Running through the woods a young bluenete was displaying a huge smile. In her hand she had a small wooden sword her father gave to her, swordsmanship is the one thing that connected her the most with her father and she loved it immensely. Beside her was her best friend, her neighbood and a black haired boy who she knew for the last three years now. In his hands was also a woden sword similar to her own, but unlike hers, that was made by her father, his was a regular story bought shinai which, in the bluenete's eyes, made it 1000% less cool.
"Heya!" The black haired boy shouted as he swung his practice sword at her, she avoided it by going down to her knees and lounging at him, making him stumble back and be pushed to the ground with her on top. Her sword positioned close to his neck as she smiled down at him.
"Hehe, I win again, A-kun." The girl said and A-Kun crossed his arms and pouted while looking to the side.
"Humph, I still was cooler, Yu-chan."
Yu-chan just laughed in her hands before she helped him get up. After the two got up A-kun pointed at something behind her.
"What is that?"
She turned to look only to be poked on the back of the head. Turning back she saw A-kun already running away and laughing.
"Now we are tied!" A-kun said as he laughed while runing at his highest speed with Yu-chan running after him.
"That one doesn't count. It was unfair, you tricked me." Yu-chan said while runing after him, her sword over her head as she ran and swung it wildly, trying to hit the laughing boy.
"If you are not cheating, you are not trying. That is what your dad said to me." A-kun said as he avoided her strikes.
Needless to say Yu-chan told this to her mother later when she got home all dirty from the rough housing the two did in the forest, the smile on her mother's face when she heard of what the father of her kids said was enough to make said father regret coming to visit the next day.
Later Yu-chan was sitting with her friend and the little sister, all three were in a flower garden Yu-chan's father knew and took them to as said father showed one of his very rare true smiles as he watched the scene.
The three kids were laughing as they tried to make flower crowns using the flowers around, the little sister managed to do it quickly and, despite being younger, the end result was not that terrible even if it was far from ideal. A-kun, meanwhile, did an amazing job to say the least, he was very good with his hands and making that was very easy for him making two crowns one after the other. But, Yu-chan just didn't manage anything even half-way decent.
Seeing her difficulty A-kun laughed and made Yu-chan pout and turn her face away.
"If it is so funny why don't you do it?"
"Well, fine." A-kun said and then takes her hands and shows her how to do it and... it was still terrible. She just was not good in making things, not at all.
Even the youngest one there giggled at this, earning a glare from Yu-chan and making the younger girl to run and hide behind A-kun for protection. A-kun just patted the youngest one's head, messing up her pretty hair, and making the little girl show a big smile with her front teeth missing. The image was decidedly cute to anyone that saw it.
Turning back to Yu-chan, A-kun took his previously complete flower crown and putting one in each of the girl's heads.
"See, now you two are princesses." The boy said and the two got big smiles before the boy smirked, moving quickly he took the younger girl in his arms and sprinted to run away with her. Yu-chan's eyes widened and moved after him as he laughed and said that she could be a princess, but he was the bad guy who would kidnap a princess.
Needless to say that it quickly went to the boy running with the smaller girl in his arms who started to laugh just like the boy and, before long, all three kids were laughing as the adult in the place gave a slight laugh, feeling better than he has felt for hundreds of years. The adult then turned to a little one right behind some trees, watching the other kids playing around, eyes watching with desire at the scene in front of it. The adult shook his head and asked.
"So, will you not join them?"
"I, I-"
"... That dream again." Yuki said as she looked up at the ceiling, her body feeling a delicious ache as she could feel a lot of soreness in herself. However, despite feeling this she still could remember the happiness in her dream, which only made her feel all the worse for it.
Closing her eyes she cursed what happened, cursing that person, if not for that person she wouldn't be in this position. She wouldn't be the only one to remember the past if it wasn't for that person, if it wasn't for that monster in human skin.
Sighing she stopped thinking about it, thinking about that being wouldn't solve anything and she still had to talk with Ace. After last night she knew she couldn't go back to pretending like she didn't know him, pretending the past didn't happen.
She had to face the facts and, most importantly, come clean to Ace about what happened. Explain to him what had happened and what was going on where he couldn't see, where he couldn't remember.
It was at this point, however, that she heard the sound of movement in the room and turned to look as Ace was putting on some clothes in a hurry. Furrowing her brows she spoke.
"Where are you going?"
Ace turned to look at her, as she raised herself a bit from the bed the covers no longer covered her unblemished skin nor her perky breasts, a sight that could have made him hard if not for how he was in too much of a hurry to even think about any of that.
"A friend called, she is in trouble and needs my help urgently." Ace said and Yuki looked at him intensely, her heart saying that he really did not change inside all that much despite what intel she managed to obtain before the mission, something she still had to figure out what exactly happened, hear from him the truth of what was going on with him. However, before that talk, she had to deal with this change of circumstances, as such she spoke up.
"I see, I am coming with you then."
"Wait, what? Why are you coming with me? Are you even in condition to go?" Ace questioned, looking her over and she just nodded.
"No problems, I had training sessions that made me feel much worse and I could still move about without an issue afterwards. Don't look down on me, we still have to have that fight." She said before getting up, unashamed of her nakedness after the previous night. While she was nowhere near her sister's mastery over the elements Yuki was still able to create some water from the moisture from the air and clear herself up in seconds using it. She then quickly moved to the wardrobe and put on her battle armor, she would not be going out in something that had no protective capabilities like a school uniform or something equally idiotic.
While Yuki was putting on her armor Ace was already moving. Thanks to the system putting on his clothes was very easy for him, for this time he choose a suit used by Vice-Admiral Garp, it looked good and, most importantly, had a lot of pockets where Ace put several items in place in case there was a need for them. Shame he didn't have a proper battle suits (yet), maybe he should try and making something like the ones Germa could make, that could be a cool project as well.
As he got dressed and equipped himself quite fast Ace had time to get moving, first to the infirmary to get some medicines in case they were needed (who knows just what would be there happening) and, after that, he went downstairs to talk with the others. He had to properly warn them that he had to leave to do something and would be taking one of his homies with him. Every help was good in his eyes and a homie could help him if needed during combat.
Getting to the kitchen Ace saw everyone eating breakfast, they were mostly surprised to see him at this moment in time, thinking he should have been asleep, but he ignored this and spoke up.
"I have to go, a friend of mine is in problems and she needs my help. I don't know when I am coming back so, Mio, please stay at home if at all possible. I am leaving two of my homies with you just in case, but I am taking Nehan as it could be useful." Ace said and they all look at him surprised except for Zest who stood up.
"I am going with you." Ace was about to tell her no when she continued. "After yesterday when you had to face such a strong opponent and I wasn't even around I refuse to allow for such a situation to repeat itself."
Ace had serious doubts that Riser could even count slightly as a 'strong opponent', but he just decided to accept it in the end. While she overestimated Riser to a generous degree by calling him strong, he still wanted to respect Zest's desires. He wanted to make Zest be able to exert her will and this was a prime chance to do so, he did not want to tell her no if at all possible unless she requested something truly absurd or far too dangerous. Besides, he didn't know what exactly he would be facing so any extra help would be a positive. Mio was about to speak up as well when Maria put a hand in her shoulders.
"Mio-sama, yesterday was already quite dangerous, if you do anything that could endanger yourself again your father may make things difficult for everyone in the future. Besides, you still are not quite strong enough to fully control all your powers, as you are now you may become a hindrance." Let no one deny that, when she wanted to, Maria was capable of making more sense than most everyone else.
So much so that Mio lowered her arm and didn't try pushing for her to come with.
Kurumi, on the side, was refusing to look at Ace after all she heard last night (seriously, those walls didn't even lower the volume of any and all moans). She was quite embarrassed and didn't know how to react to him at all, never having had any experience with males beyond beating them up for trying to do something they shouldn't.
However, it was at this point that Yuki showed up, completely ready to go in her armor and Kurumi's eyes widened.
"Wait, sis, are you going with him?" Kurumi asked in surprise, to which Yuki nodded.
"Yes, I will. And no, you cannot come with us. Protecting Mio is also important and you are probably still recovering from yesterday." Yuki said, making Kurumi pout. She didn't like the idea of her sister leaving just like that and she needed to know just what exactly happened between her sister and Ace for them to be doing THAT the night before.
"Fine, but please be safe." Kurumi said, hoping her sister would not get hurt even if she doubted she would. She knew just how strong her sister was, she still remembers just how powerful hr sister could be. There was a reason why she was considered for a position in Serafal-sama's Peerage, after all.
Not that her sister would accept, she said she already had someone else she had swore to protect even if Kurumi didn't know just who this person was.
"I will." Yuki nodded at her sister's worried expression, relieving the teenager somewhat and helping her calm down, before Yuki turned to Ace who nodded at her before both started moving to go. They went to the garage to take his bike, mounting on it with Yuki behind him, pressing herself on his back. They only had to wait a few moments for Zest to come with. She was wearing a normal leather jacket, a white blouse, and jeans, it was nothing that would scream ready to fight, but she knew a magic to change her clothes so she could just change them if needed if a combat started.
Zest mounted the bike in front of Ace, her fragrance entering his nostrils while her ass accidentally (probably?) rubbed against his crotch as she adjusted herself in place. Ace, however, could not pay attention to this for now and instead darted away, his bike moving at dangerously high speeds while trying to get to Orihime as fast as possible before anything happened. In the back of his mind he started to wonder if he should invest on creating a car, but then again he really would rather use a bike.
'I guess a hover-bike with stealth options could also be nice.'
He moved quick, Zest casting a spell to make humans ignore them, which was pretty standard for devils to know, and after that Ace going at it full speed reaching speeds of 150km/h in the town and even higher while in the road between cities.
Arriving in front of Orihime's apartment, Ace basically jumped out of the bike. As time passed his nervousness over the situation only grew worse and he basically ran up to Orihime's apartment.
Entering there he saw Orihime crouching down on a corner, her face visibly frightened and fearful as her arm was clearly injured by the small hollow that was looming over her.
The hollow was about to say something but, before he could, Ace was already upon him. No hesitation as he launched a fist strike using Fishman Karate to damage the hollow and breaking it to pieces.
Not carrying about the destroyed hollow Ace went to Orihime.
She tried to speak something but Ace wasn't listening anymore, instead focusing on the injury in her arm, clearly a claw mark. The bleeding was not good, clearly the injury was made without any care if her arm could recover later on and, if not treated soon, she might lose an arm from this.
Not carrying about what was going on around him Ace moved his arms, taking out some of the medicine from the pockets inside his clothes he began treatment, cleaning her wounds first before taking out a vial of Phenex Tears (they had a stock in the mansion, he was of course with one in hand just in case) and applying it in Orihime. The wounds closed quickly and Ace nodded as he analyzed her state, he was nearly as thrusting of the Phenex Tears as the devils or most other races, instead preferring to actually at least clean the wounds first.
Who knows if it could infect if he didn't clean it up properly, after all. He honestly did not want to risk it at all.
Seeing her well Ace finally calmed down and asked.
"So, what exactly happened, hime?" Ace asked, seeing that she was now fine. As she heard him ask her eyes filled with tears, conflicting emotions rushing forward, from the fear of death to the desperation over her brother's condition to relief over being saved just now.
She could not formulate any words and she only opened her mouth, trying to speak but no words could come out as she tried to voice out what happened but failed to do such. She was ultimately just a regular teenage girl who was trusted into a situation way beyond what she could handle readily.
"Would you like me to explain it?"
As soon as this voice rang out Ace turned around, ready to strike or defend as needed. By this point both Zest and Yuki were already inside the room and watching vigilantly as the broken parts of the hollow on the ground turned into 10 more versions of itself and spoke.
"Basically, we want you to pay for eliminating some subordinates of ours that came to the human world to hunt. If they were done in by a Shinigami we wouldn't care, at most their souls would be purified and turned into pluses before going to that boring ass of a place that is Soul Society, heck maybe I could go there and use their souls as food later, but you screwed it. When you killed them their souls were actually destroyed for real, and we want you to pay for that." the hollow said and then pointed to the Gargantua. "So, this is how it is gonna be. You can either come with me and face my friends and I inside, or you can ignore this and we won't bother you, but the soul of the big brother of this girl will become our collective dinner and we will have as desert the people in this town as we invade all at once."
Everyone there was shocked, even if for completely different reasons. Yuki, Zest, and Orihime were shocked at the possible devastation that could befall this city and it's citizens, the possible hundreds, if not thousands of deaths. Ace was shocked from how many enemies he could face and just how many points he could get from this venture.
To be fair, Ace knew that this town had so many strong people that anything bellow an invasion of at least a handful of Vasto Lords at once wouldn't even scratch it for real.
As such he 'heroically' moved to the front of the gargantua and spoke.
"So, if I go in you won't invade, correct?"
"Yes, I swear it." The l multiple hollows said in a single voice, the many pieces talking all at once.
"And there are many inside?"
"Enough to get our revenge. But don't worry, if you go in we won't devour that soul nor will we invade, we are after you after all."
"Very well then." Ace said before moving to enter the Gargantua. Looking to his back one would think it heroic, but if one looked inside his mind you would find him laughing in glee from the many enemies to face and how many points he could manage from this.
"No, you can't!" Orihime shouted. Without saying anything Zest and Yuki held onto him from the sides to hold him from entering what they perceived as a trap, Orihime went to do just the same, trying to hold him back, but in a typical fashion she tripped and ended up colliding in Ace's back, all four entering the portal thanks to the impact.
The hollow, seeing this, tilted his head and spoke.
"Okay, didn't expect that one. I fully expected one of them to kill this body before going."
"That can be arranged."
The hollow's eyes widened and turned to look, but by then it was too late as a blast of Kido hit it and disintegrated the hollow and the several pieces instantly.
With a wave of his hands a fan appeared as Urahara fanned his face with Yoruichi on his shoulders, Urahara using his cloaking device in the form of a black raincoat while Yoruichi used a smaller cloaking device that looked the same as Urahara's, only in cat size which made the black cat look adorable.
"So? Now you agree we should have ended this as soon as it started?" Yoruichi said to which Urahara just waved her off.
"Don't worry so much, Yoruichi-chan. Even if things escalated a bit there shouldn't be any issue and if Ace-kun is to help us in the future we will need him to get stronger, and fast. Giving him some fighting experience would do the kid some good." Urahara said.
"Is this one of your training plans?"
"Yes, this is the 'Grievously injury someone until they die OR get stronger and, if the person gets stronger, you gain credit for it' training plan?"
"Yes Yoruichi, yes it is." Urahara said, earning a pawn to the face with enough force that, if it was a normal person, would likely make his head become a splotch on the wall.
"Idiot, if Ace dies who will make me delicious food?"
Urahara nodded sagely at that, having tasted Ace's food before and knowing exactly what she meant.
"Well, if that is the case why not go there too? This Gargantua won't last forever but with you there Ace-kun and the others would most likely survive and you can give him a ride back home afterwards."
Yoruichi snorted but jumped inside all the same. She would not help unless someone too strong showed up or when it was clear these kids could no longer fight, what Urahara said was right and they needed every possible advantage in their fight against Aizen, if Ace could get stronger and was willing to help them then it would only be a positive thing.
"Now, shall I go monitor Ichigo a bit more? I need to ensure he is growing as well, every help in the war is a positive thing, after all." Urahara said as he moved to leave. However, just as he was leaving he saw someone standing in front of him.
There was no sound before the person showed up, he didn't feel anything and could only stare as the little girl in front of him looked at him.
"You, I heard you are strong. Can you help me?"
Urahara knew who this person was and cold sweat started basically raining down his back as he looked at 'her'. Her appearance is that of a cute young girl with long black hair down to her hips and black eyes. Her ears differ from a normal human's as they have pointed tips, although her long black hair makes this feature difficult to notice. Dressed in what might as well be the slutiest Gothic Lolita dress ever with the front completely open and two X straps of black cloth covering her breasts.
And, while looking at one of the strongest beings in existence, Urahara could only do one thing.
"What would you think of drinking some tea we talk?"
Ichigo's progression could wait, surviving Ophis, the dragon of infinity, comes first. He could only hope the trick he heard for dealing with Ophis would be able to help here, he made sure to study anyone who was particularly strong and find out their weaknesses as a way to ensure victory or, at the very least, survival.
"I have cookies." Urahara said and Ophis nodded her head.
"Very well, let's go then."
And, once again, the power of sweets helped Urahara escape a likely doom. What is it with little girls and being scary strong but weak to sweets, he would have thought that that girl of the Kido corps was the only one, but oh well, at least he would not be dying soon.
However, he feared his expenses would rise considerably thanks to this, a necessary sacrifice he could get back if he increased his prices just a bit. That or find profitable jobs for Ace in exchange for a share of the profits, in his line of work Urahara always had plenty of contacts with plenty of jobs they needed, if Ace could do them and Urahara profit from it then all the better.
'Now that I think about it, that should be a good idea. Easy profit is best profit.'
AN:
So, I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. Next chapter I intend to be full of action as it is a chance for Ace to actually increase his points, he needs to get a whole lot stronger before Kokabiel shows up as, right now, he still has a long way to go.
Anyway, not much to comment here, hope you guys enjoyed it and until next time. Peace.
