53 CHAPTER 54: Final Confrontation

Barely a mile away from the underground, a silhouette claimed the crest of a barren hill. His imposing figure was accentuated by an impressive afro of burnt orange and prominent sideburns. This was Gantenbainne Mosqueda, the 7th Espada. His distinctive mask remnants were fashioned like sunglasses with four teeth protruding above each eye, allowing him to survey his surroundings through a central blue star embedded within the white plate.

The target of his observation — Harribel's group.

Swiveling his towering form, he addressed Baraggan. The skeletal monarch of Hollows rested upon a throne of bones, emanating a sinister aura. "I sense a new Adjuchas amongst them."

"Interesting," Baraggan said. "The second Vasto Lorde's whereabouts are still unknown."

He had purposefully used his overpowering Reiatsu to force Harribel's hand, so she'd join up with her Vasto Lorde aide — the one who had inspired Harribel's defiance against his rule. It hadn't happened yet.

"Milord, may I make a suggestion?" asked the blonde servant standing behind him.

"What is it, Evanya?"

"Why don't we capture them and get the information out of them?"

She was tired of stalking her prey. She wanted to pounce and devour them.

Baraggan casually dismissed her idea with an indifferent sweep of his skeletal hand. "You underestimate Harribel. She'd rather embrace death than betray her people. She is a foolish woman like you."

Baraggan may have a cult of his own, but Evanya had become his most devoted follower after he beat her into submission.

"I can make her speak," Evanya said, her eyes glinting behind her white mask. "Trust me, my Lord. My Aspect of Death can bend her will."

"Submission?" Baraggan leaned his chin on his skeletal knuckles. "Will it work on a Vasto Lorde?"

Evanya shook her head. "But Tier Harribel isn't alone."

"Heh. Go. I'll disown you if you fail."

Evanya kneeled on the ground. "Thank you, Milord. I'll bring Tier Harribel back alive with the information. I'll not let you get rid of me!"

With a swift tap of her feet, she took flight, heading towards Harribel's location. Baraggan watched her fading figure before turning to Gantenbainne. "Make sure she is safe."

Evanya's abilities were strong but they consumed too much of her Reiatsu. She was his useful toy, one that he didn't want to lose yet.

Kneeling before his lord, Gantenbainne responded. "I'll guard her with my life."

Once they departed, Baraggan sat in solitude, a silent observer of the barren land. Despite his yearning for the thrill of battle, he felt somewhat uninspired, his energy sapped by the continuous hunt across Hueco Mundo.

Hours passed as he sat there.

Suddenly, his senses picked up two Reiatsu signatures, both surpassing the strength of an Adjuchas. Strangely, one of these spiritual pressures wasn't a Hollow, but a Shinigami.

Baraggan beheld the approaching figures, his grasp instinctively clenching around his scythe-like ax. He hadn't come across such formidable Reiatsu in a while. From a Hollow and a Shinigami, no less.

The cure for his boredom came knocking at his door.

…

Kazuya stopped, eyes squared on Baraggan. Both him and Dordoni had guessed wrong. Baraggan didn't send any Espada; he was so bored he left his kingdom to root out the rebels.

What's even bizarre was Harribel's location — he could feel Harribel and others underneath him. Their Reiatsu was so faint as if they were hundreds of meters underground.

'They hid underground from Baraggan? Smart chicks.'

Meanwhile, Yoruichi felt Baraggan's Reiatsu lock on her, making her fur stand on end. No Hollow, apart from Kazuya, had given her this level of threat. Moments of recollection hit her as she observed Baraggan's appearance. "Isn't he Baraggan Louisenbairn, the King of Hollows?"

While there might be more Hollows with the same look, none could possess a Reiatsu rivaling a senior captain.

Kazuya shot her a surprised look. "Yeah. He is the reason I ran away from this place."

"He is bad news—why are you getting ready to fight him?" She almost yelled when she saw him cracking his knuckles in preparation for a fight.

Kazuya spread his wings and continued stretching his arms. "He is coming to start the fight, but I'll finish it. Besides, do you think he will let us leave now?"

Beholding Baraggan in person, he could sense their Reiatsu to be on the same level. Arrancarization had improved his already vast Reiatsu.

'I want to see Oppression and Senescence clash.'

With Kazuya's swift regeneration and Sonído, Baraggan couldn't possibly kill him even if he wanted to. Facing Baraggan one-on-one was the perfect opportunity to test the limits of his Arrancar form.

As Baraggan arrived before him, he raised a hand in greeting. "Hello, Baraggan."

Baraggan set his intense Reiatsu on Kazuya. "Teaming up with a Shinigami. How terribly pathetic for you."

Kazuya smirked. "Yoruichi, will you let him insult you like this?"

"Heh. I was banished from the Seireitei ages ago. His words don't ruffle my fur."

Ignoring her cat joke, he turned to Baraggan. "Tell me, self proclaimed God King of Hueco Mundo, will I be called a Godslayer if I kill you?"

Baraggan burst into laughter. "Ant, you want to slay me? Just because you became a Vasto Lorde Arrancar, you think you can rival the God King? How comical."

"Then let it be I who paves the path for ants to become god slayers."

With a tremendous burst of energy, Kazuya blurred into motion, reappearing in a breath behind Baraggan. But his movements were instantly slowed, as if treading through a swamp. The slow field around Baraggan was a perfect counter to melee fighters.

Kazuya had no choice but to retreat with Sonído. "What an annoying ability."

Any close combat with Baraggan was useless as long as he surrounded himself in his Senescence.

***

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