Chereads / Bleach: the shades of darkness / Chapter 15 - chapter 15: Hueco Mundo (part 3)

Chapter 15 - chapter 15: Hueco Mundo (part 3)

The vast dunes of Hueco Mundo stretched endlessly under the pale moonlight, casting an ethereal glow over the desolate desert. The silence was deafening, broken only by the faint whispers of shifting sand as two titanic figures faced off in the open expanse. Captain Ryoma Ishiguro stood tall, his dark, unruly hair framing his sharp features, the moon casting faint shadows across his intimidating form. His broad shoulders exuded a sense of authority and raw power, his massive Zanpakutō resting casually on his shoulder.

Standing opposite him, Captain Akiro Benjiro grinned, his rugged features softened by the excitement in his eyes. His hand rested on the hilt of his blade, ready to draw at a moment's notice. The faint rustle of his haori in the wind was the only sign of movement as he regarded Ryoma with a mixture of challenge and camaraderie.

"You've been itching for this, haven't you, Ryoma?" Akiro teased, unsheathing his Zanpakutō in a smooth motion. The metallic ring of the blade echoed, sharp and resonant, as he pointed it toward his fellow captain.

Ryoma chuckled, the sound low and rough like a distant storm. "You could say that. But don't go holding back now, Akiro. I want you at your best."

Akiro smirked. "Oh, don't worry. You'll get more than you can handle."

With a nod, Ryoma planted his feet firmly in the sand, the weight of his spiritual pressure suddenly crashing down. The air around him darkened, rippling like disturbed water as his aura surged forth in waves. A dark blue hue, laced with hints of black, enveloped him, radiating pure power.

Akiro's grin widened as he felt the pressure, his own aura flaring to life in response. The dark green energy around him roared like a windstorm, whipping the sand at his feet into a swirling vortex. "Not bad, Ryoma. But let's see if you can handle this."

On the sidelines, Yami stood with arms crossed, his sharp eyes fixed on the two captains. A satisfied grin spread across his face as he felt their combined spiritual energy. The sheer magnitude of it was exhilarating. This is the level I'm striving for, he thought.

The two captains wasted no time. With a burst of speed, they dashed toward each other, their movements so fast they left trails in the sand. The clash of their blades sent shockwaves rippling through the dunes, the metallic ring echoing like thunder.

Ryoma led with a powerful vertical slash, his strength evident in the force behind his blade. Akiro countered with a diagonal strike, deflecting Ryoma's attack and stepping to the side to deliver a quick horizontal slash. Ryoma blocked effortlessly, their blades sparking as they met.

The spar began light, both captains testing each other's reflexes and techniques. Vertical, horizontal, and diagonal strikes flowed seamlessly, the tempo of their duel gradually increasing. Each time their blades collided, they vanished and reappeared a moment later, their movements too fast for most to follow.

Yami observed their footwork, the precision of their strikes, and the way they adapted to each other's rhythm. His grin grew as he watched their spar escalate.' They're just getting started.'

After a flurry of exchanges, Akiro sidestepped Ryoma's overhead strike and chuckled. "You're holding back, aren't you? You think I can't take you at full strength?"

Ryoma smirked, his blade resting casually on his shoulder once more. "Maybe I'm just giving you a chance to keep up."

"Is that so?" Akiro said, his tone light but challenging. "Well then, let's see what happens when I turn things up a notch."

The wind around Akiro intensified, whipping his haori around as he launched forward. Their blades met again, but this time, the force of the clash was enough to send tremors through the dunes.

Ryoma's grin turned feral as he pushed back with equal force. "That's more like it!"

The spar intensified. Each slash they delivered reshaped the sand dunes around them, carving trenches and sending plumes of sand flying with every impact. Ryoma's strikes were ferocious, each one carrying the weight of an unrelenting torrent, while Akiro's counters were precise and unyielding, his movements as sharp as the gale his aura resembled.

Yami's heart raced as he watched the battle unfold. The intensity of their duel was palpable, each swing of their blades creating shockwaves that rattled the barriers he had set up around the battlefield. When he noticed cracks forming in the barriers, he extended his hands, his spiritual pressure flaring as he quickly repaired them. His calm expression returned, though the excitement in his eyes betrayed him.

'These two are monsters,' Yami thought, his grin widening again. 'And they're getting a bit serious.'

"Having fun yet?" Akiro called out mid-clash, deflecting a particularly heavy blow from Ryoma.

Ryoma barked a laugh, stepping back to deliver a sweeping horizontal slash that forced Akiro to dodge. "You kidding? This is the most fun I've had in weeks!"

Akiro smirked as he sidestepped another attack. "Good. Let's see how long you can keep up."

They clashed again, the power behind their strikes growing with each exchange. Ryoma delivered a devastating downward slash, the force of which split the sand beneath their feet. Akiro countered with a spinning strike, the wind around him creating a vortex that deflected the blow.

Their movements became a blur, the desert around them transforming into a chaotic battlefield. The once pristine dunes were now marred with trenches and craters, the result of their overwhelming power.

After another intense exchange, both captains stepped back, their breaths steady but their grins wide.

"This was a great idea," Ryoma admitted, his dark blue aura still flaring around him.

Akiro chuckled, his dark green spiritual pressure crackling like a storm. "I told you it would be. But don't get comfortable yet."

"Oh?" Ryoma tilted his head, curiosity flickering in his eyes.

Akiro raised his Zanpakutō, holding it before him as his grin turned sharp. "It's about to get more interesting."

With a commanding voice, he called out: "Ascend, Shōryūfū!"

The chapter ended with a burst of green energy illuminating the battlefield, Yami's eyes widening in anticipation of the power about to be unleashed.

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