"How..."
Ichigo stood there dazed, forgetting even to move, as he stared blankly at the woman before him.
His Heilig Pfeil, fired while in his Letzt Stil state, should have been a direct hit.
True, since a significant portion of his current power had already been exhausted, it was possible for her to survive even a direct hit.
But he never imagined she would be standing there so perfectly fine, completely unscathed.
The bizarre, manta ray-like creature floating behind her back was slowly fading away.
"...Did you transfer the damage to that ray?"
At Ichigo's question, Unohana shook her head.
"I didn't transfer it; I was healed by it."
As she spoke, she tilted her head slightly and fixed her gaze on Ichigo.
"Soon..."
Just as Unohana raised her Zanpakuto, Minazuki—which was dripping with viscous, dark-red blood—to say something.
Ichigo didn't wait for her to finish. He immediately used Hirenkyaku to lunge forward in an instant, swinging his blade at her.
—Slash!
"...Hooh."
Unohana failed to react in time, and a large wound was carved across her chest.
He had successfully landed a critical blow on her, yet she seemed entirely unbothered.
In fact, she seemed to be savoring the pain as if it were a sweet candy.
'To think such a magnificent child was hidden away...'
Her eyes became glazed with a sense of ecstasy.
Sensing that Ichigo had sacrificed all his strength to reach his current state, her expression slowly hardened.
The killing intent swirling in her eyes was that of a pure murderer.
"...Before that power vanishes, let us enjoy this to the fullest."
Muttering those words, she swung her sword with the speed of a flash toward the waist of Ichigo, who was attempting a follow-up strike.
"...!"
Ichigo immediately twisted his torso to evade the slash, and at the same time, he pulled an invisible thread in the air.
—Snap!
The forms of Heilig Bogens that had been surrounding Unohana from all directions were revealed as they were pulled tight, unleashing a barrage of Heilig Pfeils toward her.
Thanks to Letzt Stil, Ichigo had already reached a level where he could perfectly manipulate the surrounding Reishi.
Unohana deflected the arrows as if performing a sword dance.
Explosions tore at her limbs and scorched her skin, but her charge did not falter for even a tenth of a second.
'What? Does she not care at all about getting hurt?'
Ichigo gasped in shock. He tried to step back to evade her charge, but instead, he lunged toward her just as she did, swinging his sword.
—Clang!
Their blades collided. Ichigo continued to coat his sword with Reishi, attempting to overpower Unohana.
At that moment, a cold dagger suddenly appeared in Unohana's left hand, swinging toward Ichigo's abdomen.
Ichigo instantly manifested a Spirit Weapon in his own left hand to block the dagger before parrying it away.
—Ching!
"..!"
Unohana's pupils dilated.
Ichigo's reaction speed was even faster than she had anticipated.
Immediately after, Ichigo's sword danced, carving into her body.
Blood splattered and flesh was rent as searing pain enveloped her entire body.
She panted heavily, unable to suppress the smile spreading across her lips.
Ah, what bliss. She wished this battle would never end.
However, Ichigo's time was gradually running out.
.
.
.
"Do you wish to live, my Schutzstaffel?"
.
.
.
Ichigo swung his sword, aiming for the opening at the gasping Unohana's neck.
'I've got her!'
In that moment, as Ichigo felt certain of victory with a trajectory that would perfectly sever her head, an unpleasant sensation of exhaustion washed over him as his spiritual power drained away.
"Ugh..!"
The moment the tip of Ichigo's sword wavered, Unohana lowered her body, letting the blade slide past, before diving into Ichigo's defenseless chest.
—Thuck!!
"Cough...!"
Despite having Blut activated, her sword tore through his weakened defense and slashed deep into his chest.
Ichigo stumbled back, staring at his shredded uniform.
"Damn it, already..."
"It seems you are finished. Your time is up."
Unohana's voice, tinged with regret, whispered in his ear.
The next moment, she vanished.
No, his entire body was being carved apart at a speed his eyes could no longer follow.
—Spurt!
His whole body was slashed, and sprays of blood scattered into the air.
Ichigo collapsed to the ground.
Whether it was because his strength had left him or because his spiritual power was completely depleted, he couldn't tell.
His vision blurred until he couldn't even distinguish her silhouette.
"Haa... haa...."
"...Farewell, nameless Quincy."
She raised her sword as if granting a final mercy.
His white uniform was already soaked red, having lost its original color.
There was no strength left in his legs at all.
'…So this is how I die.'
In the moment death's shadow loomed over him.
He thought he had no regrets.
He felt he had sufficiently upheld the pride of a Quincy.
As his fingers scraped weakly against the ground, they touched the cold sensation of metal.
A nameless Zanpakuto, dropped by a dead Soul Reaper.
The moment he saw that sword, his head began to throb and ring incessantly.
It was as if the sword were screaming at him to grab it.
'...I'm going to die soon anyway.'
Ichigo stared blankly at the Zanpakuto before reaching out his hand.
The Soul Reaper power latent within him...
Now that his Quincy power had vanished, leaving him empty, perhaps he could finally sense it.
It didn't matter if he failed to obtain Soul Reaper powers.
He formed a plan to use this sword to launch a surprise attack on the Yachiru before him.
He knew it wouldn't work at all, but it was better than just lying there and dying.
"Goodbye."
Unohana's sorrowful voice echoed hollowly.
The moment her Zanpakuto flew toward the space between Ichigo's eyes.
And the moment Ichigo's hand gripped the hilt of the nameless Zanpakuto.
His vision went pitch black.
.
.
.
"...Where am I?"
When Ichigo opened his eyes, a bizarre landscape stretched out before him.
A forest of buildings extending endlessly toward the horizon.
But all those buildings were tilted at 90 degrees, lying on their sides as if defying gravity.
Of course, Ichigo, who had no idea what an apartment building was, looked around in confusion as he felt his own body.
The Zanpakuto he had been holding was nowhere to be seen.
"The wounds..."
They were all healed.
The limbs that had been carved apart, the massive sword wound on his chest.
His spiritual power was still at zero, but the pain from moments ago had vanished completely like a fading twilight.
"...Did I die?"
He was dead.
There was no doubt he had died the moment he grabbed the Soul Reaper's sword.
Was this his punishment for failing to remain a Quincy until the very end?
Ichigo closed his eyes with a smile that was both bitter and relieved.
It was for the better.
At least it didn't hurt anymore.
"Yes, I am dead—"
"You are not dead yet, Ichigo."
"...!"
Startled by the familiar yet much deeper, more dignified voice coming from behind him, Ichigo whipped around.
Standing there was the blurred figure of the Emperor.
Yhwach stood tall.
"I finally face you."
"....Your Majesty? Why are you..."
Ichigo looked at the blurred figure in confusion.
If he wasn't dead, then where on earth was this place?
As Ichigo watched the man—who might or might not be Yhwach—with wariness, the man smirked and spoke.
"This is your inner world, Ichigo. I have waited a long time to meet you."
"...Inner world..."
Ichigo muttered blankly.
An inner world? To think such a strange space existed inside him.
Still unable to lose his wariness, Ichigo asked in a trembling voice.
"Who... are you?"
At those words, the man, unable to wipe the smile from his lips, shouted toward Ichigo.
"What are you talking about? It is I, Yhwach!"
"...!"
His Majesty?
The man standing before him?
If that were true, there were more than a few suspicious points.
Why did the man's body look so blurred?
His voice was also somehow different from the Majesty he knew, and the tattered black coat fluttering behind him looked far too ragged for an Emperor.
The tone of his voice, his way of speaking, the atmosphere.
Everything was different.
"....Do you not believe, or do you simply not wish to believe?"
The man, who had muttered as if lamenting, suddenly turned serious and asked Ichigo.
"Why did you accept death?"
"...What?"
"I am asking why you wore such a relieved smile after deciding this place was the afterlife."
Stunned by the sudden question, Ichigo paused for a moment before speaking slowly.
"That's because... I did everything I could before I went. I defeated one Captain, and I died after stalling another. Wouldn't you say... I acted in a way worthy of Quincy pride?"
"Quincy pride, you say."
The man, who had been quietly listening to Ichigo's statement, nodded with a much lighter heart.
"No wonder your mental state was so rotten; that was the problem."
"...What???"
Ichigo was flabbergasted by the sudden insult to Quincy pride, but the man ignored his reaction and continued.
"The Ichigo I know wouldn't think something as trivial as 'I did enough.'"
"..."
Ichigo stared at the man, momentarily lost for words.
"Ichigo is not one to be swayed by rules of pride created by others. He is one who walks the path for everyone, a path he has forged himself. That is the Ichigo I know."
"...Just what are you trying to say?"
Ichigo snapped sharply at the man who spoke of him so casually.
The man looked quietly at Ichigo, who was using the formal 'you,' before opening his mouth.
"Zangetsu. Call me Zangetsu."
"...Zangetsu?"
It was a familiar name that somehow felt right on his tongue.
As Ichigo felt an inexplicable emotion, Zangetsu asked him.
"Do you truly have no desire to live longer?"
"...If you put it that way, it's a different story. Of course I want to live. There are still many things I haven't been able to do for His Majesty."
When Ichigo shook his head and spoke as if it were obvious, Zangetsu placed a hand on his forehead and sighed.
"I will tell you one fact you might find interesting."
"...What is it all of a sudden? I'll listen."
Ichigo stood crookedly with his arms crossed.
Zangetsu paused for effect, anticipating Ichigo's reaction, before whispering softly.
"One thousand years from now, a being perfectly identical to you will be born."
"....What? What... are you talking about?"
Ichigo's expression instantly turned blank.
A being identical to him would be born?
Reincarnation? A doppelganger?
Ichigo shouted at the silent Zangetsu.
"I asked what that means!!"
"I can teach you no more this time, Ichigo."
As Ichigo shouted while feeling inexplicable emotions, Zangetsu answered calmly before pulling something massive from behind his back.
It was a grey-colored greatsword that looked like a giant kitchen knife.
"This is your Zanpakuto. If you grasp this, you will obtain Soul Reaper powers. Though, of course, you will be unable to use your Quincy powers."
"...!"
He tossed the Zanpakuto lightly. The sword spun high into the air before stabbing into the ground right in front of Ichigo, revealing its hilt to its master.
The crude hilt was vibrating as if waiting for its owner.
"Grasp it, Ichigo. Use the Soul Reaper's power to survive. And seize the future you desire."
"..."
Ichigo hesitated for a moment before looking at Zangetsu.
"....You have to tell me later. What those words meant."
"...Of course."
Zangetsu smirked.
At that moment, Ichigo gripped the hilt of the Zanpakuto.
Instantly, the inner world began to collapse.
Simultaneously, a searing power began to pour into his parched soul like a waterfall.
Not the blue Reishi of a Quincy, but the black and red Reiatsu of a Soul Reaper.
"Remember, Ichigo!! The name of your Zanpakuto is!!"
Zangetsu's shout was etched into his mind.
"Zangetsu (Slaying Moon)——!!!!"
The world turned upside down once more.
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