Lower-class Great Voids, Gillians, appeared on battlefields everywhere. Their defining features were their towering bodies and masks with long, pointed noses.
After fighting hundreds of battles large and small, they had never won a single one.
Ever since their first appearance, they had been abused in every imaginable way—slashed to death, burned to death, stabbed to death, beaten to death, kicked to death, blasted by Light Cannons, and... died of stupidity.
Even when one of their kind became an Arrancar, it still stupidly died at the hands of the one-and-a-half-meter-tall Rukia Kuchiki, Onion Head's subordinate.
They were cannon fodder over in Bleach, and they were much the same here. Other than being big, they were practically useless and could only serve as cannon fodder.
This Gillian had been created after Shirou had Ulquiorra, whose Hollow aura had become even more intense, visit several graveyards. To keep the newborn Gillian from being discovered because of its enormous size, Ulquiorra had specifically used Gekū to send it to the inner side of the world—there was already all sorts of chaotic stuff there anyway, so one more made no difference.
Given a Gillian's strength, if someone thought they could kill the White Winged Ancestor with a single Cero, they might as well wash up and go to bed. After all, he could even withstand the Gran Rey Cero, which was several times stronger than an ordinary Cero.
That blast had barely scratched the White Winged Ancestor, but Shirou had never intended to use it for damage.
Whether it was the fierce assault earlier or that Cero, both had merely been feints. The true killing move was only beginning now.
After the Cero, Shirou used Sonido to appear behind the White Winged Ancestor and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Come with me, Ortolocke. The real battle has only just begun!"
Space began to warp. The White Winged Ancestor saw a flash of white light, and when it faded, the scenery around him had changed beyond recognition.
A silver-white moon hung high in the sky above an endless wasteland. Shirou stood atop an unknown structure that looked remarkably like a rooftop, spreading his arms as he said to the White Winged Ancestor, "Welcome to my world, White Winged Ancestor!"
"A Reality Marble?" Upon hearing Shirou say "my world," the White Winged Ancestor's first thought was a Reality Marble. But it was not as if he had never seen one before, so he immediately noticed something was off. "No, your Reality Marble's ability has yet to evolve. This Reality Marble is incomplete!"
"As expected of the White Winged Ancestor. You're right—this Reality Marble is fundamentally incomplete." Shirou readily admitted the fact. Without the replication of countless Noble Phantasms, Unlimited Blade Works could not take shape. Then again, if he had Unlimited Blade Works, why the hell would Shirou waste time talking to the White Winged Ancestor? He would have smashed him in the face with Unlimited Phantasm already!
"The essence of this technique is still Projection," Shirou said. "It projects the world where my true self resides deep within my heart, then drags you inside. My goal has already been achieved: finding a battlefield where I can unleash a stronger form. Take a good look!"
Shirou held his Zanpakutō horizontally before his chest and slowly recited the release command for his Resurrección:
"Seal it off, Black Winged Great Demon!"
At that instant, time itself seemed to freeze. Mana, so dense it had nearly become tangible, surged into the sky and condensed into liquid raindrops that fell from above.
"This rain is so heavy? Something's wrong!"
The White Winged Ancestor thought to himself. When he looked at Shirou again, his eyes instantly widened in shock.
Under the moonlight, Shirou opened his eyes again, and two tear-like streaks running down his entire face slowly emerged. A pair of black demonic wings as deep as the night spread from his back. Fully extended, their enormous wingspan would be at least four meters wide. Combined with the horned, bone-like helmet mask atop his head, his pure white body, and his sharp limbs, Shirou now looked like a demon incarnate.
"This pressure... brat, you really aren't human!" Feeling the pressure Shirou radiated, the White Winged Ancestor's expression turned grave.
"Think whatever you want." Shirou spoke expressionlessly. He had no intention of explaining anymore. Looking more demonic than a demon, what was the point of explaining? As for why he was expressionless... he had not known he would get the same poker face as Ulquiorra when using Resurrección!
"Let me kindly remind you: in this form, neither my speed nor my strength is anything like before. You'd better hope you still have enough power in reserve!"
In an instant, Shirou was already behind the White Winged Ancestor. A simple straight punch, carrying nothing but a fierce gust and a sonic boom, blasted toward him.
The latter immediately raised his sword to block, only to be sent flying. The spreading shockwave kicked up dust from the ground, and the White Winged Ancestor's expression grew even more solemn and serious. The Shirou from before had been about as strong and fast as him, perhaps even inferior, not to mention their vastly different combat skills.
But now, Shirou's speed and strength were several times his own. At this rate, he would lose!
Such a massive boost could not possibly last long, and it was bound to come with side effects!
The White Winged Ancestor analyzed inwardly, but he did not know that the essence of Resurrección was merely the release of power. If Shirou wished, he could maintain it until his mana ran dry.
A streak of green light flashed in Shirou's palm. It rapidly extended, then took shape and solidified into the form of a spear. Though it looked like a spear, this technique's true name was Moonlight Greatsword.
Gripping the Moonlight Greatsword tightly, Shirou fiercely thrust it at the White Winged Ancestor.
Having learned from that punch, the White Winged Ancestor did not dare take it head-on. With a flap of the wings behind him, he—or rather, the entire True Ancestor—rapidly retreated.
How could Shirou let the White Winged Ancestor retreat so easily? With a forward sweep, the Moonlight Greatsword grazed his collar. Shirou then used the momentum to fling the weapon at him, following it up with a kick to its end that accelerated it once more along its trajectory.
Pshk!
The Moonlight Greatsword pierced straight through the White Winged Ancestor's left shoulder, leaving behind a fist-sized penetrating wound. It then exploded in the distance with a deafening boom.
"Hmph!" The White Winged Ancestor grunted. It had been a long time since he had been injured. He knew perfectly well that he was no match for Shirou in his Resurrección state.
Worse still, the White Winged Ancestor made a horrifying discovery: the wound he had just received could not heal quickly, as though some force was preventing it from closing.
Damn it, why does this guy have such power too? How long can this form last?
"It's not over yet, White Winged Ancestor!" Shirou shouted, forming another Moonlight Greatsword—this time, two of them. "Since you stood in my way, prepare to be taken down by me!"
Shirou now had two tricks up his sleeve, in every sense of the phrase.