Chapter 25 - Hollow Extermination (1/2)

”I am Uchiha, Itachi, Squad 2.” Itachi introduces himself to the two shinigami. Itachi brɨėfs them both quickly on the situation with the hollows just as Shun arrives back from the second division.

”So this is the other guy then?” Iba asks, looking at Shun, who was panting slightly from traveling back and forth between the division and the forest at full speed.

”I'm Yami Shun.” Shun says to Iba and Renji. ”I ȧssume Itachi already briefed you on the situation so I'll get to the point. We'll split up into two man teams to deal with the hollows. Itachi, you take red hair and deal with the hollows to the north. I'll take shades over here and deal with the hollows in the south.”

Itachi nods before flash stepping out of his stop.

Renji grumbles about being called red hair before following Itachi.

Iba nods and follows behind Shun.

”Hey Itachi, how many hollows have you killed?” Renji suddenly asks.

Itachi is a little surprised at the sudden question, but he replies with no change in expression. ”Not too many.”

”Ah, well I have killed a lot, so don't worry” Renji replied nervously.

'He looks very tense, and it seems like he is still relatively new at this. Good thing the hollows aren't very strong unlike the ones back from the field exercise...' Itachi thinks to himself before replying.

Itachi nods and replies ”Then I'll be counting on you.” Just as he replies, he hears a few roars coming from the distance.

He instantly speeds towards the hollows, the moment he reappears, he takes into account the location of each hollow based on the roars. He looks back and notices Renji tailing far behind in the distance. 'Looks like I went too fast.' He waits a moment before Renji finally arrives slightly panting.

”Wow, you are really fast!” Renji comments.

”My division focuses on speed so we can perform missions more efficiently” Itachi replies.

”Right.” Renji replies.

Renji hears roars from the forest and begins to move in their direction. However, just as he is about to, Itachi makes a gesture for Renji to stop and points ahead. About twenty meters away, stood two large hollows, both towering at about five meters.

”I'll take one you take the other.” Itachi says to Renji.

”Sounds good to me.” Renji replies as he draws his blade. Itachi vanishes from his spot and appears on top of the hollow's head. He quickly stabs through the hollow's mask without the hollow making a sound or realizes what happened before flash stepping out.as Renji watches in awe.

”He's good. I won't fall behind ” Renji says as he charges in towards the other hollow. The hollow takes notice of Renji and turns around to swing at him, only for its hand to be cut off from the rest of its arm. Renji charges in one more time and the hollow lets out a deafening roar.

'That roar is going to attract more hollows…' Itachi thinks to himself as he watches from the trees.

”My sunglasses…” Renji says in despair as he takes them off his forehead. ”Dammit!” Renji yells as he charges back in at the hollow. Another three hollows come bursting through the trees near Itachi's side and run towards Renji.

'I should step in now.' Itachi thinks as he jumps off the branch he was standing on. He lands on the back of one of the hollows and cuts through its neck quickly. Itachi looks ahead and sees the other two hollows still charging towards Renji, who was still fighting.

”Hado 31: Shakkaho.” Itachi raises both his hands up in front of him. Two red orbs are fired from his palms and hit the hollows in the back, incinerating their upper halves. During this time, Renji managed to defeat the hollow he was fighting. He turns around and sees Itachi standing over the bodies of three defeated hollows.

'This guy took out three hollows behind my back while I was trying to fight off one?' Renji thinks as he looks at Itachi.

”There should be a few more up ahead.” Itachi says before flash stepping away.

”Hey wait up.” Renji yells as he tries to keep up with Itachi.

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”Never got your name.” Shun says to Iba as he jumps through the trees.

”Iba Tetsuzaemon.” Iba replies to Shun. Shun nods before making a gesture to stop. The two of them look past the trees and see two large hollows in a clearing.