And easily dodging the petals attacking from behind, Ichigo swung his sword to slash the blossoms, asking curiously: "It's useless. At this distance, your Senbonzakura can no longer pose a threat to me!"
"I can see it. To prevent the sharp sea of cherry blossoms from harming yourself, you've prepared a safe zone."
"In this safe zone, all Senbonzakura are prohibited from approaching, right!"
"So, as long as I breach this safe zone, your threat is greatly reduced!"
Hearing Ichigo's words, Byakuya's eyelids twitched slightly.
He never expected that in only their second battle, his operating habits had been discerned by Ichigo.
Truly a prodigy who could grow to such an extent in just over a month!
Unfortunately, his goal this time wasn't that!
Without Ichigo realizing, the returning Senbonzakura had already formed a sphere, enclosing the two of them!
Abnormal Reiatsu fluctuations spread.
"Hm? Wait, what's this?"
Sensing the surrounding fluctuations and the pink cherry blossoms slowly turning black, Ichigo then realized what Byakuya intended to do.
The pink long sword was inserted into the ground again, compressed with high-intensity Reiatsu, all the cherry blossom fragments were compressed into pink long swords, a unique barrier forming!
Only then did Byakuya calmly speak: "Senkei: Senbonzakura Kageyoshi!"
The second round of the 1v1 real man's battle begins!
"I got played there!" Looking at the dark Senkei space, Ichigo murmured.
However, looking at the blood-soaked Byakuya, Ichigo wasn't angry either.
It was normal.
After all, if Byakuya were taken down without any resistance, that would be abnormal!
Shifting his mindset, Ichigo instead relaxed.
"So this is the second stage transformation of Bankai?"
Ichigo examined the Senkei space.
One must admit, Senbonzakura truly was a very perfect Zanpakuto.
Clearly a direct slashing type, yet it could change in myriad ways, achieving effects not inferior to Kido-type Zanpakuto.
Such as the current Senkei trapping Ichigo.
In a black hemispherical space, countless pink long swords formed a canopy suspended high in the sky.
It seemed these were just decorations.
But Ichigo knew each long sword here could be plunged down as a weapon, it's just that the current Byakuya didn't have that ability.
Seeing Ichigo immediately examining his Senkei barrier upon entering, Byakuya also regained his previous composure:
"Look all you want, Kurosaki Ichigo. This is your grave! You will be buried here!"
"Is that so? I don't believe it!" Ichigo smiled slightly, "To kill me, you'd have to bring down all those thousands of swords in the sky simultaneously!"
Saying this, Ichigo shook his head: "If you could control these thousand swords at once, then I'd be willing to call you [Sword God], but unfortunately you can't!"
"So, even creating such a space, you still cannot defeat me!"
"Is that so? But I don't believe it either!" Looking at Ichigo, Byakuya said coldly.
Although Ichigo's assessment of his strength was very accurate, Byakuya wasn't someone whose resolve could be easily shaken by others' words.
With a wave of his hand, ten long swords fell from the sky, flying towards Ichigo like sword control arts.
Bang bang bang-
The sword light from Tensa Zangetsu in Ichigo's hand danced, turning into afterimages, knocking down the falling long swords one by one.
However, compared to the earlier sweeping attacks, after entering Senkei, Ichigo's performance was slightly strained.
Seeing this, Byakuya's aggrieved mood finally eased: "Do you feel it now!"
"In Senkei, it's not that I've become faster, but you've become slower!"
"This space highly concentrated with my Reiatsu is a sight only shown to those I have decided must be personally slain!"
"This is an execution. The funeral procession of a thousand blades in the sky is your instrument of punishment!"
Hearing this, the live stream audience was also shocked by Byakuya's ability.
"It's clearly a direct slashing Zanpakuto, yet it can transform into a barrier, producing a field magic effect. Byakuya's Bankai is too strong, right?"
"It's over, this time Ichigo is in trouble again!"
However, Ichigo was unconcerned about Byakuya's words.
"Indeed, although it's a direct slashing Zanpakuto, your technique of compressing the shattered petals into solid blades with Reiatsu and forming a barrier with Reiatsu is commendable."
"The problem is, your personal technique is fine, but Senbonzakura is still a direct slashing Zanpakuto!"
"Your thousand blades coming down could instantly kill me, but unfortunately you can't!"
"So…!"
Ichigo placed his left hand on his face, gently wiping it.
After a period of cooldown, Ichigo once again donned the Hollow Mask!
The next moment, Ichigo used high-speed Shunpo, turning into a black streak of light, dragging the Getsuga Tensho on his blade as he slashed towards Byakuya!
"Here it comes again, wearing the mask!"
"Damn it, even when slowed down in this state, he still has this speed?"
Regarding Ichigo's attributes after Hollowfication, Byakuya was shocked.
He hurriedly condensed a long sword in his hand, while long swords continuously fell from the sky, blocking Ichigo's path.
Yet, with the boost of Hollowfication, Ichigo's breakthrough was sharp and fierce!
Powerful Reiatsu infused his skin, Reishi injected into his blood, Hierro and Blut Vene activated simultaneously. A terrifying phenomenon unfolded before Byakuya!
The Senbonzakura he dropped from the sky could only slightly pierce Ichigo's sturdy skin, causing minor superficial wounds that barely penetrated the flesh.
Apart from that, his slashes posed no threat to Ichigo!
In an instant, Ichigo rushed right in front of Byakuya!
Getsuga Tensho fired point-blank!
Boom-
Byakuya, with only one arm usable, took the full force of the Getsuga Tensho and was sent flying back heavily.
Simultaneously, the just-formed Senkei space shattered!
The promised execution ended before it even began!
"Huh? What's going on?"
Outside, everyone was puzzled by the sudden appearance and shattering of Senkei.
But soon, the blood-soaked, even more severely injured Byakuya appeared before everyone.
"Damn it!" Leaning on his sword with difficulty, Byakuya stood, his face full of unwillingness!
He swayed as he rose, about to unleash his Reiatsu for a final struggle!
"Shukei: Hakutei…"
"Nii-sama, stop!"
Not far from Byakuya, Rukia urgently interrupted.
"Nii-sama, in your current physical condition, with unstable Reiatsu, forcibly using Hakuteiken will kill you!"
Hearing Rukia's words, Byakuya's expression softened slightly.
But immediately, his expression darkened again.
Just after speaking to him, Rukia immediately looked at Ichigo: "Ichigo, quickly, don't give Nii-sama a chance!"
Hearing this, Ichigo, Byakuya, and even the audience in the live stream all had their eyelids twitch.
'What a considerate little sister! Hilarious!'
At the same time, backstabbed by his black-hearted sister, Byakuya couldn't hold back anymore. Disregarding his shattered body, powerful Reiatsu surged!
"Shukei: Hakuteiken!"
On Byakuya's right hand, pure white wings of light gathered!
Powerful Reiryoku condensed, nearly forming a pair of angelic wings!
Confronting Ichigo, black and pure white clashed. For a moment, it seemed heaven and earth were reduced to just black and white!
However, Byakuya's final strike ultimately did not appear!
Thud-
With a muffled sound, Byakuya fell forward, as if someone had struck the back of his head.
Then, under everyone's astonished gazes, the cat Yoruichi, the culprit, jumped out from behind Byakuya.
Nonchalantly licking her paw, Yoruichi jumped onto Byakuya's head, kneading playfully, and said teasingly: "As rash as ever, Byakuya boy!"
"However, I can't let you die here!"
"Damn it, Shihoin... Yoruichi!"
Hearing that familiar address, Byakuya's last breath left him.
Unable to hold on any longer, Byakuya shamefully fainted!
Watching this scene, Rukia was deeply moved.
Ichigo had truly done it. In such a short time, he grew from an ordinary person to a powerful Shinigami capable of defeating Byakuya!
And seeing Byakuya, who had given everyone such high pressure before, fall, Ichigo's live stream also erupted in celebration.
"Hahaha, is this all Kuchiki Byakuya has?"
"Yo yo yo, isn't this Kuchiki Byakuya? Haven't seen you for a few days, how come you've fallen so far?"
"Rukia-chan, Rukia-chan… hurry up and save her!"
After defeating Byakuya, the person he longed for day and night was right before his eyes!
At the same time, looking at Rukia in the Senzaikyu, locking eyes with her, Ichigo was also slightly stunned.
'What? This rescue is going so smoothly?'
"Rukia!"
Ichigo walked forward.
But immediately, he saw Rukia's face distorted with shock!
And from within Rukia's beautiful pupils, Ichigo didn't just see himself.
He also saw three figures wearing Captain's Haori appear at the other end of the drawbridge!
That was Komamura Sajin, Tosen Kaname, and… Zaraki Kenpachi!
Looking at Ichigo who had knocked down Byakuya, Zaraki showed a fierce grin.
"Kid, you look pretty good. Let's fight!"