He was closer. He's definitely closer than before. And he's still approaching. What was that feeling ? I immediatly turn back.

- Hmm ... - W-What ? What happened Ku-chan ? - Nothing ... Just my imagination ...

Was it some kind of dream ? Is it just me ?

- It's a ghost ! I told you ! They're EVVVERRRYYYWHHHERREE ! - Shut up. You're getting bothersome with your ghost tales ! I don't want to be late for school, let's go ! - I'm coming~ !

It wasn't a dream. It was just too fast. I was just too slow. But it definitely wasn't a dream. I didn't notice at the moment, but someone with a broken mask was spying on us.

- So, here they are. Haha, interesting, one of them has a higher Reiatsu than me ? Which one ? The girl or ... The boy ? Does it really matter ? I'll just kill them !

I felt it. An intense bloodlust. The same bloodlust that the predators have.

- But later. I guess we can't help it ... I'm still hungry ... for some spirits.

A grin ran through his face from those words. The second following, he disappeared, as the pressure surrounding us.

5:30 PM. Class end.

As usual, I came back to my home accompanied by Hinode. Her house is further down the street. We're half-way, I forget the pressure from a while ago, the only thing pressuring me right now is homework. But still, not so far from us, he was there.

- Found yaaa~

An instinct. It was just a primal instinct. I took Hinode in my arms and I moved her from her where she was. At that moment, it looked like the air was cut. I then looked from where the cut was from, and I saw him. A man, around 20 years old, tan-skinned, with a Black & White outfit and purple hair. The left part looked like a Shinigami Kimono while the right part looked more like Human clothes, with straight sleeves. However, his Hakama was white, as opposed to ours.

- R ... RUN ! Hinode !

I took her by the arm and we ran to some tight street where she could hide.

- Just wait for me, I ... Heard some ... Gun shots. - Guns ? I didn't hear anything, what are you talking about ? - Just wait here, please. And if I don't come back, just run back to your home. - K... Ku-chan ... You're scaring me... - Just promise me you'll do it ! Hurry up !

Her head nodded as she gave her answer.

- Y- Yeah ... No problem ...

I immediatly run toward this weird guy, as I took some kind of pill in my pocket.

- Here it is ... The pill Matsunami-san gave me ... Here I go !

I swallowed it. In a blink of an eye, I turn to my Shinigami's form. This time, I wasn't afraid. I took my blade without hesitation and I pointed it to this weird guy.

- Who are you, and what do you want ? - Oh, you're finally back ? Who I am ? Come on, I thought Shinigami were smarter than that, don't you have any idea ?

This smile on his face was just scary. He was as calm as he was confident.

- Not at all, you're just some weird dude !

However, at that same instant, I noticed something. On his face; on his chest. He had some broken mask and hole. Just like Hollows.

- Just what are y...

He didn't let me finish my sentence. He was so close of me, something was falling on my head. Instinctively , I dodged by an inch, but still, I was cut on my left cheek.

- C-Close ! ... Uh ?

I couldn't see it a high-speed, but now that it was froze, there was no way I couldn't notice it. On the ground there was ...

- A ... Sword ? Are you a Shinigami ?! - Shinigami ? ARE YOU KIDDING ME !

The smile on his face disappeared, as he rushed toward me, slashing on and on. Though I could sometimes block, it landed on body most of the time, resulting in deep cuts on my flesh.

-D ... Damn !

I was bleeding, I was sweating. I honestly thought that it would be easier than against the Hollow, but it wasn't.

- I thought I had found someone with a High-Reiatsu, but it's not the case, you're weak as hell ... - H ... Haha ! You're the one kidding me here ! You speak a lot, but you're not that strong either ! - Oh ...

While I was prepared to block his next slash, he suddendly raised his left hand. The only thing I saw then was a red flash that hit me and sent me flying away.

- G-Guah ! W ... What was that ! M ... Magic ? It damn hurts !

As I tried to stand up, he was coming closer. And it starts again. Those red flashes were at least as fast as sound. Avoiding them was impossible. A few moments later, I was here, lying on the wall behind me, almost uncounscious.

- Well ? That's all ? You can't even endure my Bala any longer ? I guess there's no use to play with you anymore ...

The next moment, his hand became red one more time, and he sent his Bala right toward me.

- S ... Shi ... T ...

One. Two. Three. Four. Many other Bala touched me, but suddenly, as some kind of reflex, I slash one of those Bala. For the first time, I was able to block one of those Reiatsu Bullet. During the short instant where he was astonished, I lowered by sword downward, sending a burst of Reiatsu hitting him.

- W-What is that ?

During a few seconds, my blade looked like golden, was I imaginating things ? However, he was coming out of the smoke produced by the burst.

- Interesting move you have there~ You should have start with this from the beginning.

He was bleeding from the mouth. The burst sure did hurt him, though it was a little.

- Interesting ? Don't you understand ? I can now hurt you, the balance has tilted ! You should prepare yourself to lose ! - Lose ... You say ? Haha .. HAHAHAHAHA ! Interesting ! Let me show you, how desesperate your situation is !

He positioned himself in an offensive stance, the blade pointing at me. His devil's smile was back.

- Here I come !

Faster than the Hollow. Faster than Shiro & Matsunami. It only takes a second to this guy to rush over me and slash me down. I couldn't react, I couldn't even see him. A deep cut was running through my chest. I losed awareness and I felt to the ground.

- Ha ! At least, you managed to hurt me. I guess I can answer then. I'm an Arrancar. Arrancar Veintiocho "N°28", Rudacreiss Managera.