Part 9: The Battle for Karakura, 2-6

All right! I won!!!

Hey, look at you now! You got exactly what you deserved!

Talk smack to me, will you? You see what happens, butterball?! You thought you were pretty damn smart, right? So, who's in charge now? You with your weird nose like a vacuum cleaner!

Huh?

Captain?!

Nhg...

Are you all right, Captain?! I mean, what have you gotten yourself into now?! Captain! From the look of things, you must be injured!

Shut up!

Oof!

Don't make such a big fuss over nothing. You're stifling me.

But Captain!

You done saying your farewell to that lousy lieutenant of yours?

Even if I should die fighting you, it would serve no real purpose for me to tell him goodbye.

Then let's get started.

Now that I think of it, I did tell you my name, but things have happened so fast I still don't know yours.

Hm.

You're in the way. What is this? You can't appear out of nowhere.

Hmph.

Who told you to come rescue me?

As I was fighting him, I was holding back because I wanted to gauge the strength of an Arrancar's Resurrección attack. I was merely preparing for my next battle against the Espadas.

Oh, never mind. I think I've seen enough of his limits.

Well, you...you... You don't have to put it like that!

I came on the double to rescue you, Captain, because I thought that you were going to be wiped out! What the hell-

Hrrroh!

Moron. My guess is that you were worried that if I was killed, then you supposed you would be next. That's why you came to help.

What if I had been killed? I never taught you to come to my rescue. Think. What did I teach you?

............

When one of us dies, that gives the other of us a chance to strike. Don't get in-between, stab them from behind.

If the enemy is too powerful for you to do even that, then abandon your fellow squad member.

That is the way of the Stealth Force.

............

Sorry to keep you waiting, Arrancar. Now, allow me to show you...

...a real assassination.

Wait, I take back what I just said. This'll end so quickly, you won't even notice it.

Don't you mock me!

Look you! I'll show you what true strength is!

Behold! Tigre Estoque's actual battle form! This is Tigre Estoque Sable!

Huh?!

Sorry.

Victims of my Suzumebachi are killed by the two stings that I deliver, but I'm betting you only felt one.