CHAPTER 15: A Real Challenge (I)

A/N: Just a note to clear some stuff. Baraggan canonically is a natural Arrancar. And Szayel, Cirucci, Dordoni, and Gantenbainne were natural Arrancar under Baraggan (from Bleach novel.) Bleach wiki mods for some reason don't take novel material and lore as canon ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

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Cirucci Sanderwicci, current #5 Espada, under the reign of Baraggan Louisenbairbe. While not yet empowered by Aizen's Hogyoku, her natural prowess as an Arrancar made her a force to be reckoned with.

Her Zanpakutō, Golondrina, was a sight to behold. It was a whip in her hand, a giant golden disc-like blade attached to the end. A formidable Zanpakutō that covered both melee and long range.

Kazuya never thought his first real opponent would be a woman, much less one with the attitude of a pissed-off alley cat. He saw Mila Rose trembling with fear and flicked her mask. "Kitten, get off your ass and go to Harribel. Tell her not to interfere with the battle."

After honing his racial abilities and Aspect of Death for a month in a training montage worthy of a shounen anime, he felt ready to take on a foe of Cirucci's caliber.

[General Information]

Name — Kazuya Ishihara

Gender — Male

Race — Hollow (Vasto Lorde)

Reiryoku Level — Great Level (Captain-Class)

Alignment — Neutral Evil

Affiliation — None

…

Racial Abilities

[Cero: Reiryoku offensive technique

Mastery level - High.]

[Sonido: Movement technique

Mastery level - High.]

[Garganta: Limited Spatial Distortion technique.

Mastery level - Basic.]

Innate Abilities

[Silvery Voice: Your voice can influence people's state of mind. The ability works best in persuading or seducing someone.]

[Oppression (Aspect of Death): The materialization of your Hollow Heart.]

[Crumbling Heart (Hollow): Living beings classified as 'Hollow' receive nourishment and enhancements.]

[Regeneration: Your wounds regenerate automatically. The time required depends on the severity of the wounds.]

Acquired Abilities

[Seduction: The ability to seduce those of the opposite gender.

Mastery level - Intermediate]

[Riding: The ability to ride a mount.

Mastery level - Intermediate]

[Arithmetic: The ability to process arithmetic problems.

Mastery level - Intermediate]

[Provocation: The ability to anger people with your tongue.

Mastery level - Basic]

[Equipment]

…

His status reinforced his confidence. Mila Rose didn't share his positive outlook of the situation.

"You'll go up against her alone?! She'll tear you apart!"

"It'll be an honorable death then," he said with a warm smile that crinkled his eyes behind his mask. He reached out and gently patted her head before straightening up to his full height. "Hurry before she targets you."

"No friggin' way. I don't abandon my people. I'll stay and fight."

"Awww. It's so nice of you to finally acknowledge me as your own. But you're dishonoring me now. I said I want a solo fight with her."

Mila Rose stared at him for a long second before she turned around and made a run for Harribel, clearly not buying into his solo fight request. Cirucci glanced at Mila Rose, but he stepped in to hide the lioness from her view.

"Hollow Lady, you have the most punchable face I have seen on a woman. Care to share your secret?"

Cirucci's face twisted. "You lowly lifeform. I'll add five whips to treat your insolence."

She had an unshakeable belief in her strength, so much so that she didn't take Kazuya as an actual threat. Well, Kazuya suppressing his Reiatsu also contributed to her inflated ego. He wasn't about to expose the full extent of his power level to every Tom, Dick, and Harry Hollow.

He had to be deliberate about attracting unwanted attention from some mega powerful Hollow of this era.

He observed the battlefield. Cirucci was seething, but not making any move.

'I'll go first.'

Kazuya wasted no time and activated his Sonído skill in a heartbeat. With a resounding boom, he bridged the gap between them with electrifying speed and unleashed a devastating kick to Cirucci's midsection. The sheer force of the blow propelled her like a comet through the mountainside. A cacophony of crumbling rock and shattering earth erupted as dust and debris rained down.

The air was thick with the haze of destruction, a testament to the raw power that had just been unleashed.

"She is so hard," he muttered, feeling like he kicked a wall of iron. "Arrancars and their bullshit defense. Definitely not envious."

As the dust swirled and danced in the aftermath of the impact, Cirucci's massive disc emerged from the haze. The lethal weapon tore through the air, honing in on Kazuya's skull with a furious velocity. It was a blazingly fast attack, yet it paled in comparison to the ferocious onslaught that Harribel had unleashed during their training sessions.

With a deft twist of his body, Kazuya evaded the golden disc by a hair's breadth, narrowly escaping the jaws of death. As he darted away, her Zanpakutō found a new target in the unsuspecting hillside mere feet from his previous position. The disc collided with the earth, carving a path of destruction as it plowed through the dirt, pulverizing stones and scattering them in its wake. Sod burst forth in every direction, a torrent of shrapnel born from the ferocity of Cirucci's relentless assault.

The landscape trembled, changed by the brutal dance of battle.

'This is her sealed state.'

He could only imagine the destruction Cirucci could cause in her Resurrección state, the technique which allowed Arrancars to access all of their Hollow powers.

Cirucci emerged from the dissipating dust cloud, holding her whip as the disc spun endlessly. "Do you not know that Hierro hardens an Arrancar's skin? Give it your all if you want to hurt me physically."

As an Adjuchas Arrancar, her base Reiatsu was some levels below a Vasto Lorde. Her Hierro still allowed her to defend his physical attack.

"I do love a woman who can take punishment. Hey, how about you and I… What do Hollows say when they want to court a woman? Care to show me the ropes as the older, more experienced one?"

Cirucci's face turned red. "The hell is wrong with you? I'd never court an asshole like you!"

"Bummer."

***

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