(Land of Shadows: Castle of Dun Scaith Audience Chamber)
Months had passed and Scathach was sitting upon a throne in a large open space with barrels of spears and swords by her side, looking over her main students as they prepared for another sparring match. Ichigo was in the center and wearing an armored black bodysuit with his Gae Bolg replica, with Cu Chulainn wielding the real Gae Bolg, and Diarmuid wielding a pair of spears with one being slightly shorter than the other. Speaking no words the queen of the Shadowlands raised her own spear and swing it down harshly, akin to an order to commence an execution. With that Cu and Diarmuid charged at the Shinigami, all spears poised to strike at the hybrid with the intent to kill. Once they got within striking distance, they swung and Ichigo immediately responded.
He leaned back so fast and far it looked like he fell backwards while swinging his spear up to catch and deflect theirs. As he did that he quickly drew Isa(ᛁ) and created spires of ice around him, running up the growing wall while Cu and Diarmuid deflected and flew back from the force of the attack. As the distance grew, Cu took the time to swipe his hand, his finger a blur as he drew a line of Runes that turned into a group of large fireballs that shot at Ichigo. The hybrid's response was to draw some Runes to counter, but unlike Cu's smaller and more complex lines from his finger, Ichigo's were larger and simpler with his whole arm blurring. This sight made Scathach sigh in disappointment at Ichigo's skill in Runes.
While he did fully understand Rune magic now, his writing speed wasn't up to Cu's level which itself was still too slow in Scathach's opinion. She tried to improve their writing speed by restraining their whole hands except for their one index finger and had them write out the entire Runic alphabet, within a few seconds and if they messed up or were too slow they had to restart and draw the alphabet in a new pattern while avoiding having the same letter in the same spot. They knew they had to restart when Scathach cracked them in the head. Those days ended with Ichigo and Cu getting multiple skull fractures that Scathach had to heal, only to do it all over again throughout a week. Needless to say Scathach had a lot of fun that week, but their improvements in drawing Runes wasn't the only positive change.
"One sword!" The witch called out as she grabbed a sword and threw it at Diarmuid, the youngest student quickly discarding the smaller spear to grab the blade before charging at the hybrid. Ichigo manipulated the Reishi around them to concentrate them into spears and launched them at Cu, each one exploding with enough force to keep the hound back and allow the hybrid to focus his attention on the younger dual wielder. Diarmuid was immediately on the offensive, swinging and slashing his sword and spear at Ichigo with the hybrid being forced on the defensive. Every time he attempted to draw a new Rune in the air, Diarmuid managed to break his focus in time. What the younger student lacked in magical skill he made up for in weapon mastery, evidenced by how quickly he was able to pick up swordplay.
Ichigo still kept up with his sword practice in what free time Scathach gave him before deciding to have him spar with her while freed of all of his restraints, often finding herself refreshingly pushing her limits to keep control of the fight with the hybrid. Doing this quenched her thirst for a worthy opponent and helped him keep his sword skills sharp. For every minute he spent on the sword she would demand he spend two on the spear with five times the effort, never once relenting despite the condition of his body when he'd heal after a good rest. It was during one of these sparring matches that Diarmuid saw them and became enamored with dual wielding and swordplay, spying on Ichigo during his sword practice sessions. He thought he wasn't noticed when he took a short sword and tried copying Ichigo's swings, but that idea was short lived when Ichigo caught him and started teaching him proper swordplay.
Scathach permitted it, revealing that the original Diarmuid was also an accomplished swordsmen and that she was in possession of the ancient and enchanted spears and swords of the cursed knight and would be happy to just get rid of them. Problem was that they were a set and had to stay together and none of her students proved proficient enough to use them as such so she couldn't just hand them to just any of her students. She had her pride as a teacher and getting someone killed because of their inability to properly wield a weapon would reflect badly on her. This was also training for Ichigo as she expected him to eventually take on students of his own as one does not live for centuries without feeling the need to pass down their knowledge and teachings. With how strong Ichigo was and his seemingly endless growth, Scathach predicted that Ichigo was going to live for a long time and pitied him for it as she reflected on her own immortality. A loud clatter brought her out of her musings as Ichigo disarmed Diarmuid of both sword and spear while Cu shot out from behind to attack the hybrid, enhancement Runes glowing on the hound's arms and legs.
"Getsuga Tensho!" Ichigo roared, spinning back to Cu with the Othala(ᛟ) Rune glowing on his spear and Reishi gathering along the spear as he swung it. The burning wave of concentrated energy slamming into the Gae Bolg, the spear itself glowing with power as the hound was pushed back from the attack. Ichigo then flashed behind Chulainn and slammed the butt end of the spear into his shoulder, breaking his defense and taking the brunt of the attack, sending him crashing to the ground. Diarmuid tried flanking around the hybrid, using the kicked up dust and debris from Cu's fall as a cover while Ichigo continued to fall. The hybrid noticed this and twisted himself to block, noticing too late that Cu was already back up and conjured some ice shards that were flying to the hybrid.
"Kagutsuchi!" Ichigo called out, stabbing the spear into the ground as it ignited and exploded into a ball of heat and fire. The ice evaporated instantly and both of the celtic warriors had to back away from the burning heat emanating from the Soul Reaper's spear. "Take this!" Ichigo roared, his eyes glowing a bright blue as enhancement Runes appeared on his own body, as he prepared to swing his spear.
'Did he draw those on instinct with that Quincy ability of his?' Scathach had to wonder as Ichigo swung at Diarmuid. The young knight brought up his swords to block, but blanched in terror as the pressure caused the two to crack and break, giving him just enough time to duck. The result ensured his survival, but he lost a few strands of hair that were cut off by the wind of the attack. 'That was too far Ichigo. But I guess we're hitting the point where you can only teach yourself how to wield your spear.' She then saw a familiar crimson glow from the debris cloud and felt her eyes widen. "Cu! Enough!" Too late.
"Gae! Bolg!" The hound called out as he threw his spear, the air cackling and burning with its magical power as it shot at the hybrid like a bullet. Ichigo twisted and managed to block the powerful blow. Or rather, it seemed like he did. The moment he felt that he deflected the Gae Bolg, it was centimeters away from impaling him through the heart again. The instant before the spear struck, Ichigo focused everything into reinforcing that one specific area on his chest before he was sent flying back. His skin was burning and sparking from the blade slowly piercing through his defenses before the Gae Bolg's power was dispelled with a loud crack resounding.
"I told you ENOUGH you dumb dog!" Cu was on the ground, cradling his head and nursing a large lump with Scathach's fist steaming. "I FORBADE you from using the Gae Bolg's power, something you either forgot or ignored in your battle lust and I'm not sure which pisses me off more!" Cu was about to say something before Scathach cracked him in the head again. "I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ANY EXCUSES! YOU'RE MY TOP STUDENT AND I EXPECT BETTER FROM YOU!" She grabbed the hound by the head and threw him at Diarmuid, who narrowly dodged the body. "Both of you, hit the baths. This match is over." She ordered, dismissing the two as she turned her attention to Ichigo, who was taking labored breaths. "The Gae Bolg is supposed to instantly kill whatever target it's thrown at, even if it means rewriting causality. Happy you survived, but how did you survive?" She asked as Ichigo's regeneration finished its work, leaving a gap in the chest area of his bodysuit.
"Too stubborn... I guess?" Ichigo suggested as he grasped his chest and sat up. "So how was it?" The shadow queen smiled and nodded her head.
"You're ready for your own true spear." She said, approval in voice. "Get cleaned up and go to bed. We'll be crafting it tomorrow." She ordered, prompting Ichigo to rise to his feet and nod in thanks before heading out, though one of his hands seemed to hold something other than his Gae Bolg replica. Once the hybrid was sure he was alone, he held up his closed hand and opened it to reveal a small bluish purple orb.
'I was wondering what happened to you after I resurrected the Soul King.' Ichigo thought to orb. 'Where were you this whole time Hogyoku? Recharging in the Soul King's Palace? Resting within me?' He wondered as the orb flashed at the latter guess. "I'm never going to be rid of you, am I?" The Hogyoku sank into the palm of his hand and disappeared within his body, absorbing his excess power to fuel its own abilities for later. "What a funny little marble you are." He said as he continued to the baths.
(Sometime later. 9 months since Ichigo entered the Land of Shadows)
Ichigo and Scathach were in a workshop with a charcoal forge, tongs, hammers, several tanks of water and different oils, and a black anvil. Around them were ores, teeth, horns, and bones of various demonic beasts, and woods of the trees of the Shadow Lands. Ichigo could see the many in progress spears and blades, some resembling the Gae Bolg, others seem entirely unique, and many were just plain. This was where Scathach intended to have Ichigo's spear made.
"We have many magical and cursed spears in the Celtic realm." Scathach started to explain to her student. "The Gae Bolg," the witch started holding up a replica of the spear, "made from the monster Curruid, when thrown by the foot into the victim it would explode into many barbs that would tear them apart from the inside out. Very impractical so I made a few improvements over the years." She dismissed that spear and pulled out another red spear, a scarlet hue rather than the Gae Bolg's crimson. "Gae Dearg, a blessed weapon that could pierce through any magical defense. I'm willing to bet it could pierce your own defenses." She set it aside and pulled out a shorter yellow spear. "Gae Buidhe, inflicts injuries that can't be healed... or at least seem impossible to heal. I'm not discounting the possibility." She admitted, setting it aside. "Those two were gifts from Manann, a rather generous king and sea god." She then went over to a cauldron that was filled with a milky liquid and a spear shaft sticking out of it, grabbed the pole, and tossed another spear Ichigo.
"And this one is?" He asked as he caught it, noticing that the spear head was heating up very quickly with the white liquid disappearing.
"The spear of Lugh, god of light, the Luin Celtchar." She said as the spear burst into flames and started to move of its own accord. "Had to be doused in blood to keep it under control until we discovered opium works just as well."
"The spear gets high?" Ichigo asked incredulously before shoving it back into the cauldron.
"Yep. And it's more practical to use. Getting enough blood can be messy." She went over to a work bench and started gathering tools. "I spoke with Oetsu in regards to making this and we theorize that you could fashion a spear with an Asuachi without it forming a Katana, but you'd need to work from something's soul and form it into the spear." She gestured around the workshop. "Anything here that could help?" Ichigo took a moment to scan, but found no definitive spirit in any of the materials. Even the monster parts were just parts. They all had 'souls' but only in the sense that they could be manipulated with Fullbring.
"Sadly no. They're all-" Ichigo started before he first a harsh tension in his chest, grasping at it as a small Hell Gate appeared.
"What the-!?" Scathach exclaimed in shock as a familiar voice called out in Ichigo's mind.
'Use one of us. I volunteer.' The hybrid nodded before summoning an Asuachi, a blank humanoid with mouths for eyes, that immediately turned into a rectangular bar of metal. The gates opened slightly and threads of golden light started to flow from Hell and into the Asuachi billet, turning it golden as well. The gate immediately shut and disappeared.
"What... was that Ichigo?" Scathach asked as things calmed down.
"That... that was the Soul Society's Hell Gates." Ichigo answered. "Some time back, I had to go into that Hell to fix some issues that were happening. Apparently I impressed the realm's jailers enough for them to make me... basically their king. One of the Kushanada volunteered their being to help create my spear." The witch's surprise soon gave way to an excited grin reaching ear to ear.
"Let's see what happens." She said as they got to work. Ichigo took up Kagutsuchi to generate the flames to heat the billet while Scathach held it in place as the pair hammered away at the materiel, the spirit metal shaping itself in response to the desires of the two smith's blows to the metal. Scathach marveled at the malleable spirit metal, wondering if she should start practicing the harvest of solid spiritual energy to use as materials and what her own weapon from such material would be like. She was brought free of her musings as the spear took a definitive shape which was, fittingly enough, a Japanese Yari. A shaft of black lacquered wood about three feet long with a straight double edged diamond shaped blade about another six inches long. "Well there you go." Ichigo took hold of the shaft and inspected the weapon. "What do you wanna-"
"Shackle, Rensa Seigi." Ichigo immediately called out, swinging the spear down as the form changed in front of her. The wood turned into a series of bone like segments ending in a guard shaped like a human skull lacking a bottom jaw with the blade jutting through the mouth, two chains loosely wrapped around the shaft from the connected points at the butt and the skull guard. The spear itself was gold while the chains were a dark rusty red, the same color of the chains of Hell. "Or, as I believe in Gaelic, Ceartas Slabhraidhean."
"Chained Justice either way." She said with a smile as the other spears, including the cursed ones, started to float around her. "Now, wanna take that out for a test drive?" She asked as the Luin Celtchar caught fire.
(Outside)
The Land of Shadows was never hospitable to anything less than the strongest and most brutal creatures of Celtic legends, even then those beings were hard pressed to survive such an unforgiving land. Scathach herself stood at the very top of the realm's food chain, unquestioned and unrivaled by any of the Celtic pantheon's beasts, demons, or gods. Since the original Cu Chulainn, never once had anyone threatened that claim on the realm, millennia of unequaled dominance left her bored and wanting. This wasn't the main reason why she agreed to take on Ichigo Kurosaki as her student, that was to honor an old friend that had trusted his continued growth to her, but the boredom did play a big role in that decision to agree. Teaching a student was a good way to kill time.
The hybrid proved to be a quick and persistent study under her tutelage, coming into his own as a spearman at a surprising rate. Was it the years of training under various masters that made him so adaptable, his natural combat instincts from all the fighting, was he a prodigy? No one really cared and Scathach almost killed him on five separate occasions in the first month alone. Her policy was 'learn fast or die' and Ichigo learned as a result because Scathach was dead set on killing him and Ichigo wasn't in the mood to die just yet. As time passed his power grew and was becoming as feared among the denizens of the Land of Shadows as the dreaded queen that ruled the realm. When word went out about their impending duel, every beast and demon went into hiding to avoid the destruction that was to follow two godly strong entities clashing in battle. Fears that were, again, unfounded because they weren't fighting to such a degree. Ichigo was again limited to Rune magic, Rensa Seigi, and some Reishi manipulation.
"Block this!" Scathach roared from high above her student, dozens of spears floating around her and glowing with power. Thrusting her hand forward, the barrage of missiles shot down to the hybrid with more appearing and following suit. Ichigo himself was covered in rapidly healing cuts and bruises from Scathach's merciless assault but he refused to give in to his exhaustion, raising his golden spear and thrusting rapidly.
'Good thing the application of Onibi translates so well.' Ichigo thought as the pressure and force from the thrust caused multiple spears to either drift off course or be outright destroyed by the attack. However the toll of power and endurance required to make so many thrusts necessary put a heavy strain on Ichigo's arms and he had to make multiple reinforcement and enhancement Runes appear on his arms in order to last as long as he was. 'How long does she intend to do this!?' He mentally roared before switching tactics, letting the spear close in before deflecting them with as little movement as possible. As a result of this, he was soon engulfed in a cloud of dust and smoke that completely obscured his vision. To counter this, he drew Perthro(ᛈ) with Reishi on one of his eyes and giving him partial precognition.
"Too slow!" He heard her call out from behind him, just as he saw himself losing an arm. He turned and reinforced his body's defenses with Reishi, only for a red spear to bury its blade in his shoulder. He felt the muscles cut and tear, taking away mobility of his limb, and he had to restrain himself from utilizing Ransotengai out of reflex. Scathach still didn't know about it and using it now would waste his forming plan.
"Don't think I'm out just yet!" Ichigo roared, shifting his grip closer to the head and swinging his spear at her chest. Scathach easily evaded his swing while still holding onto the Gae Dearg before revealing the yellow Gae Buidhe spear that she began to stab at him, just what he was waiting for. Immediately invoking Ransotengai to control his arm enough to reach out and catch her hand, deliberately letting it pierce through his hand and run down the shaft to grab her hand in a vice like grip. "Arms are cheap." The hybrid growled before slamming his forehead into her face and twisting himself in a way that let Gae Dearg tear through his flesh and rip his own arm off.
"AH! Forgot what fighting a crazy person was like!" Scathach said, as she shook herself back to her senses, finding Ichigo a distance away and a Gebu(ᚷ) and Haglaz(ᚺ) Runes glow on his severed limb. She drew a protection spell around herself just in time to avoid damage from the arm exploding like a nuke.
"Says the woman with the battle lust!" Ichigo roared back as his arm regrew with a flare up of Reishi, using his regrown hand to draw an Othala(ᛟ) on the skull. "And I can afford a little crazy." The whole spear ignited with Kagutsuchi's flames just as Scathach appeared with the Luin Celtchar in hand and blazing with a vicious flame. "It's the only way to survive your insane training!" She only grinned in bloodthirsty excitement as she charged at the hybrid, Ichigo raising Rensa Seigi in time to block. "And now you're using that?!" He yelled in shock as the burning blade slammed into his spear's shaft, a wave of fire washing over the Soul Reaper.
"What final test is easy!?" She returned, noting that the flames didn't seem to affect him. Neither the fires of Lugh's spear or the usual consequences of him using the Othala(ᛟ) Rune. 'Is it because of what was used to make it or has the spirits within calmed down?' She idly wondered as they broke their lock and reengaged in a dance of death, the witch quickly noticing that things were off. Every time their spears collided, one of two things would happen. Either the Celtchar's flames weakened ever so slightly, or the spear started gaining weight. 'What are you doing?' She wondered as she made a slash followed by a barrage of thrusts. Ichigo managed to deflect her slash away from him but wasn't able to completely avoid her stabs, getting pierced in the gut and jumping back to avoid further damage. "If you have a surprise, then you'd better break it out!" She warned as she poised to impale her student. Ichigo changed his stance and she thought she heard the clinking of metal.
"Alright." He said before pulling his spear back harshly, surprising Scathach when the Luin Celtchar responded and due to her grip on the lance she went flying with it and straight at Ichigo. The hybrid made another twirl and swing and she flew over his head and straight for the ground, years of experience allowing her to right herself and land on her feet while causing a crater to form.
"What the-?" She questioned before a momentary slack of her grip allowed the spear to be ripped from her fingers and into Ichigo's grip. "What was that!?" She demanded when a series red chains appeared, wrapped around the Luin Celtchar and connected back to the Soul Reaper's spear.
"Rensa Seigi was made from a Kushanada, the jailers of Soul Society's Hell." The hybrid answered while holding up the still burning hell spear, the fires of the Luin Celtchar being absorbed into the flames brought forth by the Othala(ᛟ) Rune. "As such I can invoke their powers, even outside of Hell. But it's just limited to controlling the chains of Hell, which are only so effective against those not bound for Hell. As for the fire, Kagutsuchi is a rather hungry and possessive spirit, devouring any flames to increase its own power." The Rune faded from the spear's skull and Ichigo tossed Celtchar away, blazing across the sky like a shooting star while Rensa Seigi's own fires extinguished. "Now, have I passed?" Ichigo asked, stabbing the spear into the ground and leaning against it.
"Passed? I should say so Cu Iapan." Scathach said, naming him the Hound of Japan with a smile as Gae Bolg replicas started appearing around her, a frenzied look of bloodthirsty desire in her eyes. "Now, TRY AND SATE MY BATTLELUST!" She roared, aiming to skewer her student with her many lances, until hundreds of chains erupted from the ground at her feet and destroying her balance while throwing her into the air. She immediately regained control just in time to swing her arm and fire a barrage of spears at Ichigo, only for the chains to move like serpents and block them from striking their master. Any other chance to attack disappeared as more chains converged on her, immediately biting into her flesh the moment one made contact. She managed to free herself using a mix of Inguz(ᛜ/ᛝ), Raidho(ᚱ), and Tiwaz(ᛏ), but had to constantly reapply as the moment she freed herself another set of chains latched onto her, though their hold weakened every time. "I said SATE MY BATTLELUST!" She roared in defiance as she finally landed at charged at her student.
"Shatter, Kyoka Suigetsu." She heard as the image of her student shattered like glass, revealing the illusory Zanpakuto. "You said I passed," she heard from her side, revealing a Reishi manifested fist five times her size flying at her and sending her flying for miles and smashing a few mountain tops, "now I can go all out!" He was immediately above her with a Cero glowing in his hands. Scathach smiled with a bloody jaw and immediately erected a barrier as Ichigo fired. She easily weathered the blast, though not without a few burns on her body, and started a line of magic counterattacks. Ichigo jumped back as thousands of energy charged spears appeared and shot at him, forcing him to get some distance between him and Scathach.
"Now that's what I like!" She called out as she slowly forced herself back to her feet, a trail of blood coming down from her hairline, a bloodshot eye, a few broken ribs, and spitting out a couple of teeth. "This is what gets me up in the morning!" She waved her hands and massive ice spires, fireballs, glowing Gae Bolgs. "Show me the true power of Yamamoto's successor!" She fired it all at once, aiming to destroy the hybrid if he was incapable of stopping it. Ichigo watched the attacks approach him as he pulled out the twin blades of Zangetsu and held them together.
"Bankai!" He roared as a pillar of swirling fiery Reishi of black and gold erupted around him, sending out a shockwave that destroyed everything around him. Scathach kept her smile even as the large cleaver blade of Ichigo's Tensa Zangetsu now rested across her body, ready to cut her in half. "Good enough?" Scathach's frenzied smile switched to a simple one of pride.
"Yes Ichigo, Hound of Japan. You've passed."