Chapter 85 Seed Of The Devil (5)
"Hiss~~~~"
Entering the cave, Jijima and Koral were taken aback by the massive ice cavity spanning nearly five meters in diameter before them.
"What kind of force could create this? " Jijima crouched down, running his hand over the icy ground, a bone-chilling sensation making him shudder.
"Captain, this place feels really odd shouldn't we retreat for now and regroup once everyone is here? "Koral trembled, both in his body and teeth.
"No, we need to investigate thoroughly first; otherwise, we risk putting others in danger if trouble arises. Let's descend, Koral." With that, Jijima jumped down without hesitation.
"Captain ! "Koral observed the intimidating surroundings, his fear evident; after much deliberation, he shut his eyes, gritted his teeth, and leapt after him.
Wishhhh—
As he fell, the rapid rush of air filled his ears, which continued for dozens of seconds before he finally landed.
Feeling the soft sand beneath his feet, Koral rose slowly, gazing at Jijima.
"You're too slow, Koral. I sense your uncertainty, but in a place like this, such thoughts will only lead to your downfall. "
"Alright, it seems we've arrived at our destination! Who would have thought the Menos Grande Forest lies concealed beneath the sands of Hueco Mundo? "
With that, Jijima pulled out the earlier device, which was perfectly calibrated to indicate they were indeed in the correct area.
"This. . . is the Menos Grande Forest? "
Koral scanned the surroundings; in the encompassing darkness, only the faint moonlight trickled through the sand crevices above.
This barren and lifeless setting turned out to cradle the origins of the Menos Grandes and was the culmination of their expedition.
"Koral! Koral! "
While Koral remained absorbed in the stark landscape, Jijima had already moved several steps ahead, calling out to him.
"Yes! Captain! " Snapping back to reality, Koral responded swiftly and caught up.
"Stay alert, this area harbors dangers! "
Jijima guided Koral forward cautiously, marking their path with signals to indicate safe spots and areas requiring caution, all etched into the thick trunks of the white trees.
Unbeknownst to them, they had traversed over ten kilometers, with the environment around them remaining eerily unchanged as if it were frozen in time.
Navigating through another grove of white trees, they caught sight of a few scattered Menos Grande aimlessly wandering, resembling mindless zombies.
"Captain! It's a Gillian! "
"Yeah, I see him. " Jijima leaped onto a tree, surveying the area with caution, unwilling to act without thinking.
Even with his current Reiatsu, he could swiftly eliminate a single Killian; however, facing multiple adversaries could prove deadly, particularly against a Cero. Should an Adjuchas appear, he would be at a disadvantage.
"Captain, I've detected seven Gillians in this vicinity! "
"Let's remain vigilant; we can take them all down. "
At that moment, Koral approached Jijima, delivering comprehensive intel about the battlefield.
"Alright, you keep an eye on the surroundings! Report anything unusual at once. I'm heading in to confront these Gillians."
With that, Jijima propelled himself into the air and utilized Shunpo to position himself behind one of the Gillians.
As he descended, he drew his Zanpakutō and recited, "Flow Float! "
The blade of his Zanpakutō shifted form, immediately ensnaring the Gillian before him.
"Roar--! ! "
After emitting a painful cry, the Gillian strained to glance back, attempting to identify its attacker, but the binding around it constricted tighter. Once it reached a critical threshold, the Gillian was suffocated to death.
"That's one down! "
Swiftly maneuvering to another Gillian's side, Jijim extended his hand and chanted, "O King's Lander! Mask of flesh and blood,"
"Vientiane? Wings? Those crowned with humanity's name! Inscribe the double lotus on the blue fire's wall, awaiting the mystery in the distant sky! "
"Hadō's 73 · Double Lotus Pendant! "
Blue explosive flames erupted from Jijima's palm, and the second Gillian was instantly burned.
And so it continued, the second, the third, the fourth. . .
Once the final Gillian fell, as he sheathed his Zanpakutō, Jijima exhaled heavily, "It's done; let's move on to the next area! "
"Yes, Captain! "
Just as they were about to proceed, Jijima abruptly halted, remaining motionless for an extended moment.
Koral, who had been walking ahead, turned to see Jijima gripping his Zanpakutō with terror etched on his face, his entire body quaking with fear.
"Captain. . . what's wrong. . . ? " Before Koral could complete his inquiry, a hand gently settled on Jijima's shoulder.
"What. . . ? "
"It's quite the twist of fate to encounter Shinigami here. " Fiander's form gradually materialized from the shadows, his expression cheerful as he looked the two Shinigami.
"Can a Menos Grande really speak? Is this one an Adjuchas? " Koral unsheathed his Zanpakutō, his hands clenched tightly, eyes fixated on the figure of Fiander.
"Shinigami, who led you to think that only Adjuchas possess speech? How rude! " As Fiander's words echoed, an alarming chill enveloped Koral's feet; he quickly glanced down to find ice freezing his ankles, gradually creeping up his legs.
"No, no, no, no! ! ! Please help me, Captain Jijima! "
Koral pleaded for assistance from Jijima. Yet, at that moment, Jijima was drenched in cold sweat, paralyzed with fear. He cleared his throat and finally uttered, "It's not Adjuchas, could it be. . . Your Excellency is the fabled Menos Grande Vasto Lorde? "
"Bingo! You got it! Sadly, there's no prize! " Fiander snapped his fingers, examined Jijima's face closely.
" Is this a Shinigami? Looks just like a human. Anyway are you a vice-captain? " Noticing the absence of the captain's haori on the shinigami but sensing reasonable Reiatsu, Fiander asked with curiosity.
"I'm the third seat of the first team, Jijima." Despite the immense gap in Reiatsu, Jijima calmly addressed Fiander's question.
"The third seat? Did the Soul Society sending you to your death or something? "
Fiander stepped back from jijima, and Reinhard, who had lurked in the shadows, slowly emerged.
The sight of this massive lion, nearly 5 meters tall and exuding killing intent, nearly caused Koral to lose consciousness from sheer terror.
"If you're not planning to kill us, please let us go! " Noting Fiander's hesitation to attack, Jijima pressed on.
"Let you go? "Fiander's eyes suddenly narrowed, and he spoke with a sly grin: "That could be arranged! "
"Really? " Koral exclaimed with delight.
"Indeed, I, Fiander Moros, never break my word."
Jijima remained steadfast against Fiander's manipulation, asserting, "Your Excellency must have conditions."
"Wow! You're a true genius, but too bad you can't put it to use for me! " Fiander disappeared before reappearing, perched on Reinhard's back, commenting, "You've come to Hueco Mundo and slain so many hollows; that's real bullying man. "
"However, I'll offer you a chance: I can set you free, but there's only one spot. How about this? You fight each other, and the last one standing gets to leave? "
As he spoke, Fiander snapped his fingers again, and the solid ice beneath Koral's feet shattered instantly, granting him freedom.
After hearing Fiander's proposal, Koral's eyes widened, nervously looking at Jijima and stammering, "Captain. . . captain? "
"You. . . won't kill me, right? "
***
25+advance chapters at patreon.com/Eatinpieces