Chapter 104: Resurrection! Fiander Moros!
"They're not here anymore?"
Chad froze completely, his entire face etched with profound shock as the terrible reality began to sink in. Fragments of the conversation he had witnessed during Pesche and Dondochakka's fusion echoed in his memory, their final words taking on a heartbreaking new significance in light of Ishida's revelation.
"Do you mean... they're really gone?" his voice trembled with disbelief, each word carrying the weight of impending grief.
For two Arrancar whom they had known for less than a single day, both Chad and Ishida had come to regard Pesche and Dondochakka as genuine friends. Despite their attempts to conceal their true identities and maintain emotional distance, their sincere care for others had been impossible to fake or dismiss.
"We survived because, at the very last moment, the dragon separated a fragment of its soul to create a protective barrier around us both," Ishida explained, his voice heavy with sorrow and survivor's guilt. "Without that sacrifice, we never would have survived such a devastating attack. The explosion should have vaporized us completely."
He paused, adjusting his glasses as he struggled to find the right words to convey what he had witnessed in those final, chaotic moments.
"I saw their souls clearly just before the end," he continued quietly. "After the explosion reached its peak, the dragon's physical form could no longer maintain its cohesion. I watched as their individual souls were literally torn from the failing vessel that had contained them."
Chad listened in stunned silence as Ishida described the terrible beauty of their friends' final moments.
"The dragon's body dissolved into countless spirit particles that scattered on the wind like snow," Ishida said, his voice barely above a whisper. "But before their souls completely disintegrated, they managed to speak one last time. They asked me to deliver a message to Nelliel—to tell her that they were grateful for everything she had done for them."
"After that," he concluded with finality, "their remaining spiritual essence simply... faded away. They gave everything they had to ensure our survival."
Chad placed his hand over his eyes, overwhelmed by the magnitude of their sacrifice. "They really did that for us," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "I owe them more than I can ever repay."
Meanwhile, hundreds of kilometers away in Fiander Moros's private territory, something extraordinary was beginning to unfold within the sealed chamber where his body had been recovering.
Inside the extremely cold crystalline cube that had served as his cocoon, the silver spirit particles that had been floating aimlessly suddenly began pulsing with renewed vitality. What had started as random, chaotic movement quickly transformed into something far more purposeful and organized.
The individual particles began clustering together with increasing urgency, drawn by some invisible force that compelled them to merge and combine. As more and more spiritual energy accumulated within the confined space, the pressure began building toward a critical threshold that the ice container could no longer contain.
*Crack*
The first hairline fracture appeared across the cube's pristine surface, followed rapidly by a second, then a third. The crystalline structure that had held for so long was finally beginning to fail under the immense spiritual pressure building within.
More and more cracks spider-webbed across the ice as the breaking sounds grew louder and more frequent. Then, with a tremendous *BANG*, the entire cube exploded outward in a shower of frozen fragments.
The violent detonation shattered every icicle and crystal formation within the cavern, sending countless shards cascading to the stone floor in a symphony of tinkling impacts. But the destruction was only the beginning of something far more significant.
A brilliant blue light source materialized at the exact center of the explosion site, and within the span of a single heartbeat, every spirit particle within the cave began flowing toward it with irresistible force. The phenomenon didn't stop there—spiritual energy from across a hundred-kilometer radius suddenly began converging on this single point at speeds visible to the naked eye, creating streams of luminous power that painted the sky in ethereal blues and whites.
At that moment, Szayelaporro Granz, still traveling toward his intended destination, suddenly noticed the dramatic shift in the ambient spiritual energy. He came to an abrupt halt, his analytical mind immediately recognizing the unprecedented nature of what he was witnessing.
"What in the world is happening?" he muttered, his golden eyes scanning the horizon with growing concern. "Why is the spirit particle activity in this region several times higher than anywhere else in Hueco Mundo?"
Before the confused scientist could formulate a proper hypothesis, the very air in front of him began to tear apart as a massive Senkaimon gate manifested from nothingness. Four figures emerged from the dimensional portal, their distinctive captain's haori immediately identifying them as high-ranking members of the Gotei 13.
"Damn it all! Why do we encounter enemies the moment we arrive?" one of them complained loudly.
"Shut up, Zaraki," another voice replied with aristocratic authority. "You weren't supposed to be part of this mission in the first place. You forced your way along despite orders."
"Do whatever you want," the speaker continued dismissively. "I'm proceeding with my own objectives."
"Haha! That's Captain Kuchiki for you—always so decisive and focused," came an amused observation from a third figure.
With Byakuya Kuchiki departing immediately to pursue his own mission, the remaining three captains—Zaraki Kenpachi of the 11th Division, Kurotsuchi Mayuri of the 12th Division, and Unohana Retsu of the 4th Division—formed the Soul Society reinforcement team sent to support Kurosaki Ichigo in his desperate struggle.
"This is... quite the unwelcome reception," Szayelaporro muttered, his confidence evaporating as he found himself facing three captain-level opponents simultaneously.
Back in the distant cavern, the spiritual convergence had reached its climax. The blue light source continued expanding until it achieved a diameter of approximately two meters before stabilizing. From within this radiant cocoon, a pale and elegant arm emerged, followed by feet, torso, and finally a head crowned with silver hair.
All the accumulated light and energy flowed into this newly reconstructed body like water into a vessel, and at last, the eyes that had been closed in death-like slumber finally opened to reveal irises of glacial blue that seemed to contain the very essence of winter itself.
The temperature throughout the cavern plummeted dramatically as those ancient eyes surveyed the destruction around them, ice crystals beginning to form on every available surface.
"Haaah..." A small breath escaped from the figure's lips, visible as a puff of vapor in the suddenly frigid air.
Fiander Moros slowly raised his hands to his face, flexing his fingers experimentally as he adjusted to his renewed existence. When he spoke, his voice carried the cold authority of winter storms and arctic winds.
"So they used that technique in the end," he observed with quiet sadness, understanding immediately what had transpired in his absence. "Pesche... Dondochakka... why did you go so far for strangers?"
Following his soft lament, a localized blizzard erupted within the cavern, instantly pulverizing every remaining icicle and fragment into pools of water. These pools immediately refroze into an elegant spiral staircase that led directly to the surface, as if the very elements were responding to their master's unspoken will.
A black coat materialized around his shoulders—similar in design to a Shinigami's shihakushō but cut with more refined lines and bearing subtle differences that spoke of his unique nature. With measured steps, Fiander began his ascent toward the outside world, each footfall causing the ice beneath him to sing with crystalline music.
Meanwhile, facing the pink-haired Szayelaporro and sensing the tremendous spiritual pressure radiating from the Arrancar, Kurotsuchi Mayuri's eyes gleamed with scientific fascination as he leaned forward eagerly.
"Oho! You're an Espada, aren't you? Yes, you must be!" he exclaimed with barely contained excitement, his voice taking on the manic quality that typically preceded his most disturbing experiments.
The expression of predatory curiosity on Kurotsuchi's face sent chills down Szayelaporro's spine—he recognized that look all too well, having worn it himself countless times when examining potential test subjects. It was the gaze of a scientist who had discovered something new and fascinating to dissect.
"Hmph," Szayelaporro replied, trying to maintain his composure despite his growing unease. "Judging by that captain's haori you're wearing, you must hold significant rank. To think you would dare invade Hueco Mundo so brazenly—"
Before he could complete his sentence, a blade passed mere millimeters from his face. Only his supernatural reflexes saved him from decapitation as he instinctively jerked backward, the steel whistling through the space where his head had been a split second earlier.
"You bastard!" Szayelaporro snarled, genuine anger flashing in his golden eyes as he realized how close he had come to death.
"Come on, less talking, more fighting!" Zaraki Kenpachi growled with predatory glee, his scarred face twisted into a savage grin. "I didn't travel all this way just to listen to your speeches!"
"Kill him, Ken!" came Yachiru's cheerful voice from the sidelines, where she had somehow materialized to watch the impending violence with childlike enthusiasm.
"Zaraki, you muscle-brained fool! That Arrancar is my test subject!" Kurotsuchi Mayuri protested indignantly, his scientific priorities clashing with the 11th Division captain's bloodthirsty nature.
"What? Your test subject?" Zaraki shot back belligerently. "I attacked first, so he's my prey! That's how it works!"
"You ignorant brute! Don't forget who arranged your transportation to Hueco Mundo in the first place—"
"Captain Zaraki! Master Kurotsuchi!" both Unohana Retsu and Nemu Kurotsuchi called out simultaneously, their voices carrying urgent warning. "There's another enemy approaching!"
The alarm in their voices immediately silenced the argument as all eyes turned toward the source of their concern. Walking toward them with unhurried confidence came a figure that radiated power like a furnace radiates heat—a man dressed in a flowing black coat, his torso bare beneath it, feet unshod as they touched the white sand of Hueco Mundo.
Upon seeing the newcomer's face clearly, Szayelaporro felt a primal terror unlike anything he had experienced in decades. This was the fear of a predator recognizing something even more dangerous than itself.
"Fiander... Moros," the name escaped Szayelaporro's lips like a prayer or a curse.
Both Zaraki and Unohana immediately shifted into combat stances, their extensive battle experience allowing them to recognize a truly dangerous opponent. Based on all the intelligence reports they had received, this particular Arrancar represented the gravest threat among Aizen's forces—a being whose power was considered nearly incomprehensible.
"Well, well... what a lively gathering," Fiander observed with dark amusement as he continued his leisurely approach. "I was simply following that pink-haired one's spiritual pressure out of curiosity, but it seems I've stumbled upon an unexpected bonus."
His glacial blue eyes swept across the assembled captains with the detached interest of an apex predator evaluating potential prey.
"It's been quite some time since I've encountered captains from the Gotei 13," he continued conversationally, his hand resting casually on the hilt of the Zanpakutō at his waist. "I do hope you'll provide more entertainment than the usual fodder we encounter in this dreary realm."
The very air around them began to crystallize as Fiander's spiritual pressure gradually increased, and everyone present understood that they were about to face something far beyond their previous experiences.
***
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