Hollis' spiritual pressure seems to subside a bit as it stops covering the entire area and creeps back closer to his own body. As piedra talks about hollis experiencing his awesome powers while clenching his fist, the captain backs up a bit.

"Oh my, now that i have a good look at you, you seem stronger than i origianlly thought. crap, i don't think i wanna play this game anymore is it ok if i quit? gah, nevermind, you'd probably just chase me down anyway. shoot, i guess i'll just have to try and survive.."



Hollis says sincerely. His tentacles start to wrap around his body as they continue to wiggle around as piedra starts to limber up.


"Oh well, guess ill go ahead and start counting then"


Captain Edwards stands and watches as Piedra rushes straight for him. He does not move but his tentacles begin to actually shake like a salt shaker, still wrapped around his body so to speak. When piedra is about five feet away from him, the tentacles immediately retract back inside of the blade and hollis sheathes it. As soon as pie throws the first punch, Hollis lifts his hand and slaps at the mans wrist so that it would be a bit askew compared to its original trajectory but it would still make contact. That first punch would send pain coursing through hollis' body but a second later it would recede. Piedra would continue to hit hollis all over and each end every single hit connects. He would stand as he allows piedra to continue his assult for several more seconds. When the arrancar finishes, Hollis would have a few minor bruises on his softer areas like his neck but they aren't really visable because of his african american light brownish skin tone. Overall, the shinigami would seem mostly unharmed as if he has something protecting his body. Edwards would crack his neck still holding his usual smirk and lifeless eyes.


"That's one.."


Hollis stands still just as he did before only now he seems a bit more stiff and he stands a bit more to the right. He stands there, waiting for piedras next attack, one minute having already passed by since he first rushed in.

Spoiler:

Everything seems to be moving in slow motion for Kato. Destruction... Explosions... They could be heard everywhere. Bodies dying as each second ticks by. A straight face kept on his face was nothing more than a ruse to mask the deep sorrow he felt inside. His home, Soul Society, was being invaded, destroyed. Everything that had been worked for was being annihilated. He had to protect it. No, he vowed to protect it with all that he was capable of.

"How could this have happened..... Where did we go wrong?" Kato continued to dash through the body-filled streets of Soul Society. Sword in hand, he cut through any hollow within his reach. He had to get to the source of this problem quickly and try his best to destroy it. Kato and other Soul Reapers alike were making their "Final Stand" of sorts. Everything that had been worked for would be lost if they could not protect their home. All differences were cast aside. We were all family now.

Emotion overcame Kato as he maneuvered his way throughout Soul Society. A single tear could be seen ejecting out of his eye, trickling down toward his upper lip. He wiped the tear away and reminded himself that his duty was to protect and serve those who could not do it themselves. If he showed weakness, then they would panic. He was their protection and their voice. He had to show strength at all costs.

The air seemed to ripple and slice a bit as from what seemed to be a sonido the Quinto Espada stood atop a hill to watch her breathren, her crimson hues especially the left one which bared her tattoo gleemed brightly in the light of the sky, her hands were dipped deep in her pockets as the wind seemed to blow on the breeze of destruction.

But there she stood and from this point of a view she got a good look at everything, her expressions were emotionless and without care as if almost a Gigai itself, her mind raced with the thoughts and points of this battle as well as who would come on top and who would not, but for right now she turned to see one of her brother's invade Soul Society, Cross Setsuzoku, one of the high ranking espada, she really didn't care to hide her spiritual pressure she let it flow freely as the battles raged on.

"Wait a second," Piedra would say, after his attack went off, "Ya wouldn't be cheatin', would ya?" Piedra accused, a devious smirk on his face. He did remember what Hollis had said before. Something along the lines of 'Oh piedra! you are going to kill me with your amazing, incredible, awesome attacks' or something, but he was pretty confident and full of himself all of a sudden.

"Too bad though, I'm pretty good at games like these, ya know?" Piedra would ask and, suddenly, Hollis' hand would hurt something awful. Sizzling. There was the sound of something being burned away as if it were tossed in a fryer. If Hollis looked at his hand, there would be a black mark where he touched Piedra's fist and, most importantly, that red energy before the fists. Hollis' clothes would start to burn away, sizzling and burning, causing a strange chemical smell to run up to Hollis nose as the material that made his Shinigami uniform was being corroded by some energy.

Certain exposed places, which had been hit once or twice, would burn with his clothes. As if there were something hot and painful on them that was touching him. Hollis' haori and his kimino garb would be full of holes, each where one of those many punches struck, and as they burned away, growing larger, it would sting his skin.

"5 minutes huh, 5th place? I wonder if ya can last that long? Ya ain't gonna have any clothes left, ya know? Then, well, ya will be a puddle by the end of it," Clenching his fists and rearing them back, he had both his arms at his sides, tucked in close, and was crouched down as if he were about to jump.

With all his talking and boasting he wasted a bit of time, though no more than 30-40 seconds. He still had so many minutes left and he was going to use each and everyone as he tested just how well this Captain could handle being pelted with the very ability that probably was the worst to deal with in this situation. "Terremoto." Same technique, though he intended to aim for Hollis' head, arms, and those exposed places where the uniform would be dissolving. It was about time Hollis cried out like all his little comrades that Piedra beat up!

Rushing forward, the wild, heavy flurry of punches were sent out aiming to hit Hollis all over. The punches were fast and followed by an excited "Tatatatata". Blow for blow. Piedra's special ability against the hidden skill that Hollis was using. Which would win out? Piedra was confident that he could overwhelm whatever power Hollis had. After all, Hollis hadn't known about Piedra's Acidic Touch or that all the blows that Piedra delivered would be infected with his acid and would burn away, causing his flesh to be eaten away and, with further blows, would start to burn and destroy Hollis from the outside-in.

There was a confident smile on Piedra's face. He was gonna win this game!

As piedra speaks, hollis simply stands in an errie silence and listens, still counting in his head. He notices that his captains haori is beginning to melt away in the same places that he was hit earlier. The hand he used to brush away the espadas first punch also seems to have a black mark on it. His skin starts to burn but he still feels no pain and he still does not move. Various parts of his body that were hit also start to burn to about the first degree damaging the very top layer of flesh but no more. probably because of his high durability. By the time the arrancar finally finishes speaking and gets into a crouching position, about fourty seconds have gone by and the clock continues to tick as he once again rushes in for an attack. Hollis lets piedra use his technique on him again for another twenty seconds or so. His flesh begins to melt away and he appears to 'scream in agony'.



"BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH, AAAAAAAH, PLEASE! NO MORE , NOR MORE!! GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!"


Hollis abruptly stops his screaming as his face returns to its normal nonchalaunt expression and he bares his usual smirk.


"..that's two.."



Hollis' skin appears to continue to burn as he still stands where he was at the end of the last barrage.

"Ha!" Piedra was proud he made Hollis cry out. It boosted Piedra's ego some. He felt great! Causing pain on another was just awesome! It made you feel powerful and as if you had control over that individual. Piedra was the sort to let the screaming and begging to to his head. A smirk spread, showing the corner of his teeth, as the red haired Arrancar moved a glowing red hand to his own chin. He decided to strike a 'cool guy pose' by tilting his head up with his hand holding his chin.

It all broke when Hollis, so easily, returned to showing no expression at all. Piedra threw his hand away and could only feel anger and annoyance at Hollis stoic persona. "Ass!" Piedra growled, threateningly. Piedra could feel an anger rise up. He was being made fun of! Piedra hated being made fun of or looked down. Well, it really depended. In this case, Piedra felt like he was being looked down by someone weaker than him and that was worst. It would be so bad, actually, if the one looking down were leauges stronger. Piedra didn't get such a feeling from the 5th place Captain. Perhaps it was his emotionless mask or maybe it was his flat, detached spiritual energy, maybe it was because he fought with tentacles; regardless of the reasoning behind Piedra's opinion of Hollis, Piedra was the sort of guy that took a challenge seriously. If this was a game, then it was about time Piedra leveled up and started playing rough.

What's up with this guy!? He thinks he can just take all those blows? He has to be in agony by now! Just what...What's his trick? Man. I'll show him! I'll win and show him just who the greatest creature here is! It's freakin' Piedra, that's who! His mental pep-rally finished, Piedra grabbed his right arm, which was a long sleeve that housed a concealed weapon.

"Rompealmas..." His grip tight on that concealed weapon, Piedra unleashed his full power. There was a flood of red energy that went off like dynamite. The red light was hot and as crimson as Piedra's red hair. Within, Piedra's power was surging. It reached it's height as he withdrew every ounce of his power and it transformed him. His warm power wrapped him in a blanket of power that felt invigorating to be bathed in. Piedra howled a laugh that sounded crazed and wild.

As the red energy vanished, there stood Piedra with his arms outstretched in an entirely new body. His flesh was red. It was a deeper red than the blood that ran through Hollis' veins and it was harder, tougher, and radiating a volatile energy. Something that ate away at all that came into contact with it. Piedra had sharp, jagged, serrated teeth and had a long broad tail that slowly wagged behind him. His skin resembled a lizards and that tail did as well. His nails, as black as night, grew longer to become claws, and his eyes slit to become a hungry yellow. Piedra was warm, emitting a strong warmth that surrounded him. As his evil energy ran free, it looked almost like vapor likes were inbetween himself and Hollis.

"Let's test your endurance, huh 5th place?" Fully ressurected, Piedra wasn't anything to scoff at. Was Hollis going to stick with his declaration and keep this up? During the time Piedra spoke, thought for a little, and released his power yet another minute had passed. He only had 2 more and he planned to use them in full.

Utilizing the superior Hollow Sonido, Piedra appeared directly infront of Hollis with his arm already enroute for Hollis' face. He appeared swinging an opened palm wanting to grab for Hollis' face. One grab was all Piedra needed. It wouldn't be a matter of just withstanding the attack and resisting the pain. If Piedra could grab and hold Hollis face, especially for 2 continuous minutes, Hollis wouldn't have a face anymore at all.

We shall see if he can keep up with my Roer y Escupir

Hollis continues to stand in silence as he watches Piedra transform. The arrancar begins to speak but at this point hollis isn't really even paying attention anymore. The only thing on his mind are the seconds within the last remaining minutes. Suddenly, piedra appears in front of hollis and his blood red palm grips his face. Hollis continues to just stand there as his face begins to burn from piedras technique. He mumbles a bit through piedras palm.


"That's three..."


a smokey scent can be smelled as hollis' face continues to burn.

The continued grasp of Piedra's hand on Hollis would cause the acidic touch to just eat away at Hollis. Standing there, taking it, would only allow the acid to build on itself and grow in intensity with each passing second that Hollis just stood there and let it eat away at him. Piedra's cocky expression turned into more of a suspicious wonder. Why would Hollis letting it go this far? How far would he let it go after this? Was he really that confident in his powers? Did he think so little of Piedra's power?

No matter what his trick is, takin' a attack like this will be his end. He should know that. Why's he still playin', then? What's up with this guy? For a 5th place he sure is good at games, Piedra's left hand lightly clenched and unclenched. As he held Hollis' face, Piedra swung his arm with his fingers extended straight out. He was going to ram his hand, using those sharp claws and the power behind that blow, to stab right through Hollis' abdomen. Hollis probably couldn't even see anymore. Piedra's hand was burning away everything in contact with them and a few milimeters away and, with the extended grab, it would be spreading further. Eyes, lips, the nose and the higher bones on his face would be the first to be eating away with the skin. Then, next, the muscle and the harder, sturder bones. Eventually, Hollis' brain and his entire head would be contaminated by the gluttonous acid and he would be killed.

As Piedra swung his arm he felt something.
Was it worry? Why was it this easy? Something was wrong. Even someone as confident and arrogant and proud as Piedra could tell when something was too freaking easy. Even if Hollis were outmatched from the start, why was he going through all this pain and agony for nothing? I ain't gonna chicken out yet! I ain't! Second thoughts were brewing, but Piedra fought them back, not wanting to be weakened by them. There was no way Hollis could win now! None! Piedra was sure! His face was melted! But why...Why!?'


Growing as he swung that jab to skewer Hollis and end this fight, Piedra hoped that he would finally just die or scream or...Well, something other than count!!!

Hollis continues to stand still as his face would appear to actually begin to melt. After piedra rams his hand into the captains stomach, he moves his now all but melted lips to say 'thats four'. As the last minute of the game creeps in and consequently inertia, so does a very faint but rapidly growing sound. At first it simply sounds like a rhythm-less mumbling, but as each second passes it sounds like something more. Suddenly, hollis' voice can be heard echoing inside of piedras head even though the shinigami's face seems to have completely melted away.

His True Power Revealed Exposed: The Mirror Man Reveals Himself

"hehehehmhmhm-aho-ahee-ahaa-ahaa. oh that's , that's funny boss. you act like you even have the option of chickening out..."


As soon as piedra swings his arm to stab hollis, it connects. but right after a slicing sound can be heard, two in fact. Soon after that, he smell of burning flesh accompanies the smell of smoke that presented itself just around a minute earlier. The sound from before grows louder and louder until it is clear what it is. It is an old song by the ink spots, ringing in the ears of hollis and piedra. Hollis continues to speak but at this point he appears to be continuously melting body whose face is mostly a bloody talking skull with a bit of muscle still attached in certain places.



"and that.is.5...Did you know that the Ink Spots first recorded for Victor Records in 1935, but although the group was growing rapidly in popularity their early record releases were not commercially successful. In 1936 Daniels left and was replaced by Bill Kenny. in that year they also appeared on the first NBC demonstration television programs. For the next two years, their popularity grew through radio programs and tours. After a series of unsuccessful recordings for Victor Records and Decca Records, they had their first smash hit with "If I Didn't Care", a song written by Jack Lawrence, that featured Bill Kenny, on Decca, in 1939. This song is called, ' I don't want to set the world afire'. It was never one of their most popular records but it's my personal favorite. Listen to how Jerry Daniels manages to exude a painful passion in the way he flawlessly belts the chorus. Truly classic..hey, Piedra..."


Hollis snaps his fingers at the arrancar to make sure he is paying attention and just as soon as he does, the melted corpse that was talking to him appears to be nothing more than a large tentacle that has all but melted into nothingness thanks to piedras acid. Piedra would also notice two arms burning in purple spiritual energy on the ground below by what appears to be hado number 54, haien, his arm stubs would also appear to be crispy from a burn. The next thing he would probably notice is the smoke from earlier, it is coming from a hole that would be perfectly placed at the center of his left lung. it would appear as though a strong hado number 4, byakurai has been shot through it. This was likely the smoke that could be smelled earlier. Piedra would appear to be bleeding a bi from this wound but that is not the most pressing matter. what is however, is the pneumothorax that would occur because of it. air would leak into the space between piedras lungs and chest wall. This air would push on the outside of his lung and makes it collapse. This would take around a minute to happen but around two minutes for the shortness of breath to occur. The attack was fired a little past three minutes into the game. By the time hollis finishes speaking, piedra would likely pass out from his body's inability to breath properly, coupled with the fact that the pain of all of this should be hitting him any minute and because of hollis' ability, it would be multiplied 4 times over.Piedra could probably still be saved if treated within the next several minutes or so but, who knows if the espada even have a medic with them. And the final thing that piedra would probably notice before likely falling into unconsciousness and possibly death, is the person standing behind the melted stump of a tentacle. Hollis Edwards. He appears to be mostly unharmed with a few minor burns here and there, just as he was at the start of this game.His other tentacles have blood at their tips. apparently, they are what went to cut off piedras arms after his final jab.


"Are ya listening?"



At this very moment, piedra is probably wondering how? How could he not see any of this happen? But the more important question is how could he not feel any of it? Well it's simple really. The moment piedra rushed in is the moment he became 'infected' with hollis' own 'acid' so to speak. Only instead of attacking the body physically, he did mentally. The arrancar didn't feel any of the attacks simply because hollis did not want him to. The game was never meant to give Piedra an advantage, but to allow hollis plenty of time to take him apart while taking his sweet time. The moment the demon from hueco mundo accepted this game, is the moment he sold his soul to the devil...

Kato finally arrives on the main battlefield and sees his mentor Hollis out of the corner of his right eye. He appeared to be confronting what appeared to be an arrancar, but it was impossible to tell from Kato's current position. He sped closer and was soon enough at Hollis' left hand side, facing what proved to be the suspected being. "Looked like you could use some help, Hollis," whispered Kato. Readying his zanpakutou, Kato looked at the arrancar in disgust, snorting as his face came to view.

"Remember, Hollis.... Electricity... Always electricity." Kato was positive that Hollis would know that he was referencing his several series of power ups that would prove useful in battle. Hollis and Kato were a deadly duo in battle, each complimenting the other one's overall talent and abilities. They meshed together well and could keep each other alive. Nearly impossible to overcome when together, Kato began to be filled with confidence. This arrancar wouldn't be anything to worry about.