Ambush
"Pfft."
Shiraishi couldn't help but laugh. "Haha."
The low chuckle was quickly drowned out by a roar from the darkness.
From over ten meters away, Findorr clearly heard it. His expression darkened as he asked coldly,
"What are you laughing at?"
"Sorry. I just remembered something funny."
Shiraishi tried to suppress his grin. He could tell this Hollow truly intended to kill them.
That was what he found amusing—who gave this guy the courage?
"Wrong answer."
Findorr's face grew grim. He had served Baraggan for years and had seen much. He couldn't compare to Baraggan's power or that of the other Espada, but Baraggan's pride lived fully in him.
He looked down on anyone without Reiatsu. To him, Shiraishi's survival was only thanks to protection from a Shinigami companion.
Still, that Shinigami's Reiatsu concealment was formidable—likely strong enough to rank among the upper seats of the Gotei 13.
Findorr raised his claw, reciting his twisted philosophy:
"In life's choices, only the correct answers let you move forward. Mistakes bring consequences. Some mistakes cost you your life. Be smarter in your next one."
High-pressure water burst from his claw. Unlike ordinary water, this Reiatsu-forged stream could pierce anything.
Shiraishi drew his Zanpakutō and swung. An invisible wall of wind surged out, scattering the water without a ripple.
"Oh? I underestimated you," Findorr admitted. This wasn't Kidō but the ability of Shiraishi's Zanpakutō—clearly designed to counter ranged attacks. He would have to get close.
With a spin, Findorr flashed behind Shiraishi and brought down his massive claws like a guillotine.
Blood sprayed.
The world turned upside down. Findorr looked down at the lower half of his body—his upper half was gone. He had been cut apart.
"You kill too quickly."
"I can't help it. There are always idiots who throw themselves onto my blade," Shiraishi said as Findorr's consciousness faded into darkness.
Sheathing his sword, Shiraishi opened his system panel. His brows rose. That ridiculous creature was worth 300 experience points?!
His points leapt from 585 to 885. As expected of a direct subordinate of Baraggan, Findorr's strength rivaled an Adjuchas-class Hollow. No wonder he had been so arrogant. Unfortunately for him, arrogance wasn't enough.
At full strength, neither Adjuchas nor Findorr—without special abilities—could match Shiraishi. Only the Espada truly posed a threat.
Shiraishi lifted his gaze. His senses pierced the darkness, catching the approach of an Espada.
Zaraki Souya asked quietly, "Should we step aside?"
"Dodging won't solve it. This one is determined to die—let's oblige."
Shiraishi had hoped to avoid conflict to prevent complications, but with his pursuers relentless, there was no point holding back. Hueco Mundo was vast, but constantly running was exhausting. Better to end it here.
"Then let's test the strength of a high-ranking Hollow."
Zaraki Souya began manipulating the surrounding space, preparing the battlefield. The oppressive spiritual pressure in the air gradually subsided.
Shiraishi crouched low, waiting in ambush.
Moments later, a figure descended from the darkness. Her boots struck the ground with a dull thud as she approached the faintly glowing trees.
Silvery light revealed her form—long, lake-green hair flowing to her waist, delicate features, a noble oval face marked by faint scar-like lines across her nose. Her gray-brown eyes carried the calm of a seasoned warrior.
She wore the pure white garb of the Espada, her ample chest partly exposed, a Zanpakutō at her waist.
Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck.
Shiraishi froze. Why hadn't Nnoitra ambushed her yet? This was a tricky situation.
He never hesitated to cut down male Espada. But when it came to women, he always felt it a pity.
So, he remained hidden.
Nelliel approached Findorr's corpse. Her eyes sharpened immediately—it had been slain by a Shinigami.
Hollows killed by Shinigami dissipated quickly. Corpses left behind by Hollow battles lingered for years. Findorr's death was fresh.
A Shinigami was nearby. She could feel his Reiatsu, though it was cleverly hidden.
Her brow furrowed. Strange. The stillness here was unnatural, unlike the chaos of the Great Hollow Forest.
Nelliel had spent most of her Hollow life in this forest, fighting and devouring others, climbing from Gillian to Adjuchas, and beyond. That path of savage evolution was drenched in blood. Even now, recalling it filled her with revulsion.
It was why she respected Aizen—he had given Hollows a new path beyond that barbarity. For Aizen-sama's sake, she endured this place once more.
Could the silence here be the work of a Shinigami? If he were releasing his full Reiatsu, she might believe it. But this hidden pressure… it felt different.
Her hand went to her Zanpakutō. Raising her voice, she called out:
"Shinigami! How long will you hide in the shadows?"
Her clear voice rang out.
The air shifted. Several massive Hollows lunged from the darkness, claws tearing into the ground where she had stood.
Nelliel leapt aside, gray eyes narrowing. Instead of striking them, she released her spiritual pressure. An ordinary Hollow would have fled at once—but these did not stop.
So, they're being controlled.
Calculating the spread of the aura, she pieced together the enemy's ability.
Her hand gripped her Zanpakutō as she declared:
"Sing, Antelope Knight!"
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