Phantom Blades Flash in the Wild

Under the moonlight, two men and a Hollow stood facing one another on the riverbank.

Hu stared at the enormous otter-shaped Hollow before him and blinked.

Shimizu stared at it too, and blinked.

Then they spoke at the same time:

"Huh?"

That single "huh" held far too many emotions—confusion, shock, and a hint of the absurdity of "what the hell is that?"

The hole in the Hollow's chest was plain to see in the moonlight, the mark every Hollow bore. But the question was...

"Why did a Hollow jump out of the river?" Hu turned to Shimizu.

"You're asking me?" Shimizu's mouth twitched. "I only knew this was a fishing spot. I didn't know the river had one of these things in it."

"Could it have been a fish?"

"Hollows can eat fish, but fish can't turn into Hollows."

"Then why is it in the river?"

"Who knows?"

Hu fell silent for a moment.

The Hollow stood there, watching the two of them chat among themselves. A hint of confusion seemed to flash in its scarlet eyes, as if it were asking: Aren't you afraid? Aren't you going to run? Aren't you going to scream?

Only then did Hu take a good look at the Hollow before him.

It was huge, as tall as three people. Its fur was grayish white, its limbs were thick, and its tail was shaped like an oar. Its mask was twisted and ferocious, with fangs jutting out. Standard Hollow looks, standard Hollow features.

But it was still just an ordinary Hollow.

It wasn't even a Menos Grande.

"After going through the Sizhuzhai incident, doesn't an ordinary Hollow like this seem a little... underwhelming?" Hu asked Shimizu.

Shimizu thought for a moment. "Actually, yeah."

They looked at each other and laughed.

Having been through life and death, they were so calm that they could hardly feel nervous facing this Hollow.

"All right, then." Hu clapped his hands. "Since we've run into it, let's take care of it. Step back a little so you don't get caught in the crossfire."

Shimizu nodded and retreated to the edge of the riverbank.

Hu turned and walked toward the Hollow, flexing his wrists as he went.

The Hollow sensed his intent and lowered its body, taking a fighting stance.

Hu reached for his waist—

Nothing.

He froze and felt around again.

Still nothing.

Hu's expression froze.

A scene from that afternoon, just before they went out, suddenly flashed through his mind—

Shimizu had stood at the door, looking at his empty waist. "Aren't you taking your Zanpakuto?"

Hu had laughed with complete nonchalance. "We're just going fishing. A sword would only get in the way. What are the chances we'd run into a Hollow just by stepping outside? This isn't Hueco Mundo, hahaha."

Shimizu had thought about it and laughed too. "You're right, hahaha."

The memory ended.

Hu and Shimizu both froze on the spot.

The moonlight shone on their faces, which burned with pain.

"Uh..." Hu said dryly, "I don't think... I brought my sword."

Shimizu's voice was even drier. "I think... I reminded you."

"Yeah."

"And then you said we wouldn't run into a Hollow."

"Yeah."

"What now?"

Hu fell silent for a moment, then slowly turned to look at the Hollow.

The Hollow tilted its head, as if asking: Are you done talking? Can we fight now?

Hu took a deep breath and calmed himself down.

It's fine.

Even without Jiku'a here, I still have Beowulf.

That's power that can beat even a Gillian to the ground.

He clenched his fist, and a blue light shone around his knuckles.

"Watch me smash your dog head with one punch!"

Hu flashed forward with Shunpo, appearing in front of the Hollow. His right fist cut sharply through the air and slammed into its mask—

Bang!

The Hollow's entire body reeled backward, its massive frame nearly toppling over.

Hu landed on the ground, the corners of his mouth lifting smugly.

That blow must have made its head burst like a watermelon, right? How dare it break my fishing rod? This is what it gets! I really want some watermelon. Come to think of it, does anyone grow watermelons in Soul Society...

But then—

Though the Hollow had reeled backward, the thick muscles of its lower body remained rooted to the ground, forcibly keeping it upright. It slowly lowered its head and looked at Hu.

Only a wisp of white smoke rose from its mask. There wasn't even a crack.

Hu's smile froze.

The Hollow raised its enormous hand and swung a slap at him.

Smack!

The sound was as loud as a slap to the face.

Hu went flying, spinning three times in the air before crashing heavily to the ground. He rolled another three times and finally came to a stop at Shimizu's feet.

Shimizu looked down at him.

Hu climbed to his feet, touching his slightly swollen face with a bewildered expression.

"This doesn't feel right," he muttered. "I could clearly injure a Gillian with ease before, so how come I can't even hit an ordinary Hollow now?"

Shimizu thought for a moment and asked, "Back then... hadn't you released your Zanpakuto's Shikai?"

Hu's head buzzed, and his mind went blank.

"Huh?"

He slowly recalled the battle at Sizhuzhai—Jiku'a's Shikai, Judgment Cut, Beowulf... The power behind his fists back then hadn't been in the same league as it was now.

"Then that means..." Hu's voice began to tremble. "When I can't release my Zanpakuto..."

Two big words slowly emerged in his mind—

Small fry.

Seeing his expression, Shimizu asked cautiously, "What... do we do now?"

Hu took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

Then he broke into a brilliant smile.

"Why, obviously—"

He grabbed Shimizu by the collar.

"Run!!!"

Before the words had even finished leaving his mouth, he had already dashed away with Shunpo.

The wind howled in his ears as the riverbank rushed past beneath his feet. Hu flashed forward several times in succession, and only when he was sure there was no movement behind them did he put Shimizu down and look back.

Under the moonlight, the riverbank was empty. There was no sign of the Hollow.

Hu let out a long breath and patted his chest.

"Good thing that guy looks so clumsy. There's no way it can run fast. Now we just need to hurry and contact—"

He turned and found Shimizu deathly pale, staring fixedly behind him.

Hu's heart sank.

He slowly looked back.

The otter Hollow stood right behind him, dripping wet and looking down at him. Its enormous hand was already raised, ready to deliver another slap.

Cold sweat broke out on Hu's skin instantly.

He grabbed Shimizu again and dodged with Shunpo.

Once more, he used Shunpo to race off in the opposite direction.

This time, Hu paid attention and saw what was happening. Unable to catch up on land, the Hollow had jumped straight into the river and followed the current after them. Hu ran along the bank while it swam in the river. Earlier, it had been swimming upstream, so it had been a little slower. Now it was almost keeping up with his Shunpo.

"This thing can even take shortcuts?!"

Hu cursed as he ran.

Shimizu was being shaken around in his grip, his head spinning and his face growing paler by the second.

"Hu... Hu!" he managed to say. "We can't... we can't keep running like this..."

"What?"

"Following the river... no matter which way we run... we'll end up at a settlement of souls!" Shimizu shouted, fighting back his nausea. "We can't lead the Hollow there! And I... I'm about to throw up!"

Only then did Hu realize that Shimizu had never trained in Shunpo. He simply couldn't withstand continuous high-speed movement like this.

"Put me down!" Shimizu said. "You know Shunpo. Go to the settlement! Every settlement has an emergency bell to contact the Soul Reapers stationed there. Ring it and they'll come! I'll stay here and see if I can hold it off!"

Hu was stunned.

"You? Hold it off?"

"I might not be as strong as you, but I want to be a Soul Reaper too!" Shimizu gritted his teeth. "I can't keep having you save me for the rest of my life!"

Hu looked at him and suddenly smiled.

"No."

"What?"

"You go ring the bell." Hu put him down. "I'll keep it busy here."

"But you—"

"I'm someone who can take on a Gillian one-on-one," Hu interrupted. "Even without my sword, I can hold out for a while. Run fast, and don't throw up on the way."

Shimizu wanted to argue, but seeing the "I've made up my mind" look on Hu's face, he could only nod.

"Then hang in there!"

With that, he turned and ran toward the settlement.

Hu turned around and looked at the Hollow as it crawled out of the river again.

"Come on." He flexed his wrists. "Let me show you how to catch a blade barehanded—no, how to catch a slap."

Hu actually felt rather embarrassed about being slapped by the Hollow and sent rolling six times through the air and across the ground. He thought it must have happened because he hadn't been ready, and that it definitely wouldn't happen again once he was prepared. After all, being knocked over hadn't seriously injured him, so its attack power couldn't be that great.

The Hollow charged at him.

Hu gathered Reiatsu in both hands. The Hollow brought a hand down in a slap, and Hu planned to take it head-on. After all, why dodge when he could block it?

The moment he blocked it, both his legs sank halfway into the ground. Hu was shocked. He couldn't take another hit like that! He hurriedly pulled his legs free and retreated before the Hollow's next slap came down. After all, why block when he could dodge? Then, using the Shunpo Shakiro had trained into him, precise down to the millimeter, he began fighting it at close quarters.

Fighting a Hollow barehanded was much harder than Hu had imagined.

Every punch he landed was lost on the Hollow's thick hide and flesh, hardly hurting it at all. Every slap the Hollow threw forced Hu to dodge with all his might; the slightest mistake would send him flying.

Trading hits like this was a terrible bargain.

Hu cursed as he dodged.

Just then, a familiar voice suddenly rang out in his mind—

"That's what you get for going out without your sword, kid."

Hu's eyes lit up.

"Jiku'a?!"

"I'm still lying in the room." Jiku'a's voice was lazy. "I'm just talking to you through the connection between a Zanpakuto and its master."

"That's great! Quick, tell me how to take this thing down!"

"Without Shikai, your Reiatsu output is limited," Jiku'a said. "It's like there's a lid on your power, keeping you from using it to the fullest. A technique like Beowulf, which comes from your Zanpakuto, can't be used at full power. Besides, it's been so many days, and you've only looked through Tessai's Hakuda notes a few times without practicing at all. With such a low base, without Shikai, it's impossible to break through the hide of a power-type Hollow like this with a basic boost alone."

Hu was filled with regret and resolved to study the notes Tessai had given him properly and toughen up his body. Dodging the Hollow's attacks, he said anxiously, "Brother Jiku'a, I'm begging you. You know this place, so give your little brother an idea!"

"Haven't you been learning the answer lately? Standard numbered Kidō," Jiku'a said. "Those are universal Soul Reaper techniques. They aren't suppressed by your Zanpakuto. As long as you successfully understand their structure, you can unleash their full power."

Hu froze for a moment.

That's right! I have a little talent for spells now too!

Why fight up close when I can attack from a distance!

He used Shunpo to open up some distance and pointed his right index finger at the Hollow.

"O sovereign—" He had barely gotten the first words out when the Hollow's claw came slamming down.

No, there's no time for an incantation now.

He compressed his Reiatsu directly, and a blue light shone at his fingertip—

"Hadō #4: Byakurai!"

A bolt of lightning shot out and struck the Hollow, leaving a small scorch mark.

The Hollow roared in pain and lunged at him.

Hu dodged while continuing to try casting without incantations.

"Hadō #1: Impact!"

The invisible shock wave struck the Hollow and made it stagger.

"Bakudō #1: Sai!"

White smoke rose from his palm. The casting had failed.

Hu immediately tried another.

"Bakudō #4: Hainawa!"

A rope made of Reishi wrapped around the Hollow's ankle. Though it only held for a second before being snapped, it was enough for Hu to put some distance between them again.

One struck, the other dodged; one chased, the other ran.

On the riverbank, beneath the moonlight, a man and a Hollow began a long, drawn-out battle.

The more Hu fought, the more comfortable he became, and the fewer times he failed to cast Kidō without an incantation.

He alternated between Hadō and Bakudō. They weren't very powerful, but they made up for it with their versatility. He began to realize that he could now quickly gather Reiatsu while moving, rather than having to stand still and chant.

Especially Impact and Byakurai.

Impact could knock the Hollow off balance, while Byakurai could strike with precision. Used together, the two Kidō were perfect for walking the dog.

"These are great," Hu couldn't help exclaiming. "No wonder they're basic Kidō. They're so versatile."

The Hollow roared again and again as Hu ran it in circles, but it just couldn't catch him.

Hu gradually grew more at ease, to the point that he almost wanted to hum a tune.

Just then, Jiku'a's voice rang out again.

"Want to try constructing a Phantom Blade?"

Hu's eyes lit up.

"Now?"

"It's a rare chance to practice in a real fight," Jiku'a said. "Haven't you always wanted to practice?"

Hu grinned and began drawing on Reishi to construct the technique.

Blue light gathered in his hand, slowly taking shape—

A greatsword like colored glass appeared in his hand.

A spiral hilt, a W-shaped guard, and a transparent blade glowing faintly blue. It was identical to the one Jiku'a had given him in the Inner World.

"Hehe, I didn't expect to get it on the first try. Haha, take this!"

Hu excitedly raised the sword and slashed at the Hollow.

Then—

The sword shattered.

The Hollow was unharmed. Instead, it slapped him flying.

Hu rolled three times and climbed to his feet, looking at the half of the hilt left in his hand.

"..."

"Again." There was a hint of amusement in Jiku'a's voice.

Hu constructed it again.

The second time, the sword held together for a while, but when the Hollow charged up to Hu, it couldn't hold on and dispersed. Hu was knocked flying once again.

The third time, after forming the Phantom Blade, Hu used it to block the Hollow's downward slash. It shattered on the spot, and the claw smacked him right on the nose, making his eyes water and his nose run from the pain.

The fourth time, he managed to swing the sword, but the blade shattered the instant it touched the Hollow, and he took another counterattack from it.

Like a child with a new toy, Hu kept trying without tiring of it. With every shattering, he made adjustments; with every failure, he improved.

The Hollow also seemed bewildered by his persistence. For a time, it even forgot to attack, merely standing there and watching the human form that blue thing again and again, only for it to shatter with every swing.

Sweat beaded on Hu's forehead, but the light in his eyes grew brighter and brighter.

He could feel that he was getting closer and closer to success.

The feeling was just like what Jiku'a had taught him in the Inner World—not forcing the Reishi together, but letting it flow naturally within the framework, allowing the sword to take shape on its own.

He closed his eyes.

Blue light slowly bloomed in his hand. No longer bursting forth violently, it gathered gently and steadily into the shape of a sword.

A spiral hilt, a W-shaped guard, a transparent blade—

A complete Phantom Blade lay quietly in his hand.

This time, it was no longer as translucent as colored glass, but a deep blue.

Hu opened his eyes and looked at the sword, a grin slowly spreading across his face.

"I did it..."

The Hollow finally came to its senses. With a roar, it swung its palm at him.

Hu raised his sword to block.

Boom—!!!

The tremendous impact sent him sliding backward, his feet plowing two deep furrows into the riverbank.

But the sword in his hand—

Didn't shatter.

Under the moonlight, the blue blade glowed faintly as it faced the Hollow's ferocious mask.

Hu braced himself against the sword, his body trembling slightly, but his eyes were impossibly bright, and he couldn't stop smiling.