110 [Spiritual Cases Arc] Part 110: Mad Eater
The scene shifted to a grand, dimly lit hall, where a man sat upon a magnificent white throne. He leaned on his left hand, his fingers entwined in his brown hair, which was swept back, save for a stray strand dangling across his face. His eyes remained shut, not in a state of rest but indicative of deep contemplation with an air of quiet confidence, his form shrouded in shadows.
Aizen: "Do you need something, Gin?" - His voice smooth and calculating, betraying none of the thoughts swirling beneath his composed exterior.
The figure, shrouded in darkness, shifted slightly before stepping into the dim light. With deliberate movements, Gin approached Aizen, his steps echoing softly against the polished marble floor.
Gin: "Just wonderin', ya know?" - He began, his tone tinged with a hint of mischief.- "Thought maybe you were mullin' over a way to snatch that Hōgyoku from Rukia Kuchiki." - He asked, his broad smile still firmly in place. - "Gotta admit, it kinda throws me off seein' you puttin' so much stock in that kid, sendin' a Hollow after 'im and all." - His tone held a mix of curiosity and skepticism, eyebrows raising slightly as he leaned in, clearly intrigued by Aizen's unexpected actions.
Aizen's eyes remained closed, but a subtle smile graced his lips, acknowledging Gin's playful words.
Gin: "Don't tell me you sent that Hollow after Yato just for kicks. The Hollow you send ain't even that strong."
Aizen's smile deepened, revealing a glint of amusement in his closed-eyed expression.
Aizen: "Strength is not the sole criterion for significance, Gin. Yato Yasakani possesses qualities that make him intriguing. Our experiment will provide valuable insights into his capabilities."
Gin raised an eyebrow, intrigued by Aizen's cryptic words.
Gin: "So, you're already expectin' that Hollow to be taken down by that kid?"
Aizen's smile remained enigmatic as he leaned back in his throne, his posture relaxed yet exuding an aura of control.
Aizen: "All in due time, Gin. Soon, you will come to understand."
# Word of the Living, Karakura Town #
Yato, Orihime, and Uryū scanned their surroundings, trying to spot the Hollow. Judging by the roar echoing from the creature, it seemed close, but none of the teenagers could pinpoint its reiatsu.
Uryū furrowed his brow, the weight of his inability to assist pressing upon him as he mentally grappled with the situation.
Orihime's fingers twitched instinctively, hovering near the hairpins adorning her locks, a silent gesture of readiness despite her unease.
Yato: "Inoue-san, stay close to Ishida-san." - He extended his left hand, a tangible sense of power emanated from his being, manifested in the form of crimson threads swirling around his palm. With practiced ease, he materialized his zanpakutō through the threads.
Inoue edged closer to Uryū, their movements cautious as they surveyed their surroundings with growing apprehension. The mod-souls, too, shared in the tension, their senses keenly attuned to the imminent danger lurking in the shadows. Suddenly, a droplet of something cold and viscous landed on Yato's shoulder, causing him to flinch instinctively.
As his gaze shifted to the source of the droplet, his eyes widened in shock, mirroring the surge of adrenaline coursing through his veins. There, mere inches away, loomed the menacing form of the Hollow, its grotesque visage sending a shiver down his spine.
On pure instinct, Yato whipped his zanpakutō through the air, aiming to cleave the looming Hollow in two. His mind racing to comprehend how the creature had managed to creep so close without detection.
The arc of his blade met the Hollow's form, connecting with a solid impact. However, to the young man's astonishment, the creature didn't evade as swiftly as expected. The blade struck true, biting into the Hollow's chest, and a pained roar echoed through the air, a testament to the success of Yato's unexpected strike.
Orihime: "Yasakani-kun, are you okay?" - She inquired while preparing to attack the Hollow if necessary.
Uryū: "How did this Hollow get so close without any of us noticing...?" - He asked anxiously.
Yato: 'Strange... This Hollow seems pretty weak. Didn't even need to bust out my shikai against it.' - He thought, raising an eyebrow. - 'Maybe it's just good at hiding?'
Yato took a closer look at the Hollow and realized the creature was quite peculiar. The monster's body had the appearance of a bipedal creature. It was a fairly large Hollow, standing over the average full-sized human. He has four tusks coming out of his mask, red hair that extends below his chest, where his Hollow hole lies, and sharp claws on either hand. Its right arm was muscular, but the left one was almost skeletal, unnaturally elongated and dragging on the ground. It looked like an experiment gone terribly wrong.
The Hollow's skin had a greenish hue, with numerous black marks resembling tattoos adorning its arms and body.
Without wasting much time and still feeling a lingering unease, Yato surged forward with his Bringer Light as the Hollow began to rise. With a swift slash of his zanpakutō, Yato severed the creature's left arm.
As Yato effortlessly dealt with the situation at hand, Orihime couldn't help but release a subtle sigh of relief, her tense shoulders relaxing slightly as she observed the scene unfold. To her, it seemed like the Hollow posed little threat, yet Uryū remained unsettled by the unfolding events, his brow furrowed in deep contemplation.
Despite the Hollow's continuous cries of pain, it stubbornly persisted in its slow ascent, a testament to its relentless determination.
As Yato readied himself for another strike, a sense of anticipation hung heavy in the air. However, before he could make a move, Uryū's urgent warning pierced through the tension like a bolt of lightning, drawing everyone's attention to the imminent danger lurking behind Yato.
Uryū: "Behind you, Yasakani!" - His voice rang out, filled with urgency.
The Hollow's severed arm, which Yato had cut off, had moved on its own and lunged towards Yato's back.
Yato pressed forward against the Hollow, unfazed, as he had the habit of keeping his red threads concealed on his back as a defense against potential attacks. However, this time things took a different turn.
The severed hand collided with the invisible threads, only to be sliced into several pieces. Yet, even these small fragments continued to advance toward Yato, and soon the young man felt the five claws of the Hollow digging into his back.
The claws didn't dig too deep, and Yato barely felt any pain. Seizing the opportunity, he drove his zanpakutō into the Hollow's mask to finish it off. However, with a strange laughter, the Hollow's body disintegrated into black particles, leaving only its mask on the ground like a discarded husk.
The black spiritual particles began to swirl around Yato, taking the form of a small black tornado.
Yato: 'So Aizen wanted me to take down this Hollow...' - The young man thought as he could only watch the swirling black tornado.
Orihime: "Tsubaki!!" - She quickly summoned one of the spirits of her Shun Shun Rikka with the intention of aiding Yato in some way, but Uryū caught the girl's attention.
Uryū: "Wait, Inoue-san! You might end up hitting Yato!" - He exclaimed hastily.
Ririn: "What do we do!!?" - The mod-soul shouted.
Suddenly, the Hollow's unsettling voice echoed menacingly within the confines of the swirling tornado.
Mad Eater: "HA HA HA HAH!!!! Can't believe I'd get an opportunity like this!!!!!!" - Its laughter reverberated, casting a disquieting pall over Orihime and Uryū, who exchanged anxious glances. - "Many centuries back, folks knew me as Mad Eater... 'cause I always took a special delight in savorin' unique souls!! I've forever regretted not gettin' to feast on those two in the past, but who'd have thought I'd get the chance to gulp down a soul as special as yours!! With you, kid... I'm gonna take my sweet time and savor every bit of your soul... gnawin' you from the inside out!!!!"
Without warning, the tornado intensified, unleashing a ferocious gust of wind towards Orihime, Uryū, and the mod-souls, forcing them to shield their faces with their arms against the onslaught.
The swirling vortex relentlessly battered against Yato's form, exploiting the small claw wounds adorning his back. Each collision sent tremors through his body as the swirling mass of black reishi relentlessly assaulted him, threatening to breach the defenses of his very soul.
As events unfolded, a blanket of obliviousness enveloped those present, veiling the indifferent expression etched on Yato's visage. In the wake of the black reishi's infiltration of the young man's form, a profound stillness descended, shrouding the scene in an eerie silence.
Orihime and Uryū watched with bated breath as Yato remained stationary, his back turned to them. Yet, in a heartbeat, their anxiety peaked as Yato slowly pivoted to face them, his sudden movement sending a chill down their spines.
Yato's countenance appeared deceptively ordinary, masking the profound changes that had occurred within. However, a subtle shift in his right eye betrayed the unsettling transformation beneath the surface. A pitch-black sclera encasing a piercing yellow iris.
Yato: "Maybe... this could be a problem..." - He mused.
