An Old Rivalry [Ulquiorra vs Grimmjow]

Ulquiorra Cifer
"What is the heart?"

Ulquiorra watched as his attack was blocked, although not entirely, by the former sexta. Grimmjow was most certainly strong, and definitely stronger than he had been the last time Ulquiorra had fought him.

Ulquiorra had heard the beginning of Grimmjow's release in the past. Hell, four hundred years ago he had stopped Grimmjow from releasing his zanpakuto in a fight against Ichigo Kurosaki, Rukia Kuchiki, and a vizard who Ulquiorra did not know. He had not, however, heard the name of Grimmjow's zanpakuto, nor had he seen the sexta's release. He was witnessing it now, and Ulquiorra was impressed with the reiatsu level coming off of his old rival.

Suddenly, Grimmjow had attacked. The former sexta moved at a speed Ulquiorra didn't even think possible from him, and had swiped with his claws. Ulquiorra raised an arm to block the swipe, his hierro absorbing most of the damage, but the claws slicing into his arm. Ulquiorra turned, watching as the kick flew towards him, and quickly managed to sonido back out of the range of the kick. Immediately after the kick had passed him, Ulquiorra flexed his hand again, another acid green lance forming in his hand which he promply stabbed at Grimmjow with, aiming directly for Grimmjow's spine.

"What is the heart?"


Ulquiorra's eyes widened in surprise. Grimmjow blocked his lance with only a swipe of the arm? Even Ichigo had to fire off a getsuga tensho during their final battle to counteract his lance.. What kind of strength did Grimmjow have?

Ulquiorra tsk'd, there was no way he could beat Grimmjow in close-quarters combat. He really only had one option. Gain some ground, and make some distance between them. He saw the arm coming at him and he calmly raised his arm, batting it to the side. The cero coming at him unexpected, and catching him off-guard. It hit him full from the front, burning him badly and sending him flying back across the desert. He laid there in the sand for only a moment before standing. He knew what he had to do.

"Grimmjow, tell me. Do you fear me, as I know you once did?" He said, his tone unrevealing. He knew that he had to finish this, but Grimmjow needed to answer that question first and foremost.

"What is the heart?"

Ulquiorra sighed as Grimmjow responded. So the sexta had never feared him. Was that it? Had Grimmjow really never had any fear, or apprehension, about him? Ulquiorra had no idea how anyone could be that foolish. Ulquiorra had obviously been Grimmjow's superior in power four-hundred years ago. It was a fact that was undeniable. How much stronger he was exactly, was unknown, as Grimmjow said, they had never truly fought.

Ulquiorra shook his head slowly, "I refused to fight simply because I did not want the blood of Lord Aizen's pet on my hands." He regarded Grimmjow coldly, glaring at the former sexta. "That is all you were, you realize that, correct? You were his pet, an amusement. That is all you were, it is all you would ever have been. He trusted you with nothing after you so recklessly came to the human world, twice, for an agenda other than Lord Aizen's. The first you were punished for. The second time you came here, you were missing an arm. The beating you received from Ichigo Kurosaki's hollowfication, and that other masked being, were enough punishment for that outing." Ulquiorra continued, "Did you really believe you could surpass him? Kill him? And I don't just mean Ichigo Kurosaki, Lord Aizen as well. Both were far superior to me in strength, and therefore superior to you by default. I have heard much about the end of the winter war, and Ichigo Kurosaki proved to be Lord Aizen's superior in strength. Even the power of the Hogyouku could not stop Ichigo Kurosaki. How could you have ever hoped to? You are nothing but an animal." Ulquiorra sighed, and then spoke the words that he knew would hit Grimmjow the hardest, after years of hearing the Sexta's aversion to the words he was about to use. "And I pity you."





Suddenly, Ulquiorra's spiritual pressure ripped through the air around him. The clothing of his released form ripping away from his body and his cold glare directed at Grimmjow as the black mass engulfed him. Green clouds of what appeared to be smoke spilled over the ground in all directions, and the very air seemed to resonate with the denseness of Ulquiorra's released spiritual pressure disappearing. The black mass covered Ulquiorra, hiding him from view, for what could have seemed like an eternity. Finally, the blackness disappeared. Revealing a form that Ulquiorra had only once before used in combat. While he had retained his black wings, his long white coat is now gone, revealing a more defined musculature with his chest bare and Hollow hole dripping black, blood-like liquid. His waist has become covered in something similar to black fur, which also covers his arms and legs. His fingers have grown claw-like extensions and his feet have become like talons. The irises of his eyes have turned yellow while the sclera has become green. The tear-like marks under his eyes have increased in size and turned black. Ulquiorra's mask remains have reformed into two long horns, and the #4 Espada tattoo is no longer visible on his chest. Along with this comes a long and thin tail, with what appears to be a tuft of black fur on the end.

Ulquiorra took a step forward, the full force of his now immensely dense spiritual energy coming down like a boulder on the surrounding area, sand flying everywhere. He looked at Grimmjow, his eyes full of the will to finish this. "Grimmjow, you will regret challenging me to this fight." He said before immediately throwing himself forward, using his spiritual energy to kick off in Grimmjow's direction, his wings guiding him. He flew directly towards Grimmjow, aiming his clawed hand for the former sexta's face before sonidoing with blinding speed to the left of the sexta, keeping his hand's momentum towards the side of the sexta's head. An old strategy from his battle with Ichigo Kurosaki. If it worked, he would have grabbed grimmjow's head and pulled him, throwing him into the desert as Ulquiorra flew into the air and reassessed his strategy. If Grimmjow dodged, Ulquiorra would simply sonido high into the air to avoid any counter-attack for now.

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[Epic Score - End of it All]