The group of Arrancars that arrived in the Human World headed straight for Tōshirō and the others.
Except for Grimmjow!
Even though he was no longer the Sexta Espada, Grimmjow still couldn't accept having been suppressed by Ichigo!
His goal was simple—Ichigo!
Sensing Grimmjow's reiatsu, Ichigo immediately used Shunpo and appeared before him. When he saw Grimmjow missing an arm, he was shocked!
"Grimmjow, what happened to your arm?" Ichigo asked.
"My arm? Don't worry about that! Kurosaki Ichigo, I'm here to kill you!" Grimmjow shouted arrogantly.
Looking at Grimmjow, whose reiatsu had dropped significantly after losing an arm, Ichigo shook his head helplessly. "I don't want to take advantage of someone who's already down. In your current state, there's no way you can be my opponent."
"Shut up! Even like this, I can still take you down with ease!" Grimmjow roared and lunged at Ichigo with his remaining arm.
But Ichigo didn't dodge. He calmly raised his hand and caught Grimmjow's remaining arm with one hand.
Grimmjow struggled desperately, but it was completely futile.
"Give it up, Grimmjow. You're in no condition to fight me," Ichigo said while holding Grimmjow's arm.
If Grimmjow had both arms, Ichigo might have at least enjoyed the fight a little. But like this, with one arm gone, Ichigo wasn't even interested in drawing his sword.
"Kurosaki Ichigo, are you mocking me?!" Grimmjow shouted angrily, unable to pull back his arm.
Ichigo looked at his furious expression and sighed with pity.
"Calm down, Grimmjow. You know it too—right now, you simply aren't my match," Ichigo said bluntly.
"Damn it!" Grimmjow yelled and condensed a Cero in his palm, firing it point-blank at Ichigo.
Ichigo simply tilted his head slightly, easily dodging it.
...
—Soul Society—
The moment the Arrancars appeared, Rukia and Senna received word from Jūshirō Ukitake to return to the Human World.
"I'm going too!" Orihime shouted.
But Ukitake quickly refused, "Miss Inoue, you're human. You need a special gate designed for humans. Please wait. We'll arrange for someone to send you."
Though anxious, Orihime had no choice but to follow his instructions.
Rukia and Senna smiled at her, "Don't worry. Ichigo's there. Everything will be fine. Once we're back, we'll join the battle right away."
Orihime nodded as she watched them step into the Senkaimon.
At that moment, when Ichigo was completely suppressing Grimmjow, a voice rang out.
"Ichigo!" Rukia called out as she and Seirei appeared.
Ichigo turned and smiled, "I'll leave Grimmjow to you two. I'm heading to help the others!"
With that, he vanished with Shunpo, leaving behind a furious Grimmjow.
"Damn you! Kurosaki Ichigo! Get back here! Don't run!" Grimmjow shouted at the sky.
Seeing Grimmjow with a missing arm, Senna commented, "Rukia, you want to handle this or should I?"
Senna wasn't eager to move—fighting a cripple didn't sound too honorable.
But Rukia had no such concern. She drew her Zanpakutō and said, "I'll take care of it!"
Grimmjow turned to face the two women. "Fine! I'll kill Ichigo's woman first! Let's see if he still ignores me!"
Hearing his murderous intent, both Rukia and Senna shook their heads.
"Confidence is good, but don't be arrogant, Arrancar," Rukia said as she appeared behind Grimmjow in an instant.
Even when Grimmjow had both arms, she wouldn't have lost.
Let alone now.
Shiiing!
Rukia's blade slashed across Grimmjow's back.
His proud Hierro couldn't stop her Zanpakutō at all!
Blood gushed out, and Grimmjow looked back at Rukia in disbelief!
"How… how could you get this strong in just two months?!"
Rukia looked at her blade and said calmly, "Ever consider that maybe I've always been this strong? Just that the last time we fought, it wasn't really me?"
This was no ordinary Rukia—it was the Royal Seal Enhanced Version!
Once Ichigo obtained the Royal Seal, the first thing he did was enhance the girls around him!
Of course, not just the girls. Chad and Uryū had also been enhanced, or else they wouldn't be able to keep up with Ichigo and the others in battle.
"You…!" Grimmjow looked at Rukia, speechless.
Was he really just too arrogant?
Even a supposedly 'normal' female Shinigami around Ichigo could fight him now?
"Don't get distracted during battle!" Rukia sighed. Her Zanpakutō released its Shikai.
"Dance, Sode no Shirayuki!"
"First Dance, White Moon!"
A massive ice pillar instantly froze Grimmjow solid.
Rukia, imitating Ichigo's style, rested her blade on her shoulder and said, "Arrancar, you really underestimated us."
Senna, seeing Rukia freeze Grimmjow in a single move, didn't look surprised at all.
She could do the same now too.
...
—Meanwhile—
On Tōshirō's battlefield—
"Hahahaha! So much for the mighty Shinigami!" Luppi laughed as he faced Tōshirō and the others.
Tōshirō, panting, turned to Matsumoto. "Rangiku, has the order for Limit Release come?"
"It's here, Captain! Just came in!" she shouted, holding up her phone.
Tōshirō sighed in relief and looked at Luppi. "You've underestimated us, Arrancar!"
Luppi looked at him skeptically, "Huh? What's with your sudden confidence, little kid?"
Ignoring the taunt, Tōshirō raised his Zanpakutō.
"Bankai! Daiguren Hyōrinmaru!"
A massive ice dragon coiled around Tōshirō.
Luppi was briefly surprised by the surge in reiatsu but still smirked, "A Bankai, huh? So you're a captain?"
"I'm the 10th Division Captain, Tōshirō," he said, announcing himself.
"Oh? A captain, huh? Then I guess I better go all out!" Luppi grinned wickedly.
...
—Urahara Shop—
Renji and Chad were still in training. Sensing the Arrancars, Renji stopped. "Chad, let's pause. They're here!"
Chad stopped too, gasping for breath.
Both of them were drenched in sweat.
At that moment, Urahara appeared. "Renji, Chad, you two rest here."
"Urahara-san? What about the Arrancars?" Renji asked anxiously.
"Don't worry. I'll take care of them myself," Urahara said.
With that, Benihime emerged from his cane, already in Shikai.
Seeing that Urahara was taking action himself, Renji and Chad sighed in relief.
...
—Back at Tōshirō's side—
Ikkaku and Yumichika were panting, looking at Luppi.
He hadn't even released yet, and they were already overwhelmed.
Even with Bankai, Ikkaku was weakened from earlier battles.
They could barely fend him off.
"This is boring. Guess I'll just end it now!" Luppi declared.
He released his Zanpakutō.
"Strangle him—Trepadora!"
A flash of white light, and eight long white tentacles burst from Luppi's back!
His body was now covered in armor-like plating, and his reiatsu surged immensely.
"Not good!" Tōshirō rushed in to stop him from releasing, but it was too late!
One of the tentacles swatted Tōshirō away!
He managed to block it with his icy wings and avoided injury, but the other seven tentacles surrounded him.
"Bind!" Luppi roared.
All eight tentacles stabbed toward Tōshirō!
Though he blocked the initial strikes, the situation turned dire.
"Captain!" Rangiku cried, releasing her Zanpakutō.
But Luppi's tentacles were faster!
Three of them instantly ensnared Rangiku, Ikkaku, and Yumichika!
Just then, Urahara arrived!
Yammy and Wonderweiss hadn't acted yet, but Yammy moved to intercept Urahara.
"I really don't want to fight you," Urahara sighed, scratching his head.
But despite his words, a red flash erupted—
Boom!
He sent Yammy flying with a single shot!
Urahara turned to glance at Wonderweiss, who didn't seem hostile, and flew toward Tōshirō's battlefield.
But the moment he moved, Wonderweiss suddenly struck!
He used Bala—faster than a Cero but weaker in power.
Still, the speed surprised Urahara and landed a direct hit!
But because of the low power, it didn't hurt Urahara. Covered in dust, he leapt into the sky.
Yammy, now recovered, appeared again.
"Take this punch!" he roared.
His massive fist smashed Urahara down!
Then he unleashed wave after wave of Bala, pouring his reiatsu like it cost nothing!
Wonderweiss clapped and cheered excitedly like a child seeing a fun toy.
Yammy laughed maniacally, sure he'd finished Urahara.
But as the dust settled, Urahara was nowhere on the ground.
He had somehow floated above.
With a smirk, he said, "Ara ara, now that was a scary attack!"
Yammy was stunned. "No way! You're completely unharmed?!"
Urahara pulled out a balloon and blew it up.
It inflated until it became a replica of him!
Yammy was dumbfounded.
Seriously? He'd just been pounding a balloon?
"Yep, what you attacked earlier was just this thing!" Urahara grinned, tipping his hat.
Yammy was enraged and charged mindlessly.
Wonderweiss joined in too, grinning like he'd found something fun to break.
At that moment, Ichigo arrived!
(End of Chapter)
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