A Chest-First Collision

"Leave him to me."

Hyorinmaru supported the unconscious Hitsugaya and looked at Ichigo.

"Go, Ichigo Kurosaki. But be ready. What comes next may not be simple."

Ichigo nodded and left with Shunpo.

...

In the Department of Research and Development, Gegetsuburi had become Mayuri Kurotsuchi's test subject, with Omaeda watching from close by.

Mayuri was not experimenting out of idle cruelty this time. He wanted to know whether a Zanpakuto defeated by someone other than its master could return properly to that master.

Gegetsuburi's mouth had been sealed. With Omaeda watching encouragingly, Mayuri and Nemu performed a series of tests that Gegetsuburi would have described as inhuman if he had been able to speak.

The result was clear.

No.

Unless a Soul Reaper defeated their own Zanpakuto, a defeated spirit would not return to its master's blade. Worse, if another person destroyed the Zanpakuto outright, the master might permanently lose that power.

That was terrible news for the Gotei 13.

It meant Soul Reapers could not simply kill every rebellious Zanpakuto they encountered. Even capturing them alive did not guarantee recovery. Haineko and Tobiume had been beaten by Rangiku and Momo together, yet they remained locked up instead of returning to their blades.

At present, there seemed to be only two reliable solutions.

Defeat one's own Zanpakuto completely.

Or, in cases like Hyorinmaru and Mirokumaru, resolve the emotional knot that kept the spirit from returning.

After Haineko and Tobiume were sent back toward the Seireitei, Rangiku and Momo sensed Hitsugaya's reiatsu weakening and rushed toward him at once.

At a crossing, they collided with Ichigo, who had just left that direction.

Rangiku landed directly on top of him.

"Ow, ow, ow." She rubbed the generous part of herself that had taken the impact, then looked down and realized Ichigo was pinned beneath her. "Oh. That explains why it did not hurt much."

Momo had avoided being knocked over and stared at them in disbelief.

Ichigo looked up at Rangiku.

"Glad you're fine, but I am not. Get up."

Rangiku stood and brushed herself off.

"Ichigo, did you come from the captain?"

"Yeah. Toshiro is fine. Hyorinmaru remembered him."

Ichigo explained what had happened. Rangiku and Momo both relaxed.

Then a strange reiatsu leaked from a nearby abandoned building.

The building cracked open, and Muramasa staggered out, breathing heavily. His condition looked worse than before.

Ichigo drew Zangetsu.

"Aren't you supposed to be with the other Zanpakuto? Why are you here?"

Muramasa did not answer directly.

"Ichigo Kurosaki. I knew you would come. You and I seem bound by a very deep fate."

"Fate?"

"That special power of yours may help me complete the wish I have carried for many years."

Ichigo pointed Zangetsu at him.

"I do not know what fate you are talking about. I do know I can settle ours by beating you here."

Muramasa straightened and extended his hand.

He tried to control Zangetsu again.

This time, he miscalculated.

In Ichigo's inner world, Old Man Zangetsu looked out at Muramasa with open disgust. If Muramasa had not interfered, the Soul Reaper and Hollow powers he had suppressed for so long would not have surged this badly.

Old Man Zangetsu was very aware that if he stepped out again, White Ichigo's power might slip beyond his control for good.

"Ichigo," Old Man Zangetsu said, "Muramasa's control is closer to suggestion than command. It works while the target is unaware. Now that I understand his voice, it no longer has power over me."

White Ichigo watched him lie with a look of pure amusement.

He would love to see the old man try going outside again.

If he did, White Ichigo was confident he could push Ichigo's power to another level.

Ichigo nodded.

"Muramasa, your trick does not work on me anymore."

Muramasa tried again. Zangetsu did not answer.

He switched tactics and attempted to bind Ichigo, Rangiku, and Momo at once.

That failed too.

His reiatsu was running out.

Blood tears spilled from his eyes as he lost control of the technique. His hand dropped.

Ichigo did not hesitate. He closed in with Shunpo and cut.

A masked figure appeared between them.

Senbonzakura.

Ichigo's blade struck his.

"Whose Zanpakuto are you?" Ichigo asked.

Senbonzakura tilted his head.

"Even if I do not answer, you already know."

He threw his sword straight into the ground.

"Bankai. Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."

Countless cherry blossom blades rose around him.

Ichigo's eyes sharpened.

"You're Senbonzakura? Where is Byakuya?"

Senbonzakura gave no answer. The blades surged toward Ichigo and the two lieutenants.

Momo stepped forward.

"Bakudo Number 39: Enkosen!"

Her shield could not withstand Senbonzakura's Bankai. When the blades threatened to swallow her, Rangiku threw herself in front of Momo and took the damage.

"Getsuga Tensho!"

Ichigo's black crescent smashed through the attack and appeared in front of them.

"Are you all right?"

Momo had barely been scratched. Rangiku had taken the real hit. She hung weakly against Momo and then lost consciousness.

"I am fine," Momo said, panic in her voice, "but Rangiku..."

"I know. Get her out of here."

Momo nodded and carried Rangiku away.

Ichigo looked back at Senbonzakura.

"So you were the one who attacked me before. Your reiatsu is exactly like Byakuya's."

Senbonzakura still did not answer.

Ichigo was trapped in a bad position. He had just learned that if someone else defeated a Zanpakuto, its master might not be able to recover it. If he crushed Senbonzakura here, he might take Byakuya's Zanpakuto away forever.

Holding back made the fight miserable.

Senbonzakura pursued him relentlessly, both hands controlling clouds of blades that closed from every direction. The technique was irritatingly persistent.

Ichigo finally fired a Getsuga Tensho hard enough to scatter the blades and throw Senbonzakura back.

Senbonzakura understood he could not threaten Ichigo with ordinary pressure.

He changed forms.

The blades gathered into a sphere around Ichigo, spinning at high speed and shrinking the space he could use to dodge.

"This one is interesting," Ichigo said. "But fine. Bankai. Tensa Zangetsu."

The blades collapsed inward.

An explosion shook the area.

Rangiku, half-conscious on Momo's shoulder, opened her eyes just in time to see Ichigo swallowed by Senbonzakura's blades.

"Ichigo!"

The smoke cleared.

Ichigo stood unharmed, spinning Tensa Zangetsu with one hand. His reiatsu alone had stopped every blade.

Momo and Rangiku both exhaled in relief.

"Sorry, Senbonzakura," Ichigo said. "I cannot wait for Byakuya to come and beat you himself. I am taking you down now."

His reiatsu rose.

Senbonzakura answered with Senkei: Senbonzakura Kageyoshi.

"Then let one strike decide it."

He seized two blades and rushed forward.

"Getsuga Tensho!"

Black reiatsu collided with pink.

After the impact, Ichigo landed in front of Rangiku and Momo again.

For a heartbeat, Senbonzakura thought Ichigo had chosen distance because he had lost the exchange. Then a section of the mask on his face cracked.

He lifted a hand to cover the broken place.

Only part of his face had been revealed, but even that was enough to show he was a strikingly handsome man.

Ichigo lowered his blade.

"Sorry, Senbonzakura. If you and Byakuya were fighting together, even I might have trouble winning easily. But if it is only you, you are not enough."

Senbonzakura's pride visibly took the blow.

He stood, ready to fight again.

Before he could move, someone appeared and caught his arm.

Byakuya Kuchiki.

Everyone's expression changed.

"Captain Kuchiki!" Momo cried, relieved.

Rangiku noticed the problem first.

Senbonzakura did not attack Byakuya.

"Byakuya," Ichigo said. "I knew you were alive. Rukia-"

Byakuya raised one hand.

"Hado Number 33: Sokatsui."

The blue fire roared toward Ichigo without chant.

Ichigo dodged back, shocked.

Momo and Rangiku froze.

Even Muramasa looked as if he had not expected this turn.

"What are you doing, Byakuya?" Ichigo demanded. "Why are you standing with Muramasa? Did you actually submit to your own Zanpakuto?"

The words hit exactly where they would sting.

Byakuya did not react.

"How could I submit to my Zanpakuto?" he said. "This is my own will."

"My Zanpakuto follow their instincts and express their will. I am merely following mine."

Muramasa laughed.

"You Soul Reapers say the strangest things. Then tell me, what is your instinct?"

Byakuya's gaze remained cold.

"To protect my honor. Nothing more."

He drew his blade and pointed it at Ichigo.

"Ichigo Kurosaki. You will not interfere with Muramasa."

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