Shinigami Adjacent [Anti-Rampage | DP]

[Deleted]

Name: Shinigami Adjacent

Current participants: Open to up to 4 extra people (5 max). Intended for lower class characters but higher ones can also be accommodated! I'll update the participant list accordingly. 

• @io
• Date Maharo
• Ghost Fenyx
• Open!
• Open!

Location: Karakura Shopping District

Difficulty Level: Easy/Medium (depending on character class)

Threat Level: DP

Plotline: A Hollow has used Kumon to enter the Human World, which naturally caused a ton of them to follow through the exact same rift in space, since they are too weak to use that technique by themselves. These Hollows exit right in the middle of a tasty buffet of humans and Pluses, and since more are arriving by the hour, someone needs to put a stop to them. Luckily to the general public, they don't seem to be particularly powerful...

Estimated Enemy Strength: Your run of the mill Hollows, class 8-7, for the lower tier characters. Class 6-5 for higher tier ones.

Special Conditions: As the thread name suggests, this is an Anti-Rampage: join Caballero in stopping the Hollows terrorizing Karakura and earn some TP for your character in the meantime! This is not only intended for the average anti-Hollow enthusiasts, it's also an opportunity to RPC Hollows to take the chance at joining and get stronger by hunting some humans, too. Of course, PVP should be expected if that happens, so the thread will kept at DP level. My intention is to keep each participant post on a 3-4 days timer, but no worries; nothing will really happen to your PC if you're skipped provided you're not on PVP.

[Deleted]

Snow had begun to melt in Karakura. While there were still weeks of winter to go through, the air was undeniably becoming warmer. Even now, the air didn't feel as cold as it had the day Caballero had first arrived into Karakura, much less so considering it was late in the afternoon instead of right in the middle of the evening. That day, the tiny Hollow was sitting on a tree branch, under the shade of the foliage. From that vantage point, they had the shopping district of the city in view. Still getting used to the sun, they had wanted to take a break from being so... surrounded. As a Hollow, being in constant surveillance made them a little antsy; it couldn't be helped, at least not at the time. Sitting there, the tiny critter was actually thinking for a change.

Innocently kicking the air with their little stubby feet, Caballero mulled over the encounters they had had over the past days. Shinigami, like Akira and Celes, who'd treated them with kindness despite their duty to eliminate Hollows. People like Ren, who had honored them via accepting their challenge. Hikari, the Fullbringer with whom they had fought one of the biggest Hollows Caballero had seen up to date, a battle that had gone uphill on more than one occasion. Even if their young mind couldn't really understand most of these connotations, a deeper part of their subconscious could.

Like a single ant trying to tear down a brick wall, Caballero's mind bashed against its own limitations; the little Hollow was so close to discovering some semblance of deeper meaning that they nearly fell from their tree branch on more than one occasion, as a result of letting their head fall forward a bit too much. However, they had managed to keep their balance, and thus their seat, twice now.

The third time would be the charm, however. Not because they had misplaced their weight for the third time, but because of the sudden commotion startling the tiny Hollow, who had always lacked taste for loud noises. While the opening of a rift between the human world and Hueco Mundo was nothing that the tiny Hollow could discern from their position, given their average senses and dismal lack of Energy Sensory capabilities, the screams of the humans and the overall chaos and panic it caused in the city was something completely different.

Of course, Caballero landed on their feet, and quickly rushed to see what was going on by using Tendón to climb to the nearest building, which was about a story taller than the tree they'd been at before. Wrapping the black tendrils around the television antenna at the top, the tiny critter witnessed the chaos below. Multiple alarms triggered, people running, it reminded them of the last time a Hollow had invaded the shopping district and they had been there to stop them alongside Hikari... only this time they were alone, and this time there was not only one Hollow.

Caballero saw the spatial tearing leading to a black void not unlike the one their mask housed, and they saw the alarming number of hungry beasts that were pouring from it. Immediately, every instinct in them flared to life, seeing so many of their brethren in action. And by every instinct, I mean every single one of them. The same nameless hunger tormenting all Hollows, usually subdued in Caballero's case, reared its ugly head once again. The creature's tiny body trembled with a rather unknown excitement, further boosting their desire to fend off the threat and jump to the rescue of the people below.

With that in mind, Caballero jumped from the building down to the ground, and dashed through the streets--the layout of which they had become familiar with overtime. They had also become faster, so they didn't need to sprint too much to get to the epicenter of the debacle with ease. Not too far ahead, chaos ensued, brought forth by the Hollows. Some of these creatures attacked the humans, others attacked the Pluses created from the destruction, others even attacked themselves. A festival of roars, cackles, laughs, cries and pleas for help that Caballero did not appreciate.

Brandishing their blade, which could frankly use a repair or some maintenance by this point, Caballero plunged into battle taking advantage of the chaos. There were many Hollows that needed to be killed to return the city to safety, and the tiny being was hungry as well, so it was taking care of two birds with one very tiny pebble. Caballero targeted some of the weaker looking ones first, a pair that were fighting over who got the kill on a pinned down Plus, still tied to their bodies by their spirit chain.

The tiny Hollow skittered toward them blanketed by the chaos, without needing to use Úlcera. They were far too distracted by their newfound prey to notice Caballero's approach. The chibi-like being shot forth with a quick lunge, using Tendón to propel themselves by using the moving body of a third Hollow as a grappling point. Caballero flew toward the first chicken-like monster, hacking at its neck with their katana. This Hollow was neither strong nor fast, in fact it was probably a newborn considering the level Caballero was at, so they went down easily. There, the little Hollow made sure to eliminate them fast by striking at a vital point, just like during the fight with Akira: under the maw, where flesh was weaker and easier to pierce.

The other creature was about to consume the Plus, so Caballero shot forth again using Tendón as a distraction to get their attention back. Caballero dodged the sharp beak through the battle stance that the captain of the 10th division herself had taught them to better balance their body. Although the piercing strikes came dangerously close, Caballero's blood remained cool in spite of the hunger, and thus they kept a proper form that allowed them to eventually close the distance between them and cut the Hollow's throat with a decided horizontal swipe. Once they were vulnerable enough, Caballero pushed forward with their blade, piercing their mask in one go.

With the two down, Caballero quickly went over the two Hollows to consume them and sate their bestial hunger, returning them to the dormant state it usually was in. There was no 'need' for them to eat more, but their instincts compelled to do so... always superseded to their status as a deluded Shinigami, of course. Caballer would not target a Plus or a human; their brethren was all they needed to sustain themselves. A good way to reconcile their duties as 'Shinigami adjacent', wouldn't you say?

OOC:

Consumed x2 Class 8 Hollows this post (x2 Class 8 Hollows total)

[Date Maharo]

Maharo had become decidedly fascinated with humans. It seemed to them like someone of the Thirteenth Division had to be, considering the regular patrols of Karakura. When there weren't any Hollows present, it seemed impossible to not watch how those of the Living World went about their day. They wore strange clothes, lived in strange homes, and ate strange food, all like it was entirely normal. There was a certain desire to be a part of it all, but Maharo was very well used to being an outsider even in the world they could understand. Though, the food was still quite tempting, especially in the middle of a long patrol.

The tall, red-masked Shinigami crouched statue-still upon the top of a short building, like a watchful gargoyle, idly watching the people below and being silently thankful that the birds in the World of the Living did not seek to use their mask's nose as a perch. As their eyes wandered, they picked up on some movement in and beneath a tree. They were about to write it off as a squirrel before catching a glance of something pure white. It was likely their mind playing tricks on them, it had done so during slow days before, but they were still going to have to go and check it out. 

Before they could move beyond placing their left hand on their Zanpakuto's scabbard, the sounds of human screaming snapped Maharo out of it. They took off quickly in the direction of the screams, immediately forgetting about their possible Hollow/probable squirrel. They jumped from building to building, occasionally using a light pole as a stepping stone for gaps too wide for them and using shunpo for those gaps without anything else to step off of, their left hand still holding their weapon ready to unsheathe at a moment's notice. They failed to notice that the probable squirrel they had noticed earlier was following a path parallel to their own, directly into the fray.

It was only as the Shinigami took in the sight of how many Hollow had come into the World of the Living that it occurred to them that it would have probably been a good idea to seek back-up instead of diving into this swarm of Hollow solo. They were about to turn tail and run to a safe distance to call in help, but found themselves brandishing their blade and leaping down from atop a building to save a living human that seemed to be more confused than panicked, despite having a Hollow that moved low to the ground towards him. Maharo landed on the quadrupedal Hollow with one of their wooden sandals, pressing it to their head to keep it still as a single, decisive cut parted its head from its body. It was only after that first Hollow had been slain that the Shinigami realized the danger that they had put themselves in.

To kill an unaware Hollow was a relatively unimpressive feat, and in doing so, Maharo had put themselves in the sights of numerous more. The tall Shinigami took a solid stance and held their Zanpakuto ready to attempt to defend themselves from the Hollow that began to menace them like wild animals, waiting for their guard to be down before striking. Maharo lacked the spritely agility of their unknown ally, as well as the fighting prowess to break out of the circle of hungry Hollow that was slowly enclosing around them.

[Deleted]

The tiny, delusional Hollow continued doing as a Shinigami did, and fought off the Hollows. After their first strike, taking the initiative on those foul monsters--just like them, but Caballero didn't need to realize that yet--some of their brethren had turned their attention onto the strange Hollow. The rest just continued to move, causing more chaos and mayhem: they broke store showcases, vehicles, lightning posts... quite similar to the more extremist hooligans of any sports team, really. In doing so, they probably hoped to smoke out the humans and Pluses from their 'dens', adding even more to the potential feast already on their hands.

Caballero returned their kin's looks, and then quickly tilted their oversized head toward the trusty katana that had served them so well throughout their previous fights. It was chipped and had lost its luster, looking almost as worn down as the rags the tiny Hollow used as their 'Shihakusho'. Weapon maintenance was not something they were cognizant of, so sadly, this would probably be the last battle that the weapon would see. Best make it count, then.

One of the Hollows lunged straight toward Caballero. This one was a big, green, mean one, shaped not unlike a gorilla, with oversized frontal limbs to match. However, it was very clumsy, quite possibly a newborn, and were just flailing their strength and power without any control. In contrast, Caballero's past experiences, their duels against many people--including Celes Shindazu, Captain of the Tenth- and their battles to the death with their own kin had taught the little critter that unbridled power was no good without skill. And it was in skill, not in size, that the tiny Hollow held the advantage.

They taunted the Hollow with their blade, caring not about honor--this was not a duel, and these beasts certainly didn't deserve any display of chivalry. As expected, the foe flung one of its massive arms with the intent to crush the insolent pest. However, Caballero's smaller size and superior speed granted them the edge to dodge, and used the arm as a stepping stone. They struck another taunting pose, drawing even more of the monster's rage. It attempted to crush Caballero again, far too blind and lost to instinct and hunger to recognize that their arm was right below. Caballero dodged in the nick of time, and the Hollow hit their own arm, causing them great pain. Caballero took the chance to ram their blade through the beast's throat, then drive it downward. The flesh was resistant, as the Hollow was very strong, but it mattered not. The tiny critter removed the katana and quickly hopped on the monster's shoulder, striking the neck from the side as well. They'd also cut it from behind, then from the other side. The combined wounds were able to heavily damage the monster, and Caballero delivered the finishing blow by using their strange physiology to consume the monster, which squirmed at first, until they fell limp and dissolved into reishi.

After that meal, Caballero looked around in search of more immediate threats. What they saw was a group of Hollows surrounding someone. Black robes, a Zanpakuto, and a desire to help? Of course, it could only be one of Caballero's comrades, a member of the Thirteen Court Guard squadrons! The Shinigami had probably seen the disturbance, and had immediately plunged in to help--at least, that was how Caballero saw it, given their level of admiration toward the Gotei 13 and its members. There was no way the tiny, deluded Hollow would allow a fellow Soul Reaper to fall against the monsters that were taking advantage of their superior numbers to corner Maharo. It was time to turn the tides in their favor!

The tiny Hollow darted toward Maharo, and the Hollows that were far too distracted with their fellow Shinigami to notice the tiny one's presence. They noticed one of them had a thin, spindly body, contrasting with the muscular builds of the rest of those monsters. Caballero's brain flashed back to the battle against a humongous Hollow, fought alongside that human girl, Hikari. Seeing their chance, they concentrated their Reiatsu, and all of a sudden they were no more. In truth, the tiny being had quickly taken a step forward via Úlcera, shooting forward at a speed of 400 and only coming back into the folds of the Human World when they were close to the Hollow's body. Then, they swung their blade.

This one must have been more oriented toward spiritual than physical prowess, because Caballero's strike (delivered at normal speed, but with the added momentum of Úlcera behind it) cleaved right through the creature's body, sending the upper half of its body flying. Caballero skid on the ground, reaching right next to Maharo, right alongside the severed Hollow torso. The wannabe Shinigami quickly nodded at Maharo, then pointed the katana to the rest of the Hollows. In any other situation, they would've properly 'introduced' themselves, maybe asked Maharo for a duel. However, just like with Hikari, theirs would need to be a friendship forged by fire. Hopefully the Shinigami would see Caballero as an ally, considering their overwhelmingly positive aura and the fact that it was actively helping Maharo.

Reaching closer to the torso, Caballero's body quickly got to work, consuming it as well. The other Hollows took a step back after that display, but quickly realized that they held the numbers advantage, even if there was a new enemy. Unable to contain their hunger, four of the monsters rushed straight at Caballero and Maharo. Holding their stance, the tiny Hollow waited to see what their new ally would do. Two Shinigami, taking the fight to the Hollows! Truly, this was the best thing to fuel Caballero's delusions of Shinigami-hood. Soul Reaper-hood? Whichever worked best.


OOC: x2 Class 8 Hollows consumed this post (x4 Class 8 Hollows total). Reiatsu: 800 -75[Úlcera] = 725

Posting Caballero's stats! ^^

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats}
Type: Soldier Version 2

Stat	SP	Type
Strength	50	35
Speed	80	80
Reiatsu Strength	80	120
Spiritual Pressure	80	80
Senses	50	50
Instinct	50	50
Energy Sensory	0	0
Healing Expertise	20	20
Light Aura	100
Dark Aura	0

[Date Maharo]

Maharo was much too busy doing their best to ward off the encircling Hollow to pay attention to anything outside of their immediate vicinity, but they did catch a glimpse of something other than them tearing through the horde. Another Shinigami, probably, perhaps even a fellow member of the Thirteenth Division. Patrolling Karakura was part of their duties, after all. It put Maharo's heart at ease to some small degree, knowing that they were at least not alone in this battle. With their panic waning, the keenness of their senses waxed, allowing them to intercept a small Hollow leaping at them teeth-first with a clean, horizontal slice.

The masked Shinigami quickly reverted to their defensive posture, well aware that several other Hollow were likely planning to strike if the smaller beast had left Maharo open to attack. They would have to be ready for that. What they weren't ready for was to see a diminutive Hollow killing one of its own. Not only that but doing so with a weapon. Most Hollow of that size didn't have the intelligence to use a tool. Just what was Maharo looking at? No time to ask that question as the tiny Hollow was quickly approaching them. The tall Shinigami readied their blade to parry whatever attack the odd Hollow would throw at them.

However, no such attack came. Instead, the Hollow gave them a nod and turned to face the rest that now encircled them both. It didn't want to fight them? Even as Maharo nodded back and allowed it to consume the Hollow it had just slain, they grew worried. This was the behavior of a Hollow on its way to becoming a Gillian, wasn't it? If it were to transform in the middle of Karakura, that would be disastrous. The best thing would be to cut it down where it stood, but Maharo did not have the luxury of making that sort of move from the position they were in. Besides, whether or not they could actually defeat it was questionable in and of itself.

Maharo was lucky that the horde of Hollow hesitated for a moment, just long enough for the masked Shinigami to collect themselves. How dangerous this small one was had to take the back burner as long as they were still surrounded by enemies. For now, it would be an ally.

The first of the four Hollow to come at them was one of mostly human proportions with a blade of exoskeleton in the place of one forearm. As it swung at Maharo, rather than trying to dodge away, they quickly closed the distance quickly, knocking it down with a shoulder tackle while diffusing most of the force behind its swing by simply being hit by it before it had a chance to actually build the force to make a decisive strike. The Shinigami still sustained a shallow cut to their left arm, but it didn't seem to slow them down as the next Hollow approached. It was a large, lumbering oaf with its face on its chest rather than a head, charging with its mouth open, which only proved to be an easy target for the tip of Maharo's Zanpakuto. The blade's short length meant that the Hollow wasn't killed immediately, but Maharo twisted their blade and cut outward, severing one of the hinges of its jaw. This sent it reeling.

By then the first Hollow had gotten back on its feet and charged at Maharo with a stab of its weaponized arm, trying to avoid having its swing diffused again. The tall Shinigami simply sidestepped this attack and, with a flash of their blade, removed its head from its shoulders. Maharo seemed to be winded for a second but spun just in time to once again stab into the large-mouthed Hollow's gullet as it tried to leap upon them. It tried to bite at their arms as they pushed their blade deeper, but couldn't muster up enough strength to truly injure them with half of its jaw hanging loose. With a twist of their torso, Maharo cut into the Hollow's body, slicing it in half from the inside.

With their arms coated in both the saliva and blood of Hollow, a gash on one arm and bite marks on the other, the difference in how Caballero and Maharo fought was clear. While the Hollow deftly avoided attacks with its size and speed taking enemies down with precise strikes, the Shinigami fought with little more than their tenacity.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats}Type - Roughneck
Strength - 50/62
Speed - 50
Spiritual Pressure - 40/60
Reiatsu Strength - 50/35
Instinct - 40/30
Senses - 50
Energy sensory - 0
Healing Expertise - 0
Light Aura - 75
Dark Aura - 25

[Deleted]

Caballero felt slightly refreshed after eating that Hollow. It would be something akin to a placebo, since their Reiatsu hadn't been replenished by the act of consumption and they were not back to full strength as if they had never fought. But still, it felt better. It felt right. Their instincts rose up to life, eager for more, but they were hardly enough to overpower the tiny being's delusions and attempts at being a Shinigami. For the time being, that hunger was no more than a small blip in Caballero's radar, taking not a second, but a fifth or sixth seat in the tiny being's list of priorities. Right now, the very first one was to protect the shopping district with their newfound ally; their brother in arms, a fellow Soul Reaper. The poor being was once again blissfully ignorant that Maharo had just depicted them not as a friendly entity, but as the lesser of two evils; the enemy of their enemy, if you will.

The group of four Hollows that were closing in did not seem all that intimidating with someone at their back. Caballero brandished their small, dagger-like katana. They had taken the first strike before, but the tiny being knew to avoid being ganged up on. It was best to let them attack, then react defensively to put an end to them. Not that the monsters would give them any time to coordinate, of course. The first of them came at Maharo like a wild animal, but Caballero trusted that they would be alright. Instead, the strange little Hollow focused on the two they had to handle, assuming the stance Celes had taught them to retaliate.

The first monster made the mistake of underestimating Caballero due to the difference in size. It would be difficult to describe its shape, as it didn't resemble any animal in the world, but was instead lovecraftian. Protruding horns, a long tail, flat mask with barely any features. The main problem would be how built the monster was on its upper side. One attack from it could prove fatal! However, as the monster swung its arms downward in an attempt to crush the tiny Hollow, it soon became clear that the monster was outmatched in speed. Twice it attempted to pound the ground Caballero was standing on, and twice its fists met nothing but concrete. After the second dodge, Caballero actually used their small size to their advantage, hiding from sight in the blind spot created by the beast's arm. By the time the mistmatched Hollow was aware of what was happening, Caballero stepped twice on its arm to bring themselves up to level with their mask, and drove the sword down onto the monster's weak spot without hesitation. The Hollow wailed in pain, roaring as it attempted to remove Caballero before dropping to the floor.

The second one, however, was crafty. It chose to attack the moment it became clear Caballero was focused on a bigger--but dumber--mark. While the small Hollow recovered their blade and was about to land, it attempted to strike. With a long, slithering body and fangs dripping some sort of greenish liquid, the beast attempted a bite attack on Caballero. Again? They had been caught in the same way during their duel with the Captain of the Tenth: an attack as they were falling and had nowhere to step or maneuver. The creature's fangs were slightly blocked by the tiny being's blade, but they were still nicked on the 'shoulder' by the fang... and soon enough, the green substance began burning through the rags forming its clothing, and then reaching the tiny being's dense Reiatsu body.

Alarmed by the pain, Caballero did their best to recompose and prevent a second attack. Them being airborne at the moment of the strike at least ensured that they would not get pinned down by the Hollow. The Shinigami wannabe grit their nonexistent teeth, and moved forward without leaping into the air, as this monster had proven intelligent enough to take advantage of such opening. Instead, Caballero dashed at ground level, seemingly not taking any strikes. As expected, that was enough to eventually bait the foe into attacking, reversing the previous situation.

Now, it was Caballero who would take advantage of the opening. Using their size to their advantage, they slid under the monster's bite attempt, and impaled them through their snake-like jaw, reaching all the way to the top of its head, and thus its mask. More of that greenish spit dropped, this time on their exposed body, causing a sizzling, caustic pain. However, the tiny being had won, as their move was enough to drop the snake like Hollow, opening them up for a quick and easy end via decapitation.

With the two down for the count, Caballero decided to ensure they wouldn't get up again by consuming them in the same way they'd done with the others. The very slight increase in power couldn't hurt, either.

Caballero's stance relaxed somewhat after finishing off the serpentine Hollow. However, this was far from over; in fact, they had just begun. With the most immediate threats having been dealt with, Caballero turned to Maharo, who had also taken some damage from their battle. What mattered was that the two of them were still in fighting shape. Momentarily sheathing their blade, as if to signal they didn't see the Shinigami as an enemy, the Hollow looked at them first, and then to the shopping district. There were still more of those monsters around, but they didn't seem to be forming a coordinate plan or anything like it. No, this was just another haphazard attempt at an invasion.

Caballero attempted to get Maharo's attention by jumping up and down a bit. Their body still hurt, the sizzling pain from the venom not leaving any time soon, but it wasn't anything the tiny being couldn't power through. Eager to continue helping, they pointed to the multiple sides of the shopping district. There were plenty of groups of smaller Hollows to go around, most of whom were terrorizing groups of humans out in the street. These were more numerous, but apparently weaker if size was any indication to go by. They could also target the huge, lumbering monsters that appeared more powerful, but didn't have the numerical advantage. Those were seeking humans in larger concentrations, so they'd intelligently turned to enclosed businesses such as restaurants to pick their snacks from a sort of box.

Since they were a team, Caballero would wait for a few moments before plunging back into battle, following Maharo on whichever they chose to take on first.

OOC: Consumed x2 class 8 Hollows (total x6 Class 8 Hollows consumed).

Summary: Caballero has dispatched and consumed the other two Hollows. There are still groups of smaller Hollows at large, terrorizing humans out in the streets, or deal with the larger monsters that are attacking different establishments, so the humans inside can't escape.

[Ghost Fenyx]

As Ghost was walking he would stop and stand by a gate. This was starting to be a pain for him to say the least. But the good thing about it all was that. Karakura was starting to see more Sunlight but with that being said. He was currently in awe at what was going on.
As he saw Hollow after hollow. What is this some sort of invasion? "What in the world is going on here? Why is there Hollow all over the place?
More importantly, why are they in the area I live around? Geez if it's not one thing it's another." Just as he said that he would take off his backpack. As he was hearing roars. Ghost would have a smile on his face. But not a happy one a smile where he gets to put his training into action.
Although he was filled with fear at this point. He still had a job to do.

But Ghost would start to feel something else. He would start to feel that a few or more of Hollow's spiritual pressure were starting to fade away. At the same time, he felt another spiritual level rising. Ghost would be a bit confused about what was going on. He could also feel another as well. But it was not of hollow origin. Could it be another Quincy? Although not many of his kind remained. "Well, I best get out there and stop whatever is going on. I doubt ill be much help. But these lots should not be that big of a problem." Soon he would open up his long backpack and a bow would be revealed in it. As he picked it up it was a classic Quincy Bow. Known to be used for Quincy who was just starting and a clear sign that Ghost was and is a rookie by Quincy Law and combat at that.
As he took a deep breath he would prepare himself. "Ok look over me heavenly stars. As I go into battle with my life on the line."

Just then he would start to run a bit as he located his first Hollow. It wasn't too big but not small either. As he started to aim his bow at the Hollow. He would start to focus on the target. Ok, this is the first of many besides the one I took down. I can do this...I can do this... I can do this." Soon enough the
Reiatsu would start to form an arrow. As he pulled it back he would then release it. Sending off the arrow at its full speed and power. Hitting the Hollow directly in the center of its mask. As the Hollow let out a fading scream it would burn away to nothingness. As a smile would be on Ghost's face. His Brave meter would skyrocket. "ok that's one down and about a thousand more to go." He would make a joke to lighten the mood up a bit. But soon he would move on to the next target.

Notes 1 arrow was formed at Class 7= 10 Reiatsu
1000-10=990 Reiatsu

[Date Maharo]

Though they had persevered, Maharo was disappointed in themselves. The moment they were attacked, they forgot all of their knowledge of zanjutsu and simply made up what they were doing as they went along. If they had been more collected, then certainly they could have slain those two Hollow in just as many strikes without the injuries that now burdened them. Unlike the odd Hollow that stood by their side, Maharo coudn't simply eat those felled by their blade to restore their energy.

However, now was not the time to lick their wounds or chastise themselves, there was still work to be done. The towering shinigami turned to Caballero, just as ready to strike them down as they were to continue working with them. The Hollow had sheathed their sword as a sign of non-combativeness, but Maharo did not return the gesture. Yet, they held their blade still long enough to parse what the Hollow was trying to say. Two major types of Hollow in this horde, ones that were an immediate threat to fewer people, and ones that were a threat to a greater number of humans, but were taking their time to entrap them. This would be enough work for a good five or so Shinigami, but all Maharo had was themselves and an odd Hollow that they weren't sure if they could trust. As much as they didn't want to let Caballero out of their sight, working with them seemed the choice likely to protect the most humans.

Maharo locked a steely gaze onto Caballero, blue eyes barely visible in the shadows their mask cast over what little of their face could be seen.
"You slay the small ones." Their voice was much softer than would be expected from such a tall person.
"I will take care of the larger ones." With that, Maharo vanished from sight, a shunpo carrying them to the nearest of the huge Hollow.

The first one was caught unaware, something that Maharo capitalized on swimmingly, an upward slash removing the Hollow's hand from its arm, followed by an overhead strike on the panicked monster, splitting its mouthless, four-eyed mask. Maharo knew that their luck wouldn't continue to carry them, though. This one had been just a foot taller than the Shinigami, and significantly less dense than the ones that they had slain moments prior.

Before they could question why that was, they were answered by the Hollow's remaining hand grasping them by the throat. Where Maharo had cut through its mask, sharp teeth had grown in, now a maw spreading open to wail at the Shinigami. It was nearly enough to distract Maharo from the mouth that had also grown from the stump of its wrist, where they had cut the hand off. In the shock of having been attacked by a Hollow they had figured already dead, they had dropped their zanpakuto, the wakizashi clattering to the ground.

Thinking quickly, Maharo's left had grabbed the scabbard at their hip, bringing it up to lodge into the mouth on the end the Hollow's arm before it could descend upon them. As they had hoped, it bit down, trying to wrest the impromptu shield free of their hand. They brought their right hand to their chest, closing their eyes and doing their best to focus their reiatsu into the tip of their pointer finger. With the last breath they could have managed while being strangled, they muttered.
"Hado... #4: Byakurai." Bringing their finger to the Hollow's chest, a small bolt of lightning shot out, piercing the Hollow. It hadn't killed the thing, but it was surprised enough to drop Maharo and stumble back. The Shinigami coughed and gasped, but wasted no time grabbing their zanpakuto from the ground and driving it through the Hollow's chest. If slicing didn't work, stabbing would have to. Maharo pulled their blade from the chest of the Hollow, plunging it back in a few inches from the first stab. They continued this method until the Hollow simply could not maintain its half-corporeal form, dissipating as they normally do when slain.

Their throat burned, but Maharo still stood. Slipping their zanpakuto's now bite-marked scabbard back into its place at their hip, Maharo sprung back into action, sprinting to the next of the large Hollow, a big brute with one hell of an underbite. They could only hope that this one wouldn't have any tricks up its sleeve.

Reiatsu:
600 - 50 (Shunpo) - 25 (Byakurai) = 525

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats}Type - Roughneck
Strength - 50/62
Speed - 50
Spiritual Pressure - 40/60
Reiatsu Strength - 50/35
Instinct - 40/30
Senses - 50
Energy sensory - 0
Healing Expertise - 0
Light Aura - 75
Dark Aura - 25

[Deleted]

If Maharo hadn't been wearing that mask, Caballero might have been able to tell that their gaze openly displayed how much they were suspicious of the little Hollow. The communication barrier, aided by the fact that the tiny bean was as deluded as they could possibly be only ended up making them think that not only was there the comradery expected of two souls belonging to the Gotei 13, but that a sort of budding friendship was growing between them. To Caballero, Maharo not sheathing their blade after they did only spoke wonders about their focus. Of course! How could Caballero be so silly? This was no time for polite introductions, there were far too many people to save! The fact that Maharo, choosing the lesser of two 'evils', would go on to decide to actually team up with Caballero in their efforts to protect the city only served to further fuel the little creature's reasoning that, indeed, they were completely and totally friendly toward them.

Thus, the little bean nodded excitedly when Maharo told the little Hollow to take care of their smaller kin--arguably because of their size--while they took on the bigger ones. Then, they vanished from sight with a Flash Step that took them right next to another Hollow to battle. Of course, Caballero would focus on the task that had been assigned to them. Whether Maharo outranked them or not in the hierarchical system of the imaginary Gotei 13 they had built up in their oversized heads remained to be seen, but they were more than happy to oblige with their as a favor to a new friend. Taking their small dagger, Caballero would thus turn on to face some of the smaller Hollows that were too busy trying to fight for the scraps of the bigger ones to consider that they might not be the hunters, but the hunted.

Caballero dashed as fast as their little legs allowed them to, not wanting to leave the humans to their fate. Stubby, pointy 'feet' skittered on the ground as they took on those monsters without an ounce of hesitation. The very first one would not be too different from a common house-rat, save for the fact that it was about four foot tall, one taller than Caballero themselves. The little creature took the chance to get the very first sneak attack by piercing through its fuzzy hide with the dagger and then taking it out to pivot to the side and confuse the monster. With a screech, the rat turned in a frenzy, seeking for whatever had damaged them, but it turned in the opposite direction Caballero had diagonally cut into. This left the other side of the monster completely exposed, and allowed them yet another stab through the hide. Gripping the blade as tightly as they could, they ran forward, opening up the monster's side and delivering a lethal wound.

Sensing the danger, some of the Hollows surrounding the human group immediately scrambled, leaving a few of the braver, more confident ones. One of them immediately plunged into battle, a goblin-sized creature with incredibly sharp claws who cackled and grinned under its mask. This one was fast, owing to its size, and managed to press Caballero with a few swipes. The little Hollow was taken down and pinned to the ground, using their dagger as best as they could to block the nails that threatened to get them--and failing a few times, actually. Even if the wounds were not that deep, they still hurt their little arms. However, the tiny creature would be lucky: those creatures were still far too young to listen to experience and team up, and instead competed to have Caballero as an appetizer to the main course. The other Hollow, a small avian-looking one, jumped into the fray not to kill Caballero, but to have its cake and eat it too: it chomped on the goblin-like to tear down one of its arms now that it was distracted.

Of course, Caballero would not let that opportunity go to waste. As the two monsters fought to eat one another, they brought down their blade of them to sever the goblin's leg and get the avian's gullet in two quick swings. His weapon whooshed through the air with the characteristic metallic ring of a katana, the wind dancing along the marks and notches of the sword. In a matter of moments, the threat was all but gone, and while Caballero had been damaged, they had managed to at least save a few lives... which may not be consequential in the grand scheme of things, considering the amount of Hollows that still prowled around. The little Hollow consumed the last three of the Hollows by pure instinct instead of cognizant action.

Then, a sudden sound that drowned all others caught their attention.

---

Deeper in the commercial district, something let out an enraged roar. A 15ft tall, six-legged arachne-like creature with a sort of armored plating that rendered it impervious to direct attacks as long as it managed to keep its underside hidden. The torso would not be that of a woman, and it would not be a torso at all; it was something like a big head with a gaping mouth protruding from the torax. This Hollow, named Monstruo Enorme, was hungry--and the minions that had followed it through the Kumon that it had so graciously opened for them were failing to deliver. So far, they had only brought it a few humans that it had gluttonously devoured, not even pausing to savoring its meal. Its roar was supposed to force them into submission, to have those ungrateful little bastards bring it more tasty snacks. It was unaware that it may also catch the attention of the three defending parties in Karakura.

Having only joined the fray at that moment, Ghost would quickly find himself having plenty of creatures to choose from, ranging from humanoid-shaped to animalistic. For the time being, they had all turned to the sound of the roar and stopped either their consumption of humans or their infighting. Largely unaware of the Quincy's presence thanks to Monstruo Enorme's commands, he should be able to get one or two sneak attacks with his bow before that small group turned its attention to him.

Maharo would be able to see that the burly Hollow they were facing was all muscle and no brain. So far, it had gotten by through sheer force alone, and while it surpassed the Shinigami in brute strength, it had absolutely no mind for tactics and lacked the survival-honed instinct that its kin possessed. It would attempt to swing with highly telegraphed haymakers that would be very damaging... if they hit, that is. The mask didn't cover the underside of the creature's chin.

Still, with the location of the boss now revealed to them, perhaps focusing on the far too many class 8 Hollows prowling around was not the best idea. Perhaps by facing Monstruo Enorme, they may be able to scare the herd into submission... but to do so, they'd need to cut a path towards it.



Summary:

Consumed x3 Class 8 Hollows (total x9 class 8 Hollows consumed)

[Ghost Fenyx]

As he looked on it was like a never-ending sea of these things. Almost as if someone was sending them over toward the area. This put a worrying mindset in him. As he did not know what to do besides attack. But even doing so would be like trying to mop the sea.
Ghost would start to focus more and more. As he aimed his bow at an incoming Hollow.
As he started to channel his Reiatsu to form an Arrow.
He would let off a shot. Getting yet another strike on a hollow. As he watched the body burn away to nothingness. He would continue his assault. But albeit he would see no point in trying to fire at more and more hollows. When he took one down. Another one would take his place. All hope was nearly lost until he heard a roar. It was big it was bad it was what could stop this threat.

Ghost would then watch as the other hollows turned towards the sound of the roar. He would then take this as an opportunity to strike yet another hollow. Only to run off as that hollow faded to black as well. Ghost would then make haste as he ran off. Keeping up a steady pace. He needed to check out the situation with that nose. "I know one thing it's starting to get live here and I ain't about to be dead. But the way the other hollows turned got me thinking.
I just might have my hands full with this one. But if that's their leader I can strike it down and maybe just maybe the other hollow would turn tail and run."
Just as he said that he would see a strange little hollow eating up another one. He heard of such things before as a matter of fact. It was how the hollow got stronger and it could prove to help him in the end.

But what made this even crazier a soul reaper was standing next to him. Could it be that the soul reapers and the hollow have teamed up? If so what type of news could this mean for his kind? There were already so few in between and a complete extinction of his kind could prove a bad thing. But Ghost would need more intel if he was going to prove such a thing.
Looking on he would not be too far away from the next hollow and its glory. It looked different, to say the least. "Damn somebody been eating a little too much and on top of that. The hollow here does not stand a chance against that thing. The Spiritual power it's letting off is something else.

"Damn so I need to protect those hollows. So that this hollow doesn't try to eat them. Life could be so cruel at times. "As he said that he would look on and take a deep breath. He was about to engage in a life-changing battle.

Notes 2 arrow was formed at Class 6= 20 Reiatsux2=40
1000-40=940 Reiatsu 

A mistake on my end I am class 6 that last bow was 20 not 10 Reiastu so I have 1000/940 remaining 

Killed 2 hollows and prepared to engage the new threat 

[Date Maharo]

Maharo clocked the sudden, loud, indescribably unpleasant noise of the largest Hollow's screech, but remained focused on the task before them. With the potential greater danger queued up after slaying their current target, the Shinigami set about their work. Mercifully, this one was just as dumb as it was big. Maharo used a horizontal stroke to gouge the backs of both of the Hollow's legs, bringing the huge beast to its knees, then a practiced, vertical overhead slash to bifurcate its mask. The tall Shinigami sighed in relief as this one did, in fact, actually die from this strike. They may have to employ a double-tap policy after facing that previous Hollow.

With their fifth Hollow slain, Maharo now turned to face the source of that terrible noise. The sight made their heart drop, faced with a new Hollow over twice as tall as Maharo, which few things they had seen before had been. Eight huge legs' worth of killing intent, a powerful Hollow that was doubtlessly well above Maharo's proverbial pay grade. The masked Shinigami found themselves wondering why they were the only member of the 13th to have responded to this emergency. They had figured that they just happened to be the first one at the scene, but surely they had been fighting long enough for someone else to show. Maybe they were dealing with other Hollow intrusions? Oh no, that would just be an exponentially bigger disaster than what was already happening. They had to stop going down this line of thought, they had to focus on what they could do here.

Maharo wanted to run. They had thrown themselves into the midst of the horde without thinking, the only reason they hadn't ran before Caballero appeared at their side was that they had been surrounded on all sides. Their victory in the circle had given Maharo a combat-high, thinking that the odd Hollow and they could actually repel this attack. Staring down the massive spider though, they realized that they had been arrogant to think they stood a chance. They were doomed if they didn't run now. Their head turned to look behind themselves, and as though the Soul King himself had reached into the World of the Living and carved a path, the frightened Shinigami could see a way out. The Hollows in that direction had thinned, leaving only stragglers, more interested in hiding away than actually fighting. Yes, surely the best thing to do would be to retreat and call for back-up. Maybe that diminutive Hollow would hold the rest off long enough for the cavalry to arrive.

Just before they could take a step towards safety, a thought rang out from the back on Maharo's mind. It asserted itself over their cowardice, and the more that they tried to ignore it, the louder it seemed to get. It wasn't a set of words or a specific memory, it was the shade of the man that gave Maharo their mask. It was everything that Maharo knew that he had stood for, and it was the weight of the mask upon their own face. They couldn't run, they were still trapped. Not by any Hollow, but the knowledge of the guilt that would crush them if they abandoned anyone here, not just the humans, but even that weird little freak of a Hollow.

The towering Shinigami grit their teeth behind their mask and turned to face the massive spider of a Hollow. Maharo wasn't really anything special, but neither was this Hollow. It was big, sure, but clearly not a Menos Grande. There was a chance. Without requiring any additional push, the Shinigami broke out into a sprint toward this Monstruo Enorme. They weren't the fastest, nor the most agile, they couldn't weave through a crowd like Caballero, but they could simply barrel through it instead. Some Hollow they swung their wakizashi at without hesitating to insure a death blow, others they simply shoulder-checked or stepped on if they were low to the ground. They didn't come through the other side unscathed, they had plenty of new cuts and gashes across their body, and the sleeves of their shihakusho had been shredded, but that didn't stop them.

Just by looking at it, Maharo knew that trying to strike a fatal blow immediately would be tantamount to lying down and waiting for it to kill them. They would have to be methodical to some degree, and while that underside looked plenty vulnerable, they had their eyes on a different prize. They stepped onto an unfortunate, short Hollow, kicking into the air off of them, then off of a platform of condensed reishi, landing onto a light pole and finally flash stepping off of it. They reappeared above the arachnid Hollow's front right leg and came down on its joint with all of their weight, blade first. They held their zanpakuto steady, one hand on its hilt, the other pressed to the flat end of its tip. Even if they failed to cut through its leg, maybe they could break the joint. Anything to weaken it.

They rarely raised their voice, but in this instant, the increasingly blood-soaked Shinigami couldn't help but let out a shaky, almost comical-sounding warcry.

Reiatsu:
525 - 50(Shunpo) = 475

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats}Type - Roughneck
Strength - 50/62
Speed - 50
Spiritual Pressure - 40/60
Reiatsu Strength - 50/35
Instinct - 40/30
Senses - 50
Energy sensory - 0
Healing Expertise - 0
Light Aura - 75
Dark Aura - 25

[Deleted]

Caballero was, for lack of a better word, angry at the enormous creature for screaming so loud. As a silence and quietness enjoyer, they could do well without that thing screeching all over Karakura Town. Perhaps a little bit thin-skinned for some, but this was one of their few pet peeves, so they immediately turned all their attention to the source of the roars. They would not stand for this, no sir. In what was perhaps a bit more personal than duty-driven effort, Caballero pointed their blade at the monster and swiped it to the side, not as a challenge, but as a declaration of intentions. It would be going down, one way or another. Had they been alone, this would have been a difficult endeavor. However, Caballero was, once again, not the only one ready to fend off a threat to Karakura Town. No, by his side stood a comrade in arms, a Shinigmai with whom they might be taking too many liberties. Alas, the lack of communication would keep them blissfully ignorant for the time being.

However, Maharo was not the only one there, ready to take on Monstruo Enorme and its small legion of Hollows. Someone else entered the scene, pelting two of the creatures with arrows and killing them without much effort. Ghost, a Vandenreich Quincy, had just arrived to the scene, making quite the entrance by taking down some of the monsters that were terrorizing town. Of course, Caballero had no idea who he was, much less who he was affiliated with, and without any energy sensory abilities, they could not really pick up on his nature. Hell, they didn't even know what a Quincy was in the first place, so it would have been pointless anyway. Whatever the case, all Caballero saw was a potential ally to help take down Monstruo Enorme. As expected of the innocent, extroverted Hollow, they quickly jumped up and down in an attempt to catch Ghost's attention, and then urgently pointed at the monster waiting for its buffet. All the while, the little knight was uncognizant of Maharo's struggle with their sense of duty, their fear, and ultimately, their decision to stay here and help against a foe that seemed to surpass all three of them.

With those two allies at their side, Caballero felt much more confident in taking on the new threat. They watched as Maharo took the initiative by running forward, doing their best to avoid all the Hollows that were still on their path, even though it had thinned out due to the monster's angry roars making the rest of them cower into hiding. Picking up one of the strugglers as a footstool, the real Shinigami would launch themselves skyward with an attack that was meant to target the monster's spider-like extremities. Caballero did not know what they were trying to do, but they sure as hell got hyped because of it. Hoping Ghost would have their back, the little Hollow used their small size to weave between the thinned Hollow crowd, blade in tow. They deftly managed to avoid the few monsters that noticed their presence, although most others were more focused on either escaping the area or on attacking the bigger targets, not one of their kin... which the Hollows probably assumed was on the same situation as them, having to serve Monstruo Enorme.

Just as Maharo had targeted one leg, Caballero decided to help them on the same appendage. Instead of jumping up, however, they quickly darted near the unprotected part of the... foot? leg? Their intent was to slice the monster's heel, ankle or whatever it used to step and move. At the very least, they hoped that they could offset the monster's balance to make Maharo's attack more effective.

---

Monstruo Enorme roared in defiance after Maharo and Caballero's combined blade attacks reach the joint of the leg. It hurt, it hurt badly, as the joints were not as armored as the rest of the leg, and the tendons were far more delicate than bone or muscle. Damned Shinigami, pesky little runt! But it would not be taken down that easily. Outraged by the defiance shown by these puny little beings, Monstruo Enorme did what big monsters did best: attack, attack, attack. The 15ft tall monster used one of its other legs in an attempt to swipe at Maharo and get them off of it, although the motion did destabilize it a bit, showing that the joint move had been, at least, partially successful.

Refusing to accept its fate, the beast jumped in what was unmistakably a body slam, aiming to crush Maharo and Caballero flat at once. Even if they failed, the might and weight behind the impact would not only cause great damage to the district and flatten some of its fellow Hollows; it would also release a mildly powerful wind wave that would blast off those on the lower end of the Strength spectrum. Since Ghost had not attacked, the monster would show no interest nor knowledge of his presence in any way--perhaps the Quincy might be able to take free shots from his position?

[Ghost Fenyx]

This day just keeps getting crazier and crazier. Now as he looked on he saw what he believed to be a human and a hollow and one of them was jumping up and down. The poor little guy must be afraid of the bigger ones. 
But all that went out the window as he saw the fated battle start off. Ghost looked on and was in awe and shocked at what he was seeing. Monstruo was the powerful one. Ghost realizes this as the other hollow would not even go by him. "So he is the one I need to take down and maybe this crazy story would have an ending. As he watched the fated trio go at it. Ghost would be amazed at the smaller hollow. It was as if it had thought outside of the usual. 
But then it would have hit him. That hollow tends to go stronger and stronger by devouring other ones and come to think of it. 

The smaller one just might be doing just that. It's a battle of the brave and Ghost has to help out. Because if he does not then it's game over. A smile would then come over his face as he looked on. 

As he braced himself he would take him Now. As the Reisji started to form. His arrow would take the form he needed it to. Now he started to get closer to the trio as they battled it out. Monstruo was now sky-high as he looked on. A smile came over Ghost as he would say. , "BINGO TARGET LOCKED AND CONFIRMED. NOW 3..2...1...FIRE." Soon he would let off a shot. Firing off multi shots. Aiming for Monstruo's Head chest area and back area. This is done while the large Hollow is in the air right before he makes a hit on the Quincy Allies. 

Ghost would see this and would give a grinning smile. "Now then let's see what the next move is." Soon Ghost would yell out and say to the Hollow." HEY DONT FORGET ABOUT ME A FRESH QUINCY READY FOR THE EATING."


Fired at Monstruo 3 times 


3 arrow was formed at Class 6= 20 Reishi x3=60
1000/880 Reiatsu
.

[Date Maharo]

Maharo was perhaps a bit too focused on the fact that their attack had actually hit its mark and done exactly what they were hoping for, because they were completely blindsided by the other leg flicking them off. The attack knocked the wind out of them, letting out a choked sound as they plummeted back down onto the pavement below. They landed on their left shoulder with a crack of bone, but fortunately avoided having their skull impact the street. The masked Shinigami would have given the world just to stay down, crumpled at the feet of this huge Hollow. It'd be a fitting end for the inexperienced, rank-and-file Shinigami. Rookies like themselves died all the time, but at least Maharo wouldn't have the shame of being taken down by some small-fry Hollow or undone by some stupid mistake. They had been brave, battling a Hollow far above their strength. Maybe they'd even be remembered for buying time for the cavalry to arrive, though that seemed far too optimistic from where Maharo was lying.

All they could make out from their position on the ground was a shadow cast over them and some yelling, the words of which they couldn't make out, but it almost sounded like goading. Had other Shinigami finally arrived? Could they be saved? They turned their head slightly to see the spider arcing through the sky, clearly trying to kill them with a bodyslam. Then, three bolts of bluish-white reishi struck the giant Hollow. Without thinking, Maharo sat up and began to stand. It wasn't any Shinigami that had arrived, but a Quincy! They had to kill it before the Quincy could, or the Hollow's soul, and all the others it had consumed would be destroyed rather than being returned to the Soul Cycle. That just didn't sit well with Maharo at all.

"Arise, god of thunder-" they began, gripping their zanpakuto in their right hand while their left arm hung uselessly at their side. They had a plan, not a good one, but they didn't exactly have the time to put a grand scheme together, nor did they have the strength to simply wipe it out in one blow, even if it had exposed its soft underbelly to them.
"-Awake, mother of storms-" The plan wasn't good, but it might do something, which was better than lying down and waiting to die. Once they were on their feet, Maharo crouched down before leaping into the air, directly into the beast's approaching body.
"-Unleash the lightning on the sinners! As They made contact with the beast's underbelly, they swiped at it with their wakizashi, making a relatively shallow cut into the monster's skin. Feet now planted on Monstruo Enorme's underbelly as they both plummeted toward earth, the Shinigami discarded their blade, leaving it to fall to the ground. They weren't much without the blade, but shallow cuts wouldn't do it anyway.

With a roar, Maharo plunged a fist into the shallow cut they had made, punching it in the guts, or whatever oddities may exist inside a Hollow's body. That wasn't a concern right now. "Hado #4, BYAKURAI!" They screamed, as though volume would increase the spell's power. A bolt of lightning extended from their fist, firing off inside the Hollow's body and lancing up toward the head on the other side of the thorax.

It was a mad, desperate move, especially given Maharo's lack of proclivity toward the spell-casting arts. It had put them in a position where they would almost surely die, crushed to death unless the Hollow was slain and the body dissolved before they hit the ground again, or if they were somehow pulled out from under it. Still, they figured it was better than lying there and being crushed anyways, or fleeing and letting all of the souls inside the beast be erased from existence by a Quincy. At least, they were pretty sure it was.

Reiatsu:
475 - 25(Byakurai w/Incantation) = 450

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats}Type - Roughneck
Strength - 50/62
Speed - 50
Spiritual Pressure - 40/60
Reiatsu Strength - 50/35
Instinct - 40/30
Senses - 50
Energy sensory - 0
Healing Expertise - 0
Light Aura - 75
Dark Aura - 25

[Deleted]

The combination of the Quincy arrows, Byakurai, and Caballero's efforts at hacking away at the beast were far more than the great monster's body could take. See, even in spite of its great size, all in all Monstruo Enorme was just a lowly Stray Hollow, although one that had fed a little too much. Perhaps on its way to becoming a Gillian, so it was certainly necessary to destroy it as soon as possible before it could continue evolving. It seemed like Maharo, Ghost and Caballero were the trio to achieve just that. Although Maharo's maneuver had been very risky, perhaps bordering on suicidal, it seemed that this time at least, such bravery--or recklessness--would be handsomely rewarded.

Monstruo Grande let out one last roar as the lightning shook and fried their innards, and said roar did not take more than a second to devolve into a pained wail. This last gasp let go of the deep voice of the monster, and instead the voice turned into that of a man who was crying not just in pain and suffering, but also repentance. At times, the last moments of a Hollow gave one a glimpse of who they truly were in life, but unfortunately, that would not last all too long in Monstruo's case. Given all the damage it had caused and the Hollows it had riled up to invade Karakura via its Kumon gate, the monster was perhaps best left without true knowledge of what its actions had caused when returning to humanity, all before being purified by Maharo's actions. More souls back to their proper place in the cycle. Whether its spirit would find peace or not, that was something that these three had no control over.

---

Caballero was surprised by the creature's loud roar, since they thoroughly hated that kind of noise--even more so from that close distance. The little guy, however, only doubled down on its attack, redoubling efforts because of that noise. They did NOT appreciate anyone shouting in their face, much less one of their own kin. Either way, whether its attacks were effective or not would no longer be up for debate, because Maharo's maneuver and Ghost's pelting the monster with arrows caused it to take fatal damage, and so it began to fade moments after. It was only thanks to this that the Shinigami would be saved from being crushed under its weight, but just in case, Caballero did all they could and shot Tendón toward Maharo with the sole intent on yanking them away from the impact spot. If allowed, the Shinigami would see Tendón wrapping tightly around him, although they had to be careful, although his movement would not be restricted in any way due to it being Class 8. Once they were safe, Caballero would immediately release them.

The little Hollow observed as the monster turned into blue slivers of Reishi and its flesh began to break down into nothingness. The few souls that comprised Monstruo Grande all parted toward Soul Society, and at this point, the rest of the Hollows were left without a leader to gather under--perhaps literally--during the assault. As such, the myriad class 8 Hollows, weakest of the weak among Hueco Mundo's rankings, all had no choice but to turn tail and leave, alerted by the death throes of the huge creature.

However, that did not mean they would not try to take some more prey with them. Caballero didn't take too long to notice that their foes were still targeting some of the Pluses and humans as they went back to the still open Kumon gate. The tiny knight first looked at the other Hollows, but then turned to Maharo and Ghost, who were still around. They could not finish this alone! As such, they pointed toward the multiple monsters that were in retreat. If they wanted to join Caballero, then their help would be greatly appreciated, but they could not afford to wait for all of them. If Maharo could not move from their position due to the wounds, then it would be good to drive away the last Hollows so that they would not try to attack Caballero's new, perhaps one-sided 'friendship'.

The little bean gripped their sword again, and rushed toward a few of the Hollows brave enough to try to keep consuming souls before retreating. They would be the ones consumed instead. Caballero took the first by surprise by waiting until it had its prey cornered, as predators were most vulnerable right before feeding. It had let its guard down, and the tiny knight took advantage of that by severing the tendons of the bipedal Hollow, quickly weaving between both its legs. Of course, their speed was nothing out of the ordinary, but neither was their opponent's. This was enough to bring the Hollow to its knees, and before it could wonder what had happened, Caballero had already cut to the side, ready to slice its mask open. The little Hollow consumed its new kill, turning the tables on the creature and leaving the Plus safe before turning toward the next two they had spotted.

Caballero would need a better strategy to deal with these, since they had become aware of their presence--or perhaps they had been watching them as they fought Monstruo, effectively letting the two creatures know they were not an ordinary Hollow. Perhaps power-wise, but not in a matter of mentality. When those Hollows faced them, it was clear that they were a bit smarter, ready to try a two on one attack instead of going one by one. All fine for Caballero, who would dodge the first one's attacks as best as they could by taking advantage of their smaller size making them a harder target to hit. On one crucial moment, they allowed an attack to come close, but by dodging it at the last second, the enemy Hollow only managed to strike its own ally.

Caballero took full advantage of the opening to turn its blade on the monster, driving through the softer underside of its mask and quickly killing it before it could react. The little bean then turned its attention to the other Hollow, who was ready to strike, and in fact managed to barely get them on the left arm, not the dominant one with which it used its sword, but it still hurt regardless. Well, that was nowhere near enough to cause any significant impact, as the fear behind the hit had weakened it significantly. It was going to die, and it knew it. Empowered by its latest consumptions, Caballero felt the world move slower, felt themselves go faster. Without wasting more time, they lodged their blade straight into the creature's belly, and then worked straight on consuming both monsters while it was still alive and beating, perhaps leaning into their Hollow instincts.

However, they would still not turn on the Shinigami, the Quincy, or any of the other souls or humans there. No, their full attention was on the Hollows, who were still retreating. Not wanting to leave anything up to chance, Caballero ran after them in pursuit, although Maharo might misinterpret it as them retreating as well. Nothing further from the truth, of course. Caballero would chase those things off their home, regardless of what damage they might take in the process. Why? Because they were a Shinigami. Even if some might say they were not.

[EXIT]

OOC: Feel free to finish off some more Hollows at your leisure this round, then I'll submit for grading!
Consumed x3 Class 8 Hollows this post.
Total consumptions: x12 Class 8 Hollows (600 TP)