Attrition

The golden triangular light shield vibrated in mid-air.

The surging, jet-black beam of light crashed into the light shield, producing a dull thud.

The chaotic stream of Reishi splashed to both sides, shredding the remaining pillars of the temple to pieces.

Ichigo Kurosaki fell from mid-air, his feet sliding several meters through the rubble.

His armor was tattered and torn, and dark blood was still seeping from the wounds all over his body.

Two soft orange lights streaked across the air and landed around him.

A semi-transparent golden light shield instantly opened, enveloping the boy entirely within it.

The damaged skin and broken bones quickly healed under the smoothing light.

Kurosaki-kun!

Orihime Inoue, lifting the hem of her white dress, hurried over the broken steps and ruins.

Fine beads of sweat glistened on her forehead, and her eyes were filled with undisguised concern.

Ichigo Kurosaki turned his head to look at the newcomer, his brows furrowing slightly. "Inoue? What brings you up here?"

I'm worried about you.

Orihime Inoue crossed her hands in front of her, continuously channeling spiritual energy into the Sōten Kisshun.

"Chad and Ganju are still holding off the pursuers down there, I have to come and help Kurosaki-kun."

Ichigo Kurosaki gripped his long black sword tightly and muttered, "This place is too dangerous. That guy is unlike any enemy I've ever encountered before."

"I know."

Orihime Inoue gently shook her head, her gaze showing an unprecedented determination.

"That's precisely why I can't just stand back and watch Kurosaki-kun bleed alone."

On the high platform, Yhwach withdrew his pointing finger.

He looked down at the two people below the steps, the black fluid swirling around him rippling with tiny waves.

Yhwach's lips curled into a faint, indifferent smile. "Truly touching, yet utterly meaningless, act of mutual assistance."

The dark shadow before the throne slowly writhed, and dozens of eyes in the liquid all turned toward Orihime Inoue.

"A shield that rejects all phenomena, and a power of rejection that can negate the laws themselves."

Yhwach, with his hands behind his back, looked down at him and said, "The abilities you possess have indeed touched upon extremely high-level fragments."

Orihime Inoue gritted her teeth and looked up at the dark figure on the throne.

Yhwach's eyes remained calm and unwavering as he slowly spoke, "But in my eyes, this is nothing more than a death throes, a desperate attempt to prolong the end."

Ichigo Kurosaki stepped out from the golden light barrier.

His severe injuries were instantly reversed and dispelled, and his strength was restored to its full potential.

Ichigo Kurosaki brandished his twin swords and coldly snorted, "Whether or not I can end your fate isn't up to you to decide!"

Before he finished speaking, his figure transformed once again into a black streak of light that tore through the atmosphere.

The high-speed movement generated a powerful sonic boom, and the wind pressure blew away all the rubble on the ground.

Ichigo leaped into the air, and the white horn on his right forehead shone with a deep light.

The longsword slashed forward with its momentum, and the violent Reiatsu gathered into a huge black blade aura in front of the blade.

Yhwach remained standing still, only raising his left hand and pressing it forward in a gesture.

A thick, dark barrier materialized out of thin air, steadily meeting the descending blade of light.

Clang!

The sound of metal clashing shook the heavens and the earth.

Using the force of the recoil, Ichigo Kurosaki flipped his wrist, and his left-hand short sword pierced the air, aiming straight for the gap behind the barrier.

Yhwach drew a Reishi broadsword from the void with his right hand and casually parried the short sword.

The blade slashed horizontally, and the sharp sword energy instantly cut towards Ichigo's face.

Ichigo Kurosaki his head to avoid it, and several strands of his orange-red hair were neatly cut off.

Taking advantage of the moment when their bodies were out of alignment, the boy raised his right leg and swept it towards Yhwach's side.

Black fluid, like a venomous snake, darted out from beneath Yhwach's robes and coiled directly towards Ichigo's ankle.

Ichigo did not retreat; instead, he condensed a dark red aura in his palm once more.

"Gran Rey Cero!"

A dazzling beam of light erupted from an extremely close distance.

The black liquid was instantly melted and evaporated by the intense heat of the Cero, and the violent impact pushed the two apart simultaneously.

However, Yhwach's sword strike was faster.

In the instant the Cero flashes dispersed, the golden sword blade traced a tricky trajectory, slashing horizontally across Ichigo's right chest.

Sizzle!

The sturdy fusion armor shattered on the spot, revealing a long, narrow bloodstain that stretched to the bone.

Ichigo Kurosaki let out a muffled groan and flew backward, tumbling more than ten times on the stone steps before coming to a stop.

Kurosaki-kun!

Orihime Inoue's voice rang out again.

The golden triangular light array was already waiting in mid-air as Shunō and Ayame sped past.

"I refuse the Sōten Kisshun!"

The orange-yellow light enveloped the boy again the moment he landed.

The rolled-up flesh on his chest seemed to turn back time, rapidly closing and contracting under the warm light.

Yhwach stood on the high steps, watching this scene and chuckled softly.

Yhwach said calmly, "Even if the physical body is healed, the gap between realms cannot be bridged."

"Every time you rush in, you're just adding to her burden."

"Shut up!"

Ichigo Kurosaki flipped himself up with one hand on the ground and didn't even pause for a moment.

As soon as the wound healed, the Reishi footwork under his feet erupted once again.

His twin blades left dense afterimages in the air, like a giant, interwoven net enveloping Yhwach.

Two figures collided back and forth on the collapsed temple platform.

Sparks from clashing swords illuminated the dim sky, and each clash was accompanied by a violent tremor in space.

Ichigo's attacks became increasingly fierce, combining the techniques of Soul Reaper, Hollows, and Quincy to their limits.

But Yhwach's defenses were impenetrable.

Those eyes, capable of seeing into the Future, had already discerned Ichigo's intentions almost before each blade changed direction.

Yhwach deflected the longsword's attack with a single sword strike, and then conjured a Heilig Pfeil in his left palm, piercing straight through Ichigo's left shoulder.

Blood spurted out, Ichigo Kurosaki's body trembled as the short sword in his left hand flew out.

Yhwach's broadsword swept across, the hard blade striking Ichigo's side directly.

The cracking sound of bones breaking was clearly audible as Ichigo Kurosaki was once again slammed into the rubble below with tremendous force.

Smoke and dust rose, and the temple ruins fell into a brief silence.

"I refuse to Santen Kesshun!"

Orihime Inoue's voice trembled slightly, but it was absolutely resolute.

A massive shield of light blocked Ichigo 'Yhwach black, liquid beam of light that followed closely behind.

Immediately afterwards, the light of the Sōten Kisshun enveloped Ichigo's body once more.

The broken bones within the light shield were reconnected, and the piercing shoulder socket slowly healed under the soothing light.

Ichigo Kurosaki himself on his knees and stood up from the rubble.

He was breathing heavily, sweat mixed with blood trickling down his chin.

He gripped the short sword that had spun back, his gaze still fixed on Yhwach.

"Kurosaki-kun, just a moment..."

Orihime Inoue quickly stepped forward, wanting to check the disordered Reiatsu within him.

Ichigo Kurosaki gently and said in a deep voice, "I'm fine, Inoue."

"As long as I can still wield the knife, I won't stop."

As soon as he finished speaking, a black and white Reiatsu surged up from his body once again.

The boy crushed the stone slabs beneath his feet, charging towards the throne for the third time like a drawn blade.

Yhwach stood at the top of the steps, without even lifting his eyelids.

His broadsword casually traced an arc, and once again, a sacred golden rain of arrows descended upon the land.

Boom!

Sword flashes and arrows exploded violently in mid-air.

Ichigo Kurosaki charged forward through the Light Rain, his long sword aimed at Yhwach's cheek.

Yhwach dodged to the side, his left hand transforming into a hard, black spear that instantly tore Ichigo's abdomen apart.

Blood splattered from mid-air. Ichigo Kurosaki gritted his teeth, swung his long sword horizontally in a backhand motion, and finally cut a tiny gash in Yhwach's sleeve.

However, immediately afterward, a violent repulsive force slammed the boy violently to the ground.

"Sōten Kisshun!"

Orihime Inoue did not hesitate for a moment in responding to his call.

The soft orange light enveloped Ichigo Kurosaki once again, forcefully refusing to erase the shocking abdominal wound.

The moment his wound healed, Ichigo leaped up again and, without hesitation, continued to slash with his sword.

Wounded, healed, sword drawn, charging once more.

This almost cruel cycle played out repeatedly within the shattered temple.

Each time he was shot down, Ichigo Kurosaki was able to recover completely thanks to Orihime's power.

However, this takes a heavy toll on Orihime.