the Clash of Titans

[Previously]

"Trying to die, Shinigami?"

"Tsk, don't act like I enjoy asking for YOUR help! This is just a precaution. The Guardians ambushed me, and I'd rather not die just yet. Plus, you're a great shield," Kano argued, but despite his words, he was panting and clearly exhausted. That was the only reason I didn't toss him away again.

I heard him open his mouth to complain, but before he could, a scythe-like weapon struck his side. I saw it as if in slow motion, his eyes widening as he was thrown back.

"Well, well, well. Who would've thought? A Shinigami and a Hollow chatting so amicably?"

An irritating, mocking voice echoed. I turned my body toward the direction it came from, following the chain attached to the Zanpakutō. I was met with three figures.

The first was a—a group of children flying around the older figures.

A middle-aged man with a Hollow mask shaped like a crown.

And the owner of the weapon, a tall, slender man with dark hair.

I recognized two of them: the old man and the slender one.

They were infamous characters from the era. One was a misogynistic Espada-level Arrancar called "Nnoitra Gilga."

And the other—

"Baraggan?"

I saw the elderly Arrancar's eye widen slightly at my words.

"So, it's really you… old rival?"

So, my luck was activated? Why, of all the characters, did I have to run into Aizen's personal army?

[Currently]

The Adjuchas and the Arrancar stared at each other for a moment after Baraggan's words, until Nnoitra's gravelly voice broke the silence with a question:

"You know this Hollow, old man?"

The Arrancar asked while pulling his strange Zanpakutō back into his hand.

In response to the brazen question, Baraggan merely scoffed and turned his gaze from Ikomikidomoe to the fallen Shinigami lying helplessly on the ground.

"I see you've found yourself a new toy, old rival."

Yes. Old rival. Over a millennium ago, at the height of their race, Ikomikidomoe and Baraggan were rivals. They fought to claim the top of their species, and when no opponents remained, they turned on each other. Their battle lasted years, consuming a large part of Baraggan's army. But in the end, both agreed to a stalemate, setting aside their fight to pursue their ambitions. Baraggan became the God-King of Hueco Mundo, while Ikomikidomoe wandered the world in his endless hunger. Since then, he hadn't heard a word about Baraggan, assuming his old rival had been killed by Shinigami. Yet here he was—alive.

"Ooh, how fun!"

"Can we play with him?"

"I think so!"

"Yes!"

"Yes, yes, yes!"

The Pikaros, before anyone could stop them, began to zip around the ancient Hollow in zigzag patterns.

"Annoying… but weak…"

In the time they spent staring, Ikomikidomoe used his **[Analysis]** to gauge the power levels of his enemies. Unsurprisingly, the most dangerous among them was Baraggan. Nnoitra's Reiatsu was pitifully inferior, and the smaller ones shared a small collective Reiatsu that was significant only as a group.

"I'll give you one chance, for the sake of our old rivalry and the oath we made millennia ago, Baraggan. Stay out of my affairs, and I'll stay out of yours," Ikomikidomoe declared, ignoring the buzzing swarms of childish Hollows around him.

But a booming laugh echoed—not from Baraggan, but from the Arrancar beside him. Finally, Nnoitra left the tree he had been leaning on, landing with a crash in the sands as he dragged his crescent-shaped scythe behind him.

"Hey, old man. My name's Nnoitra Gilga, and I don't know who or what you are. But I know you're strong, and Lord Aizen seems interested in you. So here's the deal—I'll beat you up, drag you to Lord Aizen, and you can play dead after. How's that sound?"

The mocking Arrancar strolled lazily toward the Adjuchas, but in a sharp burst of static—**Sonido**—he disappeared, only to reappear above Ashido, swinging his blade down to end the wounded Shinigami's life.

**CLANK!**

The sound echoed through the clearing. Nnoitra's blade was stopped by a white, clawed hand that caught the attack with apparent ease.

"Gah! WHO THE HELL ARE YOU, BRAT?"

His opponent, Wonderweiss, didn't answer. In one swift motion, he grabbed Nnoitra's arm and hurled him toward a cluster of trees. The impact was devastating, toppling a dozen trunks and sending a cloud of sand into the air.

"Ah!"

The young Hollow grunted in satisfaction as he turned to look at the saved Shinigami.

Ashido stared in shock at the scene.

"To think… I'd be saved… by a HOLLOW, of all things?"

But his reflection was cut short by a roar and the sound of Nnoitra charging back.

"You idiot!" Nnoitra emerged from the debris, spitting sand as he advanced once more. "HOW DARE YOU, BRAT? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHO I AM? I AM NNOITRA GILGA! ESPADA N° 8!"

With another battle cry, he launched himself toward Wonderweiss, who grinned with a childlike and demented expression, ready for another clash.

The two clashed fiercely. Wonderweiss, relying on sheer brute strength, unleashed powerful punches that made the air vibrate. Nnoitra, on the other hand, used his skill with his Zanpakutou to deliver quick and precise strikes. The sound of blade against flesh echoed through the forest, while sparks flew from the collision between them.

The Octava Espada launched a thrusting attack, but Wonderweiss dodged with an agile sonido, appearing at his flank. He delivered a sidekick, throwing Nnoitra once again, this time against a dune.

"Enough! I'll end this now!" Nnoitra roared, his muscles tensing as he released more of his Reiryoku.

The two clashed once more, the force of each impact sending shockwaves through the clearing.

"Oh! How fun."

"We want to play too!"

"Let's take down the bad Hollow!"

"Let's bring him to Lord Aizen!"

"Yes!"

And so, the group of ten Pikaros began circling like flies around Ikomikidomoe, who stood still observing the scene.

Amid their flight, ceros were fired by the Pikaros. More than ten omnidirectional ceros hit the ancient Hollow directly.

"We got him!" In unison, all the Pikaros cheered excitedly, clapping and buzzing with childlike joy.

But when the dust settled, a growl pulled them out of their celebration. The Hollow appeared with mild burns on its Hierro skin. The Hollow seemed more irritated than injured by the Pikaro's attacks. Ignoring the small attackers like flies, it turned its face toward Baraggan.

With a grunt of displeasure, Ikomikidomoe finally reacted. He swung his claws in a wide arc, sweeping the Pikaros from the sky like leaves in the wind. The small Hollows spun through the air before regrouping, but Ikomikidomoe gave them no respite. He advanced with impressive speed, his massive frame moving with surprising agility.

"Gah!"

"Kah!"

"AAH!"

The Pikaros were sent flying like insects, redistributing their energy among themselves to heal one another's injuries.

While seeming to toy with them rather than taking them seriously, Ikomikidomoe turned to Baraggan, the real threat in the area.

"The King of Hueco Mundo, are you not going to face me?"

His question to the king of Hueco Mundo was met with silence, an unusual response for Baraggan. The old king, known for his arrogance and love of boasting, seemed subdued in Ikomikidomoe's presence.

After a moment of silence, Ikomikidomoe appeared to sigh before focusing on his surroundings. Then—

"____________"

His roar shook the eerie forest atmosphere, turning the turbulence into wind, and the whirlwind of dense Reiatsu coalesced into a series of aggressive tornados across the area.

Those who sought to attack him (the Pikaros), those watching from the sidelines (Baraggan), and those engaged in other battles (Nnoitra and Wonderweiss)—the ferocious roar of hatred threatened to obliterate them indiscriminately.

This marked the beginning of chaos, ushering in a new phase. With the storm sweeping through the environment, Ikomikidomoe now found himself unrestrained and unobstructed.

Far away, Nnoitra growled in irritation.

"What is that thing?"

The Octava Espada muttered as he emerged from a pile of debris, injured. Baraggan hovered in the air, having avoided the massive shockwave earlier.

"Gah! T-Thank you!" Ashido also found himself pulled from the attack by Wonderweiss, who had used sonido to grab him. Both watched the oddly furious form of Ikomikidomoe.

The Pikaros flew overhead, carrying their injured collective bodies.

"Tch, to hell with it! I'LL KILL YOU, OLD MAN! THEN I'LL FEAST ON YOUR DEATH!" The Arrancar roared as he charged forward, his tendons straining, and his lean muscles etched against his skin.

These words made Ikomikidomoe tremble with irritation. For one who only sought peace, having an "extra" become a carp in his waterfall was infuriating.

"Kill me? Such arrogance, honestly. Read the rune, boy!"

As Nnoitra charged, he roared, but he wasn't stupid. He saw the monster that Ikomikidomoe was. The giant Hollow was like the very embodiment of destruction, drawing everything toward him. A monster reminiscent of Baraggan, the former king of Hueco Mundo.

But Nnoitra was the embodiment of despair. Whether he died fighting here or survived, only the end mattered.

"Prepare yourself! REZE, SANTA TE—" The Hollow's release command was interrupted by the ex-king of Hueco Mundo, who roared a command.

"ENOUGH, GILGA! STAND DOWN. YOU ARE NO MATCH FOR HIM."

Baraggan's voice made Nnoitra pause mid-charge, turning furiously to his ally.

"WHAT?" he snarled with a scowl.

"You cannot defeat him, not even with your Resurrection. He has barely used his abilities, relying only on brute strength to subdue you. We will return to Las Noches and deliver our report." The king of Hueco Mundo and Primera Espada ordered, growling a command to the Pikaros, who reluctantly departed, seeking to heal their companions.

Nnoitra growled, glancing between Baraggan and Ikomikidomoe for a moment before roaring in fury and violently kicking a nearby rock, shattering it into dust, then vanishing via Sonido.

Only the old rivals remained in the ruined clearing.

As they stared each other down, Baraggan recalled why Nnoitra's blind fight against Ikomikidomoe was a mistake.

Ikomikidomoe was a natural aberration, embodying the advantages of all three classes of Menos:

- Gillian

- Adjuchas

- Vasto Lorde

With the highest and deepest level of spiritual energy. Despite his massive body, he effortlessly used sonido with such unstoppable speed that he appeared instantly before his targets. His claws were as powerful as swords. Even if a target dodged and retaliated, he could simply absorb the surrounding reishi and regenerate instantly, healing any wounds. In the end, this was a battle the Octava Espada could not win.

"Long time no see, old rival."

"Ha, will you face me now, Dios-Rey Baraggan?" The mocking tone in Ikomikidomoe's voice was clear.

The former king scoffed before his eyes turned to the Shinigami behind Ikomikidomoe.

"I thought you wanted to devour all Shinigami and the Soul King, my rival. What makes you protect one of them?" The Dios-Rey asked, curious about Ikomikidomoe's shift in personality.

Ikomikidomoe promptly replied, "Ha, and what makes you bow to one of them, Baraggan?"

This provocation darkened the old king's mood as he glared at his rival.

"Then you've figured it out... Humph. This isn't permanent. Once I find a way, I'll kill him and reclaim my throne." The king's voice was resolute, confident in his claims. "Perhaps the answer is... you... humph." The last part was murmured more to himself than to Ikomikidomoe. "Very well. I'll leave for now, but we'll have our rematch soon, Ikomikidomoe. Until then, don't die to anyone." With a sonic boom, Baraggan departed, following his allies.

The massive Adjuchas and his strange group were left behind.

__________

"And that concludes the search report." In the throne room, Baraggan described the events of the search to Aizen and his court, gathered with the other Espadas.

"Hmm... interesting..." Aizen murmured, rolling the described events in his mind and repeating them, searching for a way to integrate them into his analyses and plans.

His eyes swept over the Primera Espada and then the two Espadas who had joined the mission. Nnoitra seemed constipated, his pride wounded, while the Pikaros wore the expressions of scolded children.

'Hmm... this might work... perhaps even an opportunity to test the level of the Arrancar's enhancements and gather data for when I fully obtain the Hōgyoku in the future...'

With a plan forming, Aizen rose from his throne, his eyes scanning each Espada in the room.

"My Espadas. I believe it is time to test how much you have evolved and prove your functionality as a unit... your new mission is... to subdue the Guardian Hollow of the Menos Forest... IKOMIKIDOMOE!"

With these words, the Espadas' voices echoed through the room as Aizen turned and walked away.

"Do you think this is wise, Lord Aizen? Some Espadas might die, and we'll lose strength."

Tōsen was the first of Aizen's lieutenants to speak as they left the room, soon followed by the silver-haired figure beside him.

"Ara, Lord Aizen, are you trying to punish one of our dear Espadas?" questioned the sly fox Gin, his wide grin ever-present.

Aizen merely smiled at their questions as he continued walking away.

"Come now, Tōsen, Gin, all I intend is to gauge the level of my army. Besides, if they succeed, a massive new force will be at our command."

With this response, Aizen departed, his lieutenants in tow.