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.
The following is a fan-based parody.
Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo, TV Tokyo, Viz Media, and Studio Pierrot.
Please support the official release.
"Hello." – Normal talking
"Hello." – Ichigo's thoughts.
"Hello." – Zanpakutō speaking
"Hello." – Zanpakutō thoughts.
"$:Hello.:$" – Parseltongue
Chapter 61:
"Number Eight," the announcer read. Nanao's eyes widened as she was teleported out. She appeared in front of Ichigo.
"If I recall correctly, you're a specialist in kidō," Ichigo asked.
"I am," Nanao replied.
"Three… Two… One… Go!" The announcer announced before disappearing.
Nanao quickly raised her hand and began silently casting Hadō #63, Raikōhō. Large bolts of yellow lightning shot from her hands. Ichigo swatted the incoming kidō away.
"Hadō #73. Sōren Sōkatsui!" she chanted, gathering reiatsu with her index and middle fingers before pushing the gathered energy toward Ichigo. Ichigo raised his hand in front of him, blocking the incoming kidō and forcing it to part in the middle.
"Is this all, Ise-Fukutaichō?" Ichigo asked. "Go ahead and draw your Zanpakutō."
"It's useless in this battle," Nanao said as she drew her Zanpakutō.
"Why?" Ichigo asked.
"The Ise Clan is one of the few that still follows Shinto," Nanao began. "The first head of our clan was gifted an ungaikyō [mirror yokai] as our guardian. Ōetsu Nimaiya helped bind our family guardian with an Asauchi," she explained, pulling out her Zanpakutō. "This act had a dramatic effect on our family. None of us was able to combine with an Asauchi to create our own Zanpakutō. Ōetsu Nimaiya discovered that the Asauchi disapproved of this act and cursed our clan."
"So, what's the problem with your weapon?" Ichigo asked. Nanao sighed.
"Allow me to show you," she said. "Reflect the eight worlds, Shinken Hakkyōken." As she spoke, her Zanpakutō glowed and changed shape. Ichigo saw a medium-sized bladeless sword with a flat end. Its "blade" was decorated with four inlaid diamonds, and its forte had a tassel on either side. Instead of a tsuba, an ornate band guard covered an inch of the blade, with tassels hanging from either side. The handle was shorter than the "blade" and featured two tassels attached to a ring at its end.
"What does it do?" Ichigo asked.
"Shinken Hakkyōken is said to absorb the power of a god and disperse it in all directions," Nanao explained.
"Hm... that would be a powerful weapon depending on the definition of 'god,'" Ichigo commented.
"Huh?" Nanao questioned.
"Ask Ukitake about it," Ichigo said, summoning Nightshroud. "Engulf the light and plunge the world into darkness, Nightshroud." The darkness surged forth, engulfing Ichigo. Nanao stood her ground, unable to see Ichigo's body. He appeared much larger than before. All she could see was the large black cloak and red eyes that bore down on her.
"Despite not being able to sense his reiatsu, his mere presence is worse than the Sōtaichō and Yūhabahha," Nanao thought. Ichigo raised his hand. Dark divine energy gathered around his hands and compressed into two balls.
"Block this," Ichigo commanded, his voice sounding louder and more menacing to Nanao. He fired the balls of dark divine energy at her. Instinctively, she pointed Shinken Hakkyōken's blade in front of her. To her shock, Ichigo's attack was absorbed by the sword. Suddenly, Shinken Hakkyōken began to vibrate.
"I know what I need to do," Nanao thought as she raised her blade.
"Release Recollection!" Nanao shouted. Shinken Hakkyōken glowed black. She swung the blade down, releasing Ichigo's attack back at him. Ichigo smirked as the attack hit him. Nanao fell to her knees, watching Ichigo emerge from the explosion, untouched.
"It seems Shinken Hakkyōken would be a valuable Zanpakutō in the future," Ichigo said.
"Rea-lly?" Nanao replied, out of breath.
"While the attack was much weaker than the one I sent out, I can see its potential."
"Thank y-" Nanao began before she fell unconscious. Ichigo shook his head as Nanao was sent back to Dimension 2. He sealed Nightshroud and returned it to his mindscape. The announcer appeared, pulling a sheet of paper from his hat.
"Number Two," he announced. Yoruichi stood up from her seat and was teleported out.
"Hm... I'm interested to see how strong your Shunkō is," Yoruichi said, referencing Ichigo's match with Mashiro.
Ichigo cracked a smile as the top of his Shihakushō disappeared.
"Ready?"
"3... 2... 1... FIGHT!" the announcer called before disappearing.
"SHUNKŌ!" they both shouted, activating basic Shunkō. They charged at each other, attacking with their Hakuda. They kept pace with each other, blocking each other's attacks. Neither could gain an advantage.
"Let's kick it up a notch," Yoruichi suggested. "Shunkō: Raijin Senkei [Thunder God War Form]."
"Fine," Ichigo said, allowing the reiatsu from Schrift T: The Taiyō and Schrift V: The Ventus to flow around him.
"Moeru Sora Shunkō [Burning Sky Flash War Cry," Ichigo declared. His body was engulfed in fire. Despite being surrounded by flames, he wasn't harmed. Ichigo shunpō'ed toward Yoruichi and attacked.
"Fuck! His attacks are stronger and faster than before!" she thought, struggling to defend. Despite her best efforts, Ichigo was overwhelming her. "Wait... Moeru Sora." Yoruichi's eyes widened as she remembered what Ichigo had said. She leaped back, dodging one of his attacks.
"Wait... your Shunkō is a fusion of Fire and Wind?" she guessed.
"Yep," Ichigo replied. "Hayate Shunkō [Hurricane Flash War Cry] boosts my speed and destructive power. Nenshō Shunkō [Burning Flash War Cry] boosts destructive power and allows me to burn my opponent with continuous damage."
"I see... Have you tried all of them yet?" she asked.
"Oh, I have," Ichigo said, deactivating Moeru Sora Shunkō. Yoruichi stood, curious to see what would happen next. Ichigo took a deep breath, allowing his reiatsu from Schrift E: The Earth and Schrift F: Fengári Neró to flow around him. Red, blue, light green and brown reiatsu swirled around him.
"Tengoku Kōgeki Shunkō [Heaven's Assault Flash War Cry," Ichigo said. He was engulfed in a massive explosion of reiatsu. Yoruichi covered her face to protect herself from the shockwave. Once it settled, she saw Ichigo standing there, his entire body enveloped in reiatsu. Brown reiatsu was tightly coiled around his body like a second layer of skin, with another blue layer above it. Fiery reiatsu swirled around his arms and legs like springs.
"Ready?" Ichigo asked.
"Yep," Yoruichi replied, firing a large bolt of lightning. Ichigo charged straight toward it. The bolt exploded on impact, but Ichigo continued charging toward her, unfazed by the attack. Once again, Ichigo and Yoruichi began trading punches. Unlike before, Ichigo didn't block or dodge any of her attacks. Instead, he took her blows head-on and counterattacked much harder.
"Fuck! This reminds me of that fight with Aizen," Yoruichi thought as a blow landed on her face, sending her flying through the air. Ichigo shunpō'ed toward her and resumed his barrage of attacks.
"I need to do something to change the momentum," Yoruichi thought, struggling to escape Ichigo's assault. She tried to shunpō away, but Ichigo reacted instantly to her movement. "The burns are starting to get annoying."
"Is this it?" Ichigo asked, continuing his relentless attacks.
"Fuck you," Yoruichi growled in annoyance and anger, focusing her reiatsu.
"Shunshin Chōhengen!" Yoruichi shouted, sending a large wave of lightning reiatsu around her, forcing herself away from Ichigo. Ichigo stopped and looked to see what happened. Suddenly, something appeared in front of him and kicked him in the head. Ichigo looked up to see Yoruichi, now a combination of her feline form and Shunkō. Her arms and feet were enshrouded in electricity, and shaped like clawed cat paws. Electricity formed cat ears on her head, and a tail sprouted behind her. She hissed at Ichigo before disappearing. She reappeared in front of him, launching an attack. Ichigo went on the defensive, taking all of her electrically enhanced strikes. Ichigo smirked as Yoruichi grew increasingly frustrated with his lack of response. She intensified her attacks, but Ichigo simply blocked them.
Yoruichi had enough of Ichigo's silence. She paused for a moment, and Ichigo smirked, sensing an opening. Before she could react, Ichigo hit her with a devastating uppercut, sending her flying into the air. Before Yoruichi could recover, Ichigo hooked his left arm around her neck and began unloading powerful right-hand punches to her face. After several punches, Ichigo felt Yoruichi lose consciousness. He released her neck, and she collapsed face-first to the ground, her Shunkō deactivating. Ichigo snapped his fingers, resetting the destroyed field, and sent Yoruichi to Dimension 2. The announcer appeared, drawing another sheet of paper.
"Number Fourteen," the announcer called. Tessai stood up from his seat.
"Actually," Ichigo interrupted, "I have a challenge for both Hachi and Tessai's kidō abilities."
"Oh?" Tessai said, looking at Hachi.
"If Shirei-kan allows me that honor," Hachi replied.
"Good. I wouldn't ask anyone else to assist me," Tessai responded. Hachi stood up alongside Tessai, and both were teleported out of Dimension 2 to face Ichigo.
"The challenge is as follows," Ichigo began. "You'll have two minutes to test and figure out my ability. Then, you'll have five minutes to plan and perform any kidō on me. After those five minutes, I'll have two minutes to break free from your kidō."
"Very well," Tessai agreed.
"Two minutes starts… now!" the announcer shouted.
"Hadō #88. Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō!" Tessai immediately chanted. A gigantic beam of blue electrical reiatsu shot toward Ichigo.
"Schrift N: The Negate," Ichigo silently activated. He extended his hand, parting the beam, splitting it in two. Tessai and Hachi noticed the unusual action.
"Hachi, AOE Hadō," Tessai instructed.
"Yes, Shirei-kan," Hachi replied. Both extended their hands.
"Gaki Rekko," Tessai cast.
"Hadō #91. Senju Kōten Taihō!" Hachi added. Ichigo saw the incoming kidō and parted both attacks.
"Somehow he can negate the effects of the kidō momentarily, allowing him to part with the kidō," Tessai theorized.
"Hyōga Seiran!" Hachi continued. Ichigo once again parted the incoming kidō.
"TIME!" the announcer shouted. "Five minutes begin!"
Ichigo deactivated his schrift, curious to see what they would do next.
"Bakudō #61. Rikujōkōrō," Tessai cast. Six thin, wide beams of light slammed into Ichigo's midsection, immobilizing him.
"Bakudō #63. Sajō Sabaku," Hachi cast. A golden chain shot from his hand, wrapping around Ichigo, further restraining him.
"Bakudō #99, Part 1. Kin," Tessai cast. Black fabric shot toward Ichigo, wrapping around him. Grey iron shafts shot out and pinned him face-first to the ground. "Bakudō #99, Part 2. Bankin!" Tessai slammed his hands on the ground. "Shokyoku – Shiryū!" White fabric erupted from the ground, wrapping around Ichigo. "Nikyoku – Hyakurensan!" Black metal bolts shot up, piercing Ichigo's bound body. "Shūkyoku - Bankin Taihō!" A massive metal cube crashed down onto Ichigo.
"Is that enough?" Hachi asked.
"Hopefully," Tessai replied.
"TIME!" the announcer shouted. "Ichigo's two minutes start now!"
Ichigo calmly lay on the ground beneath the layers of kidō. His arms were at his sides. Normally, under all this kidō, it would be impossible for Ichigo to hear anything from the outside. Luckily, the announcer made sure he could still hear the announcements.
"Schrift N: The Negate," Ichigo said, activating his Schrift. His hands touched Rikujōkōrō and Sajō Sabaku. The Schrift began to negate the effects of those Bakudō. Ichigo regained some movement. He touched the black fabric, slowly negating its sealing properties, then used his feet to rip it apart.
"I still have to deal with the rest of Bakudō #99," Ichigo thought as he touched the white bandages. Once those lost their properties, Ichigo tore them apart with his feet.
"Now the giant cube," Ichigo thought, staring at the massive silver cube. He tucked his knees tight to his chest.
"This is going to hurt." He pushed off the cube, managing to break some of the iron stakes. Ichigo regained movement in his right arm and began tearing off the remaining stakes. He placed his hands on the iron cube, slowly negating its magical properties. Finally, he pushed the cube away and stood up. He turned toward Tessai, Hachi, and the announcer.
"Well?"
"4 minutes and 54 seconds!" the announcer called.
"Congratulations," Hachi said.
"Indeed, Ichigo-sama," Tessai replied.
"Did you figure out what my ability was?" Ichigo asked.
"I believe the ability in question allows you to ignore the effects of kidō," Tessai theorized.
"Close enough," Ichigo replied. The field reset itself once again. Tessai and Hachi were teleported out of Dimension 2. The announcer appeared and drew the number 5.
"About time!" Hiyori yelled, jumping up. She was quickly teleported out of Dimension 1. Drawing her Zanpakutō, she glared at Ichigo.
"You ready, pipsqueak?" Ichigo taunted.
"Fuck you, Strawberry!" she yelled.
"3… 2… 1… GO!" the announcer shouted before teleporting away.
"Chop Cleanly… Kubikiri Orochi!" Hiyori yelled, instantly entering Shikai and charging at Ichigo with rapid slashes. Ichigo casually swerved his body from side to side, dodging her strikes. He surprised her with a sudden sidekick to the face, sending her flying a few feet away.
"Come on, Hiyori," Ichigo said with a small yawn. "Is this all you got?"
"FUCK YOU!" she replied as she shunpō'ed away. Ichigo calmly jumped from his position, dodging her attack.
"You're boring me," he said.
"FINE THEN!" Hiyori yelled. Red reiatsu began to surround her. "Resurrección!" She was engulfed in red reiatsu, blocking Ichigo's view of her. Two large blades pierced the red reiatsu and tore it apart. Hiyori grew three times her size, wielding a pair of large polearms with serrated, saw-like blades. Her hollow mask appeared, skeletal with a prominent horn centered on her forehead and a row of diamond-shaped markings above her eyebrows.
"Massacre al Rey Serpiente [Slaughter the Serpent King," she growled.
"Test the resolve of others with my resolve, Terrastorm," Ichigo said, activating Schrift E: The Earth. A giant lance appeared in his hand. Hiyori sonído'ed away. Ichigo turned casually. He blocked Hiyori's strikes with Terrastorm, pushing her weapons aside and throwing her off balance. The lance spun into drill mode as Ichigo stabbed her.
"FUCK!" she yelled as the lance pierced her Hierro. She swung her polearms at Ichigo, but he quickly pulled Terrastorm back and blocked her strikes.
"EAT THIS!" she yelled, firing a cero from her mouth and the tips of her polearms.
"CERO!" she shouted, launching three ceros toward Ichigo. The three ceros merged into a massive red cero. Ichigo stood his ground. Terrastorm shifted into shield mode and began to spin. The large cero collided with the spinning shield, and Ichigo swung the lance like a shovel, sending the cero behind him.
"GRR," Hiyori growled. The lance stopped spinning and shifted into cannon mode. Ichigo pointed it at her. Before she could react, the lance spun again.
"Let's see how you handle this," Ichigo said. "Stormdrill!" he shouted. Terrastorm fired a massive cyclone toward her. The winds pinned her in place as the center of Terrastorm gathered more reiatsu.
"Terrastorm Breaker!" Ichigo yelled, releasing a large blast of reiatsu at Hiyori.
"FUCK YOU!" she yelled as the blast hit her, causing a massive explosion. Terrastorm returned to its lance form. Ichigo swung it, parting the dust and smoke. When the dust settled, Hiyori was unconscious. Ichigo snapped his fingers, resetting the field. Hiyori was fully healed and teleported away. The announcer appeared where she had been. He drew another number from his hat.
"Number six," he said. Byakuya calmly stood up and was teleported out.
Byakuya faced Ichigo, and the battlefield was restored. He calmly drew his Zanpakutō. Ichigo summoned Yorugetsu.
"You're going to use Zangetsu?" Byakuya asked.
"I am," Ichigo replied.
"3… 2… 1… Go!"
"Scatter, Senbonzakura," Byakuya said. Senbonzakura's blade scattered into a thousand tiny, slender fragments, leaving only the sword's handle in Byakuya's hand.
"Stride forth to the gates of Heaven and use your might to tear the Heavens asunder. Charge forth to the gates of Hell and destroy the chains of the damned. Enter the doors of your humanity and use your strength to shatter fate… ZANGETSU!" Ichigo chanted as he entered Shikai. Byakuya flicked his wrist, sending the blade fragments toward Ichigo. Ichigo fired a nameless Getsuga toward the fragments. The attack scattered them. Ichigo shunpō'ed in front of Byakuya and began his assault.
"He's fast," Byakuya thought as he shunpō'ed away from Ichigo.
"You're not getting away that easy," Ichigo said as he shunpō'ed after him.
"He's coming," Byakuya thought as Senbonzakura's fragments regrouped and moved toward Ichigo.
"Getsuga Tengeki!" Ichigo yelled, stabbing his blade forward.
"I need more blade fragments," Byakuya thought as Getsuga Tengeki tore through his blade fragments. Ichigo suddenly appeared in front of him.
"Raikōhō!" Byakuya cast, firing a yellow lightning bolt from his hand toward Ichigo. The kidō hit Ichigo, briefly stunning him. Byakuya shunpō'ed away, increasing the distance between them.
"Looks like it's a good time to use it," Byakuya thought. Senbonzakura's fragments returned and reformed the blade. Byakuya pointed Senbonzakura down.
"Bankai," he said, letting go of Senbonzakura. The sword phased into the ground, and energy ripples expanded out, turning the surrounding area dark. Within seconds, two rows of a thousand giant blades rose from the ground. "Senbonzakura Kageyoshi." The giant blades turned pink before fragmenting. A flood of blade fragments moved like an ocean wave toward Ichigo.
"Getsuga Jūjishō!" Ichigo shouted. The large attack shot toward the wave of blade fragments. There was a massive explosion upon impact. Ichigo shunpō'ed toward Byakuya's location. He swung down, only to be met by two pink swords. Byakuya was protected by a wall of pink swords. More swords formed, surrounding Ichigo in a dome.
"Senkei Senbonzakura Kageyoshi," Byakuya said.
"I remember this," Ichigo recalled.
"Ikka Senjinka Senbonzakura Kageyoshi," Byakuya ordered. All the floating swords aimed at Ichigo and soared down towards him. Ichigo smirked, blocking the onslaught of swords.
"I didn't think he'd be able to block them all," Byakuya thought. As Ichigo destroyed the swords, they reformed, repositioned themselves, and shot back at him.
"This is getting nowhere," Ichigo thought as he continued to destroy the swords. "All the swords I block just keep coming back."
"Maybe try destroying them all at once?" Zangetsu suggested.
"That's actually a good idea," Ichigo replied.
"I didn't expect Zangetsu to give good suggestions," Kyōka added.
"HEY!" Zangetsu shouted. "I do have some good ideas!"
"Okay, smart guy. How should I do that? We don't have any omnidirectional attacks."
"Easy. Go Bankai and let the extra reiatsu explode out."
"Sure," Ichigo replied. He took a deep breath, gathering his reiatsu. Byakuya stood a few feet away, in his safe zone. His eyes widened as he felt Ichigo's reiatsu.
"What is he doing?" Byakuya thought. Ichigo answered Byakuya's question with one word:
"Bankai," Ichigo said. Black, white, red, and blue reiatsu exploded outward. The surge of reiatsu destroyed many of Byakuya's blades. The reiatsu settled, but Ichigo was nowhere to be seen.
"Where did he go?" Byakuya thought, looking around. Suddenly, Ichigo appeared in front of him. His outfit had changed. Ichigo now wore a black, bandage-like carapace around his torso, neck, and over his nose and mouth in mask fashion, with the remains of a tattered black cloak covering his lower body. Ichigo punched Byakuya in the gut.
"Gah!" Byakuya yelled as the punch knocked the wind out of him, sending him flying. As he was sent flying, Byakuya noticed Ichigo's fists were armed with a pair of black tonfa-like weapons. The tonfas covered Ichigo's fists like knuckle guards, with a large black blade extending from his forearm.
"Gōkei Senbonzakura Kageyoshi," Byakuya ordered. His remaining blades scattered into fragments and flowed toward Ichigo. Ichigo appeared behind him.
"Getsuga Tengeki," Ichigo said as he punched Byakuya in the back.
"GAH!" Byakuya yelled in pain as he was sent flying by the punch with the power of a Getsuga Tenshō. He soared toward the incoming Senbonzakura blade fragments. Before Byakuya could react, he was thrown into the sea of blade fragments. Byakuya eventually flew out, his body covered in cuts, his clothes torn. He crashed to the ground. Ichigo appeared beside him. Byakuya glanced at Ichigo.
"You had enough?" Ichigo asked.
"Senkei Senbonzakura Kageyoshi," Byakuya mentally replied. Ichigo saw the dome of pink swords forming around Byakuya, protecting him from Ichigo.
"Looks like you're not done yet." Byakuya extended his hand, and a pink sword slipped into his outstretched hand. Byakuya slowly stood up.
"I can't simply give up," he replied. "Shūkei: Hakuteiken." The remaining pink blades turned into fragments and slowly fused with the sword in Byakuya's hand. The blade turned bright white, and a pair of wings formed behind him, along with a halo-like circle.
"So, you want to end it like this," Ichigo said, remembering the technique. Ichigo took a deep breath and concentrated his reiatsu in his right hand. Black, white, red, and blue reiatsu engulfed his right hand.
"RAH!" Byakuya yelled as he charged toward Ichigo.
"Getsuga Tengeki!" Ichigo responded, unleashing a powerful right punch that fired a large energy blast. The two attacks collided with each other. Despite Byakuya's efforts, Ichigo's Getsuga Tengeki overwhelmed Byakuya's attack.
"GAH!" Byakuya yelled as he was overwhelmed by Ichigo's energy. When the attack finally ended, Byakuya was left severely burned. Senbonzakura, in its sealed state, lay beside him. Ichigo sealed his Bankai, snapped his fingers, and restored the battlefield. He healed Byakuya's injuries, then teleported him out. The announcer appeared. He dug into his hat and pulled out another number.
"Number Thirteen," he said. Rukia stood up from her seat and was teleported out.
"Are you ready, Rukia?" Ichigo asked.
"I am," Rukia replied as she drew her Zanpakutō.
"Are you ready, Nejibana?" Ichigo asked.
"I am," Nejibana replied.
"3… 2… 1… Go!" the announcer called, before disappearing.
"Reap the memories and let them fade to black, Kioku Keshigomu," Rukia said. Her Zanpakutō was engulfed in violet and black reiatsu, transforming into a bone-white scythe with a red blade. Ichigo stood there, twirling his fingers as if holding an invisible stick.
"Rukia, do you think Kaien would be proud of where you are now?" Ichigo asked.
"Huh?" Rukia questioned.
"How does Ichigo know about Kaien?" she thought.
"I asked if you think Kaien would be proud of who you've become," Ichigo repeated.
"I think he would be proud of who I've become," she replied.
"Good," Ichigo said. "Because Nejibana would agree," he added as he activated Schrift F: Fengári Neró.
"Nejibana?!" Rukia exclaimed. Water began to flow around Ichigo's hand, and she noticed his fingers twirling something.
"Rage through the seas of the Heavens, Nejibana," Ichigo said. The water solidified, forming a weapon that was a combination of a trident, a bishamon yari, and a ji. Rukia's eyes widened.
"H-h-how?" she asked.
"It was because of me," Nejibana replied as she materialized. Shirayuki appeared behind her.
"Huh?" Rukia said.
"Before Kaien died, he imbedded a portion of myself inside you," Nejibana explained.
"During your depression, Nejibana couldn't reach you," Shirayuki added.
"Over time, I grew weaker and went to sleep," Nejibana said with a smile.
"I was busy dealing with your depression fallout and lost track of her," Shirayuki continued.
"I ended up falling asleep in the snow," Nejibana said with a smile.
"When I bonded with Ichigo, Nejibana carried over," Shirayuki explained.
"I eventually woke up and bonded with Ichigo," Nejibana concluded.
"I see…" Rukia said as both Nejibana and Shirayuki disappeared. Ichigo pointed his weapon at Rukia.
"Are you ready?" Ichigo asked.
Rukia pointed her scythe at him.
"I am," she said.
Ichigo and Rukia charged at each other. Rukia swung her scythe towards Ichigo, but he dodged her strikes. Ichigo swirled Nejibana and fired a blast of water at Rukia. She swung her scythe, parting the water blast.
"False Slash!" Rukia shouted. She swung her scythe, sending a dark violet crescent-shaped energy blast. Water gathered around the top of Nejibana as Ichigo blocked her strike. To his surprise, Rukia's attack faded upon impact with Nejibana. Suddenly, Ichigo felt something cut into his back. He glanced back and saw the dark violet crescent strike his back.
"False Slash!" Rukia shouted again as she fired more dark violet crescent energy blasts.
"Hm… Looks like I can't directly block these attacks," Ichigo thought. He twirled Nejibana and pointed it upward.
"Aqua Veil," Ichigo said. A pillar of water shot up around him, blocking all of the False Slashes. It began to rain.
"Aqua Geyser," Ichigo said as he slammed the end of Nejibana into the ground. The ground rumbled as water geysers shot up toward Rukia. She sonído'ed into the air. Ichigo appeared in the air with her.
"Rainstorm," Ichigo said. The rain stopped, then started again, falling faster and in bigger drops, all aimed directly at Rukia. She sonído'ed away from her spot. The rain realigned to her new position and continued its attack.
"This rain is getting really annoying," Rukia thought. She prepared to sonído away again, but her body wouldn't move.
"I can't move," she realized.
"This isn't the same Nejibana you remembered Kaien using," Ichigo said, noticing her confused expression. "I can control all the water in the area," Ichigo continued. "This includes all the water on your body."
"I see…" Rukia said.
"If I can't sonído away, then I need to use my other technique," Rukia thought as her reiatsu began to gather.
"Looks like she's about to use her Resurrección," Ichigo thought, recalling when Rukia had been hollowfied. "She's likely something serpent-related."
"Resurrección," Rukia said, enveloped in violet and black reiatsu, shielding herself from the rain. Ichigo stood still, waiting. The reiatsu dissipated. Rukia's light skin turned pale white. Her purple human eyes darkened to violet with slitted snake pupils. Her lower face was covered by her hollow mask, resembling the lower jaw of a snake. She wore a white kimono with a long-collared red cape. Rukia grew taller, more mature, with a curvier body. Her lower body was replaced with a long, bone-white snake tail, the tip ending in a double-edged red scythe blade. In her hands was the scythe from her Shikai.
"Diosa Serpiente Fantasma. Guardián de los Recuerdos Olvidados [Phantom Serpent Goddess. Keeper of Forgotten Memories," Rukia declared. Ichigo noticed that she hissed with her S's.
"$ Can you understand me? $" Ichigo asked in Parseltongue.
"$ I can. Why are you asking that? $" Rukia replied, instinctively using Parseltongue.
"$ We aren't speaking Japanese. $" Ichigo stated.
"$ What? $" Rukia replied.
"$ You're speaking Parseltongue, the language of serpents. $" Ichigo said.
"I could speak it because I became part snake… but how can Ichigo speak it?"
"$ How are you speaking it? $" Rukia asked, realizing she was speaking another language.
"$ A powerful friend gave me this ability. $" Ichigo replied. Ichigo tried to bind Rukia in place with the falling rain.
"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk," Rukia said, waving her finger from side to side. "That trick won't work on me." Her form became transparent. "Nothing can touch me when I'm like this," she added, then disappeared in a swish of black smoke.
"Aqua Veil," Ichigo said, twirling Nejibana and pointing it upward. A pillar of water shot up around him. Ichigo resumed spinning Nejibana, waiting for Rukia's attack. Suddenly, he fired a blast of water above him, pushing himself downward. The water expanded and formed a sphere with Rukia trapped inside.
"Dam. How did you know I was there?" Rukia asked.
"Simple. Aqua Veil could only reach so high, so you would've had to come down to get to me."
"But how did you know I was in that position?" she asked.
"Simple. Water isn't just a liquid," Ichigo said. The water on Nejibana split into three parts. "It can also be a solid," one of the water parts solidified into ice, "or it could be a gas." The other part evaporated into water vapor.
"I see… so when I moved down, I disrupted the water vapor, alerting you to where I was," Rukia said.
"Correct," Ichigo said.
"Looks like I can't sneak up on you now," Rukia said, disappearing again in a swish of black smoke. She reappeared outside of the water sphere. Her scythe began to glow violet and black.
"Mordedura Serpiente [Snakebite," she said as she fired two identical black crescent-shaped energy blasts towards Ichigo, resembling snake fangs. Ichigo pointed Nejibana at the incoming attacks.
"Maelstrom!" Ichigo yelled. Three powerful jets of water shot from each point of Nejibana. The streams of water joined together to form a large vortex. The two attacks collided. Steam began to form at the center of the impact.
"I'm not done yet!" Rukia shouted. She pointed the tip of her scythe at their attacks. An orb of violet and black reiatsu began to form.
"Cero!" she shouted and fired her attack. The Cero joined with the Mordedura Serpiente, pushing back against Ichigo's Maelstrom. Ichigo cracked a smile.
"Good try," Ichigo complimented. "But not enough!" he yelled. Two large streams of water shot out and joined Ichigo's attack, making it grow larger.
"What?" Rukia asked, confused.
"Remember, Rukia, I control all the water around us," Ichigo said. Her eyes widened.
"The rain," she said.
"Exactly," Ichigo replied. Small streams of water shot out of Maelstrom and hit Rukia's attack. She watched in shock as Ichigo's Maelstrom overwhelmed her attack, shooting toward her.
"This is not the end!" Rukia yelled as Maelstrom engulfed her, trapping her inside.
"She's going to try and escape," Ichigo thought.
"I got this," Nejibana said. Ichigo watched as Rukia struggled in the water, attempting to break free, momentarily forgetting her ability to phase through the barrier. After a few moments, Rukia sank beneath the water's surface. Ichigo parted the sphere of water with Nejibana and caught Rukia in his arms. He forced the water from her body. Rukia began coughing, clearing her lungs, and took a few deep breaths.
"Are you all right?" Ichigo asked.
"I don't want to experience that again," Rukia admitted. Ichigo chuckled.
"It was the only thing I could think of," Ichigo said.
"Fair enough," Rukia replied as she deactivated her Resurrección.
"To think you're like Toshiro, your secondary release allows both of you to grow," Ichigo joked as he deactivated Schrift F: Fengári Neró. Nejibana melted into water and disappeared. Rukia kicked Ichigo's shin.
"OW!" Ichigo yelled in pain. Rukia chuckled before Ichigo teleported her away, making sure not to heal her foot. The field was restored, and the announcer appeared, drawing a number.
"Number Eleven," he said.
"Finally!" Ikkaku yelled as he jumped up. He was teleported into the battlefield, which had already reset. "I want you to use the same spear you used against Lisa-Taichō," Ikkaku said.
"Why?" Ichigo asked, looking at Ikkaku.
"Lisa-Taichō taught me Sōjutsu," Ikkaku explained.
"I see…" Ichigo said.
"I guess they had a mentor relationship in the past. Seeing me defeat her like that likely sparked something within him," Ichigo thought.
"Very well," Ichigo said as he summoned Longinus.
"Thank you!" Ikkaku yelled, drawing his Zanpakutō. He held it in his right hand, with the hilt in his left.
"3…2…1…GO!" the announcer called before disappearing.
Ikkaku immediately slammed the hilt into its sheath. "Grow, Hōzukimaru!" Ikkaku shouted. A blast of wind engulfed his Zanpakutō, transforming it into a Kikuchi Yari with a wax wood shaft. The pommel had a red horsehair tassel. Ikkaku spun Hōzukimaru and pointed it at Ichigo.
"RAH!" Ikkaku shouted, sending fast and precise spear strikes toward Ichigo. Ichigo calmly dodged each one. He swatted Hōzukimaru aside with Longinus and fired a blast of holy energy at Ikkaku. The attack hit him directly in the chest.
"CHEAP!" Ikkaku yelled as he quickly recovered and shunpō'ed toward Ichigo, resuming his rapid strikes. Ichigo sighed as he blocked Ikkaku's attacks and pushed him away, leaving himself open. Ichigo charged and attacked Ikkaku's exposed chest.
"DAMN IT!" Ikkaku yelled as Ichigo blasted him in the chest. He was sent flying into the air, crashing to the ground. Ichigo shunpō'ed in front of him.
"Is this it?" Ichigo asked, kicking Ikkaku in the head and sending him a few feet away. "Is this everything you have?" Ichigo walked toward Ikkaku. "You're pathetic," he sneered, kicking Ikkaku again, sending him even further. "You're a disgrace to Zaraki and the Eleventh Division."
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" Ikkaku roared as a blast of red reiatsu shot up. He stood up, blood leaking from his wounds.
"I said you're a disgrace to Zaraki and the Eleventh Division," Ichigo repeated loudly.
"I promised myself I wouldn't use this…" Ikkaku began, his voice filled with fury. "But I can't let that stand!" He raised Hōzukimaru in front of him with both hands.
"Then show me!" Ichigo yelled. "Show me your true power!"
"BANKAI!" Ikkaku bellowed. He was engulfed in red reiatsu, which parted to reveal him in his Bankai. In his right hand was a Chinese Monk's spade, and a guandao was in his left. Both weapons had traditional horsehair tassels at the hilt, and cylindrical weights for pommels. These were connected by a heavy chain to a central ax blade with a parallel handle forged into the blunt end and a dragon crest on one side, a third of it colored red.
"Ryūmon Hōzukimaru," Ikkaku announced.
"GAH!" Ikkaku shouted as he charged at Ichigo, quickly thrusting the Chinese Monk's spade toward him. Ichigo calmly dodged the attack. Ikkaku thrust with the guandao, and Ichigo dodged again. Ikkaku continued his rapid thrusts while Ichigo yawned, easily dodging each one.
"Is this all you can do?" Ichigo asked, unfazed.
Ikkaku ignored his question, focusing on increasing the speed and force of his thrusts.
"His reiatsu is growing stronger, increasing his attack power and speed, but he doesn't have any special techniques or unique attacks," Ichigo thought. He stabbed Longinus into Ikkaku's chest and fired a large blast of holy energy.
"GAH!" Ikkaku yelled as he was sent flying. He managed to catch himself, standing in mid-air.
"Use your holy armor!" Ikkaku shouted, shunpō'ing toward Ichigo. Ichigo swerved to the side, dodging Ikkaku's strike, and swiped at Ikkaku's head. The tip of Longinus cut across his face.
"GAH!" Ikkaku screamed in pain. There was a flash of red, and Ichigo saw that the dragon crest had turned completely red. Ikkaku pushed himself up.
"RAHAHAH!" he roared as he charged at Ichigo. He attacked with both the Monk's spade and guandao. Despite Ikkaku awakening Ryūmon Hōzukimaru completely, Ichigo continued to dodge all of his strikes and then stabbed him in the chest, causing more blood to spill.
Ichigo fired a larger beam of holy energy, piercing through Ikkaku's body.
"GAH!" Ikkaku yelled, collapsing to the ground. The wound was cauterized by the holy energy.
"Are you done, Ikkaku?" Ichigo asked. Ikkaku's body twitched as he tried to rise. Before he could move, Ichigo slammed the end of Longinus into Ikkaku's forehead, knocking him unconscious.
"Goddam," Ichigo thought as he looked at Ikkaku's badly damaged body. "That endurance of his is impressive." Ichigo returned Longinus to his mindscape and snapped his fingers, sending Ikkaku back and restoring the battlefield. The announcer appeared and began to dig into his hat when Ichigo interrupted him.
"All the remaining Shinigami, except for Genryusai, you're up next," Ichigo said. The remaining Shinigami, mostly fukutaichō, looked confused.
"Ichigo, aren't you planning to continue challenging us one at a time?" Rangiku asked.
"I would've," Ichigo began. "But then I remembered that none of you have Bankai." He criticized. Most of the fukutaichō looked embarrassed. "Anyway, I want to give you all a better shot," Ichigo added.
"Ichigo-sama, I don't have a Zanpakutō," Nemu said.
"Really?" Ichigo asked.
"Yes, Ichigo-sama. Kurotsuchi-taichō never gave me a Zanpakutō," she admitted.
"After this, go see Rose. But for now, you'll participate with whatever he gave you," Ichigo instructed.
"Very well," Nemu replied.
Soon, Momo from the Third Division, Isane from the Fourth Division, Iba from the Seventh Division, Rangiku from the Tenth Division, and Nemu from the Twelfth Division appeared on the battlefield.
"You've got two minutes to plan your attack. I'll be sticking with my sealed state," Ichigo said.
"Two-minute countdown…begin!"
"Anyone got any ideas?" Rangiku asked.
"Iba-fukutaichō and I will engage him in close combat," Nemu began. "Hinamori-fukutaichō and Matsumoto-fukutaichō will engage him in midrange combat, while Kotetsu-fukutaichō will focus on healing and midrange combat." The other fukutaichō nodded, agreeing with Nemu's plan. Everyone except Nemu drew their Zanpakutō, while she assumed a fighting stance. Ichigo summoned Yorugetsu.
"3…2…1…Go!" the announcer yelled before disappearing.
"Snap, Tobiume," Momo commanded. Tobiume's blade straightened, became double-edged, and produced four jutte-like prongs, two on each side.
"Divide, Tsuruhashi [Pickaxe]!" Iba yelled. His Zanpakutō extended into a falchion with a pick-like protrusion a short distance below the tip.
"Growl, Haineko!" Rangiku said. Haineko's blade disintegrated, turning into ash.
"Run, Itegumo," Isane called. Two smaller blades protruded from Itegumo's hilt at 45 angles. Ichigo stared at them, sizing up the situation.
"Let's see how you deal with this," Ichigo said as he fired a nameless Getsuga. All the fukutaichō's eyes widened at the incoming attack.
"Dankū!" Momo shouted. A translucent barrier appeared in front of them. Ichigo's attack struck the barrier, causing cracks to form immediately.
"Dankū!" Isane and Rangiku called out. Two more barriers appeared after Momo's. Ichigo's attack broke through Momo's and impacted Isane's barrier, causing more cracks. It soon shattered, and the attack hit Rangiku's barrier. Unlike the previous ones, cracks didn't form immediately. Ichigo stared at them, waiting.
"Well? What are you waiting for?" Ichigo asked. Nemu shot past the other fukutaichō and sidekick Ichigo. He blocked her kick with Yorugetsu.
"Looks like someone knows what they're doing," Ichigo replied, continuing to block Nemu's kicks.
"RAH!" Iba yelled as he charged at Ichigo. Tsuruhashi glowed yellow as Iba swung down. Ichigo blocked the strike with Yorugetsu and defended against Nemu's kicks with his legs. Ichigo then fired a nameless Getsuga at Iba.
"DAMN IT!" Iba yelled as the point-blank attack sent him flying. Nemu kicked Ichigo again. This time, Ichigo swerved to the side instead of blocking, sweeping her leg and knocking her off balance. He grabbed her leg and threw her into the air. Ichigo prepared to fire another nameless Getsuga, but he was interrupted.
"Neko Rinbu!" Rangiku yelled. A large cloud of ash surrounded Ichigo, forming a tornado.
"Moe Ume [Burning Plums]!" Momo shouted, launching fireballs into the ash tornado. The fireballs ignited the air inside, turning it into a fire tornado. Isane used this moment to rescue Iba and Nemu, applying healing kidō.
"That should give us some time to regroup," Rangiku said. Momo nodded. Suddenly, a large energy beam sliced through the fire tornado. They watched in shock as Ichigo casually walked out, unaffected by their attack.
"Nice try," Ichigo said. "Any other tricks?"
Just then, a chain of yellow reiatsu shot up and wrapped around Ichigo, binding his upper body. Rangiku and Momo turned to see that it was Isane who cast it.
"More Bakudō!" she yelled.
"Carriage of thunder, bridge of a spinning wheel. With light, divide this into six! Bakudō #61. Rikujōkōrō!" Rangiku shouted. Six thin, wide beams of light slammed into Ichigo's midsection.
"Oh, what are they planning to do?" Ichigo thought.
"Rangiku. Momo," Isane called. They grouped up with her. "We're going to use Hadō #91."
"What?!" They shouted.
"I've never used that Hadō before," Momo said.
"I'm just a Kidō Expert," Rangiku added.
"That's fine," Isane replied. "I know the kidō; just follow my lead." Momo and Rangiku nodded in agreement. All three pointed at Ichigo with their right hands.
"Limit of the thousand hands, respectful hands, unable to touch the darkness. Shooting hands unable to reflect the blue sky," Isane began.
"The road that basks in light, the wind that ignited the embers, time that gathers when both are together, there is no need to be hesitant, obey my orders," Momo continued.
"Light bullets, eight bodies, nine items, book of heaven, diseased treasure, great wheel, grey fortress tower. Aim far away, scatter brightly and cleanly when fired," Rangiku added.
Ten large pink energy balls appeared around them.
"Hadō #91. Senju Kōten Taihō!" they shouted. The pink energy balls soared toward Ichigo, and the kidō made contact with the bound Ichigo, causing a massive explosion.
"Did we get him?" Rangiku asked.
"We definitely hit him," Momo replied.
"I doubt he would be down from that," Nemu said as she stood up and joined the other fukutaichō.
"She's right." A nameless Getsuga soared toward them, parting the dust from the explosion. Everyone shunpō'ed away from the attack. They looked back and saw Ichigo wasn't seriously damaged by their combined assault. "Is this it?" he asked.
"There's nothing we can do to stop him," Nemu admitted.
"So, we're giving up?" Rangiku asked.
"I agree with Nemu-san," Momo replied.
"Momo?" Rangiku questioned.
"Iba-san is still unconscious from Ichigo's attack, and Ichigo-sama isn't even trying," Momo explained.
"So, should we run?" Rangiku asked.
"It's better than dying," Isane said.
"So, all of you are admitting defeat?" Ichigo asked.
"We are," Isane admitted. Ichigo nodded. He snapped his fingers, restoring the battlefield and healing all the fukutaichō. Iba slowly regained consciousness.
"Man, that was rough," Iba muttered.
"For you, it was rough," Ichigo replied. "But for me… it was boring. None of you made me use even 1 percent of my power." The fukutaichō looked embarrassed.
"Use this battle as a lesson," Ichigo continued. "Remember that you are the current fukutaichōs of your division and role models for your subordinates." The fukutaichō nodded in agreement.
"But also remember this: you can be replaced. The third seat, or anyone beneath you, can take your place if they're stronger than you." Ichigo's words lingered as all the fukutaichō were sent back to Dimension 2. Ichigo turned to the screen and stared at Genryūsai.
"Are you ready, Genryūsai?" Ichigo asked.
Genryūsai chuckled and stood up from his seat. He removed his haori and the top of his Shihakushō, carefully folding them and placing them in his chair. He grabbed his staff.
"I am ready," he replied.
Ichigo teleported Genryūsai to Dimension 2, and the screen to Dimension 2 disappeared. The sky was clear, and the sun was high. The wood of Genryūsai's staff began to peel off, revealing a standard katana with a dark purple handle and a circular handguard.
"Reduce All Creation to Ash, Ryūjin Jakka!" Genryūsai yelled. Fire spewed from the blade of Ryūjin Jakka.
"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 as he activated Schrift T: The Taiyō. Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi materialized in his hands. A wave of fire surrounded Ichigo, and the ground beneath them instantly turned black, charred by the intense heat.
"The blade of Amaterasu-sama," Genryūsai said, recognizing the nodachi in Ichigo's hands. Genryūsai gripped Ryūjin Jakka with his right hand, while Ichigo held Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi with both hands.
"3…2…1…Go!" the announcer yelled before disappearing.
"Taimatsu!" Genryūsai roared as he swung Ryūjin Jakka. A massive wave of fire shot out, following the arc of his slash. Ichigo watched the incoming attack.
"Stop," Ichigo mentally commanded. Genryūsai's eyes widened as the Taimatsu stopped in midair before Ichigo.
"Attack Genryūsai," Ichigo ordered. The wave of fire lunged toward Genryūsai. Genryūsai glared at it.
"Ichigo was able to override my own fire," Genryūsai thought.
"Taimatsu!" Genryūsai shouted again, swinging Ryūjin Jakka once more. Another large wave of fire shot out. The two waves collided, creating an intense explosion of flames.
"That fire was still made from my reiatsu," Genryūsai thought.
"Genryūsai," a voice spoke. Genryūsai closed his eyes and saw someone in his mindscape an Eastern dragon, but instead of scales, its body was entirely made of flames, resembling a burning skeleton. The dragon let out a loud, earth-shaking roar.
"It's been a while since I've heard you, Ryūjin Jakka," Genryūsai replied.
"Of course. You've never needed me for a long time," Ryūjin Jakka replied in a deep voice. "But let's not dwell on the past. Let's focus on our opponent."
"It appears he can take control of our fire," Genryūsai said.
"Indeed. Our flames were born from a small spark of Amaterasu-sama's divine black flames," Ryūjin Jakka explained. "However, Ichigo received Amaterasu-sama's full divine blessing and forged it into his own. But that's not all."
"There's more?"
"He conquered two Gods of the Sun and reforged Amaterasu-sama's full divine blessing to create a weapon even stronger than hers."
"So how can we defeat him?"
"I'm not sure," Ryūjin Jakka admitted. "But we can't use our flames."
"What about Bankai?"
"It might work."
"I will try it then," Genryūsai decided.
He looked at Ichigo, who was standing there, bored.
"Ichigo," Genryūsai said, catching his attention. "I want to try something."
"Oh?" Ichigo asked, intrigued.
"Bankai," Genryūsai declared.
The surrounding fires rushed toward Genryūsai, being absorbed by his Zanpakutō. When the flames had fully entered, only an ancient and scorched katana remained.
"Zanka no Tachi," Genryūsai said. He charged at Ichigo with a downward slash. Ichigo raised his blade to block. He could feel the intense heat emanating from Zanka no Tachi as it tried to eradicate Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi. Ichigo pushed Zanka no Tachi away and countered with a side slash. Genryūsai leaped back, narrowly avoiding the strike.
Unbeknownst to Ichigo, Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi had managed to cut through Genryūsai's Zanka no Tachi Nishi: Zanjitsu Gokui, devouring parts of its invisible flames and increasing Ichigo's strength.
"Hm… I gained more power," Ichigo thought, sensing the increase. "I guess he's surrounded by invisible flames, just like me." Ichigo shunpō'ed toward Genryūsai and continued his assault.
The two exchanged strikes, their blades clashing with intense force. Slowly, Genryūsai began to show signs of fatigue, while Ichigo remained strong.
"Get away from him, Genryūsai!" Ryūjin Jakka roared. Genryūsai shunpō'ed away from Ichigo.
"What is it, Ryūjin Jakka?" Genryūsai asked, slightly breathless.
"I figured out why you're losing so much reiatsu and tiring out," Ryūjin Jakka explained.
"It should be me using our Bankai," Genryūsai said.
"Partially," Ryūjin Jakka admitted. "But Ichigo somehow figured out Nishi: Zanjitsu Gokui and started devouring our flames."
"What!" Genryūsai exclaimed. "I didn't reveal it to him."
"He must have sensed it when we were in close combat."
"Okay then." Genryūsai deactivated Nishi: Zanjitsu Gokui. "Now what?"
"Use Minami: Kaka Jūmanokushi Daisōjin to try and distract him," Ryūjin Jakka suggested.
"Okay then," Genryūsai replied. Ichigo finally found him.
"Zanka no Tachi Minami: Kaka Jūmanokushi Daisōjin!" Genryūsai shouted, stabbing Zanka no Tachi into the charred ground. The earth trembled as cracks spread across the ground. Ashes poured out, forming black, charred skeletons. Ichigo stabbed Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi into the ground.
"You're not the only one who can summon an army," Ichigo said. Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi began to glow, heating the surrounding area until it became molten. Magma bubbled as human-sized golems made of lava rose from the molten earth, stepping out and leaving lava footprints behind.
"Attack!" Ichigo commanded. The skeletons and lava golems clashed in a furious battle.
"I didn't expect this," Genryūsai thought as the lava golems crushed the skeletons, forcing him into combat. He quickly used Higashi: Kyokujitsujin to eradicate the incoming golems. But as he looked around, Ichigo had vanished.
Suddenly, something pierced his chest. Looking down, he saw Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi shooting up from the magma and striking him. Slowly, Ichigo rose from the molten earth. Genryūsai reached out and grabbed Ichigo's hand, stopping him from escaping.
"GRAH!" Genryūsai grunted, struggling against the intense heat. "Zanka no Tachi Kita: Tenchi Kaijin!" he yelled, slashing in front of him. A wave of heat, strong enough to incinerate any ordinary Taichō, surged forward. Ichigo, however, was not ordinary. Genryūsai's eyes widened as Ichigo forced Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi upwards, still embedded in his chest, and blocked the attack, absorbing the heat.
Ichigo thrust Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi deeper into Genryūsai's chest.
"GAH!" Genryūsai screamed as the heat from the blade burned through him. Ichigo twisted the blade ninety degrees before slashing outward, tearing through his side.
"GAHAHAH!" Genryūsai howled in pain. Ichigo followed up with a final slash, decapitating Genryūsai. His head flew off, landing some distance away. Ichigo ended Schrift T: The Taiyō and returned Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi to his mindscape. He snapped his fingers, healing all of Genryūsai's wounds. With that, Ichigo and the rest of the Shinigami exited the Trainer.
Scene Change: First Division Office: Taichō Meeting Room
Hōgyoku pointed the Trainer away from herself as it released a large beam, freeing Ichigo and the other Shinigami.
"Thank you, Hōgyoku," Ichigo said.
"You're welcome. Do you want me to free the others at your estate?" she asked.
"Yes, please," Ichigo replied as Hōgyoku disappeared with the Trainer.
"Overall, everyone did amazing," Ichigo said. "The only issue I had was those fukutaichō who only had Shikai."
"Ichigo-sama?" Rangiku asked. Ichigo nodded toward her.
"Why do we need Bankai? The majority of the Hollows are our allies, and the Quincies are gone for good," Rangiku asked.
"Good question," Ichigo said. "If Ukitake hasn't already informed you, there are other supernatural groups all over the world." Ukitake nodded. "While I'm gone, there will likely be talks of peace between us and them. These other groups are just as old, if not older than us, and probably stronger too. There may come a time when we'll need to join forces with them to fight. I'd rather not have Shinigami dying because they've grown complacent." Ichigo turned to Rangiku. "Does that answer your question, Matsumoto-fukutaichō?"
"It does," she admitted. "Thank you for the clarification."
"Any other questions?" Ichigo asked. Kenpachi opened his mouth.
"No, I won't allow you to challenge them to a fight," Ichigo replied, cutting him off. Kenpachi scowled but closed his mouth.
"Any other questions? No? See you later." Ichigo tore open a Garganta and jumped through, closing it behind him.
Scene Change: Ichigo's Estate
Ichigo returned to his estate. He pointed his Trainer and released all the members in Dimension 3. The majority of his peerage stared at him.
"Everyone okay?" Ichigo asked.
"Yes, Ichi-nii," Yuzu replied. "I think many of us never saw your true power until now."
"Indeed," Masaki said. "I didn't expect my little boy to have enough power to destroy an entire planet if he wanted to."
Ichigo felt a mental poke in his mindscape. He recognized it immediately.
"Looks like it's time to go," Ichigo said. He hugged everyone and said his goodbyes before opening a golden Garganta and jumping through.
Scene Change: Amaterasu's Office
Ichigo stepped out of the golden Garganta to find Amaterasu and Arceus waiting for him.
"Have you said your goodbyes?" Arceus asked.
"I have," Ichigo replied.
"Good," Arceus said. Ichigo turned to Amaterasu.
"Goodbye," he said.
"Goodbye, Ichigo," Amaterasu responded. Ichigo looked back at Arceus.
"Get on." He carefully mounted Arceus's back. A golden portal appeared before them. Arceus slowly entered, and Amaterasu watched them go.
"I'm sorry, Ichigo. I hope you can forgive me when you return," Amaterasu thought as she sat back at her desk.
Scene Change: Void Between Universes
Ichigo and Arceus floated in the black void.
"Where are we?" Ichigo asked.
"We are in the Void Between Universes," Arceus replied.
"Wait, I've traveled between universes before. How come I've never seen this place?" Ichigo asked, recalling past travels to the universes of the Asura Machina and the Gusty Galaxy Guard.
"Did you have someone establish a stable connection between those universes?" Arceus asked. Ichigo closed his eyes as he tried to remember.
"There was a connection between their universe and Hell," Ichigo recalled, remembering the Kushanādas mentioning an established connection to Hell. "The Uzushio said they sensed their distress signal and used their powers to rescue them… They were fighting in a pocket dimension."
"I believe there were," Ichigo concluded.
"Then it's possible those universes were close enough to yours that you didn't need to pass through the Void Between Universes," Arceus theorized.
"I see…" Ichigo said, his thoughts swirling.
"As you may expect, there are many similarities between my universe and the video games and shows from your universe. However, there are a few differences," Arceus said, and Ichigo paid close attention.
"The first difference is that trading your Pokémon to another trainer doesn't cause them to evolve."
"Good," Ichigo replied. "From a story perspective, that never made sense to me."
"The next thing is that every Pokémon can evolve, with or without an evolution stone," Arceus continued.
"How so?" Ichigo asked.
"In the games, you need to use specific stones—like the Leaf Stone or Sun Stone—to evolve a Gloom into Vileplume or Bellossom, respectively," Arceus explained. Ichigo nodded in understanding. "In our universe, you can evolve a Gloom into Vileplume through normal training, but you can still use a Leaf Stone to force the evolution."
"What about Bellossom? Would you need to train it directly in the sun?" Ichigo guessed.
"Exactly," Arceus said. "You would need to expose Gloom to the sunlight during the day."
"I could use a Water Stone to force a Squirtle to evolve into Wartortle, then?" Ichigo asked.
"Exactly," Arceus confirmed.
"So for Umbreon, I would either use a Moon Stone or train it during the night?"
"Good for you to figure that out," Arceus said.
"What about Onix and Scyther, though? They both need a Metal Coat to evolve."
"For Scyther and Onix, you would either need to train them in an iron-rich area or rub a Metal Coat on them," Arceus replied.
"Interesting," Ichigo said, taking it all in.
"Keep in mind, while using these items will force the Pokémon to evolve, it may affect their mental state or even harm them," Arceus warned.
"I understand," Ichigo replied, recalling how much training he'd done to harness his full power.
"One final note," Arceus added. "Your powers."
"Let me guess. You're going to tell me not to use them unless absolutely necessary?"
"Correct," Arceus replied. "As I mentioned earlier, the only supernatural abilities humans possess are psychic powers and Aura."
"What's Aura?" Ichigo asked.
"Aura is another term for reiatsu," Arceus explained. A golden portal appeared in front of them, and they stepped through.
Scene Change: Pokémon Universe
Ichigo and Arceus emerged in a grassy field.
"Where are we?" Ichigo asked.
"This is my private dimension," Arceus replied. Ichigo dismounted Arceus's back, and the deity lay down on the grass. Ichigo sat beside him.
"Another key difference is the repercussions of Ash's death," Arceus said.
"When Delia Ketchum discovered Ash Ketchum's body on Route 1, she blamed Professor Oak and the Kanto Pokémon League (KPL) for his death. Due to the KPL's rules, children as young as 10 are considered Pokémon Trainers and are legally emancipated minors. The KPL also has a disclaimer stating they are not responsible for deaths caused by trainers being ill-equipped. Delia hired a lawyer, and they sued Professor Oak and the KPL. Professor Oak agreed to plead guilty, as long as he kept his status as a Professor and could provide evidence against the KPL. In the end, she won the case against the League and became the leader of the KPL. During her time in charge, she raised the age requirement for Pokémon Trainers from 10 to 15. She also founded the Pokémon Technical Institute (PTI), a free school funded by the KPL. PTI teaches aspiring trainers essential skills before they can officially become trainers. A certificate from PTI is now required to register as a Pokémon Trainer."
"So, I have to attend PTI and earn a certificate?" Ichigo asked.
"No. The PTI holds final exams in June and December. The exam is a comprehensive test, including a written multiple-choice section and a wilderness survival exercise. While students enrolled in PTI can take the exam, anyone can take it as long as they have a letter of recommendation."
"I see…" Ichigo said. "When is the next final exam?"
"It's in a week," Arceus replied.
"I see."
"Before we finish up here with your backstory, I have a few questions for you," Arceus said.
"Go ahead."
"First, what is your full name?"
"Didn't Amaterasu tell you?"
"She did, but I want to make sure you want to use that name for all your documentation," Arceus said.
"Just put me as Ichigo Kurosaki," Ichigo answered.
"All right. So your name is Ichigo Kurosaki. With a few adjustments, I now have your backstory." Arceus summoned a folder, which appeared in front of him. Ichigo opened it.
Inside was his basic information and a pre-written backstory. He was from the Sevii Islands and had lived there most of his life. His parents had a rough history with him becoming a Pokémon Trainer because a friend of theirs had died during their journey. When the new age requirements were announced, they were overjoyed, thinking Ichigo would have a hard time becoming a Trainer. But Ichigo studied tirelessly, completing practice exams and writing a letter to Professor Oak asking for help. He included his practice exams in the letter. Professor Oak visited Ichigo's home and agreed to help him, and in return, Ichigo spent time assisting Oak in the lab. Some of Oak's research papers even listed Ichigo as an assistant. The folder also contained copies of Ichigo's practice exams and research papers.
"Have you finished reading your backstory?" Arceus asked.
"I have," Ichigo said.
"Good," Arceus said. "Your very own Pokémon legend is about to begin! A world of dreams and adventures with Pokémon awaits! When you're ready, step into the pond."
"Thanks," Ichigo said. He sent the folder to his mindscape and stepped into the pond. As he sank beneath the surface, he was teleported away.
Explanation:
Ichigo Vs Nanao: After reading Nanao's Shikai, Shinken Hakkyōken, I found that it reminds me of Nozomi Kujō's Zanpakutō, Arazome Shigure, regarding its absorption and reflection ability. I decided to explain why the Ise Clan had Shinken Hakkyōken and to give a better explanation of why no one else has their Zanpakutō. Usually, Shinto Priests would have a guardian spirit of some kind. So, the Ise Clan turning their guardian spirit into a Zanpakutō isn't that strange. Upon hearing the myth about Shinken Hakkyōken, Ichigo was curious since gods and goddesses exist. This is why Ichigo used Nightshroud since it is one of Ichigo's less powerful divine schrifts. It's stupid that Shinken Hakkyōken could harm the wielder when it fires back the absorbed energy. Instead, Shinken Hakkyōken can only absorb and fire back attacks equal to the strength of the user. Yes, Release Recollection, was from Sword Art Online.
Ichigo vs Yoruichi: This one is only simple. Both of them used their Shunkō against each other. Normally Shunkō's elemental abilities are based on your reiatsu's elemental affinity. Suì-Fēng is wind, Yoruichi is lightning, and Yūshirō, Yoruichi's younger brother, is fire. Ichigo's reiatsu doesn't have a natural elemental affinity due to Zangetsu not associating with an element and Ichigo's development of his Elemental Schrifts. Tengoku Kōgeki Shunkō combines all four of Ichigo's elemental Shunkō into one Shunkōs, where Ichigo receives maximum gains without losing too much.
Ichigo vs Tessai and Hachi: Both of them are essentially the same person in this situation. Both are beyond Kido Master and masterfully fight others with their Kido. With that in mind, I decided to see how they would go countering Schrift N: The Negate, seeing how fast Hachi reacted to Barragan's Respira. This also allows me to explain how Schrift N: The Negate works. Ichigo can touch anything magical and slowly overpower and nullify the magical effects of the object, but not destroy the object. Ichigo could have an anti-magic bubble around him if he had a sufficient amount of time and ease to set it up. Due to the lack of time, Ichigo had to touch the magic with his hands to slowly negate it.
Ichigo vs Hiyori: Like with some of the Vizards, there wasn't much to work with. Hiyori's Resurrección should resemble Asterios/Minotauros from Fate Grand Order, a large beast that desires destruction. Terrastorm is similar to the drill used by GoZyuJin from Gokaigers. However, Stormdrill… Terrastorm Breaker is similar to Giga Drill Break from Gurren Lagann but instead of an oversized drill charging at the enemy, it's an energy blast. Thou, I may consider doing that in the future.
Ichigo vs Byakuya: A rematch and homage to the original fight between Ichigo and Byakuya.
Ichigo vs Rukia: The initial was Ichigo attempting a physiological attack on Rukia. When Rukia fought the Ninth Espada, who used Kaien Shiba to physiologically attack her. Now she has closure on the matter. Ichigo uses Nejibana and has both her and Shirayuki appear to explain the situation before Rukia actually thinks Ichigo is the reincarnation of Kaien Shiba.
Diosa Serpiente Fantasma. Guardián de Los Recuerdos Olvidados. According to the movie, the hollow that infected Homura and Shizuku was a small snake-like hollow. This detail inspired Rukia to become a lamia with the scythe as her tail. The outfit was from Dark Rukia, the force fusion of Rukia, Homura, and Shizuku. But she has snake eyes instead of cat-like eyes.
As for her powers, she has the unique teleportation that Homura and Shizuku use throughout the movie. She can also become transparent, where nothing can touch her. This is due to the snake-like hollow, where it was able to phase through the target's body, which allows it to reap the memories. Rukia could use this for a sneak attack or to escape the enemy. While not demonstrated, she still retains the ability to erase memories but doesn't use it against Ichigo.
Ichigo vs Ikkaku: I believe that Ikkaku would seek out Lisa for guidance on Sōjutsu since they are the only people whose Shikai is a spear. Honestly, I feel that Ryūmon Hōzukimaru's 'Slow Start' ability was due to Ikkaku's lack of usage of his Bankai. He only used it once in the entire anime and it doesn't have any abilities at all, besides giving him more reiatsu.
Ichigo vs Remaining Fukutaichōs: Momo, Isane, Iba, Rangiku, and Nemu are all Fukutaichōs and all of them have Shikai, though Iba's Shikai was never named which is why I named it Tsuruhashi [Pickaxe]. Momo, Isane, and Rangiku are classified as Kidō Experts. Ichigo easily defeated Isane and two other Fukutaichō's during Rukia's execution. Even with more Fukutaichos, they will be no match for Ichigo. This is why Ichigo challenged them all at once and allowed them to plan ahead of time before they fought.
Ichigo vs Genryūsai: This fight is interesting for a few reasons. Schrift T: The Taiyō is the perfect counter to Ryūjin Jakka since Schrift T: The Taiyō can devour Ryūjin Jakka's flames to empower Ichigo. Genryūsai can be injured by the flames of Ryūjin Jakka/ Zanka no Tachi so he can't fight for long while Ichigo is empowered by the flames. Even Zanka no Tachi can't stop Ichigo since Zanka no Tachi's attacks are based on the sun and Ichigo draws on the power of the sun.