Chapter 5 what did you do to Orihime?! Let's settle this once and for all Ulquiorra!
"Geez there is so many of them!" Nero yelled as he entered the underworld and spotted the many hollow guards who came to greet them.
"Just go for their heads and they will all drop like flies!" Ichigo said as he began to charge the hollows who stood in their path.
Ichigo soared through the air. Gripping Zangetsu tightly as he cleaved through and decapitated the vulnerable and foolish hollows who dared to try to stop him.
"Out of my way punks!" Nero said as he extended his devil arm and crushed their heads within his tight monstrous grip.
"Getsuga Tensho!" Ichigo yelled as he unleashed his blue light energy slash from his shikai blade.
"Be gone!" Nero yelled as he took a stance with his demon powered katana and sliced through the rest of the hollows with a mighty ferocious continuous slash combo.
"And that's the last of them. Are you sure Kyrie is here?" Nero asked as he blindly followed the substitute soul reaper.
"Give me a second." Ichigo said as he closed his eyes and began to sense his surroundings.
Ichigo suddenly snapped his eyes open when he grabbed a spirit ribbon which he deciphered was Orihime's.
"They're close let's hurry." Ichigo said as he took off into a sudden sprint with Nero following him.
"That's quite the ability you possess. Are you sure you're not a demon?" The silver haired swordsman enquired as he kept up with Ichigo's pace.
"I already told you, I am a soul reaper. But I guess, you could say that I used to have what you could call a demon inside of me." Ichigo said making Nero shocked.
"What do you mean exactly?" Nero asked feeling even more eager to learn of Ichigo's identity.
"I used to possess the power of a hollow inside of me. And that spirit was always trying to take over my body. Every battle I faced, it became more and more determined to take over." Ichigo said making Nero shocked even further.
"Wait a second, so you're saying that you had one of those monsters back there in side of you?" The silver haired swordsman replied.
"That's right, in the end, I ended up accepting the power of the hollow mask which refused to leave my side and I unlocked the power of hollification. I felt stronger, faster. But the problem is, I came to rely on that power far too much. And every time I put on the mask, I was overwhelmed by its insane power it was so hard to endure that suffering. And every time I put on the mask, I began to feel less and less like a human being. But for her, I endured it all." Ichigo replied making Nero add two and two together.
"You're talking about Orihime the girl who was captured with Kyrie right?"
"Yes it was all for her. I will never forget the expression she had on her face when I looked into her eyes through my hollow mask. She was afraid of me and I just wanted to finish my battle as quickly as possible so I could remove it and rid her of her fear. So I got stronger. Strong enough to fight without having to use the power of hollification so I would never see that look on her face again when she looked into my eyes." Ichigo said as he placed a palm on the left side of his face whilst he wore a gloomy expression.
"I know what you mean, I always used to hide my devil arm in a sling so Kyrie wouldn't be afraid of me. But after she found out the truth, she still accepted me for who I was. As opposed to this arm I possess." Nero said feeling he could relate to Ichigo's current dilemma.
"Anyway, we have to hurry on ahead. Orihime and Kyrie are waiting for us and I have a bad feeling about what we have in store for us in that castle up ahead." Ichigo said as they rapidly approached a humungous castle.
With the use of his flash step and Nero with the use of his devil power, the swordsmen both closed in on the entrance with plenty of time to spare.
Ichigo and Nero rushed through the colossal wooden doors and with minimal effort, pried them open with their super strength.
With the entrance open, the insides of the vast fortress became well known as they both walked along the marble floor.
The two heroes found themselves in a huge empty white room with the only thing significant to spot, was a large and towering colour blending pure white marble stair case.
"Be careful somebody is coming!" Ichigo said as he equipped his Zanpakto firmly in his hands.
"Really where?!" Nero said as he too equipped red queen.
"At the top of the stairs! I can sense them." Ichigo said as a shadowed figure suddenly appeared at the top of the stairs.
"Damn it! I had a feeling you were behind this Ulquiorra!" Ichigo said as he prepared to battle.
"How very perceptive of you Ichigo Kurosaki." Ulquiorra said as he decided to vault to the ground as opposed to wasting time walking down the stair case.
"Nero, hurry up and get a move on. I'll hold off this guy." Ichigo said as he pointed his blade towards the pale faced phantom.
"What about you?"
"I'll be fine just go on ahead and save the girls. I have a bad feeling something has happened." Ichigo said persuading Nero to stop pondering and to act now.
"I got it, I'll leave things here to you then. Don't go dying now Ichigo." Nero said as he took off in a sprint.
"Same to you. Reckless devil hunter." Ichigo said as Nero passed him.
Ulquiorra's eyes looked over towards the silver haired swordsman as he rushed out of the room. However, he clearly showed no interest in this particular target and his focus looked on towards Ichigo again.
"Aren't you going to try stop him?" Ichigo enquired as Ulquiorra drew closer to him.
"There is no need to chase after someone who is clearly inferior to me." Ulquiorra said making Ichigo grin.
"So are you suggesting, that you finally consider me as someone who is equal to you? Or perhaps stronger?" Ichigo said making Ulquiorra draw his blade.
"Make no mistake, I merely wish to kill you to settle our previous bout. It is not that I see you as a worthy opponent. Without the power of that hollow form you possessed, you have no chance against me." Ulquiorra said as Ichigo portrayed no interest in settling the score between them.
"Sorry, but I'm not interested in fighting you again. I came here to rescue Orihime that's all." Ichigo said as he began to walk off.
"I see, then you're not the least bit angry after what I did to Orihime Inoue then?" Ulquiorra said causing sparks to fly as Ichigo's sharpened blade collided with his own.
"You bastard! What did you to Orihime?!" Ichigo yelled overpowering Ulquiorra defence and thus sending him airborne.
"Last time I admit, I greatly underestimated you. But in this world, I have received no orders to restrict my power. So from the very start, I will kill you in my final resurrection. Segunda Etapa" Ulquiorra blankly stated in a burst of dark emerald light which consumed him whole.
"I see, in that case I'll go all out also. Bankai!" Ichigo yelled being swallowed in a black and red aura.
Ulquiorra emerged with his appearance drastically altered. His long white coat is gone, revealing his slender white torso, with his bare chest patterned so his Hollow hole (which has become larger) appears to be dripping black, blood-like liquid. His waist becomes covered in something similar to black fur, which covers his arms and legs. His fingers grow claw-like extensions, and his feet resemble talons. The irises of his eyes turn yellow, and the sclera become green. The tear-like marks under his eyes increase in size and turn black. Ulquiorra's mask is completely gone. He has two large bat ears, and the #4 Espada tattoo is no longer visible on his chest. And he now has a huge long tail shot out from behind him.
"Lanza Del Relampago" Ulquiorra said as he created his lance of lightning green signature move attack and threw it at Ichigo.
"Without that hollow form, you have no chance of beating me Ichigo Kurosaki." Ulquiorra proudly stated as his attack which cause a huge explosion on impact, rapidly approached the substitute soul reaper.
Ichigo showed no signs of fear or even any signs of dodging this colossal move. In fact, he merely smirked and concentrated his spiritual pressure into the core of his blade.
"Getsuga Tensho!" Ichigo yelled his attack effortlessly slicing through Ulquiorra all powerful attack leaving the emotionless Espada star struck.
"You thought that after I lost my hollow power I got weaker? Well I've got news for you Ulquiorra, not only did I defeat Aizen, I also defeated the hollow from within me that brought you to the brink of death! I have become so much stronger thanks to the people around me. Their kindness brought me back from despair and as a result, I'm afraid it's who stands no chance of defeating me Arranchar!" Ichigo said as the sound of footsteps now suddenly began to sound through the corridor.
"Wow are you two fighting each other again?! This I have got to see!" An enthusiastic voice said making Ichigo's eyes shoot wide open and slowly turn his head around as he feared the worst.
"So you really did start fighting Ichigo Ulquiorra? Geez why didn't you tell me Ichigo was here?" The voice said again and now the source of the voice came into full view for both Ichigo and Ulquiorra.
"O…Orihime?" Ichigo said as he stared at the beauty in the white dress.
"Hi Ichigo! How have you been?!" The girl said setting off Ichigo's anger meter.
The girl he loved so much was completely different that it brought his rage towards Ulquiorra to the very core.
Orihime's sunshine orange hair was now a frightening snowy white. Her happy and full of life brown eyes were now golden reminding Ichigo of the dark hollow that used to dwell inside him.
"You bastard! What did you do to Orihime's heart?!" Ichigo yelled unable to take it anymore.
"If you think I removed her heart as you call it, you're mistaken. I used her heart in the best way possible. She has now become the mother of the new generation of Espada." Ulquiorra said making Ichigo almost fire a Getsuga there and then.
"Now now Ichigo, there is no need to mad, I'm still me." Orihime said with a huge smile.
"Orihime?" Ichigo replied in complete disbelief.
"Speaking of which Ichigo, you love me right? If that's true, then can you do me a teensy whimsy favour?" Orihime said in her usual happy tone.
"What is it Orihime?" Ichigo asked once again fearing the worst.
Ichigo's question was answered instantly when he saw an all too familiar item discarded to his feet.
"Could you put that on for me and let me see your hollification?" Orihime asked with the biggest smile.
It was at that moment when Ichigo's bones and entire body turned stone cold as he stared at the all too familiar markings on that cursed mask which scared her so. Orihime has changed and he wasn't sure what to do at this moment in time.
"Please put it in on Ichigo. Pretty please?" Orihime said making Ichigo pick up the mask in his hand and stare at its markings with a despair filled expression on his face.
Sorry it took so long guys! But that is chapter 5 done! So, will Ichigo hollowfy? Or will he crush that mask in an instant?! And what about Nero? Is Kyrie okay? Or is she following the same cruel destiny as Orihime? Find out in the next chapter! Chapter 6 I will get back Orihime's heart! I will save Kyrie!
