Chapter 379: No Harmony Here (Falta de Armonia)
What was that? The pattern on Ichigo's mask – it's... changed. What's happening to you, Ichigo?
Rukia's thoughts were cut short by a huge smashing sound from the direction of Ichigo, and she looked up to see smoke, dust and shards of rock flying in all directions. She threw up her arms to protect herself from the flying debris, and watched in horror as Yammy reared up to yell at Ichigo.
'I'm 'Zero', bitch! I'm the strongest out of all the Espada! Everyone you've beaten is trash compared to me!'
Yammy followed up his speech with an enormous blast of energy, and the wave of air that followed it knocked Rukia over. She leapt back up just in time to see Yammy grab Ichigo and start to crush the life out of him. For a moment she stood paralyzed – she could no more help Ichigo than she could have survived the Sokyoku. Then she sensed something else. Something more than the stifling hollow-energy that pervaded Hueco Mundo, something other than the overwhelming power given off by Ichigo and the Espada. Something familiar.
Byakuya! And... Kenpachi?
Rukia watched in concern as Kenpachi proceeded to attack the Zero Espada, taking every punch head on and still coming back for more, viciously cutting off entire limbs. As he disappeared from sight under an avalanche of blows, Rukia noticed the approach of Mayuri. Evidently, Ichigo had more important things to be doing in the World of the Living than fighting the last Espada. Captain Unahana also appeared, stating that she would return with Ichigo. There was a great tearing sound as the Garganta that Mayuri had created tore open like a great eye, and Ichigo and Unahana disappeared. Before it could close, however, disaster struck.
By accident or design, one of Yammy's blows caught Kenpachi full on the flank, and sent him flying straight through the Garganta's opening, which snapped shut behind him. There was a moment of silence before Byakuya released his Bankai, intending to kill Yammy quickly. Rukia was enraptured instantly by the dazzling, deadly beauty of Senbonsakura Kageyoshi as it raced toward Yammy, seeming to chew and glide through the air at the same time. Before it struck, however, she noticed that one of the posts of the Garganta was smoking. Before her eyes, it detonated, sending Mayuri flying into Senbonsakura's path and throwing Nemu to the ground.
The change was obvious and instant. The streams of cherry blossom parted to allow the evidently-unconscious captain to pass unharmed, and in doing so gave Yammy a clear shot to his target. Howling in triumph, he brought his hand down on the Captain of the Sixth Division.
Rukia gasped.