The horde of Hollows descended like a plague, each one as massive and terrifying as the two they had already faced. Their sinister, gluttonous hunger radiated as they charged toward the students. Panic spread through the group, but a few senior students turned to face the threat, drawing their swords despite the fear etched on their faces. They stood their ground with determined steps.
Meanwhile, Naruto remained crouched on top of the Menos Grande, calm and collected. For most Shinigami, a Zanpakutō without a wide-area attack ability would struggle against such numbers. But Naruto was different. Even though the current state of "Nine-Tails" lacked a proper AOE attack, he wasn't short on methods.
If one wasn't enough, then just summon more.
Naruto tossed his sword into the air, forming the cross-shaped hand sign with both hands. "Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!" With a puff of smoke, dozens of Narutos appeared on the Menos Grande's shoulders, each holding a crimson blade. They leaped down, chasing the Hollow swarm with relentless aggression.
Up in the sky, a man watched, his expression shifting from anticipation to delight. "A Zanpakutō ability? Or a new technique?" He observed the Naruto on the Menos Grande, noting the hand signs he made, and mimicked them, although without channeling spiritual energy.
"Each one is solid, with the same spiritual pressure as the original, but the overall power remains unchanged, evenly distributed among the clones. Fascinating."
While the clones handled the smaller Hollows, Naruto struggled against the Menos Grande, requiring the strength of his third tail to inflict damage. The Menos howled in pain, attempting several times to tear open the sky and escape into the Garganta. Despite the enticing spiritual pressure of Naruto and the students, the instinctual fear of danger began to outweigh its hunger.
But the man orchestrating this twisted play wouldn't allow it to flee. He reveled in documenting every detail. "Such immense spiritual pressure... even when divided so many times, it can still harm a Menos. But this... it's not enough to satisfy me."
With a flick of his wrist, the sky above ripped open like a curtain, revealing a second Menos Grande. Alongside it came another swarm of Hollows, buzzing like bees as they charged toward the students below. The oppressive, decaying spiritual pressure of the Hollows filled the air, blotting out the moonlight as dark clouds loomed.
Naruto gritted his teeth. The addition of another Menos wasn't the issue, but the growing despair on his classmates' faces as more Hollows emerged was. Despite their earlier bravery, many of the students now looked hopeless, their spirits crushed by the overwhelming numbers.
Naruto inhaled deeply, raising his sword. He needed more clones, more power. Although he disliked entering the Four-Tails state, even with Urahara's stabilizing seals keeping his consciousness intact, the negative emotions that accompanied it were hard to bear.
The fourth crimson ribbon unfurled, and a massive surge of spiritual energy erupted. The dark red aura enveloped him, and with a quick bite, Naruto devoured his sword. A fourth tail emerged, and the clones followed suit, transforming along with him. More shadow clones were summoned, each joining the fray against the Hollow swarm.
Naruto stood tall, his form now resembling a bipedal fox. With a flick of his wrist, he summoned two chakra arms, each grabbing one of the Menos Grande by the head. With a powerful yank, the towering beasts crashed together like colliding mountains.
Leaping into the air, Naruto directed all four tails toward his mouth. Spiritual particles gathered rapidly, condensing into a small, jet-black orb. He fired it straight at the two Menos. The sphere didn't spin, nor did it expand, but upon impact, it exploded with devastating force, obliterating both Menos Grande in an instant.
Naruto landed gracefully, his four limbs touching the ground before he stood up again, his spiritual energy receding. The fourth tail retracted, leaving only three tails swaying behind him as the red aura became translucent once more.
In the sky above, the man watched with interest as the explosive force dissipated, reflecting briefly in his glasses. "A power he didn't use last time… impressive. Even when divided among so many clones, he can still unleash such destructive energy. Neither a Shinigami nor a Hollow… truly intriguing."
He memorized the incantation Naruto had used, seeing it as a potential key. "That's enough for now. The others are about to break through." With a wave of his hand, the man concealed himself in the sky. "Surprises are like gems bestowed by the world. When illuminated by the sun, they shine brilliantly. This time, I'm quite pleased."
As the Hollows began to retreat, the sky finally cleared. The remaining Hollows, realizing their doom, opened Gargantas to escape. Those too slow to flee were quickly dispatched by Naruto and his clones.
A senior student pointed toward the Senkaimon. "The gate is open! We're saved!" The massive door began to part, revealing two figures in white haori, followed by several more in black Shihakushō.
The spiritual pressure from the Hollows still lingered, making the newly arrived Shinigami tense. But they soon realized the danger had passed, as they saw a red-tinged Naruto chasing down the last of the Hollows.
"Naruto," Yoruichi sighed in relief, calling out to him. Her expression turned serious as she observed the disintegrating bodies of the Menos Grande. Alongside her stood Hirako Shinji, his golden hair swaying as he scowled.
His usual grim expression grew even darker as he scanned the area, his gaze finally settling on a bespectacled man trailing behind him. Hirako had a nagging suspicion that this entire incident was somehow connected to that man.
"Yoruichi, you're here," Naruto said, dispersing his last clone as he waved. "Menos Grande?" Yoruichi pointed at the large bodies.
Naruto nodded. "Yeah, two of them."
"Menos Grande…" Yoruichi's frown deepened. "Any casualties?"
Unlike ordinary Hollows, Menos Grande rarely ventured into the human world, preferring the safety of Hueco Mundo. Their appearance here was highly unusual.
Naruto remained silent, unfamiliar with the specifics. A nearby senior student, exhausted but elated, answered, "Thanks to Naruto, no one died. He not only took on the Menos Grande but also helped fend off hundreds of other Hollows. Without him, we'd all be dead."
"He even used healing Kidō to save some of the injured. We're all still alive thanks to him." The students from Squad 2 were expressionless as always, while the members of Squad 5 were visibly shocked, staring at Naruto in disbelief.
Taking down Menos Grande and protecting students from a Hollow swarm—could a mere student really achieve all this? Even their most skilled officers would struggle with such a feat.
"No one died…" Yoruichi and Hirako both sighed in relief. Given the circumstances, this was the best possible outcome.
"What happened to the Senkaimon?" Naruto asked, turning to Yoruichi.
She shook her head. "We're still figuring that out. Urahara's on it. Let's head back; Squad 4 is ready for any injuries."
(End of Chapter)