Dimensional War

Warnings: This is a sequel to the fiction crossover "Monsters with Souls" featuring Naruto and Bleach. If you haven't read the first story please do so before reading this story picks up right where I left off. In no way shape or form do I own the series and/or its characters. This story however is an original idea that I have had for a while now and decided that it is time that I got around to writing it. Some of the characters may seem a bit OCC so please don't hate me for it as I am using my own attacks and/or attacks from other series for this story! Special thanks to Champion Alex and ultima-owner (from fanfiction.net) for helping me come up with the name and information about Sasuke's inner demon. You guys are the best.

Key Guide: "regular speech", 'thinking to one's self', *mental speech*, (author notes), bold -demons speaking, italic - attacks/jutsu, -spirits/hollows speaking-, [translation], =zanpakuto speaking=, ~Hogyoku speaking~, +flashback+

fourteen- hard fought battle

Ichigo and Ulquiorra movements were swift and vicious as they tried to strike each other with their swords. Ichigo's immense strength managed to crack and cause a pillar to crumble. Ulquiorra made very quick swipes with his sword as Ichigo avoided each and every thrust.

=Be careful Ichigo. Even through he has drawn his sword doesn't mean he'll fight like a different person. He's just got a longer reach. Watch closely and you will be able to see it and react to it.= stated the voice of Ichigo's zanpakuto. Ichigo obeyed Tensa Zangetsu as he carefully kept his eyes on Ulquiorra. Ichigo managed to catch Ulquiorra's arm surprising the fourth Espada. While keeping a firm grip on Ulquiorra's arm, Ichigo swung his zanpakuto cutting Ulquiorra. His jacket opened revealing the number four along with his hollow hole. Black blood dribbled down Ulquiorra's chest from the wound.

"Damn...... I barely nicked you. Its that hierro [iron skin] of yours right? Cause your skin is really hard. But it seems I can predict your movements better than you expected."

"What?" Ulquiorra asked wondering where Ichigo was going with this.

"It seems that I am able to predict those things much easier now. Is it because I'm closer to a hollow now? Or have you become more human?" Ichigo asked. This caused Ulquiorra to smash his zanpakuto into the ground as the ground split apart around the fourth Espada.

"More human you say. I see...... So you actually feel good about fighting at this level?" Ulquiorra asked as his spiritual pressure spiked. Ulquiorra moved leaping into the air quickly as he swung his zanpakuto at Ichigo's head.

"Ichigo...... watch out!" Naruto yelled out. A loud resounding boom filled the room as pieces of ground shattered. Panic surged into Orihime as she clasped her hands together praying. Ichigo to be careful. Naruto hands clutched the hilt to his zanpakuto as he wanted to fight along side with Ichigo.

Ichigo leapt of the rubble keeping all of his senses alert. Ulquiorra blurred as he appeared suddenly right behind Ichigo. Ichigo tried to react to Ulquiorra's sudden and quick movements. But suddenly Ulquiorra swung his sword aiming once again for Ichigo's head. But the fourth Espada's sword crashed upon Orihime's Santen Kesshun [3 sacred links shield]. The shield began to crack like glass as Orihime held her hands out before her. Ulquiorra turned looking at the young girl.

"What are you doing?" he asked Orihime directly.

"Well...... I......"

"I am asking you why you helped him now instead of the first strike?" asked Ulquiorra bluntly.

"What does it matter why she protected him? You should pay better attention to your surroundings." answered Naruto. Ulquiorra could feel it. Ichigo's spike in spiritual pressure. The fourth Espada turned to see Ichigo's sword wrapped in black spiritual pressure and lighting. Ichigo charged at Ulquiorra with his zanpakuto laced with Getsuga and Chidori. Ichigo's strikes had become stronger and much more powerful. Ulquiorra managed to meet Ichigo's sword pushing the soul reaper back.

Suddenly the ground broke before the two of them revealing the large bulky number ten Espada Yammy.

"Ulquiorra...... I have come to help." stated Yammy as he pushed aside the rubble and stood on solid ground.

"When did I say that I needed your help Yammy?" asked Ulquiorra. Before either Espada could do anything, Naruto had moved to attack Yammy. Gaara was now standing by Orihime's side.

"Ichigo..... Don't hold back! Gaara will protect Orihime. I will deal with Yammy." Naruto stated as his eyes were in sage mode. Ichigo nodded his head as he turned towards Ulquiorra.

"Gaara please protect Orihime with your life. I know that her Shun Shun Rikka [6 princess shielding flowers] isn't going to be able to handle my reishi [spiritual pressure]." Ichigo simply stated. Ichigo could feel Gaara's sand slithering out of his gourd.

*Don't worry Ichigo. We will protect her with our lives.* stated Shukaku mentally. Ichigo just briefly nodded his head.

*Let's do this King.* Shiro hissed.

"Sorry to keep you waiting Ulquiorra. Are you ready to face me in my hollowfied state?" asked Ichigo as he held his hand before his face. With a single swipe of his hand, Ichigo had equipped his hollow mask. Ichigo let out a loud roar as black reishi leaked out of him. Ichigo moved quickly striking at Ulquiorra with his zanpakuto. Ulquiorra managed to block it but his sword began to crack. Ulquiorra flipped away as Ichigo unleashed a mass amount of spiritual pressure causing a large explosion. Ulquiorra ducked out of the hole in the wall. Ichigo quickly followed suit. Ulquiorra quickly fired off a cero [doom blast] hopping to catch Ichigo in the blast. But when the blast cleared it showed Ichigo unharmed as he held his katana in front of him. Ulquiorra moved quickly heading further up into the sky.

"Wait...... Where do you think you are going?" Ichigo shouted out as he followed Ulquiorra. Both broke through the ceiling as they found themselves outside of Los Noches.

"Under the canopy of Los Noches two things are forbidden. The first s the Gran Rey Cero, which only the Espada can use. The other is a release by Espada beyond the number four rank. Both are so powerful that they could destroy Los Noches itself." stated Ulquiorra. Ichigo didn't look at all phased by Ulquiorra's words. Ulquiorra thrusted his sword out before him. "Imprison....... Murcielago [great black winged demon]!" stated Ulquiorra as he released to his true state.

Meanwhile..... Naruto had easily defeated and killed Yammy as he turned towards Gaara and Orihime whom where looking outside of the hole in the wall. Up within the sky was a large hole which revealed the night.

"Wow..... who knew that the ceiling was fake." stated Naruto. "Glad to see that you are alright Orihime."

"Naruto..... I am worried about Ichigo." stated Orihime. Naruto tried to flash her his best award winning smiles.

"Don't be. Ichigo will win this fight." Naruto stated. 'At least I hope so.' he thought to himself.

"Naruto..... can you take me to the outside of the canopy using your power?" Orihime asked. Naruto didn't know how to respond to her request. He honestly felt that she shouldn't be anywhere near Ichigo's and Ulquiorra's fight. But a part of him wanted just as badly by Ichigo's side. The two had an unbreakable bond like no other. It was far stronger than a simple friend and/or brotherly bond.

"That shouldn't be a problem." stated Gaara. Orihime looked at Gaara bowing her head.

"Thank you." she simply stated.

At that moment..... Ichigo found himself face to face with Ulquiorra in his released state. Ichigo's eyes widened at the sight. But he quickly recovered going into battle stance.

"That's good Kurosaki. Don't break that stance. Be aware of your surroundings and don't let your guard down even for an instant." stated Ulquiorra as he allowed a sword made from reishi appeared in his hands. One second he is looking down at Ichigo and the next he was ready to cut Ichigo's head off. Almost instinctively, Ichigo had used Getsuga to protect himself but a part of his hollow mask had broken off. "Well now that was unexpected. I had expected that your head would be by your feet!" stated Ulquiorra. He had no idea that move didn't come from Ichigo himself but rather his other half and his zanpakuto.

*No way...... he is far to fast. Even with me working with you, we couldn't react quick enough.* stated Shiro. Ichigo quickly reequipped his hollow mask as Ulquiorra kicked open his wings flying at the soul reaper at full speed. The two collided hard as Ulquiorra pushed Ichigo back several feet.

"You better fire off your Getsuga. That is your ultimate and strongest technique. I will show you here and now which of us is stronger." stated Ulquiorra.

*Don't fall for it King. I can tell full well that he is far stronger than you even in his released state even with the sage mode active.* hissed Shiro. But Ichigo didn't listen to Shiro's warnings as he channeled a mass amount of spiritual pressure into his sword.

"Getsuga Tensho [moon fang heaven piercer]!" snarled Ichigo unleashed the black wave at Ulquiorra. The blast hit Ulquiorra with a resounding boom. But Ulquiorra managed to protect himself with his wings. Ulquiorra flapped his wings clearing away the blast.

"Your black Getsuga is very much like our cero [doom blast] blasts. Perhaps as a parting gift I will show you what an Espada in their released state can release. Cero Oscuras [dark zero]!" Ulquiorra state as he unleashed a black cero which caused Ichigo's hollow mask to shatter completely. The blast also threw Ichigo back several feet. Ichigo cursed outloud as Ulquiorra swatted Ichigo into a pillar with his wings. Ichigo arose from the rubble panting wildly. His soul reaper uniform and sage robes were completely shredded. "Do you see now Kurosaki? No matter how similar your appearance and/or techniques are to Arrancars, they are as different as night and day. You will never be my equal when it comes to this fight." Ulquiorra stated as he walked over to where Ichigo was kneeling.

*King..... Why do I feel that you're about to do something stupid?* asked Shiro. Ichigo slowly rose up to his feet smirking at Ulquiorra.

"If I was an ordinary soul reaper. You maybe right about that. But I am also a ninja who was trained in the sage arts." Ichigo stated. Ulquiorra never saw him do a hand sign as suddenly the fourth Espada was attacked from behind with what felt like a thousand bolts of lightning. Ulquiorra turned to see about a hundred or more copies of Ichigo surrounding him. "Do you honestly think that I would give up so easily? Then you don't know me too well." stated Ichigo.

"Spoken like a man who doesn't know what despair truly looks like. But I will soon show you how futile it is to fight me. Resurreccion Segunda Etapa [second stage resurrection]." stated Ulquiorra as he unleashed his second release level. Ichigo and his shadow clones stood there in complete shock. "Out of all the Espada, I am the only who has achieved the second stage of release. Not even Lord Aizen has seen me in this state." All the clones of Ichigo clutched their zanpakuto's refusing to stand down. Ulquiorra clicked his tongue under his breath as he whipped his tail about destroying some of the Ichigo clones. Ulquiorra spread open his wings taking off quickly producing a blast of air which destroyed the rest of the clones. Ulquiorra caught Ichigo's head into his hands as he pushed Ichigo through several pillars. Ichigo managed to use a substitution jutsu to escape Ulquiorra's grasp as he reequipped his hollow mask. "You're a fool Ichigo Kurosaki. There is no way that you can beat me." Ulquiorra stated as he swatted Ichigo with his tail. Ichigo landed hard into another pillar.

"I am not fighting because I think I can win. I am fighting because there is too much at stake." replied Ichigo.

"That's complete nonsense." stated Ulquiorra.

Finally Naruto, Gaara, and Orihime made it to the top of the canopy. The three of them couldn't see Ulquiorra and/or Ichigo. Naruto couldn't even sense Ichigo's unique spiritual pressure.

*I have a bad feeling about this.* Kyuubi hissed mentally.

"Finally you are all here." Ulquiorra stated as he held a bloody and bruised Ichigo in his tail. Orihime looked up in shock to see her boyfriend close to death. "You're just in time to see the man who you have pinned your hopes on die before your eyes." Ulquiorra stated as a black cero formed at his fingertips close to Ichigo's chest.

"NO!" the three shouted out in unison as Ulquiorra released the blast.