Hueco Mundo (The Hollow World)
This is a desolate world, cut off from the Ninja World and governed by vastly different rules.
The ground is a pale, lifeless desert, seemingly paved with bone ash, cold and dead.
The sky is an eternal, inky black, overlooked only by a hanging, ghastly white "Moon" with shadows churning within its pale corona—a silent observer of this land of despair.
Scattered across the ground are countless groves of twisted, grotesque dead trees, their branches skeletal and devoid of life.
Innumerable 'Hollows' of various terrifying forms roam and howl aimlessly across this white desert. Driven by primal instinct, they clash, kill, and devour each other to fill the endless void within themselves.
At the same time, souls are constantly drawn into this world, where the pervasive negative Spiritual Energy quickly corrupts them into 'Hollows,' adding to the cycle of slaughter and consumption.
Survival of the fittest is the only law here.
Yet, all these mindless, instinct-driven Hollows strangely give a wide berth to the colossal, pale palace that stands towering at the center of the wasteland. It is as if a presence resides there that makes them tremble with dread from the deepest part of their souls.
Currently, deep within the palace named Las Noches (Night Palace), a vast side hall constructed of pale bone material is the scene of a fierce battle, a stark contrast to the deathly stillness outside!
BOOM!!
A deafening explosion suddenly erupted. The resulting shockwave slammed hard against the palace's sturdy walls but only caused ripple-like disturbances.
"Although it's the 'Blood Duel for Rank' sanctioned by that individual..." 'White Fang' leaned against a pillar, arms crossed, and asked 'Vortex' in a lazy tone, "Is it really okay to let them keep fighting like this?"
"Those two have been at it for a day and a night now."
Innumerable black chains extended from behind 'Vortex,' sealing off the entire side hall space and turning it into an isolated arena. She ignored 'White Fang's' question, calmly focusing on the two figures in the distance.
Inside the hall, two inhuman figures were in a state of high-speed collision, separation, and collision again!
One was a tall, slender figure, over two meters in height, with limbs covered in smooth, hard bone material that outlined the explosive power of his muscles. Crimson bone arms extended from his body, their five fingers menacing, radiating a terrifying pressure. Ribs encircled his torso, forming a mobile, integrated wall of offense and defense. This provided excellent protection while leaving enough gaps for his body to maintain high mobility.
This was Espada #4, 'Fierce Eye,' formed from the soul of Fugaku Uchiha as the core, merged with the souls of other Uchiha clan members. Compared to that previous night, his Susano'o was noticeably more solidified, imbued with the savage and cold aura unique to Hollows, and his every move was more unpredictable!
The other was a humanoid monster completely encased in ghastly white bone. His entire body was covered in bone that resembled thick armor, with sharp bone spurs protruding from the joints. His body constantly shifted—sometimes a bone blade, sometimes a drill, sometimes a bone whip! His face was covered by a bone mask, revealing only a pair of crimson eyes that gleamed with pure battle frenzy and a desire for slaughter!
This was Espada #5, 'Corpse Bone,' formed from the soul of Kimimaro as the core, merged with the souls of Kaguya clan members. His abilities, compared to before, were now completely mastered. The hardness, regeneration speed, malleability, and lethality of his bones had reached an unbelievable level!
"Not enough! Not enough! So sluggish and weak! Is this all No. 4 is capable of?"
'Corpse Bone' let out a maniacal shriek and laughed wildly. "Then hurry up and surrender your spot, you bastard!"
He violently stomped the ground. The pale bone material beneath his feet instantly proliferated, forming a sharp bone forest that stabbed from all directions towards 'Fierce Eye'! Simultaneously, the bone of his right arm twisted, transforming into a massive, spiral-shaped bone drill several meters long, drilling towards 'Fierce Eye's' chest with a sound that tore through the air!
'Fierce Eye' remained silent, his Mangekyō Sharingan abruptly focusing.
In the next instant, his figure vanished from his original spot. The bone spikes rising from the ground instantly shattered, turning into countless fragments out of thin air, as if the process of them being struck was erased!
Dōjutsu: Crying Swallowing Goddess (Nakisawame no Mikoto).
Whoosh!
'Fierce Eye' reappeared behind and to the side of 'Corpse Bone.' The five fingers of his massive crimson bone arm violently spread open, grasping at 'Corpse Bone's' body, intent on crushing him!
"Haha!" 'Corpse Bone' didn't dodge. Instead, he laughed with manic excitement!
The bone armor on his back violently cracked open, spraying out countless hair-thin bone needles, their tips glowing with an eerie green light!
"Shadow Killing Grey Bone!"
Crack! Crack!!
The crimson giant hand fiercely clamped onto 'Corpse Bone's' bone armor, producing a sickening crunching sound as bone fragments flew! At the same moment, the dense, corrosive bone needles swarmed like venomous bees, instantly corroding and piercing the crimson ribs encircling 'Fierce Eye,' aiming straight for his core body!
'Fierce Eye's' Mangekyō Sharingan spun in its sockets. His slender body twisted and swayed at almost impossible angles.
Tss!
Most of the bone needles shot past him, but a few left several sizzling, unhealing wounds on his body.
For ordinary wounds, 'Fierce Eye' could instantly heal himself using "Dōjutsu: Crying Swallowing Goddess." However, the opponent's "Shadow Killing Grey Bone" was virtually unstoppable and continuously corroded the soul.
'Fierce Eye's' pupils sank. He fiercely gripped 'Corpse Bone' with the bone giant hand and slammed him ruthlessly to the ground.
BAM!!
'Corpse Bone's' body emitted a grating, painful sound, and bone fragments scattered everywhere.
"Hahahaha! Again! Again!"
'Corpse Bone' laughed maniacally. The cracks in his bone armor were rapidly filled in by newly generated bone. He stomped the ground again. The entire floor of the side hall instantly cracked, rotating into a streak of white light that charged head-on towards 'Fierce Eye' once more with an air of tearing everything apart!
It was a tactic designed for mutual destruction again. This guy didn't care about defense; he only pursued the ultimate thrill of battle.
"Mad dog," 'Fierce Eye's' cold voice finally emerged from beneath his bone mask. Having regained his sanity, his fighting style was steady and cunning. He utterly detested 'Corpse Bone's' reckless, desperate attack style, which relied solely on instinct and madness, lacking any aesthetic or technique.
However, annoyance aside, he could not yield an inch.
In Hueco Mundo, the hierarchical order within the Espada was strict and brutal. Rank directly determined ownership of Hollows and the priority for "sustenance." Even they needed to constantly devour souls to fill their void and increase their power. A higher rank meant more "sustenance" and greater power.
The only way to determine rank was through the "Blood Duel for Rank." Any Espada confident in their strength could challenge a higher-ranked individual at any time. The victor rose, and the loser fell.
Since being named and inducted into the Espada by that individual, 'Corpse Bone' had become the most fanatical practitioner of this rule, a complete battle lunatic. He hadn't even started by challenging the one immediately above him, 'Fierce Eye,' but had directly challenged the leader, 'Vortex.'
The result, as expected, was a swift and brutal defeat. Whether it was the unfathomable 'Vortex' or the intensely sharp 'White Fang,' their power levels had long surpassed the scope of ordinary Menos Grandes (Great Hollows), standing just a step away from shattering their masks and entering a deeper realm. 'Corpse Bone' was swiftly overwhelmed and defeated miserably by them.
Only when facing 'Puppeteer,' ranked third, did he manage to hold out longer, thanks to his fearless madness and extremely difficult-to-handle abilities. However, due to his lack of strategy, 'Puppeteer' toyed with him, controlling his limbs with invisible threads, forcing him into various humiliating postures until he was unable to resist.
Now, he was targeting the position of Espada #4.
Yet, their strengths were indeed very close. The battle had continued for a considerable time, and a victor was still elusive.
BOOM! RUMBLE!!
The palace constantly shook from their furious exchange. The crimson and pale white figures slammed together, claws and bone blades clashing, producing a grating screech!
The moment they were repelled by the recoil, preparing to lunge at each other again, a figure suddenly appeared between them. Her blood-red hair flew out, and she calmly raised her arms to the sides.
Thud! Thud!
Two dull sounds occurred almost simultaneously.
'Vortex's' left hand caught the bone hammer wielded by 'Corpse Bone,' and her right hand casually intercepted 'Fierce Eye's' bone arm, blocking both forces.
"Hmm?"
'Corpse Bone's' offensive was blocked, but his savage killing intent only intensified. The bone of his other arm instantly twisted into a sharp spear, ready to strike again!
However, the moment he exerted force, Crack! Snap!
The joints of his limbs suddenly let out a sickening crackle. His entire body instantly became stiff and unnatural, like a puppet suspended by invisible threads, uncontrollably floating in mid-air in a twisted pose.
Looking closely, one could spot faint threads in the air, precisely wrapped around his wrists, ankles, elbows, and knees, completely stripping him of control over his body.
"How cute. Are you two playing house?"
'Puppeteer' sat on a nearby stone pillar, legs crossed, resting her chin on one hand. With a slight flick of her finger, she smiled playfully.
"You!" 'Corpse Bone,' suspended in the air, struggled as an even colder aura surged out of him.
"Enough."
'Vortex' spoke calmly. Her voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable authority that instantly suppressed 'Corpse Bone's' raging aura.
"The Blood Duel for Rank is temporarily adjourned," she continued, her tone unwavering. "I perceive that a new 'Menos Grande' has been born in the Ninja World, specifically in the Land of Wind."
This statement caused the struggling 'Corpse Bone' to pause. 'Fierce Eye' narrowed his eyes. The watching 'Puppeteer' and 'White Fang' also halted slightly.
"I'll go."
Almost simultaneously, two voices rang out. The eyes of 'Fierce Eye' and 'Corpse Bone' instantly locked in a clash again.
"Corpse Bone, you go."
'Vortex' quelled the renewed hostility between them. "If you fail to bring it back, 'Fierce Eye' will take over. But at that point, your rank will belong to the new member."
"Tsk."
'Corpse Bone' was displeased but said nothing. He looked up and roared at the figure perched high on the stone pillar nearby. "Stupid woman! Are you done playing? Let me go now!"
'Puppeteer,' seated atop the pillar, pouted slightly, showing a hint of boredom. With a delicate flick of her finger, Tch!
The almost invisible threads in the air, wrapped around 'Corpse Bone's' joints, instantly retracted and vanished without a trace.
Losing the threads' suspension, 'Corpse Bone's' heavy body crashed to the ground with a thump.
He scrambled up, uncaring, and without sparing them another look, violently raised a bone claw and ripped at the empty space in front of him!
RIIIP!
A sharp sound, like cloth being forcefully torn, abruptly rang out! A black rift with extremely unstable edges was forcibly torn open in space.
"Hmph! The Land of Wind, is it?"
'Corpse Bone' let out a cold snort. He leaped without hesitation, his body plunging into the black rift and disappearing.
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