Couple of thoughts, as someone suggested I make a few notes. This one is longer then normal and ends on a cliffhanger. Would have been much longer if I have made it into one chapter. Let's just say that is a part of a continuing plotline that ends at a tense juncture like the parent series is so fond of...
It was night. Nobody was around. In the sky, stars twinkled over a barrier shield. Occasionally a small ripple would run across the otherwise translucent shield. Three Soul Reaper trainees moved quickly through the urban setting. Hikari Ebihara was in the lead. Behind her were Minato Okuzaki and Aveline von Ravenstein. They moved very fast. If a human could have seen them, they would have been almost blurs.
"It's stronger over here," Hikari said, "Minato, go up to the roof and tell us what you see."
"Right," Minato said as he leapt three stories straight up. He landed silently and looked around. The two girls stopped and listened. "There," Minato said, "That looks like our Hollow."
The two girls took off running. Minato jumped off the roof and landed in formation with the two girls.
"Hikari, run ahead and drive the Hollow towards us," Aveline said.
"Good plan," she said. Hikari's run turned into a jump as Aveline and Minato drew their swords.
Hikari saw their team's Dummy Hollow. Their class had broken up into twelve teams of three. Each team was hunting a Dummy Hollow. Her team had drawn this one. It would try to evade of course, but had nothing in the way of offensive ability.
The girl readied her move. "Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Inferno and pandemonium, the sea barrier surges, march on to the south!" Hikari chanted. A red sphere erupted from her outstretched palm, impacting on the Dummy. The explosion had it's attention. Hikari drew her sword and charged it. The Hollow turned and ran from the Trainee. Towards Aveline and Minato.
"Here it comes," Aveline said.
The Dummy was coming straight for her, blundering right into their trap.
"There Avey, attack now!" Minato shouted.
Aveline focused herself and was about to attack when something tugged at the edge of her spirit senses. What was that strange pressure? It had only passed by moment, but there had been something there. There it was again. It was something dark and malicious.
"Avey. Attack!" Minato shouted again.
Aveline sprung at the Dummy. Her mind was elsewhere and while she hit it, it was not a clean hit. She did knock it towards Minato however. Minato finished it off quite handily.
Hikari caught up. "Well, we got it," she said cheerfully.
"Yeah," Aveline said with a bit of unease.
"Hm, something wrong, Avey?" Minato asked, "It's not like you to space during a battle."
"It's just…I thought I felt something," Aveline said, "Just a moment."
"What kind of something?" Hikari asked.
"Something…hateful," Aveline said.
"A Hollow perhaps?" Minato asked.
Hikari looked startled. "A…a Hollow?" she said, "Wait, shut up you big jerk. There is a barrier up and everything. No Hollow could get through that."
"Yeah…a barrier," Aveline said, "All the same, I think we should have a look around, just to make sure." There it was again. And stronger. "Did you guys feel that?"
Hikari and Minato had surprised looks on their faces. "I felt something," Minato said.
"I definitely did," Hikari said, "It sent a chill up my spine."
There was a double pulse of spiritual pressure. The three tensed up.
"This is getting really spooky," Hikari said.
"Yeah, we should head back to the seniors," Minato said.
Aveline wanted to stay and search the area, but Minato was right. Heading back was the smart thing to do. And if she found something, What could Aveline have done about it? "We should hurry," Aveline said.
Toji Komehara's hand had instinctually gone to his sword.
"What is it," asked his friend Kou Genamura who was muching on some rice cakes.
"Did you feel that?" Toji asked.
"A double pulse of spirit energy?" Kou said, "Yeah. I think it's just the kids beating their dummies."
Toji smacked the back of Kou's head causing Kou to drop his rice cake. "You idiot, the dummies don't have anywhere near that level of pressure, let alone a double pulse like that." He looked at the barrier. It was still there. "Where's Tatsuya?"
"He went off to check on the barrier keepers suddenly," Kou said. "Figures. Tatsuya is probably just trying to make talk with that Yamadiri girl," Toji said. Kou knelt down and picked the rice cake up. Inspected it, brushed some dirt off, and started eating it again. "You're disgusting. That was on the cold, dusty ground," Toji said.
"Hey you made me drop it. Besides, ten second rule," Kou said.
Toji rolled his eyes. He had to get some new friends. "Kou, I want you to check up on the teams. I'd rather get out of here sooner then later. I have a bad feeling coming over me."
"Me? Why me?" Kou asked.
"Because I am going to check on the barrier team," Toji said.
The small Hollow watched the two break up. Soul Reapers were so arrogant. They relied too much on their ability to sense spiritual pressure and neglected their other senses and general alertness. This Hollow was an expert at hiding itself. It was small, but cunning. It was weak, but sneaky. It had found a niche in the Hollow hierarchy as a scout. It would find a tasty morsel and tell a stronger Hollow it had made a deal with. In exchange for a couple bites of the soul, the weaker Hollow would lead the stronger Hollow to the meal.
A particularly strong, old, and devious Hollow called Grand Master had recognized the importance of the little Hollow and had brought it into his plan. Now the little Hollow was the advance scout of what would surely be the greatest army ever assembled by Hollow or Soul Reaper. If it's grin was not already perpetually in a sinister grin, it would be now. Because the traitor was right.
Kou landed gracefully on the ground after leaping off the rooftop. Despite his large bulk, he could be quite nimble. He was moving quickly. After he had broke off from Toji he had felt quick bursts of spiritual pressure. Bursts not unlike that of a Hollow. He had to get to the trainees and fast.
Something big lunged at him from the side. It had a white mask. Hollow. Kou dodged the attack and drew his Zanpaktou. It was bigger then a human, but not overly big. It swiped at him with a hand. Kou sliced the hand off then jumped at the head. He hit it with a slash, severing the mask. The Hollow disappeared.
Two other attacked him from the rear. As he dodged the first the second landed a blow on him, knocking Kou to the ground. Kou rebounded off a wal and charged at the one that hit him. It dodged his attack and a burst of spines impaled him. He fell to the ground, badly wounded.
"Mmm, this one looks mighty tasty," said the first Hollow.
"Look how plump it is," the second agreed.
"I am sure Grand Master won't mind if we have a little snack before the feast begins," the first said.
"We'll split him, right down the middle. There will be plenty for both of us," the second said with a laugh.
"Damn, how did I not sense them?" Kou thought aloud.
"How did you not sense us?" asked the first.
"Why that's easy. We just got here," the second said.
"Ever since the barrier went down, Hollows have been arriving at an astounding rate. Grand Master and his allies inside the Soul Society have been planning this for a long time," the second explained.
"Yeah. Kill a bunch of new Soul Reaper to help Grand Master's inside sources take over," the first continued, "And you will be the first Soul Reaper to die tonight."
"Insiders? In the Soul Society. Someone in the Soul Society is working with Hollows?" Kou said.
"Yep, that's what we said," the first answered, "Too bad you won't be telling anyone about it."
"Well, that's enough plot exposition for one scene, don't you think? I'm hungry," the second said.
Kou braced himself for his death. Instead he saw the first Hollow suddenly get wrapped in red wires extending from her fingers.. One of the trainees leapt on top of it and smiled. With a flick of her wrists she shredded the monster into pieces and it disintegrated. Her fingers retained their long claws however.
Another student wielding two short Zanpaktous attacked the second Hollow. With his first sword he deflected a blow from the Hollow and with his second he slashed the Hollow's mask and it disintegrated.
A third student with a vacant expression in her eyes ran over to him and looked at his wounds. "Oh, nothing fatal," she said, "It would have been terrible if you had died on George." Her hands took on a green light and she touched him. The spines ejected from his body. His pain gradually subsided.
"Who are you three?" Kou said.
"Don't talk too much. You are badly hurt and we need to get moving," the guy with the two swords said as he sheathed them, "There are more on their way as we speak."
"In fact, don't tell anyone we saved you," the girl with the claws said, "It will just be more trouble for us later. We can say you did it and we found you."
The guy picked Kou up. "Dammit you're heavy," he said.
"We have to get out of here," the claw girl said.
Toji arrived at where the barrier unit was. It was a scene of horror. Bodies were everywhere. Tatsuya was dragging Yamadiri out from a pile of wood.
"Tatsuya! What happened here?" Toji shouted.
"I…I…don't know," Tatsuya said, "I got here and it was like this."
"Why didn't you come for me and Kou right away?" Toji asked.
"I had to find Miss Yamadiri," Tatsuya said.
Toji sighed. Of course Tatsuya would save the girl first. Toji raised his communicator. "This is Toji Komehara we need…" something had slammed into his back.
"Can't let you so that, Ssssoul Reaper," said a snakelike Hollow that had appeared behind Toji, "The Grand Massssster will deal with you soon enough."
"Tatsuya, run, get the trainees together!" Toji yelled.
The snake tried to crush Toji with it's body, but Toji dodged it. He drew his Zanpaktou and prepared to fight.
"Oh, ssssso you want to play?" the snake said, rearing up, "Well then, take thissss." A spray of some liquid erupted from it's mouth. Toji avoided the spray and slashed the side of the Hollow.
"I you'll pay for killing my classmates," Toji said.
"Oh, that wasssn't me," the snake said, "I have only jusssst arrived. The otherssss took care of them before I even got here."
Others? Toji knew he had to get that communicator and call for backup.
Aveline, Minato, and Hikari arrived back at the gathering area. Seito, Itsuro, and Kimiko were waiting.
"Look at us," Itsuro said, "We're number one. How about a congratulatory kiss?"
Aveline slapped him instead. "Have you three been feeling anything unusual?" she asked.
"The bursts of spirit energy?" Seito said.
"And that double burst," Kimiko said, "Well at least the barrier is still up."
"Good thing too," Minato said.
Seito was studying the barrier. "It hasn't rippled in a while though," he observed, "Not since the double burst."
"Rippled…It ripples pretty often. About every three minutes for a barrier this size as it refreshes," Kimiko said, "It has been longer then that since the double burst."
"It has been seventeen minutes," Seito said.
"Are you sure it hasn't rippled?" Aveline asked.
"Yes," Seito said.
"So it hasn't rippled," Itsuro said, "It's still up."
"Someone is coming," Aveline said.
Akane, Minako, and Aki appeared. Aki was carrying an unconscious Kou Genamura. As if expecting a question, Aki said, "Hollow attack. He had just killed it when we arrived. But then passed out from his wounds."
"A Hollow?" gasped Hikari.
"Nope," Akane said, "Two."
"That would explain the spiritual pressure bursts we have been feeling," Seito said.
"But what about the barrier?" Hikari said.
"I think it has been compromised," Kimiko said.
"More are coming," Minako said, "Many more. The others are in danger."
"Yeah, we need to gather all the other groups back here," Aveline said.
"There were twelve groups in all," Aki said.
"That leaves nine other groups," Hikari said.
"There are nine of us," Minato said, "We split up and get them back here."
"But each person will be moving alone," Hikari said.
"Move fast and stay alert," Aki said, "I'll hide double-stuffed here."
Toji rolled out of the way of another burst of fluid from the snake Hollow. Tatsuya was fighting another Hollow that had appeared.
"Isssss all you can do Trainee Soul Reaper isssss dodge my attackssss?" the Hollow asked mockingly.
Toji feigned a move left and rolled forward. The Hollow swung a claw at where he seemed to be going, but Toji avoided the attack. He sprang up and made an upward slash at the Hollow's mask, splitting it down the middle.
"No," he said as the Hollow disintegrated, "I was accepted into Squad Ten just yesterday. So I am no longer a trainee."
He heard a rumbling laugh. He turned and saw a very large Hollow appear. "Good," the Hollow laughed, "It would have been a shame for me to appear and have a mere trainee to defeat, humiliate, and devour. That would have been boring. Now I can have a full fledged Soul Reaper to destroy."
"Well too bad," Toji said, "Because I will defeat you."
"Oh, that's rich," the Hollow said, "And how exactly do you plan to defeat the second most powerful being in this Army?"
"Army? Second most powerful?" Toji asked.
"Yes. My master, The Grand Master, has gathered an army of Hollows to destroy you Soul Reapers once and for all," the Hollow said, "And you, dear Soul Reaper, have found yourself facing Searing Wind." As if to illustrate his point, the Hollow opened his mouth and a gout of flame erupted, burning the ground where Toji was standing.
"Well I am Toji Komehara. And I can't loose! I won't let you devour the other trainees, so I will defeat you," Toji said.
"Pressed against a wall and no place to run," Searing Wind said, "You have nothing to loose so show me all that you have! I want to enjoy this fight."
"Bring it on!" Toji shouted.
Hikari arrived at the team she was retrieving. "You guys, c'mon. We need to get back to the gathering point," she said.
"But we haven't killed our Hollow Dummy yet," one said.
"Forget about that. Real Hollows are afoot," Hikari said.
"Real Hollows?" another asked, "Here?"
"Mommy…" the third said.
"Quit your whining and let's go!" Hikari ordered.
A small Hollow swiped at one of the trainees. "Hey, I didn't know we had to kill two Hollows tonight."
"And why is this one attacking?"
Kimiko slashed it with her sword, destroying it. "That wasn't a dummy," she said, "That was real. Now we need to get out of here before any bigger ones show up."
The trainee was knocked down by the Dummy Hollow. Suddenly it disintegrated. Seito sheathed his trainee Zanpaktou. "Hey, he was ours," the trainee shouted.
"My gosh you are pathetic. When we get back to the Soul Society I am going to make sure Master Itaro puts you through some rigorous sword drills," Seito said, "Meanwhile, we must head back to the gathering point. Hollows are about."
"Hollows?"
"Yes, Hollows. Now come on. I will not repeat myself a third time," Seito said.
"Run, run young Soul Reapers, back to the entry way we must go. Hollows are on their way to devour your soul," Minako said as she dropped out of a tree next to the group she was supposed to find.
"Uh, what did she say?" one asked.
"I think she said Hollows are coming," another said.
Minako put her arms out like wings and began running back to the entry point. "Hurry, before Death catches you. If you run fast enough, perhaps he will go after easier prey."
"She is weird," the third said.
"Should we follow?" the said said.
"Well she said Hollows were coming," the second said, "I'm not waiting around to find out what she means by Death."
Minato finally found his group. "You three, come with me. We need to get back to the entry point."
"Why?" asked one of the students.
"Hollows are coming," Minato clarified.
"How many?" one asked.
"I don't know. And I don't want to stick around to find out," Minato said.
"Hey you three," Akane shouted, "Get a move on back to the entry gate if you don't want to die."
"Are you threatening us?" one of the three asked.
"No, I'm not threatening you," Akane said with a grin, "But something else is."
"She is scaring me," one said.
"Not nearly enough," Akane said, "The Hollows will get you if you don't hurry. Or you can stay back here if you want."
"Hollows?" Okay, let's go," the scared one said, "But stop smiling like that. It's freaking me out."
"Then run faster," she said.
"Hey, you guys!" Itsuro said, "Get a move on back to the entry point."
"Ignore him, it's just that idiot Itsuro," one of the students said.
"No, I'm serious. Hollows are appearing," Itsuro said.
"No there aren't. If there were Itsuro would be screaming like a little girl," the one said. The other three laughed.
"Hey, I do not scream like a girl," Itsuro said, "I have a very manly scream. All the girls I date agree, my scream is very becoming of a man."
"Shut up, Itsuro," one of the student said, "can't you see we are busy?"
"Look, I come all the way out here to save you from the Hollows and you guys are mean to me," Itsuro said indignantly, "But I will have you know that if I am the big hero here, I may very well end up impressing some gorgeous ladies. And I can't risk you three from getting in my way. They will be all 'Oh Itsuro is so brave, I want to go out with a hero like him' and then yeah, I'll be rolling in the babes. If you come with me, I may even pass a couple of the uglier ones off to you."
"Ohhhh! Get out of here you idiot!" the third student yelled.
"Aw come on guys, that was a fair off…AAAAAAA!" Itsuro screamed like a little girl and took off running as a small Hollow emerged from a bush.
"What was…HOLLOW!" shouted the three as they started running.
The Dummy Hollow tilted it's head to the side inquisitively.
The trainees sliced their Dummy Hollow apart. "Good work, time to head back," Aki said.
"Why?" they asked.
"The real thing is coming," Aki said with a smile, "And we need to be ready."
Aveline finally found her group. They were up a tree. "What are you three doing?" she asked.
"Looking for our Dummy Hollow," they said.
"Well stop, we need to get back to the entry point," Aveline said, "Real Hollows have been spotted."
"What about the barrier?" one asked.
Aveline shrugged, "You can stick around and see if the barrier will protect you if you want."
"Okay, let's go. I don't want to risk her being right and us dying," one said.
Toji's arm was bleeding. It was a minor wound, but still painful. He had landed a couple hits on the large Hollow, but none seemed to have had any effect on it. It kept laughing at him.
"What's wrong Soul Reaper? Getting tired?" it taunted, "Ready to consign yourself to the inevitable?"
"Not at all," he said.
Tatsuya had beaten his Hollow, but had received a nasty gash on his torso and from that had lost a lot of blood. He was effectively out of the fight.
"Tatsuya, go get Kou and you two make sure the trainees are safe," Toji shouted.
"But Toji…" Tatsuya started.
"Do it!" Toji ordered.
" I can't leave Yamadiri!"
"I'll protect her," Toji said.
"…fine. But I will never forgive you if you or her die," Tatsuya acquiesced and started running.
"How caring of you," the Hollow said, "sending your ally away to spare him the horror of seeing you killed."
"I didn't need him," Toji said, "to beat you!" Toji rushed the Hollow, barely dodging it's fist. Then another fist. Then he jumped as the flames erupted from it's mouth. He was going to do it! He began bringing his blade down on the Hollow's mask. It connected and he saw his blade run the length of the mask. He landed and stood triumphantly. "It's over."
The Hollow wasn't disintegrating though. Instead it started laughing. Then it backhanded Toji with one of it's giant fists. "You thought that was my mask? What a fool," Searing Wind said.
Toji struggled to his feet. "What…was that?"
"Yes, it is true that all Hollows have a mask, but I have several false masks. Including," the Hollow said with a laugh and a gesture at his mask, "This one." Searing Wind opened his hands, revealing smaller masks on them. He turned around quickly, showing six masks on his back. "And I can see and breathe fire from all of these masks. Still thinking you have a chance of beating me, Soul Reaper?"
Toji was back on his feet. Blood was dripping from his nose. He had a cut on his forehead now. "Yeah, I just need to slash eight more masks to win." He rushed the Hollow again…
Aveline was leading her group back to the entry point. She came across Aki's and Hikari's groups as well. "Glad to see you," Hikari said.
"Likewise," Aki said.
"Shut up," Hikari said to Aki.
"Look, we have our lover's spat later," Aki said, "For now let's just get out of this alive."
This was odd. Aki is being serious. He is never serious back at the Academy. What was that? Something had appeared in front of them.
A big black shape, hunched over, with a bleached white mask with a sinister scowl looked at them. "Lost little Soul Reapers. Here, let me take care of you," it said.
"Is that a Hollow?" Aveline asked.
"I think so," Hikari said.
"You guys, take cover!" yelled Aki.
"Hikari, blast it with a fireball, I will try to hit it's mask," Aveline said.
"Right," Hikari said, "Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Inferno and pandemonium, the sea barrier surges, march on to the south!"
The fireball blasted the Hollow dead on in the face. Aveline leaped at the mask.
"Not good enough," the Hollow said. He punched Aveline out of the air.
"Avey!" yelled Aki. Aki drew two short Zanpaktous and rushed forward.
The Hollow brought a fist down on the ground, hard. A shockwave rippled across the ground and slammed into Aki, throwing him back.
Aveline looked around. Dazed. Laying down. What had happened? She had been swatted into a building. She could see Aki getting knocked back by the shockwave. She needed to get back out there. She needed to protect everyone. It was her duty. She needed her sword. Where was it? She couldn't see it in the rubble of the room she was in. Damn! She needed a weapon.
Hikari sent another fireball at the monster. She drew her Zanpaktou and made ready to fight. Where was Aki? Hikari was good, but her and Aki were better. If they couldn't stop it then Hikari didn't stand a chance.
Suddenly a voice whispered, "Need a hand?"
"Who said that?" Aveline asked. Time seemed to slow down.
It was the bird from her dream. "I did."
"I don't have time for your…dreams now," Aveline said, "I need to find my sword! I need to fight! I need to win!"
"Do you mean that?" the bird asked.
"What do you mean?"
"Do you mean what you just said? Do you need your sword? Do you need to fight? Do you need to win?" it said. It's eyes seemed to narrow, "Do you want your sword?"
"Yes," Aveline said.
"Then take it!"
The stone appeared before Aveline. The sword was jammed into it. Aveline forced herself up. She grabbed the sword hilt. A thousand screams echoed into her mind. She had to ignore that. She needed this sword. Aveline pulled. "C'mon damn you! You're my sword! We need to fight!"
The sword suddenly broke free. The screaming stopped. A laughed echoed in her mind instead. "We need to fight? Then let us fight! Let us head off to WAR!"
Her mind felt clear. Sharpened. Honed to a fine edge. All traces of the fogginess of being flung into a building had deserted her. She calmly stepped out and pointed her sword at the Hollow. The blade was thirty-six inches long, two inches thick at it's widest point, running straight until almost at the top, then tapering into a sharp point. The metal had a slight blue glow to it. Along the blade, two grooves ran down the sword. It looked...beautiful.
"Hikari," Aveline said, "Stand back."
"Avey, where did you get that sword?" Hikari asked.
"I'll tell you after I beat this Hollow filth," Aveline said.
The Hollow turned to face Aveline. Aveline began charging forward. It tried the shockwave move it had used on Aki on her. As she charged forward, Aveline expected this and jumped over it. She jumped at the Hollow's face.
"Heh, this again," it said, moving it's hand to swat her again.
"No, not this time!" Aveline yelled, turning in midair and landing on the Hollow's arm. She quickly slashed the arm and took another leap at the face. The Hollow was blinded by the pain. Aveline's sword connected and hacked the mask apart. The Hollow disintegrated.
"Nice one, Avey," Hikari said.
"What just happened?" asked a stunned Aki.
"Yeah, you told me you would tell me about your sword," Hikari said.
"I think this is my Zanpaktou," Aveline said.
Hikari gasped in excitement. "Wow! It's so neat. It doesn't look like a Zanpaktou very much. Not like any I have seen anyway. It's so straight and has two edges. And what are these grooves."
"Well it's like most swords where I am from," Aveline said, "So I guess that could be why my sword looks like this."
"Well this has been really fun ladies, but we need to get moving," Aki said, gesturing at the trainees.
"Oh yeah," Hikari said.
"You okay? Avey asked.
"Yeah, just a little shaken, that's all," Aki said.
Aveline, Aki, and Hikari arrived back at the entry point. They were the last group. "Any word from the seniors?" asked Aki.
"No," Minato said.
"Who's that?" Kimiko said.
Tatsuya came into view, obviously wounded.
"It's Tatsuya Fuja, the other senior that was with Toji," Seito said.
"And he is wounded too," Aki said, "This doesn't look good."
Tatsuya arrived. "All the trainees are here. Good, makes my job easier. Where's Kou?"
"Wounded and unconscious. I hid him in a building nearby," Aki said.
"Where is Toji?" Aveline asked.
"He is fighting a big and strong Hollow. He dropped the communicator. Without that, we can't call for backup," Tatsuya said.
Aveline sighed, "Looks like we will have to get it back then."
"No, I can't let you guys do that," Tatsuya said, "It's too dangerous."
"If we don't, who else will?" Aveline asked.
Tatsuya looked angry. "Alright. The strongest of you, come with me. The rest, stay here and suppress your energy as much as possible. If a Hollow attacks, run and hide or gang up on it."
"I'll go," Aveline said.
"Me too," Aki said.
"Me as well," Akane said.
"I'll go too," Kimiko said.
"I volunteer as well," Seito said, "Itsuro is coming as well."
"I am? Who said that?" Itsuro said.
"I will help," Hikari said.
"Oh, a brave group of heroes! Count me in!" Minako said.
"I guess I'll help," Minato said, "I can't let these ladies go out there unprotected."
"Hey, protecting ladies is what I do," Itsuro said, "Well, that and romancing them…"
"Like I said, someone has to protect these fair ladies," Minato said.
Toji had slashed another mask, one on the back, but had gotten hit by a gout of flame in the process. He could barely stand.
"Well, you put up a good fight Soul Reaper, so I will be merciful and make your death quick. One bite is all it will take," the Hollow said.
Damn. I can barely move. I have to move. It can't end like this. I need to win…
The Hollow's mouth came down. Toji closed his eyes. Then…the Hollow released a shocked sound. "If you want to kill my senpai, you'll have to go through me!" he heard someone say.
Toji opened his eyes. He saw Seito Sunohara, the trainee who was training with the teachers of the Academy before he had even enrolled. They guy was almost a legend.
"Here, senpai, let's get you out of here," Minato said, picking Toji up.
"Seito, me and Aki will back you up," Aveline said.
"I'll save Miss Yamadiri for Tatsuya," Itsuro said.
Hikari, Akane, and Kimiko made up a rear guard. Minako was nowhere to be seen.
"Hm, so many of you have come to your deaths," the Hollow said, "It always makes things easier when your food comes to you."
"Well I won't let that happen to us," Aki said.
"Hold on, this Hollow is strong. He has multiple fake masks on his hands and back. You have to find the real mask and destroy it," Toji said.
"Thanks, senpai," Aki said, "Now you take it easy. We'll hand it from here."
"Don't be so confident, young Soul Reapers," the Hollow said, "I have destroyed countless others like you."
"Well then that ends today," Aveline said, "Seito, Aki, charge!"
To be continued...