CHAPTER 130-131: The Hunt

Here's the bonus chapter I promised.

...

Cirucci cast her eyes over the desolate expanse of Hueco Mundo, a landscape so barren it mirrored the ghost towns of her memories. Time had left no marks here, and the void around her offered no reason to return here. She turned her gaze to her companion, Franceska Mila Rose, who was passionately assaulting a mountain with fierce slashes of her sword — the woman responsible for dragging her back into this abyss.

"Franceska, this isn't right. We have to go back."

With a fierce swing, Mila Rose cleaved a boulder in half and buried the blade of her Zanpakutō into the ashen earth. "No, let me enjoy freedom."

"Why? What happened? Did Kazuya say something?"

"Him? No. He'd never…" Mila Rose shook her head. "Forget about it. We're in Hueco Mundo. Let's go kill some fucking Hollows."

Cirucci shrugged nonchalantly. "Don't expect my assistance when Leader drags your ass back to the Living World." Given Kazuya's protective disposition, she knew he'd come in search of Mila Rose sooner than later, and punishment was not beyond the realm of possibility. "I fucking hope he spanks you for your childishness."

Mila Rose chuckled darkly. "Let him come. I'll whoop his ass."

"Yeah, Friend. Good luck fighting the King of Arrancars."

"No, he is just a prince. I'll be the Queen of Hollows," she roared at the top of her lungs and raised her sword, as if challenging the gods residing beyond the veil of darkness. "I'll kill that bitch sitting upon the throne and claim it for myself. I'll be the Empress of this land."

Her declaration reverberated across the desolate plains.

Rolling her eyes, Cirucci couldn't help but massage her temples. "For the love of... don't you remember our Leader's warning about the Hollow hunter?"

Mila Rose tightened her grip on her sword and smirked. "I'm not scared. They are—"

A clamorous laughter erupted through the air, interrupting their banter. Emerging on a distant cliff was a Hollow, his presence so imposing it couldn't be ignored. "Did you hear that, Brother Grimmjow? This woman wants to be the Queen of Hueco Mundo?"

This Hollow, humanoid yet bestial, possessed a bull-like visage, complete with a gaping Hollow hole in his abdomen. His long blonde mane flowed behind him, and his large, armored shoulders and menacing horns only added to his fearsome appearance.

A second Hollow materialized beside the first, skeletal in his lanky physique. He wore a mask akin to the medieval knights, complete with a lengthy claw-tail extending from the back of his head. "The commoner's dream is a castle in the air, while a true king will raise his kingdom from nothing but a stone."

Another Adjuchas made his way to join the duo, a sand-worm behemoth sporting a crested head reminiscent of a hammerhead shark. "We all know Grimmjow is the True King. His ascension is just a matter of time."

That wasn't all as two more Hollows materialized. The first boasted a crown of fiery red hair, a robust torso, and pauldrons that extended above his shoulders in the shape of wings. His lower body was swathed in a thick coat of fur. The second was an imposing Gillian, towering above all, his mask and Reiatsu betraying his Adjuchas status despite his appearance.

Together, they emanated an overpowering Reiatsu that could single-handedly crush a Gillian. That is, until their leader emerged, stepping out onto the cliff's edge. A white panther, his eyes aglow with an ethereal blue light, stared down Mila Rose. His spiritual pressure was nearly on par with Apacci in her base form; he was one step away from achieving the Vasto Lorde level that Apacci craved.

"What are you?" Grimmjow asked, or rather demanded, to know the nature of Mila Rose's existence. "You're clearly an Adjuchas but why do you look like that? Your presence is like that Shinigami I devoured years ago. It's repulsive."

Grimmjow was a tad confused. He had never seen an Arrancar or ever heard about them. His group shared his ignorance.

"We are Arrancars," Mila Rose explained patiently. "A suitable evolution for us animals. It's more exciting to tear into flesh with my claws in this form."

"Arrancars?" Grimmjow narrowed his eyes. "A suitable evolution heh? You're inferior to a Vasto Lorde in power. How is that even an evolution?"

An evolution that granted no boost in strength was no evolution in Grimmjow's eyes. His sole desire was to evolve into a Vasto Lorde and obtain the strength to destroy everything in his path.

Irritation flickered across Mila Rose's face. "Inferior evolution, you say?" She brandished her sword, leveling its tip at Grimmjow. "Come, fight me then. A lioness' challenge to a panther. Let's find out which one of us is the apex predator."

She didn't underestimate Grimmjow. Rather, she could discern the seething power coiled within his lithe frame. He was a dangerous foe, which made the prospect of facing him all the more exhilarating. Life in the Living World might have dulled her claws, and he was the ideal opponent to sharpen them.

"Hahahaha!" Edward Liones, the red-haired Adjuchas, burst into uproarious laughter, clutching his abdomen. "Oh my fucking lord. I gotta give it to her. She is stupid but she got balls, unlike that green-haired wench."

The bull-like Adjuchas, Yylfordt Granz, chuckled. "What's up with the ladies of Hueco Mundo? It's like each is more stupid than the last. Is this a disease?"

Shawlong Koufang, the Hollow with the mask of a medieval knight, shook his head gravely. "At least we now have proof that the female Hollows are not only weaker but less intellectually endowed than their male counterparts."

Mila Rose's jaw tightened. Clenching her sword, she bent her body. Before she could charge, Cirucci held her hand and restrained her. "Did you just mention a green-haired woman? By any chance did she resemble a horse?"

It clearly concerned her to hear Nelliel being mentioned by a gang of ravenous Adjuchas. She had encountered Nelliel when she ventured to the Living World with her cute Hollow companions. Choosing to serve Kazuya for a greater cause rather than personal attachment, Nelliel shared Harribel's lofty ambitions for Hueco Mundo and had thus earned universal respect among the members of El Inverso.

Cirucci's inquiry doused Mila Rose's rising fury. "That can't be Nelliel. She won't run away from this trash."

"Oh, you know that centaur?" Grimmjow asked as he jumped down the cliff, his tail flicking behind him. "She tucked her tail between her legs and ran away from us. That coward lacked the guts to face me."

His appetite for carnage had been momentarily dulled by missing out on what could have been a delectable meal in Nelliel. But now, standing before these formidable Adjuchas, that disappointment evaporated. He was itching to dismantle them, consume their essence, and hopefully go through a Vasto Lorde transformation.

"She is safe then. That's a relief," Cirucci exhaled loudly and smirked. Her long tail floated skywards as the pink blade at its tip gleamed with a dangerous light. "You're lucky that Nelliel didn't fight you. My liege would've destroyed you if anything happened to Nelliel."

"Forget Kazuya. Harribel would've thrashed these mobs."

Mila Rose had no respect for Grimmjow or any of his companions.

Grimmjow snarled, his fangs bared as a display of excitement. "You serve someone? This Harribel or this 'liege' is more powerful than you both." The notion sent surges of adrenaline coursing through him. The person they mentioned could be a Vasto Lorde — a being Grimmjow was craving to battle for a long time. "Where is he?"

Mila Rose flashed a predatory grin. "Never mind him. You'll be fighting me."

With a burst of speed, she lunged at Grimmjow, brandishing her sword. An enormous shadow cascaded over her as the massive Bull Adjuchas landed in her path, shaking the very ground they stood on.

Yylfordt Granz's crimson eyes shimmered malevolently, laden with unspoken contempt as he towered over Mila Rose. "Brother Grimmjow doesn't have time for women. I'll kill you and offer your soul to Brother. He will evolve today."

Mila Rose smacked her lips. "Grimmjow is your name. Alright, Grimmjow. The evolution you called 'inferior', behold its awe-inspiring power."

As her words fell, a massive surge of pale golden aura blasted from her. Grimmjow held his ground. However, Yylfordt was hurling dozens of meters away from her. However, Even he was not immune to surprise. Mila Rose's Reiatsu had almost doubled, touching upon the realms of a Vasto Lorde.

Mila Rose forced him to understand the true potential of an Arrancar.

She flicked her golden mane back and smirked. "Come, Bull Man. I'll give you the smacking your parents should've given you."

Yylfordt's hulking form quivered under the suffocating weight of Mila Rose's Resurrección-infused Reiatsu. "Cursed… I'm going to end you."

Grimmjow growled at Yylfordt. "You'll lose."

"I don't care!" Yylfordt roared with impassioned resolve. "Brother Grimmjow, I won't lose."

Closing his eyes, Grimmjow muttered an indifferent acknowledgment. "Do whatever the fuck you want."

Yylfordt bent his body forward and clawed the ground, preparing to charge like those bulls Mila Rose had seen in cartoons. A yellow Reiatsu surrounded him as his already colossal form burgeoned further. "My horns will impale anything."

Roaring, he catapulted forward like a juggernaut clad in raw fury.

Mila Rose, the embodiment of untamed ferocity, let her sword plummet to the ground. Leaning forward, she charged at him. No Sonído. No weapon. Only raw speed born from her muscles.

The ensuing collision was cataclysmic, the Hollow and Arrancar crashing into each other with the force of titans. Their impact birthed a seismic shockwave, churning the very sands into swirling tempests.

When the sandy haze cleared, Mila Rose stood victorious, her golden mane dancing in the wind, embodying her Zanpakutō's name 'Golden Lion General.' Yylfordt lay on the ground, his armor shattered and his once-imposing mask now fractured alongside his horns. Blood dripped from his head, lending his hair an eerie hue. As he feebly attempted to rise, it became evident: his Reiatsu was leaking through the wounds — he had no way of surviving.

"Damn you… to the abyss," he rasped. "Fuck… I should've… listened."

A wide smirk made its way to Mila Rose's face. 'Will Skull like this?'

Her first thought wasn't of finishing off her foe, but of sharing her hunt with Kazuya. She unconsciously realized the last shard missing from her life — the void that television and games could hardly fill — was the elation of hunting and sharing her prey with Kazuya.

'Wait, why would I… for a surprise gift! Yeah, a gift. It all makes sense.'

She chalked her strange thoughts to something else entirely and focused on the dying Yylfordt. "A pity your Reiatsu couldn't keep up with me, or the outcome could've been different. Tell me your name. I'm gonna put your name in my hall of memories."

"Yylfordt!" "Yylfordt!" "Granz!" His companions converged upon Yylfordt's fading form, each gasp of breath reminding them of the camaraderie shared for decades, perhaps even a century. The sight of their fallen friend stoked the inferno of their rage. Even Shawlong, the calmest among them, couldn't suppress a venomous glare aimed squarely at Mila Rose.

Cirucci rushed to Mila Rose's side and passed Mila Rose's sword back to her. Her purple eyes scanned the four Adjuchas who seemed eager to rip Mila Rose to shreds. "Franceska, pick your two."

"Hehe. I want the Mask and that red-haired guy."

"Deal."

Edward Liones' fists tightened, raw fury seething in his eyes. He couldn't fault the women for dismissing their strength, especially after Mila Rose decimated Yylfordt, the second strongest of their group. Still, he lunged toward Cirucci, outstretching his bare hand. "You—"

A vivid burst of pink light illuminated the air, just as Cirucci's tailblade, pulsating with a life of its own, sliced through Edward's wrist with the effortless grace of a knife gliding through softened butter. A geyser of blood erupted in its wake, splattering in dark contrast against the white sand. Edward's severed hand plummeted to the ground. "Ahhh! Mother— I'll kill you," Edward roared, his voice a mixture of agony and fury.

Suppressing a triumphant smirk that was itching to spread across her lips, Cirucci steeled her resolve, acutely aware of the consequences and dangers of arrogance. The defeat at the hands of Kazuya was fresh in her mind. With a deadly lunge powered by, she hurled herself at Edward. Her tail sliced through the air, the vibrating pink blade swinging towards the vulnerable flesh of his neck. "Die!"

In the face of inevitable death, Edward's eyes ballooned with terror. As he willed his body to move, a sonic boom shattered the eerie silence of the battlefield. Grimmjow materialized by his friend's side, his jaws agape, poised to sever Cirucci's tail from the roots.

At the same time, Mila Rose closed the gap between them and slashed Grimmjow's face with her sword.

Detecting the imminent threat, Grimmjow summoned the explosive velocity of Sonído, his form becoming a blur. Yet, he was a second too late. The sword tore through not only the pristine layer of his white armor but also grazed his face. On the other side, Edward's head descended in a tragic arc. His headless form remained momentarily upright before it staggered into eternal rest.

"Thanks," Cirucci exhaled, her voice tinged with a rare note of gratitude. Had it not been for Mila Rose's well-timed assistance, she would have lost her last source of offense — her tail. "Let's kill 'em all and return to Leader."

Shouldering her blade with a flourish, Mila Rose cast a predatory grin toward the trio of Adjuchas, their forms almost paralyzed from the events unfolding before them. "You'll make a fine return gift for my dear friend Skull."

Just as she took a swaggering step toward her terrified prey, an overwhelming tide of Reiatsu slammed into her senses. Pivoting slowly, she found the source of this spiritual energy: Grimmjow, now enveloped in an awe-inspiring aura of sky-blue luminescence.

"Fuck."

Grimmjow was undergoing a transformation that, by now, was all too familiar to her — a metamorphosis made possible through suffering and violence — Arrancarification.

***

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