Battle Against the Espada (13)

At the Espada moment of life and death, the fighting instincts and ferocity of the Espada erupted completely! Nnoitra let out a beast-like the Roar. He no longer tried to completely dodge the fatal blow, but chose the least costly way to deal with it—at the last second, he forcibly twisted his waist and hips, contracting his body backward and to the side to the maximum extent!

At the same time, the two newly retracted arms (the fifth and sixth arms) that had not yet been fully adjusted, as well as one of the two original arms that were closest to it, instinctively crossed in front of them, trying to use the Hierro- covered arms and the scythe in their hands to block and deflect the unavoidable slash!

Laugh--!

There was no earth-shattering crash, only a dull thud, the sound of a sharp blade slicing into a tough object.

Time seemed to stretch out at that moment.

The emerald green blade sliced effortlessly into the crossed arms and scythe that were blocking the attack.

Snap! Pfft!

The sounds of bones cracking, metal breaking, and flesh being torn apart mingled together, brief yet bloody.

A flash of blade, and blood splattered!

Nnoitra's massive body was struck as if by a heavy hammer, staggering backward several steps, each step leaving a deep crater in the sand, before he barely managed to keep from falling.

He looked down at his own body.

On his left shoulder blade, a horrific wound, deep enough to expose bone, almost completely severed his left shoulder and part of his collarbone, extending diagonally downwards until it tore near his right ribcage before finally stopping. The pale bone armor and Hierro were cut open as if made of paper, and the charred muscle and red Reishi blood gushed out like a fountain, instantly staining a large part of his body red.

What's even more shocking is his arm.

The two newly formed arms (the fifth and sixth arms) that were hastily raised to block were severed, one of them, along with part of the shoulder blade, cleanly severed at the root! The severed arm fell to the sand, twitching slightly, the knuckles still clenched. The other arm (the one that grabbed the ankle), although not completely severed, had its forearm mostly cut off, with only a little skin and bone connecting it, hanging limply, clearly useless.

Even the arm that had been used to block the attack had its blade tip severed from the secondary scythe it was holding, and a deep gash had appeared in the Hierro of the arm, from which red blood was constantly seeping out.

A wave of excruciating pain washed over Nnoitra's nerves, but he gritted his teeth and didn't utter a single scream. His single eye burned with an even more frenzied, violent, and reckless glint, along with a deep-seated shock and... humiliation from being crushed by absolute power.

If he hadn't, at the last moment, because of Nelliel's withdrawal of her leg and his own shift in center of gravity, causing his body to retract that crucial small distance backward; if he hadn't decisively sacrificed his arms to block, slightly deflecting the trajectory and depth of the slash...

This strike would absolutely be enough to cleave him in two from head to toe!

Cold sweat, mixed with red blood, slid down Nnoitra's forehead. He stared intently at Nelliel, who had already sheathed her sword and stood there, her breathing only slightly rapid, her emerald green eyes still as calm as a deep Nelliel. For the first time, he clearly felt the true strength and intimidating power represented by the title of the once high and mighty "Number Three".

"It seems..." Nelliel lightly flicked her Zanpakuto, shaking off the red blood and Reishi stained the blade. Her voice remained calm, yet carried a sense of serene acceptance. "Even after all these years, even though you've learned to grow more arms and master more elaborate weapons... some things don't seem to have improved much, Nnoitra."

She tilted her head slightly, glancing at the severed arm on the sand and the gruesome wounds on Nnoitra's body.

"Now, do you want to continue?"

Nnoitra Gilga stood rooted to the spot, his chest heaving violently. Each breath aggravated the deep, gruesome wound running from his left shoulder to his right abdomen, bringing excruciating pain. Red blood continued to gush from the wound and his severed arm, dripping onto the pale sand and spreading out in patches of glaring color.

His rugged face was pale from pain and blood loss, and his forehead was covered in cold sweat. But his single eye, which was not covered by the blindfold, was still fixed on Nelliel in front of him like a wounded beast, burning with resentment, rage, and an almost obsessive madness.

"Cough... cough cough..." He coughed up several mouthfuls of bloody saliva, his voice hoarse and low from the excruciating pain, yet carrying an undeniable ferocity, "You think... like this... that you... wound me... severed both my arms... that's how you defeat me?! Nelliel!!"

He practically the Roar out the other person's name, as if pouring out all his humiliation and anger.

With his roar, another anomaly occurred.

Suddenly, the Hierro covering the severed ends of Nnoitra's two newly formed arms (one completely severed, the other mostly severed) began to writhe and tumble violently, as if countless tiny insects were frantically burrowing beneath.

The red Reishi blood stopped gushing out, and the muscle and bone tissue at the break point visibly atrophied and shriveled. Then, like a ripe fruit falling from a branch, the two remaining arms, connected only by a thin layer of skin and flesh, spontaneously broke off from their shoulder joints and fell onto the sand, quickly losing their activity and turning into two dark blue clumps of Reishi that gradually dissipated.

Then, an even more chilling sight appeared: below the two bare, mangled sections of the shoulder blades, the skin and bone plates bulged and stretched violently as if they were alive!

Accompanied by a teeth-grinding "crunching" sound as bones and tendons rapidly proliferated, two brand-new, grotesque arms, covered in the same ghastly white Hierro, with even more muscular and robust muscle lines and more prominent knuckles, miraculously "grew" back from the severed ends in just a few breaths!

Moreover, the skin and bones at the wrists of these two newly formed arms underwent another transformation, shaping and solidifying like liquid metal, eventually extending and condensing into two bone scythes that were identical to their previous forms, radiating a cold, icy light! One scythe had a slender blade, and the other had serrated edges, complementing the scythes in his other four hands.

The "Santa Teresa" form with six arms wielding a scythe miraculously recovered completely after losing an arm! Apart from the huge wound on his body that was still bleeding and his slightly rapid breathing due to the large amount of Reiatsu he had used to regenerate his arm, Nnoitra looked almost exactly the same as before he was injured.

Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck stood silently, witnessing the entire incredible process of limb regeneration. A subtle surprise flashed across her emerald eyes, and her brows furrowed imperceptibly, as if she were making a rapid observation and judgment.

Her gaze swept quickly over Nnoitra's newly grown, freely waving hands, and then landed on the huge, still gaping wound on his chest that showed no signs of healing.

After a brief silence, the surprise on Nelliel vanished, replaced by understanding, even tinged with a faint, almost pitying, disappointment. She parted her lips slightly, her voice calm and even, yet clearly reaching Nnoitra's ears:

"Is that all?" Her tone held a hint of inquiry, as if confirming something insignificant. "Discarding severely damaged limbs that hinder combat, consuming a large amount of Reiatsu, and regenerating a new arm with similar functions but essentially just a 'replacement'... Is this what you call 'recovery'? I thought you could demonstrate a higher level of ability, like 'High-Speed Regeneration,' truly repairing the body and healing wounds."

She shook her head slightly, her long emerald green hair swaying gently with the movement. "If that's all... Nnoitra, you don't seem to have improved much since then. What practical significance does this level of 'recovery' have, other than depleting your already meager Reiatsu and prolonging this battle that's already decided?"

She raised her Zanpakuto, its tip pointing at Nnoitra, her voice still calm, yet carrying an undeniable confidence. "If I can cut them once, I can cut them a second, a third... countless times. As long as your Reiatsu isn't exhausted, as long as your body can withstand this kind of consumption, this trickery, like a gecko shedding its tail or drinking poison to quench thirst, is utterly insignificant in my eyes."

The four words "not worth mentioning" were like four cold awls, piercing deeply into Nnoitra's proud yet fragile self-esteem.

The muscles on his face contorted instantly, and a terrifying glint of malice erupted from his single eye—an extreme anger and humiliation born from being completely seen through, scorned, and looked down upon! His newly formed arm trembled slightly with excitement, and the bone scythe he gripped made a creaking sound as it rubbed together.

"Nelliel--!" Nnoitra roared like a wild beast, his voice distorted by extreme rage. "Don't think that just because you managed to wound me once, you can speak to me with such an arrogant tone! Don't think you're still that 'master' sitting in the Third Seat, able to boss all your subordinates around! I am now the Fifth Espada Nnoitra Gilgar! I am the Santa Teresa! I will tear your disgusting, self-righteous face to shreds!!"

Rage completely consumed his reason and overwhelmed the weakness brought on by the pain. Nnoitra no longer cared about the potential risks posed by the still-bleeding, huge wound on his body, nor did he consider the depletion of his Reiatsu. He had only one thought in his mind—to use the most violent and direct attack to tear the woman before him and her indifferent demeanor to shreds!

"Die!"

With a roar, Nnoitra swung all six arms simultaneously! Six enormous scythes of varying shapes intertwined in the air, forming an impenetrable, chilling net of deathly blades! He no longer cared about technique or skill, but instead unleashed the savage power and speed he gained after his Resurrección, like a maddened steel beast wielding countless blades, charging towards Nelliel with a frenzied, suicidal momentum! The six scythes slashed, hacked, swept, hooked, and twisted, their attacks like a storm, like a raging torrent, seemingly intent on utterly shredding and annihilating everything in their path!

Faced with this frenzied attack, Nelliel's expression finally underwent a subtle change. It wasn't fear or tension, but a faint sense of helplessness, as if she were sighing at her opponent's stubbornness.

She no longer chose to confront the chaotic yet dangerous net of blades head-on; her figure became increasingly elusive and agile. With a light touch of her toes on the sand, she could glide several feet backward or to the side, each time perfectly avoiding the sharpest edge and strongest point of impact of the scythes. Her Hohō was exquisite, like dancing on the tip of a knife, always managing to slip safely through the gaps between the six intertwined scythes at the last possible moment.

Occasionally, when the trajectory of a scythe's attack is too tricky, or when Nnoitra reveals a fleeting opening due to his rage, Nelliel will raise her Zanpakuto. With a seemingly casual touch, she can deflect, parry, or guide the powerful attack, even causing a brief disruption in Nnoitra's own power and a pause in his attack rhythm.

She was like a seasoned bullfighter, calmly guiding and wearing down the power and rage of the raging bull before her.

Finally, after successfully guiding and deflecting three or four of Nnoitra's fierce consecutive slashes, Nelliel seized the moment when Nnoitra's breath became slightly turbid due to continuous exertion and his attack had a very brief gap. She released a slight Reiatsu from her feet and floated back more than ten meters as if weightless, creating enough distance between herself and the mad tiger-like Nnoitra.

She steadied herself, her emerald green eyes calmly gazing at Nnoitra, who was growing increasingly agitated from her failed attacks, whose chest wound had widened from the exertion, and from which more red blood was flowing. She sighed softly.

"It seems words can no longer bring you to your senses." Nelliel's voice was still melodious, but it carried a hint of resolute coldness. "Then, let your body recall things clearly, and let you truly understand... the fundamental difference between us that has never been truly bridged."

She slowly raised her right hand, grasping the elegant, emerald-green Zanpakuto with both hands, its tip pointing downwards, held upside down in front of her. The blade reflected the pale light of Hueco Mundo, illuminating her solemn and exquisitely beautiful face.

A Reiatsu, completely different from before, more vast, more profound, more... sacred and majestic, began to awaken and rise from within her body. It was not the violent, outward-flowing white storm that Nnoitra unleashed when Resurrección, but a Reiatsu aura, as calm as the deep sea under moonlight, yet containing boundless power, gently enveloping her.

"Don't forget, Nnoitra."

Nelliel parted her lips slightly and uttered that long-awaited maxim, symbolizing the unleashing of her true power:

"You're not the only one who can Resurrección."

"Awaken, my Knight's Soul— "

Her voice suddenly rose, clear and powerful, echoing across the empty Desert ruins:

"Sing a praises, Gamuza!!"

The moment the final words of release were uttered, the azure and emerald green Reiatsu surrounding her suddenly erupted! It was no longer mist, but transformed into a tangible, dazzling white Reiatsu radiance, like the purest moonlight, instantly engulfing her graceful figure completely!

The white light spread out gently yet with unwavering determination, forming a massive cocoon of light tens of meters in diameter. Faint, water-like patterns flowed across the surface of the cocoon, emanating a serene yet powerful aura that was both exhilarating and awe-inspiring. This contrasted sharply with the ferocious spectacle of Nnoitra's Resurrección.

The next moment, as if blown by an invisible breeze, ripples appeared on the surface of the huge white cocoon of light. Then, like the morning mist meeting the sunlight, it quickly became thin and transparent, and finally quietly dissipated, revealing the entity within that had already completed its transformation.

Resurrección complete -- Gamuza!