1 Battle of Giants
Ichigo's mind was racing, Uryū had just sacrificed himself to land a blow, a silver arrowhead, straight into Yhwach's heart. His heart got heavy, he could barely stay focused, he was about to fall into despair at the most crucial moment. If he missed this chance everyone would die, he would fail to protect his family and friends….
Dead…
Uryū is dead…
My best friend...
His grip was about to loosen on Zangetsu, he was scared. Scared at this moment that his best friends sacrifice would be wasted because he hesitated, scared that because of him everyone would die, scared that he had failed to protect.
"Cast off your fear Ichigo." He heard the words reverberate through his very soul.
"Old man…." The substitute Shinigami reaffirmed the voice in his heart.
It was the faker who spoke, the one who pretended to be his Shinigami powers since they first awoke. Though he withheld the truth from Ichigo for a long time, the old man was always there to offer advice and to help him along the path he had chosen.
When the old man was ready to waste away into nothingness in order to give Ichigo access to his Quincy Bloodline he made the decision, he would not hate the Old man, he was apart of him just as Zangetsu was. Even after the half truths and the borderline lies the Old man told Ichigo, the young Shinigami trusted him and needed him. Even Zangetsu was enraged when the Old man tried to "run away" as he put it, it was one of the first times Ichigo and Zangetsu were truly in sync as they pulled his ass back together and into his soul world.
It didn't matter to Ichigo when the old man explained that if he was to stay around his Quincy powers would be reduced, his mere presence acted as a limiter even if the Old man was not working against Ichigo.
He had never regret that decision, even in this situation where he needed every bit of power he could muster to fight this monster in front of him.
Ichigo finally realized what was happening, the Old man was using the Quincy shadow to help Ichigo overcome this onset of despair. He recalled his fight with Kenpachi; when he was about to fall defeated, the Old man summoned the Quincy Shadow and gave Ichigo a pep talk and helped him overcome his fears. He never did ask how the Quincy shadow worked, but now was not the time.
"What do I do old man? He's dead…I failed to protect my best friend. If I can't even protect one person how can I protect the world?" The Shinigami's words echoed throughout his soul world.
"We Look forward" A different voice was heard this time, one Ichigo was not expecting. It was Zangetsu.
The manifestation of his Hollow and Shinigami powers. The Culmination of his Instinct. Ichigo felt a knot in his heart as he remembered how he had constantly cast aside Zangetsu because of his insecurity and fear. How much it must have hurt his hollow half to be rejected and feared by his very being. His hollow side was always the one to come to the rescue when he needed saving, and yet he never offered a word of thanks or try to understand it. He told Zangetsu to "stay away" and "disappear". His soul world started to drown, a storm like they had never seen before consumed all the buildings. It rained in his soul when he was sad, and right now, it was a hurricane.
The young Shinigami knew, he knew what happened in his soul when he became depressed or sad, and yet they didn't voice their complaints this time about the "bad weather". This only reinforced the shock that Ichigo felt when he heard Zangetsu's tone.
Zangetsu always acted as the sarcastic older brother to Ichigo, always teasing him and goading him, always pointing out when Ichigo had his head too far up his own ass….
Though Ichigo often argued with Zangetsu after he accepted that part of himself, he never dismissed what the hollow side said. Zangetsu was always rather blunt and crude most of the time, he was usually right… and at this moment Zangetsu held none of that sarcastic tone that he had come to associate with the hollow.
Zangetsu made it clear early on, he wasn't just the manifestation of his hollow and Shinigami powers, but his instinct as well, ALL his instinct, the good and the bad. Zangetsu would often try to get Ichigo to give into his more basic desires such as battling a strong opponent or hooking up with one of the various females Ichigo seemed to attract.
This was different he thought…and it hit him, Zangetsu was his instinct personified and what was his most powerful instinct that would override any kind of self-preservation or logical thinking? His instinct to protect.
Zangetsu felt it just as much as Ichigo had, he failed to protect someone important and it hit both of them hard.
The storm in his soul started to alleviate somewhat, it went from a hurricane to a regular rainfall. He could feel a hand on both his shoulders, one from Zangetsu and one from the Old man.
Ever since Zangetsu was reforged, they were one. They no longer fought for control, he didn't tell Zangetsu to go away, and the Old man didn't interfere with Ichigo's path. Ichigo had full control of his powers from that point on, but this was different.
All three felt it, their respective powers which should have never come to coexist inside one being, merged together in a way they had never felt before. Ichigo had no words to describe the feeling, he felt at peace, he felt complete. The sun began to shine brightly in his soul, the rain clouds dispersed, and a confident smile appeared on his lips.
"He wouldn't want me to be like this" Ichigo thought as he gripped both Zangetsu tightly.
"It's time to move forward Ichigo" Zangetsu and the Old man said at the same time.
The Quincy shadow started to recede back into Ichigo, just now being noticed by Yhwach. Only milliseconds passing since Uryū's death.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
He was angry. He didn't shout or curse which made it worse. His eyes radiated an anger that would make any of his minions flee on sight.
He knew that Uryū would eventually betray him, he didn't care and only thought of it a game to pass the time.
His arrogance came around to bite him in the ass at the 11th hour. He set himself up to fall. Hundreds of thoughts on what he could have done different flashed across his mind. Why hadn't he just killed the boy when he first found out about him?
He was now vulnerable.
The arrow Uryū shot into his heart was special, something Yhwach didn't even know existed until this moment. There was a Quincy relic that could make HIM vulnerable. HE was the king of the Quincy and here he stood, pulled off his throne by the powers he bestowed. He was angry.
It was that anger that blinded him to what was happening in front of him, so lost in thought that his very own powers were being used against him in such a blasphemous way. One of the most basic Quincy powers, The Quincy Shadow, was deployed and he was too engrossed in his own anger to notice it until it was too late.
Though it was not planned, he knew what killing Uryū in front of Ichigo would do to the young-ling. He was a creature of emotion, he was a teenager who didn't have a good grasp on his own mental state and adding in everything he's been through the past couple years he was unstable.
He was not able to take advantage of this unforeseen intrusion due to his anger, and this event
came about by his own arrogance. He was seething with anger at Uryū, but more so he was angry at Himself.
It took only a fraction of a second for the Quincy King to gather his wits, he was a survivor, a king, he wouldn't let this pull him down any further.
He watched as the last of the Quincy shadow was pulled back into Ichigo, he was preparing himself for the inevitable rush and foolish flailing the boy would perform in anger towards him.
Milliseconds felt like minutes, he waited…. And what he expected to happen did not.
He saw the expression on the hybrids face, it was not one of blind anger or self-loathing as he would expect, it was something that sent a jolt up his spine, that screamed at his instincts to run away…
It was Confidence.
It was then he heard a word that had given nightmares to many a Quincy in the past, that was etched into the very being of soul society. Anyone with the tiniest amount of spiritual awareness would never forget this word as it reverberated across the three worlds.
"Bankai."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Shinigami and Quincy were fighting throughout the soul king's palace and soul society. The death toll was high on both sides, Captains and Vandenreich alike had fallen. There was no pause, both sides knew that after this battle either Shinigami or Quincy would cease to exist. It was no longer about revenge or protecting the balance, it was a fight for survival.
Nothing should have been able to stop this bloodshed, the madness that consumed both sides to continue fighting even as they watched their friends and comrades fall did nothing to hinder it in the slightest.
And then it came….
A single word that had been spoken dozens of times in this bloody battlefield already…
Yet it was different, it was not an anger infused word nor was it one of hate or sadness.
It was a declaration from the highest point in the soul king's palace.
Everyone on the battlefield could feel the power emanating, they recognized the reiatsu signature.
The world froze as the reiatsu reached its peak, the sheer amount of power surpassed even the late Yamamoto.
A miracle happened on this bloodied battlefield, something that should never have happened…the fight stopped.
A single word reverberated through the souls of everyone present, it was neither loud nor quiet….it was the sound of the executioner's blade falling, they recognized the voice, they heard it all too many times.
The boy had always resorted to "it" in his fights due to always fighting people stronger than himself. He always led the charge, he was inexperienced, foolhardy, emotional, and yet …...this word always brought comfort to all those he considered friends …...or at least it did in the past…
He would usually shout it with what ever emotion he was wearing on his sleeve at the time, its one of the qualities that drew people to him. He was direct and would always bear his heart to those that needed it.
To all those who have heard him shout it dozens of times in the past, this one would stand out, it brought fear to his enemies and allies alike. Fear in his enemies who felt the power, fear in his allies who knew what the feeling the word held this time.
"Bankai."
The world went silent.
The feeling from the word that stopped the fighting in the bloodiest battle soul society had ever seen: Resignation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was only a couple seconds at most since his best friend died, Ichigo used his Bankai, his real Bankai, for the first time and it was powerful. He felt intoxicated, but he couldn't let it get to his head. He was confidant because he knew, he knew that no matter what happened today, he would probably die. He didn't know why he felt this way, maybe fate was kind enough to let him have solace in his last few minutes for the deeds he has performed over the course of his short life.
He accepted it. With acceptance came confidence, not to be confused with arrogance. He was confidant in himself, not stupid enough to think himself infallible like a certain king in his presence.
He brought his now single blade, Tensa Zangetsu, forward and charged at the Quincy king.
He watched the facial expression of the King as he charged forward, the emotions he expressed on his face were all too familiar to the substitute Shinigami, they were of fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of the vulnerability that was inflicted upon him, fear of the confidence Ichigo radiated.
Ichigo could guess what the Quincy relic that pierced the king's heart did, it somehow dampened or suppressed Yhwach's "The Almighty" power. He had to pierce him with his blade before the power returned, it was the opening his best friend gave him, and he would not squander it.
He continued his charge as Yhwach pulled himself together, he summoned powerful arrows by the dozens and shot them at Ichigo, trying to buy any amount of time possible to recuperate his power and Ichigo…..did nothing. He did not waiver as he charged through them, he couldn't waste the time to even dodge out of the way. He grit his teeth and pushed forward, never retreating, never hesitating, even as Yhwach summoned his blade and pushed it towards Ichigo's heart, he did nothing but continue his advance.
Ichigo could feel it, his heart being pierce by Yhwach's sword just as his own sunk into his enemy's chest.
It was at that moment when Yhwach and Ichigo both felt it, Yhwach's power returned.
Ichigo was barely conscious at this point, taking multiple arrows into his body and a sword through his heart, he would die at any moment, it was only through sheer willpower that he remained conscious and alive.
He looked at Yhwach's triumphant expression. He could barely hear, but he could guess that the king started an arrogant monologue.
It was when he noticed Yhwach's mouth stopped moving that he cracked a smile, a blood-soaked smile. It sent a chill down The Quincy King's back.
Ichigo could feel the Quincy king trying to use his ability, The Almighty, to re-write the future to where he was not stabbed. Ichigo laughed in his heart along with Zangetsu when the King started to panic and shout.
He never told anyone the abilities of Tensa Zangetsu, frankly it scared him.
The ability of Tensa Zangetsu; The damage done with his Bankai, cannot be undone. A cut would never stop bleeding, an arm lopped off would never be restored even with Orihimes power, and most importantly, Yhwach can't rewrite the future so that he was never injured.
It was almost comical, Ichigo thought, that the fight which decided the fate of all worlds ended in less than a minute.
He could feel himself slipping as his last thoughts flashed across his mind. He had enough for one attack, his signature attack. He looked inside himself to see Zangetsu and the Old man with him, both ready to finish it and protect everything he held dear. The next words that he spoke sent an echo across the already silent battlefield below;
"Getsuga Tenshō."
-----------------------------------------------
He fell back with a smile on his face. He did it. He protected his family and friends, and now…it was time to rest.
