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Still drunk on fantasies of victory, Black Blade watched in disbelief as his prey's attack was cut clean in half. His arrogance shattered instantly, replaced by a rage sharp enough to tear the world apart.
He leapt down from the jagged ruins with a thunderous crash, blade pointed straight at Renji Abarai, like a feral beast whose meal had just been stolen.
Renji didn't even spare him a glance. The surging spiritual pressure in his palm was already locked onto Ichigo Kurosaki, his voice firm and absolute.
"Get the hell back to the living world!"
Blue lightning tore through space. With a violent burst of spiritual pressure, Ichigo and Yuzu were swallowed by a teleportation corridor, vanishing completely from the sea of hellfire.
"How does it feel to swing at nothing? Serves you right, bastard!"
Renji grinned wildly, taunting Black Blade as the enraged slash cut through empty air.
…
The World of Pirates.
Under the blazing sun, aboard the Thousand Sunny, Luffy lay sprawled atop the lion figurehead. His face was twisted with frustration, his voice thick with unwilling admiration.
"That attack just now… it was terrifying."
"He's on a whole different level from me."
On the deck, the coward trio had already been wiped out. Usopp and Chopper lay unconscious, knocked out cold by the Hollow malice that had exploded from Ichigo in that brief instant.
Only the ship's lone swordsman, Roronoa Zoro, remained standing. His eyes were closed as he replayed every exchange between Ichigo and Black Blade in his mind.
There had been no flashy techniques, no ornate sword forms. Yet the raw, battle-born swordsmanship on display was priceless to Zoro. Black Blade's ghostly slashes and Ichigo's brutally direct strikes were both forged in life-or-death combat. This kind of pure killing intent, honed solely for survival, was the truest textbook a swordsman could ask for.
Marine Headquarters.
After witnessing the bizarre abilities of Renji and the others' Zanpakuto, the Navy's top brass had poured unprecedented resources into Vegapunk's "weaponized Devil Fruit implantation" project.
Even so, Devil Fruits were far more complex than expected. Progress was slow, almost nonexistent. Even for a mind like Vegapunk's, fully unraveling their mysteries would take years.
A Den Den Mushi conference was underway, voices echoing through the chamber.
"That individual called Kurosaki Ichigo… his power is absurd. Even if an Admiral stepped in personally, subduing him wouldn't be easy."
Gion's voice rang out from her Den Den Mushi.
"And their speed. It's a disaster," Tokikake added immediately, fear plain in his tone. "Both Ichigo and that Black Blade move at speeds that defy common sense."
Sengoku turned his gaze to the man beside him. "Borsalino. How do you think their speed compares to your light?"
Kizaru adjusted his glasses and answered lazily. "They probably aren't quite at light speed. But their agility and ability to change direction far surpass mine. The gap between us is smaller than you'd think."
Shinigami flash step was undeniably fast. Compared to Kizaru's light-based movement, it fell just short in raw speed. But its unpredictability, the instant turns and erratic movement, was something straight-line light travel simply could not match.
"I'm inclined to believe they're using an advanced body technique, similar to our Soru," Aokiji Kuzan said, eyes narrowed in thought. "Ichigo and that man called Renji both showed it. This has to be a highly refined high-speed movement skill."
Sengoku's thoughts snapped toward the ultimate master of physical combat. He spun around, eyes bulging, only to see Garp fast asleep in his chair, snoring like thunder.
"Garp! Stop pretending to sleep, you idiot! See if you can figure out how their technique works!"
The New World.
The Moby Dick cut steadily through the waves.
"Pops… you're saying that kid's attack power was stronger than yours?"
Marco and the other division commanders sat frozen around Whitebeard. Hearing their invincible father admit that Ichigo's Cero had surpassed him left them completely stunned. In their hearts, Whitebeard was the very definition of power. This single statement shattered everything they believed.
…
The World of the Shinigami.
Amid the wreckage of the living world.
"Did it work?"
Ichigo stared anxiously at the image of himself and Yuzu disappearing into the hell corridor, his voice shaking as he looked to Rukia.
"The transfer should be complete," Rukia said grimly, eyes locked on the screen. "But Yuzu stayed in Hell for far too long. A normal human would definitely be harmed by the miasma down there."
Compared to Ichigo, Rukia understood Hell far better. She knew exactly how lethal it was for an unprotected human to spend even moments in a place filled with karmic flames and corruption.
"There has to be a way to turn this around," Ichigo said, hope burning fiercely in his chest.
He knew Rukia wasn't exaggerating. But right now, there was nothing he could do. All he could do was place his faith in the version of himself on the screen, the one who might still be able to pull off a miracle.
"That Black Blade really is terrifyingly strong," Uryu Ishida muttered, pushing up his glasses.
Watching his future self get crushed by a single strike filled him with frustration and humiliation. Still, he believed firmly that his future self would not stop there. Silently, he urged that other version of himself onward.
Karakura First High School.
As Ichigo's alma mater, the moment the screen showed Yuzu safely removed from Hell, the entire school erupted in cheers.
"That's amazing! Kurosaki's basically a god!"
"Yuzu's saved! Perfect ending!"
"That smug Black Blade must be totally dumbfounded now!"
"Abarai Renji was badass as hell! That teleport was genius!"
Almost everyone was swept up in the joy of success, praising Ichigo's courage and Renji's decisiveness. But soon, another worry spread through the crowd.
Rukia and Renji were still trapped in Hell.
[On screen, space itself seemed to be torn apart by a terrifying force. The scene abruptly shifted.]
The image dimmed, then flared back to life even brighter than before.
Ichigo Kurosaki filled the screen once more.
But this time, he stood facing a line of Shinigami captains.
"What the hell is going on? Why is Kurosaki standing against the captains again?" Hitsugaya Toshiro blurted out, his small face full of confusion.
"So he really did break through Hell's sealing gate," Byakuya Kuchiki said calmly, connecting the dots in an instant.
Tenth Division Vice-Captain Rangiku Matsumoto gripped her Zanpakuto, her sharp gaze fixed on Ichigo. "What are you trying to do, Kurosaki? Are you planning to take revenge on Soul Society?"
Hitsugaya moved to draw Hyorinmaru from his back, his voice icy. "If that's the case, we won't let you take a single step."
As Rukia's captain, Jushiro Ukitake watched Ichigo with a grave expression. "Ichigo, if you lose control again this time…"
Before he could finish, the young man carrying the massive Zanpakuto Zangetsu spoke. His voice was calm, resolute, like thunder held back for far too long.
"Bankai."
Ichigo's spiritual pressure erupted like a volcano, surging skyward as he entered Bankai in an instant. The air howled around him, his presence overwhelming.
His next words were short, powerful, and filled with unwavering resolve.
"I'm just going to save my companions."
As Ichigo and the captains stood on the brink of battle, a chilling wave of spiritual pressure suddenly poured out from the Hell sealing gate he had destroyed earlier.
"What now?" Hitsugaya's face went pale.
The next instant, a colossal arm blotted out the sky. Amid shrill, agonized wails, it tore through a spatial rift and reached into the living world.
The guardian of Hell, a massive infernal beast, was forcing its way through the shattered gate, trying to crawl into the human realm.
"Defensive formation!" someone shouted. "Do not let any will of Hell step into the living world. Not even an inch!"
"....."