124 CHAPTER 133-134: Heart

Kazuya didn't expect Grimmjow, in his Resurrección, to face off against his precious lioness. The sight of two dead Adjuchas, three Adjuchas standing on the side, and Grimmjow's battle with Mila Rose painted a vivid picture of the conflict in his mind. This unexpected wrinkle complicated his plans to recruit Grimmjow, who could have proven a potent ally in fortifying Harribel's future kingdom. After all, Grimmjow's single, insatiable craving was for battling strong foes, and he had no shortage of strong people, whether it was Shinigami, Visored, or Arrancars.

He was the perfect muscle to work for Harribel.

'Just need to find Starrk, and Aizen's top three Espada won't be with him.'

{Not like it'll weaken Aizen. The Espada were useless in his plan.}

Even though the Espada boasted power beyond the Captains, the Espada had been woefully ineffective during Aizen's invasion of Karakura Town. Ultimately, Aizen had to take on multiple Captains by himself.

'Don't call my Tier useless.'

{What about Ulquiorra? Will you shelter your distant relative from Aizen's manipulations?}

'Will decide after I find him.'

The vastness of Hueco Mundo presented its own challenges in tracking down the Hollows on his recruitment shortlist, which included the 'heartless' Ulquiorra.

Just then, Grimmjow gestured towards him, erupting into raucous laughter. "Gorilla woman, you vouched for this silly fucker. He doesn't even have any Reiatsu—"

Kazuya unleashed seventy percent of his Reiatsu, aiming it squarely at Grimmjow. Considering his meteoric ascent in spiritual power, even a Vasto Lorde would be hard-pressed to endure the full weight of his aura.

Grimmjow's thoughts scrambled as he momentarily lost control of his Reiatsu, causing him to plummet towards the desolate ground below. But in a triumph of sheer will, he managed to rise to one knee, his teeth clenched and eyes aflame with a mad intensity. "I'll... I vowed to be King... Damn it, I won't lower—"

A smirk of genuine amusement danced on Kazuya's lips as he dialed up his spiritual pressure. "Jeez. Go to sleep. I've got more pressing matters."

Summoning the full magnitude of his Reiatsu, he dispatched Grimmjow into the gentle embrace of unconsciousness. Then he gazed upon the lioness who seemed to be going through her rebellion phase.

Mila Rose placed her broadsword on her shoulder and let out an exasperated sigh. "This dumb brat. You couldn't feel Skull's Reiatsu because he is far above your league." She swiveled towards Kazuya and gestured towards the lifeless Yylfordt with a glint of pride in her eyes. "Since you never brought me a present, I thought I'd do something special for you. Here it is, a fresh Adjuchas soul."

Caught off guard, Kazuya found himself momentarily at a loss for words. But the look of sheer triumph etched onto Mila Rose's face elicited a chuckle from him. "Ah, thanks, I suppose."

{She did the Hollow equivalent of giving her crush chocolate.}

'I can't even argue against that.'

Mila Rose's eyes sparkled with a sense of keen anticipation, practically urging him to consume the Adjuchas right then and there. The wrinkle in this scenario, of course, was that Kazuya was far from being a seasoned devourer of Hollows like his deer wife; he had yet to consume a Hollow. His passive Reiatsu growth boosted his strength with no effort from his side. He had no incentive to eat Hollows.

{One can say you're a virgin Hollow. We both are, as a matter of fact.}

'When did you pick up dad jokes?'

{Three months of isolation… I may be schizophrenic. Partner, don't hate me if I start acting differently… or I'll tie you up in your Inner World.}

With a quizzical shake of his head, Kazuya descended toward Yylfordt's body. Mila Rose and Cirucci made a synchronized landing beside him, while Grimmjow's allies began a frenzied inspection of their fallen comrade.

"Don't even think about leaving," Kazuya warned them before looking at Yylfordt's lifeless frame. The grand, bull-like Hollow had a bright future as an Arrancar, a potential that was eradicated the moment he thought about devouring Mila Rose. "Here goes nothing."

"You don't have to force yourself," Cirucci said, sensing his discomfort. She showed no qualms about Mila Rose's sudden obsession with forcing him to eat Hollows. "I can do it for you."

Cirucci was determined not to let Yylfordt's corpse stay here, no matter the cost. After all, he carried the last name 'Granz', which belonged to Szayeloporro. The mad scientist wouldn't hesitate to experiment on even his brother should he get his hands on the corpse.

Mila Rose's eyes contracted into a scorching glare, her feral fangs unsheathed for full effect. "The choice is yours."

Yet the raw intensity of her voice and her battle-ready posture defied the notion of any real choice. She'd surely hold a grudge against him if he rejected her. That much was certain.

{It's the rite of passage for officially starting her route and becoming her mate. Don't fail the lioness, Partner.}

Kazuya mimicked the move Sung-Sun used to devour Nnoitra and sucked shreds of Yylfordt's soul into him, expecting some sort of horrendous aftertaste. Yet, there was none. Just a surge of pure, untainted spiritual energy coursed through him, leading to an almost imperceptible boost to his Reiryoku. So insignificant as if it never happened.

{Achievement Hollow Eater unlocked.}

Mila Rose felt jittery and relieved at the sight. To distract herself from her growing giddiness, she punched his chest, feigning an intense look. "Skull, why the fuck are you here? You ruined my battle. It was going so well too. I was about to beat—"

Before she could finish her rant, he stepped into her personal space and wrapped his arms around her. Her bony armor felt rigid against him. Still, he persevered, maintaining his embrace even as she instinctively tensed up and wrestled to break free.

"What is this?! Let me finish before you do this!"

The more she struggled, the tighter his grip became. Against his stubborn embrace, she ceased her resistance.

"Take a deep breath, Rose," he whispered softly in her ears, using his voice to ease her tension. "I'll be here to listen to everything in your heart. But first, we have to go home."

He had chosen to come alone since a large party would attract too much unwanted attention. That also meant he had to return before he made them too worried.

"You are still the same," Mila Rose whispered and dug her fangs into his right shoulder. "This is what you get for not stopping Apacci from bullying me."

First Nami and now Mila Rose — women were becoming fond of digging their fangs into him. Then again, Nami and Mila Rose both had an animalistic side, stemming from their origin races: Black Phoenix and Lioness.

He glanced at Cirucci, who looked away as if she couldn't be held responsible for anything. Cirucci was in a position to easily prevent Mila Rose's descent into the realm of 'shut-in'. Then again, Cirucci faced her own demons day in and out. It'd be unfair to blame the goth Arrancar.

"Rose, Apacci is sorry for going too far. Don't you want to see Apacci bite her ego and say sorry for once?"

Her eyes widened in disbelief. "Really? She said that?"

"Yup. Come with me and see it for yourself."

{Liar. Apacci never said that.}

'Apacci knows her mistake. I'll spank her if she doesn't apologize.'

Seizing her chance, Mila Rose disengaged from him, her grin a feral twist of delight. "Alright, then. Let's—"

"You are not going anywhere, Dead Rose." Grimmjow stomped towards Mila Rose. Surprisingly, he showed no interest in going against Kazuya, as if conceding that a clash against Kazuya would lead to certain death. "Coward, fight me."

Brandishing her broadsword, Mila Rose's biceps tensed, primed for action. "Skull, hold this spot. I've got a feral kitty to murder."

Kazuya disarmed her, passing the sword to Cirucci. "Grimmjow, as you are now, you can't kill Rose. She can't kill you either. We'll be stuck here for hours if you two start a fight."

They were more or less equal in Reiatsu at the moment. The only deciding factor would be their combat skills. Mila Rose had a higher chance of killing Grimmjow.

"Hours?" Grimmjow's lips curled, showcasing his feral set of teeth. "I'm fine with that, Skull."

Mila Rose's brow twitched. "Stop calling him Skull. Only I call him that. For you, he is… Hey, Skull. What should he call you?"

With his arms crossed, an air of unstated authority emanating from him, Kazuya turned his penetrating gaze towards Grimmjow and his Adjuchas friends. They couldn't help but grow tense under his scrutiny, instinctively recognizing the ease with which he could kill them. "Grimmjow, take your friends and work under me. Don't comply, and I'll kill all four of you."

Although Kazuya's voice was devoid of intimidation, for Grimmjow those words may as well be the words of a Soul Reaper. He did not doubt that Kazuya wouldn't hesitate in slaughtering him and his three companions. Even so, Grimmjow hated the idea of being ordered around, and he hated being someone's goon.

So, he only had one answer for Kazuya.

"No."

Grimmjow's reaction came as a surprise to no one.

{Destined to be a King — as far as I know, his friends have inflated his ego.}

Kazuya tilted his head. "Let me reiterate my condition. You'll get to fight strong people."

Unconcealed battle lust sparked in Grimmjow's eyes. "Hueco Mundo doesn't lack strong Hollows. We have Barragan sitting at the top and many Vasto Lorde in Las Noches."

"Barragan who?" Cirucci burst into laughter. "That old bag of bones crumbled under Leader's power. He is the strongest Hollow you can find today."

Kazuya smiled at Cirucci's eagerness to assist him. "Grimmjow, it's up to you to decide the fate of yourself and your friends."

A conflicted expression flashed across Grimmjow's features. Almost involuntarily, his eyes sought out his friends. Shaolong shook his head wearily. Di Roy averted his gaze. Nakeem solemnly closed his eyes. Their silence conveyed the message louder than words — they had collectively consigned their fates to his judgment.

Grimmjow rubbed the back of his head. "Fuck. I'll work for you. What do I have to do?"

Kazuya's smile turned mischievous. "Nothing."

"..."

Grimmjow's face twisted, already looking as if he regretted accepting the offer.

…

"Franceska!" Apacci rushed down the stairs the moment Mila Rose set foot inside the mansion. Seeing Mila Rose in person filled her with relief. "Why did you take so long?"

Kazuya shrugged in response. Persuading the shady shopkeeper to keep Grimmjow's group took some decent time. "Ran into some problems on the way. It's all fine now."

Mila Rose gave a cheeky grin. "Got anything to say, Chief Apacci?"

"Fuck you," Apacci hissed. "And sorry. I was a little mean. Happy?"

Elation radiated from Mila Rose as she planted her hands defiantly on her hips, savoring her victorious moment like a queen relishing her conquest. She then shifted her posture, placing a hand on Apacci's shoulder. "I'm also sorry for becoming a pathetic piece of trash."

Apacci's eyes flickered with surprise. "You know you were being a pain in the ass. Why make me apologize then?!"

"Cause it was fun!" Mila Rose slapped Apacci's belly heartily and dashed the stairs. She paused and looked over her shoulder. "I'm gonna dive in the pool. Anyone joining me?"

Apacci flipped her middle finger. "Drown yourself, you dumbass."

Unperturbed, Mila Rose's laughter reverberated through the halls as she bolted towards her room, a whirlwind of infectious energy. Kazuya couldn't be happier to see her back to her golden retriever self. Mila Rose's trip to Hueco Mundo worked out better than he could have anticipated.

Sung-Sun glided into the scene, her laughter muffled by an oversized sleeve delicately pressed to her lips. "What a lovely family we have, or should I call it 'Hollow Prince's Personal Harem'?"

"Let's stick to family," Cirucci said, breezing past Sung-Sun before doubling back toward Kazuya. "Fuck, Leader. I forgot to inform you about Nelliel. Grimmjow said he tried to fight her but she escaped from him."

The notion of Nelliel dodging a combat encounter caused Kazuya to shake his head incredulously. "I can't blame her for running. Grimmjow's group is a scary bunch to fight alone, even for a Vasto Lorde."

"A bunch of hyenas led by a rogue panther," Cirucci murmured with a hint of condescension in her tone. "Can you check up on Nelliel just in case?"

"Sure. I'll leave after an hour."

{Let's look for Starrk while we're there.}

'Yeah.'

***

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