Grimmjow and Grandfisher ?' Ichigo spoke with dread and solemnness. Both were foes he had faced and defeated in the past and barely.
Those two would join up and attack his hometown with an army of hollows did not surprise him.
But when he and Bamabetti emerged outside the town's barrier among the rest of the troops. What he saw outside instantly made his heart run ice-cold as he took his first sight of the wastelands before him.
Ruins of streets and buildings lay wasted across the terrain. Various trees, bushes, and weeds grew over the structures and the shattered and worn pavement. At the same time, they have broken down rusted cars that lay either scattered on the open barren field or crushed up together on abandoned roads.
Yet even more disturbing was when Ichigo began to look over the ruins more and noticed they also had a much older design. As if they were built in the mid-20th century... if not older.
'Sad, isn't it?' Babbitt mused and looked over the desolate wasteland herself as she walked from behind the soul reaper. 'Over sixty years ago, this entire countryside used to be booming with traffic, business, and greenery. Now it looks no better than an open-cut corpse that stood out to rot for too long...'
Ichigo didn't say anything. For the longest time, he knew that hollows, or at least the strongest of them. It could cause massive amounts of damage if left unchecked. But even so, he never realized just how much it could be. What would happen if they went beyond Kakura town and targeted everything else outside it?
'So, the raids...Ichigo began to ask with his hands now shaking with sorrow. 'When did they first start?
Ichigo knew he was potentially breaking his cover for asking such a troubling question. But he couldn't help himself. Luckily the sternritter seems to take it in stead.
'You should have already studied this. But sure, I will give you the short version. If only to keep your mind focused.' Bamabtee then looked over to a pair of ruined skyscrapers that had collapsed. Before recounting the story.
'In 1953. A massive wave of hollows numbering in over the billions invaded the world of the living and began attacking all the human settlements at once. However, the Holy Kingdom was able to organize a counterattack. That pushed back the hollows and forced them into a retreat. Unfortunately, even though we were victorious. Almost all civilizations across the earth were wiped out, with Karakara town being among the handful of cities that managed to survive. Since then, many have called the first hollow invasion the night of hollowing dead.'
Ichigo then stood silent and took in everything he had to listen to. Before asking another question.
'And who leads the hollows?'
Bambietta's eyes then darkened as her mood immediately soured. 'That would be Barragan Luisenbarn. A Vasto Lorde who deemed himself the god-king of Hueco Mundo. After stomping the rest of his competition to the ground and forcing the other vasto lords to swear allegiance to him. Eventually, he decided to make a move on conquering the soul society. When he heard about another god who ruled over it, aka Yhwach and decided to challenge him personally and overthrow our...,' she then used air quotes' pretender god' The sternrriter let out a deep breath. 'As you can imagine, it didn't turn out so well for him, and in retaliation for his humiliating loss. Said god-king of Hueco Mundo decided to throw a hissing fit...by sending his armies to devastate the entire world of the living.'
'So that's who Barragan Lusisenbarn is,' Ichigo thought. 'I heard that he was second Espada in Aizen's army and that soifon and Hachi nearly died trying to defeat him...but for a guy like him to be so petty,' Ichigo then looked over the ruins. 'To the point of destroying the lives of so many people just because someone beat him in battle...and doing it out of spite rather than asking for another challenge...' Ichigo then bared his teeth in disgust. 'What a fucking coward.'
'And what about Grandfisher and Grimmjow?' Kurosaki asked. Bamabetti gestured her hand to the west.
'Those two have been harassing this town for years. Mainly due to their grudge against you. Yet they always managed to escape or get bailed out by their cronies when we managed to beat them. Hopefully, this will be the last time they will ever fuck with us again.
'So, the grudges are the same here...typical,' Ichigo thought while Bamabetti looked over to the horizon.
'Be ready. They may have been beaten plenty of times beforehand, but that does not mean they should underestimate. Many of my men lost their lives to them because of that.' Bambietta commented as she then stared out towards the sky and gave off a vicious glare.
'They're here
And just as Bamabetti said hundreds of hollows began to descend from the sky, with many screeching and roaring as they launched their attack on the sternrriter and her army. But the latter was ready.
The female Quincy knight branded out her sword and launched a ball of rishi at the nearest target. The ball then merged into the hollow and caused it to explode with so much force that it took several other hollows.
Ichigo then stared towards the battlefield and saw the troops fighting against the hollows. With many of the quinces shooting arrows at the incoming enemies. At the same time, the people with the black shirts, which the soul reaper can only assume, were fullbringers. They launched themselves up into the air and took down many hollows with their weapons, ranging from swords, shields, guns, or even their bare feet and hands.
Ichigo, however, was in a crunch. For a while, he could more than easily handle low-level hollows, he could not use his shinigami powers without it exposing himself, and even then, he was still new with his Quincy powers and could barely form a bow even.
Yet, he must try to keep up the act even in this situation. He then remembered his training with the royal palace and later on with you and, with great concentration and effort, formed a unity bow from his cross and fired at one of the hollows coming at him. While also uses Hirekuryia to evade one of the other hollows coming after him.
'Geez, Ichigo, you are off your game if you can barely form a bow like that,' Keigo shouted. At the same time, you are using a bringer light to appear right next to him.
'You can't exactly take it easy on these guys, you know?' Keigo critiqued Ichigo while a winged hollow lunged itself toward him. But before Ichigo could call out to his friend. The brunette fullbringer swung a kick at the foul soul without even looking, and when he hit it. The hollow immediately blew itself up.
Ichigo looked shocked and offended that Keigo, of all people, was the one criticizing him for not having his head in the game. 'Hey, you are the one who is making jokes in a life-or-death situation here, not me!' Ichigo retorted. But Keigo just smiled.
'Only because I can afford it, and you can too if get your act together, the fullbringer teased as he saw three hollows coming above him and then swung another sidekick at them, causing them all to explode on contact.
As the explosions of the enemies faded away into dust. Ichigo also noticed something different in Keigo's kicks. How they immediately cause the hollows to explode just when they came in contact with them and not by the sudden impact itself.
Maybe it was the effect of Keigo's fullbring, but whatever it was. Ichigo couldn't help but smile in approval at his once seemingly cowardly classmate kicking ass.
However, any more thoughts Ichigo had were muddled when he and Keigo suddenly sense two powerful enemies coming after them.
The Espada and his Fraccion.
Within an abandoned ruin crossroad street, Babette the sternrriter Quincy and Grimmjow an Espada of Barragan's army stood outside the battlefield. He wore a dark leather outfit. It consists of loose pants and an unbuttoned vest while wearing a white tie shirt undeath. He had his hands in his pockets yet took a primal stance. Readying himself at any moment to strike, while Bambetti handed her sword and readied for an attack
'Well, looky here, ms. all high and mighty have come to face me. Didn't think you were so willing to die!' the Espada Grimmjow mocked. While Bamabettia merely rolled her eyes.
'You know, if I hadn't beaten your ass several times already, that might have imitated me. But now it's just subpar. So why don't you save us both the trouble and drag your sorry back to your master? Like the little scaredy-cat cat that you are!' Bambi spat in a cold dismissive tone while twiddling with her left fingers. Before staring down back at the Espada. 'It's not like it wouldn't be the first time.
Grimmjow growled in the race at his opponent's insults to him. But suddenly regained his composure and smiled.
'Yeah, I guess you could say if I had my past rank as the 6th, I properly would have...but not anymore!' Grimjow cried out as he lifted his vest and showed off his 5th number tattoo. I was causing Bamabatee to narrow her eyes in concern.
'So... I see you've gotten yourself much stronger in the past since your ass was handed to you.' Babette noted sternly while Grimjows grin grew wider.
'Well...I wouldn't say I was the only one.'
Meanwhile, Ichigo and Keigo were still busy cleaning up the hollows back on the battlefield. Until they suddenly felt a spiritual power coming toward them.
'So, Grimjows lackey wants to take us on Ichigo, ' Keigo said. While cracking his fists, 'I always wanted to kick that fish leg's ass!
Ichigo was about to retort the same thing until he honed in on the fraction of spiritual power more closely, and then, after a moment, a look of surprise and dread overtook him.
'Keigo, we need to get out of here now!' Ichigo cried out. But Keigo gave him a confused look.
'What why...!?' and then, as if Keigo just too realized it shared Ichigo's look of dread. But by then, it was too late.
When Grandfisher arrived on the battlefield, his spiritual pressure was so great that it caused many of the Quincy and full binders to be nearly crushed by its sheer weight alone, Causing all of them to sweat in fright upon seeing his complete form.
He was a giant of a man. Covered in a brown fur cloak and hollow mask helmet that covered his face, Grandfisher pulled his zanpakout from his cloak and slashed at his enemies before any of the soldiers realized.
A dozen of them being quinces and full bringers already cut in half before realizing it. Much to everyone's shock and horror.
Many of the other troops tried to gang up on the Arrancar. But Grandfisher, despite his size, was far too fast for them and used Sonido to blitz all of his attackers at once before cutting all of their bodies apart before they even fell to the ground.
One terrified male Quincy then tried to fire an arrow at the hollow. But even when the attack hit the Arrancar dead on in the face. Grandfisher wasn't fazed by it and chuckled before rushing at Quincy to slice him down.
But Ichigo blocked the blow with his makeshift bow at the last second, which caused Grandfisher to grin with excitement.
'Ichigo Kurosaki the Black Prince...oh what sweet delight that we get to meet on the battlefield once more!' He then pressed further into his opponent's bow, which broke apart. 'For with the new power I have gained. I will personally take your head to king Barragan and arise further in rank than even my former master!'
Ichigo, however, didn't say anything as he was too busy focusing on maintaining his makeshift bow against the might of Grandfisher. Sure, the Arrancar may not be anywhere near as powerful as him. But he is at least as strong as yummy in his sealed form, and his Quincy bow, while it might have been good enough to take down run of the mile hollows, is not up to snuff against someone on that level. As shown by it nearly started to break against his opponent's zanpakuto.
Even if he pours more of his spiritual power into his makeshift weapon, it would likely cause it to overload and collapse in on itself. What he is running into right now, Isn't nearly enough to push the Arrancar back.
However, before he could decide how to combat Grandfisher without blowing his cover, Keigo kicked the hollow in the head, and he was sent tumbling half a mile into the nearby collapsed building.
Ichigo was about to say thanks. But Kiego just glared at him.
'Okay, Ichigo, it was funny enough when you were holding back against hollows. But now it needs to stop. Why are you not fighting properly!?'
Ichigo froze his mouth shut as he tried to find an answer to Keigo's question. But the fullbring then took one good look at his bow and sighed.
'So...it would seem you have trouble controlling your power now for some reason' Ichigo then grunted at how easily Keigo could see the lack of control over his power. But then the former looked over into the building he sent Grandfisher in.
'...Look, Kurosaki, I honestly don't know what is going on with you today, and right now, I don't even care. But either you get over it or go home. I can't worry about you when dealing with old fish legs here...given that he has become an Espada the last time I fought him.'
Kurosaki then took insult at that.
'Hey, look, I don't need protection. I just need-' Ichigo began, but then Keigo shut him by instantly raising his left fist under the soul reaper's chin.
'Then why aren't you acting like it!' Keigo growled out before steadily lowering his fist and then his head '...I thought we moved past this...you promise me you would!'
Ichigo then steadily looked up at Keigo as he saw tears coming down his face before the brunette rubbed them off his face and his back away.
'Look...if your Quincy powers are on the fritz, then leave, okay...and besides, I have a bone to pick with that old fish legs anyway,' Keigo said to himself before jumping away from Ichigo and then using bringer light to travel to the collapsed building.
After the fullbringer left, Ichigo turned his head around and saw that many of the Quincys and fullbrigers were still fighting vigorously against the hollows with everything they had. While he, to his shame. Nearly made himself a liability to someone who depended on him. All because he was too afraid to go all out.
It was then that Ichigo realized that if he wanted to keep his cover without unveiling his other powers. He needed to do a lot more than just make a shoddy bow and arrow...