Eternity served Cold (Shura/Tento)

Being midly disturbed was a blessing for those that only had to read the reports. Seeing and being involved was a whole other level. One that ate and motivated at the core of some of the surivors and combatant of the first series of interactions. The news of one of the best they had suffering a dangerous time and still with so much held back information wise as well made such a thing even worse.

The real piece of information gained at least though was that there was more than hollows down that hole. A simple hollow, even as strong as they were. Would not have been able to defeat let alone harm teach like that. It was beyond that. Exactly what was still the unnerving question.

As the doors opened connecting the realms the ebony warriro exited and descended down. A black and green butterfly being his guide as he arrived to the area alongside his division member that has been here for some time. "Yo".

Tento was still deployed in the world of the living when he got his mission request. A bit surprising to be handling multiple things at once but they specifically asked him to come. When a comrade asked for assistance he would most certainly come, double so for a fellow 4th division member. "Wouldn't miss it. If anything goes on around here im willing to the first to come", Tento said after hearing her words. Turning his words to gaze out at the area. All was quiet, a thing that was not a good thing to Tento. When Kizuna showed up and caused that devastation it was extremely calm and silent before after all. The overflow of hollows let loose due to her actions. Even then now it was strange. There was no rustling or turning sounds of agitation of any hollows trying to bash against the defenses of the hole. "Yeah, I have to agree with that. It is far from over".

Stepping forward Tento moved to stand bezt to Shura as they continued to talk. "Given the power of the hollows that came out I would agree. Whatever is I would suspect is still a hollow like creature, but far stronger. Perhaps beyond an Arrancar as the one that caused the attack while we were establishing order after the first wave was one". He paused before continuing. "But it was straight forward. After creating the defense line and getting citizens out. We monitored the border and prevented hollows from coming out with barriers and personnel. Then suddenly a person appeared high above blasting the shield open and our troops. Hollows swarmed out of the funnel and many died. With us fighting to prevent the hollows to push deeper. Eventually me and a squad assisted a Shinigami that faced the Arrancar that caused all of this".

For Tento at least. It made sense that there was little to discuss. There was little known and little even more for them to make logical steps from. Whatever that was unknown down there had become examined. Resulting in one of their Captains to be injured and hospitalized. And not just any Captain. One of their best. The best of the best they had to offer. Someone had hurt teach, bad. A fearsome being they were immediately in Tento's mind. For he knew his former teacher wouldn't get taken lightly, even if taken off guard by some miracle or greatly outnumbered. That was just what he expected of him.

To him, it had to be a being beyond an Arrancar; a Vaste Lorde class hollow. Heck, hollows. That possibility is heavy and obvious to his eyes.

"If we speak of what happened to me and the others on the day of the pour out or hollows destroying the land. Or the later struggle by that sudden attack by that one Arrancarr, yes there is more to say", Tento said keeping his eyes in Shura. Calm and a bit reserved but communicative all the same. "But if we speak of what happened to Captain Yuuto. Then I don't know. And that itself. Speaks volumes, don't you think?", Tento said in a rare hard serious. Face hard like a stone.

"He went in and came out alive. Terribly injured. With information limited, greatly. Much more than one could expect. Even seated officers and higher members are limited or not allowed to know things. The severity of what was discovered is something that the Captain Commander must want up hushed until the time is right…or when we are ready", Tento said as he too went up to the hole to look in now, his voice bearing the full amount of trust the two had gained in one another as division mates.

"Nothing of this has been accidental like you said. The purpose…well the purpose could be many guesses…and each one is worse than the last in my mind".

The lives of the 4th division was hard knock life. A good one but rough all the same. Through kind and body though, Tento expected any shigami to reach these same conclusions. Experienced or not, a member of the 4th or any other division. Regardless, the shared thinking resulted in an unnerving end. One that needed to be faced regardless and prepared for in the end. With no denial allowed now that it was spoken out loud. The well of restless anxiety and tension rang her fangs out threatening to dig in deep to the very mellow.

And Shura's thoughts only made it worse for a Tento. The dread and possibilities made him keep his eyes in the hole. Gazing with a frozen stillness unable to look away. For he feared that if he turned away from the dark abyss it possessed, it made him fear that averting from it would swallow Jim faster and worse than he looked away or jumped in. That he would lose all that he was and something else, would take his place. "Ah, couldn't let me have my mind not go to one of the worst case scenarios eh?". Tento said in a somber tone. He knew it had to be known. By the Captains at least. And perhaps Kanae was choosing to jot share anything. But would it be so tight lipped it would have no words of rumor trickling out from any division?

He sighed. Weary and tired at the thought. So many battles and so many failures in trying to protect his comrades. Let alone the fleeing innocence. Even if he got merits from it. Even if people were indeed scared and defended. The numbers always felt too much when he wandered in his mind as his duty and goal as a Shinigami. One bugged him, dozens haunted him. Hundreds threatened to throw him mad…

"What is worse I wonder? A lack of information or, carefully placed misinformation. Either way, we are in for something. A Storm is brewing and the question of if the structure of the world can stand through it will be seen".

He then turned towards Shura. His hands hanging at his side besides one of the sheath of his Zanpakuto. The essence of his zan spirit softly and gently soothing their master. consolement and kindness with a subtle flow of solidarity. Confidence. But rational as Tento felt the flowing wind cool his hand. His eyes bore a slow intensity. Doubt and ease behind them but…a desire and unwavering determination at the surface. "As we stand now. Then just as much we did when they came out the first time", Tento said with a shaky sigh letting out tension. The defense was successful. But was that because of their efforts and timing or because it was just a play move for the hole dwellers?

"But", Tento spoke, how voice growing stronger but soothing in a way; a strong hand reaching out in promise. A bright voice that held a will facing what he knew were tall odds. Odds a betting man wouldn't even take. He had to though. There was nothing else to do and any other option would spell more doom if there was no resistance. "The future us will. With skill, teamwork, and increasing our power. We can defeat them or drive them back at the least. We will fight. And we will survive. Like with Aizen, Yhwach, and now! And when we come out of the end, we will continue to defend the world and build for the sake of the balance we are in charge of".

She was right. The worst was what they should and did prepare. When you stayed ready for doomsday any storm felt like a walk in a gentle breeze. It was why the likes of Shura and himself trained every day. Sometimes all day. It was the way of the 4th and every member of the death division to do so. "Ai, you are right there Shura. But sometimes you rather know it and not have to speak it eh?", he said with a pop of his neck. Resting one of his hands against it. "But I will be honest with you and not deny it. Never so. Doing so will only make me fall and not stand when the time comes", he continued on in a honest response to her blunt truth.

In terms of being a warrior he was…okay? To say the best in his eyes. He had a fundamental knowledge of all of the Shinigami arts. But in comparison to the people he held respect to alone in his division, he was far behind. A mere child among wise adults or a drop of water in the sea. He had finally learned shikai after the longest time. And although his bond with Shiōmaru was strong, there was much to do and learn. It was why he added diving into his spiritual world as a part of his daily workout routine. Practicing using the shikai form and trying to uncover moves from his dual Zanpakuto spirits. Creativity with the demon arts and movements of the body. All to try and come up with options for the heat of battle.

But he knew he was still lacking. Far lacking in comparison to the ladies that had been doing this for hundreds if not thousands of years. Shura's strength and tenacity. Rio's speed, durability, and cool mind. And above all, Captain Kanae. Who had all and more of what the others had. With beyond that a vast endless well of experience and spiritual energy in comparison to even the best of their division in contrast to her. That wasn't even in comparison to dearest Hanako. The one he wanted to prove and stand beside the most as a comrade in the 4th. Regardless of their friendly competition, the head start she had on me had a fire on his feet and under his butt. And with the lack of interaction with her on missions or leave, the question of his progression agitated him more and more with it not being answered.

As the two continued to speak it couldn't help but seemed that they were falling into one of their disagreements again. Misinformation was not the same to Tento. In truth he would always rather go in with no information if he had to choose between the two. "Geez I can't help but disagree there. No information leaves you room to investigate and act with caution. A blank free base to operate and survive at worst and come out in victory in the end. Through the mortal victory books, key battles have been won and lost due to the act of Misinformation. Or partially unknown information. If the enemy can make us believe what they want. They can use it against us more than having nothing. They can make us feel comfortable when we should feel cautious. It can make us feel confidence when we should feel fear that makes our blades move in quick calculation and precision. It is not the same if we think of it that way, and one is much more dreadful for the simple men and women on the frontlines believing in their superiors… The unknown can be explored. Questions can be answered. But errors erased are hard, and can only happen in so much time before it's too late". Tento said in a quiet calm response after Shura's moment of silence.

All and all this was a lot to think and even more to feel. But that at least gave him something. Whoever or whatever fought was indeed around his power and abilities. A frightening thought given the limited number of people who could fully compete with the man. The Captain Commander the only one Tento could imagine could regularly best him. However…if the enemy had numerous people at Teach Yuuto's level. Or…Soul king forbid people beyond that level then…

After that he kinda just continued to look down at that point. Shifting his look at her back at the hole. Perhaps he was too optimistic in these tiring times. Too determined, too stubborn to bring hope He was no fool, at least as much of a fool he liked to put on. War was ugly. War was a game. And it was horrific, merciless, and unkind even to its victors. Skill, teamwork, growth. All of that wouldn't just make things la de da and be all happy ending in a magical wave. Some things would happen due to intellect, luck, planning, foresight, and full on power as well as ability of the individuals of the Gotei United.

"I do have a lot to learn. About war, about battles. Life and death. None of them will absolutely without doubt let us overcome the enemy. But it is all we have. Captains can't be everywhere we need them. And not all Vice Captains are enough to handle the same. But I think such things that I said are cultivated for someone to be who we need. Someone strong enough to be considered in the class of our Captains. Teamwork is needed to operate, it can overcome singular foes if strong enough individuals with synergy work together. Skill is part of what makes our Captains so great. Not just their spiritual energy. Not just their physical abilities. All of those things, power, and more. Make them the pillars of the Gotei United. And the more we soldiers chase that, the stronger we will become in this war. It is how our Captains and Vice Captains became so strong. How the Captain-Commander became who she is now", Tento said with a nod of his head. The Captains would be needed. The Captain Commander. They could only hope the call would be called in, and that they could do their jobs till then.

"If we don't have months then I can only drill myself harder to make up for the lack of time. If not then, as much as I can in the time we have. That's what we do right Shura? As warriors of the 4th we grow and fight with the determination and tenacity that the Gotei United needs. The difference between me and the key factors I know and will forever know. But I will be damned if I do nothing. I don't have to defeat the head after all, just the limbs, walls, and weapons".