Fate Would Find Its Way
10 advanced chapters on my Patreon: Fiction Haven
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"Oi, oi, oi, are you serious? Aren't they too much!?"
"Less talk, Renji!"
Rukia and Renji found themselves in a predicament. Dealing with one Adjuchas each was already bad enough, but they also had to deal with the annoying low-classed Hollows terrorizing the citizens. Looking at the tears in the sky, they mutually agreed it was above their pay grade. They had been trying to notify Soul Society to no avail.
"Why is no one responding?"
"It probably has something to do with that thing."
Rukia looked at the thing Renji was pointing at. It was a floating sphere in the sky. It looked similar to Hōgyoku but was black. They dreaded what Aizen was planning. The last time Aizen had executed his plan, Soul Society lost the Central 46. The souls flying toward the artifact didn't look like a good sign. Renji and Rukia would like to change their priority but couldn't just let the Hollows feast on the people.
"Fuck, we are outnumbered!"
Even the battle maniac baldie, Ikkaku wasn't happy with the situation. He had been forced to release his Bankai early on and he was not amused. The Adjuchas were not hard to deal with, but their number was a nightmare. There is strength in number. The Shinigami were suffering from the manifestation of the phrase.
"Bankai: Daiguren Hyōrinmaru!"
Ice immediately enveloped the unfortunate Adjuchas standing in Tōshirō's way. They were gone as the ice shattered. Rangiku marveled at the scene briefly before focusing on her enemies. Haineko flew toward the Hollows in its ashy form, killing them as soon as it touched them. Rangiku and her captain worked efficiently, but it was still not enough. They were grossly outnumbered.
A nightmarish scene occurred when the Menos produced a Cero in their mouth. Withstanding a Cero from a Menos was not a problem, but they were in a residential area. They had civilians to protect. Everyone's face contorted in a grimace. Whatever they did, the casualties would be great in the end.
"Oya, oya… in a predicament, aren't we?" Kisuke looked up to the sky with a wry smile. "I wish Ichigo-san to magically appear, but I suppose he doesn't know what is happening here."
"Boss, what should we do?" Tessai grunted.
"Let's reduce the casualties. That's the best thing we can do until I break down the Barrier set up by the Arrancars. Aizen is getting creative these days."
Kisuke was by far the calmest person in the town. He understood the gravity of the situation but was sure they could pull through it. They might act uninterested, but Kisuke knew the Visored wouldn't stay still. They would get mad, sure, but would still cooperate with the Shinigami given the situation.
What if they truly didn't care? Well, that was the reason why Kisuke focused on dispelling the Communication Interference Barrier instead of destroying whatever Artifact Aizen bestowed on his goons. Trying to destroy the artifact would be a wasteful endeavor. Kisuke would need to face the three Espada guarding the artifact. In the time it would take him to take them down, which he wasn't sure, every soul in Karakura town would have been extracted.
Boom!
The Barrier that Tessai created withstood three Cero from the Menos. On the other side, the Shinigami took the Cero head-on. They were capable enough to withstand the blow, but it drained them considerably. Fortunately, it wasn't enough to slow them down.
"Better hurry," Kisuke muttered as he went to the roof.
At the Visored headquarters, Shinji and the others were facing a dilemma. They had sworn not to involve themselves with the Shinigami but couldn't turn a blind eye to the happenings outside. Shinji turned to Orihime. The girl was eager to go out and help her friends, but they didn't let her. Shinji had promised Ichigo to protect her, so she was his priority.
"Hirako-san, let's help the others!" Orihime said heatedly. "Why are we cooping ourselves up here?"
"Because you are a liability, Orihime-chan," Shinji grinned mockingly.
"Yes, but you are strong, aren't you? Why aren't you helping?" Orihime pressed.
Shinji kept his grin. He looked mocking but honestly didn't know how to respond to Orihime. He couldn't say they were being petty because Soul Society had ruined their lives. Although it was a valid reason, Shinji knew Orihime wouldn't take that. Her argument would be along the lines of, "But these people did nothing to you."
Shinji turned to Hiyori, hoping to have her calm Orihime down. The petite Visored was about to say something when the Barrier protecting their headquarters shook. Shinji scowled and so did the others. That was their cue to fight. They couldn't stay still when their headquarters was attacked.
"Love, please, take care of Orihime-chan," Shinji told the dark-skinned Shinigami with a strained smile.
"Leave her to me."
Hachigen empowered the Barrier as the rest, bar Love and Orihime went out of the warehouse. The situation outside soured their expressions. Tears riddled the sky. Menos and Adjuchas were everywhere. More importantly, of course, was the bastard attacking the Barrier. Cuatro Espada Ulquiorra Cifer stared at the group of Visored calmly.
"Hand over Inoue Orihime and this invasion shall conclude," the Espada said emotionlessly.
"That is the best joke I have heard so far," Shinji grinned. "I will take care of this guy. You guys remove the pests."
Ulquiorra remained unperturbed as the Visored scattered. Shinji came at the Espada, forcing him to get away from the warehouse. As soon as they were at an appropriate distance, Shinji released his Shikai. The world inverted and Sakanade spun hypnotically around Shinji's wrist.
"I have heard of your power from Aizen-sama," Ulquiorra revealed. "Only the emotional ones are going to be affected by it."
Buzz!
"Shit!"
"Those who have perfect control of themselves will find this situation interesting."
Ulquiorra suddenly appeared in front of Shinji, almost catching him off guard. The complete control Ulquiorra had over his body bewildered Shinji. His power didn't offset the Espada a little bit. Their Zanpakutō clashed, sending air blasts everywhere. Shinji bitterly realized that the Espada outmatched him. He scowled before clawing at his face, materializing his Hollow Mask. Only then could he match Ulquiorra's strength.
A few clashes later, Ulquiorra received his first injury. A surprised look flashed across his face as his equilibrium tilted. Shinji took this as a chance to land a blow on the Espada. Sakanade slashed at Ulquiorra's stomach, throwing him away. Shinji aimed his fist at Ulquiorra and shot a Cero at him. The Espada got out of the Cero's path before it hit him.
Buzz!
"My underestimation has caused me a lot lately. I shall never look down on my opponent," Ulquiorra muttered. "Enclose, Murciélago!"
Ulquiorra's Reiatsu exploded as a pair of bat wings sprouted from his back. He lost his Zanpakutō but looked more menacing than before. Shinji grinned nervously under his mask. He wondered if his messing with the enemy's senses would work.
Clank!
Shinji got his answer when Ulquiorra blocked Sakanade with his bare hand. He was sure Ulquiorra had seen him coming from the front instead of the back, but the Espada could still block his attack accurately.
"Your ability is terrifying, but it doesn't alter reality, in the end. A supreme amount of Reiryoku, accompanied by a creative application Reiryoku field is enough to render it useless," Ulquiorra informed emotionlessly. "Around me, a Barrier that protects me from your mist. It doesn't completely block your illusion, but I can tell what is happening as long as you are close enough to me."
Shinji retracted his Zanpakutō and distanced himself. At that moment, Ulquiorra smiled softly, the most emotional Shinji had seen him.
"Just kidding. Luz de la Luna!" he whispered.
A green javelin materialized in Ulquiorra's hand and was immediately thrown at Shinji. The Visored blocked it in time but was surprised by the power. He was not amused when the Reiatsu spiked and the javelin blew up. Shinji survived the explosion, ruffled but fine nonetheless. He observed Ulquiorra and found the Espada looking straight at him, unaffected by his illusion.
'Fuck me upside down…'
…
"Impossible! How can I, the grand Szayelaporro lose to a mere bru—augh…"
Back in the Garganta, Ichigo was crushing the Octava Espada's head. It was his second time crushing Szayelaporro's skull. The Arrancar was a stubborn one. Ichigo had killed Szayelaporro three minutes after he assumed his Resurrección Form. That forced the Espada to impregnate his Fracción to get reborn.
Szayelaporro became more cautious the second time they fought. He used every tool in his possession but still fell short, much to his utter disbelief. His genius didn't matter in front of absolute power. After five minutes of desperate fight where he thought cloning Ichigo would do something, Szayelaporro eventually fell.
"What is this idiot blabbering about?" Ichigo frowned.
"Ichigo, be careful! He is going to do that again!" Yoruichi shouted.
Ichigo watched as a strand from Szayelaporro's wing touched his body. He could feel Szayelaporro's soul trying to leech off of him, causing him to scoff. Ichigo pushed his Reiryoku into the fragment, overflowing the fragment. A second later, a crumpled abomination sprouted from his body, letting out an ugly scream.
Ichigo pulled the thing and incinerated it with Cero. No one could leech off of him. He waved at Yoruichi with an easygoing smile, causing her to sigh in relief. Retsu also smiled at him, but the bloodlust she was unconsciously releasing turned his smile wry. He shouldn't have let Retsu fight too much.
"So, let's get out of this play, shall we?"
Ichigo jabbed the longer Zangetsu into the darkness, rendering whatever Szayelaporro had done to it useless. The darkness tore open, revealing the chaos in Karakura town.