'Honestly, I think after this, I have to rizz up Rukia. Orihime and Tatsuki can wait. Byakuya and Renji will be arriving anytime after this fight, so I need to make her fall for me at least before she gets dragged back to the Soul Society. She already likes me, that's for sure, but I don't think it's romantic love yet.
Damn… I just realized I'll also have to make the Soul Society women like me. How the hell am I gonna get Nanao, Rangiku, Unohana, Isane, Soi Fon, and so many more? Well… except Yachiru. Yeah, hell no. Fuck, I've got so much work to do.'
Ichigo exhaled, shaking his head. His mind had wandered off track again. He needed to stay focused.
The very next moment, his body blurred from sight, vanishing in a burst of speed. A slight ripple in the air was the only trace of his movement before he reappeared right behind Uryuu.
The Quincy was still firing arrow after arrow, his posture stiff with unwavering determination. Every time he pulled back his bowstring, another streak of blue light shot forward, cutting through the air with pinpoint precision. His fingers were raw and bloody from how many arrows he had fired, the strain of his continuous attacks weighing on him.
And yet, despite his impressive endurance, he hadn't noticed Ichigo's presence. Not because he was too focused, but because Ichigo had suppressed his entire spiritual energy, making himself practically invisible to those who relied on sensing reiatsu.
Ichigo watched silently, studying his movements.
'Quincy don't necessarily work like Soul Reapers, right?' he mused. 'We generate spiritual energy from within, like a well that refills itself. But Quincy… they don't pull Reishi from their own souls. Instead, they pull it directly from their surroundings, shaping it into weapons like that bow of his.'
He narrowed his eyes, watching as Uryuu kept drawing power from the air. The faint shimmer of Reishi particles gathered around him like fireflies before merging into the next arrow.
'That means as long as they're in a place rich in spirit energy—like the Soul Society or Hueco Mundo—they can fight indefinitely. No wonder old man Yamamoto had such a problem with them back in the day. They can basically create an unlimited amount of weapons as long as there's enough spiritual energy in the air.'
Ichigo crossed his arms, still watching. 'But that also means if I cut them off from spirit energy, their power weakens. Guess I'll have to keep that in mind if I ever end up fighting a stronger Quincy.'
"Yo, Uryuu."
Ichigo's voice rang out casually, but to Uryuu, it was like a sudden explosion in his ear. His body tensed, and instinctively, he jumped forward, spinning around midair with his bow drawn—only to see Ichigo standing there, completely relaxed.
His mind raced. 'How did he sneak up on me? I thought he couldn't conceal his spiritual energy!' He was breathing heavily, his fingers still trembling from the constant strain of firing arrows, but that didn't compare to the shock he felt now.
The atmosphere shifted as Ichigo started to release his reiatsu. The air grew heavy, rippling as spiritual energy poured out of him. Around them, the Hollows stirred, their instinct screaming at them to run but their hunger keeping them in place.
"Well, looks like the party's getting more and more interesting," Ichigo said, rolling his shoulders. "By the way, I've won this race. Let's just finish them off."
With a smirk, he reached for his sword, now noticeably smaller than before.
'I decided to hold back with the size,' he thought. 'Looks cooler, honestly.'
The air grew thick with spiritual pressure as more Hollows materialized, their grotesque forms shifting.
Their eyes glowed hungrily as they sensed Ichigo's overwhelming energy, but instead of retreating, their numbers swelled.
Ichigo exhaled through his nose, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Alright then. Let's dance."
He took a step forward—
BOOM!
The ground beneath his foot cracked, and before Uryuu could even blink, Ichigo was already moving. His sword gleamed under the moonlight as he vanished, reappearing beside the closest Hollow.
SWOOSH!
The creature barely had time to react before his blade cleaved through its mask. A distorted screech echoed through the air as the Hollow's body disintegrated into spirit particles.
Another lunged at him from behind, its massive claw swiping toward his head.
Ichigo didn't even turn.
TCH!
With a flick of his wrist, he swung his blade backward—SHIIING!—and split the Hollow's arm in two. The creature howled in pain, but before it could retreat, Ichigo spun on his heel and delivered a brutal horizontal slash.
SLASH! CRACK!
Its mask shattered like glass.
A third Hollow roared, spewing a jet of acidic saliva toward him.
Ichigo narrowed his eyes.
WHOOSH!
He ducked low, feeling the burning liquid pass inches above his head. Without missing a beat, he propelled himself forward, his sword held in a reverse grip.
SWIPE! SQUELCH!
He carved through the Hollow's chest, then twisted his body midair to bring his foot up—
BAM!
A devastating kick sent its crumbling body crashing into another Hollow, toppling them both like dominoes.
Uryuu stood frozen, his breath caught in his throat as he tried to follow Ichigo's movements.
"Tch," Uryuu muttered, loosing an arrow into an approaching Hollow. "Show-off."
Meanwhile, another beast lunged at Ichigo, its maw wide open to devour him whole.
Ichigo smirked.
SHUNK!
His sword shot forward, piercing straight through its mouth and out the back of its head. The Hollow spasmed before its body dissolved into spirit particles.
The last few creatures hesitated, their instincts screaming at them to flee. But Ichigo wasn't about to let them go.
BOOM!
A single step sent him forward like a bullet.
SHING! SHING! SHING!
Three slashes, three kills.
Ichigo came to a stop, his blade dripping with lingering spirit energy. His chest rose and fell steadily as he turned to face Uryuu, a smirk still plastered on his face.
"Not bad, huh?" he said, resting his sword on his shoulder.
Uryuu could only stare at the empty battlefield. The Hollows were gone. Every last one of them.
And then—
The sky darkened. A deep, guttural rumble echoed through the air.
Ichigo tilted his head back, his smirk widening.
The sky darkened as the enormous figure pulled itself through the gaping hole in the sky. The sheer weight of its presence sent a tremor through the air, and its deep, guttural breathing reverberated through the battlefield.
The Menos Grande's mask gleamed under the moonlight—long and grotesque, with an eerie, jagged grin carved across it. Shadows rippled over its towering form, its black cloak billowing as it fully emerged.
Rukia skidded to a stop, her breath caught in her throat.
"T-That's… a Menos!!" she gasped, eyes wide in horror.
Kon, standing beside her, blinked in confusion. "Huh? What's that supposed to be?"
Rukia clenched her fists, her voice shaking slightly as she explained, "A giant Hollow… formed from the merging of hundreds—no, thousands of ordinary Hollows into a single entity." Her gaze remained fixed on the behemoth as it loomed over the battlefield. "Until now, I've only seen them in illustrations… but there's no mistaking it."
Kon's jaw nearly hit the ground. "Wait—you're telling me this thing is made up of a thousand Hollows?! What the hell?! That's gotta be cheating!"
Rukia barely heard him, her body tensed with urgency. "When a Menos appears, it's not something a normal Soul Reaper can handle. The Royal Special Task Force is sent to deal with them… it's way beyond the abilities of just one person!"
Her pulse pounded in her ears as she turned her gaze toward Ichigo. He has no idea what he's up against!
The Menos tilted its head, its massive red eyes glowing as it regarded the battlefield below.
Then—
THOOM!
It took a single step, and the ground shook beneath its weight. The pressure alone sent a heavy wave of force washing over them. Rukia gritted her teeth as she struggled to stay on her feet, her heart pounding against her ribs.
Yet, amidst the overwhelming spiritual pressure, Ichigo remained unfazed. His grip on his sword tightened as he took a step forward, a smirk tugging at his lips.
"Well then," he muttered, cracking his neck, "let's see how big of a joke this thing really is."
TO BE CONTINUED