Blades shattered, and Ichigo was once again swallowed by a storm of petals.
A black arc cut through the sea of blossoms as Ichigo emerged, pointing Tensa Zangetsu at Byakuya.
"So even the Captain of Squad 6 resorts to sneak attacks?"
"For intruders like you," Byakuya replied coldly, "there is no need for honor."
He used Shunpo to rush forward. A pink blade formed in his hand, taking the shape of Senbonzakura's sealed form. Then countless blades appeared in the air, hanging upside down and forming a cage around both of them.
"Senkei — Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."
The battle that had ended unfinished in the Human World was now resumed.
In truth, Byakuya had already acted with considerable fairness.
When the captains' meeting began, he chose not to attend because he had detected Ichigo's presence.
When he intended to capture Ichigo, Ichigo happened to encounter Renji, who had just returned.
So Byakuya simply watched.
When Renji released Bankai, Byakuya was genuinely surprised.
He had never expected his lieutenant—who had always looked up from below—to possess such potential.
Was it because of Rukia?
For the moment, Byakuya couldn't determine the answer.
But as someone who had long mastered Bankai, Byakuya could tell instantly:
Renji's Bankai was still crude.
At that level of mastery, he had no chance against Ichigo.
So Byakuya deliberately chose not to interfere.
First, it gave Renji an opportunity to gain experience with Bankai.
Second, it reflected Byakuya's absolute confidence.
Without the spiritual pressure limiters imposed in the Human World, he was certain he could defeat Ichigo.
Now trapped inside Senkei, Ichigo had no choice but to face him.
After fighting Renji, Byakuya had appeared.
Ichigo knew he had already wasted too much time.
He had to finish this quickly.
With his Bankai's full speed, Ichigo lunged forward and slashed.
From their previous encounter, he knew his speed exceeded Byakuya's.
This time he wouldn't hold back.
If he could wound Byakuya, he could break through Senkei's confinement and escape using Tensa Zangetsu's speed.
Got him!
Just as the blade was about to strike Byakuya's shoulder—
Senbonzakura appeared effortlessly in front of it.
The two swords clashed and separated.
At close range, Ichigo and Byakuya exchanged several rapid strikes.
Then Ichigo realized something terrifying.
His speed advantage had nearly vanished.
Within Senkei, Byakuya's speed had increased.
Meanwhile, the confined space prevented Ichigo from using wide-range maneuvering.
His Bankai's speed suddenly seemed far less overwhelming.
Byakuya read his thoughts.
"This technique abandons everything except offense," he said calmly.
"It is Senbonzakura's true form."
"It is not something a Bankai like yours can rival."
As he spoke, another pink blade flew from behind him and transformed into a sword in his other hand.
Byakuya's attack rhythm changed instantly.
Ichigo was caught off guard.
A slash cut across his chest.
Ichigo immediately retreated with Shunpo.
But it was only delaying the inevitable.
He could not escape Senkei.
Holding his chest wound, Ichigo finally admitted something.
In swordsmanship, he could not defeat Byakuya.
So he raised his hand and gathered Reiatsu.
"Getsuga Tenshō!"
A black crescent shot toward Byakuya.
Byakuya calmly summoned three blades from above.
They blocked the attack.
At the cost of three blades dissolving back into petals, the attack was neutralized.
"Surrender," Byakuya said.
"Your attacks are ineffective."
From these exchanges, Byakuya had already concluded something.
Ichigo relied on only one technique: Getsuga Tenshō.
As long as he blocked that attack and matched Ichigo's speed—
Ichigo posed no threat.
Ichigo showed no frustration.
Instead, he raised his hand toward his face.
"I haven't fully mastered this yet," he said.
"So be careful."
He pulled downward—
And a white mask appeared on his face.
The left side carried red markings.
A Hollow mask.
After his battle with Byakuya in the Human World, Ichigo had sought training from the Visored.
But because he resisted Hollow power, he had never fully mastered it.
He could only borrow the power for short bursts.
The moment the mask formed—
Ichigo attacked immediately.
Not wasting a single second.
He appeared in front of Byakuya with Shunpo and slashed.
Byakuya instantly noticed the difference.
Ichigo's speed and strength had increased dramatically.
Even his swordsmanship had gained a wild, feral edge.
Byakuya discarded the second blade.
Using two swords would only slow him down.
Even so—
Ichigo's swings were now slightly faster.
With every exchange, Ichigo's attacks accelerated.
They were instinctive, primal strikes.
Something Byakuya's academy-trained style could not counter instantly.
This couldn't continue.
Byakuya summoned three blades to disrupt Ichigo's rhythm and retreated.
Ichigo cut through them smoothly.
Then he launched another attack.
This time—
A black-and-red Getsuga Tenshō.
Byakuya tried to block it the same way as before.
But the attack was on an entirely different level.
It devoured the petals instantly and continued forward.
Byakuya gathered Reiatsu into his blade and struck it head-on.
The moment their powers collided—
He understood the terrifying force behind it.
Step by step, he was pushed back.
Only at the edge of Senkei did he finally stop.
He analyzed quickly.
The red energy surrounding the attack resembled a Cero.
And the wounds on his body still carried traces of Hollow Reiatsu.
To block that attack, Byakuya had paid a price.
His left shoulder and abdomen were wounded.
And just as he finished blocking—
Ichigo launched another Getsuga.
Byakuya's anger finally surfaced.
Did this arrogant boy really believe he could defeat him with repeated attacks?
Did he think Hollow power could surpass centuries of Shinigami training?
The honor of the Shinigami meant everything to Byakuya.
This boy believed stolen Hollow power could crush generations of effort?
Ridiculous.
"Bakudō #81: Dankū!"
A transparent barrier appeared.
Without incantation, its defense was weaker.
Cracks spread across it immediately.
But that moment of resistance was enough.
Byakuya appeared in front of Ichigo.
One hand held his sword.
The other glowed gold.
"Bakudō #4: Hainawa!"
A golden rope shot forward.
Even a low-level binding spell could disrupt Ichigo briefly.
That was enough.
Byakuya seized the initiative.
He parried Tensa Zangetsu.
A Senbonzakura blade descended from above, stabbing into Ichigo's foot.
Ichigo flinched.
The opening appeared.
Byakuya struck his chest with his free hand.
A burst of force sent Ichigo crashing to the ground.
After rolling several times, Ichigo struggled back up.
He tried to attack again—
Using speed and instinctive strikes to regain momentum.
But the moment he moved—
He regretted it.
His injured foot prevented him from reaching full speed.
Then Byakuya's voice sounded beside him.
"A Shihōin clan Shunpo technique—Utsusemi."
Ichigo's eyes widened behind the mask.
Byakuya had matched his speed.
Before Ichigo could react—
The same pattern repeated.
Sword strikes.
Kidō.
Occasional Hakuda blows.
The rhythm completely disoriented him.
Whenever Ichigo tried to escape with Shunpo—
Byakuya followed with his own techniques.
Swordsmanship, Kidō, hand-to-hand combat, and movement.
Ichigo's only advantage—his instinctive sword strikes—was erased by Byakuya's vast combat repertoire.
"Getsu—"
Cracks appeared on Ichigo's mask.
Time was running out.
In desperation, Ichigo gathered Reiatsu at close range.
Even if the attack injured himself—
He had no other option.
But before he could release it—
Two Senbonzakura blades pierced through his shoulders.
The Reiatsu he had gathered collapsed instantly.
Then Byakuya cast another spell.
"Bakudō #9: Geki."
Ichigo's legs were bound.
A powerful punch struck his wrist.
The impact forced him to release Tensa Zangetsu.
Byakuya seized the moment and knocked the blade away.
"The powers of a Shinigami are divided into four disciplines," Byakuya said coldly.
"Zanjutsu, Hohō, Hakuda, and Kidō."
"A boy who has only just become a Shinigami dares challenge the honor built over centuries of Soul Society using Hollow tricks?"
"How laughable."
Ichigo stood bound like a prisoner.
Yet Byakuya himself was far from unscathed.
Ichigo's Hollow-enhanced strength had inflicted many wounds.
Still—
Through superior experience and mastery of all four arts—
Byakuya had suppressed him.
Ichigo had simply become a Shinigami too recently.
His previous battles had been against low-level Hollows.
Against a Shinigami with countless combat techniques—
his advantages disappeared.
But Ichigo still refused to give up.
He had one final move.
Reiatsu erupted wildly from his body.
His mask, now half-broken, twisted in rage.
The surge nearly shattered his communicator.
Activating it, Ichigo screamed into the sky.
"TSUNA!!!"
For Ichigo—
only the Great Summoning Technique could save him now.
If he had listened to Tsuna earlier—
he would have called for help immediately.
His overconfidence had led him here.
Hearing the call, Byakuya reacted instantly.
Two more blades pierced Ichigo's body, interrupting his surge.
He understood that Ichigo was calling for reinforcements.
And he would never allow an enemy to succeed.
"Rukia granted you Shinigami power," Byakuya said coldly.
"As her brother, I will reclaim it."
He pointed at Ichigo's chest.
At the location of the Chain of Fate.
Destroy the Saketsu.
Then pierce the Hakusui.
Ichigo would permanently lose his Shinigami power.
Even Ichigo knew this.
White light gathered at Byakuya's fingertip.
"Hadō #4 — Byakurai."
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