Entering the Core Area

Rukia Kuchiki's pupils contracted slightly, but she remained calm. Her gaze swept rapidly over Runuganga's massive body, searching for its weakness. A body made of sand, without flesh, bones, or vital points—conventional attacks would be meaningless against such an opponent.

But she had a way.

"Sode no Shirayuki."

Her voice was calm yet icy, like the winter wind. The Zanpakuto in her hand began to change, its blade becoming as transparent as ice crystals, radiating a chilling aura. The surrounding temperature plummeted, and moisture in the air began to condense, forming fine frost on the blade.

"Second Dance - White Ripples."

She raised her Sode no Shirayuki high, then swung it down suddenly. A blinding white beam of light shot out from the tip of the blade. It was not fire, nor lightning, but pure, extreme cold— Absolute Zero, capable of freezing everything.

The white frost struck Runuganga's body, instantly freezing its massive form completely. White frost spread from the point of contact, rapidly engulfing every inch of its "skin" and filling every crevice. Its body, composed of countless grains of sand, was frozen into a giant, intact block of ice in the extreme cold.

Runuganga stopped moving. For the first time, its ever-flowing body came to a complete stillness. The two dark blue flames on its mask also solidified in the ice, like two stars sealed in amber.

"Smash it."

Rukia Kuchiki's voice was as soft as a sigh.

As she spoke, cracks began to appear on the huge block of ice. One, two, countless—the cracks spread outwards from the inside of the ice like a spider web, making a crisp sound like shattering glass.

Click--click--click--

The cracking sounds grew more frequent and louder. Finally—

Boom!!

The massive block of ice collapsed with a deafening roar, shattering into countless tiny ice crystals that danced in the dim sky. Runuganga, frozen within the ice, also crumbled along with it, transforming into a swirling cloud of dust and ice shards, like a blizzard sweeping across the desert.

The ice crystals refracted the sunlight, displaying a rainbow of colors that briefly illuminated the desolate white wasteland. The light was beautiful yet fragile, like a fleeting dream, vanishing in the wind in the blink of an eye.

Ichigo Kurosaki lowered Zangetsu and let out a long breath. He watched Rukia Kuchiki sheathe her sword, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes. Renji Abarai, gave her a thumbs-up and grinned, saying, "Well done, Rukia!"

Rukia Kuchiki glanced at them expressionlessly and said indifferently, "Let's go, don't waste time."

Yasutora Sado silently behind the group, his gaze shifting from Rukia Kuchiki to the unknown white wasteland ahead. His intuition told him that this was just the beginning; the real test was yet to come.

The group continued their journey. As they crossed the desert protected by Runuganga, the landscape began to change. The white sand gradually hardened, revealing low rocks and dried-up gullies, as if it were a transitional zone between the desert and some more solid terrain.

After walking for a short while, a huge wall appeared in front of them.

The wall soared into the clouds, its top disappearing into the dim sky, making its height impossible to discern. Its width was also astonishing, extending infinitely to the left and right, as if cleaving the entire Hueco Mundo in two.

The surface of the wall is rough and mottled, covered with traces of weathering and cracks, and looks like it has existed for countless centuries. On that rough surface, some blurry carvings can be vaguely seen - the carvings have been worn so much that they are almost unrecognizable, and can only be vaguely seen as scenes of battle, some distorted and painful faces, and some incomprehensible ancient script.

This wall is the dividing line between the depths and the outer perimeter of Hueco Mundo. Crossing it means truly entering the core region of Hueco Mundo —the place inhabited by those powerful Hollows, those beings known as the "Espada."

Ichigo Kurosaki stood before the wall, looking up at the colossal structure that seemed to reach no top, his brow furrowed slightly. He turned to look at Renji Abarai, and the two exchanged a glance and nodded simultaneously.

The two simultaneously raised their Zanpakuto, their Reiatsu surging wildly within them, condensing into a dazzling light on the blades.

On Ichigo Kurosaki's Zangetsu, golden Reiatsu blazed like burning flames, radiating an aura of destruction. On Renji Abarai's Zanpakuto, blue Reiatsu surged like boiling magma, brimming with explosive power.

"Getsuga Tenshō!"

"The Roar, Zabimaru!"

Two slashes struck the wall simultaneously—a golden crescent moon and a blue blade of energy. The two powerful forces converged, unleashing a deafening roar. Debris flew, dust filled the air, and the entire wall trembled slightly under the impact.

When the dust settled, a huge gap had appeared in the wall. The rocks at the edge of the gap were charred black by the force of the blow, emitting wisps of smoke.

Through the gap, you can see the other side of the wall—no longer a white desert, but an even more desolate and eerie scene.

The gray-black rocky ground, the strangely shaped Stone Pillars, and the faint, skeletal outlines of buildings in the distance.

Ichigo Kurosaki sheathed his Zanpakuto and stepped into the gap first.

Renji Abarai closely behind, then Rukia Kuchiki and Yasutora Sado.

Liu Ziyun walked at the very back. He paused slightly as he entered the gap, his gaze sweeping over the heads of the others towards the distant, gray-black wasteland. A complex light flashed in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure and followed.

After passing through the gap, the group entered a long, completely dark corridor. Rough stone walls lined both sides of the corridor, a low dome hung overhead, and the ground beneath their feet was uneven and pitted. A damp, musty, and decaying stench filled the air, causing everyone to involuntarily hold their breath.

Darkness enveloped them as if it were a tangible substance, swallowing all light. Ichigo Kurosaki released a small amount of Reiatsu, condensing a faint light on the blade, barely illuminating the path a few meters ahead. The light flickered in the darkness, casting their shadows onto the rock wall, twisting into various bizarre shapes.

No one spoke. Only footsteps echoed in the corridor, each step producing a hollow resonance, like someone striking some ancient instrument in the darkness. The echoes bounced back and forth in the corridor, gradually fading away, as if swallowed by the endless darkness.