Chapter 7: Shinigami and Hollow in the Land of "Hell"
When Nobita focused to open a Garganta, he finally succeeded, but in that split second, Sui-Feng who was chasing him fell in too...
But instead of returning to Hueco Mundo, he ended up somewhere else again... Now Nobita was in a place with many white block-like buildings...
"Where am I now?" Nobita wondered...
"You... damn Hollow!" Sui-Feng attacked Nobita, but he easily dodged. "How can you open a Garganta into Hell?!!!"
"Hell... this is Hell?" Nobita was surprised there was a Hell, as he had always thought Hueco Mundo was Hell...
"Don't pretend you don't know!!" An enraged Sui-Feng continued attacking Nobita...
"But I really don't know..."
While the two were arguing, many giant white figures with skull faces emerged...
"This is bad, the Kushanada," Sui-Feng said.
"What are these?" Nobita wondered...
"The Guardians of Hell..." Sui-Feng replied. She realized it wasn't time to deal with Nobita anymore, since she came to Hell without going through Hell's gate or proper ways. Even as a Captain, the Kushanada would likely treat them like any other sinful souls here...
And the other Captains probably didn't know she was here... There was only one way...
"Hey you... if you didn't mean to send us here, you need to find a way to get us back," Sui-Feng ordered Nobita angrily, frustrated that she had to rely on a Hollow like this...
"I can't concentrate right now."
"Concentrate? What have you been talking about this whole time..."
Before they could continue their conversation... the Kushanada swung their palms down, forcing them to dodge in opposite directions... Sui-Feng had no choice but to deal with these beings first...
She used Suzumebachi, trying to strike the same spot twice on the Kushanada... But there were still too many of them... They could sense both her and Nobita's spiritual pressure...
She looked over at Nobita, seeing him unable to use flash steps, instead jumping between the many blocks. The Kushanada could pass through those blocks like ghosts...
Sui-Feng saw she needed to handle the Kushanada chasing Nobita so he could open the portal. She had to get serious now...
She used her new power that she had only recently mastered... She hadn't even named the technique yet... causing her captain's uniform to tear away... Creating a storm of wind around her body...
She managed to charge forward and attack several Kushanada that were harassing Nobita...
"Hurry up and open the portal, I'm buying you time..."
"Getting tired of all this trouble..." Suddenly, dark purple aura began seeping from Nobita...
"What..." Sui-Feng was shocked, remembering that in Hell, Hollows could potentially go berserk... "Damn it."
While Sui-Feng was lost in thought, a Kushanada's hand was about to strike her from behind before she could react...
"I'm done for!!!"
But the palm never hit Sui-Feng, because Nobita used Sonido to carry her away, holding her at his waist...
"Hey... let me go, I didn't ask for your help..."
"CAN'T YOU ALL JUST STAY STILL!!!!!!!!!!!!"
ROARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
Nobita roared, his spiritual pressure erupting outward...
"What?" Sui-Feng, still being carried, was shocked because she couldn't sense anything from this surging spiritual pressure... This was impossible....
Then the dark purple aura took shape and gradually enveloped both of them. The Kushanada had to back away from this giant aura.
Now the aura was forming into a gigantic shape over 118 meters tall, and the aura began solidifying into black skin with red patterns.... The sight before them was a gigantic creature that couldn't possibly be a Hollow... It was enormous, shaped like a deformed dinosaur... with tiny arms but an extremely long tail...
ROARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
It roared... making the Kushanada, smaller than this giant demon, too afraid to approach...
As for Sui-Feng... , she found herself in... a cave? It looked like a cave with walls that seemed made of volcanic rock... and some holes in the walls let her see outside. When she looked, she discovered she was inside the chest of this giant monster...
Though she didn't understand what happened, it seemed the Kushanada were just surrounding them without attacking. She was probably safe now, but...
"What is this... was this his doing?" Sui-Feng said. She turned and saw Nobita's body connected to the wall, as if sleeping in that state... "If it's now..."
Her dark thought was to eliminate this dangerous being... but if she killed him now, she might not be able to escape Hell... plus he had saved her...
"Tch... why do I have to..." Finally, she returned her blade to its normal state... and walked to Nobita... "Hey... you... wake up.."
Sui-Feng slapped Nobita's cheek until she saw his eyes through his mask...
"Ah... finally got to relax... Miss Shinigami, you're not hurt, right?" Nobita, whose body was attached to the wall, asked Sui-Feng.
"I don't need a Hollow like you worrying about me... But what is this giant form?"
"Don't know. Since coming to Hell, my power's been surging non-stop and I can't concentrate. So I just released it... and it worked. Finally able to relax... Sorry for causing trouble, I still can't control my power well."
"So about you invading Seireitei..." Sui-Feng was now calmer and starting to listen to what Nobita said.
"I got lost. I was training and accidentally opened a Garganta and fell into Sei... whatever that place is. I know Shinigami and Hollows don't get along, but there's no need for such violence..."
"It's natural... Shinigami's duty is to guide souls, and Hollows are that kind of soul... Honestly, me talking to a Hollow like this is already unbelievable..."
"Do you think all Hollows are the same?... True, I've met many, but some Hollows choose to live peacefully without eating souls."
"Like you?" Sui-Feng was half-skeptical.
"Yeah... I have my Hollow family in Hueco Mundo... I have to protect them too."
"Family... never thought I'd hear that from a Hollow's mouth."
"My name is Nobi Nobita."
"Nobi... you're Japanese?"
"Before death... yes."
"From your voice, you're still young... How did you die?" Sui-Feng asked directly.
"Simply put, I was a weak child who stayed in a hospital bed until my last day. Then I came here... Nothing special really..."
Though Sui-Feng usually wasn't very sympathetic to others, this time she found herself feeling compassion for Nobita...
"A kid like you becoming a Hollow must have been tough."
"Not really, I was born as a Vasto Lorde," Nobita shrugged.
"Isn't that kind of cheating?"
"Maybe... By the way... what's your name?"
"2nd Division Captain Sui-Feng."
"Sui-Feng huh... Though I can't extend my arm to greet you, nice to meet you... Alright, now that I'm relaxed, I'll dissolve this giant form and open a portal to take you back, then we go our separate ways..."
"Don't you want me to strike you down... You could rest peacefully, not have to be a Hollow like this..." Sui-Feng showed kindness in her own way...
"No thanks, I still have family left. I won't abandon them."
"You're really strange... I once had someone I thought was family... but I was betrayed... Well, enough personal stuff, take me back," Sui-Feng smiled sadly and looked outside the wall...
"Ah... but when we get back..."
"Don't worry, I'll try talking to the Head Captain, tell him you're not dangerous, including this bizarre power..."
"Thanks, and sorry for dragging you into this..."
"Don't mention it. I learned a lot from you too. Consider us even."
Nobita smiled... Then he pulled himself from the wall, the giant form gradually dissolving. Nobita opened a complete Garganta and poked his head inside... His Garganta was special compared to others because the portal connected directly between worlds without any barriers...
"Here it is... got it..." He turned to meet Sui-Feng's eyes. "Hope we won't meet again..."
"If we meet again, we'll probably be enemies..."
"I wouldn't want that..."
Sui-Feng smiled slightly before walking through, then he closed the portal... The giant form dissolved down to where he stood...
"Huh... Come to think of it, forgot to ask about... Aizen... Oh well, can't exactly go to Soul Society to ask anyway."
And while he was about to open another Garganta...
Ugh!!
Suddenly Nobita collapsed, his spiritual pressure fading... his body was transforming... his Hollow armor cracking... his mask gradually breaking... along with the giant form completely dissolving...
The Kushanada approached closer, seeing that before them was no longer a Hollow but a person? A naked human, with only some Hollow scales remaining along his spine...
Now Nobita was no longer a Vasto Lorde. After meeting Sui-Feng, he had finally evolved into an Arrancar.
To Be Continued