Typhon raised an enormous hand in attempt to swat Ichigo away like a fly. The substitute used a Flash Step and reappeared right next to the demon's head. Ichigo swung his zanpakuto at Typhon's massive cranium, launching a Getsuga Tensho literally into the Demon of Dread's ear. Typhon roared in annoyance at the attack and attempted to swat Ichigo away again.

Ichigo dodged the slow attack and chuckled at the beast. "You're not a very fast learner, are you, big guy?"

Typhon snarled at the orange-haired boy. "Pathetic human. No mortal creature can ever hope to overcome me. I am Typhon."

"And I am surprised that something as stupid-looking as you actually knows how to talk," Ichigo taunted the giant. The great beast roared again. This time, however, instead of trying to just smash Ichigo with his hand, a blood-red sphere of energy began forming at the demon's mouth. Ichigo looked at the sphere of power in surprise. "What the hell is that?"

"Achreío ékri̱xi̱!" roared Typhon's voice as a focused beam of red spirit energy blasted out of the sphere. The beam was fairly thin. But that was in comparison to its user.

Time seemed to slow down for Ichigo. He pointed his blade directly at the beam. He gripped his right arm with his left hand as the wraps around Zangetsu's grip wrapped around his arm. "Ban…" The red blast enveloped him.

Seeing this, Kronos grinned and laughed. "Do you see now, fools? None but I alone can stand against the might of Typhon! Olympus has-!"

"Kai!" Ichigo's voice interrupted the Titan Lord as a black, katana-like blade actually sliced through Typhon's beam. When Ichigo was once again visible, he held up the black blade that had cut through the attack. "Tensa Zangetsu."

Kronos gawked at the sight, his head cocking to one side in utter shock. One thought crossed his mind as Ichigo and Typhon continued to fight: I'm going back to Tartarus, aren't I?

Typhon continued launching blasts of power at the Substitute Soul Reaper at a surprising rate, but Ichigo's bankai-enhanced speed, plus his size (much, much smaller than Typhon), allowed him to evade even faster. "Come on, you oversized garden snake! My idiot dad has better aim and timing than you!" He slashed at one of Typhon's beams, cutting it in half. "Hey, you actually got close that time!"

"Insolent human," Typhon boomed angrily. "Your insults shall be the death of you." He began charging up another attack. In response, Ichigo reached up to his face with his left hand.

Here goes, he thought as he began gathering his spirit energy. Typhon roared as he unleashed a blast much larger than the others he had been launching. The massive beam flew towards Ichigo with a blind fury. The Substitute Soul Reaper tore his hand away from his face, revealing a Hollow mask that had a pair of vertical red lines running parallel down the face. He gripped his sword with both hands, raised the blade over his head, and began charging black spirit energy. "Getsuga…" He swung the blade down. "Tensho!"

The black shockwave crashed into the red beam, pushing Typhon's attack back at the demon. When Ichigo's attack finally reached Typhon, the demon's head was enveloped in an explosion of dark energy. The Demon of Dread released a genuinely pained roar as he fell back. Kronos's eyes widened in disbelief at what he had just seen and heard.

"Impossible…" he muttered under his breath. He clenched his fists in rage. Suddenly, he was right behind the Hollow-masked Ichigo, his time-rending scythe raised to cut the boy in half. "DIE!"

Just before the scythe could carve Ichigo's body, however, a bright orange shield appeared, deflecting Kronos's unholy blade. The Titan Lord had a baffled look on his face. He couldn't tell because of the mask, but he was pretty certain that Ichigo was smirking at him.

"Thanks, Orihime!" he called down to the redhead. "I owe you one!"

"Just win, Ichigo!" Orihime called back. "I know you can do it!"

Kronos sneered at the mortals. He looked Ichigo in the eyes. Those eyes. Filled such confidence and cockiness. Such arrogance! "You ungrateful wretch! Were it not for me, you would not even exist! You should be kneeling to me! How can you defy destiny!?" He was answered by a chuckle. "What is so funny, boy?"

"Just you," Ichigo said. "You think that just because you're a Titan that you can do whatever you damn well please. Well, news flash, pal: you're dead wrong." The Titan Lord glared at the orange-haired boy hatefully. "You can try and try and try, but no matter how many attempts you make, you can never control someone's destiny. I'm the only one in charge of my fate. Not some pompous windbag with a fancy cape. The same goes for everyone else." He pointed his blade at the Lord of Time. "Face it, Kronos. In truth, you're just a shallow, cowardly little man hiding behind a mask of false power. That's all you are, and it's all you'll ever be."

Kronos's eyes were wide with rage. His fists were trembling with contempt for the audacious boy before him. "How dare you insult me! I am Kronos! I am the King of the Titans! The Lord of Time! I cannot and will not be defeated by a mere human!" He suddenly vanished from view. Following the Titan Lord's spiritual pressure, Ichigo turned to see the Lord of Time standing atop the unconscious form of Typhon.

"What the hell are you up to this time?" Ichigo asked as he prepared his sword.

"Something I should have done from the very beginning!" the Titan answered as he raised his scythe. "I will merge with Typhon!" Everybody's eyes widened at that proclamation.

"You're going to merge with Typhon!?" Athena shouted at the Titan Lord. "That's impossible!"

"Maybe for you lesser beings," Kronos said mockingly. "But not for the master of the Demon of Dread!" He stabbed the blade into Typhon's chest. As the demon roared in pain, the Titan said, "And all I have to give up is what little sanity I have left!"

"You're giving up your sanity!?" Athena shouted in shock.

"He was sane?" Ulquiorra actually deadpanned.

Suddenly, Typhon's entire body was enveloped in a sinister golden energy that had streaks of red and black swirling around it. The spiritual pressure that they all felt from the energy was even more massive than Typhon's, if that was even possible.

As the energy dissipated, they saw a hideous, brutal-looking monstrosity that was even more frightening than Typhon. It looked fairly similar to the demon, but its wings were made of bronze, and its horns stuck out much further forward. Each of its massive fingers ended in clawed tips.

"Kill…" the gigantic abomination growled in a grotesque voice. It raised one of its massive hands toward Ichigo. "Kill… you… all…"

Ichigo stared at the great, demonic beast in both disgust and awe. He remembered this massive creature from the weird dream he had had the night before all this insanity started, back when he was ignorant of the existence of Greek gods and monsters. He smirked at the monster and said, "Let's finish this once and for all!"

And with that, he charged.

-o-

A/N: Sorry to leave you like this, guys, but I do love my cliffhangers. See you soon. Stay cool ;)