Chapter 11: An Explosive Situation! Ichigo vs. Ulquiorra!

"Your heart you say." Ulquiorra said he walked up to Orihime. "You human always toss around that word so casually. It is as if it is something you can hold in the palm of your hand. But my eyes can see everything. Nothing exists that I can't see. So if I can't see it, it's not real. That is what I believe." Ulquiorra stopped walking when he was near arms reach of Orihime. "Tell me, what is a heart?" Ulquiorra raised his arm until his hand almost touch Orihime's chest. "If I tore a hole through your chest, would I see it?" Then he raised his hand to Orihime's forehand. "If I split open your skull, would it be there?" Orihime widen her eyes in fear, making Chopper look at the espada in anger.

"Leave her alone!" Chopper shouted as he changed into humanoid form and got in-between Ulquiorra and Orihime. Ulquiorra wasn't intimated by Chopper's transformation but his eyes widen when he felt a sudden rise of spiritual pressure. He looked his shoulder and saw the floor rumbling, creating a huge hole as Ichigo appears.

Luffy continues to run through the halls of the fifth tower, searching for his crewmate. 'Hang on, Chopper.' He thought. 'I'm coming!'

Meanwhile, Ichigo landed on the floor a few feet away from Ulquiorra. Two stared each other down waiting for one of them to make a move.

"It's Ichigo." Orihime whispered as Chopper changed back into a chibi form.

Ichigo looked at Orihime and Chopper, glad to see that they're still in one piece, and then turned to the espada. "Stay away from them." He said to Ulquiorra.

"I was just about to." Ulquiorra said. "My responsibilities are clear. My duty is to protect Las Noches until Lord Aizen returns. I haven't received orders to take the life of this woman nor the pirate." Ulquiorra shifted his gaze to the two that he mentioned. "Until those orders come, I will allow them to live." Then Ulquiorra turned his sights back to Ichigo and grabbed the hilt of his zanpakuto. "However, you are a different matter. Killing you will absolutely be within my duties of protecting Las Noches." Ulquiorra draws his sword, making Orihime step back. "You shall die by my sword."

Ichigo smirked at Ulquiorra's actions. "What a surprise." he said. "It's funny. I never figured you'll be the first to draw your sword. On the way here, I was thinking that you wouldn't take me seriously to draw right away. So tell me, is it reasonable enough to say you consider me an opponent that's equal to you?"

"You might say that." Ulquiorra replied. "I consider you an enemy worth destroying."

"That's good enough." Ichigo scoffed. And then in mere seconds, the two rushed towards each other and clash swords, letting their spirit energies reach their highest point.

"Chopper, get behind me!" Orihime said. Chopper quickly got behind her as she used her Shun Shun Rikka to create a shield in front of them. She looked at the battle as a huge gust of wind was blown towards her. "Ichigo."

Luffy rushed down the halls and the tower but stopped when he felt a large amount of spiritual pressure and starting to find it difficult to stand up straight. "What the heck was that?" he said as he tries to straighten himself. "Why is the air getting so heavy?" Then he heard what sounded like an explosion. He looked up and saw dust falling from the ceiling. "Chopper's up there somewhere."

On the upper level, blood was dripping off of Ulquiorra's sword as the smoke around him and Ichigo started to clear. Ichigo rushed towards Ulquiorra and swung his sword at the espada.

Elsewhere inside the palace, sounds of barks from a little puppy fills the room as one of the espada was eating his meal, leaving dirty dishes all over the floor.

"Shut your yap, mutt!" the espada shouted as he threw a bone at the puppy, making it move out of the way. The espada yarned as he stood up and walked towards the door with the puppy following him. "This is such a pain in the ass. Let's go."

Back to Ichigo…

Ulquiorra jabbed his sword towards Ichigo's head. Ichigo tilted his head to avoid getting struck the blade as it pierces the pillar behind Ichigo. Ichigo swung his sword towards Ulquiorra's head but the espada blocked easily. Then Ulquiorra swung for Ichigo's head and Ichigo ducked it. Ichigo swung his sword again and the espada dodged. Ulquiorra jabbed his sword at Ichigo, who quickly dodged.

"Goodbye." Ulquiorra said as his stabbing continued, making Ichigo dodge.

Ichigo jumped back and saw Ulquiorra was following him. 'I can do this.' He thought as he dodges another one of Ulquiorra's attack. 'I can see all of his moves and still react in time. His fighting style isn't going to change just because his sword is strong. He just got a much longer reach. I need to watch closely. Watch closely.'

Ichigo then dodged another round of jabs from Ulquiorra's sword. As Ulquiorra tried to attack again, Ichigo grabbed his wrist and stopped him. Ulquiorra widen his eyes. Then Ichigo swung and slashed the espada. Ulquiorra skidded back a few feet and stopped himself. The top part of his jacket was ripped and a small cut was shown on his chest, below his hollow hole and next to his tattoo.

"I barely nicked you." Ichigo said confidently. "That hierro of yours sure is tough. Yet, it looks as if I'm reading your movement better than I ever could before."

"Really?" Ulquiorra said, looked at the substitute soul reaper.

"The last time that we battled together, I couldn't read any of your moves at all. I had to guess your attacks, defense, and speed. I couldn't read what was coming at me or from where. I felt like I was fighting against an emotionless statue or a machine." A smirk was formed on Ichigo's face. "So why am I able to read your move this time? Is it because I'm becoming more hollow like? Actually, I think it's because you've become more human."

Ulquiorra's eyes widen from Ichigo's statement and he stabbed his sword to the floor, making huge chucks of the floor from his strength. Ichigo, Orihime, and Chopper widen their eyes from the show of power. Ulquiorra glared at Ichigo and said, "Did you say that I've become more human?" Ichigo prepared himself for another round of this fight. "I see. You must feel very proud just being to keep up at this level. Let's see how long it will last you." Then Ulquiorra raised his spiritual pressure to its highest point. Ichigo's eyes widen as Ulquiorra appeared in front of him and swung his sword down, causing an explosion. Ichigo jumped out of the smoke and the espada appeared behind him.

Ichigo looked him and saw Ulquiorra. 'Not a chance.' Ichigo swung his sword to block what the espada was about to do but Ulquiorra disappeared and reappeared behind him in an instant.

"Gum-Gum…" a new voice shouted, getting everyone's attention.

"That voice…" Chopper said, recognizing it.

"…Rocket!" Then another hole was created on the floor and a new figure appeared jumping out of it. It was none other than the Straw Hats Captain, Luffy.

"Give Chopper back!" Luffy shouted.

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Luffy Cuts Through! Big Showdown in Las Noches!