Chapter 9
The Earth Shakes
Under the Titan's Rage
Barragan made his move by slamming his fist into the ground. The sand around his dead servants, their body turned into energy and flowed strait into Barragan's arms.
"What!?" Ichigo said silently as the corpses of the former Arrancar.
Suddenly Barragan's form started to shift. Then two wings appeared on his back, his hands became claw like, while his feet widened in to like elephant feet. His armor had began to show some mask that resembled his former servants.
Ggio stood there looking at his master, then at the others. "Don't you see now you pathetic worms? You could never stand up to someone like his Majesty." he said proudly.
He then felt like he was sinking and looked down to see the sand consume him. His attempts to escape only made his sink faster. He looked at his master before he mumbled "W-why…" The sand fully incased him and his energy was transferred to Barragan.
"Because if I'm going to beat them I'm going to need all the strength I can get. Even if it means killing you." He said with a stoic tone but cold words. His form the grew a pair of long daggers on all of his claws.
Ichigo witnessed Barragan's action with both horror and disgust. He charge forward with his sword clashing with his new daggers. "Your…own…men. Why?" Ichigo questioned the brute furiously.
Barragan answered coldly, "If their dead, I got better use for their power then a lump of worthless scum."
Ichigo charged at the despicable Arrancar. With his hollow mask and Zanpakutō armed he clashed let again with the Earth titan. Only for Barragan to fire his own fist that extended almost five feet beyond the normal arm length and slam on Ichigo pushing him back.
Ichigo recovered from this attack and charged once more as he grabbed the chain on the end of his sword and transformed into his Ghost Rider form. He whipped the chain at Barragan's arm. It wrapped around it twice and he then pulled it to rip the arm off. He then yelled "Getsuga Tensho" and slashed his sword to do some more damage.
The impact hit Barragan square in the chest and dust stirred up. When the dust settled it revealed Barrangan standing looking more dense then he did before.
"So that's the best you got, ant?" Barragan yelled as he powered up his arms and slammed them into the ground and energy started to stir the sand until the sand raised itself into a dozen copies of Barragan himself. The original Barragan the said "These will be more then enough to take you down." and the clones charged.
Each clone took an opponent to tackle while Five clone fought Ichigo.
Ichigo dodged one clone after another to prevent being clobbered. He let loose his Getsuga Tensho at a clone. Only for the clone to regenerate its form from the sand.
"Dammit" he cursed at the clones. The clone only responded with another barrage of punches.
Then the clone all dived at him at once, intending to slam on him with their weight. Ichigo jumped into the air.
Barragan saw his attempt to escape and raised his fist to allow a torrent of sand rush at him and slam him to the ground.
"So this is the ant that took out Harribel?" Barragan then let out a small laugh and said "And here I thought I would have to worry you." Barragan gloated and prepared another tidal wave of sand.
Ichigo saw this and rushed forward with his immense speed. Grinding his sword in to the sand while charging it up with a fire-like aura, leaving a small trail of glass behind, and let loose a massive slash against then tidal wave and turned it to glass.
Barragan prepared for the attack and put up a wall of solidified sand for defense, and launched another stream of sand tendrils to attack.
Ichigo dodge the assault of sand and moved in for the kill. He then shouted "Getsuga Tensho!" and fanned his sword in multiple blast of black crescent attacks to knock down the shield. The shield was knock down and sand was stirred, preventing anyone seeing Barragan's condition.
When the sand settled Barragan was no where insight. Suddenly sand began to rise into a human shape figure. The sand around the figure began to shift and show several feature, until the figure resembled Barragan perfectly.
The figure groaned and said "Did you think a blast of that magnitude could kill me Ant." Barragan gloated. "The power of Topo not only allows me control the earth, but I'm can also turn myself into any earthly substance present in my environment." He informed Ichigo.
Ichigo ready himself for the next assault, knowing this guy was way beyond Halibel's level.
The other were battling their own Sand Clone. They were having better success with dealing with the clone when it came to disbursing them, but as soon as they were destroyed, they recovered good as new.
Rukia and Nel were dealing with two clones, while protecting Orihime. These clone made it clear that they were not friendly.
Nel had called her release form and launched her spear at one of the clones, but it had little effect. She knew she was running low on energy and her release was only draining her faster. "Damn, I can't drag this out." she said as she threw her spear once more.
Rukia also had a tough time with her clone as well, but still holding them at bay. Her Zanpakutō froze all the clones in place, but the clones were regenerating faster.
Rukia then turned to Nel "Nel how are you holding up?" She asked
Nel responded "Not so good Rukia." she said panting.
A couple of clones made their move and then suddenly they heard "Cero Sincrético (Spanish:Synchronized Zero; Japanese:United Hollow Flash)" and a yellow-red swirling cero blasted away the clones.
Nel, Rukia, and Orihime turned and saw the once responsible for the blast. They saw two human like hollows. One was smaller compared to the other and had an insect-like mask and loincloth. The other one had a body that looked like a toad with polka-dot spots, his mask looked like a tiki mask with compound eyes.
The hollows approached the group and kneeled down in front of Nel and said together "Neliel-sama, I apologize for the delay."
"Pesche, Dondochakka." Nel shouted with joy as she embraced her former fracción. "Where have you guys been?" she asked
Pesche just answered "Around." Their reunion was interrupt by the clone that once again reconfigured themselves. Pesche and Dondochakka armed themselves and said "Neliel-sama, leave this to us." They then charged at the clone and easily disposed of them.
Nel started to relaxed her self as she watched her fracción, then her eyes fell upon Rukia and Orihime, who was watching Ichigo. She knew what Rukia wanted to do and said "Rukia…" Gaining her attention "Go help Ichigo I'll take care of things here."
Rukia looked at her in shock and the said "No, I can't do that Nel! Ichigo…"
Nel said "Pesche and Dondochakka can take care of things here, you don't need to worry. Ichigo needs you help more then we do." She resituated Rukia.
Rukia was hastened for a moment, but realized she was right and headed out.
Byakuya and Kenpachi were cutting clones left and right, and clearly not enjoying it. Kenpachi was annoyed that this clone put up no fight what so ever and none of then even managed to cut him. Byakuya was annoyed just from the number of clone and how persistence they were.
Kenpachi groaned as he thought 'Damn, this guy just don't know when to stay down. I mean if they had some good move that be different, but this is just boring' He then started hacking the clones once more to prevent them doing the same to him.
Byakuya was also doing the same with his own batch of clone when he saw Rukia away from everyone else and towards Ichigo. Before he could do intercept his sister, Clones started to attack Byakuya once more, distracting him from his goal.
Rukia got closer to where Ichigo and Barragan were fighting. Deciding to launch a sneak attack, she took her pose and gathered energy for the next strike.
"Tsugi no mai, Hakuren!" and the wave of ice hit Barragan's body and froze it in place momentary.
Ichigo recognized the attack and turned his head towards Rukia. "Rukia, what the hell are you doing!" Ichigo questioned his friend's motives.
Rukia then said "I'm here to help, and before you interject Ichigo listen to me." she yelled gaining his full attention. "If the Espada is anything like the other guy before we came in to Las Noches, then his weakness is obviously water. Now think you have a fire move, and I have a ice-Zanpakutō. What do you think we could gain from teaming up."
Ichigo then replied "I get what your saying, we just got to get him very wet so his own shift-shaping abilities will become worthless."
Rukia nodded and continued "Yes, but I need a lot of time to build up energy to make this plan work. So I need you to distract him, while I power up."
"If you think it's that easy…" Barragan shouted as he broke out of his ice prison "…then I dare you to try it." as he then launched his arm attempting to crush the duo.
Both Rukia and Ichigo spread out to avoid being crushed and begun their plan. While Ichigo led the assault against Barragan, Rukia began to power up for a massive attack.
"Getsuga Tensho!!!" Ichigo yelled as his attack hit Barragan in the head, blowing it off, only for it to reconfigure itself.
Barragan diverted his attention from Ichigo towards Rukia and made his attack directly towards, only for Ichigo to intercept the attacks, and divert his attention to him.
This enraged him as he yelled "Sepulcro Desierto (Spanish:Desert Grave)" and let out a huge wave of sand towards both Rukia and Ichigo to finish then both off with one blow.
Ichigo looked at the tidal wave of sand rushing toward them and responded by quickly gathering enough energy into his sword and shouted "Shinkirou Kien!" he yelled while concentrating on releasing a little energy to turn the entire wave in to glass.
Ichigo then looked back at Rukia "Are you done yet!" he yelled. With Rukia only yelling back "Not yet! Remember we only got one shout if this works!" her warning was mentioned once more.
Barragan attempted to attack Ichigo once again for interfering with his plan. He slithered through the sand, enlarged his fist with the sand and punched Ichigo aside, then charged at Rukia.
Rukia saw Barragan advance towards her and couldn't help but show once facile expressing. Joy.
When Barragan got close enough he started to release her energy as she yelled "Some no Mai, Tsukishiro!" a white circle appeared on the sandy landscape. Then, as Rukia moved out of the way, the attack went full force and froze every ounce of Barragan in place with 5 feet worth of ice covering him from head to toe.
Rukia exhausted, turned her head to Ichigo and then shouted "Ichigo, NOW!!!"
Ichigo charged up Zangetsu for one more blow as he said "Got It!" Then he ran towards the statue of Barragan, as it started to crack, Then shouted "Shinkirou Kien!" and the flames made contact with the ice incasing Barragan, thus melting it and the water absorbing into the sand that made up Barragan's form.
Barragan freed from one problem was confronted by another. They figured out his weakness against water. He couldn't maintain his form and dissolved in to mud. His clones soon after dissolved back into sand.
Everyone sighed in relief about the Segunda Espada's 'death'. They took a moment to caught their breath.
Ichigo still in his Ghost Rider form looked at Rukia and said "Not bad Rukia." He complimented.
Rukia returned the compliment with a grin and said "Thanks."
Suddenly they felt a burst of energy so strong, that the dome ceiling above them was starting to crack under the pressure of the power.
Then, in the spot where Barragan fell, a new figure started to emerge from the sand. The figure was Barragan, but he change drastically. First he shrank to the size of a five foot human, his armor had been completely wiped off only leaving his chest exposed, secondly his skin, once brown, turned completely sliver. His face had returned to a complete human form and no longer had a snout-like nose.
"Topo Cósmico Horror (Spanish:Cosmic Horror Mole)" Barragan spoke in a cocky tone "Well Shinigami you pissed me off enough to witness my true form, you should feel honor…" he then moved his fist in front of him "…BEFORE YOU DIE!" The earth began to let loose a large quake as he yelled.
Everyone moved as the away from the ground as it started to crack, transforming the entire land in to a mini canyon.
Ichigo looked around and saw Rukia holding on to the ledge of the canyon wall. He jumped over, grabbed her hand before she fell, and lifted her up.
Rukia caught her breath and looked up at Ichigo "Thanks again." she said
Ichigo said "Later." And looked over to Barragan and saw him standing on the ledge of the canyon
"Did you honestly thought getting me wet would be the end of me, but I admit I'm surprised that you manage to make me release my Resurrección: Segunda Etapa (Spanish:Resurrection Second Stage; Japanese:Sword Release:Second Level)" His boast turned to a scowl "But we must end this soon." He fist slammed into each other and a silver hammer, with a scythe-like blade on the other end of the staff appears.
"Now lets finish this Shinigami." Barragan said as he raised his hammer and slammed it on the ground where Rukia and Ichigo stood. Only for his enemy to jump to the side and letting his hammer shatter the ground upon impact.
Barragan then turned his attention toward Ichigo. Then he swung the scythe part of his hammer in the air and a blade of transparent energy flown towards Ichigo, which he narrowly dodge, and cut a boulder in half.
Ichigo was shocked by the power that Barragan displayed power that was far different then earth.
Suddenly Barragan appeared behind Ichigo and pounded him into the ground.
"How do you like my Martillo del Caído (Spanish:Hammer of the Fallen) and my Cortador Gravedad (Spanish:Gravity Cutter) ?" Barragan said cocky over the display of his new power.
Ichigo raised a little and mutter "What the hell was that?"
Then Barragan grabbed Ichigo by the neck and then look him strait in to the eye and said "This is my power in my second form, Flexión Gravedad (Spanish:Gravity Flex). The ultimate power of all the Espada's" Barragan then released Ichigo, but Ichigo still hung in his place floating. Then Barragan pulled his arm back and flung it towards Ichigo. Barragan plum didn't even touch Ichigo and Ichigo was thrown to the other side of the canyon with a painful.
Barragan then stepped toward Ichigo, everyone noticed that he was walking in mid-air and Ichigo was in his human form. "Now don't you see the different between me and you shinigami? The immense power that makes me the greatest Arrancar in the history of any arrancar." He then grabbed his neck and began to strangle him.
"I-I-If that's true then why are you ranked the Segunda Espada, huh?" Ichigo said trying to make the old Espada get mad. Which worked as the Espada slammed him on the ground, letting go of his throat.
"That lazy bastard only got lucky, one time…" Barragans rants were interrupted by Ichigo kicking him in the face knocking him off balance. Then quickly he yelled "Getsuga Tensho!" And the black crescent energy hit Barragan in the chest flipping him through the air.
Barragan then gained traction in the air, only to be introduced to Ichigo fully transformed and slammed his sword on to Barragan's hammer as he yelled "Getsuga Tensho!" The point-blank force caused the hammer to shatter, but suffer little damage to him or the scythe part of his weapon.
Barragan launch himself away from opponent and tried to catch his breath. 'Damn I dragged this out for to long, I have to get rid of these ants now.' He then brought what remained of his staff pointed it at Ichigo and said "I going to make you pay for dragging this out Shinigami, and I know the perfect way. Refrene (Spanish:Restrain)"
Suddenly Ichigo fell upon one knee do to an intense pressure and was unable to move. "Where all this pressure come from?" he said grunting.
Barragan the shouted "Didn't I just say I could control gravity shinigami? As such I can immobilize anyone with ease." He then shifted his head and lifted his palm towards everyone else and the started to kneel like Ichigo was do to the intense pressure.
Barragan then looked back at Ichigo and said "Now I'm going to get pay back for you making me use my power, and you going to pay..." he then snapped his finger and Rukia's arm twisted. She let out a painful scream as she gripped her arm, and the other looked horrified. Barragan the said "…by watch everyone of those ants die painfully."
Ichigo tried to stand by leaning on his sword as he said "You son of a bitch!" As soon as he got to his feet, he fell back down by the pressure increasing once more.
Barragan then shouted "Stay down like a good little ant, and maybe if you're lucky, I'll be generous and let them die fast." Barragan then snapped his fingers again. Then Rukia's other arm twisted and she let out a painful cry. Ichigo was getting more enrage as he tried to get up, only for Barragan to double the pressure even more.
Barragan then took his eyes off of the other and faced Ichigo "This is what you get for pissing me off you good-for-nothing ant. This is what happens…" As he was yelling a red dragon-like force hit Barragan square in the back and slammed him against the ground. The force field around Ichigo and everyone else was lifted. Barragan screamed in agony as the red dragon began to burn his skin like acid.
Ichigo and Barragan looked over where the dragon came from and saw Harribel fully transformed with her fracción.
"Harribel!" "You!" Both Ichigo and Barragan spoke at the same time. Halibel looked at Ichigo and then at Barragan and two more red dragons flew at him and continue burning him.
Harribel stepped forward towards Barragan and said "It's no mystery why I'm here Barragan…" she then raised her katana and her dagger in front of her and said "… pay back."
A burst of energy started to manipulate her form. Soon form still resembled with her old form, but her body turned blue to red, her webbed hands looked like normal hands, her weapons turned in to hand pendants tangled on her arms with a blue jewel in the left hand, and a red jewel in her right hand, finally her mask receded from her face on to chest covering it up and along her neck resembling a necklace.
"Resurrección: Segunda Etapa, Tiburón Bruja Sangre (Spanish:Resurrection Second Stage, Blood Sorceress Shark)" Harribel said unveiling her new form.
Barragan got up despite the pain and glared at Harribel "I thought you were dead you little witch." then Barragan flung his arms forward and a few boulders flew at Halibel, which she effortlessly dodge. Harribel spoke with her fracción "Help out the others, while me and Ichigo deal with him." and her servant obeyed her command while Ichigo looked their confused.
"So you want a team up against this guy Harribel?" Ichigo looked at his new ally.
Harribel looked at his direction and said "That's exactly what I mean Ichigo."
Ichigo the grinned as he shrugged "Well the enemy of my enemy my friend."
Baragan then gained their full attention as he shouted "You going to need it!" Then swung his staff that let loose a barrage of Pesadez Cuchilla. Which caused both Ichigo and Harribel to scatter to avoid the blades and began their own assault.
"Getsuga Tensho." Ichigo yelled as Harribel thrust her right hand and yelled "Torrente Acido (Spanish:Acid Torrent)" and a thick stream of red liquid hit Barragan after Ichigo attack nailed him.
Ichigo then speed out of the way as another barrage of Pesadez Cuchilla made his way. He dodge them, only for him to fall into Barragan's trap as Barragan appeared behind him and prepared to stab him. Suddenly his arms stalled out on him as they began to twist and turn in abnormal direction.
Barragan then turned his head and saw Harribel flexing her arms as his did. "What the hell are you doing to me you witch." he questioned Harribel.
Harribel only responded with a grin "In my second state, I'm able to take control of any liquid in the atmosphere, or any inside a body. To put it simple I'm now able to take control of your blood and force your body to move the way you blood now flows." She then twist her arms and his body began to slam itself on the ground.
Barragan despite the struggle to take control of his body, was at Halibel complete mercy.
Harribel them yelled "Ichigo, now your chance." Ichigo got the message as he began to unleash his build up his energy and then yelled "Shinkirou Kien!" and the maelstrom of flame hit Barragan directly. When the flames died down, it revealed Barragan skin burning from the attack.
Harribel released him from her control, and stood their glaring as she spoke. "What a pitiful sight for the Almighty Arrancar of the Espada. Here I thought you were show me what you can actually do with you power, when all in the end I saw the same thing as I always saw when you faced me. I only saw you at the mercy of you own strength. You were nothing special after all."
Harribel word hit Barragan hard and threw him in a fit of rage as he stood up and yelled "YOU WANT POWER!!!" She then crushed his hands together and shouted "I'LL SHOW YOU POWER!!!" then released a black orb in the middle of the field and said "VACIO NEGRO (Spanish:Black Void)!!!" and the black sphere began to suck everything in the area and expand
Barragan the smirk as he saw his technique "This is my ultimate attack. Vacio Negro, a black hole that devours all and spars none." Then the suction began to get stronger that rock threw towards the hole.
Harribel did her best to stand her ground, but in the end she was captured by the gust and flew towards the attack screaming.
A chain then wrapped itself along her waist and she began to be pulled forward towards Ichigo, who then grabbed her when she got close enough.
Ichigo the looked at her and said "How do we stop this attack?" Ichigo ask Halibel
"I don't know he never used this before." Harribel answered in the worst possible way right now.
Ichigo the noticed something. Barragan was energy was connected with the sphere and got an idea.
"Harribel…" Ichigo yelled to get her attention "I need you to trust me on this. I need you to fire an attack at Barragan's feet to knock him off balance while I deal the final blow. Got it?" Ichigo questioned, which Harribel nodded and began the plan.
Harribel thrust her left hand and yelled "Pulso del Helado (Spanish:Ice Pulse)!" and a wave of ice struck underneath Barragan's feet and began to lose his balances.
Barragan tried his best to get a grip, but when he saw Ichigo, he knew it was over.
"Getsuga Tensho!" Ichigo roared and the black energy knock Barragan in to the air right into his own attack.
"DAAAAAAAAAMMM YOUUUU!!!!" Barragan yelled as he got sucked into his own attack.
Soon Barragan was completely swallowed up by the black hole, it started to stretch it self in different direction, and it exploded do to the energy the powered it gone.
Ichigo and Harribel took cover as the force hit them and force them back to everyone else.
Ichigo landed on the sand, he was back in his normal form, holding Harribel in his arms as he landed with her on top of him.
Ichigo then removed her gently and looked at everyone else. He then said "Well that did him in."
So how was this chapter
I hope you like it