The moment Ichigo arrived with Shunpo, he saw Rangiku and the others bound tightly by Luppi's tentacles!
Without a word, Ichigo drew his Zanpakutō.
Slash! Slash! Slash!
Three flashes of his blade—Luppi's tentacles were cut off instantly!
Rangiku breathed a sigh of relief and groaned as she pulled herself free, "Phew… thank goodness you're here, Ichigo!"
Ichigo looked over at the group. "Is everyone alright?"
But before Rangiku could answer, Tōshirō floated up from below.
"I'm here."
Ichigo turned around and saw a gash on Tōshirō's head, blood staining his white hair.
Ichigo was shocked. "Tōshirō, what happened to you?!"
Tōshirō snorted, "Hmph, just a scratch!"
Meanwhile, Luppi, having had three of his tentacles slashed off, stared at Ichigo cautiously. "Who the hell are you?"
Ichigo's eyes narrowed at Luppi's androgynous appearance—it honestly made him sick.
"I'm Kurosaki Ichigo. And you are?"
"Hahaha! I am Luppi, personally appointed by Lord Aizen as the Sexta Espada!" Luppi boasted proudly.
"Hm?" Ichigo raised an eyebrow. "Sexta? You mean the one who replaced that loudmouthed guy?"
Hearing Grimmjow's name, Luppi scowled. "That guy is no longer an Espada! He's just one of our Fracción now!"
Ichigo shook his head slightly. "Sexta, huh?"
In an instant, Ichigo disappeared and appeared right in front of Luppi—his speed startled Luppi so much he panicked and swung his tentacles.
But they didn't connect!
A sudden surge of blue reiatsu burst from Ichigo, and he grabbed Luppi's face and hurled him across the battlefield!
"You're not even worthy of being the Sexta!"
The force of that brutal throw sent Luppi flying like a comet and slamming into the ground in the distance.
BOOM!
The impact was massive.
Rangiku was stunned—just a moment ago, the four of them couldn't do a thing to Luppi, and now Ichigo had taken him down in a single move!
She sensed Luppi's reiatsu—it was barely even detectable!
With Luppi handled, Ichigo turned toward Urahara's side of the battlefield. Feeling Ichigo's arrival, Urahara treated Yammy and Wonderweiss like children.
He didn't need to beat them—just hold them off.
—Meanwhile—
"Arghhh!" Grimmjow roared, bursting with reiatsu as he finally broke free of Rukia's ice pillar!
But with the freezing mist still clinging to his body and his labored breaths, it was obvious he hadn't broken out effortlessly.
"Hadō #33: Sōkatsui!" Rukia didn't hesitate—she raised her hand and hurled a blast of blue fire!
The burning energy clashed with Grimmjow, scorching his already weakened arm.
"Cero!" Grimmjow snarled and fired a black Cero at her.
But Rukia, using the moment she gained from her last spell, activated one of her most powerful techniques.
"Second Dance—Hakuren!"
A giant blast of freezing energy crashed into Grimmjow's Cero, shattered it, and froze him again!
This time, even more thoroughly!
Grimmjow had to detonate a Cero at close range to break out.
His body was covered in frostbite and bleeding wounds.
He looked utterly miserable.
"Damn it…" Grimmjow growled, drawing his Zanpakutō in one last desperate act.
But just as he did, Ulquiorra appeared.
"Enough, Grimmjow. We're leaving."
"Hmph." Grimmjow clicked his tongue and sheathed his sword.
Rukia and Senna immediately Shunpo'd in front of them.
"Arrancars! What are you really after?" Senna demanded, sensing something was off.
But neither of the two answered.
Senna drew her Zanpakutō, but just as she was about to release it—
A golden light descended from the sky!
"Is that… Negación?" Rukia stared at the light enveloping Ulquiorra and Grimmjow, stunned.
She hadn't expected Aizen to use Negación for these two.
Senna raised her blade, but Rukia stopped her. "Forget it. Even if we captured them, Hueco Mundo would just come to retrieve them."
Senna gritted her teeth but backed down.
On Ichigo's side, it was the same.
Three pillars of Negación descended from the sky, retrieving Yammy, Wonderweiss, and Luppi—who was embedded deep in the ground.
Battered and bloodied, Luppi gave Ichigo a cold sneer. "You win this time, Kurosaki Ichigo. Next time, I'll kill you!"
Ichigo didn't even glance at him, treating him like air.
Instead, he was pondering—what was the purpose of this Arrancar attack?
It didn't make sense. Did Aizen send them on a whim, then suddenly decide to pull them back?
Ichigo couldn't figure it out.
But Rukia and Senna brought him troubling news.
"Ichigo… Orihime is gone!"
"What?! What do you mean?!" Ichigo exclaimed.
Senna quickly explained the situation from Soul Society.
"Just now, we got word from Captain Ukitake. The two Shinigami escorting Orihime back were found unconscious, sent back through the Senkaimon. But Orihime herself… she's missing."
"What about her home? Tatsuki? Anyone?" Ichigo pressed.
"We already called Tatsuki. Orihime isn't with her either," Rukia shook her head.
Ichigo's brows furrowed as he recalled how strange the Arrancars had acted today.
Could all of this… have been a distraction?
But why would Aizen go after someone like Orihime, who only had support abilities?
—That Night—
Rukia and Senna visited Orihime's home. She hadn't returned.
Ichigo, Rukia, and Senna sat on his bed, discussing the situation.
What they didn't know was that Orihime… was watching them from afar.
"As expected… the person I most wanted to see was Kurosaki-kun," Orihime whispered through tears as she looked at Ichigo's worried face.
Seeing Rukia and Senna beside him, Orihime's heart tightened—but then she smiled.
Quietly, she said to herself, "There are still so many things I want to do, Kurosaki-kun."
"I want to be a teacher… or an astronaut…"
"I want to open a cake shop, or visit every donut place and say, 'I'll take one of each!'"
"I want to go to every ice cream parlor and try them all."
"If I could live five times over…"
"I'd be born in five different towns, eat five different kinds of food till I'm full…"
"I'd have five different careers… and in every life—I'd fall in love with the same person."
"Thank you, Kurosaki-kun. Goodbye."
With that, Orihime vanished from the world.
—The Next Morning—
"Oi! Ichigo! Something big has happened! It's about Orihime!" Tōshirō suddenly appeared outside Ichigo's window.
Knowing that tone, Ichigo didn't waste time.
"Got it!"
He took Rukia and Senna and rushed to Orihime's home.
On the large screen inside, the face of Yamamoto Genryūsai appeared.
Ichigo looked at him and said, "Old man, just say it."
Yamamoto wasted no time. "Inoue Orihime has been taken by Aizen Sōsuke's men. However, we cannot confirm if she went willingly."
Ichigo stood in silence for a moment… then turned to leave.
"Don't you have anything to say?" Yamamoto called out.
Ichigo stopped and looked back. "Old man… you won't help me. Against Aizen, you need to preserve your strength. So, what's there to say?"
Yamamoto frowned but didn't reply. Ichigo had hit the mark.
Then, the Senkaimon opened on the wall. Byakuya and Kenpachi stepped through.
"Captain-Commander's orders: all Shinigami in the Human World are to return to Soul Society and prepare for war," Byakuya declared.
Kenpachi glanced at Ikkaku and Yumichika. "What're you waiting for? Let's go!"
Ikkaku and Yumichika gripped their Zanpakutō but said nothing, silently walking into the gate.
"Captain!" Renji tried to protest, but Byakuya silenced him with a gesture.
Renji lowered his head and followed.
Soon, only Ichigo, Rukia, and Senna were left.
"Rukia, why are you still here?" Byakuya asked.
"Big Brother, I'm going with Ichigo!" she said firmly.
"As a Shinigami, your duty is to follow orders!" he barked.
"Big Brother!"
Byakuya closed his eyes and said nothing more.
Senna understood his unspoken permission and immediately grabbed Rukia's hand, using Shunpo to leave.
Byakuya pretended not to see and walked into the Senkaimon.
Yamamoto looked at Ichigo but said nothing more. The call ended.
Tōshirō and Rangiku sighed and followed orders, returning to Soul Society.
Ichigo didn't linger either and rushed after Rukia and Senna .
On the way, the girls bumped into Tatsuki.
"Any news on Orihime?" she asked anxiously.
"Tatsuki!" Ichigo called.
He briefly and coldly explained that Orihime had been taken to Hueco Mundo.
Tatsuki immediately said, "Then what are we waiting for?! Let's go get her!"
Senna and Rukia quickly restrained her.
"Calm down! We still don't know how to even get there!"
Tatsuki cooled down slightly.
Ichigo then added, "There's only one person who can help us get to Hueco Mundo—Urahara Kisuke."
Rukia and Senna nodded.
Seeing Tatsuki calm down, they let go.
"I'm going too," she said firmly.
"Tatsuki you…" Ichigo looked worried.
"Don't worry, Ichigo. I haven't been slacking off these past two months. I'm a whole new person now!"
With that, she released her reiatsu—and it was solid.
Not quite Bankai level, but definitely Captain-class spiritual pressure.
"Alright! Then we go to Hueco Mundo and bring Orihime back!"
After a quick stop at home, Ichigo brought the three girls to Urahara's shop.
Seeing them arrive, Urahara smiled and said—
"You're all going to Hueco Mundo, huh?"
(New series launch! Please collect, send flowers, and vote!)
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My Patreon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][www.p@treon.com/zaelum]
[+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[Thank You For Your Support!]