Ichigo let out a quiet breath of relief. Before dissipating his reishi blades.
'So It was enough after all' he muttered to himself while looking at the wounds on his arms still pumping blunt Arteri 'Barely'
Kurosaki then looked back to Grimmjow falling from the sky and his transformation dissipating until he reverted to his unreleased form and Ichigo in a familiar moment of compassion grabbed hold of him.
'Lucky for me Grimmjow never bothered to correct the flaw of his technique and left it vulnerable for me to shatter it and take him down in the same move but, had I not used a bit more of my shinigami powers and compressed my gestural junshiro into my blades…well let's just say losing an arm would be that lest of my worries' Ichigo thought to himself as he lowered the fallen Espada down on the ground and then looked towards the rest of the battlefield.
To his relief. It would seem that quinces and the Fullbringers were able to fight off the hollow hoard with many of them recovering from their wounds and gathering up the dead. While others looked at the hundred-mile craters in the far distance as smoke and flames were still rising out of them and mixing into the clouds above.
'Damn…now I know why the Gotei 13 place limiters on themselves. If any of the captains or lieutenants were this powerful then The world of the Living would have been reduced to cratered rock a long time ago he mused to himself in uneasiness until he heard someone stutter behind him.
'You…fucking bastard!' Grimmjow spat out as he barely pulled himself up from the ground and limply pointed his sword now battered and chipped at Kurosaki' This…isn't over you hear me…this isn't OVER!'
Kurosaki then looked at his foe and sigh in resignation for it seems that no matter what reality, they are in some things that never change.
'So I guess you want to finish off where we left off?' Kurosaki asked before forming back his two blades of reishi. 'Find by me'
However, as Ichigo readied his stance the Espada then hesitated. looking unsure of what Kurosaki was doing.
'So wait…you are going to finish me off…and not offer up your forsaken mercy?' Grimmjow growled while Ichigo looked irradiated.
'Look Grimmjow I have learned a long ago that guys like you don't surrender unless you end up dead or knocked out. In all honesty, I rather let you go so that you can get stronger and fight me again instead of in that half-dead state of yours. But since you are too stubborn to accept even that well...'
The Espada then remains stunned at what Ichigo said…before his face morphed into one of absolute disgust.
'Don't you dare play that bull crap with me...the last time you offered mercy to one of us Espada, you severed her soul sleep, and chain! Destroying her powers and leaving her as an utter wreck!' Grimmjow roared out. Which caused Ichigo to pause in confusion.
'…Who?'
'Neil the past 5th Espada you bastard!' Grimmjow shouted which made Ichigo gasp in complete and utter shock at what he just heard.
'I…destroyed Neil's powers?' Ichigo asked again still not fully believing what he is hearing.
'Oh don't play dumb with me Kurosaki, you did more than just destroyed her powers. You humiliated her, beat, and insulted everything she stood for. Just for having ideals before tossing her broken body back into Hueco Mundo like discarded waste!' Grimmjow then tightens the grip on his sword. Just to teach the rest of us, Espada, a lesson…'
Kurosaki then remain silent for a long moment as he took everything that his fallen enemy had told him. 'So…it would seem that me being a Quincy wasn't the only thing different here.' He thought grimly. But whatever other thought he had was put on hold when saw his wounded foe walking weakly toward him.
'I swore that I will get payback for what you have done to her and I refused to suffer the same fate even if I-'
Then suddenly a Descorrer pathway into the dark cavity of the Garganta opened from behind Grimmjow and a massive level of spiritual pressure filled the entire area. Silencing the 5th Espada in an instant and for Ichigo caused him to break out in a cold sweat. Not just from the overwhelming prescience but also the familiarity of it and by looking at who stepped outside the dimensional gateway his feelings were proven true.
Ulquiorra Cifer.
The Espada like Grimmjow wore a black version of his outfit with both of his hands in his pockets while his shirt was sleeveless and sporting the same emotionless expression Ichigo recognize all those years ago. But more so was the fact that he could tell this Ulquiorra was even stronger than the one from his world.
The youth then gulped as he readied himself. For he knew full well the clear difference in power between the top four Espada and the lower-ranked ones and he would be an idiot to assume it would be any different in this reality. Even now Ichigo was readying himself to unleash the full scope of his shinigami powers. Not even thinking about risking the chance of withholding his power just to maintain his cover.
Not against this opponent.
Ulquiorra then looked over to Ichigo Kurosaki for a moment and then to the injured Grimmjow. Before closing his eyes.
'It is over Jaegerjaquez. The Quincy and Fullbringers have managed to repel your forces and have killed the tenth Espada Grandfisher. It is time to retreat' the Espada stated but Grimmjow just shot him a hateful look.
'Like the hell I am!' He shouted. 'This fight isn't over until one of us-'
'So you would rather die a worthless death and shame the memory of your fellow Espada Neil is that it?'
Ulquiorra questioned and mocked while Grimmjow lowered his head in shame.
'Unless you are ignorant or in denial, Kurosaki Ichigo has not once unleashed his full power against you. Even with the use of your Segunda Etapa and if you continue this foolishness of yours it would only result in your destruction' the top Espada explained while Grimmjow could only pout and avert his superior's gaze.
Seeing his point has been made Ulquiorra then turns his head toward Kurosaki who stared right back at him.
'It would seem that you have developed a new power Kurosaki Ichigo, but at the cost of degrading your powers as a Quincy. Shamed, if such a thing had not occurred you would be quite a formidable foe to overcome and reserved to our absolute strongest' Ulquiorra commented while an Ichigo mealy frowned in annoyance.
'I can assure, you that whatever new power I have now is more than enough to take down both you and Grimmjow at once. So unless you're leaving I suggest you cut the condescending bullshit and bring it on!' Ichigo boasted while the pale Arrancar gave off a very faint smirk.
'And do you think I would be naïve enough to be goaded by you Kurosaki?' The Espada mocked.
'I am wondering if you are going to waste my time talking or getting your ass out of here The youth spat as his spiritual power began to rise. While Ulquiorra looked at it with both wariness and curiosity.
'Interesting…it would seem that beneath his Quincy spiritual pressure, there is another hiding beneath it just ready to burst...but I can't quite recognize it' the pale Espada then narrowed his eyes. 'No…I in a way do recognize it however if my suspicions are true. That just leaves the question of how such a thing is even possible' Ulquiorra commented in thought. But before he could ask any further. He sensed the incoming Fullbringers and Quincy zooming in on their location cutting their time short.
With little choice, Ulquiorra let out a sigh and step further into the Garganta with Grimmjow in toll.
'You have a very peculiar power Kurosaki and one that I never thought would come to be…' The Espada stated and Ichigo then realized in an instant what his enemy was getting at.
'…and even more so I now understand why to go all out of the way to hide it. But regardless of whatever power that may be it will soon be crushed by the might of Hueco Mundo and its god Barragan'
Ulquiorra then turn his face away and stared into the void of the Garganta.
'Farwell…Shinigmai' he spoke and then the rift in the void disappeared.
Ichigo then stares into the distance for a moment. Before letting out a deep breath and dispersed his reishi swords and once again began to think through his situation.
'Alright…so the Shinigami are not well-liked by the people around here and Ulquiorra has already found that I am one...' Ichigo then sighed in dejection 'Well at least no one else knows about it' Ichigo thought to himself and then from the corner of his eye, he saw Keigo walking towards him while supporting Bambietta over his shoulders.
'Yo Ichigo!' The brunette called out with a smile which was also shared by the sternritter and Ichigo also returned before using hirenkyaku to appear right before them.
'Seems that you were able to beat that Espada's butt all by yourself even with that second form of his. Heh, and to think me and Ms. Bambietta here were worried about you' Kegio stated. While dark-haired Quincy spun a nerve in annoyance.
'You idiot I wasn't worried about Kurosaki beating up that prick. I just didn't want to leave him with all the fun when one of the top Espada showed up that's all the Bambietta corrected but Keigo gave her a sheepish look.
'Oh? Well, that wasn't what I heard when you beg me to'
'SHUT UP!' Bambeitta yelled at Aasno who then wisely decided to keep his mouth. While the Sternritter then stared back up at Kurosaki.
'Anyway, Ichigo, I glade you sent that bastard running back with his tail between his legs as usual, and with the hollow hoard now dealt with, all we need to worry about is-'
Suddenly Bambeitta started to choke as her body began to shake, before coughing massive coats of blood. Causing both Keigo and Ichigo to look over her in dread as her condition worsen.
'Damn it...' Keigo cursed as he then quickly pushes Bambettia to Ichigo who quickly caught her in confusion. 'Ichigo go get Bamebietta to the hospital now!
'What?' Kurosaki questioned but this only made the Fullbringer snap at him.
'WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHAT ICHIGO!' Keigo shouted at him furiously. 'If you don't get Bamebettia medical service now she is going to undergo soul suicide! Now MOVE!'
Kursoaki's mind then went blank upon hearing that term and then darted his eyes to Quincy and saw to his horror that a hollow hole was forming on her chest.
Meanwhile with a hospital. A brown-haired glass-wearing doctor in a lab coat. Looked over a piece of data on a computer. Before getting interrupted by a young dark-haired woman who had her hair tied into a bun.
'Sir it is an emergency there are dozens of Quincy that need medical aid immediately and one of them is Bambietta Basterbine' the women report out in a rush. While the brown-haired man merely gave off a tired sigh.
'Is it now...well, I suppose we have our work cut out for us Momo' the brown-haired man said as he turn to face his assistant. 'I can only hope that she will survive just long enough for us to treat her