The Universal Villain

Tumbling back for a moment, Isshin could still feel a burning sensation where She had kicked him. "Dam that hurts." Shen, on the other hand, was even thinking while he fought only talking when he looked at Isshin. "Ah sorry I was thinking to myself about what I should do to Urahara." Turning his gaze upwards, Isshin immediately realised Shen planned to interrupt Urahara if he didn't do anything.

"Why don't you think about that after we're done here?" Trying to make Shen focus Isshin began attacking Shen approaching him as he flew across the ground. Watching Isshin approach Shen looked at his hand and then back to Isshin. 'Well, I do have to level it up eventually.' Wanting to meet Isshin half way Shen dashed off as well as an intense heat began to erupt from his right hand.

As the two drew nearer to each other, Shen's right hand caught fire as a dark orange flame engulfed his fist entirely. Watching this Isshin was shocked. 'Fire? When did he get the ability to use fire?' Urahara and Yoruichi did their best to inform them about all of Shen's powers, but sadly you don't know what you weren't there for. Stopping mid-attack Isshin raised Zanpakuto up as Shen sent his flame covered fist flying towards him.

As the fire and blade collided with one another, Isshin felt an extra burst of force burst from Shen. Looking at Shen's right arm flames could be seen flowing from his elbow acting as a booster like one would see on a rocket. Though the magic itself was level one with Shen's above-average power stats, it made any low-level Technique that relied on power strong enough to fight with.

Using the extra momentum from the fire, Shen's punch proceeded to launch Isshin off the ground. Feeling this effect, Isshin tried to stop himself as Shen hit him and Zanpakuto had smoke from the heat it felt from Shen's attack. 'The ability to control fire or at least produce it. This is a coincidence, right?' Thinking back to when Shen talked about Yamamoto. Isshin couldn't help but link the two events together.

However, even with that thought, Isshin didn't have any time to debate it in his mind as he saw Shen in the distance coat himself in fire before propelling himself through the air towards Isshin. 'Not even giving me a chance to think to myself.' At the speed Shen was flying, Isshin had the time to dodge stepping on the air below him with his right foot as Shen flew him like a rocket. Missing his target, Shen allowed the flames around his body to disappear as he landed on the ground.

Due to his velocity, although Shen stopped flying, he still slid across the ground as his feet left deep trails in the rock. 'I have to admit using magic is pretty fun.' Although Shen did have a bunch of different powers, this was his first real magic-related ability ignoring Babadi's. Finally coming to a stop, Shen looked at Isshin who couldn't help but think more about the relation between Yamamoto's supposed death and Shen's ability to use fire.

'I guess now isn't the time to be finding answers. I'll ask him if we can pull this sealing thing off.' Isshin knew this was no time to be thinking where Shen got the ability to use fire since he might have had it the entire time. 'Well, it looks like Urahara is almost done. Soon all that will be left is Ichigo's end.' With that thought in mind, Isshin raised his Zanpakuto in the air as he yelled. "Getsuga Tenshou!"

As Isshin twisted his Zanpakuto around in the air, a curved shape blade of Reiatsu fired towards Shen. As this attack flew through the air Shen's surroundings began to glow with a blue light as he began to produce two red flames from both of his hands. "Dragon Force!" Activating his first Transformation related ability Shen's stats were boosted by 15% as well as his flames.

The deep orange flames that were covering his hands that had maintained a somewhat circular shape began to change. Becoming more violent and destructive, the fire began to lose their circular shape as Shen placed his hands behind. "Fire Dragon!" Shen's voice echoed as he launched himself through the air as the fire trailing behind him, setting everything he flew by on fire.

"Wing Attack!" As Shen's pupils began to turn more draconic the fires in his hands twisted together, creating a brilliant flame stretching behind him. Moving his arms in an arc in front of him as a wave of fire shot forward colliding with the twisting Getsuga Tenshou. As the fire and Reiatsu hit, creating a red and blue explosion in the air as the two forces fought for supremacy.

As this air battle continued, Isshin turned his head around looking towards Urahara thinking back to what the four of them talked about. "What do you want to use Ichigo as bait?" Looking at Urahara in shock, he felt that this was way too dangerous. "I know it sounds dangerous and it is, but it's the only way it will work." Turning to Isshin, Urahara tried to make him understand as Isshin spoke again.

"Why Ichigo though any of us can be bait for this. He's still not strong enough to fight him head-on let alone act as bait." The idea of Ichigo being bait meant he would have actually to hold off Shen and if the plan had to be delayed for any reason he might have to fight Shen alone for god knows how long. Listening to Isshin Urahara responded. "Because he's the only person Shen can teleport to among the four of us."

Mentioning this Isshin remembered what Urahara said before using Shen's teleportation against him. Soon after Urahara spoke, Ichigo spoke up as well. "But what does him teleporting to me has to do with the plan?" If anything, it seemed to make him more of a liability as Shen could escape or attack him at any point if he weren't careful.

"That's exactly why you're going to be the bait and why we're going to have to bluff him out." Letting his thoughts come back to reality, Isshin still didn't trust how much of this plan relied on Shen acting the way they expected him too, but it was their best shot.

Meanwhile, fighting farther into Katakura Town, Ichigo was still being pinned down by Rukia. "At this rate, I'm not going to be able to get there in time." Although Ichigo did agree to fight Rukia that didn't mean he wasn't trying to get back to Urahara and his dad. But for some reason getting past Rukia only got harder as the fight continued.

As he and Rukia clashed once again, Ichigo tried to talk to her again. "Rukia do you remember the time you spent living with my family and me? Orihime, Uryu, Chad everyone went to the Soul Society to save you they risked their lives cause they consider you a friend. Now all our friends will be put in danger if he's allowed to roam free. Please Rukia I need you to snap out of it!"

Looking Rukia in the eyes as they continued to clash mid-air Ichigo's expression changed when he felt Rukia let up for just a moment. "Rukia?" Showing a relieved expression, Ichigo was pushed back as Rukia swung her Zanpakuto. 'I felt it. She let up her attack for just a second, but it was there. Rukia is still in there somewhere.'