7 Chapter 6

The battle strategy was quite simple, even ridiculous, if you think about it or start thinking about it. Win, and nothing more. But now, looking around, looking at his opponents, Tu Peri bit his lips nervously, starting to get nervous.

"These creatures ..." Poong hissed evilly, looking toward the three rallied teams.

- What a meeting. - A haughty grin slipped on the stone face of a hefty amballa. "We were worried when you didn't come on time to the floor where the meeting was scheduled, and, as it turns out, you don't really need any protection." - The stone giant shrugged, spreading its arms to the sides. - It's not good to deceive people. His eyes flashed unkindly blue. The people around him tensed, catching the familiar intonations in their voices. Years of work together forced them to catch everything on the fly: the commander's intonation, the comrade's facial expressions, gestures that were invisible or understandable only to them. This helped them to survive in the Tower, in a place where it is possible to survive only by discarding pride and honor.

- I knew. - The hopeful sighed hopelessly, massaging his face with his hand. "I knew that your actions, Mr. Poong, would never be brought to good."

"Then why did you follow me?" - the brunette snorted with displeasure, gradually starting to ignore the danger emanating from the mercenaries. "I knew, after all, that I almost always try to do my own thing, and not always follow the path chosen for me."

"We met again, redhead!" - The red-skinned giant voiced when his head was ready to explode from what was happening around. As he understood it, this crowd, which included as many as three teams, was chasing that brunette. - This time I will definitely do you!

Ichigo snorted softly, drawing a ghostly parallel between this "blot" and the captain of the eleventh. And the more he recalled the peculiarities of the frantic Shinigami, the more he leaned toward the option that his new problem was not a problem at all. So, a trifle.

"You will come with us, Mr. Tu Peri." - From behind the stone giant, which resembled a small mountain, a man came out. - My name is Visp. - Surprisingly, he introduced himself calmly. Outwardly, if not for the head in the form of a spiked octopus, he would have passed for a normal person. Although Kurosaki has long come to terms with the fact that normal people or personalities come across to him extremely rarely. "I am the captain of these people." - Explained Visp. - Mr. Poong, please follow us to the twentieth floor, as was stipulated in our contract, otherwise we will be forced to inform your family about this case. - Long tentacles, smeared in some vile mucus, lay on the mercenary's clothes. - It is unlikely that your family will be glad that you terminated the contract for which not the smallest money was given.

- What are you all annoying and the same. Tu Peri frowned, clenching his fists. - All the time everyone has my family in the language, the name of my family. One has only to hear Tu Peri, how people go crazy. No one cares about my name, my desires. Only the will of the family.

Bloom stepped back a step, looking at his "employer" from under his forehead. This boy was too hot-tempered, as for an adept of the light. Perhaps it was because of this temper that he gained such strength at such a young age. Nevertheless, they would not have given anyone the right to ascend to the top of the Tower. This requires talent, skills, abilities, and most importantly - the goal for which a person will be ready to give his life. But not one that you forget in a hundred or a couple of hundred years, but one that will always spin in your head, because of which you will not be able to sleep and eat. And he has it. Most bastards of great families have such a goal; those whom they did not accept were humiliated. After all, their lives were painted from birth.

- Here is how? - The octopus head leaned sideways. Small eyes flashed yellow, and the mouth hidden under small tentacles spread out in a bad smile. - Okay. So be it. - Agreed the mercenary. "We, personally, do not care what you choose." - The captain of the mercenaries folded his arms over his chest, looking at the remaining time. - We have already been paid. There were two conditions from the Tu Peri family. First: we accompany you to the twentieth floor. Second: if you do not agree with the first, then we will have to join the battle with you. I don't know what your family's elders thought, but they certainly overestimated you, little fellow.

- How to know. - softly commented the guide. He knew very well that many people, without even possessing any "beyond powers" ​​were able to conquer the Tower. What can we say about one of the "favorites" of the Tu Peri family, already able to control several lights. "Mr. Kurosaki, your task is to delay them for as long as possible." Blusom turned quietly, turning around. - Mr. Kurosaki? - Edrok called the young man again. Following the gaze of the red-haired, who did not respond to the quiet appeal to him, Blusom saw the "comrades" of the red-skinned giant. The first was a weak girl, dressed in a light dress, and the second was a man wrapped in a black mantle.

- He is strange. - Ichigo explained frowningly, watching the man whose face was hidden by a shadow. - Normal people don't wear such clothes.

"Maybe he's a sociopath." - Sharply shrugged the guide. - Now you don't need to worry about them. - Hurried Blusom. "Did you hear what I told you?" - He squinted at Ichigo. - Good. - He nodded, receiving a positive response from Kurosaki. "You will need to create as much space as possible so that Mr. Poong can calmly attack from a distance."

- No problem.

Standing in front of Poong, Ichigo stood in a fighting stance.

- Are you going to fight? - The eyebrow of the leader of the mercenaries twitched in surprise. - Are you sure the "favorite" of the Tu Peri family? - "Octopus" decided to play it safe, but you never know what.

- Quite. The brunette nodded gravely, taking a step back and left to stand behind Kurosaki. - I have long been interested to see what our new comrade is capable of.

"As you wish, Mr. Tu Peri." - Finally, the octopus stepped back, stepping aside. "Now we will show you what the mercenaries from the twentieth floor are, kids." Gantz, crush them! He slapped the stone giant on the shoulder.

- With pleasure. - He grinned broadly, rushing forward.

Edrock frowned, clutching the handles of his backpack harder. The ground under his feet vibrated noticeably, and he nearly flew into the air when the giant's heavy legs fell over and over to the arena ground.

Ichigo smiled, squinting faintly and trying to calm his trembling hands. A wave of emotions swept through my body, as if from strong feelings, which was intensified thanks to untimely, but incredibly strong goosebumps. The overwhelming pleasure and sweet anticipation of the long-awaited battle intensified even a hundredfold, when the familiar force, responding to the emotions of the owner, began to warm warmly in the chest. Spiritual energy, like a wild beast, made the muscles tighten, waiting for the battle to begin soon, it, like living adrenaline, spilled itself on each vessel in the body, giving its carrier some indescribable pleasure.

After a few seconds, Ganz was already raising his right hand for a crushing, frantic blow. His face, covered with stone scales, remained all the same impenetrable for emotions, justifying the statement "stone face". A punch capable of breaking through a wall reached its target at an incredible speed, meeting with the Ichigo X-shaped block. Snorting displeasedly, having spent a fraction of a second on this gesture, the stone giant struck with his second hand, this time throwing Kurosaki a few meters back.

- It's burning. - Ganz said muffledly, looking at his right hand darkened after the blow.