Additionally, after achieving Bankai, Ichigo appeared much more mature than usual.
Especially when he became serious, he didn't look like a sixteen-year-old boy at all, but rather a mature young man in his twenties.
The battles of Shinigami are flashy and spectacular.
Some netizens have jokingly referred to Bleach as a battle of visual appeal.
The higher one's visual appeal, the stronger their power.
Whether it's a Zanpakuto's release, an Arrancar's Resurrección, or a Quincy's Vollständig, they are all means to enhance one's own appearance and style.
When your style surpasses that of your enemy, it proves you will achieve victory in this battle.
But when your style factor can't match the opponent's, you must be careful, as this might be a battle where you could be defeated.
Kyoya himself has also been influenced by this notion to some extent.
Therefore, over all these years, Kyoya has consistently worked on increasing the Revolutionary Army's style factor.
Creating Zanpakuto from the Devil Fruits he doesn't use for his subordinates is one example, and redesigning the Revolutionary Army's uniforms is another.
Especially for the Army Commanders, Kyoya even equipped them with capes like those of the Marine Admirals, all to boost their battle style factor and visual appeal.
This could also be considered a form of expectation and psychological comfort Kyoya holds for them in his heart.
After all, if not for Kyoya, these individuals might have gotten injured during the Thousand-Year Blood War, but they wouldn't have been in life-threatening danger.
But because Kyoya founded the Revolutionary Army and made the decision to participate in the Thousand-Year Blood War, whether they could still preserve their lives when fighting against the Wandenreich's Quincies in the future, even Kyoya couldn't be sure.
After all, Kyoya also had to guard against Yhwach's sneak attacks.
Within the Quincy Faction of the Wandenreich, there were at least three top-tier combatants.
One of them was naturally the emperor of the Wandenreich, the progenitor of the Quincies, Yhwach.
Next was Haschwalth, who could exchange power with Yhwach at night.
He could be said to be Yhwach's other half. When Yhwach slept, he could use Yhwach's power.
The third were the brothers, Loyd Lloyd and Royd Lloyd, who possessed the [Yourself] ability.
Among them, the Yhwach that Royd Lloyd transformed into, because it could imitate Yhwach's thoughts, memories, and psychology, could exert ninety percent of Yhwach's true strength.
Based on this point alone, within the entire Gotei 13 and the Revolutionary Army, only Yamamoto and Kyoya could withstand him.
As for Lloyd Lloyd, although he could also transform into Yhwach, because he couldn't simulate memories, thoughts, or psychology, his combat heavily relied on the characteristics and fighting techniques of the person he transformed into.
Therefore, the Yhwach he transformed into could likely only exert less than fifty percent of the true strength.
Furthermore, to confuse the Seireitei, Yhwach wouldn't allow both brothers to transform into himself, as that would heighten the Seireitei's vigilance and increase the difficulty of his own sneak attack on Yamamoto.
"Not bad."
Looking at Ichigo who had completed his Bankai, Kyoya nodded slightly.
At this moment, Ichigo, purely in terms of Reiatsu, had reached the peak of 2nd-Class Reiryoku.
Well, he should probably add Zaraki to that list!
Even within the Gotei 13, Zaraki could rank in the third tier, only below Kyoraku, Ukitake, and Unohana, who had already broken through to 1st-Class Reiryoku.
In Kyoya's perception, Zaraki's Reiatsu had also broken through to 1st-Class Reiryoku now.
Although there was still some distance to his true peak, he already had the bearing of the [Strongest Shinigami].
"Bankai-"
"Tensa Zangetsu!"
Uttering the true name of his Zanpakuto, Ichigo could feel that he was unprecedentedly powerful at this moment.
"Be careful, Kyoya-senpai!"
After speaking, Ichigo's figure flashed as he rushed towards Kyoya at high speed.
Whoosh-
Spinning, he observed Kyoya's openings.
However, having suffered once before, Ichigo didn't immediately swing his sword at Kyoya this time. Instead, he used his extreme speed to rapidly circle around Kyoya, observing his flaws.
Seeing Ichigo's actions, a trace of appreciation once again appeared in Kyoya's eyes.
'Indeed, the un-Bankaied Ichigo was a reckless fighter, mostly relying on brute force.'
'But once he achieved Bankai, Ichigo's combat instincts from his inner Hollow, White, would be activated, leading to significant changes in his combat methods and style.'
After all, after Bankai, besides the increase in power, Ichigo's speed increased even more.
Balancing speed and power allowed Ichigo to better observe his enemy's openings and better utilize his own advantages.
However, to Ichigo's surprise, even after running circles around Kyoya more than a dozen times at high speed, he couldn't find any openings in Kyoya.
Every time he thought about launching an attack against Kyoya, his body's instincts screamed at him that he would die!
But Ichigo was, after all, Ichigo.
"Getsuga… Tensho!"
After adapting for a while, he managed to suppress the fearful instincts of his body, turning that fear into an even more powerful attack.
Black Reiatsu coiled around Tensa Zangetsu, which Ichigo then swung, sending a serpentine black arc of energy rushing towards Kyoya.
This was Ichigo's strongest attack technique.
Simultaneously, Ichigo thought that with a ranged attack, no matter how Kyoya responded, he would have enough time to react.
Facing Ichigo's slash, Kyoya did not evade.
His purpose in fighting Ichigo was to temper the latter's mindset after his sudden power surge and to instill in him a pursuit of even greater strength.
Looking at the plot of Bleach, Ichigo himself wasn't particularly enthusiastic about increasing his own power.
Each time, it was external circumstances forcing him to seek greater strength to face stronger enemies.
Or, more powerful enemies forced Ichigo to seek more powerful strength to cope.
From the beginning: ordinary Hollows, to Medium Hollows, Gillian-class Menos, officers of the Seireitei, Vice-Captains, Captains, then to Arrancar, Espada, Hogyoku Aizen...
Even up to the Thousand-Year Blood War, it was only after his Zanpakuto was broken that Ichigo went to the Soul King Palace to repair it, finally fully mastering his own power.
After the Soul King's death, Ichigo received a portion of the Soul King's Reiatsu, and after Bankai, entered his final Horn of Salvation form, second only to Yhwach who had fully absorbed the Soul King.
If Ichigo's desire for power was ignited by Kyoya, making his strength even a bit stronger than the crises he faced, then Ichigo and his friends and sisters wouldn't have to experience those dangers.
Of course, these were just some of Kyoya's thoughts.
Before the Quincy Zangetsu was forged as his Zanpakuto, Ichigo's true power was suppressed by the Quincy Zangetsu.
How much power it granted Ichigo purely depended on the Quincy Zangetsu's assessment of his enemies' strength.
Whether Ichigo could truly gain permission from the Quincy Zangetsu by actively seeking power from it was also unknown.
Therefore, what Kyoya was now demonstrating before Ichigo was absolute power.
But, he couldn't let Ichigo feel that there was no chance of victory at all.
Facing the black Getsuga Tensho launched by Ichigo, Kyoya extended his right hand and grabbed it.
Buzz-
'Chance!'
A slash composed purely of condensed Reiatsu was now held in Kyoya's hand, writhing like a python, its tail lashing about and gouging trenches in the ground.
Although Ichigo found it incredible that his Getsuga Tensho was caught single-handedly by Kyoya-
Simultaneously, he also perceived an opportunity to attack from Kyoya's action.
Swish-
In an instant, Ichigo's speed surged again, bringing him behind Kyoya, where he swung his sword down at him.
Facing Ichigo's attack, Kyoya swung his right hand, directly throwing the black Getsuga Tensho that Ichigo had launched earlier back at him.
This black crescent slash directly pierced through the dome of the underground training ground, striking the surface and leaving a seven or eight-meter-long open chasm.
Fortunately, the location Kisuke chose to build this underground training ground was quite remote, so this slash that broke through the training ground's ceiling didn't attract much attention.
Ichigo, who had avoided the slash with his superhuman speed, had cold sweat beading on his forehead.
"That was close..."
He was well aware of the destructive power of the slashes he launched.
While Kyoya could block it with one hand, he probably couldn't defend against it even by bursting all his Reiatsu.
If hit head-on, even Ichigo would be severely injured.
After the dust settled, Ichigo saw Kyoya look up at him. His heart panicked, and he instinctively began jumping backward, putting distance between them to gain a greater sense of security.
Seeing this, Kyoya smiled.
"Ichigo, your Bankai is different from that of ordinary Shinigami."
"Most Shinigami's Bankai increase the range of their abilities and enhance their potency."
"For example, Kyoraku Shunsui's Zanpakuto, Katen Kyokotsu. Its Shikai turns children's games into reality, and its Bankai turns adult fairy tales into reality. The range of its Bankai is also much larger than its Shikai's."
"Your Bankai, however, intensely condenses your powerful Reiatsu, enhancing your speed and power."
"Your Bankai is similar to Captain-Commander Yamamoto's Bankai, both are excellent Bankai."
"However..."
Saying this, Kyoya opened his right palm, and golden light gathered in his hand.
"My Zanpakuto is called Borsalino. It is the strongest light-type Zanpakuto."
This statement wasn't Kyoya boasting.
"Perhaps in terms of raw power increase upon release, my Zanpakuto isn't as significant as yours. But in terms of speed, I have yet to meet anyone who can match me."
It was a fact.
With Kyoya's current mastery of Observation Haki and his [Light Perception] ability, if Kyoya wished, he could move and attack at the speed of light.
When Kyoya used [Lightspeed Movement], the world seemed to fall into a state of stagnation in his eyes.
Of course, this wasn't because Kyoya's lightspeed could stop time, but rather because Kyoya's own 'time perception' in that state was on a different level from others.
One could say that Kyoya considered himself 'invincible' below the Soul King in the Bleach World, and he wouldn't be wrong.
Compared to the Soul King, what Kyoya lacked was only the intensity of Reiatsu and the ability to create all things.
"What?"
Ichigo was stunned, not understanding why Kyoya was saying this now.
Seeing Ichigo's bewildered expression, Kyoya was momentarily taken aback, then smiled.
'Indeed, he was truly [Deaf Ichigo].'
'He simply didn't comprehend what I had just said.'
"Ichigo, what I mean is..."
The next instant, Kyoya's voice sounded right in front of Ichigo, and simultaneously, his palm pressed against Ichigo's chest.
"...when the speed difference between two opponents is too great, concepts like distance become utterly meaningless!"
"The 'safe distance' you perceive will only make you let your guard down and expose greater openings."
"Bakudo #8, Seki!"
Boom-
As Kyoya's words fell, a powerful repulsive force emanated from his palm, blasting Ichigo away.
Even though it was only a low-numbered defensive Bakudo, when released by Kyoya, its power was no less than intermediate Hado released by other Shinigami.
That force sent Ichigo tumbling and rolling across the ground for a good distance. Finally, after rolling a few more times, Ichigo barely managed to stabilize himself, propping up his upper body and looking up at Kyoya, his eyes filled with shock.
However, Ichigo's mood soon calmed down.
If Kyoya were an enemy, he naturally wouldn't give up so easily.
But now, it was clear that Kyoya was on his side. With a powerful ally like Kyoya, Ichigo couldn't imagine failing to rescue Miyako.
"So, Kyoya-senpai, if I encounter an enemy of this level, what should I do?"
Getting up from the ground, Ichigo asked Kyoya.
If he encountered one, he at least needed to know how to struggle.
He hadn't forgotten that when Kyoya introduced himself earlier, he said that within the Gotei 13, only one or two could compare to him.
"Abandon conscious thought. Entrust everything to 'instinct'."
Facing Ichigo's question, Kyoya didn't brush him off. Instead, he answered Ichigo with unusual seriousness.
"Ichigo, I don't know if you've realized this, but actually, your combat instincts are stronger than you imagine."
"If you encounter a powerful enemy, your 'instincts' can utilize your power more effectively."
"Of course, being 'instinct', it naturally means doing whatever it takes to survive, regardless of the cost."
"This point, you cannot achieve consciously right now."
"And to be able to voluntarily control that 'cost', you must possess stronger mental fortitude yourself, to master these 'instincts' and completely make them your own to use."