Magnitude Nine Lives[Amaranta, Ojo]

Forming a significant distance between herself and that library, Amaranta observed her surroundings in full. Without any particular sense of direction, her eyes navigated the endless amount of burning buildings and horrified shinigami screaming in abject terror. From a civilian's point of view, this was a nightmare. From her point of view?

Ah, well, she supposed she didn't particularly feel any emotion, either way. In all realms, strength was the law of the land. From her observation, they lacked strength and now they were paying for it with their lives. Charging along the flaming path of destruction, paying no heed to the running civilians, Amaranta continued to burst forward like a shooting star, fierce azures seeking out a worthy foe among all the cowards.

Even if it amounted to little more than an appetizer, she wanted to fulfill some measure of her endless craving. Wherever glory may be, she would find it. All she needed to do was draw out an opponent worth their weight in gold. Now, then...

Who would be the first to step up?

"Finally, a challenger..."

One who was fast approaching. In the blink of an eye, the defender appeared at her back with the intent of settling this duel in an instant. Of course, Amaranta didn't come here to fade out like a harmless ember. There was glory to be had, battles to be enjoyed.

As such, at the moment Ojo flashed forward, Amaranta's arm rose up to meet her blade in mid-air. Turning her head around, she gazed down at the woman with a grin. From a quick observation, this cute lady had the eyes of a killer.

There was nothing but killing intent behind that strike just now. How exciting. No time for dialogue, eh? That suited her just fine. Without hesitation, she shot her arm forward to crash right into Ojo's midsection. She didn't exactly stand out regarding spiritual pressure, but Amaranta didn't mind that at all. Perhaps this bold woman could surprise her!

"Hahaha! Trying to end the battle already? Come now, cutie, I didn't come here to lose to a sneak attack like that! I much prefer dancing with my opponents face-to-face!"

"Heh! Well, aren't you a heavy hitter? Silent type, too. My favorite."

From the display of might alone, she could tell her opponent's strikes carried with them a significant force that couldn't be ignored. Amaranta idly wondered if that was an aspect of her zanpakuto or if she was naturally well-endowed in physical strength. Whatever the cause, as the ground is ruptured and shattered, a large piece of rubble is lofted upward and soaring toward her from above.

In response, she caught the large debris falling toward her, launching it toward Ojo without missing a beat. Of course, in doing so, she's likely left herself susceptible to another strike, but that was fine. Where would she strike from next? Like an apex predator observing their surroundings, her eyes darted around amidst the dust and clouds.

"Try again!"

The unpredictable offense was an impressive approach. The flying pieces of debris made it difficult for Amaranta to locate Ojo. Contending with each piece of rock that flew her way was hardly a strenuous endeavor, but the blade against her right side immediately told her that this was all merely a ploy to disrupt her senses.

Of course, when she shifted her body around, something felt decidedly off in her movement. It wasn't immensely crippling, but why was there an added heaviness to her frame all of a sudden? Summoning her zanpakuto in her free hand, she swung the claymore forward, generating enough force to create a crescent of flame, flying toward the woman at a breakneck pace.

"Hahaha! That's a cool trick! ! Show me more of that, short stuff!"

She was met with silence again, huh? Amaranta supposed that made sense. They were locked in intense combat right now, where a single misstep was not allowed. Of course, so far, Amaranta was making several due to sheer negligence. There were several strategies she could employ, but she naturally held back to see what this short warrior was capable of.

Currently, she was displaying swordplay that was far more precise and elegant compared to Amaranta's barbaric offense. Naturally, that meant Ojo's next technique, coupled with the way she performed it, allowed her to strike true as the blade slammed against her body a second time.

Again, there was that similar heaviness from before. Wondering about the nature of the blade, she grinned from ear to ear as she raised her finger forward during her temporary pause, firing off bala at a rapid pace. Launching a cero would take time, and Ojo's quickness was noteworthy enough for Amaranta to begin taking matters seriously. It was time to start stepping her game up.

"Impressive swordsmanship, little lady..."