The True Zanpakuto

The night was deep, and the moonlight cast eerie shadows on the streets. Ichigo Kurosaki knelt on the ground, his body covered in wounds, blood gushing from a wound in his chest. His consciousness was beginning to fade, and his body swayed precariously, but he still managed to stay upright.

In the distance, Liu Hao stood quietly in the shadow of a building, watching this scene unfold.

His brow furrowed slightly, his hand already resting on the hilt of the Imperial Sword. He hesitated—should he intervene to save Ichigo Kurosaki? The child had already exceeded his limits; continuing might result in his death.

But at that moment, a strange Reiatsu fluctuation emanated from Ichigo Kurosaki.

Liu Hao stopped moving. He narrowed his eyes, carefully observing the Reiatsu. It was neither ordinary Soul Reaper Powers nor Hollow power—it was Quincy power, pure and powerful, unlike any power that Ichigo Kurosaki had possessed before.

[Finally...] A thought flashed through Liu Hao's mind, [He was finally about to awaken his true power.]

He removed his hand from the hilt of the sword and continued to observe quietly.

Ichigo Kurosaki's consciousness was shrouded in a black veil. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself standing in his Inner World.

The sky here is still gray, and ruins are still scattered everywhere. But everything looks different now—there's no longer that oppressive feeling, no longer that fear of being swallowed up at any moment.

Uncle Zangetsu stood before him, still wearing that dark red robe, those sunglasses, and that gentle face.

Ichigo Kurosaki looked at him, his feelings indescribably complex. This person—this being—had accompanied him throughout his entire Soul Reaper career. From the first time he stepped into the Inner World, Uncle Zangetsu had always been there, guiding him, protecting him, and even lending him power.

But now he knows that this person is not his Zanpakuto.

Uncle Zangetsu looked at him, a faint smile playing on his lips, "Do you have any questions?"

Ichigo Kurosaki a deep breath and asked the question that had been bothering him the most, "I want to know, are the things Liu Shu said true?"

Uncle Zangetsu was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded. "It's true."

"Why?" Ichigo Kurosaki's voice was filled with suppressed emotion. "Why did you keep lying to me? Why did you pretend to be my Zanpakuto?"

Uncle Zangetsu looked at him, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. There was guilt, relief, and a hint of relief in that emotion.

"Why? I want you to stay away from danger and avoid fighting—do you have any questions about that?"

He took a step forward, his voice growing deeper. "Once you become Soul Reaper, you will be forced into battle. You will be wounded, you will be tortured. And one day, I will inevitably kill you with my own hands—that's what I originally thought."

Ichigo Kurosaki's pupils contracted slightly. He killed him with his own hands? Uncle Zangetsu had once considered killing him?

Uncle Zangetsu continued, his tone tinged with nostalgia. "But you still embarked on the path to becoming Soul Reaper, constantly honing your power. Despite injuries and suffering, you persevered in maintaining your own will."

He slowly pulled a weapon from beneath his robes. It was a sword made entirely of burning Reishi, with blue light flowing across its blade, radiating a powerful and pure Reiatsu.

"Every time I see you like this, my heart begins to waver. Later, my heart began to lean towards assisting your will, rather than keeping you away from Soul Reaper. Now, even if I were to step away, I could feel joy."

Ichigo Kurosaki looked at the sword, then at Uncle Zangetsu, and countless memories flooded his mind—the confusion when he first awakened his Soul Reaper Powers, the desperate situation he faced in his battle with Kenpachi Zaraki, and the countless struggles on the edge of life and death. Every time, Uncle Zangetsu was by his side.

Uncle Zangetsu's figure began to dissipate. Starting from his feet, his body gradually turned into specks of light, drifting away in the gray sky of his Inner World.

But the smile on his face grew even warmer, "Ichigo, you've really gotten stronger. I can always be by your side, protecting your growth—is there anything happier than this? I'm content."

The points of light multiplied, his figure becoming increasingly blurred. Finally, he thrust forward the sword burning with Reishi: "Ichigo, what you've used until now is merely a fragment of your true power that I cannot suppress. Take it—this is your true Zanpakuto... Zangetsu."

As soon as he finished speaking, Uncle Zangetsu's figure completely dissipated, turning into countless specks of light that merged into the sky of his Inner World.

Ichigo Kurosaki stood there, looking at the burning sword in his hand. The warmth emanating from the blade was comforting and familiar, as if it had always been there, only he had never noticed it before.

He gripped the hilt of the knife tightly, feeling the power flowing through his body. Countless images flashed through his mind—

When Kisuke Urahara tested him, he told him the name of his Zanpakuto: "Zangetsu".

During his battle with Kenpachi Zaraki, Uncle Zangetsu took him to his Inner World, stopped his bleeding with Quincy blood, and lent him Quincy power.

In countless battles, White Ichigo used his Visored to deflect fatal attacks.

At Sōkyoku Hill, White Ichigo personally intervened and helped him defeat Byakuya Kuchiki.

Those he perceived as rivals or threats were actually protecting him all along, safeguarding his life and his will in their own ways.

Ichigo Kurosaki looked at the sword in his hand and said softly, "Whether it's you, Uncle Zangetsu, or him, White —you are all Zangetsu, right?"

As those words fell, the sky in my Inner World began to change. The gray haze dissipated, revealing a clear blue sky. Sunlight shone down, illuminating every inch of the ruins. The broken buildings began to rebuild, the collapsed walls rose again, and the withered trees sprouted new buds.

Everything came alive.

Ichigo Kurosaki's consciousness began to rise, leaving the place where he had fought countless times.

But he knew he could come back anytime he needed to.

Because this will always be his Inner World.

In the real world, Grimmjow is slowly walking towards Ichigo Kurosaki.

A victor's smile graced his face, his eyes gleaming with the excitement of impending success. Ichigo Kurosaki was already incapacitated; one more strike would finish off this opponent he had been eyeing for so long.

But when he was only a few steps away from Ichigo Kurosaki, he stopped.

He sensed a terrifying Reiatsu rising from Ichigo Kurosaki's body.

That Reiatsu was completely different from before—it was no longer the power of a Hollow, no longer the Soul Reaper Powers, but a purer, more powerful, and more dangerous force. The speed at which the Reiatsu rose far exceeded his expectations, reaching a new level in just a few seconds.

Grimmjow's pupils contracted slightly. He watched as Ichigo Kurosaki slowly stood up, and saw the light rekindle in those once weary eyes. For the first time, he truly felt fear in his heart.

"It seems," Grimmjow's voice trembled slightly, "That you still have hidden power."

Ichigo Kurosaki straightened up, looking at him with a serious expression and resolute eyes. He took a deep breath and spoke slowly, his voice low and powerful. "Forget that fear, look ahead; move forward, don't stop; retreat only leads to old age, cowardice invites death—"

He paused for a moment, then called out the name: "Zangetsu!"

The moment he finished speaking, a blue Reiatsu storm erupted from his body.

The storm was so intense and violent that it churned up the surrounding air. The Reiatsu storm swirled around Ichigo Kurosaki, growing higher and stronger until it finally formed a blue pillar of light shooting straight into the sky.

Grimmjow was forced to retreat repeatedly by the sudden Reiatsu, and had to raise his arm to shield himself from the blinding light.

When the storm subsided and the light faded, Ichigo Kurosaki reappeared.

He held a knife in each hand.

The long sword has a jet-black blade with a hollowed-out section near the hilt, and a deep black light flows across its edge. The short sword is even more eerie, with its hilt located at the back of the blade, and the blade also flowing with a black light. Both swords have white cloth strips wrapped around their hilts, simple yet dignified.

Ichigo Kurosaki held swords in both hands, his Reiatsu surging around him, radiating an aura of power he had never possessed before.

Grimmjow watched this scene, his fear gradually replaced by excitement. He licked his lips, his eyes flashing with a mad light. "Is this your true strength? Only someone like you deserves to be killed by me!"

Without hesitation, he charged straight at Ichigo Kurosaki. Even though he was severely injured and knew he was no match for him, he still chose to fight—this was Grimmjow, the Sixth Espada's instinct.

Ichigo Kurosaki watched him charge, his expression unchanged. He simply raised his short sword and made a light slash in the air.

A golden Reiatsu surged from the blade, forming an arc of light before him. He softly murmured, "Getsuga Tenshō."

The golden Reiatsu transformed into a massive crescent-shaped slash, hurtling towards Grimmjow at an astonishing speed. The crescent was so fast that Grimmjow had no chance to dodge. He could only instinctively raise his sword to parry.

The crescent moon struck the blade.

The immense impact propelled Grimmjow into the air. He gritted his teeth and tried his best to resist, but the Crescent Moon's power was too great; cracks began to appear on his blade, and his body continued to rise.

Just then, Ichigo Kurosaki suddenly appeared beside him.

Shunpo —no, even faster than Shunpo, so fast that it leaves no afterimage. He held the sword in both hands, slashing the long blade down horizontally.

Grimmjow barely managed to raise his sword to parry, but the force of the blow far exceeded his expectations. He was sent flying by the force of the blow, plummeting towards the ground.

Ichigo Kurosaki gave him no chance to catch his breath. He adjusted his posture in mid-air and swung his long sword. "Getsuga Tenshō!"

Another golden crescent flew from the blade, chasing after the falling Grimmjow.

Grimmjow forcibly steadied himself in mid-air, raised his left hand, and red light condensed in his palm— Cero. But he didn't have time to fully gather his power; the Cero was launched as soon as it took shape.

The red light collided with the golden crescent moon in the air.

But this time, Cero was no match for it. The golden crescent moon cleaved through Cero, its momentum undiminished, and struck Grimmjow's body hard.

Pfft--

Blood splattered. A huge wound appeared on Grimmjow's body, almost splitting him in two. He fell from the sky and crashed heavily to the ground, raising a cloud of dust.

Ichigo Kurosaki landed in front of him, looking down at him, his voice calm. "Grimmjow, you've lost."

Grimmjow lay on the ground, panting heavily, blood gushing from his wounds, staining the ground red. But he still managed to stay upright, his eyes still burning with a fierce, defiant fire.

"Ha..." He grinned, a mad smile on his face. "I lost? Are you kidding me!"

He struggled to raise his hand and gripped the hilt of his Zanpakuto. His Reiatsu began to gather; he prepared to Resurrección, ready for a final, desperate attempt: "Squeak—"

But before he could finish his utterance, a hand suddenly reached out from the side and pressed down on the hilt of his knife.

Grimmjow froze. He turned his head and his pupils contracted sharply.

Ulquiorra Cifer.

The Fourth Espada appeared beside him at some point, gripping his Zanpakuto expressionlessly. Short black hair, green tear stains, empty eyes—everything was just as it had been when they last met, but his presence now sent a chill down Grimmjow.

"The mission is over." Ulquiorra's voice was calm and even.

The moment the words left his mouth, a massive black rift appeared in the sky. The rift opened, and a golden light shot out from it, enveloping Ulquiorra and Grimmjow within it.

The Negación is a means of retreat for those Arrancar. Once enveloped by the Negación, the outside world cannot interfere, and the inside cannot escape.

Ichigo Kurosaki stood rooted to the spot, watching this scene, a strong sense of unease rising within him. He looked at Ulquiorra and asked urgently, "What mission?!"

Ulquiorra did not answer. He simply watched Ichigo Kurosaki silently, his gaze fixed on the twin swords in Ichigo's hands and the lingering Reiatsu emanating from him.

[Has this... gained new power?]

The thought flashed through his mind, but his face remained expressionless.

The Negación carried the two slowly upwards, moving them towards the Garganta. Just as they were about to enter the Garganta, Ulquiorra finally spoke, his voice echoing in the night sky. "It's over. You have failed—for the sun has fallen into our hands."

As soon as the words were spoken, the Garganta closed. The two figures completely disappeared into the crack.

The streets returned to silence, broken only by the sound of the night wind blowing through the ruins.

Ichigo Kurosaki stood there, gazing in the direction where the two had disappeared, his heart filled with confusion and unease.

A mission? The sun falling into their hands? What do these words really mean?

Just then, several figures emerged from the shadows.

Liu Hao, Shinji Hirako, Rukia Kuchiki.

The three approached Ichigo Kurosaki, looking at the twin swords in his hands and the new power emanating from him.

Ichigo Kurosaki turned around, saw Liu Hao, and immediately asked anxiously, "Liu Shu, what is the mission they were talking about? Do you know?"

Liu Hao looked at him and remained silent for a moment. Then, he slowly spoke, his voice low and deep. "I know."

His gaze drifted into the distance, towards Hueco Mundo, towards the enemy they would eventually face. "Their mission is to hold us back. Their true objective—"

He paused, his tone growing heavier. "It's Karakura Town. Or rather, it's someone in Karakura Town."

Ichigo Kurosaki's pupils contracted sharply.

Someone in Karakura Town?

His family, his friends, everything he wanted to protect, were all there.

"We have to go back." He gripped his twin swords tightly, turned, and charged towards Karakura Town.

But Liu Hao reached out and stopped him.

"Wait," Liu Hao said, his gaze falling on the twin swords in Ichigo Kurosaki's hands, "Before that, you need to familiarize yourself with this power."

He looked up, meeting Ichigo Kurosaki's eyes. "Because the enemy we're about to face will be ten times stronger than Grimmjow."