Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Bleach
Chapter Fifteen: The Big Bad Grandes
"We need a plan," Shikamaru said as the Menos Grandes surrounded them. "We don't know how many Menos there are, or how many other foes are in this godforsaken fortress, so we should conserve our strength. We can take turns fighting the Menos in three groups: one group fights, one group rests, and the other group covers. Everyone got it?"
They nodded. Keeping an eye on the leering Menos, Shikamaru continued, "Okay, first group: Naruto, Sasuke, Temari, Lee, and Shino. Second group: Sakura, Kiba, Chouji, Hinata, and Kankuro. Third group: Ino, Ten Ten, Neji, Gaara, and myself. All right, everyone, go!"
"Yeah! It's my turn, believe it!" Naruto said. He slammed his foot into a Menos's face.
"Naruto! Cut the face in half, you idiot!" Sasuke yelled. He unsheathed his zanpakuto. "Burn, Housenka!" His blade blazed with flames as he sliced a Menos. The Menos sizzled and melted into a puddle. Another Menos took its place. Sasuke swore. "Bankai!" he shouted. His zanpakuto exploded as it struck all of the Menos in the room.
"Hey, no fair! I wanted some action!" Naruto complained, kicking at a puddle of Menos Grande.
"Well, that was kind of quick," Shikamaru said. "What, is that all of Aizen's forces?"
Another group of Menos Grade fell from the ceiling. Temari smirked. "Leave it to me," she said, unsheathing her zanpakuto. "Exhale, Kamaitachi!"
Her zanpakuto transformed into a giant fan. "Wind Scythe Jutsu!" Temari yelled, using her fan to create a giant whirlwind. The Menos floated helplessly inside the whirlwind, but they did not die.
"Bankai!"
Thunder crashed through the ceiling, electrocuting the Menos. Temari swung her fan, whacking a Menos and crushing its mask.
"Let me help! Bankai!" Lee kicked a Menos up into the air (which was no small feat, seeing as the Menos was ten stories high) and gave it a beating. "Hidden Lotus!"
Naruto cautiously creeped up to the fallen Menos. "Hey, Bushy Brows, you caved in the Big Grande's face," he said. Meanwhile, Temari had finished cutting up the rest of the Menos into bite-sized pieces.
"You guys missed one!" Sakura shrieked. They turned. A large burst of energy was forming at the Menos's mouth.
"Everyone take cover!" Shikamaru yelled. A moment later, a crashing boom filled the air as the Menos used its Doom Blast. The ninja uncovered their eyes as the dust began to settle. Sakura stood in the middle of a crater, thoroughly burnt.
"Sakura! Are you all right?" Naruto asked, bounding up to her.
She raised her head. Naruto backed away as he saw flames burning in her eyes. "Okay, you asked for it, you Fat Grande!" she screamed. "Bankai!"
Her zanpakuto materialized into a clone of herself, except with the words "Inner Sakura" on its forehead. Otherwise, it looked exactly like Sakura…only black and white. Inner Sakura cracked her knuckles and ran up to the Menos.
"CHA!" The ninja watched, stupefied, as Inner Sakura unleashed a barrage of punches onto the Menos. Sakura appeared above and, using her insane strength, punched a hole in the Menos's face. "That's what you get for ruining my hair, you freak!"
The Menos fell to the ground and dissolved. Sakura and Inner Sakura high-fived before Inner Sakura turned into a normal zanpakuto.
"Good job, Sakura!" Naruto said.
"Is anyone hurt?" Shikamaru asked. When they answered no, he said, "Okay, it looks like there's no more Big Grandes—I mean, Menos." He glared at Naruto, who had first used the term. "Let's move out. Neji, Hinata, can you scout ahead?"
They nodded and said simultaneously, "Byakugan!" Veins popped on the side of their faces as they saw through walls and nearly three-hundred and sixty degrees around themselves. "There are some Hollows behind a gate in the next room," Hinata said. "They seem to be smaller than the Big Grandes, though."
"What, you mean there are Medium Grandes, too?" Naruto said.
"How do you know they aren't just overgrown Hollow?" Sasuke asked.
"Big Grandes are oversized Hollow!" Naruto replied.
"Quiet, you two! Okay, this is what we're going to do…"