Against Szayelaporro

When another, more steady footstep came from the dust, Renji Abarai subconsciously turned his head, and his pupils contracted slightly— Liu Ziyun's figure emerged from the still-lingering dust, his steps unhurried, as if he were just going to an ordinary date, rather than stepping into the lair of an Espada.

"Ziyun, you're here too." Renji Abarai's voice carried a hint of surprise, as well as a sense of relief. He had thought he would face the enemy alone, but now it seemed that at least he had strong reinforcements by his side.

Liu Ziyun did not respond immediately. His gaze shifted from Renji Abarai, sweeping over everyone present, and finally landed on a figure that shouldn't be there— Dondochakka Birstein, the seemingly simple and clumsy giant Arrancar who had always followed Nel, was now standing not far from Renji Abarai, his massive body casting a deep shadow in the Hueco Mundo light.

Its carapace still bore the marks of battle, with several deep scratches running from its shoulder to its back, clearly indicating that it had been through a fierce fight before arriving here.

Liu Ziyun frowned slightly, a thoughtful glint in his eyes. Then his gaze moved on to another, even more unexpected figure.

Tiruti Sandavichi stood at the edge of the battlefield, arms crossed, scrutinizing everyone present with a critical gaze. Her expression was cold and detached, as if none of this concerned her, but her very presence was a signal that could not be ignored.

"Dondochakka," Liu Ziyun first, his voice calm and direct, "Weren't you going to find Ichigo Kurosaki? How come you're with Renji?"

Dondochakka Birstein's massive body trembled slightly, and a look of confusion and grievance appeared on its honest face, like a lost child being asked by an adult for directions.

It scratched its head, its carapace rubbing together with a soft rustling sound, and answered in a low, slow voice, "I... I don't know either. I just kept walking and walking along the passage, and then I got here. And then I saw Renji fighting here, and I..."

It didn't continue speaking, but the meaning was clear—it was lost.

Liu Ziyun's lips twitched slightly, but he didn't press the matter further. Instead, he turned his attention to another more noteworthy individual.

"Tiruti Sandavichi," his voice remained calm, but with a hint of scrutiny, "What brings you here?"

Tiruti Sandavichi's expression remained unchanged, maintaining her cold and aloof demeanor. She paused for a moment, then uttered a few words indifferently. "I just want to see what you're up to."

The answer was vague and ambiguous, neither hostile nor benevolent, but more like a neutral, curious observation. Liu Ziyun glanced at her, did not press further, and simply nodded slightly, as if accepting the explanation.

"Pesche," he raised his voice slightly, calling towards the passageway, "Go help Dondochakka and Renji."

Pesche Kadishe emerged from the shadows of the passage, its steps hesitant, clearly not entirely agreeing with the decision. But it didn't object, only silently nodded, and walked to Dondochakka's side, standing shoulder to shoulder with it.

This scene elicited a grating laugh from Sárapolo Granz.

"Hehe..." His laughter was sharp and drawn-out, like glass rubbing against a metal surface, giving people goosebumps involuntarily. His gaze shifted from Renji Abarai, past Dondochakka and Pesche, and finally landed on Liu Ziyun, his eyes gleaming with an almost morbid excitement.

"So, you're their leader." His voice held a deliberate, theatrical surprise, like a hunter spotting his prey. "What, aren't you going to make a move? Let these little minions deal with me? This is truly... heartbreaking."

His tone was flippant and mocking, every word carrying a condescending sense of superiority, as if in his eyes everyone present was nothing more than a bunch of ants that could be toyed with at will.

Before he could finish speaking, Szayelaporro Granz made a move that caught everyone off guard—he raised his Zanpakuto high and then, in a resolute yet bizarre manner, swallowed the entire sword whole.

The scene was eerily gruesome. The blade sank into his throat, the body slid down his esophagus, and the hilt disappeared between his lips and teeth. His body began to swell in that instant, like an inflated balloon, something writhing, churning, and struggling beneath his skin.

"Drink, Fornicarás."

His voice emanated from his swollen body, low and distorted, like an echo from the abyss.

Then--

Bang!!

His entire body suddenly exploded, transforming into a thick, foul-smelling mist. Something within the mist writh, reformed, and metamorphosed. When the mist dissipated, a completely new Szayelaporro Granz appeared before everyone—

His lower body had transformed into a clump of wriggling tentacles, like the tentacles of an octopus, each covered with suckers and barbs, slowly crawling on the ground and making a sticky sound.

But those tentacles quickly began to condense, shrink, and deform, eventually transforming into two long legs and a magnificent, intricately patterned robe. Four enormous wings stretched out from his back, each wing resembling a butterfly's wing, yet covered with strange, colorful patterns that refracted a dazzling light under the Hueco Mundo's illumination.

Colorful patterns appeared around his eyes, like some ancient and evil totem, giving him an eerie and dangerous aura.

Four wings stretched out simultaneously, and countless slender tentacles extended from the tips of the wings, dancing in the air like living creatures. The tentacles were incredibly fast, and in the blink of an eye, they had already wrapped around everyone present.

The tips of the tentacles bloomed with eerie flowers, their petals layered upon each other, each covered with fine barbs, and their stamens emanated a sweet yet putrid odor.

Liu Ziyun stood still, neither dodging nor blocking, nor even moving a step. He simply watched the tentacles coil towards him, watched the strange flower bloom before him, and watched the petals close, enveloping his entire body.

The moment the flower closed, darkness engulfed him. But that darkness lasted less than a second.

Boom!!

An overwhelming Reiatsu erupted from the flower bud, like a volcanic eruption or a surging tsunami. The newly closed bud instantly swelled, deformed, and tore apart under the impact of the Reiatsu, finally turning into countless fragments that scattered in all directions. The fragments of petals danced in the air like eerie, colorful snowflakes, slowly drifting down.