Within the dust cloud, the figure slowly lowered his Zanpakuto, its tip striking the ground with a dull thud.
"Kurosaki Ichigo."
He held the hilt of his Zanpakuto horizontally before him, his gaze fixed on Renji, "The one who's about to defeat you. Yoroshiku."
"Shihakusho..." Renji was momentarily stunned upon seeing the black uniform, "It really is a Shihakusho. Which division are you from?"
But as the words left his mouth, his gaze completely froze on the other's weapon.
"Th-that is..." Renji's pupils contracted violently, "Such a huge Zanpakuto..."
The size of a Zanpakuto, in a way, represented the size of the Shinigami's own Reiatsu!
'This guy, actually...'
"What's wrong?" Ichigo asked, somewhat confused by Renji's utterly shocked expression, "Is this sword really that big?"
"I see."
Just then, Renji seemed to finally figure something out. The shock on his face slowly faded, replaced by a fierce grin mixed with anger.
He pointed his blade diagonally at Ichigo, "You're the human who stole Rukia's powers, right?"
"Ha!"
Renji let out a roar, forcefully pushing off with his feet. His entire body became a red blur as his Zanpakuto slashed straight down toward Ichigo's head.
Faced with this swift attack, Ichigo's mind went blank, but his body reacted before his consciousness could, violently raising the massive Zanpakuto to block!
He passively defended against the blow.
"Oh?" Renji looked at his easily blocked attack, the disdain on his face growing, "What's wrong? Only know how to block?"
He retracted his Zanpakuto, scrutinizing Ichigo and the massive sword in his hands with a very provocative gaze.
"Is this big sword just for show?!"
…
Under the shadow of a roadside tree not far away, Sasuke and Urahara watched all this quietly.
"Hmph." Sasuke let out a very soft snort, looking at the wildly arrogant red-haired Shinigami in the field.
"The ones who came are Renji and Captain Kuchiki, huh."
Abarai Renji, former 11th Division's 6th Seat, had only recently been promoted to 6th Division's Lieutenant.
And Sasuke, precisely after his transfer, had taken over that seat in order.
He was naturally all too clear about this former colleague's strength.
"In that case…" He said slowly, "This battle holds no suspense whatsoever."
Sure enough, the moment Sasuke's words fell, as if to confirm his judgment…
"Ha!"
Renji's patience seemed to have run out. He let out a roar, his Reiatsu abruptly erupting!
"A guy who doesn't even know his own Zanpakuto's name…" Renji grinned, showing a fierce smile, his eyes full of arrogance, "It's two thousand years too early for you to fight me!"
Under this powerful Reiatsu, Ichigo's breath hitched. His hands gripping the sword tightened unconsciously.
Renji held his Zanpakuto horizontally before him, his right hand gripping the hilt. His left palm slid fiercely from the hilt toward the tip!
"Roar, Zabimaru!!"
With the cry of the Shikai command, the ordinary katana in Renji's hand underwent a tremendous change in an instant!
The blade connected segment by segment, extending and deforming like a whip, finally transforming into a serpentine bone blade covered in sharp, barbed edges!
This strange posture is full of primitive wildness.
"What?!" Ichigo's eyes widened sharply. He stared in disbelief at the transformed weapon before him, his mind blank.
He subconsciously recalled the figure shrouded in black lightning who had stood before him not long ago.
'It's like Sasuke's... Zanpakuto's transformation...'
Everything unfolded exactly as Sasuke had anticipated.
After Renji released his Zanpakuto, the battle situation instantly became one-sided.
Ichigo was beaten back step by step by the whip-like blade, cuts opening up one after another on his body, until he finally crashed heavily to the ground.
"It's over, kid."
Renji slowly retracted Zabimaru, the tip of the blade pressing against Ichigo's chest, his eyes full of disdain, "Got any last words?"
He slowly raised his sword, preparing to deliver the final blow to this human.
However, at that moment, a petite figure desperately clung to his arm, preventing it from swinging down.
"What are you doing, Rukia?!" Renji's movement halted as he growled in a low voice, "Let go of me! Do you want to make your charges even more severe?!"
Ignoring his roar, Rukia turned her head toward the orange-haired young man lying in a pool of blood, her voice urgent.
"Run, Ichigo!"
Her voice pierced sharply into Ichigo's scattered consciousness.
'Run?'
'Why run?'
He raised his head, his gaze passing over Renji to see the tear-streaked face of the petite figure.
His hand tightened around the massive Zanpakuto beside him. He slowly rose from the pool of blood.
"What..." Renji was stunned, watching the swaying figure stand back up.
He instinctively shook off Rukia's hand, "So you can still move, huh."
"That's good." He grinned fiercely, "I was just thinking finishing off a dying man wouldn't be any fun."
Renji resettled Zabimaru on his shoulder, "Well then, let's have a proper fight to the death now!"
However, this time, Ichigo wasn't intimidated by his aura as before.
He just stood quietly in place.
The next second…
An unprecedented powerful Reiatsu erupted from within Ichigo's body, soaring into the sky!
The Reiatsu Storm it stirred even caused Renji's arrogant smile to falter momentarily.
"What?!" He stared in shock at the young man whose presence was completely different, "Th-this suddenly increasing Reiatsu... what's going on?!"
Before he could figure it out, Ichigo's figure had already vanished from his spot!
'Too fast!'
A spray of blood blossomed violently on Renji's chest.
"Ugh!"
Renji let out a pained grunt, looking at the wound on his chest in disbelief.
"What's wrong?" Ichigo slowly raised his head, "Why have your movements suddenly become so sluggish?"
"Don't get cocky, brat!" Renji roared. Zabimaru in his hand shot out like a venomous snake striking from its hole, lunging to bite Ichigo once more.
Ichigo sidestepped, precisely dodging the first segment of Zabimaru's blade. Pushing off with his feet, he surged against the current along the whip-like blade.
Renji was sent flying back by the tremendous force, crashing heavily into a distant wall.
He struggled to his feet from the shattered wall, "A mere human, how could..."
In the shadows not far away.
"What?" Sasuke's eyes finally showed unconcealed shock, "Renji... is being suppressed?"
'How could a half-baked amateur who didn't even know his own Zanpakuto's name suppress Renji?'
'What's going on?!' Renji was also roaring internally, 'Just how much has this guy's Reiatsu increased?!'
The figure before him stepped closer.
Ichigo, gripping his Zanpakuto with both hands, leaped high into the air. All his Reiatsu converged at the tip of the blade!
Renji's pupils contracted sharply, 'No time to dodge!'
However, just as the blade was about to touch Renji…
A sound like a thousand birds chirping instantly cut through the roar of the rampant Reiatsu.
"Carve the thunder, become the blade, Takemikazuchi!"
In that instant, a flash of pitch-black lightning vanished as quickly as an illusion.
A sound like shattering glass rang out.
Ichigo fell from the air, staggering back a few steps, looking down in confusion.
The massive Zanpakuto in his hand had broken off at the base. The blade fell straight down through the air.
Before him, in front of Renji, Sasuke stood, having appeared at some unknown time.
Holding his sword with one hand, a faint, elusive black arc of electricity coiled around the blade, humming softly.
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