Amamiya carried the unconscious Rukia into Urahara Shop, but found it empty save for Tessai Tsukabishi. "Tessai-san, where's Urahara?"
"The shopkeeper went to assist Captain Hitsugaya's group. However, by the time he arrived, the battle had already concluded… unfavorably," Tessai reported, his voice grave.
No one had anticipated the Arrancars' assault to be so brutally efficient. They had immediately used their Resurrección, overwhelming Tōshirō Hitsugaya and his team with sheer, unleashed power.
'Dammit. Is this because Aizen couldn't locate Inoue? A punitive raid? But she's with Hirako and the Visored. They shouldn't be able to capture her by force.' Amamiya felt a sliver of relief at that thought.
"Tessai-san, are you proficient in healing Kidō? If not, I'll need to take Rukia to Inoue," Amamiya asked, hoping the former Captain of the Kidō Corps had such skills.
At that moment, the door slid open. Kisuke Urahara rushed in, followed by Jinta Hanakari and Ururu Tsumugiya, who were carefully carrying the grievously wounded forms of Tōshirō Hitsugaya, Rangiku Matsumoto, Ikkaku Madarame, and Yumichika Ayasegawa.
"Amamiya-san! You're unharmed?" Urahara's surprise was evident. In his estimation, facing a fully released Espada—especially with the spiritual limiters active—should have been a far more dire situation.
Hitsugaya had been crushed by a Resurrección-level attack while still under his limiter seal, then overwhelmed by a second Espada. That Amamiya was the only one standing, and relatively intact, was unexpected.
"Forget that for now. How are they? Rukia's also badly hurt."
"The situation is critical. Any further delay, and Captain Hitsugaya and the others may not…" Urahara's fan was still, his usual levity gone.
"Then we go to Hirako Shinji's hideout, now. There are no Fourth Division healers here. Orihime is their only chance."
"Understood. You bring Miss Kuchiki. Tessai-san, please erect a barrier to mask our spiritual signatures as we move," Urahara instructed.
They placed the wounded on a large, floating… rug? Tessai's hands moved in a complex pattern, and a subtle cloaking field enveloped the entire group, hiding their reiatsu from prying senses.
What they didn't realize was that this precise maneuver played right into the enemy's waiting game. The goal was not a direct assault, but reconnaissance—to confirm the healer's location.
…
Elsewhere, in the Dangai, the stalemate continued.
Ulquiorra Cifer faced off against Byakuya Kuchiki. The Cuatro Espada had finally drawn his own Zanpakuto, meeting the storm of Byakuya's Senbonzakura blades with precise, economical parries.
But Byakuya grew increasingly perplexed. Ulquiorra wasn't fighting to win. He was maintaining a perfect, infuriating deadlock, holding the Captain in place without exerting his full strength.
Yammy and a brooding, wounded Grimmjow watched from the side, making no move to intervene. However, any attempt by Isane Kotetsu or the other Fourth Division members to slip past and continue toward the Human World was instantly blocked.
'A delaying action…?' Byakuya's mind raced. 'If their aim is to prevent timely healing, why not simply kill Hitsugaya and the others on the spot?' The logic was flawed, and it troubled him.
Suddenly, Ulquiorra disengaged, leaping back and sheathing his blade.
"Fall back," he commanded the other Arrancar.
"What is the meaning of this?" Byakuya demanded, Senbonzakura's petals swirling around him protectively.
"Rather than concerning yourself with our motives, you should attend to your wounded. Any further delay, and they will perish." At that moment, Ulquiorra received the psychic message from Zommari Rureaux. The Séptima Espada had witnessed Urahara and Amamiya transporting the injured into a specific, nondescript warehouse—the same location where Kurosaki Ichigo had earlier vanished.
With the target's sanctuary confirmed, the primary objective was achieved. 'Now is not the time for a full assault. Alerting them would only cause the target to be relocated again. The intelligence is sufficient.'
Hearing Ulquiorra's cold warning, Byakuya's priority snapped back into focus. Saving his subordinates came first. He gave a slight, imperceptible nod to Renji, signaling not to pursue.
Without another word, Ulquiorra tore open a Garganta. The three Arrancar vanished into the void, leaving the Soul Society reinforcements in the silent, box-filled corridor.
"Captain!" Renji urged, Zabimaru half-drawn.
"Our mission is to ensure the Fourth Division reaches the wounded. Engaging further serves no purpose now," Byakuya stated, his tone allowing no argument. "We proceed."
…
As dusk settled over a battered Karakura Town, a fragile peace returned.
Inside the Visored warehouse, Orihime Inoue worked tirelessly, her Shun Shun Rikka glowing as they rejected the grievous wounds of Hitsugaya, Rangiku, Ikkaku, and Yumichika. Slowly, their conditions stabilized from critical to serious.
It was then that Amamiya received a Hell Butterfly message: Captain Byakuya Kuchiki and Lieutenant Renji Abarai had arrived in the Human World with Fourth Division support, led by Lieutenant Isane Kotetsu.
"Urahara, Captain Kuchiki's team is here with proper medics. Should I guide them here?"
"More Shinigami?! Absolutely not! It's bad enough we're housing this lot! You think we're running a Soul Society hostel?! No way!" Hiyori Sarugaki exploded, pointing an accusatory finger.
"Hiyori…" Urahara offered an apologetic smile. While she was his former lieutenant, her tolerance for him—and his schemes—had always been thin. That she'd allowed wounded allies into their sanctuary at all was a minor miracle.
"I understand. We'll relocate Captain Hitsugaya and the others. Asking Miss Inoue to heal so many at once is too much. However, Miss Inoue… I'll leave Kurosaki-kun in your care."
"Yes… That's all I can do right now…" Orihime replied, her voice tinged with dejection. Being the hunted prize, capable only of healing after the fact, was a bitter feeling.
"Then we'll take our leave, Amamiya-san."
Amamiya moved to Rukia's side, gently gathering her into his arms. Her face was pale, her brow lightly furrowed even in sleep as if wrestling with the pain.
On the journey back to Urahara Shop, nestled against his chest, Rukia stirred. Her eyelids fluttered open.
"Miyako… you're… okay?" she murmured weakly, her eyes searching his face, finding the familiar, steady gaze that always grounded her.
Before blacking out, her last sight had been of Amamiya seemingly being overpowered. Her first conscious thought was for his safety.
"I'm fine, Rukia," he said softly, his hold tightening just slightly. "Everyone's okay. The enemy's gone. Your brother is here in the Human World. Just rest now."
"Is that… so…?" A hint of relief smoothed the tension from her features, and she surrendered again to a deep, healing sleep.
Amamiya held her close, the weight of her in his arms fueling a quiet, burning resolve. The desire for greater power, for the ability to prevent this helplessness, crystallized within him. 'If my Bankai could reach its true, completed form…'