Chapter 20: Ulquiorra Surfaces! Murcielago is Activated!
Outside of the palace, an explosion erupted on the canopy of Las Noches. Ichigo popped out of the smoke and looked around, seeing nothing the dark desert of Hueco Mundo. "Wait a minute, are we above the canopy of Las Noches?" Ichigo asked.
"That's right." Ulquiorra said. Ichigo looked up and saw Ulquiorra looking down on him. "Under Aizen's orders, two things are forbidden below the canopy of Las Noches. The first is the Gran Rey Cero which exists for only an espada. And the second is…the sword release of espadas who are ranked 4 and higher. They are both so powerful if released; they would threaten to destroy Las Noches itself." Ulquiorra pointed his sword at Ichigo. "Imprison…Murcielago!"
Ichigo's eyes widen as black and green spiritual engulfed Ulquiorra and fall down like rain. As it dispersed, Ulquiorra's appearance has changed. He now has large, black bat wings on his back, his hair grew longer and wilder, and his hollow mask is centered on the top of his head with two large horns extending outwards to the side toward the front. The line on his face turned black and broader, almost looking like triangles. His clothing became more closed at the top and more like a robe at the bottom.
Ichigo quickly put up his guard, getting ready for an attack from the espada.
"Compose yourself." Ulquiorra said. "You must keep your stance. Extend your consciousness. Do not let your guard down." Then in a blink of an eye, Ichigo noticed Ulquiorra's weapon was close to his head, ready to cut it off. An explosion erupted and a piece of hollow mask flew out of the smoke, shattering to pieces after it hit the ground. The smoke cleared and Ichigo was breathing heavily with blood coming from his head.
'That was not possible.' Ichigo thought. 'That was too fast. This can't be happening I couldn't react at all, even in my hollowified state.'
"The power of your so-called 'hollowification' has increased." Ulquiorra said. "You're even capable of hearing the mask longer. And yet, I didn't expect it to shatter that easily." Ichigo's eyes widen as Ulquiorra was about to attack again. "How unfortunate for you."
'Watch closely…' Ichigo thought, watching Ulquiorra as he throws his weapon like a javelin at Ichigo. 'I can see it!' Ichigo moved his head to the side, dodging the weapon. His eyes widen as Ulquiorra threw another weapon at Ichigo's head to side he moved it to. Ichigo moved his head back out of the way but the force of Ulquiorra's weapon forcefully pushed Ichigo back. As he was being pushed back, Ichigo stabbed his sword to the ground to slow his movement. He put his hand over his face and repaired his mask.
He narrowed his eyes as the espada flew quickly towards him. Their weapons clashed, causing to fly from the ceiling.
Inside the palace, Luffy and the others ran towards the hole that Ichigo and Ulquiorra made. They looked up and saw the hole in the sky.
"Guys, why is there a hole in the sky?" Luffy asked.
"The sky of Las Noches…it was a fake this whole time." Uryu said, looking at the sky.
"Wha…really?!" Chopper and Luffy said shocked.
"I figured as much." Nami said. "Also the lighting of this place gives a feel like we were outside the moment we got here." Then everyone's attention was grabbed as Orihime walked towards Luffy and Uryu.
"Orihime…" Uryu said, getting his friend's attention. 'We're not out of the woods yet.' He thought. 'But I'm glad that you're alright.'
"Don't worry, Ichigo will be fine." Uryu said to Orihime. "He'll win."
Orihime gave Uryu a small smile and nodded. 'Come on, Ichigo.' Uryu thought. 'Don't make a liar out of me! You can do it!'
Above the canopy, Ulquiorra and Ichigo's weapon's clashed again with Ichigo getting forcefully pushed back.
"What is it that you're waiting for?" Ulquiorra asked. "Fire your Getsuga." Ichigo's eyes widened. "Fire it at me. That is when you're at most lethal. A form that is capable to hold up even against an espada. And we both know that Getsuga is your most powerful technique. Fire it. Show it to me and I'll let you see the difference in our strengths."
"You're serious?!" Ichigo said shocked. "You want me to fire Getsuga?!" Ichigo slashed his sword, causing Ulquiorra to back off. "Well allow to help you with your request!" Ichigo's spiritual pressure quickly started to rise. "Getsuga…Tensho!" Ichigo fired a huge wave from his sword at Ulquiorra.
Ulquiorra easily blocked the attack with his hand. "It is just as I thought." He said as he destroyed the attack with his hand. "You are after all merely human."
Ichigo looked at the espada and saw that he was unharmed. "You're not hurt?!" He said surprised.
"No, not quite." Ulquiorra said. "Although, your black getsuga is very similar to our own cero."
"Cero? Don't compare it something like that!"
"Oh, that's right. I forgot that you haven't gotten to see it yet." Ulquiorra pointed his finger at Ichigo and a black ball with a green outline began to form. "Since this is your last battle, I'll show it to you. This is the black cero that an espada can discharge in a released state. Cero Oscuras!" Ulquiorra fired the black cero at Ichigo. Ichigo tried to withstand the attack as he can but the blast was too much and his mask destroyed.
Back in the palace, Luffy, Uryu, Orihime, Sanji, Nami, and Chopper felt a rush of spiritual pressure coming from the cero, pushing them down.
"What's going on?!" Chopper said, falling to the ground from the pressure. Nami fell to the ground soon after.
"Nami!" Sanji shouted but he fell to his knees from the spiritual pressure. Luffy, Uryu, and Orihime were the only ones trying to stay on their feet. But soon, Orihime was losing her bearing and held on the hole to keep straight.
"Orihime!" Uryu shouted. Orihime looked at Luffy and Uryu with a worried look on her face. Uryu looked at the sky. "Damn it Ichigo! What's happening up there?!"
"Come on, Ichigo!" Luffy shouted. Orihime looked at the sky worried. Then the worried look turned into a determined expression and the spiritual pressure subsided.
"Uryu…"Orihime said, getting the Quincy's attention. "Do you think it's possible that by using your powers you can lift us above that canopy?"
Everyone looked at Orihime with widen eyes as Luffy looked at her as if he knew what she's going to do.
"Are you crazy?!" Nami shouted. "We don't what happening up there! For we know…"
"Nami, it's ok." Luffy said, cutting Nami off. He then looked over to Sanji. "Sanji, take Nami and Chopper and meet up with the others."
"What about you?" Sanji asked.
"I'm going with Uryu and Orihime." He declared, causing Nami and Chopper to look at him shocked. "Don't worry; I'll join you as soon as I'm done up there."
Back on the canopy, Ichigo was falling with his head down to the other ceiling. His clothes were ruined and his body was covered in bruises. "Damn it!" He cursed. His eyes widen as Ulquiorra appeared above him. Ulquiorra slashed his wing at Ichigo, sending him crashing into a nearby pillar.
"Do you understand it now?" Ulquiorra asked he watched Ichigo struggle to get back to his feet. "I'm afraid that no matter how closely your form and techniques resemble an arrancar's, the difference in our power will be as great as that between heaven and earth." He started to walk towards Ichigo. "Imitating hollow seems like perfectly logical path for you to follow in order to gain more power. It's not surprising do that to become stronger. But you will never be my equal."
Both hands, Ichigo caught grip on his sword. Ulquiorra's eyes widen as Ichigo went back to normal. "Getsuga…" Ichigo tried to attack again.
"I told you it's useless!" Ulquiorra shouted as he slashed his green bolt-like at Ichigo, throwing him to the outside and destroying the pillar. Ulquiorra appeared next to him, flying in the air. He saw that Ichigo still held on to his sword. Angrily, he slashed Ichigo with his weapon again, sending him into the falling debris. Ichigo's body crashed on the ceiling over another pillar. The smoke started to clear and revealed Ulquiorra grabbing by the collar of the part of his robe that wasn't burned by the cero and holding him up.
"Why won't you let go of your sword?" Ulquiorra asked, looking Ichigo's hand that is still holding on to his sword. "You've experienced the vast difference in our powers and yet you actually still you can defeat me.
"D…Difference…in power?" Ichigo said. "That…doesn't matter…at all. You think I'll give up…just because…you're more powerful than me? From our first battle, I knew that you were stronger. At this point no matter how many I see powerful you are, it won't make a difference to me. I'm determined to see this through to the end. I refuse to give up. You should've realized that by now." Ichigo slowly tried to left his sword up. "I…will find…a way…to beat you!" A small smirk appeared on Ichigo's face. "U…Ul…quiorra!"
Ulquiorra widen his eyes from Ichigo's words. Then he threw Ichigo back on the ground. "That's nonsense." He said. "Ichigo Kurosaki, those are the words of a man who doesn't know the true despair of defeat." Ichigo managed to get back to his knees. Then his eyes widen green aura surrounds Ulquiorra and the ground started to shake. "Since you don't understand, I'll teach you. This is what true despair looks like."
To be continued…
Next Chapter: Ichigo Falls! Ulquiorra's Judgment and Orihime's Wish!