So… new chapter new enemies.

I am so sorry I am two weeks late but I got swamped with assignments!

Heh, so I COMPLETELY FORGOT I HAD A POLL ON THE GO FOR SNOW PRINCE! I am so so sorry about that… feel like a moron now...

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Chapter 17: Archer vs. Arrancar

Nel ran along the sands playing with her friends, Ichigo had said that she was welcome whenever she wanted to stay and could go as she pleased as well. Nel liked Ichigo, he was scary but he screamed out safety to the rest of the hollows.

Pesche was behind her laughing along with her as she squealed with delight as they played extreme tag.

Dondochakka ran a little bit behind them having just as much fun.

Said fun was abruptly ended when Nel ran into a tall man's legs.

Looking up she saw the man was thin and had round glasses, his hair was shaven mostly but a crop of black hair remained on his head. Something in her told her to run and run she did. Pesche followed her lead feeling the man's reiatsu and that it was something he had never felt before.

Sadly Dondochakka didn't make it as the man unsheathed his blade and cleanly cut the hollow in two. Nel screamed as she saw her fraccion being cut down but Pesche continued to run as he carried her. He was thankful that the man in white didn't chase after them as he was barely holding his own sobs in.

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Ichigo was walking around the grounds of Las Noches, trying to avoid being asked and hounded for a romp between sheets. He sighed and rubbed his cheek. He missed Shinji and wondered if he was happy. With the new barrier over Hueco Mundo no one who wasn't fully hollow could enter. It was just for a while till everything cooled down.

A sudden weight crashing into his back made him turn his head to see Nel being held by Pesche. What got him worried was the state of the two. They were both crying hysterically as Nel kept trying to tell him something.

The noise attracted Grimmjow and Nnoitra who were busy sparring. Nnoitra looked at Nel and saw that the normally happy childlike Arrancar was hysterically trying to make her way to Ichigo. Once Pesche released Nel she stumbled and wobbled her way into his outstretched arms. No one could really make out what Nel was trying to say through her sobs, Ichigo just patted her back and looked at the ant like Arrancar.

"Where is the other one?"

That caused Nel to cry even harder. Ichigo moved her closer to his chest so she could place her head over his shoulder muffling her cries of anguish.

Pesche sobbed softly before he explained what happened. The three men looked in shock as Pesche passed out cold as the last word left his throat. Standing up Ichigo motioned for Nnoitra to pick up the fallen male.

Grimmjow was sent out to gather all Espada for an emergency meeting.

When they finally made it to the meeting room all other Espada was already seated and looked at their leader sharply when he came in carrying Nel and Nnoitra carrying the passed out ant-like man.

Nel was now blindly looking ahead of her. Nnoitra deposited Pesche next to the step at the throne while Ichigo took the five steps to get to his throne and sat down all while cradling Nel to his chest gently patting her on the back.

It took a while before Nel came back to reality and when she did she looked up into red eyes that didn't look so scary anymore and started to cry out what happened. No one but Ichigo seemed to hear what she was saying but when she was done the look on Ichigo's face made all of the Espada know something was up.

His face was not angry or confused.

It was determined.

He rose and handed Nel to Harribel.

"Starkk you, Harribel and Ulquiorra will be in charge till I get back. Grimmjow, Nnoitra, Sofia and Adelmo will be coming with me. The rest of you will stay back and wait. Keep Las Noches safe." He got nods from everyone. Once the four Espada were behind him he walked out the door and down the winding hallways till he was at the largest door leading to the front of Las Noches.

Once outside the five used Sonído to go to the space Nel mentioned. It was bare and lifeless but a reiatsu trace lingered in the air. It was enough to follow, what they found when they reached the end of a cliff looking down sent blood boiling through all of their veins.

Hollows were chained and being led like cattle to a small settlement of sorts and Ichigo knew he wanted it gone.

Only thing was he didn't know who the enemy was. That made it a little more tricky.

"I vote that we watch for now and see who and what these people are. They look human but feel nothing like shinigami in fact…" Ichigo stopped as he zoned in on the reiatsu signature of the men and women in white.

His eyes went wide and a low growl filled the air.

"Quincy."

The rest of the group looked at their leader confused but the look of pure anger made them all shiver in fear. They might be friends in a sense with the man and respect him greatly but they all feared him to an extent.

Ichigo lowered. "We watch for now as much as it irks me that we cannot help those but we cannot rush in blind. We would be fools and greatly at a disadvantage." He got nods again, even from Nnoitra who saw the seriousness of the situation. He too after all didn't like going in blind.

So the group of five sat back in cover to watch the group of white clothed Quincy people with barely held back disgust.

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All was in peace in Soul Society.

It was sadly all an illusion as a captain's only meeting was interrupted by alarm bells going off.

When everyone found themselves again they were in the first division's office with a dead first lieutenant covered in blood.

A guard explained that it was Quincy soldiers who assassinated the man. Yamamoto knew right then and there that the Quincy king had risen and a bigger and far more dangerous war was now ahead of them.

He wished now more than ever that the way into Hueco Mundo was not blocked by the barrier. There had been no improvement on the subject and it worried Yamamoto that it might not even be Ichigo who ordered the barrier up.

For all they knew Hueco Mundo could be under attack at the very moment as well, although he didn't have such big fears for them as they had Ichigo and Ichigo was a powerhouse capable of taking down Soul Society he reckoned almost single handedly.

Yamamoto arranged for Chōjirō Sasakibe.

The funeral was fitting for a true warrior and the anger was thick in the air as they watched the casket lower into the ground.

The Quincy took one of their own, it would only be fitting to return the sentiment.

After the funeral Yamamoto made his way to the twelfth division. mayuri was already waiting for him, he might not have liked the man much but Mayuri still felt the anger of having one of his own kind brutally killed.

Behind Mayuri was a large screen. Once the older man was standing beside him he turned to the screen, in a few seconds there was white noise displayed before it cleared and the blonde shopkeeper named Urahara Kisuke was looking at them with a serious look on his face.

"Any luck?" The older man asked looking into Urahara's shaded eyes. A sigh escaped the blonde's mouth as he removed his hat and rubbed his face. He looked tired and disheveled with a thick layer of stubble on his jaw and cheeks.

Slowly a smile made its way onto the tired man's face.

"I have, it was a very well made barrier. I have a way into the world of hollows. Only problem is… well it needs time to charge up. As it is it will take two days."

The man's face had an apologetic smile on it but Yamamoto was smart enough to know that Urahara had tried already to speed it up was much as possible. He nodded and looked at the man beside him then to the man on the screen.

"Do you know the origin of the barrier?"

The two shinigami looked on as Urahara shifted a little as if he was looking through papers before he nodded again. "It was coming from inside Hueco Mundo. As far as I can tell the barrier is coming from the centre of the world of hollows. How put it up I do not now."

Yamamoto nodded.

"I will be sending a squad to enter Hueco Mundo shortly." The blonde nodded and the signal was cut giving way to a black screen. They needed Ichigo, it was a blow to the shinigami pride but this was more than their pride at stake. This was the balance of the three worlds at stake.

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"Your highness?"

A blonde male with waist length hair looked up at the seated figure.

Black hair fell forward as the figure leaned forward onto his knees resting his elbows there.

"Report on Hueco Mundo." The deep voice floated through the air into the eardrums of the blonde who nodded and rose to his feet. "All is going to plan. Soon we will have enough soldiers to take on Las Noches and capture the first special war potential.

Ichigo was the one they were after, he would shift the balance in the war. He could easily annihilate all of Soul Society. That and the Quincy blood that was yet to be awakened would no doubt make him even stronger.

There was no other option than to get the man on their side.

Killing him wasn't an option.

They had a few plans that could work but the stage of Las Noches is key and of the man finds out before they have the strength to form an assault the redhead might catch wind of what is going on and that would spell bad news for them as far as they know Ichigo has a fierce protectiveness about those around him he cares about.

Ichigo who was Masaki's son, one of his pureblood who got tainted. He thought it was a waste of such good a bloodline but it seemed that all was not for naught.

All problem was that Ichigo was more hollow than anything else.

However with some training the Quincy in him could come out and be trained to be stronger than even the ever growing shinigami side.

A being that was hollow, shinigami and quincy. It was a shame that the boy died at such a young age. He had to sit and watch as the boy faded away after Masaki's untimely death. When he heard that Ichigo had committed suicide he knew that his plans for kidnapping the boy were no longer possible.

Now his plans have been deluded as he had to wait for Ichigo to surface. He was just as surprised as Jugram Haschwalth when they spotted Ichigo's reiatsu only heavily tinted with hollow filth but instead of a lowly Menos Grande or Gillian he was already an Adjuchas.

They decided that they would watch and wait and when the war with Aizen was over he regretted the decision due to the fact that Ichigo had more ties to the shinigami now with the knowledge of his father and sister as well as his mate being on the shinigami side.

The mate was their best bet but he was also the worst as no one knew how Ichigo would react to his mate being kidnapped. The same went for his father and sisters.

Sighing the dark figure on top of the stairs and sitting on the throne nodded to Haschwalth who bowed and walked away. He too was in deep thought, their information and spies all say that the man named Ichigo was keenly in tune with the balance of the three worlds. Being the 'B' ranked Quincy made him the holder of balance as well but it seemed that Ichigo was far more in tune with all three. It could be due to him being part Shinigami, Hollow and even Quincy. What bothered him was all those who followed Ichigo.

The Espada was instantly rebuilt and even stronger now and taking Las Noches was not going to be easy.

In fact as much as he trusted his king he felt the balance of this war was on neither Quincy or Shinigami's side but on Ichigo's. Whomever had his loyalty would win the war.

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Urahara sighed as he rubbed his face, he looked to the side to see the Kurosaki brood looking at him as he stepped into the main room of his house.

"They are sending a squad, once that is done they will go into Hueco Mundo." Urahara looked at Karin. She had wanted to go in with them at the beginning and the two men agreed that if Yamamoto would send someone to go through she could go along.

She was smiling now and stood. She waved goodbye to her father and sister before walking past Urahara giving him a friendly pat before she was out the door.

"I like this Karin-chan." Urahara said jollyful with a smirk as Isshin chuckled. Karin was still her loud mouth tomboyish self but well… love did funny things to humans and even those of the afterlife.

Chad had mellowed her somewhat, he liked her spunk and loudness that was opposite to his more silent and supporting role. He didn't mind. He liked Karin with her strong personality, you like someone and then love if it's there and if it is then why would you want that person to change?

Karin walked along the sidewalk till she reached a small café. The tall teen was already waiting for her, the man was getting looks as he always did due to him being hispanic.

Chad had cut his hair in the front making his eyes more visible. Karin liked that as now she could easily look into the dark eyes of her boyfriend.

"What did Yamamoto say?" Chad asked looking at the waiter and frowned slightly when the male, a young teen goin on adult kept giving Karin looks but thankfully she didn't look away from him as she quickly mumbled what she wanted after looking through the menu and sending the waiter off.

"They are sending a squad soon, when they do we will go through." Karin stopped talking when the waiter placed her drink down in front of her, she mumbled a small thanks before looking up at him when he didn't leave. She just arched a brow at him but iy got the point across as the male left.

They looked around a little bit before Chad looked at Karin. "You look a lot like him." Karin looked at him with confusion in her eyes.

"Ichigo, you looked like a female version of him only with different colours."

A soft smile Chad could easily get addicted to made its home on her lips as she looked off to the side. "He is rather attractive, I'll give him that but that power he has…" She shivered.

Chad had to agree.

When the fight was over the power the man had around him still kept going, it was like the man had too much reiatsu to ever actually run out. The man's release form was also something that inspired awe.

A dragon…

The man was also… in an odd way very… charismatic. He had a magnetic feeling about him that just made you want to get closer. That and his power was rather… oddly addictive in a sense it was dark and alluring.

That coupled with the man's very attractive outer package Chad could see how the man was so popular and looking back at his girlfriend he could see her having the same traits just not as strongly and for that he was thankful.

He didn't want to spend the rest of his life batting away the competition.

All that bothered him was that he hadn't actually had the chance to talk to Ichigo. Once Aizen was dead Ichigo took Shinji somewhere and he really didn't need to guess what happened and was more obvious when Ichigo came back with a passed out Shinji.

Then he was gone.

It took Urahara a while to actually get a way into Hueco Mundo and it would take another two days for the gateway to open. He just wondered what they would find there. Would the barrier be the Espada and Ichigo's doing or are there other forces at work.

He was broken from his train of thought when their food came.

They ate in silence for a while before Karin looked up and sighed.

"I wish he could have met Yuzu before he left." Chad nodded, Yuzu had been a wreck the first few days getting to grips with everything she had been told. She had asked so many questions that it was hard to not just tell her everything and so that just what Isshin and Urahara did before the teens took over.

Now she knew.

It was odd at first when Isshin stepped out of his gigai that she could see him but the large massive surge in spiritual energy all over Karaura probably made a lot of people more sensitive… well they would have been if Mayuri hadn't stepped in but Karin refused to allow that man near her sister.

So she remained uneffected.

Now the girl was anxious to meet her brother but that wouldn't happen anytime soon.

The pair walked out the café after paying their bill.

Chad had walked Karin home where he got a goodbye kiss that still made his stomach flutter.

Two days later the shinigami squad arrived. The faint knock on the door made all the teens' heads go up. Uryuu had claimed they would need his abilities and that didn't fool Karin one bit, Orihime seemed to finally notice the raven haired teen but not in the fashion he wants.

It seemed that she still had her eyes set on Ichigo. Afterall only Karin and Chad knew of Ichigo's mate. It was okay for now though. So it seemed anyway.

The squad sent consisted of Shinji, Byakuya, Kenpachi, Hyori, Renji, Yachiru, Rukia and Hanataro. They all smiled and said that they were ready to go. The humans all gathered themselves up and Karin said goodbye to Yuzu who was babbling happily with Rukia and her father who looked mighty proud.

Once they reached the Shotēn only to find it was empty inside, they all made their way inside and down the ladder to the underground training room. It was there were the group found a large black archway made out of what looked to be small black squares.

Inside the arch was a static background that looked identical to that of a garganta.

"Have you even tested this thing?" Asked Renji who gave a skeptical look at the black cubed archway.

Urahara nodded as he stepped closer.

"Yes i have tested it out myself."

That got everyone to stop any further questions about testing.

They were ushered through as the gateway wouldn't last forever, Urahara gave a tip to keep their reiatsu paths as strong as possible.

Then they were off and through the portal, it was quicker than the shinigami way and it still amazed them who much quicker it was. In a matter of minutes they were in Hueco Mundo.

"What… the… hell…" Mumbled Renji when he saw the carnage that was once the white sands of the world of hollows. It was now a bloodbath.

"I guess they are havig problems of their own…" Mumbled Rukia who looked at her brother who nodded as he looked around in confusion. Hollow blood was blue, the only alive beings with red blood were Shinigami, Arrancar and humans. So where did all this blood come from?

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The Espada watching the Quincy base finally got some answers on the second day.

And it made Ichigo react far worse than any of the Espada ad ever seen.

The leader of the group was a tallish man with an odd haircut, his black hair was shaven off the sides but had been left somewhat short on the side and top making an odd bowl like cut. He wore round glasses and a military style white and blue uniform.

As they sat and listened they learned that their main target was Ichigo himself but not to kill but to capture. It made those around Ichigo bristle. Ichigo paid no mind to that part yet as he wanted to know what they needed so many hollows for.

On the second day they learned that the hollows were given a choice, join them or be killed.

Ichigo had heard enough and slowly rose. He ordered the remaining Espada to attack only once the Quincy were fully distracted by him and free the captured hollows while killing those who had betrayed their own kind.

The four nodded and didn't bother to ask how he was going to distract them. They were surprised however when the man slowly walked a long way around and stood in front of the base looking bored as he normally did while sitting on the throne.

Everyone froze when he came closer, the Quincy looked shock at seeing their target in front of them. They should have expected this however as the man seemed to know when something was wrong.

They watched as the man looked around him and came closer to a chained up row of hollows, they seemed eager when he came closer to inspect the chains. The bored look remained on his face as he picked up the chain and yanked on it a few times.

The Quincy were getting nervous as they watched the man walked around with an air of calm but something was off. He was too calm for the situation.

Quilge Opie finally stepped forward gaining Ichigo's attention. Red eyes that resembled frozen blood looked at him from the corner of sharp angled eyes.

"What is going on here?" Ichigo asked already knowing but wanting to see what the man would say.

Quilge swallowed around the lump in his throat.

"By order of the Quincy king we are here to recruit hollows into the Quincy army against our fight with Soul Society." He was glad his voice didn't waver as his knees did. Ichigo nodded having smelled the fear on the man's reiatsu.

"Is that so… and pray tell what happens to those who refuse?" Ichigo asked looking at the Quincy people head on. His head was cocked to the side showing a faint amount of curiosity.

"Our orders were to… kill them… if they refused…"

Ichigo nodded again and took two steps closer.

"And what are your orders regarding the Espada?"

He didn't get an answer.

Ichigo tsked and walked away a few paces before he spun around and a look of cool indifference was painted on his face.

"So that's all you're doing here? Recruiting hollows for an army against the Shinigami… and those who refuse get killed. The Espada are your main target myself being the highest. You want us to join the fight against the Shinigami using the hollow's own hatred against the Shinigami to fuel their motivation by promises of power and opportunities to kill Shinigami."

Quilge Opie's eyes went wide when he realised that Ichigo knew of their plans all along and they were in serious trouble.

Hollows and Quincy alike watched in awe and fear as Ichigo unsheathed his blade and held it high above him in both hands before the blade was flipped at a 180 degree pointing to the ground before the flame like reiatsu burst around Ichigo in a heated embrace.

"El dragón de fuego."

Reiatsu as hot as fire exploded in a wide torrent melting the glass as it spiralled into a wave like shape. The reiatsu torrent imploded and gave the white hot melted sand a chance to cool before a sudden gust of wind cooled it down fasted.

All eyes went up and gasped at the dragon like human figure in the sky. Wings flapped making strong winds in the always windless sky. The crescent moon behind him illuminated him just enough for all to see the faint details.

Quilge gulped in fear. The king had said that Ichigo was key in their takeover but he never said anything if Ichigo was to attack them before they even had a big enough army.

With a heavy slam Ichigo landed back on the ground shattering the just hardened glass into splinters making it look like rain as it shimmered in the night light. The Quincy troops prepared to take on their biggest foe ever when Ichigo vanished with a buzz noise and the next moment the chains that held the hollows together snapped in a crunch noise as if the chain was crushed. the link that help the hollows now severed gave the hollows the needed break to break free from their chains.

Just then Grimmjow, Sofia, Nnoitra and Adelmo took to their given task and helped the hollows escape while cutting down those who stood in the way but the larger portion of the Quincy were focused on Ichigo who was having a ball massacring them all in a great display of power as he tore them apart.

It was gruesome and the four lower Espada felt rather useless as Ichigo killed every Quincy he was. Blood ran in rivers as well as splattered every living and nonliving being. Grimmjow felt his stomach tighten when Ichigo lifted Quilge with one arm without any trouble.

"I will let you go so you can give your king a message."

Quilge nodded as best he could looking around Ichigo at the bloodbath he had mane on his own.

"Stay out of Hueco Mundo, the hollows have nothing to do with your war until now. Your kind made it our war now. Any Quincy found in Hueco Mundo will be slaughtered like sheep and used as ornaments in the Menos forest. Mark my word I will have vengeance." Ichigo hissed through his mask and threw Quilge far into the distance as the man skidded and got up on wobbly legs before he bolted as shadows consumed him and he was gone.

Ichigo looked at the four and jerked his head to the buildings. They understood well enough and went to investigate and came back with a few more hollows after killing those who chose to join the Quincy.

After they were a safe distance ichigo shot into the sky and released a cero obliterating the buildings into rubble.

As they made their way back to Las Noches Ichigo reverted back to his normal form and walked in the front of the long line of hollows who were grateful to their savior.

There was talk, it was in hushed tones but Ichigo heard it all the same.

Talk about making him the new king of Hueco Mundo.

he didn't know how to feel about that one…

When the reached the cluster of white buildings Ichigo ushered everyone into the large buildings to recuperate before they could go back into the endless night.

Ichigo walked to his room with the idea of showering and getting clean.

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Karin looked around.

"There is no one alive…"

She looked around once more before looking to Byakuya.

"Should we go to Las Noches now?" The man looked around as well then nodded before the group hurried off to the mass of hollow reiatsu in the far distance. When they came to they were surprised when it was intact and heavily packed with hollows who all snapped their gazes towards them, some even roared but it all stopped when a large reiatsu came closer. All the hollows stopped moving as if they were scared that even breathing would upset the higher level hollow.

That was when Ichigo showed his face. He was flanked by eleven people some who the Shinigami recognised.

"Ichi-nii!" Karin yelled as she ran towards Ichigo, Ichigo raised his hand to keep the hollows and new Espada wh tensed at bay as he opened his arms wide for Karin to hug him tightly.

A small smile crept up his face as his arms wrapped around Karin, the ones around them all looked at the scene with a variety of emotions. The Shinigami all smiled as they looked on the small family reunion.

The Espada smiled as well as they saw the small smile on their Cero's face.

While the hollows looked on confused.

"What happened? When he got here there was so much blood and… and… what happened?"

Karin felt Ichigo sigh before he gently pushed her away.

He was about to answer before he sensed a Quincy.

A low threatening growl filtered through the air before Ichigo disappeared and was before Uryuu gripping his throat while red eyes were alive with unrestricted anger.

"You do not belong here!" Ichigo growled almost inhumanly. Uryuu blinked owlishly at the redhead and was deathly scared for the first time in his life.

"A Quincy is not welcomed here. Quincy are vile and even more corrupt than any other being." Ichigo continued. No one made a move to interfere, they were too shocked or scared.

"W-what?" Uryuu wheezed out gripping the hand around his throat.

"Your kind kidnapped hollows and either forced them to join your kind's army or die. It is Quincy blood. I will kill all Quincy, the fact that you are a friend of my sister is all that is staying my hand. However I do have to wonder… You are a Quincy with a mighty big ego… how long will it take you to stab my sister in the back?" Ichigo growled as his eyes turned cold as ice.

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Again I am so sorry I was late!

I was just so… busy! I was super busy so I didn't get a chance to reread this and check for mistakes so if I made any please let me know where and what so I can fix it.

Thank you dears!