5 Chapter 5

Baraggan fumbled with the sword in his hand. A white jewel was embedded at its hilt and sharp narrow grooves ran down the base. It was one of the few swords the Vasto of White had left as a parting gift before his departure.

Once again the sword was enveloped in a a dark purple mist that corroded any and all substances within it. However, the sword was different. Rather than age, Baraggan could feel the sword grow stronger as time passed by, its gleam, more apparent. How absurd! He felt the faint power within the sword, given off as Reishi, grow stronger the more he fueled his power.

He frowned, if one could even call it that with a skull for a face, as he got up from his throne. He gripped the sword in his left hand and swung it vertically towards the horizon where a formation of rocks stood erect. The sheer use of his power had multiplied the power within the blade from an ember to an inferno.

A collosal wave of energy arced out from the sword and obliterated the distant rocks. Reluctantly, he had to admit the usefulness of the sword. Its power as an ace was unquestionable with the way he could increase its power just by touching it.

His touch was death itself. Yet to the sword, it gave life and brilliance.

No enemy would ever suspect that he was charging an attack like they would if he was charging a cero. In fact, the usefulness of the sword could possibly outweigh the need to use a cero. Then again, the sheer destruction of a cero was not something he would ever give up.

A crude smile lit up his face before his tossed the sword away in frustration. His power would only serve to impede him should it come in contact with the Vasto of White's swords. Hmm...

When it came to power, the Vasto of White's was nothing to laugh at; how long it took to gain such power was another question. Wisdom comes along with age, and Baraggan had had his fair share of battles in his rise to kingship.

The King of Hueco Mundo returned to his throne, fully knowing his battle with the Vasto of White would take more than sheer strength. Goosebumps ran through his body, the foreign feeling of trepidation coursing from within him. It had been a long time since he last remembered feeling such an emotion, but then again, it had been a longer time since he felt the anticipation of battle- the battle lust. Despite the challenge that awaited him, he couldn't help the deep bellows that emerged from his mouth.

There was only three days remaining.

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Baraggan stood opposite to the Vasto of White. "So you've brought more of you." He stated, his gaze falling over Harribel, Starrk, and Lilynette. "Did you realize your power wouldn't be enough?"

It was small talk, but it would be enough for Baraggan to determine his number of opponents. He was confident that if push came to shove, he could deal with Harribel and the other two, but along with Shirou...He refused to accept the outcome.

"It was more trouble than it was worth to leave them behind." Shirou said, recalling Lilynette's prior behaviour. She had been sticking closer to him ever since Baraggan's army had invaded. It would have been a hell of a hassle to leave her behind, and Starrk would not have helped. "Either way, I've come to fight as promised."

"..." Baraggan released his Reiatsu in a thick miasma of purple. "Then there's no more need for idle banter, I trust the others won't interfere, not that it would change anything."

Shirou did the same, but his, a thick white. "No, they won't." He gave a nod to Starrk and Harribel. It was his battle to settle, his nature as a hollow demanded it.

There was a calm silence before both disappeared, leaving behind nothing but upturned sand. It was testamount to the power in which both held that not a single hollow remained in the area.

Dunes were cleaved in two and obliterated by sheer force.

Range is his weapon. Stick close. "Perish!" Baraggan struck out with a sudden blow from his fist that never would have connected.

But Shirou's movements were slowed, his mind coming to a halt as he realized his hampered movement. It was too late to do anything but defend.

Shirou winced as the blow hit him, but quickly forced Baraggan away with a well traced projectile.

Pain soon flooded his mind.

Not good. Shirou could feel his insides withering, aging and dying. He had to put more effort for the outcome he wished to earn. "Trace on." Kanshou and Bakuya appeared within his hands. He needed to defeat Baraggan, but first he would have to deal with his injuries.

"Do you feel your death?" Baraggan laughed. "Do you now understand how utterly outmatched you are. Your weapons are one thing, yet your body is another."

Starrk's eyes narrowed at the sidelines. Baraggan's power was eating away at Shirou, parts of his chest fading into dust. Lilynette tugged at his arm.

"H-He'll be okay won't he?" Lilynette asked.

Starrk didn't answer, his eyes focused forward.

"I am the bone of my sword." Blue patterns of Reishi formed over Shirou's body. Structural analysis complete, focusing on enhancement of high-speed regeneration.

"I-Impossible." Baraggan readied his obsidian double-bladed hand-axe.

BANG

Baraggan reeled under the force of Shirou's blow. What was happening? This was absurd! "Argh." He groaned. His power had worked, there was no way it could have possibly been stopped unless... "High-speed regeneration!" Baraggan snarled.

"You insolent-!" Baraggan parried Bakuya to the left and struck down with an over head slash. Shirou blocked, forcing Baraggan to the left as he reacted with a subsequent kick.

Shirou was fast and his attacks heavy, Baraggan could give him that. But his death is now. "Respira." Baraggan pooled his Reishi into his mouth and breathed it out.

Shirou's eyes widened.

A black cloud. A dark cloud of death and utter annihilation. The air itself seemed to condense as trees, dunes, anything in the encroaching clouds path, faded away through time. If it were any other hollow, surely they would have perished.

"Cero!" The resulting blast did little to impede the approach of the fog. Shirou hesitated as he withdrew from the cloud, but he was no regular hollow.

Red, the sky itself matted itself in red.

Harribel's eyes dilated. There were...There were dozens of them, red spears that hovered in the path of Baraggan's Respira.

Not a single one, not a single one of them faded away.

Harribel brushed back a lock of hair. It would seem that there were plenty of things that she had yet to know of Shirou. She knew he was strong, that was a given, but it would be the first that she had seen him create a spear. The fact that he was able to stand after getting affected by Baraggan's power already had her mind racing for answers.

"I didn't think that would work." Shirou mumbled to himself.

Gáe Dearg, the Crimson Rose of Exorcism, the spear of a knight of Fianna. It was a spear said to nullify all magic, and hopefully by extension, the supernatural.

"-And I didn't think you'd be so stupid."

Shit! Shirou spun around just as Baraggan struck down with his weapon. If it wasn't for one of the spears intercepting the blow...He shook his head. He couldn't afford to lose the flow of the battle.

He spun away, clearing a great distance, to the point that Baraggan looked the size of an apple. He observed him, before tossing both Kanshou and Bakuya at him.

"Pathetic." Baraggan brushed aside Kanshou and Bakuya as if they were little more than toys, sending them both flying into the distance.

Spirit and Technique, Flawless and Firm.

Harribel turned her gaze towards Starrk. "Have you noticed it?"

Starrk nodded grimly. "He'll never win the way he's taking things now."

The fool, Baraggan could call Shirou nothing less. Here was the hollow known as the Vasto of White, a King of his own domain, and yet he would not fight to kill him. To fight not to kill, a peculiarity amongst all hollows not in the least bit commendable. It was much the same way as to conquer without shame, but to defeat a man without his death...that is only a decision for the strong. In the end, one's skill must be several notches higher to even decide such an outcome. The Vasto of White would rue this decision.

Our strength rips the mountains

Truly pathetic, Baraggan thought as he swatted away yet another pair of White's useless blades. Nothing would come of single-mindedly bombarding him with thrown swords. True they may not be affected by his power, but they were little more than mere swords.

Our swords split the water

Baraggan fumed as he batted away another pair of Kanshou and Bakuya. This this infernal hollow! How dare he believe something that obviously didn't work the first time, nor the second time, would work for a third time.

Our names reach the imperial villa

"I've had enough." Baraggan muttered before zeroing in on Shirou. He would put an end to this game.

The two of us cannot hold the heavens together.

What's going on? Baraggan's eyes seemed to narrow as he heard a faint whistling noise. He stopped his charge and leveled an observatory gaze at Shirou, faltering upon spotting the twin black and white wings within his hands. It wasn't much of a falter than it was a simple pause of a step, but the end, that was all that was needed. All to soon, Baraggan's senses alerted him to the presence of multiple projectiles honing on him and Shirou's rapidly approaching form.

"Crane Realm!"

"He got him!" Lilynette yelled as a huge explosion rocketed across the sky. She didn't know what Shirou did, but she did see how all the swords he threw all came back towards Baraggan and exploded into tiny shards which exploded into even tinier explosions.

"It's not quite over," Harribel said. "He'll have take things more seriously if he want to get anywhere close to defeating Baraggan."

"It's not too late Baraggan, let us end this fight and walk away." Shirou tried to appeal to Baraggan as the smoke cleared. A fresh scar now ran down Baraggan's face, his clothing tattered.

Those eyes. Baraggan seethed. "You take yourself as stronger?! You who are but a mere bug beneath my feet?!"

Shirou's gaze hardened.

"NO I will not concede, you shall be the one to die here today!"

What could he do? Shirou mused. How could he get to an outcome where both sides were saved? No matter how foolish the notion was, to Shirou, it seemed as if giving up such an outcome would be giving up on himself. Of course there were times where there was absolutely no choice but to kill, but he wouldn't think of those times; it wasn't as if he could completely remember them anyway.

Shirou traced his black bow as Baraggan charged. He would have to try harder.

He'll feint left as I set my aim, but that too is another feint, his true intentions - Shirou knocked a sword and fired.

In a straight beam, the twisted sword rendered the growing sand storm into a hurricane of flying gravel and old hollow bones. Baraggan was caught in the middle, and at that point, everything died.

He knew. Baraggan leveled a cold gaze at Shirou.

Everything, his charge, his dodging, everything was a feint. No matter, he had achieved what he had intended, and Shirou was too late to put a stop to it.

"W-What?!" Lilynette yelled as the sand beneath her feet collapsed

Starrk grabbed Lilynette before she could fall, and jumped away from the growing crater. Harribel was soon to follow.

"The Menos Forest." Harribel observed the new battle ground. "A clever strategy."

Starrk nodded. The trees would make for an obstacle to distance fighting.

The hollows of the menos forest cleared away as fast as possible. No matter how mindless they were, they could feel the power emanating from their immediate location.

"This forest shall be your grave," Baraggan stated. "From this forest we came, from this forest you shall return."

Shirou's gaze lingered to the fleeing hollows before he dismissed his bow in favour of Kanshou and Bakuya; that was when he felt it. He dropped to a knee and felt at his reserves. Damn it!

"Finally starting to run dry are you?" Baraggan rasped. "This fight was over from the second I laid hands on you."

Shirou's eyes darkened, he knew exactly what Baraggan was talking about. Kind of hard not to when portions of his reserves were siphoned away from him to fuel his regeneration. Even now he continued to do so.

It was then that an idea flickered through Shirou's mind.

It's worth the risk. "Trace on." Shirou straightened his back as Rule Breaker, a thin iridescent and jagged dagger, that is brittle and blunt, appeared in his hand. It was the dagger of the Witch of Betrayal capable of nullifying all magic without the adverse effect of killing him should he stab himself.

Shirou was a hollow, a soul tied down by its own soul chain. What would happen if he used Rule Breaker on himself? But Baraggan's power was that, a power. Rule Breaker would no doubt negate it, but at what risk?

With no more hesitation, Shirou stabbed himself at the area Baraggan had touched him.

"Shirou!" Lilynette yelled as both Starrk and Harribel widened their eyes.

"Aagh!" Shirou yelled as his vision went red. His body was on fire, a heavy weight settling within his chest. At his hollow hole, red tribal marks began crawling out, interlacing and forming an intricate red cross.

Rejoice, Emiya Shirou. Your wish will finally come true.

"Hahahah!" Barraggan laughed. "So this is how it ends! Pathetic, and so the true King stands."

"...N...Not quite yet." Shirou forced out. Steel entered his eyes, and with finality he stood on his feet. No longer would he needlessly use up his Reishi.

Shirou began to walk forward. Reserves running on a minimum, activating magic circuits.

"What's happening?" Harribel said, but no one could answer her.

Blue interface patterns began to run up and down Shirou's body. He was done playing, he could only hope that Baraggan would survive.

Trace set, conversion of life force into magical energy. Shirou let his magic circuits do their job and steadily, his reserves grew as particles of Reishi began to swirl around him. "Trace on." He held out an arm and Balmung formed within it.

"O sword, Let thee be filled." Orange light gathered around Balmung.

One step, then two, and then Shirou disappeared.

Where?! Baraggan's eyes surveyed the surroundings, but found nothing. Trying a different approach, he felt out with his Reishi only for his breathing to hitch.

"Balmung."

"Gah!" Baraggan yelled as he was blasted away. Damn it! Baraggan leveled what was left of his great axe at Shirou and charged.

Shirou disappeared once again.

"Coward!" Baraggan yelled. "Show yourself!" Baraggan spun full circle before prickles ran down his back.

"Behind you." Shirou kicked despite Baraggan slowing time around his leg. It was just that fast.

Baraggan was sent flying.

"Oh sword let thee filled." Orange light once again gathered around Balmung.

I can't withstand a second attack. Baraggan distanced himself and hid amongst the trees. What could he possible do? Options ran through his head. His time ability didn't slow Shirou down fast enough for him dodge, nor can he rot away Shirou's weapons. In terms of power - damn it! He didn't understand, they were near equal moments before, and he was the one with the edge.

"Your silence conveys your emotion."

Baraggan struck with his great axe and cleaved a tree in two.

"Where is the boastful King of Hueco Mundo?"

"..."

Once again Baraggan struck out with his weapon, only for his weapon to be sent flying.

"This is the end."

Shirou appeared in front of Baraggan, sword raised.

No! It will not end this way! Reluctantly, Baraggan pulled out a sword from within his cloak. It was the one from his first encounter with Shirou. No matter how hard he had tried, he couldn't rot the damn thing, but what he did accomplish was something far more.

Shirou's eyes widened in recognition. "Balmung!" He invoked quickly.

Baraggan swung the un-named sword at the same moment as Shirou swung. Both released a shockwave of power that blew both of them back. Both had unleashed a torrent of pure energy at each other.

Noble phantasm met Noble phantasm, even if the other barely qualified as an E-rank.

In Baraggan's long attempt to rot the blade, all he had accomplished was make it magnitudes stronger as time passed. As both combatants got onto their feet, one in surprise, and the other in contempt, they both just stared. Their surrounding were no more than ruins with not a hollow in sight except for Harribel, Stark, and Lilynette, who all floated in the sky.

It was Baraggan who moved first, tossing the blade in his hand away. It was an insult to his pride to rely on such a thing.

"Kill me," Baraggan said. He had lost his weapon, his powers didn't work, and his only chance at victory was to rely on a mercy gift from his enemy. His pride as a King would not stand such an insult. As a King - Anger welled up within him as he took off his crown and threw it onto the ground.

Shirou stood quietly and contemplated before he moved.

"Hueco Mundo still needs its King, and I am most certainly not a King." Shirou picked up Baraggan's gold crown and the thrown sword, and tossed it back to him.

For all intents and purposes, Baraggan was necessary. It was the fear of him that kept other hollows from fighting each other. So long as he made sure that Baraggan would not march another army into his lands to harm those under his protection, Baraggan would live. Otherwise his insurance in the form of the Noble phantasm in Baraggan's hand would do it for him. Not that Baraggan knew what it was. Although it was unexpected that it would help him, it was a Noble phantasm famous for taking the lives of its wielder when activated. If the time should ever come, Shirou need only invoke its name.

"Shirou." There was caution within Harribel's voice.

Shirou shook his head. "You can challenge me again at another time," he said to Baraggan.

The naivety of this fool. Baraggan stared at the crown, but did not move to place it over his head. He couldn't do so knowing that he had been defeated by another hollow. He would wait until he had the insolent fool dead beneath his feet using his own power. He tucked away the sword thrown back at him, a token of the battle. It would remind him of his loss just as much as his crown; it would push him to greater heights of strength through training, his blood boiled whenever he saw it.

Without another word, Shirou left with Starrk, Harribel, and Lilynette, a little hobble to his steps.

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In a certain hall in the Seireitei:

"We shall not be venturing into Hueco Mundo, Commander Yamamoto said." Gin Ichimaru grinned. "Not like you would be one to listen, ya got that gleam in yer eyes."

Aizen Sōsuke peered across at Gin, a smile plastered over his face.

"It's not every day that a new piece enters the game, new factors to consider, and plans to be mended." Aizen stopped walking as he and Gin came within reach of an experimental Garganta. "We are simply the players on the board who have taken the first steps."

"Are we there to observe? or..." Gin chuckled.

"We have yet to see now have we."