Chapter 15: Licht vs Yami
Ichigo's nightmare/soulscape
Ichigo finds himself in the vision of Karakura in 1983, where the incident which the imposter starts to explain why Zangetsu is involved with the relationship between Isshin and Masaki.
"It was at this evening, reports of frequent soul reaper deaths have been occurring as of late, drawing the attention of the Soul Society" said the imposter when the bodies of fall soul reapers are sprawled all around the streets, only to be scavenged by ravenous Hollows. "This of course draw now only their attention, but the attention of so many hollows who are eager for an easy meal. And when there are Hollows, then a Quincy is not far away to start the hunt."
Suddenly, glowing blue arrows starts firing at the hollows, causing them to implode and vanish to oblivion. And up on the rooftops, Masaki Kurosaki stands with her bow in hand and aiming at the hollows feasting among the dead soul reapers. She was here because she sensed a disturbance, and despite her guardian's wishes to stay away from Soul Reapers due to him telling her about the purge, she ran off to where the disturbance has occurred. And with the hollows gathering around like a pack of starving hyenas, she knows that their presence is too dangerous and not even a Soul Reaper could take out this many single handed.
"Damn Soul Reapers, they just can't do their jobs properly," said Masaki as she starts firing her bow at the Hollows. "Can't help themselves dying either, useless pricks."
Ichigo was surprised at this, he always envision his mother as a caring mother in his 9 years with her, so it's quite the surprise to see her act this way.
"Figured I would find you here, Masaki,"
Masaki rolled her eyes and groaned while she turns to face Ryuken Ishida, Uryu's father which despite the white hair the resemblance of his son is uncanny.
"Why are you here, Ryuken?" said Masaki with an annoyed look.
"I'm taking you back home, kaa-san is not pleased with you running off like that," said Ryuken as he looks ahead to see the hollows feasting on the dead soul reapers, and sighed with annoyance as he tile his glasses away so that he can massage his temples. "Masaki, you need to stop this. This is getting too dangerous."
"It's more dangerous to leave those Hollows where everyone could end up being their next meal," said Masaki as she fires another arrow at a Hollow. "And if the soul reapers won't clean up their mess, then so be it."
"This is no way for an Echt Quincy to act," said Ryuken.
"Oh spare me that old drivel, Ryuken," said Masaki rolling her eyes again while she shoots another hollow with her bow. "This is the 20th Century, we're not in the middle ages anymore."
"But we still need to respect our traditions, and the fact that after the purge...there are dire needs which we need to be abide."
"You don't have to remind me of what the soul reapers did to our people, Ryuken" said Masaki, Oba-san and Jiji kept telling that tale over and over again."
"And for good reason, for it's a cautionary tale." Said Ryuken as he then sigh once more. "Look, I know you're not eager with our...arranged engagement..."
"I'm sorry, what!?" exclaimed Ichigo as he halted the imposter and turns to face him. "My mum...was engaged to Uryu's father?"
"Masaki and Ryuken are of the Echt Quincy, purebloods," said the imposter "The Quincy are divided in two factions, the Echt and the Gemischt. The pure-blooded Echt was considered nobility among our traditions while the mix-blooded Gemischt are beneath us and considered the peasantry. The Ishida and the Kurosaki were once of the Quincies' prominent Echt family which lived on for generations, but with the purge that occurred 200 years ago, most of the Echt were eradicated and... desperate measure must be made."
"To keep the blood pure, two Echt Quincies must wed." Said Ichigo
"Precisely," said the Imposter as he resumes the tale.
"...and believe me, I hate it much as you do, but it's crucial for us that the Quincy live for we are necessary, disregarding what the Soul Reapers believe in."
Masaki scoffs at the reason of the purge, but it's not out of malice and hatred but in disbelief.
"Hai, I mean despite out legendary war on them, we were never much a threat to them, or their balance." Said Masaki as she air quote the word "Balance", stating that she doesn't believe their philosophical nonsense. "Can't they see that we don't just slay hollows, but other things like demons, Bounts, and Yokai?"
"The arrogance of the Soul Reapers cannot be negotiated, despite my father's attempt." Said Ryuken with a spiteful scoff. "It's better to stay away as far as possible from them, for they are not their concerned, and neither is all of this."
"That's your opinion," said Masaki as she fired another arrow a hollow, but as she was about to fire another arrow, a Hollow leap out in an ambush at her, only for it to be shot down by Ryuken, forcing him to pull out his bow, much to his displeasure.
"I can't believe you made me do this," said Ryuken as he discards his bow and turns to leave. "Alright, clear the Hollows but come back home as soon as you're done."
"Hai," said Masaki as she continues on shooting the Hollows down until they are cleared up. After she cleared all the hollows in the area, she then turns to head for home...until she felt another disturbance as two flows of Reiatsu occurred. She widen her eyes of this and turns to look back where the two reiatsu sources are coming from, it's isn't far so the flow is that immense that it might as well be a hurricane. "What was that?"
"Masaki!"
Masaki turns again to see Ryuken returning for he has sensed the Reiatsu too.
"Masaki, we need to go, now!" said Ryuken
"But..."
"We shouldn't get involved with the Soul Reapers, this is their fight." Said Ryuken "Now come,"
"But what if they die?" said Masaki
"Then they die, if they fail." Said Ryuken "Let one of the Gemischt deal with this, an Echt like us shouldn't be risking our lives and our blood."
Ryuken then offer his hand for Masaki to take.
"Come, let's go back home," said Ryuken
Masaki is about to reach for Ryuken's hand but she stops when she looks back where perhaps a fight is being made. She steps back and starts leaping off the roof, only to land on floating platforms made of reishi to step on and heads for the source of the Reiatsu. Ryuken is stunned this and groaned.
"Kaa-san is going to kill me," said Ryuken as he palms his face and rushes for Masaki, unfortunately for him she is too fast to catch up. "Gott verdammt, Masaki,"
Masaki heads for where the battle is taking place, and like always they occur in mid-air. As she got close enough, she suddenly sees a Captain-class soul reaper with spiky black hair and looks somewhat around her age, if not a bit older. He is fighting what thought to believe a vasto-lordes-class Hollow, but something is...off about it. Masaki can sense soul reaper reiatsu within it, and the hole is completely closed up by what would assume to be internal organs of something similar.
When Ichigo takes a good look at the creature, he gets a sudden familiarity from it, especially the mask over it's face, completely identical to his hollow mask, sans the markings.
"That is White, the abomination which started it all," said the imposter as he then points up to one of the rooftops where 3 hood figures are observing the battle. "And there, the masterminds responsible for it's unholy creation."
Ichigo turns to the hooded figures and noticed them to be Aizen and his co-conspirators Gin Ichimaru and Kaname Tosen.
They...created that thing?" said Ichigo as he looks back at White.
"That's right, White was part of their experiment when they imbue the soul of a soul reaper into a Hollow, attempting to create which later on you refer them as...Arrancar." said the imposter.
Faint manifestations of Ulquiorra and Grimmjow suddenly appear beside White so it could help Ichigo see the comparison. Ichigo starts to feel uneasy about this, and Zangetsu sadly noticed as she saw the look on her master's face. She then looks back at her previous incarnation White and noticed how wild it was back then. Nothing but a living weapon with no consciousness unlike her, all because of the ambitions of a scheming rouge soul reaper.
"Burn: Engetsu!" said the Soul Reaper Captain, no doubt his father Isshin. He unleashed hi shikai which causes his flames to on fire, almost in par with Yamamoto's Ryujin Jakka. But unlike the old Captain-General's Zanpakuto, the blade remains intact as it only evokes the flames to burn around it.
CLANG!
Isshin and the mysterious Hollow known as White, which the imposter mentioned to Ichigo. They continue to clash with one another until the fight begins to turn in White favour as it begins to overwhelm Isshin. White strikes hard, forcing Isshin to stagger and create an opening for the hollow, but before White could deliver the killing blow, Masaki immediately shots at it with her bow, forcing White to turn directly at her. Isshin looked down and to his shock sees Masaki also, wielding a bow made compressed reishi.
"What the hell are you doing!" exclaimed Isshin with anger and concern. "GO, get out while you can."
"Sorry, I'm afraid that's no longer an option," said Masaki as she starts to fire her bow at White. The hollow growls in anger and lunges to towards Masaki for the kill, Masaki keeps on firing but her shots were being dodged quite easily by White. "Damn it, I can't get a clear shot...wait, I know."
Masaki discards her bow and leaves herself open for White to strike, and as White is close enough to sink it's teeth in her shoulder, She equips her now small bow directly to the side of White's head and shots an arrow at point-blank range.
BAM
A direct it, the arrow pieces through the sides of White's head. White widens it's glowing eyes in shock and the internal growth in it's hole starts to expand from behind. Both Masaki and Isshin noticed the hollow's reiatsu is increasing at such a dangerous level that they both assume that is going on. White is about to explode.
Masaki kicks the hollow away and leaps away despite the pain caused by her now bleeding shoulder, despite the pain however, she managed to get herself far away from White before he blows up until there is nothing left.
Isshin sighs at this while collapsing from the exhaustion he had from his battle against White and looks at Masaki.
Damn, never would've thought...I'd me saved by a pretty girl like you." Said Isshin with an amusing smile, this of course made Maskai blush and was taken back by what Isshin said. "Never gonna live that down."
"A-are you alright?" said Masaki, although reluctance as she did save a Soul Reaper from being killed by a Hollow.
"Yeah, I'll be sore for a while, but otherwise I'm alright," said Isshin as he then looks back at Masaki. "Never mind me, what about you?"
"Hai, I'll be alright," said Masaki while wincing in pain from her shoulder. She uses Blut Vene to stem the bleeding for the moment before the need to get the wound treated. "Occupational hazard, killing Hollows, I mean."
"Yeah...wait, hold on a minute," said Isshin "Who are you? Now I know you can see me since I know human can't see us, meaning that you're not an ordinary human. So tell me, who and what are you?"
Masaki got tense when Isshin asked her the question, after learning of what happened to her people, exposing herself as a Quincy may turn ugly real fast and end up killed my the soul reaper she saved. But when she remembered what her uncle Soken tried to so, form an alliance with the soul reapers despite the disapproval of the remaining Quincy, she couldn't help but muster the courage and confess.
"I'm Masaki Kurosaki...and I'm a Quincy," said Masaki
Isshin was shocked by this, he has heard of the Quincy but he believed them to be dead when the Soul Society ordered their execution for upsetting the balance. And since that was prior his time, seeing one is...something else. "Wow, I never met a Quincy before, now that's a surprise."
Masaki was shocked by this, seeing the amazed look on Isshin.
"Well then, It's nice to meet you, Masaki," said Isshin as he slowly approaches Masaki and offers her a hand, but Masaki backs away as she is still worried for her wellbeing around Isshin. Isshin took notice and stopped while holding out his hands to show her that he means now harm. "It's fine, I won't hurt you, not when you in fact rescued me."
Isshin turns away and opens a senkaimon so he can return to the soul society.
"By the way, I'm Isshin," said Isshin as he looks back with a smile. "Isshin Shiba,"
The vision ends as the scene turns to black, leaving only Ichigo, Zangetsu and the imposter left. Ichigo was in shock by this and looks a both his former Zanpakuto and the manifested Quincy power.
"So...Aizen was in on this from the very beginning," said Ichigo with a frown before looking back at the imposter. "But what I don't get is how this connects Zangetsu to any of this, the uncanny resemblance with White's mask and mine is purely coincidence."
"Nothing is coincidence, Ichigo," said the imposter when the image of Masaki begins to manifest, only this time, she is unconscious with a uncomfortable expression as if she is having a nightmare, and right below her neck is a bleeding hollow hole surrounded with bulging veins. "When Masaki got bit by White, she got infected by it's venom designed to cause Hollowfication. And because of that, the remnants of White lingers on inside her soul...waiting to be born once again."
The imposter then turns to Zangetsu
"Masaki almost died from that progress as it would cause her own soul to destroy itself, but thanks to the other meddling of the Soul Reaper, one Kisuke Urahara, he cured her, but the damage was already done." Said the imposter "Masaki has become what we call a Bleich Quincy, a Quincy with tainted blood. Not to risk tainting another Echt, the marriage arrangement was off and Masaki was branded an outcast...much to the Ishida's sorrow."
The imposter then returns his attention to Ichigo
"And now you are fated the same burden that befell your mother, but there is still hope for you, Ichigo." Said the imposter "If you renounce that...thing and accept your end, your soul will be cleansed and you'll be at peace you sought for so long. Why remain here in hell, when you can end this once and for all. You placed your role of the Hero, not accept the end as one, and be remembered in memory, don't let it all go in vain by being with this monster who cursed your mother and yourself."
The imposter offer his hand to Ichigo.
"Please, Ichigo, let me end our misery." Said the imposter "You know you want this."
Ichigo remains silent for the moment, starting at the imposter's hand and then looking back at Zangetsu, who appears to be very concerned, especially when she is in the form of his mother.
"Ichigo, don't do this," said Zangetsu, "This fraud's sole purpose is to kill you, the Quincy are merciless when it comes to impure souls, and believe me. There is no peace when slain by them, only emptiness, far worse than the one the hollows suffer from constantly."
"It's better than dealing with pain and torment, which a hero neither wants," said the Imposter "You've been a thorn in Ichigo's side for as long as we can remember, you torment him so that he fear and hate."
The Fear and Hate which YOU force upon him!" exclaimed Zangetsu, "You must've been so enraged when Ichigo became a Soul Reaper and thought that if he can't be a Quincy, then he must die."
"To ensure his Quincy bloodline is intact,"
"You mean his Bleich Quincy Bloodline?" said Zangetsu, "No other Quincy would accept him, now when they exiled his mother for being infected."
"Infected my you!"
"I AM NOT WHITE!"
"ENOUGH!"
Zangetsu and the imposter turns to Ichigo when he exclaimed that outburst, as if he hit them with such an immense flow of Reiatsu. Ichigo slowly approaches the two halves of his power and stands between them.
Ichigo gives them a look and suddenly begins to kneel down as he starts to accept the imposter's offer, with the nightmares still haunting him, it is too much for to bear, especially when he learned about his how his parents first met, and their involvement with White, the hollow who is the previous incarnation of Zangetsu. He doesn't fault White or Zangetsu, for they were created by the cruel machinations of Sosuke Aizen in his attempts to create what was later known as Arrancar.
Ichigo was born and pulled into Aizen's damn conspiracy, used by both him and the Soul Society in their war, only to die for the Soul Society's safety. The burden of being the Hero weighs heavily on Ichigo's soul.
"Do you promise that I will not feel everything?" said Ichigo in a defeat tone
"You will feel nothing, I promise," said the Imposter as he tighten his grip on his 5-pointed cross and a it manifests the flaming broadsword. "It's better this way, for it'll be a fate worse than death if you remain here, to witness these nightmares over and over again. Especially the memory of your mother's death which feel most responsible for."
"Hai, you're right." Said Ichigo as he low down his head in deep shame. "Kaa-san may have forgiven me for luring her to her death, I still haven't, and I never will."
"King, don't!"
"I'm sorry, Zangetsu," said Ichigo "But I must make amends for my sin, which is the only one I never made peace with."
"But you weren't responsible for Masaki's death, Ichigo," said Zangetsu "Think about it for a moment."
"I could I not," said Ichigo as the visions of that rainy day of June 15 1994 starts to manifest all around him. "I still think about it, every day."
"But don't think it...strange?" said Zangetsu
"Strange? How is it strange?" said Ichigo
"Masaki is a Quincy, although a Bleich Quincy but a still a Quincy regardless," said Zangetsu "Do you think, that Masaki who is a Quincy would be killed so easily by a lowly hollow like Grand Fisher?"
"He can hide his Reiatsu, and took her by surprise," said Ichigo as he recall that the Grand Fish took down so many soul reapers for the past 50 years by hiding
"No matter how well a Hollow hide its presence, a Quincy can still track it, and evade the ambush from ONE hollow with ease," said Zangetsu, "It would've taken a dozen Hollows all at once to take down a Quincy, and yet Grand Fisher alone is enough to take down your mother, do you find that strange?"
Ichigo thought about it, and compares it to the time when his mother eliminated White despite the difficulty. Realising this, he looks up to the imposter who had his flaming broadsword high to strike him down.
CLANG!
Ichigo blocked the imposter's attack , shocking the man when Ichigo pushed him back.
"Tell me, how could my mum, a Quincy could easily die by a single hollow, when it's extremely unlikely for her to die from it." Said Ichigo as he leers at the imposter. "If my mum somehow noticed that monster nearby, she would've killed it easily, instead of running for me. And even it that's the case, he soul wouldn't been so easily been devoured by the Grand Fisher as it wasn't when she was fighting White. So tell me, old man, HOW DID MY MOTHER DIE BY THAT THING!"
Through immense rage, Ichigo unleased his immense Reiatsu all around, causing the many windows of the skyscrapers to shatter all around, filling the area with millions of glass shards. The imposter was silent for the moment, but with reiatsu making it hard to resist and keeping hold of his tongue. He sighs with annoyance and looks back at Ichigo.
"It's true, Masaki would've easily killed that monster, if she had her powers," said the imposter.
"What do you mean IF she had her powers?" said Ichigo "What happened?"
"Her, along with Uryu Ishida, and his Gemicht mother, had their powers taken by Yhwach though Auswalen, the Holy Selection." Said the imposter "It is a technique only he can use, it grant the powers from the impure and transfers them to who deem worthy. Given the fact that Masaki's Echt blood was tainted by the White's attempt to hollowfy, along with the meddling of Kisuke Urahara and Isshin Shiba to keep the infection at bay, she was deemed a Bleich and thus impure."
"And...when did this happen?" said Ichigo
"...3 days before her death"
Ichigo widen his eyes when he suddenly remembered something, 7 years ago he once saw his mother collapsed on the floor back home, he rushed in to see if she is alright.
Kaa-san, are you alright?" said a 9 year old Ichigo as he kneels down with worry when he saw Masaki collapse on her knees and breathing heavily.
"It's alright, Sochi, I... I'm alright" said Masaki to her son as she places her hand on his cheek to reassure him, "Just go get Tou-san here."
"Hai, Kaa-san" said Ichigo as he runs off for the clinic to get Isshin
But when Ichigo runs off, the partially dormant Zangetsu noticed the worry on Masaki's face, show that what she said to young Ichigo was a lie. Her Quincy powers are gone, she felt it leaving her body, Masaki grits her teeth in anger while saying in a whisper so that her son doesn't hear.
"Damn you, Yhwach"
After reliving that moment, he then returns his attention to the imposter and leers with murderous intent.
"So...you took her power from her, made her weak and unable kill Grand Fisher to protect me," said Ichigo as he then looks up and leers with his now hollowfied eyes, instead of seeing the imposter as the part of his Quincy powers, he now sees him as the fabled Quincy Emperor Yhwach "You murdered my mother?"
"Now Ichigo, please listen to me..." the imposter said as he tries to make Ichigo see reason, but he was interrupted when Ichigo threw a massive punch to the face, sending the imposter flying to one of the other skyscrapers.
"I'm done listening to you," said Ichigo as he tightens his gauntlet, which the jewel glows immensely. "For 7 years I believed that I was the one who murdered my own mother, and instead of was YOU ALL ALONG!"
"Masaki was condemned for her act of heresy, Ichigo," said the imposter as he emerged from where he crashed into. "She betrayed her kin, her blood for a Soul Reaper. A SOUL REAPER, one of our hated enemies who massacred us 200 years ago!"
"SHUT UP, I'LL NOT LISTEN TO MORE FROM YOU!" said Ichigo as Zangetsu manifests it's shikai form in her master's hand.
"Very well, but know this, Ichigo," said the imposter as he gets back up from the now broken floor and begins to hover 2-feet away. "I will not have a Quincy, either it be an Echt, Gemicht or Bleich be condemned in this infernal place."
The imposter starts to channel his reiatsu into his 5 pointed cross until his broadsword is formed.
"I will destroy your soul, one way or another."
"We'll see about that," said Ichigo as he reaches out and Zangetsu begins to manifest in his hand, he held it out with both hands and yells out "BANKAI!"
BURY THE LIGHT DEEP WITHIN!
Ichigo's reiatsu bursts out and surrounds Ichigo in a swirl of blackness.
CAST ASIDE THERE'S NO COMING HOME
As the blackness fades, Ichigo is now wielding his Tensa Zangetsu and but instead of the Shikakusho and the black tailcoat that comes with it. Ichigo is wearing slim black armour which Zangetsu wore, matching the gauntlet which clad his hand. And over the armour, the tail coat is now a navy-blue colour with silver accents on the edges, sleeves and collar. And his feet, the sandals are now replaced with dark brown leather boots with the dark greaves to match with the rest of the armour.
WE'RE BURNING CHAOS IN THE WIND
Ichigo's clothes aren't the only things that changed, as his hair is now a mixture of strawberry blonde with a white underlay and is now at shoulder length which compares to the time he hat it during his final battle against Aizen, and his brown eyes mutate from heterochromia as the left eyes is now glowing gold with a black sclera, much like when he was on the verge of hollowfication.
DRIFTING IN THE OCEANS ALL ALONE
And to finally end this new description, a single long white horn which has a sharp curve grows out from the side of his face. As the horn juts out from his temple, he could feel it protrude from his pale skin that it starts to bleed down to his cheek. He winces in pain when the horn grows, but as it stops to it's preferred length, the pain mellows to a slight discomfort and brushes if off while he returns his leer at the Imposter.
Bury the light: playing
Ichigo wasted no time charging at the imposter and clashes blades with him. The imposter clasp hold onto his broadsword and poses for defence.
CLANG!
Immortal Temptation
Takes over my mind
Condemned
The imposter blocks the attack with ease, he isn't holding back as he knows that Ichigo has any intention of killing him, for he can feel his rage in that attack.
Falling weak on my knees
Summon the strength of mayhem
"I will make you pay for making me suffer," said Ichigo
"You wouldn't have suffered if you just died, Bleich," said the imposter as he pushes Ichigo off and attempts to swing at Ichigo. "By accepting your Soul Reaper inheritance, you have shamed your Quincy brethren, and shamed your mother."
"Leave my mother out of this!" said Ichigo as he swings his sword at the Imposter, causing him and the imposter to clash once more.
CLANG
CLANG
CLANG
Through vacant halls I won't surrender
The truth revealed in eyes of ember
Ichigo is now out for blood; his swings have more murderous intent in them unlike the pervious battles he had on his past enemies. The last time Ichigo felt like this when he learned of Grand Fisher was responsible for his mother's death, and like time the fight has become more personal. But unlike last time where he fought alone to avenge his mother, Zangetsu is with him as she wants revenge too.
Ichigo hits hard to force the imposter to stagger, leaving him open when Zangetsu starts to manifest and jumps out to tackle her Quincy counterpart. She pins him down to the ground so that Ichigo can make a blow on him. But before Ichigo could do that, the imposter starts to channel to absorb an abundance of reishi until he unleashes with a flashbang, forcing Zangetsu to jump off.
We fight through fire and ice forever
Two souls once lost, and now they remember
After jumping back, Ichigo and Zangetsu regroups and both leers back at the imposter, who is now ascending into the sky with his burning broadsword skyward.
"HEILIGER BLITZ!"
The imposter shoots a bolt of reishi from his sword, causing dark clouds to form all over the sky, darkening the area below until suddenly flashes of white and blue appears after. Then bolts of reishi lightning bolts down to the tilted skyscrapers, striking down with the intent of hitting both Ichigo and Zangetsu.
I AM THE STORM THAT IS APPROACHING
PROVOKING BLACK CLOUDS IN ISOLASION
Ichigo and his reclaimed Zanpakuto dodges the lightning while they use their shunpo and sonido to dark in mid-air to approach the imposter. The imposter saw this and he points starts swinging his sword to launch a flurry of Getsuga Tensho at them.
Ichigo and Zangetsu counters by launching their own Getsuga Tensho at the imposter's,causing them to crash into each other and explodes in a chaotic mixture of light and dark reishi. The imposter, remains still as he is fortunate to have his shades shield his eyes from the flash and strong winds blowing hard at him, he keeps his sights remain fixed on his opponents, who are not obscured from view but he can still sense their shared reiatsu within.
I AM RECLAIMER OF MY NAME
As the flash dies off, Ichigo stands alone in mid-air with Zangetsu nowhere to be seen, that is because, the Zanpakuto cancelled her manifestation and retreats back into her gauntlet in her master's hand. Not only that, but Ichigo is now wearing his horned Vasto Lordes mask which gave his single horn becomes a pair, and is now charging up a Cero.
BORN IN FLAMES, I HAVE BEEN BLESSED
MY FAMILY CREST IS THE DEMON OF DEATH
Ichigo fires his cero at the imposter, the crimson beam shots out towards the imposter so quick that that Quincy manifestation had only a few seconds to react. And not to waste those second, he dodges with his Hirenkyaku and then appears behind Ichigo so that he can sneak an attack.
CLANG
But Ichigo blocks it with ease thanks to Zangetsu's pesquisa alerted him of the imposter's attempt and quickly blocks the attack. And then counters with a point blank Getsuga Tensho which blasts out from his sword.
Forsakened, I am awakened
A phoenix's ash in dark divine
The imposter was sent flying from the point blank Getsuga Tensho, causing him to crash into one of the skyscrapers. He used Blut Vene at the very last second to minimise the damage afflicted on him. But he couldn't save his already tattered black cloak and his white officer's jacket is now riddled with scorched up holes. He discards the cloak which immediately broke down into reishi which he absorbs into his broadsword.
Ichigo sneers under his mask and charges at the imposter, he tightens his grip on his weapon with both hands, channelling his reiatsu while Zangetsu adds hers to the mix.
Descending misery
The imposter sees Ichigo charging towards him and he pushes off with his Hirenkyaku to charge at Ichigo, with both hands tightly grasping on his own broadsword. They both swing hard at each other, only for their swords to clash into each other, creating a colossal shockwave which causes the skyscrapers to crumble down and fall into bottomless pit below.
Destiny chasing time
Song: ends
Later
the battle rages on for almost an hour, the cityscape is now nothing but tilted ruins and it is now raining. Ichigo and the imposter are both bloodied in their fight, delivering blows at one another while blocking/dodging some if lucky. The are now clashed to one another, both leering closely at each other before breaking apart. They skid in mid-air while crouching when the fatigue starts to kick in. In comparison between the two, the imposter seems to be the one with the disadvantage, for he is suffering from a gash on the side, where the bloodstain is at its darkest comparing to the many shades of red staining his clothes and body.
Despite the Blut Vene stemming the bleeding, there is so much it can do when it reached it's limit, and disregarding the fact that he's a part of the fabled emperor Yhwach, even he has his limits as he is not whole with his original. The imposter pants while using his broadsword as a crutch, he never left his sight on Ichigo who is mirroring his condition. Ichigo is also at worse for wear, albeit not more comparing to the imposter. With some cuts and burns on his body he gained from the broadsword and the compressed reishi projectiles, the pain lingers on but Ichigo is no stranger to it and somehow develops a... tolerance or acceptance to it throughout the months fighting hollows, soul reapers and Arrancars.
Fighting a Quincy, although a part of one is no difference.
Ichigo stands up straight but drags his sword along so that he can charge at the imposter once more, the imposter hoists up his own weapon but with now much difficulty but blocked it regardless. The imposter is starting to feel lightheaded and is finding it hard to breath, which is odd as he is but a manifestation of Ichigo's once dormant Quincy powers. Suddenly his glowing blue veins which caused by his Blut Vene starts to become black and spreading across his arms and making all the way to his face and chest.
The imposter exclaims in pain and drops down onto his knees but he kept his hold on his flaming sword that still clashes with Ichigo's own sword.
W-What is...going on?Thought the imposter when he is feeling all of his strength suddenly sapping away. This is impossible, I shouldn't be growing weak in my battles against this Bleich...I'm been replenishing my energy with the...Reishi..."
The imposter suddenly came to the realization that the reason he is feeling week is because of he's been absorbing the reishi...tainted with Yomi, constantly throughout the battle and its toxicity is now taking effect.
Damn it, does the monstrosity know?Thought the imposter as he leers back at Ichigo, and at Zangetsu who is now manifesting behind the teen and in the form of a giant hollow mask towering the both of them. You DID, you Bleich (Pale) bitch!
"What's the matter?" said Ichigo as he is still wearing his hollow mask over his head. "Don't tell me that this is what you proud Quincy has to offer?"
"Don't mock me, Ichigo," said the imposter leering angrily at Ichigo "Clearly, I am at a disadvantage due to how impure the Reishi is around here. Staying here will hasten the corruption to the point of no return. So please, let me destroy your soul while you are there's still some purity left in you."
Ichigo backs away and turns his back on the imposter, shocking him while walking away.
"I'm already at the point of no return," said Ichigo as he removes his hollow mask. "The moment I used the Final Getsuga, the moment I was sent here in Hell, and the very moment I because a Soul Reaper. The choices which made each had dire consequences, but it's the choices I made willingly and I will accept these consequences to the letter."
Ichigo raises his Gauntlet skyward, causing the jewel to glow and bellow out it's horn-like call. Suddenly the imposter feels every tainted reishi on his manifested form break apart and gets absorbed into the gauntlet.
"What are you doing?" said the imposter as he as he looks at his hands and sees his skin break off first and then at Ichigo.
"I am reclaiming my power, my FULL power,"said Ichigo as he just stands there and lets the gauntlet collect the imposter's reishi slowly. "Although I despise you for being part of the bastard who murdered my mother, you are still my power and it'd be a waste to let you perish."
"You...YOU CAN'T DO THIS!" said the imposter "Don't you know what the consequence of your actions will be if you do this?"
"No, but it's my choice to take, for oblivion is too...merciful, and we are in Hell," said Ichigo as he turns to the imposter, his eyes are now dark with glowing gold irises. "So, like me, you'll suffer eternal damnation...as my slave."
"No... NOOO!" exclaims the imposter as his entire reishi is being sucked up into the gauntlet. As every particle is collected, something appears in Ichigo's hand. A black longbow that's stylized in the fashion of the jagged manji, much like the tsuba of Tensa Zangetsu. Ichigo dismisses the bow which vanishes from his hand and wrapped around the wrist of the gauntlet is a black manji pendant, a corrupt perversion of the Quincy's 5-pointed cross pendant.
"Goodbye, old man," said Ichigo as he then looks around, the tilted city that is his soulscape is now reduced to ruins, seeing his does remind him of the irony of his current fate. He looks away and begins to laugh at such irony, a hero forever damned and chosen to become the next evil. "fate sure is cruel on me, huh?"
"I'm sorry, Ichigo,"
Ichigo turns when Zangetsu starts to manifest by him, she frowns sadly while placing her hand on his now permanent armoured one. Ichigo remains looking at his former Zanpakuto, seeing her looking sad also pains him and here reaches for her hand to hold on. As their hands touch, they then look back at one another, Ichigo smiles first so to reassure her.
"Meh, it's not as if my life wasn't worse to begin with," said Ichigo with an amused chuckle. "and besides, I'm in good company, even if I am forever damned here."
Zangetsu couldn't help but smile at Ichigo's recent optimism despite the situation, she tightens her hold on Ichigo's arm and moves close to his chest to nuzzle on. This surprised Ichigo and couldn't help but blush despite the pale complexion, however he welcomes this and returns it with an embrace.
"Zangetsu..."
Shira"
"Huh?" said Ichigo looking at his zanpakuto.
"Call me Shira," said Zangetsu, or Shira as she now prefers to be called now. "With my origins now known, and the fact that was reborn from White. Shira should be the appropriate name for me."
"Shira Zangetsu," said Ichigo, when saying the former zanpakuto's new name, he can hear how appropriate it sounds, and he likes it. "Alright, I'll call you Shira from now on."
Shira smiles at Ichigo and close her eyes while resting her head on Ichigo's head.
Come, let us leave this place"said Ichigo as he and the newly named Shira disappears from the mindscape, for it is their time to wake up from this prolonged nightmare...and start their new damned future together.
Meanwhile
Somewhere, hidden in a secluded planes between the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo, within a the vast palace that oversees the white walled city which hangs banners containing blue 5 pointed crosses. A man draped in a black cloak sits immobile on his throne, his head his low which no light can shine and reveal it. His eyes are closed for he is in a deep trance, but it was suddenly rudely cut short when the sound of thunder and a faint scream reach his ears, he opens his eyes, which each contains 3 pupils as he looks ahead to reveal a masked Ichigo dressed in black armour, walking pass the dead soldiers in white soldier uniforms splayed across the floor.
The sitting man looks directly at the masked Ichigo approaching closer before he fades slowly the moment they are about 6 feet apart. He lifts his head completely to reveal his face, which consists him as a middle-aged man with long messy black hair and thick mutton chop moustache. His eyes shift back to their singular pupils and leans back with an exasperated sigh.
"Damn it, to think a mere Bleich would deny my Auswahlen, and be the one to halt my full resurrection," said the seated man as he rests his head on his arm. And during that, thunder booms out while the dark storm clouds start to shift around until they take the form of a certain horned skull, he looks up from the throne room's skylight and frowns even further. "And now the last part of my soul is forever lost to the hands of that accursed Overlord. Damn you, Ichigo Kurosaki."
End of Chapter
A/N: Bleich is German for Pale, which will be a term I use for Quincy who are tainted by hollows. And thought the reason there are no hollowfied Quincies is because they were purged by their own peers, to protect and preserve their pure bloodline. And unlike the Gemischt who are only considered commoners to the eyes of the Echt, the Bleich are considered abominations that needed to be purged.
I was at first about to use the German term for tainted which is "Verdorben", but it didn't sound right, so I used the German word for Pale instead as it would make sense, plus the word "Bleich" is almost similar to the title of the main anime/manga series BLEACH. So, it's fits, and I wouldn't be surprised if Tite Kubo would use this convenient comparison if he ever made "Hollowfied Quincies"
Also I want to say that I am glad to watch BLEACH once more as they continued on with the TYBL arc, and believe me the first episode does not disappoint and can't wait for more to come.