Chapter 23: Espada Ulquiorra and Pirate Luffy! Second Round of the Duel!

'What I can do?!' Orihime thought, watching her shield get destroyed in horror. 'You can't leave me alone like this! I don't know how to fight this opponent. He's too strong! I need help! Someone, please help!'

"Gum-Gum…" Luffy shouted, taking a stance. "…Jet Pistol!" Before anyone could blink, Ulquiorra was punched in the face and was sent back a few feet. Orihime and Uryu looked at where the attack came from with widen eyes. They saw Luffy with steam coming out of his body.

"L-Luffy…" Orihime said, covering her mouth.

"What the…what's that smoke?" Uryu asked since this was first time seeing Luffy in this form.

Luffy bended down, putting one hand on his leg and the other on the ground. "Second Gear!" he shouted.

Orihime and Uryu looked at Luffy with widen eyes. Luffy's skin turned into a pinkish color and steam was coming out of all parts of his body. "Leave this guy to me." He said, surprising Orihime and Uryu.

"But Luffy, you mustn't…" Orihime pleaded before she felt something put on her head. She looked up and saw Luffy's Straw Hat.

"Don't worry, I can take this guy." Luffy said, walking towards Ulquiorra. "Just try and help Ichigo." Ulquiorra sonidoed towards Luffy and Luffy disappeared. Luffy reappeared behind the espada.

'He's fast…' Uryu thought, seeing what just happened.

"Gum-Gum…" Ulquiorra turned around only to feel something hit him hard in the stomach. "…Jet Bazooka!" Ulquiorra was pushed back but quickly took flight. Luffy lifted his lead hand and took a stance. "…Jet Pistol!" Ulquiorra moved out of the way of the attack and appeared in front of the pirate. He then try to hit Luffy with his wing, but Luffy dodged it. "…Jet Whip!" Luffy fired a sound speed kick at the espada, hitting him in the face but Ulquiorra quickly rebounded.

Ulquiorra launched himself towards Luffy, trying to hit him. Luffy dodged Ulquiorra's attack and disappeared. "Gum-Gum…" Ulquiorra looked up and saw the pirate above him. Luffy stretched his leg back. "…Jet Stamp!" Luffy fired his foot towards Ulquiorra. Ulquiorra jumped back but the force of the attack pushed him back a few feet into one of the destroyed pillars. Luffy landed on his feet as Ulquiorra got back up and dusted himself off.

'It's just like before.' Ulquiorra thought, remembering Luffy using his Second Gear back inside the tower below the canopy.

(Flashback)

Luffy disappeared and reappeared in front of Ulquiorra. "Gum-Gum…Jet Pistol!" At an unseen speed, Luffy punched Ulquiorra, causing him to skid back a few feet. Ulquiorra stopped and coughed up blood. Ichigo and Orihime were in shock at what they saw.

"What…was that?" Orihime said in shock. Ichigo was stunned as well, he had a hard time following Luffy's movement.

"Gum-Gum…" Luffy appeared behind the espada stretching his arms back. "…Jet Bazooka!" Ulquiorra turned around only to get struck by Luffy's high speed attack. Ulquiorra skidded back a few feet but still was able to stop himself. Blood came out of the espada's mouth. "Gum-Gum…Twin Jet Pistol!" Luffy fired another High speed attack at Ulquiorra, pushing him back even farther.

'He's faster than he was before.' Ichigo thought, seeing Luffy's speed and his attacks compared to earlier.

"Gum-Gum…" Luffy stretched his arms back, preparing to strike the espada again.

Ulquiorra narrowed his eyes knowing another attack was coming and pointed his finger at Luffy, charging up a cero and firing it Luffy.

"…Jet Gatling!" Luffy's hands disappeared as he fired a barrage of sound speed punches into the cero and caused it to disperse.

(End of Flashback)

'That technique of his increases the speed and power of his attacks as well as his overall speed. It's almost akin to that of hollowification. That steam he's giving off and the tint on his skin, what's going on inside his body? Unless…' Ulquiorra sonidoed in front Luffy and attacked but Luffy disappeared. Ulquiorra turned around and saw the Straw Hat boy ready to attack.

"…Jet Pistol!" Luffy fired a sound-speed like punch at the espada, pushing him back into one of the destroyed pillars. Luffy landed on his feet but fell to a knee. Luffy breathed heavily as his Second Gear wore off.

"What the…" Uryu said. "What happened?"

"I figured as much." Ulquiorra said. "It's like you're doping yourself with your own blood."

"Doping himself…with his blood?" Orihime said, confused.

"He uses his legs as pumps to accelerate his blood flow." Ulquiorra explained. "That type of acceleration would kill an ordinary human in an instant. However he's able to handle it since his internal organs are made out of rubber. But that technique is like a double-edge sword. He's shortening his own life for a few minutes of strength."

"It's better than letting you hurting any more of my friends." Luffy said, standing back up. "I'll do anything to protect them."

Ulquiorra closed his eyes and said, "I see. It appears that you and Ichigo do have something in common." He reopened his eyes, giving Luffy in fierce glare. "And now you will share his fate."

"That won't happen!" Luffy shouted as he charged towards Ulquiorra. Ulquiorra appeared in front of him in an instant and kneed Luffy in gut. He then kicked Luffy in the face, sending him flying. Ulquiorra appeared above Luffy and hit him with his wing, sending him the ground. Ulquiorra quickly descend to the ground, trying hit a fatal blow but Luffy quickly moved out of the way and got to his feet.

"Just give up, you can't win." Ulquiorra threw a kick towards Luffy.

"I can't protect anyone unless I do!" Luffy shouted as he threw a kick of his own, blocking Ulquiorra's. Luffy wrapped his leg around Ulquiorra's, keeping the espada from moving that leg.

"Now Gum-Gum…" Luffy stretched his arm back, twisting it behind him. "…Rifle!" Ulquiorra put his hand up in defense, blocking the attack. Then he used the force Luffy put in that attack and pushed him back. Luffy skidded back a few feet, holding his arm and breathing heavily. Ulquiorra appeared in front of Luffy and tightly wrapped his tail around his neck, picking up him off the ground.

"Luffy!" Orihime shouted in worry. Luffy grabbed Ulquiorra's tail, trying relieve some of the pressure but couldn't.

"Even though you're going to die, you and your crew have well against the espadas." Ulquiorra said, tightening his grip. "But you're no different than Ichigo. Your will to fight must this concept you humans call 'heart' but it'll take more than that defeat someone like me." Luffy then twisted the lowered half of his body so his feet could touch the ground and grabbed Ulquiorra's tail.

"Gum-Gum…" Luffy's upper body started to spin like a pinwheel that was just blown, taking the espada with him. "…Pinwheel!" Luffy let go off Ulquiorra, sending him flying but the espada used his wings to stop himself. "Gum-Gum…" Luffy stretched his arm back. "…Pistol!"

Ulquiorra landed on the ground, avoiding Luffy's attack. He looked at the pirate charging towards him, and pointing his finger at him. "Cero…" A black ball started to form on Ulquiorra's fingertip. "…Oscuras!" Ulquiorra fired a black cero at Luffy, engulfed him in it and created a huge explosion. The smoke surrounds the area where Luffy was standing and inside the smoke, Luffy was on the ground, blood coming from his arms and mouth and his shirt was burned off from the cero. "I thought that you would provide more of a challenge. How unfortunate. You must have used up all your energy from those leg pumps."

"Oh no…" Orihime said, covering her mouth, fearing the worst.

"Damn it…" Uryu cursed.

Ulquiorra's eyes widen as the smoke started to clear and revealed Luffy getting back up his feet.

"I get it." Luffy said. "If it's a challenge you want, then you'll get one. I still got one more trick up my sleeve. Just remember, you asked for it. Third Gear…" Luffy bit down on thumb and blew on it. "…Bone Balloon!" His arm became incredibly large, out sizing him by a large margin.

"Balloon?" Ulquiorra questioned, looking Luffy's enlarged arm. Orihime and Uryu looked at Luffy's giant arm with widen eyes.

"That's right." Luffy said, cocking his giant arm back. "My arm is now the arm of a giant! Gum-Gum…" Ulquiorra made an X with his arms, ready to block the attack. "…Giant Pistol!" Luffy brought his fist and hit Ulquiorra, smashing him through what's left of one of the pillars. The impact of the attack sends shockwaves across the canopy, causing Orihime and Uryu to cover their faces. Ulquiorra was seen going through the destroyed pillar with blood coming from his mouth.

To be continued…

Next Chapter: The Showdown Has Come! Luffy's Desperate Last Attack!