Ganju Shiba disappeared through the hole he had created, leaving Ichigo Kurosaki standing alone in the alleyway. Ichigo didn't react to Ganju's sudden departure. They weren't truly allies, after all. Ichigo and his companions had come to the Seireitei to rescue Shino Madarame, while Ganju had only accompanied them to ensure the stability of the reishi within the cannon projectile. He had no obligation to risk his life for them.
What made escaping even less appealing was the fact that Ichigo recognized the lieutenant approaching. It was Renji Abarai, the Sixth Division lieutenant who had tried to take Shino away two weeks ago and had battled Ichigo for the right to do so.
From the Seireitei's perspective, only a week had passed since Byakuya Kuchiki and Renji Abarai had apprehended Shino Madarame and imprisoned her within the Palace of Penitence. However, for Ichigo and his companions, two weeks had gone by.
This discrepancy was a result of their encounter with the Kōtotsu, the monstrous cleaners of the Dangai, the dimensional void between worlds. The Kōtotsu's presence had disrupted the flow of time within the Dangai, sending Ichigo and his companions two weeks into the past.
Perhaps this was the Soul King's will at work, subtly influencing the world's future. After all, if they had arrived a week later, Sōsuke Aizen might have already obtained the Hōgyoku.
Seeing Ichigo standing before him, Renji's face hardened. His instincts hadn't deceived him. This boy, whose Saketsu and Hakusui had been destroyed by Captain Kuchiki, had somehow recovered his spiritual pressure and infiltrated the Seireitei.
"You truly never learn, do you?" Renji said coldly. "Why didn't you stay in the World of the Living? Why come to the Seireitei?"
While Renji was grateful to Ichigo for saving Shino Madarame's life, he couldn't deny the fact that she had violated the Seireitei's decree by transferring her spiritual power to a human. However, since Captain Kuchiki had destroyed Ichigo's Saketsu and Hakusui, effectively eliminating the threat posed by a human with Shinigami powers, the incident could be downplayed.
Furthermore, because Ikkaku Madarame was a member of the Eleventh Division, the Central 46 nobles were hesitant to punish Shino too severely. They didn't want to attract Captain Ailin's attention. After all, over two decades ago, some nobles' actions against Rukia Kuchiki had nearly driven Captain Ailin to unleash a devastating purge.
This time, they didn't believe Shino could prevent that, unlike Rukia Kuchiki.
But Ichigo's arrival changed everything.
Captain Kuchiki had claimed that he had completely destroyed the Saketsu and Hakusui of the human who had received Shino's spiritual power. Logically, Ichigo should have become an ordinary human. But there he was, standing in the Seireitei, defying all logic.
Could it be that Captain Kuchiki had lied to the Central 46 to protect Shino Madarame from punishment? Or had another Shinigami, besides Shino, violated the Seireitei decree and transferred their power to Ichigo?
Now, with Ichigo and his companions classified as Ryoka, invaders who had infiltrated the Seireitei without authorization, the Central 46 nobles, to maintain their authority and power, might punish Shino Madarame severely, even if it meant provoking Captain Ailin.
Renji wanted to kill Ichigo before the Central 46 discovered his true identity. This way, Captain Kuchiki's reputation wouldn't be tarnished, and Shino wouldn't face harsh punishment.
"Hah? Why did I come to the Seireitei?" Ichigo jumped out of the sand pit and glared at Renji. "Isn't it obvious? Shino was captured because of me. I can't just stand by and watch her be punished."
"Hmph, foolish!" Renji scoffed. "Ichigo Kurosaki, if you hadn't come to the Seireitei, Shino might have only been imprisoned for a few decades. But you're here now, a threat to the Seireitei, escalating her crimes. She might even be executed because of you! Therefore, even though you saved her life, I have to kill you here to prevent her punishment from being increased."
Renji drew his Zanpakutō and pointed it at Ichigo.
"Before we fight, allow me to share some unfortunate news. Strong spiritual pressure can cause irreversible harm to weaker souls. Therefore, the Seireitei has a decree: All lieutenants and above must have a Limiting Seal placed upon them when traveling to the World of the Living. This seal suppresses eighty percent of a Shinigami's spiritual pressure.
In other words, compared to my strength in the World of the Living, I'm at least five times stronger now!"
Renji revealed this to give Ichigo a chance, a fighting chance. While battling in the World of the Living, Renji had been slightly weaker than Ichigo, even after releasing his Zanpakutō. Now, in the Seireitei, his spiritual pressure was unrestrained, allowing him to unleash his full strength.
He couldn't imagine, with a fivefold increase in power, that he wouldn't be able to kill Ichigo.
"Ah, good," Ichigo said, surprising Renji. Instead of fear, Ichigo's face shone with anticipation.
Under Kisuke Urahara's tutelage, Ichigo had not only awakened his spiritual pressure, but he had also manifested his Zanpakutō, Zangetsu, forged from his Quincy power.
Zangetsu differed from other Zanpakutō.
Typically, Shinigami received an Asauchi, a blank Zanpakutō. They would then nurture the Asauchi's spiritual essence using their own soul. When the Asauchi's spirit had matured, it would reveal its name to its wielder. By calling upon that name, the Shinigami could access greater power.
But Ichigo's Zanpakutō didn't require this nurturing process.
Within Ichigo resided three distinct powers inherited from his parents: Shinigami power, Quincy power, and the Hollow power of White, Sōsuke Aizen's creation.
When Shino Madarame transferred her spiritual power to him, coupled with the pressure of the Gillian's attack, Ichigo had opened a gateway to his own powers. Because the gateway had been opened by Shinigami power, both his Quincy power and his Hollow power transformed into a Shinigami's Zanpakutō.