Killing the Seventh Espada (Part Two)

Liu Hao stared silently at the white-gold pillar of fire shooting into the sky, his face expressionless. His hand, gripping the Imperial Sword, remained as steady as a rock.

The flames lasted only a few minutes.

For Zomalia Lulu, these were eternal minutes, enough to completely incinerate him, both in existence and in spirit.

Afterwards, Liu Hao flicked his wrist, and the Imperial Sword returned to its sheath with a crisp "click".

As the Imperial Sword returned to its place, the eight crimson pillars of fire and the all-consuming platinum fire dragon, as if they had lost their energy source, extinguished instantly.

The heatwave lingered, and the air was filled with the acrid smells of sulfur, burning, and the burning of Reishi.

The ground, the once pale stone plaza, stretching from Liu Hao to where Zomali Lulu had stood, had transformed into a smooth, mirror-like, charred black lava river, about three meters wide and twenty meters long, exhibiting a vitrified state. The lava in the center of the river was rapidly cooling, changing from fiery red to dark red, then to charred black, with a thin, brittle, cracked glassy shell forming on its surface.

At the end of this lava river, on the cooling, charred glass-like ground, lay a completely charred body, no longer recognizable as human.

The body remained in its final posture before death—its hands (already charred) stretched out in vain, as if trying to grasp something or escape to some unknown destination; the hundreds of eyeballs that once covered its entire body had long since turned to ash; the body that once bore the pride and rage of the 7th Espada was now nothing more than a black, cracked, charred sculpture that would crumble into dust at the slightest touch.

However, he did not die immediately.

The throat of that charred body twitched with extreme difficulty and extreme weakness.

A hoarse, broken voice, as if drifting from the depths of Hell, squeezed out haltingly. "How... is this possible... the difference... is... so... huge..."

Every word seemed to have exhausted the last remaining shred of his soul's obsession.

As soon as the words were spoken, the charred body could no longer hold on. It swayed slightly, tilted forward, and crashed onto the cooled glass floor like a felled tree.

At the moment of impact, the countless fine cracks on the surface of the body finally shattered completely.

"Splash--"

Like a sand sculpture collapsing, like weathered rock disintegrating, the body of the 7th Espada, once known as "Zomali Lulu," shattered into countless black, dust-like fragments the moment it touched the ground.

Then, those fragments rapidly decomposed and sublimated at a speed visible to the naked eye, turning into countless gray-white, ethereal Reishi light particles, like snowflakes flying in reverse, quietly drifting away in the pale and eternal wind of the Hueco Mundo.

A moment later, all that remained on the ground were those few equally charred, twisted, and lifeless fragments of the Zanpakuto, and a strange patch of ground scorched into a glassy state by the intense heat, reflecting the pale sky.

That's all.

Liu Hao withdrew his gaze, not looking again at the spot where Zomali Luru had disappeared.

Then, he raised his head, and the coldness and murderous intent on his face when he was killing enemies vanished instantly like the receding tide, and he returned to being the carefree Liu Hao who seemed to care about nothing.

He even stretched and yawned.

"Why bother..." he muttered softly, his voice carrying a genuine weariness and sigh, whether for the other person or for himself, he couldn't tell. "I told you to leave, but you wouldn't listen. You insisted I draw my sword..."

He shook his head and didn't say anything more.

And behind him.

"Gulp."

"Gulp."

"Gulp."

Three clear, uniform swallowing sounds, accompanied by the rolling of the Adam's apple, rang out almost simultaneously.

Ichigo Kurosaki, Pesche, and Dondochakka —these three individuals, with their completely different physiques, races, and personalities, all made the same move at this moment: widening their eyes, opening their mouths wide, and instinctively, forcefully, and fiercely swallowing a mouthful of saliva.

Especially Ichigo Kurosaki. He looked at the completely vitrified lava ground, still radiating heat, at the Zanpakuto fragments scattered on the glass surface, still faintly shimmering with Reishi energy, and then at Liu Hao's relaxed figure, as if he had just gone out for a stroll.

He suddenly realized that he had never truly understood this "Liu Shu".

From the moment he effortlessly blocked Szayelaporro's attack in the Las Noches passage, to the scene just now where he annihilated the 7th Espada with just one move and one sentence—he thought he already knew Liu Hao's strength well, but every time, Liu Hao could refresh the limits of his understanding.

Is this... Liu Hao's true power?

Or is this just the Ikkaku the iceberg...?

Ichigo Kurosaki didn't know.

All he knew was that the anxiety and unease he had felt because of Aizen's invasion of the World of the Living and Inoue's abduction had quietly subsided at some point.

With Liu Shu around, it seems... there's really nothing to be afraid of.

Nel remained quietly nestled on Liu Hao's shoulder, her large, emerald-green eyes silently watching the direction where Zomali had vanished. She neither smiled nor spoke, but simply nuzzled Liu Hao's neck gently and affectionately with her small face before slowly closing her eyes.

"Let's go." Liu Hao's voice returned to its usual casual tone, and he began to walk towards the tower. "Don't stand there daydreaming, Inoue is still waiting for us."

"... Oh, oh!" Ichigo Kurosaki and quickly followed.

Pesche and Dondochakka also seemed to wake from a dream, and stumbled after them.

The group continued their steady march towards the towering Fifth Tower, towards the final battlefield where they would face the Fourth Espada, Ulquiorra.

Behind him, on the cooled glass floor, the few broken Zanpakuto fragments flickered with a final glimmer before fading completely, merging into the eternal sandstorm of Hueco Mundo.

The 7th Espada, Zomary Lulu, has now completely vanished into nothingness.

Liu Hao and his group climbed the spiral staircase and finally reached the top of the Fifth Tower. The space at the top of the tower was much more spacious than it appeared from the outside. The dome was towering, and huge arched windows Hueco Mundo. The eternal pale light of the Hueco Mundo shone through the window frames and cast interlaced light and shadow on the ground.

At the center of the tower, a simple and ancient-looking throne stood alone. Before the throne, a pale-skinned figure with black tear-like markings stood silently like an ancient statue—it was the 4th Espada, Ulquiorra Cifer. His emerald green eyes, like those of a cold-blooded animal, stared blankly toward the entrance, as if he had already anticipated their arrival.

In the shadows behind the high seat, the orange-haired girl, Orihime Inoue, sat curled up, her arms wrapped around her knees, her azure eyes filled with fear and worry. When she saw Liu Hao, Ichigo Kurosaki, and Neru, who was perched on Liu Hao's shoulder, Nel at the tower's entrance, her eyes lit up with surprise. She leaned forward slightly, but hesitated to move because of Ulquiorra's indifferent back.

On the other side of the tower top, a massive, almost bloated figure leaned against a huge stone pillar. The 10th Blade, Yammy Rialgo, grinned, revealing a ferocious smile that was a mixture of provocation and excitement. His small eyes were fixed on the intruders, as if he were sizing up prey that was about to be captured.

Liu Hao's gaze quickly swept across the layout at the top of the tower— Ulquiorra was positioned closest to the highest seat and also closest to Inoue; Yammy guarded the flanks, his massive body blocking half the space; Inoue's position seemed isolated, but any attempt to approach her would be impossible without Ulquiorra's insurmountable presence.

He took a deep breath, his face breaking into that signature, harmless, even slightly conciliatory, cheeky smile, and said, "Yo, Ulquiorra, long time no see. Um... can we talk about something?"

He pointed to Orihime Inoue, who was huddled in the shadows, and said in a sincere tone, as if he were haggling at a market. "Look, could you do us a favor and let us take Orihime Inoue away? We promise we'll take her and leave, no trouble, no damage to public property, how about it?"

"Huh?!" Before Ulquiorra could react, Yammy on the other side exploded. His gaping maw almost stretched to his ears, the muscles in his face trembling with rage, as he let out a rough, grating laugh, "What the hell... are you kidding me?!"

He slammed his fist into the thick stone pillar beside him.

Boom--!

The solid stone pillar, as thick as two people could hug, shattered instantly under his massive, Hierro fist, like a fragile plaster sculpture! Debris flew everywhere, dust billowed, and the entire top of the tower seemed to tremble slightly. The flying debris struck the ground with muffled thuds, and some pieces even rolled towards Liu Hao and his companions.

Yammy withdrew his fist, patted his chest with his massive, pot-sized hand, and glared at Liu Hao and his group, his voice booming like thunder. "You lot? A brat whose Bankai is unreliable, a washed-up former Espada now reduced to a little thing who can only perch on someone's shoulder, plus two useless Fracción who aren't even cannon fodder—"

His gaze finally settled on Liu Hao, the sneer at the corner of his mouth growing even more pronounced, "And you, a nobody who's not even Captain, a guy of unknown origin. You think you can just brazenly claim you can snatch someone from us? Are you out of your mind?!"

Faced with Yammy's ferocious demeanor, enough to terrify a child, Liu Hao's smile not only didn't disappear, but actually deepened. He even raised his hand and leisurely brushed the dust from the shards of gravel off his shoulder before speaking in a serious tone, as if reasoning with a brat. "Oh dear, Yammy, right? Calm down, calm down. Let's analyze the current situation rationally, okay?"

He started counting on his fingers, one by one. "First, Lord Aizen has already led Captain Gin Ichimaru and Captain Kaname Tōsen to attack the World of the Living through the Garganta. What does this mean? It means that more than half of Hueco Mundo's top-tier combat power has left."

"Secondly, how many Espada are left in Hueco Mundo? Grimmjow was beaten half to death by Ichigo and is still lying in the ruins; Nnoitra was personally killed by Nel, and not even ashes can be found; Szayelaporro was... well, probably dissected and studied by Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi by now; Zomary was just under the tower, and I sent him away too."

He shrugged, his tone nonchalant. "So you see, now it seems like only the two of you are left standing among the Espada."

"Third," Liu Hao held up his third finger, his conciliatory smile gradually replaced by a sense of helplessness, as if saying, "Why won't you listen to my reasoning?" "There are four Soul Reaper Captains outside."

Retsu Unohana, the First Kenpachi, has top-notch medical skills, but his combat strength is a mystery; Byakuya Kuchiki, the Squad Six Captain, with the Bankai Senbonzakura Kageyoshi, which of you two is confident of defeating him? Kenpachi Zaraki, that guy is currently searching for a fight all over Hueco Mundo, and he'll go crazy if he can't find an opponent; and Mayuri Kurotsuchi, although he has a terrible personality, his methods are so bizarre that even I find them a headache."

"So," Liu Hao spread his hands, his face sincere, "if you fight, you'll definitely lose; if you don't fight, there's nothing you can do, after all, Lord Aizen's order is 'guard,' not 'fight to the death.'"

He finally pointed to the curled-up Orihime Inoue, a broad smile on his face, "Since that's the case, why not do us a favor and give her to us? We can all part amicably. You can continue guarding your empty tower, and we'll take her back to the World of the Living. We'll keep to ourselves, everyone's happy, isn't that wonderful!"

After he finished speaking, the entire top of the tower fell into a brief silence.

Ulquiorra remained standing like a statue, his emerald green eyes unmoved by Liu Hao's long-winded speech. He simply stared at Liu Hao as if he were looking at a chattering but harmless ant.

Yammy is completely different.

The sneer on his face gradually froze with each of Liu Hao's "analyses," his lips twitched, and the veins on his forehead throbbed. When Liu Hao said, "Only the two of you are left standing among the Espada," his breathing became heavy; when he said, "There are four Captains outside," he clenched his fists; when he said, "If you fight, you will definitely lose," his eyes almost spit fire.

Finally, the instant Liu Hao finished speaking—

"Bullshit!!"

Yammy completely erupted.

He sprang up from the rubble of the stone pillar he was leaning against, his massive body displaying an agility completely disproportionate to his size! Like a raging rhinoceros, he stomped the ground and charged toward Liu Hao! With each step, the entire top of the tower trembled, and the rubble was crushed into dust beneath his feet!

"You think our fighting strength is insufficient to resist you?! Don't fucking joke around!!" he the Roar, spittle flying everywhere, "I am Yammy Rialgo! I am one of the Ten Espada! I am one of the Ten Espada personally appointed by Lord Aizen! How dare you, a piece of trash who isn't even Captain, spout nonsense in front of me?!"

He rushed to within a few feet of Liu Hao, his right fist already raised high. On that giant fist covered in pale white Hierro, terrifying Reiatsu was frantically condensing and compressing, distorting the surrounding light!

"Let me show you what the true power of the Espada is!!"

He roared, and his giant fist, powerful enough to shatter mountain rocks with a single punch, accompanied by a piercing shriek that tore through the air, slammed down towards Liu Hao's head!

However, Liu Hao remained standing in place, his bargaining smile unchanged. He simply turned his head slightly and whispered to Nel on his shoulder, "Nel, hold on tight."

Then, he raised his right hand, fingers spread, and so casually met the terrifying punch that was powerful enough to smash him into a pulp, a punch as powerful as a meteorite falling to earth.

Bang--!

A deep, resounding crash, like the sound of a hammer striking leather, echoed across the empty tower top.

A violent shockwave spread outwards from the two of them, sending rubble and dust flying everywhere!

However, the expected gruesome scene of Liu Hao being smashed into a bloody pulp did not occur.

That enormous fist, covered in Hierro, was caught steadily and without flinching by a hand that looked almost slender.

He brought his five fingers together and gripped the edge of his fist.

Liu Hao's smile remained bright, but deep in his eyes, there was a hint of seriousness and sharpness that only surfaced when truly facing a formidable enemy.

He looked up at Yammy, who was standing close to him, his eyes wide with shock, and said casually, "So, Yammy, why didn't you let me finish what I had to say?"

His voice remained gentle, yet carried an undeniable certainty, as if stating a fact. "You think you can beat us? Not to mention the four Captains waiting outside. Right now, among these people standing atop this tower—"

He tilted his head slightly and gestured behind him with his eyes. "This 'former top three blade' you mentioned, Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck, although she's in her child form now, can you guarantee she won't revert to her true form at a crucial moment? Have you forgotten how Nnoitra died?"

He glanced at Ichigo Kurosaki again. "This 'half-baked Soul Reaper's you mentioned just personally defeated Grimmjow. Even if his Bankai is unstable, do you dare say you can easily win when he's about to unleash his power?"

Finally, his gaze returned to Yammy's face, contorted with shock and rage, and his smile widened, "As for me... how well did I handle that punch you just threw?"

He gently shook the hand clenched in Yammy's fist, as if it weren't a full-force attack from the Espada, but rather the front paw of a disobedient puppy.

"To be honest, with your strength..." Liu Hao's smile gradually turned mischievous, "You're not even enough to warm me up."