Chapter 8: Inner World

A sensation of unsettling reiatsu, reminiscent of a Hollow's presence, roused me from my slumber. Rising from my bed, I gazed in the direction of the disturbance.

"It appears Ichigo has entered the initial stages of regaining his Soul Reaper powers," I mused, punctuating the observation with a yawn and a leisurely stretch.

"Maybe I should go have a look," I contemplated, deciding to teleport to the source of the reiatsu.

In an instant, I found myself at the top of a colossal crater. Peering downwards, I spotted Ichigo, his arms tightly bound behind him, and a chain suspended from his chest. Casting my gaze in the opposite direction, I noticed two children curiously peering into the hole, and behind them, Kisuke Urahara.

Approaching Urahara, I inquired, "How long was I asleep?"

"Around six hours," he responded.

"Not too bad, but a bit more sleep wouldn't hurt," I replied, my voice tinged with fatigue.

"You seem to like sleep a lot," Kisuke observed.

"Yeah, dreams are the only place where I can use my imagination infinitely without restraints," I responded.

"But I need to be careful because I've accidentally used my imagination using my power a couple of times and had to erase some people's memories of what happened," I added.

"Oh, so your ability is tied to your imagination," Kisuke commented.

I gave him a puzzled look. "Wait, didn't I explain my ability to you before?"

"You only told me the name. Never what it did. I didn't want to inquire anymore as that is your privacy after all." Kisuke said with a mischievous look.

After a brief pause, Kisuke continued, "Well, I don't require your assistance just yet. Feel free to return to what you were doing."

Acknowledging his words, I inquired, "How long until you'll need me?"

Gazing contemplatively into the pit, Kisuke placed his hand on his chin and estimated, "I'd say roughly 65 more hours."

Shooting him a deadpan expression, I quipped, "Couldn't you have simply asked me to come back in two or three days?"

Kisuke's reply was animated, "Ah, but it's always wise to have an extra pair of hands on standby in case unforeseen circumstances arise."

"Sure, I guess. Anyway, I'm going to go train if you need me just let me know." I said before leaving since I'd probably kill myself if I had to deal with Kisuke for the next 3 days.

…2 and a half days Later…

Kisuke approached me cautiously, maintaining a safe distance as his curious gaze fixed on the ominous black circle in my hand. There was a palpable aura of trepidation emanating from the dark object, an abyssal void that seemed to swallow light itself. Its gravity appeared to communicate a sense of impending doom.

"Gremmy, it's your time to shine," Kisuke declared after observing the enigmatic object.

I turned around, causing the enigmatic circle to vanish into thin air.

"Alright, with my current energy level, I should be up for whatever task you have in mind," I assured him.

"Perfect. The mission is fairly straightforward, I want you to push Ichigo to the brink of awakening his Shikai," Kisuke explained with a playful undertone.

"Sounds relatively easy. But why don't you handle it yourself?" I inquired.

Kisuke's eyes gleamed with calculation as he replied, "While I could, I desire Ichigo to comprehend the distance between his current self and the friend he perceives as his equal."

"Thats fine then," I concurred before making my way toward the immense hole.

Kisuke followed in my wake, his excitement barely concealed. 'This should be quite the spectacle,' he mused internally.

Upon reaching the hole's edge, I peered down to witness Ichigo engulfed in a white liquid, which coalesced into a mask that clung to his face and attempted to envelop his entire form. As Ichigo strained against his restraints, Tessai's voice reached my ears, though the words were inaudible. In a swift motion, Tessai slapped the ground, and nails abruptly materialized, pinning Ichigo in place. A colossal black box manifested above him, plummeting earthward in an attempt to encase him.

With an impassive expression, I awaited the outcome.

My wait was brief, as a deafening boom resonated from below, followed by a figure hurtling out of the hole and landing at a distance from Kisuke and me. Smoke enveloped the figure's form, obscuring its features.

I turn my attention away from the hole and up to the figure that came out the hole that was currently covered in smoke hiding their appearance.

As the haze cleared, the figure emerged, adorned with a white mask etched with three red marks on the top left, resembling scratches. Clad in a black Shinigami attire with a zanpakutō hilt protruding from their back, the figure proceeded to tear away the mask, unveiling Ichigo himself.

In response to his transformation, a smile crept onto my lips.

"Hey, hat and clogs, what's next?" Ichigo inquired, a cocky grin playing on his lips as he addressed Kisuke.

"Keen to move forward, I see. Well, naturally, we proceed to part three of your training," Kisuke responded with an equally mischievous grin.

With a theatrical flourish, Kisuke announced, "You're about to face off against the 'midget' standing beside me."

I opted to ignore the derogatory remark, fixing my attention intently on Ichigo.

"You look a bit different now tangerine," I remarked, my grin widening.

"Oh, what's different about me?" Ichigo queried, his smile full of confidence.

"You're not as weak," I replied with a grin before, with a thought, I altered the floor beneath Ichigo, transforming it into a viscous mush that ensnared his legs, effectively immobilizing him.

Struggling like a fly ensnared in a web, Ichigo exerted considerable effort to break free from his predicament, ultimately managing to tear through the ground and liberate himself.

Once he regained his footing, he quickly jumped backward, creating a bit of distance between us. Drawing his zanpakutō, he held it defensively before him, his gaze unwavering.

Toying with him, I remarked with a sinister grin, "Seems like it took you quite a while to escape such a basic trap."

Ichigo remained silent, his expression steadfast as he stared at me.

Unfazed, I began to advance towards him, hands still casually resting in my pockets. However, each step I took seemed to send vibrations rippling through the environment, and with every step, the landscape underwent a dramatic transformation. What was once a barren desert wasteland morphed into a battlefield strewn with lifeless bodies and pools of blood.

Everywhere you looked nothing but bodies and blood.

Ichigo's initial confidence wavered, his eyes betraying a hint of fear as he observed the nightmarish scene around us. Meanwhile, I continued to approach.

"Why are you showing me this?" Ichigo's voice was tense, his teeth clenched.

Without responding, I teleported in front of him, gripping his collar tightly and then flinging him in a random direction. Like a stone skipping across water, he skidded across the ground amidst the gruesome remains of the battlefield.

Finally coming to a halt, Ichigo struggled to his feet, one hand on his knee, his zanpakutō still clutched tightly in the other. Blood from the surrounding corpses had splattered onto him, creating a daunting picture.

With a pained expression, he gazed at me and questioned, "Where have you brought me?"

Smirking, I responded, "This is the very place you so want to break into."

His eyes widened in realization, and he stuttered, "Wait, this is the Soul Society?"

"Indeed, but a thousand years prior," I confirmed.

Pausing to let the gravity of the revelation sink in, I added, "It was the very same individuals you're going to fight who orchestrated this devastation."

Gone was my smile, replaced by a somber countenance as I continued, "Ichigo, can you bear witness to this? Can you watch as your loved ones, your friends, are ruthlessly slaughtered, all because of a friend you've known for only a month?"

Ichigo's expression became contemplative, his thoughts delving deep. After a while, he raised his gaze to meet mine and replied with unwavering determination "I would never want to put anyone I love in danger and that means a friend I met a month ago. Even if I have to fight the world by myself, I will do so."

"Good," I replied.

Without hesitation, I conjured forth a multitude of grotesque and monstrous creatures, each distinct from the last, each terrifying in its own right. The nightmarish horde stretched far beyond the limits of sight, and with a single command, I set them in motion, their malevolent intent directed towards Ichigo.

"You want to save them? Then you better survive," I declared as the legion of abominations surged forward, a horrifying tide aimed squarely at Ichigo.

[Pov Ichigo]

As my mind was flooded with thoughts of despair, the overwhelming odds against me, the seemingly insurmountable challenge, I felt myself sinking into darkness. Consciousness faded, and when I regained my awareness, I found myself perched on the side of a building in an otherworldly plane, a world that defied gravity.

Surveying my surroundings, I spotted a man dressed in a black robe, his presence enigmatic yet familiar.

"Who are you?" I questioned, a sense of confusion gripping me.

"You ask who I am, but I have been by your side the most. I know you better than even yourself." the robed man responded cryptically.

Baffled, I thought, 'What does he mean?'

"I Still don't know who you are," I replied, seeking clarity.

"This should help," said the man in black as a my broken zanpakutō appeared in my hand.

"Wait, you're my zanpakutō?" I exclaimed in realization.

"Yes, and currently, you're unable to wield my true name," he affirmed, creating numerous boxes around me.

"In order to be able to use me you have to find your true zanpakutō amongst these boxes. But you better hurry up as you don't have much time left." he warned, his voice laden with urgency.

Comprehending the urgency, I leapt toward the nearest boxes and began opening them in a frenzied search. Box after box, my efforts yielded no result until I recalled Ishida's advice about spiritual ribbons. My eyes fixed on a solitary red ribbon, and following its path, I hastened to open the corresponding box. Within, I found the hilt of my zanpakutō.

"Finally, I found you."

[Pov Gremmy]

Observing from the sidelines, I watched the horde of creatures I'd conjured swarm Ichigo's position, eager and ravenous.

Glancing at Ichigo, who remained still, I murmured, "It should be soon now."

The creatures closed in, their excitement palpable, akin to predators closing in on their prey, sensing vulnerability.

As the encroaching horde drew closer, Ichigo's form stirred with a potent mix of determination and urgency. His voice rang out with newfound resolve, calling upon the very essence of his zanpakutō, "Zangetsu."

In a seamless and practiced motion, his blade underwent a transformation, morphing into a colossal knife-like weapon, a manifestation of his determination and power.

With a swift yet graceful motion, Ichigo swung his zanpakutō skyward, his voice commanding as he intoned, "Getsuga Tenshō." An immense surge of reiatsu erupted from his blade, materializing into a colossal wave of energy that surged forth like a tidal force. As it swept forward, it rent through the horde with a destructive fury, leaving only havoc and devastation in its wake.

However, even as the mighty attack tore through his enemies, its force gradually died, and the reiatsu began to dissipate, fading into the atmosphere.

The tremendous effort had taken a toll on Ichigo. Depleted of his energy and nearly spent, he found himself teetering on the precipice of unconsciousness, his body swaying in the aftermath of his overwhelming exertion.

"Am I about the die?" His voice hung in the air, tinged with uncertainty and vulnerability, the darkness that surrounded him threatening to claim his consciousness. His body covered in blood not his, slumped amidst the blood-soaked ground, a testament to his struggle and the immense weight of his actions.

In the aftermath of his collapse, the world shifted and reverted to its previous state, the battleground replaced by a desert landscape.

With a casual yawn, I addressed Kisuke, who stood beside me, puzzled. "Mission accomplished. Now, I'll return to my training."

Kisuke's confusion deepened as he questioned, "What do you mean, you guys just started fighting."

I gave him a small smile and walked away.

—————————————————————————

Tessai (image)

Hope you liked the chapter.