"What's with that look? Did you think I was dead?"
Kael Vane stepped out of the black portal, as if he were stepping through a slit cut into the world itself.
Snap!
He snapped his fingers, and the portal closed.
Thud! Thud!
The giant dragon stumbled back two steps, claws scraping the ground as it steadied its massive frame.
"Impossible! You couldn't have survived my Roar!"
Kael nodded, looking at the massive crater and the scorched earth around it. "Yeah, that was a strong attack. If it had hit me, I'd be dead. But if I can't beat it, I can still dodge it, right?"
When the dragon was charging its breath, Kael had quickly used his Take Over on Ulquiorra. All Arrancar had a common skill:
Garganta.
It was a skill that tore a hole in space, letting them move between the living world and Hueco Mundo.
Kael had used it to tear a hole in space and hide in the gap, slipping into that thin darkness between worlds. When the blast was over, he came back.
The skill was a bit slow, but the dragon's Roar also had a long wind-up. It was just enough time.
"Alright, let's start round two. This form uses a lot of magic, and my time is precious."
His Yoriichi form didn't use much magic... until he started fighting. Those "simple" slashes were actually magic compressed to its limit. Every move used a lot of power.
Kael drew his Zanpakutō and chanted:
"Enclose, Murciélago!"
"VMMMM—!"
Black spiritual pressure shot from his body into the sky.
The clear sky instantly filled with dark clouds. The world went dark, like someone had pulled a curtain across the sun.
Then, a black rain fell from the sky.
Everyone had seen this before, but it was just as shocking every time. The air felt heavier. The battlefield felt smaller.
Soon, the strange rain stopped. Kael's form had changed.
Alazam saw this form and sneered. "Kid, I've seen this form. Your sword skills in this form are average. You're weak. You're no match for me."
He was trying to trick Kael. If he changed back to the "Yoriichi" form, the dragon would fly up and blast him.
"You're right. But you forgot one thing... You're badly wounded."
"And who told you this form was weak? In my heart, Ulquiorra is the strongest. I won't let you insult him."
"But, if you think this form is weak... I'll just have to show you something stronger."
Kael Vane whispered, "Resurrección: Segunda Etapa."
VMMMM—!
An even more terrifying spiritual pressure burst from his body. Green-black energy blasted outward, rolling over the ground in a violent wave.
"Aaaargh!"
People shielded their eyes.
The top half of Kael's robe vanished. His lower body, arms, and back were covered in black fur. The robe's lower half split in two, like a tailcoat, snapping in the wind.
His wings spread, revealing bat-like claws. The horns on his helmet grew longer. A long, black tail grew from his back. His feet became sharp claws. A black hole opened in his chest, so clear you could see right through him.
"Th-That's... Mr. Kael?"
Everyone was scared by his new form. It didn't feel like a man standing there anymore—it felt like a weapon given shape.
"Kid... you think changing your form makes you a match for me? Your magic power can't hold that form for long. If it could, you wouldn't have had to rest after just five nine-star beasts."
After being wounded, the dragon's mind was clearer. He was putting the pieces together.
Kael nodded. "Yeah. I can only hold this form for about a minute."
The dragon was thrilled. "A minute? Hahaha! Only one minute! It looks like you're going to die here, kid! After that minute is up, I'm going to torture you! I'll make you beg for death!"
He was so excited. He hated this human. This insect had made him feel fear. He would pay for that.
"One minute!"
The humans despaired. Could he really kill a dragon in one minute? If he failed, they were all dead.
Kael Vane said flatly:
"One minute... is more than enough."
As soon as he finished speaking...
"You arrogant—"
Swish!
Kael Vane appeared right in the dragon's face, close enough that the dragon could see his eyes without squinting.
He spun in the air and kicked the dragon in the side of the head.
BOOM—!
The dragon's giant body was sent flying.
"Waaaaah!"
Kael stomped on the air, flapped his wings, and shot after him, the air cracking behind him.
He caught up in an instant and kicked the dragon down.
BOOM—!
"Aaaaaargh!"
The dragon screamed in pain as he hit the ground, landing right on his wounds.
Before he could react, Kael grabbed his tail.
"Get up!"
He spun the dragon around and around, dragging a circle of destruction across the ground and air.
"Ooooooooooh!"
Then Kael let go, and the dragon flew through the air.
BOOM—!
The dragon smashed into a small mountain.
"Waaaaah!"
He coughed up blood. He was already badly hurt, and this was just making it worse. If he wasn't a dragon, he would be dead.
He saw Kael flying at him and shot a blast of Dragon's Breath.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Kael used Sonído, dodging the breath while moving forward, cutting through the space between each blast like it wasn't there. He was in the dragon's face again.
"You damn insect!"
The dragon swiped at him, but Kael was gone.
He appeared behind the dragon, his finger pointed.
Black energy gathered at his fingertip, dense and compressed, like night being forced into a point.
"Cero Oscuras!"