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Ulquiorra's eyes turned cold."What a joke!!!"
He shot forward at terrifying speed, straight at Kurosaki Ichigo.
At that same moment, Ishida finally reached the top, pulling Inoue along with him.
Feeling out the pressure in the air, Ishida frowned."I don't sense Kurosaki's reiatsu at all… where is he?"
Orihime had already broken into a run. The moment she looked ahead, her beautiful eyes went wide.
Ichigo was there—Ulquiorra's tail wrapped tight around his neck, his body thrashing desperately in the air.
Ulquiorra noticed her too.
Orihime's voice shook uncontrollably."Kurosaki… Ichigo…!"
Ulquiorra raised a finger and pointed at Ichigo's chest."Perfect timing. Watch closely."
"Watch as the man you pinned your hopes on has his life snuffed out."
Dark energy flared at the tip of his finger, a crushing wave of reiatsu rolling across the battlefield.
"Black Cero!!!"
Orihime's eyes widened in horror."Stop!!!"
The blast tore straight through Ichigo's chest, ripping past him and streaking far into the distance.
Blood poured from Ichigo's lips. His eyes began to lose all light.
Orihime froze, stunned."No!!!"
The flower-shaped hairpin on her head glowed, unleashing a triangular burst of orange energy. It shot toward Ichigo's falling body and caught him before he hit the ground.
She sprinted to him in a panic, but before she could reach him, Ulquiorra dropped down in front of her, mercilessly blocking the way.
"It's useless," he said flatly."Even if you reach him, your power alone can't keep him alive."
Orihime's voice broke as she kept calling Ichigo's name over and over.
Just then, Ishida appeared above, loosing three arrows that glowed with terrible energy.
Ulquiorra casually swept his bat-like wings, scattering them with ease.
Ishida's expression hardened. He unleashed another storm—countless arrows filled the sky, raining down in a torrent that buried Ulquiorra beneath them.
"Now!" Orihime seized the opening and dashed to Ichigo.
Smoke and dust rolled thick. Hovering in the air, Ishida drew back once more, charging his strongest technique.
"Rain of Light!!!"
Thousands of arrows exploded downward, a storm so dense it turned the whole battlefield into a sea of piercing beams.
The air filled with the ceaseless crash of arrows striking stone. Ishida roared with everything he had, pushing the assault to its absolute limit.
When the smoke finally began to clear, Ishida landed nearby, eyes locked on the haze.
And just as the old rule said—if there's still smoke, the enemy isn't hurt—Ulquiorra stepped calmly out of it, not a scratch on him.
"Impressive. I thought you were the calmest among Kurosaki's companions," Ulquiorra said.
Ishida steadied himself. "That's exactly why I can still think clearly enough to fight you."
He blurred around the battlefield, loosing arrows at every reappearance.
Ulquiorra's wings batted them aside without effort.
Tch… as I thought. Any ranged attack gets deflected…If I close in recklessly… no, what I need is time. Just time for Inoue to heal Kurosaki.
Let's try again.
Ishida moved faster, firing arrow after arrow. Each one was knocked away with a flick of Ulquiorra's wings.
Then, with a single sweep, one arrow was reflected back at him. Ishida barely dodged with a flash step—only to find Ulquiorra already at his back.
The Espada's punch slammed into him, sending Ishida flying.
BOOM!!!
He smashed into a nearby pillar, coughing hard, clutching his stomach."Damn it… I figured as much, but this power is overwhelming…"
"I need to calm down. Long-range attacks… there has to be a gap somewhere!"
Ulquiorra approached unhurriedly."Is that it? I had hoped to see more of your speed. But in the end, you're still human. Is this your limit?"
Ishida forced himself upright."The real show's just starting…"
Meanwhile – Naruto's World
Guy folded his arms, frowning."Kakashi, doesn't this seem strange? That orange-haired boy is supposed to be the star of this story. How could he just die like that?"
Kakashi thought for a moment."Maybe he still has some hidden power we haven't seen yet."
Back in the Bleach World
Ichigo stared at the vision in disbelief."So… in the future, I die like that? Cut down by Ulquiorra?"
His fists clenched tight, face burning with frustration."No. No way. There's no way I die like that!"
Orihime looked at him, her voice full of worry."Kurosaki-kun, I believe in you. You'll survive. You'll defeat Ulquiorra."
In Soul Society, Rukia stood frozen."He dies? Ichigo… didn't you say you'd become the strongest Soul Reaper? How could you die here?"
Renji walked in just then, glancing at the screen above."You saw it too, huh?"
Rukia turned away quickly, hiding the tears in her eyes.
"Rukia," Renji said firmly, "you've got to believe in him. Back when he was still so weak, he still stormed into Soul Society. I know he'll rise again."
On the Screen
The pendant on Ishida's arm shone brightly, transforming into a strange, radiant bow.
He reached for another arrow at his waist—but before he could fire, Ulquiorra appeared at his side, seizing his arm.
Ishida's eyes widened in shock.
"This arm, is it?" Ulquiorra murmured.
Meanwhile, Orihime knelt desperately beside Ichigo, pouring every ounce of her strength into healing him.
Orange light cocooned his body, but there was no sign of recovery.
Tears streamed down her face."What do I do? I keep feeling—somehow—I know he'll be okay… that he'll win. But I'm too scared to trust that feeling. What do I do?!"
Suddenly Ishida staggered back into view, his left arm limp and useless, clearly destroyed.
"Inoue… Kurosaki's life is in your hands now!"
His vision blurred, Ulquiorra's looming figure doubling before his eyes."Damn it… I'm losing focus…"
He gritted his teeth, drew another arrow, and charged recklessly.
"Ishida-kun!!!" Orihime cried out, terrified.
Ulquiorra's body flickered, vanishing—then reappeared directly in Ishida's path.
Too fast! Ishida thought in shock.
Ulquiorra's kick landed before he could react, hurling him dozens of meters.
He barely struggled to rise before a whip-like tail lashed across his face. Blood sprayed as he was flung into the rubble, unconscious.
Orihime stood paralyzed in horror."What do I do? What do I do?!"
"Kurosaki-kun! Kurosaki-kun!"
"Please, help me, Kurosaki-kun!!!"
Her desperate voice reached him. Ichigo's dim eyes flickered red.
She's calling me.I hear her…
Stand up!
Her tear-streaked face filled his mind.
Stand up. Stand up!
I will… I will protect you!!!
A terrifying surge of reiatsu burst from Ichigo's body. Dark energy poured out of him like a flood.
He roared, forcing himself to his feet, his entire body radiating with that fearsome black aura.
"..."
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