Chapter 18: The Sword and Bow, the Changing Zangetsu
If one were to ask whether the third Kers wanted to escape...
Previously, it would have been unthinkable, but now... he was genuinely starting to panic.
Less than a kilometer away, that terrifyingly dreadful Reiatsu enveloped him, darkening his vision and causing his mind and body to tremble uncontrollably. To resist this external force, his stamina burned fiercely.
Although his opponents were in a worse state, having received the memories of the second Kers's death, the third Kers now had only one thought: to flee, to escape far away, and not be deceived by that brat's seemingly exhausted appearance!
He had to admit, the third Kers had developed a certain degree of psychological trauma toward Sōma.
"This Reiatsu...!"
If the third Kers could still hold on, Ichigo and the others nearly lost their footing and collapsed, cold sweat streaming uncontrollably, their hands and feet trembling slightly.
"You've got to be kidding me!"
They stared dumbfounded in the direction of the Reiatsu explosion.
There was no mistaking the Reiatsu of their companion, which was precisely why they were so shocked.
This intangible blade, capable of slowly draining life to death, was soon sheathed by its wielder.
In their perception, everything returned to silence.
The other presence, belonging to the Hollow, quickly faded.
Ichigo and the others couldn't help but sigh in relief.
"W-Was that Reiatsu just now Sōma...?"
Yuyu stammered, her face still etched with shock.
"Yeah, if I'm not mistaken, it was his Shikai. There's no other explanation, though I don't know what ability it is. But in any case, he's finished over there."
Ichigo quickly calmed down, his voice firm as he gripped his sword hilt.
Kūkaku also murmured, "I doubt that brat has the strength to support us now. In fact, I hope he doesn't push himself."
But...
Kūkaku frowned as she looked at the bluish-gray dog-headed Menos Grande, feeling a headache coming on.
Its defensive power was too strong.
With such defenses, it was practically invincible from the start. Their only chance was to rely on seamless teamwork to counter it; the slightest carelessness would lead to them being picked off one by one.
"No defense is flawless. There must be a weakness we're unaware of. That brat might know, but there's no chance to ask now."
Just as Kūkaku was considering a strategy, the third Kers suddenly began gathering a Cero in its mouth.
"Ooooooh—!"
Ichigo roared with immense momentum, charging forward to intercept and disrupt the enemy's Cero.
Unexpectedly, Number Three grabbed the blade bare-handed, spun several times to violently fling Ichigo away, then fired a Cero that forced Kūkaku to use "Bakudō #81: Dankū" to protect everyone on their side.
"Hey, kid! You alright?!"
Marechiyo nimbly caught the flung Ichigo, sporting a proud "good thing I'm here" expression.
But Ichigo had no time for gratitude, urgently shouting instead: "Miss Kūkaku! My sword...!"
"I see it!"
Kūkaku glared fiercely at Number Three, gritting her teeth: "This bastard's trying to escape!"
The statement was actually redundant.
Because Number Three had already opened a Garganta right before everyone's eyes.
Clearly, having suffered several major setbacks consecutively, No. Three no longer wished to continue fighting and sought to cut losses by retreating. Hence the feint attack to seize Ichigo's Zanpakutō before leaving.
"We shall meet again. When we do, I will kill two among you to compensate for my losses."
"Maybe tomorrow, maybe a month from now—I'll be watching you like a curse, haunting your every step! Until then, live in fear and trepidation!"
Number Three uttered a venomous vow.
Anyone could tell he meant every word.
"If you dare show up, I'll beat you to a pulp!"
Yuyu dismissed him with contempt.
Rindō remained silent, but his shadowed gaze gleamed with cold intensity.
"Who's scared of you? Ōmaeda-sama isn't someone to mess with... Worst case, I'll just stick with the captain every day."
Marechiyo muttered under his breath.
Kūkaku initially wanted to hurl some threats too, but Ichigo—who had been frantic moments earlier—suddenly stood up, glaring at Number Three with utmost seriousness.
"You think you can commit evil, take lives, and just walk away? Nothing in this world comes that easy! And... I won't let you steal my sword... my power like this!"
Ichigo's soul trembled, resonating with his will.
Then, immense power blurred his vision. Amid the distorted, unreal skyscrapers, a figure clad in a black cloak stood silently.
He wore stylish glasses, his face cold as if tempered through hellfire—unmoved by the living, un grieving for the dead.
Yet, the man's gaze toward Ichigo was filled with profound guilt. His low voice seemed to drift from afar, yet echoed in Ichigo's ears and heart, stirring a dormant power awakening within.
[That's right, Ichigo... Don't retreat. Don't let regret consume you. I've experienced that once already. I refuse to watch you get hurt again, to see you grieve over death. So I won't deny you the power to protect yourself and what you hold dear...]
[Though your power remains far from mature, much of it still belongs to you. All you need is to cast aside fear, advance forward, and call out...]
"—Zangetsu!"
Ichigo's instinctive cry unified the two forces within him in that moment.
As Number Three stepped into the Garganta, he suddenly sensed something and looked down to find the blade in his hand had transformed into a vermilion sword, with a chain extending from its hilt back through the void.
"What is this..."
He instinctively followed the chain to its source, where a black bow was gripped in the orange-haired boy's hand, the chain coiled around his other arm.
"Get back here!"
With a powerful tug, Ichigo yanked the enemy—three times his size—out of the Garganta by surprise.
The chain then erupted in a blinding crimson light, searing Number Three like molten magma.
"GAAAAAH!"
His specially fortified defense proved utterly fragile against this radiance.
As Number Three raised his arms to shield his face, a sharp pain pierced his chest. Another crimson chain-blade had impaled him.
His hardened body proved as useless as when he'd faced Sōma.
The difference was that Sōma had overwhelmed him with pure force.
Ichigo had utilized the Quincy's "arrow" mechanism to eradicate Hollows.
"Ar... Arturo-sama... I haven't yet...!"
Words more bitter than tears became his final utterance.
Number Three's body crumbled into nothingness from the point of impact.
Thus concluded a battle that never existed in history.
"Haa—"
Ichigo let out a long breath.
"What a flashy Shikai."
Before anyone could voice their amazement, a voice suddenly rang out.
The vigilance lasted only a moment.
The newcomer was Sōma.
"What are you talking about? It's clearly both practical and cool-looking."
Ichigo retorted in dissatisfaction before pursing his lips. "Meanwhile, your Reiatsu has grown abnormally. Anyone can tell you used some dangerous technique. And you still have the leisure to joke around? You should just lie down and rest properly."
"You know me—my recovery has always been strong. This level of exhaustion will be fine after a night's sleep."
Sōma said it lightly.
The Compound Potion could be used twice daily, restoring a small amount of Reiatsu and stamina. With this, it was impossible for him to remain weakened for long.
"Glad you're okay!"
Kūkaku patted Sōma's shoulder and gave Ichigo an approving glance.
"I never expected you two to steal the spotlight this time, but being safe and sound is what matters most."
"I'm so jealous you've already mastered Shikai. Who knows how long I'll have to wait? Damn it, can't you step up your game!"
Watching Yuyu muttering complaints at her Zanpakutō, Ichigo didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"Hey, no rush. These things depend on luck. Honestly, I'm just as confused—I have no idea what happened, I just used it instinctively... By the way, how do I undo this?"
"Idiot, didn't you just say it yourself? Go by instinct."
Marechiyo retorted.
"Shut up! This is my first time using Shikai, how would I know all this? Uh, anyway, it should be like this, right... Huh?"
Ichigo tried to revert his Zanpakutō to its original state. It changed, but not back into an Asauchi—instead, the black longbow transformed into a shark-cleaver greatsword nearly as tall as a person.
He was utterly dumbfounded.
He completely failed to understand why this happened.
Not only was Ichigo baffled, but even the experienced Kūkaku and Marechiyo were stunned.
Yuyu and Rindō had even less experience and could only stare in shock.
Among those present, only Sōma understood what was happening.
"It seems your Shikai has another blade form. Since you mastered it hastily, combined with the unique nature of your Shikai, you'll need to proficiently control both forms before you can revert it to an Asauchi."
"Two forms? A switchable Shikai? I've never seen this type before. But a blade for close combat and a bow for long range—they strangely complement each other. Pity they aren't separate, or this would be the third pair in Soul Society."
Kūkaku mused, stroking her chin.
Of course, it couldn't be "twin blades."
Sōma shook his head inwardly.
Though he didn't know what Zangetsu was thinking.
Undoubtedly, certain unknown changes had already occurred.
From actively suppressing Ichigo's immature power to prevent him from being drawn into battles and harmed, to now both restraining the unrefined power to prevent loss of control while actively granting him more strength.
Thus, Ichigo possessed two completely different Shikai.
One representing fragmented Hollow and Shinigami power, the other representing fragmented Quincy and Shinigami power.
Compared to the original timeline, it might seem like just an additional Shikai, but it carried profound implications.
After all, Quincies were human, but Ichigo was no longer human.
He would continue living in Soul Society as a Shinigami.
Perhaps this was one reason Zangetsu had chosen to change.
A single path cannot accommodate multiple identities, yet it can bear various forms of power, expanding one's own way forward.
From this perspective, taking a master was indeed the right choice.
Because it aligned perfectly with Aizen's approach.
And it aimed to be even more "surpassing the master."
Sōma's thoughts shifted.
"To awaken Quincy powers so early—I wonder what form my Bankai will take. Could it manifest as two distinct types? Or perhaps…"
Before he could reach a conclusion, an abrupt change occurred.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh—!
Amidst the sounds of tearing air, dozens of masked figures in black appeared, encircling Sōma and the others.
"The Onmitsukidō?"
Kūkaku recognized their identities at a glance.
"Captain? Captain! You've finally arrived! You have no idea how much I've suffered…!"
Ōmaeda, spotting the petite figure hovering mid-air, immediately broke into tearful wails.
"Silence!"
Suì-Fēng's willow-like eyebrows furrowed, her eyes filled with disdain as she glared at him. She then turned her gaze back to Sōma and the others, raising a hand to issue the command.
"Everyone, including Ōmaeda, is to be taken back for interrogation!"