Preparing to Depart for Hueco Mundo

"Alright," Liu Ziyun clapped his hands, his expression returning to calm, "This farce is over. Lord Hiyori, please wait here for a while, I'll put you down after I finish speaking."

He turned to face Ichigo Kurosaki. The orange-haired boy had been standing silently to the side since the beginning, watching the farce unfold without participating or laughing. His expression was serious, even somewhat somber—he had already guessed from the conversation that Orihime Inoue had been taken away.

Liu Ziyun looked at him, his gaze turning serious. "Ichigo, I have a question for you."

Ichigo Kurosaki looked up and met his gaze.

Why is it that you can't shake the idea of wanting to defeat your opponent without harming them in every battle?

Ichigo Kurosaki paused, seemingly surprised that Liu Ziyun would ask such a question. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't know how to express himself.

Liu Ziyun continued, "When fighting an enemy, how can you unleash your full power without the determination to kill them and risk your life? You've been suppressing your destructive impulses to save their lives... This is the fundamental reason why you can't control your power."

Ichigo Kurosaki fell silent. He knew that what Liu Ziyun said was true—in every battle, he would subconsciously conserve his power and hesitate at crucial moments. It wasn't that he didn't want to win, but that he didn't want to kill. Even if the opponent was an enemy, even if the opponent wanted to kill him, he would still instinctively seek a non-lethal way to end the battle.

"But teacher," he looked up, his eyes filled with pleading and confusion, "We don't necessarily have to kill someone, do we? Isn't there any other way?"

Liu Ziyun's gaze turned icy. He took a step forward, getting closer to Ichigo Kurosaki, close enough to see all the hesitation and struggle in those brown eyes.

"Your naiveté will hurt those around you." His voice wasn't loud, but every word pierced Ichigo Kurosaki's heart like an ice pick. "This time, the Arrancar's attack took Orihime Inoue. Who do you want to lose next time?"

Ichigo Kurosaki's pupils suddenly contracted. His body trembled slightly, and the color drained from his face at a visible speed.

"What..." His voice was so hoarse it was almost inaudible, "Teacher, why is this happening? Orihime... how could she..."

A flicker of pity crossed Liu Ziyun's eyes, but he didn't stop. He knew this wasn't the time to soften his heart. What Ichigo Kurosaki needed wasn't comfort, but the truth—the cruel, painful truth that had to be faced.

"Because Aizen wants to use Orihime Inoue's power." His voice was calm and cold, like a surgeon cutting open a wound with a scalpel. "And also because... he wants you and your companions to go to Hueco Mundo to rescue people."

Ichigo Kurosaki froze. His mind raced, trying to understand the meaning behind Liu Ziyun's words.

"Right now, the only people who can deal with Aizen besides me are you," Liu Ziyun continued, "But I used my abilities to make him ignore my existence. So his target... is you."

He paused, letting his words sink into Ichigo Kurosaki's heart. "When you're not in the World of the Living, trapped in Hueco Mundo, he can attack the World of the Living without worry and create the King’s Key he desires. Do you understand?"

Ichigo Kurosaki remained silent for a long time.

The Training Ground was so quiet that you could hear Hiyori Sarugaki's suppressed breathing as she was bound by the Six Rods Prison of Light, the sound of water droplets falling on the ground in the distance, and the sound of everyone's heartbeat.

He finally raised his head, and something had changed in his brown eyes. The hesitation and confusion that had always shrouded them dissipated little by little, like mist blown away by the wind. In its place was a light that Liu Ziyun had never seen in his eyes before—the light of enlightenment, the calm after making a firm decision.

"I understand." His voice was soft, but firm.

Liu Ziyun looked at him and nodded. He knew that this young man had finally taken that step—the step from boy to man, the step from hesitation to determination.

Shinji Hirako walked over from the side, his expression unusually serious. "Do you need our help?"

Liu Ziyun shook his head. "No. If you go, I don't know what will happen. Your destinies are different from ordinary people's; any slight change could lead to unpredictable consequences. So, you should contact the Captain-Commander after we leave and prepare to deal with Aizen's attack. As for Hueco Mundo... leave it to us."

He turned and walked out of the Training Ground, with Ichigo Kurosaki following closely behind. The two left the Visoreds ' base, crossed the streets of Karakura Town, and arrived at Urahara Shop.

In the basement, Yasutora Sado Renji Abarai, and Rukia Kuchiki were already waiting. Each of them wore a solemn expression—they already knew that Orihime Inoue had been taken away.

Kisuke Urahara stood before the enormous device, his fingers flying across the control panel. His expression was much more serious than usual, and his usually smiling eyes were now focused like those of a surgeon performing an operation.

"Kisuke," Liu Ziyun to his side, "Are you ready?"

Kisuke Urahara looked up, adjusted his hat, and a confident smile played on his lips, "I've been prepared for a long time. I can unleash my Garganta anytime."

Liu Ziyun nodded, his gaze sweeping over everyone present— Ichigo Kurosaki, Yasutora Sado, Renji Abarai, and Rukia Kuchiki. They might not be the strongest, but they were the most steadfast. Each of them had their own reasons for going to Hueco Mundo, each had their own attachments and obsessions.

"Then let's begin," he said. "Let's get started now."

Kisuke Urahara pressed the last button. The device emitted a low rumble, and the entire basement began to tremble slightly. The Reiatsu in the air became turbulent, and visible ripples spread through the space.

Then—a pitch-black crack slowly opened up before everyone's eyes.

The edges of the crack writhed irregularly, radiating a chilling sense of oppression. From the depths of the Hueco Mundo came the dry, the Heat wind unique to Hueco Mundo, carrying the scent of sand and a faint Reiatsu belonging to Hollows.

The Garganta was opened.