Seireitei.
As soon as the two Arrancars appeared in Karakura Town, the SRDI detected their presence and notified all squads.
The captains gathered, watching the live footage from Karakura Town.
"It's that same Arrancar from last time."
"Sōten Kisshun!"
Chad's wounds gradually healed under Orihime Inoue's treatment.
Grimmjow looked on, curious. "What kind of ability is that?"
"Time reversal? Space reversal?" Ulquiorra voiced his guess.
"Koten Zanshun, I reject!"
Orihime summoned Tsubaki, intending to attack Grimmjow, but was interrupted by a voice.
"Inoue, take Chad and go. Leave this to me."
Ichigo, who had just arrived, stood in front of them.
Grimmjow looked at the newcomer's attire: orange hair, a shihakushō, and an exaggerated Zanpakutō.
"Are you... Ichigo?"
Ichigo was momentarily stunned. "How do you know my name?"
"Hahaha! That's not important. I'm Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez. Remember that name."
With that, Grimmjow punched Ichigo.
Ichigo raised Zangetsu, the force almost making him lose his grip on the sword. This made him realize that the person before him was incredibly strong.
"Bankai! Tensa Zangetsu!"
Grimmjow became even more excited when he saw him use Bankai. He didn't use his sword, continuing to attack with his fists. He wanted to savor this battle.
Ichigo struggled to parry. His Zangetsu couldn't even break through Grimmjow's Hierro defense.
"What's wrong? Is this all you've got?"
"Ora Ora Ora Ora Ora!"
Grimmjow's punches rained down on Ichigo.
"Getsuga Tenshō!"
A close-range black slash struck Grimmjow's chest, finally breaking through his Hierro and leaving a wound.
Grimmjow retreated, looking at his bleeding chest, but instead grinned widely. "That's more like it. I'd be very disappointed if you were too weak."
Ichigo said nothing, raising his hand to his face, and a mask appeared. After this period of Hollowfication training, he could now maintain it for nearly half a minute.
Grimmjow stared at the Hollow mask on Ichigo's face, stunned. "What is that?"
"Sorry, I don't have time to explain."
"Getsuga Tenshō!"
Ichigo spoke as he attacked, using Shunpo to get close and unleash another Getsuga Tenshō at point-blank range.
Grimmjow didn't dare to be careless, drawing his Zanpakutō to block, but he was completely engulfed by the black Getsuga. One strike from Ichigo in his Hollowfied state severely injured him.
"This isn't the power of a Shinigami, is it?" Grimmjow's forehead and chest were covered in blood.
"Didn't I say I don't have time to explain?"
A series of Getsuga Tenshō caught Grimmjow off guard, sending him flying backward, breaking several trees.
Grimmjow gasped as he got up, about to release his Resurrección, but Ulquiorra stopped him.
"Ulquiorra!"
"Grimmjow, our mission is complete."
Ulquiorra casually fired a Cero, so fast that Ichigo couldn't react and was pierced through the chest.
"Getsuga Tenshō!"
However, Ulquiorra simply blocked with both hands, easily enduring the attack, the black Getsuga leaving only faint marks on his arms.
Ichigo was stunned and disheartened to see his Getsuga Tenshō so easily nullified. Just as he was about to attack again, the mask on his face shattered.
His Hollowfication time was up!
Ulquiorra raised his hand, and a green Cero was released from his index finger.
Just as Ichigo was about to be hit by the Cero, a figure appeared in front of him, batting the Cero away.
"Kurosaki, your Hollowfication time still isn't good enough."
"Nohara!"
It was Shin and the others who had arrived.
When Ulquiorra and Grimmjow first arrived, he was sparring with Yoruichi and the others in the underground space, which caused a slight delay.
Shin said, "Ulquiorra, we meet again."
Ulquiorra showed no expression. He didn't know the full extent of this human's power, but to receive Aizen's courtesy, he was certainly no ordinary individual.
"Grimmjow, let's go."
With that, Ulquiorra opened a Garganta.
Grimmjow saw Shin arrive, and although he was annoyed that the fight was interrupted, he had no choice but to give up.
He threatened, "Ichigo, the next time we meet will be your death.
"Scale of the Dragon! Recoil! Twin Meteors!"
An invisible slash cut through the Garganta, continuing its assault on Ulquiorra.
Ulquiorra had become vigilant when Shin chanted the words, and then he felt an immense sense of danger, immediately using Sonído to dodge.
Pain shot through his left arm. Ulquiorra's pupils constricted, his left arm had been severed at the root.
Shin inwardly sighed in regret. He had intended to sever Ulquiorra's entire left arm, but this move couldn't be cast instantly, allowing Ulquiorra to dodge slightly.
The Garganta closed, and Ulquiorra and Grimmjow vanished from everyone's sight.
"Shin, that move of yours is really strong."
"Needing to chant words, it's somewhat like a Shingami's Kidō."
Yoruichi, who had witnessed the space-rending attack, couldn't help but exclaim.
"Haha, it just needs to be chanted and can't be cast instantly."
Shin was actually quite satisfied. Even if it couldn't be cast instantly, the invisible slash could still catch people off guard.
Ichigo watched this scene, feeling that the gap between him and Shin had widened significantly again. He had always been outmatched by Shin and gradually began to see him as his goal.
Shin saw Ichigo spacing out and spoke, praising him, "Ichigo, you're already very strong. That Grimmjow was about to use his Resurrección."
Ichigo snapped out of it. "Resurrección? What's that?"
"Resurrección is the Arrancar's Zanpakutō release, equivalent to a Shinigami's Bankai."
"The fact that you pushed him to use Resurrección is enough to prove your strength, but your Hollowfication time is still too short. You still need to keep training."
Shin was quite confident in Ichigo. After all, he was an unkillable cockroach. Anything that didn't kill him would only make him stronger.
Ichigo nodded. "I understand."
Shin looked at the wound on Ichigo's chest. "Let me heal you."
With that, he used Reverse Cursed Technique to quickly heal Ichigo's wound.
"What's that? Is it Kaidō?"
"Something like that. I just learned it recently."
Nel saw Shin finish and jumped from Soi Fon's back into his arms. "Brother!"
It was then that Ichigo and the others noticed Nel's presence. Looking at Nel's human form and the mask on her head, they were all a bit surprised.
"An Arrancar?"
"Everyone, let me introduce you. Nel is an Arrancar, and she's also my sister."
...
Nohara Residence.
Shin leaned on the sofa, pondering the day's events.
The appearance of Ulquiorra and Grimmjow indicated that Aizen's plan likely hadn't changed, only accelerated. Had the Hōgyoku's awakening speed increased?