Clang!
Ichigo crossed his sword to block, himself being knocked back by the Hollow Zangetsu's attack, his feet leaving two trails on the blue glass surface of the building.
Because of Kyoya's words, Ichigo carefully listened to what the Hollow Zangetsu said while also trying to read the Hollow Zangetsu's heart through the clash of their swords.
To Ichigo's surprise, although the Hollow Zangetsu's words and actions seemed like he wanted to kill Ichigo and take his place...
What Ichigo read from the Hollow Zangetsu's sword was not malice, but a sense of being wronged and a 'will' to protect Ichigo at all costs!
This left Ichigo somewhat bewildered.
He even wondered if his ability was malfunctioning.
Otherwise, how could he sense such things from the sword of this Hollow inside him?
'Shouldn't the one feeling wronged be me, the one living in constant fear, afraid my body would be taken over and turn into a monster?'
'Since when did a Hollow get to feel wronged?'
'And what was with that will to protect me at all costs?'
'The Hollow inside me wanted to protect me instead?'
However, after Ichigo calmed down, he gradually came to a realization.
The first time this guy appeared was during his battle with Kyoya.
He took over Ichigo's body after Kyoya knocked him out to fight Kyoya.
The second time he appeared was when Ichigo was fighting that Bount who could control ant-like dolls, and Ichigo was at a disadvantage and injured. This guy rushed out and cut the doll to pieces in a few slashes.
Judging from these two instances of taking over his body, he did seem to want to protect him.
Furthermore, when Ichigo lost control and Hollowfied involuntarily, this guy didn't try to fight for control of his body. It was only because Ichigo didn't accept this guy's power that his power caused Ichigo to lose control instead.
However, that state wasn't irreversible for Ichigo. As long as his will was firm, he could easily shatter the mask.
By now, Ichigo also had some suspicions about the existence of the Hollow Ichigo.
But he still needed to observe a bit more to be sure.
"Ichigo, what do you think is the difference between us?"
Slashing Ichigo back, the Hollow Zangetsu made a grasping motion with his left hand and shouted, "For people with the same power to unleash even greater power, one must serve as the steed, while the other commands the battle!"
"So, how do we decide who becomes the steed? Who becomes the king?"
"The answer is instinct!"
"To become the king, one must relentlessly pursue power, pursue battle, pursue slaughter..."
"Show no mercy in destroying the enemy, tearing them to pieces..."
"This is an absolute thirst for battle, the most primitive, most thorough killing reaction engraved in the deepest part of our bodies!"
After hearing the Hollow Zangetsu's words, Ichigo fell silent.
This made even the Hollow Zangetsu pause.
Regarding Ichigo's reaction to his statement, he had imagined Ichigo might refute it, might not accept it, might perhaps agree...
But he never imagined Ichigo would react like this.
Doesn't this make him a clown?
"You are Zangetsu? My real Zanpakuto?"
"What?"
Hearing this, the Hollow Zangetsu's pupils contracted sharply, then he looked towards the figure standing aside watching their battle.
However, upon seeing the same astonishment in the other's eyes, the Hollow Ichigo knew that the Quincy Zangetsu hadn't revealed his identity to Ichigo.
"What are you surprised about?"
Seeing the Hollow Zangetsu's reaction, Ichigo finally confirmed his guess.
"Didn't you tell me this yourself when we first met?"
Hearing this, the Hollow Zangetsu could no longer maintain his outrageous expression.
Although in front of Ichigo, the Hollow Zangetsu displayed a manic and rampant side.
But in reality, the Hollow Ichigo, who inherited Masaki's 'love' for Ichigo, could not possibly be like that?
What kind of mother would treat her child that way?
The Hollow Zangetsu's true character was like when he fused with the Quincy Zangetsu during Ichigo's training for [The Final Getsuga Tensho].
He would tolerate everything about Ichigo like a mother and even told Ichigo that the one he wanted to protect had always been Ichigo.
But even so, when the child wanted to do something, no matter how reluctant he was, he still gave all his power to Ichigo.
Indeed, because his name was usurped by the Quincy Zangetsu, the Hollow Zangetsu lost his name and power, forced to continue providing power to protect Ichigo under the definition of 'Hollow'.
If Ichigo's fighting weren't so painful to watch, or if Ichigo weren't in mortal danger, he wouldn't appear.
"How did you find out?"
"Just now."
Ichigo was only selectively deaf, not a liar.
"I can read people's thoughts through sword clashes in battle."
"From your sword when fighting me, I didn't sense any malice towards me."
"Only endless sense of being wronged, and the resolve to protect me."
"Hahahahaha, Hahahahaha..."
The Hollow Zangetsu covered his face, laughing maniacally.
At this moment, even he himself didn't know what feelings to use to face Ichigo.
He had his name taken by the Quincy Zangetsu.
But now, Ichigo had re-bestowed the name [Zangetsu] upon him.
The return of his name and power caused black patterns to appear on the Hollow Zangetsu's body.
That was the Hollow Ichigo's Shinigami power!
As a Vasto Lorde-level Hollow created from a Shinigami's soul, the Hollow Ichigo possessed not only Hollow power but also Shinigami power.
However, as the Zanpakuto Zangetsu, his name and power were taken by the Quincy Zangetsu, forcing him to exist in Ichigo's Inner World with only his Hollow power, sealed by the Quincy Zangetsu, only released occasionally when Ichigo needed training.
Now, Ichigo's acknowledgment of the Hollow Zangetsu allowed him to reclaim his name and Shinigami power, giving the Hollow Zangetsu's power an enormous boost.
"Ichigo, if I am Zangetsu, then who is he?"
After recovering his own power, the Hollow Zangetsu pointed his Zanpakuto at the silent Quincy Zangetsu standing aside.
"He is also Zangetsu!"
Ichigo's figure flashed, instantly appearing in front of the Quincy Zangetsu, preventing the Hollow Zangetsu from attacking him.
"Both you and Old Man Zangetsu are my power, both are my Zangetsu!"
Boom!
Black-red Reiatsu erupted from Ichigo's body, directly shattering the Bakudo #75.
Even Bakudo #99 was broken apart under this burst of Reiatsu from Ichigo.
At this moment, in Kyoya's eyes, Ichigo's Reiatsu had reached the limit of a Shinigami.
Within the dense Reiatsu, Ichigo's figure appeared in Kyoya's sight.
His entire body was covered in armor-like Hollow shell, with a single horn on his head. The patterns on the mask had also become clean black, with two vertical white stripes in the middle.
Crack, crack...
As Ichigo took a step, the Hollow shell on his body began to break apart, dispersing into Reishi.
In the end, the only Hollow features left on Ichigo were the mask on his face.
Additionally, the appearance of the Zanpakuto in Ichigo's hand had also changed significantly.
Zangetsu changed from having a small tip and wide blade to a long-handled greatsword.
Its appearance was somewhat similar to the sword formed from Ichigo's own Reiryoku when he first gained Rukia's Shinigami power and became a Shinigami.
In terms of color, it became half black and half white.
Placing his hand on his face, the mask on Ichigo's face dispersed into Reishi.
"Not bad, Ichigo."
"It seems you've truly figured out who that guy is."
"Yes, thank you, Kyoya-senpai."
Ichigo slung the long-handled greatsword behind his back and thanked Kyoya earnestly.
"If not for your reminder, I could never have imagined he was my Zanpakuto."
"Ha, what's so strange about that?"
"I've just seen more, so I could spot your issue."
"Actually, anyone with a bit of experience, knowing your situation, could guess what kind of situation you're in."
"However, I didn't expect you could actually make them become one, instead of splitting into two Zanpakuto."
"Ah? They can be separated?"
Hearing Kyoya's words, Ichigo was stunned.
"Why couldn't they?"
Kyoya looked at Ichigo, amused. "The 8th Division's Captain Kyoraku, you remember him, right?"
"Yeah, that uncle gave a pretty reliable impression."
Ichigo recalled the middle-aged man in flowery clothes with a straw hat and nodded.
"Then do you remember that Captain Kyoraku has two Zanpakuto at his waist?"
"Of course, if you don't remember, I can also show you."
Saying this, under Ichigo's shocked gaze, Kyoya reached into his own body and pulled out a cluster of golden light.
Soon, this golden light cluster transformed into an ordinary-looking Zanpakuto, which Kyoya then placed at his waist.
"See?"
"Just like you, there are two existences in my inner world."
"Just like you, my two Zanpakuto represent two different powers."
Due to Ichigo's own perception, his two Zangetsu were led by the Quincy Zangetsu, with the Hollow Zangetsu /supporting.
Ichigo's Zanpakuto hasn't been reforged by the God of the Sword, Nimaiya Oetsu, yet.
Therefore, Ichigo's Quincy Zangetsu's Bankai is Tensa Zangetsu.
The Hollow Zangetsu's Bankai is the Hollowfied Mask.
To some extent, this also shows that Ichigo hasn't yet fused his Shinigami, Hollow, and Quincy powers.
Although in terms of strength, Ichigo has reached the Shinigami limit, he hasn't truly stepped into the [Transcendent] state.
Furthermore, the Fullbringer power within Ichigo's body hasn't been drawn out yet.
Otherwise, if Ichigo completely fused the four powers within him, forget Aizen, even Yhwach before devouring the Soul King would have to avoid him somewhat.
Seeing Kyoya's two Zanpakuto, even Ichigo felt somewhat impacted.
Bankai + Hollowfication… Ichigo didn't even know how strong he had become.
He originally thought he might have gained the power to fight Kyoya.
But from Kyoya's current display, perhaps he could only fight a Kyoya using one Zanpakuto.
If Kyoya used the abilities of both Zanpakuto, he probably wouldn't be a match.
However, seeing the two Zanpakuto at Kyoya's waist, Ichigo placed his hand on the hilt of the Zanpakuto behind his back.
Closing his eyes, then Ichigo gripped the Zanpakuto's hilt with both hands.
Haah!
"Zangetsu!"
With Ichigo's shout, the long-handled greatsword in his hands directly transformed into one long and one short Zanpakuto.
Simultaneously, in Ichigo's mind, Getsuga Tensho also gained a new form-
"Getsuga Jujisho!"
After letting out a light sigh, Ichigo dispersed his Reiatsu, and the Zanpakuto in his hands merged back into the long-handled greatsword.
"Oh? Just now, you treated the dual-sword mode as your Shikai?"
Watching Ichigo's action, Kyoya was also taken aback.
He had just said Ichigo hadn't yet had his Quincy Zangetsu and Hollow Zangetsu reforged into a Zanpakuto by Nimaiya Oetsu to fuse his existing powers, and now Ichigo directly treated the Hollow Zangetsu and Quincy Zangetsu as his Shikai...
However, Kyoya could also see that there was still a considerable gap between this form of Ichigo and the true dual-sword Ichigo.
The most crucial point was that at this stage, Ichigo's release of the dual swords would continuously drain his Reiatsu.
Whereas the dual-sword Ichigo remained permanently in the dual-sword form, indicating he had perfectly mastered the fused power.
Moreover, Ichigo's current dual-sword release lacked the Fullbringer power. Although there was improvement in essence, it still hadn't reached the [Soul King] level.
"Hmm."
Ichigo nodded.
Previously, his Zanpakuto only had Bankai.
Now, he could temporarily separate Old Man Zangetsu's and the Hollow Zangetsu's power to better control their power as his Shikai.
"Right now, I can't directly enter Bankai yet. I can only temporarily split Old Man Zangetsu's and Zangetsu's power to release them separately."
"Something like this..."
Saying this, Ichigo once again split the greatsword into a long and a short Zanpakuto, then crossed the long and short swords.
"Bankai!"
Boom!
With Ichigo's shout, massive Reiatsu erupted from his body.
The long-handled Zanpakuto in Ichigo's hand became slender, ultimately taking on a shape similar to the previous Tensa Zangetsu.
However, this time, there was no chain at the end of Zangetsu's hilt.
The short sword transformed into Reishi covering Ichigo's face, giving him a Hollow mask.