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Fate In Bleach (362)
🕑 Added 2024-12-06 17:00:16 +0000 UTCChapter 362 - Ichigo, Have You Ever Seen a Hollow Without a Hollow Hole?
The next morning, Ailin opened his hotel room door to find Ichigo standing outside.
“Ichigo? Are you here to see me?”
He was surprised. Knowing that strength was the key to changing Karakura Town’s fate, he had expected Ichigo to be training.
“Yeah, Captain Ailin. I have some questions.”
Just then, Momo Hinamori’s door opened. “Captain Ailin, what’s all the commotion? Some of us are trying to sleep.”
“Sorry, Hinamori,” Ailin said apologetically. “Go back to sleep. Ichigo and I will talk outside.”
He led Ichigo to a nearby park bench. “Alright, Ichigo, ask your questions. But be prepared. I don’t know everything. If you ask something beyond my knowledge, I won’t be much help.”
“I understand,” Ichigo replied, nodding. “Captain Ailin, if I want to become stronger quickly, would training under you or Hirako be more effective?”
“Such a direct question.”
Ailin paused, stroking his chin. He had been contemplating Ichigo’s situation since their last meeting in the Soul Society, before Ichigo had begun his Hollowfication training. He wasn't sure how his intervention would affect Ichigo’s future. If Ichigo chose to train with Shinji Hirako, his path would remain largely unchanged. But if he followed Ailin’s guidance, even Ailin himself couldn't predict the outcome.
He decided to leave the choice to Ichigo.
“Ichigo, I know something about your situation. I have some ideas on how to train you. But I must tell you, Hirako and his group have already succeeded in controlling their Hollow powers. Training with them would be much safer.”
“As for who can make you stronger faster… I can’t say without a comparison. So, Ichigo, what will you choose? An unknown future with me, or the familiar path of Hollowfication with Hirako?”
“Captain Ailin, I choose to train under you. Please, teach me.”
To Ailin’s surprise, Ichigo didn’t hesitate.
Ichigo’s decision stemmed from the difference in their attitudes. From Hirako’s words, he had sensed a certain arrogance, a confidence born from having walked that path himself. Hirako believed he was the only one who could help Ichigo.
Ailin, however, hadn't revealed his methods, but his tone, when speaking of Hollowfication, suggested a familiarity with the process. With Hirako, he could only learn Hollowfication. With Ailin, he had other options. If Ailin believed Hollowfication was the best path, he wouldn’t have offered a choice.
“Are you sure, Ichigo? If you train with me, you might lose the opportunity to control your Hollow powers.”
“I’m sure, Ailin-sensei.” Ichigo looked at Ailin resolutely. Since Ailin had used his given name, he reciprocated, switching from “Captain” to “Sensei,” a term of respect for a teacher.
“Very well. Let’s begin.” Ailin studied Ichigo, confirming his resolve. He snapped his fingers.
“Bankai! Unlimited Blade Works!”
Instantly, the world around Ichigo transformed. He found himself standing in a vast, desolate wasteland, littered with countless swords. The crimson sky, the massive wooden gears, and a solitary hill dominated the landscape.
“Welcome to my world, Ichigo.”
Ailin’s voice came from behind him. Ichigo turned to see him hovering in the air in his Shihakushō and Fifth Division captain’s haori.
“This is my Zanpakutō’s inner world, Ichigo. It’s also my Bankai. It’s a separate dimension. Even the most destructive battles here won’t affect the outside world.”
“This…” Ichigo was beyond comprehension. He had never imagined such a Bankai.
“Ichigo, I didn’t bring you here to be amazed.”
Ailin flicked his finger, and Ichigo’s soul was ejected from his Gigai. He now stood before Ailin in his Shinigami form, Zangetsu strapped to his back, his human body lying motionless on the ground.
“Before we begin, Ichigo, I have a question. What do you think of the Hollow power within you?”
“Think of it?” Ichigo hesitated, then answered honestly, “Fear. Every time my emotions fluctuate, it tries to take over.”
He explained his apprehension, his fear, his dread of White’s influence. While he maintained a carefree facade before his friends, he knew they could do nothing to help. Their concern would only burden him further. But with Ailin, he could be vulnerable. Ailin was his teacher. He trusted Ailin to help him.
Ailin sighed after hearing Ichigo’s explanation. It seemed White, suppressed by his Quincy powers, wasn’t communicating with Ichigo.
“Ichigo, have you considered that the Hollow only appears during moments of intense emotion to protect you, to keep you alive?”
“What?” Ichigo looked up sharply, stunned. “How is that possible? That… thing…”
“Why not?” Ailin interrupted, sensing Ichigo’s hostility towards White.
“The Hollow first appeared when you regained your Shinigami powers, didn't it? I heard you were completely enveloped in a Hollow shell after breaking free from Tessai’s Bakudō. Do you believe your own consciousness, or the Hollow’s, was in control then? But after you regained awareness, it didn't resist. It allowed you to shatter the shell.
The second time was during your fight with Gin. You were no match for him. You almost died. Driven by your desire to survive, the Hollow took over, saving your life. The third time was during your fight with the Bount…”
As Ailin spoke, Ichigo recalled his moments of lost control. They had indeed occurred during times of extreme danger. And once the danger had passed, or when he had actively resisted, the Hollow had retreated.
He fell silent. “Ailin-sensei, why? Aren’t Hollows monsters that devour souls? Why would it protect me?”
“Hollows?” Ailin shook his head. A Zanpakutō flew from the distant hill, landing in his hand.
“Ichigo, don’t judge things based solely on your preconceptions. Words and expressions can deceive. But actions don’t. You judge the Hollow based on its appearance, its power, but you ignore the fact that it has never harmed you.”
“Bankai! Muramasa!”
Purple ripples spread, and Ichigo’s vision shifted. He found himself falling through a world of inverted skyscrapers, the familiar landscape of his inner world.
“Where… where am I?” He was startled. He knew this place.
Realizing he was within his own mind, he quickly regained control, flying towards the nearest building.
He landed on a flat rooftop, finding Ailin standing before him, Zanpakutō in hand. Beside him stood Old Man Zangetsu… and White.
To Ichigo’s surprise, Zangetsu and White stood together, facing Ailin. And perhaps influenced by Ailin’s words, he no longer felt the same fear and apprehension towards White.
“Zangetsu, Ailin-sensei, what’s going on?” Fearing a conflict, he ran between them, attempting to mediate.
“Ichigo, it’s dangerous. Come here.” Zangetsu’s deep voice echoed in his mind. “I sense… a power within him, a power that can control us.”
“Oh? Such keen senses.” Ailin chuckled. “But is that your own intuition, or something you’ve… seen?”
Zangetsu’s power stemmed from Ichigo’s mother, Masaki Kurosaki, a pure-blooded Quincy whose lineage traced back to Yhwach. Yhwach’s “Almighty” ability allowed him to see the past and the future. However, his power had been partially sealed by Ichibei Hyōsube a thousand years ago, leading to his defeat against Yamamoto and his subsequent nine-hundred-year slumber.
Zangetsu fell silent. He, influenced by Masaki’s love for Ichigo, had seen a future where he killed Ichigo. To protect him, he had suppressed Ichigo’s Shinigami powers. But he would also release his hold whenever Ichigo faced danger, granting him the strength to survive.
“Zangetsu, this is Ailin-sensei. He’s not an enemy,” Ichigo insisted, trying to reassure his Quincy powers.
“Alright, Ichigo. Since everyone’s here, let’s have a chat.” Ailin hadn’t expected both White and Zangetsu to be present. If Zangetsu had been alone, he would have used Muramasa to force him to release White.
“Ichigo,” he said, pointing his Zanpakutō at White. “Look at him. Besides possessing Hollow reiatsu, what about him resembles a Hollow? If you insist he’s a Hollow, where is his mask? Where is his Hollow hole, the symbol of a Hollow’s emptiness? Have you ever seen a Hollow without a Hollow hole?”
The more Ailin spoke, the more confused Ichigo became. Indeed, besides his Hollow powers, White looked exactly like him. If White was a Hollow, did that mean he was a Hollow, too? More importantly, he knew Hollows, driven by their inner emptiness, always had a Hollow hole.
