Chapter 9:Getsugatensho

‘Why is he using it here?!’

I was bewildered by Ikkaku’s Bankai.

Bankai, which can be said to be a Shinigami’s secret technique.

In the latter half of the series, it seems like everyone and their mother uses it, making the name ‘secret technique’ seem ironic.

But considering the number of Shinigami and the number of those who have mastered it, Bankai is a power that deserves to be called a Shinigami’s secret technique.

Ikkaku is one of the few Shinigami who have mastered Bankai, and he is a skilled warrior who doesn’t deserve the title of 3rd Seat.

But Ikkaku doesn’t use his Bankai.

Because he has made it his goal to fight and die under his captain, Zaraki Kenpachi,

and therefore, he avoids troublesome situations like receiving offers to become a captain himself.

So, he tries not to let others find out about his Bankai.

That’s what I thought.

But now, Ikkaku has openly used his Bankai in the middle of Seireitei.

Naturally, since he used his Bankai so openly, other people will find out that Ikkaku can use it.

Considering Ikkaku’s goal, this is something that should never have happened.

‘Wait a minute.’

Is this really that strange?

Even in the original work, Renji, let alone his Bankai, is a skilled warrior who wouldn’t be outmatched by even a mediocre captain, yet he maintains his position as a lieutenant.

And Chojiro Sasakibe, the 1st Division lieutenant who died in the Thousand-Year Blood War, should technically be a captain as well.

But both of them are oddballs who don’t become captains and maintain their positions as lieutenants.

In fact, that’s why Ikkaku is made fun of even more.

It’s not really that strange for Ikkaku to use his Bankai and maintain his position like those two, is it?

“…..Is this how I’m getting reality-checked?”

“That b*stard used Bankai?”

“Yeah.”

“Ichigo can only use Shikai.”

“What do you mean, Shikai?

To put it bluntly, even his Shikai is just a half-assed Shikai.”

That’s true.

Currently, if Ichigo awakens his true Zangetsu, his body won’t be able to handle it, so the fake Zangetsu gave him a fake Zangetsu.

Well, even that is far more powerful than any mediocre Zanpakuto, but if his opponent uses Bankai, the story changes.

The difference in power between Shikai and Bankai goes without saying.

“This is f*cked up.”

“F*ck, I’m going out.”

“You lunatic!

If you have to go out, I understand, but what will happen if a Hollow runs rampant in the middle of Seireitei, the Shinigami’s headquarters?”

Of course, even if he only uses Shikai, if White goes out, he’ll easily crush Ikkaku, no matter how much he uses his Bankai.

The problem is that this place is not the human world, but Soul Society, and among that, it’s Seireitei, the Shinigami’s headquarters.

If White runs rampant, Hollow’s spiritual pressure will inevitably leak out.

What will happen then?

Even with the current situation of infiltrating Seireitei, they can be considered enemies of the Shinigami, but there’s a fundamental difference between a group of travelers infiltrating and a Hollow running amok.

Naturally, the moment White appears, the Shinigami will desperately try to subdue Ichigo and his group.

If that happens, no matter how strong White is, they are doomed.

Even if they somehow deal with the other guys.

“Even if we can somehow deal with the Captain-Commander’s Shikai, we’re f*cked if he uses Bankai!!!”

“Shigekuni is too much.”

“He’s way too much!!!”

That old man is a nuclear weapon who can use Shikai alone to match the Bankai of other captains.

Moreover, this is Soul Society, so there are no restrictions on using Bankai like there are in the human world.

Maybe if he had awakened his true Zangetsu.

With Ichigo’s current power, even if he goes full Hollowfication, the only future I see is him becoming firewood.

“I’ll take care of that senile old man.”

“Stop it, White.

It’s true that the current Gotei 13 is weaker than it was a thousand years ago, but Shigekuni, who is still comparable to his prime, is alive.

If Shigekuni activates his Bankai, we’re all doomed.”

“Is that old man that strong?”

“A thousand years ago, the group of murderous lunatics was led by the head of the murderous lunatics, Shigekuni.

To put it in Hollow terms, he used force to turn a group of disobedient Hollows into a group of obedient dogs.”

“What the hell kind of crazy old man is that?”

Our gazes turned outwards.

“So, what do we do about that?

Ichigo’s losing.”

When we looked outside, we saw Ichigo desperately fighting against Ikkaku, who had used his Bankai.

When Ikkaku was only using his Shikai, Ichigo had the upper hand, but when he used his Bankai, the situation was reversed.

With the unpredictable movements of Hozukimaru and the added power of Bankai, Ichigo was, quite literally, overwhelmed.

-Getsugatensho!

-It’s no use!

Ichigo fired his special attack, Getsugatensho, but Ikkaku deflected it by swinging Ryūmon Hōzukimaru.

No matter how powerful Getsugatensho is, it’s still a Shikai-level attack.

It’s not enough to compete with the Bankai-level Ryūmon Hōzukimaru.

Ichigo was pushed back.

I was contemplating whether or not to send White out when.

-Getsugatensho!

Ichigo began to fire Getsugatensho in rapid succession.

One attack might have been manageable.

But the continuous barrage forced Ikkaku to start blocking, and he clicked his tongue, finding it somewhat bothersome.

Then, Ichigo stopped firing Getsuga and charged at Ikkaku with Zangetsu coated in spiritual energy.

Huh?

Isn’t that what he first used when fighting Ulquiorra?

He’s using it already.

-You’re doing well fighting against a Bankai with just your Shikai, Ichigo!

-Bankai?

What’s that?!

-Huh?

You look like a Shinigami of sorts, don’t you know about Bankai?

-I don’t!

I was just a substitute Shinigami until recently!

-I see…

Ikkaku made an exasperated expression and explained about Shikai and Bankai.

Bankai is the true form and power of a Zanpakuto.

-I see.

So I still have a long way to go.

-Even with this difference in power, you’re not afraid?

-Of course I’m scared.

But.

Ichigo said.

-I’m even more scared of running away without doing anything!

Getsugatensho!

Ichigo began to use Getsuga in rapid succession.

But no matter how outstanding the technique, it was still a Shikai technique.

It was clear that it wasn’t enough to overcome the power of Bankai.

The area around the two fighters had already been half-destroyed.

But the clear advantage belonged to Ikkaku.

Unlike Ichigo, who was constantly getting injured, Ikkaku hadn’t suffered any significant injuries since using his Bankai.

-Huff, huff….

-Is this the end?

Still, you fought well.

It’s impressive that you managed to do this much with just your Shikai against a Bankai.

-Who said it’s over?

-Huh?

It was that moment.

-!!!

Suddenly, a pentagonal barrier formed around Ikkaku.

Not only Ikkaku, but we were also surprised by the situation.

-What is this!

-The only technique I learned from Zangetsu, from White, is Getsugatensho.

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t other techniques derived from it.

I didn’t know if it would work since it’s the first time I’m using it, but it looks like it was a success.

-You b*stard?!

-Five Getsugas form a formation, and another Getsuga is created at the center, which becomes the axis.

It’s a f*cking difficult and tricky technique to use, but its power is guaranteed?

BOOOOM!!!

An enormous amount of spiritual pressure erupted from the formation.

That power was incomparable to a regular Getsuga.

The formation made of Getsugatensho amplified each other’s power and exploded in an instant, and that power was several times, maybe even dozens of times, that of a regular Getsuga.

A huge cloud of smoke rose, and a power that seemed to destroy everything around Ikkaku was generated.

-Cough…….

In the center of it, Ikkaku suffered a fatal injury.

It was clear that he could no longer fight.

But he raised the corners of his mouth and said.

-I’m really lucky, after all.

-….

-To fight such a strong guy.

Thud!

With those words, Ikkaku collapsed.

Ryūmon Hōzukimaru reverted to a regular sword, no longer in its released form.

Ichigo had defeated a Bankai user with only his Shikai.

I couldn’t find the words to describe the scene.

I never thought Ichigo would win.

“You b*stard, you can do it when you try.

You can do it.”

“What’s that?

There’s no such technique in Zangetsu?”

At those words, White said triumphantly.

“It was going to be the 5th revised version of Getsugatensho.

‘The Final’.”

“Ah.”

“He can’t even handle Bankai yet, so I taught him a degraded version.

It was good that it mixed Quincy techniques and other things, but there were too many restrictions.

Well, it was a technique that was discarded because it was too strong.”

Come to think of it, isn’t that almost like Sprenger?

At that sight, the fake Zangetsu silently clenched his right hand.

It seems he’s happy that a Quincy technique has appeared.