The Arrancar were gone.
Kurosaki Ichigo lay on the ground, staring at the moon, consciousness drifting. He couldn't even stand.
"Did we… win?" he whispered.
"Obviously not…" Rukia replied, already standing. She had clashed with an Espada again, even using her Hollowfication, but was still defeated by Grimmjow.
"We lost," she said quietly, walking to Ichigo's side.
Yes, they had lost. Though they didn't know the Arrancar's exact objective, it was clear their withdrawal meant their goal had been met.
The enemy won. They lost.
But where, exactly, did they lose?
No Shinigami had perished in the Human World. That meant the true objective wasn't here, but in the Soul Society. The Shinigami quickly pieced it together—the enemy's true target was Inoue Orihime.
Ichigo's face turned pale. He struggled upright, only to be met by a Senkaimon opening. Rangiku stepped out, her face grim.
"This is bad. Inoue has been captured by the Arrancar."
"What?!" Ichigo cried, panicked. "How did that happen?! Wasn't she safe in Seireitei?!"
Rangiku shook her head. "The 'Faceless One' we've been chasing was an Arrancar under Aizen's command. He impersonated me, entered the Tenth Division, and led Inoue away."
"No, she probably wasn't tricked," Rukia said, her face darkening. "She was threatened. Our lives were used to force Inoue to leave."
Inoue saved their lives.
"But why would Aizen take her? Isn't his goal the Life Key fragment?" Ichigo muttered.
Kisuke Urahara appeared. "That's precisely why Inoue isn't in immediate danger. Aizen wants to use her power to awaken the Hōgyoku."
"Her ability… is called Shun Shun Rikka," Rukia said, "but isn't Inoue's only for healing?"
Kisuke shook his head. "Its true name is 'Rejection of Phenomena.' If Aizen gets this power, he can awaken the Hōgyoku prematurely."
"Then what are we waiting for?!" Ichigo shouted. "Let's rescue Inoue!"
"Calm down, Ichigo!" Rukia urged. "We're no match for them now. Rushing in would be suicide."
Kisuke added, "Even if Seireitei wanted to help, they can't spare the manpower. Aizen's true goal is Karakura Town. If we commit too many to Hueco Mundo, he could attack here unopposed."
Ichigo clenched his fists. "Then what should I do…?"
"Get stronger," Rukia said. "We both trained with Hirako, but your Hollowfication barely lasts a few seconds. You're not ready."
Ichigo fell silent, but Rukia's words sparked an idea. He suddenly bolted off.
"Huh? Ichigo!" Rukia called after him, surprised. He wasn't heading towards the Visoreds.
Kisuke stopped her. "Let him go. He knows what to do now."
Rukia hesitated, then nodded. She would use this time to train her own Bankai.
…
Ichigo ran—not towards the Visoreds, but to Ishida Uryū's home.
He needed to get stronger, fast. He needed new power, just like when he first became a Shinigami, or when he used Hollowfication to defeat Byakuya. Now, he remembered Ishida's words: You are a Quincy.
He had to place his hopes on Ishida Uryū.
He arrived at the Ishida residence, where Ishida Uryū, dressed neatly, seemed surprised to see him.
"…Why are you here?" Uryū frowned, seeing Ichigo in Shinigami form.
"Ishida," Ichigo said solemnly. "You said I'm a Quincy, right?"
"Of course," Uryū replied, pushing up his glasses. "You have Quincy blood."
"Please, teach me the power of a Quincy!" Ichigo bowed deeply. "I need to get stronger. Please!"
Uryū regarded him coldly. "What happened? Did the Shinigami abandon you?"
"No, it's not that," Ichigo replied quickly. He explained about Inoue's abduction.
"Inoue was captured in Seireitei?!" Uryū's expression darkened. He owed Inoue—she had healed him after his defeat by Mayuri Kurotsuchi.
"What are the Shinigami doing? How could they let someone get kidnapped in their own stronghold?!"
Ichigo scratched his head. "We were too weak. They threatened our lives to make Inoue go willingly."
Uryū was silent for a moment. Then he said, "I'll teach you Quincy training. But don't misunderstand—I'm not teaching the Substitute Shinigami Kurosaki Ichigo. I'm teaching you because you're Inoue's friend. She once saved my life."
"But you must promise me: do not take the Shinigami's side against the Quincy."
"I promise!" Ichigo agreed instantly. Protecting his comrades wouldn't count as attacking Quincy, right?
"It doesn't," Uryū said. "Since you agree, come in."
They descended to the spacious basement. Uryū demonstrated:
"The Quincy's methods are different from the Shinigami's. We use the reishi in the atmosphere to form weapons—like this."
He extended his hand, a bow forming from gathered reishi.
"Doing it slowly is pointless. I'm going to attack you; your body will instinctively remember the Quincy's power."
Uryū aimed at Ichigo.
…
In Las Noches, Inoue Orihime sat alone in her room.
A man entered, clapping his hands—a warm, but unfamiliar gesture. It was Yoshio. Inoue didn't recognize him; in the Human World, he always used a disguised spirit form.
"You… are you a Shinigami?" she asked warily.
"You could say that," Yoshio replied, settling into a chair.
"Then why help the Hollows?"
"Not everything needs a reason," Yoshio said indifferently. "If you only act for a reason, can you really say it's what you want?"
Inoue didn't understand, and Yoshio didn't press the point. He raised a finger; light bloomed from Orihime's chest. She clutched at it, but a rhomboid crystal emerged, floating into Yoshio's hand.
"This is… a fragment of the Key of Life?"
"You could say that," Yoshio answered. "Karakura Town… what a name. Perhaps it's this place that draws the Key fragments."
He continued, "Karakura Town is the seat of the Empty Throne of the Three Realms. Whoever controls it will be king."
"…Are you going to fight there?" Inoue's expression changed. "There are hundreds of thousands of people—if you fight, they'll—"
"What a kind lady," Yoshio interrupted. "Even as a captive, you care for others."
"The Key of Life has been taken. Am I of any use to you now?" Orihime demanded.
"There are still many things," Yoshio said, standing. "Look—he's already here."
A pink-haired man in single-lens glasses entered: Szayelaporro.
"You're here too," Szayelaporro remarked. "Are you interested in her abilities?"
"You could say that," Yoshio replied.
"Captain Aizen has chosen her," Szayelaporro added. "Though I wanted to use Gabriel on her, I decided against it."
"Smart," Yoshio praised.
Szayelaporro pushed his glasses, grinning. "After Aizen is done, maybe I can use her."
Inoue grew uneasy. "What do you want…?"
"Just… turn you into my puppet."
A tentacle shot from Szayelaporro, piercing Orihime's forehead. Her eyes went blank, all will to resist fading. She stood, empty and obedient.
Szayelaporro retracted the tentacle with a snort.
This was Fornicaras, his Resurrección: the ability to create voodoo doll clones and control others as puppets. With Gabriel, he could be reborn from a victim's body and inherit their powers.
Now, he could even turn people into his puppets directly.
"Go to Captain Aizen," he ordered.
"…Yes," Orihime replied tonelessly, exiting like a machine.
"You're getting better at this," Yoshio noted.
Szayelaporro shrugged. "It's still obvious—a real success is when they obey but still seem themselves."