A room in the main palace of Las Noches, adorned with exquisite furnishings. Gazing up at the moonlight streaming through the window, Inoue Orihime desperately prayed for the safety of her friends who had come to rescue her.
"I'm coming in."
After a knock, an emotionless male voice echoed through the room. It was Ulquiorra, one of the Espada who had been acting as the girl's caretaker.
"So you've noticed."
"...!"
With his usual expressionless face, the Arrancar youth explained the situation: "That fool Nnoitra got ahead of himself." His name was indeed that of another Espada. Orihime bit her lip, thinking of her silent, towering classmate whose spiritual pressure had vanished moments ago.
"Chad isn't dead."
When Ulquiorra remained silent, the girl grew impatient and repeated, "He's not dead." As if trying to convince herself more than him.
"...Fine. It's lunch. Eat."
As always, the Arrancar youth set the table and prepared an extravagant meal. But the tomato pasta garnished beautifully with seafood and the fresh salad glistening with dew looked like faded ornaments to Orihime's eyes.
"Keeping yourself alive until Lord Aizen summons you is also your duty. Eat."
"...I don't want it."
The meal wasn't the only thing that looked faded. Even the youth before her—the one-sided sense of familiarity she'd felt toward him now felt cold as ice, and Orihime was forced to understand, against her will, that he was one of that great evil's minions. Even this Ulquiorra, who despite his harsh words had cared for her so devotedly.
"What's with those needy eyes, woman? Do you want me to tell you that 'the ones who came to save you are safe'?"
"...!"
"Ridiculous. I'm not here to coddle you."
Cut down. His emotionless jade eyes rejected Orihime's weakness.
"I've been ordered by the Commander to attend to your needs. The etiquette of serving meals, explaining the cuisine—Lord Aizen himself taught me these things because they're necessary to welcome you with the finest treatment. It's all because he took pains to ensure you, as our comrade, would suffer no inconvenience or disadvantage."
"That's..."
"You are now our ally, one who has submitted to Lord Aizen's command. And those who invaded Hueco Mundo are our enemies. You have neither reason nor right to mourn their lives."
Ulquiorra's words, spoken so matter-of-factly, squeezed Orihime's chest. It was true—she had betrayed her friends, no matter the circumstances. And here in Las Noches, she'd been given a civilized, comfortable living environment. Of her own will, she had healed the wounds of Grimmjow and Commander Hinamori, enemies of her friends.
Did someone like her not even have the right to pray for her friends' safety...?
"I don't understand. You've witnessed our power multiple times. You should have known from the start how this would end."
"...Stop."
"And we gave you the chance to say goodbye to your friends—time to avoid this outcome. That they came here is the result of your indecisiveness and their own foolishness."
His words were perfectly logical and utterly cruel, eating away at Orihime's heart. But that last statement was an insult she absolutely could not overlook.
This person just called my precious friends who came to rescue me...!
"You betrayed them with their lives as collateral, and four days ago, you made your final choice. And still they came."
"...Stop it!"
"If it were me, I'd be furious at their stupidity for charging into Hueco Mundo without even measuring the gap in power..."
It was a reflexive action.
A stabbing pain ran through her entire right palm. Breathing heavily, Orihime suddenly became aware of what she'd just done.
"...Ah."
Before her stood Ulquiorra, his head turned slightly to the side, his plaster-like cheek exposed to her.
What have I done? Orihime gasped with guilt.
Everything he'd said was perfectly logical, and she, swept up in emotion, had just resorted to violence against him...
"I'll come back in an hour. If you haven't eaten by then, I'll force it down your throat myself."
Was he displeased, or had he simply judged this conversation pointless? His mechanical eyes, voice, and expression conveyed nothing of his true feelings.
The guilt of betrayal, friends reaching out despite being wounded, Chad's vanished spiritual pressure, herself striking the kind Arrancar she'd wanted to befriend. Torn apart by countless conflicts, Orihime could only watch Ulquiorra's departing back through her tears.
***
And so, while watching Ulquiorra and Orihime's advanced flirtation display on the video terminal with a grin, I—Hinamori Momo—was secretly moving from Aaroniero's palace to the next stage.
(Hmm, there were a few unnecessary lines, but... Orihime felt guilty about the slap and overall the Ulqui-Hime factor was high, so... Good!)
There were minor discrepancies here too, but having experienced them multiple times already today, my enlightenment was considerable. Compared to the massive discrepancy from earlier, this was nothing.
Yes, compared to the Aaroniero battle...
The Aaroniero fight ended as in canon—a mutual defeat with Rukia surviving—and Chad's spiritual pressure fulfilled the loss requirement. But before I could savor the afterglow of witnessing two of Bleach's finest events live, I was thrown from the peak of joy at the very last moment.
The crucial closing scene of Aaroniero's plea wasn't quite what I'd expected.
(...The Arrancars' favorability ratings are off. I just threatened them too much with Tobiume at first, so I tried to balance it out by being approachable, but...)
Originally, my favorability toward the Arrancars—or rather, toward the canon characters—was maxed out. So I can't say I had zero desire to be liked rather than hated.
However, the real reason I decided to be kind to the Arrancars was because Nnoitra and Szayelaporro had refrained from ambushing Nel out of fear of me.
(Back then I was surprised like "wait, for that reason?" and after that I started playing the ditzy, fluffy Momo-chan so they could move more freely)
Though even without acting, when I'm not conscious of Shiro-chan and my OSR value, I'm naturally a spacey, clumsy idiot.
I dragged the Arrancars into farm harvesting and Western cooking experiments that I couldn't do in the Soul Society. I designed and sewed their canon outfits. I ended up spoiled by Hueco Mundo's living environment where I could be my natural self.
But thinking back now, first threatening them with violence, then repeatedly serving them fine liquor and home-cooked meals with a genuine smile...
『No matter how you look at it, that's just carrot and stick. You natural-born player.』
"Tobiume...!?"
The exasperated face of my sacred zanpakuto spirit suddenly appeared in my mind. Don't speak for me without permission.
"My player skills aren't natural—they're cultivated. This time was just a blunder caused by years of thoughtlessness..."
『Either way... Arrancars are mostly Hollows lacking emotional intelligence anyway. Once you crush a strong one's pride, the rest are like newborn puppies. Just twisted ones.』
"Now that you mention it, there are way too many examples..."
With some exceptions, there were indeed many easy marks in Hueco Mundo—thug lackeys like Yammy and Di Roy, devotees like Nel and Harribel. The Soul Society Shinigami were completely drawn to me through lust or envy, but the Arrancars' attachment felt more like... the mother of a beast pack or something.
I see. This blunder came from the Arrancars sensing maternal vibes from my overflowing motherly nature.
How sinful of me... (relaxed grin)
(Hmph, whatever, I don't care if things go off-script. If it won't follow canon anyway, I'll just use it for my "HINAMORIIII!" moment...)
In the first place, the cause of all Arrancar-related discrepancies was Aizen creating this non-canon "Espada Commander" position. More to the point, that devil skipped most of his original canon moves. Therefore, I'm not to blame.
At this stage, it's beyond salvaging, so Momo-chan is choosing to be shameless.
Fortunately, when Dordoni and Aaroniero fell, they both spoke positively about Hinamori Momo. This is a high-level special stylish action called OSR Value Transfer, which literally transfers one's own OSR value to an ally.
Plus, their final words expressed devotion to Commander Hinamori. The gap-OSR when I do my Hogyoku and Kyoka Suigetsu corruption arc will be absolutely outstanding.
And then Aizen will one-shot super-stylish me.
By making me—at peak OSR value—into a hype sacrifice, the archnemesis Aizen Sosuke's strength will be emphasized, establishing his position as the ultimate style master befitting a final boss.
Simultaneously, I, being cut down by him, will achieve the position of tragedy master who triggers Shiro-chan's "HINAMORIIII!"
It's a perfect move where nobody loses.
Now then, what's needed is a protagonist to break through and overcome final boss Aizen Sosuke's towering OSR value.
Kurosaki Ichigo.
(It's almost time for his first battle with Ulquiorra. As a Bleach fan, I absolutely cannot miss that legendary scene...!)
Amid the increasingly broken canon events, I hurried my steps to observe the first Ulquiorra battle—one that still had a chance of being faithfully recreated.
At worst, I at least need that line recreated. The ultimate derivative form of "What... did you say..." I must record it at any cost.
I'm coming, so wait just a little longer, you two!
***
He was surprised.
That was the honest impression of Ulquiorra Cifer, the Arrancar fighting Kurosaki Ichigo.
"What... did you say..."
The shocked face of the Shinigami reflected in his dark green eyes.
Since the first mission to the World of the Living, Ulquiorra had been granted authority over this human's life and death by his lord and commander. If he was consumed by his inner Hollow and perished alongside the World of the Living forces, fine. If he controlled his power and became an enemy of the Arrancar army, also fine. No matter what extraordinary potential he possessed, it wasn't enough to threaten Ulquiorra.
However, the new power Kurosaki Ichigo wielded possessed just enough destructive force to slightly wound Ulquiorra's iron-hard Hierro. Ulquiorra acknowledged he had underestimated his opponent too much.
But.
"Was that your full power?"
"Ah... ugh..."
Kurosaki Ichigo went pale with despair, his expression eloquently answering the question.
"...I see. How unfortunate."
That was the honest feeling of his lord, his commander, and himself—who had felt a faint thrill at the prospect of fighting this man.
He pointed at his opponent and fired a Cero from his fingertip. Even this ordinary attack, requiring no special effort, was a fatal flash to the fragile Kurosaki Ichigo. Instantly catching up to the tattered Shinigami who fled carrying his companion, Ulquiorra slammed him into one of the buildings within the dome.
"...Impressive reaction speed."
The Espada offered words of praise to Kurosaki Ichigo, buried under debris scattered throughout a room on the building's upper floor. The split-second donning of that mask to defend against the Cero—was it intentional, or instinct?
Yet its duration had dropped significantly from the first strike. A third use would be impossible.
"Who said... I'm giving up...!"
At that moment, Kurosaki Ichigo's blade thrust against Ulquiorra's chest.
"You're the top Espada, right? Then if I beat you, this battle's as good as won...!"
Kurosaki Ichigo put on a show of bravado. It was a pathetically miserable sight.
Then Ulquiorra suddenly recalled words the Commander had spoken the other day. And perhaps now, he might glimpse this man's—that Inoue Orihime's—"heart."
"I see. How unfortunate for you."
He grasped the black zanpakuto thrust at him and tore open his own garment at the chest. The number revealed there spoke of despair, clearly reflected on Kurosaki Ichigo's face.
"4... you're..."
Precisely. His designation within the Arrancar army was Cuatro Espada Ulquiorra Cifer. The fourth-strongest Espada from the top.
Which simultaneously meant that even if Kurosaki Ichigo managed to defeat him, three more Arrancar stood above. No matter how many times he stood up, victory was beyond his reach.
"It seems I overestimated you."
Ulquiorra pierced the man's chest with his left arm.
An example of "Shinigami Hollowfication" that Commander Hinamori had cited as reference for Menos Arrancarization. A research subject that even Lord Aizen himself paid attention to. His growth rate was indeed remarkable.
But even this Kurosaki Ichigo was nothing but trash before the overwhelming existence called Ulquiorra. Without showing the "heart" that intrigued him or the power it might bring, their battle drew to a close.
That evolution he'd anticipated never reached Ulquiorra's expectations.
"...If you can still move with that body, leave here immediately. If you can't move, then die there."
Your path ends here, Shinigami.
Leaving his disappointment behind, Ulquiorra turned on his heel toward Inoue Orihime.
If that woman became violently distraught upon learning of Kurosaki Ichigo's death, would he be able to see her "heart"? Would she awaken to even greater power, driven by her friend's demise?
That single question was now all that remained of Ulquiorra's interest in this battle.
***
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