Bleach: The Crimson Reaper
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any other Anime/Game references in this story.
Chapter 5: A Bloody Zangetsu!? The Vizards!
~In Hueco Mundo~
Grimmjow was walking alongside Kaname Tosen before they stopped and looked up with Aizen looking down at them with an eerily calm smile on his face. "Welcome back…Grimmjow."
Of course, Grimmjow didn't speak up before Tosen who had his head bowed down in respect to Aizen spoke up for him. "Why so quiet…? Don't you have something to say to Lord Aizen…Grimmjow?" He asked.
Grimmjow didn't give much of an answer except, "Not really…" Triggering Tosen to lift his head and turn to look at him, "What impudence…" He said smartly.
"Its alright Kaname…" Aizen assured as Kaname looked up to him. "The truth of the matter is, I'm not really that upset…" He explained before Kaname spoke up after. "But Lord Aizen he…-."
"I believe Grimmjow's actions were an intent to please me~ But then got carried away…that's all~" Aizen said, giving it the benefit of the doubt. "That's how I view this incident…right…Grimmjow?" He asked.
Of course, Grimmjow smartly nodded and answered him. "Yes, My Lord…" Suddenly Kaname reached out, grabbing Grimmjow by his collar as he turned his head towards him and glared. "What the hell's your problem…Tosen?" He asked in which Kaname didn't answer.
Suddenly Kaname snapped his head back to Aizen and spoke urgently, "Lord Aizen please! Give me permission to execute this traitor!" Aizen was quite curious at the request and calmly watched. "Kaname…"
Soon Grimmjow shoved Kaname off him and slowly smirked. "Nice try Tosen! You've always hated me, that's what this fuss is about isn't it~? Is this anyway for a director general to act Tosen!?" He asked him in which Kaname simply gave his reason why.
"I was simply believe that anybody who disrupts the peace should have to pay for it…! I promise you…it's not personal Grimmjow…"
Grimmjow slowly glared before talking again, "You would kill me just for insubordination…?"
"Yes…!" Kaname answered. "For the honor of Lord Aizen…!"
Grimmjow soon looked away with a wide smirk on his face, "Hah! Why am I not surprised~? All you ever think about is the cause!"
"Of course, It's what guides my actions…" Said Tosen as he reached for the handle of his sheathed sword. "Something which you have no knowledge of…with no moral foundation behind it…! Killing is nothing more than…" He tightened his grip on his handle. "Murder…!" He exclaimed.
"But on the other hand, killing with purpose…" He soon unsheathed his blade and, in a flash, decapitated Grimmjows left arm as blood sprayed from the cut as Grimmjow's eyes widened.
"Is Justice…!" Tosen finished poetically.
"GAHH!" Grimmjow screamed in pain from his arm being hacked off, but Tosen was far from finished. "Hado #54: Haien! Abolition Flame!" He said, using a Kido spell and launched a ball of purple energy at the severed arm, and it erupted into flames and incinerated it, leaving no traces behind.
Grimmjow knelt down, using his one good hand and arm to grip the open wound as he panted heavily and was in excruciating pain. "D-Damn…Damn…Damn…! DAMMIT!" He slowly lifted his head, a look of rage staring down at Tosen. "T-That's it pal…you're going to pay for what you did!" He soon reached for his sword and unsheathed it halfway, running straight for him. "I'll kill you!" He shouted.
He unfortunately stopped in his tracks once he heard a voice, "Grimmjow!" He soon looked up to Aizen who continued his words, "Take a moment to think about your actions before you continue…I warn you…I'll be forced to reprimand you if you attack." He warned.
Grimmjow really wanted to get his hands on Tosen but knew going against Lord Aizen's orders was a death sentence before gritting his teeth and placed his sword away and began walking away with the little pride he had left. "Hmph…!" Meanwhile, Tosen respectfully bowed to Aizen as a way of thanking him for understanding his actions.
Aizen was making his way down a staircase to a lower level of the fortress before hearing a familiar voice, "That was cruel~ Playing your men against each other like that~?" The voice teased happily while Aizen simply replied, "Were you spying Gin…as usual?" He asked to his other subordinate Gin Ichimaru former Captain of the 3rd Division and current Commander of the Arrancar Army.
"You knew Kaname would react like that~ He's such a boy scout Lord Aizen wouldn't you agree~?" He asked with the same creepy smile and slitted eyes on his face as Aizen simply walked past him and to an open window like area. "I suspect you encouraged that side of him." Gin speculated.
"Perhaps…~" Aizen answered.
"We lost five Arrancar in that operation~" Gin added to which Aizen gave his response, "It doesn't matter…" He then turned his head back to Gin, "The ones that were destroyed were the lowest of the Gillians…my plans haven't been the least bit affected. Once we have gathered the Vasto Lordes to complete the Espada…No one…will be able to stand in our way…" He said confidently before Gin simply chuckled. "I'm sure you also have gotten news about my dear old friend Akira as well~?" He asked to which Aizen turned to him with a calm smile.
~In the World of The Living~
Rukia was in her school uniform and got news of Ichigo going missing from his father and younger sister Isshin and Yuzu, "Ichigo! Where could you have gone!?" She thought with concern.
Ichigo was at the location where he had gotten beaten up by Yammy and had also met Ulquiorra before thinking back first to when Urahara requesting him to meet someone in his training grounds before he would go off to meet the Vizards.
~Flashback~
In Urahara's training grounds he was walking alongside a sullen looking Ichigo who was in his Soul Reaper haori and looked around. "S…so who was it you wanted me to meet?" He asked quietly. "Look in front of you…" A voice said before Ichigo's eyes widened suddenly seeing Akira who was in his own personal haori stare at him with a wide smirk.
"W-Wait a second…I-I know you! You're the one who pierced that Arrancar from before!" Ichigo exclaimed in which Akira nodded. "Quick learner…remember my name? Akira Gyoketsu…and I am here…to beat the Hollow OUT OF YOU!" He shouted with a vicious smile on his face and Shunpo'd in front of Ichigo's face, delivering a powerful punch into his chest, blasting Ichigo back far while he turned to Kisuke who waved while Akira rolled his eyes.
Soon a giant pillar of blue spiritual pressure shot into the sky as Ichigo had revealed the Shikai form of his Zanpakuto, Zangetsu (Slaying Moon), The Shikai form of Zangetsu resembles an oversized khyber knife instead of a formal katana. It has no tsuba and no proper hilt; what Ichigo holds is the cloth-wrapped tang. The sword is about as tall as Ichigo is and has a black blade with a silver edge.
"Well then…impressive…" Akira stated before Ichigo coughed out some blood from the punch he took before raising Zangetsu and slamming it into the ground as a huge wave of blue spiritual energy shot its way directly towards Akira who stood in one place before an explosion went off due to the impact before the smoke was slowly clearing while Ichigo turned to Kisuke.
"Urahara! Is this really the guy that you said I should be careful about?! Doesn't seem all that impressive last I heard!" He shouted before Kisuke slowly smiled. "Try looking again…Ichigo~"
Half of Akira's body was gone as a pool of blood laid splattered onto the ground before he slowly was regenerating the missing half of his body and still had a wide smirk on his face. "Come now Ichigo…that isn't your full strength is it?" He teased.
Ichigo's eyes widened at what he just saw and gritted his teeth. "D-Dammit…! What the hell is with this guy…! This guy's a freakshow!" He said to himself.
"Now where were we…" Akira soon Shunpo'd directly in front of Ichigo before blood splashed from his midsection with Akira revealing the Shikai Form of his Zanpakuto before Ichigo jumped back and placed his hand over the wound. "D-Dammit!"
"Ah…thanks for the fresh blood…~ My Kougetsu was getting restless and hungered for something new~" He said before showing Ichigo's blood dripping down the sharp edge of his Claymore-like Blade. "I want to show you a little trick!" He said before he became serious, and he calmly spoke. "Shinku no mohō" (Crimson Imitation).
"S-Shinku- what…? Crimson Imitation…?" Ichigo asked quietly in confusion before to his shock, Akira's Kougetsu shattered into dozens of pieces before withering away as Akira then pierced his hand right into his own chest and seemed to be pulling something.
"H-Hey! What the hell's the matter with you!? You'll kill yourself doing that you idiot!" Ichigo shouted urgently only for Akira to rip out what seemed to be a blood red colored variation of a familiar sword. "T-That's!"
Akira chest soon closed up the wound he created and swung the blood-created sword around before aiming it directly at him. "Zangetsu…meet…Shinku…Zangetsu~" (Crimson Slaying Moon)
"S-Shinku Zangetsu!? H-How?! How the hell do you have Zangetsu!? Don't mock me dammit!" Ichigo screamed, flash stepping towards him and swung Zangetsu down at Akira only for Akira to clash blades with him and leaned in closely. "I'm not mocking you…simply showing you the other side of the spectrum~" He said before knocking Ichigo away and rested Shinku Zangetsu over his shoulder.
"Now here's a little elementary riddle my dear Ichigo…what happens when a King meets another King who takes away his horse and uses it to kill its original owner…well? There is no specific answer…but I call it…a State of Execution~" He said in which Ichigo growled and aimed Zangetsu in his direction. "Bankai!" He screamed, his sword transforming into the likes of a daito sword (Japanese long sword) with a black blade instead. The cross guard has four prongs bent out to form the shape of the manji (which is the kanji for "ban," meaning "full," as in "full release").
"Tensa Zangetsu! (Heaven Chain Slaying Moon) Ichigo's appearance had changed also before glaring confidently at Akira who raised a brow before slowly aiming his variation of Zangetsu at Ichigo and inhaled deeply.
"Not so fast! Getsuga Tensho!" Ichigo swung Tensa Zangetsu as a wild swirl of black and red spiritual energy blasted its way towards Akira who slowly glared before there was a giant red and black explosion from Ichigo's attack as Ichigo panted and placed his hand over his left eye, knowing that he just used his Inner Hollow's attack. "Hopefully, that did him in…" He said before a giant pillar of black and red spiritual pressure shot up to the sky and blew the dust away.
"W-What the-!" Ichigo soon saw in Akira's hands a blood red colored version of his sword. "Now Ichigo…I would like for you to meet…Shinku-Tensa Zangetsu~" He then had blood red spiritual pressure swirl around the sword as he got into a stance and smirked. "N-No…he's not about to…"
"Getsuga…Tensho!" Akira shouted, swinging his blade across the air as a swirling blood red Getsuga blasted straight at Ichigo who was frozen in shock before taking the attack head on. "A-AHHHH!"
Akira slowly stood up straight and looked at his sword before gripping it tightly as it shattered and formed back into Kougetsu, "Good job Kougetsu…looks like we can chalk that one up for another enjoyable bloodsh-." He stopped once he felt a spike of spiritual pressure and turned to see Ichigo running full speed at him with half of his hollow mask appearing on his face. "RAAAHHH!" The half-hollow masked Ichigo began wildly swinging Tensa Zangetsu at Akira who continuously dodged each strike and began thinking to himself.
"Ichigo…you only wish to protect the people you care about…but you fail to realize the price at what it takes to acquire such power…you fail to see the other side of a mirror that is reflecting what you're becoming…and if you continue to fight against yourself this way…you will die…"
Akira soon jumped back and glared angrily at Ichigo before raising Kougetsu in the air, "You are nothing more than a Subsitute Soul Reaper! Know your place in the world Ichigo…On your knees!" He shouted, swinging his blade, and launching a wave of Dark Reiatsu and his blood to hit Ichigo directly, knocking him onto his back as the mask slowly disappeared.
Akira slowly approached him and stood over him before raising his blade, however he stopped midway and put Kougetsu back in its sheath as he turned to Kisuke. "So, you weren't planning to kill the kid?" He asked.
Kougetsu blinked before he did Ichigo the favor of fixing the wounds he and damage he caused onto him while responding to Urahara, "Why go and kill the guy when he barely knows himself…" He sympathized before standing up straight. "Once he wakes up, he'll know exactly where to go next…See ya Kisuke." Akira said before flash-stepping away.
~End of Flashback~
Ichigo still was a little shaken by seeing a mere copy of Zangetsu in the hands of someone else while also thinking back to his battles with the Arrancars Yammy and Grimmjow and how one-sided they all were and looked down solemnly, knowing he was left with one last choice to get stronger.
Later on, Akira was in the hideout of the Vizard's hiding himself in the shadows to ensure Ichigo didn't see him before he heard footsteps and looked down, seeing him walk inside and then heard Shinji speak. (Note: I don't really have the energy at point and time to describe all the Vizard's so…just look it up people lol)
"Good job finding this place Ichigo…~" He complimented as Ichigo slowly looked up at all members of the Vizard's and one in particular being Shinji. "My…Why so serious~?" He asked and chuckled before continuing, "I wonder what that means…Wait, have you finally decided to join us~?" He asked excitedly. "I'm sort of impressed you had found our hideout~ I don't mean to put you down, but it is a surprise considering how usually you suck at sensing Spiritual Pressure…the bottom line is I figured you come here…eventually~ To make it easier for you we all got together and pumped out as much spiritual pressure as we could to help you find your way here, I guess it must've worked…the fact that you're here means that you've finally decided to come over to our side…am I right~?" He finished.
Ichigo had his head down before looking up and sneering at him as he spoke out loudly, "Bite me!" He commented in which Shinji did a double-take and was thrown off by the sudden verbal jab. "Auuugh!?" "I have no intention of joining up with you people…I'm not that desperate so don't kid yourself…!" He explained before smirking up at them.
"I'm here to use you Shinji~" He stated his case in which Shinji slowly glared and softly spoke, "Oh~…Is that so~?"
"I came here with one purpose in mind! And I'm not leaving here until I get it…" Said Ichigo, making a statement on where he stood on his decision. "I want you to teach me how to control the hollow inside me…then after that, I'm out of here."
Shinji soon smiled again and looked down at him, "You must really think we're just a bunch of pushovers~" "I'll make you teach me…" Ichigo said with conviction in his voice before Shinji lost his smile once more and retorted back, "Oh yeah…how you gonna do that…?" He asked, knowing what the answer will be as Ichigo lifted his head and smirked.
"I guess I'll beat it out of you~" He stated to which Shinji chuckled and sneered at him, "Your welcome to try~" Ichigo soon pulled out his soul badge and left his original body and charged straight for Shinji who stood in place before kicking his sword into the air and catching up while Ichigo went to unwrap Zangetsu from its bandages while Shinji immediately unsheathed his Zanpakuto, "You really think your strong enough…?" He taunted before they clashed.
Soon the battle commenced as Akira came out the shadows and watched them go back and forth, seeing Ichigo get knocked onto the ground before jumping back up and could tell they both were not going at full strength as he jumped down alongside the rest of the Vizards. "Akira? The heck are you doing here?" Hiyori asked with a raised brow.
"Don't worry about it…I informed Shinji I'd be joining you guys in assisting you on helping Ichigo with his little problem. Nothing more or less." He explained and crossed his arms while he yawned.
"Well, this is surprising~ The boy turns out to be a good fighter…he seems to be holding off shinji~" Said Rojuro, but Lisa soon cut him off knowing he wasn't seeing the realization of the battle. "Idiot! You better go get your eyes fixed, can't you see Shinji's only playing out there. He's not even breaking a sweat."
"To be fair it seems as if Ichigo isn't fighting at full strength either out there, he seems to be holding back." Hachi added on before Love spoke up as well, "Yeah…I figured that the guy's got to be pretty freaked out."
"Right on the money Love…" Akira replied before Mashiro looked at them, "You really think so? Over what?" She asked as Kensei stepped forward and gave the answer, "Must be his hollow…the little punk's scared that if every time he fight's, he's gonna release that inner hollow and he won't be able to control it that's why he wants it suppressed in the first place…that makes him damaged goods in my book…and why exactly are we trying so hard to recruit this guy anyway?" He asked while Akira slowly smirked.
"Didn't you say the same thing about me when you heard about me~?" He asked with a sadistic smirk in which Kensei gritted his teeth and kept quiet.
Hiyori soon let out an annoyed sigh and began walking in their direction before Mashiro spoke up. "H-hey Hiyori, where are you going you shouldn't interfere!"
"Hachi…add on another five more forcefields…" She requested. "Yes, as you wish…" Hachi responded while Akira blinked before giving her a heads up, "Don't kill the kid alright?"
Hiyori soon stopped and looked up at them while Shinji glared at Ichigo and spoke, "You're finished…Ichigo…."
"Shinji! Tag! Out!" Hiyori shouted, suddenly appearing next to Shinji and wacked him across the face with one of her sandals. "Gaugh!"
"W-What the!"
Shinji ended spiraling right through the original forcefield and through the windows and out of the hideout as Akira sweatdropped and face palmed. "Should've known she'd pull that bullshit…I'll get him…!" He said in annoyance and began slowly walking to go find Shinji.
Hiyori then turned her focus back to Hachi and glared, "Get moving! I told you to beef up the barrier!" She ordered in which Hachi could only plead his own case. "I-I know but you didn't give me enough time to do it."
~Later on~
Akira was able to find Shinji and walked back with him towards the hideout while he looked over at him, "Man you think Hiyori would find a better way of giving you a heads up…besides, we might want to hurry or else she's gonna slaughter him…" Akira warned.
Shinji shrugged and rubbed his neck, "Nah…I think Ichigo can hold his own for a little while longer…besides-." They both stopped and felt a familiar pressure before looking to each other and used Shunpo to get back into the hideout as they saw a half-hollow masked Ichigo strangling Hiyori and having her pinned against the wall before Shinji and the other Vizard's pinned him to the ground with all of their Zanpakuto's aimed at him while Akira landed next to Hiyori.
Shinji slowly used the tip of his blade to shatter apart the masked part of Ichigo's inner hollow, seeing it crumble into pieces before speaking. "Okay that's enough…well Hiyori? Are you satisfied?" He asked in which Akira turned his eyes towards her and noticed her shaking with tears at the edge of her eyes.
"Hm…that inner hollow was probably more sinister than she had realized…can't say I don't think she got what she deserved…using her hollow powers like that just to prove a point…" He said with a roll of his eyes.
Soon Love got off of Ichigo and stepped back while Shinji looked down with his hair covering his eyes. "You understand now Ichigo? Your hollow can't just simply be repressed just by focusing your mind on stopping it, and it can't be stopped with your body either…" He explained while Ichigo's eyes slowly turned back to normal.
Shinji looked over to him before slowly turning over to look at him, having his Zanpakuto hang over his shoulder. "You pass. We'll teach you control; you'll learn how to deal with that hollow inside of you…" He explained.
"H-Hey wait a second…y-you…you're that guy!" Ichigo called out towards Akira in which Shinji blinked and looked back and forth, "Oh? You two have met?" He asked.
"Something like that…relax Ichigo…I was actually assigned to help you with the others by my mother and the old man Yamamoto…Let me rephrase my name once more…Akira Gyoketsu…and just like you…I have an inner hollow…" He said with a wide crazed smirk.
"W-What?! S-So that means…" "Ding-Ding~…You see Ichigo…the way I met the Vizards was through my mother and she explained that they could help me control and strengthen my inner hollow and eventually I could master it…now you're probably wondering exactly how I met them…let's just say it wasn't the most subtle meet-n-greet." He explained to which all the Vizards had slight glares aimed at him before Shinji chuckled. "So, you remember it like it was yesterday too huh~?"
~Flashback~
~Playing Naruto Shippuden OST: Sasuke's Ninja Way~
Inside the Vizard's hideout, Chiyuki was walking alongside a much younger looking Akira who had a blank look on his face, and they stopped and looked up, revealing the Vizards with Shinji speaking up first. "Ah…Lady Chiyuki…good to see you again…I see you brought someone with you~" He said, his gaze moving over towards Akira.
"Hm…I brought my son with me…he wanted to ask you something…" She said to which Akira walked forward and glared up at them, "Well…? Out with it then kid~" Shinji said with a wide smile as Akira finally asked the question, "Teach me to control it…or die…" He threatened, giving them only two ultimatums.
"Hehehehe…that's pretty hysterical kid…how about…" Shinji and the rest of the Vizards soon drew upon their hollow masks and charged at him. "NEITHER!"
Akira stood in place before calling upon Kugetsu and prepared himself.
Boom!
Clash!
Cling!
Clash!
Minutes went by almost quickly as a majority of the Vizards were knocked out or wounded as Akira slammed his foot into Shinji's throat and had the tip of Kougetsu brush against Hiyori's neck while he had her pinned against the wall. "I'll ask again…" He said, his hollow mask slowly growing further and further on the right side of his face as he spoke with his hollow voice. "Teach me to control…or Die!"
~End of Flashback and OST~
"Trust me Ichigo…we gained each other's respect over that timespan…consider yourself fortunate that Shinji had taken interest in you in the first place…"
"He's right Ichigo~…There's a lot more about Akira than he's letting one…trust me…He sees a little bit of himself in you…that is something he is very sure about~" Shinji said with a wide smile.
~Next Day~
Shinji was bored and was resting his head on his hand and was complaining. "Where's Mashiro and Akira with lunch…Hiyori! Lunch is late again and I'm starving make something to eat…" He requested in.
"Hm! Dream on, you'll starve to death waiting for me to cook for you and even if I did cook a meal, I wouldn't let you have any…Dumbass…" She spoke.
"Hey Love, have you heard that new song from Prince of Darkness that just came out? It totally rocks~" Rojuro recommended to Love who was busy chuckling and laughing with anime tears down his face from under his shades as he was reading something. "No, but have you read the latest issue of Shonen Jump Magazine~!"
"How Could I~? You never let anyone besides Akira on a few occasions read it but you." "Hysterical Bahahahahahaha~!"
Kensei was busy taping up his hands and forearms before speaking, "Lisa…I want you to keep a sharp eye on that Soul Reaper's training…look after him." Lisa, however, was looking through a swimsuit catalogue before responding, "Yeah, yeah…don't worry I won't let him out of my sight…" She half-heartedly answered.
"Yeah, but you're not watching him…! You're just sitting there looking at swimsuit catalogues!" He snapped to which she glared and retorted back to him, "Can it will you…I can see the Soul Reaper just fine…"
"That's not the point…you're on duty today aren't you? You're supposed to be training him!" Kensei complained to which she relented and sighed, "Fine…1…2…1…2…1…2" Lisa repeated. While this was going on, Ichigo was busy using Hiyori's erm…super exercise machine or whatever she yelled it to be on a few occasions and he seemed to be reaching his breaking point of patience.
Shinji simply kept complaining about lunch not showing up yet, "Lunch sure is late…" "Stop talking about it!" Hiyori retorted. "You're going to wind up making us all hungrier than we already are!"
Suddenly Ichigo finally snapped and kicked the exercise machine right at Hiyori who used Shinji as a shield with blood shooting from his head due to taking the whole blunt force of the machine. "I can't take it anymore!" Ichigo screamed with frustration.
Hiyori was not happy, "What's the big idea!? You try something like that again dumbass and your dead!" She shouted while holding a bleeding Shinji by his collar as he tried to speak up, "I-I…I was just going to say the same thing…!"
Ichigo soon snapped back at them. "I should be saying it to you! You bragged about how you were going to teach me control and how to suppress the hollow inside me forever! So why the hell are you idiots having me waste my day running on this cheap, home-made poor excuse for a cross-country ski machine!" He shouted, pointing at the exercise machine he was on earlier.
Soon the other Vizards looked up to see what the issue was as Ichigo continued his tirade. "Wait! Scratch that! You guys aren't the idiots…I'm the idiot for listening to you!" He exclaimed while Love and Rojuro sighed.
"You ARE an idiot if you think it's a damn cross-country ski machine!" Meanwhile Hachi, Mashiro and Akira came in with lunch as Mashiro spoke up first, "Lunch is here!" She called out softly.
"Ah~ Sounds good…I'm starved…" Love said happily while high-fiving Akira who began helping them take everyone's lunches and had grabbed his own before turning over to watch the show.
"Whine about our training methods dumbass!" Hiyori snapped. "Stop calling me dumbass snaggle-tooth!" Ichigo snapped back before continuing, "And how the hell can you even consider this training!?" He asked.
"I'll call you dumbass all I want dumbass!" She answered before continuing lecturing him on how the training machine works as Mashiro turned to Love. "Should I interrupt them to let them know that lunch is here? It might end up getting cold…" She asked while Akira sweatdropped, "Don't think they would care at this point…"
"Nah~ Don't bother…~ I'll eat theirs…" Love recommended as Mashiro handed him his lunch before turning over to the others while Akira sat by Love and was already eating his food. "Trust me Love it's pretty damn good."
"They seem to be awfully angry…why are they fighting?" She asked curiously while Akira chimed in first, "Maybe Ichigo thought he could get away with pulling off some stupid shortcut in the training…"
Love simply sighed and figured he give them a short version, "Well…he doesn't seem to like the Hiyori Super Trainer." He explained. "What~!? He was still on it!?" She asked surprised while Akira shrugged. "Well, he is a special case like me after all so can't say I am surprised."
Soon Akira turned and saw Ichigo smirk and raise his fist and then noticed Hiyori flat out use Shinji as a weapon to bash his head into Ichigo's and soon after that they began fighting as Akira walked over to Hachi, Lisa and Kensei who were getting their lunches while Akira still was eating before reaching in to grab his box of pockies. "There they are…" He said to himself.
"If you ask me I don't think Hiyori explained the motive behind the training treadmill very well so I can see why he would be frustrated." Hachi explained while Ichigo was reaching his hand out and was ready to wring Hiyori's neck. "Raaaaah!"
Suddenly he was cut off as Hiyori used her sandal to slap him across the face and began doing it repeatedly several times.
"You're not wrong Hachi…knowing Hiyori for as long as we've all known her she sucks at giving the full specification behind something." Kensei soon added on as well. "I have to agree, when giving orders Hiyori always leaves out 1 or 2 key details."
They soon looked up, seeing Hiyori plant her foot across Ichigo's face and lunch him back to the ground before she reached over and grabbed the training treadmill and ran full speed. "Keep running until your sorry ass drops!" She screamed, throwing the machine at Ichigo as his head snapped back from the impact of it and he twitched a few times before looking up at her and was seething. "W-Why you…!"
He soon stopped once saw he saw Shinji and Akira walk up on her left and right as Shinji spoke up first, "Calm down Ichigo…! The stupid Hiyori Treadmill Trainer (ITS SUPER!)" Hiyori cut in with annoyance before Shinji continued, "Is the foundation for all of your future training!" He explained. "H-huh? Foundation?"
Akira soon explained the next step to the stupid treadmill. "Its simple…they will determine the next level of your training program based on how long you can run on the treadmill, easy right?"
Soon Ichigo began listening more and calmed down, "What exactly do you guys mean when you say level…?" He asked. "Just listen to Hiyori okay, quit your whining and get back on her senseless treadmill trainer…" Of course, this triggered Hiyori while Akira tried not to laugh. "For the last time it's the Hiyori Super Trainer you dumb-asses!"
"After about three days you'll collapse from exhaustion…" Soon Shinji smirked and continued, "First we break you down and then we build you back up by teaching you how to control your hollow transformation~"
Ichigo unfortunately wasn't buying the idea and spoke up about it, "What!? That's a joke! Well, you can forget about three days…I can run on that thing for almost a week without getting tired! I get it okay…? That stupid machine is designed to drain me of all my spirit energy…well big deal! Tch…you guys want to measure my maximum spirit energy output by seeing how many days I can go before I finally collapse." He answered.
Shinji and Akira slowly glared at him and kept quiet before Ichigo continued shouting, "You idiots! With the spirit energy I have now I could go five days straight on that stupid thing! There's no point in testing me like this, just teach me how to control my hollowfication already!" He ordered. "I don't have the time to waste on all this crap dammit! I cannot afford to waste anymore time messing around with you Vizards and Akira!"
Soon Akira shouted at him before Shinji could get a chance to, "WATCH YOUR TONE PAL!" This of course had thrown off Ichigo from the way he had spoken before Shinji spoke next. "You don't have time…? That's something coming from a guy who doesn't even know how long it takes for the Hogyoku to awaken…" He said in which Ichigo's eyes widened.
"W-What…!? W-What did you just say…?"
"I said stop running your mouth when you don't know about the Hogyoku or anything at all about Hollowfication!" Shinji snapped as Akira crossed his arms and could tell this is where Shinji explains how he knows everything.
"W-What is this…? That's impossible how do you two know about the Hogyoku!?" He asked in which Shinji and Akira both had matching grins before Shinji spoke first. "I know all about it…~ The Hogyoku~ The Arrancars~ The mystery of my buddy Akira Gyoketsu…and even about Sosuke Aizen~"
"He's right Ichigo…both him and I have known about them…for many, many years now…heh…~" He chuckled before Shinji flashed stepped down in front of him and held his hand out close to Ichigo's face as Akira stood behind Ichigo with his arms crossed and looked forward.
"Don't you worry Ichigo we'll give you all the details another day~ I thought it'd be a good idea to take some time at the beginning so you could get used to us…but seeing as you're a special case much like Akira over there since you're a soul reaper, you can use your shikai and you have…a Bankai…~"
"U-Ugh…! Y-you guys know all about that too…!?" Ichigo asked. "But we both can see it would be better if we just jumped right into teaching you how to control your inner hollow~" Akira explained. "Just like you originally asked us to…"
Soon Shinji's hand had a glowing blue outline to it as he was about to use a Kido spell to knock out Ichigo. "Are you ready Ichigo…~?' And soon Ichigo's world turned to darkness as he heard Shinji's final words.
"I hope you don't…regret this…~"
Love soon had Ichigo hung over his shoulder as Shinji closed his eyes before turning over to Hachi. "Hachi, give us a 2-layered fault forcefield." He ordered as Hachi nodded. "Alright then…" Hachi proceeded to clap his hands above his head and in front of his body to summon up a forcefield around the hideout as a secret floor entrance in the hideout slowly opened with a staircase going downwards. Soon they began making their way down.
"Can you hear me Ichigo…in a few moments, you are going to fully transform into a hollow…don't let it consume you. Consume it instead…! If it eats you Ichigo…it's all over…" He spoke in his thoughts.
At the bottom of the staircase revealed a rocky terrain that seemed to be their training grounds as Akira looked around and stretched, "Man been a while since I was down here…" He said and yawned.
Soon Love put Ichigo down next to his bandaged up Zanpakuto before Shinji spoke, "Hey Hachi…throw up a forcefield here too…" He instructed as he was met with a "What…?" by Hachi before Akira and Shinji both comically glared at him. "Don't Whaat…him Hachi…you're the one who's standing there gaping at us and looking like you're trying to catch flies with your mouth open…!" Akira retorted before they turned their attention back to Ichigo. "Just do it okay?" Shinji added. "Seal off Ichigo's body as well…"
"As you wish…" Hachi answered before focusing and clapped his hands together and began chanting, "Wall of Iron Sand…Tower of the shaven priests…glow in condescend iron…tranquil and soundless!" Hachi soon raised his folded his hands up into the air as orange soul energy swirled around above them. "Bakudo #75: Gochūtekkan!" He then slammed his hands into the ground as the place began to shake.
Akira looked up, seeing five giant iron pillars that were chained together come crashing down and keep Ichigo restrained.
(Now this is where its Akira's point of view and the Vizards point of view while Ichigo meets his inner hollow and learns about him being Zangetsu.)
Suddenly there was a powerful shockwave radiating from Ichigo which caught all the Vizards by surprise as it was going through the barrier while Akira was standing next to Shinji and glared, "Here it comes…" Shinji said.
Soon the prone body of Ichigo was slowly trying to get to his feet and was making hollow sounds while Mashiro spoke up, "Would it maybe be a good idea if we had hidden his Zanpakuto."
"Wouldn't have made any difference…even if we had hidden it, it would just make him more frantic…" Love explained.
Ichigo continued trying to struggle and escape the five pillars before lifting his head, revealing that half of his face was already hollowfied as he had a crazed smile on his face.
Lisa slowly got to her feet first while the pillars were slowly falling apart before they came crashing down as Ichigo emerged to his feet. "Hachigan…open it up please…" Lisa requested. "I'm the one on duty today…so I'll be going first…"
"Alright Lisa…" Hachi's finger glowed as he soon motioned it around to form a door like entrance into the barrier as Lisa began stepping in before Shinji spoke. "Lets…try not to kill him Lisa…"
"Yeah if he doesn't kill me first…" Lisa retorted back to him before continuing to walk in until the door to the barrier closed and the Hollowfying Ichigo reached for Zangetsu and stared down Lisa with the same bloodthirsty smile on his face.
Lisa proceeded to unsheathe her Zanpakuto and introduced herself, "My name is Lisa Yadomaru…" She then got into a stance and glared at him, "Nice to meet ya…" The Hollowfying Ichigo soon dashed full speed at her as Lisa began fighting him.
~Meanwhile in Ichigo's Inner World~
Ichigo panted as he had out his Shikai and was looking for Old-man Zangetsu but was facing White Ichigo (His inner hollow) Who gave him an answer, "Haven't you figured it out~? I am…ZANGETSU!" He screamed, knocking Ichigo into one of the buildings before lowering himself down.
"Ichigo…maybe you aren't aware of this…but Zangetsu and I have always one and the same…Together we're your spirit energy…I used to be a part of him." He explained. "We share the same body…but, as our relationship began to change so did too our individual appearances. When life is in control, flesh covers the bones. When death is in control, the bones become exposed~ The same could be said for Zangetsu and I, overtime my power increased…and control instantly started to switch over to death…and Zangetsu became a part of me~" He smirked widely.
"The more you try to draw on Zangetsu's powers…the easier it became for me to dominate your soul…!"
Ichigo slowly got to his feet and glared at him, "Is that so…? Then that means…if I defeat you, then Zangetsu will become the center of my spirit energy!"
"Hm…That makes sense…" White Ichigo answered. "In theory…but you won't win~"
"Is that right…" Ichigo slowly said before raising his Shikai and then slamming it forward with one hand as his other hand gripped his arm and had his blade pointing directly at White Ichigo. "Don't be so sure about that! Wonder how confident you'll be after you see this!" He shouted, preparing to release Bankai.
White Ichigo slowly glared and sighed, cracking his neck as he slowly lifted White Zangetsu into the air, "You just don't understand do you…It's not like you might beat me…" He stated, mirroring Ichigo's actions which caught him off guard for a moment. "You CAN'T beat me~" He taunted.
Both stayed in their usual stances before Ichigo spoke first, "BAN…"
"KAI!"
"KAI!"
To be continued.
Welp that's the end of this chapter, I figured I give a two-chapter run for just this day since I know classes start back up soon so see you all soon, possibly on the weekend for another chapter.
Note: I do plan on doing an interlude chapter focused on what-if scenario of Akira being part of Brave Souls the app game. Ba-Bye!