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This article, Hunger and Greed: Fortuitous Meeting, is the twelfth chapter of the Hueco Mundo arc, which is part of Bleach: War for the King's Seal. This chapter focuses on the first encounter between Hikari Raiotto, joined by Shiratori, and Gundinger Drelarin, and serves as a sequel to both Predation and Lightning From Heaven, whilst running concurrently with Interbellum. The chapter was authored jointly by Kenji and Brave.
"I have to admit, I never knew how much you looked like him."
Hikari was entirely too focused on finalizing the preparations for his second expedition into Hueco Mundo. In fact Shiratori's words didn't register in his mind until a noticeable amount of time passed. So much so that Shiratori moved on into the other room to gather her own supplies. Hikari would much rather not reopen the conversation. He knew he was the spitting image of his father; it was always the first thing anyone would notice when the two where together, even when he was a child.
So, why was he wearing his father's old Spirit Armor? Maybe it was a subconscious inclination. Who knew. What was known was that there would be no time to think further on the matter. His preparations were completed, and his shadow shifted behind him. He strapped his twin Eskrima sticks to his back and called for his red-haired companion. "Shiratori! You ready?"
Shiratori stepped out from the room she was in, several Hollow Bait disk in her hand as she placed them into the compartment she made for them for safe keeping. "Yeah, everything's prepared. Now all that's left is to set the trap." She spoke confidently with a smirk.
Hikari nodded before turning towards the shadow that had sprung from the floor and proceeding to walk into it. The world shifted from the comforts of his apartment into the familar stark white sands of Hueco Mundo, and the dead trees that immediately confirmed their location. "The Forest of Menos." Hikari spoke quietly to himself.
Shiratori began to place several Hollow Baits around their location, while Hikari moved to bury five Seele Schneider into the white sands in a pentagon shaped seal. He could sense the Vasto Lorde's reiatsu several miles from their current location, which wouldn't be any cumbersome length for him to travel given his power.
"Okay," Shiratori spoke. "If this guy is as driven by his base instincts as you said, these Hollow Bait along with a spike in reiatsu from this both of us should draw him here." She said with finality.
Hikari once again nodded, a grim look in his face. "You know, if you want to leave I won't stop you. Calling this guy "dangerous" would be a gross understatement. He's probably stronger than one of the Tres Pilares. You've done enough-"
Shiratori cut him off by raising her hand, "There's no way I'm leaving you to fight that thing on you own. Judah meant a lot to me too. Besides, I already have an escape route planned if this thing goes south." She said before exerting her reiatsu.
Hikari sighed. There was no arguing with her about this. Though now that he thought about it, he's never been able to stop her from doing something she set her mind on. He then let loose his own spiritual power in order to lure Averian.
Hikari and Shiratori weren't the only people lurking in Hueco Mundo. Gundinger was tracking and observing a number of reiatsu, chief amongst them Averian. But he didn't like what he sensed in the Arrancar's direction, so rather than join the fray, he stepped back and analysed the situation.
"Is he like Akira? Another of those Shinigami who've crossed into the realm of we Hollow?"
It was hard to tell from this distance. If he were right, then the source he sensed was a Visored.
"Hmm!?"
So when he sensed something else, something familiar, Gundinger was instantly on his guard. His Pesquisa had identified the source as someone who had fought Averian and lived to tell the tale. Someone Gundinger had followed into the Forest in hopes of directing his strength towards a common goal.
"... An ally, perhaps? Akira would like information," Gundinger concluded. "Ungrateful little bugger,"
He was nothing if not cantankerous.
The pillar of reiatsu Hikari and Shiratori had created began to slowly but surely lower. There was someone else here. It wasn't Averian's spiritual power - no this was much weaker, yet still possessed the same qualities of a Hollow entering the realm of the Shinigami. Another Arrancar. However, this power didn't seem hostile. In fact, it was familiar.
Hikari placed his hand on Shiratori's shoulder before whispering in her ear. "You feel that, right? The other reiatsu?" She gave confirmation by nodding, it seemed the Hollow Bait did it's job. But it wasn't the Hollow they wanted that was lured in. She whispered back. "So what should we do? We don't want to waste any energy dealing with someone other than Averian."
Hikari didn't believe it necessary to engage this newcomer. Not yet anyway. After all, if he was correct, this was one of the many combatants that tried to defeat Averian a few days ago. So, if anything they had a common enemy at the moment. Hikari walked forward before projecting his Reikaku through his spiritual pressure. A neat trick he and Shiratori came up with while studying the spiritual senses of Hollow. Using this he was able to pinpoint the location of the Arrancar.
"He's one of the guys that I fought Averian with, I think. I don't believe he's hostile, but keep your guard up." Hikri spoke before he dissapeared, heading towards the direction of Gundinger.
Shiratori's eye twitched at the brashness of her comrade. Somethings never changed. At least he gave her something to go off of before running of. Taking a deep breath and releasing to get rid of any lingering irritation. She grasped her Quincy Cross before manifesting a Spirit Bow, readying it to be fired if need be.
Hikari neared the location of the Arrancar before stopping just a few yards from the red-haired Arrancar. He jerked his thumb towards Averian and the Visored he was preparing to square off with. "I take it you're here for round two as well?"
Usually, Gundinger would have responded with violence. Especially when faced with two Quincy. But Akira had changed him, and now he was a little happier to "play nice", as it were. That said, the look he gave Hikari and his companion would have soured milk.
"Round two?" Gundinger replied, his eyebrow arching high in question. "Not likely. I'm here to observe, and report. Something I hope you'll help with, or we'll have problems, Quincy."
Okay, maybe Akira hadn't changed him that much.
A smirk spread across Hikari's face at the sneering Hollow. His antagonistic demeanor not deterring him for a moment. "Well, Arrancar, I'm more than happy to solve said problems if or when they arise. But for now, the bigger problem is over there," He gestured towards Averian. "So, are you going to help or stay on the sidelines and play spectator?"
"For now, spectator." Gundinger replied.
He had just finished thrusting his hands into his pockets as he spoke, which, coupled with his slouched posture, gave off a very disinterested air. Due to his mask remnants obscuring half of his face from view, it was difficult to determine by facial expression what Gundinger was thinking at the best of times. His body language was usually the way to go, and right now it indicated that he had no hostile intention, at least towards Hikari and Shiratori.
"And I suggest you leave Averian alone, at least for now. He gets stronger with every kill, and to be frank with you, he's been killing at an alarming rate." Hikari, of course, had seen this first-hand with Trillizos and Gengetsu. "Thankfully, we've known about Averian for some time. And now, so does the Gotei 13 and Tres Pilares."
He put particular emphasis on the 'we'.
The thought of not engaging Averian here and now didn't sit well with Hikari. "So, what? We just sit on our thumbs until whoever you're working for is finally ready to take him out? Who knows how many more people he's going to kill before then?" Hikari stated, not so much out of fear for "innocent people" or whatever. He was worried about that, but not as much as he was Averian growing stronger. He then turned back towards the field Averian was fighting the Visored in, "For everyone's sake, I hope this is the right play."
"People will die regardless, but the number will depend on how many foolishly seek him out," Gundinger replied. "My allies assure me he will hit the Soul Society next. They also inform me that the Gotei 13 can weaken him, and are currently formulating their plan of battle. As for me, I was hoping to gauge just what he has in reserve. Someone as strong as he is always gathers those happy to fed on the scraps."
Unknown to both, one of those very reserves -- Clarion -- was speeding towards Hikari and Gundinger, his wings vibrating loudly.
Shiratori may have been the first to notice; or rather, the first to be able to react. Either way, before the words "watch out!" left her mouth completely, she let lose a volley of innumerable bolts of light from her Spirit Bow. The trajectory of these arrows were controlled to were they would have so little width as to not catch either Hikari or the Arrancar in the crossfire. Each bolt seeking to slam into this newcomer, creating a rapidly expanding explosion mid-air that would no doubt alert everything in the Forest of Menos of their presence here. So much for keeping a low profile.
"So much for keeping a low profile," Hikari spoke to himself as he flashed away from the Hollow that was rocketing towards he and the red-haired Arrancar. He landed next to Shiratori, "Thanks for the assist." He spoke before his body ran bright with sparking electrical currents and he leaped back into the fray.
This left Shiratori mildly confused before she momentarily ceased her fire so as not to hit Hikari. Whatever he was planning, must have been worth taking one of the Seele Schneider with him.
"I'm ending this now." Hikari resolved to himself, as the lightning current flowed into the handle and down the blade. "Shūrai!" He yelled as he brought the Spirit Weapon down upon the Hollow in a fashion similar to the Ryōdan practiced by the Shinigami and other sword-wielding fanatics. The erupting thunderbolt crackled momentarily before exploding downwards into the sand bellow, causing a plume of smoke and ash to momentarily spike up and cloud the crescent moon.
...So much for keeping a low profile.
Gundinger traced the newcomer's trajectory, his Pesquisa following easily enough for now. "He's fast... but that isn't Sonido," he observed. "In fact, that's a Hollow. An Adjucha... one whose close to evolving, given his stature and dense reiatsu."
That itself was worrying. They were exceedingly rare, inhabiting the depths and ancient places of Hueco Mundo, rarely revealing themselves unless provoked. Which rarely happened. Of the Menos classifications they were definitely the strongest, more akin to titans, but their population was small. Even amongst the Espada gathered by Aizen only a small number, like Tier Harribel, had been Vasto Lorde prior to their Arrancarfication. Most had been Adjuchas like this newcomer. Even more worrisome was the direction in which he had come: the sight of Averian's current battle with a Visored.
"If Averian has followers like this, Akira needs to know. Nelliel too."
He stood his ground, hands freed from his trouser pockets, and ceded the battleground to Hikari and Shiratori. There was something about this Hollow's reiatsu that just didn't sit right with him.
Thankfully, Hikari's companion had been observant enough to notice the approach. The figure who was the subject of her attention was slim, of average height, with a stark white-coloured bone-like carapace. He bobbed and weaved, a large set of dragonfly-like wings enabling him to move and change direction seemingly on a dime. Forwards, backwards, twisting three-sixties, even upside down! He changed direction so quickly, with no difficulty, that pinning him down with an arrow or explosion was exceedingly difficult. So when Hikari took over the onslaught, with an expansive thunderclap, the figure thus had its movement restricted. With no recourse, the Hollow raised two of its four arms, charged two Cero between its pincer-like hands, and loosed a crimson blast!
"Just what am I sensing?" This was a Hollow: there was no denying that. "Yet his reiatsu has an 'echo' of something else."
The resulting shockwave attracted attention; the kind of attention that was dangerous in the Forest of Menos. It was the reason Gundinger and Ashido had never seriously crossed blades back when they first met a few years ago, for the Menos could be fickle and unpredictable. And this was Averian's domain.
I moved just behind Hikari and Shiratori. "Leave the Menos to me. I can keep their attention elsewhere, but it would be best to end this quickly." It was then that he gave the two Quincy a flashing smile. "You Quincy are good at killing my kind, no? Shouldn't be a problem."
Sometimes, cantankerous didn't cover it. Sometimes, he was downright confrontational.
The Hollow, meanwhile, skidded to a halt on the upturned earth just in-front of the two Quincy. "The Devourer sends his regards. Usually, he would welcome you himself, but my Lord is playing with his food at present. So I will have to suffice, Quincy,"
The way he spoke the word Quincy gave a clear indication how he felt about them.
Hikari's eyes widened as he witnessed the insectoid Hollow zip around like a gnat evading a fly swatter. "Ugh. I hate bugs." He spoke, mostly to himself. While he was suspended in mid air he formed a platform of reishi beneath himself. Suddenly he flashed back towards Shiratori's position. Right as the insect closed in on the both of them.
Gundinger's snarky remark went in one ear and out the other as she stood before the strange anomaly of a Hollow. Normally, It wasn't his appearance, or even his above-average intelligence in terms of how well he could speak. No, it was his reiatsu - it felt odd. Not exactly dual-natured like an Arrancar or a Visored. It felt more...layered? Like there was another Hollow standing behind him. Wait, no it was even worse. It felt as if Averian was standing behind him.
"How appropriate that you take the appearance of an insect. A perfect representation of your kind's impact on the world, no?" Shiratori pressed, attempting to provoke the Arrancar into attacking them. Crossing into the pentagon-shaped seal they hid in the sand below. It was meant for Averian, but it was clear that they would have to go through this guy first.
Hikari apparently had the same idea. Great minds and all that. "The Devourer? A little on the nose, isn't it?" He slammed the Seele Schinder into the ground. He then proceeded to materialize his Spirit Weapon of chose. Two bastons coated in a current of electricity. "I guess we don't have a choice but to send our regards to Averian as well. In the interest of courtesy that is." He then shot like a bolt of lightning to the Hollow's rear, slamming the baston in his right hand across it's back.
Clarion turned quickly, one of its lower arms snaking out with feverish speed to impact Hikari's own arm! "Clarion," he hissed, by way of introduction.
He deliberately avoided the electricity coating Hikari's weapon, his intent to divert, rather than parry directly. This resulted in the blow missing its intended target, giving Clarion a few precious seconds to act. With another of his arms he blasted a quickly-charged Cero into the floor beneath their feet! It served to crack and distort the ground, but more importantly than that, was the debris cloud it served to kick up.
Now obscured, Clarion began his zig-zagging movement once more, taking to the air where his wings were at their most beneficial. That was when the sound of his wings reached Hikari's ears, seemingly from several directions. He moved quickly, wings vibrating at a fiendish pace, never remaining still long enough to present a clear target.
As Gundinger exerted his reiatsu against the on-rush of approaching Hollow, he noticed exactly what Clarion was doing. "He's here only to stop us going to the aid of whoever's facing Averian."
Well, there went that idea. The Cero the Hollow fired beneath the two exploded the ground they stood upon. Destroying the seal, the five seele schneider spread haphazardly throughout the forest, their reishi blades dispersing into the air. Their plan to trap one of these Hollows in the Sprenger went straight down the drain. So, it was time to improvise. Raising her Spirit Bow, she sprang several hundred arrows of light upon the Hollow before her as he diverted Hikari's lightning. His zig-zagging maneuvers being pressured by the overwhelming number of arrows being fired upon him.
Hikari on the other hand, follow the Hollow with his lightning-enhanced vision while his attack was momentarily diverted. The arrows Shiratori fired swarmed...Clarion, as he called himself. This gave Hikari an idea. Lifting his left baston, he shot a bolt of lightning into the swarm of projectiles, synchronizing his spiritual power with hers. Creating a electrical storm of a myriad of lightning strikes. The trees of the Menos Forest were lit a flame by stray concentrated bolts of electricity. The sands beneath them cracked and shattered as they morphed into glass. The lightning storm sought to devour the Hollow whole as well as any other intruders that wanted to interfere with their mission.
"Slippery little bugger," Gundinger thought sourly.
The thought had barely registered however when Gundinger's Pesquisa registered a further increase in the Hollow's reiatsu. There was no mistaking it -- this creature had been empowered by Averian personally, somehow, and it appeared he hadn't even hit his ceiling yet.
Clarion's small frame enlarged, the beating of his wings growing faster and louder, and his pincers grew sharper. He loosed an expansive Cero in a wide arc in response to the storm of arrows, sustained the blast for a moment, and then fell backwards. He vanished. Opening Garganta was a common Hollow ability; one the Hollow of Hueco Mundo used with impunity to travel to and feed on the Humans of the World of the Living.
His path was short, for he entered the Garganta and left it, effectively avoiding the bug-spray that was Shiratori's bow and arrow, and Hikari's use of electricity, by relocating himself elsewhere. The moment he emerged, he fired a swift Cero, only partially charged, towards Hikari's back.
Rather than stand and fight, however, he fled in the opposite direction, and lowered his reiatsu to the point that it was hard to distinguish against the backdrop of the surrounding Hollows. Even the vibration of his wings grew silent. It was clear by Clarion's actions that he preferred hit-and-run tactics and that he wouldn't be standing to fight a battle of attrition. He had one job: keep attention focused here, until his master was satisfied.
Thanks to Hikari, however, Gundinger had a moment to focus his attention not on the nearby Hollows, but on the Adjucha himself. He gently massaged the hilt of his Zanpakutō.
"Slippery bastard." Hikari swore under his breath as the Adjucha's reiatsu dissapeared. Probably into a Garganta. It was when his reiatsu never reappeared that Hikari thought something was amiss. That's when he felt the reverberations of a Cero, the aura of the energy blast discoloring the area it soared across as it sped towards he and Shiratori's backs. Without hesitation, Hikari shielded his comrade with his own body, hardening his lightning-imbued reiatsu around them both to absorb the bulk of the attack. The Cero collided with his person, causing a rather mild explosion that was more reminiscent of a Bala than a Cero. "He must have not put that much reiatsu into it. Which tells me he's not here to kill us..." He thought to himself.
"But distract us." Shiratori finished his thought. She altered the trajectory of her arrows, launching them directly into the sky above, before hurling them back into the forest below! A severe lightning storm descended upon the Forest of Menos the likes of which was never seen before. Even Hikari was taken aback by the ferocity that Shiratori rekindled their combined attack with. "Let's see how he slips out of this one." She spoke mostly to herself, a crimson reiatsu radiating her eyes.
Clarion seemed content to play this game of cat and mouse, even though he knew it would not last, for he knew his own limitations as well. Even at full power, even with his empowerment, the best Clarion could do was slow them down. He knew this.
Unfortunately, the male Quincy's widespread electrical storm had halted any hope of reinforcement. And even if the local Hollow population did intervene, the female one could kill them in quick order. Failing that, the Arrancar could order them elsewhere, given enough time and will. Clarion hissed, his anger growing. For this was a catch-22 if there ever was one. If he revealed himself, then he was likely going to die. They were three, and he was one. If he tucked his tail, as it were, and returned to his master, he would definitely die. There was only one choice really. There was only one thing in this world that Clarion feared more than regression, and that was his master.
His reiatsu reappeared, his four arms glowed bright red, and he fired four blasts which combined into one as it flew!
The entire area was bathed in red. The four Ceros formed by the Hollow exploding from his person as they dispersed the lightning-coated arrows created by Hikari and Shiratori. Yet the electric storm created by the duo still left a remnant of electricity behind - it flowing through the trees, sand and glass. As the full-powered Cero bared down upon them, Hikari was left with one option. Not a bad one, either. Closing his eyes, he relaxed his posture before shooting his left hand out at the incoming Cero. "Hiraishin!" He roared as the ambient electricity gravitated towards and swirled around him before being drawn into his person.
"Absorbing the electricity? That's pretty ingenious." Shiratori admitted to herself. Combining his natural ability to absorb reishi with his control over lightning was bound to produce a compounded effect on his spiritual power.
As Hikari's body was brimming with lightning dancing all across his form, he roared one final time, "Tokkan!" a large bolt of lightning shot from his palm as it soared towards the Cero shot forth by Clarion. The force emanating from the bolt caused the weakened trees to be blown away, uprooted from the very ground they stood in. An ear-splitting clap of thunder rung out as it slammed against the Cero.
The collision produced a deafening explosion and a shockwave that shattered the quartz-like trees in the immediate surroundings!
Which, unfortunately, served to attract even more attention. Even at this distance, Gundinger could feel the ground beneath his feet shake in time to the thunderous steps of the Menos. Their red eyes, shining in the darkness like floating Cero, inched closer, seemingly from all directions. They lacked the intelligence to stay away, only sensing the opportunity to devour a powerful soul, and given that Hikari had just absorbed the electrical storm that had been keeping reinforcements at bay, it wouldn't be long until the three had more to deal with. Furthermore, this was Averian's domain, and Clarion's reiatsu was layered with the Arrancar's own.
The Menos responded. They needed to end this quickly and leave.
Clarion had been handed a lifeline by this new development. He moved with all the speed he could muster, flying in a large circle, all-the-while firing off quick-charged Cero blasts from all four arms. As was the case earlier, these blasts were essentially Bala, used for speed rather than power. These were fired seemingly in haphazard fashion too, just as some targeted Hikari, Shiratori, and Gundinger all, but in reality they were designed to keep the three from moving around freely.
Because all Clarion needed to do now was wait on the Menos.
Hikari wasn't stupid. He knew that withdrawing the lightning from the surrounding area would give the Menos reason to reappear. It would get rid of that deterrent they had previously took advantage of. Good. Hikari proceeded to fully absorb the electricity into himself and subsequently lower his reiatsu to where it was far smaller the Clarion's.
The inhuman roars of the Menos indicated that the lowering of Hikari's reiatsu had served it's purpose. Creating a sense of urgency in the surrounding Hollows that a possible meal was slipping through their figurative fingers. "Shiratori, hide your spiritual power. If these things think they're about to lose a meal, they'll get frustrated and aggressive." He whispered in his companions ear at a hopefully low enough tone that Clarion wouldn't catch on to their plan.
Shiratori nodded before withdrawing her power as well.
Another monstrous growl; no, this time a cacophony of Hollows shrieking shook the trees and caused tremors to explode all across the land they stood on. A myriad of crimson orbs sprang to life all around the Forest of Menos as Hikari and Shiratori retreated next to Gundinger. Out of the way of the upcoming spectacle. Within moments, scores of Cero burst from the trees around them! Destroying everything in their wake as they closed in on Clarion, the Bala he previously fired posing little to no resistance against the onslaught of enraged Hollow; they would not lose this next meal!
As the Quincy appeared beside Gundinger, they would no doubt notice that his left eye was missing. Thankfully, he didn't appear perturbed by this, nor did he appear to be concerned by the blood that trickled from his now empty eye socket.
"This is bad," Gundinger admitted. "The reason I haven't joined you in battle is because these Hollows already belong to Averian. It takes a considerable amount of effort and will to make them leave, especially when they sense their master. Or a shadow of their master." He corrected.
Further to Gundinger's remarks, and probably to Hikari and Shiratori's surprise, not a one of those Cero hit Clarion. If they even came close, it was only because they had been aiming at the Quincy, who had been close to him when they fired. He hadn't moved; he hovered in the air, wings vibrating loudly, his insectoid face twisted into a smile. This was Averian's domain and these Hollows were his. Clarion was one of Averian's Fracción. Furthermore, his own reiatsu was, as Shiratori had already pointed out, backed by Averian's own mighty reiatsu.
The reiatsu of their master.
"Have fun," Clarion remarked.
And with that, he turned and fled, straight into the Garganta. The Menos shambled onto the battlefield, roaring long and loudly, stamping in what could best be described as frustration.
"Our chance of reaching Averian has slipped by," Gundinger observed.
Averian was no longer in the Forest, having moved his own battle onto the surface. Besides, what Gundinger was sensing in that direction was not something he wanted to tangle with without proper preparation. The massive increase in reiatsu was in-line with what Gundinger had come to associate with a Shinigami unveiling their Bankai. And Averian appeared unconcerned.
Hikari stood stock still, his lips pressed into a thin line as his eyes glazed over. Both in embarrassment of how his plan failed and in frustration that he didn't realize sooner that the Hollow population here would naturally be subservient to Averian. "Goddamn it! Next time I see Clarion I'm bringing industrial duty bug spray!" He yelled in frustration as he wrenched his hands together in a fashion similar to someone strangling the source of their anger.
Shiratori patted him on the back, "Hey, it wasn't such a bad plan. I figured their hunger would override any sense of loyalty they had towards Averian. Guess we were both wrong -" She was cut off by the massive spike in reiatsu a few miles from their current location. "Damn, things are really heating up over there! If things go well, those two will take each other out and save us the trouble." She observed.
Hikari was now slumped over in defeat at being outsmarted. "Yeah, and maybe Clarion's Garganta will open in a bug trap." He muttered before straightening up. The Menos didn't seem to notice them with their reiatsu so low. He turned to Gundinger, "So my ever joyous Arrancar, what do we do now - holy shit what happened to your eye!?"
Shiratori glanced over at Hikari. "....You're just now noticing that?"
"It's floating above Averian's head right now, I'd imagine," Gundinger replied.
For a moment, Gundinger was reminded of Akira. His young companion had responded in much the same way as Hikari had, to the point Gundinger had to tell him to calm down and stop acting the part of mother hen. He had run up to him, all tears and concern, offering to heal the wound.
He chuckled.
"Concern, for an Arrancar, no less? My how times have changed," he mused aloud. "If you both are truly interested in killing Averian, then I suggest you both head to Naruki City. Your friend, the werewolf, is there, along with my own allies. Averian won't fall without a great deal of care and planning. Because, whilst what I'm sensing over there is impressive, I'm afraid Averian hasn't even released his Zanpakutō yet."
Hikari smirked at Gundinger. "Don't sound so surprised, Gunner. After all Hollows and Quincy are pretty much neighbors nowadays." However, Gundinger's last words wiped the smile from his face. He crossed his arms and scoffed. "So much for the two of them taking each other. If the Visored has already activated their Bankai, and are still having this much trouble..." Then as much as Hikari hated to admit it. "Then we really don't have a chance." He turned towards Shiratori. "We have to leave. At this rate, we're just sitting ducks.
Shiratori sighed before readying a Shadow to transport them back to Naruki City. She adjusted her glasses before affirming the unsaid. "It seems we've vastly underestimated this Arrancar. Even if our plan to lure him in had succeeded I doubt it would do anything other than irritate him." She then turned towards Gundinger. "So, what are you going to do? Are you coming with us?"
His eye twitched in irritation. It was bad enough that Nelliel called him "Gun-Gun", but now this Quincy was calling him "Gunner". He very much looked the grumpy old man.
But as he looked towards the battlefield, his expression hardened.
"... No, but tell Siegfried that it was me who sent you. That he is to get word to Akira Hiroshi." He started walking away. "I can't leave without my eye."
Hikari said nothing. Gundinger has been at this a lot longer than either Shiratori or himself. So if anyone knew what they were doing, it would be him. He turned towards the Shadow before giving a two finger salute to the red-haired Arrancar. "Alright, see you in Naruki." He spoke finally before entering the Shadow and returning home.
Shiratori stood behind for a few moments before reaching into her pocket and throwing a small circular object towards Gundinger. "You could use that on the Visored. If anything to prevent Averian from gathering a Bankai-level ability if he kills him." She explained before following Hikari shortly thereafter.
He deftly caught the medallion, recognized it for what it was, and swiftly pocketed it. "Thanks, I might just do that."
Internally, however, he thought something altogether different. "Or maybe I'll just use it on Averian instead. I wouldn't admit this to a Quincy or a Shinigami, but our Resurrección aren't all that different to a Shinigami's Bankai."
It was another means of crippling the Arrancar. But first, he needed his eye. What it had recorded would be invaluable and Akira needed to see that. Not because it showed that Averian had powerful followers, but because there were others interested in the Arrancar, and they were powerful too.