Hello, everyone. ThunderReborn from 2025. This chapter was originally edited by Darklord331. Finally, in April 2025, this chapter was edited again by my current beta reader, Waroyer123. Thank you and I hope you enjoy the story.
This chapter is dedicated to a discontinued Percy Jackson Fanfiction called Perseus Jackson Monster Shifter by Hans50. Many elements in this chapter reflect this fanfiction.
The following is a fan-based parody.
Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo, TV Tokyo, Viz Media, and Studio Pierrot.
Percy Jackson is owned by Rick Riordan and Disney Hyperion.
All other references of characters or abilities are not mine.
Please support the official release.
"Hello." – Normal talking
"Hello." – Ichigo's thoughts.
"Hello." – Zanpakutō speaking
"Hello." – Zanpakutō thoughts.
Chapter 52:
Ichigo could feel himself falling into an endless void. He sensed nothing as he continued his descent. Summoning one of his many books, he began to read. He finished four books before finally reaching the bottom. Ichigo then began to explore Tartarus.
The air seemed hostile, trying to harm him, but his body easily overcame the minor inconvenience. As Ichigo walked, a pack of hellhounds noticed him and attempted to attack. With ease, Ichigo killed the hellhounds and carried on his way.
As he continued exploring, Ichigo spotted a few giants in the distance. He hid behind some rocks and eavesdropped on their conversation.
"Anyone seen any interesting monsters?" Giant 1 asked.
"No. Saw some regular hellhounds," Giant 2 replied.
"Damn, Lord Peres isn't going to be happy," Giant 1 complained.
"I guess they work for Peres," Ichigo thought.
"Come on, we need to try harder," Giant 3 urged.
"He's right. We don't want to end up in the Coliseum," Giant 4 added.
"Looks like they might be my ticket to Peres," Ichigo thought.
"It's not like an interesting monster is just going to show up," Giant 1 joked.
"Hello?" Ichigo called out, revealing himself from his hiding spot. All the giants jumped in surprise.
"A human!" Giant 3 exclaimed.
"My name is Ichigo, and I'm looking for Peres," Ichigo said.
"We work for Lord Peres," Giant 2 explained.
"Would you allow us to capture you?" Giant 3 asked eagerly.
"He's not going to allow us to capture him," Giant 1 ridiculed.
"Sure," Ichigo said casually.
"Really?" Giant 3 asked, shocked.
"Sure, as long as I get to talk to Peres."
"We can ensure you meet Lord Peres, but we can't promise he'll see you," Giant 3 said.
"Sure," Ichigo repeated. Giant 3 grabbed Ichigo, tight enough to prevent him from escaping, but loose enough not to hurt him. The giants walked for hours, capturing a few other monsters along the way, all unconscious and wrapped in nets. After a long trek, they entered a desert.
"Where are we?" Ichigo asked his captor.
"We're in the Central Wasteland," Giant 3 replied.
"He's still awake!?" Giant 1 questioned.
"He is. He's been in my hand since we found him," Giant 3 replied.
"What!" the others shouted.
"Yep," Ichigo said. "Still awake."
The giants stared at him in disbelief.
"You're a strange human," Giant 2 commented. Ichigo would've shrugged if he could. After a few more hours, they arrived at a colosseum.
"I'll take him to see Lord Peres," Giant 3 said.
"Very well. Good luck, weird human," Giant 1 said, as Giants 2 and 4 followed behind him. Ichigo didn't question how Giant 3 managed to move through the colosseum, despite his full size. They walked up a few stairs and reached a door. Giant 3 let go of Ichigo and began shrinking. Now standing at six feet seven inches, Giant 3 knocked on the door.
"Come in," someone called from inside.
Giant 3 gently pushed the door open and entered. Ichigo followed closely behind. Inside, Ichigo saw a well-decorated office filled with weapons, books, mystical artifacts, and other curiosities. Seated at a desk was a man in a business suit, sipping an amber liquid. Two guards, dressed in black business suits and wearing sunglasses, stood beside him.
"What do you need?" Peres asked, glancing up at the giant.
"Lord Peres, I found a human who wanted to see you," Giant 3 said. Peres looked over and saw Ichigo standing there.
"I see…" Peres said, pulling a sheet of paper from his drawer. He wrote something on it before handing it to Giant 3. "For the rest of the year, you are free from Gladiator Hunting," Peres said.
"Really? Yay!" Giant 3 cheered, taking the paper. "Bye, human."
"Bye," Ichigo replied, though his attention turned to Peres as he felt something wrong. Ichigo suddenly felt himself moving slower. Peres smiled.
"Looks like it still had enough energy," Peres remarked, pulling out a small golden object with a clock on it. A spike attached to the bottom resonated with some strange energy. Peres grinned as he pulled out a pair of golden handcuffs. He grabbed Ichigo's arms and handcuffed him.
"What's going on?" Ichigo thought, feeling weaker by the second.
"Those handcuffs are draining your powers," Kyōka said.
"Should I break them?" Ichigo asked.
"No. These handcuffs are connected to Peres. He's absorbing the energy they drain from you," Kyōka replied.
"Reduce the flow as much as possible, let him think he's draining us dry," Ichigo ordered.
"I'm already working on it."
"To think these handcuffs would work on you, Ichigo Kurosaki," Peres mused.
"How do you know my name?" Ichigo asked.
Peres smiled, revealing a glint of recognition in his eyes.
"I watched you kill my brothers and drain their essence," Peres said. "I guarded the remaining part of Kronos that was trapped in Tartarus. Kronos tried to warn the others about you, but he wasn't able to."
"Fate intervened?" Ichigo thought.
"Then you ripped his remaining essence from Tartarus to Olympus. Before he left, he gave me a present." Peres pulled out a strange knife, reminiscent of Medea's Rule Breaker. "Show me his hands," he ordered his guards.
The guards appeared behind Ichigo, slamming his head and hands onto the table, forcing the back of his hands to face Peres. Peres stabbed the knife into Ichigo's right hand. Pain shot through Ichigo's body, and he could feel a curse being placed on his hand. Peres removed the knife and repeated the process on his left hand. Once the guards released him, Ichigo stood up, glancing at the back of his hands. Both hands now bore black tattoos in the shape of inverted reptile eyes.
"What did you do?" Ichigo demanded.
"According to Kronos, he received this curse as a gift from Gaea and Ouranos. It contains a special curse that can only be used once," Peres explained. "Kronos found many enemies that we thought were worthy of the curse, but none were until you came. During the process of claiming his divinity, he deemed you worthy of it. He made me swear upon Gaea's name to inflict this curse upon you."
"What does this curse do?" Ichigo asked.
Peres grinned.
"This curse is known as the Curse of the Monster. With it, whatever monster you kill, you shall become," he laughed darkly.
"Yhwach, are you able to quarantine the curse?" Ichigo asked.
"I managed to force the curse into a schrift," Yhwach replied.
"But?" Ichigo pressed.
"The curse infected your body. You'll still be forced to become the Greek monster you kill, but you should be able to return to your human form and even manipulate it," Yhwach said.
"I see…" Ichigo thought as Peres stopped laughing.
"So, what are you planning to do now?" Ichigo asked.
"You see, my watchers are getting a little bored with my regular gladiators. But then you walked in," Peres said. Ichigo quickly realized what Peres was about to suggest.
"You want me to be your gladiator," Ichigo stated.
"Yep," Peres confirmed. "I'm aware of Grand Uncle Tartarus's dislike of me. He somehow contacted you and asked you to kill me. He probably mentioned that you can't leave Tartarus until you kill me, or something like that."
"What's stopping me from breaking free of these handcuffs and killing you right here?" Ichigo questioned.
"I doubt you could break free of those handcuffs, given how little power you have right now," Peres said. "But even if those handcuffs somehow fail, I still have a contingency plan."
"Indeed," someone else added. Ichigo turned to see another figure walk in.
"Ichigo, meet Prometheus," Peres said. Ichigo glared at Prometheus.
"He's the one who contacted Fairy Tale and the Khaos Brigade," Prometheus ignored Ichigo's glare and handed Peres a file. Peres opened it and began reading.
"Oh. OH!" Peres said, his voice rising in excitement. "So many potential hostages…" Ichigo's glare intensified, but Peres casually tossed the file onto the table, spilling its contents. Ichigo saw pages with details about Moka, Elizabeth, Yasaka, and Kunou—fortunately, not in her true form. But there were still more pages yet to spill out. "If they're too difficult to capture, we could always go after those demigods you're friendly with," Peres added.
"We've already arranged contingency plans in case you try to kill both of us right now," Prometheus warned.
"Fine then. I'll play your game. How many rounds do you want me to fight before I take on you?" Ichigo asked. Peres smirked.
"As many as I want," Peres said.
"Oh?"
"Don't worry," Peres continued, "I'll be fair. The matches won't be back-to-back. I'll give you a few days between each fight."
Peres extended his hand to Ichigo. "Very well," Ichigo said, shaking Peres's hand. Ichigo felt something burn into his palm. Looking down, he saw a P-shaped burn mark.
"You are mine now, Ichigo Kurosaki." The two Titans laughed as Ichigo was dragged out of Peres's office.
"He didn't try to break free from the handcuffs, even though he could easily do so," Prometheus remarked.
"Indeed. He knows that energy naturally escapes through the wrists. He managed to decrease the flow," Peres replied.
Scene Change: Cell
Ichigo was escorted down a hallway lined with cells. Inside, various monsters could be seen. The guard opened the door to Ichigo's cell and uncuffed him. Ichigo stepped inside, finding that his cellmate was already there. His cellmate was a humanoid with cherry-red skin, a beard, and hair the color of rusted iron, bushy eyebrows, and numerous scars on his face. From the waist down, Ichigo could see red-scaled dragon legs.
"Damasen looks like you got a cellmate," the guard said as he locked the door behind him. Ichigo walked over to Damasen.
"The name's Ichigo," Ichigo introduced himself.
"Damasen," the giant replied. He expected Ichigo to be intimidated by his appearance, but Ichigo didn't flinch.
"So, why are you in here?" Ichigo asked. Damasen looked at him, puzzled.
"You've never heard of me?" Damasen asked.
"I'm not a Greek demigod," Ichigo replied. Damasen's eyes widened in surprise.
"But I could sense the divinity on you," Damasen said.
Ichigo smiled. "The Olympians owed me a debt for saving them from the Titans. They repaid it by blessing me."
"Impressive," Damasen said.
"Indeed," Ichigo said. "If I may ask, why are you here?"
Damasen chuckled. "It's a unique feeling for me. I'm a giant, son of Gaea and Tartarus, created to be the bane of Ares/Mars. But my mother made me become the literal Bane of the God of War."
"A peaceful giant," Ichigo guessed.
"Indeed," Damasen agreed. "I spent my time in the mortal world as a farmer. One day, a drákōn appeared and killed one of my friends. In my anger, I hunted it down and killed it. My mother opened up the Earth and imprisoned me in my father's realm, Tartarus. They decided to allow me to continue farming, but I was never allowed to see the sun or stars again." Damasen sighed. "It was their way of showing me how meaningless my life was. To my annoyance, the drákōn I killed was granted immortality, and now my task is to kill it."
"But why are you here, in this cell?" Ichigo asked.
"Peres and his hunters ambushed both of us. I'm not sure what happened to that drákōn," Damasen admitted.
"I think I know what happened," Ichigo said, beginning to explain the drákōn Kronos used.
"Well, at least I'm free from that drákōn for the time being," Damasen said.
Suddenly, a loud bang came at their cell door. They turned to see a guard standing there.
"Time for your first fight," the guard yelled. Ichigo sighed as he stood up.
"See you in a bit," Ichigo said.
Damasen nodded as the guard opened the door for Ichigo. They were soon escorted out into the arena, where the Colosseum was filled with monsters. Ichigo spotted Peres standing among the crowd.
"Ladies and Monsters!" Peres called out, causing the crowd to quiet down. "I am here to introduce our newest challenger. He's the one who killed Kronos, Krios, Hyperion, and Typhon!" Peres shouted. Many monsters growled in anger, most of them allies of the Titans or descendants of Typhon. "Give a warm welcome to Ichigo Kurosaki!" Peres cheered. Ichigo entered the colosseum, ignoring the venomous glares from the surrounding monsters.
"His challenger will be a famous monster. He knows who Ichigo is and wants revenge for his father's death," Peres paused for dramatic effect. "Give it up for the Nemean Lion!" Peres announced.
A massive lion leaped into the Colosseum. The Nemean Lion was as large as a pickup truck, with shiny silver claws, fangs that gleamed like stainless steel, and thick, glittering golden fur. It turned to Ichigo and let out a deafening roar.
"Come at me, Lion," Ichigo said calmly.
"ROAR!" The Nemean Lion roared in response.
"Start!" Peres yelled. The Nemean Lion pounced at Ichigo, its mouth wide open, ready to bite. As soon as the lion was within striking distance, Ichigo performed an uppercut, sending the Nemean Lion flying into the air. Ichigo used Shunpō to appear above the Nemean Lion, and the lion looked nervous seeing Ichigo there. Ichigo leaped, aiming his elbow at the Nemean Lion's neck. He drove his elbow into the lion's neck, slamming it back down to the ground.
Ichigo stood up and looked at the Nemean Lion—it was dead. The creature transformed into golden dust. The Monster Curse began to glow red and absorbed the golden dust. Ichigo started to transform against his will. Before him stood another Nemean Lion, much larger than the first. It let out a loud, intimidating roar before transforming back into its normal state.
"The Nemean Lion has been defeated by Ichigo Kurosaki, the Monster Shifter!" Peres announced. Ichigo noticed Peres seemed amused.
"Shifter! Shifter! Shifter!" the audience yelled. Ichigo was escorted back to his cell.
"How did it go?" Damasen asked.
"Good. I fought the Nemean Lion," Ichigo replied. Damasen nodded. They could hear applause coming from outside the cell. Turning, they saw that Peres was the one clapping.
"Good job, Ichigo. Knew you had it in you to put on an entertaining show," Peres complimented.
"So, when's my next fight?" Ichigo asked.
"Two days," Peres smiled.
"Will I have a place to train?" Ichigo asked.
"You will. You'll have a small private area to train in," Peres answered.
"Very well. See you in a few days," Ichigo said as Peres walked away.
"Any ideas on what monster he'll bring to the arena?" Ichigo asked.
Damasen shook his head. "There are too many monsters he could pick."
"I see…" Ichigo murmured as he walked toward the cell door. "Hey, Guard!" One of the guards approached. "I need access to the private training grounds."
The guard grumbled but opened the door. Before the guard could close it, Ichigo called to Damasen. "Want to help me train?"
"Sure," Damasen said as he stood up. The guard escorted them to the private training grounds Peres had arranged. Ichigo sat down and entered his mindscape.
Scene Change: Mindscape
Ichigo found himself face-to-face with Yhwach, who was staring at the schrift with the monster's eye on it.
"Did you find anything else about the curse?" Ichigo asked.
"Yes. When you killed the Nemean Lion, you claimed its soul and all of its abilities," Yhwach replied.
"I see… Is there any way for me to release the Nemean Lion's soul?" Ichigo asked.
"I'm… not sure," Yhwach admitted. Ichigo picked up the schrift.
"I, Kurosaki Ichigo, bestow upon myself this schrift." Ichigo pushed the schrift into his body. Instantly, he felt an overwhelming surge of rage from the schrift. He focused, channeling its power.
Ichigo opened his eyes and found the Nemean Lion glaring back at him. The lion tried to attack, but a transparent barrier blocked it.
"Do you wish to be free?" Ichigo asked.
The Nemean Lion looked at him, confused. "Do you wish to be trapped here forever?"
"No," the lion growled.
"Then let's do something that benefits both of us," Ichigo said.
"What is it?" the lion growled in response.
"Give me your powers, memories, and knowledge, and I shall free your soul," Ichigo proposed.
"Impossible. The curse traps me," the lion growled.
"The barrier is here to protect me from your influence," Ichigo said. "If you try to harm me, the barrier won't let you pass." The Nemean Lion raised its paw at the barrier, then poked it. To its shock, the paw phased through.
The Nemean Lion stepped through the barrier. "Seeing you pass through shows me that you want to do this," Ichigo said.
"I do," the Nemean Lion replied. Its eyes glowed white, and Ichigo could suddenly see the lion's memories and understand how it fought.
With the knowledge transferred, Ichigo summoned Yorugetsu and gently tapped the Nemean Lion's forehead. The lion began to break down into rainbow particles, its soul freed.
"Thanks for keeping your end of the bargain," the Nemean Lion said before disappearing.
Ichigo opened his eyes to find Yhwach standing there.
"Yhwach, please combine Schrift S: The Slayer with Schrift W: The War Lord," Ichigo requested.
"Very well."
"I name this schrift, Schrift S: The Shifter," Ichigo said. Yhwach nodded as Ichigo left his mindscape.
Scene Change: Tartarus: Peres's Colosseum
Ichigo opened his eyes and stood up, fully transformed into his Nemean Lion form. He practiced moving around in this new form, slowly getting used to walking on four legs.
"Can you get me a few targets?" Ichigo growled.
"Sure," Damasen replied. He picked up a few stones and threw them at Ichigo. Ichigo dodged them effortlessly. Damasen threw more, and Ichigo leaped at them, using his claws to destroy the rocks. Damasen then grabbed a dummy and threw it at Ichigo. Ichigo used his jaws to grab it and tore it apart.
"Can you do something else with that form?" Damasen asked.
"I can," Ichigo growled. From the Nemean Lion's head, Ichigo's upper body appeared, and he now looked similar to a centaur. His skin had turned golden, like the Nemean Lion's.
Ichigo began to move around in his new form. "Rocks, please," he requested.
"Here you go!" Damasen threw a few more rocks. Ichigo leaped over them with ease. More rocks were thrown at him, and Ichigo either dodged or destroyed them. Ichigo shifted forms again, appearing in his human form but with golden skin. His hands and feet had lion paws. He jumped side to side and found his jumps much faster and softer on landing.
"Looking good," Damasen commented.
"Thanks," Ichigo said.
Time Skip: Two Days Later
"Welcome, everyone!" Peres yelled from his spot. "Welcome to my colosseum! Now then, this is Ichigo's second fight. Will he be able to beat his opponent?" Peres teased. "Give a warm welcome to Ichigo Kurosaki, the Monster Shifter!"
"Shifter! Shifter! Shifter!" the audience cheered. Ichigo transformed into his Nemean Lion form, letting out a loud roar before pouncing into the arena. He turned to the audience and gave a few more loud roars before returning to his human form.
"Now then, I have two beasts that wish to fight you, Ichigo," Peres said. "Both of them have heard what you did to their father and brother. Now, do you wish to fight them both?"
"Bring it on," Ichigo replied. The crowd went wild at Ichigo's words.
"Very well then, give a warm welcome to the Hydra and Chimera!" Peres shouted. A lion-shaped creature leaped into the arena. The Chimera had the head of a lion with a blood-caked mane, the body of a goat, and a ten-foot-long diamondback snake-headed tail protruding from its shaggy behind. Behind it, the Hydra appeared— a huge, scaly, lizard-like monster with nine heads, each diamond-shaped with razor-sharp teeth lining its mouths.
"Begin!" Peres yelled.
The Chimera leaped at Ichigo. Ichigo easily dodged the attack.
"$: Die, mortal! :$" the Hydra hissed as it spewed venom at Ichigo. Ichigo nimbly dodged the venom.
"$: Attack each other! :$" Ichigo ordered in Parseltongue. The audience watched in confusion as the Hydra began attacking itself and the Chimera's snake began biting the rest of the Chimera. Ichigo raised his hand, and black fire danced around his palm.
"Let the world witness your rise. Let my allies feel your warmth. Let my foes feel your fury—Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi!" Ichigo shouted, and the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi materialized in his hand. It was a long nodachi with a silver blade, a charred black edge, and a simple circular tsuba. The handle was crimson, like the sun. A sizzling sound filled the air, and a small trail of smoke began to rise. Ichigo gripped the sword with both hands.
Ichigo used Shunpō to appear in front of the Chimera. Despite the snake's betrayal, the Chimera wasn't seriously injured. Ichigo swung his nodachi, but the Chimera barely dodged. Enraged, the Chimera breathed a massive blast of fire at Ichigo. Ichigo calmly walked toward the fire, shocking everyone with his lack of reaction. The Chimera's eyes filled with anger. It stopped its attack and lunged at Ichigo. In its fury, it overlooked Ichigo's nodachi, and with a single swing, Ichigo incinerated the Chimera. Its golden dust was once again absorbed by the Monster Curse.
Ichigo resisted the transformation but turned to face the Hydra, which now had 27 heads—still attacking each other.
"Looks like Ichigo is in big trouble now!" Peres shouted. "What will he do?" Ichigo walked toward the Hydra.
"They will all burn," Ichigo said. Black flames erupted from his nodachi, and the audience stared in awe. Ichigo swung his nodachi, and a wave of black fire shot toward the Hydra. The Hydra turned to face him as the wave of fire hit it. The explosion consumed the Hydra, and it hissed in agony before being destroyed. Golden dust floated from the explosion, and Ichigo's Monster Curse activated, absorbing the Hydra.
Ichigo extinguished the black flames still lingering in the arena. He deactivated Schrift T: The Taiyō and transformed into the Chimera. The form was similar to the Nemean Lion. It took Ichigo a few moments to adjust, learning to control both the lion and the snake simultaneously. Ichigo let out a loud roar and began moving around, breathing fire on one side and spraying venom from the other. He leaped into the air, spraying venom, then combined it with his flames, creating a toxic explosion.
"Shifter! Shifter!" The audience chanted. Ichigo shifted into his Hydra form. He grew to ten feet tall, and all nine heads emerged. Despite having nine heads, Ichigo discovered that his consciousness was in just one of them, while his limbs controlled the others. Ichigo sprayed venom around the arena, careful not to hit the audience.
"SHIFTER! SHIFTER!" The audience cheered even louder. Ichigo had one of his heads tear off another, the one his consciousness inhabited. As his mind shifted to another head, two more heads grew in place of the severed one, and the crowd went wild.
Ichigo turned to Peres, who was now frowning.
"Is this all the great Peres, Titan of Destruction, Ruler of the Colosseum, could bring?" Ichigo challenged. The audience fell silent, staring at Peres.
"Very well, Ichigo Kurosaki!" Peres said, raising his voice. "Your next challengers will be a small gauntlet of monsters, one after another!"
"Oooh," the audience murmured. They turned their eyes to Ichigo, who smiled.
"Bring it on, Peres. I will beat everyone you send into the arena. Even you," Ichigo declared.
"SHIFTER! SHIFTER! SHIFTER!" The crowd went wild at Ichigo's challenge. Ichigo turned and walked out, returning to his cell.
"I can hear them chanting your name from here," Damasen said.
"So can I," Ichigo joked.
"So, who did they make you fight?"
"The Chimera and the Hydra."
Damasen nodded. "Powerful monsters, both of them."
"Luckily, I was able to order them to attack each other," Ichigo said.
"Oh?"
"Yep," Ichigo replied. "I'm going to use the training room."
"Okay," Damasen said, standing up. They both walked to the training room. Ichigo once again entered Schrift S: The Shifter.
Ichigo saw the Chimera and the Hydra, locked in separate mental cages. The Chimera used its claws to attack the barrier, while the Hydra glared at Ichigo.
"$: I will be freed from this prison! :$" the Hydra hissed.
Ichigo stared at the Hydra. "$: Submit to me, or you will continue to suffer. :$"
The Hydra responded by spraying venom at Ichigo, but the barrier stopped the attack.
"$: Very well then. :$" Ichigo said. The black fire began to invade the room.
"$: NO! :$" the Hydra hissed, trying to escape the flames. But the black fire continued to chase it, and soon the Hydra was cornered. It hissed in agony as the fire began to burn it. Unlike the real world, death was not an escape for the Hydra.
Ichigo turned to the Chimera, who had stopped attacking the barrier. The Chimera could hear the Hydra's pain and suffering.
"I know you understand your situation much more clearly than the Hydra," Ichigo said.
"I do," the Chimera growled. "But so what?"
"Your sibling asked me the same question," Ichigo replied.
"You mean…"
"Yes, the Nemean Lion. He was here, but I set him free," Ichigo said.
"How do I know you're telling the truth?" the Chimera asked.
"Well, the Nemean Lion isn't here," Ichigo pointed out.
The Chimera stood still for a few moments, then slowly walked toward the barrier. It phased through, and Ichigo placed his hands on the Chimera's head. The Chimera's eyes glowed white as Ichigo began to see its memories. With the knowledge transferred, Ichigo summoned Yorugetsu and gently tapped the Chimera's forehead. The Chimera broke down into rainbow particles, its soul freed from the schrift.
Ichigo turned to the Hydra and snapped his fingers. The black fire withdrew from the creature.
"So, will you join your siblings, or do you want more?" Ichigo asked.
The Hydra stared at Ichigo, its fate now uncertain.
"$: We submit. :$" The Hydra said. Slowly, the heads began to move and merge. Soon, only one head remained. The Hydra slithered through the barrier, its eyes glowing white as its memories were transferred to Ichigo. Ichigo gently tapped the Hydra's forehead with Yorugetsu. The Hydra began to break down into rainbow particles, freeing it from the schrift. Ichigo returned to his body.
Scene Change: Tartarus: Peres's Colosseum
Ichigo opened his eyes and stood up.
"How did it go?" Damasen asked. Ichigo transformed his lower body into the Chimera's body.
"Try cutting the snake off," Ichigo said. Damasen pulled out his blade and easily sliced through the snake's tail. Suddenly, two more snakes grew, replacing the one Damasen had cut off.
"Looks like I got the Hydra's main ability," Ichigo said.
"Can you combine all three of them?" Damasen asked. Ichigo smiled.
"Let's see," Ichigo replied, closing his eyes. His body began to grow bigger. Ichigo's lower body changed into a scaly, snake-like form, while his upper body remained humanoid. His arms were replaced by snakes, and his skin turned a golden shade, with a lion's mane around his neck. Ichigo used his snake arms to spray venom around the arena. Damasen looked on, amazed. He threw a few rocks at Ichigo. Ichigo used his snake hands to easily crush them. Damasen tried to cut Ichigo with his sword, but the blade hit Ichigo's skin and couldn't pierce it.
"How long can you stay in that form?" Damasen asked.
"As long as I want," Ichigo replied.
"Now we need some stronger monsters to make that even scarier," Damasen said.
"Indeed."
Damasen and Ichigo spent the next few hours improving the speed with which Ichigo could change between his forms and how much power he could exert in each one. They then began walking back to their cell.
"Help us."
"Only you can help us." Ichigo paused.
"Damasen, do you hear that?"
"Hear what?" Damasen asked.
"I'm not sure. Someone is mentally messaging me right now," Ichigo said.
"Are you sure? It could be a trick from Peres," Damasen warned.
"No. Peres would want to publicly defeat me. It would harm his reputation if he defeats me in private," Ichigo reasoned. Damasen shrugged.
"Okay then. Hurry up and come back," Damasen said, walking to his cage.
"I'm ready. Guide me," Ichigo said.
"Follow that corridor," the voice instructed. Ichigo walked down the corridor and soon encountered two giants. They were thirty-foot-tall giants with blue skin and icy-gray hair.
"You not here," one of them said.
"You go away," the other said.
"No can do. I need to go past you," Ichigo said.
"We told to stay here. Not let anyone through," one giant replied.
Ichigo sighed. "Then I'll make this quick." He summoned Yorugetsu. Before the giants could react, Ichigo already killed them. He felt the Monster Curse absorb their golden dust. Ichigo sheathed Yorugetsu and continued farther down the hallway. Up ahead, he saw four monsters standing guard in front of a door. All four were about eight feet tall. Two of them had arms heavily decorated with tattoos, and yellow pointed teeth, and wore white t-shirts and jean shorts. The other two appeared to be made of clay, each with six arms and wearing nothing but canvas loincloths.
"Hey, Skull Eater, when are we relieved from guard duty?" one of the giants asked.
"No idea, Joe Bob," Skull Eater replied. Suddenly, Joe Bob began to sniff the air.
"You smell something?" Joe Bob asked.
"Show yourself!" Joe Bob yelled. Ichigo walked out from the shadows.
"You're not supposed to be here!" Skull Eater yelled. The giants charged at Ichigo, but Ichigo used Shunpō to pass them.
"Omae wa mou shindeiru," Ichigo muttered. They heard a clink. Suddenly, their bodies began to move before collapsing, bisected by Ichigo's strike. Their golden dust was absorbed by the Monster Curse. Ichigo turned to the door, stabbed it with Yorugetsu, and released a nameless Getsuga Tenshō. The attack tore the door apart. Ichigo walked in to see two monsters chained to the walls. They stood more than 30 feet tall, with countless arms all over their bodies. Their arms were bound by black and silver chains.
"You're the ones who called for me?" Ichigo asked.
"Indeed," one of them responded.
"I am Cottus, and that is Gyges, my brother," Cottus said.
Ichigo walked over to the chains. "The chains are made of Stygian Iron and Bone Steel. They're enchanted to prevent anyone from breaking them," Gyges said. "We've tried."
"Hm…" Ichigo murmured.
"Try using me," Nightingale suggested. "I should be able to weaken the magic properties on the chains."
"You should save those chains; they might be useful," Mysteria chimed in.
"Sure." Ichigo activated Schrift D: Diablo Divider. Cottus and Gyges were startled by the sudden appearance of the wings, but Ichigo ignored their reactions as he summoned the Divider Strings. He shot them out toward the handcuffs.
"Divide," Nightingale instructed. "Divide… Divide." Cottus's eyes widened as he felt the handcuffs weakening.
"It's working," he said.
"Divide… Divide," Nightingale continued. With a mighty tug, 50 of the handcuffs broke off Cottus's arms. Ichigo repeated the process on the other side. A few minutes later, both Cottus and Gyges were free of their chains.
"Thank you, Ichigo," they said.
"No problem," Ichigo replied.
"We can now fade," they said.
"Why?" Ichigo asked.
"No one remembers us," Cottus explained.
"Our brother has likely faded," Gyges added.
"Hm… I don't think so," Ichigo said.
"What?" Cottus and Gyges questioned.
"I noticed someone who looked similar to you in Olympus."
"Really?" Ichigo summoned his Pensive.
"What's that?" Cottus asked.
"This is a device that allows others to view memories," Ichigo said as he pulled up a memory. "Just dip one of your fingers in the liquid," Ichigo instructed. Cottus and Gyges raised their hands and dipped their fingers into the liquid.
Ichigo, Cottus, and Gyges appeared in the temple on Mount Olympus.
"Where are we?" Cottus and Gyges asked in unison.
"We're on Mount Olympus," Ichigo replied. "More specifically, we're in the temple that houses the Olympians' Thrones."
"I see…" They watched as Poseidon entered the throne room, his army following behind him. Cottus and Gyges were amazed at the sheer number of cyclopes in Poseidon's ranks.
"He's there!" Cottus yelled, pointing to a figure in the distance.
"He's right!" Gyges agreed. Ichigo sent them back outside.
Ichigo turned to Cottus and Gyges.
"Seeing that your brother is alive, do you still wish to fade?" Ichigo asked.
"No," Cottus and Gyges responded together.
"But how will we hide from Peres?" Cottus asked.
Ichigo smiled. He summoned the Trainer.
"What's that?" Gyges asked, curious.
"This is called the Trainer. It allows me to open a pocket dimension," Ichigo explained.
"Can Peres get in?" Cottus asked.
"He could, over my dead body," Ichigo said with confidence.
"Then send us to the Trainer," Gyges said.
Ichigo pointed the Trainer at Cottus and Gyges, uploading them into the pocket dimension. He picked up a chain and pulled it.
"It appears these chains are attached to the wall with nails made of Stygian Iron and Bone Steel," Ichigo thought. He activated Schrift E: The Earth. Ichigo lightly stomped the ground, sending vibrations up to the stone wall, toward the nails. He began tugging on the chains, repeating the process for a few minutes before the nails finally dislodged from the wall. Ichigo sent the chains into his mindscape and walked back to his cell.
Time Skip: Two Days Later
Ichigo and Damasen spent the next day training with Ichigo's new forms. Damasen was able to identify the monsters Ichigo had killed. The thirty-foot-tall giants with blue skin and icy-gray hair were known as Hyperboreans. Joe Bob and Skull Eater were Laistrygonian Giants. The monster with six arms, appearing to be made of clay, was a Gegeines, or Earthbound.
During those two days, Ichigo and Damasen also learned more about each other. Ichigo learned that Damasen dreamed of seeing the sky again. Ichigo mentally swore to reason with Tartarus to grant Damasen his freedom.
"Hello, Monsters!" Peres yelled, his voice echoing across the arena. "Welcome to the Arena! He has defeated the Nemean Lion, Chimera, and the Hydra! Give it up for the Shifter!" Peres announced. Ichigo shifted into his Hybrid Nemean Lion form as he leaped into the air. The crowd gasped when they noticed Ichigo's arms had turned into snakes, similar to the Hydra. A ten-foot-long diamondback snake, from the Chimera, was coiled around his back.
"Hello, Peres!" Ichigo called. "Who will be my opponent today?" he asked, returning to his normal form.
"Ichigo, your challenger will be someone... interesting. A King, if you will," Peres said, a sinister grin on his face. The shadows began to move. Hellhounds started appearing from the darkness. "He is the first child born of Nyx, the Primordial Goddess of the Night, and Cerberus, the Guardian of the Underworld," Peres continued. The shadows gathered into a large form. "Give it up for the King of Hellhounds!" Peres announced.
From the shadows, a massive Hellhound emerged. This Hellhound was much larger than the others. It was the size of an airplane.
"Today, you will die, mortal!" The King of Hellhounds howled. The other Hellhounds growled in unison.
"Begin!" Peres yelled.
"Attack the mortal!" The King of Hellhounds ordered. Before the other Hellhounds could react, Ichigo stomped the floor, sending a massive earthquake through the stadium, stunning the Hellhounds.
"King of Hellhounds, it seems age has dulled your ears," Ichigo said, his voice taunting. The King of Hellhounds growled angrily at Ichigo's words.
"Halt!" The King of Hellhounds ordered. The other Hellhounds froze in place.
"You are my challenger, yet you order your subjects to attack me first, trying to weaken me for your own easy victory," Ichigo said. "Pathetic. To think Nyx's and Cerberus's eldest son is such a coward and weakling."
"ENOUGH!" The King of Hellhounds bellowed, stomping his front feet on the ground. All the Hellhounds turned to face their King. "All of you, move to the edge of the arena. This mortal will be mine to kill!" The Hellhounds barked in agreement before moving to the edge of the arena.
The King of Hellhounds charged toward Ichigo. Ichigo stood his ground, waiting. When the King of Hellhounds was close enough, Ichigo reacted. He leaped up and kicked the King of Hellhounds squarely on the top of its mouth.
"GAH!" The King howled in pain. The crowd flinched, imagining the intense pain of such a blow. Ichigo flipped in the air and landed a few feet away.
"Is that it?" Ichigo taunted. The King of Hellhounds glared at him.
"If I charge at him now, he'll do the same thing," the King thought. "What if he doesn't see me coming?" The King of Hellhounds let out a loud howl, and the shadows around them began to shift. The stadium was slowly swallowed by darkness.
Ichigo remained still, standing confidently. The audience speculated that Ichigo couldn't see in the dark, while others wondered if he was simply waiting for the King of Hellhounds to strike.
The King of Hellhounds moved behind Ichigo, rising silently from the shadows. Peres smiled, clearly expecting Ichigo to lose. The King of Hellhounds opened his mouth, ready to bite Ichigo's neck. He lunged forward for the kill.
Suddenly, something stopped him. The shadows around them receded. The audience gasped as Ichigo turned around and caught the King of Hellhounds by the jaws with his bare hands. Ichigo forced the King's mouth shut and wrapped his arms around the creature's head, lifting it off the ground.
Ichigo slammed the King of Hellhounds into the ground. The audience was stunned by this display of strength. Ichigo lifted the King again, only to slam him down on the other side. The crowd erupted in cheers. The giants were some of the few monsters strong enough to perform similar feats, but Ichigo was human.
"SHIFTER! SHIFTER! SHIFTER!" The audience chanted, their excitement palpable. The Hellhounds on the sidelines watched nervously, unsure whether they should intervene. Ichigo answered for them.
With one final, devastating slam, the King of Hellhounds began to break down into golden dust. The Monster Curse activated, absorbing all of his golden dust. Ichigo then transformed into the new King of Hellhounds. He let out a loud, triumphant howl. The other Hellhounds followed suit, their howls joining his in the arena.
"SHIFTER! SHIFTER! SHIFTER!" The audience chanted. Ichigo, now the King of Hellhounds, turned to the other Hellhounds, who were all bowing to him. He could feel a mental connection with the Hellhounds, both in front of him and throughout Tartarus.
"What are your orders, King?" they all asked in unison.
"I am Ichigo Kurosaki, your new King. My order is simple: We shall ally with the demigods. For now, remain in the shadows and watch over those demigods who cannot protect themselves. I will speak to the Olympians about this new alliance." Ichigo could sense a wave of gratitude through the connection.
"Thank you, your Highness. Many of my kind call me a traitor for disobeying the previous King by aiding the demigods," one Hellhound spoke up.
"I assume you must be Percy's Hellhound?" Ichigo asked.
"You know Percy?" the Hellhound responded, surprised.
"I do. I fought alongside him at Olympus," Ichigo said.
"I… I think I remember you… The man with the orange hair, right?"
"Yep. Don't tell the Olympians I'm down here."
"As you wish," the Hellhound said, bowing her head.
With that, all the Hellhounds leaped into the shadows, leaving Ichigo alone in the arena. Ichigo returned to his normal form and turned to Peres.
"Who's next?" Ichigo asked. The audience fell silent, some of them staring at Peres.
"Here's the next monster! A well-known creature with a deep grudge against demigods… the Minotaur!" Peres yelled. Ichigo saw a figure leap from the edge of the arena, landing with a loud thud.
"RAHAH!" The Minotaur bellowed, standing over eight feet tall. Its humanoid body ended in a bull's head, with sharp, pointed horns aimed directly at Ichigo. The Minotaur wore armor and wielded a massive axe with blades shaped like an omega symbol (Ω). He pointed it threateningly at Ichigo.
"You shall die today, mortal!" the Minotaur shouted. "After I defeat you, I will return to the surface to take my revenge on Jackson!"
Ichigo raised an eyebrow.
"Bring it on," he said, his voice calm.
"BEGIN!" Peres yelled.
The Minotaur roared and charged at Ichigo, swinging his axe with deadly intent. Ichigo effortlessly dodged to the side, avoiding each swing.
"STOP DODGING!" The Minotaur roared in frustration as he swung again.
"Sure," Ichigo said, raising his left hand towards the axe. The Minotaur smirked, bringing the axe down with full force. His expression quickly shifted to shock when Ichigo stopped the axe with just two fingers.
"IMPOSSIBLE!" the Minotaur yelled. He pulled the axe back and swung it again, but Ichigo caught it in his fingers once more.
The Minotaur tried to trick Ichigo with a few sideswipes, but Ichigo blocked each one effortlessly with his left hand. Ichigo gave him a bored look.
"Are you done yet?" Ichigo casually asked, stifling a yawn with his right hand.
"DIE!" The Minotaur shouted, his rage boiling over as he swung the axe again. Ichigo side-stepped the attack, causing the Minotaur to lean forward, off-balance.
Ichigo grabbed the axe with his left hand and yanked it out of the Minotaur's grip. The Minotaur stumbled, caught off-guard.
"GI-" Before the Minotaur could finish his words, Ichigo delivered a powerful uppercut that sent him flying into the air.
Ichigo tossed the axe into his right hand and watched as the Minotaur began to descend. Ichigo raised the axe, aimed it, and threw it. The axe soared through the air and cleanly bisected the Minotaur in two.
"GAH!" The Minotaur screamed in pain, his body splitting apart. Ichigo noticed the axe continued to fly higher and higher before slamming into an invisible barrier, halting its flight. The axe fell back down and landed beside Ichigo. The Minotaur's bisected body began to turn to dust. The Monster Curse activated, absorbing the golden dust into Ichigo.
Ichigo picked up the axe and raised it in the air. The audience, who had been watching in awe, began to clap for Ichigo's victory, their cheers far more subdued than the previous chants.
Ichigo turned to Peres, pointing the axe at him.
"Looks like the audience is tired of these weak monsters, Peres," Ichigo said with a smirk.
Peres gritted his teeth, struggling to contain his anger.
"I think the monsters want to see you face me, to see which of us is truly stronger," Ichigo added.
"FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!" The audience chanted eagerly.
Peres stood up, and the arena quickly fell silent, all eyes on him.
"Win two more fights, and I'll fight you," Peres announced.
"Very well, I'll defeat them and then you," Ichigo said, turning away.
Peres walked off, his anger palpable.
Prometheus sat in Peres's office when the door suddenly slammed open. An annoyed Peres entered, collapsing into his chair. Without a word, Prometheus handed him his drink.
"So, what's the plan now?" Prometheus asked, breaking the silence.
"Get in contact with both of our intended opponents and tell them they need to be ready in two days," Peres replied, taking a sip from his drink.
"You want both of them in the arena? Do you think that's a bit much?" Prometheus questioned, raising an eyebrow.
Peres grabbed his drink and threw it at Prometheus. "I don't care if it's overkill. If they don't kill him, you're next, Prometheus," he growled, his voice filled with frustration.
Prometheus sighed, standing up. "Let me get them." He walked out of the office.
Peres, left alone, opened Prometheus's folder on Ichigo. He began scanning through the documents, trying to gather as much information as he could before their inevitable fight.
Time Skip: Three Days Later
Peres sat on his throne, observing the crowd that filled the stands. His audience had tripled since Ichigo entered the arena. Many of the new spectators were Ichigo's fans. Peres stood up from his throne, preparing to invite the next challengers into the arena when a loud, bloodthirsty roar echoed through the stadium. Something leaped into the arena. A hush fell over the crowd as they immediately recognized the creature.
Standing at eight feet tall, it had a humanoid upper body, but its lower half was like a hellhound's, with two ten-foot-long snakes as tails. The creature's muscles were thick and powerful. It wielded a massive axe with an omega-shaped blade. The head of the creature was human, with long orange hair that matched the mane around its neck. Its skin was a deep bronze color. It was Ichigo Kurosaki, the Monster Shifter. Ichigo let out another roar, shaking the entire arena.
"SHIFTER! SHIFTER! SHIFTER!" The audience chanted, now fully behind the current champion. Ichigo turned to Peres, his eyes filled with challenges.
"What monster are you sending to die today, Peres?" Ichigo asked.
Peres smiled. "Monsters, Ichigo. Monsters," he replied, snapping his fingers.
The two arena doors swung open, and a squad of monsters entered.
"Entering the stadium is a woman seeking vengeance for the death of her lover and children… Echidna, the Mother of Monsters!" Peres announced.
The first monster was a woman with a snake-like lower body and a forked tongue. Her skin was bright green and scaly, and her sideways-slitted eyes glowed with malice. The second monster had the head of a woman with brown hair and hazel eyes, but the body of a lion. The third resembled Cerberus but with only two heads. The fourth was a giant winged pig, and the fifth was a giant eagle.
"With her are her remaining children: the Sphinx, the Orthus, the Clazmonian Sow, and the Caucasian Eagle!" Peres announced. The audience cheered. Echidna turned to Ichigo.
"You are the one who killed my husband and my children. My children and I will seek vengeance for your actions," she hissed, and her children all glared at Ichigo.
"If you manage to defeat them, then you have one more opponent to face," Peres said.
"Bring it on," Ichigo replied, vanishing his Shihakushō. Now topless, he revealed his scarred, lightly tanned, and muscular body. The audience couldn't help but stare at the large circular scar on his chest.
"Very well then… BEGIN!" Peres shouted.
The Clazmonian Sow and the Caucasian Eagle took to the sky, soaring above them. The Sphinx and Orthus charged toward Ichigo. Reiatsu began to gather around Ichigo.
"Shunkō," Ichigo muttered, and his reiatsu exploded outward, encircling him. The Sphinx stopped, watching him intently. The Orthus, however, recklessly advanced. Its twin canine heads opened wide, ready to bite Ichigo. Ichigo jumped into the air, dodging the attack. The Orthus looked up at him, but Ichigo was already airborne, smirking.
He launched himself downward, using his reiatsu to amplify the speed and power of his kick. The attack slammed into one of the Orthus's heads, forcing the creature into the ground. The other head lunged at Ichigo, but he responded with a powerful roundhouse. The attack cleaved the Orthus in two. Its body turned to golden dust, absorbed by the Monster Curse.
Ichigo turned his attention to the remaining monsters.
The Clazmonian Sow, seeing her fallen brother, flew toward Ichigo. Ichigo stood his ground, waiting. The other monsters realized what was about to happen to the Sow, but she didn't see it coming. Ichigo launched a powerful punch to the Sow's snout, the shockwave of the blow scattering nearby dust. The Clazmonian Sow squealed in pain, retreating toward Echidna. Ichigo turned to the Sphinx and the Caucasian Eagle.
"Who's next?" Ichigo taunted.
"Do you take pleasure in ripping us apart?" Echidna hissed.
Ichigo gave her a confused look. "What do you mean? While I do enjoy a good fight, my goal is to fight Peres. He's the one who made me face all these monsters."
"That's not what Prometheus said," Echidna retorted. "He told me you find pleasure in ripping apart my husband and our children, using their deaths for your personal gain."
"Typhon terrorized the entire United States," Ichigo replied coolly. "As for your children, it was Peres's idea for me to fight these monsters before 'earning' the right to face him. I swear on the River Styx, what I'm saying is the truth."
A thunderous boom echoed throughout Tartarus, silencing the audience.
"Is this true, Peres?" Echidna glared at Peres, who was seated on his throne.
"I'm not sure what Prometheus told you," Peres replied, shrugging his shoulders. "But you did agree to the fight."
"Very well," Echidna said, turning to her remaining children. "I, Echidna, Mother of the Monsters, surrender."
Ichigo nodded. He turned to Peres. "Send out the next monster."
Echidna and her remaining children walked out of the arena.
"Entering the stadium is a monster who needs little introduction, but she wants it anyway," Peres announced. "She is the Jailer of Cyclopes and Hekatonkheires. Give a warm welcome to Kampê!"
Kampê stood over 20 feet tall, her human head crowned with snakes like Medusa. Her upper body was human, but her lower half was that of a dragon, black with white stripes running down her back. She had enormous, dark reptilian wings and a venom-dripping scorpion tail. At her waist were mutated animal heads, forming a grotesque belt, and hundreds of vipers sprouted from her legs. Her eyelids blinked sideways, reptilian-like. Kampê carried a fiery whip in one hand, and a pair of bronze scimitars hung from her belt.
Ichigo could feel the poisonous fog spreading around them.
"Begin!" Peres shouted.
"Die!" Kampê yelled, cracking her whip at Ichigo. Ichigo swiftly jumped to the side.
"$: Attack Kampê! :$" Ichigo commanded in Parseltongue. The snakes and vipers, hearing his orders, turned on Kampê.
"STOP IT!" Kampê shouted, trying to regain control of her snakes, but to no avail.
Ichigo charged toward Kampê. She swung her whip at him, but Ichigo grabbed it, pulling hard. Kampê tugged back, the two locked in a battle of strength.
The audience watched as Kampê struggled, her muscles straining against Ichigo's effortless pull.
"You want this whip? Then TAKE IT!" Ichigo yelled, letting go of the whip. Kampê stumbled back. Ichigo appeared beside her before she could react, kicking her right leg and breaking the bones with a loud crack.
"GAH!" Kampê screamed in pain, accidentally dropping her whip. Ichigo didn't pause. He kicked her other leg, breaking the bone there as well. Kampê collapsed to her knees, writhing in pain.
"Do you admit defeat?" Ichigo asked.
"NEVER!" she shouted, swinging her scorpion tail at him. Ichigo dodged and countered quickly, slicing off the tail before she could react. Venom sprayed everywhere, hitting Ichigo.
"Fool," Kampê managed to say. "A sting from my tail could incapacitate an Elder Cyclops for hours and keep them in excruciating pain."
Ichigo, now covered in venom, remained unfazed. His body glowed purple as he absorbed the venom.
"That venom was impressive," Ichigo said, walking toward her. Kampê's eyes widened in shock as she drew her scimitars, their blades glowing with a greenish aura.
She swung at Ichigo, but he easily dodged. He grabbed the severed scorpion tail and threw it at her, but Kampê sliced it apart with ease. Ichigo shunpōed into the air, gathering reiatsu around his leg. He performed a powerful roundhouse, slamming his foot into Kampê's face.
"GAHA?" Kampê gasped, stunned by the sudden strike. The force of the blow sent her crashing onto her side. Ichigo raised his leg again, his reiatsu still swirling around him. He dove toward Kampê, his kick landing on her neck with crushing force, snapping it and killing her instantly. Her body dissolved into golden dust, absorbed by the Monster Curse.
Ichigo picked up Kampê's whip and scimitars, turning to Peres.
"One more match before our fight," Ichigo said, walking away.
Peres, enraged, gripped his throne tightly, his armrests breaking under his fury. He stood up, stomping away into his office, collapsing into his chair. A knock came at the door.
Peres turned to see Prometheus standing in the doorway.
"You're next… are you ready?" Prometheus asked with a sigh.
"I can't wait to see what happens next, but I have enough monsters to fight with me," Peres replied bitterly, grabbing a small folder from Prometheus. Peres opened it, scanning its contents.
"Do you think these will be enough?" Peres asked. Prometheus shrugged his shoulders.
"I'm not sure. I know Ichigo was holding back a lot." Peres nodded.
"Good luck."
"You need some too," Prometheus said as he left.
Time Skip: Two Days Later
Prometheus stood outside the arena with a large number of monsters, dressed in armor. He was riding the Lydian Drákōn, flanked by two large bears. The bears stood eight feet tall, clad in nothing but blue jeans, covered in shaggy, brown fur. Their claws resembled massive fingernails, and their feet were like paws. Their snouts were bear-like, filled with pointed canines. They rode a pair of griffins.
"Agrius. Oreius. Are you two ready?" Prometheus asked.
"We are," one of the bears replied. The arena entrance opened, and they flew into the arena. Ichigo stood there, calmly observing them, his chest bare again.
"Our challenger is Prometheus, Titan of Forethought and Crafty Counsel, riding the Lydian Drákōn. Beside him are Agrius and Oreius, the 'Bear Twins.' With them are two griffins!" Peres announced. The group landed, and Prometheus, Agrius, and Oreius dismounted their companions.
"Are you ready, Prometheus?" Ichigo asked.
"As ready as I could be," Prometheus replied, drawing a sword.
"FIGHT!" Peres yelled. The Lydian Drákōn charged at Ichigo. It remembered him.
"Shunkō," Ichigo said. The Lydian Drákōn opened its mouth, releasing toxic breath. Ichigo ignored it, using Shunpō to appear beside the beast. He kicked the Drákōn's mouth shut with a loud crunch, likely breaking its jaw. Ichigo grabbed its jaws and lifted the creature off the ground, spinning it around. The winds generated by the spin pushed everyone back. Ichigo suddenly let go, sending the Lydian Drákōn crashing toward Prometheus. He dodged, but one of the griffins was instantly struck by the Drákōn, crashing to the ground. Ichigo felt the Monster Curse activate, absorbing the griffin's golden dust. The second griffin swooped down, enraged, ready to avenge its fallen sibling. Ichigo stood his ground and, at the last moment, punched the griffin in the face, piercing its skull and crushing its brain. The Monster Curse glowed red, absorbing its golden dust. Ichigo turned to Prometheus and the two bears.
"Who's next?" Ichigo taunted.
"Go," Prometheus ordered.
"DIE!" one of the bears roared as they charged at Ichigo, attacking with a barrage of punches and kicks. Despite being outnumbered, Ichigo easily blocked every attack.
"Uh… tired," one of the bears said, exhaustion creeping in.
"Come on. He's getting tired," the other bear encouraged.
"Not exactly," Ichigo replied, walking toward the bears. "Do you admit defeat?"
"No!" The bears started to rise back up. Ichigo sighed.
"Why do you guys never give up?" He Shunpō'ed next to the twins and delivered a powerful uppercut to both, sending them soaring into the air. He followed them with another Shunpō and asked, "Still want to fight?" The bears attempted to grab him, but Ichigo grabbed their arms and threw them into the ground. The impact was deafening, the dust obscuring the view. Slowly, golden dust floated upward, absorbed by the Monster Curse. Ichigo turned back to Prometheus.
Suddenly, an angry roar filled the air. Ichigo turned to see the Lydian Drákōn charging at him, wings broken. It fired a massive blast of flames. Ichigo Shunpō'ed behind it and grabbed its tail, slamming the Drákōn onto its back.
"GAH!" The Drákōn roared in pain, struggling to escape. Ichigo turned and slammed the Drákōn onto its belly. This continued for several minutes before the creature perished. It dissolved into golden dust, which the Monster Curse absorbed. Ichigo turned to Prometheus.
"Are you ready?" Ichigo asked the Titan.
"Would you go easy on me if I said no?" Prometheus joked.
"You could always give up," Ichigo said with a shrug. Prometheus chuckled.
"I can't."
"Very well then," Ichigo said, Shunpō'ing in front of Prometheus. "Good luck," Ichigo added before sucker-punching Prometheus in the face. Prometheus staggered back, and Ichigo continued his relentless assault. Though Prometheus tried to dodge, Ichigo overwhelmed him with ease.
"Come on, Prometheus. Is this it?" Ichigo paused. Prometheus's face was bruised, his armor heavily dented, and his sword was nowhere to be found. Prometheus chuckled despite the condition he was in.
"I'm no fighter... but I am a tactician, and you fell into my trap." The ground began to rumble. Giant scorpions emerged from beneath, their massive bodies shaking the earth. "These are pit scorpions, very dangerous and aggressive monsters," Prometheus explained. Ichigo surveyed the battlefield.
"Is this it?" Ichigo asked. "Is this what the 'Great Tactician' of Krono's Army considers... how disappointing."
"Attack!" Prometheus commanded. The pit scorpions skittered toward Ichigo.
"Nagare Shunkō [Flowing Flash War Cry," Ichigo said. His reiatsu turned into water, flooding the arena. The pit scorpions struggled to maintain their footing and began slipping and falling. Ichigo raised his hands, and the water began to rise.
"Stop him!" Prometheus ordered. The pit scorpions managed to regain their traction and charged at Ichigo. With a simple push of his hands, the water crashed down on them, drowning the scorpions. Golden dust began to float to the surface, which was absorbed by the Monster Curse.
Ichigo's hands moved in a swift motion, sending another wave of water toward Prometheus. He dodged, but suddenly, a large wave hit him from behind, pushing him down into the water. He struggled to stand against the tide.
"It's no use, Prometheus. You can't fight these waters," Ichigo said, his voice loud and clear, even underwater.
"Think… what can I do to get out of this?" Prometheus thought, feeling his strength fade as the water continued its assault.
"Just admit defeat," Ichigo called as the water rose higher, pushing Prometheus deeper.
Reaching the bottom, Prometheus discovered it was mud. A smile crossed his face as an idea took shape. He gathered the mud, molding it, and whispered something into it. He released it, and the mud began to glow, expanding rapidly. Ichigo watched as a giant golem rose from the water, and Prometheus was seen standing on the golem's right shoulder.
"Attack!" Prometheus yelled. The golem let out a roar as it swung its fist toward Ichigo. Ichigo raised his right hand, and a large wave of water rose up, forming a protective wall. The golem's fist collided with the water. It raised another fist and began pounding the wall. Ichigo remained calm, standing firm. Prometheus smiled from his position on the golem's shoulder. Ichigo met his gaze with a smirk.
"Why is he looking at me like that?" Prometheus thought. The golem suddenly stopped moving. Prometheus turned to it.
"Why did you stop?" Prometheus asked. The golem moved its left hand and swatted Prometheus off its shoulder. Prometheus was sent soaring toward Ichigo. Ichigo raised his right hand again, summoning water to rise and form an image of a hand. Ichigo swatted the air in front of him, and the water mirrored his motion, slapping Prometheus back toward the golem. To Prometheus's shock, the golem retaliated by slapping him right back toward Ichigo. This back-and-forth continued for a few moments. Finally, Ichigo ended Nagare Shunkō, allowing Prometheus to crash at his feet. All the water from the technique returned to reiatsu, which Ichigo reabsorbed.
"Any last words?" Ichigo asked.
Prometheus, lying on the ground, smiled up at Ichigo.
"I'm tired. Please end me," he whispered.
"Very well," Ichigo said as he summoned a Schrift in his right hand. "I, Ichigo Kurosaki, have defeated Prometheus, the Titan of Forethought and Crafty Counsel," Ichigo declared. "I invoke the Rites of Conquest. For defeating Prometheus, I claim his divinity and authority." Prometheus's golden blood turned into golden dust and was absorbed by the schrift. The audience watched in shock and awe. Moments later, the Schrift finished its task, and Prometheus turned to Ichigo one last time.
"Thank you," he said as he turned into golden dust, and was absorbed by the schrift. Ichigo sent the Schrift to his mindscape and turned to Peres.
"Do you want to fight now, or do you need some time?" Ichigo asked.
Peres growled, anger flashing in his eyes.
"Fight... Fight," Ichigo chanted.
"Fight. Fight! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!" The audience quickly joined in, chanting in unison. Peres growled louder.
"ENOUGH!" Peres bellowed. The crowd fell silent, their eyes fixed on him. Slowly, he stood up from his throne. With a snap of his fingers, his black suit transformed into a suit of gold and silver armor. Peres leaped from his balcony, landing in the arena.
"We fight now," he declared.
"Very well," Ichigo replied, disappearing in a flash of Shunpō. He reappeared in front of Peres and sucker-punched him in the face. Peres was sent flying. Ichigo felt a sharp pain in his right hand, a sensation he hadn't experienced in a long time. He glanced at his hand, noticing a few broken bones.
"How did that happen?" Ichigo asked.
"It appears Peres has some kind of aura around him. Anything that touches him is destroyed," Kyōka reported.
"Don't worry, King. I got this," Zangetsu reassured, and Ichigo's hand quickly regenerated.
"That's going to be a pain," Peres muttered as he stood back up. "Destruction is my game. Whatever you use to attack me, be prepared for it to be destroyed," he explained as a dark violet aura enveloped his body.
"I see..." Ichigo replied.
"Then let's try this." Ichigo activated Schrift D: The Diablo Divider. White and sky-blue wings appeared on his back.
"Nightingale, can you use the Dividing Strings from my back?"
"Hold on," Nightingale responded. Ichigo could feel the Dividing Strings extending from his back.
Ichigo charged forward, launching a series of powerful punches and kicks at Peres. Peres blocked as best he could, but the strikes still seemed to get through.
"Nightingale, use this time to begin to divine Peres's aura and try to strengthen my body against it," Ichigo ordered.
"I'll try," Nightingale said.
"I'll help you," Hōgyoku added. Ichigo could feel Peres's aura destroying his hands and legs. He alternated between limbs to give Zangetsu time to regenerate them.
"Nightingale, how's the Dividing and Absorbing coming?" Ichigo thought as he continued his assault.
"It's working. I'm slowly draining Peres of his power," Nightingale said.
"And I'm using it to strengthen your body against his power," Hōgyoku added.
The audience expected Ichigo to slow down or falter from the pain, or perhaps even stop due to his broken limbs. But instead, Ichigo kept pressing forward, going faster and harder. To the audience's astonishment, it was Peres who began to slow down.
"What's going on? Why is he still attacking me? Is his rate of recovery faster than my destruction?" Peres wondered. Suddenly, his armor shattered into millions of pieces. Peres's eyes widened as he saw tiny strings attached to the armor and his body. He could sense his energy was bound in those strings.
"You were draining my energy?" Peres asked, incredulous.
"Indeed," Ichigo confirmed. "Since you gain power from destruction, I needed an alternate way to beat you without causing destruction."
"Smart," Peres muttered. "But not smart enough!" He lunged at Ichigo and punched him in the gut, focusing on destroying his ribs. To his shock, Ichigo's ribs didn't break.
"You're right. Just draining your energy wouldn't be smart enough." Ichigo's eyes shifted, returning to their true form. Peres stared into two spiral galaxies. Ichigo appeared in front of him and punched him in the face, sending him crashing into the ground.
"My body can resist your destruction aura," Ichigo stated coldly. Peres's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Impossible!" Peres yelled. He jumped up and attacked Ichigo with punches and kicks infused with his aura. Each strike did nothing to Ichigo.
"Weak," Ichigo commented, vanishing the Diablo Divider Schrift and summoning Schrift B: The Battle Booster. A pair of red gauntlets appeared on his hands. Ichigo slammed them together, the sound of the impact ringing out.
"Let me show you how to punch," Ichigo said as he lunged at Peres. "Ora! Ora! Ora!" Ichigo yelled as he rained rapid punches down on Peres with the Battle Booster gauntlets. The audience could hear the impact of each punch, the sound of Peres's body absorbing the hits.
"Boost... Boost…" Vermillion whispered as the Battle Booster gained a counter every 10 seconds. Ichigo could feel Peres starting to slow down, his strength waning.
"Okay, Vermillion, time to unleash those counters," Ichigo said.
"Yes, Master," Vermillion replied. The green gem on the gauntlet began to shine. Ichigo raised his right hand, and Peres saw the number 10 glowing on the gem.
"Overload," Ichigo and Vermillion said in unison. Ichigo clenched his fist, and Peres's eyes widened as the gauntlet began to glow red. Green seals appeared around it. In a flash, Ichigo appeared in front of Peres.
"Explosion!" Ichigo and Vermillion yelled together as Ichigo delivered a devastating punch to Peres's face. A massive explosion erupted, obscuring both Ichigo and Peres from view. The dust settled, revealing Ichigo standing tall.
On the ground lay Peres's headless body, golden blood leaking everywhere. The crowd stood frozen in shock at the sight.
"Counter Reset," Vermillion said. Ichigo summoned a Schrift and held it in front of him.
"I, Ichigo Kurosaki, have defeated Peres, the Titan of Destruction," Ichigo declared. "I invoke the Rites of Conquest. For defeating Peres, the Titan of Destruction, I lay claim to his divinity and authority." Peres's golden blood turned to dust and was absorbed by the Schrift. The audience watched in stunned silence, unable to tear their eyes away. Peres's body followed suit. In a few moments, Ichigo was the only one remaining. He then turned his gaze to the red sky.
"Tartarus! Peres is dead!" Ichigo shouted.
The ground trembled across the realm as Tartarus rose. The audience panicked, and scrambled to flee—some took to the air, others vanished into the shadows, while many simply ran. The ground before Ichigo split open as Tartarus emerged, now towering twenty feet tall. Apart from the size, he looked exactly as Ichigo had seen him in the void. He looked down at Ichigo, who remained calm.
"Hello, Ichigo," Tartarus's voice boomed across the realm.
"Hello, Tartarus... could you reduce your height?" Ichigo asked.
Tartarus shrank down to Ichigo's height, his imposing figure now matching the human's.
"So, you've managed to kill Peres," Tartarus remarked.
"Indeed," Ichigo replied.
"I, Tartarus, the Protogenos of the Abyss, hereby acknowledge my debt to you, Ichigo Kurosaki," Tartarus began. Ichigo pulled out an empty Schrift.
"In return for your actions, I grant you my blessing over the darkness and the Greek Monsters." Jet-black energy surged from Tartarus, flowing into the Schrift. The Schrift quickly turned black, its energy absorbed.
"With that, I believe our deal is done," Tartarus concluded.
"Before you leave, I have two questions for you," Ichigo said.
"Go ahead."
"How do I leave?" Ichigo asked.
"You can use the shadows to take you out of Tartarus," Tartarus replied. "What's your other question?"
"Can Damasen be freed from Tartarus?" Ichigo inquired. Tartarus regarded him in silence for a moment.
"Why?"
"I owe him a debt," Ichigo explained. "He helped me control my monster forms and assisted me in strategizing against the potential monsters Peres would send."
The darkness around Tartarus's face concealed his thoughts, but after a moment, he spoke.
"Fine then," Tartarus said. "But he cannot be in America."
"I accept," Ichigo said without hesitation.
"Hello, Father," Damasen said as he walked into the arena. Tartarus paid little mind to his son's lack of respect.
"Do you wish to leave my realm?" Tartarus asked.
"I do," Damasen replied, his gaze fixed on the obscured face of his father.
Tartarus turned to Ichigo. "Explain what just happened and get yourselves out of my realm."
As Tartarus disappeared, Damasen looked at Ichigo, confusion evident on his face.
"I asked Tartarus to grant you permission to leave Tartarus."
"And?" Damasen asked, still uncertain.
"He allowed it," Ichigo said, and before he could say more, Damasen suddenly hugged him tightly.
"You mean… he allowed me to leave Tartarus?" Damasen asked, his voice trembling.
"He did. You just can't be in America," Ichigo explained.
"So, where will I go?" Damasen wondered aloud.
"Well, you could live with my family in Japan," Ichigo suggested.
"Really? Would they allow me there?" Damasen asked surprise in his voice.
Ichigo chuckled. "My family is unique. I'm sure you'll fit right in."
"Thank you," Damasen said, his voice cracking. Tears began to fall. Ichigo pulled out the Trainer.
"What is that?" Damasen asked.
Ichigo explained, "This is the Trainer. It'll help you stay out of sight and prevent the Olympians from calling me a traitor."
"Hm… makes sense," Damasen agreed.
Ichigo pointed the Trainer at Damasen, sending him to the pocket dimension and ensuring he was separate from Cottus and Gyges. With that task done, Ichigo closed his eyes and entered the shadows, gradually making his way out of Tartarus.