Not a Mob: Psycho

"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...
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(A/N: Ohta's talk-no-jutsu is surprisingly effective...)

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...)

"That was easier than expected..." remarked Ohta, drawing Barragan's ax, pendant, and crown toward him to get a closer look. He had used up most of the mental and spiritual energy he had been stockpiling since his arrival in Hueco Mundo, but he expected a being that had survived for more than a million years to have more trump cards...
"Hmmmm..."
Sensing traces of mental energy within the as and crown, Ohta wisely decided against trying them on. Zanpakuto and spiritual items such as Orihime's flowery hairpins could house the consciousness of Spirits, so Barragan's 'will' could live on within the two objects. Phenomena such as possession and curses were a thing, so Ohta created a barrier around the two objects before inspecting the eye-shaped pendant.
"What the hell is this thing...?" muttered Ohta, curiously inspecting the pendant from every angle. It resembled gold at a glance, but rather than a physical object, it was like a mass of Reiryoku. The 'ruby' representing the iris and pupil of the pendant was even more curious. It seemed to be 'exuding' Reiryoku, almost like a radioactive material producing energy as it decayed...
Since he didn't sense any traces of mental energy within the pendant, Ohta only hesitated briefly before trying it on. It was much heavier than normal gold, but he had no trouble enduring its weight as a cloak similar to the one worn by Barragan formed around him, replacing his billowing black hoodie with a two-layered robe of black and purple.
Though he felt a strong pressure enveloping his body, similar to being submerged deep within a pool of frigid water, Ohta's brows perked up as he felt Reishi from his surroundings flow into it, condensing into a thick veil of Reiryoku that both protected his body and allowed him to replenish his reserves by absorbing it into his body...
"Damn, with gear like this, it's no wonder he was able to rule over Hueco Mundo for so long..." remarked Ohta, a toothy grin developing across his face. He had been a fairly avid gamer before being drafted, so he equated the pendant and cloak to acquiring a Legendary or Unique-grade item in a dungeon crawler. If he could purge the remnant mental energy within the ax and crown, it could even become a set...
Turning his attention to said artifacts, particularly the ax, Ohta pondered for a moment before shaking his head and flying in the direction of Rukia, Orihime, and Karin. Having to carry the two objects around in a psychic barrier was annoying, but discarding them seemed like a waste. He also figured they might scare the piss out of any other Espada who saw them. If nothing else, they should at least get a rise out of Starrk...
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Seeing Ohta return with what they assumed were his war trophies, Rukia, Orihime, and Karin each exhaled sighs of relief. His newly acquired cloak made him look fairly terrifying, especially with the crimson glow from his eyes, but the pointed, somewhat fluffy ears protruding from his head did a lot to offset his intimidation factor.
Though she intended to be the first to greet Ohta after he touched down, Rukia lost the opportunity when Karin, aquamarine eyes glistening, rushed toward him and exclaimed, "Holy crap, Ohta! I knew you were strong, but that was on another level! And that cloak! So freakin' cool...!"
Exhaling a soft chuckle, Ohta extended his hand to ruffle Karin's hair, but something unexpected occurred. The moment his hand touched her head, she abruptly vanished, a faint warmth appearing within his cloak.
"What the heck!? Who turned out the lights!? And what's with this massive flame...!?" exclaimed Karin, her voice echoing with a ghostly reverberation from within the shadowy mass of Ohta's cloak. From her perspective, she was standing atop what looked like a black body of water, surrounded by darkness except for a colossal, tri-colored bonfire that cast a shimmering reflection on the lake's surface with its pink, blue, and purple light.
Before Karin could consider moving closer to the strangely alluring flame, she found herself standing in front of Ohta again, the latter staring at his outstretched hand with considerable intrigue. Then, before she could say anything, she was back inside the strange space, followed by a surprised Orihime and then Rukia.
"Can you guys hear me...?" asked Ohta, his voice reverberating from every direction but emanating from the tri-colored flame.
"We can hear you," answered Rukia, forcing herself to remain calm despite wanting to shout.
"What..what is this place...?" asked Orihime, briefly looking around before focusing on the tri-colored flame as Ohta replied, "It seems like this cloak can store people and objects inside of it. Brace yourselves."
Before the trio could respond, Ohta abruptly accelerated to his maximum speed, impacting the interior wall of Las Noches with meteoric force. The impact caused a powerful reverberation through his body, but all the girls experienced was the bonfire representing his intermixing mental, spiritual, and physical energies flickering with increased intensity before stabilizing.
"How was it? Are you okay...?" asked Ohta, preempting the trio's response by ejecting them outside, confirming they were okay directly.
Seeing the rubble that encircled them, realization donned upon Rukia's face as she questioned, "You did this while we were inside that strange space?"
Nodding his head, Ohta replied, "Yeah. I wanted to see if you would feel anything, so I rammed into the wall with full force. It seems like this cloak is even more useful than I thought."
Inserting herself into the exchange, Karin, sporting a wide-eyed, visibly excited look, asked, "So that place was inside your cloak? Or does it work as a portal that allows us to enter your body...?"
Chopping the top of Karin's head, Ohta said, "Don't make things weird..." in a flat tone. However, as he was also interested in learning the answer, he removed the pendant, the shadowy cloak disappearing from his body, leaving him with his bare-chested hoodie look. All three girl's eyes were immediately drawn to his abs, but at least Rukia raised her gaze when he held out the pendant and said, "Try this on."
"Uh...okay-!?" replied Rukia, accepting the pendant but nearly dropping it due to how heavy it was. Fortunately, while she didn't do much to improve her physique, she was still a burgeoning, Captain-level Shinigami. So long as she focused her Reiryoku, she could strengthen her body without limit, going from barely being able to 60kg to several hundred easily.
Donning the inordinately heavy pendant, Rukia felt its weight disappear, replaced by the same pressure Ohta experienced. However, instead of a black and purple cloak like Ohta's, hers was predominately bone white with a black interior. Over that, she also had a black mantle that framed her head and shoulders and split six ways, forming shadowy wings that gave her the appearance of an Angel of Death.
Clapping her hands together, Orihime sincerely chimed, "Oh, wow! You look amazing, Rukia~!"
Staring down at her ensemble, focusing on the pendant that had resized itself to suit her, Rukia remarked, "This is incredible...it feels like I'm in my Bankai form even though I've yet to release my Shikai..."
Interrupting Rukia's reverent observation, Ohta said, "See if you can store me within it. Then I'm going to see if I can break out."
Regaining her senses, Rukia replied with a perplexed, "Oh, sure..." before extending her hand and imagining Ohta being stored within the cloak. His body abruptly disappeared, but as it did, she crumpled to her knees, eyes wide and body shaking as if she were being crushed beneath a powerful Reiatsu. Fortunately, the sensation didn't last long as Ohta erupted from her back, tearing her wings and leaving a sizeable hole in the fabric that quickly patched itself.
Seeing his diminutive lover on the ground, Ohta promptly bent down to cradle her, asking, "Are you okay...?" with furrowed brows.
"I'm fine," assured Rukia, forcing a smile and patting Ohta's hand as she said, "But I think your Reiryoku density might be too great. The moment you disappeared, it felt like a mountain had fallen on me..."
"Yeah...I realized something was wrong the moment I was drawn inside. There was a tiny, bluish-white flame nearby, and when I tried to approach it, it began to flicker..." explained Ohta, adopting an apologetic smile as he whispered, "Sorry if I hurt you..."
Shaking her head, Rukia repeated, "I'm fine. In fact, thanks to this cloak, I feel better than ever."
Rising to a seated position, Rukia bounced to her feet with the intention of demonstrating she was okay. However, due to the flight capabilities of the cloak, she ended up floundering like a cat in zero gravity. She managed to right herself quickly, but the damage had been done. Ohta had an amused smile as he extended his hand to help her down while Karin outright burst out laughing...
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After a bit of experimentation, Ohta was able to ascertain that the cloak could store just about anything comprised of Reishi, but the wearer would feel an equivalent amount of pressure on their body. When his energy was being balanced by his jackal transformation, he had absolutely no trouble storing Rukia, Orihime, and Karin within the created space. Without it, he could still store Orihime, but because Rukia and Karin had much greater Reiryoku density than him, moving around felt like wading through a pool of mercury.
Curiously, while Ohta's cloak was similar to Barragan's, barring a lack of black flames, the pendant manifested unique outfits for Rukia, Orihime, and Karin. When worn by Orihime, it formed into a white gown with black trim that vaguely resembled the attire of a Priestess. For Karin, it was a white, double-breasted vest that looked like it had been modified into a swimsuit top, form-fitting white shorts, bicep-length gloves, and thigh-high boots, each with soot-black trim. Fortunately, it also provided her with a mantle, bone-white on the outside and soot-black on the inside, so it was at least better than her default Arrancar attire...
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Around the time Ohta had defeated Barragan, Starrk, lying atop a pile of pillows with a petite, pale-haired girl sleeping atop him, opened his eyes and frowned. He and Barragan didn't get along well, mostly because the ancient Arrancar hated him for being ranked first among the Espada, but Starrk lamented his death for two reasons. Firstly, Barragan was powerful enough to endure his Reiatsu, meaning he wouldn't just keel over one day by being around him. Secondly, because of his pride as the former King of Hueco Mundo, the ancient Arrancar took on most administrative roles and responsibilities as a matter of course. Without him to lead and keep the other Espada in check, Starrk would have to do it himself...
"What a pain..." groaned the messy-haired Arrancar, prompting the young-looking girl sleeping atop him to stir. Her slender frame was garbed in the same outfit as Karin, but instead of a Hollow mask resembling a forehead protector, she had on a thick helmet that also covered her left eye, bull-like horns protruding from its sides but with the left broken near its base.
Before Starrk could tell the youthful-looking Arrancar good morning, the petite girl abruptly grabbed his collar, headbutting him in the face with the crown of her helmet as she shouted, "Stupid, Starrk! Why the hell are you making so much noise!? Can't you see I'm trying to sleep here...!?"
Maintaining a serious expression despite blood leaking from his nose, Starrk replied, "Barragan's dead..." in a neutral tone. When he did, the anger faded from the pale-haired girl's face, replaced by a glimmer of melancholy in her distinctive pink eyes. She was created when Starrk's tremendous Reiryoku split into two, so they endured the same loneliness. Thus, while she often rambled on about how much she hated Barragan, referring to him as a stinky old far who should hurry up and die, she was saddened to learn he had passed. Even more so since his death indicated that many more of their colleagues would soon perish...
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(A/N: I need a cloak like that (O o O)...also, daily reminder that Not a Mob: Psycho is NOT a harem novel.)

Chapter 83: Bargaining