Hotaru laughed and replied to the arrancar saying; "I don't need to know your power, but from what can see it's pretty cool. It's too bad I can't just rip out your eyes and use it... could I?" Hotaru returned the arrancar's gaze. Those are some freaky eyes. "My rank, huh?" From the side of his haori, Hotaru pulled a badge- his substitute shinigami badge. "Like you", Hotaru declared, "I have no rank. I'm a substitute shinigami. I don't know what the hell you mean by 'rebirth', but I don't think it means what you think it means."

The word 'rebirth' was a strange word to use, and especially during a fight. Still, it wasn't the appropriate time for Hotaru to ask about it, so he stood up like a soldier, watching the arrancar's light show. Six new bodies appeared. This must be the arrancar's resurecion- a skill like the shikai, only different. This arrancar was strange, rather than just one form, he has six. It makes sense though, considering that a hollow at his level was supposed to be made up of a bunch of souls. This would have to mean that each body was only a fraction of the arrancar's full power.

Hotaru didn't like these odds. Six against one hardly seemed fair, though as a shinigami, he had to deal with it. He could call for help, but what fun would that be? Hotaru could only control one malefic sphere at a time, but he could still attack while using it. While the talking figure was distracted, the fist sized orb was flying straight at it. While that was happening, Hotaru readied his sword in both hands, and ran toward the closest arrancar split off, with the sword at his right side readied for a vertical slash.

Deva Path Pov

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Asura Path Pov.

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Human path Pov

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Animal path POv

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Preta path pov

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Naraka Path pov

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As the leader half dodged, Hotaru's malefic sphere dissipated. As soon as he noticed this, Hotaru stopped. Then, a bigger creepier looking guy- the one he was just attacking began to strike. Hotaru crouched down, holding his zanpakuto in front of him. If Hotaru's reaction time were slower, he may have died with half his body cut off. Good thing he dodged.

Hotaru jumped away from the creepy three faced arrancar, using shunpo to get away- the force of which should throw him off at least a little. While moving, he couldn't help but notice the one charging his attack. Maybe it was time for Hotaru to bring things up a notch, seeing his situation. He watched as a giant lobster thing appeared from thin air, the one changing the battle field a little, and as the really muscular one used his ability to teleport away- what a coward. Perhaps it was the main head?

It would make sense for Hotaru to attack the head first, and so he looked right at the big muscular one, and smiled. "Drip, Namidasuke!" A light shined like fireworks shooting form the collar of Hotaru's zanpakuto blade. The light covered the whole blade, and as it vanished, the sword took on more of a liquid property. The blade flowed like a torrent of water, the tip drooping down a little. The liquid isn't water, and though it looked like mercury, it wasn't that either. The blade was made of Hotaru's spiritual energy, strong enough that it took on a near semi-solid state. Hotaru pointed the blade at the muscle man and shouted, "blow shit up, Namidasuke!" The liquid compresses into a giant ball at the center of the blade, and in a split second, a burst of white energy shot from it. While he made the attack, he jumped upwards, hopefully dodging the slender man's cero.

An interesting discovery was made today. Before, Hotaru had no idea one could hold energy! Then again, the arrancar seem to have a lot of wierd tricks Hotaru didn't know. He could recall the Seireitei mentioning something called a 'hierro'- Spanish for iron. Apparently it made the arrancar 10 times tougher than they actually look, though from the looks of these guys, it wasn't too much. Hotaru, without his own hierro skin, could not hold energy, and therefore could not catch the bala. His blade, however could.

Swinging the sword like, a whip, Hotaru was able to parry the energy ball, making it just long enough to hit the arrancar charging his attack. It would seem that he would hit the wrong target. Not noticing the arrancar speeding right toward him, Hotaru spun around, about to his a target he wasn't even aiming for! Of course, that's for faith to decide.

Out of his peripheral, he saw a hundred of the little energy balls speeding right toward him. He had no other choice but to use his own speed attack, launching himself upward with some sort of invisible canon using shunpo. His sword, yielded to physics, swinging toward the two arrancar.

Hotaru watched in surprise as he saw the attack being charged. His eyes widened. While Hotaru could have used his Kuso no Bakuha, he couldn't, having already been drained using it once. Thinking fast, Hotaru had no other choice but use his kido. "Malefic sphere!" A large box made from white energy surrounded Hotaru, protecting him. While he could feel blood drinking from the side of his neck, he knew he was safe from certain death, having blocked the full blown gran rey cero, also protecting the building he stood on.

He pulled the blade from his flesh with his left hand, and cracked his neck, throwing the blade back to its owner at the same time the barrier shattered. Hotaru groaned, and said "that didn't hurt too bad", then grasped the blade in both hands once again. He placed his zanpakuto near his waist, then swung it upward toward the human path arrancar. "Prepare your anus!" He yelled.

All six figures disappeared. each blade landing on the ground and firing back to the figure on the building beside the shinigami. The blades went back into his sleeves. He was smirking, thinking he ended the fight with that cero he just blasted. He did not see the shinigami come up, slashing his blade. The blade pierced his right shoulder, cutting into his lungs and hollow hole. His eyes went blank. Blood dripped from his mouth and chin. the once cocky arrancar was now slain. "You...You cannot possibly have done it.." He said with blood gushing more and more with each word that passed his lips. His eyes went down to the blade that struck him down. "My life ends at the hand of this fake shinigami? What has thsi come to? No one has survi.." his voice dies out. His eyes roll to the back fo hsi head, as he falls into a building. falling through floors, tearing the building from the inside.

Hotaru was unable to move, far too exhausted, and still hurting from all the bleeding. It felt strange to be bleeding, yet also a spirit. "Alright Namidasuke, you did good", Hotaru sighed, as his blade drowned in a white light, returning to its normal, sealed state. The building crumbled with the dying arrancar. It ended somewhat anti-climatically though. Hotaru expted at least some insight on life, like in one of Shakespeare's plays. It would be assumed one could not speak as they died, but Hotaru could clearly hear sounds from the body.

The building had finished crumbling, and fortunately in its own shadow. It was an abandoned building so the soul society must not care so much, and it was old anyways, not like anyone would really care too much. Hotaru tried to limp upward, carrying his sword, using the blade as a walking stick. He found his way to his zanpakuto's sheath, and put it back, holstered to his waist.

Hotaru having seemed to be the victor, he limped off back to his human body, then to declare his victory to the Seireitei. IT seemed as though the arrancar got his much needed rebirth though. He would return as a human soul, at least assuming he was good in his past life. Having wandered on the thought, Hotaru continued, pondering his next fight.

/thread