Chapter 100: The Sacrifice of the Duo, The Burning Dark Dragon
"Dondachaka! Sado!" In an instant, Pesche had transported Ishida to where Sado was, both men's faces twisted with anger and desperation as they took in the gravely injured state of their companion.
"Nnoitra! You despicable bastard!" Pesche growled, his entire body wracked with agonizing pain, yet his glare burned with fierce determination.
Nnoitra scoffed dismissively as he saw the two appear before him. "Who are you fools?" His voice was thick with contempt. "Ah, I see—just more of Nelliel's underlings to add to my entertainment."
"Are you all just itching to meet your end?" he taunted cruelly, taking hold of Dondachaka's neck and shaking him violently. The pressure rapidly cut off Dondachaka's air. Sensing the urgency, Pesche had no choice but to fire another Cero, despite the immense strain it placed on his body.
BOOM!
A violet blast erupted fiercely, but Nnoitra only sneered, cruelly tossing Dondachaka into the path of the Cero before vanishing in a blur.
"Damn it!" Pesche shouted in frustration, his heart pounding as the Cero hurtled toward Dondachaka. Just as all seemed lost, a figure lunged forward at the last moment, shielding Dondachaka from the blast.
Ishida knelt beside Dondachaka, whose blood soaked the once pristine white robes. Exhaustion weighed down as Dondachaka struggled to stay upright.
"Ishida, your hand..." Sado's eyes widened in shock upon seeing Ishida's injuries.
"Heh, don't worry about that now. We've got an enemy to focus on ahead," Ishida replied through a tired, weak smile. He slowly straightened and turned to Pesche. "So, what's the plan? This foe seems even tougher than we anticipated."
Carefully lifting Dondachaka, Pesche felt the dark spiritual pressure begin to surge from within both their bodies, growing stronger with every heartbeat.
He turned toward Ishida, his voice low and steady. "Why do you think I was heading this way?"
Pesche's eyes locked with Ishida's, unwavering. "Because no matter the cost, we must fulfill our mission—even if it means sacrificing our own lives."
Pesche's form began to dissolve into a radiant surge of green spiritual energy, flowing like a river into Dondachaka.
"I'm sorry, Master Reinhard... we've let you down. And Master Fiander, we haven't lived up to your expectations," Pesche's voice echoed softly, fading into the merging of their essences.
Their minds filled with fragments of memories—Nell's voice, her gentle smile, hazy yet vivid scenes of their shared battles after her injury had left her weakened and diminished. These images flooded faster and faster until their mental space was consumed by darkness, leaving an eerie silence in its wake.
"What are you two doing?" Nnoitra's voice echoed with growing alarm as he watched Pesche and Dondachaka begin changing, transforming into a massive, swirling black mass.
With reckless determination, Nnoitra brandished his immense scythe and charged.
"Dondachaka..." came a faint voice.
"It was such an honor, to fight alongside you and aid Nell," Pesche murmured softly.
"It's simply my purpose... I share your feelings, Pesche," Don Dechaka responded calmly.
"Then... we shall meet again in the next life."
"Yes. I truly hope to see Lady Nell once more."
As their words lingered in the air, Ishida and Sado exchanged knowing glances, the moment striking a deep chord as it echoed memories of when they used the loose spirit gloves back in Soul Society.
What they had sacrificed was power—and with it, an underlying sense of apprehension crept into their hearts...
"Pesche! Dondachaka! You two..." Ishida's voice trembled just before a blinding white light erupted suddenly, flooding all of the battlefield with searing radiance.
Nnoitra, rushing forward with Tesra at his side, was blasted backward by the overwhelming energy, crashing hundreds of meters away amid shattered sand and broken earth.
Ishida and Sado braced themselves against the furious storm, shielded by Pesche and Dondachaka's final act, which deliberately safeguarded them from harm.
"What is this...?" Sado muttered in shock.
As the sprawling light gradually dimmed, both warriors blinked cautiously, revealing through the fading haze a colossal black dragon nearly fifty meters long, its massive form wreathed in roaring ebony flames.
"Pesche? Dondachaka?" Ishida and Sado called out in disbelief, but the dragon did not acknowledge them.
Then, suddenly, the dragon's previously sealed eyes snapped open, revealing two burning golden orbs filled with wrath and power.
With an earth-shattering roar that echoed throughout the cosmos, the great black dragon unfurled its vast wings and launched into the sky, hurtling toward Nnoitra.
A powerful gust swept over Ishida and Sado, blowing them off their feet and sending them tumbling wildly before they finally came to rest in the shelter of nearby rocks.
As the dragon disappeared into the distance, a flicker of deep sorrow crossed Ishida's eyes.
"It seems... they have departed."
Sado remained silent, clenching his fist and striking the sandy ground with fierce frustration. The raw impact caused his hand to bleed, a tangible reminder of their harsh reality.
Meanwhile, in the dim recesses beyond the battlefield, Ne stirred on Ichigo's lap. Her soft eyes fluttered open, but tears streamed down her delicate cheeks, painting an agonized portrait of sorrow and loss.
Ichigo, groggy from exhaustion, was stirred awake by her sudden movement. He looked down at her with concern.
"Did something happen, Nell?" he asked softly.
Nell gripped his collar, voice trembling with fragile emotion. "I don't know... Nell doesn't understand."
She paused, her voice breaking as she continued, "It's just... such deep sadness inside. Nell heart feels utterly empty. Nell wants to return... Nell wants to go home."
Watching the fragile girl who had journeyed with him since entering Hueco Mundo, Ichigo's heart ached painfully. The weight of her despair was palpable, and he found himself grasping at answers for what tortured her soul.
Her transformation into something so haunted and fragile—long gone was the carefree spirit they had once known.
Gently, Ichigo brushed his fingers through Nell's vibrant green hair, offering a faint smile to soothe their shared pain.
"Don't worry, Nell," he whispered tenderly. "No matter what happens, I will protect you."
His vow was quiet but resolute. "I promise. I will bring you back. No matter what."
Nell let out a small hum in acknowledgement, then fell into a solemn silence.
Yet the oppressive atmosphere in the darkened space thickened with tension, tugging Ichigo's focus sharply back to the small figure beside him.
A sudden cracking echoed through the air, slicing the silent gloom, followed by a piercing beam of light that shattered the shadows.
"You made it, Ichigo!" a familiar voice called out.
"Grimmjow?!" Ichigo's eyes widened in shock, staring as Grimmjow strode into the chamber with his usual icy resolve. His presence immediately shifted the air, trailing closely behind him was Inoue Orihime—the ever-present and fragile light in Ichigo's mind.
"I... E..." Ichigo's words caught in his throat as he lifted Nell protectively, stealing a glance at Orihime, whose cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she avoided his gaze.
Orihime had been forcibly brought to Hueco Mundo by Ulquiorra under threat—the enemy's ruthless ultimatum to annihilate Ichigo and all those dear to him unless she obeyed.
To protect them, she had no choice but to ally with Ulquiorra, journeying to Hueco Mundo against her will. But before leaving, she had visited the gravely wounded Ichigo to tend to his injuries.
She had even aided numerous Arrancar in their recovery—an act that inadvertently helped the enemy—filling her with a heavy burden of guilt before Ichigo, knowing their desperate survival had placed them all at risk.
"Are you alright, you filthy mutt?" Grimmjow snapped, breaking Ichigo's reverie.
Ichigo winced as Grimmjow delivered a sharp kick, sending him stumbling into the corridor behind him. "Hey! That hurts!" he protested, rubbing his head.
"What's your problem?" Ichigo shot back, his glare hardened. "Why'd you bring Inoue here?"
"Shut up! If Ulquiorra hadn't trapped you, I wouldn't have wasted my time bringing this woman to save your ass."
"Enough chit-chat! Let her heal your wounds quickly—our fight isn't finished."
Hands shoved deep into his pockets, Grimmjow eyed Inoue sharply. "What are you waiting for? Move it!"
"Yes!" Inoue responded instantly, rushing to Ichigo's side and focusing her healing powers. The shimmering Shun Shun Rikka shield materialized to mend his injuries.
Relief washed over Ichigo as he saw Inoue unharmed and determined. He then turned to Grimmjow, curiosity piqued. "By the way, how did you know I was trapped?"
Grimmjow rolled his eyes, voice disdainful but matter-of-fact. "Every move you've made since entering Hueco Mundo has been monitored by the night palace."
"Except for that brief moment when the quicksand vortex swallowed you whole."
"So yeah, they've got a complete lock on you."
Ichigo frowned, the pressure of Grimmjow's words sinking in. He asked urgently, "What about Ishida and Sado? The other two allies who came with me—do you know what happened to them?"
"I have no idea!" Grimmjow snapped, arms crossed defensively. "I'm not interested in anyone else."
However, he added with a glint in his eyes, "But here's some intel that might catch your attention—two Shinigami have arrived in Hueco Mundo. They've already taken down an Espada."
"Rukia Kuchiki and Abarai Renji."
"Rukia?" Ichigo muttered in disbelief. "How is that even possible? Isn't the Soul Society supposed to be preventing that? Why...?"
Before he could process this startling information, a cold voice sliced through the tension behind Grimmjow.
"What are you scheming now, Grimmjow?"
Startled, Grimmjow whipped around. The frosty gaze of Ulquiorra stood at the side of the dark rift, his impassive face betraying nothing but icy disdain.
"Ulquiorra..." Grimmjow greeted grimly, the air growing colder still as their long-standing rivalry once again found its stage.
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