His hands and feet refused to obey him.
For the first time in a long while, Nnoitra felt his body go weak. The last time had been years ago, when he had followed Aizen's orders to search for Hollows qualified to become Espada.
He had charged into an Adjuchas tribe alone and launched a suicidal attack, killing every Hollow there. After he had used up most of his Reiatsu, the village leader returned and beat him without giving him a chance to fight back.
He had thought he would finally die in battle there and be freed from the despair of Hueco Mundo, only for that woman to save him again.
"Nelliel, I can't stand you. You should know that damn well, so why do you keep hanging around me?"
"That's because you're even weaker than I am."
Nelliel!!
Every time Nnoitra remembered that answer, boundless fury welled up inside him.
He hated that condescending charity and pity. He had to defeat that woman.
Until then, he absolutely could not die.
Nnoitra kept struggling with all his might.
Shiraishi used Flash to appear in front of him, and three slashes fell almost at once.
The first slashed upward, sending countless sparks flying. The second swept across, but likewise failed to break through his Hierro.
The third came down vertically. A chill swept through Nnoitra's body, a chill rising from his heart that even his Hierro could not keep out.
Infinity's chance to critically strike triggered, and Shiraishi's Reiatsu rose from 7,550 to 15,100, a full twofold increase.
Unable to move back, Nnoitra threw his head backward, straining to avoid the third slash.
The golden blade cut from below his neck down to his crotch. The Hierro he was so proud of became as soft as tofu, and blood gushed out.
At that very moment, Nnoitra regained control of his body and quickly leaped back, landing among wildflowers untouched by the tornado.
No blood fell on the petals.
Shiraishi followed close behind. His skills were still on cooldown, so he could only swing a basic attack at the wound.
In a split second, Nnoitra reached out to grab it with his left hand, and the blade sliced off all five fingers along with half his palm.
After using his ultimate, Shiraishi had a fifty percent chance of dealing true damage that ignored defenses. Even with 7,550 Reiatsu, he could disregard the hardness of Hierro.
"Ah!" The pain drove Nnoitra into a frenzy, and he raised his weapon with one hand and brought it down.
Shiraishi did not retreat. He turned his blade upward and met Nnoitra head-on for the first time.
Bang!
The two surges of Reiatsu collided as their blades met. The impact whipped up a fierce wind that tore the wildflowers from the mountainside, roots and all, leaving the entire slope bare.
Gravely wounded, Nnoitra could not withstand it. He was the first to retreat, a mouthful of blood spewing from his throat.
Shiraishi did not pursue him. His blood churned inside him. The severely wounded Nnoitra's Reiatsu had not weakened; he simply lacked the stamina to sustain it.
He could not hold out for even a second.
Blood poured from between his legs, quickly soaking the soil and staining it red. Black hair hid Nnoitra's face.
Shiraishi understood that unless Nnoitra could use Resurrección now, he would not survive. There was no need to attack again; he only had to stall for time. He asked, "Are you still alive?"
"Idiot, how could I die?! How could I be killed by you, by a sword like yours... I, I, I..."
As Nnoitra spoke, the light gradually returned to his hazy eyes. Golden Reiatsu surged out of him, and he roared, "How can I die like this?!"
He refused to accept it. He would never accept that the man before him was stronger than he was.
It was Nelliel he longed for. He wanted to die at her hands, not at the hands of this inexplicable fellow in front of him.
He could not die like this. He had to keep fighting until his last breath.
"I can still fight!" Nnoitra raised his enormous weapon, sending blood spurting out once more, and charged with his grievously wounded body.
He looked imposing and exuded a powerful sense of pressure, but he was less than half as fast as before.
Shiraishi pressed his lips together. Given the choice between evading and granting Nnoitra's wish, he chose the latter and thrust Steel Tempest straight at Nnoitra's heart.
His split-open chest could not stop any attack, and the blade pierced through the air into his damaged heart.
His vision went black in an instant.
Nnoitra lost consciousness. Just as he had said long ago, he was cut down by an enemy and breathed his last before he hit the ground, leaving this world of despair in the way he had most hoped to die.
Shiraishi withdrew his blade and dodged the spurting blood. The corpse fell to the ground, still gripping its weapon.
Why was that?
He shook the blood from his blade, a feeling he had never known before arising in his heart: a trace of sorrow for the Hollow he had killed. Had it been caused by the despair that flowed from his opponent's blade when their weapons clashed?
"Pfft, what am I getting sentimental about?"
Shiraishi patted his face and decided to dispel the unpleasant feeling with experience points. He thought of his status panel.
A detailed panel appeared in his mind.
Hero: Shiraishi. Level: 10 (730-1425) Reiatsu: 7550 Zanpakuto: Infinity (has a chance to critically strike, doubling the power of the next attack or skill.) Passive: Way of the Wanderer. [Resolve]: As a wanderer, you build up sword intent as you move. The faster you move, the faster you gain sword intent. When your sword intent reaches its peak, an enemy attack will generate a shield that offsets part of the enemy's power. [Intent]: Death is like the wind, always by your side. You have never feared death. Swinging your blade in a desperate situation, your heroic bearing earns Infinity's favor, granting you a guaranteed critical strike. Skills: [Steel Tempest (level 3)]: Cooldown: 5 seconds. When Steel Tempest hits an enemy, it gains one stack of Gathering Storm, lasting 6 seconds. After accumulating 2 stacks of Gathering Storm, Steel Tempest forms a whirlwind that knocks enemies airborne. [Wind Wall (level 2)]: Cooldown: 24 seconds. Forms a wall of airflow that blocks all enemy projectile attacks for 4 seconds. [Steel Tempest (level 4)]: Cannot be used on the same target again for 7 seconds. You become a gale and dash forward, passing through the enemy's body. If you cast Steel Tempest during the dash, Steel Tempest will strike in a circle. [Last Breath (level 1)]: Cooldown: 80 seconds. You can flash to an airborne enemy, keeping all enemies in range airborne for 1 additional second. Upon landing, you gain maximum sword intent and reset Steel Tempest's Gathering Storm stacks. For the next 15 seconds, you have a fifty percent chance to ignore all enemy defenses and strike the target directly!
"Six hundred and fifty." Shiraishi's face lit up with excitement. He remembered having eighty experience points before, and now he had 730. As expected of an Espada.
The eighth Espada alone was worth this much. The top three Espada were truly tempting.
Shiraishi pictured himself cutting down the Espada in the future, only to be interrupted by a surge of Reiatsu. He looked to the left. "Kūkaku, what brings you here?"
Kūkaku Shiba used Shunpo to reach the scene. She swept her gaze over it and asked, "Was this Hollow Takehiko Tsunayashiro's test subject?"
"Probably. I don't know the details. You can go take a look under the barracks."
Shiraishi believed Aizen would leave behind enough evidence to prove Takehiko Tsunayashiro's crimes. He was more concerned about Soi Fon on the other side. "I have something else to do, so I won't go with you."