c7 - Bloody Battle
Ye Chuan immediately realized something was wrong—the Chameleon's blood not only burned but also contained a toxin that disrupted his spiritual pressure. His body stiffened, and before he could react, the Chameleon Hollow broke free from his hold.
Puchi!
The sharp bone spurs in the Chameleon's front limbs drove into Ye Chuan's back, piercing through his tough exoskeleton. A searing pain shot through him as he gasped, his body shuddering.
"Tch, this thing can use weapons?!"
Ye Chuan hadn't expected such intelligence. Unlike most Hollows who relied on brute force, this Chameleon had scavenged bone spurs and wielded them with deadly precision. Though Ye Chuan had adapted well to Hueco Mundo over the past two months, he lacked real combat experience against stronger adversaries. His evolution had been calculated, but direct battles like this were still new territory.
The toxin was already spreading, and his movements were sluggish. Against a stronger Hollow, he was dangerously close to losing.
I can't let this thing dictate the battle!
With a furious roar, golden lightning arcs erupted from his body.
"Heaven's Thunder!"
Dark-golden lightning surged along his exoskeleton and flowed into the bone spurs embedded in his flesh, creating a direct conduit into the Chameleon Hollow's body.
Shkkkt!
The Chameleon shrieked, desperately trying to drop the weapons, but Ye Chuan tightened his grip. With his centipede-like tail, he coiled around his enemy, locking them together even as pain wracked his own body.
"You're not going anywhere!"
Ye Chuan endured the searing agony of the bone spurs still lodged in him and amplified his lightning.
"Gyaaaah!" The Chameleon convulsed violently. Its body charred, flesh seared by the crackling energy. In sheer desperation, it began to beg.
"P-please! Spare me! I swear I'll never harm another creature again!"
Ye Chuan's mask-covered lips curled into a smirk. "Oh? You think I'm killing you because you abused a dog?" His golden eyes glowed with malice. "No, no... I'm killing you because I'm hungry."
His grip tightened further, lightning surging in unrelenting waves.
"You and I are alike! We retain our human minds! We could hunt together! Even become Menos Grandes together!"
The Chameleon's voice grew frantic, clinging to the only chance of survival it could think of. But Ye Chuan simply sneered.
"A hunter must always be prepared to become prey."
With those words, he opened his mouth, gathering a black-and-red sphere of raw energy.
"Cero."
The Chameleon Hollow's reptilian eyes widened in horror. At this range, the blast would be inescapable.
"You maniac! If you fire at this range, you'll be caught in it too!"
Ye Chuan didn't care.
BOOM!
A blinding flash tore through the air, followed by a massive explosion that sent sand and debris flying in every direction.
When the dust settled, Ye Chuan staggered forward, his body covered in burns and deep gashes. He coughed violently, his breath ragged, but he was alive. In front of him lay the remains of his opponent—nothing but shattered bones and a cracked Hollow mask.
Ye Chuan reached over, ignoring his wounds, and picked up a fragment of the broken mask. He tossed it into his mouth, allowing the dense Reishi to absorb into his body. Immediately, his injuries began to heal, and the spiritual pressure blockage from the toxin was undone.
"Tch. What a mess."
A soft whimper reached his ears. He turned to see the small, dog-like Hollow from before. The little creature had returned, cautiously approaching him while dragging a piece of the Chameleon's broken mask in its mouth.
Ye Chuan raised an eyebrow at the strangely intelligent gesture. "Hah, so you're still here."
He reached out, took the mask fragment, and crushed it in his fingers before swallowing it. The energy rushed into him, reinforcing his exhausted body.
The little Hollow wagged its tail—but it had been burned off by Ye Chuan's earlier attack, making the motion look awkward and pitiful.
"I didn't save you," Ye Chuan muttered, crossing his arms. "You just happened to be nearby. If you think that means anything, you're wrong. Now scram before I eat you too."
Yet, as he turned away, something compelled him to pick up a small piece of meat from the ground. Without looking, he tossed it toward the dog-like Hollow.
"Eat. Then get lost."
The small Hollow grabbed the oversized chunk and scurried a short distance away to devour it. Ye Chuan sighed, rolling his shoulders as his body continued to mend.
"If I keep this up... it won't be long before I evolve again."
He smirked, his sharp teeth glinting under the pale moon of Hueco Mundo.
"Time to hunt again."