A/N I'm not the best at narrating fight scenes but I hope I'm improving. Be honest and tell me what you think in a review. I also must acknowledge fanfic author XXXG-01D for the idea of Ashido's Zanpakuto (Which is mentioned in his fanfic Tyrant Lizard). Anyway let's get on with the latest episode/chapter!

Episode 40: Despair II

The masked Shinigami was met with three blades, the wielders of which were mightier than the strongest Shinigami. The cold steel tips pressed against each side of his neck. He had no other choice but to lower his sword.

"State your name Shinigami and why your here!" Nel demanded.

"I am Ashido Kano, I reside here in the Menos Forest hunting creatures similar to yourselves, however I've never seen creatures of your nature before."

I state that, "We are Arrancar, a hybrid of hollow and Shinigami."

"Ah that would explain the partial masks then...I was hoping I could stop at least one of you Arrancar before you became too much trouble." He edges his head back, to which Shrieker and Nel move their swords, keeping close aim on his neck. "I already let one of your comrades get away."

Nel's eyes widen. "How long ago was this?"

"Only a short time ago actually. He had an amazing Zanpakuto, nothing of the kind I've come across before. I wasn't sure if he was a Shinigami or a hollow so I remained hidden until he left."

"Which way did he go?" Shrieker enquired.

He points with his arm the direction Nnoitra ran off to. "I'm assuming this man dissented from your group and your searching for him to apprehend him."

"That is not of your concern Ashido, now we will deal with you-"

"Wait..." I interrupt. "You two go ahead and find Nnoitra, I would like to deal with this Shinigami myself."

"But Banzai..."

"I insist, besides I need to hone my skills anyway. I will catch up later okay."

Shrieker interjects. "This is ridiculous Banzai, as my Fraccion I do not allow you to be so reckless."

Nel supports my argument. "No Shrieker...I believe Banzai has what it takes to defeat this Shinigami."

Shrieker growls under his breath then sighs, lowering his sword. "Alright then, we best hurry, we can't imagine the carnage Nnoitra has already created." And with that My two Espada colleagues disappeared in a trail of Sonido.

"That was admirable of you, but quite foolish." Ashido points his sword. "I believe your name is Banzai – correct?"

"That's correct, Banzai Benendes." I raise my sword in similar fashion. "Arrancar number 25. What's your rank Ashido?"

"I cannot remember. I have been here for too long to remember something as insignificant as a rank. But I can assure you I will not be as disappointing as our last fight..."

"We'll see about that." I draw the first move, a simple vertical arc. As expected he blocks with his sword flattened. He pushes me back and goes for a horizontal sweep. I catch his strike and turn back, using the force of my spin to give a more powerful strike. This throws him back but he grips hard on the ground with his feet.

The terrain is quite treacherous since we last fought so when he leaps in the air he kicks off a few boulders which roll towards me. The boulders crumble as they impact against my body. I recall Nel referring to this as hierro which acts as a natural armour for an Arrancar's skin. Mine still needs developing though as I notice slight cuts and bruising across my left side.

Ashido descends and I swing my razorwires towards him. His body is soon wrapped in sharp material. He curses as the pain seeps into his body. With him now in my grasp I throw him into a pile of rubble, then back out before throwing back in again. I repeat this several times to ensure he's pretty battered up afterwards. Satisfied with my torture I release him roughly onto the hard dirt.

"It seems you were even more disappointing than the first time." I comment as I walk towards his slumped body.

He tries to respond as he coughs blood. "Believe me I am yet to show you my true power..."

I lift his chin with the tip of my sword. "Too late Ashido...you lose...you've hunted our kind all these years, I will avenge them by dealing the fatal blow." I quickly swipe away his mask revealing a pale face and messy brown hair. "I'm glad I was able to see your face before I kill you."

He whispers out a strange command. "Flare...Sanshoouo" Before I can deliver the fatal blow I'm impaled though the left of my chest by an expanding Zanpakuto. He slowly rises from the ground as another blade expands from the other side of his sword – forming a dual bladed sword. He waves me in the air as I dangle from the end of his sword. "You may have become stronger since your days as a Gillian but you have become more complacent as a result." He swings his sword making me slide off.

Red syrup oozes from my chest. "You may be able to regenerate limbs but your internal organs cannot be replaced. That is your weak spot."

What if he punctured a lung? I cannot let him reach my vital organs again...at all costs.

The table have quickly turned and now he stands over me with Sanshoouo raised. "Goodbye...lowly hollow."

"SEEK...JUSTO CASTIGO" He is thorn back by my Ressureccion. Luckily for me my body is able to heal most wounds through this transformation. However a distinct scar still remains as a cautionary reminder.

"Interesting...so this must be your full power as well." Ashido notes. "Now we can fight all out." He twirls Sanshoouo towards my right but I block with my right hand. I extend my left claws which makes him dart to the right. I can now use my right claws to skewer him but he is able to use the entire length of his dual blade to block all the incoming appendages of pain.

He jumps back and bounces off more of the rubble. The land is becoming more unstable so its hard to maintain a proper fighting stance. I fall to my left side so he appears to be charging towards my right. He clips past with his blade and scratches across the armour along my arm. I swipe back but he is out of reach. Approaching from behind he goes for my kidneys but I heel turn and grab his sword as it is inches away from my vital organs.

I hear the sound of something sizzling and recoil when my hands begin to burn. The blade has become scorching hot to the point that blue flames are emanating from it's surface.

"My Zanpakuto is fire-based so I can burn away your flesh with a simple touch." He charges forward with his flaming dual blade. I'm cautious as to not come into contact with the blade anymore so I grab the hilt of his Zanpakuto. However the two blades seem to turn inwards and lightly toast the sides of my legs as I Sonido away. It is only then I notice that he has performed a trick manoeuvre. The two blades can be separated at the centre. Attached only by a small length of chain.

Now he uses the weapon as a flail, spinning a flaming disc towards me. I try to move around this but he draws closer before using the momentum to throw the free blade towards me. It strikes my arm but thankfully not my vital organs. As he pulls it out he rejoins the two blades. This provides me with an opening to claw my way back into this battle.

I manage to scratch along the surface of his body but it's not deep enough to be considered a critical injury. He manages to recover and detaches his blades again spinning it like a flail and generating more heat until the flame burns white. Even his eyes glow pure white.

"KIKAKI!" Ashido's sword bellows out a huge pillar of bright flames. The fireball is too large for me to dodge so I must rely on something of equal intensity.

"JUCIO CERO!" The eight red beams of judgement hold off the wall of flames for now. As the two forces push at each other to break through it seems that this match will be decided by the final attack. "GRAAAAGGGHHHHHH!" I roar at the top of my breath until my lungs are squeezed empty.

"HUURRGGGHHHHAAAGGHHH!" Ashido is putting all his strength into this attack as well. The blue flames reach closer towards me.

"GGRRRAAAGGGGHHHHHH!" I continue roaring mightier than a thousand lions. The red energy soon takes over the blue flames. It could go either way now. We may both die as a result. All it takes is one lapse in concentration.

"!"

The entire area is cleared from the massive explosion. The skyscraper trees are now stumps and the battle field is flooding with sand from above. I'm soon buried in the fine substance. As I claw my way out the moonlight shines against my armoured skin. It soon crumbles to white powder as I return to my original form. I have used all of my spirit energy in that last attack so I'm vulnerable even from low grade hollow.

I cannot find my Shinigami opponent even after searching through the mountain of sand. This time I'm confident that he's dead. Even if my Jucio Cero did not kill him or even wound him he will have been crushed by the weight of this sand or drowned. Now I must find the others.

I search the forest for some time – possibly hours, until I come across what appears to be a small village carved from the rocks of this cliff. Blood, bone and bile is spread across the ground. There has been a massacre here. What on earth (or who on earth?) could have done such a thing? Not even Ashido is capable of such heartless destruction.

"You have failed our mission...you were supposed to find the Vasto Lorde not kill them." I overhear a conversation in the distance.

"Hey they were rebelling Aizen okay...If they don't follow Aizen then they are as good as dead."

"That's besides the point – look out!" I rush over to the conversation and find a severely injured hollow attacking a group of Arrancar. One of them is knocked out by a punch but before I can save them the other two manage to deal with the hollow with seemingly little effort.

"Nel, Shrieker are you alright?"

Nel pants. "Banzai you're finally here I feared you may have died."

Shrieker answers. "Yeah we're alright. Not sure about this one though." He kicks Nnoitra's head as he lay unconscious. "To thin after all this he gets knocked out by a lowly hollow."

"What the hell happened here?"

Nel brings her hands to her chest, she weakly smiles trying hide the obvious sadness in her eyes at the thought of this slaughter of hollows. "Nnoitra killed everyone in this village...every single hollow."

"I see..." My voice registers low. Nnoitra should hope he's in a deep sleep as my sword is about to pierce his head.

Nnoitra has betrayed our kind...Senselessly killing hollow without justification. He will pay for this. He has been sentenced and the punishment is death...Can I end his tyranny? Don't miss the next dramatic chapter!