Before Kazuya left, he had to intervene in the ongoing battle between two behemoths. Switching to his Hollow form, helmet on, he appeared outside.
Starrk and Ulquiorra were still engaged in a face-off, though neither wished for it. Apacci seemed lost in concentration while Mila Rose hovered close, concern for her friend clear on her face.
Mila Rose threw a glance in Kazuya's direction and flashed to his side with Sonído. "Apacci is acting strange."
She had no idea why Apacci hovered over there for the better part of an hour. He suspected it had something to do with her evolution.
{Don't disturb her. It might be a crucial enlightenment.}
'I wasn't going to.'
Turning, he noticed Ulquiorra glowering.
"Cazador…" Ulquiorra whispered, his voice betraying his desire to defeat him. "I'll settle it sooner or later."
He unfurled his wings and took off, only to stop after a few meters. Five metallic fingers clamped around his throat, holding him in the air. His tail lashed out, cleaving the air with an audible crack, strong enough to split a mountain in half. An arching whip meant to tear through his opponent's armor, flesh, and bone.
Clang! The tail rebounded dully, like metal struck a stone. Not even a scratch could be seen on the armor.
Ulquiorra's eyes widened in shock. "What a ridiculous defense…"
Contrary to his hopeless words, he continued putting up a fight. His claws sliced the dense metal, trying to find weakness in the joints. The hand holding him didn't flinch.
He struggled, but it was pointless.
The fight with Starrk had drained him just as much as it drained Starrk. His physical strength meant nothing.
Right now, Kazuya could end him in a moment.
"Behave."
Ulquiorra stopped struggling, his eyes widening. "You… Kazuya? It was you! You are Cazador."
The metallic helmet hissed open and retracted. Kazuya loosened his grip. "Ulquiorra, you're mine now."
{Ewww.}
Clenched jaw, he recalled the agreement he'd made himself. Now that Las Noches had changed rulers, he had to follow it—or defy Kazuya. He only had one real choice.
Kazuya released him with a smile. "Glad you understand your position. You'll be a great hound."
Ulquiorra gave him a death glare. "Aizen will come for you."
"He can come anytime. You can also challenge me any time you want your freedom back."
Ulquiorra's frowning face showed no emotion. "You'll regret sparing me. I can't beat you now… but I'll kill you in the future."
"For now, you say?" Kazuya laughed. Kazuya released a wave of Reiatsu that pressed tyrannically on Ulquiorra. "I beat you in my Shinigami form—think you stand a chance just because you unlocked a new form of your Resurrección?"
Ulquiorra gritted his teeth before he closed his eyes. He, who was used to putting others in despair, felt what it meant to face an insurmountable Hollow. "Just who… are you?"
He was one of the most ancient Hollows in Hueco Mundo, yet he felt as though he'd never win against him—it made no logical sense.
"I'm your progenitor." He chuckled. "Don't worry. You won't regret being my dog. Well, your first duty is to go back to do whatever you were doing with Starrk. Don't move until she comes out of trance."
Ulquiorra brushed his shoulder and vanished, returning to a Reiatsu clash with Starrk.
"Well, I hope Apacci learns something from this."
He appeared by Starrk's side. "Keep up the good work, Starrk. You too, Lilynette."
Lilynette's laughter echoed. "Today was very fun~."
Kazuya swiped his arm, opening a garganta. "I'll see you later."
"Oi, where are you going?!" Starrk yelled behind him, but he didn't bother turning around.
Having learned from his previous mistake, his garganta openings were now stable enough to not show up on 12th Squad's monitoring devices.
"Huh? I can't sense Rukia and Momo."
{This… they should be beside Unohana. She wouldn't let them go anywhere that hides their Reiatsu.}
"Father, be careful. There is a machination at play."
{I second that. I'm guessing Aizen already made a move. But how did he know already? Did Tōsen send a Hell Butterfly?}
'There wasn't.'
The entire place was under his domain. A Hell Butterfly couldn't have snuck away without alerting him.
He sharpened his senses on Isane's Reiatsu. What he felt horrified him. Her Reiatsu lacked the vigor of a Vice-Captain, who had almost reached the level of a Captain. Rangiku, Nanao, and Unohana's Reiatsu conveyed negative emotions—and all were gathered together.
'I have to check up on them.'
Flames surrounded him as he took on his Shinigami form.
…
The 4th Squad's base was shrouded in heaviness. Nurses and support Shinigami worked frantically to move around the wounded Shinigami or provide Kaido treatment on the spot. Relief squads dropped off more injured, then left in a hurry to fetch even more.
Normally, Kazuya would have stopped for information, but a sense of dread pushed him on. He followed his senses, carefully cloaking his Reiatsu, so discreet even the ones familiar with him wouldn't recognize him.
True to his instincts, his path led to the specially reserved medical wing. He stopped outside a particular section, sensing Isane, Unohana, Rangiku, and Nanao. There was no other Shinigami around.
He took a deep breath before sliding the door open. What he saw inside made his blood boil.
...
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