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At the Palace of Penance, flames of true battle erupted between Komamura Sajin and Kurosaki Ichigo.
The towering Bankai, Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō, had already leveled three towers of the Palace itself. Watching jailers could only sink into despair. Was the captain of the Seventh Division here to protect them, or to bring further ruin upon them? The collapse of the towers meant one of the great dungeons had been destroyed, each wall forged from seki-seki stone, a resource rarer than steel and invaluable to the structure of Seireitei. Rebuilding such devastation would consume endless time and resources.
"Getsuga Tenshō!"
Ichigo roared, Zangetsu's blade unleashing black-and-crimson energy that streaked upward like a burning crescent tearing the sky. The arc of power slammed against the colossal sword of Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō, shaking heaven and earth.
Komamura's eyes widened. The head-on clash pushed him back.
"Damn boy!"
His growl thundered across the ruins, vibrating through stone and bone alike.
"This old man will not allow you to advance another step!"
Veins bulged beneath thick fur, muscles straining as Komamura poured his entire strength into his weapon.
"Face the wrath of this old man!"
The massive blade of his Bankai descended, cleaving the air itself in two. The atmosphere split and howled as the strike tore downward toward Ichigo.
The jailers watching paled. Their despair outweighed their hope.
Captain Komamura, stop! If this continues, the Palace itself will collapse!
But Komamura heard nothing but the roar of his own resolve.
Ichigo's gaze blazed with fighting spirit. Retreat never crossed his mind.
"What a battle this is!" he shouted, his voice sharp with exhilaration. "Since you're this strong, then I won't hold back!"
"Bankai Getsuga Tenshō!"
The name was raw and unadorned, yet his power was overwhelming. His crescent of black-and-red spiritual pressure blasted outward, rivaling the massive swing of Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō.
The two forces collided.
For an instant, silence.
Then a shockwave split the air, carving out a void as if the world itself recoiled. The explosion roared like a second sun had ignited above Seireitei, its storm scattering across the districts. Even Renji, watching from a distance, shielded his eyes from the brilliance.
"What a sight…"
Moyu stood atop one of the remaining towers, robes fluttering in the wind. His feathers blew backward, though he himself remained unmoved.
"Impressive. Ichigo has completely embraced Bankai. Even against Komamura Sajin's full power, he stands without hesitation."
His eyes narrowed thoughtfully, his tone almost amused.
"This kind of man… he might share more in common with Zaraki Kenpachi than with any other captain."
The echoes of the explosion faded, leaving dust hanging over the ruins.
When it cleared, Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō was gone. Komamura Sajin's chest bore a wound carved diagonally from shoulder to hip, grotesque and vast. His body remained standing only through sheer willpower beyond the limits of man or beast.
Ichigo fared little better. His uniform was shredded, his Zanpakutō dug into the ground for support, his chest heaving with exhaustion.
"I won…" he muttered, approaching slowly with a weary grin. "You're one hell of a… dog."
Komamura's eyes cracked open, his voice ragged but firm.
"My name… is Komamura Sajin. Not a… dog."
Though broken and bleeding, his vitality still clung stubbornly to life.
Ichigo's grin softened.
"Komamura Sajin. I'll remember. You're a worthy opponent."
He passed by the fallen captain, his steps carrying him toward Renji. The few surviving jailers stiffened with fear. After seeing Komamura fall, none had the courage to resist. Their only thought was survival.
Renji's eyes locked on Ichigo, disbelief etched across his face. That this substitute Shinigami could defeat Komamura head-on was beyond comprehension.
But before Ichigo could take another step, a calm, familiar voice drifted down from above.
"Well now. What a welcome change."
Ichigo froze. Slowly, his eyes lifted toward the sky.
Moyu descended with measured steps, walking on the solidified stream of spirit particles, each footfall deliberate. Though he released no detectable pressure, Ichigo felt as though a mountain pressed down upon him. His chest tightened, his breath caught. Suffocation came not from Komamura's strength, but from something deeper—an abyss without end.
"So you've mastered Bankai without hesitation," Moyu said, smiling faintly. "As expected of Isshin's son."
Ichigo's eyes widened. His throat tightened as he forced the words out.
"You… know my dad?"
"Friends for many years," Moyu answered. "Isshin should have regained his strength by now. When you return, you'll find a very different Isshin waiting for you."
Ichigo latched onto that word, his voice rising in shock.
"Return? You mean—you'll let me take Renji away?"
But the abyss in Moyu's gaze devoured every trace of hope. Unlike the battle with Komamura, where victory seemed barely within reach, facing Moyu gave Ichigo no such light. Against this man, the abyss swallowed even the thought of resistance.
Moyu lowered his eyes slightly, his tone calm, absolute.
"Dismiss that fantasy quickly. I never said you could take Abarai Renji away."
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