Chapter Thirteen: Strength Beyond Strength
Kuyo look at the female members of the newspaper club with an evil grin, and began to gather a large amount of fire in his hand. This shock the female members of the newspaper club as Kuyo throw the fire at them but it didn't reach them as Gin stand in front of them to take the full impact of Kuyo's attack and being burn grievously and to collapse from the pain.
"That's enough Kuyo." Ulquiorra called out to the Yoko monster which look at the Espada, "Your fight is with me not them."
To which Kuyo let out a slight laughter at the Espada statement, "Fine. Then…I'll kill you!" He declared in his normal tone voice, he then charge at the Espada while he charge a fire attack at Ulquiorra.
"Try if you can, you piece of trash." Ulquiorra said. He took of his ring on his index finger, which then cause black smoke and violet sparks started to surround Ulquiorra's hand. After the smoke finally died down Ulquiorra was now holding his Zanpakutō.
He was ready to draw out his Zanpakutō. From its sheath, when suddenly a pitch black demon like hand stop him. This surprise Ulquiorra, he turn and became slightly surprise as he saw a hollow which had a demon like appearances and was completely pitch black with bright white eyes.
"Helloo there, Unknown!" The Hollow creature said in a distortion tone.
The Espada didn't answer the Hollow, he simply look at it with a more calm expression.
"What's with the sudden looking away look, Cifer?!" Kuyo called out, which made Ulquiorra to look back at the Yoko who had stop charging at him. "You dare to ignore me in the middle of a fight?" He shouted while charging his fire attack.
"PSST, Unknown!" The Hollow creature whispered in its distortion tone, which caught Ulquiorra attention and made slightly look back at the Hollow, "Don't pay this guy any attention and listen to my voice, and take a look to those close to you."
Hearing the Hollow creature's words made the Espada turn back and now saw Yukari, Kurumu and Moka all collapsed on the floor. Then several pitch black hollows which look like the hollow next to Ulquiorra merged out of the ground and began to take a animal like stance, the hollows then started to circles the girls and even Gin.
At this point Ulquirra was ready to draw out his Zanpakutō but then the Hollow spoke once more. "I wouldn't do that if I were you! Honestly do you think doing something reckless is going to save those in your life?" This made Ulquiorra lower his hand away from his Zanpakutō.
Then some of the Hollow creatures started to have confuse look as they look at Moka and the others.
"Is it the same being?" One of them whispered next to Kurumu while looking at Ulquiorra.
"Just look at these odd beings that surround unknown." One of them whispered right next to Moka and look down at the pink haired vampire. "It has to be the same being." It then started to have a sinister grin at Ulquiorra.
"It would seem you don't have the will to fight back." Kuyo stated as he's flame attack started to change to his vortex of fire attack which started to become much larger. Ulquiorra was about to respond when the black Hollow creature behind him spoke once more.
"She's watching you, Unknown!" The Hollow creature whispered to Ulquiorra.
Ulquiora then took notice of another demon like Hollow standing right beside Kuyo who didn't notice it. Ulquiorra also took notices that unlike the other Hollows this one had a more female appearance and started to look at the Espada with pitch white eyes.
Still looking at the Espada the female demon like Hollow raised her right hand and snap her fingers. Following that all the pitch black demon like hollows started to have sinister smiles and then attack the Vampire, Succubus, Witch and Werewolf slashing at either their throat or chest in a synchronize pattern.
Doing this caused the eyes of the Vampire, Succubus, Witch and Werewolf to shock open while blood spill from their throat and chest, and then their heads tilted to their sides as their eyes became lifeless.
Ulquiorra was about to respond as he look forward he instantly saw Kuyo's vortex of fire reaching him and caused a fire explosion to his face.
Then Ulquiorra open his eyes and saw he was laying in his bed he then slowly got up and saw he was now in his dorm room. Ulquiorra place his hand over his eyes and slightly rubbed them to get the sleep out of his eyes. "A... Dream?" He muttered, as he placed his right hand on his face for a moment.
He was about to question how he got back to his dorm and what happen to the fight against Kuyo, until he heard a familiar voice. "Ulquiorra!" He then turn and saw Moka wearing a small back dress that reach her thighs and a white apron.
Moka who was holding a cooking ladle in her left hand while using her right hand to hold the source pan she using to cook. "Ulquiorra! You're awake!" She surprisingly exclaimed, she then started to have a relief expression as she saw her closes friend was okay now.
Ulquiorra was caught off guard by Moka sudden appearances and was about to ask what she was doing in his room. When he saw her eyes starting to tear up.
"…Oh Ulquiorra…" She started to say while still having tears of joy in her eyes. "I'm SO HAPPY YOUR OKAY-EHHH!" While she jump to embrace the Espada she accidently caused the source pan to be knock off, causing hot water to fling all over the place, this made Ulquiorra to quickly protect Moka from the hot water.
Once the situation had calm down Moka had made, a old Japanese breakfast which was prepared on the for her and Ulquiorra.
"Let's eat!" Moka happily said.
To which Ulquiorra pick up the chopsticks and took a bite of his breakfast. Once he taste it he had to admit Moka's cooking taste better then food he use to have at Las Noches.
"How is it?" Moka asked worriedly.
"It's taste really good." He answered in his usual tone, which made Moka happy to hear. "It was admirable of you, to cook this food for the two of us."
Hearing made a faint blush to appear on Moka's face. "Thank you, Ulquiorra."
While taking a bite of rice, Ulquiorra notices that Moka's cooking had an odd flavour. "There's a really stranger aroma in your cooking Moka." He pointed out. "Kind of herby."
"Oh you can tell? I…Um…I'm never satisfied with plain water, so I use herbal water instead." She nervously explained, as she show a jug which had `Herbs` written on it. "Does…Does it make it taste bad?" she worriedly asked.
"Not, at all. It's understandable that you can't use regular water, so I don't mind this herbs flavour." Ulquiorra calmly replied, which made Moka happy to hear and they both continue eating their breakfast.
After finishing his breakfast, Ulquiorra made himself a cup of tea. "So tell me Moka… How did you manage to beat Kuyo in the end?" He asked while taking a sip of his tea.
"What? You don't remember the end of the battle?!" Moka asked surprisingly shock by how Ulquiorra didn't remember the events of the battle with Kuyo.
Ulquiorra began to think to think for a moment until he finally spoke. "No, it seems I don't remember. "I'm not sure why. But I only remember the events up till I shield you from Kuyo's fire arrow." He explained and then took another sip of his tea. "Was there something I should remember?"
Moka silently stare at the Espada with a faint worried expression, "Then…I better not tell him about the fight." She thought worriedly, thinking that bringing the fight up might cause something bad to happen to Ulquiorra. "Oh nothing! Never mind! You have nothing to worry about Ulquiorra!" She answered happily with a bright smile.
Once hearing the pink haired Vampire's words. Ulquiorra decided to not say anything and continue on drinking his tea.
Meanwhile at a Unknown location
A strange figure who was wearing a, all black hooded robe which conceal the figure's face, with black shoes. Was walking through bright light hallway but then the light colour change to a dark magenta. The figure finally reach a large pale crimson door, on the left side robotic eye appeared looking at the figure who then raised his left arm and showing his hand which was covered in black veins.
"Permission to enter." The figure asked the robotic eye which then vanish and then the door began to slowly open, the figure started to slowly walk in the room.
The room was pitch black with dark purple candles lights slightly brightening the room. The figure then stop and began to kneel. "I have return, your majesty," The figure said in a calm tone.
The figure slightly look up to look at the silhouette of a person sitting on a throne like chair. "I'm glad to see that." The silhouette said in a cold but calmful tone, "Now tell me the results of my weapon."
"Yes your majesty." The figure responded still kneeling. "The Crystal arrows you created work well on the black haired student and it would seem they were able to work on a vampire as well." The Figure explained.
This caught the silhouette's interest. "Is that so? Then tell me what the effects were to the vampire?"
"Gladly. My Lord." The figure replied, which then rolled up is left sleeve to show its black veins, he then slash the veins with its sharp right grey fingernails, causing black blood to spew on the floor to then create a projective screen showing footage of Kuyo battling both Ulquiorra and Inner Moka. "As you see my lord, the arrows effects on the black haired student cause him to hallucinated, while it seem the arrows effects caused the vampire to have her powers weaken."
The silhouette took notices of the scene showing Ulquiorra with one of his eyes crystalize. "It's surprising that the arrows effects were weared off after that black haired student activated his powers. But that's no surprise especially what he is after all." The silhouette raised its left hand at the figure making take notices and making the black projective screen to vanish and made the black blood return to its arm.
"Tell me. What happen to Kuyo, after his defeat?" The silhouette asked the figure in a curious but cold tone.
"Sadly your Majesty, I'm not sure." The figure replied in a faint serious tone, "Once heading back to collect the arrows, Kuyo was nowhere in sight."
"Is that so?" The silhouette said in amusement, "How unfortunate, he would have made such a good pawn."
"If I my ask a question your Majesty?" The figure asked, to which the silhouette raised its left hand showing approval to its request. "What should we do about Hitomi Ishigami?"
"Let her do whatever she pleases." The silhouette responded, "No matter what she does her actions won't affect our plans in the slightest. Since it will take some time till the others show up."
As the figure listen to its majesty words, the figure got up from kneeling then the doors suddenly open and a sphere looking creature with lines tracing around its metal shape body with reddish amber tentacles and a golden eye in the centre. Began to float in the air and flew towards the silhouette and began to whisper.
"It would seem that our latest experiment is ready to tested." The silhouette told the figure while sphere looking creature flew out of the room
"That's excellent news to hear your majesty. Would you like me to go and have it tested?" The robe figure suggested seriously.
"I appreciate your loyal suggestion, but already have someone in mind to test this." The silhouette replied. Then the silhouette raised its right left hand, doing that made a small black box with silver lines to appear in the robe figure hands. "You'll know who to give these to wont you?"
"Off course your majesty." The robe figure replied seriously with a faint bow and began to walk out of the room.
While that happen the majesty faintly snap his left fingers at the air to create a projection screen. "I shall sent this info to my apprentice to see what he will do about these events." The Majesty thought.
The robe figure walkout of the room and began to walk through bright dark magenta light hallway but then the hallway lights change to a flame red colour. The robe figure then saw a figure of average height full-length black coat with a hood which conceal the figure's face and a waist-high slit going up the back with black gloves, pants, and boots red on the bottom also at the bottom of the coat it had a crimson flame like pattern.
"Yo, how's it going old timer?" The black coat figure asked the robe figure in a laid back tone.
To which the robe figure replied in a stern tone, "Must you insist of calling me that you hoodlum?!"
"What? You have problem with that nickname old timer?" The black coat figure asked in a cocky tone.
After a moment of silent the robe figure spoke. "His majesty has instruct me to give you this." Showing the small black box with silver lines to the black coat figure.
"What's in this?"
"His majesty latest experiment." The robe figure answered, "He would like you to go and test its powers."
The black coat figure then took the small black box with silver lines from the robe figure hands and asked in a curious tone. "So, do I have to use this on someone particular?"
"Simply look in the box and it will tell you what you have to do." The robe figure replied.
"I see, gotcha."
Then the black coat figure turn around and began to walk away while it's left eye shown to be dark red. "This is gonna be fun!" The figure thought in excitement.
Meanwhile at Yokai Academy
A large group of students were heading to the Academy while greeting and talking amongst themselves.
"Hey! Did you hear the rumor?"
"Huh? About what?"
"About the battle in the Protection Committee's headquarters. A couple days ago!"
"No. What happen?"
"They say Kuyo got beaten up!"
Once that news got out the entire Academy was talking about it.
"NO WAY! You're kidding!" A female student exclaimed in disbelief to her two female friends.
"Everybody says nobody can beat Kuyo! Are you sure you heard that right?" Her friend on her right asked the girl on the left.
"It's true! The say the whole Protection Committee members had to take him to an unknown infirmary." Her friend on her right said. "Not only that, they say it was Ulquiorra Cifer from the newspaper club who did it!"
"Now I know your telling the truth!" The girl in the middle exclaimed.
"He's such a mystery!"
"He looks mysterious. But he must be really strong!"
"Not to mention, really hot as well!"
"Now that's something we can all agree on!" All three girls began to giggle in excitement.
Not far off, there was a mysterious person listening to the three female student's conversation within the shadows of the lockers dumbbell, "Huh… `Strong` My ass." The mysterious person muttered in anger as it began to grip the dumbbell in its left hand tighter.
…
Ulquiorra and Moka were walking down a hallway having a conversation until they heard someone shouting to them to which they turn and saw it was Kurumu.
"Good morning, Ulquiorra!" The blue haired Succubus greeted happily.
"Good morning to you, Kurumu." Ulquiorra replied in his usual tone.
Hearing that made Kurumu happy. "I'm so glad you're all better!" She said as she embrace the Espada by pressing herself against Ulquiorra's body, this caused Moka to be irritated by this.
Then Kurumu started to stare at Ulquiorra's face. The black haired Espada notices this and look at Kurumu with his calm expression which caused a faint blush to appear on Kurumu's face which made her turn away.
"You know, Ulquiorra I think I've fallen in love with you even more. Kurumu stated happily. "I can't stop thinking about the way you looked at that moment!"
"What, moment?"
"That moment, when you gave Kuyo that headbutt…" Kurumu said as she place her hands on her blushing face.
Quickly hearing Moka reacted with a surprise expression and saw Ulquiorra was about to say something to which Moka quickly said, "ACK! Kurumu SHHH!" She exclaimed as she started to push Kurumu away from Ulquiorra.
Getting annoyed of being push, Kurumu's expression change to annoyed, "What the hell is your problem Moka? Trying to ruin a tender reunion between me and Ulquiorra?" She asked in a sternful tone
"That's not it all Kurumu!" Moka replied while raising her hands in a defensive matter, "Just don't talk to Ulquiorra about the fight! The thing is…" She then grab Kurumu and took her a few feet away from Ulquiorra. She began to whisper in the Succubus's ear
After hearing the pink haired Vampire's words, Kurumu started to a have shock expression. "WHAT?! HE DOSEN'T REMEMBER THE FIGHT?!" She exclaimed in a whispered tone.
"No. So we better keep `The fight' quiet for now. It might cause Ulquiorra to go into shock!" Moka explained in a whispered tone.
"Moka, Kurumu, Did something happen to me during the fight with Kuyo?" Ulquiorra asked the two girls in his calm tone which made them be caught off guard.
"No, No, Nothing!" Moka replied while waving her right hand back and forth and slightly laughing nervously.
"Yeah, everything worked out great! No need to relish the past." Kurumu add, while looking away from the Espada direction.
"C'mon lets go and hang out at the rooftop." Both Moka and Kurumu suggested in happy but with a faint nervous tone, while they both push the Espada who showed not much reaction to this.
"I feel bad about keeping this a secret. But I don't want anything bad to happen to Ulquiorra if he remembers." Moka sadly thought.
Then they heard someone shouting to them to which they turn and saw it was Yukari. "Hey Guys! Good morning!"
"Way to go Ulquiorra! That new appearance you had was so cool!" The young witch exclaimed in excitement.
"WAAAGH! YUKARI!" Both Moka and Kurumu exclaimed mentally.
"What do you mean by new appearance?" Ulquiorra asked, but before Yukari could answer. Kurumu quickly rush at the young witch covering her mouth which made the young witch to struggle out of Kurumu's grip. Yukari then bite Kurumu's hand which then caused the two to have a childish fight.
"A-HAHAHA! Nothing, Nothing at all!" Moka said while waving her hands back and forth and slightly laughing nervously.
…
In the restroom, Ulquiorra was washing his hands, he then let the sink fill with water and splashes some water on his face. "My suspicions are telling me that Moka and Kurumu are hiding something." He thought to himself.
Then Ulquiorra heard a voice behind him. "So you're the Ulquiorra Cifer everybody's talkin about." The voice asked the Espada who didn't bother to turn around. "YOU LEFT YOUR BACK WIDE OPEN PUNK!" Then the mysterious person delivered a power left punch which destroyed a sink which cause water to spew out and a faint smoke to circle around the person who had perform the punch.
"Heh! Guess he didn't live up to the expectation of the fools in the Academy."
Suddenly the mysterious person heard a static noise and then look saw Ulquiorra behind raising his left hand making it straight flat and pointing it near the mysterious person's throat.
Taking a look at the mysterious person Ulquiorra saw the person was a tall muscular male student with broad shoulders with short blonde hair which had a few long strains sticking out, dark eyes, he weared a light blue sweats and a work-out shirt, he also had a white towel around his neck, and carrying two dumbbells in his right hand.
"Who are you?" The Espada asked the tall muscle student in a cold demanding tone, since not taking kindly of being attack from behind for no reason.
"BACK OFF!" The tall muscle student roared in anger as he shoved his right shoulder into Ulquiorra's left hand and then moving a couple feet away from the Espada.
"Chopper Rikiishi…Captain of Yokai Academies Wrestling Team." He introduce with a calm face. "Next time I see an opening, I'm throwin` a cobra twist at you!"
Ulquiorra stared at the tall muscle student with his calm expression completely not amused by Rikiishi speech.
"I must say I'm surprise that my punch didn't connect you." Rikiishi said amusedly. "I thought to myself that luck must be on my side! But seeing that my punch didn't work I'll have to increase my Luck!"
When Ulquiorra heard Rikiishi kept saying the word luck made him remember the times he had to keep hearing Yammy shout `suerte` which meant luck. He then went to one of the restroom's wall corners with his left hand on his face a gloomy aura started to circle around him, it was too much for him to remember Yammy since the Diez Espada was always a real nuisance. He began to wonder if Kami was torturing him with this.
"Why did this person had to remind me of Yammy…? It was bad enough that Saizo personality reminded me of Nnoitra and now this guy attitude reminds me of Yammy…Don't tell me I may deal with someone that has Grimmjow's personality or attitude…?" Ulquiorra lamented in annoyance and Rikiishi took notices of this.
"What the…? Did he broke down…?" said a surprised Rikiishi. "What the hell is your deal?!" This cause Ulquiorra to look at Rikiishi with a sharp glare in his eyes.
Once Rikiishi caught that faint glare I Ulquiorra's eyes cause his blood to boil in anger. "So I see, you really did it."
"Don't play dumb with me, runt!" Rikiishi said while narrowing his eyes in anger, "Leader of the Protection Committee Kuyo… You beat the crap out of him. The rumour's all over the Academy."
Ulquiorra simply stared at Rikiishi with a calm expression not responding to the wrestling captain.
"This is a pain, you see… I've had Kuyo on my list for a long time." Rikiishi explained, as he drop one of his dumbbells which crash harshly on the floor, this didn't faze the Espada in the slightest. "The guys on the wrestling team are supposed to be the strongest in the Academy! I've train my ass off, won many matches, gained a whole load of strength. Beatin' Kuyo would've proven how strong I am! He said loudly.
Suddenly Rikiishi whole left arm started to enlarge and become more muscular. "THEN YOU WALTZ IN AND STEAL MY OPPONENT! WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA?!" The wrestling captain loudly demanded at the Espada.
Ulquiorra simply look at Rikiishi with a faint annoyed expression, "Honestly, if your going to make accusations at least develop some correct facts." He told him in a cold tone. "Kuyo choose to pick a fight with me and the rest of the newspaper club members, and if you did fight Kuyo I highly doubt you could beat him."
That last comment caused Rikiishi to be piss off. "Is that SO?! YOU REALLY BEILEVE THAT YOU'RE THE STRONGEST MONSTER, THAN KUYO AND ME?!" He started to raise his enlarge left arm.
Getting annoyed by the wrestler's stupidly, Ulquiora then kept his right hand in a flat motion and started to slightly increase the spiritual pressure in his right hand. "I never said that you fool, I'm just telling you got the wrong person."
"Oh, no he doesn't!" Said a voice which caused both Rikiishi and Ulquiorra to stop what they were about to do and deactivate their upcoming attacks.
Once Ulquiorra had heard the voice he turn and saw who it was. "Gin." He silently said, as he saw the Werewolf.
"It was you, Ulquiorra. You defeated Kuyo." He told Ulquiorra who slightly started to have a faint surprise look, seeing this made Gin let out a small chuckle.
Rikiishi stared at the black haired Werewolf with a, irritated expression. "Ginei Morioka… Another Ass I'd like to kick, but first I gotta take care of this wannabe!" He then turn around and started to head out of the restroom, walking past Gin. "I guess the party's over. I'll be seeing you, Cifer. Next time your alone your mine." He declared, with that said he was completely gone.
After Rikiishi was out of sight Gin started to laugh as he headed to the sink fill with water and started to take his headband out and started to wash it. "Rikiishi is annoying person, even his own teammates don't like him! He's famous for pulling full body attacks at the drop of a hat." Gin stated. "He's liable to jump you any time!"
"Gin what do you mean I defeated Kuyo?" The Espada asked in his usual tone. "I thought Moka was the one who defeated Kuyo, what happen while I was passed out?"
"WHAT?! YOU MEAN YOU SERIOUSLY DON'T REMEMBER?!" Gin shouted in disbelief.
Gin then started to calmly explained things "Okay… After you passed out from protecting Moka from Kuyo flames, Moka's inner self show up and started to battle Kuyo. Then she started to lose and then you got back up and gained a new appearance and defeated Kuyo, well that's the gist of it."
He saw that Ulquiorra wanted more explanations. "Once you got back up you covered yourself in dark green flame-like stuff, after it died down you had demon like bat wings, plus different clothes and mask like helmet."
Once hearing that Ulquiorra knew Gin was talking about his first Resurrección form and was caught off guard how Gin knew while he didn't have any memory releasing it. While he did that, Gin dried his headband and place it back where it was before. "You beat Kuyo with your monster power. Plus it was impressive to see you even metallise a lance weapon out of nowhere."
"So Moka owes you. If it wasn't for your monster form, she and the rest of us woulda been ashes at that moment." Gin then started to leave but stop and spoke once more. "I'll still say this though any doubt I had thinking you were a human is now completely, also makes me glad you didn't use your monster form against me when we fight."
He then left leaving Ulquiorra in complete silents.
"Damn that Ginei! If he hadn't shown up I woulda crush that Cifer punk." Rikiishi muttered in anger, "If that wasn't bad enough now my own teammates are telling me not to fight Cifer, bunch of weaklings! I'll show them all that I'm the strongest monster of all time!"
Suddenly he then hear someone clapping, he turn and saw a figure wearing a black coat. "All right. That's the spirit. Fight fight fight." The black coat figure said in a laid back tone.
"Who the hell are you?!" The wrestling captain asked angrily while raising his fist ready to attack the unknown figure. "If your looking for a fight then, bring it on!"
Then the black coat figure responded by raising its hands in defence matter and replied in nonchalant tone. "Woah! Take it easy big guy. I'm on your side."
Hearing this made Rikiishi to lower his fist. "Is that so? How are you?" He asked once more. This made the black coat figure to have a faint smile.
Then the black coat figure then pulled his hood to show its face, once the hood was pulled off it revealed a fair skin young man with thick bright red hair that juts out wildly in every direction, rather small eyebrows. His eyes are Jet black
"The names Axejeel. Be sure to burn it to memory."
No Omake This chapter.
Special thanks to those who left positive reviews for Chapter 12.
Anikong
WeeDevil
Fanfic lover
The Draconic Ancient of Chaos
(To be continue in the next Chapter)