Soul Society Reinforcements Arrive

Nelliel stood silently, her knuckles slightly white as she gripped the spear. Her emerald eyes gazed at Nnoitra, who had already lost all life. Her eyes remained calm, but a subtle ripple seemed to flicker within them.

She slowly pulled the spear from Nnoitra's chest.

No more blood gushed out; only some dark red, lifeless specks of Reishi light drifted away as the gun was withdrawn.

Losing its support, Nnoitra's broken, pierced body slowly slid down the cracked wall, finally collapsing amidst the rubble and sand.

Nnoitra's corpse began to emit a faint, grayish-white light. The light was not dazzling, but it carried a desolate feeling, as if all things were ending. In this light, his body—the pale bone armor, the knotted muscles, the broken scythe, the flowing red blood—began to gradually decompose and dissipate from the edges, turning into countless tiny, grayish-white particles of light, like sand scattered by the wind, or like the melting of the last snowflakes in winter.

The process is not fast, but it carries an irreversible, fateful inevitability.

Just moments before his body was about to turn to ashes, his hollow lips seemed to twitch very slightly and unconsciously, uttering a few barely audible, fragmented syllables, like a dying sigh, or a final annotation on the essence of his existence:

"We... have no... choice... to... be... like... our nature..."

The words vanished completely into the air.

The next moment, the last bit of grayish-white light disappeared.

Beneath the ruins, amidst the rubble and gravel, all is empty.

Only the broken, twisted remains of a few scythes, devoid of their former owner's spirit, and the large patches of red blood-stained sand, silently testify to the fierce, and... fateful battle that had just taken place here.

Nnoitra Gilga, the 5th Espada, the Santa Teresa, perished here, body and soul, returning to nothingness.

Nelliel gazed at the spot where Nnoitra had turned to ashes and vanished, her barely audible sigh seeming to have exhausted the last vestiges of her surging emotions after her Resurrección.

In his emerald green eyes, the holiness and majesty that belonged to the Gamuza slowly faded, settling back into the serenity that came with the passage of time and a hint of weariness that was barely perceptible.

She turned around and walked with slightly heavy steps toward Ichigo Kurosaki and Orihime Inoue, who had been watching the battle intently from a distance.

"Miss Nelliel!" Orihime Inoue forward as she saw her approaching, her eyes filled with worry and lingering fear. "Are you alright? That battle... was too dangerous." She saw that Nelliel had no obvious new injuries, but the Reiatsu fluctuations from the fierce battle and the heaviness in her eyes still made her uneasy.

Ichigo Kurosaki breathed a sigh of relief and was about to say something to express his gratitude or inquire about the situation...

"Oh dear--!"

A loud, boisterous roar, full of regret and dissatisfaction, suddenly exploded in front of them like a thunderclap!

With that roar, a figure as tall as a mountain, draped in a tattered Captain's Haori, wearing a strange eye patch on his forehead, and with a hideous scar across his face, appeared out of nowhere and landed heavily on the pale sand with a "thud," stirring up a cloud of dust. On the newcomer's shoulder sat a petite and adorable girl with pink hair, waving her little hands with a grin.

Kenpachi Zaraki, carrying his Zanpakuto, scanned the battlefield with his single eye—seeing the shattered ruins, the massive ravines, the still-unsettled Reiatsu turbulence, and the lingering aura of a powerful Arrancar (Nnoitra) and another sacred and powerful Reiatsu (Nelliel) colliding violently in the air. He sniffed hard, his face immediately displaying a complex expression of excitement mixed with extreme disappointment, like a shark smelling blood.

"Tch! Too late! They're already done!!" He slammed his fist into his palm in frustration, making a sharp "smack" that shook the Yachiru Kusajishi on his shoulder. "What a waste! What a wasted trip! The smell here was from an intense battle! I hacked my way here thinking I'd catch it while it was still fresh!"

His gaze immediately fell on Nelliel had just walked over. Although Nelliel had already released her Resurrección and returned to human form, the unique Reiatsu emanating from Soul Reaper —different from both Shinigami and ordinary Arrancars —which had not yet completely subsided, along with the aura that had settled after experiencing a top-tier battle, instantly attracted all his attention.

"Huh?" Kenpachi Zaraki's one eye lit up, as if he had discovered a new continent. He abruptly put down his Zanpakuto, his rough, large hand gripping the hilt. The tip of the blade shot up with a "whoosh," pointing unceremoniously at Nelliel! "You! This Reiatsu... you're Arrancar, aren't you?! And a rather formidable Arrancar!"

A pure, almost savage, battle-hungry smile spread across his face, spittle practically flying from his lips. "Perfect! That so-called 5th Espada seems to be gone! You'll take his place! Come on! Let's have a fight! Let me see just how tough this guy who's managed to turn this place upside down really is!!"

A powerful, violent, and undisguised Reiatsu, emanating from Kenpachi Zaraki like a tangible blade, instantly locked onto Nelliel! It was a terrifying pressure completely different from Nnoitra's cold madness and Grimmjow's wild obsession—more primal, more direct, existing solely for the enjoyment of battle itself!

Nelliel frowned slightly, a hint of wariness flashing in her emerald eyes. She had just finished a life-or-death battle with Nnoitra, and her Reiatsu was quite depleted; she was not in her best condition. Facing this fierce Soul Reaper Captain seemed born for battle, she felt real pressure.

"Wait! Captain Zaraki!" Seeing Ichigo Kurosaki's scalp tingled. He immediately rushed between the two, spreading his arms wide and shouting anxiously, "Don't attack! She's one of us! She's Nelliel! She's helping us! She just saved us!!"

He knew Kenpachi Zaraki's battle maniac nature; once he set his sights on an opponent, nothing could stop him. Nelliel had just endured a fierce battle, and if she were to be entangled with this battle madman again, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"Little Kenpachi ~ Little Kenpachi ~" Sitting on Kenpachi Zaraki's shoulder, Yachiru Kusajishi patted his head and said in her unique, soft voice, "Ichigo said we're on the same side~ Look, she hasn't shown any hostility towards us~"

Upon hearing Kenpachi Zaraki glanced at Ichigo Kurosaki's anxious face with his one eye, and then carefully sensed Nelliel's Reiatsu —indeed, although powerful and unique, it did not contain any killing intent or hostility towards them at the moment, but rather a sense of calm. The excited fighting spirit on his face was instantly doused with cold water, visibly withering away and turning into deep dissatisfaction and disgust.

"Tch--!" He clicked his tongue in extreme displeasure, Zanpakuto back onto his shoulder roughly. "Our own people? How boring! So boring! We finally managed to find our way here by following such a lively Reiatsu fluctuation, and the fight's already over, and our opponent is someone we can't even slash!"

He looked around and took a deep sniff of the air. Suddenly, his eyes lit up again, and he pointed in another direction—there, a different but equally intense Reiatsu fluctuation was faintly emanating. This was the area where Liu Hao, Rukia, and the others had gone, as well as the area where Renji Abarai and Yasutora Sado were located.

"Hey, Ichigo! Over there! There seems to be a fight over there! And it's quite a commotion!" Kenpachi Zaraki's fighting spirit was instantly reignited. "I should have gone over there earlier! Maybe we could have made it in time!"

He looked eager to try, as if he couldn't wait to turn around and rush to the battlefield.

Meanwhile, in another area of Las Noches.

Guided by their Reiatsu, Liu Hao, Rukia, and Uryū Ishida were rapidly navigating the labyrinthine palace passages and ruins, their destination the location where Renji Abarai and Yasutora Sado had finally unleashed their intense Reiatsu. The lingering traces of battle in the air and the increasingly clear aftershocks of their Reiatsu clashes indicated the ferocity of the battle ahead.

"Renji and Chad's Reiatsu... has become very unstable, they seem to be struggling." Rukia, her Shunpo footwork Shunpo uninterrupted, her tone filled with worry.

"Hmm, and that chilling, eerie Reiatsu, brimming with the aura of a research fanatic... it should be Szayelaporro Granz, the 8th Espada." Liu Hao said in a deep voice. His spiritual sense far surpassed that of ordinary people, allowing him to more clearly distinguish the various auras intertwined on the battlefield. "His ability is troublesome. Renji are probably..."

Before the words were even finished, the space around the corner of the passage ahead seemed to ripple slightly.

A figure appeared silently in front of them, blocking their way.

The newcomer wore a standard Soul Reaper Captain's Haori, with the number "six" representing the Squad Six embroidered on the back. A silver-white Silver-White Windflower Silk fluttered around his neck, and his handsome face was as cold as ice. His long black hair was meticulously tied Kenseikan. It was none other than the Squad Six Captain, Byakuya Kuchiki.

He appeared without warning, as if he had always been standing there. His icy Reiatsu was like the thin snow of early winter; though not violent, it carried a suffocating majesty that instantly stopped Liu Hao and his companions in their tracks.

"Brother?!" Rukia exclaimed, her face filled with surprise. She hadn't expected to run into Byakuya Kuchiki here.

The moment Liu Hao saw Byakuya Kuchiki, he felt a slight chill, but then his extraordinary spiritual senses expanded rapidly like mercury spilling onto the ground, not only covering the surrounding area but also extending and sensing further away in the direction of Renji Abarai and Yasutora Sado.

Almost simultaneously, he clearly sensed another powerful, yet strangely mad scientist-like, Reiatsu — Captain-level aura—appearing near the battlefield where Renji and Chad were! That Reiatsu carried a unique fluctuation, as if filled with a thirst for exploration of everything; it was Mayuri Kurotsuchi, the Captain of the Twelfth Division and head of the Research and Development Institute!

"I see..." Liu Hao instantly understood. It seemed that the Soul Society's reinforcements did not enter randomly, but rather strategically split up to provide support or deal with different situations.

Byakuya Kuchiki's appearance here might be to intercept other powerful enemies, or it might be for another mission. In any case, with Mayuri Kurotsuchi, that mad scientist, appearing on Renji and the others' battlefield, given his obsession with "research materials" and "interesting experiments," Szayelaporro Granz is probably in for a headache.

Having figured this out, Liu Hao's tense nerves relaxed slightly. He stepped forward, nodded slightly to Byakuya Kuchiki, and said in a neither humble nor arrogant manner, "Captain Kuchiki, I didn't expect to meet you here. It seems that the Soul Society's support is in place."

The focus shifts back to the ruined battlefield where Renji Abarai and Yasutora Sado are located.

Just as Liu Hao sensed, Renji and Chad were now in a precarious situation.

Szayelaporro Granz hovered in mid-air, his Fornicarás's Wings fluttering gently behind him, a pleasing yet cruel scientist's smile on his face as he watched the horrific state of the two below. In his hands he toyed with the two cursed Dolls he had recently "collected," which were remarkably lifelike of Renji and Chad.

On the ground, Renji Abarai knelt on one knee, barely supporting his body with the hilt of his Zabimaru, Shihakushō was practically tattered, and his body was covered in scorch marks, cuts, and strange purple patches—the result of Szayelaporro's various bizarre abilities and toxins. He gasped for breath, each breath causing a sharp pain in his lungs, and his vision was beginning to blur.

Yasutora Sado in slightly better condition. Thanks to the formidable defense of his Right Arm of the Giant, he could still barely stand, but the white armor on his left arm was riddled with cracks, and the red armor on his right arm was dull and lifeless. His chest heaved violently, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. The two stood back to back, their Reiatsu weakened to the extreme. They were exhausted and covered in wounds from Szayelaporro's endless stream of bizarre abilities, the harassment from his Copy Bodies, and the attrition tactics employed by his Fracción as "healing medicine."

"Truly tenacious, two precious samples." Szayelaporro adjusted his glasses, the lenses reflecting a cold light. "Unfortunately, the data collection is nearing its end. For my next, even greater research, it's time to 'perfectly preserve' you."

He raised a hand, and a highly compressed, dark purple sphere of Reiatsu, seemingly teeming with countless tiny creatures writhing within, condensed at his fingertips, emanating an ominous aura of destruction. "Don't worry, this process will be quick. I'll try my best to maintain the 'freshness' of your organization..."

Just as he was about to deliver the final blow to the two helpless men below—

"Oh my gosh~ This is truly... a wonderful and surprising discovery!"

A strange voice, filled with exaggerated amazement and undisguised excitement, suddenly came from the shadowy ruins to the side!

Immediately afterward, a figure appeared like a ghost, cutting between Szayelaporro and Renji Chad with incredible speed! The figure was wearing Shihakushō, with Captain's Haori over it, the number "twelve" on the back, long purple hair tied into a strange topknot, and face painted with face paint. It was Mayuri Kurotsuchi, the Captain of the Twelfth Division!

His goal was crystal clear—not to attack Szayelaporro, nor to rescue Renji and Chad, but to target the two Doll in Szayelaporro's hands!

Szayelaporro had no idea that someone would appear so suddenly and so strangely, let alone that their target was the "precious sample data carrier" he had just acquired! He instinctively tried to grip the Doll tightly, but Mayuri Kurotsuchi's fingers, painted with purple nail polish, shot out like the most skillful dissecting forceps, clamping and pulling out with lightning speed!

The movements were fluid and precise to an astonishing degree.

Whoosh!

The two Dolls had already been transferred from Szayelaporro's palm to Mayuri Kurotsuchi's.

"!!" Szayelaporro's smile froze instantly, replaced by disbelief, shock, and rage! "Who is it?! How dare they steal my research samples!!"

Mayuri Kurotsuchi seemed not to hear his roar. He held the two Dolls up to his eyes, examining them closely as if they were priceless treasures, using the pale light of the Hueco Mundo to admire them, making sounds of admiration.

"Interesting! Absolutely fascinating! This Reishi- level mimicry curse materialization technology! It so ingeniously seals a living being's Reiatsu characteristics, combat data, and even parts of their soul imprint within Doll... a perfect backup of a living sample! And this material... a mixture of Hollow bone, a special Reishi polymer, and... um? some kind of mental toxin? A genius design! Although the aesthetics are nauseatingly low, this technological approach... is worth studying! Absolutely worth studying!"

He was completely absorbed in his fervor for the novel "experimental material," his eyes gleaming with the greedy and excited light unique to Frankenstein's monster, as if he had forgotten everything around him, including the enraged Szayelaporro and the dying Renji and Chad below.

Szayelaporro watched as the samples he had painstakingly "collected" were taken away, and then heard the other party's evaluation of his "work of art" (although Mayuri Kurotsuchi focused on technique, the words "inferior aesthetics" still stung him), and he trembled with rage, his wings spread wide with fury!

"Give me back the sample! You damned Soul Reaper!! I'm going to turn you into a collectible too!!"