Before the grotesque giant beast, the enraged Arrancar looked pitifully small. The massive head lunged down like it was blotting out the sky, swallowing Grimmjow whole.
The abyssal jaws snapped shut, and the shockwave, mixed with the black haze spilling from the spiritual ink, turned into a pitch black storm that swept wildly through the area, flooding the streets and smashing through the doors and windows of the surrounding buildings.
Muten Natsu had held back on using Bankai until now. Part of it was because he had to keep watch on everything around him, and part of it was because he was waiting for Rukia Kuchiki to establish contact with Soul Society, until the Kidō Corps had finished freezing the space in every area that might be caught up in the battle.
By now, everything that had originally existed around them had already been isolated into another space. What remained here were only the afterimages left behind by the spatial freeze, allowing Muten Natsu to release his power without restraint.
"Roar!"
The mountain like scales on Rin'en Bokukō's head were torn apart, and Grimmjow burst out from within, covered in wounds. His hair was disheveled, and the Hierro on his body had been corroded by the spiritual ink until his flesh was torn and bloodied.
His crazed eyes locked onto Muten Natsu in the air as Grimmjow gripped the hilt of the Zanpakutō at his waist.
"Die!"
The Hell's Eye on Muten Natsu's forehead spun, and more veins bulged across his brow.
The World of the Living was nothing like Soul Society. Even in a Jūreichi, the density of Reishi in the atmosphere could not compare to Soul Society's.
Rin'en Bokukō had only absorbed a limited amount of Reishi, so the power of its attack naturally fell short.
Cold black flames leaped up from Muten Natsu's arm. Rin'en Bokukō had not fully dispersed yet. If he ignited it with Hell Flames...
"Put your sword away."
A figure appeared beside Grimmjow and pressed down on the hand reaching for his blade.
"Grimmjow."
Grimmjow froze, then turned with gritted teeth.
"Ulquiorra!"
Ulquiorra was slender and pale, almost sickly so. On the left side of his short, ragged black hair sat the broken remains of a helmet shaped Hollow mask. His dark green eyes were deep and unreadable, and the tear streaks on his expressionless face matched the color of his eyes.
"The mission is complete."
Ulquiorra glanced at Orihime Inoue, who was treating Ururu Tsumugiya.
"Let's go back."
Muten Natsu swept his arm, and the cold black flames instantly turned the spiritual ink waterfall into a curtain of black fire. Rin'en Bokukō, which had been in the middle of fading away, let out a roar, lifted its head through the rising flames, and opened its abyssal jaws once more.
A golden barrier of light descended from the sky, enveloping Grimmjow and Ulquiorra and carrying them into the black fissure above.
"Negación..."
Muten Natsu clicked his tongue and activated Raku Zetsu, turning the spiritual energy leaking from his body into black spiritual threads that wrapped around him layer upon layer, sealing off inside and outside from each other.
The burning Rin'en Bokukō bit down on nothing and vanished together with the Hell Flames.
"Oh dear..."
Kisuke Urahara arrived a step too late and looked over the destruction around him.
"I was too late."
Muten Natsu shot him a sidelong glance.
"I thought you'd already died."
"Sometimes I really do want to die..."
Kisuke Urahara lowered the brim of his hat and looked toward Ururu Tsumugiya inside the Sōten Kisshun.
"It might actually be easier that way."
Yoruichi Shihōin appeared beside Kisuke Urahara.
"Tsukabishi is treating them now. They should be fine for the time being."
"That's good..."
Kisuke Urahara let out a sigh.
"Natsu-san, would you like to hear the information I've gathered?"
...
In the deep darkness, Ulquiorra walked slowly over the stone floor and looked up at the figure seated on the throne.
"We've returned, Aizen-sama."
"You're back, Ulquiorra... Grimmjow."
The man seated above dozens of figures was Sōsuke Aizen, once the Captain of the Fifth Division of the Gotei 13. Without his glasses, his originally gentle eyes seemed even colder as he looked down from above.
"Tell everyone the outcome of your mission."
"Yes."
Ulquiorra raised a hand. His pale fingers sank into his eye socket, plucked out his dark green eyeball, and crushed it in his hand.
"Everyone, look."
The figures in the darkness closed their eyes and took in everything.
Shared Vision.
It was Ulquiorra's unique ability. By destroying his own eyeball, he could allow others to share everything he had perceived.
That included, but was not limited to, images from battle, fluctuations in Reiatsu, changes in spirit essence, and even more complex details that were difficult to describe.
It was precisely because of this ability that Aizen had sent Ulquiorra to the World of the Living to carry out a reconnaissance mission.
Except before Ulquiorra had even set out, someone had already acted on their own initiative.
"I see..."
Sōsuke Aizen opened his eyes.
"So because Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shihōin appeared, you chose to withdraw for the time being. Is that correct?"
"Yes," Ulquiorra replied. "My previous orders were to gather information on the Ryoka, so once the mission was complete, I took Grimmjow and..."
"Hey, hey!"
A heavy voice rang out. The darkness hid the speaker's face, but from the outline alone, his broad build was clear.
"Was it really you who took him? Weren't we supposed to go together?"
"So..."
Another voice spoke up.
"You acted on your own, didn't you?"
Grimmjow turned his eyes toward the speaker.
"Tōsen..."
Kaname Tōsen slowly stepped into the light. Here in Hueco Mundo, he no longer wore the clothes of Soul Society. A sleeveless white robe covered his body.
"You launched an unauthorized attack on the World of the Living, incited five Arrancar without permission, and on top of that, you suffered a complete defeat. Every one of those actions violated your orders. Shouldn't you be begging for punishment, Grimmjow?"
Grimmjow turned his head away.
"Is that really necessary?"
"You..."
Kaname Tōsen frowned.
"That's enough, Kaname."
Sōsuke Aizen smiled mildly.
"I am not actually angry."
Kaname Tōsen stepped forward.
"Aizen-sama..."
"I believe Grimmjow's actions this time show a rare kind of loyalty."
Sōsuke Aizen paused, then looked at Grimmjow.
"Isn't that right, Grimmjow?"
Grimmjow narrowed his eyes slightly and looked up with a frown.
"Exactly."
Bang!
Kaname Tōsen grabbed Grimmjow by the shoulder.
"What are you trying to do, Tōsen?"
Grimmjow's gaze slid sideways toward him.
Holding Grimmjow down with one hand, Kaname Tōsen shouted, "Aizen-sama! Please allow me to execute him!"
"You're just using this to settle a personal grudge because you can't stand me."
Grimmjow sneered.
"Is that really how a commander should act?"
"I believe anyone who disrupts order is unforgivable," Kaname Tōsen said righteously. "That is my only reason."
"For the sake of the organization?"
The sneer on Grimmjow's face deepened.
Kaname Tōsen corrected him.
"For Aizen-sama!"