Cut Through the Silence [AfriCatastrophe Act IV]

The moment of truth was at hand. In this wartorn plain of Africa, Rio would unveil her zanpakuto's true might. The prerequisite material had been properly fulfilled during Yugiri's clash with Malice in the sky. Slapping her palms together, her hands pointed upward, obsidian blades gathered around her in resounding formation, portending a great calamity upon this monstrous hollow. At the apex of her stance, her voice filled the air with powerful words reserved for her ultimate state.

"Bankai, Gogyōsan Tetsumaru(五行山鉄丸, Five Elements Mountain Iron Ring)"

Obsidian blades disappeared into the ground at the utterance of that activation phrase. For a moment, it appeared that nothing had occurred, only for the land below to become engulfed in pure obsidian, the land terraformed into an environment akin to a small mountain range. All of the materials that she could ever need were on full display, an act that was only capable of coming to fruition due to her beloved sibling's efforts.

"Now, what was that she said about going to hell?"

In the blink of an eye, if Malice had indeed been cast out of the sky, a large pair of obsidian hands would greet her upon falling to the black earth. It was almost fitting considering Yugiri's words. If the skies above were its sanctum, then this was far more akin to hell on earth as those hands monstrously latched onto the beast to keep it confined to the black earth.

Furthermore, a large obsidian blade formed within her hands as she rushed Malice, aiming to bisect the creature from the neck down. Of course, in the event it attempted to fly away, she had a secondary plan in place for that outcome, too. Ah, even though she knew she would be denied this state for some time after this battle, the joy of showing off her full display was nothing short of exhilarating.

"Even now, you still won't give up. Tch... I find that tenacity admirable in an opponent... but this is where you fall, hollow."

What a tenacious creature. Even now, in its cornered position, it ripped its own body apart to ensure its survival, wresting itself free from the obsidian hands that sought to confine her to the black earth by tearing its limbs asunder. In another time, in another battle, she would have found such efforts admirable, but this was no such moment. In the distance, she felt the symphony of spiritual pressures in the area.

Her captain's was pulsating with unrestrained malevolence, Yuuto's was thunderous and unreserved, like a storm reigning over the lands with unrivaled might. Then, there was a familiar spiritual pressure that seemed to be fading out, as though it were slowly faltering into nothingness. The moment she sensed that dwindling spiritual signature her mind set itself into overdrive as her expression grew fierce, charging toward Malice with equal aggression.

At that moment, Yugiri appeared from below like a falling meteor, aiming to grab at the beast from behind to halt its charge. If Yugiri sought purchase against that beast's frame, Rio would use the opportunity to fill her large obsidian blade with spiritual energy, refined steel sharpened to critical mass. Charging forward past the point of no return, she executed a diagonal slash across Malice's mask, intent on felling the tenacious beast for good.

"Haaaaaaah!"