Squelch…!
The blade pierced Ichigo's chest!
At the same moment, the Hollow's claws were already within reach, seemingly about to impale both of them.
However, its claws stopped abruptly less than an inch from Ichigo's back.
Boom…!!!
An unprecedented immense Reiatsu erupted from within Ichigo, shooting straight into the sky!
Accompanied by a clean cutting sound, the Hollow's outstretched arm was severed cleanly at the shoulder, falling to the ground and dissipating into spiritual particles.
As the dust settled, a new figure stood proudly.
Under the orange hair, a black Shihakusho fluttered in the wind. Over his shoulder was a massive Zanpakuto utterly disproportionate to his height.
'How is this possible.'
Rukia stared incredulously at her right hand, 'I only intended to give half my Reiatsu, but now it's all been taken away!'
'I've never seen a Shinigami's Zanpakuto become so large. What exactly is this guy...'
While she was still pondering what had happened, Ichigo was already charging towards the Hollow with his giant Zanpakuto.
"I'll make you understand the sin of laying a hand on my family, you dead-faced thing."
Ichigo's figure left an afterimage where he stood, instantly appearing before the Hollow.
He didn't use any techniques, just relied on instinct, hoisting the massive Zanpakuto onto his shoulder and swinging it down fiercely!
Rip…!
With a tearing sound, the Hollow's massive body was cleanly split in two from head to toe by this simple, brutal slash, dissipating into Reishi.
"Whew..." Ichigo let out a long breath, leaning the giant blade on the ground.
"Hey, did you see that? I'm pretty strong!" He turned around, ready to show off to the Shinigami who had given him power.
However, a cold voice suddenly came from not far away.
"Hmph, gloating over slaying trash of that level. How foolish."
This voice instantly froze the atmosphere on the scene.
"Who?!" Ichigo whirled around, holding the giant Zanpakuto horizontally in front of him, warily looking towards the source of the voice.
Rukia, who had already lost her power and couldn't even stand up, felt her pupils constrict sharply the moment she heard this voice.
On a power line pole, a slender figure stood quietly, also wearing a black Shihakusho, with an ordinary Zanpakuto at his waist.
"Uchiha Sasuke!"
Rukia practically spat out the name through gritted teeth, "You! When did you get there?!"
Sasuke's gaze slowly lowered, giving a faint glance at Rukia lying on the ground in a miserable state.
"I've been here since you were knocked down by that piece of trash." His voice was chillingly calm.
"Then why didn't you help?!"
Rukia's rage completely erupted, "Aren't we companions assigned to work together?!"
Hearing this, the corner of Sasuke's mouth curled into a barely perceptible arc.
"Companion?"
He jumped down from the power pole and walked up to Rukia, looking down at her from above.
"Don't misunderstand, Kuchiki Rukia. I never acknowledged that a weakling who can't even handle a low-level Hollow like that is my companion."
"You..." Rukia trembled with anger but couldn't utter a word.
"Hey, you! That's way too harsh!"
Ichigo finally couldn't hold back. He stepped forward with his large blade, glaring at Sasuke, "She became like this to protect others! What right do you have to make sarcastic remarks here!"
Sasuke's gaze finally landed on Ichigo for the first time, but in an instant, it returned to Rukia.
"However, your performance is indeed abnormal. With your strength, you shouldn't be in such a mess. Did someone tamper with you?"
"Tch, it's none of my business anyway." He slightly turned his head away, no longer looking at Rukia on the ground.
"But you should remember, transferring Shinigami power to a human is a serious crime."
"Rather than clinging to life here and tarnishing the Kuchiki Famiy's name, it would have been more dignified for you to die at the hands of that Hollow earlier."
As these words fell, the temperature around them seemed to drop several degrees.
"You bastard..."
Ichigo was completely enraged by Sasuke's words, veins bulging on his forehead in anger. He raised his Zanpakuto towards Sasuke.
"Want to attack me?" Sasuke snorted coldly, a flash of disdain in his eyes.
The moment his words fell, his figure blurred slightly.
Ichigo only saw a blur before his eyes. Sasuke had already vanished from his original position.
The next second, a bone-chilling cold assailed him from behind. An icy blade was already pressed against his spine.
Ichigo's whole body stiffened. Cold sweat instantly soaked his back.
"With your half-baked power now, you're not even worthy to be my opponent." Sasuke's voice sounded by his ear, flat yet filled with pressure.
Just as Sasuke was about to withdraw his blade, an overwhelmingly powerful Reiatsu violently erupted from the Kurosaki Family's house!
This Reiatsu had no specific intent to attack, but it felt like an invisible mountain, heavily pressing down on Sasuke, carrying a warning tone.
Sasuke paused, his pupils shrank slightly, and his eyes instantly became sharp.
He jerked his head up, looking towards that seemingly ordinary residence.
'Another expert?'
He was silent for a moment, then finally slowly withdrew his Zanpakuto and turned to leave.
"Wait!"
Rukia's voice was weak as she struggled to speak urgently, "Will you report today's events to the Soul Society?"
Sasuke's steps halted, but he didn't turn around.
"Report to the Soul Society? Write those boring paperwork?"
He turned his face slightly, his tone filled with impatience, "Don't joke around. I'm not that idle."
As the words fell, his figure flashed again, completely vanishing into the night, as if he had never been there.
Only deathly silence remained on the scene.
After a long while, Ichigo finally snapped out of his shock. He glanced in the direction Sasuke had disappeared, then looked at Rukia on the ground with a complex expression.
He scratched his head, put down the giant Zanpakuto, and grinned, trying to break the oppressive atmosphere.
"Hey, I say... is that 'companion' of yours the legendary 'tsundere'?"
"That kid's mouth is so harsh, but in the end, he just left without doing anything."
Hearing this term, a flush of annoyance instantly appeared on Rukia's already pale cheeks.
"What do you know? That guy is a pure jerk!" She retorted angrily.
"Yeah, yeah, jerk, jerk." Ichigo waved his hand dismissively, then put away his frivolous expression, his face becoming much more serious.
He walked over to Rukia, crouched down, and looked at the ghastly wound on her abdomen and her blood-soaked clothes. His brow furrowed tightly.
"Seriously, what are you planning to do next? You're hurt so badly. Are you okay?"
He asked a bit nervously, "Do you want to... rest at my place first? My sister should be able to find a first aid kit."
"No need."
Rukia struggled, swaying as she stood up from the ground.
She rejected Ichigo's proposal in a harsh tone, "Humans and Shinigami cannot have excessive contact. It's the rule."
Rukia turned around, preparing to leave, but her steps faltered slightly the moment she took a step.
Her gaze subtly swept over the direction of the Kurosaki Family's house, 'That powerful, mysterious Reiatsu from earlier had come from there.'
'Whose Reiatsu is that?'
'Friend or foe?'
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