Las Noches

10 advanced chapters on my Patreon: Fiction Haven

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Ichigo ended up spending the night at the Unagiya. Ikumi profusely apologized to him in the morning. He waved it off with a laugh, amused by how red she was. He understood what she was thinking. They had cuddled on the sofa till the morning, after all. It was luck that prevented Kaoru from seeing his mother cuddling with the person he considered a cool older brother.

Ikumi invited Ichigo to have tea with her in the next three days. She dressed more femininely each time they met, prompting Ichigo to tell her he found her attractive even in her tomboyish outfits. That silenced her for five minutes. She refused to look Ichigo in the eye and argued that she wanted to enjoy the silence despite her rosy cheeks.

Ichigo kept in touch with Ikumi just in case her accursed brother-in-law bothered her and Kaoru again. They texted every night and mostly talked about mundane things. Fortunately, the bastard was wise enough not to cause a fuss. Soul Society didn't have control over him. He wouldn't mind sending some souls to Soul Society…or Hell.

The awaited day came a day later. True to his words, Kisuke finished the bridge in one week. An Alternative Dangai between the Human World and Soul Society had been established. It could only be accessed by authorized people, eliminating the chance of getting compromised. Ichigo's team came on the same day.

"Oy, oy, Ichigo, why are you stronger than the last time we met? Is that an invitation to fight?"

"Yahoo, Ichi-chan!"

"Kurosaki Ichigo… It has been some time."

"How are you, Ichigo-kun?"

Coming out of the Alternative Senkaimon was Kenpachi with Yachiru on his shoulder, Byakuya who greeted him awkwardly, Retsu the angelic demoness, Shūhei the 9th Division's Lieutenant, Mayuri the condescending clown, and Nemu the clown's creation. Ichigo nodded at the lineup.

"I will bid my family goodbye first before we leave."

"Immediately?" Byakuya asked with a puzzled look. "What about the plan?"

"You would have come sooner if you cared about a plan," Ichigo snorted.

"But we were…"

Byakuya refrained from talking any longer. He realized they could have communicated through the Garganta Lines instead of waiting for the alternative bridge to be established. Kenpachi laughed at Ichigo's nonchalance. Plans are for the weak. Strong people like them don't need a plan.

True to his word, Ichigo left Urahara Shop and went home. Byakuya and the others came in the evening, so everyone was at home. Although Yuzu could see him more clearly these days, Ichigo still bade farewell in his physical body. His twin sisters looked uncomfortable as he told them he would leave for some time. Isshin only grabbed his shoulder strongly and remained silent.

Ichigo popped Nova into his mouth, ejecting his soul. He pulled Nova to the corner and told him how to act on certain occasions; like having tea with Ikumi, hanging out with his Karate clubmates, and flirting with the female populace. The last one was a habit he had recently picked up. He found their reactions funny but didn't act on it. He was a loyalist, after all.

"Yuzu, Karin, I am leaving. Listen to Dad and don't hesitate to ask Nova for help, okay?"

"Be careful, Ichi-nii."

"Onii-chan…"

"Leave Yuzu-chan and Karin-chan to me, Ichigo-san."

Yuzu and Karin both looked reluctant, but only Yuzu was crying. Yuzu was the house's crybaby, so it wasn't surprising. She held her tears back, though, making Ichigo reconsider his decision to leave for Hueco Mundo for a brief moment. He shook his head and looked at his stoic father sternly. A silent communication occurred between the two. He bade them goodbye and left the house.

A series of Shunpō brought him to Urahara Shop in less than five seconds. He landed beside Byakuya who registered his presence late. Everyone turned to Ichigo with a well-hidden surprise. They didn't expect someone of his caliber to be stealthy. Ichigo gave the group a once-over. He noticed more people joining them.

In addition to the group were Renji, Ikkaku, and Yumichika. Sado had just joined them, but Ichigo had planned to include him, so he didn't count. The group now consisted of Retsu, Sado, Kenpachi, Yachiru, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Byakuya, Renji, Shūhei, Mayuri, and Nemu. Yoruichi stayed to help Kisuke take care of the Human World along with the rest of the Shinigami stationed there.

"This is more than needed. We are only going to conquer Las Noches; not Hueco Mundo," Ichigo remarked in amusement. "Right. We need our guide too."

"Guide?"

Byakuya voiced out everyone's thoughts and looked at Ichigo in wonder. Ignoring them, Ichigo called Shinji. A brief conversation occurred. No one could hear what Ichigo and Shinji talked about, but they could tell Shinji wasn't too happy with what Ichigo said. One minute later, six people joined them at the shop. Shinji brought Tier and her Fracción with Kensei's help.

"They are all yours, Ichigo," Shinji said with a mocking grin before disappearing with Kensei.

"Is that…"

Shūhei couldn't believe his eyes. The Visored's existence was kept a secret, so he didn't expect to encounter his former captain so soon. He schooled his features when he noticed no one reacted much. He focused his gaze on the four Arrancars instead. He wondered what Ichigo would do with them.

"We are going to Las Noches. I wonder if you can be a dear guide for us," Ichigo said with a cordial smile.

"After what you made us go through?" Emilou spat, recalling Ichigo's humiliating teasing she had to undergo. "Like hell, we will!"

"What do you think, dear?" Ichigo regarded Tier, whose gaze trembled eyes trembled slightly. She was also Ichigo's teasing victim.

Retsu's eyes narrowed at the interaction and so did Yoruichi's. They didn't know Ichigo and this absolute nobody was close. Of course, they were aware of how Ichigo generally behaved around women. What displeased them was Tier's reaction. However brief it was, they had seen the possessive glint in her eyes.

"Are my Fracción going to be set free after this?" Tier asked neutrally.

"You will also be set free," Ichigo assured.

"Very well."

Under everyone's bewildered look, Ichigo released the Bakudō on the Arrancars. The Shinigami Captains put their hands on the hilt of their Zanpakutō, ready to draw them at any moment. Tier didn't flinch, but her Fracción became worried. Ichigo waved his hand, putting everyone at ease. Many noted how easily they had let go of their Zanpakutō, but the rest just accepted Ichigo's commanding presence.

"Relax, everyone. We can backstab each other after the end of the mission. Doing that right now will only result in an unfair death," Ichigo remarked in amusement.

"What are you…"

As soon as Emilou spoke, the Reishi wire wrapping around the Arrancars' neck revealed itself. This time, even Tier couldn't help but widen her eyes. No one knew when Ichigo had ensnared them. Everyone turned to the smiling young hybrid. His soft smile was charming but equally terrifying. They were reminded of his power. His calm and vast Reiryoku became choking with each passing second. They realized they could drown in his Reiryoku.

"Shall we?" The Arrancars nodded stiffly causing Ichigo to laugh softly. "Sorry, dears. I didn't mean to scare or distrust you. You can't be too careful nowadays."

The Arrancars nodded stiffly. Ichigo flashed them a smile and then gave a nod to his team. He flicked the air and opened the way to Garganta. He stepped in first, quickly followed by the Arrancars and Sado. The Shinigami were the last to enter. Retsu positioned herself in the back, taking the role of the overseer due to her experience. She doubted anyone in their group was incompetent, but it wouldn't hurt to be careful.

Retsu looked at the thick Reiryoku path under them and noted that Ichigo's control over his Reiryoku had improved. His growth was as monstrous as ever. The dim light at the end of the tunnel revealed itself to be a black-and-white world the closer they got. Before long, they stepped out of the Garganta and arrived at Hueco Mundo.

The Shinigami took a minute to look around and adjust themselves to Hueco Mundo's atmosphere. They could have adjusted themselves on their way to Las Noches, but Ichigo didn't want to take a chance. Hueco Mundo was an unpredictable place. Anything could go wrong there. He couldn't let a simple case of disorientation hamper their fighting prowess.

"Lead the way, Tier."

That was everyone's cue to move. Ichigo let Tier take over and her Fracción take positions behind her. Some Shinigami worried that the Arrancars would run away but didn't voice it out. Ichigo was keeping a close eye on the Arrancars. He was quite close to Tier but didn't want to take any chances. He was not naïve enough to rely on a promise.

They ran for an hour but didn't seem to get closer to Las Noches. They would have thought the building they could see from their location was but an illusion had Tier not informed them Las Noches was indeed far from where they arrived. The reason why it seemed close was its sheer size. That put a somber look on the Captains as they wondered how long Aizen had been dwelling in Hueco Mundo.

Six more hours passed until they decided to get rest. Hollows avoided them thanks to the Arrancars even though their Reiatsu attracted the Hollows.

"What is that?"

The ground rumbled two minutes into their rest. They turned their heads to find three Hollows chasing after a crying child. Sado stood up and was about to run to the kid, but Ichigo stopped much to his confusion. Ichigo gestured for him to take a closer look and found himself surprised when he realized the child was an Arrancar.

Everyone turned to Ichigo to see what he would do. He smiled softly before trapping the child and the Hollows in a jail made out of Reishi.