Night of the Monsters

Night of Monsters is the twelfth chapter of Bleach: Ultimate Alien Volume I.

Summary

Ghostfreak vs. Ulquiorra

Nelliel struggles to stand up, but can't due to the severity of her injuries sustained in the previous chapter. Paradox appears and uses his chronokinetic powers to heal Nelliel's injuries, but stops her from getting involved in Ben's fight with Ulquiorra. Harribel realizes that if Ulquiorra could achieve Segunda Etapa, then so can she, but is unable to help Ben at the moment due to her own injuries.

Meanwhile, Ben has transformed into Ghostfreak and attacks Ulquiorra. His attacks inflict no damage on Ulquiorra, who tries to overpower him quickly, but Ghostfreak's abilities to become intangible and invisible make hitting him difficult. As the fight continues, Ulquiorra notices that Ghostfreak's attacks are getting stronger by the second, but can't figure out why.

Orihime is still weeping over Ichigo's corpse, but Paradox comforts her and convinces her to heal Harribel first. Noticing this, Ulquiorra attempts to attack the group, but Ghostfreak pokes him in the eyes, actually hurting him and disrupting his aim. Ulquiorra then reveals another technique: Lanza del Relampago, a green spear-like object made of pure reiatsu. He throws it at Ghostfreak, who dodges it. Realizing that he is currently getting nowhere, Ghostfreak removes his "skin", surprising Ulquiorra and horrifying Nelliel.

Orihime heals Harribel, and the latter takes Ichigo's corpse and they put some distance between themselves and the battle. Ben attacks Ulquiorra and actually manages to penetrate his skin, but Ulquiorra reveals that he can regenerate. He then gets behind Ulquiorra, but the latter simply hits him with a Cero Oscuras at point-blank range. To Ulquiorra's surprise, however, Ghostfreak is completely unscathed, and Paradox explains that, being an Ectonurite, Ghostfreak is immune to any dark-based attacks.

Paradox then reveals that Ghostfreak is getting stronger by absorbing the reishi in the atmosphere. Ulquiorra hears this and, realizing that he will lose if the fight drags on, attempts to finish Ghostfreak quickly, but fails. Ghostfreak mocks Ulquiorra, declaring that the latter can do nothing, despite all the powers he possesses, and that such a state is true despair. Enraged, Ulquiorra grabs Nelliel and threatens to kill her unless Ben surrenders. At that moment, spurred by Orihime's cries, Ichigo awakens.

Hollow Ichigo vs. Ulquiorra

Ichigo rises, now in a strange, horned form with long, mane-like hair. Ulquiorra expresses disbelief that Ichigo could still be alive and asks who he is; Ghostfreak insists that the being is Ichigo, but is ignored in favor of Ulquiorra repating his question upon Ichigo's silence. Ichigo suddenly telekinetically summons his Bankai and lets out a roar. Ulquiorra attempts to use a Cero Oscuras, but is surprised when Ichigo creates a red Cero which overpowers the attack. The light from the explosion damages Ghostfreak, causing Harribel and Nelliel to shield him with their bodies (to his slight embarrassment).

Ichigo proceeds to effortlessly overpower Ulquiorra while the others watch in amazement. He overpowers Ulquiorra's Cero Oscuras a second time, severs his left arm (which he quickly regrows), demonstrating the use of Sonido, and blocking (and destroying) the Lanza del Relampago with his bare hand. He then delivers a devastating blow to Ulquiorra, badly wounding him. Showing not an ounce of mercy, Ichigo pins Ulquiorra down with his foot and hits Ulquiorra with a powerful Cero at close range, with Ulquiorra encouraging his actions, calling them "Hollow-like".

Hollow Ichigo's Rampage

Ichigo contemptuously tosses Ulquiorra's remains aside and attempts to decaptitate him. Nelliel intervenes and tries to convince him to stop, saying that he has already won, but Ichigo throws his Zanpakuto at her, which stabs her, much to everyone's shock.

Ichigo goes on a rampage, screaming that he will "protect" Orihime. Harribel and Orihime try to calm him down, but fail, and the group is forced to battle him. Harribel and Nelliel (her wounds having been healed by Orihime or Paradox) are quickly pushed into a corner, so Ghostfreak attempts to stop him by possessing him. This initially seems to work, but the Hollow inside Ichigo quickly ejects Ghostfreak, causing him to revert back to Ben.

Harribel and Nelliel then double team Ichigo while Paradox approaches a now conscious Ulquiorra. Ichigo fires a Cero at Nelliel, which she swallows and fires back at twice the strength, distracting him, allowing Harribel to get within his guard and cut one of the horns, destroying the mask in the process and ending Ichigo's rampage. Ichigo collapses, but the essence from the mask heals the wounds he suffered from his fight with Ulquiorra, resurrecting him.

Ulquiorra, having partially regrown his lost limbs, approaches the group, demanding that Ichigo finish their fight. Ichigo refuses to fight while Ulquiorra is handicapped and offers to let Ulquiorra sever one of his arms to make the fight even. Before Ulquiorra can take Ichigo up on his offer, his body begins to disintegrate. Ulquiorra calmly notes that he is dying, while Ichigo screams that he doesn't "want to win like this". Ulquiorra asks a crying Orihime if she fears him and she says she doesn't. Before Ulquiorra can disappear, a frantic Ben asks Paradox if he can solve the problem, and Paradox proceeds to resurrect Ulquiorra, to everyone's amazement.

Ulquiorra asks why Paradox resurrected him, and Paradox says that Ulquiorra deserves to sate his new curiosity about humans. Before they can further converse, Paradox says that their friends need help, and Harribel declares that the others are battling Yammy, and that he has released his Resurreccion. Ben is initially unconcerned, but Harribel declares that the others are in danger, so he turns into Jetray and they head off to fight Yammy while Orihime stays behind with Ulquiorra and Paradox. Paradox calmly begins to discuss a "deal" he made with Ulquiorra.

Yammy's Rampage

As the foursome flies towards Yammy, Harribel explains to a surprised Jetray that the Espada are ranked from 0 to 9, making Yammy the Cero (Zero) Espada, but assures him that they can still defeat Yammy due to his low intelligence and lack of skill. They arrive at the scene of battle, where a huge Yammy (having released his Zanpakuto) is battling Renji Abarai, Rukia Kuchiki, Yasutora Sado, and Harribel's Fraccion. They proceed to attack Yammy, with Ben turning into Way Big, much to Ichigo's shock and the excitement of Orihime, who is watching from a distance.

The fight is interrupted by the arrival of Gwen Tennyson and Kevin Levin, much to Ben's amazement. After making introductions, Byakuya Kuchiki and Kenpachi Zaraki arrive and battle Yammy, allowing Ben and his allies (minus Ichigo, Sado, Rukia, and Renji, who stay behind to help) to be transported to Fake Karakura Town by Paradox. Upon their arrival, Ben calls out to Aizen, and an enraged Baraggan identifies Ben, much to the surprise of the Gotei 13 (as they had never seen Ben in his human form before); Captain Hitsugaya is particularly embarrassed to learn that the being who defeated him is a human teenager, causing Matsumoto to laugh at her captain.

Baraggan angrily declares that he will kill Ben, to which Ben simply responds by daring him to do so and shouting his trademark battle-cry.

Character Debuts

Aliens Used

Trivia

This is the first time main characters from the Ben 10: Ultimate Alien series, other than Ben, make their appearances.
Gwen and Kevin finally make their debut in the series.
This is Yammy's last appearance in the series.
This is the third (and final) time that Ben fights Yammy.

Previous chapter:
"Ulquiorra's Secret: The Segunda Etapa"

Chapters of
Bleach: Ultimate Alien Volume I

Next chapter:
"Karakura Battle Part I"