From Masatsuki Aozaki's words alone, one could tell—he was not necessarily a ruthless, bloodthirsty person. At least, not toward Lilynette.
Yet, for so reason, Starrk felt an inexplicable sense of unease.
Everything about this man—his words, deanor, even his very presence—resonated with Starrk in a way that felt strangely familiar, almost as if they shared a natural affinity.
And yet, at the sa ti, his very existence radiated an overwhelming sense of danger.
Starrk turned his head toward Lilynette.
Their gazes t, and in that brief exchange, she seed to understand his thoughts. She gave a small nod.
Now was not the ti for joking around.
This enemy was unlike any they had faced before.
Starrk's hand rested atop Lilynette's head—no further movent was necessary.
"Give Chase, Los Lobos."
With that quiet command, a monstrous surge of Reiatsu erupted.
In an instant, it whipped into a violent storm, engulfing the entire sea of sand in a raging cyclone.
Watching the storm take shape before him, Masatsuki Aozaki pursed his lips slightly, appearing utterly unfazed.
A Reiatsu of this level was enough to knock out Lieutenant-class Adjuchas Arrancars with ease—but to him, it wasn't even a threat.
Compared to his own power, Starrk's Reiatsu simply wasn't strong enough.
Unless Starrk possessed an ability akin to Zanka no Tachi, one that could amplify limited Reiatsu into an overwhelmingly destructive force capable of bridging the gap between dinsions...
This level of Reiatsu was aningless.
In fact, even among Arrancars, Starrk's power was not the absolute peak.
There was a reason Szayelaporro was acknowledged as the 0 Espada in the original tiline.
Even his Resurrección surpassed this current display—let alone when compared to Masatsuki Aozaki.
Perhaps it was due to the nature of his soul's division, or the fundantal difference between Hōgyoku-created Arrancars and naturally evolved Arrancars.
...
As the storm gradually dissipated, Starrk's figure ca into view once more.
A heavy wolfskin coat, in the style of a hunter, now draped over his shoulders.
It fit him perfectly—like it had been made just for him—its rugged, weathered look complenting his perpetual air of exhaustion.
But that wasn't all.
In each of his hands, he now gripped a firearm—a pair of long, musket-shaped weapons, gleaming with a cold, deadly light. Their very presence exuded power.
Yet, as Masatsuki Aozaki took in the scene, a flicker of regret crossed his expression.
Because the Lilynette who had previously been clutched by Starrk—
Was now gone without a trace.
Compared to the disheveled, gun-wielding Starrk, who exuded nothing but weary resignation...
Deep down, Masatsuki had always preferred the lively, adorable Lilynette.
Seeing the look of disappointnt on Masatsuki Aozaki's face, an annoyed voice suddenly rang out from the guns in Starrk's hands.
"Hey! What's with that expression?! Are you looking down on us?!"
"Hmph! Just you wait—I'll show you just how strong I am!"
Hearing this, Masatsuki shook his head slightly and explained,
"No, that's not it. I just think it would be better if Miss Lilynette took the lead in the transformation."
"Wha—?! So you noticed! Hah, at least you've got so sense!"
"You're absolutely right! I should be the one in charge—I'm way stronger than Starrk!"
Her triumphant laughter echoed in their ears, as if she were standing right beside them.
Starrk let out a long sigh and rubbed his forehead, exasperated.
"Alright, Lilynette, he's just ssing with you—trying to distract you."
"Stay focused. This isn't the ti for jokes."
"I know, I know! You don't have to tell —I wasn't falling for it anyway!"
Lilynette, in her transford state as a firearm, shouted impatiently,
"Why are you talking so much today?! Hurry up and start fighting already!"
Starrk was speechless.
You're the one who keeps chatting with the enemy in the middle of a battle... and now you're blaming ?!
...
Bang! Bang! Bang!
He raised both pistols, and in an instant, hundreds of Ceros erupted from the barrels like a dazzling storm of fireworks.
Without dodging or flinching, Masatsuki Aozaki simply raised a single hand. His slender palm t the oncoming Ceros, neutralizing them one after another.
There were no unnecessary flourishes—just a pure, unfiltered Reiatsu attack.
This kind of raw, instinct-driven combat, requiring no strategy or complex techniques, made Masatsuki feel a bit nostalgic.
There weren't many straightforward fighters like this left in the world.
Between the bizarre and unpredictable abilities of the Shinigami's Zanpakutō, and the peculiar techniques of the Quincy, whom he would soon have to deal with, it was exhausting to think about.
Their Reiatsu wasn't necessarily overwhelming, but so of their strange powers could be quite a nuisance.
In stark contrast to Masatsuki's calm and casual deanor, Starrk's ever-apathetic expression was finally shifting—his face now showed genuine shock.
As the only Hollow in Hueco Mundo to have naturally evolved into an Arrancar, his original form had been overwhelmingly powerful.
Simply by existing, his Reiatsu could erode the souls of weaker Hollows, reducing them to nothing.
Even Adjuchas-class Hollows couldn't survive long in his presence.
For ages, he had envied the weak—because the weaker they were, the more they could stay together.
He once had companions.
But those companions had been consud by his Reiatsu, leaving him alone in his endless journey through Hueco Mundo.
If you've never had sothing, you won't miss it.
But if you once had it... you'll never stop longing for it.
Because he had once known companionship, he despised loneliness all the more.
Starrk and Lilynette—they were the result of a soul splitting itself in two, all in an attempt to escape solitude.
But today, standing before the new king of Hueco Mundo, he realized sothing—
There were beings in this world far more terrifying than he had ever imagined.
Forget the Reiatsu radiating from this man—
Even after rging with Lilynette and unleashing their full power, their Cero couldn't even leave a mark on his palm.
This wasn't the equal companion he had been searching for.
This was a monster far beyond his comprehension.
No wonder he had sensed such an overwhelming threat from him... this guy was just too strong!
Starrk frowned slightly, confusion creeping into his mind.
But why couldn't he feel any Reiatsu from him?
Did he possess so kind of ability to suppress his Reiatsu?
If Starrk had that kind of control, he wouldn't have had to distance himself from others...
But even knowing how futile it was, he had no intention of changing his tactics.
He did have a stronger ability.
He could divide his soul and create Los Lobos—packs of spiritual wolves that could track enemies and explode on impact, their destructive power surpassing ordinary Ceros.
But if he used it...
The energy consud wouldn't co from his Reiatsu—it would co from his and Lilynette's very souls.
He could accept losing his life.
But he couldn't accept losing Lilynette, the one companion he had left.
And judging by the difference in their strength, even if he unleashed Los Lobos, it likely wouldn't make any difference.
Was surrendering to him really the only option?
It wasn't often he found soone unaffected by his Reiatsu. Staying by his side... didn't seem like such a bad thing.
Besides, for soone who was clearly trying to recruit him, his attitude wasn't all that bad.
Especially toward Lilynette—his treatnt of her could even be considered affectionate.
Starrk stood in place, continuing to fire Ceros, but his mind was already wavering.
After a brief mont of thought, he finally spoke.
"Let's pause for a mont. I..."
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / PinkSnake
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