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Rukia Kuchiki vs. Äs Nödt is a fight taking place during the second invasion of the Quincy Blood War, focusing on the conflict between 13th Division Lieutenant Rukia Kuchiki and Sternritter "F" Äs Nödt as the latter searches for Senbonzakura Kageyoshi.

Prelude[]

559Rukia and Renji arrive

Rukia Kuchiki and Renji Abarai land in the replaced Seireitei.

After finishing their training in the Soul King Palace, 13th Division Lieutenant Rukia Kuchiki and 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai depart and fall toward the Seireitei,[2] where Rukia tells Renji that they should decide on what they are going to do once they land because they will be in the middle of enemy territory, which will leave them at a disadvantage even with their training if they let themselves be surrounded. After pointing out that Renji's fighting style will quickly attract attention and assuring a flustered Renji that she has already accepted this, Rukia warns Renji to conceal himself after each battle to avoid letting the enemy surprise him.[3] Shortly afterward, Renji and Rukia land in the city, with their arrival creating two bright lights.[4]

Ep384RukiaCarriesKenseiRose

Rukia carries an incapacitated Kensei Muguruma and Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi away.

Moments later, Sternritter "S" brutally incapacitates 9th Division Captain Kensei Muguruma and 3rd Division Captain Rōjūrō Ōtoribashi in battle. When Mask attempts to finish off Rose with a second Star Flash, the blast is deflected off Renji's Shikai, Zabimaru, into a building as the latter appears in front of Rose and introduces himself to a surprised Mask as a villain.[5] Landing next to Renji, Rukia is told to carry Rose and Kensei to safety while Renji handles Mask alone. After looking over a clueless Mask, Rukia agrees to do so since Mask is no match for what Renji has become and carries the captains away with a shawl,[6] delivering them to 4th Division Lieutenant Isane Kotetsu moments later.[7]

566As confronts

Äs Nödt confronts Rukia over the loss of Senbonzakura Kageyoshi and demands to know of Byakuya Kuchiki's whereabouts.

Some time later, Rukia moves through the air and mentally notes that she cannot sense the Reiatsu of any of the Gotei 13, which she takes as an indication of how badly the Shinigami are outnumbered, though she admits that this allowed her to find Isane. Suddenly, when she lands on a rooftop and considers meeting up with Renji to attack Silbern right now since she cannot sense any Quincy nearby either, Rukia experiences the sensation of a thin hand gripping her wrist, causing her to instinctively pull it back and realize someone is nearby. Asking Rukia if she is scared, Sternritter "F" Äs Nödt appears behind her and claims to be lonely before asking her where his Senbonzakura Kageyoshi is. Once he and Rukia identify each other, Äs discards his cloak and questions her about 6th Division Captain Byakuya Kuchiki's whereabouts, and when Rukia declines to answer this, Äs wonders if Byakuya would come here if he kills Rukia, who admits that he might.[8]

Battle[]

Ep385RukiaWatchesFear

Rukia sees a dark liquid spreading from one of Äs's Reishi Thorns after she freezes it

Rukia proceeds to dodge dozens of Reishi Thorns fired by a smiling Äs and sees them spread a dark liquid across the surfaces they hit behind her, causing her to realize that this is his fear-inducing ability. Upon seeing another Reishi Thorn hurtling toward her, Rukia intercepts them by creating a wall of ice with her Shikai, Sode no Shirayuki, but a chuckling Äs calls this useless because fear cannot be stopped by ice as the liquid spreads through the wall to splash onto Rukia's arm, which results in her freezing and dropping Sode no Shirayuki into the roof as a gleeful Äs gloats to her that this is what fear feels like.[9]

Ep385RukiaFreezesThorn

Rukia freezes one of the Reishi Thorns solid simply by grabbing it with her bare hand.

Despite this, when Äs confirms that fear is what she is experiencing, an unaffected Rukia questions if his fear is fear having no affect,[10] prompting Äs to lean to the side and coldly assert that this is impossible. In turn, Rukia invites Äs to fire more Reishi Thorns at her and tells him to behold the true power of Sode no Shirayuki, and when Äs attacks with more Reishi Thorns, Rukia catches one with her left hand as Äs mocks her confidence since she was running from his Reishi Thorns only seconds ago. Despite this, Rukia freezes the Reishi Thorn in her hand solid from the point of contact, to Äs's disbelief.[11]

Ep385AsExplainsFear

Äs explains the nature of fear as something that cannot be controlled or stopped, since it is tied to the inevitability of death and everyone has places of fear.

After letting the frozen chunks fall to the ground, Rukia acknowledges that she was running and explains that it takes some time for her to draw out the true power of Sode no Shirayuki, which is why she could not afford to be hit by one of his attacks until then. In turn, Äs dismisses this because fear cannot be stopped by ice and elaborates that instead of entering through wounds, the fear-inducing liquid dissolves and seeps in from the slightest skin contact, such as Rukia's hand, without any way to stop it before explaining that every person has places of safety and places of fear, with them unable to concretely state why a given place makes them feel safe but always able to explain why they feel afraid of something for any reason, because the feeling of safety is tied to life and the feeling of fear is tied to death.[12]

Ep385RukiaRevealsPower

Rukia reveals the true power of Sode no Shirayuki lets her lower her body temperature.

Claiming that even those who cannot come up with a reason for living can explain why they do not want to die, Äs declares that all living things avoid death and consequently fear, which means that they live, strengthen themselves, and grow solely to evade fear, concluding that fear will always have an effect so long as Rukia is alive. However, Rukia clarifies that she is saying she is not alive right now, and when Äs expresses confusion at this, Rukia reveals that rather than emitting frozen air from its blade, Sode no Shirayuki lowers her own body temperature to below freezing to freeze everything that it comes into contact with and extends her range with its blade.[13]

Ep385RukiaCutsAs

Rukia cuts deeply into Äs's left shoulder, freezing it and preventing blood from flowing out.

Though Äs calls this ridiculous because Rukia's body would be unable to function and she could not stay alive if its temperature were reduced below freezing, Rukia confirms that she is currently dead and has gained the ability to temporarily kill her body by controlling its Reishi, causing her molecular movement to cease and the fear seeping in from her palm to stop functioning altogether at the surface of her body. With Äs shocked by this, Rukia moves past him with Shunpo, cuts deeply into and freezes his left shoulder, and announces that she is currently at -18 degrees Celsius, where blood freezes and will not flow out of any wound.[14]

Ep385RukiaFreezesAs

Rukia freezes Äs solid after briefly lowering her temperature to absolute zero.

Upon reaching -50 degrees, Rukia details how the ground shaking around them is from her freezing the water beneath the ground to cause an ice quake, and as Äs rushes toward her, Rukia reaches -273.15 degrees and internally muses that she can only function at absolute zero for four seconds before freezing Äs completely solid, leaving him to mentally wonder if this is what fear is.[15] Standing several meters behind Äs, Rukia begins slowly raising her body temperature and mentally notes that her tissue breaks down if she does not do this gradually, something that makes the power troublesome, before noticing a small cut on her thumb.[16]

Ep385AsActivatesVollstandig

Äs overcomes the frost and activates his Quincy: Vollständig, Tatarforas.

Suddenly, as Rukia takes this as an indication that she spent slightly longer than four seconds at absolute zero, she senses something and turns in shock to look back at Äs, who disparages the idea of this being fear because the only thing he fears is being rebuked by Yhwach, making this pain and fear nothing by comparison, while the ice encasing him shatters, ripping large chunks of flesh off his face. With his eye rolling back into his head to expose a Wandenreich emblem, Äs activates his Quincy: Vollständig, Tatarforas, creating a long stitch along the length of his body while he gains a barbed wire-like Heiligenschein and wings.[17]

Ep385TheFearEyesWall

Äs reveals that his fear travels through optic nerves and traps Rukia in a dome of large eyes.

Upon landing behind Rukia, Äs stands still when she leaps forward and slashes at him several times, only for her blade to not reach his body each time, which he attributes to her becoming afraid and stilling her feet. Though Rukia calls this impossible because her body is still "dead", Äs points out that she is seeing him since her nerves are still active and reveals that Tatarforas instills fear through the optic nerves. Suddenly, Rukia finds herself standing inside a large dome of diamond-shaped plates, each of which forms a large eye that looks at her, and Äs declares that she will not be able to escape his gaze.[18]

Ep385ByakuyaArrives

Byakuya Kuchiki intervenes by cutting through the dome with his blade petals.

When Rukia frantically closes her eyes, Äs decries this as useless because bad memories last much longer than good ones do and claims that a fear experienced once will resonate even stronger within the depths of Rukia's mind once she closes her eyes, akin to fears surfacing at night. Envisioning Ichigo Kurosaki, Orihime Inoue, and Byakuya rotting away, Rukia screams in terror as a shrieking Äs promises to burn her soul away with her past fears. However, this is interrupted by the dome being vertically cut open behind Äs, releasing hundreds of blade petals and revealing Byakuya standing in the air outside the dome.[19]

569Byakuya shreds

Byakuya casually shreds the rest of the dome when Äs tries to attack him.

With the rest of the dome crumbling around them and Rukia staring at her brother in astonishment, Äs welcomes Byakuya's arrival because he has been looking for the latter and inquires about how the internal organs he gouged out are doing. When Byakuya descends to the ground below, Äs reminds Byakuya of how his stomach was scraped out, meaning that he must not have been able to eat and lost some weight, which prompts an alarmed Rukia to realize that this was all to lure out Byakuya. Despite Rukia warning him to not look at Äs and the latter proclaiming that it is too late as pieces of the dome with their eyes manifested coalesce around him, Byakuya simply destroys the assembling pieces of the dome with large masses of blade petals forming thick thorns that impale them while questioning whom it is too late for, and when a startled Äs assumes he has surrounded the area with his Bankai, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi, and expresses a desire to have kept it, Byakuya reveals he is actually using his Shikai, Senbonzakura.[20]

569As's giant form

Äs creates a grotesque giant of himself in an attempt to torment Byakuya.

While Äs is left bewildered by this, Byakuya asserts that he was able to rediscover the true essence of Senbonzakura due to Äs stealing his Bankai because he was able to examine his bond like a pointillist painting and thanks Äs for this. In response, an enraged Äs refuses to kill him and pushes his organs out of his chest while the material comprising the eyes gathers around his body, creating a larger being as he promises to engulf Byakuya in a sea of pain and fear while keeping his mind intact so he begs for a peaceful death for all of eternity. Walking up to Rukia, Byakuya notes that he could sense her Reiatsu even as he was approaching the Seireitei and praises her strength, to Rukia's tearful awe, before asserting that fear is born from the insecurity in one's heart rather than in a vacuum and asking Rukia if she still has any fear, which she denies. Having formed a much larger, misshapen, and grotesque version of his body with his skin hanging off its chin, Äs declares that it is time to end this, but Byakuya apologetically reveals that he is not the one putting an end to this and walks away, leaving Rukia to hold up Sode no Shirayuki in a battle stance.[21]

Ep385AsDies

Äs is frozen and has the top of his head severed by Rukia's Bankai.

Though Äs claims that he has had enough of Byakuya's mockery, Byakuya points out to Rukia that he does not see any fear in her, which means the only fear here is what Äs feels, prompting Rukia to activate her Bankai, Hakka no Togame, in a pillar of ice that engulfs Äs in a vast cloud of icy air[22] and freezes him solid. In turn, Äs realizes he is going to die, apologizes to Yhwach while begging for his forgiveness, and agonizes over the pain he is feeling before the top half of his larger body's head is destroyed, leaving the rest of the body to crumble and fall apart in large chunks of frozen flesh.[23]

Aftermath[]

Ep385RukiaBankaiHakkaNoTogame

Rukia stands in her Bankai, Hakka no Togame.

Standing in front of Äs' remains in an icy kimono with transparent adornments and light-colored hair, Rukia's hand begins to crack, only for Byakuya to grasp it with his own, causing his fingers to become encrusted with ice, and encourage her to undo it slowly. With Rukia exhaling cold air, Byakuya calls her Bankai magnificent, but warns her that it is perilous and could take her life with a single misstep. After advising Rukia to handle Hakka no Togame with caution and never be impatient with it, Byakuya concludes that nothing can be won by a sword swung in exchange for one's life and invites Rukia to come with him and protect Soul Society, which she accepts.[24]

References[]

  1. Bleach manga; Chapter 536, page 16
  2. Bleach manga; Chapter 558, page 17
  3. Bleach manga; Chapter 566, pages 1-2
  4. Bleach manga; Chapter 559, page 17
  5. Bleach manga; Chapter 561, pages 14-17
  6. Bleach manga; Chapter 562, pages 1-3
  7. Bleach anime; Episode 384
  8. Bleach manga; Chapter 566, pages 6-12
  9. Bleach manga; Chapter 566, pages 13-16
  10. Bleach manga; Chapter 566, page 17
  11. Bleach manga; Chapter 567, pages 1-5
  12. Bleach manga; Chapter 567, pages 5-7
  13. Bleach manga; Chapter 567, pages 7-11
  14. Bleach manga; Chapter 567, pages 12-14
  15. Bleach manga; Chapter 567, pages 14-17
  16. Bleach manga; Chapter 568, pages 1-2
  17. Bleach manga; Chapter 568, pages 2-7
  18. Bleach manga; Chapter 568, pages 8-13
  19. Bleach manga; Chapter 568, pages 14-17
  20. Bleach manga; Chapter 569, pages 1-7
  21. Bleach manga; Chapter 569, pages 7-14
  22. Bleach manga; Chapter 569, pages 14-17
  23. Bleach manga; Chapter 569, pages 3-4
  24. Bleach manga; Chapter 569, pages 5-10

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