Everlasting Reflections: The Moon Underwater

Arc II: Dawn of Dreams

Chapter 46: Abduction of Espadas III


However, this clash of energies didn't last much longer as soon enough another similar attack from Gyuki, strengthened the previously shot shockwave. The next moment, Terra Fury shockwave deflected the entire burst of Zommari's energy and hit him before resulting in an immense explosion that shoved the Espada far away from there. Now he was lying down on the ground in an extremely miserable condition because of the heavy loss of spirit and his Zanpakuto as well as because of all the deep injuries which he had sustained after the blast. "Fool! Now that he had lost his Zanpakuto… he is of no use to me," Gyuki spoke while walking towards Nnoitra who was trying to get up on his feet.

Upon hearing Gyuki's words, Nnoitra started to wonder about his intentions. He wondered if Gyuki's motives could be a ray of hope for him. "Wait! What do you actually want from us? Tell me, demon…" Nnoitra abruptly asked him. "What are you up to, Nnoitra? Can't you see he is beating our kind to a pulp?" Grimmjow shouted at him. "Don't butt in you fool," the taller multi-armed Espada shouted back at him. "Huh! My Lord simply wants to recruit Espadas in his army. I think he is also planning to grant them more power, I am afraid you newcomers might outclass even us the Infernal Demons in terms of power," Gyuki answered him. "Alright then, count me in, you monster," Nnoitra told him while grinning in a cunning manner. "You won't fight to stay here?" Gyuki asked with confusion. "No, just take me to your Lord, whoever the fuck he is… and tell him to make me stronger," Nnoitra responded while walking towards Gyuki. Meanwhile, Grimmjow was observing both of them, utterly puzzled by Nnoitra's intentions. "Haha but he must come with us as well," Gyuki responded while pointing towards Grimmjow upon getting pleased by Nnoitra's decision.

"Don't worry, he will be coming with us as well," Nnoitra replied while looking towards Grimmjow. "What the hell are you saying, Nnoitra? I am not going anywhere," Grimmjow angrily spoke to him, clarifying his stand. "You will come along… either by your own will or by force," Nnoitra responded.

Grimmjow was already furious on Nnoitra while his words simply pushed his anger to the brink. Now the Sexta Espada rushed towards him in order to tear his body apart with his claws but Nnoitra used his multiple blades to engage him in a weapon deadlock. "Now, Gyuki!" Nnoitra spoke loudly and the next moment Gyuki rushed towards Grimmjow upon getting the signal. "You bastard!" Grimmjow muttered while pointing his right palm towards Gyuki in order to attack him with a powerful Cero. But before Sexta Espada could have shot the Cero beam, Gyuki grabbed his hand and twisted his entire arm which resulted in the multiple fractures. Grimmjow screamed out of pain while Nnoitra immediately broke the weapon deadlock and stood away from him.

Now Gyuki freed his arm but the next moment he began to shower his powerful punches on him with the immense speed. Grimmjow immediately fell down on the ground but Gyuki didn't stop until he noticed that the Espada has stopped moving. "He sure is tough," the monstrous infernal demon murmured while lifting the Sexta Espada from his hairs after he fell unconscious.

Afterward, Gyuki put him on his right shoulder while Nnoitra lifted Szayel Aporro from the ground in order to carry him on his shoulder while mumbling, "You sacrificed in vain my friend." When both of them started to walk away from there Gyuki murmured upon witnessing Aaroniero Arruruerie's glass capsule lying on the ground, "Hmm… he is still alive."

"No, don't kill us," Aaroniero spoke. "How did you manage to survive? I thought I burst your entire body," Gyuki asked curiously. "We detached ourselves from our flesh at the right moment," Arruruerie answered. "You are weak but your survival skills might be useful, my Lord will decide the best," Gyuki replied in a serious tone before he picked the Aaroniero Arruruerie's glass capsule from the ground.

"You will leave Septima Espada behind?" Nnoitra asked Gyuki while pointing towards Zommari who was lying on the ground in the wrecked state. "Yes, he has lost his Zanpakuto, now he is of no use," Gyuki answered and then he opened a portal to another dimension which was quite similar to the one which Dodomeki opened. The next moment, both Gyuki and Nnoitra disappeared with that portal along with all other Espadas leaving only critically injured Zommari behind.

The white desert, the uppermost section of the Hueco Mundo…

Orihime was almost done with the healing of Uryu Ishida and now she was eager to have a word with Ulquiorra while Ishida was still suspicious of his intentions. She slowly walked towards the 4th Espada and stood close to him. "Why did you ask me to stay here?" Ulquiorra asked her in a serious tone. "I..I thought you will protect me if someone attacks me while I was healing Ishida-kun," she replied with slight hesitation while staring back into his eyes. "How did you…" Ulquiorra spoke but couldn't complete his line due to an interruption by her. "I am glad to see you again… Ulquiorra," she spoke in slow voice while interrupting him. "Hmm…" speechless by her words, he responded while wondering about her thoughts.

Suddenly all three of them witnessed Sesshomaru who was swiftly flying towards the portal in order to return to the Urahara's shop. "Hey, wait," Ishida spoke loudly in order to draw Sesshomaru's attention. "I just want to know, whose side are you on?" Uryu asked him but even though he stopped upon his call, he didn't answer. "I don't know who are you but I just want to thank you for reviving Ulquiorra," Orihime said in an innocent tone while bowing down to Sesshomaru with a smile. Ulquiorra was both shocked and confused after listening to her words. He was puzzled by the question that why she was so glad to have him back despite the way he treated her so far.

"That portal is leading to…?" Orihime spoke after a pause. "Urahara's shop," Sesshomaru finally replied. "What?" Uryu responded with a great shock. "Do you know Urahara-san?" Orihime asked him with wonderment. "He is an old friend of mine," the Daiyokai replied. "Well, we are in the same team then, let us come with you as well," Uryu spoke with relief. "Hmm…" Sesshomaru responded. Orihime grabbed Ulquiorra's hand and said after taking a step ahead, "come with us, please." Once again Ulquiorra found himself speechless in front of her, he was feeling the grip of her soft hand around his and eventually, he responded, "sure."

Meanwhile in the Battle of fake Karakura town, World of the Living…

Soon enough Aizen came out of that giant blade-shaped structure of red fire with some bruises on his body but before he could have thought of anything else Ichigo attacked him with his Getsuga Tensho wave and inflicted a significantly deep cut on his left shoulder. Afterward, he tried to hit him with the same technique again but after a few attempts he ended up in a weapon deadlock with him. The increasing influence of Hogyoku's energy on Aizen's body started to get visible. Violet lines appeared all around his injury on his shoulder in a veiny pattern. Aizen explained it as Hogyoku's attempt of saving its master and then he told Ichigo about how he has planned his life right from his birth which reminded Ichigo of each and everything that had occurred in his life till date. Now, the moment Ichigo was about to lose complete hope of victory, Isshin interrupted them while arriving there in his Soul Reaper form, indirectly exposing the truth to Ichigo about his in-born Shinigami powers. Afterward, Ichigo immediately came out of his confusion and stood again Gin while Isshin began to battle against Aizen.

The time was slipping from everyone's hand quickly as the battles between Aizen and Isshin as well as Ichigo and Gin were getting fiercer with each moment. At one point, Isshin noticed that Aizen's speed had gotten slower and he couldn't help but ask him abruptly, "are you already at your limit, Aizen?" He smiled at Isshin's sharp observation and then answered, "Indeed I am at my limit, Isshin… but my limit as a Soul Reaper."

The violet cross in the middle of Aizen's chest became slightly bigger and Hogyoku began to radiate more violet light all around it. Soon enough his transformation started, the Hollow-mask remnants-like white tentacles emerged from the Hogyoku and slowly began to cover Aizen's body. However, everyone got shocked upon witnessing Urahara's attack out of nowhere that halted Aizen's transformation in the middle. "So you have come… Urahara Kisuke," Aizen spoke as he turned around and saw Urahara along with Yoruichi Shihoin.


To be continued…