Fairy Tail: Shinigami
Chapter 251: Frenemies.

If you wanna read ahead go to https://www.patreón.com/cornbringer

Right now I'm on chapter 231 in Patreôn

Discord Server: Invite needs to be updated. Will get on that today.

Note: I know updates have been slow, nothing to worry about just taking it easy, yesterday was my birthday, and I decided to party. Also, I've been meaning to take it easy, at least for a month or two, to avoid burning out.

In short, don't worry. I will keep updating, perhaps not as often as before, some weeks you will get the usual 7 chapters, some other weeks less, the point is that no matter what you will get an update from me.

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[Adam C. POV.]

The sensation of Selene's spiritual pressure felt like a whisper against my skin, an unuttered beckoning that was both haunting and familiar, in more than one way. And while I knew she was my enemy, or had been my enemy at one point, a part of me wanted to go and see her.

Perhaps I wanted to see her because she was the reason I was here, or perhaps I just wanted to see firsthand what her motives were now or if they had changed since the last time, we had seen each other.

Either way, I was curious enough to walk into this.

Decision taken, I moved to follow the pull, my feet carrying me with an instinctual purpose. However, before I could take another step, a hand on my arm stopped me.

It was Urahara, his hat casting an ominous shadow over his eyes.

"Adam," He warned, his tone a bit different than usual, "Don't be reckless. You're walking into a trap."

That was a possibility, and I knew it. That being said, I didn't really care.

I turned to face him; my grin sharp, predatory even. The truth of the matter was, I wasn't one for plans, for ambushes, for calculated battles, heck, my entire idea before letting Kisuke take the leadership role; was to bring hell down on Aizen, but despite that being what I wanted, I decided it would be best to follow Kisuke.

I was done with that thought.

Kisuke was smart enough to plan around me.

"Kisuke," I chuckled, the grin never leaving my face. "Have you not realized it yet? I'm not one for plans or intricate strategies. I never was."

The grip on my arm tightened, a futile attempt to anchor me. I looked at him, my gaze piercing through him.

"I'll go and do what I've always done. Fight with all my might, face whatever comes my way head-on. I don't skirt around the edges, I cut through the center," I said, my voice laced with undeterred conviction.

In our staredown, a myriad of expressions flitted across Urahara's face, concern, calculation, and something akin to begrudging respect.

With a swift motion, I freed my arm from his grasp, and without anything to stop me, I ventured into the echoes of Selene's call.

As the distance between us dwindled, I couldn't help but wonder, what was Aizen planning with this? Was Selene just a tool to measure my strength? Or something else?

I grinned, I guess I would find out soon enough.

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The harsh landscape of Hueco Mundo stretched out endlessly around me as I moved at a moderate speed making sure not to waste any energy, the sand shifted slightly underfoot as I approached the place where her reiatsu felt strongest.

A cave, inside the moonlight filtered down, casting dim lights on everything, but it was her silhouette that drew my focus.

The ever-confident, Dragon of the Moon, Selene.

She turned, her eyes locking onto mine with the same intensity they had the last time we had seen each other. There was a challenge in those depths, but also an undeniable sense of familiarity.

She was glad to see me, which I had to admit was something I hadn't expected to see in her. That being said, she still held herself in an aggressive stance, ready to pounce at any given moment.

Now that I think about it. It felt like eons had passed since our last meeting, and they might as well have passed.

"Adam," she breathed, her voice a soft caress that betrayed the hostility in her stance.

"Selene," I replied evenly, with a slight bow for the sake of theatrics. "It's been a while."

From a first glance I could tell that she was stronger than before, much stronger, in fact, as she was right now, she would have no problems killing Acnologia, she wouldn't even break a sweat with him now.

That aside, it seems she also got a blade. A Zanpakuto? It appeared to be one, but I wasn't sure, it felt more hollowlike than anything.

That alongside her spiritual pressure, which felt like that of a Hollow… could it be that Aizen had Hollowfied her? If so, I can't imagine Selene agreeing to such a thing, Dragons are far too proud, and that includes her. Sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ NøvᴇlFirᴇ(.)nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

She smirked, the edges of her lips twitching up ever so slightly. "Time is a fickle thing, isn't it? Last time I saw you, I almost killed you. But in reality, you could've killed me quite easily, right?"

I nodded in response. "Why are you here?"

She laughed, extending her arms wide. "Isn't it obvious? To stop you."

"By whose order?" I inquired, though I had a good guess. The man of the hour, Aizen.

She didn't reply, simply stepping closer, the moonlight casting an ethereal glow on her pale skin. We stood there, just feet apart, a tense silence enveloping us.

I knew what was coming, and so did she.

Then without warning, Selene lunged, her blade glinting menacingly in the dim light. However, just as her blade was about to reach me, it came to a halt.

The space around me keeping her blade ever so close, yet far away from her intended target. A simple spatial barrier, one that I could use without even releasing my Shikai.

"You have grown stronger, I admit," I said, patting her in the head ever so lightly, increasing the gravity around her by using multiple layers of space to press on her. "But so have I."

With nothing more to say, I increased the pressure of my technique, adding layers and layers; until her spiritual pressure shattered undermine, crushing her against the ground without escape.

Bleeding, Selene lay defeated on the ground, her blade inches from her hand. Unable to move under the pressure, she looked up, surprise evident in her eyes. "You truly are a monster," she whispered, her voice filled with disbelief.

I chuckled, releasing her from the grasp of my technique before offering her a hand to help her up. "Now, how about you tell me, what's your real goal here, Selene."

During our brief fight, I had felt no ill intent behind her attacks, no anger, no killing desire, nothing, nothing but sheer desperation.

A feeling I could understand very well.

She hesitated for a moment before taking my hand, rising to her feet. There was a momentary flash of anger in her eyes, but it faded quickly, replaced by resignation.

"You've grown stronger," she admitted. "Good, otherwise you won't be able to defeat that man."

So that was her goal, confirming whether or not I would have a chance against Aizen.

"You didn't go all out though," I replied, smiling at her.

Selene snorted. "Even if I had, the result would've been the same."

I tilted my head, that was true enough, but still.

Selene sighed deeply, her eyes clouded with a mix of anger and sadness. "As you probably already guessed, I'm different from before, and the man who did this… is Aizen. He turned me into this… hollow-like monster."

I could feel the anger in her voice, the hate… it was so palpable that it was hard not to pity her. Not after everything she had gone through.

She looked at her blade, the distaste evident in her gaze. "This… thing, is also part of this unwanted transformation, a bastard blade, a result of Aizen's tampering with my soul. It can achieve something called Resurrección, giving me an immense boost of power."

So, my suspicions were right, she had been turned into an Arrancar Hybrid.

I sighed, "Why are you here then, Selene? Why are you working for him? I understand you can't defeat him, but with your magic escaping should've been possible."

She looked away; her gaze distant. "It's not as if I had much choice. After what he did to me, he kept me on a very tight leash, watching my every move. Knowing I had no way to escape on my own, I decided to play the long game, and since then, I've been waiting for someone strong enough to challenge him, to bring him down. When I felt your presence, I had to know if you were the one."

It made sense. The desperation in her actions, the lack of killing intent; she was testing me, sizing me up for the inevitable battle against Aizen.

I offered her a comforting smile. "I will take Aizen down. That's a promise."

God knows I didn't like her, but I understood her plight.

She nodded slowly, her expression softening for the first time. "I don't know why, but I believe you."

Our conversation was interrupted by the distant sound of footsteps.

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