Orihime has been abducted by the Arrancars.
In order to save her, Ichigo, Ishida, and Sado
have marched into Hueco Mundo, the world of the Hollows.
The first place that Ichigo and his friends came to upon exiting the Garganta
was Underground Path 22, a place for intercepting intruders.
They crush the Arrancars standing in their way
and set off for Aizen's palace, Las Noches.
Is that Las Noches?
It's huge…
It's hard to tell how far away we are from it.
Let's run…
If we wait around, we might get into another fight.
A human?!
Could it be that there are other humans aside from us?!
Brother!
Huh?
No!
It hurts! It hurts! The tip! The tip is poking me!
Stop! Stop that!
What did we do to you?!
Stop picking on us!
A mask?!
You're…a Hollow?!
We're really sorry!
We never thought that our game of eternal pursuit
would cause such a misunderstanding.
Game of eternal pursuit?
Unfortunately, Hueco Mundo doesn't have any entertainment.
A game?
You were crying a little.
Yes! Nel is a real masochist.
It's no fun unless Nel is chased to the point where Nel cries a little!
What kind of words are you teaching this kid?!
Is “Nel” your name?
Yes!
Nel is an Arrancar named Nel Tu.
An Arrancar?!
Yes!
By the way, this here is…
Nel's older brother, Pesche.
And his older brother, Dondochakka!
Huh?
And the big thing behind us is our pet Bawabawa!
Wait, wait, wait, wait!
What is it?
Arrancars have siblings and pets?!
How rude! Of course they do!
I ran into her by chance and she was so cute that I became her brother.
Oh, same here!
That's not what you would call siblings.
Then… Then what are we?!
We're not siblings?!
No way!
No, that's fine…
I was wrong… You guys can be siblings.
But still…
Are you guys really Arrancars?
What are you saying?!
Can't you see this splendidly cracked mask!
It's just that…
You seem different from the guys that came to the World of the Living.
Oh! Of course!
The ones who went to the World of the Living are Numeros!
Nume…what?
Numeros are those who are greater than Menos Grande
and have become Arrancars!
They go by two digit numbers and are allowed to directly serve the Espada!
That's great, isn't it?
I'm jealous.
The Numeros are the fighting experts!
They're completely different than trash pests like us!
"Trash pests"?
That aside, you look even less like an Arrancar!
You don't have any mask and you wear a black kimono.
It's as if you're a S…
You're like a Soul Reaper.
U-Umm…
What is it?
What’s…umm…your occupation?
Ichigo Kurosaki, Substitute Soul Reaper!
Quincy, Uryu Ishida.
Yasutora Sado… I'm human.
A Soul Reaper?!
A Quincy?!
A human?!
Put all three of them together and they’re…
– Bad guys! – Bad guys!
You didn't know who we were?
That's because you didn't say who you were!
They really are bad guys!
So they were bad guys!
Oh no! Nel is sure that… Nel is sure that…
– They're going to kill us! – Yeah… Yeah…
No… We're not going to kill you.
Honestly. This is throwing me off.
Arrancars like this exist, huh?
What should we do?!
Hmm…
We're in trouble!
Nel thinks we really should exterminate the bad guys!
But I don't think we can win at all!
But Soul Reapers are still bad guys!
That's right! Let's invite them to a game of eternal pursuit.
We'll pretend we're playing and defeat them!
That's a good idea!
We might be able to beat them!
What?
Oh Mr. Soul Reaper…
If you aren't bad guys, then play with us!
Huh?!
Here we go!
Wha—?!
Come on!
It's a game of eternal pursuit!
Hey, you!
Catch Nel!
Then beat Nel up and make Nel cry!
Why you…
Let's go!
Wait!
Why?!
This is a game of eternal pursuit!
We're going to teach you a lesson!
Kurosaki sure got his zanpakuto stolen easily.
Wait!
Did he want to play a game of eternal pursuit?
Why us, too?!
That's what I want to know.
We've got new players!
Ah!
This is the essence of eternal pursuit!
The more people you have, the more fun it gets!
It's as profound as rock-paper-scissors!
Rock-paper-scissors doesn't exactly get more fun the more people you have!
This also isn't exactly fun!
Phew… That was close.
Hey! Can you stand?
Y-You saved Nel?
Of course…
You would have been squashed under them.
Are you hurt anywhere?
N-No…
I see. That's good…
We've got to hurry.
Later!
A-Are you trying to run away?!
Huh?
Are you trying to run away after what you did to us?!
Huh?!
We're in a hurry!
We can't play with you!
That's so mean!
You were just toying with Nel’s feelings!
– You should have just killed Nel instead! – What's going on?
In that case, I'll kill them!
Something's coming!
H-H-H-H-H-H-H-He…
Who is he?!
It's Runuganga, the Guardian of the White Sand!
I was just informed only moments ago by Las Noches that we had intruders.
I never would have thought that those intruders
were associated with trash pests like you.
Unforgivable… I'm going to turn you all into desert sand!
No… It's not like that! We actually…
– Stand aside. – Huh?
It seems we can't play around with him.
Let's go, monster!
Getsugatensho!
All right!
He did it!
It was so sudden! It was a sneak attack!
That's cheating!
– He's a bad guy! – He's a bad guy!
Shut up!
It's fine. I'm saving you!
Anyway, I'm swinging at him head on. It's not a sneak attack!
Kurosaki!
He's coming!
What?!
Wha—?!
You surprise attacked me and you aren't remorseful.
Intruder… I really can't forgive you!
I said it wasn't a surprise attack!
Anyway, why is he back to normal?!
What's with him?!
Of course he's back to normal! Runuganga is made of sand!
Don't give me that!
He's after you too!
Don't just stand around!
No more talk!
How impudent!
Look out!
How persistent!
I'm going to finish you off all at once!
Fools…
It's useless!
Fools!
Did you think you could defeat me with such a weak attack?!
Tsk! Crap!
Kurosaki!
A combined attack!
Let’s wipe him out without a trace!
All right!
Getsugatensho!
Ginreikojaku!
El Directo!
Did we do it?
I’m not sure.
H-He's coming…
An ant lion?!
Oh no!
Nel!
Hold on!
Don't let go! Got that?!
Y-Yes!
Crap!
Isn't there anything we can do?!
It seems impossible.
I can't find any way to attack him.
Nel, doesn't he have any weaknesses?!
He does have one…
But I can't tell that to bad guys.
Are you stupid?!
You're going to be sucked into the sand, too!
Just tell me!
Water!
Water?!
Th-Th-That's right! Water!
Water?!
Water in a desert, huh?
Where would we find that?!
That's right! There isn't any!
That's why Runuganga is invincible!
That's why he's a guard!
I'm going to swallow you all at once with my mouth!
Crap!
Rukia… Renji…
Reporting!
The Spiritual Pressures of both
Squad 6 Lieutenant, Renji Abarai, and Squad 13 member, Rukia Kuchiki,
have disappeared from their barracks!
Currently, our second division, the Patrol Corps,
have spread their search to all of Seireitei.
Those two…
M-More Soul Reapers! Bad guys!
Rukia… Renji…
You guys…
Hey…
Are you all right, Kurosaki?
I'm not all right…
You fool!
Why did you go off to Hueco Mundo on your own?!
Why didn't you wait for us to come back?!
That's because I didn't know if you were coming back…
We'd come back! No matter what!
Renji and I were planning on doing so from the beginning!
Why didn't you wait for us?!
Why couldn't you trust us?!
We're your friends, right Ichigo?
Yeah… You're right.
As long as you understand…
Don't make me confirm something as silly as this ever again!
That aside…
Who are they?
Wh-Who are we? How rude!
Nel Tu!
Dondochakka!
Pesche Gatiche!
United, we're…
– The Neldonpe Phantom Thieves! – The Great Desert Brothers! – The Three Super Powered Siblings of the Burning Sands!
You're not in unison!
We talked about this before.
We decided we would be the Neldonpe Phantom Thieves!
I told you that I would only accept The Great Desert Brothers!
I want “Three Siblings” in the name!
Well, you get the idea. They're all Hollows.
What idea?
Oh! Bawabawa is crying!
It's all right, Bawabawa!
We haven't forgotten about you!
All right! Including Bawabawa… United, we're…
– The Neldonbape Phantom Thieves! – The Deluxe Desert Brothers! – The Four Fiendish Super Powered Siblings!
That's enough… Just be quiet.
Let's go, Rukia, Renji…
You're right.
They left.
Is that all right?
Hey… Wait a second, Itsugo!
I'm not "Itsugo"!
Nel will guide you to Las Noches!
Why is she staring at me?
Who knows?
What's you're relationship with Itsugo?
Huh?
You're pretty popular!
Shut up…
Come to think of it, where'd you get that cloak?
Did you pick it up from somewhere?
It was given to me.
I was told that Hueco Mundo's deserts are rough.
By whom?
My older brother.
D-Does that mean that Byakuya sent you guys here?!
Mr. Urahara opened up the Garganta,
but it was my captain who got us to the World of the Living.
My brother said that the only order he received
was the one to bring us back to Soul Society.
I never received any orders concerning what to do with you
after I brought you back.
Do whatever you like.
He said.
Whoa…
I see… Byakuya did that, huh?
He's gotten rather good-natured.
He also said that it must be unpleasant for Hueco Mundo
to have that dingy boy wandering around.
That bastard!
Kurosaki, don't do anything bothersome!
That's right! Don't pick on Bawabawa!
If you want to pick on someone, please pick on Nel!
Jeez!
What is it this time?!
Don't I get a cloak?
My brother only gave me two cloaks.
There's only enough for us. Are you jealous?
He actually didn't want to give one to you, either,
but he reluctantly gave you one because I was there.
Crap…
That's the sort of guy he is.
ARRANCAR ENCYCLOPEDIA
The Arrancar Encyclopedia!
Today, I shall discuss Arrancar transformations.
Of the three ranks of Menos, the only ones who will
VASTO LORDES ADJUCHAS GILLIANS
always become humanoid when they transform into Arrancars
VASTO LORDES
are the Vasto Lordes.
ADJUCHAS GILLIANS
Many of the lower-ranking Adjuchas and Gillians
can't become completely humanoid.
Huh?
You're a proper humanoid, aren't you?
Oh!
Don't stare at Nel like that! It's embarrassing!
More, more…
– No… Look at Nel… – I guess there are exceptions like this.