Yammy complained that although he had been to the human world several times back when he still wore the mask, the real world remained unbearably dull, its air so thin in spirit particles that even breathing felt difficult. Every time he came before becoming an Arrancar, he felt the same irritation. The density of reishi here could never compare to Hueco Mundo. If staying in Las Noches were not so boring, he would never have bothered following Ulquiorra to this side again.
Ulquiorra did not turn as he answered in his low, chilled voice. He reminded Yammy that he originally intended to come alone according to Aizen's orders. When Yammy heard Ulquiorra had been deployed to Karakura Town, he insisted on accompanying him, making enough noise that Ulquiorra brought him simply to silence his persistence.
Yammy muttered an insincere apology as he clambered out of the circular crater. The moment he emerged, he noticed a cluster of humans gathered around, craning their necks and peering into the hole like they were staring at animals in a cage. The sight made Yammy bristle with irritation. Ulquiorra stepped out behind him, quiet as a shadow, extending his spiritual sense across the area. He detected nothing of note. The humans surrounding them had no spirit power at all.
The humans murmured among themselves about meteorites and falling debris, cautiously inching forward despite the unease prickling at them. Unable to perceive spirit bodies, they remained blind to both Arrancars. Only Arisawa Tatsuki, standing a short distance away, sensed something wrong. Her eyes narrowed as she watched the two figures climb out of the crater. She had planned to spend her rare day off visiting Inoue Orihime and Kurosaki Ichigo, but both were out, leaving her to wander the eastern outskirts alone. Now she found herself staring at two beings she could not understand.
Yammy's annoyance peaked when he saw the humans crowding so close. He growled that these powerless creatures had no business approaching, then opened his mouth and released a pulse of draining force. In the next instant, every human without Reiatsu or with barely any collapsed as their souls were ripped clean out. Their bodies thudded heavily onto the ground, lifeless and limp.
Yammy slapped his chest in disgust and grumbled that these souls tasted awful, far too thin to be satisfying. Ulquiorra, arms folded across his chest, replied coolly that their weakness made that obvious. He had been scanning for the spiritual pressure Aizen tasked him to locate, but had found nothing, causing him to doubt whether their target even remained in this city. If he was still here, Yammy's crude attack should be enough to draw him out.
Yammy muttered that the humans deserved it for staring at them like curiosities. Ulquiorra calmly corrected him, saying they could not see them at all. Whether or not humans died meant nothing to him so long as Aizen's orders were fulfilled.
Yammy asked how many more he should kill. Ulquiorra told him there was no need to kill anyone except one specific person. Yammy frowned, disappointed, having assumed that Aizen sent Ulquiorra here to annihilate the city. Ulquiorra answered that there were at most three individuals in this world capable of fighting on any real level and that he had heard Master Shiraha was also present. Anything else was trash. If Shiraha remained in Karakura, he could be found easily.
Yammy bristled at Ulquiorra's respectful tone. He reminded him that Espada acknowledged only one leader: Aizen. Ever since Ulquiorra's defeat at Shiraha's hands, word had spread through Las Noches, leaving the Espada deeply unsettled by Shiraha's existence. Ulquiorra replied without emotion that Yammy had no understanding of Shiraha's true strength, and that Shiraha stood on the same level as Aizen.
Yammy, startled by the cold weight behind Ulquiorra's gaze, fell silent.
Ulquiorra then noticed that someone among the fallen humans was still alive. His expression shifted faintly as he approached Arisawa Tatsuki. She struggled to remain upright under the crushing Reiatsu, her soul trembling violently as she realized these two were the cause of the chaos.
A calm voice cut through the pressure as Shiraha stepped between her and the Arrancars. He greeted Ulquiorra lightly as though they were meeting on an ordinary day. Ulquiorra immediately crossed his arms over his chest and bowed his head respectfully. Aizen had ordered him to treat Shiraha with the same reverence he showed toward himself.
Arisawa Tatsuki stared in shock as Shiraha addressed her by name and gently told her to rest. Her confusion and fear mounted as she tried to comprehend who or what Shiraha truly was.
Yammy sneered and asked if this was the Shinigami who had defeated Ulquiorra. He mocked Shiraha's seemingly weak Reiatsu and scoffed at Ulquiorra losing to someone who looked so unimpressive.
Ulquiorra moved instantly. His right hand slammed into Yammy's abdomen again and again, each strike hitting with brutal precision, forcing Yammy back several meters before he dropped to one knee, gasping in pain and disbelief.
Yammy shouted, demanding to know why Ulquiorra attacked him, but Ulquiorra did not even glance at him. Facing forward, he lowered his head respectfully and apologized to Shiraha, stating that Yammy had no understanding of Shiraha's power.