Chapter 56 - A Returning Threat

"Aaaghhh!!!" Grimmjow and Ichigo yelled as they continuously charged at each other, both parties covered with injuries but Grimmjow having the worst of the two.. As Ichigo's zanpakuto clashed with Grimmjow's arm, his blade began to sink into this arm. Grimmjow looked at Ichigo angrily as blood dripped from his arm. As he was losing the clash, Grimmjow kicked Ichigo in the torso, sending him flying back. As he regained his balance mid air, Grimmjow aimed his elbow at Ichigo.

Several green spikes shot out from his elbow at Ichigo. As the spikes all convened towards Ichigo, he deflected them all away with several quick swings of his blade, causing the spikes to fall to the ground as the ground cracked below them.

"I don't know how the hell you got so strong in a short amount of time, but let's see you block this!" Grimmjow raised his arm in front of him and a blue light began to charge in his palm.

"Eat a Gran Ray Cero and die, Kurosaki!" Grimmjow laughed as he fired the blue blast at Ichigo. Ichigo prepared himself as he poured his reiatsu into Tensa Zangetsu. As his blade, now overfilled with reiatsu began to leak out, he swung it.

"Getsuga Tensho!"

Ichigo fired a large arc of black reiatsu at Grimmjow, clashing with the Gran Ray Cero briefly as the two blasts pushed against each other. Eventually, Ichigo's blast overcame Grimmjow's and Grimmjow found himself swallowed up by the blast. From the explosion, Grimmjow's body fell from the sky to the ground below.

Ichigo followed and landed on the ground near a heavily injured Grimmjow.

"I'm not done yet, Kurosaki!" Grimmjow yelled as he ran towards Ichigo. In response, Ichigo raised his blade and prepared to slash down at Grimmjow. As Grimmjow was within striking distance of Ichigo, he collapsed and skid across the ground past Ichigo. Ichigo stopped his swing halfway through has he felt another familiar reiatsu in the area.

"He's back…" Ichigo said to himself as he sensed the reiatsu and began running full speed towards it.

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Hueco Mundo

"Oh you've returned, Ulquiorra. But why are you empty handed." Aizen questioned, surprised at Ulquiorra's failure.

"Forgive me, Lord Aizen, but Uchiha Itachi was far more crafty than I anticipated. Allow me to show you." Ulquiorra said as he plucked his eyeball out of its socket and crushed it in his hand. Aizen smirked as Ulquiorra's memories began to play for him.

"So he has that ability does he?" Aizen commented. 'Looking at his eyes can put those under an effect similar to my Kyoka Suigetsu. How interesting.'

"Very well. Ulquiorra. Take Kaname and Starrk with you to the living world and retrieve Inoue. If Uchiha is still with her, bring him to me or kill him it does not matter. I would prefer the former but if he dies, so be it." Aizen ordered. "Tell Starrk not to look into Uchiha's eyes. Also, all three of you are allowed to fight at full power if needed."

"Understood, Lord Aizen. But what if other Captains from Soul Society are to show up?" Ulquiorra asked. "With this many high ranking Espada showing up at once in the living world, they are bound to take action."

"I have that taken care of already. Nothing an army of menos grande sent to Soul Society cannot stall." Aizen replied with a smirk.

"Yes, Lord Aizen. I will not fail you this time." Ulquiorra bowed before leaving through a garganta.

"You seem to be having fun with this." Gin commented as he walked out from behind Aizen's throne. "But don't you think it will be bad if they go all out in Karakura town? They might wipe out the entire city. Then what souls will we use for the Ouken?"

"It won't get to that point. I expect the battle to have ended before it gets that far. Remember, the shinigami also want to protect human lives as well." Aizen replied with a smile. 'Uchiha Itachi...you are making this far more entertaining than I had planned for it to be.'

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"Mr. Uchiha, why were we suddenly attacked?" Orihime asked.

"He was most likely sent by Aizen but not even I know the exact reason why he wanted you. The reason he stopped was because of a technique of mine. Now come, I need to get you somewhere safe. We'll go to Urahara's shop." Itachi said as he sensed the large reiatsus nearby fighting. 'This reiatsu...is Kurosaki's. He's certainly grown since our training. The other reiatsu must be that Espada, Grimmjow. And I can sense a bit further away, Captain Hitsugaya and the others fighting.'

"No, I need to help Kurosaki! He might be hurt." Orihime said as she began running in Ichigo's direction only for Itachi to stop her by appearing in front of her.

"I understand your dėsɨrė to protect him, but right now, the Arrancar are after you. Kurosaki can certainly hold his own without us. For now, we need to-" Itachi stopped talking as he sensed a large reiatsu appear behind him. He turned around in time to draw his blade and saw a familiar face as he clashed swords.

"So you've returned to try and take Inoue again?" Itachi said as he blocked Ulquiorra's blade. Ulquiorra quickly backed up from Itachi. 'He's not making eye contact with me. Did he figure out my genjutsu?' Itachi noted.

"That is correct, Uchiha Itachi. However, I am not alone this time." Ulquiorra said as another Garganta opened behind him.

From the Garganta, two more figures walked out. Itachi recognized one of them as Tousen and the other was a tall man with brown wavy hair and a faded goatee.

"Uchiha Itachi. Surrender over that woman now."