Kazuya flexed his arms. The strengthening of his muscles by Oppression was still present and would remain until he used Oppression again to lower the density of his muscles.
He looked at Dordoni. "How will Baraggan respond when he gets today's report?"
"Depending on his mood… In the best-case scenario—he sends more Espada. In the worst-case scenario—he sends more Espada."
"Huh? What's the difference in the best and worst scenarios then? The orders he gives to Espadas?"
Dordoni grinned. "You wouldn't want to know the worst orders."
"Alright, let's start."
"I was about to say the same, Niño."
Kazuya charged recklessly. Dordoni roared like a ferocious beast, and his Reiatsu swelled to nearly its peak. More tornadoes emerged from his armor pieces, bird heads attached to their ends.
Dordoni launched kicks and punches from a distance, and the bird-headed wind creatures mimicked his movements and sent fierce wind blades toward Kazuya. The assault sent Kazuya crashing down. Using his wings, he steadied himself and assessed his chest. Apart from superficial cuts, he had sustained no significant injuries.
'This method is brilliant for improving my defense.'
Dordoni widened his eyes. "Even an Arrancar's Hierro is cut upon contact with my razor-sharp wind. What kind of technique are you using to protect your body, Niño? Why are your clothes unharmed?"
"My clothes are special."
His shirt and jeans had remained the same since he arrived in this world, apart from being stained with his blood. He had used Reiatsu to clean the shirt time and time again, but its durability couldn't be denied.
"I see, Niño."
Following their strange exchange, the two went back to trading blows. Unable to penetrate the multitude of cyclones, Kazuya opted to launch Cero Rays from a distance.
Battered and bruised, Dordoni persistently countered Kazuya's every attack, his wind cyclones playing a big part in keeping Kazuya away from melee range and stopping the Cero Rays. However, he couldn't keep it up indefinitely. Eventually, his ability depleted his Reiryoku, and his Resurrección deactivated.
Although Dordoni had gained a substantial amount of Reiryoku after becoming an Arrancar, he couldn't match Kazuya's absurd efficiency and monstrous rate of Reiryoku recovery. His endurance was unmatched among the Vasto Lorde Class—the main reason for his rapid improvement in the last month, leading to him surpassing Harribel. Well, a severely weakened version of Harribel as she refused to consume Hollows.
Kazuya smirked. "We're on an even field now."
Dordoni held his katana with a purple hilt and drew a cross in the air. "Not even close, Niño. Your spatial awareness is subpar. You can hardly distinguish between a feint and a genuine attack. And you're pathetic at concealing your intent. In short, Ninoo, you are solely lacking in experience compared to a veteran Espada such as I."
Kazuya's lips lifted in amusement. "Listen, I wouldn't choose to be a one-month-old Vasto Lorde if I had the option."
"One month?! Niño is only one month old? That's impossible. It takes decades to go from a Gillian to an Adjuchas… unless you're one of those."
"Natural born Vasto Lorde? Indeed, I am one of those anomalies."
"No fucking wonder you could beat the crap out of Cirucci. She never stood a chance against someone of your potential."
Kazuya let out a laugh and unleashed a sonic boom, instantly appearing in front of Dordoni with Sonído. The playful Arrancar didn't hesitate to slash at Kazuya's neck with his chipped katana. Kazuya reached out, seizing the blade with his bare hands. The metal bit into his palm but couldn't dig deeper than a few millimeters.
Blood oozed down like a crimson waterfall. His regeneration tried to heal his wound, but the katana stuck in his palm made it impossible to do so. He had the blessing of the pain resistance skill, otherwise, the pain would force him into a pitiful state.
"Niño," Kazuya called Dordoni with a wicked grin as a blue Reiatsu surged from his wounded hand. "Join me. Let's put an end to Baraggan together."
He extended the same offer he had previously given to Cirucci. Opposing Baraggan required him to gather more allies.
Dordoni was struck with surprise. "Niño, are you giving me mercy?"
"It's not mercy," Kazuya said, shaking his head. "It's better to have one alive friend than a dead enemy."
"One alive friend…" Dordoni was silent for a few moments before he burst into laughter. "Well said, Niño. Well said. You just might be the one to destroy Baraggan."
"Not might. I will destroy him. He'll pay the price for ruining my peace."
Dordoni slowly nodded. "This is precisely why we must fight to the end!!!"
An enormous killing intent welled up in the playful Espada, forcing Dante to unconsciously activate the trick he had been hiding up his sleeve—the reason he had been holding onto Dordoni's Zanpakutō.
Kazuya's Aspect of Death activated, enveloping Dordoni's Zanpakutō in its effect.
An Arrancar's Zanpakutō embodied their Hollow powers from before they became an Arrancar. It also sealed away their Hollow attribute, allowing them to attain human-like emotions. One could argue that an Arrancar's Zanpakutō held equal or perhaps more importance for a Hollow than it did for a Shinigami. It was a part of their body and soul.
Despite Zanpakutō's extraordinary capabilities, the katana clutched in Kazuya's hand was a physical object. With the power of Oppression, he could manipulate any physical matter, as long as he understood its nature or brute force it with immense Reiryoku.
Cracks appeared on the katana gripped in his hand before it cleanly snapped in two halves.
Dordoni stood frozen, clutching the hilt. After a tense moment of silence, he lowered his head. "Your ability, your Reiatsu… can alter the physical properties of anything it touches. Impressive, Niño. You're very impressive."
Kazuya held one half of the broken Zanpakutō in his hand. "Why?"
He couldn't understand Dordoni's reasoning. Not one bit. Why would he destroy a clear chance to live?
His question was completely ignored. Dordoni threw his head back and laughed heartily. "Niño, you might give the old king some trouble... I certainly hope you do. Well, you have to conquer me before you go anywhere… As long as I breathe and my body can move, I'll continue to fight. That's what a soldier does, Niño."
Refusing to grant Kazuya a simple win, Dordoni lunged forward and threw an intense barrage of punches and kicks. His combat experience was immense, his instincts sharp and rivaling a veteran. Kazuya remained unyielding in the face of Dordoni's attacks and expertly parried each of Dordoni's strikes, ensuring that none found their mark on his body.
As their Reiatsu clashed over and over, Kazuya understood Dordoni more and more.
He realized why Dordoni did what he did.
Dordoni's killing intent was far from genuine like Cirucci. She truly wanted him dead while Dordoni pretended to have malicious intent for him. He could have taken Mila Rose and Apacci hostages if he was so eager to kill him.
He was as honorable and chivalrous as a princess's ideal knight in shining armor.
This was Dordoni's lesson for Kazuya.
It wasn't that Dordoni didn't want to live. Who would want to throw their lives away? But Dordoni had a clear reason, a goal worth far more than his own life. That was to hone Kazuya's skills and forge him into a blade sharp enough to cut down Baraggan.
For Dordoni, Baraggan's death mattered more than everything else. To crown a new ruler of Hueco Mundo, Dordoni was willing to sacrifice himself. That was the fuel lighting his soul ablaze. That was the reason his fists struck harder than Harribel. That was the reason his kicks made the wind howl as if roaring a last war cry.
After what seemed like forever, Kazuya found an opening and struck Dordoni's face, propelling him toward the ground. Dordoni still forced himself to stand up. Kazuya closed the gap with Sonído and unleashed a powerful kick that sent him crashing into a nearby mountain. Blood splattered from Dordoni's mouth as he gasped for breath.
Kazuya arrived before Dordoni, finding him slumping against the cave. "That was one hell of a battle."