Battle against the Espada (3)

Rukia's face flushed crimson instantly, a mixture of shame and lingering fear. She lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes, her voice barely a whisper, "I... I know I was wrong, Liu Hao. I was too careless, I thought... I thought it would end like that. I'm sorry..."

Seeing Rukia, usually so calm and composed, looking like a little girl who had done something wrong, Liu Hao's slight anger at her dangerous situation dissipated. He sighed, his tone softening and taking on a lecturing tone:

"It's good that you know you made a mistake. Remember this lesson. When dealing with this type of Hollow, you especially need a clean and swift fatal blow. The moment you used 'Ice Cage' to completely freeze him and almost stop the flow of Reiatsu was actually your best opportunity."

At that moment, you should not hesitate to use the blade of the Sode no Shirayuki, or concentrate your strongest single-target ice-type piercing technique, to directly penetrate the core of his body—that glass-shaped spirit core—and completely shatter and annihilate it. Attacking the core, cutting off its energy source and regeneration possibility, is the most effective way to ensure the killing of this type of enemy.

Rukia nodded vigorously, firmly remembering Liu Hao's words. "Yes! I've got it! Next time I encounter a similar situation, I will definitely not hesitate or slack off in the slightest!"

Liu Hao nodded slightly, his gaze returning to the now empty center of the battlefield, and added thoughtfully, "Moreover, I just carefully observed the process of him breaking free from your 'Ice Cage'."

That wasn't simply shattering the ice with brute force. He must have used some characteristic of the 'Gluttony' ability—'devouring' and 'adapting'. In the extremely short time he was frozen, he used his ability to devour Reishi and the essence of abilities to forcibly 'digest' a portion of the icy Reiatsu that constituted your Ice Cage, and transformed it into temporary 'resistance' against the extreme cold. Only then was he able to weaken the cage's constraints from within, making a desperate last stand.

Otherwise, with the absolute zero sealing and Reiatsu erosion properties of your 'Ice Cage' technique, ordinary Espada Fracción, and even some lower-ranking Espada, would find it difficult to break free in a short time. His abilities are indeed unique, which is the fundamental reason why he was able to become Espada despite being Gillian."

These words not only analyzed the battle just now, but also helped Rukia (and Uryū Ishida and others listening in) understand the essence of the enemy's abilities, improving their tactical skills when dealing with similar situations in the future. Rukia listened with admiration in her eyes, and her admiration for Liu Hao's insight and analytical abilities grew even stronger.

However, just as Liu Hao finished speaking, while everyone was still immersed in analyzing the battle and feeling the lingering fear—

"Boom--!"

A deep, violent roar, seemingly originating from the depths of the earth or like some enormous energy erupting within a confined space, suddenly pierced through layers of walls and spatial barriers, rolling back like thunder! The entire Las Noches ruins (or rather, the area where everyone was located) seemed to tremble slightly, and a few specks of dust fell from above.

This is no ordinary commotion that could be caused by a battle!

The moment the sound rang out, Liu Hao's expression changed drastically! Not because of the loudness of the sound, but because, almost simultaneously with the roar, he sensed a familiar, fierce, yet now somewhat chaotic and... weak Reiatsu fluctuation, which suddenly erupted in a certain direction like a lighthouse, and then quickly subsided!

"Renji?!"

Liu Hao suddenly looked up, his gaze like lightning, piercing through the walls of the hall, as if trying to see directly at the source of the Reiatsu. That Reiatsu was as intense as a volcanic eruption, yet it also carried a hint of weakness after exertion—it was none other than Renji Abarai's signature aura! Moreover, judging from the intensity of the Reiatsu eruption and the way it weakened instantly, he had likely exerted all his strength in that attack just now, and might even... be injured!

"Something's happened!" Liu Hao shouted without hesitation. He didn't even have time to explain to Rukia and the others in detail before his figure transformed into a blurry afterimage and rushed towards the direction from which he sensed the Reiatsu erupting!

"Bang--!"

The seemingly thick, rune-covered walls on the side of the hall shattered like paper before Liu Hao's fist, brimming with anxiety and power (he didn't even draw his sword)! Fragments of stone and brick flew everywhere, revealing pieces beyond the walls—

It was not one of the other rooms or passageways as expected.

Instead, it was an endless, desolate Desert, its Hueco Mundo!

A cold wind, carrying fine sand, instantly swept into the hall, bringing with it the desolate and chilling atmosphere unique to Hueco Mundo. On the distant horizon of this pale Desert, a huge, mushroom-shaped cloud of grayish-yellow smoke was slowly rising, appearing particularly glaring against the dim sky. Beneath the smoke, the faint glow of Reiatsu still flickered.

That was the direction from which the booming sound and Renji's Reiatsu came from!

"Renji and Chad are over there!" Liu Hao's voice was firm and decisive, without any hesitation. He didn't even turn around to check if his teammates were following. He shot out like an arrow, bursting with astonishing speed, and rushed out of the broken wall hole. His feet lightly touched the soft sand, and like a raptor gliding low in the air, he sped away in the direction of the rising dust! Each step left a shallow mark on the sand, which was instantly smoothed out by the wind and sand. His figure was so fast that it almost left a straight line in the sand.

"Hurry up and follow!" Rukia Kuchiki's face paled, and she rushed out after her without hesitation.

Uryū Ishida pushed up his glasses, his gaze behind the lenses serious, and immediately launched his Hirenkyaku.

Although Pesche and Dondochakka were a little slower, they carried Nel and tried their best to catch up with the figures ahead that seemed to blend into the wind.

The group burst through the walls of the Las Noches ruins and plunged into the cold, desolate, pale Desert, heading at full speed toward the ominous smoke and dust of the distant explosion.

A shadow fell over everyone's hearts—what had happened to Renji Abarai and Yasutora Sado? Did that roar and chaotic Reiatsu just now mean they were in a fierce battle, or even... a perilous situation?

Liu Hao charged ahead, his red hair dancing wildly in the sand-laden wind, his eyes sharp as knives, fixed on the gradually clearing outline of the battlefield in the distance.

The sense of urgency in his heart was like a rope being tightened. He knew that battles at the level of the Espada were ever-changing, and life and death often hung by a thread. He had to be faster! Faster!

Renji Abarai and Yasutora Sado continued along the cold, dark passage, their footsteps ringing out clearly in the silence. Soon, the space opened up before them, a vast, almost unsettling circular area. At the other end of the space, a figure wearing glasses and a white Espada uniform waited silently for them.

"Welcome, welcome to my laboratory." The man pushed up his glasses, a smile playing on his lips as if he were looking at a test subject. "I am the Eighth Espada, Szayelaporro Granz."

"The eighth Espada!?" Renji's brows furrowed instantly, his hand unconsciously gripping the hilt of his Zanpakuto. "Not bad luck, encountering an opponent of this caliber right off the bat. Although Liu Hao warned us that our current strength might not be enough to fight Espada..." He gritted his teeth, a defiant flame burning in his eyes, "But I still want to try it myself!"

Yasutora Sado to the side, silently but solemnly took half a step forward and reminded him in a deep voice, "Renji, don't be impulsive."

"I know!" Renji roared, and almost simultaneously, he drew his Zanpakuto, his Reiryoku surging forth—"Bankai! Baboon King Zabimaru!"

However, just as the astonishing Reiatsu erupted, before the enormous serpentine skeleton could fully take shape, it seemed to have crashed into an invisible barrier, shattering with a crisp sound in the air. The light quickly dissipated, Zanpakuto returned to its normal form.

"Heh..." Szayelaporro chuckled softly, his gaze behind his glasses filled with interest. "In this specially designed 'Bankai-Sealing Chamber,' your Bankai cannot be activated. I've adjusted the Reishi structure here specifically to suppress your Bankai."

Renji clicked his tongue, as if confirming something, and suppressed his anxiety, revealing a complicated expression. "As expected, it's unusable... That Liu Hao guy was right again."

"Oh?" Szayelaporro adjusted his glasses, his smile fading slightly, replaced by a scrutinizing look. "You knew all along that Bankai would fail? It seems you weren't entirely unprepared."

"Ah, I guess so." Renji flicked his wrist, seemingly casually, but his entire body was tense. "But I won't be satisfied without seeing it for myself... what if there's a chance?"

Before he finished speaking, a glint flashed in his eyes, Zanpakuto was already swinging out. "The Roar, Zabimaru!" The blade instantly extended and disintegrated, transforming into a snake-belly sword with multiple connected bones, which pierced straight at Szayelaporro's face with a strong wind.

Szayelaporro calmly drew his Zanpakuto, seemingly effortlessly deflecting the fierce attack with a single parry. "How impatient," he said, his tone carrying an unpleasant calmness. "Personally, I prefer peaceful communication. After all..." His gaze swept over Renji, then flickered to Chad, who stood as steadfast as a rock beside him, "A living specimen of a Soul Reaper has mastered Bankai, and a special individual whose body simultaneously flows with the power of Hollows and humans... You are both extremely valuable research materials."

"Stop talking nonsense!" Renji's anger was completely ignited, Zabimaru roared out once more. Almost at the same moment, Yasutora Sado moved. He silently took a step forward, the dark red markings on his right arm suddenly lighting up, and immense Reiatsu condensed into his fist—"Giant's Strike!"

The azure Reiatsu fist slammed towards Szayelaporro like a cannonball. Szayelaporro swayed, retreating with an almost elegant movement, the fist grazing past him and blasting a dent in the wall in the distance.

The battle escalated instantly. Renji's Zabimaru was like a living python, tearing and piercing from all sorts of tricky angles; Chad, on the other hand, fought steadily, each punch containing crushing power. However, Szayelaporro's movements were like a ghost, always managing to avoid fatal attacks with minimal effort. His slashes were precise and efficient, constantly adding new wounds to both of them.

After a brief exchange, Renji and Chad were wounded and breathing heavily. Szayelaporro, however, calmly smoothed out the wrinkles in his clothes, his voice brimming with barely suppressed excitement. "This is wonderful... such a combination, such stats! I'm so lucky today."

"Damn it..." Renji wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes bloodshot. He swung Zabimaru again, but it was easily deflected by Szayelaporro's casual slash.

"Don't you understand?" Szayelaporro shook his head, a hint of mockery in his voice. "Based solely on your Shikai, you don't even have the right to force me to take this seriously."

Renji didn't answer. He suddenly swung the Zabimaru with all his might. The giant bone serpent didn't attack directly, but instead coiled rapidly in the air, emitting a piercing whistling sound, attracting Szayelaporro's attention for a moment. In that instant, Renji's figure vanished!

"Shunpo!"

The next moment, he appeared beside Szayelaporro, a near-ferocious smile on his face. "Can't hit you from a distance... how about this?!" The Zabimaru that had been circling in the air suddenly swirled back, wrapping around and locking the two of them at an astonishing speed! Their joints cracked as they were tightly bound together, almost face to face.

For the first time, a hint of surprise flashed across Szayelaporro's eyes.

"Hadō #31: Shakkahō!"

Renji gave the other party no time to react. A blazing ball of fire had already gathered in his empty left palm and detonated it at almost zero distance!

Boom--!

The explosion and smoke engulfed the area where the two had been. A figure stumbled out of the smoke, looking somewhat disheveled; it was Szayelaporro. His pristine white Espada uniform was charred and torn, and his face was covered in dust. However, before he could regain his footing, a tall, dark figure loomed over him like a mountain.

Yasutora Sado had silently approached without anyone noticing. The pure white armor on his left arm emitted a cold, faint light. All his strength was concentrated in this punch, and his deep voice seemed to declare:

"The Demon’s Strike."

The fist slammed solidly into Szayelaporro's abdomen. The terrifying force didn't send him flying; instead, it exploded with overwhelming pressure, slamming him like a cannonball into a distant wall! The sturdy wall instantly cracked and caved in.

"Lord Szayelaporro--!"

Just then, from the cracks in the surrounding walls and from the shadows, several Arrancar of various shapes and sizes suddenly emerged. Their faces were filled with panic and worry as they shouted in the direction where Szayelaporro had fallen.

Renji and Chad felt a chill run down their spines and immediately stood back to back in a defensive stance, wary of the newly appeared enemies.

"So annoying..."

From within the smoke and dust came Szayelaporro's cold and impatient voice. He slowly rose from the rubble in the corner, his movements seemingly sluggish, but the Reiatsu emanating from him was even more bizarre. His gaze swept over the Arrancar Fracción had rushed over, and suddenly he reached out and grabbed at the air!

"Ugh--!" One of the Arrancars was sucked into his hand without any resistance.

Under the astonished gazes of Renji and Chad, the Arrancar's body rapidly twisted and shrank, transforming into a gentle and bright ball of Reishi. Szayelaporro brought it to his mouth and swallowed it as if it were a dessert. The next second, the wounds on his body healed at a speed visible to the naked eye, even his torn clothes were partially restored to their original state, and his breathing returned to normal.

"Lumina! Lumina!" the remaining Arrancar cried out in anguish.

"What's all the noise about?" Szayelaporro interrupted coldly, his tone indifferent. "I'll give you new 'Lumina' later." He turned back to face Renji and Chad, as if he had just done something insignificant.

"As you can see," he smiled, a smile that sent chills down your spine, "They are both my Fracción and my ever-present... 'medicine'."

After saying that, he ignored the two men who looked like they were facing a formidable enemy and walked straight towards the passageway on one side of the hall.

"Stop! Where are you going?" Renji shouted sternly.

Szayelaporro didn't stop, but merely turned half his face to the side, his tone carrying an exaggerated sense of distress. "Of course, I need to change my clothes. As a scientist and artist, wearing such tattered clothes would make me so ashamed that I wouldn't be able to concentrate on the battle."

Renji and Chad were stunned for a moment, almost thinking they had misheard.

"This is all your fault," Szayelaporro's voice suddenly turned cold, chilling the air, "You've ruined my clothes. So, while I'm changing, you might as well think about... how you're going to struggle next."

He slowly walked into the shadows of the passage, his last words drifting back:

"Because I will also take this opportunity to carefully consider... how to completely 'dissect' you all in a novel and interesting way."

The figure vanished, leaving only a stifling silence and the heavy breathing of his two companions.