Chapter 93 Conflict
Starrk averted his gaze, seemingly hesitant to respond to Lilinette's comments.
Witnessing Starrk's listless demeanor, Lilinette's anger boiled over, and she struck him squarely in the face once again, exclaiming with indignation, "You need to snap out of it, Starrk! "
"After what happened with Fiander, it's time for you to wake up! "
As Starrk observed Lilinette's face, he rubbed the back of his head and sat upright.
With her arms crossed, perched against the pillar behind him, he gazed up at the ceiling and addressed Lilinette, saying, "Lilinette. . . "
"What is it? " the girl replied, looking puzzled.
"Do you recall what Fiander told me a while back? "
Starrk cast a glance at Lilinette, his mind drifting to a time long before Aizen and his group turned against the Soul Society.
Fiander had once stated privately to Starrk, "Don't be fooled by the aggressive Espadas for now; when you genuinely engage with the Soul Society—"
"The outcome will not favor us, regardless of which side emerges victorious. "
"The one who will suffer is undoubtedly Hueco Mundo. "
Fiander's implication was clear: despite the Espadas' efforts, the course of the war was dictated solely by Aizen.
No matter the narrative, Aizen's identity as a Shinigami is irrefutable, while Arrancars merely serve as instruments to fulfill his ambitions.
"So you still haven't grasped the seriousness of Fiander's words? " Lilinette rose, seizing Starrk's face and kneading it energetically.
"Stop! Stop! Stop! It hurts! ! "
Starrk winced as Lilinette's small hands caused him distress.
Abruptly, Starrk ceased his protests and calmly spoke to Lilinette, "Don't fret, Lilinette, you will be alright! "
"I have faith in Fiander; he must have his own strategy, and from the moment I first encountered him, I believed that! "
"Uh~ I get it! " Lilinette suddenly flopped down onto Starrk, her expression adorably determined.
Simultaneously, in the area where Fiander was based, Sado and Ishida, who were meant to linger, unexpectedly broke away and fled while Pesche and Dondachaka were distracted.
They proclaimed, "I came to Hueco Mundo to save Inoue, not to engage in idle games! "
"Even in Kurosaki's absence, we must persist; otherwise, what's the purpose of us being here? "
At that moment, in Nell's quarters, Pesche observed Reinhard successfully bringing back a weary Ichigo and Nell, and he trembled in fear as he voiced, "Already. . . gone? "
"Sado. . . Ishida! "
Ichigo gazed toward the direction the two had vanished, concern etching his face. That was precisely where the Night Palace stood.
"Pesche, how long have they been missing? " Despite feeling worn-out both physically and mentally, Ichigo couldn't shake his worry for his friends and still inquired.
"About. . . three hours ago, I was engaged in games with Dondachaka,"
"I didn't notice their departure either. " Pesche bashfully scratched his head in embarassment.
"It's alright, Pesche, I appreciate your help in looking after them for a bit."
Ichigo smiled and addressed the pair.
"Now that Nell is out of harm's way, it's time for me to focus on my own matters. "
While he spoke, Ichigo lowered Nell from his shoulders, setting her gently on the ground, then gently patted her head, saying, "You're safe now, Nell-chan, but I have my own path to take. I'm sorry, but I can't stay with you any longer."
Upon hearing Ichigo's words, Nell, with tears forming in her eyes, clutched at his trousers sadly.
"Thank you for rescuing both me and Nell from the Menos Grande forest, Mr. Reinhard."
In that moment, Ichigo expressed his gratitude to Reinhard, who was seated on the soft carpet.
"There's no need to bring that up again, Kurosaki Ichigo; I've already made it clear I'm not here to save you. Also, you should understand one thing. You're basically begging to die, in your current condition.
I can only say that if you wish to die, that's your own concern, but I don't want Lady Nell to be too heartbroken. "
As he spoke, Reinhard glanced at the small Nell at Ichigo's feet and addressed him.
"Yes, yes! " Nell quickly interjected, "You've exhausted your power; your body can't take it anymore, you need to rest! "
Despite being surrounded by enemies, Ichigo couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth seeing the Arrancar, who should have been his opponent, genuinely caring for him. He turned his head and replied, "I appreciate the concern, Mr. Reinhard, but I still have time! I know your intentions are good, but time is of the essence; I must head out, sorry! "
After finishing his sentence, Ichigo pushed aside the curtain and dashed out. Unexpectedly, Nell sped after Ichigo, trailing closely behind him.
"Wait! Don't leave me behind! Just wait! ! "
Watching the two leaving in a hurry, Pesche and Dondachaka lamented, "Lady Nell ! "
However, the two who had already departed could not hear their cries.
Within ten seconds of their departure, Pesche and Dondachaka exchanged glances, and they saluted Reinhard as they reported, "Master Reinhard, per your instructions, Ishida and Sado have separated and are moving toward the Night Palace. "
"Excellent work! "
Reinhard rarely commended them, then added, "As Master Fiander noted, Kurosaki Ichigo truly should not be underestimated. "
"Even in my absence, he would still possess the strength to bring Lady Nell to safety. "
"What a remarkable shinigami. "
Reinhard ran his fingers through his hair and continued speaking to the two of them, "Since everything is unfolding as planned, you should follow them closely and ensure they do not meet their end."
"After all, they are significantly important! "
"Understood! Master Reinhard! "
Pesche and Dondachaka arose simultaneously, enveloped in a dark mist, which was soon followed by a black cloak that concealed their faces.
Leaving Nell's room, the duo hurried in the same direction, eager to catch up with Ishida and Sado, who were making their way to Night Palace.
However, to reach their destination, they needed to traverse the area occupied by the Espada.
Meanwhile, about an hour had passed since Rukia and Renji defeated Zommari.
The two continued their trek across the expansive desert towards Night Palace. Suddenly, a massive monster made of quicksand erupted from the ground, extending its enormous arms and with a casual motion, sent a cloud of yellow sand into the air.
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