In Las Noches, in front of the palace of the Quinto Espada.
Boom!!!
A massive Kenatsu slashed down, and the sky full of sand and dust surged into the sky like waves.
"Huff, huff, huff..."
When the sand and dust settled and the surroundings returned to calm, Nnoitra's figure emerged from the lingering smoke.
But this time, Nnoitra was kneeling on the ground, a huge wound on his body from his left shoulder to his right waist, so deep that the bone was visible.
"Oh? Not dead yet?" Zaraki looked at Nnoitra with some surprise.
"I'm impressed. I didn't expect you to survive my full-powered strike with both hands on my sword. You're really tough!" Zaraki said with some admiration.
Earlier, after Toshiro and Aizen went to fight 'beyond the heavens' of Las Noches, Zaraki had also started fighting Nnoitra.
And Nnoitra, living up to his name as one of the top-ranking Espada, even after the exertion of fighting Ashido, still managed to trade blows with Zaraki.
Zaraki rarely had the chance to meet an opponent who could satisfy him, so he was very excited to have a thoroughly enjoyable fight with Nnoitra.
However, all battles must come to an end. In the end, Nnoitra was still severely wounded by Zaraki's full-powered slash with both hands on his sword, losing his combat ability.
"Well, whatever. I still need to go find those Hueco Mundo expeditionary force Shinigami. I can't delay any longer, otherwise the old man and Toshiro will definitely be angry. So... I'm leaving. I hope when we meet again, we can have another good fight." Zaraki casually said to Nnoitra, then shouldered his Zanpakuto and turned to leave.
"St... stop!!" Nnoitra, severely wounded and kneeling on the ground, watched Zaraki's departing back and suddenly roared.
"What? You're very noisy!" Zaraki paused, turned around impatiently.
"Where... where are you going... our fight isn't over yet..." Nnoitra forced himself to speak with difficulty, enduring his injuries.
"What? Are you stupid? Our fight is over. And... I have no obligation to deliver the final blow to someone who has already lost their combat ability." Zaraki said.
"Is that so... in that case... then it definitely can't be said to be over... because... I can still fight!!!" Nnoitra roared, disregarding his already severely wounded body, and exerting all his strength to stand up from the ground again.
Zaraki looked at Nnoitra, whose wound had worsened from forcing himself to stand, his body drenched in blood, and his expression became solemn, a sense of admiration rising in his heart for him.
"Huff... what's wrong... why aren't you talking... huff... are you scared?"
Nnoitra was sweating profusely, bright red blood gushing from his body. Perhaps from exhaustion, perhaps from blood loss, Nnoitra felt a dizziness, almost falling to the ground again from unsteadiness.
Zaraki looked at Nnoitra's tenacious will, remained silent, just watching Nnoitra with some admiration.
"Say something! Are you afraid of me? Shinigami!! Huh?" Seeing the silent Zaraki, Nnoitra roared again.
"Hmph..." Zaraki suddenly chuckled lightly. "What a troublesome guy. But... I'll give you what you want!"
Perhaps Nnoitra's tenacious will and unyielding fighting spirit moved Zaraki, perhaps he saw himself in Nnoitra. Zaraki, who had never been interested in delivering the final blow to an enemy who had lost their combat ability, actually agreed to continue fighting Nnoitra after he was severely wounded.
"Ha!!!"
Upon hearing Zaraki agree to fight again, Nnoitra roared, exerting the last ounce of strength in his body, leaped up, and swung his giant scythe, slashing down at Zaraki from the air.
Nnoitra knew this was the last attack of his life. Nnoitra also knew that with his severely wounded body, even the last attack of his life could not harm Zaraki. Yet Nnoitra still challenged Zaraki again, with no thought of surviving by living in dishonor.
Because Nnoitra longed to fight strong enemies, longed to die by the sword of a strong enemy.
Dying in battle… that was exactly what Nnoitra sought!
Perhaps realizing he was about to die, in his final moment, Nnoitra subconsciously glanced at the place where Nel was.
Then, sealed memories surged from the depths of Nnoitra's mind like a revolving lantern, reminding him again of how he had lost to Nel time and time again back then, and how Nel had always spared him repeatedly, just like Zaraki had no intention of delivering the final blow.
'What kind of joke is this!
You guys...
Always sparing people out of sympathy,
Don't you know...
That is nothing but trampling on others' self-respect.
I cannot forgive it,
Whether strong or weak,
Whether infant or beast,
You should kill the enemy without mercy!
Do not leave the enemy with the strength to stand up again!
Because—
That is the greatest insult to the enemy!!'
Zaraki's blade flashed.
Slash—!!!
A sky full of blood blossoms bloomed in the air.
Then Nnoitra glanced at Nel in the distance with a complicated expression.
Thud!
Nnoitra's body crashed to the ground, completely losing its vital signs.
"Noi... Nnoitra..." Nel, held in Rangiku's arms in the distance, subconsciously murmured when she saw Nnoitra fall.
Although Nel in her child state did not remember knowing Nnoitra, when she saw him fall dead, for some reason, a complicated and indescribable emotion welled up in her heart.
Perhaps it was the will of the world, so that Nnoitra would not be too lonely after death. The place where Nnoitra finally fell was exactly where his subordinate Tesra had fallen dead earlier.
Then a strange and yet moving scene occurred. Tesra, who had long lost his vitality, strangely had tears appear in his eyes, as if he knew that Nnoitra had died.
"I enjoyed fighting you... Nnoitra..." Zaraki looked at Nnoitra lying dead on the ground and said with great emotion.
Having experienced countless battles, Zaraki rarely changed his principles. But this time, Zaraki made an exception and killed an enemy who had already lost their combat ability.
Because although Zaraki had faced many opponents, Nnoitra was one of the few he felt admiration for. So Zaraki killed Nnoitra.
Yes, because of admiration, he killed him. There was nothing wrong with that, because... that was exactly what Nnoitra sought.
For Nnoitra, surviving after defeat was a trampling of his own dignity. Zaraki understood this, which was why he changed his mind in the end and chose to kill Nnoitra. That's all...