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[BLEACH]
[Compendium of Bleach unlocked and integrated]
=====================
Yuuki blinked. "…Wait. What?"
Bleach.
The anime he binge-watched during rare peace days in the bunker. The last thing he expected to see in a reincarnation system.
"What the hell—?"
More notifications cascaded down before he even finished speaking.
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[Beginner's Reward – Reiatsu (Spiritual Pressure) unlocked as primary power source]
[Beginner's Reward – Shinigami Soulline acquired]
[Beginner's Reward – Quincy Soulline acquired]
[Beginner's Reward – Hollow Soulline acquired]
[Beginner's Reward – Zanpakutō: Zangetsu obtained]
=====================
Yuuki's jaw dropped.
"Hold on—Zangetsu? Ichigo Kurosaki's Zangetsu?! And I have all three soul bloodlines?!"
The void shuddered again, as if amused by his panic.
======================
[Compatibility between Quincy and Shinigami detected]
[Initiating fusion…]
[Fusion successful]
===================
A new panel unfurled, darker and heavier than all the others.
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[Quincy Zangetsu created]
[Description]
A tall, lean figure emerges in your inner world—an embodiment of calm, quiet power. His pale face is sharply defined, weathered by wisdom and burden. Long, unkempt black hair streaked with brown falls behind him. He wears a faded white dress shirt with raised collar and cuffs, black slacks, and reinforced boots. A long, tattered black overcoat with traces of deep burgundy drapes from his shoulders, its ends frayed like shadows in motion. Semi-transparent brown-tinted wraparound glasses hide ancient eyes.
This spirit—known as "Old-Man Zangetsu"—was the form of Ichigo's Quincy power. The black-clothed man. A mentor. A guardian. A presence born from the Quincy heritage fused with Shinigami instinct.
===================
"Quincy Zangetsu… as in Yhwach's original form?" Yuuki muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, I can't call him Yhwach—that'd be weird. 'Zangetsu-ossan' or 'Old Man Zangetsu' should work. Yeah… that sounds better."
Before he could settle on a nickname, the void around him trembled.
A surge of blue light coalesced—bright, calm, impossibly dense. The air rippled as a familiar silhouette stepped out of the radiance.
Tall. Stoic. Mature.
The man described in the system's compendium now stood fully formed—breathing, alive, solid.
Old-Man Zangetsu opened his eyes slowly, their deep brown hue hiding centuries of wisdom and sorrow. He scanned the endless void, the white shirt and long black overcoat swaying as if touched by an unseen wind. His boots touched the ground with a soft thud—the first sound in the infinite emptiness.
After thousands of years being a fragment of Ichigo's power… After being dissolved, merged, consumed…
He was whole again.
"Alive…" he murmured, voice a low rumble. "Young one… are you the one who summoned me into this realm?"
Yuuki froze at the sight. No anime screen. No fanart. The real thing—standing in front of him.
He swallowed. "Uh… yeah. That's me."
There was no panic in Zangetsu's eyes—only calm curiosity. He studied Yuuki with the quiet intensity of someone who had weathered centuries.
"Boy… where am I?"
Yuuki gestured vaguely at the vast nothingness. "This is my inner world. Or maybe… the System's inner world? Hard to explain."
Zangetsu's brow creased slightly. "The System?"
"It's what brought me here. And apparently you too."
For a long moment, the old man was silent.
Then he closed his eyes, thinking.
The System had summoned him—not as part of a merged Zanpakutō, not as a suppressed aspect of another soul…
But as his own entity.
Separate. Independent. Unrestrained.
A Quincy spirit freed from the fate Yhwach had imposed. A soul allowed to grow again.
He opened his eyes, now filled with quiet acceptance.
So the system was powerful enough to rip him out of dissolution and reshape him.
Powerful enough to allow him to exist without suppressing anything.
Powerful enough to create a host who carried all three soul lineages without conflict.
This boy… This new master…
His Quincy potential was immense—far beyond Ichigo's, perhaps even beyond the Quincy Emperor himself. And yet he stood there, humble, almost awkward.
Zangetsu felt something he had not felt in a very long time: Purpose.
He bowed his head slightly—not out of servitude, but acknowledgment.
This one is worth guiding.
"Boy, you possess a strong soul and a calm mind," the old man said, voice deep with certainty. "You are… unique. If this 'System' of yours has granted me life once more, then I shall honor it. I will guide you."
Yuuki blinked, a bit surprised. "Wow… thanks. But—can I ask something first?"
His tone shifted—serious, cautious. Zangetsu nodded.
"You're not… Yhwach, right?"
The question hit harder than any blade. A flicker of surprise crossed the old man's face—rare, subtle, but unmistakable. The boy knew. He even recognized the features that mirrored his original "source."
"…I am not him," Zangetsu finally answered. "I was only a manifestation of his power—a fragment shaped to guide Ichigo as his Quincy abilities. I resemble him, yes… but I am not Yhwach."
His voice firmed with conviction.
"Do not fear. My intent is not to control you. Rather… I aim to guide you to surpass even the Quincy Emperor. With this System, diligence, and discipline—such a feat is no longer impossible."
Yuuki let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding.
"Good. Then… let's get along well, Zangetsu."
He extended a hand.
But before their hands met—
A sharp chime echoing through the void froze the moment.
==================
[Compatibility between Hollow and Shinigami detected.]
[Initiating Fusion…]
====================
Yuuki's eyes widened. "Wait—what? That means—"
Another chime.
=====================
[Fusion successful]
[Hollowfied Zangetsu created]
=====================
Yuuki stared blankly into the air. "Well… damn."
The void trembled again—this time violently. Black-and-white ripples crackled across the inner world like fractured glass under immense pressure.
A shape began to form.
At first, it was only a silhouette—thin, lithe, disturbingly familiar. Then the details sharpened: a young man with the exact same face as Yuuki.
But his entire body was bleached white from head to toe.
He wore an inverted Shinigami uniform—white haori, white kosode, white hakama—all pristine in an unnatural, almost eerie way. Everything about him was white.
Except the eyes.
Yellow irises.
Black sclera.
Wide, sharp, and hungry.
An unsettling grin stretched across his face—playful, feral, and all too knowing.
Yuuki's heartbeat skipped. It was him. His reflection. His Hollow. His true Shinigami essence.
His true Zangetsu.
Yet despite the overwhelming presence before him, he managed to keep his composure—barely.
=======================
[Description]
Zangetsu—also called the Slaying Moon—is the manifested spirit of Ichigo Kurosaki's Zanpakutō and his inner Hollow. Known by many names: Hollow Ichigo, White Ichigo, or simply "White."
He is the fusion of Ichigo's inherited Hollow (White—born from his mother) and the Shinigami power from his father, creating a singular, unparalleled entity.
This being represents the raw, instinctive, destructive, yet profoundly honest power within a Shinigami.
==========================
The Hollow-Yuuki tilted his head, his grin stretching wider until it bordered on manic.
The calm void around them suddenly felt much smaller… much tighter.
And Yuuki realized—
His journey had barely begun.
This Zangetsu… was now born as his Zanpakutō.
"Yo…" the white figure drawled, voice layered with echoing tones that slithered through the empty space. "You're my new king? You sure don't look strong…"
Yuuki shot him a flat look. "Thanks, Captain Obvious."
The Hollow blinked, amused. "Where am I?" He glanced around idly—then caught sight of the old man standing nearby. A creepy grin split across his too-white face. "Hmph. Old man. You're here too?"
Quincy Zangetsu sighed. "What a situation we've found ourselves in."
Without warning, the Hollow lashed out—white blur, claws extended, intent to test the limits of his new host. Yuuki barely had time to flinch before—
CRACK.
He slammed straight into a translucent barrier surrounding Yuuki.
The Hollow recoiled, snarling. "What gives?!"
Yuuki, startled, fell straight onto his backside. "What the—?"
A calm notification chimed through the void:
================
[Ding… You are not allowed to injure your host.]
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"What is this thing?" the Hollow grumbled, knocking on the barrier with a white fist. Even his strength couldn't crack it.
Quincy Zangetsu stepped forward, folding his arms behind his back. "I advise you not to attack him. His soul is far stronger than you expect. Strong enough to produce a barrier, strong enough to contain us… and strong enough to manifest us separately."
His tone remained calm, but there was unmistakable weight behind his words.
"It means," the old man continued, "that I can no longer suppress you. And you cannot suppress me. We exist independently now."
The Hollow paused—then smiled, slow and dangerous.
"So that's how it is…"
Quincy Zangetsu nodded solemnly.
"We can now guide him properly—without suppression. Without conflict. Shinigami… Quincy… Hollow… all developing freely."
Yuuki exhaled, staring at the two spirits before him.
His Zanpakutō wasn't just a sword.
It was two powerful beings.
Two paths. Two destinies.
And he was expected to master them all.
The hollowed version of Yuuki stepped forward, each footstep echoing faintly in the void. His grin remained sharp, but his posture—surprisingly—shifted into something almost formal. Slowly, he extended his hand toward Yuuki. "I am Zangetsu," he declared, voice layered with echoing vibrations. "I don't know how I came back to life, but I respect one thing—you've got a strong soul." His grin widened, feral and amused. "For that, I'll carry you. I'll make you my king. But if it turns out you're weaker than me… don't blame me when I beat the living hell out of you. Don't expect me to go easy." He laughed, a wild, echoing sound that filled the inner world, making his intentions unmistakably clear.
Yuuki stared at the outstretched hand for a moment, pondering. This Hollow—this other him—wasn't just a threat or a burden. He was the last line of defense, the instinctive protector who would emerge from the depths when Yuuki faced death. He wasn't someone Yuuki should fear or mistreat. He was someone to respect and grow alongside. With a small grunt, Yuuki grabbed the Hollow's arm and pulled himself up. "Well… ugh… nice to meet you too, Zangetsu."
He didn't miss the weight of the moment. Before him stood two separate manifestations—Old Man Zangetsu, the Quincy half, and this newly reborn Hollow Zangetsu, the Shinigami-Hollow fusion. Two entities, each powerful, each whole. The system had given him something unprecedented: not one Zanpakutō spirit, but two distinct beings. To Yuuki, this wasn't just luck—it was the greatest advantage he could ask for. With them, he had the potential to become the strongest in whatever world awaited him.
Old Man Zangetsu stepped forward, arms behind his back, expression calm yet contemplative. "Your soul is quite unique, boy," he said. "Whatever its nature, it possesses a powerful will. It does not bow easily. I can no longer suppress the hollowed Zangetsu before you. It seems I was shaped into a separate power entirely." His gaze softened, faintly impressed. "I expected your Hollow to consume you instantly, yet he did not. That in itself speaks volumes."
The Hollow snorted, crossing his arms. "Heh… as long as the king isn't a big bitch about fighting, maybe I'll lend him a bit of my power." He shot Yuuki a sideways glance, smirking.
Yuuki shrugged, unbothered. "Don't worry about it. I've been in plenty of fights. Getting scared or spouting some bullshit philosophy to my opponents isn't my style." He tilted his head slightly. "Also, I'm not the type to rely on Talk No Jutsu."
Both Zangetsus blinked.
Hollow Zangetsu pointed at him accusingly. "If you ever solve shit using Talk No Jutsu, I might actually punch you."
Yuuki frowned. "Wait—how do you know what Talk No Jutsu means?"
The Hollow pointed upward. "A text popped up in front of us. Seems the System explains things about you—directly to us."
Old Zangetsu raised a brow. "…Who in the world solves problems by talking their enemies down?"
"Beats me," Yuuki muttered.
Before he could speak further, a chime echoed through the void. A new notification materialized in front of him—bright, pulsing, and impossible to ignore.
============================
[Ding… The System has activated a hidden function due to obtaining the Zangetsus. This function has been permanently integrated into the host's passive skills.]
[Hidden Function Activated]
[Instant Mastery]
[Any skill can now be instantly learned]
============================
Yuuki's breath caught. For a moment, he simply stared at the notification, stunned. "Holy… fuck." His voice cracked with disbelief. "Instant mastery? That's… insanely overpowered, right? Any skill instantly learned?"
His excitement burst outward like a spark igniting gasoline. The possibilities were endless—techniques, spells, combat arts, sword styles, Quincy hirenkyaku, Hollow techniques, Shinigami forms—everything. With this skill alone, he could cross any threshold.
He turned to the two spirits beside him—Old Man Zangetsu, calm and steady, and Hollow Zangetsu, grinning with wicked enthusiasm. Who knew how many skills they could teach him? Who knew how far he could push himself with both of them guiding him?
A determined smile spread across his face. "We've got a lot of work to do, guys. I need to strengthen my soul before descending to the new world." He clenched his fists with resolve. "I know I'll probably start as a weakling there… but with you two?"
He exhaled, confidence surging through him. He had watched Bleach. He had studied its mechanics. He understood Zanpakutō evolution, training, and spiritual growth. He had a foundation to build upon—and two living embodiments of power at his side.
But… first…