"The Hueco Mundo No. 1 Martial Arts Tournament officially begins!"
As the deafening sound of a gong rang out, accompanied by Loly's crisp and resounding announcement, the gathered Arrancars instinctively stepped back, clearing a vast, open space.
A gentle breeze swept across the pristine, soft white sand, offering a fleeting sense of coolness amid the tense and electric atmosphere.
Masatsuki Aozaki, Ulquiorra, and Harribel stood several meters apart, facing each other from a distance.
Harribel spoke in a low, serious tone. "Masatsuki-sama, are you certain you want to take on both of us at the same time?"
Masatsuki offered a faint smile, his tone calm and detached.
"Whether it's one or two, it makes no difference to me."
"You must understand—this is a test of your strength, not mine."
His voice was eerily steady, almost indifferent, as if the two powerful Vasto Lorde-class Arrancars before him posed no threat whatsoever.
Ulquiorra remained impassive at Masatsuki's words, showing no change in expression.
Harribel, too, was unfazed. She knew the young Shinigami was not exaggerating.
She called him "Masatsuki-sama" not merely because he had saved her life—that alone was not enough. The real reason lay in his sheer, overwhelming power, something beyond comprehension.
And, of course, it didn't hurt that her benefactor was strikingly handsome. Following someone so extraordinary could hardly be considered a misfortune...
"Then please be careful, Masatsuki-sama!!"
Before her words had fully left her lips, her once-gentle gaze sharpened in an instant.
With a swift motion, she reached behind her and drew her Zanpakutō.
In that very moment, her aura shifted drastically.
A brilliant golden Reiatsu burst forth from her, radiating intensely, like a blazing sun descending upon the battlefield.
She lifted one elegant foot and slammed it down with force.
A thunderous crack echoed through the air as the unyielding ground beneath her shattered into countless fragments.
A faint golden glow spread rapidly across her bronzed skin, as if she had donned a mystical, regal suit of armor.
Gripping her Zanpakutō tightly, she brandished a uniquely designed short sword with a hollow blade, its edge gleaming with an icy menace.
This was the manifestation of her power—her Spirit Core, her Zanpakutō... Tiburón.
At that moment, a raw, unrestrained power surged from within her, fierce and untamed, exuding the primal majesty of a queen of battle. It was like a volcanic eruption, wild and unstoppable.
"This wild nature... even after gaining the power of a Shinigami, a Hollow is still, at its core, a Hollow."
Masatsuki Aozaki murmured softly.
"But even so, I really don't mind it."
Hearing only the first half of his words, Harribel's bright eyes dimmed slightly, a flicker of disappointment crossing her gaze.
However, the moment she registered the latter half, a flush as deep as the evening sun spread across her cheeks, quickly reaching the tips of her ears.
At the same time, Sung-Sun and the others watched her with teasing expressions, making her unable to hold back an exasperated outburst.
"Masatsuki-sama, please stop saying things like that! It's distracting!"
"But that's genuinely how I feel."
Masatsuki sighed, sounding rather helpless, completely unaware that his words had left her flustered.
Before he could even finish speaking, Harribel suddenly moved, as if worried he would say something even more difficult to handle.
Ulquiorra, observing this, merely cast her a brief glance before following suit.
Both of them bent their knees slightly, and in the next instant, the ground beneath them caved in, forming shallow craters.
A sharp, deafening sound—almost as if breaking the sound barrier—echoed as countless shards of rock exploded outward in all directions.
Like a pair of hunting panthers, Harribel and Ulquiorra launched themselves forward at incredible speed.
The high-speed movement technique unique to the Arrancar—comparable to the Shinigami's Shunpo and the Quincy's Hirenkyaku—enabled them to traverse the battlefield with extraordinary speed.
In terms of sheer velocity, it could rival Shunpo.
However, Sonído possessed a unique advantage—it allowed the user to bypass detection by sensory nerves.
Sensory perception, known among Hollows as "Pesquisa," was how they sensed spiritual presences.
For most Arrancar, mastering Sonído required years of arduous training.
But for Harribel and Ulquiorra—both formerly Vasto Lorde-class beings—the moment they became Arrancar, they had instinctively grasped this extraordinary ability.
Now, their speed had reached an almost inconceivable level.
Even Sung-Sun, Mila Rose and Apacci, powerful Adjuchas-class Arrancar, could only stare at the empty space ahead, unable to catch even the faintest glimpse of their movement.
"So fast! This is unreal!"
"As expected of Harribel-sama! That speed is absolutely breathtaking!"
"Ulquiorra-sama is just as incredible! He's completely keeping pace with her!"
The group of Hollow girls couldn't help but cheer in amazement.
There was no doubt—Ulquiorra was an enigma.
Because of his peculiar personality, the others had never really regarded him with the same reverence as a noble "lord."
Yet his immense strength was undeniable.
In a flash, Harribel and Ulquiorra closed the distance, their movements like streaks of lightning.
In the blink of an eye, they were upon Masatsuki.
Their gleaming blades, raised high, tore through the air, descending mercilessly toward his chest with terrifying force!
The expected scene of blood spraying and flesh splitting apart never came.
Instead, a piercing metallic screech rang out.
Harribel's eyes widened in shock, her pupils shrinking to needlepoints.
Even Ulquiorra, always composed and unreadable, showed a rare flicker of surprise.
Masatsuki's white robe split open in two places, as if torn by immense force—
Yet beneath it, his skin remained unscathed.
The devastating blows, powerful enough to rend the earth and cleave mountains, had struck his chest as though hitting solid steel—producing nothing more than a burst of dazzling sparks!
Not just Harribel, but every Arrancar present froze in disbelief, their mouths hanging open.
"Masatsuki-sama... is he even still a Shinigami?"
Sung-Sun murmured in shock, her voice tinged with confusion.
Everything they had just witnessed completely defied logic.
A Shinigami had just taken a direct hit from two of the strongest Arrancar—without so much as a scratch.
This... was unheard of.
What kind of Shinigami had a body like that?!
p@treon com / PinkSnake