"My name is Yoruichi!"
"My name is Kisuke Urahara!"
"I'm a candy shop owner!"
"I'm his daddy!"
Seeing that Urahara was about to break character, Ren spoke calmly: "Now that I know your names, tell me what you're doing here."
"No idea!" the two replied in perfect unison.
Ren's face darkened. Looking at their bright, innocent smiles, he didn't hesitate to deliver two swift punches!
Bam! Bam!
A second later, the two sat there with matching black eyes, sobbing. "We really don't know! We just got the feeling we're all here to cause trouble in the Seireitei, so we thought we'd group up~"
To be fair, normally no one would believe such a flimsy excuse. Even Lilynette sensed something was off, her gaze turning sharp and scrutinizing. Urahara and Yoruichi just blinked rapidly, looking as well-behaved as possible.
Ren glanced into the distance. Ichigo Kurosaki was training to achieve Bankai; other than that, there was nothing of note. Oh, except for a hot spring emitting wisps of steam. Deciding to make the best of his situation, Ren wandered over to watch Ichigo's progress. He didn't care why Urahara wanted them here.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sound of clashing metal echoed. In Ren's eyes, Ichigo was locked in combat with a strange mannequin holding a massive blade. With one swift strike, the mannequin shattered Ichigo's sword and continued its path, nearly cleaving him in two. Ichigo rolled away, grabbed another sword from the ground, and lunged back into the fray.
Watching the struggle, Ren sighed. "Poor kid, being hustled by these people."
Usually, a Soul Reaper practices Jinzen—meditating with their blade, communicating with the spirit within to build a bond and grow stronger. Ichigo's current method, however, was pure "pulling on the seedling to help it grow." Whether Shikai or Bankai, if Ichigo's blade hadn't told him its true name, he was essentially just brute-forcing it.
Wait... actually, that sounds like a viable shortcut? The thought flashed by, but Ren quickly shook it off.
When Ichigo finally collapsed from exhaustion, lying on the ground to catch his breath, Ren's group had finished making dinner. Ren brought a plate of fried noodles over to Ichigo. While Urahara and Yoruichi were distracted by the delicious food, Ren leaned in and whispered:
"Hey kid, you want to get strong?"
Ichigo froze, then nodded without a second thought. "Do you have a way?"
"Of course!" Ren said. "I know the true name of your Zanpakutō, and I can help you gain power beyond your imagination in a short time. But there's a catch!"
Ichigo's eyes lit up. "Just say the word! Whatever I can do to help!"
Ren leaned closer to Ichigo's ear. "Your Bankai is called Tensa Zangetsu. But to tap into your real power, you need to communicate with your blade and find the real Zangetsu between the two of them."
"The... two of them?" Ichigo looked confused. He hadn't met "White" yet, so he couldn't grasp Ren's meaning.
"I can't explain too much. Just know that the guy you see now is actually suppressing your power. If you want your true strength, you have to convince him to let go."
Ren retreated back to Yoruichi and Urahara, leaving Ichigo with a look of utter bewilderment.
"What did you say to the boy?" Yoruichi asked, curious. Lilynette perked up her ears as well.
"Just told him the true name of his sword," Ren chuckled casually.
"Hm... WH—?"
Before Yoruichi and Urahara could press further, a Captain-level spiritual pressure suddenly erupted behind them. Along with it came Ichigo's roar:
"BANKAI! TENSA ZANGETSU!"
A black-clad Ichigo, holding a sleek black blade, stood before them. Yoruichi and the others stared in shock. They hadn't expected the boy to achieve Bankai so quickly!
Ichigo was more shocked than any of them. He had only tried it as a test; he hadn't actually expected to succeed. If Ren was telling the truth, then the "Old Man Zangetsu" he had trusted this whole time was a giant liar!
But there was no time for doubt. Using the name Ren gave him, the Bankai had activated successfully. Urahara, noticing Ichigo's conflicted expression, shielded his mouth with his small fan. "It seems Mr. Kurosaki has some internal matters to settle. We won't disturb you."
He dragged Yoruichi away to continue eating. Ren and Lilynette never stopped their meal to begin with; Ichigo's current Reiatsu wasn't even a tenth of Lilynette's. The young Arrancar didn't spare the "brat" a second glance.
Ichigo sat cross-legged, his consciousness entering his inner world.
In the sun-drenched city atop the skyscrapers, Ichigo looked at the old man before him, finding it hard to speak. After a long silence, Old Man Zangetsu sighed. "He was right. All this time, I have been suppressing your power. If I let go, you will gain your true strength."
"Why?!" Ichigo demanded. "You saved me when I was in danger! Why would you hold me back?"
The old man shook his head. "No, Ichigo. Think back. In your moments of crisis, who was it that really saved you?"
The old man vanished, leaving Ichigo alone in the city. Who saved me?
The question echoed in his mind. He remembered his fight with Kenpachi Zaraki—how once the battle reached a fever pitch, Old Man Zangetsu would vanish, and a surge of wild power would take over.
"No, no, no!" Ichigo shook his head, unwilling to believe it. "It was the Old Man helping me fight!"
Just then, a figure appeared behind him. He looked exactly like Ichigo, in the same Bankai form, but he was entirely white.
"Yo, King. You look lost."
Ichigo spun around, his pupils dilating. "Who... are you?"
White Ichigo laughed. "I am Tensa Zangetsu. Or you can call me Zangetsu. It doesn't matter. What are you so confused about, King?"
"Confused?" Ichigo went silent. Before he could process the shock, White Ichigo let out a manic grin:
"Do not be confused. Forget fear. Look forward. Proceed. Never stop. Retreat and you will age. Hesitate and you will die! Fight! Hand everything over to instinct!"
The words echoed through the space. Ichigo recognized them instantly. The Old Man had said the exact same thing when they first met—all except for the bit about "instinct."
"You—!"
Before Ichigo could ask anything else, White Ichigo charged at him with a predatory smile. "Don't ask questions. I won't explain. Feel it through your blade!"
Clang—!
As their swords met, a flood of raw emotion surged into Ichigo's soul.