Chapter 9: The Getsuga Tensho Strikes! Ichigo's Soul Reaper Powers Returns!

Rukia smiled as the sword that impaled Ichigo stated to glow, created an explosion. Ginjo and Tsukishima covered their faces from the gust of wind blowing towards them. When the smoke started to clear, Ginjo saw something that made widen his eyes. He saw Ichigo in a new soul reaper's uniform, holding Zangetsu over his shoulder.

"No way…impossible!" Ginjo said shocked.

A rip opened in the sky as a row of shoji door appeared with nine figures were seen behind them. The door opened up and revealed all nine members of the Straw Hat Pirates. "Listen carefully; we put all of our energy into the sword." Luffy said. "That's more than enough to bring back Ichigo's powers!" Ginjo glared at the pirates when he heard that.

Rukia turned towards Ichigo. "Ichigo, these guys don't know you like I do. They think that they were able to fill you with despair. But it's going to take more than this to make you give up. They don't know the types of hopeless situation that you had to overcome in the past. Show them Ichigo. Show them that despair, no matter how deep, will not be enough to stop you."

"Right." Ichigo said as he prepares to fight.

Ichigo slashed his sword upwards, firing a wave of spirit energy at Ginjo and sending him to the ground. "Your Getsuga Tensho is much more powerful. But is that all you got? The bottom line is that isn't going to be enough to kill me, Kurosaki."

Ichigo landed behind Ginjo and said, "You got it all wrong. That wasn't a Getsuga Tensho at all. It was just a strike." A light blue aura started to wrap itself around Ichigo's body. He pointed his zanpakuto at Ginjo as his spiritual pressure increased rapidly.

Ginjo looked at the orange hair substitute with wide eyes. "What's happened?!" he exclaimed. "What the hell is this spirit energy?!"

"Getsuga Tensho!" Ichigo shouted, fired his signature attack at the fullbringer. Ichigo's spirit energy reached high into the heavens, parting the storm clouds in the sky. Ginjo looked at Ichigo with widen eyes at the power that was displayed. Ginjo was unharmed but the mansion behind him was cut in half.


"Sorry, I missed." Ichigo said. "But next time, I won't." Ginjo widen his eyes after hearing Ichigo's threat. He quickly jumped in the air, trying to get away from Ichigo.

'I got to get some distance from him so I can regroup!' Ginjo thought as a hand grabbed on his shoulder. He looked behind his shoulder and saw the orange hair substitute soul reaper.

"You're not going anywhere." Ichigo said, throwing Ginjo towards the ground.

'Where does he get that type of force?!' Ginjo thought as the two crossed swords again with Ginjo getting forced to the ground even more. Ginjo landed on his feet but was skidding on the ground. Ichigo followed the fullbringer and their blades collided again with Ginjo pushed Ichigo off. Ichigo bounced one of the trees and clashed with Ginjo again. As the tree was falling, their swords clashed again and cut the tree in two. Ginjo widen his eyes as the force that Ichigo had into the attack pushes him back. Ginjo skidded in mid-air, trying to stop himself from going further back. 'He's become more physically powerful. This goes against everything I had expected. I wonder if the fullbring he learned increases his innate powers.'

Ichigo quickly flash stepped behind Ginjo and lowered his sword on the fullbringer, sending him crashing to the ground. Ginjo immediately jumped out of the smoke and a green projectile from his sword at Ichigo. Ichigo blocked the attack with his zanpakuto and slashed it horizontally, causing Ginjo's attack to disperse. Ginjo widen his as Ichigo's blade started to glow. Ichigo got into a stance as a blue wave of spirit energy erupted from his blade.

"Getsuga Tensho!" Ichigo shouted, launching his signature attack at Ginjo and engulfing him the wave of spirit energy. Ginjo tried to do what Ichigo did to his attack earlier but was getting overwhelming the power of Ichigo's attack.

"Damn it!" Ginjo cursed. "But it'll more than this to kill me! You hear me, Kurosaki!" Ginjo disappeared in the wave of spirit energy as it dispersed into nothingness.

Ichigo lowered his zanpakuto and looked at his hand. He feels the spiritual pressure that he lost seventeen months ago is back and even stronger than before.

"You can feel it within you right?" A voice asked, getting Ichigo's attention. Ichigo looked behind his shoulder and saw the Straw Hats and Rukia.

"Rukia…Luffy…Zoro…" Ichigo said, looking at the group behind him. "Nami…Usopp…Sanji…Chopper…Robin…Franky…Brook…and more, a whole lot more. Renji…Byakuya…Kenpachi…Ikkaku…Toshiro…Shinji…Rangiku…Ms. Unohana…Hanataro…Dad…Kisuke…Yoruichi… and even the old Head Captain."

"You now have all of our powers Ichigo." Rukia said.

"What's up? I thought that it was a serious crime to transfer powers over to a human."

"We really didn't have a choice in the matter."Robin said. "The orders came from the Head Captain. And he asked us to help with the process."


(Flashback)

Kisuke and the Straw Hats stood before Head Captain Yamamoto as Kisuke explains to him what was happening in the World of the Living.

"I've completely understand the situation." Yamamoto said. "Very well then, Kisuke Urahara, Straw Hat Pirates, bring the sword to me."

"But Head Captain, are you sure about this?" Unohana questioned.

"Despite what people may think, it remains that Ichigo Kurosaki has saved us all. We cannot ignore a debt like that, not while it's time for us to repay him. We must do this even if it means breaking tradition; it would bring perpetual shame the thirteen court guard squads to ignore what we owe him. This is a direct order from the Head Captain! Hear me, all Captains and Lieutenants of the thirteen court guard squads! You hearby ordered to place your spirit energy into this sword! We will help Ichigo Kurosaki regain his soul reaper powers!"

(End of Flashback)


Ichigo widen his eyes when he heard the Head Captain's orders. "Yeah, that's what happened." Robin said, finishing her explanation.

"It was a nice move by the old man, don't you think?" Zoro said.

"We helped out too so we can pay you back for helping us get Chopper back two years ago." Luffy said. Ichigo's shocked expression turned into a small smile as he nodded at the Straw Hats' captain. Then an explosion erupted as a purple blast of energy shot up to the sky.

"What is that?" Ichigo asked, looked at the tower of spirit energy. "You're kidding me."

"There are two reasons why the Head Captain decided to restore your powers." Zoro said, walking up to Ichigo. "The first one is just as Robin explained to you. The second has to do with him." Ichigo looked at the tower and saw a figure inside of him. It was Ginjo. "We are told that long before you came along, there was another man was issued a combat pass as a substitute soul reaper. But he relinquished that position and disappeared. That is him, the first substitute soul reaper Kugo Ginjo." Ginjo cut through the spirit energy and revealed that he now has white armor on his shoulders, chest, neck, arms, and legs, much like Ichigo's fullbring. Ginjo looked down at Ichigo and the Straw Hats with a smirk on his face.

"The first…substitute soul reaper?" Ichigo questioned with widen eyes. "How is that possible?! I thought…"

"When you got that position, I'm sure that someone must have told you about it." Sanji said, lighting a cigarette. Ichigo widen his eyes remembering what Jushiro said to him when he first got his combat pass.


(Flashback)

"The soul society has a law." Jushiro explained. "It covers the emergence of a substitute soul reaper. According to that rule, if a substitute soul reaper is deemed beneficial to the soul society, they're given this combat pass as proof of their status."

(End of Flashback)


"The laws that governs substitute soul reapers was created for Ginjo himself." Robin said. "But I'll save the details for later. Right now, we must concentrate our attention on him."

"Ha, that's a good idea!" Ginjo said. "You guys are going to have a very big problem if he's not focus on me. Oh and by the way, thanks Kurosaki. If I haven't borrowed your powers that last attack probably would've killed me!"

"Right now, Ichigo shouldn't be the only one to worry about." Luffy said, walking up to Ichigo and cracking his knuckles.

"Oh really, and who are you?"

"I'm the guy who's gonna kick your ass!" Luffy declared, glaring at Ginjo.

To be continued…

Next Chapter: The Straw Hat Crew Gets Wiped Out! The Fullbringer's Powers in Full Swing!