Senbonzakura, in its Shikai form, instantly sliced through the threads that bound Byakuya, emerging from the reflection on the ground. The endless sakura-blade petals surged toward Kōga!
Kōga hurriedly spun the halberd in his hands!
But what he didn't expect was that this seemingly unbreakable halberd couldn't withstand the onslaught of Byakuya's Senbonzakura—it was completely shattered by the barrage of petals!
Seizing the opportunity, Byakuya used Shunpo to flash-step behind Kōga and, with a single swing, cleaved him in two!
Yet, just as Kōga's body split into two, Byakuya was shocked to see—another Kōga appeared where the split had been!
Not only that, this new Kōga looked at him with a cold smile!
Kōga Shunpoed behind Byakuya. Even with just a broken fragment of the halberd, he managed to slash Byakuya's back!
One had to admit, Kōga was indeed a genius!
Whether it was his original kidō spells or the techniques developed based on his own abilities, they all showcased a talent far beyond the ordinary!
Byakuya staggered from the slash but quickly retaliated by swinging his Zanpakutō.
However, all he hit was an illusion once again!
In the following exchanges, no matter how many times Byakuya struck Kōga, a new Kōga would always appear behind the one he hit, continuing the assault!
Wounds accumulated on Byakuya's body.
Kōga closed his eyes and explained to the confused Byakuya:
"Muramasa's ability to control Zanpakutōs... it was actually born from this ability of mine!"
"Zanpakutōs are manifestations of a Shinigami's soul power. If Muramasa can control Zanpakutōs, I can too!"
"This is my power—by using my Reiatsu to disrupt your five senses, I can completely control your body!"
As he spoke, Kōga aimed the broken halberd at Byakuya once again.
Byakuya tried to parry, but struck nothing but a phantom. Moments later, the real halberd appeared out of nowhere and slammed into Byakuya's body!
Seeing Byakuya unable to break free, Kōga retrieved another halberd and hurled it at him.
Byakuya, unable to predict its trajectory, attempted to dodge using Shunpo.
Yet the halberd struck his right hand, knocking away Senbonzakura and pinning his hand in place!
As Kōga sent another halberd flying, Byakuya reflexively dodged again, only to have his left hand pinned down!
Watching this unfold, Kōga grinned, spinning the halberd in his hands and releasing his original kidō:
"Ice Fang Storm!"
A blast of icy energy surged toward Byakuya!
"Bakudō #81: Dankū!"
But this time, Kōga had anticipated it.
Ice Fang Storm struck from another angle, freezing Byakuya's lower body and hands in place!
Seeing Byakuya trapped, Kōga raised the halberd high and drove it straight at Byakuya's head!
But!
Senbonzakura, despite its master being incapacitated, released itself from its sealed state on its own!
Countless sakura petals materialized in front of the halberd, effortlessly blocking Kōga's killing blow!
Senbonzakura, which had reverted to its blade form, briefly appeared behind Byakuya, supporting him as it said:
"My master, if you are bound and unable to perceive, then allow me to serve as your eyes and hands in battle!"
With that, Senbonzakura unleashed a surge of Reiatsu, shattering the ice that bound Byakuya, breaking apart the halberds, and returning to Byakuya's hand!
Seeing this, Kōga broke down completely!
It was precisely because Muramasa had refused to aid him in the past that Kōga had been sealed by Yamamoto and Byakuya's father.
But now, right in front of him, a Shinigami was relying on their Zanpakutō, which had taken autonomous action to defend its master!
"In that case, I'll just control your Zanpakutō too!" Kōga roared, releasing his Reiatsu.
But Byakuya gave him no chance!
"Bankai! Senbonzakura Kageyoshi!"
"Senkei: Senbonzakura Kageyoshi!"
The space filled with Senbonzakura's petals, encapsulating both Byakuya and Kōga in its sphere!
"This is my Bankai. Within this space, all illusions are meaningless to me!"
"Unfortunately, my Reiatsu isn't as strong as Aizen Sōsuke's; otherwise, even his Kyōka Suigetsu would be ineffective against me!"
Byakuya sighed, but there was no time to relax!
The two resumed their one-on-one duel!
Powerful Reiatsu clashed violently!
Kōga, looking at Byakuya, couldn't help but mutter, "As expected of the head of the Kuchiki family—such terrifying power!"
Kōga seemed obsessed with the Kuchiki family, always bringing it up no matter what Byakuya did—almost like a baby throwing a tantrum!
If it weren't for the difference in skin color, one might have expected him to start yelling, "Warning! Warning!"
"Hmph, let's settle this with one final move!" Kōga declared, unwilling to waste any more time.
He held the halberd horizontally, unleashing his full Reiatsu. The oppressive, dark purple energy filled the surroundings!
Meanwhile, Byakuya's pink Senbonzakura petals formed into white angelic wings that wrapped around him!
"Shūkei: Hakuteiken!"
Entering his White Emperor Sword form, Byakuya's Reiatsu surged to a new level!
The white angelic wings clashed head-on with Kōga's purple demonic energy!
The two unleashed their full power!
When they passed by each other, Byakuya stumbled forward, but the materialized Senbonzakura appeared just in time to catch his body.
Kōga, however, had a massive gash running from his chest to his shoulder, blood gushing out like a fountain!
He staggered forward a few steps, and at the brink of death, he finally thought of his faithful Zanpakutō:
"Mu... rama... sa..."
But Muramasa gave no reply.
Kōga's halberd shattered, his body collapsed into the water, completely lifeless.
As for Muramasa—what had become of him?
At that moment, Muramasa, consumed by despair, had collapsed in on himself, like a miniature black hole, absorbing all the Hollows he had summoned.
Then, in an instant, he exploded, and his chaotic Reiatsu stabilized once again.
The new Muramasa appeared before Ichigo and Rukia.
But this Muramasa no longer looked like a Zanpakutō—he was more like a Hollow!
His face was entirely covered by a Hollow mask, and a black Hollow hole gaped in his chest.
His appearance resembled that of an Arrancar!
"How... how could this be? Wasn't Muramasa a proper Zanpakutō?" Rukia gasped.
Ichigo thought for a moment, then speculated, "Maybe because he absorbed too many Hollows, he turned into this."
Rukia nodded, "Yeah, Zanpakutōs are born from the Shinigami's soul. Now, abandoned by his master, Kōga dead by Byakuya's hand... to survive, Muramasa had no choice but to absorb Hollow energy to maintain his form."
"But from the looks of him now, he's probably completely lost his mind," Ichigo sighed.
"Rukia, stay back. This is my fight," Ichigo said, turning to face Rukia.
Muramasa let out an enraged roar, his Reiatsu spiking as he charged straight at Ichigo!
"So fast!"
Rukia, having just flash-stepped away, watched in shock as Muramasa swooped down from above!
The power granted by Hollowfication was immense.
Even Rukia wasn't sure she could dodge Muramasa's attack in time.
But Ichigo could!
He met Muramasa's clawed hands head-on with his Tensa Zangetsu, their Reiatsu shaking the very ground!
With a yell, Ichigo forced Muramasa into the air!
Muramasa struck out at the void, stabilizing himself in midair, and unleashed a massive Cero!
But this time, the target wasn't Ichigo—it was Rukia!
Ichigo shunpoed in front of Rukia, preparing to unleash a Getsuga Tenshō to block it, but before he could act, someone beat him to it!
"Senbonzakura!"
Byakuya's Bankai appeared in front of Ichigo and Rukia, effortlessly blocking the Cero!
"Nii-sama!" Rukia cried in delight.
Just moments ago, they had sensed Kōga's Reiatsu vanish, confirming Byakuya's victory. Now, seeing Byakuya in person reassured them.
But witnessing Byakuya only enraged the berserk Muramasa further!
It was as if he instinctively knew that Byakuya had killed his master, Kōga. Muramasa's previously stable Hollow Reiatsu began fluctuating wildly!
The Hollowfied Muramasa roared in agony, his body twisting and writhing uncontrollably!
"I won't lose! I can't lose to mere Hollow power!"
His eyes, beneath the Hollow mask, flickered between sanity and madness—but it was futile!
Muramasa, completely unhinged, howled endlessly.
Byakuya, watching this scene, couldn't help but shake his head. Such a loyal Zanpakutō... Why couldn't Kōga trust it?
Ichigo sighed as well.
"Let me handle this. I'll give him a dignified end."
Byakuya nodded.
"Rukia, stay with me. Ichigo, fight without holding back."
Ichigo didn't say anything more.
He flash-stepped in front of Muramasa, raising his dual blades!
Dual-sword Ichigo, entering the battle!
Muramasa, sensing Ichigo's immense threat, frantically fired Ceros at him.
But such attacks were like tickles to Ichigo!
With only his spiritual pressure, Ichigo deflected them all!
"Getsuga... Tenshō!"
Two arcs—one black, one white—sliced through the air, forming a massive cross that surged toward Muramasa!
Muramasa fired an enormous Cero in response, but in front of the Getsuga cross, it was like butter meeting a hot knife—sliced into four pieces and exploding!
Boom!
The Getsuga cross cleaved through Muramasa's body, severing his left arm and leaving a massive cross-shaped gash from his shoulder to his waist!
But it wasn't just a wound—his body split apart entirely!
Yet the Hollowfied Muramasa wasn't just stronger—he had other abilities, too, like... super regeneration!
In less than a second, Muramasa's body restored itself completely, as if he had never been hurt at all!
And it didn't stop there—Muramasa's body released a massive surge of Reiatsu!
Dark red energy tore the sky apart, summoning countless Hollows to the skies above Karakura Town!
Sensing the intense Reiatsu above, Ichigo didn't hesitate.
He surged forward, cutting down any Hollow that tried to stop him!
"Getsuga... Tenshō!"
Ichigo, holding nothing back, unleashed a devastating blast that split Muramasa in two once more!
But even as Muramasa crashed to the ground in a mangled state, he still wasn't dead!
His will to survive drove him into yet another mutation!
Dark, unknown substances grew from his body, expanding until they engulfed Ichigo!
These substances kept growing, forming into a massive spherical monster!
This creature didn't just spawn more Gillians—it also released Reiatsu that expanded the Garganta above, drawing in more Hollows!
"How can this be? Is Muramasa really... trying to become the king of the Hollows?" Rukia gasped in disbelief.
"Rukia!" Senna shouted, arriving with the Karakura team at this moment.
"Are you okay, Rukia?" Orihime ran over to check on her.
(End of Chapter)
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