“Split up and break through to contact for rescue!”
“Yes!”
Without much time to consider a strategy, Ōmaeda gave the order, and everyone scattered, dashing in different directions.
Ōmaeda specifically chose a route completely opposite to Seireitei.
During his escape, he hastily looked back and, sure enough, the white body of the Menos Grande flew through the night, pursuing relentlessly like a bat.
This also meant his strategy was correct.
Higher-ranking Shinigami were more tempting as prey.
So he simply used this to draw fire, allowing his subordinates to escape to safety.
The subordinates who miraculously survived would naturally not betray his sacrifice, and would certainly call for aid to Seireitei via their Denreishinki at the first opportunity.
Junrin’an was so close to Seireitei.
By using his superior Shunpo to contend with the enemy, he would surely be able to stall until reinforcements arrived.
However, running in the opposite direction initially allowed the enemy to pursue without worry, but it wouldn’t allow him to rendezvous with the approaching reinforcements, so he had to change his route.
Just as Ōmaeda was turning, the Menos Grande suddenly fired a Cero.
Its purpose was not to kill, but to block the path.
The sudden explosion and shockwave severely hindered Ōmaeda’s Shunpo.
The Menos Grande seized the opportunity and rapidly closed in.
“Gegetsuburi!”
Ōmaeda heavily swung his large iron ball, but this move was effective against ordinary people, and this Menos Grande was clearly no ordinary enemy.
With extensive combat experience, it deftly dodged the attack by sidestepping.
Then it moved along the chain, closing in on Ōmaeda, and like kicking a ball, unleashed a powerful kick directly to his face, sending him flying over a hundred meters into the forest, creating a bloody path through the trees.
“Damn it, he hit my face!”
Ōmaeda wiped his nosebleed, cursing under his breath, his heart growing heavier with unease.
He’s too strong.
Aside from being a bit slow, I haven’t found any weaknesses yet.
The probability of a counter-kill is very low, but the probability of dying is very high.
When encountering such an opponent, it’s best to retreat.
Just as Ōmaeda was about to continue fleeing, the Menos Grande suddenly surged, its speed more than double what it was before!
“What?!”
This change made Ōmaeda’s pupils contract.
Almost the next moment, the Menos Grande appeared before him.
How could this speed be described as a bit slow?
It was incredibly fast!
“You want to stall for time, and I also want to get further away from Seireitei, so you won’t discover my secret.”
The Menos Grande grabbed Ōmaeda’s wrist, which was instinctively trying to counterattack with his Zanpakutō, holding it firmly in mid-air.
Secret?
Ōmaeda didn’t understand, but he knew he had been tricked.
The opponent had simply realized that the Onmitsukidō members were difficult to catch, and he didn’t want to miss anyone, which could lead to some secrets being exposed during the hunt and later reported, drawing the special attention of the Gotei 13.
That would certainly bring unnecessary trouble to the opponent, leading to a loss of interests.
So, he deliberately let the others go, then forced himself away from the main group, creating a private one-on-one environment where he could act freely and recklessly.
“You bastard…”
Suddenly, Ōmaeda again caught the opponent’s unusual gaze.
This time, being closer, he understood its meaning.
The curses on his lips turned into a gasp.
“Your objective, you bastard, is my Zanpakutō?”
Yes, the opponent was looking at his Gegetsuburi with an unusual gaze.
“See? It’s too easy to be discovered, but instinct is really hard to control, so I must be careful, otherwise if the Shinigami discover me, it won’t be good for me.”
The Menos Grande grinned.
The sight of its three heads smiling simultaneously was terrifying.
But its objective was even more chilling to ponder.
“What good does doing something like this do for you?!”
A hint of panic welled up in Ōmaeda’s heart; this was the first time a Hollow had coveted a Shinigami’s weapon.
Could it be that…
“Why ask? Of course, it’s… to eat.”
The Menos Grande extended its three tongues, licking its teeth, its cruel and greedy gaze lingering on Gegetsuburi.
“I’m surprised myself that as a Hollow, I can evolve by devouring Shinigami’s weapons. But this is also related to my ability to consume metal and the fact that Shinigami’s swords appear to be made of metal.”
“Zanpakutō tastes much better than metal, especially the swords held by powerful Shinigami. It’s just a pity I only realized this a few years ago. If it had been a thousand or even two thousand years ago, I would have already become the King of Hueco Mundo.”
“So, the missing students and administrators were all captured by you, their swords taken, and then brutally murdered?!”
Ōmaeda’s pupils dilated in shock.
“My original intention was to capture them and force them to attract stronger Shinigami, but I didn’t expect the seemingly easier-to-bully brats to be surprisingly difficult. Even with conflicts among themselves, they showed no sign of giving up. They’re truly uncooperative.”
“On the other hand, that older Shinigami was much better than those two brats, with a tendency to soften his attitude, so I confined him in the cave, planning to slowly persuade him.”
The Menos Grande’s tone was filled with regret.
“Just at this moment, you arrived. To be honest, I’m both angry and happy. Although my plan was interrupted, my objective seems to have been achieved.”
“So, do you want to cooperate with me? You’re much stronger than that guy who might already be buried under rubble, and you should be more sensible, more suitable as my partner. I am the future King of Hueco Mundo, Ques Cucabarra.”
Ōmaeda was stunned by the words, then a realization dawned on him.
“Is that why you’re telling me so much?”
“So, your answer is…?”
Ques’s expectant expression was mixed with chilling killing intent.
To be honest, being forced to endure such an ominous and powerful spiritual pressure at close range was very uncomfortable.
A sword at his throat would be more comfortable than this.
However, Ōmaeda, surprisingly, showed no fear, even feeling a little like laughing, his rough voice tinged with disdain.
“Hey, Menos Grande.”
“It’s Ques Cucabarra.” This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
“I don’t care what you’re called. In my eyes, you’re just a brutal Hollow. I don’t know what choice that unfortunate guy who got smashed made, but if because of me, you look down on Shinigami, especially high-ranking Shinigami, the Captain will definitely kill me.”
“Then you mean to refuse?”
“If I have to say, I’ve made the same choice as those two unyielding brats.”
“…Is that so? Then all of you shall die.”
Ques was silent for a moment, then his left and right heads began to gather dazzling crimson light.
“Well, I guessed this reaction.”
Ōmaeda took a deep breath, then raised his spiritual pressure to its peak.
No matter what, he couldn’t just sit there and wait to die.
“To actually think you can recruit Shinigami, a senseless Hollow like you needs to be shown the backbone of the Second Division!”
Pfft!
Suddenly, almost without warning, a sharp blade tip pierced through Ques’s chest.
A few drops of blood splattered on Ōmaeda’s face.
The latter was so shocked he lost his voice, his intensely erupting spiritual pressure momentarily stagnating.
“What?”
This time it was Ques’s turn to be furious and shocked.
He grabbed Ōmaeda’s arm and flung him behind him.
But the attacker, having anticipated this, drew his sword and crouched low, avoiding being hit.
Judging by his posture, it was clearly Takashi.
“Waaah!”
Ōmaeda, transformed into a human cannonball, screamed in terror in mid-air, completely devoid of his previous brave defiance against the Menos Grande.
Takashi’s pupils glowed blue as his spiritual pressure surged to its maximum.
His low-crouched body sprang up like a leopard, his Zanpakutō slashing upwards.
A cold glint flashed and vanished, more beautiful than moonlight, directly cutting the inside of Ques’s wrist.
The wound was deep enough to expose bone, and dark red blood splattered in the air.
Ques cried out in pain and released Ōmaeda, sending him flying uncontrollably.
Fortunately, Hachihara reached out from a tree and accurately grabbed his collar, then, like Tarzan, swiftly disappeared into the forest.
“You’re asking for death!”
The enraged Menos Grande, about to counterattack Takashi, had its feet encased by rocks that burst from the ground.
Although he broke free from Rindō’s full-power, unknown Bakudō in less than two seconds.
But during that time, a thick golden lightning bolt struck from afar, immensely powerful, charging at Ques like a thunder beast.
Accompanied by dazzling electric sparks and charred flesh fragments.
The heavily injured Ques followed in Ōmaeda’s footsteps, flying far away like a kite with a broken string.
This was still not the end.
In the direction he flew, Ichigo, who had been waiting, did not miss the opportunity.
He leapt out of the bushes without hesitation, flashing forward with a horizontal slash, dividing Ques’s shattered body into two halves.