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Boom!!!
On the screen, Kurosaki Ichigo's figure flashed into existence right beneath the Hell Guard's massive chest.
Facing a monster as solid as a mountain, one that Renji and Rukia hadn't even managed to scratch, a savage red glint flickered in Ichigo's eyes.
"Bankai!"
Black and crimson spiritual pressure exploded skyward. The sheer force of it made the surrounding space crack and fracture.
Tensa Zangetsu!
The huge cleaver-like blade in his hand compressed into a slender black katana. But just as Ichigo was about to swing—
Something went wrong.
Gurgle…
A white substance suddenly surged out from his face, writhing as if alive. In the blink of an eye, it covered half his face, forming a grotesque white bone mask.
"What… my body… it's not listening to me?!"
Ichigo roared in shock, but it was already too late. His sword wouldn't stop. The spiritual pressure he'd been carefully controlling turned into a powder keg and detonated all at once.
"Getsuga… Tenshō!!!"
This time, it wasn't a simple black slash.
The attack was dyed in a despairing dark red, infused with the madness and destructive aura unique to Hollows. It swelled dozens of times larger in an instant.
Ruuuumble!!!
A colossal black-and-red pillar of light shot into the sky, swallowing the enormous Hell Guard whole. A second later, it exploded outward, forming a gigantic skull-shaped mushroom cloud. The shockwave obliterated the floating lotus structures and bone roads around it.
One strike.
Instant kill.
…
Across countless worlds, silence fell.
The World of the Living.
"That's… me?"
Ichigo stared at the masked, ominous version of himself on the screen, his pupils shrinking. "That mask… Hollowfication? But I can only hold it for a few seconds right now. There's no way I could unleash something like that…"
"That spiritual pressure is terrifying…" Ishida Uryu's hand trembled as he pushed up his glasses. "Future Kurosaki… did he really become something like that? That power feels like a completely berserk beast."
At school—
"You've gotta be kidding me…" Asano Keigo collapsed onto the floor. "That's Kurosaki? That orange-haired delinquent? He's really a Soul Reaper who protects the world?"
Arisawa Tatsuki clenched her fists, worry filling her eyes. "Ichigo… just how much are you carrying on your shoulders?"
Hueco Mundo, Las Noches.
"Oh?"
Aizen Sōsuke watched the mushroom cloud on the screen, a sharp gleam flashing in his eyes. "So the miasma of Hell forcibly awakened the Hollow within him. And that level of destruction… Ulquiorra, what do you think?"
Ulquiorra, the Fourth Espada, remained expressionless, though a faint ripple passed through his emerald eyes. "The density and ferocity of that spiritual pressure surpass a normal Espada. If this is his future baseline… he is indeed a threat."
The Fate world.
"Is that… a Noble Phantasm?"
Emiya Shirō broke into a cold sweat as he looked at the devastation. "That slash is on par with a fully released Excalibur!"
The Dragon Ball world.
"Tch, another boring transformation," Frieza snorted. "Just recoloring your energy. That level of destruction wouldn't do more than tickle me."
…
Back in the video, the dust settled.
The Hell Guard was gone without a trace.
Ichigo knelt on one knee, gasping for breath. He reached up and ripped the mask off his face.
"Hah… hah…"
Fear lingered in his eyes. "What the hell was that just now? My body… it moved on its own."
"It's the miasma."
Kokutō walked over, completely unharmed, that mysterious smile still on his face. "The air in Hell is saturated with condensed resentment. For living beings with great power, it's the most dangerous kind of catalyst."
"It awakens the instincts buried inside you and tempts you to fall." He pointed at Ichigo. "What you saw just now was your 'instinct' running wild. Lose control, and you'll quickly turn into nothing but a killing machine."
As he spoke, Kokutō's expression sharpened, as if he sensed something.
"Move! More guards are coming!"
He took off down a passage ahead of them.
Ichigo and the others hesitated, but they had no choice except to follow.
Ishida Uryu ran at the rear, his expression grim. He glanced at Ichigo's back and muttered to Renji beside him, "Abarai, this is bad. If Hell's environment forces Kurosaki into Hollowfication… then every second here is torture for him. If he completely loses control, we might end up facing something far worse than a Hell Guard."
Renji grit his teeth. "I know. But right now, we've gotta trust Ichigo."
…
The scene shifted.
After passing through layers of fog and corridors of bone, they reached the next level of Hell.
The scenery changed completely.
The sky was a lifeless gray. Below lay a deep, ocean-like blue abyss. Massive white lotus flowers floated in the air, and deep beneath them rested a skeleton as vast as a mountain range, radiating an ancient, mournful presence.
"This place…" Rukia whispered, stunned.
"Forget where this is!"
Ichigo suddenly lunged in front of Kokutō and grabbed him by the collar. His eyes burned red, spiritual pressure leaking out again with his rage.
"Kokutō! You promised me!"
"Tell me… where is Yuzu?!"
Boom!!!
The moment that name was shouted, the real world exploded into chaos.
The Kurosaki household.
"Yu… Yuzu?"
Kurosaki Yuzu froze in front of the TV, her chips spilling all over the floor. She stared blankly at her furious brother on the screen. "Big brother is looking for me? I'm… in Hell? Huh? Huhhh?!"
"Yuzu!" Karin grabbed her sister, eyes filled with terror. "Why would Yuzu be in Hell? Don't tell me… in the future, Yuzu died? And even fell into Hell?"
Karakura General Hospital.
Boom!
A terrifying wave of spiritual pressure erupted from the director's office.
Kurosaki Isshin stared at the screen. The goofy dad persona vanished completely, replaced by the icy killing intent of the former Tenth Division captain.
"If anyone in Hell dares lay a hand on my daughter…"
"I don't care if you're the will of Hell or some damned sinner…"
"I'll wipe the whole place off the map!"
…
In the video, faced with Ichigo's fury, Kokutō calmly pointed downward.
"She's below."
"In the deepest part. Purgatory."
Before Ichigo could move—
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Three black shadows shot up from the lotus flowers below, blocking their path.
Three figures in black cloaks.
They slowly pulled the cloaks aside, revealing their true forms.
One was obese, his face packed with folds of flesh, gripping a massive spiked club. Taijin.
One was tall and gaunt, his arms replaced by two living, writhing tentacles. Gunsei.
The last was a broad, powerfully built man with green hair and vicious eyes. Ryokugai.
"Well, well. More living ones coming down?" Taijin licked his lips as he stared at Ichigo and the others, like they were a feast. "And Soul Reapers with such delicious spiritual pressure… this is perfect."
"Kokutō," Ryokugai sneered, "did you bring us some new 'toys' again?"
"....."