I do not own Bleach or any of the characters.
Failure
decades ago
Kurai flipped and spun before crashing into the side of a massive tree. The Vasto Lorde hovered in front of him, blade hanging loosely to one side and her other hand on her hip. She watched him patiently and he groaned, pushing off the tree as Haruko floated back up to allow him to stand on her again.
"You're much stronger than the others," the Vasto Lorde stated. "Allow me to tell you my name. Tier Halibel. Pleasure to meet you."
"Kurai Mori," Kurai bowed. "I'd return the compliment but that's only true if you send me home."
"Fair enough," Halibel nodded. "Shall we continue?"
"Yes," Kurai nodded holding his hand out.
Haruko reached up entirely, wrapping around his wrist and forming a sword with a very wide blade. Kurai leapt forward, slashing at Halibel and she blocked it but the power behind it allowed Kurai to force her back several feet before she stopped herself this time. She shoved his blade back, slashing at him but he blocked it then spun around her, slashing at her back. She blocked it then shoved it aside and slashed him across the chest. He staggered away then growled in frustration as grass reached up his arm from the sword, wrapping around his torso and healing him. Then, the sword deconstructed, forming the floating field again, both of them standing on it. It lowered itself to the ground and Kurai held out his hand.
"Hado Sixty Three, Raikoho!"
The bolt of lightning struck her in the face and exploded but when the smoke cleared, she was unharmed. She raised her sword, charging a Cero then slashed, firing it at him. He only barely managed to escape the blast then stopped, glaring at Halibel.
"We both know you're holding back," Halibel stated. "Show me you're Bankai."
"Very well," Kurai sighed. "I don't have much choice do I? Bankai."
The field's edges glowed brighter then shot outward, expanding and creating massive trees, easily the size of the ones already present, if not bigger. The perimeter disappeared and Kurai held out a hand, a branch reaching down from one of his Bankai's trees and creating a wooden Zanpakuto for him. Then, it reached back up and Kurai sighed.
"Allow me to introduce you to Haruko's arguably true form," Kurai stated. "In my Shikai, she controls the grass, fighting alongside me. In this form, I am in control. Allow me to show you what I can do."
Halibel raised an eyebrow before four roots exploded from the ground, impaling her as branches and roots wrapped around her, binding her in place with a small opening where Kurai could attack her.
"Hado Seventy Three, Soren Sokatsui!" Kurai said blasting her through the opening.
After a moment, the roots and branches suddenly exploded off and Halibel severed the roots, pulling them out of her wounds. There was a very small first degree burn where Kurai's spell had hit but aside from that she only had four relatively small stab wounds.
"Impressive," Halibel commended. "You're quite powerful now. However, I can defend against your Kido with my Spiritual Pressure. You'll have to do better."
Kurai sighed and nodded, sprinting forward and slashing at her. She blocked it, skidding back a foot before stopping and shoving the blade back. She slashed at his head and he blocked it then let it fall to the ground beside him, slashing at Halibel. She stepped back, avoiding his blade then slashed upward at him. He ducked under the slash then stepped past her, slashing her across the stomach. She staggered away, holding a hand to her wound before grinning.
"Not bad at all," Halibel smiled. "You've a very worthy opponent. But I'm afraid I'm done holding back."
"I figured as much," Kurai smirked. "Shall we?"
She nodded, stepping forward and slashing at him. He blocked it but was launched backward, crashing through a dozen trees before getting stuck in one of Hueco Mundo's. Halibel raised her sword, charging a Cero then fired. Just before it hit, branhes from Haruko's trees reached down and formed a wall in front of him, blocking the Cero. Kurai sprinted forward, slashing rapidly at Halibel. She blocked every swing before moving to stab him. He sidestepped it but the moment he slashed at her, she vanished, appearing behind him and slashing him. He staggered away, turning around to block another slash only for her blade to smash through his and bury itself in his right shoulder. She ripped it out, kicking him, and he flew into a tree, stopping. He stood, then doubled over, slamming both hands into the ground. Roots by the dozens suddenly shot out of the ground, trying to impale her but smashing against her body. As one shattered, another would try. Both combatants quickly lost count of how many tried but that wasn't the point.
"How long can you keep that up Halibel?" Kurai asked.
Suddenly, one root managed to slip past and tore a gash in her arm. She instantly spun, slashing all of the oncoming roots then leapt into the air. She flew away, between the trees but just as she stopped, Kurai stepped out of a tree in front of her.
"Unlike with Shikai, my Bankai is stationary," Kurai stated. "Because I can travel through the trees. You can't escape. "And you no longer have the energy to defend against my Kido. Hado Four, Byakurai."
The bolt of lightning hit her in the center of the chest but it didn't effect her.
"While you are right that defending against your Bankai expended most of my energy, I still have enough," Halibel stated.
"Hado Seventy Three, Soren Sokatsui!" Kurai shouted blasting her again.
She sighed but Kurai could tell she was weakening quickly.
"Alright," Kurai growled. "How much do you have left?"
"I can fight for another ten minutes before i'm out of energy," Halibel stated. "I must say, no one has ever pushed me so far before. I'm impressed."
"I see," Kurai nodded. "I have one last Kido spell to try then I'll concede victory to you if it fails."
"Very well," Halibel nodded. "Go ahead."
Kurai nodded, holding his hand out as a branch gave him a wooden sword. Then, he pointed the sword at her.
"Hado Ninety One," Kurai growled, twelve glowing pink blasts of Spirit Energy forming around him but hovering.
Halibel paled visibly, staggering back a few feet then raising her sword, preparing a Cero but hesitating.
"I can't take a het from that," Halibel muttered. "He can't really be strong enough to use Senju Koten Taiho, can he?"
"Senju Koten Taiho!" Kurai shouted trying to fire the blasts.
Instead, they all shot toward him.
"Oh fuck," Ichigo gasped just before they all hit, exploding into a massive ball of Spirit Energy with two spikes extending from the sides like arms.
Halibel let the Cero fade and watched as the smoke cleared, leaving Kurai lying in the crater the blast had left. His Bankai glowed, shrinking back to a glowing spot on the ground beside him as his Zanpakuto rose out of the ground beside him then fell over, lying beside him. Halibel sighed and walked over, surprised to find that Kurai was both alive and awake, barely.
"Damn," Kurai smirked. "I was sure that would work. Guess I'll have to try again."
"Not right now," Halibel smiled down at him. "Now, you're finished. You've got nothing left. You are the single strongest opponent I've ever faced. Thank you for the exercise. I am sorry about your friends."
"And here I thought all hollows were cold hearted murderers," Kurai smirked. "But I liked you. You're alright."
"Thank you," Halibel smiled. "Coming from a Soul Reaper that is very high praise. Don't worry, I won't kill you. As thanks for your kind words and for giving me good exercise, I'm going to send you home."
"Thank you," Kurai smiled. "Maybe we'll meet again some day. Then we can have a rematch."
"Someday," Halibel smiled. "I have a feeling we will meet again. But for now, We should het moving."
She picked him and his Zanpakuto up then opened a portal to the Soul Society. Once there, she set him down then turned and went back to Hueco Mundo.
"Wait," Ichigo spoke up, "she just let you go?"
"Yeah," Kurai nodded. "I'm glad she did too. Of course, with my luck, she'll be an Arrancar now."
"Which means the result will be exactly the same as last time," Uryu stated. "Get up Kurai, we're here."
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