Benihime was still active even when Kisuke fell down, however, that doesn't mean anything if Kisuke doesn't understand what's going on and that's exactly the situation he's in now.
Even then, Kisuke tried figuring out what was wrong by dissecting himself by controlling the blades attached to the red string, only to get nothing out of it. It was on a different level compared to earlier where he just simply doesn't notice the changes in his body. This time, there were really no changes similar to Ichibei's ink but the effect was still very apparent.
'I was naive not completely disabling Kirio-san... Dammit. I've really become soft in strange places.' While he was complaining in his head, he's not really regretting his decision. While it was easy for him to take out Kirio earlier, he doesn't have a way of knocking her out without endangering her life due to how her 'vitality' works.
Kisuke was confident that Kirio would be able to take a beating so he didn't really hold back but finishing her off was out of the question. He couldn't lay a hand on someone who acted like a mother to him when he was just an orphan even for a short time. Not to mention, Kisuke doesn't really see her as an enemy since she's just fulfilling the duty she swore on.
Kirio saw his struggle but unlike Kisuke, she can still speak, "Don't bother. You won't find anything wrong because there's nothing wrong."
Kisuke's eyes turned to Kirio but that's all he could do.
"There's nothing wrong with it because I just reversed the law of life and death." Kirio broke her stare to Kisuke and turned her body to lay down on her back and get some relaxation, "If the natural order itself was changed, then those that didn't change with it will be deemed to be breaking its rules."
'Change the natural law itself? That's possible for her?' Kisuke thought to himself. After all, those who are not fully affected by the natural laws are the Transcendents since they rewrite the reality around themselves for their own benefit, 'But she's not a Transcendent... What's the price for this?'
While Kisuke was having a bad premonition, Kirio continued speaking in the eerily quiet chamber, "It doesn't really affect those who are very close to death, but the fate of those with overflowing life like you will instantly be reversed. Meaning, those who are very lively will instantly experience death and will soon cease to exist."
Kirio paused for a moment before sighing, "This is the first time I've used this... But also the last."
Kisuke's eyes widened and finally understood the price she had to pay, 'Dang it... As expected. She's very loyal to the Zero Division.'
As Kisuke guessed, Kirio first had to experience the reversal before she could pass it on to her target. As a result, she could only use this technique one time since there wouldn't be a second time.
Kisuke wanted to grit his teeth but his numb face didn't even allow that. Still, even without looking, Kirio could feel the frustration from Kisuke's stare, "I'm sorry that it has come this way, but you and I are standing on opposite sides. I had a mission to fulfill."
'What are you apologizing for!?' Kisuke shouted internally, but as expected, Kirio didn't know him enough nor the changes he went through to feel that.
Nevertheless, Kisuke soon calmed himself and closed his eyes, 'Tiamat, what ability of yours do I need to use?' He's on the verge of death, but it's not like that's anything new.
[I may not be as good as my sister, but I still have control over the aspect of life.]
'I don't need riddles now, alright? Explain it to me like I'm twelve... That has difficulties processing things.'
[Even if you say that...] Tiamat doesn't really know how to fulfill Kisuke's request because she never really talked to a 12-year-old Human and doesn't really know how they think. However, it's also true that she has to relay as much information as possible for Kisuke to have a chance to get out of this predicament, [I'll do my best but I can only explain what I can understand.]
[Before I explain it further, I want you to concentrate and go back in time to recall our first clash. The time I reached the surface.]
'Alright. What about it?'
[The black mud under my feet. It was the Sea of Life that I conjured to create and convert all life to my liking. Although it was tainted by Chaos that makes all life sprung from it chaotic and destructive in nature, the underlying law within it is still the same.]
'...' Kisuke went quiet as he thought back to that instance. Even in the middle of a big fight that would decide the fate of the world, he didn't forget to collect some samples of the so-called [Sea of Life].
And sometime after the battle against Chaos, Kisuke tried studying it. Unfortunately, it already deteriorated so he didn't get much from it aside from the fact that it was a concentrated Magic Power and Divine Power that meshed in a very messy way. Kisuke concluded that the Magic Power and Divine Power were just a byproduct as a result of it losing its power.
Aside from that, his only other source of information was Serafall who temporarily froze it, albeit, with great difficulty even in her Super Devil form, and Yoruichi who fought the artificial beings it created.
Kisuke was in the middle of thinking when Tiamat interrupted him, [As I've said, you're thinking too hard. When it comes to natural laws, it's not about how you circumvent them, but how you make them your own. Sea of Life, the ocean where all life sprung out. Now if you associate the sea as the source of life, where does it end? Where does it return?]
'...earth?'
[That's right. Life returns to earth. But as it returns, it also nourishes other lives in their vicinity.]
'This is strangely philosophical.'
[That's why I'm telling you to get away from the world's logic because it is the world imposing its natural laws on you.]
'...This is impossible, isn't it? Especially for someone like me.'
[How so? You've been doing it already for quite some time.]
'...Hmmm?'
[Didn't it occur to you? You Shinigamis are already imposing your own laws through your Zanpakuto when you achieve your Bankai. Think about it, when you use Benihime, you manipulate various objects, are you not?]
'But that's only under the premise that I understand the underlying logic behind them and can only modify them under the same set of rules. And those rules don't break the laws of the universe.'
[That's true. But what makes it possible for you to do something like that in the first place?]
'...Benihime's ability?' Kisuke felt like he returned to the time when he was still an ignorant child.
[That's correct. Now you just have to apply it the same.]
'...Huh?'
[You didn't receive any instinctual instructions to use my ability like you did with Benihime, however, you can approach my abilities as if you did.]
'And how do you propose I do that? And all of those long-winded words just to say use your abilities like I do with Benihime's?'
[There's a way, but I first had to make sure that your mentality is in the proper place before we proceed. Otherwise, you'll die faster with your head exploding into a million bits and no amount of regeneration would be able to save you from true destruction.]
28th00: Hard to think when you’re dying, who knew?
Kirio immediately noticed that Kisuke stopped paying attention to her so she also stopped talking. Since they are just a minute or two before their eventual death, Kirio couldn't help but reminisce. She came from a nondescript noble family and has always been fond of cooking and always dreamt of opening her own little place. However, her own Reiatsu and potential didn't allow that and was soon sent away to be trained as a Shinigami.
'Why am I remembering all of this now? Is this what it means to have your life flash before your death?' Kirio asked herself. However, if she was just being honest to herself, she'll admit that she's just avoiding the guilt that she's feeling right now.
But while drowning in her sorrows, Kirio suddenly felt more movements from Kisuke, 'Hmmm?'
She pushed her incredibly weakened body and turned her neck towards Kisuke who had already retracted his Bankai, 'Did he give up?'
Contrary to her expectations, however, Kisuke's arm started twitching before it started stretching in and out, 'Huh?'
It was just his right arm, but a few seconds later, his left arm also started moving. It didn't take too long before Kisuke could finally move his limbs and start struggling to get up, 'Wait... What's going on!?' Kirio already confirmed that her ability was still working from the fact that she was still dying so she couldn't understand how Kisuke was moving now, 'If he was able to reverse it back, I would be affected by it too.'
Slowly but surely, Kisuke stood up after struggling a few times and the first thing that Kirio noticed was Kisuke's eyes, "W-what are those?"
Kisuke looked back to Kirio who was making a surprised expression and noticed that she wasn't just surprised at him standing up.
[Your eyes.] Benihime's voice resounded in his head.
Kisuke slowly reached out into his sleeve and took out his dagger. As he unsheathed it, he used Tiamat's blade as a mirror and found out that his eyes had turned pink with star-like pupils.
[Don't lose focus now.] Tiamat's reprimanding voice soon came, [This is the first time you're doing this, and any mistake on your part could spell goodbye to your head.]
Kisuke silently returned the dagger to its sheathe and asked, 'What should I do next?'
[Don't try to understand it. Just let my power go through you and instinctually control it. If you attempt to gain insight from it, your vessel, which is your soul itself, won't be able to support the burden of the mysteries and intricacies of life. You're not yet ready for that since it's like asking a newborn soul how souls are created.]
Kisuke let out a long breath and did his best not to analyze the energy that was flowing from Tiamat.
[Now call out to the source of life. Use it to overwrite the current law imposed on you.]
Kisuke held Tiamat tightly and stopped for a moment to think. Tiamat didn't give him the name to call it out but he knew how important this name is to properly manifest her ability. If he can't do it properly, it may even backfire on them.
Kisuke was at loss and this was obvious to Tiamat. Nevertheless, the latter has no intention of helping him out. She already said everything she had.
Kisuke let out a long breath once again and closed his now pink eyes, 'What name could possibly properly contain this?' He asked himself. At that moment, Tiamat's 'advice' regarding names resurfaced in his mind, 'They are simply names. No need to overcomplicate it, huh?'
A small smile appeared on his face and the burden he was feeling suddenly lightened as he muttered, "Shun'uchi(True Strike): Chaos Tide; Tiamat."
The dagger in Kisuke's hand shone in black light before transforming into its usual form, a green-tinted long sword with a horn-like structure for its guard. Beneath Kisuke's feet, however, was a jet-black mud bubbling up and overflowing. It didn't take long before the entire chamber was flooded by this thick and gooey liquid.
Kirio was wondering what was happening as she was surrounded by this mud. But that wonderment soon changed with astonishment as her rapidly depleting vitality started returning and her heart regained its former vigor, "...What... is this!?"
Like Kisuke, Kirio also gained the ability to stand up and she hurriedly did it. She tried reaching out to her golden ladle, though before she could touch it, it returned to its sealed form.
"What's happening here?" Kirio was utterly confused. Even if there's a way to cancel her ability, there shouldn't be any way to return the 'dead' vitality.
"The Sea of Life, the source of all life. Although most of it has been tainted, it can still grant life." Kisuke tried to explain but beyond those words, he didn't really get it either.
He swung Tiamat horizontally and the overflowing mud, as if the time was being rewinded, began retreating back under Kisuke's feet and soon, the chamber returned to its not so pristine condition.
The surrounding aura also soon returned to normal with Tiamat returning to her 'Shikai' form. But when Kisuke glanced at the blade and found out that his eyes hadn't returned to normal, 'I already retracted it, didn't I?'
[What you pulled from me is not some trivial material manipulation. It'll take your body some time to get used to and fully enclose that power.] Tiamat answered.
Kisuke has a lot of questions but it's not really the right time to answer those, 'I have to seal Kirio-san properly this time.'
Kirio saw the glow in Kisuke's finger and immediately figured out his intentions. But with a wry smile, Kirio shook her head, "You don't have to."
Kisuke stopped his steps and was about to ask her why when all of a sudden, the black pigment on Kirio's Shihakushou started flaking off and disappearing into nothing, turning it completely white. And while that was happening, her own Zanpakuto began cracking and turning into dust, leaving only the handle in her hand behind, "I don't know how you reversed my ability... But I already lost it all except for my life."
Kisuke was stunned for a moment before sighing and taking out a thick black robe from his inventory and draping it over Kirio.
"This is?" Kirio asked while inspecting the robe.
Kisuke turned around and made his way back to the crystalized man, "It's a Magic Robe that I made some time ago. It can keep the user relatively safe for some time by automatically deploying a barrier. I don't exactly know how things will turn out now, so... Keep yourself safe."
The conflicted Kirio could only clutch the robe hard as she watched Kisuke return to the lynchpin. This time, there was really nothing else she could do.
28th00: Kisuke has gained a serious case of pink eye.
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