Memories coursing through my veins

Like the scars in yours, my roots remain

I was raised in hell

I made it out by myself

I was raised to bleed

Bad blood runs wild and free!

"Haaaaa!" In the air, a Kamehameha wave launched from Gohan's hands towards a Super Saiyan Blue Vegeta. Vegeta stayed still and allowed it to engulf him. An explosion blew in the faces of Gohan and Goku, who watched from afar. Vegeta flew backward from the smoke cloud and prompted Gohan to chase him down for an overhead punch. The initial attack missed, but the subsequent spinning back kick landed on Vegeta's ribs. Though it pushed him back, he dug his heels into the dirt and stopped his momentum.

To maintain his offensive, Gohan lunged forward and threw a roundhouse kick to Vegeta's head. Vegeta ducked and swept Gohan's other leg from underneath him. Gohan fell backward onto his hands and back flipped onto his feet. Before he made another move, however, Vegeta appeared in front of him and grabbed a hold of his chin. With a forceful lift off the ground, he slammed Gohan's head into the dirt.

"I told you to be more aggressive, but that doesn't mean you can forget about your defense." Vegeta released his grip and stood over him. "You should've never let me get that close!"

Goku landed next to the two. "Aw, come on, Vegeta. It's only been a week and Gohan's been getting a lot better."

"No, he's right." Gohan rose and rolled his neck from side to side. "Alright, how about another-" A group of energy signals interrupted him and caught their attention. "Is that the Espada?"

"Yeah, it feels like them," Goku said.

Vegeta grunted. "Damn them! They're not even trying to hide anymore."

"But what are they up to now?"

"I'm not sure," Gohan said. "They could've destroyed more planets, or maybe they just don't feel the need to hide. Either way, I think it's time we pay them a visit."

"Say what?!" the Goku and Vegeta yelled.

"Don't worry. I just want a word with Aizen. He already knows we're not in any position to fight yet."

"Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to see what he's up to," Goku said as he put his fingers on his head.

"Let's make this quick," Vegeta said. "I'll kill one of them if I'm there for too long."

Goku's Instant Transmission transported the group to the front of a room with a long table, where each of the Espada sat. In the back of the room, Sosuke Aizen sat at the head. The Espada all shot their stares at the Saiyans, but none of them uttered a sound. Grimmjow, however, grinned and bared his teeth at Vegeta, who glared right back at him. Goku set his eyes on Ulquiorra, but received a stony gaze. The low, quiet hum of an engine filled the room.

"Hi," Gohan said. "Sorry if I'm interrupting a meeting."

Aizen grinned. "Gentleman, welcome aboard our ship. To what do I owe this pleasure? Have you come to wave your white flag?"

"Not gonna happen, but how about we make a deal?"

Aizen folded his hands and leaned forward. "A deal, you say? What do you propose?"

"Leave these planets alone, and we'll come to face you when the time comes. If you beat us, then Universe Six and Seven are yours."

"Gohan, do you believe you are in any position to negotiate a deal of this magnitude?"

"Maybe not, so I'll raise the stakes on my end. If you win, I'll join you."

Goku and Vegeta turned to Gohan and gasped at what he said, but before they could speak up, Aizen chuckled at Gohan's proposal. "You want to pledge your servitude to me? Though my victory is all but certain, I'll play along. Fine, I'll take you on your offer."

"Good, see you in five months." Gohan turned around and motioned his father and Vegeta to leave. Goku prepared to use Instant Transmission, and Vegeta took the last few seconds to shift his glare to Coyote Starrk. For a moment, Starrk stared back with indifference, then looked away.

"Before you leave," Aizen said. "Shall I make a different wager to make things more interesting?"

Gohan turned his body halfway to Aizen. "There's no need. Taking your life will be enough for me." Goku teleported the trio from the ship, back to Beerus' planet.

"That's quite a bet you placed on yourself," Vegeta said.

Gohan chuckled. "I had to give him a little incentive. But it's not like that'll happen, anyway. We have all the data Trunks gave us on these guys, so that gives us plenty of time to form strategies. Our only concern is getting stronger, and at the rate we're going, we should be more than enough to handle them."

A broad smile flashed on Goku's face. "Well, then we better get back to training."

"So Gohan, shall we continue?" Vegeta asked.

"Hey, I think it's my turn now, Vegeta," Goku protested.

"Butt out, Kakarot. We were about to go another round before we left. Besides, you trained with him all day yesterday, so it's only fair that I get him for the day."

"You know what else is fair? A good, old-fashioned game of Rock, Paper, Scissors!"

"I'm not even tempted to entertain that this time."

"Aw, you won't play because you know you always lose!"

Aboard Aizen's ship, the Espada had turned their attention back to their leader.

"Well, I suppose we have no more business here," Aizen said. "Grimmjow…"

"Yes, my lord," he answered.

"Guide the ship back to Hueco Mundo. We'll station ourselves there until they come to meet their end."

Aizen adjourned the meeting, and the Espada withdrew themselves back to their quarters. Grimmjow, however, walked down a corridor to the ship's control room. He entered through an automatic sliding door, sat down in a chair, and rerouted the ship through a series of touch screen commands.

If he held out a for a little longer, they'd all kneel before him.

During the Cold Force's subjugation of Planet Vegeta, a middle-class Saiyan named Gula traveled to an unknown planet to meet his planetary quota. Upon arrival, however, he found himself unable to destroy the civilians. Bar their light-blue hair and lack of tails, they resembled any other Saiyan. The people were docile and wished only for peace. In the brief time he spent there, Gula fell for a woman. He carried on with his duties across the galaxy, but always stopped there to spend time with her. Soon, the two conceived a son. The mother named him Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez.

Planet Vegeta's laws dictated that Saiyan blood could not be diluted without repercussions. Therefore, Gula kept the mother and his child away from Planet Vegeta. However, once a group of Saiyan elites discovered the planet, they slaughtered its inhabitants and took the Saiyan baby with them. After they discovered it to be Gula's, he was brought before King Vegeta for execution. Upon further inquiry, King Vegeta took a liking to Grimmjow's exceptional power level of 5000. He elected to spare Gula, so long as he raise his child to his full potential.

After his trial, Gula despised that he'd ever been involved with that peace-loving planet. He raised his son to take pride in his Saiyan blood, and to crush anything that stood in his path. Grimmjow embraced it to the fullest. Anyone that teased him for his odd name or hair became well acquainted with his knuckles. He outclassed everyone in his age group, save for one boy.

Grimmjow needed a challenge; the only person who could provide it would be Prince Vegeta. They'd never met, but the constant chatter of the four-year-old prince's potential annoyed him. It was time for someone to knock the royal brat down a few pegs. Grimmjow snuck behind the Royal Palace and crept into the leaves of a tree. If he remained patient, his prey would emerge.

After an hour, Prince Vegeta stepped out into the field with the hulking man known as Nappa. Nappa kneeled to plant seeds in the ground, then poured a green liquid overtop each one.

"I only have five left, Prince Vegeta," he said.

Vegeta remained faced away. "It'll have to do."

Once Nappa stood, five Saibamen sprouted through the ground. Screeches hurled out as they lunged forward to attack. Vegeta spun around, and with three blasts from a pointed finger, he erased three Saibamen from existence. The last two circled to his back and leaped to latch onto him. Once Vegeta turned to them, two blasts hurled from above to destroy them. Both Nappa and Vegeta expressed their shock, while Grimmjow dropped to their level with a toothy grin.

"I'm just as surprised as you are," Grimmjow said. "Who knew a few Saibamen would give the prince so much trouble?"

Nappa growled. "How dare you speak to Prince Vegeta like that! A worthless worm like you shouldn't even be in his presence."

"Well, here I am, ugly. Are you gonna keep crying about it, or can I put the royal pipsqueak to the test?"

A smirk parted Vegeta's lips. "You're challenging me? Fine, but you won't like what happens next."

Nappa leaned down to Vegeta. "Prince, you shouldn't waste your time on a nobody. Let me handle-"

"Quiet! Those green freaks are boring. It's time I had a real fight."

Grimmjow lifted an open palm toward him. "Get ready to kiss the ground."

With inverted hands next to his ear, Vegeta stepped back. "I'll blow you away with my Galick Gun."

Before the two fired at each other, a voice called from behind Vegeta. "That's enough, you two."

Nappa spun and kneeled with his head lowered. "Forgive me, sire. I should have stopped them."

King Vegeta stepped beside him. "No apologies are necessary." He then made his way to his son. "Vegeta, this boy's name is Grimmjow. Starting today, he will be your new training partner."

Prince Vegeta choked out a gasp. "But father, there's no way a Saiyan of his class can fight an elite."

"You'll come to find that you two are closer in strength than you think. Consider it an opportunity to grow into the dominant warrior you will one day be." The king turned his gaze to Grimmjow, who only returned raised eyebrows. "I've already arranged this with your father. Every afternoon, you will report here and train together. Is that understood?"

"Yeah... I got it," Grimmjow said.

The king narrowed his eyes. "It's 'yes, sire'. When I enter your presence, you will kneel and show respect. I will allow you to stand this time, but if you this happens again, I will use your head as a footrest. Have I made myself clear, boy?"

The bass in his voice raised the hairs on Grimmjow's skin. Instead of barking back, he restrained himself at the king's solemn stare. He winced at his helplessness, but yielded. "Yes, sire."

Prince Vegeta folded his arms. "Well, I suppose it's a good thing I didn't destroy you. I'll just have to beat you every day now."

"In your dreams." Grimmjow balled his fists. "I'll surpass you so that I can become king."

The king couldn't hold his laugh in. "King? What makes you think a half-breed could ever rule over our planet?"

"I don't wanna rule over anything. I'll leave that to royalty. When I say I want to be king, I want everyone to know me as the strongest person alive."

King Vegeta faced away and continued to chuckle to himself. "I suppose time will only tell if you get your wish."

Once he left, Grimmjow gritted his teeth together and muttered underneath his breath. "I'll make you kneel, you bastard."

Prince Vegeta widened his stance and brought two fists to his side. "Let's see if a peasant is worthy of fighting the prince of all Saiyans."

Grimmjow placed his hands on his hips. "That's your fighting stance? You look stupid. If you're serious about this, we're gonna have to work on that."

Though Vegeta was three years younger than him, their competitive natures drew them closer together than Grimmjow ever thought it would. As they grew in power, they both shared the Super Saiyan dream. If they achieved the level of power promised by the legend, they would crush Frieza and his army to restore Saiyan independence. In time, the two would usher in a new era of might. No longer would anyone subject him to their orders.

Grimmjow conquered a planet for Frieza when he received word that a meteor destroyed Planet Vegeta. He was only eight-years-old, and now that his father, King Vegeta, and the rest of his race perished, he and the remaining survivors became direct servants of Frieza. Vegeta bottled up his feelings, but Grimmjow remained vocal about his hatred toward Frieza. He continued to hone his skills with Vegeta, hoping they would break free from bondage. Raditz and Nappa proved useless to him, but the duo spread fear and terror across the galaxy for the next fifteen years.

One day, however, Frieza assigned the Saiyans multiple planets to conquer within a short period, requiring them to divide and conquer. On a stroll toward Grimmjow's pod, he shared a brief conversation with Vegeta.

"You're sure you don't want me to come?" Vegeta asked.

Grimmjow scoffed and readjusted his scouter. "Appule said that Kadassil is nothing but a bunch of weaklings. It'll be a boring mission. What's wrong, scared to go off on your own? Still want me to hold your hand?"

"Shut the hell up. I just wanted to make sure that tiny planet isn't too much for you. I know you get overwhelmed by the bigger ones."

"Nothing is a challenge for me, but how about you worry about the other two fuck ups instead?"

"Hmph, if they die, then they didn't deserve to live this long."

"It'd be a good day if Raditz bit the bullet. I might have to kill him myself when I come back. He's been pissing me off lately."

They both arrived at the pod, and Grimmjow pushed a button on a remote. Once the door lowered, he stepped in and sank down into the chair.

A grin spread across Vegeta's face. "I'll ask you one more time. Are you sure those weaklings won't kill you?"

"Worry about yourself. Last time I checked, I was the one with the biggest power level around here."

"Your scouter must've been malfunctioning. We'll have to put that to the test when you get back."

"Numbers don't lie, Prince, and I'll be more than happy to show that when I return. Loser buys drinks tonight."

"Deal."

Grimmjow closed the door to his pod before it lifted into the air and sped out of the atmosphere. After he crashed onto Kadassil, he decimated all hostile threats with ease.

He sat next to the pile of corpses he laid to waste. "No challengers today? What a bummer. I can't even get a warmup on this shitty planet." The scouter attached to his right eye beeped. "Well, well, guess there were a few of you hiding from me."

Grimmjow hopped to his feet and bore a wide smile. "Come on out! If you do, the first shot's free! Take it anywhere you want!"

Three warriors native to the planet leaped from behind a host of trees. Grimmjow shot his excited gaze to them before a small energy beam shattered his scouter. Grimmjow winced and swiveled to see it came from a man that feigned death in the mound of bodies. He fired an energy wave and erased the man and corpses from existence.

However, once Grimmjow faced his living enemies, one fired a blast at the Saiyan's space pod and destroyed his space pod.

"I'm gonna tear you fuckers apart!" He closed the distance and impaled a Kadassil native through their heart. He ripped out his hand and placed an open palm in front of the face of another warrior. A purple energy wave disintegrated their head and neck. Grimmjow took advantage of the third warrior's fear. He appeared before him and lifted him into the air by his throat.

Grimmjow scowled. "You bastards think you can trap me here? Big mistake. Once my allies will arrive, we'll turn this whole place into a wasteland."

"You… won't escape," The Kadasilian smirked through Grimmjow's tightened grasp. "You… are going… to… to die here… with us."

Grimmjow crushed his throat and forced his neck to ooze blood. Once the warrior's head slumped to the side, he tossed his lifeless body away.

"Hmph, die here? None of you even had the strength combined to-" Everything around him quaked. "An earthquake? What the hell's going on here?"

He flew into the air to scour the area. Within a few seconds, however, the ground beneath him caved in and gave way to magma. Lava shot thousands of feet into the clouded sky.

"No way! Those idiots are crazy enough to blow up their own planet?!" Grimmjow soared across the dying world. He searched for a ship, space pod, or any type of transportation. Every ship he found sank into molten rock. On the last spot of ground available, Grimmjow fell to his knees. The heat burned his skin, and the dry air stifled his breathing.

"Dammit… so this is how it all ends. What a waste. I never even came close to killing Frieza. I-I never came close to being a Super Saiyan."

A ship flew into the atmosphere and raced towards him. A ramp on the underside of the ship opened, and a man with brown hair and glasses ran out from the inside.

The man stuck his hand out. "Get in, now!"

With no time to ask questions, Grimmjow flew into the ship. The ramp closed, and the ship soared into deep space. Grimmjow hunched over inside of a loading dock.

"Are you alright?" the man asked.

After he caught his breath, Grimmjow stood straight. "I'm fine. Who the hell are you, anyway, and how did you know where I was?"

"My name is Sosuke Aizen, and I'm also a Saiyan. I was conducting research in the area when I saw Kadassil self-destruct. That's how I found you."

Grimmjow surveyed the man. Aizen did not dress like a Frieza Force soldier, nor did he have a common trait that all of his Saiyan brethren shared. "A Saiyan, huh? I call bullshit. Where's your tail then?"

"I removed it because I felt it was unnecessary. Not only is the Great Ape transformation unsightly, but it's also a hindrance to speed and precision."

"Why would that even matter when you have the power to destroy everything in sight?"

"Grimmjow, do you want true power, the power to crush enemies like Frieza?"

"What the- How do you know my name? And while you're at it, tell me where you're from."

"I know you because I've kept a watchful eye on all the surviving Saiyans. However, I've relocated to another place that helped me unlock secrets to newfound strength. I'll ask you again. Do you desire the power to crush enemies like Frieza?"

"Of course I want that power, and one day I will have it when I become Super Saiyan."

"I can guarantee you strength that supersedes that ancient myth. I can crush your oppressor at a moment's notice, yet I have not become a Super Saiyan of any kind."

Grimmjow belted out in laughter. "You have more strength than a Super Saiyan? You must be delusional if you believe you can beat Frieza without it. I've been training my whole life and I'm still not even close to touching him."

Aizen walked over to a nearby table and picked up a device from it. He handed it to Grimmjow, who took it with surprise. "Here, you can see for yourself with this."

"A scouter?" Grimmjow attached it to his face and powered it on. "Unless it's a Ginyu Force model, those things'll break before you even reach a hundred thousand."

"This is my model. Its upper limit is two hundred and fifty million. Watch as I release my energy. I must warn you, because of the confinements of this ship, I won't be able to unveil my maximum amount of power."

"Hmph, we'll see about-" A wave of pressure crashed down onto his head. He collapsed to the floor and remained unable to move, or even breathe. A gasp escaped his throat once he laid eyes on the number the scouter projected. Aizen's power level skyrocketed from two hundred to two hundred million.

Aizen stopped, allowing Grimmjow to breathe again. As he gasped for air, Aizen grinned at him from above. "Well, what do you think?"

"But… how? You didn't even move! T-The calibration must be off."

"Your meeting with the ground more than testifies to the power I possess. There's no need to fear. I can show you all of this and more if you join me."

"Join you?" Grimmjow stood and settled himself. "With that kind of power, what are you after?"

"Much more than defeating Frieza. Though I may possess more power than that fool, I am nowhere near the most powerful. I seek to stand above every being in the universe. To accomplish this goal, I need strong and like-minded allies. Grimmjow, we desire the same goal: to be known to all people as the strongest. Your path to power can begin here. All that you have to do is follow me, and we can achieve greatness together."

"But… I-I can't just leave-"

"Vegeta can take care of himself. Abandon your current attachments and follow the opportunities that lie before you."

Aizen put his hand out. Though Grimmjow hesitated, he ended up shaking his hand and agreeing to Aizen's proposal.

"Good," Aizen said. "Now there's one more thing I need to show you." Aizen brushed his white robe to the side, revealing a weapon on his hip.

"A sword?".

"Yes, this weapon is called a Zanpakuto. Each Zanpakuto holds a special ability. Allow me to show you mine. Watch closely."

Aizen unsheathed his sword and inverted his grip. He held the blade out and grinned. Grimmjow gazed in anticipation.

"Shatter, Kyoka Suigetsu."

Sand covered the side of his face. He opened his eyes and to a deserted wasteland with a night sky. White dunes stretched as far as he could see. Grimmjow stumbled to his four paws; sharp teeth filled his jaw. Was this a fresh development or how he always had been? Where was he? The only things he remembered were his name and his innate desire to be the king. This desire allowed him to adapt and survive. His lone journey soon revealed that he dwelled in the land of the Hollows, known as Hueco Mundo.

Once he learned how to gain strength, the panther roamed the realm in search of creatures to devour. Along the way, he would encounter a group of Adjuchas that would later become his Fracción. Even though he became their leader by default, he never cared about them. He allowed them to follow, only to assist him in his quest.

After thirty years of prowling through the desert, Aizen took notice of his progress and transformed him into an Arrancar. Grimmjow reverted to his original form with the addition of a bone mask on his right jaw, green eyeliner, a hole through his abdomen, and number six on his back. He had attained the power he'd sought for so long, but it still wasn't enough to gain his independence from people like Aizen. It still wasn't enough to crush a foe like Ichigo Kurosaki. It still wasn't enough to make him feel like the king.

After his defeat at the hands of Ichigo and betrayal by Nnoitra, Grimmjow had been left for dead under the bright canopy of Las Noches. However, Aizen returned to Las Noches when all the Soul Reapers departed and escaped into space through the Garganta with a dozen other Arrancar. Grimmjow was the only member of Aizen's Espada to survive the battle with the Thirteen Court Guard Squads.

Grimmjow's wounds healed in time, but his shattered pride did not. Inside of his quarters, Grimmjow failed to contain his frustration any longer. His veins bulged from his head, and the nails in his palms caused blood to flow.

"Me… beaten by a damn Soul Reaper? Damn him! That damn kid thinks he can make a fool out of me?! I am Grimmjow. I am the king!" A bright aura emanated from his being. His eye color changed from light blue to green, and his hair turned golden. Grimmjow broke through his barrier and ascended to Super Saiyan.

Memories from his past flooded his mind. What should have been a moment of celebration had been overshadowed by his anger for Aizen and how his memories were suppressed for decades. Before he dwelled in the moment any longer, Aizen plotted his next move.

Using Grimmjow's discovery as his inspiration, he reopened his study of the remaining Saiyans. Although Grimmjow held a deep disdain for Aizen, he hid his true intentions and elected to learn more about the potential for even greater power. As they uncovered the secrets of Universe Six and Seven through the recordings of the Earthbound Saiyans, Aizen used his spare time to reawaken the Hogyoku, learn Instant Transmission, and track down the Super Dragon Balls.

This led up to their encounters with the Saiyans on Earth. Aizen used Grimmjow as a distraction to summon the Super Dragon Balls and resurrect the fallen Arrancar army. Grimmjow didn't care about being used as a part of a plot, or about the Arrancar being revived. As long as he got to prove his might in battle, he felt satisfied.

At Planet Sadala, he came to a crossroads. Aizen tasked him with absorbing the souls of inhabitants. It went against Grimmjow's core values to betray his race. He pleaded with his leader to spare the planet, to no avail. Although Grimmjow completed his mission with little difficulty, he loathed himself for it. The cries of the Saiyans haunted him. He sold out to a man that took everything from him, just as Frieza had before. The loyalty he owed in exchange for his powers vanished. Grimmjow had enough.

Impulse guided him throughout his life, but impulse alone would never be enough to stop Aizen, especially with loyal Espada like Ulquiorra at his beck and call. After his mission on Sadala ended, he decided he would bide his time and strike before Aizen achieved godhood. He only had to act like a faithful servant until February, and then he'd have his chance.

After plotting the ship's course back to Hueco Mundo, Grimmjow stood and walked back to his quarters. Halfway down the corridor, Nnoitra approached in the opposite direction. Grimmjow bumped the Fifth Espada and continued to his room, but Nnoitra stopped and confronted him.

"Is there a problem, Number Six?" Nnoitra asked.

Grimmjow stopped. "I didn't have one till I saw your ugly ass."

"Damn Saiyan! How about I teach you a little respect?!"

With widened glare, Grimmjow snatched his fellow Espada's shirt. "Nnoitra, if you don't choose your next words carefully, I will claw your throat out. Do you understand me?"

He shoved Nnoitra away. Nnoitra grunted, but walked away and mumbled. "Bastard. You're lucky that Lord Aizen's around."

Grimmjow continued toward his quarters. When he entered, he dropped to the floor and warmed up with one finger push-ups.

Kurosaki, Vegeta, then Aizen. I'll make sure they all know who's the strongest. No one will ever stand above me again.

I am the predator.

I am the king