[Compile] Hitsugaya, Adaro, Renji, Shunsui, Komamura
Fast. Adaro was too fast.

Komamura realized that as she attacked Kyouraku-taichou in a blur before jumping over him to dodge both Hitsugaya-taichou and Abarai-fukutaichou’s attacks. He watched in amazement as she paused for an instant, noting the lack of any serious wounds on her as she took a moment to mock them.

‘There are three Captains and a Vice Captain present, yet all we could do was this to her?’ he thought in dismay. They weren’t giving her their best moves yet, but the thought was still chilling. Adaro seemed to be the epitome of a monster: ruthless, powerful, and unstoppable.

‘I need to slow her down somehow.’

His mind ran through dozens of spells before settling upon one. As she raced towards Abarai-fukutaichou, Komamura began to chant quickly but correctly.

“Path of light, trail of dark, entwine elements of old. Ancient forces of Earth divine, hear my call. Root my enemy with your Natural Ties. Bakudou #41: Gaia’s Vines!”

Hitsugaya cursed under his breath as Adaro miraculously slipped away from any serious harm. She was just too damn fast- faster than him, and he'd always been one of the fastest captains.

Three captains and a vice captain against her. Hitsugaya set his jaw firmly. They would hurt her- they had to.

If they didn't, he wasn't sure they stood a chance at all against her.

He hung back for the moment, not wanting to interfere with Renji's attack. Instead, he sent the ice circling around behind Adaro, sending it higher and higher. If they could hem her in, it would hopefully be easier to land a hit.

The vice captain skewered on Osovenenoso would be a wonderful sight, blood would be sprayed across the ground, the deadly paint she loved to see on all things. Then, when the blade was pulled from his body, he would be fortunate to have any mobility left. Adaro let the chilled smile grow at the thought of how he would watch, helpless, while she destroyed the three captains in front of him.

That would be a beautiful sight, indeed.


...but one that would have to wait.

Adaro felt the ground shift beneath her, vines erupting from below the cement at the biding of the captain-class kidou casting. Unstable in that instant, she twisted, pivoting on her heel in favour of countering these before she gutted the vice captain. The vines were faster than her, snapping around her arms, but she pulled back with the unnatural strength that was her trademarks, straining them until they broke, but more came to replace.

The smile she wore faltered, almost a grimace before she regained the confidence, cleaving down with Osovenenoso to separate them, snapping them between her strength and the sharp edge of her blade. Red eyes looked over to Komamura, the one to cast, and she shook her head.

Take out the caster and it would take out the vines.

"Not a bright idea, taichou," she commented, forcing her hand up, palm held out towards him. Unlike the arrancar, her ability to cast the abilities of her Hollow was not so refined, a failing that marred and otherwise perfect, in appearance, cross of shinigami and Hollow, but she had the raw power to fuel it. Cero was all that she summoned, bright energy gathering in her palm, firing towards Komamura, unrefined but potent.

No this wasn't going to do at all. Not one bit.

That had been a captain-level kidou that the witch was now hacking away like weeds. She was fast. Extremely so. They needed to be faster.

It was no longer a matter of defeating her as their attacks had been for that intent. They all needed something much more intense than that behind their attacks. They needed that death intent.

Furrowing his brow as he came to quickly realize that had it not been for Komamura's kidou he would now be dead, Renji concentrated on his reiatsu and felt it flow into him rapidly and powerfully. The heat and rage bubbled beneath his skin as he touched down, and cried, "Bankai! Hihiou Zabimaru!"

The surrounding area exploded in ruptured foliage, dirt and rubble as the monstrous figure of Zabimaru took shape and surrounded the cloaked figure Renji, both read to defend its master and destroy its enemy.

Shunsui watched the scene, eyes narrowed in concentration. He had escaped injury in his first encounter with her despite her final rush toward him, but they were clearly still struggling here. Komamura's kidou was powerful and well-cast, but she seemed determined to escape it. The cero aimed at the seventh division captain was powerful and raw, and it was clear to Shunsui that something needed to be done to divert the attack. It wasn't worth it to chance a serious injury.

Two ban kai were released now, from the two more inexperienced members of the party. That was probably good, they would need that extra power to stay in the game. He wondered how long it would be before another second release would surface.

Darting in front of Komamura, Shunsui concentrated his reiatsu into his swords and around his body, bringing Katen Kyoukotsu up against the cero with as much raw power thrown into the strike as he could manage. Hopefully it would be enough to match and therefore negate the blast, or at least most of it.

There was no time to thank Kyouraku-taichou as he stepped into the path of the cero, taking the blunt of the blast for Komamura’s sake. He could only shoot the man a grateful look as chips of concrete and litter flew away at the power of Adaro’s attack.

Things were steadily getting messier as Abarai-fukutaichou released his bankai as well, a move that left Komamura surprised but somewhat proud. It was gratifying to see that the shinigami officers were still striving to perfect their powers, even in the wake of the Hollow takeover of Seireitei.

But now was not the time to congratulate Renji for achieving a momentous step in his life. With Histugaya-taichou and Abarai-fukutaichou standing so close to the red-haired witch, there was no way he could use his giant blade without accidentally hurting them. Overhead strikes seemed ineffectual, especially with her fiendish strength. For now he’d see if he could further impede her movements, an unsatisfying tactic, but the only thing he could safely do while still being of use in battle.

Moving away from Kyouraku-taichou’s protection (he didn’t want the other man to be hurt for his sake, and also he had his own warrior’s pride), Komamura cast again.

“Lift away from the ground, press the body into their shallow grave. Shed the skin of Gaia, cast your pain onto this sacrifice! Hadou #77: Erinyes Retribution.”

He watched as five pillars of stone shot up from the ground, each spike soon curving downwards to impale Adaro in their midst.

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