At the entrance to the inner palace, Dordoni still lay sprawled on the ground, his body slick with the strange sheen of saliva that continued knitting his broken frame back together. He did not move, only staring up blankly at the dim ceiling above. In his hollow eyes there was no hatred, no regret—only the fading trace of happiness, as though the few seconds of battle earlier had given him enough to savor for a lifetime.
The echo of hurried footsteps interrupted his trance. Dordoni tried to raise his head, but before his blurred vision could make out anything, several boots trampled him flat. A group of figures appeared at the ruined entrance—Kurosaki Ichigo and his companions.
"What's with this mess? Did someone fight here?" Ichigo muttered, scanning the shattered walls. Rukia, Sado, and Ishida followed, their eyes shifting across the debris, but none could answer. Their gazes turned instead to the three yawning corridors ahead.
"Three entrances… which one is correct?" Ichigo frowned.
Rukia's face tensed. Ishida adjusted his glasses and spoke in his usual precise tone. "Three paths mean three separate routes. But without knowing Orihime's location, we cannot determine which is right or wrong. Any choice carries equal risk."
Rukia bit her lip, her brows furrowing. "We can't just stand here…"
Ichigo clicked his tongue impatiently. "Tch. Then grab someone and make 'em talk. Problem solved."
Sado's deep voice cut in, hesitant. "Speaking of which… I think we stepped on someone."
The others turned sharply. Behind them lay Dordoni, unconscious, foam bubbling at his lips, his body stamped with the imprint of several boots. An awkward silence followed. They had run so fast, they hadn't even noticed.
Ichigo scratched his head, then knelt and yanked the man up by the collar. "Oi! Wake up! Where's the girl you took?!" His shout echoed through the ruined hall.
Dordoni twitched, frothing, but gave no answer.
"Wake up!" Ichigo shook him violently, but still nothing.
"Idiot!" Rukia snapped. "He's unconscious, not napping. Shaking won't change that."
Ichigo growled, frustrated, and tossed Dordoni back to the floor. "Damn it. Then which way do we go?"
Rukia thought for a long moment, then her voice hardened. "We split up."
All three turned to her, startled. She held their eyes with seriousness. "We don't know where Orihime is. If we search separately, our chances improve. Whoever finds her first alerts the others, and we converge. Even if one group is delayed, the rest can continue the rescue. It's dangerous, but it's the best option we have."
Ishida nodded solemnly. "Agreed." Sado gave a slow, firm grunt of assent.
"Fine. I'll take the middle!" Without hesitation, Ichigo rushed into the center corridor, disappearing in seconds.
Rukia sighed. "Always reckless…" Then she turned left. "I'll take this one. Keep contact at all times." With that, she vanished into the shadows.
Ishida and Sado exchanged a look, then walked into the passage on the right.
---
Meanwhile, in the inner palace, Orihime sat blankly at the edge of a pristine white bed. The plain Arrancar dress she now wore draped elegantly over her figure, but her eyes were vacant, her spirit hollow.
The door creaked open. Ulquiorra entered without expression. "Your companions have come to save you," he said flatly, activating the screens on the wall.
Orihime's dull eyes widened as images flickered to life—Ichigo, Rukia, Ishida, Sado. Her lips trembled. "Ichigo… Rukia… Ishida-kun… Chad…" Her voice quivered, almost breaking.
Then another image appeared. Her breath caught. "Su Li…"
Tears welled, sliding down her cheeks. They had all come here for her—risking themselves against Aizen's fortress of death. Guilt hollowed her chest, grief pressed down until she bowed her head, tears falling silently onto the floor.
---
Elsewhere, deep within Las Noches, four figures pressed cautiously forward. Towering walls stretched on without end, smooth corridors echoing their footsteps. The air grew colder with every step.
"Wh-why is it so cold here…" Dondochakka shivered violently.
Peixue frowned, staring at the identical walls. "Strange… this place feels familiar, but… I can't remember why."
Nilu clutched Su Li's haori with both hands, walking so close that her small frame nearly pressed into his back. Her wide eyes darted nervously through the gloom.
The corridor stretched on, until finally a faint light glimmered at the end. Relieved, they quickened their pace, emerging into a vast chamber.
Rows of strange apparatus and countless glass containers gleamed beneath pale lamps. Tubes, vials, and jars filled with ominous fluids stretched across the room—a laboratory. Su Li's eyes narrowed in thought, but Peixue and Dondochakka froze in place, their faces blanching.
A voice drifted from the shadows. "Well, well. Look who wandered in."
A slender figure stepped into the light—pink hair, golden spectacles, the smile of a refined man masking an aura of mockery.
Su Li tilted his head, resting his chin on his hand. The name danced on the edge of memory, troublesome to recall. Fortunately, Peixue's voice rang out in terror.
"Szayelaporro Granz!!"
Both he and Dondochakka shouted in unison, their voices shaking, their bodies trembling with fear.
Not just fear—hatred, deep and unending.
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