"TV Tokyo reports that a massive gas pipeline Explosion occurred at 9:37 AM today on a riverbank in Karakura Town. As of now, the death toll has reached 41, with 339 injured, including 103 seriously injured. The exact cause of the Explosion is currently unknown. According to the municipal report, pipeline maintenance will be carried out. We will continue to follow up on the situation."
The television was broadcasting news from TV Tokyo, but in this day and age, you can receive such news on your phone anytime soon. It's just that Orihime and Sado were still training during the day and didn't notice.
"How pitiful!" Orihime truly felt sorry for her.
Sado clenched his fists. "Those Arrancars are just too much!"
While playing her game console, Yukio said, "This wasn't done by the Arrancars, it was done by the Soul Reaper, by those super annoying Love Aikawa and Kensei Muguruma."
Sado and Orihime blinked, "Don't know her."
"Then let's not talk about it anymore. Are you two going back?"
Yukio put down his game console as he spoke; this was his serious demeanor. Sado and Orihime had been in contact with several high-ranking members of the Fullbring Organization recently and were well aware of Yukio's abilities.
Orihime was a little embarrassed, but she was determined, so she said very seriously, "Hi! I'm so sorry, Yukio- san."
"Thank you for your help," Sado nodded.
"Sigh~", Yukio sighed, standing up like an adult from the box, now about the same height as Sado. "I certainly won't stop you two from going back, but why do you have to venture into the World of the Dead? But if you want to go, then go. To each their own."
"I will still respectfully reserve a place for you two here. You are Fullbringers, which means you are family. Our Fullbring family will always keep its doors open for you, and you are always welcome to return."
"Thank you so much, Yukio- san!"
It's impossible for Sado and Orihime not to be moved, especially since their time in the Fullbring Organization, now called the Fullbring's House, has been incredibly enjoyable. Everyone there is kindred spirit, and they've seen companions from all over the world, broadening their horizons and gaining a wealth of knowledge.
The House of Fullbring treats Sado and Orihime very well, firstly because they are Fullbringers, and secondly because their abilities are among the strongest in the Fullbring Organization. Sado is a strong enough member to join the Combat Division, Orihime's abilities are something everyone wants.
Therefore, both sides were very satisfied. Ichigo Orihime, even Sado, after expressing his gratitude, suddenly said...
"Yukio- san, I will definitely come back!"
Sado's words delighted all three. Yukio was happy that the organization had gained another valuable member, Orihime was happy that Sado had found a good match, since Sado was currently all alone, Sado was happy for the same reason. Otherwise, he wouldn't have joined that Fullbring club in the original work; it wasn't entirely to help Ichigo.
"Then it's settled. You two can go now. I won't see you off; there are cars outside. Bye!"
Bye-bye~
The House of Fullbring's car took the two directly to Urahara Shop. They were already acquainted there, and Urahara told them everything that had happened that morning, including Felix's incredible feat of single-handedly defeating two opponents and toying with them. They were quite surprised by this.
"It's really not a wise move for the two of you to get involved at this time."
"Ichigo joined, right!?"
"Yes"
"Then we'll join!" Orihime said decisively, and Sado nodded vigorously beside her.
The Shopkeeper smiled slightly, "Thank you both. Please be careful lately; I have a feeling the Arrancar's motives this time aren't so simple."
"Understood! Thanks for reminding me."
"Well, that's all I can do. Let's go back now."
Hi~
Orihime and Sado then went their separate ways. After starting high school, Orihime rented an off-campus apartment because her home was quite far away, and she now lives alone.
Having returned to her own body after a long absence, Orihime first ate some snacks to enjoy the pleasures of being alive, and then took a bath. So refreshing!
After taking a shower and putting on her pajamas, the first thing Orihime did was her homework. As a model student, Orihime's grades were among the best, and homework was a must. However, just as she took out her homework, she heard the doorbell ring.
I glanced at the clock and it was already past eight o'clock in the evening. "Who could it be at this hour?"
It wasn't that she was afraid. Orihime didn't care about petty thugs at all; she'd already conquered Soul Society, so why would she be afraid of ordinary living people? So, after glancing through the peephole and finding no one there, Orihime simply opened the door.
As soon as the door opened, a figure slowly emerged from behind it, walking very slowly so that she could see him. Orihime did indeed see him, and at that moment, her strong heart allowed her to make the best judgment.
"Please come in~"
"Thank you~, sorry to bother you."
Ulquiorra entered Orihime's small apartment, a very ordinary elementary school apartment: a small living room, a kitchen at the back, a bedroom on the west side (north side), and a bathroom on the south side.
He carefully looked around Orihime's apartment, then sat down at the small coffee table in the living room, and Orihime followed him to sit down as well.
The two stared at each other. Orihime was incredibly brave, even though she was facing an Arrancar. "Who are you?"
"Let me introduce myself. I am the First Espada, Ulquiorra Cifer. I think you, having returned from Urahara Shop, no longer need my Espada."
"Hmm," even with the strongest heart, Orihime's heart still trembled violently upon hearing the title of the First Espada, causing her voice to tremble slightly. "What do you want me to do?"
"Lord Aizen needs you. I'll take you to Hueco Mundo."
Orihime swallowed hard. "Aizen!?"
"Lord Aizen! Remember to use the honorific! I'll let you off the hook this time."
Orihime gave a wry smile. "So, I should thank you then?"
"Logically, that's correct."
Ulquiorra stared intently at Orihime from the very beginning, maintaining a consistently indifferent and cold demeanor. This made Orihime extremely uncomfortable, feeling as if he were devoid of any emotion, like a machine.
In this situation, the stubborn girl took out her phone, activated Radar mode, and slammed it on the coffee table, saying, "Do you know what state you're in right now?!"
Ulquiorra glanced at the Radar display indifferently, then said calmly, "What's the status?"
"Do you know what this is? You're...?" Orihime realized that she was the only one on the Radar, and there was no one opposite her.
Ulquiorra replied, "This is Radar. It's useless to me. The Void has a symbol, and mine is the Bat. Do you know what species Radar is based on?"
Orihime was completely dumbfounded. Ulquiorra was still calmly watching her performance. However, Orihime was at her wit's end. She thought someone would discover her current situation, but now no one could. Even the House of Fullbring and the Immortal Office couldn't detect Ulquiorra; Radar wasn't on their radar.
Can I say I'm not going?
"Sure, but if you don't want a tragedy like today to happen again, you'd better come with me."
Then, without waiting for Orihime to speak, Ulquiorra gouged out his own left eye and crushed it— the Shared Vision Eye, Ulquiorra's special ability.
Because Ulquiorra only possessed one sense—his eyes—during the Vasto Lorde era, all his special abilities resided in his eyes. Furthermore, unlike other Hollows symbolizing Bats, Bat abilities typically involve sound waves or hearing, Ulquiorra's power lies solely in his eyes.
The shattered eye can reveal everything Ulquiorra has ever seen, entering the minds of everyone connected to this ability in the form of information. It manifests as seeing fragments of events, but in reality, it allows for the complete absorption of all information in a very short time.
"You've already seen my kin, and I'm not just talking about these few today," Ulquiorra said, gouging out his right eye again, making Orihime feel nauseous.
After crushing her right eye, Orihime saw something that shocked her greatly: she saw the Arrancar who had appeared in Soul Society and taken Jun away —Oka —along with other Arrancar.
"They are my kin. I am not like those useless trash; I am Arrancar born by nature, and my strength is equal to those you have seen. So even if you resist, in Karakura Town now, if I forcibly take you away, no one can stop me."
"Waaah~"
"I have already shown my mercy! This is all because you are useful to Lord Aizen needs you! But if you think this is your only means of stalling, I will use violence! Now! Come with me!"
Orihime made her final defiant move, "Can you guarantee that if I go with you, this kind of thing won't happen again!? If you can..."
"Yes, everything that happened today was to lure you back, it's that simple."
"I see," Orihime felt extremely guilty, as she was responsible for causing so many casualties. "Alright, I'll go with you."
As she spoke, Orihime took out the Mod Soul, intending to let her soul leave with it and be done with it, but Ulquiorra grabbed her hand.
"Just come with me like this. I want you to disappear, not for this ball to tell everyone you've been captured," Ulquiorra said, snatching the Mod Soul and easily crushing it.
Snap!
A hard slap landed on Ulquiorra's face, Orihime. Orihime glared angrily at Ulquiorra, then activated her Sōten Kisshun to repair the shattered Mod Soul Ulquiorra.
"What are you doing?! Who gave you permission to kill her?!"
"You!!" Ulquiorra was shocked. He never expected Orihime to hit Orihime. How dare she hit him? He was Arrancar; a single fingernail from her could kill Orihime instantly.
"What do you mean, 'what do you mean, 'what do you mean, 'what do you mean, ''? That's my Mod Soul, my sister! How dare you kill her?! If you stop me, I'll die right now!"
Ulquiorra stopped forcibly pulling Orihime away. Looking at the gradually repairing Mod Soul, Ulquiorra was utterly bewildered. "That's just an item. Delaying your journey because of something like that is pointless. I will definitely take you with me!"
"This isn't delaying!! This is saving her! She's my Mod Soul, not a prop!"
"Not a prop? It's clearly just a prop."
"Don't you understand anything? Don't you have feelings?! Don't you have a heart?"
"Feelings? Feelings for props? I don't understand," Ulquiorra said, touching his chest. He truly had no heart.
"She's a person! She can talk to me, she has her own thoughts and actions, she is a person!"
Ulquiorra narrowed his eyes upon hearing this, but didn't interrupt Orihime's repair. Seeing that the Mod Soul was fully repaired, he said, "That's enough."
Orihime accepted her fate, put the Mod Soul into her pocket, and said, "Let's go."
Ulquiorra turned off the lights, and the Garganta opened, as if Orihime had never returned.