Chapter 105

"What?!"

Ichigo was instantly shocked!

Every Shinigami's Zanpakutō in Soul Society was supposed to be unique—there was no doubt about this fact.

But seeing a Zanpakutō that was identical to Hitsugaya Tōshirō's Hyōrinmaru? That was beyond shocking!

Still, Ichigo didn't forget that they were in the middle of a fight.

"Cry out, Zangetsu!"

But at that moment, there was a voice in his ear—

"Ichigo, something's wrong with his sword!" Muramasa's voice rang out.

"Huh? What do you mean his sword is 'wrong'?" Ichigo asked in confusion.

"I need to make contact with his blade to understand exactly what the issue is!"

Muramasa, having just recovered, was already assisting Ichigo.

"Got it!"

Ichigo gripped Zangetsu in his right hand and drew Muramasa from his waist with his left!

"Getsuga Tenshō!"

A single-handed Getsuga Tenshō shattered the incoming ice dragon, but Ichigo didn't stop there.

With his left hand, he slashed at the masked figure with Muramasa!

The masked figure blocked Ichigo's attack with ease.

But that one clash was enough—Muramasa had sensed the anomaly.

Through the collision of blades, Ichigo also sensed it.

During a Shinigami battle, a part of their will always fuses with their Zanpakutō, and Ichigo could clearly feel the connection...

Not just that—he could also sense the man's true identity: Kusaka Sōjirō!

The same Kusaka who had been Hitsugaya Tōshirō's classmate at the Shinigami Academy!

Ichigo even caught a glimpse of the "truth" from Kusaka's memories—

The so-called two Hyōrinmaru existed because the Central 46 had once ordered Tōshirō and Kusaka to fight to the death in a one-on-one duel.

Only the one who survived would inherit Hyōrinmaru.

Kusaka had lost... and "died."

But as Ichigo stepped back, Muramasa spoke with clarity.

"As I thought."

Ichigo was still reeling from the Central 46's shameless actions when Muramasa added a shocking statement—

"His Zanpakutō... doesn't have a soul."

Ichigo's eyes widened in shock.

"No soul? What do you mean?"

"Just what it sounds like. His Hyōrinmaru... it's a perfect replica of Hitsugaya Tōshirō's Hyōrinmaru.

It has no distinguishing features of its own. Most importantly—there's no spirit residing within the blade!"

Muramasa's explanation made Ichigo realize the extent of the conspiracy.

Without a spirit, a Zanpakutō couldn't be manifested.

Muramasa continued,

"My abilities are useless against such a blade. Without a spirit, how could a Zanpakutō ever be properly formed?"

Ichigo felt the weight of an even deeper scheme.

At that moment, the masked figure removed his mask.

Beneath it were the scars left by the Stealth Force and Hitsugaya.

"Don't interfere with me and Tōshirō! We agreed to face this together!" Kusaka Sōjirō shouted.

With a wave of his Hyōrinmaru, a torrent of purple ice crystals surged out, freezing Ichigo in place.

Kusaka turned to the red- and blue-haired Arrancar twins.

"I'm leaving. The rest is up to you."

"Yes, Master!"

The Arrancar girls nodded, and Kusaka disappeared in a flash step.

Senna and Rukia weren't overly worried upon seeing Ichigo frozen.

After all, having witnessed the battles against Kōga Kuchiki and Muramasa, they fully trusted Ichigo's strength.

As expected, the moment Kusaka left, Ichigo shattered the ice crystals with a single swing of his sword.

Looking at the two Arrancar girls, he spoke coldly,

"I don't have time to play with you right now."

The Arrancar girls panicked and quickly opened a Garganta to flee, an endless tide of Hollows pouring through it.

But Senna stepped forward.

"Devour and engulf, Mirokumaru!"

With a powerful swing, Senna's Mirokumaru summoned a massive tornado crackling with electricity, sweeping through the sky and obliterating the incoming Hollows.

"Leave this to me! You and Rukia go after Kusaka!"

"Got it! Thanks, Senna!"

Without hesitation, Ichigo took Rukia and chased after Kusaka.

Meanwhile, Hitsugaya finally caught up to Kusaka.

They met in an underground chamber.

Seeing Hitsugaya, Kusaka's expression brightened.

"You're here, Tōshirō!"

He removed his mask, revealing his face.

To Kusaka, there was no resentment—this wasn't Tōshirō's fault.

Everything, every tragedy, was the fault of the Central 46.

"Kusaka... it really is you. You're alive!"

Hitsugaya's eyes widened in shock.

Kusaka nodded.

"Sorry, Shiro. Stabbing you earlier... it was the only way I could get you to come find me."

"I've been using your identity to commit crimes across Soul Society. By now, you must be a wanted man, right?"

Kusaka smiled apologetically.

Hitsugaya's eyes narrowed.

"Why? Why are you doing this?"

Kusaka's tone softened.

"Weren't we best friends? We promised we'd face everything together!"

He pulled out the Ōken he had stolen, infused it with reiatsu, and activated its power—transporting himself and Hitsugaya from the World of the Living to Soul Society's Sōkyoku Hill.

Hitsugaya was stunned.

Kusaka explained,

"This is the power of the Ōken. It can ignore time and space, transporting anything into the void... including enemy attacks."

"And this is just a fraction of the Ōken's abilities. It can even heal injuries, resurrect the dead!

I survived the Central 46's execution only because the Ōken's light shone on me!"

Kusaka smiled as he spoke, but Hitsugaya's shock only deepened.

The things Kusaka said... didn't match what he knew at all.

Who was right?

Was the "truth" Ichigo saw the real truth? Or was it what Hitsugaya remembered?

But Kusaka didn't care what Hitsugaya was thinking.

"With this power, I can finally take revenge on the corrupt Central 46!"

"Come on, Tōshirō! Use your Bankai to break the Ōken! That's the only way to unlock its full power!"

Kusaka looked at Hitsugaya with burning anticipation.

Before Hitsugaya could respond, Renji, Ikkaku, and Yumichika suddenly appeared at Sōkyoku Hill.

"Captain Hitsugaya, you were the one who attacked Captain Kyōraku, weren't you?!" Renji shouted.

According to Unohana's examination, Kyōraku's injuries were caused by Hyōrinmaru's power.

Nanao had also found the connection between Kusaka and Hitsugaya in the archives.

With Kira and Hisagi's injuries as further evidence, Hitsugaya was naturally seen as the traitor!

"Enough talk, Renji! Let's take them down!" Ikkaku roared, charging at Kusaka.

Renji and Yumichika drew their Zanpakutō and followed suit.

But Kusaka's spiritual pressure erupted violently, blasting the three of them back!

More captains and lieutenants quickly gathered at Sōkyoku Hill.

Amid the growing crowd of Shinigami, Kusaka turned to Hitsugaya.

"Tōshirō, what are you waiting for? Use your Bankai to shatter the Ōken! We can change Soul Society's corrupt system!"

But...

Before anyone could react, Hitsugaya raised his Zanpakutō—

and slashed at Kusaka!

"What?! I can't follow this anymore!"

Tenshintai Sōsuke, who had just arrived with Kira, was utterly dumbfounded by the scene.

His lieutenant Kira had been injured, and now, this?!

Soi Fon, though confused, still shouted,

"Restrain them both!"

The Stealth Force moved in...

But—

"Getsuga Tenshō!"

A black crescent of energy tore through the air, blocking the Stealth Force's advance and separating Hitsugaya and Kusaka.

At that moment, Yamamoto Genryūsai arrived, along with Kyōraku Shunsui, who was supported by Ise Nanao.

"It wasn't Captain Hitsugaya who attacked me... it was that man, Kusaka Sōjirō."

Kyōraku spoke calmly.

"What?!"

The Shinigami present were stunned—nothing made sense anymore.

Ichigo and Rukia descended from above, landing in front of everyone.

"Tōshirō, tell us the truth!"

Ichigo urged.

After all, from what Muramasa had told him, something wasn't adding up between Kusaka's memories and reality.

Clearly, either Kusaka's memories were wrong, or there was an even deeper conspiracy at play.

Hitsugaya stared at Kusaka and spoke slowly.

"Kusaka... have you really forgotten why you died under the blades of the Central 46?"

Kusaka's eyes widened in confusion.

"There can't be two identical Zanpakutō in all of Soul Society! Kusaka, you've never achieved Bankai, have you?"

Hitsugaya's gaze was firm.

Kusaka faltered.

"I... I haven't. But what's your point?"

"It's simple," Hitsugaya said, voice cold.

"The reason you couldn't achieve Bankai... is because your Hyōrinmaru... was a copy of mine!"

Hitsugaya's reiatsu flared violently.

Kusaka's face twisted in pain and disbelief.

"No... that's impossible! We awakened our Zanpakutō together! We promised we'd face everything together!"

But Hitsugaya's next words cut deep.

"Kusaka... back then, the Central 46 didn't order us to kill each other. It was a test.

A test to see whose Zanpakutō was the original... and who had the copy.

Creating a copy of a Zanpakutō is a heinous crime. That's why you were secretly executed!"

Kusaka's face twisted in agony.

"No... no... that's not true! That's not true!"

He drew his Zanpakutō and slashed at the Ōken.

But a Shinigami who hasn't mastered Bankai can't control the Ōken's power.

A berserk, mindless purple ice dragon erupted from Kusaka's blade, roaring in front of the assembled Shinigami!

Hitsugaya's eyes filled with sorrow.

"My friend... how did you end up like this? Who tempted you into doing this?"

He didn't know. But he knew—there had to be someone manipulating Kusaka behind the scenes.

Facing the raging ice dragon, Hitsugaya gritted his teeth and shouted,

"Bankai! Daiguren Hyōrinmaru!"

A massive blue ice dragon coiled around Hitsugaya.

Ichigo nodded at him.

"Let's take him down together. He's completely out of control—we'll subdue him first, then figure out who's behind all this!"

"Right!"

Hitsugaya nodded.

The blue ice dragon burst from his blade, clashing against Kusaka's purple ice dragon.

Ichigo didn't draw Muramasa this time. After all, in Soul Society, it was better to keep a lower profile.

"Bankai! Tensa Zangetsu!"

Ichigo unleashed his Bankai!

With the Ōken's power, Kusaka's strength had already surpassed that of a typical captain-level Shinigami!

(End of Chapter)

[Check Out My Patreon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][www.p@treon.com/zaelum]

[+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]

[Thank You For Your Support!]