Chapter 32: rock paper scissors

After the Arrancar invasion, Ichigo and his companions gathered together.

It was natural to gather together and discuss opinions since the enemies had invaded.

Among the currently dispatched Shinigami, the captain, Toshiro, looked at Ichigo.

“So, how was it, Kurosaki?”

“……”

“You’re the only one among us who fought an Espada. I want to hear an objective assessment.”

Toshiro’s words were reasonable. The Espada are, simply put, one of the 10 strongest.

In order to grasp the enemy’s strength, it was natural to hear the words. Ichigo couldn’t answer Toshiro’s question easily, and then he scratched his head and said.

“…He was strong. It’s not a big difference, but I can’t deny that I was pushed back.”

“Is that in terms of spiritual pressure? Or in terms of power?”

“Both. Well, if you look at speed alone, I’m faster, but he’s not an opponent that I can overwhelm with just speed.”

“I heard about your Bankai from Byakuya. But you were still pushed back?”

Toshiro’s face stiffens. There are differences in abilities between Bankai, but Ichigo’s Bankai, Tensa Zangetsu, compresses the immense power of Bankai into one body, enabling ultra-high-speed combat.

Among the Bankai focused on other powers, it can be said to be the top in terms of individual power improvement, but even with Tensa Zangetsu, he was pushed back, so it’s natural to react like that.

Toshiro was silent.

And then he said to Ichigo.

“The Espada you faced is number 6.”

“Oh, he told me that too.”

“In other words, there are 5 more Arrancars stronger than him.”

To be precise, it’s 6 including Yammy, but I kept quiet.

“If the weight of one number doesn’t make a big difference, it’s okay. But if the difference between one number is much more extreme than we think, Soul Society will be annihilated.”

That means Soul Society will be annihilated because of the Captain-Commander’s Bankai, right?

I know (laughs).

But excluding the Captain-Commander and the 4th Division Quincy butcher, Toshiro’s assessment is not very wrong.

After all, even if they win, if a large number of captain-level Shinigami fall, the balance of the three realms will be broken, and I don’t know what kind of chaos will happen.

Oh, so that’s why Aizen didn’t bother to kill the Gotei’s Shinigami?

“There are 5 guys stronger than him. One of them is that Ulquiorra guy from last time.”

Ichigo’s face also stiffens at Toshiro’s question. It’s not strange to react like that because there are 5 more guys stronger than the guy he thinks is a strong enemy.

I glanced sideways at White, who was also listening.

“So, if Ichigo uses Hollowfication properly, how far do you think he can go?”

“How would I know if I haven’t seen it?”

“Tell me based on that lazy Arrancar who came to get that punk last time.”

“Based on that guy?”

“At first glance, he seems stronger than that punk. That’s why he came to retrieve him.”

“Is that so.”

Starrk’s number is 1.

Considering Yammy’s special restrictions, he is the strongest Espada in practice.

Even though he didn’t take out his Bankai, he fought well with Kyoraku, the 2nd Captain-Commander, and considering that he actually fought four captain-level opponents and had a hole in his stomach due to a surprise attack, he lives up to the name of number 1.

White, who had been thinking hard, slowly said.

“If he releases his Zanpakuto and has a similar increase in spiritual pressure as that punk, I think they’ll be able to fight somehow?”

“Based on complete Hollowfication?”

“Based on the Hollowfication used by those weaklings, the Visoreds. Ichigo hasn’t even grasped complete Hollowfication yet, and it’s also a burden on his body.”

Then, if Ichigo can use Hollowfication well, he’s at a level where he can match the Espada number 1? Compared to the original work, it’s a remarkable growth to the point of tears.

But in other words, it also means that he’s still a long way from Aizen.

Because Aizen is stronger than all the Espada combined.

Of course, this is also on the premise that Aizen uses Kyoka Suigetsu and that the Espada don’t properly team up.

Even so, the fact that he can be evaluated as stronger than a group of 10 Vasto Lorde Arrancars or those close to them shows how high a level Aizen is as a Shinigami.

After all, Kyoka Suigetsu is Aizen’s Zanpakuto, so it’s funny to exclude it.

The fact that the Zanpakuto is the crystallization of a Shinigami’s power makes me realize again that Aizen is out of the norm.

“More importantly, that Ichigo bstard, he’s being beaten by that kind of bstard even though he didn’t use Hollowfication? I’ll have to smash his muscles next time.”

“What does that have to do with Zanpakuto techniques?”

“Nothing. I’m just pissed.”

“Then shall I try Muscle Driver?”

“Oh, that’s good. How about a joint Muscle Millennium?”

“Won’t Ichigo’s spine be crushed, let alone broken?”

“Don’t worry. He won’t die.”

You’re not letting him die with ultra-fast regeneration, right? I know.

The fake Zangetsu sighs.

“Stop bullying him.”

“It’s not bullying. Ichigo is a sensory type, so he has to learn with his body, you know? You know that too, darky?”

“I hate to admit what that guy said, but it’s a fact that I have to admit. More importantly, who are you calling darky, whitey.”

“You call me whitey just fine, so what.”

“That’s true.”

“I roughly agreed and stopped watching and got up.

“Well, let’s decide.”

“What?”

“That.”

“That?”

At my words, the two are puzzled, but then their eyes flash. They seem to have understood what I meant.

I stretch my whole body until it makes a cracking sound, White swings his right arm, and the fake Zangetsu walks forward.

The three of us made a triangle as if in balance, and then shouted at the same time.

“Scissors!”

“Rock!”

‘Paper!!!””

“‘Rock, paper, scissors! Rock, paper, scissors! Rock, paper, scissors!”

“You, you were late just now?!”

“Don’t make excuses, you Hollow b*stard?!”

We started playing rock, paper, scissors.

It’s a hassle to fight every time, so we decided to decide things with rock, paper, scissors.

This time, we’re deciding who will teach Ichigo first when he comes in next. Of course, it also takes up the most time.

And the result came out soon. White and I were shaking our hands, and the fake Zangetsu was quietly smiling in victory.

White and I played rock, and the fake Zangetsu played paper.

“I won.”

“Don’t cheat, you hairball b*stard! You’re not a fragment, are you?! Can you actually use The Almighty?! Did you see the future and cheat?!”

“In the first place, how did a b*stard who is a fragment suppress both me and the darky?! No, he was suppressing me, the darky, and Ichigo’s Shinigami power! Is this for real!”

“Uh, wait a minute. Is it true that you’re really seeing the future?”

Come to think of it, he was blocking 3/4 of Ichigo’s power by himself.

It goes without saying for Shinigami power or Hollow power, and Fullbring power is also a power that should naturally bloom. Considering Ichigo’s talent, it’s not strange that Shinigami or Hollow power awakened naturally long ago.

But none of them awakened naturally, they awakened artificially. It was all because of the fake Zangetsu’s suppression. When I got to that point, I was dumbfounded.

What the hell is this guy?

Is he really a fragment? Isn’t he on the level of The Allmighty at this level?

“”Why aren’t you answering, you hairball b*stard?!””