Near the Repentance Palace in Seireitei.
The so-called Repentance Palace was actually a prison, where convicts stayed before execution. Its pure white structure did not give a sense of peace—only an oppressive weight that made one's chest tighten.
It was built entirely from Sekkiseki, a material that sealed away reiryoku. Even a captain-level shinigami would struggle to escape.
Normally, few ever approached.
But today, two uninvited guests clashed nearby—Kurosaki Ichigo and Zaraki Kenpachi.
The two hacked at each other wildly, both drenched in blood, their reiryoku flaring higher and higher.
From as far as the Third Division, two massive reiatsu pillars could be seen—one blue, one gold—like two beasts tearing at each other in the air.
"Hahaha, Ichigo, you made me fight this hard—I'll remember your name!" Zaraki roared with laughter.
At first, he hadn't expected much from the boy, who seemed foolish at a glance. But in battle, Ichigo proved tougher than a cockroach, unleashing shocking power again and again.
"Who cares if you remember…" Ichigo gritted his teeth, swaying but bursting with even greater reiryoku.
Atop the Repentance Palace, Cole sat cross-legged on the Sekkiseki, hand propping his cheek, watching with interest.
"This is dozens of times better than the original!"
In the original story, Ichigo hadn't grown yet, and Kenpachi instinctively suppressed his strength. Their battle had been nothing more than beasts clashing.
Now both were far stronger, their clash fiercer, with even kendo mixed in.
Soi Fong frowned.
"Your friend is that injured, and you still won't save him? What if Kenpachi kills him?"
Cole curled his lip.
"Ever seen a cheat protagonist get killed by a side character?"
Of the big three shounen, Bleach's Ichigo had the most cheats—even Naruto with the Nine-Tails couldn't compare.
If Ichigo was truly in danger, Hollow Ichigo, the Vizard power, even Quincy abilities would awaken.
Stretching lazily, Cole patted Yachiru Kusajishi's pink head as she munched candy.
"Besides, letting them fight has its benefits, right, Yachiru?"
She nodded eagerly.
"Yup! Ken-chan loves fighting. I haven't seen him this happy in ages. He must really like Ichi-chan!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Below, the two monsters shredded everything—buildings, trees, even the Repentance Palace's walls cracked under their ferocity.
"Ahahaha!" Zaraki roared, swinging his broken zanpakuto like a beast.
"What's wrong? Giving out already!?"
Ichigo's body was covered in wounds, blood dyeing the ground red.
Cole narrowed his eyes, golden staff appearing in hand, ready to intervene.
Just as Ichigo's eyes dimmed and he collapsed forward—
A black-red reiryoku erupted from him.
Evil, violent, greedy, dark—every wicked thought in existence condensed.
"Graaah!!!"
A shrill, mad laugh split the air.
Ichigo's staggering body snapped upright again.
"Ahahaha! Shinigami, you're enjoying this fight, aren't you? Then I'll join in too!"
His eyes gleamed gold, a red-and-white mask covering half his face, with white substance forming across it.
Defiant, arrogant, overwhelming—this Hollow form radiated ten times the pressure of before.
Even his stance changed. No longer gripping Zangetsu with both hands, he clutched the end of its long white cloth wrap, swinging the massive blade freely.
White arcs slashed around him—wild and dominating.
Kenpachi's grin widened.
"Hahaha! Don't know what happened to you, but you can still fight me, right?"
Blood flashed.
Kenpachi looked down to find another deep wound carved into his chest, blood spraying out.
"Hahahaha! That's all you've got? Was I really that weak before? Hahahaha!" Ichigo's deranged laughter echoed.
Swinging Zangetsu by its cloth increased both reach and speed.
Kenpachi ignored his injury, laughing too, and charged again.
"Hollow power…" Soi Fong's eyes hardened, drawing her blade, flash-stepping forward.
"Wait, Soi Fong!"
"Captain, you can't!"
Cole and Yachiru leapt together, one on each leg, clinging tight.
Her face darkened, twitching as she looked down.
"Cole is one thing, but Yachiru, why are you stopping me too!?"
She had tolerated their fight because of the group's delicate situation. But Hollow power was forbidden by Central 46—such abominations had to be eradicated.
Yachiru said seriously:
"Captain, Ken-chan is super happy right now. If you interfere, he'll cut you too."
Cole nodded.
"And Ichigo as well. They might even team up on you."
"You think I'd fear them!?" Soi Fong snapped.
Cole shrugged.
"Maybe not. But you've met Shinji and the others before, right? Their Hollowfication was fishy too. With Aizen's betrayal, doesn't it prove there was more to it? Maybe think before swinging."
That gave her pause.
Yachiru quickly pulled out candy.
"Here, Captain! Konpeitō! Don't interrupt, okay?"
Soi Fong hesitated, then finally sheathed her blade with a snort.
"Fine… but let go of me already!!!"
Cole coughed, releasing her thigh, while Yachiru clung cheerfully to her ankle.
Cole tilted his head, eyeing Yoruichi.
"Why aren't you surprised?"
The black cat flicked her paw.
"What's there to be shocked about? Everyone's body is different. I knew this kid carried Hollow power long before he was born. It's just manifesting now. Nothing rare. There are at least eight like him in the Human World."
Then she eyed Cole and Soi Fong oddly.
"When did you two get so close?"
Soi Fong flushed and glared at Cole.
"Who's close with this brat!?"
Cole looked wounded.
"I thought we were! I gave you so many gifts…"
Yoruichi's ears perked.
"What gifts?"
"Just your—mmmph!"
Soi Fong lunged, clapping a hand over his mouth before he could finish.
If Yoruichi found out, she'd never speak to her again.
Yoruichi chuckled.
"You two get along better than I thought. Who'd guess sworn enemies could be friends?"
…
Meanwhile, below, Ichigo's Hollow form overwhelmed Kenpachi, wounds piling up.
Yachiru pouted.
"Ken-chan's losing again."
Cole shook his head.
"Not necessarily. Both are cheats. Depends who hacks harder. Maybe Kenpachi will explode with power yet… hey, don't tear my clothes!"
With a final slash, Ichigo roared.
"Getsuga—"
"Shut up and get back!!!"
Suddenly Ichigo himself screamed, clawing at his mask, trying to rip it off.
"Why!? I was about to win! Don't you want to beat him!? He was going to kill you! I came to protect you!"
"Shut up! This is my fight, not yours! Get out!"
"You idiot! Without me, you'll die!"
"Then let me die! This is my body—you're not allowed to control it!"
"You fool! Just one more minute and I'd kill him!"
"I don't need you!"
Two voices clashed inside him, Hollow Ichigo and Ichigo himself locked in a tug of war.
Soi Fong froze at the sight.
"What is this!?"
Cole scratched his chin.
"Looks like… a big case of split personality."
All shinigami had zanpakuto spirits in their inner world. Ichigo's just happened to have two—Zangetsu and Hollow Ichigo. Add one more and they could play mahjong.
Finally, with a roar, Ichigo ripped the mask off. His reiatsu returned to blue.
Panting, he leveled Zangetsu at Kenpachi.
"Now it's just me and you."
Kenpachi bled heavily but grinned.
"Without that thing, you sure you can beat me?"
"Of course!"
Ichigo charged, clashing once more.
Steel clanged violently.
Both cut deep into each other, blood spraying, until at last they collapsed together.
Soi Fong murmured, "A double knockout."
Yoruichi nodded.
"They fought to a draw."
Cole smirked.
"That's all you see? Their reiatsu grew at least thirty percent before they fell."
The two women blinked, realizing he was right. Their strength had visibly surged mid-battle. Ichigo especially had grown nearly fifty percent stronger after removing the mask.
Soi Fong understood.
"So that's why you didn't interfere?"
Cole leapt down, grabbing Ichigo while Yachiru scooped up Kenpachi. Together they headed back toward the Second Division.
"Yeah," Cole said calmly.
"Ichigo doesn't need saving. He's the kind who grows in the jaws of death. Crisis is just seasoning for his growth."
The world of the shinigami was full of crises. He couldn't protect Ichigo forever. Especially when the Wandenreich invaded, filled with monsters beyond belief.
Even he wasn't certain of victory.
If Ichigo couldn't grow stronger now, he wouldn't even have the right to protect himself when that time came.
(End of Chapter)
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