Chapter 90: Genesis Epilogue
The New World had been forged, yet it was plummeting toward the side of calamity and ruin.
Should it truly develop to that point, the New World itself would become indistinguishable from Hell—or rather, it would become a part of it. Of course, the outcome was not yet settled; the New World could also be thoroughly devoured by Fisher.
Perhaps this was the destiny of the Bleach world-bubble: when the old world finally closes its curtain, the birth of the new world simultaneously welcomes its tribulation.
Ichigo Kurosaki, hands in his pockets, watched all of this. His expression remained unmoved, but his eyes grew increasingly resolute, as if burning with a soul-stirring sense of power.
At that moment, a divine voice descended from beyond the heavens, echoing in his ears:
"Ichigo... why aren't you here to see me off? What are you looking at?"
Hearing this, Ichigo smiled lightly. He had long known that the Soul King's fall did not mean the "Spectator" had disappeared.
"Isn't Fisher already seeing you off over there? I won't join in for now. As for what I'm looking at... I am observing the future of the New World!"
Ichigo was not lying. What was reflected in his vision was not just the present scene, but the myriad possibilities of the future. As for when Ichigo awakened a divine power like "Future Sight," there was no need to ask. Using Purity to transcend all common sense was the privilege of the Strongest; it wasn't something just anyone could achieve.
The divine voice asked further: "And what do you see?"
"I see the powerhouses who are about to be born in the future. For instance, the one called the 'Undying Phoenix,' Momo Hinamori; her Falling Plum Purgatory Punch and Undying Phoenix Body are quite potent—rarely can a fist rival the Remnant Flame. And Chad—he's actually known as the 'King of Giants and Demons,' a permanent host of future fighting tournaments. His strength is not to be underestimated."
Ichigo spoke with a relaxed tone, tinged with expectation. The divine voice only chuckled.
"In your eyes, the future of the New World is full of light, then?"
"Of course. The future New World, while not perfect, possesses a warm light and brilliant beauty. It will be a paradise of supreme bliss that makes countless people smile from the bottom of their hearts..."
Was the future Ichigo saw truly like that? The divine voice did not ask. Because it didn't matter.
Meanwhile, the struggle between "Hell" and Fisher grew increasingly violent. The celestial phenomena birthed from them responded to the combat.
The Sun of Hell and the Eerie Moon were no longer limited to seizing the mortal realm; they collided directly. Sunlight and moonlight transformed into tentacle-like arms, manically brawling, gnawing, and biting at each other.
The Sun and Moon engaged in a passionate, flesh-on-flesh brawl. Before long, the pitch-black Sun of Hell missed a step and was struck by the Moon's finishing move, crashing from the heavens to the earth. But the Black Sun refused to concede; it performed a tactical roll, a "carp leap" back to its feet, and assumed a White Crane Spreads Wings stance to continue the fight against the Hollow Moon, which was diving down with a powerful leg technique.
Though these were not real celestial bodies but evolved phenomena, their mass was substantial. The Black Sun's roll scorched ten thousand miles; the Hollow Moon's stomp was a super-earthquake many times more violent than a tectonic shift.
Ichigo watched this and simply laughed:
"Of course, the road to that paradise isn't quite clear yet. Someone needs to trim the weeds and thorns along the way. Naturally, that's my job. Or rather, that is my destiny."
The divine voice said: "Very well. Go and fulfill your destiny. At this moment, do you still need me to say some hot-blooded, encouraging words?"
Ichigo laughed. "No need. Even without encouragement, I shall ride a white horse, hold a sharp sword, and win victory after victory until I set foot in paradise."
"The Messiah of the Old World, the Lord of Myriad Victories and King of Brilliance of the New World... I look forward to the paradise you describe, the one that blesses all sentient beings. Go. We'll talk later!"
"Talk later!"
Ichigo stepped forward, waving his hand without looking back. His eyes remained fixed on the distant future.
The future he saw was, of course, not as beautiful as he claimed. In fact, it was the opposite: black holes, decay, withering, destruction—all sorts of terrible endings were right at the doorstep. Such is the nature of the "World"; it doesn't necessarily develop in a good direction. If there is a possibility of things turning bad, they often will, leading to one problem after another.
But it didn't matter. Ichigo had known this for a long time, had long since reached his resolve, and had made his choice.
If there's a problem, it's simple: just give it a hard beating!
This was why the divine voice didn't ask if the future he saw was real. Because even if the future was terrible, the current Ichigo would use his iron fists to beat the world into the shape he desired. He had the conviction, the capacity, and the matching... ABSOLUTE POWER!!!
To carry out his will, for a greater and better protection, the Strongest Man on Earth—whose belief was to beat the world—walked with a relaxed, leisurely pace toward the battlefield where two worlds were brawling in full swing.
With every step, an illusory figure appeared beside him.
White, dressed in a pure white Shihakusho and carrying a Zanpakuto, appeared at his side. Bruised and swollen, he bared his teeth:
"King of Animals, are you sure? After this fight, I can stop that hellish mutual-pummeling training, right? I'm your mount; you can't lie to me!"
Ichigo smiled gently. "Yes. My white horse."
Another step, and the silhouette of Old Man Zangetsu appeared, his brown sunglasses hiding bruised eyes. He spoke flatly:
"White—who symbolizes the Soul Reaper and Hollow sides, corresponding to instinct and desire—and I—who symbolize the Quincy side, corresponding to reason and conviction—have both caught up to your pace. We no longer need to merge; we are already one. So, as long as we blow up the entire world plus those two low-purity losers over there, it's all over, right?"
Ichigo continued walking and laughed without looking back. "Yes. My sharp sword!"
As he walked, more silhouettes emerged. There was him in a school uniform, symbolizing the confused but optimistic heart of an ordinary human before becoming a fighter. More figures followed: him in a black Shihakusho, him in Quincy attire wielding the power of a Schrift, him clad in bone armor as a Ghost King buffed by Hell, him fused with the Hogyoku in ultimate evolution... one Ichigo after another appeared.
These were all Ichigo Kurosaki—the various "divergent possibilities" possessed by the existence named Ichigo.
As he marched forward, the silhouettes watched his receding back, then stepped forward to follow, merging back into his being. Power was boiling endlessly, collapsing within the boil, and sublimating in the extreme collapse—a cycle repeating over and over.
The Soul King Surge filled Ichigo once more, infecting his limbs and reconstructing his existence. With every step, his Absolute Realm index climbed above 99%. It might be increments of 0.1% or 0.5%, but it never stopped.
He didn't initially engage "Hell" and Fisher. He walked to the edge of the battlefield where the Black Sun and Hollow Moon were fighting. At this moment, the majesty erupting from Ichigo was something even those supreme celestial phenomena could not ignore!
And it wasn't just the Sun and Moon. All powerhouses who had participated in the Genesis were watching. They watched to see what the Strongest Man in the World intended to do.
"The weak ask why the world is this way; the strong state how the world should be. The Spectator told me that, and I agree. Now, as the Strongest Creature on Earth, I wish to use my fists to turn the world into the shape I desire. Tell me... will you behave and change for me?"
Absolute Realm 99.9%. Power of this level was a magnificent glory that commanded the attention of the world itself. Ichigo's tone was not aggressive—it was actually very gentle—but the meaning was clear.
The Sun of Hell responded first. A mountain-sized tentacle of sunlight lashed out with a manic force intended to burn mountains and boil seas.
Ichigo smiled. He took one hand out of his pocket. 99.9% power was ready.
In the next instant, the scene that unfolded exceeded the limits of human imagination.
"As expected of my dear friend. Truly T.M.D. (f*cking) potent!"
Even the calm Aizen couldn't help but swear. He saw Ichigo slap the "face" of the sun. A normal sun doesn't have a face, but this Black Sun happened to have a blood-red eyeball made of fire in its center—so that counted.
Regardless, that massive sun was sent spinning through the air by the slap like a yo-yo! Aizen had once joked that Ichigo would punch the sun if he faced it; he never expected to actually see it happen. An individual pummeling a colossal celestial entity brought an extreme visual impact that was incredibly potent.
Yamamoto's face twitched, but he said nothing. He just wondered if his Remnant Flame Punch needed a "Stage Three" mode that surpassed the sun.
"I wish for the sun to stay in its place in the sky, gently providing light to the plants. Working hours are 6 AM to 6 PM. Arriving late or leaving early is allowed, but not by more than an hour. So, Mr. Sun, can you satisfy my expectations?"
Would the Sun of Hell agree? No. As a phenomenon symbolizing the darkness of Hell, how could It succumb to the threats of a mortal?
Ichigo didn't care. He simply tightened his fist by one more fraction. Truly just a "fraction"!
A 99.91% fist struck the Black Sun's "stomach" with immeasurable god-speed. It was multiples stronger than the previous hit. In that moment, a celestial anomaly never before imagined was born: [The Sun clutching its stomach and vomiting a torrent of solar prominences].
"Mr. Sun, have you agreed to go to work?"
The vomiting—err, erupting—Sun did not answer. Before anyone could process the sight, a 99.92% fist followed up. A second anomaly appeared: [The Sun being hit by a Rising Dragon Punch, spiraling into the sky and performing dozens of backflips before a vertical landing].
"Mr. Sun, have you finished considering?"
Ichigo's power continued to surge! He asked gently while manically pummeling the sun with power that transcended all common sense. This wasn't just a physical beating; every punch carried an overwhelming mental and willful impact.
If anyone could see through the Sun's perspective, they would see Ichigo's silhouette expanding until he surpassed the Sun itself—grander than the earth, broader than the sky. Every punch was a declaration of Fate, impossible to defy. The will in his fists transformed into physical chains of power!
The Sun felt its existence being rapidly reshaped by those chains. Ichigo was using iron-clad facts to explain how the strong reconstruct reality. What he desired must happen. If not, he would pummel it until it did.
Soon, the blackened Sun—looking significantly "swollen"—yielded. Without a word, it took to the sky and hung there motionless, like a normal sun.
Ichigo nodded in satisfaction and turned to the Eerie Hollow Moon. "Mr. Moon, I also intend to hire you for the New World. 6 PM to 6 AM. What do you think?"
The Hollow Moon was not intimidated and lunged forward bravely. To Ichigo, there was no problem a beating couldn't solve. If there was, just add more punches!
"Mr. Moon, Mr. Sun is still on his shift, so find a place to squat for a bit. I'll find you a dormitory later so you have a place to stay during the day."
The Hollow Moon, now also "swollen," didn't even look for a spot; it just lay down where it was and refused to get up.
With the Sun and Moon settled, Ichigo turned to gaze at the world. The four seasons were out at once; storms, floods, and lightning crushed each other; Reishi-light and Shadow-darkness tore at one another. The New World was falling toward darkness.
Ichigo clenched his fists and strolled toward the chaos.
At this moment, Yoruichi Shihoin rubbed her chin and muttered: "In the future... there probably won't be a Soul King anymore, right?"
Beside her, Urahara—who was fiddling with some equipment—replied without looking up:
"There won't be. According to my observations, the New World born from the Genesis is highly stable. It doesn't need a Soul King as a linchpin. Besides, that Genesis truly consumed the Soul King's essence. He is dead—thoroughly and completely."
Yoruichi gestured toward the distance. "Then... what is that over there?"
Urahara looked up. He saw Ichigo Kurosaki holding "Spring" by the neck, punching it in the stomach while gently asking if it wanted to go to work. Urahara felt his brain twitch. A "Spring" that could be grabbed by the neck made zero scientific sense. But since it was Ichigo, he accepted it.
"That? That is perhaps an ultimate tyrant with Purity so high he can beat the world into kneeling and humiliate it. I miss when he was just a soft little strawberry cupcake—gentle and naive. Though, he hasn't actually changed. He just has enough power now to turn his naivety and gentleness into reality..."
Yoruichi said: "I'd only read old records of the Soul King slaying demons, and I could never imagine it. Now, I think I understand those ancient pictures. It's quite stimulating."
In the eyes of those who knew the secrets of the Three Worlds, this was myth becoming reality.
What does it mean to beat the world? Ichigo demonstrated it with direct action. With matchless iron fists, he suppressed the Sun and Moon, calmed the seasons, harmonized the elements, balanced Reishi and Shadow, and coordinated life and death.
When Ichigo desired the world to be a certain way, every natural phenomenon and creation chose to succumb before that overwhelming will. The Soul King at his peak was no more than this!
Once finished, Ichigo didn't stop. He turned his gaze to the final battle: "Hell" vs. Fisher.
"Truly boring!"
In Ichigo's eyes, the fight between Hell and Fisher lacked interest. Hell was a manic venting, eroding everything by instinct. Fisher was better, but relied too much on the Progenitor's devouring nature. There was no "Will of the Strong" in their clash. To be blunt: you could find two Slime-fighters in Karakura and swap them in, and the fight would be more exciting.
However, Ichigo knew their goals were different. This wasn't a fight for victory, but for a million-year-old question to find a final verdict. Ichigo, whose gaze pierced past and future, understood the karma and their demands.
But understanding didn't mean agreement. The world often seeks the fittest solution, but if a powerhouse only seeks what is "fitting," what was the point of forging the Strongest Fist?
His inner gentleness meant he didn't intervene immediately; he let them fight to settle the ancient debt. But seeing them grow more unsightly—discarding moves to simply grapple and bite like animals—Ichigo couldn't take it anymore.
"Personally, I don't want to criticize the choices of the King or the World from a million years ago. I just feel that whether Hell swallows all or the Progenitor devours all, neither ending is very good. So... I plan to overturn both and welcome a third ending!"
How to overturn? The answer was in his clenched fists.
Ichigo's will caused the battle between Hell and Fisher to freeze. Fisher looked delighted and laughed: "Hell is truly not potent enough; I was losing interest. You've come at the perfect time. Let us restart that unfinished legendary battle...!"
Hell remained manic. It didn't speak, lashing out at Ichigo with tentacles. The blood-red eyes covering the limbs glared with a poisonous malice—a silent curse. Hell did not love the strong; it loathed those who wouldn't submit to torment.
Facing the tentacles, Ichigo stood unmoved. The Soul King Surge that had infected his limbs and torso climbed upward, finally covering his head.
Ichigo had become a "Man" made purely of the Soul King Surge.
Absolute Realm 100%. It was a theoretical boundary, considered impossible because it required a powerhouse to develop every internal and external aspect to absolute, perfect perfection. How can a human exhaust all theoretical perfection?
Ichigo had done it. At this moment, every inch of his body, mind, spirit, and soul was composed of high-purity ultimate power. He was no longer a "Man," but the Avatar of Power—a Living Miracle.
Time seemed to slow down. Everyone watching saw light born and spread without bound. Then, a fist made of light slammed into "Hell"!
In the future, on a prestigious, high-rating "Baki-style" interview show in the fighting world, a reporter spoke via phone to a mysterious entity.
"You're asking about the punch the Fighting Tyrant Ichigo Kurosaki threw at Hell? Good question. I was dead at the time, but I still had some senses linked to Hell, so I remember..."
The mysterious voice paused. "Do you know the legend of Pangu creating the world? I'll use that to describe it. Under Ichigo's fist, Hell was beaten into a state of 'Primal Chaos Judged'—it was totally shell-shocked. Then came the 'Separation of Clear and Muddy': the light souls popped out from the top toward the heavens; the heavy heart, liver, lungs, and blood sprayed toward the earth. Finally, 'Yin and Yang were fixed.' Hell was almost carried away and sent to the Underworld on the spot. It was truly potent enough to fly..."
The reporter recorded the details of the punch's majesty and asked: "And the specific impact on the New World?"
"Is this an interview or a test paper? Why ask? The fighting phenomenon Ichigo punched out is right there in front of you: Primal Chaos Judged, Separation of Clear and Muddy, Yin and Yang Fixed..."
Back in the past: In the Genesis, Ichigo hadn't fought much and thus hadn't created any landmarks. But this punch left an indelible mark on heaven and earth. An invisible boundary, like an invisible fist, filled the world. It was formless but performed a miraculous function.
The Three Worlds had fallen into Hell. The Genesis, fueled by the Soul King's power and the powerhouses' fists, had used the ruins and a portion of Hell to refine the New World Ark. This Ark remained within Hell, so closely linked it was considered a part of it.
But the phenomenon born from Ichigo's fist changed everything. Every ambiguous, chaotic result was struck by this phenomenon—including the "state" of the New World being mixed with Hell.
It wasn't just "Hell" that suffered the 100% Absolute Realm beating. It was everything.
The world trembled. The link between the New World Ark and Hell was shattered by peerless force.
Yin and Yang were Fixed.
The structure of the world was undergoing a profound, irreversible change. The New World Ark felt as if it were being pushed by an invisible force, beginning to move...
This fighting phenomenon would be known by posterity as: [The Final Chapter of Genesis].
End of Chapter
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