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At the entrance to the Gate of Sealing, the Soul Reapers scattered like startled birds. Their figures dissolved into streaks of afterimages, the sharp cracks of shunpo echoing as the dead land was emptied in an instant.
That fleeting heartbeat of chaos gave Ichigo Kurosaki his only chance.
Just as Tōshirō Hitsugaya's killing frost finished forming and the captains prepared to release their Zanpakutō, Ichigo exploded forward, turning into a raging orange gale that slammed straight toward the pitch-black Gate of Sealing.
At last, the Hell Guardian, like a colossal beast waking from slumber, could no longer hold back. Its massive, rotten body began tearing free from the shadows. Just as Ichigo was about to collide head-on with the decayed monster, two white streaks packed with absolute killing intent slashed through the void.
They looked like countless scattered cherry blossom petals.
Slash! Slash!
In the blink of an eye, before the guardian could fully take shape, it was sliced apart like tofu, cleaved and dismembered until nothing remained.
Behind Ichigo stood Byakuya Kuchiki. The proud noble had calmly completed his Shikai, the soft glow of Senbonzakura flickering around him, silently declaring who had delivered that breathtaking strike.
With Byakuya carving a path through blood and bone, nothing stood in Ichigo's way anymore. Like a falling meteor, he howled as he plunged straight into the abyss of Hell.
This time, there was no hesitation. No probing. No cautious descent layer by layer.
He abandoned all restraint, letting gravity and resolve take over. His body dropped in a straight line, recklessly, almost suicidally, drilling toward the very bottom of Hell.
That was where the final battlefield waited. Where fate would end.
The wardens of Hell seemed enraged by this brazen intrusion. Countless withered, rotting arms reached out from the darkness, clawing for the uninvited guest. But Ichigo, charging at full speed, saw only the blazing target ahead. He ignored the ghostly hands completely, letting them grasp at empty air.
In a single instant, heaven and hell were worlds apart.
He broke through every barrier and finally arrived at Hell's last act.
The world of the Hokage.
Konoha Village.
"Yes! That's it! Hit him harder! Don't stop! Beat that ugly bastard flat!"
By the window of a barbecue restaurant, Naruto Uzumaki was practically dancing in his seat, so fired up he looked ready to jump onto the table. That headlong, unstoppable energy felt just like his own.
Even Sasuke Uchiha, usually lost in the shadow of revenge, felt something stir as he watched the burning passion on the screen. A rare glimmer flashed in his eyes, his chest rising and falling slightly.
"He's gonna win this time, right? That black sword guy is ugly as hell. There's no way he won't get knocked down. Right, Shikamaru?"
Ino Yamanaka's voice was sharp, loaded with a girl's unwavering obsession with looks. The Black Blade's mysterious vibe had caught her interest at first, but once his true, hideous appearance was revealed, he became unforgivable in her eyes. It felt like her sense of beauty had been personally betrayed.
"Women are such a pain… always asking questions with obvious answers."
Shikamaru rubbed his forehead, wearing a helpless, crooked smile. If he didn't give an answer she liked, this barbecue was going to be impossible to enjoy.
Only Chōji Akimichi was fully committed to the feast in front of him, cheeks stuffed, completely oblivious to the argument beside him.
Shikamaru sighed and finally gave in. "I think Ichigo's definitely going to win. That reckless, fearless charge of his is exactly like Naruto, that idiot."
Another corner of Konoha. The training grounds.
"Charging alone toward death… for his comrades!"
Might Guy stared at Ichigo diving into Hell, his eyes instantly filling with tears as his emotions boiled over.
"So… so youthful!!!"
He spun around and roared at Rock Lee, who was in the middle of brutal training. "Lee! To celebrate witnessing this blazing fire of youth, we're running one hundred laps around Konoha tonight!"
He flashed a blinding grin and thrust up his thumb, shining with an almost supernatural intensity.
"This is youth, Guy-sensei!!!"
Rock Lee trembled with excitement, baring his own dazzling teeth as tears streamed down his face. He threw himself into Guy's arms, the two hugging tightly.
The sheer level of over-the-top theatrics made Tenten and Neji Hyūga, watching silently from behind, feel physically uncomfortable.
The Land of Iron. The Five Kage Summit.
The leaders of the five great ninja villages had long since abandoned their original agenda. On the screen, Ichigo Kurosaki's explosive power shattered their pride as Kage.
"That young man… Ichigo Kurosaki. He's terrifying," the Tsuchikage said heavily. "If not for the special rules limiting this place called Hell, that Black Blade would've been cut down in a single strike."
"Agreed. This level of combat power is unbelievable," the Mizukage added grimly.
"If it were me, I might not even survive one move from him," the Raikage muttered, forced to acknowledge the harsh truth.
The Supergod Universe.
"A promising seed, but a shame his ceiling is so low. This power is interesting, sure, but at its core, it's nothing more than primitive force from a pre-nuclear civilization."
The high-ranking angel warrior, Yan, watched Ichigo's eruption of strength calmly. She respected his courage and will, but viewed the Shinigami power system with distant detachment.
"A god-level civilization holds an overwhelming generational advantage over a pre-nuclear one."
Beside her, the guardian angel Zhui spoke up. "Even so, their way of using power is surprisingly efficient on a rules-based level. At the very least, wielding a Zanpakutō is far more convenient than mobilizing dark matter computations."
Yan gave a small nod in agreement.
Elsewhere, within the Void realm controlled by Karl.
Laughter exploded through the emptiness. Horrifying, manic, ear-piercing laughter.
"Hahahahaha… Shinigami… hahaha… this is just too interesting!"
Karl floated in midair like a madman. The energy ripples created by his laughter alone were enough to shatter life forms from lower civilizations nearby.
The deepest depths of Hell.
The camera followed Ichigo's rapid descent, locking onto a figure seated atop a massive throne made of bones.
The Black Blade slowly raised his head, a playful chill flashing in his eyes. "Hmph. Delivering yourself right to me, are you?"
He stood up from the enormous skull beneath him.
Thud.
Ichigo landed lightly but firmly on the horrifying pile of bones, Zangetsu clenched in his hand.
"Ichigo! I was just about to come welcome you," the Black Blade said with smug amusement. "Didn't expect you to throw yourself into my arms like this. In such a hurry to avenge Yuzu?"
Ichigo answered coldly, every word firm. "Yuzu has already been saved."
That single sentence shattered the smug mask on the Black Blade's face.
In all his calculations, Kurosaki Yuzu should have died after being trapped in Hell for so long.
"That's great! Yuzu's really okay!" Ichigo outside the screen let out a long breath, relief flooding through him.
"I'm okay… I'm really okay!" Yuzu sobbed with joy, her voice trembling.
The Black Blade's expression darkened. He suppressed his fury. "Unbelievable. If that's the case, why come back at all?"
"I'm here to save my friends," Ichigo replied.
"Save them?" The Black Blade scoffed. "Looks like you still don't understand Hell. They've been bound tight by its chains for a long time now."
He tilted his head, signaling Ichigo to look at the withered, twisted giant tree beside them.
Renji Abarai and Uryū Ishida were bound there by thick chains, unable to move.
But Rukia Kuchiki was nowhere to be seen.
"The men are still more or less intact," the Black Blade said, a cruel curve forming at his lips. "But that short little female Shinigami? By now, she's probably been pierced through by chains, screaming in agony."
Clang!
The Black Blade yanked his massive Zanpakutō out of the ground, cold light flashing as the blade pointed straight at Ichigo.
In front of him, scorching magma suddenly burst from the ground. It writhed and shifted, gradually forming into Rukia Kuchiki's despairing shape, twisting and screaming helplessly within the molten lava.
The world of the Shinigami.
Karakura Town, First High School.
"Rukia!"
"How could this happen? Why did Rukia turn into that? She…"
Everyone was swallowed by terror and crushing guilt.
"....."