The moment they heard Ichigo's scream and sensed his violently surging Reiatsu, Tsuna and Yoruichi both accelerated at the same time.
"Is Byakuya Kuchiki really that strong?"
Tsuna was slightly surprised. He could clearly feel Byakuya's Reiatsu—there was no doubt Byakuya was Ichigo's opponent.
According to the original storyline, once Ichigo mastered Hollowfication, he shouldn't be completely overwhelmed. Even if he didn't crush Byakuya outright, he should at least be able to fight Hakuteiken to a draw.
But from what Tsuna was sensing now, Ichigo sounded like he was being crushed.
"Kid, don't underestimate the foundation of the Seireitei," Yoruichi said.
"For thousands of years the Shinigami have refined the four disciplines—Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hohō, and Kidō. Mastering just one can reach captain level."
"And Byakuya is famous for mastering all of them."
She would know—she had teased Byakuya often enough to understand just how well-rounded he really was.
"We're here."
Tsuna immediately spotted the area surrounded by countless Senbonzakura blades.
Without hesitation, he drew G's Bow and fired a powerful attack infused with Reiatsu.
Scarlet Dragon Tornado Arrow.
Crimson light erupted.
Lying on the ground nearby, Renji saw the attack—an enormous red blast far thicker than his Higa Zekkō cannon.
He couldn't think of any Shinigami capable of producing such a technique.
The Storm Flame possessed a disintegration property. Under the violent tearing power of the arrow, Senkei: Senbonzakura Kageyoshi was ripped open, creating a hole large enough for two people.
Tsuna and Yoruichi immediately slipped through the opening.
"Damn… we should've brought Orihime."
The moment she entered the Senkei barrier, Yoruichi saw Ichigo lying on the ground with a hole pierced through his chest.
She didn't need analysis to understand.
Ichigo's Saketsu had already been destroyed.
If Orihime were here with her absurd powers, there might still have been hope.
"Kid, hold him off. I'll take Ichigo to Orihime," Yoruichi said quickly.
She was already prepared to stake the title of Flash Goddess to rescue him.
"Don't rush," Tsuna said calmly.
"Ichigo won't die."
"Actually… we're the ones in trouble now."
Tsuna's tone carried bitterness.
Because he already knew what was about to appear.
Byakuya had noticed their arrival as well.
Instead of immediately destroying Ichigo's Hakusui, he raised his head and looked at Yoruichi.
"Shihōin Yoruichi."
"So you are the mastermind behind this incident?"
"Mastermind? Don't make it sound so ugly, Byakuya," Yoruichi replied with a dark expression.
She pointed at Ichigo.
"Hand that idiot over right now. Otherwise the kid beside me might not hold back."
"On what basis do you think you can threaten me?"
Byakuya flicked his wrist.
The tip of Senbonzakura moved even closer to Ichigo's Hakusui.
At this distance, no one could rescue him.
Not even Captain-Commander Yamamoto.
"Byakuya Kuchiki," Tsuna said sternly.
"If you want to keep your life, I suggest you step away from Ichigo immediately."
"Ryoka," Byakuya said coldly.
"Watch your tone."
The blade moved closer still.
"Wait," Tsuna told Yoruichi calmly.
If Byakuya insisted on courting death, Tsuna had no intention of stopping him.
Ichigo's vision darkened.
He vaguely heard Yoruichi and Tsuna's voices.
Am I… saved?
No.
He looked down.
A finger-sized hole had already formed in his chest.
It's over… Tsuna was too late…
His field of vision shrank.
But just before losing consciousness—
Ichigo noticed something strange.
The hole in his chest…
Was growing larger?
Maybe the wound was expanding.
With that final thought—
Ichigo lost consciousness.
"Kid! Move! If we wait any longer he'll die!" Yoruichi shouted.
From her perspective, Tsuna could stall Byakuya while she rescued Ichigo.
Even if Byakuya destroyed the Hakusui afterward, it wouldn't matter.
But Tsuna suddenly grabbed her.
"Wait!"
He had to activate Extreme Break just to hold her back.
Before Yoruichi could question him—
A terrifying Reiatsu erupted.
She turned toward its source with shock—and a trace of fear.
The Reiatsu came from Ichigo.
She watched as the shattered fragments of Ichigo's Hollow mask melted into white liquid and reformed across his face.
Ichigo's mouth twisted into a grotesque grin.
Where had this Reiatsu come from?
A feral roar erupted.
Byakuya, momentarily stunned by the sudden surge of power, realized the dying boy beside him had turned into something monstrous.
Without hesitation he thrust Senbonzakura forward into Ichigo's chest.
The blade stopped instantly.
Ichigo's hand had seized it.
Ignoring the swords piercing his body, Ichigo gripped the blade and slowly pushed it away.
Blood dripped from his palm.
But he showed no sign of pain.
Something was wrong.
Byakuya had to interrupt the attack immediately.
There was no time to retrieve another blade or cast Kidō.
Only Hakuda remained.
He shifted his weight forward and drove his elbow toward Ichigo's chest wound.
Then he saw it.
The finger-sized hole had expanded into a fist-sized void.
A Hollow hole.
Byakuya understood instantly.
Ichigo's Reiatsu had become Hollow-like.
"So losing the Saketsu caused you to fall into Hollowification."
"As expected of a half-trained Shinigami."
Byakuya's eyes turned cold.
A Hollow had only one fate.
Death.
But before his strike could land—
A torrent of white liquid burst from Ichigo's body.
It blocked the blow.
All the Senbonzakura blades and Kidō restraints shattered.
Freed, Ichigo punched Byakuya.
The sheer force sent him staggering back several steps.
Then Byakuya saw it.
Red energy gathering in Ichigo's mouth.
Cero.
Even after transforming, Ichigo's battle instinct remained.
The crimson blast erupted point-blank.
Byakuya could only raise Senbonzakura to shield himself and endure the attack.
The beam eventually faded.
A massive trench scarred the ground.
Byakuya was nowhere in sight.
Moments later—
He appeared several meters away, kneeling and breathing heavily.
Blood poured from his body.
His left arm had suffered severe damage.
He had barely escaped by using Utsusemi mid-blast.
Even so, the Cero had grazed him.
Byakuya looked up.
Ichigo had transformed completely.
His body was covered in white Hollow armor.
A hollow hole pierced his chest.
His orange hair hung long behind him.
The mask looked nothing like a human face.
Two twisted horns grew from his head.
There was no trace of Shinigami Reiatsu left.
Ichigo had become a Horned Hollow.
"Even I don't casually put holes in Ichigo," Tsuna muttered.
"See? Now we're screwed."
Back in the Human World, Tsuna had sparred with Ichigo many times.
But he avoided techniques that caused piercing wounds.
Triggering Ichigo's berserk transformation accidentally was the last thing he wanted.
The Horned Hollow roared toward the sky.
Its terrifying Reiatsu shook the battlefield.
Byakuya's expression became solemn.
Against such power, Kidō or Hakuda techniques meant little.
Ichigo clearly possessed the High-Speed Regeneration of advanced Hollows.
In the end—
This battle would be decided by Reiatsu.
Byakuya only had enough power left for one final technique.
Hakuteiken.
Without hesitation, he prepared it.
Blades of Senbonzakura gathered around him.
At the same moment—
Ichigo raised his hand.
Tensa Zangetsu, which had been knocked away earlier, spun through the air and flew back into his grip.
Holding the blade, Ichigo swung casually.
No visible Reiatsu.
Just pure sword pressure.
For a brief moment—
Byakuya's hand trembled.
For the first time…
He felt fear.
BOOM.
Tsuna appeared in front of him.
His pale blade rested diagonally before him.
A translucent red barrier formed from Storm Flames.
The flames disintegrated Ichigo's sword pressure back into Reishi.
"What were you thinking, Byakuya Kuchiki?!"
Byakuya snapped out of his trance.
He realized Tsuna had saved him.
His face flushed slightly.
A Captain of Squad 6 had just been rescued by a Ryoka.
Before he could speak—
Tsuna had already begun issuing orders.
"If you don't want Seireitei destroyed, prepare to withstand the shockwaves of this fight!"
"Yoruichi—assist Byakuya!"
Tsuna spoke rapidly.
Even though he had blocked the attack, the ground between him and Ichigo had been cut into cube-like chunks.
That single swing revealed just how terrifying Ichigo's power had become.
"Shihōin Yoruichi."
Byakuya greeted her stiffly.
"Listen to him," Yoruichi said seriously.
"Cancel your Bankai. Save your strength. You're already injured."
When Yoruichi became serious, even Byakuya trusted her judgment.
Silently, he dismissed Senkei.
Ichigo had completely lost his reason.
Only destruction remained.
It no longer mattered who stood before him.
With a single step, he shattered the ground and charged straight at Tsuna.
Tsuna sighed.
No matter how careful he had been—
The task of fighting Horned Hollow Ichigo had still fallen to him.
And he couldn't step aside.
If Yoruichi or Byakuya took even one Cero stomp from Ichigo, they would die.
Facing the charging monster—
Tsuna flipped his blade and stabbed it into his own chest.
"Bathe in magma… Tyrant Dragon!"
◇ BONUS & SUPPORT ◇
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 10 reviews — drop a comment!
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 70 chapters ahead on P@treon → patreon.com/Sagamaster789