Complete Hollowfication

Inside the barrier, the air was frozen solid. All eyes were fixed on Ichigo Kurosaki lying on the ground, awaiting the inevitable moment.

Liu Hao stood about ten steps away from Ichigo Kurosaki, his hands hanging naturally at his sides, his expression as calm as if he were waiting for an ordinary training session. But those who knew him well could notice that his eyes were more focused than usual, like a hunter watching a beast about to awaken.

Time ticked by. Outside the barrier, Masaki Kurosaki gripped Isshin Kurosaki's arm tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force. Her lips trembled slightly; she wanted to say something, but remained silent.

Then, change began.

A white substance began to appear on Ichigo Kurosaki's face. It started from his forehead, wriggling and growing like a living thing, gradually covering his cheeks, nose, and mouth. With each inch of skin covered, Ichigo Kurosaki's body trembled violently, as if he were enduring immense pain.

A single thought flashed through everyone's minds simultaneously: [It's begun!]

Liu Hao remained motionless. He waited, waiting for that critical point to arrive.

When the white substance completely covered Ichigo Kurosaki's face, forming a complete Hollow Mask, his body began to move. It wasn't waking up, but some deeper, instinctive struggle. His hands and feet clawed at the ground, his body twisting and turning, trying to break free from some invisible constraint.

Liu Hao finally moved. He clasped his hands together and whispered, "Bakudō Number Seventy-Five, Gochūtekkan."

The moment the words left his mouth, five enormous iron pillars descended from the sky, precisely pressing down on Ichigo Kurosaki of his limbs and one on his torso. Each iron pillar weighed over a thousand pounds, enough to crush any ordinary Hollow and render them immobile.

After completing the Bakudō, Liu Hao stepped back, creating a distance of about twenty paces between himself and Ichigo Kurosaki. This distance was both safe and allowed him to intervene at any time.

Outside the barrier, Masaki Kurosaki's heart clenched as she saw her son pinned down by five iron pillars. She looked at Isshin Kurosaki, her voice filled with suppressed worry. "Isshin, will Ichigo be alright?"

Isshin Kurosaki, his gaze never leaving his son inside the barrier. His voice was calm and firm. "Don't worry, Masaki. This is Ichigo must overcome. With Liu Hao here, there shouldn't be any problems."

He paused, then added, "Moreover, Liu Hao knows Ichigo's situation better than we do. He'll handle things carefully."

Just as he was speaking, a new change occurred to Ichigo Kurosaki inside the barrier.

The Hollowfication mask on his face became more complete, no longer a simple cover, but forming a clear outline—eye sockets, bridge of the nose, cheekbones, every detail like a real ethereal mask. His body struggled more violently, and the five iron pillars began to tremble slightly, groaning under the strain.

Then--

Boom!

Ichigo Kurosaki's body jolted violently, and the five iron pillars were simultaneously blown away, crashing into the edge of the barrier and creating ripples. He slowly stood up, leaning slightly forward with his hands hanging down, exuding an inhuman aura.

His face was covered by a complete Hollow Mask. Beneath the mask, his eyes burned with a scarlet light, filled with pure malice and destructive desire.

He stared at Liu Hao and let out a low growl.

Liu Hao looked at Ichigo Kurosaki before him and slowly drew the Imperial Sword from his waist. The moment the sword was drawn, there was no sound, but the Reiatsu within the barrier began to grow heavy, like an invisible mountain pressing down on everyone's hearts.

Ichigo Kurosaki.

He raised his hand, not using a sword, but instead condensing his Reiatsu into a black crescent moon, which he swung at Liu Hao. Getsuga Tenshō —even when unconscious, he could still use this move.

Liu Hao swung his sword, and the blade of the Imperial Sword precisely struck the edge of the crescent moon. The sword trembled slightly, and the crescent moon split in two, passing by him and exploding at the edge of the barrier.

But Ichigo Kurosaki gave him no chance to catch his breath. The instant the Crescent Moon was cleaved in two, he had already lunged forward, raising Zangetsu high and bringing it down with tremendous force. Black Reiatsu swirled around the blade, and this strike was powerful enough to split mountains in two.

Liu Hao did not dodge. He raised his Imperial Sword and blocked the attack head-on.

Clang--

Blades clashed, sparks flew. The immense impact spread outwards, instantly cracking the ground within the barrier and sending rubble flying upwards.

Despite enduring the pressure of Zangetsu, Liu Hao remained calm. He looked at the Hollow Mask and the burning red light in those eyes, and gently shook his head.

Then, he raised his foot and kicked Ichigo Kurosaki in the chest.

Bang!

Ichigo Kurosaki flying backward, crashing heavily to the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust. His body carved a deep furrow in the ground until he came to a stop at the edge of the barrier.

But almost the instant he stopped, he sprang back to his feet. His movements were without hesitation, without any sign of pain, just like a true Hollow, focused solely on fighting.

He charged at Liu Hao again.

This time, Liu Hao didn't passively defend. He stepped forward and kicked Ichigo Kurosaki away again. But this time the force was greater than before, and Ichigo Kurosaki crashed through a boulder inside the barrier, burying him in the rubble.

But the next second, the rubble exploded, and Ichigo Kurosaki stood up again.

Liu Hao frowned slightly as he watched this scene. He noticed that a hole was beginning to appear in Ichigo Kurosaki's chest—the Hollow mark, the Hollow Hole.

At the same time, the Zangetsu in his hand began to change. The black blade became thinner and sharper, eventually transforming into the form of Tensa Zangetsu.

Bankai.

Even when unconscious, Ichigo Kurosaki is still able to use Bankai.

His speed increased several times in an instant, and before Liu Hao could react, he had already appeared in front of him. The Tensa Zangetsu Slash came down, so fast that it almost left an afterimage.

Liu Hao dodged to the side, the blade grazing his shoulder and leaving a deep trench in the ground behind him. He swung his sword backhand, leaving a wound on Ichigo Kurosaki.

However, at the wound site, a white substance began to surge and condense, healing at a speed visible to the naked eye.

High-Speed Regeneration.

The battle reached a stalemate. Ichigo Kurosaki's speed increased, his attacks became more frenzied, and he could regenerate rapidly with each injury. Liu Hao, on the other hand, was even faster and more skilled with his sword, leaving new wounds on Ichigo with every counterattack.

The two swords clashed repeatedly within the barrier, the shockwaves of Reiatsu causing the entire space to tremble. The ground was completely unrecognizable, riddled with cracks and deep pits.

As the battle continued, Ichigo Kurosaki's body began to undergo even more drastic changes. White substances spread from his mask to his neck, shoulders, and arms, gradually covering his entire body. Dark red patterns began to appear on the white substances, densely packed like blood vessels, emitting an eerie glow.

His attack methods became increasingly like those of a ghost—no longer just using a knife, but also attacking with claws, teeth, and every part of his body. His movements showed less and less human traces, and his beastly instincts grew stronger.

While dealing with the attacks, Liu Hao observed the changes in Ichigo Kurosaki. His brows furrowed more and more as he discovered that Ichigo Kurosaki's Hollowfication was rapidly deepening, exceeding the limits of normal training.

[Something's not right...] This thought flashed through Liu Hao's mind. [This Hollowfication speed is too fast, abnormally fast.]

Outside the barrier, Lisa Yadōmaru watched the battle, which had been going on for ten minutes, and couldn't help but say to Shinji Hirako, "They've been fighting for about ten minutes, haven't they? Let me go and replace Liu Hao. He must be exhausted from holding on alone for so long."

Shinji Hirako shook his head, his gaze never leaving the barrier. "Not for now. Liu Hao is handling it with ease, and he didn't seem to have any intention of replacing him."

Hearing their conversation, Isshin Kurosaki said in a deep voice, "Leave it to Liu Hao. He knows what he's doing. Even if Ichigo really loses to that guy inside him, I think Liu Hao has a way to bring Ichigo back."

His voice was calm, but he gripped Masaki Kurosaki's hand even tighter.

Inside the barrier, Ichigo Kurosaki's transformation continues.

His body was almost entirely covered by a white substance, with only a few areas where his original skin was still visible. Dark red patterns spread and intertwined across his body, forming a bizarre and dangerous design. His movements had completely lost any trace of humanity, leaving only primal instincts.

Looking at the almost Complete Hollowfication Ichigo Kurosaki, Liu Hao sighed inwardly. He murmured softly, his voice so low that only he could hear, "Sigh, in this state, I really can't help but want to kill you right now, Ichigo."

Just then, Ichigo Kurosaki suddenly charged at him. This time, his movements were even faster and more unpredictable than before, as if he had completely abandoned human speed and only possessed the instincts of a Hollow. He extended his sharp claws, aiming straight for Liu Hao's face.

Liu Hao turned to the side, swung his Imperial Sword, and precisely struck Ichigo Kurosaki's arm.

Pfft--

His arm was severed at the elbow, white liquid spurting out. But Ichigo Kurosaki seemed completely oblivious to the pain, his other hand already swinging his sword. Black Reiatsu coiled around the blade of Tensa Zangetsu, making this attack more dangerous than any before.

After severing his arm, Liu Hao immediately dodged. The blade grazed his neck, leaving a deep wound on his shoulder.

Black Reiatsu began to spread from the wound, corroding his body like poison.

Liu Hao glanced down at the wound, then ran his hand over it. When his fingers touched the black Reiatsu struggled and twisted like a living thing, trying to continue eroding the wound. But with a gentle flick of his finger, Liu Hao "pulled" the black Reiatsu out of the wound.

It was a black, writhing ray of light struggling at his fingertips, emitting a faint hiss.

"Sigh," Liu Hao sighed, looking at the black light at his fingertips, "They really don't hold back. If I hadn't dodged quickly, that knife would have been on my neck."

He tightened his grip with his five fingers, and the black light vanished instantly. A puff of white steam rose from the wound, and then it healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Just then, a gray substance suddenly surged from the severed arm of Ichigo Kurosaki. The substance twisted and grew like a living thing, and its front opened into a mouth full of sharp teeth, rushing straight towards Liu Hao.

Liu Hao swung his sword, slicing the substance in two. The severed parts fell to the ground, still writhing and struggling, trying to reconnect. Meanwhile, at the point where Ichigo Kurosaki's arm was severed, a new arm had begun to regenerate—an arm entirely of Hollow origin, covered in white bone armor, with fingertips as sharp as knives.

Liu Hao looked at Ichigo Kurosaki and found him staring at him, red light beginning to gather at his fingertips. The light grew brighter and more dangerous, eventually forming a Cero at its peak.

Liu Hao immediately held the Imperial Sword horizontally in front of him. Almost at the same moment, Cero shot out from Ichigo Kurosaki, the red beam carrying the momentum of destruction as it blasted towards Liu Hao.

Boom--

The Cero the Imperial Sword, unleashing a blinding light. The immense impact sent Liu Hao sliding backward, his feet carving two deep furrows in the ground. The Imperial Sword blocked the Cero, but the force continued to surge, attempting to break through the defense.

Just then, Ichigo Kurosaki suddenly vanished from his spot.

The Sonído.

In the next instant, he appeared behind Liu Hao, unleashing a horizontal slash from the Tensa Zangetsu Slash. Black Reiatsu coiled around the blade, and this strike was enough to cleave anything in two.

Liu Hao sensed the threat behind him. He didn't turn around, but instead stretched out his left hand, fingers spread, and directly grabbed the blade that was slashing down.

He held the blade of Tensa Zangetsu in his hand, the black Reiatsu struggling and twisting in his palm, but it could not harm him in the slightest.

Liu Hao swung his right hand, and the Imperial Sword slashed diagonally, leaving a huge wound on Ichigo Kurosaki's body, running from his shoulder to his waist. White liquid spurted out, and Ichigo Kurosaki was sent flying by the sword, crashing heavily to the ground.

He struggled to stand up, but his wounds were too deep, and a white substance kept oozing out in an attempt to heal, but the healing process was noticeably slower.

Then, his body began to glow.

It wasn't ordinary Reiatsu, but some deeper, more essential light. White light surged from his body, growing brighter and stronger until it completely enveloped him.

Liu Hao frowned as he watched this scene. A thought flashed through his mind: [This doesn't seem like High-Speed Regeneration...]

Just as he was thinking, a burst of white light erupted, completely engulfing Ichigo Kurosaki. The light was so intense and dazzling that Liu Hao had to squint.

Boom--

A massive explosion rang out. The shockwave spread in all directions, the barrier trembled violently, almost torn apart. Debris flew everywhere, dust filled the air, and the entire space shook.

As the dust settled, everyone saw that figure.

That was no longer Ichigo Kurosaki.

That was a monster.

Its enormous size was covered by white bone armor, with a huge Hollow Hole in its chest. Most striking was its head—a massive bull's head with two curved horns protruding from either side of its forehead, and a ferocious mask covering its face, revealing only a pair of eyes burning with red light.

Bull-Head Ichigo.

Looking at the monster before him, Liu Hao felt a surge of emotions.

[How could it be in this form? Could Ichigo have already lost?!]

The thought had barely crossed his mind when Bull-Head Ichigo, had already made his move.

The Sonído even faster and more unpredictable than the Sonído. His body seemed to pass directly through space, instantly appearing beside Liu Hao. The Tensa Zangetsu Slash came down, so fast that even an afterimage was not left behind.

Liu Hao didn't even have time to dodge; he could only instinctively raise his sword to block.

Clang--

The moment the blades clashed, an unimaginable force surged from them. Liu Hao was struck as if by a battering ram, sent flying backward, crashing heavily into the edge of the barrier. The barrier trembled violently, nearly shattering from the impact.

Before he could regain his footing, Bull-Head Ichigo reappeared beside him. His second slash came down, aimed straight for his neck.

Liu Hao parried the attack with his sword, but Bull-Head Ichigo's other hand reached out and grabbed his wrist. The strength of that hand was so great that Liu Hao felt as if his wrist was about to be crushed.

Just then, red light began to gather on Bull-Head Ichigo's horns. It was Cero, but more powerful and dangerous than ever before. The red light condensed and compressed on his horns, eventually forming a sphere of light as blazing as the sun.

Outside the barrier, everyone was shocked.

"Not good!" Shinji Hirako shouted, and immediately rushed into the barrier.

Masaki Kurosaki nearly fainted, but Isshin Kurosaki held her tightly. The members of the Visored rushed toward the barrier, trying to break through the five layers of defenses.

But it was too late for them.

The Cero is about to launch.

Liu Hao stared at the impending Cero, his heart hardening. He didn't try to break free or defend himself, but instead lowered his head and slammed his forehead into the Cero.

Bang--

The Cero was shattered.

It wasn't defended against, nor neutralized; it was simply shattered by force. The Cero energy of the Cero was broken by an external force the instant before it was launched, and all the energy exploded at close range.

Boom--

The massive explosion engulfed everything. The light within the barrier was so blinding that those outside could see nothing. The shockwave spread outwards, causing all five layers of the barrier to tremble simultaneously, nearly shattering.

As the light gradually faded, everyone saw that Liu Hao and Bull-Head Ichigo blasted away by the explosion, landing on the edge of the barrier. A streak of blood flowed down Liu Hao's forehead, staining half of his face red. One of Bull-Head Ichigo's horns was shattered in half, but soon, white matter surged out, and the horn regenerated at a speed visible to the naked eye, becoming whole again.

Liu Hao slowly stood up, looked at Bull-Head Ichigo, and wiped the blood from his forehead. His voice was calm, but carried a rare hint of seriousness. "To be honest, I didn't expect you to get into this state so quickly. Although you might not be able to speak right now, I know you can understand what I'm saying."

Bull-Head Ichigo didn't speak. He just stared at Liu Hao and let out a low growl. The growl was filled with pure malice and killing intent, as if to say: You're next.

Liu Hao took a deep breath, the Imperial Sword trembling slightly in his hand, as if in response to his resolve. "It seems I have to get serious, Ichigo. I hope you survive."