In the chat group, everyone remained shocked and continued their discussion:
[Zaraki Kenpachi]: Hah! So Ichigo's even stronger now? Hey, don't even think about running away, kid! Why didn't you use this when you fought me?
[Abarai Renji]: Even though he's on our side, I still feel pretty bitter about this. Why can this guy always get stronger so quickly? We're all regular people here—what am I missing?
Witnessing Ichigo Kurosaki's apparent cheating, countless individuals felt the sting of imbalance.
[Aizen Sōsuke]: Excellent, Kurosaki Ichigo. Your improvement rate is remarkable—you can already utilize Hollow power.
[Ichimaru Gin]: Since you're being used by our Captain Aizen, I do hope you won't disappoint us.
[Hitsugaya Tōshirō]: Why are you two everywhere?!
[Ukitake Jūshirō]: The power Kurosaki Ichigo possesses is indeed difficult to categorize as Shinigami abilities. As Captain Kuchiki observed, it doesn't feel like Shinigami power at all. It's Hollow power.
[Kyōraku Shunsui]: In the previous scene where Ichigo fought Aizen, he did wear a mask, though the specific design differed slightly. It seems we must study this Kurosaki Ichigo more carefully.
[Unohana Retsu]: Indeed, he may harbor secrets beyond our imagination.
[Hirako Shinji]: Ichigo's about as strong as our Visored. Nobody knows more about Hollowfication than me!
[Aizen Sōsuke]: Precisely! You know the most about Hollowfication, Captain Hirako!
[Hirako Shinji]: Aizen, shut your damn mouth!
[Urahara Kisuke]: Ahem, I should be the foremost authority on Hollow research. Ichigo's partial Hollow mask at this stage indicates he cannot properly control Hollow power yet—it remains insufficient compared to a complete mask.
[Tōsen Kaname]: After Hollowfication, Ichigo Kurosaki can even suppress Byakuya Kuchiki. However, such power still falls far short of adequacy.
[Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez]: We don't need to concern ourselves with such a weakling.
At this moment, even the well-informed Captain-Commander Yamamoto felt perplexed.
Ichigo Kurosaki's current state didn't resemble that of a Shinigami...
As for Hollows, though his mask bore some resemblance, he wasn't a true Hollow either...
The essence seemed to be Shinigami power...
How utterly confusing!
The scene soon experienced another dramatic reversal.
Ichigo Kurosaki suddenly appeared to regain consciousness, unwilling to let White continue fighting in his place.
So he grasped the mask and attempted to tear it away.
CRACK!
After a painful struggle, Ichigo Kurosaki successfully changed his account password and forced White to log off! He returned to normal to continue battling Byakuya Kuchiki!
The barrage comments floated past once more:
'White, get offline! I don't want you playing for me!'
'Ichigo: Sorry, Byakuya, my account got hacked just now'
'White: Damn it, I wasn't done having fun yet!'
'Kurosaki Ichigo, what a naive, killstealing bastard'
'The GM showed up because you were cheating too obviously! That's why you got banned!'
'Your account has been accessed from another location!'
'Ichigo's such a scumbag—let someone else do the work, then swoops in for the kill'
'After crippling Byakuya, Ichigo uses his main body to secure the elimination. Ichigo understands killstealing fundamentals!'
'Tsundere White feels wronged again'
'I, Kurosaki Ichigo, am not cheating!'
After witnessing this scene, everyone expressed renewed surprise:
[Abarai Renji]: Whoa, he forcibly broke the mask. That took real courage.
[Unohana Retsu]: It appears his mind remains quite clear.
[Kyōraku Shunsui]: Ichigo Kurosaki doesn't comprehend how dire the consequences would be if he lost control.
[Ishida Uryū]: Come on, Ichigo!
[Inoue Orihime]: You can't become a monster like that.
[Kuchiki Byakuya]: By the way, what is all this about? Is it related to Ichigo Kurosaki's power? Hollow? White? Cheating? Account hacking? It's completely incomprehensible...
[Kuchiki Rukia]: It's clear that Ichigo does possess another mysterious power within his body.
[Urahara Kisuke]: Indeed, it will require considerable time for Kurosaki-kun to master it.
The scene continued playing.
Soon, Byakuya Kuchiki began unleashing his ultimate technique.
Final Scene: Hakuteiken!
Ichigo Kurosaki felt secretly alarmed.
This Byakuya Kuchiki had mastered numerous combat forms.
Yet facing Byakuya Kuchiki, Ichigo Kurosaki maintained his unchanging approach to all variations.
One technique to rule them all!
He continued using Getsuga Tenshō!
And it was pitch-black spiritual pressure!
BOOOM! ——— BOOOM! ———
Both sides' ultimate attacks collided in final confrontation.
Each technique clashed and eroded the other's strength, neither willing to yield.
Under countless expectant gazes, the battle between Byakuya Kuchiki and Ichigo Kurosaki finally reached its conclusion!
BOOM!
After the smoke cleared...
Ichigo Kurosaki lay bleeding, unable to even stand.
Though Byakuya Kuchiki remained upright with composed dignity, Senbonzakura lay shattered!
While Byakuya Kuchiki acknowledged his weapon's destruction and his defeat, he actually retained substantial combat capability.
He simply chose to allow Ichigo Kurosaki to help rescue his sister.
Subsequently, Byakuya Kuchiki revealed his reasons for executing Rukia Kuchiki.
As a Soul Society noble, no matter his personal feelings, he could only lead by example in following the rules.
Ichigo Kurosaki couldn't accept Byakuya Kuchiki's philosophy and shouted to awaken him!
"If you can't even protect the people important to you, what's the point of having a family?!"
He declared that he only sought to challenge Soul Society's rules, not Byakuya Kuchiki himself.
These words finally awakened Byakuya Kuchiki!
From that moment, Byakuya Kuchiki's entire worldview transformed!
Witnessing this scene, countless individuals sighed with emotion:
[Shihōin Yoruichi]: Not bad, I quite agree with what Ichigo said.
[Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni]: Though this constitutes breaking Soul Society's rules... perhaps adhering rigidly to those rules would be the greater wrong at this time.
[Aizen Sōsuke]: Well spoken, Kurosaki Ichigo. Rules exist for those who cannot survive without them!
The great philosopher Aizen continued rendering countless Shinigami unable to refute his words.
[Hitsugaya Tōshirō]: Is this why you betrayed Soul Society?
[Aizen Sōsuke]: Captain Hitsugaya, ants cannot comprehend the thoughts of gods.