Not a Mob: Psycho

After yielding to Ohta, Harribel, having reverted to her crop-top state, showed him to her fin-shaped palace. There, waiting on the massive balcony oriented toward the center of Las Noches, were three female Arrancar. The first was an inordinately slender woman with long, sleek, olive-green hair, long eyelashes, and lavender eyes whose half-mask and long-sleeved garments gave the impression of a serpent. The second was a tall, muscular woman with bronzed skin, wavy brown hair that flowed to the middle of her back, and an outfit reminiscent of an Amazon or a Greek warrior woman. The last looked like a slightly older version of Karin, giving the impression of a tomboy with a lean, athletic build and black hair that framed her face to her chin. More notably, her eyes were different colors, her right being ice blue and her left being muted brown, surrounded by a red outline. Her mask resembled the nose bone of a horse with a pointed horn growing out of it, while the muscular Arrancar's resembled a three-sectioned crown that followed the contours of her skull like a helmet.
While all three women glared at him, it was the tomboyish Arrancar who asked, "What's going on, Harribel-sama? Why did you bring this human boy here?"
Piggybacking off the shorter woman's words, the muscular Amazoness appended, "Yeah, isn't he the enemy? Just look at the robe he's wearing. That's the Royal Mantle of Lord Barragan."
"It's not just his robe I picked up," replied Ohta, whipping out the crown of Barragan from the cloak's interior, spinning it on the tip of his index finger.
Seeing Barragan's crown in Ohta's possession, the trio of female Arrancar became even tenser than they already were. Barragan may have been the Secunda Espada, but many believed him to be the most powerful entity in Hueco Mundo, sans Aizen.
"There is no reason to be afraid..." asserted Harribel, her voice calm and steady even though she didn't fully believe her words.
While staring at Ohta, Harribel gestured with her left hand toward the trio, revealing, "These are my Fraccion: Sung-Sun, Mila Rose, and Apacci. The four of us have lived together since before we became Arrancar..."
"Are you the only ones inhabiting this massive palace...?" asked Ohta, his senses probing the entire structure but only detecting the animalistic and insectoid Hollow that served as the fauna of Hueco Mundo.
Nodding her head, Harribel explained, "Female Hollows are rare and often become the victims or servants of more powerful male Hollows. With the exceptions of Lord Aizen, Coyote Starrk, and the deceased Lord Barragan, no males are allowed within my palace..."
"Guess that makes me an exception..." remarked Ohta, gazing at the trio while maintaining a relaxed posture. Each tensed as he did so, but only the snake-like woman averted her pink eyes, covering the lower half of her face with her inordinately long sleeve. The other two looked prepared to attack at a moment's notice...
Noticing Mila's and Apacci's hostility, Harribel crossed her arm, causing her perky brown breasts to stand out as she said, "Calm down, you two. Even if the four of us were to team up, our chances of victory are slim to nonexistent. As Lord Aizen appears to have forsaken us, I have chosen to yield without a fight. Do not provoke or antagonize him..."
"What does that mean for us?" asked the chocolate-skinned Mila, brows furrowed as she swallowed a knot that had formed in her throat. She had the most attuned instincts among the three Fraccion, so she didn't doubt Harribel's words when the latter asserted they couldn't defeat Ohta.
Following Mila's question, the slender Sung-sun questioned, "Is this man our new Lord and Master...?"
"That remains to be seen..." replied Harribel, directing a sidelong gaze at Ohta as she added, "My yielding was done to preserve our lives. As such, he will heed his instructions, but we will not fight at his behest. If he loses in the forthcoming battle, we will return to Lord Aizen's side as a matter of course..."
Interpreting Harribel's words to mean they just had to endure until Aizen killed Ohta, Sung-Sun, Mila Rose, and Apacci stared at their interim 'Lord' as if he were a dead man walking. Barragan's might was beyond standard comprehension, but Aizen had toyed with the former God-King of Hueco Mundo like he was a child. Even if Ohta was able to defeat the latter, they couldn't imagine 'anyone' defeating Aizen...
Noticing the change in the trio's gazes, Ohta raised his brows and asked, "What's with the vengeful looks? Last I checked, I haven't done anything to piss you off or upset you..."
Shifting his gaze to Harribel, Ohta added, "If anything, you should be thanking me. If I weren't conscientious about preserving the balance between the three realms, you and your Mistress would be dead now."
Nodding her head, Harribel replied, "For that, I am grateful. However, as your very existence has forced us into a perilous position, it's difficult to be truly thankful. After all, the only reason you're sparing us is to avoid an influx of Hollows invading your world..."
Shrugging his shoulders, Ohta offered a curt, "Fair point," before holding up his right hand and explaining, "Now, to ensure you can't stab me in the back or target the people I care about, I'm going to drain your energy and confine you within this cloak. You will be free to move around once inside, but if you cause any trouble, I'll eject and kill you. Any questions?"
"What do you mean by draining our energy?" asked Harribel, narrowing her eyes in suspicion.
"I won't be 'stealing' your power if that's what you're thinking," replied Ohta. "I'm only going to drain your Reiryoku, leaving you in a weakened but otherwise uninjured state. I might drain you a second time before my battle against Aizen, but you'll recover in a few days."
"And how do we know you won't kill us the moment we're vulnerable?" asked Mila, appending, "And what's to stop you from simply keeping us prisoner, draining our power at your leisure?"
"You don't, and nothing at all," admitted Ohta, shrugging his shoulders as he added, "However, unlike the cunt preventing you from teaming up to stop our invasion force from slaughtering you, I keep my promises. You're free to doubt me, but since I won't be depriving you of the freedom to move about, you can just kill yourselves if it looks like I'm going to betray you. I imagine that's better than living as a battery."
"..." x3 (Sung-Sun, Mila Rose, Apacci)
Nodding her head, Harribel responded with a curt, resolute "Very well..." before approaching Ohta, positioning herself in front of him. Their heights were an identical 175cm, so the two stood at eye level for several tense moments, Harribel's aquamarine eyes staring intently into Ohta's as if she were trying to peer directly into his thoughts.
"Then, pardon me..." said Ohta, extending his hand to touch the center of Harribel's chest. Her body tensed ever so slightly as he did, but she stood silent and resolute with crossed arms, offering no resistance as she felt a powerful suction depleting her Reiyroku at a startling rate.
Raising his brows, Ohta remarked, "Jeez...you have an insane amount of Reiryoku..."
"Is that a problem...?" asked Harribel.
Shaking his head, Ohta answered, "Not really. It's just surprising, that's all. The last time I encountered a 'sea' of Reiryoku like this, I was facing the Captain of Squad 11, Zaraki Kenpachi..."
As Harribel's hair gradually lost its golden sheen, gaining an ashen hue, Ohta retracted his hand, asserting, "That should do for now. You might feel fatigued, but your body is unharmed, right?"
Nodding in affirmation, Harribel turned to face her Fraccion, stating, "If this is the extent of what he has planned for us, it won't be a problem. Come forward..."
As Sung-Sun, Mila Rose, and Apacci reluctantly stepped forward, Ohta shook his head and said, "That won't be necessary. I don't view these three as a serious threat, so I won't drain their power. Just don't blame me if they try anything and have to suffer the consequences..."
Furrowing her brows, Mila asked, "Are you trying to say we're weak...?"
Turning to meet the dark-skinned woman's gaze, Ohta casually replied, "Compared to most, you're pretty strong. However, compared to me, your Mistress, and those who stand near the pinnacle of the three realms? You wouldn't be able to flaunt your so-called 'strength' without the backing of someone much stronger..."
Clicking her tongue, Mila crossed her arms under her sizeable breasts and averted her green eyes in vexation. Her Hollow form resembled a maned lioness with brown skin, dark fur, and a golden mask, so she was naturally a very proud woman. Being called weak by a 'scrawny brat' pissed her off, even if Ohta was much, much stronger than her...
Guiding the conversation back on track, Harribel asked, "What now? You mentioned confining us within your cloak..."
"Yeah, that looks something like this," replied Ohta, extending his hand to touch the crown of Harribel's head. Her hair was cold and bristly, but that wasn't all that important as she abruptly vanished, causing her Fraccion's eyes to widen until she promptly reappeared.
While raising her hand to calm Sung-Sun, Mila Rose, and Apacci, Harribel asked, "Was that the cloak's interior? I noticed there were two Shinigami, an unfamiliar Arrancar, and a large flame present..."
"Consider them your wardens," replied Ohta, refusing to elaborate further. "But, before I detain you, show me where you keep your food, water, and other supplies. I'm hungry."
"..."
Turning her attention to Fraccion, Harribel instructed, "Sung-Sun, you will prepare a meal for four. Mila Rose, Apacci, you will gather wine, food, and other essential goods and supplies..."
"While you're at it, grab enough bedding, blankets, and pillows for six-to-ten people," added Ohta. "I'm only planning to detain you for two to three days, but depending on how things play out, it could be longer. Sleeping is a good way to pass the time."
"You heard him," appended Harribel. "Now, go, and be swift about it..."
Though they weren't too enthused by having to follow Ohta's commands, the trio of Arrancar immediately obeyed when instructed by Harribel. As a result, she and Ohta were abruptly left alone on the balcony, a temperate breeze causing their hair and clothes to rustle as Harribel looked back to ask, "At the risk of sounding impudent...do you have any intentions toward my Fraccion or me?"
Understanding what Harribel was referring to, Ohta raised his brows and replied, "Not in the way you're thinking. My future wife is inordinately keen on having me 'experiment,' but I doubt she would be comfortable with me crossing the line with a Hollow, Arrancar or otherwise..."
"I see..." replied Harribel, promptly falling silent as she stood with her arms crossed. Her penetrating gaze caused Ohta to feel uncomfortable, but it didn't show on his face. Instead, he sported a relaxed, ostensibly amused smile, allowing the silence to persist for several seconds before turning his face into the breeze, closing his eyes, and enjoying the feeling of the wind blowing through his hair and the canine ears atop his head. Curiously enough, Harribel emulated his actions, giving off a markedly more 'mysterious' aura due to her high collar and the mask covering the lower half of her face...
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After introducing Rukia, Orihime, and Karin to Harribel and her Fraccion, Ohta enjoyed the surprisingly delectable food prepared by Sung-Sun, albeit after making sure it wasn't poisoned. Throughout the meal, Harribel revealed what she knew of Las Noches and the other Espada, providing a detailed account of their abilities and personalities. More importantly, she revealed the location of Karin's body. It had been entrusted to Barragan's former 'Royal Chief Scientist' who, after Aizen's appropriation, became the Octava(8th) Esapada and 'Head Researcher' of the Arrancar...
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(A/N: I'm already well over quota for the month, so chapters will be intermittent for the next couple of days as I play the Diablo IV Beta with some mates (O 3 O). Also, daily reminder that Not a Mob: Psycho is NOT a harem novel...)

Unaware that he had been marked for death, a tall, thin, bespectacled Arrancar with shoulder-length pink hair and bangs to the right side of his face couldn't help smiling as he gazed through the eyepiece of a uniquely 'organic' microscope.
Though he had been instructed not to conduct any experiments before the preservation period had expired, that didn't stop the Octava Espada, Szayelaporro Granz, from taking tissue, follicle, and other samples from Karin's body, suspended naked in a tank of glowing green liquid.
"So this is what the DNA of a Quincy looks like..." mused Szayelaporro, analyzing Karin's genes with an ease that would make scientists in the Human World foam at the mouth like a pack of Saint Bernards with late-stage rabies.
"How truly fascinating. To think cells could exist in a state of quantum superposition, both physical and spiritual, concurrently. With their innate ability to absorb Reishi, they should have attained biological immortality, yet even in a state of suspended animation, their cells continue to divide and decay. Could they be impervious to temporal phenomena? To what end...?"
Shaking his head, Szayelaporro muttered, "No matter. This specimen is far too precious. With such a uniquely dualistic constitution, her womb could serve as a bridge between the spiritual and physical planes..."
Though it might not matter if Aizen succeeded in his goal of becoming a God, Szayelaporro grinned at the notion of invading the so-called 'Human World' with an army of Hollows given physical form.
At present, even the most powerful Vasto Lorde-turned-Arrancar could only stay in the human world for a few hours before their power began to deplete rapidly, leaking from the hole in their bodies. With a physical body to serve as a container, they should be able to stay as they want, leisurely consuming the billions of humans and creatures that called it home.
Eager to test his hypothesis, Szayelaporro used a microscopic needle to extract the nuclei from ten of Karin's egg cells before implanting five with somatic cells harvested from her body and the rest with genetic material procured from the other Espada. He was tempted to 'rebirth' himself, but he wanted to perform a few experiments first.
After placing the first five eggs into pitcher-like sacks filled with a dark purple liquid, Szayelaporro attempted to implant the genetic material he had harvested from the former Tres Espada into the sixth. However, when the genetic material was introduced into the egg, the petri dish containing it exploded, releasing vaporous steam.
Furrowing his brows, Szayelaporro repeated the experiment with the remaining eggs, each bursting without fail. To make matters worse, the growth medium he was using to accelerate the development of Karin's clones had started to bubble, nearly boiling over as the contents within hissed like acid atop a hot pan.
Undaunted by his failure, Szayelaporro held a small microphone up to his mouth, stating, "As expected, the subject's egg cells reacted adversely to the introduction of Hollow somatic cells. It would appear that, even at the cellular level, Quincies reject the very existence of Hollows..."
Setting aside the microphone, Szayelaporro grinned evilly as he mused, "It's fortunate that I happen to have the perfect sample on hand to try my next experiment~."
Retrieving a silver test tube labeled 'Tribrid Specimen 001' from a cold storage compartment, Szayelaporro slowly thawed its contents before extracting a small amount of carmine liquid. Then, using the eggs he had prepared during the thawing process, he implanted the somatic material into its center without incident.
"Marvelous..." muttered Szayelaporro, placing the fertilized egg into the growth solution before readying the next. The solution began to hiss as it had during the previous experiments, but Szayelaporro expected this. He simply wanted to confirm it wasn't viable before moving on to something else.
Placing the newly prepared egg cell in a tank similar to the one preserving Karin's body, albeit much smaller, Szayelaporro filled it with a mitogenic nutrient solution before increasing the internal pressure to stimulate cell division. He generally used this method to produce limbs and replacement organs when full-body cloning was simply a waste of resources, but there was no reason it couldn't work on a fertilized egg and embryo.
Matching Szayelaporro's expectations, though he would never admit to anything exceeding them, tiny bubbles began to form with the glowing blue solution. When he checked on it twenty minutes later, a tiny speck, roughly the size of a vanilla bean seed, could be seen floating near the center of the tank. Twenty minutes later, it had practically 'exploded' to 6mm in length.
Convinced the method was working, Szayelaporro prepared nine more tanks, four containing the embedded cells of Tribrid Specimen 001 and the remaining five using Karin's somatic cells. Once he had viable clones to work with, he could experiment without jeopardizing the integrity of the original sample. At the rate the clones were gestating, he would only need four and a half hours to prepare them and an additional 2-3 days to make the most promising samples 'experimentally viable.'
"Master Szayelaporro! Master Szayelaporro~!" exclaimed a pair of fat, spherical Arrancar with matching features, the only notable difference being their hairstyles. One had a black ponytail, while the other had two pigtails protruding from the back and sides of their hemispherical, broad-mouthed heads.
"What is it?" asked Szayelaporro, staring at the nearly identical Arrancar with annoyance and disgust. He hated having his experiments intruded upon. Even more so when he was required to step away from them for a pointless meeting or something similar...
"Lady Harribel has arrived!" revealed the male Arrancar, Verona, followed by his female counterpart, Lumina, exclaiming, "And she brought the man who killed Lord Barragan...!"
Hearing the duo's exclamations, the pupils of Szayelaporro's amber eyes contracted. He and Harribel weren't on good terms(for many reasons), but her arrival alongside Ohta could only mean two things. She had betrayed the Espada, or she was being manipulated in some way to do the latter's bidding. Either way, it wasn't good for him.
"Dammit...!" exclaimed Szayelaporro, slamming his fist into the tank he was standing next to, shattering it to pieces and causing its contents to spill across the floor. If he had more time, he could have given Ohta one of the clones, and he would be none the wiser. Now, unless he wanted to die, his only options were to hand over Karin's body or retreat, fleeing far from Las Noches to his secret laboratory in the South. The problem with that was Aizen. If he ran away before the final battle, the wannabe deity would likely condemn or ridicule him...
Before Szayelaporro could decide on the best course of action, a tremor caused the glassware in his laboratory to shudder, followed by the floor beneath him abruptly lurching upward like an elevator.
"What the hell...!?" exclaimed the pink-haired Arrancar, pushing aside Lumine and Verona as he rushed to his monitoring station to see what was happening. To his surprise, the external cameras showed that his entire palace was being lifted into the sky, one of them zooming in on the image of a grey-haired Harribel and a dark-haired figure wearing a familiar cloak.
"What is he doing...?" wondered Szayelaporro aloud. Ohta's ability to lift his palace into the air wasn't too surprising, at least, that's what he told himself, but he couldn't fathom what the monstrous human was hoping to achieve. It wouldn't kill him even if Ohta dropped the palace from the canopy of Las Noches.
Furrowing his brows, Szayelaporro speculated, "Could he be trying to destroy the Quincy girl's body? Or is this his way of compelling me to relinquish it without a fight...?"
Receiving his answer, Szayelaporro could hear the metal and stone in his palace begin to groan under intense pressure. At the same time, his hair and clothes began to be drawn toward the wall behind him, followed by everything that wasn't held down 'falling' in the same direction. It was like the direction of gravity had reversed, causing Szayelaporro's amber eyes to widen as he drew his Zanpakuto, holding it aloft like a sword swallower as he shouted, "Sip...!" before inserting it into his throat...
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"Are you sure about this?" asked Harribel, his expression and tone calm, borderline apathetic despite the awe she was experiencing.
"If this guy is anything like what you've described, there's no way we can be trusted to return Karin's body without implanting a trap or pulling some trick," replied Ohta, gradually closing his hand as he added, "Besides, we have the means to provide her with a replacement, so there's no reason to put ourselves at a disadvantage acquiring the original..."
Sensing a sudden burst of Reiatsu from within the crumbling palace, Ohta caused Harribel to shudder as he adopted a toothy, unabashedly sadistic grin and increased the rate at which he closed his hand. Unfortunately for Szayelaporro, Ohta's psychic crush worked by extending an invisible mass of psychic energy from his body rather than trying to interact with it from a distance. This made it easy to dodge, but escape was nearly impossible once you were trapped within.
Breaking through the walls of his palace with Karin's tank enveloped in his weird wings, Szayelaporro attempted to flee into the sky but smacked his head into Ohta's dense psychic membrane. As he did so, a repulsive force radiated through his body like a shockwave, damaging his internal organs and spreading to Karin's tank, causing the interior fluid to become crimson as her body ruptured violently.
("It's a good thing the people inside the cloak can't see what's going on outside...") thought Ohta, discarding his sadistic grin for a markedly more serious, resolute look. Szayelaporro appearing with Karin's body in tow was all the confirmation he needed to know the pink-haired Arrancar was up to something, so he used Harribel's tremendous Reiryoku to empower his psychic crush further. As a result, Szayelaporro's massive laboratory, initially resembling a green dome with multiple lesser domes on top, went from 2500m in diameter at its base to a dense, white-hot sphere of Reishi fewer than 50m across.
Exhaling
As Szayelaporro's Reiatsu had disappeared long before the sphere took its final shape, Ohta exhaled a contented sigh as he allowed the white-hot mass to plunge into the sands of Las Noches below, its heat and density causing it to sink like an iron ball into ice, making a loud hissing sound as a plume of liquefied glass erupted from the hole it produced.
Turning to Harribel, Ohta regained his smile, asking, "I trust you won't be missing him...?"
Shaking her head, Harribel replied, "Among the Espada, Szayelaporro was the most likely to invite trouble to Las Noches, regardless of the outcome of your and Lord Aizen's battle. His death serves the interests of all three realms..."
"Then let's keep up this momentum," said Ohta. "Tell me which Arrancar and Espada you believe should be spared and which you think should die. You and that coyote bastard are likely to rule this place after everything is said and done, so I'll do you a favor by helping you eliminate anyone who might oppose you. Then, assuming I drag Aizen's face through the dirt, you can return the favor by letting me use this place as a vacation home and training venue. Sound fair?"
"..."
Though she doubted Ohta's ability to defeat Aizen, even after witnessing his nigh-incomprehensible display of power, Harribel eventually nodded in affirmation, answering, "Very well. Our&ndash;I mean, your next target should be Nnoitra Gilga, the Quinto Espada. He is a violent and egotistical individual who can't stand to be beneath others, especially women. He ignored Lord Aizen's order forbidding internal conflicts among the Espada. And, despite being spared by her several times, he eventually managed to land a sneak attack on the former Tres Espada, Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck, leaving her in a state arguably worse than death..."
"Sounds like a cunt," replied Ohta, his expression and tone dismissive as he didn't care about Nnoitra's or this Nelliel woman's past. He might get Orihime to heal the latter if she was still around, but that wasn't on his list of priorities. He had a purge to perpetrate, so after Harribel pointed him in the right direction, Ohta returned her to the cloak's interior dimension and flew toward Nnoitra's palace at Mach speeds...
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(A/N: Boy be zoomin' (O 3 O). Also, just in case this is the only chapter today, here's your daily reminder that Not a Mob: Psycho is not a harem novel.)

"This is really convenient..." mused Ohta, unable to keep a smile from his face as he floated through the sky, ostensibly alone.
"That may be so, but we can't stay in here forever. We need opportunities to grow and gain experience," replied Rukia, her voice emanating from the interior of Ohta's cloak.
"And you will," assured Ohta. "It's just safer for me to move around alone. If I encounter an enemy I think you'd be a good match for, I'll let you out to have fun."
Hearing Rukia exhale from the interior of his cloak, Ohta's smile waned as he said, "I might be acting casually, but this isn't a game, Rukia. I don't want to inhibit your girls' growth, but with the world's fate hanging in the balance, it's best not to take risks..."
"That's why you should be preserving your strength," replied Rukia. "Your power isn't infinite, Ohta. Even if the remaining Espadas don't prove much of a challenge, facing former Captain Aizen with diminished strength isn't wise..."
"Then we'll take things nice and slowly," replied Ohta, landing atop one of the kilometer-tall crimson pylons before releasing the trio from his cloak's confines.
Blinking in surprise, Rukia asked, "Why did you eject us all of a sudden...?" while looking around.
"So we can take a break and discuss our next target," replied Ohta, taking the initiative to sit down. "We still have around twenty-two hours to locate Karin's body. I should be able to recover my depleted reserves within one, maybe two at most. Assuming Ichigo's group manages to take out at least one Espada, that leaves six locations for us to search, seven if we assume Aizen lied and hid Karin's body within the Tres Espada's palace."
Shrugging her shoulders, Karin contended, "You said it best. Recovering my body is pointless if that Aizen guy wins in the end. Even if you destroy the remaining palaces like you did that bone dude's, I don't really care so long as I get a replacement."
"That's fine with me," replied Ohta. "No offense, but I'm more concerned with Aizen and the top-ranking Espada. If we want to leave the scavenger hunt to Strawberry's group, our next target can be the Trest Espada, that golden-haired chick called Harribel, or whatever her name is."
"Are you sure that's wise...?" asked Rukia. "Even if we disregard former Captain Aizen's warning, Yoruichi-sama also advised against eliminating the three most powerful Espada. The presence of Vasto Lorde and other powerful Hollows function as a natural limiter to stop the rest from acting freely. Have you heard of the Menos Forest...?"
With no one responding, Rukia explained, "It's a vast, seemingly endless forest that's said to run beneath the entirety of Hueco Mundo. Bar a few exceptions, the majority of Hollows inhabit the Menos Forest, consuming and assimilating one another to produce Menos Grande, Gillian, and other varieties of Hollow. Those Hollows then move to the surface and establish territories, competing with one another and preventing others from rising."
"Then what's the problem?" asked Ohta. "Even if all the most powerful Hollows and Arrancar are eliminated, others will eventually rise to take their place."
"That is precisely the problem," replied Rukia. "Before becoming Adjuchas and evolving into Vasto Lorde, Hollows are creatures of instinct that only know how to survive and consume. Their fear of being devoured by those far more powerful than themselves is what compels most Hollows to live the bulk of their lives in the Menos Forest. If the surface were to abruptly become much safer than the forest, countless Hollow would migrate to it and, as a result, trespass into the Human World..."
"..."
Imagining millions, if not billions, of Hollows invading the human world, Ohta's desire to destroy Las Noches and eradicate every single Espada abruptly vanished. Instead, he smiled and said, "Then it's a good thing I swiped this pendant. With it, we should be able to capture and detain any critically injured Arrancar. Then Orihime can treat their wounds while you and Karin serve as wardens. Sound good?"
Nodding in affirmation, Rukia replied, "It's certainly better than killing all of them and unleashing a horde of Hollows on the Human World. Better yet, there is the option of forcibly capturing weaker Arrancar and allowing us to fight them within the cloak's pocket dimension. Then you won't have to worry about us being caught off guard or captured behind your back..."
"That's...not a terrible idea..." admitted Ohta. It was strange to imagine people battling within the cloak, but they had already verified that it was possible. The only downside was that any attacks used placed a burden on the person wearing the cloak, weakening its defensive properties and increasing the pressure on their body.
"Then we'll hang out here for a few hours so I can accumulate power," said Ohta. "After that, we'll go and capture the Tres Espada. She seemed fairly level-headed and cautious the last time we fought, so she might not even put up a fight once she realizes the difference in our power."
"Even if she does, you should extract her Reiryoku," stated Rukia. "Doing so will make her easier to detain and prevent her from freeing herself at a critical moment."
"It'll also make me more powerful," mused Ohta, liking the idea more and more. If he could capture and siphon the power of the remaining Arrancar, his chances of victory against Aizen would increase. That is, assuming his body could withstand the burden. Draining the energy from Rukia's Bankai had nearly destroyed his arm. If he drastically exceeded the limits of what his body could contain, he might explode...
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After taking a two-hour nap atop a soft cushion of psychic energy, Ohta, full of energy, streaked across the sky toward Harribel's palace, a large, fin-shaped structure primarily comprised of golden-hued stone. From a distance, it resembled an 1800m tall shark's fin protruding from the white sands of Las Noches, but there was a large 'balcony' protruding from the side, supported by two massive pillars.
Before Ohta could reach the fin-like palace, a familiar Reiatsu surged toward him, followed by Harribel appearing in a golden light. However, unlike when he had encountered her previously, she was bereft of her mask and high-collared crop top. In their place, she had on a bone-white choker that followed the contours of her body, splitting at her cleavage to form armored plates that covered her nipples but left most of her breasts exposed. Similar bone plating protruded from the base of her cleavage, resembling a chain of shark teeth that ran down the line of her stomach before disappearing into a Hollow hole above her womb. The rest of her outfit consisted of shadowy spats, a bony miniskirt, sleek bone greaves that formed points at her toes and extended past her knees, gauntlets that covered her forearms, extending past her elbows and having fin-like spikes on the back of her hands, pauldrons that covered her shoulders, framed her face, and had two fin-like protrusions resembling shark tails protruding from their backs. More importantly, in place of her short, stout, mostly hollow blade, she wielded a large, spear-like gauntlet resembling an elongated shark's tooth.
"Well, look at you," mused Ohta. "Did you change your outfit and get all dressed up just for me? Or is this your Resurreccion? If so, I have many questions..."
As an Arrancar's 'Resurreccion' typically had them revert to their original form as a Hollow, albeit with human features, Ohta couldn't imagine what Harribel must have looked like to appear even more human with it active. He wasn't complaining, as the golden-haired woman was a genuine feast for the eyes, but it was more than a little odd...
Seemingly ignoring Ohta's comment, Harribel remarked, "You defeated Barragan..." with a serious look on her face. Then, before he could offer a retort, she added, "What is it you hope to accomplish once all this is over? Even if you manage the impossible and defeat Aizen, your world will fall to ruin if the Menos and Adjuchas rampage..."
"Yeah, I've already received that lecture," replied Ohta. "As for what it is I hope to accomplish..."
Adopting a faint smile, Ohta revealed, "I simply wish to live in peace and protect the people and things I cherish. Power for any reason beyond that is just imposing your will on others..."
Not anticipating Ohta's response, Harribel fell silent for several seconds before responding with a faint, "I see...then, if I tell you where to locate what it is you seek, will you leave me and the things 'I' wish to protect in peace...?"
"That depends on you..." replied Ohta, crossing his arms as he stated, "If I had some kind of assurance that you 'wouldn't' invade the human world to aid Aizen, I'd turn around right now. Unfortunately, you wouldn't obey him if you didn't fear his power or believe in whatever promises he made. That leaves me with little choice but to capture and lock you away until all this blows over..."
Raising her brows ever so slightly, Harribel asked, "You didn't come here to kill me...?"
Shrugging his shoulders, Ohta responded, "You said it yourself. My world would fall to ruin if I just slaughtered you all. Besides, my only real beef is with Aizen. Once his bitch ass is out of the way, you and that coyote fuck can do whatever you want with this place. Though, now that I'm saying it aloud..."
Imagining himself as the ruler of Hueco Mundo, claiming Las Noches for himself, Ohta's smile faded, replaced by a serious expression. It certainly wasn't the worst idea. Rather, in the absence of Barragan, Hueco Mundo 'needed' a King. More importantly, the excess Reishi would allow him to grow much faster, and if any enemies appeared, he wouldn't have to hold back nearly as much as he did in the Human World...
Discarding such thoughts from his mind, at least until Aizen was defeated, Ohta became serious as he said, "For your sake, and the sake of all those you hold dear, I suggest you give up and sit the remainder of this conflict out. You know you can't defeat me on your own, and because of that cunt you've chosen to serve, neither you nor your kin will be receiving backup."
Furrowing her brows and lowering her gaze, aquamarine eyes reflecting the sands of Las Noches, Harribel seriously contemplated Ohta's words. If surrendering without a fight could guarantee her life and the lives of her comrades, it was certainly the best option. However, if Ohta were lying to get her to lower her guard, everything she wanted to protect would perish with her. Furthermore, even if he weren't lying, if he failed to defeat Aizen, she and her comrades would die regardless...
Seeing through the golden-haired Arrancar's thoughts, Ohta remarked, "If any of you truly mattered to him, he wouldn't have ordered you to stay put and guard your palaces. I mean, come on. The man's encouraging us to team up against you while you're expected to sit on your asses, waiting to be hunted and unable to aid your would-be companions. Do you honestly think he'll give a fuck about you or the things you want to protect once he becomes a God? He doesn't even care 'now'..."
"..."
Unable to refute Ohta's words, Harribel stared at her tooth-like weapon with a pensive expression. She didn't like fighting and strongly opposed the notion of killing others, especially to gain power. She only joined Aizen because he promised to restructure Hueco Mundo so that it wasn't merely a den of monsters senselessly slaughtering and devouring one another to get stronger. However, if he weren't willing to take action to prevent Ohta and his friends from slaughtering them, how could she possibly trust him to act in the interests of her and her people...?
Releasing her grip on her weapon, allowing it to fall to the sands below, Harribel raised her head to meet Ohta's gaze, her voice calm and deep as she said, "I yield..." in a resolute tone...
...
..
.
(A/N: Ohta's talk-no-jutsu is surprisingly effective...)

Chapter 84: Capitulation