Facing the Espada (9)

Four deadly claws sealed off a large portion of his escape route!

"Damn it!" Ichigo Kurosaki gritted his teeth, making a split-second decision. He couldn't dodge too far to the left, right, or backward, as that might allow the attack to hit the stone pillar. In the nick of time, he swiftly Zangetsu horizontally in front of him, channeling all his Reiatsu into the blade!

Clang! Clang! Clang! Sizzle--!

The first three claws struck Zangetsu's blade one after another, producing heavy thuds and a piercing scraping sound. The enormous impact pushed Ichigo's feet deep into the sand, causing him to slide backward and carve two deep furrows in the Desert!

His arms trembled violently, almost going numb, his tiger's mouth split open, and blood flowed down the hilt of the knife. The fourth claw grazed his shoulder, tearing away a large piece of flesh, and blood spurted out instantly!

Just as he was about to be pushed to the foot of the stone pillar by the relentless impact, a fierce glint flashed in Ichigo Kurosaki. He roared and stopped trying to withstand the attack. He nimbly rolled to the side and back, letting the last, most powerful claw whistle past his head! At the same time, while he was in mid-air, his Zangetsu flashed out like lightning, precisely piercing the weak point of the claw's "joint"!

Pfft!

A burst of blue light erupted, and he narrowly shattered the last claw.

But the crisis was far from over! High in the sky, Grimmjow wore a cruel and excited smile.

"That's not all! The left side is yours too!"

With his outstretched left arm, he swung it again at Ichigo Kurosaki, who had just landed, was still panting, and whose left shoulder was covered in blood!

Five more enormous blue energy claws, like deadly blue lightning bolts, tore through the sky and descended upon Ichigo Kurosaki at an even more treacherous angle! This time, the attack almost completely blocked all his possible paths of evasion, forcing him to take the hit head-on!

The shadow of death loomed over him instantly. Ichigo Kurosaki gasped for breath, his wounds burning with pain, and his Reiatsu fluctuated violently due to his previous exhaustion and injuries.

In this desperate situation, something that had been suppressed and bound seemed to finally be pried open by the continuous life-and-death crises and Grimmjow's incisive questioning.

Deep within his left eye, at the very center of his amber pupil, a faint yet incredibly pure golden light quietly shone, like the first ray of dawn piercing the darkness before sunrise.

Faced with the overwhelming onslaught of five "Pantera's Claws," Ichigo Kurosaki's previously tense and anxious expression suddenly calmed down. An indescribable indifference and sharpness replaced his previous agitation.

He slowly raised his left hand and gripped the relatively short Zangetsu. Instead of pitch-black Reiatsu, the blade began to radiate a subtle, shimmering light, like liquid gold.

He simply made a light slash in the air in front of him with the dagger.

Without any earth-shattering display, a slender yet incredibly solid crescent-shaped trajectory, its edges shimmering with blazing golden light, silently appeared before him, hovering quietly and emanating a sharp aura that was completely different from the jet-black crescent, more restrained yet more profound.

Then, he raised the longer Zangetsu in his right hand and, with all the strength and will he could muster at that moment, slashed down fiercely at the golden crescent-shaped trail in front of him!

"Crescent Moon--"

The longsword, with its Zangetsu blade, struck heavily at the very center of the golden crescent!

"Getsuga Jūjishō!!"

Buzz--!

It wasn't a loud noise, but a deep and awe-inspiring hum that seemed to rip space itself apart!

A massive, cross-shaped slash, woven from pure black and dazzling gold, suddenly erupted from the point where the blade and the crescent moon met!

The golden, interwoven cross-shaped slash, like a blade of judgment, rose against the sky and crashed head-on into the five howling blue "Pantera's Claws "!

There was no explosion.

There was no stalemate.

The moment they made contact, the five blue energy claws, powerful enough to easily destroy an iron fortress, were like fragile glass colliding with a high-speed rotating diamond cutting wheel. They were instantly pierced, torn apart, and disintegrated from the center by the golden cross slash! They turned into countless scattered blue Reishi particles that dissipated into the air.

The golden cross slash, undeterred by any setback, easily shattered the five claws and, carrying the residual power to annihilate everything, seemed to transcend the distance of space, striking solidly into Grimmjow's crossed arm armor, which he had set up to block in front of his chest, to his astonishment and even a hint of disbelief!

Boom--!

This time, it was a real, dull, thunderous roar!

High in the sky, Grimmjow's figure was struck as if by an invisible giant hammer, turning into a white streak of light. He flew backward at a speed even faster than when he was ascending, tracing a long parabola before crashing heavily into a sand dune in the distance, kicking up a cloud of dust, and remained motionless for a long time.

The Desert suddenly fell into a deathly silence.

Only the faint sound of wind swirling sand and gravel, and Ichigo Kurosaki's slightly heavy but gradually steady breathing, could be heard. The golden light in his left eye slowly faded, and the twin swords in his hands lowered, but the Reiatsu emanating from him was more solid and heavy than ever before, as if some invisible burden had been lifted.

On the stone pillar, Orihime Inoue stared blankly at the scene, forgetting to cry. Nel, on the other hand, revealed a smug, fox-like smile that said, "Just as I thought."

The wind whipped up pale sand, blowing across the ruins where a fierce battle had just taken place. The surging Reiatsu emanating from Ichigo Kurosaki slowly subsided, and the fleeting golden light in his left eye completely disappeared, leaving behind only exhaustion, pain, and a sense of emptiness after the dust had settled following the battle.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the churning blood and the burning pain from his wounds, and strode heavily toward the sand dune in the distance that Grimmjow had smashed half of.

At the bottom of the dune, a figure was deeply embedded in the sand. The pure white bone armor was broken and shattered, revealing the charred skin and seeping blue Reishi blood beneath. The iconic sky-blue short hair was stained with sand and blood, making him look extremely disheveled.

Grimmjow lay there on his back, his chest heaving violently, each breath accompanied by a hoarse, metallic sound and bloody foam. His icy blue eyes were still wide open, but the wild fighting spirit within them had faded, leaving only the weakness of his severe injuries and intense resentment. His Resurrección state had been deactivated, and he had reverted to his Arrancar normal state, only his injuries looked even more horrifying.

Ichigo Kurosaki walked up to him, looking down at the opponent who had cornered him, yet in some way had also "awakened" him. After a moment of silence, he slowly spoke, his voice slightly hoarse, yet exceptionally clear. "You're right... or rather, partly right."

He paused for a moment, as if sorting out the turbulent thoughts in his mind, his gaze fixed on the eternally unchanging, oppressive pale sky of the Hueco Mundo.

"The moment I made up my mind to come to Hueco Mundo to rescue Inoue... the moment I gripped Zangetsu tightly, facing unknown powerful enemies and perilous situations..." Ichigo Kurosaki's voice was soft, yet it carried a frankness that went straight to his heart, "Deep in my heart, there really was... that feeling."

It wasn't just the responsibility and anger of 'having to rescue my comrades'... there was also... a longing. A longing to fight you powerful beings entrenched in Las Noches, a longing to use my sword to measure, to challenge, to... defeat every enemy that stands in my way. And then, with everyone, to leave this place honorably and safely."

He lowered his head and looked at Grimmjow again. The previous entanglement and hesitation were gone from his amber eyes, leaving only a calm that had settled after a bloody battle. "This feeling of wanting to fight, wanting to prove myself, wanting to push my limits on the edge of life and death... it does exist."

In the past, I might have subconsciously denied it, regarding it as an 'unwarranted' impulse, believing it contradicted my belief in 'protecting my companions.' But now... I acknowledge its existence. It is also part of my strength, one of the reasons I can stand here."

"Ha... haha... cough cough cough..." Grimmjow struggled to move the corners of his mouth, as if trying to laugh, but this triggered a violent coughing fit, with more blue blood foam spilling from the corners of his mouth. He took a few deep breaths, his icy blue eyes fixed on Ichigo, devoid of mockery, only filled with a complex emotion that was almost obstinate, mixed with resentment and a trace of relief.

"You... finally... admit it... you... hypocritical... bastard..." he said haltingly, each word seeming to be squeezed from his lungs, "You... want to fight... crave slaughter... like... a beast... chasing... the... scent of blood... it's... instinct... cough cough..."

He took a deep breath, gathering his last bit of strength, and his voice suddenly rose, filled with frustration and resentment. "Damn it... I... actually... lost to... someone like you... who... doesn't even dare... look himself in the eye..." After saying that, he seemed to have exhausted all his strength, his head tilted to the side, and he completely collapsed. Only the faint rise and fall of his chest proved that he was still alive, but the light in his eyes had been completely extinguished, leaving only the emptiness of unconsciousness.

At that moment, Nel, pulling along Orihime Inoue was still shaken and had tears streaming down her face, ran over from the stone pillar. Orihime Inoue immediately saw the crisscrossing, deep wounds on Ichigo Kurosaki's body and his tattered Shihakushō soaked in blood, and tears welled up uncontrollably again.

She ran to Ichigo's side, wanting to touch him but afraid of hurting him. Her hands froze in mid-air, her voice choked and trembling. "Kurosaki-kun! You... you've lost so much blood! You're so badly injured! Are you alright?! It's all my fault... it's all because of me..."

Seeing Orihime Inoue Orihime's tearful and self-reproachful appearance, Ichigo Kurosaki felt a pang of sympathy. He forced a somewhat strained but as relaxed smile as possible and shook his head, "It's alright, Inoue- kun. It looks scary, but it's just superficial injuries. I'll be fine after a rest." He tried to move his shoulder to prove himself, but this aggravated his wound, causing his lips to twitch slightly. This subtle expression naturally did not escape Inoue's notice.

"Inoue- kun, look, look!" Nel jumped up and down beside her, her little hands behind her back, her innocent face tilted up, her big green eyes blinking, her face full of a smug look that said, "I told you so!" "I told you before, Ichigo would definitely win! You didn't believe me, you were so worried you kept crying! Now you believe me, right?"

Looking at Nel's innocent and carefree expression, as if she had just watched a wonderful performance, and then at Ichigo Kurosaki covered in wounds, Orihime Inoue was at a loss for words. Of course, she was happy and relieved that Kurosaki-kun had won and that she had been saved, but the heartache and self-blame for her comrade's injuries could not be completely eliminated by the victory.

However, before Orihime Inoue could sort out her chaotic thoughts, Nel, who had always acted like a carefree child, suddenly and without warning turned serious. Her usually clear and bright emerald green eyes instantly became deep and sharp, as if they had been weathered by countless years of hardship.

Her small body turned slightly to the side, her gaze fixed on the distant shadows where the Desert met the ruins. Her voice was no longer a clear, childlike twang, but had become deep, calm, and even carried a hint of stern authority.

"Alright, the little leopard's warm-up is over. Next... it's my turn."

She moved her slender wrists and neck slightly, making a soft clicking sound. Despite her still small body, she exuded a chilling aura.

"Perfect, let me give it a try... After all these years of slumber, just how much rust has gotten into these old bones of mine?"

Upon hearing this, Ichigo Kurosaki and Orihime Inoue felt a chill run down their spines and immediately looked in the direction Nel was gazing.

At the edge of the long shadow cast by the collapsed building, two figures were walking unhurriedly toward them. The one in front was an unusually tall Arrancar, almost several times more Arrancar than Grimmjow after his Resurrección.

He had long, dark green hair that was casually draped behind his head, and most strikingly, he wore a black eyepatch over his right eye. His face was rugged, and a strange smile, seemingly unchanging yet a mixture of cruelty and boredom, hung at the corner of his mouth.

He held a gigantic scythe with an extremely exaggerated shape. The blade was curved like a crescent moon and gleamed with a cold light. Just dragging the tip of the scythe across the sand created a trail of sparks and a screeching sound.

Following a little further behind him was another Arrancar, with a relatively normal build and a perpetually ingratiating smile on his face; he was none other than his Fracción, Tesla.

The heavy footsteps, accompanied by the sound of metal scraping against gravel, approached from afar, bringing a sense of oppression far colder and more unsettling than Grimmjow's.

Ichigo Kurosaki's pupils contracted slightly as he immediately recognized the person. He whispered to Nel and Inoue beside him, "This person... is the Liu Hao specifically warned me about before, the 5th Espada, Nnoitra Gilga..."