Fate (A Bleach Fanfiction)

Chapter 31: The Resolution to Kill!

3rd person's pov

Kuroki kicks Toshihiro and he flies back past Ichigo and hits the wall. "Tsumetai shimo!" Kuroki attacked him as he got up, "Honō To Notatakai!" Their attacks collided and blew them both back. "Whoa, that's amazing." Hanatoro said, staring in awe. "You're doing better than the first time. I'll give you that, but don't think you'll win!!!" Toshihiro charged at her and tried to tackle her, "Not this time, Toshihiro!" She dodged him and sent a blast towards him. Renji pulls back his sword, "I'm stronger than the last time you fought me." He exclaimed attacking Ichigo, who stopped Zabimaru with Zangetsu but he is injured. Ichigo stumbles to his feet and picks up Zangetsu, "I'm alright. I have no intention of being beaten." He brushes the attack off, although he was seriously injured. "Hey Ichigo, I think you should reconsider this. I think you should stop." Hanatoro said and Kuroki flies in front them.

"You can't escape me, Kuroki!" She dodges his attack and does a back flip. She flips over Ganju, running towards Toshihiro. Ichigo refuses to and tries to assess his wounds, Renji takes the opportunity to attack him. Ichigo barely manages to dodge him, "If Rukia never had met the two of you, she would never have been in trouble." Renji states and Ichigo flees towards the rooftop, with Renji following closely after. "Oh, is Kuroki mad?!" Toshihiro kicked her into the air, causing her to collide with Renji. "God Damn it! That felt great!" He pulls his gun out and she blocks it with her sword, "Hey, watch where you point that thing! Are you trying to kill me?!!" Renji shouted, "Shut up Renji!" Ichigo attacks him and the two clashed swords.

Elsewhere, lieutenant Momo Hinamori shows lieutenant Izuru Kira that Renji left his lieutenant insignia behind. "Should we tell anyone?" Momo asks Izuru, "I don't think we should tell anyone even though it seems its wrong." Izuru shakes his head.

Renji attacks Ichigo, cutting through his shoulder. After Renji finishes his rant, Ichigo blocks his attack. "I will save Rukia." He then realizes something strange about Renji's snake-like zanpakuto. "His zanpakuto, Zabimaru can be stretched out three times before it returns to normal." Ichigo thinks to himself and decides to attack him. After the third strike from Renji, Ichigo finds his opening and attacks but Renji dodges it and slashes Ichigo's other shoulder. "Your attack was perfect, but it was to slow because of your inexperience." Renji pulls back for another attack, a cloud of dust ensues the battlefield and Rukia stirs as if she sensed something.

Elsewhere, Yoruichi has evaded all of the remaining soul reapers. She feels both Ichigo and Kuroki's reiatsu fluctuate, as the other lieutenants notice something is wrong with Renji's reiatsu.

Back on the battlefield Kuroki is seriously injured by Toshihiro, they both are panting pretty hard. Ichigo is breathing heavily but unharmed, Renji is unsurprised by this. Ichigo then thinks back to when he was training with Kisuke.

"Remember Kuro, you have to keep trying no matter what. You can't let anyone bring you down, if you're fighting for someone. Never give up on trying to fight for that person and what you believe is right." Kuroki pushes through the rubble, remembering what her father told her back when she was around 9 years old. "Daddy, what do you mean by that?" Nine year old Kuroki asked, looking up at her father. "You'll understand it one day." He puts his hand on her shoulders, pulling her into her hug.

Ichigo smashes into the rock, while battling against Kisuke. The others tried to help him but Kisuke refuses it and continues his relentless attacks, the two finally pause. "You're afraid of getting hurt, of letting someone die and killing. You should think the other way. Don't let yourself get cut, don't let them die and attack to kill. See the resolve in your sword." Kisuke tells ichigo and his sword begins to glow.

After remembering everything, Ichigo stands hardened and resolved. He lifts his sword over his shoulder, Hanatoro notices the change in Ichigo. "Sorry for the wait, I found my resolve." Ichigo boosts up his spirit energy making Renji shocked, almost scared. "He fought like the last time we fought. He seems more controlled this time." Renji thought, but Ichigo interrupts by attacking Renji. Renji attacks back but Ichigo dodges all of his attacks and raises his sword up like Kisuke did and when Renji's attacks end, it ends. There is a big explosion that cuts Renji's hair lose and Renji is blown back, all while this happens Ichigo recites what Kisuke said to him. "I'm out of energy, I can't fight anymore." Renji said to ichigo.

Toshihiro crashes beside Renji, "What the hell? How did she get so strong so fast?" He pushed himself up, Ichigo got a good look at him. He was bleeding all across his forehead, his hair was disheveled and some of it stuck his face from the blood and sweat. He was panting pretty hard and his clothes were partially destroyed. He tore away both his jacket and his shirt away. "There is no way Kuroki couldn't have gotten strong this fast." He pulled out his sword out and got into a defensive stance, as Kuroki walks out from the smoke.

"I'm not gonna give up on saving Rukia. I'm glad that I met Rukia, she happened to be the best thing that's ever happened to me and Ichigo. You people are trying to take the one thing that made Ichigo happy away. I'm not gonna let that happen. My Dad always told me to never give up on what you believe in. Never to give up on the people your trying to save. Never let the fear take over you, never get cut down and never let anyone die. I'm not letting her die, never will I let something happen to them both. I became stronger because I want to protect everyone I care about, I care about Rukia and Ichigo. I'm not letting anyone take Rukia away from us." Kuroki's hair was out of its pony tail and blew in the wind. "I've never seen her this determined. She really cares about us. That's the Kuroki, I know and love. She found her resolve in the words dad told her as a kid." Ichigo thought, "You aren't gonna get past me!" Toshihiro charged at her, but all she did was side step him. He growled stopping himself and Kuroki attacks him, "Kori Ame!" She said in a monotone voice. Toshihiro didn't expect the attack and tried to get away from her, a drop of ice hits Toshihiro and he collapses in a heap on the ground.