XX-level Hokage

"Shut up!" Ichigo suddenly snapped to attention, and a burst of emerald-green spiritual pressure erupted from his body, like a beam of light breaking through the spatial suppression. His Hollow Armor quickly covered the left half of his body, and black patterns crawled across his cheeks. His Shinigami armor on the right half of his body became clear in the spiritual pressure, and the emerald-green gem on his chest shone with dazzling light.

Although his body remains semi-transparent, the power belonging to Ichigo Kurosaki is returning at an astonishing speed.

Perfect Ichigo's expression twisted completely. He stepped forward, the black patterns on the blade spreading wildly, almost engulfing the entire blade: "Why?! Why reject perfection? Why cling to the painful reality? You know that after returning to reality, all that awaits you is more battles, more sacrifices!"

"Because that's the path I chose!" Ichigo's voice echoed throughout the space, his spiritual pressure coalescing into a longsword in his hand, fused with four different powers.

The main body of the weapon is the pitch black of a Shinigami, the edge of the blade is wrapped with the dark red of a Hollow, the handle is adorned with the silver-white of a Pyromancer, and the back of the weapon glows with the emerald green of a Fullbringer.

This knife has no name, yet it carries all his experiences and burdens: "Whether it's pain or joy, victory or defeat, it's all part of my life! No one—not even another me—has the right to decide for me how to live!"

Before he could finish speaking, Ichigo had already swung his sword at Perfect Ichigo. This time, the blade was no longer suppressed by space and carried the "real power" of the real world, slashing straight at the opponent's face.

"clang--!"

Two similar yet opposing swords collided in mid-air, and a violent shockwave instantly spread outwards, shattering the pure white space like glass, leaving it riddled with cracks.

Perfect Ichigo was jolted back two steps, his arm slightly numb, and for the first time, fear appeared in his eyes.

"Rules are meant to be broken!" Ichigo charged forward into the blade, each swing filled with unwavering resolve. "I've understood since I was a child that if you want to uphold..."

What we cherish is never something we can obtain through perfection—it must be earned with our own hands!

He immediately shouted, "Ichigo! Attack that book! It's the energy core of this space! Destroy it and the space will collapse!"

In that stalemate, a piercing tearing sound suddenly came from a corner of the pure white space—a pitch-black crack appeared out of thin air. Immediately afterwards, a petite figure leaped out of the crack, her Zanpakuto radiating a chilling aura that instantly froze the pure white energy around her that was trying to repair the crack.

"Honestly, do I always have to clean up this mess?" Rukia Kuchiki landed on the ground, ice crystals still clinging to the blade of her sword, Sode no Shirayuki. She looked at Ichigo, who was locked in a fierce battle, her face bearing that familiar expression of disdain, but her voice betrayed her worry. "Idiot, what are you daydreaming about? This space is about to collapse! If we don't leave now, we'll really be trapped here!"

"Rukia?!" Ichigo was both surprised and delighted, and his grip loosened slightly.

"Don't get distracted!" Rukia swung her sword at Perfect Ichigo's arm, forcing him to release the blade. "The stability of this space has been compromised. We must find an exit as soon as possible!"

Her appearance was like a signal, and then, more cracks opened up in space.

A beam of azure light shot out from the crack, and Ishida Uryu's figure leaped out. His spirit bow, "Silver Ridge Arch Sparrow," was already nocked, the tip of which was brimming with dazzling Quincy energy: "Looks like I've made it. But Kurosaki, you really do manage to push yourself into such a desperate situation every time."

"Kurosaki-kun!" Orihime Inoue emerged from another rift, her shield, Shun Rikka, fluttering around her. "I tried to repair the spatial rift with my Twin Heavens Return Shield; it should hold for a while!"

Chad followed silently behind Inoue. His right arm had transformed into the "devil's left arm," a massive arm radiating immense spiritual pressure. His gaze was resolute as he stood in front of Inoue, silently demonstrating his determination to protect him.

Even Ginjo Kugo and the members of XCUTION emerged from the rift one after another—Ginjo carried his Fullbring weapon, "Cross Gallows," his face still cold; Dokmine Riruka hugged her doll, muttering, "I didn't come here specifically to save you"; Yukio opened her "Game Space," warily eyeing Perfect Ichigo.

"You guys..." Ichigo looked at the familiar figures beside him, and a warm feeling welled up from the bottom of his heart. His originally translucent body gradually became clear under the resonance of his companions' spiritual pressure.

“Don’t misunderstand.” Yincheng spoke coldly, but his tone was no longer hostile. “We just don’t want Moon Island’s plan to go wrong. If even you disappear, then our previous battles will have been meaningless.”

"Because of connection." Urahara Kisuke's smile faded, his tone serious. "Your so-called perfection is a lonely world severed from all bonds. But one..."

He is different—he has so many people around him, connecting with him through their own strength.

When so many people simultaneously reject your perfection and want to bring it back to reality, even the most absolute space will develop cracks.

Ichigo took a deep breath, feeling the spiritual pressure emanating from his companions—Rukia's Shinigami spiritual pressure, Uryu's Quincy energy, Chad's Fullbring fluctuations, Inoue's healing power, and the power of Ginjo and the others. These powers intertwined, forming a strong "bond" that firmly anchored him to "reality".

He raised his long sword again, the four-colored light on the blade shining even brighter, pointing directly at Perfect Ichigo: "Do you see this? This is the result of my choice—these comrades who are willing to fight alongside me, these bonds that want to bring me back to reality no matter what, are the proof of my true existence!"

Perfect Ichigo shook his head frantically, his body beginning to disintegrate uncontrollably, pure white particles of light constantly scattering from him: "No...no...it should be perfect...it should be painless...why are you all rejecting it?"

His voice grew fainter and fainter until it finally dissipated into a particle of light.

"Tear--"

As the core crumbled, the entire space began to collapse at a visible speed, and scenes from the real world seeped in through the cracks—the walls of abandoned old school buildings, distant streets, and even the sounds of cars from the present world.

"No time! Let's go!" Kisuke Urahara rushed towards the nearest crack, waving for the others to follow. "The space is collapsing very quickly; if we don't leave now, we'll be swept into the turbulent flow of possibilities!"

Ichigo nodded, took one last look at the dissipating spatial fragments, and turned to follow his companions.

As he stepped out of the crevice and breathed in the dusty air of the present world again, an unprecedented sense of peace welled up inside him—the sun and wine were with him.

The temperature above, the touch of the breeze on his cheek, the familiar voices of his companions—these "ordinary" things that he had once overlooked now seemed incredibly precious.

"Welcome back, Ichigo." Rukia stood in front of the ruins of the old school building, sunlight illuminating her profile, and a long-lost smile appeared on her face.

Ichigo looked at his companions one by one. Uryu turned his face away, but quietly put away his spirit bow; Inoue smiled and handed him a bottle of water; Chad patted him on the shoulder; Ginjo and the others stood not far away, and although they did not speak, they expressed their approval with their eyes.

He nodded solemnly, his voice filled with the resolute determination of someone who had survived a disaster: "Ah, I'm back."

The wind swept through the ruins, stirring up dust. Ichigo looked up at the sky; the sunlight was dazzling yet warm. He finally understood that so-called "perfection" was nothing but an illusion, an escape from reality; while the "real" things, burdened with pain and hardship, the people and things that needed to be protected with one's own hands, were the things worth cherishing with one's life.

Chapter 299: A Perfect World? Infinite Tsukuyomi?

The midday sun shone through the broken windows of the old school building, casting dappled shadows on the dusty ground.

Ichigo Kurosaki stood in the open space, his hands in his pockets, feeling the warm sensation of the four powers flowing smoothly within him—the Shinigami's spiritual pressure was no longer stagnant, the Hollow power was no longer restless, and the Quincy's energy and Fullbring's fluctuations blended like a stream. This unprecedented balance filled him with a sense of peace.

Kisuke Urahara straddled the ground, his fingertips gripping the tip of Benihime's sword, gently fiddling with a few scattered fragments of white light among the rubble. These fragments, no bigger than a fingernail, emanated a faint yet persistent spiritual pressure, like a candle flame that refused to go out.

“Not entirely.” He carefully picked up a fragment with tweezers and examined it closely. “The main body of the book was indeed shattered by Ichigo, but these fragments… still retain a considerable amount of potential power.”

The fragments trembled slightly in Urahara's palm, emitting a whisper as faint as a mosquito's buzz, like countless tiny sounds murmuring in his ear.

Ichigo instinctively took a half step back, his brows furrowed—the voice reminded him of the dizzying feeling he had when countless memories of "himself" flooded his mind in the pure white space, and he instinctively felt uneasy.

"The core part?" Rukia frowned, the hilt of Sode no Shirayuki's sword slightly warm in her palm. "If Tsukishima gets his hands on it, won't he use that book to create chaos again?"

“It’s very likely.” Urahara nodded and handed the container to Tessai, the shop assistant behind him. “Tsukishima’s obsession has never been to defeat Ichigo, but to create the perfect world he believes in. As long as the core is still there, he will not give up.”

At that moment, Orihime walked quickly to Ichigo's side, nervously twisting the hem of her skirt with her hands, her eyes full of worry: "Kurosaki-kun, are you really alright? Just now in that white space, you were almost transparent, I was so worried."

Ichigo stretched his arms, his spiritual pressure flowing gently between his fingertips. He smiled and shook his head: "I feel great now, even more relaxed than before. Maybe... I should thank that trial." He could clearly feel that after confronting "Perfect Ichigo," the four powers within him that had initially been somewhat repelled had achieved a deeper resonance—like a fierce trial that had finally found the most suitable way to operate.

Rukia walked over with her arms crossed, her tone carrying her usual "disdain," but her eyes couldn't hide her concern: "Looks like you finally didn't fall for that fake warmth."

"Don't be fooled. If you really stay in that illusion, I won't bother to save you."

"Hey, that's going too far!" Ichigo immediately retorted, their familiar banter easing the tense atmosphere. Just then, Ginjo Kūgo's voice broke in: "Kurosaki, we need to talk."

He carried the "cross gallows" and stood in the shadows not far away, while the members of XCUTION stood behind him, waiting for orders—Liruka holding a doll, Yukio holding a game console, but they all subconsciously paid attention to the commotion.

Ichigo and Ginjo walked to the corner of the old school building, avoiding the sight of others.

Ichigo instantly understood his meaning, raising an eyebrow slightly: "You want XCUTION to be in charge of collecting the fragments?"

"We are the most suitable candidates." Yincheng looked at his companions behind him, his eyes filled with complex emotions. "XCUTION was originally composed of Fullbringers. We understand the dangers of 'non-realistic forces' better than anyone else, and we also know how to suppress these fragments. Moreover," he paused, his tone low, "Tsukishima was once a member of XCUTION. The mess he left behind should be cleaned up by us."

“I can agree.” Ichigo finally nodded, then changed the subject, “but there is one condition—Mr. Urahara must participate in the supervision, and the collected fragments must be stored in the Urahara Shop’s sealing device, and cannot be kept by XCUTION alone.”

Yincheng raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised that Ichigo would make such a request. He stared at Ichigo for a few seconds before finally chuckling, "That's fair. I don't want to have any more conflicts with you over these fragments."

As the two reached an agreement, Chad silently approached and handed Ichigo something—the group photo taken in front of Urahara's shop. The edges of the photo still bore scorch marks from the spiritual pressure, and the corners were slightly curled, but the smiles of everyone in the photo were still clear: Rukia, unusually relaxed...

Matsu's expression, Uryu's awkward profile, Inoue's bright smile, Chad's honest eyes, and himself standing in the middle, looking slightly green.

"Thank you, Chad." Ichigo carefully took the photo, his fingertips brushing against the scorch marks, a warmth spreading through his heart. If it weren't for this photo serving as an "anchor of reality," he probably would have truly been lost among countless "possibilities," never to return.

Chad simply nodded vigorously, without speaking, but the determination and support in his eyes were more powerful than any words—just like countless times before.

In that way, no matter what kind of enemy Ichigo faces, he will stand by Ichigo's side and protect him in his own way.

At that moment, Rukia also came over, holding a familiar black card in her hand, and handed it to Ichigo: "Here, take this back."

Ichigo looked down and saw the Substitute Shinigami License—the spirit runes on the card were still flashing, carrying the spiritual pressure fluctuations unique to the Soul Society. He looked up in surprise, "This wasn't already..."

Ichigo gripped the license tightly, the card's texture conveying a familiar sense of security.

This time, it is not just proof of "permission to use the power of the Shinigami," but also a symbol of his bond with the Soul Society and his companions—a recognition earned through countless battles and countless acts of protection.

"By the way, Kurosaki." Ishida Uryu walked over at this moment, his expression more serious than usual, and his voice a few decibels lower, "My ancestral friend, Ishida Sogen, did he say anything in that space at the end?"

Ishida remained silent for a long time, the sunlight casting interplay of light and shadow on his face.

After a while, he nodded slightly, his voice slightly hoarse: "I understand." He didn't ask any more questions, but Ichigo could sense that beneath that calm lay complex emotions—a illusory expectation that "grandfather is still alive," as well as a clear understanding of that "false existence."

Urahara then approached, his metal container filled with fragments of the pages. Spiritual runes flickered on the container's surface, suppressing the fluctuations of the fragments. "Everyone," he said, "there's something I must remind you of."

His expression was grave. "Although these fragments have lost the ability to actively construct illusions, they are like living seeds—instinctively seeking out people with 'gaps' in their hearts as hosts, then taking root and sprouting in the host's consciousness, slowly altering their perception of reality."

"Tampering with cognition?" Inoue Orihime gasped, covering her mouth in shock. "Then... the host herself wouldn't even notice?"

"That's right." Urahara nodded, his tone heavy. "That's the most dangerous part. For example, someone who longs for family might mistakenly believe their family is still alive because of a fragment; someone who fears battle might live in a world without enemies because of a fragment. By the time they realize something is wrong, their consciousness has already been swallowed up by 'possibilities.'"

Just then, a tattered page inside the container suddenly began to vibrate violently, and a white light pierced through the cracks in the container, so bright that it was impossible to open one's eyes.

Everyone instinctively stepped back, and on the tattered page, several blurry, blood-red characters slowly emerged: [Next Host: —]

The writing only lasted a few seconds before disappearing as the white light faded, but the ominous premonition lingered in everyone's hearts like a cold vine.

"Understood." Liluka replied impatiently, but still quickly took out a sealing talisman from her backpack; Yukio also put away her game console and brought up the location of "Game Space"—it was the tool they used to detect Fullbring energy, and perhaps it could capture the fluctuations of the fragment.

Before XCUTION was about to leave, Ginjo walked up to Ichigo with an unusually serious expression: "Kurosaki, remember one thing—Tsukishima may have failed, but his ideals have not disappeared."

A perfect world without suffering is an irresistible temptation for many.

As long as these fragments remain, there will be people drawn to this temptation, attempting to exploit them... perhaps even more insane than Tsukishima.

It's not about "Tsukishima alone," but rather the "desire to escape reality" that it represents.

As long as there are people who still crave "perfection," this threat will not truly disappear.

Rukia patted him on the shoulder, her tone much gentler: "Don't overthink it. You did very well today—you stayed true to yourself and protected us. That's enough."

Ichigo nodded, but couldn't help looking at the street in the distance—the sun was shining brightly, pedestrians were hurrying by, and the world was as peaceful as ever.

As the sun sets, the golden afterglow casts long shadows of the old school buildings.

Ichigo stood alone in the open space, holding the Substitute Shinigami License in his hand, the card's warmth emanating from his fingertips. Having experienced the confusion of losing his powers, the struggle against "perfection," and the determination to rediscover himself, he finally understood his path more clearly—not to become a perfect hero, but to protect "everything that is real," even if that reality contains pain and regret.

Then, space distorted, and a pure white hand picked up the torn page.

"I originally just wanted Ichigo to awaken the power of Fullbring, but I didn't expect to catch such a big fish. The Perfect World? It sounds even more terrifying than Infinite Tsukuyomi."

Chapter 300: Fragments

The night in Karakura Town was bathed in a soft, silvery glow from the moonlight. There were few pedestrians on the streets, and only the streetlights cast long shadows on the pavement. Everything seemed as peaceful as ever.

But beneath this calm, an unseen undercurrent was brewing—Ichigo Kurosaki lay on the bed, tossing and turning, the Substitute Shinigami License in his hand gleaming faintly in the moonlight, like a restless heart beating gently.

"Next host"

The unfinished prophecy on that tattered page from the daytime echoed repeatedly in his consciousness like a fine thorn.

"I must find all the missing pages as soon as possible..." he muttered to himself, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the edge of the license, his unease growing stronger. The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, a rapid knocking at the door startled Ichigo from his light sleep. He grabbed his coat and hurriedly opened the door, where a faint sound...

Keigo's face was deathly pale, his hair was disheveled, and his hands were trembling slightly; he was clearly in a state of extreme panic.

"Ichigo! Something terrible has happened!" Keigo grabbed Ichigo's arm, his voice trembling with tears. "Mizuiro...Mizuiro is acting so strange! He's completely different from yesterday!"