REVIEWS AND POWERSTONES PLSSS!!!!!REVIEWS AND POWERSTONES PLSSS!!!!!REVIEWS AND POWERSTONES PLSSS!!!!!Chapter 116: Dankū
The other side of the battlefield.
The instant Metastacia appeared, Suoh confirmed its identity.
That twisted form matched his memories almost perfectly.
Judging from spiritual pressure intensity, this Hollow had devoured and fused with numerous others. Its strength likely wouldn't prove much weaker than when it appeared in the original story.
Next his gaze rapidly swept toward the cavern depths.
There, a faint yet stubbornly persisting soul fluctuation flickered like a candle flame wavering before extinction.
"Hitsugaya, deep in the cavern against the left wall—that squad member's still alive."
"Once the Hollow's drawn away, immediately go inside and use pills and Kaidō to sustain his vital signs."
"Kaien-niisan, guard Hitsugaya and the cave entrance. Kaidō requires intense focus—can't be interrupted."
"That thing seems very interested in Rangiku-san. I'll handle the frontal battlefield. Don't worry!"
Suoh's voice remained steady yet swift, clearly transmitting to everyone's ears.
Only he and Hitsugaya had studied Kaidō extensively—an indispensable condition for implementing rescue.
His choice to remain on the frontal battlefield stemmed from his understanding of Metastacia.
First, the first person whose arm it touched would have their zanpakuto vanish.
Second, it could shoot out its core to parasitically occupy spiritual bodies.
The Hollow before them likely possessed abilities revealed in the original story, while other capabilities remained unknown.
Even if this version possessed completely new unknown abilities, Suoh held confidence he could respond.
"Understood!"
Others answered in unison.
Tactics established, only execution remained.
"Oh? Interested in me? Too bad—I have zero interest in disgusting, ugly things like you!"
Matsumoto Rangiku inhaled deeply, suppressing inner revulsion and fury.
Her mouth corners hooked into a cold arc, voice carrying thick provocation.
"Growl, Haineko!"
The instant her zanpakuto released, the blade flashed and transformed into countless fine dust particles, sweeping forth like a sandstorm, glittering with silver luster under moonlight.
Dust instantly covered Metastacia's massive frame.
"Trivial tricks!"
Vision blocked, it showed no panic whatsoever, roaring once.
Tentacles atop its head danced rapidly, attempting to disperse this smoke and dust.
At this moment, Matsumoto Rangiku's hilt swung downward through empty air. Countless fine wounds suddenly burst open across its body, blood spraying.
The particles' function wasn't merely obscuring vision—each dust grain represented her blade's extension.
"ROAR—!"
"Damn woman! I'll eat you starting from the feet, savoring your screams thoroughly!"
Pain and fury completely ignited Metastacia's rage. Spiritual pressure violently erupted, dispersing surrounding smoke and dust.
Simultaneously, its body surface began secreting fine mucus, rapidly covering wounds.
Immediately after, it charged straight toward Matsumoto Rangiku.
"Tch, truly revolting!"
Matsumoto Rangiku frowned. Dust instantly contracted, once again condensing into blade edge in her hand.
Her zanpakuto possessed limited killing power. Just now had already represented her Shikai's damage limit.
"Move!"
The moment had arrived.
Hitsugaya and Shiba Kaien's figures suddenly surged forward, drawing a circle on the battlefield's edge left and right, rushing toward the pitch-black cavern behind it.
Shiba Kaien held his blade standing directly before the cavern, form isolating frontal battlefield from cave interior.
Inside the cavern.
Hitsugaya's hand emitted red light illuminating surroundings. He immediately found the barely breathing, mutilated figure beneath the rock wall.
"Hitsu—"
"Don't speak. Hold on."
Hitsugaya spoke in low voice, retrieving pills from his clothes and feeding them into the other's mouth.
Then his hands emanated Kaidō radiance, covering the wounded, consciousness immersed in treatment.
Vision returned to the frontal battlefield.
Under Metastacia's furious rage, its speed proved astonishing.
Thick arms tore through air, killing toward Matsumoto Rangiku.
Suoh's footsteps shifted slightly. His body naturally blocked half a body-width diagonally before Matsumoto Rangiku.
Zanpakuto unsheathed, blade tip slightly lowered, pointing toward Metastacia's center of gravity direction.
Sharp blade light flashed past.
One thick arm severed cleanly at the root, instantly separating and falling to ground.
"GAH! Damn brat!"
Metastacia released deafening pained howls. At the severed limb, flesh buds writhed madly. Extremely rapid regeneration speed instantly stopped wound bleeding.
The other five limbs suddenly pushed against ground, pulling back in retreat. Hollow eye sockets locked dead onto Suoh who'd struck once then retreated, opening distance.
Overwhelming killing intent mixed with violent spiritual pressure, immediately shifting targets!
"Tsukasa, careful!"
Matsumoto Rangiku called urgently, holding blade attempting to assist from the flank.
However.
PFFT!
A mass of dense deep-purple poisonous gas sprayed from Metastacia's mouth, rapidly expanding.
Not only enveloping toward Suoh, but also blocking Matsumoto Rangiku's coordinated attack approach from the side.
"Poison fog? How troublesome!"
Matsumoto Rangiku's brow furrowed, flashing backward in retreat.
The poison fog's range proved quite large, greatly limiting her movement and attack routes.
"Hadō Number Fifty-Eight: Tenran!"
Suoh's gaze continuously locked firmly onto the opponent, calmly observing its every minute movement.
Whirlwind arose from his palm, completing simultaneously the instant poison fog expanded.
Dense poison fog was completely blown away by this sudden fierce wind, along with the Hollow's massive frame sliding backward several feet.
Poison fog swept past battlefield edges. Vegetation instantly lost all vitality upon contact, corroding and withering.
"Rangiku, long-range containment! Opponent's other abilities unknown—don't rashly close in!"
Suoh didn't relax vigilance from familiarity with the original story, reminding her.
"Understood!"
"Growl!"
Matsumoto Rangiku quickly responded to Suoh's reminder. Footsteps halted abruptly, opening distance, ensuring she occupied relatively safe position.
Haineko in hand transformed to fine dust again, condensing into several rope-like forms rapidly swimming toward the Hollow's limbs.
Though she hadn't clearly seen Suoh's slash just now, she'd still noticed the skill level gap.
Her Haineko excelled more at control and harassment rather than frontal assault.
Therefore current objective proved very clear—entangle and sever the Hollow's limb joints hindering movement, creating opportunities for Suoh.
"Damn... so annoying!"
Metastacia's fury blazed hotter from harassment.
Spiritual pressure surged again breaking free from restraints, carrying chaotic frenzied breath, unhesitatingly charging toward Matsumoto Rangiku.
"...!"
Matsumoto Rangiku felt inexplicable chill enveloping her entire body. The hilt in hand and dust across the battlefield rapidly vanished.
The phenomenon's occurrence simultaneously caused her spiritual pressure to experience momentary chaos, affecting her movements.
Suoh detected its attack intent. Shunpo flashed, holding blade blocking before her.
Seeing him, Metastacia's mouth corners twisted into savage grin. Fury was real, feint also real.
Target wasn't Matsumoto Rangiku!
It judged—eliminating this annoying Suoh would break the stalemate of being pulled between two opponents.
"Die!"
Tentacles atop its head explosively shot forth, transforming into countless threads flying toward both.
Yet this likewise represented precisely the effect Suoh desired.
He intended killing Metastacia thoroughly and completely. Successfully forcing out this trump card also meant the enemy before him held no other means.
From battle's start, he'd deliberately restrained combat power precisely to prevent any special escape methods.
"Bakudō Number Eighty-One: Dankū!"
Suoh's voice sounded at this critical moment. A magnificent spirit particle defensive wall instantly opened before him and Matsumoto Rangiku.
Complete defense!
THUD THUD THUD—
Countless tentacle threads capable of piercing rock violently impacted the suddenly risen Dankū, producing dense muffled sounds.
"Number eighty-one Bakudō...?!"
Behind Suoh, Matsumoto Rangiku's pupils contracted slightly.
"Illuminate Ten Thousand Blades, Kikou!"
"Reflect!"
Kikou released. Radiance blazed across the battlefield. Where light reached, Metastacia's chaotic twisted soul essence was exposed, possessing nowhere to hide beneath illumination's glow.
All shot threads, along with tentacle remnants fallen to ground after firing, irretrievably welcomed annihilation.
***
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