Ichigo and Ulquiorra's duel continued to go on. Ulquiorra had two face downs and had 3100LP. He had his Murcielago having 3000atk points and had his Forcing Terror and Void of Nothing activated. Ichigo had his Underworld Guardian at 1300def points with a face down and was hanging on with 2400LP. It was Ulquiorra's turn and he was unleashing a power of true terror.

"Unitetion Evolution." Ulquiorra said and his Murcielago was unleashing a bright green light. A vortex opened on the field and his monster dived in.

"What are you doing?" Ichigo said as he was feeling so much negative power. "What's the deal with this summoning?"

"It feels so dark and heavy." Orihime said.

"Wait and see." Ulquiorra said.

…

Outside

"Go, Senbonzakura." Byakuya said.

"Attack, Battle Savage Warrior." Kenpachi said and both of their monsters attacked Yammy and brought him down with him having no life points. Uryu and all the others finished off the wild duel spirits with those two winning against Yammy.

"Darn it. How could I have been defeated?" Yammy said before he passed out.

"I had him. Don't get in my way again." Kenpachi said.

"You were the one interfering with me." Byakuya said.

"I've just about had it with that smug attitude." Kenpachi said. "I've always wanted a duel with you. How about we have one?"

"Now is not the time." Unohana said.

"Miss Unohana is right. We need to get in that palace, find Ichigo and Orihime, and get out of here before Aizen pulls another trick." Rukia said.

"Wait, what's that?!" Renji said. They saw a black and green light coming from the palace.

"Ichigo must be dueling someone." Chad said.

"That doesn't look like one of Ichigo's cards. We better get in there." Uryu said. All of them went running in, but Mayuri stayed behind.

"Aren't you coming, Kurosuchi?" Unohana asked.

"No thank you. I see a great opportunity to study these duel monster spirits and I am not going to let that slip away." Mayuri said.

"Very well." Unohana said and just left him alone as the rest of them hurried inside.

…..

Ichigo and Ulquiorra

"Appear, Murcielago Despair." Ulquiorra said. His new monster rose on the field. The wings changed and had black fur covering its legs with a thin tail. His arms became black as well and had a bat face. His attack points were at 3000 and gained a unite unit.

"I've never seen a monster like that one before." Ichigo said.

"You never will again after this duel. All your monsters are powerless compared to him." Ulquiorra said.

'I should be okay.' Ichigo thought. 'I still have my face down if he does manage to destroy my guardian.'

"I activate my face down, Removal Lightning." Ulquiorra said.

"What is that?" Ichigo said.

"You'll find out. Don't blink or it will be over before you know it." Ulquiorra said. "I use Murcielago Despair's ability. One unite unit will destroy all the monsters on your field." The unit went into its hand and formed a lance of green energy that had energy flowing out. He tossed it and created a giant green explosion of light and Ichigo's guardian was destroyed in a flash.

"Now's my chance." Ichigo said.

"I don't think so. My Removal Lightning destroys a spell and trap for each monster destroyed." Ulquiorra said and Ichigo's only other card was destroyed. "Now the effects of my Force Terror and Void of Nothing activate. I choose for you to remove the top two cards of your deck."

"Fine." Ichigo said as he discarded those two cards. "Looks like it doesn't matter." He knew what was coming. He had nothing left to protect him.

"No. This can't really be happening." Orihime said.

"Before I attack, I'll use my other trap." Ulquiorra said. "Ferment of Misery gives my unite monster a unite unit for each spell or trap activate, including itself. That makes four." A unit left each card and went around his monster.

"Why would you do that? You just need to attack and you'll win." Ichigo said.

"You're about to see. Murcielago, attack him directly with Lance of Lightning." Ulquiorra said. Murcielago unleashed the same lance and blasted Ichigo.

"Ichigo!" Orihime shouted, but was blown back by the force of the attack. Ichigo was knocked down, but he was able to get back up and still had 100LP.

"What happened? Why do I still have life points?" Ichigo said.

"Even the most powerful monsters in all of history have a weakness." Ulquiorra said. "Whenever Murcielago uses his ability after attacking you directly, you are left with only 100LP. It's sort of a path you take to enter true despair until you give in and surrender."

"That is never going to happen. I'm not going to fall for your stupid mind games." Ichigo said.

"Just make your next move." Ulquiorra said. His turn came to an end and Ulquiorra showed he was really in pain as his spell dropped his life points to 2700.

"There it is again. Ulquiorra, what is with that Void of Nothing?" Orihime said. "You're actually in pain."

"Orihime's right." Ichigo said.

"It's nothing." Ulquiorra said.

"That doesn't look like nothing. Aizen must have given you an illegal card." Ichigo said. "Ulquiorra, that card is destroying you." Ichigo said.

"Leave me alone." Ulquiorra said.

"I've got to do something. Ulquiorra could seriously hurt himself if this goes on." Ichigo said. "I'm running out of cards. I've got to do something fast." He drew what was left of his deck. "I activate the spell, Necromancy Contact. Now, all the cards in my hand return to my deck and I get to draw five cards. If any of them are monsters, I can summon them regardless of their level. Then, you lose life points equal to the attack points of the strongest monster."

"It doesn't matter what you draw. There is nothing you have that can have you win." Ulquiorra said.

"We'll see about that." Ichigo said and he drew five cards with three of them being monsters, one spell, and one trap. "I got three monsters. Twin Shield Blocker with no attack points, Reaper Swordsman that holds 1300atk points, and my Mask of the Demon with no attack points either." His shield blocker, a swordsman in a black kimono, and a mask with red lines over the sides and horns pointing forward came on the field. Ulquiorra got blasted and his points dropped to 1400.

"Even your deck has given up on you. You didn't draw a powerful monster." Ulquiorra said.

"Maybe not. I have all that I need." Ichigo said. "I unite my level four, dark attribute Reaper Swordsman and Twin Shield Blocker." Both monsters became dark energy and merged together. "I unite summon Zangetsu!" Zangetsu came on the field with 2500atk points. "I'm also going to use this. Unitetion Evolution!" The vortex reopened with Zangetsu going inside. "Rise, Zangetsu Moon!" His best monster rose on the field with the same amount of attack points.

"So you've decided to bring out your best monster in its strongest form." Ulquiorra said. "Even your wisest choices will lead to your end."

"I'm not done yet. There's still my mask." Ichigo said. "My mask can equip to a monster and give him another 1000atk points." The mask moved to Zangetsu Moon's face and Zangetsu now had 3500atk points. "I'm also going to use Zangetsu Moon's ability. If I use a unite unit, I can negate the effects of a card type and I choose spells." Zangetsu unleashed the dark energy from his sword and all of Ulquiorra's spells were useless. "This is it. Zangetsu Moon, destroy Murcielago Despair with Moon Fang Piercing Heaven." Zangetsu unleashed the fang like attack.

"Not so fast. I use my Darkened Salamander's ability." Ulquiorra said. "If I send this monster to the grave, I can stop your attack." The attack was blocked and he took no damage.

"Darn it. I'll place two cards face down and end my turn." Ichigo said.

"It is my move." Ulquiorra said. "You must remember my monster's ability. It can destroy all your monsters." Murcielago got rid of another unit and formed another lance and tossed it.

"Actually I do. My mask has another ability." Ichigo said. "If I remove it from play, my monster can survive." The blast went off and only the mask was destroyed and his points returned to normal.

"Murcielago Despair can still destroy it." Ulquiorra said as his monster went to attack.

"Not so fast." Ichigo said. "I activate my trap, Cross Silence. If I remove a card on my field, it stops your attack." He removed his other face down and Zangetsu stopped the attack.

"Then, that will leave me with this." Ulquiorra said. "I use the ability of Imprisoned Bat. If I remove this monster from play, you lose four cards for each dark attribute monster in my graveyard."

"That's a total of twenty!" Ichigo said and he watched as all his cards were destroyed.

"Oh no! Ichigo's entire deck is gone." Orihime said.

"That leaves you with just one card. This is where my turn ends and I won't take damage from Zangetsu Moon blocking my spells." Ulquiorra said.

'I only have one card left.' Ichigo thought. 'If this isn't a card that can turn this around, this will be where it ends.'

"This is the end. Admit that you are defeated." Ulquiorra said.

"Don't give up." Orihime pleaded.

"I won't." Ichigo said and Ulquiorra wasn't expecting that. "Ulquiorra, I knew from the start that you were better than me. That didn't stop me. I'll find a way to beat you because I have to. I won't give up and I won't start now."

"How can you keep going?" Ulquiorra said.

"It's just like Orihime and I told you. I follow my heart and my heart will lead me to victory." Ichigo said. The faith and hopes he had generated a light from the last card in his deck as he drew it. "Yes, the very card I need. I activate Final Moon."

"Final Moon?" Ulquiorra said.

"A powerful card that can only work for Zangetsu Moon." Ichigo said. Zangetsu Moon was sealed in a white orb and it burst that unleashed white and black light. "This power will unleashed a warrior that blocks the moon and holds its power within. Appear, Zangetsu Final." Zangetsu changed completely hair was much longer with him wearing grey/blue bandages around his top and mouth and black energy around his legs with 2500atk points and three unite units.

"An impressive monster, but not enough to win." Ulquiorra said.

"That's what you think." Ichigo said. "I use Zangetsu Final's ability. I use all three of his unite units to destroy each a card on your field and you lose 1000LP for each one."

"Each one?" Ulquiorra said. Zangetsu Final had all three units enter his right hand. He formed thin staff of black energy that resembled fire and swung it down. "Moonless Night." It created a black wave that destroyed all of Ulquiorra's cards. Ulquiorra got caught in the blast and lost all of his life points and Ichigo won.

"You actually manage to beat me." Ulquiorra said. "I've done all that I can." He could no longer feel his body as it was slowly turning to ash.

"What's happening?" Ichigo said.

"It's from the Void of Nothing." Ulquiorra said.

"Hang on." Orihime said as she ran over to him. "You'll be alright. This isn't right for you to go like this."

"You show mercy on an enemy like me?" Ulquiorra said. He looked right into her eyes and he was beginning to see it. 'Now I see it. The strength, the power, and what makes you who you are.' His last thoughts as he turned to dust. 'A heart.'