Chapter 76: Bait
"Huu————"
In that moment, after vanquishing all the hollows, only the ragged breaths of Ichigo echoed across the desolate landscape.
"Ichigo . . . "
Nell's eyes reflected concern as the excessive usage of deeper Hollow abilities forced Ichigo's body into a critical state.
Once the black mask faded away, uncontrollable convulsions took hold of Ichigo's form, his muscles twitching violently.
As this episode persisted for several minutes, Ichigo eventually collapsed onto the ground, gradually regaining his composure and clarity of mind.
"Ah?"
Upon witnessing Ichigo's fall, Nell rushed over and peered down at him.
"Are you alright, Ichigo? ! "
"Nell chan? "
With great effort, Ichigo pried his eyes open and weakly uttered, "I'm sorry; I wasn't able to protect your pet properly."
"It's fine, I can sense that Bawa Bawa still has a pulse; he's alive. "
"Really? Then that's. . . wonderful! "
After expressing his relief, Ichigo's vision faded, and he lost consciousness.
"Ah Ichigo! Ichigo!"
However, once Ichigo fell unconscious, he was oblivious to Nell's frantic calls, which left the little girl anxiously shaking his head.
"My God! Ichigo has fainted! "
"What do I do? What do I do? Nell is in serious danger here! Nell is going to be eaten! ! "
As Nell paced back and forth in distress, a sudden thought struck her. She approached the seriously injured Bawa Bawa, enveloped in black mist.
Bending down beside him, she spat out a considerable amount of saliva onto Bawa Bawa's body.
Above the Menos Grande forest, within Fiander's domain.
After Reinhard had cautioned Ishida and Sado, Pesche guided them around the area.
Growing weary of the wait, Pesche pulled out a handheld gaming device Fiander had lent Nell to pass the time.
At that moment, Ishida was overwhelmed with shock. It was not merely a matter of being astonished; it was akin to experiencing a subjective annihilation.
Imagine an Arrancar sitting cross-legged on the ground, engrossed in a gaming console, munching on chips, and sipping Coke.
In essence, Ishida wouldn't have accepted this sight as reality if he hadn't witnessed it himself.
"You. . . do Arrancars typically engage in these activities~? "
Upon hearing Ishida's question, Pesche glanced at him with a puzzled expression and replied nonchalantly.
"Aren't those the sorts of things you usually enjoy playing? It's just that we don't often indulge in these during typical times. "
Continuing, Pesche stretched his arms and added, "That's why I frequently play with Master Nell, we have grown quite bored of these games. "
"Crack! "
Upon concluding his remarks, Pesche popped a piece of potato chip into his mouth, then raised the Coke to his lips and took a hearty swig with a refreshing "chi chi chi chi," saying, "Indeed, consuming this is the best choice in this kind of weather! "
At this moment, Ishida, marked by dark lines across his forehead, found himself unable to persist in his grievances. The living spaces in this region are all formed from caves and stones. From the outside, they appear to have imperfections.
He did not anticipate that upon entering, he would encounter a vast cavern styled akin to a castle, adorned with various authentic furnishings within.
Fridges, gaming consoles, air conditioning units, and even individual rooms are interspersed throughout.
After regaining his composure, Ishida adjusted his glasses and addressed Pesche earnestly, stating, "Given our antagonistic relationship, Kurosaki and Miss Nell being together—"
"But you mentioned that the Arrancar known as Reinhard is one of the Espada, correct? "
"Then. . . Aizen must have commanded the elimination of us intruders. "
"Kurosaki. . . will he be alright? "
Suddenly, Pesche halted the game he was engaged in, turned towards Ishida, and smirked, "I always perceived you to be a rational individual, ishida. "
"What do you mean by that statement? " Ishida inquired, taken aback.
"Since your arrival in Hueco Mundo, every move you make has been under the surveillance of the Night Palace; doesn't that spark your curiosity? Aside from the two insignificant encounters you had initially. Why has no Arrancar pursued you? "
"You. . . you mean? "
"I shouldn't be the one divulging this to you, but Master Reinhard's stance is unmistakably clear. "
"You are presently among the few who can reach this place, precisely because the Night Palace requires your presence here. Surely, given your intellect, you can grasp the rationale behind this? "
Once he finished, Pesche's demeanor shifted, and he began to chuckle, "By the way, care to join in on the fun? "
"There are numerous snacks safeguarded by Master Nell here! "
Witnessing the sudden shift in Pesche's behavior, Ishida realized that their current predicament was highly unfavorable for them, and remaining here would likely pose no immediate danger.
However, their risk would increase significantly upon advancing. Ultimately, since the Night Palace's interest does not lie with the three of them, their intent to capture Inoue Orihime becomes alarmingly clear.
The only viable combat force able to counter them is the Soul Society. They are merely bait, as the Soul Society requires Kurosaki's fighting abilities—only he remains unaffected by Aizen's Zanpakuto
It is implausible that the Soul Society would permit Kurosaki to enter Hueco Mundo unaccompanied without intervention. Despite their verbal dissent, they will undoubtedly continue to dispatch assistance for Kurosaki.
Anyone sent to aid in confronting the Espada would not be of low caliber or rank, which makes their intentions transparent—their targets are the captains of Gotei 13.
With this in mind, Ishida's thought process became significantly clearer in a moment, allowing him to grasp the overall structure of Aizen's plan.
Yet, knowing this offered him little solace. It was a scheme beyond his influence, and he lacked the strength to change the course of events.
' Kurosaki. . . be careful!'
Ishida gazed out of the cave, his face solemn, with a lingering sense of unease in his eyes.
Menos Grande Forest, Central Region,
Ichigo blinked awake, his eyelids heavy and sticky against his skin. Automatically reaching up to touch his face, he was met with an odd substance that clung to his hands.
"What. . . what is this! ! "
Startled, Ichigo bolted upright, realizing he and Nilu were seated on Bawa Bawa's back, which was steadily moving forward.
"Are you awake, Ichigo? "
Nell, perched atop Bawa Bawa, wore an innocent grin as she glanced at Ichigo.
"Nell? How are. . . ? Me and Bawa bawa are healed?!"
"That's because. . . Nell's saliva has healing properties! Hee hee! ! "
Nell gestured to her own face with a smile.
****
25+advance chapters at patreon.com/Eatinpieces