Yami and Grimmjow looked at each other for a moment before disappearing. The next time the other Hollows saw them, there was an explosion of reiatsu as they clashed. Grimmjow's white and blue paw collided with Yami's black and red sword creating a beautiful contrast with one another.
Yami was able to match with the initial clash but after that, he slowly felt himself getting pushed back. Grimmjow's physical strength was overwhelming. So in order to compensate, Yami began using all of the techniques he learned revolving around Hoho and Zanjutsu. Using both his speed and sword skills, he was able to make up for his lack of raw power against the Hollow.
After another clash, the pair backed away for a moment before green reiatsu began to surround Yami's blade while a red orb appeared in Grimmjow's mouth.
"Tsumi no Eda!"
"Cero!"
The wave of green energy and the beam of red energy clashed and created a massive explosion that the pair was caught up. They were both injured from the blast but didn't back away. Instead, they charged forward once more, colliding and letting their reiatsu run rampant. Their reiatsu was evenly matched as the pair felt something neither had felt in a long time.
'Finally! Someone who can match me!'
Yami had been surrounded by monsters for the past few years. Whether it was Kukaku, Kisuke, or Yoruichi, all of them were beings that he could not hope to surpass. While Marenoshin and Sui-Feng were both weaker than him and couldn't help him push himself to new limits, he had no one to truly battle but himself.
Grimmjow was also in a similar situation. Even though he was in Hueco Mundo and constantly surrounded by enemies, there were few that could match him. Among the Adjuchas, he was nearly unmatched. And as for the Vasto Lordes, there was far too large a gap for him to close with just his body as an Adjuchas.
So as they both met someone that was around the same level of strength as them, the pair of combatants unconsciously began to smile, though their smiles creeped out those watching them.
"This boy is powerful. Able to make up for his weakness with techniques. Something we as Hollows lack," Shawlong commented. As the oldest of the group, he was able to appreciate Yami's combat prowess and notice what was lacking in their group.
As Hollows, they were physical monsters but they lacked special techniques or martial skills that Shinigami had. This meant that even when they were stronger than some Shinigami, they would still end up losing. They fell into the Jedi-Sith Conundrum.
"Just because he can use some fancy moves, doesn't mean that he is a match for our king," an ape-like Hollow commented. (How else can you guys describe Edrad?) The other Hollows nodded in agreement.
Shawlong shook his head at his fellow Hollows.
'Pride in your heritage is one thing. Refusing to acknowledge the strengths of another's is another thing. This is why we fall so easily.'
While he was approaching his fellow Hollows in his mind, the battle was reaching its peak. Yami had already used two of his Tsumi no Eda and felt himself running low on energy. His body was covered in claw and bite marks from Grimmjow. But the fight hadn't been one-sided.
Grimmjow's white, boney armor had numerous injuries. Some were cuts from Yami while others were old wounds that had been reopened thanks to Scar Dead. The pure white of his body was stained with red blood.
Both fighters were on their last legs. But neither seemed like they cared about the outcome.
"Grimmjow, King of Hueco Mundo. I'll be sure to remember your name after I have slain you," Yami taunted while gathering reiatsu around his blade one more time.
"Hah!" Grimmjow scoffed. "It is I that shall remember you, Yami Kobayashi, Commander of the Patrol Corps," blue energy surroundedGrimmjow's front, left paw. "This is a technique I have been working on in order to kill Vasto Lorde. It is still unfinished but you shall be the first to taste it."
The pair looked at each other for a moment before charging forward once again. Less than a meter away, their sword and claw were swung. These long-range attacks were about to be fired at point-blank range.
"Tsumi no Eda!"
"Desgarrón!"
A wave of green energy met with 5 blue, claw marks. Just before the two attacks met, the wave seemed to have begun taking on another shape. One that faintly resembled the head of the dragon. The attacks clashed once again and created another massive explosion, knocking even the other Hollows back. A massive cloud of dust rose up from the ground, blinding all of those in the area.
When the smoke finally cleared, Grimmjow was the last one standing in the arena while Yami was nowhere to be found. The king had been given a large cut that left a scar across his torso. There were also several new burns across his body. But the panther smiled as he looked in a certain direction.
"Yami Kobayashi. I shall let you escape this time. But next time, I will surely kill you."
In the distance, Yami had already begun fleeing. His body was riddled with injuries but the most major ones were the 2 cuts across the top of his chest from Grimmjow's last attack. Not to mention finishing off Grimmjow's followers if he had beaten the king, he wasn't sure if he could even finish his fight with Grimmjow. But none of that mattered. He had accomplished his goal. Or at least part of it. During that final technique, he could feel a change in his technique.
"Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez. You helped me get my technique to the next level. I will spare you this time. But next time we meet, I will take your head."
And just like that, Yami's list of rivals had increased from 2 to 3 while his trip to Hueco Mundo came to a close.
-----
"You fucking, dumbass! You went to Hueco Mundo by yourself?! You battled an Adjuchas?!?! Do you want to die? If you wanna die so badly, I'll kill you myself!"
But right after he got back, he was caught by Kukaku and brought to the 4th Division where he was healed and scolded at the same time. While they were healing him, Yami requested for them not to fully heal the cross-shaped injury he had been given.
'I'll heal that last one when I beat him.'