347. The Lust

Ichigo Kurosaki continues his fight with Ulquiorra while Orihime Inoue asks Uryū Ishida to bring her on top of the dome. Ulquiorra tells Ichigo that he does not know true despair and transforms into a new form.

Summary
The chapter starts with Ichigo being enveloped in Ulquiorra's black Cero. The blast shatters Ichigo's mask completely off his face.

Down below the dome, Uryū and Orihime are shocked by the incredible Reiatsu from Ichigo and Ulquiorra's battle. Orihime then desperately asks Uryū to bring her to the top of the dome. He reluctantly agrees to do so.

Ichigo, beat up from Ulquiorra's black Cero, falls from the sky. Ulquiorra suddenly appears and hits him into a nearby pillar. Ulquiorra then proceeds to tell him that humans will never be the equals of Hollow's. Ichigo then struggles to stand up but before he can attack, Ulquiorra yells at him, telling him it's useless before slashing Ichigo across the chest. Ichigo once again goes flying through the air from the blow but Ulquiorra easily catches up to him and attacks him once again.

Ichigo and Ulquiorra are now at the top of one of the pillars. Ulquiorra holds up a weak Ichigo by his ragged Shinigami outfit and questions him why he doesn't give up when it's obvious to see the differences in their strength. Ichigo asks Ulquiorra if he just thinks that he should give up just because he is stronger than him. Ichigo then tells Ulquiorra that he will defeat him. Ulquiorra tells him it's nonsense and says that he does not know true despair. Ulquiorra then transforms into a new form.

Characters
Characters in order of appearance:
 * Ichigo Kurosaki
 * Orihime Inoue
 * Uryū Ishida
 * Ulquiorra Cifer