"Hitokiri, a lot has changed since the last time we saw each other. You took my arm, and then didn't give me the pleasure of being able to take something of yours. But I think I've remedied that now. You and your beloved student will not be allowed to leave here alive." Kenpachi growled at Manzo, his eyes full of determination and hate. Manzo knew that he meant every word he said, he knew it very well. But what Kenpachi didn't know, was that Manzo himself had picked up some new tricks since the last time they had crossed their blades with one another.

"You're mouth is still far too big Kenpachi. You think just because you wield a demons' arm, that suddenly you'll wipe the floor with me? You're just as foolish as you were back then." Manzo said with a dismissive look in his eye. It was true that he didn't truly take kenpachi seriously, but that would soon prove to be his down fall. He needed to realize that a lot had changed for him as well, even if it didn't seem as such. Not taking him seriously could be fatal for the one known as hitokiri, something he would soon find out.

"Believe me Hitokiri, this demons arm is not just for looks. I took it off a particularly power demon during the incursions and civil war. This demon took a lot of our peoples lives, I don't think it's going to have a problem taking another one. It might be it's most favorite now that I think about it." Kenpachi's confidence had not even come close to wavering. But that didn't mean he didn't take his opponent seriously, unlike Manzo. "I'm still not impressed, I've killed many demons and you will be no different, of that I can assure you."

The wind began to howl through the mountain pass camp, and the sun began to rise. The temperature of the feud that was coming to a boil only began to rise all the more. It was now a time for action, no longer the time for words. Manzo stripped off the top of his battle armor, leaving only his bare chest exposed, wanting this to be a the finale to their years long grudge against one another. "You have no idea how long I've waiting for this Hitokiri." That was the truth, he had counted down every day since losing his arm.

Manzo took a deep breath and began to center himself against all the feelings he had swirling around inside of him. It was true that this was indeed a long time coming, and that it needed to end, but he didn't truly like having to revert to his old self. He took no pleasure in doing anything of the sort anymore, but this wasn't just a duel to the death for his life, it was a duel to the death for the life of his student, and that was something he could not afford to lose.

Lily had been by him through thick and thin, she was the model student, and the reincarnation of his former friend Esperia. She had to live, he could not allow her to die. It was something he could not abide by no matter what. So if it caused him to become the man slayer once more, so be it. He had no problem using his natural talent for bloodshed for the good of someone else. But, he could not be lost in thought for ever, soon kenpachi would attack, and then that would be the beginning of the end.

Not long after Kenpachi grew tired of waiting, thrusting his demonic tendril of an arm toward Manzo, with quick thinking he would create a wooden barrier between the two of them, not allowing for the tendril to pierce him directly. What he didn't know was that there was a secret tendril that was cast underneath him, coming up and mashing into him, launching him in the air. This knocked the wind out of him, he had no clue that it could split itself into multiple pieces like that, but he should have saw it coming, he should have made himself prepared for it, but he didn't.

His mind was too caught up in trying to protect his friends and allies he allowed himself to be taken off guard, now he was vulnerable in the air. This kind of vulnerability would prove disastrous for him, he had to think quick if he was going to save his own ass. Then from out of nowhere Nyancelot swooped in and grabbed him by his collar. "Wake up Sir, we have got to save Lily, there's no other way for us to get out of this if you should succumb to your own mind."

Nyancelot was right he had to save Lily, no matter what, he just had to, without her, Esperia would be lost all over again, and in truth so would he. He couldn't lose someone else, not now, not ever. He had to get it done. Get it done he would, but not before seeing that his apprentice and several of his men had joined the fray. Doing their best to hold off the enraged demon kenpachi. He had dispatched several of them, only Lily remained in the fray doing her best to hold off the demon while Manzo got himself back together.

In reality, she was saving him far more than he was saving her, but he could not let her bare the brunt of his sins, it just wasn't something he could abide by. He could never allow her to hold the weight on her own. She was his comrade, his friend, and his guild mate, so to allow her to simply carry his load was unacceptable. Something he could not stand for no matter how weak he felt in this moment from having the wind knocked out of him. He grabbed two swords off of the ground and ran towards the fray.

He met Kenpachi head on, switching off with Lily so she could catch her breath. It was now time for him to use a style of fighting he had long since abandoned. His twin blade style, striking with one hand while defending with the other. Something he excelled at more than any other swordsman in the county. It was made him deadly, made him hitokiri. Him using that style only pushed Kenpachi further to go even harder. But it would cause him to make mistakes in battle.

Things that Manzo and Lily would do their best to capitalize on. He commanded that Lily strike at his achilles. Upon doing so he would drop to his knee for a moment, while Manzo attempted to cut away the demonic arm. As he did so he made a small cut in it, this arm was much stronger than he had given it credit for. Perhaps it was time to bust out Totsuka. It may be their only hope in the long run, without all hope might be lost. He kicked Kenpachi back, using his superior physical strength he was able to stun him for a moment.

He could see that Lily was still winded, after all she had just escaped from being captured. So maybe this was proving to be too much for him. He commanded Nyancelot to take his master to safety. Once Lily was safely out of the way, he drew Totsuka, the blade the sealed all evil in the world, so the legends would say. It was time to put those to the test. Manzo prepared himself, thrusting himself into dragon force mode, keeping his blade drawn.

Kenpachi readied himself for another forward assault. This time Manzo was more than ready for him, regaining his purpose. His purpose was to protect, and destroy all those who would raise a hand against his allies, and in the final confrontation would come to pass. He would do just that. As his blade met the demonic arm of Kenpachi, Totsuka went to work. The black flames of amaterasu would consume him, stretching all the way across his body. As the screams died down from the life being extinguised from his opponent, he would resheath his sword. Reverting back to his original mortal state. This was it, it was finally over, and with that it was time to check on his apprentice.

He ran over to her, and seeing that she had an advanced fever, it was time to leave Joya and head back to fiore, it was long over due, he should have never brought her here. None of this answered any questions about what was wrong with her, if anything it just put forth more and more questions. Questions he couldn't answer, but for now it was time to take her home and get her treated before it was too late. He would never allow anyone of his comrades to come to this kind of harm ever again.

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WC reduced by 40% by items.