In a remote region of Hueco Mundo, an Adjuchas shaped like a leopard was feasting on its prey.
The remains clutched between its fangs belonged to another Adjuchas.
Blood and spiritual residue still lingered on its fur.
Suddenly, faint ripples shimmered through the void.
Whoosh!
An ugly, spiny, fish-like creature emerged from the swirling spatial distortions. Though barely two meters long and grotesque in appearance, the violent Reiatsu surging from its body clearly marked it as an Adjuchas.
Whoosh!
At the same time, a fiery red goat, nearly eight meters tall, descended from another direction. Its four thick hooves glowed faintly with flames, surrounding the leopard-shaped Hollow.
The strange fish stared at the feasting Hollow and spoke slowly, his tone filled with forced dignity:
"My great King, the strongest Vasto Lorde in the world, summons you. Joining our King and becoming his fang is your supreme honor."
Unexpectedly, the leopard Hollow ignored him completely and continued devouring its meal.
Seeing this, Jiwa Barnes's eyes narrowed.
"Arrogant foolish cat. You dare ignore me, Jiwa Barnes? You will pay for this. Puck, beat him up!"
Without hesitation, he ordered the Red Mountain Goat, Perke, to attack.
"Meeh!"
Perke let out a thunderous cry. A stream of fiery red flame burst from his mouth and shot toward the leopard Hollow.
Whoosh!
Without lifting its head, the leopard Hollow vanished from its original position along with its prey.
"What incredible Sonido!"
Barnes felt a chill run down his spine.
In the distance, the leopard Hollow finished swallowing its prey whole. It licked the green blood from its lips with its tongue and flashed a cruel grin at the two intruders.
"Two mongrels, courting death."
A flash of blue light erupted.
In the next instant, the leopard Hollow appeared behind Jiwa Barnes, opening its bloody maw and biting toward the only exposed part of his body, his unarmored tail.
Just as its fangs were about to clamp down, space rippled violently.
Barnes's body blurred, and he was teleported far away.
"This foolish cat… what terrifying speed!"
Cold sweat soaked his scales. Without his spatial ability, his tail would already be gone, destroying his chance at evolution.
From then on, he no longer dared approach.
He remained at a distance, firing Cero through spatial distortions.
Rumble!
Barnes whipped his tail wildly. With each strike, a black-red Cero shot forward.
One after another, dozens of Cero streaked through the air.
Yet every single one was cleanly avoided.
None struck their target.
Instead, they exploded uselessly, filling the battlefield with dust.
Hidden within the smoke, the leopard Hollow grinned.
Then it charged directly toward Perke.
Leaping high, it bared its fangs and slashed downward.
Seeing this, Barnes hurriedly fired another Cero.
Unexpectedly, the leopard Hollow used Sonido again and vanished.
Bang!
The Cero slammed squarely into Perke's back.
"Meeh!!!"
Perke let out a miserable scream.
Fortunately, the thick bone armor on his back absorbed most of the impact. Otherwise, he would have been crippled.
Even so, flesh and blood were torn apart.
"Barnes, what are you doing? Aim better!"
Perke shouted angrily.
"I-I didn't mean to! Are you alright?"
Before either could react further, the leopard Hollow appeared beside Barnes.
With a sweep of its tail, it smashed into him.
Barnes was sent flying like a broken kite, crashing into the desert and lying motionless.
Seeing this, Perke gathered Reiatsu between his horns.
A massive Cero formed.
He fired it straight at the leopard Hollow.
The leopard neither dodged nor retreated.
It opened its mouth and fired its own Cero.
The two beams collided.
Rumble!
A violent explosion erupted, generating hurricane-like winds that scattered sand everywhere.
After the smoke cleared, Perke lay scorched inside a crater.
He had lost completely.
The leopard Hollow sneered.
"Two fools. Remember this name. Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez."
"Go to hell. This is the price of offending the Leopard King."
"Leopard King's Claws!"
Grimmjow leaped into the air.
Light blue Reiatsu gathered around his forepaws.
In an instant, eight glowing blades formed, radiating destructive power.
They slashed downward.
At the same moment, fear filled the minds of Barnes and Perke.
It's over.
They would die.
Bang!
Just as the blades were about to tear them apart, a dark humanoid figure stepped forward.
A single hand reached out.
Crack!
All eight blades shattered like glass.
"Yo. Long time no see."
Yekawa stood calmly before Grimmjow, grinning.
Although his appearance had changed, his Reiatsu told him everything.
The abnormal Gillian he had met long ago was Grimmjow.
Now, he had finally evolved into an Adjuchas.
"Hahaha, what a coincidence!"
Yekawa laughed loudly.
His spiritual pressure erupted.
A crushing wave surged outward.
"Vasto Lorde…"
Grimmjow felt his breathing falter.
His limbs grew heavy.
Yet in the next instant, he grinned wildly.
"Perfect. I've always wanted to know if a Vasto Lorde is really that strong!"
He gathered power and fired a massive Cero.
Yekawa did not move.
He merely waved his hand.
Bang!
The Cero was deflected and detonated harmlessly nearby.
"Is that all you've got?"
Yekawa sneered.
Under the stunned gazes of Barnes and Perke, Grimmjow charged forward again.
Fangs bared, claws extended.
Yekawa shook his head.
"Too weak."
He did not even draw his blade.
At the moment Grimmjow leaped, Yekawa reached out and grabbed the back of his neck.
He lifted him effortlessly.
"Arrogant little cat."
Dark golden Reiatsu surged outward.
Grimmjow felt himself drowned in pressure.
Then terror filled his eyes.
His body was shrinking.
Rapidly.
In moments, he was reduced to the size of an ordinary cat, dangling helplessly in Yekawa's hand.
This was Yekawa's advanced application of Ruyi.
He could now alter not only his own size, but also that of others.
There was only one condition.
The opponent's spiritual pressure had to be far weaker than his own.
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