"Grimmjow's Reiatsu is still far below Nel's."
Katori Nanatsuki shook his head slightly. The gap in strength between Grimmjow and Nel was considerable.
Nel hadn't even used her full power, and Grimmjow was already at a disadvantage.
[Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez]
[Talent: S]
[Reiatsu: |v80]
[Reputation Level: Hostile]
[Status: Resentful, Angry]
Grimmjow's Reiatsu had already reached vice-captain level.
In an era before Arrancar became widespread, that level of strength meant he was no pushover in Hueco Mundo.
Thanks to his superior speed, he could even defeat some Hollows with slightly stronger Reiatsu than his own.
But ever since Nel evolved into an Arrancar, her power had increased dramatically—and her Reiatsu continued to grow.
In Resurrección, Nel's Reiatsu was nearly equivalent to Yoruichi Shihōin at early captain level.
Even in her normal state, she far outclassed Grimmjow.
They simply weren't on the same level.
However, this sudden surge in Reiatsu made it difficult for Nel to adjust, which was why she still hadn't completed her advanced Reiatsu control training.
Recently, Nanatsuki had designed a new sword technique for her, but she could only master it after overcoming that bottleneck.
Bringing her to Hueco Mundo for live combat was meant to help her break through that obstacle and put the improved technique to the test.
Grimmjow had staked all his spiritual power on his Cero, yet it still couldn't hold back Nel's advancing Flowlight Reiatsu Blade.
Boom! Grimmjow gave up maintaining the Cero and vanished from his spot.
In the next moment, he appeared behind Nel, snapping at the back of her neck.
"Little panther, you're getting slower."
Nel sidestepped lightly, dodging the bite, then swung her sword hilt to the right, slamming it into Grimmjow's left shoulder.
Grimmjow went flying.
Boom! He crashed into a sand dune, kicking up a huge spray of sand and gravel.
"Maybe I hit too hard… Mastering Reiatsu control really is difficult."
Nel looked a bit dejected. Her Reiatsu was currently in a growth phase, and it easily slipped out of her control. That last hit had released far more power than Grimmjow could endure.
She walked over to the dune where he had fallen.
The once-proud white Panther King no longer looked so majestic.
The point where his left arm met his torso was caved in, exposing bare white bone, and blood soaked the ground.
"Dammit…"
Grimmjow gritted his teeth against the pain. He tried to get up several times but failed.
In the end, he slumped to the ground and shut his eyes.
"Fallen Arrancar… You win. Just kill me."
He spoke coldly.
"Fallen Arrancar???"
Nel tilted her head. She had no idea why she'd suddenly earned that title.
"Probably because you're hanging out with a Shinigami like me," Nanatsuki said with a soft chuckle.
Neither Nel nor Grimmjow had noticed when Katori Nanatsuki had walked over to them.
"Hmph. Collaborating with Shinigami, hunting down Hollows like me who walk the path of evolution… Tell me I'm wrong."
Grimmjow sneered.
"Little panther, maybe you're misunderstanding something. I'm not here to kill you…"
Nel quickly held back.
"Victory belongs to the strong. No need to explain! Just finish me!"
Grimmjow said darkly.
"I refuse."
Nel shook her head.
"Are you mocking me?!" Grimmjow roared. "I don't need your pity!"
"We became Hollows after death—turned into mindless beasts. After struggling through endless suffering, we finally regained our reason. It wasn't so we could kill without purpose."
Nel frowned.
She refused to kill Grimmjow.
"Sensei, can we let him go?"
She turned to ask.
"If you don't want to kill him, then don't. No need to force it."
Nanatsuki glanced at the now-powerless Grimmjow and spoke slowly,
"But remember: even after defeating your enemy, you must never let your guard down. Be wary of counterattacks—they might strike when you relax."
"Beware of sneak attacks?"
Nel nodded. "Got it, Sensei!"
"'Sensei'?"
That was when Grimmjow noticed what Nel had just called Nanatsuki.
An Arrancar… calling a Shinigami Sensei?
Unbelievable!
"Little panther, we're leaving now."
Nanatsuki crouched down and ruffled the panther's head. "I hope we meet again in Hueco Mundo."
Grimmjow instinctively wanted to dodge the hand, but he suddenly felt an overwhelming Reiatsu pressing down on him.
"Damn you… Shinigami… ugh—"
He whimpered under his breath.
"Let's go, Nel. You need stronger opponents."
Nanatsuki rose and departed with her.
Grimmjow had remarkable talent and a straightforward personality—he was one of the few Hollows in Hueco Mundo worth taking as a disciple.
Nanatsuki intended to accept Grimmjow as a student… but not yet.
He and Aizen still hadn't cracked the secret of the Soul King's Power. In Grimmjow's current form, even if taken in, he wouldn't be able to receive proper guidance.
Just now, while ruffling the panther's head, Nanatsuki had quietly left behind a Shadow Marker in the gaps of his mask fragment.
With that, he could locate Grimmjow later.
Given Grimmjow's current abilities, there was no way he'd notice the hidden shadow.
"Curse those Shinigami! Curse that Arrancar!"
After the two left, Grimmjow was even angrier.
He was still alive!
He saw himself as a warrior—king of the panthers! He should not have survived due to his enemy's mercy!
Gritting his teeth against the pain, Grimmjow forced his battered body to crawl, inch by inch, toward the corpses of the Hollows he had slain.
"I… will become stronger…"
His injuries were severe—each step took one or two minutes.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, he reached the corpses and began to feed.
"I'll grow stronger… until I find you… and defeat you both…"
Still, a seed of doubt lingered deep in his heart.
Why had that Arrancar called a Shinigami 'Sensei'?
Could they really have a master-disciple relationship?
What could a Shinigami possibly teach a Hollow?
"Wait… that Arrancar… she used a sword?"
Grimmjow paused mid-bite.
He hadn't thought much about it during the fight, but now that he recalled—it was true.
The Arrancar used a blade!
"Could that be an Arrancar trait? After evolution, do they gain a humanoid form… and a weapon?"
His head began to ache from overthinking.
He hadn't even seen Baraggan yet. This was his first time meeting an Arrancar. He had no frame of reference.
"That blade of light she used—it even cut through my Cero… was that swordsmanship taught by a Shinigami?"
Grimmjow had more and more questions, but no answers.
"Forget it… thinking about it won't help. I just need to eat more and get stronger."
Unable to make sense of it all, the panther gave up on thinking—and resumed devouring the corpses of fallen Hollows.