Nelliel vs. Zaraki Souya
Her whisper faded.
In the vast Great Hollow Forest, silver and shadow crisscrossed as a brilliant pink light erupted, accompanied by a powerful shockwave.
The rocky ground crumbled instantly. Several massive Hollows that had charged forward were blasted back, their shattered bodies clattering against the trees.
Shiraishi narrowed his eyes. He knew this power well—it was a Hollow's Resurrección, their true form.
He had never fully understood its meaning. Hollows sealed their essence into a blade, and releasing it restored their original power. Why restrict oneself to a sword only to unleash it again? Even a Hollow wouldn't drop its pants just to fart. Perhaps there were hidden benefits he hadn't uncovered.
The pink brilliance faded, returning the forest to darkness.
Nelliel's transformation was complete.
Her upper body changed little, though the horns that once adorned her skull now separated, curving backward. White armor covered her collarbone, shoulders, elbows, and hands, over black long-sleeved gloves.
Her lower body shifted dramatically, becoming goat-like, covered in gray-brown fur, the size of a horse. A thick, lake-green tail swayed behind her.
She stood tall, a knightly figure gripping a massive double-headed lance. Her hooves struck the ground with weighty force.
Her spiritual pressure surged, pushing the very air aside. Even Shiraishi felt his chest tighten.
Zaraki Souya abandoned the futility of controlling lesser Hollows and stepped out of concealment.
"You finally show yourself, Shinigami."
Nelliel lifted her head, her expression cold.
"What are you doing in Hueco Mundo?"
"To purify Hollows," Zaraki Souya replied simply, then added, "Your release resembles a Shinigami's Shikai. Was this Aizen's doing?"
The Espada's eyes hardened. "Since you know Aizen-sama's name, you cannot leave alive."
She had spared Nnoitra countless times, but she had no mercy for enemies of Aizen. Repaying debts was the creed of a knight.
"Thank you for confirming it." Zaraki Souya's voice was calm, but he understood—this woman was one of Aizen's Espada. He had underestimated her.
"One last question: what rank do you hold among the Espada?"
"Defeat me and you'll know."
Expressionless, Nelliel raised her weapon. "Emerald Shooter."
Her lance spun and hurled forward like a storm.
The strike was blindingly fast. A gash tore open Zaraki Souya's chest, his form dissolving into spirit particles. The weapon drilled past, tearing through the air until Nelliel caught it in her grasp, hooves striking the ground with a sharp crack.
Yet doubt flickered in her eyes.
That's it? Too easy.
Her instincts screamed otherwise.
From the darkness, a man's voice intoned with cold detachment:
"A faint, murky emblem… a rebellious, arrogant talent…"
Kidō. The Shinigami still lived.
Nelliel's gaze swept the shadows, senses straining—but she could not locate him.
The chanting multiplied, echoing from the glowing trees, from the ground itself. Plant-like mouths opened, forming seals with their hands, voices overlapping:
"Beast bones scattered everywhere… wheels of crimson crystal on the spire… twin lotuses carved upon a wall of blue flame… follow my command!"
The darkness churned with a thousand overlapping incantations. It was eerie, suffocating.
Her spine chilled. The Kidō spells were stacking, waiting to be released all at once.
Then, silence.
Nelliel tried to move, but her black sleeves twisted alive, binding her arms, pulling her down. Her body strained against itself—hair tangled with her tail, hooves pried apart. She couldn't break free.
Biting her tongue, she gathered energy, pink light forming in her mouth—Cero Doble.
The world fell deathly silent. Then came the explosion.
A shockwave tore through the Great Hollow Forest, shattering the tree Shiraishi had taken cover behind, turning earth to sand.
BOOM!
Like a nuclear blast, the roar rolled for kilometers. Within thirty kilometers, trees and Hollows alike were annihilated.
"Puff!"
Zaraki Souya's consciousness was ripped from Hueco Mundo, pulled back into his true body in the Seireitei. Blood spilled from his lips as he collapsed unconscious.
The forest reeled in devastation. Dust and debris filled the air until even the faint silver light was gone. It was pitch black.
"Cough—cough!"
Nelliel spat blood. Her own injuries were grave. Her Resurrección faded, returning her to normal form.
Her white battle garb hung in tatters. Sleeves gone, back and midriff exposed, cloth barely covering her chest. Her pants were shredded.
She staggered forward, barely two steps, her body swaying. Her gray-brown eyes unfocused—then sharpened as she sensed a presence.
"Who is it?!" she shouted.
A mocking voice drifted from the dark:
"Lady Nelliel, why so vigilant? Wouldn't it be better to die without knowing?"
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