Lifting his head to look at Ulquiorra, Ichigo provocatively said:
"What's the matter? Weren't you going to eliminate me here? Is this all your 'elimination' amounts to?"
Hearing Ichigo's words, Ulquiorra's expression remained unchanged. "Ridiculous. Are you provoking me?"
"The kanji granted to me by Aizen-sama is [Nihility]."
"Emotional fluctuations caused by provocation are something only beings with hearts possess. For me, it does not apply!"
"So don't expect me to reveal openings due to anger!"
"I can see it, Kurosaki Ichigo. The reason your physical abilities can still match mine is because you've been continuously infusing Reishi into your body."
"By means of a stimulant, you've maintained this fight against me, but such methods cannot last."
"The issue is that I am merely swinging my blade normally. As long as I continue to swing, your body will inevitably reach its limit before mine!"
Ulquiorra's words caused Ichigo's expression to darken slightly.
He hadn't expected the other party to think this way. Having been in the Bleach World for so long, this was the first time he'd seen someone understand combat like this.
Ulquiorra was like a heartless robot, cold and rational.
It was akin to those Pro Players' macro playstyle in League of Legends. Ulquiorra rejected unnecessary, emotional plays, only needing to maintain his advantage to overwhelm his opponent.
But Ichigo knew Ulquiorra far too well.
After just a moment's thought, Ichigo revealed a smile again. "Is that so? But how do you know I cannot surpass my body's limits and slay you instead?"
"Because that is an impossibility!" Ulquiorra replied calmly.
"Humans always like to harbor expectations towards things, not knowing that what cannot be seen does not exist."
"Things that do not exist have no value for discussion."
Ichigo said with a faint smile, "But you are still discussing it with me!"
"You attempt to negate me, yet do not realize that the act of negation itself is an affirmation!"
"Just as you try to negate the existence of a heart."
Ichigo gave Ulquiorra a meaningful look. "If something truly does not exist, how can you prove its non-existence?"
Hearing this, Ulquiorra's expression shifted slightly.
The next moment, holding his light sword, Ulquiorra appeared behind Ichigo once more.
Clang!
Blocking Ulquiorra's attack with his blade, Ichigo continued to probe his psyche. "Impatient, you're getting impatient!"
"I know you're impatient, but don't be yet. Hear me out."
Ichigo questioned, "Just said you wouldn't be provoked by me, and now you already are! Can't that prove it?"
As for the debate on the heart, if Ulquiorra truly wished to explore it, Ichigo had a set of quantum mechanics waiting for him.
However, that was clearly unnecessary now. Ulquiorra remained very calm. The meaning behind the Espada's existence… if it could be so easily overturned by words, they wouldn't be the Espada.
"Boring!"
"I said, only things that can be seen truly exist!"
Two brief statements expressed Ulquiorra's stance.
However, sometimes the mouth is very hard, while everything else is soft.
Ulquiorra was an opponent worthy of Ichigo's full focus. Thus, for the cards in his hand, Ichigo also needed to figure out how to use them carefully.
But from the increased power in Ulquiorra's sword, Ichigo could sense that the other party was currently using the full strength of his first-stage Resurrección.
In that case, there was nothing more for Ichigo to say.
He decisively raised the stakes!
"Pixie! Merge!"
Ichigo summoned the doll he had obtained during the Bount arc.
Pixie, wearing a princess dress, twirled in the air before flying straight towards Ichigo!
From Pixie's body, faint Captain-level Reiatsu surged forth!
Although not very strong for Ichigo and Ulquiorra-
In a battle between powerhouses, being just a step ahead means being worlds apart!
Raising a finger pointed at Ichigo's Pixie, Ulquiorra fired a rapid series of Bala!
The black Bala fired by Ulquiorra himself were countless times faster than Yammy's Bala.
But Ichigo still accurately intercepted them.
The predetermined space was stretched. The extremely fast Bala also fell into slow motion within the elongated distance, like small insects caught in a spider's web!
Subsequently, relying on the merging ability of Yoshino's fire doll, Ichigo's Pixie crashed into him, initiating a joint transformation!
Pixie's Reiatsu instantly poured into Ichigo's body.
Along with this Reiatsu, faint five-colored patterns appeared on the black garments of Ichigo's Tensa Zangetsu Bankai!
Under Ulquiorra's rational, analytical gaze, Ichigo laughed loudly and stepped forward!
The ability of Ruyi activated. Stepping on the highly stretched space and utilizing the slingshot effect of space, Ichigo launched himself towards Ulquiorra.
On the originally slender blade, wind and fire complemented each other.
Swinging the giant flaming Tensa Zangetsu, as if he had picked up the wrong Zanpakuto and taken his father's Engetsu instead, Ichigo slashed towards Ulquiorra!
Rumble rumble rumble-
The wind wrapped around the sword was like a raging typhoon. Together with the burning flames, it spun out a fiery tornado.
Restrained by the fiery tornado, the sharp Tensa Zangetsu accurately struck Ulquiorra's left chest before he could react.
Rip-
His post-Resurrección garment tore. The skin on his body's surface was slightly blackened by the flames.
The number '4' left by Aizen, representing the Cuarto Espada, appeared on Ulquiorra's left chest!
Simultaneously, lowering his head slightly to look at the bleeding wound on his chest, a flash passed through Ulquiorra's eyes.
Looking at Ichigo not far away, Ulquiorra channeled Reiatsu into the light sword in his hand.
The light sword transformed into a spear, then Ulquiorra forcefully raised it and hurled it!
It flew through the air as straight as a javelin thrown by an athlete.
The terrifying aura emanating from the light spear made Ichigo feel deeply uncomfortable.
Yet, he couldn't use Ruyi to deal with this attack.
Because... with a flap of his wings and a stomp of his feet that created a massive crater, using the reaction force, Ulquiorra charged at Ichigo!
With Ulquiorra's influence, Ichigo couldn't manipulate space.
And in Ulquiorra's hand, a Gran Rey Cero quickly gathered power!
In response, Ichigo also began gathering power for a Cero!
A red Cero clashed violently with a black Gran Rey Cero.
Boom!
An intense explosion occurred!
Simultaneously, without waiting for the explosion to completely dissipate,
Whoosh-
A familiar blade light appeared once more!
A pitch-black slash instantly cleaved through the not-yet-fully-consumed Cero and Gran Rey Cero.
That's right, it was a familiar slash, but it was Ichigo's.
Originally planning to pass through using the explosion as cover to catch Ichigo off guard,
But seeing the blade light already at his face, Ulquiorra had no choice but to raise his palm to block it!
Thump-
Getsuga Tensho erupted once again within the grasp of the Black-Winged Demon!
A powerful impact force transmitted from it.
Like an airplane hit by anti-aircraft fire, Ulquiorra fell from the sky, crashing heavily into the fire-baked earth!
Boom-
With Ulquiorra's fall, a ring of yellow-brown dust exploded!
But before this dust ring could fully expand, another high-speed figure charged into it!
Ichigo swung Tensa Zangetsu, the power of the Bount doll activating.
The dust ring that Ulquiorra had just created now seemed to be granted life, transforming into a giant serpent that wrapped and coiled around Ulquiorra!
"Hmm?" Looking at the serpent coiling around him, Ulquiorra was quite puzzled, not knowing where it came from.
But regardless of where the serpent came from, there was only one thing for Ulquiorra to do!