Bleak: Retell

Chapter 9: Battle on the Prepice (Ichigo Vs Renji- Part 1)

After being completely healed, Ichigo was up and ready to fight. Hanataro, Ganju, and myself all pleaded with him to take it easy and be careful as to not try to reopen any potential wounds. "You guys need to relax. I'll be fine."
"Ichigo." I said. "Remember last time you said that? When you and Rukia had fought that hollow? Grand Fisher I presume it was called?"
"Hisana.." Ichigo seemed a little surprised. "How did you know about that hollow incident? You weren't even around?!"
"Rukia had told me when Byakuya and I had visited her in the Squad 6 holding cell."
"You were with Byakuya?!"
"That's because I am bethrothed to him, Ichigo."
"Oh yeah, that's right. I forgot about that the fact you are nobility."
"Yeah. It doesn't mean much to me. Just a useless status thing." I paused, drawing in a breath. "But you really need to be careful!"
"I'll get you guys back to the surface now. Based on this map here.." Hanataro pulls out a hand-drawn map of the underground tunnels that we were in. "At the end of this tunnel here, it will lead us straight to the area that is before the Repentance Cell. That is where Rukia is being held."
"You mean that giant white tower?" Ganju asked with slight curiosity.
"Yes that." Hanataro smiled slightly, yet showing a little bit of timidity. "Follow me." We followed down a long corridor followed by up a ladder. When we came to, we arrived outside a dead end corridor on one end and the other end of the corridor lead out somewhere. We began heading down that very route when Hanataro stopped dead in his tracks before us.
"You good, Hanataro?"
"T-There's a really strong spiritual pressure ahead!"
"Do you know who it is?"
"I'm not sure.. there's a thick mist up ahead."
As we pressed on, approaching the mist, Ichigo put his hand up to stop us from pressing on any further. The mist cleared, and the four of us could not believe who stood before the staircase, Lieutenant Renji Abarai of Squad 6!
"No way.." Hanataro was shocked.
"It's a Lieutenant!" Ganju shouted.
"It's been a long time.." Renji glanced directly in Ichigo's direction. "Do you remember my face?" He took off his glasses.
"Renji Abarai." Ichigo gritted his teeth.
"I'm surprised that you've managed to live again Captain Kuchiki's attacks from back in the World of the Living. You're quite brave to come into the Soul Society to not only re-face death a second time, but to challenge myself once again. If you manage to defeat me, you're going to go against people much stronger than I. These could even potentially be Captains of the 13 Court Guard Squads."
Renji began to make a strife towards Ichigo, unsheathing his zanpoktou. "This is as far as you will go, Ichigo Kurosaki. I had made a promise to myself that I would kill the person who stole Rukia's powers. And as long as you are still standing here before me, she cannot get them back!"
He charged at Ichigo, and in a flash, Ichigo brought out Zangetsu. The two began to clash in a rather heated frenzy, both with heartfelt intention. One wanted to follow their heart and save Rukia. Whilst the other wished to follow a path of revenge. Retribution instead, would be a wiser path for Renji to consider.
—
As the fight continues, Ganju, Hanataro, and myself watch with immense concern and worry.
"Could Ichigo seriously win this? Especially with the potential strength difference? Renji has had maybe thousands of years of experience, schooling, and practice to get to the rank of Lieutenant. Especially belonging to Byakuya's squad. That takes a lot of skill. Meanwhile, Ichigo has only been a soul reaper for maybe a few short months. Meanwhile, he's only had his own power for about a month now. He did learn a lot from Kisuke, based on what Yoruichi had said."
I continued to ponder in my thoughts, and observe the battle.
"Ichigo!" Ganju hollered out. "Be careful! He's a Lieutenant! The strength between you two is quite distanced! Please be careful!!"
"I don't think so, Ganju." Hanataro implied. "Look at Ichigo. Notice his movements and steps. He's beginning to overpower Lieutenant Abarai."
"He is?! I can't even notice it."
"It's because the way the battle is moving. The more they fought, the more visible it became to me."
"Be careful, Ichigo!" I yelled as they continued to fight.
—-
"Tell me. How do you plan to save Rukia?" Renji asked. This left Ichigo in a slight state of confusion. "Besides me.." Renji continued on. "There are eleven other lieutenants and then 13 captains to make up the entire upper command of the 13 Court Guard Squads. Even if you defeat me, you may have to battle other lieutenants or even captains in order to save Rukia. So tell me again, how are you going to save Rukia?"
As they continued to clash, Ichigo looked at Renji with determination. "I will defeat anyone who gets in my way! This is regardless of how many captains and lieutenants there are!"
Renji grimaced and then laughed. "Where did all of this sudden confidence come from and why are you so worked up over this? Even if your zanpoktou has changed, don't think it will make you any stronger or surpass me!" Renji then changed the angle of his zanpoktou so that the light reflection bounced off of Ichigo's face. "Damn it!" He scoffed. "I can't see!" In a flash, Renji landed an attack on Ichigo that had sent him flying into the air. Fortunately, he was just barely able to block a severe blow of said attack due to using Zangetsu to help him. Renji then continues to use more attacks at Ichigo. "Roar, Zabimaru!"
Ichigo could not counter in time, and Zabimaru's blade thrust into his shoulder. Ichigo winced in pain at impact, and was slammed into a nearby building.
"Ichigo!" I hollered as I noticed a bunch of rubble and smoke. "He can't be dead.."
Ichigo grinned as the smoke cleared, he was slightly slouched against a large piece of rubble that was propped against the wall. Renji was livid, he was angered that the fact that after these many attacks, Ichigo was still standing.
"As I observed your movements while we had been battling so far I had noticed that you may be adjusting to the way I battle. However, when Soul Reapers are sent to the World of the Living, our strength is greatly reduced so that it does not affect humans, but can still greatly affect and kill hollows. Here in the Soul Society, I am five times stronger and you possibly cannot defeat me here. This is regardless of how strong you may have become."
There was a wound on Ichigo's head. "Your attack didn't affect me at all." He grinned as Renji looked at him, dumbfounded. "Are you some kind of idiot?!"
——-Meanwhile in Repentance Cell————
Rukia stood in her lone cell, staring out the lone window. From it, she could plainly see where her execution would take place. She could sense the battle between Ichigo and Renji. "No way...Ichigo, Renji...!" She glanced in the direction the battle was. "Please.. be careful.."