20 Chapter #16 - New Names

Before I start the chapter, I would like to say a few words about the deleted chapter. I already had something similar to this in my mind, but while I was writing it, I realized that I was writing a lot of bullshit contrary to what I had in mind. I don't remember which reader because I have a bad memory for names, but when a reader said 'I'm going to consider this non-canon', I thought about it and it seemed right.

So let's continue as if this incident did not happen, friends.

***

The days passed quickly. After the intense sex that day, their relationship had become much closer. Loly in particular was always after him. She was with him even when he was walking around, researching his technique, thinking idly.

Still, he could get used to it. She didn't mind him talking to other girls as much as she used to. And that was a relief for him. It was a bit awkward flirting with others in front of her, but Loly didn't give him many other opportunities.

Even if his relationship with Menoly didn't go very far, she at least approached him with more confidence now. You could say they were closer. In the process, he naturally received his reward from the system.

The big prize was Harribel, who still seemed too normal and indifferent. There was really nothing Kizuna could do about it. Apart from talking to her regularly, everything else was at her discretion.

He also heard by chance that Tres Bestias was planning something, but he didn't want to get involved. Who knew what would come out?

As he walked through his territory, he had to say that the hierarchy was changing very quickly in these few days. But his own status was solid. Every time it looked like he was going to fall, he would beat someone and still manage to stay in Espada.

New names were emerging. Some of them he knew from his fragmentary knowledge of the lore, others he was hearing for the first time. Even if he himself didn't move much, the knowledge of this was coming to his ears. After all, he had built his own network in these few days. For this, of course...

"Thank you, Antonella"

He thanked the little girl in front of him, who was half his height. She stood about 1.50 meters tall. She had brown, twin drill hair. The weird mask on her head was striking. Her blue eyes were emotionless.

"It doesn't matter. It's because of your scent that I was able to come here and gain power. Besides, it's not surprising that I kept my promise."

Yes, Antonella was the mole he had rescued. Her gender was so indeterminate that she could not be identified by her voice. It was therefore a surprising development for Kizuna to see her as such a girl.

But somehow she came after him and found him. It was a very satisfying development. Kizuna patted her head, her mask, which was the size of a helmet.

"This Espada you were talking about... What was her name? Nelliel Tu..."

He couldn't continue in boredom. Damn, her last name was unnecessarily long. Antonella completed it.

"Odelschwanck. Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck. But from what I've heard, she doesn't really care how you're addressed as long as you're her friend."

Kizuna nodded. Then she glanced at Loly next to her.

"Loly, can you wait in the pavilion? I'll be right there."

Loly placed a kiss on Kizuna's cheek and stepped back.

"Remember to be careful."

Loly was with Kizuna to the point of being more than satisfied. Naturally, she wasn't going to go with him where he should have gone on his own.

Kizuna, on the other hand, was relieved that she had left without any problems. He beat his own chest with his hand and said proudly:

"You can trust me."

After that, he moved forward with Antonella's guidance. For some time now he had been reviewing his old life. He was doing his best to remember some details, even if they were getting blurry.

That's how he was able to remember Nelliel more or less. She was as intriguing a character as Tier Harribel. So he saw no harm in being close to her. Pleasantly, he was quite unfamiliar with the whole shape-shifting thing. All he knew was that it was the result of a wound.

'I won't let it happen when she is around me. That's it.'

He continued walking with these strange thoughts and finally witnessed an argument.

A tall thin man and a beautiful woman were clashing. Or rather, she was dominating the tall thin man.

When the weapons clashed, the tall thin man was pushed back. The tall thin man was very aggressive and ruthless. But Kizuna could see that the woman's movements didn't have even the slightest hint of killing intent. And that was surprising. It was rare to see any sense of compassion among the Espadas.

Antonella pointed.

"This is the woman I was talking about. The other one... the Espada who is constantly at war with her. His name is..."

Kizuna muttered as he squinted his eyes and carefully observed the battle.

"Nnoitra Gilga. I know him."

Nnoitra Gilga's demeanor and personality bothered him greatly. So it was impossible not to recognize him.

Every time Espada joined, there was a meeting. Usually the Espada was defeated and a new Espada took his place.

In some cases, however, the person introduced at the meeting would fight the chosen number. If he/she won, he/she kept his/her Espada identity and the newcomer was placed in the lower numbers. If he/she lost, he/she would be demoted from Espada.

Nnoitra had seen Gilga at the meeting for this reason and was disgusted by the way he spoke when Neliel joined the meeting. Well, he was distracted for most of the meeting as he had a few things on his mind at the time. So he didn't even realize that it was Neliel who was in attendance.

Anyway, in the end he preferred Barragan to Nnoitra Gilga.

Their battles, meanwhile, were extremely fierce. But Kizuna could see that Neliel was holding back. If she wanted to, she could have sworn she could have finished him at that moment.

But instead she chose to eliminate him. The battle had ended much faster than he had expected.

After Nnoitra was defeated, Neliel stopped and looked at him calmly.

"That's enough."

Without saying anything else, she turned and walked away from Nnoitra. Kizuna could clearly see that Nnoitra's face had turned ugly. Still, he didn't think someone like Nnoitra would come up with a treacherous plan.

Nnoitra was like a child whose only concern was to prove himself.

While he was thinking like that, Neliel noticed him. She slowed her pace after seeing him and his companion. Her gaze and demeanor seemed questioning.

Before she could ask a question, Kizuna took a step forward and bowed like a servant.

"Greetings, I am Kizuna Plata. You can just call me Kizuna. I bothered you to congratulate you on becoming an Espada."

Neliel paused. She looked at him in surprise. So much so that Kizuna could have sworn that for a moment there was a question mark in her mind. She asked in a confused voice:

"Congratulations?"

Kizuna kept his smile.

"Of course. It's rare to see a beautiful woman like you become Espada."

Kizuna straightened up and held out his hand.

"If you have any problems or troubles, you can call me. I will help you in any way I can."

It was surprising for Neliel to suddenly see someone kind. It was very strange for Neliel, given that they were often cruel and senselessly undermining each other.

She frowned and looked first at Kizuna and then at the outstretched hand. Not seeing any ulterior motive, she took his hand.

"Alright..."

They shook hands and left. That was all. But for Kizuna, this beginning was enough. Then he turned around and walked away, ignoring Nnoitra.

Step by step on the way, he asked Antonella:

"Did you give my proposal to the person I asked?"

Antonella answered calmly after some thought.

"Of course. But she said she would only think about it."

Kizuna nodded in agreement.

"I see, and I'll make the proposal myself. Let's go there while we're on the way."

Antonella replied in a flat voice:

"Understood. This way..."

They went straight ahead together. The environment changed several times. It was possible to see a lot of diversity, as each region of the Espadas was specialized in its own way.

The steps kept moving forward. Finally, he found the place where the person he was looking for was staying. And he had caught her in the act of training.

Cirucci Sanderwicci.

She was an Arrancar who had fallen to Privaron Espada. He had met her when she was on Espada and, frankly, he had expected her to fall. Strong though she was, Espadas regularly appeared that were stronger and more useful to Aizen.

Few Espadas were able to hold their place on a regular basis, unless an exception like his current situation arose. Otherwise they were much more likely to die.

When he saw Cirucci, she was swinging her whip and smashing things. When the disk at the end of her whip landed on the ground, Cirucci took a deep breath and wiped the sweat from his forehead. She had obviously been working hard.

Kizuna spoke with a fake cough:

"You work extremely hard. Very respectable."

Cirucci tensed when she noticed him. She looked at him cautiously. Kizuna had been asking her through his intermediary to join his Fraccion ever since she became Privaron Espada. She herself had regularly declined, thinking that she could become Espada again under her own power.

She never thought that Kizuna himself would come!

An involuntary fear filled her, but she did not show it on her face.

"What are you here for, Plata-sama?"

Kizuna smoothed his own hair and approached her, taking a step in a relaxed manner.

"Come on, Cirucci, there is no need to treat me with respect. I came here because you didn't respond to my proposal."

Hearing Kizuna's words, Cirucci's nervousness became much more pronounced.

"I said I would think about it, Plata-sama."

Kizuna nodded in agreement.

"I know, but new Espadas appear regularly. It's only a matter of time before the power threshold rises far above the caliber you can reach. As it stands now, anyone in my fraccion can defeat you."

Even though he said it in an extremely honest tone, the words hurt Cirucci. She could sense that he meant no insult. He was too honest. And she knew he was right, even if she didn't want to admit it.

It was not known how powerful Kizuna himself was. She knew that he had defeated all his opponents, mercilessly killing them if they were men and sparing them if they were women. The scary thing was that no one except Aizen had ever seen his Resurrección.

A fraccion of such a horrible monster was home to a Vasto Lorde. It would be fair to assume that the others were not weak either.

With a hurt expression, Cirucci questioned:

"I know that, what is your goal, Plata-sama?"

Kizuna sighed. He spoke directly:

"My goal is to gather only women who are beautiful and whose personality can be appreciated, who seem nice, into my fraccion. You don't want to be bullied by others, do you? Things are getting tough. I heard that a few Arrancars are already looking for sex slaves."

He paused for a moment and studied the change in Cirucci's gaze. He saw first fear and then anger. Then he continued.

"I will not force you to do anything and I will protect anyone who is part of my fraccion. That is my principle. I won't make you this offer any more times than this, and if you come, know that our door is always open."

Then, without saying anything more, he stepped away to return to the mansion. Cirucci just said, "I will think about it." Kizuna could tell from her tone that she would really think about it this time.