.
STAIN
Disclaimer: Bleach is entirely owned by Tite Kubo, and this fanfiction is solely for non-profit entertainment.
"Those who breathe will continue to pass each day living under the fear of death."
"It's all because of you, Ichigo..."
Those words still lingered in the mind of Kurosaki Ichigo, the substitute shinigami. He watched the students of Karakura High School from the rooftop. His gaze swept over all the humans below with a half-empty look. The truth is his thoughts were not focused on the activities of the people below, but rather on the fact that they were all still alive to this day. He saw a few first-year high school girls walking while smiling. Likewise, some first-year boys were joking around below.
'Isn't life more than just fearing death?' Ichigo thought to himself.
'If life is about erasing that fear, do we not have the right to face the fear of death? You must have known that too, Yhwach,' he closed his eyes, recalling his final battle with Yhwach.
Zangetsu had successfully slashed the Quincy king, halting the destruction of the three realms. The king's body fell to the ground, black energy melting around him.
'A drive that comes from resisting fear. A drive called "courage." Then again, what exactly is your reason that made you want to eliminate that fear?' Ichigo quickly opened his eyes. A fresh breeze suddenly swept across his face. Leaves carried by the wind drifted towards the horizon.
'If I hadn't stopped you... what kind of world would you have created?'
"Kurosaki-kun?" a girl's voice echoed from behind Ichigo. He already knew who it was.
"Inoue? What's up?" Ichigo turned around, curious.
"Is it about to start?" Ichigo guessed. Orihime shook her head slightly.
"Not yet, Kurosaki-kun. Our graduation ceremony starts in 15 minutes. I just happened to want to see the school from up here one last time," Orihime explained with a soft smile.
Orihime slowly walked beside Ichigo.
"Ehehe, excuse me," she said as she stood next to him, holding the safety railing.
Ichigo simply nodded and leaned against the railing. A slight pause settled between them as they stood side by side.
"Kurosaki-kun, um... can I ask you something? What do you have in your mind after the graduation?" Orihime asked, smiling at Ichigo.
"Hm? Me? Actually, I plan to go to college, but I still don't know where I'll apply," Ichigo replied, still weighing his answer.
"Ehh, college, huh? Have you decided on the study program to enroll?"
"Maybe English, but I'm not sure yet."
Orihime just nodded at Ichigo's answer.
"I see. I hope you succeed, Kurosaki-kun," Orihime said with a smile, looking down.
"Inoue, what about you?" Ichigo asked in return.
"Me? Umm... I think I'll try applying as a full-time worker at the bakery where I did my part-time job," Orihime answered a bit hastily.
Ichigo gave a small smile.
"I see. I hope you succeed too, Inoue," Ichigo replied while looking down.
"Thank you, Kurosaki-kun," Orihime felt warmth in her heart upon hearing Ichigo's words.
They didn't continue their conversation and instead focused on looking down.
The Karakura town breeze blew, bringing a nostalgic freshness.
Orihime brushed away the strands of hair covering her face. At the same time, Ichigo glanced at Orihime and smiled slightly.
Noticing this, Orihime lowered her head slightly in embarrassment.
"Kurosaki-kun…," Orihime looked back at Ichigo.
"Hm? What is it?"
"Nothing… I just… I wonder what you think after everything that has happened? Is it really all over?" Orihime muttered.
Ichigo paused for a moment, recalling his final battle five months ago. He still questioned whether everything had truly ended with Yhwach's defeat. He could still sense Yhwach's lingering presence, as if he left behind something on Ichigo.
"Don't worry, Orihime. You know that we managed to defeat Yhwach. I think with his defeat, there shouldn't be anything left to worry about. Besides, everyone fought really hard, including you, Inoue," Ichigo replied with a faint smile.
Orihime was taken aback. A sense of joy filled her heart.
"Th-thank you, Kurosaki-kun, but honestly, everything happened because of your efforts. I am nothing compared to all the hardships you went through," Orihime murmured, smiling as she touched her head.
She saw Ichigo looking confused by her statement.
"What are you talking about, Inoue? My struggles were as hard as yours because you tried your best not to be afraid while fighting alongside me, right?" Ichigo countered.
Orihime recalled the terrifying feeling that overwhelmed her as she held back Yhwach's attack on Ichigo. Not to mention the immense worry when Ichigo used his hollow powers—although that fear was erased when Ichigo managed to control his hollow abilities.
"I only helped hold back the attack, Kurosaki-kun. Nothing more. Everything was still because of you," Orihime replied.
'Besides, my greatest fear wasn't just Yhwach's attack,' Orihime thought as she looked at Ichigo.
She observed Ichigo deep in thought.
'It also wasn't from Kurosaki-kun's hollow transformation hollow. It was actually stemmed from one deep-rooted fear…'
"But, Inoue, it was because of you that I'm still alive. Never belittle yourself," Ichigo said with a smile toward Orihime.
Orihime's eyes widened, and she was stunned by Ichigo's words. The wind blew through her hair, carrying away the doubts within her.
She blushed slightly and smiled while lowering her head a little.
"I just did my best, Kurosaki-kun, hehe," Orihime said with a bright laugh.
"I believe that," Ichigo replied.
'My greatest fear is seeing Kurosaki-kun suffer. And I'm grateful I could be one of those who prevented something terrible from happening to him,' Orihime thought with a bright smile.
The school bell rang, signaling all Karakura High School students to gather in the auditorium.
"It's time… let's go, Inoue," Ichigo said, stopping when he noticed something in his bag.
"What is it, Kurosaki-kun?"
"Nothing… it's just that I feel my bag moved a little," Ichigo, looking puzzled, opened his bag.
Something jumped out of Ichigo's bag.
"TAKE THIS!" From the bag, a creature leaped out and kicked Ichigo's face. However, the kick wasn't strong and only left Ichigo irritated.
"Oi! Ichigo! How dare you sneakily flirt with Inoue-san!" Kon shouted, pointing at Ichigo.
"Kon!? Oi, you bastard! What do you mean by "sneakily flirt" Inoue!? Besides, how did you manage to sneak into my bag!?" Ichigo grumbled.
"Shut up! After the exhausting war with Yhwach, I, the great Kon-sama, suffered the bitterness of life because I was left stranded for days on that floating island, whatever you called it! All of that thanks to your ignorance heart that made you me behind!"
"Ah, now that you mention that," Ichigo muttered, starting to remember something.
Ichigo recalled the last time he saw Kon at Division 0's headquarters. He just realized that he had immediately returned to Soul Society through Yhwach's portal.
"Because of that … because of that … I MISSED THE CHANCE TO SEE ORIHIME-SAN'S STUNNING OUTFIT DRENCHED IN SWEA-"
Ichigo stomped on Kon's face before he could finish his sentence.
"Oi! Stop shouting, you perverted doll! People might get the wrong idea that I'm the one saying that out loud!" Ichigo growled.
"Hmmphh, hmmph!" Kon grunted, muffled by Ichigo's foot.
"What? You want to say something? I'll let you speak as long as you don't spout nonsense. Got it?"
Kon nodded, and Ichigo lifted his foot.
Kon stood up, dusted himself off, and let out a deep sigh.
"AND I ALSO DIDN'T GET TO FEEL THE WARMTH OF NEE-SAN'S BEAUTIFUL LEGS- AKHHH!"
Before he could finish, Ichigo kicked him away.
"Damn that Kon!" Ichigo muttered, still irritated.
Orihime stifled a laugh, watching Ichigo act like his usual self again.
'Thank goodness, Kurosaki-kun seems much more cheerful than before,' Orihime thought to herself.
"Inoue, let's head to the auditorium. I'm sure the others are already there," Ichigo said as he walked toward the door.
"Of course, Kurosaki-kun," Orihime replied with a gentle smile, following after him.
-stain-
All the students stood in line, listening to the final speech from the third-year representative. The speech was delivered by the president of Karakura High School's student council. Everyone watched in admiration as the student council president read the speech.
"Every feeling that has ever been created in this place is the greatest bliss we have all experienced. Joyful, proud, sad, and painful memories—each one is now stored in our hearts. These are the memories we will carry throughout our lives. And one day, when we look back at this time, we will be grateful for a moment that can never be rewound. A moment that stands as proof that we have built bonds that will never be broken," Uryu declared as he delivered his speech.
The entire audience was captivated by Uryu's words.
"Amazing! Ishida-kun's charisma is off the charts! I've never seen a graduation speech where everyone is this focused!" Keigo whispered to Mizuiro.
"Actually, you're the only one who tends to zone out, Keigo. Last year, Ishida gave a speech just as incredible as this one," Mizuiro replied with a smirk.
"Eh!? Really!? Well … my allowance got cut last year, so it makes sense if I kinda zone out right? Anyway, you admit it too, right? Ishida-kun's charisma is undeniable!"
"Of course. Despite his numerous absences five months ago, he worked hard to make up for it and fulfill his role as student council president. And the results speak for themselves," Mizuiro said.
"What's going on? Are you guys talking about Ishida-kun? That's right! He used to skip class a lot, but now he's making waves at school! Absolutely amazing, kya!" Chizuru chimed in, approaching Keigo and Mizuiro from behind.
"Ah, Chizuru, you should keep your voice down, or they'll kick you out," Keigo said, annoyed.
"Ehh!? But it's true!" Chizuru protested.
"Oi! Keigo's right. Don't cause a ruckus!" Tatsuki nudged her from the side.
"Fine, fine! You guys should relax more, especially since today is our last day as students! Right, Orihime-chan?!" Chizuru cheered as she wrapped her arms around Orihime's waist.
"Ehehe, that's true, Chizuru-chan. But Tatsuki-chan has a point. We should listen to Ishida-kun's speech until the end," Orihime said with a knowing smile.
"Ah, is that so? Alright then, but… AFTER THIS, I'M TAKING YOU TO THE NEW BOBA SHOP THAT JUST OPENED-" Chizuru pushed her face into Orihime's chest as she shouted but was swiftly knocked out by Tatsuki.
"I told you to keep quiet!" Tatsuki snapped.
"Ugh, so noisy. If you guys want to scream, go to a karaoke room or something!" Ichigo grumbled, standing beside Tatsuki with an annoyed look.
"Hah!? She started it! Why are you acting like I'm the troublemaker here!?" Tatsuki shot back at Ichigo.
"Well, you're just as loud as she is right now!" Ichigo retorted.
"Tch, fine, Ichigo, you win. I'll keep quiet, even though I refuse to be lumped in with Chizuru. But don't blame me if I kick you on our way out!" Tatsuki huffed.
Chizuru was still in shock from being called a nuisance, but what was even stranger was Ichigo's complete indifference to Tatsuki's words.
Tatsuki, who noticed, looked a bit puzzled. Normally, Ichigo would react to her provocations.
"Whatever. Just being here and listening to this speech is already annoying enough. I don't need to hear your pointless chatter too. So just be quiet and listen," Ichigo replied flatly.
Tatsuki sighed, giving up on arguing with him. She turned her attention back to the stage.
"Kurosaki-kun…" Orihime murmured, smiling at what had just happened.
"Ichigo has changed a lot," a deep voice spoke beside her.
"Hm, I think so too, Chad-kun," Orihime turned to Chad.
"Same with Ishida. Since that event, they've both changed for the better," Chad said calmly.
Orihime thought back to the moment she saw Ichigo and Uryu together after Yhwach's defeat. Even though they hadn't spoken much at the time, she could already feel the strength of their bond returning—just as it had been before the Quincy invasion. Since then, their friendship had gone back to normal.
"I think you're right, Chad-kun," Orihime agreed.
At that moment, the students erupted into applause as Uryu finished his speech.
Uryu stepped to the side of the stage, and at the same time, Ichigo glanced in his direction.
-stain-
The junior female students crowded around Uryu as he stood outside the auditorium.
Chad glanced over from a distance near the vending machine, sipping from a can of coffee.
"That Ishida... he really proved himself as the student council president," Ichigo muttered while holding a can of juice.
"I suppose so," Chad replied.
"Well, he's always been that kind of person from the start," Ichigo added before taking a sip of his drink.
"Ichigo, is there something that still bothers you?"
Ichigo was slightly startled by Chad's question and nearly choked.
"What do you mean, Chad?"
"Hm? Am I wrong?" Chad asked calmly.
Ichigo fell silent for a moment.
"What do you think I'm worried about, Chad?"
"It's just a feeling, but ever since the battle ended, your gaze has been slightly different, Ichigo. As if you've been lost in thought," Chad responded.
'Lost in my thoughts?'
Chad quietly observed Ichigo, who remained silent.
"Ichigo, if there's anything on your mind, you can always talk to me. Don't hesitate," Chad reassured him.
Ichigo turned to Chad and gave a small smile. He looked at Chad, who nodded in return.
"Chad, it seems like that last battle made you talk a lot more," Ichigo joked as he stood up.
Chad gave a small smile and continued drinking.
"By the way, what are you planning to do next?" Ichigo asked.
"I'll continue working at my part-time job for now. Besides that…" Chad paused, looking at his hand.
"I want to become stronger," Chad stated firmly.
"I see. Well then, good luck," Ichigo said, raising his can of juice.
"To a better future, Chad," Ichigo added.
Chad stood up, and without saying much, raised his coffee can.
"To a better future—"
"Oi, Ichigo! Aren't you supposed to toast when everyone's here!?" Keigo's voice interrupted Ichigo and Chad.
Keigo, Mizuiro, and Tatsuki were seen walking toward them.
"You guys," Ichigo acknowledged their arrival.
Keigo immediately headed toward the vending machine, with Mizuiro waiting behind him.
"That's right. You should've waited for us. Orihime is also taking photos with her fans, so we left her with Chizuru," Tatsuki added.
"Inoue too? Sometimes I wonder what makes Inoue and Ishida so popular," Ichigo muttered.
"Got a problem with that, Kurosaki?" Uryu's voice came from behind the building.
Ichigo glanced slightly backward.
"Ah, Ishida, we were just about to start without you because I thought you were still busy taking selfies with your juniors," Ichigo said with a smug smile.
"What do you mean by that annoying grin? Besides, it's only natural that people want to take pictures with me rather than with you. Have you realized how terrifying your face is?" Uryu retorted as he adjusted his glasses.
"What did you say!? My face is terrifying?! You wanna fight, huh?" Ichigo growled, his face showing irritation.
"Oh? You really seem eager to get beaten today, huh? Interesting. Just don't blame me if you lose," Uryu said, pushing his glasses up.
"WHAT!? Fine, I've always wondered what it would feel like to beat up the student council president—no, the former student council president!" Ichigo shot back.
Ichigo and Uryu stared at each other, their fighting spirit flaring up.
Keigo approached Chad.
"Uh, Chad-kun, aren't you going to stop them?" Keigo asked.
"Relax," Chad replied as he took another sip of his coffee.
"Relax? What do you mean!?"
Chad watched the two of them with an expression that seemed more relieved than concerned.
'Seeing them like this since the final battle, Ichigo and Ishida seem much better now. After Ishida revealed his rebellion against Quincy Haschwalth, he barely spoke to us, especially to Ichigo. Maybe his guilt for pretending to be a Quincy and attacking us played a role in that.'
Chad looked back at Ichigo and Uryu, who were still gripping each other's collars.
'But slowly, he's starting to return to normal. Everything is gradually falling into place,' Chad thought to himself.
Meanwhile, Ichigo and Uryu's quarrel continued.
THUMP!
Suddenly, Ichigo's pupils shrank as he felt an overwhelming pressure.
He looked around and saw Uryu and Chad also reacting with shock. On the other side, Keigo, and Mizuiro were already collapsed on the ground. Meanwhile, Tatsuki was sitting weakly, her expression dazed.
"Th-this feeling… a Hollow?" Ichigo muttered, still stunned by the intense reiatsu, which he suspected came from a Hollow.
-stain-
"Kurosaki, Chad-kun! That way!" shouted Ishida, pointing toward the open field.
Ichigo and Chad nodded before the three of them immediately ran toward what they suspected to be the source of this massive reiatsu.
The pressure from this reiatsu was immense, so overwhelming that Ichigo was shocked by its sheer strength and sudden emergence. It almost felt like the sensation he experienced when facing Yhwach's Schutzstaffel.
'A reiatsu this powerful… could it be…?' Ichigo thought.
Like Ichigo, Uryu and Chad were equally stunned by the current situation. It had been five months since they had felt reiatsu of this magnitude.
'Even greater than Haschwalth's… What the hell is happening?!' Uryu thought as he reached for his Quincy tools.
They arrived at the open field in front of Karakura High School's entrance. Their eyes widened in shock at the sight before them—a giant Hollow emerging from a dark portal.
"Garganta?" Ichigo muttered.
Uryu carefully observed the portal above the Hollow.
'No… that thing seems different from a normal Garganta,' Uryu thought. At the same moment, he swiftly drew his bow and aimed at the Hollow.
'It looks like a mindless, feral-type Hollow… I need to strike its vital points immediately.'
Uryu examined the massive Hollow— a towering creature standing on two legs, with four sharp black claws extending from its arms. It also had a long tail and the body was nearly as tall as the school building. A small mask adorned its face, with a long white beard growing from it. Four glowing yellow orbs were embedded in its head. But what caught Uryu's attention the most was the black aura surrounding the hole in the Hollow's chest.
'That aura… it faintly resembles the presence from back then…'
"Ishida, could that aura in its chest be…" Chad spoke, noticing the same anomaly.
Uryu scowled, unwilling to admit what he was feeling at that moment.
"Chad… there's no doubt about it. That aura is identical to Yhwach's reiatsu!" Uryu declared.
"Licht Regen!" In an instant, dozens of arrows shot toward the Hollow's mask.
The Hollow fell, shaking the ground and kicking up dust. Despite this, the oppressive, heavy reiatsu remained.
The rising dust obscured Uryu's vision of the Hollow. He leaped backward to gain a better vantage point.
'I have to end this fight quickly. I should activate my Vollständig—'
Uryu's thoughts were abruptly interrupted when he sensed a sudden murderous intent from behind him.
The Hollow had appeared out of nowhere and was attempting to stab Uryu, using the dust cloud as cover.
'It planned this?!'
"LA MUERTE!"
BOOM!
Before the Hollow could strike Uryu, Chad swiftly delivered a powerful punch to its head. The impact sent the Hollow flying across the field.
"Ishida, are you alright?" Chad asked, standing beside him.
"Yeah… thanks, Chad-kun. That Hollow… what the hell is it?" Uryu panted.
Chad helped Uryu to his feet and noticed something on his back.
"Ishida, you're injured," Chad pointed out, referring to three deep claw marks on Uryu's back.
"Yeah… sorry… I was too slow activating my Schift…" Uryu muttered.
'Damn it… Not only did it break through my Blut Vene, but… I'm sure of it… Somehow, it resisted my Antithesis ability…'
"Don't worry about that. We need to move back a bit," Chad replied.
Both of them jumped back, attempting to maintain distance from the Hollow.
Uryu scanned the surroundings and saw that the students who had been nearby were now collapsed on the ground, unable to withstand the Hollow's intense reiatsu.
'Damn… If we don't move this fight elsewhere, more students could get hurt,' Uryu thought.
From behind the dust cloud, a crimson light gleamed. Uryu instantly raised his bow.
"Chad! Get ready!"
Chad turned, but before he could react, the crimson light had already fired toward them— a Cero hurtling at high speed.
"Brazo Derecha de Gigante!" Chad braced himself, using his right arm to block the Cero.
BOOM!
The explosion sent debris flying everywhere. Chad remained standing firm, though he visibly struggled against the force of the blast.
'What immense power…' Chad thought.
The Hollow emerged from the dust, walking toward Chad and Uryu.
"Chad, we need to move—"
Before Uryu could finish, the Hollow was already preparing another Cero while advancing toward them.
'Damn… if it fires here…' Uryu looked behind him and saw three unconscious students.
Assessing Chad's condition, Uryu knew it would be dangerous to have him block another Cero.
The Cero was launched.
"Tch!" Uryu immediately ran toward the students, while Chad instinctively braced himself to take the blast.
"Getsuga Jujisho!"
The Cero was sliced apart and detonated midair, while the Getsuga Jujisho continued soaring forward. Unfortunately, the Hollow noticed the attack and dodged just in time. It stared in shock at the one who had launched the attack.
"Ichigo!" Chad called out, realizing Ichigo had arrived from above.
"Sorry, it took me a while to find her," Ichigo said, carrying someone in his back.
"Ishida-kun! Chad-kun! Are you okay?!" Orihime called out as she descended from Ichigo's grasp.
"Inoue-san?" Orihime immediately activated her powers to heal Uryu and Chad.
"I barely made it in time. It was difficult to track Orihime's reiatsu with the overwhelming pressure from that Hollow," Ichigo said, his gaze still locked onto the creature with a displeased expression.
The Hollow tensed up the moment it saw Ichigo.
"This Hollow… you've got to be kidding me," Ichigo muttered.
Ichigo glanced back at Orihime.
"Inoue, take care of them for a bit."
"Understood, Kurosaki-kun. Be careful."
Ichigo simply smiled and nodded.
Focusing his reiatsu, a small whirlwind formed around Ichigo, clearing the surrounding dust.
He leaped forward, slashing his swords relentlessly. However, the Hollow managed to block Ichigo's twin blades, matching his speed. Ichigo countered by kicking the Hollow's arm and leaping onto its head.
Ichigo channeled his reiatsu into Zangetsu, causing the blade to glow with a golden aura, extending its reach. He hurled his shorter Zangetsu toward the Hollow. The creature tried to block it, but the reiatsu-infused blade pierced its arm and stuck in place. The Hollow let out a pained screech as Ichigo's attack successfully tore through its skin.
"Getsuga… TENSHO!" Ichigo roared, unleashing his next attack toward the Hollow's mask.
BOOM!
Ichigo landed on the ground and saw that the Hollow was still standing. It had blocked Ichigo's previous attack using the arm that had Zangetsu embedded in it.
'No doubt about it. I'm sure Ishida, Chad, and Inoue have already realized this…'
The Hollow appeared ready to lunge at Ichigo.
'That aura in its chest… it's the same as Yhwach's,' Ichigo cursed under his breath as he sensed the reiatsu.
'Damn it. What's really happening here?' Ichigo immediately charged toward the Hollow.
He leaped toward his sword, still lodged in the Hollow's arm. The Hollow tried to slash at Ichigo, but he blocked the attack with his other blade.
Ichigo managed to pull his embedded sword and ran up the Hollow's arm. The creature attempted to strike its own shoulder to dislodge him, but Ichigo dodged by jumping into the air. He swung both swords, aiming once again for the Hollow's mask.
"HYAH!"
Ichigo slashed down.
"Getsuga Jujisho—"
At the same time, the Hollow hastily fired a Cero. The resulting explosion rocked the area. The Cero and Getsuga Jujisho clashed, injuring the Hollow's face, but the damage was reduced as the firing Cero was blocked the direct attack's impact.
Ichigo landed on the ground, scanning the Hollow.
'It knows how to counter my close-range attacks.'
'At the same time, I can't unleash my full power here,' Ichigo thought, noting the unconscious students scattered around.
A red energy began gathering around the Hollow's mask. The Cero sphere gradually expanded.
'Even so, I need to use it now…' Ichigo gripped his sword tightly.
The Cero continued to grow.
"Now! Chad!" Ichigo shouted.
Chad, having recovered, had already positioned himself behind the Hollow, reiatsu concentrated in his left hand.
"La Muerte!" Chad delivered a powerful uppercut to the Hollow's back, sending it flying into the air.
The Hollow soared upward, losing control of its Cero. Within moments, Chad's attack and the uncontrolled Cero caused a massive explosion in the sky.
The Hollow swiped away the dust from the explosion, visibly frustrated. It quickly scanned its surroundings as if searching for whoever had struck it.
"What a troublesome Hollow."
The Hollow turned toward the source of the voice and found Uryu, now in his Vollständig form, surrounded by floating Heilig Pfeil arrows circling him.
"Heilig Pfeil."
The arrows shot toward the Hollow at high speed.
The Hollow fired multiple small Ceros to counter Uryu's attack, but all its shots missed as the arrows maneuvered around them like homing missiles.
The Hollow was bombarded by Uryu's relentless arrow barrage, piercing it from multiple angles. It was trapped and hardly able to make any move due to the constant attacks.
'Not yet…' Uryu focused his attack on the Hollow's mask.
The Hollow struggled under the targeted assault on its face. Eventually, several arrows struck its mask directly.
The Hollow let out a guttural growl as the attack landed. It suddenly stopped moving, seemingly ignoring Uryu's ongoing assault.
'What's happening?' Uryu thought as he observed the creature.
A deafening roar filled the area. A dense black aura erupted from the Hollow, absorbing all of Uryu's arrows.
Uryu immediately retreated upon witnessing the bizarre phenomenon. The black energy enveloped the Hollow, shrouding its body.
The cracks in its mask were slowly filled by the black energy, acting like an adhesive to restore its form.
'No doubt about it… that reiatsu…' Uryu thought.
'Yhwach's reiatsu?!' Orihime gasped as she watched from below, carrying unconscious students with her Shun-Shun Rikka.
Her eyes darkened as she felt the overwhelming presence of Yhwach's power. It was as if she had been transported back to the moment she and Ichigo had fought him.
"Inoue, great work. Now you should take cover for a while," Chad said, also carrying three students.
"Alright, Chad-kun. It looks like Kurosaki-kun is about to start."
"Yeah, I think it's time to end this," Chad replied, glancing upward.
He set the students down and clenched his fists tightly.
Uryu was being overwhelmed by the Hollow's aura. The creature pursued him, attempting to strike with its black energy.
"Tch," Uryu gritted his teeth, struggling to change course mid-flight.
"Licht Regen!" Hundreds of arrows rained down on the Hollow, but every single one was absorbed by its dark aura. However, the attack gave Uryu a chance to slip past it.
'So that's it. That black aura is the explanation why my attacks aren't working. And it's probably the reason why my Antithesis can't activate. Of course, the only power capable of nullifying Quincy abilities is…' Uryu turned his gaze behind him.
"That thing… what exactly is it?" Uryu stopped and stared at the Hollow.
The Hollow locked onto Uryu's position and lunged at him.
'If it truly possesses both Yhwach's power and Hollow energy… then he's the only one who can settle it down.'
Uryu condensed his arrows into a single, massive shot.
The Hollow drew closer.
'That's right, if you want me, come and get me …'
The Hollow was just steps away. It gathered its black energy, preparing to strike Uryu.
"Chad! Now!" Uryu shouted.
A towering blast of energy erupted from beneath the Hollow, partially dispersing its dark aura.
From below, Chad stood firm, unleashing the blast from his right arm. At the same time, the Hollow fired its black energy toward Chad.
BOOM!
The energy was successfully blocked by Orihime's shield, which protected Chad. Chad finished releasing his reiatsu attack.
"Alright," Uryu said, firing an arrow upward. The arrow exploded and rained down like chains made from arrowheads. Slowly, the chains wrapped around the Hollow, still reeling from Chad's attack.
'That's right, attacks other than my own should be able to weaken its power. In other words, as long as I don't attack directly, it won't be able to absorb energy as quickly.'
"Now, Kurosaki!"
From above the Hollow, a silhouette descended, radiating blinding red and yellow energy.
It was Ichigo, utilizing his Hollow powers. From the Hollow's perspective, Ichigo appeared with a single horn protruding from the left side of his head. A black stripe extended from his left forehead down to his eye and cheek.
His long Hollow horn gathered red energy, while his now-white Zangetsu collected golden reiatsu. He crossed his sword with his left horn, forming a crescent-shaped energy mass.
"Getsuga…"
The Hollow stared at Ichigo's reiatsu energy, unable to move due to Uryu's attack.
A perfect fusion of Ichigo's reiatsu and Gran Rey Cero had fully formed.
"Jujisho!"
The massive, slashing energy swung down with incredible speed and force toward the Hollow.
BOOM!
The Hollow was cleaved in two by the devastating impact. Unable to control its reiatsu, it plummeted to the ground.
'That power… with strength like that, no wonder the Quincy King struggled against him,' Uryu thought as he watched Ichigo from a distance.
THUD!
The Hollow crashed, motionless on the ground, showing no signs of movement. Slowly, the immense reiatsu surrounding the area began to fade.
"My body… feels so light," Orihime murmured, sensing the shift in pressure after Ichigo's attack struck the Hollow.
Ichigo and Uryu landed. Slowly, Ichigo's horn crumbled away, and the markings on his face faded. At the same time, Uryu deactivated his Vollständig.
"What kind of Hollow was that?" Ichigo muttered.
"It is wise to head on to Urahara-san's place immediately after this," Uryu added.
Ichigo nodded but continued staring at the fallen Hollow.
'Yhwach's reiatsu is gone… thank goodness,' Ichigo thought.
A breeze swept through, rustling Ichigo's hair. His mind drifted to the battle that had just unfolded—and his past fight against Yhwach.
'This was the second time I've faced Yhwach's power. And the second time I've destroyed it.'
Ichigo looked at his hand with a somber expression. Confusion clouded his thoughts. The crisis had ended, yet an unsettling feeling continued to grow inside him.
"Oi, how long are you going to space out?" Uryu said, giving Ichigo a light jab on the shoulder.
"Ow! Hey, what was that for, Ishida?!" Ichigo turned and grumbled at Uryu.
Uryu remained silent. As Ichigo looked around, he noticed Orihime and Chad standing beside Uryu. Orihime's worried smile caught his eye.
"Listen, Kurosaki, whatever happened before has nothing to do with what happens now. Yhwach is dead, and we are responsible for that. So don't selfishly think that you alone have to bear the consequences of everything that happened," Uryu stated firmly.
Ichigo was taken aback but, at the same time, felt something lift from his shoulders.
"Ichigo, no matter what happens next, we'll always be here to face it with you," Chad added.
"Kurosaki-kun," she moved closer.
"If there's something on your mind, we're always here. Don't burden yourself more than you already have. You've saved everyone—there's nothing left to regret," said Orihime with a smile blooming on her face.
"Inoue…" Ichigo gazed at her, seeing how her smile masked her concern.
Orihime took another step forward.
"As long as you're not sad, that's enough, Kurosaki-kun," Orihime activated Shun-Shun Rikka on Ichigo's hand. The last attack had left him with some damages.
'Inoue… she was that worried about me,' Ichigo thought.
'Looking back, no matter how much she trembled in fear against Yhwach, she always tried to protect me back then.'
Ichigo noticed how, for a brief moment, Orihime let her guard down, revealing her sorrow. At that moment, Ichigo felt an epiphany—an answer to the unease he had been risen.
"Inoue, you're right. Thank you," Ichigo said.
Orihime snapped out of her daze and looked at Ichigo. She saw a change—Ichigo was no longer burdened by frustration. He was smiling.
"Kurosaki-kun."
"You're all right—life moves on. No matter what the future holds, we'll face it together," Ichigo replied.
Uryu and Chad smiled at his words. Orihime's smile widened, and her worry melted away.
Ichigo looked up at the sky and took in a deep breath of the fresh air.
'Yhwach, your dream of a world without fear will never come to pass, and I was one of the main cause. But I've realized something—this 'fearless world' you tried to create ironically was built on death and suffering, especially for those closest to me,' Ichigo recalled Orihime's sadness and the wounds his friends had endured.
'Through that path, a world without fear that you desired, unfortunately, would only leave faces of sadness for every creature there is. That kind of sadness… I refuse to let anyone experience it.'
Ichigo glanced at his friends.
'I protect the people around me because I don't want them to suffer the sadness. So, the world like that … in every possible future, I will always disprove that idea and fight to prevent that sadness from ever happening.'
Ichigo's heart felt lighter. He took a step forward toward his friends.
At that same moment, Uryu noticed something.
"KUROSAKI! WATCH OUT!"
Ichigo turned around.
BOOM!
A black energy slash struck him, sending him crashing into a tree.
The black energy from the Hollow's hole spread further, seeping out of its body. The energy moved both halves of the Hollow and reattached them. Then, the energy sealed the wound, restoring the Hollow's form. A powerful pressure once again filled the air.
"Damn it! Chad-kun, Inoue-san, we need to get away—"
Before Uryu could finish, the black energy surged toward him, immobilizing him.
'Damn it, I can't activate my Vollständig!'
Uryu looked at the energy and was horrified by what he saw—a single eye staring at him from within the black mass. More eyes began appearing around him.
"Inoue, get out of here," Chad said, gathering reiatsu in his right arm.
"El Directo—"
Just as Chad was about to fire his energy blast, the Hollow's black energy erupted from the ground, trapping him in a dark cocoon.
An explosion erupted inside the confinement.
"Chad-kun!"
Orihime barely had time to react before the energy surged toward her.
She activated her shield, blocking the attack.
However, she soon realized that her shield was weakening and thinning.
'That energy… it's absorbing Rikka!' Orihime thought in disbelief.
Moments later, the energy shattered her shield and ensnared her.
Orihime was engulfed by the energy.
'It's draining… my reiatsu…'
'Ugh… I can't move—'
Orihime was completely enveloped in the black mass.
Behind the Hollow, a garganta-like portal slowly opened, the same kind it had used to arrive.
"Getsuga Tensho!"
Ichigo's attack struck the Hollow, forcing it backward.
"Everyone!"
Ichigo saw his friends beginning to break free from the black energy, though they were still partially trapped.
Ichigo dashed toward the Hollow and slashed both its arms off. The arms were detached. The Hollow then pulled back all the black energy binding Ichigo's friends. The pulled energy is used to reattach its severed arms.
'What the hell is this Hollow?'
The Hollow remained still for a moment, staring at Ichigo.
"Ku…ro…sa…ki…" a voice emerged from the Hollow.
"It can talk?!" Ichigo was stunned.
"Ku…ro…sa…ki…"
"What do you want?! What are you?!"
The Hollow fell silent again.
"Hey! Answer me!"
the Hollow stretched its arms toward Ichigo. Suddenly, the arms were flying to Ichigo with black energy still clinging to its limbs and body.
Ichigo leapt back, but another black energy block his way. The Hollow's arm finally grabbed him tightly.
"ARGH!" Ichigo groaned in pain.
"Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime, still weak, struggled to stand.
"Kurosaki! Damn it!" Uryu attempted to move forward but collapsed, his reiatsu nearly depleted.
"Ichigo…"
Chad, injured but determined, forced himself to stand and stumbled toward the portal.
However, the Hollow leapt backward, pulling Ichigo with it as it dove into the portal.
Ichigo was dragged into the portal along with the Hollow. Moments later, the portal shrank until it vanished completely.
Everyone froze, staring in shock at what had just happened.
"No… Kurosaki-kun…"
-stain-
'Where… is this? It's so dark… Where am I?' Ichigo thought.
'Ah, there's light… Is that an exit?'
Ichigo opened his eyes. He found himself lying on a field near a riverbank. The sun was setting, painting the sky orange.
His head was foggy as he tried to piece together what had happened.
"Ugh… my head… What happened…? If I remember right, today was the graduation ceremony, and…"
Ichigo sat up, holding his head.
'I know something happened today, but… why is it so hard to remember what happened this afternoon?'
'I was with the others… and I had to protect—?'
Suddenly, a rush of memories flooded his mind as he recalled something important.
'Protecting them from sorrow… Yhwach!?'
Ichigo gasped and sprang to his feet, scanning the area with anxiety and fear.
"Why am I here?! I need to find Inoue and the others!"
Just as he was about to leave the clearing, he noticed a silhouette sitting on the steps nearby.
"Kurosaki Ichigo… right?" the figure said, flipping through a wallet.
Ichigo's confused expression instantly twisted into rage.
"YOU!? No way! How are you here!?" Ichigo growled.
"Hm? What do you mean 'how am I here'? Interesting… it seems you've mistaken me for someone," the man responded casually.
"Don't mess with me! You—You're behind all of this, aren't you?!"
The figure stood and stepped forward.
"Aizen Sosuke!"
"My, my… You're quite the fiery one, aren't you? Have we ever met?" the silhouette said, revealing the face of Aizen Sosuke, who smiled calmly at Ichigo.
Aizen Sosuke now stood before Ichigo, wearing glasses and a long white coat.
"Enough with the small talk. What's going on here? How did you escape Soul Society?!" Ichigo demanded, slowly shifting into his Shinigami form.
Aizen raised an eyebrow in mild surprise.
"Fascinating," Aizen muttered, still smiling as he observed the unfolding scene.
"I'll ask you one more time… What the hell is going on!?" Ichigo gripped one of his Zangetsu swords, reiatsu flaring.
"So that's how it is… You… have reached this stage. Impressive," Aizen smirked before locking eyes with Ichigo.
"Kurosaki-san, is it? Before you attack me with your Shinigami abilities, you should know… you're mistaken one thing."
Ichigo flinched slightly at Aizen's response. He had been fully prepared to strike Aizen down. And yet, something about his words felt… off.
"What do you mean?"
Aizen smiled.
"It seems you've mistaken this world… for your original one," he said revealing his smile along with intimidating facial expression.
"My… original world?"
TO BE CONTINUED…
—
Author's Note:
Hello, everyone! Thank you for reading. As a kind reminder, this story will explore Kurosaki Ichigo's journey in an 'alternate world' similar to his original one. So, for next chapter there will be some familiar characters with slightly different personalities! This is just the beginning, so please enjoy Ichigo's journey in the upcoming chapters! Oh, yes, in addition, yes this is the English translated version of Indonesian version. So, the English version might get later update compared with its original one. Again, thank you so much for reading this fict, and feel free to leave your reviews about this story!