Chapter 79 Who resembles a hollow more?
"Bankai-Refraction between the arcs of the sky, Sky Devourer !''
"Bankai? ! This guy? "
Ichigo was taken aback to learn that his opponent could utilize Bankai, yet he nonetheless swung his Zanpakutō, unleashing a getsuga tenso strike at close proximity.
Boom! !
The burning Black Flame Getsuga tenso slashed through Koral's form, but as the assault neared, Ichigo noticed a distortion around him—trees and the Shinigami before him appeared altered.
Like regular light refracting, it radiated vivid colors, causing everything to seem significantly warped.
Whoosh!
The abrupt shift startled Ichigo, prompting him to retreat ten meters to create some space between himself and Koral
"What? Why are you backing off? Weren't you the one who told me to remain still?
Hehe~"
Koral's taunts didn't provoke Ichigo into recklessness.
He had evidently activated Bankai, yet his Zanpakuto remained unchanged.
'But what was with the bizarre occurrence just now? Was it an illusion? No, that didn't seem right. If it were merely a trick, the surroundings wouldn't have altered accordingly.'
Upon looking up again, Ichigo realized Koral hadn't moved even an inch.
"Are you afraid to attack? You're really cautious; did you catch onto something? Moreover, I must say, that Arrancar mask of yours truly disgusts me! "
Koral suddenly inhaled sharply, releasing a surge of Reiatsu that blossomed from his body, while Ichigo's chaotic black and red Reiatsu shot upward.
As the Zanpakutō in his opponent's hand emitted a brilliant white light, Ichigo felt a jolt of pain in his eye, instinctively shielding himself.
A searing blade lunged toward Ichigo's body.
"Thud—"
Ichigo raised his arm to defend, only to be pierced straight through.
"You bastard! ! "
With black flames enveloping Tensa Zangetsu, Ichigo countered with a slash, causing Koral to stagger back after the cut.
Following a mocking grin, Koral advanced once more.
"Don't get too cocky! ! "
Employing Shunpo, Ichigo appeared behind his opponent and swung his sword. Curiously, at the moment of the strike, the environment warped yet again.
Accompanied by the sound of ripping flesh, another gash appeared on Ichigo's chest.
"What? What is this? "
Clasping at the searing sensation from the wound inflicted by Tensa Zangetsu, he grimaced at the injury.
"How careless, traitor! Can't even wield a sword properly? Truly disappointing! " Koral mocked him once more.
"Are you labeling me a traitor? What distinguishes your appearance from mine at this point? "
Ichigo glared at Koral, his voice beneath the mask strikingly calm.
"What nonsense, I'm not like you. I refuse to stoop to associating with the Arrancara. I simply usurped the hollow's abilities and claimed them for myself. "
Koral experienced no emotional fluctuations due to the transformations occurring in his body. Over the last century, he had battled Menos Grande time and again. After years immersed in these confrontations, both his soul and body had gradually succumbed to the Hollow's influence.
Slowly, he became half-hollow without even realizing it, believing that he was merely siphoning the hollow's power.
Noticing Koral's increasingly frantic demeanor, Ichigo's mask vanished, reverting to his true face.
"Really? I expected you'd look down on someone who shuns hollow's power, yet it appears you're merely a self-righteous person. "
"Since you don't despise a Hollow's strength. "
"Then experience it firsthand! An Hollow's. . . Ultimate power! "
As he uttered those words, a portion of a white skull mask emerged on Ichigo's face, dramatically altering his appearance.
In an instant, an afterimage blurred past Koral, blood erupted from his shoulder, splattering across Koral's face.
"No. . . that's impossible! "
He had no opportunity to activate the power of his Zanpakutō before being swiftly struck by his opponent.
His Zanpakutō, "Skysuck" belongs to the spiritual category. When released, it can restrain an opponent's Reiatsu to prevent it from exceeding his own, controlling the opponent's sight and body.
With Bankai, "Sky devourer " is capable of distorting the opponent's vision and using light refraction to induce hallucinations.
There is only one scenario in which he cannot employ his powers in time: when his opponent's Reiatsu suddenly overwhelms him with an overpowering presence.
"What? Surprised? I'm not that fool Ichigo; time is of the essence, so I won't waste words! "
As White Ichigo's voice echoed, countless sword shadows swirled overhead, leaving Koral with hardly any ability to defend himself, let alone counterattack. . .
With each passing second in their battle, by the fifth second, Koral received a gaping wound to his chest, by the sixth second, his left arm was severed,
and by the seventh second, Tensa Zangetsu impaled Koral's abdomen, yet Ichigo's mask vanished, causing White Ichigo to also dissipate within Ichigo's form.
"Pfft—"
Ichigo extracted his Zanpakutō from Koral's body and quickly retreated. The effects of White Ichigo's strength were clearly taking a toll.
His body began to tremble slightly, and the hand gripping the sword appeared pale and sweaty from exertion.
"Hagaa! ! ! "
Koral coughed up blood, pressing his only remaining right hand against the wound on his abdomen, laughing as his eyes glowed red. Two long horns sprouted from his forehead, and his chin was obscured by the mask.
Soon he yelled loudly as his left arm reformed, the injury on his stomach healed gradually, and a small gap emerged in his throat.
"Traitor! That's the limit of the strength you've borrowed; I've emerged victorious, hahahaha! ! "
Koral continued to chuckle, boasting like a champion.
"Such a shame. . . " Ichigo let out a quiet sigh.
The grin on Koral's face slowly faded, substituted by rage.
"Why? What's with that look? You're about to be defeated by me, you traitor! ! "
Ichigo's sigh seemed to pierce Koral's heart, prompting him to curse immediately.
"You ought to check in the mirror and see your reflection right now."
Ichigo, enduring the agony within his body, pointed his Zanpakuto at Koral and stated, "Between you and me, who resembles a Hollow more? "
"Nonsense! ! "
Koral lost his temper and roared, then a red light began to form in his hand.
****
25+advance chapters at patreon.com/Eatinpieces