Chapter 30: Show me this power
"Ichigo Kurosaki. The one who's gonna beat you. Nice to meet ya." Ichigo stepped forward, his zanpakutō resting on his shoulder.
Rukia and Uryū stared in disbelief at Ichigo's sudden appearance. Renji's eyes narrowed as he took in Ichigo's shihakushō.
"Which division are you from?" Renji asked, eyeing Ichigo's massive zanpakutō with suspicion.
As they exchanged words, Renji suddenly realised who Ichigo was. With a snarl, he leapt at Ichigo, bringing his blade down in a powerful slash. Ichigo barely managed to block, the force of the impact sending shockwaves through the air.
Renji pressed his attack, his blade a blur as he struck again and again. "Is that oversized zanpakutō just for show?" he taunted.
Ichigo gritted his teeth, struggling to keep up with Renji's speed. He managed to push Renji back, but as he swung his massive blade, Renji easily dodged and countered, slashing Ichigo across the shoulder.
Ichigo fell to his knees, blood spurting from the wound. Rukia moved to help him, but Uryū grabbed her ankle weakly. "Don't... go..." he whispered before losing consciousness.
Renji stood over Ichigo, his blade poised for the killing blow. "It's over, kid. I'll take Rukia back to the Soul Society, and you'll die here."
Rukia watched in horror
"PLEASE STOP!" Rukia begged.
~~~
Back in Hueco Mundo. Kiyota and Luna had been travelling for some time, and had almost arrived at their destination.
"Lord, we are almost there." Luna said.
"I'm ready, Luna." Kiyota said, as he prepared himself mentally.
Soon, they had arrived at a cave. Luna went inside.
"Hello. I have come back for the answer. Are you interested?" Luna asked.
"You brought someone. They seem to be weaker than me" The arrogant vasto lorde said from the depths of the cave.
His figure could be seen in the darkness. His eyes were the only thing visible, his body hidden in the dark.
"Oh, he's quite powerful. He is concealing his presence." Luna said.
"What! He's concealing his presence? And so much is still leaking out. Amazing. Let me fight him." The vasto lorde said as he walked out of the depths of the cave.
The arrogant vasto lorde was now fully visible, He had short red hair and the white hollow mask was covering almost all of his face. Except for the mouth area. His lips were twisted up in a battle hungry smile.
Kiyota was now standing outside, towering over the vasto lorde and his cave. Kiyota was patiently waiting for Luna to bring out the vasto lorde.
'Why are they talking so much? I kinda feel left out...'
Luna walked out with the red haired vasto lorde. Suddenly, as the vasto lorde looked at Kiyota, he started laughing.
"He's a stupid gillian you idiot. What the hell were you thinking, bringing this gillian here." The vasto lorde said while laughing arrogantly.
"My name is Kain. What's yours, gillian?" Kain said.
Kain turned around to face Luna.
"He's not even sentient. This has to be the best joke ever." Kain said to Luna with a laugh.
"He's not a normal gillian. He's strong, Kain. You should respect him." Luna said, trying to convince him.
"Shut up! I'm done. If you think this gillian is stronger than me, then fight him. He's your lord, right? If I kill him, I'll become your new lord." Kain said with an annoyed tone.
Kiyota stood rooted to his spot with fear. He knew that Kain was just as strong as Luna. If worse came to worst, he knew he could win with the help of Luna, but he wasn't confident that he wouldn't be severely hurt in the process.
"Kain... He's strong. I don't think-" Luna said, before he was cut off.
"Silence. Both of you are cowards!" Kain said mockingly.
As Kain's words hung in the air, Kiyota was trying to formulate a plan, but the pressure of the moment was too great.
'I can't think of anything... But I need to make him join me!' Kiyota thought, steeling himself for what was to come.
Suddenly, Kiyota's booming voice echoed across the desert, startling both Luna and Kain.
"You're mistaken, Kain. This isn't my true form." Kiyota lied.
Kain's eyes widened in surprise, not expecting the gillian to speak, let alone with such clarity and confidence.
Without hesitation, Kiyota activated his Intermediate Genjutsu. To Kain's shock, the surrounding landscape began to shift. Suddenly, 200 gillians materialised, surrounding Kain and his cave. The illusion was perfect. Kain could see, feel, sense, and even smell the presence of these massive Hollows. A sea of white masks and towering black bodies stretching as far as he could see.
Kain's spiritual senses were on high alert. He could feel the immense reiatsu radiating from each Gillian, the combined pressure nearly suffocating. It was as if the very air had become thick and heavy with spiritual energy.
The smell hit him next. A pungent, overwhelming odour of countless Hollows. It was a scent he knew well, but never in such concentration. The stench of death and hunger filled his nostrils, making him want to gag. He could hear their low, rumbling groans echoing across the desert. The sound was deafening, drowning out all other noise.
Kain's skin prickled with the sensation of being surrounded by so many gillians. He could almost feel their hunger, their desire to devour, pressing in on him from all sides.
Luna, however, saw nothing change. He looked around in confusion, seeing only Kiyota, Kain, and the empty desert. Out of respect for his lord, Luna remained silent, though his confusion was clear on his face.
Kain stumbled back, his arrogant demeanour crumbling as he took in the sight of the gillian army.
"What... what is this? How is this possible?" he muttered, his eyes darting from one gillian to another.
Despite his shock, a part of Kain's mind recognised the impossibility of the situation. "This... this has to be an illusion," he said
"But how? It feels so real..."
Kiyota's voice boomed once more, filled with authority. "Now do you understand, Kain? This is but a fraction of my power. Will you still challenge me?"
Kain's battle-hungry smile had vanished.
'Yes! It's working,' Kiyota thought to himself, feeling a surge of confidence as he saw Kain's expression.
"Kain," Kiyota's booming voice echoed, "Tell me, do you feel excitement?"
Kain's expression shifted from fear to confusion. "Excitement? What do you mean?"
"It's what you feel when fighting someone stronger than yourself. The thrill of facing death, the determination to overcome. That rush." Kiyota explained.
Kain's eyes widened in recognition. "Ah, that feeling. It's been so long since I've experienced it."
"And tell me," Kiyota pressed, "do you feel that excitement when killing these weak hollows?"
Kain's face fell slightly. "No... not anymore."
Kiyota saw his opening.
"That's because being a Vasto Lorde isn't the end, Kain. There's one more step beyond."
Kain's eyes widened with disbelief and curiosity.
"Impossible. I've been killing hollows nonstop for centuries. There can't be anything beyond this. I am the pinnacle, the strongest form."
"You're wrong," Kiyota said, his voice steady and loud.
'Such arrogance...' Kiyota thought to himself.
"There is a step beyond, and it's called Arrancar."
Kain's interest was piqued. "Arrancar? What is that?"
Kiyota continued, seizing the moment.
"It's a level of power beyond even Vasto Lorde. And if you join me, Kain, I can help you achieve this great power."
Kain's battle-hungry smile slowly returned, his eyes gleaming with newfound interest. "Tell me more about this... Arrancar."
Kiyota almost slipped up with a laugh, knowing he had successfully baited Kain.
'Now to reel him in,' he thought.
Kiyota focused his thoughts and discarded his wicked smile.
"Join me, Kain," Kiyota said, his voice filled with promise.
"I'll give you power beyond your wildest dreams. You'll feel that excitement again, facing opponents worthy of your strength. What do you say?"
Kain looked at Luna, then back at Kiyota, his mind clearly wrestling with the decision. The promise of greater power and the return of that long-lost thrill of battle was too tempting to ignore.
"Very well," Kain said finally, a grin spreading across his face.
"I'll join you. Show me this power of Arrancar."
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