Chapter 3 : Two Sides, Same Coin.

[Omniscience POV]

Hueco Mundo. A desolate wasteland under an eternal crescent moon. The sands are eerily still as if the world has ceased breathing. The air is saturated with a heavy, oppressive reiatsu that feels like the silent pull of a black hole, drawing everything into nothingness. Ulquiorra, drawn by the similarity of the reiatsu to his own, approaches the source. There, he finds Kurokujaku Tsukikage, freshly evolved into a Vasto Lorde, standing amidst dust that stood out from the white sands beneath him, remnants of Hollows who dared to test his might.

Ulquiorra steps forward from the shadows, his pale, featureless form outlined by the faint glow of the moonlight. Kurokujaku, his towering, brown-skinned form cloaked in shimmering feathers and bone armor, turns his head slightly, acknowledging the presence of another Hollow, though his posture remains calm and indifferent.

"Your aura... it is suffocating. It is a weight upon existence itself. I felt it from a great distance, pulling me here, like a shadow seeking the darkness," said Ulquiorra, his voice low and emotionless. 

"And yet you are not crushed by it. How curious. Most are consumed before they can even draw near." replied Kurokujaku tilting his head, his voice rich and deep, yet laced with calm finality.

The faint shimmer of Kurokujaku's feathers catches the light as he turns to face Ulquiorra fully, his mask fragment glinting like a crown. For a moment, the silence between them seems heavier than their reiatsu.

Ulquiorra stepped closer, unfazed "Your presence is different. It does not erase hope or belief as I do—it absorbs, and consumes. It is not mere emptiness but the inevitability of nothingness. I am Nihility. You are Oblivion. Yet both invite despair."

Kurokujaku's eyes narrowed slightly, he was intrigued by the concept of the potential duality they may share "Nihility… a void that denies existence itself. Whereas Oblivion is not denial but the final truth. I do not erase; I end. You unmake what is, while I ensure that nothing lingers. Two sides of the same coin, perhaps. What is your name?"

"Ulquiorra Cifer"

"Hmm, Kurokujaku Tsukikage"

Ulquiorra looking at the shattered remains of Hollows scattered around them asked the questions that plagued him. "Do you find satisfaction in it? This truth you embody? The end you bring? Does it fill the void within you?"

Kurokujaku in response let out a quiet, humorless chuckle, before replying. "Satisfaction? No. That is a fleeting indulgence for those who cling to hope. I exist to fulfill a purpose. The world moves toward its end, and I am but it's herald. It is not a question of satisfaction but inevitability."

He gestures with a hand, and the remnants of the Hollows dissolve further into the sands as if erased by his mere will.

"You, however… I sense a difference. Your Nihility consumes the hope of those around you, the belief in all that they are, their very will to survive yet you hesitate. You observe, as though seeking meaning in the absence you create. Why?"

Ulquiorra fovus his gaze on Kurokujaku, his gaze unfaltering. "Meaning is irrelevant. Observation is a function of existence. Even in the void, there are traces to be seen and truths to be realized. But I see no truth in you, only the silence that follows everything."

Kurokujaku smiled faintly, a dangerous glint in his heteromeric eyes. "And yet you came. Drawn to this silence, to the inevitability I represent. Perhaps your Nihility craves something more—a resolution to its endless denial. I wonder, Ulquiorra, do you seek to end even yourself?"

Ulquiorra after a long pause, his voice quieter but firmly answered. "Perhaps. Or perhaps I merely seek to understand why I am drawn to despair. You embody finality, but I am the void that precedes it. You end what I erase. Is that not a cycle in itself?"

Kurokujaku hearing his response nods slowly, his feathers bristling faintly as he considers this, before giving a response of his own. "A cycle, yes. A dance of futility, destined to repeat. You and I...we are harbingers of despair, yet despair itself is endless. Perhaps that is the irony of our existence."

Ulquiorra takes another step closer, his gaze unyielding. He now stood merely two meters in front of Kurokujaku "If Oblivion is the end, prove it. Show me if you can silence even Nihility itself."

Kurokujaku's reiatsu flares subtly, the shimmering tail feathers on his back spreading out like a fan, their edges glinting with an ominous light. Yet he does not attack. Instead, he tilts his head and smiles faintly.

"You wish to test the end? How intriguing. But tell me, Ulquiorra, what would be left of you if I did? Would you welcome it, or would your Nihility resist even the final truth?"

Ulquiorra (Turning slightly, as if dismissing the thought)

"That is not for you to decide. The void cannot be silenced. But neither can you escape its pull."

Kurokujaku chuckles again, his voice deep and resonant.

Kurokujaku:

"Then let us see where this path leads, Ulquiorra. Perhaps one day, we will find which abyss is greater: the one that denies, or the one that concludes."

~Small Timeskip...by Hollow standards~

[Kurokujaku POV]

Twelve years...for twelve years all I did was explore Hueco Mundo. To find answers to what the hollow I ate had done. The only clue I had was the unfamiliar taint to his soul. But my home provided no answers...which brings me here.

As the distorted space behind me closed up. I took my first breath in the human world and came to one conclusion. It was disgustingly cluttered, no just humans resided here. It lacked the order Hueco Mundo had. Unlike his home, there was no simplicity to the chaos of the human world.

But no matter. He'd tolerate it. If only to find answers. 

[Omniscient POV]

The area of the human world he arrived in was called Karakura Town. But not just any part of Karakura Town. This area happens to house eight individuals who have a...special connection with hollows. Even though his spiritual pressure was suppressed, they still sensed it upon his arrival. 

Sitting on a rooftop a few miles away was a man with brown eyes and jaw-length blonde hair with a straight cut, his facial expressions revealed his upper teeth. He wore a shirt and tie, often supplemented by a newsboy cap and long coat. His eyes were narrow as he observed the hollow that just appeared. 

"Rose," he said addressing the man who stood behind him.

"Yes, Shinji," replied Rojuro. Rose has purple eyes, long, wavy blond hair, and a perpetually bored expression. He wears a black suit with a thigh-length black jacket. He also wears a white frilled shirt with frilled cuffs and a high collar, which he kept untucked. 

"What rank is the shinigami the 13th decision currently has stations here?" 

"Hmmm, 5th seat I believe"

Hearing his answer Shinji sighed. "Welp, he's dead," he said as he prepared to leave the area when a blonde girl drop-kicked him. 

"Baka-ji, you better not be thinking of doing nothing," she said as he folded his hands in front of her and leaned over the now-downed Shinji, with a smug smile on her face.

Shinji in response nearly growled out her name. "Hiyori" Hiyori is a very short, brown-eyed, blonde-haired girl who wears her short hair in spiky pigtails with bangs clipped together by three clips. She wears a white shirt and a red jogging suit, the latter with white lines running down from the shoulders and decorated with the first kanji of her name, as well as yellow flip-flops. On each cheek, under each of her eyes, she has three freckles. She has an overly long fang protruding from the upper left side of her mouth.

Her demeanor turns serious once she sets her gaze on the hollow. "What's A Vasto Lorde doing in the human world? And why hasn't Soul Society responded as yet considering the detection Kido should be going off."

Shinji got up and dusted himself off before answering. "I don't know bu-" he was cut off when said hollow was suddenly in front of them. His wings folded behind him, his mismatched eyes boring into them. 

None of them moved. Their hands had moved to their blades respectively on instinct. But no one drew their blade. But a question revolved around their collective minds. How had then not sensed him move until he was right in front of them? Stood in the air, his eyes moved between the three of them...then he spoke.

"What are you?"

They were confused at first until I dawned on them. He senses both shinigami and hollow spiritual signatures from them....even though they were suppressing their spiritual pressure. 

"What's it too yah bird brain" shouted Hiyori. Hiding her nervousness under a brave front. Said Hollow glanced at her making her sweat. He then dismissed her and refocused his gaze on Shiji, indicating he was waiting for an answer. 

Shinji weighed his options before speaking. " We're Visords"

The hollow hummed in response before glancing in a certain direction. Shinji followed his gaze and saw a black cat observing them a few buildings away.

"The Human World is far more interesting than I fir-" he paused as now only he but everyone present faced the direction when a section of space transformed into a gate that slid open to reveal dozens of Shinigami...the thirteenth division in charge of governing the human realm had arrived in full force. 

They stepped out of the gate it closed behind them. In the lead was the captain of the thirteenth division Jūshirō Ukitake. His hair is worn long, almost reaching his waist. He wears it parted on the left side with one long piece that tends to fall over his right eye. He has green eyes. Ukitake wears the standard Shinigami shihakushō with a long-sleeved captain's haori and a crimson lining. He wears a narrow white obi, in which he secures his Zanpakutō.

To his right, a step behind him was his lieutenant Kaien Shiba. Kaien had a youthful appearance and was a fairly tall person. He had aqua-green eyes and spiky raven-black hair. He wore the normal Shihakushō with his lieutenant badge on his left arm as customary. He had a tattoo of the Shiba family crest on his arm.

Behind them stood all the seated officers of Division 13, including Kaien's wife Miyako Shiba who was the 3rd seat. Miyako is a young woman with long dark hair. She keeps it tied up with a strand hanging down on each side. 

Behind the 10 seated officers stood 50 Shinigami ready for combat. See this Shinji grabbed Hiyori and gave Rose a look he understood as they left the area, which was about to become a battlefield. 

Seeing the Hollow only glace at their fleeing forms but giving no indication of chasing, Shinji breathed a sigh of relief. "That one's trouble. Ukitake might not be enough."

Joshiro stepped forward and spoke. He knows a hollow at this level possessed intelligence. " What have you left Hueco Mundo Hollow?"

"Curiosity brought me here...Shinigami. I've never faced one of your kind in combat. The Human world is proving most entertaining. Although I do have a question before we start"

Jushiro raises his brow in response. "And what would that be?"

A smile appeared on the hollow lips. "Do you think, you've brought enough....Shinigami?" he asked as he let his spiritual pressure slip. Jushiros eyes widened. Kaien gritted his teeth as he struggled to resist the pressure. Every seated officer took several steps back. And most of the regular shinigami fainted. Those who didn't die from soul shock. The sheer weight of this spiritual pressure is too much for them to bear.

Seeing this Joishiro knew they needed back up immediately. But would this hollow give them the chance? As if reading his mid the hollow spoke. 

"You and the one beside you will face me the rest are useless. Have them return and send more on your level or above. Those that stay....will be ERASED."

Joishiro was suspicious, to say the least. But seeing the hollow make no move to attack he turned to his sixth seat and nodded. Indicating for him to return and request for back of Lieutenant and Captain ranked shinigami. He nodded and left.

"Kaien you and I will hold him. We keep his focus on us." He then turned to his remaining seated officers. "You all keep your distance and fire your strongest Kido when you see an opening. Our duty is to reduce damage to the human world and slay this hollow."

"Yes sir!"

"Good!"

He then turns to Kaien who nods as they both draw their blades.

 "All Ye Waves, Become My Shield. All Ye Thunder, Become My Blade. All Waves Rise, and Become my Shield, Lightning, Strike now, and Become my Blade" said Joishiro as he grasped the single blade with two hands. The blade then transforms slowly and begins to form two blades. As the blades peel apart, a large red rope-like chain at the base of the hilt lengthens, and silver metal square charms attached to the chain begin to fall, until all five present themselves. The blade is now somewhat thinner than the sealed Zanpakutō, and the tsuba now extends a little bit up the blade. About halfway along the length of the Zanpakutō, a second blade juts out from the inside of the main blade and extends back towards the hilt, running parallel to the main blade. The cutting edge of the second blade faces inward instead of outward...his Shikai had been activated. 

Kaien followed suit. " Surge, Water, and Heaven. Rage Through the Seas and Heavens" Kaien holds Nejibana upside down and begins to twirl it in his hands as it glows, transforming it into a cross between a trident, a bishamon-yari (a Japanese spear), and a ji (a Chinese halberd) with a crystalline appearance. Like the ji, it bears a horsehair tassel, although it is blue instead of the traditional red; similarly, the two side blades are straight with concave edges as opposed to the usual crescent blades of the bishamon yari. The end of Nejibana turns into a corkscrew/drill shape. Water flows freely from both the trident and the end.

Both Captain and Lieutenant stood with Shikai in hand ready to face the enemy ahead.

"My name is Kurokujaku Tsukikage." was all the hollow said before he raised his right hand and extended his index finger. A Cero began to form on his finger. A swirling sphere of black iridescent energy, condensed with immense destructive power. He then spoke again. His tone is smooth and silky.

"Cero de Oscuridad (Cero of Darkness)"

And then.....death approached. 

"Step back Kaien" shouted Joishiro as he stepped forward preparing to reflect the attack using Sōgyo no Kotowari. He then heard the voice of his zanpakuto. The voice that represents the left sword used to absorb energy attack.

"I can't! RUN AWAY" Hearing that and trusting his zanpakuto he used Hoho to instantly move hundreds of meters back. Kaien followed his lead and did the same. 

The attack hit their previous position, And what he saw caused Joishiro to thank his zanpakuto for the warning. The Cero didn't explode like a typical beam. Instead, it created a void-like vortex upon impact and everything within a range of 150 meters was pulled in and erased. The vortex disassembled both matter and reiatsu at a molecular level leaving only a dark scar in the area.

Even after the vortex dissipated, the scarred, barren void was left behind insited a feeling of dread in every Shinigami present. Because they all could feel the lack of reiatsu of spiritual energy in that area as if....if couldn't exist. Was this permanent? This hollows cero not only draws in an obliterates foes but creates a dead zone for combatants reliant of spiritual technique in its wake. 

"Good. You have good instincts Shinigami" said the Kurokujaku as his wings unfolded. "Lets see what those swords of your can do shall we. I want you show me what gives you race the confidence to face mine."

The moment he was finished speaking hundreds of razor-like feathers were fire from his wings in a barrage. Each laced with the same energy coming from the deadzone...meaning they could let none of those feather hit them.