"Kurosaki-kun, I'm sorry, I'm sorry I couldn't protect Tatsuki and Sado-san. If I were stronger..."
Orihime said to Ichigo, her expression full of guilt.
"You don't need to apologize, Inoue. It's not your fault. Don't worry. I'll take care of them!"
Ichigo said firmly.
With that, Ichigo shouted, "Bankai… Tensa Zangetsu!!"
Boom!
Powerful Captain-level Reiatsu erupted, forming a fierce whirlwind that swept in all directions.
'Amazing... so this is Kurosaki-kun's Bankai? Seeing it this close for the first time. I didn't expect it to be this powerful. But it feels a bit different from what I sensed at the Sokyoku Hill...'
'The Reiatsu is very chaotic... and it feels ominous... oppressive and suffocating... Is this really Kurosaki-kun?'
For some reason, at this moment, Orihime felt a strange sense of unfamiliarity from Ichigo. Although he appeared very strong on the surface, she felt a strange unease in her heart.
"Inoue, I'll handle these two. You leave quickly."
Ichigo faced Yammy and Ulquiorra, speaking with his back to Orihime.
"Okay..."
Although she was very worried about Ichigo, Orihime knew that staying would only be a hindrance, distracting him. So, despite her reluctance, she took the severely injured Chad and ran towards the distance.
"He said 'Bankai'?"
Yammy scratched his head. "Hey, Ulquiorra, this kid..."
"Yes, orange hair, black Bankai... no doubt about it. He's our target this time! Yammy, I can't believe your pointless fighting actually drew him out so easily."
Ulquiorra said, slightly surprised.
"Great! Now we don't have to waste time looking!"
Yammy suddenly swung his massive fist towards Ichigo.
Clang!
Ichigo raised his sword horizontally, easily blocking Yammy's punch.
"You used your right hand to hurt Chad, right? Then I'll cut off your right arm as an apology to Chad!"
Ichigo said coldly.
Swoosh-
In an instant, a flash of black blade light seemed to pass. Ichigo moved and vanished from Yammy's sight.
Tap!
Ichigo leaped through the air and landed lightly behind Yammy.
Thud!
Yammy's right arm was severed at the shoulder, falling to the ground.
Spurt—!!
Blood sprayed from the stump like a fountain.
"Gwaaaaaah——!!!"
The cut was too fast, too sharp! After a brief delay, Yammy finally felt the pain and screamed.
"What!"
Even Ulquiorra was slightly surprised by this scene.
Of course, only slightly surprised.
'That Yammy, acting rashly before knowing the enemy's strength... Still, that kid managed to break through the defense of Hierro and cut off Yammy's arm. His strength is passable. I heard he only learned Bankai not long ago, yet his Reiatsu has already reached this level. Overall, not bad, but...'
'At this level, he's still no threat to Aizen-sama. So why did Aizen-sama specifically send us?'
Ulquiorra genuinely couldn't understand Aizen's purpose in sending them to the Living World.
Not only was Ichigo's strength insufficient to threaten Aizen, but even if he were strong enough to pose a threat, it wouldn't matter, because Ichigo had already fallen under the complete hypnosis of Aizen's Kyoka Suigetsu when he went to the Soul Society.
Unless he could break Aizen's Kyoka Suigetsu, even if Ichigo's power soared enough to contend with Aizen, he couldn't truly threaten him.
"Haah, haah..."
Yammy, having lost an arm, panted, drenched in cold sweat.
"You damn bastard..."
Yammy glared venomously at Ichigo, wishing he could tear him apart.
"Yammy, you seem to be struggling. Do you need me to take over?"
Ulquiorra suddenly spoke.
"Hmph! None of your business!!"
Yammy snorted, then grabbed the Zanpakuto at his waist with his remaining left hand.
"Heh, you need to use your Zanpakuto against someone of this level?"
Ulquiorra said with a hint of mockery.
"You're too noisy, Ulquiorra!"
Yammy said, embarrassed and angry.
'A Zanpakuto! So that thing stuck in his waist is indeed a Zanpakuto!'
Hearing the exchange between Yammy and Ulquiorra, Ichigo felt both surprised and somehow expecting it.
He remembered some things Shinji had told him.
'Are they kindred spirits?'
Ichigo's expression grew even more grim.
Shing—
Yammy slowly drew his Zanpakuto.
"Here I come, kid!"
Swoosh-
Yammy swung his sword down at Ichigo.
Whoosh!
Ichigo flickered and dodged Yammy's attack.
Although Ichigo's Reiatsu, strength, and even overall power might not necessarily surpass Yammy's as an Espada, Ichigo was clearly superior in speed.
His Bankai was specifically designed to enhance combat speed, movement speed, and attack speed for high-speed battle.
Yammy's large, bulky frame was comparatively more 'clumsy'.
Seeing his swing miss, Yammy immediately kicked towards Ichigo.
Seeing this, Ichigo, not wanting a direct confrontation, prepared to dodge again. Then, something unexpected happened!
Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!
Ichigo's heart suddenly began to pound violently.
The seductive voice of the Hollow inside him, White Ichigo, echoed in Ichigo's mind, eroding his consciousness and trying to seize control of his body!
'Damn! Not again!'
'Go away! Go away!! Go away!!!'
'I am not your—'
"Boom!!!"
Ichigo, completely focused on resisting White Ichigo's attempt to take over, couldn't move. He was struck squarely in the chest by Yammy's powerful kick and sent flying like a cannonball.
"Pfft!"
Ichigo spat out a mouthful of blood as he flew backward.
"Kurosaki-kun!"
Although Orihime had left the battlefield to avoid hindering Ichigo, she hadn't gone far. Seeing Ichigo injured, she couldn't help but run back.
"Inoue! Don't come over!!"
Ichigo shouted to stop her.
But Orihime ran back anyway.
Bang!
Just as Orihime was about to reach Ichigo, Yammy slapped her away.
"Inoue!"
Ichigo yelled.
"Too noisy!"
Yammy threw another punch.
Bang!
Ichigo was knocked to the ground again.
'Damn it! Whenever I reject you, you deliberately ruin things for me, you bastard!!'
Ichigo wasn't cursing Yammy, but the Hollow inside him… White Ichigo.
Because of White Ichigo, Ichigo couldn't even move, let alone block Yammy's attacks.
"Kid! I don't know why you can't move! But just die like that!!"
Yammy roared and threw a punch straight at Ichigo's head, intending to smash it.
But obviously, a protagonist with plot armor like Ichigo wasn't going to die like that.
A small, slender figure suddenly appeared in front of Ichigo, extending a hand nearly ten times smaller than Yammy's fist to block it.
Bang!
A dull sound echoed. Yammy's enormous fist seemed to hit a mountain, unable to budge the newcomer's defense.
"Yo, Ichigo. Look at you, all beat up. Seems like you got hit pretty hard."
The newcomer teased.
"Toshiro... you came..."
Ichigo looked up with his bloodied face.