Chapter 32: The Garganta At Last! The Way to Karakura Has Opened!

Yammy's fist connected with Kenpachi, sending him crashing into a nearby pillar. "You sneaky piece of crap!" Yammy shouted. "That hurt! That was a bad move and you'll pay for that! How dare you interfere and cut my leg off! I'll kill you, you damn insect!" Then Yammy punched a boulder that heading towards him, destroying it with ease.

"Oh good, so you can punch." Kenpachi said, getting out the rubble. "That first one was bad. It felt like a fly was buzzing around me. If you're going to hit me, why don't do it with all your strength, maggot?"

Yammy looked over his shoulder and glared at Kepanchi. "You're the pest here." He said. "And it's time to swat you!" Yammy charged towards the captain, punching down where he stood.

Mayuri looked at his lieutenant and said, "Prepare Nemu, we're sending this half soul reaper back to the World of the Living."

"Yes sir." Nemu said.

"Wait, I still have stuff to do here." Ichigo complained.

"Oh shut up!" Mayuri said. "Test subjects, like yourself should remain silent. This is an experiment so you have no right to decide anything at all." He pointed at Ichigo. "Listen closely, you will be known as Test Subject #1."

"Test subject?" Ichigo said nervous.

"There's no need to worry." A female voice said. Ichigo looked his shoulder and saw Retsu Unohana with Isane behind her. "I'll make the trip along with you."

"Miss Unohana." Ichigo said as the Squad 4 Captain landed behind him and Luffy.

Unohana looked at Luffy and said, "I've heard much about you. So you're Monkey D. Luffy, correct?"

"Yeah, that's me." Luffy nodded.

"I've never expected a volunteer." Mayuri said. "Have you perhaps lost your mind, Squad 4 Captain?"

"Why no, I have great trust in your scientific abilities Captain Kurotsuchi." Unohana said. "I know you. I'm sure your experiment will successful. You've came all this guy to Hueco Mundo, saying that you've analyze the garganta. If your experiment fails, Kisuke Urahara will laugh at you. I don't think you want that to happen."

"You should think before saying so much." Mayuri countered. "Since I've analyzed the garganta, I do have the ability to close while you're passing through it."

"That's quite impressive." Unohana said. Then she looked at Isane. "Isane!"

"Yes ma'am." Isane said, running to her captain.

"You will stay here and assist Captain Kuchiki with whatever he needs."

"Yes, I understand."

Unohana looked at Ichigo and said, "Now then Ichigo, shall we be on our way?"

"But I've got to finish up here!" Ichigo shouted, refusing to go. "Listen, that Yammy is really powerful! I should stay so that all three of us can fight him together."

"Ichigo, don't overestimate yourself." Byakuya said, getting Ichigo's attention. "A captain of the 13 Court Guard Squads doesn't need help from the likes of you in a battle. What is your duty? You know the answer. Your duty is to protect Karakura Town." Byakuya looked over his shoulder at Ichigo. "Go on, you are their substitute soul reaper."

"Alright then." Ichigo nodded.

"I'm coming too!" Luffy said, cracking his knuckles. "I want to find Aizen and make him wish that he never mess with my crew."

Ichigo looked at Luffy and saw a serious look on his face. He closed his eyes and said, "Fine, have it your way." Luffy smirked and nodded.

"Ichigo!" Rukia said, running towards Ichigo.

"Luffy!" Nami said, running behind Rukia.

"Rukia!" Ichigo turned around, giving Rukia a more determined look than what she saw from him earlier. "I'm going!"

"Luffy!" Nami said as Luffy looked at her. "Give Aizen hell, for Chopper and the crew."

"You got it!" Luffy said.

A garganta opened up between two tall pillars that were set up by Nemu. Nemu was standing on one pillar as Mayuri was standing on the other and a lead ball was hovering over them, keeping the garganta open.

"I won't describe what's inside the garganta." Mayuri said. "To find the World of the Living, go the opposite way."

"Right." Ichigo said.

"Just be aware of each step you're taking. One misstep inside and you'll wind up in an unknown space between the World of the Living and Hueco Mundo. And there will be no way to get back. But that might be very entertaining for me to watch."

Ichigo looked at Mayuri confused. This is caught Mayuri's attention and he said, "What's the matter?"

"Well, come to think of it, when Kisuke saw us off he saw taking down to us just like you're doing right now." Ichigo said.

"So?" Mayuri glared at Ichigo.

"Since you're the second person to become chief of Research and Development, you must've been his apprentice or something." Ichigo added with a smirk. "The two of you are very similar."

"Really?" Luffy said shocked.

"How dare you?!" Mayuri shouted.

"Bye now!" Ichigo said as he ran towards the garganta and entered it.

"Hey, wait for me!" Luffy shouted as he followed Ichigo inside.

Unohana smiled as she saw the two entered the garganta. She looked at Isane healing Renji, Chad, and other Straw Hats injured from the fight with Yammy. "Isane, we'll be back soon." She said. "Take care of them."

"I will, Captain Unohana." Isane said as she watches her captain entered the garganta behind Ichigo and Luffy.

"Ichigo." Rukia said, looking at the garganta.

"Just make it back here in one piece, Luffy." Nami said, also looking at the garganta.

Mayuri looked at the garganta with a smirk on his face. "What an interesting team, a substitute soul reaper and a pirate." He said.

"Master Mayuri." Nemu whispered.

"At first I thought it might be interesting to trap them in the garganta, but forget it. When this battle is over, I'm going to take my time putting some real fear. As awful as this battle is going to be for them, it'll seem like a walk in the park when I'm done."

"Let me think about it, Master Mayuri." Nemu said. "I'll think of a plan."

Kenpachi jumped in the air and swung his sword down, trying to cut Yammy's arm off but the espada pushed him back. "What a surprise." He said. "You're pretty tough for a filthy maggot."

"Big talk for a scrawny little big!" Yammy shouted as repeatedly punched down where Kenpachi stood. "Can't fight back anymore? Give it up! It's over! I'll crush you the bug you are!" Yammy punched down where Kenpachi stood again. His eyes widen when he saw two of his fingers get cut off. He grunted in pain, holding his hand. "Damn it! You cut off two of my fingers! That was a really cheap shot!" His eyes widen more he saw Kenpachi on his arm.

Kenpachi jumped up to Yammy's face and slashed on the top of his head. Kenpachi landed on the sand and charged towards Yammy. "I'm not done yet!"

Byakuya and Mayuri watched Kenpachi and Yammy continued to fight like wild animals. "Why did you stay behind, Mayuri Kurotsuchi?" Byakuya asked.

"That's odd." Mayuri said. "My whereabouts don't seem like something you would take the time to concern yourself with."

"I keep thinking that there should be many more interests for you in the World of the Living. So why stay here? That is unless you're plotting something."

"We're very suspicious, aren't we? Don't worry so much. When all is said and done, you'll see that I'm not planning anything that would scare you." Byakuya looked behind his shoulder and saw Mayuri sitting down on one of the pillars. "Actually, at the moment in case you're wondering, I discovered that the corpses over here are more interesting. That is really all there is to it. Once the battle in the World of the Living is over, someone will open a garganta on the other side. By then, I should be finished with my work here and will be able to use that garganta to go the World of the Living. There I'll take time examining the corpses." Byakuya continued to stare at Mayuri. "Well what is it?"

Byakuya didn't respond, making Mayuri angry. "What is it?!"

Byakuya still didn't respond, making Mayuri stand up. "How many times must I ask you to speak?! If you have something to say, say it and be done!"

Byakuya looked away, turning his attention back to the battle. "Well, I never would've except you would say such a thing." He said. "Or make such an assumption."

"Like what?" Mayuri questioned.

"You know very well." Byakuya answered. "You believe sending Ichigo Kurosaki and Monkey D. Luffy to the World of the Living would end that battle." Mayuri's eyes widen as Byakuya continued. "On top of that, it sounds like you believe that they would ultimately be victorious." That caught Rukia and Nami's attention.

Mayuri sat back down and said, "That's nonsense, total nonsense. I never would've expected you to make absurd assumptions, Captain Kuchiki."

Byakuya closed his eyes and his lips formed a small smirk.

Inside the garganta, Ichigo ran in front with Luffy and Unohana right behind him. 'We're almost there.' He thought. 'Just hang on guys.'

'We're coming to kick Aizen's ass!' Luffy thought.

Those thoughts were cut off when Unohana said, "I have been meaning to ask you both something." Ichigo turned his head and looked at Unohana. "I've heard you have encountered Sosuke Aizen before at Sokyoku Hill. Is that correct?"

Luffy looked at Ichigo confused as the three continued to run.

"You heard right." Ichigo answered. "What about it?"

"What did you think?" she asked him.

"There was only one thing to think." Ichigo said, remembering his encounter with Aizen at Sokyoku Hill. "He had monstrous strength. I was completely helpless. He didn't even use his shikai. It was a one sided encounter."

"Wait a minute, are you absolutely sure he didn't use his shikai when he was fighting you?"

"Yeah."

"What's a shikai?" Luffy asked confused.

"I'll explain it you later Luffy." Unohana said to Luffy and turned back to Ichigo. "But at the meantime, that's really good Ichigo." Ichigo looked at Unohana confused as she looked at Luffy. "And Luffy, you have yet to encounter Aizen so that means you haven't seen his powers or his shikai, correct?"

"That's right." Luffy replied, still not knowing what a shikai is.

"There is something I need to fill you two in on." Unohana said. "You two, at the moment, are the only people who in the World of the Living, Soul Society, and Hueco Mundo who can fight Sosuke Aizen and actually defeat him."

"What do you mean?" Luffy asked, confused about what Unohana means by that.

"I'm going tell the both of you about the power of his zanpakuto which is called, Kyoka Suigetsu, and the requirements to activate it." Unohana said.

To be continued…

Next Chapter: Overwhelming! Aizen's Zanpakuto, Kyoka Suigetsu!