"Container?" Ichibei was genuinely confused, but soon enough, he understood what Kisuke meant.
'But that's ridiculous...' Ichibei thought to himself. After all, that would mean that while Ichibei is consuming the energy itself to make himself grow, Kisuke is actually stealing the know-how of gathering and wielding that said energy.
Kisuke saw his reaction change and smirked, "I told you, mine is not inferior to yours. You can gather massive amounts of Ki, Spiritual, and Magic Power and seamlessly incorporate those into yourself without any detrimental effects. However, mine steals what's making that possible in the first place."
"I took... No. Benihime took over your authority over [Black]. The restrictions and conditions that come with it are needed to properly pull it off."
'Impossible...' Ichibei couldn't easily accept it. But that would also explain what he had just experienced. His previous form was broken because what was holding it together was stolen. It also didn't happen in an instant because the first one to have left his hands was his precognition abilities. The signs were there and he just never figured out what was happening until it was already too late.
Kisuke resumed his assault on the stunned Ichibei by bombarding the latter with projectiles both made from Kidou and Magic.
Ichibei gritted his teeth and used the various techniques that he had learned from his time being a Shinigami to intercept and counterattack.
Various colors of lights flashed as the two of them duke it out from both range and close combat. Kisuke was hoping to get some sort of reaction from Ichibei with their conversation but that obviously failed. On top of that, although Ichibei could realize the things he explained on his own given time, Kisuke still saved him precious time.
'Well, I took the risk and failed. It doesn't always go the way I wanted it.' Kisuke thought to himself, 'I would have been very happy if he showed any indication if his escape route is still viable.'
There's also a chance that Ichibei didn't have this so-called 'escape route' and is truly at the end of his road. Kisuke, however, refused to believe without any concrete evidence even though he had confidence that he could cut down Ichibei in an instant. After all, Ichibei had all the time in the world for everything that may come down, 'He's not an idiot, that's for sure. Worst case scenario, he could bring his consciousness to his scattered pieces. I could lock him down before I cut his head off but I doubt he's going to allow that to happen.'
In this messy stalemate, Kisuke was thinking of ways he could delay Ichibei so that he could initiate a lockdown. However, he had to throw that idea away when he saw Ichibei suddenly grin.
Kisuke shuddered and immediately disengaged from the fight. That was a mistake.
As soon as he took some distance, Kisuke immediately noticed a change in Ichibei. A single strand of his beard had turned black, "Shit!" He exclaimed loudly.
It's just a single strand and it almost escaped Kisuke's notice for how insignificant it looked. Nevertheless, the implication of this change is very far from insignificant, 'How!?' Kisuke asked himself as he dashed towards Ichibei while bearing his dagger at him.
Ichibei, with his newly regained confidence, met and clashed with Kisuke while displaying an even deeper and pronounced grin, "So this is how you reached me, huh? I wouldn't have noticed it if I hadn't weakened to this degree. Maybe it was a good thing that I discovered this now instead of later."
Kisuke's eyes widened and it was also at this very moment that it finally came to his attention. A small channel that connects Ichibei to Benihime. The same channel that Kisuke used to steal Ichibei's authority. The [Shadow].
Panic set in Kisuke's mind and hurriedly tried disconnecting that connection, however, to no avail. The [Shadow] was fully entrusted to Benihime so that she'll have the highest chance of success but she hadn't replied to his summons, much less returned it to him.
"Dammit." Kisuke cursed under his breath while trying to suppress Ichibei and also watched him slowly regain his color along with his widening and sickening smile. Kisuke was able to reach Ichibei through the [Shadow] but that also rings true in reverse. It was his rare complacency, thinking that Ichibei wouldn't be able to realize its existence, that finally bit him back.
'Should I kill him now?' Kisuke debated. Right now, there are two choices in front of him. Either continue his investigation and hopefully find a way to permanently kill Ichibei or kill him now with the risk of him escaping his current body.
If he chooses the former and fails, Ichibei would be able to return to his former form. At that point, there was nothing he could do anymore as he exhausted all the cards he had. He couldn't afford to fight the giant once again.
But if he chose the latter and Ichibei was able to escape with his consciousness intact, there would be peace and quiet for some years or maybe even millennia. However, his threat will never disappear unless he finds a way to locate him. He's aware of how vindictive this guy is and he would undoubtedly use that chance not just to get revenge against him but also absolutely torment and destroy those important to him.
Kisuke gritted his teeth in frustration. He's truly at loss and if make a wrong choice now, his death will be the last of his worries. In fact, he's very afraid that Ichibei would actually spare him to make him watch what he's going to do next.
Naturally, he tried looking for other options and he actually thought of one and that is, 'Destroying Benihime.'
But as soon as that surfaced in his mind, Kisuke also threw the idea out of his head just as fast. Sure, destroying Benihime would also destroy the [Shadow] that's with her and that would stop the current problem. However, that doesn't solve the most pressing issue. And most importantly, he wouldn't sacrifice his partner for something like this.
While being torn on what to do, another change caught Kisuke's attention. Half of Ichibei's beard and his garb have already recovered their color, yet Kisuke doesn't see all of that as his eyes were on Ichibei's eyes which have two pupils each.
It's the terrifying reality that he has to make a choice now.
Without a clear choice, Kisuke froze on the spot. He always has an answer for everything he tackles. It was these moments, however, that he hated the most, and with a massive consequence at hand, his mind also halted.
Of course, Ichibei just left him alone as it's much more important for him to recover what he had lost. No matter what Kisuke did, it was his win. He knew that Kisuke had no more aces in his sleeve. It was a difficult battle, but he emerged victorious.
It was also at this moment that Ichibei started seeing a glimpse of the future. While he couldn't do anything to it, he could still see the same future he saw from before. Him standing in front of someone with a strange Reiatsu, neither a Shinigami, Hollow, Quincy nor a Fullbringer.
And after recovering a part of his power, he now knew how he was able to reach that future and it's also because of this that he knew exactly what choice Kisuke would take, further cementing his victory.
Kisuke was unaware of what Ichibei was thinking. As much as he wanted to open his head to take a look inside and help him make a choice, he didn't have that kind of miraculous ability.
[Kill him.] All of a sudden, Benihime's voice resounded in his head, albeit, very soft.
But without any hint of hesitation, his body started undergoing complete Hollowfication and Kisuke also shouted while releasing all the Reiatsu he had, "Shunkou! Blood Gate: Acceptance!"