Renji Abarai vs. Yylfordt Granz

Renji Abarai vs. Yylfordt Granz is a fight taking place during the Arrancar Invasion between 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai and Arrancar #15. Yylfordt Granz, with Ururu Tsumugiya offering assistance to Renji partway through.

Prelude[]

Following Ichigo Kurosaki and his allies' brutal encounter with Ulquiorra Cifer and Yammy Llargo in Karakura Town, 6th Division Lieutenant Renji Abarai is tasked with assembling a Strike Force from outside the captain-class of the Gotei 13 to assist Ichigo and his friends in the new conflict.^[2] Upon reuniting with Ichigo at Karakura High School,^[3] Renji restrains his physical body while Rukia Kuchiki forces Ichigo to battle a Hollow^[4] and later leaves with the rest of the Strike Force to discuss the situation at the Kurosaki Clinic.^[5]

Simultaneously, Ulquiorra returns to Las Noches and relays his confrontation to Aizen and the other Arrancar through Solita Vista, where they learn that Ulquiorra determined Ichigo was not worth killing and thus left him alive. Though Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez criticizes him for this since it presents the risk of Ichigo growing too strong to kill later, Aizen determines that Ulquiorra did nothing wrong, to Grimmjow's frustration. That night, Grimmjow comes to Karakura Town himself^[6] and is joined by Yylfordt Granz and the rest of his Fracción once the sun sets. When Shawlong Koufang notes that he sensed several different strong Reiatsu on their way here, Grimmjow has them utilize Pesquisa in order to accurately determine how many combatants are nearby, and once they are all detected, Grimmjow orders his Fracción to kill anyone with Reiatsu.^[7]

During this, Renji sits against a telephone pole opposite the Urahara Shop, where Jinta Hanakari peers out at him from a slat at the bottom of the shutter covering the door and informs Kisuke Urahara that Renji is still there as Urahara expresses confusion at what Renji wants since he has no business with a lieutenant from Soul Society. Shortly after detecting the Reiatsu of the Arrancar as they move out across Karakura Town, Renji is confronted by Yylfordt.^[8]

Battle[]

Shortly afterward, upon sensing Di Roy Rinker's death, Yylfordt criticizes him for dying after begging to accompany them and muses that not even Aizen could save him from his incompetence.^[9] Later, having activated his Bankai, Hihiō Zabimaru, Renji stands across from Yylfordt in the air and pants heavily as he bleeds from multiple wounds, with a smirking Yylfordt holding up his blood-stained Zanpakutō in turn.^[10] Renji yells as he sends Hihiō Zabimaru hurtling toward Yylfordt, who blocks it with his Zanpakutō and is pushed back through the air, only to casually push Hihiō Zabimaru away from himself with a swipe of his sword and grin before moving to Renji with Sonído and slashing him diagonally across the chest. After leaping back to avoid Renji's subsequent attempt to grab him, Yylfordt laughs maniacally and mocks Renji's Bankai while proclaiming that the Gotei 13 has lost its credibility if a loser like him can become a lieutenant.^[11]

On the rooftop of the Urahara Shop below, Jinta expresses irritation at the Shinigami losing and is startled when he sees Ururu Tsumugiya standing behind him in her pajamas. However, as he reminds Ururu that he told her to stay in bed, Jinta notices her blank stare and realizes with shock that the strange Reiatsu of the Arrancar has caused her to enter Slaughter Mode prior to Ururu leaping high into the air. Above them, Yylfordt declares that he is going to end this fight, only to be caught off-guard when Ururu appears behind and delivers a powerful kick to the side of Yylfordt's face that sends him flying, to Renji's astonishment. Despite a bleeding Yylfordt demanding to know who she is, Ururu grabs him by the throat and begins choking Yylfordt while asserting that he is a danger to them and must be eradicated.^[12]

With Ururu proceeding to deliver several strong blows to Yylfordt and Renji wondering who she is, an angered Yylfordt slashes at her with his Zanpakutō, forcing Ururu to evade by letting go of his throat and jumping back, and proclaims that she is dead before activating his Resurrección, Del Toro, creating a huge amount of steam that engulfs himself and Ururu. Suddenly, Ururu finds herself impaled on a large horn while the steam clears to reveal Yylfordt having taken the shape of an armored, top-heavy bull and informing Renji that this is an Arrancar's Zanpakutō release^[13] prior to throwing Ururu off of his horn, only for a furious Jinta to catch her in midair and slam his Muteki Tekkon into Yylfordt's head.^[14]

However, Yylfordt remains unharmed and attempts to spear Jinta with his left horn as well, but Renji manages to intercept the horn with one of the segments of Hihiō Zabimaru and orders Jinta to run, which the latter complies with, before Yylfordt questions if Renji believes this stopped him and shoves his horn through the segment of Hihiō Zabimaru into Renji's chest. After throwing an impaled Renji off his horn, Yylfordt laughs maniacally and decides to introduce himself as Arrancar #15. since the battle is now over.^[15] Moments later, Renji receives authorization to perform Gentei Kaijo and does so, causing his Reiatsu to surge around him.^[16]

With Yylfordt questioning what Gentei Kaijo, he is struck by Renji's Reiatsu, resulting in him seeing that the tip of his left horn has been cleanly burned off. Emerging from the swirling Reiatsu, Renji explains to Yylfordt that Gentei Kaijo is the result of Gotei 13 captains and lieutenants being required to wear a Gentei Reīn somewhere on their bodies when they enter the Human World in order to avoid inadvertently harming or altering Humans with their power, causing their powers to be reduced by up to 80%. After concluding that their strength is consequently quintupled through Gentei Kaijo, Renji sends Hihiō Zabimaru hurtling toward Yylfordt, who attempts to stop it with his hands, but is overwhelmed by its Reiatsu and sent flying back following Hihiō Zabimaru severing his left arm at the shoulder. Though a frightened Shawlong orders him to retreat, Renji incinerates Yylfordt with Hikotsu Taihō before he can escape.^[17]

Aftermath[]

Following this, Renji falls to his knees in the street below where he was fighting and deactivates Hihiō Zabimaru while cursing how close that battle was and admitting that he is not sure he could have won if Yylfordt had fought seriously from the beginning and not hesitated at the news of the Gentei Kaijo before realizing that they are in trouble if all the Arrancar are this strong.^[18] After Grimmjow is forced to return to Hueco Mundo, Renji approaches a motionless Ichigo from behind and assumes that he won since the Arrancar left, only for Ichigo to bluntly state that he lost.^[19]

When Renji observes that he won if he is alive, Ichigo reminds him that he would feel the same way if he were Ichigo and insists that he did not protect anyone and could not defeat their enemies prior to concluding that this means he lost to Grimmjow.^[20] Soon afterward, Renji is present for Orihime Inoue healing a badly wounded Rukia and is shocked by how quickly the latter is restored to full health.^[21]

References[]

Navigation[]

Arrancar Invasion
Major Participants	Ichigo Kurosaki • Yoruichi Shihōin • Uryū Ishida • Yasutora Sado • Orihime Inoue • Kisuke Urahara • Isshin Kurosaki • Ryūken Ishida • Gotei 13 • Visored • Espada • Grand Fisher • Shawlong Koufang • Edrad Liones • Nakeem Grindina • Yylfordt Granz • Di Roy Rinker • Wonderweiss Margela • Kon • Kaname Tōsen • Sōsuke Aizen • Gin Ichimaru • Jinta Hanakari • Ururu Tsumugiya
Events
Fights & Events	The Cold War • Rukia Kuchiki vs. Di Roy Rinker • Ikkaku Madarame vs. Edrad Liones • Renji Abarai vs. Yylfordt Granz • Tōshirō Hitsugaya vs. Shawlong Koufang • Rangiku Matsumoto vs. Nakeem Grindina • Ichigo Kurosaki vs. Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez • Visored Training • Tōshirō Hitsugaya vs. Luppi Antenor • Kisuke Urahara vs. Yammy Llargo • Ichigo Kurosaki vs. Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez: Rematch • Good Bye Halcyon Days