XX-level Hokage

Ichigo's body flew out like a cannonball, slamming into the arena wall and creating a huge dent. "Ichigo!" Chad and Ishida were shocked and rushed forward to attack Yammy.

However, Yammy's strength was beyond imagination. He casually threw a punch, which easily shattered Chad's "Right Giant's Arm" and sent Chad flying, crashing heavily to the ground.

Ishida Uryu immediately drew his bow and shot an arrow, but Yami's speed was equally astonishing. He easily dodged the spirit arrow and kicked Ishida Uryu away. The powerful force almost caused Ishida to drop his spirit bow.

"This...this is the power of the Espada?!" Ichigo struggled out of the wall, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief that just one Espada could possess such overwhelming power.

Ulquiorra watched everything unfold before him with indifference, as if it were all part of his plan.

"The weak should have the awareness of the weak." Ulquiorra said calmly, "Your journey ends here." Seireitei, Third Division Barracks.

Mashiro gazed at the Hueco Mundo scene reflected in the spirit sphere, her eyes flashing with an unusual light.

“Ulquiorra…Yammy,” Mashiro murmured to herself, a slight smile playing on her lips. “Not bad power.”

She was slightly surprised to see Ichigo completely helpless against Yammy's attacks, but more than that, she felt anticipation. Only under such desperate circumstances could Ichigo's true potential be unleashed.

She also saw Nel's fear in front of Yammy and Ulquiorra, which was within her expectations. She knew what Nel was afraid of, and she knew how to exploit that fear.

"It's not time yet." Mashiro flicked her fingers lightly. Inside the spirit sphere, Nel was still tightly hiding behind a protector, showing no sign of returning to adulthood.

She wanted to make sure Ichigo didn't receive any extra help before he had undergone enough trials.

Because the true power of the "Trinity" can only be fully unleashed in extreme crises.

Chapter 190: The Journey of the Ten Blades (Part 4)

The atmosphere inside the Hueco Mundo arena was so heavy it was suffocating.

Ulquiorra Cifer's cold words and Yammy Rialgo's overwhelming power plunged Ichigo Kurosaki, Chad, and Uryu Ishida into an unprecedented predicament.

"boom!"

Yammy's enormous fist slammed out again. Ichigo had just struggled out of the dent in the wall when he was struck head-on by this violent force. He felt a tightness in his chest and his body flew backward uncontrollably, crashing heavily to the ground and spitting out a mouthful of blood.

"Cough cough... So strong..." Ichigo struggled to get up, but his whole body was in excruciating pain, and even breathing became difficult.

"Ichigo!" Chad roared, struggling to get up from the ground. His "Giant's Right Arm" had been shattered by Yammy's punch, and his "Devil's Left Arm" was also severely injured, but he still charged towards Yammy without hesitation.

"A mere ant dares to resist?!" Yami grinned, casually swinging out a palm strike. "Boom!"

Chad was sent flying again, crashing violently into the arena wall. The force of the impact dented the wall, and he collapsed to the ground, motionless.

"Chad!" Ishida Uryu's pupils constricted, his eyes filled with anger and despair. He suddenly drew back his spirit bow, and a barrage of spirit arrows shot towards Yammy like a storm.

“It’s no use.” Ulquiorra looked on coldly, his eyes devoid of any emotion.

Just as he said, Yammy's speed and defense were beyond imagination. He did not dodge or evade at all, letting the spirit arrows fall on him, but they could not even leave a mark.

"The First Strike of the Breakthrough!"

Seeing that ordinary arrows were ineffective, Ishida Uryu immediately gathered his spiritual power and attempted to attack with Kido. However, his Kido was like a tickle to Yammy.

Yammy swung his hand backhand, swatting away the charging Ishida Uryu. Ishida crashed heavily to the ground, his glasses shattered, and blood flowed down his forehead.

“Too weak.” Yammy said disdainfully, walking towards Ichigo who was lying on the ground, preparing to deliver the final blow. “No…it’s not over yet.” Ichigo struggled, forcing himself to stand up.

He tried again to gather spiritual pressure to summon the Hollow Mask, but the Hollow Mask only showed a slight outline before shattering instantly due to the depletion of his spiritual pressure.

Despair spread.

Ichigo, Chad, and Ishida were all seriously injured and had lost the ability to resist.

Yammy raised his massive fist high, grinning, ready to crush Ichigo completely. "Die, Kurosaki Ichigo!"

However, at this critical moment, a shout rang out!

A cold, low shout suddenly came from mid-air! A black figure fell like a meteor, his Soul Blade flashing with a sharp light, slashing fiercely at Yammy's fist!

"What?!" Yammy's expression changed drastically. His fist was blocked by the sudden attack, making a screeching sound.

Immediately afterward, another figure descended from the sky, landing in front of Ichigo. He had a red spiky hairstyle, wore a Shinigami uniform, and his Zanpakuto, after dissolving, transformed into a giant snake-like weapon, wrapped with immense spiritual pressure, which he swung fiercely at Yammy.

Is it support? "A slight ripple finally appeared in Ulquiorra's empty eyes."

"Renji! Rukia!" Ichigo looked at the two people who suddenly appeared in front of him, his weak face showing shock and surprise.

The newcomers were none other than Renji Abarai and Rukia Kuchiki! After sensing the abnormal spiritual pressure in Hueco Mundo, they secretly opened the Black Chamber and rushed to Hueco Mundo.

"Are you alright, Ichigo?!" Rukia asked anxiously, the sleeve of her sword, Shirayuki, gleaming with a cold light. Her icy gaze swept over Yammy and Ulquiorra, her eyes filled with vigilance.

"Tch! There's even a Grim Reaper!" Yammy roared in anger. Blocked by Rukia and attacked by Renji, his volatile temper immediately flared.

He swung his fist so hard that he knocked Rukia and Renji back at the same time.

"Boiling Bone Cannon!" Renji roared, his Zabimaru transforming into a cannonball, blasting towards Yammy with immense spiritual pressure.

Rukia swiftly unleashed her Kido: "Hado #33: Azure Fire Drop!" A massive blue fireball followed closely behind, hurtling towards Yammy. Yammy's enormous body was engulfed in explosion and flames under the combined attack of the two.

"Hmph." Ulquiorra glanced at the spot where Yammy had been attacked. He showed no concern whatsoever, but his cold gaze swept over Ichigo and the other two before turning to Rukia and Renji.

"Your strength has increased, but you are still weak." Ulquiorra's voice carried a hint of disdain, as if he were judging an ant. "Our goal has been achieved. Let's go, Yammy."

"What?! We're not done yet, Ulquiorra!" Yammy emerged from the smoke, looking somewhat wolfish but not seriously injured. He glared at Rukia and Renji, clearly extremely resentful.

"Our task is to confirm, not to eliminate." Ulquiorra repeated coldly, "It's confirmed, they are the Thread Ants." He gave Yammy no further chance to argue and turned to fly towards the passage above the arena.

Yammy, though unwilling, could only roar and follow Ulquiorra's orders, his figure quickly disappearing into the darkness. As Ulquiorra and Yammy left, the terrifying spiritual pressure in the arena suddenly dissipated, as if a dream had abruptly ended.

Huff... Huff... Ichigo, Chad, and Ishida collapsed to the ground, panting heavily. Despite their near-death experience, the fear of Yammy's overwhelming power still lingered in their eyes.

"Ichigo! Chad! Ishida! How are you?!" Rukia and Renji immediately ran to their side to check on their injuries.

"We...we're alright." Ichigo struggled to sit up, his body riddled with fractures and covered in blood. Chad's left arm was completely shattered, and Ishida was also seriously injured.

"How did you get here?!" Ichigo asked in surprise.

"We sensed that your spiritual pressure had become unusually weak, and we knew you must be in trouble!" Renji said irritably, but his eyes were full of worry.

Rukia's expression was grave: "I didn't expect the Espada to be so powerful... We must heal you immediately and then find Aizen as soon as possible." She looked behind Ichigo, where Nel was still tightly clutching Ichigo's clothes, looking like a frightened little animal.

Dondochaka and Pessie remained unconscious. "These are..." Lucia looked at Nel with a puzzled expression.

“They are Hollows here, but they don’t seem to have any ill intentions,” Ichigo explained weakly.

Nel looked up and saw Rukia and Renji's Shinigami uniforms, then shrank back in fear. Seireitei, Third Division Barracks.

Mashiro looked at everything reflected in the spirit sphere, and when she saw Rukia and Renji appear, her gaze sharpened slightly.

"Earlier than expected," Mashiro murmured to herself, a thoughtful glint in her eyes. She knew how important Ichigo was to Rukia, and her and Renji's appearance would undoubtedly provide Ichigo with assistance.

But then, a playful smile appeared on Mashiro's lips again.

“But this makes it more interesting.” Mashiro chuckled. “More variables make the situation more exciting and can better unleash potential.” She looked at Ichigo, who was lying on the ground groaning in the spirit sphere, and Nel, who was still in shock beside him.

“Now, it’s time for my little pet to do something.” With a thought, Mashiro sent an even more subtle spiritual pressure fluctuation spreading out from Hueco Mundo.

This spiritual pressure did not act directly on Nel, but rather subtly guided the surrounding spiritual particles to create a special environment.

With Mashiro's intervention, Nel seemed to sense something. A faint glimmer of light suddenly flashed in her originally terrified eyes, as if some kind of instinct had been awakened.

Chapter 191: The Espada (Part 5)

After Ulquiorra and Yammy left, the Las Noches arena was once again shrouded in deathly silence.

However, the atmosphere in the room was not relaxed; instead, it was replaced by a heavy sense of defeat.

Ichigo Kurosaki, Chad, and Uryu Ishida were all lying on the ground, severely injured and unable to move.

"Ichigo! Chad! Ishida!" Rukia and Renji rushed to their side, anxiously checking their injuries.

Ichigo struggled to sit up, but gasped in pain. He had multiple fractures, and his Shinigami uniform was soaked with blood.

Chad's left arm hung limply, clearly shattered by Yammy's punch, the bones broken. Ishida also lay on the ground, his glasses shattered, blood still seeping from the wound on his forehead.

"How are you? Your injuries... are too severe!" Rukia's eyes were filled with worry. She had never seen Ichigo suffer such serious injuries. Yammy's attack was simply devastating.

"Damn it! That bastard's strength is insane!" Renji helped Chad up, looking at his deformed left arm, his face turning ashen. Even after his brief exchange with Yammy after the fight, he could still feel that tyrannical and unreasonable pressure.

“There’s no way… we’re not even in the same league.” Ichigo’s voice was a little hoarse, and his eyes were filled with resentment. He had used all his strength, even Hollowfication, but he was still easily defeated by Yammy.

This disparity in power left him feeling utterly powerless, a feeling he had never experienced before.

Nel still clung tightly to Ichigo's clothes, her green-blue eyes fixed on the heavily injured Ichigo, filled with worry, but even more so with...confusion. On her innocent little face, it seemed as if some ancient memory was struggling to surface.

"Uncle...are you in a lot of pain?" Nel asked softly, her voice trembling slightly. Her small hand tried to touch Ichigo's bleeding wound, but then withdrew in fear.

Ichigo shook his head weakly.

Just then, a barely perceptible fluctuation of spiritual pressure emanated from Nel, not an offensive force, but an extremely subtle form of guidance.

Nilu's body trembled slightly, and a deep look that seemed out of place for her age suddenly flashed in her innocent eyes.

She looked in the direction Ulquiorra and Yammy had left, then glanced at Ichigo's injuries, and seemed to understand something. Her confusion gradually transformed into an... instinctive understanding.

“It’s dangerous here…” Nilu said softly, her gaze sweeping over the dilapidated arena and the unconscious Dondochaka and Pessie. “They’ll hurt people.”

Her tone remained childlike and innocent, but it carried an unusual certainty. "Nel... what do you know?" Ichigo noticed Nel's unusual behavior and asked weakly.

Nilu didn't answer directly. As if guided by something, she suddenly took a step forward, pointing to a dark passage on the other side of the arena.

“Over there… there’s a place to rest. And… a place that can make people better.” Nilu’s voice carried a hint of hazy memory, but it pointed in a direction with unusual clarity.

Rukia and Renji exchanged a glance. Although this strange Arrancar spoke vaguely, she seemed to have some understanding of the inner workings of Las Noches. Currently, they were severely injured and in dire need of treatment; following a "guide" who might know the inside story was perhaps the best option.

“We have to find Inoue immediately,” Ishida Uryu said, struggling. “Only her Twin Heavens Shield can heal us.”

“But… Las Noches is so big, how are we supposed to find it?” Renji said anxiously. They were seriously injured and unable to conduct a thorough search. “Could the place she mentioned that can make people better be Inoue?” Rukia’s heart skipped a beat, and she turned her gaze to Nel.

Nilu seemed to understand their conversation, and she nodded vigorously: "Yes! It can get better! It will become... like before!" Her eyes were filled with longing for "getting better," as if that was what she herself hoped for.

"Alright! Let's follow her!" Ichigo made a quick decision. Even though Nel was a strange Hollow, in this desperate situation, no hope could be lost.

Rukia and Renji helped up the heavily injured Ichigo, Chad, and Ishida, while Nel carefully held onto Ichigo's clothes and led them toward the dark passage.

machine.

Dondochaka and Pessie were simply strapped together with bandages and carried on Renji's back for the time being.

The passage was dark and long, and Nilu seemed to know the place very well. She avoided several forks in the road and led them straight deeper into the passage.

Although weak, Ichigo and his companions kept up. They could sense that the passage didn't lead to danger; instead, it faintly emitted a... danger. After walking for a long time, a faint light appeared ahead. When they emerged from the passage, they weren't faced with another arena, but rather a...

A desolate ruin.

The towering stone pillars were broken and collapsed, and the crumbling walls were covered with cracks, as if this had once been the ruins of a huge building. "Where is this?" Ichigo looked at Nel in confusion.

Nilu pointed to a huge, dilapidated building entrance deep within the ruins: "This...we used to live here."