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Las Noches.
The sound of a body striking stone echoed in the vast hall. Grimmjow lay sprawled on the floor, bloodied and seething. "Damn it⊠you bastard⊠why did you interfere?!" His voice was raw with fury as he glared at the silent figure behind him. "I could've beaten that Shinigami!"
Ulquiorra's gaze was flat, cold, and merciless. He did not answer.
"Arrogant, ignorant fool," came a cutting voice.
"What did you say?!" Grimmjow snapped his head aroundâonly for steel to sink into his abdomen. His eyes widened in disbelief as blood sprayed. Tousen Kaname had thrust his ZanpakutĆ clean through him.
Tousen said nothing as he ripped the blade sideways, tearing flesh and carving through the "6" etched into Grimmjow's stomach. Blood poured freely as Grimmjow coughed, collapsing onto one knee.
"This is the price you pay for acting on your own initiative," Tousen declared coldly.
Grimmjow's veins bulged, rage flashing in his pain-darkened eyes. "I'll⊠kill youâŠ!" he roared, fists trembling with the urge to strike. But before he could move, a crushing spiritual pressure slammed him flat against the floor.
Aizen's voice resounded from the throne, calm and absolute. "Grimmjow. A subordinate obeys orders." His presence alone pressed the Espada into the stone, leaving him breathless and pale.
"Your arrogance cost us several capable allies. That is not the conduct of an Espada. From this moment, the title of Sexta is stripped from you. The position belongs now⊠to Luppi."
The tattooed "6" on Grimmjow's abdomen twisted grotesquely, warping into scar tissue before scabbing over. Sweat rolled down his face as he writhed in agony. A smaller figure stepped forwardâLuppi Antenor, newly appointed Sexta Espada. His eyes gleamed with disdain as he stared down at Grimmjow.
"Trash," Luppi sneered, kicking Grimmjow savagely in the ribs. "Waste! Waste! Waste!" He stomped him again and again, reveling in cruelty as Grimmjow's blood pooled beneath him. Around them, the other Arrancar remained impassive, unmoved by the sight. Disobedience merited no sympathy.
At last, Aizen's voice broke the silence again, mild yet sharp. "That is enough, Luppi. I am saddened by the loss of valuable subordinates. I would hate to lose more." His smile was gentle, but carried not a trace of sorrow.
Luppi straightened immediately. Several attendants carried Grimmjow's battered body away. Silence fell heavy in the throne room once more. Aizen leaned upon his hand thoughtfully, eyes half-lidded.
"Perhaps I was not clear before," he murmured, his voice carrying through the chamber. "No one is to act without my command. Any who disobey will be executed on the spot." His words rippled across the Espada like a decree carved into stone. Heads bowed. None dared to resist.
Grimmjow's fate was warning enough.
â
Time passed like a fleeting shadow. Half a month later, in the living worldâ
Karakura Town. In the cavernous underground training hall, golden barriers shimmered as two masked figures clashed violently.
"Is that all you've got?! Weak! Pathetic!" Hiyori Sarugaki's shrill voice rang out, her small frame darting like a whipcord in red training gear.
Opposite her, Kurosaki Ichigo staggered, breathing ragged, his ShihakushĆ drenched in sweat. The Hollow mask on his face cracked down the middle. His reiatsu quivered, the control slipping.
For over two weeks he had trained daily with the Visored, striving to master the Hollow within. Yet the more he forced control, the stronger that inner voice taunted him.
You're weak, Ichigo. Pathetic. Useless. Let me take overâŠ
Ichigo clenched Zangetsu with white-knuckled grip, shaking his head violently. "Shut up⊠I won't give in!" With a roar he lunged again at Hiyori.
She sneered. Their blades collided in a sharp clang before Ichigo was hurled backward, his mask shattering completely as he crashed to the ground.
"Time's up," Hachigen announced gently as the barrier shimmered.
Ichigo lay panting, his Hollow suppressed but not silenced. Hiyori wiped sweat from her brow, muttering with irritation. "Tch. What a pain. And this guy's insane tooâŠ" She sheathed her blade, scowling.
Kensei Muguruma cracked his knuckles, stepping into the barrier with a fierce grin. "My turn."
The Visored had trained Ichigo relentlessly. His Hollow time had already surpassed their ownâlonger even than Mashiro's ten minutes, reaching nearly fifteen. They now had to take shifts fighting him. Yet what unsettled them most wasn't the time itself, but Ichigo's stamina. Even after being forced out of Hollowfication, he could summon the mask again almost instantly. His soul's resilience was terrifying.
Still, Hiyori's foul mood had little to do with Ichigo. Her glare snapped toward another corner of the chamber. "Damn it⊠that guy's making us do all the dirty work while he lazes aroundâŠ"
There, Su Li stood with Sarari, both flushed as they whispered over some ridiculous sketch. "This stance won't workâit ignores spirit physics." "Souls don't obey gravity anyway." "See? That's why I added mechanical augmentations." "Cyber-love, huh? Perfect. 666."
Hiyori's veins bulged. She stormed off, muttering curses under her breath. Against Su Li, she knew better than to pick a fight.
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