Facing the unfriendly eyes of the Arrancar, Grimmjow remained very frank. So what if he made a mistake? The worst that could happen was being locked up by Aizen. He believed Aizen would never really do anything to him.
Although Grimmjow longed for battle and would do anything for it, he was also intelligent. Naturally, he could see what Aizen and Ulquiorra were thinking!
Humph! I'm helping your Kurosaki Ichigo level up! Shouldn't you be thanking me?
Of course, if Kurosaki Ichigo couldn't beat him, don't blame Grimmjow for not letting him win...
Grimmjow put his hands on his hips and even blamed Ulquiorra:
"In the previous fight, I already expressed that I wanted to kill Kurosaki Ichigo as soon as possible. You guys don't take it seriously and say you want to let Kurosaki Ichigo grow up properly - that it's not worth our effort. If we're talking about indulging the enemy, it should be Ulquiorra who indulged first. And Ulquiorra also said just now that if Kurosaki Ichigo could still stand up, he should leave Hueco Mundo immediately. This shows he definitely doesn't want to kill Kurosaki Ichigo. Otherwise, even if I brought this Inoue Orihime over, it would be useless - Ulquiorra would have already blown his head off. I'm right, Ulquiorra."
Grimmjow's words were powerful! Ulquiorra sneered:
"Hmmph, don't try to guess what I and Aizen-sama are thinking. Just follow Aizen-sama's orders."
Aizen still had a calm smile on his face:
"All right! Grimmjow, judging from what you said in the broadcast, you should still be loyal to me, so I'll forgive your willful actions! Besides, this is just a future scenario. If Grimmjow can kill Ichigo Kurosaki, what's there to blame?"
Seeing that Aizen said so, the other Arrancar naturally had nothing to say. At most, they could only complain about Grimmjow in private.
Afterward, the audience discovered an even more surprising scene. After being treated by Inoue Orihime, Grimmjow and Kurosaki Ichigo quickly recovered to normal! This speed was really too fast.
Seeing such a scene, Ulquiorra had to say: "My High-Speed Regeneration can only work on myself, but this Inoue Orihime can also work on others - truly amazing."
This woman of Kurosaki Ichigo really is a cheat!
[In the broadcast, after both sides were completely healed, Ichigo Kurosaki and Grimmjow quickly started an earth-shaking duel.]
Countless viewers were looking forward to watching this scene - this battle that sounded somewhat funny. Grimmjow's action, which seemed like betraying his own camp, was aimed at making Ichigo Kurosaki fight him...
It was outrageous no matter how you thought about it. Even the previous fighting maniac Kenpachi Zaraki - at least there was no action to heal the enemy...
If Grimmjow was really defeated by Ichigo Kurosaki, his expression must be very exciting, right?
Ichigo Kurosaki relied on his Bankai and Hollow state, yet there was no way to pose any threat to Ulquiorra in normal state. So what would happen when facing this Grimmjow?
Soon, the battle officially started!
[In the projection, Kurosaki Ichigo and Grimmjow stood across from one another in the vast open halls of Las Noches. The atmosphere buzzed with tension. Off to the side, Inoue Orihime and the others could only watch, their hearts pounding, powerless to intervene.]
Without hesitation, Grimmjow charged forward and launched a Cero from his hand, the blue energy roaring to life. Ichigo raised his Zanpakutō, ready to counter with Getsuga Tenshō, but before the attack could form, Grimmjow's fist collided with the blade, knocking it from Ichigo's grip. In a single breath, Grimmjow switched hands and fired a second Cero—point-blank.
BOOM!
The explosion rocked the chamber. Smoke and dust surged outward, cloaking the area in violent energy. From within the chaos, Grimmjow's voice rang out—raw and wild.
"Haha! You've been waiting for this, haven't you?! A fair fight at last, Ichigo Kurosaki!"
But when the dust cleared, Ichigo stood tall—wounded, yes, but unshaken.
"I don't want to fight you," he said quietly. "I'm not here to defeat you."
Grimmjow's smile faltered. The wild flame in his eyes flickered.
"What…?"
Ichigo's voice remained steady. "I'm fighting to protect my friends. That's all I've ever cared about."
Grimmjow stared at him, speechless for a moment—then his lips twisted in disbelief. He grit his teeth.
"You're kidding me… I'm burning with excitement, and you're acting like a monk? You cold bastard! What about my pride?!"
Unwilling to be ignored, Grimmjow stepped forward, trying to stir something inside Ichigo.
"You want to beat me, right? You want to cut me down for hurting your friends—don't you?! Say it! Tell me you want to kill me!"
Ichigo just stood there.
"…I've never heard anyone ask for that before," he muttered.
Grimmjow's face twitched. It was like being rejected by someone you'd waited your whole life to fight. He wasn't angry—he was insulted.
"Kurosaki Ichigo… don't you get it yet? Why did you really come here?"
"I told you," Ichigo replied, firm. "I came to save my friends."
Grimmjow scoffed, shaking his head. "No! If that were true, you would've escaped with Orihime the second she healed you. Instead, you told her to heal me, too."
He pointed directly at Ichigo's chest.
"Admit it. You came to Hueco Mundo to fight!"
Ichigo faltered.
What…?
Grimmjow laughed, loud and unrestrained. "Haha! You're just like me. I can see it—the instinct you keep trying to hide. You're a Shinigami. I'm a Hollow. That's all the reason we need to fight. One of us walks away. The other dies. That's how this works!"
The audience couldn't help but nod. First White Ichigo, then Zaraki Kenpachi—now Grimmjow. These Hollows really were spiritual life coaches.
Grimmjow didn't give Ichigo time to think. He rushed forward, unleashing a flurry of savage blows. Ichigo was overwhelmed—dodging, blocking, but barely holding on. The difference in aggression was clear. Ichigo was fighting to hold back. Grimmjow was fighting to unleash everything.
But still, the Espada wasn't satisfied.
"This isn't the battle I've been waiting for!"
He leapt back, raising his hand. A pulse of violent blue and red energy surged around him.
"I'll show you what true power looks like! The ultimate Cero—Gran Rey Cero! This is the Cero of kings! No one but the Leopard King, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez, has ever used it!"
He didn't aim it at Ichigo.
He turned toward Orihime and the others.
The crowd gasped.
He was provoking him.
Deliberately forcing Ichigo to stop holding back.
And it worked.
Ichigo's eyes narrowed. His mask began to form. The familiar screech of Hollowfication echoed through the chamber as his strongest state returned.
BOOM!
The black Hollow mask locked into place.
He raised his sword and slashed the Gran Rey Cero apart mid-flight, scattering its energy into sparks.
Now it was Grimmjow's turn to smile wide.
"There we go… finally!"
He pointed his blade at Ichigo.
"No more holding back. Let's have our real fight!"
After seeing this scene, everyone was amazed:
[Kuchiki Byakuya]: Hmph, it seems this Hollow also understands fighting instinct and can even see through Kurosaki Ichigo's heart. Truly not simple.
[Kyoraku Shunsui]: If you put it that way, then Ichigo's purpose for coming here wasn't simply to save people. He could have escaped with Orihime long ago...
[Ukitake Jushiro]: He was willing to let Inoue Orihime treat Grimmjow, so he must want a fair fight!
[Kenpachi Zaraki]: Yes! From this point of view, Grimmjow and Ichigo are very respectable enemies. Come on, Ichigo - you must defeat this Grimmjow!
However, because of Ichigo's previous defeat at Ulquiorra's hands, they couldn't help but worry. After Grimmjow exerts his strongest state, can Ichigo really defeat him? Does Ichigo, who has merged with White Ichigo, really have the power to defeat him?
Countless viewers were very curious about this.
As the intensity rose, Ichigo was finally pushed to a point where he could no longer hold back. With a firm grip on Zangetsu, he channeled his spiritual pressure and let it explode outward.
"Getsuga… Tenshō!!"
WHOOSH!
A massive wave of black and blue energy roared through the air, slamming into Grimmjow and sending him flying across the battlefield.
The dust hadn't even settled before a laugh echoed through the smoke.
"Heh… that's more like it!"
Grimmjow stood up, bleeding and bruised—but smiling wider than ever. His eyes glinted with excitement, not anger. This was exactly the fight he wanted.
Raising his arm, he released the seal on his power.
"Grind… Pantera!!"
BUZZZZZ!!!
A wave of raw spiritual pressure burst outward in all directions. The floor cracked beneath him, and a violent wind surged as Grimmjow's form shifted.
His hair grew longer, wilder—flowing down like a mane.
His body transformed into that of a panther-like predator, lean and deadly, every muscle tensed with the pure instinct to kill. Jagged markings stretched across his face, claws extended, tail whipping the ground.
The law of anime was clear: the longer the hair, the stronger the power.
Grimmjow was now in his true form.
He lunged forward without hesitation, every movement feral, every strike filled with animalistic aggression.
Ichigo braced himself, mask still covering his face. More black stripes had appeared—spreading across his cheek and temple. Nearly a quarter of his face was now claimed by the Hollow. And with it, his spiritual pressure kept rising.
But even so, Grimmjow had the upper hand.
His Resurrección state brought a savage new level of power and speed. Each slash from his claws sent Ichigo flying. Each roar was followed by a devastating strike.
Ichigo gritted his teeth, forced onto the defensive.
He had just survived Ulquiorra's onslaught—and that battle had taken its toll.
Now, with Grimmjow pressing in under the power of Pantera, the strain was starting to show.
He was being pushed to his limits.
But even in the face of overwhelming force… Ichigo refused to fall.
Seeing such a scene, the Shinigami were really uncomfortable. They were also silent in the chat group.
It's understandable that Ichigo was abused by Cuarta Espada Ulquiorra... But we didn't expect he couldn't even beat Sexta Espada? Are the Espada really that strong? Kurosaki Ichigo is now the most embarrassing in all Bleach episodes ever!
The Arrancar were once again very satisfied!
[Ulquiorra Cifer]: Grimmjow! Although you helped Ichigo before, seeing that you can abuse him, I can barely forgive your previous mistakes!
[Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez]: Hahahaha, I said Ichigo definitely isn't qualified to be my opponent. I was very upset seeing his expression before.
[Aizen Sosuke]: Ichigo Kurosaki, is this all you can do? I've let you go so many times before, but you still haven't grown to a point I'm satisfied with!
Many viewers were disappointed with Ichigo at this moment. Originally, we thought that with such great determination to protect his friends, it shouldn't be that difficult for him to beat Sexta Espada! Unexpectedly, he couldn't beat Cuarta before, and now it's Sexta's turn to abuse him.
It seemed that although Sexta wasn't ranked particularly high, an Espada trying their best was indeed an extremely terrifying existence!
Aizen's expression was also somewhat cold. He thought: Ichigo Kurosaki, how can you defeat the enemy now? Do you rely on others to help, or rely on substitutes to win?
Aizen couldn't figure out how Ichigo could win at this moment. After all, he was able to defeat Kenpachi Zaraki without mastering Bankai initially, and later suppress Byakuya Kuchiki. Unexpectedly, after such long training and mastering Hollow mode, he began suffering constant setbacks? Is this reverse evolution?
So are the Shinigami too weak? It seems my Arrancar are still quite strong. The reason they lost to these Shinigami before was indeed because of unethical behavior! In addition, some Arrancar didn't fight with full strength, right?
With this thought... Aizen, who rarely praised subordinates, took initiative to praise Grimmjow:
"Not bad, not bad. Grimmjow's fighting spirit is still very good. This kind of Arrancar with fighting instinct is the most powerful - you all have to learn from this!"
Primera Espada Starrk shrugged, not seeming to care much. Even though he could easily use attacks surpassing Sexta Espada, he just didn't like fighting. He was already very lonely in the past. If he finally met creatures not afraid of his existence, what fun would it be if he had to kill them?
Segunda Espada Baraggan remained silent, pretending to be a master. After all, he was the former king of Hueco Mundo. If he fought so hard, wouldn't it seem he had no style at all?
But he also knew very well that he really couldn't think he was very strong in the future and not take enemies seriously. In the future, he capsized because he didn't take the seemingly weak Shinigami seriously. So this arrogance still had to be put down. After all, the Shinigami indeed aren't pushovers.
When the audience didn't have high expectations for Kurosaki Ichigo's battle, the scene changed again!
[The clash between Hollow and Shinigami raged on, echoing through the halls of Las Noches.]
Grimmjow, fully unleashed in his Resurrección form, struck with the fury of a wild beast. His claws tore through the air, his movements relentless. Ichigo, even with his Hollow mask active, was being overwhelmed—blow after blow pushed him further back, his body bruised, his mind hazy.
He was fighting—but without direction. His instincts were fading.
Then, cutting through the chaos, came a voice.
A voice that carried no power… but held more weight than any sword.
"Don't die, Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime's voice rang out from the edge of the battlefield, trembling but clear. "It doesn't matter if you can't win—just don't get hurt again! Please!"
The words struck him harder than any Cero.
Ichigo paused.
For a moment, the pain in his limbs, the pressure in his chest—it all faded.
His blurred vision cleared.
That's right…
His hands clenched tighter around Zangetsu.
They're still watching. They're still hoping.
He didn't come here to enjoy battle. He didn't come to prove anything to Grimmjow or anyone else.
He came to protect them.
In that instant, Ichigo's spiritual pressure surged.
His feet planted firmly into the cracked floor. His back straightened.
And when Grimmjow lunged again with another wild slash—
Ichigo caught it. With one hand.
Grimmjow's eyes widened in disbelief. His claws met Ichigo's palm… and stopped.
Ichigo slowly raised his head. The mask covering his face shimmered, his eyes glowing with unshaken resolve.
"Sorry, Grimmjow," he said calmly. "I won't let you go wild anymore."
Before Grimmjow could respond—
SLASH!
Ichigo swung his sword in a clean arc, cutting through the Espada's defenses.
Blood sprayed. Grimmjow staggered back, breathing heavily, a deep gash across his side.
He looked at Ichigo with a mixture of confusion and fury.
What just happened?
Wasn't this the same Ichigo who was getting torn apart just seconds ago?
Where did this sudden strength come from?
It was unscientific. Illogical. Unfair.
But that was the nature of Kurosaki Ichigo.
When someone he cared about cried out to him… he would always stand back up.
No matter how many times he fell.
At this moment, comments floated by:
Oh no! Run, Grimmjow!This orange-haired guy is cheating!And it was encouragement from the cheat Inoue Orihime!
Cheating on top of cheating!
Ichigo: Thank you, blue-haired guy, for teaching me what instinct is - now I have to become the master!
Teaching the apprentice to surpass the master!
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