Cloaked in black, Amamiya Miyako observed the battle within the shattered tower from a distance. A genuine smile touched his lips as he saw Rukia unleash the true, frigid power of her Shikai.
'You've grown, Rukia. Even the current Novena Espada is no longer your match.' Satisfied, he turned and melted back into the shadows. The outcome was decided; his presence was no longer needed.
As for the Hōgyoku glowing within the tower, Amamiya didn't need a second glance to know it was a decoy. Guarded by Aaroniero Arruruerie, arguably the weakest Espada in raw power? Only a fool would leave the real artifact there. Aizen was many things, but a fool wasn't one of them.
All these towers emitting the Hōgyoku's signature were traps. The real one was undoubtedly close to Aizen himself.
But before he could pursue that objective, he had to ensure his allies survived their own encounters.
…
Deep beneath another of Las Noches's spires, in a labyrinthine underground palace, the Octava Espada, Szayelaporro Granz, pursued his singular passion: the research of "perfect life."
Szayelaporro cared little for brute strength. In his original form, he had been powerful enough to be considered the 'Cero Espada'—ranked '0'—by Aizen after the defeat of Barragan. But to complete his Gabriel technique, he had split his power, creating his brother, Ilfort Grantz, and regressed to an Adjuchas state, losing his Espada rank. Yet, his brilliant mind was indispensable to Aizen's Hōgyoku research, securing his place in Las Noches. Upon perfecting Gabriel, he had reclaimed his spot as the Octava.
He was a scientist, obsessed with dissecting all forms of life—Shinigami, Hollow, Quincy. Aizen had assigned him to guard one of the decoy towers, but Szayelaporro found such sentry duty mundane. He had simply relocated his laboratory to the tower's basement, monitoring the fake orb's status while continuing his work.
The invasion, however, had piqued his interest. On a monitor before him, a clear image showed Ishida Uryū wielding a glowing Spirit Bow, cutting down minor Hollows with precise shots.
"A surprise… A genuine surprise!" Szayelaporro licked his lips with a twisted smile. As an ancient Hollow, he knew of the Quincy. Their sudden disappearance two centuries ago had been a mystery. Now, a living specimen had delivered itself to his doorstep.
More importantly, he had placed countless sensor Pupa on his brother, Ilfort. When Ilfort died in the Human World, those sensors had transmitted nothing—complete, silent annihilation. The method matched the historical records of Quincy eradication, which left no spiritual trace, unlike Shinigami purification.
"Could it be… you were the one who disposed of my 'dearest' brother?" he murmured, the smile not reaching his cold eyes. 'Dearest' was a lie; he was more annoyed his brother had failed to gather any useful data before being destroyed.
'Quincy power is Reishi manipulation… Then I shall simply prepare a special environment for my guest.'
…
Ishida Uryū had been methodically disabling the lesser Hollows he encountered, not destroying them. He'd learned from the Shinigami that Quincy eradication destabilized the balance of souls, so he opted to cripple instead. Following the winding paths, he eventually found himself inside a vast, empty tower.
He realized he'd strayed from the main route to the central palace. But as he looked up, his attention was caught by a blue-black orb suspended in the center of the chamber.
'What is that…?' He'd never seen a Hōgyoku. Frowning, he decided to shoot it down for a closer inspection. Raising his Ginrei Kojaku, he began gathering Reishi, taking aim.
"Ah, I wouldn't do that if I were you." A smooth, cultured voice echoed behind him.
Uryū instantly flash-stepped away, spinning to face the speaker. A man with pink hair and glasses stood there, hands clasped behind his back, having made no move to attack.
"Who are you? Human? No… Arrancar. Are you an Espada?" Uryū's voice was tight.
"Oh ho. A perceptive Quincy. Correct on both counts. I am the Octava Espada. Szayelaporro Granz."
"The Eighth…" Uryū's grip on his bow tightened. This would be a serious fight.
"Quincy. Tell me, was my brother, Ilfort Grantz, eliminated by you?" Szayelaporro asked, his smile benign.
"Your brother? I never encountered him. He was likely defeated by a Soul Society Shinigami."
"Is that so? A pity it wasn't you. No matter. A Quincy is a fascinating specimen regardless." Szayelaporro snapped his fingers.
With a series of heavy clunks, every entrance and exit in the tower sealed shut.
Uryū's eyes darted to the sealed doorway. His guard, already high, shot up further. The Espada's demeanor—calm, analytical, obsessed with 'specimens'—reminded him horribly of Mayuri Kurotsuchi. Instinctively, he pulled a specially designed gas mask from his uniform and secured it over his face. He would not be gassed into submission a second time.
"A mask? Concerned about poison? Your caution is admirable, but I haven't employed any toxins… yet." Szayelaporro's smile widened, his eyes glinting behind his glasses.
Uryū didn't believe him for a second. A researcher like this always had tricks.
He raised his Ginrei Kojaku again, aiming directly at Szayelaporro's heart, and willed a Heilig Pfeil to form.
Nothing happened.
Not only did no arrow appear, but the luminous Spirit Bow itself flickered and dissolved in his hands, the Reishi dissipating into the air.
At that moment, Szayelaporro placed a hand on his forehead and threw his head back, laughing—a sound of pure, gleeful triumph. "You see? While I haven't poisoned you, I have thoroughly 'adjusted' all the ambient Reishi within this tower! How does it feel, Quincy? Your techniques are quite useless now, aren't they?"
Uryū's heart turned to ice. He'd walked right into a trap perfectly designed for him. He had thought Hueco Mundo's dense Reishi would be a boon. Instead, he'd found an enemy who could control that very energy on a fundamental level.
"Quincies vanished two centuries ago. To find one now is a rare treat. So, would you kindly… stop struggling?" Szayelaporro still hadn't drawn his Zanpakutō. He took a step forward, his smile predatory. "I wish to conduct a most… thorough examination."
'This… is the worst possible situation,' Uryū thought, a cold sweat breaking out on his brow as his greatest advantage was rendered null and void.