Ichigo slowly opened his eyes, noticing that he was alone in bed.
"Nel left already... I must've overslept" He thought to himself, yawning. "Last night was crazy..." He smiled, remembering the great time she had given him.
"I agree..." Mugetsu said inside his head. "That was one hell of a night. Yukari was just as wild..." He chuckled. "Although I'm surprised that neither of you seem worried about getting a blessing at this rate..."
"Eh?" Ichigo winked multiple times, astonished. "W-What do you mean?" He entered his subconscious to speak face to face.
"Oh, I guess you thought Hollows couldn't have kids, am I right?" He grinned. "Well, that would be true if we were talking about normal ones, but you are Wholes, Ichigo"
"Are you telling me that it's possible that I-I... Become a father?!"
"Yep, that's correct!"
"B-But then... Is Nel?!"
"Ahahaha! Hold on for a sec... Just let me appreciate that face of yours" Mugetsu laughed. "Oh, man, I can't get enough of it. Hey, Zangetsu, you don't have a mirror or somethin'? Pfftt... Ahahahaha!"
Tensa Zangetsu sighed while rolling his eyes and shook his head.
"C'mon Mugetsu, it's not funny, this is some serious stuff! Like, for real!" Ichigo had enough.
"Oh... Sorry, sorry" His stomach was hurting from laughing so much. "Now, breathe in, breathe out and relax. Even if you are Wholes, you are Hollows before anything else, so as long as battle is in your mind, you don't have to worry about getting a kid"
"Really?!" He seemed alleviated. "Phew... Man, you freaked me out for a second there"
"Yeah, I knew that would happen, and it's normal. After all, you're the only Wholes to exist after our era, so it's not surprising that no one else knows about it"
"Does Nageki know? Cause he didn't mention it"
"He knows" Mugetsu replied. "But he probably didn't want to mention it..." His expression seemed a bit somber.
"Why?" He insisted, oblivious.
"Because that would've led to a more delicate matter" Mugetsu explained with a sigh. "You see... Yukari was really strong. Mere Demons wouldn't have been nearly able to kill her but... She wasn't in her best shape"
Ichigo felt a deep sadness filling him as he realized what his spirit was getting into.
"You mean... Yukari was..."
"Yeah" Mugetsu nodded. "She was pregnant when she was killed"
"But that is just...!" He felt a fierce rage.
"That is just low. Even for Angels and Demons" Mugetsu said stoic, but with a sorrowful semblance.
"So that day... Not only did you lose your wife... But your child as well"
Mugetsu simply nodded as he stared at the sand below.
"Man, I..." Ichigo put his hand on his spirit's shoulder. "I know I can't get your old life back... And even killing everyone that participated in that massacre won't make things better"
"True..."
"But I swear. I swear I'm gonna find the one responsible for all this and make him pay!" Ichigo's eyes shined defiantly. "I don't usually take revenge... But I'm far from perfect. I would lie if I said that I don't want to annihilate whoever is behind those deaths. Even if it's an empty vengeance, I want to do it. I can't leave things be after knowing this... It would be simply... Unforgivable"
"Well..." Mugetsu started saying. "I wouldn't be honest with myself if I told you not to do it. However..." He clarified. "Don't waste away your own life in favor of vengeance. If you have the chance, go ahead, but don't leave your own happiness behind to chase a void sense of accomplishment" He explained. "The greatest achievement you could wish for, is already here. Sleeping with you every night, reminding you that you're not alone and doing her best to see you happy"
Ichigo felt a calming warmth inside as he realized what he was talking about.
"Yeah, you're right" He smiled. "We've both said so a couple times. Neither of us could be any happier, and that's okay. What else could I ask for?"
"Although... I wouldn't say there's really a peak to happiness" Mugetsu refuted. "You two have yet to know what being a parent means..."
"True... But I can't nearly imagine that at this moment, and I think it's better that way, at least for now" Ichigo replied. "Also, how does pregnancy work for...?"
"Oh, that's pretty much just like humans" Mugetsu chuckled. "You know, her belly grows, when she's hungry only her current whim is able to quench her, sometimes she'll want to puke, but it's normal etc, etc. Oh! And her jugs will become EVEN bigger and filled with sweet-"
"Alright, I think I get the idea!" Ichigo interrupted him, his face boiling red. "Thanks... For telling me about this. Now I know that I can't be so careless after this is all over"
"Yep. Once the war ends, if you keep going at it at your current pace, the miracle will happen before you even realize it, so if I were you, I would also tell hat and clogs to design a pill or something. That way you'll still have fun without having to worry about that"
"Good idea, though Urahara will probably laugh at first..." Ichigo imagined with bother.
"A small price to pay, Kingy, nothing's truly free in this world" Mugetsu raised his shoulders.
"That's true..." He agreed. "Well, I should go do my duty. Nel is doing a great job as a Queen so far, but I can't leave all the work to her. What kind of King would I be?"
"Well said. Good luck, Ichigo, you're on the right path" Mugetsu bid him farewell.
"Thank you, Mugetsu. See ya" Ichigo returned.
After getting up, he went straight to the red towers, to meet Nageki. The sempiternal Arrancar was supposed to have finished a safe box for Ichigo to leave the Heart of Tsukoyomi so that it wouldn't be in any kind of danger.
He casually entered the lab and called his name.
"Nageki!"
The grey haired yet young-looking Arrancar came down the spiral staircase.
"Ichigo! Good to see you here. The safe is ready"
"Good. To tell the truth, I was used to wearing it, but it's still a bit complicated for training"
"I thought so, but with this invention, that will be no more" Nageki displayed a small black box.
"Is that it?"
"Yes. Big enough to store it inside, yet small enough to not be a waste of space"
"How does it work?" Ichigo asked.
"You store the Heart inside and then close it. When that happens, the box will be completely sealed, and it's made of an unbreakable material, in theory"
"Then... How am I supposed to get it when I need it?"
"Simple. You place your hand and release Reiatsu. It may sound simple, but believe me, the amount needed is ridiculous. It won't be a problem for you though, and don't worry about losing power, cause it all goes inside the Heart"
"Oh, so I would be able to get my Reiatsu back without further problem"
"Precisely. Pretty neat, huh?"
"Yeah... Amazing actually. Thank you very much, Nageki"
"I'm just doing my job, and in the process, enjoying myself by surpassing my own limits. I gotta say, designing this was a real challenge"
"Really? Well, if it kept you entertained, I guess you don't mind making the effort"
"Exactly, so don't feel like you're being too hard on me or anything"
"That's great. I wouldn't feel well otherwise" Ichigo sighed in relief. "I'll be going then. Is there anything you need?"
"No, not really. The Espada don't train here anymore, so my lab is safe. Thank you for your concern" Nageki concluded.
"It's the least I can do" Ichigo walked out of the lab with the black box in his hand.
Nageki went back to checking other miscelaneous experiments.
"Ichigo and Nelliel seem to be doing well. I heard they're rebuilding the aqueduct, so this place will look a lot livelier in some time" He said to himself, as he was used to talking alone. "Nelliel finally revealed the truth to Ichigo, although it was not in the best way... But everything's fine in the end. I guess I don't have to worry about anything, though it still bothers me..." He digressed, remembering a decision he had made in the past. "Back then... Did I do the right thing? There doesn't seem to be any sign of mistake, but even so... I don't feel at ease. I hope it's just my imagination, for their sake and this world's" He thought about Ichigo and Nel.
~~~~X~~~~
Buried deep within the core of the deepest circle of Hell, Yama summoned his three Princes, as well as the Four Horsemen.
It was a room made out of pure flesh and dead bodies, which fed something far more terrifying.
A grose gigantic sphere of white humanoid bodies floated in the center of the chamber, emanating an evil aura so dense that it could be seen.
"The time has come. As you can see, V has started gestating a godly being inside. Neberu, was made with pieces of my own soul and half of my hearts, and is meant to feed upon negative energy and Reiryoku. As you can see, I designed a Demon with a potential even greater than my own!"
"Pardon myself, Yama-sama..." Kurokage interrupted politely. "Wasn't it far from being completed?"
"That was true" Yama replied. "However, an Ex-Espada seems to have given V the last amount it needed to start its development..." Yama showed a vision of Yammy with his sceptre. "Believe it or not, this lowly being was a vessel of tremendous amounts of both Reiryoku and negative energy"
"I see..." Kurokage beheld his master.
"Then, Yama-sama" One of the Horsemen asked. "How shall we proceed? Hueco Mundo doesn't seem to be so defenseless anymore. Not since Kurosaki Ichigo has awakened the power of Tsukoyomi"
Yama seemed to frown a little at the mention of that.
"Exactly. That means, the Heart is completely out of reach for as long as he is in Hueco Mundo. So I thought... Why don't we invite him to our warm and cozy domain?" He giggled.
All the Demons present laughed with joy at that realization.
"Kurokage. Would you mind delivering the invitation? I believe you won't be able to enter Las Noches directly, but that souldn't be a problem, right?" Yama asked his subordinate.
"Of course not, Yama-sama. I'll make sure that they get the message" Kurokage replied.
"Once they are here, I'll give you all further instructions. For now, all Princes, go back to your temples. Four Horsemen, stay for a bit longer. I have a special mission for you"
~~~~X~~~~
Nelliel had finished her main duties and was now outside the walls, training with Harribel to learn to control her Segunda Etapa to a greater extent.
"Cascada Hirviendo!" Harribel attacked with a combination of two previous attacks.
Nelliel dodged the gigantic amount of boiling water and slashed her pink lance at Harribel.
"Campeador" She relentlessly stabbed the air around Harribel, who did not foresee the attack.
Harribel fell to the floor in cold sweat. Such an attack would've easily killed her in a normal fight.
"*pant* *pant* Sorry, Nel-sama. It seems... That I will have to train a whole lot more... In order to give you a real fight" She bitterly admitted.
"Don't say that, Harri. You've helped me a lot!" She smiled at her and helped her get up. "I've been able to get a lot more used to this power, as well as learn new abilities. You're working really hard, so there's no need for you to train endlessly in order to give me a hand"
"But... I'm not even close to being a match for you" She frowned.
"Well, that is because I've been making an extra effort myself" She confessed. "The only way I can stand by Ichigo's side, is by surpassing my own limits. Otherwise, I'll just drag him down..."
"I see. You have the toughest job out of all"
"Maybe, but that's something I chose myself" Nel concluded. "Changing the topic... Have you talked with your Fracciones about Grimmjow?" She asked as she returned to her base form.
"About that..." Harribel looked away as she did the same. "Well, I've told them what I think of him before. Actually, when you came back, I had a little discussion with them cause I had decided to make him my right hand, to which they completely opposed"
"No, but not in a professional way. Have you never tried to explain how you feel to them? Cause I believe that would be a lot better" She started walking back to Las Noches, so Harribel came along.
"I... I don't think I have" She admitted. "They're not easy to deal with, you know? And not even I... Know how to express myself well regarding that topic. I haven't even talked with Grimmjow about it"
"Well, that's where you're gonna have to make an effort, if you ask me" Nel replied. "I know it must be hard considering the time we've spent concealing our true emotions, but you will never be truly happy unless you're completely true to yourself"
"I understand, Nel-sama. I'll do my best"
"Good" She smiled. "I heard that it's also important to be true to those around you, which leads me to a topic I wanted to discuss with you, now that I believe that our friendship has grown a lot"
"What is it?"
"My deepest secret, even deeper than my aspect of death" Nel shivered a bit. "I want to tell you... Of my past"
Nel told her everything regarding the Blood Forest and Scar Queen, as well as her true relation to Nageki. Basically, a recollection of both the long past and the events that had occurred about a week ago by now.
Once she finished, Harribel looked particularly astonished.
"Wow... Nel-sama... I would've never thought..."
"But that's the truth. And if you come to hate me for it, I'll accept it" She sadly smiled. "Don't feel bad for what I'm about to say, but the truth is... I don't care about anything else as long as I have Ichigo. I feel like... Even if the whole world turned its back on me, I would still be able to keep going because of him"
"Nel-sama...!" She muttered in shock. "There's no need for you to think that way. I... I promise I will always be your friend!"
"Really?" She asked back, surprised.
"Of course. Who cares about what you did in the past? You are my predecessor, my master and my best friend. Nel-sama... I know who you are today, and that's all that matters"
"Hearing that makes me so happy..." She hugged her friend. "Ichigo said something similar, now that I think about it. However, I didn't expect more people to be so understanding"
"I can't speak for anyone else, but at least to me, it's the only possible answer I can give you" She let go of the hug, a bit embarrassed, but happy. "Needless to say, I won't tell anyone else"
"Thank you. I hope that I can tell everyone one day, but I'm still facing my own past" She replied, determined to fight her Demons.
"You are so strong, Nel-sama..." Harribel told her what she thought. "I know... You will overcome that and anything else that comes in your way. And if you ever need it... I, and everyone else will be there to help you"
"Thank you, Harri. I will always be there for you as well"
~~~~X~~~~
Ulquiorra was watching over the palace in his Primera Etapa, so that his pressure wouldn't affect the Arrancar in his radius.
"Everything seems calm lately" He thought. "Said feeling is what makes me the most worried. I know that Yama wasn't even fazed with my betrayal... In fact, he probably knew it would happen from the very moment he brought me back to life... Then why?" He contorted his mind, trying to find a possible explanation.
Images of the two men that had duled over him in the past flashed into his head.
"I can't say that I haven't been impressed by my previous leaders. Aizen was a genius, I can't deny that. I believe that I would still admire him if it wasn't for the fact that I saw how he crumbled during his defeat" He remembered the vision Yama had shown him. "Also... How he discarded the power of the Espada without ever seeing beyond. That was a huge disappointment" He closed his eyes. "But aside from that, everything in Aizen seemed to emanate perfection. The way in which he foresaw and planned events in the far future is worthy of praise to say the least. And now..." He remembered the Demon King. "That's the same idea I got from Yama. Everything up to this point could've been part of his plan, and that idea is simply terrifying"
As soon as he thought of that, his eyes got widened as he felt an unpleasant presence in the distance.
"Ichigo said that Nageki protected us from a Demon appearing inside Las Noches. That means..." He flew up, to habe a better view.
A kimon had been opened in the desert.
"...Any attack will come from outside"
He flew directly at he infernal gate, immediately changing into Etapa Final.
As he grabbed Chauve-Souris in an instant, he decided to attack first.
"Revolución del Relámpago"
The myriad of Lanza del Relámpago were exploding and crashing at the gate. Ulquiorra could hear the howls of Oni from the other side, guessing that he had stopped the invasion.
The Oni stopped coming out of the gate without further trouble, but it did not dissapear, giving him a feeling of unfinished business.
"Was that all?" He muttered to himself. "Then why is it still open? I have to inform this" He flew back to the palace.
"You've gotten naïve... Ulquiorra" A shadow chuckled.
It was hiding its presence and Reiatsu perfectly. After all, Kurokage's special ability was absolute control over the shadows.
As expected, he could turn into a shadow himself. A shadow with no measurable power or, any noticeable characteristic. His only limitation was his movement, which depended on other beings, but as Ulquiorra flew back, his shadow carried the unwanted visitor and placed him in the shadow of the palace itself.
A guardian Arrancar in one of the main gates yawned as his turn came to a close.
"Nothing interesting ever happens around here... Well, it may be better this way" He left his post as another Arrancar took over.
He walked to one of the villages inside Las Noches, where he had a house. Inside the walls, Arrancar had started leaving casually and peacefully.
However, said lifestyle also made it easier for Kurokage to get what he wanted.
"Interesting... I wonder what would the King do if I decided to wipe these out" He grinned from the guard's shadow.
The guard felt an indescribable fear as he felt his own shadow detaching from his body.
"What the-?"
"See you in Hell" Kurokage said as he cut the guard in half with his Onibuki, a dark long thin blade.
The guard could not produce a sound as his body separated into two, faster than he could realize his life was over.
Kurokage raised his Reiatsu on purpose, making sure that the whole palace would notice him.
Ichigo immediately felt his power and rushed with Velocidad towards the certain point.
The other Espada on the area felt it as well, but took longer to arrive.
When Ichigo got to the place, approximately a minute after he sensed Kurokage's pressure, the sight filled his heart with rage.
"Oh, the King of Hueco Mundo I presume" Kurokage mockingly said, walking amongst the corpses of the village. "I'm sorry to have to tell you this but... It seems this village got tired of your reign and decided to take their own lives"
The corpses of the whole village had their throats destroyed by theur own hands.
"Who. The Fuck. Are you. DEMON?!" Ichigo said as he attacked him.
Kurokage was forced to recoil despite blocking Ichigo's Zanpakutou.
"Fufu... I'm just a messenger. My Lord, Yama-sama, wanted to invite you to his court, deep in the lowest level of Jigoku"
"So that's what this was all about. Tell him I'm coming right away, and that he prepares to suffer a horrible death, cause this will not be forgiven!"
Ulquiorra areived at the place as well.
"Kurokage! You bastard!" He shot a white and green Cero at him.
"Oh really? And what would that make a traitor like you? After everything Yama-sama did for you... This is how you repay him?!" Kurokage cut the beam in two with his blade.
"I never asked to be brought back to life"
"Well you should know that the amount of tortured Hollow souls needed for said task was of 4 billion. Yeah, that sounds big, right? Cause it is! Those souls were meant to increase his and our power, and yet he decided to give YOU a chance instead! What a disgraceful being you are..."
"Again. I didn't request that. I have no obligation to be loyal to him" He indifferently replied.
"Ulquiorra. Who is this?" Ichigo asked him.
"The only Duke I had never under my command, as he acts solely on the direct orders of Yama: Kurokage. He's practically the 0 in the ranks"
"So that's why he's so damn strong" Ichigo replied.
"My rank is known as Nulla, for your information. I would love to erase you right here, right now, but Yama-sama ordered me to deliver his message only. To be honest, I thought it would be a lot harder... But it seems your measures are not nearly enough against the power of the higher Demons"
"You Oni will pay for this!" Ichigo spat.
"Oni? How funny. Let me teach you that the ones above Dukes don't go by that cathegory. We are known as Majin, as we are considered monsters even among our Demon-kin. And of course... Yama-sama is, in simple terms, a God"
"I don't give two shits about what you or your King are. I'm gonna make sure that not even ashes remain after everything you've done. Ulquiorra..."
"Yes, I'm ready" The Primera replied.
The two Arrancar charged towards Kurokage at a speed that produced a sonic boom.
Kurokage was impressed to say the least, but even so, it wasn't so easy to kill him. His level, unknown to his adversaries, was equal to the strongest Prince, Kachiki, due to his total control and mastery of his special ability.
Kurokage seemed to slither like a snake around the Espadas' attacks, apparently dodging them all.
"Tsk... Is this really the level of the King of Hueco Mundo? How utterly pathetic" He insulted him.
Ichigo frowned as he realized the troublesome nature of his enemy. He felt that his attacks were perfectly directed, so why didn't they reach him?
"Ulquiorra, make sure to get as far away as possible" Ichigo told him. "I've been learning to control it, but under these circumstances, I'm not sure I'm up to the task"
"Okay. Good luck" Ulquiorra said as he flew away.
"Ho? What might you be planning to do?"
Wouldn't you like to find out?" Ichigo replied teasingly, instantly getting dead serious afterwards. "Void... Las Noches"
His long tunic appeared as his Hollow Zanpakutou disappeared.
In his hand however, a darkness was forming.
"Muerte Negra"
A long Scythe made out of pure darkness appeared, just like the Reishi sword he created in his Final Getsuga Tenshou.
Kurokage could feel the atmosphere becoming more somber and thicker.
"That power is something" He thought, not letting his guard down.
In a wink, Ichigo appeared before his eyes, slashing the giant weapon.
Kurokage managed to dodge just in time, but Ichigo grabbed him with his bare hand and tossed him away from Las Noches, breaking a small piece of the ceiling.
"Now there's no need to restrain myself" Ichigo told the Demon as he kicked his body, which got smashed into the sand.
"Ungh... No way" Kurokage thought. "At this rate I'll have to release my sword. But... Yama-sama didn't order me that. No, I should get going, otherwise it will only get more dangerous.
"You're not getting up. Maybe you liked the white sand of this desert. Unfortunately, you don't deserve to enjoy anything this world has to offer. Disappear" Ichigo declared, pointing his two horns at him. "Gran Rey Cero: Medianoche"
A pitch black orb was formed in the top of his head, blasting away a Cero as absolute as the night above them. No attack could compare to it in the current realm of Hollows.
In the area, no trace of the Demon was left. Only a splattered shadow remained.
Unfortunately, the dark blots started reforming, recreating the definitive form of the Duke of Nulla.
"Damn you, Kurosaki Ichigo" The humanoid shadow spoke.
"Why are you still alive?!" Ichigo asked in reply, full of disgust.
"You forced me to release my blade. That's something I had never done in battle. Do you have any idea of what this means?" He asked, as pissed off as he could possibly get. "I'm gonna be so happy as I rip you apart!"
"Yeah? Why don't you try to show me?"
"I'll be waiting for you... In Jigoku. Don''t worry, I left the door open" Kurokage said as he disappeared in the soil, opening a special Kimon only a shadow could access.
"He turned into a literal shadow. What a cheap trick...!" Ichigo kicked the sand, enraged. "He killed all those innocents just to get my attention! Fuck!"
The rest of the Espada arrived moments after, led by Ulquiorra.
"Ichigo!" Nel rushed to his side. "I heard from Ulquiorra, are you alright?"
"Yes. I'm fine... But I can't say the same about the village he massacred" He angrily replied.
"Did he escape?" Ulquiorra asked.
"Yeah. He released his blade and turned into an actual shadow, so he survived even my strongest attacks. What a pain..."
"Then... How are we supposed to kill it?" Grimmjow asked.
"I don't know! I'm thinking... There must be a way, but I can't seem to come up with it"
"How did he enter?" Harribel inquired.
"Kurokage is able to hide in the shadows, and is practically impossible to know he is" Ulquiorra explained. "It might be my fault, now that I think about it. A Kimon was opened in the desert and I went to check it out. A small group of Oni came out of it, but they were easily taken care of. It was probably a distraction so that he could hide in my shadow"
"What a bothersome ability indeed" Gin agreed.
"You don't have to take the blame" Lilynette told Ulquiorra. "He simply had a plan and carried it out perfectly. There was no way for you to know"
"No, but I did know about him and a bit of his abilities. I shouldn't have been so careless" Ulquiorra facepalmed.
"It doesn't matter, Ulquiorra. I wasn't able to get to the village in time either, so I'm equally at fault" Ichigo replied bitterly. "Goddammit...!"
Nel simply hugged him, without saying a word. She knew how bad he was having it as her shared heart told her. As a King, Ichigo felt that everything that occurred in Las Noches was his responsibility, so such dramatic turn of events was a great failure for him.
"Thanks, Nel" He sighed, calming down a bit. "It's also important to note that this happened because Yama wants me to meet him"
Everyone stared in shock.
"You mean, we were summoned by him?" Harribel asked.
"At the very least he wants me, but I'm sure it must be a trap..." Ichigo could see red flags all over the place. "Still, his objective is the Heart of Tsukoyomi, so as long as it is well protected, there should be no problem. Nageki just finished a device that fulfills that matter"
"Then there's no reason to keep waiting. Let's go kick his ass right now!" Grimmjow spouted.
"If it only were that simple..." Ichigo muttered. "I want to make sure that the place is well protected if I'm gonna leave. How is the Legion of the Serpent going?"
"Last time I checked on them, they were pretty much used to our new lifestyle" Harribel replied.
"Aum, they seem to be a lot calmer" Satya added.
"In that case, there's no reason to wait any longer. I'll turn them into Arrancar and give them the duty to protect Las Noches. I know that there's not much they can do against Demons, but at the very least, they'll keep the rest of the citizens safe"
Everyone nodded in agreement and they all started heading back.
"Tomorrow I'll decide who is to enter Jigoku, as well as the teams for that matter. No one is fighting alone, got it?" Ichigo ordered.
"Yes!" They all replied.
Back in the Palace, he encountered Renji, Rukia and Orihime.
"Ichigo! We heard about the village..." Rukia knew that he would be in low spirits.
"You did?" He sighed. "Well, we came to the conclusion that the enemy was more prepared than we were... But I'm taking measures so that doesn't happen again. If everything goes out well, we could finish this war tomorrow"
"Really? How?" Orihime asked.
"Yama invited us to Jigoku. It must be a scheme of him, but I believe we have enough countermeasures to take the risk, though there are still a couple things I haven't been able to clear..."
"In any case, you can count me in, man. I'll give you all the help you need. I've gotten pretty strong training with Grimmjow as well" Renji offered a hand.
"Thank you, Renji, I'll take it into consideration"
"Remember Ichigo, you're not on your own" Rukia reassured. "You should contact Urahara. He might have a good plan, in case you're not completely sure"
"Good idea. I didn't want to bother anyone else with anything else, to be honest, but I can't be so stubborn with so many lives at stake" Ichigo consciously accepted the offer. "I'll go see him right away. You guys are gonna stay here?"
"Yeah, there's no time to waste. We should get ready for tomorrow"
"Okay"
Before he could open the Garganta, a number of steps entered the room.
"That won't be necessary" The voice of hat and clogs said.
"Urahara?!" Everyone looked at him.
The shop owner had come along with Yoruichi and the Vizards that had gone to Hueco Mundo before.
"Ichigo-sama!" Rudbornn came running from the hallway. "I tried to stop the intruders but they-"
"I understand, Rudbornn, don't worry" Ichigo replied. "I'll take care"
"Yes, my Lord"
The arriving Shinigami looked odd as they heard the way in which that Arrancar treated Ichigo, but they passed it as being because of his power, except for Urahara.
"Sorry for intruding, but the situation is much worse than you can imagine" The man said with a serious expression, unlike him.
"What do you mean?" Grimmjow was interested.
"Soul Society is under attack" Yoruichi replied.
Renji and Rukia snapped.
"What?! Why?!"
"Believe it or not, it seems that the Demons were not the only enemy of the Seireitei at the current moment. There have been Captains disappearing in the Dangai, and we have no idea of who might be behind it all" He explained. "However, I've come to the conclusion that the Demons will not stop just by getting the artifact of Hueco Mundo" He referred to the Heart of Tsukoyomi. "Eventually, they will try to get to the Soul King as well"
"The Soul... King?!" Everyone who knew felt as if their heart stopped.
"Yeah, so... If there's a moment to act, regardless of the sudden turn of events in Soul Society, it is now, and I will give it my all to end it once and for all"
"Urahara..." Ichigo was impressed. He had never seen the man so determined to fight. He was sure that he had potential, but the true power of the ex-Captain of the 12th Squad was a mystery for almost everyone.
"Oi, don't forget about us!" Hiyori spat. "We came to help you even after our help was requested by the Seireitei, so you should be grateful!"
"That means Soul Society is in real peril... Wait, shouldn't they ask for Ichigo to-" Rukia realized.
"They did. In fact, they asked for the help of everyone possible, but I told them that this was far more urgent. We are going directly into Jigoku, and for that, I need your power"
"They still don't know that Ichigo is...?" Nel asked.
"They shouldn't, but I wouldn't bet on it" Yoruichi knew how Soul Society could be in that matter.
"Where are Chad and Ishida?" Ichigo asked.
"I told them to stay in the Human World, just in case" Urahara replied. "Although you can imagine how eager they were to come"
"I hope they are safe..." Orihime wished.
"So, first things first, I need you to tell me everything about the Demons you fought so far. I already talked with the others" Urahara asked Ichigo and the five others that were pending.
Everyone explained their fights in detail, and, Ichigo and Ulquiorra also told him about Kurokage.
"So he turns into a shadow" Urahara confirmed.
"Yes. I couldn't deal him any damage in that state" Ichigi replied.
"Hm... That is really interesting. I think I might have an idea, but I doubt I'd manage to force him into releasing his sword. I'm a bit rusty, you know?"
"I can force him to do it, and then you take over" Ichigo proposed.
"Good idea. In any case, I have Yoruichi-san to support me"
"Don't play dumb, Kisuke, you know you are more than capable to handle things on your own" The woman replied. "You're just too lazy to go serious, that's all"
"Don't underestimate them, Yoruichi-san. While I am pretty capable in comparison to the standards of the Seireitei, that means nothing down there..." Urahara replied.
"Changing the topic a bit... I see new faces around the place" Lisa looked at the new Espada.
"Yeah! As you can see, Ichigo reformed the Espada" Nel proudly stated.
"You... Really did that, Kurosaki-san?" Urahara asked impressed.
"Yes, although I didn't do it alone. Everyone helped" He replied with modesty.
"Wait a moment. So that means... Ichigo is...?" Yoruichi hadn't realized until that moment.
"Yes. Ichigo is the King of Hueco Mundo" Ulquiorra said her thoughts.
The Vizards' jaws dropped, while Yoruichi widened her eyes. Their suspicion was confirmed, but even so, it was completely astonishing.
"How in the world?!" Hiyori yelled.
"Damn..." Love was out of words.
"..." Lisa and Hachi stayed silent, still trying to process the new information.
"Wow, Ichigo... You far surpassed any expectation I had of your life as an Arrancar" Yoruichi admitted, amused.
"What do you mean, Yoruichi-san?" Urahara asked. "He's always like this, isn't he? I thought you knew this would happen"
"Please, don't get me wrong" Yoruichi clarified. "I knew he'd be pretty strong and all... But him becoming King in a bit more than a week is just... It simply leaves you out of words. How can you be so calm, Kisuke?"
"Well, Ulquiorra told us before, remember? How everything he did revolved around Ichigo, and that he became an Arrancar, as he had the theory that Ichigo was destined to rule"
"I do remember, but you said it clearly. It was just a theory" Lisa replied. "I never thought such a thing could be true, to be honest"
"But here he is" Bryssling joined the conversation. "And I have no doubt about him. He's a natural leader, and a monster in battle. If there's anyone able to lead us right now, it is him"
"Aum, but don't forget Ichimaru-dono" Satya added, making all the others even more shocked.
"What... Did he just say?" Hachigen needed to confirm that his ears were not tricking him.
"And here we go again..." The silver haired man shook his head as he facepalmed. He had managed to hide his presence as by concealing his Reiatsu and hiding behind a pillar, but in the end, he was back in square one. "Well, at least I see a face that might be able to come up with an explanation, cause I have none"
"So it wasn't a coincidence or a misunderstanding" Urahara said seriously as he saw the man. "It is really you, Ichimaru-san, and for what I can see, you're not a Shinigami anymore"
"But, Kisuke, how is this possible?" Yoruichi was confused as well.
"I'll have a talk with him later, cause right now, I have no idea" He replied. "But if I had to bet, I'd say it has something to do with the Hogyoku"
"Huh?" Gin seemed enlightened as he thought of said possibility. "Could it be...?"
"But, going back to the current problem, I think it's time we organize ourselves" Urahara concluded Gin's topic.
"Right" Ichigo nodded. "First of all, who is exactly attacking Soul Society?"
"We are not sure about who it is, but they are certainly Shinigami, as their Reiatsu is the same as ours"
"What about Arikado?" Nel remembered the Duke Ichigo had spared.
"He was sleeping inside a capsule in Squad 12's barracks, so he probably hasn't seen anything yet. It seems Mayuri managed to study him, though I thoroughly warned him not to do him any harm. I believe they are going to wake him up pretty soon at this rate anyway. There's no need to worry, as that guy won't let any of this go any further" He remembered his previous colleague.
"I hope that's the case..." Rukia said worried. "Nii-san... Please be safe"
"At least it's not the Demons" Renji pointed out.
"That's what we are trying to prevent" Urahara replied. "So... Let's see what we'll be doing"
~~~~X~~~~
Kon was jumping through some buildings, trying to find the source of some strange feeling he got.
"It should be around here..." He said as he walked through a normal parking lot. "Geez... Instead of doing this I could be looking for some nice looking- Wait, I shouldn't do that anymore... I promised Ichigo" He reminded himself. "Maybe... It's time to stop fooling around and try something more... Serious" He looked at his hand, not believing what he had just said, it was not like him at all. Was finally having a body of his own giving him a different mindset? All he knew, was that the Kon of the past would've never said something like that. "What's going on with me...?"
His existential crisis was interrupted as he tripped over a strange object.
"Wha-?!" He fell on the concrete. "Ungh... What the hell?" He inspected the cause of the fall.
A bulge of odd shape and size was just laying on the floor. It appeared to be some kind of blanket, but there was clearly something under it, as it was impossible that a mere blanket made him trip.
He lifted the covers, only to become red at the sight of a beautiful naked girl, apparently unconscious.
"EH?!" He couldn't believe it.
She had dark green hair and fair skin. She looked like a teenager.
He couldn't inspect his discovery any further as a woman started screaming.
"Police! Police! There's a pervert!"
"Ah?! Nononononono! It's all a misunderstanding! I'm just...!" He couldn't make up an excuse.
"Dosukebe! Hentai!"
"Shit!" Was all he could say as he picked the girl and ran away as fast as he could without showing he wasn't a human.
Back in the Kurosaki house, he left the girl sleeping in his bed as he tried to understand what had just happened.
"What am I gonna do? Anyway you look at it, this is exactly what I promised Ichigo NOT to do!" He ravaged his hair nervously. "Rukia's gonna kill me..."
~~~~X~~~~
Meanwhile, in the Soul Society, a group of Captains were making preparations for the worst case scenario.
"Tch, tch, tch... That Inaba believes himself to be so damn smart... Ha! I'll show him what an idiot he is..." Mayuri said as he locked Arikado.
"So, are you gonna help us?" Shinji asked him.
"As long as you bring me what I requested" The scientist clarified.
"Oi, Shinji, but isn't it a bit irresponsible to leave the Seireitei with all this stuff occurring?" Kensei asked.
"There won't be a Seireitei if we leave those Demons alone, I can tell you that" Shinji replied. "Is it safe?"
"I wouldn't say 'safe' is the correct term when using alternate passages of the Precipice World... And even more now that Inaba has been meddling with it. But, considering what you asked me, it is the only choice"
"How are we gonna stop the Kouryuu?" Rose asked.
"I asked Kisuke to give me a hand with that" Shinji picked a bag. "Let's go, we can't let Hiyori and the rest surpass us so easily!"
"Yay, Kensei! Time to get all tough!" Mashiro made a pose that displayed her bicep.
"Off you go" Mayuri said as he opened the Senkaimon. "Needless to say, if you don't bring me that thing, all the Seireitei will know about the new King of Hueco Mundo" He threatened.
"We'll do our best" Shinji replied carelessly.
"Also, you better be right about your wager. Otherwise you won't ever reach Hueco Mundo"
"If we are not able to sort that out, we can't even dream of helping ichigo, as simple as that" Kensei said in reply.
"Good luck, Mayuri" Rose wished him.
"I appreciate your intention, but men of science have no need for such things" He refuted. "Now leave, before I change my mind"
"See ya" Shinji left through the portal, followed by his comrades.
~~~~X~~~~
Sorry for the wait, but I had to check a couple things from the "Invading Army" filler, as I always liked how they explained the origin of Mod Souls, so yep, I'm adding that to this story. I don't know about other fillers yet, as most don't complement anything, but that's not the case of this one, but of course... I don't consider CFYOW to be a filler for that same reason.
From this chapter on, begins the "Siege of Hell Arc" if you'd like to call it some way.
Antex-The Legendary Zoroark: Great chapter! Loved it! Keep it up! This was truly fantastic! I also liked how you were able to have Lilynette still commune with Starrk despite them no longer able to talk face to face on the physical plane. Still, I'm glad she's feeling "whole" again in a way. Speaking of...when Satya helped her out earlier...did I smell a possible future pairing~? *smirks*Also enjoyed Satya's small fight and struggle over his Aspect (why does he look so similar to the Sage of Six Paths/Ten-Tails Madara from Naruto?) and both Grimmjow's reaction to it, along with Halibel attempting to reach out to him. Something tells me that her Fraccioné will want to talk to her about what she feels for Grimmjow; despite their talk with Nel. But yea.
Again, looking forward to more! I also hope that Ichigo will master his Hollowfying ability soon so he can change Orihime and allow her to be with Ulquiorra. Speaking of, seeing as Gin will be Espada 9 (temporarily), will Orihime take his place sometime down the future once he's back to normal and reunited with Rangiku? It sounds like that would be a pretty solid plan if you ask me, but hey. Your story, not mine.
Glad you also passed exams! Means more chapters (although take your time to relax as well!) in the future! WHOO!
Reply: Well, I thought it would be nice giving her a relationship like the one Ichigo and Mugetsu have right now, though hers is obviously a lot closer. Also, Satya's behaviour so far is just because he had never truly interacted with a girl before. The closest thing would've been his little fight with Nel, but that's still pretty far. We'll see if anything more develops in the future.Also, his looks are similar to Madara because, Madara's are based upon the Japanese Buddhist high priests, which is the same vibe I wanted to give Satya, although his powers could be more reminiscent to Shaka from Saint Seiya. I touched Harribel's topic here so, it's a matter of time.
Regarding Ichigo, he's basically done. There was simply not a moment for him to do it this time. Will Orihime have what it takes to be an Espada? We shall see...
I'm also stoked about finishing my first year "perfectly", cause despite all the other stuff I did throughout the year, I survived. I rest whenever I need it and enjoy my vacations in other ways as well, so don't worry, though I appreciate that you care, thank you.
See you next time! Evhron out.
Glosary:
Gran Rey Cero: Medianoche: Basically, the ultimate form of Ichigo's special Cero, done with his horns instead of his hands.