Unnecessary Altruism

"If you move an inch closer, I will kill you."

Considering Ashido's character in the series, it was natural he'd approach speaking to me with caution. A Soul-Reaper and a Hollow conversing equally was likely torture to him.

"I've told you already. I just want to know what's going on. Where is Sōsuke Aizen?"

I had no interest in colliding with some of the big fish in this story. Based on my reiatsu alone, I likely rivalled some of the stronger characters, but I wasn't nearly confident or powerful enough to actually take any of them on. If I wanted to find out what brought me here, becoming powerful enough to do so comfortably was the first step, so avoiding unnecessary fights was key.

"Aizen… What would a Vasto Lorde want with that man?"

"Just answer the question." I said, exerting a small amount of reiatsu, its pressure pushing lightly against the Soul-Reaper, treading along the sand like the wind.

Ashido appeared hesitant, his face grimacing. While I was unsure as to what he knew of Sōsuke Aizen, it was likely he'd at least know of his location. If I was in that part of the story, I'd likely be safe so long as I avoided Las Noches.

"Last I heard… He was imprisoned on the 8th Level of Muken, beneath the Central Great Underground Prison in the Soul-Society… A Hollow such as yourself could never speak with him…"

Not sure how I should feel about that… If he's already been defeated, that means…

While I wasn't contemptuous with either of the scenarios, the idea that Yhwach was preparing for his assault on the Soul-Society was extremely terrifying. Witnessing the strength of the Wandenreich in the series was scary enough, but to actually bear witness?

"That storm in the distance… The Quincy King… Was he who injured you?"

It was a question I needed to ask. I was uncertain as to whether or not my reiatsu was detectable by anyone, my attempts to hide it hadn't failed as of yet, but only time would tell. That said, there was a chance Ashido was unable to hide his own in his current state, leaving me vulnerable.

"No…. I was within the Forest of Menos… Another man attacked me…"

'The letter J… No doubt about it… Only Yhwach, his army, and him were present for the attack on Hueco Mundo, right?'

Thinking back, I couldn't quite remember the man's name, however I could picture his fight with Ichigo Kurosaki in my mind. He, much like Yhwach, was bad news. Any captain-class character in the series was a no-go for the time being, especially a Sternritter. Quincy had some of the most terrifying abilities in the series, there was no way I'd last last a minute with them.

"You're just a hollow… How could you know of that man?"

While pondering something, an enormous burst of reiatsu crashed into the atmosphere, two signatures clashing, one a golden-yellow and the other a cyan-blue.

Both rose into the sky, their forms morphing in and out as they entered the clouds above, reiatsu still blasting off the two. We were stood too far away, however we could still see the trail of their reiatsu left behind them, both vivid colors clashing in the sky.

That must be Yhwach and Harribel…

A couple moments later, the golden-glow soon shot out from the clouds, crashing down into what I assumed to be Las Noches in the distance. The radiant glow soon dwindled, overpowered by the blue-storm of reiatsu.

"That was fast…" I sighed, lowering my hand down to the man.

Earning his trust was important to my future. Establishing healthy ties with the only Soul-Reaper in Hueco Mundo was important as a pseudo-hollow. Considering my knowledge of this universe, I didn't think of myself a hollow, or anything else for that matter. I was more of an anomaly, a fragment drifting through a space it never should have landed. Creating connections and good relationships was key if I wanted to survive.

'Even with the unsavory characters…' I thought inwardly, an idea popping into my head.

"Ashido… We should stick together." I said, pushing my hand closer.

He swatted my hand away with the blade of his Zanpakutō, slicing my hand off in one clean movement, "stay away, hollow!"

Pain surged through my body, blood pouring profusely from the stump, staining the white-sand below in a crimson-red.

"Agh!"

Stumbling to the floor, I felt a sharp pain throb through my back, "take this!"

Before he could attack again, I grabbed my amputated arm and used Sonido, now 50 or so meters away, unable to move further with my injury.

'For fuck sake… Why can't he just speak normally with me?'

Attempting to converse with a Soul-Reaper as I would normally with a human had clearly been an error on my half. While they held the appearance of one, they were fundamentally different, even if they were the ones protecting humans in the first place.

"Hadō 4: Byakurai!" Ashido shouted as he tipped his Zanpakutō down, its tip now pointing towards me.

A streak of lightning shot out of the blade, curling in and out as it shot towards me at a rapid pace.

It struck my chest faster than I could react, cracking the pale-skin around my torso away as if it was a brittle layer, revealing red-muscle tissue and bone.

Fuck?!

Using sonido again, I dashed away, thrusting my arm into the stump, latching it back on with reiatsu as I created more distance.

My reiatsu slowly seeped from the wound, tendril-like arms attaching to the hand as it pulled it back together, my nerve endings kicking a moment later. As they did, pain burst through my arm like a train, running along it and into my head.

Glancing up, Ashido was now standing meters away, his Zanpakutō ready. He took a stance, raising his sword above him, readying for something.

"Come visit me, Ningyōtsukai!"

He released his Shikai.

A sudden burst of reiatsu revealed several ghostly figures behind him, only their nervous system and eyes visible. They were opaque in color, near enough translucent as I tried getting a better look.

"First movement, Dōka no mai!"

As he said another chant, reiatsu leapt off his Zanpakutō, which had formed into a giant wooden-cross he hoisted on his shoulder, string attached to each of its ends, stretching out and latching to each of the figures behind him.

The sand below us began trembling, slowly rising as reiatsu latched onto it, morphing in and out as it made its way to the figures, hardening around their intricate nervous systems, forming enormous golems.

"Calm down!" I shouted at him, my words lost among the loud rumbles of the golems behind him, each of them now slowly marching towards me.

Their enormous bodies had been formed from reiatsu and the hardened sand of Hueco Mundo, giving them an eerie resemblance to hollow, though their faces had been morphed into that of a human, only their facial details were missing, essentially leaving a mask of nightmare inducing skin.

'This isn't gonna be easy, is it…'