BLEACH

CHAPTER TEN (LEGENDARY REMATCH)

Ichigo Kurosaki vs. Byakuya Kuchiki: Rematch is the second and last fight between Ichigo Kurosaki and the captain of the 6th Division, Byakuya Kuchiki.

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After Ichigo successfully blocks the Sōkyoku's attack on Rukia Kuchiki, the Sōkyoku is destroyed by Captains Shunsui Kyōraku and Jūshirō Ukitake. Breaking the Sōkyoku's stand, Ichigo throws Rukia to Lieutenant Renji Abarai, who runs away with her in his arms.

Ichigo blocks Byakuya's attack.
Lieutenants Marechiyo Ōmaeda, Chōjirō Sasakibe, and Isane Kotetsu are sent to chase Renji, but Ichigo, blocking their path, effortlessly defeats all three without the use of his Zanpakutō. Picking up his sword to defend himself against Byakuya's first attack, he tells Byakuya he can see his every move.

As they cross swords, Byakuya asks Ichigo why he keeps trying to save Rukia, but Ichigo asks why Byakuya is not trying to save her. Brushing it off as a pointless question, Byakuya states even if he was inclined to answer, Ichigo would not understand. After the two clash and push themselves apart, Byakuya tells Ichigo he will kill him and carry out Rukia's execution with his own hands, but Ichigo states this will not happen. The two charge at each other.

The two continue to battle one another fiercely, causing explosions all around Sōkyoku Hill but each of them continues to block and effectively parry the swings of the other over and over again. With neither of them able to gain an inch, both back away from one another and Byakuya commends Ichigo for mastering Shunpo so quickly. Byakuya goes to state that Ichigo will still lose the battle but the boisterous teenager interrupts him mid-sentence and asserts that Byakuya is going easy on him. Reminding the captain that he intended to kill Ichigo and that he is still uninjured, Ichigo taunts Byakuya while smirking, trying to get him to use his Bankai.

Byakuya releases his Shikai.
Ichigo reminds him of his promise to kill Rukia, his own sister but Byakuya asks why he has a problem with his words. Ichigo states that he detests those words and that he intends to use all his strength to defeat Byakuya. He also insists that, no matter the circumstances, after his victory, Byakuya will never speak such words in front of Rukia again and then he will force Byakuya to apologize to her. Byakuya sees through the taunt and chastises Ichigo for his insolence, stating that he hasn't changed his mind about Ichigo nor Rukia's fate. He refuses to use his Bankai, believing Ichigo to be unworthy of its power. Instead, Byakuya releases his Shikai, Senbonzakura.

Ichigo injures Byakuya and draws first blood in their battle.
Byakuya's Zanpakutō begins to disintegrate into thousands of tiny blades that spin towards Ichigo in order to attack the teen. Despite this, Ichigo appears calm before he lifts his blade and swings it towards the oncoming attack, unleashing a massive, blasting stream of blue Reiatsu that shocks Byakuya with its power. When the dust clears, Byakuya's glove falls from his left hand to the ground and blood begins to drip down as the captain demands to know what that attack was. Ichigo explains that his Zanpakutō gathers his Reiatsu and releases it in an amplified swing in an attack called Getsuga Tenshō, which Zangetsu had just revealed to him.

Byakuya effortlessly blocks the Getsuga Tenshō.
Ichigo thrusts his blade into the ground and again demands that Byakuya attack with his Bankai as he intends to destroy the captain completely. Byakuya mocks the name of Getsuga Tenshō as pretentious but decides to give Ichigo what he wants and releases his Bankai; Senbonzakura Kageyoshi. Ichigo is stunned when his opponent drops his blade into the ground before tens of blades rise up around him. They all scatter in many more, countless, much smaller blades and go to attack the redhead. Ichigo manages to avoid the blades several times but Byakuya indicates that this is useless, even when Ichigo unleashes another Getsuga Tenshō that Byakuya easily blocks.