Hello everyone, I hope that you are all doing well and enjoyed your Holidays and New Year's, I most certainly did. Now it is a new year and to start it off I have this nice chapter for everyone. Filled with action and awesome. Hope you like it, because I can tell you it will be one that will knock your socks off.
It is time for the battle of Hueco Mundo to begin. Enjoy and let me know what you think.
United Against the Legion of Flames
Chapter 37: Chaos in Hueco Mundo
Hueco Mundo
Lille looked over the barren landscape ahead of him, the only distinguishing feature being the jagged and sporadic rock formations. In a way it was all that added some character to this dismal and bleak realm, for all that was here now was blood and sand. Yet it was here that the reports showed that Tier Harribel had a base of operations before her servitude with Sosuke Aizen, and likely her current refuge.
"Bring up the archers, tell them to level the area," Lille said, glancing at the officer beside him who nodded his head.
The man moved off to direct the army of five hundred Quincy behind the Acolyte and the thirteen Sternritter, Lille turned to the latter. He could see they were all ready for the attack, good; he needed to make sure they did not go off the deep end with this.
"Remember your targets, and do not stray from them," Lille ordered.
There was no verbal reply from any of them, just stone cold expressions showing that they were ready to do what needed to be done. All that remained was to begin the assault, and with a wave of his hand he started the attack. Five hundred archers rained down a hundred times as many arrows on the expanse ahead of them.
Rocks shattered, sand was upturned, and the entire world around them quaked as the Quincy destroyed everything within sight. Leveling the area for the upcoming battle where they would eradicate the Arrancar race.
Harribel looked up at the ceiling, seeing stones and dust fall from above, the walls cracked and began to buckle under the stress. A barrage was hitting their position, it would seem that they had been found and that the battle was about to begin.
"The attack has begun," Harribel said, narrowing her eyes and looking over to Kisuke Urahara. "Is everything prepared?"
"Yes, good thing I was able to determine where they would come from or this plan may not have worked," Urahara replied, smiling slightly as he fiddled with a small object, one of several that he had in a crate nearby.
"Will these devices work?" Harribel inquired, wanting to make sure that this plan would work; everything was riding on it succeeding.
"Don't worry, they will work, and I instructed Severino how to arm and distribute them, so there shouldn't be a problem," Urahara replied, finishing with his tinkering and placing the object into the crate and handing it off to a nearby Arrancar.
"Good," Harribel said simply.
If all works out they would be able to distract the Sternritter long enough for their main force to deal a massive blow against the Quincy army. After that they could combat the Sternritter with overwhelming numbers, and hopefully win the battle, but even she knew that this was wishful thinking. Their hail for help had been made, the Captain-Commander had spoken to her and after some words were exchanged he said Mairne would be sending reinforcements and support.
He had even been convinced to send over some of his own soldiers to offer assistance, that did not sit well with her, but there was little choice other than to accept what help could be given. But it all came down to how long it would take them to reach here.
'I cannot wait for them now, we can only wait to see if they turn up or not,' Harribel mused.
"Mila-Rose, get everyone to the tunnels, wait for the signal," Harribel ordered, looking to her Fraccion who nodded and began rounding up their people.
Harribel's eyes then drifted to Sangre who nodded his head and came to her side, and then turned to the Shinigami who also nodded. They were ready to move and face this enemy head on; she just hoped that everything went according to plan. Because if they didn't than they likely wouldn't be surviving this confrontation on the surface.
Lille raised his hand and halted the barrage, and instantly the Soldat ceased firing, that should have been enough to get the Arrancar's attention and clear the battlefield for them.
Now he just needed to lure them out and for his people to start picking them off. Likely they would attack, but with such open ground his archers will easily be able to take them apart at a distance.
"Remain here and wait for the signal, if they try to run cut them down," Lille ordered, his command directed to the many Soldat behind him.
He moved forward and with him followed the Sternritter, all of them moving in his wake towards the now cleared area. Most of the stones had been blown away, only rocks and pebbles in the sand remain, perfect open conditions for them to fight. No obstacles in their way and clear open area for them to strike at a distance.
As he traversed the expanse he found the single remaining structure, having survived most of the assault and suffering nothing but a reduction in size and shape. A single entryway could be seen, cast in darkness with nothing noticeable within, but Lille could tell that someone was there. He raised his hand and signaled the Sternritter to hold, it would seem that the Arrancar were coming to them.
"Looks like they want to talk before we slaughter them," Lille said aloud, sensing three presences rather than an entire force.
True to his word three individuals appeared from the entrance, all of them recognizable, Tier Harribel, Sangre Herida and Kisuke Urahara. The three people they were planning to kill off, luckily for him he had more people than needed to deal with them.
"Ashley, you are up, take out Kisuke Urahara," Lille ordered, and received a nod from the fresh recruit.
Kisuke Urahara's abilities were powerful and dangerous, but her own skills would render them completely moot when he goes against her. This would also be good experience for her to fight; he would keep Sonia on standby in order to assist if needed.
"If you think we are going to allow you to surrender, you can forget about it," Lille said, calling out to the three as they slowly marched forward, as he pulled open his cloak and unslung his rifle. "We have been ordered to remove all of you from existence, so please do us all a favor and just get on your knees and wait for me to shoot you."
The three came to a halt about fifty yards from the Sternritter.
"We will not be surrendering, or going down without a fight, we won't be allowing any of you to leave here alive," Harribel responded, her words cold and her expression just as frosty. "You invade my realm and think you can take it from us, it is long past overdue I make you suffer for that."
She turned to Urahara and gave a quick nod, one that he returned before fishing through his robes and pulling out a small black box. He smiled slightly before presenting it for all to see, it was comical to say the least. For on the completely black box was a large red button that said 'Big Red Button', anyone would have been thrown off by this.
But the select few that knew of this man's reputation were far from confused, wary of what the seemingly inconspicuous device could do. Urahara had proven again and again to be a highly dangerous adversary that is highly unpredictable and noted to be a major danger to any Sternritter due to his unorthodox methods and in-depth knowledge.
So whatever the box did, it couldn't be for their benefit.
Without saying a word Urahara pressed the button, using a single finger to push it down, and had a smile on his face as he did. There was a silence for only a second, no one made a move or sound but waited for the result of what was to occur, and when it passed a series of explosions was heard.
"What the hell is that?" A Quincy yelled, watching as many small eruptions occurred around them, geysers of sand shooting up everywhere.
When the white sand cleared they saw what had caused it, large stone fragments held up in some vices and metal contraptions. They had no idea what they were but they were floating all around them ominously, dozens of them all around the area but within their vicinity.
"Are those the rocks we just blew up?" Some asked, lost in the crowd of confused Quincy.
But then the rocks began to glow, pulsing and humming as they seemed to be gathering power for some unknown purpose. The Quincy were quick to react to the change, drawing their weapons and also summoning their bows and taking aim.
"Shoot them down!"
Arrows were released, but not a single strike mattered, the arrows simply shattering as they struck the stones, the energy only adding to the devices as they powered up. It only took a few seconds before they were glowing white hot, and then it happened. The stone let out a pulse, a burst of energy shot out and encompassed everyone in the vicinity, washing over everyone and dispersing quickly.
But not a single person was killed by the burst, the light blinded them for a second, yet there were no other injuries. This was intentional, for the burst had a much more nefarious purpose.
For when the pulse struck the Quincy, it was not them that was affected, but their weapons. As soon as the wave touched any weapon, their swords, bows, any equipment made up of spiritual matter broke apart in their hands and reverted to their particle states. Many eyes looked around in worry; they had all been disarmed and were in the open, and some were well aware that this was only the precursor of the attack.
"Shit, this is an ambush!"
What happened next proved it; the ground around them broke apart, fissures formed along the ground and beneath the Quincy. Those caught unaware fell with the ground beneath them, rolling down the sides or simply falling the ten feet and hitting the hard rock ground. Those unfortunate to be caught in the pits were not given a chance to recover, for they were set upon as soon as they touched the flat ground.
"Hey, you alright?" Someone called, leaning over the edge to see if their comrades were alright.
Yet his reply was a chakram slamming in his face, splitting his head apart in a shower of blood and skull fragments. As he fell down someone shot out and grasped the sharp edged ring and ripped it from his skull, before she turned her Heterochromia eyes onto the defenseless Quincy and issues a single order.
"Kill all these fuckers!" Apacci yelled out, charging into the thick of it and slitting a guy's throat with her chakram.
Soon the Arrancar began to appear, emerging from the trenches and attacking the defenseless Quincy who had no weapons to defend themselves with. Attempting to summon up their bows or recreate their swords failed, as they tried to draw in the spiritual particles they found it not listening to their commands. Instead the particles destabilized as they tried to form and break apart despite their rigorous attempts.
"I can't summon my weapon!"
The Arrancar rushed in unopposed, cutting them down quickly and effectively as the Quincy tried desperately to find a means to protect themselves against the onslaught.
Lille turned as he heard the explosion and then the sound of battle, or more correctly the screams of fear and pain that were most certainly his soldiers. He scowled, Kisuke Urahara had done something, there was no other explanation.
"What did you do?" Lille asked, narrowing his eyes at the former Shinigami Captain.
"I created a reishi nullifier, using these stones to act as a current regulator," Urahara replied. "They similar to Seki Stone, in fact their nearly exactly the same, and after harvesting some deep rock from the tunnels below the desert I found that they possessed the same qualities."
"What the hell does that mean?" Lille inquired, looking at him annoyed as the scientist danced around the question.
"Seki Stone negates spiritual particles and breaks apart their bonds, virtually disintegrating them," Urahara replied. "I was able to create a charged current passing through the stones, collecting this negation field and creating a sort of bomb. While not powerful enough to kill anyone, they should do wonders for all those reishi constructed tools you use so much."
Lille's eyes widened, so that is what he did, Urahara had created a reishi pulse that nullified the spiritual particles in the air. If that was the case than the energy keeping their weapons together would be gone and their soldiers completely defenseless.
"Also it works on the atmosphere as well, causing an ionic charge in the air that prevents particle cohesion, quite literally it keeps tearing them apart for a short period of time," Urahara said, smiling as he looked at the surprised Acolyte. "I imagine that without the ability to draw in any spiritual particles your friends over there will be in a really tight spot."
Lille turned to the Sternritter quickly, barking off an order.
"Get over there now! Deal with those Arrancar!" Lille said, before he turned and calmly uttered. "We will deal with these three here."
Immediately half of the Sternritter rushed off, leaving behind the other half to face off against the three. Harribel narrowed her eyes, glaring at the seven that remained; she did not know enough about them all to determine their strengths but she was fairly certain on whom she would be facing.
Then she watched as the black cloaked leader flipped open his coat and raise up a large contraption, immediately noticing it was some sort of firearm. The three scattered when he pelted off just as many shot, and then the rest pounced upon them, and Harribel found her attackers.
The first was a Sternritter with four claws along the back of his wrists, immediately she knew this one was Cang Du, he swung down towards her head. Ducking to the side the Arrancar drew her Zanpakuto and slashed at the back of the Quincy's neck, but her blade was met with resistance. Appearing from above a staff swung around knocked her weapon back.
Glancing up she saw her second enemy, a pale icy blue haired woman carrying a weighted staff. Despite her attire appearing to be very dress-like she vaulted over the former Espada gracefully. Even when she landed she quickly twirled on her toes and swung her staff around to club Harribel the in head. Ducking under the strike she turned back to Cang Du, who stabbed his claws right for her neck, but she easily parried it aside.
Harribel twisted on her feet and delivered a straight kick to his gut, sending him back and away, following up with raising her blade over her shoulder to block the staff. Reaching out Harribel grabbed the woman by her throat and threw her up and over, before slamming her down into the ground. As she let out a grunt Harribel aggravated her pain a little more, delivering a quick kick to her side and sending her flying right after the male Sternritter.
"Cang Du and that unknown, one is quite guarded and stoic, but the other hides with a mask of indifference, I can feel her apprehension in this fight," Harribel mused, catching the look in their eyes as she fought them.
Harribel had profiles on most of the Sternritter; she had to admit that Xrach certainly did come through for her on this. With those reports and Kisuke Urahara's knowledge they had easily determined among the known Sternritters who would be fighting them. But there were some gaps here and there, mainly with these unknown Sternritter.
But there were two of the three that she knew she would be fighting, and that one person was missing at the moment.
"Now, where is this Thuderbolt," Harribel mused, before she glanced to the side when she felt a sudden shift in the spiritual energy around her.
Over her shoulder she saw the third member of her enemy group, Candice Catnipp. The line haired woman was charging up a Heilig Pfeil, and Harribel quickly raised her own blade and channeled her own power through it.
"Galvano Blast!" Candice yelled, releasing how electrical bolt at the Arrancar.
Harribel watched it come forward, and she met it before it could even make it halfway, raising her sword and stabbing it towards the missile.
"Ola Azul," Harribel muttered, releasing her own projectile.
The two forces collided and cancelled one another out, leaving nothing but a small sand crater where the two forces had struck. Harribel turned and saw that the other two were on their way back, Cang Du already lunging forward with a stab. One she leaned out of before he turned fully and swung with his opposite pair of claws, and again they missed as Harribel flipped back and away.
As her feet came back onto the ground she felt something, her instinctual drive kicking in, and then she saw out of the corner of her eye someone appear. It only took of glance to see it was the icy blue headed woman, her staff coming in to bludgeon her head. But Harribel evaded easily, a quick burst of Sinodo and she was gone, and again she returned to place her foot down onto the stab. Shattering it in half, before she swung up at the woman's neck, yet her blade met nothing as her opponent quickly used Hirenkyaku to escape before her Zanpakuto could meet its mark.
'Fast and agile, they can't beat me with force they are trying to rely on speed,' Harribel mused, knowing that all three of the Sternritter were meant to overwhelm her with high speed attacks.
Both Candice Catnipp and Cang Du were agile and speedy fighters; they were their main strength here. Attacking her head on would only result in loss of life, so instead they rely on their abilities with hit and run tactics to keep them alive. This girl was also very agile, likely the reason she was chosen, but also it is likely she had a power that could counter her in some manner.
'I will need to keep an eye on her,' Harribel noted.
When the light shifted she knew someone was behind her, Harribel glanced over her shoulder to see Candice Catnipp was attacking. Her fist drawn back and bathed in electrical energy, and with a single downward swing she released a pillar of lightning that consumed the former Espada.
"Got you!" Candice cried out, smirking as her lightning cascaded down right on top of the Arrancar.
But when her electrical discharge was dispersed by something shooting through it, her eyes widened to see a yellow arc of energy coming right for her. She was engulfed in an explosion and tossed back along the sand, rolling along before coming to a stop a few dozen yards away.
Harribel stood just beyond the cone of electrical energies, having dodged the attack when it struck the ground. Following up with an Ola Azul she dispatched the upstart girl, but to her surprise said girl was already rising to her feet again.
"You are alive, surprising, I had expected an attack like that to have passed right through you instead of just wounding you," Harribel noted, seeing that there was only slight charring along her chest and clothing.
'Blut Vene, an interesting defense, it was good that not all the Quincy possessed such a potent ability, even so it can be bypassed with enough power,' Harribel mused quietly as she saw the Thunderbolt had been joined by her two comrades.
"That didn't work," Candice growled out.
"Do not attack her directly, Candice, and that goes for you as well Diva," Cang Du stated. "Keep a distance and use your Schrifts and bows, I will remain within range and you strike at any openings."
"Understood," Diva said, grabbing her Quincy cross and forming a bow.
Candice gave an annoyed huff before she summoned up a new arrow and glared at the impassive Arrancar ahead of her. Without another word all three of them charged in and attacked, but the two females quickly moved to flank Harribel while Cang Du closed in fast and slashed with his claws.
Urahara ducked under the fist and quickly slashed at the Quincy, but found her gauntlet blocking the strike. He glanced over the armor to see that it was polished silver that ran all the way up to her shoulders, and despite fully encompassing her arms they did not hinder her movements and flexibility. He could attest to that with his fast she swung those limbs around, and how flexible they were.
"Nice armor you got there," Urahara said, smiling as he usually does. "I always wondered why people bothered with it, tends to slow them down."
But he was forced to dodge back when a fist nearly struck him in the chin, he looked down the arm to see the smirking Sternritter.
"Do I look slow to you?" Ashley inquired, her grin in place as was her drawn back fist.
"Well, not in the physical department," Urahara cheekily replied.
Ashley responded with another jab to his head, it was easily dodged, and then followed up with a wide backward kick. Urahara raised his arm and blocked the strike, feeling a jarring sensation work its way up his arm as he took the strike. But then he quickly swung up Benehime and planned on severing her leg.
But to his surprise his blade halted before it could meet her calf, he tried to force it but something had immobilized his weapon completely. In that moment the Sternritter pulled her leg back around and then flipped into the air, her back parallel to the ground and her leg brought to her chest. Urahara felt the resistance along his blade slacken, raising Benehime to his defense and was able to catch the kick before it could strike him.
Urahara skidded along the ground, the momentum propelling him away from the Sternritter, while she flipped back to a vertical base and to her feet. But as soon as her feet hit the ground she shot off, charging towards Urahara and ready to continue the onslaught.
"Nake! Benehime!" Urahara said, summoning up his hexagonal barrier before the woman struck.
Her fist impacted the Blood Mist Shield and dissipated her attack, causing a slight upturn of sand around the two. Urahara regarded her closely, he knew this girl had an Epithet but the nature of it still eluded him, but what happened just a moment ago may be his first clue. More data would need to be collected however, he couldn't just stand around and wait for it to be revealed, he needed to fight back and incapacitate her before she used it fully.
Urahara was about to press an offensive when he saw her draw back her fist, and then he noticed something off about his shield. It began to shake slightly and buckle, as if something was trying to crush it.
Then the shield began to dissolve and break apart, shattering and falling in against itself as if some force was tearing it apart. Urahara had little time to think on this before he saw the brown haired woman's gauntleted fist smash through the shield and come right for his face.
Ducking to the side he let her fist sail past, before he noticed the twist in her body and realized she was going to try and cut hit legs out from under him. He was proven right when she twisted around and slipped her leg out and around to take out his legs. Urahara leaped back and over the attempt, while twisting around and slashing at the woman, who raised her arm and took the strike.
"Hado number Thirty-one: Sōkatsui!" Urahara said, raising his free hand and aiming for the Sternritter.
As the burst of red energy shot out and collided with her he watched in fascination as she stood her ground with her hand outstretched. He could feel no outburst of spiritual energy or manipulation of it around her, only her raising her hand and taking the strike.
The Shinigami's eyes widened when he noted that the beam actually destabilized, shattering apart and the energy expanding outward and dissipating all around them. The Sternritter was still there with her hand extended, smile intact, and showing no signs of injury after destroying her Kido spell. Then she thrusted her hand forward and propelled Urahara away, sending him flying off a few dozen yards before he corrected him flight and dug his feet into the sand.
Urahara skidded to a stop and quickly took in his opponent, finding her slowly advancing towards him. Good, that would give him a moment to go over a few things in his head; this girl had to be using her Schrift to counter his abilities. He had only seen it twice before, first with his Blood Mist Shield and then with Sōkatsui, meaning that it had to be related but not restricted to his kido abilities.
'Wait, my sword,' Urahara mused, remembering his blade halted when he tried to attack. 'Hmm, that is a unique ability, able to be used against energy and physical matter.'
He suspected it may be some sort of resistance field or negation ability, but that wouldn't have halted his sword in place. Also the resistance field wouldn't have worked on his shield and Kido like it did, the spells would have continued to work but instead they were torn apart by some unknown force. Then he thought of something, maybe she was able to influence things around her, not just the motion of forces but also the power of them as well.
"Come on, you are actually giving me a workout, don't quit on me now," Ashley called over, smirking as she saw the man's contemplative expression.
"Well, who am I to deny a lady a request," Urahara replied, using Shunpo to appear right in front of her and slash.
Ashley jumped back as the attack came, keeping a close eye on him and her senses on alert. She knew his story; he was one of the more dangerous ones out there, smart, skilled and most definitely powerful. It would be a damn good fight for her. Kisuke Urahara was someone that his Majesty had deemed to be a war potential because of his extensive knowledge and skill but never made it because of the Seventh Fleet. Yet recently it had changed, and now he was back on the list.
As soon as her feet hit the ground she charged back in, sending a kick to the Shinigami's side which he blocked with his free hand. Urahara retaliated with his Zanpakuto, and she blocked it with her gauntlet, and then jumped up with her other leg and attempted to kick the man in his exposed chest. But to her surprise he used Shunpo to step away and out of range, without anything to hold her up she fell to the ground.
As her back hit it she noticed that the Shinigami was in the air, high above her and holding a purple rod in his hand.
"Bakudo number Sixty-two: Hyapporankan!" Urahara chanted, releasing the purple spear.
As it flew towards the Quincy it multiplied into many identical rods of light, falling down to the still rising woman who only looked at it annoyed. Then the effect occurred, the rods flew off course and landed around her, completely missing her and leaving her unscathed. Her glare intensified when she noticed that her opponent had disappeared from the sky.
"Where the hell did you go?" Ashley mumbled, seeing that the Shinigami had taken off somewhere.
"Hado number Thirty-two: Okasen!"
Turning Ashley saw a wave of energy approaching her back. Facing the attack she raised a hand planning to break the spell before it could reach her, but something struck her before she could finish the task. Her arms were locked to her sides and golden chains wrapped around them, her eyes widened when she saw the binding Kido.
Then she was consumed, overcome by the wave of force that threw her off her feet and carried out across the sands and into the side of a dune. As the dust and white particles settled Urahara moved forward, looking over the scene with his shadowed eyes. That girl was a mystery, but he was certain he understood her powers now, what he had seen had confirmed it.
Also the way she utilized it proved that her Schrift was still developing, and she had limited control over her powers.
"Damn, you really surprised me there," Ashley said, walking out of the cloud, the chains on her arms dissolving and breaking apart.
"You do too, surviving a hit like that was expected, but even so to come out with so little in terms of a wound, that surprises me," Urahara said, narrowing his eyes despite the smile on his face. "But considering what your Schrift is, that makes sense."
Her abilities relies on dominating any force she came across, simply looking and exerting some sort of control over it she could either stop, alter or destroy it. He was able to do that with his Zanpakuto and his Kido spells, all of them conjuring different results. The Hyapporankan were deflected rather than destroyed while his other spells were destroyed.
"The reports on you were right, been fighting for a few minutes and you already have figured it out," Ashley said, smirking despite being found out. "My Epithet allows me to completely dominate anything in my vicinity; I exert control over any object or force and can do with it as I please. I make it bend to my whim, and that is why my Epithet is the Y, the Yield."
Urahara smirked slightly, so he was right about her power being specifically made to control anything around her. Likely it was different from the conventional ability to manipulate reishi, she could control anything that she could exert her will upon. Meaning that his kido would be negated by her, however, her abilities seem to be limited. So it is unlikely that she would be able to force her way through powerful spells quickly and with only mental effort.
"Good to know, although you should know that I am well aware that you have very poor control over those abilities of yours," Urahara said.
"Maybe, but it makes it more fun, limits can be broken but if you know them the enemy cannot make you do anything stupid," Ashley replied, dropping into a stance before shouting. "Now enough of this talk! Let's get the show on the road!"
Ashley charged right for the man, planning on beating the living shit out of him, and Urahara repaid that determination with his own. Meeting her halfway and after dodging her punch he stabbed his blade towards her neck.
Severino slashed through the nearest Quincy, splattering his white robes with more crimson; even before he fell to the ground the Arrancar had turned to another and done the same. His eyes roamed the field, the Quincy had been taken by surprise thanks to Urahara's invention and they had inflicted substantial casualties on the enemy force.
But now that the negative field has dissipated the Quincy were putting up a fight now, luckily in such close quarters their main advantage of range combat was negated. Now it was pure melee, not the most artistic form of warfare but it would do the job for the moment. He turned and pierced a Quincy through the chest, quickly kicking him away and then turning to block an attack from another.
As he moved to parry the blade the man in white was blown away, a Bala connecting with his side and sending him crashing into a comrade. Severino turned to the direction and noticed three individuals moving their way, Anastacia, Yasatora Sado and Orihime Inoue.
"We got Sternritter incoming," Anastacia said, and was met with a nod from her naturally evolved counterpart.
"Everyone should be ready, send the signal and we can engage them," Severino said, looking to Orihime who nodded her head and summoned her Shun Shun Rikku.
They three objects flew to the sky and soon a barrier formed high above the battlefield, the light catching off the moon and bathing those below in an orange glow. Several eyes looked up and immediately they got the signal, turning from the field and moving for the area outside the battle.
"Orihime, Sado, start bringing the wounded underground, get them down there and heal them back up, we need to keep as many people in the battle as possible," Severino said, and received a nod from them. "Harribel has ordered Melony and Loly to assist, don't worry about them doing anything, they have been warned."
"Come on let's go!" Anastacia yelled, turning and quickly moving for the meeting point.
Severino gave one last farewell before following after the woman, rushing through the battle and slashing at anything on the run that got near him. As he pushed through he leaped over the trench and onto the vacant area on the opposite side.
As he landed he saw ahead of him eight other Arrancar charging off, they were all selected to fight against the opposition coming their way. While none of them had been given specific targets they had a single objective, keep the Sternritter away from the battle for as long as possible. Sadly that was where the plans ended, but with two former Espada the odds were in their favor in actually killing them rather than delaying.
"Glad you could join us," Anastacia said, looking back at Severino as he ran alongside the rest of them. "So everyone know what we have to do?"
"Yeah, yeah, attack and kill them, easy enough," Grimmjow barked, glaring ahead of him.
"No, we need to separate the Sternritter first, otherwise we will be overwhelmed," Severino said, getting to the subject at hand and making sure everyone was aware of what they needed to do, if not than they likely would screw up in some spectacular fashion.
"We can handle that," Apacci said, her hand grasping her forearm, while her fellow Fraccion followed her lead.
"Can't believe we let them get behind us," Sonia said, not expecting this from the Arrancar, and likely the others did not either.
They had never displayed tactics like this before, but considering that they had that Shinigami with them it made sense he could think of something like this. But how he got these Arrancar to trust him was beyond her, either way they had to get the battle and stop the slaughter.
"Well I guess the old saying about old dogs and new tricks doesn't count this time around," Liltotto said, sounding bored and uncaring as she ran alongside Giselle and Meninas.
"Does it matter? We can just kill them when we get there, they were meant to die anyway," Meninas said. "We expected to take casualties, does it matter how many Soldat we lose?"
"It matters when we led them into it," Sonia retorted, before a shadow fell over her and the group.
Glancing up she saw some massive monolithic creature descending towards them. Sonia leaped to the side, escaping the creature as it tried to flatten them, she looked around to see the rest of her comrades had scattered along with her. Her eyes narrowed in as the beast rampaged around and started to simply let its anger out, was it trying to separate them.
"What is…?" Her thoughts were cut short when she felt something coming right for her.
Her eyes turned to the left and she saw a blur, and then her vision was engulfed by something and she was met with darkness. Everything went upside down as she was sent tumbling backwards by a hard strike to the face, her eyes watered as she tried to correct her unsolicited flight.
Her back hit the sand, and rolled a few times before she quickly gained some traction and footing. Her hand dug into the ground as she pulled on the particles in the sand to slow down, while her other hand moved to the hilt of her axe. Eyes up Sonia scanned ahead of her and seeing a blur charging in for a second attack, and quickly she drew her axe and blocked the incoming attack.
She found in front of her a smirking man, blue hair and a jagged scar along his chest.
"Who the hell are you?" Sonia gritted out, this guy was stronger than he appeared, she could feel his spiritual power, it was so dense and potent.
"Grimmjow Jaegerjaques," The Sexta replied, sliding his blade up and striking the crossguard against the shaft of her axe.
Her weapon shot up and he delivered a kick right to her chest, sending her sprawling away. When she regained her footing for a second time she saw him lunging right for her, swinging his sword around midair. Swinging her axe around she caught his blade and knocked it aside, but it appeared this was a feint for as soon as she hit it he spun around and delivered kick to the side of her head.
Sonia staggered before turning and swinging in a wide arc, preventing the Arrancar from getting too close. She looked up and glared at him, this guy was one of the surviving Espada in Sosuke Aizen's army then, meaning that he was a powerful opponent with strength that rivaled a captain. She would need to be careful with this one; reports say that this guy could fight against Ichigo Kurosaki within his Bankai.
"Alright Sexta, let us see if the reports live up to the man himself," Sonia said, taking her axe in both hands and glaring at the Espada, who only returned an impassive gaze.
Severino looked over the area, he could see that almost everyone had gotten their targets. Grimmjow had taken on Sonia Von Dragon, and hopefully he had listened to the report on her abilities like the rest of them. If that idiot got ahead of himself and just attacked randomly he would be in a world of hurt, these Sternritter should not be underestimated.
"Damn, who's left?" Mila-Rose asked, she and her fellow Fraccion were off to the side, looking over the battlefield.
They could see that Nelliel was engaged in a bout with the one known as Meninas McAllon, trading blows and strikes between each other's. But it did seem that Nelliel had speed on her side over the Sternritter's strength. Hopefully she would be alright, her powers had only just been returned and Urahara had said that he had no idea on the stability of her form.
"Sternritters C, P and G are engaged," Severino replied, seeing in the distance Anastacia was working with another two Arrancar in dealing with one Sternritter, Liltotto if he was correct.
"That leaves BG9, Marie, Giselle and that old man," Sung-sun said, her mouth covered by her sleeve.
As she said this a series of high powered rounds began to pepper their position, forcing the four of them to scatter for cover. In the distance BG9 was releasing a large burst of rounds on them, trying to scatter them and then cut them all down. But as he tried to follow one of the Arrancar his gun rotary jammed, he glanced down to see a sword had been embedded within the turbine.
"I'll deal with this one!" Severino called out, dropping down and onto the gun, grasping his sword and quickly snapping one of the barrels.
He leaped off and landed in the sand, watching as BG9 attempted to fire once more, but the turbines on the gun only cracked and groaned as they tried to move.
"You three, find that monster of yours and set him on something, Giselle is a no go so go after the old man!" Severino ordered.
"Don't order us around!" Apacci and Mila-Rose yelled.
"Stop arguing you two, we have a Sternritter to find and kill," Sung-sun said, sauntering off as she went to search for this old man.
"Hey come back here!" The two aggressive females yelled out, rushing off after their third compatriot.
Severino groaned, he could not understand how someone like Tier Harribel could have such immature subordinates that always fight one another. When Nelliel was still in her child form she kept sprouting off about the Tres Beastia being absolute monsters that were always trying to murder one another. From the looks of it that was quite true, they were always arguing with each other it had gone from comedic to downright annoying.
"Rotation mechanism jammed, weapon inoperable," BG9 intoned, before looking at the Arrancar ahead of him. "Subject Zero-Two-Three, Severino Schuyler, escaped test subject of Herr Faust, body requested to be returned upon death."
"Not going to happen," Severino replied, raising his Zanpakuto and waiting for the machine to make the first move.
Sung-sun moved calmly, trying to determine where this last Quincy could be, she could sense the other battles going on but not anything regarding this one last that seemed to have left. While Giselle and Marie were deemed too dangerous and the latter not needed to be engaged, the old man seemed to have disappeared.
"Something isn't right," Sung-sun said, looking around with narrowed eyes, there was something missing from all this.
"What the hell are you up too?" Mila-Rose growled out, walking up behind the green haired woman. "We need to find that old geezer and put his sorry ass in the ground, not wander around."
"Yes, but have you noticed it?" Sung-sun said, looking around and allowing her senses to expand outwards.
"What are you on about Sung-sun?" Apacci gritted out, looking down to her leg to find that a neat hole had been punched through it.
"Where is Ayon?" Sung-Sun said, and when she glanced at her compatriots they seemed to take on a serious frown as they realized their chimera was gone.
There was no way that the big brute could have disappeared so easily, not with his size and the power he possessed. For him to vanish without a trace was impossible, although there was still that unknown Sternritter that they had yet to find, could it be he was responsible?
A large upturn of sand drew their attention, and their eyes turned to the cloud over a series of dunes, whatever was happening over there they couldn't sense anything. Without waiting they rushed off, knowing that it couldn't be anyone else, it had to be their target.
Leaping over every hill they moved for the disturbance, their weapons drawn and ready to get into the thick of it. But if the bellowing was anything to go by it had to be Ayon, but they couldn't sense him or anything else. It was as if he wasn't even there, it was confusing, but not as strange as when they arrived on the scene.
Before them was the older Sternritter, garbed in near white and black clothing, frills and buttoned adorned his shirt and jacket. His long beard move just below his neck and his hair cascaded down his back, pure white and aged grey, like silver upon snow. In his hand he was writing with a quill and some parchment, seemingly uncaring for all that was around him.
"The fuck?" Mila-Rose gritted out, watching in wide eyes the scene before her.
It was not the man itself that shocked her, and caused exclamation, it was who was prostrated before him. Kneeling on the ground, limbs bound to large sand pillars and chains, covered in many wounds and traumas of battle was their Chimera, Ayon. His head way bowed and its body brutalized, blood leaked from its lifeless body, coloring the sand red.
"I see that you have arrived, based on the data we have collected you three are Harribel's Fraccion," The man said, continuing to scribble on the parchment. "And this creature here is Ayon, a Chimera that you create by sacrificing part of your bodies and forming an entity of raw power."
Sung-Sun glared at the man, he was a complete anomaly to them, he was undoubtedly more powerful than that Hunting Captain they faced before. Because if that man couldn't handle himself against Ayon, but this man could, there was no telling just how powerful he could be.
"What did you do to Ayon?" Apacci growled out, seeing the man scribbling on that parchment annoyed her.
"Do I appear to fool here?" He said, turning and giving them baleful glance. "I am not some imbecile that reveals myself to others and tells them of who and what I am."
He turned away from the parchment and looked at them directly, letting his quill wrest in his ink holder on his belt while he slipped the parchment back into his pouch. The three tensed as he looked at them, there was no telling what his epithet could be, even a name offered little information on what it could be. It could be extrapolated from that name, meaning it can be figurative or literal, and even then it had unique characteristics of that meaning that were hard to determine.
"How about introductions? You know of us, who are you?" Sung-sun said, covering her mouth with her sleeve.
Instead he only halted and looked at her blankly, like she had said something incredibly stupid.
"Do you know what is wrong with you people, too stupid and arrogant," He said, shaking his head as he paced slightly along the sand, walking intentionally slow in short steps. "You and the Shinigami have that in common, too proud of yourselves, always sprouting off your greatness and power. Even now you think you have a chance despite the fact you are outnumbered and on the verge of defeat, too proud to admit your end is coming."
"We aren't done yet, we take care of you and we win back Hueco Mundo," Mila-Rose replied, despite the boasting her expression was hard and stony.
"Hueco Mundo? That isn't even a prize worth taking, we only wanted you as soldiers to go after the real enemy," He said, looking at them both. "After all, what better to send after the Shinigami than the animals they so vehemently hate, despite being just as monstrous in their own way?"
Sung-sun tried to determine exactly what this man had on him, any kind of weapon or defining element could be useful in determining his power. He wore fine clothing and appeared to be very prestigiously dressed, but apart from that he had a pouch that held several scrolls and a belt attachment for an ink well and his quill.
'What does this mean? What sets you apart from the other Sternritter?' Sung-sun thought.
"The Shinigami have been nothing but a burden on mankind for thousands of years, in the old days they actually were arrogant enough to make themselves out to gods to the humans," He said. "Greece, Spain, Italy, Germania, China and even the Aztecs worshiped some of them as gods at one point. Worshiping them, idolizing them and their power, all the while turning the world into a primitive hole in the ground because they loved the devotion."
"What the hell are you on about?" Apacci growled out, not getting this guy's point.
"Do you actually think the Shinigami only came about with the Gotei, no, they were a band of warriors chosen to kill hollows, apart from that they were like wayward Knights in peacetime, going about and having their way in the World of the Living," He said, appearing annoyed that he had to explain this, speaking as if they were ignorant children. "Defiling humans, becoming centers of worship, and even murdering people they did not like. Just like those they hunted, but even you couldn't be blamed for that. You're animals with no higher thought process than to kill and feed, but them? They enjoyed going about and messing with the world and looking like gods and that went to their heads after a while."
Sung-sun continued to look over, the only thing that was distinguished is his ink set and his parchments, could he be some sort of spell creator?
"In a way it works out for us, with those idiots sprouting off all about themselves and their abilities, it was quite easy to determine how powerful they were and how their powers worked. Even when they didn't use them often because of the new laws enforcing the Shinigami," He said. "Even without Sigismund we determined in the first nine hundred years all we needed to know about their species and how they operate. They just couldn't shut their mouths and keep things close to the chest, but what do you expect from a pack of murderers that think themselves as valiant protectors of the world?"
"I hate the Shinigami as much as the next guy, so why the hell are you telling us this?" Apacci inquired, crossing her arms as she looked at the old man.
"Because they are the injustice of this world, do you have any idea how much damage they have caused? How much their gods has? After all it is because of him that your kind even exists," The Sternritter said, catching a slight look of surprise on the Arrancar's face. "To be expected, for when he created his angels, he also created the demons that they fight. Can't even tell which is which anymore, you both are too alike for my tastes."
"What the hell is this shit you're sprouting? It's got nothing to do with this, so shut up so I can put Leona through your throat," Mila-Rose yelled out.
"Yes, we have little interest in your beliefs, only who you are and what you can do," Sung-sun responded.
"You picked up their habit as well, sprouting off little things you shouldn't, like a snake you can't keep that forked tongue behind your teeth," He said, glaring at Sung-sun who narrowed her eyes. "That is why I don't tell you what I can do like all those other idiots do, because I am not a fool that needs to gallivant around and flaunt my power. Now that I have completed my monologue I guess you think I am going to reveal everything about who I am and what I can do, right?"
"Sure good enough for me," Apacci said, looking bored, she had only followed half of what this guy had said.
"Well, too bad," He replied, before he sighed and seemed to relent. "You want an introduction and an explanation on how I dealt with that mongrel over there? Well here it is, Fortinbras De Leonda, Scribe of the Wandenreich Empire."
He reached into his pouch and pulled out a scroll, holding it up and shaking it at them.
"If you want to know how I killed that creature, I have it all written down here, if you can take it you can have a look, but reading it is another thing entirely," Fortinbras replied, before he unwound the parchment and took out his quill, tapping it once to remove any excess ink. "Now, I am going to write how I intend to kill the three of you. Where should I start?"
The three Fraccion did not respond with words, instead they charged forward. Apacci attacking head on, while Sung-sun shot over her and tried to attack from above, leaving Mila-rose to flank around them both and head for the Sternritter's exposed left side.
"Like wolves, working in a pack, at least your smart enough for that," Fortinbras said, before poking his quill down onto the parchment.
Harribel ducked under the arrow and quickly parried the claw aimed for her midriff, then followed up with another swing to shatter an arrow coming towards her back. Turning towards the male Quincy she quickly knocked aside his claws and was able to slash him along the throat.
He let out a grunt but that was all that spewed from his mouth, and Harribel was irritated that her blade was having such difficulty with The Iron. The reports did say that the Schrift was powerful, but she did not expect it to be so resistant, but either case it did not matter. The longer she held out the better, if one of her allies was able to deal a killing blow to a Quincy than they would have support.
'But if they do not hurry we may take casualties we cannot afford,' Harribel thought, if one Sternritter reached the battle it would end poorly for them all.
Ducking under another claw she leaped back and out of the path of an arrow, before she flipped backwards and away from a bolt aimed for her back. As she landed she leaned to the side and out of a thrust from Cang Du, seeing a quick opening she stepped forward and delivered her knee into his gut. He grunted and was forced back several yards, but was uninjured by her strike.
Her eyes narrowed, that Iron was difficult to cut through and seemed to negate any blunt force trauma he received, that made it even more difficult to cut him. He was almost like that VanGuardia character, except that this man could use this power without Blut Vene it would seem. Meaning he could maintain both offence and defense without negating the other, a perfect balance that made him a difficult opponent.
"Ola Azul," Harribel chanted, releasing the burst of energy towards the nearest archer, nearly catching Diva.
But it was a feint, Harribel was already upon her and ready to strike, but as she moved to attack the entire world around her grew cold. Harribel's eyes widened as she saw frost and ice form on the ground below her and the temperature lower significantly.
'Is this here power?' Harribel mused, watching as she raised her hand that was coated in a layer of frost.
Then a beam of light shot out.
Harribel leaned back and under the beam, dodging it before it could make contact, yet she felt a later of frost form over her skin and her clothing began to freeze. To her surprise her shirt actually froze over and shattered, exposing her chest and hollow mask. As she flipped to a vertical base Harribel look at the woman, her powers were ice based then.
'It would make sense, if she can negate my control over water by freezing it than she would be chosen to face me,' Harribel mused, but the depths of this power were unknown as it seemed to actually drain all the warmth from the world around her and replace it with the cold.
Yet there was more than that, the light itself wasn't a wave of cold but the beam itself did create a field of cold as it travelled. It was something she would need to figure out when she had the time later, for now she had to deal with the opposition.
"Over here you slut!"
Harribel whirled around and slashed, her blade glowing with golden energy, and her sword shattered the electrical bolt that came her way. But then Cang Du attacked, stabbing towards her just as her sword parried the bolt of lightning. Yet her other arm was quick, catching his wrist before it could strike her in the chest and stabbing her blade into his arm.
But again her blade met resistance from his Iron skin, and her eyes narrowed in, she was beginning to detest that ability of his.
Then she felt another shift in the temperature, and to her right she saw Diva attack, raising a frozen arm she aimed it right towards her exposed side. Harribel released her captive and used Sinodo to evade the strike, appearing above the woman and delivering a kick to the back of her head. Yet she was quick to raise her arm and take the strike, the frost over the limb breaking from the hit.
But Harribel's eyes widened as a layer of frost forming over her leg, encasing it in a thin layer of ice and immobilizing the limb. It would seem that contact with the woman could cause the freezing effect to occur, and that would make her dangerous to strike. Harribel landed and watched as Diva raise her hand, the frost and cold air spilling from her hand.
Yet Harribel swung up her sword and sliced through the limb, causing the woman to let out a startled yelp before she stumbled back. But not far enough before Harribel delivered another swing, cutting through her chest, leaving a long gash that ran over her breast and down to her opposite hip. This time Diva did scream as she stumbled back, running her hand over the wound.
As Cang Du tried to attack from behind she used Sinodo to escape, appearing some distance away and looking over the situation. Her eyes narrowing in on the woman, it would seem that her powers are not frost per say, but seemed to be the ability to lower the temperature with her powers.
"You lower the temperature around you and anything you can manipulate, that beam of yours actually froze my clothing and skin but didn't come in contact with me," Harribel mused, looking at her critically, it had to be some form of luminescence, and the way her body glowed from it showed that he generated the power based on temperature.
"What are you mumbling about?" Candice yelled out. "Just standing there with your tits out like that, can't understand how you can do that without getting self-conscious."
Harribel did not deign the woman with a response, instead she focused on the other two who quickly took up positions to her left and right. It would seem that the battle would be underway again, but it halted when a sudden outburst was heard.
Eyes turned to the blood red pillar that shot into the skies, shattering and raining down red droplets of spiritual energy onto the ground. Harribel's eyes narrowed, she knew that resurrection and reiatsu, Sangre had released his resurrection.
'Dammit, he isn't handling himself,' Harribel thought.
If Sangre was struggling and required the release of his Ressurection so soon it could only mean he was being pressured by his enemies. That meant he may be in danger of being overwhelmed, and likely would not last very long.
'I need to end this, if I can aid him we can deal with the majority of the enemy force and then aid the others,' Harribel mused.
"I can tell you are concerned about your people, you should be, you are all going to die here regardless of how long and hard you fight," Cang Du said, his eyes betraying no emotion along with his voice. "All you are doing is delaying the inevitable, all of us were chosen specifically to handle whatever your throw at us, because we are more powerful than any of you."
Harribel narrowed her eyes; there was no way she was going to allow this man to get under her skin with such childish rants. He thought himself powerful, greater than her and the Arrancar she ruled? Well it is time that she showed him exactly who he was dealing with.
"You are nothing compared me, and I will show you just how much of nothing that is right now," Harribel replied. "Holding back is no longer an option, and I intend to crush you all here and now, and reclaim my domain."
She raised her sword, holding it within a reverse grip, aimed the tip to the ground and summoned her power forth.
"Destroy: Tiburon!"
A wave of water appeared behind Harribel, forming the shape of a heart that enclosed around her. The swirling cocoon writhed as the pressure from within surged, and soon it exploded outwards, a blade piercing through the shell and causing the water to expel outwards. Standing before them was the resurrection of the strongest Arrancar within Hueco Mundo.
Her mask remnants disappeared and were replaced with a collar. A thin, spine-like structure forms on her stomach, spanning from her waist to the underside of her breasts, that had only an extension covering her nipples.
She gains spaulders on her shoulders, which bear a resemblance to shark fins, and two ribbon-like protrusions on her back. Her long leggings and dress pants were replaced with a mini-skirt consisting of bones surrounding a dark undergarment. She wears a pair of knee-length boots and elbow-length gloves, appearing to be made of bone as well.
Her weapon was no longer a single edged and hollow blade, but a broad pata. It resembled an elongated shark tooth, featuring an unusual hilt with a hand guard which completely covers her hand. The sword possesses gill markings along either side of the blade.
"Looks even more like a slut if you ask me," Candice said aloud.
"Do not underestimate it, this form allows her full control over water, this is the reason the three of us were chosen to face her, because we can counter it," Cang Du stated factually.
"A form of luminescence and lightning, those two I understand, but what we know about you says nothing you possess could be a danger to me," Harribel replied, knowing full well that with her release she was more than able to cut through the bastard, Iron skin or not.
"You are incorrect, I possess the perfect tool, one that had proven quite effective against you in the past," Cang Du replied, revealing a badge to the Arrancar.
"What is that?" Harribel inquired.
But she was not given a verbal answer, instead the badge released a wave of shadow over Cang Du and shot up along his arm and sprouted from his back. Soon taking the darkened form of wings and claws, and as the shadows gave way they revealed icy blue wings.
Harribel's eyes widened slightly when she saw them, her memories coming back as she realized what she was seeing.
"Those wings… they are…" Harribel said, unable to understand how this Quincy had those wings.
"The Bankai of Captain Toshiro Hitsuguya, I took from him only a day ago and intend to use it to kill the one he failed to defeat over a year and a half ago," Cang Du said, spreading the wings wide and taking flight.
Harribel watched as he raised his claw and stabbed it forward, releasing a massive ice dragon that descended towards her. Using Sinodo she evaded it easily enough, but the shock still remained at seeing that Bankai. She had underestimated them, and realized too late that she remembered Xrach and Urahara speaking on this.
The Quincy had stolen the Bankai of several Captains, but she had no idea that they could use them, it seemed so unreal to see this being used by the Quincy. But she would not be brought low by this, she had faced it before and overcome its abilities more than once, and like before it would not get the better of her. Harribel knew its abilities and what to expect, and even if this Quincy had mastered its use, it did not matter, she knew all that it had to offer her.
'Come and get me, I will crush it along with you,' Harribel thought, shooting off the ground and making a beeline for the Quincy with the stolen Bankai.
There you have it, hope you liked the chapter. Now I will not be updating again for a month, I am doing this to simply catch up on things some more and get in some more writing in my free time. I posted this because a friend asked me. Count Chaos I am talking to you!
Anyway on with the reviews:
Mythfan: Thank you.
Lolperson2: Well here is part one, part two is coming soon.
Shadowwolf1997: Glad you liked the chapter, and I really liked that chapter as well because it offers a deep and perfect explanation as to the relation between spiritual matter and energy and how Soul Reapers gain such powerful abilities and how power relays strength as well. I have basically quantified how Bleach power works and it feels good.
Guest #1: Well if they die than there will be no humble people left in the story.