I clapped my hands and felt a wall of black matter form to block the sword. I expected an incoming stab. But, surprisingly, Wrath relented. That was about when Sloth slammed into my back. Sloth, the biggest, fastest homunculi just ran into me with the force of a heavy car. I crashed into a wall, feeling something break on it.

Sloth reached down, lifted me, and squeezed. My ribs protested. I spat blood – golly gee, that was a sensation I never thought I’d almost, sort of miss. I mean, spitting blood was something that I used to do all the time and holy crap I really needed to do something about this. My Zanpakuto swung down, easily cleaving through Sloth’s arms and letting me fall freely to the ground.

My fingers extended, penetrating a remarkably thick exterior to strike bone and keep on going. Sloth didn’t step back. Sloth didn’t even move. He opened his mouth, sighed, and got ready for another ridiculous charge. My swords swung low to cut through his legs and disable his movements, but with a blast of red sparks the injuries were undone.

I felt my eyes widen my pupils dilate to pinpricks. “Shit.” Sloth ran me into a wall, smashing me against it at speeds far surpassing sound. A ripple of air bounced away from the impact. Sloth finally stepped back. For a moment, I thought I’d be able to fall forward and hit the ground.

Sloth slammed into me again. Again. Again. Even in my chimera form, the damage was growing extensive. My arms and legs felt broken. A small gasp of pain wheezed out of me. “What a pain…” Sloth drawled, “You’re still alive?” I couldn’t even lift an arm. I couldn’t clap my hands. I couldn’t point my fingers.

His massive hand wrapped around one of my legs… then another reached down and grasped the other. I felt my body lift into the air. And Sloth began to pull. No. No! NO! NONONONONO! A popping noise, the sound of something snapping, one of my legs was ripped off my body. Immediately after, I was swung down and struck the ground.