Chapter 192 ⥤ What Fine Words of Self-Righteousness
"Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck..." Akira read aloud, nearly tying his tongue in knots, "That's too troublesome — I'll just call you Nelliel."
Nelliel turned her head with a sweet smile, "That's fine, whatever makes you happy."
Her naturally kind personality led her to show the utmost goodwill to everyone she encountered.
"Oh Nelliel, as a knight of justice, surely you cannot bear to see evil beings who have abandoned righteousness in Hueco Mundo?" Akira sat comfortably on her sheep-like back, showing no intention of dismounting as he began his verbal manipulation.
Her back was covered in soft, dense fur that felt exquisite to touch — a paradise for any furry enthusiast. Even someone with ordinary tastes like him couldn't help but feel reluctant to leave.
Nelliel didn't mind his behavior.
In her view, this Shinigami had been directly attacked by a Vasto Lorde in Hueco Mundo and must be gravely injured. Even without visible wounds, his internal organs had to be in terrible shape.
With her strong sense of justice, she would never abandon anyone in need — even a Shinigami.
Nelliel harbored a grand ideal: to eliminate meaningless conflict from the world, especially the battles between Shinigami and Hollows. If she could help Shinigami change their views about Hollows by assisting them, perhaps that wouldn't be such a bad thing.
Hearing his words, her expression grew firm as she declared righteously.
"Of course! I shall never overlook those who neglect justice."
Akira grinned, "I just had a conflict with Harribel, that monster girl with the shark tail."
He then briefly recounted what had happened earlier.
"As an undoubtedly righteous character…" He sat up straight, puffing out his chest, "My teacher always taught me that I must carry out justice to the very end. This has nothing to do with identity or stance. I have made a grand vow to let Shinigami and Hollows live peacefully on the same land. Though this path is full of thorns, I am willing to fight for it all my life!"
Though their interaction had been brief, Nelliel's naive nature was obvious, and Akira believed that with his astounding wisdom, he could easily persuade her to his side.
After all, if someone as clever as Aizen had fallen for his sincerity, how much easier would it be with a simple-minded antelope?
Hearing this, Nelliel's gaze filled with curiosity, her gray-brown eyes brightening. She never imagined there would be a Shinigami who shared her thoughts, and with even loftier ideals.
Enemy races with different stances, living together on the same land — how magnificent!
Most importantly, she could see the pure sincerity in Akira's eyes, his words clearly coming straight from the heart.
How noble! Truly a role model for all!
"Nelliel, it's getting late." Akira made to dismount, "I should go find Harribel and the others. The first step in changing Hollows' views of Shinigami is showing them our goodwill. With reason and emotion, I'm sure I can convince them."
Nelliel paused, then shook her head, "That would be too dangerous. You don't understand the true strength of a Vasto Lorde. I can sense that Harribel's Reiatsu matches my own, and with their numbers, they could easily turn on you."
Akira frowned, "Well..."
"Let me protect you instead!" Nelliel continued, "I can tell you're different from other Shinigami, and your words ring with truth. I'll be your protecting knight!"
Akira grinned with delight, "Excellent, as expected of my chosen antelope girl! With you joining our cause of justice, we'll achieve twice the results with half the effort! Together, we'll break down these class barriers!"
Nelliel turned and carried him on her back, galloping toward Harribel and the others' Reiatsu.
Even without using Sonído, her incredible speed left afterimages across the silver sea — super acceleration being one of her innate talents.
Straddling her back with wind howling in his ears, Akira became an antelope knight charging toward his ideals.
This was entirely different from traveling alone. Rather than moving himself, he could simply sit while another moved — an exquisite difference only personal experience could reveal.
Under the moonlight, human and antelope-like being traced a long trail across the desert.
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Harribel, who had blown Akira away, didn't linger.
She knew well that even a direct hit with her full force wouldn't have seriously injured that monster — let alone just pushing him back with a shockwave.
The other three Hollows, sensing the urgency, followed Harribel without question as they fled into the distance.
But their respite was brief. Soon, two powerful Reiatsu signatures appeared behind them.
One was familiar — the monster Shinigami. The other, somewhat unfamiliar.
When Harribel glanced back, her heart sank.
Another Vasto Lorde. The half-human, half-antelope body glowed faintly like a firefly in the night sky, its hooves barely marking the sand.
"Kekeke, Harribel!" Akira's maniacal laugh rang out like a true protagonist's, "I told you — you can't escape my Godly Hand. Surrender and return with me!"
Nelliel glanced back at him curiously, wondering which part of him produced such villain-like sounds.
As the gap between them steadily closed, Akira waved his hand with grand flourish, like a general commanding troops on an ancient battlefield.
"Kill them, Nelliel!"
Nelliel unconsciously accelerated, while at the rear, tears welled in Sung-Sun's crystal-clear eyes. She couldn't fathom how a Shinigami could be more terrifying than a Hollow.
The sound of thundering hooves filled her with inexplicable panic. It wasn't Nelliel's presence that frightened her — it was the indelible psychological shadow that Akira had cast over her.
Dust billowed as golden Reiatsu erupted.
A Bala, charged with massive Reiryoku, shot forth. It grazed past Sung-Sun and the other Hollows' cheeks before hurtling toward Nelliel and Akira.
Nelliel faced the attack without a hint of panic. Gripping her double-headed spear, she thrust it forward with fierce precision.
The spirit bullet and spear collided in a violent clash. The shockwave exploded outward, but the spearhead instantly nullified the frontal impact.
As the dust settled, the unscathed pair materialized before Harribel and the other Hollows.
"Damn it." Apacci glared ahead, "What do you really want?!"
Akira dismissed her question with a wave of his hand, "When adults are talking, what right do you have to interrupt? Go play somewhere else."
Apacci's fury blazed — she yearned to gore this insufferable man with her antlers.
From his perch on Nelliel's back, Akira grinned at the wary shark Vasto Lorde, "Harribel, still won't accept my goodwill?"
Harribel: "?"
Where in the world have you shown even a bit of goodwill from start to finish?
Constantly talking about taking Sung-Sun back to Las Noches to help with your training — is this what you call goodwill?
Harribel raised her bone sword, her shark-like tail swaying with nervous energy. Golden Reiatsu enveloped her imposing figure, radiating intense pressure.
"I won't let you take Sung-Sun away."
The moment those words left her mouth, she exploded forward with incredible speed. Like a fired cannon, she vanished from her spot — a golden stream of light launching into a desperate attack.
Seeing this, Nelliel raised her double-headed spear, ready to engage.
"Leave this to me." Akira patted her antelope mask and dismounted.
Deep purple flames erupted as he charged forward like a falling meteor.
Nelliel's expression shifted, and before she could warn him to be careful, an extraordinary scene unfolded.
The golden light and deep purple flames collided in the desert ahead.
BOOM!
The terrifying impact rippled outward in all directions. Sung-Sun and the other Hollows caught in the blast staggered, their heads spinning and ears ringing.
As the shockwave dissipated, the human and Hollow emerged before everyone, locked in a deadly standoff.
Harribel swung her bone sword, breaking free from Akira's pressure. She aimed forward and struck down with devastating force!
A thunderous roar shook the void as dense smoke exploded outward, blotting out the sky.
As the apex of Hueco Mundo's food chain, Harribel remained an incredibly powerful force to be reckoned with.
Facing such a heavy strike, Akira finally drew his sword. A cold glint flashed under the moonlight, like another crescent moon rising in the desert.
The desolate moonlight reflected in Harribel's frightened eyes as his blade perfectly blocked her bone sword with a resounding clash of metal.
Hair-thin electric arcs burst forth from the crescent moon, spreading across the battlefield and turning everything in sight into a forbidden zone.
Harribel gritted her teeth, enduring the numbness and pain coursing through her body, her eyes blazing with defiance.
To protect her family, she would not fall here. She would not let Akira take any of them away.
With this firm resolve, her Reiatsu erupted once again — a golden pillar of light shooting skyward, dyeing the deep sky.
Unable to bear watching Harribel fight alone, Sung-Sun and the others attempted to join the battle. Even if they couldn't defeat Akira, they would create opportunities for Harribel.
But before they could move, a shadow fell over them as a double-headed spear pointed forward, emanating overwhelming pressure.
"Still want to continue defying justice?" Nelliel's tone grew cold.
"Hey, who exactly are you?!" Mila Rose, in her lioness form, roared, "Why are you siding with the Shinigami?"
"No, I'm siding with justice." Nelliel declared, "Justice knows no species!"
Hearing this, the three Hollows frowned, thinking this Vasto Lorde before them seemed somewhat unhinged.
"You're Sung-Sun, right?" Amidst their puzzled gazes, she looked toward the white snake, "Just now, Akira saved you from the Adjuchas' siege, but you repaid his kindness with betrayal — such behavior has abandoned justice."
Sung-Sun's eyes widened as she protested, "That guy wants to take me back to Las Noches — Las Noches!"
Nelliel tilted her head, "Did he say he would harm you?"
At these words, the three Hollows' breath caught.
They couldn't fathom this Vasto Lorde's reasoning. Why would she so easily trust a Shinigami? And such a brute at that!
"Stop wasting words with her." Apacci lowered her head, deer antlers pointing forward as red light gathered upon them.
Seeing this, the other two Hollows followed suit, beginning to charge their Ceros.
The three close sisters wouldn't just watch Harribel fight alone, even if their opponent was a Vasto Lorde above their level.
Three Ceros merged into one, becoming a powerful blast that tore through the silver desert, shooting straight toward Nelliel.
They didn't need to kill her — just wounding her would let them help Lady Harribel. At such close range, even a Vasto Lorde's Hierro defense couldn't possibly block it completely.
As they watched the red light engulf Nelliel, the three Hollows' hearts began to settle. But just as they prepared to aid Harribel, a shocking scene unfolded.
Under her antelope mask, Nelliel opened her mouth, took a deep breath, and absorbed all three powerful Ceros.
Looking at the frightened Hollows before her, Nelliel smiled slightly, then turned her head toward empty space and opened her mouth again.
An even more violent Cero blast erupted forth — more powerful than the three combined — becoming an unmatched pillar of light that roared across the desert!
BOOM—
The silver sea churned as sand waves miles wide shot skyward. A mushroom cloud rose ahead while fierce winds howled, sending shockwaves expanding in all directions.
The three Hollows stared in stunned disbelief.
Inconceivable — a Hollow who could absorb other Menos' Ceros!
No wonder her thinking differed from normal beings!
While Nelliel was subduing them, the battle between Akira and Harribel in the distance drew to its inevitable close.
As an unreleased Vasto Lorde, her power was limited. Even Baraggan, a half-released Arrancar, had fallen to Akira — her fate was sealed.
After dozens of exchanges, Akira casually tossed aside his Zanpakutō under Harribel's bewildered gaze. He raised his invincible iron fists and entered unstoppable mode.
Finally, the exhausted woman collapsed powerlessly, bound tight by his recalled Kūkan Mukai.
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