Spush!
A line of crimson appeared across Yammy Llargo's body. Then, a torrent of blood erupted, drenching the desert in a gruesome rain. His bisected body collapsed, two halves of a fallen giant, causing waves to ripple through the sand.
Only then did the severed Cero detonate, a delayed explosion that tore through the artificial sky above Las Noches, leaving gaping fissures in its wake. It appeared as if Zaraki's attack had cleaved through the very heavens.
In a sense, he had. The sky above Las Noches wasn't the true sky of Hueco Mundo, but a fabricated construct created by Aizen, known as the Canopy. Two rules governed Las Noches: no Espada was permitted to release their Gran Rey Cero within its confines, and no Espada above the Cuarta Espada rank could release their Resurrección beneath the Canopy. Their power was too destructive.
Yammy, the Cero Espada, technically ranked among the top four. His Resurrección, however, was dependent on his rage. Initially, he would manifest as the Décima Espada. Only through accumulating fury could he reach his full potential, surpassing the other Espada.
But against Zaraki, whose strength was second only to Ailin and Yamamoto within the Gotei 13, even Yammy's peak power was insufficient. A single blow from Zaraki's released Zanpakutō had ended the fight. Yammy's final, desperate Cero, though bisected, had still managed to shatter the Canopy, which made him worthy of his title.
…
"My, my, Mr. Szayelaporro, it seems your intelligence gathering has… some flaws." Retsu Unohana said.
Szayelaporro felt a chill of fear despite the protection of his specially designed chamber. He had completely analyzed Unohana's spiritual pressure, rendering her Kidō attacks useless within this space. He hadn't anticipated that Unohana, without Kidō, would be even more terrifying.
The dazzling array of sword techniques and the brutal and fierce strikes made him doubt his life. He now understood why Aizen had stressed the importance of retreating in the face of these three captains. Their strength was overwhelming. Perhaps only the top three Espada stood a chance against them.
Swoosh!
A flash of white light. Unohana appeared behind Szayelaporro, slowly sheathing her Zanpakutō.
Blood sprayed. Szayelaporro crumpled to the floor. He had already devoured his Fracción to heal his injuries. Now, alone, he breathed his last.
Isane Kotetsu, having watched from a safe distance, finally approached Unohana. The sight of her captain in battle had been… terrifying. She had felt, for a moment, that if she had moved, she too would have been cut down without hesitation.
"Captain Unohana… are you alright?"
"Of course, Isane. That… was merely a warm-up."
Isane gulped. A warm-up? How terrifying was her captain's true strength? She began to regret coming to Hueco Mundo. The image of Unohana she had held – kind, gentle, compassionate – had shattered, replaced by something… ruthless, brutal, terrifying.
"Let's continue, Isane. Captain-Commander Yamamoto's orders were to ensure Hueco Mundo's stability for the next two years, allowing us to prepare for the threat of Yhwach."
"Yes, Captain Unohana."
…
Ichigo flew towards Las Noches. He could sense Orihime's spiritual pressure now. But his expression was grim. He had sensed two powerful spiritual pressures vanish moments ago. One of the reiatsu signatures that had extinguished them was… unsettling, a raw, brutal power that made him catch his breath. It was comparable to his own. Could he defeat such an opponent? Was this the true strength of a Gotei 13 captain?
He remembered his reckless charge into Soul Society months ago, his attempt to rescue Shino before even achieving Bankai. Ignorance, he realized, truly was bliss. Only now, understanding the captains' true power, did he comprehend the vast gulf between them and his past self.
A question nagged at him. He could excuse his own ignorance. But Urahara, a former captain, had known the Gotei 13's strength. Why had he allowed Ichigo to go? Why had he been so confident in Ichigo's success?
He shook his head, dismissing the thought. It didn't matter.
Thinking of this, Ichigo's speed increased to another level. The air was hit by his rapid flying speed, forming white circular sonic boom clouds.
Within Las Noches, Ulquiorra Cifer sensed Ichigo's approach. He had been puzzled by Grimmjow's defeat. The Ichigo he had encountered in the World of the Living had been… insignificant, unworthy of Aizen's attention.
Why had Grimmjow lost an arm to him? Sensing Ichigo's current spiritual pressure, he finally understood the extent of Ichigo's growth.
He stepped out of Las Noches, raising his right hand. A small, green orb of energy formed at his fingertip.
"Cero!"
The blast shot towards Ichigo.
Ichigo drew his Zanpakutō and cleaved the Cero in two. The severed attack detonated on either side of him, but his forward momentum was halted.
"He's… strong." Ichigo stared at Ulquiorra.
That Cero was comparable to Grimmjow's Desgarrón. And Ulquiorra's Zanpakutō was still sheathed. He wasn't even using his Resurrección. Which Espada was he?
Seeing his Cero effortlessly deflected, Ulquiorra instantly assessed Ichigo's strength. He wasn't an opponent Ulquiorra could defeat in his current state. He leaped into the air.
Ichigo, after a quick glance towards where he sensed Orihime, followed.
Ulquiorra punched a hole through the Canopy, revealing the grey sky and crescent moon of Hueco Mundo.
Ichigo, without hesitation, followed him through.
They emerged into a space resembling a second layer of sky, surrounded by pillars similar to those around Las Noches, the ground covered in the same white sand.
Ichigo looked at Ulquiorra. "Giving up on running?"
He hadn't forgotten Ulquiorra's parting words in the World of the Living: "I'll inform Lord Aizen that the one he values is nothing but trash, unworthy of even killing." That dismissive arrogance had become a thorn in Ichigo's side. He wouldn't be satisfied until he had defeated Ulquiorra.
"Running?" Ulquiorra looked down at Ichigo. "Do you misunderstand something about Hueco Mundo? I've met you before, Ichigo Kurosaki. I don't know how you've become so strong in such a short time, but your journey ends here. I brought you here because of Lord Aizen's two rules regarding the Espada.
The first forbids the release of Gran Rey Cero beneath the Canopy. The second forbids any Espada above the Cuarta rank from releasing their Resurrección beneath the Canopy. You are strong, Ichigo Kurosaki. I couldn't defeat you without releasing my Resurrección. That is why I chose this battlefield."
He drew his Zanpakutō.
"Bind, Murciélago!"
BOOM!
His spiritual pressure exploded outwards. In an instant, a bat-like wings sprouted from his back, his mask was now a horned headdress, his fingernails lengthened into black claws. Green spiritual rain fell from the sky.
Ichigo stared at the transformed Ulquiorra. His reiatsu had increased dramatically, reaching Ichigo's level. But Ichigo couldn't condense his spiritual pressure into tangible rain like this.
A green light gathered in Ulquiorra's hand, solidifying into a lance-like weapon. The Luz de la Luna. He raised it, then threw it with blinding speed.
Boom!
"So fast!"
Ichigo barely managed to raise his Zanpakutō in defense. The impact sent him stumbling backwards.
Sensing the unstable spiritual pressure within the lance, Ichigo unleashed his own reiatsu to deflect it.
The lance struck a nearby pillar and exploded.
Before the dust could settle, Ulquiorra appeared before Ichigo, reaching for Ichigo's head.
Swish!
A flash of steel and blood sprayed.
Ulquiorra looked down at the gash across his chest, blood dripped down his arm onto the sand. Ichigo, having halted his retreat, now held a Zanpakutō in each hand. He had drawn his shorter blade at the last moment, injuring Ulquiorra.
Ulquiorra wiped the blood from his chest. The wound instantly closed. His ultra-speed regeneration, honed over centuries, allowed him to recover from any injury, as long as he wasn't decapitated and had sufficient reiatsu.
"Two Zanpakutō… So that's your secret… The reason for your sudden increase in strength…"