However, this left Ichigo feeling a bit awkward...
Because for the past two mornings, he had basically been smothered awake by some facewash...
Yoruichi seemed to have inherited some feline habits—she liked hugging things while sleeping. And Ichigo had become the oversized body pillow...
If Ichigo hadn't mastered the art of extreme restraint, Yoruichi would've long since noticed something off about him.
On the third night of the Bankai test—
The weapon in Ichigo's hand shattered once again, and his body was covered in countless wounds. If it weren't for Yoruichi using the Shihōin clan's secret healing ointments and Kaido healing techniques every day, it would've been nearly impossible for him to keep going.
But the results were definitely worth celebrating—within just three days, Ichigo had leapt past the threshold between vice-captain and captain level. His spiritual pressure had risen to the standard of a Third-Class Spiritual Power.
In other words—he had reached the same level as Kensei Muguruma.
After all, without real combat, these tests with his Zanpakutō spirit still lacked real risk.
Even so, this was enough to mark the initial completion of Bankai!
Because the Uncle Zangetsu in front of him wasn't looking so great either—his black cloak had been slashed to ribbons by Ichigo, and his hair was disheveled.
And finally, Ichigo came to a realization.
"I get it now! Uncle Zangetsu, there's actually no Zangetsu here, is there?!"
Upon hearing Ichigo's words, Uncle Zangetsu smiled with satisfaction.
Seeing that smile, Ichigo knew he was right. He murmured, "If Zangetsu isn't here... then where is he?"
Suddenly, Ichigo thought back to how his Zanpakutō had first appeared. He reached out with his right hand and yanked forward, as if grabbing something from the air!
"Come out—Zangetsu!!"
With a loud roar, Zangetsu was pulled straight out of the void by Ichigo!
"I should've realized it earlier! That's exactly how Zangetsu appeared back then!" Ichigo exclaimed with joy as he looked at the sword in his hand.
Uncle Zangetsu looked at him warmly and said, "Ichigo, you've passed. Now, I can finally tell you my true name!"
Ichigo looked at him eagerly—but before Uncle Zangetsu could even open his mouth—
The white-clad Ichigo, who had been sitting atop the mountain the entire time, suddenly shunpo'd down and stood beside Uncle Zangetsu.
"Hold it! Your test is over—but mine hasn't even started!"
Uncle Zangetsu glanced at the white Ichigo and said, "Then I'll leave it to you."
With that, he shunpo'd back to the mountaintop and sat down.
The white Ichigo smirked coldly at Ichigo. "Now it's my turn! But before the test begins, let's fix up those injuries of yours."
Saying this, he raised a finger toward Ichigo—and in an instant, all of Ichigo's injuries were healed. The cost? Just a sliver of spiritual pressure.
Even in his utterly exhausted state, Ichigo felt only the tiniest bit of depletion—almost like a free recovery.
"What... is this?" Ichigo stared in shock.
"What's the surprise? This is my ability!" the white Ichigo declared proudly.
"Now then, Ichigo. I'm not like him. My test is to see whether you can withstand all of my power! If you can't, I'll only give you part of it," he said seriously.
"What do you mean by whether I can accept all your power?" Ichigo asked, confused.
"I mean this..." A mask suddenly formed over white Ichigo's face, marked with black patterns.
"This power!"
As he spoke, the spiritual pressure on his body surged!
Even Ichigo, now at Third-Class Spiritual Power, felt like he couldn't breathe!
But that wasn't the main thing—it was the structure of this spiritual pressure. Ichigo knew it all too well.
"This is... Hollow power?!" Ichigo was stunned.
"Well, Ichigo? Can you accept this power?" the white Ichigo asked, feeling a bit nervous inside.
If this were the version from the original story, he would've never revealed his true nature so directly.
After all, in the original, Ichigo had already assumed that Uncle Zangetsu was his Zanpakutō spirit—so he instinctively distrusted and even disliked white Ichigo.
But now Ichigo was different—he had naturally accepted that his Zanpakutō had two aspects. So if it was his own power, why wouldn't he want it?
"I can actually wield Hollow powers too?" Ichigo said with excitement.
That response left white Ichigo dumbfounded.
"This is Hollow power, you know! Aren't you afraid, Ichigo? Aren't you worried? Don't you fear becoming a Hollow?" he fired back in a flurry of questions.
"What nonsense are you saying? You're my Zanpakutō, aren't you? Zanpakutō never betray their master. So if that's the case, why should I fear becoming a Hollow? It just means that Hollow is simply another part of my strength!" Ichigo answered with absolute confidence.
White Ichigo listened to him and laughed, "I really underestimated you, Ichigo. Your ability to accept things is stronger than I thought!"
He waved a hand, and the mask on his face disappeared.
"Alright, that was just to show you what my power is—not for you to wield it just yet. It's still too early for that. My test for you... is to fight me using Bankai—and defeat me!"
A Zanpakutō appeared in white Ichigo's hand, its color the exact opposite of Zangetsu's.
"If you can beat me, I'll let you get a taste of Hollow power," he said, pointing the blade at Ichigo.
"Well? Sounds like a great deal, doesn't it?"
Ichigo looked at him, eyes shining. "That's perfect! I have to get my hands on Hollow powers as soon as I can!"
Right now, Ichigo had no resistance to the idea of gaining strength. He needed power—only with enough strength could he successfully rescue Rukia from the Soul Society!
"You've got some fire in you, Ichigo! Alright—come at me!"
Just as white Ichigo was about to attack—
Uncle Zangetsu suddenly appeared in front of him with shunpo. "That's enough for today."
Not only white Ichigo—even Ichigo himself looked a bit disappointed.
After all, he had just seen a new power and was fired up—only for the momentum to be cut short!
That kind of frustration was hard to swallow!
But Uncle Zangetsu and white Ichigo simply vanished, leaving only Ichigo behind with a long, helpless sigh.
(End of Chapter)
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