XX-level Hokage

Just then, several powerful spiritual pressures suddenly surged out from the ruins, carrying intense hostility, and instantly surrounded them. "Oh? I didn't expect there to be any survivors here?" a cold voice rang out.

Three broken masks appeared before them, dressed in identical white uniforms, each with different fragments of masks on their faces.

The leader of the Arrancars had long, fluffy green hair and wore a mask similar to an eye patch. He was one of Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez's three subordinates: Ilford Granz, Edorad Riones, and Nachim Griner.

"I never expected to encounter Death and that good-for-nothing in a place like this." Ilford sneered, his gaze sweeping disdainfully over Nel, clearly disrespecting her.

"It's the enemy!" Rukia immediately drew her sword, Sode no Shirayuki, and Renji also assumed a fighting stance. Despite their immense spiritual pressure, they remained vigilant. "You...are you courting death?" Ichigo struggled to his feet, a warning glint in his eyes. He knew he was currently powerless to fight, but...

Rukia and Renji must not be allowed to get into danger.

"Heh heh, you bunch of defeated soldiers dare to spout such nonsense?" Edrad laughed, his figure blurring as he instantly rushed towards Rukia.

"Renji! Protect them!" Rukia shouted, waving her sleeves and charging towards Edrad. Renji shielded Ichigo and the others, engaging Ilford and Natchem in fierce combat.

However, Rukia and Renji were struggling to cope with their three subordinates, not to mention they also had to worry about Ichigo and the other two who were seriously injured.

Seeing these unfamiliar Arrancar, Nel's eyes flashed with unease once again. Her small body clung tightly to Ichigo, as if seeking protection.

Seireitei, Third Division Barracks.

Mashiro watched the new battle reflected in the spirit sphere with an interested smile.

“Grimmjow’s subordinates… They’ve come at just the right time.” Mashiro murmured to herself. She knew that although these three subordinates were not Espada, they were still an insurmountable obstacle for the heavily injured Ichigo and the others.

She looked at Nilu, and under her skillful guidance, Nilu's instincts seemed to be awakened little by little.

Now, she needed an opportunity to make Nel's "effect" more obvious. "It's time," a cunning glint flashed in Mashiro's eyes.

With a thought, she precisely injected a subtle fluctuation of spiritual pressure into Nel's body once again within Hueco Mundo.

This spiritual pressure did not enhance Nel's power, but rather precisely triggered her deepest memories of instincts for "protection" and "devouring".

Inside the spirit sphere, the deep light in Nel's eyes grew even clearer. She seemed to understand something, her small body trembling slightly. "Hmm...this scene is quite fitting." Mashiro smiled, anticipating what would happen next.

She wanted to ensure that Ichigo wouldn't receive any extra help before he had undergone sufficient trials, and Nel's "help" at this moment was precisely to trigger a deeper crisis, thereby stimulating Ichigo's potential.

Chapter 192: The Espada (Part 6)

Amidst the ruins of Las Noches, war reignites. Renji Abarai and Rukia Kuchiki find themselves locked in a fierce battle against Grimmjow's three subordinates—Ilford Granz, Edorad Riones, and Nachim Griner.

They not only had to face the combined attack of three Arrancar, but also protect the heavily injured Ichigo Kurosaki, Chad, and Yuuryu Ishigaki behind them. "Hado #4: White Lightning!" Rukia shouted, and a white lightning bolt shot from her fingertips, striking Edrad with pinpoint accuracy.

"Hmph, a mere trick!" Edorad laughed, his figure blurring as he easily dodged the white lightning. The soul sword in his hand, accompanied by a sharp whistling sound, slashed fiercely at Rukia.

Rukia parried with her sleeve, the blades clashing and producing a piercing metallic scraping sound. Edrad's strength far exceeded her expectations, and each attack made her arm go numb.

On the other side, Renji also wielded the disarmed Zabimaru, its massive, knuckle-like whip sweeping towards Ilford and Nachim with the force of a whirlwind. However, the two subordinates coordinated perfectly, their movements agile and swift, constantly entangled Renji, preventing him from escaping.

"Die, Shinigami!" Nachim roared, gathering powerful spiritual pressure in his arms to form two massive shockwaves that slammed into Renji. Renji was forced to retract his Zabimaru defense, the powerful shockwaves sending him staggering backward, nearly colliding with Ichigo.

"Damn it!" Renji gritted his teeth. Both he and Rukia had exhausted their spiritual pressure in the previous battle, and now they were struggling to cope with the combined attack of the three Arrancar.

Lying on the ground, Ichigo, Chad, and Ishida watched the fierce battle unfold before them, their hearts filled with resentment and anger. Severely injured, they were unable to fight and could only watch helplessly as their comrades were in danger.

"Damn it... why am I so weak?" Ichigo struggled to stand up, but the excruciating pain all over his body prevented him from moving. He felt an unprecedented sense of powerlessness, a feeling that tormented him even more than the physical pain.

Nel remained close to Ichigo, her innocent eyes now unusually bright.

She watched as Rukia and Renji were suppressed, saw their injuries, and noticed the malicious smiles in the eyes of those Arrancar.

Suddenly, a strange wave emanated from Nilu, her trembling little body seemingly filled with some invisible force.

Hahaha! Die, Grim Reaper! "Edorard seized the opening in Rukia's parry, and a red Cero flash condensed in his mouth, carrying destructive power, heading straight for Rukia's chest.

Rukia's pupils contracted sharply. She tried to dodge, but her body stiffened due to excessive spiritual pressure.

At this critical moment, a cry rang out.

Suddenly, Nel let out a strange cry. Her small body rushed in front of Rukia, opened her small mouth, and... swallowed the rapidly approaching Cero!

Everyone, including the Arrancar and the Grim Reaper who were fighting, was shocked by this sudden scene.

Edrad's Cero, a strike powerful enough to easily pierce rock and even severely injure a vice-captain level Shinigami, was actually swallowed whole by this seemingly weak, child-like Arrancar?!

After Nel absorbed the Cero, her small belly instantly swelled up, making her look somewhat comical.

But then, her mouth suddenly opened wide, and a Cero flash, even larger and more violent than before, with a dazzling emerald green light, roared out of her mouth!

CeroDoble!

"What?!" Edorard never expected his Cero to be swallowed and bounced back. Before he could react, he was hit head-on by the emerald green Cero!

"boom!"

A violent explosion echoed through the ruins, and Edorard's body was completely engulfed by a vibrant green light.

When the light faded, his figure had vanished, leaving only the lingering smell of burning flesh and a patch of charred ground.

"Edorard?!" Ilfert and Nachim stared in shock, unable to believe what they were seeing. Their lord Grimmjow's subordinate had been instantly killed by this "trash"?!

Rukia was also stunned, staring at Nel's small figure with disbelief in her eyes. She knew Hollows could fire Cero, but she had never seen it before.

Such an unusual attack method.

Ichigo, Chad, and Ishida were equally shocked. They knew Nel was extraordinary, but they never imagined she possessed such immense power.

"Useless trash... how dare you!" Ilford snapped out of his daze, a struggle on his face. He roared, his muscles bulging, and his new Soul Blade rang out, ready to launch a retaliatory attack on Nel.

"Your opponent is me!" Renji roared, taking advantage of the moment when Ilford and Nachim were shocked, he swung out the Zabimaru in his hand, knocking the two of them back at the same time.

However, Ilford and Nachim were clearly enraged. They abandoned their original hit-and-run tactics and launched a more intense offensive.

The spiritual pressure of the two surged instantly, pushing Renji into a desperate situation.

"Damn it! Just who is this little girl?!" Ilford roared as he attacked, sensing an unsettling power within Nel's Cero.

Lu Tianye once again confronted Nachim. Her spiritual pressure was nearly depleted, but she had no choice but to protect Ichigo and the others.

After Nel absorbed and deflected the Cero, her small body seemed to bear a tremendous burden. She was panting heavily, and her little face showed signs of exhaustion. But she still clung tightly to Ichigo, watching Rukia and Renji, who were struggling in the battle, with her worried eyes.

As Ichigo witnessed this scene, his frustration and anger reached their peak. He hated his own powerlessness, hated his inability to protect his comrades. Yammy's strength, and the reality that even these subordinates needed his friends and Nel to deal with, filled him with an unprecedented sense of humiliation.

"I...I can't go on like this anymore." Ichigo clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms. He felt the Hollow power within him surging, a cry for him to become stronger.

Soul Society, Third Division Barracks.

Mashiro looked at Nel's "Double Cero" reflected in the spirit sphere and a satisfied smile appeared on her face.

“Well done, my little pet.” Mashiro murmured to herself, a sly glint in her eyes. “Now… Ichigo’s inner power should be forced out, right?”

Seeing Ichigo's pained and angry expression, and the thirst for power in his eyes, she knew that her plan was gradually coming to fruition.

Nel's intervention temporarily resolved the crisis, but it also made Ichigo realize his own weakness more deeply, thus stimulating a deeper level of awakening in him.

“Grimmjow… your time is almost up too.” Mashiro cast her gaze into the depths of Hueco Mundo. She knew that after Ilford and Natchem’s defeat, the bloodthirsty Sixth Espada would soon personally set out to find his desired “prey.”

"Only by pushing everything... to the brink of spiraling out of control can we achieve the best results." Mashiro chuckled softly, looking forward to Ichigo's rematch with Grimmjow, for that would be a true test of their mettle.

Chapter 193: The Espada (Part 7)

In the ruins of Las Noches, Grimmjow's minions were enraged like never before.

Edorad was killed by Nel's double Cero, which enraged Ilford Granz and Nachim Grida. They abandoned their previous caution and unleashed their full spiritual pressure, launching an even more ferocious attack on Asanami Renji and Kuchiki Rukia.

"Die, Death!" Ilford roared, the blades on his arms transforming into a whirlwind, tearing through the air with a piercing shriek as he slashed wildly at Renji. Meanwhile, Nachim seized the opportunity to flank from the side, his massive fist carrying a heavy, oppressive force, aiming for Renji's vitals.

Renji gritted his teeth, his unleashed Zabimaru whirling in the air, making a clattering sound as he desperately blocked and counterattacked. However, his spiritual pressure was almost depleted, and each block caused him excruciating pain in his arm, slowing his movements. He could feel that his body had reached its limit.

"Hado #33: Azure Flame Fall!" Rukia barely managed to gather her spiritual pressure, unleashing a blue flame towards Nachim, attempting to buy Renji a chance to catch his breath. Nachim nimbly dodged the flame, grinning as he rushed towards Rukia.

Rukia's Snow White Sleeves, though sharp, seemed somewhat powerless against Nachim's overwhelming strength.

With a single punch from Nachim, Rukia was sent flying backward, crashing into the broken wall of the ruins, blood spilling from her mouth.

"Rukia!" Ichigo struggled to get up, but the pain all over his body made it difficult for him to even move a finger. He watched his friends fight to the death to protect him, and the anger and helplessness in his heart almost tore him apart.

Nile clung tightly to him, her emerald eyes filled with worry, her small body trembling slightly. She seemed to want to do something again, but the double Hollow Flash had clearly exhausted her, leaving her looking tired and powerless.

"It's over!" A fierce glint flashed in Ilford's eyes. He seized the moment when Renji was attacking, and with his Zanpakuto glowing with spiritual pressure, he thrust it fiercely toward Renji's heart.

Renji had no time to dodge and could only watch helplessly as the blade approached. At this critical moment...

"Release! Daiguren Hyōrinmaru!"

A chilling and powerful spiritual pressure suddenly descended! The icy aura instantly filled the ruins, completely freezing Ilford's sword light. Then, countless ice crystals emerged from the void, coalescing into enormous ice wings and an ice dragon, which slammed into Ilford and Nachim!

"What?!" Ilford and Nachim were shocked. They were completely enveloped by the sudden chill, and their movements instantly froze.

High above the ruins, a young man wearing a captain's haori and holding a Zanpakuto stood proudly. He had silver-white hair and his green eyes flashed with a sharp, cold light. He was none other than the captain of the 10th Division, Toshiro Ichibanya!

Beside him were two women dressed in shihaka (a type of Japanese martial arts uniform). One had long, dark green hair and was lively and cute; she was Matsumoto Rangiku. The other was petite with short black hair and a calm expression; she was Hinamori Momo.

"Captain Hitsugaya!" Rukia's eyes flashed with surprise.

"Honestly...you guys always make yourselves look so wolfish." Toshiro Hitsugaya's tone carried a hint of dissatisfaction, but his eyes were full of concern.

Rangiku Matsumoto immediately rushed to Rukia's side and asked with concern, "Rukia, are you alright? Honestly, you always do such a mess!"

Ilford and Nachim were completely suppressed by the power of Daiguren Hyōrinmaru, their bodies almost frozen. They struggled desperately, only to find that the freezing power was far beyond their imagination.

"You are... the captains of the Grim Reapers?!" Ilford asked in shock, sensing the powerful spiritual pressure emanating from Toshiro Hitsugaya, a being on par with the Espada.

"Hmph, you only realize it now? Too late." Hitsugaya Toshiro sneered, and with a wave of his Hyōrinmaru, countless ice blades condensed and shot towards the frozen Ilfort and Nachim.

"Boom! Boom!"

With two loud bangs, Ilford and Nachim's bodies shattered completely under the cutting of the ice blades, dissipating into spiritual particles and vanishing into the air. The crisis was over.

Renji and Rukia finally breathed a sigh of relief and collapsed to the ground. Toshiro Hitsugaya stepped forward to check on the injuries of Ichigo and the other two, his brows furrowed.

"You're badly injured... What did you do?!" His tone was stern, but more than that, it was filled with worry.

“We encountered the Espada,” Ichigo explained weakly, “Yammy, and Ulquiorra.”

"The Espada?!" Toshiro Hitsugaya's expression changed. He knew what this meant; the situation in Hueco Mundo was far more severe than they had anticipated.

Just then, a deep and furious roar suddenly came from the depths of the ruined city, accompanied by a suffocatingly violent spiritual pressure that instantly enveloped the entire area.

This spiritual pressure was filled with bloodlust and murderous intent, making every Shinigami present feel a chill run down their spine. "Who killed my subordinate?!"

A tall figure slowly emerged from the darkness. He had short blue hair, a fragment of a mask on his forehead, and fierce, wild eyes. It was none other than the Sixth Espada—Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez! He was shirtless, and the scars on his chest and abdomen were shocking, marks left from his last battle with Ichigo.

He immediately spotted the remnants of Ilford and Nachim's spiritual particles lying on the ground, as well as the icy spiritual pressure surrounding them. His gaze instantly locked onto Toshiro Hitsugaya.

"Oh? So you're the captain of the Shinigami? No wonder you were able to kill my subordinate." Grimmjow sneered, but his eyes burned with fury. Then, his gaze shifted to the heavily injured Ichigo. He felt that familiar, bloodthirsty spiritual pressure, still vivid even in its weakened state. "Kurosaki Ichigo...you bastard! You've become so ruthless!" A bloodthirsty smile curled at the corner of Grimmjow's lips. "But it's alright,"

This is exactly what I want to see! Only in this way can I completely crush you and prove who the true strongman is!