Inoue Orihime's voice?!
Ichigo Kurosaki spun around just in time to see Chad blasted away.
Standing nearby was a figure clad in stark white armor, with a tail and blue hair—it was Grimmjow, the one Ichigo had launched with a Getsuga Tenshō moments ago.
Their eyes met.
Grimmjow's bestial, twisted face contorted further in irritation.
Before the operation, in addition to Aizen Sōsuke's orders, the Espada had also received a second instruction from Seiya Arima:
"If you can't bring back Kurosaki Ichigo, then bring the girl named Inoue Orihime instead."
He didn't understand Arima's reasons, but as one of Hueco Mundo's dual sovereigns, his words couldn't be ignored.
Returning from afar, now in Resurrección, Grimmjow saw his chance—and seized it.
He had the target.
But he wasn't happy about it.
Grimmjow detested cowardly tactics. He thrived on raw, visceral combat, not bullying the weak.
Yet orders were orders.
"This is pissing me off..."
He muttered and stretched out a hand—
Clamping it tightly around Orihime's throat.
Her eyes widened in shock. Five fingers compressed tightly, cutting off her scream, choking it down into silence.
She trembled.
Beyond pleading, there was nothing she could do. Just a high school girl, helpless and scared of dying.
Her mouth opened weakly, hands grasping at Grimmjow's arm.
Help me.
Ichigo...
The silent whisper, a wordless cry for help, shot straight into Ichigo's heart like an arrow breaching space itself.
As if something invisible shattered in that instant, Ichigo's eyes snapped open wide.
He shouted her name.
"ORIHI—ME!!!"
Even Unohana couldn't react in time—the sudden eruption of spiritual pressure detonated like a trigger-pulled explosive.
BOOM!!!
A deafening roar burst forth as Ichigo's reiatsu erupted, the air imploding under the pressure.
In a single motion, he entered Bankai mid-charge.
Tensa Zangetsu!
A crimson-black arc tore through the sky. Roaring like a meteor, Ichigo shot toward them.
All eyes were instantly drawn to the overwhelming pressure surging from him.
Tensa Zangetsu, built for speed, accelerated beyond limits.
But—
It was all futile.
Because the enemy was prepared.
"Lanza del Relámpago."
A cold, flat voice intoned.
A bolt of lightning struck from the sky—unerring, precise—striking Ichigo mid-flight.
Arm still extended from the throw, Ulquiorra stood like a sniper on high ground.
"Hey now, this won't do..."
Kyōraku Shunsui frowned, glancing back with worry.
A blast like that could flatten a captain.
Ichigo should've dodged it. He should've had time.
Was he okay?
"Urgh…"
The smoke cleared.
Ichigo stood, battered and scorched. Not unconscious, but barely holding it together.
His uniform was torn to shreds, half his body covered in bruises. Standing upright took effort.
"Hoh..."
Ulquiorra let out a rare sigh.
His usually blank face twitched with faint intrigue.
"To endure a Lanza del Relámpago head-on... a body of that strength is rare even among the Espada."
The others said nothing. Grimmjow began to Sonído rapidly.
"Stop him!" Kyōraku ordered.
Kiganjō slashed, Byakuya's petals surged, all aimed at Grimmjow's back.
But it wasn't enough.
Without further releasing their blades, they couldn't match his speed.
Was he going to get away?
No—someone else was waiting.
Sui-Feng appeared like a wraith, poised to strike Grimmjow's heart.
"You're not getting away with this."
But Halibel intercepted, blade flashing to block the assassination.
"Tch..."
Sui-Feng clicked her tongue. After a brief clash, both returned to their sides.
No point fighting further. The mission was complete.
"I got the girl," Grimmjow growled.
He tossed Orihime onto a floating platform of spiritual energy.
Thud!
She landed hard, shoulder first. Pain shot through her.
She didn't scream—she saw Ichigo's bloodied form.
If she cried out again…
He'd come for her again. Get hurt again.
She couldn't let that happen.
She made up her mind.
But reality was cruel.
A figure landed before her, grabbing her hair violently.
Nnoitra loomed, half his face obscured by an eyepatch, the other twisted with malice.
"A woman, huh?"
He licked his lips.
"Wonder how she tastes…"
He leaned in, sniffing her blood like a predator.
"...!"
Orihime's heart nearly stopped.
She realized—these monsters were even worse than she'd imagined.
"Enough, Nnoitra."
A cold voice broke through.
Ulquiorra, no longer in Resurrección, stepped forward.
"I don't care what you do normally—but this woman was personally requested by Lord Arima."
He stopped in front of Nnoitra, calm and indifferent.
"I intend to complete my mission. So—"
"Let go."
Nnoitra, after a brief pause, released her.
"Tch. I don't know what that Seiya guy said to you, but you're one devoted little lapdog."
Insulting.
But Ulquiorra didn't care. Others' opinions never mattered to him.
He looked down at Orihime, unreadable.
Then he raised a hand—
Riiiiip…
A rift tore open beside her, distorted and howling.
Garganta.
An Espada-exclusive method for crossing realms.
"Let's go. The rest of the mission is pointless now."
Efficiency above all.
Though Halibel was technically the leader, it was Ulquiorra—the one who viewed the twin kings as absolute—who truly commanded respect.
Halibel and Nnoitra joined him in silence.
The Gotei 13 looked on grimly.
This wasn't expected.
Kyōraku turned.
"Captain Mayuri, can they really do that so easily?"
They'd struggled to reach this battlefield. Yet these guys acted like they were strolling through a door.
"Ridiculous…"
Even Mayuri Kurotsuchi's smile faded.
He turned to Nemu. She nodded, activating a strange device.
After scanning for a moment, she reported:
"No spatial instability, Mayuri-sama. Their system must be completely different from ours."
Mayuri tilted his head, thoughtful. He showed no emotion as he replied.
"Nothing to be done. Unexpected, yes—but a valuable lesson."
Even failure could yield insight.
Meanwhile, Byakuya and Kiganjō still clashed with Yammy.
He was massive, overwhelming, and—shockingly—holding his own.
"Hahaha! So weak! If this is all Soul Society has, then it's mine for the taking!"
He laughed, repelling both Shinigami with brute force.
With his Resurrección dismissed, Yammy swaggered back to the Arrancar ranks.
Grimmjow, clearly annoyed, gritted his teeth and turned his eyes—
Toward the bastard who knocked him away earlier.
"Hey! Shinigami!"
Ichigo, barely standing with Unohana's support, looked up.
"If you wanna save her, come to Hueco Mundo!"
"Come find me! I'm Espada No. 6—Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez!"
Clear as day:
That earlier humiliation still burned.
But Ichigo didn't care about titles.
He just wanted Orihime back.
"Wait—bring her back!"
His plea was met only with Ulquiorra's cold gaze.
No need to observe further. The mission was done.
Ichigo's power was interesting—but nothing more.
"Next time."
Ulquiorra turned halfway, pale green tear marks unmoved.
"If there's a next time—I'll capture you."
Crack…
The Garganta closed like a healed wound.
Ichigo broke free of Unohana's grip and lunged—but they were already gone.
…
Elsewhere.
Beneath Las Noches.
The Espada knelt upon their return.
"The one you wanted, we brought her back."
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Powerstones?
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