Chapter 192: Conquistadores 3: Hounded Priestess
Flashback time! While Chad and Orihime were running to the scene, they saw somebody collapse.
Orihime stopped to help him, but Chad told her that it was useless; he was already dead. He could see the souls being sucked away. Chad told Orihime that when they get there, she has to take and survivors and leave. He cuts off her objections, saying that he doesn’t have healing powers and therefore can’t save the survivors, so she has to do it. In the present, Orihime realizes that Chad knew he was going to lose and was trying to keep her out of danger. As Yammy approaches, she reflects on the situation. Ulquiorra gives Yammy the ok, and he begins to attack, but Orihime, gathering her resolve, blocks it with her barrier. Well, the barrier still breaks under his attack, but it stopped it from going any further. Orihime stands, ready to fight. but first, she uses her healing on Chad. Yammy is surprised that Chad’s still alive, but Ulquiorra seems more interested in Orihime’s technique, reflecting that it’s not actually healing at all, but rather something he’s never seen before. Orihime thinks that she has to hold out until Ichigo arrives, but then mentally scolds herself for relying on Ichigo, thinking that he already has enough to deal with, and decides to try to defeat the Arrancar alone. She readies her attack, her emotions pumping it up as far it it’ll go, and launches the strongest attack she can right at Yammy, who blocks it. Fairly effortlessly, actually. He destroyed Tsubaki (Orihime’s attack fairy) and everything. Yammy questions whether or not he really kill somebody with such unique abilities, as he feels Aizen might be interested, but Ulquiorra, dismissing his doubts, tells him there’s no need and he should kill her. Yammy’s next attack is blocked by a sword from somewhere. ‘Somewhere’ being Ichigo’s hand, of course. Ichigo reassures Orihime, and ends the chapter by using his Bankai.
Poor Orihime. She tried so hard and went through so much this chapter; easily earned the ‘hounded priestess’ name the title gives her. But what does it amount to? Tsubaki getting killed and buying few minutes at the most for Ichigo to get there. Well, there was the revelation that she’s not actually healing, persay. That’s worth something, I guess, even if it hasn’t come to fruition quite yet. Also, this chapter brings to light one little issue that’s always bothered me: The lack of attention Yammy’s soul sucking stunt gets. I mean, a crowd of people were just slaughtered! You’d think that would be a big deal, but it’s never referred to in any way after this chapter! And… that’s all I can really think of to say about this chapter.
