Chapter 216 Nelliel Appears—Fullbringer vs. Espada!
The pattering rain washed across Ichigo. His body was soaked and weakened. He was held within Ginjō Kūgo's grasp, subjected to merciless mockery.
Just at this moment, a light arrow pierced through the rain curtain, aimed directly at Ginjō Kūgo's body and shooting forth rapidly. Tsukishima—sensing this attack—immediately flashed forward. The umbrella in his hand transformed into a slender blade, severing the light arrow.
"Hmm? Why are people still pursuing us?"
Ginjō Kūgo, who was carrying Ichigo, addressed Tsukishima positioned beside him.
"That shouldn't be possible. It makes no sense for someone to oppose me—their supposed savior!"
After Tsukishima finished speaking, both looked toward the rooftop simultaneously. They witnessed Ishida Uryū, panting heavily atop a tall building. Despite his back injury, he'd pursued for more than ten kilometers and finally located Kurosaki Ichigo here.
"I knew... something was wrong about you people!"
The wound across his back proved extraordinarily deep. It was the injury caused when Ginjō Kūgo had attacked Ishida Uryū previously. Believing the other party had already lost consciousness, Ginjō Kūgo hadn't concerned himself further. He hadn't anticipated the other party would catch up at this final moment.
This made Ginjō Kūgo—who claimed to have performed a flawless script—feel uncomfortable momentarily. He turned his head and addressed Tsukishima beside him: "The memory tampering failed. Someone noticed the discrepancy!"
"No! This is excellent. At minimum, after this occasion, I'll understand my shortcomings. So I must thank him!"
Tsukishima didn't concern himself with Ginjō Kūgo's words. Instead, he believed his ability could be further refined. At this moment, Tsukishima suddenly extended the weapon in his hand and pointed at Ishida Uryū from hundreds of meters distant:
"As reward for identifying my mistakes, please perish here!"
Just after Tsukishima finished speaking, Kurosaki Ichigo twisted his neck with difficulty. Sensing something amiss, he hurriedly pulled his throat and shouted toward Ishida Uryū: "Danger! Behind you, Ishida!"
The instant his words fell, Shishigawara Moe—who belonged to Tsukishima's subordinates—had somehow positioned himself behind Ishida Uryū. Following Tsukishima's hand gesture, this unscrupulous youth with punk-styled hair rose up and dove directly at Ishida, pushing him off the tall building's eaves.
"Ishida!"
From a floor more than one hundred meters high, falling from such tremendous elevation—Ishida Uryū, who'd already exhausted himself catching up—if he simply fell like this, he would either die or be permanently disabled.
Suddenly, an afterimage flashed across the air and rescued Ishida Uryū mid-descent. Before anyone could react, the newcomer kicked Ginjō Kūgo—who was carrying Kurosaki Ichigo—away at extraordinary speed. Tsukishima attempted counterattacking but was punched directly in the abdomen by the opponent. He flew backward for hundreds of meters, smashed through a lamp post, and finally halted.
"Who is it?! Who dares?!"
Witnessing his scheme ruined, Ginjō Kūgo began cursing directly. When he observed the newcomer's face, his expression transformed drastically. The corners of his grinning mouth twitched slightly—clearly he couldn't believe this scene.
When Ichigo was rescued, he finally perceived the other party's face clearly. A skull mask fragment was worn atop her head. Long, lake-green hair cascaded down to her waist. Rose-colored markings adorned her face. Witnessing Ichigo's distressed state, anger appeared across features that had originally been filled with smiles.
"Nelliel..."
After witnessing the face of the person who'd saved him, Ichigo felt like weeping. The sort of grievance—of being forgotten by the entire world—made this seventeen-year-old youth feel unspeakable emotions.
"It's alright now, Ichigo!"
After positioning Ishida Uryū beside Kurosaki Ichigo, Nelliel gently stroked Ichigo's head and spoke.
"You... you're Nelliel? You've recovered? That's wonderful!"
Ishida Uryū positioned beside them hadn't anticipated that the person who'd rescued him would be Nelliel from distant Hueco Mundo. Although he and Kurosaki Ichigo's group had invaded Hueco Mundo at that time and encountered Nelliel after she'd lost her memories, he'd later teamed up with her subordinate officers—Dondochakka and Pesche—to defeat Nnoitra Gilga, who'd ranked fifth among the Espada. However, this should represent the first occasion Ishida had witnessed Nelliel's appearance after recovering her memories.
That profound and powerful Reiatsu proved difficult to connect with the drooling little girl.
"It's been quite some time, Ishida. I haven't had opportunity to thank you for fighting alongside Pesche and the others!"
Nelliel addressed Ishida Uryū with a bright smile, then turned around and regarded Ginjō Kūgo's group with obvious anger:
"Are these the individuals who bullied him into such a state?"
"That's correct! These bastards not only tampered with the memories of Kurosaki's companions—making him isolated by everyone—but also attempted stealing the Fullbring power Kurosaki worked so hard to obtain!"
As though understanding his reinforcement had arrived, Ishida Uryū pointed at Ginjō Kūgo's group mercilessly and described their crimes.
"Tampering with memories? What a despicable act!"
Knowing that Ichigo valued the bonds between companions most profoundly, Nelliel immediately regarded everyone present with extraordinarily unfriendly eyes, then spoke sarcastically: "Truly a group of contemptible individuals. No wonder you're all so pathetically weak!"
"Woman! Do you want to get beaten?! How dare you look down on us!"
At this moment, Shishigawara Moe leaped down from the rooftop and landed before them. He cracked his knuckles equipped with brass knuckles, adopted an aggressive posture, and approached Nelliel.
"Fullbring technique?"
Nelliel glanced at those present, then at Kurosaki Ichigo, and addressed the latter: "This sort of inferior Reiatsu isn't worth your distress, Ichigo... As long as you possess legitimate reasons, Fiander will definitely help restore your spiritual pressure!"
Hearing what Nelliel stated, Ichigo lowered his head and spoke hoarsely: "Did that person send you here?"
"No!"
Nelliel regarded Kurosaki Ichigo seriously and spoke with a smile: "I wanted to come!"
"Since you departed from Hueco Mundo, Fiander ordered that no one leave without permission. However, knowing your situation, Orihime and I couldn't sit idly by. Originally, we both wanted to come together. But the instant she leaves Las Noches, the mark placed upon her body would trigger, and Fiander would notice immediately. So I could only sneak out alone!"
As she spoke, Nelliel retrieved a hairpin and placed it within Ichigo's hand. Kurosaki Ichigo recognized this hairpin as one of those Orihime wore.
He'd believed this was a scenario specially arranged by that person Fiander. But he hadn't expected...
Observing Nelliel's serious expression, Ichigo understood the other party wouldn't lie. Because that was simply who she was. He wasn't alone in the end. Ichigo covered his face. The rain mixed with tears fell slowly.
"Thank you... Nelliel!"
While Kurosaki Ichigo and Nelliel communicated, Shishigawara Moe under Tsukishima's command approached them step by step. Witnessing the woman who'd suddenly appeared ignoring him completely, this gangster youth's expression turned ugly. He decided to strike first.
The violent fist wind roared downward from Shishigawara Moe's hand, swinging heavily toward Nelliel, who remained half-crouched before Ichigo.
However, what Shishigawara Moe never anticipated was that the woman before him didn't even turn her head. She simply swung her elbow backward lightly. The tremendous impact directly transformed the gangster youth's arm into powder. His entire figure flew backward, finally colliding with a wall—life or death unknown.
"Ridiculous!"
Witnessing those people still daring to attack, Nelliel finally decided taking the initiative. She rose slowly to her feet, turned her head, and stared at Ginjō and the others coldly.
"Arrancar...?"
Regarding the death of Tsukishima's subordinate, Ginjō displayed absolutely no reaction. Instead, while observing Nelliel, he and Tsukishima discussed countermeasures.
"Well done, Kurosaki!"
"The distinguished Substitute Shinigami actually allied himself with Soul Society's greatest enemy. You truly deserve your position!"
Even though he understood within his heart that he couldn't match the Arrancar before him, Ginjō Kūgo couldn't bear abandoning the "prize" of Kurosaki Ichigo so simply.
One must understand that in order to make Kurosaki Ichigo train his Fullbring technique, he'd invested tremendous effort. Witnessing harvest within reach, only for an Arrancar to appear and interfere—how could Ginjō feel reconciled?
That's why Ginjō Kūgo wanted to judge Kurosaki Ichigo from the moral high ground, wanting the other party to voluntarily escape from that female Arrancar's protection. Then he could seize the opportunity to plunder Kurosaki Ichigo's power.
"Courting death!"
Witnessing these weak humans daring to provoke Ichigo, Nelliel could restrain herself no longer. Her figure flickered, materializing directly before Ginjō Kūgo, intending to eliminate this disgusting individual directly.
I've succeeded! Witnessing that Nelliel's attack method lacked any concealment, Ginjō Kūgo felt overjoyed. As long as he endured this strike personally, perhaps everything would reverse favorably!
Just as Nelliel's leg whip was about to strike Ginjō Kūgo, a figure materialized behind her instantaneously.
"No good! Be careful of that person's abilities, Nelliel!"
Witnessing Tsukishima appearing extraordinarily covertly behind Nelliel, Ishida Uryū shouted anxiously from not far distant.
"Too late!"
Ginjō Kūgo felt ecstatic. This simple-minded Arrancar truly couldn't withstand provocation—falling for it so easily!
BOOM!
Violent force filled Ginjō Kūgo's entire being. At that instant, Ginjō felt his arms shatter completely. The internal organs within his body rolled chaotically in his stomach as though struck by torrential rain. After spitting a mouthful of blood, Ginjō was kicked away by Nelliel's leg whip—his face still displaying that smile.
Simultaneously, the katana within Tsukishima's grasp had been swung downward. His Fullbring technique—Book of the End—activated!
A minuscule wound appeared across Nelliel's back. However, within the blink of an eye, Vasto Lorde-class Menos Grande's powerful physique revealed itself. The wound healed itself in less than one second. Aside from Nelliel's clothing being torn across her back, no wounds remained visible.
At this moment, Nelliel—who had just finished attacking Ginjō Kūgo—stood there blankly like a puppet that had lost all consciousness. Meanwhile, Tsukishima beside her displayed a triumphant smile, sheathed his sword, and retreated aside.
"Haha! Hahahaha!"
"Kurosaki Ichigo, is this your final resort? Hahahaha!"
Witnessing Tsukishima's attack succeed, Ginjō didn't concern himself with his body that seemed torn apart. He endured the severe pain, stood upright, and laughed wantonly at Kurosaki Ichigo.