Chapter 10: Renji Bares His Fangs! A Zanpakuto Stands in His Way!
The zanpakuto, its unique shape and abilities are defined by its Soul Reaper. A Soul Reaper is able to harness the power of the zanpakuto by learning its name and forming a synergistic unit. The Zanpakuto is born with its Soul Reaper and dies with its Soul Reaper. That is the existence of the zanpakuto.
"I am the zanpakuto Muramasa." Muramasa said, identifying himself. "I'm here to free all of the zanpakuto. The zanpakuto responds to my voice and I possess the power to awaken their true instincts."
Ichigo widen his eyes when Muramasa said that. 'So that's why Zangetsu and Sode no Shirayuki turned against us.'
"Now I see." Muramasa said with a smirk. "If you possess the power of a hollow and Ichigo Kurosaki's true instinct, it all works out. You can utilize my power to liberate the instinct living within you." Muramasa stuck out his hand and send a pulse of energy at the Hollow Ichigo. Muramasa's smirk grew wider. "It's done." He lowered his hand and started to walk towards Hollow Ichigo. Hollow Ichigo smirked and rushed towards the zanpakuto.
A sword appeared in Muramasa's hand and he clashed blades with Hollow Ichigo. 'Impressive.' He thought as he continued to block Hollow Ichigo's attacks. 'Enlisting him will be no easy task.' Hollow Ichigo tried to swing his sword down again but Muramasa swung his sword first, causing Hollow Ichigo to jump back a few feet.
"You're not too bad." Hollow Ichigo said.
"I'm not here to play with you." Muramasa said. "Now prove to me that you're Ichigo Kurosaki's true power. Don't waste anymore of my time."
"Let's have some fun."
Ichigo was still laying on the ground, watching the two fight each other. 'Damn it!' he thought. 'What now? Why the hell do those two have to do this in my inner world?' Hollow Ichigo smirked and charged towards Muramasa again.
"Our zanpakuto could be lost forever?" Shunsui questioned.
"Yes, they can." Jushiro said. "Under normal circumstances, a broken zanpakuto would regenerate once its master fully heals. However our zanpakuto have left our bodies and now exists as entities completely independent from us. That means the rules may changed from what they once were."
"Let me get this straight Jushiro. You're thinking that killing those manifestations would us into losing our zanpakuto? That thought does seem pretty logical although we don't have any actual proof. I would sure to jump to the wrong conclusion."
"Well, that's true. However, the thing that worries me the most is if we were to confront our zanpakuto with such a question in mind, would we even stand a chance against them?"
Monkey launched Snake at Renji again and Snake lowered his sword towards Renji. Renji blocked it with his sword but was getting pushed back. Snake jumped back and his sword disappeared from his hand. Snake landed on his feet and said, "Ready Renji?" He grabbed the chain and launched Monkey towards the lieutenant. The same sword that Snake was holding appeared in her hand as she swung it down on Renji, sending him crashing into the wall behind him.
"Hawk Wave!" Zoro charged toward Monkey, trying to cut her with his swords but she blocked it and pushed him back. "72 Caliber Phoenix!" Monkey easily dodged Zoro's wind blades and clashed swords with him again. She jumped back and extended her sword at Zoro, forcefully sending him into the same wall she put Renji through.
"That's not good." Snake said, walking up to his partner. "I gotta say Monkey; I thought they would be much better than that. They're pretty weak."
"There's no need for that attitude." Monkey said. "We can't have one throwing in the towel just yet." The smoke started to clear, showing both Zoro and Renji back on their feet.
"Hey, they got up! They're standing up!"
"Knock it off. Don't overreact you brat." Monkey then slapped Snake in the back of his head.
"Ow, you don't have to hit me you fat ass freak!" Snake exclaimed, punching Monkey in the side and the two started one of their arguments with Zoro and Renji looked on with a sweat drop.
"That's enough, you two!" Renji shouted, getting his zanpakuto's attention. "Don't argue with each other like that. We're the ones you're fighting here."
Monkey let go of Snake and said, "You really don't understand anything, do you?"
"What's that?"
Monkey sighed and rubbed the back of her head. "Here's the deal, we feel that we're wasting our time battling a weakling like you. Well at least your friend there tries to put up a fight."
"Boom, there you go!" Snake shouted happily. "The big ass broad said it!" That ticked Monkey off and the two was about to start another amongst themselves.
"I told you two to stop it already!" Renji shouted, stopping his zanpakuto. "What's with you? You guys keep calling me names and trying me like I'm second rate? What's behind the two of you acting like that?"
"There's a lot behind it." Monkey said. "It's our true instinct."
"What the hell does that mean? Now you're not making any sense."
"We don't want to be weak." Snake said, confusing Renji.
"As he said, we refuse to be weak." Monkey said. "We want to be stronger. We've grown tired of your weakness so we now wish to leave and that is all."
"That's it!" Renji growled, raising his sword. "Just keep talking!" Then red aura surrounded Renji's body. "Roar, Zabimaru!" The red aura disappeared and Renji's sword hasn't changed.
"Just how do you attend to fight us, huh Renji?" Monkey said with a smirk.
In a forest outside of the seireitei, Shuhei continued to run as the laughter of his zanpakuto rang throughout the area
"So the only defense for you is running away?!" Kazeshini taunted, throwing of his sickles at Shuhei.
The lieutenant jumped out of the way and flash stepped to a branch of a nearby tree. 'Damn!' He cursed in his mind. 'He's anticipating almost every move I make!'
"Do you think it's wise to rest in a spot that so open for an attack?" Kazeshini questioned, throwing his sickle at Shuhei again. Shuhei jumped off of the branch but his wrist was slashed by Kazeshini's blade.
Shuhei landed on the ground and said, "So you run away and hide, then attack me from the shadows?! You fight dirty as you look!"
"Fight dirty?! What's wrong with that?! Does it really matter in a life-or-death situation?"
"I prefer to look at my opponent in the eye."
"You think that I care about how you fight? I am a zanpakuto who sole aim is to harvest as any as I can! I have no interest on my master fights!"
"I was under the impression that you and I had a neutral understanding through communication. We formed a relationship when we were a synergistic unit." Kazeshini threw one of his sickles at Shuhei. Shuhei blocked the sword with his sword but a second sickle was thrown and slashed the soul reaper in the back, making him fall to his knees.
"I can't say that I know about the other zanpakuto but I know who I am." Kazeshini said as Shuhei got back to his feet. "I exist to reap lives. That was only thing I was responsible for in this 'relationship'."
"Is that so?" Shuhei said. "Then you've left me with no choice. If killing you means losing my zanpakuto, then so be it. I just realized something, I don't like you."
"That's fine with me." Kazeshini said, appearing behind Shuhei. "I feel the same." Shuhei looked behind his shoulder to find a blade coming towards his head.
Hollow Ichigo charged Muramasa again, swinging his sword at him. Muramasa blocked with his sword but got pushed by the force of the attack. 'His speed…" Muramasa thought as Hollow Ichigo charged towards him again and the two crossed blades. 'His power…'
Hollow Ichigo twirled his sword by his cloth and said, "This feels so good! It's been quite a while since I used my power without holding back!"
'He acts on pure instinct and yet there no mistakes.' Then Hollow Ichigo appeared behind Muramasa, surprising the zanpakuto. He slashed his sword at Muramasa, sending him crashing into the building above him.
'He's overpowering him.' Ichigo thought, watching the battle unfold.
"Come on out, zanpakuto!" Hollow Ichigo shouted, resting his sword on his shoulder. "I know there's more to you than that."
Muramasa appeared out of the smoke without having a single scratch on him. "Impressive." He said. "I didn't anticipate that you would be so capable. It's true. You are a hollow. Thanks to Zangetsu being released from Ichigo Kurosaki, you were left to run free inside him. If you're his inner hollow, that helps explain the strange transformation Ichigo went through at that time. Am I right?"
"And so what if you are?" Hollow Ichigo replied.
"I have one more thing to say. Now that I know the secret behind your tricks, it's clear that there's no need for me to waste any more time." Muramasa jumped off the building and landed on the building Hollow Ichigo was standing on. "Zanpakuto and Soul Reaper come together though communication and synergy. Now I see that there are exceptions to this like you. Some forces must remain suppressed. You are a very interesting subject."
"Hey, I let you speak your mind and you go putting me down like that?" Hollow Ichigo said, and then he pointed at Ichigo. "You said that he's has been keeping me suppressed?"
"Am I wrong?"
"Oh yeah, you're dead wrong."
"Then explain it to me."
"Now why should I do that for you? Beside what got you so interested in Ichigo? You're so curious about us both. So what's your game here?"
"You'll know in time."
"Oh yeah? I don't know or care about what you're planning but listen up. You won't get your way, not with me." Hollow Ichigo pointed his sword at Muramasa. "I will devour Ichigo and take control of his body. You see, that is my true instinct."
"I see. So you're saying that you intend to stand in my way? I have no choice then. I'll wipe out from this existence."
Monkey used the chain and threw Snake towards Zoro. "Nice try!" Zoro shouted, jumping out of the way before the boy could cut him. He looked up and saw Monkey in the air with her sword in her hand.
"Roar!" She shouted, extending her sword. Zoro quickly blocked the attack but was sent crashing to the ground.
"Zoro!" Renji shouted. A sword appeared in Snake's hand as he lashed it towards Renji, slashing his arm and sending him skidding on the ground.
"Damn it!" Zoro cursed, getting to his feet.
"Hey you coward!" Monkey said to Renji.
"Wow, 'weakling', 'coward', what the hell have I done to earn these fancy nicknames you're giving me?!" Renji said, standing back up.
"I'm calling you a coward because you are one. It's the only way to describe you."
"I have enough." Snake said bored. "I quit."
"Hey, you still need to remain focus." Monkey said, hitting Snake over his head again.
"Why should I? Even with all we've done to get him to fight us, he won't get serious. And I'm not sure if the guy with the green hair is any better. This thing is no fun at all."
Monkey looked down at her partner, and then looked back at Renji. "Have you forgotten that we know everything about you? Like the time you gave something that was very dear to you. We saw how desperately you tried to get it back. You fought for it then. Yet in spite of what you did, you still didn't have any confidence in yourself. Perhaps killing your purpose friend and holding her severed head in front of your face will finally get you to be serious. Will that force you to take this seriously?"
"Bastard." Renji cursed, pointing his sword at Zabimaru.
"We know you're angry but we also know why you can't find the guts to kill us." Monkey then appeared in front of Renji. "That's why I say you're weak." She lashed
"Are you done talking?" Zoro asked, glaring at the zanpakuto. "If you still looking for a fight, you got one."
Monkey smirked and said, "That's fine by me." She jumped back and pointed her sword at Zoro. "At least with you, I won't have to do much persuading." Monkey charged towards Zoro and lashed her sword at him. Zoro blocked the attack and the two crossed swords with neither one giving the other an advantage. They crossed blades again, pushing each other back. Monkey quickly rebounded and charged towards the swordsman, ready to attack again. Then Renji appeared in front of Zoro and took the hit himself. He was send crashing into another building.
"Well, I think you've finally gone and done it." Snake said, walking up to his partner.
"It doesn't matter." Monkey said. "He wasn't even half the man that we have wanted him to be. He's hopeless."
'That idiot!' Zoro thought, looking at the cloud of dust of smoke. 'What was he thinking?!'
"Now then…" Monkey said, getting the swordsman's attention. "Where were we?"
"Hold it!" Renji shouted, getting everyone's attention. The smoke cleared and showed Renji, using his sword to help him stand up and a cut on his chest.
"It looks like he still wants to fight." Snake said. Monkey looked at Renji with a bored expression on her face.
"You're not fighting him until you've beaten me." Renji declared.
"We're through with you." Monkey said to Renji. "You do not have the will to fight us. We know you better than anyone, right? Let's say that you fight us and you defeat us. You will have won but what if beating us means that you'll lose your power. I bet that is the explanation why you were afraid to attack us. Isn't that right? Unfortunately, we don't know what would happen either. We now exist completely separate from you. So I wouldn't be surprised if we're capable of dying just like you Soul Reapers. Renji, you refused to make decision to destroy your zanpakuto. In other words, you cannot bring yourself to destroy us. Your friend, on the other hand, didn't show that hesitation despite not knowing what might if he defeats us. True strength is not just having to the ability to fight."
Luffy skidded back a few feet as Zangetsu charged towards him again. Zangetsu swung his sword at Luffy and the pirate quickly ducked. "Gum-Gum…" Luffy shouted, stretching his foot in the air. "…Battle Axe!" Luffy lowered his feet down towards Zangetsu but the zanpakuto quickly jumped out of the way. Luffy rebounded and charged towards Zangetsu, stretching both of his arms back. "Gum-Gum Bazooka!" Air rushed out of Zangetsu's mouth as he was send crashing into a pillar. Luffy retracted his arms and breathed heavily. Zangetsu appeared out of the smoke, breathing heavily as well. The two let out a fierce battle cry and charged toward each other again.
Hollow Ichigo and Muramasa crossed blades again with Hollow Ichigo winning the exchange and pushed the zanpakuto back.
"What's the matter?" Hollow Ichigo taunted. "Is that all go?!" Muramasa appeared behind the white Ichigo, trying to cut him from behind. Hollow Ichigo jumped out of the way and clashed swords with Muramasa again, pushing him back. "You know if you fight that slow, your chances of getting to me aren't that good."
"Yes, I'm aware." Muramasa said. "I'm not concerned." Then Muramasa's sword disappeared as he stuck his hand out, releasing a pulse of energy at Hollow Ichigo.
Hollow Ichigo jumped back and said, "I'm not sure what you have up your sleeve but…" Suddenly Hollow Ichigo's body froze in mid-air. "What's this?!" Hollow Ichigo tried to move but a sudden force sends him crashing to the floor below. "I can't move!"
"What's the matter?" Muramasa said, walking towards Hollow Ichigo. "Is that all you got?"
"Damn you!" Hollow Ichigo tried to move his body but he couldn't. "Shut up!"
"This is what happened to me." Ichigo whispered quietly. He looked up at the building above and saw wire-like rope coming from Muramasa's back and wrapped around his inner hollow. "What is that?!" He looked at the battle and the wires weren't there. He looked back up and said, "Could that be…"
Muramasa's sword returned his hand. "You are nothing but a hollow." He said. "You don't possess the power that I am seeking. Therefore, you are expendable." Hollow Ichigo widen his eyes as Muramasa raised his sword over his head.
Snake smirked as he put Renji up against the wall and smacked him across the face with his tail.
'It's hurts.' Renji thought, feeling the tail hitting his face repeatedly. 'What am I going to do? I'm too weak. Is this the end of me? All of this time, what have I been doing?'
"Do something!" Snake shouted, wrapping his tail around Renji's neck and tossed him to the ground.
"Renji!" Zoro shouted, crossing swords with Monkey.
"Pay attention!" Monkey shouted, pushing Zoro back. Zoro clashed blades with her again, not letting the zanpakuto get more of an advantage. Monkey smirked as her sword touched Zoro's shoulder. She pulled her sword back, cutting the pirate. She lashed her weapon at the swordsman again, pushing him back.
'After all of this time, my own zanpakuto has deserted me.' Renji thought, trying to move. 'What should I do?' Snake then started to use his tail to hit Renji in the back like a whip. 'It hurts. It really hurts. I think that I understand now. The pain is not coming from my injuries. It's my life force as a whole has diminished.'
"He's beat." Snake said to his partner. "So what now?"
"Go ahead, just finish him off." Monkey said, and then she looked over at Zoro, who's holding the shoulder that has just been cut. "We'll deal with the swordsman afterwards." Snake smirked as his sword appeared in his hand.
"Damn!" Zoro cursed, charging towards the zanpakuto.
'So in the end, I didn't change at all.' Renji thought. 'I've been boasting about becoming stronger but all I did was move forward without actually thinking. I'm such an idiot. What about Ichigo? Ichigo has told is the reason he fights is to protect others. That is what makes him strong. But what about me? What do I have? What do I fight for?'
A blue wave fired was fired towards Muramasa, causing the zanpakuto to move out of the way and releasing Hollow Ichigo. Hollow Ichigo fell to his knees; breathing heavily as he looked at the person did the attack.
"Damn you!" He cursed, looking at Ichigo.
"That's it." Ichigo said, walking past his inner hollow. "I can't let you take what you want."
Muramasa looked at his free hand and then looked over at the two Ichigos. 'He escaped my spell in such a short time.' He thought. 'How is that possible?'
"Why are you protecting me?" Hollow Ichigo questioned. "Why would you do that for me?"
"Do you really need to ask?" Ichigo asked. "It's who I am. And obviously you're a part of me. It's as simple as that."
"Oh great, more of your arrogance."
"Now that Zangetsu has disappeared, I don't know what you're planning on doing with me. And I don't know what to do with myself either. But one thing must be done and done now, don't you think?"
"You're such a pain in the ass."
"What an interesting sight this is." Muramasa said. "You're choosing to protect a hollow."
"What the hell is so strange?!" Ichigo said. "So what if he's a hollow?! All that matters in this moment is that he's a part of me. I'm good with that because the guy in charge here. But I don't intend to let you get away with whatever the hell you want."
"Ichigo Kurosaki, just what exactly are you? What you described is hardly a relationship between a Soul Reaper and a Hollow."
"Listen to me Muramasa. You're wrong about one thing. You haven't realized this but I'm not a Soul Reaper. I'm a Human!" Ichigo charged towards Muramasa and the two crossed swords. Then blue aura surround Ichigo's body, slowly making him overpower the zanpakuto.
"You intend to push out of this world by using your own will?" Muramasa questioned. "I must say. You are unusual." With that said, Muramasa disappeared.
Snake lowered his sword towards Renji but he drew his sword and blocked it, surprising Zoro and Zabimaru. Renji slowly stood back on his feet and pushed Snake back.
Ichigo stood up on his feet and opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was Muramasa standing across from him and Luffy and Zangetsu fighting in the background.
"Ichigo!" Luffy shouted.
"Now where were we?" Ichigo asked.
"You may have been right about me being weak." Renji said. "I had forgotten but my mindset is different now. I don't have the time arguing about stupid things like that."
"Stupid, you say?" Monkey questioned.
"I only want to become stronger, that's all." Renji looked over at Zoro. "Zoro, let me handle these two."
"I will regain control." Ichigo said. "I will find a way to reunite with Zangetsu, even if I have to destroy him."
"There's someone I must surpass in battle." Renji said. "That is why I have this to become even stronger. Facing the two of you is what reminded me of that."
"This is the choice that I have made." Ichigo said.
"And I know in order to achieve that goal, I can't afford to lose." Renji said.
"I must win!" Ichigo shouted.
"Roar, Zabimaru!" Renji's sword started to glow and changed into a six part segmented blade, surprising his zanpakuto.
Ichigo pointed his sword at Muramasa and shouted, "Come on!"
To be continued…
Next Chapter: The Fierce Battle Coming to the End! Ichigo vs. Zangetsu!