A warm sensation slowly covered me from head to toe. The air crackled with a vibrant energy and streaks of red and blue lights danced in my surroundings as I advanced into the long corridors of Las Noches.

The Hogyoku had decided to grant me my wish. Now I had an opportunity to get my revenge. Everything else depended on my own abilities to grab this golden opportunity.

I continued advancing, when the world around me shifted abruptly. The familiar surroundings dissolved into a blinding white light, causing black spots to dance across my vision. My mind tried to understand the sudden change.

Blinking my eyes, the world started to become clear once again. I was now in a vast yellow desert with sparse desert trees. A sight I was used to from my younger days in my past life.

This barren landscape served as a reflection of my loneliness, my mindscape.

“You know. This place used to be devoid of trees before you formed your family.” A familiar voice interrupted my survey of my mind. “But as your family grew, so did the trees.”

Startled, I turned to the voice, only for my thought process to come to a screeching halt.

Standing before me was someone I knew very well. A dark haired, asian man I was used to seeing in my reflection.

it was none other than Sora Inoue, the original owner of the body I currently inhabit.

But something was different about him, his form was not that of a normal arrancar like I expected.

No, he was currently covered by our segunda etapa’s resurrección.

A white armor covered him from his fingers to his shoulders, two concealed spikes protruded menacingly from his arms. Red lines ran from his hands to his hollow hole in the center of his chest.

His legs were bent in a crouched stance, a long red tail, with black flame-like patterns, supported his weight.

Finally, he sported a pair of small red wings.

“What the…” I tried to curse, but the sound that escaped my lips left me dumbfounded. “What?”

I was not mistaken, it was my old soft voice, the one I hated from my old life.

“So you haven’t noticed.” He pointed out with a sly grin. “Here, we appear in our true forms.”

I looked down, observing my own physical form, one that resembled the one of my past life. A weak and thin body, with a skin slightly tanned by the sun.

“These clothes…” I muttered in disbelief.

The only difference with my own looks from the past was the unmistakable Shinigami garb I sported and a thin and long sword sheathed at my hip.

“Jajajaja!” Sora laughed, clutching his belly. “You actually thought you could transform me into your power source? With such feeble strength? Did you truly believe you could turn me into an Asauchi?”

Sora's laughter echoed through the desolate landscape, reverberating in my ears.

I was stunned, my eyes locked on Sora as his joyful expression turned grim.

“It seems.” He finally declared, his voice heavy. "You are in dire need of awakening.”

His words stung, each of them sendings waves of unease into my chest.

Unable to continue bearing them, I gritted my teeth until my fangs snapped. It was then that I made my decision, I needed to launch an attack right there.

In a swift motion, I extended my sword, intending to pierce his stomach, my reach extended by the much thinner sword.

However, as the blade sliced through the air, Sora's tail twisted with lightning speed. With another small movement of his lower body, he managed to deflect my long sword.

“How hasty!” Sora chuckled. “Well, being faster than the competence was the only way you ever managed to get laid.”

“Shut up.” I snapped.

I didn't want him to continue reopening the wounds of my past, the scars I had fought so hard to overcome.

Gathering my spiritual energy in my feet, I recalled the shunpo I had seen Yoruichi execute in our last encounter.

With a surge of power, I executed the shunpo, a flash step, propelling myself forward with newfound speed. I became a blur, allowing me to run around Sora.

Sora’s eyes widened for a second before his lips curled into a smirk. Effortlessly, he outpaced me with the use of his Sonido.

I could only cover my face with my arm as he delivered a powerful slap to my face.

I winced in my pain, my left arm throbbing with every beat of my pounding heart.

“Interesting! But it won’t be enough!” He shouted out, his voice echoing around us.

With that said, he started to run around me, likely waiting for an opportunity to deliver another hit.

In a defensive move, I started to spin clockwise, my sword held outwards with its sharp edge acting as a makeshift shield.

Unfortunately, Sora continued laughing as a red glow surrounded the hidden spikes of his arms. “Taste the pain of my Balas.”

An overwhelming barrage of balas erupted from his form and surrounded me, hitting me in my sword hand, my forehead and finally my stomach.

This last blow, sending me flying into the air and into the scorching sand created by my mind.

“Shit!” The sand buried deep into my skin, scorching my face and hands.

“How satisfying.” Sora sneered, reveling in my pain.

Ignoring my screaming body, I forced myself to rise from the blistering ground, spitting out a mouthful of sand. I looked around, searching for something to help me deal with the crazy arrancar.

It was then that something clicked inside my head.

If I was now in a shinigami form, didn’t that mean that I should possess the power of a shinigami as well?

With that realization, I closed my eyes, focusing my thoughts and reaching deep within myself. Gripping my sword tightly, I delved into the depths of my being, searching for that newfound power that could bring my salvation.

Finding it was easy, like looking for your keys inside your own pockets. It was as if it had always resided within me, patiently awaiting my call.

Faster than I expected, I gathered my spiritual pressure on the tip of my sword. The intensity of the gathered spiritual pressure emitted a blinding light that I could see even with my eyes tightly shut.

“Constraint and illuminate.”

Feeling a newfound confidence, I unleashed the mini sun against Sora.

Finally, I opened my eyes, only to be met with a smokescreen that veiled the figure before me. As the smoke cleared, Sora emerged unscathed, wearing a mocking smile upon his face. His Hierro had withstood the full power of my attack.

Faster than I had expected, his counterattack flew towards me in the form of a purple liquid at an alarming speed.

“Careful!” I cried out, my instincts kicking in.

I barely managed to dodge it with a big jump backwards.
Yet, the attack had grazed the edges of my robes, causing my clothes to sizzle as they were slightly burnt.

I was about to retort to Sora when he suddenly appeared in front of me.

“Got you.” He declared.

In an instant, I felt an excruciating impact in my reformed sternum, expelling the very air from my lungs. The force sent me crashing into the scorching sand once again.

“Huh!” Groaning in pain, I mustered every ounce of strength to rise, my back throbbing with each attempt.

“Not so fast!” Sora exclaimed as he stepped firmly on my chest, twisting his heel in the process and forcing me to spit my remaining air.

He looked down at me, his face turning serious. “Now, it is time for you to stop denying the truth. Renato”

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Omake: Resolve

Ichigo sat on top of the weird snake hollow that the arrancar Nel called her pet.

“So let me get this straight.” He asked skeptically. “You're saying you can lead us into Las Noches to rescue Orihime?”

“Yes!” Nel nodded eagerly.

“Ignore their eccentricities, Kurosaki.” Uryu Ishida interceded. “Our primary goal is to save Inoue.”

“I can’t believe that girl has three admirers, Right Turyuu.” Pesche added, referring to Uryu.

Dondochakka added with a chuckle “Maybe they'll have a showdown for her affections once we bring her back!”

“Oi! We are not like that.” Ichigo's fury flared, his grip tightening around his Zanpakuto

“Maybe we should start our hunt here.” Uryu said with a dark face as he adjusted his glasses.

In the back of them, Nel muttered with a light smile. “It wouldn’t surprise me, after all her brother has one of his own.”

Sado just looked down at the note his former mentor had sent him after they arrived at Hueco Mundo, wondering if he was the rumored impregnator of Las Noches.