The Battle Within (End)
He thought of Zangetsu —the old man who was always silent but had always protected him. Zangetsu's power was the Soul Reaper Power, rational and controllable. White's power, on the other hand, was the Hollow Power, instinctive and violent. He had always used the Soul Reaper Power to suppress the Hollow Power, and used reason to suppress instinct, but he had never thought that both of these powers were actually his own.
His sword was gone; White Hollowfication Tensa Zangetsu, causing it to dissipate. But he could use White's sword—since White could assimilate his Zanpakuto, why couldn't he Zanpakuto's White?
The thought flashed through his mind like lightning. He gritted his teeth, enduring the excruciating pain in his abdomen, and suddenly reached out to grasp the white Tensa Zangetsu that was piercing through his abdomen!
The moment his hand touched the blade, an icy, bone-chilling force surged into his body, as if to freeze him completely. But he didn't let go; instead, he gripped it even tighter. He gritted his teeth, and the Reiatsu within him surged wildly, pouring from his palm into the blade.
He wanted to show White his determination—that he would no longer run away.
The white blade began to change. Centered on where he gripped it, black began to spread, like ink dripping into clear water, quickly staining the entire blade. Wherever the black passed, the White energy was suppressed and transformed inch by inch. Even the White sleeves were stained black by this black energy.
White's expression changed drastically. He abruptly released his grip, pulled back, and distanced himself from Ichigo Kurosaki. He raised his hand to examine it—black lines were spreading across his palm, densely covering it like a spiderweb. His expression turned serious, and he raised his head, staring intently at Ichigo Kurosaki.
Ichigo Kurosaki gripped Tensa Zangetsu, took a deep breath, and then with a sudden burst of strength, pulled the white—no, now black Tensa Zangetsu— from his abdomen. Blood gushed out along with the blade, but he felt no pain. His eyes were fixed only on White, only on the Zanpakuto that was now back in his hand.
He raised his head, looking at White opposite him, his voice hoarse but firm. "I will show you my determination."
He spun the Tensa Zangetsu in his hand once, adjusted his grip, and then suddenly launched himself into action!
His speed was astonishing, like a black lightning bolt streaking across the ruins. White instinctively tried to block, but it was too late— Ichigo Kurosaki's Tensa Zangetsu right through his body!
White Bai looked down at the blade that had pierced through his body, a look of disbelief flashing in his eyes. Black Reiatsu surged from the wound, rapidly covering his entire body like ink, gradually turning his white skin black.
He reached out and grasped the blade of Tensa Zangetsu, a slow smile creeping onto his lips—no longer a mocking smile, but one of relief and acceptance.
"It seems you still have a sliver of instinct left." His voice became hoarse and weak, but his smile was more genuine than ever. "Then this time, I admit defeat."
His body began to slowly turn to ash from his feet, like paper that had burned out, gradually dissipating into the air. But he was still smiling, still looking into Ichigo Kurosaki's eyes.
"However, Ichigo, you must remember..." His voice grew softer and softer, as if it came from a great distance, "We can both become kings. If you show any weakness, I will not hesitate to trample you under my feet."
He paused, his gaze deepening. "The next piece of advice is... don't die before I appear again."
The words had barely left his mouth when his arm suddenly erupted with blinding light. The light was as dazzling as the sun, illuminating his entire Inner World in an instant. Then, a deafening explosion shattered Ichigo Kurosaki's consciousness—
In the Real World, the atmosphere at the Visored's base has reached an extreme level of tension.
Liu Ziyun had already Shikai the Life-Taker and was engaged in a desperate battle with the completely Hollowfication Ichigo Kurosaki within the Barrier. The monster wearing the bull skull mask had completely lost its mind, leaving only the instinct to fight. Its speed was astonishing, its strength terrifying, and every attack carried the momentum to destroy everything.
Liu Ziyun left wound after wound on its body, but the monster possessed High-Speed Regeneration abilities, healing its wounds as soon as they appeared. Even more terrifying was that its power continued to increase as its Hollowfication nature deepened. At first, Liu Ziyun could easily suppress it, but now he was beginning to find it troublesome.
"This guy..." Liu Ziyun thought to himself as he dodged the monster's attacks. If this continued, he would probably have to use Kidō to immobilize the opponent. But Kidō was too powerful and might cause irreversible damage to Ichigo Kurosaki's body.
Just as he was hesitating, a sudden change occurred—
Suddenly, cracks appeared on the white, Hollowfication outer shell covering the monster!
The cracks, like a spiderweb, spread from the mask all over the body. Black light shone through the cracks, as if something was breaking through the outer shell from the inside.
Hiyori Sarugaki was the first to notice something was wrong. Her pupils contracted sharply, and she roared at Hachigen Ushōda, "Urushida, release Liu Ziyun at once!"
Upon hearing this, Hachigen Ushōda immediately made several hand gestures, manipulating the Barrier to open a portal. Liu Ziyun reacted extremely quickly, using a Shunpo to pass through the portal and escape the Barrier at the last second.
The instant he left, the cracks on the monster's body suddenly widened, and a blinding light shot out from them—
Boom!!
A deafening explosion shook the entire Barrier space violently. The shockwave spread outwards like a tsunami, and countless cracks appeared on the Barrier walls, as if they were about to shatter at any moment. The members of the Visored released their Reiatsu to protect themselves and withstand the aftershocks of the explosion.
Dust filled the air, and pebbles flew everywhere, shrouding the entire Training Ground in chaos.
After a long while, the dust gradually settled. Inside the Barrier, Ichigo Kurosaki lay naked in the center of the ruins, his body covered in wounds, but he had already returned to human form. His chest rose and fell slightly, and he was still breathing—he was alive.
Liu Ziyun a long sigh of relief, put away the Life-Taker, and stepped into the Barrier. He squatted down and checked Ichigo Kurosaki's injuries—they were severe, but not life-threatening. He reached out and Kaidō Barrier on Ichigo Kurosaki's body to restore his Reiatsu first, and then let his body heal its injuries on its own.
"This kid..." Liu Ziyun looked at Ichigo Kurosaki's unconscious face, a relieved smile appearing on his lips, "He's finally taken this step."
Shinji Hirako walked over, stood beside him, looked at Ichigo Kurosaki on the ground, and said thoughtfully, "Did he succeed?"
Liu Ziyun nodded. "Success. From now on, the void within him is no longer his enemy, but his strength. Although he still needs time to adapt and hone his skills, at least... he's no longer afraid."
He stood up, looked up at the distant sky, and his gaze deepened. "Now, it's up to Creation."
In the Training Ground, the Kaidō Barrier emitted a soft light, enveloping the unconscious Ichigo Kurosaki. In the warm glow of the Barrier, his brows gradually relaxed, as if he were having a beautiful dream.
Deep within his heart, a white figure was turning to ashes and vanishing. But before it vanished, the smile on his lips was more genuine and warmer than ever before.