Bleach: Awakened — Chapter 94 - The Silent Espada
The long blade fell without mercy, but in the very instant before it landed, the tail behind Ulquiorra Cifer suddenly moved, striking directly at Ichigo.
CLANG,
SHHK,
"Impressive!"
The long tail caught the shoulder holding the blade. Hierro held, no wound, but the slash that had been aimed straight at the head, meant to split Ulquiorra Cifer clean down the middle, was knocked off course. It only severed the left arm cleanly at the root.
"I'm certain." Ichigo pulled the long blade back and rested it on his shoulder. "Among the current Espada, you are the strongest."
No words came. Ulquiorra Cifer retreated in rapid successive bursts as overwhelming spiritual pressure surged outward, forming a gray right arm and rapidly regrowing the left arm that had just fallen to the ground, in no time at all, both were fully restored.
"High-Speed Regeneration." Ichigo gave a small nod. "That's a fine ability to have kept."
"Though the cost is steep. Can you still fight?"
"That depends on you." Ulquiorra Cifer spoke. "In this battle against you, I see not the slightest chance of victory."
"Even Sosuke Aizen himself could not defeat you. To call this a battle would be far too generous to ourselves—this is nothing but a one-sided slaughter."
"Heh... you're pretty good with words." Ichigo smiled. "It's about time to wrap this up. Your strength has earned my acknowledgment."
"Live on. Live on carrying this humiliation. Do not forget this battle... do not forget this one-sided massacre. Train with the conviction to one day kill me. Grow stronger. I look forward to the day you stand before me again and issue that challenge."
The remaining Espada said nothing. Not Baraggan Louisenbairn, who in ordinary times was the most arrogant and supremely confident in personal power. Not Nnoitra Gilga, the most reckless in the relentless pursuit of the strong. Not Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, the most brazen warrior among them all. In this moment, every one of them could only stay silent and accept the humiliation.
Of those three, Baraggan Louisenbairn felt it most acutely.
Compared to Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez and Nnoitra Gilga, who lost in direct head-on clashes, Baraggan Louisenbairn had in truth forced the greatest threat out of Ichigo, the power of aging had drawn out a strength from an entirely different dimension.
That power from another dimension made one thing clear: for the rest of a lifetime, surpassing Ichigo was impossible. Forever and ever, the throne of the Hollow King was gone, and the title of the strongest along with it.
"Well then..." Ichigo glanced toward Las Noches in the distance, planted both feet firmly, and pushed Blut Arterie to its absolute limit. "Wait just a moment."
BOOM!
Like a sonic boom, Ichigo shot forward. The velocity was so staggering that the Espada present couldn't help but click their tongues, if Ichigo had maintained that speed throughout the entire fight, not one person here would have survived.
In the blink of an eye, Ichigo arrived above Las Noches. Descending slowly, he looked at the battered and ruined state of it and gave a quiet nod.
"Nelliel! We need to go!"
"Oh oh oh!"
A gray-green little head poked out from the shadows nearby. Pesche Guatiche and Dondochakka Birstanne followed after, and not a single suicidal Arrancar came to make trouble for them.
From the very start of the battle, Arrancar below the Espada rank had retreated into their own rooms or the palaces belonging to them. Now, sensing Ichigo's spiritual pressure once again, they couldn't help but tremble.
"I'll only say this once."
Resonating with the spirit particles in the air, Ichigo's voice carried a trace of spiritual pressure that passed straight through walls and distance alike, spreading throughout the entirety of Las Noches.
"To all Arrancar still inside Las Noches—when this message ends, you have one minute. Get clear of Las Noches. After that, I will launch an all-out attack on the whole structure."
The flat, dispassionate voice reached every Arrancar's ears. Some were already moving at that very moment, rushing for the outside.
"Based on actual results from my exchanges with the Espada, even the Espada who stand above you, if struck, they would not survive this attack."
Still speaking, Ichigo grabbed Pesche Guatiche and Dondochakka Birstanne one in each hand and flung both up into the sky overhead, then settled Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck onto one shoulder.
"So move fast. Don't get caught in it... countdown begins."
With that, Ichigo's body slowly rose into the air, silently counting down inside, and returned both blades to hip and back.
"—!"
The Arrancar who hadn't immediately fled realized they were already running short on time. Panic set in. The stronger ones went straight into Resurrección, burst through wall after wall, and made it outside Las Noches in an instant. The weaker ones either huddled together or followed the gaps that had just been torn open, and streamed out one after another before the forty-second mark.
"That... that's Ichigo Kurosaki...?"
They raised their heads to look at the sky, staring blankly at that figure suspended above like a deity, a silhouette so small, yet so terrifying.
"RUN!" One Arrancar who grasped what was coming let out a roaring shout. "We're not far enough away!"
Like waking from a dream, the mass of Arrancar snapped back, pushed spiritual pressure to its absolute limit, and sprinted into the distance once more.
"3... 2... 1..."
Countdown finished. Ichigo looked down at the vast expanse of Las Noches beneath and gave a single nod. In his perception, not a trace of living spiritual pressure remained anywhere inside.
"Oh... everyone came."
Ichigo scanned around. All the Espada had followed over. Not one of them carried a shred of fighting spirit, they only wanted to witness the end of Las Noches. Baraggan Louisenbairn in particular: Las Noches had been built piece by piece right before those eyes.
"So... so frightening..."
Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck trembled on Ichigo's shoulder. Even with every Espada in poor shape, the spiritual pressure radiating off Ichigo, so much more terrifying and savage than anything Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck could bear, sent a chill to the bone.
"Don't worry." Ichigo rubbed the little gray-green head and smiled. "With me here, no one can hurt you."
"O... okay!"
"Well then..." The smile lingered a moment, then Ichigo looked down at Las Noches, and a cold gleam passed through his eyes. "Let's destroy Sosuke Aizen's creation."
Dondochakka Birstanne and Pesche Guatiche hurriedly drew back. Without the shelter of Ichigo's spiritual pressure, the two risked getting swept in, Hollow instinct told them that being caught in what was coming meant being not far from death.
"Come to think of it, this is Hueco Mundo... so I may as well use Hollow power."
Ichigo raised the left hand. One finger extended. Black light flickered, and terrifying spiritual pressure gathered bit by bit, slowly condensing into shape at the fingertip.
"Ugh...!"
Nnoitra Gilga's body, riddled with wounds, could barely endure the pressure and couldn't help but retreat step after step. Not only Nnoitra Gilga, every other Espada was the same.
"...Hm... almost forgot, the construction materials here seem to be pretty decent quality." Muttering to himself, Ichigo paused. The spiritual pressure at the fingertip stopped. The Cero that had been nearly fully charged scattered and dissipated. One hand moved to the chin. "If I can't flatten the whole thing in one shot, that'd be a little embarrassing."
"Hmm... then let's add just a bit more."
➤ Next: The Mask Donned