If you love Kingdom Hearts and you love Bleach than that makes us friends automatically <3
I decided to dedicate this one to my favorite world. Halloween Town. I didn’t want to redraw the Bleach Halloween version sorry. I wanted to draw more fur this time so I ceased the opportunity!
Oh and many people asked me what I thought about people tagging my art as me/kin, I don’t care do what you want but if your going to use my art for something ask first please <3 would be great!
I can imagine if Szayel was in the mood things would go a different way, and I think most people would agree that these to would have unspeakable barbaric fetishes. I wouldn’t want to be in the same bed…
Yes I do play Pokemon GO Guys! I am on team Valor! In fact Pokemon Go is ruling over my life! I can’t go to the store without playing Pokemon Go, I am always thinking about it, when I sleep I think there’s a Pokemon near by, when I go to the rest room I think about it. Pokemon GO has turned me against my own family, I am against my dad and my sister… yes… I have even turned against my own team valor just because I want to be better than them… @kimbolt-prime you know who I speak of… Though you may be my sister we cannot speak to one another… Pokemon… Go… has …taken over….
I have like ten other Pokemon I want to draw Ichigo as! Enjoy Guys <3
This is 4/4 of part 13 on the app (chapter 14 continued)
Rukongai
“What’s the big idea with this thing!? We’re not about to get dragged into this ridiculous dispute are we!?”
At the words of Candice who has gotten caught up in the aftershocks of Ikomikidomoe’s struggle - the Zanpakutō which had taken the appearance of a gargantuan Hollow - Meninas replies in her usual manner.
“We were more or less dragged into it from the very beginning, I think….”
“But still, weren’t we told in the beginning to simply knock the lights out of that so-called Fullbringer lot and then snatch them away!? So why in the hell are we now getting dragged into this conflict between a freak who looks like its had all kinds of overgrown Hollow condensed into it, and a bunch of Arrancar!? Come to think of it, didn’t the number of Arrancar just double without us noticing!?”
Whilst using her lightning to crush the rocks that were being flung into the air, Candice pointed at the two female Arrancar who had newly emerged.
“Speaking of which, what’s the deal with their style!? There’s way too much emphasis on their figures don’t ya think!?”
“Candice, you can’t really speak for others though can you?”
Meninas spoke whilst observing the Holy Knights uniform belonging to the Quincy who had her chest on open display, but pretending that she didn’t hear that, Candice initiates a counter-attack.
“Anyway, if this monstrosity isn’t stopped first and foremost, then we won’t be able to continue with our task.”
Although they also had the option of making a brief retreat, it did not appear likely that Kurotsuchi Mayuri would tolerate such a thing.
That being the case, they should probably battle the gargantuan threat by taking advantage of this confusion, and at the same time, watch for an opportunity when the Fullbringers are off their guard. Even if it was impossible to capture the Fullbringers this time around, it was still a chance to analyse how their opponents fight among other things.
Thinking as much, Candice proceeds with the battle whilst paying mind to whether or not Ginjō’s group would make an escape.
“Meni! Create an opening!”
“Alright.”
Upon nodding in understanding, Meninas made an approach towards the feet of the great Hollow with slow movements, she slipped herself into a position that was located in her opponent’s blind spot.
Then, the muscles in her arms that were still in their normal state are instantly made to swell, using her might she lifts upwards.
Just with that alone, the huge physique of ‘Ikomikidomoe’ is violently thrown off balance, and in a chain reaction, Ikomikidomoe is scooped up from the ground and sent tumbling down with great force.
“Ha! Nice work! Leave the rest to me!”
In a manner that appeared to aim for the spot where the opponent’s balance had been weakened, Candice fired a volley of arrows entwined in lightning.
Moreover, as if to indicate that it was the finishing blow, she cast down the same “Electrocution” that was unleashed upon Ginjō and the others a short while ago.
The barrage of assaults, that were hammered out with lightning speed momentum in a very literal sense, blanket the surroundings with a dazzling light.
“That was close…! What the heck are those two doing! Do they not care that I’m also standing here!?”
Having evaded the lightning strike by a hairbreadth, Hirako exclaimed aloud as a cold sweat trickled down his cheek.
“Aren’t those the Quincies that became Mayuri’s subordinates!? …Yes, that’s right. I should’ve known that Mayuri wouldn’t worry about the welfare of myself or other fellow Shinigami.”
Coming to accept this realisation by himself, Hirako maintains even more of a distance, he then shifted his gaze in the direction of 'Ikomikidomoe’ who had been engulfed in the flash of the lightning strike, however——
“No good. There wasn’t much of an effect.”
'Ikomikidomoe’ who had taken the form of a monster only moments ago, now adopted a spherical shape after folding its limbs, sitting neatly within the Rukongai as an ominous item of art.
In the next instant, a white haze gushed forth from the space around this colossal ball, and no sooner than that did an infinite number of small creatures sporting wings materialise out of said haze.
Though described as 'small’, this is only in comparison with the mammoth build of Ikomikidomoe; the creatures who would appear to be Adjuchas level Hollows from outward appearance, begin to take flight into the air as a swarm.
Then, as if it were a protective response, they lunged directly at the aggressors —— at the pair known as Meninas and Candice.
Looking down at the Zanpakutō which continues to generate these small-scale 'terminals’ spawned in the dozens, and hundreds, Hirako pulled a frown as he corrected his own perception of the matter.
“…I guess I was mistaken in calling it a huge robot huh.”
Whilst maintaining the utmost vigilance towards Hikone who commands that Zanpakutō, and towards the man known as Tsunayashiro Tokinada who bestowed such a Zanpakutō upon the child, he continues speaking.
“This is like an entire 'country’ sprouting legs and moving. It’s not something we can deal with using orthodox methods.”
As Hirako calmly dissects the state of affairs, Candice’s group is forced into a disadvantageous position before they could even get a grasp on the situation.
“How can there be a Zanpakutō like this!? Or maybe I should be asking if this thing is really even a Zanpakutō at all!?
"That might be a little problematic huh….”
Using Heilig Pfeil the two continue to shoot through the swarm of beasts that were advancing towards them, however, much to the pair’s regret, the enemy’s numbers were far too many.
Meninas hit back with superhuman strength, and Candice with the power of her lightning strikes, yet in this current situation the creatures continue to be spawned with momentum that transcends their own, and moreover, there had hardly been any damage incurred on the main unit itself.
With a Galvano Javelin in each hand —— spears created by Reishi imbued lightning bolts —— Candice strikes the creatures down, however their numerical advantage far exceeds the quantity which could be dealt with effectively using only two blades.
“Crap…! If only I could use the power of my Vollständig….”
Originally Candice was able to manage six blades by utilising the wings produced by her Quincy Vollständig, but because of Yhwach’s 'Auswählen’ she ended up no longer being able to invoke Vollständig, as a result she has now become limited to handling two blades.
What’s more troubling is that it was by no means the case that these creatures were charging at them in a wild and tactless fashion, rather they come in for the attack whilst calculatedly catching the girls off guard through controlled movements, almost as though they were a single organism despite being a swarm.
Although they are annihilated in one fell swoop by the lightning strikes firing in rapid succession from the sky, it was but a drop in the ocean.
“tch… did that just stir up a hornet’s nest…?”
Though her exhaustion is quite significant after the barrage of assaults from a short moment ago, on the basis of acknowledging that, Candice attempts to unleash her 'Electrocution’ once more, and in that very moment ——
“Just drop it. Your Blut Arterie will end up being burnt out before anything.”
A voice which struck a familiar chord, rattles her eardrums.
“Whaa…?”
What exactly does it mean that this voice could be heard in such a place?
Before Candice’s mind could process that thought, the 'answer’ took form and came sweeping in to wolf down the swarm of beasts.
A long and narrow jaw that had made a sudden appearance, swallowed up several hundreds of these grotesque figures in a single breath.
As the abnormal jaw that had preyed upon the white beasts retracted back into a mouth, the owner of the voice gave utterance to her impressions of what she had consumed just now, coupled with a languid sigh.
“It’s the same with those skeletal bastards from the other day… just as I thought, mass-produced goods are flavourless.”
Floating in midair, is a young girl whose distinctive cold eyes peeked through from under her white Sternritter military cap.
After observing her form, Candice opens her eyes wide and gives a yell.
“Li…Lil!?”
Common sense would dictate that It was an impossible sight.
Having been separated over half a year ago, her companions looked for ways to somehow make contact with her from their position, however she had appeared before them ahead of anything that could actually occur.
In response to a stunned Candice, the girl with the cold eyes —— Liltotto Lamperd —— uttered a complaint in an exasperated tone.
“Jeez, the plan was to try and collect you by taking advantage of all the commotion, but it turns out your sorry asses are right in the middle of that commotion so just what the hell am I supposed to do now? What a drag.”
“I-It’s you! How are you here? Perhaps, you’ve come to help us!?”
“Didn’t I just say that I’ve come to collect you? Listen when people talk bitch."
"I mean, you’re really alive…. After I heard that you had turned against His Majesty, I… I thought for sure you’d-…”
Having even held onto the suspicion that, in the worst case scenario, Kurotsuchi Mayuri had lied about Liltoto and the others being alive, Candice raises her eyes to Liltoto with an expression that was a mix of relief and astonishment.
“Don’t call that bastard 'Majesty’. Either way, it seems he’s long gone.”
As Lil said so, another voice could be heard coming from behind Candice.
“Wow, you’re looking more rough than I expected. Too lame huh, Candice chan?”
With a twitch, a vein throbbed at her temple, before she could even rejoice at their reunion, Candice threw a backhand blow.
“Gigiii!”
Whilst effortlessly evading her fist, the black haired Quincy —— Giselle Gewelle —— raised her voice in protest as she smiled with only the corner of her mouth.
“Eh, don’t drag out the end of your words, you make people’s names sound like 'old man’ you know.” (TN:–When Candice drags out Gigi’s name above it sounds exactly like “じじい” which means “old man”)
“It’s wrong that you made Gigi mad just now.”
Without exuding even a trace of an air that could be described as anything akin to a touching reunion, Meninas spoke in her usual manner.
“Wait a minute! Don’t you think you’re also accepting this way too casually Meni!? It’s not like I’m the only one who can’t read the situation is it?”
“If you want to complain, why don’t we catch a damn bite to eat later while it goes through one ear and out the other. Anyway, right now it looks like we have to find a way to deal with that trouble over there first.”
The swarm of beasts continue to gush forth from the white haze as unchanged as before, but perhaps analysing the abilities of Lil’s group who were the newcomers on the scene, the swarm’s current stance was watching the group carefully whilst encircling them at a distance.
Then, Gigi tilted her head in response to Liltoto’s words.
“Huh? Deal with them you say… shouldn’t we just make a run for it?”
“…That was the plan. Even if we did run away as is, I suppose it would be pointless if there are also bombs implanted in Candi and Meni’s bodies.”
“…gah!”
Although Candice had taken this possibility into account, she was once again struck with terror by having it pointed out through Lil who is the brains among this group of friends.
Rather than address Candice herself —— Liltoto proposes a deal towards the person at the other end of the communicator that was fitted to her clothes.
“You can hear me can’t you, Kurotsuchi Mayuri. I’ll cooperate with your so-called experiment. So in return, I demand the release of Candice and Meninas.”
It was at that point, that a very distinctive voice echoed across from Candice’s regulation cap.
“Dear me, that you actually made the error of believing that you are in any position to negotiate with me, how very conceited of you.”
“Whoa!?”
Disregarding Candice who was taken aback by the voice that had suddenly slipped out from atop her head, travelling across the communicator, the voice speaks with a dispassionate tone.
“I didn’t implant the likes of bombs in the first place. Thanks to the Central 46 and the captain commander who can’t adapt to the times, I was very recently prohibited from implanting bombs into the bodies of subordinates. So long as you bear the name 'unit’, the lot of you too, can only be treated as soldiers rather than tools. Good grief, what an oh-so benevolent gesture.”
“Since we’re on the topic of bombs, could that not mean that you’ve tossed in plenty of other crazy stuff?”
“Do you really think so?… Never mind, Quincies are now curio. I have no intention of breaking them so easily.”
“Hold on!? What’s the deal with that vague wording!?”
Paying no heed to the cries of Candice, Lil calmly continues negotiations with Mayuri.
Without dropping her guard against the surroundings even while they negotiate, the small units of beasts that were charging towards them at random intervals as a diversionary tactic, is 'swallowed whole’ each time as she expertly moved the conversation forward.
“What I want is merely the freedom of Candice and Meninas, and the guarantee of their safety. They can be exchanged with a handful of fighting potentials among us Quincy, that doesn’t sound half bad right?”
“Once you’ve attained that level of pretentiousness, it goes beyond comical and one can only feel pity. You may be curios, but as far as I’m concerned, the likes of Quincies are an area of research that has been fully exhausted. Did you actually think that the lot of you had that much worth?”
“If Quincies don’t have that much worth, then what does it matter to at the very least part with only two, Candi and Meni? I suppose that would just about cover the cost of doing your chores. Also, this concerns you. You’ve already implanted something within me and Gigi too either way, haven’t you?”
“Huh?”
Gigi raises her voice at this unexpected information, but Mayuri’s voice makes a blunt assertion with a nonchalant air.
“Oh, even if they’re fools, I can’t say I completely detest those who are quick on the uptake. That Quincy named Ishida didn’t even have the slightest clue until I told him.”
“Why thank you. I pray that you’re also the type who’s quick on the uptake.”
In response to Lil who was holding her ground against Mayuri, the voice streaming through Candice’s cap resumes speaking with stifled laughter.
“If I refuse you here, do you perhaps intend to take your negotiations directly to the captain commander? My, my, if Hirako Shinji wasn’t present, I could’ve had you silenced in secret.”
“Maybe I decided to go to the trouble of showing my face precisely because another captain rank is present?”
“Quite the clever-clogs aren’t you? Good grief.”
“The danger that you are has touched our very core after all. That he didn’t include you among the Special War Potentials, I can only imagine that Yhwach was off his rocker.”
Following Lil’s words, the sound of a heavy sigh could be heard coming from the communicator fitted to Candice’s cap.
“I make no concessions based on blatant flattery. Well, it’s true that your ringleader’s eyes were as good as blind however. It appears that even if he could forecast the future, he wasn’t able to see the reality.”
Then, in a somewhat upbeat tone, Mayuri offered a concrete proposal.
“I want to dig up as much data as possible on that colossal mutant of a Zanpakutō, as well as the mock-up Shinigami trial subject standing on top of it. If the lot of you can do that, then I will upgrade your treatment from test subjects to at least the level of mercenary. And if you also happen to capture the Fullbringers while you’re at it, perhaps I can even help you grow taller as a special reward.”
“Unnecessary. Even If my physique and whatnot got bigger, it would probably only make me get hungry faster. So to sum it up, it’s going to be us knocking the wind out of that huge freak right?”
“I don’t expect you to go that far. After all, if a subject could be brought down that easily by you lot, then I wouldn’t be interested in it to begin with.”
“Tch… you underestimate us.”
Perhaps regarding it as a completion of the deal, Lil voiced her complaint, following this she poses a question towards the colossal sphere that towers heavenward.
“I wonder if you think the same? Freak.”
In response to a confrontational Lil, Gigi who was listening from ground level speaks up.
“Hey Lil, I can’t stand it. Helping that black and white clown and all.”
It was at this point that Mayuri’s voice shot out from Candice’s cap in seeming astonishment.
“Even your brain tissue has finally rotted away has it? Zombie girl. The one I was negotiating with is that girl with the big appetite. I never put the likes of you down as a fighting power from the very onset, so you can just go ahead and rot wherever you like.”
“…Does someone who stole another person’s zombies have any room to talk though?”
“Save it for later. I don’t think this is the kind of opponent you can defeat by mouthing off.”
Calming Gigi who mumbled in a voice filled with deeply held resentment, Lil raises her eyes to 'Ikomikidomoe’.
“Whatever you do, first things first, we have to silence that behemoth.”
“…If you say so.”
Despite the smile playing on her lips, Gigi’s eyes revealed that she had actually agreed reluctantly, after heaving a sigh she issues instructions to a shadowy figure standing at her back.
“Go for it, Bambi-chan.”
“Uunhh… I, do my best. Because Candi, and Meni, everybody… here….”
Then —— the battlefield which had been engulfed in white lightning only a short while ago, is this time made to be blanketed in the tint of red explosive flames.
“It’s that girl with the bombs!? They just had to bring along that bothersome individual huh!”
Watching the zombie girl who came flying out from Gigi’s shadow, Hirako involuntarily raises his voice.
As recollections of the moment he was almost blasted to death in the past are vividly resuscitated in his mind, a cold sweat trickled down his forehead.
Reishi bullets, which are fired one after another by the girl with dark red skin, make contact with the creatures spawned from 'Ikomikidomoe’ and cause her opponent’s body tissue to convert into bombs.
The hot wind from the chain of explosions which subsequently gush forth, vaporised the sweat on Hirako who was standing at a distance.
“…Gah! As reckless as ever I see. What can I say, I guess this means, sooner or later, I’ll also have to consider my next course of action…”
Hirako releases a sigh and places a hand on his Zanpakutō, he whispered to himself whilst contemplating whether he should join a side in battle here, or whether he should allow the dust to settle by contacting Mayuri who was stationed further away.
“That Momo should’ve reported to Kyōraku san, so there may be some action over there too.”
“Oh man, this is turning out to be quite a disaster huh.”
Not withdrawing, but not actively participating in the battle either, Ginjō’s group avoid the ripple effect of the assault whilst observing the situation.
“If we’re going to retreat, I think now is our chance right?”
With a shrug of his shoulders, Ginjō addressed Tsukishima’s remark.
“That was the plan… but didn’t that brat say 'I’ll get you to acknowledge me as king’ or something?”
“…I see, are you worried about that?”
When Giriko mentions this, Tsukishima also opens his mouth to speak as if to say he understood.
“Ah, it’s about 'XCUTION’ isn’t it?”
The 'XCUTION’ he spoke of is not the group of Fullbringers who were once assembled by Ginjō in the Human World, he is referring to the 'XCUTION’ they had heard about a few days ago, a new religious organisation which is making its presence felt in the Human World.
Whilst recalling the information he had gathered in the last few days from the 'newcomers in Rukongai’, Ginjō begins to reveal his own speculations.
“…Going by those guys fresh from death, apparently this religious cult organisation known as 'XCUTION’ already has devotees in the hundreds of thousands… somehow or the other, I can only imagine that some Fullbringer or Shinigami has something to do with this.”
According to the account he heard directly from someone who was a believer in their lifetime as luck would have it, details around such things as the Rukongai and the Shinigami Konsō being noted among them in the creed of 'XCUTION’, was almost entirely consistent with the state of the afterworld.
It can be said with certainty that this creed which mentions everything from the existence of Shinigami, Rukongai and Seireitei to the existence of Hollows, Hell and Hueco Mundo, is something that could only be written by an individual who knows about the 'afterworld’.
Nevertheless, in its midst, there was one sole part which deviates significantly from reality.
To be precise, it is a part that depicts the future and it is not yet known whether or not it will come to be.
—— {A new king will be born from the shadows of a turmoil spanning a millennium, and reign over the three worlds respectively.}
At first, Ginjō was of the opinion that the religious cult were associates of the Quincies, and that the 'new king’ was perhaps referring to Yhwach.
However, he has heard that Yhwach’s purpose was not to rule over the three worlds, but to eliminate the boundaries of the three worlds itself and return everything to the original plane of existence.
He believes that this very passage of the mysterious prophecy is the key to grasping the identity of the other party, it was his intention to even bring up the matter with Hisagi, the self-styled 'journalist’ who made his acquaintance just the other day, and draw out the opinion on the Shinigami side.
Yet before he could put this plan into action, a direct hint appeared before his eyes.
“Well… in that case, whose influence should we be focusing on?”
Ginjō was not looking at the monster of a Zanpakutō called 'Ikomikidomoe’, rather he cast his line of sight towards the child manipulating it who gave its name as 'Hikone’.
At that point, he noticed something.
Noticed that one of the Quincies who appeared later, slipped through the storm of the bombing raid and drew closer to the child Shinigami.
“Hey, kid. You said your name is Ubuginu Hikone right?”
What entered Liltoto’s eyes, is the form of Ubuginu Hikone standing atop an 'Ikomikidomoe’ who remained unscathed.
Only a few moments ago, they should have been subjected to the lighting strike unleashed by Candice several times over, but putting the creature that is 'Ikomikidomoe’ to one side, she is taken aback by the fact that even this Shinigami who is its master was unharmed, at the same time she intentionally opens up a dialogue in order to probe for information on the opponent.
“Oh! You’re the Quincy lady who showed up at Hueco Mundo that last time! Long time no see! It’s amazing that you’d actually eat up the kin of 'Ikomikidomoe’! It was a pleasure meeting you!”
“I didn’t want to encounter you at all if possible. Didn’t you say you were going to become king?”
“That’s right! Ah, well, to be precise, rather than saying that I am the one who will attain this feat, it is Tokinada sama who is being kind enough to make me king!”
“On top of being some hand-me-down for orders, you’ll be just a figurehead king? Isn’t there something you want to do through your own damn will?”
Although her manner of speaking was akin to provocation, Hikone doesn’t even seem to realise that it is what’s known as sarcasm and thus replied with an innocent tone.
“There is! What I want to do are things that are useful to Tokinada sama!”
"…So if this Tokinada guy you speak of told you to 'die a painful death’, would you go ahead and die?“
"Yes! I would do my very best to suffer as much as possible!”
“…Oh, I see.”
—— Damn. Talking with this brat is going to drive me crazy.
—— The way it fanaticises about things reminds me of that asshole Lille.
—— Nah, I wonder if this is slightly different from that guy, rather than fanaticism… how shall I put it?
—— I get the impression that the damn kid was set up to be that way from the very beginning.
Lil believed that this did not seem like someone she could get through to, but even so, she continues to question the child all the more.
Aside from the goal of extracting information, she genuinely harboured a suspicion.
“There’s something I want to ask you.”
It was regarding a certain Reiatsu intermingling within Hikone, which Candice and the others also perceived.
“…Have you ever heard the name… Gremmy Thoumeaux?”
Gremmy Thoumeaux.
The name of a boy who is reputed to be the strongest Sternritter, in fact, it was said that in all likelihood, no one could hope to defeat him outside of Yhwach.
That he is described as a boy, is purely because the body he had imagined for himself was that of a young boy, in actuality, both sex and age were unknown.
His true form is only a brain floating within a small container; a Quincy who 'imagined’ (created) his very own body by using the power of the Schrift V —— “The Visionary” given to him by Yhwach.
Making one’s imagination transform into reality as it stands, is evidently a phenomenon close to the power of a god, in the life or death struggle against Zaraki Kenpachi, he conjured everything from a huge meteorite within Seireitei to the vacuum of outer space.
In the end, he imagined power that could overcome Zaraki Kenpachi and made it his own, but because he couldn’t completely imagine a body that was able to withstand that power, it resulted in his self-destruction, he awakened from his dreams, and his brain ceased all function.
Lil caught sight of the moment Gremmy disintegrated with her own eyes, she was also able to confirm that his Reiatsu had come to a complete stop.
She had no idea what happened to the brain container thereafter, nor did she have any particular intention to go searching for its whereabouts.
However, it was a separate matter entirely if one could sense Gremmy’s Reiatsu coming from the Shinigami before her.
Perhaps by some chance this Shinigami figure is a mere mimicry, and in truth, something formed after the living Gremmy had 'imagined’ it, Lil had surmised as much before posing her question.
“Gremmy… Gremmy san you say…? Aha!”
Suddenly, after a brief moment of consideration, Hikone’s face lit up.
“Yes, I know that name! Tokinada sama kindly informed me!”
“……!”
Not expecting the child to return a straight answer, Lil widened her eyes a fraction and waits for Hikone to continue.
However, what is then narrated from Hikone’s mouth, was an answer that Lil doesn’t really want to hear.
“Gremmy san was apparently… a member among the materials, used at the time of my creation! That’s right!”
'They’ were slaves driven by an incessant destructive impulse, existing whilst embracing this paradox in which they would repeat the cycle of destruction because they sought liberation.
'They’ are the ones who once contended for the rank of '6’.
Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez.
Luppi Antenor.
The personalities of the two were completely different on the surface, but at its roots flowed the magma-like emotions which they both had in common.
In the past, Luppi had attained the 'Sexta’ numeral replacing Grimmjow who had made an error of judgement, and in response, the Espada who held the 'Octava’ numeral uttered this:
—— “I reckon the aspect of death you symbolise is the same as Grimmjow’s. That is why, you were chosen as successor out of the other candidates who were present like Dordoni or Cirucci.”
—— “I won’t let you tell me that I haven’t a clue what I’m talking about you know? You are only able to make a connection to something in the form of destruction. If one were to say that the hole bored into us Hollows is what we lack, then you, no, the two of you, can only fill that hole by means of destruction.”
—— “That you loathe Grimmjow from the very depths of your heart, it is mere repulsion for your own kind.”
—— “It doesn’t matter, you are the one who is legitimate Sexta now. You should treat him with compassion.”
—— “Well, if you end up killing him inadvertently, then I will have his corpse put to good use. Therefore, you can sate your own appetite with some peace of mind.”
—— “As long as you bear that № 6, you will always take the side that offers you 'destruction’ after all.”
Rukongai
Now that Aizen has left Hueco Mundo, and the significance has long since faded from the Espada numerals —— for 'them’, it is only the aspect of death known as “destruction” that remains.
“Hahaha! You realise I won’t let anyone get in my way? Because I’m going to demolish you, eight versus one!”
Swinging his eight tentacles which had been reduced to shreds, Luppi scattered spurts of his blood whilst delivering a flurry of blows at Grimmjow.
Having taken a form that was reminiscent of a beast by performing Resurrección, Grimmjow continues to beat back the turbulent barrage of assaults which were accompanied by physical blows, slashing attacks and even the occasional Cero, using only the claws on both hands as well as his own Cero.
“tsk… The likes of small fry won’t even be able to leave a scratch on me, guess I won’t find any sort of amusement in killing you.”
“If that’s the case, why not do me the favour of dropping dead while you’re busy getting bored?”
As Luppi enclosed Grimmjow with four of his tentacles from top and bottom, left and right, from the remaining four he unleashed a Cero fused with his own blood.
Counter to that, Grimmjow daringly juts forward and slips through a gap between the tentacles.
“But, I have reason to kill you asshole.”
Then, slashing away the Cero that was fired from those remaining four tentacles using his own claws, Grimmjow came prowling towards Luppi.
“…*gasp!*”
“Any fool who looks at me with mocking eyes, I don’t give a damn who they are, I’ll beat the crap out them!”
And thus, he attempted to drive the well-honed claws of his Zanpakutō into Luppi’s chest just as he had done in the past. ——
“…Got ya.”
Smiling fearlessly, it is Luppi who advanced forward without pause, and deliberately let the claws sink into his own abdomen.
“ ! ”
“You’ll beat the crap out the guy who mocks you Huh? Oh my, what a coincidence.”
He didn’t just offset the attack from his vitals which were being targeted, rather, as though an insectivorous plant was devouring its prey, Luppi wrapped his eight tentacles around both himself and Grimmjow. ——
“I intend to do the same, Grimmjow.”
In a gesture that compromised his own body, Luppi fires a volley of Cero at Grimmjow.
“…As if I’d let you!”
At the same time, Grimmjow instantaneously draws in a sharp breath, he spews an explosive roar woven with Reiatsu, and to top it off, from the armour on his arm which was free, Grimmjow launched hooked claws containing a mass of Reiatsu —— Garra de la Pantera.
Both of their attacks intersect, explosive flames and sprays of blood blanket the vicinity around the pair.
“They sure are making a damn mess of things. Geez, battles between fellow Hollows can get awfully wild huh.”
As the blast from the explosion raised a cloud of dust and deprived them of their field of vision, Ginjō who was covertly observing the progress of battle muttered this to himself.
Tsukishima who was standing beside him began to pose a question.
“I believe Ginjō tends to be quite reckless too though?”
“Don’t talk nonsense. I always put safety first don’t I?”
“If you say so.… That aside, it’s only a matter of time before they reach us.”
“…Yeah. Well, when it comes to that, there’s no knowing what may happen.”
Even as Ginjō kept his eyes trained on the battle between the fellow Arrancar, part of his cognition maintained vigilance against the Shinigami who was heading towards this place, as well as the other presence who appears to have joined up with him.
“It’s time, we should get down to business about whether or not we want to consider briefly retreating.… Even if we take advantage of the confusion, should we be careless enough to get caught in the crossfire it’s likely we’d wind up getting eradicated in the blink of an eye.”
“…tch. That move just now… you really thought that would work on me.”
What came into sight after the dust clouds had settled, is Luppi, tentacles torn to shreds even more so than before and blood streaming from his mouth as he smiled wryly.
Although he indicated no signs of disarray with his tone, Grimmjow had also sustained injuries all over his body.
“That’s my line, your sturdiness is fodder to me. Regardless, this ends here.”
Grimmjow then clicked his tongue as he flashed a grin, with that he began to charge Reiatsu into the claws of both hands in order to deliver a finishing blow.
However ——
“…tch. That move just now… you really thought that would work on me.”
“……?”
“…tch. That move just now… you really thought that would work on me.”
“Hey asshole, you touched in the head or something? What are you saying…?”
In puzzlement Grimmjow questions Luppi who repeated the same words, but then ——
“……!?”
Taking notice of the fact that his Reiatsu, which should have been gathered in his claws, was actually being reset, he came under the illusion that some strange event had occurred.
“That move just now, you really thought that would work on me.” . . . “you really thought that would work on me.” . . . “thought that would work on me.” . . . “on me” . . . “me” . . . “me” . . . “——” . . . “——”
While he listened to the words of Luppi which were being made to repeat, he was seized by the sensation that all the nerves in his body was in a state of paralysis ——
“Oh, sorry. I didn’t mention it? The spray of my blood which you are completely soaked in, has been infused with a special poison.”
In response to Grimmjow who suddenly fell to his knees, Luppi spoke with a smile that was a mixture of innocence and indifference.
“I don’t understand the mechanism very well myself, but perhaps by seeing the past, it is simply your consciousness that repeats the same moment in time over and over again? Apparently it’s quite a frightening poison that ends up paralysing one’s whole body during the process.”
As Luppi himself also staggered with his injuries, step by step he drew closer to Grimmjow.
He knew that by the hands of Kurotsuchi Mayuri, the poison had been embedded in both his body as well as the others. To go even further, it’s effectiveness has actually been proven through a zombie Matsumoto Rangiku who did battle against him.
Although he made a gamble as to whether or not this would also hold true for Hollows, with convincing speculation that the poison had probably been adapted to this situation too knowing Kurotsuchi Mayuri, he adopted a battle technique which involved deliberately dousing the enemy with his own spurts of blood.
“A-HA-HA… though it’s not like me at all, using a method like this that is…”
Aiming a mocking laugh at himself who taken a course of action which entailed the acceptance of Grimmjow’s honourable defeat, Luppi stared down towards Grimmjow.
“Well, I guess it’s because you’ve made it possible for me to truly feel alive for the first time in a long while…. I’m very grateful to you for that, Grimmjow.… I’m still going to kill you though.”
Then, with Reiatsu charged in each of his eight tentacles, Luppi prepares to fire a “Gran Rey Cero” from every single tip.
However, it was at this point when something unexpected occurred.
Grimmjow who should have fallen victim to a complete paralysis of his body, slowly began to rise from his spot.
“What the…?”
“tsk… You really got me good huh…Luppi!”
“Damn… why!? How are you able to stand up!? This is the very poison that even those captain class Shinigami were helpless against!?”
“Hn. That Arrancar, he has a resistance?”
Kurotsuchi Mayuri who was surveying the situation from a distance, whispered to himself with great interest.
“A resistance? To the captain’s poison?”
When Akon who remained at the Technological Development Department inquired over the communications, Mayuri explains the situation in a mixture of idle complaint against Luppi.
“Good grief, what an imprudent fool. Without me to set a point in the past to return to, the chemical agent cannot demonstrate its full potency I tell you. Well, even barring that, I have implanted an abundance of other varieties of paralysis poisons too.”
As if to indicate a great fascination, Mayuri scrutinized Grimmjow’s Reiatsu data whilst muttering to himself.
“Apparently, he was at the receiving end of some particular kind of poison, and he managed to survive in that condition. I wonder what kind of toxic substance it was? Very intriguing indeed.”
Having almost been poisoned to death once in the past via an ability belonging to the Quincy known as Nakk Le Vaar, Grimmjow has developed a strong tolerance towards poisons by undergoing said experience, although, even he himself was not aware of that fact.
In truth, if Mayuri had been by his side, then it’s likely he would have immediately 'tuned’ the drug thereby nullifying Grimmjow’s tolerance, however with the poison merely being sprinkled by Luppi it could never deprive bodily functions, so much so that it was possible for Grimmjow to still be standing on his own two feet.
“That was some sly move you pulled on me don’t you think? Whatever. If an asshole like you wants to kill me, then you’d better use all the tricks you’ve got.”
It’s not the case that the effects of the poison were nonexistent, and his physical condition should be approaching its worst, nevertheless, Grimmjow flashed a ferocious smile and grew all the more battle hungry.
“Because I’m going to take them all in one go and smash them up along with that smug face of yours.”
Observing that savage appearance, Luppi who was irritated by the fact that his opponent had stood up, quite conversely regains his composure.
“Ah, sure enough, things like poisons don’t suit my character. I’m no Szayelaporro.”
Rotating his eight tentacles which had been reduced to shreds, he began to accumulate his Reiatsu once more in order to unleash “Gran Rey Cero.”
“It’s fine by me, Grimmjow. Bring it on.”
With a fiendish smile similar to that of his opponent’s surfacing on his face, Luppi recites to Grimmjow his own intent to kill in a coarse manner of speech that was quite out of the ordinary for him.
“You still… won’t be able to shatter me from the front like before!”
A “Gran Rey Cero” octet.
Sensing that an unprecedented attack was imminent, Grimmjow also attempts to engage his opponent with a technique that could counteract that attack.
Desgarrón.
Grimmjow processes the Reiatsu density which even exceeds that of “Gran Rey Cero” on the tips of both sets of claws, taking the form of huge sharpened claws they begin to stand towering over the surroundings forking to the left and right of his body.
It is not clear which side would emerge more formidable, but there appeared to be no doubt that the environs would be blown to smithereens with the impact of the Reiatsu either way.
“Oh crap this isn’t good. Retreat.”
“What the hell is up with that!? Do they intend to swallow us up with them too!?”
Ginjō and Candice raise their voices at the same time, together with their respective companions they began to make a retreat from the two Arrancar, but then ——
'The one’ who came flying in by moving into their position, darted between Grimmjow and Luppi, the Reiatsu at the scene instantly descends into chaos.
“ !? ” " ! “
With their concentration disturbed by the change of Reiatsu, Luppi and Grimmjow temporarily halt the exercise of their techniques.
"……Who the heck are you?”
Confronted by Luppi who posed this question without relinquishing the hold he had on the Reiatsu which was charged to fire a Gran Rey Cero, the strange mass of Reiatsu which came barging in, opened its mouth to speak.
“Ouch-ouch-ouch-ouch… just as I thought, I’m no good at landing huh…”
After muttering to itself in a demeanour that disregarded the atmosphere of the scene completely, 'it’ introduced itself whilst flashing a smile that held not even a shred of malice towards Luppi.
“Oh right! I’m Ubuginu Hikone! Tokinada sama has instructed me that… err… I came here to see Grimmjow san.”
In response to Hikone who made this assertion with a nonchalant air, Luppi looks at Grimmjow through eyes mixed with bewilderment.
“Uhh… is this kid, like your backup or something?”
“That’s not how it is.”
Flatly denying the statement, Grimmjow fixes a glare at Hikone.
“…I mean, I don’t remember introducing myself to you that last time. How the hell do you know my name?”
“That’s right! Tokinada sama kindly informed me! You are the 6th Espada right!?”
Hearing those words, Luppi narrows his eyes ever so slightly.
Meanwhile, as if to indicate that he no longer cared for neither the Espada nor the number 6, Grimmjow reacted to the other name that hung among those words.
“Tokinada huh? You mentioned the same damn thing the other day. Is that the name of the Shinigamis’ boss?”
Suddenly, a different voice could be heard coming from behind Grimmjow.
“You’ve got it wrong fool. He’s a big shot alright. But our leader is unmistakably Kyōraku san.”
“You’re that damned…”
What appeared there, was a blond haired Shinigami wearing a captains’ Haori above a standard Shihakushō.
Though both his hair and garments were completely different, Grimmjow immediately recognises who this individual was.
“This Reiatsu… I remember. You’re the bastard that poked his nose into the death-match between me and Kurosaki in the Human World.”
“You must be mistaking me for someone else.”
“Was that supposed to be some kind of joke? And what the hell are you anyway? Are you that brat’s guardian or something?”
“I thought I already told you.… 'What’s it to you?’ right?”
“So you are the bastard from that time after all huh?”
Grimmjow who had heard the same remark a few years ago, spoke words of delight after giving a click of his tongue whilst his lips contorted fiendishly.
“Ha! To think that the punks I wanted to beat to death would willingly come to me one after the other! Now if that kurosaki asshole were to show up next, things would be perfect!”
However, Grimmjow’s hopes were swiftly dashed by Hikone.
“Kurosaki Ichigo san won’t be coming.”
“What’s that?”
Brushing aside the hostility of Grimmjow who was glaring daggers, Hikone continues to speak in an unperturbed manner.
“Because kurosaki Ichigo san should be busy in the Human World right about now! Apparently he is putting up a fight by risking his own life all for the sake of his sisters! Isn’t that amazing!? I respect him a lot for that!”
At those words, the blond haired Shinigami also raised his voice in puzzlement.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold up rug-rat. How can you be so sure of such a thing? What’s going on with Ichigo?”
But before Hikone could respond to that, Grimmjow had moved into action.
He shoots a Cero in each direction; towards the blond Shinigami on his left hand side, and Hikone and Luppi to his right.
“That was close! What’s the deal!? Your opponent right now is that Ferris Wheel over there!”
In response to the Shinigami who uttered this complaint as he evaded the attack by a hair’s breadth, Grimmjow sneered with his canines bared.
“Don’t play dumb with me. I was planning to slaughter the whole lot of you anyway. Does someone have a problem with that?”
“Just now, did you just call me a Ferris wheel…?”
Luppi who had promptly defended against the Cero using his tentacles, fixed a piercing glare at the Shinigami and Grimmjow, but then he notices the presence of Hikone who was stood in the middle.
—— Hn?
—— This kid didn’t even try to dodge the the attack, and yet, how is it that the kid is unharmed?
At that point, an unsettling chill shot down Luppi’s spine.
And Luppi wasn’t alone.
Grimmjow, the blond haired Shinigami, and even as far as the Quincies and Fullbringers who were quietly observing the situation from a remote position; beads of sweat began to seep through the palms of their hands after they had all sensed some sort of mighty pressure.
“…Hey, this brat… seriously, what in the hell is it?”
At Grimmjow’s query, the blond Shinigami shakes his head as he replies.
“Even if I knew, I wouldn’t be telling you… though frankly, I’d like to know for myself.”
What entered their vision, was a Zanpakutō.
The sword which had been unsheathed by Hikone before they knew it, had a curious expression of colour as though it was being filled in with a white light rather than radiating an intense white on its blade.
It is different from Sode no Shirayuki which was entirely pure white from blade to hilt; looking at the 'white’ that was wrapped in some sort of ominous air, the Shinigami and Quincies felt a sense of primordial fear, likewise the Arrancar and Fullbringers felt a sense of primordial affinity.
“This presence… it’s Hollow, isn’t it?”
With some annoyance Grimmjow answers Luppi who had inquired of his enemies in spite of himself.
“There’s no mistaking it. That brat’s Zanpakutō is one of us. It even opened up a damn Garganta last time.”
“Hikone right… That Zanpakutō of yours, what is it?”
—— If my eyes are deceiving me, I’d be fine with that.
—— But a moment ago, didn’t that Zanpakutō just swallow up the Cero?
There are several known Zanpakutō capable of absorbing Reishi based attacks, such as “Arazome Shigure”.
However, the one revealed just now appeared to be in a class quite different from those.
Through Hirako’s Reikaku, it felt as though the Reiatsu of the blade itself had ingested the Cero’s Reishi, like a creature in the flesh sipping from a body of water.
Upon hearing Hirako’s question, Hikone innocently begins talking with a glad-looking smile.
“Oh, why don’t I also introduce it to Hirako san! It was given to me by Tokinada sama, it’s my Zanpakutō!”
“Given, you say.”
When Hirako puzzled over which point he should retort, a voice that caused him further bafflement echoed across from Hikone’s hands.
“…How deplorable.”
“Hn?”
“I would never have guessed that the Reiatsu of my brethren who have broken their masks, would only amount to this level.”
That —— was a remark intended for Luppi and Grimmjow, cast from the Zanpakutō itself.
“I wonder what Baraggan is doing now? Has he been sealed away like me?”
For a moment he considered whether Hikone’s voice had changed, but Hirako instantly rejects the notion.
Because a Reiatsu intermingled in the very voice which caused a tremor in the atmosphere, and it carried within it a pronounced Hollow nature.
“What the heck is that Zanpakutō!? Did it materialize or something!?”
“Silence, Shinigami. I am not a Zanpakutō. I am… I am…”
The voice of the Zanpakutō which tried to reveal its name broke off, it switched to a voice brimming with a deeply held resentment.
“Blast… those wretched Shinigami, they… to my name…”
“…What in the world? The sword just pulled a one-man comedy routine, and it’s not making me laugh just by how creepy it is.”
Away from a dumbfounded Hirako, Grimmjow and Luppi each raise their voice in protest.
“What is that windbag suggesting?”
“Either way, can I take it that it picked a fight with us just now?”
The pair’s bloodlust turned towards the Zanpakutō which appeared to have scoffed at them a moment ago —— or rather, towards this Hollow-like thing.
“Uh-oh! My apologies! This one only recently became capable of talking, but I’m afraid it has a sharp tongue…!”
Hikone meekly bows in apology, but before long the child uttered a strange narrative which lit up its whole face.
“However, if you take offence, then I will gladly fight you with all my strength!”
“Say what?”
“Because this time for sure, I’ll show you that your hearts can yield, I’ll make you recognise me as king! Please look forward to that! I’ll do my very best!”
After naively speaking words of provocation, Ubuginu Hikone recited aloud words that sought to release the Zanpakutō, or rather, something that resembles a Zanpakutō.
“Okuri Shiruse* —— Ikomikidomoe” (*TN –Send them to their burials and engrave them in memory —— Ikomikidomoe)
At the same time, Reiatsu gushed forth like a tornado, it became an eerie partition which confused light and shadow in a disorderly mess and eclipsed the area surrounding Hikone.
“……!?”
Having once confronted Hikone, it was Grimmjow alone who had noticed the 'abnormality’.
—— What the hell is going on? The release call is different from last time….
The release call he had heard in Hueco Mundo were the words “orbit the stars”. What the Zanpakutō had demonstrated on that occasion, was an ability in which the blade would transform into a Hollow-like arm, and mow down all enemies within its vicinity through independent actions.
It was a simple power yet one of unmatched brutality, in the end, it came to be that several Vasto Lorde class Arrancar had forced the sword into a retreat after overcoming its power with some effort.
However, it wasn’t just the words of the release call that is different.
—— Is it just me or is the Reiatsu concentration also on a completely different level compared to back then…!?
With his suspicions remaining unsullied, the Reishi tornado dissipated after a few seconds had elapsed. ——
As they raised their eyes to the thing that had emerged from within it, all those who happened to be present at the scene were left equally as speechless as the other.
“…What the heck, is that?”
Even from the position of Ginjō’s group who had decided to maintain a distance for the time being, it could clearly be seen.
Rather, it’s better to say that it would probably be quite difficult for them to miss it.
It may have been a familiar spectacle as far as the Shinigami and Arrancar are concerned.
Because in terms of size, that is when speaking with regard to this kind of scale, it has been proven in the past to manifest beyond the scope of normal standards and such examples can be found in the being known as Hooleer - an aggregation of Menos Grande characterised by its single eye, or the rage empowered Espada - Yammy Llargo.
However, even after taking that into account, if one considers the fact that 'it’ can maintain a Reiatsu density comparable to that of a humanoid Vasto Lorde, then it’s possible to say that 'it’ is evidently an abnormal being.
Visual perception and Reiatsu Chikaku - the being that constricted everything in this double sense, tread firmly on Soul Society’s soil whilst inhaling the last vestiges of the tornado.
The creature was larger than the ordinary Menos Grande, and it took a form that was both grotesque like an Adjuchas and beautiful.
Moreover, it was possible to identify that the Shihakushō clad child who had made an appearance only a short while ago, was the one riding on top.
“…That’s no ninja’s ōgama*…… it’s probably too dangerous to be kept as a pet.” (*TN –an ōgama is a giant toad, this line is a reference to a toad riding ninja in Japanese folklore based on the tale “Jiraiya Gōketsu Monogatari”)
Meanwhile, the Quincies were also left bewildered after seeing the enormity of strange-looking creature.
“…That thing over there, it’s bigger than that werewolf’s Bankai, the one who defeated Bambi, don’t you think?”
“There’s something more worrying than that…”
In response to Candice who spoke as if in disbelief, Meninas gave utterance to one particular inkling of suspicion.
“Yeah, I’m aware of that.”
As she broke out into a cold sweat, Candice assembled words that followed up from Meninas’ own.
“The little Shinigami-like brat riding on top… why the hell is it all mixed up with that guy’sReiatsu?”
“…It seems they have taken the bait.”
With a broad grin playing on his face, Kurotsuchi Mayuri mutters to himself.
Then, whilst operating the communications device fitted to his ear, he issued a set of instructions to NaNaNa Najahkoop who was stationed in separate location.
“It’s time you played your part. Using one of your few redeeming qualities, you should be able to lay their souls bare.”
“Few you say, isn’t that a little uncalled-for… well, I’ve accomplished what’s been asked of me I’ll have you know…. Have you had your sights set on that weird brat and the monster rather than the Fullbringers, from the very beginning?”
“It’s only natural that an analysis of Fullbringers would also be among my objectives. Strictly speaking, carrying out a study of that 'patchwork’ over there was planned a little later. However, I didn’t expect that the bait would be taken so easily…. I wonder if a situation that required an urgent response arose, or if I should consider that they had been deliberately sent out whilst knowing it was a trap.”
Mayuri then narrows his eyes, a sneer worked its way to his face as he utters the name of a certain man.
“If it’s the latter, then you have gravely underestimated me…. Tsunayashiro Tokinada.”
