A sneer crept across Senna's face.
"My memories are so vast even I don't know how deep they run. Trying to find the real ones from all of them? It's like searching for a needle in the ocean."
"The memories you implanted… are just a single drop in that sea. They can't influence my actions or my true self in the slightest."
Tsukishima hadn't expected this. A person like this actually existed in the world? If it had been anyone but Saigo, he could've turned them with ease.
But with someone like Kuroren, there's no second chance. No other like her exists in this world.
Byakuya Kuchiki: "Brother… You sure about that?"
Outside of Kugo Ginjo and Yukio's barrier, all the others had been broken by Yukio's Fullbring.
But even so, it didn't matter anymore. Every Shinigami had already finished their respective battles.
Tōshirō Hitsugaya looked up at the one barrier still intact and frowned.
"Didn't I tell you to unlock all of them? Why is Ichigo's still sealed?"
Yukio, his arms frozen over by Hitsugaya's Hyōrinmaru, said helplessly,
"Because Substitute Shinigami can inherit Fullbring abilities. So when we joined the organization, Ginjo took a portion of all our powers."
"Not just that—he also made each of us form a pact. Mine was this:
If Ginjo is within the range of my ability, then unless he gives the command, no one is allowed to disable the barrier."
Hearing this, Byakuya's expression darkened.
But he still held back. After all, Fullbringers were an extreme rarity, and worth studying.
Inside the barrier.
Ichigo stood face to face with Ginjo, who now looked completely different.
He was bored.
Even if Ginjo had absorbed a portion of his Fullbring power, their gap was still like a mayfly challenging the heavens.
Ginjo, however, appeared calm, no longer panicking as before.
And they weren't alone.
Someone else was here—
Uryū Ishida, the first member of the Real World Squad to be attacked.
But clearly, this was not a fight Uryū could take part in.
"Getsuga Tenshō!"
Taking advantage of Ichigo's momentary distraction, Ginjo suddenly used Ichigo's own technique!
But—Ichigo was prepared for it.
"What?!" Ginjo's eyes widened.
He had hoped that attack would at least deal some damage—
After all, it was a sneak attack!
"Boring." Ichigo said coldly.
"If that's all you've got, Ginjo, then you might as well lie down and die."
Ginjo's smile twisted into a sneer.
"Hahaha… how interesting, Kurosaki Ichigo!"
A flicker of jealousy appeared in his eyes.
"Why?! We're both born from Shinigami and human blood. So why are you the prized disciple of the Fourth Division Captain—while I'm just some Substitute Shinigami?!
Tell me, why?!"
Ichigo blinked, clearly dumbfounded.
"What do you mean 'why'?"
He looked at Ginjo like he was an idiot.
"You don't actually think I'm going to buy into that pity party, do you?"
Ginjo's expression darkened.
"Hmph. Just like the other Shinigami. Arrogant."
"You probably don't know this, but my Substitute Shinigami Badge was given to me by Ukitake Jūshirō, the Captain of the Thirteenth Division.
Not only that, he once said—this badge is a symbol of trust and utility for Soul Society."
"But we both know... what's useful or not isn't so easy to determine.
So that was a lie!"
"Whether it was useful or not, Soul Society would've given it to me anyway.
To monitor my reiatsu."
"That badge… exists to watch and control Substitute Shinigami.
As long as I have it, Soul Society knows where I am at all times—and they're siphoning off my power!"
"That's why I threw it away!
Because if Soul Society ever thought I didn't align with them, they'd send assassins to erase me!
I was nothing more than a pawn!"
Ichigo, however, listened disinterestedly.
None of this had anything to do with him.
He, Kurosaki Ichigo, was no Substitute Shinigami.
"Getsuga… Tenshō!"
One slash—
And time shattered within the dimension.
Outside the barrier, Yukio stared in disbelief.
"No way… My barrier is governed by rules. Unless the condition is met, it cannot be broken from the inside!"
Rukia rolled her eyes.
Clearly, this guy had never heard of Aizen Sōsuke's doctrine—
All Shinigami battles come down to one thing: spiritual pressure.
No matter what rules you set, that's the bottom line.
"Bankai. Tensa Zangetsu."
With Muramasa hanging at his waist, Ichigo glared at Ginjo and sneered,
"You and I both know Ukitake Jūshirō was a genius.
If someone like him really wanted to deceive you, he'd do it flawlessly—not so obviously that even you could notice something was off."
He narrowed his eyes.
"Even so, he didn't hide anything and gave you the Substitute Badge. Doesn't that seem… wrong to you?"
"That's because he wanted you to notice.
He wanted you to make the choice yourself."
Ginjo froze in shock.
So everything he believed in… was nothing more than paranoia?
"Is that true…?"
But Ginjo had already fallen too far down the path of hatred.
He didn't believe Ichigo's words.
"Bankai!!"
Ginjo's Bankai was nothing compared to Ichigo's.
His looked more like a fusion of Shinigami, Fullbring, and Quincy powers.
He even sprouted four glowing purple wings from his back.
Seeing him like that, Ichigo knew—talking was useless.
He spun Tensa Zangetsu in his hand.
Ginjo's flashy transformation vanished into a cloud of smoke.
Down below, the gathered Shinigami saw Ichigo return to his original state and nodded.
"Rukia, are you staying in the Human World?" Byakuya asked her.
Rukia nodded.
Byakuya didn't say much.
He simply opened a Senkaimon, and the gathered Shinigami returned to Soul Society to report to the Captain-Commander.
"Kurosaki Ichigo!"
Ginjo roared, pointing his massive greatsword at Ichigo.
A brilliant pink Cero burst from the blade's tip!
But Ichigo… caught it with one hand.
"What?!"
"Raaahhh!!"
One strike.
Ichigo flashed before Ginjo and slashed his chest open!
Ginjo fell like a meteor, crashing into the ground below.
Even now, he didn't give up.
But this time—Ichigo wasn't planning to spare him.
CLANG! Screech!
Ichigo's Tensa Zangetsu shattered Ginjo's sword—
And pierced straight through his heart.
In his final moments, Ginjo looked up at Ichigo and smiled with relief.
There are things… one must face between people.
Ginjo died.
Tsukishima died too.
But in the world of Shinigami…
Death isn't everything.
Kisuke Urahara collected their souls—
And brought them to Rukongai.
There, they would begin a new life.
Soul Society.
With his powers fully restored, Ichigo returned to Soul Society after a long time.
"ICHIGO!!"
As he stepped out of the Senkaimon, Soi Fon of the Second Division launched herself at him like a facehugger.
Her slender legs wrapped tightly around him.
Ichigo caught her quickly, worried she'd fall.
"Sorry for making you worry."
He wasn't alone in the greeting.
Hinamori and Rangiku rushed forward to join in the reunion.
Meanwhile, Rukia, Saigo, and Nozomi—who had stepped out of the Senkaimon with him—watched with subtle hostility in their eyes.
Unohana Yachiru didn't show up.
She was now the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, and couldn't leave her division casually.
Squad 4 had been handed over to its former Lieutenant, Kotetsu Isane.
Her sister, Kotetsu Kiyone, had also been transferred from Squad 13 to become the new Vice-Captain.
Ichigo still retained his old post as Squad 4's 3rd Seat.
"Alright, Captain Soi Fon," Rangiku stepped forward.
"Captain-Commander Unohana is waiting for us in Squad 1."
Soi Fon reluctantly released Ichigo.
The group made their way toward the Squad 1 conference room.
As the hero who saved Soul Society, Ichigo was greeted with respect everywhere he walked.
But once inside, Ichigo calmed down again.
Unohana Yachiru was now the undisputed ruler of Soul Society.
Even the Central 46 couldn't control the Gotei 13 like before.
All thanks to Aizen Sōsuke.
Since his return with Gin, he hadn't focused on creating the Ōken—
Instead, he'd gone and massacred more nobles.
That gave the Gotei 13 even more power.
And reminded the noble families: strength rules all.
Without power, they couldn't hope to control the Gotei 13.
Unohana Yachiru's authority only grew.
She wasn't like Yamamoto—
She wasn't merciful.
Her reputation was carved from blood and battle.
"Kurosaki Ichigo," she said sternly.
"Do you have anything to say upon returning to Soul Society?"
Ichigo glanced around the room.
Nearly every Captain had some tie to him—
Captain-Commander: his wife.
Squad 2: his wife.
Squad 3: his best friend.
Squad 4: his loyal subordinate.
Squad 5: his best friend.
Squad 6: his brother-in-law.
Squad 8: owes him a massive favor.
Squad 9: his best friend.
Squad 10: possibly his brother-in-law.
Squad 11: his best friend.
At this point, Kurosaki Ichigo could basically walk through Soul Society like a king.
"I've returned… to collect Ginjo's body."
Gasps rippled through the room.
Ginjo had hurt Ichigo deeply—especially emotionally.
And yet, Ichigo still wanted to take his body back?
Unohana scanned the room.
No one objected.
With a sigh, she said,
"Fine. I'll grant you this request."
But that wasn't Ichigo's only reason for returning.
He also wanted to stay in Soul Society for a few days.
After all, as the Captain-Commander, Unohana couldn't just leave on a whim to see him.
So… for the next three days and three nights—
Ichigo was mercilessly squeezed dry.
But not just that—
He also discovered something else.
The Fullbring power extracted from Ginjo could repair the missing fragment of Rangiku's soul!
Because of her incomplete soul, Rangiku could never reach Bankai.
She simply couldn't find her true strength.
So for once—Ichigo pulled some strings and used that power for her.
The Human World.
Some time passed.
Ichigo had returned to his daily routine of protecting Karakura Town.
With Ichigo, Rukia, Saigo, and Nozomi all guarding the area—
Squad 13's Ukitake Jūshirō had designated the town as a training ground for new Shinigami.
There was no safer real-world battlefield than this.
Two new members of Squad 13 arrived:
Ryūnosuke and Shino—
A male-female tag team.
Unfortunately…
On their very first day, they were attacked by a powerful Hollow!
Before they lost consciousness—
"GETSUGA TENSHŌ!!"
"NOZOMI! Come quick! There are two injured Shinigami over here!"
Ichigo called out, standing over their fallen bodies.
(End of Chapter)
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