The jungle exploded.
Dorry and Brogy crashed through the treeline, both bruised and bloody from their fight.
But both couldn't help but laugh.
"Gabababababa!"
"Gegyagyagya!"
They slapped each other's backs.
Both winced.
Both smiled wider and continued slapping each other's backs.
"Almost had you with that overhead strike!" Dorry's voice boomed despite the blood running from his mouth.
"Almost!" Brogy wheezed through what sounded like broken ribs. "Your face when I blocked it was priceless!"
They stumbled forward together. Then collapsed on the ground in perfect sync.
"Seventy-three thousand, four hundred and one draws!" Dorry raised his arm weakly.
"Still undefeated!" Brogy's fist pumped once before falling back to the ground.
"Gabababababa!"
"Gegyagyagya!"
They lay side by side, just enjoying the moment.
Dorry turned his head.
"That stumble in the third exchange was pathetic."
"Ha! You call that a stumble?" Brogy's grin somehow widened. "At least I didn't fail my finishing blow like a complete amateur!"
"I did not fail—"
"You pulled your sword back so far I could've eaten lunch before blocking!"
"That was strategy!"
"Gegyagyagya! Strategy! He calls it strategy! For what to bore me to death!"
Dorry tried to sit up, failed, then gave up.
"I wasn't the one who got hit straight in the jaw."
"No!" Brogy laughed harder. "You're the one who got hit straight in the face Gegyagyagya!" He groaned and clutched his ribs. "Laughing hurts."
"Then stop making jokes!"
"Never!"
Both burst into laughter again despite the obvious agony.
Ulquiorra stood fifteen meters away on the same boulder.
He'd watched the entire duel.
Now he watched them bleed.
"Why are you laughing."
The giants paused.
Both turned toward him.
Brogy's face lit up.
"Because we had an incredible fight!"
Dorry nodded enthusiastically, then winced and stopped nodding.
"The best one in weeks!"
Ulquiorra's eyes moved from their wounds to their faces.
"You are injured."
"Exactly!" Brogy slapped the ground with his palm. "That's what makes it incredible!"
Silence.
Ulquiorra stared.
Dorry propped himself up on his elbow.
"Every scar is proof we gave everything, little friend. Nothing held back."
"Nothing!" Brogy agreed. "That overhead swing nearly split my skull!"
"And you said it was bad!"
They grinned at each other with genuine pride.
Ulquiorra remained still.
He'd tried mimicking the giants to see if he'd feel what they felt.
They'd eaten together. Nothing.
They'd hunted together. Nothing.
Even now, if he killed them, he'd feel nothing.
Joy.
The word meant nothing.
The old human's words echoed.
Look for it in yourself, not in others.
Ulquiorra's hand moved to his chest.
Silence beneath his palm.
No warmth. No rhythm. No sensation that matched what the giants felt.
He'd searched. Observed. Mimicked their actions.
The humans told him to look inward.
So he did.
Now he just confirmed it.
There was nothing within—
The world blurred.
The jungle vanished. The giants vanished. Color drained from the world, replaced by an endless, ash-colored desert under a dark gray sky.
A blurry figure appeared in front of him.
The only thing he could make out was the Long orange hair.
His arm moved without his permission.
His hand rose and reached forward.
She spoke.
Her mouth formed words he couldn't hear.
She stepped closer, extending her hand towards him.
Their fingers nearing almost—.
The jungle slammed back.
Noise. Color.
Ulquiorra stood with his arm extended into empty air, reaching toward nothing.
Silence.
Brogy stared.
Dorry sat up despite his injuries.
"...Little friend?"
Ulquiorra's hand remained outstretched.
Frozen.
He didn't remember lifting it. Didn't remember choosing to reach. The action simply... happened.
His fingers curled slowly, closing.
He lowered his arm.
Something felt wrong.
There was... pressure in his chest, where nothing should be.
"Are you alright?" Dorry's voice came in.
Ulquiorra's eyes moved to the giants.
They watched him like he'd lost his mind.
Perhaps he had.
Find it.
The directionless compulsion returned again.
But now something layered beneath it.
A second feminine voice woven underneath it, repeating the same thing.
Ulquiorra stood motionless there with his eyes closed.
One minute passed.
Dorry leaned toward Brogy.
"Is he... still breathing?"
"Can't tell from here."
"Should we check?"
"You check."
"Why me?"
"You're closer."
"I'm not."
Three minutes.
Brogy squinted.
"Maybe he fell asleep?"
"Do people do that?"
"I knew a guy who traveled to Elbaf who did. Fell asleep mid-sentence once."
"What happened to him?"
"Missed the drinking contest."
"Tragic."
"Very tragic."
Dorry waved his massive hand.
"Think he can see us?"
"His eyes are closed."
Five minutes.
Dorry attempted to stand, groaned, then gave up.
"Maybe we broke him."
"How would we break him?"
"I don't know! You're the one who insisted he would eat!"
"How would I have known this would happen!"
"He said he wasn't human and didn't need food!"
"You're the one who said he could still eat!"
Dorry attempted to crawl closer, made it half a meter, then collapsed.
Both giants lay there staring.
Brogy sighed.
"I liked him."
"He's not dead!"
"Then what is he doing?!"
"...I don't know."
Ulquiorra's eyes opened.
"HE'S ALIVE!"
Both giants immediately shouted in perfect unison.
"You moved!"
"We thought you died!" Brogy clutched his chest dramatically. "My heart nearly stopped!"
They stared at Ulquiorra with expressions somewhere between relief and intrigue.
Ulquiorra's gaze moved from one giant to the other.
"What happened?" Dorry leaned forward despite the obvious pain. "You just... stopped. For seven minutes."
"Seven minutes and thirty-two seconds," Brogy corrected. "I counted."
"You can't count that high."
"I absolutely can!"
They both turned back to Ulquiorra.
"Well?" Dorry pressed. "What happened?"
Ulquiorra looked at him
"Nothing."
"Nothing?" Brogy's voice pitched higher. "You stood there like a statue for half an hour—"
"Seven minutes," Dorry interrupted.
"—and you say nothing's wrong?"
Ulquiorra's gaze settled on Brogy.
"Yes."
Silence.
Brogy opened his mouth.
Dorry's massive hand landed on his shoulder.
The red giant looked over. Dorry shook his head once.
Brogy hesitated, then closed his mouth.
Both giants exchanged a look.
Some things, even warriors of Elbaf knew not to press.