He directly drew Senbonzakura and held it in front of him.
"Scatter, Senbonzakura!"
Senbonzakura's blade shattered and scattered!
Meeting Ichigo again, Byakuya actually went straight into Shikai!
Also holding Zangetsu, Ichigo strode forward.
"I don't really understand all this talk about rules and status."
"I only know that if you're an older brother, you must protect your younger sister! Even if it's some damn rule!"
"I promised Rukia, a promise is a promise, it's an oath that must be fulfilled!"
"Kuchiki Byakuya, even you must have oaths you must keep, right?"
Ichigo asked.
Hearing this, Byakuya's heart shook.
He did have an oath.
On Hisana's deathbed, he promised her to take care of her sister, but at the same time, when he forcibly married Hisana, he also promised his father he would no longer break the rules!
Now, these two oaths were in conflict!
That meant, one of these two oaths would inevitably be broken by him!
For a moment, Byakuya's heart struggled!
But the power of the game currency was strong.
Soon, he solidified his thoughts!
The Kuchiki Clan is the model for all noble families!
As the head of the Kuchiki Clan and Captain of the noble division, he must set a good example!
"Enough talk!"
Byakuya controlled Senbonzakura to press forward and shred!
After making eye contact with Rukia in the Senzaikyu, Ichigo also used the full power he hadn't used in his fight with Ikkaku.
Massive Reiatsu gathered on Zangetsu's blade!
While placing his left hand on his cheek, Ichigo swung Zangetsu!
The mask of Hollowfication flashed briefly.
"Getsuga Tensho!"
A three-stage black Getsuga Tensho, composed of three gradually shrinking crescent moons, shot forward!
Against Byakuya's Senbonzakura, the Hollowfied Getsuga Tensho easily destroyed and eliminated it, continuing its momentum unabated towards Byakuya!
'He's gotten much stronger than before!' Looking at the black Getsuga in front, Byakuya frowned.
Shinigami cannot levitate using Reishi in the Soul Society.
And he was at a disadvantage due to the drawbridge terrain… it seemed he could only take it head-on!
Byakuya raised his hand, with incantation bypassed: "Bakudo #81, Danku!"
A wall of air appeared, the strongest defensive Bakudo made its appearance again!
Under the tense gazes of everyone, Ichigo's Getsuga Tensho collided with the Danku!
The black crescent moon twisted and compressed.
...
Boom-
Danku shattered!
The remaining bit of Getsuga Tensho rushed towards Byakuya.
He had to raise his hand again: "Hado #33, Sokatsui!"
A pale blue pillar of fire shot out from Byakuya's palm, neutralizing the last bit of Getsuga Tensho!
With just one strike, Kuchiki Byakuya actually had to use two moves in succession!
Such a performance was enough to show that the gap in strength between the two was no longer a chasm!
"In that case..." Byakuya restored Senbonzakura to its initial state, the destroyed Shikai reformed.
"Bankai: Senbonzakura Kageyoshi!"
Holding Senbonzakura, Byakuya turned his wrist, and Senbonzakura gently fell to the ground!
As if falling into water, Senbonzakura melted into it.
Then, on both sides of the void over the drawbridge, numerous gigantic Senbonzakura rose up!
Behind, watching this scene, Rukia was greatly shocked...
'Facing Onii-sama at full strength, and yet Onii-sama is the one who uses Bankai first!!?'
'Ichigo's strength has actually grown to such an extent!'
At the same time, in Ichigo's live stream, seeing this scene, the comments flooded the screen again.
"The prestige, brothers!"
"Before, you restricted 80% of your strength to slaughter me. Now, I force you to directly use Bankai!"
"Really, Ichigo's strength is growing too fast!"
"Yeah, really too fast. To be honest, I'm thrilled!"
"Gotta say, me too."
Everyone who had watched Ichigo grow all the way felt a sense of shared honor.
From all signs, it was clear that Ichigo was now an existence equal to Byakuya!
And on the screen, after Byakuya activated his Bankai, he controlled the sea of cherry blossoms around him but did not choose to attack.
He looked at Ichigo, "Since you've come to the Soul Society, you should have mastered Bankai too, right? Where is your Bankai?"
"Here it is!"
Ichigo smiled, Reiatsu surging around him!
Amidst the vast fluctuations, the bandage on Zangetsu's hilt wrapped around Ichigo's right arm!
Ichigo raised Zangetsu with one hand, placing his left hand above his right arm.
A somewhat unfamiliar word was shouted from his mouth.
"Bankai!"
Immediately, a fierce pillar of blue Reiatsu rose, completely obscuring Ichigo's body.
The intense Reiatsu Fluctuations made everyone in Seireitei take notice!
A moment later, Ichigo's Reiatsu finally calmed down!
At the same time, the blue Reiatsu pillar disappeared.
Ichigo, now completely changed into a new outfit, with a slim-fitting coat, holding a slender black Tensa Zangetsu, appeared before everyone.
Only then did the name of the Bankai come from Ichigo's mouth.
"Tensa Zangetsu!"
And seeing Ichigo's appearance after Bankai, the live stream comments couldn't help but flood the screen again.
"Handsome handsome handsome handsome handsome handsome handsome handsome handsome handsome!"
"Extremely handsome, super cool!"
"Ichigo, the eternal god!"
Everyone was excited about Ichigo's Bankai!
However, looking at Ichigo's Bankai, Byakuya frowned deeply again.
He said strangely: "This is not a Bankai!"
Regarding Byakuya's words, the live stream audience was very puzzled.
But the next moment, something no one expected happened: Ichigo actually agreed with Byakuya.
"Correct, this indeed is not Bankai, or rather, it's only a partial Bankai!"
"But so what? As long as it allows me to cut people, then it is Bankai!"
"..."
Ichigo didn't say the rest.
Ichigo's true Bankai is revealed only after completely subduing Zangetsu and the Hollow.
In that form, the swastika character on Tensa Zangetsu's handguard would fully open, and at the same time, like the Bankai motion, chains would wrap around the right arm.
And that kind of Bankai is a terrifying form capable of confronting Hogyoku Aizen head-on!
But currently, Ichigo hasn't subdued Old Man Zangetsu, so he cannot use it.
Even then, a mere Byakuya doesn't require the complete Bankai.
"Is that so…" Understanding Ichigo's words, Byakuya didn't say more.
He waved his hand, and the boundless cherry blossoms surged towards Ichigo like a tidal wave!
This time, the disadvantage of the drawbridge terrain was suffered by Ichigo… despite having the speed advantage, he couldn't dodge.
However, facing the map-wide attack of Senbonzakura Kageyoshi, Ichigo wasn't panicked either.
There was only one path ahead, so he would take that one path.
Ichigo's left hand again moved to his face, swiping downward!
The Hollowfication mask that flashed briefly during Zangetsu's Shikai state attached to it!
Currently, the power within Ichigo's body wasn't completely balanced.
And while his Hollowfication time could last for 1 minute, after the time passed, it would just naturally recede, not go out of control!
"So, I'll finish you in one minute!"
"Getsuya!"
"Getsuga Tensho - Bind!"
Using the Getsuya to clear the path, Ichigo turned into an afterimage, advancing at a speed almost keeping pace with the Getsuya itself!
The fated duel began again!
However, just as Ichigo charged towards Byakuya, on the other end of the Senzaikyu bridge, near Kukaku, a black cat had somehow found its way over.
Walking with elegant steps to Kukaku's feet, Yoruichi, with a light leap, jumped onto Kukaku's shoulder:
"Finding you all wasn't exactly easy!"
"How did you move so fast? You're already at the Senzaikyu?"
"Because he is really strong!" Looking at Ichigo breaking through ahead, Kukaku sighed softly.
"I can't imagine how concentrated Ichigo's Royal Family bloodline is!"
Kukaku asked: "But, Yoruichi, are you really just letting him run rampant here? How will you deal with the aftermath later?"
"You should know, even if Ichigo can defeat Kuchiki Byakuya, he absolutely cannot defeat the Captain-Commander."
"Logically, given Ichigo's maturity and wisdom, he should also be aware of this. Why is he still joining you in this recklessness?" Speaking of her observations along the way, Kukaku's expression was full of confusion.
Because from start to finish, Ichigo appeared completely confident about rescuing Rukia.