The long black sword was pulled out from Grimmjow's chest by Kurosaki Ichigo, and the splattered blood dyed the white sand under their feet red.
Under Grimmjow's unwilling gaze, Kurosaki Ichigo turned around and staggered about to leave.
"hateful……"
Grimmjow used his last strength to support his body and not fall down.
Looking at the figure fading away, his heart was full of unwillingness, but it was obvious that the remaining strength could not support him to continue fighting.
All he could do was pant heavily and watch the winner go away unwillingly.
"Damn it... I won't lose..."
"..."
Hearing the unwilling roar coming from behind, Kurosaki Ichigo stopped in silence.
He turned around and looked at Grimmjow's swaying figure calmly.
A trace of sadness arose in my heart.
Just as Grimmjow had realized clearly in his heart at this moment, he also knew that there was actually no reason for the two of them to fight.
They are just not willing to accept their fate, so they are struggling.
He can understand the other person's mood, but this is also the saddest part.
The cruel thing is not the fate itself, but that after you know the fate, you are unable to change it.
All they can do is keep struggling. Even if they can understand each other, they can't give in because everyone is the same.
The blade shaking in mid-air slowly approached.
It was Grimmjow who used his last strength to tilt his whole body and thrust the blade towards him.
Facing this non-threatening sword, Kurosaki Ichigo put down his Zanpakuto and calmly raised his hand to hold the opponent's wrist.
"Grimmjow..."
"How can it be……"
Grimmjow gritted his teeth unwillingly, "How could I... lose? Only one person can become the 'king'... and I... must be the one who reaches the end..."
"I'm sorry... I also have a reason why I can't lose."
The expression on Kurosaki Ichigo's face was a little sad.
"So I can only ask you to fall down here."
As he spoke, his hands were slightly stronger.
Under such strength, Grimmjow could no longer support his body, and his whole body began to fall backwards.
Even though there was a look of reluctance in his eyes, he would no longer have the strength to change the fact of failure.
Grimmjow actually knew this in his heart, because as he said, only one person can become the 'king', and the rest... are all the bones built on the road to kingship.
As if he really thought about it and was ready to give up, Grimmjow did not resist again this time, but allowed his body to fall backwards.
"..."
Kurosaki Ichigo watched this scene calmly.
At this moment, he has made up his mind to continue walking along this path.
He thought that was probably what the man wanted him to understand in this trial.
A 'king' cannot be merciful. This is what is said about a general's success and the death of thousands of bones.
Just like he wants to reach that man now, the path he will take in the future will probably be the same. He must have enough awareness. Only by defeating everyone in front of him can he finally reach that position!
‘Half-hearted’, ‘guy like you’.
Kurosaki Ichigo suddenly remembered that there seemed to be more than one person who had commented on him in this way. Initially, it was because Byakuya, Renji and Mr. Urahara had warned him that he had better give up without realizing it because he took away Rukia's power.
Then there was Grimmjow in front of me now.
Although in the end he seemed to have proved with the results that he was not trying to be strong, but in reality?
He found that his mentality seemed to have not changed much from the beginning.
I never seriously realized that I was walking on an extremely cruel path.
Why is this so?
Ah...I remembered it.
It seems that no matter what you do, there is someone behind you to support you.
Since then, the idea that 'there will be no problems as long as that person is around' has become deeply ingrained in all of them unconsciously.
Yes, they all had this idea in the beginning.
Because that man was there, and because Inoue was the one protected by that man, they actually never believed from the beginning that that man would really become their enemy, or even destroy the whole world.
And now?
In the current situation, it seems that the man has not truly stood on their opposite side.
The current situation should be regarded as a hypothesis.
This man took Inoue away, simulating the situation of standing on their opposite side, and did not even intend to actually take their lives.
However, just such a hypothetical situation has made them feel so powerless.
This is reality.
He could no longer remain naive. Kurosaki Ichigo finally realized this at this moment. Countless people were struggling on this road. How could he be so naive as to think that he would reach the end with a half-hearted attitude?
Such an idea is simply stupid!
After thinking about it, Kurosaki Ichigo seemed to instantly understand why no matter whether it was Uryu Ishida, Renji Abarai or Grimmjow now, they were so unhappy with themselves, because this was not only stupid, but also trampling on these common people.
The awareness of people on the same path.
So far, all he seems to have grown is his strength.
And after this moment, he realized that he could not continue like this and must truly realize and grow!
"I am the winner, so I will continue to move forward. If you want to defeat me...just wait until you are healed and follow up, Grimmjow."
Looking at Grimmjow's fallen figure, a faint smile appeared on Kurosaki Ichigo's face after he realized what he was doing.
Yes, this is the courage that a person who embarks on the royal road should have.
He will continue to defeat everyone who stands in his path and is not afraid of anyone's challenge.
It doesn't matter once, twice, or countless times.
Only the person who sits firmly on the throne without fear of any challenge can be called a true ‘king’.
You can challenge me, but the outcome has already been determined.
Victory belongs only to me!
The jet-black blade returned to Kurosaki Ichigo's hands at some point.
He held the sharp blade in his hand and pointed at Grimmjow's falling figure with a grin.
"you lose."
"Damn you brat...you young man——"
Grimmjow's collapsed figure was unwilling to roar, but his voice stopped abruptly.
puff--
"!!"
The splatter of blood made Kurosaki Ichigo slightly stunned as he watched his opponent fall.
"You bastard!"
Angry roars resounded.
Ichigo Kurosaki raised Zangetsu in his hand and angrily yelled at the figure that suddenly appeared and slashed Grimmjow's fallen figure away with a knife. The dark crescent moon swallowed the person in front of him like a beast.
They have already decided the winner, and they have done so openly and honestly.
The winner can ignore the cry of the loser, but he should not tolerate anyone trampling on this conscious battle.
And...that's not all that made him angry.
The person who suddenly appeared in front of him was holding another figure in his hand.
That was... the seriously injured and dying Taihu Sado!
"Ah."
However, after the dark spiritual pressure whizzed past, a sneer sounded in front of him.
"Really, it's really embarrassing to lose to a guy of this level. It's so embarrassing to linger for a long time without dying, Grimmjow!"
Neutra's tone was full of disdain.
As he spoke, he threw the humanoid in his hand in the direction where Grimmjow was sent flying.
"Trash should stay with trash. Next, let me take care of this guy who defeated you. Don't worry, this trash will be with you soon."
"You guy..."
Listening to the disdainful words from the other party's mouth and watching the movements of the other party's hands, Kurosaki Ichigo's face was filled with anger.
But reason told him that the person in front of him was not an enemy that he could defeat with anger.
His current physical condition is not good. The attack from Crescent Sky Chong just now was his last strength, but this guy suddenly appeared and seemed unscathed.
To be able to stand in front of him unscathed and taunting after the battle with Chadou.
This was an unprecedentedly powerful enemy, probably not far from Ulquiorra who could defeat him without any chance of fighting back.
"Is there something wrong with what I said? Little devil."
Nnoitra stuck out her tongue and licked the corners of her lips, the smile on her face was full of mockery, "Do you think you can beat me?"
"!!"
Looking at the numbers engraved on the other person's tongue, Kurosaki Ichigo's expression turned ugly.
It seemed that he had guessed correctly.
‘5’.
These are the numbers engraved on the tongue of the guy in front of me.
Even if the strength difference between ten-blade level enemies is only one number, it is not trivial. This guy actually has a number like '5', so even if he is not as good as Ulquiorra, he should be much stronger than Grimmjow.
He had already used all his strength to deal with Grimmjow, a stronger enemy... and now he had no chance of winning against it!
"Nnoitra... you bastard..."
Grimmjow, who fell to the ground, struggled unwillingly.
He was now feeling even more unhappy than losing to Kurosaki Ichigo.
Because the person who just defeated him is about to lose to another guy that he hates.
Ten Blades NO.5 Nnoitra Gilga, this is a guy that he hates extremely much.
This guy always claims that he is the 'strongest' Arrancar.
He didn't know if he was the strongest, but this guy was definitely the worst.
It symbolizes despair. There is no need for any reason to fight, and there is no so-called 'justice'.
Even if the opponent is unarmed, as long as he stands opposite this guy, he will be killed without mercy.
Although Grimmjow despises such a guy from the bottom of his heart, there is nothing he can do about it...this guy's strength is real.
There is only one numerical difference between him and this guy. Although it makes him uncomfortable to say it, it is the fact... There is no suspense in his fight with this guy!
The sharp claws he is proud of may not even be able to break through this guy's defense.
The cruel reality made him and Kurosaki Ichigo feel equally powerless at this moment.
Although they were very reluctant, even if the two of them were in their prime, their chances of winning against the sudden appearance of Nnoitra were slim.
The result was already clear without hitting him.
There is no doubt that Kurosaki Ichigo will lose to this guy.
This fight isn't fair, but so what?
No one will care.
"You still have the energy to speak. Didn't I tell you to die quickly? Grimmjow."
Nnoitra looked at Grimmjow who was lying on the ground and looked at him with resentful eyes, curling his lips slightly with a look of disdain on his face.
call--
Almost the next moment, he arrived in front of Grimmjow, wielding the heavy Twin Moon Scythe in his hand ruthlessly.
clang--
A crisp shouting sound sounded.
"Um?"
Nnoitra looked at Kurosaki Ichigo who was standing in front of her giant scythe, with some doubts in her eyes.
"Kid, what are you doing?"
"Should I be the one to ask this?"
Kurosaki Ichigo's face was full of anger, but the power of oppression from top to bottom made his tone of voice extremely heavy, "You even attack people who can't move. You guy...don't you have any identity?"
A warrior’s reserve!?”
"ha!?"
After hearing this, the power in Nnoitra's hands began to increase.
boom--
A violent bombardment sounded.
The giant scythe fell mercilessly into the white sand, kicking up dust.
At the critical moment, Kurosaki Ichigo, who fled with the immobilized Grimmjow and Sadatora Taihu, looked in the direction filled with smoke and his forehead was covered with sweat.
When the smoke dissipated, Nnoitra still had a disdainful smile on her face, as if she felt that there was nothing wrong with what she did.
No, this should be a matter of course.
"Reserved? Is that useful in a battle?"
He sneered and asked the young man in front of him, his tone full of contempt, "The weak have no right to live. They will die sooner or later anyway. I will clean it up. Is there anything wrong with it? If you want to teach...just show your strength.
How about convincing me!?”
"..."
Kurosaki Ichigo fell into silence after hearing this.
He seemed to gradually calm down.
Looking at Nnoitra in front of him, his eyes gradually became cold.
Because he understood that anger is meaningless.
The guy in front of me is right.
Everything except strength in battle is meaningless. There is no right or wrong or fairness on this cruel road, only victory or defeat.
call--
The dark spiritual pressure emerged again, and the next moment, Kurosaki Ichigo appeared in front of Neutra dragging his body covered with bruises.
"Well done!"
Looking at the incoming jet-black blade, Nnoitra had a crazy smile on his face.
"You didn't let me run away in vain! I thought you would turn around and run away!?"
He was very satisfied that the person in front of him could swing a knife at him in such a physical state.
All he needs to do now is to kill this kid, and then wait for him to resurrect and have a good fight!
It's really great.
For the first time, he felt that the enemy was immortal, so it was so wonderful?
Of course... it's also possible that the guy I met before was too weak and didn't notice it.
clang--
The crisp voice was like a tune of despair, which made Ichigo Kurosaki's heart tremble.
Zangetsu stood on Nnoitra without mercy.
But this guy doesn't dodge or dodge.
He actually withstood the blow with his physical body!
The dark spiritual pressure continued to wash away Nnoitra's body, but the blade did not even leave a trace of mark on his body. Of course, the constantly eroding spiritual pressure had no effect.