The radiance sprinting across the wasteland cut a sharp angle. Relying on his absurd Reiatsu and Flash Step techniques, he ruthlessly ravaged the atmosphere.
Like a steam-spewing juggernaut, he crashed head-on into that deep purple pillar of Reiatsu.
Boom!
Visible ripples rapidly undulated outward, forming expanding rings that continuously spread as the powerful impact was recklessly unleashed against the Reiatsu defense.
*Crack—*
A crisp sound echoed like shattering ice. Countless interconnected fissures instantly covered the surface of the Reiatsu barrier.
Looking at the ferocious smile mere inches away, Szayelaporro suddenly realized that things might not be developing quite as he had envisioned.
When this brat fought Arturo back then, his strength had still been within a controllable range.
How much time had actually passed since then? How was it that he seemed like a completely different person?
And this level of Reiatsu...
Did that old bastard Tsunayashiro Taketori really not play him for a fool? He had claimed that the Soul Society was suffering from a talent shortage, that each generation was worse than the last, and that this was the perfect opportunity to replace them.
Looking at it now, 'talent shortage' my ass.
These two guys were each more ferocious than the last; they didn't seem human at all.
Naraku Sora, the one he had been keeping an eye on ever since he killed Griffith, likely already possessed Captain-level Reiatsu.
Although the other one hadn't fully displayed his Reiatsu level, judging by his previous Kidō attack, he wasn't far behind either.
And you call this a talent shortage?
No wonder they failed. With intelligence gathering like this, they actually had the nerve to call themselves one of the Five Great Noble Families. What a bunch of trash.
Szayelaporro was boiling with pent-up anger, feeling the urge to curse out loud.
He spread the five fingers of one hand, and chitin-like bone flowed from his palm, instantly forming a sharp, serrated bone sword.
The moment his Reiatsu defense shattered, he slashed forward without hesitation.
As the blades clashed, a deafening roar erupted.
Silvery-white sand surged upward, transforming into a terrifying tidal wave that connected the sky and earth of Hueco Mundo.
Naraku Sora looked at Szayelaporro, who had blocked his slash, with a surprised expression. He hadn't expected a researcher to be this absurdly strong.
Compared to Zommari, who had caused trouble in the World of the Living earlier, the guy in front of him seemed a bit stronger.
Realizing this, Naraku Sora grinned. He shifted his fingers, and the moment he tightened his grip on the hilt, leaping arcs of electricity spread all the way up the blade.
Clusters of Reiatsu flames burned brightly, and wisps of white steam escaped from between his teeth.
His aura was vicious to the extreme.
Reflected in Szayelaporro's suddenly contracting pupils, Naraku Sora swung his arm. The long sword tore through the air, shooting forth a burning radiance.
Secret Sword・Rhino Strike Raikōhō!
It was as if the heavenly drums hidden within the deep night sky had been struck in an instant, erupting with a deafening thunderclap.
Relying purely on his currently unreasonable and perfect technique, Naraku Sora directly unleashed an astonishing destructive power that surpassed many Captains.
The full power of his body was stacked onto a single strike, causing the blade to vibrate like a hummingbird's wings.
*Bang!*
A shocking white line appeared on the serrated bone sword. Szayelaporro's eye twitched immediately. Feeling that aggressively invasive power, his heart grew increasingly heavy.
Sonído activated.
At the cost of his serrated bone sword shattering, Szayelaporro abruptly vanished from his spot.
An earth-shattering impact erupted across the desert. Layer upon layer of sand waves continuously exploded, sweeping toward the sky like a silver curtain that shrouded the entire battlefield.
Naraku Sora's strike hit nothing but air, yet he didn't show the slightest hint of discouragement. In an instant, he locked onto Szayelaporro at the edge of the battlefield using his spiritual perception.
*Snap!*
A crisp sound rang out, much like the snap of fingers.
The spiritual power within Naraku Sora's body transformed into non-Reishi matter, and he instantly disappeared from where he stood.
Seeing this, Szayelaporro froze for a moment. Immediately after, an icy chill pierced straight to his bones, making his scalp tingle and the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.
Behind him, a burning figure flashed into existence. Flickering arcs of electricity danced across the raised blade, making the atmosphere seem to warp as a scorching scent filled the air.
Demon Sword Art・Flying Dragon-Striking Heaven-Shaking Thunder Cannon!
In that split second, an explosive roar burst forth. The azure sword pressure, wreathed in crackling, tyrannical lightning, directly and completely engulfed Szayelaporro.
His sturdy Hierro resisted the shockwaves of the aftermath, but it struggled to withstand this unique Kidō blended with a sword strike.
*Squelch—*
A pale arm was sent flying into the air.
Before it could even fall, an ordinary Shakkahō completely swallowed the arm, turning it entirely to ash.
At this very moment, Szayelaporro finally sensed a life-threatening crisis. He instinctively activated Sonído, not even looking back as he desperately tried to put distance between them.
Naraku Sora, not receiving the counterattack he expected, stood stunned for a moment.
It wasn't until he saw Szayelaporro's back disappearing from his line of sight that he snapped out of it and grinned.
"Ho, you think you can just leave after offending Sōsuke?"
He activated Sonído once more and gave chase.
Unlike in the Soul Society, here in Hueco Mundo, where no one was watching him, he could unleash his full repertoire of skills without any reservations.
Whether it was Flash Step or Sonído, he just used whichever was more convenient.
If it weren't for his currently limited proficiency, which temporarily prevented him from fusing the two movement methods, Naraku Sora would have even wanted to develop a technique that combined the advantages of both.
Perhaps he could entrust this heavy responsibility to Sōsuke.
He was working so hard to help him collect materials, after all. For the sake of Szayelaporro, Sōsuke surely wouldn't have the heart to refuse this request.
While happily daydreaming, Naraku Sora caught up to Szayelaporro, whose Sonído speed had dropped due to his severed arm.
Then came a merciless slash.
Secret Tradition・Dragon Flash!
Unlike other moves, Dragon Flash was a pure Zanjutsu strike. It had the fastest release speed and absolutely no wind-up.
A blood-red sword pressure cleaved down heavily.
Sensing the aura coming from behind him, Szayelaporro felt his blood run cold. He pushed his Sonído speed to the absolute limit, erupting with a heart-palpitating Reiatsu.
As his figure flashed away, he finally realized something.
Exposing his back to an enemy who was roughly on par with him was an incredibly foolish act.
If he kept running, he really was going to be cleaved alive.
He raised his hand, spreading his five fingers.
Purple Reiatsu rapidly condensed into shape, forming an orb of light.
Cero!
A purple pillar of light erupted at the point of their clash. The massive impact instantly pierced the sky, causing the entire battlefield to quake.
Countless plumes of smoke and dust rose from the ground. Silver waves of sand merged the wasteland and the sky into a single entity, while a violent hurricane howled endlessly.
Rings of visible purple ripples continuously expanded outward.
Two charred figures were sent flying backward from the center of the explosion, plowing wide trenches into the sandy surface.
Naraku Sora plunged his Zanpakutō into the sand to stabilize his retreating body.
Szayelaporro's timing for the counterattack had been ingenious, perfectly catching the moment of his strike. As a result, he had taken almost the full brunt of that Cero's damage.
Beneath his torn Shishakushō, lean and muscular flesh was exposed, the burn marks healing at a visible rate.
Now that his Hollow power had reached 50%, Naraku Sora's High-Speed Regeneration was already stronger than that of a typical Menos Grande.
A mere fatal wound was nothing to worry about.
Aizen used Flash Step to appear in front of Naraku Sora. After a quick glance to confirm that this thick-skinned fellow hadn't suffered any serious injuries, he relaxed.
"Be careful. Although the opponent lacks combat experience, a Vasto Lorde is not so easily dealt with."
"He isn't a castrated version like Arturo."
Hearing this, Naraku Sora paused, as if suddenly remembering something.
"I remember Arturo was a Vasto Lorde capable of autonomous Arrancarification. Do you think this Szayelaporro might also..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Aizen's expression changed drastically, and he looked up toward the distance.
At the edge of their vision, a purple radiance permeated the air, instantly covering the entire battlefield. A heavy sense of oppression made the air turn viscous, making them feel as if they were submerged in mercury.
The silvery-white moonlight had at some point been obscured by thick clouds.
*Pitter-patter.*
Raindrops formed from Reishi began to fall. As if acting as some sort of signal, the rain suddenly intensified, quickly turning into a torrential downpour that drenched the boundless wasteland.
Feeling this heart-stopping Reiatsu, Naraku Sora's face filled with surprise. He hadn't expected his casual remark to actually become reality.
A sound like tearing silk emanated from Szayelaporro's body. The temples on both sides of his head abruptly split open, and curved, sharp horns drilled out from within.
Like a fanatical believer, he spread his arms wide in a posture of prayer.
"Evolve—"
"Pale Evil King!"
The moment he released his Resurrección, the silvery-white wasteland trembled violently. Amidst the roaring sound, a massive tide of Reishi swept across the battlefield, altering the rugged terrain.
His severed arm regrew. Fluid-like bone spread from his chest, rapidly covering his entire body and forming a dress-like garment.
From his back, black, fleshy branches resembling wings extended outward, dripping with an ambiguous, viscous liquid.
"Although it's a bit forced, I've at least stepped into this stage."
Szayelaporro's expression returned to a state of calm, seemingly reverting back to the twisted scientist who had everything under control.
"When I encountered Arturo a while ago, I started pondering a question."
"If a reckless fool like him could master a power greater than a Vasto Lorde, why couldn't I?"
"After a period of research, combined with Tsunayashiro Taketori's help and the legacy Arturo left behind, I successfully developed the form of an Arrancar."
"But this isn't what I truly desire."
A hint of regret appeared on Szayelaporro's face.
"In my eyes—"
"Only that which can endlessly cycle between death and rebirth without interruption can be called a 'perfect lifeform'."
"To achieve this grand goal, I ask that the two of you selflessly offer up your lives!"
Naraku Sora ignored the long-winded speech the other party was babbling about. He simply pressed his five fingers against his face, preparing to enter his second stage.
However, before he could take the next step, he suddenly sensed something.
He cast his gaze into the distance.
Aizen frowned slightly, realizing that an unfamiliar Reiatsu had intruded into his perception range.
At the edge of their line of sight, a deep, profound, pitch-black Reiatsu came howling forth like a tidal wave. An aura of silent death blanketed the wasteland.
Szayelaporro naturally also noticed this undisguised Reiatsu, as well as the blatantly domineering style within it.
"To think it actually attracted this idiot. The situation seems to have slipped somewhat out of my control."
Naraku Sora gazed into the distance. Beneath that pitch-black tidal wave were dozens of massive figures exuding tyrannical Reiatsu.
As if marching to war, they were rushing toward their location.
Naraku Sora's expression shifted slightly, and he instinctively looked at his good brother beside him.
Beating up one was fine, but fighting two would be pushing it. God knows if that current King of Las Noches had undergone Arrancarification yet.
Meanwhile, while the other two had their attention drawn away, Aizen had already taken the opportunity to use his device and open a Garganta.
"You flashy pink pineapple, you have no sense of martial honor! We agreed on a one-on-one, yet you actually called for backup!"
"I'll let you off this time, but I definitely won't spare you the next!"
Before leaving, Naraku Sora dropped these harsh words, then grabbed Aizen and dashed into the Garganta without looking back.
Szayelaporro stared at their retreating backs as they rushed into the Garganta. He froze for a moment, instinctively choosing not to stop them, instead allowing the two to leave.
A thoughtful look flashed through his eyes.
Perhaps, it was time to change his strategy...