Chapter 2
Renji and Ishida were both dumbstruck watching the espada regenerate himself by eating other arrancar. Half of his body which was blown by Ishida arrows now recuperating and within minutes the espada had already taken his original form. An idea hit Ishida and slowly he made his move to the other side of hall while Renji still looked frustrated knowing that regardless how many attempts and power they used, the espada could actually return to his normal state and fight them all over again. With a sudden, thousands of blue arrows appeared inside the battle field. Sensing trouble, the espada managed to dodge the arrows fired by Ishida. Renji looked stunned as the arrows are not specifically shot to the espada, but to hundreds of arrancars inside the hall. Realizing Ishida's intention, Renji quickly killed other arrancars that missed the blue arrows earlier.
"We have to get out of here. I can't use my bankai in this place, the espada already sealed most of my power," said Renji after he finished slicing the last arrancar.
"Go Renji and use your shunpo. Once you are out of the barrier, it's your turn to fight him. I'll stay here and block him to give you time. Now!" said Ishida while his eyes quickly averted to the espada as he still dodging from his bows.
"Huh? You want me to go out here alone? Che," replied Renji annoyed as he knew Ishida had used up all his spirit energy while giving the final blow to the espada. Looking at his blood dripping down to his cape and other severed injuries, Ishida will not last if he fights with the espada again and with a swift motion, Renji hauled Ishida and shunpoed getting out from the battle field.
"Renji! What the hell are you doing? I still have energy to fight the espada. Let me down!" yelled Ishida. Renji just let out a smirk and continue his speed. After few minutes, when Renji placed Ishida down, both of them realized that they are back at the place they started earlier. The place they were in before they venture out on their own and the very place where they made the pact.
"Do you believe in fate?" asked Renji suddenly.
"Just a coincidence. What the hell are you blabbering about? The espada will be here in any minute. Change to your bankai now!" said Ishida.
"I know dammit. Just shut up," Renji replied, annoyed with Ishida remark.
Ishida flicker a smile when Renji called on his bankai. Deep down, he hoped that Renji could handle the espada properly as there is no more arrancar that could help it regenerate again as they already killed all of the arrancar. Ishida scanned the area around them when he saw the espada uses it flash step and was in the area with a blink. Ishida move out of the way and it was then he saw Nell's friend hiding behind one of the rock. The hollow gave Ishida what he calls a sheepish smile and a quick wave which Ishida groaned with annoyance.
"So, you manage to get your bankai out. Congrats but this won't stay long. You and your Quincy friend are such low specimens that really disgust me. I'll kill you to ease my sore eyes," said the espada.
"Heh. Dream on you sick creature. Right now, I just felt good that I will end this as quickly as possible. Rukia and the others made a pact with me in this very place that we will get out of here alive. So, I will not let go my promise to my comrade who fought bravely and faced their own fear and death in this place. I will kill you first and find my nakama and bring them back. Howl, Zabimaru!" and Renji swing his dragon like sword to the espada.
Ishida let out a smirk in a corner knowing that Renji will not hold back in this fight. They had to win. He has to win in order them to move on and save Inoue and the others. Ishida calmed himself down and began tracing others reiatsu all over Hueco Mondo. After a while he detected Ichigo reiatsu with Inoue and the little hollow, Nell. He immediately felt a relief knowing that Inoue is safe. Ishida venture out again finding the others reiatsu when he felt sudden outburst. He recognized Chado reiatsu but the more he concentrate, he detect that Chado is with someone whose reiatsu seems familiar which is not quite right in the first place. The second reiatsu flared strong and evenly as if controlled perfectly by the owner. All of them were heading towards the very same place as he and Renji.
"It can't be… She was reported gone by the earlier espada that I fought. All along she had already lost her reiatsu, so, who is this person returning here with Chado? It surely can't be her. She's dead!" hissed Ishida fiercely.
Renji fought intensely and tried to find his opponent weaker points which is difficult because the espada does not use anything else except his sword. The more he strikes the espada, the more he felt frustrated as his bankai movement is easily to be predicted. After sometime, Renji was beaten harshly and pushed against the pillar and almost fell to unconscious state if not for Ishida who yelled at him.
"Baka! How did you fight him? You need to be alert! Use your bankai out of its ordinary form. Listen to me, you can do it! Rukia is coming back here with Chado and she's alive! So get back your ass in there and fight if you don't want to be humiliate that you can't even win with this low class espada!" yelled Ishida on top of his lungs.
Renji was wide awake. Ishida had indeed injected him fuel that right now he felt overwhelmed by the news and began to pull himself together. Renji stared at Zabimaru and closing his eyes, he began to flow his spirit energy into his sword combining himself with his sword as one. The espada stared unbelievingly and fear began creeping into him when he saw the one dragon now beginning to duplicate itself until half of the place is filled with the dragon bankai, hissing at him like a Medusa head. From wild and fierce faces of the dragons, Renji appeared in the middle and blue light shone through his eyes as in trance state and began commanding the dragons to attack the espada. The dragons move faster than before and began surrounding the espada. It took sometime for the espada to register what happened. He was trapped like a mouse in a snake cage.
Once the espada unmoved and faze by the situation, Renji raise his hand and force an attack on the espada which left no space for him to dodge the attack, only to defend himself with his release form. Loud explosion rang through the place and shook the ground. Ishida did not let his eyes waver from Renji. After the first attack, Renji change his bankai form and release the dragons with each pieces is not attached to the main structure and attack every inch of the espada body, hurting him more than the espada can imagined. After what seems hours, the Renji let go of his grip on the espada, and with shattered body the espada fell on the floor.
"Damn you shinigami. How dare you... I can't be lost to… low creature," and with his last words, the espada body scattered into thousand pieces. Renji watched his bankai turn to his normal sword. Slowly he began to lose conscious and right before he fell, Ishida held his hand out preventing Renji from falling to the cold floor.
"Ishida. Is it true that she's alive? Tell me…I want to hear it again..." said Renji beginning to close his eyes.
"She is alive and on the way here with Chado," replied Ishida. Renji let out a smile before he fell totally unconscious. Ishida looked at Renji and after confirming that Renji already fainted he began muttering under his breath.
"You saved us Renji. Good work," said Ishida smirking…
