Whoosh!
After being knocked away, Hitsugaya released his Zanpakutō and repelled Grimmjow. He flashed forward, following the ice dragon. His Zanpakutō traced an arc of ice.
"Ice Dragon's Tail!"
"Tsk!"
Grimmjow retreated, looking at the ice spreading across his arm. His expression hardened.
He shattered the ice with a burst of reiatsu. "A Shinigami captain, indeed. Not bad."
The Espada were created to counter the Gotei 13 captains. Every Arrancar knew this. However, until they faced a captain in battle, most believed the Espada were superior.
The war between Hueco Mundo and the Soul Society had continued for millions of years. The conflict with the Gotei 13 had lasted for a thousand. There were many Hollows in Hueco Mundo who had lived for over a thousand years, and the three legion commanders of the expeditionary force regularly clashed with Barragan Luisenbarn's forces. They knew the captains' strength.
With Aizen's aid, the Hollows had become Arrancar, which significantly increased their power. Many Arrancar believed themselves to be stronger than Shinigami captains, especially the Privaron Espada, former Espada who had been demoted but whose strength still rivaled a captain's.
The current Espada, naturally, believed themselves superior.
This was Grimmjow's first encounter with a captain. While Hitsugaya had impressed him, he still held the Espada, tempered by countless battles, in higher regard.
"But we, the Espada, are stronger!"
Having said that, Grimmjow unleashed his spiritual pressure and launched an ultra-high-speed attack on Hitsugaya at an even faster speed.
Boom!
The ice dragon wielded by Hitsugaya was directly chopped into pieces by Grimmjow with one sword. Then, Grimmjow approached Hitsugaya and slashed at him with the Zanpakutō in his hand.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Sparks flew. Each exchange pushed Hitsugaya back. Grimmjow relentlessly pursued him.
Shink! Shink! Shink!
Wounds appeared on Hitsugaya's body. Finally, kicked to the ground, he unleashed his full power.
"Bankai! Daiguren Hyōrinmaru!"
Boom!
His reiatsu surged skyward, dark clouds gathering overhead. Ice wings sprouted from his back, and an ice dragon's claw encased his right hand. He rose into the air, clashing with Grimmjow.
Boom!
The force of the impact sent them both reeling. Ice shards scattered. They regained their footing, then blurred across the sky.
Rangiku who was below, could only see sparks, unable to follow their movements. While her reiatsu was still suppressed, Hitsugaya's Bankai had elevated his spiritual pressure to Grimmjow's level. And the cold air further hampered Grimmjow's speed.
Boom!
As she watched, a figure landed beside her.
"Rangiku, have you seen Orihime? I can't sense her reiatsu."
"Ichigo? Wasn't she at home?" Rangiku's eyes widened as she realized she couldn't sense Orihime's spiritual pressure either.
Boom!
They crashed into Orihime's apartment, finding only Rangiku's Gigai. The front door was open, suggesting she had intended to join the fight, but the gate was still locked. She had been taken before she could leave.
"Damn it!"
Ichigo was furious.
He had sensed the Hollows' arrival, but he had been training with White and Zangetsu, learning his new Bankai. He had assumed the other Shinigami could handle them. Then, he had sensed a familiar Arrancar's reiatsu, and when he emerged from his inner world, Orihime's spiritual pressure was gone.
Whoosh!
Boom!
Hitsugaya and Grimmjow, who were fighting, suddenly felt a powerful attack approaching. They broke off their fight and dodged the blow.
A powerful slash passed between them that parted the clouds Hitsugaya had summoned, revealing the moon.
"Who?"
"Such power!"
They looked down, sensing the attack's origin.
"Him?"
Both recognized Ichigo Kurosaki.
Hitsugaya knew him as the Soul Society's only Substitute Shinigami, the one who had triggered the conflict with Aizen.
Grimmjow, however, remembered Ulquiorra's assessment: "Trash not worth killing."
"Damn it!"
Grimmjow, seeing the clouds Ichigo had cleaved in two, gritted his teeth. That boy, the one Ulquiorra had dismissed as trash, possessed such power?
He didn't know that Ichigo, after his defeat against Yammy, had trained with Ailin, receiving a new Zanpakutō that allowed him to bypass his Quincy powers and unleash his full strength.
He was simply enraged. If Ulquiorra hadn't lied, how vast was the gap between them?
Whoosh!
With a flash of his figure, Ichigo Kurosaki, holding a full-white Zanpakuto in his hand, appeared next to Hitsugaya and Grimmjow.
"Sorry, Captain Hitsugaya. I need to ask him some questions. Do you mind?"
"No problem."
Hitsugaya nodded. He knew his limits. With his reiatsu suppressed, defeating Grimmjow quickly was unlikely. He was happy to let Ichigo take over. Furthermore, he could sense a significant increase in Ichigo's power. Perhaps he could defeat Grimmjow.
"Arrancar, where's Orihime?"
"Orihime? Who's that? Perhaps my Fracción killed her already."
Grimmjow smirked. He didn't care about some human's fate. But he remembered the direction Ichigo had come from. It was where Nakeem and Yylfordt had been. Perhaps she had been caught in the crossfire.
Ichigo's Zanpakutō slashed down.
Boom!
Grimmjow was sent flying. Ichigo flashed forward, pursuing him, blood-red reiatsu gathering on his blade.
"Getsuga…"
"…Tenshō!"
…
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Sensing Grimmjow's release of reiatsu, the other Arrancar unleashed their own power, drawing their Zanpakutō and activating their Resurrección.
Their king had joined the battle. If they allowed him to fight while they still stood, it would be a disgrace.
"Heh. I knew something was off. I didn't expect you to be hiding such power. But I won't hold back either." Ikkaku Madarame, facing Shawlong, laughed.
"Bankai! Ryūmon Hōzukimaru!"
Boom!
…
Yumichika Ayasegawa looked at Edrad's Resurrección and sighed. "I hate these kinds of battles. Why do I always encounter these opponents?"
He pointed his Zanpakutō.
"Bloom, Ruri'iro Kujaku!"
His blade softened and transformed into a peacock feather-like weapon as its five tendrils wrapped around Edrad.
…
"This…"
Hinamori, facing Di Roy's Resurrección, was horrified. He hadn't been using his full power? These Hollows had another form? Even without the limiter, she wouldn't stand a chance.
"Let's do this, Tobiume!" She gripped her Zanpakutō, steeling herself.
"Roar!" Di Roy charged.
Whoosh!
A golden light pierced through him, and his body exploded.
"Captain Ailin?" Hinamori looked up to see a golden ripple fading in the sky.
…
"Damn it!"
Grimmjow crawled out of a crater, scorched and battered. Ichigo's initial attacks had been powerful enough, but his Getsuga Tenshō had been devastating. The direct hit had sent him crashing to the ground.
He glanced at his severed arm, regretting his arrogance. If he had released his Resurrección earlier, he could have blocked it. Now, even if he transformed, his power would be diminished. He might even lose his rank.
Suddenly, he looked up, confused. "Shawlong… Edrad… Di Roy…" The reiatsu of his remaining Fracción had vanished.
What was happening? Had the Soul Society stationed more than one captain in Karakura Town?
"Will you answer my questions now?" Ichigo's voice came from behind him.
"What happened to Orihime? If you don't tell me, I won't just cut off your arm. I'll take your head."
He suppressed his rage and asked again.
He didn't believe Grimmjow's claim that Orihime was dead. While she wasn't a powerful fighter, her defensive and healing abilities were exceptional. And there was no blood. She hadn't been injured. They had taken her somewhere.
"Hahaha! Are you… pitying me?"