Shiraishi was no battle maniac; he only wanted experience to level up.
Tesla alone had given him a whopping three hundred experience, enough to propel him straight to level ten with eighty experience left over.
How much experience would Nnoitra, one of the Espada, give him?
The thought filled him with anticipation.
Shiraishi arrived in the countryside north of the Tsunayashiro Clan's encampment.
Wildflowers of unknown names covered the hillside, some pink, some white. Lush green woods dotted the mountains to the north, making for a pleasant view.
Unfortunately, it was about to be destroyed.
But destroying the scenery was better than destroying the planted wheat fields or bringing down the buildings in the encampment.
Shiraishi looked south, past the bare wheat fields, to a blurry black mass in the distance: the buildings of the encampment.
Thud.
Nnoitra followed his Reiatsu to the spot, his towering figure landing among the wildflowers and trampling several of them.
His powerful Reiatsu flared wildly, without the slightest attempt at concealment. Its savage, ferocious-beast-like violence made even the beautiful scenery pale.
The pressure of facing him directly was far greater than watching from the sidelines.
Shiraishi's eyes grew grave.
He had chosen to kill Tesla rather than fight Nnoitra right away because, at level nine, he hadn't been confident he could win.
Overwhelming Reiatsu, a hardened Hierro, and the tenacious spirit to do whatever it took in battle.
Of all the enemies he had faced so far, Nnoitra could unquestionably be called the strongest.
"So it was you who killed Takehiko Tsunayashiro and Tesla. Heh, very good."
The moment Nnoitra saw the silver hair and World of the Living-style clothes, he recognized the man as the one Aizen had told him to eliminate. Excitement spread across his face, and an indescribable exhilaration clamored wildly within him.
He longed to cross swords with strong enemies.
The stronger the enemy, the more intoxicating the feeling they brought, beyond anything even fine wine could match.
"Hahahaha!"
Nnoitra burst into wild laughter. Without another word, he swung his enormous weapon forward with his slender arms. His movements and techniques seemed utterly simple.
But empowered by his immense Reiatsu, they possessed a terrifying destructive force that could not be ignored.
Shiraishi advanced to meet him. Once they were close enough to strike each other, he still showed no intention of drawing his sword.
Nnoitra didn't understand, and he couldn't be bothered to think about it. He simply brought his weapon down on Shiraishi's head.
Shiraishi reached out to catch it.
"Die!" Nnoitra's eyes widened. Feeling insulted, he sent golden Reiatsu coiling around the crescent blade like mist. The air trembled and let out a tremendous, mournful roar.
Bang!
The instant Shiraishi's hand touched the blade, a golden current burst forth and enveloped his entire body.
The passive effect of Way of the Wanderer had activated.
His earlier movements had already filled his Flow, and the shield sprang up the moment he was attacked.
Unlike in the game, the shield was spherical, taking the form of a gilded current that wrapped around his entire body.
The shield dissipated seventy percent of Nnoitra's full-strength blow before shattering. The remaining forty percent was enough for Shiraishi to get a grip on the blade.
Then Shiraishi drew his sword and thrust it straight at Nnoitra's heart.
A Hollow's vital points were much the same as a human's: a stab to the heart or brain was fatal.
At such close range, he was certain Nnoitra couldn't dodge.
Clink.
A crisp sound rang out, and the force that rebounded through the sword tip nearly knocked the hilt from his hand.
Shiraishi's eyes widened, shock flashing across his face. Were his eyes playing tricks on him?
Even with the boost from Steel Tempest and his Reiatsu at 7,550, the strike had failed to pierce Nnoitra's Hierro. The recoil had even numbed the web of his hand.
"Haha, how could a sword that dull possibly hurt me?"
Nnoitra laughed arrogantly and swiftly clawed at his own chest with his left hand.
Shiraishi immediately released the crescent blade and retreated. Without his shield, he had no confidence in taking another of Nnoitra's attacks head-on with his body.
That evasive move told Nnoitra the strange energy shield probably couldn't be maintained at all times. Otherwise, there would have been no need to dodge just then.
Although he didn't know the conditions for using the shield, Shiraishi couldn't use it now, so Nnoitra would press the attack.
He bit the tip of his tongue and stuck it out, blood flowing from the wound. Terrifying Reiatsu gathered at the bleeding tip in the shape of lightning, forming a sphere that he fired forward.
The Gran Rey Cero became a streak of lightning in midair, its speed multiplying. The current tore petals from the wildflowers below and sent them flying.
Shiraishi swung his sword, forming a wall of wind in front of him. The immensely powerful Gran Rey Cero struck it without making a sound and vanished against the wall.
"You always pull out some inexplicable move."
Nnoitra's face darkened. He finally understood why Aizen had set his sights on this man who wasn't a captain.
He was certain that hadn't been Kidō. If it was a Zanpakuto's ability, then what had the earlier shield been?
A Zanpakuto should have only one ability.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Does that have anything to do with our fight?"
Shiraishi answered with a question. He found Nnoitra troublesome; unless he landed a critical hit, he probably couldn't break through that Hierro.
"Haha, you're right. I don't care who you are, I'm going to slaughter you!"
With that, Nnoitra used Sonído to circle behind him and brought his weapon down hard with both hands.
Shiraishi sensed the attack behind him and turned, becoming a gust of wind that passed through the crescent blade and Nnoitra's Hierro-covered body. He followed with Steel Tempest, and a ring-shaped golden slash appeared.
With a scrape, the blade grazed Nnoitra's lower back, throwing off a shower of sparks.
Having hit his target twice, Shiraishi had built up two stacks of Steel Tempest's Gathering Storm. A golden current rose gently from beneath his feet.
What's this now? Nnoitra cautiously pulled back some distance.
Shiraishi grinned. "What's wrong? Are you scared?"
"Who'd be scared of you?!"
Nnoitra flew into a rage. Every nerve in his body seemed to be screaming, Kill him! Slaughter him!
Anyone who looked down on him couldn't be allowed to live.
"Then try taking this strike." Shiraishi deliberately provoked him and swung his sword forward.
With a roar, a golden tornado rose more than ten meters high, sweeping up the surrounding wildflowers and soil. The wind thundered.
This is it? Nnoitra came out of his rage, a trace of confusion in his eyes. A natural disaster like a tornado was a nightmare for ordinary people.
But Hollows, even giant Hollows, were immune to them.
Let alone an Imitation Arrancar made from an Adjuchas like him. He could extinguish it with a breath.
He stuck out his tongue and, instead of using Gran Rey Cero, fired a torrent of light forward with an ordinary Cero.
The tornado didn't slow in the slightest. The Cero spiraled into it, and Nnoitra realized something was wrong. He tried to evade with Sonído, but his body was already caught in the suction, pulling him forward against his will.
"Bastard." Nnoitra strained with all his might, but he still couldn't break free. The tornado swept him into the sky.
Shiraishi showed no restraint and immediately unleashed his ultimate.