Fate in Bleach: Unlimited Blade Works!

Chapter 477 477: Reunion with Ginjo

"Hahahaha…"

"Hahahaha…"

In the World of the Living, atop a tall building, Ichigo Kurosaki lay collapsed on the ground. Floating in the air above him were Kugo Ginjo, Shukuro Tsukishima, Giriko Kutsuzawa, Jackie Tristan, Riruka Dokugamine, Yukio Hans Vorarlberna, and their companions.

Some connection linked them to Ichigo, draining away his Fullbring power.

"Ginjo!"

Ichigo spat, sprawled in a pool of his own blood. He gritted his teeth and stared intently on Kugo Ginjo.

Never before, in his entire life, had Ichigo felt such intense killing intent towards a single person.

This murderous rage wasn't merely because Ginjo had deceived him and stolen his power. More importantly, Ginjo had hurt his friends. And that Tsukishima fellow... he had casually twisted the memories of Ichigo's friends, inserting himself into their pasts, replacing Ichigo as their cherished "cousin." How could Ichigo possibly accept such a violation?

But this, tragically, was all part of Ginjo's plan.

In the years since Ailin had defeated them, Ginjo and his group had gathered new allies.

Similarly, to enhance their own strength, Ginjo had spread rumors—claiming they could help Fullbringers relinquish their abilities. This attracted numerous humans burdened by their powers, desperate to be normal.

These individuals, possessing powers different from ordinary people, had often been ostracized, bullied, or worse.

They yearned to blend in, wanting nothing more than to shed their abilities.

This desire perfectly aligned with Ginjo's group's objectives.

Over the years, the powers of nearly every Fullbringer in the World of the Living had been absorbed by Ginjo and his associates, dramatically increasing their strength compared to decades prior.

Kugo Ginjo, as the leader of Xcution, had claimed the lion's share of this power.

Now, relying solely on Fullbring, Ginjo possessed strength equivalent to a captain-level Shinigami.

As for the others, while their individual shares of Fullbring power were smaller, their abilities were comparable to high-ranking seated officers or even vice-captains within the Gotei Thirteen.

The Fullbring power belonging to Ichigo Kurosaki was undoubtedly the strongest they had absorbed in all their years operating as Xcution.

Yukio, Jackie, Giriko, and the others were certain that once they fully absorbed Ichigo's Fullbring, they might reach a level of power they previously couldn't have even dreamed of!

Thus, their elation was palpable as they drained Ichigo's power.

They were different from those companions who genuinely wanted to shed their powers and rejoin ordinary society.

Following Kugo Ginjo, they had witnessed the true dangers of the world.

Only formidable strength could ensure self-preservation.

Without their Fullbring abilities, they couldn't even perceive Hollows.

If attacked by a Hollow, they wouldn't even know how they died.

Precisely because of this, through countless battles over the years, their initial intentions had shifted. Their sole desire now was to absorb the powers of more Fullbringers to enhance their own strength.

Of course, within any group, not everyone shared the same mindset.

Riruka Dokugamine, for instance.

But unfortunately, in an organization where the majority craved absorbing others' Fullbring powers, Riruka, who had been bullied since childhood, lacked the courage to stand against the group's consensus. She could only be swept along, participating in the absorption of Ichigo Kurosaki's Fullbring.

As Ginjo and the others continued their absorption, the Shihakushō manifested by Ichigo's Fullbring began to slowly dissipate.

Feeling his power drain away completely once more, Ichigo Kurosaki roared at the sky!

"Give me back my power, Ginjo!"

Unfortunately, in the eyes of Kugo Ginjo and the others floating above, Ichigo's roar sounded more like the final gasp of the dying.

Heavy rain began to fall. As the last trace of Fullbring power was stolen, Ichigo Kurosaki lost all spiritual pressure again.

In the sky, he could still see Riruka Dokugamine, Yukio Hans Vorarlberna, Giriko Kutsuzawa, Jackie Tristan...

But he could no longer see Kugo Ginjo.

These others were human.

Even with Ichigo having lost all spiritual pressure, at most, he wouldn't be able to see the light of their Fullbring abilities.

But Kugo Ginjo was different.

Decades ago, Kugo Ginjo had also been human.

However, when Ailin had come seeking the reason for his betrayal, Ginjo and the original members of Xcution had attacked Ailin.

In the end, although Ginjo and the others managed to escape, Ginjo's physical body had been killed in the battle's aftermath.

Now that Ichigo had lost his spiritual pressure, he naturally couldn't see Kugo Ginjo, who existed as a soul.

...

"Damn them, those guys..."

Behind Ichigo Kurosaki, Ailin and his four companions stood watching as Ichigo's Fullbring power was stolen by Kugo Ginjo and the others.

With Ailin's mastery of Kidō, the "Kyokkō" spell he cast was utterly undetectable by the members of the Fullbringer organization.

Seeing Ichigo's plight, Shino Madarame gritted her teeth, wanting desperately to rush out, kill those Fullbringers, and avenge Ichigo.

"Shino, don't be impulsive."

Ailin placed a hand on Shino Madarame's shoulder, preventing her from actually charging out.

"You need to understand, bestowing Shinigami powers upon a human requires that human's body to be free of other powers."

"Right now, Ichigo still has Fullbring power within him. Even if we granted him Shinigami powers now, it would only cause a conflict between the Fullbring and Shinigami energies."

"Only after his Fullbring power is completely taken away can we bestow Shinigami power upon him, allowing Ichigo Kurosaki to perfectly command his own strength."

"I have to say, although I detest Ginjo and his methods, their actions right now have inadvertently solved a difficult problem for us."

"Otherwise, if we were the ones who had to destroy Ichigo's Fullbring power, he might have gravely misunderstood our intentions."

"I know..."

Shino Madarame clenched her fists tightly.

She couldn't believe that in the few months since she'd last seen Ichigo, he had endured so much hardship.

No matter how strong Ichigo Kurosaki was, he was still just a seventeen-year-old boy.

In the Soul Society, someone that age would likely still be considered a child who hadn't fully grown up.

"I just... feel sad for Ichigo..."

"I can imagine how happy Ichigo must have been after losing his powers, then meeting companions who could help him recover them."

"But when those companions' purpose in restoring his power was actually to steal it again, forcing him to lose his strength once more... just how desperate must Ichigo feel..."

Back when Kisuke Urahara had tampered with her Gigai, preventing her powers from recovering for a long time after she had given them to Ichigo, Shino Madarame had felt utterly helpless.

But even then, Shino still possessed spiritual pressure; she could slowly absorb spirit particles from the World of the Living to regain a little Shinigami power.

Ichigo Kurosaki had lost even his spiritual pressure.

One who has never seen the light does not fear the dark.

To give someone light, only to thrust them back into the abyss of darkness, is an unforgivable sin!

For Ichigo Kurosaki, deciding to train in the "Final Getsuga Tenshō" meant he had already prepared himself to lose his spiritual pressure.

Over the past few months, although he felt immense loneliness whenever he saw Orihime Inoue, Yasutora Sado, and Uryū Ishida occasionally leave, Ichigo Kurosaki had slowly come to accept his reality.

Kugo Ginjo and the others, however, had forcefully dragged Ichigo out, giving him hope of regaining his power, only to snatch it away in the end, pushing Ichigo into hell.

"Rest assured," Ailin comforted Shino Madarame. "However desperate Ichigo is now, the catharsis he'll feel after regaining his Shinigami powers and taking revenge will be equally great."

"Besides, Ichigo Kurosaki did complete his Fullbring training. The stolen Fullbring power will be stimulated by the Shinigami power and recover, merging with it, making Ichigo Kurosaki even stronger."

"Mm."

Shino Madarame nodded seriously, took a deep breath, and tightly gripped the Zanpakutō in her hands, which radiated a white light.

This was Ichigo's hope for regaining his power!

In a moment, her strike couldn't miss. She absolutely had to pierce Ichigo's "Saketsu" point on his chest in one go, allowing the Shinigami power within this Zanpakutō to enter Ichigo's body and become his own.

"Ginjo, give me back my power!"

Seeing the last wisp of Fullbring power leave Ichigo Kurosaki's body, leaving him only able to roar helplessly at the sky, Shino Madarame knew her moment had arrived!

Swoosh!

Bursting out from the concealment of "Kyokkō," Shino Madarame ignored the Fullbringers in the air.

Her objective now was to plunge the Zanpakutō in her hands into Ichigo Kurosaki's "Saketsu," restoring his Shinigami power.

As for those damned Fullbringers, Shino believed that Captain Ailin, Captain Kuchiki, Captain Hitsugaya, and Captain Kuchiki would handle them.

"A Shinigami?"

"Why is there a Shinigami here?"

Shino Madarame's appearance was instantly detected by Kugo Ginjo and the others.

Subsequently, when the figures of Ailin, Byakuya Kuchiki, Toshiro Hitsugaya, and Rukia Kuchiki—four captains of the Gotei Thirteen wearing their captain's haori—appeared before Kugo Ginjo and the others, their expressions changed drastically.

Especially Ailin.

Back then, their group had been crushed by Ailin's overwhelming power.

If Shukuro Tsukishima hadn't seized an opportunity to slash Ailin, inserting himself into Ailin's past and forcing Ailin to replicate the "Book of the End" to cut himself, sending his consciousness into the past to sever Tsukishima's influence...

It was precisely this maneuver by Ailin that had allowed Kugo Ginjo and the others to escape.

Now, decades later, seeing Ailin again, the memory of nearly being killed by him decades ago assaulted them once more.

"Hahahaha…"

"Teacher Ailin, if you had appeared just a little earlier, we might have given up on taking Ichigo Kurosaki's power and fled. But now, having absorbed Ichigo Kurosaki's Fullbring power, we are terrifyingly strong!"

"We are no longer the weaklings you easily defeated decades ago!"

Seeing Shino Madarame rush towards Ichigo Kurosaki, Kugo Ginjo didn't know her intentions, but based on their opposing sides, he was unwilling to let the Shinigami succeed.

Thus, laughing wickedly, the cross-shaped necklace Kugo Ginjo held emitted a white light, instantly transforming into a two-handed greatsword wreathed in spiritual pressure, which he swung down towards Shino Madarame.

"Getsuga—Tenshō!"

This technique was one Ailin had taught Kugo Ginjo back then.

After absorbing Ichigo Kurosaki's spiritual pressure, the power of Kugo Ginjo's Getsuga Tenshō had risen several levels.

A silver-white crescent moon slash tore through the sky, heading straight for Shino Madarame.

If this strike connected, Shino Madarame would likely have no chance of survival.

But unfortunately for Ginjo, Ailin's side consisted of more than just Shino Madarame!

"Scatter—Senbonzakura!"

Byakuya Kuchiki drew his Zanpakutō, held it vertically before his chest, and intoned the Shikai command.

Boom!

In an instant, the Zanpakutō in Byakuya Kuchiki's hand dissolved into countless cherry blossom-colored petals, swirling into a sea of pink that interposed itself before Kugo Ginjo's Getsuga Tenshō.

Boom!

The sea of cherry blossoms collided with the white crescent moon, erupting in a tremendous roar.

The thick layer of petals was scattered by the Getsuga, but more petals surged forward, ultimately annihilating the crescent slash completely.

"Fullbring, transform!"

After Kugo Ginjo made his move, the other Fullbringers immediately activated their own transformations.

Kugo Ginjo's words had reminded them.

Yes, compared to decades ago, their strength had vastly improved.

Especially after absorbing Ichigo Kurosaki's Fullbring, everyone's power had risen a level.

Even with Captain Ailin having three more captains beside him, they didn't believe they would lose.

Instantly, Jackie was the first to act, the power of her Fullbring manifesting on her body.

Compared to before, when she only had the Soul Boots, Jackie now sported a hat, shoulder pads, a scarf, arm guards, gloves, and more, demonstrating the significant increase in her power.

It wasn't just Jackie Tristan; the others also immediately noticed a substantial boost in their abilities after using their Fullbring.

At that moment, excluding Riruka Dokugamine, Shukuro Tsukishima, and Kugo Ginjo, the remaining three—Yukio, Jackie, and Giriko—charged towards Ailin and the others.

"Insolent!"

Seeing the three attack them, Byakuya Kuchiki snorted coldly, and the sea of cherry blossom petals surged, engulfing the three attackers…

…

Shink!

Shino Madarame ignored the actions of the others, rushing behind Ichigo Kurosaki at her top speed. Then, with both hands, she plunged the Zanpakutō she held deep into Ichigo Kurosaki's back, the blade piercing through his chest and emerged halfway from his front.