Brothers and Sisters of the Sword: Team Ningensei vs. Team Zealot

For the moment, nothing mattered.

The screaming of the crowd that waited for the blood of the battle to be spilled was non-existent. The decorations, lights, and fireworks could not be seen to their blind eyes. They stared at their enemies, the only thing in their minds at that point. Nothing else mattered but the fight, the power put into the fight, and how they were going to beat their opponents. Other than the ring itself, the only thing that the teams could possibly be seeing was each other.

Team Ningensei and Team Zealot - the brother and sister Arrancar.

Koyuki began the announcement of the fighters to be called, and to whom would soon slay eachother in the ruthless display, or... whoever was rang out. "Let the challangers come foward, choose a member of your team, and designate who will be fighting." "The rules are simple, fight until the opponent dies, a ring out of 10 seconds, or forfeit."

Team Zealots murmured between themselves, Isabella looked over each of the women, intent on finding a key one for the fight, one who wasn't tested in her eyes yet. Fuerte... Isabella moved out of the circle, calling to Koyuki to point out. "The fight shall be Fuerte Silenciar." Pointing the the timid girl, glasses placed on the end of her nose. Walking forward into the arena, Fuerte stood there nervously, ready to play her part in the Tournament ahead. She didn't like fighting, but she'd do it for the prize at the end, if they made it that far.

Koyuki glanced to the other side, "And your fight shall be who, Team Ningensei?"

It was time to put his new abilities to the test. Closing his eyes, Senkaku sighed out of his own nervousness. He knew that both teams would not consider losing to be an option, and would rather fight to the very end. "I guess this mean's I'm up..." He stated calmly, folding his hands into his pockets. "Wish me luck, guys..." Behind him, the team gave their very own signs of encouragement, with Melina and Nnoitra giving the peace sign, and Ggio giving a nod of respect. With that, Senkaku Sonido'd onto the ring to face his opponent.

"Let's make this a good one, shall we?" He asked, trying to keep a friendly aura between himself and his opponent.

"I'll umm... try my hardest in battle." Giving Senkaku a bow, she wasn't perpared for the insueing battle.

Koyuki yelled out to the spectators of both teams, "Alright, let the blood-bath begin!" The battle was now.

Battle Ignition
No restraint.

Taking in a deep breath, Senkaku once again used Sonido to vanish and re-appear above Fuerte, sword having been unsheathed. His eyes narrowed in concentration as he descended upon her, sword swung in a side-strike above the chest. The strength was fueled by two hands, emphasizing his desire of no restraint.

Fuerte looked at the attack, using her own Sonido, she looked at him, Zanpakuto in sheath, she swung an average speed fist towards him, her eyes calculating, she wasn't putting forth an effort into the offensive.

"She's not fighting with her sword?" Senkaku thought in puzzlement, raising his blade up to intercept the fist. The blade cut into her flesh, and the wound would depend on how much force she placed into the attack. But it didn't matter to him; if that was the way she was going to fight, then so be it. Pulling one hand off of his Zanpakuto, he lifted a finger to point at the other Arrancar. A small sphere of reishi formed at the tip. Then, he fired it, using the point-blank distance between them as an advantage.

Looking at the wound, it took only a second to heal itself, her Regeneration was unparalleled, that was why she was so willing to enter suicidal combat. Noticing the act, her body motion amplified by Sonido she used the steel flesh to tear into his spiritual coated hand, throwing the blast off course, away from her. Gripping his wrist, she wasn't planning to let him point at her again, other hand drawn back, her Zanpakuto was unsheathed, and now swung to slice off the pesky limb.

Eyes widening, Senkaku quickly moved his blade to intercept Fuerte's, barely keeping it from cutting off his arm. For a moment, he struggled, before he raised a leg and kicked her in the stomach to force her back. "She's able to keep her regenerative properties... this is going to be hell...." He thought, raising his sword once again and rushing towards her. This time, in order to increase the speed of his strikes, he used one hand. Once he was upon her, he unleashed several strikes, slashes, and lunges in order to keep the offensive.

A loud Ooof! was emitted from Fuerte's throat as she was kicked backward, she had timed his reaction time with the first fist, and was seeing how he worked on the offensive. Soon, speed and stamina would be tested... then the real game began for Fuerte. Using the blows to black each strike, she managed to evade most of the slashs using parries, but used her body to dodge when she could. Staying on the defensive, she was analyzing each effort, her gaze counting the strikes down to the millisecond, deducing his capabilities.

Jumping upward, she didn't raise her blade, she instead planned to bring the Zanpakuto up with her, attempting to cut Senkaku open much like a fish on market.

With a simple step back, Senkaku was able to avoid such a fate. As she jumped upward, he reacted reflexively, reaching with his free hand and grabbing the blade. He gritted his teeth as he pulled her back down, letting out an adrenaline-induced growl as he thrusted his sword tip at her coming figure.

Eyes opening wide at the attack, Fuerte pulled her next trick, opening her mouth as she was pulled towards him, a green colored Cero pulsing within, she let out the blast, planning on killing him. ''Spiritual Energy v.s Phyiscal attack? I predict my Cero wins. ''If Fuerte could have smirked with her mouth open, she would have.

"Shit!!!"

Upon the point-blank blast, Senkaku was forced to direct attention towards the Cero, pupils shrinking. He used the strength he could muster up in one arm in order to fight back the attack, but it was no use. It overwhelmed him, consuming him in its explosion of green light.

Watching, she would hold up, pouring more energy into the blast, prolonging it. She would make sure the pressure crushed the opponent. You can't outlast pressure... another surge of spiritual output, increased the blast radius, and added more power to the light green ''Cero. ''Fuerte began to doubt if he would escape it.

As the smoke cleared, Senkaku could be seen on one knee, holding the back of his blade as well as the hilt in two hands. His Hierro had been a strong defense against the initial blast, and now, his blade was cutting the Cero attack in two parts. He narrowed his eyes into the brilliant light. "God, you are scaring me!!!" He shouted, raising a finger up on his hilt. Without hesitation, he fired his own Cero in order to counter hers.

The blast collided, bringing earth into the heavens, shooting high in the air, debris of stone thrown across, the flash of green energy and Senkaku's own had proved a brillent display. Now stopped from her Cero output, she looked at him, somewhat ashamed, strangely. "I don't like fighting, I'm cursed with this fighting spirit." she claimed, Fuerte hated conflict, but she would do what she had to do for the Team, to prove herself to them all, especcially Isabella. "I apologize for any harm that I bring to you." she wasn't going to hold back though...

Her Zanpakuto surging with spiritual energy, seeming to pulse with green power, the blade's length grew, and grew serrated like teeth on the entirety of it's form. "But I must do this." Fuerte finished, rushing forward, Sonido aiding her, the Zanpakuto was amplified now, to cut through solid objects, whether it be Hierro or Zanpakuto. Now infront of him, her blade was drawn to spill his guts in a horizontal stroke.

A weak smile was Senkaku's response. "Don't apologize..." He replied, even as he raised his own sword. He channeled his own reiryoku into the blade, a counter to to the enhanced attack that Fuerte was putting up. His blade swung up to counter hers, and their energies collided once more. "You're not doin' too bad...." With a push of his Zanpakuto, he forced her back, his enhanced strength being put into the effort.

"Alright." she plainly answer, her feet skidding across the ground, being pushed by his strength, her blank stare into his proved that she was still analyzing his tactics, resiliant. "Hmm." watching the effort, she used the teeth of her Zanpakuto's serrated edge to grip his Zanpakuto in a lock, twisting it, she perpared to disarm him, other hand ready, she threw a single slashing wave of green Bala towards his legs, either way, he couldn't block both top and lower. One last thought came to mind, she perpared two more slashes of Bala, aimed at his waist.

"Eeeeeh!" Senkaku blurted, leaping up immediately to avoid the Bala. Then, he used a Sonido to vanish away from her and a far distance away. Pointing his sword towards her, he unleashed another Cero upon her by firing the reishi from the tip of his sword. The Bala attacks weren't as dangerous in power as the Cero, but its speed could easily catch him off guard if he wasn't careful.

"Hmmm..." again, her toneless thinking began once more, timing the speed of his producing the Cero, she had seen it enough to calculate the time. "Not going to work anymore on me."

Rushing out of the area using Sonido, she produced a Bala on her Zanpakuto, instead of sending it out as a bolt, she used the Bala produced as a whip like extension, lashing towards Senkaku's eyes, a crack of the 'whip' enhanced Zanpakuto, lead to another Bala being produced by it. Smiling, Fuerte was proud of her few skills.

"Is that so...?" Senkaku commented, using his own blade once again to intercept the sword. However, he gritted his teeth this time, the energy proving to give him much more of a tougher time than the regular attacks. "Then I guess it's time to switch tactics..." He would use the skills that his "mother" had taught him, in order to increase his effectiveness on the battlefield. "Bakudō 43!" Fields of light came from his Zanpakuto, wrapping themselves around Fuerte in a crushing prison. "Hikariori!" Its power slowly began to tighten around the body of his opponent. With enough time, the victim would be crushed to death; the most dangerous Bakudō spell he had to use.

"Gah..." thinking of a way to espace the prison, she had no way to escape, thinking of one solution, she used her blade, using Sonido, she swung the blade in ferocious flurries, shredding away at the imprisonment perpared to hold her and soon crush her, tearing a simple slice through the shield, she smirked, opening her mouth, focused on point, she jabbed both her fists on the shielding, Bala on both of them, perpared to shatter it, if not, she had two back-up plans...

The prison was failing to hold her. However, he didn't have to maintain his hold on it for it to stay active. This way, he would give himself a higher chance of hitting her with the next attack. He raised one hand off of the hilt of his Zanpakuto and aimed it towards the girl. "Hadō 33: Sōkatsui!" A burst of lightning arc with a widespread radius and immense power soared towards his target.

Looking at the lightning, she perpared herself again, spiritual energy would be enough, it was lower then 50, she had a chance. Opening her mouth, a green Cero revealed within her lips, she launched it at her foe, wreaking havoc across the earth in it's way, and soon to be his Hado and Senkaku too.

In order to save his own energy, Senkaku immediately sank from the air to dodge the attack, the green light amazing him for a moment. The energy reminded him so much of his own, for some strange reason.... maybe it was the fact they had the same color? If that was the only reason, that would make him look stupid. With his sword at his side, he landed gently on his feet, looking at his opponent once more.

Eyeing him up and down, she was running out of idea, they could both dodge forever, but one last trick came to mind. Using her Bala she sent two slashes directly at Senkaku. One thing added to it, width. Perparing to slice her foe, the Bala was simply made to reach to the other side, and no escape left or right. Watching if he went up or down, her next attack was perpared.

Instinctively, upon being seemingly sandwiched by two attacks, Senkaku's eyes widened, and he instinctively took to the air in order to save himself. As he did so, he looked down upon the woman. How would he ever break this stalemate of his...? He needed to use all of his tricks before he could go to his Resurrecion, in order to prevent unwasted movements...

Her glasses shining under dim-light, she simply watched hoe he moved, he was jumping. Smirking, What goes up, must come down! opening her mouth once more, another Cero perpared, fleeting, and widened, much like the Bala from before, it ripped apart the arena's sidings, earth roaring, being crushed from the pressure, she was backed up to where he couldn't get behind her, and if he landed, or was infront of her, there was a high-chance of being hit. A surge of energy, causing it to gain strength, she only had one more shot of a boosted Cero.

At the sight, Senkaku's eyes narrowed, and he raised his sword up once more. He raised his own blade up, summoning his own power within the blade. Immediately, it pulsed for a moment, before the blade illuminated with the green-reiatsu flame they were both famous for. With that very energy, he swung down upon the blast, the enhanced cutting edge slicing the Cero in half. "Espada Cero!" He declared, almost proudly - for it was his own creation.

Watching the attack, she had one last plan. Summoning her energy, saying the words for her release state. "''Cry my mother, Solitario Lagrima!" ''her body morphing, water producing underneath her feet, swirling energy blowing, air heightened, it rushed around them, the water producing more and more, her presence creating the very liquid. Large double-tipped spear in hand, bandaged wrapping across the long mid-bar. Armor all over her now, darkened murk brown for it's color. Eye patch replacing the glasses she once wore, hair lost of it's pink tips and now only a silver color. She stood there, the water now dissipated into energy, she was the presence of serenity and command.

"The true battle begins; now."

A smile came across Senkaku's face. "Glad to hear it..." He said in anticipation, raising his sword into the air. "Equalize... Agua!" A violent torrent of his own energy was exerted from his body, almost as if he was the very center for a wildfire. The visage was convincing too; green flames rippled out from him, licking the very air itself. Once again, the beauty of combat would display itself in this state. He could feel the wings sprouting onto his back, and the bone-like armor form around his torso. The Hollow mask fragments formed into the shape of a half-helmet above his head, and his hair extended its growth, growing past his neck. With that very sword, he raised it defensively towards his opponent.

For now... he would try and hide his nature as much as possible, until the time was right...

"Alright then." Surges of water poured from her spear tips, quickly, spiritual energy could be felt from it, all the water that was under her control. Looking to him, the water began to rise, now up to her ankles, the spears seemed to have an endless amount, "Here we go!" The water had arose, seeming to encase the entire field, besides the stands, the water up to her waist, she wasted no time. Her speed was strongly increased, even in the sluggish water. Sonido aiding her, she was directly behind Senkaku, much faster then before, water was sprayed in all directions, filling in where her body had rushed through. Spear tip pointed, she swirled the morphed Zanpakuto, in an arc to tear open his new form's spinal cord.

He didn't trust the water.

As he jerked forward in order to avoid being sliced apart by her sword, he mentally willed any water that was in danger of touching him away. It would be such a miniscule amount, he could safely predict that she wouldn't notice. For all he knew, she could still be analyzing him, and he would have to convince her otherwise. Twisting around, he gripped the hilt of his sword in both hands and unleashed a side-swing back towards his opponent.

Release The Dam of Flooding Tears
My brothers and sisters, let forth the flow of sorrow and despair burst from the stone restraints of emotion.

Fuerte glanced at him, water gathering around her large spear head, she blocked the attack with the intersecting bar of her weapon, the water from the spear creeped along it's entirety, going on to his Zanpakutos' tip, holding tight, the water was pressureizng, squeezing it to her weapon, it was encroaching down his weapon, and soon would engross his body.

Gritting his teeth, Senkaku placed his arm on his sword wrist, fueling another Espada Cero in order to pull himself out of her grip. Then, he commensed to pointing the blade at her once more, starting up and unleashing all of that energy in a regular Cero blast, enhanced by his released form.

Reaching out, she placed her spear forward, her had done this trick with her before, and now she would use his own trick. The spear tip, stabbing into the Cero's path, seperating the blow, allowing her body to feel the pressure, but remain unharmed. Her next trick was pulled out. Senkaku had been analyzed on his speed, his Cero, his defense, and strength, she could measure, time, and weigh out options now. The next trick she had for herself was a doozy.

''"CERO!" a green rush of spiritual pressure was concentrated at the tip of her spear head that was seperating Senkaku's Cero. ''Stronger in her Resurreccion, she unleashed all her fury, whenever Fuerte was in the water, she grew stronger, water was her 'home-terf'.

Senkaku's eyes widened in shock, and he was only barely able to put up his sword in defense before the Cero slammed into him full-force. It slammed him back into the waters that seemed to surround the entire area, his prostrate form causing him to sink into the waters. Instinctively, he held his breath, pushing himself from the Cero's path and rising his waist over the surface. Damn it! He would never get anywhere with this water all around him...

Wait a minute.

Water?

Maybe he had an idea...

Looking to him, this place was waist high in water, she had a whole 'play-ground' to mess around in, and plus, she could always produce more if needed... her Resurreccion held back no fury. She smirked as she looked at his defense, he was all in the water, he was as good as ''hers. '"Mojado Sufrimiento." '''her words mumbled to hersefl, she dipped the tip of her spear into the water, soon, an infectous and rotten color was born into the water, murky and mud like it's color spread, it was pure pollution and toxin in watery form, tainting every inch of the water, all of it was everywhere. If it got in a wound, the eyes, or mouth, it would be it's own personal Hell.

"Now, let use resume." Spear drawn up in a defensive stance, she waited for him to move.

However, Senkaku had seemingly lost his will to reply.

Even as he raised his blade to his chest, the man's eyes immediately widened, and he placed a hand on his chest, struggling to breathe. His mouth quivered, and he started coughing heavily, staggering in the waters. Even then, he struggle to rise out of the toxic water, desperately trying to come out of harm's way.

Watching him, she stayed firm, controlling the course of the water around him, she caused the toxic pools of water to inch up his entire form, perparing to enter through the skin pores, Hierro the only thing in it's way. It would enter through the corner of the eyes, and through the nose and mouth if it could, perparing to drown his body in it's own mirth.

Now, Senkaku was obviously panicked. Immediately, he shot out of the water like a bat out of hell, knowing that staying there would result in his imminent death. However, once he stopped, he began to cough again, clutching his chest in pain. "W...what did you do?!" He demanded, shutting his eyes and trying his best to fight off the feeling.

"What I did, doesn't matter, the only thing you should be worried about, is the overwhelming pain." Fuerte held no disdain, conjuring torrents and coils of water, she rushed the polluted murky water, to swirl it towards him, hoping to crush and drown him at the same time, the pillars of water began to surge and follow him if he moved. At this point, Senkaku would probably know that water was alot worse when it came to Fuerte's techniques.

The situation was getting desperate. A stricken look coming over Senkaku's face, he moved to evade the waters. They hadn't even started this fight, and already it was looking so bad. He had to hurry up and finish it, now! Like a missile, he shot towards Fuerte, sword poised for yet another Espada Cero strike on her person. Backing what he could into the strike, he swung as hard as he could.

Watching him, she waited, analyizng the speed had already been done, she could tell when to strike, parry, or dodge. His desperation made it that much easier. A pillar of water emerged to where his body would be, it was perpared and poised to rise when he attempted to attack her, '''"Aspero Cascada." '''her words a whisper, the pillar of water was acidic, and would open many an entry point for her pollution water, his speed was astonishing, but he couldn't stop in mid-air. "Mine now."

"Damn it...!" He couldn't stop himself, slamming and catching himself into the pillar full-force. There, his body stopped, hanging limply and floating around like a dead fish. His eyes were half-lidded, his front facing Fuerte. He appeared to be dead, the toxins and chemicals working their way into his body. In a matter of moments, he would be finished off, and the battle would be won.

Or, would it?

For at that very moment, the waters that he was trapped in suddenly burst apart, all of them rushing at a projectile-like fashion towards Fuerte.

Fuerte swung the tip of her spear, a motion to control the watery projectiles, sending them off around her body, into the pools of water surronding. Splashs and low pops could be heard as high speed water splashed against still murky liquid. Looking at him, she pulled several large orbs out of the water, spherical in shape, their sludge color coating the interior and exterior. Waiting for his next motion, he was near total analyzation, then, Fuerte would know all she needed to, and attempt to crush him once and for all.

Eyes peering, she waited for his next move patiently, the watery orbs halted in the air, dripping down below to the minature lake of pollution.

Newly freed, Senkaku managed to pull himself out of the water prison, looking up at her. Now, his coughing fit had stopped, and he was now looking up at his opponent with curiosity. "Just how much longer are you going to watch me...?" He questioned casually, using one of his hands to sheath his sword. Then, he pressed his hands together, closing his eyes in concentration.

'''"Corriento Presion." '''ignoring his comment, she was ready. The orbs amplified with a pressurization of the ''Marina Trench. ''The spheres began revolving, ready for the attack.

Tendrils of water snapped towards Senkaku's body, perparing to wrap him, coming from the lake she was in. The orbs were spinning at a high speed, tiny and near invisible droplets splicking across the field, the pressure within each droplet made a dent in the stone colisuem. Smirking, a full impact could take on spiritual energy at this point, watching and waiting; the fight was growing more intense.

"Hadō 88...."

He extended his hands towards the pillars that threatened to wrap around him, all the while flying away to keep his distance. "Hiryugekizokushintenraiho!" Immediately, bolts of lightning shot out of his palms and through the waters with terrifying speed. It wasn't meant to neutralize, of course... but it was meant for one thing that electricity was known for: conduction. With the water that Fuerte was in, this move would serve to be a critically wounding to fatal ending to the fight.

Watching the course of the lightning, using Sonido she removed herself from the pools of water, reaching a good 20 feet in the air, too escape unneccesary. Watching him, she waited, then pulled her spear in swirling motion, the lake of water far beneath her began to swirl in a direction, the force of a soon to be created whirlpool was in the making. Tendrils on hand, still rising and attempting to grasp him, she planned to make every direction a hazard. What she lacked in physical offense, she made up for in ingenuitiy.

Orbs still on the ready, she brought brought all three orbs into one, now merged. A large orb, the size of 15ft in itself, 15ft wide as well. Pressure still in it, she waited to cause it's detonation, an aquatic polluted bomb.

Too focused on avoiding the attacks, Senkaku barely noticed the threat that was looming over him. However, once he took a glance over it, his eyes widened in shock. It was almost in a comical manner; he raised a free hand to put the fingers on the bottom of his lip. "What's she trying to do?" He thought, fearing that he would have to reveal himself sooner than he would've liked.

The tendrils of water halted and dropped, now the orb was ready. The orb was flung directly infront of Senkaku. Water droplets powerful enough to dent stone, toxins in it enough to hospitalize a Shinigami, she was ready.

"Explode."

The orb of pressurized and toxic water exploded infront of Senkaku, each droplet was a testament to a painful death. Your mine this time. Splattering in every direction of the arena, leaving no place untouched.

For a moment, there was dead silence. The toxic waters sprayed in every which direction, splashing the arena grounds and polluting the very earth they should've been standing on. The sphere's explosive properties should've critically wounded him outright, and the toxins would've entered the resulting wounds. From there, it would be a horrifying death, and a rather humiliating defeat. The water from the bomb that Fuerte had delivered fell back into the poisonous depths of the lake, revealing a hunched over figure...

But, then the mist cleared.

There was no scratch on Senkaku. No cuts from the explosion, no signs of poisoning, nothing at all. He stood up straight, breathing heavily and looking a bit shaken up by the attack. "My..." He muttered, his breathing heavy. "That was brutal...."

"You talk too much, wasting your breath is unwise." "I shall show you... my masterpiece of destruction, I've only used it once, so deem your self worthy of seeing it now."

'''"Remolino." '''

Endless water now poured out of her mouth, fueled with spiritual energy of her own, as before. The waist-high water began to rise higher and higher, this technique had flooded a city, it would flood a colisuem. Every once of her strength she put it into, the colisuem was up to it's brim, reaching up to the stands, any spectators moving to the upper rows or teleporting out, this was her and Senkaku's playground now.

Wiping her lips after the water had flooded the place, seeping out here and there, overflowing it's container. The water itself was swirling, a gigantic whirlpool, the waters pressure increased to unearthly levels. A raising of her spear lead to several pillars of water rushing upward, several tendrils of water coming out of each pillar, this place was now an aquatic death-trap.

"Forgive me lost souls..." Fuerte's last words echoed, she waited for him to make a move.

He did.

And all he had to do was raise a finger.

It would be all thanks to the exploding sphere, the omni-directional water attack that was impossible to avoid. In that case, he could safely assume that despite her immunity, she had been splashed by droplets of the toxin waters as well. In that sense, she had helped him set up his next trap and spring it. He willed the power of the water to be summoned to her, visibly hidden by the very air itself. Then, he whispered one word.

"Freeze."

It began without warning. Her limbs began to freeze, first to the skin, and down to the core. He made sure to avoid any vital organs as he made her suffer the full wrath of the water. His eyes were shadowed over, and his body posture was a bit... regretful. He hated to end fights like this... but she was only out to kill him. He lifted his other finger towards her, forming a beam of black reishi at the tip. This, he believed, would be the final move he would make in order to secure victory. He uttered the words that marked the true power of an Arrancar.

"Cero Oscuras."

With that, he unleashed the corruptive energy blast upon her, intending to rain doom upon her very soul.

One though echoed her mind as the ice froze over her body. To affect the water molecules in the colisuem, she could break free; and prevent further ice creation. '"Hirviente Dolor." 'The ice shattered off of her, as her Hierro and body produced boiling heat, melting the water off of her, and causing the lake, pillars, and tendrils she already controlled to boil as well. Further amplifying it, she had added several properties to the water in the area. Toxins, acid, and heat.

Using a burst of Sonido and Garganta Fuerte opened a portal, and quickly vanished through it, closing it soon after to vanish away from the blast zone. Her portal opened out of sight and behind him several feet, the spear at the ready soon after...

"She evaded?!" Senkaku's eyes widened in shock, and he immediately stopped the flow of reiatsu before it could cause too much destruction. He hadn't yet turned towards her, but he was aware of the fact that she was now behind him. However, he was somewhat relieved that she was still alive; he wasn't a man of taking people's lives unless he absolutely had to. Immediately, his hand moved towards his hilt, grasping it to unsheathed his jian blade again.

He wasn't quite done yet.

Watching as he attempted to keep from wasting his spiritual energy, she also knew the speed at which he could draw his Zanpakuto now, Fuerte knew he couldn't swing fast enough now, he had wasted too much energy, analyzation complete.

Spear spun horizontally, the blade searing, able to cautarize a wound, or boil blood if neccesary. Swinging it along her form's spinning motion, the speed of her Sonido still aiding her, she crashed the spear's head with brutal power, blade against blade. Her heated up blood and Hierro could sear metal and melt steel. Her free hand grasping his Zanpakuto hand, the heat would be enough to bring him down.

If not; she had tendrils of water springing up to rip him apart, limb from limb.

Senkaku's eyes immediately narrowed, and he gritted his teeth, lifting his free hand up towards her. "Hadō 58: Tenran!" He declared, unleashing a green energy ball at the point-blank range they were at. If this move didn't incinerate her completely, it would critically damage her.

Watching the orb, point-blank was bad range. Opening her mouth would stop it though, twisting her body, in a wrist-lock, Zanpakuto behind his back, the orb was felt near her skin, it would have destroyed her...

Now that she was in her hold, Fuerte behind him in a hand-lock, her other hand, with the spear in it, pulled the mid-bar of the weapon she wielded across his stomach, pressing hard to restrict movement and air. Now in a firm lock hold, she perpared the next strike. Her lips whispering in his ear, "Sorry about this." Her breathing on his neck, spiritual energy concentrated itself, one of her legs thrown through one of his, restricting leg motion. Unleashing a Cero at point-blank was just as effective, but this time, it would be at his neck and head.

Mixed thoughts came through Senkaku's head.

"Shit, I'm gonna die!"

"L...let me go, you bitch!!!"

"Oh, jeez, she's holding me inappropriately..."

Ignoring the blush spreading across his face, Senkaku could feel the spiritual pressure building up behind him, knowing that death would be imminent. He summoned his power to himself again, using it to initiate the freezing upon Fuerte's body once again. As he struggled against her, he could feel his ice began to take over, making it easier for him to break out of her grasp.

Noticing the attack, she allowed the tendrils of water to seep from the ground, grasping his legs, and pulling him down to the murky depths, the water scalding, toxic and pressurized. Her effects on the water lasted as long as she was in her released state.

SPLASH!

He plunged feet first into the water, sinking slowly into its depths. Under normal circumstances, the toxins would've overwhelmed him, and the pressurized water would've crushed his very bones. But his own water manipulation skills allowed him to resist her kiss of death once more, drawing oxygen from the nearest waters that surrounded him. Of course, with both of them being able to manipulate water, he could fend off her attacks as easily as she could. However, that was the very problem; every attack he had dished out, she managed to counter. Every move he made, she analyzed and defeated it. It was a stalemate that would never seem to end.

He reached the bottom of the lake, lying on his back as he looked up at the surface.

It was so easy to give up and surrender, to end this fight now while he still could. After all, it would be only one loss, and his team still had four more chances to win. He had faith in his teammates; they were strong, training themelves up to this very point. But if he didn't put forth his full effort, what would be the point of him even fighting in the first place? If he wanted to prove himself, he had to keep fighting. He had to beat her.

But for now, he closed his eyes, allowing his mind to go into resting thought.

For now, he needed to think of a strategy.

"Hmm..." Pondering the thoughts, she was going to have to crush him with other means. Dipping her spear into the lake of water, adding spiritual pressure from her released form into it, planning to crush him in every term, this would amplify all her techniques previously, to be increased three fold. Waiting and watching, she planned for him to die down there, if he made it out, she was running out of ideas...

Soon, she would find out if he could make it out or not.

He felt her spiritual pressure come down on him, and he responded with his own, exerting it to counter hers. He lifted his hands upward once again. He concentrated heavily on the waters around him. Upon his own will, they began to heat up, the temperature steadily climbing without end. He couldn't see clearly what was going on, but he knew the results of such an effect: a fog was now being generated around his surfaced opponent, obscuring the view.

Fuerte looked around, smirking the fog didn't matter, the eye-patch she wore filtered out the smoke-screen, holding unto his spiritual power, locking onto it, she wasn't looking away, frowning, he would run out of breath soon anyway, either that, or he would have to forfeit by default, his team would lose faith in him soon anyways.

"Idiot." her words mumbling, her presence firm, she was going to take him down and prove to her team just how strong she could be when she needed to be.

"Here we go..."

He took the jump.

In that very mist that he had created around her, parts of it flew towards her, merging together and freezing into a shape: daggers. Each one, made of ice, had been sharpened to the maximum, and could cut through even the most fortified defense. It consisted of not only one - but thousands that swarmed upon her in all directions. He had the fear that the stalemate effect would come into play again, but since she seemed to be so focused on him, it was worth a shot - an omni-directional attack, with little to no means of escape.

Her gaze snapped up, he was out of the water, perparing for the next strike, the corner of her eye noticed the spiritual energy in the mist around her. A trick?! her stress forming, she had to come up with a quick plan. Noticing the daggers of ice form, she had little reaction time, unable to form a thought-out plan, she yelled out. "Hirviente Dolor!" her body produced a high amount of heat, melting the very air itself, a protective 'barrier' formed, her blood and Hierro nearly lit aflame and boiling, her regeneration was at it's hardest to keep her concious through the self-induced pain, she should have been perpared, and maye Fuerte would not have had to make a risky barrier. The ice daggers melted and it's water dropped below, her form physically exhausted, the pain visible on her facial features, and shaking body.

"Ni-..." Fuerte couldn't even finish her words.

For at that very moment, Senkaku had made his move.

All it took was a simple Sonido behind her, the lifting of his sword, and a cutting strike that slashed deeply across her back. He watched as blood spilled between them, staining the lake below their feet. His eyes once again held that regretful look. "I'm sorry...." He whispered to her, almost in the same manner that she had done to him. "But you're not the only one who hates to lose in times like this..." Her exhaustion would prevent full use of her regeneration, though he also hoped his strike had not been enough to kill her in cold blood. He was a fighter... not a murderer.

Hissing as the strike hit her, she had taken a strong blow, and the slice through her back had grazed close to her spine. Fuerte gulped, realising she was at a disadvantage, she was reassured to hear that he wasn't a murderer, albeit, had she not had as good regeneration as she did, Fuerte would have died then and there. Dropping her double-tipped spear, falling downward and plunging into the water below. Turning around, she placed her searing flesh against his hand, gripping it, and twisting the Zanpakuto to rip it from his hand. Her left hand went to his throat, gripping it with her last strength. "We both can't win or lose, I'm glad to have met someone like you, your an honorable fighter...but I have to end this."

The lake below, formed several typhoon sized pillars, crashing unto Senkaku and Fuerte's bodies, engulfing them in the lethal water, a smile the only thing on her face, eyes closed, the lake was now gone, all the water from it, forming a large sphered dome around them, the poison... the scalding heat, and now the finishing touch. Her last orb had exploded with large damage, with them at the center of it, it would be the final act of their fight. Her words not coming out in the water, only the thought-command.

Explode.

And the sphere of lethal water did, an implosion of water, it would crush their bodies, and the explosion outward would finish them off. Fuerte had a smile the whole time, but at this point, she was sure she would die...

"NO!"

It was only the fact that she had said the command itself that Senkaku could act in time. Shutting his eyes, he ripped free from the grasp on his neck, pushed against her, and enveloped her in a tight embrace. With his own powers, he used his own manipulation of the water to force the majority of the pressure back from them. It took all of his effort not to pass out, the exertion taking a heavy toll on him. But he was stubborn; he would never allow him or her to die, even if she was his opponent. Because that's all she was to him - an opponent... not an enemy.

As their influence over the water faded, it began to disappear as well, leaving the water-logged area as a result. With Fuerte in his arms, Senkaku stumbled towards the ground, panting in exhaustion. Inwardly, he berated her for the seemingly desperate attempt, but he couldn't help but admire her tenacity. Had he had lesser energy, this would've surely been a draw rather than his bare victory. Gently, he set her down on her side, wondering if she was still conscious...

Slowly, Fuerte's eyes drifted open, staring at him, she knew she had lost, but the bright lights and blurring vision almost made her believe she had died. Ironic, even if she died, she envisioned her fate was Hell, all those souls she had taken because of simple 'orders'. A gulp and cough, water pouring out of her throat, her eyes closed in pain, Resurreccion vanished, Fuerte had been bested in combat, she had tried, and somehow lost in the end. Fuerte's eyes slowly winced open, staring at Senkaku, not knowing why he had chosen to protect her. "Wh-why'd you protect me?" her voice crackling, light from exhaustion.

Koyuki looked to the two, noticing the fight drawing to it's last breath, she was on the verge of declaring victory to Senkaku.

The spectators and teams made it back to their spots, the water now only dampening the arena, and leaving small puddles of dirty water. Isabella looked on in dissappointment, the others were worried about her fate.

Calmly, Senkaku sheathed his sword and looked over at her for a moment, smiling a little. He shrugged lightly. "Well, one, because I wanted to... and two, for you to face such a loss and throw your life away would be heavily disappointing. I only hope this defeat can help you learn from your mistakes..." After he spoke those words to her, he turned away from her, lowering his head and wiping away the smile. With one of his arms, he raised a fist in the air - his very own signal to assure everyone that victory was now his.

He had gotten away with his life, and he was the last one standing.

He would put faith into his teammates for doing the rest.

"Doesn't matter really, defeat is defeat, and my team leader was right, looks like I was a waste." Sighing, she stood up on her own, causing him to look over his shoulder at her. "A pleasure fighting with you, and congratulations..." her voice sullen, returning the Isabella the loser was as good as dying, she would most likely leave with more then her pride shattered. Beginning her walk off, Team Zealot was waiting for her at their corner's set-up.

Koyuki granted the victory to Senkaku, "And the winner is the Arrancar, Senkaku Ningensei! What a fantastic fight that awed the senses, one left the loser, the other, a worthy winner, congratulations!" "With that said folks, let's give the teams time to rest, and get the next fight started!"

On the corner where Team Zealot resided, Fuerte was about to get a brief and harsh scolding from an irritated and condenscending Isabella.

Senkaku himself, however, would have no such harsh greeting.

As his Resurrecion faded, and he staggered off of the stage, he was instantly caught by a strong arm, courtesy of a grinning Nnoitra. "Well, what's this?" He said mockingly. "Water boy's alive and kicking? I was putting money on you being dead by now.."

This made Senkaku chuckle, leaning onto the tall Arrancar for support. "Disappointed? I thought I was gonna die too, for a moment, there..."

"SEN-CHAN!"

Immediately, after he was propped back up, Melina trapped him in an affectionate embrace, much to both his disdain and relief. "YOU WON, YOU WON, YOU WON!!!" She squealed happily. Although Ggio and Hermosa remained silent, mostly due to their composure, they had their arms folded across their chests and smiling a little - their own way of congratulations.

Isabella was the first to meet Fuerte, a clear disdain and dissappointment on her face. "Looks like you failed, congratulations." her voice clear with spite, she cast Fuerte little attention, these last words being uttered by Team Zealot's leader, "I guess the others had too much faith in you, your still a failure, and still the monster, leave whenever you feel like it." Isabella's gaze broke off, perparing to select the next fighter, her bitter venom had touched the tender Fuerte, who sulked off towards the rest of the group.

Bailarin and Tristeza hugged the wounded Fuerte, Fuerte's own eyes watering, insult upon injury had done enough damage to her, Bailarin added a soothing answer, to hopefully counter Isabella's. "Listen, you did great out there, no one can be the best, and ignore whatever Isabella says, your not a monster, not in the least." swiping away the tears from her face, Bailarin hoped that would cheer her up. Nacido only watched, taking her spot near her master, crossing her arms, one defeat for Team Zealot. Four more matches to go.

Koyuki yelled to both corners, "Alright, both Teams, please select your next fighter, let round two, begin!"

"Sen-dono..."

A weakened Senkaku looked over at Hermosa, as she slowly got to her feet. She dusted herself off for a moment. "This may sound selfish of me... but I believe I should go next." She said softly. "Every one of you have gotten to show their full effort at least once, except for me."

As Melina rested him against a rock, he nodded. "Sure thing... you know where the ring is, right?"

"Yeah..."

Just in pre-caution, Melina walked over and wrapped one of Hermosa's arms in hers, guiding her over to the ring. Once she took the step forward, the escort let go of her. "Good luck, Hermosa-chan..." She whispered, stepping back in order to tend to Senkaku.

Isabella looked on, the next incomer was blind...easily noted by the aid from another team-member, but she had to have skills, she could count several Arrancar and Shinigami that were strong, despite their handicaps. Looking to the rest of them, she gave them a nod. "Tristeza, it's your turn, break her apart, and try to compensate for Fuerte's failure." Tristeza grew angered at Isabella's comment of Fuerte, she never knew when to stop...

Walking to the center ring, Tristeza held her bladed fan, held together and unopened, strapped to her thigh. Glancing to her fight, the battle was about to begin.

Koyuki glanced to Hermosa, an odd expression covered her face. "It... umm, appears the fighters have come foward...?" her statement a near question, Koyuki shrugged it off, and brought down the next battle, throwing the cheers to the crow. "And now, this fight is..." looking at her notes, she smiled as she found the names. "Tristeza Desgaste v.s Hermosa Savanna!" "Let the blood-bath, begin!"

Second Match, Tristeza v.s Hermosa
''Justice is blind, but fate is cruel. The winds of destiny shows no emotion to it's partcipants, let the actions of our souls carve out who we are.''

Hermosa's eyes were shadowed over, hands at her sides. Through her bangs, she was "looking" at Tristeza quite clearly, though her blindness prevented her from actually seeing her opponent. Despite this, she stood, straight as a wall. The loss of sight was not a problem for her, and she could compensate quite easily for it. Lifting her hand up, she grasped the hilt of her Zanpakuto, but didn't unsheath it just yet. "Your master sounds quite cruel..." She commented, but holding no pity towards the girl whatsoever. "Berating a beaten ally like that."

Tristeza nodded, her own hand on her fan, holding it to be drawn out. "She's not my master, only a team leader, and a foolish one as well. Fuerte is a good soul, much better then most, Isabella is more the monster of any of us." Drawing her Zanpakuto, in the shape of a fan out, seperating it's width to show off each blade, preparing herself, taking an exhale, her breathing was done, spiritual pressure exerted, holding nothing back, she waited for Hermosa to make the first move.

"I see..." Hermosa said. "Regardless... because of the harshness you will face if you're defeated, I'll be merciful. I'll kill you before she even has a chance to think about scorn." Her words weren't meant to be boastful, but rather warning her opponent that she would not be so life-considerate as Senkaku had. She unsheathed her own blade, pointing it in the air with one hand for a moment. Then, she tensed up.

"Here I come."

Then, in the next moment, she was gone. Her figure immediately re-appeared behind Tristeza, swinging the cutting edge down upon her head.

Tristeza was on par with Hermosa's speed. Smirking, she raised her hand directly above her head, fan opened to parry the blow, using her strength to hold back the force; keeping Hermosa held in the air in that particular pose. "Impressive speed for a blind girl, but I don't take other's advice, I'd kill her before she killed me." exerting more spiritual pressure from her body, Tristeza spun Hermosa's Zanpakuto wielding hand, to twist her into a convulting throw.

As she was forced back, Hermosa couldn't help but note the use of spiritual pressure as a physical weapon. As she was spun around, she allowed herself to twist in an acrobatic matter. As she was forced back, she extended a free hand for herself to catch the ground and recover. She flipped back onto her feet, sword in one hand.

Tristeza opened one hand, fueling spiritual pressure into it, a single Bala, was emerging in her free hand's palm. The Bala morphed from a simple spear shape, spiritual energy flaring off of it, Tristeza could morph her Bala into what shape she wanted. The spear in hand, she squeezed it, giving it more spiritual pressure, perpared to pierce through spiritual defenses, or a Hierro. Further added for an explosive display, Tristeza would show off her skills, hoping to make Isabella eat her words.

Throwing the spear-morphed Bala at Hermosa, the pressure hidden under a spiritual cloak, she wanted her handicapped blindness to be further by spitirual blindness.

This was where her other senses kicked in. Though she couldn't sense it coming, Hermosa could hear the whizz of the Bala as it raced towards her. With a simple side-step, was able to avoid being impaled by the blast. In quick succession, she raised her sword and swung repeatedly, unleashing several Bala blasts over own back at her opponent. She used the source of where the spear-shaped blast was last fired in order for her "crosshair".

Smirking, Tristeza used Sonido, her body twisted to reappear and appear, side-stepping the Bala that Hermosa had flung at her, the accuracy was pin-point, but Tristeza's body was faster. Swinging her fan in an arc, blades of silent air slashed across the distance between she and her opponent, perparing to shred through the blind Arrancar's body.

A short gasp came from Hermosa's lips. The only thing that had tipped her off was the sound of Tristeza's swinging of the fan. Instinctively, she ran to the side, effectively avoiding the slashing blades as they collided with the ground. In response, she once again swung her blade to fire several more Bala at her opponent.

Using her Sonido several times, the static sound heard, evading the Bala, meant to dizzy and confuse her opponent, her last Sonido lead to Tristeza leaping off the ground, only the tip of her toes pushing her, body motion silent, she perpared to slice open Hermosa from the chest-up.

Hermosa's eyes half-lidded. "Nice try..."

When Tristeza came close to her, she side-stepped once again, reaching over to grasp her sword wrist. A flash... no.... a picture raced through her head. She kept the grip on her... short, peach-colored hair, crimson eyes, and a rather young complexion. Despite her tough voice, the woman didn't seem like the brutal fighter that she had been expecting. Nevertheless, it was good to see the arena again, albeit it only being due to Hermosa's grip on her. In the palm that gripped her wrist, a purple Cero formed into a sphere.

She unleashed that energy at the point-blank range that they were at.

Tristeza had one thought in mind; break her leg. Watching, she pulled her heel up, slamming the heeled boot into Hermosa's leg, slamming it, Bala incasing the foot to further offense. One other motion came into play, using her free arm, she twirled her body to slam her elbow directly unto Hermosa's nose, planning to break it as well. Speed and spiritual applied to her body, this would be fun, and the attack should falter.

Though not enough to kick though her own tough Hiero, the first attack caused Hermosa to gasp again, her knee buckling under her strength. In turn, this caused the Cero to falter, and she missed her target by a millimeter thanks to the involuntary raising of her hand. However, as Tristeza turned to slam the elbow into her face, she raised her corresponding wrist to intercept. Then, without stopping, she swung her newly freed hand into Tristeza's stomach - her own skill at hand-to-hand was being displayed.

Using her fan to parry the strike, opening it wide to block the Hierro incased fist that Hermosa sent to her. Still, Tristeza's train of thought, to further handicap her, throwing her free fist to strike Hermosa's juggular, using Sonido to swiften the strike, small static noise could be heard. One attack was made that didn't make a sound though; a swift pulse of bladed air brought by Tristeza's leg: directed at Hermosa's already damaged knee. hoping to decapitate it, or further injure it out of use.

With her reflexes, Hermosa side-jumped both of the attacks, spinning like a top in mid-air. However, before she could land on the ground, a Sonido vanished her from that point. She appeared off to the side, swinging her blade at Tristeza's head, but this time in a horizontal strike at the neck.

Tristeza watched the attack, her own Sonido used again, allowing the blade of Hermosa's Zanpakuto to cut off a few strands of her hair; too close a call. Body rushed, Tristeza used her fan's blades, perparing to pierce her foe, her own speed blinding and perparing to crush Hermosa with the gouging tips.

This time, however, she was ready.

Twisting her sword to point the tip towards the ground, Hermosa put her katana in front of the deadly fan and keeping it from reaching her stomach. Though Tristeza's speed was certainly formidable, her own speed could keep up with a natural pace. Gripping her blade in two hands, she forced the fan away from her and swung down upon Tristeza's head again in a rather elegant display of strikes.

Tristeza perpared her next trick, waving a slice of air towards Hermosa, she perpared her next version of Sonido... the Gemelos Sonido. Her body seeming to dissappear, and when reappearing, she formed back into 3 other bodies, duplicates of her own, her Sonido fast enough to mimic the presence of multiple bodies, and seem to work as such. Each body ready, she was blind, Hermosa could either predict she was fast, or this was an illusion, either way. Two of Tristeza's bodies threw an Arc of bladed air towards her body, from the other directions, emitting an all around horizontal blade of win, circulating towards the blind Arrancar.

Hermosa took herself to the air - the only shelter she could find in such a situation.

Her eyes narrowed in concentration, her figure appearing upside-down over all of their heads. Leveling her blade at all three bodies, she summoned the energy to fire another purple Cero in order to destroy at least the clones. However, she marveled at the speed her opponent was utilizing against her - it was quite extraordinary, and fitting of a Sonido master. Thankfully, her own Sonido, though not at that level just yet, could keep up, otherwise it would've been a one-sided fight.

Smirking, one of the clones rushed fowards, Sonido getting it to her opponents backside, Zanpakuto raised to slice through her back, a vertical upward strike. The other clone vanished, sending several Bala upwards at Hermosa's front. The original Tristeza perpared herself, her own body exerting more pressure, cracking the ground as her body was ready to strike or vanish; maybe a mixture of both.

Hermosa acted quickly.

With yet another Sonido, she was able to avoid the Bala strike, the abrupt miss causing it to slam into the other clone without warning. With the other clone vanished, she could set her sights on Tristeza once more, flying forward to intercept her at the point she was going to. Their weapons clashed once more, this time in a lock. "Nice to see that I'm fighting a fellow Sonido master..." She complimented idly, even as she struggled against her opponent's strength for dominance.

Smirking, "Truly, but you have the wrong one." The clone smirked, she was locked in sword-latch with Hermosa's Zanpakuto. The real Tristeza appeared, a quick and nearly invisible slash went across Hermosa's body in a horizontal strike, cutting near the ribs and through the ''Hierro. ''In a fell swoop, Tristeza had taken her strike.

Hermosa's blind eyes widened. Her senses had been tricked!

It was only thanks to the thickness of the Hierro that kept it from being a critically wounding injury. However, the force made her skid back across the ground for a brief distance before she stopped herself. One hand went to clutch the scar, her hand stained with her own blood. She was breathing heavily thanks to the pain, sweat falling down her face. "Shit... I was careless...!" She chided herself. That carelessness had been enough to allow her opponent a free shot.

Now the grounds weren't looking so even.

The clone and the original Tristeza looked to Hermosa, she hadn't been cut clear through, but it had worked well enough. The original produced two more clones, a total of three now available. The three clones all swung their fans in a similiar fashion, sending a pummeling wave of slicing air, blades of the wind hidden internally. The realy Tristeza only watched for her next movement, perparing to strike again if she made her move.

This time, Hermosa didn't waste her movements.

With three bursts of Sonido, she had threw herself upon the clones. Her blade, with the hilt gripped in two of her hands, were able to evade the air blasts and overwhelm the clones in a series of fluid motions. Within seconds, all three of them had been cut down, leaving only the real Tristeza behind.