"—chan! Ken-chan!"
Under Las Noches' dome raging with crater-like heat, an out-of-place young girl was shouting.
The high-pitched voice called to a lump of melted, solidified quartz. Then that rock suddenly shattered, and like from an egg, a large figure—a man—emerged.
"Bwahaa! Yachiru, how long was I asleep?"
The man was bizarre. His entire body charred, blood flowing profusely from skin cracked like bedrock. Standing up despite mortal injuries as if nothing—that monster was the partner of the lovely child puffing her cheeks beside him.
"Geez! Because Ken-chan was sleepy, Momo-chin and Ichi went to the sky above! They even took Pururin!"
"Tch, pain in the ass... wait, huh? That woman's called 'Momo-chin'?"
"Yep! She's nice, always giving yummy sweets! But hiding being so strong is mean!"
While the large man ignored the sulking child's tantrum, cracking his stiffened limbs, nobody present cared about blood dripping from carbonized, split skin.
"...Damn... I'm weak..."
"That's not true! Ken-chan and me are the strongest! At full power, we can definitely get revenge on Momo-chin!"
"'Full power'... like that time..."
At the child's encouragement, the weakened monster recalled distant memories. The greatest clash enjoyed with the strongest swordmaster. That person and now this—seems he had many connections with strong women.
"...No, can't. As I am now, I'll lose no matter how many times I challenge her."
"Ken-chan!"
"Shut up, don't yell. Nobody said anything about giving up."
From tearful face to suddenly blank stare—the large man grinned at his partner. For the first time facing a transcendent being with no visible chance of victory—how to win? Time pondering such supreme battle was unexpectedly pleasant for the sword demon.
"First, I lost to Ichigo."
"Yeah..."
"That made me get serious about not staying as I was, then I beat that justice-screaming Tosen. Then just now fought and beat Nnoitra, and I clearly felt my body's dullness fading."
"Yeah, Ken-chan looked super happy!"
Infected by the child's smile, the monster deepened his vicious grin.
"Meaning: to beat Momo-chin, I need to at least regain that feeling. That greatest clash sensation when I fought that person to death."
The tilting-head partner made sense—that was before meeting her, his most enjoyable battle with the strongest enemy in his lifetime.
Memories bubbling up circulated through the man's wounded body. His strength then wasn't this level.
Sheathing his drawn blade, disappointed in that person now weakly healing trash in Fourth Division. But perhaps the truly weakened one was me.
"...Alright, let's go Yachiru. Warm up with other Espada before the main event!"
"Yeah, let's go! Ken-chan!"
Tattered zanpakuto right, child on left shoulder, the large man walked. Though those feet stopped after three steps.
"...So where's the next Espada?"
"Um... oh! Speaking of which, Broken Glasses said something about attacking somewhere, so maybe they went there?"
"Who's that?"
Hearing the incoherent explanation in detail, apparently they'd been imprisoned in Hueco Mundo by Aizen Sosuke's scheme. And the great criminal had already marched to the World of the Living. Probably that "Momo-chin" and Espada went there too.
The monster's shoulders drooped at the setback. Maybe he should crash Ichigo's battle happening atop this huge dome...
"Dammit... any strong guys around—"
Just as the irritated man rashly started running.
"Cero Espada
Yammy Llargo!!"
Suddenly, tremendous spiritual pressure and a massive Arrancar appeared in the distance.
『...』
Brief silence, large man and child staring at each other. Both faces carved with full smiles.
"...There's one, a strong guy!"
And the monster—Gotei 13 Eleventh Division Captain Zaraki Kenpachi—without Vice-Captain Kusajishi Yachiru's notoriously unreliable guidance, charged toward the prey before him.
Blood seeping from his scorched skin had somehow stopped.
***
Ulquiorra died.
That taciturn guy we'd searched for half a century lost.
"Yo, got pretty big in the time I didn't see you."
Lost to the man who suddenly appeared saving his female Shinigami comrade—Kurosaki Ichigo.
The massive beast who'd crushed three invaders—Yammy Llargo—had become the last Espada remaining in Hueco Mundo. His synchronized Aaroniero who could wield countless Hollow powers simultaneously, death-seeking Nnoitra who claimed himself strongest without hesitation, and Szayelaporro the strongest and most wicked Arrancar who'd been this Cero Espada's predecessor.
All dead.
"...Bastards."
Chasing Kurosaki Ichigo who darted around occasionally pricking through his Hierro. Firing rapid Bala, swinging hammer tail and giant arms, Yammy thrilled at his limitlessly rising rage.
Yet simultaneously, he was inwardly somewhat detached.
"Ha, what's wrong, trash! That annoying mask done already?"
"Guh... damn! Like hell...!"
Despite cocky words, the grudge Shinigami seemed strangely frightened. Whether exhausted from battles before arriving, he never successfully used that "Hollowfication" again.
"Wh-why— gah!?"
"Hmph... seems that idiot Ulquiorra did some work. ...Well, doesn't make much difference to me though!!"
"Guaaaaaaah!!"
Catching the panicking trash whose trump card misfired, crushing him.
But just before, impact struck Yammy's head.
"Hado Number Thirty-Three: Sokatsui."
Bad, this familiar burning spiritual pressure—that terrifying flame-type Kido. Yammy, startled by recalled trauma, inadvertently released Kurosaki Ichigo.
"...Byakuya!?"
"Stand back, Kurosaki Ichigo. My brother has no business here."
Black-clad figures swarming—enemy reinforcements again. Like those Las Noches strongest creatures that even made the Arrancar army Commander cry—G insects occasionally seen at Aizen's farm.
"...Bankai."
—Senbonzakura Kageyoshi—
Countless blades glittering pink, clinging stubbornly no matter how much beaten or brushed away. Probably the captain-class who defeated Zommari from reports. With wounds healed and spiritual pressure fully recovered, even the meaning of that guy's battle... no, even the meaning of his death was gone.
"Ahhh, pisses me off! Trash bugs are annoying!!"
"...!"
"Come on! Hurry up and get crushed to death!!"
Massive bodies themselves were overwhelming violence. The charge delivered by skillfully manipulating eight legs became impact exceeding enemy imagination.
"Tch... I see. Regarding destructive power, that number isn't just for show apparently."
"Ha, when did I show my power's bottom? Thanks to you trash, my rage is infinite!"
But blocked by countless blade shields, the long-haired bastard escaped Yammy's charge with one arm's damage. His freely transforming Bankai. Fly-like quick Shunpo. Irritating, irritating, irritating.
"If you wanna see it that bad, I'll show you! This is my... strongest Cero!!"
"...!?"
Surrendering to rage, Yammy finally fired the released Espada's trump card.
—Cero Oscuras—
The enormous spiritual pressure attack bisected the great dome's desert along with the shocked Shinigami, causing a massive explosion. The sand tsunami instantly swallowing surroundings was like natural disaster. Surely even cockroaches died from that firepower—Yammy roared victory.
"Ha... hahaha! How's that, Zommari! Cleaning up your mess is nothing for me—
Guaaaah!!?"
But the monster's triumphant voice suddenly changed to agonized scream. A slash flying from the rising dust cloud severed one of Yammy's legs.
"—Move aside, Kuchiki Byakuya."
And then.
"This one's my prey!!"
Into the battle beneath Las Noches' dome, fully prepared, the final intruder appeared...
"—Ahh, auaa?"
Suddenly, I returned to myself at the sensation of my Shihakusho hem being tugged.
Looking beside me, Wonderweiss tilted his head cutely, asking with vacant eyes, "Not going?"
"...Yes, sorry. It's about time."
Rising from the rubble, patting my bottom. Considerately doing his too.
"Come on, brush off the sand. It's unseemly being dirty."
"Auaa?"
Right. What's starting now is the stage of a lifetime.
Showing my prettiest dressed-up form... and getting as dirty as possible before that child.
"—Fufufu, ufufufu..."
"Auu...?"
...Ah, sorry Wonderweiss. Did I scare you?
But forgive me. Today, you see, your superior becomes a crazy girl.
A pitiful, sad girl driven mad by a bad man.
"Fufu... ah, I'm so excited..."
Before my eyes, the world's distortion opened.
Beyond the darkness appeared the long-familiar, plain concrete and wooden houses of that country town.
Slide...
Slide...
Turning with a smile at Wonderweiss, gently petting the massive monster following behind. His favorite, Fura-kun.
"You two, did you bring that?"
"Aaau!"
『—Ooooooh...』
One person and one being holding up small black boxes.
Good, then it's fine. Fight to your heart's content.
"...Everyone else okay too?"
Finally placing hand on chest, smoothly directing consciousness to my soul's depths.
A beautiful celestial maiden and peach-colored jewel welcomed me.
『...Finally.』
"Yeah, at last."
『—Hurry hurry!—Can't wait anymore!—Ah, finally, finally I can see—Haa haa haa haa—』
"Yeah, can't wait. Finally I can see."
A naturally floating smile.
Gently hiding it so Wonderweiss beside me won't be frightened.
"—Now then, shall we go?"
The three of us looking cool, eerie, and tragic.
And stylishly going to meet you.
...Hey, you.
I worked hard.
So accept it.
My
love
...
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