Chapter Text
"What happened?" Kenpachi grunted, shaking his head in confusion.
"You got another beating, Kenny," Yachiru replied with her usual cheerful attitude.
"Where is that guy?" Kenpachi stood up, now recovered.
He didn't even remember how it went this time, so he wanted to do it again.
"Don't even think about it, he said something about preparing lunch and left after fixing your cracked skull," Yoruichi replied, already holding the book.
Honestly, the food sounded good right now.
"Fine, whatever." Curiously, Kenpachi readily accepted the fact and returned to his seat.
Next time, next time he would be the one to cut him down first.
"Well, I suppose there are no further objections." Yoruichi opened the book.
This, this promised to be very interesting
Baraggan toyed with the sword in his hand. A white jewel was embedded in the hilt, and sharp, narrow grooves ran along the base. It was one of the few swords the Vasto of White had left as a parting gift before his departure.
Once again, the sword was enveloped in a dark purple mist that corroded everything within it. However, this sword was different. Instead of aging, Baraggan felt it grow stronger with time, its brilliance becoming more pronounced. How absurd! He felt the faint power emanating from the sword, the Reishi, intensify the more he fed its energy.
"Are we sure it's not absorbing Baraggan's Reiatsu?" Nel asked, confused.
"At this point, I'm starting to question it." Harribel was also quite intrigued by this.
How could Baraggan's power, made for decay, only strengthen those swords?
It didn't make sense.
He frowned—if one could call it that with a skull for a face—as he rose from his throne. He gripped the sword in his left hand and swung it vertically toward the horizon, where a rock formation rose. The mere use of his power had multiplied the blade's strength, transforming it from a burning ember into a blazing inferno.
A colossal wave of energy erupted from the sword and pulverized the distant rocks. Reluctantly, he had to admit the sword's usefulness. Its power as a secret weapon was undeniable, for he could increase his strength simply by touching it.
"Great, he gave that idiot more power," Grimmjow growled angrily.
"You're just jealous that you don't have one of his super swords!" Lilynette mocked.
"You don't have one either," Grimmjow remarked with surprising calm.
Lilynette stared at him for a moment before her eyes widened to the point of collapse.
"That's right! Why didn't they give me one?" the little girl complained, waving her arms.
Why did that skeleton guy get one but his best friend didn't!?
His touch was death itself. Yet, it imbued the sword with life and brilliance.
No enemy would suspect he was charging an attack the way they would if he were charging a cero. In fact, the sword's utility might even outweigh the need for a cero. However, the utter destruction a cero inflicts was something he would never forgo.
"A truly devastating surprise attack." Yoruichi had the feeling that if that bony fellow had had something like that with him, her little bee wouldn't have been able to survive their battle.
Damn, even she could be hurt by something like that; no one would expect a Hollow to carry a sword like that.
A crude smile lit up his face before he threw the sword down in frustration. Its power would only hinder him if it came into contact with the blades of the Vasto of White. Hmm...
As far as power was concerned, this Vasto of White was not to be taken lightly; how long it took him to attain it was another matter. Wisdom comes with age, and Baraggan had fought his fair share of battles on his rise to the throne.
"What about Shirou? How old is he?" Nel wondered.
"That's a good question. For some reason, he seems relatively young, but he talks about kings and myths as if she lived through those times, so perhaps a few millennia ago," Rukia theorized.
Aizen wondered
If he was so old, why was he only now making himself known?
He was sure that a Hollow with his power would have already made a name for himself.
Pieces were missing, many pieces in this puzzle
And he would immensely enjoy bringing them together.
The God-King of Hueco Mundo returned to his throne, fully aware that his battle against the Vasto of White would require more than brute force. A shiver ran through his body, a strange feeling of unease washing over him. It had been a long time since he had felt such emotion, but of course, it had been even longer since he had felt the anticipation of battle, the thirst for combat. Despite the challenge that awaited him, he could not suppress the deep roar that erupted from his mouth.
There were only three days left.
"So even that guy can get nervous," Grimmjow smirked.
He had always looked so arrogant and conceited that he didn't think that was possible.
Baraggan stood before the Vasto of White. "So you've brought more of yourself," he stated, his gaze sweeping over Harribel, Starrk, and Lilynette. "Did you realize your power wouldn't be enough?"
"No! We're just going to watch you get your ass kicked," Lilynette mocked.
And then she would demand Shirou to give her a sword too!
It was a trivial conversation, but it would be enough for Baraggan to determine the number of opponents. He was confident that, if necessary, he could handle Harribel and the other two, but alongside Shirou... He refused to accept the outcome.
"You can't even handle Starrk, let alone the two of them together," Lilynette said, puffing out her chest with pride.
Shirou and Starrk together were the strongest!
The next kings of Hueco Mundo!
Starrk had the feeling that Lilynette was thinking about something too troubling, and that made him want to sigh in frustration.
But honestly, that required too much effort, so he just closed his eyes again.
“Leaving them behind would have been more trouble than it would have been helpful,” Shirou said, recalling Lilynette’s earlier behavior. She had stayed close to him ever since the Baraggan army’s invasion. Leaving her behind would have been a huge problem, and Starrk wouldn’t have helped. “Either way, I’ve come to fight as I promised.”
"..." Baraggan released his Reiatsu in a thick purple mist. "Then there's no need for idle chatter. I trust the others won't interfere, though that wouldn't change anything."
"That Hollow doesn't seem like the type to break his promises." Byakuya would at least give him that much.
He promised to protect the Hollows under his wing and he hasn't stopped for a moment.
Honestly, he'd prefer things to stay this way, with the Vasto of White ruling Hueco Mundo and feeding his subjects so they wouldn't feel the need to go to the human world to hunt souls and never have to cross paths with each other.
But unfortunately, with the discovery of that pair of lunatics, that was no longer possible.
He just hoped he could give him a dignified death before he was caught and used as a lab rat.
Shirou did the same, but with an expression of profound sadness. "No, they won't." He nodded to Starrk and Harribel. It was his battle; his Hollow nature demanded it.
"So even that guy can't escape his nature," Grimmjow rejoiced.
That would make it even more exciting when they finally met.
A serene silence preceded their disappearance, leaving behind only disturbed sand. The power they both wielded was evident in the fact that not a single gap remained in the area.
The dunes split in two and were swept away by brute force.
His weapon is reach. Stay close. "Perish!" Baraggan threw a sudden punch that would never have connected.
"What kind of pathetic punch is that?" Kenpachi complained.
Even the weakest member of the fourth squadron could have prevented something like that.
So why wasn't Shirou moving?
But Shirou's movements slowed; his mind froze as he realized how difficult it was for him to move. It was too late to do anything but defend himself.
"What was that?" Ichigo asked, worried.
"One of Baraggan's abilities," Harribel replied, also worried about Shirou even though she didn't say it out loud.
Shirou winced in pain as he was hit, but quickly knocked Baraggan away with a well-aimed projectile.
Soon, pain flooded his mind.
Things weren't looking good. Shirou felt his insides withering, aging, and dying. He had to push himself harder to achieve the result he desired. "Trace on." Kanshou and Bakuya appeared in his hands. He needed to defeat Baraggan, but first he would have to heal his wounds.
“Kanshou and Bakuya?" Chad looked at Uryu in doubt.
"They don't look familiar to me either," Uryu said, shaking his head.
Balmung had been easy; the legend of Siegfried was very famous, but that pair of swords reminded him of nothing.
And apparently the Shinigami didn't seem to know anything either.
"Kanshou and Bakuya are the swords from the myth of the blacksmiths Gan Jiang and Mo Ye," a voice suddenly said, drawing everyone's attention.
They looked at the man in surprise.
"Why are you wearing an apron?" Yoruichi asked playfully.
"You don't cook using one? What an unhygienic woman!"
"Hey!"
"Gan Jian and Mo Ye were an extremely skilled pair of blacksmiths who were one day ordered by King Helü of Wu to forge a pair of swords worthy of his greatness. They both worked tirelessly for days, months, years, but failed to achieve the desired result. So, Mo Ye, heartbroken to see her husband in such a state, decided to throw herself into the furnace, hoping that her body would become the fuel and material needed to forge such a weapon, since a sacrifice was necessary to create a weapon capable of reaching the realm of the gods," Shiro recounted.
"There is certainly history in ancient times where sacrifices were used to imbue weapons with strength, but that was before it was discovered that it was actually the carbon in the body that turned soft iron into strong steel," Uryu said, intrigued.
"Gan Jiang, heartbroken, began forging until he created a pair of beautiful twin swords, which he named in honor of his marriage: Kanshou, the Yang sword, and Bakuya, the Yin sword. Still unable to give his wife away completely, he only gave Bakuya, keeping Kanshou so he would never truly be separated from her. Unfortunately, the king discovered the deception and ordered the blacksmith executed. Some say his head was even cut off with the sword that symbolized his wife."
"I don't like that story, it doesn't have a happy ending," Orihime said sadly for the pair of blacksmiths.
"Well, there's a version where their son, with the help of an assassin, manages to avenge his parents, but that's a story for another day." Blanc scratched the back of his neck, slightly nervous, seeing Orihime's sad face.
He wasn't good with sentimental women.
"And you're telling me that those two are the swords forged by those blacksmiths? The real ones?" Aizen asked with fascination.
Why, if that were the case, did that mean that a couple of ordinary humans? Ok
They had managed to forge a pseudo Zanpakutō?!
"I never said that, and you're misunderstanding something. Those swords aren't and never will be the originals." And with that, Shiro disappeared in a vortex of white fire.
Possibly to continue cooking.
"They are not and never will be the originals?" What did he mean by that phrase?
"Do you feel death?" Baraggan asked, laughing. "Do you understand now how completely outmatched you are? Your weapons are one thing, but your body is another."
"Oh, for a second I'd forgotten about that," Nel said worriedly.
She had become so engrossed in Kanshou and Bakuya's story that she forgot what was happening on screen.
Shirou was in danger!
Starrk narrowed his eyes, looking to the side. Baraggan's power was consuming Shirou; parts of his chest were turning to dust. Lilynette tugged at his arm.
"He'll be fine, right?" Lilynette asked.
"Considering that we haven't even completed a tenth of the book, I would say yes," Urahara noted.
"That's actually a good point," Ichigo said, surprised that he hadn't thought of something so obvious.
"The rest is another matter," the candy vendor added mysteriously.
Lilynette swallowed unconsciously.
It was true.
Shirou's survival to the end didn't mean everyone would.
After all, they had already died once.
Or technically two?
Starrk did not respond, his gaze fixed straight ahead.
"I am the bone of my sword." Blue patterns of Reishi formed over Shirou's body. Complete structural analysis, focused on enhancing high-speed regeneration.
"Structural analysis," Aizen murmured with interest.
It wasn't hard to guess that this was related to his ability to create weapons, but it had some rather interesting implications.
Like the fact that he actually had to see those swords at some point to copy them.
Which in turn meant that it was possible the originals were still out there somewhere.
"Of course that guy has high-speed regeneration," Toshiro complained.
What else was he keeping hidden?
"Impossible." Baraggan readied his double-edged obsidian hand axe.
POP
Baraggan staggered under the force of Shirou's blow. What was happening? This was absurd! "Argh." He groaned. His power had worked; there was no way he could have been stopped unless… "High-speed regeneration!" Baraggan growled.
"Congratulations on figuring it out, what will you do now?" Grimmjow mocked.
"Insolent one!" Baraggan deflected Bakuya's attack to the left and slashed him above the head. Shirou blocked the blow, forcing Baraggan to move to the left as he reacted with a kick.
Shirou was fast and his attacks were strong, Baraggan could give him that. But his death is now. "Breathe." Baraggan gathered his Reishi in his mouth and exhaled it.
"Dodge!" Nel exclaimed in a panic.
Even with high-speed regeneration, he couldn't survive being hit directly by that!
Shirou's eyes opened wide.
A black cloud. A dark cloud of death and total annihilation. The very air seemed to condense as the trees, the dunes, everything in the cloud's path vanished with time. Had it been any other valley, they surely would have perished.
"Cero!" The resulting explosion failed to stop the fog's advance. Shirou hesitated as he moved away from the cloud, but this was no ordinary Hollow.
"Now, what will you do, Archer Shirou?" Aizen asked with intrigue.
Or was this your limit?
Red, the sky itself turned red.
"Those are...spears?" Uryu said incredulously.
"More of those weapons that are capable of withstanding Baraggan's power?" Chad questioned.
Harribel's eyes widened. There were... There were dozens of them, red spears looming in the path of Baraggan's Breath.
Not one, not one of them vanished.
"Not only are they not fading away, they are containing the power of that Hollow," Urahara noted with fascination.
It was like some kind of invisible wall that prevented the fog from advancing any further!
Harribel brushed a strand of hair aside. It seemed there were still many things she didn't know about Shirou. She knew he was strong, that much was obvious, but this was the first time she'd seen him create a spear. The fact that he could remain standing after being affected by Baraggan's power already intrigued her and left her searching for answers.
"At this point we can assume that he can create any kind of simple weaponry at least," Uryu noted.
He had not lost sight of the fact that everything he had created was of a simple structure
A bow, swords, spears, that sheath.
All simple weapons, which meant he couldn't create anything with a complex mechanism.
Or, he simply saw no reason to do it.
Why honestly trying to use a gun against a Hollow wasn't much different from throwing rocks at it
"I didn't think that would work," Shirou muttered to himself.
"That man looks a lot like Ichigo," Chad declared.
"Hey, what are you trying to say!" Ichigo exclaimed.
Gáe Dearg, the Crimson Rose of Exorcism, the lance of a knight of Fianna. It was said that this lance nullified all magic and, by extension, the supernatural as well.
"Another legendary weapon, yet, magic?" Toshiro wondered.
Didn't he mean Reiatsu?
“And I didn't think you were so stupid.”
Damn it! Shirou spun around just as Baraggan attacked with his weapon. If it hadn't been for one of the spears intercepting the blow... He shook his head. He couldn't afford to lose the rhythm of the battle.
It spun away, covering a great distance, until Baraggan looked the size of an apple. He watched him before launching Kanshou and Bakuya at him.
"Is he throwing them out of desperation, or is there something more?" Aizen quickly noticed something strange about Shirou's attack.
Up until now, all the named weapons he had used had some kind of power
So, what skill did these Chinese swords possess?
"Pathetic." Baraggan brushed Kanshou and Bakuya aside as if they were mere toys, sending them flying far away.
"Nothing?" Urahara, who had had the same thought as Aizen, looked at the scene puzzled.
He had expected the swords to do something upon impact.
Spirit and technique, impeccable and firm.
Harribel turned her gaze toward Starrk. "Have you noticed?"
"Yes! Why doesn't he just use that ballad and kill him off already!" Lilynette complained.
"It's Balmung, not a ballad, but you're right, why doesn't he use it?" Nel scratched her head, confused.
"The idiot is holding back," Grimmjow growled angrily.
Why was he holding back?!
Starrk nodded grimly. "He'll never win if he keeps this up."
The fool, Baraggan, couldn't call Shirou anything less. There stood the Hollow known as the Vasto of White, king of his own domain, and yet he wouldn't fight to kill him. To fight without killing, a peculiarity among all Hollows that is hardly commendable. It was like conquering without shame, but to defeat a man without killing him... that's a decision only for the strong. In the end, one's skill must be far superior to even decide such an outcome. The Vasto of White would regret this decision.
Our strength tears through the mountains.
"Or perhaps not." Aizen paid close attention to those words.
Did some long incantation need to be performed to activate the power of those swords?
But if that's the case, why did he release them before completing it?
Unless, of course, throwing them was also part of their activation ritual.
"Truly pathetic," thought Baraggan as he swatted away another pair of useless swords from White. It would do no good to bombard him endlessly with throwing swords. While his power might not affect them, they were still just ordinary swords.
"They are not," Byakuya declared.
Shirou was calm, too calm for someone who had lost his composure and was now only attacking out of desperation.
He was planning something.
Our swords parted the water
Baraggan raged as he pushed aside another pair of Kanshou and Bakuya. "That damned Hollow! How dare he believe that something that obviously didn't work the first or second time would work a third time?"
"Don't you realize it yet?" Harribel wondered.
Although he assumed it was easier to analyze things as spectators than in the heat of battle
Our names reach the imperial villa.
"I've had enough," Baraggan muttered before fixing his gaze on Shirou. He would put an end to this game.
Between the two of us, we can't even hold up the heavens.
"How much longer will it take?" Kenpachi complained.
It had better be good to have such a long activation time.
What's happening? Baraggan's eyes seemed to narrow at the sound of a faint hiss. He halted his attack and fixed his gaze on Shirou, hesitating as he spotted the twin black and white wings in his hands. It wasn't hesitation, but a mere pause, yet it was enough. All too soon, Baraggan's senses alerted him to the presence of multiple projectiles hurtling toward him and the rapidly approaching figure of Shirou.
"Those things are boomerangs!?" Ichigo exclaimed in astonishment as the image receded, revealing the cage of swords in which Baraggan had been unknowingly imprisoned.
"Cranes Realm!"
"He got him!" Lilynette shouted as a huge explosion ripped across the sky. She didn't know what Shirou had done, but she saw all the swords he'd thrown fly back toward Baraggan and shatter into tiny fragments, creating smaller explosions that in turn exploded into even smaller pieces.
"Explosive boomerangs, it seems," Rukia added as everything finally exploded
"No, it's not that simple," Aizen realized.
The swords didn't simply return; their trajectory was drastically altered, as if they were drawn towards each other...
Or, so that was the trick with those swords, simple but ingenious, what would happen if, say, you only threw one and the other remained in your hand?
He was hoping to see it
"And even then it wasn't enough," Grimmjow said impatiently.
That had been disappointing; after all the preparation, he had expected something far superior to Balmung, but they couldn't even kill Baraggan.
"This isn't over yet," Harribel said. "He'll have to take things more seriously if he wants any chance of defeating Baraggan."
"It's not too late, Baraggan. Let's end this fight and go," Shirou tried to convince Baraggan as the smoke cleared. A fresh scar now ran across Baraggan's face, and his clothes were in tatters.
"Don't tell me he held back his attack on purpose!" Renji exclaimed angrily.
Was he really still holding back even now?
Those eyes. Baraggan seethed with rage. "You think you're stronger? You, who are nothing more than a mere insect beneath my feet?!"
Shirou's gaze hardened.
"NO, I will not surrender, you will be the one who dies here today!"
"He's getting desperate," Nel said with unusual seriousness.
"This could be dangerous," Harribel shared with Nelliel.
A desperate Hollow was a dangerous Hollow.
What could he do? Shirou pondered. How could he achieve an outcome where both sides were saved? As absurd as the idea seemed, for Shirou, to renounce such a result would be to renounce himself. Of course, there were times when he had no choice but to kill, but he preferred not to dwell on them; in any case, he didn't remember them entirely.
"He's not just talking about Hueco Mundo," Yamamoto said to himself.
He spoke of the past, of when he was human; he had no evidence, but his instincts screamed at him that it was so.
Was he really regaining his memories?
That should be impossible!
Shirou drew his black bow as Baraggan charged. He would have to try harder.
He'll feint to the left when I aim, but that's just another feint, his true intentions... Shirou swung a sword and fired.
With a straight bolt, the twisted sword transformed the growing sandstorm into a hurricane of flying gravel and hollow old bones. Baraggan was caught in the middle, and in that instant, everything died.
"Everything?" Lilynette said hopefully.
"Baraggan no," Harribel stated, much to Lilynette's disappointment.
As if that guy were so easy to kill
He knew it . Baraggan gave Shirou a cold look.
Everything—his charge, his dodges—was a feint. It didn't matter; he had achieved his goal, and Shirou arrived too late to stop him.
"W-What?!" Lilynette screamed as the sand beneath her feet crumbled away.
"This is a problem." Harribel realized where the battle had moved and she didn't like it.
Apparently, Baraggan wasn't as desperate as they thought.
Starrk caught Lilynette before she fell and jumped away from the forming crater. Harribel soon followed him.
"The Forest of Menos." Harribel surveyed the new battlefield. "A clever strategy."
"That place brings back bad memories," Ichigo murmured apprehensively.
"He won't be able to shoot freely there anymore," Uryu pointed out.
Starrk nodded. The trees would pose an obstacle to ranged combat.
The Hollows in the forest dispersed as quickly as possible. However unconscious they were, they could sense the power emanating from their immediate location.
"This forest will be your grave," Baraggan declared. "From this forest we came, to this forest you will return."
"Not if it becomes yours!" Lilynette stuck her tongue out at Baraggan in annoyance.
"Let's hope he does," Harribel said with some concern.
Why, if Shirou continued to insist on holding back, Baraggan's words could come true
Shirou's gaze lingered on the fleeing Hollows before he abandoned his reverence in favor of Kanshou and Bakuya; it was then that he felt it. He fell to his knees and felt his reserves. Damn it !
"He's finally reached his limit," Harribel said gloomily.
"Considering everything he did, it's surprising it didn't reach him sooner," Nel said with concern.
Shirou, what will you do now?
"Are you finally running out of Reiatsu?" Baraggan asked hoarsely. "This fight ended the moment I laid hands on you."
"That high-speed regeneration must be consuming more than we initially suspected," Urahara clinically analyzed.
But on the other hand, Baraggan shouldn't be doing much better either.
Shirou's eyes darkened; he knew exactly what Baraggan meant. It was hard not to know when part of his reserves were being diverted to fuel his regeneration. Even now, he was still doing it.
It was then that an idea briefly crossed Shirou's mind.
"Another one of your magic swords?" Rangiku snorted
At this point, wasn't that guy some kind of walking Deus Ex Machina?
It's worth taking the risk. "Trace On." Shirou straightened his back as Rule Breaker, a thin, iridescent, and serrated dagger, fragile and blunt, appeared in his hand. It was the dagger of the Witch of Betrayal, capable of nullifying all magic without the adverse effect of killing him if he stabbed himself.
"Witch of betrayal?" Orihime tilted her head, puzzled.
"There are many stories and legends that include witches, and almost all of them tend to be treacherous in one way or another, so it's difficult to know who they're referring to." Uryu adjusted his glasses.
However, he couldn't remember any of them using daggers.
"That word again, magic," Aizen began to suspect.
Were they talking about real magic?
Magic as such didn't exist, he was sure of that; there were always people who managed to manipulate Reiatsu in ancient times calling it magic, but he didn't believe that's what they meant.
Of course, there was always the possibility that magic was real in that universe, but it was strange how it hadn't been mentioned more explicitly until now.
What was happening?
And more importantly, how powerful was that dagger?
Shirou was a Hollow, a soul bound by its own chains. What would happen if he used Rule Breaker on himself? But Baraggan's power was just that, power. Rule Breaker would certainly nullify it, but at what risk?
"He seems very confident in the effectiveness of that dagger," Toshiro said with some concern.
Nullify any magic? Of course he meant techniques that used Reiatsu, but he doubted it was possible.
So, what was the limit?
Without further hesitation, Shirou stabbed himself in the area where Baraggan had touched him.
"Shirou!" Lilynette shouted as Starrk and Harribel opened their eyes wide.
"Aagh!" Shirou screamed as his vision turned red. His body burned, a heavy burden settling on his chest. From his hollow hole, red tribal markings began to sprout, intertwining and forming an intricate red cross.
"A cross?" Uryu wondered.
Had he had five sides, it would almost have confirmed that he was a Quincy.
"What could that symbol mean?" Urahara made sure to memorize every stroke of the tribal markings that had appeared
Perhaps it would be useful later on.
Rejoice, Emiya Shirou. Your wish will finally come true.
"Emiya Shirou, so that was his name when he was alive?" Uryu tried to remember as best he could.
But no matter how much he thought, he couldn't recall any historical figure with that name or surname
From how they had spoken about him so far, it seemed that he was some kind of nobleman or king in his lifetime
So why wasn't it someone well-known?
"Unless, of course, it was deliberately erased from history, " Uryu theorized.
It was common practice in China to try to erase all evidence of the previous emperor or monarch, but again, that name was definitely Japanese, not Chinese.
Was he missing out on something?
"Hahahaha!" Barragán laughed. "That's how it ends! Pathetic, and that's how the true King rises."
"I suppose from the outside it would look like he tried to commit suicide," Yoruichi commented.
"... T ...Not yet." Shirou forced the word out. A steely expression flashed in his eyes, and with determination, he stood up. He would no longer waste his reishi unnecessarily.
Shirou began walking forward. His reserves were at their lowest, activating the magic circuits.
"Magic circuits? Is he really talking about real magic?" Orihime looked at Shirou with shining eyes
Magic!
"Perhaps it's part of his Hollow power, the way he manipulates his Reiatsu," Chad theorized.
It wouldn't be the craziest thing he'd ever seen a Hollow use its Reiatsu.
"What's going on?" Harribel asked, but no one could answer her.
Blue patterns on the interface began to spread across Shirou's body. He no longer wanted to play; all he could do was hope Baraggan survived.
"So you're finally going to get serious?" Grimmjow grinned wildly
What would it be now?
That red spear? Balmung? Some new sword?
Trace On , conversion of life force into magical energy. Shirou let his magical circuits do their work, and slowly, his reserves grew as Reishi particles began to swirl around him. "Trace On ." He extended an arm, and Balmung formed within him.
"Life force? He has the ability to use his life force to replenish his reserves?" Toshiro murmured, puzzled.
That, that could be dangerous.
Very dangerous
"Now this is better!" Kenpachi had already gotten bored
He wanted to be able to try that sword head-on!
"Oh sword, be filled." An orange light gathered around Balmung.
One step, then two, and then Shirou disappeared.
Where? Baraggan's eyes scanned the surroundings, but found nothing. Trying a different method, he felt around with his Reishi, but his breathing became ragged.
"Too late~" Lilynette sang with an almost sadistic glee
" Balmung ."
"Gah!" Baraggan shouted as he shot off. Damn it! Baraggan pointed what was left of his great axe at Shirou and charged.
"Keep holding back," Byakuya said, annoyed.
They had seen what that sword was capable of, and that hadn't even been a tenth of its true power.
Shirou disappeared once again.
"Coward!" Baraggan shouted. "Show yourself!" Baraggan spun around before a chill ran down his spine.
"Behind you." Shirou kicked even though Baraggan slowed time around his leg. It was that fast.
"Is it using sonido?" Nel asked, puzzled.
"No, that's definitely not sonido." Harribel shook her head.
That was just speed, pure speed.
Baraggan was launched into the air.
"Oh sword, may you be filled." An orange light once again surrounded Balmung.
I can't withstand a second attack. Baraggan backed away and hid among the trees. What could he do? Options raced through his mind. His ability to manipulate time didn't slow Shirou down enough for him to dodge, nor could it destroy his weapons. As for power... damn it! He didn't understand it. Moments before, they had been practically evenly matched, and he was the one with the advantage.
"That ability to convert his life force into power is terrifying," Renji said, intimidated.
In fact, everything that Hollow had done so far was quite terrifying when you thought about it.
"Your silence conveys your emotions."
Baraggan struck with his great axe and split a tree in two.
"Where is the boastful King of Hueco Mundo?"
"..."
Once again, Baraggan attacked with his weapon, but it was shot out into the air.
"It's finally over," Starrk sighed in relief.
"So you do care about Shirou!" Lilynette sneered.
Starrk sighed; he should have kept quiet.
"This is the end."
Shirou appeared in front of Baraggan, with his sword raised.
No! This isn't going to end like this! Reluctantly, Baraggan drew a sword from beneath his cloak. It was the same one he'd used during his first encounter with Shirou. Try as he might, he couldn't rot it, but he did manage to accomplish something far more important.
"Idiot," Harribel closed her eyes.
She knew it was a bad idea to let Baraggan keep that thing.
"What did you accomplish?" Aizen asked, full of curiosity.
If he fail to weaken the sword, is it possible that...the exact opposite could happen?
Shirou's eyes widened as he recognized him. " Balmung! " he quickly invoked.
Baraggan brandished the nameless sword at the same time as Shirou. Both unleashed a shockwave of power that sent them flying backward. They had both released a torrent of pure energy against each other.
Noble Phantasm encountered Noble Phantasm, although the other barely qualified as an E-rank.
"Noble Phantasm" Urahara tested the term
It didn't ring a bell at all.
"Rank E? That thing is barely rank E?" Ichigo asked, confused.
He wasn't a big fan of games, but even he knew what E-rank weapons were.
Junk, the type of weapon you get at the start of the adventure and quickly replace with the first thing you find in a chest or armory
And that sword capable of generating explosions comparable to a Getsuga Tenshou
Was it only rank E!?
"Noble Phantasm" Aizen also began to theorize
From the name, he might assume it referred to an antique weapon, or perhaps the term "phantasm" was used to describe something imaginary.
As for the noble part, there wasn't much to think about; all the weapons he had used so far that assumed were noble phantasms were legendary, revered weapons.
Nobles
So, the term referred to an imaginary legend?
Hmm, he has to think about this some more.
In his prolonged attempt to corrode the sword, Baraggan had only succeeded in strengthening it immensely over time. As the two combatants stood, one surprised, the other with disdain, they stared at each other. All around them were ruins, not a single clearing in sight, save for Harribel, Stark, and Lilynette, who floated in the sky.
"A weapon that gets stronger over time? Does that even exist?" Uryu said in disbelief.
"Well, it seems so." Ichigo also scratched his head, still puzzled.
Rank E
Baraggan acted first, throwing down the sword he held in his hand. It was an insult to his pride to depend on something like that.
"Kill me," Baraggan said. He had lost his weapon, his powers weren't working, and his only chance of victory depended on an act of mercy from his enemy. His kingly pride would not tolerate such an insult. As king... Rage surged through him as he tore off his crown and threw it to the ground.
"Coward! Fight to the end!" Grimmjow exclaimed furiously
Shirou stood silently, reflecting before moving.
"Hueco Mundo still needs its King, and I'm certainly not a King." Shirou picked up Baraggan's golden crown and the sword he had thrown at him, and returned them.
"Oh? So the decision not to kill him came from something more than compassion?" Aizen said, genuinely impressed.
Apparently, this Hollow, this Emiya Shirou, wasn't as stupid as he initially thought.
In practice, Baraggan was indispensable. The fear he instilled was what prevented other Hollows from fighting amongst themselves. As long as Shirou ensured Baraggan didn't send another army to his lands to harm those under his protection, Baraggan would live. Otherwise, his guarantee—the Noble Phantasm Baraggan held in his hand—would take care of him. Though Baraggan didn't know what it was. While it was unexpected that it would help him, it was a Noble Phantasm infamous for taking its wielder's life upon activation. If the time ever came, Shirou would only have to invoke its name.
"Invisible insurance, not bad," Byakuya approved.
Apparently, he had underestimated this Vasto of White more than he imagined.
He had to be more careful from now on
" Shirou ." There was caution in Harribel's voice.
Shirou shook his head. "You can challenge me again sometime," he told Baraggan.
"Are you sure? You barely managed to win this time," Nel said worriedly.
"Shirou still has tricks up his sleeve, Baraggan has already shown all of his, for now he should be fine," Harribel said somewhat uncertainly.
The only reason this dragged on for so long was because Baraggan had managed to take Shirou by surprise and touch him.
She didn't think that trick would ever work again.
The naiveté of this fool. Baraggan gazed at the crown, but didn't move to put it on. He couldn't, knowing he'd been defeated by another Hollow. He would wait until he had the insolent dead man beneath his feet with his own power. He kept the sword that had been thrown at him, a memento of the battle. It would remind him of his defeat as much as his crown; it would drive him to greater heights of strength through training, and his blood boiled every time he saw it.
"Idiot~, you put the leash on without realizing it," Lilynette mocked.
And now that Shirou controlled the king, that made them the de facto rulers!
Without saying another word, Shirou left with Starrk, Harribel, and Lilynette, limping slightly as he walked.
"We won't venture into Hueco Mundo," Commander Yamamoto said. Gin Ichimaru smiled. "Not that you're going to listen, with that glint in your eyes."
"Oh God, thank you!" Renji sighed with relief
"It's the safest thing to do," Yamamoto sighed regretfully.
He understood why his counterpart did it; there was no reason to agitate the Hollows and create any kind of incident.
But if he knew about the Vasto of White, he had no doubt that he would personally charge to end that threat.
Aizen Sōsuke looked at Gin with a wide grin.
"It's not every day that a new piece appears in the game, new factors to consider, and plans to modify." Aizen paused as he and Gin approached an experimental Garganta. "We are merely the players on the board who have taken the first steps."
"This isn't good." Toshiro felt a chill run down his spine.
If Shirou saw even for a moment Aizen's shikai...
This was too dangerous.
Aizen smiled mockingly
Apparently, he was going to obtain an extremely valuable piece soon.
He couldn't wait
"Are we here to observe? Or...?" Gin let out a little laugh.
"We haven't seen it yet, have we?"
"Damn it," Ichigo gritted his teeth in annoyance.
He didn't want to fight Shirou, he really didn't want to.
But apparently, that's no longer an option.
"Alright! It's time!" Whatever Kenpachi was about to say stopped when a flying sword slammed into his temple, luckily with the pommel, knocking him unconscious on the spot.
"Remind me not to bother that guy when he's cooking." Renji swallowed hard as he watched the sword continue on its way after knocking out Captain Zaraki, presumably into its owner's hands.
"Noted." Rukia nodded, equally perplexed.
He wondered if the captain's head would be alright after so many blows, but he didn't seem to use it much in the first place, so he didn't think there would be a problem.
"Kenny is really going soft," Yachiru said worriedly as she proceeded to slap her captain from side to side with her little hands.
