Bleach: The Strongest Shinigami

In the endless desert, a dark mass of beings moved toward the crescent moon hanging high in the sky. Their overwhelming Reiatsu mingled together, making the air feel thick as mercury.

They were the Black-Winged Demon clan, one of the rare Hollow clans in Hueco Mundo.

Their mission was to storm Las Noches and overthrow its new God-King — a Shinigami who had defeated Baraggan. The clan intended to restore Hollow rule to Hueco Mundo.

The Black-Winged Demons raged at this news, declaring that Hueco Mundo belonged to Hollows and that Shinigami were mere prey.

As they marched, the clan radiated ferocity and bloodlust.

Yet among them stood one who was different.

Unlike his clansmen, he was completely white, with a thin frame and two bat-like black wings upon his back.

Most striking was his head — while other Black-Winged Demons bore grotesque faces like Western demons, his cracked visage held only a pair of empty, void-like eyes.

His name was Ulquiorra Cifer.

Born different from his clan, he endured their ruthless mockery.

Yet he ignored their scorn, consumed instead by a single question that haunted his mind.

What is heart?

Finding no answer, Ulquiorra abandoned his clan to seek one.

His wandering led him to a strange place where thorny branches twisted together like wild thickets. It existed without color, scent, or sound, interfering with nothing — the closest thing to nothingness he had found in his travels.

Sensing a kinship with this void, Ulquiorra stepped into it, briefly savoring the joy of finding his like.

When he opened his eyes, the thorns had vanished. He lay in the endless desert as if it had all been a dream. Only his once-smooth face, now webbed with cracks that threatened to shatter, proved otherwise.

Setting out again, Ulquiorra happened upon his clan marching toward Las Noches. Driven by the instincts of soul and flesh, he rejoined them beneath the rising crescent moon.

The Black-Winged Demons barely noticed their former companion's return, too engrossed in plotting the death of Las Noches's Shinigami ruler. Their arrogance and cruelty perfectly embodied the worst of Hollow nature.

Ulquiorra watched in silence. To him, everything before his eyes was meaningless; life itself was void.

As the black dot in their vision grew larger, The Black-Winged Demons suddenly discovered it was a magnificent castle, standing like a behemoth in the endless desert, like the highest peak in Hueco Mundo.

"Las Noches! Why does it look different from before? No matter — I'm so hungry I'll devour anything, Shinigami or Hollow!"

Hearing the clamorous voices around him, Ulquiorra remained unmoved, regarding them as mere wind.

Wait... What was that?

His pupils contracted as he glimpsed what appeared to be a meteor plummeting toward their position. There was no time to warn the others.

BOOM!!

The earth quaked and the world inverted as cosmic forces collided. Devastating shockwaves erupted in all directions, unleashing tsunami-like waves of sand that instantly engulfed the screaming Black-Winged Demon clan.

Through the chaos, a wild cackle pierced the air:

"Since you've spurned heaven's path and forced hell's gates, you might as well remain in my domain as star rage power!"

The Black-Winged Demons emerged from the sand dunes, gaping at the muscular figure who had materialized before them, his nature defying classification.

His aura surpassed a Hollow's violence, while his Reiatsu exceeded a Shinigami's purity.

Though his presence sparked their hunger, it primarily triggered an instinctual terror — as if they'd encountered their natural predator.

With his theatrical entrance and crude speech that even Hollows found distasteful — who truly was the Hollow here?

"A Shinigami? The God-King of Hueco Mundo?!"

As the Black-Winged Demons recognized Akira through his Reiatsu, boundless greed momentarily overwhelmed their profound fear.

While they studied him, Akira examined them in turn.

Observing their forms, he noted these humanoid Hollows should be Vasto Lordes by definition. Yet these bat-like creatures mostly possessed Adjuchas-level Reiatsu, with only a few true Vasto Lordes among them.

Even so, this was formidable. Las Noches currently maintained only five Vasto Lordes, making this clan's multiple Vasto Lordes a significant threat.

Despite his renowned perfect memory, Akira couldn't place these creatures. That small white one lurking at the back seemed vaguely familiar, but he couldn't pinpoint from where.

Unable to recall, he dismissed the thought with a wave. No matter — he'd learn their identities once they served under his command.

The buzzing sound of Sonído announced the fashionably late arrival of Las Noches' Primera Lanza, Coyote Starrk.

{T/N: The MC is half-jealous, so he kept the nomenclature but changed it from Espada (Sword) to Lanza (Spear).}

"Your Majesty..." He panted helplessly, "Next time you rush into battle, please slow down. I still have to bring Lilynette along."

"Starrk, your purity is lacking." Akira grinned, "You can't even match Sōsuke — how can you hope to campaign with me? When we return today, your training intensity will increase tenfold."

Starrk: "?"

As they bantered, a Reishi spear suddenly sliced through the air, streaking treacherously toward Akira's right side. The razor-sharp spearhead aimed straight for his head.

Snap—

A crisp sound rang out, and the Black-Winged Demon who launched the spirit spear froze in place.

The supposedly certain hit had been caught firmly in his opponent's hand. Accompanied by a teeth-grinding cracking sound, under countless astonished gazes, that spirit spear was forcefully crushed.

As Reishi fell from Akira's palm, his fierce gaze swept across the Hollow group.

The outrageous display made the once-aggressive Black-Winged Demons shiver. Could this being truly be a monster?

"There are only three of them, while we have an entire clan." The Vasto Lorde among the Black-Winged Demons rallied, "If we attack together, we can surely kill them!"

Akira smiled, raising a single finger.

Before he could speak, Lilynette's angry voice cut through the air, "Damn it, I shouldn't have agreed to this guy!"

A pillar of Reiatsu erupted skyward as they instantly completed their Resurrección.

But unlike before, no figures emerged from the light. As the radiance faded, two handguns materialized in Akira's hands.

Different from the previous flintlock pistols, with Starrk's participation, their appearance had transformed dramatically — weather-beaten shells, metallic texture, black and white in perfect harmony.

Ebony and Ivory.

{T/N: Reference to Devil May Cry}

Though each unique, their overall style remained complementary.

Earlier in the exchange game, after firing two shots with Lilynette, inspiration had struck Akira. He shared his vision with Starrk and Lilynette. Through Szayelaporro's research and the soul resonance between Starrk and his partner, they achieved this grand design after multiple attempts.

Where once one would dominate after Resurrección, their relationship now stood in perfect opposition — exactly as Akira had envisioned.

Though not quite as satisfying as throwing punches, gunfire held its own romantic appeal.

He executed a flourish of gun spinning before leveling the barrel at the Hollow group and gently squeezing the trigger.

The Black-Winged Demons' pupils contracted in terror.

Brilliant light erupted from the dark barrel, dazzling flames blooming within. A violent beam shot forth, piercing through the foremost Hollow's chest. The beam's power continued undiminished, violently tearing through those behind.

After effortlessly piercing several Hollows, it reached the horizon, igniting waves of heat like a flood. Fierce light blazed as earth-shattering roars echoed, howling winds lifting silver sand into the sky.

Seeing Akira take aim at other Black-Winged Demons, the Hollows frantically released their Reiatsu in desperate defense.

Ceros, spirit spears, and spirit blades transformed the endless desert into a World War II battlefield, brilliant explosions illuminating the dark sky, even obscuring the solitary moon.

Yet the Black-Winged Demons soon discovered in horror that their attacks had no effect on their laughing opponent. His defense surpassed even a Hollow's Hierro — charged Ceros couldn't penetrate it.

Meanwhile, his casual shots either blasted massive craters in the ground or eliminated multiple opponents' fighting ability in an instant.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The continuous gunfire wove a massive curtain of light, becoming an inescapable dragnet for the Black-Winged Demons. No matter how they struggled, defeat was inevitable.

Until one Vasto Lorde, under his companions' cover, reached Akira's front, his demon-like face twisted in a triumphant sneer.

"You despicable creature, prepare to die!"

Then he saw a flaming fist crash into his face without ceremony. Darkness claimed him as he plummeted from the sky.

"A gunslinger who can't throw a proper punch ain't worth his salt in these parts." Akira sneered, "With skills like that, you really thought you could take me on?"

In that brief moment, another spirit spear pierced through space, wrapped in powerful Reiatsu, spiraling directly toward his heart.

Boom!

Before Akira could react, the spirit spear exploded mid-flight, sending rolling waves of heat surging forth and engulfing his form.

Just as the Hollows thought they'd achieved victory, a figure emerged through the flames, his upper body exposed.

Akira's gaze swept through the remaining Hollow group, instantly locking onto his target.

The Black-Winged Demon under his gaze blanched, turning to flee without looking back. But she hadn't made it a single step when an extreme chill shot up her spine to the crown of her head.

A blood-curdling voice whispered by her ear, "Sister, who are you trying to snipe?"

Before she could turn around, a powerful impact erupted from her right side. The would-be ambusher crashed to the ground, her world going black.

After dispatching this one, Akira charged back into the remaining Hollow group, swiftly handling the last of the resistant fighters.

Finally, he stood before that somewhat familiar white Hollow. Judging by the intensity and purity of its Reiatsu, it was undoubtedly a genuine Vasto Lorde — and one with great potential.

Before Akira could speak, the other asked first:

"As a Shinigami, you must know many things, right?"

Hearing this, Akira puffed out his chest, "Of course! Who in Soul Society and Hueco Mundo doesn't know of my astounding wisdom?"

Ulquiorra pondered for a moment, wondering why this Shinigami seemed somewhat unreliable.

But since Shinigami knew more than Hollows, he decided to ask the question that had long troubled him. Such chances were rare.

"Then, what is the meaning of life?"

"Strawberry milkshake, Quattro Formaggi Pizza and a new RPG game?" Akira tentatively answered.

"You misunderstand. I mean what is life's ultimate purpose — what do we live for?"

"Strawberry milkshake, Quattro Formaggi Pizza and a new RPG game." Akira answered firmly.

{T/N: His real answer is: "A good battle with my sister and a hot bath with my white and dark chocolate." I swear.}

Ulquiorra fell silent.

He pressed one hand against his crack-covered cheek, applying gentle force. Countless bone-like fragments scattered, revealing a delicate face.

"Though I don't understand the meaning of this answer, since you enjoy battle, I'll put forth my full strength as repayment."

Akira's eyes lit up.

Seeing him in person, he finally realized the other's identity. After wearing out iron shoes in search, it had come effortlessly. The final puzzle piece of his subordinate commanders was found.

The Emo Wander-Boy, Ulquiorra Cifer!

Ulquiorra expressionlessly gazed at the man before him, knowing that in his current state, he was no match for his opponent.

If that was the case, then...

Dark green Reiatsu shot skyward. Heavy clouds gathered above as Reishi concentrated in the air, transforming into spirit raindrops falling with a pitter-patter.

The surrounding atmosphere grew heavy and oppressive, giving off a suffocating feeling.

Under Akira's expectant gaze, Ulquiorra slowly said:

"Enclose…"

⤫ Resurrección: Murciélago ⥤ Returning Blade: Great Black-Winged Demon! ⤬

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