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Fate In Bleach (366)
🕑 Added 2024-12-09 17:00:09 +0000 UTCChapter 366 - Toshiro Hitsugaya vs. Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez
A golden ripple opened beside Ailin, and a golden chain snaked out, wrapping around Orihime’s right wrist.
“This is my Zanpakutō, the Chains of Heaven. My most trusted companion.”
He turned to Orihime. “I know you dislike violence, Orihime. So I’m entrusting you to its protection. It will only restrain those who mean you harm. With it, even Aizen won’t be able to hurt you. Of course, I also expect you to help him with the Hōgyoku fusion. Oh, and one more thing. There are two Shinigami captains in Hueco Mundo. One of them, the one with the fox-like eyes, is my disciple. If you need anything, you can ask him for help. He’ll assist you, for my sake.”
Orihime’s fear subsided slightly. Ailin clearly knew Hueco Mundo well. But why?
She hesitated, then asked, “Captain Ailin, are you… an enemy, like those from Hueco Mundo?”
“Hahaha, Orihime, the world is more complicated than you think. Today’s enemies might be tomorrow’s allies. As long as we share a common goal, there are no sides. But for now, Ichigo and I are on the same side, protecting Karakura Town.”
“I believe you.”
Ailin ruffled her hair.
He turned to Ulquiorra. “Little birdie, take Orihime back to Hueco Mundo. And tell Aizen she’s under my protection. If she’s harmed, I’ll invade Hueco Mundo and cleanse Las Noches.”
…
“Tsk. Such weaklings. Can’t even handle a few Shinigami.” Grimmjow watched as his Fracción, the Hollows he had brought with him, were swiftly defeated.
“Shawlong, Edrad, Nakeem, Yylfordt, Di Roy, take care of those… insects.”
“Yes, Grimmjow-sama.”
The five Arrancar vanished as they descended towards the Shinigami below. Having observed the battles, they had already chosen their opponents.
Shawlong and Edrad headed towards Ikkaku Madarame and Yumichika Ayasegawa. Nakeem and Yylfordt targeted Rangiku Matsumoto. And Di Roy set his sights on Momo Hinamori.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Powerful reiatsu erupted skyward, announcing their arrival.
While Ikkaku, Yumichika, and Hinamori, despite their suppressed reiatsu, held their own against the Arrancar, Rangiku’s situation was more precarious. She was facing two opponents. Their lack of coordination, however, their eagerness to outdo each other, gave her a fighting chance.
Boom!
Nakeem, despite his bulky form, moved with surprising speed, appearing beside Rangiku and kicking her. She blocked the blow with her ash blades, but the force of the impact sent her flying.
Whoosh!
Yylfordt’s Zanpakutō slashed down, forcing her to retreat further.
“Ha… ha… Damn it. With my reiatsu suppressed, I can’t beat them.” The limiter, a black narcissus seal, had reduced her spiritual pressure by eighty percent. “What’s taking so long? Why haven’t they lifted the limiter yet? I can’t hold out much longer…”
But the seal remained stubbornly in place. After being knocked into the wall again, she had no choice but to call for help.
“Captain Ailin! Captain Hitsugaya! Where are you? I need help!”
“Sigh…” A familiar voice reached her ears, and her heart leaped with hope.
“Captain! I knew you were here.”
She looked up to see Toshiro Hitsugaya standing beside her.
“Matsumoto, you can’t even handle these weaklings? What will you do in the battles to come?”
“Captain Hitsugaya, it’s not my fault! They haven’t lifted the limiter yet! If my reiatsu was restored, I could defeat them easily.”
“Matsumoto, weak is weak. Don’t make excuses. Sense the reiatsu around you. You’re the only one struggling.”
Rangiku paused, then closed her eyes, focusing on the spiritual pressure of the ongoing battles. Hitsugaya was right. Of the four seated officers fighting, she was the only one in danger. The others were holding their own against the Arrancar. The SRDI wouldn't lift the limiter just for her.
“Captain, they’re only facing one opponent each. I have two!” She still refused to admit her weakness, blaming her predicament on the number of enemies.
Hitsugaya shook his head, turning his attention to the two Arrancar.
“Will you retreat and send your… leader down here, or do I have to kill you first?” He hadn’t intervened earlier because Rangiku hadn’t been in immediate danger, and also because he wanted to keep an eye on Grimmjow. He sensed a powerful reiatsu from him. He couldn't afford to be careless, even with his own reiatsu suppressed. But Rangiku had failed to hold them off. He had to step in.
“A Shinigami captain?” Nakeem and Yylfordt, seeing his haori, took a step back. As the strongest fighters in the Soul Society, Gotei 13 captains commanded respect throughout the three worlds. Even the Arrancar knew the Espada were created to counter them. They, as failures, were no match for a captain.
But…
They exchanged glances, then drew their Zanpakutō.
“Shatter, Principe Cuerno Ceniciento!”
“Rampage, Del Toro!”
Boom!
Boom!
Two powerful reiatsu signatures erupted.
Yylfordt became encased in white armor, while Nakeem grew to an enormous size. Their spiritual pressure, after their Resurrección, neared captain-level.
…
“Um?”
Watching from above, Grimmjow remained unconcerned. He believed any of his Fracción could easily kill the Shinigami below. But to his surprise, the Shinigami were proving surprisingly resilient. Even Shawlong, the strongest among them, hadn't been able to gain a decisive advantage.
Suddenly, two powerful reiatsu signatures surged from another part of Karakura Town. He recognized them. It was Nakeem and Yylfordt, their Resurrección released.
“Who could have forced them to release their Resurrección? Is it that boy, Ichigo Kurosaki?” The thought had barely crossed his mind when their reiatsu vanished.
“Impossible!” He looked up, startled, then vanished, reappearing before Nakeem and Yylfordt.
“Nakeem! Yylfordt!”
Both Arrancar lay on the ground, mortally wounded.
“Grimmjow-sama…” They smiled weakly. “I apologize, Grimmjow-sama. I won’t be able to see you reach the top of Las Noches…”
Their bodies dissolved into spiritual particles.
“You killed them, Shinigami captain.”
Recovering from his shock, Grimmjow turned his gaze towards Toshiro Hitsugaya.
While Hitsugaya appeared to be a child, his reiatsu, and his captain’s haori, marked him as a far greater threat than Rangiku.
“I am Toshiro Hitsugaya, captain of the Tenth Division. And you, Arrancar? State your name. I’d like to know who I’m killing.”
“You’re confident, Toshiro Hitsugaya. But since you asked, I’ll tell you. So you know who killed you.”
Grimmjow drew his Zanpakutō. “I am Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, the Sixth Espada! Now, die, Shinigami!”
Whoosh!
Boom!
“So fast!” Hitsugaya blocked the blow, but the force of the impact sent him crashing through several walls.
“Captain Hitsugaya!”
Rangiku cried out.
If they had been at full strength, she wouldn't have been so concerned. But in the World of the Living, Shinigami above lieutenant level had their reiatsu suppressed to prevent their spiritual pressure from harming human souls. Until the limiter was lifted, they could only use twenty percent of their power.
A Shinigami’s battle was a battle of reiatsu. With their spiritual pressure reduced, their strength was drastically diminished, especially those who relied on reiatsu-intensive techniques.
Some, however, whose combat styles were less reliant on reiatsu, weren't as affected. Ikkaku, for instance, whose strength lay in his swordsmanship, could still unleash over thirty percent of his power, despite the limiter. The suppression only affected the force of his blows.
Grimmjow was ruthless and the death of his two subordinates filled his heart with murderous intent. He was determined to kill Hitsugaya to avenge his subordinates.
“Sit upon the frozen heavens, Hyōrinmaru!”
An ice dragon materialized and directly forced Grimmjow back. A single exchange was enough for Hitsugaya to realize he was outmatched in his current state.
