"Bankai? You're saying that's bankai?" Byakuya looked at the Zanpakutō in Ichigo's hand with a mixture of disbelief and amusement.
"Don't be so arrogant! Every captain's bankai is an enormous, overwhelming presence! How could there be a bankai that small? Are you trampling on the pride of all Shinigami?!"
For the first time, Byakuya was actually angry.
Yamamoto Genryūsai: Yep, it's me again. Don't mind me, just strolling through.
Seeing Byakuya's furious expression, Ichigo didn't say much. He simply used shunpo to appear right in front of Byakuya, moving so fast that Byakuya couldn't react at all—and then he pressed the blade of his Zanpakutō to Byakuya's neck!
The chill of the blade snapped Byakuya's mind into perfect clarity.
Such incredible speed—even the legendary Flash Goddess Yoruichi might not be faster than Ichigo now!
Yoruichi: Excuse me? I'm not even dead yet. What do you mean "legendary" Flash Goddess?
But under Byakuya's confused gaze, Ichigo pulled his blade back and leisurely retreated to a safe distance, looking relaxed.
"Don't get the wrong idea. I just wanted you to lose fair and square."
Ichigo's nonchalant tone only made Byakuya even more furious.
"I'll show you—that was your only chance to win!"
Ichigo didn't really care. After all, Byakuya was Rukia's brother. If he accidentally killed him with a single blow, how would he explain that to her?
He couldn't exactly say, "Sorry, your brother was too weak—I couldn't hold back in time."
Byakuya understood that even if Ichigo's bankai looked small, its speed was real.
So he immediately dropped his defensive posture and fully commanded all his Senbonzakura petals to attack!
Ichigo completely ignored the incoming blades, weaving effortlessly between them without even letting them touch the hem of his robes!
"How is he this fast?!"
Byakuya was stunned, but his plan wasn't just mindless barrage—he had already prepared a trap for Ichigo!
"Got you!"
With a shout, the cherry blossoms surrounded Ichigo from every direction. Clearly, this time, Ichigo had nowhere to run!
"You're mistaken about something, Byakuya," Ichigo said calmly, looking at the petals closing in.
"I wasn't dodging because I feared your attacks. I just dodge because it's easier for me."
As he spoke, he swung Tensa Zangetsu at high speed with a motion Byakuya couldn't even comprehend!
In an instant, the perfect encirclement of Senbonzakura was shattered completely!
"Impossible!"
Byakuya stared in disbelief.
But Ichigo didn't give him time to think—he flashed behind Byakuya in a heartbeat.
And yet Byakuya smiled.
"This time, I've really got you!"
From beneath Byakuya's feet, more cherry blossoms burst forth!
So it turned out—while Byakuya looked like he had committed all his petals to battle, he had kept a portion hidden!
"With your speed, did you think I'd leave myself completely exposed?"
After all, Ichigo hadn't taken a single hit so far. Byakuya had been on the losing end of every exchange.
As the petals surged up at him, Ichigo didn't seem the least bit surprised.
The black spiritual pressure from Tensa Zangetsu surged once more.
And in Byakuya's shocked gaze, Ichigo shouted—
"Getsuga Tenshō!"
A storm of black spiritual energy completely obliterated the rising petals!
The powerful slash struck Byakuya directly, sending him flying!
From his left shoulder to his right side, a deep wound split his body open!
Ichigo looked at the staggering Byakuya, slipped his finger into the chain at the end of Tensa Zangetsu, and began spinning the blade.
"You seem to have forgotten the ability of my Zanpakutō," Ichigo mocked.
Only then did Byakuya realize it.
"You lured me! You used the speed boost from your bankai to make me wary of your movement, causing me to subconsciously forget the true ability of your Zanpakutō!"
He looked at Ichigo, somewhat impressed.
"The reason your Zanpakutō became so small is to fit your high-speed combat style. It's small because your spiritual pressure is condensed so tightly."
"Though you sacrificed raw power, it gave you incredible speed. And how do you compensate for that lost power? With Getsuga Tenshō!"
"I have to admit, your Zanpakutō is truly exceptional."
Ichigo was surprised to hear Byakuya being so talkative. He shook his head helplessly.
"Alright, I don't have time to keep dragging this out. You're seriously injured. Let's settle this with one final strike."
Byakuya looked at him and nodded. Gritting through the pain, he raised his right hand, and Senbonzakura reformed into its sealed state in his hand.
"In that case, I'll use the final form of my Zanpakutō—"
"Shūkei: Hakuteiken!"
As he spoke, countless cherry blossoms gathered around him, forming massive white wings behind and around his body!
His spiritual pressure even rose a notch higher!
Ichigo admired the transformation and said, "An incredible ability. An incredible Zanpakutō. I don't have a form like that—I can only pour all of my spiritual pressure into my blade."
As he spoke, black spiritual pressure erupted uncontrollably from Tensa Zangetsu.
"Come, Kuchiki Byakuya!"
Ichigo gripped his blade with both hands and brought it crashing down toward Byakuya!
Byakuya likewise swung his own Zanpakutō directly at Ichigo!
BOOM!
The clash of spiritual energy caused a part of Sōkyoku Hill to collapse!
In the end, Byakuya's white energy shattered like paper against Ichigo's black energy!
The two passed by each other.
A deep gash opened across Ichigo's shoulder!
Splurt!
Blood sprayed out!
Ichigo ignored the wound and turned back to look at Byakuya, praising him,
"That was a powerful technique. If you can train your Zanpakutō to maintain that form permanently, you'd be nearly unbeatable."
Byakuya froze for a moment.
The wound on his chest was gushing blood. The only reason he wasn't more injured was because Ichigo had held back—once he shattered Senbonzakura, he didn't follow up.
"Maintaining that form permanently…?"
(End of Chapter)
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