The help from other guilds have been a big help. Lyon was able to defeat Zommari and the help from others have given the boost Erza and the others needed. They came at Aizen with new found strength.

"Ice Demon's Zero Destruction Fist!"

"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" With fists of flame and ice, Gray and Natsu attacked Aizen, but he was able to avoid or deflect both of their attacks.

"You'll have to move much faster than that." Aizen said. Lucy and Erza attacked together with Erza in her Flight Armor and Lucy in a form of her Star Dress called Cancer Form. Both of them circled around Aizen with incredible speed. Aizen jumped up to avoid them. "Your skills are impressive, but it won't save you."

"I wouldn't be too sure." Erza said with a smile. Aizen didn't understand until he felt something. He looked on his chest and saw he actually had a cut. He was actually injured.

"Arc of Decompose."

"Nice, we finally got a scratch on the guy." Natsu said.

"Don't celebrate like you've already won." Aizen warned.

"Surely you can understand the reaction." Erza said. "I admit that you have an immense intellect, immense strength, and much magic power in many forms of magic. One scratch on someone like you cause for a little enjoyment."

"I suppose." Aizen said as he placed his hand against the cut. "However, this is just a small nick and nothing more."

"Yes, but it proves you can be injured and if you can be injured, that means you can be beaten." Erza claimed.

…

Harribel

Gajeel and Levy were up against Baraggan, but were powerless with his strange dark cloud that even causes magic to decay. Both of them would have been done for if Harribel hadn't stepped in and saved them when she did.

"Are you two alright?" Harribel asked.

"Yes. Thank you for saving us." Levy said. Harribel kept her eyes on Baraggan as she was on guard of his magic. Baraggan remained silent as he had a very close eye on Harribel. He held more concern on her than the other two.

"You might want to watch out for his magic." Gajeel said. "I don't know how he does it, but it affects magic and other things. He said that by touching it would cause everything to rot away."

"Yes. I've heard about that form of magic." Harribel said.

"You've heard about my magic? Ridiculous." Baraggan said. "My magic is absolute, but it has been used in this day of age except by me."

"What kind of magic is it?" Levy asked.

"It's known as Arc of Decompose, otherwise known as Rot Magic." Harribel said. "It forms a dark cloud. It might seem like it accelerates aging, but actually skips right to the part where the object or the person begins to rot. It's a form of lost Time Magic and very dangerous. Many casters have met their end because of it."

"Yes, but I've actually mastered it." Baraggan said. "Actually fighting back would be pointless because nothing can touch me. I know who you are. Tier Harribel, part of Blue Pegasus."

"Master to be accurate." Harribel said.

"Makes no difference what you're position is." Baraggan said. "You specialize in Water Magic. If that is all you got, you'll lose this fight as well."

"That's quite the statement. Let's see you put that to the test." Harribel challenged as the two of them are about to face off.

…..

Toshiro

When Gin was about to finish Rangiku off, Toshiro stepped in and saved her. At this moment, he's fighting him right now.

"Ice Dragon's Slash!" Toshiro had his hand covered in ice as a claw to try and slash against Gin, but Gin was careful and able to avoid his slashes.

"You'll have to do better than that." Gin mocked.

"How's this? Ice Dragon's Icicles!" Toshiro shot out the icicles, but Gin jumped up and avoid them as well. "Ice Dragon's Hail!" Toshiro changed gears and shot out the hail, but Gin wasn't worried.

"Sorry. That isn't good either." Gin said as he held out his hand. "Piercing Intercept." Multiple lights shot out and smashed their way through all the ice and hit Toshiro. Toshiro slid back, but he stayed firm. "You're certainly strong for someone so young. Then again, there are those who are strong for when they are so old."

"What does that mean?" Toshiro said.

"Sorry, I was thinking of someone else." Gin said. "Someone, despite his old age, is very strong and his power is dangerous. I wonder how he'll hold up if he comes across someone just as equally powerful."

"Keep your head in our fight!" Toshiro said as he shot out some ice to keep the fight going. Little did they know that what Gin described is happening right now.

…..

Harribel

"Water Slicer!" Harribel started the fight between her and Baraggan. Baraggan had his magic cloud form around him and intercepted the water. The water dispersed to nothing before it could even reach him.

"You see? You're water is useless against me." Baraggan said.

"I don't get it. Water can't rot away, can it?" Gajeel said.

"No, but it can evaporate. Evaporation is probably the same to water as our flesh rotting away." Levy said. Baraggan manipulated the cloud to have it surround Harribel. Harribel saw she was surrounded by the cloud so she acted quickly. She used her water to give herself a boost and shot into the air.

"Waterfall Drown!" Harribel formed a massive amount of water in the air and had it fall down to Baraggan like a waterfall. Baraggan used his cloud to block the attack. The water was starting to disperse, but it was still coming. Baraggan had to act quickly because there was too much water. He moved back before the water could hit him.

"Damn it. She almost had him." Gajeel said. The cloud cleared away and Harribel came down.

"You used your cloud to try and have my water fade away." Harribel said. "That would have worked except that the volume was too much."

"So what? That proved nothing. I was still able to avoid your attack." Baraggan said.

"Let's put that to the test. Waterfall Drown." She formed the water and had it fall to Baraggan again.

"Do you think I'm stupid enough to fall for the same trick twice?" Baraggan said and formed the spheres from his cloud. "Respira Spheres!" He formed the spheres and intercepted the water and caused it to fade away. When the water vanished, Harribel noticed something of the shape the cloud took.

"So that's it." Harribel said.

"What?" Baraggan said.

"I've noticed something was strange." Harribel said. "When the water went through, part of the cloud was torn through when the water turned into traces of steam. It would seem that the cloud doesn't react well with substances like mist or steam. If it comes in contact with other forms of gas, the cloud disperses." Baraggan tried not to show it, but Harribel could tell she was right just by looking at him.

"So you've figured out the weakness of my magic." Baraggan said. "That won't help you. My magic is practically death. There's no greater power in this world than that. We're all meant to die. We fear it, saying we don't want to die, but it's inevitable. I've accepted that fact."

"If you truly have accepted it, why bother fighting?" Harribel said. "You make it sound like there's no reason for us to fight by that logic. We live and fight because we don't know how long we stay alive. If you accepted the fact that we're all going to die, why are you fighting?"

"Be silent!" Baraggan said as he had the cloud attack her. Harribel brought up a barricade of water to shield her from it. Harribel became water and slid her way through some water and appeared behind Baraggan.

"Looks like I have you." Harribel said. Baraggan swung his arm around, but Harribel grabbed on and held her ground against him. "What are you waiting for?"

"What?" Baraggan questioned.

"The cloud. I've noticed you put up a safe distance around yourself and the cloud." Harribel said. "Why would you do that? Is it because your magic was made like that or is it because you won't?" Harribel felt his muscles grew stiff for a second. "That's the answer. You set your magic like this so you wouldn't be affected by it and kill yourself."

"Damn you." Baraggan said.

"Quit talking like you're high and mighty." Harribel said. "The truth is….you're scared of death like everyone else. You don't want to die either."

"You blonde witch." Baraggan said.

"That reaction proves I'm right." Harribel said. "It's time I put an end to this." She had water form around them and shot up like a geyser. Baraggan got caught in the water and was flying straight up with the cloud vanishing.

"She did it! She outsmarted him and saw through him!" Gajeel said. "Guess she isn't just one of those pretty faces in Blue Pegasus."

"Now I see why Erza respects her so much." Levy said. "Hold on, did you call her a pretty face?!" Gajeel is in trouble later. As for Harribel, she's putting an end to this.

"This is where it ends for you." Harribel said. "Great beast of the sea, reveal yourself. Rise up and devour those who aren't pure. Shark Supremacy!" A giant shark made out of water rose up from behind her and was going up to Baraggan. The shark opened its mouth and swallowed Baraggan whole. The shark blew up and the water rained down around them. Baraggan crashed on the ground and was taken out as well. Now, only three members of the Eight Hollow Swords remain.

…..

Toshiro

"Oh dear, this is a sorry sight to behold." Gin said. "It would seem that our elite team of eight has been cut down to just three."

"That's good." Toshiro said. "That means we're winning and you'll be the next one to fall, you snake."

"Don't think I'll fall that easily as those fools have. You're side isn't that impressive either" Gin said. "Your friends, Byakuya and Laxus have been fighting Yammy from the start and they still haven't beaten him. Starrk is a dangerous one, and Ulquiorra shows absolutely no mercy to anyone. Kaname and my strength are stronger than them and you're not making much progress either."

"What would be your point?" Toshiro said.

"I'm saying that the fights from here on out will be nothing, but trouble no matter who is facing who." Gin said.

….

Ichigo: The mermaid, Kagura, has skill with a sword that matches Erza. Shunsui is the same. Two skilled sword warriors face off against a lazy loner. Any weapon can be dangerous in the right hands. So how can a lazy slacker cause so much trouble?

Next Time: Guns and Swords

Ichigo: A showdown between two classic weapons. Who will stand above?