"Cough... Cough!"
Ichigo lay on the ground, coughing up blood and feeling like every bone in his body was about to shatter.
"Nohara, are you serious right now?"
"Of course. Did you think I was kidding?"
With that, Shin charged toward Ichigo once more.
Ichigo kept parrying and dodging, completely unable to fight back against the relentless assault.
'What is wrong with me?'
'I'm so pathetic and weak.'
'If I continue like this, how can I protect my friends? How can I protect Yuzu and Karin?'
'I was always beaten down by Nohara before, and it's the same now. When will I finally be able to surpass him?'
He refused to simply sink into despair.
Suddenly, Ichigo's Reiatsu erupted. He immediately used Shunpo to create distance, sensing Zangetsu calling out to him.
"Bankai! Tensa Zangetsu!"
"Oh? Did you finally use it? Come on. Let me see your Bankai."
However, the confidence Bankai brought Ichigo was quickly shattered by Shin.
Although his speed and destructive power had increased after activating Bankai, he found that he couldn't break through Shin's defenses at all. Furthermore, he felt the power of the Hollow within him stirring restlessly, seemingly eager to seize control of his body.
"Getsuga Tensho!"
A slash flew towards Shin.
However, Shin simply swung his sword, and a burst of flame canceled out the Getsuga.
"What?"
Ichigo hadn't expected the move to wound Shin, but he certainly hadn't expected it to be neutralized so effortlessly.
Just as he was reeling in shock, a voice echoed inside him.
'Ichigo, you're useless. Let me take over. Hahahaha!'
Half a mask covered his left face, marked with several red stripes.
Shin saw Ichigo's Reiatsu constantly fluctuating—strong one moment, weak the next—and knew something was wrong.
Sure enough, White Ichigo had taken the driver's seat.
"Ichigo, watch this!"
White Ichigo's distorted, echoing voice sounded remarkably unique.
"Getsuga... Tensho!"
His Getsuga Tensho was different from Ichigo's. It was spiral-shaped, greatly enhancing its destructive power.
"Is this the power of the Hollow inside you? It's still nowhere near enough."
Shin mirrored the attack, swinging his sword and unleashing a flame slash.
Boom!
After the explosion, both slashes vanished.
White Ichigo grinned fiercely. "You're strong. Good. Anyone weak doesn't deserve to be my opponent."
He grabbed the chain attached to the hilt of Tensa Zangetsu, swinging and spinning it around.
"Hahahaha!"
White Ichigo's unique laughter echoed throughout the underground space.
Yoruichi and Soi Fon, who were watching the fight, were slightly stunned. The kid was acting completely different from his usual self.
White Ichigo relentlessly released black Getsugas, clashing with Shin, but none of them had any effect.
Condemnation!
The flame katana slashed White Ichigo away. The next moment, Shin appeared before him and shattered the mask with a single punch.
"Ah—"
"Damn you!"
White Ichigo covered his face, wailing, while the mask rapidly began to repair itself.
"It's all Ichigo's fault! I can't use my full power!"
"Sorry, you need to go back. I need to talk to Kurosaki." Shin rested Nietono no Shana on his shoulder.
"What are you talking about! I—"
Before White Ichigo could finish his sentence, Shin pressed a hand onto his face and launched him away, slamming him into the wall behind them.
Crack!
The half-mask instantly shattered.
White Ichigo let out a painful shriek, the sound fading until it vanished completely.
"Kurosaki, are you back?"
"Yeah. Thanks."
Ichigo wiped the blood from his face, slumping onto the ground and gasping for breath. He was still filled with lingering fear about that feeling of nearly going berserk and losing control.
"Kurosaki, I see fear and unease on your face."
Shin sat down next to Ichigo, resting his arm on his sword.
Ichigo was silent for a moment. "That thing..."
Shin said, "Shinigami, Quincy, Hollow—they are merely different manifestations of power. Power itself has no morality, the key lies in the person wielding it."
"As for the Hollow power inside you, blindly running from it won't work. Face him, defeat him, master him, make his strength your own, and become your own king."
Ichigo sank into deep thought after hearing this.
Shin smiled. "That's enough for today. Go home and think carefully. If you want to control that power, I can't help you. You have to do it yourself."
With that, he patted Ichigo's shoulder.
—
That night.
Ichigo lay in bed, pondering Shin's words from earlier, ignoring Kon who was shouting loudly beside him.
Beep... Beep...
The Substitute Shinigami Badge rang, signaling that a Hollow had appeared nearby.
Ichigo had no choice but to summon his Reishi body, take the Soul Candy out of Kon's body, and insert it into his own.
"Kon, don't cause trouble. I'm leaving my body in your care until I return."
Having said that, he flashed toward the Hollow's location.
But Kon wouldn't listen obediently. As soon as Ichigo was gone, he went out looking for trouble.
Ichigo spotted the Hollow on a nearby rooftop, jumped up, and finished it off with a single strike. He was just about to call it a night and head home when he suddenly sensed danger approaching from behind.
Clang!
Ichigo held his sword horizontally to block, only to realize the attacker was the new transfer student—Hirako Shinji!
"A Zanpakuto? Who the hell are you?" Ichigo noticed Shinji was also holding a Zanpakuto and demanded an answer.
"Shh... Don't shout, Kurosaki-kun. Someone with your level of Reiatsu shouldn't get nervous so easily." Shinji said with a strange smile, flashing a mouthful of white teeth.
"I asked you... who exactly are you?" Ichigo pressed.
The strange transfer student, wielding a Zanpakuto and launching a sudden attack, gave off a dangerous aura.
"This is a hassle. Are you really that obsessed with finding out who I am?"
As he spoke, Shinji placed his left hand on top of his head, and a Hollow mask slowly began to form.
"Look at this. Does it look familiar?" Shinji placed the mask over his face.
"A Hollow mask..."
"Correct. A Zanpakuto plus a Hollow mask—you understand now, don't you? I am someone who crossed from the Shinigami realm into the Hollow realm. I am a 'Visored,' your kind."
"Come join us, Kurosaki. You shouldn't be a human staying on 'that side.'" Shinji extended an invitation to Ichigo.
"I refuse."
Although Ichigo was curious how Shinji managed to control the Hollow power, the other party's identity and goals were unknown, and he wasn't foolish enough to simply follow him.
"Huh... Wait, I haven't even finished explaining." Shinji was baffled.
"No matter what organization this 'Visored' group is, I have no interest in joining you."
"I am a Shinigami, not one of your comrades."
Ichigo hadn't yet decided how he was going to deal with the Hollow power within him.
—
On Kon's end, Uryū and Kon got attacked by Hollows and things progressed like in the original story.
Uryū's father, Ryūken, saved Uryū, who had lost his Quincy powers.
Meanwhile, Isshin, in his Shinigami form, instantly destroyed the Arrancar, saving Kon. Urahara then informed Isshin of the recent events and sensing Ichigo approaching, Isshin retreated to avoid being seen.