back into the room allocated to me.

Walking along the quiet corridors of the estate, I didn't pay attention to anything, I had something to think about. First of all, you should take care of improving your control, and it would also do well to train your spiritual feeling. This unknown person is still spinning in my head, I felt him only once, and it was more of an accident. I felt not so much his reatsu, but simply the increased background of this very reatsu. Most likely, he was simply hiding under a kido, and if this is not so and his zanpakto abilities are similar to Kyek Suigetsu, then I can't even imagine how to fight against him.

Upon arrival home, you will need to talk to your father and learn about all the famous zanpakto shinigas who have powers based on deception of feelings. It is also worth consulting with your grandfather; he has been captain for decades and can know a way to resist the deception of feelings.

And so trying to figure out how to avoid hypnosis, I almost reached my room, but was forced to interrupt my thoughts. I felt a group of shinigami quickly approaching the estate. Among me I felt a teacher I knew, apparently this was a detachment sent by my father. True, I was surprised to see the teacher here, but without thinking for a long time, I decided to meet them at the gate, shumpo.

Coming out of the shumpo at the gate, I leaned on the wall and waited. Ten seconds later, fifteen shinigami appeared in front of me, just ahead, with Sato-sensei leading the group. Recognizing me, they bowed, but did not utter a word. After examining them all, my gaze focused on the teacher, I saw the rest for the first time, but even so I can say that their reiryoku is about half that of Sato-sensei. This certainly does not determine their strength, but something tells me that they are not as simple as they seem at first glance.

Having examined them again, I was only convinced of my conclusions. A firm look and a tense body, as if ready to rush at the enemy at any second, half of them have three or more scars on their faces. One gets the feeling that they have been to war, and perhaps not alone. Several of them had unusual zanpakto, which indicates the development of shinigami, at least shikai. Yes, my father sent a good escort detachment, they are certainly not as strong as him or Sensei, but they will not be a burden as the previous escort detachment, of which only one person remains.

-Sato-sensei, didn't expect to meet you under these circumstances. - after my words, I bowed to my teacher. Even though he stopped teaching me, I respected him and was grateful for everything he taught me.

-I was just nearby, so I came. - was the answer to me, without saying anything, I gesture to follow me, I took them to the estate.

-Yasuko will be glad to see you, sensei. - smiling, I reminded the old man. I'm already looking forward to the girl's reaction to the teacher's arrival.

"Oh, well, of course she will be with you". - laughing to myself at the unfortunate old man, I went towards Yasuko. Apparently, she is now near an artificial lake.

Leaving for the shumpo, I smoothly landed three meters from her. A second later, Sato-sensei appeared next to me.

In a small clearing in the center of which there was a lake, Yasuko was sitting on thick green grass, swaying slightly from side to side, she read the book that was in her hand. And apparently she was so immersed in reading that she didn't even notice our arrival.

-Ahem- Having indicated my arrival, I began to wait for her reaction and prepare for the performance.

Seeing us, the girl quickly jumped up, threw away the poor book and attacked me as fast as she could. All I could do was stand and look at her with a blinking gaze, while at the same time allowing her to examine me from all sides. When she walked around me in a circle for the third time, checking my condition, I already looked at her with an expressionless face, but a question in my eyes.

-Akihiko-sama, you need to rest, your wounds haven't healed yet. - almost knocking me down, they took me by the hand and dragged me towards my room. At the same time, I felt the glances of fifteen pairs of eyes, most of them expressed readiness for action, but the teacher clearly could barely contain his laughter, he covered his mouth with his hand and shook his shoulders so that your liver would fail the old man.

-Calm down. - Breaking out of the girl's tight grip, I approached Sato-sensei and the squad with a calm face, who stood at a sufficient distance so as not to interfere with our conversation, but if I had time to intervene. - and thank you for your concern, I'm fine. Better say hello to the teacher.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't notice you Sato-sensei". - she quickly bowed to the old man. It was clear that she had only now noticed that we were not alone.

This is where she all lies, when it comes to battles, she becomes slightly distracted and inattentive. But at the same time too energetic. Sometimes I wonder where she gets so much energy from, fortunately next to me she tries to control herself, otherwise how Akihiko herself watches.

-Nothing, I've come to escort you, so get ready and we're off right away. Your parents would like to see you as soon as possible. - said the old man.

In principle, all the things here have been done and there was no point in staying here. And I didn't want to delay in this area, I hope we will have time to get to Seireitei in one day.

Yasuko was already ready to rush at the old man with questions, stopped and looked at me. All I had to do was nod my head, saying, let's get ready and without saying anything, she ran away to the sides of her room.

I didn't have things, the replacement clothes that I took with me now, and the ones I came in, were only allowed into rags; after the battles it was difficult to even call them clothes. Thus, my teacher and I stayed at the lake and waited until Yasuko finished getting ready.

***Hideo Tsunayashiro's Pov***

Leaving the portal arch near the secret door, on the territory of the Tsunayashiro clan, he first looked around, leaving one leg on the other side of the portal, making sure that there was no one, Hideo headed towards the door. As soon as he completely left the portal, it was as if it were glass, cracked and collapsed.

-Ahem, ahem, ahem-

While sheathing the zanpakto, Hideo, covering his mouth with his hand, began to cough in a bloody cough. But he was already used to it and did not pay much attention, and therefore, having put himself in order, he opened the secret door and entered the dark room.

There was pitch darkness, there was not a single light source, but this did not bother the old man, he went into the center of the room and activated the barrier, which illuminated the entire room with green light.

In the center there was a small table with writing instruments; near the walls there were racks filled with books and documents. The room was small, only three by four meters, it was created by the previous head of the Tsunayashiro clan and important documents and information about strong shinigami are stored here.

-The kid turned out to be quite strong - while sitting down at the table, Hideo noticed the folder that lay in front of him, on which was written "Clan Azashiro".

-Killing him won't work without noise. - Checking the data on Azashiro's family members, Hideo figures out what to do.

Initially learning that Akihiko Azashiro was leaving for Rukongai, he just wanted to check on the boy, but suddenly he was strong enough to deal with the head's younger brother Nakamura and Adyukas, despite the fact that he interfered a couple of times.

The Azashiro family grew stronger after its rapid rise to the highest noble family. The current head of the clan is not as strong as Keigo Azashiro, but he is quite skilled in kido and is quite difficult to defeat in battle without a bankai.

Now they have a worthy heir. When he grows up, he will consolidate the position of his family and it will be problematic to shake their position.

Looking at the string of white hair that fell on his face, Hideo leaned back in his chair and threw his head back, looking at the ceiling.

-I don't have much time left-

Looking at the sheathed zanpakto, he sighed Hideo understood the dangers of the family heirloom, but he decided to use the zanpakto anyway.

In the Tsunayashiro family, unlike other noble clans, there are not many people left. He and his daughter, that's all that's left of the Tsunayashiro clan.

And recently, every rabble that has just received the status of noble families intends to chip its teeth on them, thinking that they are capable of shaking the position of a noble family. Well, he didn't mind knocking out these same teeth for them.

But these were just minor problems, he didn't even have to act in person to teach them a lesson. He was more concerned with the higher noble families. Now the Tsunayashiro clan was the weakest of the noble families, but even so they were stronger than any noble family in the Soul Society.

To secure the future of the clan and raise a worthy heir, he went to extreme measures, deciding to use the family heirloom, Enrachioten.

Zanpakto has been passed on to the heads of the Tsunayashiro clan since ancient times, but it was used only in extreme cases. After all, for every use of Enrachioten's power, you have to give up part of your life.

-I've got a maximum of a hundred and fifty years left, I should think about how to protect my daughter and child.-

And his gaze again fell on the document, which contained all the information about the Azashiro family.

-Keigo Azashiro, you've been captain for quite some time.-

Since it will not be possible to eliminate the heir without noise, it is worth trying to remove the old man from the post of captain. It won't be easy, but he heard the head of the Kuchike clan has something against Keigo, it's worth taking advantage of.

Hideo has already begun to figure out which of his vassals can be nominated to the vacant captain's seat. He had no doubt that the two noble clans would be able to persuade Council 46 that they needed a new captain. You just need to make sure that his vassal is strong enough in the kido for this position.