Chad

Ichigo was currently sat back, his arms folded behind his head, one leg crossed over the other, as he and Nel relaxed in a quiet alcove within Las Noches. The oppressive, moonlit sky of Hueco Mundo cast long, silvery shadows through the arched window nearby. The battles could wait. He wasn't in a rush.

In the canon story, sure—he'd be sprinting through walls trying to save Orihime. But not this time. Not in this version of reality. There was no urgent need weighing on his shoulders, no self-imposed clock ticking inside his chest.

Here, he could just breathe.

So he did.

A soft breeze swept in from the corridor, carrying with it grains of white sand that scattered across the tiled floor. The silence was still, almost meditative.

That is, until Nel broke it.

"Nel is wondering if Ichigo is also an Arrancar," she said suddenly, tilting her head as she shifted in his lap. Her voice, childlike and filled with curiosity, echoed slightly in the stone chamber.

Ichigo blinked. His gaze lowered to her wide green eyes.

"I guess I'm something similar," he replied, his tone relaxed, amused even. "I've got Hollow energy inside me."

Nel leaned in, nose almost touching his chest now as she squinted. Her tiny hand pressed lightly against his robes, just over his heart.

"Nel can feel it. That darkness. It's like mine… but different. Warmer."

He gave a quiet laugh. "Yeah, I'm part Hollow. And part Soul Reaper."

Nel's eyes lit up, but Ichigo wasn't done.

"I'm also part…" He paused.

Her head tilted further.

"…Quincy," he finished.

Her eyes widened in surprise, blinking several times as she tried to make sense of that word.

"Quin…cy? What's that?"

Ichigo sighed, running a hand through his spiky orange hair as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Long story. They're kind of the opposite of Soul Reapers, Like… they destroy souls instead of purifying them."

"Destroy?" Nel frowned. "But Ichigo doesn't feel like someone who destroys. You protect people."

He smiled faintly at that, the corner of his mouth curling upward. "That's the plan."

Nel looked thoughtful for a moment. "So… Soul Reaper… Hollow… Quincy… that makes Ichigo three people in one?"

"Something like that."

"Then maybe," she said, puffing her chest proudly, "Ichigo is the strongest of them all!"

Her little arms shot up in the air as she cheered for him. "Yaaaay! Ichigo is a super hybrid!"

Ichigo chuckled again and let himself fall back into a recline, his eyes closing briefly as the laughter faded. But behind his eyelids, darker thoughts lingered.

Nel gently rested her head on his chest, humming softly as her fingers played with the fabric of his robe. "Nel thinks that makes you special."

He opened his eyes again, staring at the moonlight stretching across the ceiling.

"Yeah… maybe you're right," he whispered.

For now, at least, he didn't have to fight. Didn't have to bleed or scream or protect the world from collapsing. For now, he could just be Ichigo.

And that was enough.

.....

Elsewhere in Las Noches, the sound of faint winds brushing against towering stone echoed through the pale corridors. One such corridor, wide and bathed in an eerie white light, stretched endlessly into shadow. At its heart stood two figures, unmoving yet brimming with tension.

Yasutora Sado—Chad—stood still, his massive frame relaxed but alert. Across from him, Gantenbainne Mosqueda cracked his neck, grinning. The Arrancar's bronze skin shimmered under the overhead glow, his cocky stance revealing nothing but disdain.

"So... you're one of Kurosaki Ichigo's friends, huh?" Gantenbainne said, voice coarse with confidence. He sized Chad up like a fighter gauging a punching bag. "Don't look like much to me."

Chad didn't respond. His eyes remained fixed, calm and focused. His heartbeat was steady.

Gantenbainne scowled. "Hey! You got ears, right? I'm talking to you. Least you can do before I beat your face in is tell me your name."

"Yasutora Sado," Chad said quietly, his voice deep and resolute. "But my friends call me Chad."

A moment of silence passed. Then Gantenbainne smirked.

"Tch. What a boring name," he said, cracking his neck. In a blur, he vanished from view.

Chad's eyes narrowed. He turned just in time to catch Gantenbainne's punch with his forearm. The air vibrated from the impact.

BAM!

The force pushed Chad back slightly, his boots grinding across the stone floor. But he didn't stagger. He held firm.

"He blocked it...?" Gantenbainne muttered. Then he grinned. "Good. Makes this more fun."

With a flick of his wrist, a red sphere began to condense in Gantenbainne's palm.

"Take this! Balla!"

The energy shot out like a compressed bullet. Chad shifted, dodging it by a hair's breadth. The blast smashed into the wall behind him.

BOOOOM!

Dust and stone erupted.

Before the debris could settle, Gantenbainne closed the gap, his body glimmering.

FWSHH!

He launched another punch, then a flurry of rapid strikes, each one enhanced by his superior Arrancar speed. Chad blocked the first few, but then dipped low and drove his own fist into the Arrancar's ribs.

THOOM!

The blow sent Gantenbainne stumbling. He coughed, the wind knocked clean from his lungs.

But he didn't fall. He grinned wider.

"Not bad... but I'm just warming up. Dos Ciento."

His body hardened, spiritual pressure flaring around him. It coated his skin like armor. The next moment, he lunged forward, striking with both fists. The floor cracked beneath his movements.

Chad met him head-on, his right arm pulsing with crimson light.

CRACK!

Fists collided. A shockwave burst outward, blowing back dust and rubble. Both men slid back slightly from the force.

Chad winced. 'He's tough. That skin... it's like steel now. Even my strikes aren't doing as much.'

But he didn't hesitate.

Chad dashed in again, dodging a downward strike and sweeping low with a leg kick. Gantenbainne jumped, flipped mid-air, and launched another Balla while upside down.

FWOOOOOM!

Chad raised his arm and took the blast head-on. It exploded against his skin, light rippling through the hallway.

When it cleared, Chad stood unharmed. He exhaled calmly, then rocketed forward.

BOOOM!

His fist rammed into Gantenbainne's gut, bending him around the blow. Before the Arrancar could react, Chad followed with an uppercut that sent him flying.

CRACK!

The ceiling split from the impact. Gantenbainne hit the ground hard, skidding across the chamber.

"You... bastard..."

His spiritual pressure flared wildly.

"Alright. You want to see power?! Then watch closely!"

He stood tall, spread his arms wide, and shouted:

"Grind, Dragra!"

His Zanpakutō release burst around him in a violent swirl of reishi. Segmented armor formed across his arms and back. Large disc-shaped weapons floated behind him, now sharper and more menacing. His presence darkened, heavier than before.

Chad braced himself.

Gantenbainne vanished.

WHOOSH!

Chad twisted just in time to catch a spinning disc on his arm. Sparks flew as metal scraped against metal. The second disc came from behind, slashing his side.

SHHRRRKK!

Chad hissed in pain and rolled away, using the momentum to kick off the wall and charge.

Their fists collided again, but this time, Gantenbainne spun, using his released form to deliver a devastating roundhouse.

BAM!

Chad flew back and slammed into a column.

The stone cracked, but he pushed off and stood tall, blood trickling from his mouth.

'Now he's faster too...'

Gantenbainne crossed his arms and unleashed his spinning discs like buzz saws. They flew forward in a cross pattern, aimed to slice Chad from all directions.

Chad remained still until the last second.

Then he moved.

A blur of motion.

CLANG! CLANG! WHSSHH!

He darted through the blades, fists flying. One disc shattered as his punch struck its core. The other he ducked under, closing in on his enemy.

He reared back.

His right arm surged with dark energy, veins glowing.

BA-BOOM!

The punch exploded into Gantenbainne's chest. Armor cracked. He flew backward, slamming through three walls before finally coming to a halt.

Smoke rose from the debris.

Gantenbainne emerged, coughing blood.

"I... won't lose to some human..."

But his stance wavered.

Chad walked toward him, steps slow, resolute.

"This fight is over," Chad said.

Gantenbainne summoned the last of his discs, blood dripping from his chin.

He hurled it.

Chad sidestepped. His arm moved in a blur.

THWACK!

His fist struck Gantenbainne's jaw. The Arrancar's eyes rolled back as he dropped, unconscious.

Chad stood over him, his arm slowly dimming. The corridor was silent again.

'I didn't need to use my left arm,' he thought. 'But if I had hesitated...'

He looked ahead.

'I have to be ready. For Ichigo. For everyone.'

Then he turned, and walked into the shadows beyond.

TO BE CONTINUED