Stealing Souls (Ny)

"Hold on a second." Yuuto responded with a hand up. "We cant wait that long for you, they'll send everything after you."

"Barracuda A is too smart for that." Kaito scoffed. "He wouldn't take the bait. We've been to persistent thus far." He paused and looked at the group, the moved to Setsou and placed his hands on his shoulders and drew him in close.

"They might be watching, so listen closely." He whispered, "The group needs to have a falling out, if we divide our forces then Hollows will strike. But it has to be convincing."

Naoki leaned over to Yuuto, "What are they whispering about?" She asked plain as day, to which Yuuto only shrugged. He was in the dark as much as Naoki after all, not like he had super hearing.

Setsou listened quietly as Kaito and Yuuto put forth their thoughts on the matter. After all, they did have a point. Either they would send everything at Setsou, or they would be too smart and not take the bait. They were good reasons to not go through with his plan, and Kaito's suggestion did give Setsou an idea.

"I see," he whispered before giving Kaito a wink. Without warning, Setsou suddenly drew his large sword and pointed it right at Kaito's neck. It was only an inch away. "Question my orders again you filthy 20th seat, and I'll make sure that I have you executed myself," Setsou said as his voice sounded angry.

If they wanted to have a fallout, they were going to get a damn good one.

Kaito slapped the blade away from his face. "Follow the orders of a reckless authoritarian glory hog?" Kaito responded. Setsou's orders might have easily been mistaken as such, and now Kaito was playing along throwing names around, His own hand reaching down to his weapon and drawing it from his sheath. "We're done playing it your way. I'll hunt them myself, with whomever will come with me. If you want to stop me you're gonna have to bring the pain."

Naoki's eyes went big and her jaw hit the floor. SETSOU-SAN AND K-SAN WERE GONNA FIGHT!? NO WAY!? This wasn't like either of them! "no..." She squeaked out.

((Sorry it took me so long))

((No worries, it happens))

"I will not be spoken to in such a manner, especially from some non-seat member that didn't even have a zanpakuto until he came under my leadership," Setsou said in what sounded like an angry voice. It was hard to keep the smile off of his face, but thankfully he was able to manage it. Setsou quickly moved his arm and wrist, moving his blade to deflect Kaito's weapon before aiming to cut at his sleeve. He aimed for a scratch, enough to barely draw blood but not enough that it would hinder Kaito's performance.

"As far as I'm concerned, anyone that would choose to follow you deserves to be killed by a hollow."

Kaito drew his arm away so that, the attack scratched him just deep enough to send blood in a spray, and countered with a low swing, attacking with what looked like the off balance of a novice, an attack that would cut as deeply as the cut in his arm while still being mostly harmless, easily bandaged but most of all believable.

"I'll kick your ass long before anyone gets killed by any hollows around here, you scared them all off you bastard!"

Kaito would bring both hands onto his weapon and cross around again, this time catching Setsou's blade in a clash, holding it there. But it sounded wrong, and there between the two of them was Naoki, her Tanto wedged between the Zanpakuto of Setsou her respected leader and Kaito the idol of her path to improvement. Her face was a tangled mess her eyes were watering, obviously they'd convinced someone of the ploy though it wasn't exactly whom Kaito and Setsou would want it to be. "STOP IT!" She broke her shaken silence with a loud plea. Her words not commanding the two of them but begging them to stop. "...please..."

Who could say no to a face like that?

Kaito's head turned back fast. Naoki had distracted him, he quickly side stepped pulling Naoki into his arms and caught a Cero on the back shielding both Naoki and Setsou from the attack as his body was tossed aside like a ragdoll, the blast having originated from over his shoulder.

The Hollows were attacking, from two fronts, skirmishing with the shinigami still on patrol, that is attacking then running off, and now en force with the command group.

Kaito's plan had got the Hollows to attack but now their tactics were far above the level headed shinigami's counter response, and now he was out of the game, his still smoking body laying on a grassy knoll, under the shade of a tree...

...Kaito liked the shade...

Several Hollows landed surrounding Setsou and Naoki, These hollows were big with broad bodies and thick arms with blades, and great hulking spines out of their backs, but the thing that made these hollows their masks were small, human sized, and their spiritual pressure was strong enough for Setsou to feel. It was obvious that these guys were none other than Barracuda A's advanced guard. Not to be trifled with. in synchronous they readied to get into a melee battle with Setsou, they'd seen what he could accomplish first hand, and it was obvious they were going to drag Naoki into the battle to push their odds of winning up even further by giving Setsou a subordinate to look after.

Landing above Setsou a hollow looked down on its handy work it'd taken out the second most powerful guy with a Francotirador(Sniper) Cero. However he could tell that the guy wasn't dead yet so he would finish the job and held up his arm a spike jutting from atop his wrist, the perfect implement to finish off a helpless victim and plunged the weapon down.

((There's my post, a big one, Kaito's plan worked too well eh? Don't worry about Kaito, however the guys Setsou's facing off are collectively strong lieutenant level, if you have questions shoot me a PM))

"Maybe if you learned how to actually walk around and hide your spiritual energy they wouldn't have heard us coming from ten miles away," Setsou shot back viciously as they moved their swords to class with one another. The cut was a bother, but it wasn't going to make Setsou any weaker. He wasn't losing enough blood to affect his thinking of movement.

However, as they moved in for their next attack, Setsou and Kaito were both stunned to see that Naoki had actually intervened on their behalf, to stop the fighting of the two men that she looked up to. Setsou only stared for a moment, amazed that the girl that he had taken so lightly before hand had been willing to show such initiative and intervene on the fight in order to benefit the group. Setsou opened his mouth to say something, but was immediately cut off as a large burst of spiritual energy suddenly reached them.

It wasn't Setsou that was attacked though, nay, it was Kaito.

Setsou just watched wide-eyed as Kaito took the blunt of the whole Cero and was sent flying away from their location before landing on the ground. "Damn it," Setsou quickly said before looking to see the hollows completely surrounding their position. He quickly uttered the familiar phrase, causing his sword to turn in to the two metal gauntlets that coated his arms and made him so much stronger.

By sensing their spiritual pressure, he could tell that collectively they were stronger than him. They could probably defeat a lieutenant even. Setsou knew that he had an advantage though. Individually, he believed them to be weaker than him. Which meant that he could win fights, and the more he killed the weaker their group became. He'd have to just take them down as quickly as he could before numbers overwhelmed him.

"I need you to cast a spell.....right now," Setsou said before suddenly moving. He appeared right in front of a hollow with his hand drawn back. The gauntlet was glowing slightly, showing that the spiritual pressure was building up. Setsou than launched his hand forward, aiming to crash it in to the hollow before releasing the burst of energy. He had appeared at this angle, because his attack had two purposes. One, to kill the hollow that he originally attacked, and two for the attack to continue on through and attack the hollow that was about to kill Setsou's right hand man.

Setsou just hoped that the spell by Naoki would give him enough time to make this attack, and make it back to her side before she was attacked.

Setsou also hoped that the shnigami would start reuniting. Divided, the hollow might just wipe them out. Together though, they could make another stand and fight back together.

The shockwave that Setsou fired off at one of his and Naoki's assailants was deflected, not by one but by three of them. How did they get there so quickly? Were they that fast or was there something else going on here? Either way all three of them took the brunt of the shock wave, dissipating it over their connected bodies as they wrapped arms over each others monstrous shoulders. They then counter attacked by both of the fiends to his right and left rushing at him, to sandwich the shinigami between their bodies, their movements sped up by the Hollow in the center, who was pushing them in on him, an odd counter attack that might not be seen coming.

Naoki raised her hand and steadied it with the other, "Hado 31 Red Fire Cannon!" She called her attack unleashing a red sphere at the remaining attacker only to have it palmed by its intended, now laughing, victim and tossed away, where it exploded behind him. Naoki's eyes went wide as her attacker launched at her and quickly connected a punch to her midriff causing knocking the wind out of her and sending her skidding into a small up rise where she stopped violently.

In the shade of the tree the Hollow smiled down at it's victim. "This ones from the boss." He called plunging his arm down.

A splash of blood.

The severed arm of a hollow landed on the far side of Kaito still spurting blood from its stump. The hollow looked down at its arm. "What?" it asked itself before violently dissolving as it's mask was also bisected by the attack that took its arm away from it.

Kaito's warm body still lying beneath the shade of the tree completely unaware of what'd just transpired. Above him now shoulder to the tree looking the other way was none other than the short shinigami with the spiked black hair, Yuuto was. "I guess we're even then boss. Now I got a lady friend to save." With that he dashed back to the roof top as quickly as he could he knew that though their leader might not need help in this fight Naoki was far outclassed by the hollow she was facing, without the element of surprise she'd never be given time for her Kido to reach full power through the incantation.

A strange way to defend and counter attack. Rather than allow one hollow to take the hit, they allowed for all of them to bond together so that they would all be injured, but they'd also all survive. Brilliant, but Setsou wasn't going to let something like that stop him. There was too much that he needed to do, and these three were blocking his entrance. If these guys distracted him for too long, surely some other shinigami would die. Setsou, as their leader, couldn't let that happen!

As the two were pushed out to attack him from either side, Setsou quickly realized that he needed to up his game up a bit. He needed to start unleashing the more devastating powers of his shikai, he couldn't afford to hold back while his friends were being hurt or killed.

With a quick motion, Setsou slammed his fists together, causing a burst of a shockwave to come out from all directions around his body. It wasn't going to do any lasting harm, mainly meant to disorient and push back enemies in case he was surrounded. What Setsou did next though, that was what he had been waiting for.

With the hollows on either side being pushed back there was only one clear target, the one in the middle. Setsou gave a shout and aimed both of his arms forward before releasing a large burst of his shockwave energy. Setsou hoped that with the three of them connected, this third one wouldn't be quick enough to pull the two hollows back soon enough to defend himself. If the middle one was taken out, Setsou believed that these other two could be stopped easily.

When Setsou unleashed his shockwave it blew all three apart away from each other and when he unleashed his attack on the center one again it disappeared! Were these things really this fast? Where'd it go? we'll get to that in a second...

Setsou would be counter attacked by the two he blew away one coming in high for the clothesline and clop block to try and send him end over end, their charge wasn't strait in using Sonido they made an erratic pattern in from each side and their attacks were asymmetrical to keep the enemy from dodging and hurting themselves.

As the fourth walked up to the downed body of Naoki it raised its giant fist and prepared to strike. Yuuto flash stepped behind him trying to take his head off in a surprise attack before being grabbed around the waist by the Hollow that Setsou had just tried to wipe from existence and slamming him into the ground and stepping back to throw Yuuto at the fourth monster it's backhand swing sending him flying off into another building in a cloud of rubble and dust.

Just as the two of them were turning to start their final assault on the leader a voice rang out. "Disintegrate, you black dog of Rondanini!! Look upon yourself with horror and tear out your own throat!" Sitting up was Naoki pointing a finger at both of the Hollows that'd just put down Yuuto. Orange tendrils lashed out from her fingers and wrapped around both Hollows holding them in place. Naoki had just dual-cast two low level Bakudo Number 9 at the target holding the two of them in place. However she as an asset was down too, leaving Setsou to fight on his own, two on one.

These hollows were not as weak as most of the others. They were strong, organized, and they were smart as well. This was the strongest group of hollows that Setsou had ever faced. He needed to make sure that his strength rose up in order to truly take care of these guys. They needed to be killed as soon as possible, before more of his friends were killed.

After Naoki used her spells to make sure that the two hollows were held down, it left two for Setsou to deal with. He had to take advantage of this now. He quickly flickered forward, aiming to launch a series of strikes and assaults at one hollow, trying to concentrate his attacks on one of them. The sooner that he killed one, the sooner that he'd be able to kill the other. Hopefully his metal gauntlets would be enough to pierce through the skin of the hollows.

Setsou would find the task hard as the two Hollows didn't stray far from one another and were quick to step in and take the heat for its tag team partner, if it was starting to take too much heat from the third seat Shinigami. The two were inseparable and it seemed as though as soon as Setsou got them separated they would appear back together and go on the offensive again. It was a dance two steps forward one step back for Setsou.

"Setsou-san!" Naoki shouted excitedly. "I figured it out! They can teleport to one another!" She called, out she wasn't sure what to do now though she had two barely contained they fought her Kido with all their might and it was all she could do to keep the advantage however small to their side. "Try to get anoth..." Naoki squeaked as they started struggling.

It would be then that the two went on the attack at Setsou. It would seem that their range to teleport from each other was into arms reach. And for some reason they weren't teleporting to their captured comrades to free them.

However as Setsou would realize this, they would surround him and both fire off a point blank Cero, trying to cross him like an X it wouldn't take down such a staunch combatant like Setsou but it would hurt like hell and open him up to the spines from their foreheads, trying to impale him as a follow up to their initial attack.

"Setsou-san!" Naoki called worried as she saw what was about to happen.

It however wouldn't be a direct hit as a blue arc of lightning crossed one of the spines shearing it from the face of the Hollow attached to it sending it flying into the roof near Naoki causing her to recoil, her hands still occupied by the two she was containing.

Following the path of the lighting back down its trajectory it fell into the shadow of the tree where Kaito now stood, he didn't look well but he was alive and now conscious and looked ready to fight his hand clenching the sword in his his off hand as the hand that unleashed the Byakurai dropped to the handle of his Zanpakuto. "I'm tired of these guys Setsou." Kaito remarked looking up to Setsou a smirk appearing on his face. "Lets end these bastards."

"Their level of teamwork is amazing. These hollows must have known each other in the real world. A bond like this between hollows is very rare, almost impossible. They have trained and fought together for a long time. It seems I won't be able to defeat them one at a time, I have to kill them together," Setsou said to himself.

These were the thoughts that were coursing through his head as the hollows made a move against him, they quickly moved around him, in an attempt to launch their attacks at a range that Setsou would be unable to recover from. If those duel cero hit, Setsou wouldn't have had much of a stomach left. He wouldn't have been dead, but it surely would have been victory for the enemy.

After Kaito used the lightning to save Setsou's life, Setsou realized that he needed to think more strategically. And he luckily already had a plan. If this worked, he was going to have to buy Naoki something nice. After all if this plan worked it might just change the entire course of the battle.

Once recovered Setsou quickly turned his fists and launched a shockwave out at the guy. It wasn't a very powerful one and would only succeed in knocking him back at best, but no damage. It was part of the plan. Once separated Setsou quickly turned towards the other one and charged in as if he was going to beat him to death. He hoped that the hollow that was knocked away would realize this, as Setsou wanted him to teleport in.

If the hollow did do that, Setsou knew how to immediately react. What he did after all, was aim both of his gauntlets forward, one at the hollow and one where hopefully the other would teleport to before unleashing a powerful burst of spiritual energy. If they teleported to one another to protect each other as they had done before, Setsou hoped this strategy would catch them off guard and eradicate what little of their defenses they had left.

Setsou's gamble paid off. His shock wave of spiritual energy, blasting the second away as it pushed teleported to the first, causing the would be counter attacker to fall from the sky dissolving into bits before it even hit the ground.

All around them the hollows were being driven back, and somehow the Shinigami had rallied to the rooftop, bringing the Hollows they were fighting with them, it'd become a much more even fight now that the element of surprise had broken like water on rocks on them.

"Damn you!" the Hollow finally snarled at Setsou turning to unleash a massive Cero at the pink haired Shinigami.

"Ah!?" Naoki's concentration broke and the two teleported to the third.

The Cero wouldn't make it to Naoki's location as it was quickly intercepted by a crimson ball of fire and exploded in the air between all parties involved. When the smoke cleared, the three hollows were gone and there under the tree again was the Kaito who felt kind of like a Hado sniper, having changed the direction of battle with his Kido.

One by one the hollows fell back using Sonido or just plain running to get away from their Shinigami opponents.

"Well damn." Kaito remarks his emotion being shared by the majority of the Shinigami as well, before colapsing under the tree awake, but still heavily injured.

(You're up in the lab as Enya))

There was no time to really rest or enjoy their victory. They needed to move out of their before the hollows regrouped or sent others after them. "Everyone help to get the injured back to Soul Society!" Setsou shouted so that all could hear. "We've won this battle, but we cannot remain here without consequences following," Setsou remarked as the metal of his gauntlets faded away and his large sword seemed to return.

He watched as the shinigami got Kaito and Yuuto, helping them to escape. Setsou was the closest one so he decided to help out Naoki who had still had a large porting of the wind knocked out of her. "Your quick thinking saved my life. I owe you one," he said before moving over to the other shinigami.

Once they were all gathered, Setsou quickly summoned the portal back to Soul Society.

Yuuto was completely out cold, where as Kaito did the tough guy act of pushing the Shinigami off himself and remarking there were others that needed more help before collapsing to his knees and being helped back to his feet and keeping his mouth shut.

Naoki shook her head as she was helped to her feet by Setsou, "Anyone in my position would have done it." She dismissed shyly, she felt good for being finally praised by her superior after all the Naoki stop that, Naoki what are you doing? and Naoki pay attention. It made her feel warm inside.

As soon as the Shinigami were through the gate shut behind them, squad personnel were waiting and ready to take care of the wounded.

The fourth squad unit leader approached Setsou. "It looks like everyone here has injuries, maybe next time you should bring division eleven members with you?" He was 5th seat Kento Brando, and quickly started healing Naoki's fairly light wounds before moving onto Setsou's

"I'm down for it." Kaito responded, he had two healers working on his body, trying to get him back into good shape. "I appreciate these fourth squad guys but I wouldn't mind not having to visit them after every outing.

Naoki simply breathed a soft sigh of relief, it looked as though they hadn't lost any members seeing as how they were ambushed not once but twice, it was a very good thing.

Once they arrived back at Soul Society, Setsou listened to the suggestion that was given to him by one of the fourth squad members. "I'll hae to make a request, but it's definitely not a bad idea," he admitted as he looked back at the gate that they had come through. They had defeated the hollows twice, but most of the higher ups were still out there. They were going to be even more prepared this time around, should they meet again.

The hollows were smart, and a great amount of care had gone in to this battle and ambush. They had nearly killed Setsou after all, and that alone was saying something. Luckily no one was killed, but they might not be able to say that next time. Bringing reinforcements, especially from squad eleven, was going to help their chances greatly.

Kaito laid under his favorite tree in soul society. He couldn't understand it, was their group that incompetent? or was the enemy that good? Perhaps he should find Setsou and train with him some more? Or maybe Naoki, they could both benefit with some training. What about Yuuto? He'd been waylaid in one swing when he'd been looking out for him when he'd been downed.

"Tell me Kaito what winning techniques do you have to pass on." A voice of an older man spoke as he approached the tree, it was a balding old man in shinigami robes. Kaito knew this voice it was a voice he'd become mesmerized with when he was lectured both pubically and privately by this particular Shinigami.

"I havn't been victorious recently." Kaito responded to the old man now standing over him.

"Bah!" The old man scoffed, he wasn't going to sugar coat it for his student. "Victory is any battle you can walk away from, even if your enemy can too."

"It doesn't feel like a victory." Kaito lamented.

"Yet it is because you are alive!" His teacher a man by the name of Nomura responded. "You exist therefore the fight continues!" He lectured causing Kaitos eyes to open and look at him. "I've read the reports and though you may seem as bagage, you were commended for saving the life of one of your squadmates this last battle. A noble family member as I recall."

---

"So lemme get this strait." A golden haired man faced Setsou while all his buddies looked on, while lounging behind him. "You want a detachment of 11th squad members to accompany you while you try to find out what these hollows are doing in the real world?" He was the leader of this particular unit, of Squad 11. This unit was dubbed Executioner-style. Mostly because when they fought it was more like their enemies were being executed, than an actual battle. "Are they really giving you that much trouble that you need the 11th squad to overpower them?" his tone was kind of condescending, all squads were trained to deal with hollows and 11th was called in on the worst of them though here there were no orders from above only this third seat guy asking all the units starting with his.

Setsou stood with his arms crossed and his chest out, his eyes remaining on the golden haired man in front of him. This is why Setsou hated coming to the 11th squad to ask for help. The men here were definitely strong, but they were also strong, prideful, and arrogant. It was a bad combination as far as Setsou was concerned. But he knew that he'd have to play along if he was going to get these guys to help. The hollows wouldn't be expecting a squad of division 11 showing up, surely it would give them a huge advantage.

"These hollow are strong worthy opponents. Not only do they have the strength to face us, but the strategies that they have been using are far beyond what they should be capable of," Setsou said as he gazed back at the man. "We believe their leader is a hollow that was dubbed the name Barracuda A, and he has faced many shinigami and never been killed," Setsou admitted. "I don't know what they'll have for us next time we go back, but I'd rather be prepared. The glory of this battle will be great....but if you refuse I will respect that and go to another squad."

"Heh, you talk like we haven't got hollows to face already." The golden haired man crooned, not letting his 'honor' get played to. He also wasn't a prideful fighter. "Great glory is only for the inexperienced." He remarked totally brushing off the pompous third seat he was addressing, of course the golden haired man was seated too all be it much lower than Setsou. It could be said that outside division eleven that propriety didn't matter. "Now bug-" His admonishments stuttered to a halt as a new presence joined the conversation.

"Setsou-san!" Called Naoki trotting up to Setsou her womanly assets bouncing in the breeze as she approached her unit commander. "Have you seen K-san? Fourth division says Yuuto will make a full recover."

"Sorry Miss." The golden haired man pushed the locks of hair out of his face and shifted his weight. "As I was saying Combat Unit Three is at your service Setsou-san." Though he was talking to Setsou the golden haired man was obviously smitten with Naoki, who for all her clumsiness and empty-headedness, was fairly useful in luring someone whom primarily worked with men. "I'm Maki Goto. The guys behind me from right to left are Kishida, Toriyuki, Kamina, and Asegawa." All his squad nodded when introduced. "We all have Shikai releases for our Zanpakuto." He was obviously trying to impress. "And are rated first among team tactics within division eleven."

Naoki obviously wasn't paying attention as she looked away as if trying to find Kaito in the near distance Maki's words going in one ear and out the other.

((Hit me up on steam. I'm MarzKnight.))

"Glory isn't a bad thing," Setsou said as he held that calm smile upon his face. "It's only bad when you let it get in the way of the objective....and if you value it more than your own life," Setsou remarked as he knew that the 11th division man was about to shoot him down. Setsou would challenge him to a duel if necessary, he knew that they wouldn't get lucky against these hollow a third time after all. They needed to make sure to end the threat this time.

Thankfully, Naoki was able to show up as a healthy interruption to the debate that was about to take place. As he heard the words he gave a nod. "Kaito left hours ago, no idea where he went. And that's good Naoki, Yuuto is a good soldier. It'll be good to know that he'll still be watching our backs next time we go out there."

As the man promised to offer them their aid, Setsou couldn't help but smile. He had no idea if Naoki was going to return the affections here or not, but Setsou planned on using it to his advantage as much as he could now. "Excellent to hear, your reputation sounds like it wasn't exaggerated to me," the third seat said. "Once my troops have fully recovered we will be leaving, so make sure that all of you are ready in a moment's notice."

"Okay." Naoki smiled and bowed to Setsou and then to the new guys. "Well I'll be off then." She turned and pranced from them, quickly disappearing as she had appeared in the first place.

Maki's look showed very little but the heartbreak he felt obviously showed through as he watched Naoki prance off into the distance. "Right." Then it hit Maki he'd been bamboozled by a pretty face and a few words. DAMN IT!

...not again...

"So as soon as you're people are good to go?" Maki asked half heartedly.

Setsou just held that smile as Naoki went off to prepare herself. She seemed mostly intact, but they all had their little rituals that they did before heading off to battle. Setsou gazed at Naoki for another moment as she left. He wasn't sure what was up, but in the past few missions he felt like he had seen her grow ten times as strong. Perhaps she was now starting to fully realize what she needed to do as a shinigami.

Whatever it was, he was proud of her progress.

"Yes Maki," Setsou said as his smile held strong. "I will send word for you once we are ready. We shall not leave Soul Society without your presence," Setsou said before giving a bow. Afterwards he turned and walked off, knowing that he needed to meet with his division again before they went out. He needed to make sure that they knew the importance of what they were doing. They may have failed before, but this time they would make sure to crush their enemies.

Setsou wouldn't get far before running into his squad. His entire squad minus Naoki and Kaito, it seemed they were all waiting for him, even Yuuto, who whilst being bandaged was still in good spirits. They all seemed to have smiles on their face when Setsou approached, they weren't down about the failures that'd occurred, they understood the circumstances and had all come to realize that Setsou was keeping them all together.

"Boss!" Suddenly the first one noticed, and they all moved around their leader. "So when are we going back to get those bastards!?" another one asked. "I'm sure we'll kick their ass this time!"

"Yeah." Kaito said from behind Setsou. He was practically being towed by Naoki with a piece of straw still hanging from his lips. He was more than up to the fight.

Naoki nodded firmly she believed in Setsou.

Setsou looked up in surprise as he saw that the entire squad had basically already assembled, and he hadn't summoned them or anything. They were truly ready and anxious to go back out there, even despite everything that had happened....it was incredible, and Setsou couldn't help but have a smile come to his face. These men really believed in him didn't they, or at the very least they believed strongly enough in the cause to support their leader.

"We will be heading out soon. We shall end this conflict once and for all," Setsou said as he looked at all of the soldiers under his command. "We have bonds with one another that are stronger than any Hierro that a Hollow may possess. We work together to keep each other alive because we care for one another, they can not no such feelings anymore! That is why they must be destroyed, before they hurt others and turn them in to the same monsters."

Setsou turned around as Kaito and Naoki arrived. He gave a nod to each of them, smiling as he did so before turning back to the bulk of the group. "Today, we head out to finally end the lives of these hollows! We go together to fight an enemy much stronger then we've expected, and while we haven't had a clear victory we have won every single skirmish. This time shall be NO different. Whatever they throw at us, I believe in every single one of you."

Setsou threw his hand in to the air. "Let no one question the strength of our squad! Tonight we come back with a story that will be told for millennia after this!"

"Hell yeah." One call from the group came before a whole group "YEAH!" Was chanted out loud. It was obvious they were moved by the sincere words of their leader.

Kaito nodded and managed to find a wall to lean against, crossing his arms and looking as cool and confident as a man could get. He was more than ready now for the group to take on those hollows and after he took that big shot in the back last time he wanted revenge, to rub Barracuda A's face in the mud, and make sure he stayed dead this time.

Naoki was a little bit more festive moving up to Setsou and throwing a hand in the air with the chants. She seemed content to be at the side of Setsou. Had she gathered all the squad? Or was her joy and presence simply a byproduct of the gathering?