"..."
Grimmjow went quiet. Then he spoke:
"Fine. What do you want to know?"
He'd lost the fight. No point breaking his word now.
"Good."
Shigure smiled.
"Aizen called a meeting recently, didn't he? That's why he sent Nnoitra and the others after us."
"Yeah." Grimmjow nodded.
"He talked about deploying Espada forces, right?"
Grimmjow frowned. Why ask about that? But he told Shigure everything from the meeting anyway.
Shigure's eyes narrowed as he listened.
First thing that caught his attention—Aizen claimed he'd healed Ulquiorra.
Shigure had hit Ulquiorra with his Second Form Spirit-Collapsing Thunder Sword. The killing intent barrier should have been fatal.
But Aizen must have used the Hōgyoku to save him.
Still, Aizen's main plan hadn't changed much from what Shigure remembered.
Top three Espada—Starrk, Baraggan, Harribel—would hit the World of the Living. Ulquiorra and Grimmjow would guard Las Noches.
Only difference? Sending four Espada to intercept Shigure's group.
That was weird. Really weird.
"Has Aizen been making new Arrancar lately?" Shigure asked.
Grimmjow looked up. "You mean Wonderweiss?"
"No. Someone else."
Shigure knew about Wonderweiss—the "Fire Extinguisher Prince" designed to counter Yamamoto's flames.
He was asking about himself.
Grimmjow's eyes flickered.
"Besides Wonderweiss? Nothing I've heard about."
"But when Ulquiorra came back from the World of the Living, he was messed up bad. Aizen took him to the lab for days."
"After that, Tōsen locked the place down tight. Nobody gets in anymore."
Grimmjow spoke slowly. He'd lost. No point hiding anything now.
Shigure's heart jumped.
Something was definitely up.
Aizen wasn't just healing Ulquiorra. He was researching something else.
And Shigure was sure it involved him.
Ulquiorra had mentioned "mission complete" before leaving, after all.
The pieces were falling into place.
"I need to warn you about something."
Grimmjow's voice cut through Shigure's thoughts.
His expression had gone dead serious.
"I know you hurt Ulquiorra before. But he's different now. Completely different."
"How so?" Shigure's eyes sharpened.
"Not long ago, Aizen summoned him. Before that, we got into a fight."
Grimmjow's face darkened.
"When I touched him, I felt something wrong. The spiritual pressure on his skin... it wasn't the same as what he was putting out."
His gaze turned razor-sharp.
"Segawa, the pressure from his skin—it felt just like yours."
?!
Even Shigure felt his heart skip.
Ulquiorra's skin had spiritual pressure like his own?
Had Aizen modified Ulquiorra when he healed him? Used the Hōgyoku for more than just saving his life?
A figure appeared in Shigure's Resonance Vision.
Spiritual pressure. Getting closer.
Grimmjow sensed it too, despite his injuries.
"Aaroniero?!"
Footsteps echoed. Cold voice drifted over.
"Tap. Tap. Tap."
"Well, well. The 6th Espada having a nice chat with our invaders?"
Shigure turned.
A thin figure in white approached. Full-body uniform, gloved hands, tall perforated mask covering his head.
The 9th Espada. Aaroniero Arruruerie.
"Step aside, Soul Reaper."
"Time for me to chat with Aizen's little traitor here."
"I'm curious how the mighty Grimmjow ended up looking like a beaten dog."
Aaroniero stopped, hands behind his back. His voice kept shifting—high, then low. Like two different people sharing one body.
He turned toward Shigure.
"Killing you is also my job."
"But first..." His hands shot up. "I'm going to devour Grimmjow! Hahaha ahhhh!!!"
Maniacal laughter filled the air.
Grimmjow's eyes hardened.
Before he could speak, spiritual pressure exploded from Shigure's body.
Aaroniero slammed into the ground like he'd been hit by a truck.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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