Seeing the opponent rapidly approaching the Menos Grande Expeditionary Force camp with clear hostile intent, Toshiro didn't dare delay. He immediately used Shunkuho to meet them.
Whoosh!
Toshiro's figure flickered continuously.
The originally vast distance shortened rapidly as both sides moved quickly.
Within just a few seconds, the two sides met.
Toshiro stopped about tens of meters away from the opponent.
This distance was very close. Once combat began, tens of meters were negligible for Toshiro.
After stopping, Toshiro took time to carefully observe the opponent.
Due to the earlier distance, Toshiro only saw a black figure. Now, the opponent's appearance was fully revealed.
The Hollow before him resembled a human but had ape-like features. He carried a black rod on his back, likely his weapon. He wore a Hollow mask, only revealing his eyes. It was Vargas.
Moreover, Vargas carried an Adjuchas in his hand… Garcia, the former subordinate of Flores, whom Toshiro had killed.
Boom!
Vargas casually threw Garcia, his guide, onto the ground.
Seeing this, Toshiro's pupils contracted.
Vargas had been moving at high speed while carrying a large Adjuchas!
The opponent's speed earlier wasn't much slower than Toshiro's. Although Toshiro hadn't used his full speed, the opponent had been carrying an Adjuchas while moving.
"A Shinigami?" Vargas looked at Toshiro, his tone cold.
"A Hollow?" Toshiro likewise asked.
"Vargas-sama, this is the Shinigami who killed Lord Flores," Garcia said, climbing up from the ground.
"Vargas-sama, this Shinigami is very strong. Don't underestimate him..."
Squelch!
Before Garcia could finish, Vargas suddenly pierced his heart with his right claw.
"Why... Vargas-sama...?" Garcia looked incredulously at Vargas's right claw piercing his body.
Garcia truly couldn't understand. He hadn't made any mistake, and he was just warning Vargas, so why would Vargas kill him?
"Hmph, do I, Vargas, need your reminder? Besides, after leading the way, you're useless!" Vargas said heartlessly.
Boom!
Garcia fell to the ground unwillingly, his body dissolving into Reishi, dispersing into the air.
Garcia, always cautious, never putting himself in danger, whose first reaction to any problem was to flee, never expected to die like this.
Garcia lived cautiously, never making mistakes. But in Hueco Mundo, weakness itself was the greatest mistake.
"Alright, Shinigami. The nuisance is dead. Now, let me finish you, then return for Baraggan-sama's victory celebration!" Vargas said.
"Baraggan-sama? So, you are indeed Baraggan's subordinate?" Toshiro asked.
"Correct," Vargas replied.
"Heh! Not coming personally, just sending a subordinate. I'm truly being looked down upon," Toshiro sneered.
Well, though if Baraggan came personally, Toshiro likely couldn't win, he couldn't back down in terms of presence.
"A mere Shinigami, actually expecting Baraggan-sama to act personally. You really are arrogant!" Vargas said angrily.
"Ignorant Shinigami, I hope you'll still be laughing later!" Vargas said.
Boom!!
Suddenly, powerful Reiatsu erupted from Vargas's body, pressing towards Toshiro.
The violent wind from the Reiatsu stirred up dust and sand. Even Toshiro, standing tens of meters away, felt his cloak flutter noisily.
Sensing Vargas's Reiatsu, Toshiro's expression changed.
'Vasto Lorde! Beyond Captain-level!' Toshiro was shocked.
Toshiro initially thought Vargas was just a Captain-level Adjuchas. He never expected a Vasto Lorde!
'This is bad. I never expected Baraggan to have a Vasto Lorde under him!' Toshiro said, looking grave.
Vasto Lorde… the highest-level Menos Grande appearing in the original work. Each possessed beyond-Captain-level strength. There weren't many in all of Hueco Mundo. Who would have thought Baraggan had one under him.
Toshiro's current strength was peak Captain-level. He'd never fought a beyond-Captain-level opponent, so he didn't know the specifics.
'However, if this is the extent, then I probably won't lose.' After sensing Vargas's Reiatsu, Toshiro remained confident.
Toshiro defeated Captain-level opponents while at Lieutenant-level. Now, at Captain-level, he could likewise defeat beyond-Captain-level!
Although the gap between beyond-Captain-level and Captain-level was larger than between Lieutenant-level and Captain-level, and Toshiro couldn't win just by having higher Reiatsu density, since learning Bankai, he had never used that ultimate technique… Hyorinmaru's strongest move: Frozen Heaven Hundred Flower Funeral!
In the original work, Toshiro, whose strength was among the lowest among Captains, defeated the Tres Espada, Tier Harribel, using Frozen Heaven Hundred Flower Funeral.
Although part of it was because Halibel's abilities were countered by Toshiro, the technique's formidable power couldn't be ignored.
This was also why Toshiro, knowing Baraggan might cause trouble, hadn't yet requested reinforcements from the Soul Society.
Even Baraggan might not emerge unscathed from his Frozen Heaven Hundred Flower Funeral.
"Vargas, stop releasing Reiatsu randomly. Trying to make me submit with Reiatsu pressure alone is impossible," Toshiro said.
"Hmph, in that case, prepare to die!" Seeing Toshiro unaffected by his Reiatsu pressure, Vargas stopped his futile effort.
"Sonído!"
Vargas's figure instantly vanished, then crossed tens of meters to appear behind Toshiro, his claw aimed at Toshiro's back.
Sensing the attack from behind, Toshiro hastily used Shunkuho.
Swish!!
Toshiro's figure flashed into the distance.
"Quite impressive speed."
Vargas caught a piece of cloth fluttering down from the air and praised.
Looking closely, one would see a hole torn in Toshiro's cloak.
If Toshiro hadn't dodged in time earlier, he might have been injured.