Battle Against the Espada (8)

Ichigo Kurosaki's pressure suddenly increased. He could no longer easily dodge with his speed, because once he dodged, the terrible attack would head straight for the person behind him who needed to be protected.

He was forced to repeatedly choose the most strenuous methods—either using Zangetsu to directly counter the claw attacks, or using Reiatsu to offset the aftershocks of the Cero, or using his body as a shield to block the spreading attack energy. This caused his Reiatsu consumption to increase dramatically, and the wounds on his body began to multiply. Although not fatal, they made him appear increasingly disheveled.

What chilled him to the bone even more was that, in this battle where he was forced into a corner and had no choice but to confront it head-on, Grimmjow's bluish-white Reiatsu seemed to become more condensed and sharper, like a constantly forged blade, radiating an increasingly dangerous aura.

"Grimmjow!!" Ichigo Kurosaki cleaved through Zangetsu once more, then abruptly looked up, his amber eyes burning with barely suppressed rage. He stared intently at his opponent, who was leisurely licking his claws not far away, and his voice was forced out through clenched teeth, "You... do you really want to drag them into our battle?! Is this the kind of 'exhilarating battle' you want, forcing me to fight you to the death?!"

"Ha!" Grimmjow scoffed, flicking his tail, his eyes practically overflowing with contempt. "What else? I want a fight where everything is at stake, a clash of souls and flesh! Not your childish game of fighting while trying to be a babysitter! If I don't use some 'special' methods, your sword-wielding hands will probably tremble forever, Ichigo Kurosaki!"

He lowered his body slightly, and the bluish-white Reiatsu on his black claws intensified once more, locking onto Ichigo, whose breathing was slightly rapid, and the two "weak points" on the stone pillar behind him.

"Let's see how long your 'protection' lasts. Until I tear you apart, or... until you watch them being touched by my claws?"

Before Grimmjow could finish speaking, a shallow crater exploded in the sand beneath his feet, and he transformed into an Ichigo Kurosaki once more! This time, his attack was unrestrained, unleashing the beast-like speed and ferocity he possessed after his Resurrección.

What's even more chilling is that Grimmjow seems to have completely abandoned the idea of a "fair and square" duel. Every pounce, claw strike, tail whip, and even the trajectory of his movements is meticulously calculated. His icy blue eyes not only lock onto Ichigo Kurosaki, but also act like cold rulers, constantly measuring the angle and distance between Ichigo and the stone pillar behind him.

Thus, an extremely bizarre and perilous scene unfolded on the battlefield: Grimmjow's jet-black claws, capable of tearing through steel, carrying an incomparably sharp bluish-white Reiatsu, would often deflect at a subtle angle just before touching Ichigo's body, their sharpness aimed directly at the two unsuspecting figures on the stone pillar behind Ichigo Kurosaki! His swift, lightning-fast bone tail sweeps would also always draw a deadly arc in mid-air, its extension precisely "passing" over the positions of Orihime Inoue and Nel.

Ichigo Kurosaki found himself in an unprecedented predicament. He couldn't dodge, because if he did, the deadly attack would bypass him and directly threaten the people he had sworn to protect. He also couldn't simply parry, because many attacks were too tricky to completely eliminate the terrifying impact and the scattered Reiatsu aftershocks; a simple parry could still damage the stone pillars.

"Drink!"

"Clang!"

"Bang!"

Roars, clanging metal, and exploding Reiatsu filled the air. Ichigo Kurosaki like a black reef, firmly anchored in the "death zone" between Grimmjow and the stone pillar. His twin swords danced like an impenetrable curtain of blades, forcefully deflecting most of the claw attacks and tail sweeps.

Every time Zangetsu's blade clashed with the Pantera's sharp bone claws, it sparked blinding sparks and violent shockwaves, making his arm numb and his tiger's mouth ache faintly.

However, what drained his Reiatsu and physical strength the most were the attacks that he couldn't completely block with his sword. To ensure the absolute safety of the stone pillar, he had to, at crucial moments, use his body covered in dark Reiatsu to directly withstand the side impacts of the attacks, or use Shunpo to forcibly change his position, using his body as a shield to block the spreading energy aftershocks.

Pfft!

A claw gust of wind, which he couldn't completely dodge, grazed his shoulder, tearing his Shihakushō and leaving three deep, bone-revealing gashes that instantly stained the fabric with blood.

Bang!

To counteract the aftershock of a Cero, he had no time to swing his sword. He could only concentrate his Reiatsu into his left fist and unleash a punch to collide with the energy. Although he successfully dispersed it, the recoil caused a tightness in his chest and a trickle of blood to spill from the corner of his mouth.

Dust and blood mingled and swirled around him. His once pristine Shihakushō was now tattered and mangled, and wounds began to accumulate on his body. Though not fatal, each breath was excruciating, and his movements gradually became slow and heavy due to the pain and immense strain. He was like a beast with its claws bound, forced to guard its lair, futilely expending his life and strength under the hunter's relentless attacks.

On the stone pillar, Orihime Inoue was already in tears. She tightly covered her mouth to keep herself from crying out and interfering with the battle, but crystal tears rolled down her azure eyes like broken pearls.

Every time she saw new wounds on Kurosaki-kun's body, every time she saw him stagger backward and cough up blood from the immense force, her heart felt like it was being violently clenched, the pain making it hard to breathe. Her face, which was always full of energy and a gentle smile, was now filled only with endless worry, heartache, and deep self-blame.

"Nel... Nel!" she choked out, clutching the sleeve of the little girl beside her, her voice trembling violently, "Kurosaki-kun... is he really alright? He lost so much blood! We... were we a burden to him? If it weren't for protecting us, he wouldn't have had to..."

In stark contrast to Orihime Inoue's overwhelming grief, Nel remained perched on the edge of the stone pillar, her chin resting on her small hands, her large emerald green eyes fixed intently on the battle below. Far from being worried, her face was flushed with a... almost excited blush? She watched intently, her small mouth occasionally muttering something silently, as if analyzing the battle situation.

Hearing Orihime Inoue's tearful question, Nel turned around, blinked her big eyes, and looked at the tearful Inoue with some surprise. "Eh? Inoue- san, why are you crying? Don't worry, I told you, don't worry!"

She drew out her words, trying to sound more convincing, "Ichigo may look a bit disheveled right now, but that's because he's still fighting the 'old way.' The power dormant within him is far, far stronger than it's showing now!"

He just hasn't fully realized it yet, or... he's unwilling to fully unleash it. Grimmjow, that idiot, may have used a crude method, but what he's doing is actually helping Ichigo break free from the 'shackles' he himself has set! When he's pushed to his limit and forced to use his true abilities, hmph, he'll be the one to win!

Looking at her mature and confident demeanor, especially the "excitement" on her still-childish face that seemed so out of place with the bloody battle below, Orihime Inoue's anxiety only intensified instead of lessened.

She simply didn't believe that this little girl, who looked only five or six years old, could have any profound insights or abilities. She just felt that she was naive and ignorant of the ways of the world, or... she simply didn't understand the cruelty of battle.

"But... but Kurosaki-kun is still injured! So many wounds, so much blood!" Orihime Inoue pointed at Ichigo below, who had been knocked back by Grimmjow's claw again, staggered a few steps before regaining his footing, and had another bloody Ichigo on his chest. Her voice was filled with helplessness.

"Relax, relax, it's just a superficial injury. It looks scary, but it's nothing to him right now." Nel waved her hand dismissively, even patting her flat chest as she confidently assured him, "Besides, I'm here! In case... I mean, in case he really is about to die, I have a plan! I'm very capable!"

However, her seemingly innocent assurances were utterly unconvincing to Orihime Inoue, who had witnessed the ferocity of the battle firsthand; instead, they only made her more distraught.

In the center of the battlefield, Grimmjow's attacks were like relentless waves, one higher than the next. While launching a frenzied assault, he continuously bombarded Ichigo Kurosaki's mental defenses with words.

"Ichigo Kurosaki! You possess power that makes me tremble with excitement, yet you lock it away in your heart like a coward! What are you afraid of with those hands that hold your sword?! Do you really understand your own deepest desires?!" Grimmjow back with Ichigo and shouted sharply, his voice clearly reaching Ichigo through the explosion of Reiatsu.

Ichigo Kurosaki, panting heavily, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes blazing with a mixture of anger and determination. "I possess power... so what?! If power is only used for aimless, endless killing, what difference is there between me and a beast driven by instinct?! My sword is wielded to protect!"

"Ha! Ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous!" Grimmjow laughed maniacally, as if he had heard the most absurd joke, his attacks growing ever more ferocious, forcing Ichigo to retreat further and closer to the stone pillar. "Your sword, with every clash with mine, roars at me, yearning for battle! Yearning to crush a powerful enemy! Yearning to prove itself! It is your pathetic, self-righteous 'reason,' like a thick fog, that has blinded your eyes and confused your instincts! Do you think every swing of your sword must be justified by grand reasons like 'protection' and 'justice'? You are wrong, utterly wrong!"

He suddenly unleashed a powerful claw strike, forcing Ichigo to his knees amidst a cloud of dust.

"A being with power is instinctively driven to seek out an opponent worthy of their own! To fight! To slaughter! To feel the Heat of life and the trembling of the soul on the brink of life and death! Even if the final result is death, it is far more satisfying than decaying in cowardice and self-deception! This is the most primal and purest meaning of battle! It needs no extra reasons; the battle itself is the reason!"

Grimmjow's voice was like a heavy hammer, striking Ichigo's defenses. He gave Ichigo no chance to refute him, and with a sudden burst of power, he shot into the sky like a shooting star, leaping dozens of meters into the air.

The pale "sunlight" of the Desert reflected a cold light on his pure white bone armor. He looked down at Ichigo Kurosaki, who was covered in wounds but still stood stubbornly below.

"It seems ordinary attacks are no longer enough to rouse you. Then, let me show you my strongest technique right now—the true fangs of the Pantera!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Grimmjow stretched out his arms in front of him, his ten sharp, Ichigo Kurosaki below. A chilling blue aura began to gather, compress, and transform wildly at his fingertips! It wasn't the spherical shape of Cero, but a more condensed and sharper form!

"Pantera's Claw!"

Boom--!

With a roar from Grimmjow, the blue Reiatsu light at the tips of his ten fingers suddenly erupted and extended! In an instant, ten giant energy claws, each several meters long and composed entirely of highly compressed blue Reiatsu, appeared out of thin air!

They are so lifelike that you can even see the sharp claws and clear joint lines, as if the Pantera's claws have been magnified dozens of times, suspended in the air, exuding a terrifying aura that can cut through everything!

Without the slightest hesitation, Grimmjow swung his right arm sharply towards Ichigo Kurosaki below!

Whoosh!

Five enormous blue energy claws detached from his fingertips, like five blue comets, trailing long Reiatsu tails, tearing through the air and hurtling towards Ichigo Kurosaki at an astonishing speed! Even before the claws arrived, their sharp edge and heavy pressure had already caused the sand beneath Ichigo's feet to begin to collapse!

Ichigo Kurosaki's pupils constricted. He could feel the power contained in these five "Pantera's Claws," far exceeding any previous attack! He dared not be careless. He gripped the long Zangetsu tightly with both hands, and his pitch-black Reiatsu surged. He swung his sword with all his might at the five claws attacking from the air!

"Getsuga Tenshō!!"

A massive, jet-black, crescent-shaped slash shot into the sky, meeting the five blue claws head-on.

Boom--!

The black crescent moon collided violently with the two blue claws at the front, unleashing a deafening roar and blinding light. The shockwave from the explosion sent the surrounding sand flying!

However, before the smoke and dust had even cleared, a scene that made Ichigo's heart sink appeared—the next three blue claws, as if they had a life of their own, nimbly bypassed the core area of the explosion and continued to fly towards him from the sides and above! And from the smoke and dust that had initially dissipated after the initial collision, a fourth, slightly dim but still dangerous blue claw stubbornly broke out!