Within a barren rocky desert. Where the sun shone brightly, and dust blew across it. Two warriors, Ichigo and Uryu, fought intensely against one another to get the upper hand as they tore apart the landscape around them.
'You are doing well in using your blunt vien and artery, ' Uryu complemented while dodging a slash from Ichigo's reshi blades and then firing a dozen holy arrows at The shinigami's backside. Only for him to deflect them with his other blade.
Ichigo then flowed it by combining his reshi's swords into a massive bow and fired an arrow at Ishida. But the latter side-step out the way to avoid it.
'However, the structure of your holy bow and arrows are still rather sloppy,' the white prince criticized' which made Ichigo sigh in acknowledgment.
'Yeah...' the teen agreed. 'Which is why I am practicing with them, so I can expand my arsenal better.'
Uryu then lowered his bow. 'And that is certainly wise. Still, given how great your shinigmai powers are. I'm a bit surprised you would still bother using your Quincy ones'
Ichigo then looked at uryu for a moment and then stared down at his Reshi blades. 'And that is the very reason I am trying to develop them, to begin with...'
Ishida then gave the shinigami a curious look. 'Really?'
Ichigo hummed as he then dispelled the two swords. 'Even after I got a full understanding of my zanpakuto. I still have a long way to go before fully mastering my powers' he then stretched on his left hand. 'And even after a year of training since then. That still hasn't changed much.'
Uryu then held on to his chin and thought over what Ichigo said. 'Have you tried any other methods to increase your strength?'
The soul reaper shrugged. 'I have, but I mainly improve myself the best when my life is on the line, and given this, Barragan could become powerful enough to challenge Yhwach. He might give me the boost I need to improve myself.'
The white prince then nodded. 'I see...and have you faced the Hollow king in your world?'
Ichigo then shook his head. 'No, I was busy fighting in Hecuo Mundo while he was busy fighting against Soifon and Hachi. But from what I heard, the guy was so powerful. That the latter had to turn his power against him to win.'
Uryu stuttered in confusion. 'Turn...his power against him?'
'Yeah. Barragan had this aging power that practically made him untouchable. But ironically enough, even he wasn't immune to it when a piece of it got inside him,' Ichigo explained. But this just made the prince even more confused.
'That...shouldn't be possible,' Uryu muttered uneasily.
Ichigo then looked at Ishida, perplexed. 'What the fact that Barragan wasn't immune to his powers?' He questioned, but the white prince shook his head.
'It's not that Barragan isn't immune to his power; it's just-' suddenly, Uryu's iPhone range, and he immediately picked it up to answer.
'Yes?' The Quincy prince answered, and after listing for a few seconds, he put his phone away. 'It would seem that we have to put this discussion and training on hold, Kurosaki. As I am called to bear witness to an upcoming arena fight.'
Ichigo then looked up in anticipation. 'A fight ?'
Uryu then pulled his remote and disabled the training room reverting it to its blank canvass state. 'Yes. One of our regional commanders Bazz-B. Has decided to challenge Stark to a one-on-one duel.'
The soul reaper then furrowed his brow for a moment in thought and then immediately recognized the name.
'Wait, do you mean Coyote Stark. The prima Espada?' He asked.
'His actual full is Lilynette Stark and is the former prima Espada. But other than those minor detail, yes' Uryu confirmed.
Ichigo then wrapped both of his arms around himself. 'Is there any reason on why Stark and Bazz-B are fighting?'
'There were some serious disagreements on the terms of the alliance the former Espada had with us. Before deciding to settle it all by combat,' Uryu explained as he began opening the door and turning back to face Ichigo.
'You are welcome to come if you are interested,' he offered, and the shingmai intrigued about how the duel would go down, followed the prince out of the door.
Sometime later, The regional commander of the soul society Bazz-B and the former prima of the Espada Stark both arrived in the middle of a massive arena. Hundreds of Quincy gathered around, filling in the seats to witness the fight between the two combatants. Hashwalf takes his heart in a booth overlooking the entire stadium and the battlefield in its center.
Then Robert Accotrone approached the Grandmaster from behind.
'Seems rather odd to publicly host this battle instead of making it a private affair,' the old sternritter mused. In contrast, Hashwalf continued to look on passively.
'Bazzard was the one that insisted on it,' The grandmaster said dismissively. 'All so to prove the pride and honor of the quinces to the rest of the kingdom when Stark insulted us.'
Robert then rubbed his chin in thought. 'Perhaps...but even then, the Arrancar has every reason to be distrustful, and it was only by a shared sense of survival that he even bothered to join us at all' he then stared down at Jurgram. 'If anything, this seems to be more of Bazz-B's pride and honor that is on the line. Then that of the quinces'
Then closed his eyes and let out a deep breath before reopening them. 'Not seems to Robert. It is. Even after a thousand years of service and being appointed to a major leadership position. He still has that sense of self-entitlement and arrogance.'
Haschwalth then stared out into the arena while focusing his eyes. 'To Bazz-B, anyone who doesn't fully respect him or his comrades as equal or superior. is a crime worthy of brutal punishment or even death.'
Robert then shrugged. 'Can't argue...' he then narrowed his gaze on the pinked haired man. 'However, that is not what you are most worried about from him, isn't it?'
Jurgram then remained silent for a moment and then answered. 'I have already warned Bazzard about the consequences of his actions' his eyes then hardened when he saw Bazz-B and Stark arriving out from the arena gates.
'And he will have to take responsibility for them...as he did beforehand.'
Upon the open the battlefield, the two opponents. Bazzard Black and Lilynette Stark. They stared each other down, with the sternrriter in a combative stance and the Arrancar with both hands in his pockets looking casual. In contrast, the rest of the crowd, including Ichigo, Uryu, Liltotto, and Cang, looked on with anticipation for the match to begin. A Sekenkai barrier forms around the field to protect the onlookers.
'Are you sure you should be this relaxed, Espada?!' Bazz-B mocked as the fire began to burn within his fists. 'That laziness of yours could get yourself killed!'
Stark, however, rolled his eyes. 'I don't usually take my opponents seriously unless they are an actual threat to me' he then stared at the pink-haired Quincy with contempt. 'And you are barely worth my attention.'
Bazz-B then snarled with fury. 'Oh, I will enjoy wiping that condescending look right off your face!'
The two competitors then once again stared off against each other in silence. Sizing each other up and then in the next moment. The alarm went off, and the fight was on!
Bazz-B was the one to make the first move as he launched a wave of fire at the former Esapda, who dodged it with ease using Sonido. Only for the sternrriter continuing throwing wave after wave of fire at the Arrancar with murderous glee.
'What's the matter, Stark? Are you so afraid that you can't even fight back without getting burned to a crisp!?' The flame-bound Quincy challenged. 'Because if that is the case. Then it's you who isn't worthy of saving!'
Bazz-B then caught a glimmer of the arrancar's form.
'Got you!' The hot-headed man thought and then launched another blast of the flame of where he thought he aimed at the former Espada.
Only to feel a hand touch his left shoulder. Much to his shock.
'No, I am afraid it is still just you,' Stark said from behind the sternrriter's back and then just as the latter tried to turn around and strike back. The Arrancar swiped kicked into Bazz-B's stomach and sent him tumbling across the field floor.
Ichigo then grimaced in concern.
'Uryu...' the worried teen said to the prince. 'Does Bazz-B have an actual chance of winning?'
The young Ishida then held his breath for a few moments before answering. 'I rather not jump to conclusions, Kurosaki, as the fight has only just begun. Stark may have the advantage now, but the tide might turn soon enough,' he explained calmly.
But Ichigo, however, was able to sense doubt in Ishida's words.
'Damn you...' Bazz-B muttered bitterly as he struggled to get himself up. 'You have some nerve attacking me from behind like that, you punk!' He accused angrily. But Stark gave him a dubious look.
'...Really?' He questions flatly. 'All I did was take an opening in your defense. So don't try to act like it's my fault for exploiting it.'
'Shut up! The sternritter shouted furiously and then began to focus fire within his left finger.
'Burner finger one!' He roared out while aiming and shooting a beam of fire at Stark's head. Which he, in turn, quickly moved to the right. At the same time, the beam exploded loudly against the sekenkai barrier.
'Well, that's different,' Stark said lazily. Which only infuriated the Quincy even more.
'I said shut your mouth!' Bazz-B screamed out as he fired more beams of fire at the Arrancar. But the latter just evaded every one of them with ease.
'And I would...if you start pressuring me a little,' Stark challenged.
Bazzard then bared his teeth. 'Oh, do you think one isn't enough for you, huh!?' He spat loudly. 'Then how about I up the ante!' The sternrriter then out raised another finger on his left hand
'Burner finger two!'
Twin beams of fire then shot out from the index fingers of Bazz-B's left hand as they left a trail of fire in the wake of hitting the field floor and the barrier above.
However, Stark leaps over the beam of fire as quickly as he did with the other attacks. All the while still keeping both of his hands in his pocket.
'Well...' Stark commented while messaging his shoulders and neck. 'At least your making me stretch out my joints a bit. I'll give you that.'
The fiery Quincy then steamed with rage. 'This...damn fucking bastard!' He thought to himself in frustration. 'He keeps dodging my attacks as if they were the easiest thing in the world.'
Then a crooked smile formed around his face. 'But let's see if he can dodge this!
'Burner finger three!' Bazz-B announced as he raised his third index finger and formed a triple fire beam. But he was launching it at Stark. He immediately changed the beam's direction and aimed it at the arena floor in front of the Arrancar, melting it into lava and sending it straight at his foe.
'Your finished!' the flaming-wielding man cried out in victory. Yet Stark himself still looked unfazed.
'...Bala,' he uttered lowly, and immediately from his body, an enormous blue-colored spiritual energy shot out and overpowered the lava and the triple fire beam. While also pushing Bazz-B back, much to his disbelief.
'What...' the stenrriter stuttered as he struggled to regain his composer. 'Was that!?'
Stark then began to walk out of the dust cloud caused by the two attacks colliding.
'That I was my Bala kid,' He said simply as he lowered his hat. 'The most basic of Arrancar techniques'
Bazz-B then looked gasp and bulged his eyes out in bafflement.
'That's...' he fumbled his words before his anger returned. 'No! Your just fucking messing with me! My burner finger three can't be beaten as something as weak as a Bala! It must have been some trick! Especially since you used no stance when you launched that so-called Bala of yours!'
Stark then gave the sternrriter a bemused expression. 'I will admit that out of all the arrancars, even among the Espada. I am the only one that can launch a Bala or even a cero without using any stance to do so. He then looked up. 'Whenever it be because of natural skill or talent or something unique to me. I don't know' he then glared darkly at Bazz-B. 'However...my ease of use is the only thing that makes any of those techniques unique.'
He then began to pull his zanpakuto out of its sheath and walked up at the still stunned starrier. 'For you see, bud, the simple reason my Bala was able to overpower your burner three is that...'
Stark then used Sonido to appear right in front of Bazz-B and before the sternrriter could even notice him or see his sword. It was already raised high in the air.
'You are weaker than me...' he said with almost no expression and swung down his sword.
