Forced to Split Up

The battle between Ichigo Kurosaki and Nnoitra had long since ended. The orange-haired boy sheathed his sword, slightly out of breath, bearing a few minor, insignificant wounds, but his eyes were bright, clearly indicating that he had gained new insights during the battle.

With a "whoosh," tiny Nel nimbly leaped from Liu Hao's shoulder and landed precisely on Ichigo Kurosaki's perpetually messy orange hair, as if claiming her own throne.

She put her hands on her hips (though her hands were small now), tilted her head back, and commented in a deliberately mature tone, "I didn't realize! You're always so loud and your Reiryoku control is a complete mess, but when you fight seriously, you're actually quite strong! Much stronger than that Soul Reaper who just hides in the back watching the show!" As she spoke, she gave Liu Hao a meaningful glance.

"Hey! Who's messing up their Reiryoku?! And don't climb on my head like that! It's heavy!" Ichigo Kurosaki immediately complained, reaching out to grab Nel on his head.

Nel giggled and nimbly jumped between his hair and shoulders, and the two of them suddenly staged a slightly comical "chase" on the side of the battlefield where they had just finished a life-or-death battle, temporarily easing the tense atmosphere.

Not long after, Uryū Ishida also finished his battle. He straightened his slightly disheveled clothes and glasses, and walked gracefully and calmly to Liu Hao.

His body was almost spotless, except for the "Seele Schneider" in his hand, which had returned to a silver cuboid, and the slight rise and fall of his chest, which showed that the high-skill duel with Tirute just now was not easy.

"Mr. Liu Hao." Uryū Ishida bowed slightly, his tone as polite as ever, yet carrying a hint of Quincy pride. But a closer listen revealed a subtle, almost imperceptible emotion, like a student reporting to a teacher. "My growth and performance... have they met expectations? My father vaguely mentioned that you suggested he stay home to provide me with... more 'systematic' and 'in-depth' guidance. I hope my performance today didn't make your recommendation... seem hasty." He adjusted his glasses, trying to conceal a slight nervousness.

Looking at the young Quincy genius before him, who possessed a cool and aloof demeanor yet surprisingly cared somewhat about others' opinions, Liu Hao smiled gently, "Excellent, Uryū. Your tactical choices, on-the-spot adaptability, and the exploration and application of the 'Seele Schneider' characteristics have far exceeded my expectations. It seems that Mr. Ryūken's guidance has been effective, and your own efforts have also been indispensable."

He changed the subject, a mischievous smile playing on his lips, and lowered his voice, saying, "However... next time you 'borrow' the 'Seele Schneider' from your father's Warehouse, it would be best to ask him first. Taking it secretly isn't exactly gentlemanly, is it?"

Uryū Ishida's face flushed crimson, the color spreading to his ears, as if some grave secret had been exposed. He hastily averted his gaze, his voice rising slightly, tinged with obvious stubbornness. "I... I didn't 'steal'! I... I 'borrowed'! Yes, temporarily borrowed for research! And..." His voice lowered again, tinged with a hint of grievance and defiance, "My father... he's so stingy and old-fashioned. He keeps so many good things locked in the Warehouse, and he never gives me a decent weapon for self-defense. What am I supposed to do if I don't find a way myself..."

Seeing Uryū Ishida's guilty conscience yet forced pride and a sidelong rant about his father, Liu Hao couldn't help but laugh. He patted him on the shoulder. "You, with your awkward personality, are just like your father. Both of you are 'tsundere'." He used a World of the Living term, but Uryū Ishida clearly understood the meaning of "cold and arrogant on the outside, but awkward on the inside." His face turned even redder, and he opened his mouth, but didn't know how to refute it.

Just then, the sound of the battle ending came from Yasutora Sado. Renji Abarai withdrew his gaze from that direction, grinned, revealing a set of white teeth, and strode over to Chad, who was slowly walking back, and patted his muscular back hard (almost hurting his own hand).

"Well done, Chad!" Renji's voice boomed, full of praise. "It seems the targeted training we did before wasn't in vain! The power of your new 'Devil's Left Arm' form is truly terrifying! You can even defeat Arrancar after its Resurrección. This progress isn't just significant, it's a complete transformation!"

Yasutora Sado chuckled sheepishly, rubbing his back where he'd been patted, and said sincerely, "It's all thanks to your sparring and guidance, Renji. Without the pressure of those real combat drills, I wouldn't have been able to familiarize myself with my new power so quickly, let alone awaken the abilities in my left arm."

Just as everyone gathered, exchanging combat experiences, and the atmosphere began to relax slightly—

A sudden change has occurred!

"Crack... Rumble!!"

Without warning, the solid (though already pitted and uneven) concrete ground beneath their feet suddenly cracked open with several deep fissures! Then, accompanied by a muffled roar and billowing dust, three incredibly thick, metallic-looking, gray-white walls, their surfaces covered in eerie runes, erupted from the ground with astonishing speed, like the fangs of a colossal beast rising from the depths of Hell, instantly and brutally separating the group that had been gathered together!

The wall rose faster than anyone could react. By the time Ichigo Kurosaki, Renji Abarai realized what was happening and tried to react, the massive wall, tens of meters high and of unknown thickness, had already taken shape, isolating them in different "cells" and greatly weakening their sight and Reiatsu perception!

"What happened?!"

"These walls?!"

Frightened shouts came from different "cubes".

"Hah! Getsuga Tenshō!!" Ichigo Kurosaki reacted the fastest, roaring as he swung Tensa Zangetsu, the dark crescent-shaped blade slashing fiercely at the giant wall in front of him.

"The Roar, Zabimaru!!" Renji Abarai Shikai his Zanpakuto, and the huge bone snake head slammed into the wall blocking his way.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!!"

Violent explosions and crashes rang out in succession, and the light and flames of Reiatsu exploded on the walls. These walls were exceptionally sturdy, but under the combined, enraged barrage of the group (despite being separated), gaps and cracks were quickly blasted into them.

However, when Ichigo Kurosaki, Renji Abarai, and Yasutora Sado broke through the wall in front of them and rushed out, they found that their companions, who should have been close by— Liu Hao, Uryū Ishida, Rukia Kuchiki, Nel, and her two Fracción Pesche Kadishes and Dondochakka Bielstan—had vanished! Behind the "grid" where they were, three deep, dark, and mysterious entrances to the passages appeared, like gaping maws ready to devour them.

"Damn it! We've been tricked!" Renji Abarai slammed his fist into the nearby ruins, his face grim.

On the side where Liu Hao was, the wall was also blasted open by Uryū Ishida's Reishi arrows and Rukia Kuchiki's Kidō. Liu Hao looked at the empty scene before him, with only three passages remaining, and felt the Reiatsu belonging to Ichigo Kurosaki and Renji completely severed. His eyes turned slightly cold.

He turned to look at Uryū Ishida, Rukia Kuchiki, and Pesche and Dondochakka, who seemed somewhat nervous but were still protecting Nel, and said in a deep voice, "It seems our opponents are more 'thoughtful' than we anticipated. They've forcibly divided the battlefield, trying to divide and conquer us, intending to defeat us one by one... A very classic tactic."

Rukia Kuchiki frowned, but her tone remained calm. "Renji and Ichigo are much stronger than before, especially after their special training in Hueco Mundo and the battle just now. They should... be fine, right?"

Uryū Ishida adjusted his glasses and analyzed, "Judging from their Reiatsu and performance in the battle just now, Ichigo- kun and Renji- kun have indeed made significant progress. Ordinary Arrancars or their Fracción shouldn't be a problem for them. Mr. Liu Hao, what do you think?" He looked at Liu Hao, seeking a more authoritative judgment.

Liu Hao didn't answer immediately. He remained silent for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the three deep passages, as if he could see through the conspiracies and dangers hidden behind them. His voice became unusually solemn, carrying an undeniable seriousness:

"You all... underestimated the true strength of the 'Espada,' especially those ranked higher."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the puzzled faces of the group, and continued, "Renji and Ichigo's progress is indeed tremendous, and their potential is astonishing. However, they are currently in a stage where their power is rapidly increasing, but their control and level of mastery haven't fully caught Espada. Simply put, they possess powerful 'weapons,' but they haven't yet fully learned how to use them most efficiently and safely, especially when facing the experienced, unpredictable, and equally powerful Espada."

His gaze sharpened. "Especially the Espada ranked fourth and above... Their strength level, Rule-type abilities, and combat intelligence are completely different from our Fracción and lower-ranking Espada. In Renji and Ichigo's current state, their chances of winning against them are... extremely low. They might not even have a chance to force out their true strength."

Upon hearing this, Rukia Kuchiki and Uryū Ishida's expressions changed. They trusted Liu Hao's judgment, and if even he was issuing such a serious warning...

"Then... what do we do?!" Rukia Kuchiki's voice carried a hint of anxiety. "Should we go find them right away?"

Pesche Kadishes chimed in, trying to ease the tension. "As for Ichigo, with Nel by his side, he should... be alright, right? Lady Nel may be like this now, but in a crucial moment..."

Liu Hao nodded, then shook his head. "Nel's existence is indeed Ichigo's biggest variable and safeguard. I'm not worried about Ichigo. What I'm most worried about is Renji and Chad." His gaze fell on one of the passages, as if he could see the figures of those two. "They're grouped together, which allows them to look after each other, but the enemies they face are unknown, and they lack the 'trump cards' and 'insight' like Nel. If they encounter a high- Espada, the situation will be extremely dangerous."

"Then what are we waiting for!" Rukia Kuchiki exclaimed immediately, "Let's set off to find them right now!"

Liu Hao took a deep breath, suppressing his worry, his eyes regaining their calm and resolute expression. "That's right. We must speed things up. Hopefully, we can still make it in time, before they encounter an insurmountable enemy. Otherwise..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood the unspoken meaning—otherwise, there might have been casualties.

"Let's go!" Liu Hao didn't hesitate any longer. He chose a passage where the residual Reiatsu was relatively fresh (he sensed it with his superhuman spiritual perception) and took the lead, rushing into it. Uryū Ishida, Rukia Kuchiki, and Pesche and Dondochakka, who were carrying Nel, immediately followed closely behind. Their figures quickly disappeared into the darkness of the passage, the sound of their footsteps and clothes rustling in the wind echoing in the empty ruins, carrying a sense of urgent mission.

Meanwhile, at the entrance to another passage.

Ichigo Kurosaki swung his sword to disperse the dust in front of him. Looking at the bottomless, dimly lit passage before him, illuminated only by scattered Glowing Moss on the walls, his expression darkened. "It seems we've been tricked. They've set a trap, waiting for us to gather together before forcibly separating us."

Nel remained perched on his shoulder, her playful expression replaced by a serious one. She carefully examined the material of the passage walls and the extremely faint traces of Reiatsu remaining on them, stating with certainty, "This barrier wall, generated instantly, with extremely high strength, and capable of shielding Reiatsu... and the construction style of this passage and the 'scent' of residual Reishi... Yes, it's the work of that perverted manipulator Szayelaporro Granz who loves to play with conspiracies and experiments. What he loves most is this kind of trick of placing opponents in different 'experimental fields' to observe their reactions and data."

Ichigo Kurosaki gripped Tensa Zangetsu tightly, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit. "Hmph, trying to separate us and defeat us one by one? A clever plan!"

Nel shook her head and analyzed, "Judging from the deliberately separated groups, aside from Abarai and Chad, who might be a bit of a concern, it won't be so easy for them to 'break through' the other groups." She glanced at Ichigo Kurosaki and deliberately drawled, "Of course, it's hard to say whether that guy who always goes berserk with his Reiryoku and fights purely on instinct and hot-bloodedness will be caught off guard and suffer an unexpected setback~"

Ichigo Kurosaki throbbed with a throbbing vein. "Hey! What do you mean by that! My self-control is much better now, okay? Besides, my intuition is pretty accurate!"

Nel chuckled, tilted her little head back, and revealed a proud expression. "Relax, relax~ Even if you accidentally can't beat them, you still have me here! Watch me, Nel Du, display my divine power and save you, this unreliable temporary mount!" She patted her chest (though it was very small), as if to say, "I've got your back."

Ichigo Kurosaki was both amused and exasperated by her antics, which eased the tense atmosphere considerably. He shook his head and refocused his attention on the passage ahead. "Alright, stop joking. Whatever's ahead, let's just get through it! Let's go!"

As he spoke, he tightened his grip on the knife, took firm steps, and led the seemingly young but potentially shocking "companion" on his shoulder into the deep passage, their figures gradually swallowed by the darkness.