Reinforcements for Karakura Town

Liu Hao led the group down slowly through the spatial rift Above the Canopy, returning to the ruined battlefield beneath Las Noches. The moonlight was obscured by the false canopy, replaced by the eternal pale light of Hueco Mundo, which shone upon this ravaged land that had witnessed repeated fierce battles.

The Santen Kesshun landed gently, Orihime Inoue put away the Shun Shun Rikka, but her steps were somewhat hesitant. Her gaze remained fixed on Ichigo Kurosaki, her deep blue eyes filled with worry and unease, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't.

Ichigo Kurosaki noticed her gaze, turned around, and scratched the back of his head, somewhat puzzled. "Inoue, what's wrong with you? You've been staring at me for a while now. Is there something on my face?"

"Kurosaki-kun..." Orihime Inoue called softly, her voice filled with a cautious probing, "Are you... really alright?"

Ichigo Kurosaki blinked, looking bewildered. "Nothing? Why do you ask that?"

Seeing this, Liu Hao couldn't help but laugh. He patted Ichigo Kurosaki on the shoulder, his tone teasing, "She saw the horn on your head and the look of your left eye, and she's worried you're about to Complete Hollowfication."

"Huh?" Ichigo Kurosaki was taken aback, subconsciously raising his hand to touch his left temple—the dark, curved Hollow horn was still there, hard and cold to the touch. He blinked his left eye, which had turned into a dazzling golden color, and everything in his vision was indeed somewhat different from usual.

He then realized what was happening, lowered his hand, and gave Orihime Inoue a reassuring smile, "Ah... you mean this? It's alright, don't worry. It's just the Hollow power within me awakening, not some kind of Hollowfication or something."

He paused, seemingly organizing his thoughts to make his explanation clearer. "Well... before, when I Hollowfication, I needed a mask, and my consciousness would become somewhat clouded. But it's different now. This horn and this eye represent that I have truly accepted the ethereal power within me and gained its approval. So I am perfectly lucid now, without any problems."

Orihime Inoue listened to his explanation, the worry in her eyes lessened slightly, but it didn't completely disappear. She nodded gently and said nothing more, though her eyes still occasionally glanced at Ichigo Kurosaki's horn and golden left eye.

Watching this scene, Liu Hao's lips curled into a relieved smile. He turned to Ichigo Kurosaki, his tone becoming serious. "Ichigo, your current state only represents the initial acceptance of those two within you. But this is just the beginning, not the end."

He pointed a finger at Ichigo Kurosaki's chest. "You were able to awaken this form because of the external stimulus of being pushed to the brink by Ulquiorra. This proves that you cannot fully control this power yet, and can only passively wait for it to awaken."

He withdrew his hand, his gaze deep. "From now on, you need to train even harder, striving to be able to enter this state spontaneously anytime, anywhere, without relying on external stimuli. Otherwise, having to be beaten half to death every time before you can unleash this power is nothing to be proud of."

Ichigo Kurosaki listened attentively, his eyes gleaming with thoughtful consideration. He nodded firmly and said in a deep voice, "I understand, Liu Shu. I will do my best."

Liu Hao patted him on the shoulder with satisfaction. "Well, it's good that you have this awareness."

The group traversed the ruins and arrived at a relatively open area. The scene before her caused Orihime Inoue's eyes to widen slightly—

Retsu Unohana, along with Vice-Captain Isane Kotetsu, was squatting beside Renji Abarai and Yasutora Sado, providing them with further treatment. Their wounds had mostly healed, but their faces were still somewhat pale, clearly indicating that the previous battle had taken a heavy toll.

Not far away, Mayuri Kurotsuchi was standing next to a strangely shaped, huge device resembling a door frame, directing Vice-Captain Nemu Kurotsuchi to make final adjustments. The device emitted a faint blue light, and its internal space distorted and fluctuated.

Further away, Byakuya Kuchiki stood quietly on a collapsed stone pillar, arms crossed, watching the battle unfold in another direction with an expressionless face.

The battlefield in that direction was nothing short of ferocious.

Kenpachi Zaraki was fiercely clashing with an incredibly massive creature. It was Yammy Rialgo—the 10th Espada, or rather, the one who called himself "Espada." At this moment, his body had swelled to tens of meters tall, like a moving mountain. Every punch he threw carried a world-destroying force, smashing huge craters into the surrounding ground.

However, facing such a terrifying opponent, Kenpachi Zaraki's smile grew increasingly ferocious and excited. Each swing of his Zanpakuto remained incomparably sharp, leaving deep, bone-revealing wounds on Yammy's massive body. He seemed tireless and fearless, only knowing how to enjoy this exhilarating battle.

Seeing this, Liu Hao gave a helpless smile. He called out, "Hey, everyone, you're all here."

This greeting immediately attracted everyone's attention.

Yammy's massive body suddenly stopped, his huge head turning around, his small eyes fixed on Liu Hao and the people behind him. When he saw Ichigo Kurosaki and Orihime Inoue, a look of surprise and uncertainty appeared on his rugged face.

"You bastard... how did you get down here?!" His voice boomed like thunder, sending pebbles flying. "Where's Ulquiorra?! Where's that bastard?!"

Liu Hao shrugged and smiled easily, "Ulquiorra, he's up there contemplating life. He probably won't be coming down anytime soon."

"Contemplating life?!" Yammy paused for a moment, then a more ferocious expression appeared on his face. "Don't fucking try to fool me! The fact that you guys survived up there means Ulquiorra must already be—"

He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was already clear.

Liu Hao didn't explain, but just looked at him with a smile, "Oh dear, Yammy, you've gotten bigger again. But even if you become your complete form, or even ten times bigger than you are now—"

He pointed around. "Do you think you can beat these Captains?"

Yammy's face grew even more grim. He looked around—

Byakuya Kuchiki, the Captain the Squad Six, that perpetually expressionless man, was silently watching him, as if he were watching prey waiting to be slaughtered.

Mayuri Kurotsuchi, the Captain of the Twelfth Division, may look sinister and eerie, but even the Espada are wary of his methods.

Retsu Unohana, the Fourth Division Captain, always presents herself as a healer, but she doesn't look like someone to be trifled with.

And then there's Kenpachi Zaraki, the battle maniac who's currently locked in a fierce fight with him, and even seems to be gaining the upper hand...

Yammy silent.

But the silence lasted only a second.

"Oh, really?!" He suddenly grinned, a smile filled with violence and madness. "Since you know my abilities, you shouldn't have provoked me at this time!"

The moment he finished speaking, a blinding red light suddenly erupted from his body! The red light, like a burning flame, enveloped his entire body! And under the shroud of this red light, his size began to expand at an even more terrifying speed!

Ten meters, twenty meters, thirty meters, fifty meters...

His already enormous body grew even larger, as if inflated, and in the blink of an eye, it surpassed the tallest building ruins in the vicinity, like an ancient giant god standing tall between heaven and earth!

"Haha! See that?! This is my true power!" Yammy laughed wildly, his voice shaking the surrounding area. "I am Yammy Rialgo! The only one among the Espada who can infinitely increase my power by accumulating rage! The rage intensifies, the stronger I become! The larger my size, the more terrifying my power!"

He lowered his head, his enormous, lantern-like eyes fixed on Liu Hao, his gaze filled with savagery and murderous intent. "Now, do you still say I'm no match for them?!"

The atmosphere on the entire battlefield froze at that moment.

However, at this moment--

"Oh dear, this is really..." A voice, tinged with helplessness and disdain, came from the direction of the oddly shaped device.

Mayuri Kurotsuchi sat atop the doorframe device, legs crossed, looking at the colossal, towering figure with disdain. In his characteristically sarcastic tone, he said, "I hope you guys can hurry up and stop this giant from getting any bigger. Otherwise, even if we win, dissecting it will be a real hassle—how long will it take to study such a massive thing?"

His words caused many in the room to twitch at the corners of their mouths. In this tense moment, this mad scientist was actually concerned with the ease or difficulty of the dissection...

Liu Hao couldn't help but laugh out loud. He looked at Kenpachi Zaraki and said loudly, "Captain Zaraki, I hope you don't get too excited and accidentally kill this big oaf. Captain Kurotsuchi is waiting to study him."

Zaraki didn't turn his head, but his excited, almost manic voice rang out clearly. "Don't worry! I don't like to deliver the final blow to those who have no power to resist!"

He licked his lips, his smile growing even more sinister, "Let's wait until he gets a little bigger, until I can chop him up to my heart's content, then we'll talk about whether or not to kill him!"

Yammy listened to their conversation, his face darkened to the point of being almost dripping with gloom. These guys, faced with his terrifying presence, were still discussing dissection and research, still hoping he would become stronger so they could hack him to pieces even more?!

What utter contempt!

Just then, Retsu Unohana, who had finished her treatment sometime earlier, stood up and slowly walked to Liu Hao's side. A faint smile still lingered on her gentle face, but deep in her eyes, a light that only those who had truly experienced killing could perceive flickered.

"Liu Hao," she said softly, "The one upstairs... seems to still be there. You've just come down like this?"

Liu Hao turned to look at her and nodded slightly. "Yeah, still up there. They'll probably be thinking about it for a long time."

He paused, his gaze becoming somewhat profound. "We must leave some fighting force for Hueco Mundo. After all, if any external enemy invades Hueco Mundo in the future, without high-end combat power, this land will be completely slaughtered."

He looked at Mayuri Kurotsuchi, a half-smile playing on his lips, "In order to maintain the balance of the Three Worlds, Captain Kurotsuchi might have to secretly deal with some souls from Soul Society."

Upon Mayuri Kurotsuchi narrowed his long, narrow eyes, a meaningful smile appearing on his face, "Oh? From what you're saying... you don't want me to do this?"

Liu Hao shrugged, his tone relaxed. "Captain Kurotsuchi did this for the sake of the overall balance of the Three Worlds Realms. It has nothing to do with whether I like it or not."

He paused, his smile turning slightly mischievous, "However, if I could also help save those guys who are being treated as 'disposal targets,' I'd be happy to."

Mayuri Kurotsuchi stared at him for a few seconds, her gaze seemingly trying to see right through him. Then, a more sinister smile appeared on her face, which was covered in paint. "I didn't realize, Liu Hao, that you actually have a... merciful heart?"

"No way." Liu Hao waved his hand with a smile, a hint of slyness in his tone. "Captain Kurotsuchi, think about it. Hueco Mundo is our ally. Even if we need to deal with souls to balance the Three Worlds, we can have Hueco Mundo handle it, cleaning up those parasites that are harmful to Soul Society. It's killing two birds with one stone, isn't that great?"

Mayuri Kurotsuchi hearing this, Mayuri Kurotsuchi's eyes narrowed even further, and his smile grew increasingly sinister, "Then, in your opinion... which guys in Soul Society can be considered 'parasites'?"

This question seemed to freeze the air around them for a moment.

Liu Hao simply shrugged and spread his hands innocently, "Well... that depends on how Old Man Yama defines it. How can I, an outsider, have the final say?"

Mayuri Kurotsuchi stared at him for several seconds, then finally curled her lip, turning her head away with a disappointed look. "Tch, boring."

He patted the device beneath him, his tone growing impatient. "Alright, alright, I've got the Garganta entrance you wanted set up. Hurry up and get out of here, don't get in the way."

Liu Hao looked in the direction the camera was pointing—in the center of the door frame device, the previously distorted spatial fluctuations had stabilized, forming an elliptical passage with edges radiating a faint blue light.

Liu Hao nodded in satisfaction and cupped his hands in a Mayuri Kurotsuchi: "Thank you for your hard work, Captain Kurotsuchi. I'll treat you to a drink later."

"Hmph, no need for wine, just let me study your strange and wonderful abilities." Mayuri Kurotsuchi said without turning his head.

Liu Hao laughed and didn't reply.

Just then, Retsu Unohana walked to his side, still maintaining her gentle smile, and said softly, "Liu Hao, I'll go with you too. Karakura Town... might need more medical support."

Liu Hao looked at her and nodded slightly. "Okay, with Captain Unohana here, I feel much more at ease."

He turned to Ichigo Kurosaki and waved, "Ichigo, let's go. We need to reinforce Karakura Town."

Upon hearing this, Ichigo Kurosaki perked up and immediately ran to Liu Hao's side. He glanced back at Orihime Inoue, then at Yammy and Kenpachi Zaraki, who were still fighting in the distance. A complex look flashed in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by determination.

"Inoue -kun, wait for me here. I'll come pick you up after I've dealt with things over there."

Orihime Inoue nodded vigorously, her eyes slightly reddening. "Yes! Kurosaki-kun, you must be careful!"

Renji Abarai struggled to his feet, but his injuries forced him to kneel on the ground. He cried out urgently, "Liu Hao! I want to go too!"

Yasutora Sado also stood up silently. Although he didn't speak, his determined gaze said it all.

The others— Rukia, Uryū Ishida, Pesche, Dondochakka —also stepped forward, expressing their desire to follow to Karakura Town.

Liu Hao raised his hand, signaling them to be quiet.

"Alright, alright, stop arguing." His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an authoritative authority that commanded obedience. "With your current strength, you're not capable of participating in the battlefield over Karakura Town."

He looked at Renji and Chad, his tone softening slightly. "You two are injured like this, you'd only be a hindrance if you went. Just stay put and recover."

He then looked at Rukia and Uryū Ishida: "You two too, stay here and wait. Once this is over, return to Soul Society with the other Captains."

Rukia opened her mouth, wanting to refute, but when she met Liu Hao's calm and firm gaze, she swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue.

After Liu Hao finished dealing with this matter, he turned around and looked at Nel, who had been quietly listening to the whole thing while resting her head on his shoulder.

He reached out and gently patted Nel's head, his tone softening as he said, "Nel, you should stay too."

Nel looked up, blinked her large, emerald-green eyes, and asked with a hint of reluctance, "Then... when will you come again?"

Looking into her lingering eyes, Liu Hao's heart softened slightly. He smiled and said, "Well... maybe another time. Once everything has settled down, once the Three Worlds have returned to peace, perhaps I'll come back to Hueco Mundo for a stroll."

He paused, then added, "When the time comes, you'd better turn back into your old self and treat me well."

Nel nodded vigorously, jumped off his shoulder, and landed on the ground. She looked up at Liu Hao and waved, "You promised! You had to come!"

Liu Hao smiled and nodded.

He turned around and looked at Retsu Unohana and Ichigo Kurosaki. The two nodded at him simultaneously, indicating that they were ready.

Liu Hao took a deep breath and turned his gaze to the dark blue portal leading to the World of the Living.

Karakura Town.

Aizen.

The final battle.

He took a step and plunged into the Garganta.

The light instantly engulfed his figure.

Ichigo Kurosaki followed closely behind, and the moment he stepped into the Garganta, he glanced back at this land Hueco Mundo had witnessed countless battles, at Orihime Inoue's tearful eyes, at Nel's waving little hand, and at his comrades who had fought alongside him.

Then, he turned around and resolutely stepped into the light.

Retsu Unohana was the last to enter. Before stepping in, she turned around and nodded slightly to Isane Kotetsu, her gentle smile carrying a hint of entrustment that only the Vice-Captain could understand.

"Isane, I'm leaving this place to you."

Isane Kotetsu nodded vigorously, her eyes slightly red. "Yes, Captain! You must come back safely!"

Retsu Unohana didn't answer, she just smiled, then turned and disappeared into the Garganta.

The light slowly faded, and the portal to the World of the Living world began to shrink and close after the three entered.

On the battlefield of Hueco Mundo, everyone silently watched as the light disappeared into the horizon.

In the distance, the battle between Kenpachi Zaraki and Yammy continued, with roars and the clanging of metal echoing incessantly.

Nearby, Mayuri Kurotsuchi had already begun directing Nemu Kurotsuchi to pack up the equipment, preparing for the next stage of research.

Renji Abarai lay on the ground, watching the disappearing light, muttering to himself, "We have to win, Liu Hao, Ichigo..."

Orihime Inoue clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, and silently prayed in her heart.

Nel stood still, her little face tilted up, gazing in the direction where the light had disappeared, remaining motionless for a long time.

And Above the Canopy, in that moonlit Desert, a Loneliness, pale figure still stood silently, gazing at the night sky, lost in a long, unprecedented period of contemplation.