Chapter 4: The Monkey and the Severing wind.
Barragan Luisenbarn, a being nearly as old as Hueco Mundo itself and one of the very first Vasto Lorde to ever walk its sands. His reign began when he successfully fought and won a war against every other Vasto Lorde to exist at the beginning. It was this victory that elevated his status to that of- King of Hueco Mundo-
For thousands of years, Barragan has remained mostly unchallenged. Those who were strong enough to call themselves rivals feared his deadly power over time and age and stayed their distance, while everyone else either laid down at his feet or were crushed under them.
So, when someone brave enough to deny an order appeared it was quite a joy, for Barragan.
Las Noches- Home to King Barragan.
Barragan was currently in the middle of questioning the only remaining survivor of the search party he sent after Bikou.
" What did he say?" Barragan asked.
The Hollow looked up in terror as Barragan's large and smothering presence loomed over him. His teeth chattered, and his burnt flesh shook from the sheer size of Barragan's spiritual pressure.
" Nothing. He simply refused to hear us out. He then fired a cero." The Hollow explained. " But... This Cero was unlike anything, I've seen before."
" I see. And then what?"
" I... I returned here... Your majesty."
" So, in other words." Barragan muttered. If he had eyes you'd be able to see the way they narrowed at the Hollow kneeling, painfully, in front of him. " You ran away, like a coward."
" No sir!"
The Hollow lunged up straight, shouting to the top of his lungs as his gaze fixated itself on Barragan.
However, Barragan suddenly began bearing down on the Hollow with his spiritual pressure, forcing him back down onto one knee.
" You know my rules, Pescasa. Fight or die. But never run away. Never fail me. Because if you do-"
*Bzzzzt
Barragan disappeared from his throne, for just a split moment, before reappearing in front of his subject with a giant two-sided axe.
And with one single swing, he split the Hollow in half from head to groin.
Then Just as quickly as he appeared, he disappeared once more and appeared on his throne.
" Remove this trash from my presence."
" Sir,"
Quickly, two Hollows from Barragan's court grabbed the body of the dead Hollow and drug the two pieces away from Barragan's presence, leaving the King of Hueco Mundo to ponder his next move.
" I'll play with you for a bit little monkey. Try your best to amuse me." Barragan muttered.
................
The Seireitei.
North Rukongai district.
" Hey, Lieutenant Muguruma, where's the captain?" Third seat Mashiro Kuna asked she repeatedly banged on Kensei's chest. Mashiro was a short woman with bright green hair and energy equal to a child. The woman was always constantly on the move and hated waiting. A stark contrast to calm and collected Kensei.
Kensei, Lieutenant of Squad 9, was a tall man lean and athletic with a muscular build. He had short silver hair and a Mohawk that curved slightly over his forehead. He wore the standard soul reaper uniform; except he allowed his shihakusho to hang loose revealing his chest. And plastered on his chest in black ink were the numbers 6 and 9. The 6 represented his last name, and the 9 represented his division.
" Calm down and wait, would ya? The captain is busy. He'll be here soon. Until then get in line and get ready for the expedition." Kensei told the woman.
" No way, Kensei! I'll see you guys later!" Mashiro yelled as she ran away into the forest.
" DAMN IT, MASHIRO!" Kensei cursed. His loud shouting scared the rest of his men causing them to shrink backwards ever so.
" Calm down Lieutenant. You know how Third seat Kuna can be."
" Yeah, I know Tosen. That doesn't mean it isn't annoying." Kensei complained. He placed his hand over his forehead and sighed in annoyance. " Why am I the one that always has to go and wrangle that woman?" Kensei wondered.
..............
Mashiro ran through the heavily forested area within the boundaries of the Northern Rukongai district. There it was that the 9th division would undergo training in search and destroy objectives. The captain of squad 9, Koga Kirigane, had instructed Kensei to keep the men and women of squad 9 on hold, until he finished tying everything over with the captain of squad 2 Yoruichi Shihouin, who agreed to help in the endeavor by providing some of her more experienced members of the stealth force.
However, Mashiro had other ideas, and thus, entered the forest on her own.
Unfortunately for her, this was the one day being energetic would get her into trouble.
" Alright, let's get this show on the road! Come on out and let's fight already!" Mashiro yelled. She beat around the bushes and trees hoping to knock at least one member of the stealth force out with her super Mashiro fighting skills.
However-
*Crack!
A giant crack suddenly ripped open in the space just in front of Mashiro, and from that cracked stepped out a Hollow that took the image of a monkey.
Mashiro was caught off-guard by the sudden arrival of the Hollow.
' What a hollow? Here?!'
Mashiro stared in awe as the Hollow form fully emerged. His bright red hair flowing behind him. His deathly white mask was exactly like a hollow's. Adorned at the center of his forehead was a bone like circlet that met in the middle like two clouds pressing together. And then there was his bony white armor. It covered his entire chest area, as well as his forearms and his shins. He had long fingers with very sharp black nails at the end, and his feet were similar, long veiny appendages with shaped almost like hands, with sharp nails at the bottom.
Mashiro watched as the Hollow took a deep breath and started looking around.
" So, this is the soul society? Hey, not bad. This place is really colorful. I like it!" Bikou exclaimed excitedly.
Mashiro took a step towards the Hollow, ready to exorcise it, when its head suddenly snapped towards her and its spiritual pressure began radiating.
Kensei and the rest of squad 9, who still sat at the entrance to the forest, suddenly felt the spirit energy nearby.
" What the?! Is that a Hollow?! Here?!" Kensei exclaimed.
" I've never felt something so dark. So powerful. Not from a Hollow." Tosen muttered.
" Damn it, Mashiro!" Kensei yelled. Realizing that his third seat had run into the forest, directly into the Hollow's path. " All of you retreat, Tosen go get the captain. Hurry!"
" Sir!"
Tosen flashed away in the blink of an eye and Kensei jumped headfirst into the forest.
' Hold on, Mashiro!'
Though backup was on the way, Mashiro was still left alone to try and deal with the Hollow by herself. However, even as strong as she was, she wasn't ready to face a creature of this caliber just yet.
Mashiro braced herself.
" Hey, there soul reaper. You look like you wanna fight."
" What? A Hollow... That talks?" Mashiro muttered. " I've never seen one talk before."
Bikou shrugged his shoulders and chuckled. " Well, I'm one of a kind." He spoke. " Don't take this the wrong way, but you are way too weak. You're not ready for this stage, yet. Where's your superiors?" Bikou asked.
" Don't mock me. I'm the third seat of squad 9, Mashiro Kuna!" Mashiro lunged towards the Hollow and swung her right leg at the beast.
Bikou noted that Mashiro was pretty fast, but still, he dodged her attack, by ducking under her kick. He then struck her right in the pit of her stomach as her body positioned itself over him.
"Gah!" Mashiro gasped for air as her body was sent soaring into the air.
Bikou watched as Mashiro fell back towards the ground, and right before she landed, he grabbed onto her ankle, keeping her from hitting the ground with her face. " See? I told you. Now do me a favor, run along and get your Captain." He told the girl.
Bikou wanted a real challenge, not some weakling.
*Flash
*Flash
Suddenly two men dressed in all black, from head to toe, appeared behind Bikou with their blades drawn.
' The stealth force!' Mashiro thought to herself. She watched the as the two men, both swung their blades at Bikou's neck, intending to severe it with one combined strike.
Bikou ducked under the blades, crouching down real low to the ground before dropping Mashiro, he then turned around and jabbed his sharp nails right into one the stealth force members chest, punching a hole right through him.
" Damn it!" The other one shouted. He jumped backwards and Bikou looked him right in his eyes and smiled.
" Smart man." Bikou muttered. " But..." Bikou lunged towards the man, faster than the soul reaper had believed, and did the same thing to him as he did to his friend.
Bikou landed on his feet and swung his hand towards the ground, shaking the blood off of it, before turning back to Mashiro.
He shook his head a few times in disappointment, before taking a few steps towards the girl.
Mashiro, tried to get to her feet, but found herself unable to move from the sheer fear within her.
Bikou stopped in front of Mashiro. " You seem terrified. You poor girl. Don't worry. This won't hurt." Bikou reached down to grab Mashiro, however in that moment he felt a pressure close in and just before he could grab her an elbow had slammed itself right into Bikou's chest, surprising the Hollow before sending him flying backwards.
" Didn't I tell you before... Not to go running off alone!"
Mashiro looked up at her savior and his silver hair and immediately a wave of relief washed over her body. " Kensei!"
Kensei was special among the current Lieutenants in the soul society. Out of all of them, Kensei was the strongest hand to hand fighter there was. Some would even argue that his abilities rivaled that of squad 9's captain Kirigane. Never before had the squad seen a man that was as monstrous and precise in battle. His brute strength was truly astounding and ensured his place as the next captain of squad 9.
Bikou twirled in the air before landing on his feet yards away from the two soul reapers with a look of pure, unadulterated, excitement on his face.
[ Bleach ost- Power to strive.]
Kensei looked over the scene and immediately, recognized the danger. " Sorry, Hollow. But I'm not as nice as Mashiro." Kensei drew his sword and narrowed his eyes at Bikou. "Bankai!" A huge gust of wind erupted from Kensei's position, engulfing his body.
Straight to the point was Kensei's motto. He could sense how strong the Hollow was and knew that going all out from the start was his best chance at killing it.
Bikou noticed the immense spike in Kensei's spiritual pressure.
" This spiritual pressure?! COOL!" Bikou's eyes widened. He could feel it.
When the wind finally dispersed, Kensei emerged wielding two large knuckle blades and wearing a purple suit of armor that wrapped around his upper torso and formed a ring on the back.
' His spiritual pressure is already more immense than anything I've sensed in Hueco Mundo. This is going to be fun!'
" TEKKEN TACHIKAZE!" Kensei exclaimed. " Are you ready, Hollow?
" OH YES!" Bikou nodded his head in agreement.
" OWHOOAAAAAAAAA!"
" HAHAHAHA!"
*Boom!
Bikou and Kensei both collided with another, their resulting clash released a tremendous explosion.
To Be Continued!
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Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone