『"Nel"!? Wow, nice to meet you! I'm Hinamori Momo!』
For the Hollow Nel Tu Odelschwanck, it was light.
A worn-out, trite phrase. But that truly was her "fateful encounter."
She had to keep devouring her brethren. She had to become stronger than anyone. Imprisoned by the Adjuchas fate, forced to live more beastly than anyone—that detestable half-life.
Nel was drawn to the single Shinigami girl who showed her a path to escape that curse.
Incomparable, extraordinary spiritual pressure. Terrifying power that could scorch the sandy earth to obsidian. And humble reason that concealed all those vicious claws, seeking handshakes and dialogue with a lovely smile.
All of it was terrifyingly overwhelming, dazzlingly bright—the very embodiment of the strong "person" she yearned for.
—Welcome to my Las Noches.
The Shinigami girl who invited Nel to join had a master. The heretic Shinigami who had seized and ruled the palace of King Baraggan, who once called himself Hueco Mundo's god—Aizen Sosuke.
Though becoming an Arrancar through his Hogyoku's power, Nel felt fear before gratitude toward that great benefactor.
He doesn't look at me. In those cold amber eyes, I exist as less than a pebble on the roadside.
But after the Arrancarization audience, when she'd accidentally voiced weakness from lost confidence, there was a "person" who flustered about while encouraging her with strong words.
That person was Nel's other benefactor, the Shinigami girl—Hinamori Momo.
『You are absolutely necessary to this world, a very precious person.』
Lovingly, affectionately. Warm amber eyes opposite to King Aizen looked at her. While concealing in those depths that hellish conflagration.
...Ah, terrifying yet merciful Lady Hinamori. To whom I should truly pledge loyalty—for me, there was no choice to make—
***
"Hahaha! Never thought you'd help Las Noches' enemies! 'Loyal retainer' Nel!?"
Karma revolves. Fools who wished for the past receive their retribution.
While receiving Nnoitra Gilga's blade—whom she'd tried to save as Lady Hinamori once saved her—Nel swung her own to dispel distracting thoughts.
"Ah, maybe not though?"
"..."
"I know you've got some pathetic, grandiose reason to cooperate with them, right? Eh..."
—Discarded knight?
Ignoring Nnoitra's provocation, Nel gambled with sword release to break the deadlock.
"...Sing."
—Gamuza—
Nel, who'd returned to her Hollow power, quietly circulated awareness through her body.
Antelope limbs, human torso, spiraling left and right head horns. The only one who ever praised this grotesque half-human, half-beast form as "fluffy and cute" was that person—before or since.
"Guh, damn... ha, haha! Hit a nerve, Nel!?"
"..."
"Man, you're such a pitiful woman! Your beloved master discarded you with one word—'inconvenient'! Even Szayelaporro was grateful—thanks to your fanaticism, he didn't have to bother vacating an Espada seat! Hahahaha!!"
A pathetic beast laughing with that grating, off-key voice. While forcing down Nnoitra—who'd become incomparably stronger than before—with full Resurrección, Nel recalled that time.
"...Right now, I'm fighting to protect Ichigo and the others from you. Even if I can't repay my debt to that person—"
"Tch! Oh no..."
"I'll repay this new debt!!"
—Lanzador Verde—
Her ultimate technique. The spear thrown with all her spiritual power shattered Nnoitra's zanpakuto and pierced his left shoulder.
The match ended in one strike.
—"Inconvenient," huh...
Perhaps that truly was the case.
The Espada were an army to fulfill Aizen Sosuke's ambitions. That seat was never meant for someone who'd pledged loyalty to the wrong person from the start.
(Besides...)
Thinking back, though that person said I was needed, it often felt like a more abstract, bird's-eye meaning rather than as a single subordinate.
I, satisfied just being kept at her side as a mere servant, had perhaps misunderstood from the start what that person meant by "what must be done."
"...Everything from back then is over. If this life was spared, I believe living has meaning. Because that person would think so."
"Geh... ridiculous..."
What that "what must be done" was, I no longer know.
That lovely girl sees through our Arrancars' hollow hearts. Even our detestable pasts, even the ends of futures divided between light and darkness.
Such a master—Hinamori Momo's spirit transcending the mortal world—was too distant an aspiration for Nel, who'd been tormented by her own bestial nature.
"Don't worry, Nnoitra. I won't take your life—"
And with that pathetic beast's face contorted in frustration as the last thing she saw, Nel Tu Odelschwanck's consciousness was swallowed back into that familiar, long darkness.
"Thank you so much for your service, Nel."
...Ah, I see. This is it.
I'm glad... I could repay my debt to you.
***
『What!?』
At that moment.
Inoue Orihime, rushing to her wounded friends, couldn't recognize the fact that she was there.
"Time's up, Inoue."
With the battle over and tension released, Orihime suddenly noticed at that quiet voice. The figure of a single girl who'd appeared before her without notice.
"H-Hina..."
But the female Shinigami's name Orihime whispered was drowned out by suddenly raging sand and explosive sound.
"You idiot! What're you doing, Kenpachi!"
"—Strong."
"...Huh?"
She couldn't understand what happened. But relieved by Ichigo's safe voice, Orihime looked up and saw one slender arm extended to protect her.
Those delicate fingers like white fish were pinching the tattered sword swung down with tremendous force as lightly as a feather.
"Strong! Strong! Strong!!"
"..."
"What the hell are you!? What's with that spiritual pressure!? I can't sense the bottom of your power compared to any enemy I've cut!!"
A man with a spine-chilling vicious smile carved across his face. The girl's youthful profile facing him was expressionless yet glimpsed great resolve.
This is bad! Orihime panicked and trembled at their battle that began without warning.
"Forgot your name, but I've seen your face somewhere! You're a traitor, so I can cut you down, right!?"
"W-wait! This person is..."
"Move, woman! She's my pre—"
But immediately after the man raised his sword for a second strike, it happened.
"...Snap, Tobiume."
—Shakkusen: Kogogelingen—
Suddenly flickering pink flash. Following tremendous blast and heat scorching her skin assaulted Orihime.
Desperately suppressing her head echoing with explosive sound, the girl timidly opened her dazed eyes and—was speechless.
"No... way...?"
Ichigo's gasping voice spoke for Orihime's heart.
What she saw there was endlessly spreading, flat purgatory. And the large man who'd been raising his fighting spirit at its edge crumbling down, charred pitch black.
Zaraki Kenpachi, who'd defeated Nnoitra—whom her beloved Ichigo couldn't touch. Though wounded from consecutive battles, that demon-like man was instantly killed by a girl more delicate and petite than Orihime herself.
That entire eye-doubting scene happened in a blink.
"...Sorry, Kurosaki. I'll borrow Inoue just a bit longer."
Glancing at the monster she'd brought down, the female Shinigami who'd sheathed four treasure swords declared mercilessly to Ichigo.
"N-no...! Kurosaki!!"
"What!? Ino—"
Perhaps that was her apology for the despair and unreasonableness about to occur.
Mid-Ichigo's shout, Orihime's vision transformed. From desert under blue sky to dark, inorganic grand staircase.
"Welcome back, Orihime."
Yes.
To the demon king's throne, exuding that nightmarish spiritual pressure that drained all strength from her body.
"What's wrong? You look quite pained."
"...!"
Tap... tap... Orihime's nightmare approached her.
"Smile."
And then, softly, a faint muscatel fragrance enveloped the girl.
"When the sun dims, everyone grieves. You just smile and wait there for a little while."
She couldn't move. Couldn't shake it off.
Those long, cold fingertips gently touching her cheek.
"Until we destroy Karakura Town...
and create the Oken."
...And the captive princess learned of the demon king's terrifying scheme.
The great criminal Aizen Sosuke's planned rebellion against the world's principles. Its terrifying full extent—
***
Now then, it's here.
Canon famous scene "Aizen's Pre-Battle Speech"!
"Momo. Tenteikura."
Ah, it's me instead of DJ... Since I've used it constantly to summon the Espada, maybe the image stuck. Sorry for stealing your moment, DJ...
"Yes."
However! If given this role, I must create the most stylish scene!
I tossed my specialized drones from my pocket into the air like petals dancing in wind, drawing a crest on my elegantly extended arm like Fate series Command Seal chanting.
Then swept it sideways, activate! Vwooom!!
"Bakudo Number Seventy-Seven: Tenteikura."
Kyaa, so stylish if I say so myself! Canon DJ flicking the drone like ping! is good too, but I think feminine elegance suits pure Momo-chan better (despite the contents)
And once the double-square crest floated in the air, it's Aizen's turn.
Please, style master!
"Can you hear me? Invaders."
Zzzzt... Noise ran through the entire area, and everyone in the surveillance screen footage—Gotei and protagonist forces—all reacted as if struck.
"To you who've brought down the Espada this far, I shall tell you first out of respect."
『...!』
"We will now..."
—Begin invasion of the World of the Living.
Ichigo and the others' faces contorted with confusion and bitterness. Protagonist-side reactions are really satisfying to watch.
As reward for them, Aizen kindly explained the true reason for Orihime's abduction. That she was bait to lure Ichigo's Substitute Shinigami group and the Gotei who owed them. Making them misperceive that her amazing "rejection of events" ability was needed for actual Hogyoku operation.
And the protagonist forces and seven captain-class Gotei who took the bait had just now been imprisoned here in Hueco Mundo.
...Actually there was one more reason—"miscalculating battle timing"—but my re-gab made announcing battle time necessary, so that was canceled. Sorry.
"The Gotei 13's magnificence lies in all thirteen captains possessing power qualifying as main forces."
『...』
"But now three have defected and four are imprisoned. The Soul Society's forces are literally halved."
—Easy.
Yeah. Actually in canon too, Aizen rampaged alone, and in this world he became even stronger by pushing work onto me, so he'll rampage more. Plus (though self-exiting midway) his subordinates include me, Momotama Momo-chan☆6.
...I want sole hope Mugetsu Ichigo and Urahara to do their best.
Aizen crossed the stylish almond-shaped Garganta with DJ and Gin. Since I'll participate later with Wonderweiss to not interfere with Shiro-chan's Harribel battle, this is temporary farewell to the demon trio.
Old Man Yama's Jokaku Enjo is supposedly hot, so please accept Momo-chan's heartfelt iced tea. In exchange, don't forget to record so I can watch later!
Seeing off Gin at the rear who received the thermos saying "Ah, thanks~," I concentrated on Aizen's speech.
"We shall destroy Karakura Town, create the Oken, and...
—Conquer the Soul Society."
Yes, in canon this is where he first declares all-out war with the Gotei 13.
Against this, the Soul Society side, referencing Urahara Kisuke's advice, revealed the stratagem of transferring the spiritually important Karakura Town to Rukongai's outskirts beforehand with Tenkai Kecchu.
"Hmm. ...It seems... we made it in time."
There he is, obstacle Old Man Yama.
Above the Karakura Town replica, Captain-Commander of the First Division Yamamoto Genryusai Shigekuni stood solemnly with ten captain-class Gotei officers.
And.
(Ah, ah, ah... thank goodness...)
—Shiro-chan is there...
I stood frozen with emotion.
It was long, truly long. Overcoming countless blunders, laying countless groundwork, preparing over one hundred fifty years for my second "HINAMORIIII!" chance.
That was now before my eyes.
"'Made it in time'? What grounds do you have for those words?"
...But not yet, not yet. Just endure a bit more.
Somehow suppressing emotion in my chest, switching feelings with several deep breaths, I prepared for the work's greatest stylish scene I could only see now.
"I know what's there isn't Karakura Town. But that poses no obstacle."
Yes, the top 3 BLEACH famous scenes every Bleach fan acknowledges...
"Stark."
"Baraggan."
"Harribel."
"Come."
At that call, three new distortions appeared in empty space.
The three realms separated since ancient times. From the bottomless darkness glimpsed in the dimensional abyss's jaws, they appeared leisurely.
[Rank Third. Death aspect governed: "Sacrifice"]
—TRES ESPADA—
TIER HARRIBEL
And
TRES FRACCIÓN Members
[Rank Second. Death aspect governed: "Aging"]
—SEGUNDA ESPADA—
BARAGGAN LOUISENBAIRN
And
SEGUNDA FRACCIÓN Members
[Rank First. Death aspect governed: "Solitude"]
—PRIMERA ESPADA—
COYOTE STARRK
And
PRIMERA FRACCIÓN Members
Tremendous spiritual pressure that warped the world assaulted the resolute Gotei 13 members.
The strongest Arrancar led by Hueco Mundo's ruler, Aizen Sosuke. Their supreme forces now assembled above Karakura Town.
"If Karakura Town is in the Soul Society... we'll annihilate you all and create the Oken in the Soul Society. That's all."
No preparation, scheme, or force held meaning before him. Everything was in the man's palm from the start.
"Until then, I entrust Las Noches to you."
Ulquiorra.
The king's command echoed through the great hall leaving the princess. Before the throne at its center, as if obeying royal decree, the sky split.
"Yes."
[Rank Fourth. Death aspect governed: "Emptiness"]
—CUATRO ESPADA—
ULQUIORRA CIFER
The black-haired youth who appeared gazed at the frightened princess with inorganic jade eyes.
The human racing through the sky to reclaim the girl—Kurosaki Ichigo. The throne's guardian intercepting him. And on the decisive battlefield, the massive armies of Shinigami and Hollows facing each other.
Thus, the blade of battle's opening was swung down—
***
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