However, Ulquiorra refused to admit this.
He believed he could shatter the two humans' delusions with his own strength.
Ichigo shouted, "Ulquiorra, you talk too much! Let Inoue do what she wants! Thank you, Inoue!" His voice carried both gratitude and determination, eyes blazing with resolve behind his mask.
After saying that, he swung Tensa Zangetsu and slashed fiercely at Ulquiorra. The black and red Reiatsu surged forward, rolling toward his opponent like a tidal wave of darkness.
Ulquiorra immediately sensed the difference in this attack.
First, Ichigo hadn't completely wrapped Getsuga Tenshō around his blade this time, but had released part of it directly. Second, the power of this crescent was much stronger, enough to make him feel threatened.
"Black Getsuga," Ulquiorra muttered to himself.
Remembering when he'd been struck by this technique before, Ulquiorra looked up to see the Shinigami before him wearing a Hollow mask. His opponent had indeed activated his Hollowfication, and the power was even greater than before. Was it because he was more prepared this time?
While contemplating this, Ulquiorra blocked the powerful attack with his sword—but his expression immediately changed.
Under the impact of the black and red Getsuga, his sword developed a small crack. The force was too strong to block!
Without hesitation, Ulquiorra flew backward.
BOOM!
The power of the Black Getsuga combined with Ulquiorra's Reiatsu easily smashed through the stone wall of the Fifth Tower. He fell toward the desert below.
Ichigo, with black and red Reiatsu still wrapped around his blade, rushed through the opening, ready to continue pursuing Ulquiorra.
In mid-air, Ulquiorra remained completely composed. Green light condensed at his fingertips, and a flash of energy halted Ichigo's attack. Then, he activated Sonído, tore open a Garganta, and instantly transported himself to the dome of Las Noches. Ichigo, following closely, also arrived at the dome.
"There are two things forbidden beneath the dome of Las Noches," Ulquiorra stated calmly. "First, the Espada are prohibited from using Gran Rey Cero; second, Espada ranked four or above are not allowed to release their Resurrección. These powers are too destructive and would damage Las Noches' structure."
"Now, witness my Resurrección! Enclose, Murciélago!"
Beneath the enormous crescent moon, Ulquiorra activated his Resurrección, releasing his true form! Green Reiatsu fell like heavy rain, sprinkling onto Ichigo's shoulders and enveloping the world!
"This is Ulquiorra's Resurrección, Murciélago!" Behind his mask, Ichigo stared at Ulquiorra in shock, his body frozen. The bone-white material of his mask gleamed under the moonlight, his eyes wide with disbelief.
A chaotic, gloomy, ominous, and overwhelmingly oppressive Reiatsu blanketed the vicinity of Las Noches.
Chad, Uryū, Rukia, and the others who had just finished their battles looked up at the dome in surprise. There were still such powerful beings?!
Behind his Hollow mask with its half-scarlet stripe, Ichigo's pupils contracted rapidly as the figure in his vision grew larger—Ulquiorra in his released form.
The green Reiatsu shook the world like rainfall, overwhelming everything with its oppressive weight.
This was the emptiness that Ulquiorra revered.
Under the massive crescent moon, Ulquiorra in his true form spread his black wings like a descending demon.
He wore a white robe reminiscent of a priest, yet bore black wings like a demon, creating a ghostly and terrifying appearance. His pale skin seemed to absorb the moonlight rather than reflect it, and his emerald eyes burned with cold intensity.
In this moment, all of Hueco Mundo and Las Noches became Ulquiorra's stage. His temperament, presence, and posture aligned perfectly with Hueco Mundo itself.
Before his transformation, the mask on Ulquiorra's face was only half-formed—unbalanced, representing the incompleteness and emptiness of Hollows.
In his perception, nothingness was the Hollow's destination and the true meaning of the world. Other concepts—death, sacrifice, anger, despair, arrogance—were merely manifestations of nothingness.
People like Ichigo and Orihime, with their firm ideals and strong beliefs, were denying the very foundation of his existence.
Previously, Ulquiorra hadn't fully grasped that the contradiction between their worldviews was irreconcilable, nor had he understood the nature of Ichigo and Orihime's beliefs.
Some things that seemed self-evident to him were incomprehensible from Ichigo's perspective. For instance, he believed that submitting to superior strength was natural and required no justification, like leaves blown by a strong wind. This explained his allegiance to Aizen.
However, Ichigo and Orihime operated differently.
These humans, insignificant as ants in his view, refused to surrender or give up. Facing seemingly insurmountable odds, they still refused to yield. Their conviction was blindingly bright.
Therefore, Ulquiorra resolved to completely crush his opponent and consume their belief with nothingness.
For the first time, he possessed both the will and determination to fight proactively.
Hovering above, Ulquiorra gazed down at the partially Hollowfied Ichigo and stated coldly, "Don't relax for a moment! Stay alert and tense! This battle will end in an instant!"
As his words faded, Ulquiorra condensed a green energy lance in his hand.
This was the ultimate technique of his Resurrección—a weapon composed of super-compressed Reiatsu with terrifying power. It could be wielded at close range for cutting or thrown from a distance as a devastating explosive. Its destructive potential was immense, and he could condense it at will.
In the next moment, this energy lance struck Ichigo's face and detonated.
BOOM!
After a deafening explosion, green Reiatsu engulfed the entire dome of Las Noches, unleashing unimaginable destructive force. For a moment, the earth shook and the world trembled.
When the blast cleared, Ichigo stood stunned. Half the mask on his face had been blown away. Blood trickled down his forehead, and his breath came in ragged gasps.
If he hadn't instinctively released Getsuga Tenshō to block part of his opponent's attack, his head would likely have been shattered.
Ichigo hadn't expected that even with his Hollowfication, he couldn't keep pace with Ulquiorra's casual attack.
His opponent's speed was too great—so fast he couldn't react. Ulquiorra loomed like a mountain; no matter how strong Ichigo became, he couldn't escape his overwhelming presence. The sense of oppression was crushing.
In his shocked state, Ichigo secretly felt relief: "Fortunately, I've witnessed Commander Shiroha's speed before, so I was able to react at the last moment. Thankfully, Ulquiorra's speed isn't as fast as Commander Shiroha's."