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Ichigo frowned slightly at Unohana Yachiryu's words—it really was a pain.
As long as the Sea of Blood existed, she couldn't die. That condition was just too unreasonable. Even someone like Aizen fused with the Hōgyoku or members of Squad Zero would find it hard to completely obliterate that blood sea.
Especially when she didn't want to die—then there was simply no way to kill her.
If she ever did die, it would be because she chose to.
(In the original, Unohana's death felt too rushed. As soon as Kenpachi recovered, it was like she'd completed her mission and just waited to die.)
(Or rather, in her eyes, she should have died the moment she gave up the title of Kenpachi. The ones who came after her never counted as real successors.)
(She only acknowledged one person: Zaraki Kenpachi. So technically, the title of Kenpachi has only been passed between two people. The others? Unohana didn't recognize them.)
(She'd just been waiting for Zaraki to return to the Soul Society and reclaim his name. Then, as per the Kenpachi succession tradition—she could finally die.)
Of course, that was in the original timeline. Now, everything was different.
You can't very well have two people using the title of Kenpachi.
Unohana looked at Ichigo and felt a headache coming on. Her "if the sea doesn't die, I don't die" was already broken as hell...
But the guy in front of her was even more broken.
He gave up on defense entirely—yet no matter how hard you tried, you couldn't kill him!
Like some discount version of Majin Buu—though neither of them had any clue who Majin Buu was.
"This is annoying! Yachiryu, next move—I'll definitely break through you. If you can't block it or if it takes you too long to recover, just admit defeat."
"I don't want to kill you."
As Ichigo spoke, an entirely different kind of spiritual pressure began rising from his body.
Unohana's pupils shrank. "This power… is Hollow!"
Having fought Hollows for so many years, Unohana was intimately familiar with their spiritual signature.
But how could a Shinigami possess Hollow energy?
It defied all logic.
But Ichigo was about to show her—this was logic.
He placed his left hand over his face and said, "Just one move. If I can't beat you, I'll concede."
White spiritual pressure surged over his face, and in the blink of an eye, a white mask appeared.
Strange crimson patterns writhed across the mask, radiating an ominous, unsettling aura.
"This kind of power… how could it exist in the Soul Society?" Unohana stared in disbelief.
This was the greatest shock of all.
She had never imagined a Shinigami could master Hollowfication.
In her time, Hollowfication was a one-way trip. Once a Shinigami turned into a Hollow, there was no turning back.
To possess both powers and remain whole? Impossible.
All previous Hollowfication experiments had failed. No one had survived with their self intact.
Well—until Urahara Kisuke and Aizen Sōsuke, anyway.
Thanks to them, for the first time in Soul Society's history, there were successful cases of maintaining sanity after Hollowfication.
Though… those were special exceptions.
"Yachiryu, I can't maintain this form for long. Let's skip the chatter. Once the battle's over, I'll explain everything to you."
Ichigo spoke in a distorted tone from behind the mask.
Then, before Unohana could react, Ichigo used sonido to appear behind her and knocked her down with a kick.
Black spiritual pressure surged on Tensa Zangetsu—but this time, unlike the usual black-red combo of Getsuga Tenshō, it was pure black.
This wasn't Getsuga Tenshō. It felt more like… a Cero.
If Ichigo had lost his mind, Unohana would've been reduced to blood mist by now.
Fortunately, he still had enough reason left to avoid point-blank bloodbath contact.
"Getsuga… Tenshō."
His voice was calm—but Unohana sensed an overwhelming surge of spiritual energy!
If she didn't dodge, if she took it head-on—there was a real chance she'd die.
Too much!
She had to remind herself—this fight was just to be pleased by Ichigo, not to get herself killed.
Snapping back to reason, Unohana quickly retreated and summoned the Sea of Blood to shield herself from Ichigo's blast.
BOOM!
The explosion of spiritual pressure evaporated more than half the blood sea. Unohana stared blankly at the destruction. If Ichigo had aimed at the Tōzankyō, it would've been obliterated.
Her hair hung loose, and a gash across her chest was visible.
Ichigo couldn't take his eyes off it.
With her healing abilities, Unohana could've mended it easily—but she chose to keep the wound.
Ichigo's mask dispersed. Unohana also withdrew her Bankai, and her intense battle desire cooled.
No one wanted to keep fighting a monster—even if she herself had once been called a monster.
The Tōzankyō disappeared. Unohana stared at Ichigo with complicated feelings. Other than Yamamoto Genryūsai, Ichigo was the strongest Shinigami she'd ever encountered.
Even the original Kenpachi wasn't on this level.
"Yachiryu, you…"
Unohana interrupted, "Just call me Retsu. That name—Yachiryu—it's from the past. Let it stay there."
"…Alright, Retsu-neesan."
Ichigo smiled. His Zanpakutō returned to its sheath.
The two of them sat side by side in the training hall.
"Retsu-neesan, let me tell you about my story…" Ichigo began, but—
"Listen to mine first," Retsu cut in.
She proceeded to tell Ichigo all the important moments of her thousand-year-long life. It took nearly the entire night.
"It was because I met that boy… that I stepped down from being the First Kenpachi. I knew I lost that fight. And if I lost, I didn't deserve the title."
"So I changed my name, changed divisions, became who I am now."
Retsu didn't braid her hair this time—it still flowed freely behind her. But she looked far more serene now.
Ichigo couldn't help but reach out and gently touch the wound on her chest.
"Does it still hurt?" he asked.
"No. I left it there to remind myself—I'm already dead. Just waiting for the real Kenpachi to come take back the title."
Her words made Ichigo's heart ache.
"…Hey, what are you doing?" Retsu suddenly felt her chest grow warm. The scar was gone—he'd healed it, leaving only smooth skin.
Ichigo looked into her eyes and said, "Since you've moved on from that name, then let everything else go too. If that boy wants the title of Kenpachi back—he can come to me. I'm the one who truly defeated you."
Retsu burst into laughter—genuine, joyful laughter. She hadn't smiled like that in centuries.
"You're so gentle, Ichigo," she whispered.
He had inherited his mother's warmth—like a small sun, radiating endless light and heat.
That warmth dispelled all the darkness in Retsu's heart. She knew now: the next time she raised her blade, it would be for a different reason.
And with her heart unburdened, her reiatsu actually rose dramatically!
As expected of a Shinigami—the power of the heart could shake the heavens!
Retsu stared at her hand in disbelief. "Ichigo… I think I just got a lot stronger."
Ichigo held her hand silently.
They leaned against each other—forgetting time, forgetting worries.
Ichigo also shared his story—how his Hollow powers came to be. Something he'd never told anyone else. Not Rukia. Not Tatsuki.
But he told Retsu. Because he felt—there was nothing he should hide from the woman in front of him.
Maybe… he really was a little crazy.
A man with a Hollow inside, perhaps he was a madman. But he'd simply met the right madwoman at the right time.
At its core—this was a story of redemption.
The madwoman found her goal. Her heart grew resolute. Her once-stagnant reiatsu surged forward again like a mighty river.
And not just that—her thousand years of foundation would take time to digest.
But this madwoman might very well become terrifyingly strong—perhaps even touch the ceiling.
After Ichigo finished speaking, Retsu rose from his arms, tilted her head, and said curiously, "If we weren't so close, I'd want to dissect you."
"…Did I do something weird?" Ichigo blinked.
"Of course it's weird! How can one person perfectly balance both Shinigami and Hollow powers? And you even Hollowfied your Zanpakutō! Ichigo, you might be the only Shinigami in Soul Society history who can do this!"
Then she muttered under her breath, "If I had a child with Ichigo… would it inherit this kind of power? A born Shinigami with complete balance…"
Ichigo didn't catch that part. If he had, he'd probably freak out.
After all, he wasn't even an adult yet. Becoming a dad was way too early.
Especially considering the lifespan of powerful Shinigami—that'd be insanely early.
(And with Kubo's convoluted lore, Ichigo basically has three lives: his mortal one, his Soul Society one after death, and if he dies again—off to Hell. And no one knows what comes after that. Heaven? Infinite reincarnation loop?)
(Given Hell Arc lore, Ichigo might not even be able to die anymore. His spiritual pressure might already be stronger than the current Soul King.)
...
The Next Day – Kuchiki Estate
Ichigo showed up again.
This time, to ask when Rukia would return to the World of the Living with him.
If it were the past, the Kuchiki clan would never have allowed their noble princess to return to the human world.
But now? Times had changed.
They couldn't wait to dress Rukia up and rush her to the altar!
Even if Ukitake didn't want her stationed in the Human World—it didn't matter anymore.
Rukia herself was more than willing.
Of course, not everyone was happy.
Namely, Kuchiki Byakuya and Abarai Renji.
"Rukia… are you really going to be stationed in the Human World again?" Renji asked anxiously, having heard the news from Byakuya.
He rushed over in a panic.
After all, he and Rukia had just begun mending their relationship. He was about to make his move!
And now she was leaving again!?
"Yeah," Rukia nodded. "I'll be stationed in Karakura Town for a long time."
"Did the Kuchiki elders force you?" Renji blurted out.
Rukia shook her head. "I'm the legitimate princess of the Kuchiki family—they wouldn't dare force me."
Especially now that her spiritual pressure had fully recovered, and she was showing signs of reaching captain-level power.
The elders were tripping over themselves to keep her happy—they wouldn't dare force her to do anything!
Becoming captain-level was no easy feat in the Soul Society.
Most Shinigami didn't even know the name of their Zanpakutō—that was normal.
To achieve Shikai was already the mark of a genius.
Bankai? That was a once-in-decades prodigy.
Otherwise, why would the prestigious Kuchiki clan only have one captain?
Hearing her answer, Renji looked crushed.
What's going on? They made peace, didn't they? But Rukia still treated him the same.
Just a friend. Only a friend.
That wasn't what Renji wanted…
Then—he saw a certain blond-haired punk.
"Yo, Rukia, I'm here."
(End of Chapter)
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