Chapter 90

As Hollow Ichigo's spiritual pressure continued to climb, Muramasa suddenly had a very bad feeling.

"Bleach the world white—Hollow Ichigo!"

With that shout, Ichigo's form underwent a terrifying transformation!

All traces of his Shinigami identity vanished—replaced entirely by Hollow traits!

A massive ox-like tail burst out from his back, his body grew muscular and beast-like, and bone-white spikes jutted from both shoulders.

Even more alarming—there was now a hole in Ichigo's chest!

His once-short hair had grown long enough to reach his waist, and the mask on his face was now half-white, half-red.

Although no horns had sprouted from his forehead, he looked like a budget version of a Vasto Lorde Hollow.

Still, the sheer presence he exuded was overwhelming.

"See that? Look at how powerful I am now!" Hollow Ichigo taunted Old Man Zangetsu with a wicked grin.

Muramasa had no idea what was going on, but Zangetsu understood it all perfectly—this was Hollow Ichigo's way of expressing dissatisfaction with him.

This level of power… unless Zangetsu came clean about his identity and awakened Ichigo's Schrift, there was no way he could match Hollow Ichigo now.

After all, this was a Hollow Shinigami form that had exceeded the limit of an Adjuchas. If they were in Hueco Mundo, this would be the state right before a full Resurrección.

And the half-mask meant he was still in his pre-Resurrección form.

For the first time, Old Man Zangetsu began to doubt himself.

Had he been wrong to suppress Ichigo's power all this time?

Should he have handed over all his strength from the very beginning?

Muramasa, on the other hand, was starting to panic.

How had he ended up freeing something like this?

Wasn't Ichigo supposed to become powerless after losing his zanpakutō?

Yet here he was—facing a monster.

Is this… really a Hollow?

Before he could think further, Hollow Ichigo had already charged at Zangetsu!

Now faster and stronger than ever, Hollow Ichigo completely overwhelmed Old Man Zangetsu. Even he couldn't easily block these attacks.

Spotting an opening, Hollow Ichigo headbutted Zangetsu and sent him flying. Then, to Muramasa's shock, he raised his finger—ten Cero orbs rapidly formed at his fingertips.

The destructive energy wasn't any weaker than a Cero Oscuras!

With a deafening blast, one of the red beams struck Zangetsu and sent him crashing into a nearby pillar.

Muramasa finally acted.

If he didn't do something now, he'd be in serious trouble.

Using the brief delay caused by Hollow Ichigo's Cero, Muramasa flash-stepped behind him and slashed a long wound from shoulder to waist!

But even before his blade finished cutting, the wound was already regenerating.

Super-speed regeneration meant even a severe injury was healed in a second.

And Hollow Ichigo retaliated immediately—spinning around and slicing Muramasa into the air!

Muramasa was stunned.

But Hollow Ichigo also knew his time was almost up. If he kept going, Zangetsu would definitely start complaining.

Meanwhile, Zangetsu—still pretending to be down—was preparing a surprise from inside Ichigo's soul.

"Hmph. Let's take a look at what's inside your heart," Muramasa sneered as he activated his core ability.

His true power—entering the spiritual world of Shinigami.

Inside Ichigo's inner world…

Ichigo sat quietly, having let Hollow Ichigo take over his body.

"Looks like Zangetsu's no longer here," he mused, hand on his chin.

Suddenly, Muramasa's voice echoed beside him.

"That's right. Looks like you finally understand. Zangetsu is gone."

He sounded smug.

Ichigo gave him a blank look. That's… not what I meant, though.

"What are you doing here?" Ichigo asked calmly.

"Hmph. I am a zanpakutō. Entering a Shinigami's inner world is easy for someone like me!"

Ichigo gave a look of mock realization. "Ah, so you're a zanpakutō. You can enter people's souls... That means you're my zanpakutō!"

Muramasa blinked. "What? I'm NOT your zanpakutō! I can enter any Shinigami's soul using my power!"

Ichigo ignored him. "Then what do you want? What's your goal? What does your master want?"

Hearing the word master, Muramasa visibly flinched—but quickly sneered.

"Master? He's dead. I killed him myself."

That stunned Ichigo.

He couldn't imagine Zangetsu or Hollow Ichigo trying to kill him.

"You… what?"

"Hard to believe? It was easy for someone with my power," Muramasa said. "But Kurosaki Ichigo… I've taken an interest in you. What is your power? What made you transform into that?"

He stared at Ichigo like a researcher eyeing a rare specimen.

Ichigo drew Zangetsu and said coldly, "This is my inner world. You're no match for me here."

Muramasa tried to cast his hypnosis ability.

He wanted to reach the very core of Ichigo's soul.

What appeared wasn't Ichigo—

—but Hollow Ichigo.

"Yo. You called for me?" Hollow Ichigo asked with a crooked smile.

"Amazing…" Muramasa murmured. "Another Kurosaki Ichigo inside his own soul… and carrying Hollow spiritual pressure. Just what are you?"

Hollow Ichigo laughed.

"I'm Ichigo, obviously. Just his instinct made manifest."

"Instinct?" Muramasa couldn't believe it.

"I don't know how much you understand about this, but yeah. I'm just the raw force within."

"And that Hollow power—it's yours?" Muramasa asked.

Hollow Ichigo grinned. "Who knows?"

Then he drew his black Zangetsu and smiled. "Now it's my turn. Who are you?"

"I'm Muramasa—the one who liberated all zanpakutō," Muramasa said proudly.

Hollow Ichigo nearly burst out laughing.

Liberator of zanpakutō? You didn't "liberate" anything in here. What came out of Ichigo wasn't even a zanpakutō.

Still, he held back his laughter and gave Muramasa a mocking stare.

Muramasa continued, "The zanpakutō responded to my call. That's how I discovered his true nature."

"And since you embody that Hollow instinct, I'll awaken it with my power!"

He raised his hand and activated his ability.

As it washed over Hollow Ichigo, he didn't flinch.

Muramasa smirked. "Hmph. Is it over?"

At first, Hollow Ichigo had been a little concerned—Muramasa could indeed affect zanpakutō.

But then he realized: Muramasa couldn't influence Hollow powers.

He relaxed.

Muramasa confidently walked toward him—until Hollow Ichigo smirked.

With a flash step, he disappeared—and appeared behind Muramasa, blade swinging.

Muramasa barely blocked in time.

But he was stunned. Why didn't my ability work?!

This time, Hollow Ichigo wasn't holding back. No more faking for Zangetsu's sake—this was a real fight.

He spun Zangetsu in his hands and flash-stepped behind Muramasa, slashing hard and sending him flying.

"Incredible… You really are a Hollow, huh?" Muramasa muttered as he crashed into a wall.

"But because I separated Zangetsu from Kurosaki Ichigo, you were freed," he said. "That's why Ichigo transformed—it was your doing."

"You're not wrong," Hollow Ichigo said with a grin. "But what are you gonna do about it?"

"I'm not doing anything. But now that I've seen this for myself, there's no need to be subtle," Muramasa said as he jumped back into range.

"Zanpakutō and Shinigami are supposed to be equals—but you… you're a dangerous exception."

Hollow Ichigo's smile faded.

"You calling me suppressed?" he said coldly.

"Well, aren't you?" Muramasa challenged.

"No. I'm not."

"Then explain what you are."

"That's none of your business. What I want to know is—why are you so interested in Ichigo? In us?"

Though he didn't know Muramasa's full intentions, he was determined to protect Ichigo from interference.

"My instinct is to consume Ichigo—to dominate his body," Hollow Ichigo said.

Ichigo facepalmed inside. Seriously? That's not what you said when you were training me…

But Muramasa, unaware of the truth, took it at face value.

"A being like you is too dangerous. Time to vanish."

Muramasa attacked again.

But to Hollow Ichigo, this was child's play. He could've stood there all day and not even chipped a nail.

"No, no, no…" Hollow Ichigo shook his head. "You're the one who's leaving."

Spiritual pressure erupted from him, blasting Muramasa out of Ichigo's soul.

Ichigo regained control of his body. The Hollow mask crumbled away, his spiritual power fully restored.

Facing Muramasa, he said coldly, "Muramasa, I've played along long enough. Now—return Zangetsu."

Muramasa stared at him, awe in his eyes. "You really are strange… coexisting peacefully with a Hollow… You're a true anomaly among Shinigami."

Finally, after disappearing for so long, Zangetsu reappeared.

"Had enough fun yet, old man?" Ichigo asked.

Zangetsu smirked. "I just wanted to see… whether my power or yours was stronger."

Ichigo smiled. "Pretty cool, right?"

Inside his soul, Hollow Ichigo added, "Even without his power, you can use all of mine now. And you already know how."

Ichigo nodded. "Yeah. I'll bring him back soon."

"I believe in you. After all, you never relied on the mask to use my power before," Hollow Ichigo smiled.

"Of course. You're my zanpakutō too," Ichigo affirmed.

"Exactly. I am your zanpakutō!" Hollow Ichigo said with pride.

Zangetsu couldn't hear the conversation—but he could feel Ichigo's power rising.

He had to return now—before Ichigo grew even stronger without him.

(End of Chapter)

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