Chapter 45 - Unfathomable

"My name is Ulquiorra Cifer. It is a pŀėȧsurė to finally meet you, human." Ulquiorra said, introducing himself.

I stared at him, shock filling my whole being as he stared back with what seemed to be disinterest.

"…" I stood silent for a while, trying to process this new found information.

To think… One of the four participants that joined Zeref's suicide squad would be Ulquiorra…

I should have guessed there would be a possibility of other characters from different anime appearing, but I guess it had to be shoved in my face so I realized it!

"Is there a problem?" Ulquiorra asked, seeming as his patience was running thin from my silence.

"Uh… Yeah, you've… Um… Got a hole in your throat! Yeah, that. It's a bit shocking to me is all, like… How do you even breathe?" I said, trying to mask my shock at seeing him in particular.

I need to go about this while ȧssuming he doesn't know that I know who he is. Zeref didn't seem to know everything about me in terms of my knowledge, just that I knew of this world and its inhabitants so I can ȧssume they don't know I also possess knowledge of the world of Bleach.

Okay… Calm down…

Stuff's getting from complicated to disastrous but let's go ahead and take a second to calm down here…

"I have no problem with breathing, you humans are simply inferior in most aspects to my species." Ulquiorra said, stating as a matter of fact.

He held neither contempt nor arrogance, he simply spoke the truth.

Arrancars are indeed far superior to nearly any human, especially Ulquiorra himself who may or may not be the strongest Arrancar to ever live.

Though that is debatable, I certainly always saw it that way.

"I see…" I simply replied, still feeling overwhelmed.

I stand in front of a man who could quite literally destroy the entirety of Fiore in one attack after all…

Considering he kept his Arrancar species upon reviving here, there is no doubt that Ulquiorra is at the peak of his strength…

Zev is a half dragon, so other races other than humans can exist within the ranks of the game participants… But how would an Arrancar even be born here? They're spiritual entities after all…

"So you're not… Human… Is this species you are now, what you gained from the wheel?" I asked, trying to pry for information.

"No. This is my original race from my past life. Do you not know that every participant retains their past life's abilities and traits?" Ulquiorra asked.

"No… The whole process of my reincarnation was… A bit weird… I heard nothing about such perks, nor did I have anything in my past life which to retain…" I said,

"What of your appearance? That is also something we all retain, at least to an extent with racial changes." Ulquiorra replied.

"Huh? That's also news to me…? I don't have anything in common with my past life's appearance." I said.

"That's rather strange…" Ulquiorra replied, seemingly pondering on the matter.

"Well perhaps-" I started saying, though I was cut off by the continental buster in front of me.

"Either way, I'd like to get on with our business together." Ulquiorra said, having grown tired of the previous conversation.

"Ah, Yes! What is it you'd like to discuss, Ulquiorra?" I replied, trying to keep my composure.

"As you already know Lord Zeref has sent me as his envoy, to speak with you about our future relations. He has not given up on recruiting you and is more than whiling to force you. As an act of loyalty, you are to complete a certain task." Ulquiorra explained in a monotone voice, almost like he didn't care and was simply accomplishing his given task.

"What is this task?" I asked.

"To recruit the next, sixth member of the Spriggans who is participating in the god's game." Ulquiorra replied uncaringly.

"W-why me? Can't you just do that yourselves? I don't exactly have one of those God TV dampeners." I said, trying to act nonchalant as if everything was normal.

Which it was not.

"We did, the man asked why he should even bother. After Lord Zeref persuaded him, he wanted a confirmation that the spriggans are worth his time and effort, not just a pipe dream." Ulquiorra replied before continuing. "Because of that, Lord Zeref suggested he fought our 'weakest' member, and that if he were impressed he would join us. To which that man agreed. As for the gods, you need not worry as I will give you the special tool which masks your presence, I shall also remain here with my own tool upon your departure and they will only be able to see you as if you had never left this town until your eventual return."

"I-I see… That thing's quite handy huh… So me being the weakest, I have to go? Where and when exactly?" I asked.

Well, considering Ulquiorra is amongst their ranks… It's not surprising I'm the weakest…

"The date of the fight is in one month, February 8th of X778. The location is the northern most point of Iceberg, the country that borders Seven, Bosco and Stella to the north-east of here. You are to arrive there on your own and defeat your opponent, as well as to make sure he stays true to his words of joining our 'team' as the gods have called it." Ulquiorra said.

Iceberg huh… That's quite far away from here, but not unreachable in the slightest.

I wonder why a whole month from now? Perhaps that person wants to ready themselves? No, they didn't seem like they held Zeref and his band in high regard so they probably think of themselves as strong…

Boy, are they wrong…

"Okay then. But, who is it that I'm supposed to be fighting? Do you have any intel on him like magic or special abilities?" I asked, still uncertain whether I can still back off on this or not…

Well, I probably can't… But I'll definitely try.

"We do not know much on the man other than he excels in hand to hand combat, Illusion and fire based attacks, as well as Green magic or the like. He has already killed every participant in Iceberg and is the only remaining one there, which even I find to be rather impressive for a human." Ulquiorra said, giving his opinion on the person in question.

"Every participant?!" I exclaimed in surprise!

That is not a feat one can scoff at, finding them all is the first of your worries and being able to kill them all by yourself is just insane…

It should be known that like Zeref said, a lot of participants are deemed as fodder with weak abilities and powers, but considering it was all of them within an entire country there should have been a few strong ones too!

Not to mention Iceberg is at least three to four times larger than Fiore…

Either way, hand to hand combat as well as fire and green magic huh? Reminds me of Azuma from Grimoire heart a bit with that… There's also illusions but I'm at least confident in dealing with those, at most he'd be able to grab me for a moment before I free myself.

Though, with my mask that moment would become an instant and illusions wouldn't work.

Thinking that even Ulquiorra acknowledges him, this guy just screams like trouble…

"Yes, his kill count is at least over a hundred, with multiple occasions of fighting against teams. The most impressive feat about him is that he is still a human child, an underdeveloped child who fought even participants who held other faster developing species as their ability draws from the wheel of fate. It is the reason Lord Zeref became interested in recruiting him in the first place." Ulquiorra said in a monotone voice.

That is… Indeed impressive…

I feel like I'm a tad outclassed here, seeing as my participant kill count is only like…

Two…

"Does this… Does this person have a name you can give me? Or has he remained anonymous…?" I decided to ask, trying to make sure of something…

Someone that impressive… And considering I just met Ulquiorra…

And that specific combination of Illusion and fire…

Surely he's not another anime character right?

Right?

"A name? I do believe he introduced himself as…" Ulquiorra said, placing a hand on his chin as he thought with his ever frowning look.

"As…?" I asked in anticipation.

"Uchiha Madara. Yes, that was the name." Ulquiorra stated with an uncaring voice.

"…" I stood in silence for but a moment, before speaking slowly as if to confirm my own doubts. "Madara… huh? I see… Yes…"

Ahhh! So Madara huh! Yes, that is indeed an anime character I know of!

Hmm… The situation went from disastrous to utterly ridiculous…

I mean, seriously!

Are you kidding me?!

UCHIHA MADARA?!

Who's next?

Frigging Frieza?!

And I have to fight that guy in a month?! I don't care if he's a child or an infant that guy will destroy me!

And I'm still a child too! Not exactly an advantage on my part is it?

How the hell do I get out of this…

Oh, I can't can I?

Wait…

A sudden thought crossed my mind, so I grasped towards that hope.

"Do… I really have to be the one to fight him? I'm not an official member anyway so wouldn't it be better to send someone else? Stronger to boot?" I asked.

"Lord Zeref specifically wants you to go." Ulquiorra replied.

"Ugh… What if I decline?" The words slipped through my mouth. "You can't expect me to just go along with fighting that kind of opponent! He doesn't sound like someone I can beat…" I said, still thinking of how to get out of this fight.

Can I reason with him perhaps?

"If you decline... Then, you will be forced to. Let me show you by using that man as an example, it would be something like this." Ulquiorra said, shifting his eyes towards the side and pointing with a finger.

I looked back, immediately noticing that Gildarts was closing in on our location with my magically enhanced perception, perhaps trying to make sure I was safe or the like.

Gildarts was about a fifty meters away and running towards our location.

Ulquiorra's words, 'an example' suddenly rang once more in my head…

They could mean only one thing…

"W-WAIT!" I turned back hurriedly, stuttering a shout at Ulquiorra to stop whatever he was trying to do.

My heart sank at the sight.

I was too late…

Ulquiorra had raised his right hand, holding Gildarts' head in it with the ever uncaring attitude he always possessed.

"…" I looked to him without being able to process the sight.

W…Wh…When did…

"If you disobey our orders, this is what will happen to those you hold dear. If you fail to accomplish them, the same result will unfold." Ulquiorra said, his gaze held no care for me in the slightest.

"Y… Y… Y-YOU BASTARD!" I roared at the top of my lungs, activating every trap I had set up previously at our location as my rage blinded me, I had suddenly forgotten whom I was attacking.

But it didn't matter.

Nothing happened.

Nothing activated.

Every trap I had set was suddenly incapable of being used, I didn't even feel their existence anymore.

To make matters worse.

Ulquiorra's hand had pierced the base of my throat, the place where his own Hollow hole stood.

"And if you were to fight back against us. This, is the only result that awaits you." He said, as he looked at me with cold eyes.

He looked at me as if he only thought of me as 'Trash'. An insignificant piece of garbage he could just walk over like I were nothing.

"Y…Y-You…!" I bȧrėly uttered out, before everything went dark.

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"HUH?!" I suddenly exclaimed, opening my eyes and looking through my surroundings, confused as to why I was still alive.

In front of me stood Ulquiorra, still looking towards me with his cold eyes as if expecting something to happen.

"…" I looked to him again in silence, not knowing what had happened.

A sudden rustle came from the bushes, as Gildarts waltzed in on the scene.

"Hey Arthur! Are you okay over there?" Gildarts yelled from behind, forcing me to look back to him with utter disbelief.

I think my eyes were even blood shot from the shock of seeing him alive.

"G…-" I bȧrėly managed to speak up as Ulquiorra placed a hand on my shoulder, to which I twitched slightly.

"We're just about done, he has accepted my request but we shall act upon it at a later date." Ulquiorra explained, before continuing to speak while looking to me.

"I request that this be kept confidential, of course." He said, addressing me as he leaned in closer to my ear. "As well as properly executed." His words fell down onto my ears, monotone as always but supported with both killing intent, and what I can only ȧssume was…

Spiritual pressure.

The air was suffocating me, I couldn't breathe as sweat drops began to fall from my forehead.

It felt like my blood was boiling, the sheer amount of power he exuded towards at me directly at point blank range was enough to almost make me go unconscious as the whole world darkened around me slowly…

Until only me and Ulquiorra remained…

His eyes felt like they were digging into my very soul, as the pressure started to gradually lessen.

Not even Zev's father had intimidated me this much…

Not in the slightest…

"O-Of course…" I said, shifting my head and forcing a smile at Ulquiorra.

"Oh… Is that so…?" Gildarts said, scratching his cheek as if feeling that he had needlessly interrupted.

"Good, we shall be seeing each other at the appointed time then." Ulquiorra said, removing his hand from my shoulder. "Until then, this is goodbye." He said and slowly walked away towards the wilderness.

I could only stand as still as a rock, I didn't even turn back to look at his receding figure as Gildarts walked up to me.

"So it was a job after all, huh? Sorry for worrying needlessly Arthur. I won't ask as he seems to want it kept between you two, and I know you wouldn't accept an over the top job so I'll just trust ya on this one! Hahaha!" Gildarts said with a grin, laughing all the while.

"Yeah… It's nothing shady so… I accepted…" I muttered, thinking through the events that had taken place.

"Huh, I'm surprised he doesn't just vanish like he did at the guild." Gildarts commented as he looked behind me, watching the now leaving Ulquiorra.

This lead me to thinking…

Ulquiorra speed blitzing everyone wasn't an accident…

He planned to have the higher ups of the guild wary of him, he planned to have us separate from the rest of the guild so we'd be followed by at least one of them.

He did this all… just to show me the current, unfathomable difference between us…

How…

How did he do it?

Was that a time rewind?

"Hey, Arthur. Are you okay? Awfully silent aren'tcha?" Gildarts said, looking at me again.

"Ah! No… Just pondering on some things concerning... This job… Are you okay?" The words escaped my mouth, as I was still subconsciously concerned about him.

"Yeahhh… Now that you mention it, my neck feels kinda stiff… Wonder why?" He said, moving his one good hand and using it to crack his neck in an attempt to get more comfortable with it.

"Well… Wanna head back to the guild?" I asked, forcing another smile.

I'm glad that Gildarts is inattentive to most things like body language… I can bȧrėly keep my composure…

"Oh. Yeah! Let's go ahead!" Gildarts grinned at me, like nothing had happened.

I opened a gate as I thought over mine and Gildarts' 'Deaths'.

There was an after effect, so it wasn't rewinding time… Now that I checked, my traps are still gone as well…

Everything really happened…

But was returned to how it was before…

What kind of ability is that…?

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