Chapter 8: Nero's devil trigger awakens! Demon vs Espada!

I just want to say to you guys, I'm very sorry for the delay! However, it was a problem I could not avoid… You see, my internet has been down since last week and I have only just had an engineer come out to fix it. So without further ado, here is the next chapter .

Ulquiorra stared at Nero's newest state in complete silence. A sudden sense of Déjà vu hitting him once again.

This is the second time that the former soldier of Aizen, has defeated a man to the brink of death, only for them to rise again with a new monstrous form. It was difficult for the normally calm and collected Espada to not compare both Nero and Ichigo together in both spirit and fighting capabilities.

Ulquiorra gripped the emerald spear in his hands and stared towards the stationery Nero who he couldn't but see the hollow monster he thought last time.

"Let's get this over with, I don't have time to be dealing with the likes of you right now!" Nero said as he suddenly disappeared.

Ulquiorra spun 180 degrees and managed to block Nero's mighty Yamato blade from hitting his neck.

"I've got him." Ulquiorra thought to himself as he raised his weapon and aimed to annihilate Nero with his explosive power.

However, Nero grabbed hold of Ulquiorra's free hand and with a quick flick of his wrist, dislocated Ulquiorra's shoulder.

Ulquiorra clearly puzzled by this, jumped backwards and clicked his bone back into place.

"You know, this fight is going to be over very soon, if you continue to compare me to Ichigo Kurosaki!" Nero bellowed, raising Yamato and slashing towards Ulquiorra.

Ulquiorra once again felt as if he was facing against the substitute soul reaper, Nero's slash attack appearance being so similar to a Getsuga Tensho strike.

The formerly ranked number four of Aizen's army, just barely managed to dodge Nero's similar strike to Ichigo's. However, Ulquiorra was unaware of Nero's presence behind him and this error was a fatal mistake.

Ulquiorra felt intense pain as he watched his limb drop to the floor right before his eyes.

This didn't make sense to the espada. His second resurrection form was believed to be highly durable. He had faced Ichigo Kurosaki in his Bankai and hollow mask state, and he prevailed through the fight without a scratch on him. Well that is until Ichigo rose again with the hollow power within him taking complete control of both his mind and body.

It then occurred to Ulquiorra, the meaning behind Nero's words. The opponent he was currently facing, was not a mad monster fighting recklessly and with instinct alone, no he was fully in control of his power. Which meant that hollow solider could not recklessly misinterpret Nero's movements.

Ulquiorra's train of thought was interrupted as a frighteningly large demonic arm was stretching out towards him.

Ulquiorra took flight and managed to evade the colossal fist.

This attack however, left Nero wide open to Ulquiorra's cero javelin which the espada launched the moment he dodged Nero's punch.

Nero was well aware of Ulquiorra's attacks destructive capability and slightly panicked knowing his arm stretched out wouldn't make it in time. So Nero decided to use his free hand to wield Yamato and brace for the flying projectile.

"Ha!" Nero yelled as he slammed down Yamato's giant blade onto Ulquiorra's surprise spear.

Yamato proved its frightening power when it effortlessly cleanly cut through the espada's attack.

Explosions erupted from the left and the right as the blast imploded from Nero's counter strike.

Nero couldn't afford to rest yet though. Yet another emerald glow began to head straight towards him. A cero had been launched from Ulquiorra's finger tips and rapidly approached the demon hunter.

"It won't work!" Nero yelled as he chose to counter the attack with his own spiritual slice manoeuvre.

A battle of purple and green caused the establishment to shake tremendously as the two powerhouses fought for superiority.

Nero managed to continuously push back against the cero as he reached deeper inside of himself and found yet another great portion of innate power.

The thought of Nero's limitless power began to scare him slightly. He could feel his humanity slipping away with every attack he dealt out in this battle against the espada.

He wondered to himself, could he really manage to face Kyrie again the same as usual even after he decided to give up what was remaining of his humanity?

No, Nero decided that he didn't care anymore if he became a demon. Even if it meant he could no longer be by Kyrie's side anymore. If it meant that he could protect her from harm, then he would gladly cast it aside. He could not allow these monsters to keep Kyrie any longer!

Nero's power began to rise tremendously and greatly overpowered Ulquiorra's Cero.

The silver swordsman's superior attack consumed Ulquiorra in an instant.

But it wasn't enough for Nero.

Refusing to stop, Nero slashed again and again into the already smoke blocking mist.

Nero felt intense pain inside his body but regardless, he pressed on further. Dashing into the smoke, Nero punched the winged beast, his fist powerfully connecting with the monsters cheek and sending him sky high.

ThTh The ground shattered tremendously under the demon hunters feet as he kicked off from its surface into the air after his escaping foe.

"You're not getting away!" Nero said as he stretched out his arm and grasp hold of his bony leg.

With great force, Nero slammed Ulquiorra into the tiled floor and then rose him up again, only to smash him once again.

Nero smashed Ulquiorra a total of five times and then came raining down on with a gatling flurry of powerful punches.

"Does it hurt? I damn well hope it does! This is what you get for taking Kyrie! And this is what you get for harming her!" Nero yelled as he used Yamato to chop yet another one of the immobile monsters limbs.

"Once more!" Nero yelled as he grabbed Ulquiorra by his tail and launched him into the wall adjacent to him.

"Die!" Nero yelled as he blindly dashed towards Ulquiorra lunging at him with Yamato.

All of a sudden, Nero's devil skin shattered to pieces and caused Nero to fall to the ground right in front of Ulquiorra.

"What the?!" Nero said only to be strangled by Ulquiorra's tail.

"You got arrogant swordsman. Now you will experience the same amount of pain I had to endure just now. Your death won't be a quick one!" Ulquiorra said as he launched Nero into the wall opposite them.

Nero crashed into the wall with great force and fell to the ground once again.

"No way… That's impossible!" Nero said as he looked at his opponent.

Ulquiorra's previously detached limbs were back were they originated from. Nero's face dripped with blood and his vision was beginning to blur as the liquid dripped into his cornea.

Meanwhile, his adversary, looked as good as new.

"Now it's my turn to show you true despair." Ulquiorra said as he suddenly vanished before Nero's eyes.

Nero found where the monster was attacking from, but not with eyes, but with the intense pain that surged from his abdomen as Ulquiorra's monstrous claws pierced through him.

However, to Nero's further dismay, Ulquiorra wasn't showing any signs of letting go just yet.

"Cero." He coldly said as he blasted Nero directly with an up close and personal blast to his face.

Nero howled in pain as the hollow blast smashed into his skull. A piercing headache suddenly appeared and left the demon hunter staggering from the aftermath.

"Do you understand now? You can't defeat me." Ulquiorra said firing another cero at Nero.

Blood dripped from Nero's arms and legs which would normally prevent one from standing.

However, Nero forced his legs to stand again with the aid of red queen to pull him up.

"I won't give up. I promised her… I promised Kyrie! I promised her after I saved her before! That I would always protect her!" Nero yelled as he suddenly dashed towards Ulquiorra.

All of a sudden, Nero found himself falling to the ground once again from a sharp pain in his stomach.

"You bastard! What do you think you're doing?!" Nero yelled as he stared up at the sudden guest.

"That's my question you idiot. You can't defeat Ulquiorra. Not in your current state." Ichigo replied making Nero frustrated.

"What the hell did you say?!" Nero yelled only to cough up blood afterwards.

"See you're all beaten up. Your trump card has expired. So leave him to me. Orihime, please heal his wounds." Ichigo requested receiving an immediate yes as the healer embraced Nero in a golden light.

Nero stood up immediately and tried to attack the espada once again.

But once again, Ichigo blocked his path, this time Ichigo guarded against his sword.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?! Move! This is my fight! I have to defeat him!" Nero said making Ichigo angry.

"Do you really have to defeat Ulquiorra? Is that really what you think? You dumbass! Is fighting Ulquiorra really the reason you came here?" Ichigo said making Nero relax his attack slightly.

"My goal?" Nero thought to himself picturing Kyrie in his head.

"You can't defeat Ulquiorra. And besides, you have another job to do. Leave him to me and go on ahead." Ichigo said making Nero finally come to his senses.

"You're right. Thanks! I'm going on ahead!" Nero said as he suddenly took off and easily passed Ulquiorra.

"Are you just going to let him go then?" Ichigo asked his former killer.

"Yes. You're the one I have been waiting for Ichigo Kurosaki." Ulquiorra simply replies making Ichigo call for Orihime.

"Orihime, heal his wounds. I'm going to settle this once and for all." Ichigo says making Orihime automatically comply.

"Heal my wounds? Aren't you getting overconfident soul reaper?" Ulquiorra coldly replies which makes Ichigo grin.

"Not at all, I just don't want you turning to dust before we have the chance to settle the score between us." Ichigo says as he extends his shikai blade out in front of him.

"You're a fool Ichigo Kurosaki. You no longer have the power to fight me. You discarded your hollow power. Do you intend to fight me with your Bankai just like last time?" Ulquiorra said making no changes to Ichigo's facial expression.

"Discarded it? You're wrong Ulquiorra. I didn't discard the hollow power, in fact I crushed it! I broke it down to the core and moulded it into the perfect form. This time, I won't lose to the hollow power. I will control it! Bankai!" Ichigo yelled his spirit energy shooting towards the ceiling in its concentrated blue light.

Ichigo emerged from the light and his body had shown obvious certain changes.

Ichigo now has one golden eye which would normally be hidden under his hollow mask. But instead of a mask, Ichigo has a horn coming out from the left side of his head. Much like his berserk hollow form, but as Ulquiorra could see, Ichigo this time was fully in control.

"This fight won't be the same as our last battle. This time, I am going to show you, the true power of a soul reaper who has fully mastered control of the hollow." Ichigo stated as the two stared at each other.

The long awaited rematch is about to commence.

Chapter 8 is now done! Again I'm sorry for the wait, but my internet was down so I couldn't upload it . But it's back again now! So I will be uploading the next chapter on Tuesday . Where we will see Nero and Kyrie reunited! Along with Ichigo's and Ulquiorra's battle to the death! Until next time .