Chapter 3: Strength Revealed
The desert of Hueco Mundo erupts as two bloodthirsty souls pitted their blades against each other.
Further away, an orange haired girl wearing a white dress was caring for a green haired child dressed in rags and was clearly identifiable as a hollow from the cartoonish cracked skull on her head. Above them standing on some rubble was a small, pink haired child wearing the robes of a shinigami and a badge which identified her as the Eleventh Division's lieutenant who watched the battle intently.
All Inoue Orihime was able to do was look on helplessly as well.
She wasn't able to do anything when the Arrancars Ulquiorra and Yammy came to the real world and she along with her friend Sado had to face them to buy time for Kurosaki and had been severly injured. She was equally helpless when Ulquiorra came again to 'kidnap' her, threatening to kill her shinigami escorts and all her loved ones if she didn't go with him.
Under the circumstances, she didn't have a choice. It was either her or a lot of other people.
In Hueco Mundo, she was told of the reason why she was taken and it was then she decided that she would do her part to help while in captivity even if it the price was her own life. She just has to wait for the right opportunity.
But most recently, she was told that a number of her friends Rukia, Renji, Sado and Uryu had invaded Hueco Mundo just to rescue her. Furthermore, she also heard that they were assisted by a rogue group of hollows as well as a former Espada who had fallen from grace.
Then the Sexta Espada Grimmjow had inexplicably taken her with him and encountered an injured Kuchiki Byakuya carrying a grieviously wounded Rukia whom he started to fight with. But before anyone could stop them, Nnoitara and his fraccion Tesla appeared and took her and the small child hollow named Nel away.
In her desire to protect the nice 'big bobby' lady, Nel temporarily regained her true form of the adult female arrancar and ex Espada named Nel Tu. She had thrashed Nnoitara around for a while before she suddenly reverted back to her child form in mid battle and was knocked out. However, they were saved by Zaraki Kenpachi who had handily defeated and killed Tesla and was now in a battle with the revealed Quince Espada Nnoitra Jiruga.
All the while, the condition of her friends worried her. But in the back of her mind, she couldn't help but feel disappointed that Ichigo wasn't with them. The last time she saw him was during the twenty four hour time period Ulquiorra gave her to say goodbye to her friends. She saw him hard at training with the Vizards and shivered at the cold look he had in his eyes then.
She wondered if the training had affected her friend's personality as well. Even when the arrancars attacked again, she heard that Ichigo was nowhere to be seen while Hitsugaya and the others fought against them.
But as she pondered this, a sudden surge of spiritual pressure catches her attention and makes her eyes go wide. Above her, Yachiru felt it too but her reaction was to jump up and down in delight. It seemed dark and oppressive yet felt all too familiar to Orihime.
"Kurosaki Kun...."
...................................................................................................
"Hahahahahaha!!!! Are we having fun yet Espada?" Zaraki cackles madly as he was, yet again, able to cut through his opponent's Hierro (Iron Skin) which, according to him, was the toughest amongst the Espadas. "Toughest Hierro my ass. You bleed just like everybody else. You're just not used to being cut open yourself."
"You stinkin' shinigami...." Nnoitra rasps as he swings his scythe at Zaraki who blocks it with his sword. "Nobody fucks with me and lives to tell about it. I'll destroy you and leave no evidence of your existence."
"Tough talk for a deadman." Zaraki stated with a scoff. But their exchange was interrupted by a surge of spiritual pressure which made them pause in mid-battle.
"W-Who the hell is that? WHAT the hell is that?" Nnoitra asks. He didn't recognize the reiatsu signature but he could tell that it was very strong. He then glares at Zaraki who had a wide knowing smile in his face. "Is this more of your tricks, shinigami?"
"Are you retarded? You think THAT kind of reiatsu is just a trick?" Zaraki said incredilously. "You must be weaker then I thought if you think that nothing can generate that much power. For your info, that was my cue to finish this fight quickly. You're not even giving me a challenge and I'm starting to get bored already. I wanna fight Ichigo as soon as possible because he's the only one who is truly worthy enough for my blade."
Nnoitra couldn't believe his ears. The fucking shinigami was underestimating him.. The very thought that the asshole thought he was actually better then him enraged Nnoitara more the anything else.
"I don't care who the fuck this Ichigo is. Who the fuck do you think you're talking to shinigami?!?" Nnoitra growls, gripping his scythe a little tighter. "I'm an Espada and the very best there is!! I'll kill you for even thinking that you're even in the same league as me!!!" And with that, Nnoitra charges at a grinning Zaraki.
...................................................................................................
"D-Did you feel that Ishida?" Renji asks his Quincy companion as he painfully props himself up with his elbow. Both the Sixth Division lieutenant and the last Quincy had just been saved by, of all people, the Twelfth Division captain Kurotsuchi Mayuri from the Octava Espada Szayel Aporro Grantz who had been handily beating them.
Renji had joined Rukia, Ishida and Sado in their quest to rescue Orihime and had entered Hueco Mundo on their own. They were then joined by the child hollow Nel and her friends. They then split up inside Las Noches where they had met up with their respective opponents. He himself had met and defeated the Privaron Espada named Dordonii Alessandro Del Soccachio before encountering Szayel.
At first, Renji thought his power was enough against Szayel. But the Espada had proven to be too smart, resourceful and had already prepared for him. And even when Ishida joined the fight, the Espada had simply released his sword and unveiled his unusual ability which he used to disable them before Kurotsuchi came.
But a few minutes into the fight between the two beings, a powerful surge of reiatsu makes everyone stop.
"Ughh.... Yeah." Ishida said, cursing as he tried to move. His fight against the Privaron Espada named Cirruci Thunderwitch had drained him before he came to help Renji against Szayel. He had to admit that while the Espada's ability was a little unusual, it was quite effective because it knocked both him and Renji out of the fight. But his spiritual awareness was still intact and there was no mistaking that reiatsu surge they felt.
"Kurosaki." He mutters to himself. From what he heard from Urahara, the orange haired was nowhere to be seen since the time when the Espada Grimmjow and his fraccion invaded Karakura and claimed he had no idea of his whereabouts.
But of course, Ishida didn't believe that for a second.
As far as he could tell, Kurosaki's reiatsu signature felt similar to the time he fought Kuchiki Byakuya only a lot more stable. And he had a suspicion that Urahara had been responsible for it in some way.
Exactly how strong did Kurosaki become?
...................................................................................................
"Well now.... How interesting." Kurotsuchi comments with a sick smile. "It would seem that the deputy shinnigami had evolved even further. I must invite him over for further studies."
"How curious. A shinigami with the powers of a hollow. Perhaps I should capture him for my experiments after I'm done with you." Szayel said causing the Twelfth Division captain to look at him.
"After you're done with me? You talk as if you will be the one left standing after this battle." Kurotsuchi said with a raised eyebrow.
"Is it not true? I obviously have the advantage here so why delay the inevitable?" Szayel said.
"Hmpp.... I had thought that you, as a fellow scientist, would have more sense." Kurotsuchi said in derision as he draws his zanpaktou. "But it would seem that I'm mistaken and you're as stupid and ignorant as the rest. I will show you how wrong you are and give you a demonstration of our difference in strength. And I will do it all with one word."
Kurotsuchi then raises his zanpaktou and gives Syazael an insane smile as he spoke one word. "Bankai."
...................................................................................................
"Wow.... Berry tan is really getting into his fight." Mashiro comments, looking up at where Ichigo was figting as she removes her mask. At her feet lay the skull masked Exquias soldiers. The Exquias leader had sent his subordinates to attack so Kensei had Mashiro meet them in battle.
Despite her ditzy looks, Kensei knew that Mashiro was extremely efficient and ruthless in a fight. And as he expected, the green haired female Vizard had donned her mask from the beginning and had quickly finished the battle against her opponents in record time.
"Yeah. But let's not worry about him and concentrate more on what WE have to do, shall we?" Kensei said, looking at the Exquias leader.
"Identify yourselves intruders." The Exquias leader stated, sounding eerily calm for someone who just saw his subordinates beaten down.
"I'm the ex captain of the 9th Division Mugurumu Kensei and the ditz with me is my former lieutenant, Kuno Mashiro." Kensei said, eyeing the Exquias leader warily. He just saw Mashiro defeat his men and still remain unfazed.
That would only mean two things. One was he was THAT confident of his own abilities and two was that he was out of his mind.
Kensei was willing to bet that it was both.
"My name is Rudabon and I am the leader of the Exquias." The arrancar said, drawing his zanpaktou. "And seeing as you ARE a captain class shinigami, I suppose I can't afford to hold back against you."
"It's really up to you but you WILL be making a big mistake if you did." Kensei said, drawing his own zanpaktou.
"Indeed." The Exquias leader said as he holds out his zanpaktou. "Then let's begin shall we? Grow, Arbol." Roots bursts out of the sands and covers the Exquias leader. The roots then start to meld with the arrancar and after a few moments, Rudabon's released form is revealed. The right side of Rudobōn's body becomes wrapped in branches reaching down to his waist, where they split off into roots that flare out on either of Rudobōn's sides. Four lightning bolt shaped branches grow out of the upper part of his right arm, with skulls similar to those worn by his subordinates hanging off of each one. In his hand, Rudabon held what seems to be a long, sharp wooden stake.
"Behold the nearly god-like power of creation which Aizen Sama granted me." Rudabon declared. "Despite the fact that it is not enough to make me an Espada, it is still more then sufficient to defeat you." The skulls from his branches fall off and to Kensei's surprise, starts to transform into the skull masked Exquias soldiers.
"God-like power power of creation huh?" Kensei comments. "So those subordinates of yours were nothing more then mindless puppets you created. What's the matter? Nobody thought you're good enough to lead a squad of your own that you actually have to make your own subordinates?"
If Rudabon was offended by Kensei's taunts, he didn't show it.
Mashiro makes a move to manifest her mask again but a hand from Kensei stops her. "You've had your fun Mashiro." Kensei said without looking at Mashiro and holds up his zanpaktou. "This bonehead's all mine. Blow them away, Tsuchikaze!!"
...................................................................................................
The smoke caused by Ichigo's explosive release clears away and reveals the orange haired Vizard's bankai form which did not change except for one glaring difference.
And that was the Hollow's mask which covered his entire face.
"What's this? There's no difference at all except for that damned excuse for a Hollow's mask." Grimmjow taunted.
"Are you sure about that?" A voice spoke from behind. Grimmjow watches in amazement as the Ichigo infront of him starts to fade away. He snaps his head back and sees Ichigo already behind with his zanpaktou dripping with blood. A few moments later, a shallow cut opens up across Grimmjow's chest.
"Impossible! I didn't see him move a muscle yet he got behind me and even managed to cut through my released form's armor!" Grimmjow thought furiously.
"That's twice I could've killed you Grimmjow. You won't get a third chance." Ichigo stated coldly then settled into a fighting stance, holding his zanpaktou with both hands. "Now stop your yapping and start showing me what you've really got."
"You fuckin' bastard!!!! I'm gonna kill you!!!!" Grimmjow roared in anger, firing his elbow spike at Ichigo. The vizard bats the spike away with his sword but found himself pushed back by a flurry of swipes from the Espada. Soon, the sound of clashing steel and grunts of pain can be heard as the two powerful individuals engage in a high-speed aerial battle too fast for the normal eye to see.
But it soon becomes apparent that Ichigo had the clear edge in terms of skill, power and speed. While Grimmjow was panting hard and sporting various cuts and bruises all over his body, Ichigo stood in front of him with nary a scratch on his body and still fresh as a daisy.
"Is that all the power an Espada can manage?" Ichigo asks in an almost bored tone, his features hidden by the mask. "Frankly, I'm not impressed and I'm disappointed in myself for not being able to kick your ass back then."
"Shut the hell up Shinigami!!! You had to go borrow the powers of a hollow to even have a shot against me!!" Grimmjow growls.
"That's where you're wrong Grimmjow. I don't have to 'borrow' the powers of a hollow because that's what I really am." Ichigo said. "And FYI, I'm not fighting you as Kurosaki Ichigo.... Shinigami. I'm fighting you as Kurosaki Ichigo.... VIZARD!!!!"
Ichigo then charges at Grimmjow who narrowly avoids his attack then jumps back, cuts himself on the arm with one of him arm blde and charges up his strongest Cero.
"Gran Rey Cero!!!!" Ichigo watches as the gigantic blast of blood red energy bears down on him. There was only one response for such a devastating attack and that was.
"Getsuga Tenshou!!!!" The large, crescent shaped bolt of black energy explosively cancels out the equally massive Gran Rey Cero of Grimmjow. All of a sudden, the Espada bursts out of the smoke caused by the explosive cancellation of energies and with claws at the ready. But Ichigo could already see that it was no ordinary attack for the each of the claws had a long, large extensions of solidified energy.
"You're mine you little shit!!! Desgarron!!!" Grimmjow yells triumphantly, swing both arms at Ichigo who blocks it with his sword. The sheers force of the attack pushes Ichigo back several dozen feet away before he was able to recompose himself and stop the attack though he was straining a little just holding it at bay.
"Oi King. Looks like you're having a little bit of trouble there. Need some help?" A dark voice in Ichigo's head inquires in amusement.
"Hell no!! I don't need your damned help to deal with this scumbag!! He hurt Rukia so now I'm gonna hurt him back!!" Ichigo thought back furiously.
The Vizard's training had not only allowed him to access and utilize his Hollow powers more safely, it also allowed Ichigo to freely converse with his other self.
At first, the two had been at odds with each other and often hurled barbs and insults at one another. But as time went on, the two learned to coexist and even developed a grudging respect for one another to the extent that Ichigo had formed a pact with his other self whose name, he learned was Ogichi.
"You idiot. I was just getting to that." Ogichi chided. "It's well and good that you wanna beat this guy up bad. But he's not the type of guy who'll give up after just a simple defeat in our hands."
"What are you saying?" Ichigo thought back.
"What I'm saying King is that not only should we beat this guy up bad, we should also break his spirit while we're at it. I know you're probably not gonna kill him because of your damned morals but at least we should beat him in such a way that he won't come after us again. Let him know what kind of power he's fucking with and make him realize how outclassed he really is. Fear is the only effective weapon against guys like this. You and I both kow this."
Ichigo was silent for a moment before making his decision and answering. "You're right to think that I don't want him killed. But that's because Grimmjow reminds me so much of me that it ain't even funny. He's not really that bad. He's just a misunderstood guy who likes to fight. But at the same time, I don't want him coming after us after this either. What do you have in mind?"
Ogichi grins madly at this. "Well rather then tell you, why don't you let ME handle things while you sit back and watch the show?"
Ichigo was a little skeptical but relented giving Ogichi a warning. "Fine then. I hope you know what you're doing. But just remember that I can take control anytime I want to if you go too far."
"Hehehehe!! Don't you worry King. I'll mess him up bad for you. Who know? You might get to enjoy it too." Ogichi said with a mad cackle. Ichigo's eyes glows for a brief moment which indicated that Ogichi had just gained temporary control of Ichigo's body.
"Interesting technique. I take it this is your strongest attack?" Ogichi asks.
Grimmjow took note of Ogichi/Ichigo's somewhat labored breathing and grins. "You got it. Using this technique, I can create a kilometer long extension of my claws. Good work blocking my Desgarron too but from the looks of things, it's just about all you can do against it. I told you that you're gonna regret making me release my zanpaktou. So any last words before I finish you punk?"
"Now that you mention it, yes I do." Ogichi/Ichigo said. And in front of Grimmjow's surprised eyes, the hollow mask Ichigo wore did something impossible.
It smiled.
"PSYCHE!!!!" Ogichi yells as his reiatsu suddenly skyrockets. And with a large swing of Tensa Zangetsu, he shatters Grimmjow's Desgarron into a million pieces.
The combination of the skyrocketing of Ogichi's reiatsu and the destruction of Desgarron shocked Grimmjow to no end. He always believed that he was one of the strongest and yet here was someone who endured his strongest attack and even destroyed it with one swing.
So shocked was Grimmjow that he was not able to react as Ogichi/Ichigo suddenly appeared in front of him with controlled madness gleaming in his eyes and delivered a crippling series of attacks to the Espada.
Grimmjow reverts back to his original form as he landed hard on the ground with Pantera clattering besides him. Coughing out blood, he looks up at Ichigo who removes the mask from his face and stands over him.
"That's the difference between us Grimmjow. I was just being nice to you when I fought you at the start but that doesn't mean I won't use my real power if I have to. If you come after me again, I'll utterly destroy you and you know damned well I can."
But Grimmjow could no longer hear him. He had already fallen unconscious.
Author's Notes: Alright folks. Another chapter of Bleach Legends finished. As always, R&R please
